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The big news of the day is that soon the LeBron James Saga will be over. On Thursday night, James will announce his decision on ESPN on prime time. The whole spectacle raises all sorts of interesting questions, both basketball and human nature related. We can't definitively answer any of those questions now (or perhaps ever in some cases) but, still, this whole event some reflection and investigation. Let's take a stab at some these issues:
–Where is LeBron going?
I have no idea and have absolutely no inside knowledge on the subject. We do know certain facts that at least allow for a theoretical handicapping. Recognizing that we are making guesses based on rumor/innuendo we'll still try to distill an educated guess based upon the facts as we see them. In order to find the facts, let's do a team-by-team breakdown. Here's how the contenders look:
(1) Cleveland: Cleveland is still the hometown favorite and the mention of them trying to get Chris Bosh recently seems to indicate that the Cavs were working with James. On the other hand, the Bosh Affair also seems to indicate that LeBron was making sure that whichever team he went to brought in another star-type player. The fact that the Cavs couldn't land Bosh doesn't bode well for them if that is the case. Still, Cleveland seems to be the leader as the hometown squad and have already acommodated James by upending the coach and GM to suit him.
(2) Chicago: The Bulls have the deepest incumbent supporting cast and have now have reportedly signed Carlos Boozer, which satisfies James' need for a second big signing. Combine Boozer with Derrick Rose and the rest of the players already in Chicago with James and you have a very good team. The only problem from Chicago's end is the fact that they have been relatively quiet in the process. This doesn't mean the Bulls are not a player but you would expect some buzz, even if it is manufactured, from a real contender for James' services.
(3) New York: All indications were that the Knicks did not impress James and are not real players in this competition. New York did sign Amare Stoudemire, which may or may not, be an asset in getting James. As much as James may be interested in playing in New York, playing the next eight years with Amare and not much else does not seem enticing to me.
But what about the New York mystique? Incidentally, author Buzz Bissinger wrote an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times a few weeks ago advocating that James should leave Cleveland for New York based upon this very fact. Bissinger made the case as follows: "LeBron James's relationship to his community is profound: he built a palatial house in the Akron area and just finished his seventh season with the Cavaliers. But I believe those roots have become golden shackles. He is too loved, and therefore too coddled and too easily forgiven….James basically has not been challenged as an athlete since he was a sophomore in high school and had a coach named Keith Dambro…Yes, he is a god in Akron and Cleveland. But sometimes worship, as genuine as it is, can create a false sense of invincibility. The result: all he and his teammates can do now is watch the Celtics advance in the playoffs. LeBron, take the chance. Just go and never look back. In the greatest city in the world, you will never regret it. It is time to leave home."
I understand Bissinger's argument but the fundamental unstated assumption of Bissinger's article, that the Cavs have lost because James doesn't have the killer instinct, is just not correct. The Cavs have lost to two very good teams in the playoffs, not because of LeBron but because of the failure of his cast. Even if you assumed, for argument sake, that James needed more killer instinct, why would the chance at being booed more really fix that?
Bissinger is correct that New York offers some potential possibilities that none of the other teams do. If James wins for the Knicks, he becomes an instant legend. But New York would be a high risk/high reward proposition for LeBron. If James fails to win, no matter how well he plays, he would be hit with some stigma, fair or unfair, that he failed in his goals. This raises another logical flaw with LeBron-to-New York argument, LeBron is absolutely already a global icon and does not need New York to raise his exposure. If his legacy is a concern (and it probably is to him), he must win a title (if not a few titles) no matter where he plays to reach the heights of Jordan or Russell in the annals. That being the case, James needs to pick the very best place that gives him a chance to win, whether it be in New York or Memphis. Right now, New York offers Amare and a bucket of crap in terms of players. In theory, the Knicks can turn over the roster and build around LeBron and Amare but James would then be wasting several prime years to get there. So, New York should be a pretender here if James' worries are what they logically should be.
(4) Miami: They apparently already have Dwyane Wade and Bosh already, which should be a nice start to get James. The problems here are that (1) James is reportedly not looking to share the spotlight with a pretty huge star like Wade and (2) that the Heat have virtually no other players on the roster besides Wade and Bosh and would need to build the roster up with wholesale changes (with a core of Bosh and Wade that shouldn't be too hard). As for the potential alpha male issues between having Wade and James, this shouldn't be a big deal. Admittedly, it is a bit odd to note that LeBron needs to win but must also do so in a manner that is emotionally comfortable to him. Logically, a star should want the best players possible on his team but it is clear that some players have had issues with this over the years (Kobe and Shaq are the best remembered example but you can see such tensions with tons of teams all the way back to Wilt and Baylor with the Lakers).
(5) New Jersey/Dallas/Los Angeles Clippers: New Jersey was a contender if they could've landed Chris Paul and a forward. Now all the forwards but Lee are off the market and the Paul deal is reportedly dead. So, James is out of play for Jersey. Dallas was a dark horse for LeBron but we haven't heard any indication that he is considering them now. Finally, the Clipps had the cap space but all indications were that their attempts to woo James didn't take.
Having said all that, where do you think is LeBron going again?
It seems the most logical place is back to Cleveland with an opt-out clause if things devolve in the next few years. The Cavs are still pretty good with LeBron and the opt-out would give LeBron one more shot to find the right team if things don't work out.
Is LeBron a narcissist?
A search of the terms LeBron and narcissist on Google yield a mere 17,200 results. He seems to be enjoying the recruiting process more than you'd think. Both he, Wade, and Bosh have been ubiquitous on television, Twitter, and any other medium you can think of. (Bosh and Wade were reportedly shooting a documentary on the free agency process). Combine that with James now seeking to announce his decision on ESPN at the culmination of a one-hour special definitely indicate a degree of self-absorption. Clearly, James and the group have a healthy sense of worth and want to be the center of attention. But is there anything wrong with this? Let's check the medical books…Narcissistic personality disorder is defined by the Mayo Clinic as "a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. Those with narcissistic personality disorder believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism."
Of course, self-worth and confidence are good traits to have, particularly someone who is under the intense scrutiny that NBA stars are. A study in Psychology Today in 2005 indicated that a mild narcissist can "float through life feeling pretty good about himself." Still, the narcissists expect special treatment, "are easily offended, and readily harbor grudges." This description doesn't just match James but just about every athletic superstar in the American professional sports . So, LeBron is a narcissist. This isn't necessarily a problem in moderation but a product of the world LeBron lives in and almost a foregone conclusion for a sports star.


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Ruby Rose And Nina Dobrev Are In The Middle Of A Major Prank War
The upcoming action thriller xXx: The Return of Xander Cage looks to be one hell of an extreme ride (what else would you expect from a Vin Diesel flick?!), and it appears things are just as intense when the cameras stop rolling. At least, that's what we can only assume based on the truly epic prank war unfolding between costars Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev.
It all began last week, when Nina surprised Ruby by hiding in her trailer and then jumping out and screaming in her face. The former Vampire Diaries star filmed the sneak attack in slo-mo, catching Ruby spewing a storm of profanity.
"Going to have to wash your mouth out with Soap Missy," Nina captioned the clip. "**Viewer Discretion is Advised** #ThoughtiWouldnt #ButiDid #ThatsOnYou #GotHer."
Ruby later reposted the vid, writing, "When your friend is an asshole… Also obviously she edited me to say those awful things and OBVIOUSLY I HAVE AN INNER SUPER BOGAN I thought I left behind.."
Proving herself just as formidable a force to be reckoned with, Ruby wasted no time plotting her revenge. Rather than retaliate with a similar scare tactic, though, she upped the ante by plastering photos of herself on every surface of Nina's trailer.
"@ninadobrev trailer... Wow.. This must be her head every night when she falls asleep. 😖😩👀🙈" Ruby captioned the vid, was was cheekily soundtracked by Radiohead's "Creep."
The Aussie actress also caught the moment when Nina walked in and discovered her Ruby-infested trailer, writing, "When you go to say hi to @ninadobrev but she has 100 photos in her trailer of you and it's awkward because you're trying to be professional.. #seekhelpnina #evillaughofastalker #wherestheshinetoo #ineedextrasecurity."
Ruby definitely won that round, but she better watch out -- Nina is clearly thirsty for vengeance.
And to think... just a few weeks ago, these two were celebrating Easter together like a couple of bunny-eared BFFs. Oh, how things change so quickly.

subset: commoncrawl


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Remove Car Dents Easily By Yourself—Easy DIY Steps
Save yourself some money like I have and repair these dents yourself at home. It's easier than you may think.
Types of Car Dents You Can Remove Yourself
Depending on the dent, you can often take it out yourself with a few simple tools. If it's just a round dent, it won't be too difficult. The dent above, with a crease and in a door, might present some difficulties.
Dents with creases: If the dent has a crease in it, you'll probably have to visit an auto body mechanic, unless you're skilled in this area. With a crease, you'd have to fill what doesn't come out with some body auto fill. It's also more than likely that you're going to lose a little bit of paint, so you'll have to be prepared to spray some touch up paint in that area, as well.
Dents in car doors: These are awkward things generally. They'll mean that to get to them you're going to have to strip the inside interior panel off the door. At that point, too, you've got a problem because the window and window frame take up a lot of that space. If the dent is close to the window frame, that's probably not something you'll be able to do through lack of space to work through on the other side. But stay with me here (I cover this further down)—you may still be able to pull it out from the exterior side without having to even go near pulling interior panels off. If the dent is, say, halfway down the door and pretty much central, you should be able to tackle that one, regardless.
Roof dents: Can be easily taken care of as long as they have avoided the skeletal structure. What I mean by this is that your roof is built on a rigid platform for rollover safety but it contains a lot of empty spaces. Next time you're in your car put your hand on the headlining and move it around, you'll be able to feel the differences in the structure underneath.
Trunk and hood dents: Should also be able to be repaired fairly easily. Like the roof, though, both the hood and the trunk have a skeletal structure. Open both up and you'll easily see this framework. If your dent has avoided the cross structure, it should easily be able to be taped out from inside. But like the door, trunk and hood and roof dents may be able to be pulled out. I'll show you how soon.
Panel dents: The easiest of all to get out, but if they're on a corner, you'll have a crease for sure, and you'll end up using body filler. Still not difficult, though, and I explain the ways to do that further down.
How to Repair Common Round Car Dents With Simple DIY Tools
There are a few ways you can go about this.
- The first thing you can try is a common household plumber's plunger. They come in various widths, so measure the diameter of your dent and match it up to a plunger that will cover that sized dent. Best to use grease around the rubber lip that you'll be pressing onto the dent, but soapy water may be as good. Apply the greased plunger over the top of the dent and then press the plunger in so that the plunger's squashed flat and has no air left in it. Then slowly pull it out. If it's a light enough car dent, you'll simply vacuum the dent out. You might have to have a few goes at this.
- If that doesn't work, then the next thing to use to try to extract your dent is a large rubber mallet. By super-careful with the mallet, and just tap gently to begin with, as if you put too much force into your blows you'll end up with the dent protruding in the other direction.
- If you don't have a rubber mallet. the next thing you can try is a piece of timber with the end about the same size as the dent. But wrap the end of the piece of timber with a large piece of cloth. Make sure there are no sharp edges on the timber before attempting this. You can then quietly tap the end of the piece of timber with a hammer until the dent pops out.
One thing you can never use is a hammer directly on the dent. You'll just end up with a whole lot of little dents within the dent. Believe me, that looks a lot uglier than the original dent.
Auto body mechanics use a variety of tools to get dents out. Some are rounded to take the curves. For the cost of about $30, you could buy a set and then you'll have a much better chance of doing it properly. This is especially useful if you've got quite a few to tackle and they're not just straightforward round dents.
Repairing a Car Dent With a Hair Dryer and Dry Ice
Repairing a car dent with a hairdryer and ice is remarkably effective. For this method you'll need a hair dryer, a pair of solid rubber gloves, some dry ice, and tinfoil.
- Have ready with you a piece of tinfoil larger, than the dent, that you can put over the dent as soon as you've stopped heating it. This will make sure that the heat you apply remains on the dent.
- Then use the dryer, on high heat, about seven inches or so back from the dent for about three minutes. Be careful with the heat as you can blister your paint.
- Apply the tinfoil.
- Next put your pair of rubber gloves on and pick up a handful of dry ice cubes and start rubbing them on the tinfoil.
After a few minutes, the dent should pop out. The reason for this is that you've slightly expanded the metal with the heat and then the coldness of the ice reverses this process and contracts the metal.
You may have to repeat this process two to three times before the dent pops out.
Read More from AxleAddict
You can also buy dry ice in a can with compressed air. This is quicker and more effective than ice cubes.
Repairing Dents in Plastic and Rubber Bumpers
Depending on how severe these dents are, they can be usually popped out with ease by pouring boiling water over them. Simply boil a jug of water and then very slowly pour the water above the dent. It might take two to three jugs' worth, but the dent should just easily pop out.
Repairing Deeper Dents and Creases
Repairing deeper dents and creases can be done with a hammer and a dolly. You can buy sets of these off Amazon for about $30.
First, though, if it's a bumper you're best to remove it. They're all bolted on. Just find the bolts, unbolt it and take it to a workbench where you can repair it. Much easier than lying on your back on the ground underneath your car trying to do this.
Hammer out the dent as best you can. If you've got a crease you'd be doing a great job to pull that out perfectly. You're more than likely going to have to put some body filler on it, sand it down, spray some primer on it, and then some top coat same as your car color.
Applying Body Filler to a Car Dent
Repairing a Dent With Body Filler
Materials You're Going to Need:
- Body filler (just enough to fill the dent)
- Body putty (smallest quantity you can buy)
- Rubber sanding block
- Sandpaper: Two pieces each of 150 grit, 220 grit, and 400 grit
- Sandpaper (wet and dry): Two pieces each of 400 grit and 800 grit
- Tin of cutting compound polish
- Car polish
- A few rags
- Rubber sanding block
- Spot putty
- Paint (if you do the final coat yourself)
Body filler is a substance that adheres well to metal, can be easily sanded, and lasts the life of the car. It's great for dents that are too hard to repair otherwise, and every body shop uses it.
How to Apply Body Filler
- First you're going to have to remove the paint. For this, use 150 grit sandpaper. Sand the paint a couple of inches wide of the dent, as well as the dent.
- Then mix your body filler. Body filler is a two-part mix that has a hardener. Best to mix it on something like an old frisbee. Body filler doesn't adhere to plastic so then what isn't used can be tossed out and you can use the frisbie again. After you mix it, you've only got about 5 minutes working time before gets too hard.
- Apply the body filler over the dent as smoothly as you can. There is a little shrinkage with it, so apply a slightly thicker patch to take care of this. You don't have to be too neat as you'll be sanding it smooth anyway.
- Leave it for about half an hour and it will be ready for sanding.
- Wrap a piece of 150 grit sanding paper around the block and with nice even strokes sand the filler until it's almost even with the rest of the body. Then finish off the sanding with a piece of 220 grit wrapped around the block. Take your time.
- You're going to have some tiny holes in the body filler. You'll probably be able to see them. So take your spot putty and with a plastic spreader spread some spot putty over where you've just sanded. Body putty seems to take no time at all to dry; still, l leave it for about half an hour.
- Then wrap a piece of 400 grit around the sanding block and slowly and carefully sand the body putty off. All you should be left with is the body putty inserted into the tiny holes of the body filler.
- Check carefully before calling it a day on this sanding, because even the smallest flaw will show up in the paint.
Coat of Primer
- Mask off the area around your repair; cover anything, such as tires, that's likely to get a coat of primer where you don't want it.
- Spray three coats of primer. Leave the coats to dry for about an hour/more if it's cold.
- Allow the primer to dry overnight and then remove your masking. This time use the 400 grit wet sandpaper (usually black) and wrap that around the sanding block. Now spray or wet the repaired area and keep it wet while you're sanding it. Slowly and carefully sand the primer until it's smooth. Sand slightly in excess of your repair job onto the actual car paint. As you sand the edges of the primer, you'll know you've got it right when you see the actual primer underneath the car paint. Now it should be ready for the final paint.
Applying the Final Coat of Paint
For the final coat, you can take it to your local body repair shop for a professional paint or do it yourself. You're going to have to get exactly your color in a spray can. If you have a spray gun run by a compressor, even better.
- Once again mask everything off and apply three or four even coats over the area over the period of a day. Let it dry hard overnight.
- Wrap the 800 grit wet sandpaper around the sanding block and slowly start sanding smooth. Take it right into the edge of the good coat on your car to make sure the new paint blends in. Always keep the area wet while sanding.
- Then once you're okay with it being smooth it's going to look very dull. Take to the area with a rag and the cutting polish compound. Once again keep the area wet and rub it for about ten minutes.
- Lastly take a fresh dry rag and polish it normally with car polish. If it still looks dull then go back to polishing it with the cutting compound and try the final polish until it shines like the rest of the good paint.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.


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Most home video releases are mass produced and marketed by faceless conglomerates interested only in separating you from your hard-earned cash. If you look closely though you'll find smaller labels who love movies as much as you do and show it by delivering quality Blu-rays and DVDs of beloved films and cult classics, often loaded with special features, new transfers, and more. But yes, they still want your cash, too.
Redemption Films' forte is the resurrection of old school horror films with new HD restorations, a small smattering of new extra features, and Blu-ray debuts. They tend to stick with certain directors including Mario Bava, Jess Franco, Jean Rollin, and others.
They're latest releases are a pair of early genre pics from director Pete Walker, a man known for pushing the envelope and enraging British censors on multiple occasions. Both of his releases here are loaded with the red stuff, but only the former is also bursting at (and through) the seams with naked lady flesh.
Keep reading for our look at Redemption Films' new Blu-rays of The Flesh and Blood Show and Frightmare.
The Flesh and Blood Show (1972)
A gaggle of actors are hired to rehearse a play in an abandoned theater at the end of an untrafficked pier outside a desolate coastal town. The group keeps busy with acting, complaining, and naked frolicking, but their artistic weekend is interrupted by a killer who begins knocking them off one by one. Is the killer the guy who's acting super strange even for an actor type? Is it the old man who keeps swinging by to watch naked ladies and rehearsals? Is it the detective who seems entirely disinterested in investigating the murders?
Pete Walker's first horror film makes it very clear his experience was in the world of soft-core comedy. It opens with fully nude woman answering her door late at night, and the naked romps only get more naked. The kills are quite bloody and aren't played for laughs, but goofy musical cues and light notes occasionally make things feel more comedic than probably intended.
The script goes out of its way to offer up red herrings, and when the final reveal occurs it's accompanied by a ten minute flashback (the 3D scene) showing the origin of our killer. The story is pretty straightforward, and none of the characters are even the least bit compelling, but the raunch and gore make for a fun watch.
Redemption's Blu-ray features a remastered picture and the 3D sequence in both stereoscopic and anagraph formats. Unfortunately they chose not to include even a single pair of red/blue glasses for those using the latter style. Other special features include the following.
- Flesh, Blood, and Censorship [12:13] ‐ An interview with Pete Walker concerning his early career in stand-up comedy, sex flicks, and eventual move into "terror" films. He wanted to avoid comparisons to Hammer horror and instead aimed to push boundaries on the violence and plot fronts. Sex on the other hand… he feels in retrospect that there's too much of it in this one.
- 3-D and 2-D versions of famed 10-minute sequence
- Trailers
Kino Lorber
Frightmare (1974)
Edmund and Dorothy have been away for little while, but now they're back. They're a nice old couple, keep mostly to themselves, and while he spends time in the city she has people over to have their tarot fortunes read. It's usually around this point that she kills and eats them.
Walker's penchant for the bright red stuff remains, but it's amazing the difference two years makes in his need for naughty lady bits. Meaning he's almost fully reformed and instead focused on telling a stronger story while still sticking our faces into the grue. There's no mystery here as we know early on that Dorothy's stay at an insane asylum hasn't left her cured and that Edmund is still prone to enabling her peculiar dietary needs, but we're given a stable of supporting players, including the couple's grown daughter, who weave in and out of the story as either victims or folks trying to stop the slaughter.
There are some good sequences here, usually involving Sheila Keith who plays sweet old Dorothy, and they work to create a terror-filled atmosphere. There's real menace in Keith's eyes, and Walker matches it with intense scenes and camerawork. He's also found a better story than the earlier film and fleshes out the main villains with a subplot involving their daughter.
Redemption's Blu-ray includes a commentary track featuring Walker and DP Peter Jessop as well as the following special features.
- For the Sake of Cannibalism [11:56] ‐ Pete Walker discusses how cannibalism isn't very sexy, but he went ahead and made a movie about one anyway.
- Sheila Keith: A Nice Old Lady? [13:53] ‐ The character actress is reflected upon, specifically her run of five films with Pete Walker.
- Trailers
Pete Walker will never be regarded as a master filmmaker, of horror films or otherwise, but his work has a sleazy charm and an eye for color that makes his work appealing to fans of old school British horror.
Buy The Flesh and Blood Show and Frightmare from Amazon.
Check out more from the Top Shelf
Related Topics: Home Video


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What, How, Why
Hobby turned into a passion, shared by all members of our family, this is how Mike's Factory started in 2015
About the work we do
Mike's Factory was born as a simple after work hobby in the middle of beautiful Transylvania. With the constant support of family and friends it grew very fast in something we couldn't imagine at that moment but as time passed we took things even more seriously and we started investing more and more time in learning the art and techniques of leather-crafting thus bringing back old traditions, adapting them to modern times and creating useful products perfectly adapted to this century. In a digital and consumer-powered world, we lose track of many of the past traditions that have been with us for centuries, we tend to forget the times when one pair of shoes lasted years, when one bag was a compagnion for life, so we make a commitment by doing our part in bringing back the good from the past and making a more responsible future.


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The Municipal Government Act (MGA) requires that each municipality and regional services commission prepare statistical and financial information returns.
These reports, including the annual municipal auditor's reports, should be submitted to Municipal Affairs by the dates specified in the MGA.
The following links provide detailed information regarding reporting requirements.
- Municipal statistical returns
- Annual financial reporting for municipalities and regional services commissions
Tools and resources
- Municipal corporate planning guide
- Municipal corporate planning templates
- Municipal asset management
- Example Tax Rate Bylaw (DOC, 109 KB)
- Property Tax Bylaw Workbook (XLSX, 23 KB)
Milenet is the online portal which provides access to financial reporting forms and the Municipal Financial Indicator Graphs. For information on interpreting the graphs or to inquire about access to the Milenet site, please contact a Municipal Advisor via the contact information below.
Access to Milenet is restricted to municipal staff of each municipality. A valid Milenet agreement is required before access can be provided.
Municipal financial and statistical information
Recent and archived financial and statistical data for all Alberta municipalities can be found on the Government of Alberta's Open Government Portal.
The archived financial data and statistics compressed files (.zip format) contain individual spreadsheets for each schedule required for the financial reporting year.
If assistance is required on the interpretation of these files, please contact a Municipal Advisor via the contact information below.
Municipal financial data and statistics from prior to 1994 are not available at this time.
Connect with the Municipal Advisory team at Alberta Municipal Affairs:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-2225
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
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to the fanlisting for the Jekyll & Hyde Sountrack! Next to The Phantom of the Opera, Jekyll & Hyde is not only my second favorite musical, but also my second favorite soundtrack. If you are a fan of the Jekyll & Hyde Soundtrack, grab a button if you have a site, and fill out the join form to add your name to the list of fans!
StatsThis site opened on January 5, 2004, and we last updated on October 01, 2022. We have a total of 71 fans listed, from 16 countries, with 0 waiting to be added on the next update. Welcome to our newest fan(s): Kelli
Part of
As per TheFanlistings.org - A fanlisting is a place for all fans of a particular show, movie, actor, actress, singer, etc. to come together and build the biggest listing of people from all around the world who are fans of that subject.
We are not affiliated with Jekyll & Hyde or Frank Wildhorn in any way, this is simply a fansite.© 2004 theatregirl.net & thefanlists.com · Layout created by my Secret Santa 2008, Justine


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A week ago, there was much ado in our national news about the Whistle Blower. Americans were reminded, yet again, of how divided this country has become. Regardless of how you feel about events last week, I sincerely hope that there is not just agreement, but unity as well, among our people when we bring to mind a "whistle blower" of a totally different nature. The "whistle blower" who appeared before our people this past Monday and Tuesday, typically during synagogue services, is accorded the honorific title of Ba'al Tokea. Unlike the Washington Whistle Blower, our Ba'al Tokea does not make national news, nor does our Ba'al Tokea provide fodder for talk show hosts.
Our "Whistle Blower" is positioned for all to see and for all to hear. There is nothing secretive or furtive about him. More important, however, our "whistle Blower" succeeds in uniting the masses rather than dividing them. However well intentioned, many a rabbi has been known to create acrimony among congregants because of his sermons. However well thought out, many a rabbi has been known to take on the role of Hypnos, the Greek deity of sleep, because of his sermon. But the Ba'al Tokea? Before even setting his lips to the shofar, the Ba'al Tokea has created an aura of riveting silence, as those assembled wait to hear those age-old notes that speak volumes.
Unlike the "Whistle Blower" who divulges, the Ba'al Tokea indulges. Hearing those holy sounds emanating from a hollowed horn, HaShem is both figuratively and literally, in seventh heaven.
There are no doubt those who will insist that the "Whistle Blower" betrayed a confidence. Others will argue the exact opposite. In contradistinction to whether or not a confidence was in fact betrayed, suffice it to say that all who heard the shofar being sounded Monday and Tuesday, will agree that the Ba'al Tokea displayed confidence. Because the T'kiah, Shvarim and Truah flowing from the shofar are both age-old and time-tested, the Ba'al Tokea has every reason to feel confident that the holy sounds will be a resounding success, as they find their way to the very soul of the Master of the Universe. As powerful and moving as the High Holy day liturgy is, it can be said that the wordless prayer offered by the Shofar speaks to our creator, in ways that defy our imagination.
Unlike the "Whistle Blower," it is highly doubtful any Ba'al Tokea makes headlines in the press. Nor is this the purpose of any Ba'al Tokea. Rather than make any headline, the goal of the Ba'al Tokea is to make a beeline to the depths of the soul – both human and divine. Most of us would agree, that the sound of the shofar is spine chilling. However true that may be, the sound of the shofar ought to be soul stirring as well. Let those who hear that haunting inter-generational sound of the shofar, realize what a potential source of naches we are to the Creator of the Universe, as the Ba'al Tokea communicates with Him through the horn of a descendant of the ram caught in the thicket on Mount Moriah. Conversely, let the Creator of the Universe be reminded through the horn of a descendant of the ram caught in the thicket on Mount Moriah, that He is a unique source of naches to His people as well.
Headline or a beeline, betraying a confidence or displaying confidence, dividing or uniting, the Ba'al Tokea is the antithesis to the "Whistle Blower."
Let's leave "whistleblowing" – necessary or unnecessary – to those who believe that they have an obligation to society. Let's approach the Ba'al Tokea – a master of the skill or not – with a belief that he has an obligation to his people. Just as HaShem breathed the breath of life into the ground on the first Rosh Hashana of creation, so too does the Ba'al Tokea breathe a breath of life toward heaven on every Rosh Hashana thereafter of celebration.


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Dates: November 18-19, 2010
Venue: Campus Innovation Center, Tokyo
3-3-6 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Aims and Scope
Over the last few decades, Bayesian Networks (BNs) have become an increasingly popular AI approach. In this workshop we explore methodologies for enhancing the effectiveness of BNs including modeling, reasoning, model selection, logic-probability relations, and causality. The exploration of methodologies is complemented discussions of practical considerations for applying BNs in real world settings, covering concerns like scalability, incremental learning, parallelization, and so on.
Call for Papers
We welcome contributions related to the following topics, but are not limited to:
- Probabilistic Reasoning using Bayesian Networks
- Combination of Probabilistic Reasoning and Logic in Bayesian Networks
- Learning Bayesian Networks
- Causal Discovery
- Causal Inference
- Advanced Application of Bayesian Networks
Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: August 25(11.59pm, Greenwhich Mean Time), 2010
Notification: September 20, 2010
AMBN 2010: November 18-19, 2010
Extended abstracts written in English should be 1 page in length and in pdf format.
Authors should submit extended abstracts using our EasyChair associated site: http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ambn2010
Post-proceedings of AMBN will be published in Springer's Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence (LNAI). The authors of accepted papers to AMBN who want to submit full paper to LNAI should also submit the manuscript using the above site by December 1st(11.59pm, Greenwhich Mean Time) 2010. Its length will be limited to 15 pages in the Springer Verlag LNCS style in a pdf form, which can be obtained from http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-6-793341-0. After the second review period, authors will be informed about the acceptance of papers for LNAI publication. The post-proceedings will be published in spring of 2011.
New Generation Computing: Springer Journal
Special Issue: "Advanced Methodologies for Bayesian Networks"
Call for Papers
Anybody can submit this special issue!!
Paper submission:
Papers should be prepared in LaTeX (Style File available in http://www.ohmsha.co.jp/ngc/ ) in compressed PostScript file with ZIP (1MB at maximum including all texts and figures) and submitted by e-mail to
*Send the compressed PostScript file only as attachment file, do not paste the file on text space
*The file name should be author's last name
*LaTeX source file is required only after the acceptance of your paper by the Editorial Committee
Paper submission deadline:
April 1st, 2011
Keynote Speakers & Accepted Papers
Click here to see the list of keynote speakers.
Click here to see the list of accepted papers.
Click here to see the program.
The registration system is organized by Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence (JSAI).
Please email the information below to "JSAI-isAI-JSAI[at]ai-gakkai.or.jp" with the Subject line "JSAI-isAI 2010 Registration Form" before November 12th, 2010. You may register on site, but the space is limited and we may not be able to guarantee the availability.
Registration fee should be paid on site (cash in yen or major credit cards: VISA and Master).
Registration Category
JSAI Member
JSAI Non-member
($1.00 = approximately JPY 90-100)
=== copy text from here === Workshop W03: First International Workshop on Advanced Methodologies for Bayesian Networks (AMBN 2010) Name: Affiliation: Country: email: tel/fax (optional): JSAI Member? (choose one): yes/no Student? (choose one): yes/no Method of payment (choose one): cash/credit card/undecided === copy text upto here ===
Click here to see a list of hotels.
The AMBN 2010 banquet will be held on Nov. 18, 2010 at a Japanese-style pub, Komahachi. Information about the pub (including photos and menu) is available at : http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g793600/ . If you are planning to attend, please make sure to send confirmation e-mail to by Nov. 10.
Workshop co-chairs
- Maomi Ueno (The University of Electro-Communications, Japan)
- Takashi Isozaki (Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Japan)
Progam Committee
- Hei Chan (The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Japan)
- Arthur Choi (UCLA, USA)
- Koichi Hirata (Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan)
- Burton H. Lee (Stanford University, USA)
- Axel Hochstein (Stanford University, USA)
- Chao Lin-Liu (National Chengchi University, Taiwan)
- Robert Mateescu (Microsoft Research, USA)
- Jian-Qin Liu (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan)
- Neil Rubens (The University of Electro-Communications, Japan)
- Yi Wang (The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, China)
- Changhe Yuan (Mississippi State University, USA)
Takashi Isozaki (Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Japan)
Financial Support
Mathematical Systems, Inc
Minato Discrete Structure Manipulation System Project


text:
Alert, watchful and cautious, you take precautions to protect your identity. After all, you have heard the horrific stories, maybe even know a victim of identity theft. And, you are determined to avoid falling prey yourself.
The risk is real. In 2014, approximately seven percent or 15 million Americans experienced victimization at the hands of the identity thief. And, 86 percent of these cases resulted from fraudulent use of account information. The financial loss of these criminal actions adds up and leaves victims feeling exposed.
Knowing this well, you are known to take precautions to:
Your careful guard of personal information brings a sense of security. As well, it should. But, may we suggest a gap in your protection?
Yes, this hometown staple tops the list as the second riskiest non-technological point of identity theft, according to a 2007 study. And, all that deliberate securing of documents and shredding personal information do not address this issue. Protecting your mail before it gets into your hands proves a vital step to guarding against identity theft.
Again, the risk is real. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) informs the public that approximately 400,000 Americans suffer stolen identities through mail theft, according to an ABC News report. With the focus on phishing and virtual stealing schemes, the reliable snail mail box often goes unprotected.
Sure, the ramifications may be caught if you monitor your financial statements. But, by then, irreparable damage may be done. No guarantee exists that your accounts will be credited or restored after a bout with an unauthorized user.
Thieves tend to remove either incoming or outgoing mail from your box. Surely, you would notice, right? Perhaps. But sly criminals take only what is needed to avoid arousing suspicion. And, after commandeering a few pieces of mail over a short period time, thieves amass enough information to pose as you.
With access to bill payments and credit card statements, identity thieves use account numbers to make purchases in your stead. Taken a step further, filling in the change of address form on the back of the statement keeps the activity hidden from you over a few months.
Also, the red outgoing mail flag signals not only your postal carrier but those watching that valuable information is available for the taking. Account numbers and banking information open the door to further fraud. And, check payments can be washed to make them payable to the criminal.
While paying your bills online, dropping outgoing mail at the post office and checking financial statements prove helpful, they offer only a partial defense. Even being alert to mail delivery patterns, making attempts to diligently pick up mail promptly and reporting suspicious activity fall short or prove impossible when you are not home during day. So, what solution remains?
This simple solution allows mail carriers to place mail into the box. However, a key is required to remove it. This cost-effective measure protects your mail and identity from thievery. You would not leave the valuables and personal information in your home, even your computer, unlocked and unprotected. Consider your mailbox an extension of your home.
Communities or apartment buildings with common mail areas prove especially hard to monitor due to the level of natural traffic. Locking mailboxes located in these main gathering spaces becomes especially important. However, be aware that significant risk exists at end-of-the-drive boxes as well.
We offer key making services on quick turnaround timeframes maintain the security of your personal information in the event of a broken or lost key. Newly cut, duplicate keys give you same day access to your mail. And, if security remains a question with a lost key floating about, new lock installation ensures only you access sensitive, personal mail.
While the price of a locking, secure metal mailbox may cause you to cringe, consider the investment. The couple hundred dollars to install this type of box offers assurance against the time, hassle and financial loss of identity theft. Plus, remember to add in the value of peace of mind that comes with this additional security.
The risk of identity theft looms large for Americans. Both virtual and old standby mailboxes continue to prove at risk. Fortunately, the means to protect your personal information and, thereby, your identity are within your grasp. Grab the keys and lock that mailbox today.
For information on securing your personal identity by locking your mailbox, contact us today. We're happy to help!
For any and all locksmith and security problems, give us a call today. We at Sevan look forward to helping you quickly resolve your issues through courteous and knowledgeable service using high-quality, durable products. Why? Because your security, convenience and satisfaction are our highest priority.


text:
CollaborationWestern Reserve Hospital Partners is a collaboration between a large number of local physicians that came together to create a physician-led, patient-centered, full-service integrated healthcare delivery system, including a community hospital. The goal of the organization is to provide patients with a full scope of healthcare services,
Western Reserve Hospital Partners together with Summa Health System started a joint venture at the previous Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital location with the intent of building a new facility several miles north of the current location.
Summa Health System, impressed by the vision of the physicians and the successes they had realized already, partnered with the physician entity so that the joint venture could acquire the license of Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital.
The physicians envisioned the initial step with acquiring the Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital license as an opportunity to build the culture, management style and philosophies sooner than they expected, and on June 24, 2009, Summa Western Reserve Hospital became the Northeast Ohio region's first physician-owned, for-profit, full service hospital; a majority physician owned joint venture between Western Reserve Hospital Partners and Summa Health System.
About | Message from the President | Patient Commitment | Collaboration | Contact
Site © Western Reserve Hospital Partners 2018


text:
10/4/03, Shea Stadium. The last show of the Rising tour. The last dance, as Bruce referred to 7/1/00 (the last Reunion tour show at MSG), and now, here we are once again. 7/1/00 was different in that the Reunion tour was already a miracle in and of itself, and we really didn't know if we would ever see those 9 people together onstage again. Three years later, a new album and a whole tour under our belts, there was slightly more hope this time.
I journeyed East in August to see the final two shows of the Giants Stadium stand. When they went on sale, we really believed that would be the end; by the time the shows began, we knew that there would be yet another leg, the baseball stadiums, and then, of course, Shea. I have all these emails in my outbox where I determinedly insist I Am Not Going To Shea, that I'd had a fine year and didn't need to go.
Then we had the week where we lost both Zevon and Johnny Cash. Suddenly, even the most steadfast holdouts were checking frequent flier miles and the balance on their credit cards, and just going. My compromise was that I was only going if I had a free plane ticket, and I would only go out for 10/4. "Only" 10/4.
I arrive in New York tired, recovering from the flu, and worn out. I almost didn't go, calling my sister on Friday and insisting that I was too sick to go. "Go," she said, after listening to my litany. "Because if you stay home, you'll be sick, but you won't have seen Bruce. If you go to NY, maybe you'll still be sick, but you won't miss the last show." I pause, not expecting this reaction from her. She is The Responsible Sister. "I just know you, you'll hate that you missed it."
Of course, she was right.
I abandoned any dreams of landing a miracle GA for this last show; I had grabbed B9's the day they went on sale ' not great, but at least on the floor. Day of show, when I came to terms with the fact that I was in no shape to hop on the 7 train at 8 a.m. and go get in the drop line, the miracle appears in the form of A6's, dropped around 1 p.m., and snapped up by my co-ticketholder. Front floor section. It'll do.
I spent the afternoon resting, since I didn't have to meet my companion until 5. But I was antsy. I wanted to get out there, and I was staying in Astoria so it wasn't that far away. I headed out around 3:30, and was in Flushing by 4. As I get off of the train, I can see a crowd of people gathered on the opposite platform, looking into the stadium. As I walk down the stairs and am about to leave the station, something tells me to just go see what's going on on the Manhattan-bound side.
Thank god I did, because what was going on was soundcheck. Crystal clear, with an elevated viewing platform into the stadium, stage clearly visible, Bruce appearing on the big screens, wearing the ever-present Dolphins cap. I take position as the band is thundering through "Code of Silence." I don't like reading about soundchecks and rarely make a special effort to try to hear them. But today just seemed different. I am up there with random curious onlookers, some who recognize that it's Bruce and are treating it as a free concert, but most could care less and leave after a few seconds. I am delighted beyond belief to have happened into this.
The song stops, there's some chatter I can't make out clearly, and then an organ and Bruce starts to rap about being in love. I recognize the vamp and I freeze in position as he begins to sing.
"Back In Your Arms."
If you don't know it, it's this heart-wrenching, truly soulful and deeply felt ballad of lost love and regret. A song that only the diehards really know or care about. It was never released until the Tracks box set, and even that isn't the best version. The ultimate version, in my humble opinion, is the one that is portrayed on the "Blood Brothers" DVD, the story of the band getting back together around the time the Greatest Hits cd was put together. (It's so powerful that Bruce was recently asked by a fan how fresh the hurt was when he wrote the song; Bruce's answer was not very ' he just wanted to write and sing a soul song.)
In my dream my love was lost, I lived by luck and fate
I carried you inside of me, prayed it wouldn't be too late
Now I'm standin' on this empty road where nothin' moves but the wind
And honey, I just want to be
Back in your arms, back in your arms again…
I have never heard him sing this song. Ever. I have never even come close. I have imagined it endlessly, imagined it being one of those instances where your heart stops, where everything stops, where you are seemingly frozen in time. It is heartbreaking in every way possible.
You said once I was your treasure and I saw your face in every star
But the promises we make at night, oh that's all they are
Unless we fill them with faith and love, they're empty as the howlin' wind
And honey I just wanna be
Back in your arms, back in your arms again…
So here I am, by myself, alone, in the city of my awakening (not my birth, that honor goes to New Jersey), the city I long for and lament. I am standing on a windswept subway platform filled with families and random Saturday travelers, witnessing this incredible moment, this treasure, this – gift. This song, of all the songs I could hear in a soundcheck, today, at the end of this tour, at the end of this year. "Back In Your Arms." It was like it was my own private serenade, and it was one of the most beautiful, serendipitous occurrences ever. But it was also bittersweet, in that there was no one near me to commiserate or share the experience with. I forlonly call a friend back in Portland, babble something senselessly to her and hold the phone up.
The song ends, and there's a pause onstage. I am brought back to reality by the rain and the wind and finally noticing that there are trains rattling down the tracks behind me. I snap out of my reverie and head down to the stadium, as "Johnny 99" roars out of the stadium next.
Several hours later. It is raining in full force. I have been walking around the stadium, running into friends and acquaintances every few feet, buying that vitally important last show t-shirt. It is time to head inside, time to be part of the ritual one last time. And ritual it is, from the moment Bruce sings "Come on up for the rising…" and we all hold our arms up in the air, to that driving intro, powered by Max"s drums, and anchored by Bruce's "1,2,3,4!", echoed by the crowd every night, that brings us into "Lonesome Day" " it's so ingrained in me now that when I listen to the record, I expect to hear "Lonesome Day" after "The Rising" and I will count down myself when no one's around – to the "Turn it up!" chant that is now crucial to "Mary's Place," to the "whoa, whoa, whoa" chant that is now an integral part of "Badlands," to holding up 7 fingers in the air the minute the last notes of "Born To Run" end and we know that "Seven Nights To Rock" is next – it was all there, and then some. Being out of the pit for this show hurt for that reason, because when you're there, it is call and response, it is an exchange of energy, everyone knows what to do and does it without even thinking. It might sound hokey or forced or just plain stupid if you haven't been there, or don't understand. But it's always been like this ' different songs, different tours – and it's as much a part of the shows as the music is.
"Code of Silence" opened, forming a trilogy with the previous nights' openers – "Souls of the Departed," "Roulette," and now "Code". I love when people try to berate Bruce for speaking about politics onstage; it's like they never ever bothered to listen to the actual songs. Those three songs as openers said far more than any PSA or explicit statement (and I'd argue that every single one of those is damn explicit already).
Given that "Roulette" opened night two, I had zero expectation that I'd get to hear it again. So my joy when Max kicked into those syncopated drumbeats that open the song was boundless, me pummelling my co-ticketholder on the arm, excitedly, as the Three Mile Island-inspired tale of panic, flight and desperation soared through Shea. "Night" came next, the perfect companion, although I view that song as offering more hope than "Roulette" does. (But that's what Bruce has always been the master of, finding the light through the darkness.)
It wasn't feeling like a last show. Even when Bruce invoked the "last dance" label shortly before "Waitin" On A Sunny Day" (requesting, "Hey, Stevie, cheer me up!" Usually at that juncture he's making a wisecrack about how that song features the "vocal stylings of Little Steven Van Zant," which is an understatement to say the least), but otherwise, it just wasn"t feeling all that definitive or final or conclusive. I hadn't been at Friday's show, but just the setlist alone made it clear it was a powerhouse, with a clear theme and tone that Bruce managed to maintain throughout the entire show. Tonight was a little more all over the place.
'You're Missing" reappears after an absence, and as soon as it started we realized how obvious a choice it was, for the last show in this city. "Johnny 99" appears, the same version I heard at soundcheck. I really wasn't sure about this rockabilly version, it seemed almost too cheery for the subject matter. But Soozie was on fire, and at the end, Bruce beckoned her to the front of the stage, and then Danny came down with the accordion, it all gelled, they just came together and rocked the fuck out. It was a combination Zydeco barn dance and old time hootenanny and it was a stunning display of musicianship.
The Tunnel of Love songs had started to creep back into the setlists over the past few weeks; we know now that it had everything to do with the fact that Bruce had been working on the tracklist for the Essential cd. Whatever the reason, it was great to hear "Tunnel of Love" cascade off that stage. I missed the horn section, though, and found myself singing it in my head. "Because the Night," yet another chestnut of a powerhouse, where you are guaranteed to witness the Gunslinger of Central New Jersey in action. It burned at Giants Stadium and tonight was no different.
We reach "Mary's Place," and at this point, the finality of the situation had started to sink in. I enjoy the song, and have cast my vote for it to be an evergreen from The Rising. It was fun as always, although the band introductions seemed kind of rushed. At the end of the intros, instead of the audience launching into an "E Street Band" chant (although people were trying), the "Broooces" kind of took over. This time, he let them go on for a while, which is the first time I've seen him do that this tour – he usually cuts it off pretty quick if that starts. And i have to say that at that moment, he actually really looked kind of misty… which didn't help our cause much either.
Then, that organ riff starts, my eyes light up, and I tell my companion that this was the song that had so excited me at soundcheck (he didn't want to hear what the songs were, so I generalized greatly). There it is. "Back In Your Arms". For real. Live and in front of me. Hearing it at soundcheck the way I did didn't distract from the in-context experience in the least. I didn't care how far away from the stage I was, or think about how much at that moment I wanted to be in the pit up front. I just found my space and my connection to the stage, and it was, exactly, everything I'd ever hoped for.
"Light of Day," that Reunion tour staple, reappears, and I loved hearing it again. The tourist favorite, "Bobby Jean," followed. Now, while I don't hate this song as much as others do (and even then, the complaint is usually that there are so many incredible songs he could be playing instead), it's not exactly riveting. So I decide to do something I've never done, which is walk away from my seat. I am starving and decide to go get a pretzel, which is ironic in a sense since I am always criticizing people at concerts who feel the need to barrel down your row at the most inappropriate moment (Keith Richards' solo sets being the most egregious examples) to get a snack. But what the hell – I'm in a stadium, how far am I going? It's not like I won't be able to see and hear everything, and it is "Bobby Jean" after all, the chances of some amazing happening taking place that I'd miss out on are slim and none. It was kind of interesting to stand there on the side for a moment, and be an observer and not an active participant.
But I am back in my seat well before the house lights come to life and illuminate the stadium for "Born To Run". I do not understand how any person alive on this planet cannot be blown away by that moment, when the lights come up and you're singing along with 20,000 or 50,000 people to one of the greatest songs ever written in the history of rock and roll. I will never, ever, ever, get tired of this song or that moment. It finishes, and I defiantly thrust my 7 fingers into the air, I don't care if no one sees it but me, and sure enough, "Seven Nights To Rock." I'm still of the opinion that this is one of the greatest covers he's ever done. Sure, I love the standard covers he's done over the years, and some day would love to see "Rave On" or "Summertime Blues" again, but I just thought it was dynamite that he pulled this chestnut out of the closet and turned it into one of the highlights of the stadium shows. It's a song that everyone can instantly connect with, whether you've heard it before or not. It's easy to sing along to, it's infectious, and it just kicks ass.
So, things have been pretty standard by now, as far as Bruce shows go. Not that it hasn't been great and even fantastic at some moments, but if you've seen 10 shows this tour, you haven't exactly been blown away just yet (although "Back In Your Arms" came pretty fucking close). The band comes back onstage after the first encore break, and I am standing there, expecting the usual encore, when Bruce says something like, 'I'd like to bring out someone who's been a great inspiration to me, my friend…' and as he says the words "Bob Dylan," BOB MOTHERFUCKING DYLAN walked out on that stage, and the place goes utterly apeshit. I could not speak; I could not breathe; I couldn't even manage to go "Holy Shit!" or pound anyone on the arm. "Oh, my god," is all I apparently kept saying. It was something that was absolutely magnified and made better by sharing it with someone, anyone, whether it was someone you knew well, a distant buddy on the end of a cellphone, or absent friends whom you had with you in your heart. Or even the random guy behind us wearing a Bob Dylan shirt, who had the biggest grin on his face at that moment. Just like we all did ' including, and especially, Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen, who looked for all the world like a 16 year old kid. It didn't matter that we couldn't hear Bob's guitar. It didn't matter that his vocals weren't miced adequately (the audience was singing 'Highway 61″ loud enough that it didn't matter all that much). It was, again, one of those once-in-a-lifetime happenings that you will talk about and remember forever.
"My City of Ruins." One of my most favorite things to watch this tour was the little side step Bruce would do with Clarence during that song. It was just so – simple, and so powerful, and, erm, very sensual in a way. It was touching, too, just kind of watching him share that moment with the Big Man. (My sister always said she wondered what they were talking about ' 'So, Bruce, what you doin" after the show?" "Well, I thought I'd go to Wendy's…") On another related note about small moments, Bruce's affection towards Patti tonight was just spilling over.
"Rosalita" is still some of the most fun you can have legally. I understand why he retired it, but I was equally glad to see it return, and when I witnessed it for the first time since back in the day (8/30, my first Giants Stadium show), I just couldn't believe how great it sounded. A long-lost friend returning home. "Dancing In The Dark," that anti-Born In The USA version, the all-ROCK-all-the-time version, the one I witnessed at its debut in Tacoma over a year ago. I can see the pit is pogoing on the breaks and I want to be there so badly. I console myself by pogoing anyway, and at the end, easing into the aisle and pogoing around in circles like a three-year-old. "It's the last time I can do this," I shouted, laughing my ass off.
I'm making my way back to my seat as a cavalcade of special guests lines up on the stage; after Dylan, it was going to take an awful lot to get our attention, and it was the usual suspects anyway " Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, Gary U.S. Bonds. From the riff Bruce hit, I am thinking that it's going to be "Raise Your Hand," which wasn't that out of the question, it's a good mass participation number. But, then " "OH MY GOD! WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" and I leap back out into the aisle to dance my ass off to "Quarter To Three," another old standard that we haven't heard in eons. Some of my most favorite moments ever at Bruce shows were during "Quarter To Three" or the Detroit Medley, when I'd be out in the aisles with my then-boyfriend or just the girls, dancing around like fools, just dancing and dancing and having the time of our lives. It was always a big, important part of the shows to me, when it's just about having fun. It is supposed to be fun, ya know? I mean, along with Dylan and "Back In Your Arms" and "Roulette," the everlasting memory I will have of this show is going to be me being an idiot during "Dancing In The Dark" and boogying my ass off in the aisle during "Quarter To Three."
"Twist and Shout" was an obvious pick, given the venue, and it was a trainwreck, but a happy one. It finishes, and the crowd is screaming and waving, and I had heard there was one more song soundchecked, and there is only one song that can possibly be next. "One more," I say to my seatmate, and he looks as me as though I'm insane. Then there's a hush onstage, followed by that solemn, quiet introduction to "Blood Brothers." To me, it felt like the entire fucking stadium shut up during that first verse. Even if they didn't know what the song was and didn't understand the significance of it, you could feel that it was Something, and people were giving it respect. There weren't even any mass exoduses to beat the rush or catch a train. It wasn't maudlin. It was quiet, it had presence, it was genuine, it was heartfelt, it was a promise and a statement – but not a final one. I stood there with my hand on my heart, drinking it in, watching Bruce and Clarence and the rest of the band stand at the front of the stage, holding hands, watching the tears on Clarence's face and the ones clearly shining in Bruce's eyes. Nothing could have followed that. Or should have.
And then, the ride was over.


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Red Feathers in the Garden: Echium amoenum
Red feathers (Echium amoenum) is one of the most interesting perennial introductions in years. It has a very structural, architectural quality to it, with straight flower spikes somewhat resembling our native Liatris punctata, but blooming much earlier in May. I've combined the unique russet-red flower spikes and growth habit of red feathers with the bright yellow flowers and low spreading habit of Genista lydia. In another garden I have it with a prickly pear cactus variety named 'Claude Barr Plum'. It's also a beautiful accent for other, more water loving plants, such as Purple Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria).
The spikes will reach a height of about 14 inches. I've never had any blooms lean or flop over unless the plant is actually stepped on (it happens!). It has a tuft of dark green basal foliage that only reaches about 8 inches across. It will rebloom throughout the season if the old flower spikes are removed. Red Feathers has been in one of my gardens at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster since 2006. While it doesn't seem to be strongly perennial, it does reseed occasionally, so you may want to leave a couple of spikes of flowers/seeds to mature.
Red Feathers is from the Caucasus Mountains. It will tolerate a wide variety of conditions. I grow it in a heavy clay soil amended with sand and pea gravel. The garden is bordered on one side by a rock wall, one side by a sidewalk and the other by asphalt. Through the summer months it is watered about once a week, otherwise the clock is off and it is watered on an "as needed" basis. I grow it in full sun. It will tolerate partial shade and it will also tolerate more water. Red Feathers will be a great addition to your garden!
View the plant profile here or see the video here.
Red Feathers (Echium amoenum)
Height: 12-16" inches
Width: 6-10" inches
Blooms: May to frost (if deadheaded)
Sun: Full sun or part shade
Soil Moisture: Moderate to xeric (Little to no irrigation needed once established.)
Hardiness: USDA zones 3-9
Culture: Clay, sandy soil or loam
Thanks to Shalene Hiller, City of Westminster, for writing this piece.
15 responses to "Red Feathers in the Garden: Echium amoenum"
I love this plant. I have two, and would like more. Do seeds need to be stratified or over-wintered to germinate? Thanks!
They do well even in northern Ohio with loam soil and lots of rain. The only trouble is they tend to come up in a lot of places where you don't want them. My plants have increased from about 3 to about 40 over the course of five years. Beautiful flowers.
Do they bloom the first year? I bought a little box of them at a greenhouse early this spring. They are still very small.
(Western Pennsylvania)
It says here to deadhead the plants, but not HOW to deadhead them. Can you please explain the appropriate way to deadhead the red feather flowers? Thank you!
Hey Ross!
I planted two Red Feathers that I picked up at the flower bin in Longmont, and they seem to look a little off. They grew massively high, and have not shown any color yet. See below, any thoughts??
I have two plants in Palmer Alaska Zone 3. They are not commonly sold and I found mine at a greenhouse in Homer. They looked interesting and I'm always looking for something out of the ordinary in perennials. I've had them about 4-5 years now and they always come back. But this year, am moving them to a different location so we'll see. The comments here are very helpful as well.
Mine seem to be highly perennial. I've had one plant for five years, with many "children" now all around it.


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I hope everyone enjoyed a nice Mother's Day yesterday! I certainly did, and my three children spoiled me something awful. It was great! You may think I'm a little premature sharing a Christmas Card with you already, but if you make as many as I do, it's never too early to get started. Besides, I wanted to share some of the new products with you from the new Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog. This card features products from the Be Of Good Cheer Suite, including the Chock Full of Cheer Stamp Set, Be Of Good Cheer Designer Series Paper, and Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon. I so love all these new products! They make it easy to create a fabulous project.
I made a monumental discovery yesterday, thanks to a tip from a fellow demonstrator. She told me that the new Firm Felt stamp pads are juicy enough that you can heat emboss with them if you apply the embossing powder right away. So I gave it a try and it worked perfectly! I used a Gumball Green Ink Pad and Clear Embossing Powder here. Isn't it beautiful and shiny?! Love it!
Stampin' Up! Products Used:
Stamp Sets: Chock Full Of Cheer
Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Designer Series Paper: Be Of Good Cheer
Ink Pads: Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green
Tools: Big Shot, Snowburst Embossing Folder, Heat Tool, 1 3/4" Circle Punch
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon, Pearls
The new products mentioned today will be available effective June 1 in the Stampin' Up! 2012-2013 Annual Catalog. If you would like a copy of the catalog, I would be happy to send you one free, with a $5 fee for priority shipping. Click here to request a catalog or to shop now.
Have an awesome day!


text:
Quello strano desiderio (1979)
By admin On 19 July 2015 In Classic Erotica
Directed by: Enzo Milioni
Stars: Nico Salatino, Gianni Ciardo, Vanni Materassi
Language: Italian
Country: Italy | Tvrip
Description: About a pair of aliens who come to Earth disguised as accountants after winning a holiday package. Given the appearance of people, the randy extraterrestrials waste no time discovering that certain parts of the human body feel better than others. After some comic misadventures and a number of uninspired love scenes, the aliens decide that having sex with humans is more appealing than returning to their home planet.


text:
|A chariot from a Chinese chess set
(photo by Daniel Go)
Which came first, the chariot or horse riding? Bizarrely, it's the chariot, arriving into the historical record at around 2000 B.C.E, some 1500 years before horseback riding started to become widespread. Considering the added expense and hassle of building a chariot, you would assume we first learnt to ride on the backs of horses, and only later thought: "Hey! Let's try getting it to pull us along on these wheely yokes we just invented." But no - although there is evidence that humans had tried to ride horses, it seems it was chariots first, horse riding second.
What's more, the story behind the development of chariots and the reason it came before horse riding is steeped in mystery. One of the best theories suggested by historians is that ancient horses were smaller and weaker than those of today, and were thus unable to efficiently bear the weight of a rider until centuries of husbandry had developed breeds strong enough to do so. Other than that, historians are open to suggestions.
Of course, even long after the advent of horseback riding, chariots and specifically chariot-racing remained popular. The Circus Maximus hippodrome in Rome was one of the largest sporting venues ever built with a capacity of some 250,000 spectators. It's also thought that charioteering produced the wealthiest athlete ever in Gaius Appuleius Diocles, who retired at 42 with an estimated fortune of $15 billion in today's money (see the post on aurigation for more about him).
|Egyptian chariots were notoriously rubbish at amphibious assaults


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Showing 1–18 of 32 results
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text:
Although text messages are usually sent without any spaces at all, when writing Korean or for a longer letter, spaces are rather important.
Fortunately, a friend told me abou this new site that seems pretty cool — 자동 뛰어쓰기.
Sometimes where to put spaces between words is difficult to figure out in Korean. However, here if ou can put your Korean text and it will put in automatically correct any spacing mistakes.
I'm going to try to use it for my lang-8 diary entries before I publish them to double-check to see if my spaces are correct.


text: On Thu, 11 Sep 2008, Douglas Bates wrote: >> ...I assume that this means that for iteration 0, those are the estimated >> parameters, and there are 36 of them. It appears to be completing an >> iteration every 15-20 seconds. The full interaction should estimate 8 >> variances and sum(1:7) = 28 covariances = 36 parameters total, so that >> checks out. 36 parameters is 3.6 times as many as fm2 required, so >> 312.860*3.6 = 1126, or about 18 minutes to fit...far less than it's >> taken. > >> 36^2 / 10^2 = 13 times longer, or about 68 minutes to fit fm3...we'll see >> when we get there. > > There are two ways in which this will take longer. Each iteration will > take longer and it will probably take many more iterations. A 36 > parameter optimization problem is a big problem. Optimization usually > doesn't scale linearly. Worst case it is exponential in the length of the > parameter vector. Most optimization algorithms can do better than that > but the complexity is still on the order of p^3 or more. (269 iterations over 106 minutes and counting). A jump from p^10=312 seconds to p^36 suggests that the model will probably never end up fit; p^3 suggests 243 minutes total (132 minutes from now). >>> However, I would check both with and without accelerated BLAS if you >>> have a multi-core processor. Sometimes a multithreaded accelerated BLAS >>> can make lmer run slower, not faster. This is because the calls to the >>> BLAS are predominantly for small matrices and the communications >>> overhead for multithreaded versions more than offsets the performance >>> gain from using multiple cores. > >> Interesting...I hadn't thought of that. The processor is 4-core, and R >> was linked against the multithreaded BLAS. This may be covered in a faq >> somewhere, but is there an easy way to swap out the BLAS that R is >> accessing? Perhaps renaming my libraries is sufficient? > > There is some discussion in the "Administration" manual about this. Rather > than trying to hot swap the libraries I would probably reconfigure and > recompile. Configure using --with-blas=no and --with-lapack=no. This section in the R-admin manual confused me. Just to be clear, if I do this, then the BLAS library set in BLAS_LIBS *at runtime* will be used, or at compile time? Or are you suggesting I build another version of R which uses non-threaded ATLAS? Or a version of R that uses its own BLAS? --Adam


text:
This is my rare Brian Moore C45. Serial #61973.
This guitar is rare mahogany and is no longer in production.
The action is quick and easy to play, the bolt in Mahogany neck is straight with a Rosewood fret board and white dot inlays, and the body is a smooth natural Mahogany tung-oil finish.
The shape of this guitar feels great and comfortably fits your body as you play. It has two P-90 pick ups, a fixed bridge and one quarter inch output in the back which comfortably lays behind the straps. The P90s give you overall, a single coil feel and flavor but with higher output and A LOT more girth. The combination of the darker wood with these pickups puts it squarely between humbucker and single coil territory, definitely fatter than single coils, throaty and full, but not as dull as humbuckers.
This guitar is used. There is a quite bit of pick wear, fret wear, buckle rash and the tone control knob is not flush with the body. On the headstock there is a nick that can be re-finished. There is also some corrosion on the bridge and nicks on the side and back. Overall, this is definitely a player's guitar in "Good" to "Fair" condition. I am not the first owner. Other than that guitar sounds great and plays well.
Brian Moore Guitars >


text:
Renowned Bordeaux second-growth estate Pichon-Lalande has expanded into South Africa after acquiring a 126ha fruit farm estate in the Stellenbosch region.
May-Eliane de Lencquesaing (pictured), the owner of the Bordeaux château, has put her technical director, Thomas Dô-Chi-Nam, in charge of the Glen Elly property and its development.
Plans include the planting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and perhaps some Petit Verdot with the object of creating one or several blends.
After spending years searching for a terroir – originally looking to America – de Lencquesaing became interested in South Africa. Her sponsorship of the International wine and Spirit Competition trophy for the best-blended red wine bought her into contact with South African producers.
She was also very keen to highlight the ethical aspect of her investment in South Africa. 'I believe it's good to invest in and encourage developing countries. I believe in the South Africans,' she told decanter.com.
It is unlikely that the wine produced will resemble her Pichon-Lalande and Madame de Lencquesaing was keen to point out that she was not aiming to emulate a Bordeaux wine.
'It is not Bordeaux. It will be a high quality South African wine. Geographically it is more like Burgundy and the climate is Tuscan,' she said. She added that she would also be planting about 15ha of olive trees in the estate.
Madame de Lencquesaing is undecided as to whether or not the future wine's label will display the Pichon-Lalande name.
The Glen Elly property is situated next to the well-known Rustenburg estate in the Simonsberg district, north of Stellenbosch town.
After planting is completed and the vines are producing, the first bottles of the Glen Elly/Pichon-Lalande wine should hit the market by 2012.
Written by Oliver Styles


text:
I first want to admit that I opened this wine last night and it was practically undrinkable due to it's astringent tannin and high acidity levels....I almost dumped it down the drain because I thought perhaps it could have been a flawed bottle. However, after 24 hours on top of my refrigerator the wine has transformed into a masterpiece.
On the nose I get stunning aromas of stewed bing cherries, red raspberry, sarsaparilla, and crushed rocks. There is a really nice balance between mineral character and red fruit.
On the palate the wine glides across the palate with a lovely silky texture and expresses elegant flavors of cherry sauce, cranberry, red currant, leather, and dried herbs. The soft and vidid red fruit flavors express a certain savory character that makes the mouth water in anticipation of the next sip.
This is true Burgundy folks.....the elegance, the complexity, the acidity and overall balance, this is what defines the varietal and region. The wine is however extremely young and will drink much better with a minimum of 5 years in the bottle. If you do plan on drinking it at this stage, I would strongly suggest a few hours in decanter or a night of being open with the cork in the top. 93 points
90 point wines under $20 at Wine.com. Shop Now!


text:
"Beautiful" seems like a wholly inadequate word but it's the one that seemed to keep tumbling out of my mouth all day.
The Grand Tetons are beautiful.
Beautiful in that jaw-dropping-eye-popping-take-your-breath-away kind of way.
Really, really beautiful.
Eric and I must have said to each other a dozen times today, "Can you believe how beautiful it is here?" Anyone near us must have wanted to scream, "Please stop using the word beautiful." I would have, if I'd been listening to us.
While Eric and I were busy waxing poetic, Kenna and Michal were diligently pursuing their Junior Ranger badge. It's a National Park program that requires children to complete four pages of activities and questions about the park. It includes things like: meeting and talking with a ranger, attending a ranger program and going on a hike. The rangers take the program quite seriously. The girls learned about different animal habitats and spoke to a ranger about the fire that's currently burning in the park. They toured the American Indian Museum and filled out a "bingo card" of animals, plants and signs that they found.
One of the things on the bingo card was an amphitheater. We found it, and when we did, Michal and Kenna ran to the stage and put on a show for their audience of two.
We worked on their badge the entire day and then returned to the Visitor Center so they could review their work with a ranger, take the Junior Ranger Oath and receive their badge.
We got to the Visitor Center 15 minutes after it closed.
The girls were understandably disappointed but I assured them we'd return in the morning on our way to Yellowstone.
Michal said, "That's OK. I want to come back. It's really beautiful here."
Why yes my girl, it really is beautiful here.


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Privacy and Security
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A Better S/MIME GUI Requires Restart
Provides a better S/MIME GUI for Thunderbird.
AlertSwitch Requires Restart
Turn on/off the alert shown when new message arrives.
Allow HTML Temp Requires Restart
This Add-on allows to have HTML temporarily allowed in the currently displayed message by only one click. When switching to another message, it'll be shown automatically again in plain text or simple html mode (if this is your default mode).
Auto Address Cleaner Requires Restart
Removes comment, display name automatically from addresses before sending mail.
Auto Password Registerer Requires Restart
Registers given passwords to Firefox/Thunderbird's password manager automatically.
Automatic Export Requires Restart
exports by an intervall or after pressing the button selected calendars in a defined folder in two modes - normal and backup...
On my homepage is the current version.
Here on this site it takes a long time after i publish a new version.
Batch Copy Requires Restart
Batch Copy creates a local copy of your IMAP account, copies all messages and maintains folder structure. Batch Copy can run incrementally to copy only new messages.
Bitmask Thunderbird Extension Requires Restart
After installing the extension, do the following:
1. Make sure that Bitmask is running and you are logged in.
2. In Thunderbird, click the main menu, then "Preferences" - "Account Settings".
3. Click "Account Actions" - "New Bitmask Account...".
Bluhell Firewall
Get a faster browsing experience by blocking nasty web resources using Bluhell Firewall, the lightweight Ad-Blocker and Tracking/Privacy Protector.
BorderColors GT Requires Restart
How many time you sent an email from your wrong email address?
This add-ons allows you assign a different color to the compose window border for each of your email addresses. So you can immediately view from what account are you writing.
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The Swedish Chef travesty filter and URL blocker. View web pages or mail as spoken by the Swedish Chef like this...
"Zee Svedeesh Cheff trefesty feelter und URL blucker. Feeoo veb peges oor meeel es spukee by zee Svedeesh Cheff leeke-a thees."
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Caps Killer is a protection against newbies using caps in their mails.
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Adds a button in address book cards to fetch and display the certificate of a contact.
Certificate Patrol Requires Restart
Your browser trusts many certification authorities and intermediate sub-authorities quietly, every time you enter an HTTPS web site. This add-on reveals when certificates are updated, so you can ensure it was a legitimate change.
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Button in the toolbar/status bar to change referer value.
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Channelguard disables plugins and protocol handlers to ensure maximum security against side-channel attack.
Check and Send Requires Restart
Check the message contents and addresses before you send the message...
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Confirms to send a mail with any attachment.
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This extension is to display the warning dialog when you send mail for multiple domains.
To create your own collections, you must have a Mozilla Add-ons account.


text:
Behind the
Yellow Line
Thomas Schmidt
© Copyright 2006 by Christopher Thomas Schmidt
The role of the mass-transit regular is as unappreciated as it is misunderstood. That segment of society, which through circumstance rather than convenience, gravitates toward and commits itself to public transportation, is not well regarded by that segment which does not. They are viewed, however unfairly, as a group to be pitied, and, as much as possible, avoided. Little do the short-sighted realize, however, the vital niche that is filled by this "pitiable" band. We stare at the horrendously overweight individual on the bus. We mock the homeless guy at the subway station. We shy away from—perhaps wisely—the guy arguing with himself on the train, but who among us takes the time to truly understand these individuals?
What the unsavory, obese and psychotic commuter offers is vindication. The majority of us like to believe, or rather want others to believe, that we have a fair degree of social conscience, despite the fact that we can't be bothered to do things like recycle, donate money to charity or go an entire day without driving our own vehicle. On the occasion—the tremendously rare occasion—that we self-righteous, auto-reliant individuals do venture onto a city bus or subway, the presence of an insane or offensive regular allows us to feel good about ourselves for all those times we choose not to take the bus or subway. Riding eleven city blocks alongside a man who can kill you with his own smell, even just once a year, goes a long way toward assuaging the guilt you would otherwise feel over clogging the worlds streets with your own private, ozone-depleting automobile. We should be thankful for the relief these transients—for lack of a more subtle word—provide, as we must come to respect and appreciate the planning it takes to ensure that at least one representative of the hopelessly grimy, angry and dangerous is present on every bus, train and street car, just in case one of us happens to climb on board.
I am one who tries to take at least semi-regular advantage of public transportation, as I also strive to empathize with the public-transport dependent. Something happened late the other night, though, that even I, in my heightened state of sensitivity, could not help but marvel. I understand that the cross section of humanity to be found on a city bus at ten in the evening is likely to be exemplary, but the cast of characters on this particular bus defied reality. By my count, every working representative of the hopelessly grimy, angry and dangerous was present on this bus. Those that weren't already on the bus when I boarded, got on shortly afterwards at the next several stops. Not an overly squeamish person, I was a little freaked out as the frequency of bizarre and frightening passengers went from noteworthy to extreme. After my initial shock, I began to wonder how impractical it was for the entire cast of mass-transit-stereotype society to board the same bus. Doesn't the presence of sixty to seventy representative public transportees on one bus necessarily mean that there are sixty to seventy busses out there that have none? Sixty to seventy busses where all the passengers have a reasonable allotment of teeth and no one smells of bourbon. Everyone staring at one another unsure who are the really unstable among them. The whole experience is, in a word, really, really disconcerting. Think I exaggerate? Below is merely a partial list of the characters on my bus:
The Principles:
One 60-year old woman wearing a tattered Burger King crown.
One lonely talks-too-much guy; who enthusiastically tells anyone who will listen about his day, his disposable-razor collection and how he doesn't live in this part of the city but likes to bus down here because a particular 7-11 on this route has really good sandwiches (I am not making this up. I really met this guy, and he really had a bag of sandwiches). One insane, homeless, yelling-at-everyone guy.
One insane, homeless, yelling-at-no-one-in-particular-but-still-yelling guy.
One insane meth addict.
One insane crack addict.
One insane alcoholic. It may be insensitive, and is probably inaccurate of me to call these individuals as insane. I apply the insane label to anyone who does not meet my criteria for being not crazy. Though who am I to judge one who prefers narcotics to food, wears white after Labor Day and argues passionately with imaginary antagonists in public. One guy who looks normal, relatively, but who represents such an offensive olfactory presence that even the meth and crack addicts won't sit next to him.
One 300lb. woman with 4+ kids.
One 400lb. man with no kids, but has no less than eighteen plastic shopping bags stuffed full of God knows what.
One chemically-imbalanced transient couple with curiously defined responsibilities: the first is an absolute rag doll, slipping in and out (mostly out) of consciousness, and appears to be mere seconds from suffering a horrendous Jimi-Hendrix like demise right in the aisle. The other is equally grimy and appears as equally beleaguered, fighting his own battle for consciousness, though is determined to "keep it together" so that he and his partner don't miss anything important.
The Unibomber.
One White-Rapper looking kid with really expensive shoes, poorly fitting team jersey and a screaming CD-player.
One trio of black kids with expensive shoes who sit close enough to the white kid to chase the arrogant expression from his face. You notice with no small degree of satisfaction that he has also turned off his CD-player.
One un-extraordinary looking guy, who was asleep when you got on, didn't move an eyelash the entire trip and is still asleep as you get off, and about whom you question whether he is still alive.
One teenage girl with a cell phone who talks incessantly and inappropriately loud, and who would be resentful if she knew you were "listening" to her conversation. One thin, stubbly-faced guy, who you probably wouldn't even notice if he weren't wearing a pair of Terminator-sunglasses, on a bus at ten in the evening; which he probably only removes to shower and sleep—if he does either—and is the one person here who honestly frightens you as you are pretty sure he is a genuine and capable serial killer. You can't truly tell, because of the sunglasses, but you have an unshakable feeling that he is staring directly at you, and this is particularly unnerving as you know he is contemplating, nay, planning your grizzly and lingering death.
An out-of-place elderly couple, for whom you feel a good deal of empathy and with whom you mistakenly make eye contact as you search for an island of sanity in the madness, only to realize that they have been fighting to keep from making eye contact with anyone and you have just scared the hell out of them.
One youngish, notably clean guy with bright orange, green or pink hair, who dresses really nicely, but is likely not fulfilling his father's dream that he become a professional athlete.
A thousand-year old woman, who moves even less than the sleeping guy, about who you are trying to be respectful, but in whose presence you cannot help thinking about mortality.
An unusually attractive woman, who, to your line of thinking looks woefully out of place, but with whom you do not make eye contact as you find extreme beauty intimidating. The one instance in which she does glance your way, you look away quickly, unwittingly scaring the elderly couple again.
One indescribably dirty individual who could either be a coal miner or mud farmer, or both.
An East German couple who you believe to be, and whose mannerisms confirm that they are lost, but who you make no attempt to assist as you bury your attention in the arm-rest graffiti, selfishly just wanting to make it out of here alive. You silently promise to feel compassion them later.
One truly frail old man, who probably rides the bus everyday, in complete comfort, who now makes you feel quite the coward for being so scared.
The only one missing from the procession is anxious, likely-lives-in-his-parent's-basement guy who rides with a 15" houseplant in his lap. It's either his night off or he didn't get the memo that everyone is meeting on this bus this evening.
The bus is filled beyond what I perceive to be reasonable capacity, and about the time I give up my seat to the thousand year old woman, I resolve to make my retreat. I get off the bus two stops early, favoring a six-block walk over a likely untimely death. Obliquely, I notice as a woman near the front grips her purse even more tightly into her body when I pass. Initially, I am insulted by this, until I take a look at myself. I didn't shave today, my sandaled feet are dirty from earlier walking and who knows how significant is my own contribution to the bus' noxious atmosphere? Who am I, sitting in my ivory tower, passing judgment on others? I'm too busy trying to be inconspicuous—invisible really—to notice how completely I fit in. So intent am I to separate myself from the freak show, I didn't realize that I am simply another player, and a spooky one at that. One that frightens the elderly and makes hapless women clutch their belongings in panic. Walking home, I ponder my role as "the grungy, shifty-eyed kid who you can't trust 'cause he makes too much of a point to not get caught looking at anyone else."
Flush with new perspective, the actions of the
paranoid woman on the bus are much less offensive, even
understandable. Maliciously, though, I resolve that if I ever see her
again, I am going to sit next to her.
Contact Christopher
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