We're fucked.

Brace yourselves, Eurekans, because word from the prog pond is that a certain former city councilman is planning to do us the great favor of running for mayor of our fair city.

Yippee kai yay and shit, yes?

Because when we look at the challenges facing the city, the first thought that springs to mind is, you know, what we need is the manager of a marijuana dispensary in Arcata to get in here and really turn things around for us.

Just what the pot doctor ordered!!

Uh, yeah. That pot doctor.

And all this time we thought giving us Paul Gallegos and his infamous fraud case was the stupidest thing Ken Miller would ever do.

By the way–that lawsuit. Remember it? The one that was repeatedly laughed out of court because it was all rhetoric and no substance?

Those are roughly the same terms we would use to describe Chris Kerrigan.

Day 3 of the advent calendar, and it’s time for a Popular Favourite to return; yes, it’s that none-more-Christmassy effort by Val Doonican and his festive pals, which you can read some amazing behind the scenes facts about here.

Bon Bon Jovi: Living on a prayer.

The space shuttle Discovery blew up. Chernobyl melted down. Halley’s Comet was a major bust, and the Bears beat the living crap out of our Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Closer to home, something called MAXXAM purchased the Pacific Lumber Company, and Bonnie Neely was elected Fourth District Supervisor.

Now PALCO is gone, of course, as is the Soviet Union. The shuttle program isn’t far behind. Somehow the poor Bears ended up with that jackass Cutler, and then there’s the Patriots of which WE SHALL NOT SPEAK.

Which brings us to the Bon Bon.

In the 23 years that she’s been feeding at the electorate’s trough, she has valiantly campaigned against lousy jobs and low wages and given us instead no jobs and no wages.

She helped defeat one Big Box on the Balloon Track, in order to preserve the waterfront for light industrial and harbor-based business. In its place she has given us no industry and no business.

She fought a partial cleanup of the property, and in 23 years there has been no cleanup of any property.

In 1999, she thanked the voters of Eureka for saying no to Walmart because “they had a vision for a better project.” In the 10 years since, she has supported no vision for any project.

She called the previous proposal for the Balloon Track “the laziest, most uncreative use for the coast” she’d ever seen, but has since provided nothing in the way of viable alternatives.

In fact, Neely’s defining quality through these many years has been her startling proficiency at making sure things don’t get done.

But hasn’t she heard?

Just saying no is so 1980s.

I am thinking of going on the next series of Dragons Den with a toaster actually big enough to take a full slice of bread.

by Joe Gillis – TheFlickCast.com

Syfy has ordered 13 episodes of the supernatural drama series Haven, based on the novella “The Colorado Kid,” from author Stephen King. The show, being produced by E1 Entertainment, will be an hour-long TV drama by the same creative group behind USA’s The Dead Zone series, including Lloyd Sagan, Shawn Piller and Scott Shepherd, who will act as showrunner on Haven.

The show focuses on the small Maine town of Haven where people with supernatural abilities have migrated for generations because it mutes their powers, allowing them to lead normal lives — at least, until recently. When FBI agent Audrey Parker is called to Haven to solve the murder of a local ex-con, she catches the killer but uncovers a much deeper mystery about this town and its inhabitants. She also begins to understand the truth about her own past and her relationship with the town.

Even though that description sounds a bit like X-Files meets Eureka, it still could be interesting and could work pretty well as a series. So far, no word on casting for the show but as this is a recent pickup by SyFy for a planned launch early next year, casting will have to begin pretty soon.

Amazon Specials!

Mamy Blue – 25 de mayo y Habegger
Radio Amanecer FM 92.7 AM 1290 – Reconquista – Santa Fe – Argentina
Viernes 4 de diciembre de 2009 – 23 hs. (nuevo horario)

Invitados

Grupo FOR EVER
(soft/pop/rock – avellaneda)

Héctor Rodriguez
(cantante – guitarrero de peña)

Ik ben moe. Maar dat wil niet zeggen dat de tijd, noch de wereld hier stilstaat. Er lijkt zelfs evenveel te gebeuren op veertien dagen of anders op een paar maanden tijd.
Zo was het een tijdje geleden grootouderfeest. Omwille van mijn bereidwillige medewerking was ik nog op school toen het feest losbarstte. De kleuters hadden een schattig dansje voorbereid, maar door blessureleed net voor de voorstelling (Milan en M. kwamen hardhoofdig in aanraking met de kast in de schoolkeuken) viel het dansje van Milan een beetje in het water, zelfs letterlijk, in de tranen. Sorry moeke en pepe, uw kleine hartedief deed het nochtans supergoed tijdens de generale repetitie.
Hoe zit het ondetussen met het geboks van deze kleine mijnheer? Wel, het was veel verbeterd tot er een stagiare in de klas kwam en Milan het nodig vond om zijn bokskunsten ten toon te spreiden. Gelukkig duurde de stageweek ook maar een week en beloofde juf Petra weer beterschap. En inderdaad, voorlopig lukt het goed.
De verhuis komt trouwens niets te vroeg. Niet alleen ligt Milan gespannen tussen zijn hoofd- en voeteinde (nou ja…), sinds kort klautert hij uit zijn spijlenbed. Dat was nogal verschieten toen Zijne Majesteit plots met fonkelende oogjes in de badkamer verscheen, terwijl ik er van overtuigd was dat hij (veilig) in zijn (spijlen)bedje lag. Oke, uit zijn grote bed kan hij ook ontsnappen, maar daar ben ik op voorbereid. Bij de klimpartij was dat een beetje minder.
Vrijdag was het Forum op school. En voor u de wenkbrauwen fronst: op het forum stellen de verschillende leefgroepen van Leefschool Eureka door een dansje of gedichtje of liedje voor waar ze mee bezig zijn tijdens de voorbije of komende maand. De kleuters van juf Petra werken rond het project “muziek”, hadden een keileuk hoedje op en deden een schattig dansje op “ik ben een muzikantje” van Kapiteit Winokio. Ik heb al gegoogeld maar ik vrees dat ik naar de winkel moet als ik het liedje thuis wil (tenzij iemand mij hieraan op een andere manier kan helpen, natuurlijk). Ik kan alleen maar vertellen dat Milan heeeeeeel enthousiast het liedje uitbeeldde. We hebben een trompet, een bombardon, een mandoline, een trommel, een schuiftrombone en een trompet zien passeren. En de tranen, die waren volledig te wijten aan mijn hormonenhuishouding, echt waar!
Vrijdag was nog een mijlpaal voor Milan. Waarschijnlijk een nog grotere mijlpaal voor ons. Milan is ’s middags blijven eten op school. Ik weet, die van u doen dat waarschijnlijk al heel hun leven en ook op school zijn ze maar met een stuk of drie die elke middag afgehaald worden. Wij zijn watjes, u weet dat ondertussen ongetwijfeld al. Juf Diane kon ons op het forum vertellen dat Milan heel flink en vooral rustig gegeten heeft. Hij heeft zijn soep opgedronken, zijn frietjes en vol-au-vent naar binnen gewerkt en zelfs nog een beetje bijgevraagd. Wij konden alleen maar glimmen van trots!
Die kleine van ons blijft ons maar verbazen. Zo weet hij na de eerste noot welk liedje hij hoort en zingt vrolijk mamasé-mamasa-mamasaka-bumba. Ja, ik weet het, Bumba doet niet echt mee in dit liedje, maar we kunnen dit nu ook moeilijk Algemeen Nederlands noemen. Verder onthoudt hij versjes die ze in de klas leren (wat mijn verwachting naar de nieuwjaarsbrief alleen maar ten goede komt!) en op zijn taalexplosie staat geen grenzen. Hij maakt zinnen alsof hij nooit iets anders heeft gedaan, legt verbanden, denkt logisch na, lost problemen op, antwoordt op waarom? met omdat… Als ik enkele maanden geleden had kunnen voorspellen dat het in deze richting zou evolueren, dan had ik mij noooooooooooit zorgen gemaakt. Als we toch niet begrijpen wat Milan wil zeggen, zegt hij: “Kom, ik zal het ee(n)s tonen.” En zo verbaast hij ons met verschillende uitspraken, al dan niet ernstig,  meermaals per dag. Hij kent al verschillende kleuren en telt vrolijk tot zestien (al “vergeet” hij nog steeds de arme drie). Hij herkent ook de weg die we afleggen, en raadt dan waar we naar toe rijden. Al moeten we hem in het weekend wel telkens uitleggen dat er op zaterdag en zondag geen school is.
Ondertussen is het eerste oudercontact ook achter de rug. Maar Milan doet het goed op school. Hij neemt initiatief en doet goed mee met de bende. Hij is leergierig en neemt zaken snel op. Knutselen, plakken, schilderen, hij doet het allemaal met evenveel plezier. En de turnlessen van meester Pieter bewijzen ook hun nut, al dan niet op Milans spijlenbed. Deze middag klom Milan op de salontafel om zijn pantoffels aan te doen en voor ik het goed en wel doorhad, stond hij recht en sprong er zonder veel schroom gewoon af.
Mijn gevoel zat goed, daar begin september, de school zou hem deugd doen. En met Leefschool Eureka hebben we de enige, juiste keuze gemaakt.

De kleuren en de scherpte trekken op niets, ik weet het, maar dat heb je met een fototoestelletje dat niet veel waard is, van op een afstand die niet te overbruggen valt en met de vaste hand van een ontroerde (de hormonen, jawel) mama. Maar ik denk dat je de pretlichtjes in Milans oogjes wel kan zien. Hij geniet, onzen artiest.

Eureka : it means,’I have stumbled on a great idea!’ people, Eureka vacuum bags are just some of the most reliable in the sector, and today I’m going to take you thru why this is so. Before we do that just let me reiterate certain points relating to this strategy of vacuum cleaning.

employing a throwaway vacuum bag is an especially main ingredient to freeing up your time to do other things. These convenient discoveries make it ever so simple to clean up your house efficiently. All that hair and grime and whatever else which has come to live on your kitchen floor and your living room rug ; the whole thing must go and there is no good way to do that except by vacuuming. Some of us have turned to the ultramodern no-bag system but I would not personally recommend that. What you really desire is the cleaner idea of just having the ability to throw things out when they’re full of dirt. You don’t want to get junk stuck in your vacuum cleaner, or to have it get clogged or simply have everything fall out right back onto the floor so that you have to go clean it up again! That is the reason why I always implore folk to go the bag route ; you may understand what I mean when you’re dumping that thing in the trash as effortlessly as if it were a chunk of paper. No problems. No mess.

anyway, let’s attempt to get a grip on the Eureka vacuum bags, because everyone seems to be sure to run into them in their housecleaning activities at some point soon. And you’ll be nicely stunned with what you get out of this beautiful product. Take the Eureka 61115A RR Style : it comes in the most ugly yellow and green bag with red writing that you may ever see. I do not know who they may be making an attempt to market to ; maybe color-blind people? But it’s’s what’s inside the package that manifestly is the real thing. It was made for a smart vacuum and beyond being expendable ( naturally ) it has a high filtration. You want to look for this or microfiltration. It makes the air cleaner. It is just smart shopping and even smarter cleaning.

Now do not be stunned when you find out that these are really generic brand vacuum bags. They will fit your Eureka if it is the right model, but more importantly they are going to cost you less money. That’s all of it that I am pumping here : cost savings for the household you live in and love. Again, it’ll be simpler to find these by purchasing them on the internet than by going to your area store. This is because the digital age affords such customization and ability to get exactly what you want.

the very last thing I would say is just to find these in bulk. That’s where you will really be proud of the vacuum bags that you have managed to find and buy, and they will not disappoint you in your search to make your home a clean and secure place for all who come to visit.

eureka vacuum cleaner

I wouldn’t imagine that there are too many coming across this post who might remember the day – May 6, 1937 – that the short-lived original era of passenger zeppelins came to an end with The Hindenburg Disaster.

But everyone has seen the famous newsreel footage of the fire and crash in Lakehurst, New Jersey along with Herb Morrison’s famous radio report (“Oh, the humanity!”), broadcast after the fact and for years thereafter.

In fact, most of us probably have no reference point for the rigid airships other than the foursome of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones – obviously known as the original supergroup Led Zeppelin – and their debut album cover, featuring the Hindenburg.

Turns out that Count Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was the first to establish passenger airline travel 100 years ago last month and the concept of selling tickets to fly in a zeppelin is coming back around again.

The Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei has been offering passenger travel in Germany since 2001 (with over 60,000 customers, according to their website) and, here in the States, a newcomer called Airship Ventures is doing the same up and down the California coast.

The Los Angeles Times blogs about the return of the zeppelin to L.A. skies with a piece on Airship Ventures that will make you want to get up in the sky with them and exorcise the images of the Hindenburg forever.

They have actually flown over 5,500 ticketed passengers in their 246-foot zeppelin, called the Eureka, and are adding additional sightseeing rides to their scheduled routes.

The view from inside the Eureka

It looks like an incredible experience, though (not surprisingly) carries a steep price tag.  As an example, $199 gets you just 30 minutes of flight time.  $950 per passenger allows you two hours in the air.

But, hey, if you’re having a small birthday party or wedding – the zeppelin carries up to 13 passengers – and have the $5,500 for the chartered flight, then by all means get yourself up in the Eureka.  How about that for a destination wedding?

So now you can add a zeppelin ride to your “bucket list”.  Grainy newsreel footage and breathless radio broadcast not included.

Don Simon – San Martin 763
Radio Amanecer FM 92.7 AM 1290 – Reconquista – Santa Fe – Argentina
Viernes 27 de noviembre de 2009 – 23 hs. (nuevo horario)

Invitados

Cristian Serrichio
(cantante – showman)

Grupo “CAUSES”
German Bustamante
(guitarrista – cantante)
Diego Villa
(teclado – cantante)

“Tal qual a cotovia, suas as montanhas para falar com Deus e faça-o
cantando”.

“Todo cristão ou é um missionário ou é um impostor.”

“A convicção de ignorância é a porta de entrada do templo da
sabedoria.”

“A lei do Senhor é o pão de cada dia do verdadeiro crente”.

“A igreja deve atrair pela diferença e não pela igualdade”.

“Aprenda a dizer não. Será melhor para você do que aprender latim”.

“A nova Jerusalém deve, do mesmo modo, ser rodeada e protegida por um
largo muro de não-conformismo para com o mundo, e de separação dos
seus costumes e espírito”.

“O diabo raramente criou algo mais perspicaz do que sugerir à igreja
que sua missão consiste em prover entretenimento para as pessoas,
tendo em vista ganhá-las para Cristo”.

“Hoje em dia ouvimos alguém extrair do seu contexto uma frase isolada
na Bíblia e clamar: “Eureka!”, como se tivesse descoberto uma nova
verdade; no entanto, não achou um diamante, mas um pedaço de vidro
quebrado”.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Apple released Snow Leopard (10.6) with lot of refinements  and additional features to existing Applications. But as the saying goes in the software ecosystem “Lot of code means lot of bugs” and Apple did justify this by releasing  mega-patch to cover vulnerabilities affecting the Mac OS X. The Terminal.app has been one of my favorite and heavily used application and hence hidden bugs surface more often. The previous bug being on Tiger 10.4, legacy continues unfortunately on Snow leopard as well.

Now here is a scenario, Navigate to /Applications/Utilities and launch Terminal.app. Enter sudo su -  as shown in the picture. It would ask you for a password.

Now without entering the password, Quit the Terminal

and boom ! … Terminal.app goes kaput, doesn’t even show the prompt and becomes useless. The only option to rectify this  is to restart the machine. Now how is that for a bug

— Go Green, Save a Tree —

As noted in ‘About SMT’, I would love to be in a position to at least have the option of purchasing every combat sports par-per-view event. Unfortunately, one must be employed to even begin considering such things.

It is pretty darn easy to see virtually any fight on the Internet if one knows where to look. It never makes me proud to do so, and I often miss out on so many of the nuances of an MMA event (post-fight interviews, announcements, entrances, introductions, etc.) when I do, but if it’s what it takes for me to get my fix of MMA and boxing, I scour the web for working links.

It is rare that I do this with an MMA card without feeling a little guilty. After all, I have long held that most MMA fighters are terribly underpaid, and pirating their fights can’t help the situation.

Then there are cards like UFC 85, Pride: Shockwave 2005, UFC 78, and now UFC 106.

Admittedly, 106 has been plagued by injuries, cancellations, ill-timed illness, and even the galling news that Karo Parisyan backed out of his scheduled bout with Dustin Hazelett at the last possible second for reasons he wouldn’t divulge. This doesn’t excuse the fact that we, as fans, are being asked to drop $50 to watch one potentially exciting fight, an overall weak undercard, and a main event featuring a pair of marginal light-heavyweights.

It may not be worth the dough, but at least I’ll have a clear conscience while I dig it up online.

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WEC 44 Notebook

Featherweight Championship Analysis

Incumbent WEC 145-lb. title holder Mike Thomas Brown had shown great composure since entering the World Extreme Cage. He seemed to thrive when facing furious impulsive assaults, showing an uncommon ability to remain calm and make his opponents pay for their mistakes while making virtually none of his own.

Surging Brazilian whirlwind Jose Aldo, for all his explosiveness and talent, seemed tailor-made for the champ. His aggressive, freewheeling style, and supposed lack of size for the division had me believing that Brown would cement his status as the fighter of 2009 with his third successful defense against a top-5 opponent during the calendar year.

Unfortunately for the champ, MMA is a sport where even the most assured assumptions are often proven false. From the opening “Bring it on!” Aldo had Brown on his heels with a combination of speed, power, and shocking size. It was thought by some observers–SMT included–that Aldo could cut to 135. After watching him the other night, it seems amputation would be the only route.

What shocked me most in this bout was the fact that Aldo’s furious assault managed to rattle Brown and force him into an uncharacteristic mistake. A second-round scramble ended with Brown falling to the mat and giving up his back. It took the challenger mere seconds to pounce on his opponent and claim the title with a series of punches.

While it was my least favorite kind of stoppage–the type where a fighter is hopelessly stuck in a bad position rather than genuinely hurt–Aldo deserves a ton of credit for the resounding victory, and will likely face the winner of next month’s Urijah Faber-Raphael Ascunciao tilt in his first defense.

WEC/Zuffa brass has to be pleased that Faber, their most marketable star, is once again on the verge of a shot at the title that was once synonymous with him.

Other notes from WEC 44

Is there a more hard-luck fighter in the promotion than Rob McCullough? Since losing the belt to current champ Jamie Varner, the guy has consistently delivered exciting performances against extremely tough opposition, only to go 2-2 in that stretch. My sympathy for ‘Razor’ aside, newcomer Karen Darabedyan was extremely impressive in his WEC debut, and will be a top contender in the division in short order.

Manny Gamburyan, for all his talent, hasn’t been involved in an exciting fight since he was a contestant on TUF. As for his vanquished foe Leonard Garcia, I’m left to wonder if this guy will ever correct the holes in his wrestling game that have led to two underwhelming performances in a row since he fought for the title.

I wasn’t particularly impressed with Kamal Shalorus or Will Kerr. One guy threw long, sloppy punches, while the other seemed to think dropping his hands constitutes a feint. I know Zuffa tends to put its best 155-lb. prospects in the UFC, but is this really the best they can do for their feeder promotion?

Shane Roller turned in the night’s gutsiest performance, dispatching Danny Castillo via choke in the waning stages of a highly competitive tilt. Afterwards, he stated that he would be disappointed if his next fight was not a title shot. I don’t think he’s quite ready.

Finally, I must give a shout-out to Antonio Banuelos–the only professional athlete I know of who shares my surname–and congratulate him on his victory over Kenji Osawa.

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Unintentionally funny person of the week:

ESPN’s Mike Wilbon

I can’t help but find it funny when so-called “mainstream” sports writers talk MMA and boxing. There’s always this brief moment of, “Oh yeah, that still exists!”

On yesterday’s episode of Pardon The Interruption, the question of whether or not a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would take place in the near future was posed to Wilbon and his PTI co-host Tony Kornheiser. Both were justifiably confident that the match will be made, but Wilbon spouted two things that nearly put him into Bob Arum territory.

He began by implying that MMA (“or whatever that is,”) can’t produce great fights, then went on to say that, “Some of us are old enough to like boxing.” Note to Mr. Wilbon: I’m 20 years younger than you, and I LOVE boxing. I’m also fan enough to appreciate both.

Though they compete for the same fans and pay-per-view dollars, I still can’t get my mind around how a person can like one and not the other. Kudos to Tony Reali for giving Wilbon the L for the odds-makers segment, in part because of the shot he took at MMA.

I admire Mr. Wilbon, and have faith that one day he’ll grow to appreciate MMA.

Pictured: a typical boxing fan according to Mr. Wilbon

****************************************

Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto – Redux

It was literally five minutes after SMT was published last Sunday that I was finally able to dig up a working link for last Saturday’s boxing feature.

Much has been made of Manny Pacquiao’s ascendance into the all-time pantheon since he brutally took apart a game, yet overmatched, Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao deserves every word of praise lavished upon him by the media, and then some. His tremendous speed and footwork were on full display, and he showed a previously unseen ability to absorb power shots from an A-list welterweight.

For a few fleeting minutes last Saturday, it looked as if Cotto might have the goods to derail the Pac Man train. He was jabbing effectively, controlling the pace, and walking the Filipino superstar down with calculated aggression. Even when Manny scored a flash knockdown in the third round, I still felt Cotto had the upper hand.

In fact, Cotto looked to be taking over the fight in the middle stages of an action-packed round four, but it all changed in the blink of an eye. You might assume I’m referring to the beautiful combination that floored the Puerto Rican at the end of the period, but it was what I saw a little earlier in the frame that caught my eye as the true turning point in the bout.

Somewhere along the line, Cotto had to figure he was going to get tagged. The unfortunate thing for him was that he stopped fighting with his head, and started fighting with his emotions once it happened. Between rounds four and five, Cotto’s corner pleaded with him to, “Box intelligently,” but by then the shift in his mindset was irreversible.

Perhaps the greatest single factor in Cotto’s demise was his changing trainers. Virtually every boxer reaches a point where they need a change in order to improve and evolve, but by all appearances Cotto’s firing of his uncle and long-time trainer Evangelista Cotto was over personal issues. All due respect to new trainer Joe Santiago, but it seemed as if his charge was setting his own strategic agenda for most of the fight, and it cost him dearly in the end.

The loss of composure was the proverbial blood in the water for the current king of the sweet science. Pacquiao proceeded to batter his foe into a bloody, swollen mess over the next seven rounds. Cotto’s toughness cannot be questioned, but he took a lot of unnecessary punishment, and one has to wonder whether his career will suffer for it.

One of the hallmarks of greatness in combat sports is when a fighter reaches a point where his dominance becomes as routine as a morning cup of coffee. I found myself growing almost bored with Pacquiao’s systematic dismantling of yet another world-class opponent as the rounds wore on. In over 20 years as a boxing fan, I’ve never seen an offensive virtuoso on Pacquiao’s level. Roy Jones came close in his prime, but the difference is that Manny is cleaning out world-class opposition in multiple weight classes in a way Jones never did.

As detailed in last Sunday’s SMT, a fight with undefeated former pound-for-pound monarch Floyd Mayweather, Jr. looms as the next challenge for Pacquiao. Early odds released on the potential matchup have Pac Man listed as an 8-5 favorite.

I don’t gamble, but if I did I would bet on Mayweather. I’ll be glad to tell you why if and when the bout agreements are finally signed.

****************************************

SMT’s Top 10 TV Shows of the 2000’s

For my countdown I’ve instituted the following criteria:

1) A show must have premiered within the decade. This disqualifies such amazing series as The Sopranos and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

2) A show must have aired for more than one season. This disqualifies Firefly, one of my favorite shows ever produced; and the superlative ESPN football drama, Playmakers.

3) I’ll be leaving out several well-reviewed programs that I’ve simply never watched. I beg the pardon of fans of The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Flight of the Conchords, Entourage, and Chuck (among others).

4) Reality and contest shows won’t be considered. I offer no apologies for this.

5) In paring down my list, I’ve disqualified otherwise decent shows for lousy seasons. This led to the axing of Heroes (which nearly flushed itself in its second season) and Dexter (great show, but the third season was just plain lame).

Without further ado:

#10) Eureka

This smartly written, Earth-based science fiction drama deftly balances serious predicaments with light-hearted humor. Through three seasons it has been consistently compelling and entertaining.

It certainly doesn’t hurt its case that it also features a cornucopia of astoundingly beautiful women.

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Uncommonly held opinion

I’m an enormous fan of Roald Dahl, and have been since I was a child. He gave us some of the best stories ever produced in children’s literature.

This fandom makes me a major purist when it comes to film versions of his work. As such, I present you with my belief that Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is better than the 1971 rendition directed by Mel Stuart.

This isn’t to say that I don’t like the older version, but I feel that Burton and Danny Elfman gave us a better glimpse into Dahl’s imagination–despite the dentist twist.

Excoriate away!

****************************************

UFC 106 Recap and Analysis

The fights I have seen from this card have proven to me beyond any doubt that SMT’s First Commandment of MMA: Thou shalt not forget thy base, is absolutely unquestionable. Those who remembered their bases won, those who didn’t lost.

Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos

Sotiropoulos looked to be breaking Commandment One early on in an effort to display his improved striking game. To his credit, he landed some great kicks in the early going, but when Dent began timing George and bouncing fists off of his cranium, the highly-touted Greek-Australian deftly switched gears and dragged Dent to the floor.

From there, Sotiropoulos proceeded to put on a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu clinic, eventually finishing Dent with a slick armbar from the mount. Not many UFC lightweights are equipped to roll with Sotiropoulos, a fact that he fortunately remembered.

Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders

In a battle of boxing and Muay Thai, it was Saunders who employed his bread and butter to earn a very impressive win. Despite his measured disadvantages in height and reach, Davis’ best chance in this fight was to use his head movement and boxing skill in an effort to plant one of his vaunted power shots on Saunders’ somewhat questionable chin.

Instead, Davis opted to enter the clinch game with Saunders, a strategic blunder that led to him being opened up with one knee, and removed from consciousness by another. Saunders definitely deserves praise not only for his impressive performance, but for his adherence to his strengths.

Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt

In perhaps the only fight of the evening that called Commandment One into question, Rosholt looked to be bullying Grove early with his world-class wrestling, only to flagrantly violate Commandment Four (Thou shalt not lose thy composure) and dive face-first into a beautiful triangle choke.

This is the second time Rosholt has practically begged an all-too-happy-to-oblige opponent to submit him since he entered the UFC. Perhaps it’s time he rounded out his grappling game. As for Grove, the submission was slick, and probably earned him a fat bonus that should have gone to Sotiropoulos, but his performance wasn’t exactly overwhelming.

Amir Sadollah vs. Phil Baroni

The night’s most painfully predictable bout pitted TUF7 winner Amir Sadollah against the utterly irrelevant, but still tough Phil Baroni. Virtually every pundit had predicted an early blitz from Baroni, followed by several minutes of Sadollah picking him apart. For once in this mostly unpredictable sport, we got exactly what we expected.

I like Amir a lot, and think he has great skills and instincts, but all he showed me in this one is that he can take out a professional punching bag. I’d like to see him matched with Matt Brown in a rematch of their TUF exhibition. It would be a great test for both fighters at this point.

Luis Arthur Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

SMT salivated over this matchup of top-10 light-heavyweights from the moment it was announced, and it didn’t disappoint despite lasting just under two minutes. Minotouro used crisp boxing and excellent timing to turn Cane’s aggression straight back on him, eventually finishing him with what should turn out to be a $70,000 left hand.

I’ve always contended that Nogueira is one of the world’s most underrated 205’s, but even I didn’t expect him to steamroll Cane the way he did. Rogerio’s technical boxing skill has been well-known since his days in Pride, but he’s obviously developed a great deal of power to go with it. Add this to his top-shelf grappling skills, and you are looking at a guy who belongs right in the middle of the title picture.

And speaking of salivating, the idea of finally seeing Nogueira tangle with Mauricio Rua again with a belt on the line just made me drool like a mastiff missing a chromosome. If you haven’t seen their 2005 fight of the year-caliber war, you owe it to yourself to click here.

Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson

There are fighters I love to hate, and there are fighters I just plain can’t stand. Josh Koscheck falls into the latter category, and did nothing to change that last night.

After milking an illegal knee attempt in a flopping display worthy of Manu Ginobili, Koscheck used his world-class wrestling–and a couple of blatant eye pokes–to wear down Johnson, eventually submitting him with a rear-naked choke. Afterwards, Koscheck called out newly-minted #1 welterweight contender Dan Hardy in what was yet another display of his complete lack of class.

Somebody should tell Josh–who pocketed a nauseatingly undeserved $140,000 in bonuses (seriously, who the hell decides who gets these?!)–that he’s lost his last two fights against ranked opponents, and has a decisive loss to the current champion.

Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin

The main event in name only turned out to be a spirited contest between two big-name and largely irrelevant light-heavyweights.

Griffin took a well-deserved decision over Ortiz, whose lack of cardio was stunning. I’d tell you more about it, but even if you haven’t seen the fight, you’ve seen it. It was that predictable, and was easily the poorest excuse for a UFC main event since Michael Bisping vs. Rashad Evans at UFC 78.

Some fans have made a point of calling UFC heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez “pillowhands”, but Griffin deserves the moniker twice as much. The Ortizasaurus just needs to walk away while he still has a shred of his legacy left.

****************************************

Next Up: The TV countdown continues, SMT recaps the TUF10 finale, and a rant about the infuriating practice of regional movie releases. But first, Turkey-coma. Happy thanksgiving!

Eureka's reputation was built on its legendary, sturdy and powerful upright vacuum cleaner. In fact, so well known is Eureka for its pillars that many do not know that Eureka also makes an excellent vacuum cleaner. So if you plan to buy an empty container, a look at what Eureka has to offer.

Vacuums offer a great advantage over upright vacuum cleaners are lighter to push around the uprights and provide greatercleaning of stairs to reach under furniture and awkward-to-get-at places. For this reason, many of us prefer the empty container. But for many, when one speaks of "what is the best vacuum container," often think of Electrolux or Miele, Eureka and the empty cartridge is often neglected. It's really a missed opportunity as Eureka makes some of the best vacuum cleaner on the market valuations and, sometimes, at a fraction of the cost of theircompetitors.

Eureka 3684D Take the empty container. E 'thank you powerful – an engine of 12 amps – and has a door big fan and instruments. Like all cleaners good vacuum, Eureka 3684D is equipped with a HEPA filter. The wand is telescopic (a feature that most other brands lack) and is made of metal and not plastic, you can think of another empty container in which the rod is made of metal? Eureka 3684D comes with an empty containerGenerous 20ft cable.

But more important around 3684 the vacuum system is the Power Paw Stair Brush. The Power Paw Stair Brush is a hand-held attachment that uses a powerful brush roll down to inhale the dust and pet hair off the stairs and walls better than other cleaning equipment.

Eureka 972B also enables the empty cartridge. Admittedly, this vacuum is as powerful as the Eureka 3684D and has a specification is higher. But its selling point is thatE 'is a cheap and good empty cartridge at midspan. It has 11 power amplifiers, cable 16 feet (which is self-winding), a telescoping steel rod (an economic vacuum, with a metal rod?). It weighs 10 pounds, slightly heavier than the 3684D. If you have a low carpet, wood or terracotta floors and the 972B will be adequate. If you have carpets or other surfaces demanding deep then you should consider 3684D or HP6855A, discussed below.

In my opinion one of the best basketvacuums on the market today is the Eureka HP6855A. Has a great visual appeal with clean lines and a profile form. It weighs 20 pounds, has a quick release system that allows you to pull the rod and connect the instruments on board quickly and easily, and comes with a lighthouse, you can see what's under the couch whenever which is empty. The Eureka HP6855A is a powerful vacuum cleaner and comes with Allergen Micron Filtration, which ensures that 100% of dust mites and grass pollenare kept in vacuum, in fact, all particles that are locked, where up to something that is fifteen times smaller than the width of a human hair.

Like most other manufacturers, allows a wide range of Eureka vacuum cleaners, one that suits all needs and your budget. While some Eureka vacuum will be left behind in terms of power, reliability and functionality of their competitors, the empty container of the above really compare withnothing else on the market.

Tags : http://video-games.fernstudiumde.com/ http://shop.stock588.com/

November 21, 2009 – The Eureka, California Marina Center Project, which is a 43-acre development of coastal land, recently hit a snag, as environmental protection agencies have raised issues about water runoff. Though the city of Eureka voted to initiate the first phase of the project, the California Coastal Commission has recommend that a closer look be taken at the project’s environmental impact. Eureka contractors are anxiously waiting for the construction to move forward, as it is expected to generate hundreds of local construction jobs.

The development company, Security National, has plans for the region which involve office spaces, a wetland reserve, and retail spaces. Eureka general contractors, as well as nearby Fortuna general contractors, are expected to compete heavily for subcontracting openings on this large project.

jobtrio.com Staff
Construction Industry Newswire

Apparently I have enough time to update my post tag list, nothing new in the land of N yet, trying to figure out how I’m going to interlink all of my story’s into movuies and stuff.

Nick: Melodic to the point of prettiness.

so you don’t like it?

no, no you’re confused.

I don’t like wimpy, I do like pretty.

there’s some strange level shifts going on.

did he engineer this himself?

ehh.. maybe.

this is going on a bit long.

it’s very musical, nice bits of…..instrumentalisation?

or whatever you call it.

{track 3: Movie On The Way Down}

is this the same album?

why would I change it?

wow, ok well this is a whole different feel.

more contemplative.

it’s hard to believe this was written by the same person.

you should hear some of his other stuff.

very..

versatility and eclecticism come to mind.

but very nice.

lovely music.

{track 4: Through The Night Softly}

he uses everything doesn’t he?

{huge cheesy/amazing sax solo comes blasting in}

hahahaha oh my god!

just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!

it’s pretty incredible really.

the only disadvantage is it’s not like listening to an album, it’s like he has a split personality.

in a recent interview Jim said that this record ‘represents a real failure for me.’

if it’s a real failure, why did he publish it?

that is a bit much isn’t it?

giving us his failures, that’s not very nice.

please buy my failure.

I guess it’s just one of the best failures ever committed to tape.

http://www.myspace.com/halfwaytoathreeway

Christmas is just around the corner and to celebrate Espresso Italia is giving every customer who places an order online over $500 a free gift valued at $100, This offer is valid for all orders including orders of:

• Coffee Machines from Saeco, Isomac and Segafredo
• Coffee from Segafredo and Espresso Italia
• Coffee Grinders from Mazzer and Eureka

Offer ends 31st of December 2009! For more information you can contact us directly on 08 9200 3816 or email us, info@espressoitalia.com.au

Don Simon - San Martin 763
Radio Amanecer FM 92.7 AM 1290 – Reconquista – Santa Fe – Argentina
Viernes 20 de noviembre de 2009 – 23:59 hs.

Invitados

Solista
Micaela Pisech
(cantante)
Pablo Zanone
(bajista – guitarrista)

Grupo
ALAS NOCTURNAS

David Rolon
(guitarra y voz)
Alfredo Corti
(batería)
Pablo Zanone
(bajo y coros)

Presentando temas de su segundo disco
“no son solo palabras”

Grupo sorpresa
“LA NEGRA BLUSERA”

As clean as it gets. Clean and sanitize hard surface floors with this powerful steamer mop. The lightweight mop packs a powerful punch Environmentally Safe, No Chemicals Required 6.5 Amps / 800Watts Cleaning Width 12.5 in 25 Foot Cord Cleans and sanitize hard floor surfaces with steam. Cleans floors in a single step and dries in minutes Easy to use; light indicates when you need to add water Adjustable handle with cord wrap. Unique square shaped base reaches corners. Easy release holders make it easy to change the “magic cloth”. BONUS! Accessory Pack includes an extra ‘magic cloth’, measuring cup and funnel. US Warranty: 1 year limited warranty on defects in materials and workmanship. Non-US Warranty: 30 days parts and labor

Finally, a great little steam mop!  
I have been reading about all the different steam mops and their pros and cons. I decided on the enviro and I am so glad I did. First… no whimpy pad here, this baby is thick and durable and really easy to put on and take off. It didn’t ’soak’ the floor as long as you keep it moving. I did a kitchen, family room laundry and 3 bathrooms with 2 refills and without changing the pad. It heats up in 3 minutes, the cord is fine, I just unplugged and plugged it in from room to room. The cloth really picks up dirt and I just threw it in the wash with some car towels and let it air dry. This cloth is so heavy duty, you will not need to buy replacements. The machine will wear out before the pads do. Buy this one, it’s a great price and you will not be disappointed.
E. Coniglio, Tamp, FL…..Read more