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Economic development programs that effectively provide assistance to entrepreneurs may help businesses develop and expand, and thus contribute to the nations economic growth. The Departments of Commerce (Commerce), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Agriculture (USDA), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) administer 53 such programs that focus on supporting entrepreneurs.[1] These programs, which typically fund a variety of activities in addition to supporting entrepreneurs, spent an estimated $2.6 billion in enacted appropriations on economic development efforts in fiscal year 2010.[2]
As GAO reported in March and May 2011, the majority of the economic development programs had missions related to supporting entrepreneurs. Programs with overlapping missions can result in inefficiencies, such as requiring recipients to fill out applications to multiple agencies with varying program requirements, as well as compromising the governments ability to effectively provide the desired service and meet the shared goals of the programs. While collaboration is one way to overcome overlap among agencies when providing similar services, opportunities for program restructuring, which include consolidation, may also exist. GAO has ongoing work that will be issued later this year to continue examining issues beyond those identified in the March and May 2011 reports. This document reports GAOs findings to date.
[1]The number of programs administered by Commerce, HUD, SBA, and USDA that were identified in GAO-11-477R as supporting entrepreneurial efforts decreased from 54 to 53 because Commerce merged its Minority Business Opportunity Center program and Minority Business Enterprise Center program into one program that is now called Minority Business Center. In addition, two of the original Commerce programs identified in GAOs March and May 2011 reportsCommunity Trade Adjustment Assistance and Research and Evaluationhave been replaced with two other Commerce programsTrade Adjustment Assistance for Firms and the Economic Development-Support for Planning Organizationsbecause one of the original programs had temporary funding and the other original program was misclassified as an economic development program. The two new Commerce programs that have been added should have been included in the March and May 2011 reports, according to Commerce officials. See appendix III for a list of the 53 programs GAO is currently reviewing that support entrepreneurs and their 2010 enacted appropriations.
[2]GAO excluded the portion of the Community Development Block Grant funding that HUD reported is not used to support economic development. The total enacted appropriations for these 53 programs was about $5.6 billion for fiscal year 2010.
Based on a review of the missions and other related program information for these 53 programs, GAO determined that these programs overlap based not only on their shared purpose of serving entrepreneurs but also on the type of assistance they offer. The programs generally can be grouped according to at least one of three types of assistance that address different entrepreneurial needs: help obtaining (1) technical assistance, (2) financial assistance, and (3) government contracts. Many of the programs can provide more than one type of assistance, and most focus on technical and/or financial assistance:[1]
The table below illustrates overlap among programs that provide entrepreneurial assistance in terms of the type of assistance they provide. For example, 13 programs across 3 of the agencies provide financial assistance only. SBA and USDA both have 5 programs that only provide financial assistance, while HUD has 3.
53 Programs That Support Entrepreneurs, by Type of Assistance, as of
September 30, 2011a
Technical assistance only
Financial assistance only
Technical and financial assistance only
Government contracting assistance only
Technical and government contracting only
Financial and government contracting only
Technical, financial, and government contracting assistance
Source: GAO analysis of information provided by Commerce, HUD, USDA, and SBA.
aSome of the programs may not have received funding in fiscal year 2011.
bThe 36 technical assistance programs include those in the following categories: technical assistance only; technical and financial assistance only; technical, financial, and government contracting assistance; and technical and government contracting assistance only. The 33 financial assistance programs include those in the following categories: financial assistance only; technical and financial assistance only; technical, financial, and government contracting assistance; and financial and government contracting assistance only. The seven government contracting assistance programs include those in the following categories: government contracting assistance only, technical and government contracting assistance only, financial and government contracting assistance only, and technical, financial, and government contracting assistance.
Much of the overlap and fragmentation among these 53 programs is concentrated among programs that support economically distressed and disadvantaged areas and programs that assist disadvantaged and small businesses. As the figure below shows, of the 36 programs that provide technical assistance (that is, programs that either provide only technical assistance or those that provide technical assistance in addition to financial and government contracting assistance),
Overlap and fragmentation are also evident among programs that provide more specific forms of assistance. For example, technical assistance programs that provide business training and counseling include SBAs Small Business Development Centers, Womens Business Centers, SCORE (formerly, Senior Core of Retired Executives) programs; Commerces Minority Business Centers program; and USDAs Rural Business Enterprise Grants program. In addition, many of these economic development programs also operate in both urban and rural areas.[5]
Programs That Provide Technical and Financial Assistance, by Type of Business and Community Served, as of September 30, 2011
Note: Some of the programs may not have received funding in fiscal year 2011.
The number of programs that support entrepreneurs53and the overlap among these programs raise questions about whether a fragmented system is the most effective way to support entrepreneurs. By exploring alternatives, agencies may be able to determine whether there are more efficient ways to continue to serve the unique needs of entrepreneurs, including consolidating various programs. In ongoing work, GAO plans to examine the extent of potential duplication among these programs.
In addition, in order to effectively evaluate and oversee the services being provided, Congress and the agencies need meaningful performance information such as evaluation studies and performance measures. This information is needed to help decision makers identify ways to make more informed decisions about allocating increasingly scarce resources among overlapping programs. Specifically, performance measures can provide information on an agencys progress toward meeting certain program and agencywide strategic goals, expressed as measurable performance standards. For example, while some of the financial assistance programs track measures that include number of businesses assisted and dollar value of loans obtained, they could begin to track measures like defaults, prepayments, and number of loans in good standing to better report how businesses fare after they participate in these programs. In contrast, program evaluations are systematic ways to assess a broader range of information on program performance. As a result, evaluation studies can help identify which programs are effective or not, explain why goals were not met and identify strategies for meeting unmet goals, and estimate what would have occurred in the absence of the program.
Based on preliminary results, GAO found that while most (45) of the 53 economic development programs that support entrepreneurs have reasonable performance measures and tend to meet their annual performance goals, few evaluation studies have been completed and little evaluative information exists to assess programs effectiveness. For 39 of the 53 programs, the four agencies have either never conducted a performance evaluation or have conducted only one in the past decade. For example, while SBA has conducted recent periodic reviews of 3 of its 10 programs that provide technical assistance, the agency has not reviewed its other 9 financial assistance and government contracting programs on any regular basis.[6] Moreover, Commerce, HUD, and USDA have not routinely conducted program evaluations for the majority of their economic development programs.
Without results from program evaluations and performance measurement data, agencies lack the ability to measure the overall impact of these programs, and decision makers lack information that could help them to identify programs that could be better structured and improve the efficiency with which the government provides these services. Moreover, the federal government has recently required the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate with agencies to ensure that they better track the results of their programs. Specifically, the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) requires OMB to work with agencies to, among other things, develop outcome-oriented goals for certain crosscutting policy areas and report annually on how these goals will be achieved.[7] Other GPRAMA requirements could lead to improved coordination and collaboration among agencies. For instance, GPRAMA requires each agency to identify the various organizations and program activitiesboth within and external to the agencythat contribute to each agencys goals. In ongoing work, GAO plans to determine reasons why the agencies (1) do not conduct more routine evaluations of these programs and (2) have not established and do not track performance measures for 8 of the 53 programs. In addition, GAO plans to determine the ongoing and planned efforts of OMB and the agencies to address the provisions contained in GPRAMA.
[1]SBA administers the two programs that solely provide entrepreneurs with assistance in obtaining government contracts: the HUBZone program, which supports small businesses located in economically distressed areas, and the Procurement Assistance to Small Businesses program, which serves small businesses located in any area.
[2]GAO characterizes economically distressed areas as those communities with high concentrations of low- and moderate-income families and high rates of unemployment and/or underemployment.
[3]GAO characterizes disadvantaged communities include as those with concentrations of minority populations, among other factors.
[4]GAO characterizes disadvantaged businesses as those owned by women, minority groups and veterans, among other factors.
[5]The definition of rural varies among these programs, but according to USDAthe agency that administers many of the economic development programs that serve rural areasthe term rural typically covers areas with population limits ranging from less than 2,500 to 50,000.
[6]SBA administers a total of 19 programs that support entrepreneurs. Six of its programs provide technical assistance only, 5 provide financial assistance only, 2 provide only contracting assistance, 3 can provide both technical and financial assistance, 1 provides technical and government contracting assistance, and 2 provide financial and government contracting assistance.
[7]Pub. L. No. 111-352 (2011).
GAO expects to recommend that
Congress should
Agencies should
OMB and the agencies should
The information contained in this analysis is based on findings from the products listed in the related GAO products section and additional work GAO conducted that will be published as a separate product in 2012. GAO focused its analysis on the 53 economic development programs at Commerce, HUD, USDA, and SBA that fund entrepreneurial assistance because these programs appeared to overlap the most. GAO examined the extent to which the federal governments efforts to support entrepreneurs overlap among these numerous, fragmented programs by examining their missions, goals, services provided, and targeted beneficiaries and areas. GAO also collected information on performance measures that the agencies collect to track the performance of each of the 53 programs, and any evaluation studies conducted or commissioned by the agencies evaluating the effectiveness of these programs. This process included meeting with agency officials to corroborate the publicly available information. GAO also determined the reasonableness of the performance measures by assessing each measure against agency strategic goals and specific program missions to determine the extent to which they are aligned. GAO plans to issue a report evaluating (1) the support that the programs provide to entrepreneurs, and the types of information available on this support; (2) the extent to which federal agencies collaborate on the provision of counseling, training, and related services to entrepreneurs; and (3) the extent to which programs that support entrepreneurs overlap or are fragmented, the extent to which these programs have met their performance goals, and the information that is available on their effectiveness.
See pages 339-340 of the PDF version of this report (appendix III) for a list of the programs GAO identified that may have similar or overlapping objectives, provide similar services or be fragmented across government missions. Overlap and fragmentation may not necessarily lead to actual duplication, and some degree of overlap and duplication may be justified.
GAO provided a draft of this report to OMB, Commerce, HUD, SBA, and USDA for review and comment. Commerce and HUD provided written comments. OMB, HUD, SBA, and USDA provided technical comments, which were incorporated where appropriate. All written comments are reprinted in appendix IV of the PDF version of this report.
OMB stated that the Administration has taken a number of steps to increase coordination among economic and entrepreneurial development programs, provide better service to businesses seeking federal services, and improve performance evaluation. For example, OMB stated that a new website will be publicly launched for entrepreneurs and business owners in February 2012 named BusinessUSA; the website is intended to provide a virtual one-stop shop for small businesses and enable them to access the wide array of federal programs and services available to them across the government regardless of where they are located. According to OMB, BusinessUSA, while still in its early stages, will help remedy many of the coordination and fragmentation issues identified in the GAO report. OMB also stated that the President has proposed to consolidate the federal governments primary business and trade agencies and programs into a new more efficient agency that will promote competitiveness, exports and American business. OMB noted that more than half of the programs identified in GAOs recent report on duplication in federal economic development programs would be consolidated into the new department under the Administrations proposal, and the new department would more fundamentally address the issues raised in GAOs report. As GAO continues work in this area, it plans to further monitor and assess OMBs efforts to work with Commerce, HUD, USDA, and SBA to increase coordination among economic development programs, provide better service to businesses under the programs, and improve program evaluation.
Commerce stated that prior GAO reports have focused on the types of investments made without considering the goals of each program, and GAO may be incorrectly identifying duplication where none exists as a result. For this report, GAO examined the missions, goals, services provided, and targeted beneficiaries and areas for 53 programs that fund entrepreneurial assistance. GAOs report states that these programs overlap based not only on their shared purpose of serving entrepreneurs but also on the type of assistance they offer; it does not state that duplication exists among these programs. As GAO continues its work, GAO plans to examine the extent of potential duplication among these overlapping programs. Commerce also stated that GAOs report presents premature actions needed and that the report does not recognize the significant advances that Commerces Economic Development Agency has made to improve program evaluation with the development of a performance management improvement logic model. GAO recognizes the action that the Economic Development Agency has taken to develop its new performance management model. However, because the Economic Development Agency has not completely designed its new model or provided sufficient information to explain how results of program evaluations will be included in the model, this action does not change GAOs findings. In this report, GAO identified areas of concern related to the extent that Commerce, HUD, SBA, and USDA conduct performance evaluations for their economic development programs. Recent legislation also requires OMB to work with agencies to ensure that they better track the results of their programs. GAO believes that the actions needed presented in this report are consistent with its findings and recent legislation. As GAO continues work in this area, it also plans to further monitor and assess the efforts the four agencies undertake to improve program evaluation and performance metrics.
HUDs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs stated that GAO should reduce the number of economic development programs identified as being administered by HUD. First, she recommended that five of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs be identified as one CDBG program. She noted that the five programs may have separate Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers, but the programs are funded from a single source within HUDs annual appropriation, the economic development activities CDBG grantees carry out under the five programs are all subject to the same statutory and regulatory requirements, and CDBG grantees generally cannot obtain assistance under more than one of the five programs. Because GAO relies on the executive branchs definition of these programs, which separates them into five distinct programs, we disagree that the five programs should be identified as one CDBG program. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance defines federal programs based on legal authority, administering office, funding, purpose, benefits, and beneficiaries; also, the catalog may define a program separately regardless of whether it is identified as a separate program by statute or regulation. While GAO would be receptive to actions the executive branch may take to better define programs, using the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance GAO initially identified 80 federal programs administered by Commerce, SBA, USDA, and HUD that can fund economic development activities. For this report, GAO focused its analysis on 53 of these programs across the four agencies that support entrepreneurial efforts, including the five programs HUD noted. Second, the Deputy Assistant Secretary recommended that GAO delete the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) as one of HUDs active programs that can fund economic development activities. She noted that HUD did not request funding nor did Congress appropriate funding for the BEDI program in fiscal years 2011 and 2012.[1] She further noted that HUD will continue to administer existing BEDI grants, but the department is unlikely to request program funding for fiscal year 2013. She added that the activities authorized under the BEDI program can be funded under other CDBG programs. GAO disagrees that the BEDI program should be removed from the list of HUD programs because the department is actively administering grants under the program.
USDA stated that GAOs report does not emphasize the significant difference in agencies and programs. For example, USDA stated its Rural Business Service administers programs that are unique and not duplicative because of the agencys mission to provide assistance to businesses in rural communities. USDA acknowledged that other agencies programs may provide assistance to businesses in rural areas, but the Rural Business Services programs are focused in these areas. USDA also stated that the Rural Business Service delivers its programs through an expansive field structure of state and local offices. According to USDA, federal agencies such as SBA do not utilize a similar field structure to deliver programs. As previously noted, GAOs report does not state that duplication exists among the 53 economic development programs that support entrepreneurial efforts; it states that overlap and fragmentation are evident based on GAOs review of the missions and other related program information for these programs. For example, GAOs report states that USDA administers many of the economic development programs that serve rural areas. However, GAO also determined that there was overlap because other agencies economic development programs can provide assistance to entrepreneurs in rural areas. GAO plans to examine the extent of potential duplication in GAOs ongoing work.
For additional information about this area, contact William B. Shear at (202) 512-4325 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Comments from the Department of Commerce
Comments from the Department of Housing and Urban Development
[1]The BEDI program received $17.5 million in enacted appropriations for fiscal year 2010, which is the fiscal year funding data that GAO is currently reporting for the 53 programs that support entrepreneurs. In addition, while a number of programs that GAO is reviewing received $0 during fiscal year 2010, they are still considered to be active programs by the executive branch. In addition, these active programs could receive funding in the future (see appendix III).
One of the areas included in our recent report on potential duplication among federal programs was economic development. If economic development programs are administered efficiently and effectively, they can contribute to the well-being of our nation's economy at the least cost to taxpayers. Absent a common definition for economic development, we had previously developed a list of nine activities...
This report supplements our March 1, 2011, report Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue--GAO's first annual report to Congress in response to a statutory requirement to identify federal programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives, either within departments or governmentwide, which have duplicative goals or activities. Section...
Overlap and fragmentation among government programs or activities can be harbingers of unnecessary duplication. In this report we include 81 areas for consideration drawn from GAO's prior and ongoing work. We present 34 areas where agencies, offices, or initiatives have similar or overlapping objectives or provide similar services to the same populations; or where government missions are fragmente...
The Small Business Administration's (SBA) 7(a) program is intended to provide loan guarantees to small business borrowers who cannot obtain conventional credit at reasonable terms and do not have the personal resources to provide financing themselves. In fiscal year 2008, SBA guaranteed over 69,000 loans valued at about $13 billion. To assist in oversight of the 7(a) program, GAO was asked to (1)...
The Small Business Administration's (SBA) Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program provides federal contracting assistance to small firms located in economically distressed areas, with the intent of stimulating economic development. Questions have been raised about whether the program is targeting the locations and businesses that Congress intended to assist. GAO was asked to exa...
The Small Business Administration's (SBA) 7(a) program, initially established in 1953, provides loan guarantees to small businesses that cannot obtain credit in the conventional lending market. In fiscal year 2006, the program assisted more than 80,000 businesses with loan guarantees of nearly $14 billion. This report examines (1) the program's purpose, based on its legislative history, and perfor...
GAO was asked to update its 1989 report on the distribution of economic development funding using newer tools now available for measuring the distribution of federal funds to rural areas. GAO agreed to (1) identify federal economic development programs, (2) determine the best way to identify rural areas for this report, (3) determine the amount and share of economic development funding that rural...
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) Reauthorization Act of 2004 (P. L. 108-373) included a requirement that GAO evaluate grants made by EDA for the economic development of brownfield sites. More than 450,000 brownfield sites--properties where redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination--are scattered across the United States. This report dis...
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Subscribe To Will Ferrell: Which Co-Star Brings Out The Best In Him? Updates
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Will Ferrell is one of the most successful comedians to graduate from Saturday Night LIve, and he's established a career that makes him one of the few people who can automatically get people in seats based on his name alone. But he's also a comedian who got his start working with ensembles, and in nearly all of his films, he's teamed up with another comedian-- or, sometimes, another actor very new to comedy at all-- to make the most of his comedic strengths. Whether his sparring partner helps ground him and stick to the script or joins him in the wildest improv imaginable, Ferrell is almost always better as part of a team-- and he's at it again in this week's The Campaign, in which he teams up with Zach Galifianakis that's as hilarious and absurd as it is depressingly true.
But among all the people Ferrell has teamed up with in his career, who brings out the best in him? That became a surprisingly contentious topic around here, so instead of throwing some punches, we decided to bring the debate to you guys. Read below as Mack and Katey debate the merits of Ferrell's various co-stars, and don't forget to vote in the poll at the bottom to make your choice known.
KATEY: So Mack, before we start-- you have not yet seen The Campaign. Are you interested in it in general, or for the Ferrell-Galifianakis pairing at all?
MACK: I am like a B on the plot of The Campaign, but I am interested to see how Ferrell and Galifianakis bounce off one another.
KATEY: You were the one who suggested talking about Ferrell's on-screen pairings to begin with. What interests you in particular about who he's bouncing off of?
MACK: It interests me to know whether Will Ferrell steamrolls the other person or whether the other person actually pushes back, if that makes sense. Like the great thing about John C Reilly is Reilly actually wins their back-and-forth improv combos roughly 40% of the time.
KATEY: Exactly-- and to jump ahead, I think that's why Reilly is my favorite of his collaborators. They seem to be on a wavelength together that just goes off in the weirdest, best directions, that no one else has really matched. Though Galifianakis, it must be said, comes close-- his comedy is really different, but he is also really willing to go for it, which makes him and Ferrell a great team in The Campaign.
But you have another pick for his best sparring partner, right?
MACK: Yes, as much as I love Ferrell's bantering with John C Reilly, I'm not sure Will has ever been in the zone more than he was during the Saturday Night Live presidential debates in which he played George W Bush and Darrell Hammond played Al Gore. To me, that was the most carefully-worded, the most clever and the most brilliant either of those great comedians have ever been. They really pushed each other to places I'm not sure Ferrell and Reilly would ever be careful or patient enough to go.
KATEY: Well that's the advantage of SNL-- you have years to not only work together, but perfect this set of characters and refine them based on what you see working and what doesn't. It's like live theater, really-- which I guess is why Ferrell killed it doing the George W. Bush play a few years later.
But here's the thing about Darrell Hammond-- he's such a chameleon in his SNL roles, and doesn't have a distinctive style. I don't think he challenged Ferrell the way Reilly, or even Mark Wahlberg, does.
MACK: Well, I guess it all comes down to what you mean by "challenge". See, I could be wrong, but I get the sense Ferrell's natural sense of humor is one of irreverence and aggressive, goofy one-ups-manship. Reilly is completely in that wheelhouse. The reason why he works is because he's arguably as good as that exact style of comedy as Ferrell. So, in that way, you're right. Reilly is a great challenge, but the reason why I prefer Hammond is because he pushes Ferrell not to throw away words.
Will loves talking and talking because he knows at least every third or fourth throwaway line will be brilliant, but in the SNL sketches, against someone real measured like Hammond, he can't do that. He can't just go on. He has to make every set up count. The dynamic brought something out of Ferrell I haven't seen from other people. I guess what I'm saying is, as much as I love Reilly, he and Ferrell are occasionally a little too open to finding a joke anywhere, whether it's on subject or not.
KATEY: That's a fair point. But I feel like I'd have to see Farrell and Hammond in a movie together to really prove it. The writing in those debate sketches was such a big element, and it's hard for me to know what Hammond is really bringing as opposed to the writing. I think that's what makes Reilly and Farrell so memorable-- they've had free reign in two movies, and are able to really bring everything they've got.
You know what might change all of this, though? Whatever happens in Anchorman 2. Who knows what that band of weirdos might bring to the table.
MACK: In a way, I think Anchorman kind of is a good analogy for this entire debate. See, there's two Will Ferrell's. There's the ridiculous guy who you can throw into a stupid, outlandish plot (Anchorman, Step Brothers, Wedding Crashers etc) and let be as absurd and hysterical as possible....or there's the guy who is a little quieter, a little more human (some of his SNL work, Stranger Than Fiction, Winter Passing) that's not quite as obnoxious, maybe not quite as funny but more grounded and honest. I like both of those guys, but I definitely like the second guy a little more, which is why I'm a Darrell Hammond guy. I'd rather laugh a little less and think a little more.
KATEY: Alright, I admit that Step Brothers is more on the first side of the debate-- and God do I love it for that. But The Campaign gives you a little bit of both, if only because of the political angle of it-- Ferrell has to be playing a real human to nail the satire element, and he does a really good job of it. He kind of brings that George W. Bush level of idiocy to it, and he and Galifianakis create these two characters who both seem ridiculous, but when you put them together, they're scarily realistic.
I think what this debate proves is that Ferrell is way too good at balancing legitimate satirical comedy with complete balls-out ridiculousness-- how many people can say that?
MACK: It's really impressive. You know, when Will Ferrell first left Saturday Night Live, there were people openly talking about how he may have been the most talented comedian ever to work at Studio 8H. Frankly, I found that talk offensive---but as the years have passed and Ferrell has done more and more wonderful projects, the talk becomes less ridiculous. That's a debate for another day, but as for this one, I'm willing to admit that, while I prefer Hammond and Ferrell, I would still gladly take Reilly and Ferrell over 99.9% of possible twosomes.
KATEY: And when you see The Campaign hopefully you'll agree with me that Galifianakis at least belongs near the top of the list.
MACK: I have nothing but the highest of expectations.
Who is Will Ferrell's best co-star?


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Salivation. That's what happens when you're a cinephile and you pick up the program for the 24th annual Virginia Film Festival and see all those unreleased new movies, and all those classics you've wanted to revisit, and all those films you really won't get to see anywhere else, and the filmmakers and actors who will be in town, and then–
Head explosion. How in the world are you going to sift through the more 100 screenings and cram in as many as possible during the few short festival days of November 3-6?
Expert assessment. That's where the Hook steps in, offering insight into what the pros are going to see.
And we'll caution you: Some of the obvious must-sees– The Descendants, the new George Clooney movie; Melancholia, the new Lars von Trier film; and JFK with director Oliver Stone– sold out in the first 72 hours, although festival director Jody Kielbasa says there may be a few tickets turned back in by the time the festival starts. We Need to Talk about Kevin also has sold out.
Advance ticket sales are up 25 percent over last year, Kielbasa says, and 2010 was a record-breaking year in which 17 films sold out. More advice from the Hook: Get those tickets now, before it's too late.Here's what four locals in the film biz have on their go-see lists.Chris Farina
UVA grad Chris Farina directed World Peace and Other Fourth Grade Achievements, a festival darling last year. He also appears in The Parking Lot Movie.
Badlands (1973)5pm Saturday, Paramount TheaterA Terrence Malick film on the big screen, with the added bonus of Sissy Spacek and Jack Fisk? Malick is such a visual filmmaker that anytime you can see him on the big screen, you should. I've seen Badlands many times and would go again. Fisk, as art director, was integral to the film's beauty. Dream double-feature with Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1:45 Saturday at the Paramount).The Interrupters (2011)4pm Saturday, Downtown Regal This film has gotten a lot of acclaim. Gang members try to stem gang violence. They were screening it in Aspen when we were there with World Peace. Anything with Steve James– he did Hoop Dreams– I would go to see. And he's going to be here.Inquiring Nuns (1968)5:30pm Thursday, Downtown Regal It's a late '60s documentary in which nuns go around and ask people if they're happy. Director Gordon Quinn is a founder of Kartemquin Films, which makes really great films (he produced Hoop Dreams). I'm the product of a Catholic school from the late '60s, and when you survive that, you never forget it. I love the premise.The Other F Word (2011)11:30am Saturday, UVA Nau AuditoriumIt's about punk rockers as dads. There are so many documentaries that bring you down that to see one about regular life that makes you smile, well, this one jumped out at me.Armadillo (2010)9:30pm Sunday, Vinegar HillNot an overtly political film, Armadillo puts you in these boys'/young men's lives as they go from Denmark and get planted in Afghanistan. The filmmaker doesn't tell you what to think as the kids are trying to deal with a situation you could never imagine– and that they couldn't imagine either.
Jay Lavender
Charlottesville-based writer and filmmaker Jay Lavender is heading into his second year working with Jeff Wadlow as a mentor for the Adrenaline Film Project. He's the co-writer of the Vince Vaughan/Jennifer Aniston film, The Break Up. And his short film, Wounded Warriors' Resilience, will be shown at 4pm Sunday at UVA's Nau Auditorium.
The Descendants (2011)7pm Thursday, Culbreth Theatre
We'll be hearing about this movie for a long time. While George Clooney and Alexander Payne are the marquee names, I'm more excited to see the breakthrough by co-writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. Until now, they've have been better known as actors who met years ago at L.A.'s Groundlings improv group. They started writing to take more control of their destinies, and their hard work has paid off big.Elevate (2011)6:45pm Friday, Downtown Regal
I'm a big fan of inspiring sports movies that capture the persistence, determination and teamwork it takes to succeed in sports and life. Chariots of Fire, Hoosiers, The Natural, and Field of Dreams are some of my all-time favorites. Growing up near Chicago during the Michael Jordan era inspired my love of basketball, and I've been to Africa, so can't wait to see this film about the journey athletes take in pursuit of a better life.Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1945)1:45pm Saturday, Paramount Theater
One of the all-time classics. Deemed so important that its print was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. Humphrey Bogart stars. John Huston won the Academy Award for writing and directing, and his father won the Oscar for supporting actor. I feel like I've heard this title 100 times– but I've never seen the movie! Can't think of a better first time than watching it on the big screen.Farmageddon (2010)3pm Saturday, Culbreth TheatreThis title is my new favorite word. Grabbed me instantly. Although I grew up in the Midwest, I lived in suburbia and spent 13 years in L.A., so I've spent the majority of my life removed from the food chain. From spending time in Charlottesville, I've gained more of an appreciation for local farmers and am curious to learn more about their challenges with big government regulations. Adrenaline Film Project10pm Saturday, Culbreth Theatre 10:30am Sunday, Downtown Regal
In 2009, I experienced Adrenaline for the first time when Jeff Wadlow invited me to the Saturday-night screening. The crowd was electric. The filmmakers were hyper and exhausted from their 72-hour marathon of pitching-writing-filming-and-editing their shorts. Friends and family were packed in to cheer them on. I was hooked. Wadlow invited me to mentor with him last year, and I'm back in the mix again to support the teams.
Richard Knox Robinson
Richard Knox Robinson is an award-winning photographer and director. His first documentary, The Beekeepers, premiered at Sundance in 2009. His photographs have appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, the Washington Post Magazine, and on the Discovery Channel. He'll screen Seattle Film Fest jury prize nominee Rothstein's First Assignment, about how eugenics played in the creation of the Shenandoah National Park, at 6:30pm Saturday at Vinegar Hill.
Melancholia (2011)9pm Friday, Vinegar Hill Lars von Trier has come a long way from his Dogme 95 days and his vow of chastity. Breaking the Waves is still one of my favorite films, while Dancer in the Dark with Bjork and Catherine Deneuve I think is vastly underrated. I can't wait to see how Trier directs Kirsten Dunst.!Women Art Revolution (2010)12:45 Saturday, Downtown Regal It wasn't long ago that women had to dress in gorilla suits to challenge the gender stereotypes of the art world. With footage spanning over 40 years, !Women Art Revolution looks at the feminist movement in the arts from an artist's perspective, that of Lynn Hershman Leeson. Every artist should see this. The Loving Story (2011)6:30pm Friday, UVA Nau Auditorium
The Loving Story, directed by Nancy Buirski, focuses on the now almost-forgotten Virginia law barring interracial marriage. The Racial Integrity Act of 1924 marked the beginning of a dark period in Virginia's history that ended only when the Lovings took their case to the Supreme Court in 1967. Only then could they legally live together as a married couple in Virginia. Kevin Everson: 5 Films (2011/2012)2pm Friday, Downtown Regal When I first starting making films, I went to Kevin. He was doing things I had never seen a filmmaker do. It was like a whole new world opened up for me. Fresh off his Whitney Show, Kevin Everson's five new works are bound to challenge and inspire. The Turin Horse (2011)4pm Sunday, Downtown Regal The Turin Horse is Bela Tarr's reflection on a story that has Nietzsche suffering a mental breakdown after witnessing the whipping of a horse. As it's been difficult to see Tarr's work and this is reported to be his last film, it's a welcome opportunity.
Erica Arvold
For more than 20 years, Erica Arvold has been involved in casting over 90 films, including Natural Born Killers, Backdraft, and Charlotte's Web, and 75 television projects while in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Charlottesville. She's chair of Charlottesville's chapter of the Virginia Production Alliance and founder of Arvold Studios, an education hub for filmmakers and actors.Butter (2011)7pm Sunday, Culbreth Theatre
Um, butter. Need I say more? Seriously, finding a story in a butter-carving competition intrigues me. Plus the performance level of actors Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackman, coupled with its political slant, reminds me a bit of Election. I'm going to this one.Albert Nobbs (2011)8:30pm Saturday, Paramount Theater
Rodrigo Garcia's films always take me on an introspective journey. I have no doubt this one will deliver as well. Since it was produced by the accomplished and kind Julie Lynn and stars fresh, strong actors (especially Janet McTeer and Mia Wasikowska), I expect this one to soar.Restoration (2010)2:30pm Friday, Downtown Regal
The fact that this film has been nominated for 11 Israeli Academy Awards and was an official selection at Toronto makes it a no-brainer. I like to see actors I don't yet know, too– and this film is full of them.Evita: The Documentary (2006)11:30am Friday, Downtown Regal
I worked on this show in Chicago many moons ago. The musical is astounding and Eva Peron even more so. Influential women are fascinating in and of themselves; I expect that telling her story using previously unseen footage along with an exposed plot to hide her corpse will make this an even more compelling film. I'm very much looking forward to the post-film discussion with Eduardo Montes-Bradley.
Growing Up Cason (2010)1pm Saturday, Vinegar Hill
Doug Bari is a local filmmaker I've known for many years. The seamless way he layers his point of view into his films is always a pleasant surprise. His ability to find a story and wrap his metaphoric arms around both the subject– the Cason family– and the audience amazes me.


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Nation & World
China, unhappy with search for missing plane, dispatches officials to Malaysia
China has dispatched a delegation to Malaysia amid mounting frustration here on how authorities there are handling the investigation of a missing airliner that had 239 people aboard, including 153 Chinese citizens.
China's Foreign Ministry said the delegation was scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, late Monday and begin work immediately on the fate of MH370, which has been missing and presumed crashed since early Saturday.
The group "will urge the Malaysian side to intensify search and rescue efforts, to find out the fact of the incident as soon as possible, to timely release the accurate information and to well serve the family members of the passengers to Malaysia at the same time," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Friends and relatives of Chinese passengers on the flight have lashed out at Malaysian officials for failing to keep them informed and helping some of them obtain passports and visas so they can fly to Kuala Lumpur.
More than 100 of them have signed a petition seeking information and assistance about the flight, which left Kuala Lumpur early Saturday morning in route to Beijing.
At a Beijing hotel on Monday, some relatives and friends threw water bottles at Malaysia Airlines officials in a melee that was captured on video.
The mystery surrounding MH370 is hardly the first time an airliner presumed crashed could not be found for a lengthy period of time. Yet the dribs and drabs of often contradictory information from investigators have been particularly anguishing for people trying to find out what happened to their loved ones.
On Monday, it was reported that a Vietnamese search crew had spotted what appeared to be the door of the plane in the waters separating Vietnam and Malaysian. That was later reported to be false. Officials also said that an oil slick in the area was not composed of fuel from the Boeing 777 aircraft.
As of Monday, some 34 aircraft and 40 ships from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, China and the United States had been deployed to search for the plane.
Yet numerous analysts say the search is not being well coordinated from Kuala Lumpur, which has asked the United States and other countries for assistance. Two investigators from the United States' National Transportation Safety Board and two officials from the Federal Aviation Administration arrived Monday in Kuala Lumpur, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Questions abound on how at least two men were able to board the flight with stolen passports, a security breech that may or may not have had anything to do with the plane's disappearance.
At a briefing Monday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's civil aviation chief, Azaharuddin Abdul Rahman, said officials had examined surveillance tapes of the plane's boarding "from check-in right to departure."
He later said that the two men who used the stolen passports were "not Asian-looking males." Upon further questioning, he said that one man appeared to be black.
While the stolen passports have raised concerns that the flight might have been brought down by terrorists, security experts note that stolen passports are readily available in Southeast Asia and are often used by drug smugglers and illegal immigrants.
Even so, Malaysian authorities are sending fingerprints and photos of two men who boarded the flight to U.S. authorities. The two men reportedly had tickets to fly to Amsterdam through Beijing, meaning that they didn't have to undergo the kind of background checks required for a Chinese visa.
Although China is attempting to portray itself as being aggressive in pushing the investigation forward, it is also trying to control the flow of information that is reaching the public here.
According to China Digital Times, a Berkeley-based site that monitors Chinese media, the government sent a directive to Chinese reporters requiring them to report only news about MH370 issued by the government's Civil Aviation Administration and state-run Xinhua news agency.
"All media must refrain from interviewing family members without permission, and must not incite any discontented sentiment," said the directive. It also urged Chinese journalists to increase publicity of the ongoing "Two Sessions" meeting of China's rubber-stamp parliament, which has been overshadowed by the air disaster.


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Staff writer
Nicole Sanders is only a freshman at Peabody-Burns High School, but she is already making an impact on the county.
After presenting an update for the garden she planted on the southwest corner of the county courthouse, she asked for a countywide community service date, which commissioners agreed with.
Sanders said she would like to see a cleaner community, a healthier world, and more trees and wildlife when asked what result she would like to see in 10 years.
"This county thrives off of volunteers," Commissioner Dan Holub said.
The commission agreed to set the date on the fourth Friday in April.
Chairman Randy Dallke said he would like to see the day become a long-standing tradition in the community.
Later, after some deliberation with Great Plains Computer Networking owner Lloyd Davies, the commission decided to purchase a new smart television and transmitter for the commission meeting room for $2,235.
Commissioners also agreed to pay $1,550 each for four new tablets, $181 for Microsoft Office on the tablets, and $60 per month per tablet for Internet connectivity.
In addition, the commission:
- Discussed raising the price limit on courthouse purchasing cards from $500 to $1,000 monthly.
- Passed resolutions to have Road and Bridge Superintendent Randy Crawford remove yield signs in the northeast and southeast corners of the intersection of 240th St. and Zebulon Rd., and move a stop sign located in the northeast corner of 250th St. and Zebulon to the southeast corner of the same intersection.
- Met in closed session for 10 minutes discussing personnel. No action was taken upon re-entering regular session.


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You're reading all articles tagged 'drawing'
Leigh and Jon did Inktober
Leigh and I decided to do our Inktober together this year! The idea behind Inktober is simply to do an ink drawing every day for the month of October, on whatever subject you like. There are optional prompts on the official website if you need ideas, but Leigh and I decided to do ours by riffing off each other instead. So each one would be linked in some way (visually, thematically or loosely) to the last. You can see the all of the results by looking at the #leighandjondoinktober tag on Instagram.
These days, either iPad Pro & Pencil or MacBook & Adobe Illustrator are my comfort zones. Anything I've drawn that's more than just a quick sketch, has either been in paint or (nowadays) digital. Ink isn't something I've used particularly for about 28 years! So I made a deliberate decision to avoid the iPad, and use ink pens and paper.
One of the key differences to this process is that there's no going back. On the iPad you can keep changing, erasing, moving and resizing to your hearts content, but using ink means thinking before making a mark. This had the effect of slowing me down as I do try and rush to get things done as quickly as possible. Taking a deep breath and considering several steps ahead, and when it goes well, it can be very calming.
The results ranged from ones I was 'quite happy with', to those that I was absolutely appalled with. It didn't matter though, as the key takeaways were developing a regular drawing habit, and enjoying the challenge of thinking up concepts.
Here are some of my favourites:
Here are some of the things I learned by doing this:
- Planning out in pencil was a must. I'd love to be one of those people who can skip the prep and go straight into it, but I'm not.
- I worked best on a table/desk, rather than trying to be all relaxed and doing it on the sofa. I couldn't support my sketchbook and draw properly at the same time.
- The best results always came when working from reference, rather than from my imagination.
- I experimented with grey markers and diluted ink applied with brush, as well various styles of ink pens. My favourites ended up being a brush pen (for large areas of black), and much thinner pens that I expected. My 0.4mm was used the most, and was best for cross hatching. Anything larger started to look clumsy.
- On the last day, Leigh and I both realised that we should've been scanning them in, rather than taking a camerphone snap of them. Doh.
- Thematically, we kept coming back to fish, tea and birds a lot :)
It's been really fun for a month, but I'm quite glad the pressure is over! The most enjoyable part was the fact that it was a joint project, both halves of Hicks working together :)
Biro sketch of Lauzerte
I just found this sketch of the rolling fields near Lauzerte, France in a sketchbook from 2016. I love the graphic shapes that fields, trees and hedgerows make, so I tend to have a lot of these kind of sketches.
While sketching in biro means mistakes are permanent, I like how it feels on the paper. Its an instant bold line that doesn't smudge or become uniform grey over time like pencil sketches.
Fireworks alternatives on trial: Acorn, Drawit and Opacity
Last October, I wrote about my frustrations with Fireworks CS4, and the search for decent competitors to Adobe Software. Photoshop has many alternatives, and Illustrator has a handful, but nothing else seemed to cater for the mix of vector and bitmap editing that is Fireworks.
I recently tried both Photoshop and Illustrator again for icon creation, and Illustrator in particular irritated the hell out of me with it's pixel preview artefacts (still not fixed from CS3). Before I get a sackful of comments from diehard Photoshop fans, please believe me when I say that Photoshop is not the right tool.
That post did point to 3 possibilities however: Acorn, Drawit and Opacity. I didn't include Inkscape, not because it's bad, but I'm looking for better integration with OS X than Adobe products, and Inkscape feels like a step further away from that. Linux and Windows users will find that it feels more at home for them.
Why this post took so long
In order to trial these applications properly, you have to use them in anger. That is, on something real. However, the approach and workflow of any new tool is going to be different. Commands won't be in the same place as you expect them to be, or even named the same. There will be different ways of achieving the same end goal, and getting used to all these takes time.
When you're up against with deadlines, it's never the right time to go through that process. So you end up the tool that you know, that you will enable you to deliver on time with confidence. Times that by three, and you'll know why this has taken so long to write.
Disclaimer: No app can be perfect, and it takes a lot of time to trial them and understand their approach. It could be the these apps do have the features that I've claimed are missing, but there's only so much time I can give them all. Do point out if that's the case.
I'll be using this app for website designs, icons and interface elements, so some of the key things that I'm looking for are:
- Pixel snapping. I must have the confidence that when I draw a vector object it's dead on, no decimal points in either the dimensions or the positioning.
- Vector editing. A broad term to mean being able to add strokes, fills and different types of gradients.
- Boolean Operations. Which is apparently the posh term for what I'm more used to calling 'Pathfinder', making a new shape by subtracting, adding or intersecting two vector paths.
- Text Controls. It must be able to set leading and kerning, but ligature support would be good too.
- Multiple States. States and Pages are features in Fireworks that I use lot. I love being able to store multiple versions of a design (different pages of a site design, resolutions of an icon, a series of icons etc.) in one file. A similar function would be wonderful.
- Export to png, svg, eps, .ico,.icns and pdf.
There are more requirements (taken for granted things like layers) and nice-to-haves, but these are the core dependencies.
For the sake of a starting point, I set a basic task of drawing a button with rounded corners (set with a value), transparent stroke, inner highlight, linear gradient with transparent colours and an outer shadow. I also chose to overlay the word 'Waffle' to test kerning and ligatures. Like this:
Let's see how they all fared (click the larger screenshots to see the full image)…
I found Acorn's layout beautiful, intuitive and well thought out. In fact, it was my favourite (with DrawIt a close second). One of the turn-offs of Adobe software are some of the non-native UI decisions, but Acorn embraces modern Mac UI design with vigour. These things matter!
Acorn allows the basic vector drawing abilities that you would expect, such as editing and positioning elements (particularly vector shapes) numerically with x,y,w&h values. It also has that wonderful feature of taking screenshots with each window on a separate layer.
However it's intention is primarily a bitmap editor, and was missing functions like:
- Gradient fills
- Guides (although these will be in Acorn 2.3!)
- Ability to apply a stroke to the outside or inside of a shape, as well as centred
- Boolean operations
- and so on…
So this was a far as I could get without converting the shape to a bitmap:
That's a score in items 1,2 (partially) and 4 (partially). I could export to .png, but that was it. I was able to alter kerning overall and manually between pairs of letters, but I couldn't find support for ligatures.
You may wonder why I include Acorn in the alternatives if it doesn't fulfil enough of the criteria? Well, it's a bloody good image editor, and it's lack of vector capabilities may not be an issue for everyone. It also has the bitmap editing features that the other choices here lack.
It's clear that Acorn's priorities are elsewhere, but the basis for a fantastic competitor is there. Whether it makes commercial sense for Gus to take it that direction only he can tell, but I would love to see Acorn's vector capabilities expanded. If you do too, please write to Flying Meat Software, as I'm sure if there was enough demand and constructive suggestions, he would consider it.
DrawIt's interface is a single-window affair, with only the OS X colour and text palettes being separate. On the left is layers and properties, and on the right side are the 'special attributes' where you add fills, strokes, shadows and so on.
Drawit seems more aimed at the Fireworks market: vector drawing with bitmap effects. It's a big step up from Acorn in terms of drawing capabilities, and (initially) it felt like using Keynote after years of Powerpoint. Remember that feeling?
We're getting close with Drawit. It boasts:
- Excellent Mac integration and UI design
- Pixel snapping
- Multiple strokes!
- Gradient strokes!
- All manner of editable effects!
- Exposé layers!
- Easy Locking and unlocking layers.
Shapes are automatically drawn with certain effects, but once you've removed what you normally wouldn't need, you can right click on it and 'set effects as default'.
What it lacks:
- A tools palette. I don't want to go through dropdown menus in order just to add a vector shape to the canvas
- Export to .eps option. Granted it allows bitmap effects which wouldn't export, but I would love to be able to get vector artwork out in a format that other vector apps understand. (Apparently vector export is on the way though!)
- No multiple page function
- No alt-drag to create a duplicate shape
- No alt-key modifier to resize objects from the centre outwards
- No bitmap editing tools
- No manual guides (but it does have smart guides!)
This is what I could achieve with the test artwork:
So that's a score in items 1,2,3 (partially) and 4. Unfortunately, I came across some buggy rendering behaviour, which meant that not everything could be done with the same vector shape/layer (update as of v3.10.3 these have now been fixed). I think if I'd have persevered, I could've added the outer shadow. In particular, there is a nasty bug with boolean operations and shapes with rounded corners, which creates very wacky results. There's also a nasty undo bug, and I often find I can't undo any steps at all. All quirks that I'm sure can be fixed if I take the time to file a bug report though.
Overall, DrawIt is on the right lines. I do have concerns that their other app Sketch (a purely vector drawing app) is going to divide up the developers attention too much. I would've liked to see DrawIt developed in this way, rather than branching off those features into a separate app. Especially as Sketch has the multiple page facility, and export to eps and svg that was part of my criteria. Pieter Omvlee, the developer of DrawIt replied to these fears on Twitter…
…as to your fear about Sketch vs DrawIt; they do share a lot of code and I def plan to bring features back to DrawIt.
The main interface of Opacity is split into the canvas window (left, with layers on the side) and the inspector on the right. It's focus is creating resolution-independent graphics, and if you're designing for software (icons, interface graphics in general) you'll find a lot to love here.
Compared to Acorn and DrawIt, Opacity doesn't score quite as well in the beautiful Mac UI design stakes. It's not ugly by any means, but there is a mixture of styles and a little less coherent interface. For example, text can't be edited directly on the canvas, only via an inspector, which seems very odd. Fine for small amounts of text, but this would be a royal pain in the arse for site designs.
Let's get my other complaints out of the way first:
- No bitmap editing tools, although can draw with pixels, something Shaun Inman might like. I would at least like to be able to select areas of bitmaps and copy or transform them. (Update turns out you CAN do basic bitmap editing, but images have to be rasterized first)
- Can't select an object in another layer without selecting the layer first (there's no cmd-select option as there is in Photoshop).
- No alt-key modifier to resize objects from the centre outwards.
However, these are moot points in what is otherwise an incredibly powerful app. In fact, there is so much you can do in Opacity that I know I've not been able to explore it all. Here are some of my favourite features:
- Pixel snapping
- Multiple strokes!
- Gradient strokes!
- All manner of editable effects!
- Multiple resolutions in one file
- Multiple frames, with option to export to individual files, as well as share layers across frames.
- Excellent export options: png, jpg, jpg2000, tiff, gif, ico, icns, svg, pdf, bmp, even .icontainer. (no .eps though).
And in particular:
This is one of Opacity's genius features! Factories are all about setting up how you export your files, in as many different ways as you need. Let's say for example you need a png. ico and .icns versions of your icon artwork. Add a new factory for each, choosing the destination folder and compression. For added ease, check the 'Build Factories on Save' option, and Opacity will export the files whenever you save. No fiddling with save dialogs where the app doesn't remember the place you last exported, just apple-s. Only until you use this do you realise how much time you used to waste exporting files.
It even taps into my favourites in Transmit to allow me to save to a server!
There are all sorts of variables that you can use in your artwork, but one that I would use a lot is Resolution. With this, I can create all the different sizes for an icon, and alter the artwork based on it's resolution, such as removing detail at small sizes.
The value fields in Opacity respond to sums – that is you can type 25*2, 100-50 or 20+30 to get the same result. Handy, as sometimes positioning and sizing requires some maths.
Opacity makes it very easy to try your artwork with many different backgrounds. Apart from being able to choose checkerboard, colour or an image, it comes with many built in backgrounds, such as the Leopard Aurora desktop or Windows XP's Bliss.
Finally, let's see how it fared on the little test:
All 6! What's more, I took substantially less time to create than in the other two.
There still isn't one app that will replace Fireworks completely, but elements of these 3 are on the right tracks, and a combination works right now. My personal favourite here is Opacity, as it has almost all the feature set I need and more that Fireworks doesn't provide. I've used it in a production environment too – all new graphics for Opera 10.50 have been made in Opacity.
It just needs a bit of UI love in the way that Acorn and DrawIt have, and a better system for dealing with text. I'll still keep an eye on the other two, but I'll be using Opacity alongside Fireworks for now. All three are being developed by people who care and are responsive over email.
So that's my thoughts, it's now up to you to try them yourself!
More Ideas!
I had to post this drawing my 7 yr old daughter made of me. The forehead and the hair is sadly quite realistic, but I love the that the speech balloon is me demanding "More Ideas!".


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Prank: Coffin In A Minibus! (Bringing A Dead Guy In A Taxi)
"SA Prankers take revenge on minibus drivers by bringing in a dead guy in a taxi full of people" - twitter.com/nashyb
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The Scott Aspect 740/940 is a mountain hardtail that is designed to be light, efficient and reasonably priced. Featuring a lockout mechanism for the fork, disc brakes and Syncros components, this is the perfect bike for the novice or budget conscious mountain biker. Available in 29" and 27.5" wheel size.
FRAME: Aspect 700/900 series Alloy 6061 DB / Performance geometry Internal cable routing
FORK: Suntour XCM-HLO Hyd. Lockout / 100mm travel
HEADSET: Ritchey LOGIC ZERO-OE
REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano Alivio RD-M4000 27 Speed
FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano FD-M3000 / 31.8mm
SHIFTERS: Shimano SL-M2000-9R R-fire plus
BRAKE LEVERS: Shimano BL-M315
BRAKES: Shimano BR-M315 / Hydr. Disc SM-RT10 CL Rotor / 160F/160R
CRANKSET: Shimano FC-M2000 40X-30x22
BB-SET: Shimano BB-UN-26 Cartridge Type
HANDLEBAR: Syncros M3.0 / 720mm black / 31,8mm / 12mm rise / 9° BS
H'STEM: Syncros M3.0 / 7° / Black
SEATPOST: Syncros M3.0 27.2mm / 350mm / Black
SEAT: Syncros M3.0
HUBS: (FRONT) Shimano HB TX505 (REAR) Shimano FH-TX5058
CASSETTE: Shimano CS-HG200-9 / 11-34T
SPOKES: 14 G / stainless / black
RIMS: Syncros X-20 Disc 32H / black
TIRES: Kenda Slant 6 2.35 / 30TPI
APPROX WEIGHT: 14.30kg / 31.53lbs
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Emacs is the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor. This Editor is used to do a lot of things, from IRC to reading mails and news, along with "basic" editing, advanced macro, remote control, multimedia player, and so on..
This webpage is about EMMS, an Emacs "package" that you use to extend Emacs features to multimedia.
Yoni R.K. (also known as "yrk" on IRC) has created some nice wallpapers about EMMS. These wallpapers, as the logo, are under the Creative Commons Attribute-Share-Alike license.


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Zooey Claire Deschanel (Elf) is starring opposite Jim Carrey in "Yes Man" for Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow. Deschanel plays the romantic female lead, a women Carrey meets on his journeys.
She next appears in the science fiction mini-series "Tin Man", a retelling of The Wizard of Oz.
Bradley Cooper already has been cast as Carrey's best friend and Rhys Darby as Carrey's boss. Filming is expected to begin within a month.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter


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Discover ESOL
Want to study English in Aberdeen and the surrounding area but not sure which course or level to apply for? We will recommend the best course for you!
Why take this course?
This 'discover' option has been set up for anyone applying who requires a little guidance as to which full–time English course to apply for.
What you will experience
You will be invited to attend an interview where you will be able to discuss your options based on your qualifications and/or experience and we will recommend the course that is a 'perfect fit' for you.
Key facts
What you need to know
Next steps
For more information about job opportunities, salaries and employment rates in this industry, visit the Career Coach website.
|August 2019
|Apply Online
Online applications
You can apply for a place on this course by completing an online application form, which you can access using the 'Apply Online' button. Once completed, this will be received by our Admissions Team who will then process your application.
Paper applications
You may submit a paper application form, and return it to us completed and signed.
All completed paper applications should be returned to the following freepost address:
The Student Information & Admissions Manager
North East Scotland College
Aberdeen City Campus
Should you have any problems with your application, please contact the Student Advice Centre:
Telephone: 01224 612330
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
If you take up a place on a College course, at the start of the course you will be asked to sign an enrolment form. In signing the form and/or taking up a place on a College course, you will enter into a contract with the College and be bound by the North East Scotland College Standard Terms and Conditions of Study. Copies of the Terms and Conditions are available for inspection on notice boards and at various locations throughout the College, at the College Reception, on the College website: www.nescol.ac.uk, or can be obtained on request from the Student Funding and Admissions Manager, North East Scotland College, Aberdeen City Campus, Gallowgate, Aberdeen AB25 1BN. Please note that courses are offered subject to (a) there being sufficient numbers of enrolments and (b) the availability of resources. The College reserves its right (i) not to run courses where the number of students is considered insufficient or where resources are unavailable and (ii) in certain circumstances, to refuse admission to an individual applicant.


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Designer: Leah Anderson
Photographs: Greg Scheidemann
9 pairs of jeans (blocks)
2/3 yard hot pink batik (binding)
3-3/4 yards backing fabric
66x76-inch batting
Yarn: bulky-weight fuchsia, worsted-weight hot pink and silver metallic
Finished quilt: 60-1/2x70-1/2 inches
Finished blocks: 10 inches square; 10x20-inch rectangle
Unless otherwise specified, quantities are for 44/45-inch-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. All measurements include a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.
All jeans are not created equal; therefore, jeans in different sizes will yield different amounts of denim. Although the number of jeans you use will depend on their sizes, the nine pairs called for in the materials list should yield enough denim and color variations to make an eye-catching throw. To add the most contrast to the quilt top, be sure to include a variety of washes in the finished blocks.


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Colorful Crochet & Crafts
Hello, and welcome to my happy, colorful world of crochet and crafts. You'll find lots of inspiration, free patterns and tutorials here on my blog - and even more crochet goodness in my book, published in English, Dutch, and Turkish: "Colorful Crochet", "Eindeloos Haken", and "Renkli Tig Isleri"
simply enter your email address and receive notifications of new posts by email
Email Address
© Marianne Dekkers-Roos/maRRose – Colorful Crochet & Crafts, 2013 – 2019
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Marianne Dekkers-Roos and maRRose – Colorful Crochet & Crafts with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
In short: link with love …..


text: Tired of the same 30-year-old teens? The come and check Eroxia's amazing free amateur teen archive, filled with gorgeous nymphs from all over the world! They're barely legal babes and they're ready to make the most of their new freedom, fucking everything they find with their gorgeous bodies and superb asses. Their pussies are on fire and only a huge load of cum will put them off!


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Be sure to pop by my updated Party & Cookout Foods page!
Perfect for leftovers or just for a cool presentation,
try a Barbecue Sundae using your cookout ingredients!
Southern Sweet Iced Tea
Homemade Fresh Lemonade
Strawberry Lemonade
Adult Beverages
Frozen Watermelon Margaritas
Vodka Slush
Frozen Pina Colada
Perfect Mojitos
Fried Jalapeno Poppers
Grape Jelly Cocktail Meatballs & Little Smokies Sausages
Basic Sausage Cheese Balls
Basic Humble Deviled Egg
Crispy Southern Fried Hot Wings with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Get more Appetizer ideas right here!
Fresh Corn Salad
Tri-Color Rotini Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Italian Dressing
Creamy Pasta Salad
Fire 'n Ice Summer Salad
Spicy, Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad
Simple Summer Salad
Homemade Sweet & Spicy Barbecue Sauce
Main Dish
Grilled Pork Spareribs or Baby Back Ribs
Fall off the Bone Oven Baked Pork Spareribs
Crockpot Barbecue Beef for Sandwiches
Extra Crispy Southern Fried Chicken
Jambalaya with Chicken, Smoked Sausage & Shrimp
Yummy Hamburger Sandwich
Onion Burger
Country Bob's Stuffed Burger
The Easiest Pulled Pork Every, No Kidding!
Side Dish
Mary's Favorite Baked Beans
Creamy Southern Style Potato Salad
Cold Baked Potato Salad
Summer Squash Casserole
Squash Fries
Easy Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Dessert
Strawberry Pie
Homemade Southern Banana Pudding
Tommie's To-Die-For Buttermilk Chocolate Sheet Cake
Homemade Southern Peach Ice Cream
Appetizers & Party Foods is a great place to start.
Desserts ideas are right here.
Note: Be sure to check out the Eating Outdoors & Handling Food Safely article at fda.gov for some great tips on outdoor food safety!
It is a common misconception that it is unsafe to eat mayonnaise based dishes at a picnic - but it's just not true! Mayonnaise is very safe, is made from pasteurized eggs that are free of the bad bacteria, and, in fact, mayonnaise contains ingredients such as lemon juice & vinegar that actually hamper bacterial growth. It generally isn't the mayonnaise that is troublesome, but the ingredients that are mixed in with the mayonnaise. Follow guidelines for keeping foods chilled, and don't keep them outside too long!
When serving chilled foods outside, always plan to bring along an oversized dish, and a large bag of ice to fill the dish. Then place your food dish or platter into it.
This will help to not only keep your dish at a cool serving temperature, but it will also help to protect it from spoilage.
Don't forget to get some food covers too!


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Vintage Guitar: BelAir Review!
Vintage Guitar gave a Rave Review of the new Voyage-Air Belair guitar in the March, 2011 issue.
"The Belair's materials help it produce an array of tones. Chords chime, particularly through the bridge pickup, and there's a good bit of sustain. The neck pickup, while warm-sounding, is tighter and more defined than the sound of a P-90 usually makes in a mahogany body... the bridge pickup is very full-sounding, with deep bass response..."


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Most read
- Huntington Arts Fest Returns to Ritter Park
- Tortilla Factory Raided by ICE; Morgantown Warned of ICE Activity
- Catholic Priest Witnesses Euthanization of Terrorized Mother
- Additional Tsubasacon Cosplays on Stage from Saturday (Part 2) IMAGES
- IMAGE GALLERY: Marshall Women Can't Overtake UAB
- IMAGE GALLERY: UAB Defeats Herd for Third Straight Loss
- DOE opens investigation of Piketon Nuke Plant
- Retired Cabell County Deputy Sheriff and Son Indicted on Drug and Gun Charges
Researchers at MU School of Pharmacy and School of Physical Therapy study the effects of metabolic syndrome on skeletal muscle adaptation
Dr. Eric Arnold, from Marshall's School of Physical Therapy, and Dr. Eric Blough, from the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Research, worked together on the project.
Metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome, is one of the fastest growing health problems in the United States with more than one of every three adults suffering from the disorder, according to Arnold and Blough.
They also said that over the next two decades, the incidence of metabolic syndrome is projected to increase to epidemic levels in both the industrialized and developing worlds. Patients with metabolic syndrome typically are obese, suffer from insulin resistance and exhibit elevations in blood sugar and lipid levels.
"It's important to assemble a team of experts from various health professions and scientific disciplines, to address the complexity of type 2 diabetes," Arnold said. "That's what it is all about, working together to research and discover an optimal therapeutic strategy for this chronic disease. Collaboration is important."
Marshall's researchers have been using the obese Zucker rat (Leprfa) which models many of the characteristic features of metabolic syndrome seen in humans to examine how the disorder may affect the ability of their skeletal muscles to adapt to an exercise stimulus.
"Because exercise is almost always prescribed as a treatment modality for these patients, we need to understand how skeletal muscles of someone with metabolic syndrome may respond to exercise if we ever want to optimize the therapeutic treatment of this disease," Arnold said.
Their research, titled "Insulin resistance does not inhibit the ability of the mechanical overload to induce hypertrophy in the Obese Zucker Rat (Leprfa) plantaris muscle," was published in April.
Significant findings provided evidence that metabolic syndrome did not impair the ability of the rat fast twitch plantaris muscle to experience hypertrophy when exposed to muscle overload as reflected by increases in myofibrillar protein content and increases in muscle fiber cross-sectional area.
"This finding is pretty interesting given that previous work by our group has shown the muscle adaptation in the slow twitch soleus muscle is impaired with metabolic syndrome," Blough said. "This study, along with our other work, suggests that metabolic syndrome may affect different muscle types differently. This adds a level of complexity that I don't think others have shown in the past and may have important implications in the design of exercise intervention programs."
For more information, call Arnold at 304-696-5615 or Blough at 304-696-2708.


text:
- Manufacturer: Icon
Icon Contra Military Spec Jacket
The Contra Mil-Spec jacket - unparalleled visibility, protection, and comfort - even in the most hostile urban environments. Externally, the rugged shell is comprised of ballistic nylons and mesh panels. Strategic material patterning allows for unrestricted mobility and ventilation. Ratchet cam waist adjusters and integrated stretch panels provide a custom fit. Internally, Field Armor impact protectors perform critical energy management tasks. Combined with a reflective graphics package and hi-visibility color blocking, the Mil-Spec Contra is the ultimate in performance textile jackets.
- Icon Sport fit
- Durable nylon textile chassis
- Removable Icon CE Field Armor impact protector elbow and shoulder
- Meets U.S. Military PPE hi-visibility specifications
- Removable Icon dual-density foam back pad
- Heavyweight ballistic impact panels
- Integrated fighter mesh panels for venting
- Gathered elastic flex panels on elbows and shoulders
- Ratchet closure waist adjusters
- Removable insulated wind resistant liner
- Upgradable to stryker CE back protector


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By Paula Pasche email@example.com; @PaulaPasche
ALLEN PARK - Ezekiel 'Ziggy' Ansah didn't come out of nowhere, it just seems like it.
Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he first learned of Ansah the week before the Senior Bowl in January.
Ansah, a 6-foot-5 defensive end, was the Lions pick at No. 5 overall in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
A native of Ghana, Ansah has not played much football. Thirty-one games exactly. That's over the last three seasons at BYU. He has nine starts, all in 2012 when he had 4.5 sacks and 62 tackles.
Ansah, on a conference call Thursday night, said he never saw a football game until he arrived at BYU in 2008 on an academic scholarship. His sports idol was LeBron James. Ansah tried and failed to make the BYU basketball team. Friends encouraged him to try out for football. He walked on at BYU in 2010.
He said the journey from Ghana to BYU to the NFL has been 'a humbling experience.''
When it comes to football, raw is a word that best describes him. That does not scare the Lions. They coached him at the Senior Bowl. Without that week of getting to know Ansah, the pick might not have been made.
'If you looked at it from a book standpoint you would have to say that (he's a project). When you watch film and put your hands on him for a week ... We drafted him to be on the field, we didn't draft him as a project,'' Schwartz said. 'We saw everything we needed. ... He's inexperienced, but he's very instinctive, he has the skill sets we're looking for.''
Three offensive tackles - Eric Fisher (No. 1 to Chiefs), Luke Joeckel (No. 2 to Jaguars) and Lane Johnson (No. 4 to Eagles) - were gone before the Lions picked.
General manager Martin Mayhew offered no specifics on whether he tried to move up to get one of those tackles, instead saying he's always looking for opportunities. Other options at No. 5 for the Lions would have been cornerback Dee Milliner (Alabama) and offensive guards Jonathan Cooper and Chance Warmack.
Know this, the Lions do not see Ansah as a consolation prize.
'I talked to his former (BYU) coach Bronco Mendenhall today. He spoke very highly of him,'' Mayhew said. 'He talked about when he came, he didn't even know how to put his equipment on and how far he's come.
'The one thing he talked about with Ziggy was how much he loves the game, how much he loves to learn about the game, how much passion he has to learn about it,'' Mayhew added. 'We've got the right coaches here to teach him about it.''
With the pick, the Lions filled one of their biggest needs. Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch, who started the last three seasons at defensive end, are both gone. Avril signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks and Vanden Bosch was released.
The Lions did sign free agent defensive end Jason Jones who played for Schwartz at the Tennessee Titans. And Willie Young, a seventh-round pick in 2010, will return.
'This was a time when the grade matched up with the need and it worked out great for us,'' Mayhew said.
BYU used Ansah in a variety of roles.
'When we gave him the opportunity, the way that we play (wide nine) he had 1.5 (sacks) and another big hit and a tackle for loss in the Senior Bowl. We can't be worried about how he was used at BYU,'' Schwartz said. '... We think he's a very good fit for us. He can play right defensive end, he can play left defensive end, we can move him around a little bit, he has that kind of skill set.''
Schwartz also said, 'We do think he has more upside than he's shown.''
Ansah did not make a pre-draft visit to Detroit and doesn't know much about the city.
He will make his first visit on Friday when he's introduced as the newest member of the Lions organization.
The NFL draft continues at 6:30 p.m. Friday with rounds two and three, and wraps up starting at noon Saturday with rounds four through seven. The Lions have a pick in each round with two picks in the seventh round.
Paula Pasche covers the Lions. Follow her on Twitter @PaulaPasche. Read her Lions Lowdown blog at oplions.blogspot.com.


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|2010-07-14, 17:23
|Link #41
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Age: 38
There are two flash games up.
The first one, with Caster Extra, is at this link; there's a Saber Extra game up, too.
Try not to play either at work.
Spoiler for Saber Extra game:
|2010-07-16, 15:58
|Link #43
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Age: 35
Actually, judging by the new Saber minigame they've released, she's some kind of Roman aristocrat. It's not certain who yet, but she's almost certainly not Joan of Arc. Although, interestingly, a "Roman aristocrat" could just about fit with her being Arturia....
|2010-07-16, 17:34
|Link #46
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Age: 35
The time of King Arthur was when the Roman empire was collapsing (or, rather, had collapsed, by his time), and they withdrew their armies from Britain in order to defend the core of the empire, leading to the invasion of various 'barbarian' tribes (IIRC, the Saxons were actually invited to come there to fight off other invaders, and then decided to take Britain for themselves).
Since Arthur was high-ranked Briton (obviously...), it's likely that he would have been Romanised, and thus it's not inconsistent with those videos for Red Saber to be Arturia.
|2010-07-17, 09:33
|Link #47
Test Drive
Well, it certainly looks like it could be a lot of fun. The new world designs look cool, and it's a very nice surprise to see that this time around Rin has been partnered up with Lancer; I'd love to see that since those two were quite a pair in UBW.
All in all, I think it's definitely very promising. If a patch was released for the game, I'd definitely find it.
|2010-07-20, 01:50
|Link #48
Arthur was not born in Whales like his sisters, but England itself. Tintagel (I might've misspelled that) was the castle/fiefdom of Igraine's husband, whom she betrayed out of her love for Uther. The Duke of Tintagel (I can't remember his name) was the father of 3 daughters, (forget the first one, she really didn't have a role), Morgaine (who wed Lot of Orkney, and had four sons, Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth), and Morganna (also known as Morgan le Fay, who was the mother of Mordred). NONE of them are Roman, but in fact, British. Additionally, Arthur isn't really his name, it was Gwydion by birth, Arthur was the shortened form of Arcturius, given to him by the Saxons. Gawain was known as Gwalchmei, Galahad I known as Lancelot (meaning Elf Arrow), and Gwydion II known as Mordred (meaning Evil Council... ironic)
Do not try me on Arthurian mythology, you are almost guaranteed to lose.
|2010-07-20, 08:18
|Link #49
Disabled By Request
Join Date: Jan 2010
Spoiler for bit of language:
|2010-07-20, 11:55
|Link #50
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Age: 35
You may know a lot about Arthurian mythology, but when it comes to British geography, you don't have a chance, because I am actually British.
|2010-07-20, 12:14
|Link #52
I'm more skilled with geography on a worldwide scale than that of an individual country. I was unaware that London was a part of Wales in the 6th century.
Either way, the red looks simply awful.
Also, is anyone else reminded of Rozen Maiden when they hear that song? It sounds a LOT like the opening to Rozen Maiden Traumend. (I'm too lazy to put in the umlaut)
|2010-07-20, 13:25
|Link #53
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Age: 35
|2010-07-20, 15:12
|Link #54
Arthur was in London as the Saxons invaded it again. Cai did not have a sword, so he sent Arthur to fetch his. He saw Caliburn, and drew it, and ran back to Cai. He finds Cai with a mace, standing over a dead guy (Cai received a wound to his leg which made him forever walk with a limp at that point) and Ector, recognizing the sword, instantly kneeled before his king.
The Saxons were repelled, and Merlin told Arthur to seek the aid of King Leodgrance, who was one of the few "Rival Kings" that was determined to keep the Pendragon throne for Arthur. Oddly enough, Leodgrance was under siege, yet was saved by Arthur and his handful of knights. Leodgrance gave Arthur his allegiance, both of his sons as noble knights (Bedivere and Lucas, who were ironically the last two knights Arthur had) and his daughter, Guinevere. Oh, and let us not forget the most important gift, the round table.
|2010-07-22, 13:05
|Link #56
Adeptus Animus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Age: 31
|ps vita, ps4, psp
|Thread Tools


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|Windows 8.1
|Windows 8.1 Pro
|Great apps built-in such as Mail, Calendar, Messaging, Photos, and SkyDrive, with many more available at Windows Store.
|Includes Internet Explorer 11 for fast, intuitive, touch-friendly browsing.
|Keeps you up-to-date and more secure with Windows Defender, Windows Firewall, and Windows Update.
|Works with new and existing Windows desktop software, including the full Microsoft Office experience (Outlook, SharePoint Designer and more).*
|Comes with Windows Media Player.
|Provides enhanced data protection using BitLocker technology to help keep your information secure.**
|Enables you to connect to your PC when you're on the go with Remote Desktop Connection.
|Connects to your corporate or school network with Domain Join.
Windows RT is a new Windows-based operating system that's optimized for thin and light PCs that have extended battery life and are designed for life on the go. Windows RT only runs built-in apps or apps that you download from the Windows Store. Windows Update automatically keeps your PC up to date and Windows Defender provides up-to-date virus and malware protection.


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- This event has passed.
October 10, 2017 @ 9:00 am - October 14, 2017 @ 2:00 pm$20
Business Hours- 9am-2pm
(Check Schedule For Exceptions Due To Events)
Prices Start at $20
Welcome to NASCAR Racing Experience, the true NASCAR Driving Experience. We put YOU in the drivers seat of a real NASCAR race car that comes straight from the NASCAR teams. You drive a real NASCAR race car by yourself at The NASCAR Racing Experience. This NASCAR Experience will be the most authentic driving experience or racing school you've ever attended.