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Christmas in Prague
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St. Salvator Church Klementinum |
Classical Music
60 minutes |
Not available
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J. S. Bach : Toccata and Fuga in D Minor
A. Vivaldi: Concerto for organ
F. Schubert: Ave Maria
W. A. Mozart: Ave verum corpus
M. A. Charpentier: Te Deum - Prelude
A. Dvorak: Ave Maria - Spiritual songs
G. F. Händel: Sinfonia in D Major
J. S. Bach: Fantasia in A Minor
G. Faure: Apres une reve, Angel´s trumpet
A. Dvorak: Preludium in D Major
J. Haydn: The Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ
There is no intermission.
The concert is free of charge for children under 15 years.
See more classical concerts.
St. Salvator Church is a part of the former Jesuit College of St. Clement (Klementinum) by Charles Bridge. Founded in the 16th century, it was completed in the 17th century by famous Italian architect Carlo Lurago and belongs to the most valuable early Baroque buildings in Prague. Its architecture was inspired by the main Jesuit church Il Gesu in Rome, a model for many sacred buildings in the baroque era. Today the church belongs to the academic parish.
Tradition of organ concerts in St. Salvator Church is very long. Beautiful (recently restored) organ from the 18th century used to be played by a number of Jesuit composers who worked in the temple, but also by famous composers of 18th century such as Jan Dismas Zelenka or Jakub Jan Ryba.
Prague classical concerts in St. Salvator Church gained a great reputation for their artistic qualities. Renowned musicians in the field of early music and beautiful premises of the early Baroque church make these organ concerts a pleasant event. St. Salvator (Holy Saviour) Church is established as the first academic parish in the Czech Republic and as a categorial parish. It offers a platform for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue and is open for spiritual seekers and non-active Christians.
Organ - Soprano or Tenor - Violin
Great organ music
Chamber Music
Prague Chamber Ensemble & Organ
Ave Maria


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At the Net: Can Errani get even better?
Philadelphia, PA – Sara Errani enjoyed the best season of her career in 2012, to the point where she was named the WTA's Most Improved Player.
Can she improve even more in 2013?
Errani is a 25-year-old Italian who is listed at 5 feet, 4 1/2 inches in the WTA media guide ... but I can guarantee you she checks in lower than that.
The gritty Bologna native is known as one of the fiercest competitors on tour, and much like the ATP's "David" (as in not Goliath), David Ferrer, Errani gets it done with some talent, for sure, but mostly with speed, guts and dogged determination.
Errani's compatriot Roberto Commentucci said, "What makes the difference in her game are not so much the technical aspects. It is that tiny little thing that beats in your chest, that makes you feel alive, that speeds up when you are excited, that jumps in your mouth when the crucial moment has arrived, that marks the difference between the lion and the coward. The heart."
Errani, who honed her skills at the famed Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida before moving on to Spain at the age of 16, took the circuit by storm in 2012, finishing as the No. 6 (career-high) player in the world after starting the year at an okay No. 45. You need a breakout season to move up 39 spots in the Top 50 ... and that's exactly what she did with THE breakout season of the year.
Note: Errani finished the previous four years all ranked in the 40s and had never even cracked the Top 30.
The diminutive star gave Italy a stunning third straight women's finalist at the French Open this year, this after her charismatic countrywoman Francesca Schiavone captured Roland Garros in 2010 and lost to China's Li Na in the 2011 finale in the City of Light.
Errani appeared in no less than five finals and captured an impressive four titles in 2012, with only Roland Garros marking her lone setback in a championship match (Maria Sharapova). She reached at least the quarterfinals at three of the four Grand Slams, including a trip into a first-ever U.S. Open semifinal, with only a Wimbledon (third-round loss) QF escaping her grasp. Pretty good for a "clay-court specialist" who had never advanced beyond the third round of a major prior to this year.
The vertically challenged Errani tallied 55 match wins (55-22) all told this year, including nice ones over 2011 U.S. Open champ Sam Stosur at the season- ending WTA Championships in Istanbul and eventual world No. 5 left-hander and fellow breakout star Angelique Kerber in the fourth round at the U.S. Open.
She piled up more than $3.1 million in prize money in 2012, a season she opened with a new racquet (Babolat instead of Wilson), a heavier and slightly longer stick that allowed for more pop and better reach. Errani dubbed the new racquet "Excalibur," which, of course, was the legendary sword of King Arthur. She and several tennis experts credited the new racquet as the biggest reason for her improved (and then some) game.
Note: Errani had to pay Wilson $30,000 to get out of her contract with the iconic American sporting goods company.
Can Errani actually break through with a major title next year? Former world No. 1 greats Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Martina Hingis, as well as Mary Pierce and former top-ranked star Ana Ivanovic are the only players to capture a Slam the year after winning the Most Improved Player award. Although I don't see Errani on that type of list (talent-wise), she'll certainly have a shot at winning at the French in the spring.
Trivia: Who was the WTA's Most Improved player last year?
And did I mention that Errani is also currently the world's co-No. 1 doubles player and was honored just this week along with fellow Italian Roberta Vinci as the International Tennis Federation's 2012 world doubles champions.
"I'm very happy to have been voted Most Improved Player, and Doubles Team of the Year too," Errani said. "It has been an incredible year for me -- so many matches in singles and doubles. It may be an unrepeatable year, but I'll try to continue like this and give everything I have on the court in every match. And as for the doubles, I'm very happy to share all these results with my best friend, Roberta."
Errani and Vinci corralled major titles at the U.S. and French Opens this year and were the runners-up at the Aussie Open back in January. The 10-year-pro Errani owns 16 career doubles titles, in addition to six career singles championships on the WTA.
I'm not gonna say that Errani will capture her first Grand Slam singles title in 2013, but she will most certainly be in the mix, especially in Paris.
Trivia Answer: Petra Kvitova

subset: commoncrawl


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pocketpit wrote:Personally if the mom didn't have brindle in her coloring I wouldn't see any Pit in her at all so I don't see what the problem is with Violet calling them Lab or Ret/Pointer crosses. I'm sure that's what they'll look like.
I agree with this. Other than the brindling....I don't really see ANY pit in her at all.


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Loving story with some good drama and mysterious creatures. Yes this is Star Wars.
Star Wars is always a fun movie for me. Sadly some user o users keeps bashing this movie because the roles of men between women were little off.
I did not see any hate in this movie against men. Cultural destructive movie? What?
No idea why so much anger to a movie. Movie was excellent.
Remarkable movie. My kids loved this film. I watched this movie without worry about genders.
Mark Hamill potrayed perfectly his role in this movie. He still good looking. Loved his acting.
Good plot and tones of twists during the whole movie. Get over your pain about men and women. Ridiculous review.
All the male characters were portrayed as impotent and foolish to fulfill one aspect of Hollywood's liberal agenda, and indeed, current liberal doctrine of ridiculing, belittling etc. as a way to diminish their adversaries status thus elevating themselves. Culturally such behavior is extremely destructive as it's motivation is hate. The movie portrays women as strong at the expense of men to such a degree that it sucks the fun out of a what should be a shared adventure like in the original 1977 Star Wars where a spunky Leia takes her would be rescuers blaster and starts shooting. Since Lucas was forced out of the franchise he created it has gone from reasonable to awful. There are no male heroes in this movie, just eunuchs, and if the male/female roles were reversed it would be every bit as bad except that the liberal media would notice the women were intentionally characterized as weak and witless and criticize it accordingly.
Agonizingly slow. Very little plot. Not up to Star Wars standards of first movies.
Who is mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton himself said he doesn't like the direction of the new films
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Cairo — One protester died and dozens were injured as secular, liberal Egyptians marched again in cities across the country after prayers Friday to denounce the Islamist government of President Mohammed Morsi.
The man was killed when he was struck by two bullets outside the presidential palace in Cairo as rioters pelted elite troops from the Republic Guard guarding the building with Molotov cocktails and stones. Troops replied for the umpteenth time with water cannons, tear gas and warning shots that were fired into the air.
The protests denouncing the rule of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood have become so common that they are not particularly interesting, despite the bloody fireworks. The narrow range of anti-goverment slogans that are chanted have become as familiar today to those who utter them as the lines of a play are to an actor.
The guerrilla street-theatre, for that is what it is, always draws a fleet of orange ambulances and lots of cameras. It starts quietly and builds during the day. The violence that follows is often gratuitous, but it regularly provides dramatic visuals for Arab and Western news networks, whose narrow focus on the street often make them appear to be far more important than they are.
But the demonstrations, which are organized by opposition factions who don't like each other much, have hardly galvanized the nation. Nor have they acted as a catalyst for change since the dramatic initial protests succeeded in overthrowing Hosni Mubarak's dictatorship.
This is not to denigrate the protesters. Most of them are sincere in their desire for Egypt to have something that looks and feels a lot more like a Western-style democracy. Their bravery has been proven by the fact that scores of young men have been killed and many more injured in street fights with government supporters or security forces over the past few months.
Still, by the most charitable estimates, less than one per cent of the population of Cairo has turned out at any one time for the many rallies opposing Morsi. This Friday evening only a few thousand Cairenes marched to the presidential palace although it was hard not to think that far more people were involved from the grainy night images broadcast over and over again by the BBC and others.
Despite the almost daily protests against Morsi's regime, these events have not caused him to change his policies a bit. Nor are they likely to.
However, there is an outside party that may have more success at making Morsi grant concessions.
The International Monetary Fund has been pressing Morsi to show that he has a firm grip on power, is slashing spending and is willing to be more inclusive of minorities and women or his government will lose nearly $5 billion in urgently needed loans that are currently in limbo. Without that money to keep Egypt's economy sputtering, it is difficult to see how the president will be able to go ahead with parliamentary elections tentatively re-scheduled for April.
Morsi has so far been able to dodge or ignore his political rivals, but the IMF poses a much bigger challenge. To achieve the stability that they have demanded, he has to demonstrate that he can peacefully quell the protests. There is a real trick to doing this that has so far alluded him. The main reason he has been unable to do this yet is largely because the security forces, who were the Brotherhood's implacable foes for half a century, are not much interested in helping him or his party although it must be said that they are have until now been equally uninterested in helping his rivals.
The upshot of all this is that while Egyptians latest attempts at revolution do not amount to nearly as much as it sometimes seems when viewed through a tear gas filled night-vision television camera's lens, the Islamist government and its secular opponents stumble along in lock step with no end to the country's misery in sight.


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April 7, 2008
Nashville, TN - After a weekend full of rainy weather, the Lady Bisons used blue skies and sunshine, not to mention a pair of home runs, to defeat the visiting Camels of Campbell University at Draper Diamond Monday.
Sara Simons started the scoring off in the first inning, reaching on a single to right field, and coming across the plate two batters later on wild pitch.
Campbell came back in the second inning with a home run by Courtney Quinn that bounced off the center field fence.
Sophomore shortstop Abby Keese belted a solo shot over the left field fence in the third inning to take the lead. It was her twelfth of the season.
Sophomore designated player Kelly Sirus added a shot over the left field fence in the fifth inning.
Campbell fought back picking up one run in a rundown in the top of the seventh but it wasn't enough with Abby Keese catching a diving line drive to end the game with runners in the corners.
Lipscomb notched seven hits in game one including two from Kellie Sirus, who went 2 for 3 with one run and one RBI.
Senior pitcher Kim Jacobson struck out seven Camels, and scattered seven hits to earn the win for the Lady Bisons. Her record improves to 4-3. Lipscomb improves to 17-21 and 8-5 in the A-Sun.


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Gigabyte GA-P55 UD3R Review
Intel's Socket 1156 processors, the Core i5 and Core i7 8 series, were released just short of two months ago, as a way to offer the Nehalem architecture at a lower price point than the socket 1366 offerings, that offer substantial performance advantages over AMD's offering. There is no doubt that the price of entry for a socket 1366 system can put the performance out of range for the masses. Lower CPU prices, lower motherboard prices and only dual channel memory drops the cost even further, making the technology available to everyone. At launch, you would have been hard pressed to find an X58 socket 1366 motherboard for less than $250, and even now performance X58/1366 boards are still in the $300+ range. Enter the P55chipset and motherboards, and $250 is about the maximum price point - with many capable boards for substantially less. That is what leads us to the Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R. With a price of just $139 it offers a good feature set at a reduced price.
Having recently looked at the Gigabyte GA-P55-UD6, the top of Gigabyte's performance ladder, I am anxious to see what the GA-P55-UD3R brings to the table. This P55 offering from Gigabyte, the GA-P55-UD3R, does not have all the bells and whistles, but does offer plenty of options to get the job done. Like the UD6, the UD3R is part of the Ultra Durable 3 lineup and features 2-oz copper layers in the PCB for lower impedance, improved voltage stability, and cooler operating temperatures. For component selection on Ultra Durable 3 motherboards, Gigabyte is using Japanese solid capacitors, Ferrite core chokes and Lower RDS(on) mosfets to make the design good enough for Gigabyte to offer a three year warranty on the board in the US and Canada. Let's see if the price impacts the performance and ability to reach a good overclock!
Closer Look:
The front panel of the box is not as packed full of information as the P55-UD6, but still gets the message across. The big highlights are the three year warranty for customers in both the US of A and Canada, the Ultra Durable 3 construction, and the Smart 6 software package. Part of the Ultra Durable 3 construction is the use of 2-oz copper ground and power layers in the PCB. The one thing that stands out is the absence of any mention of a Multi GPU strategy. The rear panel goes into detail on the Ultra Durable 3 construction and details some of the included software. The Multi GPU strategy is mentioned on the top right side of the rear panel, and it seems that only ATI's CrossfireX solution is supported. The socket 1156 processor support is listed front and back, to make sure you do not purchase the wrong Core i7 processor or motherboard.
Once the box is open, you don't have a whole lot going on. The bundle looks to be about what is expected with a board that falls into the lower end of the Gigabyte P55 hierarchy. That's not to say you don't get a decent bundle. You get what's needed to get the board up and running as well as the documentation for the board and software.
The bundle of accessories that comes with the GA-P55-UD3R is enough to get you connected and running. You get the basics, as you should with any motherboard these days. But with a $139 board, you won't get all the goodies that come on the higher end boards. You get the documentation in the form of the manual, an installation guide, driver disk, and a manual for the Smart 6 software suite. For connectivity, you get a total of four SATA cables, two of which have 90-degree ends, while all of them have locking tabs to prevent the cables from pulling out. An 80-conductor PATA cable is included, since the drive technology is still sold and in use by the masses. You will also notice that there is not a bridge connector included with this board, since SLI is not supported and ATI video cards usually come with the connector.
Let's take a look at the P55-UD3R and see just what it has to offer. Don't let the slim bundle fool you as this board has some serious performance credentials.


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Paramount Blu-ray Wrap Up 2 (US - BD)
Gabe quickly checks out six more recent and semi-recent Paramount releases...
White Christmas
White Christmas was a Christmas tradition in the Powers household, though I rarely made it past the half way point before falling asleep with Christmas Eve anticipation exhaustion. Looking back on the film, it's Danny Kaye's performance that sells the film beyond the song and dance. Kaye is infectiously funny, and fills the film with life every time it threatens to fold back into its uncontrollable plot, that chugs along without any real thought. I hadn't noticed over the years how inconsequential the story is, or how non sequitur so many of the songs are ('Choreography' being of special note, as its really a snotty indictment of modern dance that has nothing to do with Christmas or WWII). But those willing to float along with the goofiness of the whole thing are treated to some mesmerizing Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney songs (beyond that title piece), and Vera Ellen's impossibly perfected dance steps. With that extra added punch that is Kaye's comedic performance it's a whole lot easier to forget that the film is practically an ad for Bing Crosby: Entertainer (it's the third of a trilogy of movies where he sang the title track), and forgive the lack of story, convincing characters, and genuinely affecting pathos. It certainly isn't the best musical of its era, but there's no other Christmas themed musical that touches its colourful grandeur.
Last Christmas, I lamented the lack of a high definition release of White Christmas, since the film was the original Vista Vision release, a process made to compete with the other widescreen formats that comes in second only to the three-strip Technicolor process in terms of colour quality. The DVD special edition was wrought with edge-enhancement, blotchy grain, and worst of all, a misalignment of the blues. This misalignment caused all blues to float above the other hues. This 1080p transfer corrects these problems, and is the best representation of what the film is meant to look like. Colours are beautiful, details are sharp without halos, and grain is fine and manageable. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix isn't particularly impressive, or different than the restored Mono track. Even the musical moments are particularly centric, exception some of the sung dialogue, which bleeds into the stereo channels. 'Snow' is a good example, where the music is still centred, while the vocal performances work stereophonically according to the actor placement. The extras include a commentary from Rosemary Clooney, taken from an older release, the informative 'Backstage Stories from White Christmas' (12:00), 'Rosemary's Old Kentucky Home' (13:30), 'Bing Crosby: Christmas Crooner' (14:20), 'Danny Kaye: Joy to the World' (13:15), 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas' (7:30), ' White Christmas from Page to Stage' (4:30), ' White Christmas: A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney' (17:00), and two trailers.
The Peacemaker
The Peacemaker is sort of the textbook example of a late '90s action thriller. Hollywood was slowly dragging themselves out of the Cold War inspired hole that was created, patented, and driven into the ground over a decade. There was no Matrix or Bourne Supremacy to change the rules, and Jon de Bont's Speed was still considered the most exciting thing ever put to film. There are always exceptions to every rule, and in this case the minds behind Peacemaker appear to have taken some cues from the Jack Ryan films, and Martin Campbell's first Bond reboot ( Goldeneye). But for the most part this film is extra weight for Nicole Kidman and the then very green George Clooney's resumes. If you like clichés and capable filmmakers creating something that probably belongs on television, The Peacemaker is just the film for a lazy Saturday night space out. Director Mimi Leder ( Hill Street Blues, LA Law) shoots action scenes well, and exerts a great control over the steady-cam (working with cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann), but the whole film could use a good kick in the ass. Clooney effectively impersonates his future, more accomplished self, his chemistry with Kidman is next to nil, and the major villains are nearly impossible to tell apart from all the other angry East Europeans. The dialogue occasional sounds like it was written with an espionage movie Mad Lib, but the occasionally oomph of Leder's slightly less pyrotechnic take on actual action (like a solid car chase in the middle), and Hanz Zimmer's aggressive score make it worth the time though. I guess.
I haven't seen The Peacemaker on digital media, so I have no real means of comparison, but this is more colourful and detailed than an unconverted DVD could manage. It's a pretty modest showing all around, with moderately sharp and consistent details, and a couple lush jungle scenes to fill out the otherwise dull palette. Grain is prevalent but consistent, and fair considering the whole film is shot pretty softly and mostly in medium shots. The general lack of sharpness is clearly part of the intended look, but in wider shots leads to a bit of blotching, with background images sort of blending into one another. This Blu-ray debut comes fitted with a solid, but not exactly bombastic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. Thanks to the presence of war machines and lots of excitable Hanz Zimmer music, the mix is rarely dead, but the stand out moments stand out a little more than they probably should. The early train scene features a brisk, burly mix of Zimmer's thrusting score, multi-channel train effects, bassy pumping steam power, and even a few neat little tricks like the sounds of a hail of bullets disappearing into the sound of passing slats on the track. The extras are brief, including 'Stunt Footage' (2:00, SD), and 'From the Cutting Room Floor' (2:00, SD).
Shrek Forever After
Shrek was a amusing spoof of fairy tale culture. Shrek 2 was an unnecessary cash grab, that occasionally eked out a laugh. Shrek 3 was a droning bore that was more concerned with high definition computer graphics than story or jokes. The odds were not good for the fourth, and seemingly final film in the series. Shrek Forever After (or Shrek: The Final Chapter, or Shrek 4ever After, whatever it's called) is better than Shrek 3. It has a stronger story (Shrek is taken to his logical conclusion – he's a bad person who misses being a bad person), and a stronger villain (who still doesn't compare to John Lithgow), but the whole script, from jokes to morals is massively predictable. I respect the film's dark side, am happier with the character animation (especially the human characters, who were so drab in the previous films), and have to admit the series went out on a higher note, but the characters feel almost anachronistic in this new world where DreamWorks Animation actually makes good and relevant movies like Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. It's not very funny, but I have to admit there's something more behind this Shrek, and hope fans were happy with the last story. I also hope the title keeps its promise, and DreamWorks moves on to more original projects instead of endless sequels (looks at the release schedule)…oh, never mind.
Originally made for 3D, Shrek Forever After looks gorgeous on Blu-ray, featuring incredible, deep set details, mega-bright colours, and sharp contrast. The major details are the sharpest of all three films (this is the first time I've noticed Shrek's facial hair), and includes more of those photo real background elements found on the Shrek 3 Blu-ray. Like Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek Forever After works just fine in 2D, and the vibrant, clean transfer makes for a rich visual experience. Though they've been opting for DTS-HD lately, DreamWorks continues the audio theme set by the other Shrek Blu-rays and opts for a Dolby TrueHD surround track. I wasn't able to experience all 7.1 channels myself, but my 5.1 set-up was plenty busy with aggressive directional effects (which augment the depth of the image), a punchy LFE, and a rich, warm musical track. The character dialogue features an occasional inconsistency in volume, but it's a very minor blemish. The Blu-ray exclusive extras include an extra dull video commentary with the animators, an interactive map of the film with original concept art, 'A Conversation with the Cast' (9:20, HD), and 'The Tech of Shrek Forever After (7:30, HD). Other extras include 'Spotlight on Shrek' (13:50, HD), 'Secrets of Shrek Forever After' (4:00, HD), three deleted scenes with director intros (5:40, HD), 'From Swamp to Stage: The Making of Shrek the Musical' (8:10, HD), two music videos (HD), 'Shrek's Yule Log' (30:20, HD), and 'Donkey's Caroling Christmas-Tacular' (5:10, HD).
Dinner for Schmucks
There were many reasons for me to be extremely apprehensive of Dinner for Schmucks. First, the concept is rife with the kind of awkward situation comedy I tend to hate. Then I discover it's a remake of the French film Le Dîner de Cons (released as The Dinner Game in the US), and I'm always weary of American remakes of successful foreign flicks. The cast is impressive, but made up of comedic heavyweights that are known for ignoring taste in favour of money. But the real warning was the box art, which cried 'From the Director of Meet the Parents'. It might as well say 'From the Guy that Invented Flesh Eating Bacteria', that's how much I hated Meet the Parents. So here's the surprise – Dinner For Schmucks actually manages to be a sizably more frustrating and obnoxious than even I was anticipating. What a terrible movie watching experience. The jokes miss ten times more than they hit, the plot is incredibly predictable, the characters are thinly drawn mock-ups of characters the cast members already played in better movies, and the film's ultimate success hinges on the audience having an emotional investment in these pitiful people. The only positives I came away with were the strange joys of the little dead mouse dioramas (created by practical effects wizards and Killer Clowns from Outerspace directors the Chiodo Brothers), and the fact that Zach Galifianakis got himself another paycheck.
It sucks, but Dinner for Schmucks is a pretty good looking movie, at least in terms of low expectations. This 1080p transfer is very colourful, crisp, and clean. Lighting is soft without sacrificing contrast levels (the blacks are solid and rich). There isn't a whole lot of deep background details thanks to stylistically shallow focus, but the foreground elements are sharp and effectively textured. The pastel pallet is warm, though not particularly vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack isn't particularly impressive by anyone's standards, but it gets the job done. The dialogue track features a few minor buzzes, but is otherwise clear, and features some decent surround effects during the goofy art installation sequences. Theodore Shapiro's calipee inspired musical score is much more effectively than I'd like to admit, and undercuts the dialogue and action quite well on this track. Extras include 'The Biggest Schmucks in the World' (13:30, HD), 'The Men Behind the Mouseterpieces' (11:40, HD), 'Meet the Winners' (3:50, HD), 'Schmuck Ups' gag reel (8:20, HD), six deleted scenes, and 'Paul and Steve: The Decision' (3:50, HD).
Case 39
Case 39 was really close to going in my 'ignore' pile, but the publicity people sent me a oven mitt in preparation for the release. I actually use the oven mitt. Clearly I owe it to them to spend 109 minutes of my life on their STV Blu-ray release. The A-List cast, including Renee Zellweger, Bradley Cooper, and personal favourite Ian McShane, certainly acts as a warning against watching the pretty much unreleased film (it was made in 2008), but German director Christian Alvart raises an eyebrow. Alvart directed Antibodies and Pandorum, both great looking, effectively dark (in tone and image) thrillers, with generally bland, derivative scripts. Case 39 fits this mould, but isn't as visually interesting as Alvart's previous features, and the plot is even more predictable than usual. I went into this particular experience about as blind as possible (clearly I knew an oven mitt would come into play at some point), and I still made mostly correct assumptions while watching it (and I'm really not all that bright). The bulk of the acting is strictly B-grade, even the A-List stars (child actor Jodelle Ferland pretty much carries the whole film), which is a bit of a surprise, as working with actors appeared to be one of Alvart's stronger skills. The director manages to produce a few decent, Omen/ The Believers inspired horror scenes, but these are a lot more amusing than frightening. Overall Case 39 is a messy waste of time. Poor Ian McShane.
This 1080p transfer is not among the better I've seen. The image is somewhat smudgy looking, grain is not only prevalent, but occasionally overwhelming, and there's a pretty big flickering issue. Some of this can be placed on the film's style, which depends a lot on soft focus, but the blobby backgrounds and muted colours don't strike me as the intended look. The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack isn't exactly a blast, but there are some effectively loud scare moments (don't mess with alarm clocks in horror movies guys), and the bulk of the production sounds pretty natural. The majority of the noise comes from the center channel, but the other channels are occasionally busy with soft ambience, and even some well placed directional effects (usually cars moving from off screen). There are three standout surround moments, but these are among the movie's only good moments, so I won't spoil the specifics. Extras include 'File Under 'Evil': Inside Case 39' (8:00, SD), 'Turning Up the Heat on the Chill Factor' (4:20, SD), 'Inside the Hornet's Nest' (3:00, SD), 'Playing with Fire' (4:20, SD) and 18 deleted scenes, including an alternate ending (which is less bombastic, but generally better).
True Grit (1969)
The original True Grit would be a good film, had it been made in the '40s or early '50s, but as a film released in 1969 it's woefully old fashioned. I mean this in the worst possible sense. Hell, it could even have been released in the '80s or '90s as a throwback, but the year 1969 saw the release of two of the best and most important American revisionist westerns ever made – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Wild Bunch – not to mention it was made after Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, and a host of other Italian filmmakers had already re-envisioned the genre in Europe, with films like The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Django and Once Upon a Time in the West (even Wayne himself had made two early revisionist Westerns with The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Searchers). In this, the silver age of all cinema, not just western cinema, True Grit stumbles through the genre like a dinosaur. It's based on a great story (which is clearly the reason the Coen's saw fit to remake it in 2010), the narrative moves well enough, and there are a few hearty laughs, so it's not a pain to sit through, it just has no real significant place in history or Wayne's filmography, besides the obvious Oscar win. Frankly, and I know I'll probably offend someone with this (there is a comment section below), Wayne's acting verges on terrible, like his best impression of himself, and his performance distracts from Kim Darby's effective and low-key work. It's pretty obvious finally seeing the film that the Best Actor Oscar was awarded to Wayne more as a career retrospective reward. The surprise appearances by future superstars like Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper (who had just drawn Hollywood's attention to the silver age with Easy Rider).
This new Blu-ray presentation of True Grit is a hit and miss affair. It hits in terms of colour vibrancy, contrast levels, general cleanliness, and most details. It misses in terms of mid-to-wide shots, where details are smudged and edges feature halo effects. There are few obvious artefacts besides the haloes (which do appear in a lot of the close up shots as well, just in the form of a much finer line), and grain is small and sharp, though a bit inconsistent from scene to scene. At its best this 1080p transfer nearly matches Warner Bros. beautiful Wild Bunch Blu-ray, and at its worst it looks like an up-converted DVD. Overall this must be an upgrade on the DVD, and worth the double dip for fans. The remixed 5.1 soundtrack, presented here in DTS-HD Master Audio, is a bit of a waste, as the vast majority of the track is still quite centered, but I'm happy to report I didn't notice any sound effects obviously added for this release (unlike the MGM 5.1 revamps of the Leone's westerns). Elmer Bernstein's score and gun shots give the stereo channels something to work with, but the surrounds and LFE rarely do much. The original mono track is included (in 2.0), and besides being a bit quieter, there isn't much of a difference. The extras start with a commentary track featuring film and American West historians Jeb Rosebrook, Bob Boze Bell and J. Stuart Rosebrook, who don't really have that much to say between them, but occasionally score with a really cool factoid. Other extras include 'True Writing' (4:20, SD), 'Working with the Duke' (10:10, SD), 'Aspen Gold: The Locations of True Grit' (10:10, SD), 'The Law and the Lawless' (5:40, SD), and the original trailer.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Existing Posts
The original Shrek was a pretty comprehensive ribbing/deconstruction of the fairytale genre, which took every opportunity to needle its subject whilst still maintaining the staples. This decreased over the sequels, and when they got to Shrek the Turd..oops...Third, it had completed its 180, buying into the fairytale genre and having the movie just a comedy involving these literary characters.
Shrek 2 was dreadful. Shrek the Turd was dull and smug. Shrek Forever After was a step up from the previous two, but most of its juice came from having it an alternate reality take on the story, much like episodes of the various series of Star Trek having popular stories in the "mirror universe". There might be another one, as kids only want to see Shrek & Donkey, so costs can be cut back and is the only way Meyers & Murphy can get a hit recently. Who Knows.
As for Dinner for Schmucks, it holds no interest for us. We absolutely love Le Diner De Cons, as is a truly hilarious movie and proof that French farce can travel overseas, but this looks like a sledgehammer-style remake, and why bother remaking something for an audience put off by subtitles. Apart from purely finanical reasons.
Shrek 2 was dreadful. Shrek the Turd was dull and smug. Shrek Forever After was a step up from the previous two, but most of its juice came from having it an alternate reality take on the story, much like episodes of the various series of Star Trek having popular stories in the "mirror universe". There might be another one, as kids only want to see Shrek & Donkey, so costs can be cut back and is the only way Meyers & Murphy can get a hit recently. Who Knows.
As for Dinner for Schmucks, it holds no interest for us. We absolutely love Le Diner De Cons, as is a truly hilarious movie and proof that French farce can travel overseas, but this looks like a sledgehammer-style remake, and why bother remaking something for an audience put off by subtitles. Apart from purely finanical reasons.
I understand people enjoying Shrek 2, I just don't agree, but man, Shrek 3 was painful.
Concerning True Grit, I really wish I had a chance to see the remake before I did the review, which is part of why it took me so long to get even this short review live. I eventually gave up. Maybe I'll still get a review copy down the line.
Concerning True Grit, I really wish I had a chance to see the remake before I did the review, which is part of why it took me so long to get even this short review live. I eventually gave up. Maybe I'll still get a review copy down the line.
I enjoyed Shrek 2 on first viewing, but it doesn't improve with age. I think that purely as a story confined to the limitations of the established characters, Shrek Forever After was as good as it possibly could be. There are some jokes to be had, but I prefer to look at it as just a decent film in its own right.
Glad to hear White Christmas is not only an improvement on the DVD transfer, but just a fantastic transfer. Will probably pick that one up at some point.
I used to enjoy True Grit when I was younger. It's still got some iconic scenes (though I don't know how much of that is nostalgia from when I was younger) but I agree that it doesn't hold up too well to other westerns. I was always aware it was made in 1969, but I'd never connected the dots with the fact that there had been better westerns done already. And I agree with you (and probably everyone else who's familiar with Wayne's work) that this isn't the western he should have won an oscar for.
Glad to hear White Christmas is not only an improvement on the DVD transfer, but just a fantastic transfer. Will probably pick that one up at some point.
I used to enjoy True Grit when I was younger. It's still got some iconic scenes (though I don't know how much of that is nostalgia from when I was younger) but I agree that it doesn't hold up too well to other westerns. I was always aware it was made in 1969, but I'd never connected the dots with the fact that there had been better westerns done already. And I agree with you (and probably everyone else who's familiar with Wayne's work) that this isn't the western he should have won an oscar for.
I actually loved Shrek 2 but I do agree, Shrek 4 was way better than Shrek 3.
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Disc Details
Release Date: 21st September 2010
Discs: 6
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: Various
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: Rosemary Clooney Commentary, Backstage Stories from White Christmas, Rosemary's Old Kentucky Home, Bing Crosby: Christmas Crooner, Danny Kaye: Joy to the World, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, White Christmas: From Page to Stage White Christmas, A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney, Animator's Corner Commentary, A Conversation with the Cast, The Tech of Shrek Forever After, Spotlight on Shrek Forever After, From Swamp to Stage: The Making of Shrek the Musical, Donkey's Caroling Christmas-Tacular, Shrek's Yule Log, The Biggest Schmucks in the World, The Men Behind the Mouseterpieces, Meet the Winners, Schmuck Ups, Paul and Steve: The Decision, File Under Evil, Turning Up the Heat on the Chill Factor, Playing with Fire, Inside the Hornet's Nest, Expert Commentary, True Writing, Working with the Duke, Aspen Gold: The Locations of True Grit, The Law and the Lawless, Deleted Scenes, Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Michael Curtiz, Mimi Leder, Mike Mitchel, Jay Roach, Christian Alvart, Henry Hathaway
Cast: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis, Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper, John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Jeremy Slate, Robert Duvall
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Musical, Thriller and Western
Length: 694 minutes
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Jonah and the Big Fish
A whale of a craft to help kids remember the story of Jonah and that walking with God in obedience is always the best choice.
Jonah, Judging, Listening, Obedience, Walking with God
Fun Foam* fish for each child
Approximately 20 minutes
Before class, cut out one big fish for each child from Gray©Fun Foam using the "Big Fish Template." (Construction paper can be substituted for Fun Foam but it won't last s long.) Cut out a 1/4 wide by 3 inches long strip also using Fun Foam. Print the Jonah cutouts page and cut out enough Jonahs so you have one for each child.
Let the children glue the eye on the side of the big fish. They can also draw the eyes and mouth using markers. Place the party favor on the back side of the big fish so that the paper tongue is just on the outside of the big fish's mouth, using the ©Fun Foam strip attach the party favor to the back of the big fish using glue or staples. Do this by attaching one end of the strip on the top of the party favor and then you wrap the strip across the party favor and attach the other end of the strip under the party favor. These party favors are the type that when blown the paper tongue unrolls, when your breath is released they roll back up. (We believe you call these types of party favors "Blow-outs") Once you attach the party favor, have the children place Jonah in the middle of the party favor tongue. When they blow on the party favor mouthpiece, the big fish spits Jonah out.
Optional Ideas:
Gloria wrote saying, "I did make one adjustment for them, though, after having to chase Jonah down several times after he was "spit up." I attached a string to Jonah and to the party favor. Jonah can't go as far, but at least he won't get lost. Thank you Gloria for the great enhancement!
Cathy wrote, "I purchased a sheet of printed and colored Foamies Sticky Foam and attached it to a piece of poster board. I then cut out the Big Fish and attached a craft stick to the back using a glue stick. It makes it easier to hold the fish while spitting Jonah out. An excellent idea, thanks Cathy!
* Fun Foam can be purchased at most Arts & Craft stores, or you can substitute construction paper.


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Monday, June 09, 2008
An Alternate Feature Production Model
The danger of this model comes from a box office failure. Should a film flop, the loss is enormous. Pixar and Blue Sky are owned by larger corporate entities (Disney and Fox respectively), while DreamWorks is independent. While Pixar and Blue Sky might be better positioned to survive failures, Disney (which shut down drawn animation) and Fox (which closed down Don Bluth's Arizona studio) have both proved that corporate parents are not always forgiving.
The benefits of the Pixar-type model is continuity. Mistakes and breakthroughs that occur on a project increase the corporate knowledge base, improving the quality of each successive film.
The other type of animated feature comes from producers who assemble teams or find subcontractors for single films. These films are lower budget, perhaps as low as $15 million, so they don't need to gross as much at the box office in order to make a profit. Generally, when a film of this type is complete, the crew is laid off or the subcontracting studio left to fend for itself. The next time the producer gets a film underway, a new crew is assembled or a new subcontractor is found. Even if the same subcontractor is hired, the odds are that their crew has turned over unless the subcontractor was lucky enough to find a constant flow of work in the interim.
These producers, frequently struggling to find financing, often put their productions in whatever location offers the best financial incentives, such as direct investment or tax breaks. John Williams produced three features, Valiant, Everyone's Hero and Space Chimps, in three different cities with three entirely different crews.
These two approaches result in an increasing gap in production values (and often in scripts as well). While Pixar, DreamWorks and Blue Sky raise the bar with every new production, the one-off features are figuring out the basics for every film. While they are busy re-inventing the wheel, the larger studios are inventing teleportation devices.
I think that there's an alternative model that falls between the two. The strength of the larger studios is skill and knowledge continuity and the strength of the independent producers is low overhead. A combination of the two would raise costs somewhat, but would also allow a producer to make increasingly better films.
A producer could assemble a small team of fewer than 20 people who would be permanent employees. These people would be the equivalent of department heads. They would need to be experienced and flexible. For each project, these people would do prototyping, figuring out how to solve production problems, building a pipeline and setting the style for the film. They would take sample shots to completion, so that every stage of the production could be tested on a small scale. Once they have workable solutions, the production could then seek out subcontracting studios.
The department heads would have to relocate to wherever the subcontractors were. Their job would be to work directly with the crew, educating them as to how the production should be accomplished. They should also work with the crew individually, learning everyone's strengths and weaknesses. Too often with subcontractors, studios only have contact with supervisors and so are ignorant of the talents of the crew. Casting talent is one of the most important and powerful tools a production has to put quality work on the screen.
Because the department heads will have first-hand knowledge as to how the film should be produced, subcontractors should be able to work efficiently. Inevitably, new problems will arise during production, but because the department heads are physically present, they can contribute to the solutions and take the knowledge back with them to the parent company once the production is complete.
The producer has to find the money to keep the core team together. Without it, the result is the John Williams model of starting over with every film. Ideally, budgets can be kept low enough with this system to allow for sufficient profits to make this possible. Of course, this assumes that a producer is interested in a better product rather than a quick profit.
6 comments:
I think the Studio Model you described could be Reel FX in Texas.
The have a core full time staff with a strong pipeline. They also have a web based project management/ content system that allows contract animators to download shots and work on them at remote locations.
- June 09, 2008 12:45 PM
You do recognize that your Alternative Feature Production Model is the exact same model that was used successfully in TV for many years - broken as it was, The System as developed by Bill Hanna provided the base on which I built the orignal H-B shorts unit (Dexter's, Cow & Chicken. Powerpuff, J Bravo, et alia). Keep those with the knowledge (despite opposition from the suits), and find the rest on a project-by-project calendar. The biggest problem is not the suits, rather production management execs who are unwilling to recognize that quality is the answer, not quantity; far easier to agree with the $ savings wanted by the suits. It took me 2 years to educate the suits, and the same time to re-educate the prod execs.
Essentially I adopted the same model on which I built a large TV spot studio - 30 years ago, Perpetual Motion had a core staff of 20 or so, but could ballon (and did) to 120 or so for intensive production.
Buzz Potamkin
- June 09, 2008 2:26 PM
"assemble a small team of fewer than 20 people who would be permanent employees. These people would be the equivalent of department heads. They would need to be experienced and flexible. For each project, these people would do prototyping, figuring out how to solve production problems, building a pipeline and setting the style for the film. They would take sample shots to completion, so that every stage of the production could be tested on a small scale. Once they have workable solutions, the production could then seek out subcontracting studios."
From what I'm hearing that is somewhat the model that Disney is using to make The Princess and the Frog feature. Animation will be in-house , with smallish core group of Clean Up leads. The bulk of the clean-up will be outsourced.
- June 09, 2008 2:53 PM
so far john williams is tracking ZERO with his business model.
At what point do people stop giving him money?
- June 09, 2008 6:30 PM
- Floyd Norman said...
It's sad to see the one time premiere animation studio adopting the, "quick and dirty" approach to animation. Outsourcing may provide short term savings -- but little else.
If this is true, the future looks bleak for Disney hand drawn animation.
- June 10, 2008 3:52 PM
- Jack Yu said...
i love the post Mark! really cool clips, wanting to buy it!
oh, could you write a review on 'KungFu Panda' Want to see what you think of it. I think it was super entertaining.
- June 11, 2008 11:54 AM


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Borrowing from Stephen Hawking, here is a "A brief history of Time":
It actually started in the first Century. First signs of pagan Christianity appeared in Israel. There was Hellenistic Church constructed complete with a mosiac of Christ represented as Helios in a mosaic on the floor. Even the use of images is alien to Hebraic Christianity, particularly with the prohibition in the Ten Commandments.
Things came to a head with Emperor Constantine, who sees a cross in the sky and…Continue


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The Sunnyside Municipal Airport Advisory Board met last night, following a brief two-month hiatus, to discuss projects that are underway. Those project include the weather station at the airport, a courtesy car service and a draft of covenants for the airport.
The board in July reviewed and made a few changes to the airport's protective covenants. A draft of the document was provided by Sunnyside Public Works Supervisor Shane Fisher at last night's meeting, who explained he "…fixed some language."
He said the draft copy of the document has added language that includes city references to ordinances that pertain to new building construction.
A clause that determines rules for the drilling of wells also has language that addresses the need for any wells to comply with Yakima Health District regulations, as well.
Fisher asked the board to review the draft before its October meeting. "We want to get a buy-in from the board before we bring the new airport covenants before the (Sunnyside City) Council."
He said the city's attorneys would also review the document.
The advisory board has also been for months seeking to obtain an accounting for the number of planes using the airport.
Port of Sunnyside Director Jay Hester said a camera has been installed, but it is not yet set at the right angle for recording tail numbers.
"Something is triggering it," said Hester, showing the board photographs of the runway and a city pick-up that have been photographed by the camera.
Advisory board member Ted Durfey said, "Once it's working the way we want it to, we can say how many planes are using the airport."
Another project the board is waiting to see completed is the installation of an automated weather observation station (AWOS).
Fisher said the FAA is nearly ready to issue frequencies for the AWOS system. Once those frequencies are issued construction can be completed.
The board expressed pleasure at hearing the news, although it was noted that the process may take a while longer, depending on the FAA's timeline.
Fisher also reported that a courtesy car for pilots using the airport may not be feasible. He said there are liability issues and a legal consultant with the Municipal Research and Services Center has indicated there may be legal issues if the city of Sunnyside was to provide the car.
Durfey, after reading a document provided to the board, said, "It appears a courtesy car could be much like the gifting of public funds."
Fisher suggested local businesses might be willing to sponsor a courtesy car or shuttle service.
Airport Advisory Board member Gary Pira suggested that C. Speck Motors in Sunnyside may be willing to provide car rental services for those using the airport.
Sunnyside City Manager Don Day said he has dealt with similar issues in the past and the options are worth exploring.
"A consortium of private businesses might be willing to help with a viable solution," he said.
The only action taken at last night's meeting was the approval of the July 16 meeting minutes.
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text: This upbeat acoustic music combines a happy and cheerful vibe with lively, fun, and optimism. The ukulele and acoustic guitar strum a upbeat rhythm while the glockenspiel plays a melody which shines with positive energy. Whether for business, ads, television, children, animation, or more; this music is sure to be a great choice.


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I've spent a healthy amount of time with just about every software keyboard imaginable. From dozens of alternatives on Android (some as good as Swype, and some as different as 8pen), to other operating systems like Windows Phone and iOS. And none of them come close to my absolute favorite, SwiftKey. Why bring this up now? Because SwiftKey 3 has just come out of it's beta phase, and is available now on Google Play and the Amazon Appstore, where it's half off for a limited time.
If you haven't used SwiftKey in the past, the keyboard's main selling point is that it not only predicts the text you're currently typing, but what will come next. SwiftKey learns your typing habits from your Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, RSS and text messages to provide customized suggestions.
A lot of work has gone into making SwiftKey the best version yet. It's faster, more refined, has a handful of new customization options and boasts a long list of new features, including several suggestions from users who were involved in the SwiftKey 3 beta:
- Smart Space — adding to SwiftKey's already cutting edge correction, Smart Space detects mistyped or omitted spaces across strings of sloppily typed words in real-time.
- Two new themes — a new theme, 'Cobalt', to match SwiftKey's new look and feel, and an Ice Cream Sandwich-styled 'Holo' theme, as voted for by you.
- An enhanced UI — a much larger space bar and smart punctuation key help improve accuracy and make it quick and easy to access common punctuation.
- Additional languages — SwiftKey 3 now offers support for an additional seven languages, bringing the total up to 42. The new languages are Korean, Estonian, Farsi, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian and Serbian.
- A dedicated comma key, and the 123 key in the bottom-left corner.
- A refined Smart Punctuation pop-up for better, more consistent behavior.
- An improved Smart Space functionality for easier email addresses and URL entry.
- Reduced lag on some devices for a more responsive experience.
- A reintroduction of the long-press duration setting by popular request.
- Further improved prediction algorithms for even more accurate next word suggestions.
- Refined gestures for a smoother experience.
To try SwiftKey 3 for yourself, click below to get it from Google Play or head over to the Amazon Appstore (where the discount is not available yet) where you can buy it now for just $1.99.
Once you give it a shot, be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below.


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Majerus So Desperate He's Now Recruiting Bank Robbers…Posted by rtmsf on July 27th, 2009
Two years ago former Utah coach Rick Majerus came out of retirement to take over the reins at St. Louis University. We wrote at the time of his hiring that one of the key attributes of his teams throughout his career was that they tend to overachieve. His teams at Utah were locks to win 20+ games and make the NCAA Tournament despite a relative paucity of elite talent (Keith Van Horn excepted). We expected a quick turnaround at SLU, but it's been a little slower going than expected – the Billikens have posted back-to-back mediocre seasons (16-15 and 18-14) and the only newsworthy event in Majerus' two years there was from this particular 20-point abomination. So he needs some recruits, right? His first class was strong with several three-star players (including top 150 player Brett Thompson), but his second class fell off considerably (only one three-star), so Majerus might be feeling more pressure to sign players by any means necessary.
Gary Parrish today reported that 6'11 prep center Anthony DiLoreto has been offered a scholarship by Majerus and SLU, which wouldn't otherwise register a blip on the national radar except for the fact that DiLoreto is facing two felonies for taking part in a bank robbery last year in Wisconsin. Yeah, a bank robbery – as in, he drove the getaway car and provided the sawed-off shotgun that his 16-year old associate used to enter the Bremer Bank and steal the money. Not only that, but DiLoreto broke longstanding 'villain code' by leaving his companion behind when the po-po rolled up for a nearby unrelated accident. Showing Darwin-Award brilliance, DiLoreto then drove home and waited there until he was arrested several hours later. He had originally committed to Cal Poly, but the school dropped his recruitment in light of these allegations. (ed. note: this story would be much better if DiLoreto was from New Jersey)
Not Majerus and St. Louis, though. And according to Parrish, not several other coaches either (from the Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, A10, WAC, MWC and WCC), all of whom now consider DiLoreto a mid- to high-major prospect. DiLoreto hasn't yet overcome his legal problems, but he's been working toward a plea bargain settlement that would presumably allow him to play ball again soon. With an opportunity to grab an improving seven-footer, coaches are lining up to take a chance on him, proving once again that unless a player is actually in prison, someone will give him a schollie if he can occasionally throw a ball through a hoop.


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Chugach Commercial Holdings
From Alaska to Chicago to Hawaii, Chugach companies have the expertise to meet the specialized needs of commercial properties of all sizes and complexity, from schools and hospitals, to oil and gas facilities and sports centers.
Whatever your facility needs, we stand ready to take care of them so you can focus on what's important: your mission.
1714 Kanakanui Street96819 Honolulu, HI
Earle S. Matsuda
Heide & Cook, a long standing mechanical contracting company known since 1946 for its excellent customer service and high-quality workmanship, has been purchased by Chugach Commercial Holdings, Inc. www.chugach-alaska.com The acquisition closed on June 4, 2012, Heide & Cook, LLC continues to be a kama`aina company with locations in Honolulu, Hilo and Kahului, Maui. Guided by the values and high standards demonstrated over the past 66 years, we have renewed hope and vision for the future. Our partnership with Chugach Commercial Holdings, Inc. joins our strong, kama`aina company with a well-established Alaska Native-owned corporation recognized globally as a premier provider of base operations and facilities maintenance services. Together, we are better positioned to continue our business and take advantage of emerging markets in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific. Heide & Cook performs the following services; • HVAC/R preventive services • HVAC/R Service trouble calls • HVAC/R Equipment Retrofit & replacement • HVAC Contracting Design-build turnkey • Plumbing Maintenance and Service • Sheet Metal Duct fabrication, Metal Wall Louvers, Trash & Laundry Chutes • Air Reps Hawaii- retail sales and temporary air conditioning equipment rentals
Heide & Cook is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chugach Commercial Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of parent corporation Chugach Alaska Corporation.
Customer Base
Heide & Cook's customer base is a mix of General Contractors: Absher Construction Co., Allied Builders Systems, Constructors Hawaii, Designer Builder Systems, Hawaiian Dredging & Construction Co., Hansel Phepls, Honolulu Builders, KenWood Construction, Isemoto Contracting, S&M Sakamoto Inc.; Commercial Property Mgmt: CBRE, Colliers Monroe Friedlander, Davies Pacific Center, General Growth Properties; Retail Tenants: ABC Stores, City Mill, Maui Outlet Mall, Michilli Inc. Nordstrom, Ross Stores, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Seven Eleven Stores; Institutional Facilities: Bank of Hawaii, East West Center, First Hawaiian Bank, Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawaii; Medical Facilities: Castle Medical Center, DLS Services, Fresenius Medical Care, Queens Medical Center, Kapiolani Medical Center; Hospitality Facilities: Aqua Hotels, Moana Surfrider Hotel, Ohana Waikiki Malia, Park Shore Hotel.
Regional Alaska Native Corporation (ANC) subsidiary.
Integrated Facility Services; Mechanical Services; Construction; Maintenance & Engineering Heating; Ventilation; Air Conditioning; Plumbing Services; Refrigeration Services.
Year Established


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Matthew E. Brotmann
- Professor
Denison University
New College, Oxford University
JD, Pace University School of Law
While a student at Pace Law School, Professor Brotmann was Managing Editor of the Pace Environmental Law Review. His article, The Clash Between the WTO and the ESA: Drowning a Turtle to Eat a Shrimp, was published in the Pace Environmental Law Review (Spring 1999, Vol. 16, No. 2). In addition, Professor Brotmann was a member of the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team where he received Best Oralist Honorable Mention at the competition in Vienna, Austria.
After having served 9 years as an Assistant District Attorney assigned to the Environmental Crimes Bureau, Investigations Division of the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, Professor Brotmann served as Special Advisor on Policy and Public Information to the New York State Attorney General's Office.


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Brides who are obsessed with various forms of extreme pre-wedding makeovers are a total reality TV stereotype these days, but have you ever heard of bride-to-be sisters ganging up on their dad to go get Botox for their weddings? Um, yeah. Good Morning America recently covered their story, which was all at once jaw-droppingly superficial and disturbing.
The 56-year-old dad, John Sharman, from Blackwood, New Jersey, makes his living as a truck driver. He's what GMA calls "a man's man." Even though he looks pretty great for his age, his three daughters were all getting married within seven months of one another, and they wanted Daddy to look his best. So they sent him off to the plastic surgeon for a little crows' feet-eliminating, smile line-erasing ... no big.
Check out the story ...
Hmm, yeah. See what I mean? I love how the daughters seem to be trying to make it about giving their father an "ego-boost." Puh-lease. It's all about making sure they look good, and their day is 100 percent picture perfect.
More and more, it seems like that's the thing we're all pressured to be hung up on leading up to our wedding day. How you (and now, apparently, how your loved ones who will be surrounding you) look can so easily overshadow everything else. As in, how you feel and what the day means spirituality, emotionally, mentally. It's no wonder people are throwing in the towel after only days or months of marriage! They were probably more freaked out about the details of their airbrush makeup, laser lipo procedure, or extreme HCG diet than actually laying the foundation for a lifelong partnership. Ugh.
Don't get me wrong ... As I write this, I have to admit, I'm extremely conscious of how I want to look not only on the day of my wedding, but in the days leading up -- in my engagement photos, at my wedding shower, and at the rehearsal dinner. Of course I want to look the best I possibly can, and I want those around me to feel like they do too. But how they prepare for the special occasion -- be it with White Strips or by going under the knife -- should be completely up to them. You can call it an "ego boost" or "gift of confidence," but pushing a loved one to get a cosmetic treatment they wouldn't want to otherwise is nothing short of selfish bridezilla behavior.
What do you make of this story?
Image via ABC News


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Auditions Set for First Theater Productionby Karen Handley • August 20, 2004 Share:
Auditions are open to all – no previous experience required. 1776 has roles for 25 men and two women. Both of the women's roles require singers, but there are singing and non-singing roles available among the male roles.
The production is also seeking interested musicians: clavinova, violin, flute, percussion, and trumpet.
1776, a legendary and unique Broadway musical, was first performed in 1969 (becoming a lavish screen musical in 1972) and received the Tony Award as Best Musical. 1776 is set in the Continental Congress in May, June, and July 1776 as the founding fathers struggle against congressional apathy, military disaster, personal pressures, and Philadelphia's blazing heat wave to establish the USA. Musical sequences and dialogue are drawn directly from contemporary accounts, minutes of the Congressional sessions, and the correspondence of John Adams and his wife, Abigail. A charming score, bold dramatic scenes, and memorable characters make 1776 one of the classics of the musical stage.
If you have questions about auditions contact James Fisher, the production's director, at 765-361-6394 or email at email@example.com.


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The Rochester Red Wings snapped a four-game Clippers win streak with an 8-5 win tonight in Huntington Park.
Rene Rivera hit a two-run home run off David Huff (5-5) in the fifth inning to snap a 4-4 tie. Wilkin Ramirez and Matt Carson helped extend the lead with solo home runs off reliever Bryan Price. Shairon Martis (1-1) pitched the first 6 1/3 innings to earn the win. Vinny Rottino drove in three runs for Columbus and Tim Fedroff homered.
The Clippers jumped to a 2-0 lead against Martis after the first two innings.
Ezequiel Carrera led off the Columbus first with a double. He went to third on a Jason Donald single and scored when Vinny Rottino grounded out to second base.
In the second, Cord Phelps and Matt Pagnozzi each doubled to give Huff a 2-0 advantage.
Huff had faced the minimum through the first three innings and struck out Tsuyoshi Nishioka to begin the fourth. Things fell apart after that. The Red Wings strung together five consecutive singles to score two runs and tie the game. A base-running mistake cost Rochester a bigger inning. Chris Parmalee was caught in a rundown after the fourth single when Matt Carson stopped at third base on Evan Bigley's base hit.
The Red Wings ripped Huff again in the fifth. He walked Brian Dinkelman to start the inning and Rivera broke the tie with a two-run home run. After Nishioka reached on an error by the shortstop Petit, Pedro Florimon flied to Vinny Rottino in right. Matt Carson then single and Huff walked Parmalee to load the bases. He had a chance to get out of the inning with no more damage whenhe caught a Bigley line drive back to the mound. Huff tried to double Nishioka off third but his throw was wild. Nishioka came home on the error to make it 5-2.
Bryan Price relieved Huff to start the sixth and the momentum stayed with Rochester. Ramirez led off and lined a home run to left to up the lead to 6-2.
Martin matched Ramirez with a leadoff home run against Price in the seventh, One out later, Bigley doubled and Price walked Ray Chang. After Ramirez singled to load the bases, Eric Berger entered in relief. He got Dinkelman to ground a ball to second base that neither Phelps nor Petit caught. Phelps was charged with an error that allowed Bigley to score with the eighth Rochester run.
Martis had silenced the Columbus offense after the second inning, but ran out of gas in the seventh. Petit led off with a single. Martis retired Carrera, but surrendered a single to Donald. Deolis Guerra relieved him and Rottino hit a two-run double to right to cut the deficit to 8-4.
Fedroff pared the Rochester lead to 8-5 with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth.
Notes: Outfielder Aaron Cunningham reported to the Clippers today after being outrighted to Columbus yesterday by the Cleveland Indians. He will be activated on Monday, said Columbus manager Mike Sarbaugh. A corresponding roster move will occur then. ... Russ Canzler was not in the Columbus lineup for a second consecutive game. Sarbaugh said Canzler tweaked his left shoulder on a checked swing on Friday. "He could play," Sarbaugh said. "We're just giving him an extra day to ease it up." ... The Clippers have averaged 12 runs over the past four games and have moved to within 1 1/2 of Pawtucket in the wild card standings. ... Columbus catcher Matt Pagnozzi threw out Pedro Florimon on a steal attempt of second base in the first inning tonight. Pagnozzi has stopped 31 of 66 steal attempts this season.


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Hello Security Cooperation Workforce! I do my best to update this every 90 days, but things are working so hot and heavy that I could cover ground easily doing it monthly – things are moving very quickly and these few words are only a quick snapshot!
First and foremost, we welcomed LTG Charles G. Hooper as the new DSCA Director – the 17th Director of DSCA.
In my last update, I talked about the start-up of the DISCS campus being established in the National Capital Region (NCR). Let me take this "edition" to update everyone on the milestone. I'm pleased to say that the campus was activated on 2 October 2017. We have 5 personnel currently on board, with their faculty qualification ongoing. While their primary duties will involve instruction and administration at the DISCS-NCR campus, upon certification DISCS-NCR instructors, will support broader course development as well as instruction for DISCS courses at all locations. Likewise, DISCS faculty at WPAFB will continue to support DISCS-NCR courses in both interim and long term operations. This is to help ensure that professional expertise and interaction among our faculty, DSCA headquarters personnel and representatives of organizations and agencies in the NCR remains robust.
DISCS-NCR personnel will work out of offices in DSCA headquarters until the new DISCS –NCR campus is constructed. Classes will continue to be held in the interim at rented facilities, but we anticipate classes commencing in January 2019 in the new DISCS-NCR campus on the third floor of the Crystal City Gateway Two building (CG-2) following construction slated to begin next summer (2018). This is exciting!
Work does continue on the Security Cooperation Workforce Development Program (SCWDP) effort. There is a Working Group Meeting coming up on 23-24 October in Arlington, VA with much focusing on the "Final Guidance" for the Program which is due to Congress around Christmas. That will provide much of the direction on where the Program will be headed as we move ahead. Coordination will be in the works in the next few weeks. There's no way that I can cover a lot of the details here and won't try. However, know that your organization very likely (if you're reading this, should) have someone participating in the Working Group who can give you the very latest information. If you can't find someone, please let me know and I'll help you find them.
Finally, DISCS announced its program of course offerings for FY18 with everything now posted on our website. Thank you for bearing with us – we anticipate getting next year's plan (for FY19) out earlier to enhance your planning calendars as well.
I'll stop there and re-establish a goal of updating the Commandant's Corner as often as possible to keep you informed in a more timely way in this fast-paced environment.
Dr. Ron Reynolds


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Amelia Earhart Home
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World Famous Pilot Dissappears
By: Haley P.
Pennsylvania, Age 8
Famous pilot Amelia Earhart and her navigater, Fred Noonan have dissappeared in
route to Howland Island near Hawaii. Earhart was attempting her ''Round The World''flight aboard her silver Lockheed Electra.Leaving New Guinea on June 29th, she was headed for Howland Island- a trip of 2,550 miles. Just before the landing,Amelia broadcast a message,''We're running north and south!'' No more messages were received. The Navy and the Coast Guard Cutter, the Itasca are currently searching for her.
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As a small-business owner on Clay Street, the rough-and-tumble Annapolis community where he grew up, Michael McFarland was keenly aware of the need for mentors for the neighborhood's youth.
In the early 1970s, when he owned a laundromat there, he began an athletic club that allowed hundreds of low-income kids from the area to compete in organized sports like basketball and flag football.
As a coach, McFarland, nicknamed "Little Buck" for his short stature, not only taught sportsmanship; he exalted the importance of education. Over the years, he quietly helped dozens of African-Americans through college, giving his own money for tuition and books.
"I just always tried to help and give back what I can," said McFarland, 64, a retired federal worker who lives in Eastport. "The Good Book said, if you have an abundance of something — not that I have a lot of money — you're supposed to share."
McFarland is one of 10 people who will be honored for their contributions to the community Friday at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Dinner. This year's event will also feature King's daughter, Bernice A. King, the executive officer of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violence in Atlanta, as the keynote speaker.
The annual dinner, in its 24th year, has helped create memorials to honor King (on the campus of Anne Arundel Community College) and his widow, Coretta Scott King (on the campus of Sojourner-Douglass College in Edgewater). Anne Arundel is the only Maryland county that has memorials to both Kings.
Carl O. Snowden, director of the state attorney general's Office of Civil Rights and the chairman of the dinner, said the event is attended by over 1,000 people each year.
"It's important for us to be able to preserve his legacy and for the younger generations to know who he is," said Snowden. "His impact on society is continuing. Most heroes or great men are remembered for one thing they did. Dr. King's legacy just goes on and on and on, whether it's for gay rights, labor rights or Latino rights."
McFarland, one of nine children, graduated in 1964 from the segregated and now-closed Wiley H. Bates High School. He worked as a materials engineering technician for the federal government, retiring in 2005 after 36 years.
He began the CLM Athletic Club, which sponsored scores of youngsters in the city's summer recreation sports program and won several championships, beginning in the 1970s. As the youths went on to college, he would chip in with money when they needed it, and he often provided rides to and from the colleges, in places like Pennsylvania and West Virginia, during holiday breaks.
"He has not only mentored young people, but has served as a surrogate dad for young boys whose fathers were missing in their lives," a statement from the awards dinner committee says. "Over the years, he has assisted many young people in their quest to attend college. He assisted them with tuition, books, transportation and moral support. His only request is that they succeed."
McFarland's brother, Robert Eades, a well-known Annapolis civil rights activist, said his brother never sought to publicize his good works.
"He just quietly goes about doing what he does," said Eades. "He coached these boys — they're teachers and politicians, they're all across the country. But they all came though his athletic club, and he pushed them and told them education is No. 1."
McFarland, who now owns and operates a lawn care service, said he's honored to receive an award in King's name. He remembers marching against segregation in Annapolis in his high school years.
"I just couldn't believe it," he said of the award. "I was wondering if they had the right person. This would be the pinnacle of all awards that I've ever received. It's one of them nice things."
Other honorees are: Laurie Sharp, president of Anne Arundel Women Giving Together; Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown; former Anne Arundel County NAACP President Alva Sheppard Johnson; Lou Aymard, a psychology professor at the local community college; Capt. Stephen B. Latta, director of admissions for the Naval Academy; Geraldine Queen-Lippman, a community activist; Joanna R. Hanes-Lahr, a community activist; Shuaib Bin Neel of the Concerned Muslims of Annapolis; and U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen.
The dinner will take place at 6 p.m. at La Fontaine Bleue, 7514 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at the door.


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The point directly below the person viewing or below the camera (set a Pitch of -90 degrees in PanoTools). The opposite (above) point is named Zenith and has a Pitch value of (+)90 degrees. The horizon or equator is in-between and has a Pitch of 0 degrees.
The Nadir is streched to a line in Equirectangular Projection hence it is hard to edit it directly. However, a rectilinear view can be extracted for editing.
The Nadir usually gives much more problems than the Zenith because there either is a tripod to cover or there are Parallax errors to edit. Objects at the nadir tend to be much closer to the lens and therefore errors in the setup will more likely be detectable in this part of the picture. One possible way to solve this problem is to use Tripod Caps.


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A quirky, orchestral, dark yet mischievous piece of music, inspired by the great Danny Elfman.
The piece begins with the main clarinet melody, supported with some plucked double bass and a spooky celeste. At 0:14 the 'chorus' section enters; a heavily orchestrated version of the main theme, consisting of piano, timpani, double bass, pizzicato and staccato violins/violas, staccato cello, trumpet/trombone stabs and a legato string section. For the final section, the piece returns to its beginnings, with light orchestration and a winding clarinet solo, concluding with two huge brass/bass/timpani thuds.
Ideal for: Anything halloween themed/ something which needs a spooky/ mischevious feel


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Patrick Regan
has kindly shared the material
from his Robert Buchanan site with readers of the
Late in the gloaming of the year,
I haunt the melancholy Mere;
A Phantom I, where phantoms brood,
In that soul-searching solitude.
Hiding my forehead in the dim
Hem of His robe, I question Him!
XIV. Could God Be Judged
Can I be calm, beholding everywhere
Disease and Anguish busy, early and late?
Can I be silent, nor compassionate
The evils that both Soul and Body bear?
Oh, what have sickly Children done, to share
Thy cup of sorrows? yet their dull, sad pain
Makes the earth awful; — on the tomb's dark stair
Moan Idiots, with no glimmer in the brain.
No shrill Priest with his hangman's cord can beat
Thy mercy into these — ah nay, ah nay!
The Angels Thou hast sent to haunt the street
Are Hunger and Distortion and Decay.
Lord! that mad'st Man, and send'st him foes so fleet,
Who shall judge Thee upon Thy judgment day?
(From Coruisken Sonnets, 1870)
Last modified 26 September 2002


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NEW YORK, Feb. 17 (UPI) —
New York City, which gives away more than 38 million condoms a year at 3,500 locations, has updated the packaging and added an extra-large size, officials say.
Dr. Mary Bassett, New York City's health commissioner, said the department has distributed almost 250 million city-branded male condoms since it first started distributing them in 2007.
However, New Yorkers suggested the city update its LifeStyles brand condoms' wrapper to make it more prominent and asked for a larger size option. Health officials responded by changing the wrapper to a bright blue rapper with "NYC" printed in black against a background of white, interlocking circles above "condom" in multicolored letters. And by this summer, New Yorkers wanting a bigger condom can use the "KYNG" size, which will come in a gold package with a crown printed about the size.
"The NYC condom program has been immensely successful in promoting and encouraging safer sex," Bassett said in a statement. "We anticipate that New Yorkers will love the new look and appreciate the new size option. These high-quality condoms will help all New Yorkers protect themselves and their partners."
New York City's condom initiative dates to 1971, when the Health Department started distributing condoms through its sexually transmitted diseases clinics.
When used correctly and consistently, condoms are approximately 98 percent effective in preventing unintended pregnancies and offer effective protection against most STDs, including HIV, the Health Department said.


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Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is confident that Franco Di Santo's call-up to the Argentina squad will do wonders for his form in the Premier League, despite admitting his surprise at the striker's selection.
The 23-year-old has made a superb start to the season, scoring three goals in 10 games, and was a surprise addition to the international squad for their friendly against Saudi Arabia at the King Faud International Stadium.
Although his scoring rate has only marginally improved since his move to the DW Stadium, Martinez believes that the striker can only improve when mixing with the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
"Franco di Santo is developing into a top footballer," Martinez told reporters.
"He's only 23 but he's come on a lot. Obviously being called up by Argentina and playing with the likes of Messi and Sergio Aguero is going to do him a lot of good.
"But we still know that he needs to carry on enjoying his football."
Martinez also expressed his faith in Di Santo's abilities but also admitted he was surprised at his player's inclusion.
He added: "I could see it coming because I work with him every day. You get a bit biased because you know the player.
"I was a little bit surprised with the knowledge the national team coach Alejandro Sabella has shown because, to know a striker at Wigan Athletic, it shows you that they are incredibly professional in the way they follow their players.
"They've got strikers at Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona and to have a striker from Wigan Athletic with the options they've got... they've got strikers at top clubs around Europe.
"It's a real compliment to Wigan. The way we play probably attracts the interests of national team managers.
"We didn't do before and that's a real compliment. Franco deserves huge, huge credit for the achievement."


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To help mitigate the risk that inflation can introduce to a portfolio, you need to be on the defensive. Even modest inflation can erode your retirement savings. It may not be a big worry to you now, but as the economy picks up, so will inflation.
Retirees are disproportionately exposed to rising prices. They're paying for escalating food costs, housing and cars while often on a fixed income. And medical bills can decimate a retirement portfolio, since retirees also pay about three times more for health care than younger investors.
How you position your portfolio to fight inflation is critical. Michael Falcon, head of retirement at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, tells older investors to start early in factoring in higher prices.
Falcon says you should:
- Consider your investment time horizon to know which asset classes to pick. Most, like stocks, will beat inflation over the long haul, but you can bolster returns and protections by picking the right combination.
- Make return tradeoffs in your portfolio. Are you willing to sacrifice returns to get better inflation protection? Do the math and strike an appropriate balance. For example, buy some Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) but stay invested in riskier growth stocks.
- Know your risk tolerance. Inflation-sensitive assets can be very volatile and investors who aren't committed to their plan could panic and sell too soon.
At a minimum, investors need a diversified mix of commodities, TIPS, real estate and equities tied to natural resources and infrastructure to offer them inflation protection, Falcon says.
(Read More: Will 'Fiscal Cliff' Resolution Engulf Social Security?)
Here are three scenarios and suggestions from J.P. Morgan Global Multi-Asset Group that could help you lower the risk of inflation eating away at the purchasing power of your portfolio:
Low Inflation
When inflation is low — whether it is on the rise or is likely to continue to fall — stick with equities. Specifically, choose stocks or mutual funds that invest in natural resources and global infrastructure companies whose products and services will be necessary in a low inflationary environment and also as prices rise.
High (and Falling) Inflation
When inflation is high and on the decline, real estate investment trusts may outperform other asset classes. REITs generate much of their income from rents, which are likely to benefit from high inflation — and should also help your portfolio keep pace as inflation moderates.
High (and Rising) Inflation
When inflation is high and going higher, stick with commodities and TIPS. Hard assets often perform well in periods of high inflation. With TIPS, the principal rises along with inflation.
So a model portfolio to mitigate inflation risk would look something like this:
- 40% Inflation-managed bonds
- 10% Commodities
- 10% Natural Resources Equities
- 5% Global Infrastructure Equities
- 5% Cash
Just keep this in mind: Inflation-sensitive assets can be very volatile. Investors who aren't committed to their financial plan could panic and sell too soon. So make sure you know your tolerance for risk. (Read More: A Smart Start to Retirement Investing)
_ By CNBC's Sharon Epperson; Follow her on Twitter: @sharon_epperson


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By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2008 – Hanging from the walls of restaurants in Belgrade, Serbia, are the flags of the state of Ohio. Other restaurants advertise when they will re-broadcast the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns football games.
As you walk through the streets, you see children wearing red-and-white Ohio State sweatshirts.
What's up with this? Since when did Ohio become so important in Serbia?
The answer lies with the military. The Ohio National Guard is the state partner of the Serbian military. The military-to-military contacts between the two organizations have blossomed into a cultural phenomenon in Serbia.
"We are very lucky to get Ohio as a state partner," said Serbian Army Col. Milan Mojsilovic, deputy commander of Serbia's Joint Command. Mojsilovic briefed staff and reporters traveling with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who visited Serbia last month.
The Serbia-Ohio military-to-military relationship began in September 2006. "The relationship between Serbia and Ohio is very close," Mojsilovic said through an interpreter. "Maybe it is because soldiers everywhere speak the same language."
The Ohioans work on activities that help to professionalize the Serbian military. Serbian soldiers have traveled to Ohio, and Ohio soldiers and airmen have worked in Serbia. The Buckeye State servicemembers and Serbs have worked together on peacekeeping exercises, unit level exchanges, staff development, setting up an NCO academy and military planning assistance. The whole program in fiscal 2008 cost roughly $400,000, said Air Force Capt. Matt Zelnick, a member of the Ohio Air National Guard and coordinator of the program.
"We work with U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe in setting up the exercises," said Zelnick, who also served six months in the U.S. embassy in Belgrade as the on-site coordinator. "We work humanitarian exercises and some regional exercises as well."
The servicemembers do not get into politics, Zelnick said. "We are able to relate to the Serbs on a military level without getting involved in the whole Kosovo question," he said.
That may be part of the attraction of the Ohio Guard to the Serbs, a U.S. embassy official said. The Serbs are able to separate the Ohio personnel from U.S. policy on Kosovo – America was one of the first nations to recognize Kosovo's independence in February, though the Serbian government still considers Kosovo to be one of the country's provinces.
Some 26 events featured Ohio Guard and Serbian interaction over the past year, and that number will grow in 2009, Zelnick said. The events run the gamut from military doctrine development to unit exchanges to peacekeeping logistics.
"We want to expand cooperation in NCO education and training," Mojsilovic said. "We also want to expand joint exercises of units and development of joint security programs."
Other things -- such as troop exchanges, seminars and educational opportunities -- also are important to the burgeoning military relationship, he said.
The Guard participates in 56 other partnership programs. For example, the New York Guard has a partnership with the South African military, and the Oregon Guard works with Bangladesh.
"These are designed to facilitate long-term cooperation between the United States and partner countries," said Air Force Col. Cathy Rodriguez, director of the international affairs division at the National Guard Bureau. "Guardsmen certainly stay with units longer than active duty personnel, so it was a good fit."
The program began in the early 1990s after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Guard helped the newly independent states and former members of the Warsaw Pact figure out the correct way that militaries act in democracies. The program continued and has expanded to Asia, Africa and South America.
"[The Ohio National Guard is] really just entering our third full year of the program," Zelnick said. "We are looking forward to building on some of the events we've held in the past."


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If you are planning a trip anytime soon to visit Disney World, in Orlando, Florida, you won't want to miss the highlights of our most recent trip. We, actually, went the week prior to Labor Day and it is a great time to miss all the crowds. Our wait times for rides was very short and we took advantage of as many Fast Passes as possible.
If I had to choose the most favorite "ride" for all age groups, I would choose the Toy Story ride in the Hollywood Studios theme park. It was a blast from start to finish. Wearing 3D glasses, you ride a carnival style tram that spins from one midway "shooting gallery" to the next. You only need pull the "string-style" shooter to pop balloons, hit targets and more. It is a whirl of fun as targets pop up before you showing the point values of the targets, from 50 to 1000. Rack up as many points as you can and it sure feels like you've had a workout once the ride comes to the end. You'll see as the Toy Story characters along the way, including Woody, Buzz and Mr. Potato head. We got to ride this twice with Fast Passes and it was the only ride in all the theme Parks during our visit that had a 100 minute wait. It's that popular.
Another top favorite was the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Magic Kingdom. Since we spent two of our five days at the Magic Kingdom, we managed many rides on Buzz Lightyear. Once again, this ride was suitable for all age groups and everyone was trying to "best" their own space gun scores. Riders are able to control their own spaceship, turning towards targets and shooting their ray guns, using laser beams.
Other favorites in the Magic Kingdom were Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. However, for little kids and older adults, some of these rides aren't suitable, but for kids from 8 and up they were a blast.
Some of the best highlights were to be found in Hollywood Studios. A favorite for younger kids is Honey I Shrunk the Kids. It's a type of playground with giant sized plants and insects, with tunnels, slides and more. This was one of the very favorite places for the 5 year old in our group.
If you go to Hollywood Studios, be sure your first stop is the Star Wars: Jedi Training Academy. There are limited spaces each day, for kids 4-12, to sign up for the Academy. Kids dress up as Jedi, learn how to use the lightsaber from the Jedi master and then fight Darth Vader. And the Jedi master is most amusing with his witty quips to the kids. Fun for all. An amazing ride in this same area is the Star Tours ride, which is 3D.
Two other not-to-miss happenings in Hollywood Studios are the Indiana Jones stunt show and the Lights Motors Action extreme Stunt show. Non-stop action in both stunt shows featuring stunt secrets you never knew. Fun for all ages.
There was so much to see and even though we spent 5 days at Disney World we didn't see it all. Be sure if you go to do some real planning ahead of time to make sure you don't miss the things your family might enjoy the most. We didn't have little girls with us so we didn't do all the Magic Castle and Princess stuff, but this would certainly be a highlight for any little girl.
Our only disappointment was that the Disney characters weren't walking around all the time as we all had imagined they would be. there were many Meet and Greet places but you had to stand in line to meet the characters. We would have loved running into the characters throughout the park ... it would have been much more magical.
More fun Disney highlights later ...
Sharon Pierce McCullough