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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Jakob Dylan at The Wiltern; or Attack of Nostalgia

“It is a curious emotion, this certain homesickness I have in mind. With Americans, it is a national trait, as native to us as the roller-coaster or the jukebox. It is no simple longing for the home town or country of our birth…we are torn between a nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange.” – Carson McCullers

Now that it’s official that I’ll be moving to Texas next month, everything’s starting to take on a strange nostalgic air. Walking into the Wiltern Theatre in LA last week to see Jakob Dylan started to bring back a lot of great (and some not so great) concert memories I've had there. My first Ani Difranco show…That time I saw Live and realized what a completely pretentious douche lead singer Ed Kowalczyk is (I recall something about a Jesus pose while he wrapped himself in an American flag)

One of the most memorable was a charity show featuring Beck, Mike Ness (of Social Distortion), and Eddie Vedder (if you don’t know which band he’s from, you’re not allowed to read my blog!) Seeing Eddie and Mike trade verses on “Ball and Chain” was one of those moments I’ll never forget. This concert will also live in infamy as “the concert where I missed Thom freaking Yorke!” My friend and I left toward the end of Beck’s set; she was tired and wasn’t a big fan (I know, I know). So the next day I’m reading a review and turns out Thom Yorke was a surprise guest after Beck’s set. Considering that Radiohead has been the white whale of my 15 years concert-going career, the memory is still painful. Now, as a rule, I NEVER leave a show until the houselights come on. Because you just never know when Thom Yorke might appear!

And beyond the artists and music, there’s the people I went with…the friendships and relationships that are still strong and the ones that have slipped away. Which got me thinking about the permanence of music versus the transience of relationships. So with all of this in my mind, I had pretty high expectations for my last (…at least for awhile) show at the Wiltern. And while it wasn’t necessarily a show I’ll remember five years from now, it provided a perfect blend of the new and exciting and comforting and familiar. Touring behind his lovely “Women and Country” album, Dylan put on an inspired show, in no small part to back-up singers Kelly Hogan and Neko Case (who was criminally underutilized IMO – why didn’t she open?!)

While the last two Wallflower albums and Dylan’s first solo effort have been hit or miss, he’s found his sweet spot with these understated folk-gems. His work with the Wallflowers was always heavily influenced by Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen; it seems he’s got enough musical confidence now to withstand comparisons to that other Dylan. The songs came across great live and even featured guitar by uber-producer (Counting Crows, Wallflowers, Elvis Costello) T-Bone Burnett on two songs (he once toured with Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue!). And then there were the new takes on old favorites Three Marlenas and One Headlight. Neko and Jakob traded lines on a slowed-down version of Marlenas and One Headlight brought down the house. I can’t tell you how joyful it made me to hear those songs that I had so loved in high school. And that’s what’s so great about music – it can excite you with new sounds and new artists and console you with beloved songs and familiar voices. And as I chase new experiences and memories in new places with new people, I’m glad for those familiar songs that will remind me of the people and places I already love.


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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Congre$$ Takes Off Its Coats

They are ready for a fight!

"Republican Sen. Coats won’t run again" Associated Press  March 25, 2015

WASHINGTON — Republican Senator Dan Coats of Indiana announced his retirement Tuesday, opening up a Senate seat in a GOP-friendly state that could attract a roster of hopefuls from both parties.

‘‘This was not an easy decision,’’ Coats, 71, said in a statement announcing he would step down at the end of his term rather than seek reelection in 2016.

Coats is serving his second full term in the Senate. He was first appointed to the Senate in 1988, replacing Dan Quayle. He was elected to his first full term in 1992 but retired in 1998, honoring a term-limits pledge and going on to serve as ambassador to Germany under George W. Bush. He was elected to his second full term in 2010.

Coats is a solid conservative who focused on budgetary and fiscal issues. But he’s occasionally broken with fellow party members, recently becoming one of a handful of Republicans who would not sign on to an open letter to the leaders of Iran aimed at undercutting Obama administration attempts to reach a nuclear deal.

Now you know why he's leaving. He stood up to the Zionist Lobby.

Truth is they just put on their coats for "spring" break.

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Thursday, October 29, 2015

Haunted House

It's downright $cary:

"Congress, Obama agree to tentative budget deal" by David M. Herszenhorn New York Times  October 27, 2015

WASHINGTON — After five years of bitter clashes, Republican congressional leaders and President Obama on Monday night appeared to settle their last budget fight by reaching a tentative deal that would modestly increase spending over the next two years, cut some social programs, and raise the federal borrowing limit.

The accord, which must be approved by the House and the Senate, would avert a potentially cataclysmic default on the government’s debt and dispenses with perhaps the most divisive issue in the capital just before Speaker John A. Boehner is expected to turn over his gavel to Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin.

The agreement would raise spending by $80 billion over two years, not including a $32 billion increase included in an emergency war fund. Those increases would be offset by cuts in spending on Medicare and Social Security disability benefits, as well as savings or revenue from an array of other programs, including selling oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserves.

OMG, it's a kick-the-can-down-the-road and saddle more debt on the people to preserve political harmony and try to calm the people down.

The deal would represent a major breakthrough after years of gridlock in Congress, especially on fiscal issues, as each side compromised on core issues. It frees Obama from budget battles as he looks to secure his legacy in the remainder of his second term, and gives clean starts to Ryan as speaker and to Republicans trying to persuade voters that they can be an effective governing majority.

An impossibility given the vote totals on this deal.

An accord to lift the debt ceiling and settle the spending impasse before then would free Ryan to begin his speakership without a pending crisis, and potentially empower him to pursue some of the bold ideas he has put forward previously on tax and budget policy that helped catapult him to prominence and led to his being chosen as the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 2012.

Ryan played a crucial role in the last major spending deal, which he brokered along with Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington.

She sold out on that after Boeing received some tax breaks.

Aides said that the Social Security Disability Insurance program would be amended so that a medical exam now required in 30 states before applicants could qualify for benefits would be required in all 50 states. That change was projected to save the government $5 billion.

End print, and that's all they would save with the trillions in red ink?

Btw, we are their social service cuts when the increase is supposed to be 50-50.

The emerging deal would also reallocate funds among Social Security program trust funds to ensure solvency of the disability insurance program. Such reallocations have occurred regularly over the decades but Republicans had opposed any new reallocation without changes to reduce costs of the program.

The prospective agreement would also prevent expected increases in out-of-pocket costs for millions of Medicare Part B beneficiaries. The increases would have been caused by the rare absence of a cost-of-living increase in Social Security for some beneficiaries, because of unusually low inflation.

See: For many retirees, a one-two punch looms

It's just one punch then.

Obama and Democratic leaders had insisted that any increases in military spending be matched with equal increases in spending on nonmilitary programs. The deal under consideration appears to meet that goal, as Republicans had previously agreed to increases in military spending.

Charles J. Houy, who worked on spending issues in the Senate for more than 30 years and retired in 2013 as staff director of the Appropriations Committee, said that the deal, if completed, would be an important accomplishment, and would avert the need for a yearlong temporary spending measure at last year’s spending rates that would be extremely cumbersome for many federal agencies.

“It’s great news, frankly, if they can come up with a deal,” Houy said. “And it’s a good story from Boehner’s view if they can work this out literally at the 11th hour and 59th minute, if he can walk out the door and they have been able to accomplish this.”

"Congressional budget deal is lauded as example of normalcy" by Tracy Jan Globe Staff  October 27, 2015

WASHINGTON — It seems like an October miracle, this sudden outbreak of normalcy?

Funding the government used to be par for the course. Then Tea Party.

Yeah, they are to blame for everything.

The deal raises spending by $80 billion over two years and temporarily lifts the spending caps in place since 2013. It also increases military spending while cutting Medicare payments to doctors and spending on Social Security disability benefits.

Some members of the House Freedom Caucus, a band of rebellious archconservatives who had threatened to block any sort of compromise with Democrats, have already started griping about the budget bill.

House Democrats are unhappy about cuts to Medicare spending, but say they are unified in joining Republicans to help pass the budget.

What a phony baloney political $how, huh?

Representative Bill Keating, a Massachusetts Democrat, said he wouldn’t go so far as to claim a return to normalcy. “The Tea Party is still here,” he said, although he pointed out that Ryan could unite with Democrats to pass crucial legislation if he chooses....

That's what they did!

Yeah, it's the “sign of a good deal when there’s something for everybody to hate.”

Pretty low standard for this great Republic and democracy, 'eh?

"Paul Ryan nominated for speaker; budget deal OK’d" by Erica Werner Associated Press  October 29, 2015

WASHINGTON — House Republicans embraced a new leader Wednesday and swiftly consented to a major budget-and-debt deal to avert a federal financial crisis, highlights of a day of dramatic fresh starts at the Capitol after years of division and disarray.

They are ‘‘turning the page.’’

Democrats supplied 187 of the ‘‘yes’’ votes, while 79 came from Republicans.

The agreement was approved 266-167 with Repugs holding a 247 to 188 advantage. That means 187 out of 188 Dems voted for it (who was the lone brave Dem to go against or did they abstain?) with 168 of 247 Repugs voting against it (more than two-to-one). Talk about a betrayal. Can't say I didn't warn you.

‘‘The outgoing speaker of the House has partnered with Democrats and Senate leadership to craft a monstrosity of a budget deal,’’ one hardliner, Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, complained, calling on candidates for speaker to reject the bill.

That's why he resigned; had he done this without that, arch rebellious conservatives (love that subtle tar-and-slander term) would have feasted upon his innards on the House floor.

Of course, if you are hard Zionist and war machine, that's not hardline.

Ryan did not oblige. He criticized the process used to reach the measure, saying that it ‘‘stinks,’’ but issued a statement announcing his support for the deal because it ‘‘will go a long way toward relieving the uncertainty hanging over us.’’

Indeed, Ryan could ask for no better parting gift from Boehner at a moment when GOP leaders are fretting about the deep Republican divisions on display in Congress and the presidential campaign, where outsider candidates are leading established politicians....

Did you see the masks?

What's more important and hardly mentioned is that the debt ceiling was raised, further enslavement for the American people.

Here is a scary story of who used to live there:

"Hastert to plead guilty in case over bank withdrawals; Accused of trying to conceal $1.7m to pay accuser" by Julie Bosman New York Times  October 16, 2015

And then there is Denny Hastert (quick, hide)!

CHICAGO — J. Dennis Hastert, the small-town wrestling coach who rose to political power as the longest-serving Republican speaker of the House, intends to plead guilty in a case in which he is accused of skirting banking laws and lying to the federal investigators, a prosecutor said Thursday.

A federal prosecutor said in US District Court here that the government expected a written plea agreement to be given to the judge Monday. The judge scheduled a hearing for Oct. 28, at which Hastert is expected to change his not guilty plea to guilty.

It was unclear what charges that Hastert would plead guilty to and what the sentence may be. Hastert did not appear in court.

Hastert, 73, was charged in May with structuring cash withdrawals, totaling $1.7 million, in a manner intended to avoid detection by banking officials, and then lying about the withdrawals to the federal authorities. The seven-page indictment laid out a pattern of clandestine meetings and bank withdrawals.

The indictment said the withdrawals were used to “compensate for and conceal” earlier “misconduct” against a person identified only as “Individual A.” That money was used to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct with a male student during Hastert’s time as a high school teacher and coach in Yorkville, Ill., two people briefed on the investigation said. Hastert has not been charged with any sex crimes, and the identity of the person he is accused of paying remains unknown.

That is what we are being told, but it is likely far worse

Remember Mark Foley? Was Hastert's House also one big pedophile network?

The plea will allow Hastert, who presided over the House from 1999 to 2007, to avoid a potentially long and embarrassing trial and to keep secret information that he has hidden for years, including the identity of the former student. It was that man who, around 2010, met with the former speaker several times to discuss “past misconduct” by Hastert while he was teaching in Yorkville, the indictment said. Hastert taught there from 1965 to 1981.

During one meeting, Hastert agreed to pay his former student $3.5 million to “compensate for and conceal” his misconduct, the indictment said. Soon after, it continued, Hastert began taking out large sums of money from several accounts and paying Individual A in amounts of $50,000 or $100,000.

If this was a one-off Hastert wouldn't have paid and he would have weathered the fallout in a he-said, he-said (ugh)!

After banking officials asked Hastert to explain the withdrawals, he changed course, taking out cash in increments of less than $10,000 in an attempt to evade detection, the indictment said. Banks are required to report cash withdrawals of more than $10,000.

In December, under questioning from federal agents, Hastert said that he was holding on to the cash out of mistrust of the banking system.

Interesting comment. Was he looking into an audit of the Federal Reserve?

“Yeah,” Hastert told the agents, the indictment said. “I kept the cash. That’s what I’m doing.”

Hastert faces two charges: one of making bank withdrawals smaller than $10,000 each in a manner designed to avoid detection, known as structuring, and one of making false statements to federal investigators.

Each carries a penalty of a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Last month, lawyers for the prosecution and for Hastert said in federal court that they were discussing a plea agreement and asked the judge, Thomas M. Durkin of US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, for more time to file pretrial motions. Legal experts said that given the nature of the charges and the evidence laid out in the indictment, it appeared likely that Hastert would pursue a plea deal rather than endure a trial.

Pretrial motions were due Tuesday, a deadline that passed without the submission of pretrial paperwork, an indication that Hastert and the prosecutors were nearing a plea deal.

Hastert’s lawyer, Thomas C. Green, has accused prosecutors of leaking details of the case, saying that revelations of sexual abuse jeopardized Hastert’s ability to receive a fair trial. At a hearing in July, Green called the anonymously sourced reports of sexual abuse the “800-pound gorilla” in the room.

It sure is when it comes to the lecturing elite and their sick sexual practices.

Charles A. Stillman, a white-collar criminal defense lawyer in New York, said that he expected Hastert to serve some time in prison, perhaps one to two years, under the plea agreement.

“He’s not going to walk away from this,” he said, adding that it is in Hastert’s interest to avoid a trial and the exposure of Individual A’s identity. “All of the sordid allegations that created the problem would have to come out in a trial,” Stillman said.

Related: Kane Case Confusing

The graphic should clear things up.

"Dennis Hastert pleads guilty to evading regulations on banking; Avoids trial over payments made as hush money" by Michael Tarm Associated Press  October 29, 2015

CHICAGO — Dennis Hastert pleaded guilty Wednesday to evading banking laws in a hush-money scheme, averting a potentially lurid trial by agreeing to a deal with prosecutors that recommends the former House speaker serve no more than six months in prison.

And keeping darker secrets covered.

In the written agreement, the Illinois Republican directly acknowledged for the first time that he sought to pay someone $3.5 million to hide misconduct by Hastert against the person.

Before accepting the plea, the 73-year-old was warned by the judge that he could go beyond the recommendation and give Hastert up to five years behind bars when he is sentenced in February.

Because the plea agreement has a sentencing range from no prison time to six months, US District Judge Thomas M. Durkin could also put Hastert on probation or home confinement.

The plea helped seal the downfall of a man who rose from obscurity in rural Illinois to the nation’s third-highest political office. During his eight years as speaker, Hastert was second in the line of succession to the presidency.

As he stepped to the lectern to answer a series of questions, he spoke in a voice so soft that the judge told him to speak up.

The hearing revealed no new details about why Hastert agreed to pay the money. The indictment and the plea language both said the payments were meant to conceal past misconduct by Hastert, but neither document explained the nature of the wrongdoing.

The Associated Press and other media, citing anonymous sources, have reported that the payments were meant to hide claims of sexual misconduct from decades ago.

Most people only care about the what, not the when.

At the half-hour hearing in Chicago, a subdued Hastert read from a brief statement that — like his indictment — focused narrowly on how he technically broke banking laws.

By pleading guilty, Hastert avoids a trial that could have divulged embarrassing secrets dating to his days as a high-school wrestling coach that he presumably wanted to keep under wraps by paying hush money.

Judges are also generally more likely to give lighter sentences to defendants who accept responsibility for their actions and spare the government the cost of a trial.

Hastert, who was charged with the banking violation and lying to the FBI, also acknowledged in the plea deal that he lied to the agency about the reasons for the withdrawals. The agreement indicates prosecutors will dismiss that charge.

For some, lying to the government is no big deal. For others....

When the judge asked Hastert to describe his wrongdoing in his own words, he read his statement, telling the court that he had been withdrawing cash, $50,000 at a time. After banking officials questioned him, he said, he began taking out less than $10,000 to avoid reporting requirements.

Speaking in a halting voice and losing his place in the text at one point, he described why he lied to officials: ‘‘I didn’t want them to know how I intended to spend the money.’’

Hastert did not say why he required so much cash or why he sought to skirt reporting requirements. As he finished, the judge immediately asked: ‘‘Did you know that what you were doing was wrong?’’

He responded, ‘‘Yes, sir.’’

The 15-page plea deal, which Hastert signed Wednesday, was released after the hearing. In it, he acknowledged the unnamed person and that the two ‘‘discussed past misconduct’’ by Hastert against that person, who is only referred to as ‘‘Individual A.’’ That discussion led to the agreement for $3.5 million.

Sentencing was scheduled for Feb. 29.

Prosecutors could theoretically call to the witness stand the unnamed person Hastert was allegedly paying, a prospect that could make public the conduct Hastert sought to conceal.

The sentencing range is below what some legal experts had predicted. They thought prosecutors would press for six months to two years in prison.

Hastert was speaker longer than any other Republican. After leaving Congress in 2007, he parlayed his connections into a lucrative lobbying career. That career is almost certainly over.

Awwww, poor Denny!

Here's another noted Washington D.C. pervert:

"Bill would pull Hoover name off FBI headquarters" by Jonathan O’Connell The Washington Post News Service  October 28, 2015

WASHINGTON — There are a litany of problems with the J. Edgar Hoover Building, which is why the FBI has spent more than a decade pushing for a new headquarters.

A congressman puts the building’s name at the top of the list. Representative Steve Cohen, Democrat of Tennessee, introduced a bill last week to strip the name of the agency’s longtime former director from the building. Hoover was among the most famous and powerful federal officials during his 37-year reign atop the FBI, but his aggressive and warrantless surveillance of civil rights leaders has been well-chronicled.

So has his cross-dressing and homosexuality.

When FBI Director James Comey came to testify at a House Judiciary Committee hearing last week, Cohen called Hoover ‘‘abusive’’ and ‘‘the opposite of justice.’’

Was it the COINTELPRO program that continues along with instigation of patsy terror plots?

Cohen cited Hoover’s treatment of Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated in Cohen’s hometown of Memphis. Hoover once wrote a vicious letter to King, calling him an ‘‘evil, abnormal beast’’ as well as ‘‘a colossal fraud and an evil, vicious one at that.’’

The congressman also said at the hearing that Hoover referred to gays as ‘‘sex deviants’’ and attempted to root them from jobs at the FBI and the federal government.

So he hated himself, huh?

‘‘His efforts to silence Dr. King and out homosexuals working for the government were deplorable and a stain on our nation’s history and on the FBI,’’ Cohen said.

Comey responded by saying he keeps a copy of Hoover’s letter to King in his desk ‘‘to make sure people understand the danger in becoming — in falling in love with your own view of things and the danger in the absence of constraint and oversight.’’

The current director opted against weighing in on whether Hoover’s name belonged on the building, saying a historian would be better equipped to take a full measure of the man.

We have.

NDUPaul Ryan, as new House speaker, issues call for unity

There is a phrased reference to raising the debt limit.


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Friday, February 10, 2012

The Shirley Maclaines “Want You to Go” ep

(Bachelor) Shirley you know that this is the rawest zero-budget punk shlock trash pileup of the year – these ladies have made a record that sounds like it was written by juvenile delinquent 8 year olds who come from an alternate universe where all the songs on Sesame Street were made by the Ramones, Bratmobile and the Rip Offs.

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Hp 49g+

10 August 2004

I came within a heartbeat of buying a new calculator today. My better judgment sent me to the computer for a quick search. After reading reviews here, here and here, I’m glad I waited. It seems HP has lost their touch with calculators. What an incredibly unfortunate decline of a product that engineers everywhere cherished.

For those needing scientific and statistical processing in a handheld, here’s a future product that holds promise. Better yet, if someone can figure out how to make HP calculators with a comparable quality to the HP 35, 45, 25c and 41CV, people are still willing to pay the $395 for a product with the outstanding quality, manuals, accessories and packaging that made HP calculators cult items.

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Monday, March 31, 2014

Humility one of the greatest, and extremely difficult virtue among us, practicing Christians.
My greatest humbling moment was living in the United States of America.
I never liked academics but I did well with subjects like Logic, Geometry, and Ethics. I loved it. I really applied it, while living in North America - I applied it as a lesson of a lifetime, not as academics but a way of life in the land of plenty and limitless ambitions.
Logic - I learned to surrender to things...many were not logical.
Geometrically, I grew as a person, learning humility which defied my logic.
Ethics - maintained a dignified, simple and quite existence in a crass and materialistic world of fame, ego, and wealth. My greatest lesson in HUMILITY.

Please visit my blog. Trying to capture my life experiences by blogging it.

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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

For the dog people

For most of his life, Oscar has been a dog who wouldn't play fetch. This never really bothered me, because he's certainly entertaining in a lot of other ways, but it was rather remarkable, the conviction with which he would NOT play fetch. We'd be out with other dogs, someone would throw something, and he'd look at it, then look at me. Occasionally, if all the other dogs ran, he'd go too, but it was clear he was running after them for the sake of running, and really had no interest in the toy. I did try to teach him once a few years ago. I threw a toy down the hall, he rolled his eyes at me, walked down the hall to get it, and put it in his room.

As I said, this wasn't a downfall in my eyes, except that a retrieve is needed for the RH training we've started. I need to put a retrieve on him, as they say, and the problem with that is that most of the methods involving teaching a dog to fetch who doesn't want to fetch employ a great many forms of negative reinforcement and negative training that I feel strongly against doing with my dog.

So I had to come up with my own way.

Wednesday, March 26 was the first day I started actively training Oscar with a goal of a retrieve. I decided to do clicker training for this, because so much of the behavior needed to be away from me and I didn't want even my voice to bring him back before he was ready. He's done a little bit of clicker training in the past, though it isn't our primary method, so he was already familiar with the clicker being a good thing.

For the first day, anytime he mouthed the toy he would get clicked. The next day was much the same, but by the end he had to pick it up in his mouth to get the click.

By the end of day three he was very interested in having that toy in his mouth and I could toss it a short distance (less than ten feet or so, I have a lousy arm) and he'd go to get it and pick it up. Possibly by accident he'd come to me with the toy still in his mouth to get his treat after being clicked for picking it up. I moved the clicker to him coming towards me with the toy in his mouth, and attached the command "bring" to the action.

Day four he would consistently go to the toy when it was tossed, and if he got distracted by something else, the command "bring" would remind him to pick up the toy and bring it back to me. He was still bringing it in my direction and dropping it towards my feet, but since we'd had such a hard time getting to this, I didn't want to push this and make it not a fun game anymore, so I kept on this step for a while. As days progressed, the ball would get tossed further away, in different directions. Sunday in class it bounced underneath a section of fencing on the ground and he was so motivated to get it he tried several times to get under the fence, and to lift the ball with the fence.

Yesterday I decided it was time to start shaping towards the "out" - thirteen days from our first day with this method - I stopped rewarding for him simply coming back to me and made a strong effort to get my hand under his mouth before he dropped it. I'd say "out" and pull the toy from his mouth. If he dropped it before I could get it, he wouldn't get a treat, or any other kind of comment, but I'd simply throw the toy again and ask him to bring. In this session, less than ten minutes long, he was holding the ball until the "out" about 30% of the time, most of that towards the end. I'll keep on this level for a time and gradually extend the amount of time he needs to hold it in his mouth before I give that out.

We did a second training session yesterday, and 100% of the time, he waited until I said "out" to drop the ball. It did hit the ground a few times, because I didn't have a good grip on the slimy part - when it did, I said "bring" he picked it up, and waited for the "out" again.

Today I videoed it. Not the most exciting video, unfortunately, thanks to this giant tree in the center of my tiny yard that blocks a lot of views. But you can see how prissy he is about picking up the ball if a leaf is sticking to it (he'll shuffle it around until he can get to where the leaf isn't in his mouth), you can see how truly terrible I am at tossing the ball (don't worry, that's my hovel I hit) and you can see that he's doing it, if not with his highest level of enthusiasm. At one point we're just off camera (you can watch his butt wiggle) and I say "bring" and "out" very closely together. He had dropped the ball on "out" which he's supposed to do, but my hand wasn't where my hand is supposed to be, so he missed. So I asked him to bring it again, he picked it up, and I asked him to "out" and he gave it to me.

There's also a long segment where my lousy toss caused the toy to go inside a storage shed, and bounce up onto a shelf into a coiled hose. I could see it only because it was a drastically different color than anything else in there, but it was above his eye level. He spent some time sniffing it out, then found it and brought it to me. This is really exciting to me, because it's so close to the final goal - where we need to be in about a YEAR - that it boggles my mind.

ETA: New Object (this is the one we'll use for the test!)

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Colons and Yarn

(just figured I'd make it easy for the freaky searchers)

The walk went very cold well. We weren't last, even after a potty break, although I still think they should have waited until everyone had crossed it before pulling up the finish line and cleaning up.

I'd say about half the people were walkers and half were runners. The route was a simple down and back, and we'd walked less than half a mile when the first runner passed us coming back. Fast guy!

Despite the very odd sites at the beginning of the walk,
like the giant inflatable colon, with polyps inside,
the warm-ups by large groups of people in matching clothes,
or just the over six-thousand participants,

there were a lot of really beautiful things we passed on the actual walk.

It was a good day.

And just to throw you all for a total loop, because I'm sure you don't think this ever happens around here anymore.....

the cable-spun mittens
a handspun Japanese vine hat,
and these obviously in-progress Schaeffer Anne socks that I started while watching Becoming Jane (the second time) yesterday.

They remind me of Johnny Jump Ups

Marriage is love.


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Saturday, February 28, 2015

A basketful of Freshness

Hi blog peeps!  Hope you're having a happy Saturday so far. I have a quick share today - this cute basketful of mints! I totally cased this mint idea using the Jan Paper Pumpkin kit from Instagram friend @hofkissed. I thought it was a brilliant idea and an all occasion use of the cute kit! Just add the lifesavers and you're basically good to go.

I'm blogging on the go at the moment, but stay tuned for a full post from me later today with details and dimensions on making this project using an alternative spring theme!

In the meantime, have a great one!


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Wednesday, October 19, 2005

The things you hear

Overheard in W.H. Smith, Hanley yesterday

‘Is there room for Gloria Hunniford?’

‘Yeh, I had to stick John Peel up there yesterday, ‘cos Sharon Osborne was out.’

On TV - Love Soup - really enjoying this at the moment but I've yet to find anyone else who watches it.

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

The last few days

On Sunday we decided to drive to Leek over the Roaches past the 'winking man' and on to Buxton. There was still a lot of snow around on the hills but Buxton itself was wet and slushy.

We had a wander around the town, a mug of coffee and a muffin in the shopping centre and then walked up to the Pavilion. There were some beautiful orchids in the glass house.

Then we drove back over the hills via Earl Sterndale, into Hartington and back towards home. The views were spectacular.

Today we decided to drive over to the Air Museum at RAF Cosford to see the new displays but when we got there we were diverted by the police because there was a security alert at the air base and museum. We ended up for lunch at Norbury Junction and looked at the canal boats instead.

Oh well, boats instead of planes. The lunch was very tasty but the weather was very cold.

Off to Nottingham tomorrow to visit some friends one of whom is just starting up a blog - so watch this space for a link.

  1. Rosie,
    You should have posted a picture of your lunch!!!
    Be safe and post pictures of Nottingham!!

  2. Rosie and P,
    The kettle's on, the bollards down, so we're waiting and that blog you refer to won't get started without your help.
    Love Robert

  3. hi sissy, never thought of photographing the lunch:) Maybe next time.


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Mike Loyko’s Week 8 Thursday Night Preview: Bucs at Vikings

RosterWatch Scouting Director Mike Loyko gets you up to the speed on all of Thursday Night Football’s fantasy matchups for Week 8 here, and make sure to follow RosterWatch on Google Plus as we will be starting our NFL Draft Series with Mike starting next week:

Good Luck on Thursday Night.

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is a service for toy collectors.
Its library contains photos and information on 50655 toys. Join for free and post your toy collection and wishlist. Use your new profile to connect with other collectors!

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  • dphear

    357 133 7

    6 years ago

    Request to change the name of this one to Mecha (Chase), seeing as the artist him self calls it Mecha.

    Reference link and quote from his page below.

    Android Mini Collectables, Series Duex: Noogler, Racer, and Mecha (Chase). | Pitched the idea for the first series, got to design some of the little guys in the second.

  • killthenoise angel

    169 220 15

    5 years ago

    And my Android Series 2 collection is now complete.

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Monday, October 3, 2011

Deities' Disappearing Month (October)

In common Japanese language, month is named in order. For example, January is "ichi-gatsu" which literally means first month, Fesbruary "ni-gatsu"(second month)...(gatsu means month in Japanese)
But Japanese language has other romantic month names. For example, January is "Mutsuki" and February is "Kisaragi". And each of twelve names has an interesting story related to the month.
Now is October, tenth month is called "Kanna-duki" which literally means "deities' disappearing month."

This is the story. According to the old Japanese legend, Japan was created by "Okuninushi-no-Mikoto" who is believed to live in Izumo Grand Shrine in Shimane Prefecture. And his children deities live across Japan.  Annually every October, all the deities travel to Izumo Grand Shrine so as to have a family reunion and  make a report on their living area and talk about the next year's schedule. So there are no deities in Japan except in Izumo.That's why this month is called "deities disappearing month."

But only in Izumo area, this month is called differently. It is called "deities' appearing month". Understandable.

  1. I think you might already know that October indicated the eighth month of the year until the middle of the ancient Rome.

  2. Thank you for your comment. English names also have interesting stories!


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Friday, 23 November 2012

Saturday, 17 November 2012

there is an autumn of luxuriance, of soft colours, deepened by rain and mist -

an autumn which is but a different kind of spring, making me unsure of how time flows (and returns, always, to the same point).

and there is an autumn of austere moods, of slow fading back to the roots of formlessness (except that there will always be, somewhere, quietly pulsing at the core of unadornedness, the blood of  berries - even in the snow its pulse will go on, a steady reminder of the same return).

i am both autumns.

Monday, 12 November 2012

lightness & laughter

floating, she used to whisper ~

no weeds would dance more freely than her hair,
when the floods come to wipe away
every sin. no breath caressed the skin
 ~ or so she had convinced even the most indifferent lover ~
more ecstatically than her own
(more tenderly, when the moon was right).

when she was finally ready to see
that the sweet virtues of lightness were still
a lie, it was already too late:
they had all been fooled.
the lovers, even in the most ardent arms,
would still remember her breath and even the flood,
she feared, would carry her away with more grace
than a tree.

it was too late to protest, too late to explain:

quietly, she sat down in a corner
and burst into laughter.

Thursday, 8 November 2012

tomorrow, and tomorrow

time, of course, is nothing to her. "let's do this tomorrow", i hear myself say, and she asks quickly: is today tomorrow? before running away to play with the dog. and forgetting. i imagine every child has asked this question, i myself must have asked it a thousand times and then forgotten about it, until one day i could not forget any longer. i suddenly feel ridiculous, with my bittersweet knowledge and my clear-cut needs ---

(and what with my unredeemable past)

(Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death)

on the table, the wasps are busy, between the yellow of a lemon slice and a sudden pouring of light.


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Part 1: Measuring Properly!!

Happy Memorial Day!!  I thought this would be a great day to start this pattern fitting series!! Welcome to Part 1, “My Approach to Successful Pattern Fitting”.  In this part of the series I will be showing you how to measure properly.

I’d like to preface this series with a couple of important points for you to please keep in mind.

  1. I prefer that you don’t refer to your fitting issues or challenges as “fitting problems”.  Once you attach a negative context like the word “problem” to anything, it becomes a sensitive topic.  Let’s leave the “problem solving” to the therapists.
  1. None of you are a fitting problem.  It’s because you lack the knowledge and good information to fit yourself properly. There are no two figures in the world that are the same. There are NO correct, standard measurements!!  Everyone is unique and has to use varying degrees of fitting to manage their own shape.  Let’s look at what you are going to learn in these terms.
  1. Please be realistic with your expectations.  This is an Internet series and I can’t see you.  I will do my best to address things in general terms and answer specific questions the best I can even though I would prefer to have a one on one session.

Time to enlist the help of a measuring partner. This step is very important. They don’t need to know anything about sewing or fitting, just someone with your best interest at heart to assist you in measuring correctly. There are lots of measurements to focus on. I don’t want you to get overwhelmed so I’m going to break the whole process down in segments.  I will be focused on showing you how to achieve accurate measurements at the proper positions on the body. Most people only focus on the horizontal (circumference) measurements. I have had much success fitting because I have found that the most important measurements can be the vertical (linear) measurements.

It’s important to wear a proper foundation garment ladies, to get the most accurate measurements. If you like wearing your bust lower, I would suggest you consider getting measured in the lingerie department of your favorite department store for a proper under garment fitting.  Many stores offer this as a free service to help you determine your size.  You’d be surprised to find out that as many as 70% of women wear the wrong size bra.  Please consider doing this, it does make such a difference in how your clothes look and fit with the proper foundation.  If you’d rather measure yourself privately, check out Breakout Bras.  This page is a wonderful resource for information on proper fitting and measuring loaded with pictures. For the purpose of measuring, I suggest wearing undergarments only. Please wear nothing that will add inches like a baggy t-shirt or anything tight to distort the body shape in any way.

I’m going to go one by one now and show you exactly on the mannequin where to measure for the most accurate measurements.  For each of the following measurements, please make sure to keep the tape measure as flat horizontally and even all the way around the body as possible.  You will need a good tape measure. By this I mean one you use often and is complete.  Over time tape measures will stretch so make sure you maintain consistency with your tape measures.  You will also need several yards of soft elastic. Cut one piece to fit around the fullest part of your bust, one for around the waistline, one for around the high hip and lastly one for around the fullest part of your hips.  Add a few extra inches to each piece of elastic for overlap.  These are not to be pulled tight around the body.  They are simply markers for particular points on the body and to help maintain accuracy while measuring.  All of your circumference body measurements will be measured in two ways:  1/2 of the body either front or back and then the full circumference of the body.  The front and back 1/2 body measurements will add up to the full body measurement.  This is to determine the balance of your shape.  Many of us have less balanced shapes and this can cause fitting issues.  By measuring each 1/2 of the body separately, you can see exactly where you need more or less.  For example: 2 bodies may both measure 40″ in the bust, however one shape may have a full bust with a narrow back and the other a broad back with a smaller bust.  This principle can be applied to any area of the body to determine where to make fitting corrections.

I’ve made a measurement chart for you to record your measurements.  It’s important to note the date, your weight and current height.  It’s amazing how in short periods of time not only these measurements can change, but your weight and height can change as well.

At this point you’re ready to place your 4 marking elastics on your body fastened with a safety pin as shown in pictures below.  Please make sure each of these elastic marking bands in parallel with the floor.  It’s helpful to use several loops of tape to hold each elastic firmly in place.  It’s imperative that once you mark your measuring points that the elastics DO NOT shift.

Raise and hold your right arm straight out from your sides and have your partner mark on the 4 pieces of elastic where the side seams would be on the body. Side seams usually are just a 1/4″ to 1/2″ toward the center back. Also mark the center front, center back and the apex points. Now copy all those measurements to the left side of the body by measuring from the right side seam to center front or center back to the right side seam at each marker elastic point.
 Horizontal Measurements:

Front Bust:  Measure from side seam straight across the bust line at the fullest part of your bust to the other side seam.

Front Waistline:  Measure from side seam straight across the navel to the other side seam at the waistline.

Front High Hip:  Measure at the side seam 3″ down from waistline to the other side seam.

Front Hip:  Measure at the side seam of the body at the fullest part at the hip line to the other side seam.  The proper position is usually 7″-9″ down from the waistline.

Back Bodice Width: Measure from side seam to center back 1″ below armpit.

Shoulder Blade Width:  Measure down center back to the center of the armhole. Measure across from armhole to armhole.

Back Waistline:  Measure from side seam across the back waistline to the other side seam.

Back High Hip:  Measure from the side seam around the high hip to the other side seam.
Back Hip:  Measure from the side seam around the fullest part of the hip to the other side seam.

Shoulder Length:  Measure from neckline at the shoulder to the end of the shoulder.  *NOTE:  Not to the outer part of the arm.

Apex:  Measure from bust point to bust point.

Bust:  Complete Circumference (equals front and back measurement)

Waist:  Complete Circumference   (equals front and back measurement)

High Hip:  Complete Circumference  (equals front and back measurement)

Fullest Hip:  Complete Circumference  (equals front and back measurement)

Vertical Measurements:

* Center Front Length:  Hollow to waistline

* Front Length:  Neckline at shoulder seam down over the apex to waistline.

* Front Length to Apex Point:  Neckline at shoulder seam to apex point.
* Side Front Length:  Shoulder point to front waistline.

* Center Back Length:  Top bone at spine to waistline.

 * Side Back Length:*   Shoulder point to back waistline.
Shoulder Slope:  Take a piece of pattern paper or plain paper approximately 18″ x 24″.  Mark a straight line down the center of the paper and have your partner tape the paper to the wall behind you with the center following the center point of your body.  Stand straight against the wall and have your partner trace your shoulder slope.  Many commercial patterns and RWT garments will use a very squared shoulder slope.  If you’ve ever had extra fabric at the top shoulder seams and your sleeve pulling up under your arm, the shoulder slope is incorrect for your shoulder line.  This tracing in combination with measurements I’ve suggested will help correct the shoulder and sleeve areas.
Arm Measurements

Arm Bicep Circumference:  Fullest part of the arm.

Arm Length:  Shoulder point to wrist.

Cap Height:  Shoulder point to bicep line.

Wrist Circumference:  Around wrist.

Elbow Circumference:  Around elbow.

These are the basic measurements you will need to continue on with this series.  Take your time measuring.  The  more accurate you are, the better fit you will achieve when apply these measurements later on.  Just remember not to measure too tightly or too loosely.  Moderation is the key.

Don’t forget I will conclude this series with a Give Away!! In order to qualify for the prize you will need to become a registered “follower” of my blog AND “like” my Facebook Page.  Thanks!!

Thank you for taking the time to read part 1 in my new series on Pattern Fitting.  This is the first in an 8 part series and I plan to post weekly with a new part in the series.  I hope you will not only read the content but will give my information a try by actually measuring.  I will do my best to answer all questions in a timely manner. Good luck!!

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This entry was posted in balancing shapes, body measurements, Breakout Bras, ease, fitting class, fitting patterns, mannequin, measuring, Pattern Fitting Series, Pattern Review, professional fitting, Strikes My Fancy, tape measure. Bookmark the permalink.

25 Responses to Part 1: Measuring Properly!!

  1. Bunny says:

    Fabulous! I am going to tell all my sewing friends about this series. I know how much effort goes into such an undertaking and thank you profusely.

  2. Rosieq says:

    I'm excited to absorb some of your knowledge in order to begin sewing for myself after years of not….and not being that "perfect" size 10 any longer. I'm really clueless in alterations, and already have hope after reading all the detail on measurements. thank you.

  3. KathyD says:

    Looks like a great series that you have planned. I can't wait to see part 2. In the meantime, I need to enlist a friend to help with the measuring. 🙂 Thanks for all the work on this!

  4. This is such a detailed post! Thank you so much, I think it is going to be very very informative for me as I have only sewn for my kiddos but I want to start sewing more for myself.

  5. TerriB says:

    What a nice and informative blog posting. Looking forward to your series.

  6. Angela Lee says:

    This couldn't come at a better time. I've recently started sewing for my grown dd and myself. These tips are wonderful! Thank you.

  7. wendyrb says:

    You have a great balance of a clear professional approach and a warm welcoming attitude. Thanks for generously sharing all your hard-earned knowledge. I'm sure I'll benefit.

  8. Judie says:

    Thank you for all your hard work putting this together. I guess I've always been too afraid to measure myself correctly because I live in denial about weight gain (medication induced mainly). Might have to put my big girl panties on and do it.

  9. Thank you ALL for the kind remarks! I'm happy you've found my efforts helpful and are looking forward to the series.

  10. Hi Bunny! Thanks for sharing my series with your friends. I hope you all enjoy it and find the information helpful.

  11. waikikimum says:

    I am a bit late to this but thank you for taking the time to write such an informative post. I have been sewing for about 10 years but have really only understood fit in the past few. I will be reading your posts with interest and will taking my measurements even if the numbers are scary!!!

  12. Hi waikikimum!! Welcome. It's never to late to join in. I'm glad you've found my information helpful.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Fantastic, what I have needed for ages!

  14. Thanks!! Glad you're finding it helpful!!

  15. Anonymous says:

    I am so happy to find your blog! Thank you for putting your time and talent into this much needed topic. Can't start Part I right away as I will be nursing child having surgery. After that this will be my next project. Thanks again! Linda from TN

  16. Hi Linda! I'm glad you found me! You're so welcome. I hope you find all my efforts helpful! Speedy recovery for your child too!!

  17. Paceda says:

    This is fabulous! I have been sewing for all of my adult life—-that's a long time, by the way—and as I have aged my body has definitely changed. I can no longer make an 8 right out of the envelope and go along my merry way. My sewing resolution for 2013 is to learn to properly fit myself. Here it is July and I have not yet done so. Your approach and your photos make it seem like an attainable goal. Thank you!!!!!
    Nashville, TN

  18. Welcome Paceda!! Thank you so much for the kind remarks! Jump in and let me know if you have any question!!

  19. Sandra says:

    I really enjoy sewing but, it seems that everything I make does not fit properly and I was about to give up on EVER getting anything to fit. I hope this gives me encouragement to try again.

  20. Hi Sandra! Glad to hear you enjoy sewing. I hope you find my series helpful. Feel free to comment with any questions!

  21. Anonymous says:

    I'm joining a few years late, but I LOVE your blogs and have benefitted enormously from your tutorials. Thanks so much!

  22. Such a comprehensive guide to measuring, Roxanne. I've featured your post today.

  23. Floss says:

    Wish I had found this post years ago. Amazing detail. Can’t wait to start. Just one query -” use several loops of tape to secure “, I am a bit unsure about this. Where do these”loops” go, does the tape stick to the skin to keep the elastic in place? Sorry to be so dense. Now I just have to train hubbie to measure accurately. At least I know he will be honest about the measurements where I might lean towards ‘tighter’ aka smaller Subscribing to your site right away

    • RoxanneStitches says:

      Hi Floss. The tape is just to secure the elastic in place while taking your measurements. Glad you found this helpful!

Leave a Reply


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Mary of Scots castle is on sale for £1.5 million

You could own a piece of history, Mary Queen of Scots castle to be exact.

The 500-year-old property, Cleish Castle is on sale for £1.5 million. When Mary was held prisoner at Lochleven Castle by protestant nobles, she managed to escape the island in May 1568 and fled to Cleish Castle.

Strutt & Parker

The eight bedroom castle is set on 26 acres including the oldest yew trees in Scotland from 1620 which are over 150 yards in length. The main house is around 500 years, spans over five storeys with a library ceiling by painter Jennifer Merredew and tartan-carpeted staircase.

The original owner was Archibald Meldrum ‘of Cleish’ in 1466 and continued to be part of the family until 1723. The home started as a single tower, until the early 17th century when the castle was enlarged.

From there the Grahams of Kinross bought the estate, it was then bought by the Young family until it was sold in a private sale in the 1950s.

Painted ceiling in library. Strutt & Parker

Painted ceiling in library. Strutt & Parker

The home has undergone extensive restoration inside and out including a woodland path, a vegetable garden and beech hedges. The current owners purchased the castle in 1993 and added a one storey south wing. Other highlights of the property include stables, a dovecote, pottery studio, wine cellar, and tennis court.

If outdoors are more your style, trout fishing, roe deer stalking, pheasant shooting and golf courses at St Andrews and Gleneagles are all nearby.

Cleish Castle has also won awards for its architecture. The Saltire was awarded to Cleish for reconstruction in 1973 and the European Architectural Heritage Year Restoration Award in 1975.

Strutt & Parker

Strutt & Parker

For sale by Strutt & Parker, the castle is “only 25 miles from Princes Street in Edinburgh” and “built on a slightly elevated site, the castle and the grounds have outstanding views across Kinross-shire with Loch Leven visible to the east and the Ochil Hills to the north” for the best views.

  • Glasgow1975

    You missed ‘Queen’ from your headline. Seriously, the articles here get slopping and slopping.

  • The Beaver

    Mary of Scots??? Really? Where’s the editor?

    • Karen Rowland

      perhaps the “editor” is also the “estate agent”???

  • Paula Mumby

    So….. not really Mary, Queens of Scots’ castle then, more Archibald Meldrum’s family’s castle where Mary stayed for a bit. I love accurate reporting 😉

More in Palaces & Buildings

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Now Available on Amazon
The 4th book by author, lecturer and playwright Roy Doliner just came out in English!

Hidden Beneath the Beauty: Kabbalistic Secrets in Italian Art and Architecture

The Sistine Secrets seen on Nightline, 20/20 and Good Morning America

Five hundred years ago Michelangelo began work on a painting that became one of the most famous pieces of art in the world—the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Every year millions of people come to see Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling, which is the largest fresco painting on earth in the holiest of Christianity's chapels; yet there is not one single Christian image in this vast, magnificent artwork.

The Sistine Secrets tells the fascinating story of how Michelangelo embedded messages of brotherhood, tolerance, and freethinking in his painting to encourage "fellow travelers" to challenge the repressive Roman Catholic Church of his time.

"Driven by the truths he had come to recognize during his years of study in private nontraditional schooling in Florence, truths rooted in his involvement with Judaic texts as well as Kabbalistic training that conflicted with approved Christian doctrine, Michelangelo needed to find a way to let viewers discern what he truly believed. He could not allow the Church to forever silence his soul. And what the Church would not permit him to communicate openly, he ingeniously found a way to convey to those diligent enough to learn his secret language."    – from the Preface

Blech and Doliner reveal what Michelangelo meant in the angelic representations that brilliantly mocked his papal patron, how he managed to sneak unorthodox heresies into his ostensibly pious portrayals, and how he was able to fulfill his lifelong ambition to bridge the wisdom of science with the strictures of faith. The Sistine Secrets unearths secrets that have remained hidden in plain sight for centuries.

Original model for Michelangelo's Pieta Discovered!

Welcome to the Site of Roy Doliner, Co-Author of the Sistine Secrets.
© 2008-2012 RoyDoliner.com All Rights Reserved

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The Minix Operating System (Minix 2 support)

modified: 7 Sept 2006

[Minix 3 logo]
For MINIX 3 go to http://www.minix3.org. (Minix 3 released Oct 2005)

Minix 2 support

As of the middle of 2006, Minix 2 and the text that describes it, Operating Systems Design and Implementation, 2nd edition, are still in widespread use, even though Minix 3 and the 3rd edition of the OSDI text are now available. Many professors have course materials based on Minix 2 that they wish to use, and it may be several years before translations of the new edition of the text to languages other than English are available. Thus there is still a need for a website that supports Minix 2. This site is the successor to the minix1.hampshire.edu server that came on line while Minix 2 and OSDI, 2nd ed., were still being developed in 1996. The original site and its mirror at minix1.bio.umass.edu have been taken off line.

What's here? Navigation links on each page point to these major divisions:

FAQ This is the Minix 2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) index. (See also the HINTS page).
HINTS This is the Minix 2 hints index, with information about many aspects of Minix. (Hints: answers to questions that nobody asked, but somebody should have asked).
Download Minix 2.0.4 for a native hard disk installation, to run on top of an MS-DOS or Windows FAT file system, or as a virtual machine for the free VMWare player.
Many individual programmers have contributed packages posted here, from small utilities to ports of major programs, some experimental, some well-tested.
Minix can act as a server for ftp and http, and can connect using ethernet, slip, ppp, or plip. These and more are here.
DOCS Documentation for Minix 2.
Minix was written to provide an OS that students could explore and modify while learning operating system principles. Here are resources for those teaching with Minix.
As of 2005, Minix 3 is the focus of Minix development. Minix-vmd began as an extended standard Minix and was developed into a more capable system tailored to the needs of its authors.
LINKS There are many other sources of Minix information on the net, here are links to some of them.

More about Minix

The old Minix1 home page provides general information about Minix and this site. A few highlights:

Author, feedback request

The author of these pages is Al Woodhull and his home page is here

This site is changing (June 2006). Many elements of this website have been recently updated or will be updated soon. Feedback is solicited -- please write if you have difficulty navigating these pages, if there is information you would like to see here, or (especially) if there used to be material here that you can't find now.

All material on this site not otherwise attributed is copyright ©1994-2006 Albert S. Woodhull
Click here for information on copying and other use.
Mail comments on this page to: Al Woodhull <asw@woodhull.com>
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Sunday, August 14, 2011

Post-Shark Week Progress: basking shark taggings and California's AB376

Now that Discovery Channel's Shark Week has concluded and the entertainment frenzy that surrounds it has subsided, we all can get back to some serious-minded steps in research and policy to advance our understanding and conservation of these animals. Here are a couple of recent developments:

Basking Shark Tagging in Monterey
With each new study on sharks, scientists learn a little more about the wonderful world of sharks, but there are still some species that are shrouded in mystery. Take the basking shark, the second largest of all sharks, next to the whale shark, and one not to be feared as it is a filter feeder like baleen whales.

Preferring cold water, the basking shark has been studied in the North Atlantic, but limited studies have taken place in the Pacific. The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation has just started a more detailed tagging program in and around Monterey Bay, CA, utilizing satellite tracking tags that have been successfully used on other species like great white sharks. To date, only basic number/color identification tags have been used. With the use of an archival satellite tag - which can store various position, depth, and speed data for later retrieval via satellite - the foundation can accumulate more detailed and accurate data as to the movements of basking sharks.

Sean Van Sommeran, founder and director of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, describes the basking shark as
"elusive" and, as they are recognized as threatened, are considered "commercially extinct."

Working in conjunction with Stanford University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Van Sommeran's foundation has tagged one sub-adult basking shark at around 15 to 16 feet in length and plans to tag more.

California's AB376 Anti-Shark Fin Bill Advances
This Monday, California's Assembly Bill 376, which prohibits sale, possession, and distribution of shark fins - much like legislation already passed in Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington - will take the next step on its way to a final vote. The bill will go before the Senate Appropriations Committee and for many of the bill's supporters, the big issue here is whether there will be any amendments tacked on to the legislation that will weaken it and provide loopholes for commercial operations to continue.

You can support and participate in various efforts being staged by a variety of shark advocate groups - Sea Stewards, based in San Francisco, is planning a bus ride tomorrow to Sacramento to make a physical presence in support of AB376. However, one of the best ways to make your voice heard is through direct communication to the members of the committee. Sea Stewards has provided a listing of the members' email addresses and sample email content.,

Dear Senators,

I urge you to vote for AB 376 without amendments. Scientists have testified that the suggested amendment to allow shark fins from domestic fisheries cannot be enforced and will lead to increased fishing pressure on domestic sharks and allow black market fins to enter the market.

Also, the MSC certification of fins is not a viable option. To date there has not been a well managed and sustainable shark fishery. Focused shark fisheries lead to collapse of the population. Sharks are vital for ecosystem health.

For these reasons please support this bill as written.

There are some powerful forces at work in opposition to AB376 that have pulled out all the stops to amend, if not defeat the bill, using accusations of anti-Asian sentiments or lost commercial and state revenue. It's getting down to the wire and the lobbyists will be playing hardball on both sides. Let your sentiments be heard by the elected officials - oddly enough, in this world of ineffectual politics, it can make a difference.

Read about basking shark tagging in the
Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Read about AB376 and what you can do at

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Vishukani and the tradition of reading panjangam

Wishing you all a very happy Tamil New year/Vishu.Technically speaking how many new years do we celebrate in a year? The Jan 1 new year, Pongal(which is a beginning as it is the month of Thai), Tamil New year, Diwali(again as it is a beginning of something new) :D. Yet, tamil new year-the chitirai varusha pirappu is something we look forward to from childhood. For me, it is special because of the vishukani and the panjangam.

Vishukani is what we see first thing in the morning on the day of the new year. It all depends on what you are expecting to receive/achieve in that new year. Referring to what my mom says here in the famous notebook ,We arrange a plate filled with new clothes for the entire family, different kinds of fruits, some coins(money), flowers,coconut, beetel leaves,kumkumam(sindoor) and then place the plate right next to the wall. Then we arrange a mirror exactly opposite to the set up and that image in the mirror is what we see the first thing in the morning. Why? Well, basically those are the things you are expecting to get that year so you do not have hold of it yet, but it is reflection of what you want- so indirectly it implies that if you want it, you have to work for it.

Traditional offerings made that day include a real feast(obviously), with a taste of everything- bitter(neem flower rasam), sweet(panagam- a drink made of jaggery and water with elachi), sour(buttermilk), sweet and sour and tangy(mango pachadi) with the usual vadai, payasam etc.,

Sometimes I feel that certain festivals have certain foods for a reason- since it is summer and is so hot in India, panagam and buttermilk are natural coolers. Am I right?

The second best part about celebrating new year is the reading panjangam . My dad usually sends us(sis and I) new panjagams every year. It is a thing that fascinates me even now, like how do they figure out how much rain is going to reach the earth, whether it will be a year filled with sorrow or happiness(for everyone), what kind of events will be major this year according to planetary rotations and the description of the person who rules the year(with so many eyes and so many hands, walking towards this direction etc.,) When we were kids my dad will read the panjangam in the evening and we will listen with so much of enthusiasm and eagerness to know what is going to happen :) Besides you get to know when Diwali is, when other festivals are so it is a way of knowing how many holidays are going to fall on a working day 😀 The first year I read panjangam for N, he too was fascinated and kept asking me how they found out such stuff, but at the end of year you realize how true it turned out to be!

Alright, let me stop writing about my childhood experiences and go straight to the recipes.
Quick clicks of vadai(which became a kunukku due to son’s helping :),semia payasam,panagam and neer moru)

Veppempoo rasam: (I may skip it this year as I havent found the neem flower yet)

Mix about 1/4 tsp of tamarind paste in 1 cup of water,add salt and let it boil. When it is about to bubble over, switch off. Heat ghee in a pan and add one whole red chili and just less than 1/4 tsp if dried neem flower. Fry well in ghee and pour this over the rasam. You do not need more as it will be bitter so this quantity should be enough.

Mango pachadi: (Serves a family of 4)

Mango- one small size
Jaggery- 1 lemon size- powdered
Tamarind- just less than 1/4 tsp mixed in a cup of water(use if you think the mango is not sour enough)
Dry whole red chili-1
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
oil- 1 tbsp

Peel the skin of the mango, cube it and cook it in a cup of water(or tamarind water if you like more tanginess). Once mango is cooked through, add powdered jaggery and let it dissolve and mix with the mango pulp. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, when they splutter add whole red chili and pour the tempering over the mango-jaggery mix and switch off. This has to be thick pachadi and not so runny.

Jaggery- 2-3 tbsp, powdered
Water- 1 cup(200 ml)
Elachi powder- a pinch

Dissolve the jaggery completely in water and filter(to remove any dust or soil particles). Mix the elachi powder and serve.

Butter milk:
Yogurt- 1/4 cup mixed in one cup of water or Butter milk 1 cup
salt- to taste
curry leaves- few
hing- a pinch

Whisk the yogurt and water well to make moru(butter milk), add salt to taste and add curry leaves. Mix a dash of hing to the butter milk.

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4 Comments to “Vishukani and the tradition of reading panjangam”

  1. Cham says:

    U read panjangam, cool. Very interesting- we never did the vishu plate. It is true the food is always related to the season, even mango pachadi -(mango starts in Chithirai). Happy Tamil New Year!

  2. Indosungod says:

    Happy Tamil New Year! Yes panchangams are indeed fascinating.

  3. Priya says:

    Very interesting, my dad refer always to panjangam,but i never did..happy new year wishes sis;..

  4. maha says:

    happy vishu..

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EC Parc Life- Supply And Demand

Spread the love

Demand for properties will change pretty rapidly than the supply factor. And it is important to note that obsolete regulations from the governments are here to stay and the demand factor might anytime increase more than the supply. Income growth and housing affordability are to be paired up in ones decision to buy a home.

Home Affordability Factor

When there is an income growth there will be an inflation due to rise in the price of other products and this means the home affordability factor is not going to increase with income.  Therefore, it is wise to sign up for an executive condominium at EC Parc Life that is available within your premises.

Have a Home of your Own

There will be an annual increase of 4% in the property prices.  With employment shrinking and an increase in household with zero income you need to have a home of your own so that you will have a place to stay when you are making alternate plans for income.  The Parc Life EC Balance Units is of course a solution for affordable low cost homes.

Dealing with inflationary Pressures

You should forever be dealing with inflationary pressures. When the prices of homes are getting higher with inflation you might not be able to afford them.  While some are here to argue that income growth will not lead to an increase in home prices it is not about the market situation it is about the personal situation.  It makes sense to book your living space at EC Parc Life.

Owning Your First Living Space

If you did not get a house when the price was normal, price for medium, price was high or price was low, it only means you do not have a home of your own.  You do not want to miss the opportunity of owning your first living space by over thinking.  Do not want for the prices to touch rock bottom. Government regulations and the global situations are going to take the prices of houses going high and low during different times. Executive Condominium Parc Life is set at the right price now in the current trend and you do not want to miss it.

Design Intelligence

Buildings with higher quality materials and design intelligence in a way contribute to the value of the home at the Parc Life Ec.  The demand for quality residential space is here to stay and you do not want to miss out on investing and establishing your ownership over properties.  You are sure getting some improved value at your Parc Life Executive Condominium.

For those who are forming new families, those who are looking for a retirement home, and for other single parents operating a family nucleus, the budget condominiums is a blessing.


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rosco 357

Ex-Obama pastor: 'Obama threw me under the bus'

May 18, 4:11 AM (ET)

NEW YORK (AP) - The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's controversial former pastor, said in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that he is "toxic" to the Obama administration and that the president "threw me under the bus."

In his strongest language to date about the administration's 2-year-old rift with the Chicago pastor, Wright told a group raising money for African relief that his pleas to release frozen funds for use in earthquake-ravaged Haiti would likely be ignored.

"No one in the Obama administration will respond to me, listen to me, talk to me or read anything that I write to them. I am 'toxic' in terms of the Obama administration," Wright wrote the president of Africa 6000 International earlier this year.

"I am 'radioactive,' Sir. When Obama threw me under the bus, he threw me under the bus literally!" he wrote. "Any advice that I offer is going to be taken as something to be avoided. Please understand that!"

The White House didn't respond to requests for comment Monday about Wright's remarks. Several phone messages left by the AP for Wright at the Trinity United Church of Christ, where he is listed as a pastor emeritus, were not returned. Wright's spokeswoman, his daughter Jeri Wright, did not immediately comment on the substance of the letter.

Then-Sen. Obama cut ties with Wright when his more incendiary remarks became an Internet sensation in the spring of 2008. At a National Press Club appearance in April 2008, he claimed the U.S. government could plant AIDS in the black community, praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and suggested Obama was putting his pastor at arm's length for political purposes while privately agreeing with him.

Obama denounced Wright as "divisive and destructive" and later cut ties to the pastor altogether and left Wright's church.

The letter was sent Feb. 18 to Joseph Prischak, the president of Africa 6000 International in Erie, Pa. Wright subsequently agreed to write a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on the group's behalf to try to get access to millions of dollars.

Wright's original letter ranting against Obama's treatment of him surfaced in an appeal filed by federal inmate Arthur Morrison, boxing great Muhammad Ali's one-time manager, who was convicted of making phone threats.

Charles Lofton, Wright's executive assistant, told The Associated Press that he faxed a copy of the letter to Morrison's attorney as requested. A copy of the faxed letter signed by Wright showed that it was sent from the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago on March 31 to the fax number for Goodwin's law office in Tulsa, Okla.

Prischak, of Africa 6000 International, is a business partner of Morrison, who has been imprisoned for nearly 18 years after he was convicted of making phone threats between 1989 to 1992 to hospitals where an ex-girlfriend worked.

Prischak told Wright in a Feb. 11 letter that he was seeking the clergyman's help in reaching out to the U.S. Treasury Department. He said that Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam Hussein, had entrusted 87 million British pounds in 1990 to Morrison and Ali to buy pharmaceuticals, milk and food for the children of Iraq.

Prischak said the money was never spent because Morrison was imprisoned. He sought Wright's help in lobbying U.S. authorities to permit 25 million British pounds in interest from the money held in an overseas account to be allowed to be sent to faith-based groups for the children of Haiti.

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1 The Spoon on Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:44 pm

Candy Cottingham

A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in an organization. Very Impressive! Last week, we took some friends to a new restaurant, 'Steve's Place,' and noticed that the waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket. It seemed a little strange. When the assistant waiter brought our water and utensils, I observed that he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket. Then I looked around and saw that all the staff had spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve our soup I inquired, 'Why the spoon?' 'Well, 'he explained, 'the restaurant's owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour. If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15 man-hours per shift.' As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he replaced it with his spare. 'I'll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now.' I was impressed and I really enjoyed my soup too.
I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the waiter's fly. Looking around, I saw that all of the waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So, before he walked off, I asked the waiter, 'Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?' "Oh, certainly!' Then he lowered his voice.'Not everyone is so observant.That same consulting firm I mentioned also learned that we can save time in the restroom. By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the restroom by 76.39%. I asked quietly, 'After you get it out, how do you put it back?' 'Well,' he whispered, 'I don't know about the others, but I use the spoon.'

2 Re: The Spoon on Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:48 pm

OMG!! that is so funny..

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back to animation

It's about time to do some posting. two months since last post, really?
I'm back at the animation desk working on a short film by Dorte Bengtson at Nice Ninja. We're working in TVpaint 10 which is great, unfortunately the work stations are infected with windows7 which is not great.
Thought I would share this warm-up animation from the first week.


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Monday, 4 August 2008

Cycling Commutes 4 and 5

So last week I rode my bike in on Wednesday, then unexpectedly worked until after dark. I don't have a light on my bike yet, and am not really comfortable with my routes yet, so I left my bike in the garage at work. Thursday's plan was to ride home. There was a big announcement at work and then a meet-and-greet with some new colleagues. There were drinks. I left my bike in the garage again. Finally Friday I managed to be out at a decent hour and rode home, taking in a few extra miles and hills to explore some new areas/routes, just because I could (I love half-day Fridays, even when I don't leave until 4!). About 19 miles, 1:45-ish.

Nothing active per se this weekend - Saturday met some (American) friends for brunch, then Brighton Pride, Sunday went to the Red Bull Air Races. Wanted to ride bikes but rain threatening so smashed ourselves onto the tube instead. Really wished I'd had my bike.

Quick 13 mile ride in this morning. Looking forward to riding home. Who would have thought, when I bought my bike, I'd end up like Zanne and accidentally stop running because I like my bike so much? Still, I have a half-marathon (aka a Trisko) on the schedule in October and maybe I should get with the training. Tomorrow. Fo' really reals.

Some crappy personal stuff going on that I'm not really ready to talk about but that may involve me being far from my bike for a few days. Definitely would need to run to maintain some semblance of sanity. Keep Meg's aunt (and her husband and three kids) in your thoughts.

1 comment:

Xenia said...

Good thoughts for your friends. Hope all is well.


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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Vintage Vogue Patterns

Lots more in the store, I've never seen these large format couture patterns before, but I love them. I am going to hang on to the Lanvin one and try and see it I can make a perfect winter dress coat, I'm thinking camel wool.  They are also perfect because they're all patterns of winter time clothing, and all easily translatable and  on trend right now (thanks Mad Men). And don't think I haven't looked at all of the covers for hairstyling ideas.  PUCCI! DIOR! NINA RICCI! (Ignore the Lanvin one because it's mine!).

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

New Lomos In!

Sexy sexy chrome action sampler!

Love Story

Design sponge has an awesome column called Living In, which takes great movies and then kind of makes a guide on achieving the look in your home/life. This week they featured the movie Love Story, which I have never seen sadly because the post is pretty much the Russet and Empire post. Now when I leave the store tonight I will start downloading the movie and leave it on at the store tomorrow and let you know if it is as perfect as I think it's going to be (it will be I can tell). Besides the obvious plaid scarf, pennant and military inspired bag, this post is giving me some serious ideas. I would kill for that couch. And the glasses!! And that friggin coat!!! Get over to design sponge to check out Amy Merrick's genius post.

It's starting to be a little bit dark when I leave the store at night now... fall is here.  Things are getting exciting here, we received the second half of a SERIOUSLY long lost order (like 3 months ago). I actually cancelled it, but when I got the call that it had been found at long last, I remembered the chiminea candle holders. I think these would be adorable on a dinner table, especially with the cold weather coming. It's been my recent observation that it brings out the host in everyone. I have had a 'Jaws' themed dinner party planned in my head for months (Matt and Erin this means you!), and now that the weather has finally cooled off I'm ready to cook up a storm* and decorate the house accordingly. Somehow these beautiful porcelain chimineas will be incorporated.

* there is actually no cooking involved in a jaws themed dinner party, only sushi. I guess you have to cook the rice...

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Schoolyard Studio

So much to my delight Russet and Empire has been the subject of a photo montage!
Schoolyard Studio wrote a little post on us on their blog. Schoolyard is a collaboration between Toronto designers Katy Chan and Hilary Dennis makes the beautiful bibs and onesies we sell  They take special care to ensure they use the most environmentally friendly methods and materials when designing and producing their products. I had to steal their profile photo from their website to show you how cool these girls are.  You may also recognize the bib from a previous post that involved Oscar covered in a lot of yogurt... I really love these bibs, they are definitely my favourite to use at home, way better than those plasticized ones that get that stink (you know that stink).

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

MOR Emporium Soap Bars

I first came across MOR while living in Australia at David Jones department store. The line was started by an Australian couple who are both designers who are into perfumery and aromatherapy, which I think is pretty adorable. The scents and ingredients are to die for and any husband who brought one of these darlings home for their wife on his way home from work would surely be getting some action later on!   I really hope that people love this line as much as I do because they have tons of other really nice products that I would like to carry in the store. I think some sort of contest/giveaway is on order.  Let me think...

We're on trend! Grace Bonney says!

Bar Carts

I don't know why I associate cool weather with bar carts but I do, and I like it! I always felt like having a bar in your home was kind of the same as when university kids collected jagermeister bottles and lined them up all over their  apartments, BUT things change. Every time I see one in someone's home or on a blog I am awestruck.  There is something so masculine and sexy about all of the natural materials (wood, glass/crystal, silver),  and you can proudly show off to your friends that you can indeed buy a bottle without finishing it!

Red Canoe Tartan Scarves

This is Mathew modelling the Maple Leaf tartan, which pairs very nicely with a trench coat and messy hair. We also have the New Brunswick & Ontario tartans in the store and I am willing to ask my handsome husband to model those as well if there is any demand. Red Canoe is a company that is based in Toronto and they also make all of the other awesome Canadiana that we carry like the RCAF kit bag and CBC shoulder bags [that just sold out :( ].

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Green is the new black

This blog makes me want to furiously clean my house and shop online for everything scandinavian. i really like how everything is simple and bright but made for family living without being totally cute.

I can't stress how much I am going to copy these lights for my house. I am going to copy the shit out of them!

Sitting Pretty

Things are starting to look quite lovely at the store, if I don't say so myself. Today's post is a bit beautiful and girly, so I think I will do a follow-up post tomorrow of all the manly stuff we've got going on here. Fingers crossed it actually gets done, I will have my assistant Oscar here to help as well so all that may get done is a total mess.

Junction Arts Festival

Slinging hats on the street FROM NINTEEN SIXTY NINE!!

My one and only party photo...

it looks super busy and cool!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Please please prey for NO RAIN this weekend, I had a BRAIN EXPLOSION of an idea for the Junction Arts Festival this weekend. Unfortunately that idea doesn't contain a back-up plan for rain.

In other news I only have 2 crappy photos from my opening party... did anyone take any they could share with me please?

Come visit tomorrow to see what artsy stuff we pull off tonight!

art from here

Thursday, September 9, 2010

I haven't forgotten about you lovies...

Starting a business is serious business. I can't explain how crazy things have been lately... but let's just say that for the next 2 months I will have a full time employee at the store. What's that you say? Oh that's great Micah! If you are so busy surely you need the help! And you are already making so much money that you can afford someone full time, perfecto! Well readers, you may have been thinking that, and I know 'the customer is always right', but sowwwwy, you are wrong. Let's just say my little employee is a bit too young and not very skilled in sales or merchandising...Let's say this employee is a 16 (and a half!) month old boy who likes to pick things up and throw them and craps in a diaper that gets changed in the front window every 3 hours or so.  Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new temp Oscar:
ps- he is wearing a bib by schoolyard studio and we sell them in the store sans yogurt

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Town Crier LOVE

Hi guys! Ch-ch-check me out! I'm an internet sensation! Best official opening week ever!!  EXCLAIMATION MARKS!!!!!

The Junctioneer blog just did a nice little post on the store.  Check out the article here!
Also, aparently there are photos of the store (and me) in the Town Crier paper, but I can't seem to find one.  Does anyone know where I can get my hands on one so I can send a copy to every single person I know.


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Intermediate High Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel

Click here to watch the episode.

The 120th anniversary of Mikhail Bulgakov’s birth prompts examinations of his famous novel "The Master and Margarita." This novel stands him out as the titan of the classical world literature. In Russia, where the literary traditions are often taken seriously, numerous memorable and much-quoted lines from the text have entered the Russian lexicon. You are offered a fairly straightforward quiz on "The Master and Margarita"’s characters. Watch the new movie trailer and try to identify the quotes with characters.

Cultural reference

The first edition of "The Master and Margarita" came out in a heavily censored version, and was immediately widely decried by critics as obscure and heretical. As the critical climate in Russia changed with the weakening and then the downfall of the Soviet regime that never quite known what to do with Bukgakov, a fresh critical discussions around his novel in a variety of contexts have become frequent and sophisticated.

There don’t seem to be many strong role models in Bulgakov’s novel. Not only the novel’s secondary characters are devastatingly flawed -- corrupted or greedy, but major characters are as well weak and hypochondriac. So the author has to reach much further back to the time of Pontius Pilate to find a real ‘hero’. But it is clear that Bulgakov’s characters are not meant as accurate portrayal of figures of Gospel account, though he borrowed a number of details from the Gospels in depicting them.

A rather paradoxical matter, for many Soviet readers this extraordinary mysterious and mystic novel became the first encounter with the Bible, a book discredited by the atheist communist government. It also should be noted that Bulgakov worked on this every bit unique and potent book during one of the darkest periods of the Soviet history, so he treated the everyday Soviet phenomena in the most vague, impersonal and hushed manner. Given very rich allusive foundation, comic distortions of biblical and literary motives to sardonically refer to the Soviet reality, Bulgakov’s novel is notoriously difficult to interpret. So it should be no surprise that Russian screen adaptations of this cult novel have appeared not long ago.

The first TV mini-series of 10 52-minute episodes by film director Vladimir Bortko was shown in December 2005. Yuri Kara’s three-hour film that was done back in 1994 and finally released in January 2011 is now headed to the screen.

It is obvious that Yuri Kara’s vision of characters invariably doesn’t match up to Vladimir Bortko’s visual interpretation of the original. I am unable to compare these two adaptations but it does make sense to highlight the features of the recently released version -- it doesn’t include all passages of the book, it reflects the more theatrical vision of the classical novel (while the TV series has a lot more advanced visual effects), cast consists of Russia's best loved actors and the famous Alfred Schnittke composed the film score.


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July 21, 2017

Ep. 12 Pt 2 – It’s Your Last Chance for American Pie w/Thomas Ian Nicholas + Lani Sarem

In Part One of a freaking hilarious SQUADCAST (enh, they’re all hilarious, come on), we sat with Thomas Ian Nicholas, star of American Pie (and some other things) and a musician in his own right, and his filmmaking partner/author Lani Sarem to talk about – well, we went all over the place. THAT’S WHY THERE ARE TWO PARTS.

And now, we bring you Part Deux: Another Slice, which proves yet again that Ryan and Andre (that’s us to you) don’t know when to quit. So, without further ado:

  • The mystery Disney movie is revealed
  • Thomas & Lani launch a project…and it is magic
  • Andre spoils the illusion (what else is new)
  • Ryan thinks Copperfield is dead (or…is it…an illusion?)
  • Handbook for what? And when you can get your grubby little paws on it.
  • Watch Thomas in Trailer Park Shark on SyFy (one shark. No tornado. Tara Reid? Maybe.)
  • The green room at Wizard World is finger-lickin’ good

And, the most important topic of all:
Why does Chuck Norris have two bodyguards?

Pour that refreshing summer beverage and press that little triangle button. NOW. Do it. Doitdoitdoit.

Producer/actor/musician Thomas Ian Nicholas was in that one movie you REALLY liked (and its sequels), but his history in the industry goes back to when he was just a wee little Thomas. A musician in his own right, his band (Thomas Nicholas Band) has released six albums and is currently embarking on a world tour. Recently, Nicholas portrayed Walt Disney in the “Walt Before Mickey,” about the struggles of Walt‘s early life and career. He produced/starred in the upcoming “The Lost Tree” with Michael Madsen and Lacey Chabert. You’ll also see him as Martin Scorsese in “Zeroville” with James Franco, Megan Fox, Seth Rogen and Will Ferrell. In 2017, Nicholas will be heading to New Orleans to star in the upcoming SyFy flick entitled “Trailer Park Shark.”

Lani Sarem is the first cousin of NSYNC member JC Chasez and also the first cousin of AMC’s Small Town Security, Joan Koplan. (JC and Joan are not related though.)

Lani began acting at age 3 and continued to act and perform through her early years. Lani started writing scripts when she was 11 and over the years has done everything from writing, acting, band managing and helping start and work festivals. She’s managed bands like the Plain White T’s and Blues Traveler and toured with everyone from Ryan Adams to Gnarls Barkley. Lani has appeared in films like Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 and Jason Bourne; she can be seen as Roxy in Trailer Park Shark on the Syfy channel this July 2017.

Thomas and Lani’s current project, HANDBOOK FOR MORTALS, is set to premiere in August 2017 and is already in the works to be made into a motion picture.