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Yes, it is possible that the mineral ownership may be different than surface ownership. A deed/title search may be necessary for one to determine who actually owns the minerals under a piece of property.
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The City does not provide advice about leasing private property for gas exploration and drilling. Information provided by the City addresses general issues related to gas drilling and is not intended to provide advice on specific legal matters. To report any complaints related to the actions of a landman, you may contact:
American Association of Professional Landmen4200 Fossil Creek BoulevardFort Worth, TX 76137
If a gas well operator is applying to site a new location for the drilling and production of natural gas, they are required to notify the public living within 1,000 feet of the site at least 20 days prior to filing the Gas Well Development Site Plan application.
Additional requirements for publishing in the newspaper and putting up signage are summarized in the Gas Well Notification Requirements (PDF).
Please contact the Gas Well Inspections Division at 940-349-8619 for general inquiries and concerns. After-hours calls should be directed to the non-emergency Police desk at 940-349-8181.
In May 2015, the state approved House Bill 40 providing the state with exclusive jurisdiction over gas well drilling and production activities, expressly pre-empting municipalities from regulating such activities, except for a few certain aspects of aboveground activity. The State provided limited regulation to local governments to regulate aboveground activity related to an oil and gas operation or that which occurs at or above the surface of the ground, including fire and emergency response, traffic, lights, noise, notice, reasonable setback requirements, and other aboveground activities, such as inspecting for air and water emissions; however, any irregularities in emissions are reported to the appropriate agency.
In addition, under HB 40, local government regulations must meet all of the following four factors:
The two main state agencies regulating gas well production and drilling are:
The City of Denton's first Gas Well Ordinance was adopted on December 4, 2001, as part of the zoning code and subdivision and land development code. Since its adoption, the City as amended its Gas Well Ordinance from time to time to address land-use compatibility concerns for gas well drilling and production activities. The ordinance includes provisions addressing safety, noise levels, setbacks, lighting, traffic, dust, other nuisances, and so forth.
After extensive analysis and review, public hearings and careful consideration, the City Council adopted the Gas Well Ordinance (2015-233) on August 4, 2015, to reconcile the local ordinance with state law following the passage of House Bill 40 in May 2015.
The City performs regular inspections on wells within the City limits to ensure compliance with the City's Gas Well Ordinance (19-2131), Municipal Code, and Fire Code. The City also responds to questions, concerns, or complaints about a natural gas well that are reported.
Requirements for gas well development can be found in Denton Development Code subchapter 6. New wells are required to provide an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for review as part of the review process. See Gas Well Erosion and Sediment Control Plan guidance document.
There are currently 293 wells within Denton's corporate city limits and 203 wells within the Division I area of its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).More information about gas well site locations can be found under the Gas Well Locator Map.
Current estimations project that some wells may produce for 20 to 30 years, depending on the quality of formation. The production capability of older wells may reduce this lifespan and new technology may help to increase the duration of production for newer wells.
The City does not provide advice about leasing private property for gas exploration and drilling. Information provided by the City addresses general issues related to gas drilling and mineral leases and is not intended to provide advice on any specific legal matter or factual situation. This information is not intended to create and its receipt does not constitute a lawyer-client relationship. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel.
Gas companies offering leases for gas exploration and drilling for privately owned minerals, including those with the words "City of Denton" as part of their name or logo, are not associated with or endorsed by the City of Denton.
An operator must provide written notice to all dwellings within 1,000 feet of the boundary site not more than 30 days or less than 10 days from the start of activities, including drilling, completion or re-completion, P&A, any other activity that requires removal of the wellhead, or seismic exploration not involving explosive charges.
A sign must be posted at the entrance of the site giving the public notice. More details can be found in the Gas Well Notification Requirements (PDF).
Electronic notice to the City is also required and is posted and found through the Gas Well Locator Map.
A 300-foot-by-300-foot pad generally will be prepared and a drilling rig will move onto the location. The drilling rig will be on site for approximately 20 to 30 days per gas well actually "drilling" the well and running pipe into the open hole; pad sites may contain multiple gas wells. After the well is drilled, the drilling rig will move off the site. The rig move and drilling is a 24-hour operation and the noisiest part of the operation. Shortly thereafter, well "completion" will begin and a smaller portable rig will move onto the location. After completion operations, surface equipment will be installed along with appropriate fencing and gates. From this point there will be minimal activity on the location. Occasionally a small rig will be brought to the location for remedial work.
The Fire Department requires operators to provide a Hazardous Materials Management Plan and an Emergency Response Plan to the Fire Marshal. Any updates or changes to the filed plan must be provided within three business days of the change.
Public safety officials respond to gas well emergencies using an all-hazards approach and collaborate with other agencies to train and prepare for such emergencies.
On December 12, 2015, the City of Denton hosted a seminar on how gas well emergencies are effectively managed with the Denton Independent School District (DISD) and provided an opportunity for the public to ask questions. View the Managing Gas Well Emergencies video.
In accordance with the Denton Development Code Section DCA19-0009e:
All wells shall be plugged and abandoned in accordance with the rules of the RRC; however, all well casings shall be cut and removed to a depth of at least ten feet below the surface unless the surface owner submits a written agreement otherwise. Three feet shall be the minimum depth.
A sudden, violent escape of gas and oil (and sometimes water) from a drilling well when high pressure gas is encountered and efforts to prevent or to control the escape has not been successful.
A Blow Out Preventer (BOP) is a device attached immediately above the casing to control the pressure and prevent escape of fluids from the annular space between the drill pipe and casing or shut off the hole if no drill pipe is in the hole, should a kick or blowout occur. These devices are pressure tested between 3,500 to 5,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) when installed and every two weeks afterwards. They also have remote control valves to operate from a safe distance if needed.
A mineral lease is a contractual agreement between two entities, the owner of a mineral estate and another party, usually an oil and gas company. The lease gives the oil and gas company or individual the right to explore for and develop the minerals that might be found underneath an area described in the lease. When property owners (the lessor) sign a lease, they essentially become a partner with the company (the lessee).
Natural gas is transported via buried gas lines located in and around the Metroplex. Most of these lines have been in existence for 30 years. These lines are inspected, are pressure tested on an annual basis, and are buried below the ground level a federally mandated minimum of 3 feet. These lines are all clearly marked with pipe markers that are normally bright yellow markings with the company name and emergency phone numbers.
For more information regarding federal pipeline regulations, visit the U.S. Government Printing Office website to view Title 49, Subtitle B, Chapter I, Subchapter D-Pipeline Safety.
Fracturing is a means of opening the Barnett Shale formation up by the use of hydraulic horse power and fresh water. The fresh water stored in frac pits is typically pumped in stages into the Barnett Shale formation. Once the fracture (opening of rock) has been created by this force then sand is mixed with the fresh water and other ingredients and pumped into these fractures to help prevent the fracture from closing back once the hydraulic force is reduced. By packing or filling of these fractures with sand, this will allow the natural formation to produce into the new drilled well bore (hole) and bring gas to surface.
Seismic exploration is the search for deposits of crude oil, natural gas, and minerals. It consists of a seismic data set measured and recorded with reference to a particular area of the Earth's surface, to evaluate the subsurface. During the process, artificial seismic energy is generated on land and transmitted via seismic wave energy into the subsurface rock layers. Seismic waves reflect and refract off subsurface rock formations and travel back to acoustic receivers called geophones (on land) or hydrophones (in water). The travel times of the returned energy, aid in estimating the structure and stratigraphy of subsurface formations.
The Barnett Shale is a large natural gas reserve encompassing more than 5,000 square miles and including portions of at least 18 counties in North Texas. Many experts believe the Barnett Shale may be the largest onshore natural gas field in the United States, estimated to contain more than 26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In recent years, advances in drilling technology have made it possible for energy companies to extract large amounts of natural gas from the Barnett Shale.


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Just two days after a key part of Michael Dell's last offer was roundlyrejected, the attempted buyout of his company on Friday took an unexpected turn. Specifically, Dell secured a significant voting concession from the special committee set up by the board of directors in exchange for upping the terms of the buyout deal.
The agreement Dell and partner company Silver Lake have struck is this: They will increase the purchase price from US$13.65 to $13.75 per share; they will pay out a special dividend at or before closing of $0.13 per share; and they guarantee that the third-quarter dividend of $0.08 per share will be paid at or before closing.
In return, the special committee has agreed to modify the voting standard so that the transaction will require approval by the majority of disinterested shares actually voting on the matter. They also pushed forward the record date from June 3 to Aug. 13 and rescheduled the final vote to Sept. 12.
'A Level Playing Field'
"We believe modifying the voting standard is in the best interests of Dell shareholders, both because it has enabled us to secure substantial additional value and because it provides a level playing field for the decision facing shareholders," said Alex Mandl, chairman of the special committee.
The revised definitive merger agreement has been approved by Dell's special committee and by the independent members of Dell's board of directors.
Icahn Responds
Under the terms of the previous offer, Dell was proposing to buy the company for $24.4 billion, or $13.65 per share — a price point that critics of the deal said undervalued Dell. The new deal increases the buyout by some $470 million, including the next quarterly dividend.
Leaving aside the next quarterly dividend, the agreement will increase the value to shareholders by at least $350 million.
A vote for the original offer had been scheduled for Friday, Aug. 2, over protests and legal maneuvering by activist investor Carl Icahn, who is competing with Dell for the company. Icahn and his attorneys put those tactics on the back burner to deal with this latest development — namely, they filed suit in Delaware Court of Chancery on Thursday to keep the agreement from going forward.
A Roller Coaster Week
It has been a roller-coaster week for Dell and Icahn as they have jockeyed for the better position in their increasingly bitter fight over the company.
The rejection of Michael Dell's original move to get null votes discounted was a blow to Dell, and Icahn didn't hesitate to press his advantage.
"Icahn saw it is an opportunity to expedite the vote that would enable him to play a major role in the firm at a much lower cost," David Cadden, a professor in the Entrepreneurship and Strategy Department in Quinnipiac University's School of Business, told the E-Commerce Times.
A Price to Pay
Dell effectively paid — to the tune of $350 million to $470 million — to have the rules changed to favor him, Val Wright, principal at Val Wright Consulting, told the E-Commerce Times.
There were two critical components that had to be addressed for Dell to successfully move forward, Wright explained. Namely, the record date needed to be changed and absentee votes needed to be discounted.
"Michael Dell appears to be taking desperate measures to change the rules to guarantee success," she said. However, these steps may well "add more fuel to Icahn's litigation fire."
More Distraction
Indeed, "with voting day moved to Sept. 12, we can expect another six weeks of public battles between Icahn and Dell," Wright predicted.
"Customers and employees deserve a board and a CEO who are focused on delighting customers and accelerating profits," she continued. "Finalizing this ownership battle cannot come soon enough for Dell's 100,000 employees."

subset: commoncrawl


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The Veggie-Lover's Sriracha Cookbook
By Randy Clemens
By Randy Clemens
By Randy Clemens
By Randy Clemens
Category: Dietary Cookbooks | Cooking Methods
Category: Dietary Cookbooks | Cooking Methods
Hardcover $16.99
Jul 02, 2013 | ISBN 9781607744603
Good and Simple
Eat a Little Better
Salad Love
Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe
Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It
Eating in the Middle
Street Vegan
The Perfect Egg
"I'm not a vegan. I'm not even a vegetarian. That being said, I love this book. It's packed with creative, tasty ways to cook with (and make your own) Sriracha sauce. If you're a fan of the combustible-yet-delicious sauce known as Sriracha, these recipes are for you."
—Matt Inman, creator of TheOatmeal.com
"If you need a jolt of veg-centric inspiration with Sriracha, piquant darling of the condiment world, this is your book.
Randy insightfully works all sorts of new culinary angles, showing the versatility of the much-loved 'rooster sauce' beyond the squeeze."
—Heidi Swanson, author of Super Natural Every Day and creator of 101Cookbooks.com
"Randy has forever changed the culture of Sriracha, taking us beyond the bottle to explore the freshest vegetables of the season, cooking vibrant meals loaded with flavors and textures. His fresh recipes make each bite exciting, satisfying, fun, and memorable with the lingering, spicy kick of Sriracha. Gotta love him for that!"
—Todd Porter and Diane Cu, WhiteOnRiceCouple.com
"I always have a bottle of Sriracha in my fridge and use it on everything, so the first thing I did with this book was make my own batch. Then I proceeded through the chapters, finding ways I never imagined before to bring this beloved elixir into my cooking. I salute Randy for daring to go veg, and for writing a book that we carnivores will also enjoy. He knows better than anyone that Sriracha unites us all."
—Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, founding editor, TheKitchn.com
Table Of Contents
Sriracha 101
Vegans, Vegetarians, and Celiacs, Oh My!
Sauces, Starters, and Snacks
Homemade Sriracha
Sriracha Aioli
Srirancha Dressing and Dip
Sriracha Ketchup
Sriracha Pesto
Cock Sauce Cashew Cheeze
Sriracha-Cucumber Hummus
Sriracha-Mango Guacamole
Burning Thai Bruschetta
Sriracha Muhammara
Sriracha Caponata
Stuffed Sriracha 'Shrooms
Not Your Mama's Party Mix
Southeast Meets Southwest Lettuce Cups
Soups and Stews
Five-Alarm Black Bean Soup
with Cilantro-Coconut Crema
Zippy Zucchini Zuppa with
Asparagus and Cannellini Beans
Srirachili Non Carne
Fiery Pho'´ Chay
Mouth on Fire Minestrone
Soon Dubu Jjigae
Salads and Sides
Sriracha Broccoli Slaw
Kicked-Up Caprese
Edamame-Sriracha Succotash
Warm Dijon-Sriracha Potato Salad
with Toasted Hazelnuts
Stir-Fried Asparagus and Green Bean Salad
with Dyn-o-mite Dressing
Grilled Shishito Peppers
with Sriracha Satay Sauce
Spicy Tabbouleh-Stuffed Dolmas
Breakfast of Champions
Sriracha and Green Onion Biscuits
with Country Mushroom Gravy
Light My Fire Potato-Parsnip Latkes
Mean Quiche Florentine
California Benedict with
Sriracha-Chive Hollandaise
Sriracha Shakshuka
Bánh Xèo
Main dishes
Sriracha-Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheeze
Curried Kale and Squash Risotto
Sriracha Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Maple-Sriracha Roasted Brussels Sprouts
with Cranberry Wild Rice
Braised Eggplant Tagine with Sriracha Harissa and Mint-Coconut Crema
Spicy California Rolls
Cajun Quinoa Cakes with
Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade
Ultimate Sriracha Veggie Burger
Jackfruit "Pulled Pork" Sammiches
with Pickled Red Onion
Sam's Jamaican Jerk Garbanzo Sliders
with Mango-Cucumber Relish
Dios Mio Tamales
Beer-Battered Fried Avocado Tacos
with Sriracha Curtido
Penne Puttanesca with Charred Broccolini
Desserts and Drinks
Watermelon-Sriracha Sangria
Mango-Sriracha Margarita
Super Simple Peanut Butter
and Sriracha Cookies
Pumpkin-Sriracha Cheezecake
with Chocolate-Pecan Crust
Upside-Down Pineapple-
Sriracha Cake
Maple-Sriracha Doughnuts
21 Books You've Been Meaning to Read
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For the second year in a row, top bars from across Harlem and Washington Heights/Inwood to compete for Title of "Best Uptown Bartender"
Mixologists from 30 of New York City's best uptown bars from Harlem and Washington Heights/Inwood will try to wow bar goers between May 5th and 15th with delectable and original cocktails featuring sponsor spirit brands Hennessy V.S and Hendricks Gin.
The Uptown Battle of the Bars is presented by Harlem Park to Park, a community improvement association in Central Harlem, and produced by Good Ice Marketing.
Participating bartenders will create signature original cocktails using their choice of ingredients, along with the featured spirits. Cocktails will be available to sample on Monday, May 5 and Monday, May 12th, between 6-10 pm at a special $8 discounted price. Visitors will have the opportunity to vote online from May 5 through the 15th at Instagram @UptownBattle for their favorite cocktail.
The bartenders from the top 12 bars with the highest votes will advance to compete for the title of Best Uptown Bartender at a showdown VIP finale event on May 19, from 6-10 pm, at Harlem Tavern on Frederick Douglas Blvd at 116th Street. At the final showdown, industry and celebrity judges, along with the audience, will taste creations by the mixologists featuring Hennessy V.S and Hendricks Gin.
The Showdown Finale includes 3 rounds of competition. In the first round the bartenders will have 10 minutes to create a cocktail using Hennessy V.S. For the second round, first round finalists will compete to create cocktails using Hendricks Gin. For the last round, the final 2 bartenders, with the assistance of fellow competitors, will use surprise secret ingredients — á la "Chopped" — to create original cocktails, using either of the 2 spirits for the winning title. Drinks will be judged on creativity, taste/complexity, originality and their crowd pleasing factor. Music will be provided by Dj Stormin' Norman of Sundae Sermon.
"Harlem's nightlife and bar scene has developed tremendously in the complexity and originality of offerings and concepts. From rum-based craft cocktail bars, to craft brew beer gardens and speakeasies, we are able to offer comparable entertainment options to what one has downtown," said Harlem Park to Park Executive Director, Nikoa Evans-Hendricks.
"We also have an opportunity to highlight the amazing beverage talent that these establishments are attracting throughout the uptown community," added Karl Franz Williams, founder and CEO of Good Ice Marketing and owner of mixology bar 67 Orange Street. "Harlem and Washington Heights are not only attracting top restaurants, but both neighborhoods are also attracting and grooming amazing beverage talent. This competition will help generate some visibility for this talented group while providing some exciting entertainment for the neighborhood."
Tickets to the Showdown finale on May 19, at Harlem Tavern cost $35 in advance and $40 at the door and can be purchased at www.uptownbattleofbars.eventbrite.com. Admission includes discounted drink/appetizer specials and original cocktail samples. Harlem Tavern is located at 2153 Frederick Douglas Boulevard and 116th Street.
Event Rundown:
May 5 to 15: Bars from across Harlem and Washington Heights create signature cocktails available to the public for $8. The public can vote for favorite cocktail at Instagram @UptownBattle.
May 19: Top bartenders compete at Harlem Tavern for title of "Best Uptown Bartender."
Participating Bars
5 and Diamond, 67 Orange Street, 9A Kitchen & Lounge, Billie's Black, Cantina 1838, Cedric's, Chocolat Restaurant & Lounge, Corner Social, Cove Lounge, Harlem Food Bar, Harlem Public, Harlem Tavern, Heights Tavern, La Bodega 47 Social Club, La Marina, Lido Harlem, Maison Harlem, Minton's, Moca Lounge, Red Rooster Harlem, Settepani, Shrine World Music Venue, Silvana, Sylvia's Restaurant, The Cecil, The Park 112 Restaurant & Lounge, Vinateria Restaurant & Bar, Ya Tenga


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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- One day while driving with her father, Hannah Salwen noticed a Mercedes stopped next to a homeless man sitting on the curb.
The Salwen family of Atlanta, Georgia, has decided to sell this house and give half the proceeds to charity.
"I said to my dad, 'If that guy didn't have such a nice car, then that guy could have a nice meal,' " the 15-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, recalled.
And so began the tale of what the Salwen family calls "Hannah's Lunchbox." Watch why family wants to give away $800K »
It started as family discussions about what they needed versus what was enough. Hannah's father Kevin, an entrepreneur, is on the board of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and is no stranger to community work, but he said this family conversation was life-changing.
"We stopped and paused and thought about what are the things in the world that could really make a difference, a little bit of difference in the world," he said.
They talked about selling their cars or other things, but it was Hannah's mother, Joan, who came up with selling their 6,500-square-foot house, donating half the proceeds and then moving into a house half the size.
For nine years, the family lived in a historic 1912 mansion near downtown Atlanta. It boasts five bedrooms, eight fireplaces, a kitchen that would make any cook jealous and even an elevator. See the new and old houses, side by side »
When Hannah would bring friends over, she said, often their jaws would drop and they'd gasp, "Wow, you live here?"
Like most teens, Hannah loves to shop, and she jammed every space of her massive walk-in closet full of clothes. But she also knows many people are less fortunate; she volunteers at a local community food bank and other relief agencies.
Joan Salwen, a teacher, said the mansion was her dream home.
"It was a challenge," she said of giving up that house. "It was a test, almost, to see: How committed are we? I mean, how serious are these kids about what we should do? And they all nodded and there we were."
So the Salwens put the house up for sale in May 2007 and started figuring out what they would do with half the proceeds, which would amount to more than $800,000.
They spent six months researching charity organizations before deciding on the Hunger Project, an organization dedicated to helping end world hunger through people helping themselves.
Hunger Project Vice President John Coonrod said the family met with organizers in New York and notified them months later that the charity was the winner.
When the Salwen house sells, the money will be channeled through The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta over a six-year period and end up in Ghana, Coonrod said.
"This will underwrite a process in more than 30 villages to enable people to meet all of their basic needs on a sustainable basis," he said. "They will be able to grow enough food, to build clinics and schools, and the villagers will be doing the lion's share of the work."
Coonrod said he'd never heard of a family donating in this way.
"Hannah's awakening to social injustice, and her family's ability to make a difference in that issue will make a profound difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people," he said, estimating the money could affect more than 20,000 people in Ghana.
Hannah's 13-year-old brother, Joseph, was so impressed with his big sister's ideas that he made a three-minute video of the family's project. Watch Joseph's video
The video won the grand prize in the 2008 "My Home: The American Dream" contest, sponsored by Coldwell Banker and Scholastic Publishing.
In the video, Joseph tells viewers, "We're showing you can redefine the American dream."
But the Salwens' house has sat on the market for more than a year. It's a tough time to sell any house, let alone one with an asking price of nearly $1.8 million.
Real estate agent Sally George said she's shown the house 40 or 50 times, and there have been nibbles but no buyers. See the house's real estate listing
Many people are interested in the house's rich history but often don't know anything about the philanthropic aspects of the family's project.
"I've never handled a house selling for this reason," George said. "I didn't learn about what the family was doing until early this year."
Hannah and Joseph said most of their friends at school don't know about it.
"We didn't do it for the fame or the glory," said Joan Salwen. "This was something Hannah sort of yanked us into."
Even though it was Joan Salwen's idea to sell the house, it has been tough for her to give it up. "I have to admit," she said, "I loved living in this house. Does that make me an evil person? I hope not because it's a beautiful place."
The family recently moved to a house less than half the size of their mansion four blocks away. While Hannah's friends called her old home the "wow house," this one is more ordinary and that's fine with her.
Lately the family has spent a lot of time around the kitchen table talking about an upcoming two-week trip to Ghana. The Salwens will spend six or seven hours a day visiting the villages where their money will be put to work.
Kevin Salwen said the new house is great, it's just smaller.
"We as Americans have so much," said Salwen, a former Wall Street Journal writer. "We love the concept of half. We are going from a house that's 6,000 square feet to a house that's half the size, and we're giving away half the money.
"And we do think everyone can do something if they think through half."


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Well, no stamping for me today---my day is filled with mundane things like laundry, undecorating, making turkey soup and grocery shopping! But I was blessed enough to receive two beautiful Thanksgiving RAKs that I can share with you:
Isn't this a sweet card? Love the earthy colors--thanks, Wendy!
RAK from Dana:
Inside the pocket was a cute little tag! I am loving these DPs together--very nice colors and layout! Thanks, Dana!
And here is a little peek at the inside:
She is such a thoughtful person!
Well, on to the chores! Hopefully tomorrow I can play!


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SAN GABRIEL — Police raided a warehouse marijuana-growing operation Wednesday for the second time in two days, authorities said.
About 300 pot plants in all stages of maturity were found in a warehouse in the 700 block of South San Anita Street, San Gabriel police Sgt. Brian Kott said.
"This follows a raid previously conducted Tuesday on a similar warehouse facility where over 300 marijuana plants were found," Kott said.
Tuesday's bust took place just around the corner in the 300 block of South Mission Drive, police said.
"We believe they're linked," Kott said. "The warehouse is similar to yesterday's cultivation site."
He added that evidence gathered at the warehouse bust Tuesday helped lead police to Wednesday's discovery.
Both warehouses were fitted with equipment such as growing lights, irrigation systems and devices to cover the incriminating smell of the growing marijuana, police said.
No arrests resulted from Wednesday's raid, Kott said.
Tuesday's raid resulted in three arrests, according to police officials and sheriff's booking records.
Alan De La Fuente, 36, of Los Angeles and Arvin Rodpotong, 31, of Winnetka were booked on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana during Tuesday's raid, and Cole Dixon, 31, of Studio City was booked on suspicion of the same charge early Wednesday morning in connection with the warehouse on Mission Drive, authorities said.
San Gabriel Police declined to release further details regarding the ongoing investigation.
All three men were released from jail the day of their arrests after posting $30,000 bail, according to booking records. They are due in Alhambra Superior Court Friday for arraignment.


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I can't have been the only six-year-old who put Nutella on hot spaghetti. It just seemed so right at the time. The two best foods ever created on one plate, combined to transport a small boy to culinary heaven. And then look what happened? Tears. Rebukes. Chocolate all over the tablecloth.
Well, it turns out you're never too old to learn a lesson about being stupid. It happened to all of us last September, when the Pirate Party triumphantly entered the Berlin parliament wearing funny clothes. We all shrieked and jumped on the sofas and put on eye-patches and drew on the walls with orange crayon and cried for no reason. And it became clear that all the Pirate ideas were designed to appeal to that innocent child in all of us: Give everyone, erm, €3,000? Yeah, €3,000 a month. And make everything free! Trains, buses, films, the internet.
But then, like all children, it turns out the Pirates are filled with weird, irrational prejudices. And, again in a very child-like manner, they say whatever idiotic words happen to be floating at the front of their brains in public. "I think the CDU are a bigger threat to our democracy than the neo-Nazis," said one Pirate. Another described a woman as being "too pretty" to be taken seriously. Another said that, like former president's wife Barbara Scheel, if she were in a nursing home, she wouldn't let herself be "cared for by foreigners".
Having come out with this and other foolish points, the Pirates further demonstrated their similarity to an average five-year-old by making convoluted, tortured-logic arguments to justify them. The Bavarian Pirate website included an article on the difficulty of controlling internet-debate that said, "No one can see into the head of the author. But still we allow ourselves to make a judgment of this person… Is that not a form of racism? Not one against 'races,' but against opinions and feelings?"
What the hell are you talking about? Oh, I remember. This is exactly the same as when I pointed out to my mum that Nutella is made mainly from vegetables.
But the most annoying thing is that people won't let go of the Pirates. More and more Germans say they're going to vote for them, even though all they seem to do is say stupid stuff. It's like the more thicko pronouncements they come out with the more people want to vote for them. It can't just be because they still think the eye-patches are funny. I am honestly baffled.


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He might not realize it, but Jack Abramoff owes a huge debt of gratitude to Kevin Spacey, who portrays the criminally corrupt Washington lobbyist in Casino Jack.
It is, first of all, a seductively pleasurable movie, directed with fierce urgency and a flair for dark comedy by George Hickenlooper, who regrettably died in October at age 47.
Norman Snider's screenplay—which capably distills the complications of a real-life Washington scandal into a gripping Hollywood narrative—sacrifices nuance on the altar of entertainment and fiddles with minor details. So, occasionally, does the casting. My pal Emily Miller, the wronged ex-fiancée of sleazebag lobbyist Michael Scanlon, is a good eight inches shorter, and 10 notches more effusive, than Rachelle Lefevre, the actress who plays her; and I've never heard my longtime Washington Post colleague, former investigative reporter Susan Schmidt, call herself anything but "Sue."
Republican tax-cut guru Grover Norquist is wonkier and wittier than the movie's doltish portrayal suggests; nor is he a chain-smoker. And unlike his depiction, former House Majority Leader Tom "The Hammer" DeLay of Sugar Land, Texas, was, at the time of the unfolding lobbying scandal, an inveterate tobacco-chewer—think of the actorly possibilities unrealized!—and happens to be an infinitely more vivid character than his big-screen avatar.
Yet Casino Jack does capture an essential truth about the grubby business of politics in the nation's capital: It is mainly, if not entirely, about ego. Ideology and conviction are often pretexts for living large.
And here's why the 50-year-old Abramoff—who was released a mere two weeks ago from a Baltimore halfway house and left his minimum-wage job making kosher pizzas after serving 3½ years of a six-year sentence for federal fraud and corruption convictions—should send Spacey a tasty pie with all the trimmings: Yes, the film outs him as a rage-filled, thieving, megalomaniacal sociopath who bilked Indian tribes while pretending to protect their gaming operations. But Spacey makes Abramoff an enormously appealing, rage-filled, thieving, megalomaniacal sociopath.
Demonstrating once again why he's considered one of the more gifted actors on either side of the Atlantic, Spacey gives us a rich, multilayered antihero. He plays Abramoff—a fanatical weight-trainer whose mantra is "I work out every day!"—as a mensch in his own mind (a family man who treasures his wife and five kids), a charismatic cockeyed optimist with a fondness for grandiosity, and a walking paradox who seamlessly blends his devout Orthodox Judaism with a vile tongue and rank cupidity, and his cultured appreciation of music and the cinema with villainous treatment of clients.
Yet Spacey's Jack is also a charmer who can talk to anyone, be he the president of the United States (who greets him in the Oval Office as "Buff Guy!") or the tattooed thug sharing his holding cell. Who wouldn't want to have a beer with this man?
At a Cinema Society party after Thursday night's screening of Casino Jack in Manhattan, Spacey told me he worked diligently to humanize Abramoff, interviewing several of the disgraced lobbyist's friends to discover a surprisingly playful side—his penchant for doing spot-on impressions of film stars and acting out classic movie scenes.
Spacey makes Abramoff an enormously appealing rage-filled, thieving, megalomaniacal sociopath.
• Kevin Sessums talks to Kevin SpaceyDirector Hickenlooper picked up on this leitmotif, punctuating Casino Jack with homages to Jerry Maguire, American Beauty and especially The Godfather II. There's a deftly funny fantasy sequence involving a Senate hearing that is pure Al Pacino. When he dreams his own impossible dream, Jack Abramoff is not so much Don Quixote as Don Corleone.
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.


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Lionel Barber Tries to Steer the Finest Journalistic Institution in the--the Financial Times--World Around the Iceberg
We wish him luck:
Dear Colleagues,
In my New Year message, I said 2013 would test our resolve to move further and faster to support top quality journalism in a rapidly changing media landscape.
I now want to set out in detail how we propose to reshape the FT for the digital age. We need to do less in certain areas and more in others, we need to be much more nimble, and we need to reshape our teams.
Today we have started consultations with the NUJ with the aim of opening up an initial voluntary redundancy scheme. The intention is is to reduce the cost of producing the newspaper and give us the flexibility to invest more online.
Our common cause is to secure the FT's future in an increasingly competitive market, where old titles are being routinely disrupted by new entrants such as Google and LinkedIn and Twitter. The FT's brand of accurate, authoritative journalism can thrive, but only if it adapts to the demands of our readers in digital and in print, still a vital source of advertising revenues.
My visit to Silicon Valley last September confirmed the speed of change. Our competitors are harnessing technology to revolutionise the news business through aggregation, personalisation and social media. Mobile alone, for example, now accounts for 25 per cent of all the FT's digital traffic. It would be reckless for us to stand still.
Of course, we must stick to the tested practices of good journalism: deep and original reporting based on multiple sources and a sharp eye for the scoop. But we must also recognise that the internet offers new avenues and platforms for the richer delivery and sharing of information. We are moving from a news business to a networked business.
In order to engage more deeply with our readers, we need to introduce a more intelligent, balanced and efficient deployment of our investment and our people. So we are proposing a shift of some resources from night work to day and from print to digital. This requires an FT-wide initiative to train our journalists to operate to the best of their abilities. And it requires decisive leadership.
I am determined that we do everything we can to secure the FT's future as a world class, financially sustainable news organisation. Our earlier decisions to raise prices, charge for content, and build a subscription business have proven to be bold and wise. While many of our rivals have struggled to find a profitable business model, and have therefore announced heavy job losses, we have been industry pioneers. This is not the moment to falter.
Of course, change is wrenching. I therefore want to assure you that serious consideration and consultation have gone, and will go into the proposals that follow. So too our desire to be fair, honest and transparent. We are now entering into a consultation with the National Union of Journalists and staff to consider the FT's future and these proposals so that we take the right path forward, in a fair and open dialogue.
Let me make several points clear at the outset.
I want to sharpen our commissioning to produce more selective, relevant, high quality content.
I would like to implement measures to simplify the newspaper to lighten the work load and reduce the resources devoted to print. These include:
Common ad shapes across editions – reducing unnecessary tweaks and edits between editions.
A more common international edition with common fronts and second fronts.
A possible move to a common running order between UK and international editions with World at the front of the run
Restrictions on the number of changes requested for US second edition.
A paring back of the UK 3rd edition.
A far more disciplined adherence to copy delivery times, and improved forward planning
An end to "octopus commissioning" — we need fewer commissioning channels. Equally, news editors must clearly identify priority stories.
Tighter control of pagination We need to ensure that we are serving a digital platform first, and a newspaper second. This is a big cultural shift for the FT that is only likely to be achieved with further structural change.
We must find a way to reduce production resources at night and increase them in the day; these same resources must also be increasingly devoted to the web and less to the newspaper.
On unified news desks, we need to become content editors rather than page editors. We must rethink how we publish our content, when and in what form, whether conventional news, blogs, video or social media.
In our UK and international reporting network, we must seek to have people in the right places ready to devote their talents to covering the big FT stories and not risk becoming isolated in silos or geographies.
Pearson, the FT's parent company, is firmly behind our strategy and our proposed transformation and is providing financial support for the reorganisation we are planning for the first quarter of this year.
The proposed voluntary redundancy programme will help us to reshape structures and reduce our costs by £1.6m in the current year. We estimate this could translate into a net headcount reduction of about 25 people after the introduction of 10 more digital jobs, some of which we are advertising already.
We encourage people wanting to leave the paper to step forward. We will also be consulting with the NUJ as to what further steps we might have to propose if we do not achieve the right level of take-up for the planned VR scheme.
Finally, we will be launching new products and services online in 2013, starting with our "Fast FT" markets and a new Weekend FT app.
This will be an opportunity for all of us to think harder about a more dynamic and inter-active form of FT journalism beyond the printed word. This is vital to drive deeper engagement with readers and build our subscriptions business.
I will be taking part in meetings with team leaders to explain these changes, to listen to your ideas, and answer any questions In the meantime, James Lamont, the managing editor, will supply details of the voluntary redundancy programme and consult widely with you.
Assistant Editors and team leaders will be briefed on the outline of the proposals. They will do their best to answer your questions and offer you their support Throughout the FT's history, we have made great progress in a changing industry. You have taken impressive strides to modernise the FT and I am deeply appreciative of your willingness to adapt to change. This is not an easy transition, but we are obliged to take the difficult steps to secure the FT's future as one of the world's great news organisations.
And with your support in this 125th anniversary year, we can do that and continue to do what we do best: the business of quality journalism.


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ABB has won an order worth $53 million from the South African power utility, Eskom, to strengthen the transmission network in the Western Cape region.
ABB will design, manufacture, install and commission six 765-kV capacitor banks at Alpha, Beta, Mercury and Perseus substations. The installations, which form part of an initiative to increase power capacity in Cape Town and surrounding areas, will allow Eskom more flexibility and reduce its reliance on the existing Koeberg power station. The compensators used in the project are part of a family of technologies known as Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS).
The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2008 and is expected to be completed by 2010.
"ABB's FACTS technologies allow more power to be delivered more efficiently using existing infrastructure," said Peter Leupp, head of ABB's Power Systems division. "This reduces the need to build additional transmission lines, lowering environmental impact and minimizing cost."
The project includes ABB's Mach2 technology, which is an advanced control and protection system, and the most widely applied platform for HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) and FACTS solutions. It brings the benefit of fast, flexible, real-time control. Fuseless capacitor units and high-speed bypass switches will further increase system reliability.


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Maid, The
The Movie
In a palatial Chilean estate owned by a large upper-class family, the windows are covered with bars to protect the haves from the have-nots. The home is also surrounded by a gate to further isolate and protect the copious clan. The frequent imagery is fitting considering that--for the last 23 years--the estate has served as a prison for maid Raquel, the central figure in this refreshingly unpredictable indie. But is it a prison she wants to escape? Can both ends of the societal class system co-exist in harmony? Those are the million-peso questions in the second feature film from director Sebastián Silva.
The Maid (La nana) has amassed quite an impressive resume on the award circuit, with a bevy of nominations and wins since 2009--including two jury prizes at the Sundance Film Festival. All of those accolades are well-deserved, and the young Silva undoubtedly has a great career ahead of him. Hopefully too does fellow Chilean Catalina Saavedra, whose quietly unsettling performance draws you in from the opening shot--where she practically breaks the fourth wall as she stares at us, too tired and defeated to beg for our sympathy or help.
It's two of the most powerful opening minutes I have ever seen in any film, immediately setting the stage and getting us up to date on a lifelong history--but with very few words. It gives us all we need to know about the dynamic that drives the film: As Raquel settles down for a quiet dinner, the raucous sounds of the six family members--enjoying a big meal in the big dining room--pierce her ears like a never-ending dog whistle: "I'm not going to clean up after something I didn't do!" yells one child; "Mom, I want a Playstation 3!" demands another. Welcome to the tragic routine of Raquel's life.
Then again, you get the sense she's almost immune to the noise--and there's a lot of it. Camila (Andrea García-Huidobro) is the eldest of four siblings, and the one who clashes the most with the maid ("Raquel hates me," she tells mom. "She's always hated me. I'm sick of it!"). Their silent war plays out with passive-aggressive panache: "Raquel, we're going to study all night long," Camilla says as her schoolmate arrives. "So please don't vacuum near my room too early." (Silva wrote these wonderful nuggets along with Pedro Peirano.) Then there are the two young boys, Tomas (Darok Orellana) and Gabriel (Sebastián La Rivera), who demand the most of Raquel's physical energy. Thankfully, eldest son Lucas (Agustín Silva) is there to charm everyone (when he isn't letting his hormones get the best of him), his antics occasionally forcing a smile from the perpetually deadpan Raquel. He's her favorite, and the whole family knows it.
That includes equally defeated dad Mundo (Alejandro Goic), who prefers to escape into the solitude of his model ships rather than spend time with the family (he interacts the least with Raquel). But mom Pilar (Claudia Celedón) makes up for it, showing constant concern for the woman she has employed for more than two decades. But even her attempts at compassion seem tinged with insincerity or just plain ignorance, like the following exchange at Raquel's birthday celebration:
Pilar: "I forbid you to do the dishes now!"
Raquel: "If I don't do them now, I'll still have to do them later."
Pilar: "...fine. Let's clear the table."
The family seems to have worn down the 41-year-old woman, whose increasingly intense headaches and overall fatigue have started to hamper her performance. But despite Camila's plea to get Raquel canned, the guilt-stricken Pilar just can't bring herself to do it. Enter "Plan B": hiring a new maid to help take over some of Raquel's duties. It's a solution that doesn't sit so well with the suddenly possessive, territorial woman. But it turns into a delicious turn of events for the viewer as the agitated Raquel--armed with a vacuum, a bottle of bleach, an uncanny ability to channel her inner 2-year-old and a death stare that would halt the Grim Reaper--amps up her dark side, devising a series of plans to ouster her new competition.
Her unknowing enemies include young, likeable Mercedes (Mercedes Villanueva), whose plans for the food antagonize Raquel ("She's got to understand! We're not in Peru!"); "cave woman" Sonia (Anita Reeves), a lifer who's wise to Raquel's schemes and seems more than ready to stand her ground ("Why do you make such an effort for those ingrates? Just do your job and you'll be happier!"); and jovial Lucy (Mariana Loyola), who tries to be upfront from the start: "Don't worry, I'm not staying in this house for the rest of my life...I'd die." Then there's the cat, another target of Raquel's anger (poor thing never saw it coming). In fact, no one is safe from her scorn--and no secret is safe (turns out Raquel might have more power than you expected).
Those battles give the film a wonderfully wicked tone as Raquel seems to become more unhinged at the possibility of losing the one thing she has in life. They also set up a number of intriguing questions that force the viewer to examine her true motives and feelings: Is Raquel a bitter woman whose only joy comes from getting to finally exert control over others? Does her job provide her a sense of family that she would be missing outside the house? Does she really care about the kids, or is she just scared of being unemployed and having no future? Is this film a dark comedy, a heartfelt drama or a horror film in the making as Raquel's grip on sanity slips away? (Visions of The Housekeeper/a.k.a. A Judgment in Stone, Murderous Maids and that crazy nanny from The Omen constantly danced through my head here.)
It's a credit to Silva and Saavedra that we're kept guessing and on our toes for so long. The Maid is a very quiet film--many of the sequences play out with minimal dialogue, and it's up to the leading actress to fill in the blanks with her face and body language. That she surpasses the challenge is all the more amazing considering the film requires her to spend most of its running time with a stone-cold face, one frozen in the same sad expression. We're left on our own to unravel Raquel's back story and motivation, but the actress does an incredible job of saying so much without any words--it's not as difficult to read her as you might initially think. Hey eyes, her mouth, her posture, her walk...all speak volumes about Raquel, and brief phone conversations with her mother clue us in to more issues.
The cast and crew revel in the quiet moments here, and everyone is fantastic. Celedón (with equally expressive eyes of concern, worry and guilt) and Loyola (who appears in the film's most crucial scene, a powerful moment I dare not ruin) are equally engaging in the film's biggest supporting roles. The younger actors are all wonderfully natural --García-Huidobro in particular stands out, showing maturity far beyond her years. She gets one of the film's many great moments all to herself in a sequence that demands a lot, forcing her to rely on her own power of restraint in a dialogue-free shot that is genuinely moving. Also watch out for Delfina Guzmán as Pilar's mom; she makes the most of her short screen time. While she may not be amused with the conflict ("Oh please! Maid fights? I've seen millions..."), I can guarantee you will be. (Love that nativity scene, by the way!)
What do all of these silent moments say? That's something best left for viewers to uncover themselves. The Maid is funny, sad, sincere and scary all at once, and the less said about it, the better. It's a rare treat for a film to be this hard to categorize, and I'd ruin too much of its power by sharing what it ultimately offers. But I will share this: I had a handful of different ideas about where the film was going in my head, a bunch of endings all picked out. That it concluded in a manner I didn't anticipate was a big surprise, one that I hope you can also experience. As for that final shot? It's open to interpretation, one of the many beauties of this unique gem.
The DVD
Shot in high-definition with mostly roving handheld cameras, The Maid looks dull and dreary in its 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer...which I'm guessing is exactly how the director wanted it to look as it fits perfectly with the film's demeanor. There's no pop in the colors or visuals, and grain fills the screen. But you'll find detail here if you look for it.
The Spanish-language track comes in 2.0 and 5.1 options, and the latter track has nice separation (voices from other rooms are often employed in important moments). There are also some nice touches with little sounds around the house, from clanking silverware and dishes, to the (ironic) bird chirping that frequently makes an appearance. Optional English subtitles are provided.
The extras here give us just a small taste of what could have been a much more fulfilling collection. The bulk of content comes from the behind the scenes clips (21:10), mostly raw footage (a few contributors briefly address the camera) showing the cast and crew rehearsing and filming. It's an unstructured yet entertaining collection that shows how much fun everyone was having creating the film--the camaraderie is clear (the segment is divided into six sequences: the director, four actors and "The Last Laugh", although there isn't much differentiation between them). We briefly hear from Marisol Beltrán, the real-life inspiration for the Lucy character. She gets emotional bonding with Mariana Loyola, and notes that the film brings back memories of things she went through. There's a much bigger story there, but we don't get to hear it.
That also becomes clear in the short photo gallery, which includes a picture of the young director with his two siblings and the "real" Raquel. This is clearly a semi-autobiographical work, but we don't get to hear about any of its inspirations--a real shame, especially considering how funny, charismatic and engaging Sebastián Silva is in the behind-the-scenes footage. Also provided is the short and silent From Sketch to Screen: Storyboarding The Maid (3:03) and trailers for other Oscilloscope releases.
Final Thoughts:
The life of a disgruntled maid and a clash of societal class and culture are dissected in the delightfully uncomfortable La nana. There's a quiet confidence in the performance of Catalina Saavedra and director Sebastián Silva, who isn't afraid to let silence speak volumes. His actors enliven the story and fill the screen with their physical gifts, their eyes and faces providing a treasure of emotion. Frequently funny (for those of you with a slightly off-kilter sense of humor) and highly unpredictable, The Maid keeps you guessing about where it's going--and ultimately offers a surprising finish. Highly Recommended.
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San Diego Interactive Web Page Companies Near Me | With the ever-growing world that we see in web companies, when selecting their web developer, we need to be very attentive. We have some of the best software development brains on the market here in the Web Studios. Who will help you complete every web creation project you have.
San Diego Interactive Web Page Companies Near Me
San Diego Interactive Web Page Companies Near Me
San Diego Web Studios, CA, is a full-service media agency. By creating "share-worthy" content on the subject of customer protection. In addition to critical social problems and hot trends. Therefore we specialize in helping brands maximize reach online. Our mission is always to build the kind of web content that gets people talking about you and your company. Whether we are designing an immersive data visualization, a long-form content piece, or producing a beautiful new website design.
San Diego Interactive Web Page Companies Near Me
Your organization and name will really improve a successful web site design. But you really need to be careful when getting a site built. Particularly when it comes to recruiting a web designer who is right. You don't simply hire anyone by hiring a web designer. Web site architecture is difficult and has several variables that need to be taken into account. This is why only a competent and experienced designer will be a good choice for that purpose.
Now you know how to create a professional website. Therefore all you need now is a qualified web designer to develop an ideal website for you. We are here to assist you with the significant mission. You should look at our past ventures and see how you're doing it for yourself. Our customer support is one of the best in the field as well. You should be assured that we will finish your project in a timely and competent manner. We will connect with you every step of the way throughout the process.
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We will create highly customizable projects that are entirely built from scratch or by the use of an application or platform by a third party. This is also the case when dealing on projects with limited budgets. When it comes to the deliverables and the investments in which you wish to spend, we will always collaborate with you. In order to achieve, an idea is all that is needed. To help you bring your dream to life, our web developers are here.
Give one of our consultants a call today or fill out the form below. Within 24 hours, we will give you a call to explore your proposal and how we can make it a possibility. There are always variables that will determine how the web development project is done, such as budget and time, but there will always be a way to achieve it and help you excel on the web.


text: SuperPhillip Central writes: "It seems every year gamers are saying that "this year is the best year in video games ever." We roll our eyes, we chuckle, we shake our heads in disbelief, but sometimes we understand where these people are coming from. 2012 has been a pretty packed year in regards to releases, and the second half is going to blow the metaphorical doors off the place. It is full of big releases and terrific-looking titles, but which games are the ones I'm most anticipating?"


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is the official guide for traveling to the United States of America. Discover all the information you need for your American holidays here.
Your gateway to discover America's great outdoors: boating, camping, hiking, and more.
Information on international travel, including passports and visas, for U.S. and foreign citizens.
Know Before You Go
For more information before traveling to the U.S., visit the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.


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Morran says that smaller is better ;) So we've decided to go for the 18x18 cm / 7x7 inches format.
Open Call for pictures to a book full of Morran!
It is open for everyone to participate.
All you have to do is to send a 300 dpi picture to info(at)studiomorran(dot)com
before the 31st of october 2011. My mailbox can only take pictures up to 10 Mb, if your picture is bigger please send it through Yousendit or use Dropbox (or anything like that)
A recommendation from Pikaland Amy - WeTransfer.
There will be a jury. But there will also be a site where all pictures will be posted (with links to your website if you want to).
If your picture are choosen you will not get paid. You will not even get a free copy of the book. All profits will go to charity (more about that later on).
All technics are welcome!
Photos of Morran on Flickr


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Lupita Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong'o was the surprise winner of an Oscar for her supporting role in her feature film debut, Steven McQueen's drama 12 Years a Slave. The daughter of a Kenyan politician, Lupita Nyong'o was born in Mexico City and raised in Kenya. She studied film and theater at Hampshire College in Massachusetts, and, after graduating in 2003, worked in the TV and film business in Nairobi and Kenya. Nyong'o then returned to the United States to the Yale School of Drama and earned her graduate degree in 2012. She then won the part of Patsey, ally of Solomon (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and victim of Master Epps (Michael Fassbender), in 2013's 12 Years a Slave. A hit during awards season for her red carpet appearances, Nyong'o graced magazine covers and earned a fashion spot as one of the 2014 faces of Miu Miu clothing. At the Academy Awards of 2014, she defeated actresses like Jennifer Lawrence and Julia Roberts to win the Oscar as best supporting actress; 12 Years a Slave also won the Oscar as the year's best picture.
An account run by "Team Lupita"
Fan site with news and photos
From Yale, a brief bit with links to good press
Copyright © 1998-2018 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.


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Yesterday's item about the Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres included a picture of Grant Wood's American Gothic, which depicts a farmer and his unmarried daughter, modelled by the artist's dentist and wife respectively. The image is so well known that it is one of the most parodied of art works. A Google image search on American Gothic parody will bring up Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie in a similar photograph promoting their reality show; an Arabic couple wearing traditional dress in front of a burning building, the picture entitled Iranian Gothic; and the American Gothic couple updated to the present day with its emphasis on the acquisition of belongings…
Saturday, October 30, 2010
American Gothic to Bondi
Yesterday's item about the Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres included a picture of Grant Wood's American Gothic, which depicts a farmer and his unmarried daughter, modelled by the artist's dentist and wife respectively. The image is so well known that it is one of the most parodied of art works. A Google image search on American Gothic parody will bring up Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie in a similar photograph promoting their reality show; an Arabic couple wearing traditional dress in front of a burning building, the picture entitled Iranian Gothic; and the American Gothic couple updated to the present day with its emphasis on the acquisition of belongings…
Golden Oldies: Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies
(This is a repost of a past email).
A still from the Green Acres/Beverly Hillbillies crossover episode.
Driving to work a few weeks ago with Tom with the radio on, I had the radio tuned to John Stanley and Sandy Aloisi as usual. I'm not as fond of the 2UE breakfast radio show since Mike Carlton left but still have it on, despite Tom's protests about it being a FOP station, meaning an old person's station. On that show each morning John Stanley nominates 3 separate items, listeners winning a prize if they are the first to telephone with the common link. This particular morning the 3 items were Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies and Mr Ed. The common link, something that I wouldn't have worked our even with Googling, was that they all finished with the words "This has been a Filmways presentation."
The point of my story is that I told Tom that these were great comedy shows and I began singing the Green Acres theme. The more he protested the louder I sang, moving on to The Beverly Hillbillies and then Mr Ed.
Memories came back of watching those shows after school. I winder did I ever do any homework? It seems that my time was filled by TV shows.
Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies were classics and would probably be a hit again, although lines such as "You are my wife! Goodbye city life" would need revising. It's a shame some TV station does not have one evening per week devoted to the past classics.
In discussion this with Kate, my wife, she raised some other favourites: Get Smart, Hogan's Heroes (would they make a comedy sitcom today set in a Nazi POW camp?) and F Troop. From there we moved on to the British classic oldies: Steptoe and Son, Open All Hours, All In The Family, When the Boat Comes In, Porridge, Benny Hill and Dad's Army.
Friday, October 29, 2010
In case you missed it #1: Baby names
An interesting and significant social indicator that the times, they are a changin'...
Mohammed displaces Jack as most popular boy's name in Britain
Mohammed has become the most popular name for newborn boys in Britain. It shot up from third the previous year, overtaking Jack, which had topped the list for the past 14 years but was relegated to third spot. Olivia topped the list for little girls for the second year in a row, behind Ruby and Chloe.
A total of 7,549 newborns were given 12 variations of the Islamic prophet Mohammed's name last year, such as Muhammad and Mohammad. The second most popular boy's name, Oliver, was given to 7,364 babies. Harry and Alfie came in fourth and fifth place respectively.
The official list, which covers all births in 2009 in England and Wales, has ¬Mohammed at number 16 but this does not include the many different spellings, which are all ranked separately. When they are added in, Mohammed zooms all the way up to top spot for the first time. In order of popularity, the variant ¬spellings used during the year were: Muhammad, Mohammad, Muhammed, Mohamed, Mohamad, Muhamed, Mohammod, Mahamed, Muhamad, Mahammed and Mohmmed.
In case you missed it #2: Hell's Angels
There is a 1991 movie called Suburban Commando, starring Hulk Hogan and Christopher Lloyd. In it Hogan plays an interstellar warrior who crashlands his spacecraft on Earth and who stays with Shep Ramsey, played by Christopher Lloyd (Doc in Back to the Future) and his family. The film was originally titled Urban Commando and was intended for Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger but they elected to make Twins instead.
There is a scene in the movie where Christopher Lloyd scrapes one of the bikes of the biker gang living next door. Appearing mean and menacing in their biker colours, they gather to look at the damage. The following exchange takes place:
Gangleader: Do you have any idea what we are gonna do to you? If we find any kind of scratch?
Shep Ramsey: Lemme guess. Your gonna pound my face.
Gangleader: What are you nuts? This is the '90s. We're gonna sue you.
I was put in mind of this yesterday when I read the following newspaper item:
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
East Bound and Down
My mate Phil land I both love Smokey and the Bandit. You know those commercials where two guys are sitting in a bar asking each other movie trivia questions? That's what it's like when he and I get together, quoting lines from Smokey and the Bandit.
Who will ever forget the classic scene when Cledus is beaten up by bikers inside the choke and puke (Aussie version: chew and spew) and tossed out the door. Battered and bruised, he silently clambers into the cabin of his monster truck and drives away, in the process putting every wheel over their bikes.
Or when Sheriff Buford T Justice says to his son after still another foul up: "There's no way, no way that you came from my loins. Soon as I get home, first thing I'm gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!"
You wouldn't get away with that today.
So sit back, listen to some good truckin' music sung and played by the late, great Jerry Reed, who happens to play the Bandit's offsider Cledus in the flick, and watch some of the moments from the movie:
If you feel like listening to some more Jerry Reed, who died in 2008 aged 75, click on the following:
The Devil Went Down to Georgia:
City of New Orleans:
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Quote: Alice in Wonderland
'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
'You must be,' said the Cat, 'or you wouldn't have come here.'
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6
Monday, October 25, 2010
Vintage Pics: Court House, Newtown
Old buildings have a charm and a feel that is all their own and this also holds true of Newtown Local Court. It's in the wood panelling, the unique features such as the decapitated head of Queen Victoria looking down on those who enter the building. It is also the slate stairs, worn by over a century of feet, the prisoner's dock in the centre of the court with its heavy iron bars, even the single awful toilet located quite some distance from the court room along a dingy, Dickensian corridor.
The Court House is located in Australia Street and was built between 1883 and 1885.
Here are some pics of it (click on the images to enlarge):
Great Replies: Marc Connelly
Between 1919 and 1929 a group of writers, critics, actors, journalists, editors, press agents and wits met daily for lunch at the Algonquin Hotel, the gathering becoming known as the Algonquin Round Table. Their wisecracks, wordplay and witticisms were brought to a wider audience through newspaper columns of some of the Round Table members. The group also contributed to hit plays and books.
One story of the Algonquin Round Table concerns playwright Marc Connelly. One evening Connelly was dining with friends when another member of the Round Table came up behind Connelly and placed his hands on top of Connelly's bald head. To the amusement of those gathered, the friend stated "Marc, your head feels as smooth as my wife's arse." Connelly raised his hand to his head, rubbed his own head and, with a wry smile, said "So it does, so it does."
Saturday, October 23, 2010
At the Ballet
I like the ballet, classical ballet rather than modern, although these days I don't get to it as often as I would like. From the opening notes when the orchestra members are tuning their instruments to the last curtain call and the lights come on, I am in another world. As Sheila sings in A Chorus Line, everything is always beautiful at the ballet.
That is why I am indebted to Byter Vince for sending me a video of a performance of part of Swan Lake by the Great Chinese State Circus Ballet Company.
Ironically, earlier today I was discussing with my wife and a friend the decline of the traditional circus. This has come about partly because of opposition to circus animals being confined and made to perform demeaning tricks but also partly because of changed tastes and demands. The decline of the traditional circus has seen a corresponding rise in alternative circuses such as Cirque de Soleil.
The Great Chinese State Circus presents Chinese circus arts to European audiences by regular tours. The acts included martial arts from the Shaolin Temple, artists from the Peking Opera, lion dancing, plate spinning, aerial silk acts and a combination of dances and contortionism.
The following clip of Swan Lake is an amazing performance that must be viewed to be appreciated.
Friday, October 22, 2010
An elderly woman in central England claims to have held the winning Euromillions lottery ticket worth 129 million in euros ($183 million), but that she gave the ticket to her husband who threw it away. She said that she recorded the numbers in a notebook because her husband is always losing things or throwing them out. After investigation, she was paid the prize.
- News item
Reading the above item started me thinking about past large prizewinners who may have thought that they were blessed with the win but who had, in reality, been passed a poisoned chalice.
Here are 3 such stories:
Vivian Nicholson
In 1961 Viv Nicholson, then aged 25, won £152,000 on the Littlewoods footballs in England. That equals about £5m today. She and husband Kevin, a trainee miner, had been raising 3 kids on a £7 a week wage and living in a tiny terrace house in Castleford, Yorkshire. She was working in a liquorice factory. Asked by the press what she was going to do with her winnings, she famously declared "Spend, spend, spend." And spend she did, on cars, clothes, alcohol, holidays, a luxury home and in numerous other ways. She found that people she had known distanced themselves from her and she no longer related to them. When they moved, she complained, the new neighbours hated them as well.
The Poms have had 36,000 people vote on 1,000 jokes to find the top 50, according to an article in the Daily Mail. You can read all top 50, which are mostly one liners, at:
For those not minded to read them, here are the top 3, starting with number 3:
3. 'Dyslexic man walks into a bra...
2. 'I went to the zoo the other day, there was only one dog in it, it was a shitzu.'
1. A woman gets on a bus with her baby. The bus driver says: 'Ugh, that's the ugliest baby I've ever seen!' The woman walks to the rear of the bus and sits down, fuming. She says to a man next to her: 'The driver just insulted me!' The man says: 'You go up there and tell him off. Go on, I'll hold your monkey for you.'
Now I don't know about you but I didn't find them exactly side splitting
Let me offer an alternative.
Some years ago Phillip Adams and Patrice Newell searched for the archetypal Australian joke. Adams and Newell found that the jokes submitted were mostly rehashed Irish jokes etc. They later published them.
The joke they thought was the best Aussie joke, taking into account humour, language, setting etc was:
Two farmers are chatting. One says "I'm thinking of driving down to Sydney for a few weeks."
The other asks "What route are you taking?"
"I thought I'd take the missus," replies the first, "after all, she stuck with me through the drought."
Quote: Albert Einstein
"Three Rules of Work:
Out of clutter find simplicity;
From discord find harmony;
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
- Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
(Click on the above pic to enlarge, print out a copy and work through the maze to get from the start to the finish).
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Quote: Kerry Packer
James Packer has paid $245 million for a 17.88% interest in the Ten Network.
- News item
The above report brings to mind a famous moment and resulting famous quotation in Australian financial history. Since the inception of TV in Australia, the Packer empire had been associated with free to air television through the ownership of Channel 9. In 1987 Kerry Packer (1937-2005), the father of James, sold Channel 9 to tycoon Alan Bond for a record $1.05 billion. Bond subsequently ended up in financial difficulties and sold Channel 9 back to Packer 3 years after the purchase for $250 million. Packer commented:
"You only get one Alan Bond in your lifetime, and I've had mine".
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Cane Toad: What Happened to Baz?
Byter Arthur told me last night that his favourite Bytes are those that deal with the origins of well known Australian expressions. I told Arthur I would do one for him but I've been flat out like a lizard drinking, fair dinkum, so haven't managed to do it yet.
Nonetheless, Arthur, here is a video that includes some of the expressions and flavour of the Australian character and idiom, Cane Toad: What Happened to Baz? It has been around for a while so whether you have seen it before or not, take the time to have a butcher's hook by clicking on:
It is a little gory at times. Watch it to the very end for the final images.
Cane Toad: What Happened to Baz? concerns the conjectures of Darryl ("my mates call me Dazza"), as to the disappearance of his mate Barry ("Baz") "because, pickle me grandma, the silly old bugger has gone bloody missing." Those speculations reveal the disregard held for cane toads by the human population, understandable in that the cane toad is one of the least lovable creatures in existence.
The video was made in 2002 by David Clayton and Andrew Silkie, Queensland animators, who took 6 months off work to make the short film for submission to festivals. It has since become a cult classic.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Origins: Bail
The word "bail" has a number of senses, including:
- to bail someone out of jail;
- the government bailing out car manufacturers;
- to bail water out of a boat;
- the crossbar on top of a cricket wicket.
A number of these senses originate from the Latin word "bajulare", meaning "to carry, to bear a burden". This resulted in the French "baillier", meaning "to take charge of" or "hand over or deliver", as used in the most common meaning of bail, the release of a person who would otherwise be in jail, either upon payment of a security deposit (also known as "bail") or into the charge of someone who swears to ensure the accused's appearance at court.
There is an archaic meaning from the 16th century of "bail" as "to vouch for, to guarantee", being a solemn commitment to see a task through. It is in this sense that the word is used in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island:
"I'll go with you [in search of treasure]; and, I'll go bail for it, so will Jim, and be a credit to the undertaking."
"…I would have gone bail for the innocence of Long John Silver"
Sunday, October 17, 2010
RIP Barbara Billingsley
Back in the late 1950's and early 1960's there was a US sitcom named Leave it to Beaver. The Beaver of this show was a young boy named Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver, played by Jerry Mathers. The show concerned his adventures at school, at home and in his neighbourhood and it portrayed an idealised 1950's suburban family, much like the families in Father Knows Best and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
This was a time when Leave it to Beaver's Dad (named Ward and played by Hugh Beaumont) did everything, including relaxing on the weekend, in a coat and tie, and Mum, portrayed by Barbara Billingsley, did the housework in pearls and high heels.
Barbara Billingsley, aged 94, died yesterday at her home in Santa Monica, California from a rheumatoid disease.
Quote: Susan B Anthony
"The true republic – men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less."
- Susan B Anthony (1820-1906), American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. The above words were the motto of the weekly journal published by her, The Revolution.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
C and W, Slim Dusty and Trucks
(Click on pics to enlarge)
Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here?
Claire: Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western.
- The Blues Brothers
I have a soft spot for country and western music. Where else do you get a story and a life lesson, all bundled into a 3 minute song? Sure, it is the choice of music for good ol boys and rednecks, and it's sophisticated to ask what happens when you play country and western music backwards? Answer: Your dog comes back to life, your wife comes back to you and your crops start growing again.
But can we not all learn from C & W songs such as:
Friday, October 15, 2010
Quote: Booker T Washington
"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."
- Booker Taliaferro Washington
(African-American educator, author, orator and political leader, 1856 - 1915. Himself born in slavery, he was the sone of a white father and slave mother, eventually becoming the representative of the last generation of black leaders born in slavery.)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Happy Birthday Mrs Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness of Kesteven and Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990, was born on 13 October 1925.
Following are some items by, and about, Mrs Thatcher.
A widely quoted story by Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal about Baroness Thatcher has not been able to be verified and is conceded by Ms Noonan to probably be apocryphal:
The story as I was told it is that in the early years of her prime ministership, Margaret Thatcher held a meeting with her aides and staff, all of whom were dominated by her, even awed. When it was over she invited her Cabinet chiefs to join her at dinner in a nearby restaurant. They went, arrayed themselves around the table, jockeyed for her attention. A young waiter came and asked if they'd like to hear the specials. Mrs. Thatcher said, "I will have beef."
Yes, said the waiter. "And the vegetables?"
"They will have beef too."
Col and Frank were drovers who had come to town for a beer. At the bar, Col got into conversation with another man and said "So what do you do for a living?" The man replied "I'm a taxidermist. I stuff animals."
"Do you stuff sheep?" Col asked.
"Do you stuff sheep?" Col asked.
"Do you stuff kangaroos?"
"All the time."
"What about dogs?"
"Yes, often."
Later, Frank asked Col "What is he then?"
Col replied "He says he's a taxi bloke but I reckon he's a drover like us."
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Edward Behr
There are currently appeals in progress in Indonesia's Denpassar District Court whereby convicted Bali Nine members Scott Rush, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are seeeking to have their death penalties lifted. They are aged 24, 26 and 29 respectively. Rush and the others were arrested on 17 April 2005, with Rush being sentenced to life imprisonment on 13 February 2006. Chan and Sukumaran were sentenced to death, the prosecution having claimed they were the leaders of the operation. When Rush appealed his life sentence, he too was sentenced to death, the only one of the drug mules to be so sentenced.
During a TV news item on the appeals last Saturday night, an Australian reporter approached Sukumaran as he was led towards the court room, flanked by prison oifficers. The report extended his microphone into Sukumaran's face and said "How do you think your court case is going?" Sukumaran did not respond.
It beought to mind the following:
"Anyone here been raped and speaks English?"
- The title of the 1978 memoirs of journalist Edward Behr (1926-2007), taken from a question he heard a BBC reporter shout to a crowd of Belgian civilians waiting to be airlifted out of the Belgian Congo c 1960. The title was changed for the US market to Bearings: A Foreign Correspondent's Life Behind the Lines.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Ironic Ads: Union Carbide
(Click on pic to enlarge).
With the Commonwealth Games in Delhi on in full swing, it is appropriate to pause for a moment and take a look back at another moment in history concerning India and technology.
The above advertisement, dating from 1962, shows a hand pouring chemicals into the air and soil of India, above the words "…working with Indian engineers and technicians, Union Carbide recently made available its vast scientific resources to help build a major chemicals and plastics plant near Bombay. Throughout the free world, Union Carbide has been actively engaged in building plants for the manufacture of chemicals, plastics, carbons, gases and metals."
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Twinkie Defence
Watching Law & Order: SVU I heard one of the show's main police officers, Detective Elliot Stabler, refer to a defendant's proposed defence as a "Twinkie Defence". Intrigued by the term, I looked into it.
(Note: this post uses the Australian spelling "defence" rather than the US spelling "defense").
That expression is now used in the US as a general term for any improbable legal defence. It originates from newspaper coverage of the 1979 trial of Dan White for the murders of San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone, as depicted in the film Milk.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Movie: Soldier
I love this movie and never tire of watching it again.
Made in 1988,it was directed by Paul Anderson and stars Kurt Russell, Connie Nielsen, Jason Isaacs, Jason Scott Lee and Gary Busey.
It's tagline is "Left for dead on a remote planet for obsolete machines and people, a fallen hero has one last battle to fight."
Basically it is the movie Shane set in the future.
Now I know that it's easy to take the piss out of it. Kurt Russell is in the lead, he speaks only 104 words for the whole of the movie although he is on screen for 85% of the time, and he portrays a densitised, automaton style soldier, how appropriate.
Nonetheless the pic is thought provoking and entertaining with Kurt Russell perfect in the role.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Quote: Henry Ford
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."
- Henry Ford (1863-1947)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Australian athletes are doing us proud in Delhi by expressing opinions on officials through the use of hand gestures. Wrestler Hassene Fakiri expressed his displeasure at being disqualified by the use of the middle finger salute, thereby also waving goodbye to his silver gong that he would still nonetheless have otherwise received. Now cyclist Shane Perkins has gone one finger better by giving officials a two finger salutation after he was disqualified.
Those finger comments pale in terms of emotion and significance when compared to the Arm of Honour of Polish athlete Władysław Kozakiewicz at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
That incident has been the subject of a previous Bytes posting, read it at:
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Quote: Albert Einstein
"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Vintage Ads: Women
Last week I posted a 1950's ad that showed an office male, frustrated at a secretary's responses to a franking machine, ask "Is it always illegal to kill a woman?"
I received a couple of comments expressing amazement that such an ad was allowed, even in the 1950's.
Notwithstanding that atitudes were different then, the thinking goes, there are some things so basic, so wrong - racism, misogynism, discrimination, intolerance, bigotry etc - that there should have been hostility to such ads even then.
Not so. In case you think that the franking machine ad was an isolated instance of sanctioned violence against women, look at the atitudes behind these ads from the 1950's and 1960's:
(Click on pics to enlarge)
Sunday, October 3, 2010
There is a joke that asks "What is the last thing you hear before a redneck dies?" and the answer is: "Y'all watch this."
I was reminded of that when I recently again came across a video of redneck fishing. To watch the video of a couple of good ol' boys makin' their mommas proud, click on the following link:
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Mad About The Boy
Some, no, many, years ago I first saw a movie called Paradise Road, a Bruce Beresford flick that tells the true story of a group of women in WW2, prisoners of the Japanese on Sumatra, who form a voice orchestra to help them bear the misery. I have seen it a number of times since and am still captivated by the opening scenes of Julie Anthony singing Mad About The Boy in a nightclub in Singapore. Unfortunately that clip is not available on the internet. If you have the opportunity of watching the movie, do so, you won't be disappointed.
I love the song, a great jazz number that has been performed by numerous artists, the definitive and most widely known being the recording by Dinah Washington. It can be heard by clicking on the following link:
Friday, October 1, 2010
RIP Tony Curtis
Hollywood actor Tony Curtis, 85, died from a cardiac arrest on 29 September 2010 at his home in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson.
- News report
It is sad when a man's lifetime of work and dedication is summed up in a remembered line that is used to mock him. It is even sadder when that is not even a true or correct reflection. So it was with Tony Curtis and I confess that I was one of those who quoted that line.
Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz in 1925 in the Bronx, New York, the son of Hungarian Jewish immigrants. Until age 6 he spoke only Hungarian, resulting in his schooling being delayed. Life was not easy for the Schwartz family. Curtis's mother suffered from schizophrenia and frequently beat her 3 sons. Older brother Robert was also diagnosed with schizophrenia and later institutionalised. When he was eight, Curtis and his brother Julius were placed in an orphanage for a month because his parents couldn't afford food for them. Julius was killed 4 years later when struck by a truck.
Quote: Lewis Carroll
"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak--
Pray, how did you manage to do it?"
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw
Has lasted the rest of my life."
- Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), Father William from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
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text:
Forty Ohio employers traveled to Columbus on March 28 to join representatives from Kent State University and alumni in the workforce for the university's annual Kent State Day at the Statehouse. During this daylong advocacy event with the theme "Talent Meets Jobs: A Kent State Education Aligns with Employer Need," these major Ohio employers met with 21 legislators and other state officials to express their recognition of the important role that Kent State plays in workforce development.
Along with employers of Kent State graduates, successful Kent State alumni in the workforce joined the Kent State delegation, which included Kent State President Lester A. Lefton, members of the Board of Trustees, deans from Kent State's eight campuses and students, to tell their personal experiences with Kent State in preparing students for work. The employers and graduates represented a diverse group of industry sectors in Northeast Ohio and Central Ohio.
"We have an impressive group of industry leaders who are making an investment of time and effort to come to the Ohio Statehouse and support higher education by discussing their first-hand experience hiring Kent State graduates," Lefton said prior to the event. "Some of these corporate executives are also proud Kent State graduates who will share with legislators how Kent State prepared them for successful careers. In addition, these executives are joining us in Columbus to discuss job creation in Ohio and the importance of college-educated talent for the growth and prosperity of their companies."
In addition to meeting with legislators, a smaller group of delegates and university officials had roundtable discussions with senior state officials who are responsible for employment-related policies, including Mark Kvamme, president and interim chief investment officer of JobsOhio, and Rich Frederick, executive director of the new Office of Workforce Transformation.
The companies represented at the Kent State Day at the Statehouse event collectively provide more than 100,000 jobs for Ohioans. The impressive list of employers included Abercrombie & Fitch, Allied Machine & Engineering Corporation, Allstate Insurance, Cleveland Clinic, Fahlgren Mortine, FirstEnergy Corporation, First National Bank, Nationwide Insurance, the North Canton Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Wine Producers Association, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Robinson Memorial Hospital, Saint-Gobain, the Sherwin-Williams Company, Soft-Lite, Summa Health System, the Timken Company, Tinker Omega Manufacturing, University Hospitals Health System, Victoria's Secret, Vocon, Inc. and W.S. Tyler.
Iris Harvey, Kent State vice president for university relations, explained that Kent State Day at the Statehouse helps advance the mission of Kent State and discuss issues important to higher education.
"Legislators deal with issues every day that greatly impact higher education and workforce development," Harvey said. "Our elected senators and representatives are very interested in learning directly from employers and graduates about how well Kent State prepares students to meet employer needs."
"We're working to serve our students, the region and the global workforce by making a Kent State degree 'a passport to success' in every field, as employers continue to show high levels of satisfaction with our new graduates' ability to hit the ground running and continue to seek out and hire more employees educated at Kent State," Lefton said. "Kent State produces a large number of graduates – 200,000 to date and more than 6,000 each year -- who leave our campuses and enter the workforce educated and prepared. A Kent State education is an education that works."


text:
BOSTON (REUTERS) - A judge denied bail on Friday to a Massachusetts teenager who was arrested on terrorism charges after posting lyrics on his Facebook page suggesting he could do worse than the Boston Marathon bombers.
Cameron D'Ambrosio, an 18-year-old aspiring rapper from Methuen, about 50km north of Boston, was arrested on May 1 after he posted a note on his Facebook page that included the words "a boston bombinb wait till u see the shit I do".
D'Ambrosio was charged with "communicating terrorist threats" and faces as many as 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
D'Ambrosio's lawyer and his family members argued at a bail review hearing this week that the teenager, who has also posted several expletive-laden rap videos online, posed no immediate threat and should be granted bail.
A judge at the Massachusetts Superior Court denied the request.
The case has triggered a viral online campaign by activists who say D'Ambrosio's free speech rights have been trampled by a government that may be overreaching after the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15.
Three people died and 264 were wounded in those attacks, which investigators said were the work of two brothers of Chechen descent.
Some United States (US) lawmakers have criticised the FBI's handling of the case, given that the older of the brothers, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, had been on a US master list of potential terrorism suspects.
Prosecutors have not accused D'Ambrosio of any involvement in the bombing.
Mr Evan Greer, a campaign manager for Centre for Rights in Boston, criticised Friday's ruling.
"We are very disappointed at the judge's decision to continue the imprisonment of a teenager despite there being no evidence that he is a threat to anyone," he said.
"Cam is facing a greater sentence than if he had actually assaulted someone," he said, referring to a court's original decision to hold D'Ambrosio for up to 90 days.
The Center for Rights and Fight for the Future set up an online petition on May 20 that has so far accumulated more than 70,000 signatures calling for D'Ambrosio's release.