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Why can't Heather Chaplin see that the world revolves around a deep fascination with sex and violence?
i like both those things, and rockstar seems to have got that down perfectly :P
An excellent rebuttal to Ms. Chaplain's rant, and one that too few of us have been able to properly articulate, settling instead for calling her a "bitch who bitches too much" (true quote).
Even some of our most thematically packed indie games still use sex and violence as hooks to draw gamers to a deepr level of discourse.
Somebody buy this man a beer.
Undoubtedly, games will continue to use the two, and for the good reason of money and it pleases the fans. Of course, sex and violence is no more "adulthood" than fart jokes.
She obviously doesn't appreciate the good things in life XD
People like this might as well stop complaning about the whole sex and violence thing. After all, it's a free country and the 1st amendment protects game developers so they can put anything into a game and not get in trouble for it.
Who is she? Seeing as I never heard of her before I do not think she will get very far other than making rants.
My wife is 34 years old, an experienced engineer, and a MBA student. She loves fart jokes. A properly placed fart in a movie will have her bent over in tears.
I admire Endo for his honesty. I think most adult gamers feel the same way, even if they are ashamed to admit it.
Saint's Row 2 is arguably better, in my opinion. And that's not stemming from the ZP review - I had racked up 72 hours of game time on my save before Yahtzee reviewed it. lol
you assume that i'm talking about GTA 4... this is not true :P
Yes sex and violence are fun (I even showed madworld to my mother last time I went home), but that doesn't mean they're an end in themselves. The general trend in the industry is still a very narrow-minded view of chauvanism and pubescence. One need only look to Ivy (I think that's her name) from the new Soul Calibur, your companion in the new Resident Evil or any other representation of a female in a game apart from Alyx Vance, Samus or Jade.
Speaking from a female perspective, I'd say they're great draw-factors as well. More the violence than the sex but that may be down to my distaste for faux-women. Endlessly killing polygons in say, Unreal Tournament is as much a good time as it is a means for me to work out frustrations. And really, the "Male" image in games is often as stereotyped as the female, though often with more fabric involved. The intent may be different but in many ways the approach is similar. None the less games are an enjoyable medium to settle back and blow shit up. Of course there are games which don't reply on this. Puzzle games in particular spring to mind but even then there are things like Portal which are undeniably inventive yet still have that vein of destruction. Tasty destruction.. mmm.
In short it's a relaxation mechanism and I doubt that'll ever change. It's more profitable for developers this way.
I liked Saints Row 2, but I found the characters incredible unlikable. Johnie is a fuckwit sociopathic murder, your character is pretty much the same, and everyone else is just wasted. Fun game but the cutscenes and characters just made me want to avoid the plot.
That's great. I hate to flame, but I can't stand this self-involved logic. You are the sole metric for determining if someone's opinion is worthwhile or not, based entirely on whether or not you have heard of them?
Well, a pretty simple Internet search shows that she's a journalist and author, which gave her the credibility to be a GDC panelist, getting, I imagine, much farther than you will.
Sex And violence is a good song by The Exploited
I enjoyed reading Tom's rebuttal, but he's missed the point entirely. It's not that video games are just about sex and violence, but that video games still mostly cater to a juvenile level of sex and violence. There's hardly any mature sophistication to video games, save for a rare handful. And that's the point I think she's trying to make and I agree with her that gaming needs to grow up.
Who said anything about abandoning sex and violence? Again, this is a great article and I agree with the importance that sex and violence holds in adult entertainment, art and culture, but that has nothing to do with the current lack of maturity in today's games.
Heather Chaplin's point still stands: gaming needs to grow up.
Sex and violence are integral parts to entertainment since the idea of watching other people do things was first thought.
Nothing wrong with sex and violence. I love them. Yay. The problem isn't that there's mature content; it's that it's being used in an immature way. It's shallow, desperate, gimmicky, cliche, and borderline offensive to some groups of people.
It is definitely a "thematic wasteland" and I think that's what her issue is. She is concerned about games as art. Well, works of art can certainly have sex and violence, but that's not all that they contain! And, if they do contain these things, they definitely explore them in ways that are not necessarily subtle, but definitely not shallow. Video games do not have this approach. They skirt the line of AO because as a corporate product, that's all they can do.
For me, it all goes back to this corporate censorship issue, and that's one of the reasons why games are not perceived as art. The great products of the medium are from corporations, not free-willed studios. You not only have to worry about meeting the bottom line and all that risk-reduction bullshit, but you also have to worry about avoiding an AO rating from an organization whose rating system is incredibly conservative. That AO rating is also an effective ban. Do visual arts, books, and film (not movies) have to go through this shit? No. And even movies have it better off.
Of course movies like Iron Man are going to top the charts (kids and adults can both enjoy those types of movies), but there is a huge wealth of mature movies being made. Directors can make something that appeals entirely to adults without the fear of it not making money. Where are the No Country For Old Men video games? There are hardly any games out there that don't make some sort of sacrifice to appeal to kids... and that's the problem. That's where games need to mature.
Some of the Escapists might be reading this and thinking, "Who shit in this guy's cornflakes?" So I'll try and put my ranting into perspective... when you were 5 years old, Sesame Street was so awesome. Now that you've matured, it's nostalgic, but hardly rewarding. That's how I feel right now with gaming in general. Almost every game I play feels like Sesame Street in some form or fashion. When people praise a game, I typically read it as someone trying tell me how amazing Elmo is.
I've seen flashes of brilliance. I know it's possible to make rewarding games that appeal more so to adults, but it's just not happening at any satisfying frequency.
Amen, brother.
From what I understood from the original comment she's some kind of PR agent whose job is to tell people why games aren't evil tools Empowered by Satan (TM) to corrupt the children but it's extremely hard to tell that to people when games seem to be a celebration of all the things we don't want children to see in other media either. And while sex and violence may have been sellers in other media as well we're mostly facing resistance from older people (and older is defined pretty loosely here) who grew up with much more restricted levels on these things (remember what Marylin Monroe actually showed when going for a "sex sells" approach? Compare that to what modern games show) and thus can't connect to the levels that are present in modern media. Yes, in the Roman times games involved actual bloodshed but that was almost two millenia ago and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone imbued with ancient Roman morals these days. In non-game media they can just pick shows, books, music, etc with less violence and sex and possibly topics that aren't so limited to the current youth in their appeal but with games they have no idea what exactly there is and without experiencing it themselves they don't know what gaming really is like. Maybe they just see the word "game" and think it's meant for children or families but then see a TV ad for Scarface and wonder why someone would try to sell that to children.
Depends on where you live, in the country I live in yes, they do have to put up with the same restrictions. Well, okay, books and music don't have an age rating scale, they're either for everyone, banned from shelves (only sold under the counter or in separate 18+ sections) or banned from sale. Games and movies have a whole scale for anything that's not subject to either of these bans. I'm not sure how closely the scales match since they're given out by different groups (FSK for movies, USK for games) but I know the USK ratings also take into account what the player's motivation is. A game where the goal is to get X kills or to perform the kills in the most violent way to get extra points will get rated higher than one where you kill people because they get in the way of your objective or because they want to kill you (then again games about making violent kills tend to be off the scale anyway which results in the game getting blocked by the console manufacturer if they're console games or even one of the two ban categories being brought down on it). I guess unnecessarily violent depictions might also affect it, at least I suspect that's why Gears of War got blocked (I recall the reasoning against a Doom 3 ban being that the violence, while bloody, is realistic, not that accurate IMO with people turning into skeletons and some select organs when gibbed but it's not over the top either). Then again Epic was talking some nonsense about not wanting to "compromise their artistic integrity" (I thought GoW was about "loss and redemption", not unnecessary violence?) so maybe they just didn't attempt to release it rather than trying and getting blocked.
Ah, good read. Someone above made the distinction between immature violence and handling the topic more productively and I do think it applies. But at the same time...I wonder if saying that a violent depiction is mature is kinda delusional. Someone getting shot in the face is still just someone getting shot in the face, no matter how you contextualize it.
And I let go of boxing years ago when I discovered UFC. Nothing comes close.
Sorry I get Emo after midnight.
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this article. First off, kudos to the great Orson Scott Card reference, got a kick out of it.
I always think it's funny that it can only be that gamers(predominantly men) are the "fucking adolescents" who idealize looks, shun complex storylines, and are simply titillated by shallow offerings. Where does mass consumption of trash television and gossip magazines come into consideration?
How, exactly, is Hollywood that much different? A movie has a cast of unattainably beautiful people that are portrayed as not only perfect looking, but the idealization of the perfect character and moral fiber. "Milk" was a widely acclaimed piece of art that managed to make $2.6 million opening weekend, and $20.54 million in its theatrical run(http://www.boxofficereport.com/ybon/2008gross.shtml).
There are 110 films above this piece of art for 2008, and guess what? Most of them are not great art, but rather rely on sex, violence, and titillating its audience to fill theatres and increase the production company revenues.
It's surprising to see that a person who has worked in the field for so long has such a narrow view of it, and would lambast the same sort of negative stereotypes as the Fred Thompsons and Tipper Gores of the world.
So you want your toys that are meant for kids to grow up? Yes of course we all don't get the same satisfaction from Seseme Street like when we were kids and the same does apply to video games. Asking a toy maker to grow up is like asking a clown to stop being clumsy, it goes against everything they do. Granted now I'm talking about the people and not the product they develop but the whole admiration of a toy maker is that while they are grown up and take care of many adult aspects in life such as raising a family, paying bills and ensuring his own and family happiness the toy maker is still young at heart and crafts things kids would like.
The toy maker is grown up however the content does need to be one thing, a toy. Something that someone else young or young at heart will enjoy. Video games and this current generation is quite the anomoly because we say to adults now that it is okay to not grow up. I can at least speak for the american culture that there is something that will always make exceptions to let someone not really grow up in society and still go out on their skateboard and do something stupid and not take accountability. The same thing does apply with video games, they were targetted for families but really caught on with the kids and thanks to the technology factor video games have grown with the generation. Video games have grown in many ways, the most obvious being graphics but in the end they are still the same old toys we have been playing since we were kids. Instead of seeing pixels blow up, there is blood and explosions. We now have stories told by the game instead of reading the instruction booklet, but they are still toys meant to entertain and head-fake those playing.
I know that when it comes to video games I have essentially "graduated" and there really isn't anything more video games can teach me. While society had divided the age group to allow people to play games the concepts of problem solving and being involved in stories and conflicts still remain for kids to be the hero, the warrior, and most importantly be a grown up.
So the next time you think about video gaming "growing up" think about that old fashioned toy maker or that clown entertaining that child and teaching the child how to be a grown up and what responsiblities they will have when they get older.
I could even go back to hunters and the many games the children played in order to properly throw spears through rings stressing accuracy and power so they can supply food for their families when they come of age.
This is a remarkably bad argument.
Here's your claim:
"adolescent male fantasies are responsible for the majority of our great works of entertainment and art"
Here's your evidence:
1) you like adolescent male fantasies in entertainment and perhaps in your private life.
2) Antonioni, the Blues, a photograph of a boxing match, Cormac McCarthy, Jean Luc Godard.
You might want to try a little harder on this one, kiddo.
For one, your survey of "great works of entertainment and art" is less than expansive. Not exactly up on our Proust, are we? No; Your little bowl of cherries here seems more like the kind of thing a boy would pick--which I suppose leads us to our second point.
Are you writing for The Escapist or The Projectionist? It's one thing to wear your neotony proudly; it's quite another to cover the whole world with it. You're right to describe video games as adolescent male fantasy; you're wrong to see every exploration of sex or violence as the same thing. You're projecting your Peter Pan syndrome onto everybody else's mature work (or at least onto Cormac McCarthy's and the Blues).
In other words, it's not just that your world is tiny; it's that it consists of nothing but yourself.
But, then, solipsism and narcissism are pathologies of adolescence. What can you do?!?
Ahh, sex and violence. The things that define a man. *Eyes twitch*
I said simillar things in a very long thread here some time ago. She should be directing her rant at publishers more however. No one has the balls to fight to remove the AO banhammer so anyone actually capable of decent writing who really wants to do a mature game is all but screwed. Of course there are some bright spots like Persona 3 and Persona 4 the former features suicide of all things as a mechanic.
The AO banhammer isn't really that serious, if you find yourself unable to avoid that maybe you should try a different subject. Adult and mature does not mean blood and sex in copious amounts, it means something that an older person can enjoy. Which happens to include Tetris. Children probably don't enjoy Columbo much but you don't see much violence in that series.
...Heather Chaplin? Is that you?
You come off as a bit of a cultural elitist. Within the first five lines of your post I knew you were going to name-drop Proust.
I thought video games were an entertainment medium.
There isn't anything more that video games can teach?! Are you serious?
Wait... are you one of the game developers that Heather Chaplin is talking about?
When my none gaming spare time is spent enjoying sex and violence (I have a gorgeous partner and I train MMA), why would my gaming all of a sudden involve Jane Austin?
Sex and violence are, at heart, adult subjects, part of adult life. Always have been.
Fine art is famous for being racey and loving the naked form. Check Boticelli, the birth of venus, now complain about Ivy's state of undress. This only seems to change with a poke from anal retentive religeous movements, such as christianity, and its preocupation with sin.
Im not going to argue art history, I studied a real subject, but its enough to know there are plenty of examples of smut if you look for them.
Quit looking down your nose quoting Proust; its the Escapist, not the Elitist.
Keyword you left out in your post. "me". I think video games are great for teaching people the basics or a specific concept of a subject. Construction in World of Goo would be a good example in building bridges was mentioned by Josh when we had a discussion last night in the Mumble channel. While I had the same concept taught to me in the seventh grade with using toothpicks it still is a good foundation to learn from.
Taking those teachings to the next level is the problem. Chances are a video game is not going to teach someone calculus or the philisophical teachings of Thomas Hobbes. If you really do want to learn more about philisophy, math, art, or history you really have to do it yourself. College and video games have taught me that.
I personally disagree that video games need to grow up because I still do see them as toys. Yes they do entertain but they also can and do whether the person realizes it or not can teach. I am not a game developer(although I wish I was) but from my years of playing video games although I do enjoy the gameplay, story and questions brought by video games I have been treading the same ideas, questions and concepts for some time now not really learning anything more from video games. While I may not learn more about philosophy from playing an RPG, a child who engages his mind will be amazed at the concept and idea as he looks head on into the story from the eyes of the protagonist. When I played games as a child I didn't focus on getting the best items or grinding, I wanted to know what happened next as I traveled to my next destination as I became stronger.
Video games are a great starting point to teach kids and even adults on concepts and ideas they never considered before but I think more advanced teaching the will to take the concept and bring it to the next level is up to the individual. You get that starting experience but then to really learn you really do have to be out there in the field chosing what you want to specialize in.
This is not true.
Sex and violence are neither necessarily adult, nor necessarily adolescent.
You're making the inverse of the error Endo made.
He argued that, because adolescent male fantasies focus on themes of sex and violence, whenever you find themes of sex and violence, you find adolescent male fantasy.
You're both wrong.
1) Fine art is famous for being fine.
2) Nudity and sexual themes are not always adolescent male fantasy.
That's not what 'anal retentive' means. You mean 'prudish' or 'sexually repressive'.
This is an adolescent assessment. Nudity does not equal smut, except in the minds of children, adolescent males, and the sexually repressed.
I didn't quote Proust. As Clemenstation pointed out with mighty wit, I name-dropped him.
It's (note the apostrophe) The Escapist, indeed, but if you don't think this magazine has an elitist bent, well, I guess Yahtzee fooled you.
And, yes, in the colloquial sense, I am now being anal. But not adolescent!
Well turbotica if you are suggesting they are indeed wrong. Then why don't you take the time to inform them what is right? What is your opinion on the subject?
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Ratchet Gladiator Cheats :
Glitch - Torval Glitch
Hi Guys im going to show you the hidden glitch on Torval.
First go to the Metal Ceiling and go with the gravity boots.When you nearly reached the top stop and point your character to the Edge left the Room.Try to jump high so you can climb up on the ceiling. You will see a grey unsolid object.And if you mention this:When you walk the whole field becomes invisible (The walls are not unsolid when this happens)Then try to jump to the Invisible Building the the left of you.You will see that it's Solid but be careful' When you walk a little around you will fall in a little hole.You will be killed with 1-Hit KO.It's because you were in the' little 'Heaven' there you will be always killed with one hit. and there is something else.When the walls are invisible only the viechle's can be seen.So Stay on the Safely ground and ignore this glitch.(This can be done too in multiplayer and online matches too.Or search on YouTube with this query:Ratchet Gladiator 'Torval glitch'.
Thanks for Reading
Ratchet Gladiator Cheats:

subset: commoncrawl


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NALGENE Narrow Mouth, Natural Sample Bottles, High-Density Polyethylene, with Caps, I-CHEM : Narrow mouth and wide mouth bottles, available in natural and amber, are for use in the analyses of metals. I-CHEM Certified 300 series bottles include a Certificate of Analysis that lists detection limits for specified analyses. Manually readable bar-cod
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This from a reader Mike:
"I own a 17inch Macbook pro (not core 2 duo) and I recently had one of the cells on my battery balloon to about twice the normal size. The cell forced the cover of the battery to pop off. I took the battery to the Apple store today to have it replaced and they seemed in a hurry to get it out of public view so as my "genius" went to get the replacement I took some photos...The Apple nerds said they had never seen anything like it."
But what about our other readers? Is anyone else experiencing inflating Macbook Pro batteries?
Thanks Mike!


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1956 Chevy Wagon- Show Horse
Oscar Gamble's '56 Chevy Wagon
It's tough to look at old photos or footage of stock car racing from 40 or 50 years ago and watch all those Tri-Five Chevys bumping, scraping, and sliding their way around the track. Turning that perspective around, those racers from days gone would probably be surprised to hear that the "old" cars they were picking up for cheap to chase around a dirt oval would one day be venerated as classics.
You could say the same thing about whomever bought this '56 Chevy Handyman when it was new. He, or she, wasn't shopping for a classic-just looking for a no-frills workhorse. They'd think you were nuts if you told them their utilitarian wagon would one day be built with loving care into a top-shelf show custom, winning prestigious prizes and being photographed for magazines.
As a matter of fact, Oscar Gamble, who built, owns, drives, and shows this tasty tomato-red Handyman, didn't foresee his wagon turning into a trophy-winning show-stopper when he first started working on the car-and that was only five years ago.
It was the summer of 2003, and Oscar had just purchased the Chevy from a friend. During the several years his friend owned it, the chassis had been partially rebuilt, the body had been acid-dipped, a new was floor installed, and the ZZ430 engine was dropped into place.
Oscar continued to make sheetmetal upgrades once the wagon was his. A new flat firewall and inner fender panels were built at Randy's Body Shop, and all seams were sealed. A one-piece tailgate was created from the original two-piece parts, activated by an electric switch and actuator.
As work progressed on the body and upgrades continued with a rebuilt suspension, high-end interior, and a million custom mods, it began to occur to Oscar that the workhorse he originally intended as a daily driver was on the fast track to becoming a custom show car. That is exactly what it was by the time we got a look at it; the wagon had been making the rounds for a year by that time. A daily driver it isn't, but Oscar does let the wagon stretch its legs on the street now and then. He's hauling it to as many East Coast events as he can the rest of the time, picking up plenty of "Best of" awards along the way. All of this might seem weird to someone from 50 years ago, but it makes perfect sense to Oscar, to us, and probably to you.
Oscar GamblePaducah, Kentucky'56 Chevy 210 Handyman Wagon
Low-profile meats and big-diameter rims look good on a classic Chevy. In this case, they're 275/35R20 and 225/40R18 Michelins mounted on contemporary five-spokes from the Billet Specialties Rail series.
ChassisThe '56 Chevy 'rails had already been plated and filled when Oscar took ownership of the Handyman. He and fabricator Brad Starks from Paducah-based Randy's Body Shop got rid of the old leaf-spring suspension, adding a Heidt's tubular A-arm frontend and replacing the 605 power steering box with a new rack-and-pinion system on a Starks-designed custom crossmember. The Currie rear houses 3.70:1 gears and rides on coilover shocks. Stopping is no problem with Wilwood polished disc brakes at all four wheels.
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Owner contact info: email@example.com


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ Secretary of State Ken Detzner and the League of Women Voters of Florida are putting aside past differences to join forces in a media campaign.
It's aimed at encouraging Floridians to register, vote early if possible and do their homework before casting ballots.
They announced plans Tuesday to distribute video public service announcements to broadcast and cable outlets across the state.
The Florida Cable Telecommunications Association and Florida Association of Broadcasters also are cooperating in the effort.
Detzer had defended new restrictions on voter registration drives that the league challenged in a federal lawsuit. They eventually settled after a judge blocked some of the most onerous portions of the new law.
The campaign began only two weeks before the registration deadline, but Detzner insisted it isn't starting too late.


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Chamillionaire TV Discusses Mixtape Messiah 4
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General Primary Election: Tuesday, March 17, 2020
As the Chief Election Authority, the County Clerk's Election Department is responsible for administering all elections (federal, state, county, township, park, library, school and special districts) within Rock Island County. There are 120 precincts with approximately 86,600 registered voters divided into 38 vote centers under the jurisdiction of the County Clerk. Additional duties of this department include: voter registration, training deputy registrars and election judges, providing vote centers and maintaining lists of precinct committeemen. Also, providing Candidate's Guides, the Voter Information Guide and the Reference Guide to Rock Island County.
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The NFL laid down a $13,369 fine on Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott because of his touchdown celebration during the Thanksgiving Day game against the Washington Redskins. After running in for a touchdown early in the first quarter, Elliott ran over to a giant red Salvation Army kettle behind the end zone and dropped $21 into it. Later in the game, he also dunked quarterback Dak Prescott into the kettle.
Elliott could not believe his charitable celebration warranted a fine from the league.
"I mean, I didn't really expect a fine,'' Elliott told reporters after the Cowboy's practice on Wednesday. "Really don't care about the fine. It's all for a good cause. We're trying to bring awareness to the Salvation Army. If the NFL doesn't like that, then, that's on them. I'll pay their little fine.''
Elliott decided to use the NFL's fine as a way to raise even more money for the Salvation Army. He announced on Twitter that he will match every $21 donation made to the charitable organization with the goal of raising $21,000.
#CowboysNation: Join me in the #FightForGood. I'll match every $21 donation made to @SalvationArmyUS this week, up to $21k. Visit http://shopzeke21.com to give. @dallascowboys wanna match too?
Elliott was asked what he thought of the suspension and took a shot at the league.
"A lot of things they do define ridiculous,'' Elliott said. "But I mean, that's not really any of my business, not really anything I can change so I'm just going to keep being focused on this season, keep being focused on leading this team and focused on going out there and winning ballgames.''
Elliott is planning to appeal the fine.


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It's never too early to teach children to appreciate their environment, and what better way to start than with this beautiful area rug. Richly colored symbols of nature surround the planet Earth while each corner picture represents another of the four seasons. This Earthworks carpet offers any number of opportunities to open small children's eyes to the natural gifts our planet provides - and to our responsibility to safeguard it.
NOTE: Vacuuming over carpet edge can result in damage to the serged edge. Avoid contact with floor buffers. Follow all manufacturer's instructions.
- Manufacturer:
Joy Carpets
First quality materials, safety features and design all come together in Joy Carpets' educational products. Their wide selection of school carpets and mats come in delightful designs that actually teach kids as they use them.
- Width:
- 129 in.
- Length:
- 158 in.
- Weight:
- 59 lbs.
- Carpet Care:
Hot-Water Extraction
This process consists of spraying a solution of water and detergent into the carpet pile and recovering the water and soil with a powerful vacuum into a holding tank.
- Green
- CRI Green Label Plus
- Warranty:
- Limited Lifetime
- Made in USA
- Certified Green
- Manufactured with Stainmaster® Carpet Technology.
- Certified CRI Green Label Plus for indoor air quality.
- State-of-the-art injection dye technology ensures vibrant colors and outstanding fade resistance.
- Softflex™ elite secondary back minimizes wrinkling and promotes longer carpet life.
- Lifetime antimicrobial protection.
- Class I flammability rating.
- Double-stitched serged edges for maximum durability.
- Lifetime Coverage: Our Limited Lifetime Warranty guarantees many years of use and enjoyment.
This product is made with pride in the United States of America!
CRI Green Label Plus
Manufactured with Stainmaster Carpet technology
We're committed to exceeding your expectations:
- Found it for less? We'll match the price
- 15-Year or Limited Lifetime Warranty
Our customers come first — we guarantee it!
Shipping & Assembly
- Ships Via:
- Common Carrier
- Leaves Factory In:
- Approximately 10 business days
- Assembly:
- Ships assembled
Earthworks Rectangular Carpet
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Peter FoestersSkywater 2017,Acryl on mixed media,oak frame Polystrene, acryl paint23.6x31.4 in
Availability: In stock
Peter FoestersSkywater 2017,Acryl on mixed media,oak frame Polystrene, acryl paint23.6x31.4About the piece3D work, its a mix of sculpting and painting.About the artistPeter foesters is a artist based in Belgium . He graduated from art school in 1992.
In the mid-nineties he started painting objects in combination with gesso.
After 10 years he switched to polystyrene. This is a very light material and perfect to use on canvas. He likes bright fluo colors in combination with black.
By using straight lines I try to bring depth in my work, this gives it an extra dimension.
That's why I call it: straight dimensions.
I'm inspired by modern artists like
Klein, Hockney, Pollock, Basquiat and Rothko.
Driven by creativity I always want to take things a step further. Never stand still, always take the next step.
For me that's what art is all about!
Have a seat and take a look
We source and sell unique art & objects


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Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Released 11/11/2014
Re-live Master Chief's greatest adventures with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, only on Xbox One.
Experience a collection of all four Halo games with Halo: The Master Chief Collection and follow the story as Master Chief in Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4. Honour John 117s epic journey as he uncovers the original Halo, defeats the covenant and brings ruination to the Prophets, all in Xbox One visual fidelity and 60fps. Featuring the re-mastered Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and for the first time Halo 2: Anniversary, a visually re-mastered version of Halo 2 that has been rebuilt from the ground up.
Also within the Master Chief Collection youll gain access to the episodic live action series, Halo: Nightfall, produced by Ridley Scott in conjunction with 343 Industries this streamed series explore a new story for old and new Halo fans alike. Get a taste for Halo 5: Guardians with the Halo 5: Beta, set to deploy December 29th 2014.
Featuring a new, unified Halo, players can play start to finish or jump into one of over 45 missions from any of the four games from the Master Menu, play Halo: The Master Chief Collection your way. In addition to the campaign missions, you can play with your friends on over 100 multiplayer and Spartan ops maps, including the original Halo: Combat Evolved maps. The all new Halo 2: Anniversary edition will complement this with 25 re-mastered multiplayer maps and 6 all new re-imagined maps including fan favourites Ivory Tower, Ascension and Lockout.
Order Halo: The Master Chief Collection with GAME and jump into the fight on November 11, 2014.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is the perfect game for fans of the Halo series, as it successfully pays homage to one of the most influential video game franchises in history. Encompassing Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4 and over 100 multiplayer maps, Halo: The Master Chief Edition will keep you playing well into the New Year...


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Chubby Unicorn Shirt, Funny Unicorn Shirts, Gifts for Her, Funny Womens Shirts, Funny T Shirts, Funny Unicorn Sweatshirt, Funny Rhino Shirt
Funny Unicorn Shirt - French Terry Raw Edge Raglan High Low Top
This fun design features a silhouette style image of a Rhino and "CHUBBY UNICORN" written inside. Design is printed directly into the fabric using commercial quality and kid safe inks to a super soft and comfy gray French terry raw Edge raglan high-low long sleeve top. So trendy and guaranteed to bring smiles and laughs! What girl doesn't need this?! Throw it on with leggings or jeans for such a comfy and cute effortless style. Also makes a great gift for the beer lover.
**All sales are final and returns/exchanges are not available. Please make sure to read the size chart and size up if unsure or between sizes.**
♥ Why Shop With Us? ♥
We are one of the few that use real photos of our items instead of using mock-up photos of computer generated images. Our photos are of the real/actual items that we create here at bitty and boho. What you see is what you get with us! We even display close up photos to show a detailed view of the quality we offer. As a family run business, we take pride in everything we do, from designing, producing, packaging and shipping, we are there every step of the way. Oh yeah, and we're really fast on top of it all!
Image/Design is printed using commercial quality kid safe inks and then finished with a commercial grade heat press. (we do NOT use heat transfer paper)
All sales are FINAL and exchanges or returns are NOT accepted.
View our other adorable items here: www.bittyandboho.etsy.com
Gift / Packaging: All our items come beautifully packaged/boutique tagged and ready to gift.
Handmade with Love: All our items are printed using the best, commercial quality kid safe inks (we do NOT use heat transfer paper) and heat pressed using our professional commercial business grade heat press (NOT a hand iron). We then package them with love in our adorable branded packaging, it's like opening a present!
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Wash with cold water and gentle soap (no bleach) inside-out and hang to dry. If you choose to iron, do not put direct heat onto the image, place a heat resistant material, like wax paper or Teflon between the iron and the item.
*Colors may vary slightly due to printing process. Some items will have a vintage look and feel once washed, blacks show more like dark gray in person, etc.
View our Shop Policies here: https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/BittyandBoho/policies
#boho #babyclothes #cutebaby #hippiechic #babyshowergift #newbornbaby #bohobaby #bittyandboho #foxtanktop #funnytanktops #momshirt #funnyshirts #familyshirts #unicorn hirt #mothersdaygift #giftsformom #sweatshirt #christmasgift #frenchterry #funnyunicorn #chubbyunicorn
Bitty & Boho, LLC actively searches the internet for copyright infringements and we will prosecute.
All content is our intellectual property. Bitty & Boho, LLC aggressively protects its intellectual property and copyrights to maximum extent of the law. Copyright © Bitty & Boho, LLC 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Bitty & Boho, LLC prohibits the reproduction and/or redistribution of part or all of the following items:
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If a copyright infringement is detected, Bitty & Boho, LLC has many options, which includes sending a Cease and Desist Letter. Bitty & Boho, LLC can opt to immediately file a lawsuit demanding statutory damages and lawyer fees.
A Cease and Desist Letter IS NOT mandatory. This letter is a warning to let the infringer know that we plan to aggressively protect our brand if the information isn't removed immediately. If Bitty & Boho, LLC opts to file a lawsuit, the person and/or company responsible for the infringement may find themselves responsible for extensive attorney fees and court costs just to defend their action.


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Defending MLS Cup champions Real Salt Lake have a tall order ahead of Saturday's first leg of their opening round playoff series against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park (5 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel).
RSL not only have to regroup from last weekend's disappointing performance in Colorado, where they needed two stoppage-time goals to salvage a 2-2 tie, but they also have to overcome the fact that the team has lost every match it has ever played on the road at FC Dallas.
"We're in playoff mode and it starts today in training," RSL defender Nat Borchers told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday. "We're not satisfied with the way we played [in Colorado]. We know we can play better. In the training session today, everyone was sharp and focused. It's playoff time now and it's a whole different ball game."
[inline_node:319275]For Borchers and Real Salt Lake, the eight-match winless streak in Dallas is more a product of the climate than it has been about on-field performances.
"We come down there usually in the summer months and we don't deal with the heat and humidity and that really drains us when we play down there," Borchers said about the past results in Dallas. "We're excited at the opportunity to play [at FC Dallas] in October when it's going to be much easier to deal with the weather conditions."
However, of all eight matches RSL have played in Dallas in franchise history, only one was during the dog days of summer, the 2-0 blanking this past July. Salt Lake lost four times during the months of April and May and the other three on September dates.
The temperature on Saturday at Pizza Hut Park is expected to be 75 degrees, which is about 25 degrees warmer than it was in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. The wintry conditions in Utah, including snow flurries, forced RSL to move training to the University of Utah's Spence Eccles Field House.
The indoor artificial turf meant that Jamison Olave and Alvaro Saborio only trained for half of Tuesday's 90-minute session as a precaution for their lingering right knee issues. While they will be available on Saturday, midfielder Will Johnson is questionable after pulling out of training with a left hamstring strain.
Missing Johnson could prove a critical loss given that RSL are expecting to play more of a defensive game against an FC Dallas side that lost only four matches all season.
"We have to get back to our defensive game," Borchers said. "We're not going to be able to be as aggressive [on Saturday] and we need to be able to sit back and absorb pressure."
Added midfielder Andy Williams, "The key is not to concede any early goals. We're going to sit back and we're going to pick our moments to attack and make it difficult for them to get behind us. They have speed to burn and the less room they have to run, the better. It's important that we can keep everything in front of us."
Williams is not alarmed by the team's form and he points to the fact that even when RSL haven't played well, they have still come away with points in recent matches.
"Good teams find ways to get points and get wins, and I think we're a great team," he said. "We're all glad we got those bad games out of our system before the playoffs. If we went into Dallas like that [last weekend vs. Colorado], we would not have been too happy coming back to Salt Lake."
Ready to launch: MLS Matchday 2010, The new official MLS iPhone app. It's FREE! Download it here!


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Dashboard Rebuild - The Dash Caper
An Affordable Alternative To Dashboard Devastation
Whether you're restoring or just fixing-up, bringing an older Mopar back to life has always involved balancing personal time, the necessary effort, and cold, hard cash. Got the bankroll? With enough dough, virtually no obstacle stands in the way of putting together anything you can dream up, any way you want it. For the rest of us, building that 440 in the garage, or lying on the cold concrete bolting-in the front suspension, saves us the nickels which makes the project possible. Some repairs, however, just smack of looming expenditure. No matter how you slice it, you just know getting it fixed is going to soak serious cash. For E-Body fans, the padded dash has always been on this list. So, your 'Cuda dash looks like a relief map of the Mariana Trench. Whatcha gonna do? Don't expect to saunter over to the local wreckers carrying spare pocket change, and pull one on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
The heavily-sculptured dash pads used on the E-Body cars were no more prone to cracking than any other dash of the era. Thirty years later, any survivors have passed an amazing endurance test. The fact is, there really aren't that many original E-Body dashes which have endured the decades. Those NOS, or used-original pieces, which remain are highly sought after by serious restorers and hobbyists alike, and carry a hefty tariff. An alternative to shopping original is to spring for a pro-rebuild on your existing dash. We know of only one company--Just Dashes--that can properly do the thermal vacuum forming for a stock appearance. Another option is to shop the Year One catalog for their reproduction, which is built on original steel backings--an excellent piece. Choose any of the following three approaches for a clean-looking dash: shop NOS, get a thermal vacuum-formed re-skin, or buy the reproduction. Just don't expect much change back from $600.
Aware of the high cost involved in remedying a cracked E-Body dash, we were intrigued to find a molded, semi-rigid dash cover designed to repair these dashes on display at a local Mopar show. We found that the Dashcap(TM) was manufactured by Accuform Plastics, a company known to Mopar Muscle readers for their recently-released reproduction E-Body door panels. Priced at a little over a $100, the product instantly appealed to our penny-pinching nature, while the molded form of the Dashcap promised a do-it-yourself installation. Compared to the cost of the alternatives, the Dashcap seemed to be a bargain, so we decided to give one a try. The Dashcap is pre-molded in plastic to the exact shape of the original dash. It's designed to glue over the existing cracked dash, effectively giving it a new skin. Since the thermal-molded Dashcap is semi-rigid, it is made to hold its shape, even when the surface beneath is less-than-perfect. Information from Accuform suggests that the cover can be bonded over the original cracked dash, with the only prep required being to trim back any raised areas. We were advised that the dash need not even be removed from the vehicle for installation. In our installation, partly because our original dash was so bad, we felt some additional prep would be an advantage, and our dash was removed for the rework.
With huge gaping cracks, holes, and plenty of the inner foam core showing, our dash was seriously trashed. We figured if we could bring this nightmare back to life, in our own garage, for less than $150, then the Dashcap would have proven its worth. We just wouldn't have felt right about tossing the cover over our unstable mess of a dash, so we purchased a couple tubes of SEM Flexible Welding Compound. The SEM Weld is a bonding and filling product used in the autobody industry for repairing flexible rubber bumpers and other plastics on modern cars. The dash was reworked and bonded with the weld compound to fill the holes and bond the patchwork that remained of the factory skin. We finished by sanding the repairs level to the original shape. The repaired dash looked ugly after the rework, but it was actually level and well-bonded together. Slipping on the Accuform Dashcap was just the icing on the cake, providing our dash with a tailor-made new skin. With careful installation and attention to detail, our results with the Dashcap were nothing less than amazing.


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Off to the Lake District tomorrow for a few days walking and climbing. Cant wait. Need to go to the city and buy a bergan liner and some nixwax for my jacket….guaranteed to sile down with rain when I get there.
Had some Guiness last night after finishing my run of night shifts….always helps me to turn around and get my sleep patterns back to normal. Also very healthy and full of iron and vitamins so I,m treating my body like a temple really….!


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Gay Thugs In ATL: Interview Of A Thug Who Claims He's Not Gay But Talks About Being A Gay Prostitute! "Selling Azz Is Easier Than Selling Drugs"
Found by @Honeydipp1
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The Fair \ General Information \ Getting to the Fair \ Bicycling
Pedal to the Common Ground Country Fair
Photo by JR Sparrow. Copyright 2006.
What better way to celebrate rural Maine and practice sustainability than to pedal to the Common Ground Country Fair? For years the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) has promoted and exhibited sustainable agriculture, green technology, and alternative lifestyles through this popular event.
Since 1998 we have offered user-friendly Valet Bike Parking for cyclists that want to help relieve traffic congestion, air pollution and demonstrate sustainable transportation by biking to the fair.
As a bicyclist all you have to do is ride your bike to the fair. When you arrive at the Rose (North) Gate, volunteers will park your bicycle for you and supervise it through the day until 6pm. Too far to bike from home? Drive part of the way to any of the designated Park-and-Pedal sites and follow posted signs to experience the best bicycling routes to the fair. Not only do you get to roll right up to the entrance and get the best parking available, you get $2 off admission!
And don't forget to wear a helmet, bring a headlight and taillight, and wear reflective clothing if you'll be riding after dusk.
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More info on Pedaling to the Fair:


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Flying south into Belize, you can see the Barrier reef as an unbroken chain of white surf running along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and continuing south the whole length of the country to the Banguana and Sapodilla Cayes. There is a great variety of reef types and diving experiences in Belize. The Barrier Reef is 185 meandering miles of unspoiled beauty. It varies from 8 to 16 miles from the mainland to less than 300 yards offshore from Ambergris Caye. Much of it is totally unexplored and all of it is easily accessible by boat. The reef is like a gigantic wall running parallel to the coast.
Inside the reef the water is shallow, with a blue tinge; outside the reef the water is deep and from the air shows a dark royal blue. On very clear days the reef appears as a narrow white line of the surf dividing the two shades of blue.
Only near Ambergris Caye does the reef run so close to a well-populated caye. Here it is an almost unbroken solid wall of magnificent coral formation broken only by narrow channels called "quebradas". Here an observant diver can be kept entertained for hours on end by the unending variety, shapes and colors of the tropical coral.
Ambergris Caye, home of the Seven Seas, will spoil you with 39 named dive and snorkel sites and hundreds with no name. The Barrier reef lies about 200 yards off the windward side of the island. No long boat rides here. When you leave the Seven Seas pier, you can be at several wonderful dives in less than 5 minutes. The average time from Pier to dive is around 30 minutes. To the east of the Reef are three separate atoll reefs.
Belize is also home to the Famous Blue Hole. The Blue Hole is on Lighthouse Reef, 50 miles east of Belize City. This 12,000-year-old circular limestone sinkhole, explored and studied by Jacques Cousteau, is 300 feet across and 412 feet deep.
The entire northern stretch of reef is ideal for macro photography. Vase sponges, tube sponges and coral pinnacles are home for countless minuscule creatures awaiting discovery. Shrimps, brittle stars, nudlibranchs, tube worms and tunicates of every imaginable color are often overlooked by the diver.
A particular favorite is the red-banded coral shrimp. These are present on almost every dive and are usually found along ledges and gullies. Without touching them, they are easily coaxed out into suitable position for a photograph. And don't forget to join in on the fun and include yourself in the pictures, your friends and family will be green with envy seeing the proof of all the magical scuba diving and snorkeling.
Click Image for larger view
Ambergris Caye offers superb snorkeling. To enjoy it best you'll need to take a short boat trip out from shore.
You can snorkel off the beach at your hotel or anywhere on the island, but you don't usually see as much. Some hotels work hard to keep their piers as appetizing to the fish as possible. It can be quite pleasant to float around and see what you can see off shore.
The three most-popular areas for snorkeling from boats near Ambergris Caye are Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark-Sting Ray Alley and Mexico Rocks. A visit to Hol Chan and Shark-Ray Alley to the south of San Pedro are usually combined into one trip, while Mexico Rocks to the north of town is usually a separate trip. These snorkeling trips usually last two to three hours. Typically, snorkel boats go out once in the morning and once in the afternoon, more frequently during busy periods.
Off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye is the HOL CHAN MARINE RESERVE. Hol Chan is Mayan for 'little channel." This sanctuary was officially established in 1987, and since then the return of all species of fish has been quite dramatic. The reserve covers approximately three square miles and is divided into three zones. Each one is clearly marked by buoys. The entire reserve focuses on a cut through the reef which is little more than 25 yards wide and 30 feet deep. This is a must stop for the first introductory dive in Belizean waters. About 15 minutes south by boat, Maximum 30 feet deep. Excellent visibility. You can almost always see all species of fish including jacks, groupers, snappers, parrot fish, angel fish, barracuda, eels, spider crabs, lobster, and nurse sharks.
Shark- Ray Alley is a shallow cut to the south of Hol Chan where nurse sharks and sting rays congregate. Guides sometimes chum to attract the sharks, and you can jump in and swim with them. It's not half as scary as it sounds, and most of the people who come on the snorkel boats do get in the water here.
At Mexico Rocks, off North Ambergris opposite a former coconut plantation, you may not see as many fish as at Hol Chan, but the coral is beautiful. Also, this area is protected from ocean swells and currents, so it makes for easier snorkeling. Depth is only about 6 to 12 feet, so you can see everything up close. Water visibility is about the same as at Hol Chan, 50 feet or more.


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Vast sandy beaches, flowers of the machair, a bike ride you won't forget.
Harris and Lewis, though named seperately are a single island. Harris is the southern part, Lewis is in the north. Lewis is mostly open moorland, Harris is mountainous but very scenic, the east coast is rocky. The west coast is flatter, with vast sandy beaches. While Harris is hillier than Lewis it is more scenic and you should try to find time to cycle right round South Harris. If however you are going north, and are faced with the choice of cycling up the west coast or the east coast the west is probably the best choice - it's certainly less hilly!
Harris Tweed is cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides. This is the definition of Harris Tweed contained in the Harris Tweed Act of 1993 and it ensures that all cloth certified with the Harris Tweed Orb symbol complies with this definition and is genuine Harris Tweed, the world's only commercially produced handwoven tweed. For centuries the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra have woven the cloth: Clo Mhor in the original Gaelic- 'The big cloth'. As the Industrial Revolution reached Scotland, the mainland turned to mechanisation but the Outer Islands retained their traditional processes. Lewis and Harris had long been known for the excellence of the weaving done there, but up to the middle of the nineteenth century, the cloth was produced mainly for home use or for a local market. Nowadays of course it is exported all over the world. More of the cloth is in fact produced in Lewis but you can still see Harris tweed being woven in Harris on the west coast at Luskentyre - take the dead end road off to Luskentyre beach to get to them: Luskentyre Harris Tweed Co. tel: 01859 550261.
The Outer Hebrides are noteable for numerous lochs. Some of these are brackish and others are dark and acidic, water lillies are quite common and many have populations of trout and charr. Birds include dunlin, redshank, plover, lapwing and the islands are the last stronghold of the corncrake. Nearly every beach seems to have a population of sandpipers. The islands are formed on the oldest exposed rock in the world, Lewisian Gneiss. This is grey coloured with bands of white and dark minerals contorted by the pressure of the earth. These were formed over 3000 million years ago, similar rocks are found today in Canada to which this part of Scotland was once joined.
Route Description
Possibly the best place to arrive in Harris is at Leverburgh. Called after soap magnate Lord Leverhulme, it's nothing special, but you will have come from North Uist via lovely Berneray. Ahead on the west is a vast stretch of shell sand: Scarista Beach. The road on the west coast of South Harris is not too hilly, running through the machair. You pass the island of Taransay, recently the site for the BBC television programme 'Castaway'. Shortly after this there is a steady climb of about three miles. At the end of the climb the road turns north again going directly to Tarbert.
If you'd like to get a flavour of the east coast turn right at the top of the hill and go to Tarbert via the Golden Road. Along the way you'll pass a place where you can see Harris Tweed being woven. The east coast of Harris is rocky and barren but with little coves and hundreds of small lochans full of water lillies. At the south end is St Clement's Church at Rodel. Dating from the 16th century it has some outstanding medieval stone carvings. The east coast road twists and turns past small hamlets perched on the Lewisian gneiss that these islands are made from - the oldest exposed rock in Europe. It is rarely flat. At Ardvey on Loch Stockinish you can turn east to cycle to Tarbert via the Golden Road or keep on the main road for a more direct route.
Tarbert, the terminal for the Skye ferry, has B&Bs, shops, several hotels, an independent hostel, and a tourist information office (01859-502011). An interesting place to stay is at Rhenigadale on Loch Seaforth. This was once the most remote community in Britain, accessible only by sea or over a hill track. There is a croft-type hostel in the village (no phone, no advance booking). The overland route is now a road which makes it easier to get there. There is plenty to explore around North Harris. Go along the side of West Loch Tarbert . Several rough tracks, passable on a mountain bike, lead north into the remote mountains of North Harris (restrictions in stalking season).


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By Dunstan Prial, Adam Samson Published July 03, 2014 FOXBusiness
The U.S. added 288,000 jobs in June, a figure that suggests growing stability in labor markets and could prompt monetary policy makers to rethink their timetable for raising interest rates.
The unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage point to 6.1% last month, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor. Economists had forecast 212,000 new jobs and that the unemployment rate would hold steady at 6.3%.
"Five consecutive months of job creation north of 200K is a most welcome development and the Federal Reserve will certainly take note," Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG, said in a note to clients.
"However, absent observable and building inflationary pressures beyond what has already been observed, we're not sure Fed officials are set to meaningfully change their public tone."
Peter Boockvar, chief market analyst at The Lindsey Group, took a more hawkish tone: "Yellen is not going to be able to wait until May 2015 to raise rates and that is what the U.S. Treasury market is responding to today," he said in an e-mail.
Indeed, the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond rose 0.04 percentage point to 2.67% following the report. Bond yields move in the opposite direction of prices.
The Fed is facing a critical phase as it winds down its unprecedented stimulus programs initiated during the 2008 financial crisis. The central bank's asset purchasing program, known as quantitative easing, is scheduled to end in the fall, and the Fed's next big step is to start raising interest rates from historic lows.
Fed policymakers are split over the timing and trajectory of rate hikes. A majority, so-called inflation doves led by Fed Chair Janet Yellen, are advocating a cautious approach to lifting rates, fearful that moving too soon could cause another setback to the fragile recovery. Meanwhile, a vocal minority — the inflation hawks — believes raising rates sooner rather than later will fend off runaway inflation.
Yellen, in fact, said in a speech Wednesday that she isn't too concerned yet about low rates causing additional financial instability or sparking asset bubbles.
Inflation, which has run well below the Fed's 2% target rate for months, has emerged as a primary indicator the Fed is looking at to determine future monetary policy. If labor markets are tightening, as the data suggests, demand for workers will rise, pushing up wages. Higher wages will ultimately lead to higher prices, ie., inflation.
As it stands, the consensus among Fed policy makers is that rates will probably start to move higher in mid-2015. Inflation hawks could use the strengthening labor market as justification to push for an earlier lift off, perhaps in the first quarter of 2015.


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Tennis Sweeps Yeshiva in Conference Night Match
Farmingdale State - 9, Yeshiva University - 0
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State men's tennis team swept the visiting Yeshiva Maccabees (5-4, 2-3) in Thursday night's Skyline Conference match in Farmingdale, N.Y. The Rams (4-1, 3-0) picked up three wins in doubles play, before sweeping the singles matches for the win.
Freshman Christian Bormann (Huntington, N.Y.) did not get to finish his match for the night, winning by retirement. Both senior Joe Passarella (Flushing, N.Y.) and sophomore Alex Bessarabov (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) lost their first sets, but came back to win at second and third singles, respectively.
The Rams will travel to face Purchase College on Friday, April 8th at 4:00 p.m. for a Skyline Conference match.
|Singles competition
|1. Bormann, Christian (FSCM) def. Charles, Zach (YESHIVAM) 3-0, retired
|2. Passarella, Joe (FSCM) def. Itkis, Joseph (YESHIVAM) 5-7, 6-4, 10-6
|3. Bessarabov, Alex (FSCM) def. Rosenberg, Benjie (YESHIVAM) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
|4. Gioles, Theo (FSCM) def. Pomper, Ben (YESHIVAM) 6-4, 6-1
|5. Falcetta, Joseph (FSCM) def. Seftel, Jeremy (YESHIVAM) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
|6. Genzmann, Chris (FSCM) def. Liederman, Ephraim (YESHIVAM) 6-3, 6-3
|Doubles competition
|1. Passarella, Joe/Bormann, Christian (FSCM) def. Charles, Zach/Itkis, Joseph (YESHIVAM) 8-0
|2. Bessarabov, Alex/Gioles, Theo (FSCM) def. Ashkenazie, Eddie/Stern, Jonathan (YESHIVAM) 8-0
|3. Falcetta, Joseph/Genzmann, Chris (FSCM) def. Seftel, Jeremy/Pomper, Ben (YESHIVAM) 8-6
|Match Notes
|Yeshiva University 5-4, 2-3 Skyline
|Farmingdale State 4-1, 3-0 Skyline


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Christoph Waltz has come on board Good Universe and Lionsgate's crime thriller Candy Store. Good Universe launches sales on the Croisette this week and Lionsgate will distribute in North America.
The recent Oscar winner joins previously announced Robert De Niro, Jason Clarke and Omar Sy.
Stephen Gaghan will direct from a screenplay he co-wrote with Shannon Burke about a former operative who teams up with a disgraced police officer to thwart a threat on New York.
Waltz will play a Cold War consigliere posing as an American suburbanite and Sy plays an international sex trade profiteer. Clarke is the operative and De Niro plays the retired police officer.
Allison Shearmur and Gaghan produce and Good Universe's Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane and Nicole Brown serve as executive producers alongside Flashlight Films' Allyn Stewart and Kipp Nelson.


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Steve Gonzales
Hello to all, I have just finished restoring some L110's and thought you would all like to see. As usual, they were HAMMERED but I like a challenge. I figured out the grills and did them in blue because I think it looks like old school JBL even though they didn't come with blue originally. I repainted the LE111A's flanges and couldn't find the LE5-10's so I blacked out the flanges on a sweet pair of LE5-9's and shot lacquer over the top of the paint so it is really hard. I repainted the baffles and of course patched,faux grained and refinished the wood. I also painted the grill frames with Krylon's new Plastic Fusion paint and love the results. Every screw was first cleaned and repainted then coated with 2 coats of lacquer. I had Mr Marlon Balan, owner of MB Sound and speaker repair put new foam on the woofers too. I hope you enjoy the pictures.:D


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Summer's officially gone, and right on cue leaves have begun changing from green to dramatic shades of red, orange, and yellow across the country.
Summer's officially gone, and right on cue leaves have begun changing from green to dramatic shades of red, orange, and yellow across the country.
Here is a short list of recommended destinations for
l State Route 36 and 417 looking over the farmlands in Jasper.
l Bristol Mountain, off State Route 64 in Canandaigua, which offers views of the valley from ski chair lifts.
l Chimney Bluffs State Park on Garner Road in Huron offers views of Lake Ontario.
l Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, off Route 6 west of Wellsboro, Pa. Colton Point and Leonard Harrison state parks offer views of both sides of the 1,450-foot deep gorge.
l Prouty Place, Lyman Run, Cherry Springs, Ole Bull, Denton Hill, and Patterson state parks in Potter County, Pa.
Ambroselli also added it is best to get off the highways to see the best colors, and most back roads in the area offer wonderful views that many people don't see when rushing by on the interstate highways.
"You can't see anything from (Interstate) 390," said Ambroselli.
For more information, or to keep up-to-date on foliage conditions, both New York and Pennsylvania update Web sites frequently. For New York conditions, visit www.iloveny.com/foliage, and for Pennsylvania, visit www.fallinpa.com. Foliage Report also provides leaf-peepers with up-to-date information from across the country at www.foliagereport.com.


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This a tougher question than it sounds. The simple answer is: The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary." This is the national safety standard and is the correct way to approach the problem. It takes into account the fact that even if you don't use your Crown Replacement
much, animals may build nests in the flue or there may be other types of deterioration that could make the chimney unsafe to use.
The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces should be swept at 1/8″ of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze present in the system. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading to the home. Factory-built fireplaces should be swept when any appreciable buildup occurs. The logic is that the deposit is quite acidic and can shorten the life of the fireplace. Crown Replacement Buffalo MN
Crown Replacement Buffalo MN, fast, affordable & reliable
The Importance of Routine Chimney Repairs and InspectionChimney caps come in many different sizes, shapes and materials. So which one is right for you and why should you get one? These two questions are the most commonly asked questions home owners ask me regarding chimney cap installations. These may seem like simple questions, How ever they are from simple answers I will explain the answers to both of these questions in laymen terms. Chimneys come in many sizes and shapes. To further make the issue more complex the flue that raises out the top of your crown also may vary in the height. So the first step is to find out what proper size cap you need. A common mistake is to install a cap that mounts onto the chimney flue. These are commonly sold at Home Depot and Lowes. These caps are only suitable for single flue. Even still the lid of the chimney cap must over extend over your chimney in such a way that when it rains the rain falls off to the sides of your chimney and not on the top of your crown. If you refuse to follow my advice and install one of these Home Depot Specials, When it rains the water will fall in a more focused way on specific spot on your crown. This will speed up the wear and tear. To make matters even worse in some cases the water that falls now may actually fall down your flue. This is the worse thing that could happen as when your flue wears down you run the risk of carbon monoxide leakage inside your home or even a fire. Liners are the only solution to fix this problem when you have issues like this. A liner installation will run a cost from $1500 to $3,000 and up! The bottom line is in most cases you need a custom cap made for your chimney. This is not that pricey usually this runs a cost of about $400 give or take. When a chimney cap is installed properly it will protect your chimney crown for decades to come as well as your chimney flue from the elements. In addition to this you will never have to worry about small animals making a nest or home in your warm chimney. This is a common problem in New England. Every home should have a chimney cap on their chimney it is one of the best decisions you will ever make for you home.
Chimney Repair - The 5 Most Common Chimney Issues and How to Fix ThemThere is nothing quite as comforting as a roaring fire on a cold winter day to warm your heart and your home. A fireplace is something your entire family can enjoy. But you need to make sure chimney repair and maintenance is done correctly in order to ensure your families safety. The Importance of Chimney Repair A chimney is designed to draw the smoke and gases produced by a fire up and safely out of your home. This is extremely important since some of these gases are dangerous. One of the most dangerous is carbon monoxide which in large enough doses can kill. A second important function of the chimney is to contain the excess heat from a fire until it can be vented to the outside air. Most of your home is combustible. If the chimney does not get this extremely hot air outside without leaks it can easily cause a fire in your home. This is why it is so important for you to make sure that any needed chimney repair is done correctly in order to keep you, your family and your home safe. Here are some important tips to ensure that your fireplace is working correctly and avoid some common chimney repair issues. Creosote Buildup Creosote is an oil that is produced when wood or other solids are set on fire. Over time the creosote can build up on the inside of your chimney. If there is too much buildup it can ignite and cause a fire in your chimney. Blockage Another common chimney repair issue is having a blockage in the flue of your chimney. This can be caused by debris from material dislodging in your chimney or even by animal nests. Blockages, even small ones affect the efficiency of your chimney in getting smoke, gases and heat out of your home. Cracks Or Holes In The Flue Some of the gases from a fire are quite corrosive and over time can damage your chimney flue and create the potential for blockages or even allow dangerous gases to seep into your home. Make sure that your flue gets an annual inspection to ensure that it is working correctly. Brickwork Problems Another problem is caused if the flue starts to leak and erode the masonry and brickwork around the exterior and require extensive chimney repair work. Too much of this can cause major structural damage which will make your chimney repair much more expensive. Chimney Cap and Chimney Crown The chimney cap and crown basically make up the roof of the chimney that surrounds the flue and keeps water and debris from getting into the chimney. If this is cracked or missing pieces it can allow water damage to the inside of the chimney and even damage the ability of the flue to channel gases and heat out of the home. This area also keeps animals, debris and weather out of your flue. Conclusion If you see any of these problems when you inspect your chimney, you need to see that any needed repair is made before the fireplace is used. While you may be able to fill small cracks, you should consult a professional for any larger issue. It is always recommended that you have your chimney cleaned, inspected and any needed chimney repair work done at least once a year to ensure its safe operation. To ensure the safety of your family make sure that you have carbon monoxide detectors in your home. These should be placed on each floor or at a minimum on the floor where your family sleeps. Check them regularly to make sure they are working properly to protect your family from even low levels of carbon monoxide. By taking care of any needed chimney repair as soon as you see it the costs for the repairs will be much less than if you let the problem get larger. Make sure that your chimney is inspected regularly and it will give you years of safe use.
Crown Replacement Locally serviced and operated in Buffalo MN


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Kodachromes Limited Edition BoxsetWilliam Christenberry
Availability: In stock
William Christenberry: Kodachromes is the first publication to showcase the artist's stunning and previously unknown body of work produced with 35 mm Kodachrome slide film. Spanning from 1964 to 2007, only a small number of the images have ever been published or exhibited. As in all of Christenberry's photographs, the subject matter is the rural Deep South: the twisting back roads, open landscapes, rusted signage, and ramshackle vernacular architecture found in Hale County, Alabama where the artist was born and raised. Though many of the sites pictured in this rare collection are new, other subjects grew iconic in Christenberry's oeuvre, as he has returned to photograph them for decades.
The set will include one dye-transfer print, Store with Soft Drink Signs, and a signed copy of Kodachromes, presented in a beautiful clothbound box.
The dye-transfer print in this boxed set has been hand-made with the utmost care and precision using the classic dye imbibition 3-color separation and assembly process. Fade-resistant cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes are transferred into the gelatin-coated surface of a fiber-base double weight paper, yielding a true continuous-tone color photograph. Genuine Eastman Kodak materials were used in the making of this print. This boxed set is limited to twenty-five copies.
William Christenberry (born in Hale County, Alabama, 1936) has been a professor at the Corcoran College of Art + Design, Washington, D.C., since 1968. His work has been the subject of dozens of shows, including a yearlong solo exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2006, where his work is in the permanent collection. It can also be found at the Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, Arizona.
You may also be interested in:
Havana Methodist Church, Havana, Alabama, 1976
William Christenberry$3,000.00
Hanson's Tent at the Common Ground Fair, Unity, Maine, 2008
Keliy Anderson-Staley$500.00


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Microsoft is cutting support for exporting and importing legacy Office documents in the latest version of its Outlook email client.
Outlook 2013 won't let you import or export data to or from .doc or .xls files for Word 1997 to 2003 and Excel versions 1997 to 2003, the company has revealed in a blog.
Also getting canned are ACT! Contact manager files and Outlook Express archives. Comma-separated-value (.csv) files as well as .PST files are still supported.
Microsoft's Outlook program manager, Justin Mahood, wrote: "As we love adding new features to Outlook, for the maintainability of our product we sometimes need to remove those that are out of date and aren't utilized by a large number of users. This allows us to focus on improving the Outlook features that most of you, our customers, rely on."
You can read the full list of discontinued features in Outlook 2013 here.
Microsoft completed Office 2013 in October and the code is available to subscribers on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), but the software doesn't hit general release until early next year.
The news will be a blow to users with hard drives and servers full of Word docs and Excel spreadsheets written using these file formats; the rollout of Office 1997, for example, was one of the last big upgrade waves.
Outlook is one of the Office family's key products, so the fact Microsoft has cut access to this app for so many documents and spreadsheets will likely force users to move to Office 2007 if not Office 2013, once it ships. ®
Sponsored: Ransomware has gone nuclear


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Jay-Z and Beyonce continue to make major moves in the music industry with recent deals poised to directly affect the future of their respective music catalogues.
Earlier in the week, Hov became first to sign an exclusive publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. As part of the publishing deal, Warner/Chappell Music will administer the rights to all recordings from both Jay-Z and Roc Nation.
The Roc Nation helmsman spoke briefly on his new deal in a statement and also applauded Jon Platt, the new President Creative of Warner/Chappell Music.
"The real meaning of success is being in the position to work with an individual you consider a friend," said Jay-Z. "Jon Platt is such a person. He's a man of extraordinary character as well as a remarkably talented executive with an ear for music and an eye for talent. It's great to watch him grow to be one the best in the business."
Yesterday, Beyonce announced her signing a global administration deal with Warner/Chappell Publishing, which will administer her future songwriting including her upcoming fifth studio album.
"It's an honor to join Warner/Chappell Music and to continue working with my friend Jon Platt," Beyonce told Billboard. "I trust his vision and admire his professionalism, and I look forward to our partnership."
Beyonce is prepping her upcoming "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour," which kicks off in April, while Jay-Z is teaming up with Justin Timberlake for the "Legends of the Summer" tour.
RELATED: Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake To Headline Wireless Festival 2013


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Home...School...Enterprise...Licensing for Every Need!
March 01, 2015 by Art Willer #UltraKey licensing licenses subscriptions0
Home...School...Enterprise...Licensing for Every Need!
Bytes of Learning meets home, school, district, enterprise and community needs by offering a full range of licensing options. Let our sales team identify the best solution for you by requesting a quote. All licenses described here may be purchased online, immediately or by requesting a custom product just for you!
New subscription licensing is available for UltraKey desktop and online formats, for school and home!
School and Home Use Subscriptions
Permanent licensing is still available as follows...
Home Licensing
The UltraKey Home License permits up to 8 family members to use UltraKey on up to 3 family computers. UltraKey may be installed on Windows and Mac computers. The software may be downloaded from the Internet to each computer or laptop. Home licensing does not permit school or other public performance.
To provide home licensing to parents and students at substantially reduced costs, see The Take It Home Bonus Program and The School Link Program. Also see Home Use Subscriptions.
School Licensing
Single station school licenses permit an unlimited number of records to be kept while using the UltraKey software on one workstation. The teacher may install the software on a teacher workstation too.
Multi-station licenses include network use. The UltraKey program can be installed on and operated from network application servers, terminal servers and workstations as the school deems appropriate. Unlimited site licenses allow unlimited use throughout the site but not off-site. The site is normally defined as the school, department, or building, whichever is less. Unlimited site licenses are not available to secondary, post-secondary, or non-school environments.
Licensing is not concurrent. As many station-licenses must be purchased as there are stations on which the software may be used within the site.
Network licensing is included with all multi-station licenses. The UltraKey client is compatible with application servers and terminal servers. UltraKey provides the ultimate data and learning management using the UltraKey Data Server software, which communicates with UltraKey using Internet protocol (IP) over any LAN, WAN or the Internet. Teachers can review class progress and change settings anywhere at school or home. Also see Cloud-based Record Keeping.
Laptop Initiative licenses permit schools to install UltraKey on school-owned laptops. Students may take the laptops home and use UltraKey at home. Laptop Initiative licensing includes UltraKey's unique IP-based technology to collect performance data and manage learning wherever the student is learning.
Teachers may install the UltraKey program on teacher workstations at school and at home. Teacher installations are not counted in the license scope.
All UltraKey licenses are cross-platform. UltraKey may be installed or used on any combination of Windows and Macintosh workstations as long as the total installation does not exceed the license.
One-year licenses are available to fit limited budgets.
All other licenses are permanent and include free technical support and updates.
District and Enterprise Licensing
Districts and enterprises can license UltraKey by the station or by the school. 100 stations minimum or 2 sites.
All district and enterprise licenses include the UltraKey Data Server Software. A single installation of the server software can serve all the schools in a large school district.
The combination of the UltraKey instructional software and the UltraKey Data Server software means districts and enterprises can achieve low-cost centralized data management while leaving classroom instruction management in the teachers' hands. Also see Cloud-based Record Keeping.


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Brought together in July 2009 by a shared desire to fund loans that are in danger of expiring, the Late Loaning Lenders (LLL) team has grown into one of the most supportive and impactful communities on Kiva.
A little background: Kiva loan requests are posted for a maximum of 30 days. If they're not funded within that timeframe, the loan expires and the Field Partner does not receive the funds for that particular loan. The majority of loans on Kiva are pre-disbursed by the Field Partner to the borrower, so an expiring loan does not necessarily mean that the borrower will not be funded.
However, too many expiring loans could impact borrowers if the Field Partner has to continually cover losses out of pocket. The partner may not be able to reach as many borrowers, or provide additional support services that help borrowers lift themselves out of poverty -- like health care, training, savings accounts and more.
What they do: The number of expiring loans can range anywhere from zero (as in January 2013) to several hundred per month. Even with nearly 1,350 members on Late Loaning Lenders, some months it is simply not feasible to try to fund every loan in danger of expiring. The team came up with a positive method of combating this problem by creating the "Starfish Daily Dozen." Every day, a group of volunteers from the LLL team creates a list of a dozen soon-to-be-expired loans and shares them on the group message board.
This allows team members to coordinate their lending on a targeted group of loans instead of becoming discouraged by the sometimes large and overwhelming number of loans to choose from. The lenders chose the starfish analogy from the popular story of a young girl who walked along the shoreline throwing beached starfish back into the ocean to save them. For the full story, click here.
How they do it: In order to save expiring loans, the Late Loaning Lenders have three main tactics:
- Build awareness of expiring loans.
- Support such loans by lending to them.
- Concentrate lending efforts to boost loans to the first page of the main lender site.
Why they do it: We chatted with a couple of the team's captains to get a better sense of what the Late Loaning Lenders means to them.
Liliane from Atlanta, GA said: "I joined the LLL team because it hurts me to see loans expire and wanted to surround myself with people who felt the same. I love that the energy on LLL is always positive. We have a very loving active community with dozens of messages posted each day. People have side conversations in chat rooms, by e-mail, etc. We have even talked about having a reunion to meet each other in person. We send each other presents and sweet messages that have nothing to do with Kiva. The reason LLL is my favorite team is because it is always positive, even when we are struggling to get a loan funded or feeling overwhelmed at the number of loans Kiva has posted. LLL is always active and doing fun bets and challenges.
Charmaine from Bergen, Norway said: "The LLL team has a very active, involved message board which is always fun to hang out and chat with other members. They are very supportive of the goal of the team and spreading the word about loans to other teams. The most fun part is the success of seeing loans fund quickly and getting onto page 1, knowing if we hadn't made the effort, that loan may have sat in the depths of the queue and not gotten noticed."
With nearly $1.2 million contributing to over 35,000 loans, the Late Loaning Lenders team has had an incredible impact on Kiva. Their positive energy and supportive community attracts Kiva lenders from all walks of life. To learn more about how they make a difference or to join the team, visit their page.
Want to support a loan that is in danger of expiring today? Click here.
Have questions about expiring loans? Send them our way at email@example.com.


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- Home
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Much of the work of City First is accomplished in partnership with non-profit developers. One such example is the financing we provided for Mi Casa to support its new initiative in Ivy City. Founded in 1992, Mi Casa Inc. is a nationally recognized, locally based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide affordable home ownership, in particular well-designed, energy-efficient homes for families of low or moderate income. Mi Casa is also committed to maintaining neighborhood open spaces and community multi-use and service areas for existing populations. Mi Casa recruits minority contractors to join revitalization efforts, and supports small businesses by creating jobs within District of Columbia communities. In a joint effort between the District, residents, and non-profit developers to restore the Ivy City neighborhood in NE, Mi Casa was awarded several vacant lots by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for construction of for-sale affordable single family homes. Mi Casa completed the first phase of the project, which involved a green renovation of three existing buildings into eight condominiums affordable for low- to moderate-income families. For the second phase, City First provided $1.15 million in acquisition and construction financing that assisted Mi Casa with the construction of seven highly energy-efficient single family homes in nine scattered in-fill lots in the neighborhood. The homes will be available to families earning 80 percent of the Washington Area Median Income.


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Under the theme of "Photography as you don't know it," the Pictures section in the Winter 2013 issue of Aperture magazine presents the work of ten photographers who have been overlooked and undervalued. The curators, historians, writers, and publishers who introduce these photographers give various reasons as to why they have been insufficiently acknowledged: geography, gender, illness, politics, debates about photographic style or representation, lack of self-promotional savvy, or simply fading from the limelight. Among these photographers is Ken Pate.
"For me his pictures still evoke a sharp pleasure, a feeling that is now mixed with a stab of intense nostalgia"—Carole Naggar, poet, photography historian, and painter
In 1975, American photographer Ken Pate was living in Paris, photographing ballet and theater to pay the bills. Then he met three blousons noirs—members of a rock 'n' roll and motorcycle-obsessed subculture—who agreed to let him photograph them. For several weeks Pate trailed the gang with a camera. The results were collected in Pate's first and only book Roquette Rockers, put out by Paris book and magazine publisher Contrejour.
The Rockers in Pate's photographs are decked out in studs and black leather, their hair slicked back as they straddle their motorcycles. Pate's intimate photograph She said…, 1975, reveals a softer side of the blousons noirs. As Naggar writes, "The Rockers want to look tough, but their youth and naiveté shine through."
You may also be interested in:
Untitled, (Couple on the Platform) from Subway,1980
Bruce Davidson$1,800.00
Aperture 213
Regular Price: $24.95
Special Price $19.96