text: Activities Sports & Athletics Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Tournament Fact and figures - plus trivia - about the PGA Tour tournament Share PINTEREST Email Print Cameron Smith (left) and Jonas Blixt celebrate victory in the 2017 Zurich Classic, the first after the tournament switched to a team format. Marianna Massey/Getty Images Sports & Athletics Golf Golf Tournaments Basics History Gear Golf Courses Famous Golfers Baseball Basketball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Cricket Extreme Sports Football Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skateboarding Skating Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Brent Kelley Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. our editorial process Brent Kelley Updated August 12, 2019 This tournament has been around for a long time, and been known by many different names. But there has always been one constant: New Orleans. Now called the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the tournament was first played in 1938. With the exception of a gap in the 1940s and '50s, this event has been played ever since in the Crescent City. Switch to Team FormatThe Zurich Classic switched from stroke play to a team format beginning in 2017. The 2-man teams play two rounds of foursomes and two rounds of fourball, with a cut from 80 teams to 35 teams following the second round. When the switch happened, the tournament became the first official PGA Tour event since the 1981 Walt Disney World National Team Championship to use a team format. The schedule is this: Round 1: Best ball (aka, fourball)Round 2: Alternate shot (aka, foursomes)Round 3: Best ballRound 4: Alternate shot Not sure about those formats? See: How to play foursomesHow to play fourball 2020 Tournament When: April 23-26, 2020Where: TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La. 2019 Zurich Classic The team of Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer won the tournament by a stroke. Rahm/Palmer carded three rounds of 65 or better before a 69 in the final round. They finished at 26-under 262, one better than runners-up Sergio Garcia/Tommy Fleetwood. 2018 TournamentThe team of Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy eked out a one-stroke victory. They did it by birdying the first two holes of the back nine during the alternate-shot final round, then parring the final seven holes. Official Web site PGA Tour tournament site PGA Tour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Records: Overall: Team format - 261, Jonas Blixt/Cameron Smith, 2017. Individual stroke play - 262, Chip Beck, 1988Tournament course record at TPC Louisiana: Team format - 60, Kevin Kisner/Scott Brown, 2017; Tryone van Aswegen/Retief Goosen, 2017. Individual stroke play - 62, Ben Martin, 2014 PGA Tour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Courses: The tournament's current home is TPC Louisiana, one of the PGA Tour-owned TPC courses. The Zurich Classic moved to TPC Louisiana in 2005, but the event was forced off the course in 2006 due to damage from Hurricane Katrina. It returned in 2007. The tournament's host courses in its history are: City Park Golf Club, New Orleans - 1938-46, 1948, 1958-62Lakewood Country Club, New Orleans - 1963-1988English Turn Golf & Country Club, New Orleans - 1989-2004, 2006TPC Louisiana, Avondale - 2005, 2007-present PGA Tour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Trivia and Notes: "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper won the first playing of this tournament, in 1938 when it was named the Greater New Orleans Open Invitational.What is now the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has had many different names over its long history. In chronological order, this event has been known as the Greater New Orleans Open Invitational, First NBC New Orleans Open, Greater New Orleans Open, USF&G New Orleans Open, USF&G Classic, Freeport McMoran Classic, Freeport-McDermott Classic, Compaq Classic of New Orleans, HP Classic of New Orleans, and Zurich Classic of New Olreans. Whew!Billy Casper won the New Orleans tournament twice, the first time in 1958 (when be beat Ken Venturi in a playoff) and the second time in 1975 - a 17-year gap between victories. That 1975 win was the last of Casper's 51 PGA Tour victories.Jack Nicklaus had three runner-up finishes in New Orleans (1964, 1967, 1972) before getting his only win here in 1973, when he defeated Miller Barber in a playoff.Lee Trevino won the 1974 event with a score of 21-under 267 that included zero bogeys. It is the most-recent time any player has played a 72-hole tournament on the PGA Tour without making a bogey.There are four back-to-back winners in tournament history: Byron Nelson, 1945-46; Bo Wininger, 1962-63; Tom Watson, 1980-81; Carlos Franco, 1999-2000. The tournament had two different names for Watson's wins. It was the Greater New Orleans Open in 1980, then the USF&G New Orleans Open in 1981.The last time a player made the cut on the number and went on to win a PGA Tour event was the 2006 Zurich Classic, where Chris Couch did it.K.J. Choi's win in 2002 was his first career victory on the PGA Tour.From 2002 through 2007, five of the six tournament winners earned their first victories on the PGA Tour (K.J. Choi, 2002; Steve Flesch, 2003; Tim Petrovic, 2005; Chris Couch, 2006; Nick Watney, 2007).At the 2013 tournament, 14-year-old Chinese amateur Tianlang Guan made the cut. He was the second-youngest golfer ever to make a PGA Tour cut - trailing only himself, two weeks earlier at the 2013 Masters. PGA Tour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Winners: (p-playoff; w-weather shortened; the tournament has a team format since 2017, individual stroke play prior to that) Zurich Classic of New Orleans2019 - Jon Rahm/Ryan Palmer, 2622018 - Billy Horschel/Scott Piercy, 2662017 - Jonas Blixt/Cameron Smith, 2612016 - Brian Stuard-p-w, 2012015 - Justin Rose, 2662014 - Seung-Yul Noh, 2692013 - Billy Horschel 2682012 - Jason Dufner-p, 2692011 - Bubba Watson-p, 2732010 - Jason Bohn, 2702009 - Jerry Kelly, 2742008 - Andres Romero, 2752007 - Nick Watney, 2732006 - Chris Couch, 2692005 - Tim Petrovic-p, 275 HP Classic of New Orleans2004 - Vijay Singh, 2662003 - Steve Flesch-p, 267 Compaq Classic of New Orleans2002 - K.J. Choi, 2712001 - David Toms, 2662000 - Carlos Franco-p, 2701999 - Carlos Franco, 269 Freeport-McDermott Classic1998 - Lee Westwood, 2731997 - Brad Faxon, 2721996 - Scott McCarron, 275 Freeport McMoRan Classic1995 - Davis Love III-p, 2741994 - Ben Crenshaw, 2731993 - Mike Standly, 2811992 - Chip Beck, 276 USF&G Classic1991 - Ian Woosnam-p, 2751990 - David Frost, 2761989 - Tim Simpson, 2741988 - Chip Beck, 2621987 - Ben Crenshaw, 2681986 - Calvin Peete, 2691985 - Seve Ballesteros-w, 2051984 - Bob Eastwood, 2721983 - Bill Rogers, 2741982 - Scott Hoch-w, 206 USF&G New Orleans Open1981 - Tom Watson, 270 Greater New Orleans Open1980 - Tom Watson, 273 First NBC New Orleans Open1979 - Hubert Green, 2731978 - Lon Hinkle, 2711977 - Jim Simons, 2731976 - Larry Ziegler, 2741975 - Billy Casper, 271 Greater New Orleans Open Invitational1974 - Lee Trevino, 2671973 - Jack Nicklaus-p, 2801972 - Gary Player, 2791971 - Frank Beard, 2761970 - Miller Barber-p, 2781969 - Larry Hinson-p, 2751968 - George Archer, 2711967 - George Knudson, 2771966 - Frank Beard, 2761965 - Dick Mayer, 2731964 - Mason Rudolph, 2831963 - Bo Wininger, 2791962 - Bo Wininger, 2811961 - Doug Sanders, 2721960 - Dow Finsterwald, 2701959 - Bill Collins, 2801958 - Billy Casper-p, 2781957 - Not played1956 - Not played1955 - Not played1954 - Not played1953 - Not played1952 - Not played1951 - Not played1950 - Not played1949 - Not played1948 - Bob Hamilton, 2801947 - Not played1946 - Byron Nelson, 2771945 - Byron Nelson-p, 2841944 - Sammy Byrd, 2851943 - Not played1942 - Lloyd Mangrum, 2811941 - Henry Picard, 2761940 - Jimmy Demaret, 2861939 - Henry Picard, 2841938 - Harry Cooper, 285


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Posts Tagged 'joanna ebenstein'
Game of Moans: Morbid Anatomy Museum to Screen Adventure Classic
On Tuesday September 1, 2015 at 8pm The Morbid Anatomy Museum (MAM), one of Brooklyn's most unique spaces, will present a screening of RKO – Radio Pictures' The Most Dangerous Game. "Movie Mike" will project a 16mm print of the classic 1930's jungle adventure with its lurid pre-Hayes Code themes of violence, sex and extreme (pre-Predator) big game hunting. Grab tickets here.
The film has an interesting production backstory that just happens to intersect with one of my favorite obsessions, RKO's 1933 film King Kong and its debt to the art of 19th Century illustrator Gustave Doré.
Thanks to museum director Joanna Ebenstein I get to shed some light on those connections via an illustrated guest blog on the Morbid Anatomy website. This link will take you there.
Mourning Becomes Eclectic…
The Morbid Anatomy Museum and Research Library is a cabinet of curiosities focused on the parallel evolutions of the occult and medical sciences, with lots of side trips that include anthropomorphic taxidermy, gothic tropes, and religious reliquaries. Check out the museum's calendar for future events including MAM's Common Shade lecture series, presented in conjunction with the Green-Wood Cemetery Historic Fund, which has yielded two exceptional installments thus far.

subset: commoncrawl


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David Mason (writer)
This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (August 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
David Mason
David Mason Outdoors in 2012, taken by Christine Mason
|December 11, 1954 (age 65)
Bellingham, Washington, U.S.
|Professor, writer, poet
David Mason (born December 11, 1954) is an American writer and the former Poet Laureate of Colorado.
David Mason was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington.[1] He studied briefly at the Colorado College, but left after one year to work as a fisherman in Alaska. He returned to the college to earn his B.A. in 1978. Mason and then-wife, Jonna Heinrich,[2] moved to Rochester, New York, where he worked as a gardener. In 1980 they went to Greece, where they lived for just over a year in Kardamyli, Greece, in the Mani district of southernmost part of the Peloponnesus. While living there he became a friend of the British travel author and war hero, Patrick Leigh Fermor. Mason returned to the United States when he was hired to write the screenplay for a film based on a novel he had written. In the end the film was canceled when the production company closed its film division.
After a part-time teaching stint at Colorado College, he began studying at the University of Rochester under Anthony Hecht. His first marriage ended, and in 1988 he married Scottish photojournalist Anne Lennox. He received his doctorate from The University of Rochester[3] and moved to Moorhead, Minnesota, where he taught at Minnesota State University Moorhead for ten years. In 1994, Mason was named the Minnesota Outstanding Professor of the Year.[4] Mason spent the academic year of 1996–97 in Greece on a Fulbright fellowship, where he continued to perfect his Greek, meet Greek intellectuals and writers, translate and write, and visit old places from 16 years earlier. In 1998, Mason returned to his alma mater, Colorado College, where he now co-directs the Creative Writing program. In 2010 Mason was named Colorado Poet Laureate,[5] for a four-year term ending in the summer of 2014. He and wife Anne Lennox[2] lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado until the marriage ended in 2012. Currently he lives in Manitou Springs, Colorado with his wife, Australian poet Cally Conan-Davies.[6] The post of Colorado Poet Laureate comes with a small stipend and an expectation of ten public appearances in the state each of the four years in the term, but Mason chose to greatly expand on those expectations, attempting to visit all 64 counties of the state during his term in order to share poetry in public appearances.[7]
David Mason's collections of poems include The Buried Houses (winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize) and The Country I Remember (winner of the Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award). He is coeditor of four major anthologies and has authored dozens of poems, essays, reviews, translations, stories and memoirs. An advisory editor at the Hudson Review, the Sewanee Review and Divide, Mason's work can be found in such periodicals as The New Yorker, Harper's, The Nation, The New Republic, The New York Times, The Times Literary Supplement, Poetry, Agenda, Modern Poetry in Translation, The New Criterion, Yale Review, The Hudson Review, The American Scholar, The Irish Times, and The Southern Review.
A collection of his work "Sea Salt: Poems of a Decade, 2004–2014" was published in 2014 by Red Hen Press.
David Mason is especially noted for his historical novel in verse, Ludlow, about the Ludlow Massacre in Ludlow, Colorado, on April 20, 1914. Mason's personal connections to the event include a great-grandfather, George Mason, settled in Huerfano County in the late 19th century and ran, in Mason's words, "one of the notorious 'company stores' that cheated the miners near Ludlow."[7] An additional connection to a different part of Colorado is that Mason's maternal grandfather, a coal miner turned physician, is remembered in Grand Junction as the "last of the horse-and-buggy-doctors."[7] Mason adapted Ludlow into an opera in partnership with composer, Lori Laitman, which was scheduled to run at Opera Colorado in 2014,[6] but was cut when the company's schedule was reduced for economic reasons.
- Sea Salt: Poems of a Decade, 2004–2014, 2014.
- "The Scarlet Libretto." Red Hen Press, 2012.
- Essays by David Mason: Two Minds of a Western Poet. University of Michigan Press, 2011.
- News from the Village. Los Angeles, CA: Red Hen Press, 2010.
- Ludlow. Los Angeles, CA: Red Hen Press, 2007. Second edition 2010.
- Arrivals. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 2004.
- The Poetry of Life and the Life of Poetry. Story Line Press, 2000.
- The Country I Remember. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 1996.
- Twentieth Century American Poetry. With Dana Gioia and Meg Schoerke. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
- Twentieth Century American Poetics: Poets on the Art of Poetry. With Dana Gioia and Meg Schoerke. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
- Western Wind: An Introduction to Poetry. With John Frederick Nims. New York: McGraw-Hill. 5th ed. 2005.
- Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism. With Mark Jarman. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 1996. Second printing 1998.
Criticism About[edit]
- "David Mason and the Human Place." by Andrew Frisardi. Contemporary Poetry Review. March 6, 2008.[8]
- David Mason: A Critical Introduction. by Gregory Dowling. Story Line Press, 2013.
- ^ "David Mason". The Poetry Foundation.
- ^ a b "Seven Poets: A Celebration of National Poetry Month". poetrysocietyofcolorado.org. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014.
- ^ "Faculty and Staff, David Mason". Colorado College. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011.
- ^ David Mason, 1994 MN Person of the Year Archived March 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Press Release: Names David Mason as CO's 7th Poet Laureate Archived September 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Uche Ogbuji interviews David Mason". Kin Poetry journal.
- ^ a b c "Colorado Poet Laureate David Mason's four-year road trip". High Country News.]
- ^ http://www.cprw.com/david-mason-and-the-human-place


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Nimbuzz Updated to Add Free Voice CallsNovember 1, 2013 No Comments
Nimbuzz has been updated recently to add free voice calls and squash a few bugs.
What's New?
- Now make Free Voice Calls with all your Nimbuzz Messenger contacts
- Bug Fixes
- FREE MESSAGING – Replace SMS with unlimited free chat
- IM COMMUNITY – Connect with multiple IM accounts and have them in one list (Facebook, Gtalk
- PICTURE SHARING – Click and share your favourite pictures with friends & family
- CHAT HISTORY – Chat history keeps your conversation handy for later use
- CHAT BUDDIES – Use our popular chat buddies for Twitter, Cricket, Astrology etc.
- AND MUCH MORE: Guided tour, Contact management, Presence management, Message typing indicator, N-world, free Avatars and much more.
Downlaod for Free
App Info:
Nimbuzz Messenger combines the power of internet and smart phone messenger into one, and lets you send unlimited chat messages and share files (pictures/videos) on any mobile device across popular messengers. Nimbuzz Messenger is available on Windows Phone, Android, iOS, Symbian, Blackberry, Java, PC and Mac.
Nimbuzz Messenger lets you chat, share media with your buddies on Facebook, Gtalk 24×7 for free.
Nimbuzz Messenger is super-popular and our 150+ million registered users across platforms prove that. Nimbuzz Messenger is available for every smartphone and feature phone, so go ahead and tell your friends to download Nimbuzz MessengerTags: Free Voice Calls, NimbuzzApps


text: We've been reading a lot of scary news about click fraud statistics recently. Sometimes we stop and wonder how true it all really is. Our concern at Advertise.com is that perhaps some of this hype is being driven by third party click fraud protection companies. Think of the pharmaceutical companies who fan the flames to concern the public about a particular illness and then turn around and sell them the remedy to that illness. The inconsistent statistics surrounding click fraud raise concerns that perhaps advertisers are being scared into purchasing third party click fraud protection. If you think about it, without a significant click fraud threat, these companies would be out of a job. Certainly click fraud exists and it is important to take precautions. But we simply caution advertisers that when researching click fraud statistics, take them with a grain of salt. Here's a recent article on click-fraud to check out Google Robbed By Botnet.


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So here we are starting day 3 of Dry Jan. I'm going to go through this month as if I was starting and doing Dry Jan with you. Well in a way I still am, back to work today for most so it should get a lot easier than been sat in thinking about the booze.
So you've most probably had a very restless nights sleep once again, this happens as normal for you though you only ever sleep well or think you sleep well when you've had a drink. NO your having the same sleep as last night just you don't remember it. Sleep will be awful for the next few days don't worry it passes. Your body is just rejecting the poison that you filled it up wth last year.
Your possibly also waking with a very very mind blowing headache or migraine like feeling. This will pass they are tough as I can remember. Especially if this is your first Dry Jan, I knew after my first 2 years doing Dry Jan that I would get these and planned for getting them. Go buy some vitamins and especially vitamin b2 to boost you and WATER💦💦💦 can't stress how much you need water. Don't go buy a small water bottle from shop, if you have to buy there sorts too bottle there usually bigger and you tend to keep them. Below is mine I carry in wagon with me and fill up at stops. Battered and bruised as you see i use it a lot plus it's got a small inspirational quote.
Right well today is day to plan something get your body needing its sleep so tonight after work don't go sign up to gym you might not use it rest of year. I suggest go for a nice walk. 1-2 miles is all you need to get your body started. Right that's Day 3 let's come back tomorrow and do day 4. Plus remember if you want to join me on the longer journey join OYNB


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Director: Paresh Mokashi
Banner:UTV,Paprika Media,Mayasabha
Based on the life of Dada Saheb Phalke, the father of Indian Cinema, Harischandrachi Factory is a sweet little
film which will charm you with it's inherent honesty. The movie which traces the life of Dhundiraj Phalke and his struggles to make the first indigenous feature film was India's official entry to the Academy Awards for the year 2010. Unlike the usual dark, pretentious and depressing art house fares that we get to see way too often, HF is a cute,entertaining tale replete with successful attempts at dark humor. The mental hospital scene, Dhundiraj's search for Rajaharischandra's heroine in the red streets,the scenes following the sale of Phalke's worldly possessions are all genuinely hilarious and often satirical which makes this movie a fun watch for even the non-Marathi viewer. The movie also offers an interesting time travel to the India –of the 1900 s.
What I liked the most about the movie:
1.The brilliant performances by Nandhu Madhav(Dada Saheb Phalke) and Vibhavari Deshpande(Saraswathi Phalke). Even the child who played Phalke's son was very good.
2.The static frames, modest set design and the re recording could successfully create the period feel which was required for the film.
3.The overall mood of the film. Though it had scope to become preachy and over sentimental,Paresh Mokashi resorted to maintain a feel-good feel through out the film. The length of the film(the movie is just about 119mins in duration) was also optimum.
4.The underlying Phalke-Saraswathi romantic track was charming.
What I didn't like:
1. In the movie everything comes too easily for Phalke. The London scenes for instance, are far from convincing.
2. HF doesn't throw light on the failed attempts and the bouts of depression and desperation which Phalke and Saraswathi might have gone through while making Raja Harischandra. The director's attempt to portray Phalke as a man of all virtues(at some point in the film Dhundiraj's brother even calls him Harischandra!) was a bit unwarranted.
Verdict-On the whole 'Harischandrachi Factory' is a fitting tribute to the pioneer of Indian Cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke and it's undoubtedly onevmovie which should be watched by every Indian.


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Occasionally I see video artifacts when watching TV I presume this is just a signal/interference problem, most of the time the stream just keeps playing when it comes across this little faults.
It seems though that if the courruption is bad enough the stream goes in to this loop. If I turn off HW decoding on the cyberlink PDVD8 codec the problem doesn't occur.
I've confirmed this in graphedit. i.e.
TS-Reader(30sec .ts file with a broken section)---->CyberlinkPDVD---->EVR
With HW decoding turned on graphedit plays the stream till it gets to the bad bit then starts looping. Turn off HW decoding and grahpedit will just skip over or drop the bad frames.
I've tried swapping out the the ts reader to no avail.
I also often see artifacts when changing channels.
I've got the 30 second sample (~45MB) is there anywhere I can upload?
I've seen at least one other post with this problem. I expect if you have a next to perfect signal then the problem won't occur.
Any ideas / confirmations / solutions?


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The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Tag: glory of god
Psalm 97:1-5
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.


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Sunday Getaway to Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay
What you see: Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe is one of the prettiest places on the planet — a giant cove with cobalt-blue water, surrounded by a mountain rim crowned by Maggie's Peak, and dotted with Fannette Island. How do you improve on perfection? Perhaps by camping at the Emerald Bay Boat-in Camp, which opened Thursday for the season, or at Eagle Point, which is scheduled to open Thursday.
Location: Emerald Bay is along Highway 89 north of South Lake Tahoe.
A moment in time: On a calm morning, paddling a kayak in Lake Tahoe around Eagle Point and into Emerald Bay is ecstasy. Ahead is a mile of water, enclosed by mountain slopes, backed by a full view of Eagle Falls.
Six recreation options: 1. At Baldwin Beach, rent a kayak (or launch your own) to paddle into Emerald Bay; 2. From Inspiration Point, take a photo of Emerald Bay; 3. From Bayview Campground, hike 1 mile to the brink of 200-foot Cascade Falls and the view of Cascade Lake; 4. At Emerald Bay State Park, hike to Eagle Falls; 5. At Emerald Bay, walk the gated road, 1 mile with a 400-foot descent, to the Vikingsholm castle and to the beach at the foot of the bay; 6. From Vikingsholm, hike the Rubicon Trail along the western shore of Emerald Bay into D.L. Bliss State Park, or rent a kayak at the beach and paddle to Fannette Island and hike to the "Tea House" at the summit.
Camping: Emerald Bay Boat-In, Lower and Upper Eagle Point at Emerald Bay State Park; Beach, Lower Pine, Upper Pine, Ridge at D.L. Bliss State Park, $35 per night, reserve at www.reservecalifornia.com; Bayview Campground and trailhead (open), first-come, first-served.
Kayak rentals: Kayak Tahoe, five locations, 530-544-2011, www.kayaktahoe.com
Dogs: No dogs on trails or roads into Emerald Bay. Leashed dogs under supervision at all times permitted in campgrounds. Dogs permitted in adjacent national forest.
Contacts: Emerald Bay State Park, 530-541-3030, D.L. Bliss State Park, 530-525-7177, both at www.parks.ca.gov; Taylor Creek Visitor Center, 530-543-2674; Bayview Campground, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, National Forest Service, 530-543-2600, www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu.
How to get there
GPS: Use 138 Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe
From South Lake Tahoe: From casino row at South Lake Tahoe, take Lake Tahoe Boulevard/Highway 50 west for 2.4 miles to Four Corners and the junction with Emerald Bay Road/Highway 89. Turn right/north on Emerald Bay Road and drive a total of:
3.2 miles to Taylor Creek Visitor Center (Forest Service), turnoff on the right;
3.9 miles to Baldwin Beach (for kayak rentals, launching), 3.9 miles to Baldwin Beach Road on the right;
7.6 miles to Inspiration Point, on the right;
7.8 miles to to Bayview Campground and trailhead for Cascade Falls, on the left;
8.8 miles to Emerald Bay State Park, trail/road to Vikingsholm, lower Eagle Falls on the right, upper Eagle Falls on the left.
Note: On summer weekends, from mid-morning through mid-afternoon, traffic can be slow through the Camp Richardson/Emerald Bay corridor, and parking is difficult. Get there early, or, better yet, start at Baldwin Beach and kayak in to Emerald Bay.
— Tom Stienstra


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Recent Posts
Tag Archives: short sale
(Not so) Short Sales
The term "Short Sale" could not be more misleading. To those new to this term, you might think to yourself, "Here is a home in not so great condition. The price is lower than other properties I have seen. Sure, … Continue reading
Posted in Finding a Home Tagged bank, first time home buyer, home, Mortgage, oregon, Portland Oregon real estate, real estate, selling, short sale Leave a comment


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Good prognosis for health system
Forget arenas, sports stadiums and quay developments - the biggest winners in a State flush with cash from the boom are our public hospitals, which are undergoing the equivalent of a triple heart bypass.
In what has been described by successive State governments as a once-in-a-generation opportunity, a massive rebuilding of hospitals across the State is shrugging off the remnants of what was becoming an ageing set of building add-ons.
Already millions of dollars in the planning, the capital works project will cost $5 billion all up.
This has been 10 years in the making, with plenty of changes along the way.
The overhaul is only halfway through but star billing goes to the biggest infrastructure project undertaken by the State - the $2 billion Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, which takes up the equivalent of four city blocks.
Though construction is due to finish in December, the hospital will not start operating until April next year but will boast some of the best medical technology and creature comforts for patients.
And the best part is it is fully paid for courtesy of the resources boom, the money squirrelled away thanks to past Budget surpluses.
There have been plenty of other sod-turning ceremonies around town, with a $1.2 billion new children's hospital under way in Nedlands as well as a $360 million public-private hospital for Midland to replace the ageing Swan District Hospital.
Joondalup Health Campus, which has public and private beds and is one of the busiest emergency departments in the country, is in the final stages of a $393 million redevelopment to increase beds.
The rebuilding plan dates back to 2003 when the then Gallop Labor government bit the bullet and commissioned NSW health consultant Mick Reid to redesign the State's public health system. Then health minister Jim McGinty described it as the most ambitious project undertaken in the Australian public hospital system.
One of Professor Reid's key recommendations was a new south-of-the-river tertiary hospital - although it was meant to be at the cost of closing Royal Perth Hospital, a decision the Barnett Government later abandoned as part of its election promises.
The decision to keep RPH open has had its critics because of concerns about the extra cost and staff needed but that is being weighed against the argument of the relentless surge in patients, particularly in emergency departments.
Outgoing director-general of health Kim Snowball remains optimistic there will be enough staff for the remodelled hospital system.
"We're not suddenly going to need 1000 extra nurses, it will be more an issue of distribution as hospital services move, and we will still have the same shortages we have now, like a lack of general surgeons and plastic surgeons," he said.
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Let's go sit and hate a bunch of people. /hate/ Horace McCoy quotes
In search of fortune, one needs to bend more than one horseshoe. [09/26/2020 12:09:58] More
The foolish and ugly habits are the corruptions of our nature. [10/03/2020 12:10:52] More
One part of men works without thinking, the other thinks without working. [10/03/2020 11:10:57] More
Nature, having created people as they are, gave them great consolation from many evils, endowing them with family and homeland. [10/03/2020 11:10:22] More
If you keep a person on a chain for a long time, he will begin to think that he is being treated like a dog. [10/14/2020 04:10:48] More


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Blackjack Rules
Blackjack is one of the most exciting and accessible casino card games in the world. While its beginnings are often debated, with some claiming French, Spanish and even Roman origin, its status as a popular casino game is undoubted.
Since becoming a mainstay in brick-and-mortar casinos in the twentieth century, blackjack has captured the imagination of all those who have played it, mesmerizing many of those who try to master it.
We offer a variety of online blackjack game types, at both Single Player and Multi-Player tables
In general, the rules of blackjack are straightforward and can be picked up in minutes. However, each blackjack game type differs slightly in table rules, which are detailed on that variant's page, with the generic rules outlined below applying across all blackjack games.
Each round of blackjack begins with the players seated at the table placing a bet into the betting positions (or "boxes") they occupy. The minimum and maximum table stakes will be clearly displayed at the table, and you can choose your bet size by clicking on the chip denoting the value you wish to wager. After you place your wager(s), the dealer deals two cards face up in front of each box and either one card face up (European style) or one card face up and one card face down (Atlantic City style) to their own position, depending on which game variant is being played.
The best hand is of course "blackjack", made up of an ace and any ten (that includes jacks, queens and kings), on the initial deal (your two first cards). As a hand, it's unbeatable, and can only be tied if the dealer's hand is also blackjack. It's worth noting that blackjack pays more than other winning hands and you may receive three-to-two (3:2) on your wager, depending on the game variant played.
Card Values and Payouts in Blackjack
A winning hand in blackjack typically pays one-to-one (1:1, also known as "evens" or "even money"). So if you wager 10 chips, you usually receive 10 chips, and will receive your original wager back. If you're dealt blackjack (and the dealer isn't), playing a game variant which pays three-to-two (3:2), you would receive 15 chips, and will receive your original wager back.
If your hand ties with the dealer's hand – also known as a "push" – you receive the amount you wagered back, but are not awarded anything else. If you lose your hand, you forfeit your wager, which is taken by the house. Any exceptions to these general rules are outlined below or on each game variant's rules page.
Payouts usually occur after the dealer has completed the hand. The rules by which the dealer plays are strict, and differ slightly between game variations, so it's important to read the variant rules to check for any specific differences.
One such difference will be whether or not the dealer draws cards on a soft 17. Typically the dealer will draw cards until their hand value reaches 17 or higher. However, in some variants the dealer must stand on a soft 17, while in others the dealer must hit. In all Blackjack games, the dealer will hit on any hard or soft total of 16 or under.
Splitting, Doubling Down and Surrendering
During a game you'll also be presented with several supplementary options, depending on the initial two cards dealt to you.
One such action is Splitting, which is essentially turning one hand into two, and can occur in the following ways:
- If you have two starting cards that are equal in rank (King-Queen, Eight-Eight, etc…), an additional wager equal to the starting bet can be placed and a second hand is created
- Both hands are played independently and will win, lose or push on their own merit
- In some blackjack variants, you may split equal cards more than once
In addition, the option to Double Down occurs in certain circumstances, permitting you the opportunity to double your initial wager. This also follows certain rules:
- After the first two cards are dealt, you can add an additional wager equal to the starting bet and then receive exactly one extra card with which to improve your hand
- Some blackjack game variants allow you to double down on any two first cards and others restrict you to doubling down on certain starting totals
In games in which it is permitted, doubling down can occur after splitting, with a few other elements to take into account:
- After splitting a hand into two (or more) hands, you sometimes have the option to double down, adding another bet to the table
- A double down following a split follows the same rules as a normal double down
Splitting also has restrictions when it comes to aces. When you split two aces, almost all variants of blackjack allow only one card to be drawn to each of the new hands. That means no further hitting, splitting or doubling down is allowed.
There is another aspect of blackjack of which you can take advantage, which is called Surrender. Provided it is allowed in the variant you are playing, this is the act of forfeiting the original two cards that were dealt in return for a 50% refund of the original wager. However, there are restrictions on your ability to surrender, such as whether the dealer is showing an ace or a ten-value card.
Blackjack Player Decisions
To recap, during a single round of blackjack you will be presented with a number of decisions to make (the decisions open to you depend upon the cards dealt and the game variant played), all of which will affect the result:
- Hit
You can request additional cards (one at a time) to improve your hands
Cards can be drawn until the total hand value is 21 (or higher)
- Stand
If the total value of your hand is 21 or if it is lower and you decide not to risk the chance of hitting again and possibly exceeding 21, you can choose to stand
- Split
When your first two cards have equal value (King-Queen, Eight-Eight, etc…), you may place an additional wager (equal to the starting bet) and create a second hand to play
- Double Down
You have the option to place an additional wager equal to the starting bet. Exactly one more card is drawn to the hand and you automatically stand
- Surrender
Some game variants allow you to forfeit half of your bet and end the hand immediately
- Insurance
If the dealer's first card is an ace, you may wager half of your original bet amount and will receive a two-to-one payout if the dealer has blackjack
The result (if the dealer does have blackjack) is that you will break even on the hand
Even Money is a special type of insurance bet that can be made when you have been dealt blackjack. If the dealer is showing an ace, two outcomes are now possible:
- Dealer blackjack results in a push or tie of your blackjack
- No dealer blackjack results in a win (typically three-to-two) for your blackjack
By availing of even money when offered, you agree to take a one-to-one (1:1) win before the dealer finishes his hand, locking in your win in spite of the possibility that the dealer makes blackjack.
User Interface Protection
As you play, your decisions will affect the outcome of each hand, so it is important that you're not restricted from making your preferred choices. Unfortunately, a number of factors can adversely affect your play, from problems with your internet connection to involuntary misclicks, resulting in accidental decisions.
While we can't foresee every problem that may impact you, the following protection is built into our game software on behalf of players who may make decisions which are inadvertent or accidental, and which are considered outside the boundaries of normal play:
- Hit on hard 17 or higher
- Stand on 11 or under
- Double down on hard 12 or higher
If you attempt to make one of the above decisions, our software will issue a warning, prompting you to double check if the action you indicated is your preferred choice. We have introduced this measure to ensure you don't lose out due to misclicks or errors.


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Besides all the nice dogs available at Fauquier SPCA, they have a whole clowder of cats. Did you know a group of cats is called a 'clowder'? My browser doesn't even recognize the term and thinks it's a misspelling. In any case, there are cats of every description at the SPCA. Some are waiting to hunt mice in your barn while others are waiting to curl up in your lap and purr. If you've decided that you don't need one of their dogs, then surely you need a cat. I photographed approximately 24 cats and only got half way through the list. I'm just going to post a handful of photos to whet your appetite but if none of these appeal to you, be sure to visit the shelter to see lots more.
More about Fauquier SPCA.


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|About this Recording
8.553135 - BACH, J.S.: Kirnberger Chorales and other Organ Works, Vol. 2
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
Johann Sebastian Bach was a member of a family that had for generations been occupied in music. His sons were to continue the tradition, providing the foundation of a new style of music that prevailed in the later part of the eighteenth century. Johann Sebastian Bach himself represented the end of an age, the culmination of the Baroque in a magnificent synthesis of Italian melodic invention, French rhythmic dance forms and German contrapuntal mastery.
Born in Eisenach in 1685, Bach was educated largely by his eldest brother, after the early death of his parents. At the age of eighteen he embarked on his career as a musician, serving first as a court musician at Weimar, before appointment as organist at Arnstadt. Four years later he moved to Mühlhausen as organist and the following year became organist and chamber musician to Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar. Securing his release with difficulty, in 1717 he was appointed Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen and remained at Cöthen until 1723, when he moved to Leipzig as Cantor at the School of St.Thomas, with responsibility for the music of the five principal city churches. Bach was to remain in Leipzig until his death in 1750.
As a craftsman obliged to fulfil the terms of his employment, Bach provided music suited to his various appointments. It was natural that his earlier work as an organist and something of an expert on the construction of organs, should result in music for that instrument. At Cöthen, where the Pietist leanings of the court made church music unnecessary, he provided a quantity of instrumental music for the court orchestra and its players. In Leipzig he began by composing series of cantatas for the church year, later turning his attention to instrumental music for the Collegium musicum of the University, and to the collection and ordering of his own compositions.
The so-called Kirnberger Collection, a title now generally ignored in recent editions, is a collection of music by Bach copied by or for his pupil Johann Philipp Kirnberger. The latter was born in Saalfeld in 1721 and educated in Coburg and Cotha, before, in 1739, travelling to Leipzig for lessons in composition and performance with Bach. After a period spent in Poland, he returned to Dresden, moving then to Berlin as a violinist in the Prussian royal service. In 1754 he entered the service of Prince Heinrich of Prussia and four years later that of Princess Anna Amalia, remaining in this last position until his death in Berlin in 1783. Kirnberger had the highest regard for Bach, and did his utmost to bring about the posthumous publication of the latter's four-part chorale settings.
Bach's great Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540, was probably written during his years at Weimar. The toccata opens with a passage for manuals over a long sustained tonic pedal, followed by an extended passage for pedal solo. A dominant pedal note is sustained during the following section, again followed by an extended passage for pedals alone, after which the dialogue continues in short answering motifs based on the arpeggio. The more severe alla breve fugue has its subject first stated in the tenor, followed by alto, soprano and bass, with a double fugue as the music unwinds.
Vas Jesulein soll doch mein Trost, BWV 702, is from the Kirnberger Chorales, based on a New Year hymn. It is of doubtful authenticity, although there are traces of techniques familiar to Bach, not least the concurrence of two fugal subjects, derived from the first and second lines of the chorale. Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend', BWV 709, has a text attributed to Duke Wilhelm II of Sachsen-Weimar and was sung in Leipzig at Sunday services before the sermon. The melody, in the upper part, is ornamented, with a contrapuntal accompaniment for manuals and pedals. Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr', BWV 711, is based on a Lutheran adaptation of the Gloria, with its melody derived from plainchant. It is in the form of a bicinium, a two-part composition popular from the early days of Lutheranism, and has been attributed by some to Johann Bernhard Bach, a cousin of Johann Sebastian. The authenticity of Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BWV 705, has again been doubted. It is based on Spengler's penitential hymn of 1524 with its associated melody, treated memorably in Bach's Orgelbiichlein, and is, with its overlapping entries of the chorale subject, in a form that suggests vocal writing.
The Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, is thought to have been written before 1707. Its five-bar subject is stated first by the soprano, followed by the other three voices in descending order. Sequential episodes lead to partial and complete entries of the subject, as the fugue goes forward. The Fugue in G major, BWV 576, with its companion in G major, BWV 577, included in the nineteenth century Bach-Gesellschaft edition, has been omitted from the Neue Bach-Ausgabe as spurious, although it holds a position in the repertoire of organ music originally attributed to Bach.
Bach's Fughetta: Lob sei dem allmiicht'gen Gott, BWV 704, uses an Advent hymn of 1531 for the Bohemian Brethren, its melody taken from the Advent Vespers hymn Conditor alme siderum. The subject of the fughetta is taken from the first line of the chorale, adapted to this purpose, and follows the general pattern of the form. The Fughetta: Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV 703, uses a Christmas hymn of 1544 for the Bohemian Brethren, with a melody derived from the hymn Ave ierarchia celestis et pia. It follows the general scheme of these compositions, its subject derived from the first line of the chorale, with a countersubject that is briefly developed before a final tonic entry. Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV 706, is based on a seventeenth century hymn for use before the sermon and is a straightforward chorale setting, offered in two ways, the second suggesting vocal rather than keyboard writing. Ich hab' mein' Sach' Gott heimgestellt, BWV 707 and BWV 708 uses a hymn of 1589 associated with death and hope for the world to come. It is offered first in a contrapuntal setting, with the chorale melody appearing in a complex texture, and in a simple version. The first of these has been attributed by some to Bach's cousin Johann Gottfried Walther. Wir Christenleut' habn jetzund Freud, BWV 710, is based on a Christmas hymn of 1593 and its associated melody. It is given in compound time, with the melody in the pedals and a two-part contrapuntal invention above on the manuals. In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr, BWV 712, uses a Lutheran hymn based on Psalm XXXI. In 12/8 metre, the melodic material is adapted to the form, appearing in various voices in a composition that is fugal in character. Jesu meine Freude, BWV 713, treats one of the most popular Lutheran hymns, itself adapted from a secular song. The melody is by the seventeenth century Lutheran composer Johannes Cruger and is used here as the substance of a composition of some intricacy. It opens with a section that is fugal, its subject providing a countersubject to the lines of the chorale. This is followed by a second section in 3/8 which treats the later part of the original melody.
The authenticity of Partite diverse sopra Ach, was soll ich Sunder machen, BWV 770, has also been doubted. It has the appearance of a set of harpsichord variations in the style of Pachelbel, although a clear distinction is not always made in early sources between organ and harpsichord. It follows the pattern of such keyboard variations in its treatment of the chorale material.
The music on this recording was performed on Brombaugh Organs at Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee, and Lawrence University, Appleton Wisconsin, USA.
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You can deploy RiskTool Advantage for your multinational clients in Europe and North America: a suite of over 100 employee health and safety video courses that educate staff, test their understanding and reduce the likelihood of accidents in the workplace and on the road. Many courses are available in languages other than English and all can be accessed on PCs and mobile devices. The system contains an integrated management information system to track which staff have passed which modules.
By facilitating RiskTool Advantage for your clients, you can help them implement North American and European staff safety training programs. Your clients can even supplement these with their own customized training videos and upload them into the system for their employees' use. Employees can undertake the training at any time and place that suits them, increasing participation, reducing training costs and providing a documented audit trail for health and safety compliance purposes for customers, regulators and other interested stakeholders.


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UPDATE: Hallman's folks respond, at the bottom of this post.
Although New Times called out then-Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman for touting an apparently fake endorsement from the city's firemen and cops, we have not called out potential gubernatorial candidate Hugh Hallman for using an apparently fake endorsement from Tempe's firemen and cops.
Now that Hallman's recycling the claim while he's considering a run for governor, we'll point out once more that it's bogus.
See also:
-Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman Drops City Firefighter and Police "Endorsement" (Eight Years Later)
It wasn't really a sexy allegation, but a Tempe resident by the name of Mario Martinez pointed out to us back in May that then-Mayor Hallman's website claimed that he elected with the endorsement of "Tempe firefighters and police."
A letter from City Manager Charlie Meyer to Hallman, obtained by Martinez, illustrated the issue with that.
"If, in fact, you received an endorsement from Tempe fire and/or police employees (in their official capacities) during your 2004 campaign for Mayor, the employees who made the endorsements likely acted in violation of [city personnel rules]," Meyer wrote. "However, the City is not aware of any employees doing so during the 2004 election season."
So, we called Hallman on it in a post on this blog, and the claim was scrubbed from his website.
Then, last week, Hallman announced on his website that he was considering a run for governor.
"Over the next few months, I will be traveling the state of Arizona to speak with and listen to people from all walks of life about what's really important to them in their state government, and how we can address our priorities successfully," part of Hallman's statement says. "At that time, I will make a final decision about pursuing elected office. I have one particular elected office very clearly in mind -- the office of Governor of Arizona."
Martinez gave us a call yesterday, and pointed us to what else is posted on Hallman's website now.
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"Hugh is a longtime activist, volunteer and lifelong resident of Tempe," the website says at the time of this post. "After receiving endorsements from The Arizona Republic, Tempe firefighters and police and dozens of community residents, Tempe voters elected Hugh mayor in the March 2004 primary election."
UPDATE: One of the staffers for Hallman's exploratory run says he made the error in Hallman's bio. Tom Evans, who's worked on previous Hallman campaigns, chalks it up to a "poorly constructed sentence."
"While he was indeed endorsed by The Arizona Republic, the Fraternal Order of Police and numerous community leaders in 2004, he was endorsed by the same groups AND the Professional Firefighters of Arizona in 2008....Any error was not intentional."
Documentation of the cop and firefighter union endorsement was provided, so that part checks out, but New Times readers may recall that the implied endorsement of city workers was the issue that started this whole thing.
So, in case the claim gets scrubbed again, the screenshot is below:


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Corn Mash
|Grind Corn Kernels (6)
DescriptionOne of Thunder Bluff's most important staples is cornmeal; bowls of corn may be found in nearly every home.
With so many of the local mills under constant attack by harpies, gnolls, reckless mining companies and Earth Mother knows what else, I often ask my students to help with the task of grinding corn into cornmeal.
Would you care to help?
Much work is required to grind enough cornmeal for everyone's needs. Thank you for your help, <name>.
RewardsYou will receive:
|Epicurean's Award
GainsUpon completion of this quest you will gain:
- 250 reputation with Thunder Bluff
- 1 skill point in Cooking
A Guide to Cataclysm Zone Dailies BrekeMart: Your Cooking Achievements One Stop Shop! [Updated for Warlords!]
Please keep the following in mind when posting a comment:
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Simply browse for your screenshot using the form below.
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Simply type the URL of the video in the form below.
The Wowhead Client is a little application we use to keep our database up to date, and to provide you with some nifty extra functionality on the website!
It serves 2 main purposes:
- It maintains a WoW addon called the Wowhead Looter, which collects data as you play the game!
- It uploads the collected data to Wowhead in order to keep the database up-to-date!
You can also use it to keep track of your completed quests, recipes, mounts, companion pets, and titles!
So, what are you waiting for? Download the client and get started.


text: Hi, does anyone know the best place to purchase historic Eurovision finals on dvd. The official ones as you know began in 2004, but I've been collecting all the earlier ones. I just need 4 more to replace my old VHS copies, 1972,'73,'74 and '76. Does anyone know where I could buy the best quality dvds for these years, and hopefully the cheapest in price. Thanks.


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A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham
A Twentieth Century Naval Leader
Book Description
Cunningham was the best-known and most celebrated British admiral of the Second World War. He held one of the two major fleet commands between 1939 and 1942, and in 1942-43, he was Allied naval commander for the great amphibious operations in the Mediterranean. From 1943 to 1946, he was the First Sea Lord and a participant in the wartime conferences with Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt and the US Chiefs of Staff, deliberating the global strategy for Allied victory.
He also led a very active public life for almost twenty years after his retirement in 1946. Cunningham's papers are abundant for the period 1939-63 and are supplemented here by Cabinet and Admiralty records, papers of his service contemporaries and of Churchill, and by memories of his family and friends, as well as extensive US archives and private papers.
Table of Contents
1. Apprenticed to the Queen's Navy (1883-1908) 2. Cunningham, Destroyers and the Mediterranean: A symbiotic relationship (1908-1918) 3. Cowan's Protégé (1919-1933) 4. The Mediterranean: Challenges and crises (1934-1939) 5. The Finest Appointment (June 1939-June 1940) 6. Mussolini's War (June to December 1940) 7. Triumph into Tragedy (January to May 1941) 8. The Caged Tiger (June 1941-April 1942) 9. King and the King's Navy (June to October 1942) 10. Torch: The invasion of North Africa (October 1942-May 1943) 11. Husky: The invasion of Sicily (May to August 1943) 12. Avalanche: The invasion of Italy (September to October 1943) 13. Becoming First Sea Lord (October 1943-June 1944) 14. The Pinnacle of a Career (June 1944-May 1946) 15. Facing the Future (January 1945-June 1946) 16. The Long Ebb Tide (June 1946-June 1963)
View More
Michael Simpson read History at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and recently retired as Reader in American History at the University of Wales, Swansea. He is the Honorary General Editor of the Navy Records Society's volumes and is author of seven books, including: Franklin D. Roosevelt (1989), Anglo-American Naval Relations, 1917-1919 (1991), The Papers of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville (1995) and The Papers of Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, Vol. I: The Mediterranean Fleet, 1939--1942 (1999).


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Below are the projects that we are partnered with in Kenya. By clicking on the project name you can download a pdf sheet with detailed information about the work.
Believers' Fellowship Tabernacle Micro Loan, Nairobi
Echoes of Mercy Mission, Nyanza Region
Tumaini Children's Centre, Nyeri
Voice of Hope School, Nyanza Region
Voice of Hope Sewing Centre, Nyanza Region
Voice of Hope Children's Home, Nyanza Region
Royal Christian School, Kisumu
Arise and Shine Academy, Nyanza Region


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The Cutting Edge – Chef's Dome Short Sleeve Jacket
The White Dome short sleeve jacket from the Alsco's Catering Cutting Edge range has been designed for today's modern chef. Featuring a contemporary style, a left sleeve thermometer pocket, side splits at hem designed to keep your staff comfortable yet still look professional.
Needless to say, it completely follows the New Zealand guidelines about the health and safety on the workplace and the sanitary requirements for the commercial kitchens.
- Sizes: XS – 5XL
- 65/35% Polycotton
- Pocket on left side sleeve
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"positive, professional and importantly cost competitive"
Over these years they have accommodated our needs with quality products and service delivery across a number of requirements from mat laundering, cleaning products, sanitary and sanitation to air fresheners, pest control and medical supplies to name a few. Alsco has impressed me with their constant strive towards customer satisfaction by keeping me in touch with new product lines and new services.
Their sales representative reflects the high standard and value they place in appreciating their customers. Both representative and sales support contacts me on a regular basis, which I welcome.
I confidently recommend the service that Alsco Fresh and Clean offer as my experience with them has been positive, professional and importantly cost competitive."


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Sa Franquesa Nova - a name that makes one dream of a place of peace and quiet far away from the ordinary. A romantic rural hotel in Majorca's idyllic southeast, located on a vast country estate with a long and rich history, overlooking the picturesque Bonany plain. Here, Majorca is exactly like in your dreams.
Sa Franquesa Nova is extraordinary in every sense, a relic from the authentic Majorca, a peaceful retreat in an extremely beautiful scenery.
Vast pastures, fields and vineyards. Idyllic gardens. Almond, olive, lemon and fig trees. Mediterranean lifestyle par excellence.
Elegance and history united in its most beautiful form. Traditional Majorcan architecture in a modern guise. 34 elegant rooms and suites, all with private terrace and Jacuzzi bathtub.
Big salt water outdoor pool with beautiful sundeck and pool house, large terrace, idyllic gardens. A place to unwind.
Everything was great. The place, the room, the staff, the view... An amazing hotel, perfect to relax, turn off your phone and enjoy nature.Evelyne · Booking.com
Dinner at the hotel restaurant was excellent: quality products and perfect preparation of the dishes, wich we tasted in a very pleasant atmosphere.
Engat · Tripadvisor
Tranquility, a lot of peace, a wonderful restaurant. The farm is very pleasant for rest and relaxation.
Julian · Tripadvisor
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Welcome present: 1 bottle of wine in your room
Crta. Petra-Felanitx km4, Ma-5110, 07250 - Vilafranca de Bonany, Mallorca
(+34) 971 832 384 (+34) 678 040 039 firstname.lastname@example.com
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Significant growth in Seattle over the past few years has prompted a great deal of attention, and now there is a dedicated place in the city, the Center for Architecture and Design, which invites people to discuss ideas and engage with how all facets of design affect our lives. The new shared home for AIA Seattle, Design in Public (an initiative of the AIA Seattle), Seattle Architecture Foundation, and AIA | Washington Council, allows these organizations to greater collaborate in advocating for great design outcomes and to share an exciting program of exhibitions, lectures, festivals and walking tours. Recognizing the immense value a design hub brings to the city, over 150 organizations and individuals contributed financial or in-kind support. To learn more about the Center and the much anticipated Grand Opening on 5 March 2016, I had a chat with Lisa Richmond, Executive Director of AIA Seattle, and Stacy Segal, Executive Director of Seattle Architecture Foundation.
What is the vision for Seattle's Center for Architecture and Design, and what led to its development?
Lisa – There has been significant interest in creating a dedicated space for people to meet and engage with architecture and design in Seattle for some time. Conversations started around the time of the economic downturn, which led to AIA Seattle to focus on programming over the development of a dedicated space. Support for the programs demonstrated that there was strong interest in engaging in discussions about design, and potential for a space to foster this.
The idea behind the Center has been a long time in the making, with conversations back in 2007 about the potential incarnations for a space in Seattle where people could discuss the changes occurring in the city and environment, as well as engage with the role of design in our lives. The opening of the Center is timely given Seattle is presently one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Seattle has a strong design community. The Center provides the opportunity to showcase the many facets of design and its importance in problem solving.
AIA Seattle, Design in Public and Seattle Architecture Foundation established an agreement approximately a year and a half ago and the rapid search for a potential property to call home began. The six month funding campaign was extremely fast, but provided incredible support, enabling the idea for this space to come to fruition incredibly quickly, considering the idea behind it had been a long time in the making.
How do you envisage the Center will support people to engage with architecture and design in Seattle and beyond?
Stacy – The Center will serve the local community and visitors in a number of ways. Exhibits will be rotating every 6 to 8 weeks and will be designed with the intention of provoking interesting conversations.
We hope that these displays help people to see architecture and design in new ways. In Seattle, we have a very robust design review process which the public has the opportunity to engage with. It is great to represent the work and perspectives of design professionals to the public and provide a platform for diverse people to interact and engage with designers. The Center also provides the opportunity for design professionals to connect with people and listen to their views of projects or issues. The Center is a place for people of all backgrounds, not just those working in a design related area.
The Center will offer a range of programs, exhibits, tours, lectures and workshops. Can you give some insight into some of the highlights of your program that we can look forward to in 2016?
Lisa – The Center brings together multiple organizations in the same space which helps us to elevate what we are all doing. The focus of the Center's programming is guided by a series of themes, each of which will run for 2 months, with the gallery space serving as the anchor.
FitNation, a travelling exhibit from the AIA New York we are hosting, will anchor our programming in February and March, exploring how design can support public health. The interactive exhibit will also highlight places in Seattle which encourage activity and wellbeing.
In April, we will be focusing on the theme of housing solutions, including an exhibit called Living Small. AIA Seattle is hosting a full day conference and will also be doing advocacy in response to some of the issues affecting affordable housing and homelessness.
Stacy – The Seattle Architecture Foundation will host family and youth workshops. One of these will focus on urban and rooftop gardens, and another will explore Pacific Northwest design and housing, which will include a walking tour of innovative models for sustainability around Seattle.
Lisa – Many partner organizations will also hold programs in the space such as Forterra with a Seed and Feed event.
In the summer, "Housing Boom" by the Seattle Architecture Foundation and Design in Public will explore the huge changes occurring in Seattle as a result of population growth. It highlights the fact that these conditions have precedence, and there are many lessons to learn, and stories to tell, both from those who were included and left out of, conversations, design processes and the changing city.
For the past few years, as Seattle has experienced incredible growth, there has been significant attention to affordable housing, public transportation, and innovations in sustainable design. Are there any projects, issues or opportunities on your radar which you hope the Center will foster discussions about?
Lisa – For our programming for 2017, we have been asking what are the critical issues and design ideas to engage with. We have been interested in design for education given the passing of the McCleary outcome and the need to fund hundreds of new classrooms. Another interest is the design of smart buildings and the digital world.
There is certainly no shortage of interesting topics. We are excited about the possibility of extending the scope of design beyond the traditional sphere of the built environment, with opportunities, for example, to consider food issues with a chef. The program will be enlivened through related fields that extend the notion of the design beyond the traditional sense.
Stacy – The Seattle Architecture Foundation is keen to extend the design focus of the Center beyond the built environment and architecture, with a range of art forms like concerts and film.
Given the Center celebrates great design, how did you approach finding and designing a suitable building?
Stacy – It was quite a process given that our organizations comprise many architects and designers, all of whom have many ideas to contribute. We started by thinking about our needs in terms of the space as well as what we could afford. We identified the square footage we needed to house all the different elements of the Center, and then we sought to find a space with design integrity and sustainability. It was imperative that the space offered flexibility and was accessible to all. The downtown core was the focus of our search, as it is bikeable, walkable, and well serviced by public transport. We thought a storefront would be the most visible and inviting to people. The building we have is a beautiful brick building near the waterfront, an area undergoing change at the moment. The building has high ceilings with exposed beams. The architects, Suyama Peterson Deguchi successfully retained these features and enhanced the architectural beauty.
Lisa – The architects Suyama Peterson Deguchi, worked on the building entirely pro-bono, which was incredibly generous. We fundraised $1.9 million in cash and in-kind support to develop the building, and support ongoing programming.
What can you tell us about the Center's Grand Opening on 5 March and what to expect of the first few exhibitions or events?
Stacy – The Grand Opening on March 5 is a full day event starting at 10am and finishing up at 4pm. Throughout the day, people can visit and explore the space and see FitNation, an interactive exhibit encouraging healthy lifestyles. In the morning there is a family workshop on Bike-able Seattle. There will be some special guests in the middle of the day including elected officials and sporting figures. There will be talks about the exhibit, as well as talks about the design of the building by Suyama Peterson Deguchi. The exhibition is very interactive, with a lot of fun things going on, like button making, a photo booth, and food throughout the day. There will be a worksheet for kids to do and there will also be a design geo-cache. The event is free, and open to the public, with kids welcome.
Thank you to Lisa and Stacy for taking the time to give some insight into the new Center for Architecture and Design.
The Center for Architecture and Design is located at 1010 Western Ave and is open to the public Tuesday – Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 1pm to 5pm.
The Grand Opening celebration is on Saturday March 5 from 10am to 4pm.
We hope you loved this article. If so, please consider subscribing or donating. The Urbanist is a non-profit that depends on donations from readers like you.
Sarah is an urban planner and artist from Melbourne Australia, currently living in Seattle. She has contributed to diverse long-term projects addressing housing, transportation, community facilities, heritage and public spaces with extensive consultation with communities and other stakeholders. Her articles for The Urbanist focus on her passion for the design of sustainable, inviting and inclusive places, drawing on her research and experiences around the world.


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See more photos of Thanh Phuong's vibrant food in our slideshow.
Chris Shepherd's imposing frame darkened the door at Thanh Phuong, the chef apologizing for running late as he walked over to my table. It was understandable, as the restaurant is nearly hidden in a strip mall behind a Long John Silver's on a quiet stretch of Broadway in "old" Pearland. I didn't mind.
I was bouncing in my seat as Shepherd sat down. I handed him a menu and simply couldn't take it any longer, the wait forcing me to blurt out everything he needed to know about the restaurant in one, long stream-of-consciousness ramble.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Sundays.
Venison carpaccio: $12.95
Chargrilled pork chop clay pot: $10.95
Bun bo nuong: $7.95
Crispy fried rabbit: $14.95
"Shaking" venison: $12.95
Chicken wings with caramelized fish sauce: $9.95
Crme brle: $2.95
BLOG POST: Thanh Phuong's Got Good Game
SLIDESHOW: Adventurous Vietnamese: Hit the Road to Thanh Phuong in Pearland
"Okay, I already ordered an appetizer for us but I don't want to tell you what it is until it gets here because I want it to be a surprise, but first you have to look at the menu because look at the last two pages — they are nothing but game meats! — and then look over here at the lotus root salad and, okay, I can't wait I have to tell you what I ordered for an appetizer: It's venison carpaccio, Vietnamese-style, and I am so psyched right now."
The last part was perhaps a little redundant, and Shepherd was laughing at me by now. He ordered a soda chanh — club soda poured over a mixture of freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar — to match mine and we settled in to continue perusing the menu.
"Did you see this?" he pointed at a dish of chicken wings in caramelized fish sauce. "I have to get that next time."
"Did you see this?" I responded as I pointed to a curried mutton dish near the back of the menu. This shared obsession with Vietnamese food was the reason I'd invited him, after all.
Shepherd was most recently the chef at Catalan, which was widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in Houston, before he departed to work on opening his own place, Underbelly, set to open on Westheimer in the spot where Chances was, within the next year. Catalan is currently dormant while it transforms into a new restaurant called Coppa. There's plenty of anticipation for Coppa to open, but it doesn't match the excitement over Shepherd's Underbelly.
The chef and I happily geeked out over the possibilities on the menu — many of which I've never seen in any other Vietnamese restaurant in Houston, let alone Pearland — until our venison carpaccio arrived.
I all but lost it. This was the food equivalent of love at first sight. My heart pounded with each bite.
Thin slices of deer meat, a dark ruddy color that was almost translucent, had been marinated in lime and lemon juice, with powerful, pungent notes of fish sauce punctuating the citrus marinade and subtly nudging up the naturally sweet flavor of the venison. Slivers of red onion and shallot wove themselves throughout the pile, topped with diced peanuts. We gobbled the plate down with chopsticks in one hand and broken-off bits of sesame-studded rice cakes in the other, the salty crackers serving as that last integral bite in a stunningly well-composed dish.
We quickly ordered five more things.
Out they came in quick succession: Vietnamese-style deep-fried rabbit with a sprinkling of sesame seeds atop the tender strips of meat; boar luc lac — traditional "shaking" beef using wild pork instead — that was crisped at the edges, but soft and lean in the middle; sautéed alligator in a mild bean sauce that was sweet and mild, the meat fresh and lean; pan-fried rice cakes that were chewy and crunchy all at once with a thrilling vein of coconut flavor running lightly through them; and two of the most perfect crèmes brûlées I have ever seen in my life, crackled tops looking like fine china broken open to reveal a custard with an elegantly silky texture that would have made Amelie weep.
By the end of our meal, Shepherd — who is often called "The Godfather" of Houston's food scene — was offering to stage at the little restaurant, although he first had to explain what staging is to the confused waiter: Essentially, it's an unpaid internship in a kitchen where you hope to learn from a master.
"Are you a cook?" asked our young waiter, the son of the proprietress.
"Yes," Shepherd chuckled back.
"Well, did you go to cooking school?"
"Hmm. I'll have to ask my mom." And with that, he retreated back into the kitchen.
Thanh Phuong has existed in Pearland for at least the last 15 years, but until very recently it served an uninspired if decent menu of Chinese standards with a few Vietnamese dishes thrown in. That was before the Nguyen family took over.
They smartly left the standards in place — Thanh Phuong still does a very busy to-go service in the evenings for families in the area — but added more traditional dishes to the menu along with a massive assortment of game meats, something which sets it very far apart from nearly every other Vietnamese restaurant.
"My friends laughed at me," said Vu Nguyen with a chuckle as he answered Shepherd's many questions about the menu during that first meal. Nguyen runs the place along with his mother, who silently mans the kitchen, and was determined to put his own mark on the new menu. He's part of a new generation of ethnic food restaurateurs moving menus in a modern direction, even out in the suburbs.
Nguyen's friends said that no one would order his venison, rabbit, quail, boar, eel, mutton or alligator. But he didn't pay them any mind as he set about sourcing the best local providers of these meats. He gets the rabbit from a farm just down the road; he gets the quail when it's in season.
While there were concerns about the salability of the game meats (which are what attracted me in the first place), Nguyen has found that it's actually the pho — something almost taken for granted in southwest Houston and inside the Loop — that's proving less marketable to Pearlanders more accustomed to fried rice than noodle soup. He's slowly turning people on to pho, though; much of his success can be attributed to the long roasting and stewing times for the beef bones, as well as his insistence on using only Vietnamese herbs and spices.
"Some people think you can use American stuff," he scoffed with a sly smile as he offered a sample bowl of his broth. It was intriguingly dark in the white bowl, an intoxicating mixture of beef fat and broth, anise and nutmeg. The surface was slick. The flavor stuck in the back of my throat, clinging richly to my tongue. I could only imagine what it would taste like fixed with fat purple basil leaves and bright coriander.
On my second trip to Thanh Phuong, I was pleased to find that the staff remembered me. The jovial, welcoming vibe is only further enhanced by their quirkiness and friendliness, although it turned out they mostly remembered me because I ordered so much food and because they were shocked to be serving white people who ordered Vietnamese dishes...and could pronounce them properly.
They're bound to remember me again, then, as I ordered just as much food this second time around. Our young waiter, who told us that he would be a stand-up comedian if he weren't studying neurology, bluntly told my group of four to move to a larger table because, "You guys ordered a buttload of food."
I ordered those chicken wings in caramelized fish sauce I'd admired from afar last time and wasn't disappointed, quickly crowning them my new favorite wings in town. The fish sauce had, indeed, been caramelized and released a sort of nutty sweetness out of the fermented stuff; all trace of briny or fishy flavor was entirely gone. It made for a sticky-sweet glaze on the wings that I couldn't get enough of, licking my fingers until every trace of it was gone.
Meanwhile, my dining companions were stone silent over their bowls of bun bo nuong — chargrilled beef over a messy tangle of vermicelli noodles — and clay pots of pork and rice. An entire pork chop lay across the top of the pot; underneath, the rice contained a wild array of carrots, peas, shallots, oyster mushrooms, diced sweet sausage and bits of fried egg. Across the table, another friend speared pieces of sautéed venison, the deer meat slicked lightly with oil from the wok that had seared it along with broad chunks of red bell peppers, onions and jalapeños. All were far too busy enjoying their food to discuss it.
And we once again ordered two pots of luscious crème brûlée to round out the meal.
I saw Chris Shepherd again at a Pilot Light dinner on a recent Saturday night. "Have you been back to Thanh Phuong?" he asked with a broad smile. "I'm going tomorrow for lunch."
"Oh yeah?" I asked. "And will you be working there after all?"
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"Yep," he replied. "I've got it all worked out."
Shepherd plans to have several Vietnamese-influenced dishes on the menu at Underbelly when it opens within the next year, in a tribute to Houston's diverse and thriving ethnic food scene. So diverse and thriving, in fact, that Houston itself can't contain it all, making a drive to Thanh Phuong even more of an adventure.
I can only imagine how packed Thanh Phuong would be if it were any closer to the city. As it is, hidden away in old Pearland, it has all the potential to become a cult restaurant, the kind that inspires heady road trips and loving screeds on food blogs across the city, as well as inspiring a few chefs along the way.


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Article Focus: Everybody wants to know: what's Final Cut Server? And if they know the answer (hint: very, very big deal), they want to know if it actually works. Who better to ask than people actually using it? The answers provided will change as the situation does, but this is where you'll find the Creative Cow's Real-time Report on Final Cut Server.
The first thing that many people knew about Apple Final Cut Server is that it was late. Didn't even know what it was. They just saw people speculating that it was so late it might be yet another product announced but never shipped...until of course it did.
It's still new, barely a month out of the womb. We're a long way from knowing everything there is to know about how Final Cut Server works in the real world, with the variety of workflows, formats and system configurations that people are actually working with.
Let's get the simple stuff out of the way first. Final Cut Server is software. It runs on a computer that other computers are connected to, using storage that isn't necessarily made by Apple. As Matthew Nelson says in the Cow's FC Server forum, "FCServer is...a much needed tool for those of us who have to manage multiple projects."
Mike Jennings continues, "You can coordinate productions with different or overlapping assets, assign them to users, and users can copy the proxy files or the raw data locally for editing. They can check in or check out assets and upload the results back into the system for approval (all with email notifications)."
Jon Rutherford: "It also has very powerful automation tools to streamline the workflow process as much as possible."
As one IT website notes, "Final Cut Server is basically a cross platform asset management database that enables you to better keep track of, and search through, all of your tapes, clips, files, graphics, images, music tracks etc.. the iTunes of video asset management."
CIO Today, required reading for IT uber-dweebs (said affectionaly, as dweebs ourselves), says that FC Server "automatically catalogs collections of assets and provides the ability to search across a variety of hard disks and network volumes. The server allows a user to view, annotate and approve content from anywhere via a local computer.
"A user can search from a PC or a Mac. Searches can be conducted with simple keywords or combinations of IPTC, XMP or XML metadata. There are also a range of access controls that can be defined to determine user permissions for a specific asset or an individual project."
(One of the things I mean by "uber-dweeb" is that these guys are the bosses of dweebs. You can sense the displeasure in the headline "Apple Finally Releases Final Cut Server," with the first sentence beginning "After some delay..." Fine, fine. Got it.)
Manage more than one project at a time, with more than one editor at a time. Control user access and permissions. Add options to where and how everybody works. Track the work that everyone does, including tracking changes. Have email automatically notify the team as needed.
Collaborate across platforms.
Get it to do pretty much anything you want.
That's a very small part of the picture, but so far, so good. It's easy to understand why people are getting excited.
To begin though, it looks like the baby metaphor may not be too far off the mark: beautiful, with boundless potential...and needing the drool wiped from its chin every now and again.
California Historical Society
At the same time, we're finding as we talk about it that, as much as it needs to grow, we may not understand all that we need to just yet either.
This is the great thing about the Cow – in this case, specifically the new Final Cut Server forum. Instead of a single reviewer working with a single set of circumstances, there are bunches of us (or YOU anyway) working in a wide range of circumstances. As systems get set up and shaken down, new information is constantly emerging as the conversation continues, and we help each other grow.
So while we look forward to a BUNCH of formal reviews, here's a look at where we are right now. This is Final Cut Server, in real time, baby.
"The stork brought you"
This is my favorite answer EVER to the question of "Mommy, where did I come from?"
Anyway, this section isn't going to be as, uhm, sexy, as the story of where babies come from, but if you want to understand the full range of what FC Server is up to, it helps to understand where it began, as a gleam in the eye of....
...sorry. Enough of the baby thing.
The Proximity Group was a small company developing digital asset management software (DAM), but that doesn't even begin to explain it. I mean, rational folder structure and Spotlight or Google Desktop is about all that you need to keep up with your stuff.
Besides – assets? Have you EVER used the word "assets" to describe your footage, your projects, your scripts, music, graphics, animations, spreadsheets – everything that you've made, bought, sold, or worked with? Everything you've MADE? Of course not. Asset is an accurate enough word, but it's not TRUE. While it may not be art, it's YOUR WORK, not your "assets."
So start by thinking of it as WORK management. Or hey, art management is fine too. But FC Server isn't only interested in the final products. Maybe not even primarily. It's designed to support the creative PROCESS, and to keep the pieces together as they merge to create something new.
Notice I didn't say "workflow" either. Accurate enough, but....
At the end of 2006, Apple bought the assets (sigh) of the aforementioned Proximity, with their Artbox application as the star of the show. You have to love the notice at proximitygroup.com:
Other than a larger page, that's the sum total of their website today.
As much as * I * hate words like "asset management" and "workflow," the kids at Proximity obviously didn't feel the same. As their-then Senior VP of Sales and Marketing put it, ""With our Artbox DAM solution, it's easy to access assets sitting on different platforms and to configure the environment to support your workflow."
The reality obscured there is that Artbox was a huge stride forward, enabling creative processes that simply weren't possible before without driving yourself insane.
It was to collaboration what NLEs are to editing: the same general thing, with the same general outcome, but more quickly and less painfully. By getting logistical obstacles out of the way, it creates new possibilities.
It was a big enough deal that Proximity won a Technical Emmy in 2003 for the work that led to Artbox, which launched in 2004.
And here's a great peek at the rest of the Proximity product line that Apple acquired, with many more clues about what's here in Final Cut Server, and what might be coming.
Just so we're properly calibrated: Artbox ran $20K. FC Server starts at $999 for 10 clients, $2K for unlimited clients.
So who's it for?
The FC Server information at Apple.com is great. The problem for some folks is that there's a little too much of it. (Here's my very favorite summary. It's a dandy movie, so rather than bother with a bunch of static screenshots, I'll let you see in action.)
I mentioned some of the broad strokes earlier, so let's get a little nittier and grittier as we look at how FC Server can work in various environments.
The easiest example to understand is also the most complex: a massive digital newsroom like, say, noted Artbox users at CNN. They have terrabytes of both active and archived footage, maps, music, title animations, scripts, and more being added around the clock, around the globe, and it has to be available to everyone.
The additional challenge in newsrooms is that nobody makes everything. Somebody has to tie it all together.
Since Artbox supports multiple devices and formats, users can select best-of-breed solutions that meet their requirements. The tool can convert between all major still and video formats, and interfaces with current and legacy equipment from manufacturers such as Avid, Adobe, Chyron, Discreet, Grass Valley, Leitch, Omneon, Pinnacle, Quantel and Sundance. Artbox's content management module stores artwork in its native format. Users can search, locate, transfer and transcode artwork across multiple platforms and formats. The artist no longer needs to be concerned with format conversion and where to store the asset.
Here's a picture of what that might look like. Click image for larger. Really. Nobody can read that. Click it.
Now imagine a hundred overworked, underpaid, hypercaffeinated, sleep-deprived NORMAL humans without IT backgrounds scurrying through all those arrows. These folks need all the help staying on track that they can get.
(Hey, and see that iNews station in the lower left. That's from Avid. That's the point – plays nice with everyone.)
But it's not just video. Enterprise customers used Artbox, and are adopting FC Server for the same reasons. PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Visio, Photoshop, Illustrator, AutoCAD....keep going. If it's a document that more than one person might touch, it's worth tracking. The more documents, the more users, the more visibility into the process you want, the more important FC Server becomes, even for hardcore business at its most UN-creative.
It's worth taking a gander at Apple's FC Server pitch to its business customers. Actually, it's pretty much the exact same pitch as to post customers except with fewer words.
So what about post customers? In Hollywood, check. Lots of assets, lots of editors.
Hollywood Blvd. from the Kodak Theater. Wikipedia Commons.
Well, maybe not so many. The average Hollywood configuration is 4 systems. A massive SFX epic like King Kong had 9. You don't have to look far in the Cow to see plenty of folks with shops bigger than that.
It's not marketing hype when Apple says "Final Cut Server helps any production workgroup — from a two-person boutique to a global news operation — work smoothly and efficiently." After all, even in the Pro Apps, the workflow has, until now, been optimized for small teams...if not ONE person teams.
And there's a REASON why it's FINAL CUT Server and not xDAM or iCollaborate. It's built around Final Cut Pro.
Here's an imaginary scenario for a one-person shop. You've got a rough cut that you need to work through with the client. The edit's not complete, graphics are in flux, and you need to go shoot.
Get the client to launch a Java app on their Windows machine, and take a look at the project. They can make notes, use the version control to roll back to an earlier version of the logo – even though they signed off on it a MONTH ago. But the graphics are the only things they have permission to change. Everything else is locked to them.
So they do the work without doing damage. (Hey Apple, you can have that one for free.) And you can be out earning money on another job.
NOW how much would you pay?
Seriously, $1000 for ten seats (you and 9 simultaneous clients) is looking like a steal. So if you're in "small post," don't be led astray by the "newsroom," "enterprise," "Hollywood" stories. Of course, if you're in one of those latter 3 categories, well, there you go.
Yeah, but how's it working out?
Here we turn back to our real time report. Wellll.....
Some good news first.
Mike Jennings: "Final Cut Server isn't too fussy about storage devices, so if you want an alternative to XServe RAID, go for it...That said, XServe RAID is trivial to integrate, easy to administer and very well-designed. For someone who wants good performance and high availability without having to learn to be a sysadmin nerd, XServe and XServe RAID is a damn fine combo.
Final Cut Server also has excellent archiving support, so plan on adding an archive/backup device of some sort...even if it's just a giant slow cheap disk array."
By the way, since FC Server plays nicely with Avid clients, can FC Server run on Unity? Not so, says Dom Silverio. "You cannot use the Avid Unity backbone (storage + file manage computer) to drive FC Server. The Avid storage chasis and File manager runs on Windows. [It supports PC clients working with projects, but] FC Server is OS X based. Even if the hardware allows you, you will need to delete your entire Unity, since Unity uses its own proprietary file format and you cannot run another software that manages permissions. It will conflict."
Jon Rutherford: It also has very powerful automation tools to streamline the workflow process as much as possible . Things like automatic transcoding and email notifications are examples of this.
When media is uploaded into FCSvr it creates an asset in the FCSvr database (or catalog). These assets include a lo-res proxy for browsing over IP. The specific proxy settings can be customized to meet your needs. I just did an install where we built a custom Compressor preset just for this purpose.
Another feature FCSvr has is what is called "Edit Proxies" these are PreRes 422 versions of your assets used by editors when the original format is too large to handle over IP. While ProRes 422 is still a bit large it is NOT as large as uncompressed."
And for the rest of the story:
Charlie Tear: "With more insight into the working methods of average day to day TV editors and production staff, (reviewing stuff which hasn't been topped and tailed and pre-cut into small chunks by an apprentice, working with long interview rushes or GV tapes etc etc etc) I think Apple will nail it and make it into an industry-leading app, but for now, for our news/sports centered workflows at least, I will have to file under "huge potential but massive disappointment."
Mike J.: Several operations encourage you to export, copy locally etc, spawning a dangerous number of asset copies. I'd prefer to avoid that; I'm hoping edit in place will work, but I haven't gotten it working. I'm not using my SAN yet, but all the clients have access to the server by gigabit ethernet. Not sure how to troubleshoot that -- I might call support.
I was REALLY disappointed that it doesn't handle native, unwrapped MXF files from a Panasonic camera. My intended workflow was to set up a watcher and have it suck in from the P2 cards more or less unattended but that's kind of broken.
This next bit isn't negative, but you you need to take it into account. "Just so everyone understands, this product has a great deal of power," says Jon R. "While the product sells for $2000 (unlimited, $999 for 10 seats) time and resources must be planned for a proper installation. It is not something you just take out of the box and install. It has to be configured for your basic needs and facility/environment.
"Planning the workflow before the actual installation is highly recommended. This is not to scare anyone off. Just setting proper expectations."
If you're looking for the most advanced features of FC Server, Jon recommends Xserve. Even simple email notifications would be difficult to setup on a system only running Mac OS X 10.5 client. Workgroup manager and other server apps really make the overall FCSvr set up and configuration easier and run better.
Mike Jennings: Tip for those of you setting up a server: Don't change the IP address of the server. The client app often won't launch afterward, and you have to hunt it down, delete it, and re-download the client app.
Another tip: You may want to start with Leopard Server so that you can easily use Open Directory or Active Directory to manage user authentication.
So what about the future?
"One question I have is about FCP Server's support of assets for *other* devices. I was talking to the Proximity people a few years ago about asset management for clips going to our Avid (nee Pinnacle) Thunder. They had a solution, but it cost over $20,000. I kind of get the feeling that those "Artbox" features are probably no longer part of FCP Server. Does anyone know if they made it to the new product?"
Good question. We're still poking around to see, but on the same thread Walter Biscardi reminds us that Apple rolled the $25K Final Touch system into Final Cut Studio for FREE without limiting features.
Charlie says, "I believe it will be a great product one day and we would have been happy to pay ten times the price for it to be delivered full-featured and airtight - shot selection tool and all - as it still would be several times cheaper than most of the competitors, and truly offer the kind of integration with FCP we had all been hoping for."
Fair enough.
As I read the forum again to put this together, my own assessment is, if you need it today, go for it. There are smart, quickly-becoming-experienced folks who'll help. If you can wait, it may not a bad idea.
My concluding conclusion? Apple's history of acquiring Pro Apps from other folks tells us two things. One is that they don't always stick landings on the first Apple-branded version out of the gate. The other is that they're diligent about making improvements.
Ah, baby's first steps! My alpha disk of Macromedia Final Cut for Windows and Mac. Wasn't he cute?
Anyway, I invite you to join me in the Creative Cow Final Cut Server forum. You'll see the rest of the story I've summarized here, and be able to see new developments in real time.