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Winter Meetings are underway…
Touched down in Indianapolis last night with the baseball operations core and for the next few days, this town will be the center of the baseball world. Lots of agents wandering the halls, baseball execs in their suites, PR types in their league-wide meetings and rumors flying every which way. It's an exciting time to be a fan during these few days, but it's safe to say that you have to be a little more careful what you believe during these few days that usual. Every imaginable scenario is discussed between teams and before you know it, the Yankees have traded A-Rod to the Pirates for Ryan Doumit. Or something like that.
The last few years, the winter meetings have been in relatively warm places but this year, there's snow on the ground outside and it is downright freezing out there. I'm guessing the people from the Twins, Yankees, and the rest of those teams aren't nearly as cold as us West Coasters.
And, I just got an email confirming that Whitey Herzog and Doug Harvey were elected to the Hall of Fame. Tough pill to swallow for those who remember the '85 LCS, but congrats to both.
I hope to post more info throughout the week here in Indiana.
64 Comments
I don't wven know why we are attending! We certainly aren't going to do anything. Should have saved the money. Sorry to start the morning on such a negative note but, I am not very optimistic about the Dodgers landing anybody of value to our team.
Ned…got a trade for you. Package Frank and Jamie for an owner to be named later………..
I don't mind shopping Sherrill for a starter, but what kind of a starter are they going to get if they can't even afford to pay Sherrill $4 mil a year? And they can't afford that even after they just shed $40 million from the payroll?
Considering how leveraged Frank and Jamie were together, how is either going to own the team with HALF of that amount? Unless they're forced to sell, this team is doomed to mediocrity.
Sounds like a good deal to me, Kahli 🙂
Love your new name, Grizzly!
I like the name change to McCheap…awesome!
Goodmorning everyone,
Listen I am as upset as everyone in this blog and more importantly as upset as every true dodger fan should be right now. We have great young talent that is just being wasted away because our owner is to damm cheap and broke to do anything. I can go on and on about our poor excuse for an owner. Sitting here and complaining wont do any good. We have to come together as Dodger fans and let ownership really know exactly how we feel….the perfect way of doing that is by making MCheap hurt,,the only way we can do that is by not buying anything. I love the dodgers but i really dislike our owner…=(..lets revolt !!!!!!!
by the way im Mcheap now, but i was previously know as Grizzly1320….Mccourt inspired me to change my sn for now
They're also talking a pitcher for JP, and mentioning Dontrelle Willis as a possibility. I'll take him. Now just fire Honeycutt and bring someone in who can re-ignite the guy's talent.
Was there not a December court date scheduled to hear the issue of Dodgers ownership between Frank and Jamie?
I would like to see Jamie established as a co-owner, not because I want her to benefit, but because that would most likely develop into the quickest scenario whereby the McCheaps, or the McFu**s, as I'd like to refer to them, realize that they have to sell the team. With their leveraged ownership to begin with, I hope this issue breaks both of them and quickly too. I hope the have to clean the house of everybody that the McFu**s and Ned have brought in over the years – every worthless bast**d of them.
And yes, don't contribute a dime to the Fu**ers until they're GONE!!!
All of our core young players will be gone if this trend of not being able to afford (or being patient as "they" like to call it)even the B players continues.
Great name Grizzly!!!
Let's Do the Time Warp Again!!!
I hope the arbitrator really sticks it to our management this winter. I could easily justify $9-$10 million a year each for Andre and Matt and probably around $4-$5 million for Brox. Think the McF**ks can afford that if they can't afford Sherrill?
Can't afford Sherrill? Anyone not think that Kemp will be playing in the prime of his career for someone else?
Yes, what ownership we have. Leveraged to the hilt to begin with, now broke that their house of cards is falling apart.
Funny that Jamie's asking for what $350K/month for alimony? Gee doesn't that sound, you know, a little weird?
We are supposed to do cartwheels because McTurd didn't raise prices across the board. How about LOWERING prices if you're not going to compete the way a team from Los Angeles should? Cheap!!
Brad Penny turrned down a one year offer from the Giants….like he is going to get a better offer! Oh, my God, we will probably get stuck with him again!!!!
WAIT! WAIT! All this talk about the McCheaps might be premature! Just today I was reading ……. wait a minute……. it was right here ………… ah, here it is! From rotoworld:
"According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, the Dodgers have inquired about Marlins outfielder Alfredo Amezaga."
See! Look at that! OK, I've never heard of him either, but let's check him out:
"Amezaga, 31, hit .217/.267/.261 in 2009 with no homers and five RBI in 69 at-bats."
I mean, which would you rather have: an owner getting $350K/Mo. alimony? or a couple of guys that could help the team?
Good thing Tiger Woods didn't own the team…
I forgot to say:
Now that I am not LMAO anymore. Why on earth are we even looking at outfielders? THAT is not even on our list of needs for this team unless there is something even more detrimental, devastating, or asssinine coming our way. Definitely stage 3!!!!
Dodgereric ~ we are certainly on our way to a championship with moves like this one! lol
As long as outfielders are in the forefront, whether you need one or not, how about for discussion sake a swap of JP for Bradley with the Cubs? As ridiculous as Amezaga?
Maybe we can get him to throw a water cooler at Frank.
This signing of Amezaga is one of the many things about this management team that make us all go "hmmmmmmm?" What a waste of ink – sheesh!!!!
Not to worry people. Mr. Drysdale, I mean Dennis Mannion has been put in charge of Jed's baseball operations. No chance of anything going wrong there. Mr. Drysdale loves money and I'm sure won't let a dime of Jed's go anywhere.
everyone say it with me SELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL THE TEAMMMMMMMMMMMM …everyone should change their sn examples – Mcturd, McF*ck, McCheap..(Yes there can be two of us =) ..be creative. We need to take a stand once and for all. Before we know it our beloved home grown talent will be gone too. Again say it with me…………SELL THE TEAM YOUR POOR EXCUSE FOR AN OWNER
I think Frank is more like middle relief…..just filling time until the real closer comes in to save the day!
This time warp issue is getting worse! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!
We sit here and see the teams payroll go down every year…none of our free agents get resigned..we need pitching, everyone knows it but we loose three starters to free agency and don't do anything about it. Winter meetings?…like someone said earlier, why are we even there..ewwww we might sign a 38 yr old bullpen arm..or a replacement for juan castro
Alfredo Am�zaga will be the new Juan Castro…highlight-reel infielder, primarily ****, plays all infield positions. Nothing to get excited about, but nothing to drink Drano over, either. I still haven't seen anything about the transaction, though. As for trading Sherrill, I think it's a money issue, but also I think he was a bit of a clubhouse pill, as well. Who knows with this team anymore???!?!?!?!??!?!?!?
Now those asterisks are funny. I said he was primarily "a shortstop," but abbreviated the word shortstop to SS. The MLB thought-police computer has a dirty little mind!!!!!!
Well, McCourt is a "shortstop" as well.
We can all hope he's a short stop between the evil Fox ownership and a REAL owner that cares about fans and product, and not about parking lots and Chavez Ravine make-overs.
Kahli – I still can't figure out why they would asterisk *******. It's just a hamburger from Burger King 🙂
Here's a comment Terry Francona made about the Yankees:
?They have a couple of things that make life difficult for us: They have a lot of money and they have smart people running what they are doing.?
The very antithesis of the Dodgers, I might add………………
Latest comments from Ned on the Dodgers front page…
Basically he says he doesn't plan on trading The Brim Reaper. That it would be trading away a strength from last year.
It's starting to sound like Juan might actually be gone at some point.
One proposed trade was Juan for Luis Castillo. I'd rather Juan for Uggla or Brandon Phillips if it could get done.
I would mind getting Jackson as a compliment to if they went & got Halladay or Lacky but never mind me. It's cold & I'm having an adult beverage to help me get warm…
Red pen the part about Jackson. That would be "wouldn't mind"!!!!
Kahli – Oh, how we only wish we had a management team who thought about such things.
Collie ~ Halladay or Lackey…………..Nevermind you is right – LOL!!!! And as for the adult beverage, same here.
Nelly — So I just saw!
Collie – I blame PG&E. We have the heat very low unless we have company over. Last year we just kept it on like they suggest, and we had a $1200 bill last year. We don't want to see those numbers again. So, fortunately we have a great fire place and plenty of hot beverages, both plain and spirited to get through days like this.
If we think back to the two playoff series two short months ago, who really stepped up?
Starters who hit over .300: Ethier, Loney, Belliard
Starters with most RBIs: Ethier, Kemp, Ramirez
Starters with most HRs: Ethier, Kemp, Loney
Starters with most runs scored: Ethier, Kemp, Belliard
Starters with highest Slugging %: Ethier, Loney, Ramirez
Starting pitchers with ERA under 3.50: NONE
Pitchers with ERA of 0.00: Elbert (0.1 innings) , Kuo (5.0), Troncoso 3.0)
How many PVLs in there? Not many.
PLAY THE KIDS…TRADE FOR KIDS…TUNE OUT PVL-loving JOE…
Wow — that is quite a bill! I guess it's one good reason to have a small place. I want something bigger but then seeing that makes me re-think my wishes!!!
My Aunt owns a little ranch house in Penngrove (Near Petaluma). About 6 acres with a bunch of eucalyptus trees. They get the trees topped every few years and rotate the wood that we split and that is what she uses for heat. She has one of those fire places that pump the hot air into the casa and smoke out. It keeps the place really toasty. I love going there for a fire in the winter!
According to SI's Jon Heyman, Santa has brought us 5 more years of Ned.
In a probably unrelated note, in that Greatest American Hero episode I watched, Robert Culp went in alone against the California Stars' (Read: L.A. Yellow Dodgers, with Dodger Stadium for a home) army of agents, insurance men, accountants and lawyers, thinking he'd get Ralph Hinkley a great contract (although Hinkley just wanted there to be a stipulation that allowed him to not play during school hours, now there's a trooper).
Culp came home to tell Hinkley he wasn't able to get his stipulation, but he got him a contract for $3 million. Hinkley went ape, of course. But then… after talking to the owner (the daughter of the deceased former owner, who's a little sweet on Hinkley), he found out the genius Culp indeed got him a $3 million contract… $3 million of life insurance, to be paid out upon his accidental death. Of course, if any logic reigned with the Stars' front office, with a Latin American Cartel crippling 3 of their star players within the last week, maybe a life insurance policy for $3 million wasn't the best idea.
I guess there are some things worse than deferred payments…
Collie – That sounds like a great place. Alot of our problem is it is an older home so I am sure if we re-insulated it and replaced the windows, it would make a big difference.
Kahli – great facts!!! Let's hope somebody that can do something about it reads it.
I just ran into (or stumbled, rather) into an old friend tonight. Haven't seen him much since the end of the season. It's…….THE ITD VICTORY FLASK!!!!!! And it's still filled, too!!! Probably left over in anticipation of a NLCS victory party. It's a cold night,too. Not too many victories to celebrate…..aah, details, details!!! GLUBGLUBGLUBGLUBGLUBGLUBGLUB…………… Ah, sh%t!!!! Frank still owns the Dodgers!!!!
Hello gang!!! Yep, cold weather and high energy bills really s*ck!!! Good stuff Kahli!! Obviously we don't need to be dumpster diving for crummy outfielders and utility guys hoping to pull out a diamond. Ain't gonna happen. We need to concentrate on pitching. The main focus needs to be on turning Billz and Kersh into 6-7 inning pitchers instead of 4-5 inning pitchers. That would certainly help alot and take some pressure off the bullpen.
Oh & I agree…. Sell the team!!!!
LOL!!! I agree gang; SELL THE TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Jhall!!!!! Got snow yet?
Submission error hell :(((
Well, that's good Jhall (I think). We may have had more snow than you on the valley floor, and enchanted got slightly more than flurries up in his new home in the Sierras – LOL!!!! Actually, it looks like a Christmas Card up there right now.
As far as the Dodgers, it's hard to tell what they are really up to, but from what we are reading and hearing, it doesn't sound good at all. There is no talk of getting "real" pitching so far, and even non-Dodger fans would tell you that is what they need most. However, I agree with you…………if Kersh and Billz become what they are capable of, then that would take us along way.
….and I am willing to play the kids the whole way if that is the plan, but like Collie says, do they even have a plan? They certainly don't appear to have one.
Hi'Ya Nelly!!! Just a light dusting of flurries so far!! Nothing to speak of yet!!!
agree jhall…the ONLY way the Dodgers win anything in the next few years is if Kershaw, Billingsley, and Broxton become consistent, dominant All-Stars. Otherwise, it's just more PVL smoke-and-mirrors .
Agreed Nelly!!! Kahli, we also need Martin to get it together as well as Furcal. Ferk lights the candle and he was very disappointing in the NLCS!!!
2010 could be a make or break year for Martin!!! He has regressed the last 2 years!!! Might want to consider grooming him to take over 3rd when Blake departs!!
Yep, Russell needs to step it up a bit too. No doubt about that!! You would think of all the position players really wanting pitching, it would be Russell, seeing how he is the one who has to deal with them on the field day in and day out.
The shape of things to come…
From the L.A. Times ( http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers8-2009dec08,0,3986061.story )
In response to widespread speculation that financial troubles could significantly compromise the quality of the Dodgers' on-field product next season, General Manager Ned Colletti said on the opening day of baseball's winter meetings that the club intends to spend at least as much on players as it did last season.
Asked whether the Dodgers' payroll could decrease, Colletti said, "Not at the moment."
Colletti didn't rule out that the payroll could increase, and downplayed concerns that have been raised about owner Frank McCourt's divorce proceedings and the club's decision not to offer any of its free agents salary arbitration. The club began last season with a payroll of around $100 million.
"A lot of it depends on how the winter unfolds with revenue and different things along those lines," Colletti said. "If we see good signs, it goes up. If we don't see good signs, it probably doesn't go up."
and some more tidings…
Colletti said the Dodgers continue to shop fourth outfielder Juan Pierre, who is owed $18.5 million over the next two seasons. Multiple teams have expressed interest in Pierre and the Dodgers expect to have a better idea by the end of the winter meetings whether they will be able to move him this off-season, sources said.
If the Dodgers trade Pierre, Colletti said, they would want pitching in return.
Colletti said he remains in talks with Manager Joe Torre about a contract extension.
Torre, who has one year remaining on his current deal, wants to manage in 2011 and move into a front-office role in 2012, according to Colletti.
Asked what he envisioned Torre doing for the Dodgers in his post-managerial days, Colletti replied, "Depends on how much time he wants to spend on it. Obviously, he's a great evaluator and a great motivator and he could probably help us in a lot of different ways."
Brewers closing in on deal for Wolf
Crew offering three years to ex-Dodgers left-hander
I was watching mlbtv this morning, and Mr. Penny is now a Cardinal, according to their reports. My son was happy. He figured that's just more money for them to pay Linsecum.


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|Olive tree propgation centre at Ramban
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre, Pampore-Pulwama was established under the Fruit & Medicinal plants Development Project during the year 1991. The infrastructure, existing as on date, was created over a period of 5-10 years. The Olive plantation was started during the year 2001-2004. The main thrust of the programme was to develop Olive plantation of exotic/ improved cultivars. Propagation of Pear, Plum, Peach, Apricot, Hazelnut, Strawberry, Goji berry, Ginkgo biloba and Walnut were also included in the developmental plan of the Unit. Under the Fruit & Medicinal plants Development , 3 cultivars of Olive, 3 cultivars of Peach, 2 cultivars of Apricot, 3 cultivars of Plum, 3 cultivars of Almond, 2 1 cultivar of Saffron-Crocus, 4 cultivars of Pear, 3 cultivars of Hazelnut, 3 cultivars of Kiwi,4 cultivars of Strawberry and one cultivar of Persimmon were imported from Italy & China.
One olive oil extraction unit and one mist propagation chamber was also established under the said programme.
Fruit & Medicinal plants Development was concluded during the year 1998 and the Station is being run by the JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre since then.
olive tree nursery
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The Jammu and Kashmir medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
"Ginkgo House", Nambalbal, New Coloney Azizabad, Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Pampore PPR J&K 192121
Ph: 01933-223705
e-mail: email@example.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.in

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It seems I've been catching some Z's.
For followers of the blogs on the Autism Hub, one would have to have been asleep over the last several days to have missed it's mini identity crisis.
I followed the links from Joe's blog and more links from there and caught myself up on the conversation that has taken over the Hub, the crux of which seems to be this: it is time to clarify the mission and, perhaps, the membership of Autism Hub.
I'm all for it. To be honest, I've never really been sure if I was a good "fit" for the Hub. (This is not a veiled request for reassurance, so no comments that stroke my ego are necessary here.) When I became aware of the Hub in March, 2006, I sent two e-mails in rapid succession. The first was a request to join. The second was an apology and a request to rescind my previous request. After sending the first request, I'd spent more time reading the blogs affiliated with the Hub and noticed that most of them had an activist focus - and while I believe in the power and importance of autism activism, while I may tip-toe into it from time to time, it does not tend to be the focus of my blog.
A short time after sending my second e-mail, I got a reply from then-scary-to-me Kevin Leitch. I explained my dilemma to Kev - that it seemed to me that the Hub was designed for autism activism, and that I mostly posted cute stories about my delightful son. Kev said there was room at the Hub for cute stories and he welcomed me into the fold. For over a year now, I've been delighted to be in such wonderful company - but I have to admit that I've continued to wonder if I'm just a bit out of place.
So, this current Hub-identity conversation is, I think, a good (if difficult) one that will address important issues as the Hub continues to evolve: Should the Hub only include blogs that focus primarily on autism advocacy and activism? And, if so, should its primary emphasis be on bloggers who are themselves autistic? Good questions. Important questions. I'm glad that people are taking them on.
But, in contrast to my fellow Hub bloggers who are asking the hard questions and engaging in a powerful discourse, I will continue watching from the sidelines.
I thought a lot about the ongoing Hub debate yesterday while I was mowing the lawn. I thought a lot about my own inactivism - both my recent absence from the blogosphere and my tendency to blog more about Bud's sweetness than about the politics of autism. I thought about how I make decisions about where to put my energy - about why I am not more drawn to activism.
As I thought, I pushed the mower, its motor buzzing loudly, while Bud walked alongside me with his own Fisher Price mower in front of him, his shoulders hunched as he tried to muffle the noise from my machine. I turned toward Bud and saw his lips moving. I could tell he was asking me something, but I couldn't hear his words. I leaned down and put my ear next to his mouth, and he shouted his question to me: "Can I hold your hand?"
Bud was frightened by the sound of the lawn mower, but his desire to be part of the process was greater than his fear. Just the same, he needed some tangible, physical reassurance from me to know that he was safe. So I reached out my left hand and he grasped it tightly, and together we continued to mow the lawn. My right hand gripped the mower's handle and squeezed the power bar. I propelled the mower - uphill in the beating sun - with the power from my right arm and some heavy support from my abdomen, and we moved together, back and forth, uphill and down, cutting a little bit of grass and building a great deal of unspoken connection.
I thought about the parallel between autism advocacy and my unmown lawn. I need to think about both - I need to address both - for Bud's sake. He will always be an autistic person in a largely neurotypical world, and I need to do what I can in the world of activism to help create an environment that will both challenge him and support him, just as he will continue to be a child who wants to play in the yard, and who needs an environment free from the tall grasses that harbor deer ticks and other disease-carrying critters. He needs me to do my part with these things. In the big picture, over time, I need to make sure these things get my attention and my energy. I also need to make sure that I help him learn how to mow the lawn on his own, and how to become an effective self-advocate and, if he chooses, activist.
But in the moment, in the right-here-right-now, Bud needs me. He needs me to be his parent. He needs me to hold his hand. And so, for now, it is parenting and not activism that will continue to be my primary focus. Parenting will win out over blogging. Blogging about parenting will win out over blogging about the politics of autism.
That might make me a poor fit for the Autism Hub, depending on where the Hub goes from here. And I'm okay with that. I'll continue to support the Hub and I'll continue to read the bloggers who post there, whether or not I'm among them.
Right now, my lawn is one-quarter mowed. I couldn't sustain the physical exertion to do any more of it. If the rain holds off, Bud and I will do a little more mowing today - probably just a few square feet, possibly even blade by blade, but, almost certainly, hand in hand.


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Well, I'm patiently waiting until the 1st September so I can upload the 1891 census transcription - yes indeed it is definitely all ready to go!
I also sat down and made a list of all the half-finished webpages lurking on my computer, then prioritised them so I know exactly what else will likely get finished off this year. But it's a secret, so I can't tell you :)
I can tell you another old alternative spelling for Wing I came across though - Waengh! Unfortunately the deed it comes from is undated.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Well, I'm patiently waiting until the 1st September so I can upload the 1891 census transcription - yes indeed it is definitely all ready to go!
Posted by Alex Coles at 4:22 pm 0 comments
Labels: census, Wing-OPS website
Monday, August 18, 2008
Census update
The 1891 census has now been fully transcribed, checked and corrected. So it will definitely be converted to HTML and uploaded to the website as part of the September update.
In other news, you may be aware that the LDS have been working on a revised version of their Family Search website, which can be viewed at http://pilot.familysearch.org. I'm going to try and reserve full judgement on it until I've had more of a chance to experiment with it, but I will say that standard Firefox keyboard shortcuts don't seem to work in it, and some things seem like a great leap backwards. For example, they have partnered with Find My Past to obtain their index for the 1861 census however the FamilySearch version has less search fields available - that said, the fields in the free search results are also slightly different on each site so, if your finances won't stretch to getting a copy of the census page itself, using the two searches in conjunction will get you more information than either site alone.
Posted by Alex Coles at 5:00 pm 0 comments
Labels: census, resources - digital
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Oooh, farms in Wing!
(I will now drag myself back to the previously scheduled census task)
Posted by Alex Coles at 5:39 pm 0 comments
Labels: farming
Sunday, August 10, 2008
1891 census update
Everything's ticking along nicely - I've now checked and corrected all the entries from the first enumeration district, which makes up 27 pages of the total 62.
Enumerator George CLEAVER has some interesting spellings - "Violet" is consistently recorded as "Voilet", Florence and Florance are used interchangeably, and the charwomen are invariably down as "chair woman". There's some other interesting things to look into, like George SMITH, Eliza CUTLER and Betsy FOUNTAINE who are all in their 20s, from Woodford "North Hants", and within a few pages of each other - I wonder if they are siblings? I've also located another brickmaker, Frederick WAKEMAN from Middlesex, although he's listed as a visitor so it's not clear whether he might have been working at the Littleworth brickyard or not.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Wing wives and postcards
Another five pages checked in the 1891 census, which makes 10 out of 62 done. Time to pick up the pace! Five or six a day for the next ten days will see the checking complete, so that's the pace I need to aim for in order to be ready for the September update.
In one of the pages I checked today, the enumerator had accidentally written "Wing" instead of "Wife" for Elizabeth ROSE's status. I know how he feels.....
And in other news, I received today a postcard I'd purchased on Ebay - it's a nice colour one of All Saints Church in the early 1900s showing the old gate and fence (since replaced with the lychgate memorial to Rev Tatham). But the message on the back was just as interesting! Posted in 1910, it reads:
"Dear F [Miss F East of Camberley Surrey] - Just a line to let you know that I have got a job: after three weeks at "Ascott" Leighton Buzzard Bucks L De Rothchild. Yours truly W Morgan".
Anyone recognise these MORGAN and EAST correspondents? And does anyone have any Wing postcards to or from their family members in their collection?
Posted by Alex Coles at 6:33 pm 0 comments
Labels: Ascott House, census, resources - print, Rose, Rothschild
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
All blog posts have now been labelled with topics, names, or whatever else seemed relevant. You'll see a new labels bar listing all these over on the right hand side of your screen, or you can click on a label on the bottom of any post to search for other posts with the same label. This should prove to be a very useful feature.
Posted by Alex Coles at 8:37 pm 0 comments
Labels: blog


text:
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From the Oak: Let's hear it for the God!
Many are those that focus on female divinities, leaving male divinities in the shadows if they get mentioned at all. This is a shame. Here I will share my thoughts, stories and prayers on male divinities. Currently focusing on divinities placed in an atheist "graveyard".
Haides, God of the Underworld
I'm told that I have a thing for the "bad boys" of the Greek pantheon and maybe that is true. Yet it is because I see past their "popular" labeling to someone worthy of my attention and respect. So let me tell you about the bad boy that seems to surpass even Ares. He is the ultimate freak out for some people. Haides, God of the Underworld.
As Lord of the Underworld, this divinity has been called by various names by the Greeks and Romans. Many of which are euphemistic, that is to say a way of making him appear less fierce. Plouton, Pluto, Dis and variations refer to his lordship over the wealth found under the ground such as metals and gemstones, even seeds, tubers and bulbs. The meaning of the name Haides/Hades (and the variations, Aides and Aidoneus) is uncertain; it has been variously translated as "all-receiver", "the god who makes invisible" and "knowing or wise one". I refer to him as Haides to distinguish him in my writing from his realm, Hades. I've seen claims that Haides was not honored by the ancients as they did not want to call his attention to themselves. This is untrue. While there is not much that survives detailing his worship, we do know that Haides received holocausts of black sheep. He had temples or received honors in the precincts of other divinities all over Greece and Italy, such as Elis, Athens and Olympia.
Haides is a child of Rhea and Kronos, brother of Zeus and Poseidon. In the few surviving representations of Haides, he looks like his brothers yet very dark and somber. Together the three of them hold dominion in common over Olympos and earth. Haides, while occasionally found on Olympos, spends most of his time in his underworld realm quite unaware of what is happening elsewhere. His main duties are the management of mortals after death. He over sees their judgment, punishments, rewards and internment. The keys he holds are to the gates of his realm in order to keeps the shades firmly inside preventing the mortal world from being overwhelmed by their presence. Though there are exceptions to any rule even in Hades. His wife, Hercules and a few others have seen his realm and been able to leave. This, of course, doesn't include those that deal with the underworld on a daily basis such as Hermes and Hekate. I personally believe at certain times of the year, Hades allows the shades some freedom to roam so that they may aid or be honored by their descendants though I'm unaware (or forgetting) any ancient tales that corroborates this belief. Through his agency are dreams sent to mortals containing messages from their beloved dead. As lord of curses and Master of the Erinyes, it is said he only hears the curses and oaths of mortals. I also believe he also hears of man's good deeds and when they honor him too, though rarely does he act upon requests for his concern is not with the living but the dead.
While Zeus is known for his lightning and Poseidon for his trident, Haides has his helmet of invisibility that he has occasionally gifted the use of to various heroes. Other symbols that are identified with Haides: keys, bird-tipped staff, two-pronged staff, the cornucopia, his three-headed hound Kerberos (the spotted one) and a golden chariot pulled by four black horses. Haides is typically described as being fierce and inexorable. I have found him to be serious, though gentle (as if overly aware of his immense strength and power), steadfast and eminently fair.
Everyone is aware of the tale of his marriage with Persephone, so I'm not going to cover it here. Often this story relegates him to a minor and devilish role that does not do him justice. This is not to discount the story but rarely is his point of view taken in to consideration. He wanted a wife and was gifted the daughter of his brother and king. This was entirely in keeping with the ancient Greek culture, no matter what our modern sensibilities think of it. More interestingly, while there is plenty of tales of his amorous adventures before Persephone (Mintho and Leuce come to mind), there are none, of which I am aware, after their marriage. Something else to consider, while Demeter is the power that grows plants, Haides must release the seeds for that to happen. He has never refused to do this duty.
Although not a light-hearted or easy going divinity, I find Haides deserving every bit as much as his siblings of respect and honor. In my studies of him, I have learned not to fear what comes afterward, only in the method and timing of my death, a fear only other mortals understand. I have perfect confidence that he will deal with me and mine fairly and with no malicious intent. When my time comes, I hope I get the chance to thank him for the bounty he has placed in my life and for the comforting dreams of my beloved dead.
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List price: $17.00Copyright year: 2004Publisher: Penguin Publishing GroupPublication date: 8/31/2004Binding: PaperbackPages: 208Size: 5.50" wide x 8.25" long x 0.25" tall Weight: 0.726
Born in 1904, Graham Greene was the son of a headmaster and the fourth of six children. Preferring to stay home and read rather than endure the teasing at school that was a by-product of his father's occupation, Greene attempted suicide several times and eventually dropped out of school at the age of 15. His parents sent him to an analyst in London who recommended he try writing as therapy. He completed his first novel by the time he graduated from college in 1925. Greene wrote both entertainments and serious novels. Catholicism was a recurring theme in his work, notable examples being The Power and the Glory (1940) and The End of the Affair (1951). Popular suspense novels include: The… More Heart of the Matter, Our Man in Havana and The Quiet American. Greene was also a world traveler and he used his experiences as the basis for many books. One popular example, Journey Without Maps (1936), was based on a trip through the jungles of Liberia. Greene also wrote and adapted screenplays, including that of the 1949 film, The Third Man, which starred Orson Welles. He died in Vevey, Switzerland in 1991. Less
Author Robert Stone was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 21, 1937. In 1954, he dropped out of high school and joined the Navy. In the 1960's, he briefly attended New York University, worked at the New York Daily News, and attended the Wallace Stegner writing workshop at Standford University. His novels are usually characterized by psychological complexity and political concerns.He has won numerous awards including a William Faulkner Foundation award for best first novel for A Hall of Mirrors, the National Book Award for Dog Soldiers, and a PEN/Faulkner Award for A Flag for Sunrise. The novel Dog Soldiers was made into the movie Who'll Stop the Rain.
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Scott Schomburg, M.Div '13, explores what makes the institute important to the life of Duke Divinity SchoolWednesday, June 25, 2014
For the past six years, the first full day of Duke Divinity School's Summer Institute for Reconciliation has been shaped by the question: "Reconciliation towards what?" The question aims to remind Christians that reconciliation is not our possession, but God's gift. Reconciliation so envisioned echoes out from God's people, shaping the witness of God's church. At its best, this Christian vision of reconciliation refuses to be deployed as a denial of our histories while masquerading as serious theological reflection. Instead, this is reconciliation as the difficult promise of a painful joining, drawn together into the hope that is God's life. It is a diurnal turn toward Jesus the Messiah, the Lord of lords, the new determination for our lives.
During the first session, Dean Richard Hays interpreted this vision by turning our attention toward New Testament understandings of table fellowship. Responding to the question—"Reconciliation toward what?"—Hays described an eschatological image: "Toward one table." In a room of 80 participants representing 16 different countries, Dean Hays began our week of theological reflection with the end in view: a people summoned to a table that is not ours, toward a future not our own.
And this eschatological promise did not allow us to escape the histories we carry within us, but brought our tension -filled stories more clearly into view. It sharpened our questions. Reflecting on this one-table vision, Summer Institute participants asked: "Whose table?" Or, as one participant aptly put it: "Who has to come into whose neighborhood?" The eschatological vision of "one table" produced questions about the shape of our lives now, questions that refuse abstract reconciliation or the illusion of neutral space in a divided world. It was a brief glimpse, I thought, of what difficult joining might look like.
Professor Bill Turner deepened this vision of difficult joining by rejecting a "dreamy-eyed optimism," calling for a "hopeful spirit" amidst powers bent toward domination. Turner did not let talk of reconciliation evade the horrifying depths of America's enduring racial wound, but instead paid homage to those faithful witnesses in his life who continue to sustain him, people who sing songs stitched together by hope amidst death dealing fear. Turner became one such exemplar among his listeners at Summer Institute, displaying a thorny patience that is also a protest, summed up in the prayer: "Come, Holy Spirit."
Summer Institute co-facilitator Edgardo Colon-Emeric put it similarly: "We are trying to raise some sails," he told participants, "able to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit." Yet waiting on the Spirit's wind to blow where it wills often places us inside the psalmist's lament: "How long, O Lord?"
And it is precisely this lament that, at its best, makes space for mutual confrontation. Lament, understood as the "spine of hope," inclines our ear toward one another inside cries that keep us from withdrawing from God's good world. The Summer Institute's practice of lament attempts to facilitate this kind of theological speech that brings the truth of our lives more clearly into view. For when the cry finds a listener, lament creates a space where encounters can surprise us, making us attentive to the quiet laments we carry with us. In those moments of surprise, the room becomes a place where people grieve, where confrontation makes repentance and conversion possible. When our lives, pulled into focus, do appear before one another, there is often much to lament. Yet the truth of our lives is this: we are God's creatures, our gifted lives poised to encounter the risen Christ, the suffering servant with arms outstretched, who says to us: "Take, eat; this is my body," the bread of heaven.


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Fuzzy's Fast and Furious Finals [GF]
This tournament is for the winners of the Fast and Furious qualifying tourneys. It is simply for Tourney rights, Not open for sign-ups.
As stated in each of the individual tourneys, each winner of the prior tourneys will be given a spot in this tourney, with the chance to have 2 spots in the final. If an individual wins more than 2 tourneys, the additional spots go to 2nd place winners in those tourneys won after 2. So if you win tourneys 1, 3, 5 and 7, you get 2 spots in the final from tourney 1 and 3, and for tourneys 5 and 7, the spots will go to the 2nd place finisher.
If it happens that the 2nd place finisher has spots already, then the spot will be given to the winner of a special game between the 3rd and 4th place finishers in that particular tourney.
Seeding for this tourney will be determined by the players score when they win each qualifying tournament. So it may be that an individual may end up playing themselves, in which case one of their slots will be "used up" and they advance to the next round.
The settings for this tourney are the same as the qualifying tourney, with a different map than all the rest. This tourney will be best 2 of 3 in each round.
Map: Australia
I picked the maps for rounds 1-16, but the order they will be played was determined using random.org. A list of all the maps for qualifying tourneys 1-16 is below:


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I was scavenging my local thrift shop for some inspiration when the colors and patterns on some ties caught my eye. I bought all four ties not knowing how I would use them exactly. I laid them on my dining room table and then it hit me, table setting!
To achieve this look, place two ties with the widest part of the ties at opposite ends
Place a runner in the middle of the table, on top of the ties. Add plates on top of the ties.
I tied a fabric tag to each pumpkin to create a place tag and favor for guests to take home


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Okay, I'll 'fess up. I kind of slacked off on the CSA-writing around here, and for that I'm sorry. In an act of contrition and apology, I offer you these three much-loved autumnal recipes, at least one of which I hope will rewarm your heart to me.
Are we friends again?
Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash + Shallots, from Cooking Light
Makes four portions
3 cups peeled butternut squash, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
8 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
4 ounces uncooked pappardelle (I prefer something like campanelle, as it's similar in size to the cubed squash)
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 475°. Combine the squash, sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons oil, salt, pepper, and shallots in a jelly roll pan; toss well. Bake at 475° for twenty minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sage.
- While the squash mixture bakes, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place cooked pasta in a bowl. Add two teaspoons oil; toss well. Serve the squash mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese.
Sausage + Lentils with Fennel, from Gourmet*
Makes four portions
1 cup dried lentils
4 ½ cups cold water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 medium (¾-pound) fennel bulb, stalks discarded, reserving fronds
3 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, cut into ¼-inch dice
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 ¼ pounds sweet Italian sausage links
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, or to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Bring lentils, water, and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender but not falling apart, 12 to 25 minutes.
- While lentils simmer, cut fennel bulb into ¼-inch dice and chop enough fennel fronds to measure 2 tablespoons. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then stir in onion, carrot, fennel bulb, fennel seeds, and remaining teaspoon salt. Cover pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, lightly prick sausages in a couple of places with tip of a sharp knife, then cook sausages in remaining ½ tablespoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Drain cooked lentils in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve cooking water. Stir lentils into vegetables with enough cooking water to moisten (¼ to ½ cup) and cook over moderate heat until heated through. Stir in parsley, pepper, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon fennel fronds. Season with vinegar and salt.
- Cut sausages diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve lentils topped with sausage and sprinkled with remaining tablespoon fennel fronds. Drizzle all over with extra-virgin olive oil.
Cream-Braised Green Cabbage, from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg
Makes four to six portions
1 small green cabbage (about 1 ½ pounds)
3 tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- First, prepare the cabbage. Pull away any bruised leaves, and trim its root end to remove any dirt. Cut the cabbage into quarters, and then cut each quarter in half lengthwise, taking care to keep a little bit of the core in each wedge. (The core will help to hold the wedge intact, so that it doesn't fall apart in the pan.) You should wind up with 8 wedges of equal size.
- In a large (12-inch) skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage wedges, arranging them in a single crowded layer with one of the cut sides down. Allow them to cook, undisturbed, until the downward facing side is nicely browned and caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes. Then, using a pair of tongs, gently turn the wedges onto their other cut side. When the second side has browned, sprinkle the salt over the wedges, and add the cream. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce the heat so that the liquid stays at a slow, gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and gently, using tongs, flip the wedges, Cook for another 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is very tender and yields easily when pierced with a thin, sharp knife. Add the lemon juice, and shake the pan to distribute it evenly.
- Simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes more to thicken the cream to a glaze that loosely coats the cabbage. Serve immediately, with additional salt at the table.


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- Cyclocarya brownie – Fruit or Seed
- Paleocene Age (56 – 66 Million Years Old)
- Sentinel Butte Formation
- Morton County, North Dakota
- The overall size of matrix measures approx. 5 1/16″ wide. The NATURAL COLOR of the fruit or Seed contrasts nicely with the color of the matrix. The fruit has had a very light coat of Vinac applied to protect the surface of the leaf.
At the onset of the Paleocene Epoch, Earth was recovering from the end-Cretaceous asteroid impact. The climate was subtropical almost to the polar circles, ocean temperatures were high, and polar ice caps were absent. The Paleocene Epoch brackets two major events in Earth's history. It started with the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous, known as the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary. This was a time marked by the demise of non-avian dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles and much other fauna and flora. The die-off of the dinosaurs left unfilled ecological niches worldwide. It ended with the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. This was a geologically brief (~0.2 million year) interval characterized by extreme changes in climate and carbon cycling. Terrestrial Paleocene strata immediately overlying the K–Pg boundary is in places marked by a "fern spike": a bed especially rich in fern fossils. Ferns are often the first species to colonize areas damaged by forest fires; thus the fern spike may indicate post-Chicxulub crater devastation. In general, the Paleocene is marked by the development of modern plant species. Cacti and palm trees appeared. Paleocene and later plant fossils are generally attributed to modern genera or to closely related taxa. The warm temperatures worldwide gave rise to thick tropical, sub-tropical and deciduous forest cover around the globe (the first recognizably modern rain forests) with ice-free polar regions covered with coniferous and deciduous trees. With no large grazing dinosaurs to thin them, Paleocene forests were probably denser than those of the Cretaceous. Flowering plants (angiosperms), first seen in the Cretaceous, continued to develop and proliferate, and along with them coevolved the insects that fed on these plants and pollinated them.


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(visited by Wayne Courtain)
09-Sep-2001 -- Used my four wheeler to get within .58 statute miles of the confluence. Hiked up from there, which was roughly 500 ft. increase in elevation.
The confluence is on top of a hill and is about 25 feet south of a huge tree. The view is spectacular.
Pictures enclosed. I built a rock cairn to mark the spot.


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You can find the recipe here.
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Christmas Morning Muffins ~ Sweet and Simple Bake!
You can find the recipe here.
13 comments:
- Anna's kitchen table said...
Hope you feel better soon Maria - Happy New year!
- 6 January 2009 at 14:55
- Maria said...
Sweet and simple, that is what I like!
- 6 January 2009 at 16:13
- Knittings Nice! said...
They look truly delish....love your blog....inspirational....also lovely to know there are other homebirds out there.
- 6 January 2009 at 18:58
- Beth (jamandcream) said...
We've all been ill here - hope you feel better soon
- 6 January 2009 at 20:00
- Rosie said...
Your muffins look wonderful Maria!! Pleased you all enjoyed them :D
I do hope you're feeling better soon - flu is a nasty virus!
Thanks for adding your muffins to the round-up on S&SB.....
Rosie x
- 6 January 2009 at 21:13
- Reeni said...
The look delicous, Maria! I wish you a speedy recovery! Feel better soon! I miss your posts!
- 7 January 2009 at 02:15
- Rhyleysgranny said...
I hope you are feeling better soon. hard to miss colds and flue at the moment. Your muffins look lovely and festive. :)
- 7 January 2009 at 10:41
- arista said...
sorry to hear you're unwell, hope you get well soon. I make these each Christmas, either on Christmas morning or on Boxing Day for morning tea, they're becoming a bit of a tradition!
- 8 January 2009 at 07:48
- Finla said...
I do hope your flu is much better now.
Muffing looks so yumm.
Love the first picture.
Happy Newyear to you and you family.
- 9 January 2009 at 18:40
- Gigi said...
I hope you're feeling better. Your muffins look sensational!
- 9 January 2009 at 21:33
- Jacqueline Meldrum said...
These sound great with the orange and cranberries. I will be sure to try them sometime. Happy New Year Maria! Oh, I am wanting one of those muffins now! Right now!
- 10 January 2009 at 22:15
- Abitofafoodie said...
Hope you are now feeling better, Maria. I spotted these in NIgella's book and meant to make them over Christmas. Sadly I never got around to it so maybe I'll try them at the weekend as a special treat!
- 12 January 2009 at 10:17
- Finla said...
Good to hear you are beeter now.
Here too lots of friends have got flu, luvkily i have escaped them till now.
Muffin looks so yumm.
- 20 January 2009 at 13:19


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The men who brought you hydropneumatic suspension, a charmingly doofy peasant's car and a corporate-bedazzled Eiffel Tower are offering you, the global citizen, a peek at their latest concept car. Called the Numéro 9, it heralds the future of Citroën's uplevel DS line.
The sleek, Frankish, let's-play-pretend machine features a 295-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain that's good for 31 miles of all-electric motoring, and it will make its public debut at the Beijing motor show.
In preparation for the launch of the DS line in China this year, the French automaker is using the shooting-brake-esque concept to preview three cars at once: new upmarket C- and D-segment sedans and a crossover, which, we imagine, was the rationale for the wagonoid styling.
In the video above, you can watch a woman ache over a man with an estate car in a manner that Clark Griswold only ever fever-dreamt about. Peruse the photos and get as moony as you'd like; it's sadly still not going bring Gallic gorgeousness back stateside.


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Kessler News
Kessler Rehabilitation Center opens second facility in Edison
April 19, 2010
Edison, NJ - Kessler Rehabilitation Center is pleased to announce the opening of its newest outpatient physical therapy facility at 3 Progress Street, Suite 106, in Edison. The Center is part of the outpatient division of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, one of the nation's leading providers of comprehensive medical rehabilitation services.
The new center offers comprehensive physical therapy services for individuals with orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions, including specialized treatment for sports- and work-related injuries and pain management. It joins a network of more than 75 centers located throughout the state, including one at 10 Parsonage Road in Edison, as well as those at Kessler's three hospital campuses in West Orange, Chester and Saddle Brook.
"We are excited to expand our specialized therapy services to best meet the rehabilitation needs of both clients and physicians in the Edison community," said Beth Sarfaty, Vice President, Clinical Operations, Kessler Rehabilitation Center. "At this second location, we will continue to provide the expert care and leading-edge treatment that our customers have come to expect from Kessler."
Kessler Rehabilitation Center accepts most insurance plans, including Medicare, as well as same-day appointments, evening hours and flexible scheduling. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Kessler's new Edison location directly at 908-822-8681 or toll-free at 866-333-REHAB, or visit www.kesslerrehabilitationcenter.com


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Seeking Signs of Life at the Glacier's Edge
OPL shoot. Credit: Lisa Pratt
Microbes living at the edges of Arctic ice sheets could help researchers pinpoint evidence for similar microorganisms that could have evolved on Mars, the Jovian moon Europa, or Saturn's moon Enceladus.
Scientists are investigating the receding edge of ice sheets on Earth to study the release of methane there.
Methane is a colorless, odorless, flammable gas. On Earth, some methane is produced abiotically — not by life — through reactions between water and rock, as well as through the breakdown of hydrocarbons by geological processes. On the other hand, some methane comes directly or indirectly from methanogenic microbes, as a byproduct of fermentation of acetate, a derivative of vinegar, into methane and carbon dioxide.
"It is increasingly clear that on Earth, there are cold-adapted methanogenic microbes in Arctic, Antarctic and sea-bottom settings," said researcher Jeffrey White, an environmental biogeochemist at Indiana University. "Acetate fermentation is the principal pathway accounting for as much as 95 percent of methane production in these cold environments."
Similar ice sheets exist elsewhere in the solar system, such as the buried water ice glaciers in the Hellas Basin region on Mars. The plan is to see what methods can best determine whether the sources of any such methane are alive or not.
Methanogenic microbes rely on a community of microorganisms that provide the acetate and other simple molecules they consume. If such communities evolved in the cold corners of Earth, "it seems reasonable to search for evidence of similar biological processes on other icy bodies in our solar system," White said.
Shear zone valley. Credit: Google Images
Ice augering. Credit: Seth Young
To analyze these microbes and their methane emissions, White and his colleagues recently went to Greenland as part of a $2.6 million NASA ASTEP grant. They investigated the western edge of the Greenland ice sheet, "one of the most readily accessible margins of a large ice sheet on Earth," White said. "The relatively manageable logistics and climate in Greenland compared to Antarctica made this area an excellent choice."
Careful analysis of the isotopes making up methane can shed light on its origins. Isotopes are variants of elements. All isotopes of an element have the same number of protons in their atoms, but each has a different number of neutrons — for instance, atoms of carbon-12 each have six neutrons while atoms of carbon-13 have seven.
The available data suggests that methane from microbial reactions is substantially richer in lighter isotopes at 20 to 40 parts per thousand than abiotic methane, explained researcher Lisa Pratt, an astrobiologist and geomicrobiologist at Indiana University. Small dissolved molecules or ions containing a lighter isotope move more rapidly at a given temperature than ones containing a heavy isotope. Consequently, those containing a light isotope interact more often with a bacterium's enzymes, and so get incorporated more often into what it makes, such as methane.
Sediment core. Credit: Seth Young
In 2011, the researchers used an infrared laser to look for methane at multiple sites across the valley that extends for tens of miles near the margin of the Greenland ice sheet. Measurements were taken about six feet (2 meters) above the soil surface for one to 4.5 hours each time.
Methane was spotted at several lakes and wetland areas. However, the methane levels seen were very close to what would be detected from normal atmospheric levels at ice margins in Greenland. Their next measurements will be taken at heights just above the soil surface to better distinguish local sources of emission.
So far the researchers have been surprised by how much biology and biogeochemistry can vary across several small lakes arrayed along a single valley near the ice margin. "If life was widespread during an early period on Mars when small lakes were common, we need to approach sampling with the expectation that pronounced variation in biological markers could occur even over distances as small as 100 meters (330 feet)," Pratt said.
In the coming summer, the researchers intend to look for potential subsurface gaseous signs of life with an innovative drill they have developed. The device allows rapid transfer of unaltered gas samples from drilled boreholes directly into analytical instruments. A similar instrument could one day find use in planetary exploration, Pratt said.


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- This event has passed.
May 11th, Saturday
Midgets | UMP Modifieds | Super Streets | Thunder Cars | FWD Compacts
May 11, 2019
Saturday, May 11th
UMP Modifieds
Super Streets
Thunder Cars
FWD Compacts
Gates Open – 3:00PM
Hot Laps – 5:00PM
Racing – 6:30PM
Racing Curfew – 11:ooPM
General Admission – $15
Kids (12 and Under) – Free (with paid adult)
Pit Pass – $30 (includes Transponder rental)
Entry Fee – None
Competitor's License – $20
A Montpelier Motor Speedway Competitors License is required to race at the Montpelier Motor Speedway in a MMS Track Championship points paying division (excludes all sprints and TQ series). This is a one-time license that must be completed upon your first race at the Speedway each season. Once this license is purchased, it is good for all remaining racing events at the Montpelier Motor Speedway. The fee for the license is $20.00 per season and is required for payout following the event. A link to the form is available on our website (www.montpeliermotorspeedway.com/driver-forms) for your convenience
Montpelier Motor Speedway
East Central Indiana
700 South Jefferson
Montpelier, Indiana 47359
Conveniently located 15 miles from Interstate 69 Exit 264 (Indiana Highway 18)
Web and Media
Official Website – www.MontpelierMotorSpeedway.com
Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/MontpelierMotorSpeedway
Twitter (@MontpelierTrack) – https://twitter.com/MontpelierTrack
Track Information
Size and Configuration – 1/4 Mile Clay Oval With Sweeping Corners; 10+ degrees of banking in corners and backstretch.
Year Built – 1903 as 1/2 Mile Horse Track
First Automobile Race – May 5, 1915
Seating Capacity – 3,200
Parking – Free parking located near main grandstand entrance
Family Section Seating – A designated area for family seating is located in the grandstands directly behind the flag stand. The consumption of alcoholic beverage in the family section is prohibited.
Coolers – Insurance regulations prohibit the carry in of any cooler
Camping – Free overnight primitive camping is allowed. Self Contained Campfires Permitted. Please no wood with nails. Self Clean-Up Required
Alcohol – The Alcohol and Beverage Commission prohibits the carry in of any alcohol. Beer is sold at the track. ID is required.
Souvenir Stand – Fully stocked souvenir stand (includes MMS T-Shirts, Hoodies, Pictures, and MMS Programs)
Kids Stand – Fully stocked family/kid souvenir stand (includes kid's toys and novelties, racing flags, safety glasses, hearing protection, etc… Items starting at .50/$1.00)
Restrooms – New clean Men and Women's restroom located behind the main grandstands. Pit side restroom is men only.
Concession Stand – Wide range of food and sides and cold/hot drinks located behind the main grandstands. Dual lines to purchase food available from spectator area. Picnic tables spread throughout the facility.
Pets – Pets are not allowed in the grandstand area.
Schedule Subject To Change!
Dates May Be Added, Deleted, or Changed
Printable Schedule Link:


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Agree that discussion and conversation is important/needed with that being said I will trying to do this is the most civil manner possible:I'm slightly disappointed that you discussed the oversaturation of boobs and butts but did not mention the oversaturation of male meat tanks and the problems they present as well.
Really wish I could deal with the camera controls. The game seems really appealing, but the "all or nothing" approach to inversion pisses me off.
The reality is, it's going to end through action. It's going to end the same way any other issue of "ism" dies out. Women wanting representation in games isn't going to go away any more than gays wanting marriage or blacks wanting civil rights. that's not to say they are equivalent in scale, mind. However, there will, invariably, be a push. Ubiquity will eventually happen, and nobody's mind will need to be changed and nobody will need to admit to being wrong. I mean, America didn't suddenly stop being racist because we passed a Civil Rights Act, and it didn't stop hating gays because Lawrence v Texas established their right to...Well, exist.
We have publisher and developer level calls for more diversity, which makes it likely. Even if gaming becomes more diverse over the kicking and screaming of a million internet rape threats, it will become more diverse. I'm willing to bet that for most people it will mean absolutely nothing, which makes it easier to accept. I know what the common logic is, but even that will change.
Lol i wonder how this goes down, i posted a thread about this last week. It wasn't the best thread i posted, i was slightly drunk when i posted it, so i got a lack of flake how i presented my argument. But it basically goes like this.
The games where female character design is questionable, the male characters are most of the time also ludicrous. To the point they cant be taken seriously.
That's the thing I hate about the Internet and social media. Nobody can seem to rein in their inner asshole. ...not even me.
And for the record I find those character designs very unappealing.
Good ep Jim its true nothing will change or happen unless people sitdown and talk
on the designs i do prefer the look of the Elf so much more than amazon or sorc for some of the reasons you gave they just feel to blocky or chunck (amazon) and the sorc just screams look at my boobies that said the males also give the same feel only the wizard has the feel of anything rezembling human... ( in terms of human i know theirs a dward ect)
The only problem I had with the whole fight going on between kotaku author and the game developr (and something I think Jim left out) was that the guy from kotaku said the female characters were poor design, but its acceptable for the dwarf and knight to be the way they are because thats a male power fantasy. Its not right in anyway, and it explains abit why the developr sent that picture on face book (rather than just painting him as a homophobic or whatever by saying that was hsi first reaction to just a problem with images of women.
as i said in the other thread about this (well one of them), I dont see the problem with it IN THIS GAME. in thsi game where two of the men are equally as huge and one just as scantily dressed, teh sorceress and amazon dont look as out of place. and neither is meant to make a statement on how women should look in games and something to be aspired to or idolized. its just old school throwback design as an homage.
Dear Jim
Before I begin I would like to say that this was a great show, as always and thank god for you.
I am sure that you probably already have a topic lined up for next week or have something far more important to talk about, but I was curious if I could get your opinion on the advertising practices of the games industry, more importantly their use of "real actors" and live action commercials on TV and the web instead of showing gameplay or even cut scenes.
For example the latest trailer for the upcoming XCOM:the bureau. In which they simply showed several actors looking over a piece of film and then throwing it into a fire. This was also the case for Borderlands 2, with a TV spot which human actors cos-playing as the main characters from the game instead of showing gameplay, or for black ops 1 and 2 with high profile actors (Robert Downey Jr. for example).
Sorry for the length of this post, but I am quiet curious what your opinion is or why the industry decides to hire, pay and produce a short commercial with actors instead of the game they already have.
Thanks for your time and once again, thank god for you.
Ah, I see. To be fair, it did occur to me that you might mean something else, but it didn't go with the grain of the thread, so I went for Occam's Razor and went with the wrong door. My bad.
In that case, yeah. We're probably fundamentally deadlocked. Though I can't help but wonder if some of the people who actually oppose change can't have their minds changed. I mean, I get the notion that games don't need to change, but a lot of these people portray it as though it's no big deal.
So if it means nothing to them and a lot to this other group, offering some level of compromise seems utterly meaningless to the first party. Which is where the folks who so oppose it baffle me, because it seems to mean so much to them to...I don't know, keep gaming as a boy's club? I don't completely understand the motives here, so I'm being glib.
And honestly, I'm not seeing the deterrent. Despite complaints, the more modest Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider reboot didn't seem to be a hindrance to it becoming the best-selling game in the franchise. Samus has never had her boobs serve as an obstacle to gaming. I'm always surprised to see the mainstream thought that you can't publish a game with a female protagonist show up in cases like Naughty Dog's new title, because the women that are there seem to do fine.
I'm not entirely sure that the vocal outcry here is backed up in sales.
Rambling now, but yeah.
Wonder how many people here will realize that most of what he's talking about flame wars and irrational blithering is the essence of these forums.
Man...I had no idea this game looks fun, wish dungeon fighter online was a bit more up to date graphically like this.
Yes, but it was much more muted than many other such discussion/arguments were
Could be that Bayonetta was more tasteful about it(no DoA-style jiggle physics)
It sounds like there's a lot of built-up frustration in general - People aren't getting what they want, and are being offer things they didn't even ask for, but for the people who are getting what they like and don't mind the extra bits, they get the flack from ones that are unsatisfied because the unsatisfied feel that they end up being overshadowed and forgotten by those in favor who are satisfied, like they are easier to satisfy and happier to get a game. It's as if the attention to satisfy your wants has become the most important thing in the world, right in front of water, food, sleep and shelter.
I think this ended up being more or less a case where actually mature games with realistic (both physically and emotionally) characters, of which leave an impact on the players, feel like they come in too far in and between things like Demon's Crown, and as a result Demon's Crown gets attacked because people feel like they can't move on. In fact you could summarize gamers as vampires and genres as victims - Once people get a taste of it and like it, many are willing to leech on it until it's a dry, empty husk that may not be able recover at all. But in this scenario, it's hard to find another victim whose blood doesn't taste terrible, and as a result you're going to have a bunch of blood-crazed vampires that have been thirsty for too long...
Half way through this video, I thought the game changed to a Thundercats game where the main character was Snarf. THUNDER THUNDER THUNDER
I would have a lot more of a problem with those "female character designs" if the men weren't equally absurd. Men don't look like that. It just seems to be the artist's style to exaggerate gender qualities.
etc. He took the qualities people often focus on (consciously and subconsciously) and embellished them in a stylistic way, and because he did it with both genders, this technically had nothing to do with women specifically.
Now, if the men looked like real people, but the women looked the same as their current designs, THEN I would be very disturbed.
I agree with Jim that the characters are ugly in those concept pieces, but I think the exaggeration looks a little bit better in gameplay.
While I personally don't find them offensive, I understand that it may be a little early to play to the "this is what fantasy characters look like" trope with a nod and a wink while there are so many games still doing it with zero self awareness or irony.
Also, the non-roided female bodybuilders are teh hawwtz.
You seem like a charming and warm individual....Most of the time...>.>
I find the art bad to begin with. Like, I like the fact that it's sprite animation, because I'm now in my 30s and grew up on a lot of hand-drawn stuff and lived through the period where 3D models were all "AHHHHH! KILL IT WITH FIRE!" bad, but the actual styles are ugly. And to be fair, a lot of the stuff I grew up liking looks bad now, too.
I remember when these were pretty good visuals. But still, there's plenty out there to indicate we can be faithful to the style without necessarily indulging in the flaws (by this, I mean being ugly more than BEWWWWWBS!)
Is that what he said? Because that IS dumb.
However, I would point out that there's a difference between the two in terms of whether or not it's sexism, as the power fantasy of the majority for the majority is being compared to depictions of the minority also for the majority.
That doesn't make it okay, but it does change the nature of it.
I also agree with this. Oh, one character has big boobs. Yawn.
Thundercats Ho will need to be replaced, though, as it's clearly sexist.
Personally I like the design of the Sorceress, and the style is taking Frank Frazetta's style to its logical conclusion, But the game suffered from Poe's law and there is not much we can do about that.
As much as I'd like that, I'm not even sure how to get there. I mean, this whole controversy is based in someone finding a character design in a niche game offensive and making a stink like this was the only game in existence and they were being forced to play it, and a rebuttal that didn't seem to get that men actually do have diverse tastes no matter what the popular media might convey. I mean some suggestions on how to keep a discussion going instead of wagging your finger at us might help. I mean, lot of us probably don't even know where we're going wrong and that only leads to blaming the other side and further entrenching the hatred.
For an idea: on the "pro-boob" side for lack of a better term, we need to accept that imagery does have an impact on peoples self esteem. Yes, it seems odd that women feel so inferior to Lara Croft while Kratos has sent very few men to the gym in desperation for his physique, but that's a reality based on a lot of socitial factors that have far from been overcome. Lara's more reasonable figure did not hurt the new game (heck, best of the series IMO), so unless the game is fanservice based, more reasonable proportioned and dressed women won't hurt.
On the feminist side: something offending you is not a criticism in and of itself. You are not the sole market for anything, and while you probably have good reasons for what you believe, companies aren't mandated to market to you. The internet makes self important moralizing very easy to do and without some tangible sign that you are a demographic being ignored, your concerns will get tossed with the anti-violence crowd, the animal rights crowd, the anti-gay characters crowd, the political crowd, and any other group that feels they can bitch everything into only conveying their values. You're going to need more than the moral argument here.
The existence of suxualized characters is not a problem, lack of diversity in design is. Feminists only really piss me off when they attack the former instead of the latter by saying game designers have to "stop doing that" and shouting "misogyny" at any sign of boobs instead of making the case for things they want to see.
And a good way to make their case is to show there is a healthy potential market that exists for the things they'd like more of.
I disagree here, but the rest of your post was great.
See, I have a thick build. I get it from my dad. As a result of my natural build, I've had to struggle with my weight for a long time now, always seeming to border on the edge of Overweight, and this problem has not been helped by my reluctance to exercise.
When I was younger I would get really really upset whenever I thought about my body. I felt that my legs were too chubby, I was fat, stuff like that. All around me were movies and games and books where all the women were really really skinny. And I thought that everyone else was too, compared to me. I think that if I saw a female in a movie that had a thick build like mine... It wouldn't have really helped. Because I wouldn't have liked them. Because I would have thought that the other ones were much prettier.
I'm much better now, and fortunately I never went to any real extremes to fix any of my perceived physical flaws.
But this kind of stuff does effect people.
It isn't really though. The violent thing is about actions regardless of context. The only portraying women as sex objects/as gendered stereotypes thing is about themes and ideas in a cultural context and story context. Not really comparable. :\
The way I see it, is when you spend months and months working on something, and then a troll tells you you are a 14 year old boy, you can get pissed off whether you are a boy or girl. Did he do the right thing? I don't think so, it was feeding the troll. But I can see WHY he'd be upset by a thoughtless stab like that. And I wonder how I'd react in a similar situation...
Can someone please make a game that's as fun as Gears of War was in 2006 with a fairly muscular, reasonably attractive lady as the main character and push out that Longest Journey sequel so we can stop having these discussions for at least a year?
I am just sad about Dragon Crowns not being on PC. As a fan of Vanillaware that is my only issue with the game.
Jeez, sounds like a subplot out of F.A.T.A.L..
Thanks. I do try to rein in the inner asshole, but I don't always succeed.
I do totally understand what the artist is going for, but even with the excessive, grotesque style, the Sorceress is still plainly gratuitous and distracting. Her breasts turning into helicopter rotors anytime she even moves is just.. unpleasant to look at. I wouldn't necessarily call it a sexism issue, just an unfortunate artistic decision.
I don't even mind the Amazon because her levels of excessiveness fit alongside the rest of the crew in some way (though her tiny, anime head kinda clashes with that design). The sorceress just goes a step too far I feel.
I understand what you mean, but I was getting at the idea that seeing a women as being sexy in a game, will make guys start thinking real women should be like that too. That seeing a fictional sexualised woman will actually change the way a guy thinks about real women.
Your personal example is a case of you seeing a fictional example of a woman, and feeling inadequate in response (I apologise if that was worded horribly, I am unsure of how else to describe it). Like seeing somebody with perfect hair and thinking "Why can't mine be like that!" rather than having an idea of how people "should" look, then seeing a piece of fiction and having it change your perception.
To use an example of a depiction of a woman in television, let's look at Marge Simpson. She is a housewife who pretty much keeps her family running. She cooks, cleans, looks after the kids, gets them out of trouble and so on. I sincerely doubt any men watch The Simpsons and think "that's how real women should behave", not unless that's their attitude anyway, in which case, it isn't affecting their perception, but potentially reinforcing what they already think.
I'd also like to mention that the examples you are using are real women, who actually resemble reality. Most women in games are not supposed to be believable. I go into this more after the quotation.
How many games provide a realistic enough example of sexualised women to compare to real life? Or to put it another way, how many sexualised female characters look believable? Most women who are sexualised are more or less caricatures, they are so over the top that they are not comparable to real women. I can't see any guys looking at the Sorceress and associating her with real women.
Violent media on the other hand frequently tries to portray real life, or believable situations. Grand Theft Auto is in many regards a murder simulator. You can do countless things that you could do in real life, many of them horrible.
Violent media, unless it is sci-fi or fantasy often tries to recreate things that are actually plausible, even if they are incredibly unlikely. Sexualisation of characters on the other hand is almost entirely over the top to the point that it barely resembles reality.
I apologise if that was worded badly as well, it can be hard to articulate what I mean when it comes to abstract concepts.
Couldn't agree more with this episode. The reason I've become so apathetic with the whole "Sexism in games" debate that has been kicking around for a while now, is that it's the same people flinging the exact same shit at each other, each and every time.
The only thing even close to a reasonable discussion I've seen around here was the Sexism CommuniCast that a few of the users took part in. However, the problem with that was that, due to a couple of members not able to make it, it was (for the most part) just everyone agreeing with each other.
I want everything.
The more realistic clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The conservatively clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The skimpy clothing, armor and sexy character designs? Yes.
The weird clothing, armor and exaggerated character designs? Yes.
The darker/gothic clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The western stylized clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The eastern stylized clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The older 70s/80s/90s/etc anime style clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The newer moe anime style clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The old and new Disney style clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
The middleground, in all its variance and variety of clothing, armor and character designs? Yes.
Everything listed here, and everything and anything NOT listed her in reference to any brand of visual style in regard to games, movies and television - even animation - YES YES YES.
I want it all. I want variety. I don't want just one thing. I WANT EVERYTHING. I want the industry flooded with a variety of styles, and no, "WE HAVE TO DO THIS TO BE POPULAR!" or, "WE HAVE TO DO THIS TO BE RESPECTFUL" or any other, "WE HAVE TO DO THIS BECAUSE ______" line of reasoning. I want it all. I want variety. I crave it. I have different moods, and different styles help me find something more fitting to my mood, not just visual style either.
More variety is better. Less variety is bad. I wouldn't kick out the Dragon's Crown designs anymore than I'd kick out Beyond Good & Evil's designs or Dark Souls' Designs or Bioshock Infinite's designs or Heavy Rain's designs or Ni No Kuni's Designs or Atelier Totori's Designs or Quest for Glory's designs or Monkey Island's designs or Telltale's The Walking Dead's designs or Resonance of Fate's designs or Half Life 2's designs or TES V: Skyrim's designs or World of Warcraft's designs or any design you could randomly come up with. It all deserves to exist. Something for everyone, and more, no one left out no matter which extreme you're talking about, or if you're just talking about something in the middle of or beyond said extremes.
As you alluded to with your mention of console wars; I am not so sure the gaming community is mature enough to have this discussion. The few civil discussions regarding this issue I have participated in/witnessed are far outweighed by the magnitude of vitriol this community's capable of producing. It's quite sad, really.
Jim, allow me to try and one-up you here.
"Why, let's just go back to stick figure characters. I'll be taking bets on how many people find something to get offended by even then."
I have to admit...it is really a shame that people won't discuss things more rather that fling insults at people who disagree with them. I could bring up parallels with the way religious groups talk about the rights of the GLBT communities...but that seems a bit redundant.
It's good that those two guys didn't finally talk. Personally, I hope that serves as an example for the rest of the gaming community to follow...but that's probably just hopeless optimism on my part.
CAPTCHA: hot-blooded
All too true there, Captcha.
The only thing about this whole issue that really gets me is that the two sides are represented by men. Women have very little acknowledged presence in the discussion. Sure we're here on the forums talking about it, but at it's base, this is an argument by two men about what they think women should be shown as.
Same with the gender representation arguments in general. There are very few female figureheads in this discussion, which just reeks to me. Most developers are headed by men, most publishers as well. Most of the well known journalists are male. And they're the ones who are talking about women and their representation. Male allies are good, and I appreciate what they do, but when they lead a charge that should be a woman's, it just seems a bit hypocritical.
Ahhhh. Okay. Yeah, I don't think that's a reasonable thing, that it could change the way men think about women.
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Two of the video gaming industry's biggest powerhouses have teamed up to deliver a new sci-fi action opus: Destiny.
Bungie, the creators of the multibillion dollar Halo franchise, inked a 10-year deal with Activision, the world's largest independent video game publisher, responsible for the highly successful Call of Duty and Skylanders franchises, among others.
For a look at the six-years-in-the-making game, USA TODAY attended the official unveiling for Destiny at Bungie's 80,000-square foot studios in Bellevue, Wash.
Take note, the ambitious game won't likely be released until 2014, but will be available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and quite possibly for the unannounced next-generation consoles, as well.
Similar to Halo, Destiny is a first-person shooter — that is, the action is seen out of the eyes of the hero — and yes, it takes place in the distant future on strange worlds.
But this is where the similarities end.
For one, Destiny features a "persistent online world" that requires a constant Internet connection — even for the solo campaign. That is, while mingling with A.I. (artificial intelligence)-controlled characters, gamers will also run into real players and can partake in quests together. In fact, some of the activities require more than one person to accomplish. The entire single-player campaign can also be completed with an online friend beside you in the game ("co-op" play). As with the Halo games, Destiny will also feature a number of competitive modes, including team-based games, for those who enjoy head-to-head multiplayer matches.
Because it's a persistent world similar to massively multiplayer online ("MMO") role-playing games, such as World of Warcraft, Bungie can host live events, community activities and add live entertainment; there's real-time weather and day-to-night cycles; and some political, social or military events could potentially take place whether you're playing or not. But Bungie says Destiny is not an MMO as the worlds won't be packed with human players, nor will the game require a monthly subscription — contrary to an early rumor.
Activision's CEO Eric Hirshberg, who also attended the game unveiling, calls Destiny a "shared world shooter," and one that's "ambitious in is scope, innovative in its approach and elevated in its tone."
Destiny also offers deep character customization not found in Halo and most other shooters. Items that are found, earned in battle or purchased from other players or an in-game store range from an assortment of futuristic guns and armor to apparel, such as rare cloaks, helmets or combat boots. There will likely be in-game currency, too, where players who have amassed enough money for completing missions and can purchase goods, including decked-out spaceships, as teased in a hangar scene.
The game offers a rich player progression system, promises Bungie, therefore a character will also grow more powerful over time and accomplishments, much like an online role-playing game.
One more distinction between Destiny and Halo: the game has a mobile component, too. As shown in a video in Bungie's movie theater, players were accessing game information on an iPhone app, flipping through virtual cards of characters and viewing objectives and challenges. Pete Parsons, Bungie's chief operating officer, promises the mobile component will be "deeper and richer" than simply looking at game stats while away from your television.
Bungie didn't reveal the entire story just yet, but the sci-fi yarn takes place hundreds of years in the future. Humankind has reached out to other parts of our solar system, but in return, alien species have landed on Earth bent on "stamping us down" — though it's not entirely clear who or what is behind the near-destruction of our planet. Much of Earth's remaining civilization lives underneath a huge floating orb referred to as the Traveler. You play as a Guardian of the city, determined to find a way to save it, and help restore Earth back to its former glory.
During the game you'll soar to other planets and moons in our solar system, including Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Europa (the sixth closest moon of Jupiter), Earth's moon, and more. While not discussed, there will be some gameplay between planets, too.
A communal hub called the Tower is your home, of sorts, where you can interact with other players — both human and computer-controlled — as well as take on missions and acquire new gear. The game will feature various classes, each with unique abilities, such as Warlock that can wield magic.
There will be time-traveling robots, hippo-like Cabal aliens fighting on Martian ruins and creepy dungeons protected by a species called the Fallen (also referred to as Spider Pirates). Bungie says there is more lore in this game than all previous Bungie games combined, dating back to 1991. Destiny will be just one "book" in a much larger story arc to fulfill the 10-year commitment to Activision.
Bungie and Activision promise to reveal a lot more information on Destiny over the coming months.
Contact Marc Saltzman at firstname.lastname@example.com.
'Halo' creator unveils gaming epic 'Destiny'
Two of the video gaming industry's biggest powerhouses have teamed up to deliver a new sci-fi action opus: Destiny.


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When last we discussed Robopocalypse, it was to share director Steven Spielberg's wish for Chris Hemsworth to play the lead. Now, it appears that Spielberg would also like Anne Hathaway to join the picture opposite Hemsworth. While the pairing surely has huge box office potential, Spielberg will still need a producer. Cue Tom Rothman, the outgoing head of Fox, who will join the picture in a producorial capacity.
Robopocalypse is based off of Daniel H. Wilson's source novel, which takes place in a future where "artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication." The film will roll into production in early 2013 and will be released on April 25, 2014 day and date worldwide. Hit the jump to read the full press release.
Deadline reports that Hathaway is circling the picture, but the studio has yet to confirm. Here's the press release for Robopocalypse that mentions Rothman recent involvement:
Los Angeles, CA(September 24, 2012) – Tom Rothman will come on board to produce the science fiction epic, "Robopocalypse," it was announced today by Stacey Snider, Partner and Co-Chairman of DreamWorks Studios. Steven Spielberg is set to also produce and direct the DreamWorks and Twentieth Century Fox co-production.
The film will begin principal photography in early 2013 and will be released on April 25, 2014 day and date worldwide. The Walt Disney Studio's Touchstone Pictures will distribute the film domestically via its Touchstone Pictures with Twentieth Century Fox handling international distribution.
Exploring the fate of the human race following a robot uprising, "Robopocalypse" has been adapted for the screen by Drew Goddard, based on the novel of the same name by Daniel H. Wilson. DreamWorks acquired the rights to Wilson's unpublished manuscript in November 2009. Published by Doubleday on June 8, 2011, the book soon appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Said Steven Spielberg, "When someone like Tom is a free agent, you snatch him up fast. He has proven himself to be a necessity of this industry. At Fox he had already been an enthusiastic partner on 'Robopocalypse,' and it is to our advantage that he would come produce this film with me. Tom has been a wonderful friend and colleague over the years and DreamWorks is incredibly lucky to have him on board."
Said Tom Rothman, "If you are in politics, you dream of a call from the White House, in baseball, from the Yankees, in movies, from Steven Spielberg. 'Robopocalypse' is the kind of important epic entertainment, a big movie with big ideas, that Steven does better than anyfilmmaker on earth. I am honored beyond measure that he asked for my help on it and fired up to do whatever I can for him, Stacey, the outstanding DreamWorks team, and all of my friends at Fox. I enjoyed the idea of being unemployed for a week, but this will be way more fun."
Said Stacey Snider, "Tom was a fantastic studio chairman and his impeccable taste and passion for films will serve Steven, DreamWorks and this film well."
Tom Rothman recently resigned after 18 years at Twentieth Century Fox, the last 12 as Chairman and CEO. His transition will take place over the remainder of the year. Fox films made during his tenure earned over $30 billion at the worldwide box office, were nominated for over 100 Academy Awards, and won three Best Picture Oscars.