text:
I cannot find any. Please write with your suggestions to decisiontheory @ quantdec.com.
Memorize these.
|A procedure is admissible when there exists no other procedure that can equal or improve on the risk for all possible states of nature.
|Loss function
|A non-negative numerical value associated with every possible combination of experimental outcome and decision.
|Any procedure whose largest risk is smallest among the maximum risks attained by all other procedures.
|A statistical problem where the states of nature do not have a useful finite parameterization.
|A statistical problem where the states of nature are readily parameterized (described) by a finite number of real values.
|The expected loss of a statistical procedure. This is a function that assigns a numerical value to every state of nature.
|Sample space
|Set of possible outcomes of an experiment.
|State of nature
|Set of possible probability distributions that could realistically describe the behavior of an experiment.
|Statistical procedure
|A recipe for assigning a decision to any possible experimental outcome.
|Subjective Bayes
|An approach to selecting procedures that uses beliefs about the possible states of nature.
A framework for evaluating estimators, tests, and other statistical procedures has at least four parts.
1. S, a "sample space." An experiment produces outcomes. The set of possible outcomes is the sample space.
2. Omega, the "states of nature." Omega contains two or more probability distributions defined on the sample space S. These distributions are possible models of the experiment. Exactly one will be "true"--the best model. However, we do not know which one is the true one.
Here are some examples of states of nature. In a problem where the underlying distribution is Binomial, the distribution must be B(n,p). The value of n is determined by the experiment, but p--the binomial probability--is unknown. The states of nature are the set of all B(n,p) where p ranges from 0 to 1. In some cases we might restrict the possible values of p based on prior knowledge; for example, we may only consider values of p between 1/2 and 1, or we may have just a few--a finite number--of candidates in mind for p.
In a problem where the underlying distribution is Normal, the distribution must be N(mu, sigma). If we do not know mu or sigma, then Omega must consist of all distributions N(mu, sigma) where mu is any real number and sigma is any non-negative real number.
In other problems we may make few or no assumptions about the underlying distribution. For example, Omega could be the set of all distributions. It could be the set of all distributions of zero mean. It could be the set of all distributions with finite variance. The possibilities are endless.
Omega captures a lot of prior knowledge about how the experiment works. If we limit Omega to the set of Normal distributions, for instance, we are making a very strong assumption about the nature of the experimental outcomes.
On a technical note, we usually do not want to include in S any experimental outcome x that has no probability of occurring, regardless of the state of nature. That is, there must be at least one distribution in Omega whose pdf at x has a nonzero value.
A state of nature is a definite probability distribution; nothing about it is left unspecified. For instance, when we are investigating the health of an ecosystem, we might be tempted to divide nature into two "states": "healthy" and "impaired". However, both these conditions likely include many different degrees of health and impairment. It is unlikely we could identify a single probability distribution to describe either condition. Thus "healthy" is not a state of nature in the sense defined here, nor is "impaired."
3. D, the "decision space." D is the set of possible actions that we (or the stakeholders we advise) could take after observing the experimental results.
Decisions are not abstract things. For instance, a landfill permitted under the U.S. RCRA statute is required to monitor groundwater nearby at regular intervals, typically once to eight times annually. Initially, any new landfill is presumed not to have leaked. This is the "detection monitoring" program. If monitoring data eventually supply strong evidence of leakage, then the facility is required to move into "assessment [compliance] monitoring." This can consist of additional water sampling and performing more expensive chemical analyses. It incurs additional compliance and reporting costs. Often consultants have to be hired to investigate groundwater conditions. Moving from detection monitoring into assessment monitoring is a decision. Staying in detection monitoring is also a decision. Both decisions have evident consequences to the landfill owners and operators.
4. L, the "loss function." For each possible combination of a state of nature, f, and a decision, d, the loss function provides a numerical value. It describes how much we (or the stakeholders we advise) lose if in fact the true state of nature is f and decision d is taken. Usually the loss is expressed relative to the best decision that could possibly be made for each state of nature. The best loss is zero; all other losses are zero or greater.
In the simplest interesting case, there are two possible states of nature--say f0 and f1--and two possible decisions, d0 and d1. We can completely describe the loss function L with a two-by-two table. Let's suppose decision d0 is the best one for state f0, while decision d1 is the best one for state f1. Here's the table.
|State is f0
|State is f1
|Decision is d0
|L(f1, d0)
|Decision is d1
|L(f0, d1)
In many practical cases, however, there is a continuum of states of nature, so we cannot easily create a table to describe the loss function. The loss function is more usually given by a formula.
For instance, if the states of nature are all possible Normal distributions and the decision consists of our best estimate of the mean, then a typical loss function will be of the form (d - mu)2 or maybe |d - mu| (absolute value). These functions have the intuitively necessary characteristics of being close to zero when the estimate (d) is close to the true value (mu) and of increasing as the deviation d - mu increases in size.
There is no requirement for the loss function to be symmetrical. The cost of underestimating mu may be very different than the cost of overestimating mu.
A statistical procedure is a definite recipe for assigning a decision d to any possible outcome x of an experiment. X is an element of the sample space S and d is an element of the decision space D, so we can think of a procedure t as a function from S to D: t: S --> D. We use notation like t(x) to denote the decision made when the experimental outcome is x.
The sample space S describes what can be written on a ticket. The states of nature are different boxes. Each box contains tickets on which are written elements of S: experimental outcomes. Different boxes contain different proportions of the experimental outcomes.
A statistical procedure t assigns decisions to experimental outcomes. Thus, we might as well examine every ticket in every box and on each ticket we will write the decision assigned by the procedure. At the same time, for completeness, let's also write down the name of the box from which the ticket was obtained. A typical ticket therefore has three entries | f | x | d |, where f is the name of the box the ticket is in, x is the original outcome printed on the ticket, and d is t(x). Notice that d does not depend on f.
For instance, in the simplest case of RCRA detection monitoring a landfill operator will sample three downgradient wells each year and analyze those samples for a chemical parameter related to the landfill contents. Suppose this chemical parameter indicates the presence of a compound that does not naturally occur in the groundwater near the facility. Further suppose, to simplify (but not weaken) our discussion, that the analytical result is not a concentration, but just a detect/nondetect result (somewhat like a pregnancy test or an AIDS test.)
An intuitively reasonable decision procedure, t, is then of the form "if all three results are nondetects, then stay in detection monitoring; otherwise, move into assessment monitoring."
There are eight possible experimental outcomes corresponding to the 2 * 2 * 2 combinations of detect/nondetect at the three wells.
Suppose the laboratory analysis has a fifty percent "false positive" rate. This means that any sample not containing the chemical parameter of interest still has a fifty percent chance of resulting in a detect result. Further suppose that any leak from the landfill quickly will affect water in all three wells, which will thereafter consistently yield detect results when analyzed.
We can create two boxes to describe the "clean" (hasn't leaked yet) and "leaky" states of the landfill. The leaky box is simplest: it contains one ticket. The experimental outcome written on it consists of three detects, one for each well. Next to those three detects we write the procedure's determination, which is to move into assessment monitoring. Here's the fully marked ticket, showing the box name (f), the experimental outcome (x), and the decision (d):
| Leaky | detect, detect, detect | assessment monitoring |
The clean box is more complex. It contains eight tickets. They are shown below, fully annotated. But first let's consider the loss function. If the landfill is leaking and the decision is to move into assessment monitoring, no loss is incurred: this is the correct decision. Similarly, if the landfill is not leaking and the decision is to stay in detection monitoring, then again no loss is incurred. However, the other two cases: clean-->assessment monitoring, leaky-->detection monitoring, cause losses.
Let's look at this from the facility owner's point of view. To this corporation, the only evident loss (in the near term) arises from the additional costs of the assessment monitoring program if it turns out to be unwarranted. Let's suppose those costs are expected to total one dollar. (Ok, that's unrealistic, but it's an easy number to work with! If you want, think of it as one million dollars, or one gazillion pesos, or one of your favorite large unit of money: it will not change the analysis.)
Here, then, are the tickets in the clean box, showing f, x, d, and the loss L(f, d):
| Clean | detect, detect, detect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | detect, detect, nondetect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | detect, nondetect, detect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | detect, nondetect, nondetect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | nondetect, detect, detect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | nondetect, detect, nondetect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | nondetect, nondetect, detect | assessment monitoring | $1
| Clean | nondetect, nondetect, nondetect | detection monitoring | $0
The colored entries (last two on each ticket) depend on the procedure. If we consider a different procedure, we will have to recompute those entries.
The risk of any box is its expected loss. Remember that this is the average loss written on all tickets. The risk of the leaky box (in this example) is zero. The risk of the clean box is (7 * $1 + 1 * $0)/8 = $7/8.
Statistical decision theory compares procedures in terms of their risks.
The risk is a function: it is a number rt(f) assigned to each state of nature. The name of the procedure, t, is written as a subscript to remind us that each procedure determines its risk. The risk function worked out just above is simple because it can be described by just two assignments: clean-->$7/8, leaky-->$0.
To summarize the example, we have
|S = {"detect, detect, detect", "detect, detect, nondetect", ..., "nondetect, nondetect, nondetect"} is the set of all possible test outcomes from the three wells.
|Omega = {clean box, leaky box}
|D = {stay in detection monitoring, move to assessment monitoring}
|L = {$0 except when the decision is to move into assessment monitoring when in fact no leak has occurred, in which case the loss is $1}
In practice the possibilities for Omega are more complex, but this simple example captures many of the fundamental considerations involved in evaluating RCRA groundwater detection monitoring programs.
The main source for this material is chapter two of Jack C. Kiefer, Introduction to Statistical Inference. (See the Links page.) Kiefer uses "W" for the loss function instead of "L".
The simplest possible case of practical interest has two possible experimental outcomes, two possible states of nature, and two possible decisions. Despite its simplicity, analyzing this situation uncovers some fundamental aspects of the decision theory approach.
So, to be concrete, suppose we have the opportunity to conduct a single experiment with two possible outcomes, which we arbitrarily label "success" (S) and "failure" (F).
Based perhaps on prior information about the experiment, we know the probability of success (p) is either 50% or 95%, but we do not know which. These probabilities label, or "parameterize," the states of nature, which are binomial distributions B(1, 0.50) and B(1, 0.95), respectively.
We will guess which is the correct state of nature. If the true state is B(1, 0.50) let's call the experiment "fair" (f) but otherwise we will call it "biased" (b).
The loss function always equals zero when we make the best possible decision for a given state of nature. Thus, making decision f when the state of nature p = 0.50 incurs no loss. Making decision b when p = 0.95 likewise incurs no loss. A table succinctly provides the full loss function.
|States of nature (p)
|Decisions (d)
Other loss functions will differ from this one only by changing the values of the $2 and $3 entries.
The (unrandomized) statistical procedures are definite rules telling us what decision to make for any possible experimental outcome. Formally, a procedure is a function t: S --> D. Because S and D are so simple, we can tabulate all possible procedures. The rows correspond to experimental outcomes, the columns to procedures, and the entries are decisions.
For instance, procedures t1 and t2 would be made by people with "blinders" on: regardless of the outcome, t1 decides the experiment is fair, t2 decides the experiment is biased. Procedure t3 is a "cynical" procedure: although an F outcome would be evidence against the biased state of nature (which almost always produces an S), t3 decides the experiment is biased anyway. Otherwise it decides the experiment is fair. Procedure t4 is an intuitively good procedure. The outcome S is more likely to be produced by the p=0.50 state (f), whereas the outcome F is more likely to be produced by the p=0.95 state (b). (This makes t4 the maximum likelihood estimator.)
How do we decide which procedure to use?
Think of the states of nature as two boxes containing tickets. In the p=0.50 box are two tickets, one labeled S, the other labeled F. In the p=0.95 box are 20 tickets, 19 labeled S, the last one labeled F.
Let's analyze procedure t3. The analysis begins by relabeling the tickets in the boxes. Because t3 assigns a decision to each outcome, we can show the decision next to each "S" or "F" on every ticket. This process is purely mechanical, requiring a simple lookup in the t3 column of Table 3.
Next, we compare the new ticket labels to the name of the box. The box determines a column and the label determines a row in the loss table, Table 2. We write the loss on the ticket. The illustration shows the relabeled tickets.
If we were to use procedure t3 many times over, then when the true state is p=0.50, we would undergo a loss of 0 half the time (because half of its tickets have zero loss) and we would undergo a loss of 2 the other half of the time (because half of its tickets have a loss of 2). The expected loss, or average loss on the tickets in this box, is 1. This value depends on the procedure, the loss function, and the proportions of tickets in the box.
The expected loss for the p=0.95 box under procedure t3 is 2.85.
Recall that the risk of any state of nature for a given procedure is the expected loss of that state of nature. We use the risk to evaluate and compare procedures. If t is a procedure and p is a state of nature, we may write rt(p) for the risk of using t when the state is p.
Repeating these calculations for procedures t1, t2, and t4 gives the following results (check them!):
|State of nature
It is helpful to graph these results. In the graph, the horizontal axis designates the states of nature. The vertical axis shows loss. The points denote risk. Their coordinates are (p, rt(p)), where t varies over the four possible procedures. The dotted lines are not part of the graph, but are shown only to help you connect the two points in each graph.
The risk graph makes it apparent that t3 is dominated by t4: that is, t4 never has higher risk than t3, and in some cases (p=0.95) has distinctly lower risk. This is a compelling argument against ever using t3 (at least once we are aware that t4 exists and know how to compute it). This is a formal demonstration in support of our intuition that the MLE (t4) works better than the cynical estimator (t3). Procedures like t3, that are dominated by some other procedure, are called inadmissible.
(Surprisingly, many common procedures are inadmissible. For instance, Andrew Rukhin, in Improved Estimation in Lognormal Models (JASA 81 no 396 pp 1046-1049, Dec. 1986), demonstrates the inadmissibility of the MVUE and MLE of the mean, median, and moments of lognormal distributions under quadratic loss (the usual loss function). His numerical studies demonstrate that the MVUE is extremely poor (relative to other available estimators) for small sample sizes when the logarithmic standard deviation exceeds 1.0. The MVUE is the basis of Land's confidence limit procedure. Read more about this in the next class notes, Statistical tests.)
Most of these four procedures incur a large risk for some state of nature. Remember, we do not know what the true state of nature is. Thus, procedures t1, t2, and t3 could achieve risks of 2 or greater, depending on the true state of nature. The risk of procedure t4, however, never exceeds 1. Its maximum risk is smallest among the maxima for all procedures: it is minimax. A pessimistic decision maker, or one who simply cannot tolerate a risk higher than 1, would prefer this procedure.
Procedure t4 is not the best in all cases, however. If the true state of nature is B(1, 0.50), then the decision maker using procedure t1 will be much better off. (She will always be correct!) The difficulty is that neither decision maker knows what the true state is, so neither can claim their procedure is uniformly superior.
To illustrate what can happen in practice, consider the problem of estimating a proportion (or probability) based on limited data.
For instance, we might wish to estimate the proportion of a site that is clean. To do so, we will take surface soil samples at locations selected randomly and independently of each other. Taking the samples acts just like drawing tickets from a box. The tickets are labeled with the measured concentrations of some chemical (or chemicals) in the soils. They will be relabeled simply as "clean" or "dirty," depending on whether the concentrations are all below their cleanup standards or not.
The most extreme case of limited data--one sample only--contains all the elements of the general problem, so we will analyze this. (As an exercise you may analyze the situation where more data are available.)
The experimental outcomes are "clean" and "dirty" (the analogs of "success" and "failure" above). There is a continuum of states of nature, parameterized by the true proportion (p) of site soils that are dirty. The value of p may be anywhere between 0% and 100%. The decision is a number, d, which is our estimate of the proportion. In principle d can be any value, but it makes sense to restrict d also to lie between 0% and 100%, because anything else would be obviously wrong.
We can no longer use a table to show the loss function. Instead, we need a formula for the loss, given any possible combination of p and d. This is a general mathematical function of two variables. There are many possible forms it can take.
A reasonable form will be zero whenever the decision d exactly agrees with the true proportion p. Otherwise, the loss should increase as the difference between p and d grows. One of the simplest, mathematically "nice," expressions with this property is L(d, p) = (d-p)2. For any given state of nature p, its graph is an upward curving parabola with vertex touching zero at p. This is the "quadratic loss" function.
As before, a procedure is a definite process for deciding, on the basis of a single soil sample that is labeled either "clean" or "dirty," what the clean proportion is onsite. That's a tough decision to make with one sample result, but having one result is better than no data at all!
(It is commonplace in the application of environmental statistics in the private sector to have very little data. We do not always have the luxury of demanding more data. The challenge is to make the best possible decision with the data available.)
Again, each state of nature contains only two kinds of tickets, labeled "clean" and "dirty". We can, as before, imagine relabeling these tickets according to a given procedure. If the procedure decides the proportion is p0 when the sample is clean, then we relabel the "clean" tickets with p0. Then we compute the ticket's loss (p0 - p)2 by referring to the state's value p--the true proportion of clean soils. We may never learn the value of p, but that does not prevent us from computing risk functions and using them to evaluate potential procedures. Similarly, if the procedure decides the proportion is p1 when the sample is dirty, then we relabel the "dirty" tickets with p1 and compute the loss (p1 - p)2. Here is a table showing the computations.
|Chance of loss
|Contribution to expected loss
|(p0 - p)2
|(1-p) * (p0 - p)2
|(p1 - p)2
|p * (p1 - p)2
When the state of nature is p, then, a proportion p of the tickets are labeled with a loss of (p1 - p)2 and the remaining proportion (1-p) are labeled with a loss of (p0 - p)2. The expected loss is just p * (p1 - p)2 + (1-p) * (p0 - p)2. The values p0, p1 are constants determined by the procedure in question and p is the variable. This is the risk function for the procedure, which is designated t(p0, p1) in the next figure.
The figure shows the risk functions for some of the more interesting procedures:
|t(0, 1) decides the entire site is clean when the sample is clean and it decides the entire site is dirty when the sample is dirty. It is the maximum likelihood procedure. The graph of its risk function is the large upside down parabola. The risk is highest when half the site is dirty and lowest of all in the extreme cases.
|t(0.5, 0.5) decides that half the site is clean, regardless of the sample result. This might be the response of someone who recognizes that one sample result is very little evidence and wishes to "split the difference" by guessing a middle value for the proportion. The graph of its risk function is the large dashed parabola. It achieves very good (low) risk for sites that are about half clean, but has very high risk for sites that are very clean or very dirty.
|t(0.25, 0.75) has constant risk (of 1/16). It is the minimax procedure: every other procedure achieves a risk greater than 1/16 for some states of nature.
|t(0.6, 0.99) might be used by someone who has a strong belief that the site is very dirty. If their belief is correct, it achieves low risk. If their belief is incorrect, however, the risk becomes very high. (The risk exceeds 0.25 for proportions less than about 0.25, and so cannot even be shown on the figure.)
There is nothing inherently wrong about using beliefs about site conditions to guide the choice of procedure. (People who do this are using a "subjective Bayes" approach to decision making.) This does not invalidate the analysis based on risk functions. Indeed, the risk function analysis helps us see what an unfounded dependence on a belief could cost, if nature does not conform to that belief.
Using a different loss function can change the results dramatically. As an example, suppose we are more concerned about relative error than absolute error. Thus, the difference between p = 0.01 and d = 0.02, or between p = 0.99 and d = 0.98, might cost more than the difference between p = 0.40 and p = 0.60. One way to model this is to divide the quadratic loss expression both by p (to increase the loss when p is small) and by 1-p (to increase the loss when p is close to 1). The next figure uses the previous graphical symbols to plot the new risk functions for the same five procedures.
(It makes no sense to compare these risks with the risks in the previous figure. They are based on different loss functions. We could rescale either loss function by some constant without changing the analysis. For example, the quadratic loss function could be expressed in millions of dollars and the relative loss function in tenths of pesetas. So ignore the absolute values on the risk axes and concentrate on the relative heights of the risk functions.)
For the relative loss function, procedure t(0, 1) (the horizontal line with constant risk of 1.00) is minimax. It is the only procedure without infinite loss at either p=0 or p=1. The procedure that formerly was minimax is no longer minimax.
Finally, let's consider an asymmetric loss function. This loss equals the difference between the decision, d, and the true proportion p, only when d overestimates p. Otherwise, the loss is zero: there is no penalty for underestimating the true proportion. (A decision maker who values an accurate estimate, but who would otherwise prefer a result that exaggerates the cleanness of the site, might use a loss function closely approximating this one.)
The figure shows the risk of a new procedure, t(0, 0.3). This procedure decides the site is perfectly clean if the sample is clean. Otherwise it decides 30% of the site is dirty. It is clearly superior to the other five procedures shown. This is intuitive: if the site is more than 30% dirty, t(0, 0.3) cannot overestimate the value, so its risk is zero. Otherwise, it cannot overestimate the risk by much.
For this loss function there is a unique best procedure, t(0, 0). It is minimax and it is the only admissible procedure at all. t(0, 0) always decides the site is clean, regardless of the sample result. Its risk is uniformly zero, because it can never overestimate the true value. (This procedure has one of the worst possible risks for the loss functions previously considered, however.)
I have seen procedure t(0, 0)--or rather, its generalization to larger data sets--used many, many times. It happens frequently in long-term RCRA groundwater monitoring. An environmental consultant establishes a monitoring program and creates a template for the quarterly (or annual) monitoring report. The report includes the monitoring data as a separate appendix, but no serious effort is put into analyzing the data. At most, the data are dumped into a (boilerplate) spreadsheet that purports to conduct the required statistical test. However, if the test indicates action is required, the consultant inserts additional boilerplate to "explain" why this is not evidence of a release from the facility. Usually the explanation impugns the test (which, more often than not, was selected by a previous consultant and truly is a bad test). No effort is made to change the test, however: that would require a formal modification of the RCRA permit.
If the regulatory agency, represented perhaps by an overworked or inexperienced or cynical case worker, never subjects these reports to serious review, then this condition can continue for years or decades. I have seen this occur in states and EPA regions across the U.S.
The principal source for the worked examples is section 4.2 of Lehmann's book, Theory of Point Estimation. Lehmann analyzes the n-sample case.
Return to the Environmental Statistics home page
This page is copyright (c) 2001 Quantitative Decisions. Please cite it as
This page was created 24 March 2001 and last updated 9 May 2001.


text:
Bill O'Brien isn't wasting any time putting his staff together. Well, at least he's not wasting any time getting rid of the old one.
According to Fox Sports' Alex Marvez, O'Brien has fired what was left of the 2013 Texans coaching staff and will hire Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator.
But the Houston Chronicle's John McClain says that O'Brien is meeting with coaches all day Saturday and again on Monday. McClain said four haven't met with O'Brien, which would make it hard for them to be fired. ESPN's Tania Ganguli is also reporting the meetings are ongoing. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that O'Brien isn't expected to retain any of the coaches.
Either way, it appears that O'Brien wants Crennel as his defensive coordinator.
Crennel was most recently the head coach for the Chiefs in 2012. He was the defensive coordinator before that. From 2005-2008, he was the Browns head coach. Crennel was the DC in New England from 2001-2004, before O'Brien arrived.
If O'Brien has indeed fired or will fire the 2013 coaching staff, that means defensive coordinator and interim head coach Wade Phillips is without a job. Phillips said goodbye to Houston via Twitter late Saturday morning. It also means running backs coach Chick Harris, who has been with the team since the franchise began in 2002, is also out of work.
Thanks to McNair family and great Texan fans and most all our players. It was wonderful being home. I wish the best to all
— Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) January 4, 2014

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Despite Walter Hill at the helm, 'Bullet to the Head' is a bore
Bullet to the Head
Written by Alessandro Camon
Directed by Walter Hill
Bullet to the Head marks Walter Hill's return to feature film directing after a ten year absence. Though dissimilar to career highs like The Warriors or The Driver, Bullet to the Head's basic set-up of a cop teaming up with someone on the other side of the law, in this case a hitman, puts the director on the familiar ground of his past fare like 48 Hrs. It's also familiar territory for producer Joel Silver. Ever the fan of mismatched partners in an action comedy context, Silver had original co-star Thomas Jane removed from the film and replaced by Asian-American actor Sung Kang, a regular of the Fast and the Furiousseries, wanting a "more 'ethnic' actor" to appeal to a wider audience. With a replication of past formulas from producer and director, as well as star Sylvester Stallone on leading man duty, Bullet to the Head is a glaring tribute to a certain brand of 1980s thriller, complete with such choice cliché dialogue as "this goes all the way to the White House!" The only problem is that the film is so rarely thrilling at all.
Sound on Sight Podcast #331: 'The Expendables 2′ / 'True Romance'
If you've been following Sound on Sight for any length of time, you'll know that, for all of our love and affection for arthouse and foreign film, not to mention documentaries, we love a good terrible action film. So we thought it might be fun to check in on Sylvester Stallone's latest ensemble action pic, The Expendables 2, directed by Simon West (Con Air, The Mechanic). After that, we take a look back at True Romance, Tony Scott's cult actioner (scripted by Quentin Tarantino), in the wake of Scott's death this past week. Ricky D and Simon Howell are joined by guest host Deepayan Sengupta.
'The Expendables 2′ is, at the very least, better than its disastrous predecessor
The Expendables 2
Written by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone
Directed by Simon West
Of the myriad of problems with the horrifically tedious first instalment of The Expendables, one of the most prominent was the incompetent execution of its action sequences. Prone to an absurd cut frequency, confusing special relations, terrible CGI blood effects and a hideous form of neon-draped lighting, the sequences provided no thrill and failed to highlight any of its performers' strengths. Simon West – best known for Con Air – replaces Sylvester Stallone as the man in charge for the sequel, and while the direction is never exemplary or innovative, it is at least competent this time round and the cutting far less frenetic. Jet Li, for one, is in The Expendables 2 very little, but it is nice to actually have his skills complimented by the camera this time. The oppressive electric-blue colour look of the first is also gone, replaced by an (again) competent, mostly grey scheme, while the CGI support has mostly been improved. It seems odd to make a fuss out of simple workman-like approaches and coherence regarding an action film, but the first film was such an oppressive mess of incompetence and banality that any sign of improvement feels like a striking success. The Expendables 2 also seems like a substantial upgrade simply by actually providing some sporadic entertainment.
TIFF Bell Lightbox Presents The Rise of Beefcake Cinema: 'Cliffhanger' a capable joyride of peaks and valleys
Directed by Renny Harlin
Written by Michael France and Sylvester Stallone
Cliffhanger grips you from the start.
The film opens with Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) scaling up the side of a mountain without the aid of a harness.
Once he reaches the peak, he comes across a couple, Hal and Sarah (Michael Rooker and Michelle Joyner), both of whom happen to be his friends.
Hal, an experienced climber himself, has broken his leg while they were on a climb, leading Gabe to come save them.
With the help of his girlfriend, Jessie (Janine Turner), Gabe is able to tether a line between a rescue helicopter and the precipice where they are precariously stranded.
Using a harness, Hal is able to pull himself to safety, across the ominous void. But when it's Sarah's turn, her equipment fails, leaving her hanging 4000 feet above ground.
In a split-second decision, Gabe throws caution to wind and goes after her, reaching her just as her harness snaps. Arms outstretched, he catches her, but as time and gravity fights against them, his grip begins to weaken.
Sarah pleads for her life, not wanting to die, but as her hand slips out of the glove that Gabe was hopelessly holding on to, she plummets to the ground, ending her life and irreversibly changing those of the people involved.
With an opening scene of such thrilling quality, Renny Harlin's Cliffhanger promises a white-knuckle, adrenaline-packed experience. With a number of entertaining set pieces, the film achieves in that regard, but poorly written characters and a lack of strong human elements make Cliffhanger a capable joyride of peaks and valleys.
TIFF Bell Lightbox Presents The Rise of Beefcake Cinema: 'First Blood' is a cogent Vietnam analogy, but ultimately compromising
First Blood
Directed by Ted Kotcheff
Written by Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim and Sylvester Stallone
For time immemorial, Ted Kotcheff's First Blood carried the notorious, if apocryphal, reputation for being overly violent. A closer autopsy of the film would reveal this to be untrue. In fact, there's only one death – about the same as in Pixar's Up.
Kidding aside, this misinterpretation of First Blood is symptomatic of its deceptive storytelling acumen. Along with its nominal death count, the film's ability to conceal a lucid polemic of the Vietnam War under an avalanche of ample entertainment and bloody good fun is a testament to its legacy as a formative pillar in action film lore.
Sleek, economical, and unquestionably gripping, First Blood is also a film with surprising substance and smarts, which are all but undone by the film's final few minutes.
TIFF Bell Lightbox Presents The Rise of Beefcake Cinema: 'Demolition Man' destroys Aldous Huxley's magnum opus
Demolition Man
Directed by Marco Brambilla
Written by Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau and Peter M. Lenkov
When Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World in 1931, he wanted to warn the present of an impending dystopia. Filled with ignorance, ostentation, and a blatant disregard for humanity, Huxley foresaw the future as being grim, and if he ever lived to see Marco Brambilla's Demolition Man, he surely would've felt vindicated, if not prophetic.
Loud, kitsch, and surprisingly empty, Demolition Man aimed to use Brave New World as a foundation for its statement against executive abuses of power, but instead, it destroys Aldous Huxley's magnum opus by becoming the exact thing it warned of.
Set in 1996, Sergeant John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is one of Los Angeles' most prolific and notorious cops. Dubbed the 'Demolition Man', Spartan is renown for getting the job done, and causing a fiery cataclysm while doing so.


text:
1000 Sheridan Road has a Walk Score of 38 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so most errands require a car.
This location is in Wilmette. Nearby parks include Wilmette Park District Swimming Beach, Langdon Park and Gillson Park.
Nearby schools include Central Elementary School, St Francis Xavier School and Baker Demonstration School.
The closest grocery stores are Jewel-Osco, Jewel-Osco and Wilmette Food Mart.
Nearby coffee shops include Alchemy Coffee & Bake House, Starbucks and The Rock House. There are four restaurants within a 15 minute walk including JP's Pizza & Grill, Mrs D's Wilmette Diner and No Man's Land Pizza & Grill.


text:
- Description
- Reviews
- Refer
- Product Q&A
Ingredients: Organic black pepper, organic white pepper, organic green pepper, and organic pink pepper.
There are no reviews for this product, yet.
Write Your Own Review
Send to a Friend
Questions & Answers for Organic Rainbow Peppercorn Blend
Please enter your email address and we will notify you as soon as is back in-stock.
Your request has been submitted successfully.As soon as
the item is back in-stock we will notify you via email.
Thank you for your patience.


text:
The Leading eBooks Store Online
for Kindle Fire, Apple, Android, Nook, Kobo, PC, Mac, BlackBerry ...
The Cambridge Companion to Mozart
Preview (read now) Add to my own site Give this ebook to a friend Add to my wishlist Author's page Publisher's page
moreThe Cambridge Companion to Mozart paints a rounded yet focussed picture of one of the most revered artists of all time. Bringing the most recent scholarship into the public arena, this volume bridges the gap between scholarly and popular images of the composer, enhancing the readers' appreciation of Mozart and his extraordinary output, regardless of their prior knowledge of the music. Part I situates Mozart in the context of late eighteenth-century musical environments and aesthetic trends that played a pivotal role in his artistic development and examines his methods of composition. Part II surveys Mozart's works in all of the genres in which he excelled and Part III looks at the reception of the composer and his music since his death. Part IV offers insight into Mozart's career as a performer as well as theoretical and practical perspectives on historically informed performances of his music. less
Cambridge University Press; May 2003
312 pages; ISBN 9781139816625
Read online, or download in secure EPUB or secure PDF format
312 pages; ISBN 9781139816625
Read online, or download in secure EPUB or secure PDF format
More Biography
Killing Patton 2014 US$ 12.99 304 pages
Lean In 2013 US$ 12.99 208 pages
Subject categories


text:
About Me
Baileyyy. (: I'm a Kappa Kappa Gamma, Gamma Beta at the University of New Mexico. I love God, Jesus, crafting, marketing, puppies, kittens and my wonderful life. <3
Dia de los Vivos
I always feel better after I've been in the wilderness and listened to some good tunes.


text:
Hi all,
The voting for the 2013 Wetpixel Raja Ampat Entrance Tag design ends on 15 September. If you haven't done so yet, can I make a plea that you head on over and vote for your favorites. The contest is very close and your votes may well make a difference to the outcome.
The voting page is here:
The winning design will be worn by all visiting divers to Raja Ampat in 2013.
Many thanks.
Voting ends soon for 2013 Raja Ampat Entrance Tag
Started by adamhanlon, Sep 12 2012 10:39 PMRaja Ampat Contest Entrance Tag Wetpixel
No replies to this topic
Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Raja Ampat, Contest, Entrance Tag, Wetpixel
Administration →
Announcements →
Wetpixel outages
Started by adamhanlon, 14 Sep 2014 wetpixel, outages, server
Video and Film →
Editing, Post Production, and Sharing →
Amazing video
Started by maksimmir, 26 Aug 2014 Sony, FS700, underwater, video and 5 more...
The Galley →
Beginner Forum →
Strobe info needed!!
Started by user1524, 16 Aug 2014 nauticam, UWP, strobe, scuba and 4 more...
The Galley →
Dive Destinations and Travel →
Commercial/Organized Dive Trips →
Wetpixel Oceanic Whitetip Shark Expedition-April 2015
Started by adamhanlon, 13 Aug 2014 wetpixel, oceanic whitetips and 1 more...
The Galley →
Crazy Dive Stories and Trip Reports →
Wetpixel Whale sharks 2014
Started by adamhanlon, 26 Jul 2014 wetpixel, whale sharks, 2014 and 1 more...


text:
Judges appointed by Susana Martinez
From Judgepedia
Susana Martinez is the Governor of New Mexico. She was elected in 2010 and is a Republican. For an extensive profile, visit: Susana Martinez on Ballotpedia.
Appointment process
In New Mexico, the governor makes a judicial appointment after candidates are recommended by a judicial nominating commission. Following appointment, the new judge must compete for the seat in the next general election.
Appointed judges
The tables below list the governor's appointees to the courts across the state. These lists are updated automatically with new appointments.
Supreme Court
|The governor has not yet appointed any judges to this level of the courts. If you have any questions, please contact: User:Matticus.
Court of Appeals
|Previous position
|J. Miles Hanisee
|New Mexico Court of Appeals
|Attorney in private practice
District Courts
Magistrate Courts
Metropolitan Courts
|Previous position
|Michelle Castillo Dowler
|New Mexico Bernalillo Metropolitan Courts
|Assistant county attorney, Bernalillo County
|Peggy Ann Holguin
|New Mexico Bernalillo Metropolitan Courts
|Deputy district attorney, Second Judicial District of New Mexico
|Jason Greenlee
|New Mexico Bernalillo Metropolitan Court
|Assistant district attorney, Second Judicial District of New Mexico
|R. John Duran, II
|New Mexico Bernalillo Metropolitan Courts
|Assistant district attorney, 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office
|Chris J. Schultz
|New Mexico Bernalillo Metropolitan Court
|Deputy district attorney, 2nd Judicial District Attorney's office
See also
External links
- Office of the New Mexico Governor, Press Releases
- Gavel Grab, "JAS Applauds Creation of New Judgeships in New Mexico," March 12, 2014


text:
Course overview
This course is designed to provide you with a
thorough understanding of the principles of geochemistry, as
understanding the geochemical aspects is an important step in completing
a successful site assessment or remediation project. While many people
have a solid understanding of hydrological processes, the chemical
aspects of the site that largely impact contaminant fate and transport,
and determine the outcome of the remediation effort, are not as commonly
understood or appreciated.
Basic chemical interactions occurring between
water and soil/aquifer material that determine the composition of
natural water and affect the migration of contaminants will be covered
in this course, as will the anticipated efficiency of remediation
practices. Data collection, presentation, and interpretation of results
will also be discussed.
Once this fundamental knowledge is obtained,
it will be possible to integrate it into particular contamination
situations and evaluate remediation systems given the site-specific
geochemical parameters.
In this course, you will learn about:
reservations 866 384.4934505 884.2500
Accommodations: NGWA has
secured a limited block of rooms on a first come, first served basis at
the group rate of $81* per night single/double occupancy. This rate
applies to the NGWA room block and is valid until the January 27 cutoff
date, unless our block has been filled before then. When making your
reservations, be sure to mention you are attending this NGWA short
course. Remember, you are responsible for securing your own
reservations. For guest check-in and checkout times,
please contact the hotel directly.
*Or prevailing 2014 government rate.
Area information
This page was last updated on
800 551.7379 (614 898.7791 outside the United States)
8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday
fax 614 898.7786
601 Dempsey Road
Westerville, OH
National Ground Water Association
601 Dempsey Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081
800 551.7379
(614 898.7791 outside the US)
fax 614 898.7786


text:
Logan hangs out with the hosts of A Better Connecticut
Logan gives a riveting presentation about standing up to bullies.
Logan appears on Connecticut Style.
Logan shows off her Gown at the MADD About Dancing Event.
Logan poses with American Idol Contestant, Casey James.
Logan is Presented with a Official Proclamation from her hometown.
Logan is presented with a Official Citation from the State of Connecticut.
Logan is the highlight of the Southington Apple Harvest Parade.
Logan anticipated all weekend to get a bite of an apple fitter.


text:
Definition of without further or more ado in English:
without further (or more) ado
Without any fuss or delay; immediately.
More example sentences
- So, without further ado, let's quickly gloss over his suggestions and move onto my much more sensible and practical top ten.
- Promptly, without further ado, an entire shift decided to stay at home seriously disrupting production and causing severe losses to the company.
- So without further ado, let me direct you to their respective tasting notes.
Get more from Oxford Dictionaries
Subscribe to remove ads and access premium resources
Word of the day rebuff
Pronunciation: rəˈbəf
reject (someone or something) in an abrupt manner…


text:
Leighton Dulaney Lanaux
Trey and Carley Lanaux of New Orleans, La. announce the birth of their daughter, Leighton Dulaney Lanaux, on March 23, 2011 in New Orleans.
Leighton weighed six pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 and 1/2 inches long.
Latest News
Derelict building may come down soon In response to a...
Police arrest two in recent break-ins Law enforcement officials...
Gaming to county: rethink tax hike In a letter to the Tunica...
In the Pink Tunica Elementary students...
Fire District cash crunch could affect insurance, response times Residents and...
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8


text:
David's overstuffed brisket sandwich (with gravy) was legendary. One of the city's best and most unique delis has apparently gone down for the count. On Friday I went to David's Brisket House for my usual bimonthly roast beef brisket sandwich on rye with gravy (a notably delicious mess) an ... More >>
For his last meal, this man dreams of food courts of the Far East
23 Incredible Pizzas! 21 Famous Colleges! Thin Crusts! Fat Crusts!


text:
If an issue is not available, but you're interested in a color photocopy of the article, email firstname.lastname@example.com with the relevant details and to get cost information.
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
$ 22 00
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
Item is not Available
"I yell at my staff but not at negotiators. He's probably nice to his staff but yells at the people he's negotiating with."
--Henry Kissinger on Richard Holbrooke, "The Insider"
"I never met these people before, and now I'm peeing with them."
-- Gibbie, a Times Square reveler, "Big Bash Theory"
"On one side of town, they're putting poison out to kill rats; on the other side, we're doing laser surgery on them for gum work."
-- Dan Carmichael, veterinary dentist, "Animal House"
"I don't like to think of this in terms of dollars. I think of it in terms of a score or a number."
-- Day trader Kirk Kazazian, "Wall Street's Winners"
"It's hard to do the mundane things in life. I have an easier time planning a twenty-aircraft fleet than I do paying the light bill."
-- JetBlue founder David Neeleman, "Cool Air"
"The next hundred years will be the age of biology. This is where the next information revolution will be."
-- Dr. Lance Liotta, of the National Cancer Institute, "The Age of Discovery"
"We're looking with deep intensity from the smallest -- genomes and DNA sequencing -- to the largest issues in astronomy."
-- Museum of Natural History president Ellen Futter, "Planetarium Hollywood"
"Madonna, Michael, Deepak -- they'll bring Jews back into the faith."
-- Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, "Apocalypse, Nu?"
"There was Wall Street and Bret Easton Ellis, and that was a Moment in Time. Now there's the Internet -- me, us, this -- and it is a Moment in Time."
-- Razorfish co-founder Craig Kanarick, "The Alley Cats"
"I thought, 'David, I'm your biographer, not your friend.' Boundaries are not something that David really understands."
-- David Geffen biographer Tom King, "He Said, He Said"
"It's kind of crazy: I had dinner at Nobu on Monday, but I don't have enough money to buy socks."
-- Assistant media planner Chris Foreman, "Nice Work -- If You Can Afford It"


text:
able for quantitative exposure estimates that can be used to construct what are sometimes called exposure metrics. The metrics integrate quantitative estimates of exposure intensity (such as chemical concentration in air or extent of skin contact) with exposure duration to produce an estimate of cumulative exposure. Exposure also can be assessed by measuring chemicals and their metabolites in human tissues. Such biologic markers of exposure integrate absorption from all exposure routes, but their interpretation requires knowledge of pharmacokinetic processes. All those exposure-assessment approaches have been used in studies of Vietnam veterans.
Military use of herbicides in Vietnam took place from 1962 through 1971. Tests conducted in the United States and elsewhere designed to evaluate defoliation efficacy were used to select specific herbicides (IOM, 1994; Young and Newton, 2004). Four compounds were used in the herbicide formulations in Vietnam: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram), and dimethylarsinic acid (cacodylic acid). The chemical structures of those compounds are presented in Chapter 2 (Figure 2-1). The herbicides were used to defoliate inland hardwood forests, coastal mangrove forests, cultivated lands, and zones around military bases. In 1974, a National Resource Council committee estimated the amount of herbicides sprayed from helicopters and other aircraft by using records gathered from August 1965 through February 1971 (NRC, 1974). That committee calculated that about 18 million gallons (about 68 million liters) of herbicide was sprayed over about 3.6 million acres (about 1.5 million hectares) in Vietnam in that period. The amount of herbicides sprayed on the ground to defoliate the perimeters of base camps and fire bases and the amount sprayed by Navy boats along river banks were not estimated.
A revised analysis of spray activities and exposure potential of troops emerged from a study overseen by a committee of the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 1997, 2003a,b). That work yielded new estimates of the amounts of military herbicides used in Vietnam from 1961 through 1971 (Stellman et al., 2003a). The investigators reanalyzed the original data sources that were used to develop herbicide-use estimates in the 1970s and identified errors that inappropriately removed spraying missions from the dataset. They also added new data on spraying missions that took place before 1965. Finally, a comparison of procurement records with spraying records found errors that suggested that additional spraying had taken place but gone unrecorded at the time. The new analyses led to revision of estimates of the amounts of the agents applied, as indicated in Table 3-1. The new research effort estimated that about 77 million liters were applied, about 9 million liters more than the previous estimate.


text:
(via nakedfabray)
1. He dances like this at parties
2. He can do this with his face
3. He quit smoking 3 years ago like a badass
4. He loves his family and mama a whole lot
5. He also fucking loves his dogs and animals in general
classy as fuck
6. He uses his fame wisely. He is extremely devoted in animal, wildlife and human welfare and charities, like the WWF, and encourages his fans to petition and donate with him. Leo helps save tigers and elephants and whales and more. He donated a fucking million dollars to Haiti. He had a giant birthday party, but all the guests had to donate money for wildlife efforts. When he won his ONLY Golden Globe for The Aviator, in his speech he urged the audience to contribute to the earthquake relief at that time. He is currently taking a break with acting to rest and to focus more on this stuff. He is a fucking green superhero
that is a candid photo bitch
7. He has been besties with Kate Winslet since Titanic, he even made a ring for her, and he spoils her kids. Kate's ex husbands are all scared of Leo because Kate loves him so much and he could probably beat them up if they ever hurt her and they should get married but that's a whole other damn story just look at them
ps kate says of all her sex scenes she does in films (like a lot) she liked working with him the best. damn girl just friends?
8. He has also been besties with Tobey Maguire since they were little kids and they are such dorks
9. This picture
are you not in love yet
10. He grew up in a shitty ghetto area of LA surrounded by crime and drugs, so he vowed never to get involved with that stuff. Have you seen a mug shot of him? Noooo
11. Lol when his hair gets too long he wears a fucking headband
12. He's ironing on a fucking roof
13. The fact that he always fucking walks like this
he just loves to walk okay
14. He is just a classy, suave motherfucker
(via tiggerbounced)
Title: Drumbeat Rolling (Snow is Glistening)
Fandom: Pitch Perfect
Pairing: Beca/Chloe
Rating: PG
Word Count: 6869
Summary: Four times Beca and Chloe were snowed in and one time they weren't.
this is so adorable, it actually hurts. read this.
(via ohnice1)
(via ess-ca-pe)


text:
The Assembly of the States of Jersey is one of the oldest legislatures in the English speaking world. The elected members of the States Assembly are Senators, Deputies and Constables.
The Constable (or Connétable) is the elected head of the parish. Constables are voted in by their parishioners and get a seat in the States automatically. Constables have been members of the States since the earliest record of States meetings.
Senators represent the whole Island and first joined in the States in 1948. The number of Senators has now been reduced to 8, all 8 are elected for the same term of office as all Constables and Deputies.
The office of Deputy has been in existence for over 100 years. Deputies are elected in 17 districts which correspond to parish boundaries. Larger parishes, such as St Helier and St Brelade, are divided up into more than 1 district to make sure the population is represented.
Contact details for all States Members are available on the States Assembly website.
States Members on States Assembly website
The main responsibilities of the States of Jersey are to:
How do you think we could improve this page? Please include your name and email address if you would like us to respond to your feedback.


text:
Please take some time to search our site for more information about our church and the many ministries we offer. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to email us or call the church office anytime, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.
Welcome! It's our joy to serve you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
|40007 Kirkton Road, Box 555, Exeter, ON, N0M 1S6
p 519.235.2661 f 519.235.1990 e firstname.lastname@example.com
|Twitter Facebook Youtube


text:
Sign In | Register | Help
Cart 0 items
E-mail a friend
Be the first to write a review!★ Share your review of this book and be automatically entered for a chance to win $50!
Percy Pig Ahoy!
by Rodney Bennett
Book condition: Used - Good
Book DescriptionUniversity of London Press, Ltd., Bickley, Kent. Used - Good. Solid, tight binding. No dust jacket. No names, unmarked. Goo...
- Percy Pig Ahoy! by Rodney Bennett
- Bookseller: Bay City Books, LLC (US)
- Title: Percy Pig Ahoy!
- Author: Rodney Bennett
- Book condition: Used - Good
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publisher: University of London Press, Ltd., Bickley, Kent
We have found:
Percy Pig Ahoy!
Bennett, RodneyUniversity of London Press Ltd, 1948. re-print, small dirty marks to cover. Soft Cover. Good +. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.
- Published : 1948
Offered by : Diana Righton
£12.00Add to cart
BENNETT, RODNEYBENNETT RODNEY PERCY PIG AHOY! UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PRESS 1942 8VO 5. BRISLEY, ETHEL. BENNETT,RODNEY. PERCY PIG AHOY!. University of London Press (1942), 8vo (5 1/4 x 7 1/2"), cloth, 128p., binding leans else VG in dust wrapper (dw frayed on edges). 1st edition. This is a sewuel to the... more
Offered by : Aleph-Bet Books, Inc.
$75.00Add to cart
- Your Account
- Gift Certificates
- 30-Day Return Guarantee
- Check order status
- Purchase Orders
- Affiliate Program
- Help & FAQ
Social Responsibility
Biblio Sites
Privacy & Security Terms & Conditions Site Map
Copyright © 2000-2014 Biblio, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
2014 McDonald Distinguished Scholar Lectures on Christian Scholarship
Our Scholarship
What happens when law and religion collide? Answers can be found in the writings and lectures of CSLR scholars. The increasingly volatile relationship of religious and political communities around the globe, particularly within the past decade, has made it imperative for religion and state to learn to cooperate with each other -- lest they annihilate cherished traditions and cultures worldwide.
JLR Features Prominent Thought Leaders in the Field
The Center is pleased to share the inaugural issue of the Journal of Law and Religion which features articles on happiness by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, and Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr, among many others. Articles will highlight Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic perspectives on happiness.
Recent Publications
What Is an American Muslim? Embracing Faith and Citizenship
As the Muslim population of the United States grows, debates over how Muslims should engage the civil and political life of the U.S. are increasingly common.... more
Hopes for Better Spouses
With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to release its decision on two monumental same-sex marriage cases in the next few weeks, the implications of the Court's... more
Recent Lectures & Panels
2014 McDonald Distinguished Scholar Lectures on Christian Scholarship.
Featured Scholar
Professor Gideon Sapir teaches constitutional law with a concentration in religion-state issues and constitutional theory at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. A Senior Fellow at CSLR, he is spending his sabbatical year in Atlanta, working with John Witte, Jr., Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im and other Emory faculty members. He received an LL.M. and S.J.D. from Northwestern University. His recent writing broadly addresses how we as private individuals bring together our legal and religious commitments and tackles the role of religion and law governing marriage. "The subject is more nuanced and not a clear cut question, but the secular should be introduced to the state of Israel for it to remain loyal to its normative foundations—including equality, freedom of religion, right to marry and autonomy. There can be no justification for a religious monopoly over secular issues."
News & Events
Oct 09
Oct 09
Sep 25


text:
The Broch of Mousa is the finest preserved example of a broch or round tower in Shetland, Scotland. It is the tallest still standing in the world and amongst the best-preserved prehistoric buildings in Europe. It is thought to have been constructed around 100 BC and is one of 570 brochs built throughout Scotland.
A broch is a round tower which had an inner and outer drystone wall which was about 5m thick in total. They were clearly both defensive and prestigious buildings.


text:
Weather Links
Humidity 35%
Winds 5.8mph
KATC Investigates | Trick-or-treat Times | Nominate a teacher for LEF awards | Election Coverage | Amendments Explained
Sponsored by: Arceneaux Ford
Humidity 35%
Winds 5.8mph
Oct 10, 2010 12:15 AM by Chris Welty
Funerals will be held Sunday and Monday for the Crowley couple killed in a train accident Friday morning.
The victims were 29-year-old Joshua Kade Feverjean and his wife, 37-year-old Natalie Feverjean.
The accident happened on Sidney Richard Road off Highway 90 outside of Crowley.
Deputies say the train was moving close to 70-miles-an hour when it slammed into the car.
The Feverjeans leave behind several children.
19 hours ago


text:
Celebrate inquisitive spirits during this festival of wonder and exploration! Kids (and kids at heart) are invited to play, create and investigate the mysteries of the world around them. Through a series of interactive exhibits, soaring demonstrations and hands-on experiments you'll be encouraged to look at your surroundings differently and ask questions, like ... How do 3D printers work? How can drones help with farm work? How does light move? Why are bees yellow and black?
Sponsored by
We thank the following participants for their involvement in 2014's Curiosity Fair:
DOW AgroSciences
Crossroads Farm Dairy
Fair Oaks Farms
IndianaFirst Robotics
Professor Steve
Wonder Wheels BMX Stunt Show
Reynolds Farm Equipment
Hoosier Kite Flyers Society
IU Pervasive Technology Institute
Indiana Karst Conservancy
Indiana Beekeepers' Society
The Wheelmen
Vincennes University's Aviation Technology Center
Purdue University's College of Agriculture
Indianapolis Regional Origami Network of Folders
Nickel Plate Arts
Bell Aquaculture
Fourth Wall Ensemble
Mad Science
Studio Cypher
Indiana DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology
Engineering for Kids
CIM Robotics
The Cool Bus
Boy Scouts of America – Crossroads of America Council
Girl Scouts of Central Indiana
Hours through Nov. 2: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, closed Mondays. The outdoor grounds close for the season after Nov. 2.
Plan Your Visit Today!
Visited us recently? Tell us about your visit for a chance to win free balloon passes: Take the Survey
Looking ahead: Holiday Fun at Conner Prairie


text:
Blue Restaurant - Charlotte, NC
- Address:
206 North College St.
Charlotte, NC 28202Neighborhood:
- Cuisine:
MediterraneanPrice: $30 and under
Blue Restaurant - Charlotte, NC
- Dining Style: Fine Dining
- Website: http://www.bluecharlotte.com/
- Phone: 7049272583
- Hours of Operation:
Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Bar: Monday & Tuesday: 4:00pm - 11:00pm
Wednesday & Thursday: 4:00pm - 12:00am
Friday & Saturday: 4:00pm - 2:00am
- Payment Options: AMEX,Diners Club,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Executive Chef: Gene Briggs
- Dress Code: Business Casual
- Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
- Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Dancing, Entertainment, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Smoking Area, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine, Wine Bar
- Entertainment: Live Jazz Wednesday to Saturday evenings
- Special Events: Monthly Cooking Classes with Executive Chef Gene Briggs (1st Saturday of each month with holiday exceptions). $44.95 each course paired with wines.
Monthly Food & Wine Pairings $49.95 Five Course Pairing.
A word from Blue Restaurant - Charlotte, NC
Blue Restaurant is a sophisticated restaurant that offers flavors from around the Mediterranean region. Our multicultural menu will take your taste buds on a whirlwind tour. prepare to experience a Moroccan Tagine, Whole Roasted Mediterranean Sea Bass or a Tenderloin a la Blue. as you travel around the menu, you will be delighted with familiar dishes and excited by others you have yet to explore.Continued
Foodspotting photosSee all photos
Awards voted by OpenTable diners
- Diners' Choice WinnerMost Booked 1000-Point Tables
Blue Restaurant - Charlotte, NC - Best Restaurants in Uptown ›
Blue Restaurant - Charlotte, NC reviews from OpenTable diners
144 reviews since July 4, 2014
- Food4.5Service4.5
- Ambiance4.3Noise LevelModerate
special occasion (103)fit for foodies (80)romantic (76)notable wine list (66)good for groups (44)vibrant bar scene (28)hot spot (24)late-night find (22)neighborhood gem (14)scenic view (4)great for lunch (3)kid-friendly (1)great for brunch (1)great for outdoor dining (1)Show More
- CltbillVIPDined on 10/22/2014Took out-of-town friends because we wanted to show them that Charlotte has a place where you can get interesting and excellently prepared food. Blue didn't disappoint - had great service and a wonderful dinner.Special Features:
- Serious foodie find inMayfairdrDined on 10/21/2014Extensive wine and martini list to complement both seasonal and creative regular menus. Wild boar was exceptional. 6-7 unique flavor profiles, all exceptional, on this dish alone.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- 1st Time DinerOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 10/18/2014I chose this restaurant for our anniversary and I was not disappointed.The food was excellent and the wine pairings fit perfectly with our dishes. The jazz music was noticeable but not overbearing, a nice addition to an elegant restaurant.Special Features:
- Excellent & Uniquerrb7Dined on 10/18/2014Terrific spot in Uptown Charlotte. Creative dishes with an outstanding wine list. Saturday evening jazz was especially good and kept at a moderate to almost quiet volume level which allowed conversation without shouting. Alex has really done a fantastic job at creating both an atmosphere and experience--wonderful evening.Special Features:
- Will get you out of the blues.HoboSueDined on 10/18/2014The food was tasty, particularly the scallop appetizer! Husband got chicken from the seasonal menu, and I couldn't stop stealing bites from the polenta on his plate. I ordered the Tenderloin ala Blue, which was also cooked perfectly.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great Experience!ScottRDined on 10/17/2014We dined at Blue Restaurant for the first time this weekend for my girlfriends birthday. I read a few reviews that were not great but we went anyway. The food was excellent and all servers were very attentive and courteous and we loved the extensive wine list. We had excellent service from "Katie" who knew the menu inside and out. The music started at 9pm as advertised and was good. Not too loud and could be heard and seen from all over the restaurant. It's a little pricey but we knew that prior so no complaints on that. Not sure why some people were giving poor reviews, we loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nice, classy restaurant downtown. Complimentary valet was an added bonus.Special Features:
- Great Jazz & Food on Friday night!JacquiDined on 10/17/2014Had a great girls birthday celebration, good food and jazz with good friends. Exceptional staff!! Valet parking made it easy to enjoy an uptown restaurant.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great food and drinksCGDinerDined on 10/16/2014Great menu. Terrific drinks. Adequately attentive wait staff. Go for the food and the live music.Special Features:
- BluekrpdiverDined on 10/11/2014We love the ambiance at Blue but were not overly impressed with either service or food this visit. Since we are creative foodies at home, when we splurge on dining out, we do have high expectations. Asparagus was puny with a couple of fibrous strands, $ 38 heart of ribeye just average. Seems prices keep rising and quality compromised.Special Features:
- Great Fancy Ambiance and Live MusicRuchaHeminDined on 10/8/2014It was my husband's 29th Birthday and we recently moved from NY to Charlotte and I came across this place online, I chose this as they had Live Music on Wednesday night, which is i think hard to find in Charlotte. There was Jazz Live music,singer was amazing,not too loud-more like a background music where two people still can talk and hear each other properly. Food was amazing,They even made me vegetarian appetizer and portions are big,usually I have seen in NJ/NY in any Fancy restaurants food portions are very small,that was not the case here. Best part I like was the service,Brett was out waiter/chef,He was very friendly & when he found out we are new in town,he suggest us many good places to go and provided very good service,Loved it!Special Features:
- Decent experienceSilsDined on 10/4/2014Made reservations a week in advance but when the Greeter saw my girlfriend and I were younger, he seated us in a side room of the restaurant even though the main dining room was wide open. Right after our waiter moved us to a new table they seated a loud birthday party right next to where we would have been. Thank goodness we were moved. Our waiter was fantastic. He was very personable and made great recommendations. Our food was all pretty good, but it's difficult to look past the disrespect we felt at first.Special Features:
- Wow, the special was greatWillDined on 10/4/2014We when to Blue Saturday night before a show. We had the NC Grouper and Risotto was outstanding. It was amazing and we are ready to go back alreadySpecial Features:
- Magnificent!OpenTable Diner Since 2005Dined on 10/4/2014Do not waste time deciding where to eat in Uptown Charlotte and head straight to Blue. Every bite taken at our meal was an absolute delight! We started with the scallop appetizer with scallops wrapped in proscuito, perfectly cooked and topped with an lemon marmalade. The focaccia bread was warm with a nice crust and wonderful with the olive butter served alongside. The halibut and scallop entrees were to die for and it was a toss up as to which dessert was better - between the Chocoloate Molten Cake and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Dine there and enjoy!Special Features:
- Great food, drink and serviceBackupDined on 10/3/2014Fabulous food and drinks. Great service. Music was OK, depends on guest artist.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great Meal, terrible service94thSRTVIPDined on 10/3/2014The food was fantastic, the drinks were great, but the waiter was terrible. I will go back again as it seemed to be isolated to the one waiter.Special Features:
- Fergus was fantastic as waiter.OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 9/29/2014Casual but nice approach to checking in at the bar, while our group of 7 assembled. The table was ready and service by Fergus was immediate. Of most important note, was Fergus' excellent recommendations of appetizers, salads, entrees, wines and deserts......all 100% spot on. And done with a great sense of humor. Especially the crusted scallops and grouper with unudual but incredibly tasty pureed carrots......got to try it before you take a position. The wild boar was highly enjoyed. Also the cheese plate was a lot of fun and great to pass around.Special Features:
- Good food and servicePaulDined on 9/27/2014We dine here most evenings when we have Symphony tickets. The food is good, the service is always excellent and the atmosphere is quiet enough to carry on an ordinary conversation at the table. Our waitress, Mallisa (98) kept us on time for the theater and brought my wife a complementary dessert for her birthday. We will be back again.Special Features:
- blue1Dined on 9/25/2014Great food..always consistant!! Atmosphere is perfect for a Executive dinner to impress or a casual meal :)Special Features:
- Quiet restaurant great foodWearyBusinessTravellerDined on 9/25/2014A very quiet Thursday night but with wonderful food and service. The steaks and wild boat dishes were very tasty. The service was prompt and very pleasant.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- NOLAfoodieDined on 9/24/2014Great service, good food, wonderful atmosphere. Unique selectionsSpecial Features:
- food was awfultheatergoersDined on 9/23/2014We went to Blue for dinner prior to going to the theater and both ordered the flat iron steak. Both steaks were very tough with too much gristle to even eat. We both left more than half of the steaks on the plate. Also we both felt that drink prices were extremely high. We will not go again, there are too many better choices in the area.
- Pre-theater groupMohakatinoDined on 9/23/2014Pluses: noise level low enough for normal conversation Efficient and unobtrusive service Excellent wine list Menu extensive but not overly so Minus: Food 90% excellent, except for one member of my group who was served gristly steak.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Dinner before the showBlackeyeDined on 9/22/2014We had early reservations due to show at Knight Theater. Crowd was small but vibrant. The service was excellent. The food was delicious and well prepared and presented. The grilled Scottish salmon was cooked just right and was wonderful. The beef tenderloin ala Blue was cooked rare and was delicious and moist and was excellent. The wine added a great finishing touch to an excellent dinner and a great night out.Special Features:
- Delicious and enjoyable. Upbeat!RossaCorso355Dined on 9/20/2014Took my wife here as she loves Medetrrainian food. Impressed. The menu was varied and the good was fantastic. Allen, our server was too notch too.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- PantherFan12Dined on 9/20/2014Although a little pricey, it was a great back drop to a wonderful evening. Good ambiance with a wonderful jazz band; The Presley Group. The tone was set by the host and it kept getting better from there. From the wait-staff to the meal presentations, the food was "A-1". Major kudos to the chef!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2012Dined on 9/20/2014Excellent food and service. Would definitely recommend...Special Features:
- mixed reviewRonRDined on 9/20/2014dinner started out great the arrancini appetizer was spectacular. the bread was outstanding. our server Kyle was wonderful. both our entrees were good (chickenTangine and the fish that was filleted at the table) at dessert things started to go down hill. the raspberry and the lava brownie. brownie was very dry. as I left I used the restroom ( if I had used it before I ate I might not have stayed) toilet paper on floor, toilet seat in one stall was wet , no seat protectors , door did not close properly in next stall, when I got to the sink area it was all wet and messySpecial Features:
- 911Racecar911racecarDined on 9/20/2014First time at Blue, and it was definitely not disappointing! The owner seated us, gave us a history of the restaurant, and described his vision and theme. We selected dishes he recommended and they were nothing short of amazing. Our waitperson was tops, assuring not only that the service was outstanding, but that she kept us on schedule - not rushed - for the symphony. The ambiance was terrific...romantic if desired, conversationally quiet, super-clean, and well appointed. All in all, a very nice place my girlfriend and I are anxious to revisit! Kudos to Blue!Special Features:
- Very enjoyablediscerningdinerDined on 9/19/2014As a New Yorker, I felt lost in a sea of "bar-restaurants" in the business district of North Carolina. Blue was a refreshing, sophisticated alternative. The food, service, and especially the ambience were all delightful.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Deliciouspeachplump3arDined on 9/13/2014Fantastic meal, including amazing must-have sticky toffee pudding, great service, live jazz after 8. We'll be back!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great special dinnercotesdurhoneDined on 9/12/2014My wife and I went to celebrate and had a fantastic time. The restaurant has a wonderful Mediterranean inspired menu that is still unique to the area and an extensive wine list. Service was friendly, funny, helpful, and very knowledgeable. Will definitely be back to try the risotto.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- amazing food part 1sweetheartDined on 9/6/2014Upon entrance, I noticed the nice appearance and how beautifully each table was set. I requested a gluten free menu with my reservation, and they remembered to bring it to the table without asking again. Everything was quick and delicious, served hot and fresh, cooked to perfection. Highly recommend the scallops, although the appetizer only comes with 2 they were the best scallops I have ever had! Seasonal halibut was also spot on. Mieomi pinot noir was the perfect complement to all the seafood.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- One of the Best in CharlotteJoeJoeVIPDined on 9/5/2014This was our first time at Blue and it did not disappoint. Fergus, our server, was very knowledgeable on the menu and wine list. We had the beef tenderloin, which was the best I have ever eaten. This is a new favorite in the Queen City!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Enjoyed our experienceCharlottefoodieDined on 9/4/2014We had a lovely meal with crab cake appetizers and scallops, very good but my one negative is that they were encased in butter. Everything tastes better in butter unless you have issues with dairy!!! We loved the pear and arugula salad and our entrees were great. My husband had the beef tenderloin and he said that it was cooked to perfection. Note, he has never said that!!! So I hail the chef for the dish. My halibut was lovely and I would order it again and again without the appetizers due to the butter content.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- WineMemooDined on 9/3/2014My only comment was that the wine was extremely over pricedSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- excellent as alwaysAngieDined on 8/30/2014Every bite was delicious. can't wait to return. don't miss the lobster crab cakes!Special Features:
- Stellar first visitLivingwellDined on 8/23/2014Celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary here, withan e xceptional dining experience. Started with Mussels ala Basquaise - deliciously spicy, lots of sauce to sop up with grilled focaccia. Husband had Duo of Wild Boar and loved the contrasting qualities of the two meats & piquant berry marmalade. My Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut was perfection - moist & flavorful, and the carrot-ginger puree so tasty. The ambience is lovely, intimate and tasteful. The live jazz is a nice backdrop. But the most impressive part of our evening was our waiter - friendly, knowledgable , enthusiastic in his recommendations - everything you want to gaurantee a great meal. And we were not disappointed - would definitely go back for more great food and service.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- YummyOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/22/2014The Beef Tenderloin was DELICIOUS!!!! Paired with the Meiomi and it was perfect! My husband had the Moroccan Chicken which was also delicious! :-)Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Fabulous flavorsFriendlyKatVIPDined on 8/21/2014We really enjoy the dining experience at Blue every time we go. Our biggest problem is making decisions! Suggest more gluten-free substitutions for bread/pita. I ordered the wild boar duo which included shoulder (perfection) and tenderloin (partially undercooked - very rare pieces), but it was a very flavorful dish. I declined to send the undercooked portion back to the kitchen as we had to leave for a concert. It might be good to ask how it is generally prepared...in this case, closer to medium were the tastier morsels for me and easier to cut. My husband had the pork tenderloin which he enjoyed. The wait staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. We'll be back, especially for the foie gras!Special Features:
- Fantastic !!!SpoiledBytheBestDined on 8/20/2014I was looking for the perfect restaurant for a special night out and this is it! Everything from start to finish was very well done, they didn't miss a step. The food was great, the service was wonderful and the ambiance was just right. Highly recommended!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.


text: Kathleen A Roberts wrote: > On Mon, 6 Aug 2007 11:00:16 -0400 (GMT-04:00) > Christiane <christianetrue at earthlink.net> wrote: > > >> But I really do wonder what he would think of the feasts >> created by the dedicated SCA cooks. >> > > i wonder what he would think of a group of wandering > minstrels coming into the midwinter kitchen to entertain > the cooks with carols, or the large viking gent sitting in > a chair in the corner playing his recorder? 8) > > cailte I don't know about him, but as long as they stay out of the "field of battle" I love it when minstrels come to call. Makes me feel like part of the event! Selene


text:
Watering Can Recall
Posted: 08/29/2007 - Another kids product made in China is being pulled from the shelves.
Posted: 08/29/2007 - Another kids product made in China is being pulled from the shelves.
Updated: 08/29/2007 - The IRS wants people to be aware about an e-mail circulating that asks you to fill out an online customer survey.
Posted: 08/23/2007 - Talk about confusing... the city of Colorado Springs is telling you to pay the new Stormwater Enterprise Fee, but an El Paso County commissioner says don't do it. In fact... Douglas Bruce is using his county computer to spread the word. But is that unethical or illegal?
Posted: 08/21/2007 - Wal-Mart quietly stopped selling two brands of dog treats after customers complained the treats sickened their dogs, but it hasn't announced a recall.
Updated: 08/07/2007 - "You've won a prize!" That message gets your attention like no other. But the latest mailer promising a new car or other prizes is just another scam making the rounds.
Updated: 08/03/2007 - Fisher Price... a name known for toys... is recalling close to a million of its best selling items because they're dangerous. The problem can be traced to China... a country already under fire for safety problems.
Posted: 08/02/2007 - You may not think toys containing magnets are deadly... but they top the Consumer Product Safety Commission's list of hidden home hazards. Here are the top five categories.
Updated: 08/02/2007 - Nearly a million toys from Mattel's Fisher-Price division are being recalled, because they were made in China with paint that had too much lead in it.
Posted: 07/19/2007 - Talk about alarming. Back in February more than two million folks were told not to use their dishwasher because it could catch on fire. They were instructed to call and order a recall part. But in some cases, it took months to receive. A Colorado Springs man encountered so many problems... he made a Call For Action.
Updated: 07/12/2007 - A company is leaving an attention-grabbing note taped to the front doors of many. It's a warning about a sex offender in your area, but we learned it's just a clever marketing ploy.
Updated: 07/05/2007 - A new lottery scam is making the rounds. This mailer promises you thousands of dollars, but comes with a twist.
Posted: 06/19/2007 - Could the city of Colorado Springs be charging you too much for the new stormwater enterprise fee? One resident thought his bill was wrong... but he had problems getting answers.
Posted: 05/20/2007 - An Air Force captain preparing to deploy to Iraq is plagued with continuous flooding in his basement until a local non-profit steps in to help.
Posted: 05/17/2007 - These days you can walk into some clinics or spas and an hour later... have facial lines filled in or hair removed by a laser. But now... a big debate is raging in the medical and cosmetic community about who's overseeing those procedures.
Updated: 05/15/2007 - Beware. Crooks have targeted Southern Colorado. They're calling senior citizens... trying to scare them.
Posted: 04/12/2007 - A crook thought he could pull a fast one on a senior living in Simla, Colorado. Little did he know he'd wind up talking to the town's police chief.
Updated: 04/09/2007 - Beware. A charity claiming to help war veterans is actually giving most of its money to telemarketers. A Colorado Springs woman was alarmed after receiving a call from the American Veterans Coalition.
Posted: 04/05/2007 - No one knows when disaster will strike. Just ask the folks in Holly, Colorado who have endured a blizzard and a tornado in the span of a few months. One of the most difficult tasks... producing a list of lost belongings for your insurance company. But now there's an easy and free way to take a home inventory.
Updated: 03/21/2007 - The crooks are on overdrive... aiming to hit every mailbox in town. Their letter claims you've won thousands in a major sweepstakes, but it's all a con.
Posted: 03/06/2007 - BEWARE: THE EL GORDO LOTTERY AS WELL AS OTHER LOTTERY SCAMS ARE RESURFACING.
Posted: 03/06/2007 - Cash Distribution Reporting Agency's letter is misleading.
Posted: 03/06/2007 - Taking a job overseas to teach English as a second language... sounds exciting... even glamorous. But beware... some schools are really sweatshops. A Colorado Springs man explored a job offer... after hearing from a recruiter via the internet.
Posted: 03/06/2007 - Beware when you get that knock at your door. It may be someone looking for a way around the Colorado No Call List. KKTV's Betty Sexton found a local company... pitching a shopping spree. But now, it's changing the way it does business.
Posted: 03/06/2007 - A few weeks ago the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado asked us to warn you about a Utah company. It's been in town promoting its' e-services to would-be business owners.
Posted: 03/06/2007 - Beware of companies claiming you'll make thousands by setting up your own website and selling products on Ebay. A couple from Divide says they were misled.


text:
As one of Geordi La Forge's favourite meals, you would think he'd get the name right. Is it pasta al fiorella, as he ordered at the Deep Space Nine Replimat (TNG: Birthright, Part I), or pasta alla fiorella, the traditional dish? Either way, the Replimat seemed to understand him when he ordered two servings for him and Worf to enjoy.
Unfortunately for Geordi, the Replimat produced a dish that tasted like liquid polymer - but Worf definitely liked it. I must say, I am getting a little skeptical of the Klingon palate (or maybe it's just Worf) as he also enjoyed the 'Owon eggs that everyone else found so disgusting. This recipe is very flexible - add more or less of any ingredient in the sauce as you wish. I've provided a recipe for homemade pasta below but you can always use store bought too of course.
Replicate your own
(Serves 2 as a main course)


text:
'Speed Demon' Racer's 462 mph Run Captured in HD
|Replay XD1080 cameras captured multiple angles of the Speed Demon racing vehicle during a test run.
Want to watch one of the world's fastest land racing vehicles tear across Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats like a "Star Wars" podracer? All the action is on display in a new video taken by small HD cameras the size of a pocket flashlight.
The video taken with Replay XD1080 cameras show a 462 mph top speed run by the "Speed Demon" racer from almost every possible angle. Viewers see the Speed Demon accelerating away from trailing trucks and cars, experience the sights and sounds inside the driver's cockpit, and even get a glimpse of the vehicle's inside workings.
Built by Ron Main and driven by George Poteet, the Speed Demon is one of the leading contenders aiming to set land speed records for piston-engined, wheel-driven vehicles. The popularity of their video experiment with Replay — more than 760,000 views on YouTube — may encourage other daredevils may to consider bringing along one or more of the cameras.
The Replay camera features water resistance and a ruggedized aluminum housing to survive extreme adventures, according to its product description. The company also claims it represents the smallest and lightest full HD action-camera on the market.


text:
Welcome to mymcc Community
Sign in
Atom 1.0
This Blog
Recent Posts
Green Thumbs Up!
New Kids on the Block
A Grand Opening
September 2014 (3)
July 2014 (1)
May 2014 (2)
April 2014 (1)
March 2014 (2)
February 2014 (2)
December 2013 (2)
November 2013 (1)
October 2013 (2)
September 2013 (5)
August 2013 (6)
July 2013 (2)
June 2013 (4)
May 2013 (4)
April 2013 (2)
March 2013 (4)
February 2013 (2)
January 2013 (2)
December 2012 (3)
November 2012 (5)
October 2012 (2)
September 2012 (4)
August 2012 (2)
July 2012 (3)
June 2012 (2)
May 2012 (7)
April 2012 (7)
March 2012 (1)
February 2012 (4)
January 2012 (2)
December 2011 (7)
November 2011 (8)
October 2011 (9)
September 2011 (8)
August 2011 (2)
July 2011 (3)
June 2011 (5)
May 2011 (6)
April 2011 (4)
March 2011 (7)
February 2011 (6)
January 2011 (2)
December 2010 (3)
November 2010 (4)
October 2010 (6)
September 2010 (5)
August 2010 (4)
July 2010 (2)
June 2010 (2)
May 2010 (3)
April 2010 (2)
March 2010 (3)
February 2010 (2)
January 2010 (3)
December 2009 (1)
November 2009 (8)
October 2009 (5)
September 2009 (5)
August 2009 (3)
July 2009 (5)
June 2009 (3)
May 2009 (3)
March 2009 (5)
February 2009 (4)
December 2008 (6)
November 2008 (2)
October 2008 (2)
September 2008 (4)
August 2008 (4)
July 2008 (2)
May 2008 (1)
April 2008 (1)
March 2008 (5)
February 2008 (13)
January 2008 (5)
December 2007 (2)
November 2007 (3)
October 2007 (4)
September 2007 (6)
August 2007 (1)
July 2007 (2)
June 2007 (4)
May 2007 (2)
April 2007 (6)
March 2007 (7)
February 2007 (8)
Green Thumbs Up!
The end of summer, and that means another harvest for the MCC Community Garden, which grows by leaps and bounds each year, almost as rapidly as its vegetable inhabitants!
Begun last year as a product of the MCC Sustainability Club and providing an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to tend their own plots, the community garden has become one of the most exciting projects on the college's Bedford campus, not just because of the visual enhancement, but mostly because of the community engagement the project has harvested with several community partners.
Overseen by folks like Christopher Fiori, Mike Cermac, Steve Rossi, and a hardy crop from the hard-working members of his Sustainability Club, the garden across from the Cataldo Administration building has allowed dozens of members of the MCC family to grow their own individual gardens, boasting a wide range of offerings from eggplants to cucumbers to sunflowers.
The MCC Community Garden has already donated around 300 pounds of fresh produce, including beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, chard, squash, and cabbage to the Merrimack Valley Food Bank. These donations come from the student-run section of the garden - 2,000 square feet across four beds at the garden's entrance. Last year, donations from the student section totaled more than 700 pounds, and by the end of this year's harvest in October, the Sustainability Club expects to top that poundage.
The main crop of potatoes should be ready to harvest any day, and the Club also has done a second planting of beans, radishes, lettuce, and broccoli. Early on, some unseasonably cold summer weather made casualties out of a bean crop, but they since rebounded and produced a high yield. At one point over the summer, the voracious Colorado Potato Beetle threatened to destroy the coveted potato crop, but the students were able to control them with an organic pesticide that won't harm the plants or the environment.
The garden's infrastructure saw lots of improvements this year. Most notably, with the help of MCC Facilities, the club added a permanent fence enclosing the garden. In prior years, several deer broke through the meager fencing and had their run of the garden. The students also moved their fain barrels inside the fence and added a storage shed for all of their gardening tools. The Club even carved out one corner of the landscape to create a zen garden, where students and staff can just take a moment to soak in the beauty of the garden.
In all, there were 59 active gardeners across 64 plots, with nearly two dozen of those green thumbs belonging to students, a marked increase over last year's initial outing.
So give a shoutout to all of our folks with the green thumbs, especially the members of the MCC Sustainability Club! We look forward to seeing what next year's crop yields!
Friday, September 12, 2014 2:17 PM
MCC Blog Admin
6 Comments
New Kids on the Block
A new semester underway, so natch, that means it's time for the Center for Student Engagement to welcome students back to campus in style with our annual Block Party, held on our Bedford Campus!
The September classic brings our students together with staff and faculty for a frolicking good time, complete with giveaways, sporting events, and of course, fried dough, hot dogs, and sausages loaded with peppers and onions!
The daylong festival is a fabulous way to help integrate our newest students with our returning scholars, and kick the school year off on a fun foot! Kudos to all the folks from Student Affairs and their army of volunteers who make it happen every year!
Ye blog writer will just shut up here and leave it to the wonderful images from Alyce O'Connell www.alyceconnell.com to tell the story of the day in pics!
Block on!
Friday, September 05, 2014 3:12 PM
MCC Blog Admin
3 Comments
A Grand Opening
Another summer in the books, which means it's time for another Opening Day and another chance to welcome our students, faculty and staff back to campus for a super semester!
This year's Opening Day marked a special celebration, too, as President Carole Cowan, who announced her retirement in June, presided over her last opening ceremonies - her 25th overall as president, her 38th as a member of Team MCC
The first day couldn't happen without the help of our student leaders, who come at things from all different directions!
But the signs are there - this group is ready to lead!
We can only imagine what Jonathan Crockett is saying to fire up the Bedford crowd
In the afternoon, everyone headed up to the Lowell campus for the welcome back luncheon at the Inn and Conference Center.
Every year since 1978, the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) has sought to serve, engage and inspire higher education faculty and staff across the country. Since 1989, NISOD has asked Presidents of their institutions to submit nominees for NISOD Excellence Award recipients, and this year's winners were recognized by Provost and Vice-President for Academic and Student Affairs Phil Sisson.
They include:
Nancy Curll, the manager of E-Learning
Said Sisson: "No college can thrive without someone taking ownership and responsibility for instructional technology - both maintaining the infrastructure and pushing for innovation. Nancy is that person for us. She is like the three companions of Dorothy after they meet the Wizard of Oz - she has brains, heart and courage. Nancy has shepherded and mentored hundreds of full and part-time faculty through the on-line course development process and we owe the quality of our on-line courses to her leadership and care."
Maryanne Mungovan, the Director of Multicultural and Veterans Affairs
Said Sisson: "Maryanne has over 25 years of service at MCC. During that time she has taken on numerous roles at the college including faculty, coordinator of the Multicultural Center, and now as Director of Multicultural and Veterans Affairs. Maryanne advances the college's mission and strategic direction by empowering our students, celebrating the diversity of our community, nurturing personal connections and responding to the needs of the community. Her contributions are extensive and her commitment to student success is exemplary."
Karen Oster, the department Chair and Professor of Performing Arts
According to Sisson, "Karen has kept the drama program running through adverse conditions, including floods and theater closings, and despite the significant infrastructural problems, she has consistently led students to provide high-quality productions in a variety of genres. All this, and Karen still finds time and energy to run not one, but two theater camps through the college's Business and Industry department with the goals of developing in children a love of theater and increased self-confidence.
Nursing Professor Marie Ryder
Said Sisson: "In her over 35 years teaching in the MCC Nursing Program, Marie has been a champion for her nursing students and for veterans at the Bedford Veterans Administration Hospital. She role models compassionate care for the mentally ill and warm, sincere supportive advocacy for her students.
An MCC mugshot
President Cowan being feted by from left, MCC Alum and MCC Foundation member David Basile, Student Trustee Vennesa Van Wyk, and Board of Trustees Chairman Royall M. Mack, Sr.
Best of luck to all of our students, faculty and staff as they launch into a fabulous academic year on campus, our college's 45th, and thanks to President Cowan for leading the college for 25 of those years!
Wednesday, September 03, 2014 4:24 PM
MCC Blog Admin
2 Comments
More Posts
Next page »