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On a gorgeous 79-degree Mother's Day at Yankee Stadium—the kind of day fit for a storybook—Andy Pettitte made his return to a major-league mound following an absence of nearly 19 months. Revered by the fans for his contributions to seven pennant-winners and five world champions, the 39-year-old lefty received huge ovations every time his name came over the public address system prior to the game. Pettitte pitched into the seventh inning and left little doubt that he could help the 2012 Yankees, at times showing glimpses of his vintage self, but alas, he could provide no storybook ending to that setup, making a couple of crucial mistakes against a weak-hitting Mariners lineup. Meanwhile, his pinstriped teammates looked as flat as day-old soda against Mariners starter Kevin Millwood, no spring chicken himself at age 37, and the Yankees fell 6-2.
When Pettitte shocked the baseball world in mid-March by announcing his comeback, the Yankees already had six starters—CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, Freddy Garcia, and newly-acquired Michael Pineda—battling for five spots. But during April, it felt as though Pettitte couldn't reach the majors fast enough, as the team's rotation fell into disarray due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
Pineda began the year on the disabled list due to shoulder weakness, and in late April was discovered to have a torn labrum. Hughes and Garcia were both scorched in their April starts, combining for a 10.01 ERA while averaging just 3.7 innings per turn and failing to deliver a single quality start in eight tries. Garcia, who had publicly expressed some exasperation when Pettitte was signed, was so awful that he lost his spot to rookie David Phelps. The situation has stabilized thanks to a roll from Sabathia and a pair of strong starts from Hughes—including one on Saturday that lifted the team to 19-14, a season-high five games over .500—but the unit's 4.78 ERA and 5.76 innings per start ranked 11th in the league coming into Sunday's game, their 39 percent quality start rate 12th, their 1.5 HR/9 13th.
Pettitte made four starts for the Yankees' minor-league affiliates, two for High-A Tampa, one for Double-A Trenton, and another for Triple-A Empire State (displaced from their Scranton/Wilkes-Barre home for an entire season while a new ballpark is built, they are a traveling road show). As he worked his way north from Tampa, he hadn't exactly dominated upper level hitters, yielding 15 hits and nine runs (six earned) in 10 innings over his final two starts while striking out eight and walking three. Still, the stains on his line owed mainly to a .384 BABIP borne of minor-league defense and field conditions and the constant travel—including a detour to Washington D.C. to testify in Roger Clemens' perjury trial—couldn't have helped.
For a comeback start, the Mariners appeared to be an easy draw, for once again they're among the league's most meager offenses. Their .288 OBP ranked dead last in the AL, their .233 batting average 13th, their .368 slugging percentage and 3.69 runs per game both 12th. Five of their nine regulars have OBPs of .280 or lower, though on Sunday both Miguel Olivo and Chone Figgins rode the pine in favor of former Yankee prospect Jesus Montero (working behind the plate for his 13th start of the year) and Casper Wells (playing left field, the nomadic Figgins' regular home after being displaced from third base by Kyle Seager and Alex Liddi). None of Sunday's Mariner starters had an OBP higher than Ichiro Suzuki's .333, and with Seager sitting in favor of Liddi, none had a slugging percentage higher than Montero's .429. Yet they would not be Pettitte's palookas.
Pettitte's first pitch drew yet another huge ovation as leadoff hitter Dustin Ackley fouled it off, but after his second one, the crowd was groaning on his behalf, as Ackley drilled an 84 mph cutter to the right-field wall, requiring Nick Swisher to make a leaping catch that, at the very least, took away an extra-base hit. Pettitte walked Wells on six pitches, but two pitches later, he induced Ichiro to ground into a room service 6-3 double play. The 38-year-old Suzuki has predictably played every single Mariners game thus far, and while his bat has rebounded slightly relative to last year's Vortices of Suck-worthy showing, his .280/.333/.388 line hardly befits a number-three hitter.
With the anxieties of the first inning out of the way, Pettitte settled into a groove, retiring eight of the next nine hitters on a combined 30 pitches, with a walk of Liddi his only blemish. With two outs in the fourth, he walked Montero on six pitches—just the fifth walk of the year for the 22-year-old slugger, against 26 strikeouts—and then left a cutter right in the center of the plate that Smoak smoked over the left-field wall for his fourth home run of the year and a 2-0 lead. The hit lifted Smoak's batting average to an even .200; he had come in batting .195/.246/.280, one of three M's regulars trapped below the Mendoza Line (Figgins and shortstop Brendan Ryan being the others).
Pettitte's opposite number was faring better. Millwood, who made just nine major-league starts last year for the Rockies after passing through the Yankees and Red Sox' farm systems, had struggled thus far with the M's. He'd racked up a 5.88 ERA largely due to a .363 BABIP and a swollen 4.0 walk rate; his FIP was just 3.70, and he had delivered two quality starts out of six. He was sharp on Sunday, retiring the first seven Yankees before designated hitter Eric Chavez drilled a double to deep center field with one out in the third inning. Russell Martin followed with a six-pitch walk, and when Derek Jeter battled back from an 0-2 start to a full count after seven pitches, it seemed as though the Yankees might break through. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, however, Jeter slapped a slider to Liddi, who started an around-the-horn double play, ending the threat.
Millwood breezed through the fourth, striking out both Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez, but he found trouble in the fifth when Mark Teixeira reached on a checked-swing infield single that didn't travel much further than a bunt, and then Swisher pounded one off the right-center field wall for an extremely long single—about as different as a pair of one-base hits can be. Raul Ibanez, who had homered in the first two games of the series and had bashed four in four games going back to Tuesday night, walked on four pitches, all high, to load the bases. Chavez was poised to put the Yankees back in the game, but instead he fell behind 0-2 and looked at a 91 mph fastball on the inside corner for strike three. Martin worked a five-pitch walk to force Teixeira home, but once again Jeter grounded into a rally-snuffing double play, this time a slow chopper that met Ryan at the second base bag before he threw to first. The 37-year-old shortstop had come in hitting a robust .376/.422/.546, but his penchant for grounders hasn't abated; his 68.3 GB% leads the majors and is more than four percentage points higher than last year's majors-leading mark.
The Yankees had cut the lead to 2-1, but Pettitte couldn't hold the line. Ackley led off the sixth with a single over Cano's head, and then Wells drilled a belt-high 88 mph fastball high off the right field foul pole after it caught a bit too much of the outside edge of the plate. Ichiro grounded out, and then Montero followed with a loud single to right, and Smoak hit a sharp comebacker right through the box, causing the Yankee bullpen to stir. When Liddi smacked a single through the left side to load the bases, Pettitte's day appeared done, but pitching coach Larry Rothschild went to the mound, not manager Joe Girardi. Due up next was Mike Carp, a lefty whom during his short big-league career, has hit same-siders at a .297/.340/.505 clip in 97 PA. Girardi later said that the handedness played a role in his willingness to keep his starter out there, and he won that battle; Carp chopped one right to Teixeira, and after stepping on the first-base bag, he threw home to nail Montero—resplendent in pink cleats, the only ballplayer on either side wearing them as part of the Mother's Day breast cancer awareness promotion—trying to score.
Pettitte came back out for the seventh to face another lefty, Michael Saunders, retiring him on a grounder to Teixeira. Despite trailing 4-1 when he departed in favor of Cory Wade, he got yet another warm ovation from the crowd of 41,631. In all, he threw 94 pitches, 60 for strikes, yielding seven hits, three walks, and four runs while striking out just two in 6
Millwood continued to frustrate the Yankees. Granderson drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but Rodriguez grounded into the Yankees' third double play of the day on the next pitch, and Cano struck out looking at a slider on the outside corner. Millwood capped his day with his most efficient inning, needing just nine pitches to retire Teixeira, Swisher, and Ibanez in the seventh. In all he threw 90 pitches, 55 for strikes, yielding two singles, a double, and one run while striking out six and walking four. He threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the 25 hitters he faced (five of which went into play), and because he got ahead consistently, he needed just 3.6 pitches per plate appearance, well off the Bronx Bombers' 3.85 mark this year. He needed more than 13 pitches in an inning just twice, in the third (19) and fifth (15). And unlike his previous start, in which he'd shown up Montero after a signaling snafu, he worked well with the rookie behind the plate.
"After being back there last game, it's one of the reasons we wanted to get him back out there today with Kevin," said Mariners manager Eric Wedge after the game. "I think they did a great job of communicating before the game and they did a nice job working together today."
In removing Millwood, Wedge did the Yankees a favor, as they managed to load the bases with a pair of singles and a walk against a parade of Mariner relievers: righty Tom Wilhelmsen, lefty Lucas Luetge, and righty Steve Delabar. Wilhelmsen did whiff Martin looking at a big curveball in between allowing two singles, and Luetge got Granderson swinging at a slider in the dirt. A fourth reliever, the laugh-inducing lefty Charlie Furbush, came in to face Cano with the bags full and walked him on four pitches to force in another run, but he recovered to fool Teixeira on a low 81 mph slider. Even with his swinging bunt single in the fifth inning, the slugging first baseman is now 12 for his last 71 dating back to April 23, for a .169/.213/.254 line.
The Mariners restored their shrinking lead in the top of the ninth. Wade departed after allowing a leadoff double to Liddi, and second lefty Clay Rapada—pitching because Boone Logan had worked the previous two days—waked both Ryan (who came in hitting an anemic .144/.259/.222) and Ackley with two outs to load the bases. On a comebacker from Wells, Rapada leaped and tipped the ball with the glove, then threw from the ground, late and wildly; the ball skidded into foul territory as two runs scored—an utterly brainless play.
The Yankees compounded that brainlessness in the bottom of the ninth when Swisher led off with a drive into the left-field corner. Down four runs, he nonetheless ran for third base and was gunned down by Wells. The replay showed that he was actually safe, but there was no excuse for making the out under those circumstances. Two more fly balls to left field later, the game was in the books
After the game, Pettitte sat through a 17-minute press conference dissecting his start and the emotions of the day. "I felt good. It was exactly like I thought it was gonna be," he said of his return to the mound. "Maybe the first batter I was a little nervous, just the anxiety or whatever, but it felt great, felt like I never left."
Still, he was torn up about the sixth inning. "The guys gave me a chance to get right back in the game, and I go back out and give up a two-run homer. You just can't do that. I got a little careless with a few pitches and they cost me."
Pettitte's problem was his execution against righties; Wells, Montero, the switch-hitting Smoak, and Liddi combined to go 5-for-9 with two homers and three walks against him (Ryan was 0-for-2).
"I wasn't able to do some of the things to the right-handed hitters that I've got to be able to do to be successful, and that's locate my four-seamer in to them," he said. "I left balls over the plate. If y'all have followed and listened to some of what I've been doing in the minor-league starts, I've been having trouble doing that, with getting the ball into right-handed hitters… That was the one thing I took away from the last game, everything was terrible except I was able to locate some balls in, in Triple-A. When I'm not able to do that, my cutter's not as effective, so I wasn't able to get any swings on my cutter today."
Indeed, Pettitte threw 20 cutters and got just one swing-and-miss on the third inning strikeout to Ackley. However, parsing this from the PITCHf/x data isn't easy because, according to Dan Brooks of BrooksBaseball.net, the MLBAM Gameday classification algorithm to identify his pitches was way off; it identified the bulk of his four-seam fastballs as cutters, and the bulk of his cutters as sliders (this is why Brooks and his cohorts manually review each pitch for their pitcher cards). As Brooks patiently explained to me, the cluster of pitches in the 80-84 mph range on the left of the graph below are his cutters, only four of which were identified as such:
Of those 20 pitches, seven were called balls, three were called strikes, six were fouled off, and three were put into play:
Eleven of those 20 were to righties, eight of them in two-strike counts, none of them resulting in outs:
That's going to make for a rough day at the office. "I was throwing my cutter down and in, and I couldn't get anybody to swing over it as far as the righties," said Pettitte. "But that's why you still have a curveball, you still have a changeup you can go to, and actually Russell [Martin] wanted to go to them a few times and I shook off. Don't know why, but I wish I would have pitched differently in that one inning. The [Smoak] home run was a cutter, and just a bad mindset… I tried to throw one in the zone there, and that's a bad idea, especially to Smoak right there, because that's kind of his nitro zone. Just a horrible pitch."
Pettitte chastised himself for the other home run as well: "I just got careless to Wells. I can't say I didn't mean to do it, I got real aggressive on the outside corner, I thought that I could strike him out looking right there, and he ran into it. I got a ball that was up. I can't say that I was trying to paint down and away. I thought that I might be able to freeze him out there with a fastball, but it probably came back to the plate just a little bit too much. Just a couple of mental mistakes that I shouldn't have made, that cost me the ballgame."
Still, both Pettitte and Girardi sounded confident that the pitcher could help the Yankees, that he was already comfortable in his return, and that he would gain strength with more repetitions. As unsatisfied as the pitcher may have been with the day's outcome, he was well aware the last word wouldn't be written in mid-May: "I feel like I'll be able to say if this was a success or not in October, you know?"
Thanks to Dan Brooks for his help with the PITCHf/x data.
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John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath" is a left-wing parable, directed by a right-wing American director, about how a sharecropper's son, a barroom brawler, is converted into a union organizer. The message is boldly displayed, but told with characters of such sympathy and images of such beauty that audiences leave the theater feeling more pity than anger or resolve. It's a message movie, but not a recruiting poster.
The ideological journey of the hero, Tom Joad, can be seen by the two killings he is responsible for. The first one takes place in a saloon before the action begins, and Tom describes it to a former preacher: "We was drunk. He got a knife in me and I laid him out with a shovel. Knocked his head plum to squash." After serving four years, Tom is paroled and returns to his family farm in Oklahoma, only to learn the Joads have been "tractored off the land" and are joining the desperate migration to California. Near the end of the film, after seeing deputies and thugs beat and shoot at strikers, he is once again attacked, this time by a "tin badge" with a club. He snatches away the club, and kills him. The lesson is clear: Tom has learned who his real enemies are, and is working now with more deserving targets.
The movie was based on John Steinbeck's novel, arguably the most effective social document of the 1930s, and it was directed by a filmmaker who had done more than any other to document the Westward movement of American settlement. John Ford was the director of "The Iron Horse" (1924), about the dream of a railroad to the West, and made many other films about the white migration into Indian lands, including his Cavalry trilogy ("Fort Apache," "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," "Rio Grande"). "The Grapes of Wrath" tells the sad end of the dream. The small shareholders who staked their claims 50 years earlier are forced off their land by bankers and big landholders. "Who's the Shawnee Land and Cattle Company?" asks Muley, a neighbor of the Joads who refuses to sell. "It ain't anybody," says a land agent. "It's a company."
The movie finds a larger socialist lesson in this, when Tom tells Ma: "One guy with a million acres and a hundred thousand farmers starvin'." Of course Tom didn't know the end of the story, about how the Okies would go to work in war industries and their children would prosper more in California than they would have in Oklahoma, and their grandchildren would star in Beach Boys songs. It is easy to forget that for many, "The Grapes of Wrath" had a happy, unwritten, fourth act.
When Steinbeck published his novel in 1939, it was acclaimed as a masterpiece, won the Pulitzer Prize, was snatched up by Darryl F. Zanuck of 20th Century-Fox and assigned to his top director, John Ford. It expressed the nation's rage about the Depression in poetic, Biblical terms, and its dialogue does a delicate little dance around words like "agitators" and "Reds"--who are, we are intended to understand, what the fat cats call anyone who stands up for the little man. With Hitler rising in Europe, Communism would enjoy a brief respite from the American demonology.
The movie won Oscars for best director and best actress (Jane Darwell as Ma Joad) and was nominated for five others, including best actor (Henry Fonda) and best picture (it lost to Hitchcock's "Rebecca"). In a year when there were 10 best film nominees Ford had even another entry, "The Long Voyage Home." "The Grapes of Wrath" was often named the greatest American film, until it was dethroned by the re-release of "Citizen Kane" in 1958, and in the recent American Film Institute poll it finished in the top 10. But do many people watch it anymore? It's not even on DVD.
When the DVD restoration does finally arrive, viewers will discover a film that uses realistic black-and-white cinematography to temper its sentiment and provide a documentary quality to scenes like the entry into the Okie transient camp near the California border. Even though the Joad farm is a studio set, Ford liked to shoot on location, and records a journey down Route 66 from the Dust Bowl through New Mexico and Arizona, past shabby gas stations and roadside diners. The dialogue sometimes grows a little too preachy to fit within the simple vernacular of farmers, and Tom Joad's famous farewell to Ma ("Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there ...") always sounds to me like writing, not spontaneous expression.
But it is dialogue spoken by Henry Fonda, whose Tom Joad is one of the great American movie characters, so pure and simple and simplytherein the role that he puts it over. Fonda was an actor with the rare ability to exist on the screen without seeming to reach or try, and he makes it clear even in his silences how he has been pondering Preacher's conversion from religion to union politics. We're not surprised when he tells Ma, "Maybe it's like Casy says. A fella ain't got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul. The one big soul that belongs to everybody." Just as, in the dream of One Big Union, transcendentalism meets Marxism.
The photography is by the great innovator Gregg Toland, who also shot "The Long Voyage Home" and after those two Ford pictures and William Wyler's "The Westerner" moved on directly to his masterpiece, Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane." In "Voyage" he experimented with the deep-focus photography that would be crucial to "Kane." In "Grapes" he worked with astonishingly low levels of light; consider the many night scenes and the shots in the deserted Joad homestead, where Tom and the preacher seem illuminated by a single candle, Tom silhouetted, Casy side-lit.
The power of Ford (1884-1973) was rooted in strong stories, classical technique and direct expression. Years of apprenticeship in low-budget silent films, many of them quickies shot on location, had steeled him against unnecessary set-ups and fancy camera work. There is a rigorous purity in his visual style that serves the subject well. "The Grapes of Wrath" contains not a single shot that seems careless or routine.
Fonda and Jane Darwell are the actors everyone remembers, although John Carradine's Casy is also instrumental. Darwell worked in the movies for 50 years, never more memorably than here, where she has the final word ("We'll go on forever, Pa. 'Cause ... we're the people!"). The novel of course ends with a famous scene that stunned its readers, as Rose of Sharon, having lost her baby, offers her milk-filled breast to a starving man in a railroad car. Hollywood, which stretched itself in allowing Clark Gable to say "damn" a year earlier in "Gone With the Wind," was not ready for that scene, even by implication, in 1940. Since the original audiences would have known it was left out, the film ended with safe sentiment instead of Steinbeck's bold melodramatic masterstroke.
I wonder if American audiences will ever again be able to understand the original impact of this material, on the page and on the screen. The centenary of Steinbeck's birth is now being observed with articles sniffing that he was not, after all, all that good, that his Nobel was undeserved, that he was of his time and has dated. But one would not want "The Grapes of Wrath" written differently; irony, stylistic experimentation and "modernism" would weaken it.
The novel and movie do last, I think, because they are founded in real experience and feeling. My parents were scarred by the Depression, it was a remembered devastation I sensed in their very tones of voice, and "The Grapes of Wrath" shows half a nation with the economic rug pulled out from under it. The story, which seems to be about the resiliency and courage of "the people," is built on a foundation of fear: Fear of losing jobs, land, self-respect. To those who had felt that fear, who had gone hungry or been homeless, it would never become dated. And its sense of injustice, I believe, is still relevant. The banks and land agents of the 1930s have been replaced by financial pyramids so huge and so chummy with the government that Enron, for example, had to tractor itself off its own land.
129 minutes

subset: commoncrawl


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Here are some new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About The Next Papal Election:
Change Agent: Examining How and Why the Pope Can Make a Global Difference is from The New York Times Learning Network.
New Pope: An AP Interactive is from The Associated Press.
The Catholic Church Shifted Southward Over the Past Century is an infographic from The New York Times.
Pope and Circumstance: the Road to the Papacy is a TIME slideshow.
Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis is a Sacramento Bee photo gallery.


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This relevant news item was posted by the official website of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal:
In response to the desire of Holy Father Francis, the Statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, venerated in the Little Chapel of Apparitions, will be brought to Rome on October 12/13 to be present at the Marian Day promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. On October 13, next to the Statue of Our Lady, Pope Francis will make the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
[The] Marian Day is one of the great pontifical events marked down on the calendar of celebrations of the Year of Faith which will bring to Rome hundreds of movements and institutions connoted with Marian devotion.
In a letter addressed to Bishop Antonio Marto, of Leiria-Fatima, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, [Abp.] Rino Fisichella, informs that "all ecclesial entities of Marian spirituality" are invited to take part in this Marian day, a gathering which includes, on the 12th, a pilgrimage to the tomb of Apostle St. Peter and other moments of prayer and meditation and, on the 13th, a Mass presided over by Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Square.
In that letter, [Abp.] Fisichella wrote: "The Holy Father strongly desires that the Marian Day may have present, as a special sign, one of the most significant Marian icons for Christians throughout the world and, for that reason, we thought of the beloved original Statue of Our Lady of Fatima".
Therefore, the Statue of Our Lady will depart from the Shrine of Fatima on the morning of October 12 and return on the afternoon of October 13. Scheduled to take its place in the Little Chapel of Apparitions is the first Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which is enthroned in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary since December 8, 2003.
[Source: Santuário de Fátima]


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Fukushima operator restarts water decontamination system
Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on Sunday restarted its trouble-plagued water decontamination system for the first time in three months, the utility said.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has been forced to repeatedly switch off its Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which purifies radiation-tainted water, due to a series of glitches plaguing the system since trial operations began last year.
The system has three lines via which it cleans water used to cool reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, where Japan's devastating 2011 quake-tsunami disaster caused a nuclear meltdown.
All three lines are operating together for the first time since mid-March, a TEPCO spokesman said Sunday, after the utility switched one line that had been in standby since May back on.
However the system was still undergoing test runs, and it was unclear when the trial stage would end, he said.
TEPCO is struggling to handle the huge—and growing—volume of contaminated water at Fukushima, the site of the worst atomic crisis in a generation.
Thousands of gallons of contaminated water are being stored on site, with no permanent solution for safely disposing of it.


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Response received from SBA HQ on 4/3/2020: Yes, you are still eligible to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program even if you applied for or received an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan.If your Economic Injury Disaster Loan was not used for payroll costs, it does not affect your eligibility for a Paycheck Protection Program loan.If your Economic Injury Disaster Loan was used for payroll costs, your Paycheck Protection Program loan must be used to refinance your Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The Paycheck Protection Program's maximum loan amount is $10 million with a fixed 1% interest rate and maturity of two years. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance provides up to $2 million loan per business and are long-term, low-interest rate at 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for non-profits and a maturity of up to 30 yearsAny advance up to $10,000 on the Economic Injury Disaster Loan will be deducted from the loan forgiveness amount of the Paycheck Protection Program loan.
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Yolo County has established an interactive dashboard for information regarding the COVID-19 disease in Yolo County. Information is updated daily. The search function gives an overview of cases per gender, age, and city.
Residents and employees may report potential violations to City of Woodland Code Enforcement online https://www.cityofwoodland.org/392/Report-a-Problem or call 530-661-5826. Code enforcement will investigate your complaint and contact the business to inform, educate, and achieve compliance.
The official CDC website in Spanish provides many valuable resources worth sharing with employees and a specific page "Resources for businesses and employees / Recursos para empresas y empleados". Numerous CDC-developed factsheets exist in Spanish on COVID-19.
The California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is an additional resource for businesses seeking COVID-19 response assistance.
For phone assistance in Spanish, the Sacramento Business Chamber launched a rapid response hotline for businesses assistance in English & Spanish for businesses affected by COVID-19: 1-833-391-1919. As they are experiencing a high call volume, be prepared to leave a message with your name, number, and a brief outline of your questions so that they can call you back.
The City does not currently have direct financial assistance available for businesses. The City adopted an eviction moratorium and suspended late charges for utility bills and business license renewals. The City is monitoring federal and state legislation for COVID-19 business resources and conducting outreach to inform future decision-making on this topic.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has Economic Injury Disaster Loans, emergency grants and Paycheck Protection Programs available.
Visit the SBA www.sba.gov or Small Business Development Center www.capitalregionsbdc.com
The City's COVID-19 Response Resources for Businesses and Employees webpage has these and other financial aid resources listed and updated frequently: https://www.cityofwoodland.org/1210/COVID-19-Resources-for-Businesses-Employ#supportwoodlandbusiness
The Woodland Chamber of Commerce is another valuable resource for local businesses: https://woodlandchamber.org/; as well, the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce https://rapidresponse.metrochamber.org/ has a Hotline now open and staffed for businesses looking to speak to a live body regarding the CARES Act and other programs, call 1-833-391-1919.
Response received from SBA HQ on 4/3/2020: Borrowers can apply for both an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan and the Paycheck Protection Program loan. However, the Paycheck Protection Program loan funds and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds cannot be used for the same purpose. The Paycheck Protection Program loan must be used for payroll (minimum of 75% of the funds received) for it to be eligible for a forgivable loan and the remaining is used for different purposes. Borrowers who accept both loan funds should document the uses of the funds appropriately.
Response received from SBA HQ on 4/3/2020: Select the loan program that best meets your individual business needs; however, you are not permitted to hold funds from both programs for the same purpose.The PPP loan has different terms from the EIDL loan. The Paycheck Protection Program's maximum loan amount is $10 million with a fixed 1% interest rate and maturity of two years.Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance provides up to $2 million loan per business and are long-term, low-interest rate at 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for non-profits and a maturity of up to 30 yearsThe application period for PPP loans runs through June 30, 2020, but the EIDL application period runs through December 2020. If you have working capital need beyond what is provided by PPP, you can apply for additional assistance through the EIDL program.
If you are applying for both, you can accept PPP first – then decide whether to close on your EIDL approved loan. An EIDL approved loan may be closed within 60 days, and the borrower can choose whether to close on the loan. The EIDL application period runs through Dec. 2020.


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The Virginia Historical Society is going on the road to spread the word about its database of slave names.
Historical society staff will hold the first of five presentations Monday in Chesterfield on the project, which helps scholars and family historians examine the state's slave-holding past. Called "Unknown No Longer," the database -- which launched in 2011 -- now includes more than 10,000 names and 1,500 digital images of documents.
The presentations will show how to use the database, information on slavery in Virginia and a question-and-answer session. The programs are being held during Black History Month.
The presentations will be held Tuesday in Portsmouth, Friday in Richmond, Feb. 21 in Woodbridge and Feb. 23 in Midlothian.


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Of course, but this is the same thing as using a nodal point head for "conventional" stitch panoramas. Sometimes it is mandatory, sometimes nice to have, sometimes unnecessary, depending on the near-far relationship of objects in the picture.
There is no feature of a tilt shift lens that cannot be replicated with current high quality bodies, lenses, software, and tripod heads. If you want a TS lens as a way to inspire creativity, go for it. If you think you will create more perfectly sharp images with less fuss, think again.
Except tilt.
...have an aversion to the distorted look of rotated pano's (not sure of the projection method but I like straight lines not bendy ones)
I know it is possible to SIMULATE tilt, but it is not the same thing.
Perhaps, but software simulations of tilt blur is VERY similar and when done well it is exceedingly difficult to detect. This is similar to saying that stitching panos is not the same thing as a wide angle. When it is done poorly, you are right. When it is done well, it is perfect.
... tilt simulation can not be perfectly done afterwards. Good enough for effect, yes, and good enough to fool a casual viewer who does not know what to expect and look for.
I've almost all but decided to purchase a 45mm TS-E lens to do landscape work with. I haven't found the answer to a couple of questions and I'm hoping someone might be able to help?How much resolution gain can be expected from a full shift stitch with the camera in a vertical position on a 5D MKII?Can a stitch be made without needing the camera to be level to the horizon?I ask that last question because when I had a RRS Pano stitching kit it always had to be level to the horizon.


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The FTS 106 window combination lock builds on the successful FTS 96 model, a VdS and DIN-approved window lock with an appealing design for windows and patio doors that open inwards. The window lock is opened by means of a number code than can be set individually. Ideal for anyone who struggles to find the right key.
Multiple locks can easily be combined and programmed together. The combination window lock can therefore be integrated into keyed-alike systems. The position of the knob clearly shows whether the lock is fastened, even from a distance.
The solid casing and the double steel bolt guarantee the high level of security of this lock and provide excellent protection against break-ins. The typical ABUS claw-action bolt also effectively prevents the window from being levered open.
According to an independent testing institute, the window locks are able to withstand a force in excess of a tonne. The combination lock is therefore well above the security rating required by the VdS and thus offers plenty of additional security.
The extra narrow lock casing with excellent anchoring options makes it possible to use in any situation. The FTS 106 is available in white and brown.


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Scottish Ballet: Romeo & Juliet Tickets
Keep me updated
We'll tell you as soon as tickets go on sale:
Following its sold out success with A Streetcar Named Desire in 2012, Scottish Ballet returns with another powerful reinterpretation of an all time classic, with a unique version of Romeo & Juliet. Incredibly moving and enduringly relevant, the production was created for Scottish Ballet by Polish choreographer Krzysztof Pastor in 2008, and has since gained status as one of the company's most iconic works.
"Pastor's choreography is slick and vigorous" Sunday Times
Set in the 20th century, this passionate story of forbidden love unfolds in three dramatic acts. Beginning in a monochrome Italian metropolis, Pastor shows a world torn apart by conflict with the aid of archive projection of film of First World War trenches. The second act moves to the sepia-toned 1950s in the wake of Mussolini's Fascist dictatorship. Finally, the third act is set amidst the backdrop of today's warring nations, dominated by the eerie blue light of the television cameras that report 24/7 from the frontline of global wars.
**** "Powerful and gorgeous choreographic expression"" The Guardian
The dancers of Scottish Ballet - for whom the piece was created - bring these iconic roles to life with emotional intensity and breathtaking performances. Romeo & Juliet is set to the world-famous Prokofiev score - performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.


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What's New
Thanks for staying with us! The new version offers:
– Minor bug fixes and improvements
Please, email us at [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions. We are always happy to hear from you.
App Description
Pixy is an easy-to-use coloring book suitable for both adults and kids. Adults will find it captivating enough to distract them from every-day stress while children will get the excitement of creating a truly wonderful digital masterpiece.
With Pixy it is very easy to create great-looking pictures – you just need to follow the number cues on the screen to determine which color you need to use. But let this simplicity not discourage you – numerous pictures are sure to engage you for a long time.
Main features:
• Easy to use – numbers in the boxes correspond to the colors in the palette
• Relaxing – slow-paced coloring is a good way reduce stress, and coloring cues get rid of the urge to find just the right color
• Suitable for all ages – the app suits both adults and children
• Educational – the app helps children develop fine motor skills while facilitating number and color recognition
Information about the auto-renewal of subscription:
– Free trial period is provided
– Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase
– Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period
– Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. The cost depends on the selected plan
– Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase
– Any unused portion of the free trial will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription
The following subscription plans are available (price may vary depending on location):
• 12 months subscription – 64.99 US$
• 1 month subscription – 19.99 US$
• 1 week subscription with 3 days trial version – 7.99 US$
By using Pixy, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use:
App Changes
- January 13, 2018 Initial release
- June 14, 2019 New version 2.5


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We don't want to burst your bubble, but the forecast for Outside Lands isn't looking so hot — or even the least bit warm for that matter. The headliners, on the other hand, are smokin'!
So, to keep temps on the up while you bop from stage to stage, we have skillfully mastered the art of music-festival attire, San Francisco style — all inspired by the top acts, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Paul McCartney. Ready for some major outfit takeaway? We've got your head-to-toe guide, right here!


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Site Selection
Find Assistance
Looking to locate or expand in King George County? Economic Development staff is ready to assist. Whether it's demographic information and analysis, information on to federal, state, and local assistance, or help in finding the perfect location, site, or building for your business, economic development staff will find the answers and resources as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Available Properties
Take a look at a King George County Available Properties.
Business Costs
Take a look at common Business Costs including Taxes.
Existing Businesses
The Department of Economic Development, working with the Economic Development Authority, is in the process of creating a more attentive Business Retention Program that will enable the department to meet the needs of existing businesses in the county.
Incentives & Financing
Find State and Local incentives, as well as financing opportunities.
King George County is ready for business with all the appropriate transportation and utilities infrastructure to meet the needs of any business.
King George County Industrial Park
The King George County Industrial Park's central location, rail availability and strong workforce make King George County an excellent choice for business!
Major Employers
The County's largest employer is Naval Support Facility Dahlgren with over 7500 military, federal, and civilian jobs.
To support the every changing workforce in the area, the county has a very aggressive K-12 program.


text: I am looking for a unix version (to run on an SGI Indy) of a program called Scrutineer which calculates the amino acid composition of proteins in databases such as PIR and SWISS-PROT. The program was supposed to be (according to Anal. Biochem. 198:330(1991)) at EMBL-Heidelberg.de under unix software but I could only see a vax version. Anybody know where this beast is Thanks, -- Max Cummings, MMID, 1-41 Medical Sciences Bldg., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA, T6G 2H7 Tel: 403-492-7581 or 4696; FAX: 403-492-7521 max at clouseau.mmid.ualberta.ca


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Check Out this Gigantic List of Indie Games Coming Out on Xbox One
During this years Game Developers Conference, Microsoft has decided to shed some more light on their self publishing program, ID@Xbox. Over 250 developers have made kits for the Xbox One with the use of the ID@Xbox software, and with Microsoft excited about the kick off of GDC, they have decided to share twenty five titles that are coming to the Xbox One. "Since we first announced the program in August, we've been working closely with developers to bring a diverse array of independent games to Xbox One," stated Chris Charla, ID@Xbox Games Director. "Our goal is to make the process as easy as possible so developers can focus on what matters most: creating the games you're beginning to see today!"
Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios, added that, "Our goal has always been to make Xbox One the best place to play games, and that means having a diverse portfolio for gamers to choose from…We've worked closely with independent developers to bring their own brand of creativity and innovation to the platform and today is just the beginning." Now for the goods, a full list of the twenty five titles – as well as details about them, can be seen below. It should be known, however, that they are not listed chronologically and the list is only a snippet of what's to come.
- "1001 Spikes" by Nicalis – This hardcore side-scroller features precise controls and a degree of difficulty that means starting with 1001 lives is not at all a guarantee you can make it through the game! Every level is custom designed to be beaten… barely. The game also includes co-op and cutthroat multiplayer modes.
- "Calibre 10 Racing Series" by Bongfish GmbH – "Calibre 10 Racing Series" is a spiritual successor to "Harms Way." The game is entirely multiplayer in a new experience that combines action-packed racing with fast-paced first person shooting.
- "CastleStorm" by Zen Studios – It's Knights vs. Vikings in "CastleStorm," a super genre mash-up of 2D physics destruction mashed with tower defense brawler! "CastleStorm" features a story-driven solo campaign, a custom castle editor, online multiplayer, co-op modes, and more.
- "Chariot" by Frima – "Chariot" is a humorous physics-based couch co-op platformer in which a brave princess and her suitor carry a funeral wagon through ancient mines, fending off swarms of looters while amassing riches, to bury the King's remains in a worthy gold-filled tomb.
- "Chuck's Challenge 3D" by Niffler – From the design veteran behind the classic game "Chip's Challenge," comes "Chuck's Challenge 3D," a fiendishly addictive puzzler that's packed with features that will tease the brain and challenge the fingers.
- "Contrast" by Compulsion Games – "Contrast" is a 2D/3D adventure game, set in a surreal, 1920s, film noir dreamscape. You must help Didi explore the mysteries surrounding her family, by using your ability to shift at will between the 3D world and your 2D shadow.
- "Divekick Addition Edition +" by Iron Galaxy Studios – "Divekick" is the world's first-ever two-button fighting game! Now anyone can experience the thrill of fighting games without memorizing complex combos and finger-contorting button presses.
- "Forced" by BetaDwarf ApS – One- to four-player co-op arcade adventure with puzzles and tactical elements. You are cast as slaves in the toughest fantasy gladiator school of them all, condemned to fight as a gladiator and eventually win your freedom.
- "FRU" by Through Games – "Fru" is a Kinect-based puzzle platformer in which the player utilizes both a joystick and their body to control the game. In fact, in "Fru," the player's silhouette is used to reveal what lies beneath the world at first glance. "Fru's" gameplay changes according to the player's shape, pose and movement.
- "Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition" by DrinkBox Studios – "Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition" is an action-packed, 2D brawler/platformer that alternates between the worlds of the living and the dead.
- "Gunscape" by Blowfish Studios – At its heart, "Gunscape" is an FPS construction kit: A game with solid action gameplay, a welcoming approach to map building and a huge toolbox of iconic weapons, monsters and level elements that can be extensively combined to create new and exciting gameplay experiences.
- "Habitat" by 4gency – "Habitat" is a space-themed strategy game set in Earth's orbit, where you lead a team of engineers to save humanity by building a space station out of an orbiting wasteland of space junk.
- "Hyper Light Drifter" by Heart Machine – "Hyper Light Drifter" is an action adventure RPG in the vein of the best eight-bit and 16-bit classics, with modernized mechanics and designs on a much grander scale.
- "It Draws a Red Box" by Other Ocean – "It Draws a Red Box" is a chaotic eight-player eSport jumping jetpack future arena ball game that is as inspired by "Bomberman" and "Smash Bros." as it is by cans of soda, paint-by-number books, and driving five miles faster than the speed limit.
- "Nutjitsu" by NinjaBee – "Nutjitsu" is a top-down, arcade-style game for Xbox One. Players take control of the ninja squirrel on his quest to reclaim his clan's honor. Featuring two game modes, five power ups, 25 ranks, three distinct enemies and 15 levels, this HTML5 based title is coming to your dojo in early spring.
- "Pinball Arcade" by FarSight Studios – "Pinball Arcade" features exact recreations of the all-time greatest pinball tables from Williams®, Bally®, Stern Pinball® and Gottlieb® together in one game. Every flipper, bumper, sound effect, and display pixel has been painstakingly emulated in astonishing detail.
- "Q.U.B.E. Director's Cut" by Toxic Games – "Q.U.B.E. Director's Cut" is a first-person game that faces the player with a series of brain-teasing puzzles. The player uses high tech gloves to manipulate different types of cube in the environment – unravelling conundrums ranging from physics-based challenges; to 3D jigsaws; to platform-based trials.
- "Riptide GP2" by Vector Unit – Featuring dynamic racing on fully interactive water surfaces, "Riptide GP2" sets the gold standard in modern water racing games. Take control of rocket powered hydro jets to race through futuristic cityscapes, hurl yourself off sky-high jumps and bust out dozens of death defying stunts.
- "Roundabout" by No Goblin – "Roundabout" is an open world driving puzzle game where you control a constantly rotating limousine! Pick up passengers, find secret collectibles, take on dangerous missions, and fall in love while reliving the 1977 rise to fame story of Georgio Manos.
- "Sixty Second Shooter Prime" by Happion Laboratories – "Sixty Second Shooter Prime" is a twin stick shooter with a sixty-second time limit. This new Prime version brings a graphics upgrade, a new soundtrack, infinity mode and social leaderboards.
- "Spectra: 8bit Racing" by Gateway Interactive – From new studio Gateway Interactive and Chipzel (the amazing chip-tune artist behind the "Super Hexagon" music) comes "Spectra," a fast paced retro style racing game destined to get your heart pumping and test your skill like no other!
- "Strike Suit Zero" by Born Ready Games – "Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut" is a space combat game that throws players into huge, intense space battles where the very fate of Earth rests on your dogfighting skills.
- "Super Time Force" by Capybara – "Super Time Force" is an action-packed platformer with a time-travelling twist! Take control of up to 16 unique characters, and battle across six different time periods, from the long-ago past to the far-away future.
- "The Last Tinker" by Mimimi Productions – In a world where creativity has given way to conflict, a young street kid living in the slums of Colortown seeks to restore the spark of imagination to his hometown. A charming blend of modern platforming and multicolored style, "The Last Tinker" is a one-of-a-kind adventure.
- "Wulverblade" by Darkwind Media – "Wulverblade" is a side-scrolling brawler created in the spirit of the arcade greats. It's 120AD and the Roman army has seized control of Britannia. Their goal: march north and conquer the island with brutal and bloody efficiency. The 5,000 strong 9th Legion are preparing for war, but little do they know what lies in wait for them.
Source: Xbox Wire


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South Carolina
South Carolina's Grand Strand, a section of coastline 60 miles long, is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States. Most visitors choose the highly developed resort town of Myrtle Beach as their base, with its sandy beaches, abundant live music and theatrical venues, golf courses, and shopping. But the Grand Strand also offers quieter alternatives, from the beachless town of Murrells Inlet, known for seafood and salt marshes, to the historic port of Georgetown, with its delightful walking tour of antebellum buildings.
History buffs will find lots to appreciate throughout South Carolina. The state was the first to secede from the Union, starting the Civil War, and the war's first battle took place at Fort Sumter National Monument, now a National Monument. Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield were both pivotal battlegrounds during the American Revolution. The Middleton Place, begun in 1941, are the oldest sculpted gardens in the United States. Table Rock State Park melds Native American history and natural beauty -- it is named for a lofty rock formation at which a giant chieftan dined, according to legend.
South Carolina is also known for peaches, which it produces in greater quantity than any state except California; the peak season is June and July. Feeding the peach farms is a fair amount of annual precipitation, which also feeds a number of rivers. Some of the rivers are dammed, producing abundant amounts of hydro-electric power; some, like the Chattooga National Wild & Scenic River, are still wild and are favorites for whitewater rafting.


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Konstsmide 7454-000EE : Assisi Big Plant Pot LED
Shipping for Konstsmide Outdoor Lighting is charged per order, for any number of products. Delivery is typically within 1-3 business days by DPD if in stock, otherwise it can take a few weeks. Once an order has been placed we will confirm an estimated delivery date.
Note that the quantity available is updated regularly but is not 100% accurate and should be used as a guide. If you need your order urgently please contact us before ordering so we can confirm stock availabilty.
UK Mainland: £8.95 typically 1-3 days
Free delivery for orders over £200
Channel Islands & Isle of Man: £30 typically 2-5 days
Note that other product categories have a different shipping rate.
Use our easy Royal Mail Returns to return an item up to 14 days post-purchase.
The cost is ONLY £3.95 (which will be deducted from your refund)
& no printer is required.
Told you it was EASY 😉
Our customers are raving about our product & services!
We've had over 1,500 5-star reviews, so you can trust in the quality and satisfaction our products deliver.
All reviews are authenticated by Reviews.io.
- Measures W: 37 D: 37 H: 40cm
- Made from Plastic. IP Rating IP44
- Colour: White
- Plug In - 12V System - Chain together multiple light sets from one transformer
- 2 Year Manufacturer Guarantee
Assisi Big Plant Pot LED - Part of the Konstsmide Outdoor Lighting 12V System RangeKonstsmide 7454-000EE : Assisi Big Pant Pot LED


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Battle Name: | Atlanta |
Other Names: | None |
State: | Georgia |
Location: | Fulton County |
Campaign: | Atlanta Campaign (1864) |
Dates: | July 22, 1864 |
Principal Commanders: | Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman [US]; Gen. John Bell Hood [CS] |
Forces Engaged: | Military Division of the Mississippi [US]; Army of Tennessee [CS] |
Estimated Casualties: | 12,140 total (US 3,641; CS 8,499) |
Description: | Following the Battle of Peachtree Creek, Hood determined to attack Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee. He withdrew his main army at night from Atlanta' s outer line to the inner line, enticing Sherman to follow. In the meantime, he sent William J. Hardee with his corps on a fifteen-mile march to hit the unprotected Union left and rear, east of the city. Wheeler's cavalry was to operate farther out on Sherman's supply line, and Gen. Frank Cheatham's corps were to attack the Union front. Hood, however, miscalculated the time necessary to make the march, and Hardee was unable to attack until afternoon. Although Hood had outmaneuvered Sherman for the time being, McPherson was concerned about his left flank and sent his reserves -Grenville Dodge's XVI Army Corps- to that location. Two of Hood's divisions ran into this reserve force and were repulsed. The Rebel attack stalled on the Union rear but began to roll up the left flank. Around the same time, a Confederate soldier shot and killed McPherson when he rode out to observe the fighting. Determined attacks continued, but the Union forces held. About 4:00 pm, Cheatham's corps broke through the Union front at the Hurt House, but Sherman massed twenty artillery pieces on a knoll near his headquarters to shell these Confederates and halt their drive. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan' s XV Army Corps then led a counterattack that restored the Union line. The Union troops held, and Hood suffered high casualties. |
Results: | Union victory |


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Monarch butterflies have left their overwintering sites in Mexico and are heading back toward the Midwest, including the Chicago area.
Unfortunately, far fewer monarchs will be making the northward flight this year and the chance to see large numbers of these beautiful butterflies in your garden or flying across a prairie is becoming less certain.
Explore pollinators at World Environment Day, June 7.
Join us Friday, June 6, for the Make Way for Monarchs research symposium.
In the 1990s, hundreds of millions of monarchs made the journey each fall from the northern plains of the United States and Canada to forested sites north of Mexico City. In western North America, more than a million monarchs made a shorter flight to tree groves on California's coast. However, monarch numbers have been declining for more than a decade, and this year scientists documented record low numbers. We have seen more than a 90 percent decline.
Why is this occurring? We don't know for sure, although there are several factors that are likely contributing. Habitat loss due to urban development and large-scale agriculture are key concerns. Farms now cover vast areas and many grow genetically modified crops that allow herbicide applications to be used on and around the crop, including in areas where milkweed—the one plant that monarch caterpillars need—used to grow. These "Roundup ready" crops have been identified as a major cause of milkweed loss throughout the Midwest. Additionally, millions of acres of farms and urban land are treated with toxic insecticides. The loss of forest habitat in Mexico and the decline of monarch groves in California may also be playing a role. In the West, severe drought is likely contributing to reduced monarch populations. These threats are compounded by climate change.
We do not have to sit and watch these declines continue.
We can provide these butterflies (and other wildlife) with high-quality, insecticide-free habitats. This is not something that needs to be restricted to a distant wilderness. Indeed, it is a cause in which everyone can take part. Homeowners and farmers can plant milkweed to support monarch caterpillars, and native flowers to provide nectar for adult butterflies, and work to limit the impact of insecticides. Land managers can ensure that milkweed stands are adequately protected.
The Xerces Society's Project Milkweed has been working with native wildflower seed nurseries, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and community partners to produce huge volumes of milkweed seed that are being used to restore monarch habitat. In just three years, this work has led to the production of 35 million milkweed seeds! As a result of this effort, milkweed seed is rapidly becoming more available in many regions of the country. To make it easier for people to find seed sources, we've launched the Milkweed Seed Finder, a comprehensive directory of milkweed seed vendors across the country.
In addition, the Xerces Society's work with farmers and the NRCS has led to the creation of tens of thousands of acres of wildflower habitat that includes milkweed, across much of the monarch's breeding range.
Aldo Leopold wrote in A Sand County Almanac, "One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds." For the sake of the monarch—and so many other species—it is time to heal as many wounds as possible.
©2014 Chicago Botanic Garden and my.chicagobotanic.org


text: Alongside discussions we run a series of hands on workshops, from drawing class, to weaving. All workshops are suggested and run by attendees. Sign up below to add an idea for a workshop - either something you would like to TEACH - or something you would like to LEARN. All ideas welcome and basic equipment can be provided.


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Higher costs of raw materials and import tariffs have increased operational costs and reduced overall profitability in the household appliances segment.
- Higher operating margins expected in the short-term
- Payments take 60 days on average
- More larger retailers could face bankruptcy in 2019
Since the end of 2018 many consumer durables retailers have begun to reap the benefits of their previous investments, aimed at cost efficiency, enhancing e-commerce capabilities and the in-store experience for customers. Many companies have made significant investments in strengthening their omni-channel operations, with digital innovations along with store remodeling and refurbishments.
Coupled with a strong economy and robust household consumption this will result in higher operating profits for those businesses. Accordingly, we have upgraded the business performance/credit risk outlook for the US consumer durables retail industry from "Fair" to "Good".
According to preliminary estimates of the National Retail Federation, retail sales grew 4.6% year-on-year in 2018, to USD 3.68 trillion. In 2019, we expect retail sales to increase about 4%, with e-commerce sales growing by about 15% and in-store sales around 2-3%. Currently accounting for about 15% of total sales, the share of online retail is expected to grow to about 20% in the coming five years. While Amazon will continue to dominate e-commerce, brick-and-mortar businesses will gain more of the online market share as they set up their own platforms.
The household appliances sector is driven by increasing disposable household income, coupled with robust housing and construction activities. Sales are expected to increase by more than 8% in 2019, to USD 15 billion. Higher costs of raw materials and import tariffs on steel have increased operational costs, and reduced margins and overall profitability. However, companies are resorting to higher pricing and cost-productivity programs/cost-reduction initiatives in order to sustain margins.
The US furniture market has been growing since 2009, and furniture sales are expected to continue to increase at least until 2023. A solid housing market and low unemployment has helped consumer spending for furniture. Online sales are further increasing at the expense of brick-and-mortar retail, as more than 90% of customers start their purchasing process online.
According to the Consumer Technology Association, retail revenues in the consumer electronics segment increased 6% to a record-breaking USD 377 billion in 2018. Robust growth of about 5% is expected in 2019.
We expect merger and acquisition activity in the consumer durables retail industry to slow down in 2019 compared to 2018, as businesses integrate recently made acquisitions. Retailers will curtail share repurchases until they have strengthened their balance sheets.
While digitally-native brands plan to open about 850 stores over the next 5 years, traditional brick-and-mortar-based retailers closed about 7,000 stores while opening 3,000 in 2018. The closure process will continue, but will be partly offset by the expanding retail footprint of direct-to-consumer brands and other niche retailers better positioned to thrive in this environment. Brick-and-mortar is in the midst of a radical transformation. Emerging trends like cashier-less checkout, pop-up stores and data-driven merchandising have caused retailers to reimagine the retail experience for modern consumers.
Payments in the US retail sector take 60 days on average and the number of non-payment notifications has been stable over the past 12 months, with no major increase expected in 2018. However, the insolvency level in the industry is still elevated. Over the last 18 months, the largest US business bankruptcies were concentrated in the retail sector, which accounted for five of the ten largest Chapter 11 filings. In 2018, businesses in the apparel segment and big-box retailers continued to use the bankruptcy process to rationalize their physical store footprint and to reduce unsustainable debt levels.
In 2019, we again expect large national retail brands to seek Chapter 11 protection. However, we do not expect the number of retail business failures to increase substantially, as many troubled businesses have already filed for bankruptcy. Mitigating factors are the robust economic performance and that many retailers have adapted to the changing market conditions.
Our underwriting strategy for all main subsectors is cautiously optimistic. When analysing buyers the level of transparency into the products and their life cycle—including any insight into buyback arrangements for old or obsolete products—is key. With short life cycles and technology quickly becoming obsolete, it is important for us to know which end-markets are being served.
Downside risks for the retail industry are a tighter labor market and increasing freight charges. In addition, a significant and prolonged escalation of the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China would negatively affect US retailers that import a meaningful portion of their products from China.
Given the longevity of the current economic cycle with robust consumer spending since 2010, a softening of spending could occur over the next one or two years. This would more likely impact discretionary categories like apparel, household appliances and consumer electronics than staple categories like food. Highly leveraged retailers that have made major investments in order to adapt to the changing market conditions could face margin pressure and financial issues.
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I live in Hong Kong (GMT+8) and it's quite difficult for me to get games due to the time difference! Anyone else living in similar time zones between GMT+5 -GMT+11? It would be awesome if we could create a thread for a weekly meet up at an arranged time that suits all of us I'm usually free all day Saturday/Sunday and Tues/Thurs evenings between 6-10pm (GMT+8)
Hopefully we can get a group going!


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Historic Chandler Wedding and Event Venue Opens as SoHo63
Chandler, AZ (PRWEB) July 22, 2013 -- A historic Valley wedding and event venue will reemerge in a few short weeks with a fresh look and a brand new name under its new ownership. SoHo63, formerly the Inspirador, will host its first event in late August as a modern, multi-purpose venue for both weddings and corporate events.
SoHo63, located at 63 E. Boston Street, is set to be a vibrant addition to downtown Chandler with a renewed vision to host much more than just weekend weddings and events. The accommodating venue plans to attract events all week long, including birthday parties, workshops, corporate happy hours, meetings, bachelor/bachelorette parties, baby showers and more.
The 12,000-square foot venue was purchased outright in June by 20-year event industry veteran and local East Valley resident Kate Christensen, CMP, DMCP and her family. Christensen owns three other companies in the events and hospitality industry, the primary business being Katherine Christensen & Associates, Inc. (KCA), a meeting and event management company which has been based in Chandler for 13 years and in the Southeast Valley since its inception in 1991.
In April 2013, the Inspirador abruptly closed when the former owners foreclosed. The Christensen family identified the opportunity to purchase and add the venue to their family of companies.
"While the circumstances are unfortunate, we wanted to save the beautiful facility that has had a very successful history in providing great celebrations for weddings and other social events," said SoHo63's Event Curator Megan Schmidt, also the daughter of Kate Christensen. "We did not want to see it be lost from Downtown Chandler's historic district. It was important to us to preserve this building for the East Valley, and we are thrilled to be able to do that with SoHo63."
Schmidt says that it was a priority for the family to maintain the integrity of the hip and historic nature of the building, which was originally built as a hardware store owned by the Stapley family in 1916. The name, SoHo63, was specifically selected because the word "soho" is associated as a naming convention for things that are new, emerging and repurposed.
With roots deep in the Southeast Valley, the Christensen family is strongly passionate about and committed to the economic development of the local area. They have chosen local vendors to complete the work on the renewed space, and are dedicated to utilizing SoHo63 as a multi-purpose venue in order to bring more business to positively impact the downtown Chandler area.
"Meeting and event space are at a premium in Chandler, and I'm thrilled to see a company with experience and longevity continue to offer that service in our Downtown," said Chandler Vice Mayor Jack Sellers. "SoHo63 will be a valuable asset as the area continues to grow and thrive."
SoHo63 is already working with interested brides and organizations for future events, and is committed to doing whatever they can to work with the contracted brides who were impacted by the Inspirador's abrupt closure earlier this year.
"We have already worked with and have re-booked one bride who had her contract cancelled previously due to the Inspirador closing its doors," said Schmidt. "We encourage other brides who were previously under contract with the former owner and have not booked their wedding elsewhere to contact us."
SoHo63 will offer all-inclusive packages for the more "hands-off" bride or organization, and will also allow clients to bring in their own vendors if they enjoy the DIY aspect of creating their event. The venue will feature technological enhancements that make it ideal for corporate meetings and events, such as flat screen TVs, projectors, venue-wide sound system, wireless microphones and more.
About SoHo63
SoHo63 is a hip and historic multipurpose wedding and event venue in downtown Chandler, Ariz. Featuring a grand gated entry way, multiple contemporary indoor spaces and an exquisite terrace modeled after a New York City rooftop garden, SoHo63 is a beautifully-appointed venue with a warm, modern vibe for events.
Melissa DiGianfilippo, Serendipit Consulting, http://www.serendipitconsulting.com, 480-250-4315, [email protected]


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Marriage equality also coming to Maine on Dec. 29 and Maryland on Jan. 1 as LGBT community celebrates fruits of 2012 election
Associated Press
SEATTLE — Two by two, dozens of same-sex couples obtained their marriage licenses in Washington state early Thursday, Dec. 6, just hours after Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a voter-approved law legalizing gay marriage.
King County, the state's biggest county, opened the doors to its auditor's office in Seattle just after midnight PST to start distributing marriage licenses. But hundreds of people had lined up hours earlier, snaking around the downtown Seattle building on a chilly December night. By 6 a.m., 279 licenses had been issued and the line was gone.
"We knew it was going to happen, but it's still surreal," said Amanda Dollente, who along with her partner, Kelly Middleton, began standing in line at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Washington state now joins several other states that allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed certified the election on Wednesday afternoon, as they were joined by couples who plan to wed and community activists who worked on the campaign supporting gay marriage.
Because the state has a three-day waiting period, the earliest that weddings can take place is Sunday. Same-sex couples who previously were married in another state that allows gay marriage, like Massachusetts, will not have to get remarried in Washington state. Their marriages will be valid here as soon as the law takes effect.
"This is a very important and historic day in the great state of Washington," Gregoire said before signing the measure that officially certified the election results. "For many years now we've said one more step, one more step. And this is our last step for marriage equality in the state of Washington."
Last month, Washington, Maine and Maryland became the first states to pass same-sex marriage by popular vote. They joined six other states — New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont — and the District of Columbia that had already enacted laws or issued court rulings permitting same-sex marriage.
Referendum 74 in Washington state had asked voters to either approve or reject the state law legalizing same-sex marriage that legislators passed earlier this year. That law was signed by Gregoire in February but was put on hold pending the outcome of the election. Nearly 54 percent of voters approved the measure.
The law doesn't require religious organizations or churches to perform marriages, and it doesn't subject churches to penalties if they don't marry gay or lesbian couples.
King County, the state's largest and home to Seattle, and Thurston County, home to the state capital of Olympia, opened at 12:01 a.m. Thursday to start issuing marriage licenses.
Asked whether the middle-of-the-night marriage license roll-out was necessary, King County Executive Dow Constantine said, "People who have been waiting all these years to have their rights recognized should not have to wait one minute longer."
In Seattle, the mood was festive. Volunteers distributed roses, coffee and fruit. Couples canoodled to keep warm. Champagne was poured. Different groups of men and women serenaded the waiting line, one to the tune of "Going to the Chapel."
"We waited a long time. We've been together 35 years, never thinking we'd get a legal marriage. Now I feel so joyous I can't hardly stand it," said 85-year-old Pete-e Petersen, who with her partner, 77-year-old Jane Abbott Lighty, were the first to get a license.
After meeting 35 years ago on a blind date in Sacramento, Lighty and Petersen will get married on Sunday. The couple has been out buying shoes and clothes for their wedding.
Maryland's law officially takes effect Jan. 1, but couples could start picking up marriage licenses on Dec. 6, as long as the licenses have an effective date of Jan. 1. Whether clerks of court issue a postdated license is up to them, however. They are not required to do so. Maine's law takes effect on Dec. 29. There's no waiting period in Maine, and people can start marrying just after midnight.
In addition to private ceremonies that will start taking place across Washington state this weekend, Seattle City Hall will open for several hours on Sunday, and several local judges are donating their time to marry couples. Aaron Pickus, a spokesman for Mayor Mike McGinn, said that more than 140 couples have registered to get married at City Hall, and weddings will begin at 10 a.m.
Washington state has had a domestic partnership law in place since 2007. The initial law granted couples about two dozen rights, including hospital visitation and inheritance rights when there is no will. It was expanded a year later, and then again in 2009, when lawmakers completed the package with the so-called "everything but marriage" law that was ultimately upheld by voters later that year.
This year, lawmakers passed the law allowing gay marriage, and Gregoire signed it in February. Opponents gathered enough signatures for a referendum, putting the law on hold before it could take effect.
There are nearly 10,000 domestic partnership registrations with the secretary of state's office. Most same-sex domestic partnerships that aren't ended prior to June 30, 2014, automatically become marriages, unless one of the partners is 62 or older.
That provision was included in the state's first domestic partnership law of 2007 to help heterosexual seniors who don't remarry out of fear they could lose certain pension or Social Security benefits.
Among those getting marriage licenses Thursday was gay rights activist Dan Savage, who will marry his partner on Sunday with other couples at Seattle City Hall.
"It's been a long fight but it ain't over," he said. "We still have to fight (the Defense of Marriage Act) and there's 41 other states where same-sex couples aren't allowed to marry."
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 7, 2012.


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Posts:October 2011
Digital Tweets from Ketchum Peeps – Oct. 28
Is "respecting the Internet" as simple as "respecting people"? What is the future of alarm-clock technology? How do your posts ripple across the online world? And how cool does water – yes, water – look in super slow motion? Find out in this week's "Tweets from Peeps" and let us know your thoughts. By @benphoster […]
Winning the International Consultancy of the Year and Why Awards Matter
by Robyn Massey| October 28, 2011
We're celebrating this week an exciting honor that was years in the making and involved a giant cast of around 2,000 characters. But unlike the epic failure of Waterworld, Ketchum received the equivalent of a PR "Oscar" when we brought home the International Consultancy of the Year award at this year's PRWeek gala along with […]
Review Showdown: Four 'Un-alarm Clocks' that Make You a Better Sleeper
by Alan Danzis| October 25, 2011
In a continuing effort to lead a healthier life, I've been trying to improve the quality of sleep I get each night as well as the way I'm woken up each morning, and I recently found four new technologies that offer much promise on this front. In a new post I just wrote for the technology blog Dvice, I compare the […]
The New Media Evolution: From Content to Consumer to Context
by Nicholas Scibetta| October 24, 2011
The shaping of today's media landscape by social media first led to "content is king," as everyone rushed to get information online, and then "consumer is king," as everyday people gained a larger voice in mass media. And now the shaping has reached a new phase. In a video interview I recently recorded for Ketchum's online […]
Digital Tweets from Ketchum Peeps – Oct. 21
How much has the number of Twitter users logging in each day changed since January? Will teens give up Facebook for Google+? And how game-changing is Instagram's photo-enhancing app? Find out in this week's "Tweets from Peeps" and let us know your thoughts.
What a Difference a Photo Can Make
by Ryan Shell| October 20, 2011
By now, it's highly likely that you've experienced the vast changes that have taken place on Facebook. From the ticker to the Timeline (user profile), the changes were elaborate and have (surprisingly) not been as heavily balked as previous occasions. One additional change, and this one is a biggie, has to do with photos. […]


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Letter - Mad Dog and Big Warrior, Creek Nation, to James Seagrove, 1795 April 22
Scope and Contents
This entire collection has been digitized and is available at https://www.jstor.org/site/vanderbilt/manuscripts/jamesrobertsonpapers-29775068/.
The James Robertson Papers are composed of original letters and documents of James Robertson for the dates 1784-1814 given by his son Dr. Felix Robertson to the University of Nashville. They were arranged in a chronological order and bound in two volumes by Nathaniel Cross, a member of the faculty. As a preface to the volumes, the following statement is made: "The correspondence etc., of Gen. James Robertson, who has been styled the 'Father of Tennessee,' was obtained from his son, Dr. Felix Robertson of Nashville, with permission to select from it such papers as might be considered worth preserving; inasmuch, however as many of those, that were of a private nature, contained the allusions to political occurrences and Indian border troubles of the day, it was deemed best to preserve the correspondence entire." For the sake of better preservation, these volumes have been taken apart and the correspondence has been arranged alphabetically by author of the letter.
This valuable collection for the early period contains letters from many of the pioneers in the Cumberland Settlements, a number of Indian chiefs of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek Nations, and Indian agents, many of whom took part in the Indian Wars and in treaty making. Some letters contain information about land transactions and proposed early roads, especially the Natchez Trace. In addition to a letter signed by George Washington and the Secretaries of War, Henry Dearborn, Henry Knox, James McHenry, and Timothy Pickering, there are letters written by W. P. Anderson, Tim Barnard, William Blount, Willie Blount, H. Bradford, Abraham Bradley, John F. Brevard, Baron of Carondelet, John Clark, William Cocke, Alexander Cornell, Francis Cruzat, George M. Deaderick, Silas Dinsmoor, Thomas Doyle, R. C. Foster, G. Granger, George Haller, Benjamin Hawkins, David Henley, James Hoggatt, Andrew Jackson, Robert King, Alexander McGillivray, John McKee, John McLeish, Joseph McMinn, William MacLin, Allan B. McGruder, William Martin, Return J. Meigs, Esteban Miro, Seth Penn, Andrew Pickens, John Pitchlynn, Thomas Portell, William Prince, Thomas Purson, John Reid, John Rhea, James Robertson, James Seagrove, John Sevier, William Sharpe, Dan Smith, John Sommerville, R. Sparke, A. Tatum, Charles Thompson, John Thompson, James White, B. W. Williams, John Williams, Hu Williamson, James Winchester and Thomas Wright. A deposition of James Powell, a report of Isaac Titsworth, and a statement made by the historian A. W. Putnam make up the remainder of the collection.
Approximate number of items: 376
- Other: 1795 April 22
From the Collection: 1.26 Linear Feet (3 Hollinger boxes)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Repository Details
Part of the Vanderbilt University Special Collections Repository
Special Collections Library
1101 19th Ave. S.
Nashville TN 37212 United States


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After the dust settles, the real takeaway from Instagram's cloning of Snapchat is that the connected camera revolution is just beginning. Instagram Stories sends a powerful message to hundreds of millions of people for the first time: No moment is too small to capture with your smartphone camera.
A cult classic for many in the VR community, the 1995 film Strange Days shares a vision of a future where you could re-live a memory from the viewpoint of anyone equipped with a wearable recording device. You also could play back your own recordings whenever you chose and as often as you wanted. And when you played a recording back, you could follow the action with the freedom to look around.
The technology as depicted in the film — which had a dark side to be sure — is far off, if ever fully obtainable.
But in a world where no moment is too small to record with a mobile sensor, and one in which time spent in virtual reality keeps going up, interesting parallels start to emerge with our smartphones and headsets.
Let's look at how the future could play out in the real world by observing three key drivers: VR video adoption, mobile-video user needs and the smartphone camera rising tide.
VR video is already the first "million hours" app
Virtual reality content can be created in two ways.
The first is with 3D graphics authored in desktop software. This is how immersive content such as VR games and interactive experiences are made.
Another approach is VR video, which captures moments of reality by recording the physical world with an array of cameras. At the low end is monoscopic (2D) 180° video; at the high end is stereoscopic (3D) 360° video. VR video also encompasses next-generation light-field video, which many consider to be the holy grail, enabling you to move around the scene freely without having your motions constricted.
The important part is that no matter the format, pre-rendered VR video can't reach the immersion of real-time 3D graphics — yet despite this fact, the adoption curve for VR video is staggering. Oculus recently announced that people had already watched more than three million hours of video in Samsung's Gear VR. Even if you doubt VR video's ability to deliver on the ultimate promise of the technology, the adoption for such a young medium is impressive.
Immersion is the next frontier in mobile video
Mobile-video sharing continues its sharp climb. One helpful way to understand where we are and where we're going is to frame mobile-video sharing in terms of users' core needs: immediacy, authenticity and immersion.
The oldest and most basic user need is immediacy, or the ability to access content in real time, which is rooted in our consumption of broadcast TV and radio media. This need helps explain the explosion of live video in the past 18 months, most notably the growth of Facebook Live and Live.ly. When people think about mobile video, they often start and stop at immediacy. As a result, immediacy features are often overvalued, in some cases to the detriment of usability. For example, Meerkat's lack of playback greatly limited engagement on the platform.
Today's best mobile-video apps make you feel like you're there watching, but tomorrow's apps will feel like you're participating.
The continued push toward filtered social feeds has created greater demand for new ways to be authentic online. It's the reason Instagram copied Snapchat and it's often the key motivator for users adopting mobile video, as content is created in a spontaneous and unfiltered fashion.
Beme is a great example of a mobile-video app designed specifically with authenticity in mind: videos are instantly shared, without preview (a black screen is shown when you start recording). Similar to disappearing messages, it's a smart approach to subvert the curated self.
While authenticity is being at least addressed, immersion is being largely ignored. Today's best mobile-video apps make you feel like you're there watching, but tomorrow's apps will feel like you're participating via teleportation. Take, for example, Snapchat's Story Explorer: When browsing a Live Story, you can "dive in" to the event by swiping up to see more Snaps from other perspectives.
Could mobile-VR headsets such as Google's Daydream bring the immersion to new heights? Snapchat could conceivably leverage built-in head tracking and controller technologies to let you jump around and even rewind or fast-forward in time. Today the content would be limited to 2D, but advances in underlying camera hardware could quickly change that.
The smartphone camera is a rising tide
The runaway success of the smartphone has created unprecedented economies of scale for hardware manufacturers. As a result, camera modules have consistently become smaller and cheaper since the launch of the iPhone. Chris Anderson calls this "the peace dividend of the smartphone war."
Apple has more than 800 engineers working across camera hardware and software teams. It's rumored the next iPhone will feature a pioneering dual-lens powered zoom.
As the cost of components is falling and innovation is accelerating, the smartphone camera is being lifted by a rising tide of technology.
Samsung has taken a wearables approach to VR video creation with their standalone Gear 360 camera. But is it unreasonable to expect integrated 360° video recording on an upcoming Samsung Galaxy smartphone? Fast-forward several generations of convergence: Could light-field video cameras come down orders of magnitude in cost and size, such that they could make their way on to our smartphones?
This rising tide is great fuel for speculation, but one thing is for sure: When VR video capture becomes possible on mobile, the demand for VR video will meet the supply of billions of smartphone users who are now recording both big and small moments of their lives.
This will be a major leap for the Experience Age and create a positive feedback loop between mobile and VR — which is one way virtual reality could shift from a promising demo to a truly mainstream technology. Get your camera ready.


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CBC News is killing the wrong programs.
Of all the programs in all the CBC world, the supposed-to-be-public service broadcaster is dumping two of its very best — Connect With Mark Kelley on TV and Dispatches with Rick Rick MacInnes-Rae on radio.
It boggles the mind.
It just doesn't make sense.
For weeks now I've been meaning to write about the manifold and manifest virtues ofConnect. But for weeks, other topics got in the way. Mainly other CBC topics. Like the little matter of a $115-milion budget cut.
So I kept pushing the Connect column back down my list of priorities.
Mea maxima culpa.
And now it's likely too late.
But I was never famous for doing what CBC management told me when I worked there for lo, those 15 years.
So I see no reason to simply accept CBC management's decision now.
Note to Hubert Lacroix (CBC President and CEO):
Do the honourable thing, Sir. Change your mind. Admit you're wrong.
Connect and Dispatches are exactly the sort of programming public service broadcasters like CBC are supposed to do. Which is why we taxpayers send the CBC big money every year.
Not incidentally, we also pay you big money, Mr. President, to make the right decisions in our name.
In this case you made the wrong decisions.
But it's not too late for you to change your mind. To screw your courage to the sticking place.
And kill The National.
And replace it with a more generously-funded Connect with Mark Kelley.
Mark Kelley and Connect are young, while Peter Mansbridge and The National are old.
Kelley and Connect are energetic, while Mansbridge and The National are tired.
Kelley and Connect are the future, while Mansbridge and The National are the past.
Connect is already consistently better TV and a whole lot cheaper to produce than The National.
Once you've put The National out of its misery, you'll easily have enough cash to restore Connect and Dispatches. With a lot left over to finance foreign bureaux and vital interactive Internet technology.
Most important of all though, taking such a drastic step — killing the CBC's once-revered flagship program — will signal to the world, the country and CBC employees in all departments that there's a new day, a new public broadcaster in Canada.
A public broadcaster born out of the ashes of the past, honouring its mandate, "to inform, enlighten and entertain" in a new, interactive, 21st-century way.
In this new world, all CBC programming will be re-thought, revised, renewed.
In the news, anchors and reporters will think aloud, share information with viewers, using normal voices and normal, everyday language, like Kelley on Connect. Instead of the strange, pushed, loud, announcer-reading voices favoured by Mansbridge and crew on The National.
Stories will no longer be assigned and designed with the outdated idea that passive viewers flock to the program every evening grateful to be fed the facts of the day. Instead, stories will focus on meaning, on bringing understanding of the world we live in.
The idiotic concept that crime, disasters and weather, and "if it bleeds, it leads" make for great news programs will be consigned to the garbage bin of history.
And a new CBC, a new public broadcaster for a new century will be born.
This article was originally published on the Huffington Post on April 11, 2012: Save CBC, Kill The National


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By Chris Bamberger
TOP HAT (1935) dir. Mark Sandrich
In 2007 National Public Radio played an excerpt of Fred Astaire singing "Let's Face the Music and Dance" and asked listeners to describe in a single phrase the quality of his voice. One participant's entry was, "The boyfriend you longed for before you found out about sex."
Oh, really?
Donald Spoto, in his biography of Audrey Hepburn, describes her one-time co-star as having "nothing erotic or even sensual about him… Fred Astaire was a gentleman up there on the screen—so much a gentleman, in fact, that there was never an atom of erotic appeal about him."
It gets worse.