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by Joe Fay
Name me a holiday film made in the last fifty years that's scarier than Black Christmas. Well, ever, actually. Forget the last fifty years.
I'll help you out a little: there are none.
Last week, our beloved Noah Fleisher wrote a blog post about A Christmas Story, and about how he almost had his own eye shot out with a BB when he was a kid.
When I stopped laughing, I thought again about the dichotomy of two Christmas movies (one of which is A Christmas Story) that are so wildly different from each other that they defy comparison, but whose sole link is the man who directed them both, and about how, well, absolutely weird that still seems to me. So, I thought I'd share that here.
Bob Clark's directorial resume reads like a schizophrenic's list of favorite movies. Select highlights include exploitation schlock like She-Man: A Story of Fixation and Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things; '70s shockers Black Christmas and Murder by Decree; '80s teenage craziness like Porky's AND Porky's II: The Next Day; "real" Hollywood movies like A Christmas Story and Rhinestone (yes, the Sly Stallone-Dolly Parton one); and then later pure family entertainment like The Karate Dog and BOTH Baby Geniuses films.
This is the kind of varied career resume that is hard to find amongst film directors. Clark seemed to handle drama, mystery, camp, horror, low comedy, and children's themes with equal aplomb. In other words, he was a director's director, not confined or exiled to one genre or another. And, to me, there is no better proof of this than that he directed both Black Christmas and A Christmas Story.
Black Christmas (also called Silent Night Evil Night in Canada) has the reputation among serious horror film scholars as The Horror Movie That Most Directly Influenced John Carpenter's Halloween. Back-to-back viewings of the two films reveal a number of noteworthy similarities, the most obvious being in the use of the camera in presenting a first-person point-of-view of the killer. It is a frightening horror film about a group of sorority sisters menaced by an unseen slasher. The film stars a laundry list of halfway-recognizable B- and C-list actors who avail themselves quite well of a scary and taut little script.
A Christmas Story has the reputation among almost all who have seen it as one of a handful of quintessentially CHRISTMAS-Y Christmas movies. Its uber-nostalgic, even hazy recollection of Christmases past (made physical in the use of optical filters that give a snowy, wintery haze to the edges of the frame) seems to work its way into the hearts of most people who watch the movie. It is a heart-warming tale of one boy's quest for the perfect Christmas present. The film stars a laundry list of halfway-recognizable B- and C-list actors who avail themselves quite well of a wonderful and extremely funny little script (penned by Clark alongside Jean Sheperd).
The first time I saw Black Christmas was at a film festival hosted by Quentin Tarantino. I remember exactly where I was (the original Alamo Drafthouse in the row behind Tarantino), and when it was (1999). I've watched the movie at least a dozen times since then.
I don't remember a time when I don't remember A Christmas Story. I must have seen Ralphy's misadventures with his 200-shot, range-model air rifle as soon as it was released in 1983. But I've seen it so many times on video and cable since then that it doesn't matter when I saw it for the first time. To paraphrase Dan Aykroyd from Dragnet, "I don't have to read it to ya, mister, I can quote it to ya."
The two films couldn't be more unlike each other. They were made just nine years apart, but are miles away from each other thematically and technically. And yet, one man is responsible for making both of them. Simply amazing.
Bob Clark was killed by a drunk driver on the Pacific Coast Highway in 2007, depriving the world of however many more brilliant films: poignant, scary, both, or otherwise. But his legacy is secure, at least with me. He holds the distinction of directing not just my favorite Christmas horror movie, but also my favorite Christmas movie, period. And that, my friends, is a Christmas miracle!
Oh, and I bought original posters for both films in Heritage weekly movie poster auctions. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
If you see something you like or have something similar you'd like to sell then please inquire about it here.


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Whilst it must get credit for being one of the most unusual titles you'll find on a business bookshelf, Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy also has to be one of the most useful.
In essence, even though the book is 129 pages thick, it offers (in my humble opinion) just one really good piece of advice. It was recommended to me by business coach Katie Demain who described it as a classic – and I can confirm that it has certainly made a difference to me and many others I work with. And since we are in the business of helping people and businesses to use their time more productively, I thought I had to share it.
The point is this. We have many tasks to do in a day: some more important, some less important. There are some very detailed ways in which tasks can be prioritised but this planning itself takes time and effort. As a result, we sometimes don't even get round to that. What Eat That Frog suggests is a stripped-down version of the principle: each day, when you get into work, take that job that you least want to do, the biggest ugliest task that is sitting there staring at you and do it. Just get stuck in and don't stop until it's finished.
The idea is that, if you have to eat a frog, it is best to do it straight away. It is the same amount of effort regardless of when you do it: putting it off doesn't make it easier. In fact, it makes it worse because you have the task hanging over you for the rest of the day. And every time you look at it, the frog looks less and less appetising.
Conversely, once you've eaten the frog, you will find a spring (no pun intended) in your step because you are proud of your achievement. The bad job is out of the way. You're on a high. And that momentum carries into the rest of the day.
It's a very simple concept. Which is not to say that Mr Tracy does not go onto say useful things in the rest of the book; he does. But what has stayed with me – and what I hope you may find useful – is his idea of just getting that one big task dealt with at the start of each day. Try it tomorrow: eat that frog and see how it goes!

subset: commoncrawl


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Landscapes and oddities
A journey through the Southwest
Philippe Reichert
LA, Sedona, Flagstaff, Holbrook, Santa Fe, Monument Valley, canyon de Chelly, Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas, San Francisco, ...
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instant fun
Published May 20, 2009
Three Weeks in New York
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Tahiti 1982-2007
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Alberts Tavern
Cnr Mount & Walker Streets, North Sydney, North Sydney, NSW
- 02 9955 9097
- American (US)
- $$
With an emphasis on standing in a modest dining area swamped by a giant screen and an equally modest menu featuring regulars such as steak, fish, burgers and pasta, you wonder whether the food at Alberts will be an afterthought. We are quickly reassured when the grazing plate of roasted mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, marinated feta and pesto with toasted Turkish bread arrives. It's good, as are the mains that follow - simple food, done well. The Corner bar is a modern, cosy nook for after-work drinks. A good choice of beers, wines and ciders reinforces the idea: simple but well done.
Cnr Mount & Walker Streets, North Sydney, North Sydney, NSW
- 02 9955 9097
- http://www.alberts.net.au
- Cuisine - American (US)
- Prices - $7.50-$23.50
- Cards accepted - EFTPOS, Mastercard, Visa, Diners Club, AMEX
- Opening Hours - Mon-Fri noon-2pm, 5.30-9pm, Sat 6-9pm


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You can check your class registration status, find out how much tuition you owe, when it's due, and even pay for your classes all in the same convenient place online: your Student Center.
A quick note on residency, until you establish your in-state status with MCC, out-of-state tuition rates will apply. Click here to learn more about how to establish Residency and Arizona Proposition 300.
To log in to your Student Center and pay your tuition, follow the steps below. When you're finished, return to this page and move on to the next step.
More information about payment options, including the tuition payment plan, is also available.
Visit My.maricopa.edu and log in to your Student Center with your MEID and password
Click "Account Inquiry" under the Finances section
If you have any outstanding charges, they will be listed here. Follow the directions provided.
You can also set up electronic payments by clicking the "Electronic Payments/Purchases" tab.
Choose one of the options provided to set up electronic payments with the method of your choosing.
After you have paid your tuition and fees, move on to the next main step.
mesacc.edu | 480-461-7000 | © 2016 Mesa Community College | A Maricopa Community College
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.


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Softline Seed Fund has bought a 45% steak in the project 'Stakhanovets' for $221k. The funds from the investment will be used in the development of the product, as well as to further penetrate the market and expand sales channels. Softline Seed Fund chose to invest in the project as it fits with the fund's focus on IT security solutions.
'Stakhanovets' monitors employee computer activity and analyses the collected data. It allows company management to identify ineffective workers and find 'bottlenecks' in their work, as well as to deal with the risks caused by negligent employees. The programme follows use of apps, collects data on search queries and the addresses of sites which employees visit. It also records e-correspondence, chat histories (Skype, Lync, ICQ etc.), takes screenshots and monitors use of webcams and microphones. The company would not disclose which companies were already using 'Stakhanovets', but says there are more than 500. It is up to individual companies to decide whether to let employees know about the monitoring system.
Mikhail Yakhimovich and Sergey Shamshin are behind the project, and their development centre is based in Ukraine. Andrei Ignatov is the company's general director in Russia, where the product is sold through company Aflex Distribution.
Softline Seed Fund
Softline Seed Fund is a venture fund created during investment negotiations between RVC and Softline Venture Partners. The fund invests in cloud services, digital marketing, data protection and mobile technology. Its funds total $939k.
Source: Firrma.ru
Top image via Shutterstock
Robin Munby
I'm a final year modern languages student at the University of Sheffield in the UK. I have spent the last year studying at Petrozavodsk State University in Russia and the University of Havana in Cuba. email@example.com
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Sports news, commentary and scores with wit and added value. We compare and contrast the best and worst sports reporting in the mainstream press, blogs, TV and online. We love the English Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City) and all things football but we cover cricket, rugby, the Olympics, tennis, golf, F1 and highlights of the sporting year.
Transfer Balls catches the Daily Star's news that Arsenal and Liverpool are all set to sign Sami Khedira.
Paul Brown says Arsenal and Liverpool will both try to sign the German player when his Real Madrid contract ends on June 30. Offering no proof that they will, Brown then says Chelsea could afford to buy him. Why Chelsea would want Khedira and why Kehdira would want Chelsea are not things that bother the writer. And readers can also imagine what other clubs could afford Khedira.
Maybe Bayern Munich can? After all it was the Daily Star that rold us Khedira was heading to the German champions:
But that would be odd because whilst Brown says Arsenal baulked at Khedira's wage demands, the, er, Daily Star told us that they didn't:
But then came Daily Star news that Khedira had gone back on that Arsenal agreement and agreed to join Bayern Munich:
So. He agreed to Arsenal. He agreed to Bayern Munich. Which brings us to the Daily Star's news that next season Kehedia will be playing for Manchester Untied, Liverprool or Chelsea:
Such are the facts…
Posted: 12th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
The Asian Age has the story of the Liverpool fan who said two Muslim fans praying during the team's FA Cup quarter-final clash against Blackburn Rovers were "a disgrace".
The paper has the photo. But the tweet has been delated. Stephen Dodd's tweet went:
"Muslims praying at half time at the match yesterday #DISGRACE."
Still, it was up long enough to attract a few comments:
One shock is that the fans had waited until half-time to pray in the game that ended 0-0. The other is that the mat is not an offical Liverpool FC prayer mat. Call us Liverpool marketing. We have ideas.
Posted: 11th, March 2015 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
How football journalism works: the Dail Mail v the Daily Star Sun. Last night Manchester United lost 2-1 to Arsenal in the FA Cup. Danny Wellbeck, formerly of United, scored the winning goal.
Neil Ashton is dishing out points in the Daily Mail:
Danny Welbeck: Kept his composure to put Arsenal back in front when her took the ball round De Gea with class and conviction. Good on him for that. 8
That's the game's highest score.
In the Daily Star, Jeremy Cross saw a different Wellbeck:
Welbeck struggled to make an impact… The first pass he received was badly mis-controlled and the same happened the next one he got…
Maybe Neil Ashton is trolling? As he wrote previously:
Life would be easier if I followed the golden rule – give the highest mark to the player who scored the winner, or set it up – and you won't get clubbed to death on Twitter.
But so good was Wellbeck that all the Manchester United fans cheered him off. Well, so says Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail:
The locals will not begrudge Welbeck his moment either, or resent his celebration. They did not want him to leave and confirmed that support by applauding him all the way to the bench when he was replaced by Olivier Giroud after 72 minutes
Neil Curtis in the Sun heard other noises:
Even the Arsenal fans gave him some generous applaus after initial boos
David McDonell in the Mirror also used two ears:
Welbeck was treated to a mixture of boos and cheers from United fans…
Such are the facts in the tabloids. And in the more high-brow newspapers, the facts are even more challenged. The Times tells us that 8 is better than 7:
Football used to be just about the scoreline…
Posted: 10th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
The All Hair Hockey Team 2015 are ready to be appraised:
Posted: 10th, March 2015 | In: Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
No football match is complete without newspapers awarding players a score out of 10. Last night's match between Manchester United and Arsenal was no different.
The Daily Mail says the game's best player was Danny Welbeck, who scored 8 out of 10. The Mirror says Francis Coquelin was the best player. He gets a 7 out of 10. And in the Times, the best player was Mesut Ozil, who scores an imprssive 8 out of 10.
But hold on. That same Times column says the game's best player was Santi Cazorla. He scored 7 out of 10.
We know journalists are bad at maths but when seven beats eight it's time to get the fingers out and get back to school…
Posted: 10th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Writing on Arsenal's FA Cup win over Manchester United, Martin Samuel turns to the matter of diving. Two Manchester United players – Angel Di Maria and Adnan Januzaj (who now has more bookings for diving than goals for Manchester United – five yellow cards for diving; four goals scored) were both yellow carded for cheating.
Samuels is unimpressed, telling his Daily Mail readers diving is not the English way:
"Januzaj has been around the English game long enough now to know better."
Is Samuel seriously suggesting that only foreingers dive? That it's not the English to truy to con the referee? If he is, he could do worse than look at Manchester United and England cpatain Wayne Rooney, who in the previous FA Cup match won a penalty for this tumble:
How we hanker for the good old days when ever sin in the game – and let's include Team GB's Olympic tumbling – could be blamed on Liveprool's Luis Suarez…
Posted: 10th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer Balls catches sight of the Daily Star's lead sports story that Arsenal's Jack Wilshere is off to Manchester City for £30m.
This story is billed as an "EXCLUSIVE".
Paul Hetheington has the exclusive facts:
England ace Wilshere, 23, is one of the potential targets mentioned by Etihad Stadium bosses.
Posted: 8th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Manchester City, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer balls: A look at the Daily Star's scoop that Paul Pogba has "ROCKED" Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea by agreeing to play for…Bournemouth! No, only joking. The Star says Pogba has "agreed" to leave Juventus and plays for PSG.
You might suppose Manchester United are not all that rocked given that the Star reported recently:
Although a day before that the Metro said Pogba was heading to United and Chelsea:
And the Mirror said Pogba dreams of playing for Arsenal:
The source of this latest story is Pogba's loquacious agent Mino Raiola, who opines:
Speaking to Le Parisien, he said: "No, Ligue 1 is not too small for Paul Pogba. For Paul, all the big clubs are interesting regardless of which championship they play in. We respect the Spanish championship, the French championship, England, Italy and Germany."
Posted: 7th, March 2015 | In: Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer Balls: a look at rubbish being presented as fact and scoops in the mainstream media.
The Daily Mirror says Alvaro Morata is off to Arsenal. The fee: £60m.
Arsenal news and transfers: Gunners given Alvaro Morata go-ahead – for £60million.
Having produced a sensational headline, the Mirror then defers to The Metro:
The Metro report Arsenal have been given the green light to sign Alvaro Morata with Juventus ready to cash in on his services. Morata, only moved to Juve last summer from Real Madrid and Madrid have a buy-back option to re-sign him at the end of the season, it's reported they're willing to pass on that.
The Metro believes that Juve and Real have agreed to let the striker join either Arsenal or Liverpool for £60million instead – and split the cash.
The Metro story has been written by Jamie Sanderson (more of his stella work here). The headlines trills:
Arsenal 'clear to seal Alvaro Morata transfer, Juventus will accept £60m'
Good of Juventus to accept that. And then the facs:
It's believed Juve and Real have agreed to let the striker join either Arsenal or Liverpool for £60million instead – and split the cash.
Believed by who? You? Me? Them? Anyone other than Jamie Sanderson, whose story contains no link to any source.
Previously Sanderson has told readers that Morat was worth £25m:
And he's agreed top join the Gunners.
And his fee was…£15m.
Such are the facts…
Posted: 7th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
The tabloids can hardly contains their excitement that Manchester United's Jonny Evans denies spitting at Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse.
Cisse has held his hands up to the offence, apologised and accepted his seven-match ban. But Evans is digging in. The Sun calls his stance "amazing". Louis Van Gaal, Evans' manager at Manchester United, has delivered the outstanding defence: "…he was not aware he was spitting."
As we look for signs of drool from mouth-breather Evans, the tabloids go to work.
The Sun fill up 7 pages in the Evans spit, including its font and back pages:
If you discount the adverts, the Sun's 68 pages are reduced to around 54 pages. Seven pages deal with Jonny Evans' drooling – that's around 13% of the entire paper. And not a single word on Westminster paedos, Iraq, Syria or phone hacking in the Daily Mirror.
To the Sun, 'Jonny is Evans sent'…
Posted: 6th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer Balls: a look at the nonsense written about William Carvalho, the Sporting Lisbon midfielder.
Yesterday the Daily Mirror told its readers that Carvalho could be on his way to Liverpool.
That will come as some news for Manchester United fans because according to reports in the Daily Mirror, Carvalho plays for the Red Devils, who he joined for £37m before the last World Cup:
News of Carvalho's move to Manchester United was confirmed by the Daily Express, although there it was for a lower fee:
And there was the earlier news in the Daily Star that Carvalho was on the point of signing for Arsenal:
As for the player himself, well, the Daily Express had news that he doesn't want to play for Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United.
Such are the facts in the mainstream Press…
Posted: 6th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
In the Premier Lesgue match between Newscastle United and Manchester United, Johnny Evans and Pappis Cisse appeared to exchange bodily fluids. No, the players – one white, the other black – did not get off with each other to further please fans looking for evidence of moral enlightenment at the match. It seems that they spat at each other, and not in any way that can be construed as good for the game.
No-one has moved to claim the spitting was rooted in racism. And in the curent climate where racism is sought in a speck of dust, for that we must be thankful.
The referee missed the spitting.
But the papers didn't. They wade in, telling their readers how long the Evans and Cisse could be banned for:
The Guardian says one-match, maybe:
The BBC looks to recent history: "Last season, George Boyd was given a three-match ban for spitting at Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart".
The Daily Telegraph says: "Jonny Evans and Papiss Cisse [are] facing six-match ban after spitting row in Newcastle v Manchester United clash."
The Daily Mirror wants more: "Papiss Cisse apologises for Jonny Evans spitting storm as he faces SEVEN game ban."
lan McInally: "If you get tackled and somebody injures you, I think you take it. If somebody spits on you, as a footballer player, that's not happening … maybe six games isn't enough. If you give them 10 games, they take the wrath of their football club."
The Times: "Jonny Evans is not that kind of guy," Paul Scholes, a former team-mate of the Ulsterman, said. "What Papiss Cissé did afterwards is unforgivable."
Unforgivable. A life ban it is, then.
(Cisse has accepted a seven-match ban. Evans is holding out.)
Is any of it a big deal? Maybe spitting is as much a part of the game as the leg-breaking tackle, verbals, biting or the headbutt? Maybe one day they'll just make a statue or fountain to spitting, like this tribute to Zinedine Zidane, whose World Cup final red-card earning butt was immortalised in bronze:
Posted: 5th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Football Balls loves those space-filling lists. The Daily Mail delivers news on Manchester United. Mike Keegan lists "10 things Louis van Gaal must fix before next season".
Here, Sportsmail looks at what Van Gaal needs to do to ensure it is mission accomplished at Old Trafford.
Mission accomplished at Old Trafford is not like George Bush's famous 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq, where a swift defeat of the less well-armed enemy is followed by grandiose statements, trebles all round and chaos. Manchester United need to win the Premier League and then conquer Europe to accomplish any mission. Anything less for such a rich, free-spending club is failure.
Posted: 5th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment (1) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Sky News has been discussing racism. And that always means racism in football, the obvious stuff when white, working class people in man-made fibres are filmed ranting and raving about a soft target.
Eamonn Holmes, the Sky News anchor, was chairing the debate, which quickly turned to Chelsea fans (club owner: Jewish Russian; supstar striker: black African), a few of whom had been filmed behaving badly on the Paris Metro.
Holmes, a Manchester United fan, puffed up, sat up straight and told viewers that things were rosy at Old Trafford, because sat close to the manager's dug-out are a few obvious ethnic fans. Said Holmes:
"The group of guys in turbans at Manchester United sends out a lovely message."
Posted: 4th, March 2015 | In: Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer Balls: Is Paul Pogba heading to Arsenal? Is Paul Pogna, the Juventus and France star, going to pull on the Arsenal strip after an £80m transfer?
Wriing in the Metro, Lee Hurley is disbelieving:
Spending £80million is a lot for a player, any player, even one as good as Paul Pogba. In fact, I roll my eyes every time I see Arsenal linked with him as I think about Arsene Wenger saying to himself 'I could buy one-fifth of a new stadium for that!'
Yeah, it does sound like utter balls. And good on the Metro's man in the know to call it. But where could he had read such utter drivel?
Over to you, Jamie Sanderson…
Posted: 3rd, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
As the Press loads the argument against Adam Johnson – guilty of being a Premier League footballer but presumed innocent to sex crimes against a 15-year-old girl – we wondered what his home is worth. It's a key fact. appearing in every news story on the Sunderland player arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with an underage girl.
The Daily Mirror began the valuations, saying that the property was worth £1.5m.
Posted: 3rd, March 2015 | In: Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Any child of David and Victoria Beckham will want for nothing save talent. You can fake it in the world of fashion and pop music, but in sport, there is no auto-tune or PR-wrangling to make the mundane appear masterful.
And the media is watching their every move.
On February 20, the Daily Mail told us just how fantastic the Beckham boys are doing in the Arsenal youth teams:
Brooklyn Beckham is a hot prospect for the Arsenal academy, but brothers Romeo and Cruz could be even better
And Cruz, age 10, must be brilliant because Brooklyn is ace. As Sami Mokbel told readers:
The teenager has caused quite a stir at Arsenal's youth HQ over the past few months. At the age of 15, he was named on the bench for last weekend's Under-18 clash against Leicester, raising hopes that he may well have the substance to back up his name.
A mere five days later, Sami Mokbel had more news:
He wrote:
However, Sportsmail can reveal that Beckham was one of only a few Under 16 and Under 17 players still at the club's Hale End academy that weekend as the rest travelled to the Al Kass youth tournament in Qatar.
Having 'revealed' that Beckham had been called up on merit, the Mail then 'reveals' that young Beckham was called up to make up the numbers.
No pressure, Romeo. But do we detect a touch of snark benath the Star's photo?
"David and Victoria will be told how good their son it"
And not only by the Press. But what's this "good" rot? In the media, the Beckhams lads must be nothing short of brilliant let they be gleefully portrayed as failures.
Posted: 3rd, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Celebrities, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Adam Johnson has been arrested for "SUSPICION OF HAVING SEX WITH A GIRL OF 15′. It's the Sun's big news story. It's also the front-page story in the Daily Star, Daily Express, and Daily Mirror.
It the lead sports story on the back page of the Express and Mail:
Adam Johnson is 27. The girl he allegedly had a sexual relationship with is below the age of consent. But the key part of the story, the bit that makes it travel, is that Adam Johnson plays football for Sunderland in the Premier League. He has played for England, too, and Manchester City. So. He's front-page news. And five – yeah, FIVE – plolice cars SWOOPED" (Sun) on his "six-bedroom mansion".
Who do they think he is, Cliff Richard?
Sunderland have moved quickly to suspend their employee. Is that fair? Or is it just what Sunderland think will play out well with the elite and the public?
It's worthwhile to look at the law on sex. In England and Wales, the age of sexual consent for women has been set at 16 since 1885, when campaigners fought to raise it from 13 to prevent child prostitution. Key to promoting that law change was the journalist William Thomas Stead. He wrote lurid stories about "The Violation of the Virgins" and "The Confessions of a Brothel Keeper". Readers lapped them up. Sales of his London newspaper skyrocketed. He helped create the style that would become the tabloid way.
Make it big. Make it loud. Give them a story no-one can ignore.
In 2010, the Chartered Institute of Journalists honoured the man billed as Britain's first investigative journalist:
William Thomas Stead was acknowledged as Britain's leading campaigning and investigative journalist in the late 1800s, particularly for his work in exposing the white-slave trade and child sex abuse in London's brothels by the nation's upper classes. This resulted in the passing of the Criminal Amendment Act which raised the age of consent from 13 to 16.
As part of his campaign, Stead "bought" a chimney sweep's 13-year-old daughter (Eliza Armstrong) for £5 which earned him a three-month prison sentence. He continued to edit the Pall Mall Gazette (which later merged into the Evening Standard) from his prison cell.
Journalism matters. Words can shape your views and get things changed. Popular journalism can be dirty, messy and gutteral. And it is powerful. And we love it. Because without the ability to stir things up, make mistakes and dig deep into everyday stories, criminals, banks and matters the elite would rather you ignored there is no freedom of speech.
But sometimes, the innocent get the tabloid treatment.
Back to sex now. But what is sex?
In England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales we have to be 16 or older to have homosexual (gay) or heterosexual (straight) sex. 'Sex' means penetrative sex, oral sex or masturbating together.
What happens if you have underage sex?
The law sees it as sexual assault – it's a criminal offence. This is because in the eyes of the law we are unable to give informed consent to sex when still a child.
A boy/man who has sex with a girl under 16 is breaking the law. Even if she agrees.
If she is 13-15, the boy/man could go to prison for two years.
If she is under 13 he could be sentenced to life imprisonment.
A girl age 16 or over who has sex with a boy under 16 can be prosecuted for indecent assault.
The BBC adds:
Everyone is ready for sex at different ages but the law has to generalise. This is to protect those who are most vulnerable, from exploitation.
The law states that a boy or girl under the age of 16 cannot consent in law.
So. Adam Johnson, whose home was "raided". Three unmarked police cars and, depending on what you read, one or two police vans were on the scene at 9am. We learn that his home is worth £1.85m. It has a games room and a gym. It is "lavish". The Times counts four police cars and values the home at £1.6m. It also spots a "triple garage", two acres of land and a loaded gun, legally owned by the footballer.
Adam Johnson is looking like the kind of man the tabloids and police love to get at: rich, talented and obvious.
But then we get a new fact. A "source" is quoted in the Sun:
"There is no suggestions he had full sex with her but ther was other sexual activity. The allegation included the claim that he knew she was 15."
That this source is unnamed should make us circumspect. It is buried deep in the story, 10 paragraphs down. Its appearance could mean that we check our own prejudices. We may even decide to wait for all the facts to be known before judging Johnson.
But just as your passions cool and reason begin to take hold, the Sun adds that the maximum sentenced for "the offence" is 14 years. That seems a long times espcially when you read of other sentences, like the eight years prison handed to Peter Daly, subject of the Liverpool Echo's headline "Merseyside paedophile jailed for paying to have children abused by their mothers".
The Sun is cranking things up.
Worried that the Adam Johnson sex sensation is losing pace and is just a single-thread story, the Sun pads it out with dash of celebrity, telling readers that Johnson grew up in Country Durham close to where Billy Elliot was filmed. He "reportedly had a champange-fueled night out in London with actress Kym Marsh last year".
Over in the Mirror, we hear from the mother of his girlfriend Stacey Flounders:
"He is a great lad and he has done nothing wrong… He is 100% innocent. He hasn't been found guilty of anything.."
But is is guilty of being a well-paid footballer. So. Feel free to hate him and rush to judgement.
Some readers might worry Adam Johnson's well-being. In its report, the Daily Express notes:
Four years ago Johsnon was left devastated when his best friend, former goalkeeper Dale Roebrts, killed himself after plunging into depair when was told his fiancee was having an affair with the brother of Chelsea defender John Terry… Said Johnson: "I'm not sure he could deal with the embarrassmment the story caused him."
Don't rush to condemn Adam Johnson. Back of and let the law deal with it. He's out on police bail. And you can trust the police to be fair and thorough in an investigation into underage sex, can't you.
Can't you?
Posted: 3rd, March 2015 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Yesterday at Wembley Chelsea defeated Spurs 2-0 to win the Capital One Cup. But more importantly there was NO race riot. No white men in manmade fibres stopped a black man from boarding the Tube nor did they brawl with the self-styled 'Yid Army'.
Police did make five arrests on the day. But none was for racist chanting.
To go with the police threats that they "may" arrest fans for racist chanting was Paddy Power offering football fans the opportunity to "PROVE YOU'RE NOT RACIST".
We had hoped this was a lampooning of the police and the shrill and censorious anti-racsim outfit Kick It Out whose leader had called for Wembley to be "swamped" with moralising police officers, as if merely being a football fan made you a suspected Nazi (or vice versa).
But it was not. It really was the chance to be an un-racist, to publicly showcase that you were one of the enlightened, like David Cameron, every national newspaper editor, the Royal Family, the Metropolitan Police Force and pretty much everywhere else where a dark face is not a stain on the cue balls but a sign of the white leader's moral goodness.
Said Paddy Power:
Chelsea fans were invited to 'prove they're not prejudiced' before today's Capital One Cup final – by having their photo taken with a Sikh, a Muslim woman in a burka, a black man and a woman in a wheelchair. The diversity-laden Kodak moment was designed to give the majority of Chelsea fans the chance to show that they don't have an irresistible urge to racially abuse a black man when they see one – and to encourage fellow fans to 'prove they're not prejudiced'.
Why not a Sikh man in a burqa, a black man in a skirt and Hassidic Jew hat, a Muslim woman dressed as a glamour model and a woman in full Nazi regalia sat in a wheelchair? Come on. If you're going to counter stereotypes, think a little.
Having branded all Chelsea fans as racists – and it is tempting for all football fans to now sing that song heard on the Paris Metro and wave a verbal two-fingers at the anti-football bigots ( 'We're racist, we're racist, and that's the way we like it, we like it, we like it') – we cast a glance at Paddy Power's 'bloggers'.
The writer in the bottom right corner could be black, as could the two albinos. Two out of the 24 appear to be women. But it doesn't look all that diverse, even if you count the man with the 'revese burqa' across his eyes.
A look at Paddy Power's board of directors reveals one woman from 11 members. No brown faces. No Asian, Muslim or Jewish names. But one is French.
And, unforgivably, none of this all-white board is hugging a black man.
And that's racist!
Posted: 2nd, March 2015 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment (1) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer Balls brings you news from the murky zone where football news and football drivel collide. Today the Daily Express says Alvaro Morata is off to Arsenal. Not Liverpool. Not Manchester United. The Express backs this up zero facts.
But, then, it has brought readers a welter of Morata news.
On February 23, the Express said Morata was on his way to Liveprool.
That followed the earlier news that Morata was heading to Real Madrid, meaning Arsenal and Liverpool and Manchester United would miss out:
Towards the end of last year, the Express said Morata has turned down offers to play for Arsenal and Manchester United.
Anthony Chapman's story contained not a single word from Morata on either club. All Morata said was:
"I had offers from England, but in difficult times you have to put your faith in those you can trust. Juventus directors had literally been to my house telling me they wanted to sign me, so [moving to Juventus] was a decision made out of loyalty. I feel a kind of responsibility to do well. Not because of how much I cost, but because I came here having hardly played for Real. A lot of people advised me against this move. They told me to go to a mid-table team. I don't think I made the wrong choice."
So much for the "snub".
But it would have been a shock to Daily Express readers that Morata signed for Juventus. The Express said Morata was heading to Arsenal, Manchester United and Spurs.
And there was the stella news that Arsenal had signed Morata:
But they never did.
Such are the facts…
Posted: 2nd, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer Balls: The Daily Express is the apogee of all football drivel. Today the paper links Cheslea with Lionel Messi, the Barcalona megastar. The headline declares:
You never know! Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho talks £200m Lionel Messi bid
But hold on. What did Mourinho actually say? Before we get to know, the Express tells readers:
The Argentina international was linked with a £200m switch to Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City also keen on securing his services.
Chief among news sources linking Messi to Cheslea was the Daily Express, with no fewer than four more stories on that £200m move:
After five £200m stories – that's a £1bn Transfer – finally, we get to hear what Mourinho said on Italian TV:
"I think it's difficult [for Messi to leave]. I have a feeling that Messi will always be Barca. I may be wrong, in football you never know what will happen tomorrow, but I do not see a player of this size out of that club.
Such are the facts…
"But, as I say, I may be wrong."
Posted: 1st, March 2015 | In: Chelsea, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
To Wembley Stadium for the Capital One Cup Final between Chelsea and Spurs. The once "institutionally racist" Met police have erected an electronic sign to educate the mob:
To the polcie all Spurs and Chesla fans are racists in waiting. Unless the police, those great moralisers, are there to observe, listen, record and threaten football fans will race riot.
They "may" arrest you. Or they "may" not for saying things.
What utter self-serving, moralising, top down balls.
Spotter: @tariqpanja
Posted: 1st, March 2015 | In: Chelsea, Sports, Spurs | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard apepars on the Daily Star cover. The story is is of a "troll's sick post" about his daughter:
What did this sicko say to warrant front-page exposure?
The Rochdale youth player posted the vile remarks under an online snap of the Liverpool captain with his youngest girl Lourdes. Reds ace Gerrard captioned the Instagram picture: "My World."
But the young footballer then wrote: "I'd bang your girl Stevie."
Yeah. But what did the "sick troll" say? Oh, that was it.
The comment provoked uproar from fans who branded the youth – a rising star tipped for the top – a paedophile.
This youth player is a teenager. And, you know, teenagers says stupid things. They say things that they hope will cause offence. But in these offence-seeking times teenager's quip is a police matter:
Police were also called but said they could take no action unless Gerrard reported the incident. The troll, who we cannot name for legal reasons, removed the taunt but his club are close to showing him the exit door.
Wow! Just wow!
A source at Rochdale said: "He's landed himself in hot water as his comments have brought the club into disrepute. A fair few people were appalled and reacted angrily by ringing the club. There were calls for him to be kicked out but that hasn't happened yet. He may escape with a suspension and a fine but he'll be a lucky boy if he does."
Yeah. Lucky boy. Next time just scrawl it on the toilet wall…
As for Rochdale paedos, well, the outraged might be looking in the wrong place.
Posted: 1st, March 2015 | In: Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
A spot of nominative determinism now, readers, as we spot Joe Head, 11, whose was rusticated for wearing his hair in a short ponytail in tribute to Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović. Young Head's school, Pope Paul Catholic Primary in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, wrote to his parents. The letter called the hairstyle "unsuitable" and "associated with drug-taking".
The letter was from the headmistress, Helen Lines.
Joe's Mum, Mandy Head tells the media:
"I became upset that she could associate drug-taking and my son in the same letter and it became offensive. I'm not aware of any rules for hair at the school. We will discuss it with them, but they didn't have to add drug-taking into the letter."
Joe's error seems to have been in picking which sporting hero to emulate. If you really wants to be associated with drugs, we'd suggest cool kids eschew the blameless Zlatan and aim higher, perhaps piling their mop on top of their heads and spraying it bullet hard.
Posted: 1st, March 2015 | In: Sports, Strange But True | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0
Transfer balls: did you know that James Milner is desperate to join Liverpool. The Daily Express has an "exclusive":
EXCLUSIVE: James Milner warned by Liverpool to drop wage demands to seal free transfer
James Milner, the Manchester City tyro – still wanted by perennial Premier League title contenders and super-rich club Manchester City – has been "warned" that he could miss out on playing for Liverpool?
John Richardson tells his readers:
The 29-year-old midfielder sees his Etihad contract, worth around £120,000 a week, run down [sic] at the end of the season, making him a free agent.
Talks are at an advanced stage to allow Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, whose side face Milner's Manchester City today, to add him to his squad next season but the Anfield club have made it clear that they won't shatter their wage structure to accommodate the former Leeds United, Newcastle and Aston Villa man.
Shatter? This is the same Liverpool who signed Mario Balotelli for £16m and pay him £125,000-a-week:
"I think we have done a really smart piece of business here," said Reds boss Brendan Rodgers. "This transfer represents outstanding value for the club."
We're sure Milner's agents are worried sick about breaking that Liverpool wage structure. If they don't where on erath will England internatioanl James Milner find work?
Richardson adds:
If he is prepared to take a pay cut then a deal could be sealed at the end of the season.
Posted: 1st, March 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Sports | Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed:RSS 2.0


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The Oklahoman's take on the Thunder-Rockets trade
It was a good trade. In a perfect world, James Harden would still be with the Thunder. But overpaying him would have been unwise. Once the team moved on, it got an extremely good package: a veteran scorer, an ultra-athletic rookie lottery pick and future draft selections that could keep the Thunder's roster stacked for years to come.
Darnell Mayberry, Thunder beat writer
Many fans of James Harden were stunned by the trade, but I'll bet they weren't nearly as stunned as Harden himself. The most harsh reality is Harden isn't going to Houston for just this season, he's going there for five. What sounds more appealing as a player — the next five years with the Rockets, or the next five years with the Thunder? Harden gave his answer by not signing an extension.
John Rohde, Thunder beat writer
The Thunder will miss James Harden — not as much as James Harden misses the Thunder — and won't be quite the title contender it was with Harden. But the Thunder has retained its fiscal sanity, which will help the long-term sustainability of the Thunder to remain in contention.
Berry Tramel, columnist
The Thunder didn't trade away its chance at an NBA championship. Sure, James Harden is an outstanding player, a guy who made game-winning plays for this team. But just because he'll be in Rocket red instead of Thunder blue doesn't mean Oklahoma City becomes insignificant. As long as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are still around — and I can confirm that they are — the Thunder remains a title contender.
Jenni Carlson, columnist


text:
Serves 8
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, more for greasing pan
2 quarts strawberries (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
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1 lemon, zested
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1¾ cups sugar
1/3 cup whole milk, warmed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or cooking spray. Line with baking paper and grease the parchment.
2. Cut off tops of strawberries and thinly slice half of them, leaving remaining berries whole. Mix sliced strawberries with superfine sugar and half the lemon zest. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip eggs and egg white on high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Gradually pour in 1¼ cups sugar and whip on high speed until mixture is a pale yellow color and has thickened enough to mound onto itself when beater is lifted, one to three minutes.
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently and patiently fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Fold in milk, vanilla and butter until completely combined.
5. Gently pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pan. Invert cake onto a cooling rack and peel off baking paper. Let cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, in a small pot, whisk together remaining ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water and the pepper. Simmer on medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture has reduced by half, about five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining lemon zest.
7. Whip heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.
8. Using a serrated knife, horizontally slice cake in half. Generously brush each cut side with lemon-pepper syrup. Transfer the bottom half to a cake plate, cut side up, and spoon sliced strawberries and any juices over it. Spread half the whipped cream over sliced strawberries and gently place the other cake half on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake (or mound it all on the top). Garnish with whole strawberries and drizzle with more lemon-pepper syrup for serving.
Melissa Clark, The New York Times


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The extent of the failure of Operation Fast and Furious, the much lamented gun-tracing operation undertaken by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, became clearer Thursday as previously concealed data in an Inspector General's report further confirmed that only a small fraction of some 1,500 firearms were recovered after being allowed to fall into criminal hands.
A more stark portrait of the lapses in Fast and Furious emerges from those portions of the nearly 500-page report as the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General on Thursday reissued its report on the operation. It lifts its redaction on some wiretap information — information that some congressional leaders said was evidence that top DOJ officials knew of the dangerous tactics at play.
At Inspector General Michael Horowitz's request, the department sought through federal court to have portions of the wiretaps unsealed, the IG said in a statement. The unredacted sections do not relate to ongoing investigations, the IG's office said Thursday.
Nineteen pages of the nearly 500-page report contain highlighted passages with newly released information. Portions of the nine wiretap applications and affidavits were leaked to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) during the congressional inquiry of Fast and Furious. Some Republicans said the applications showed that top department officials were aware guns were "walking" over the border and into the hands of Mexican cartel members and they were attempting a cover-up. The IG report ultimately found that those reviewing the wiretaps should have seen the "red flags" in the wiretaps.
Fast and Furious was a gun-tracing operation headed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It aimed to track some 2,000 guns as they were sold to strawbuyers, who in turn smuggled them over the border and they eventually landed in the hands of Mexican cartel members. Hundreds of guns went missing, however, and two from the operation were found at the scene of a shootout that ended in the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Some of the unsealed information revealed more specifics on the number of guns that flowed over the border.
The May 21, 2010, affidavit's contents, the IG found, would cause a read to "infer from the facts stated that agents were not taking enforcement action to interdict the weapons or arrest" straw purchasers, which the IG later deemed as a dangerous tactic.
"The affidavit reported that ATF had identified 24 straw purchasers and that from September 23, 2009, to March 23, 2010, 302 of the 1,500 firearms had been recovered. Of those 302 recovered firearms, 182 were recovered in Mexico while 116 were recovered in the United States but near the Mexican Border. Additionally, the affidavit stated that the firearms were recovered anywhere from 1 day to 105 days after being purchased in Arizona," the report now states on page 277.
The unsealed information also reveals that the nine wiretap affidavits that the the disparity between the number of firearms out in the field and the number being recovered was "significant."
"According to the affidavit in support of the final wiretap extension request, the straw purchasing organization had acquired at least 1,500 firearms, of which only 337 had been recovered," the report states on page 279.
One passage also further explained the strategy that ATF agents in Phoenix, Ariz., employed, a strategy which the IG report found had disregarded the public's safety.
"With respect to the government's need for the wiretap, the affidavit stated that the technique was the only means of investigation that was likely to expose the overall scope and extent of the criminal organization being investigated. According to the affidavit, the government was not aware of any reliable cooperating defendant or confidential informant and did not believe the use of an undercover agent was viable because… [redacted section]," the report states on page 157. "The affidavit also stated that physical surveillance had had limited value in the case, and that prolonged surveillance was likely to compromise the investigation… The affidavit also stated that the execution of a search warrant would not be successful because it would compromise the investigation, would not identify co-conspirators, and would not be of significant evidentiary value because ATF did not believe …[redacted.] "With respect to interviews of subjects, the affidavit stated that these were unlikely to produce sufficient information about the identities of all individuals involved in the conspiracy or the disposition of sales proceeds, and would likely compromise the investigation"
The following pages contain unredacted information:
- 60-61
- 63
- 86-87
- 90-91
- 156-157
- 223-224
- 276-280
- 312
- 327
- 375
Read the full reissued report here.


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Call : 604-02-70
- email@example.com
Hidden Garden of Vigan - Discover the Place
Vigan brings images of antiquated houses, cobbled narrow streets, calesas and friendly faces peering out of large windows, a place where "time stood still". A living museum as they say. Yet despite of all the romantic images this place provokes, much is still unfamiliar about the historic Vigan
No one would anticipate that a beautiful garden is located at the heart of Vigan City, where tourists keep on discovering and kept amazed.
More than the beautiful garden and superb potteries, HIDDEN GARDEN of VIGAN is the place where Filipino hospitality is felt.
They not only look very atttractive and create a more pleasant environment for the visitors but also act as natural filters. This is what makes HIDDEN GARDEN of VIGAN special.
Welcome to Hidden Garden of Vigan
Lilong and Lilang Specialty Dishes
Check out for more Specialty Dishes!
The best Ilocano restaurant " Its a perfect dinner here after we toured around the hidden garden. Small but a great homely made meals.. One of the unforgetable dishes here is the mixed rice with bagoong, pinakbet, bagnet, etc.. and with the buko (I had a watery mouth). There's also a mini nursery for different plants for sale. For me, its a perfect Ilocano resto. " Vangie G
Zamboanga, Zamboanga, Philippines
One word YUMMY " Pros: Excellent food, the Grilled squid and Sinigang we had is simply the best. Dining ambiance is great along with great service Cons: A little far from the city. " Iesiege
Manila, Philippines
Loved it Here! " A hidden gem in the heart of Vigan City. The empanada was ok, but we enjoyed the fresh coconut though. I may say that the place is somewhat romantic because of the garden. :D " Anonymous
Manila, Philippines


text:
The University of Oklahoma's Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is one of the nation's finest university art museums. The museum's extraordinary collection includes major works by some of the most beloved artists of all time, such as Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Pierre Renoir, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ansel Adams, Allan Houser, Nicolai Fechin, Leon Gaspard and others.
Collecto is the most complete web platform to enjoy your Instagram photos. Collecto uses the Instagram API but is not endorsed or certified by Instagram.
Collecto v.1.2 (beta) © 2014 IQUII - All rights reserved
Recommended by Instagramers and Instagramers Italia


text:
In the upper-middle-class Ahwatukee section of Phoenix plenty of folks play the status game called keeping up with the Joneses.
But few can come close to duplicating the home of one of their neighbors, a real "Jones" named Eddie.
The house is distinctive, an experiment in take-a-chance architecture that combines rammed-earth walls with large expanses of glass.
"Perhaps all homes should be this typical," Eddie Jones says, his voice revealing more than a hint of irony.
Jones, an architect, designed his house to fit in harmony with its location, at the base of South Mountain near a mountain-bike trailhead.
"We wanted to build a house that respected the mountain, as well as respected the Sonoran Desert," he says.
The first step was using an ages-old technique called rammed-earth construction to build the main walls of the home.
Plywood forms similar to the type used when pouring cement are used to create a frame. Dirt is filled in eight inches at a time, then compressed using an air-powered ramming tool that looks like a pogo stick.
"We ram it, compact it to four inches, put eight more inches on top of that, ram it again to four inches, and we just fill the form up," he says.
The result is a solid wall, 2 feet thick, that resembles concrete.
"People will assume there's a grid of rebar in the wall, like there is in concrete," Jones explains. "But there's nothing in this wall but dirt. No plumbing, no electrical conduit, no glue. It's just friction that holds the dirt together."
Examples of the building technique can be found around the world, from portions of the Great Wall of China to the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge.
Jones' home, built in 1998, was the first in Phoenix to get this style of construction through modern building permits, according to Jones.
Since then, several similar examples have been built in the city.
"It opened the floodgates for other architects and builders that were equally interested in alternative materials," he says.
One benefit is its insulation qualities, which exceed all calculations normally applied to insulated walls, Jones says.
It maintains a constant surface temperature year-round and helps reduce the utility bills. But Jones and his wife, Lisa Johnson, say they also like the feeling of having earth walls on a home in the middle of suburbia.
"We can live here with something very old and it gives us a sense of security perhaps," Jones says.
The home's use of glass - highlighted by the floating glass floor Jones installed as a 40-foot hallway in the home's second story - stands in stark contrast to the thick, solid earth walls.
The idea began with a 5- by 40-foot skylight designed to create natural illumination for the home. He didn't want to waste the light by trapping it upstairs with a solid floor, and instead wanted to "borrow" it all the way down to the ground floor.
Jones was toying with different types of translucent materials when Johnson's son suggested they take it a step further and use clear glass.
"We looked at each other and thought, 'Clear glass? Walking on clear glass? That would be beautiful,' " Jones recalls.
Visitors love the look but aren't always comfortable walking on the glass floor.
"No, they're not. Especially if they have a dress on," Johnson says, laughing.
A curving staircase with solid walls leads from the entry to the glass floor. Along the glass floor in the open areas overlooking the great room to one side and the entry below, there are no railings to detract from the look.
"It's a little uneasy for some people to walk on it," Johnson says. "I have some friends that absolutely refuse to go upstairs because they're afraid of heights."
But the payoff, Jones adds, "is a wonderful sense of being suspended in space."
Between the large earth walls that serve as bookends to the home's great room, there's more glass - a wall that captures views of the nearby mountain. What you don't see is a water tank nestled into the hill just behind the home.
A more traditional home on this lot would have looked out over the tank from most views. But as an architect, Jones realized the proximity of the structure didn't have to be a negative.
He turned the house sideways in the design, used the huge rammed-earth walls to block views of the tank, and added the giant glass wall to emphasize the view to the north. Extending from the home, curved walls inspired by the curves of the tank block views of the tank from the patio.
As an architect, "you learn how to take those apparent negatives and turn them literally into opportunities," Jones says. "You could say we made friends with the water tank."
And in the process created a home few could mimic.
Reach the reporter at (602) 444-8745.
Owners Eddie Jones with his wife, Lisa Johnson.
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text:
Immigration Law
Ask an Immigration Lawyer. Get an Answer ASAP.
What country is he from?
What visa did he use to enter the U.S.?
How long will it take for your mother to become a U.S. Citizen? (how many years does she have of residency?)
How old is your brother?
And is your brother married?
A brother to brother petition would take about 11 years or so.
A permanent resident mother to son over age 21 would take about 9 years.
A U.S. Citizen mother to son over age 21 would take about 6 years.
So your fastest way would be for your mother to file for him now since it is still going to take at least 3 years for her to become a U.S. Citizen anyway.
Also, you may want to have either you or your sister file for him independently as well. You don't have to have all three of you file for him, but either you or your sister could serve as a backup just in case something happens with your mother's petition for him.
Unfortunately, there is no way under current law to jump ahead of anyone else that is waiting in line because really what you are doing is waiting in line because so many people have applied in those catefories before you.
Here is a link to the most current visa bulletin so you can see what I mean. You take the date that is listed and count to today's date (if you were to file today) so you can see how long it would take.
He can be deported because those petitions do not give him any immediate immigration benefit, only an immediate family member such as a U.S. Citizen spouse or a U.S. Citizen son or daughter over age 21 can give him an immediate benefit.
So he might be able to hide out for a few years while he waits, but if he is ever caught, those petitions won't save him.
DISCLAIMER: Answers from Experts on JustAnswer are not substitutes for the advice of an attorney. JustAnswer is a public forum and questions and responses are not private or confidential or protected by the attorney-client privilege. The Expert above is not your attorney, and the response above is not legal advice. You should not read this response to propose specific action or address specific circumstances, but only to give you a sense of general principles of law that might affect the situation you describe. Application of these general principles to particular circumstances must be done by a lawyer who has spoken with you in confidence, learned all relevant information, and explored various options. Before acting on these general principles, you should hire a lawyer licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction to which your question pertains.
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text:
Dawn-to-dusk work schedule paying off for energetic jockey
"Before I started riding, everything was, 'Save ground, stay on the rail, don't go too wide,' " he said. "So naturally, coming out of the gate, every time I would ride I'd duck straight to the rail. If there (were) two horses in front of me, I'd be on the rail and I'd get trapped a lot of times. After a while, I learned that if I stay out a little bit, you trap them and then go. You learn from your mistakes."
Some of these mistakes were the product of inferior mounts. When you don't have enough horse, conventional wisdom says to cling close to the rail to reduce the amount of ground between the starting gate and the finish line. The better the horse, the more latitude the rider is allowed.
"I think when Joe first came here, I kind of considered him just a speed rider," Mitchell said. "He's very good out of the gate. But I wouldn't want to put him on those horses that come from out of (the pack). I wouldn't put him on horses that you have to be patient with.
"Now, I'll put him on anything."
Two years ago, trainer Jeff Mullins had enough confidence in Talamo to place a 19-year-old atop Kentucky Derby favorite I Want Revenge, only to scratch the horse on the morning of the race.
"Breaking my wrist last year and losing I Want Revenge (are) probably the two greatest setbacks of my career," Talamo said. "(But) Mentally, you just have to let it go. Stuff like that is going to happen.
"Everything was happening so fast, it was just like a blur. It was almost too good to be true. When (the scratch) happened, it was just like a dream flew by."
That Talamo finds himself without a mount for Del Mar's biggest race is a matter of last-minute maneuvering. Caracortado was originally entered in the Pacific Classic before being moved to the Del Mar Mile. Another Talamo mount, Bourbon Bay, was switched from the Classic to today's Del Mar Handicap.
"It doesn't really bother me," Talamo said. "Obviously, I want to compete in as many races as I can, especially big races like that. But it's part of the game. It's so hard to set goals in this game 'cause you get so many setbacks."
Talamo was talking about setbacks Friday afternoon, right before he excused himself for a previous engagement. He was needed at an awards ceremony as Jockey of the Week.


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You've got to give Opera some credit. When Apple was rejecting iPhone apps right and left, they took a shot and ported Opera Mini to the iPhone OS anyway. While many said it couldn't be done, or at least wouldn't be approved, Opera gambled and won. Let's take a look at Opera's iPhone browser and see how it stacks up against Safari.
Opera Mini isn't the first third-party browser that Apple has approved for the App Store, but it's the first one that isn't using Safari as a backend. The other browsers only modify Safari a bit, but Opera Mini is a whole new ballgame on the iPhone OS.
Why it Matters
Even if you're not an iPhone fan or Opera enthusiast, Opera's ability to land in the App store is pretty important to the mobile browser market overall. While the iPhone may not dominate the smartphone market, it has a pretty good share of the smartphone market plus you have all the iPod touch devices on the market plus the iPad. Opera hasn't put out a native version for the iPad yet, but I'm going to guess that the Opera folks will push forward with a iPad version too.
If you look at mobile browser share according to Stat Counter it looks like Opera is well in the lead at first glance. But then you realize that they're breaking out the iPhone and iPod touch separately. When you combine the two — which really only makes sense, as they're the same thing, Opera is actually trailing Mobile Safari.
That situation is only going to get worse with the iPad. Though some of the studies show that iPad usage replaces iPhone/iPod touch usage — indicating that those folks have just traded up for the biggie-sized screen — at least some percentage of those users are going to be new to iPhone OS. And that will grow even more with the release of the iPad with 3G service.
In short, it's not a great thing for Opera to be shut out of a platform with as many users as the iPhone OS. The question is, now that Opera is on the iPhone, it compelling enough to get users to switch from Safari? It's certainly enough to move Opera's numbers. The company put out a press release saying that the iPhone is the number three device of choice for Mini users worldwide, and number one in the United States.
Using Opera Mini
As soon as Opera announced that Opera Mini was available in the App Store, I went ahead and grabbed it and started surfing. The first thing users see is the famous Opera Speed Dial. It's pre-populated with a few bookmarks to Twitter, Facebook, etc. Hold down on one of the bookmarks and you can swap it out for something you're more likely to visit.
Default Opera View
Opera is supposed to be known for its speed, but in my experience Opera's Mini seems a bit slower than Safari on the iPhone. Opera is probably at a bit of a disadvantage on the iPhone OS, though. It's not extremely slow, just not as fast as Safari. Note that most of my testing was over WiFi and not 3G or Edge. When testing over 3G and after changing some of the settings (changing Image Quality to Low), Safari improved somewhat.
The primary reason I choose the iPhone is because mobile Safari beat the pants off of all other mobile browsers, hands down. I picked one up long before the App Store and all the other nifty toys that have become available since — but my most compelling use for a smart phone is the ability to get on the Web from almost anywhere. And that's only become more important as time has gone on.
Does Opera measure up? In a word… no. Not even close. Where most pages render on Mobile Safari more or less identically to Safari or other desktop browsers, Opera Mini looks like any other smartphone browser. That is to say, it renders pages acceptably well to get information you might need on the go — but it's not a pleasure to look at.
Safari Displaying Linux Magazine's site
At least, not until you turn off Mobile View in Opera Mini's settings. Then things get interesting. When Mobile View is off, then you see pages rendered approximately as they would be in the Opera Desktop browser. Literally. Pages are rendered as they were meant to be seen, but the fonts are reduced to tiny squiggles that are entirely unreadable. Once you zoom in, the text is quite readable and the page is still rendered quite well, but it requires a lot of scrolling. Opera neglects one of Mobile Safari's tricks here: In Safari you can tap the top of the screen and scroll up to the top of the page. Doesn't work in Opera Mini.
I quite like the way that Opera Mini deals with tabs. Rather than thumbnail the pages and make you leave the page you're on immediately, Opera has a nice Tab bar at the bottom with a page preview.
And Opera Mini has one killer feature you don't find in Safari: Saved pages. Have a page with directions you need to save for later? Opera will hold the entire page for later browsing.
Opera Mini with Mobile View Off
Feature for feature, on paper, Opera Mini clobbers Safari. However, Opera needs to speed it up a bit and make Mini a bit more native before it's likely to catch on. I'm really curious to see the result when Opera Mini is ported to the iPad. On a larger device with some room to breath and more system resources, Opera could be a killer mobile app.
Needs Work
I'm thrilled to see Opera Mini on the iPhone. It's good that there's a bit of competition in the browser space, even on the hermetically sealed iPhone. But novelty only gets you so far.
Some things are, at least in my opinion, much better in Opera. The way that it handles tabs, being able to configure the browser while you're in the application (as opposed to having to exit and go to the main settings), and the speed dial all rock. But the actual rendering of pages, speed, and general clunkiness of the interface leave something to be desired.
But, one hopes Opera will continue development and take off some of the rough edges on Opera Mini. The Opera team definitely deserves credit for taking the risk to port to the iPhone and providing an alternative browser for those users.
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God, I wish Yamaha would give Crutchlow factory support already. Its tiresome to read after every race how he'll be challenging Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Marquez after every race. When even Lorenzo is struggling to keep up with them.


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Residents invited to talk trash at April 24 community meetingBy: Carol Feineman, Editor
The Western Placer Waste Management Authority (WPWMA) will host its third community meeting on Wednesday, April 24 to discuss odors and other operational issues to residents.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the authority's offices at 3033 Fiddyment Road, located at the corner of Athens Avenue in Roseville.
The Western Placer Waste Management Authority is a joint powers authority comprised of Placer County and the cities of Lincoln, Rocklin and Roseville. The authority owns and operates the landfill, Material Recovery Facility, and compost facility located in south Placer County.
Over the past two years, the Western Placer Waste Management Authority has conducted community meetings to discuss its operations and regional odor conditions with residents.
April's meeting will include updates on the authority's operations and planned projects for reducing the effects of facility odors on the surrounding community.
"We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the community and are excited about the improvements we have planned that will help us identify and better manage odors from our facility," said Western Placer Waste Management Authority's executive director Jim Durfee. "We encourage our neighbors to attend the meeting, talk with staff and give us their feedback."


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I'm considering incorporating my Micro ISV (I've determined that a c-corp best suits my needs) and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for the various companies that offer online incorporation services?
I'm considering incorporating my Micro ISV (I've determined that a c-corp best suits my needs) and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for the various companies that offer online incorporation services?
closed as off topic by The How-To Geek Aug 8 '09 at 3:20
Questions on Super User are expected to relate to computer software or computer hardware within the scope defined by the community. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about reopening questions here.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
As your profile says USA, just take mine as some advice and now law / certain.
I am in the UK, I went to a proper lawyer to get my company formed, it cost £350 several years ago, it was on recommendation from my accountant.
I have not used that lawyer since as I have not needed to or even seen him.
It was a waste of time and money.
I could of just done it online (which I had no idea about at the time) for around £30 at www.companieshouse.gov.uk
There are many companies out there (Google should return paid for adverts) that will do it for around the same price. Basically, go to a website and fill out some fields and will automatically do the forms for you.
You get the certificate and articles through the post - job done. If I had to do it again, I would go this route.
Unless you have someone in the family who is a lawyer, or you know a good lawyer you use for everything (most family legal people are not trained for commercial law), you are unlikely to see this person again so if I was you, just find the cheapest place that you can find a few reviews for and that give you what you needed, then job done!
Then, after it is formed, get yourself a good accountant that will chase you near due dates e.t.c. - it will save you a lot of trouble later!
(For the UK you need a few documents from a company - memorandum of association, share allocations e.t.c After you have these filed (which they should do for you) companies house allocate a company number and certificate)
If you're serious about your business, I would network with friends, family anyone you know to find a great attorney. Granted 'great' is a subjective term, shop around and meet with as many as you can and talk to them about your business.
I had my own business once (long time ago in a galaxy far far away..) as an S-corp and having a solid lawyer with general business/entrepreneurship experience was extremely beneficial to me. An online corp will do the paperwork, but when it comes to the real "ins and outs" of running your own business, the more people you can find for advice and pay for services, the more valuable and relevant their experience and information is for you.
A good lawyer will help do the paperwork for you. A great lawyer will help you with the paperwork and other legal advice that you may not have thought of. Depending on the attorney and his/her business, you can barter for business for one another. You can really learn a lot from a legal perspective and general business as well.
An online company will dot all the 'I's and cross all the 'T's but outside of that, they really don't have any added value to you or your business. I was amazed how much I learned just from having a great attorney and even just building that relationship is a great experience and I wouldn't trade it in for a slightly cheaper, online service. Business is about building relationships and having a good attorney can really make a difference in a lot of little ways. Don't discount the little things in business as you'll realize their value just as you need it.


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During Naturopathic Medicine Week 2015, we spread the word, started discussions and recognized the positive impact naturopathic medicine has on the human community. Here's an infographic roundup of what we learned!Read more »
Bastyr University students make the most of their summers, hiking, sailing, volunteering, training and studying the roots of medicine the world over. Have a look at the snapshots they sent of their summer adventures.Read more »
Dr. Leanna Standish and the Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center fight fear and misconception about cancer with hard science, data, natural medicine — and with the compassion and tools that address a patient's whole experience.Read more »
First official day of classes begins with spirit, excitementRead more »
From a small idea can grow big thingsRead more »
Bastyr Alumnus Dr. Iman Majd receives recognition in the field of acupuncture and integrative medicine.Read more »
Bastyr University continues to be a major contributor to research in the complementary and integrative medicine field.Read more »
Dr. Malik shares what makes the Nutrition for Wellness program at Bastyr so unique.Read more »
Super trekking alumni Anna Herby and Ross Scherer share the plant-based nutrition strategies that got them through their many hikes.Read more »
Bastyr's long-standing commitment to green living is recognized once again by King County.Read more »


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The mission of the Private Corrections Working Group (PCWG) is to provide information and assistance to citizens, policy makers, and journalists concerning the dangers and pitfalls of privatization of correctional institutions and services in order to reverse and stop this social injustice.
Caroline Isaacs, Director, is a Program Director of the Arizona program of the American Friends Service Committee. She has spent the last 15 years working with the AFSC-Arizona in some capacity, focusing primarily on Criminal Justice issues. Caroline has a BA in Political Science from The College of Wooster and a Master's in Social Work from Arizona State University. Prior to her tenure at AFSC, she worked in the social services field with homeless teens and is currently an adjunct faculty member at the Arizona State University School of Social Work (Tucson component).
Buffie McFadyen, Director, is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives and is Speaker Pro Tem. Buffie has been on the cutting edge fighting the for-profit private prison industry for a number of years. She originally hails from Buffalo, N.Y, hence her nickname.
Erik Milman, Director, currently works as a Washington Representative for Corrections USA, which represents over 80,000 public Correctional Officers. In his capacity, with Corrections USA, He developed the legislative agenda for the organization. Under his leadership, Corrections USA has substantially expanded it's presence in Washington, DC and in the Halls of Congress and Executive Branch. Mr. Milman worked with key Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, including Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to develop legislation that would apply the Freedom of Information Act to private prison contractors. In addition, Mr. Milman is the principal of Milman Research and Consulting, a political consulting firm that has conducted opposition research in campaign throughout the country.
Ken Kopczynski, Executive
Director, since 1993, Ken has been a Legislative and
Political Affairs Assistant for the Florida Police Benevolent
Association (PBA), the largest collective bargaining agent for law
enforcement, correctional and correctional probation officers in
Florida. He lobbies on behalf of officers, conducts research and
analysis, and provides campaign consulting. Mr. Kopczynski received his
Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the Florida State
University with a minor in Political Communications in 1992. He published a book Private Capitol Punishment about his
experience exposing corruption in the for-profit private prison industry
in Florida. The proceeds are donated to PCI.


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Tighten your abdominal muscles and protect your spine with the most effective ab exercises from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Learn proper techniques and step-by-step instruction from America's Authority on Fitness. This large collection of exercises is also featured in complete workout routines that include full-body and at-home workouts. Whether you're looking for beginner level training or advanced fitness programs, we have something here for everyone to target core muscle groups. Choose from a wide variety of lower ab exercises, standing trunk rotations, reverse crunches and more. If you have any questions or want to hear what leaders in the industry are saying, please see our Ask the Expert section.
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It's understandable to think that working out more means burning more, but burning "more" can also include burning valuables like lean muscle mass and your motivation. Train your body to avoid overtraining by looking out for these eight warning signs.
With all of the time, energy and sleepless nights that go into caring for a new baby, exercise is probably the last thing on your mind. But rather than thinking of exercise as precious time spent away from baby and family, you can include your baby in your workouts. These...
Ever wonder what it would be like to lead your own class, but aren't sure you've got what it takes to be an effective instructor? I pondered that very question nearly 20 years ago, and I'm so glad I challenged myself to become an instructor, because seeing others reach...


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Terminally hip
Culture | Sanitizing squalor in the low-Rent district, information technology as an art form, and other cultural buzz
Low Rent
Rent is the biggest jolt to hit Broadway this decade. This musical about a multicultural cadre of Gen-Xers squatting in an East Village apartment won both a Tony and a Pulitzer after it opened. Today this blockbuster still plays to near-sellout Broadway crowds and runs strong with casts in London, New York, and Australia, plus two touring companies criss-crossing America. As the Great White Way was slumping through decreasing interest in big-ticket stage productions, Rent came along in 1996 as an anti-musical. The characters include homosexuals, artistic misfits, drug addicts, AZT-popping AIDS patients, and homeless people. In this postmodern update of La Boheme, they all raise a toast to their marginalization. The rock soundtrack sounds like a cross between Andrew Lloyd Weber and Meatloaf. The plot revolves around a Christmas day when one member of the group buys their apartment building and decides to kick everybody out so he can build a recording studio. In the ensemble's attempts to save their home and the action that follows, we see the relationships between the characters. While the cast is supposed to take encouragement from each other, they are actually too busy bickering with one another for the audience to believe that. While this rock opera shouts aloud the joys of the bohemian lifestyle, pain and death are everywhere. The angst-ridden twentysomethings coasting through the age of AIDS are drawn in such a way that the audience is expected to pity the entire cast. There's "No Day But Today," they sing, since the disease could cut you down tomorrow. After intermission, two of them are driven to their deathbeds. In trying to give hope amid suffering, Rent comes off as so much showbiz glitter, as playwright Jonathan Larson uses both hands to wring compassion from theatergoers. The maudlin nature of the musical could make the production into a retro phenomenon a la Grease in a few years. But as it stands, Rent is thoroughly hip, thoroughly relevant, and thoroughly depressing. Beautiful technology
A machine of beauty is a joy forever. So says David Gelernter, a Yale computer scientist who was nearly blown to bits by the Unabomber in 1993. Just as people seek elegance in art, architecture, and music, so they seek Machine Beauty (Basic Books) in hardware and software. "A single programmer alone at his keyboard can improvise software machines of fantastic or even incomprehensible complexity," he writes. "Imagine what kind of palaces people would live in if all you needed to do were to draw a blueprint, hand it to a machine, and see the structure realized automatically at the cost of a few drips of electricity." Mr. Gelernter harkens back to the day of Bauhaus, a German design school that searched for the ultimate combination of form and function. A well-designed device, be it a chair, a car, or a computer (or even the Hoover Dam) is as beautiful as a painting-even if the creators don't think of their work in those terms. An example of this elegance is the graphical interfaces that run today's PCs and Macs. It was first developed by Xerox in the early 1970s and eventually brought click-and-drag computing to middle America. Instead of typing in an arcana of commands, we can drive our machines by clicking pictures with a mouse. On the other hand, Mr. Gelernter hates physical computer design. He says today's hardware wastes space and gives the user a mouse without a pad. "We ought to start teaching Velazquez, Degas, and Matisse to young technologists right now on an emergency basis," he writes. Mr. Gelernter's writing, as usual, is crisp and concise, but at points he digresses. He delivers some punditry on the Mac/PC wars (he likes the Mac) and spends a chapter promoting his own product. Still, "Machine Beauty" provides a healthy corrective to the all-too-prevalent notion that computers are sterile and utilitarian. Instead of stripping us of our humanity, new technology opens doors of creativity. The technological revolution means more than information. As Mr. Gelernter says, "Great technology is beautiful technology." Eating the rainforest
Tarzan never dreamed of this. Coming soon to a mall near you is the Rainforest Cafe, a chain of jungle-theme restaurants where the great outdoors is rebuilt with fiberglass and silicon. Patrons dine in an atmosphere complete with fake trees, animatronic animals, and even artificial thunderstorms. Rainforest Cafe doesn't have waiters. It has "safari guides" in park ranger outfits and fanny packs serving up such delicacies as Rasta Pasta, Congo Mogambo, and Chicken Monsoon. At the back wall is a statue of Atlas holding a globe emblazoned with a green neon sign that reads-what else?-"Save The Rainforest." There's even a lighted star chart overhead serving as a man-made sky. All the special effects are timed so that something new happens every few minutes. Artificial jungle sounds are piped into a sound system that surrounds diners. Most of this is probably harmless. For the kids, this is a fun spot that is less manic than the giant lip-synching creatures down at Chuck E. Cheese. But it leaves one wondering: Isn't this somebody's science fiction nightmare scenario? After all, bringing King Kong to the big city only means trouble, but artificial monkeys can swing above one's head. And Tracy the Talking Tree never needs pruning. Tuki Makeeta the elephant won't stampede or be attacked by poachers. (Nevertheless, diners are told not to feed the animals. Go figure.) Think about the world of the Rainforest Cafe. Instead of driving to some scenic spot to see trees and animals, one visits Cherry Creek Mall or South Coast Plaza to see a denatured, environmentally friendly indoor version of the outdoors. Forget about taming nature. Now we can rebuild it as a theme park. Rainforest Cafe also gives the right amount of self-satisfaction to the shallow and Earth-conscious. One can now have an experience of "the environment" without grass stains, mosquito bites, or canvas tents. After all, real jungles don't come with gift shops and public restrooms.


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The Center for Acute Care Nephrology (CACN) is committed to developing and standardizing optimal care – and realizing the optimal outcomes – for children and adults with or at risk for acute kidney injury. Through many collaborations, nationally and internationally, the CACN conducts research projects that explore identification, treatment and prevention of acute kidney injury and renal failure. At Cincinnati Children's, the CACN is working to change the outcomes through various partnerships, including:
For more information regarding ongoing or upcoming research in the CACN, contact:
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Pierside1 Fullerton RoadSingapore, Singapore
Members are invited to participate in the AGM from 6pm until 7.30pm at which time the Gala Dinner will commence.
Early bird tickets for both members and non-members are offered until 10th March ONLY - so please sign up soonest.
As this is also our AGM, we would encourage new candidates to stand for election to our Executive Committee (Exco). Paid up members will already have received the nominations form.
As part of the Gala Dinner there is a sumptuous set meal and free flow drinks for 3 hours.
Last year's inaugural Gala Dinner was a real success and we hope that our Alumni in Singapore and beyond will help make this year's even better.
Member and Non-member ticket, Early Bird: 125.88
Member ticket, Standard: 138.88
Non-member ticket, Standard: 148.88
Register OnlineEarly bird tickets for both members and non-members are offered until 10th March ONLY.
Deadline: 3/27/2009
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FOX47 NEWS - All Campus Party Week
Jeff Angileri
University of Wisconsin students are throwing a huge party this week. That's nothing new -- but this bash has all of the activities without the alcohol.
A kind of springtime serenade greeted students at Engineering Mall on the UW campus.
Excellent bands, said Drew Deitz, All Campus Party Week co-director. They braved the weather -- it was a little cold and windy out there.
Five groups performed live at the Battle of the Bands, part of the All Campus Party Week.
It actually started as a spring celebration, before everyone graduates and a way to celebrate Madison in an alcohol-free environment where everyone gets to bond and hang out together, said Kailey Bender, All Campus Party Week co-director.
The festivities come just as the campus is trying to salvage its reputation. The UW is known as a place where students drink way too much. Once again, UW-Madison made Playboy Magazine's list of the top ten party schools in America (#6). MTV is showcasing College Life as wild and dysfunctional entertainment. Organizers say they hope party week can help break the stereotype.
Part of the reason we take such pride in it is to celebrate the cool things we do to take the focus off drinking and the things Madison is known for at the national spotlight, and highlight the some of the positive things we do here, said Deitz.
And despite sober events, they've had no problem getting people to attend. When it comes to college students, they say, if you feed them, they will come.
Said Deitz, It's not everywhere or everyday you get to sit down and have a good burger in between classes.


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I really like the new scoreboard and banner ring, but where are the dancing nachos? You had to look quick in the past, but they were there!
They need to make an updated version to get us in the mood to buy from the concession stands!!!
No dancing nacho's!!!!!
I know what you are talking about.
So they are not on the new scoreboard?Nacho sales will plummet!
mmmm nachos...
The dancing nachos that were on the main scoreboard two scoreboards ago were the best.
Dancing Nachos would be a great name for a band.
Yeah well, ya know, that's just, like uh, your opinion, man.
Originally Posted by cyclonekj
Dancing Nachos would be a great name for a band.
How about for twin strippers?
Can someone fill me in on the nacho situation we have going on here? That's a little before my time.
Basically from what I remember, on the "old" scoreboards that used to be at the corners of the balcony up till this year, even once in awhile (usually before game or at halftime) there was an animation of dancing nachos that accompanied other snacks.
basically it was there to get you in the mood for concessions.
I miss those nachos
While we are at it, whatever happened to the blimp that used to fly around before the game and during timeouts. I liked to try and peg that thing with popcorn as it flew by.
They probably don't have the blimp anymore because Benson Buick doesn't sponsor as much as they used to. They used to have a chance at a car too.
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