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IN a season that was more substance over style for Rangers, Bilel Mohsni often brought a welcome hint of the unknown and sense of the unpredictable during a relentless charge to the League One title.
The defender immediately endeared himself to the Light Blue legions with his eccentric style and love for the club following his summer switch to Ibrox.
And while he often gave the fans and boss Ally McCoist reasons to watch through their fingers, he has enjoyed an eye-catching debut campaign in Scotland.
Yes, he has shown signs that his infamous temper could spill over, and the odd momentary lapse of concentration ended up costing Rangers on a couple of occasions but, alongside skipper Lee McCulloch, Mohsni has proven to be a decent acquisition.
It has turned out to be a successful first season in Scottish football for Mohsni and the former Southend United and Ipswich star has lapped up life at Rangers as he has made the most of his chance to make a positive first impression.
"I've really enjoyed my first year here and Rangers is a great club to play for," he said.
"The training facilities are excellent, Ibrox is a fantastic stadium and the fans are unbelievable.
"The games have been tough at times as our opponents have worked very hard and sometimes we have not scored until late on games but this is okay.
"If we win I am happy but it is better if we play well and entertain the fans.
"There have been games where we have not been at our best but there have also been a lot where we have played really well and we have scored a lot of goals."
Rangers fans didn't know what they were getting when Mohsni was recruited by McCoist last summer, with few aware of the talents of the unorthodox centre-half who has also played as a striker and left-winger during his nomadic career to date.
And the French-Tunisian is determined to continue giving the Ibrox crowd plenty to cheer about as he bids to star on far bigger stages.
"They are so important to the club and wherever we play they are there," Mohsni said. "It's impossible to realise just how pleasing it is to be surrounded by so many fans.
"My dream is to take the club back up to the top and into Europe where it belongs.
"People have so much love for this club and I can only imagine what it is like in the Scottish Premiership and for European games."
With an unbeaten League One campaign ticked off and winner's medal on his mantlepiece, Mohnsi, like the rest of his Light Blues team-mates, can look back at a job well done.
They are now just one title win away from completing their journey back to Scotland's top flight and Mohsni is eager to play his part.
"It will be nice to get a break, of course, and to see my family, but after that I am looking forward to coming back and playing in the Championship against better teams," he said.
"I'm sure we can win this league and then in one year we will be back in the top league and everyone will be happy.
"We'll have the Glasgow derby back again and everybody will look at Rangers like before. The games in the Championship will be very good and I'm confident we can do well next season."
It was not just in his more familiar centre-half berth that Mohsni impressed as McCoist's side cruised to the League One title this term.
The defender added his weight at the other end of the field as the 100 goals and 100 points barriers were breached.
His scoring tally of 12 was outdone by back-four partner McCulloch as the Ibrox captain hit the net 18 times.
And the Gers' No.3 has hailed his skipper for leading by example once again as Rangers moved another step closer to the top flight. "Lee is a very good player and I've really enjoyed playing alongside him," Mohsni told Ready, the Rangers matchday magazine.
"He has helped me a lot, but he helps everyone in the team, especially our younger players. He has so much experience to pass on to them and this season he has played at a very high level.
"He has scored a lot of goals, including important penalties.On my debut against Arbroath he scored one of the best goals of the season and I was like 'wow!' that was incredible.
"So Lee has been a great player for Rangers again this season and we have had a good partnership at the back."


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This step is noncompulsory but will seriously multiply your chances of your profile getting noticed by other daters. Write a little about yourself, your hobbies and upload some good photos of yourself.
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Found someone who looks like a good match? Drop them a line or just a wink and see what develops from there. With a little luck you'll be on your way to finding your perfect date.
And start dating

subset: commoncrawl


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DEFENDER Ismail Yakubu has vowed to fight for his place in the Newport County AFC side as he begins his fourth season with the club today.
The Exiles begin their second League Two campaign at home to Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon (kick-off 3pm).
And experienced centre-back Yakubu faces a real battle to make the starting XI with new signings Kevin Feely and Darren Jones both impressing in pre-season.
But the 29-year-old welcomes the extra competition and he's just pleased to be fit after recovering from an ankle injury.
"I surprised the physio and the management because they didn't expect me to be back so soon but I'm feeling good," said Yakubu.
"I've been performing well, I'm enjoying my football and I'm happy to be fit and available to play the first game.
"But I know I've got a lot of competition in central defence now and that's the good thing about football; you can never rest on your laurels.
"No matter how good you are or what you've achieved you've always got new people coming through and new people to test yourself against.
"The standard of the centre-halves at the club has risen again and it's going to be really tough to get into the side now," he added.
"Kevin is a great young talent and Darren is a really experienced centre-half.
"He knows exactly what he's doing and I'll be fortunate to play alongside either of them, or Byron Anthony or Andrew Hughes.
"I just hope that I'll be in the starting XI."
Yakubu is not getting carried away with an unbeaten pre-season and he's expecting Wycombe to be much tougher opponents today than they were last season.
"We've had good results but they don't count and we've got to make sure we produce the goods when it really matters today," he said.
"I'll be expecting a big improvement from Wycombe because they're a big club and they underperformed last season.
"They'll want to put a marker down for the season and we've got to stop them doing that."
Yakubu is one of the longest-serving players at the club having been signed by Anthony Hudson from AFC Wimbledon in 2011.
The defender didn't see eye to eye with Hudson and was sent on loan to Cambridge United but he's happy that his former boss has landed the New Zealand national job.
"Congratulations to him," said Yakubu. "Management is never easy. He had a bit of a tough time here at Newport but that's another great thing about football; you always get a second chance.
"He is a good manager. Things happen and some people don't get on but I'm not the type of person to hold a grudge.
"I've moved on and he's moved on and it sounds like we've both prospered so I'm happy for both of us."


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BALTIMORE -- Manny Ramirez, scoreboard watcher?
What a concept.
''I have no idea what he's watching," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said last night. ''I've seen him look up that way. I've seen him look a lot of ways. I don't know.
''But to answer you seriously, I think he knows we depend on him a lot. I think he knows that."
Whether Ramirez noticed that the Yankees already were ahead of the Blue Jays in New York even before the national anthem was played here, or that the Indians soon would open a big lead on the Royals in Kansas City, was immaterial to the night he had in Boston's 6-3 win over the Orioles, allowing the Sox to keep pace in the playoff race.
Ramirez was providing his own applause lines -- and clapping his hands enthusiastically each time -- when he hustled down the line on a pivotal throwing error by Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada in the Sox' three-run fifth, and again when he pounded his 40th home run with Edgar Renteria aboard in the seventh. He also singled home Renteria to give Bronson Arroyo a 1-0 lead in the first.
''I'm sure he knew [the Yankees score]," said Kevin Millar before hustling back to the team's hotel to watch coverage of Hurricane Rita, with his home in Beaumont, Texas, in harm's way. ''He's not as stupid as he plays, you know what I'm saying?"
Ramirez, who has hit 40 or more home runs in a season five times in his career, joined Carl Yastrzemski as the only players to hit 40 or more in three seasons while wearing a Sox uniform. He has four home runs in his last three games, and seven in his last 13, after a 17-game stretch in which he did not go deep.
On a night that David Ortiz went hitless in five at-bats (although it's a matter of debate whether a second baseman playing on the outfield grass, 160 feet from home plate, should be charged with an error when Ortiz's ground ball goes through his leg, as was the case last night), Ramirez had cause to clap, not only for himself, but for Trot Nixon, who whacked a two-run double after Tejada's error.
It's been a tough couple of days for Tejada, who is the lone reason Orioles fans have to cheer these days. His name surfaced in newspaper reports as the teammate Rafael Palmeiro, who was suspended for failing a steroid test, told a grievance panel Tejada gave him a substance later identified as vitamin B-12. That is not a steroid and is legal, of course, and in the Sox clubhouse, Ortiz said he frequently has injections of B-12 to prevent from running down during the season. ''I give B-12 to my kids, too," he said. ''Tablets. We have injections because it gets into our bloodstream faster that way."
Ortiz said that after talking to his agent, Fern Cuza, who also represents Tejada, he doesn't believe Palmeiro was ratting out Tejada, even if it was reported that way. And of course, he said, he was surprised to see Tejada throw away Ramirez's ground ball with two on, two outs, and the Orioles holding a 3-1 lead.
''Miggy is a great defensive shortstop," Ortiz said. ''We're not perfect out there. People should enjoy that because they're not going to get too many of those."
Even though Ramirez hit his 39th home run in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Devil Rays at Tropicana Field, much was made of his trot to first on a comebacker to the mound, his indifference taking on a more damning cast when pitcher Scott Kazmir nearly threw the ball away. But in a clubhouse accustomed to such moments, it barely registered. For a team that has nine games left to make up a one-game deficit to the Yankees in the division race or a 1 1/2-game deficit to the Indians in the wild-card race, what matters is that Ramirez is hitting again at the best possible time.
''It means we have one of the most dangerous hitters in the game hitting back-to-back with David," Francona said. ''When Manny gets hot, he's not going to hit singles. I hope he hits a bunch of homers."
Is Ramirez locked in? In the seventh, he lingered in the on-deck circle, assuming that Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo, who had righthander Chris Ray warming in the bullpen, would bring in the righty to replace lefthander Eric DuBose. But Perlozzo stayed with DuBose, citing Ramirez's 0 for 5 against DuBose in previous at-bats. Make that 1 for 6, Ramirez crushing a full-count pitch deep into the bullpens in left-center.
''We got him locked in," Millar said, ''because we've been saying, you'd better not let David beat you in home runs and RBIs. We've been on his butt, and now he's starting to catch him."
Ortiz, with 46 home runs and 140 RBIs, probably won't be overtaken by Ramirez (40 and 132), though Big Papi confirmed he's been letting Ramirez hear about it.
''I always give him some trash about it," Ortiz said. ''Manny says, 'Here I am, better hurry.' I say, 'You better hurry.' "
No need to explain the urgency. All Ramirez has to do is look up at the scoreboard.


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Marathon in Visakha tonight - ABN
Sat, Jul 02, 2016, 11:19 AM
A marathon is being organised in Visakhapatnam tonight, as a part of a luxury brands expo. The marathon is divided into four categories: 3 km, 5 km, 10 km and 21 km. Chandrababu will flag off the marathon at 6:15 pm. Officials are busy making arrangements at the Beach Road, where the marathon will be held. Traffic is restricted in the area from 3 pm onwards.


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Etsy Find: Love, California Cactus Pillows
Etsy seller Love, California was born and bred in Texas, and she's got the pillows to prove it. She makes charming wool-blend felt pillows bearing an icon of the Lone Star State, the cactus. Her Cactus With White Blooms Pillow ($125) is entirely hand-stitched in the shape of a cactus, while the Cactus Topiary Felt Pillow ($60) is square and hand-stitched with a colorful cactus appliqué. If you hail from Japan, you may prefer her hilarious Sumo Pillow ($109); Hawaii, her Hula Girl ($125); New Orleans, her Fleur-de-Lis Pillow ($55); and if you're just an average Joe, her Dark Cross Pillow ($55) might be for you.


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Hundreds of Alzheimer's Advocates Urge CMS to Support Coverage of Innovative Diagnostic Scans
Safe and effective PET beta-amyloid scans will allow doctors to advise patients on the proper course of care and speed clinical trials
WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 350 Alzheimer's advocates submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this week, urging the agency to provide coverage for a tool able to more precisely diagnose patients being evaluated for dementia.
In addition to helping ensure patients receive an accurate diagnosis, as well as appropriate treatments and therapies, the technology can help researchers optimize design and recruitment of clinical trials for potential Alzheimer's and dementia therapies.
Last month, CMS issued a proposed coverage policy that would severely restrict beneficiary access to the diagnostic tool. The proposal would require Coverage with Evidence Development, or CED, for a subset of dementia populations, meaning lengthy and costly clinical trials would need to be conducted in order for any patient to have the scan covered by Medicare. A one-month public comment period ends at 5 pm ET Friday, and CMS expects to issue a final decision in September.
George Vradenburg, chairman of USAgainstAlzheimer's, member of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, convener of the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer's Disease, and member of the Commission on Long-Term Care released the following statement on the pending CMS decision:
"In the past few days, we have seen a groundswell of support from Alzheimer's advocates and patients for Medicare to provide appropriate coverage of the innovative diagnostic PET beta-amyloid scan. Patients showing signs of mild cognitive impairment have grown weary from the long and costly odyssey they must endure to arrive at an accurate diagnosis in difficult-to-diagnose cases.
"These safe and effective innovative diagnostic tools – similar to earlier-generation tools already approved by Medicare – will allow doctors to provide their patients with the appropriate course of care, and speed advances in scientific research. Still, CMS says more evidence is needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the scans despite the issuance earlier this year from a panel of medical and scientific experts of very thoughtful and evidence-based Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) that would limit use of the technology to a subset of difficult-to-diagnose dementia patients. The longer we wait, the farther behind we'll fall in the race to stop a disease that has robbed millions of families of their loved ones in the most demeaning and horrific way possible.
"Alzheimer's has grown into our nation's most pressing public health crisis, and is poised to become a major fiscal crisis if it continues on its current trajectory. Today, we estimate that half of all dementia patients never receive a diagnosis of dementia. We can stop Alzheimer's within the decade, but only with the right resources and tools appropriately applied and by obtaining accurate and timely diagnoses. If we are serious about addressing this crisis, we need to break down barriers to innovation instead of erecting more."
For more information or to speak to George Vradenburg, please contact Kyle Moler at firstname.lastname@example.com or 202-478-6173.
USAgainstAlzheimer's is a 501(c)(4) national advocacy campaign and advocacy network committed to stopping Alzheimer's by 2020. An independent non-profit organization working in partnership with the Alzheimer's community, USAgainstAlzheimer's works to stop the disease by advancing policies that support research for a cure. For more information about USAgainstAlzheimer's, please visit: http://www.usagainstalzheimers.org.


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Considering the number of nicknames our pets have, after time they certainly learn to respond to a variety of names! If you adopt or rescue a dog that's not a puppy, chances are the furry one has a name already. And here enters this super cute pooch, Chyna. My friend tawvry and her boyfriend are rescuing this lass from a San Francisco shelter. Her adoption date is tomorrow, and everyone (North, too!) is super excited. However, the one thing they're not so excited about is her name. Considering they're not the first people I know to change a pet's name after adoption, I thought I'd offer some helpful tips to get started with this process. If you're curious . . . then
It's actually fairly easy to teach a newly adopted dog a new name. The pup will be getting used to the sound of your voice, and with a little patience that includes the sound (and tone) of your voice calling her new name. To get started, grab some treats or kibble. When addressing the pet, call out her new name with a friendly manner, gesture, and smile – praise the dog when she comes and offer a treat. Repeat this when it's time for walks or just when you want the pet to come to you, even if it takes her a bit to look and respond. Fear not, because even if the name you choose is totally different than her original name, after a short while she'll realize that when you say this magical word and she comes to you, it's yum time. And that's all it takes!


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Just Realized I Quoted Wrong Amt. Of Servings For Cake Size!
Decorating By VS8894 Updated 4 Nov 2008 , 4:45am by keyshia
I have a cake to do for Friday. I quoted a 10" 3" deep would
feed 38. I thought at the time it sounded like a lot. Well, I
was looking things over and realized I had looked at the
Wilton Wedding serving chart. I know that there will be 15
little girls and probably family.
So now, I have decided to do the cake in a 12". Problem is
I don't have the pan or boards or box in my town. I will have
to drive 45 minutes to get it.
I feel so stupid!
Instead of driving 45 minutes each way to get new pans, why not just make another 10' or some cupcakes. I bet they would be happy with that as long as the original cake stuck to the design you agreed upon. This way they still get the cake they wanted, plus an extra one or some cupcakes.
Hmm.....that does sound like a good idea. I'm thinking of making a second 10". Should I decorate it exactly like the original?
Do you think it would take away from the special birthday cake?
I think I would do the cupcakes idea.
I also vote for cupcakes. Same color and just tell your client that you wanted to make sure there was more than enough for this special day!
I would call the customer. Let them know about your serving calculation error, and ask if it is OK to supplement with cupcakes. I think that would look a LOT better than two cakes...
Call first-You don't want your customer getting upset if they get cupcakes too, if they only wanted a cake...some people are very particular, but others will be like, whatever, do what you need to.
Also, how many servings are you short?
I agree, add in some cupcakes and tell them you made a mistake and didn't want to short them in servings. They will probably thank you for being honest and refer you to others! Besides, who doesn't like cupcakes!!
I would call first also. I think if you are honest and up front with the customer about the error that they will be much happier. I would personally offer to supplement for the extra servings with a plain sheet cake. It's much easier to cut than a round and alot less work than cupcakes in my opinion. That way you would not take away from the "official" birthday cake and you save yourself time and money. BTW..our local Wal-Mart just started carrying a ton of cake pans and everything you could ever want (all Wilton). Maybe you could check them out if they are closer than 45 minutes and they don't like any options that you offer.
My husband just gave me another idea for you. Since he is the master of cakes (our nickname for him) I will pass it along. He says that he would bake another 10" round and cut out a 2" circle. He would then "paste it" (using icing) to the outside to give you that extra 2" you need. You would have to piece it together but it would solve your problem. This would only work if you don't mind cutting and pasting (as we call it) Good luck!
Thank you everyone for your suggestions.
I called the customer and told her about my "miscalculations". She really said she had a lot of people coming and wanted to have more cake than not enough. I do have a 14" cake pan I have never used. We decided on that.
Oh, by the way, we do have a super Wal-Mart but not one of the biggest. The biggest pan they had was a 10" lol.
I do have a question, though, I have never used a round pan that big, should I use a flower nail, and if so, I am assuming it goes in first, spike upward?
Also, she wants a marble cake, white with chocolate. I was thinking of using the WASC for the white, is there a variation for chocolate of that,? I thought I had read that there are variations.
. . . . sub choc. cake mix for white . . . instead of egg whites do 6 whole eggs . . . sub 2/3 of the flour for cocoa powder and sub all of the water for coffee . . . (coffee will enhance the chocolate flavor - you won't taste "coffee") . . .
flower nail, or two, or three . . . wouldn't hurt . . .
Personally I use the flower nail on anything 10 in and bigger. Also, I know that I've seen it posted before that Recipezaar has the different variations for the WASC recipe. It's an invaluable resource. Good luck...


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(NEW YORK) — New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin will undergo surgery next week to repair a small, chronic meniscus tear in his left knee, putting him out of action for six weeks.
Unless the Knicks advance deep into the playoffs, fans might have seen the last of the 23-year-old sensation for this year. The NBA regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 26th.
"Can't really do too much," Lin said Saturday. "Can't really cut or jump, so it's pretty clear that I won't be able to help the team unless I get this fixed right now. "
Lin is averaging 14.1 points and 6.1 assists in 35 games played this season.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio


text: I use my current lcd tv for HDTV cable and pc desktop/media player via HDMI I'm looking to replace my current tv and want a plasma as dollar for dollar they have better color accuracy color saturation black levels shadow detail viewing angle picture uniformity My viewing environment is usually in the dark. I have tried a Samsung PN51D6900DF (plasma) and another at Bestbuy (some kind of LG). The text just isn't crisp. It is kind of fuzzy. I'm aware of plasmas' trait of image retention - that I can deal with. I just don't want to be surfing and have text hard to read. Is it because of IR prevention (pixel orbiting, etc) that plasmas don't have crisp pixels/text? I have searched high and low for discussion on this but all I find is talk of IR. Do any of you use a plasma tv as a desktop pc display? How is it for text, especially compared to an LCD? Any comments welcome. Thank you


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Life Should Be Made Harder
I remembered when watching Iron Man, a movie from Marvel. Tony Stark was a billionaire, and it's obvious that he can get anything out of his pocket. But the strange thing is, when dealing with his illness, Tony just built a suit out of nowhere to mask the weakness he had. He could've done like … [Read more…]


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It may seem to some that the spy genre has been done to death since James Bond first came to the big screen with Dr. No. There were the Flint films which gently mocked the cliches of the Bond films, and we can't really forget the Austin Powers films. In video games it isn't really the same as Bond titles haven't always captured the feel of the movies well. Goldeneye is of course a classic and Everything or Nothing was a Bond movie in game format but none captured the feel of the early films. Not even Sean Connery appearing in From Russia With Love could save the game from average reviews. A brilliant alternate to the Bond titles and a worthy contender is No One Lives Forever, a Monolith title for the PS2 and PC.
As far as the plotline goes, you really can't ask for a more Bond feeling scenario. Evil organisation H.A.R.M has stolen a weapon that turns humans into ticking time bombs and have destroyed several locales. On top of this, the majority of agents working for good guys U.N.I.T.Y have been murdered by a mysterious Russian assassin with an eyepatch. This leaves only one agent that can save the world from certain doom, and it just so happens that it's a female! Sexy but strong agent Cate Archer is on hand to save the day on her first big assignment!
Graphics-wise the best way of describing it is primitive but entirely effective. The game captures the swinging sixties feel tremendously and you really do feel like you've gone back in time and are about to see the Beatles perform a gig and see the Ed Sullivan Show on the TV screens! It's very rare for a game to just capture a moment in time so well, especially 40 years after it. It's kudos to the developers that they have managed to create a world that is both realistic but contains the over-the-top Bond elements that we know and love.
Another area where the developers have clearly been doing their homework is in the music department. The game sounds 60s in every way shape and form. The best example of this is the game's theme tune, also called "No One Lives Forever" and is a classic piece of British themed pop which evokes images of The Avengers from the opening chords. The in-game music is at the same standard and captures the whole 60s feel incredibly well. There's no synths here so no doubt Queen would be proud of them!
The voice acting is also top notch in every regard. Cate Archer is played excellently by Kit Harris who gives Cate both elegance and attitude throughout the game. Her one-liners are in some cases better than Bond's. Several missions after falling out of an aeroplane at 30000 feet, she's asked whether she likes heights - she responds "Anything under cruising altitude." I thought that was a brilliant line, although there are plenty of others to choose from throughout. The enemies are also played effectively too - Jock Blaney gives a chilling performence as Dimitri Volkov and David Staler portrays Scottish anti-hero Armstrong with a great deal of humor and affection. The actors may not be well known but their performences are excellent and if there's any justice, they'll be getting lots of work for years to come!
It's hard to criticise the gameplay either when clearly a lot of work has gone into it! The levels are very well designed and look beautiful - there's a wide variety of locales including the Alps, Morocco and in Outer Space! Clearly there were no boundaries here. The controls are nice and simple so you'll be a master in minutes. The excellent training level helps a lot in getting to grips so I recommend going through it all and making sure you know how to do everything before you start! The novel feature of the game are that they include many brilliant gadgets. There are the obvious and smart ones, like a lighter that doubles as a welder and a belt that acts as a zipline. Then there's the more amusing ones like a Poodle that emits horomones to keep dogs subdued! It's a pretty novel idea and is quite fun and useful in practice.
The diffculty level is usually pretty good, although trying to defeat the final few bosses even on Easy mode is a challenge. It makes a change through from games that you just sail through and the plotline just keeps you engrosses throughout. Although it's sort of a parody of 60s spy films, the game takes itself serious which makes it all the more effective because of it.
In truth, there are few FPSs that are as solid or as unique as this one. It's a genuinely fun and witty title that has been spectaculairly put together by the people at Monolith and Sierra. There isn't anything else quite like this which is sure to give it a place in gaming history in the future. The fact that the game is near perfect only adds to the joys of the whole spy experience. I hope that No One Lives Forever 3 will get made somepoint in the future as this is one series that has a lot of life in it yet and doesn't deserve to die! Cate Archer, we need you to save the world again!
Stop the terrorist organization H.A.R.M. as sexy secret agent super-spy Cate Archer in this sixties styled first-person shooter!
The dialogue can be long winded at times, but it's wonderfully written, and is served well by the voice-acting. In the missions you might find yourself stopping to eavesdrop in on a conversation between guards - cool!
"Cause no one lives forever/but evil never dies/so learn to laugh at danger/never surrender/cause no one lives forever.", sorry I had to quote these lyrics - the theme tune is so damn groovy! The music fits in with the game's 60's theme.
There are gadgets to go ga-ga for. Though not great in their execution, with a couple making as keys for a lock, it's the thought that counts - sunglasses which are not only stylish but takes pictures as well as detect lasers and mines; lipstick that's as lush as it is lethal, detonating when thrown; and how about a perfume to die for, or at least to send the enemies to sleep.
Whilst the variety of tasks isn't that varied, come end of game, you'll have been sniping on the balcony, silently sneaked about for the stealth sections, gone scuba diving, jumped off a plane, taken a motorcycle or snowmobile if not the train for a ride, gone along with the gondola, interrogated a supposedly successful business man, exchanged banter with criminals, had to put up with a tone-deaf opera singer's "singing", sparred with a Scotsman, been given hell from helicopters, travelled to outer space, and last but not least, relived your pickpocketing past (only on PS2 version). What a woman this Cate Archer is!
Having to restart the scene, only for the lengthy loading times to last longer than your life. Repeatedly.
And it's not like the graphics are gorgeous. Character models are decent enough, Cate Archer is fine (*sigh*) but look through the scope, and the textures on some surroundings have that appearance where it's as if they were suffering heavy compression. If only they showed damage. The bad girl trio have horrible costumes.
No changing analogue sensitivity for horizontal and vertical axis independently. Four preset controller configurations. Not a button left unused, but the 180 degree turn should have been discarded - I loathe having a button mapped to the L3 button! Vehicles are infrequent, are tricky to handle.
Enemy AI is rather a mixed bag. No multiplayer.
The game is no walkover. You'll do well not to depend on auto-aiming. Even on easy the enemies are fairly accurate with their shots. There is much body armor lying about but barely any bandages for health. However the difficulty of a mission can be changed beforehand. No game lasts forever - this title will last several nights. Okay for replay value - it's nice to read about the intelligence items that can be picked up, I found myself replaying the interview mission for the dialogue.
A groovy FPS but not without faults. Despite having more missions, If I had to, I'd point a finger in the direction of the PC version for recommendation.
What do you do if you're a games developer who wants to make a James Bond fps (first person shooter) without the expense of the licence? Well, obviously high on your list you make sure you come up with a plot worthy of a typical Bond film. Then you ensure you include the gadgets, the one-liners and the exotic locations. Perhaps during development you're inspired by the Austin Powers movies which are going down a storm in the cinema so you base your game in the 60's and just for good measure you make the lead character female to distance yourself a little from the male spy. Oh, and don't forget to round it all off with an obvious Bond-like game title and a suitable theme tune. Maybe accusing it of pinching too much from the Bond series is being a little unfair as this game makes for a nice change of pace from most of the titles in the fps genre. But, since it's unlike me to start in the middle of a review, lets get back to the basics for a moment. 'The Operative: No One Lives Forever' originally surfaced on the PC in 2000 to some very good reviews. The Playstation2 version turned up in 2002 albeit with one or two amendments. You play the part of Cate Archer, an ex-thief but now recruited as a deadly operative working for UNITY - a secret international organisation dedicated to protecting humanity from your everyday megalomaniacs. However, it's the 1960's and female spies are not usually par for the course. But UNITY have little choice but to send Archer out into the field when over half of their operatives are killed by an assassin known to have links with a little-known organisation going by the name of HARM. I don't know who comes up with these plots but it appears to have been ten minutes well spent, probably during a visit to the pub. The 60's theme hits you right in the face from the outset thanks to the music playing in the background and the psychedelic animated
game menu. After starting a new game and choosing one of the four difficulty levels you'll get a mission briefing and a set of objectives. Once past the loading screen (and get used to it because you'll be seeing it a lot), you get a couple of cut scenes showing the assassination of some of UNITYs agents which sets the scene for the first level. You start in the headquarters of UNITY and a quick check of you objectives reveals you first need to report to the briefing room to be given your mission. During the course of the next couple of levels you'll be taken through field tactics and weapons training which is a nice way of easing you into the game. It's also useful to get the hang of the controls because strangely nowhere in the instruction manual does it list which button does what. You can find this though the options menu in the game where you can also choose from four button configurations. Presumably this choice of configurations is the reason for leaving these details out of the manual but the default setting seems to be a fairly standard layout and I would imagine the one most people would use. Also I like to check out the controls before playing a new game just to see what moves are available to me. Still this is only a petty annoyance. The game is divided into nineteen missions (four of which are specific to the PS2 version) with each mission comprising of a number of levels - or scenes, as the game likes to refer to them - making about sixty levels in total. These are based in various world-spanning locations such as Morocco, Berlin, the Caribbean and even a space station. Your objectives for each mission may change as you work your way through the levels but a quick press of the circle key displays them on screen and also shows which have been completed. These range from fairly general instructions such as 'prevent civilian casualties' through to more specific goals like 'bribe the gate gua
rd to get inside the compound' and they all have to be completed in order to finish the mission. Movement is controlled by the left analogue stick and direction by the right, although the choice of controls allows the directional pad to be used if that's your preference. As with most first person shooters there is a slight bobbing action when in motion and should you be carrying a weapon this will sway side to side as you walk. If this is the sort of thing that gives you motion sickness then you'll be relieved to know that the game options allow you to reduce these movements or even switch them off altogether. As you make your way through each mission you can collect ammo, body armour and extra weapons. There are no pickups to replenish your health although the body armour does a pretty good job of protecting you. Health is only replenished between missions so you had better keep a close eye on it. There are weapons and gadgets aplenty - about 30 in total - some of which are supplied at the start of a mission, others which can be picked along the way. Cates handbag is soon full of weird and wonderful items such as explosive lipstick, lock-picks, camera disabling devices, code breakers, pen darts, sleeping gas ... and that's before I even mention the selection of weapons ranging from pistols and rifles through to grenade launchers. I guess it's a big handbag then. Stealth also makes an obligatory appearance and much of the training is dedicated to creeping up on targets or avoiding them altogether although in actual practice it's much more tempting to race through the levels shooting at anything hostile that moves. The graphics on the whole are pretty good although there is nothing that hasn't been seen before. Movement is fluid and there is no slow down to speak of. There are some very nice touches on the animation front such as if you kill an enemy at the top of a slope or stairway they o
ften roll down and land in a heap at the bottom. While on the subject of enemies it's also nice to see that they don't always just come racing towards you unlike the cannon fodder found in many other titles. Instead they may take cover or wait for re-enforcements to arrive before attacking. One other thing I will say though is that they are very accurate with their weapons even at a distance - and that's only on the normal difficulty setting. You could always try the Hard or Super Spy difficulty levels if you really want a challenge. While playing the game a suitable soundtrack plays unobtrusively in the background but it's the voice acting that really stands out. Not only is much of it quite humorous but it's the little snippets of conversations that you'll pick up on as you wander through the levels that catch your attention. They are highly entertaining and more than once you'll find yourself stopping just to hear more of the conversation. It's all very well done even if the actors did have their tongues firmly in their cheeks while doing it. The remaining sound effects are pretty much what you would expect and volume levels for vocals, music and effects can be adjusted via the options menu. But it's in the gameplay that the real joys of the game can be found. Rather than constant level after level of charging through shooting anything that moves there is a little more variety to be found here. For instance on your first mission your job is to protect a VIP from a number of assassins. To do this you are located in a hotel window and need to kill any hostiles that try to shoot the ambassador. Manage this and you get to the next level. While an accomplice protects the ambassador you need to move to another room in the hotel and take up position to protect the VIP again. Manage this and the enemy storm the hotel you are in forcing you to defend yourself at close quarters.
Other missions vary between stealth and sniping levels as well as some the familiar run and shoot levels. There is even a level that sees you skydiving from a plane. Occasionally you get the opportunity to ride a motorbike or snowmobile, which again breaks up the constant running and shooting of other fps titles. Moving on to the controls, it's all fine and good if you're playing the PC version as the mouse and keyboard combination make aiming quite straightforward but this is one of the areas in which PS2 fps games usually suffer. It can be very slow and difficult to accurately line up targets, especially those in the distance, with only the analogue stick. To compensate an auto targeting option is available, indeed it's turned on by default. Even enabled you still have to be quick and fairly accurate but once you get your sights close to a target the system locks onto either a head shot (which usually takes out the target instantly) a body shot or a limb shot. This works well and tends to make things manageable rather than easy. No doubt some of you will have already cast your eyes towards the number of stars I've awarded this game. If so you'll have noticed I've given it three stars which indicates that despite these good points it obviously has its share of problems. While there are not many of them they do tend to have quite an impact on the game. Some may feel that being able to save your progress wherever you like in a game makes things too easy but this is one game that would seriously benefit from that ability. As things stand you can only save a game between levels and some of these levels are very large. The PC version allowed you to save whenever you like but if you are playing this on a PS2 and you get suddenly killed then it's back to the beginning of that level. This can quickly become very frustrating. To illustrate my point - one of the levels in the second mission requires yo
u to meet a number of contacts in order to piece together some intelligence information. So you start the game with one objective which is to meet your first contact. Once done you're given another objective to go and find your next contact. After rushing back and fore over the level you finally get an objective to bribe a security guard to let you through into an enemy complex. As soon as you approach the guard you get shot at and killed. So it's back to the beginning and you again have to run about the level meeting your contacts one at a time. OK, so it may only take ten minutes but it's rather annoying and as you get later into the game the size of the levels increase along with the number of objectives. And get killed you will, quite a lot. As mentioned the enemies do tend to be quite accurate even at a distance. Combine that with the fact that you have no way to replenish your health during a mission. Sure, you can pick up body armour but these are few and far between. This makes things very difficult because if you get a pasting on the first level of a mission then you'll have to complete the rest of that mission with whatever health you have left. You may be lucky enough to discover a body armour pickup but failing that any encounter that results in you taking a couple of hits will send you back to the start of the level. Any sudden death like this is quite frustrating but then there is the loading time to cope with. Most of the levels take around 25 seconds to load. This may not sound very long but you have this wait every single time you restart a level and occasionally you get a level so difficult that you'll spend more time looking at the loading screen than actually playing the game. This is not a good thing at all. Despite the problems I've mentioned, the fairly basic puzzles (press a button to unlock a gate) and generally straightforward gameplay would suggest it's one for the
casual rather than hardcore gamer. I'd probably go along with that but would add that a great deal of patience is essential in getting the most from this game. All in all it's a bit of a shame. No One Lives Forever has a lot of nice touches and is very close to being something special but is badly let down by a few, albeit major, problems. It certainly has it's fair share of moments and is often very entertaining but occasionally turns into a frustrating exercise of trial and error largely due to the lack of a quick save feature. There's no sign of any sequel appearing on the PS2 (although I believe there is one on the PC) but if it ever does, and assuming it manages to resolve these issues, then I'll certainly be happy to give it a go. As of yet it's not appeared on the platinum label so I'll have to quote the official price of £39.99 but, as it's been out for quite a while, you should easily be able to find it on offer somewhere. I picked it up on PLAY.COM in a two for £20 offer and at that price it's well worth the money, even with its flaws. Game Information ------------------------- 'The Operative - No One Lives Forever' by Sierra for Playstation2 1 player, Memory card - 150KB min, Analogue control compatible: analog sticks only ELSPA age rating - 15 Some websites worth a look ------------------------------------- This may be biased towards the PC version but it does give you an idea of what to expect from the game - http://www.noonelivesforever.com/ The official Sierra site where you can view a trailer or take a look at some screenshots - http://www.sierra.com/product.do?gamePlatformId=63 Thanks for reading © Nomad 2003


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Neil Nitin Mukesh
|Neil Nitin Mukesh
Neil at the Volkswagen sevent, 2012
|Neil Nitin Mukesh Chand Mathur
15 January 1982
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
|Film actor
|Years active
|Rukmini Sahay Mathur (m. 2017) [1]
|Nitin Mukesh Mathur
Neil Nitin Mukesh Chand Mathur (born 15 January 1982) better known as Neil Nitin Mukesh is an Indian actor, who appears in Hindi-language films. He is the son and grandson of singers Nitin Mukesh and Mukesh, respectively. After brief roles as a child in Vijay (1988) and Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii (1989), Neil decided to venture into acting after graduating from HR College with a bachelor's degree in commerce.
Neil made his debut in Sriram Raghavan's 2007 critically acclaimed thriller Johnny Gaddaar, which earned him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award nomination. He subsequently earned critical acclaim for his performance in New York (2009) and Jail (2009); the former earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. The actor was later noted for his performance in Lafangey Parindey (2010), 7 Khoon Maaf (2011) and David (2013). He debuted in Tamil cinema as the main antagonist in Kaththi (2014), for which he learned Tamil from scratch.
Early life and background[edit]
Neil was born Neil Nitin Mukesh Chand Mathur on 15 January 1982 in Mumbai, Maharashtra in a Hindu Kayastha family. His parents are Nishi Mukesh and Bollywood playback singer Nitin Mukesh, son of veteran singer Mukesh.[2] He was named by Lata Mangeshkar after the American astronaut Neil Armstrong.[3] As a child, he appeared in Vijay (1988) and Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii (1989) as the younger versions of Rishi Kapoor and Govinda.[4]
Neil was educated at Brown Lawns H kindergarten and HR College in UK, where he graduated with a Commerce|bachelor's degree in commerce]][5] at his father's insistence. He then decided to pursue a career in acting, despite being born into a family of singers.[2] In an interview with The Times of India, the actor said "singing is my hobby, but acting is my passion. A passion that even my grand-dad harboured. So, while my father continued his legacy and became a singer, I pursued his other passion. I am living his dream".[2] Neil trained at a four-month workshop at the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute, and received training from actor Anupam Kher.[5]
Acting career[edit]
2007–10: Debut and breakthrough[edit]
Neil made his debut in Sriram Raghavan's 2007 thriller Johnny Gaddaar. His portrayal of a crook received positive reviews from critics[6] and earned him a Best Male Debut nomination at the 53rd Filmfare Awards. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama described Neil as a "complete natural": "The youngster carries off the part with dexterity. There's just one word to describe his performance – superb!"[7] However, despite critical acclaim, the film failed to do well at the box office.[8]
Neil's first 2009 film was the science-fiction thriller Aa Dekhen Zara. Co-starring with Bipasha Basu, he played a struggling photographer who inherits a camera (whose photos predict the future) from his scientist grandfather. The film was a critical and commercial failure.[9] His performance received mixed reviews from critics; while Nikhat Kazmi described him as charming and effortless,[10] Raja Sen of Rediff.com said he "seems to have cleverly picked another character that doesn't require him to act much beyond the fish-out-of-water routine".[11]
His next appearance was in Kabir Khan's action-drama New York with John Abraham, Katrina Kaif and Irrfan Khan. Exploring the aftermath of the 9/11, the film was a critical and commercial success, earning over ₹610 million (US$9.5 million) worldwide.[12] His performance was praised by critics, earning him a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 55th Filmfare Awards.[13] Subhash K Jha wrote: "Neil as the sophomore with stars and stripes in his eyes is fully convincing credible and supportive of the two central performances."[14]
His final film of the year was Madhur Bhandarkar's Jail, a drama revolving around the cruel reality faced by prisoners in Indian jails. The film's aesthetically shot nude scene (demonstrating the torture Neil's character received in jail) and a masturbation scene sparked controversy;[15] as a result, the latter scene was shortened.[16] Neil remarked, "My nude or masturbation scenes are not for titillation. It's a very practical need in the script. My character is in jail without sex for 2-1/2 years. What does he do? He naturally seeks pleasure by himself."[16] A commercial failure,[17] the film and his performance were praised by critics.[18] Taran Adarsh wrote: "Not only does Neil Nitin Mukesh deliver his finest performance to date, but the performance would easily rank amongst the finest this year. He conveys the pathos and helplessness that this character demands with amazing understanding. He deserves all praise for his extra-ordinary portrayal."[19]
In 2010, Neil featured in Pradeep Sarkar's romantic drama Lafangey Parindey with Deepika Padukone. While the film received mixed reviews, his portrayal of a fighter was appreciated by critics.[20] According to Sify's Sonia Chopra, Neil's "underplayed acting style complements the character's sketch perfectly".[21] Blessy Chettiar of Daily News and Analysis noted: "He looks great in every frame and carries off [the character's] rugged demeanour with panache."[22] Lafangey Parindey was a moderate commercial success, with a worldwide revenue of ₹310 million (US$4.8 million).[23] Neil then starred in Sudhir Mishra's dramatic thriller Tera Kya Hoga Johnny.[24]
He has also been a brand ambassador to one of the leading clothing brands of the country, Oxemberg, in April, 2010.[25]
2011–present: Recent work[edit]
The following year Neil starred in Vishal Bhardwaj's 7 Khoon Maaf, a black comedy (based on Ruskin Bond's short story "Susanna's Seven Husbands"[26] featuring Priyanka Chopra as a woman who murders her seven husbands in an unending quest for love. The actor was cast as Chopra's first husband, Major Edwin Rodriques, an arrogant, jealous and possessive army officer who lost a leg in Punjab's Operation Blue Star in 1984. The film premiered at the 61st Berlin Film Festival;[27] it was a commercial failure, receiving a mixed response from critics, but Neil's performance was praised. Nikhat Kazmi wrote that he "excelled as the brute."[28]
In 2012, Neil starred in Abbas-Mustan's Players as part of an ensemble cast including Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Bobby Deol. The film was a remake of the 2003 Hollywood heist thriller The Italian Job;[29] it was also a commercial failure,[30] receiving mixed to negative reviews from critics (as did Neil's performance). Subhash K Jha said he "brings a mean menacing tone to the villainy."[31] And according to Rediff.com's Sukanya Verma, Mukesh "mistakes sinister for superficial, resulting in a truly phony performance."[32]
In 2013, Neil worked in three films, though all were commercially unsuccessful.[33] His first release was Bejoy Nambiar's action-drama David, in which he played a gangster whose boss controls the Asian community in 1970's London. The actor said his character's dual personality appealed to him: "Here was this hardcore, extremely violent gangster and on the other hand, my director wanted me to show the emotional and romantic side to him too."[34] The film received mixed reviews, but Neil's performance was critically acclaimed.[35] Writing for The Times of India, Madhureeta Mukherjee described it as "restrained and powerful"[36] and CNN-IBN's Rajeev Masand said that Mukesh is "nicely understated".[37]
He next appeared opposite Sonal Chauhan in Eros International's horror film 3G. Filmed in Fiji, the film told the story of how the duo face supernatural occurrences when they buy a 3G-enabled phone.[38] The film was not well received by critics.[39] In a review for Rediff.com, Ankur Pathak said that Neil is "aggressively over the top" and added that his "body language is consistently uncomfortable."[40] He also appeared in Susi Ganeshan's crime thriller Shortcut Romeo with Ameesha Patel and Puja Gupta. The picture ran into trouble when it got a limited release by its producers, and emerged as a major commercial failure.[41][42] On his performance, Madhureeta Mukherjee of The Times of India said: "Neil performs well as always, he looks good (he needs to tone down his physicality for such roles) and proves that actors like him need better scripts to justify their true potential."[43]
Neil has completed work on two films — Prerna Wadhwan's romantic drama Ishqeria, which will see him star opposite Richa Chadda,[44] and Manish Vatsalya's Dussehra, where Neil will feature as an encounter specialist with Tena Desae.[45] He debuted in Tamil cinema with AR Murugadoss's Kaththi. He also acted in Sooraj R. Barjatya's 2015 family drama Prem Ratan Dhan Payo with Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor.[46] He also made a guest appearance in Wazir.
Personal life[edit]
In 2017, Neil married Rukmini Sahay Mathur.[47]
Other ventures[edit]
Social activism[edit]
In 2009, Neil started an NGO to support and help needy women by providing them with food, shelter and vocational training to support themselves. The philanthropic project was named for his grandmother, Saral Devi. The actor said: "I have read about women getting oppressed, exploited by men and other family members. They get sold like commodities and are driven into prostitution. I'm always pained to hear all this and at the back of my mind I had thought that I would start an organisation to support such women."[48] In 2012, he joined with Volkswagen in support of an environmental campaign called "Think Blue", an initiative increasing awareness of water scarcity and other pressing ecological issues.[49]
Award ceremony participation[edit]
Neil participated in the Hiru Golden Film Awards 2016 in Sri Lanka as a special guest, along with Bollywood actors such as Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff, and actresses Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and Karishma Kapoor.[50]
|Young Vikram
|Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii
|Young Ravi Verma
|Johnny Gaddaar
|Vikram / Johnny G
|Tera Kya Hoga Johnny
|Aa Dekhen Zara
|Ray Acharya
|New York
|Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
|Parag Dixit
|Lafangey Parindey
|Nandan Kamthekar
|7 Khoon Maaf
|Major Edwin Rodriques
|David / Iqbal
|Shortcut Romeo
|Tamil film
|Rudra Pratap Singh
|Prem Ratan Dhan Payo
|Yuvraj Ajay Singh
|Indu Sarkar
|Sanjay Gandhi
|Golmaal Again
|Telugu / Hindi film, filming
Awards and nominations[edit]
|Filmfare Awards
|Best Male Debut
|Johnny Gaddaar
|International Indian Film Academy Awards
|Face of the Year
|Screen Awards
|Most Promising Newcomer–Male
|Stardust Awards
|Superstar of Tomorrow–Male
|Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards
|Best Actor in a Negative Role
|Zee Cine Awards
|Critics Special Award
|Filmfare Awards
|Best Supporting Actor
|New York
|Screen Awards
|Best Supporting Actor
|7 Khoon Maaf
|South Indian International Movie Awards
|SIIMA Award for Actor in a Negative Role
See also[edit]
- ^ http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/photos-inside-neil-nitin-mukeshs-wedding/20170210.htm
- ^ a b c Naval Shetye, Aakanksha (11 September 2007). "Neil Nitin Mukesh's Bollywood break". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ "Celebs named after famous people". Mid Day. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Wishing Neil Nitin Mukesh a very happy Birthday". Bollywood Hungama. 15 January 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ a b Mulchandani, Amrita (16 June 2008). "I am in Love: Neil Nitin Mukesh Chand". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (29 September 2007). "Johnny Gaddaar". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Adarsh, Taran (28 September 2007). "Johnny Gaddaar". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Dil Dosti, Johnny Gaddaar open poorly". Rediff.com. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Dashavtaar Opens to a Poor Response". Box Office India. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (26 March 2009). "Aa Dekhen Zara". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Sen, Raja (27 March 2009). "Shot in the dark". Rediff.com. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ "Box Office 2009". Box Office India. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Nominations for 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009". Bollywood Hungama. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ K Jha, Subhash. "'New York', a remarkable effort". Times of India. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ "Nude scene in 'Jail' won't offend moms: Neil Mukesh". Mid Day. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ a b K Jha, Subhash (28 October 2009). "Neil Mukesh's masturbation scene in Jail shortened". Mid Day. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (16 November 2009). "Ranbir-Katrina jodi strikes gold at Box Office". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Malani, Gaurav (6 November 2009). "Jail: Movie Review". The Economic Times. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Adarsh, Taran (6 November 2009). "Jail". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Guha, Aniruddha (20 August 2010). "Review: Lafangey Parindey is complete paisa vasool". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Chopra, Sonia. "Movie Review: Lafangey Parindey". Sify. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Chettiar, Blessy (20 August 2010). "Review: Lafangey Parindey is a tribute to Mumbai's spirit". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ "Box Office 2010". Box Office India. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Failures keep you grounded: Neil Nitin Mukesh". NDTV. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Brand ambassador Oxemberg: Neil Nitin Mukesh".
- ^ "Priyanka's guide to losing your beloved in 7 ways!". The Indian Express. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ Chhabra, Aseem (18 February 2011). "7 Khoon Maaf premieres at Berlin Film Fest". Rediff.com. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (17 February 2011). "7 Khoon Maaf movie review". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Players different from the original movie: Bipasha". The Hindustan Times. 27 December 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ "Agneepath Bumper Opening But Collections Fall Quickly". Box Office India. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ K Jha, Subhash (7 January 2012). "Subhash K. Jha speaks about Players". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ Verma, Sukanya (6 January 2012). "Review: Players is lacklustre and unimaginative". Rediff.com. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ "Don't make mistake of writing me off: Neil Nitin Mukesh". Zee News. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ Roy, Priyanka (31 January 2013). "David: star and style". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ "Neil Nitin Mukesh's David gets mixed reviews". The Hindustan Times. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ Mukherjee, Madhureeta (1 February 2013). "David". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ Masand, Rajeev (2 February 2013). "'David' Review: Much to appreciate but formidable length mars its chances". CNN-IBN. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ^ Sharma, Garima (3 March 2013). "Neil Nitin Mukesh, Sonal Chauhan promote 3G". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ "'3G – A Killer Connection' Critics Review: A Big 'NO'". International Business Times. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ Pathak, Ankur (15 March 2013). "Review: 3G only offers cheap thrills". Rediff.com. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ Tuteja, Joginder (25 June 2013). "Neil-Ameesha, Mithun-Suniel starrers sabotaged?". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ "Box Office Earnings 28/06/13 - 04/07/13 (Nett Collections in Ind Rs)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ Mukherjee, Madhureeta (20 June 2013). "Shortcut Romeo". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ Parkar, Shaheen (25 January 2014). "Neil Nitin Mukesh starrer 'Ishqeria' delayed yet again". Mid-Day. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ "Neil Nitin Mukesh an encounter specialist in 'Dussehra'". Zee News. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ "'Johnny Gaddar' inspired my look in 'Kaththi': Neil Nitin Mukesh". Zee News. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/neil-nitin-mukesh-23rd-ganesh-homecoming-to-have-rukimini-theme/articleshow/60219451.cms
- ^ "Neil champions the cause of women". DNA India. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ "Neil supports environment awareness campaign". Indian Express. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ "Hiru Golden Film Awards". hirugoldenfilmawards.hirutv.lk. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
- ^ "Neil Nitin Mukesh to play Sanjay Gandhi in Madhur Bhandarkar's next". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 Nov 2016.
- ^ http://www.desiblitz.com/content/55th-filmfare-awards-2010-winners


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By Woodchuck ATC
Dec 17, 2009
|Hey, thanks for taking a photo of me as I built that wonderful gravel road to the 'outback' acres of Miguels in spring '09'. Nothing else better to do that day in the rain except drink beer and push a wheelbarrow full of gravel.
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WHAT would you change if you could alter one thing about the beautiful game in the UK?
I know for certain what mine would be. An end to the madness that is the end of August/beginning of September transfer deadline day.
The whole thing has become an integral part of English football, to the point that I actually think Sky Sports prefer their 24-hour parade of transfers and made-up stories to actually covering a match.
It's that day where we all suspend our disbelief and let our hearts supersede our brains as we dream wistfully of signing a superstar who can take our respective clubs to the mythical next level as one last minute addition transforms us into contenders.
It's the football fans' equivalent of Christmas Day except unless you are a Chelsea, Man City or Man United fan, chances are you'll find yourselves on the naughty list and will end up with a lump of coal instead (and I don't mean Carlton).
The entire production is utterly absurd, from the newsroom with touch screens regurgitating the same story over and over as "Sky sources," break up periods with less news by finding exciting new lines that they themselves shoot down some time later (almost as if they were never true to begin with).
Then there are the super fans, the ones that are so desperate to know who they might sign they do the only sensible thing which is descend on their clubs' training ground to gurn gormlessly in the background as 'our reporters are the grounds' bring you an update that indeed, nothing is still happening. I'd ban them from going to actual games on the grounds that they are super, super sad.
But don't despair, because Jim White is on the way, the Santa Claus of this crazy Christmas party.
Jim White is a fine broadcaster, but the fact he's become synonymous with a day of hype and tripe does him a disservice, "breaking news and it's a big one," will probably be the inscription on his tombstone.
So what do I propose instead?
It couldn't be more simple.
The transfer deadline should be at the end of July, long before the season starts here or in any other major European league.
Every club in the land should have to do their business before the campaign begins, to enhance the integrity of the sport and to ensure the best prepared and managed teams ultimately reap the greatest rewards, and you can still have your mad deadline day excitement.
I won't hold my breath though.


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Welcome to AIAA's Event Videos page. AIAA Livestreams from many of its annual conferences, which feature top level speakers from industry, academia, and government. AIAA publishes these video-recorded sessions on www.aiaa.org, for those who may have missed the livestreaming sessions, or for those who may want to view them again. The recorded sesssions are also published on
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Guap City Presents: Priscilla G. - 707 Gang (Mixtape)
Slapped by KGBeatz January 11, 2016 More from: 707 Gang | Guap CIty | Keeloz | Priscilla G.
Fairfield's @SheIsPriscillaG has just unveiled her "707 Gang" Mixtape, which will be the first installment of joint projects by Priscilla G. x Guap City Records. It features a few remixes, including Drake's "Right Hand", a dope freestyle to "Energy", as well as some new heat and a snippet of her upcoming single "Nothing". This mixtape was put together by Priscilla G. and oft collaborator Keeloz, who also worked on her Debut Mixtape, "She Is Priscilla G." Snatch the mixtape for free below, and stay tuned for the Official Video for "Nothing" droppin' soon!
Guap City Presents: Priscilla G. -


text: Following in the footsteps of Liya Kebede, Alek Wek and the famous Iman, is a stunning array of young African women eager to conquer the lofty world of haute couture; but the way forward for many of them is no walk in the park … Nyasha Matonhodze for Louis Vuitton F/W 11 At 16, most people are busy thinking about boys or studying, but model Nyasha Matonhodze is moving to the top of the modeling heap with one impressive booking after another. After walking the Zac Posen, Burberry, MaxMara, DKNY and Carolina Herrera 2012 F/W catwalk shows, the Zimbabwe born beauty graced the Balenciaga Resort 2012 campaign, as well as the latest cover of British vogue's May 2012 supplement cover. It's her dream come true. "I'm getting the chance to work with people who are legends to me. People that I never thought I'd work with. Not only designers, not only stylists, photographers as well and models. What I hope for is a long lasting career. That is what I want and that is what I hope to get, to be seen on the runway at 24 or 30." Then there's Ajak Deng, 19, a Sudanese-Australian model who could have easily been a poster child for war and strife, but is now striding through New York, booking Chloe, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Lanvin shows, plus appearing in an array of editorials. The wistful and stunning Ajak Deng Walking closely in her footsteps is Ataiu Deng, also Sudanese. This stunner became a star after only three years of modeling. No surprise, considering her impossibly long limbs and flawless mocha skin and this year alone she's been a a shoo-in for Diane Von Furstenberg (S/S 12 show), Oscar de la Renta (Resort 2012) and Kenzo. Relatively new to the scene is Somalian born and America's Next Top Model cycle 10 alum, Fatima Said, who has the face of an angel, enough to steal hearts at the Dries Van Noten and Herve Leger S/S 2012 shows. Fatima Said – face of an angel What's attractive to fashion houses is their striking looks, long legs and slender bodies which are perfectly suited to Milan, Paris and New York's catwalks. However they're the tip of the iceberg, the few and far between; the truth is that as I flick through Vogue, Grazia and Harpers, I rarely see my fellow black sisters, especially in countries like the US and Australia. There's a myriad of African models clamouring for a chance to shine in the limelight, finding it hard to get a foothold in the industry because popular culture seems only able to deal with a small clutch of African models at a time. My model friends from Zambia and the Congo constantly complain to me that they cannot get a gig for months. There's simply not any demand for them, and as they tell me, sometimes photographers and makeup artists are scared of their black skin – not knowing how to apply black make-up or light them properly. There's also a sort of hesitancy expressed about the waist and bust sizes, the shape of the nose and curve of the butt – in essence our bodies just don't 'fit' the skinny norm. However the real power to hire or fire lies with the booking agencies and their high profile clients when to comes to giving an African girl a fighting chance. When the decision is made whether to choose a stunning black model over an equally stunning white girl, in the economic reality we live in, the white girl gets picked. Is it racist? Perhaps. Before we jump on the race card bandwagon, could it be that the reasons for NOT hiring black and African models are more complex and wrapped up in the good old paradigm of … hard cash money? Let's not be naive people. The industry is driven by what sells and, in general, white blonde girls sell – that's the current mindset. In actual fact, black girls do sell but they're not given as many openings. It is safer to go with a white girl, and in a recession people are very conservative. Model booker Annie Wilshaw puts it more strongly: "When the client sends you a brief you know straight away they're not talking about a black girl. They say they want 'a girl with long hair, who looks like a fairy' or something. When they want a black girl, they will say 'looking for mixed-race girl, tribal-prints location, desert scene'. She goes on to say, "It really bores me when photographers shoot black girls the same way, with a tribal print and some bright eye-shadow going on. Come on, that was Alek Wek in the 1990s, do something different." Pundits and plebs aside have opined on this controversial 'black models being sidelined' subject year on year – mainly because it keeps coming up annually. The wisdom always boils down to one fact: The only way the industry is going to change, sadly, is when Africans have more consumer power. Money influences the industry. When marketers want to sell to Africans, because they now have the wallets to pay the designer prices, then we'll begin to see more ethnic models on runways, editorial spreads and ads. One comment made by a viewer* of from the National Film Board of Canada's shocking short documentary - 'The Colour of Beauty' which examines racism in the fashion industry, recently caught my attention: "The modeling industry takes it cues, naturally, from the marketing industry. The marketing industry does plenty of research (as someone pointed out) to target their ideal audience and, some would argue, maintain the class hierarchy within our society. None of it is ethical in any sense of the word. And there is definitely nothing ethical about blatant discrimination in hiring practices, but the whole industry is built upon selling superficial products in the (bogus) name of enhancing or creating an identity. So, really, why should we expect differently? The 'developed' world has become, by and large, an insanely consumerist and thereby classist culture. As I was watching this film, I kept wishing that Ms. Thompson would just leave the business and fight the same fight where a real difference could be made… in schools or something that is not in support of an industry that at this level is really meaningless to humanity; not unlike the gazillion-dollar sports stars that so many kids look up to… Which is not to say that I do not think that fashion is art. I absolutely do. But when an art becomes so commercialized, corporatized and marketed that there are national and even global trends that can be seen based on marketing, etc., it is no longer real art. It has turned into commodity. Fashion week is a commodity. Though thanks to Ms. Phillip, maybe Ms. Thompson **is** actually doing significant outreach through this film… Hopefully the young girls watching will see past all of the glamour … " True! The reality is, we Africans need to stop waiting for, and leaning on the developed world's tools and marketing devices to find our place and voice. We need to develop our own booking agencies, fashion magazines (like Arise), editorial and news publishers (a la Afritorial), our own collateral AND our own profitable fashion industry that we can then leverage to our advantage. As Africa continues to develop at the rate of noughts, I've no doubt that in time, we will become self sufficient in the fashion world, and that our own models will find the platform of their dreams right here at home. _______________________________________________________________ Sources: Models.com - http://models.com/oftheminute The Guardian Newspaper – 'Fashion probably is a bit racist', by Hannah Pool (http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion) Comment by amylovesyoumore: http://www.nfb.ca/film/colour_of_beauty 5 Responses Afritorial (@Afritorial) December 4, 2012 Africa's emerging super models and the politics of skin colour in the fashion industry http://t.co/pH2XOzFA Reply @popskies December 4, 2012 RT @Afritorial: Africa's emerging super models and the politics of skin colour in the fashion industry http://t.co/pH2XOzFA Reply Guulo December 14, 2012 I totally agree with this piece. Recently I have been thinking about the phrase "the developed world" and wondering who set that standard up anyway. Does development mean we give up all that makes us uniquely us and beautiful? no. I think it's about time we showed them that we do not need their runways, we might work with them but even if we didn't we'll still be more than fine. Things for Africa should be created and run by Africa because only Africa hears Africa's hearbeat. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Name* Email* Website Comment


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Chrysler Repair Questions? Ask a Mechanic for Answers ASAP
Hello and welcome to JustAnswer!
When the trans control module sees a problem it thinks could cause potential damage to the trans it will shut off the relay that powers the solenoid pack, and it locks you in second gear. When it does this it will set fault codes so you know where to start diagnosis. The first thing you need to do is have the codes read. Almost all parts stores will read codes for free with a code reader now. The most common cause for this would be either the input or output speed sensor on the front of the trans. These run a little over $20 each, and are easy to replace. It could also be the solenoid pack, trans controller, wiring, or internal to the trans.


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If there is a Holy Grail in soybean pest control, a likely contender is soybean cyst nematode (SCN) control. Generally regarded as the most important soybean pathogen, SCN can be found in 14 countries and most soybean production areas of the U.S. For more than two decades, planting resistant varieties has been the main protection against the pest. Today that is changing as new research tools come on line, new products are introduced and, most of all, the pest evolves. Perhaps the most important element in current efforts is the systems approach being used within companies, public research institutions and across the industry.
"What hasn't changed is always thinking about getting a better product faster into the grower's hands," said Bruce Schnicker, global plant health lead for breeding, Monsanto. "The new opportunity is using all tools available to deliver those solutions. One of the great things for me as a plant breeder is to collaborate with scientists in other fields, including chemists on seed treatments, molecular scientists, as well as internal pathologists and researchers from public institutions as well."
Joseph Byrum, global head of soybean seed R&D, Syngenta, noted that while the primary approach in seeds is selection for tolerance in germplasm, there is significant emphasis on molecular breeding to address resistant traits across the germplasm. Like Schnicker, Byrum celebrates the multiple assets available at his company to find SCN solutions, from germplasm to seed care to biotech.
The first draft of the SCN gene sequence was completed by Monsanto and its since acquired partner Divergence in 2008. The knowledge is paying off, but slowly, suggested Schnicker.
"Learning how the pest interacts with the soybean plant, how it derives nutrients and the genes involved in that provide potential resistance targets going forward," he said. "The challenge is that it takes a lot of scientists to marshal the information and drive product development. Part of the value of sequencing is it opens up all these opportunities from a breeding perspective to identify traits that may already exist in the breeding population to give us another avenue to provide control."
Dan Tomso, site manager, Bayer CropScience Innovation Center, described biotech advances in SCN control as "super exciting." Tomso joined Bayer as part of its acquisition of the biotech firm Athenix and its patented gene portfolio that includes nematicidal genes. Development with the bacterial genomics-based program has been a long process, but results are promising.
"We got our nematode screening built up in the mid 2000s, started with modeling, then transformation, and once we joined Bayer, moved it into the greenhouse and the field," recalled Tomso. "With our lead gene, we are seeing a really big impact on cyst formation in soybeans with many fewer cysts. We are now into year two, and if it runs the typical developmental timeline, we hope to introduce a trait solution sometime after 2020."
Tomso described developing this initial trait as a learning experience, opening up new areas for how to control nematodes and other pests. "I think we'll have follow-up products coming on its heels, not only for SCN and other nematodes, but for about 20 other pests as well," said Tomso.
While biotech solutions remain somewhere in early stages of various pipelines, varietal resistance remains the core of SCN control. However, seed treatments are showing promising results, according to Palle Pedersen, seed care technology manager, Syngenta. The company launched Avicta Complete Beans, its nematicide/insecticide/fungicide seed treatment in the southern U.S. in 2011 and was also available in the Midwest in 2012.
"By using multiple modes of actions that are working from day one, the grower has the best chance to protect his genetic yield potential from nematodes," he said.
A systems approach to SCN resistance is front and center at Iowa State University as well. Funded by the Iowa Soybean Association, nematologist-plant pathologist Greg Tylka and a research team that includes a biochemist, an entomologist, a mycologist and a soybean breeder are focused on better understanding soybean pests and how they interact. Their ultimate goal is creating soybean lines with resistance to one or more soybean pathogens. Although Tylka is largely field research oriented, the team includes lab and greenhouse expertise.
"A lot of what is done in the lab or greenhouse doesn't relate to what farmers can do this year or next," explained Tylka. "The more basic research is interaction, exploring how the nematode affects plants when other pests and diseases like aphids and sudden death syndrome are present. Our most relevant work is done at the field level plots."
One such trial was to establish possible interaction between layers of resistance within a single variety, such as SCN-resistant genes and aphid-resistant genes. The good news was no interaction could be found. At the same time, Tylka reported the team is starting to see hints that aphids may lessen SCN varietal resistance. The team is trying to understand the problem biochemically. He noted that it is hard enough to work with one pathogen at a time, much less two or more.
"We are looking to answer questions of increased susceptibility and does it happen in all susceptible and resistant varieties," said Tylka. "We detect increases in some chemicals and reductions in others involved in natural protection. With aphids, for example, does the interaction take place in all soybean germplasm or just some?"
One area of investigation was low linoleic soybeans. While a value-added product for growers and processors, the concern was what impact the lower levels of linoleic acids were having on pest resistance. Tylka noted that linoleic acids are involved in natural defensive pathways.
"The answer was that reduced levels don't make plants more vulnerable to either aphids or SCN," said Tylka. "The low linoleic plants still have the capability to form defensive compounds. However, that got us started looking at other defensive chemicals in soybean plants. There the picture became more complicated."
That isn't the only place that an answer has raised more questions. Tylka pointed to the vital role resistant varieties play today as the only thing that allows most farmers to raise the crop in the face of SCN. Of greatest concern is the predominant reliance on a single source for that resistance. Out of 807 resistant soybean products offered for sale in Iowa in 2011, all but 21 relied on PI 88788. At the same time, SCN appears to be evolving its ability to reproduce in fields with PI 88788 genes present. While this should affect yield, it isn't.
"We aren't seeing the big drops in yield we expected," said Tylka. "That was unexpected. We are trying to understand why, but it is a very arduous process."
Tylka looks ahead expectantly to the introduction of traits such as Ramos described. He noted the ease with which growers integrate traits into existing management strategies. In the meantime, with continued support from the soybean checkoff, he and the Iowa State team will continue exploring questions, looking for answers and developing new resistant soybean lines with their systems approach. Until and likely after traits are introduced, varietal resistance and seed treatments will remain important tools in SCN control.


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Enzo Biochem Inc. (NYSE:ENZ) and Flagship Biosciences LLC, of Boulder, CO, today announced a partnership in tissue-based companion diagnostics that will enable personalized diagnosis and treatment of disease. The firms are working jointly with pharmaceutical clients that require an independent complete solution to the delivery of an in situ hybridization (ISH) companion diagnostic, which ultimately could have a major impact on drug development. The partnership brings together the strengths of Enzo, a pioneer in molecular diagnostics, and Flagship Biosciences, a leader in the use of quantitative tissue profiling for the development of companion diagnostics products. Flagship Biosciences' expertise is in pathology, image analysis, cancer biology and regulated tissue-based assays, currently utilized by over 100 pharmaceutical and biotech firms in characterizing both diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies in drug development. The partnership is based on the application of Enzo's technology, reagents, and protocols (ISH) and analysis of nucleic acid in tissue which is being combined with Flagship's software imaging and histopathology techniques to give a comprehensive package for pharmaceutical development. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies increasingly include tissue analysis assays in their strategies for companion diagnostics. The companion diagnostics development process is highly regulated, and must be staged in parallel with therapeutic development. A successful ISH companion diagnostic program requires both an antibody/probe product or kit manufactured for use in a clinical environment, and a development team that can characterize the performance and testing environment. Between Enzo and Flagship, pharmaceutical clients will be provided with a complete service for both the nucleic acid product and the companion diagnostics development and image analysis quantization. Enzo today is currently providing a range of products and services for gene expression and chromosomal analysis. Areas of focus include women's health and the identification of viral genes. Enzo Biochem is leading the convergence of clinical laboratories, life sciences and therapeutics through the development of unique diagnostic platform technologies that provide numerous advantages over previous approaches. Enzo utilizes cross-functional teams to develop and deploy products systems and services that meet the ever-changing and rapidly growing needs of health care. Underpinning the Company's products and technologies is an extensive intellectual property portfolio, with patent coverage across a number of key enabling technologies.
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text: If you hit somebody's car and they weren't around in time for you to give them your details, would you leave a note? Or would you do something like this guy: I would leave a note with my contact details, insurance, etc. I'd also hope that if somebody hit my car they would do the same.


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Mindy Weiss
Celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss has masterminded the nuptials of such couples as Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi and Heidi Klum and Seal. We caught up with Weiss to learn about the latest bridal trends and how to plan the ultimate spring wedding.
What is the single-most popular wedding trend this spring?
MINDY WEISS: There is really a trend for a lot of color. You have seen it in magazines and you're going to see it in weddings, too. Use a white or cream tablecloth with a tangerine and fuchsia centerpiece. That's where you're going to get your energy and your color.
What flowers do you recommend for a spring wedding?
MW: Well, it always depends on what is available and what is seasonal. But I think we are going to see bright colors, like in tulips. Roses that are seasonal are coming in so many new colors; it is amazing what they're doing with roses. And, going into the summer, peonies.
What types of dresses and accessories are women responding to most?
MW: I've teamed up with David's Bridal because they have a new Vera Wang collection. So I'm finding that my brides are spending a lot less on their wedding gowns and a lot more on their accessories, like their shoes—Vuittons, Jimmy Choos—because they can wear them again. And they're doing a lot of accessories. We are seeing headbands, like on the red carpet. And also great jewelry that is a little more chunky. I love when a bride wears a big blue bracelet for a blue wedding.
Have you seen any exciting new dress collections?
MW: In her runway collection, Vera has all black gowns, which is very interesting. She also has a pink dress, and Monique [Lhuillier] has a pink dress and a baby blue dress.
What's your best advice for brides-to-be?
MW: I always say that you can have all the stuff—the flowers and everything—but if your event doesn't have the warmth and the love, then no one's going to remember it. So if you remember why you're there and why you're getting married, and you're loving your partner, that's what they'll remember. The rest is all fluff—good fluff.


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I Luv M.E.'s Blog
Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 6:36 PM
Model for Heard Magazine
Are you an aspiring model? Would you love the opportunity be seen AND give back to the community? Heard Magazine "The Movement" is always accepting inquiries for models and promo personalities. If you would like to join our movement to better the communities across our country, please email Megen Elise (V.President at Heard Magazine "The Movemenet") [email protected]
Wed, Nov 16, 2011 at 7:19 PM
Lets Play The "IF" Game (part 2)
1. IF you could eliminate 1 type of insect permanently from the earth, what would you get rid of? 2. IF you could have an eligant dinner with anyone presently alive, whether you know them or not, who would you want it to be? 3. IF you could change one thing in the world right now, what would you alter? 4. IF you could permanently alter one thing about physical...
Wed, Nov 16, 2011 at 5:51 PM
Heard Magazine's A-Town Hero Award
Do you know someone who gives back to his/her community? Nominate them for the A-Town Hero Award which will be presented to them at the Re-Launch Party of Heard magazine on Dec.16, 2011. Email me their name and story at: [email protected]
Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 8:52 PM
Mad About The NBA LockOut?
Listen to my friends song. It's really cute! Check it out. Plese share it if you like it. https://youtu.be/PvXAdBYG5Ds
Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 9:40 PM
(Part 2) All U got 2 Do Is B U
This is a PSA (Public Service Annoucement) To all of the Barbies and Kens: STOP trying to be like Nicki Minaj!! We all aparently are huge fans of the super fab lady. She's talented, animated, stylish, different, and she embraces her individuality. She's all about being different and being herself despite major HATE. Thats what you need to do also. Instead of tryin to imitate her or dulicate...
Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 5:25 PM
Heard Magazine Re-launch Party in ATL
December 16, 2011 6pm-9pm Don't miss it!! You want to be at the relaunch of the next big magazine!! It's going down in ATL! Tix info: $25 advanced (general admission); $30 @ the door; $50 advanced VIP Seating; VIP: TBD @ the door. Email : [email protected] to get on the guest list.
Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 11:43 PM
Lets Play The "IF" Game
1. IF you were granted 1 wish, what would it be? 2. IF you could spend one whole night alone with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select? 3. IF you could spend one whole night alone with anyone in History(not alive), who would you choose? 4. IF you could physically transport yourself to any place in the world at this moment, where would you go?
Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 11:31 PM
All U Got 2 Do Is B U!!
The sexy ladies and gents at Heard Magazine are on a mission to show show everyone is how to bring our your inner fashionista on a budget. We kno it's hard out here, you don't need to spend a fortune to look like a star. If you live in the ATLANTA area or your going to college there, be on the lookout for HEARD MAGAZINE!! Coming in early 2012!! Be ur own star!!
Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Nicki Nail Polish for Heard Magazine
Heard Magazine is re-launching in ATL! The magazine is geared toward the younger crowd (high school and college) Of course there's a fashion section and who better to be in the magazine, showing her new polish but Nicki Minaj! We all know her style is amazingly different and her polish is definitely a reflection of her style. The colors are cool, youthful and perfect for Heard Magazine. I'm the...


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Of course, the holidays and the new year are well behind us, but it would be remiss of me not to share this project. A former colleague contacted me looking for an upscale holiday greeting – more specifically a new year greeting – to send to his clients after Christmas. Now, his client list includes top executives among some Fortune 50 companies, so we really wanted these greetings to be unique and slick. And to stand apart from the usual onslaught of holiday greetings that many professionals receive.
I jumped at the opportunity to combine other materials with traditional paper for this project. I proposed backing the card with a piece of frosted vinyl. The card would seemingly floated on the vinyl, which created this translucent frame around the message. Something modern, something frosty and wintery, yet also an element that would give the card a presence. My client's branding includes brackets, so I complimented the back with a pattern of brackets. A custom return address rubber stamp combined with gorgeous hand-written calligraphy on rich navy envelopes (wish I'd had a photo to show you!) really completed this mailing. The best part was hearing that we achieved the wow! factor we were shooting for!


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Council backs development on University
CHAMPAIGN — In what was called an "unusual" case of a developer working closely with neighborhood residents, the city council on Tuesday night gave the final OK for a large student housing complex to go up on the eastern edge of the city.
Developer Chase Sorrick said he plans to have his two building, six-story apartment complex on University Avenue between Fifth and Wright streets under way by next spring.
The proposal at first received pushback from residents immediately north of the site, who said it would increase parking congestion, raise their cost of living and harm the residential tenor of their neighborhood.
After hearing from those residents, Sorrick revised his plans. The developer had scrapped plans for two buildings on Park Street, providing a buffer between the apartment complex and the single-family homes.
Residents came to the city council thanking him and praising the project on Tuesday night.
"I thought that was very unusual for a developer of his magnitude to do something like that," said resident Ebbie Cook.
The efforts earned the praise of some city council members, too. The council OK'd the project in a 9-0 vote.
"It's not usual," said council member Will Kyles. "It's an unusual thing that developers and community members can work together in this way."
Sorrick, however, said it's maybe not so unusual.
"I don't know," he said. "We've been doing it in other communities, but we really do want to be advocates. That's just the difference, I guess."
- Hear from Chase Sorrick.
He plans to have Latitude open by August 2016. When it's done, Sorrick said, people should expect to see new services and shopping opportunities on that part of University Avenue.
"It will change it quite a bit," he said. "That couple-block area will be quite a bit different when it's finished."
The site previously contained vacant lots, a used car sales lot and a few single-family homes.
"I look forward to this coming in and taking an area that is underwhelming at best right now and really, not only making it look better, but also bringing the university a little bit closer to the rest of town, the core of the downtown," said council member Marci Dodds. "This is something to look forward to and be proud of."
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