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Steve had invited me to the HomeBrewers Ball at the Candy Factory in Lancaster and told me his friend Bob and him were going to be making wood-fired pizzas at that event with Bob's mobile wood-fired oven. I sure was excited to go because I love HomeBrewed beer and also wood-fired pizzas. http://www.candyissweet.com/homebrewers-ball-2012/
The weather was calling from rain and maybe some thunderstorms. The rain and thunderstorm held off for awhile when the oven was heating, but after Steve and Bob started making the pizzas it really started raining. Even though there was protection, when it started raining, the pizza pans, peels, and everything else inside got wet. The pies were coming out of the oven very fast and Steve and Bob decided to stop making pizzas until the rain slowed down some. Everything was still getting wet from the rain, but the pizzas resumed. So many people at the Homebrewers Ball really loved the pizzas Steve and Bob made. Steve made an Ischia starter dough that was bulk, then room temperature fermented. I really liked Steve ingenious way of making sure his dough balls didn't run together as the pictures show. The dough balls sure came of those contraptions easy.
Steve was brewing his beer for the HomeBrewers Ball when I went to his home at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,18735.0.html
I cut the pies and topped each slice with basil after the bake. Baby Arugula also was put on and drizzled with Bob's unique dressing after some of the bakes. I didn't get pictures of those pizzas. I also kept mopping up all the water that was on everything.
Steve's homebrewed beer and Bob's different homebrewed beers were great! Bob built his WFO.
If anyone is interesting these were the home brewed beers that were served. The Devil's Right Hand, Homemade Applesauce Cider, Rye IPA, "Ticket to Rye" Saison, Erma's Disco Elixir, Hoperbole Rye, The Bird and Baby Brown Ale, Brown Recluse, Amarillo Brown, Pooh Bear Honey Brown, Me So Happy, Aletimate Warrior IPA, Chinook IPA, Bigler Blast IPA, Oak Aged Vanilla Sthout, Brownie Points, Imperial Smoked Porter, Gringo Breakfast Stout, Cherrywood Smoked Wheatwine, Baby Got Bock, Molasses Cookie, American Standard Strong Ale, Hobbit Winter Ale, Black Cherry Braggot, Trip O'Mango, Big Island IPA.
This is a blog about my learning knowledge to make pizza. I have been helped by many people on my journey
There are so many variables that go into making a PIZZA. The hydration of the dough, flour, yeast and many more.. Amounts of any kind of yeast in a pizza can make a big difference. Most recipes posted on the web, use too much yeast in their recipes. What I have found out so far, is either bulk fermenting the dough or cold fermenting the dough will give a better flavor in the crust. I am still experimenting to find different flavors in the crust of pies. In my opinion pizza is all about the best flavor you can achieve in a crust. I still am on the journey about flavors in the crust. Even differences in temperatures in you home or times of the year can influence how much yeast to use. If you want a pizza to develop flavors in the crust, there are many ways to go about achieving this.
Adventure in Pizza Making
There are many ways to go about trying to make any kind of pizzas you want to create. PIZZA making is fun and also you get to eat your finished product. I learned to make all my pizza on http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php If you look on pizzamaking.com you can see all the beautiful creations of pizzas members make on this site. Members and moderators help members and guests achieve almost any kind of pizzas they want to create. Since joining this site, my pizza making skills have gone from non-existent to something much better. I invite you to take a look at this site.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
HomeBrewers Ball and wood-fired pizzas with Steve and Bob 4/21/2012
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2015-2016 Winter Weather Forecast / Prediction
What I keep hearing so far is all about "El Niño."
NOAA Predicts A Strong El Niño For Winter 2016 (unofficialnetworks.com)
There is a greater than 90% chance that El Niño will continue through Northern Hemisphere fall 2015, and around an 85% chance it will last through the 2015-16 winter.
Consequently, it's great news for Tahoe and the state of California. During 3 out of the last 5 strong El Nino events, Tahoe received significantly larger than average snowfall totals.
However, like all predictions, these models are susceptible to unseen and unpredictable meteorological factors. El Nino by no means guarantees a 500+ inch winter, however it does make the chances better.
That's good!
El Nino Still Strengthening, Likely Into Spring 2016, NOAA Says (weather.com)
El Niño has an 80 percent chance of lasting into early spring 2016, according to an updated forecast released on Thursday by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Adminisration (NOAA). NOAA also reported that there is a greater than 90 percent chance of El Niño lasting through the upcoming winter.
There's also an increasing chance El Niño may become strong, perhaps the strongest since the 1997-1998 episode and, thus, may play a stronger role in your weather.
First, keep two things in mind throughout this discussion of potential impacts:
1) El Niño is not the sole driver of the atmosphere at any time. Day-to-day variability in the weather pattern, including blocking patterns, forcing from climate change and other factors all work together with El Niño to determine the overall weather experienced over the timeframe of a few months.
2) No two El Niños are exactly alike. The intensity matters for impacts.
El Niño's clearest impact on northern hemisphere weather patterns occurs from late fall through winter.
Looking at past moderate-strong El Ninos, here are the upshots for temperatures and precipitation from late fall through winter in the U.S.:
– Wetter: Southern U.S. from California to the Carolinas then up parts of the East Coast
– Drier: Parts of the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northwest and Northern Rockies
– Cooler: Desert Southwest, Southern Plains, northern Gulf Coast
– Warmer: Northern tier of states from the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Plains, Great Lakes, and Northeast
In the Midwest (Wisconsin), it's going to be warmer, they say. I hope not too warm but I hope warmer than the last 2 years… brr!
[09-28-2015:] Here are some more predictions for winter:
- NOAA's Winter Weather Forecast 2016 |Strong El Nino (unofficialnetworks.com)
- Early 2015-16 Winter Forecast: A Regional Breakdown (firsthandweather.com)
It looks like Colorado will get good snow this year! In the Midwest, it's supposed to be drier and warmer, so that's not good for us.
The big buzzword this winter will be "El Nino"
[09-29-2015:] Some predictions for the 2015-16 Wisconsin winter:
Ask the Weather Guys: What does El Nino mean for southern Wisconsin's winter this year? (madison.com)
Generally, El Nino is associated with warmer than normal winters in the western Great Lakes states so we can reasonably expect that this coming winter will be milder than the last two. Though there is a tendency for a bit more precipitation in El Nino winters here, since it is usually warmer than normal, there is usually less than the normal amount of snow.
I guess I don't mind it being a little warmer but the less snow thing is not great. We'll see… sometimes these guys are wrong. Heck, the 10-day weather forecast is usually entirely wrong and here they're predicting the weather months from now.
Either way, if the temps are under freezing, we'll make snow and the man-made snow now and grooming they did is WAY better than most people think it is or better than they remember. Midwest skiing isn't all ice anymore.
[03-03-2016:] Well, they were right. Colorado and Utah got lots of snow. In the Midwest, it was very mild – almost too warm on many days. There were only about 2-3 weeks of frigid temperatures. Our hill made snow whenever possible and our snow was great.
Come back to my website next year for the winter 2016-2017 snow forecast!Related Search Terms:
- snow forecast for 2015 2016
- snow prediction for 2015 - 2016
- snow forecast for 2015-2016
- winter snow forecast 2015 2016
- Winter Snow Predictions 2015 2016
- Snow Forecast 2015 2016
- Snow Forecast for Winter 2016
- 2016 snow forecast
- winter forecast 2015-2016
- Winter Snowfall Predictions 2015 2016

subset: commoncrawl


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Imagine being able to see all the films you want, week in, week out. Pathé Unlimited means you can watch all the films you want for one monthly fee.
Do you consider yourself a filmfreak? With Pathé Unlimited you don't have to pay surcharges for IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 4DX and benefit from exclusive deals and more discounts.
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Release: 5-02-2015
Buy your tickets now Inherent Vice and earn Stars!
Paul Thomas Anderson
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Josh Brolin
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As the song says, it's the most wonderful time of the year! In a perfect feeling of the holiday, there would be cheery fires, cozy sweaters, hot cider, lots of friends, and presents for everyone, while the snow falls in fat fluffy flakes outside. Susan Pesznecker's Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice brings us a great deal to think about and some pretty fantastic magic to go along with it.
Old Ways gives us definitions of Solstice, Midwinter, and Yule. It talks about the meaning of December and the astronomical and mythological cycles of Yule, as well as the fools and misrules and traditions associated with the sabbat. New Ways talks about the ways we can celebrate an ancient festival in a modern world, how to incorporate the natural world and the symbols of the season. There is discussion about trees, about the energies of Yule, of calendar vs. convenience, and how to blend our Pagan traditions with the seasonal traditions of our not-so-Pagan families and friends.
Spells and Divination discusses the importance of magickal timing, as well as how spellcraft changes for Winter. There is a winter house cleansing and blessing, a protective lorica, magickal bags, dream pillows, how a gingerbread person poppet can help safeguard gifts, a Yule log talisman, a protection spell for long winter nights and during travel, strengthening family connections, herbal tea, generosity charms, winter waters, and many more. It also adds in a spell for calling snow -- something about which most of us have mixed feelings.
Recipes and Crafts gives us cookies and eggnog and wassail, chili and pie and even a cocktail or two. It's got food for gifting and for sharing. Decorations, candles, and bath products are also present.
Prayers and Invocations provide instruction on creating your own prayers, then goes on to invoke Father Yule and the Old Woman of Winter. There are invocations to the Sun on its journey back to the world, as well as a few meditations for Winter and the sabbat.
Rituals of Celebration offers planning of rituals, journaling, and how to add the right music. The ritual offerings are simple and open and indicative of the feelings that we've grown up with when it comes to our winter holidays: sharing, laughter, love, light, and togetherness, as well as bringing back the Sun to the dark time of the year. As always, the book ends with a fantastic list of correspondences, a great bibliography, and a very nice reading list.
I gush a great deal about these books, I realize. I've been reading metaphysical books for the last 25 years, and I've not seen a series that has excited me this much since Christopher Penczak's Temple of Witchcraft series. They're incredibly well done with fresh information that not everyone has presented or seen.
~review by Jeremy Bredeson
Author: Susan Pesznecker
Llewellyn Books, 2015
227 pages


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As part of the Victorian Government's Vision for Languages Education all primary schools are required to have language programs in place from 2015. Consistent with this policy, Newlands Primary School will be introducing a Spanish language program from the beginning of next year. The Newlands Program, however, will go beyond the minimum standards required by the Government. From 2015 student in Prep (Foundation) will participate in a bilingual Spanish program. Current students at the school will have traditionally weekly or biweekly Spanish language classes.
For more information about this exciting new program follow the link.
Useful Links
Download the Newlands Student Enrolment Form
Department of Education & Early Childhood Development 'Starting Primary School'


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We found ourselves in our oldest car, since our newer [read, not near two decades old] one has wheels that are too big for snow chains. Pondering whether we could safely make it to Crater Lake, we settled on the idea that if we couldn't, we'd just go as far as possible, maybe settling for Redding or Mt. Shasta. Of course, I was really looking forward to seeing Crater Lake in the snow with a calm, reflective surface.
Snow was definitely around, but luckily by the time we hit Interstate 5, chain restrictions were dropped along our route. We went along Highway 97 up to Klamath Falls, dropped stuff off at the hotel, rented snowshoes [nowhere in town had any to sell!], and headed up to the lake.
By that description, it sounds like we rushed to get up there. According to Google Maps, we didn't. It was an all day excursion in which the scenery threatened to enchant and ensnare me before reaching our destination.
We arrived just in time for the tail end of sunset. It would be the only day we could clearly see the lake, so we braved the cold and hung around at the rim by the Lodge.
Surprisingly, there were a fair amount of people up there for the middle of winter. Even a happy puppy ran around in the snow. Deciding to brave not only the cold, but the wind that was howling down into the caldera, we tried for some nightshots. Unfortunately, shielding the camera and tripod from the wind yielded no good results [nevermind the fact that I am not able to focus in the dark at times]. I still have a bit of a learning curve with the new camera as well.
You can see a plane in the photo above! There were so many flying over that night–the jetstream must have been just right.
I really like what the high thin clouds did to the stars in this shot. I'm not sure if that's a plane, iridium flare, ISS, or meteor on the left.
The next day, when it was just a little lighter, we snowshoed a few miles out and back. It snowed as we traversed the rim, filling the previous passerthroughs' tracks. It was as if we were the only ones there. On the return, ski-strapped folks and a few snowshoers headed out.
We ended up ON another lake the next day, since the weather repeated its gloomy self. We had a lucky break and found some sun, fog, and a nicely frozen lake. With such a short window to visit, being flexible with locations and weather worked out in our favor! Many more photos to share from this trip!


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Plant of the Month May 2017
The 'dance lime trees', 'storied lime trees' or 'shaped lime trees' have been found from Northern to Central Germany to Switzerland since the 10th century. Today, the trees are impressive monuments and often played a central role in a village's identity as a place of assembly and trials right up to the 20th century. The place for dancing in a village was located under and sometimes also in the lime tree. A special group among the storied lime trees are those on whose branches platforms have been erected. The dance floor was built into the lowest levels of the branches, the part of the tree that was intended for people, according to ancient mythology. Large, sturdy, wooden scaffolding or stone pillars were erected for the platforms to provide space for a whole musical chapel and dancers. The dance festivals were usually celebrated at the beginning of May. Martin Luther even mentioned the lime tree as a tree for dancing and fun (Laudert 2003).
The tradition has its roots in Germanic spring rituals who saw the tree as a "demon of vegetation" and as a symbol of fertility and growth. The magic of the trees, their fragrance, the anticipation of fresh green twigs, and an awakening of nature are sensual experiences which are also familiar to people today.
A large and at the same time probably the oldest lime (Tilia platyphyllos) in Germany is now located in Schenklengsfeld (Hesse), about ten kilometres south-east of Bad Hersfeld. Over 1275 years in age, the tree is an impressive example of a dance line that has been 'shaped' over centuries. Trials were held for several centuries under this lime tree. Near this lime tree, a pillory was originally erected. The condemned 'criminal who committed crimes on fields' were chained to a post under the lime tree for one or several hours sometimes also for one or several days. This is accounted for by the discovery of shackles with which the condemned persons were chained to the pillory. Due to its distinctive nature, the linden tree is a natural monument.
Modern and internationally renowned designers have picked up the theme of 'storied lime trees' in their designs. Seven Tilia intermedia, recently stored at Bruns nursery with trunks measuring 70–80 cm in circumference, are now resting on Place du Marché inVilleneuve le Comte, near Paris.
(1st photo, lime, Schenklengsfeld, Hesse and photographer: Conrad Amber)


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Front Yards Uprooted for 'Greener' Pastures
Aug. 22, 2006 -- When the Cox family of Salina, Kan., ripped out the Bermuda grass from its front lawn and planted native plants instead, the family committed one of the cardinal sins of suburbia.
Neighbors responded by saying, "I just don't like it," or "What are they doing?"
But in drought-ridden prairie country, the Cox family says its curious front yard saves money on the water bill while giving a new use to the space.
"It's so much more interesting. A front yard is flat and boring," Priti Cox said. "And when you don't have young children, the only reason you ever go out in your front lawn is to mow it."
Architect Fritz Haeg has targeted that space, and started converting lawns like the Cox family's into what he calls edible estates by creating environmentally-friendly landscapes that overflow with vegetables and indigenous plants.
"The lawn has become an icon of the American dream. But there really is a dark side to that image because … we pour water on it, we pour chemicals on it, we mow it. It pollutes the air. And then, it's not even a space that we occupy. We don't feel comfortable spending time there," Haeg said.
The traditional American front lawn isn't even American. It's British.
The Rockefellers adopted the style in the mid-1800s for the family's Kykuit estate, along with other wealthy Americans. By the 1950s, lawns had reached mainstream America.
But in England, constant drizzle keeps lawns green. In the United States, sprinklers and fertilizers do the job.
"And what happens with nitrogen and phosphorous is, it produces an algae bloom," said landscape architect Diana Balmori. "When that dies down it consumes all the oxygen in the water and kills the fish."
Haeg is trying to change how Americans use their front lawns by placing edible estate prototypes in every area of the country in the hopes of making it a standard design.
We spoke with a family in Lakewood, Calif., who has an edible estate that stands out like a sore green thumb in its planned community.
Still, it has its fans.
"The vast majority of the neighborhood really does seem to get a kick out of it," Michael Foti said. "Most of the people, they've altered their jogging routine. They pass by and sort of give me a thumbs up and let me know they appreciate it."


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Title: Username: Regenerated
Author: Joe Sugg
Publisher: Hodder
Release: Out now!
Genre: Graphic novel, sci-fi
Which animal is similar to this book? This book is equally as beautiful as the first one, so I could just pick another pretty animal and use the same reasons, but actually the second in the Username series is a lot more emotional than the first and so I decided that this time, an elephant fits it better. Elephants are extremely sensitive creatures and are very easily (and very visibly) upset. They will mourn a death in their group for a very long time, they can cry, they will revisit areas deaths occurred in and are also very defensive/protective of their families. They have been known to defend their children until death, but mostly if the other elephants are involved, the attackers will flee. Obviously, I'm not going to give spoilers, but this plot had a lot more feelings and emotional twists in it, so I would compare it to an elephant.
The blurb says: Evie is safe at home, but her heart remains in E.scape, the virtuaal world her father created for her. She's desperate to return but the app that transports her has corrupted in the great reboot. When besotted geek, Lionel, offers to help, he doesn't just restore the gateway as she had planned, he opens up a series of revelations that calls into question everything Evie treasures. With a momentous discovery to be unearthed in the virtual realm, and an E.scape fugitive on the loose in reality, can our sidelined schoolgirl save not one world, but two?
Well, Joe Sugg did it again! *slow clapping* I love it, it took me about two days to read and I didn't want it to end. The characters were developed well and I loved the little flashback at the start which gives insight to Evie's parents' lives before the first book is set.
The story follows Evie in the aftermath of the reboot of E.scape in the last book, and is set around her prom night. It involves popular characters from before; Lionel, Unity, Mallory and Jaspar are there, of course. But it also introduces some new characters which it's hard not to love instantly. I also love how funny and sarcastic a lot of the dialogue is, because it just sounds a lot like things Joe would say in his videos.
My favourite thing about the two books in this series is how fun they are to read. it's very quick-paced, it's a good story with emotional points but still manages to be funny and I can hear all the characters' voices differently when I read it, because all their voices are separate and individual.
I actually prefer this book to Username: Evie, but I gave that 10 out of 10, so they have got to be the same! 10 out of 10 paw prints to you again, Username series!


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2. Super technologically advanced aliens come to Earth. They need manual laborers on their planet. Even the most brilliant Earthling is not competent to work high level jobs on their planet so you will be stuck at a menial and physical job there, but you will be able to witness a spectacular new world (but not participate in it). Would you stay on Earth or go with the aliens and become a laborer?
3. In an upcoming election both candidates really suck. You can't stand either of them, but you feel you should be a good citizen and vote. How will you decide which person to vote for? Should you not vote at all?
4, You are in a bar and the bar-tender goes into the kitchen. You see a guy walk behind the bar and pour himself a free beer. What will you do?
5. In a play by Jean Paul Sartre a young man, during World War 2, feels he should fight against the Nazis who have occupied France. Yet, his mother is very ill and needs him to care for her. What should this young man have done - fought or cared for his mother (there was no possibility of hiring someone else to care for the mother)?
6. In the short story Billy Budd, Billy is a young, innocent sailor who accidentally kills a brutal officer who is physically abusing him. You are Captain Vere, captain of the ship. According to naval law, Budd must be executed - there are no exceptions to this: the killing of a first officer requires execution. Yet, most of the crew begs you to show mercy and not execute Budd because he was being abused and the death of the officer was an accident. If you pardon Budd, you may lose your naval career. What will you do?
Please enjoy a crazy video of Steve Goodman singing: Men Who Love Women Who Love Men


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The animal rights group Friends of Animals recently submitted a request to the federal government via the Freedom of Information Act. The purpose of the request was to obtain information regarding permits that have been issued for the importing of lion trophies over the past two years. Their findings are disheartening among conservationists.
The study revealed that since 2016, the US government has issued permits for the importing of 38 lions killed in African nations. An interesting fact is that more than half of the individuals issued those permits have made donations to the Republican party and/or are members of Safari Club International.
The Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as other entities within the Trump administration, have all made statements regarding this topic. The statements vary slightly, but they all pretty much say the same thing. In a nutshell, the government is claiming that all permits are reviewed on a "case-by-case" basis and that decisions to allow the import of hunted African trophy animals will be issued because "it aids in the conservation of the species."
Not surprisingly, the concept of aiding in the conservation of an endangered species by hunting it doesn't sit too well with many conservation groups. As a result, many groups joined together and filed a lawsuit in March, the basis of which is that the guidelines set forth by the Fish and Wildlife Service is a violation of the Endangered Species Act.
Priscilla Feral, the president of Friends of Animals, had the following to say in a statement regarding the idea of hunting endangered animals to protect them:
"If African wildlife is to survive the next few decades in their homelands, these elephants, lions and other animals ― coveted by hunters for their strength and beauty ― must be worth more alive than dead. That means safeguarding habitat along with photographic safaris and ecotourism must outpace blood-drenched trophy hunting expeditions. Trophy hunting must expire and collapse from its own dead weight."
It's hard to argue with the logic but the millions of dollars raised for many of the lawmakers currently in office by many of the hunters who have been issued such permits has a tendency to expand the grey areas of the law.


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Receive Emergency Notifications Text Size
Knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency is a critical part of being prepared and may make all the difference during an event. Sign up today!
The City of Holyoke's public notification system delivers bulletins, storm news and other information by home and cell phone, email and text message. Residents and businesses listed in the public telephone directory are automatically enrolled to receive alerts via the notification system.
Online registration is available to sign up for messages by text or email in the new system, or to note to which phone number messages should go, along with what type of communication is preferred.
Posted on January 26, 2013 by EileenP


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The Red Lion Hotel on I-225 and Parker, the venue that hosted last night's 5280 Urban Music Awards, is just west of nowhere. Really, it's in southeast Aurora, but to an inner city gal like me, it might as well have been in Kansas. Having beat around the bush long enough, I arrived about an hour into the already delayed festivities.
Making my way through an array of women in the lobby wearing the tightest of skirts and the highest of heels, I entered the ballroom where the awards were underway. After hanging out in the back by myself for a while, I ran into a quiet and mischievous looking Graffiti Black, who informed me he was waiting for the perfect "Kanye" opportunity. I laughed, gave him an encouraged pat on the back, moved closer to watch Rockie's performance and forgot about this conversation until later.
Rockie, backed by DJ Ktone on the decks, performed a new track or two before launching into his club anthem "Loaded," which had all the pretty girls bouncing and all the men nodding with enthusiasm. Rockie took home the award for "Song of the Year" with "Loaded," and in his acceptance speech said the most telling thing of the night: Bringing his son on stage with him, he proclaimed, "I do it for him. You might not like how I do it, but I make music for a good reason."
There were several other performers, including J-Blev and R&B singer Dae Dai, but it was Julox who set the place on fire. He wandered down the center aisle, climbed up onto the front of the stage and instructed KDJ Above, who was deejaying the whole evening, to "play something." He seemed to really enjoy himself, especially after leading damn near everyone in the audience (and their mama) through a rousing set of "gangsta walking."
Hosting the event was Reality, a poet from the scene who did the best he could in corralling the attention of the audience. The house was packed to the rafters, but very few people were sitting, choosing instead to mill about greet one another in family reunion style. There was a smattering of boos from Pries' camp when the emcee's name was mispronounced (as "Prize"), and the same went for Nyke Nitti and a few other cats. Reality did not give a damn, preferring to remind the people of the heavy police presence outside and to not "act a fool."
As evening wore on, the sound system worsened, and so did the attention span of the audience. The videographer portion came and went rather quickly with Lenny Lenn giving a humble speech about unity in hip-hop. By this time, I had found a seat with the guys from Jewell Tyme for some cheers and jeers, and before long, we were joined by Graffiti Black. The award for producer of the year (which went to Mo' Heat) was announced and before anyone could think otherwise, Graffiti sauntered up to the stage, slowly grabbed the mike and said, "I knew I was always destined to be on this stage, and I have a few things to say...."
He was met with thunderous applause and laughter until Reality cut his mike, and he was ushered off the stage by the staff of 1600 Entertainment, who proceeded to have a heated conversation with him until Graffiti's publicist stepped in to help cool things down.
The 5280 Urban Music Awards brought out a good portion of the scene for which the awards were created and seemed to accomplish the goal of bringing together the city's finest. While a bit disorganized and incredibly off schedule, those who won were gracious and those who were nominated were thankful.
Click through for more pictures and a complete list of winners.
Click through for more pictures and a complete list of winners
Click through for a complete list of winners
Mix Tap Award Rap: Vonny Loc "Courtesy of the streets"
Female Artist of the Year Rap: Rie Rie
Song of the Year: Will Guice "Crazy"
Air Play Award Producer Scorp Dezel
Collabo of the Year: Innerstate Ike "Diamonds in the Dirt" with Will Guice
Young Future Award Rap: L-Keys
Big Beat Award Producer: Mo-Heat
Complete Project of the Year Award Rap: Young Doe "The Secret"
Video of the Year Award R&B: Dae Dai "You're Not Like Any Other"
Complete Project of the Year Award R&B: Dae Dai "Selfless"
Foundation Award Producer: 800 The Jewel
Song of the Year Award Rap: Rockie "Loaded"
Video of the Year Award Rap: Kevin Pistol "The Wall"
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Producer of the Year Award: Mo-Heat
True to Life Artist Award R&B: Sista Soul
Mean Machine Award: Elite Entertainment
Town Reputable Award: Innerstate Ike


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www.zoo.dk bruger cookies til statistik og målrettet markedsføring. Når du bevæger dig videre, accepterer du vores brug af cookies.- Accept Read more
Log in to your season pass here and get member prices for events and more.
Copenhagen Zoo has signed the labeling scheme 'God Adgang' which assures great accessability all over the Zoo. The label indicates that it is easy for the elderly, families with young children and people with disabilities to move around the Zoo.
The labeling scheme is divided into seven categories:
ZOO disposes of a small number of wheelchairs which is possible to lend for free. Consult the inspectors in the entrance, or book in advance on telephone 72200200.
If the disabled person purchase an entrance ticket or a season pass, the disabled assistant does not need to pay admission to the Zoo if the person with disabilities are in possession of a companion card issued by Danish Disability Organisations accompanying card from Danish Association of the Blind or the Child's Companion Card from IBS (Invalid Organisations User Service).
Disabled with season pass can obtain companion cards. Cards are issued in the disabled person's name and is valid for an unnamed person, so it can be used by several different people if the disabled person has assigned several helpers.
To obtain the companion card, a valid card issued by the Danish Disability Organisations accompanying card from Danish Association of the Blind or the Child's Companion Cards from IBS (Invalid Organisations User Service) is needed.
A companion card provides for an accompanying adult, when the disabled person shows it together with the season pass in the entrance.
It is allowed to bring guide dogs and service dogs in the Zoo.
The disabled toilets at the Zoo are placed near the common toilets. However, there are no disabled toilets at the Children's Zoo. See the map of the Zoo for further details.


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We Make Custom Iron Window Guards with Safety Release
Protect your family and valuables with a custom wrought iron window guard. Created with security and safety in mind, we have many styles, designs and variations compatible with approved safety releases. All Designs offer the finest in security and aesthetics. With the highest quality powder coated finishes… outlasting most liquid painted finishes. Superior craftsmanship achieved through years of experience.


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Bread Poha Recipe- Lunch Box Idea Kids+Video
Here I am sharing a very easy recipe for kids that you can give them in lunchbox as well. Poha is a much loved Indian dish but we can make our variations with it. Here I am making a poha like recipe with bread. This bread poha recipe is also quite popular and has texture similar to the usual poha. It is yummy and gets ready quickly.
Here are step by step instructions-
- Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
- Onion, chopped- 1 cup
- Curry Leaves- 5-6
- Chopped tomatoes– 1 cup
- Capsicum, small- 1 (optional)
- Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
- Oil- 1 tbsp
- Pao Bhaji Masala- 1 tsp
- Juice of half a lemon
- Bread slices- 10
- Salt- as per taste
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves in it. Saute.
- Add onions and cook the till they turn transparent. Do not fry them too much.
- Add in tomatoes and capsicum. Cook till they turn soft.
- Add salt and pao bhaji masala.
- Take some water in a plate. Place one bread slice in water. Take out and squeeze gently between palms. Repeat with all the slices.
- Add the squeezed bread slices in the onion tomato mixture.
- Break the slices with spatula and mix them well with the onion tomato mixture.
- Add in lemon juice and mix.
- Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
Watch the video for details
Have you tried Bread Poha Recipe?
You might also like to read
- 5 Ways To Keep Baby Awake During The Day
- Quick Celery Soup Recipe For Kids
- Is Honey Good For Children's Cough?
- Book Haul For 2-5 Year Toddlers – Pragati Maidan Book Fair + Video
- 5 Quick Dinner Ideas For Kids


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Special Thanks to Cross Promotions International for this awesome footage of one of our stages in action at Airlie Beaches biggest annual youth event in the Whitsundays.
Welcome to Beach Music
Hi Guys welcome to our new website. We are super proud to be servicing the Whitsundays entertainment and music community.
Please follow us and let us know your experience with our company. We take pride in our work and will do everything possible to ensure that our service makes your event as exciting and entertaining as possible.
If you have any feed back for us please drop us a comment below!


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Benefits of Fat Grafting, JUVÉDERM® Lip Injections, and Lip Implants for NYC: Manhattan, Westchester, and Long Island
If you have small, thin lips and would like to increase their volume and fullness, lip augmentation may be right for you. In the NYC area, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh personally performs every lip-enhancement procedure, ensuring safe, superior results. At Cosmoplastic Surgery in Manhattan, Westchester, and Long Beach, he offers the most advanced injectable fillers available, including NaturaGlow™ Fat Transfer, Restylane® Silk, and JUVÉDERM® lip injections, helping patients achieve fuller, plumper, more natural-looking lips.*
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Cosmoplastic Surgery has three convenient office locations in the NYC area: Westchester, Manhattan, and Long Island. If you're ready to add fullness and volume to your lips, request your appointment online, or phone 212.348.0100 (Manhattan) / 516.439.5010 (Long Island) / 914.723.4900 (Westchester) today.


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Governor General sets record straight in convocation speech
MONCTON - Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean acknowledged the founding of Acadie in 1604 and drove home the significance of where "the great French adventure in America really began" to boisterous applause Saturday at l'Université de Moncton.
Jean received an honorary degree from the university at a spring convocation ceremony in Moncton, where the Queen's representative used her convocation speech to seemingly set the record straight with the Acadian people.
In several speeches marking the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Quebec City last year, Jean angered Acadians by saying Samuel de Champlain's founding of Quebec's capital was the beginning of the French presence in North America, circa 1608.
Acadian historians say it is a fact the French colonization began four years before on St. Croix Island - a small island near St. Stephen in the Bay of Fundy where Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Champlain established a permanent settlement.
In front of a graduating class of 475 Université de Moncton students and thousands of predominantly Acadian family members, Jean spoke at length about Acadie.
"In this concert of voices and accents, born of the same language, the vitality of the Acadian culture is one of the richest in Canada," she said to applause. "In fact, Acadia is a brilliant success story and has been since those who built this country set out to establish themselves on American soil."
Delivering a history lesson herself, Jean spoke of how Verrazzano, an Italian explorer in the service of the King of France, came to New Brunswick shores in 1524 and named the region that extended the length of the Atlantic coast as "Arcadia."
"In ancient Greece, Arcadia was a plateau in the Peloponnesus that was considered paradise on earth," Jean said.
She then addressed the landing of Champlain directly.
"Although a number of Europeans came to the region - most notably Jacques Cartier in 1534 - it was not until 1604 that French colonists came to live here under the leadership of Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain," Jean said. "De Monts decided to establish the colonies on St. Croix Island, and so it was on this small island that the great French adventure in America really began.
"Today, more than 400 years after De Monts and Champlain landed on St. Croix Island, we have every reason to celebrate."See complete article: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/front/article/677474
Get the pictures and subscribe at: http://fundytides.blogspot.com


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Barrel Wafers and Segments from VINEA
VINEA is the French leader in oak alternatives. Fire-toasted oak barrel wafers and segments from VINEA reproduce the characteristics of a classic French wine barrel.
Price: $185.00 Each
Fire or Ceramic toast
7cm x 5cm x 1cm, ten kilograms
260% (2.6) new barrel impact per unit per 60 gallons
SQ SuperMix Segments:
Price: $165.00 Each
7cm x 5cm x 1cm, ten kilograms
260% (2.6) new barrel impact per unit per 60 gallons
Contact The Boswell Company for purchasing info.
All prices subject to change without notice.
Sensory Effects
Our fire-toasted segments are respectful of the fruit, creating a slow and progressive wood extraction similar to Barrels. Usage widens the aromatic profile of the wine to contribute notes of vanilla, spiciness, toasted and roasted characters according to wood quality. There is often an increasing feeling of sweetness and increased volume and structure of mouth feel. VINEA delvers length, roundness, elegance.
Technicle Specifications
|Technical Specifications: Wafers/Fire Toasting
|Wood Origin
|French Oak, Center of France (Loches, Berce, Jupille, Chateauroux)
|Grain Selection
|Fine Grain
|Natural air drying for at least 36 months (wood yard in poitiers)
|With brasero, cooper style. Open wood fire.
|On whites and reds.
During aging time, from malolactic fermentation.
|Contact time
|At least 6 months for batch of wine.
Possibility of passing several wines over the same staves.
|5 kg bags = 1,3 Barrels (225L)
|12 Months of use.
|7cm x 5cm x 1cm
|Analysis and Control
|Organophosphorus pesticides, organochlorine pesticides, pyrethroid pesticides, halophenols, benzo(a)pyrene.


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The lives of Mike and Mina Block, in outline, seem so typical as to be almost indistinguishable from those of countless other Americans of their generation. Born in the early 1920's, they were married in 1947, after Mike returned from combat in World War II. The couple settled in Port Washington, in suburban Long Island, and made their contribution to the postwar baby boom: three children, one of whom, Doug, the youngest and the only son, grew up to be a documentary filmmaker. His parents' 54-year marriage (Mina died in 2002) is the subject of "51 Birch Street," one of the most moving and fascinating documentaries I've seen this year.
Curiously enough, what makes this movie so engrossing is the sheer ordinariness of the lives it surveys. Unlike some other recent memoir films — "Capturing the Friedmans," for example, or "Tarnation" — "51 Birch Street" does not explore terrible secrets or extreme dysfunction. Instead Mr. Block explores more subtle forms of repression, secrecy and denial, and confirms what the best novelists know: that marriage, among the most common of human arrangements, is also among the most complex and mysterious.
"Aren't you glad we got married?" Mrs. Block says into her son's camera, as he records one of his parents' anniversary parties. "You'd better be." And so he is. But it is less clear that Mike and Mina are quite as grateful, and it is the intimation of their lingering, buried frustration that propels the filmmaker into a sometimes uncomfortable investigation of their shared past.
He was initially drawn into making this movie — one he says, via voice-over, that he never imagined he'd make — by events that followed his mother's sudden death from pneumonia. A few months later his father revealed that he had re-established contact with Kitty Duffy, who had been his secretary nearly 30 years earlier and who would shortly become his second wife. In his early 80's, the elder Mr. Block seemed determined to make a fresh start, selling the house on Birch Street and setting out for Florida.
Did his marriage to Kitty represent the rekindling of an old flame? This question appears at first to be the central enigma of "51 Birch Street," but as Mr. Block delves into his mother's diaries and starts interviewing some of her friends, a more complicated picture of his parents' marriage begins to emerge. At the same time, a window opens onto the history of the postwar American middle class, as its placid suburban idyll is buffeted by the cultural upheavals of the 60's and 70's: feminism, psychotherapy, drugs, the sexual revolution. And the puzzle of Mike and Mina's marriage — its shadows, its silences — nudges their son into contemplation of his own.
It also leads to consultation with a psychologist and a rabbi, both of whom respond to Mr. Block's confusion with the boilerplate of their respective professions, returning the Block family history to the plane of the general. Which may be helpful from a therapeutic or an ethical standpoint, but for the movie audience, what makes "51 Birch Street" so gripping is its particularity. Everyone in it seems so familiar that by the end you can't quite believe that you have known them for less than 90 minutes. Mr. Block has put his parents' life, and his own, into this film with such warmth and candor that it may take more than one viewing to recognize it as a work of art.
Opens today in Manhattan.
Written and directed by Doug Block; director of photography, Mr. Block; edited by Amy Seplin; music by H. Scott Salinas; produced by Mr. Block and Lori Cheatle; released by Truly Indie. At the Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, Greenwich Village. Running time: 88 minutes. This film is not rated.


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|Memory bracelet
It's a bracelet that was made from some of the flowers that were sent when my father-in-law's passed away. It hasn't been a year yet since we lost dad, and even writing about it brings tears to my eyes, but wearing this bracelet is a beautiful reminder of someone very dear to my heart.
Keeping mementos of someone that you lost is, I'm sure, as old as time. People used to take pictures of the dearly departed (and in some cultures still do). Now, there is jewelry like the bracelet my sisters/mother-in-law and I have, there are pieces of jewelry that can be made with a bit of ash, and some people keep a lock of hair.
We got our bracelets from A Lacy Creation and to be sure it will be passed on for generations, although I'm sure the sentiment will feel somewhat different in decades to come. While it can still be a sad memento for me, it reminds me of someone I love...for my descendants, it will no doubt be representative of someone dear to them, they were blessed, as we were, to have known.


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while sitting in the grass next to my 10yr old cousin, i learned that armpit hair is the sign of a man.
grow baby grow.
the hair that is.
that's what i told him.
now's the part where we say,
"2nd star to the right and straight on 'til morning."
or something magical like that.
neverland will keep him from growing too fast.
maybe i'll send max there too.
and the pork loin.
but i'll have to go with.
b/c even the lost boys needed a mother.
happy holiday.


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Yesterday, I posted an article about a massive heart stopping mystical feed count spike. The stats showed that my subscribers went through the roof, skyrocketed from 770 to 6,856.
I gave time to look deep what was happening and it looks like several people caught the jump too. Here's a thread from the feedburner community.
From the looks of it, the stats are now back to normal (There are still other blogs who still have the jump though), but not only normal…
I gained an additional 130+ subscribers in just one day because of that mystical feed count spike.
How did that happened?
Well, here's the thing…
"People love to join bandwagons."
When they saw that my blog has 6,856 subscribers, they quickly jumped in and subscribed. The funny thing was, it's the same old blog!
So the lesson here is when you have big things to show, don't hesitate to show it.
An example of showing big things on my blog is my advertise page. When prospects saw that real people gave me real testimonials, they quickly made the decision and ate all the spots on my blog.


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To add an employee picture, click on the user icon in the top right corner of your dashboard to go to your Account Settings.
Next, click Employees.
In your Employee list, click on the Employee whose picture you would like to add.
Click on the UPLOAD HEADSHOT box in the top left of the Edit Employee pop-up window.
In the Select Image pop up window, click the Choose File bubble located in the left hand corner.
Locate and select the photo you would like to use and click Open.
From this photo, you can crop the photo by clicking and dragging the box to move it and clicking on the side of the box to resize it. Then click SELECT.
Lastly, click the SAVE button in the bottom right of the Edit Employee window.
Check out these tips on attracting great employees to your company.


text: Europe is filled with wonderful roads and enough iconic sights to attract any motorist. In this article we take a look at two dozen of the most popular, exciting and scenic roads across the continent, and throw in a few that will challenge even the best drivers. From twisty mountain passes to coastal roads through some of the world's most idyllic villages, we reveal the great drives and routes that should form the basis of any motoring adventure in Europe. We've arranged the drives by country for ease of reference.


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Midday Prayer and Meditation
Wednesday from 11:30-1:00, our church is open for prayer and meditation. Volunteers greet those who come in and sit quietly and assure that all goes smoothly for those who come for this quiet space. We are hoping to be open other days as well, volunteer availability is key.
Click here to volunteer for the Midday Prayer and Meditation
For more information, please contact: Lettie Trevarthan, 607-723-2312
Eucharistic Visitors
If you like to visit those who are sick or homebound and feel called to bring Holy Communion to others, we need volunteers who could do this once or twice each month for one or more in need.
Click here to volunteer for the Eucharistic Visitors
Please contact the Rector for more details and training.


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Artwork by Jill Bryson.
Monthly Archives: August 2013
"In my head" gets its first radio play
On 24th August our song "In my head" got its first ever radio play here on Chris Cordani's great revenge of the 80s radio show.
You can listen to or download a podcast of the full show.
"In my head" is now available on bandcamp
Artwork by Jill Bryson.


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Sponsored By
SEE IT: Harvard-Yale Football Game Delayed After Climate Change Protesters Storm Field, Several ArrestedThe public address announcer implored the group to leave, repeating, "As a courtesy to both teams, the game must resume." Protesters responded by chanting, "OK, boomer."
NYU, Yale, Welcome Freshman Class Of 2020 On College Move-In DayNew York University began welcoming its Class of 2020 on Sunday, with many new students using the hashtag #NYUMoveIn tweet, snap and post about their personal move-in experiences.
12-Seed Yale Upsets Baylor In First-Round Thriller 79-75Makai Mason had a career-high 31 points, including six of Yale's final nine points, and the No. 12 seed Bulldogs held on to upset fifth seed Baylor 79-75 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
Connecticut Officials Sued Over Ebola Quarantines In 2014Several people quarantined in Connecticut after returning from West Africa during the Ebola epidemic in 2014 are suing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and state health officials.
Racial Strife Protests At Yale, Ithaca Follow In University Of Missouri's FootstepsIn the ouster of the University of Missouri's president, leaders of student groups on other campuses dealing with racial strife see an opening to press their own university administrators for better treatment of black students.
From The Streets Of The Bronx To Yale, Immigrant Achieves American DreamFrom the streets of the Bronx to the Ivy League, a broke, homeless, down on his luck immigrant from the Bahamas has achieved the American dream.
Long Island Whiz Kid Accepted To All Eight Ivy League Schools A Long Island whiz kid has been accepted to every college that he applied to, including all eight Ivy League schools, now he has to pick one.
Yale Student Admitted To Hospital Likely Has MeningitisThe university said in a statement that it was working with local and state health officials to identify and offer preventative treatment to any other people who had close or extended contact with the student.
Yale Freshman Survives 4-Story Fall From DormA Yale University freshman has survived a four-story fall from a dormitory window.
Kwasi Enin, Long Island Teen Accepted To All 8 Ivy League Schools, Picks YaleKwasi Enin, 17, of Mastic Beach, who was accepted to all eight Ivy League schools, has decided to attend Yale University this fall.
L.I. Teen Kwasi Enin Accepted To All 8 Ivy League SchoolsA 17-year-old Long Island student has accomplished what few believe is possible.
Call Of Threat Of Person With Gun Leads To Lockdown At Yale UniversityYale University was locked down and under a "shelter in place" order for almost six hours Monday, following the investigation into an anonymous caller's claim that his roommate was on his way to the campus to shoot people.
Yale To Celebrate NCAA Hockey Title On Monday Yale will celebrate the school's first NCAA hockey championship with a rally at Ingalls Rink.
Quinnipiac Falls Short As Yale Skates To Its First NCAA Hockey TitleJeff Malcolm stopped 36 shots and Yale won its first NCAA hockey championship with a 4-0 victory over top-seeded Quinnipiac on Saturday night.
Pair Of New Yorkers Selected As Rhodes Scholars, Students Will Enter Oxford Next OctoberThe names were announced Sunday. They include Jennifer Bright, a senior at Yale University, and Aidan Daly, a senior at Harvard University.


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No Death Penalty for Garage-Sale KillerJuly 24, 2009 at 3:37 pm | Posted in News | Leave a comment
It's always sad when a scavenging venue is involved in a double homicide.
According to Seattle TV station KOMO, 52-year-old Charles W. Nettlebeck (seen at left in a KOMO photo) killed his wife and stepdaughter with an axe during preparations for a garage sale he was to hold with them the next day in Orting, Washington. Today a Pierce County prosecutor announced that he would not seek the death penalty in the March murders, based on Nettlebeck's history of mental-health issues.
"Nettlebeck earlier told detectives he tried to hang himself at his home after attacking his wife and stepdaughter, court documents said. His suicide attempt failed, however, and he went on a spray-painting rampage leaving messages in red that said, 'Could not find help. No where to go' and 'I loved my wife — for better or worst,' detectives said.
"According to court documents, Nettlebeck's wife had a restraining order against him and was in the process of getting a divorce. But, despite the order, he went to his wife's home in Orting on Friday, March 13, to participate in a garage sale.
"It was not clear exactly what prompted the attack, but prosecutors allege Nettlebeck's wife said something to him, and he picked up an axe and struck her with it, nearly decapitating her.
"After hitting his wife, Nettlebeck went outside, found Hawkins and hit her three times with the axe, the documents said.
"Nettlebeck finally called 911 roughly three hours after the killings, prosecutors said.
"When deputies arrived at the home in the 27200 block of 168th Avenue Court East, Nettlebeck's wife was already dead and Hawkins was critically injured. Hawkins was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she later died."
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The Housing Authority of the Town of Greenwich is committed to provide the opportunity
to live in quality affordable housing through fiscally responsible asset management
of our resources.
By developing partnerships with our residents and the larger community, we will
support the improvement of their quality of life.
We intend to foster a sense of community based on mutual pride and trust.
Meetings are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month
at various locations. Dates and locations can be changed at the discretion of the
Board of Commissioners. Please see meeting schedule below for more information.


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Oh, that we all could…August 28, 2012
How Abin Sur *Really* Died…April 14, 2011
Alright, so we've all heard the ridiculous story of Abin Sur crashing on Earth, and eventually dying from the injuries suffered in that crash. And, it looks like they are going to continue this charade in the upcoming Green Lantern movie staring Ryan Reynolds.
The story is bologna.
We here at the Steve Austin Book Club have uncovered the truth, and in our tireless efforts to keep you, our loyal readers, informed, we offer this never-before-seen bit of comic book history that was covered up by the Powers That Be!
Behold, the biggest shock since it was discovered that JFK was actually mauled to death by a tiger:
Wonder Woman: The New Duds RevisitedApril 1, 2011
EG: Alright, folks, it isn't that often we revisit a topic, but that is EXACTLY what we are doing today. What earthshaking developments have taken place that drive us to do so?
Wonder Woman.
That's right, folks. Our pleas, in part have been heard. In the most recent images released from the upcoming TV tragedy of epic proportions, Wonder Woman, the costume has been changed.
I'll say it again, slowly: The. Costume. Has. Been. Changed.
Thanks to the very comments and concerns expressed right here on this blog, the Steve Austin Book Club has convinced the Dark Forces working on this series to (at least partially) fix the costume.
OG: Huzzah!!! Er, well, that is, Partial Huzzah!!!
EG: I'm sure that some of the other bloggers out there that made some comments had a slight impact on the decision as well, but I'm hereby claiming credit for this advancement in the voice of fandom for this blog. We, OG and EG got this done for you, our people.
You are welcome.
OG: Yes, that's right! Big shot Hollywood muckety-muck David E. Kelly and those ninnies at NBC have buckled under the mounting pressure from our rarely updated and virtually unknown blog! OUR INFLUENCE CANNOT BE DENIED ANY LONGER!!!
EG: So, let's take a look at the updated costume!
EG: There she is, determinedly running! First off, let me say, I know it isn't perfect. The top is still shiny. I still wish they'd gone with a more dull, leather-like top. But, look at the improvements – the pants are darker, and no longer made of vinyl. And the boots! We got the red boots! And not the hooker-heels that the blue boots were! That right there was such a vast improvement I can almost forgive the shortcomings.
OG: Indeed, on the whole, it is a significant improvement. The only reason I wish they had held their ground on the original costume is that we could have seen shots of her running awkwardly in vinyl pants and trying to jump up on cars in stilettos. Certainly the comedy of that would have been delightful!
EG: But, I did mention shortcomings. With the replacement of just the pants material/tone, the costume now seems a bit less cohesive. As much as I didn't like the shiny elements of the original picture released, the costume had a flow to it. Yes, a cheap Halloween-esque plastic-y flow, but a flow nonetheless. That said, I still think this is better.
OG: 'Tis a very good point EG. It does look very much disjointed. But, with such a short span of time between the initial release of the original costume image and these new images, I think the changes they made were the only ones they could do on the quick.
On a side-note, as much as I celebrate our victory in getting them to make changes, it is clear evidence that they don't have a firm creative vision for this show nor the confidence to stick to their guns that such a vision would give them. And, with it being NBC, it feels like Heroes all over again – Changing and modifying their show based on the whims of fandom ultimately results in an even worse product. Does that make any sense?
EG: I get what you are saying, but I think you have to consider that this is *just* a costume modification, and not necessarily an indication of any lack of vision. Frankly, I'm more inclined to believe that they released the images just early enough so that they could make modifications based on fan reaction. If you think of that as an affirmative decision, it becomes less wishy-washy and more tactical.
And, if you are paranoid like me and follow that line of thinking to a darker conclusion, maybe those initial image drops were released *just* to get the fans to react in the way they did, that these changes were always going to come down the line, but now the studio can claim they actually listened to fans…
What? Too much?
OG: Anyway, putting that aside. What else?
EG: Nitpicking, I really do wish they'd gone with the silver on the boots instead of the gold. But, that is such a minor concern, it doesn't even need to be mentioned. Along that same line, the stars on the pants would stand out more in silver as well.
OG: Hmm, I can see what you're saying and certainly wouldn't be opposed to that. But, the gold does fall in line with the iconography of the character, making a revised look to the character still fall within the bounds of what we expect from a Wonder Woman costume.
EG: But, let's take note of the other aspect of this show we are seeing in these images – Wonder Woman is running. That implies that there is actually going to be action in the TV show! As an occasional viewer of Smallville, I'm used to a superhero show that barely has any action most of the time, and this show, we are already seeing action! I'll admit, I feared, given David Kelly's record of doing mostly courtroom dramas, that we'd never get around to any superheroic action scenes, so I'm suddenly filled with cautious optimism for this show.
OG: Well, we probably shouldn't get ahead of ourselves just yet. This is the Pilot after all which is generally a more action-y affair in this type of show anyway. I don't recall the Smallville Pilot (I believe the only episode I ever watched) but I gotta think that had some promising action in it as well. Also, running? Really? I mean, isn't this situation tailor-made for Wonder Woman to show off her lasso skills? Ah, looks like I found another nit to pick. Please, carry on.
EG: Hey, how about a clip from the filming of the show?
OG: Let's do it!
EG: Yowch! Busted knees are never fun!
OG: I have to say, she looks 1000 times less silly in action then I thought she would. Apparently, this ain't just gonna be Ally McBeal with tights. That said, the shiny top does look significantly goofier in action than the pants. Despite that, it's pretty encouraging overall.
EG: It does bolster my pie-eyed optimism. I know it isn't much, but I did expected so little.
OG: Me too. But, I have to say, though we have no context for this clip, I do get worried in any superhero project where the hero/heroine is chasing some random thug. I like my superheroes to fight dudes that are equal to or even superior to them in ability. Of course, he mounted that last car with a lot more skill then she did (she looked pretty winded, right?), so I should probably reserve judgment there.
EG: Before we finish, let's take a look at two more images. First, this:
EG: Now, that's not even right. I know that Adrianne Palicki is more attractive than this bizarre shot lets on. I'm just saying – not an attractive angle.
OG: I'm going to venture to say that Ms. Palicki has probably already lodged a complaint about this angle. Yikes.
EG: And, finally, this image:
EG: I don't know if this photo was darkened on purpose, or if it was just the particular lighting, but, wow, this image shows the potential for awesome this costume has. The colors in this one are dead on what they should be for the live action, the shine is more easily overlooked, and the flow of the costume is much better. If this is how the costume comes across on-screen, I'll be thrilled!
OG: And, that's not counting the wonders (I think this leaves me with 4 or 5 more crappy puns for the year based on the strict new crappy pun policy we put into effect recently) they can do to the color and look in post production enhancement work. So, I'm thinking this aspect of the show will be the least of our worries.
EG: I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm starting to actually look forward to this series. I know the potential for it stinking is huge, but, seriously, the makers listened to geekdom about the costume. They WANT this show to be successful, they WANT to please the fans. How often does that happen, people? I mean, seriously? For that reason, I'm going to watch this show. That's right – I'm declaring right now that I'm going to watch this show, good or bad!
OG: I'm with you. But, I must reiterate my concerns about how wishy-washy they've proved themselves to be already. But, you are right. A certain amount of respect for the fans opinions is healthy and can lead to a better show. No doubt. I just hope that outside of the costume they have a fresh and interesting take on the world of the character and give us something worth tuning into each week. So, I'm going to go ahead and join you in some good old-fashioned "cautious optimism."
EG: For the changes to this costume, I'm driving my rating four and a half Running Steves. If the red bodice were changed to a duller leather look, I'd make it five in a heartbeat.
OG: I'll bump from 3 ½ to four. They can certainly still change the top after the pilot is done and I'll gladly revise upwards should that happen.
EG: Alright, Mr. Kelly and NBC… you've got us… can you hold on to us?
Wonder Woman: The New DudsMarch 20, 2011
EG: Welcome, all, to the All-New "We're gonna reboot this blog again" Extravaganza here at the Steve Austin Book Club. No lousy excuses here – we (OG and EG, your unreliable hosts here at the SABC) are bad people.
Not serial killer bad or kick-your-puppy bad, but easily-distracted-from-this-blog-and-not-post-anything-new-for-more-than-a-full-calendar-year bad.
Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?
OG: I actually think our lack of posting is quite beautiful. Think about it – despite our numerous bionic upgrades, we are still deeply human. Just because our blogging abilities are cybernetically enhanced doesn't mean that we aren't also imbued with the inherent flaws of Original Sin. Also, we plainly suck.
EG: Anyway, what could POSSIBLY cause us to jump back into this? What event of geekdom would push us over the edge from our regular thoughts of "we really should bring the SABC back" to actually putting butts-to-chair and doing it?
EG: It's… it's so… shiny. Uh… yeah.
OG: When my browser first loaded the image I actually heard the squeaking of vinyl before I saw the costume.
EG: In case you didn't know, David Kelly is making a new Wonder Woman TV show for NBC, and the info that has been leaked about the show, up to this point, has been… underwhelming.
OG: Yes, in defiance of everything that Marvel Studios is doing to create a seamless film universe populated by their great panoply of characters shown in contemporary and dynamic ways, Warner Brothers (not counting the Batman films) is doing it's level best to meet the demands of the late 90's with the filmed versions of the heroes of DC!
EG: Now we get this costume. Don't get me wrong, as a red-blooded American male, there is an… appreciation for this costume, but…
OG: Yes, EG. The gal is truly fetching and she has "wonder"ful attributes that make her a real stand-out in the role! (I hate myself for typing that) And, to really make a statement of who this character is, I see that David E. Kelly made the effort to order a Wonder Woman costume from Target's expansive collection.
EG: You know, it does look a lot like one of those "Deluxe Sexy Superhero Costumes" that come out for women to slut around in every Halloween.
EG: The bad thing is… the one for Wonder Woman is actually less over-the-top than the new TV show costume.
OG: But, what they both have in common is their complete look of having been bought at a store. But, I'm being too negative here. I mean, I do want to say that I think there are things they've done right here. Kind of.
EG: I think I understand what is happening here. This entire thing is the nefarious plot of Jim Lee to get the public to accept, nay, CELEBRATE his redesign of the Wonder Woman costume.
And, you know what, OG? It is working. I almost wish they had gone with this costume for this TV show.
OG: I agree completely. I actually liked his design of the character and feels like it is almost tailor made for live-action. And so, I do applaud the inclusion of some of the elements. From what I understand of the plot for the new series, it is going to be more of a street-level superhero story and to that end, they started in the right direction but apparently felt the need to split the difference by bringing in more of the shiny, dare I say cheesy parts of the iconography.
EG: OG, I know you don't watch Smallville…
OG: It is one of the few things in life that give me true pride.
EG: …and, really, I only catch about two full episodes a season, but they actually put Lois Lane (Erica Durance) in a Wonder Woman-esque costume that I really liked:
Now, I don't mean to be snide (actually, yeah, I do), but when Smallville, the show that put Green Arrow in a hoodie –
And Superman in black trench coat –
Manages to come up with a better costume, you know you are in trouble.
OG: Not bad at all! I like the more leather look. Reminds me very much of what Marvel Studios is doing so amazingly right (at least from what I've seen) with the Captain America costume. I mean, in some ways Wonder Woman has a lot in common visually with Captain America. They have really in your face, bombastic, brightly colored, symbolically rich costumes that are hard to translate to film. Perhaps this is a good time for you to reach in to EG's Treasure Trove of Superhero Costume Photo Reference and show us what Captain America looks like when done oh so very wrong…
EG: In an effort to be positive, though, let me say that the DESIGN of the costume is actually pretty good. I like that they went with pants… sorta… well, fully-covered legs, anyway. I like that they went with the recognizable and classic bustier. And, while I like the shade of red used in the costume, the blue could stand a little muting, perhaps some darkening… but it is hard to tell from the glare! I think, if they could have de-shine-ified them (yeah, I made that word up), I'd appreciate the entire costume a lot more. The costume really isn't *that* horrible.
Except the boots. The blue boots do not work. Hey, OG, wanna see this costume become about 90% better?
EG: There. How's that?
OG: If you were to tie me up in your lasso of truth (please don't) I would be forced to say that this is amazing! You almost completely fixed it. Mute the colors on the costume and then make it the more leather look we discussed earlier and you've got yourself a PERFECT Wonder Woman costume for the screen, which makes me a little hopeful. I mean, lit and photographed correctly, many of the more obnoxious aspects of the costume (brightness & shininess primarily) might be mitigated. Assuming they do that, the only other pitfall they'd need to avoid would be getting someone like the creator of Ally McBeal to run the show. Now that would be a travesty!
EG: Well, we can only hope! Actually… I have to admit, after looking at the costume for a while, and changing the boots, I could really see something like this working. I'd really like the colors toned down to the tones in the Smallville version. Let me take a try at that:
I still hate the shiny, latex-look, but the whole thing is growing on me.
Or, maybe it is just the fact that I've been looking at the image of a beautiful woman dressed up in a shiny latex Wonder Woman costume long enough that I don't really care anymore.
OG: Well, while my first reaction was 100% negative I have to say you've kind of won me over here. I'm not hating it. In fact, I'll go ahead and give this costume 3 fully loaded Running Steve's.
And, just to go on the record, I'll go ahead and give the show itself a presumptive ZERO Running Steves. Really predicting "Birds of Prey" levels of craptitude here man.
EG: I'll second the three Running Steve's, and I'm gonna say that people will be wishing Birds of Prey was still around to cleanse their palate from this doomed version of Wonder Woman.
NBC, feel free to surprise us and produce an amazing show… but don't expect us to be holding our breath.
DVD Review: Four Film Favorites: DraculasOctober 30, 2009
This is the actual Dracula… but it isn't my Dracula:
And this is not my Dracula:
Not this one:
Or this one:
And I don't really think this is anyone's Dracula:
When I apply the ownership of "my" to it, I'm talking about when you close your eyes and think "Dracula," the image that pops into your head is "your" Dracula. For me, THIS is my Dracula:
That, my friends, is Christopher Lee. (Pausing for the appropriate oohs and ahs.) Christopher Lee starred in seven of the nine films in the Dracula series from Hammer Films, from the late '50's to the early 70's.
One of my greatest memories of childhood is my father and I, each Saturday afternoon, watching old horror films on The Channel 20 (WXON) Saturday Afternoon Thriller and Sir Graves Ghastly on channel 2 (WJBK). And, of those old films, my favorites were the Dracula movies.
And, among those Dracula movies, the Hammer films rose to the top. At the time, I probably wouldn't have been able to talk about the production values, or the acting… I would have just said they were better. Despite my age, and my ability to analyze the films and explain what draws me to them, I find myself falling back into my childhood feelings about them – they are just better.
They weren't slow and plodding, they didn't look like they were filmed in someone's basement with cardboard props, and Dracula was what he was supposed to be – a monster. Evil and nasty, and not terribly talkative.
(All due respect, and I say this as a fan of both Angel and Forever Knight, but I miss when vampires weren't all sensitive and brooding.)
I really enjoyed these movies, but hadn't seen them in years. Oh, there have been a few releases for home entertainment over the years, but nothing great or even complete (due to rights issues, I believe).
Then, a few weeks ago, I was told about a DVD set that was out from Warner Bros. called, "4 Film Favorites: Draculas." This is a two disc set, containing four of the Christopher Lee/Hammer Films Dracula movies – Horror of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Dracula A.D. 1972. The price for this assembled bit of cinema greatness? Around ten bucks.
I was immediately doubtful. First, I'm not a fan of double sided discs when it comes to movies. They seem really susceptible to scratching and damage. Second, squeezing four films onto two discs usually mean low quality. Third, what could I really expect for $10.00?
But, fan of the films that I am, I went ahead and bought the collection.
And I'm so glad I did.
What you get is a pretty straightforward, no frills kinda deal with these. You essentially get the movie and its trailer for each film. That about does it in the area of "extras" on these discs. What makes this set worth more than the cost though is the quality of the films themselves.
Remember how I mentioned there have been various releases of these films in the past? Generally, those releases were crummy, lifted from less than stellar prints of the originals. This set, though, is sharp and crisp, not plagued with saturation problems or muffled sound like previous releases. And, the original trailers? They are pretty cool.
I would love to have a complete set of the nine Hammer Films Dracula movies, but I'm happy that four of the best of these films are collected here. (Maybe someday, the rights issues will be cleaned up and we'll see an entire set!)
(Just in case you were interested, that set would include: Horror of Dracula, The Brides of Dracula, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Scars of Dracula, Dracula A.D. 1972, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.)
I'm not going to go into each of the movies right now, for two reasons. One, tacking on four movie reviews to this is far more work than I want to do right now (yeah, I'm lazy, but I may review the movies separately at a later time), and, Two, it is four movies for ten bucks! Even if they were horrible, that's only $2.50 a film. I'm sure you've spent more on a bad film sometime in the last decade!
But, these aren't bad. They are pretty awesome. Admittedly, I'm biased, and I'm sure nostalgia is playing a big part, but even so, I would not hesitate recommending this set to someone that wants to see some really great Dracula movies.
And, with that, my good readers, Vampire Week here at The Steve Austin Book Club draws to a close. Thanks for joining us, Happy Halloween, and we'll see you next week!
Forever KnightOctober 29, 2009
As we continue our Vampire Week celebration here at The Steve Austin Book Club, today we are going to take a look at the rise and fall of a TV show that EG dearly loved – Forever Knight.
He was brought across in 1228 – preyed on humans for their blood. Now, he wants to be mortal again … to repay society for his sins … To emerge from his world of darkness … from his endless Forever Knight.
Starting in 1992, each episode of Forever Knight opened with those words. A nice, succinct way to let folks know what the show was about. But, for the beginning of this show, we really need to look earlier… not 1228, but 1989.
From Jessie's Girl to Coffin…
And, here is where I show my age. One Saturday night, as I was flipping through the channels, I came across a television movie on CBS. It was a vampire movie (which hooked me) called Nick Knight. In this movie, Rick Springfield (attempting to escape soap operas) played Nick Knight, L.A. cop and vampire.
After centuries of giving into his vampire ways, Nick was trying to cure himself. Helping in this effort was Dr. Jack Brittington (Robert Harper), forensic pathologist and the only one who knew what Nick truly was.
He was advising Nick to live as a human in order to become human – eating real food, no longer drinking blood, and exposing himself UV light via tanning beds. Nick was also seeking out some magical goblets that could cure him.
When some homeless are found drained of blood, Nick is partnered with Detective Don Schanke (John Kapelos) to investigate. (Note to readers: That character's last name is pronounced "Skanky." I know, right? Awesome.)
Through the investigation, Nick comes to believe that Lacroix (Michael Nader), the vampire that sired him, is responsible.
I won't spoil the movie any further. Overall, I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn't anything spectacular. And, though it was supposed to launch a TV series, that never happened.
Well, not quite never…
The Schanke Years
In 1992, CBS was desperate for some sort of late night programming to go against the Tonight Show and Nightline. After going through a bunch of hosted, Tonight Show-esque programs (one of which starred Wheel of Fortune's Pat Sajak), CBS decided to switch gears. The result? Crimetime After Primetime.
Crimetime After Primetime was a schedule of different hour long crime shows that aired, each airing once a week. The only one worth mentioning (at least, in my opinion) was Forever Knight.
Forever Knight was Nick Knight revamped (totally didn't realize the pun, but I'm leaving it, so there!). Of all of the cast, the only actor to return from the original pilot movie was John Kapelos as Detective Don Schanke.
Nick Knight, now played by Geraint Wyn Davies, was now a Toronto cop and vampire. The basic idea of him seeking a cure and redemption continued in this series.
Dr. Jack Brittington became Dr. Natalie Lambert (Catherine Disher).
The role of Lecroix was taken over by Nigel Bennett.
And, the role of Janette (another vampire that appeared in the first pilot that I didn't mention) changed from Cec Verrell…
…to Deborah Duchene.
Though production values were lower on the series than for the original pilot, across the board, I thought the level of acting went up.
Almost immediately, the show garnered a devoted fan base. Unfortunately, CBS was soon to drop the entire Crimetime After Primetime format, after securing David Letterman for their late night programming.
The voice of the fans was heard, though, and Forever Knight was continued in syndication.
The show's popularity continued to grow in syndication through the end of the second season.
And, then, the writer's saw Interview with the Vampire.
The Sun Rises (and we all know what happens to vampires when that happens)
With the third season, major changes came. It was announced that John Kapelos would not be returning to the series (no more Schanke… *sigh*).
It was also announced that Deborah Duchene's role of Janette, vampire confidant of Nick, was also being eliminated.
Lisa Ryder, as Detective Tracey Vetter, came in as Nick's partner.
Along with her, came a new, Lestat/Louis-esque vampire named Vachon (Ben Bass).
More and more, the focus of the show shifted toward the new characters, and the storylines seemed to be drawing from the same well as the well-known Anne Rice Vampire novels.
And, perhaps for the best, after three seasons and a radical change in the direction of the show, Forever Knight ended.
I do miss the show, but not what it was becoming. If the show had maintained the quality level that it had in the first two seasons, I would miss it more, but I'm pretty sure if it had continued the way it was headed, I would've dropped it.
Still, it is a good idea, and maybe, given the prevalence of vampires in primetime and movie theaters, we'll see the concept revived yet again.
I miss Schanke.
Movie Time: Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's AssistantOctober 27, 2009
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Directed by Paul Weitz
Starring John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Massoglia
Darren and Steve are best friends. They are also opposites in almost every way. Darren is the good kid, works hard in school, makes good grades, etc. Steve is the teenage punk from a troubled home that is apt to get into trouble. After finding a flyer for a traveling circus of freaks, the two decide to attend… and both of their lives are transformed.
During the show, Steve recognizes the magician to be a vampire from one of the many books he has on the subject. Darren, on the other hand, is far more interested in the unique spider that works with the magician/vampire.
When the show is broken up by local citizens and police, Darren and Steve are separated. Darren finds himself outside the dressing room of the magician/vampire, and decides he wants to see the spider again. Inside he finds the spider, but hears someone coming down the hall and grabs the spider and sneaks into the closet.
The magician/vampire and a friend step into the room and shortly thereafter… and so does Steve. Steve confronts the magician/vampire, and tells him he wants to be made a vampire, that he has nothing else to live for. The vampire sends him away.
When he gets the chance, Darren makes a run for it, and goes home, with the spider.
The next day, Darren takes the spider with him to school and meets up with Steve. The spider, accidentally freed from its cage, bites Steve, leaving him near death.
Darren makes his way back to the theater where they saw the show, hoping that the vampire can help Steve. The vampire makes a deal to help Steve, in exchange for Darren becoming his assistant… and a half-vampire.
Thus begins Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant. This movie is an obvious foundation for other films planned for a series based on the Cirque Du Freak books, which is both good and bad. Good, in that it is trying to establish a world and we are introduced to a lot of characters so that we get a feel for that world. Bad, in that many of those characters are given little time to truly establish themselves.
But, if the film does spawn the sequels, that will be forgiven, perhaps even lauded as we don't have to deal with the problems of introducing so many characters with each subsequent installment.
The real basis of the story, though, is the rivalry between two sets of bloodsuckers – the Vampires and the Vampanese. Vampires, in this setting, are the "good" guys – they still drink blood, but they only sedate their victims, they don't kill them. The Vampanese, on the other hand, are violent and bloodthirsty, and power hungry. There has been a long tentative peace treaty between the two groups, but it is now threatened.
I'll admit that I knew nothing about this film going in. I had seen one commercial for it, and decided to see it just because of the planned theme for this week. And, though the film had a lot of faults, I was pleasantly surprised overall.
This isn't really a vampire film, though. There are "sorta" vampires in it, but it is almost… vampires sifted through Tim Burton's brain and then highlighted with Harry Potter-ness… if that makes any sense. The film is more of a quirky fantasy than anything in the realm of horror. Because of that, a lot of people will be immediately turned off of the film. Me? I'm rather proud of myself. When I realized what this film was going for, I thought, "Oh, okay. Well, I'm not exactly the target audience, but let's see what happens."
And, sure enough, I'm not the audience for this film. I can't imagine rushing out to get the DVD for it when it comes out, or even going out of my way to see it again… but I did find it enjoyable.
Yeah, I could talk about the shortcomings of the film all day. I could tell you that Chris Massoglia, who plays Darren, is essentially a clone of Ashton Kutcher and that his performance seemed disengaged. I could complain that the other freaks of the Cirque didn't get anywhere near enough screen time, and that the large number of name actors were generally wasted in the film.
But, you know what? That is a bunch of nitpicky kinda stuff that, while accurate, didn't really stop me from enjoying this movie. The effects for the movie were pretty cool, even if some were a little too obviously computer animated. The makeup on this film was stellar, though, top notch stuff that really made this world come alive.
And, though they had limited screen time, the cast of freaks were really good. Jane Krakowski as Corma Limbs was bizarrely perky.
Orlando Jones as Alexander Ribs was… well, Orlando Jones. (Orlando Jones seems to be himself in most things.) Ken Watanabe had an amazing presence as Mr. Tall, and Patrick Fugit was so fantastic as the Snake Boy that I'd like to see an entire movie based on that character.
And, there is Salma Hayak… being all Salma Hayak and hot and all.
The most amazing performance for me, though, had to be John C. Reilly as Crespley, the vampire. The role is so completely against type for him, but he manages to completely own it.
His turn as the weary, cynical vampire is enough for me to recommend this movie to anyone I know. He delivers some of the best lines in the film that range from dark, wry humor, to an almost sad melancholy, and delivers them well.
Honestly, other than when he appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and tore into Kevin Costner about when they both were doing For Love of the Game, this is my favorite thing John C. Reilly has ever done!
(And, by the way, if anyone knows where to find a clip of that, I'd be forever grateful to have it!)
For me, this movie was an unexpected treat. It won't appeal to everyone, as it is definitely aimed toward mid-teens, but it wasn't bad. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that I wouldn't mind seeing this film get some sequels, if only to expand on this world and to see the actors in supporting roles get a chance to shine.
I'm giving Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant three out of five Running Steves.
If nothing, this film has made me want to seek out the series of books on which it was based.
Micro-Hero of the Week: Vampire Edition!October 26, 2009
Greetings, one and all, and welcome to the second of our very special theme weeks – Vampire Week! Brain-Cravers took center stage last week, but this week belongs to the Bloodsuckers!
As we are apt to do, we start out with a very special micro-hero from EG, and boy, is it a special one! See, over the weekend, EG was able to watch a special episode of Wolfman Mac's Chiller Drive-In. Wolfman Mac is the latest in the fine history of Horror Hosts (such as Sir Graves Ghastly, The Ghoul, and Dr. Shock) that we've had in the area. This weekend's movie? None other than that 1922 silent classic, Nosferatu!
Inspiration struck, and the Steve Austin Book Club is proud to present one of the most famous vampires of all time, Count Orlok!
Keep a lookout, because we've got a week of vampire goodness ahead!
EG's Review: World War ZOctober 23, 2009
Alright, peoples, you've waited long enough to hear about this one! The Steve Austin Book Club is back, and more extreme than ever! Or, perhaps that is Xtreme! Mayhaps we should rename ourselves The Xteve AuXtin BooX Club, as an indicator of our new hip and happenin' ways!
Or, not.
Anyway, this is the review of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. This review is apt to spoil the book, so if you haven't read it and want to, you may want to skip this. There will be SPOILERS-A-PLENTY! If you have read the book, feel free to leave a comment!
Now with the preliminaries out of the way, sit back and enjoy!
World War Z is a collection of the post-Zombie War rememberances of indidual survivors throughout the world. It is ten years after the official end of the war… a time to look back. The book is presented in a series of personal stories/interviews with individuals discussing their roles and reactions as the world was plunged into a panic and near extinction of the human race. Using these personal stories, the audience follows as the events of the Zombie War are revealed in pieces, from its start within the borders of China, to the various steps taken by governments throughout the world in attempts to protect their borders, through battlefields where traditional tactics are found lacking, to the eventual steps toward survival, which rely on plans for each nation to virtually abandon most of their citizens. The stories come from average individuals, politicians, military personnel, corporate leaders, slackers, etc., etc., etc.
And… that's about the sum of it.
Let me start this by saying that the concept of this book is genius. I loved the premise and the style used. As an avid fan of the History Channel, I could really see this story being told through the account of eye witnesses just as much of their programming does. If there is any downside to that, it is that I think that this is one of those few occassions where the upcoming film based on this book may surpass the book in effectiveness. Why? Because the biggest complaint I have about the book seems to be a near universal complaint about it – while we are told that the stories come from various individuals, the vast majority of the stories are very much in the same voice, seemingly from the same individual. That is why I think the movie has the advantage. The various actors will lend their own spin to each vignette, allowing the audience to see a greater variance than what was afforded in the book.
I did appreciate the fact that the author knew his audience. Very little time was spent dwelling on what zombies are and trying to explain them away. Instead, he worked from a standpoint of "the people that pick this book up know what these creatures are." It was nice to not have the lodestone of origin dragging the book down.
Now, the downside. Without an establishing of the specifics of the zombie of this book, we don't have a firm enough idea of what these zombies are really like. And, it seems that the author forgets as well. There are times when we are told that zombies eventually decompose, and yet we are confronted with zombies in several instances that seem to have survived locked up in abandoned homes for years, no worse for wear. We are told that frozen weather will freeze zombies, yet they can walk unencumbered along the ocean floor, which rests at right about 32 degrees. (Fun science fact: the ocean, being salty, doesn't freeze until the water hits about 28.5 degrees. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.)
There also seems to be a real lack of knowledge about military weaponry. The idea that modern weapons would be less than effective against the undead is really hard to believe. The shrapnel described in the book always somehow managed to avoid hitting the zombies in the head. There is a reason that the militaries of the world issue metal helmets to their soldiers.
I can go along, to some extent, with the laughable actions of government during a situation like this, but the overall political commentary in the book is hack-kneed and blunt to the point of near rhetoric. Everything is too surface, no depth.
I was also unimpressed with the two types of people that we were presented with in the book: the noble hero and the scummy opportunist. There didn't seem to be any other degrees of personality. I understand that a tragedy can be a polarizing event, but there are more shades to people than this, and not having those shades made almost all the characters boring and relatively two-dimensional.
Which, now that I think about it and re-read my last complaint, is the problem I have with the book as a whole. For all the supposed individuals "interviewed" in the book, there just isn't enough to any of them. The characters are flat, which is really what makes them all sound the same. Perhaps if the author had focused on fewer stories, we could have had a more in depth character study of each. People aren't simply noble or evil… they are far more complicated than that.
The book wasn't terrible, but I expected and wanted so much more from it. As I mentioned, I'm really hoping that the actors in the planned film are able to bring that little extra to this project that is sorely missing in the book. For the potential of this book and the concept, I'm giving it two and a half Running Steves.
And, here's to hoping that the film gets moving from development limbo and into actual production!


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…nothing can take me apart
June 24th, 2008 - By kbx81
Hi. So as you have probably noticed, I haven't updated in a loooong time. I have no explanation and I won't attempt to create one. I guess I feel like there hasn't been much to talk about or say. Life has been pretty alright. Work is going well and life outside of that is pretty decent as well. There is still something missing, however. Can you guess what it is?
I got my Mac Pro a few weeks ago, and it's amazing. Best computer…EVER. I'd geek out about it here more, but I don't want to give too much away. =] If you want to know more, ask me, haha.
OH, I've been doing a lot more light shows lately. Some times are busier than others, but overall I've been getting out there a lot more. AND I'm actually making money with it now, haha. It's totally sweet. If you're reading this and you haven't seen what I do, you need to. I've been told repeatedly by a number of people that it's totally sweet. When is a show? Well, watch my myspace and/or facebook – I try to keep everyone informed. =] I'll give you one here, however: Cruciform Injection is playing at the Abbey Pub this coming Saturday (June 28th). It is going to be one of the more intense shows I've done; it's going to be a really awesome night.
About a week ago I saw both Ladytron and MSI. Both were sweeeeet shows…and I know there are more coming up. Ah the life…
Hmmm… What else is there? I dunno. Deanna (aka PQ) did my hair again a couple weeks ago and it's sweet. I need to get better at this hair thing though – I love how she does it but I need to pick up more or her wicked skillz so I can have it lookin' sweet allllll the time. Someone else (hehe) is insisting I dye it black again – but this time, ALL of it. I still wanna do that, and, um, oh, I will. Boom. =]
That being said, I should get back to work. I'll try to get back to more regular updates again, but no promises. For as predictable as my life is right now, you'd think I'd be better at it. But then again, I suck. =]


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As seen with these figures, I'm basing my skirmishers on individual 25mm square bases by Litko. Starting with .8mm plywood bases I then back them with the same size heavy duty magnetic pieces, also by Litko. I think the resulting thickness is sufficient without being obnoxious. Basing my skirmish infantry individually gives me the flexibility to play a number of skirmish games yet easily conform to the basing standards of British Grenadier. The magnetic bottoms are nice for storage and transport.
© 2020 Iowa Grognard.


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Cherishing Family, Farm & Food
We are a family owned and operated farm market offering our customers the freshest in produce and other unique food finds year round. During Michigan's peak growing season, we're proud to offer a large variety of our own homegrown fruits and vegetables raised on our family farm here in Southeast Michigan.
Stop in today for fresh produce, local meats, craft beer and more… including candy, snacks and everything you need to make a truly fabulous meal at home.
See you soon!
The Krall Family


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What is the big deal about meeting celebrities?
originally written and put on website 27 Jun 05 Okay! This is something I just have to figure out. What is it about famous people that makes us want to meet them? What makes that meeting such a valued time? After meeting a small number of famous people over the course of time (sometimes feeling quite normal and sometimes feeling barely able to calm the giggles that threaten to erupt and expose the nervous little girl who still exists inside me), I am still confused over this phenomenon.