text:
Friday, September 29, 2017

The Hot Comic Revue's Third Installment: Attack of the Threequel!

Third Time and Just as Charming

Here we are with the latest installment of The Hot Comic Revue. As always, thanks to my chums at Comics Heating Up who talk about what upcoming books look worthy of speculation and encouraged me to pursue writing about what's popular in regards to stuff that is already out.

A Book That Is Warming-Up
Gasolina #1
Any brand-new Image book isn't guaranteed to be a huge hit, but usually stands a decent chance. The first-printing of, "Gasolina," sold out both its covers from Diamond and the promotional ashcan that came out a bit before the first issue continues to briskly sell online. This book hasn't yet caught fire but it looks promising. Things From Another World, MyComicShop, and eBay all are good ways to get yourself a copy.

Two Red-Hot Titles
Spider-Gwen #24
Spider-Gwen already is a very popular-character who was created in 2014 and good ol' Venom continues to be a fan favorite after rocketing to popularity in the 1990's. So, when the news emerged this issue was arguably the first appearance of Gwen merging with a version of the Symbiote and thereby becoming, "Gwenom," the book started flying off the shelves. There actually is a variant cover featuring Gwen, "Venomized," and they both appear to be equally popular, with anyone who is selling both covers at once making a pretty penny. Right now eBay or MyComicShop are your best chance to snag a copy.
Sink #1
It pleases me to see that, "Sink," is a huge hit as I of course did an advance review where I described how I loved it and had the pleasure of interviewing the creators of the book, who are both stellar guys. A stellar comic that mixes horror and crime to great success, the first issue of, "Sink," has two covers that were printed in equal quantity and therefore are both desirable--with many people wanting at least once of each (there is less-common blank variant too that doesn't seem especially hotter)! eBay or MyComicShop both have copies for sale, with the comic going for quite a lot before settling into a popular-but-not-prohibitive $10-$15 for either cover.

Two Comics with Steamy Potential
Graveland #1
Scout Comics have released a number of books that have gone on to achieve great popularity and success. "Graveland," is one of their newest releases. It features Giants causing immense destruction and is a fun action-movie-styled read. Considering how many books from Scout have gone on to at least warm-up if not become blazing-hot it would be wise to maybe grab at least one copy of, "Graveland," if you can. It currently can be found on Ebay or at MyComicShop.

Wonder Woman Conan #1
Cross-over books between two properties and publishers (DC and Dark Horse) seem to usually get a bit warm or even really hot. Considering how popular Wonder Woman is right now thanks to the awesome movie and the fact that Conan the Barbarian tends to always have a solid fan-following, this book could appeal to a variety of people and has the possibility of getting steamy in the future. I'll be the first to admit this book may be more of a slow-burn however while we wait for the next, "Wonder Woman," flick or Conan to be adapted for the big-screen or television again (which it will be, because everything is getting rebooted and brought-back now). The first issue of, "Wonder Woman Conan," is purchasable at Things From Another World, MyComicShop, and of course eBay.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

"The Bloody Cardinal" Is Bloody Good Fun (I Know, That's a Terrible Pun)

I had the pleasure of reading, "The Bloody Cardinal," by Richard Sala. It fits perfectly into my niche of quirky comics with a mixture of horror, action, bleak humor, and plenty of stellar artwork. Centering on an infamous criminal whose name is the title of the book, e.g. "The Bloody Cardinal," he supposedly died many years ago yet anyone whom he used to work with and provide with his journals seems to die--as well as anyone who gets too close to studying his infamous story.

The book moves at a brisk pace and does creative things like opening with bits of the dangerous journal, showing us a report on The Bloody Cardinal, and cuts to various vignettes with the wide cast of characters--I appreciate the beginning of the book has a legend for some of the who's who as there are quite a lot of people involved!
The comic does a stellar job of balancing scary elements such as spooky houses and murderous hobos with a delightfully sardonic sense of humor as the mystery of what keeps killing anyone connected to The Bloody Cardinal unfolds. Sala's artwork has a Euro-comics vibe and he expertly illustrates the more morbid and twisted story-elements like vicious rats or mutilated dolls just as well. Plus, the mystery of if The Bloody Cardinal has returned and whom it could be did in fact keep me guessing up until the ending when I said, "I should have seen that coming, but didn't," so I tip my hat to Sala for that as well.

"The Bloody Cardinal," is a wonderful read, with great artwork, and bits that are both scary as well as humorous. I for sure would recommend checking it out if you like stuff that is a little off-kilter. I give it a pleased 5 out of 5 stars. You can find it at Things From Another World, MyComicShop, and eBay as well.

Note: A digital copy of, "The Bloody Cardinal," was provided for the purpose of review by the publisher, Fantagraphics.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Jeff Lemire Always Delights AKA Bloodshot Salvation #1 Review

I am of course a big fan of Jeff Lemire and have also enjoyed a variety of Valiant titles. I've dipped my toe off-and-on into his, "Bloodshot," work and the latest series, "Bloodshot: Salvation," is both quite accessible to newer readers and a solid continuation of what he has done before. With great artwork by Lewis LaRosa and Mico Suayan, the story jumps around a bit from a clearly unpleasant future to a currently-mellow present. Bloodshot has settled down with a lovely woman and had a child, all is well, and Lemire makes it clear that ain't gonna last.

I appreciated that the book laid-out everything from past books even if it resulted in us having to read a bunch of exposition--still, I would rather have things be a tad wordy and make sense than suffer being real confused. Plus, as a first issue it makes sense that we need to establish the foundation of what came before and the trouble that will also be on its way. I also really liked how the art/artists change depending on if we are looking at the upcoming future or back in the past/present. The smooth and flowing look of the present has a good counter to the more harsh and scratchy artwork in our glimpses of what is to come.
"Bloodshot: Salvation," is both a great continuation and a solid start to the latest comic starring the titular hero. Lemire is a superb talent and the artwork meshes with his writing fantastically (if that's a word). I'm already eagerly awaiting the next issue and award this a glowing 4 out of 5 stars. You can find the new, "Bloodshot: Salvation," at Things from Another World or as always eBay is a stellar resource.

Television Tuesday: The Megyn Kelly Hour of the, "The Today Show," Sucks

I know I've said in the past not to judge a show by its first episode or two, but dear God is the new Megyn Kelly hour of, "The Today Show," bad. I would consider myself a bit of a conissuer of, "The Today Show," having watched it as often as possible since I was a young child. Katie Couric was inspiring, I feel like Al Roker and Willie Geist are old friends, Jenna Bush-Haeger and Dylan Dreyer are a hoot, I was so sad when NBC did Anne Curry and Tamron Hall wrong, oh and, Matt Lauer is there too. The third hour of, "The Today Show," or, "Today's Take," as it was known for some time seemed like it was just a good hour of fun and news. After all the work earlier in the show the casters could sit down, kick-back their feet, and enjoy themselves. Plus, it makes a nice mellow lead-in to the general boozy-insanity of the delightful 4th hour with Katie Lee and Hoda Kotb--which thankfully have been left untouched by this Megyn Kelly nonsense.

Imagine yourself watching the blandest talk show possible and you've basically guessed what it is. A little bit of news, some interviewing people, and it is all as dull as a stale nilla wafer. While some people seem to just exude personality, Kelly seems to suck all the energy out of the room, doing her interviews as if she's just ticking-off a list of stuff to bring up and then move on to the next subject as awkwardly and nervously as possible.
Tamron got screwed.

The only thing on Monday that at least was bearable from a human-interest angle was the recorded piece about a nun who helps inner-city teenagers which of course is cliché but still sweet and heartwarming (I was pleased she got presents for being awesome when they brought her out). Even that has some uncomfortable overtones with this white lady going and helping all the poor black people though. That maybe wasn't the best thing to have in the first episode of a show for a woman who herself used countless dog-whistles to racists when talking about former President Barack Obama when she was a Fox News crony. Tuesday was basically just a big ad for, "This is Us," followed by a segment that was basically one big stroke-job on Kelly's ego where they interviewed her family and friends about awesome she is. Yeah.

Early reviews of the show are also not too kind, with The Washington Post describing it as a, "Bride of Frankenstein" which is made-up of various body-parts from other shows. The Atlantic mocked her stating how she's "Done with Politics," considering she spent years on Fox News doing nothing but politics before that ended in a ball of fire and she came to NBC because her station turned on her for not bowing-down to Donald Trump and speaking-out about being sexually harassed (the one, count em' one thing I admire about her, she didn't take shit from Trump or Fox News). Her nighttime news shows for NBC bombed tremendously so now she invades my beloved, "The Today Show," and ruins what used to be a great third hour. I give it six months, eight at most if NBC feels generous.

Monday, September 25, 2017

I Greatly Enjoyed the ToyMan Show Yesterday!

I've lived in Saint Louis for a bit over six years now and love going to cons and shows with toys, games, comics, etc. Therefore, it is a bit embarrassing to admit that up until yesterday I had never been to a ToyMan show. Chris, "ToyMan," McQuillen has been doing these shows multiple times a year in the Saint Louis region since the 1990's. The latest one just occurred at the Machinists Hall on Saint Charles Rock Road in Bridgeton and was a stellar time! I arrived bright-and-early as I always like to watch as things are set-up and to chat with vendors plus fans of a show who are passionate enough to be there when the floor opens. At 8AM the, "Early-bird," folk came in and the searching for cool stuff began!

As this is a, "ToyMan," show there of course was a ton of toys ranging from vintage die-cast cars and hot wheels, to Star Wars, Star Trek, classic television programs, old movies, and a ton of Funko Pops. There also was a great deal of classic video-games for sale from vintage Atari up to more recent Xbox and Playstation titles. A healthy helping of vendors were selling comics too, which as a big fan of comic-books was the main draw for me! Everyone was extremely nice and a number of people I talked to said how they like the ToyMan shows because they are very fairly priced in regards to entry fees and have such a wide range of items for sale.
Morning setting-up
While I've mentioned there was an immense amount of cool items atendees could buy, there were creative-type folk as well! In the upstairs, "Artist's Balcony," a number of small-press comic-makers, writers, and craft-creators were present, as well as special celebrity guest Butch Patrick who I previously spoke with at Wizard World and is always very pleasant to chat with. I also met Robert Mays of APG Grading, a newer grading company that will take toys, comics, etc.

I didn't bring too much cash with me, but I did have a number of semi-valuable comics I was hoping to trade with interested parties, and much to my delight I was able to use the combination of my money and somewhat-popular comics to pick up a Mr. PoopyButthole Funko Pop from Rick and Morty, the classic Playstation Game, "Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix," which is a series I've discussed having a soft-spot for, and an assortment of cheap comics in addition to a handful of really cool old, "Epic," magazines from the 1980's which feature Marvel work that wasn't subject to the Comic's Code--e.g. there was more violence, swearing, and nudity, so yah!
A cool Funko I got!
I had a fantastic time at my first-ever ToyMan show and would love to go again to future shows assuming that Chris AKA the ToyMan is okay with me continuing to pester him about what kind of awesome stuff to expect at the next show on November 5th!

Friday, September 22, 2017

"Bodak Yellow," by Cardi B is One of the Worst Songs I've Ever Heard

Time to Sound Like a Cranky Old Man Again...
Cardi B
I previously discussed how I seem to hate a lot of today's, "popular," music and how I worried that made me an out-of-touch old man. Sometimes I just have to ask though, "Seriously? This is what the kids today are liking?" Such a thought went through my mind when I first heard--and continue to hear played--the song, "Bodak Yellow," by Cardi B.

"Bodak Yellow," is on the radio a bunch and one of the top-streaming songs, but that doesn't hide the fact it is just awful. Cardi B's lyrics are insipid and vapid consisting of weak brags and threats at her haters (which plenty of rappers do, but actually do well), her flow is wack and disjointed, the beat sounds hollow, and the melody is nonexistent. It is just plain terrible. If you want proof here is the music video:

Look, I don't want to hate on Cardi B, I've read articles about how much she had to work to, "Come-Up," and all the struggles she has faced. I haven't watched her on the, "Love and Hip-Hop," reality shows that she apparently shines on thanks to a fun personality, and she seems like a perfectly fine human being. That said, "Bodak Yellow," a God-awful song.

Anytime, "Bodak Yellow," comes on I feel a painful throbbing in my head that makes me worry I'm going to start bleeding simultaneously out of my nose, ears, and eyes. Everything gets hazy and I have to change the radio station/streaming song as quickly as possible lest I begin screaming uncontrollably. This sounds like exaggeration, but it really is that miserable in my opinion.
How some people probably picture me.
I realize that at this point all the young folk out there are probably rolling their eyes at this almost-3-decades-old man bitching about their music. I know I sound out-of-touch and like I'm judging, but I in fact enjoy other popular music which is--you know--good. I'm aware at this point as I drone on and on anyone in their teens probably pictures me as some crotchety old man yelling at them to get off their lawn, and  I've come to terms with that. I just had to make it clear I can't stand, "Bodak Yellow," and while I wish Cardi B the best I seriously hope she can come-up with another single even the slightest bit better than this. Should you disagree with me feel free to buy, "Bodak Yellow," for all your streaming pleasure on Amazon, just please don't play it around me.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Thoughts on More Books From my Local Libraries

Gotta Love the Library!
My favorite County Library branch
I continue to love my local County and City library, immensely enjoying utilizing them to check-out and read a variety of books. Whether anthropological histories, neat comics, or guides for screen-free activities I can do with my son as he grows older, the library has a lot of useful stuff! I'm not going to review these books per-se so much as some discussion about them as I pretty much liked everything I picked-up and am talking about here (stuff I felt like I didn't like was quickly skimmed and returned; hence, I don't mention those materials as I would need to read more to have a solid opinion).

The Books
Puke Force
by Brian Chippendale
I had read a lot of reviews online talking about how the intentionally busy and ugly artwork mixed with satire results in a fascinating collection of comics in Brian Chippendale's, "Puke Force." Hideous drawings of people and human-esque monsters in, "Grave City," are complimented by prickly Liberals, paranoid Right-Wingers, snarky tech-users, well-meaning hero-teams who seem pretty habitually lazy, and craven politicians (of course). Everything is just so busy in how it looks in the art and the ideas come a mile-a-minute in this surrealist masterpiece of showing a world that really sucks and shows what ours could become if we aren't careful. Basically nobody is safe from Chippendale's searing critique and God is it ugly-yet-beautiful. This book is by no means easy to read in how its formatting literally requires you to look at a legend for every page so you know the order to look at panels, or in the sense of how much content it covers and satirizes. It is for sure a rewarding book to read, however. I have found, "Puke Force," available for sale at Amazon and Things From Another World.
On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep
by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam
Parents often talk about how their babies won't sleep well through the night, and how it is a huge pain. We actually were both lucky and skilled in that with minimal work we have been able to get it where Clarkson generally will fall asleep sometime between 10:00 PM to right before midnight and sleep until 7:00 AM-8:00 AM or so. We actually did some of the things discussed in this book before I even read it, which shows we and the publication are both on the right track! Basically, the idea is that you don't just feed your baby if he has some cues, or based on time, you consider a mixture of elements, such as if the baby is really upset and clearly crying, or just showing some cues, how long it has been since he slept, and go from there to establish a clear sleep-wake-feed schedule over time so your baby knows he'll eat more during the day, have an extended period of sleep at night, and so forth.

There are other good pieces of general child-raising advice and feeding is covered in-depth too because when your child eats has major implications for when he wants to sleep as well. It all makes perfect sense and is invaluable advice for those parents who find their child refuses to sleep much of the night and want to work towards creating a a better cycle of nighttime sleeping and being awake during more of the day (with naps of course still playing a significant role, don't think your baby shall just be awake all day and sleep all night until he/she is much older). Should your baby be keeping you up all hours of the night consider this book mandatory reading. You can find the book on Amazon here.

Aquaman Volume 1: The Drowning
Aquaman Volume 2: Black Manta Rising
by Dan Abnett (writer), Scott Eaton, and Brad Walker (artists)
I've seen Aquaman written a number of ways, from the caring king who is good-natured to the sour-faced and cranky portrayal that we recently had under Geoff Johns. For DC's big, "Rebirth," re-launch writer Dan Abnett strikes a good balance between these personalities, giving us an Aquaman who is kind, but won't hesitate to get mad and punch Superman if need be. Throughout these two volumes we watch as Arthur Curry and Black Manta actually settle their blood feud in a surprising occurrence--but as the story continues it is all too clear that when Black Manta isn't trying to just kill Aquaman and being made fun of for losing to the, "Fish-Man," he is someone who poses a much larger threat to the world.

Scott Eaton and Brad Walker seem to split art-duty and have a similar enough art-style that the changes in issues is never to jarring. The art lacks much attention-grabbing imagery actually, but my eyes weren't bleeding from reading the comic, so while that is kind of damning with faint praise, the art was fine. Between the pleasant art and strong writing this current story about the King of Atlantis has impressed me and made me eager to read more Aquaman--so that's impressive in and of itself.
You can buy the first trade via Amazon or Things From Another World, and the second trade is of course on Amazon and at Things From Another World as well.

Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus
by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy
This is a book that is depressing as it is interesting. Wasik and Murphy follow Rabies from its earliest discussions in history up to how its viewed now. A, "Most Diabolical Virus," it is fascinating to read of how it baffled early doctors with its violent and wild mystique and even today is sometimes misunderstood with even cures exaggerated (you don't need countless shots in the stomach if you're exposed, a myth that persists even now). There are many morbid accounts in the book of how rabies impacted our planet, and an interesting theme emerges of how in some ways rabies is terrifying because it takes our ideas of modernization and domestication and tears it down into a wild and dangerous primal thing. I would for sure recommend getting a copy are your library or purchasing the book on Amazon.

Perfume: A Century of Scents
by Lizzie Ostrom
Moving from rabies to something a bit less depressing but just as fascinating, we have this book which breaks-down various scents from the early 1900's up to near the present day. Most of us may just think of perfume as something we splash on to smell good, but Ostrom's exhaustive research shows how the scents of an era can tell us a lot about its history, culture, and the like. It's an interesting book as it breaks-down decades into certain perfumes, displaying how something we would barely consider--scents--can be a reflection of so much. It is a fun read and you can always buy it on Amazon.
150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids
by Asia Citro
My son Clarkson right now a young baby at six months/four months adjusted for prematurity. That said, kids grow-up fast and in this era full of technology (no matter how wonderful it is) sometimes limiting screen-time for our little ones can be a good decision, especially if we have awesome and fun activities for them to do! This book has stuff for everyone from infants to kids 5 and older--as well as some activities I'd want to try--and is invaluable when it comes to generating ideas of awesome stuff we can do with our young'uns. I love the activities that involve making cool creations or doing craft-type stuff as even if I'm not the most art-skilled I still am a fan of doing such things! You can find the book on Amazon at this link.
by Jeff Lemire
I've been a fan of Jeff Lemire ever since I picked-up some of his earliest work, the "Essex County," comics he did. He does a wonderful job whether he is writing or illustrating, but I feel he is at his best when he's writing and illustrating. Lemire has worked in a variety of genres from sci-fi to superheroes but here gives us something more realistic in the tale of a man named Derek who used to play Hockey and now is just basically a violent has-been drunk. When Derek's sister, Beth, whom he hasn't seen in years comes to town fleeing an abusive ex its up to Derek just how he wants to handle that situation and Lemire draws us in with his skillful work to make us truly care about these individuals.

The sadness and longing for joy felt by these people exhausted by the trials of life strikes a chord and kept me hooked-into the story up until I reached its conclusion. Lemire also does some fascinating things with color, having the present-day be almost always a washed-out blue with only the color red making an appearance (usually for blood). Scenes from the past that characters remember are illustrated in a lush color however, as if even the most painful of memories are more, "Alive," than being trapped in an unhappy present. I've seen, "Roughneck," listed as being one of the best books of 2017 so far and it wouldn't surprise me if even once we finish the year and much more stuff has come out that it remains proudly on those lists. Roughneck can be found on Amazon or at Things From Another World.
Big Mushy, Happy Lump
by Sarah Andersen
Sarah Andersen's comics may be the kind you often see on the internet as she has a way to make little moments absolutely hilarious. Whether riffing on the comfort-level of sweaters, discussing how self-doubt can be our greatest enemy, or touching upon the way women are treated by society, she is a stellar artist and great producer of hilarious comic-strips.  There were a number of times I found myself chuckling or loudly guffawing at Andersen's work in this book. Sometimes the best way to tackle serious subjects is with some silly jokes, after all. You can get, "Big, Mushy, Happy Lump," on Amazon's site.

Now to Return Everything Before the Late Fees!
I always am pleased to get stuff from the library, and I encourage you to frequent your local establishment of learning and lending!

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

I Honestly Want, "The Most Variant Cover of All Time," From Valiant

I run hot-and-cold on variants sometimes, enjoying ones that look cool but getting annoyed when companies like Marvel have weird schemes to boost sales. Well, Valiant has found an ingenious way to both make-fun of variant covers and put-out one that I imagine everyone (myself included) will want. They are debuting, "The Most Variant Cover of All Time!"

Featuring every gimmick you can think of (except glowing in the dark, which they admit they couldn't manage), this cover has lenticular logos, chromium bars, foil, die-cut parts, hand-numbering, and a random extra hero who is attached as a sticker. If stores want it they have to order 250 copies of the new, "Quantum and Woody," comic coming December 20th and are limited to one-per-store. Its an absurd rule to order the comic, but it's supposed to be dumb, because if you're going to have, "The Most Variant Cover of All Time," it makes perfect sense you have weird rules to acquire one. Basically, Valiant is daring stores to buy-in to this self-aware gag about variants and saying, "You want silly variants with a high buy-in? Oh, have we got the comic for you!"
I will try and acquire a copy of this comic for myself so that I can both review its contents and offer in-depth thoughts on the cover itself. It may not be possible, but I'll sure try! In the meantime, I encourage you to visit Valiant's website and check-out all their other quality titles!

Monday, September 18, 2017

Mid-September 2017 Links, Because Learning is Fun!

A Miserable Month
It is the middle of September, that month which doesn't usually quite feel like Summer but lacks the charm of Fall as well. Basically, September sucks. Let's try to make it more fun with some quality links!

Let's start with a cynical question that does not really have an answer. Namely, what was the point of Marvel's, "Secret Empire," besides being bad? We don't know.

The Hipster and Yuppie have made a cultural offspring. It is terrible.

Chrstopher Reeve was such a good actor he could be his own special effect.

I quite liked the Castlevania show on Netflix. Paste magazine had more mixed feelings I can understand them holding but don't quite agree with fully you can read here.

From the same site, Paste has a fascinating piece about the Comic industry and its ongoing struggle to achieve gender diversity

On the subject of Gender, there have always been female fandoms in culture, people have just tried to minimize it as Film School Rejects has written about.

In, "Divinity: Original Sin 2," the idea of an RPG character that literally wears the faces of people it kills to pretend to be them is disturbing...and a cool-sounding mechanic for gameplay. Also, that it is a great game makes me excited too.

This piece about the, "Types of Becky," should be required reading for all the Beckys out there.

Speaking of Beckys, I never liked Iggy Azalea and I was fascinated by this article about her, "Making and unmaking."

"Bioshock," as a game is now 10 years old. It was an amazing--if not perfect--title that had a huge impact comes to everything from gameplay, to tone, atmosphere, and philosophy in other games since.

I ought to see some of these, "14 Recent Sci-Fi Films That Didn't Need Big Budgets to Be Amazing."

It sounds really navel-gazing but this discussion by comic critics about how comic critics discuss (what else) comics, is a pretty interesting read at Loser City.

Fire Ants can apparently float, so damn, we are screwed.

I love rap, but as a musical form it has a complicated past and present with the subject of violence, as Vulture goes in-depth about.

I am a big fan of the,"Metal Gear Solid," series of games and I've seen a variety of opinions about how the 2nd game shocked everyone by having a main character named Raiden. Kotaku argues he was the best thing to ever happen to the series, and I kinda see what they're driving at.

Oh yeah, the Emmys were yesterday and I'll admit I didn't watch them as I just feel like I'm at a point in my life where dedicating 3-4 hours to an awards show sounds kind of dull--even if the talented Stephen Colbert apparently did a solid job hosting.

This video examines what makes the original, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," by recently-departed Director Tobe Hooper a classic, discussing how it both established and subverted certain horror genre expectations.

Lastly, I remember back in the day how big a battle it was between Sega and Nintendo when it came to being the, "Cool," company, as is reminisced over at this link. In the end, I think Nintendo admittedly won.

Eager for October

As the above video with the sax-playing seal doing a cover of, "Wake me Up When September Ends," illustrates, I am ready for October. I hope everyone has a decent rest of this month!

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Mini-Run Review: The Wildstorm #1-#6

Wildstorm was an interesting comic imprint. Made by Jim Lee, it started out at Image, was bought by DC, featured a variety of folk writing for it, had a world-destroying event it tried to make stories out of, and then was folded into the mainstream DC-Universe for the New 52 before that was mostly forgotten with, "Rebirth," not having any Wildstorm characters featured right now as far as I recall. One person who wrote a bunch of comics for Wildstorm was Warren Ellis, with his cerebral, "Stormwatch," and its massively successful (and more focused on explosive action) follow-up "The Authority," being remembered fondly.

So, Wildstorm was basically dead, and then it was announced the world was getting a weird and new re-launch with everything heavily re-imagined by none other than...Warren Ellis! With the art of John Davis-Hunt as well we would get a new series that had characters we maybe recalled, but very different in a whole new world. Basically, something friendly to new readers but with some of the old concepts and names. Not so much a reboot as a drastic re-imagining. Could such a thing be good and work however, or show-up as a huge mess? Well, the fact that they got Warren Ellis should assure you that there ain't much of a need to worry.
Yes, "The Wildstorm," is quite good. It is more in-line with Ellis' earlier, "Stormwatch," stuff, focusing on secret organizations that try to run the world and all the complexities that entails. This isn't the hopeful world we had near the start of the new millennium however, this is 2017 and the world is a dark and depressing place, just as this comic reflects. "The Wildstorm," is a 24-issue series split into segments with various spin-offs that occur every once in awhile. Besides the handful of comics that will spin-off this is a pretty self-contained kind of comic-world, not something as big and multi-volume as the old, "Wildstorm books." I like that though, and have found this first arc of, "The Wildstorm," very enjoyable.

Basically, as is explained a couple issues in, there are two major organizations that run everything. International Operations runs most of the planet of Earth, and Skywatch gets space. There is a weak peace between these groups and some outside parties might cause all the treaties to fall apart and war to break-out. A tech-whiz named Angelia Spica has stolen a lot of tech from IO, some of which they had already stolen from Skywatch, so clearly some trouble is afoot. Also, there are space aliens, because why not? It also is nice to have John Davis-Hunt providing such nice artwork, with his clean and precise lines giving everything a sharp and severe look.
Whether Ellis is giving us a new riff on WildCATs, Michael Cray, Henry Bendix, or countless other characters it is fun to see the man who arguably helped make these characters so popular the first time return to them with a new lens to skew everything into something drastically different. As I would only say my familiarity with the old Wildstorm Universe is minimal-to-kinda-decent I can say without too much hesitation this book is quite friendly to new readers and is also fun for anyone who has even a passing familiarity with the old Wildstorm books such as myself.

There was not an issue in August as it was a planned, "Skip month," Ellis previously mentioned in his weekly newsletter I subscribe to so I look forward to issue #7 during this month and reading what the latest story-arc holds!
4.5 out of 5 stars.
You can buy issues of, "The Wildstorm," on eBay and at all finer comic shops.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

So, I Went and Made a Patreon

I decided to do it, I went and made a Patreon from The Newest Rant and you can find it here.

If you haven't heard of Patreon, it is basically a website that was made to allow creators of content to have fans chip-in some funds for them. People who make movies, comics, or share their mad ramblings on a popular-culture website (e.g. me) can offer little fun rewards to people who want to contribute and I thought it might be a cool thing to try.

Please note this won't affect what I put on the blog, but if people back my Patreon, depending on the level they choose they can get a behind-the-scenes look at what I'm working on (just a dollar a month), have access to a weekly videos where I will rant about the news from the past seven days (five dollars a month) or for $25 a month you can submit a creation of your own for me to privately review and offer my opinion on--be it a comic, song, web-video, whatever!

I thought making a Patreon was a good idea as since the birth of my son, Clarkson, we have of course focused our expenses towards him, and having fans chip-in makes it easier for me to have the funds to be able to focus on the blog and what it costs to do (e.g. buying stuff to review, time that could be spent working at another job, and so forth).

I don't want anyone who enjoys my blog to feel pressured to contribute, and again, be reassured that my blog itself will never have anything put behind a, "Pay-wall," or such. this Patreon just allows me to provide some cool extras to people and hopefully dedicate even more time time to working on posts! Plus, I will for sure enjoy doing weekly rant videos where I go-off about all the absurdities happening in the world of comics, politics, and our worlds in general.

Again, you can find my Patreon here and thank you to anyone who even  considers becoming a patron.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Rant-Reviews: Three Long-Running Image Books and Three New Ones

Combining Concepts
I've done plenty of articles where I discuss new first issues of titles, and have made posts discussing books that have been coming out for quite awhile as well. I also would say Image is probably the publisher I read the most of, easily making-up a third of the books I frequently enjoy. I thought I would combine all of these elements and now present three reviews of long-running Image books as well as three new first issues. Let's review them and see if we learn something, I guess?

O.G. Books
Saga #46
People will often write about how, "Saga," features parts that make them really emotional and while I've quite enjoyed the book I haven't really felt that way. Well, one segment in this issue just totally wrecked me and illustrated why Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staple's work is probably going to result in this book being on those, "Greatest Comics of All Time," lists that folk sometimes feel like making. What at first seemed like a a bit of a silly space soap-opera has evolved quickly into an epic yarn on love, loss, and God-dammit that segment where the future-specter of a potential brother fades away from his living sister still has me bawling. Fuck you for giving me all these emotions, BKV and Staples! This latest issue of, "Saga," can easily be bought at Things From Another World, on eBay, at MyComicShop, or at a fine comic establishment near you.
5 out of 5 stars.

The Wicked and the Divine #31
I wondered if WIC+DIV as the cool kids call it would run out of steam once a potential adversary that had been in the book was defeated, but clearly the worst foe these reincarnated Gods will face is arguably themselves. This is the kind of issue that starts out kind of quiet and then has a whole bunch of shocking climaxes at the end which are sure to make the next issue amazing...but unfortunately make this one feel a little bit like a bunch of lead-up to some admittedly crazy moments (a character death I did not see coming being on of them).  This still is a stellar issue of WIC+DIV, it just isn't amazing as some of the best ones. That said, I have gotta read issue #32 as soon as I possibly can now! You can buy the newest WIC+DIV at Things From Another World, on eBay, at MyComicShop, or of course in all quality comic shops.
4 out of 5 stars.

Savage Dragon #226
If these are some O.G. books this is the grand-pappy O.G., as besides, "Spawn," this is essentially the only title since the dawn of Image in 1992 to keep somewhat-continuously running since then, and the only long-running one from Image almost always done by a single creator (various people have done, "Spawn,") with creator Erik Larsen occasionally taking breaks.  Larsen, the writer and artist on the book, should be applauded for having been able to evolve his book about an extraterrestrial Dragon all these decades from a general super-hero book to a title with characters that have aged, had children, died, and so forth all while making a comic that clever manages to riff on current trends to stay popular.

One of those trends right now is how our *shudder* President Donald Trump is working his hardest to destroy our Nation and turn everyone against each other, so Larsen takes this to a logical place where Trump would try and outlaw literal aliens from space just as much as he is railing against, "Illegal aliens," from other countries. The political allegory is piled-on here thick and with little subtlety, but it works. A fun read, it is amazing to think this has been chugging along since 1992 and that is itself admirable--that the book also manages to continue to be good is an even more impressive feat. You can currently find, "Savage Dragon #226," for sale on eBay or at MyComicShop and of course in stores.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Brand-New Titles

Retcon #1
Yeah, I wasn't feeling this. When I heard the idea of this comic discussed, that it has these characters who keep living life a little differently--e.g. getting retconned--that sounded interesting, but this issue just seems like a big of a disjointed mess of various plot devices and storytelling ideas--secret government agencies, paranormal forces, drug addiction, and more! Perhaps this is a case where things will make more sense as the book proceeds and this issue purposely seems a bit trite because it is going to be, "Retconned," next issue as a brand-new story or something? That would be cool, but if the next issue just follows-up on the tedium here I'll be disappointed. At least the art is good. Should you want to get your own copy of, "Retcon," then Things From Another World, eBay, and MyComicShop are all good resources.
2 out of 5 stars.

Scales and Scoundrels #1
I knew very little about this book as I don't generally go for fantasy-titles much, preferring sci-fi. That said, having read this, I quite like this Young Adult-friendly tale of a scoundrel (as per the title) and the mischief she gets up to. Despite, "Scales," being in the title and dragons having some discussion, there isn't too much in the way of dragons this issue. That's alright though, because we do get a solidly-told yarn that introduces our main characters, their quest for riches, and hints at more trouble to come. It is a well-told story that looks good, and that makes it an engaging read. I don't normally dig fantasy titles, but this cracks my cold indifference with its sheer enthusiasm, so that's impressive. I would recommend grabbing this book and you can do so at Things From Another World, via eBay, or on MyComicShop.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Realm #1
This is a weird one (that's good though). Were this not clearly a first issue I would almost feel like I had dipped into a comic a few issues in, as a whole lot happens and very little is explained. I actually appreciate this however, as many comics often want to give you an info-dump in the first issue and overwhelm readers with background-stuff. "Realm," doesn't do that, however. We simply follow some characters in a world that is clearly very messed-up and had some terrible things happen to it that gives everything a weird mixture of post-apocalypse with orcs and magic.

I'm immensely confused as to what exactly is going on, but that is clearly intentional as we are told what we absolutely need to know as readers and allowed to wonder about everything else. We don't have to be made aware of what made everything so fucked-up, it just is, and we're along for the ride. It is refreshing to see this storytelling technique followed of letting us readers puzzle things out and with the fantastic artwork this book is one that has my interest piqued. eBay and MyComicShop are both good resources for buying the first issue of, "Realm."
4 out of 5 stars.

Old(er) and New, Done With Review(s)
Image puts out a lot of winners and will sometimes miss too, of course. That said, the books that have been running for awhile clearly succeed thanks to their ability to hook-in readers with incredible worlds, great plotting, and impressive artwork. Assuming these newer books can manage to have all that they may very well climb-up high in their issue-count too (or if mini-series, get multiple minis, you know what I mean). We shall see!

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Thanks, "Stabbity Bunny," Creative Team and Comics Heating Up For the Awesome Comic!

I am of course a frequent reader of Comics Heating Up, arguably the best website around for those into comic-book speculation. Not too long ago they had a contest with the creative team behind, "Stabbity Bunny," to come-up with a name and breed for a dog which would appear in the comic as a pet of the main character. "Stabbity Bunny," is an independently-published comic that was just recently picked-up by Scout Comics and looks like a hilariously dark read, focusing on how, "A seven-year-old girl and her plush rabbit, Stabbity Bunny, are targeted by supernatural forces that have been hunting her family for generations. Grace is kidnapped and things quickly turn from dangerous to deadly when she attempts to escape. Fortunately, both Grace and the kidnapper will discover Stabbity has secrets of his own … and nobody threatens his little girl." That plush rabbit clearly will defend Grace from any danger quite violently, so yeah, this should be zany fun.

As Grace will be getting a puppy and people were asked to supply a breed and name, I suggested what I personally felt would be a superb breed to have in a comic and the name I would give a dog if I had one. Therefore, I suggested she have a Pug and he be named Humphrey. I made that comment and forgot about it until some weeks later when the winner was announced via a Youtube video, and I was quite surprised to hear who won:

That's right, the creative team of Richard Rivera, Dwayne Biddix, and Liezl Buenaventura liked my suggestion enough that when they reviewed the list of names and breeds I was chosen as the winner! They were unaware I even had a blog, but as I do I wanted to give a shout-out to them expressing my thanks for the awesome comic, and of course thank Tony and the rest of CHU crew as well! I am very excited to see the debut of Humphrey in future issues of, "Stabbity Bunny," for sure!

Monday, September 11, 2017

Quick Political Thoughts About Kid Rock (That's A Sentence I Never Thought I Would Say)

If Kid Rock actually runs for the Senate, and America in fact elects Kid Rock then I have reached three equally valid conclusions:

1. "The Great Experiment," of Democracy is dead.

2. Not just some people, but most people, apparently want to the watch the world burn.

3. Some unseen force is trolling us, be it God, whoever controls the computer program we all live in, or whatever higher power you do or don't believe in.

That is all.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

I Love Pumpkin Spice Items and Refuse to Apologize For It

I love Pumpkin Spice--there, I said it. People can joke that makes me, "Basic," or some kind of, "Lame white girl," but regardless of your weirdly sexist insults I still love pumpkin spice in almost anything. It can be a doughnut, some cider, or of course my beloved pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, and I'll be happy. It isn't surprising, considering how when I was growing-up I loved the flavor of Pumpkin, be it in a pie, some ice cream, or whatever else. I suppose it was a natural evolution for me to like the addition of the, "Spice," to make it pumpkin spice as I grew into the individual I am now. I truly love pumpkin spice in food items and refuse to apologize.

I don't always get why there is so much hate for those who enjoy pumpkin spice. Have people not tried it and seen how god-damn delicious it is mixed into assorted foodstuffs or beverages? Are these people who don't like pumpkin in general? Seriously, what gives? I don't know where all the negativity comes from, but while you all crack jokes I'll just be here enjoying my delicious latte.

That was pretty messed-up how Starbucks used the launch of the pumpkin spice latte to distract from a price-hike on other stuff though. Not cool, Starbucks, not cool at all.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

The Hot Comics Revue, Installment Two

Part Deux
With this second installment of The Hot Comics Revue it officially is now a semi-regular thing on my blog. I continue to owe a debt of gratitude to my chums at ComicsHeatingUp for the inspiration for this segment. They which they think might be hot before they come out, with the focus of my segment of course being discussing comics that are already released and warming-up, red-hot, or have steamy potential.

A Book That is Warming Up
Trumps Titans #1
I have made it clear multiple times on my blog that I despise Donald Trump and horrible excuse for a President he is proving to be. That said, political stuff  in comic-books generally gets some interest and this smaller-press title, "Trump's Titans," could appeal to both fans of Trump as well as haters due to politics of course being of immense interest to many of us lately. There are a variety of covers that seem to be generating sales and they all are selling for a bit above cover price on eBay and might get ever warmer as shit just gets crazier in crazier in regards to an already absurd Presidency.

Red-Hot Titles
Totally Awesome Hulk #22
Part of a crossover titled, "Weapons of Mutant Destruction," this issue features the debut of the character Weapon H. Weapon H is arguably the most 1990's concept ever, a Hulk with huge Wolverine-style claws and chunks of adamantium poking out of his body in an almost Doomsday-esque manner. It is pretty silly, but I think that's kind of the point. Plus, by combining the Hulk and Wolverine into a big gray and angry monster this book has found itself steadily climbing in popularity from at first going for $15-$20 to shooting-up to nearly triple-digits and now settling nicely at around $40-$50 for a first-print copy.

As this has no variants outside of upcoming 2nd printings that helps prevent any muddying of the market. The continued value of this book relies heavily on Weapon H remaining popular and possibly showing-up in other books, or else this baby might fizzle. For now though, its on fire and unless you go to eBay your chances of getting a copy are slim.

The Walking Dead #171 "Pink," Variant
Okay, so this one is a little confusing. Basically, the newest issue of, "The Walking Dead," has two covers, the usual A cover with a new character known as, "The Princess,' on it and a B cover with a bunch of zombies swarming around. However, there is a secret third cover that is kind of like an alternate B cover! Confused? It's okay, basically all you need to know is that the variant cover for this issue has a version where the artist's signature is in blueish ink and a version where the signature is in pink ink that seems to at a ratio of 1:10-1:20 depending on the store.

Now, "The Walking Dead," is already probably the most valuable of most modern comics and while other titles will heat-up and cool down if something is TWD-related it generally just keeps getting hotter and hotter. As if to mirror that this, "Secret variant," started going for easily $25-or-so on eBay before now selling for anywhere from 75 smackers to nearly a Benjamin AKA $100. I'm not sure what the roof will be on this book but once it hits that cap it will probably stay there as opposed to cooling-down because this is, "The Walking Dead," and at this point anything TWD-related is a license to print money.

A Comic With Steamy Potential
Fruit Ninja #1
Okay, bear with me here as some might disagree with me on this (ComicsHeatingUp actually said they were betting against this book getting popular) but considering how other comics based on games have been popular I could see this maybe getting hot. After all, the cross-over potential exists between fans of the game and people who like comics, plus Fruit Ninja is a popular game despite not having any plot I've ever seen which makes me curious how a comic will be designed around it. Also, there is a, "Jetpack Joyride," back-up story and I've loved playing that game before.

It might be a stretch, but with enough buzz I could see the first issue of, "Fruit Ninja," getting some attention and maybe shooting-up in value. It sounds crazy, but the "Dark Souls," comic continues to make a decent profit after it got popular, so why not Fruit Ninja? For now you can get it for what is basically cover-price on eBay, so I know I'll grab a copy and give it a shot.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Interview With the Creative Team Behind, "Sink"

Not too long ago I was able to do an advance-review of the first issue of, "Sink." Published by Comixtribe, this book is written by John Lees with art by Alex Cormack and I loved issue #1. I had the pleasure of being able to speak with John and Alex via Skype a few weeks ago and thought that as the first issue of, "Sink," will be in stores a week from today (on 9/13/17) this was the perfect time to post our interview! You can enjoy it below:

For more information about, "Sink," you can visit the website John mentioned here.

John Lees is on Twitter at this address.

Alex Cormack can be reached on Twitter here.

Sink will be in all finer comic shops on 9/13/17 and can be pre-ordered at Things From Another World should you desire a copy!

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

My Kansas City Adventure AKA Comic Shops and a Crown Center

A Great Labor Day Weekend!
Note that I did not actually grill anything.
This just-concluded Labor Day Weekend involved my wife, Clarkson, Mom-in-law and I as we went to visit Samii's sister/my sister-in-law in Kansas City. While there we did a number of group activities (there is one in particular I'll talk about) and I had the chance to check-out a couple comic book shops as well.

Kansas City Exploration
The Crown Center
I was able to stop-by two comic shops and a location known as the, "Crown Center," which was built by Hallmark almost 50 years ago and is a massive structure full of a mall, aquarium, Legoland, and a Hallmark Visitors Center I was able to visit with my wife and Clarkson! Let's break down the three places I want to discuss:
Pulp Fiction Comics and Games
I traveled to the Lee's Summit region of KC where I stopped by Pulp Fiction Comics and Games. I actually knew about the store as someone who worked there I met on a previous visit to the Kansas City region had told me about the shop. I was able to go there and found all the employees to be extremely friendly and knowledgeable. There was a solid selection of new books and tons of trade paperbacks, plus a sizeable area for gaming where a card tournament of some sort appeared to be taking place. Despite this big event the employees still made sure to ask me if I needed assistance and chatted with me about what they were reading and enjoying.

A to Z Comics
I was able to check-out A to Z Comics in the Blue Springs area and was impressed by the immense number of back-issues they had available. Located in a strip-mall, the store looks small and unassuming but actually was quite large inside and loaded with older and newer stuff!

Hallmark Visitors Center
The Hallmark Visitors Center is a completely free attraction within the Crown Center and was fascinating! There was a 14 minute movie in a little auditorium that gave a surprisingly in-depth history of Hallmark and it was astonishing to hear how one man who mailed stores greeting cards was able to grow his business. There also was a number of neat displays, a machine that made bows for people, and we visited the Kaleidoscope activity center geared towards children which was full of cool art-making tools!

A Great Trip!
I had a wonderful time with my wife, son, and in-laws enjoying Kansas City. We of course did more than what I discussed but I wanted to point out the two comic shops and the Hallmark Visitors Center.


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

WARC-Type: response

text:
Friday, August 14, 2009
Cookie Cake Conquered!
So, my kids are not the normal cake kids when it comes to birthday treats. They would go for cookies way before they would go for cake. Normally, that is not a problem here, but when it comes to birthdays, that normally means dropping $40 for a cake. That is a huge hit for someone that is not afraid to make get in the kitchen and bake! I am of the opinion though, that you get what you want food wise on your birthday. That is the way I grew up and let's be honest, as you get older, really that is the highlight of the day! So, this year, my oldest son asked for me to make a cookie cake. I have to admit...I got scared. Cookies are one thing, but a huge cookie...that can lead to some problems! So, I did a little research and came across this recipe from allrecipes.com. I read the reviews, took a deep breath and off I went to see what kind of mess I could make out of the cookie cake. I realized half way through the process that I did not have a true pizza pan, so I had to improvise with a cookie sheet. I had no illusions that it would work, so I just did it and hoped for the best. The only changes I made were to use Earth Balance and I baked it in a different pan (oh and no nuts for this clan). I also bought the icing because I knew what Jay wanted on it.
(This is the one that Jay finished decorating. The one on the bottom of the page is the one I did for him. For some reason, he did not want the flowers and balloons that I was wanting to put on it!)

Giant Cookie Cake
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 cup butter, softened (I used Earth Balance)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups dairy free chocolate chips

In large bowl, beat dairy free butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat until well blended. Next add the chocolate chips. Spread on a parchment lined 10 1/2x15 inch cookie sheet or 14 inch pizza pan. (I refrigerated the cookie on the pan for about 30 minutes at this point) Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 25 minutes. Cool cookie in pan on a cooling rack. Decorate as desired.

Labels: ,

posted by Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen @ 8:32 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home

Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen
Home: Atlanta, GA, United States
About Me: Lactose Challenged
See my complete profile

Previous Post
Blogs I Like

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2019-18
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for April 2019
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-169-175-90.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.15 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.1-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

text:
In Focus

This election has been, to say the least, unconventional. More than any other election in American history, policies have taken a backseat to drama and mudslinging. But when the president is sworn in at the Capitol on January 20 — whether proclaiming Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump the victor — it will be their positions, not their personalities, that shape the country. To better understand the candidates, we’ve compiled some of the most contentious issues of this election and analyzed each of their policies.
Gun Control
Endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Clinton says she will expand background checks, address gun lobbyists, and support laws that will keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals. As the first lady and New York senator, she actively supported gun control while still respecting the Second Amendment.
“I believe weapons of war have no place on our streets … You shouldn’t be able to exploit loopholes and evade criminal background checks by buying online or at a gun show,” Clinton said.
Endorsed by the National Rifle Association, Trump strongly supports the Second Amendment — the right of Americans to own guns. However, he does not oppose all gun control. He supports bans on assault weapons and a slightly longer screening process for buying guns. He believes mass shootings result from the mental health epidemic following the closing of health institutions.
“This has nothing to do with guns, this has to do with the mentality of these people. I believe if you take the guns away from the good people, and the bad ones are going to have target practice,” Trump said.

Gay Rights
Consistent with the Republican Party, Trump is against same-sex marriage. He opposes the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage, believing that this issue should be left to the states to decide.
“I am very much for a traditional marriage,” Trump said in 2015.
Before 2013, Clinton opposed same-sex marriage, but since then she has changed her view. However, even before she supported gay marriage, she still believed in equal rights for all.
“Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” Clinton said in a 2011 speech.
Trump denies any scientific evidence that climate change is real, and claims that climate change is a Chinese conspiracy. As president, he said he would cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency as well as dismantle the Paris Agreement, which addresses global warming. Instead of spending money on climate change, Trump wants to fund other projects like providing clean water, combating malaria, and expanding clean energy sources.
“I think that clean air is a pressing problem. You want to have clean air, clean water. That’s very important to me, and I’ve won many environmental awards,” Trump said.
Clinton believes climate change is a serious problem and pledges to install hundreds of millions of solar panels that will harness enough power for every home in the U.S. In addition, she hopes to launch a $60 billion dollar clean energy challenge to minimize carbon pollution.
“I will work both domestically and internationally to ensure that we build on recent progress and continue to slash greenhouse gas pollution over the coming years as the science clearly tells us we must,” Clinton said.

Trump supports a privatized approach that benefits charter schools and voucher programs.
“Competition is why I’m very much in favor of school choice. I
guarantee that if you forced schools to get better or close because parents didn’t want to enroll their kids there, they would get better,” Trump wrote in his book.
Clinton, on the other hand, favors improving our current public schools — both the infrastructure and the faculty. While she used to support charter schools, she now opposes them, believing that they take resources away from public schools. She also pledges to implement computer science programs on a nationwide scale.
“There shouldn’t be a single public school in our country where any person wouldn’t want to send their child,” Clinton said.

Leave a Comment


text:
June 7th, 2018

TRC has been advising families since 2006. Our private adolescent treatment programme continues to thrive and our Clinical Team has recently expanded to 14 Team Members.

June 6th, 2018

TRC is celebrating 12 years of excellence. Our unique tailored approach has helped us to help many individuals and families over the years, from our start in Chelsea to today in Knightsbridge/Belgravia. Thank you to our team, past and present, consultants and most of all our clients, for whom we strive to improve.

Adolescent Day Care Treatment TRC is London's only private adolescent treatment clinic, providing day care for young people. TRC offers specialised adolescent treatment for anxiety, depression, self-harm, trauma and eating disorders.

Customised Care provides a whole new approach for adolescents who seek help with depression, addiction, eating disorders, anxiety and trauma based on their unique goal-orientated individual treatment plans.

Extended Care & Aftercare Support provide a safe transition from inpatient settings.

The Prevention Centre researches and implements methods of arresting mental health issues before they become entrenched, chronic conditions.

Family Therapy offers areas of expertise that have been designed to help support everyone in the family to be more relational to each another and to become aware of familial patterns of damaging behaviour. Systemic Family Analysis identifies cross generational family dysfunction and provides effective solutions for improved family functioning.

The Trauma Team helps clients identify and work through all types of trauma, from complex PTSD through to recurring difficult feelings and negative belief systems.

© 2010 The Recovery centre. All rights reserved   |   the recovery centre   |    75 Kinnerton Street London SW1X 8ED   |   +44 (0)20 7235 0080


text:
Roofing Contractors Directory
Roofing Companies Directory / Roofing Materials

Rocky Mountain Snow Guards

Supplier/Distributor of snow guards and snow retention systems. Snow Guards are devices which attach to roof structures in a variety of manners in order to prevent the avalanching of snow from the roof, which can be hazardous to both pedestrians and properties alike. Snow Guards come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles and are installed with a specific quantity and pattern based on the shape, size and pitch of the roof to provide the most uniform system of retention possible. Snow Guards, also referred to as Snow Cleats, Snow Brackets, Snow Jacks, and Snow Pads are designed specifically to reduce snow movement and control the rate melting and subsequent breakdown of the roof's snow mass into smaller and therefore safer sections.

Current Rating: 8.01
Number of Votes: 97
Date Submitted: 22-Mar-2013
Last Updated: 23-May-2017

What do you think of this listing?

Listing feed


text:
Dec 11, 2011

Baylor's quarterback, Robert Griffin III, walked away with the coveted Heisman trophy hardware last night. Griffin is the first in Baylor school history to win the Heisman. This also marks the first time two black quarterbacks have won the coveted college prize back to back (Auburn's Cam Newton won last year).

It was Griffin that made Baylor, arguably a laughing joke when it came to college football, a contender. Griffin lead his team to their first ever nine game winning season by beating powerhouses such as Oklahoma and Texas.

A dynamic threat with his arm and his legs, Griffin accounted for 45 touchdowns this season. He rushed for 100 or more yards twice and threw for 400 yards or more in four games this season. His 192.31 pass efficiency rating leads the nation and is on pace to break the N.C.A.A. single-season record of 186.0 set by Colt Brennan of Hawaii in 2006.

But Griffin’s candidacy was more compelling than just his statistics.

Griffin was born in Japan, where his parents, both Army sergeants, were stationed. He is also a dean’s list student at Baylor, having graduated last December with a degree in political science. He said he planned to apply to law school when he was done playing football.

Post a Comment


text:
Thursday, April 11th, 2019

Zara Larsson – Don’t Worry Bout Me

Some of us worry, some of us don’t…

Alfred Soto: I kept an open mind, but from the beat and use of echo to the affected baby doll vocal “Don’t Worry Bout Me” is so indifferent about its debts to Halsey, Dua Lipa, and the dozens of reconstituted tropi-chopped trop house hits of the last few years that it demands actual resistance.

Joshua Copperman: It’s probably because the #1 song in the country is less than two minutes in its original form, but while three and a half minutes was once the apocryphal length for a pop song, this seems to go on forever. One of the first lines is “Why do you do that to me?” but “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” is too tasteful to be the real-life version of the similarly named ALLY song. This thing is boring, the product of two better songs (“Passionfruit,” “One Kiss”) but without Drake’s endearing tics or Dua Lipa’s ability to elevate even the most generic music. There are some neat details, but they take multiple listens to hear, and this is not worth multiple listens. I just keep thinking about how much the synth at 2:10 reminds me of Countess LuAnn.

Stephen Eisermann: Zara Larsson tweeted that her label didn’t like this song and lamented the fact that she couldn’t release what she wanted. It seems the label folded and allowed for this to be released as a single, but truth be told: I get it. This feels more like it should be in those copyright free music compilations on YouTube than a single release from a major label. Sometimes, the label knows what they’re saying.

Iris Xie: Deep house remains irresistible to me, and the way the chorus kicks in with the little drum loops and slight flutes, with Larsson’s driving vocals, hit several happy points for me with its rollicking but sturdy rhythms. The bridge has a peculiar sound that sounds like a MIDI doorbell filtered through the buzz of a mosquito racquet, which helps break up the flow a bit before it goes into last quarter, which brings all the instrumentals in. “Don’t Worry About me” is more subtle than other pop house songs, but it would fill out the room on a summer day very well, without being overbearing or obtrusive. Unfortunately, it also feels more on the edge of forgettable than catchy, due to the level of evenness and safety with its arrangement, and how the last chorus sounds overly repetitive without any adjustments. The production doesn’t take advantage of the amount of space that was available in the mids, making it all sound a little gray.

Alex Clifton: It takes a lot these days to make a trop-house track where I’m not over it thirty seconds on, but Zara Larsson’s actually made quite a neat song here. It’s cowritten by Tove Lo and produced by the Struts (the first I would’ve guessed, the second I would not) and it’s good until Larsson steps up her vocals–that’s when “Don’t Worry Bout Me” elevates itself. I think my problem with some dance music ends up being that we don’t know anything about the person behind the AutoTune, but Larsson breaks free of that here and ends up sounding confident as she hits the line “I’m so unfazed.” I didn’t think I’d ever find catharsis in a Zara Larsson song, but it’s 2019; anything can happen.

Katherine St Asaph: A song with two disparate things going on. The track: a glassy, moody, faraway dance beat, kinda like a heavily poppified version of Teresa Winter. The topline: sass and pain delivered with more personality and vocal life than I remembered Zara Larsson generally displaying. The two parts don’t particularly mesh, but they’re both well above average for what they are.

Reader average: [9.5] (2 votes)

Vote: 0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

2 Responses to “Zara Larsson – Don’t Worry Bout Me”

  1. this song is excellent wtf

  2. no longer know what tropical house is, this sounds like a pop song superimposed over a minimal house jam from a decade ago, it’s… awesome

Leave a Reply


text:
Have Your Best Winter Skin with These Products

hydrating products, fresh kale bath company, night cream product review, knoxville shop local, west town mall, knoxville beauty blogger

Glowing skin this time of year doesn’t have to be as absurd an idea as the bikinis that are now on sale at Target. (REALLY GUYS?!)

With some extra care, some hacks and the right products, you can enjoy the winter months without itching or flaking your way through it.

I’ve got some great products in addition to a lip hack that has saved me chapped lips ALL WINTER…

Every single night I take off my makeup, and while it sounds silly that a makeup remover can save your skin moisture – it really does make a difference! The wrong kind can strip your skin leaving it feeling tight and dry, but not this…

This rag is amazing. It takes off everything, everything. In fact you can dry your face with a white towel afterwards and not see any makeup on it. Not many makeup removers can accomplish that. Its also nice to know you’re not using any crazy chemicals on your face. Not to mention you can use it several times, wash then use it again so you never run out of “product.” Just be sure to rinse then hang dry.

Bonus Day Cream:

I call this bonus because I assume you’re applying a moisturizer every day with an SPF in it. If not, you need to go in time out. For ten minutes – I’ll wait.

I love a good tinted moisturizer which I’ll use by itself (sometimes mixed with a highlighter for extra spiff) or if I’m feeling dry I’ll use it as a primer. Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Hydrating Gel Cream has all the words you want going on your face but also delivers MAJOR amounts of moisture. I used to have a dry forehead problem in the winter, but not any more!

It delivers the perfect amount of light coverage AND it’s only $30 for a tube that lasts me about 6 months even when I use it just about every day. I really believe this stuff will have me looking 30 well into my 80’s. Okay, maybe 60’s.

Pick yours up (they have a myriad of shades) from Anna or Sarah at Bare Minerals in West Town Mall – they’re super nice and helpful!

Night Cream:

Moisturizing as much as possible is so important for the life of your skin. Not that I claim to be a skin care expert, but I can imagine, as can you, that there’s no such thing as “too much moisture” when it comes to staving off signs of aging.

I LOVE the Silk cream made (in-house by the way) by Fresh Kale Bath Company at West Town Mall. It’s super luxurious feeling cream that soaks in quickly and leaves my skin soft well into the next morning. Plus the added benefit of being able to read and recognize every ingredient is HUGE.

Lip balm:

I love a bold lip but those matte lipsticks can dry your lips out, not to mention really highlight some dry lips. I abhor it when I go to put on a lipstick and all it does is draw attention to my dry-flaky lips. Which is why I’ve started a thing that has really saved me this winter…

I leave lip balm out on my dresser so that every time I stop – whether it’s to put away some socks, put up my hair, apply makeup or right before bed I’m slathering my lips with lip balm. Otherwise I wait till it’s an emergency and by then it’s so uncomfortable.

This habit has really saved me from having chapped lips this winter, so I would recommend you do the same. Just leave some good stuff out in a place you pass often and every time you see it – apply it!

Continue Reading

Tips to Keep Your Shopping on Track During Sale Season

dillards, west town mall, sale, how to shop a sale, shopping, semi-annual sale

Beginning Black Friday week through January clearance sales, its a workout just trying to hold onto your wallet and not buy every little thing you see on sale. At least that’s how I explain my brief absence in the gym *grimace face.

There are so. many. clearance sales going on right now with retailers tempting you with deep discounts so as to clear their shelves of merchandise and potentially clutter up your own. But we’re not going to let them! At least, not without forming a plan first…

I’ve put together shopping tips to help you navigate the sales and stay on track with both your budget and your style. And help you avoid adding more things to get rid of this spring when you’re no longer sale-drunk and ready to get rid of everything but your skivvies.

One: Look at what you own.
Devote as little or as much time to this as you’d like, but just be sure to get a good idea of what’s in your closet before walking out the door to shop.

This will do a couple things…It will dampen impulse buys because you laid eyes on the 4 leopard sweaters you already own (I’m looking at you, Elizabeth). And it will give you a clear direction of what you need especially if you’re passing a lot of pants but not a lot of sweaters or button up tops. One more thing it will do is show you how much room you have in your closet. If you’re already packed this will hopefully motivate you not to buy anything just because it’s on sale.

Two: Set boundaries.
Setting a budget is good, but take it one step further and carry that budget in cash. This will give you a tangible amount to spend and again help you avoid buying things just because they’re on sale.

Set a time frame for yourself as well. This is one of my favorite things to do because I can take forever making decisions sometimes, so the thrill of having a set time helps me become a hard-core decision maker. It really makes it into a game, which is fun and I always walk away with fewer impulse buys.

Take a friend! We all have friends we shop with that we know are going to get us to spend money – DON’T TAKE THAT FRIEND. Instead take the one that’s going to be realistic with you and ask the hard questions…”Do you REALLY need the sweater with the kitty cat floating in space??”

And remember the tried and true Walk Away Rule. If you walk away and you still think about it, go back. But if the item is forgotten the minute you spot pretzel bites then you didn’t really want it anyway.

Three: Know what to avoid…
Go into this knowing what your vices are. Mine? Black pants. Last count 17 pairs is what I own? SO knowing this and my love for leopard, anything I pick up in those categories have to go through a real strict process.

Again, take the sale goggles off and really look at something you’re wanting. Does it look cheap? Has it been tried on multiple times and look like it? Be sure you’re not drunk on the price scribbled in red pen and actually NEED what it is you’re holding.

Watch for overly trendy items. A cut or pattern that was super hot this season may not be by the time fall/winter rolls around next year.

Four: Know what to look for…
Basics like boots, blazers, jackets, button downs – those are all good items to load up on when they’re on sale this time of year. They’re usually high ticket items and if you get them at a quality store, they’ll last you a long, long time. So in your perusal of your closet in step number one look for anything that needs to be replaced/updated and shop for that.

Don’t be afraid to look for out of season items. Make sure they fit your style and fill a need and if so – go for it! You’ll love yourself when it comes time to switch over.

Whether you’re sale shopping or not, it’s always good to shop with these two things in mind that are really the basics for good style: does the item help you convey the message you want to send and does it make you feel good about yourself?

Sales going on:
Altar’d State: Extra 30% off sale (this discount will go even deeper, so look around now then if there’s something you’re on the fence about, check back later). This is a great place to stock up on jewelry!

Banana Republic: Extra 60% off sale styles and 40% off regular-priced items. The best place to get basics like good pants and button down shirts, sweaters, blazers (my favorite blazer came from them). If you need items for work – this is the place!

J Crew: 50% off sale items. Great place to get pieces for the holidays next year or (a swing in the opposite direction) items for your summer wardrobe.

Fiore Boutique: They are moving in the mall so they are having a moving sale with 70% off everything in the store! Start buying Christmas gifts for next year!

Dillard’s: They’re having a great sale on coats and boots and also a really good clearance event going on so check that out.

Continue Reading

Gift Inspiration (and Sales!)

west town mall, altar'd state, what to get the girl on your list, what to buy this christmas, christmas gift ideas, knoxville gifts

Let it sale, let it sale, let it sale!

Last week was all about help with your Christmas party outfits, so let’s move on to gifting!

This week on Ten News This Morning I’ll be bringing you gift ideas from West Town Mall. I thought I’d continue on that theme and bring you the sales from around the mall as well!

Sometimes you don’t even know the deals going on until you walk around the mall, which is exactly what I did.

The wonderful thing about shopping in an indoor space, is you find one parking spot, you can shop coat-less and two words: CHEESECAKE FACTORY. Boom.

So here are some good deals and gift ideas for your inspiration!

First off, if you haven’t seen the new Altar’d State, prepare your soul. You’re going to want to relocate your life. Or linger WAY too long in the doorway.

Not only do they have a Hallmark worthy entrance, glittery shirts (I WANT THEM ALL) but they also have some really great sales going on.

For all the women on your list – no matter their age or size…

These cozy socks are 2 for $25! (That’s two pairs not one sock, then the other sock).

west town mall, altar'd state, what to get the girl on your list, what to buy this christmas, christmas gift ideas, knoxville gifts

Jewelry is buy one get one 50% off! (One for you…one for me).

west town mall, altar'd state, what to get the girl on your list, what to buy this christmas, christmas gift ideas, knoxville gifts

And the dresses right now are buy one get one FREEEEEEEE (I want the sparkly one SO BAD).

west town mall, altar'd state, what to get the girl on your list, what to buy this christmas, christmas gift ideas, knoxville gifts

For the foodie on your list…

(Definitely make them share the final results).

west town mall, william's sonoma, what to get the foodie on your list, what to buy this christmas, christmas gift ideas, knoxville gifts

west town mall, william's sonoma, what to get the foodie on your list, what to buy this christmas, christmas gift ideas, knoxville gifts

For the kid on your list (or Disney lover no matter their age)…

west town mall, disney store, gift ideas, knoxville shopping, what to get disney lover for Christmas, cheap gifts

And finally, what to get the shoe lover on your list…

Not only is this display super cute, but this really is a great deal on some cool Vans!

west town mall, vans, knoxville shopping, vans in west town mall, what to get the shoe lover on your list, Christmas gift ideas, knoxville christmas gift ideas

I’ll have more gift ideas later this week, so stay tuned!

Continue Reading

Styling Tips for Christmas Party Attire

what to wear to a christmas party, christmas party outfit, holiday ootd, what to wear with sequins, christmas party outfit inspiration

what to wear to a christmas party, christmas party outfit, holiday ootd, what to wear with sequins, christmas party outfit inspiration

I could get dressed for a Christmas party every day of the week.

Plotting out my Christmas season outfits is high on the list of my favorite things to do this time of year. Mainly because I could dress like I’m going to a Christmas party every day. Sparkle, velvet and sequins aren’t just right up my alley, they’re what my alley is made of.

So let’s dive in with some styling tips…

1. Choose one area to highlight with sequins.

The nice thing about buying something that’s sparkly is you can let it be the star of the show! Whether it’s a blazer, pants, a dress or a top, let that one piece be the focus and leave everything else simple.

The only exception to this rule is if the piece isn’t fully made of sequins or sparkles. Especially if it’s, for example, a top with sequin sleeves, you can bring in more sparkle troops if that’s the case because it’s not an over abundance.

2. Balance out the fancy with the not so fancy.

One of the funnest things about this time of year is taking a piece and changing it from fancy to not so fancy with a few tweaks here and there.

For example, if you’ve got a very fancy blazer, wear it with some jeans and a funny Christmas graphic tee! Or take a cocktail dress and tone it down with a blazer and some booties. So many possibilities!

3. When it comes to jewelry, less is more.

If you’ve already got a lot going on with your outfit, do yourself a favor and leave the house without a lot of jewels. It’s just more comfortable that way.

The exception to this rule would be you’re wearing all black velvet jumpsuit or really anything velvety because I can’t help but add some major bling to that smooth mammer jammer. But even still, if you’re going with sparkly earrings, don’t do a necklace and visa versa.

It’s rare that I say don’t do a bracelet unless your arm often catches on fire. Otherwise go for it.

If you’ll notice in the above picture, it’s the only piece of jewelry I’m sporting because the dress is so sparkly!!

PS: that dress came from Garage in West Town Mall

Continue Reading

The Importance of a Good Handbag

why it's important to carry a good handbag, good purse, why carry a good purse, good handbag, knoxville blogger

I was seconds away from including “nice” in the title but I didn’t want anyone to think I meant for them to put down the grocery list and go buy an expensive handbag.

Really, nice can mean all kinds of things. What I’m intending it to mean is sturdy, clean, attractive (all words that have once been used to describe me, ironically ;)

Whether we realize it or not, handbags are part of our style language to the world. Make sure you are saying what you want to say with yours.

Sometimes we can get snow blind with the things we use everyday and not really give it a good looking at. Is your current bag clean looking? Is it sturdy and not ripped? Is it attractive to you? I say “to you” because you are the one who is going to be carrying it around the most so you need to be happy with it.

Now to make a quick case for budgeting a little more for a name-brand bag…

Much like beauty products that cost more than what you can get at Target, a higher end handbag is going to last you longer. So if you consider cost-per-wear when you find one you like, you’re making a good investment and will get you your money’s worth.

The thing I love about carrying a great handbag is it doesn’t matter what I’m wearing, if I’ve got a beautiful one on my arm people know the sweats beneath it are just my cleaning clothes. But if I’ve got a ratty handbag over my sweat shirt-ed arm, people will wonder if I’m living in a van down by the river.

The good news is between sales, consignment shops, TJ Maxx, ebay and Facebook Marketplace, it’s easy to find something that is both quality and pretty. So don’t settle for something you’re only okay with – hunt down something you absolutely love.

Regardless of how much you drop on a purse, take good care of it. Send the message to the world that you’ve got it all together, even when you don’t feel like you do.

I try my hardest to keep my receipts in one pocket or in a smaller bag so it doesn’t sound like a trash can when I go rifling through my purse. And wipe away any stains you see quickly so they don’t linger past the point where you don’t even notice them anymore. Even get a good protect-ant spray if it’s a high quality material. I know it’s THE most boring thing to buy – but if you really love your bag, it will help it look better longer.

Coming up this week I’ll post the purse options I’ve fallen in love with from Vera Bradley and Coach in West Town Mall, so stay tuned for inspiration!

Continue Reading


text:
Sports Fan Friday: Danielle, Fun in the Sun

Sports Fan Friday

No matter who wins or loses, one thing is certain: sports fans are everywhere. Sports connect and bond people together in a way that nothing else does. Even bitter rivals have something in common -- they both love their teams. In the spirit of celebrating all kinds of sports fans, The Style Ref will occasionally profile fellow bloggers who can't help but love their teams in a fun feature called Sports Fan Friday. While they may devote their time to writing about topics other than sports, we're all fans on gameday.

To kick off Sports Fan Friday, let's get to know Danielle from Fun in the Sun!

Name: Danielle V.

Website: www.FunintheSunFL.com

What do you write about? Fun things to do in Florida!

Favorite teams: Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers & UCF Knights

What’s your connection to these teams and why are you a fan?

Orioles: My mom is a huge Orioles fan and got my brother and I hooked on baseball from an early age. Growing up in Maryland, we used to attend the Orioles' annual FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center and games at Camden Yards. Now living in Florida, we try to make it over to Sarasota at least once a year to catch an O's spring training game or to St Pete to see them play the Rays.

Buccaneers: When I moved to Florida, I knew nothing about football which seems crazy now because I am usually the loudest one in the room when my team is playing! I attended my first NFL game at Raymond James stadium in 2006 and the Buccaneers became my favorite team. In my opinion, we have the coolest stadium in the league with a pirate ship in the north end zone! I have grown to love the team and support them even when it gets hard to watch.

UCF Knights: Being a UCF alumna, the Knights have become my favorite college football team. Going to the games now brings back memories of fun times we had in college jumping around to Zombie nation, being tossed in the air when the Knights scored a touchdown, and screaming at the top of my lungs when we were on Defense. I bleed black and gold.

Describe your go-to gameday outfit: On game day, I can almost always be found in a jersey or a cotton T-shirt and shorts representing my team!

Favorite places to shop for team gear: I am pretty frugal when it comes to shopping for almost anything, so I typically look for sales online when buying new team gear. I almost never spend full price on gear for myself.

Favorite gameday tradition: Getting everyone together to watch the games. We set up multiple TV's at the house so everyone can watch their team and it turns into a party every Sunday.

Fill in the blanks: I love to eat wings and drink beer on gameday.

Best sports fan memory: When I was 7 years old, I remember watching the Orioles game in the living room with my mom and little brother. Cal Ripken, Jr broke the consecutive games played record that night and I remember my mom crying as she watched the game. We didn't understand why she was so emotional until this past season when the Orioles clenched the ALDS on my mom's birthday. Mom, my brother and I were all watching the game together and our stomachs were in knots the whole time. When the game was over, we were all so relieved and happy that we just stood in the living room hugging and crying happy tears together. I love that sports can bring people together like that and how emotional the game becomes when your heart is fully in it.

Every season, I hope that… my teams can pull through with the W! Because let's be honest...the game is so much better when you're winning. ;)

Know any bloggers who should be featured on Sports Fan Friday? Leave a comment with their info!

The Style Ref


text:
Sherlock Holmes School of Self-Defence

If you're living in a 'lively' neighbourhood, you may be looking for ways to see a footpad, chugger or cut-purse on their way. Leave the Oriental martial arts to children and health fanatics. Bartitsu is the gentleman's self-defence with which you can incorporate umbrellas, walking sticks and overcoats to great effect.
Keep goons at bay the Sherlock way
Bartitsu was developed by Englishman Edward Barton-Wright in 1898 as a composite of numerous fighting styles. That's right, a Victorian Brit developed the first truly mixed martial art. Sherlock Holmes is described as using a similar technique when doing battle with Moriarty in one of Arthur Conan-Doyle's stories.

Fight like a Victorian
There's been a revival of interest in Bartitsu in recent years. The Bartitsu Society is active in its promotion and study of Bartitsu, hoping to keep Barton-Wright's name alive.

There's also a book describing  Barton-Wright's Bartitsu available from Ivy Press called (big breath) The Sherlock Holmes School of Self-Defence: The Manly Art of Bartitsu as used against Professor Moriarty [Amazon]. Learn how to fight with an umbrella or a bicycle (yes, bicycle), or just about anything you have to hand really. (Sounds like a home game at Stoke City.)

The book includes lots of nice photo reproductions of old-school gents in combat positions, as well as some pretty useful tips. Most entertaining.

  1. Just noting that "The Sherlock Holmes School of Self Defence" is a set of excerpts from Barton-Wright's articles; the complete, unexpurgated articles are available online.

  2. Season premier of “1000 Ways To Win A Street Fight” is August 1st on YouTube. Protect yourself and learn how to defend against the Drunken Attacker. Watch Sean knock this guy out! Subscribe Now!

Post a Comment

Popular Posts


text:
Dunhill - Gentlemen's Clubs and Spearpoint Collars

Dunhill for Winter

Spearpoint collars and overcoats and jackets in good, heavy fabrics are what I take away from Dunhill's winter campaign. I look at the spearpint-collared shirts in the collection and suddenly decide I'm a spearpoint man. I'm like that. Note that spearpoint collars look poor without a tie — they're a commitment to smartness.

But, you know what? There's something missing from these photos — a good Dunhill pipe. The clothes are crying out for one.

The campaign aims to evoke the timeless appeal of the gentlemen's clubs of Pall Mall and St. James's and beyond, and features a suave-looking Max Irons sporting the fetching greeny-blue glen check overcoat above and the grey herringbone tweed jacket below.

Might I suggest we have our next Bond? Bond is meant to have a cruel-looking mouth, as Fleming put it, as well as Scottish and Swiss parentage. I think Max would pass. (I'm always on the lookout for the next Bond, but do they listen?)

Dress Reform

The video for the Dunhill campaign was shot at the Reform Club — notable members including Thackeray, Churchill (resigned), Conan Doyle and H. G. Wells. The building was designed by Charles Barry and remains largely intact since 1841, as does the admirably civilised dress code — jacket and tie a must.

Popular Posts


text:
Home > Maine > Cities > Lincolnville Center States Info
Maine State Flag

State of Maine

Maine State Map Icon
Maine State collage of images.
Information About Lincolnville Center, ME

Use the interactive Lincolnville Center, Maine road map to explore the city.

Current Time and Weather

Below is the current time and weather for this city, click on the flag for a weather forecast.

Note: This city observes Daylight Savings Time, adjust time accordingly.

Click for Lincolnville Center, Maine Forecast

Zipcodes in Lincolnville Center

Below is a list of zipcodes that can be found in Lincolnville Center, Maine. Select a zip code to view a road map of that area of the city.


text:
Beginner's Ocarina Set

Includes Ocarina by Susato, Book by Mel Bay

Susato Ocarina, Key of C
Five-hole Ocarina (plastic), Key of C
(one Ocarina is included with this set, style and color will vary)

Fun With The Ocarina

Fingering Chart

Back to New Items Page

Copyright 1998 - 2018 The Whistle Shop
Privacy Statement      Return Policy


text:
Paul Weller at The Wiltern

Paul Weller Tickets

Wiltern Theatre | Los Angeles

One of the most humble and down to earth artists on the entire music scene is the English singer/songwriter – Paul Weller and he's coming LIVE to North America this coming Fall! Get ready to catch his beautiful and influential music as he brings it to the stage at The Wiltern on Friday 27th October 2017!

Tickets won't be on sale for long – so book yours while you still have the chance and make a trip down to the venue, you won't be disappointed! With songs such as "You Do Something To Me" – he will make your heart melt and lively up yourself too!

Paul Weller at The Wiltern

"PUT yourself in Paul Weller's undeniably stylish shoes for a minute,You have a career spanning over 40 years, a back catalogue the envy of most songwriters and you are a role model for countless thousands upon thousands of fans for whom your music has been the soundtrack of their lives.
It would be all too easy to sit back, rest on those well deserved laurels and just milk the affection which is tangible at every live show.

But that is simply not Weller's way – he simply delivered."

Paul Weller at The Wiltern

Your Comments


text:
UBER is our favorite way to travel in Seattle. It's just sooo easy... You download the app, pick the type of vehicle you would like to travel in, and within minutes an Uber car is there to pick you up. Here is a screenshot from our favorite iPhone app below:

In Seattle, three Uber car services are available. UberX is cheaper, a little more sporty, and uses hybrid and mid-range vehicles. Uber "Black" is the original, using high-end sedans to make your destination arrival a stylish one. Uber "SUV" is the most expensive, but seats up to six people.

Above is our college design comrade Jeff in an UberBlack at 3:30am. Jeff came to visit us in Seattle this week to celebrate the 4th of July, but his flight out of Boston was delayed by 5 hours... hence the late arrival and tired eyes. He was stoked however to be riding in an Uber, and taking advantage of their flat rate from SeaTac airport to downtown ($50).

Our favorite part about Uber is the cool people who drive their cars, and how you pay for their services. It's all a part of the app. (pictured above: Emily on her first UberX ride after the Mariners game this past week). Seattle taxi drivers are notorious for giving you a hard time if you don't pay in cash. What we like about Uber is the fact that your ride gets charged to the card on file with them, and tip is included.

We love Uber so much forYoungModerns even participated in the Pride parade last Sunday with Uber Seattle! -Dancing in the streets while thousands of people celebrated on the sidelines was such a surreal and awesome experience... we even received free Uber tanks!

Uber is rolling out across the nation and now worldwide. It's a simple, convenient, and fun way to travel! Visit their website HERE for more information on their services! Special thanks to Jen at Uber Seattle for having us join the fun in the Pride parade this past Sunday!

jowdjbrown said...

He was stoked however to be riding in an Uber, and taking advantage of their flat rate from SeaTac airport to downtown ($50).uber sfo

Uper Coupon said...

New Uber Coupon: Get $20 off your first ride using the promo code “uberLTgets20″. For a limited time, first time users get $20 off their first ride.
uber coupon

chenlina said...

burberry bags
nike air max 90
fitflops sale clearance
cheap air jordans
adidas shoes
louis vuitton
ray ban outlet
louis vuitton outlet
toms shoes
louis vuitton purses
michael kors outlet
hollister clothing
true religion outlet
beats by dr dre
coach outlet
nike air force 1
toms shoes
oakley sunglasses
polo ralph lauren
christian louboutin shoes
jeremy scott shoes
nike factory outlet
coach outlet store online
kobe 9
fitflops shoes
ray ban sunglasses
replica rolex watches
nike trainers men
toms shoes
rolex watches
cheap nfl jerseys
ralph lauren polo
coach factory outlet
polo ralph lauren
louis vuitton outlet
hollister kids
louis vuitton handbags
oakley sunglasses cheap
michael kors handbags
tory burch handbags

chenmeinv0 said...

gucci handbags
coach factory outlet
tod's shoes online
ugg boots uk
celtics jerseys
steelers jerseys
lunettes ray ban
adidas yeezy uk
coach outlet store online
oakley sunglasses

John said...

fred perry polo shirts
coach outlet online
jordan femmes pas cher
louis vuitton outlet online
christian louboutin pas cher
coach outlet online
ray bans
adidas sneakers
oakley sunglasses outlet
adidas nmd r1

michael kors outlet said...

Hey, my dear friends, if you are hunting for a wild look Michael Kors Handbags Outlet at a reasonable price; you really should not miss this Michael Kors Handbags On Sale. It is truly a qualifying item. (tags: Michael Kors Outlet Online,Michael Kors Sale,Michael Kors Outlet)
It posted by Michael Kors Outlet Store.

daysi said...

camisetas de futbol
camisetas de futbol baratas
camisetas futbol baratas
camiseta real madrid barata
equipaciones de futbol baratas
comprar camisetas de futbol
camisetas de futbol baratas 2017
comprar camisetas de futbol
tiendas de futbol
camisetas de futbol
camisetas futbol baratas
camisetas futbol
camiseta real madrid barata
bounty camisetas futbol
camisetas de futbol 2018

Post a Comment