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TatchaLuminous Dewy Skin Mist
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A silky, fine mist moisturizer that can be used under or over makeup for dewy glowing skin anytime, anywhere.
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Mist on this spray moisturizer for a boost of soothing hydration and a luminous complexion. It is formulated with more than 20 percent botanical oils and humectants to leave skin dewy. A proprietary complex of Okinawa red algae and hyaluronic acid delivers highly efficient hydration to the skin, acting as the ultimate moisture magnet. It's also infused with hadasei-3 anti-aging complex, a trinity of Japanese anti-aging superfoodsgreen tea, rice and algaethat restores the look of youthful radiance.
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This product is non-irritating, non-sensitizing, dermatologist tested, and cruelty-free. It is also formulated without mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, urea, DEA, or TEA.
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Clean at Sephora is formulated without a list of over 50 ingredients, including sulfates (SLS and SLES), parabens, phthalates, and more. For the full list, check out the Ingredients tab.
-Shake the mist gently and spritz two to three times from six inches away.
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Water, Glycerin, Squalane (Olive Origin), Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Inositol (Rice Extract), Algae Extract, Sericin (Silk Extract), Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Germ Oil, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Chondrus Crispus (Red algae) Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Thymus Serpillum (Thyme) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-2 diisostearate, Ppg-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Trideceth-12, Sodiumlauroyl Lactylate, Sorbitan Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Fragrance, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol.
Clean at Sephora products are formulated without:
SulfatesSLS + SLES, Parabens, Formaldehydes, Formaldehyde-releasing agents, Phthalates, Mineral Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Oxybenzone, Coal Tar, Hydroquinone, Triclosan, Triclocarban, Undisclosed synthetic fragrances (Products can be formulated with disclosed synthetic fragrances that meet the following two criteria: (1) the synthetic fragrances do not include any of the ingredients listed in numbers 1 through 12 above and (2) the synthetic fragrances are at a concentration below 1% of the total formula) The following type of acrylates: (ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate , aluminum salts), Animal Oils/Musks/Fats , Benzophenone + Related Compounds, Butoxyethanol, Carbon Black, Lead/Lead Acetate, Methyl Cellosolve + Methoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone & Methylisothiazolinone, Mercury + Mercury Compounds (Thimerisol), Insoluble Plastic Microbeads (This prohibited ingredient applies to products that are meant to be rinsed off ), Resorcinol, Talc (Talc that is free of any asbestos can be used in the formulation provided that Brand conducts testing to ensure that talc is free of any asbestos.), Toluene, Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) that is 0.1% or more of total formula, Ethanolamines DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA, Nanoparticles As defined by the European Commission, Petrolatum and Parrafin that is not USP grade, Phenoxyethanol that is 1% or more of total formulation, Polyacrylamide & Acrylamide, The following types of Styrene (Bromostyrene, Deastyrene/acrylates/dvbcopolymer, sodium styrene/divinylbenzene copolymer , styrene oxide, styrene), 1,4 Dioxane in final formulas must comply with the thresholds as follows: (10 or < ppm for products that are meant to be rinsed off, wiped off or removed, 3ppm or < for products that are meant to remain on the skin).
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The Expendables – Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis (2010)
Arnie put his role as Governor of California on hold for a brief moment for this highly anticipated, albeit brief cameo alongside fellow 80s action movie icons Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis. While hardcore fans found it hard to contain their excitement over Arnold "get to the chopper" Schwarzenegger's appearance, protestors marred the star-studded premiere, brandishing signs saying things like "State workers are not Expendable," in light of the redundancies in his bankrupt state of California. Oh dear. The film was a bit of a let-down, too.
Zoolander – David Bowie (2001)
Who better to judge a Walk-off between a pair of male models than the Thin White Duke himself? While there were many A-List cameo appearances, the highlight had to be Bowie swooping in from nowhere, emerging from the crowd to make sure Derek Zoolander and Hansel's battle of faces and underwear removal is one fought clean and fair. Who else would they trust with such an important role? Word on the web is Ben Stiller's male model is primed for a return. Let's hope Bowie can be persuaded to come back, too.
Shaun of the Dead – Jessica Hynes (2004)
As Shaun and his gang stumble through alleyways and back streets wielding make-shift weapons while on their way to the Winchester, they bump into Simon Pegg's old Spaced mucker Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson). It turns out her party of better-armed, better-equipped survivors exactly mirrors Shaun's gang – and they're played by a roll-call of British comedy talent from the likes of The League of Gentlemen and Little Britain. Fair to say this in-jokey rom-zom scene was only really be appreciated by British comedy fans, otherwise it was just a case of "who are they?"
Skip to: 1:55
The Hangover – Mike Tyson (2009)
Iron Mike's tiger-loving cameo definitely appeared to be one of the highlights when the trailer was being bandied about. When we got to see the film in its entirety, Tyson proved that some cameos should indeed be muted roles – although punching Zach Galifianakis was particularly brilliant. In his defense, he was probably high on some kind of narcotic after admitting on an ESPN radio show that he only signed up for the film to finance his drug habit! Why they bothered to recast him in part II will forever remain a mystery.
Tropic Thunder – Tom Cruise (2008)
We're used to seeing Tom Cruise do stupidly crazy things – everyone remember his appearance on the Oprah show? But this was something else again – here's Tom in a bald cap and a fat suit, dancing like a rhythmically challenged old man. Not only did we get to see Cruise like we've never seen him before, but his memorable role as vulgar, corpulent studio boss Les Grossman is actually pretty hilarious. So much so that there's talk of a whole film featuring the character. A few minutes in his company was, we feel, more than enough.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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|2004-06-26, 06:13
|Link #41
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The Fields of High Attus
Age: 31
I was also kind of hurt when you said Violinist of Hameln was the worst anime ever. Hehe...
I'm another person who hates the manga but likes the anime. I've read what's scanslated of the manga and I can't stand Hameln's character. It is NOT funny at all. In fact, for me I'd rather not have the funniness. It emphasizes on the silliness of the show and the dark backstory of Hameln and so on lose their appeal and their quality when spoiled by the humour.
I really did like the anime a lot. I liked it for all its depression - and it wasn't that depressing until the second season. When Flute and Hameln were still travelling along, it was peaceful and nice, and particularly the absolutely great last episode when
It did have its problems though, I agree. Some were
1. The still frames - okay, some of them were good, but some were REALLY unnecessary and quite annoying...
2. Animation - at times it was really nice, but other times they really skimped on it. Studio Deen seems to have tried out some new technology in this anime, for example the waves in one of the last few episodes... very pretty.
3. Not explaining hte backstory - Okay, I REALLY wanted to know more about
4. Flute. Goddamn it, she's so annoying. :P Especially how quickly her heart changed in the last episode. Oi oi oi!
However because of the poor budget these all make sense. I can't really blame Studio Deen for this... It was worth it if they had to spend it on the classical music. Really. The soundtrack has great pieces in there... I like some of the non-classical music too; like that song Birdie sings is very touching...
What was quite impressive was how they really wangled the show when the manga had Sizer herself traveeling with the people (as shown in the movie as well). I mean... it makes some things in the anime completely messed up...
|2004-12-01, 20:31
|Link #43
Lurker Extraordinaire
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Brazil
Age: 34
*revives this thread!!*
As someone who has watched the TV series, movies and has detailed sources for the manga till vol. 23, I feel forced to step in and clarify stuff.
First: my feelings about the anime are ambiguous. I love romance, drama and tragedy, but still I had to force myself to watch the series, feeling like I was walking in really cold water. The plot was good, but it was too much angst for me to swallow at once. My fault, not the series'. Still, I hated the main's characterization, principally Flute, who is such a great character in the manga, but some other characters did remain faithful to the source. The artwork is wonderful. No comments on the animation. Music = superb.
I personally find the manga better.
For the love of all that you find sacred, DO NOT judge the manga by the first 6 volumes at abildsoe.com. That's barely the tip of the 37 volumes long iceberg. I've read a few people say they don't like Manga-Hamel because he's so funny he's not funny at all. You see, Hamel does try too hard to be an absolute ass and keep everyone away from him.
Spoiler for volumes 13, 14 and 15:
And despite having taken much more shit than Anime-Hamel, Manga-Hamel is a lot more active than the former, who's way too passive in front of the "destiny" dumped on him. (Note: I don't believe in destiny. I think that's another reason why I like the manga better: Hamel didn't give shit to what the Mazoku wanted from him, he just hated their guts.)
The manga only starts kicking major butt by vol. 9, but on the other side there's a lot of stuff in the first volumes that is necessary for later understanding of the characters. I think Watanabe Michiaki had a great sense of comic timing and pace - he could break a very serious scene with a joke and then go back to it, giving us a break without actually losing the tension. (...am I making sense?)
The Sizer plot is also infinitely better in the manga (I think it was too melodramatic in the anime, and Sizer wasn't as tortured as in the manga), without mentioning Lute's plot--- oh GOD, Lute. Read the manga from chapter 100 onwards and you'll scoff, snort and laugh at anime chapter 2.
Spoiler for Lutestuff (how he dies, etc):
Most people also seem to dislike Flute in the anime. I do too. It's like the animators/screenwriters thought she wasn't a good female lead for being too boyish and braver and emotionally stronger and more mature than the hero. And for facing much stronger enemies to defend her beliefs. Screenwriters, just because Flute doesn't take crap from people doesn't mean she's not a sweet girl. I use the Flute Method to help my sister when she has a depression-induced sob attack.
Raiel is really weird in the anime, but I think he kind of forgave Hamel way too quickly in the manga. On the other side, I wish he was less of a psycho in the series. Oh well. :/
Trom doesn't play much in the anime, compared to the manga, where he really is one of the Five hopes.
And the Five Hopes stuff... well, it makes much more sense in the manga.
Spoiler for 5 HOPES:
Uff... now I'm getting kinda tired of writing, so I'm going to stop here. I'd like to know what you think of this analysis. And pardon any grammar/spelling mistakes, english is my second language and I'm sleepy.
And anime-Pandora sucks. Period.
|2004-12-05, 20:22
|Link #44
Join Date: Jan 2004
I've never watched the anime, though I've watched the movie. I've read abildsoe's translation (excellent, I might add) of the manga, and I WANT MORE!!!!
Well, the translators are a husband-wife couple who had a kid during the time the manga stopped being translated so it's pretty obvious where their priorities should lie so you can't really blame them.
|2004-12-06, 01:37
|Link #46
I don't see why people judge the whole thing on just the manga or the anime. I won't go into the details too much since I don't believe in the spoiler bar (you either spoil or don't, no third option here).
Personally, yes the anime had its...faults, one of them (and the most common) being the "lack" of animation. I found it interesting since it gave the whole thing that storybook feel. The music factor is what pretty much redeems the whole series (Tanaka Kouhei, thank you again for yet another brilliant score), and the pieces from the classical repertoire also helped (as mentioned earlier, most of the budget probably went to acquire the licenses, including rental for the actual music, since that also costs an arm and then some...). I don't know much about acting and portryal of emotion, but I thought Ueda Yuuji's Hamel was as convincing as it gets for the type of character he was in the anime (a bit unlike Ueda-san's usual roles, but meh). The same can be said about the rest of the cast (though I REALLY miss Yokoyama Chisa as Flute >.>)
As far as the manga is concerned, you have to understand that it can be considered a dark comedy of sorts, and you can't really expect Hamel to be the hero all the time. I mean this thing is 37 volumes long, so him being the "anti-hero" is perfectly justified. The drama and angst are there, and I've always been a sucker for good comic timing, and this is as good as it gets (outside of a few select korean movies...). Anyway, my two cents.
Last edited by Ruisu; 2004-12-06 at 01:38. Reason: THERE'S AN "R" IN REPERTOIRE! T_T
|2004-12-06, 04:28
|Link #47
a.k.a. Akari_House
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere near Seattle
Age: 50
I attended a panel Imagawa did at an AnimeExpo not long after Hameln. Interestingly, he also complained about the budget they had to work under and how they had to take this extreme stylisitic approach in order to effectively tell the story the way he and the staff wanted with the little money they had for the production.
Halfway through, they realised the anime was evolving too differently stylisticly from the manga, so rather than step too much on the manga artist's toes redoing things differently on the same storyline, they decided to just veer the story in an entirely original direction instead. Originally they planned to do a much longer story arc, but the series was cut way short, so Imagawa came up with the tragic ending as the best way to wrap up as many loose threads as they could in the time they had left.
It sounded like Imagawa was both frustrated and proud of the series he helped shape, and it was a good vehicle for his love of combining anime and classical music (see Giant Robo...).
|2004-12-06, 14:40
|Link #48
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
I haven't seen the movie or all of the manga yet, nor do I plan to.
But I would like to say that I loved the anime series in spite of all its flaws. Among dramatic anime, it's funny to see how something as colored as that ranks pretty high, with no less than an entire cast of over-angsting characters and a last episode worthy of a whole can of prozac (and I ain't complaining ^^). It's not because the anime is different from the original manga that it should be *bad*.
Megumi Ogata as Sizer, in particular, was unbelievely good. One of her very best performance imho.
|2004-12-13, 12:39
|Link #49
Join Date: Nov 2004
Well after reading this thread i just HAD to watch this
To be honest i loved it. Its darkness and depression just fitted so well. I agree still frames were over used, but hey it was still a great series one i'll watch again. I've read a few chapters of the manga, and didnt find it appealing so gave it up.
Everyone's taste is different though, my hubby hates Mai HiME while i like it, i hate Memories off but he likes it and so on. Doesnt mean that the shows are crap, just that we have different tastes.
I'd love to see an OVA be made of Flute opening the box again to be with Hameln, that would be an awsome OVA, especialy if she was able to recover his soul and turn him huiman (which is what i was expecting in the end to be honest). The ending took me by complete suprise, reminded me so much of KGNE and Kono Mini, the bitter sweet ending where 'good' is victorious but no one is really happy over it.
I will say the movie was terrible compared with the series. Okay less still frame, but it was so cartoony it was rediculas, i had to turn it off after 10 minutes or i would of thrown a fit, even hubby hated it and its rare we agree on anime
|2006-04-04, 03:50
|Link #50
Barnarna Pearl
Join Date: Apr 2006
...most all the music that was used in this anime technically falls under public domain so there wern't any roalty expenses that had to be paid... the only expenses were likely to a studio to record the music and an orchestra to play the stuff...
More on Public Domain here: http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm
I think the simple situation with this anime is a super tight buget... they didn't have the money to pay for all the work that goes into "tweening" animation cels n' all... so many scenes were left as static "slide show" frames.
I used to read this comic back when I was in High School... never read the first book untill now... started picking it up from Kinnokunia in Seattle, Wa back in 92 when issue #2 came out... followed it up to issue #6... funny that that's where the translations seem to have stopped too.
I knew there was an anime made about this but I haven't gotten a chance to see it until now (actually I did get a peek of one episode a few years ago.. but still...). It's odd how much different the cartoon is from the manga. I miss alot of the crude jokes and the insane selfish greedy bastard aspect of Hamel's personality.
Oh well.. still fun to watch... and see my old favorite comic... er... "slightly" animated...
|2006-09-13, 20:03
|Link #51
Crossover Yuusha Godaiger
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Middlesex, UK
Age: 38
Has some volumes scanslated and on Torrents
And: http://passioncrane.blogspot.com/200...of-hameln.html
Has volumes 1 to 16 so far
Last edited by Godaiger; 2006-09-13 at 20:36.
|2006-09-14, 00:42
|Link #53
Waiting for more taiyuki!
Join Date: Jan 2004
Well, I can understand how people hate the animation. I liked it but wished that it had more of a budget and was better animated. The classical music used was wonderful. I really cried at the end of the series.
|2007-05-06, 14:00
|Link #55
Anyone ever watch the old Mighty Thor cartoons where they would just zoom in on a still of his fist whenever he was punching a bad guy.....yeah, Violinist of Hameling is kind of worse in terms of animation. Even Super Bestial Machine God Dancougar had way more frames of animation and it aired in the 80s. I get a kick out of it though.
Holy smokes I think this thread is one of the oldest on the forum.
|2007-05-06, 14:14
|Link #56
Incoherance is my friend!
Join Date: Dec 2005
I don't kid when I say old the animation style is 60s/70s it might be weak but it dosent drip of cheese like Tekkaman Blade and some other 70's style anime.
|2007-05-06, 14:22
|Link #57
Also are we talking about Dancouga or Violinst of Hamelin when you say old anime.
Oh and To me old anime is 70's-mid 80's. Any further back is what I refer to as the "Foundations" of anime such as Tetsujin-28 Go and Tetsuwan Atom. Violinist is 90's so it doesn't really qualify as old to me either. Old to me is before I was born, which is the mid-80's.
|2007-05-06, 14:55
|Link #58
Incoherance is my friend!
Join Date: Dec 2005
While VOH was made in the 90s it has every bit of the 70s/80s animation style ,its almost watching panels shift than animation but I found it "quaint" so it didn't really effect me I also read the manga after it so I saw it truly as a old style OVA , its still a fun tragic uberly low budget anime but it will still have a few nuts that like it *L*
|2007-05-06, 16:32
|Link #59
Disciple of the Flames
Join Date: Sep 2004
I actually like the anime, the series. The movie was a bit of a disapointment, but i loved the Anime. The ending was just so damned good i had to watch the last 3 eps 5 times in a row to get my fill
This is one of the few manga conversions i dont pick over and complain about. Sure its not faithful, but there's just xsomething about it. I also loved the music for it, ive been searching for the OST's but no joy yet
I wouldnt call it s**t, since everyone has different tastes. I found Gundam Seed Destiny painful and terrible, but i know others who loved it. We cant all have the same tastes and likes, where's the fun in that
Given when it was made, and the number of episodes it has, content etc. This is one of a few shows (one of 7 in fact) that gets a 10/10 from me.
Edit: In case anyone is interested, the manga IS still being translated, slowly but surely. Once a month or so a new chapter turns up on lurk
|2007-05-06, 16:38
|Link #60
Incoherance is my friend!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Ya this is one of the few animes I can think off that did its own thing without completely destroying itself.
BTW I hate Gundam Seed :X
I loved 08 the most and it was only 12 eps WIng was ok..barely ,the old Gundam is not to bad...
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Among recent enforcement actions by the SEC are charges against six individuals for insider trading. FINRA fined and censured Barclays Capital on options reporting failures and Edward D. Jones on inappropriate recommendations of alternative ETFs.
SEC Charges 6 With Insider Trading Prior to eBay Acquisition
The SEC has charged six individuals with insider trading in connection with the eBay's acquisition of an e-commerce company.
Christopher Saridakis, a former executive for a company that was acquired by eBay, was charged, along with five traders, with insider trading after Saridakis passed along confidential information that was spread and acted upon by friends and relatives.
Saridakis, who was CEO of the marketing solutions division of GSI Commerce, not only provided two family members and two friends with nonpublic information about the pending acquisition but also encouraged them to trade on it, resulting in ill-gotten gains of more than $300,000. The information spread in a complex web and resulted in a total of $738,635 in downstream profits.
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But Saridakis didn't stop there. He also told his friend Suken Shah about the impending deal, and Shah told his brother, who then spread the information even further.
Saridakis agreed to settle the SEC's charges and pay $664,822, which includes a penalty twice the amount of his tippees' profits; he also agreed to an officer-and-director bar. In addition, he is the target of criminal charges brought in a parallel action by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The five traders, and one individual who entered into a nonprosecution agreement with the SEC, will pay a combined total of more than $490,000 in their settlements, which range from disgorgement-only or reduced penalties for cooperators to penalties of two or three times the trading profits for other traders.
Gardner has agreed to fully disgorge his ill-gotten gains of $259,054 as part of a cooperation agreement in which the SEC is not seeking a penalty. Gardner also agreed to continue cooperating in the ongoing investigation.
Suken Shah agreed to settle the SEC's charges in an administrative proceeding by paying disgorgement of $10,446, which includes $609 in trading profits made by the other individual he tipped. He also agreed to pay prejudgment interest of $1,007 and a penalty of $64,965 for a total of $76,418.
Shimul Shah agreed to disgorge his trading profit of $11,209 and pay prejudgment interest of $1,022 and a penalty of $22,418 for a total of $34,650.
The individual who got the nonprosecution agreement was tipped by Shimul Shah at a group dinner. This individual has agreed to disgorge a trading profit of $31,777 and pay $2,725 in prejudgment interest for a total of $34,502. The SEC said this individual provided early, extraordinary, and unconditional cooperation. The SEC has also settled charges against two other individuals who got insider information that did not originate from Saridakis. The wife of another insider at GSI became aware of the proposed acquisition and shared the news with a friend the weekend before the public announcement. The friend shared the information with Oded Gabay, who then tipped his friend Aharon Yehuda.
Gabay cooperated early in the investigation, and agreed to settle the SEC's charges by disgorging his trading profit of $23,615 and paying prejudgment interest of $1,207 and a penalty of $22,177 for a total of $46,999. Yehuda agreed to settle the SEC's charges by disgorging his trading profit of $20,740 and paying prejudgment interest of $1,666 and a penalty of $20,740 for a total of $43,146.
Edward Jones Censured, Fined on ETF Recommendation Failures
FINRA censured Edward Jones & Co. and fined the firm $200,000, as well as requiring customer restitution of $51,581.25, after it found that the firm had allowed registered representatives to recommend nontraditional ETFs without reasonable due diligence on those ETFs to determine whether they were suitable for those customers.
The reps were responsible for approximately 15,000 nontraditional ETF transactions, at a combined value of approximately $164 million, in retail customers' accounts, even though some customers had not indicated that they were willing to take aggressive risks by investing in such products. In addition, the firm's supervisory system was inadequate to achieve compliance on this and on making sure that brokers executed due diligence on nontraditional ETFs, nor did it make sure that brokers had adequate information and instruction on the nontraditional ETFs before making their recommendations.
The firm neither admitted nor denied FINRA's findings, but consented to the measures.
FINRA Fines, Censures Barclays Capital on Options Reporting Failures
Barclays Capital Inc. was censured and fined $750,000 after FINRA found that it had incorrectly reported large conventional nonindex option positions to the Large Options Position Reporting (LOPR) system as index options.
Without admitting or denying the charges, Barclays agreed to the sanctions and to FINRA's findings that it had exceeded the applicable position limit in options for a combined total of 86 business days, and also failed to report its Options Contract Equivalent of the Net Delta (OCEND) position to The Options Clearing Corp. (OCC) in one symbol for 23 business days.
In addition, there were other LOPR reporting failures, as well as failures to follow up and review its actions in a way that would reasonably achieve compliance.
Check out SEC Fines NYSE, 2 Affiliates $4.5 Million for Breaking Their Own Rules on ThinkAdvisor.


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Hail! Hail!
I'm down in Knoxville, TN at my sister's house where last night I survived the world's most devastating hail storm along with my niece Sklar, my nephew Ben, my sister Stacy, her husband Ronnie, their cats Clementine and Butters, their bunny Snooky, and their dogs Molly and Sidney. We hope their horses Ruby and Bandit made it through all right as well.
I never saw hail like that before in my life! Truly golf ball sized stuff. The house was shaking from the pummeling. I didn't take this photo. But I couldn't figure out how to get the photo I took out of my cell phone and on to the computer. It was pretty similar to this photo but without the golf ball.
I also survived a Zen retreat at Penuel Ridge near Nashville, TN. A good time was had by all.
Apparently I had a reputation around the Nashville Zen Center as some kind of hard-assed task master and general all around meanie. This is because the last time I ran a retreat there I insisted on silence within the common areas.
See... there are a lot of ways to run a Zen retreat. I have been to some where silence is the rule and all interactions have to be carried out without talking except in cases where there is no other way to communicate about a necessary task. And even then you're supposed to whisper. At other retreats there is silence except for designated times of day in certain specific locations. I've also been to retreats where people are chatting and goofing around even right in the zendo up until the bell rings. Nashville wasn't like that. But it was kind of chatty there.
Nishijima Roshi tended to run his retreats in a unique way in regards to silence. I can't recall him ever saying a word about it. However, everyone seemed to know that silence was expected. So whenever we had something to say to each other, we'd go away from the temple to talk. This is the way I like to run things. I don't insist on pure silence. But I do try to make sure that people who came to the retreat to be in silence can do so by making a rule that you must be silent in the common areas.
I'm getting to be a big marshmallow-like softie in my old age. I've come to the conclusion that there really is no set way to do a Zen retreat. So I just go with the flow wherever I happen to be. If people want to chat, I let 'em chat. Though I feel bad for the people who might be at the retreat to be in silence. If the retreat is more clearly my retreat, I'll enforce silence in the common areas. But if I'm a guest speaker at someone else's retreat like I was in Nashville, I just allow things to proceed as they do.
They like to chat in Nashville. しょうがない。It was fun. I liked it. Lots of nice people and nice Zen. Except for being covered in ticks each day. Gross!
I also survived several talks and things at the Atlanta Soto Zen Center. That was fun. I did a talk for their book group, who have been discussing my book Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate. That was really cool. Because ZWIKDIC is what I regard as my most important book. It was largely ignored, which is a damn shame. It says things that nobody else ever has about what it's really like to be a Zen teacher in this here modern age. Oh well. I recorded the discussion. Maybe I'll get it together to put that on-line one of these days.
Speaking of books, take a look at this video.
It's all about my new/old book. I wrote it back in 1998, and then revised it over the past couple years. It's available at the following places:
http://tiny.cc/dgrnx (Amazon)
http://tiny.cc/g38eg (Barnes & Noble)
I'll blog a whole bunch about it pretty soon. Stay tuned!
I've also added a bunch of new gigs on my tour page. The additions are below. But go to my tour page to find all kinds of extra info and useful links.
• May 10, 2011 (Tue) 7:00 pm Ventura Buddhist Center 901 S. Saticoy Ave, Ventura, CA 93004
• May 12, 2011 (Thu) 7:30 pm Against The Stream 4300 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA
• May 21, 2011 9pm ZERO DEFEX at Annabelle's 784 W. Market St. Akron, OH 44303
• May 29, 2011 Houston Zen Center 1605 Heights Blvd., Houston, TX
• July 5, 2011 ZERO DEFEX at X-DAY Wisteria Campground, Pomeroy, OH
• July, 2011 Starwood Festival Wisteria Campground, Pomeroy, OH (date tba)
• August 6, 2011 (Sat) 9am-5pm Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group (all-day zazen) Sacramento, CA
• August 7, 2011 (Sun) 7pm Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group (zazen & dharma talk) Sacramento, CA


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Halloween Crosswords
Halloween crossword puzzles bring educational fun to the most spooktacular holiday of the year! Ranging from simple to advanced, these Halloween crosswords feature holiday-themed words and illustrations that help bring the spooky spirit to this vocabulary-centered game. Beyond building vocabulary, kids will also build spelling skills as they see letter relationships between words. Try these educational Halloween crosswords with your little ghost or ghoul this All Hallow's Eve!Download all (6)
Click on a worksheet in the set below to see more info or download the PDF.


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ROLLINSFORD — Garrison Players' production of Steel Magnolias snapped up five awards, including Best Production, Community Theatre, at the 11th Annual New Hampshire Theatre Awards held at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry.
As part of the 60th anniversary season at the Garrison Players Arts Center (GPAC) in Rollinsford, Steel Magnolias ran from Sept. 14 through 29. The show was the first to use the newly rebuilt stage at the arts center, and rehearsals were held during construction, further testament to the cast and crew.
The awards are as follows:
GPAC NH Theatre Award Winners:
■ Best Production: Steel Magnolias
■ Best Director: Danielle Howard for Steel Magnolias
■ Best Actress: Debra Martuscello Wiley as M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias
■ Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Holcomb as Truvy in Steel Magnolias
■ Best Scenic Designer: Francois Lamothe for Steel Magnolias
GPAC NH Theatre Award Nominees:
■ Best Supporting Actress: Kate Kirkwood as Clairee in Steel Magnolias
■ Best Costume Designer: Aleka Munroe for Steel Magnolias
■ Best Sound Designer: Scott Seely for Steel Magnolias
■ Best Lighting Designer: Robert Henry for Steel Magnolia
■ Best Actress: Lisa Hutchinson as Mama in I Remember Mama
Visit www.garrisonplayers.org to learn about the many events coming up in February at the GPAC on Route 4 in Rollinsford. The players are currently in rehearsal for 1776, a patriotic musical which dramatizes the impassioned debates of Philadelphia's Second Continental Congress, which opens on March 8.
Garrison Players Arts Center (GPAC) is a nonprofit, volunteer-based community theater group dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the area by presenting high-quality theatrical performances geared for family audiences. Established in 1953, the players encourage people of all ages to enjoy and participate in the many facets of the performing arts; and to help maintain the Garrison Players Arts Center. For more information about auditions, shows or GPAC, visit the website at www.garrisonplayers.org.


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Spices Market Analysis by Growth Factors with Regional Forecast of Top Players by 2026
Another factual information on the "Global Spices Market" has as of late added by WMR to its storehouse. This global research report offers an inside and out examination of various perspectives, for example, global market patterns, pieces of the overall industry, drivers, restrictions, opportunities. It gives an investigative view to settle on further choices in organizations. It covers comprehensive instructive information of various key players working over the globe.
Download the Sample Copy of " Spices Market" Report: Avail your FREE sample Copy here!
Spices Market reports spread a total unassuming perspective with the market stake and company profiles of the significant contenders working in the overall market. The Spices Market offers a rundown of detail, generation examination, innovation, product type, considering key highlights, for example, net edge, income, cost.
The Objectives of the Spices Market Market Report:
To study and examine the value, capacity, consumption, production, status, and forecast of the Spices Market
focus on the leading manufacturer operating in the Spices market and evaluate market competition
To the Market forecast, and the introduction of market segmentation along with a regional analysis
To evaluate the advantages and potential of regional risks, restraints, opportunities, and advantages
To identify the key trends and part of allocating the growth of the market
To evaluate stakeholder's opportunities by recognizing the fastest and highest growth segments
To evaluate various competitor analysis such as launches of new products, agreements, expansions, merger, and acquisitions in the market
To analyze the profiles of the key players and evaluates their growth strategies The important objectives of the study and supply chain analysis of their Spices Market development rates, size, sales volume, stocks, and promote development in addition to the market trend and market variables influencing the Spices Market growth and development.
Major Regions:
Geographically, this report split into several key Regions, with sales (MT), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Spices for these regions, covering
North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)
Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)
Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)
South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)
Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)
Major Points Covered in Spices Market Report:-
Spices Market Overview
Spices Market Industry Competition by Manufacturers
Spices Market Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region
Spices Market Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region
Market Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Type
Spices Market Industry Analysis by Application
Industry Manufacturing Cost Analysis
Spices Market Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis
Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers
Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors
Market Effect Factors Analysis
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Worldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. WMR well-researched inputs that encompass domains enable our prizes clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.


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Sustainable slow growth. That's the latest word on the West Michigan economy, according to the data collected during the last two weeks of January.
Our index of business improvement, New Orders, gained strength by rising to +14 from +5. However, the Production index eased to +7 from +10. The Employment index returned to double digits at +12, up from +9.
Activity in the purchasing offices remained subdued at +6, virtually unchanged from +7. Some industries are plagued with price increases in January, so it was not surprising to see our index of Prices rise to +19 from +15. Because of optimistic forecasts for growth in 2014, firms added to their raw material inventories, and Raw Materials Inventories index turned positive at +6, up from -4.
Taking a look at local industrial groups, the furniture industry was quite positive in Mike Dunlap's January report. "The industry remains on a very steady but improving trend line," it read. However, our survey respondents reported a little softness in January orders, possibly because of orders strategically placed in November and December to expend funds before the end of the budget year. Another positive for the office furniture industry is the recent rise in construction of new office space.
The auto parts firms turned in a mixed performance for January, but the bias was still to the up side. January is usually a slow month for capital equipment firms, but several respondents reported very positive sales. For industrial distributors, it was "steady as she goes." Overall, we have numerous local factories at full capacity, and firms looking for qualified people to fill positions.
Turning to the national economy, the Feb. 3 report from the Institute for Supply Management, our parent organization, indicated New Orders for ISM's manufacturing index retreated to a six-month low of +8, down considerably from +20. The Production index retreated to +8 from +12. ISM's anemic Employment index fell to +2 from +6, indicating job growth in the U.S. industrial sector has slowed to a trickle. The most unsettling news came for ISM's overall manufacturing index, which retreated to 51.3, down from 56.5. Since Wall Street was expecting a consensus reading of 56.0, the report triggered a major selloff among the major stock exchanges around the world.
British economic forecasting firm Markit posted a less severe drop for U.S. manufacturing. Markit's PMI edged lower to 53.7 from 55.0. Markit's index of New Orders remained positive, but eased to 53.9 from 56.1. The index of New Export Orders flipped negative to 48.4 from 51.4.
At the international level, the Feb. 3 reports from some purchasing organizations continued to show modest improvement, while others posted modest declines. JP Morgan's "32 nation" Global Manufacturing PMI was virtually unchanged at 52.9, down from 53.0. At 56.7, the U.K. PMI topped the list of the major world economies, followed closely by Japan at 56.6. Germany remains strong at 56.5, followed by the Netherlands at 54.8. It was gratifying to see the Greek PMI turn positive for the first time in 65 months. Losers for January included China, Indonesia, Russia and France. Taking a lead from the U.S., the Canadian PMI eased to 51.7 from 53.5.
In our survey's two new categories relating to the short- and long-term business outlook, the greatest improvement in our five-month history has come from the "short-term" category. For January, the Short Term Outlook edged up to +32 from +27. This is almost three times as strong as the index of +12 recorded in November when the threat of an extended government shutdown put many business planners on edge. For the Long Term Outlook, the index rose to +60 from +53. Many firms ended 2013 with record sales and expect 2014 to be very positive as well.
Over the past few weeks, the financial markets have been rattled by several events in the news. First, the Federal Reserve announced it will continue to reduce purchases under the third wave of Quantitative Easing, or QE III. In the weeks since the "tapering" began, various short-term rates have edged higher. For instance, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has risen to about 4.5 percent from 3.5 percent eight months ago. This has resulted in some money managers moving out of stock market equities into fixed rate notes and bonds. The predictable net result is that bond yields rise and stocks go down.
Unfortunately, rising interest rates have had a significant impact on a group of Third World countries known as the "Fragile Five." This new moniker identifies Turkey, Brazil, India, South Africa and Indonesia as economies that have become too dependent on skittish foreign investment to finance their growth ambitions. The negative consequences are simple: When interest rates in the major countries were artificially pushed down to record low levels, several emerging economies found they could borrow money on the world market for as low as 4 percent, far below the 12 to 15 percent they would have paid just a few years ago. With interest rates in the U.S. and Europe now rising, these countries are seeing their cost of borrowing rise very rapidly. The Fragile Five are now threatened with serious recessions as monies flow out of these countries. Fortunately, this country does not have major exposure to the Fragile Five, so it is unlikely they could spawn another U.S. recession. However, the European countries are not so lucky. Furthermore, worldwide demand for commodities, goods and services will be noticeably curtailed if two or more of these five countries encounter major fiscal difficulties. This would inhibit, but not stop, the U.S. economy.
Another small shock came Jan. 23 when the Chinese PMI reported by HSBC fell barely below the break-even point to 49.6. In the final report Jan. 30, the index eased a little further to 49.5. Of course, the Chinese government's official (but phony) statistics are still positive. Worries persist over China's shaky bank loans, some of which are off the books in an opaque financial system called "shadow banking." Although China is half a world away, a sharp downturn would severely reduce exports to our third-best customer. Furthermore, a Chinese recession would draw the fragile Third World economies into another worldwide recession, which the U.S. would find difficult to avoid.
In an election year, there is scarcely a politician who can give a speech and not use the word "jobs" at least six times. Of course, what he or she really means is employment, and more jobs generally mean lower unemployment.
The December unemployment level in Kent County fell to 5.4 percent. This is about half the unemployment level of about four years ago, but almost three times the 20-year low of 2.1 percent. Other entities like Kentwood can recall a 20-year unemployment low of 1.4 percent and the part of Holland in Allegan County, 0.9 percent. At the present rate of job growth, it is estimated it will be 2019 before we return to a normal level of unemployment. It is worth repeating that automotive and the industrial sector as a whole can go just so far in pulling us out of the Great Recession.
Brian Long, Ph.D., is director of supply chain management research at Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University.


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A Sensitive Raunchfest In 'The Inbetweeners'
The Inbetweeners
- Director: Ben Palmer
- Genre: Comedy
- Running Time: 97 minutes
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, some graphic nudity, language, alcohol and brief drug use
With: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas, Emily Head
Watch Clips
'Break Up'
'Break Up'
Film adaptations of TV shows long off the air have proven hit-or-miss at the box office. But in recent years, the practice of continuing the story of a popular, recently concluded TV series in a feature film has made for easier business — even when the results are mixed creatively. There's a lot to get wrong in translating a successful series, and therefore a lot to consider: How much of an introduction will a wide audience need to a show's world and characters? How will the storytelling contend with the pacing and rhythms of a different medium? Can the movie offer a plot significant enough that it sustains interest for more than the usual half-hour or hour?
The Inbetweeners, a male-focused and self-conscious teen sex comedy based on the award-winning British TV series, answers the questions of adaptation with aplomb, dispensing a disposable but inventive and intelligent series follow-up which satisfies as a standalone experience.
Written by series creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley and directed by Ben Palmer, who directed two of the three seasons of the show, the movie picks up the story of four not-quite-popular friends just as they're graduating from their public high school in the suburbs of London. Immediately, the 18 episodes exploring that world are one of the film's biggest assets, even for an audience unfamiliar with the show; the movie dispenses with clunky exposition and lets the audience catch up to characters through their actions.
As an appropriate introduction to the film's frequently bawdy and occasionally pessimistic tone, swaggering and sex-obsessed Jay (James Buckley) is caught half-naked by his mother and sister while doing something involving a hockey glove, a scuba mask, a credit card and lunch meat. They're there to tell him his grandfather has died. Things aren't going much better for earnest and oblivious Simon (Joe Thomas), who is summarily dumped by his girlfriend Carli (Emily Head) in preparation for the transition to university. Will (Simon Bird), the film's witty narrator and the group's most level-headed member, is also the most identifiably nerdy — it seems part of a crushing routine when he doles out sarcastic but hollow gibes as he's graced on the last day of school with one final wedgie from the school bully. The only one who seems to be getting along fine is Neil (Blake Harrison), but you get the sense that, even without a girlfriend, his sunny if slightly dim disposition would keep him happy.
Ready to relieve their academic and sexual frustrations, the guys take off for the teen summer holiday destination of Malia, Crete, which boasts beaches, clubs, alcohol and girls. Although their dank hostel seems minutes away from getting condemned, the group won't be deterred — especially Jay, who marshals Will, Neil and even heartsick Simon to make the best of the trip and have some sex.
Unlike many other R-rated comedies of recent years, The Inbetweeners is chiefly a sex comedy, though an unconventional one. While out having too much to drink, the guys (conveniently) meet four mostly available women, and they somewhat hit it off, each in their own awkward way. Will's self-deprecating humor charms Alison (Laura Haddock) in spite of her chiseled Greek boyfriend. In spite of his insecurities about seeming cool, and professing to be uninterested in flirting with someone of a bigger size, Jay develops an interest in similarly foul-mouthed Jane (Lydia Rose Bewley). Simon makes a fleeting connection with clearly interested Lucy (Tamla Kari) in the brief moment when he doesn't talk about his ex, who naturally turns up in Malia. And Neil — well, Neil gets along with just about anyone, including easygoing Lisa (Jessica Knappett).
To the film's credit, the role of women isn't typical of the genre. The Inbetweeners isn't trying to pass the Bechdel test, but its female characters are written sensitively and with more obvious maturity than the guys. And, while sex comedies traditionally traffic in male wish-fulfillment — and, with that, female nudity — that's not the case here. (In fact, there's plenty of male nudity.) Arriving at the sex comedy by way of the comedy of manners, the film playfully exploits male social and sexual anxieties as each guy makes a fool of himself in one way or another. Simon, trying to scrounge up enough money for a ticket to a boat party where he may see Carli, sells all his clothes (even the ones off his back), only to be grifted in the process.
Its raunchiness not withstanding, the most successful comedic bits in The Inbetweeners are character-driven, many of them as awkward as the teenage experiences they portray. The film even risks making its immature protagonists too awful to each other and the people they encounter to be sympathetic. Yet Jay, possibly the film's least likable character, turns out to be one of the most compelling; The Inbetweeners doesn't validate these guys' behavior, but instead places their actions in the context of insecurity and inexperience.
That grounded approach brings a level of realism to the film's few serious moments. In a remarkable display of directorial restraint, one guy's first experience of getting to second base plays out sweetly, nervously and in near silence. Even as The Inbetweeners revels in the guys' sexual failures, it treats their journeys as the significant experiences they are.


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SARATOGA SPRINGS >> In the contest to be named a new casino site, analysts say the Saratoga Casino and Raceway has the advantage of experience and reputation, along with its current location and expansion plans, while other contenders may be hampered by deadlines and expense.
Saratoga is considered a prime candidate because the racino is already within the city and is planning a $30 million expansion. These renovations will include a 120-room hotel, event space and fine dining.
John Sabini, the former chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, said the racino owners had been smart to invest in a commercial casino in Colorado. This experience managing a full-fledged operation will help them make a strong case in their bid, he said.
"These owners have also successfully gone through due diligence," Sabini said. "The application process can sometimes turn up interesting things. One Massachusetts Caesars casino was found to have a Nevada partner connected with the Russian mob."
If due diligence doesn't scare off applicants, the $1 million application fee might, Sabini said.
In one published newspaper article, E.J. McMahon, president of the Empire Center for Public Policy, said he believes the governor's fast timeline gives the edge to places like Saratoga Springs and Tioga County, which is located in the Southern Tier and also has a racino.
Tight deadlines are another factor. The state's timeline for the casino site selection is not yet finalized, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to make this a speedy process. His current plan is to send out requests for proposals in March and have bids come back in June. Site selections will be made in early fall.
"The process is outlined by the governor," said Lee Park, director of communications at the New York State Gaming Commission. "The commission is committed to following the governor's timeline for casino siting. We continue to evaluate candidates for the five-member Facilities Location Board and expect to make appointments before the end of January."
The Facilities Location Board will consider three main areas when evaluating casino applications. They are: economic activity (70 percent), local impact (20 percent) and workforce enhancement (10 percent). When a three-person board majority has named a location, the board has 90 days to issue a request for applications from potential casino operators. A timeline for submitting and reviewing applications has not yet been determined.
Destination Saratoga, a group lobbying for a new casino, reacted positively to Cuomo's plans, said Morgan Hook, a spokesperson for the group. "Destination Saratoga applauds Gov. Cuomo's aggressive timeline to create jobs and generate new revenue for local communities, education and the state through expanded gaming," Hook wrote in a press statement. "No potential bidder in the Capital Region is better-suited to meet this timeline than Saratoga Casino and Raceway."
James Featherstonhaugh, one of the owners of Saratoga's racino, agreed with that assessment.
"We're able to comply with the governor's timeline, whether it's short or long," he said. "But truth be told, I don't know if anyone actually has the final timeline yet."
Sabini said, "If the state wants the best facilities, it should not deter competition. The taxpayers will get the best bang for their buck by considering many innovative proposals that create jobs."


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Don't look now, but hearth and home and DIY are in. For now.
This story first appeared in the November 24, 2008 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Who hasn't, in the last few months, wished they had a crystal ball right out of Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings or, heck, even The Muppets' Wizard of Oz? Plunging economies, diminishing 401(k)s, falling house prices, the interminable presidential campaign and failing banks have naturally left everyone wondering, "What can possibly happen next?"
Well, we don't know. But in an effort to get some guidance, WWDScoop polled futurists, consultants, fashion executives and other "experts" on what the turmoil might mean for all of us in the year ahead and beyond. How it might change the way we shop, eat, dress, travel or just plain think. And, while the people we spoke with don't have a crystal ball, either, they came up with a few answers. Not quite the wisdom of Kermit the Frog, but, then, they didn't pull any strings.
Today's mantra should be reset, according to New York–based creative consultant Jeffrey Miller. "Like you do with a computer. This is not a moment to invoke fear or doubt, but to reset priorities."
John Kenneth Galbraith's 1955 book, The Great Crash: 1929, is currently a hot seller—and almost impossible to come by—while Karl Marx's Das Kapital is the new bedside reading in Britain.
"There's this sense of a clock ticking, of finding the time to do what we've always wanted, something that's an alternative to the reckless shopping and jetting to Barcelona for a crazy weekend," says Miller.
"We are turning inwards, toward the house, home entertaining and hobbies," says Ilaria Alber- Glanstaetten, chief executive of Provenance, the London-based luxury goods arm of ad agency M&C Saatchi. Sales of sewing machines and patterns are on the rise and women are increasingly rooting through their closets, asking dressmakers to help them refit old designer outfits.
And even iconic French designer Agnès Troublé of agnès b. couldn't be more pleased. "I hope that people will make their own fashion with clothing that reflects their personalities, instead of mindlessly following loud styles that invariably end up in the back of the closet," she says.
In California, fitness fanatics are favoring their own four walls over the gym. "People are moving more toward being at home," says Kathy Kaehler, fitness expert and author of Fit and Sexy for Life, citing the growing popularity of programs such as Wii Fit. "My celebrity clients are not wanting to put in time at the new, big gyms. It is more about 'What can I do with what I have?'"
Staying at home means less shopping. "I haven't shopped much this fall, and there is a sense of relief," says Rena Kirdar Sindi, a London-based socialite, former party planner and author of Be My Guest: Theme Party Savoir-Faire. "I think a lot of people are questioning their insane spending—and sobering up."
Looking ahead, Sindi says, "Now, it's about buying one nice jacket, not 10 Dolce dresses. And I think people are going to start prioritizing between, say, buying the amazing wine or having the great holiday."
As they prioritize, they'll look closer at the quality and origins of what they are buying. "It's not going to be about 'Look at my "It" bag,' but rather 'Look at this piece of jewelry I bought in Peru," says Joe Staton, planning director for The Future Foundation, the trend-forecasting consultancy.
The money- and celebrity-fueled art market will also undergo a radical correction—just look at the dud sales recently at Sotheby's and Christie's in New York. "Art has a higher power than something like a stock," says Sarah Cohen, director of Mint Art and Mint Lifestyle, a Beverly Hills– based concierge, art and real estate resource. "What we need are fewer galleries, fewer fairs, fewer speculators and ultimately the motto that aesthetics come first and value second."
Kenny Schachter, a gallerist and art dealer who works between New York and London, would agree. "Until now, people were buying art like they bought the National Enquirer at the supermarket checkout. When you went to an art fair, you had to make a move quickly—before your rivals beat you to it. Time was money."
Crystal ball gazers aren't exactly renowned for their accuracy. Once the dust settles on all this upheaval, things very well may go back to just the way they were before. "If I have learned one thing—after the 1997 Asian crisis, 9/11 and SARS—it is that people don't change," says Domenico De Sole, chairman of Tom Ford International and former president and chief executive officer of Gucci Group. "They go back to their old ways. No one knows how long this crisis will last, and it will definitely have a temporary impact, but we will return to the boom times, to spending on fashion and luxury. Human beings have a tendency to forget."


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Your friend wants to make sure you stay safe online,
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Andrew Bynum will finally play for the 76ers when ... oh, who fucking knows? Bynum hasn't played or practiced this season because he and his haircut were traded to Philly this summer with chronic knee problems. The injury that had kept him sidelined was a bone bruise in his right knee, and Bynum has already pushed back his return date more than once.
Earlier this week, the Sixers announced that the right knee would keep Bynum out until at least January. But Friday, Bynum told reporters he "had a little bit of a setback" with his left knee. And now ESPN is saying something bad recently happened while Bynum was out bowling.
Brian Windhorst and Chris Broussard reported tonight that bowling caused Bynum to sustain "an unspecified injury this month." The report doesn't say exactly what happened, or whether bowling caused an injury to either knee, or whether the injury involved some other part of Bynum's body. Just this:
There are several activities that are prohibited in standard NBA player contracts, but bowling is not one of them. Bynum is known to enjoy bowling.
The report cites "multiple sources," though it doesn't say whether The Dude was one of them.


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Just how much sodium is in a meal from popular chain restaurants? You may be shocked (though probably not surprised)....
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February 1, 13 at 11:18 AM


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J.R. Smith has surgery on left knee
Knicks guard J.R. Smith has had patella tendon surgery and arthroscopy on his left knee that likely will keep him from joining the Knicks when they open training camp in late September.
The team said Smith will need 12-16 weeks to recover from the operation performed on Monday by Dr Answorth Allen at the Hospital for Special Surgery. The team said the injuries were chronic, with the arthroscopy repairing a tear in the lateral meniscus.
Smith, who won the Sixth Man of the Year award, helped shoot the Knicks into the playoffs before struggling in the postseason. The New Jersey product worked out a deal to stay with the Knicks that will pay him about $25 million over four years.
He averaged 18.1 points during the regular season, second on the team behind Carmelo Anthony.
Associated Press
(China Daily 07/17/2013 page23)


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Those of you who rarely if ever read the Terms of Service on social networking websites can breathe a temporary sigh of relief. With help from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a Northern California US District Judge has dismissed Facebook's lawsuit against Power.com—at least for now. The court was not convinced by Facebook's claim that Power.com's unwanted efforts to integrate Facebook into its network of social networks constituted a violation of California's criminal code.
Reading though his opinion, one senses that Judge James Ware appreciated the gravity of this issue. "In the modern context, in which millions of average internet users access websites every day without ever reading, much less understanding, those websites' terms of use, this is far from an easy or straightforward question," Ware wrote.
But he also warned that if Facebook could prove that Power.com tried to circumvent Facebook's attempts to block its efforts, that would be a different matter.
Still, all in all, "good news," says EFF's Marcia Hoffman, who filed an amicus brief in the case. "Another federal judge has ruled that violating a website terms of service is not a crime."
Perhaps the most famous decision of this sort came out of the trial of Lori Drew. In that instance a judge determined that Drew's construction of a phony MySpace identity may have violated that site's terms of service, but it didn't run afoul of the anti-hacker Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Let's take a look at Facebook vs. Power.com.
Security measures
"All your friends in just one place," is Power.com's slogan. The firm offers one-stop login/password networking to Twitter, Linked-In, Orkut, and HI-5. But Power.com lost a friend in Facebook pretty fast when it tried to add the network to its service list.
"Power.com's access of Facebook's website and servers was unauthorized and violated Facebook's rights," Facebook's complaint insisted, "including Facebook's trademark, copyrights, and business expectations with its users."
Nonsense, Power.com pushed back, and has gone so far as to sue Facebook for violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
"One example of Facebook improperly restricting their users' ownership and control of their own data is Facebook's purported 'security measure' of prohibiting users from providing their own username and password to third parties, such as Power," the company complained. "But this is not a 'security measure' at all. The entry of usernames and passwords to access a website through a third-party site poses no threat to security. On the contrary, it is commonplace in the industry."
To this Facebook responded that however Power.com sees the situation, Facebook did not give the company a green light to recruit all those Facebook users.
Facebook's Terms of Service make this clear, its attorneys argued. The social network's users may not "collect users' content or information, or otherwise access Facebook, using automated means (such as harvesting bots, robots, spiders, or scrapers) without [Facebook's] permission."
Guilty, but of what?
Judge Ware agreed with Facebook about the permission question in the context of Facebook's TOS language. But he found far less convincing Facebook's claim that this violation of its terms somehow ran afoul of Section 502 of California's Penal Code.
Section 502 makes a miscreant "guilty of a public offense" if he or she "knowingly accesses and without permission takes, copies, or makes use of any data from a computer, computer system, or computer network, or takes or copies any supporting documentation, whether existing or residing internal or external to a computer, computer system, or computer network," or "knowingly and without permission uses or causes to be used computer services."
These and other forms of mischief described in the legislation are punishable by fines as high as $10,000 and jail or prison sentences as long as 16 months. Companies that feel that this law has been broken at their expense may also invoke it in a civil suit.
But Ware worried that applying Section 502 to this case would essentially allow the owner of a website or Web-based service to classify as criminals consumers who used their site in ways that they didn't like.
The judge was obviously influenced by EFF's amicus logic. "Merely providing a tool to assist an authorized user in accessing his or her own data in a novel manner cannot and should not form the basis for criminal liability," EFF warned.
When California lawmakers enacted the law, Ware wondered, did they really intend it to apply to Power.com's behavior towards Facebook?
"It is far from clear what conduct the legislature believed posed a threat to the integrity of computers and computer systems, or if the legislature could even fathom the shape that those threats would take more than twenty years after the statute was first enacted," he wrote.
And so Ware found that the "without permission" phrases in Section 502 simply did not apply to this case.
Nothing inherently wrong
But, the court added, if Facebook can prove that Power.com deliberately tried to circumvent some of Facebook's technical barriers, such as the social network's attempts at barring its IP addresses, that could constitute a violation of the California law. "There can be no ambiguity or mistake as to whether access has been authorized when one encounters a technical block," Ware warned.
In fact, all that Power.com did was change its IP addresses, but for now EFF is declaring victory—hoping that future courts will see the matter differently.
"There's nothing inherently wrong or unlawful about avoiding IP address blocking," EFF's Hoffman wrote, "and there are valid reasons why someone might choose to do so, including to sidestep anticompetitive behavior by other Internet services. As long as an end user is authorized to access a computer and the way she chooses doesn't cause harm, she should be able to access the computer any way she likes without committing a crime."
Listing image by From Flickr user Mark Strozier


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It's been a while since we've talked about Rob Zombie but now that his "The Lords Of Salem" is close to seeing the light of day it's time to thrust his loins back into your face. Sounds awful, right? Well it appears Mr. Zombie's witch revenge flick has sparked quite the bidding war with Anchor Bay being the front runner, offering close to $1.5 million for the film. I think we should start anew with Rob so I'll hold back on any stupid comments... I will mention how annoying his wife is though, but that's all.
If you've been on the edge of your seat waiting for the new "Godzilla" reboot then I am happy to tell you the wait is over because the good people at Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have announced that the flick will hit theaters on May 16th 2014. I mean you have to wait till then, and that's a pretty long time away, but you don't have to wait to know how long you have to wait. You get it? "Wait" by White Lion is a great song.
Adam Wingard's "You're Next" has also found itself a release date in the form of August 23rd 2013. The flick is about a family on vacation when they find themselves being hunted by a group of mysterious killers. They wear masks I think. If they wore Godzilla masks this would tie in really nicely wouldn't it. The lead singers of White Lion's name is Mike Tramp, that always grossed me out.
I have no idea why I keep talking about "Scary movie 5" but the rumor going around that Lindsay Lohan has faked having walking pneumonia is kind of awesome so I think you people need to know about it. Apparently she's a little pissy about the fact that the small role she was set to play had her mocking her own career and downward spiral. I for one am also pissed about it. I don't care what she does, she will always be my sweetheart. My cracked out sloppy mess of a sweetheart.
Michael Kenneth Williams had what might be my favorite line ever in a TV show or movie on "Boardwalk Empire" but unfortunately I can only quote it in the shower, with music on and after a quick scan of my neighborhood to make sure no one is home. It's pretty bad. What I'm getting at here is Michael Kenneth Williams has been rumored to be joining the "Robocop" remake at Alex Murphy's partner and family friend. I mean partner in a police sort of way, not like life partner. Although they may have changed the story for the remake. I don't judge.
Blake Sheldon is apparently not the country singer. That guy has a T in his name or something. This Blake is an actor and he's been tapped to play not 1 but 2 roles in the upcoming season of "American Horror Story". Young Shel Shel (patent pending) will play the role of "Devon" and "Cooper" in the next chapter in the series. I have no idea who those characters are but they're powerful names so I have high hopes.
Do you like classic horror movies? Of course you do. Even if you don't you're too embarrassed to admit you don't like them. So most likely you and a group of friends will be too ashamed to call each other's bluffs about wanting to see "The Birds", "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein" when they are restored and put into theaters this coming September and October. Make comments like "oh this is classic" and "did you know 'The Birds' is a reference to the threat of communism". You're going to look so cultured.
Don't ask me why but I'm here to tell you that Lindsay Lohan and Charlie sheen have both been added to the cast of "Scary movie 5". I'm also here to tell you that I've been wearing the same clothes for 2 days... to work.
This week we debate the finer points of how to best pronounce "Machete", and the possible attractiveness of a certain fiery Latina.


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We've all had those moments in December when we clicked through the channels and found It's a Wonderful Life nearly everywhere. Yet it would be tragic if the past over-exposure of Frank Capra's 1946 film fooled us into seeing it as anything less than a masterpiece. What's more, the film offers a profound understanding of the Gospels.
Is George Bailey a saint? Not exactly. He might just be lucky or unlucky or human.
Anxious to leave bucolic Bedford Falls, George (Jimmy Stewart) tells his father, "I want to do something big, something important!" He doesn't yet see how his father's work fits that goal precisely. Then there's Mr. Potter, as twisted as Eden's serpent, brought to life by the Shakespearean-trained Lionel Barrymore. Good and evil are presented as "opposed but almost equal" forces through these two characters. Potter wants nothing but to see goodness fail.
When George's father dies, Potter makes a motion at the first board meeting to dissolve Peter Bailey's Building & Loan and turn its assets over to the receiver, which is the bank Potter owns. Capra liked to center his dramas on pivotal moments in a character's life, and with an actor like Stewart, he had all he needed. As George rushes out the door, the chairman catches him to say that the board has just appointed George to replace his dad. No way, George says, "I'm leaving." "But, George! They'll vote with Potter otherwise!" Go to YouTube and watch the moment when Capra zooms in on George's anguished face (35 minutes into the film).
Four years later, George is still running the business with his daffy Uncle Billy, when Harry, his talented kid brother, graduates from college. Harry, it turns out, has just married and his father-in-law has offered him a job. "I never said I'd take it," Harry tells George. "You've been holding the bag here for four years, and I won't let you down." Look again at George's face (at the 37-minute mark). See the change that comes over a determined mouth, how a smile emerges, eyes brighten and the body moves forward almost unintended. Capra has us watching human virtue in action. George urges his brother to take that job in Buffalo.
Back home at a party for Harry and Ruth, George's mother urges him to call on Mary Hatch (Donna Reed), also just home from college. She has a crush on George, but it is only when her beau, Sam Wainwright, calls her from New York that a cloud of tension turns to steam; George and Mary end the scene in a passionate kiss. This is not the last time Sam will prompt George to see himself truly.
George and Mary wed on a gloomy day a few years after the great crash of 1929. As they announce to a cab driver their honeymoon plans, people run to the bank teller windows. The bank has locked its doors. So has the Building & Loan, where Uncle Billy is already drinking himself under the table. At day's end, George and Mary have given away all they'd saved for a honeymoon, and Mary has arranged for them to spend the night in an abandoned house in Bedford Falls. She has decorated the walls with posters of the places abroad George has longed to see, but never will. If Mary and George are saints, they got that way through marriage.
George and Mary consistently turn negative situations into positive ones. They find their calling in the world, to help people find affordable homes. The Building & Loan does not simply lend money; George advocates for his customers and risks his own family's financial security. We watch them help the local barkeep and his family move away from Potter's Field, which is what the townspeople call Potter's rented shacks. The name is biblical: Judas hanged himself in "potter's field…a burying place for strangers" (Mt 27:3-8).
Potter's Invitation
With Bailey-financed homes poking up all over, a fed-up Potter invites the now 28-year-old George for a chat. His attempt to lure George to the dark side almost works. The old man offers George a job managing his properties for $20,000 a year (about $300,000 today), with an opportunity to travel. George looks like a cat spying tuna until he remembers who he is. And who Potter is. For a split second George nearly lets down his guard.
George and Mary have four children. She transforms the old ghost house into a home; George, frustrated by Potter at every turn, returns from work exhausted most days. Then comes World War II. Everyone is off to fight the enemy, something George would dearly want to do, as well. But the deaf ear he acquired as a kid while saving Harry's life in icy water, keeps him home. And Harry becomes a great war hero, shooting down 15 German planes and receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor. Then comes the long, final day.
It is Christmas Eve when a bank examiner arrives at the office to review the books. Uncle Billy has misplaced the deposit, however, losing every cent the Building & Loan had. Facing scandal and ruin, George stops by the house. Mary has never seen her husband with this look of desperation. She ought to be scared—George has gone to Potter to beg him for the $8,000 he needs. But Potter, who found the lost deposit, almost chokes on his evil chortling at George's misfortune. When Potter spits out, "You are worth more dead than alive!" George's eyes light up (at 1 hr. 34 min.).
In Capra's next turnkey moment, George contemplates ending his life. Alone at a bar he prays. Until this point, we have not heard George, a secular saint, pray. "Dear Father in heaven…if you're up there…and you can hear me, show me the way." When he hears no response, George drives his car as close to the river as he can in his drunken state, stumbles to the bridge and looks down at the swirling waters. He climbs up on the railing.
This famous scene (at 1:38) reminds me of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, but turned on its head. In Capra's vision, Lazarus gets one more chance, in the form of a man come back from the dead, and it saves him. George's guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), suddenly present, jumps into the river. George's habitual virtue sends him over the side, as he leaps into the waters to help a person in need.
"I'm the answer to your prayer," Clarence tells George as they dry off. "I wish I'd never been born!" George confides. So Clarence nods to heaven —and poof!—the world becomes a place in which George Bailey had never existed.
Guided by Clarence, George sees the effects of his hopelessness, his wish against life. The kingdom of God cannot be found in Bedford Falls without George. In fact, it isn't even Bedford Falls anymore, but Pottersville. A haunting vision of desperation, petty crime and death rears up everywhere. It is like much of what we see in our world, perhaps also because one person has given up. Clarence shows George what the world would be like if George hadn't done what he did at key moments. "Strange, isn't it?" Clarence says. "Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole."
Back From the Dead
A few more minutes of this and George prays, "I want to live again!" At that George stands where he was before, on the bridge, missing $8,000 and half-drunk but no longer desperate. Realizing that his life has come back to him, George sprints home, yelling, "Merry Christmas!" to every passerby. His jubilation comes across to others as courage, a willingness to see the hopeful side of a desperate situation. Little do they know: George has just come back from the dead.
Detectives arrive at George's home with a warrant for his arrest. Then Mary bursts in. She's been out looking for George, and in the process telling everyone in town what has happened. "Come downstairs," Mary says; "they're on their way!" Uncle Billy arrives first, carrying a basket of bills people have thrown in upon hearing that George is in trouble. Then everyone in town leaves some money with a smile and a "Merry Christmas, George." Bedford Falls turns out to be George's salvation.
In the Hebrew Bible and in the teachings of Jesus, salvation is not about where you go when you die. To be saved is to be lifted up and set on your feet, stopping the forces that want to catch us by the heels or pull us under.
There is one problem, however, in the generosity of salvation in the film. Ernie the cab driver reads a telegram received from London: "My office instructed to advance you up to $25,000!" writes Sam Wainwright. Though everyone cheers, the look on George's face suggests something is off.
The uneasiness of Sam's offer has been lost on millions of viewers over the decades. Sam, though a bit goofy, is conniving and selfish. His headlong pursuit of money permeates every key moment of the movie. He made millions betting on the ground floor of plastics and on properties in Florida. Sam is the man that George is not. And when the meek are supposed to inherit the earth, it's Sam who tries to make it possible. Don't believe it. George clearly doesn't. Those people walking through the door of George and Mary's house bring enough to satisfy the couple's every need. That is the message of "It's a Wonderful Life": there is power in community.
At the film's denouement, Harry steps into the living room, someone hands him a glass and he raises a toast: "To my big brother, George. The richest man in town!" Indeed, George is that, and the riches are the sort that the likes of Sam Wainwright will never comprehend.