La nouvelle série «Poker» (Lombard) s’inspirerait-elle de l’excellent «Ken Games» (publié chez Dargaud)? En tout cas, si elle nous y fait étrangement penser, elle ne l’égale pas en qualité. Tant «Poker» que «Ken Games» se jouent de l’analogie poker/vie réelle, mais la première tient davantage du thriller pur jus, n’approfondissant que peu la psychologie des personnages. Du moins dans ce premier tome. Le dessin de Van Liemt, quant à lui, est nettement moins soigné que celui de Toledano. Le scénario de Derrien met en scène Mark Middleton, jeune, beau, séducteur et pas ambitieux pour un sous. Il vivote et plume les touristes au poker, avec grand art. Mais, au-delà des apparences, le jeune prodige vise à mettre au tapis les membres du ‘Cercle’ responsables de l’assassinat de ses parents. La vengeance le démange. Pour atteindre les meurtriers, le jeune homme a choisi d’exercer ses dons dans le seuil domaine susceptible d’attirer leur attention: le poker. Il lui faudra donc gravir les échelons et devenir une étoile du circuit pro.

Anne-Sophie

«Poker, tome 1: Short Stack», de Derrien et Van Liemt, éditions Le Lombard, 56 pages, 10,40 €

Cote : 3/5

Once again, I combined different sections of trails to come up with a 20-mile ride.  Twenty to 25 miles is what I look for in a bike ride.  That equates to two- to two-and-a-half hours for me.  Today I started at Kline Creek Farm on County Farm Rd in Carol Stream.  The parking lot is in between the Great Western Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path.  A north-south trail passes by the lot connecting the GWT and IPP.  I rode north to the GWT, then east to its end in Villa Park before riding south a couple blocks to the IPP, which I followed back to County Farm Rd before turning off to get to the car.  Below is a screen capture of my track on EveryTrail.  I record my track at a higher resolution, and Google Earth doesn’t do a good job displaying all those little track segments at smaller scales.

The trail north from Kline Creek Farm to the GWT is crushed stone and nothing special.  I won’t write much about the GWT, since I covered it in another entry.  The same smells were present on this ride.  The spices at that Carol Stream business park, the Mexican food and Burger King at Westmore Ave in Villa Park, and the breakfast food smell by the Villa Park Police Station at Ardmore Ave.  The GWT has much lighter traffic than the IPP.  In this area, they run parallel and are within 2mi of each other.  The GWT is a fine trail, but I think more people use the IPP because it literally runs through their backyards.  The difference in traffic was noticed when I took the little two-block-long connecting trail south from the end of the GWT to the IPP.  As soon as I turned west onto the IPP, there were people using the trail as far as I could see.

As a matter of course, I will say that all the trails I rode today were well-maintained.  Most of the pavement was crushed stone.  There was the usual good signage from DuPage County with one exception I will discuss later.

The IPP was just OK to me.  Maybe I’m indifferent because I have walked parts of it while geocaching.  In fact, I spotted a father and son looking for the Centennial Clock geocache along the Prairie Path at Ardmore Ave in Villa Park.  I thought that part of the trail looked familiar to me.  The Prairie Path Main Stem isn’t really conducive to fast riding.  Once in Lombard, there are stretches where you have to cross a street every block.  It really keeps you from building up any momentum, though the stops do break up the ride a bit.  There are lots of apartment buildings near the trail.  I wonder if the city was planned this way when the Prairie Path was the Chicago Aurora and Elgin commuter railroad.  I have one complaint to air.  Whoever built two sidewalks across the path at Lincoln St in Lombard is an idiot.  The stone of the Prairie Path sits lower than the sidewalks, so the sidewalks create a series of rather sharp bumps.  The sidewalks crossing the path should be removed.  Someone using the sidewalk to cross the path won’t mind having to walk on crushed stone for a few feet.  The Main St crossing a few blocks west was difficult – lots of traffic, and I didn’t feel like there was enough room in the median to stand there to wait to cross the second set of lanes.  On a more positive note, I was able to witness the functionality of highway sound barriers.  I didn’t realize I was approaching the North-South Tollway until I was maybe a block away.  Usually I can hear when I am approaching a busy highway, but the sound barriers along I-355 keep the noise from carrying far.

Immediately west of I-355 is a sewage treatment plant that was aromatic this morning.  There is a short steep ascent to Hill Ave in Glen Ellyn.  Having never been on this part of the trail before, I wasn’t expecting this ascent and I wasn’t expecting the trail to turn and follow Hill Ave at the hill’s crest.  Yes, I saw it on the map last night, but I had no idea what the terrain was like.  After crossing Hill Ave, you drop sharply and make a southwesterly turn into a sort of canyon.  There are berms or hills alongside the trail.  My GPS receiver’s reception was junk between Hill Ave and the Taylor Ave bridge.  My track was up to 250ft off in some places.

The ride through Downtown Glen Ellyn and Downtown Wheaton was interesting.  Lots of shops and stuff to look at, though you do have to take it slow because of the street crossings and pedestrians.  There were some good food smells along the trail in Wheaton near the Wheaton College campus.

The Prairie Path has a detour in Downtown Wheaton.  The last time I went through here, I crossed the railroad tracks on an old bridge at Carlton Ave.  That bridge, along with the road bridge from Wesley St, are under construction.  I had forgotten about this.  At West St there was a bike detour sign with arrows pointing north and west.  I had no idea which way to turn.  I decided to proceed west to the old bridge to see if there were more signs or an explanation of the detour.  Nothing.  It would have been nice to have a textual sign listing the detour route.  I turned around to go back to West St.  The signs I saw going eastbound indicated the detour was supposed to go north on West St.  I didn’t feel comfortable riding on the roadway of West St.  It is a narrow street with a speed limit of 30, but I think people were going faster.  Also, I think it is a temporary bike route, so drivers aren’t expecting to see bikes despite the bike route detour signs.  I rode on the sidewalk until I reached Franklin Ave.  That’s a nice quiet residential street, so I rode in the street.  After a couple of turns, I was back on the IPP at Lincoln Ave.  I have been on this part of the IPP previously.  I rode to County Farm Rd and turned north to follow a trail back to the Kline Creek Farm parking lot.  Once at the lot, don’t bother following the trail that goes southwest past the little visitor center or barn thing.  If you go a little farther, you’ll see a sign that says the trail is closed to bikes and pretty much anything that isn’t a horse.

I installed my bell this morning before leaving the house.  I wish I had bought one months ago.  Just a little flick of my thumb, and people knew I was about to pass.  It was amazing how quickly walkers turned their head to see me when I rang my bell.

Below are the trip stats from my GPSr for this ride.  My stopped time was longer than usual because I stopped on the Taylor St bridge in Glen Ellyn to watch cars go through the one-lane viaduct under the railroad tracks.

1. which one are you ?
the brown one
in the back
on the left
black mane
white spill of milk on forehead

2. hotel pans
cooling
on cart
roasted carrots
potatoes
fennel
onions
garlic
thyme
olive oil
we each sneak salty pieces
while walking past

3. this is the motion
moving forward
setting aside days
at the library/office/studio
counting down weeks
it is not solitude
but it is solo
leaning
on strong arms
into possibility
words
piling up
like wisconsin snow
behind the rumble
and orange lights
of plows
the workhorses
of winter

this is
the millionth adolescence
and certainly not
the last

4. attempting to identify
the source of slyness
in this smile
when i talk about
another 5hour sleep night
in lola’s kitchen
split peas that have joined
the slow food movement
soup
onfire in fall colors
10pm dinner
perfect

5. tonight
lombard looks like a runway
spilling flat wide before us
black asphalt
glitter in the distance

time traveling
from a room-sized record collection
and movies on vhs

6. one week from now
the number thirty four
stable
grounded
head held high

7. delayed shout out
to my comrades
in the crusade
of the ripped open hearts
image of hands at chest
pulling flesh back
face turned sunward

Dans cet ouvrage collectif, 51 auteurs de bandes dessinées partagent leurs souvenirs filmographiques. Ils se sont prêtés au jeu et commentent LE film qui a compté pour eux. Selon leur propre style et leur sensibilité, ils ont recréé une affiche. Un vrai petit régal qui permet aux bédéphiles de pénétrer plus avant l’intimité artistique de leurs auteurs préférés. Anecdotes et souvenirs font de cet album un objet attachant. Cosey, Pellerin, Dany, Jean-C. Denis, Rabaté, Servais, Taduc ou Gégé, quelques noms parmi d’autres qui figurent parmi les plus grands. Quelques jeunes talents s’affichent aussi aux côtés des dessinateurs renommés de la profession.

Anne-Sophie

« Souvenirs de films. Du 9^e art au 7^e art. 51 dessinateurs à l’affiche », conçu et coordonné par Jean-Pierre Eugène, éditions Le Lombard, 110 pages, 29 euros

Cote : 3/5

Sortie : le 23 octobre

Domestic Cuvees Featured at D.O.C. Bistro and Wine Bar

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

7:00-9:00pm

$20 fee

D.O.C. holds informal wine tastings on the first Wednesday of every month, from 7:00 – 9:00pm. On Wednesday, November 4, Wine Director Tony Burger will lead “Blend It Up,” which delves into the world of Cuvees. No single varietal will be served – simply great blends from across the continent.

A $20 fee includes all wines stationed throughout The Tasting Room and an assortment of paired appetizers. Reservations are not required for the monthly wine tasting events.

Next Tasting–

Wednesday, December 2
“The Southern Charm”
Taste Southern Wine from all over the World – Campania, Mendoza, Chile, Stellenbosch, New Zealand, Australia.

D.O.C. Wine Bar

The Shops on Butterfield

326 Yorktown Center

Lombard, IL 60148

630.627.6666

docwinebarchicago.com

Welcome to my blog and thanks for visiting!  My name is Lisa M. Blacker.  I am a medical student blogging with the intention of sharing my journey with others on the same or similar path; with those who are considering medical school; and with physicians looking in on us to reminisce and/or offer guidance now and then.

Natural medicine and wellness have long been my passions and I have “always” wanted to be a physician.  After a long, convoluted route of undergraduate study, I entered National University of Health Sciences (www.nuhs.edu) in Lombard, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago.  Five trimesters later in December 2008, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences at 45 years of age.

After a brief, four-week break, I moseyed back to my alma mater in January 2009 to pursue a double doctorate in chiropractic and naturopathic medicines, but at a smaller load of only 17 credits instead of the 23 that are included in the 10-trimester pace. Perhaps my mosey was my bad timing, or perhaps my timing isn’t what was important to the lessons I’ve learned in these nine months, which are my compelling reason for sharing this journey with you.  Regardless, at the end of my second trimester, I had successfully completed a total of 10% of the chiropractic program.  Knowing this gave me a small sense of accomplishment and an great awareness of the long, daunting journey ahead.  Now finished with week 5/15 of my third trimester, I am enjoying a very light, part-time load of only 5 credits in order to reflect and work, which brings me here.

My perspective at 46 years of age is unquestionably different in many ways than that of my younger school mate colleagues.  Likewise, my perspective as a student of natural medicine is undoubtedly different in some ways than those studying allopathy or osteopathy – or even “straight” chiros, for that matter.  Just as certainly as our perspectives are different, however, is my certainty that we share numerous commonalities with regard to our experiencing medical school – regardless of which type of medicine we are pursuing or the period of life in which we study.  With those commonalities in mind, I hope my blog will be of value to all medical students.

Shortlink: http://wp.me/pFspV-5

www.SantaClausChicago.com

Make your winter event a Fun One. We have so much to choose from for a great cold weather party. Warm up with one of our Jolly Holiday Entertainers or mingle with a glass of eggnog and caramel popcorn. Entertain the kids with a holiday moon walk and festive red and green “snow” candy. Select one of our Holiday Trains for rides indoor or outdoor. Choose from any of our convenient packages or customize your own. We’ll bring the fun indoors and make it a memorable holiday season for all!

Santa Visit: Have Santa visit this holiday season. Our Santa’s are Jolly and ready to bring holiday joy to your event. Your Santa has the option to come with his sleigh, holiday backdrops, decorative presents, and helpers. Choose from a wide variety of options to make your event a memorable one.
Santa Sleigh Picture Props: Looking to take photos at your holiday party? We have Santa’s Sleigh and holiday backdrops for your photo opportunities. You can have just Santa’s Sleigh or get the whole package with backdrops, presents, and Santa Himself.

Holiday Train Rides: Our Holiday Train rides bring fun and excitement to any holiday event. We can’t imagine the holidays without a train. The trackless train can be used to shuttle people back and forth from your event or as an attraction for all ages. The electric holiday train can be setup indoors at your event or outdoors.

Holiday Entertainers:
• Santa Claus
• Frosty the Snowman
• Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer
• Holiday Bear
• Uh-O the Elf

Holiday Entertainment:
• Carolers
• Elvis Impersonator
• Frank Sinatra Impersonator

Holiday Food Machines:
• Carmel Glazed Popcorn Machine
• Red and Green Cotton Candy
• Red and Green Snow Cones
• Candy Cane Candy Art Machine
• Holiday Flavor Drink Machine

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CALIFORNIA BEAT STAFF REPORT

Call it a life-sized public relations stunt.

San Francisco’s famed crooked Lombard Street became a gigantic game board of sorts to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Candyland — the childhood board game that everyone has played at least once.

Colored matting lined each of the switchbacks from the very top to bottom of the iconic stretch of roadway so kids from UCSF’s Children’s Hospital and other organizations could serve as game pieces to get to bottom of the game board.

PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP:

The familiar red-brick roadway was covered up by the mats.

Afterwards, crews were seen tearing up the colored mats as fascinated tourists clicked away with digital cameras.

• MORE: Lombard Street really isn’t San Francisco’s crookedest street

Many said they wanted to play round two of the board game.

E-mail the California Beat at californiabeat@gmail.com. Join the California Beat on Facebook, and get breaking news headlines, story alerts and previews when you follow us on Twitter.

‘San Francisco’s Lombard Street, “the crookedest street in the world,” will tomorrow be shut to traffic and set up as a giant Candy Land game board for sick kids, the Appeal reports. The event, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the kids’ board game, is being hailed as the largest Candy Land game ever. At the finish line it will be cake, not candy.’ —Harry Kimball SOURCE: San Francisco Appeal

Please Please Please !!!

Support the northern Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative & Zaagkii Project by voting through August 30, 2009

Story to vote:

Week Ending Apr 05, 09
Creating numerous environment projects that bring together diverse groups, students, American Indians

Please vote for Rev. Jon Magnuson’s environment projects in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
You can vote daily.
Even 1 vote is appreciated.

Find this story of click on this link:

Week Ending Apr 05, 09
Creating numerous environment projects that bring together diverse groups, students, American Indians

To vote you will have to register the first time
We realize this is asking a lot – thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Greg Peterson, news reporter and volunteer media advisor for the EarthKeepers & Zaagkii Project

Call if you have questions – anytime day or night:

1-906-401-0109

The EarthKeepers:

The interfaith EarthKeepers planted twelve thousand (12,000) trees across northern Michigan for Earth Day 2009 thanks to over 100 churches/temples from 12 religions.

During past Earth Day projects, the EarthKeepers have recycled or properly disposed over nearly 400 tons of waste including cellphones, computers (and related equipment), printers, car batteries, poisons, pesticides, oil-based paint, pharmaceuticals and much more.

The Zaagkii Project:

Jan Schultz of the U.S. Forest Service discusses Zaagkii Project with Native American college student.

This summer Native American youth and at-risk teens are repairing the ecosystem along a Lake Superior beach, built dozens of Mason Bee houses including some to be placed at the U.S. National Gardens in D.C., Native American teens this month are helping build a greenhouse for native species plants on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation.

Last summer the teens built dozens of butterfly houses for migrating Monarchs.

EarthKeepers were featured in inside front cover of Tikkun Magazine:

Find this story or click on this link:

Week Ending Apr 05, 09
Creating numerous environment projects that bring together diverse groups, students, American Indians

Please Please Please !!!

Support the northern Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative & Zaagkii Project by voting through August 30, 2009

Story to vote:

Week Ending Apr 05, 09
Creating numerous environment projects that bring together diverse groups, students, American Indians

Please vote for Rev. Jon Magnuson’s environment projects in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
You can vote daily.
Even 1 vote is appreciated.

Find this story of click on this link:

Week Ending Apr 05, 09
Creating numerous environment projects that bring together diverse groups, students, American Indians

To vote you will have to register the first time
We realize this is asking a lot – thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Greg Peterson, news reporter and volunteer media advisor for the EarthKeepers & Zaagkii Project

Call if you have questions – anytime day or night:

1-906-401-0109

The EarthKeepers:

The interfaith EarthKeepers planted twelve thousand (12,000) trees across northern Michigan for Earth Day 2009 thanks to over 100 churches/temples from 12 religions.

During past Earth Day projects, the EarthKeepers have recycled or properly disposed over nearly 400 tons of waste including cellphones, computers (and related equipment), printers, car batteries, poisons, pesticides, oil-based paint, pharmaceuticals and much more.

The Zaagkii Project:

Jan Schultz of the U.S. Forest Service discusses Zaagkii Project with Native American college student.

This summer Native American youth and at-risk teens are repairing the ecosystem along a Lake Superior beach, built dozens of Mason Bee houses including some to be placed at the U.S. National Gardens in D.C., Native American teens this month are helping build a greenhouse for native species plants on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation.

Last summer the teens built dozens of butterfly houses for migrating Monarchs.

EarthKeepers were featured in inside front cover of Tikkun Magazine:

Find this story or click on this link:

Week Ending Apr 05, 09
Creating numerous environment projects that bring together diverse groups, students, American Indians

Non ce n’est pas l’histoire d’une petite fille qui fait des cagoule avec des petits poissons rouges…

C’est l’histoire de Rebecca ,6 ans ( ayant des défenses immunitaires un peu faibles) , et son meilleur copain Ernest. Ernest est un microbe que Rebecca a attrapé un jour de pluie. ensemble, ils feront tout pour rabibocher ses parents qui veulent divorcer…

Antonello Dalena  dessins,  Guillaume Bianco histoire

Le design est classe , les couleurs ( Cecilia Giumento) sont superbes,  et cette mini crapule  de rebecca est vraiment trop attachante.

C’est pour les petits mais ‘m’en fout. Moi je me poile avec rebecca et ernest

++ d’ernest et rebecca? c’est ici

It appears as though some guy from Chicago really doesn’t like the settlement details of his divorce.

John Johnson, 41, is being held without bond in DuPage County Jail for allegedly trying to hire someone to kill his ex-wife. As if a reported murder-for-hire scheme wasn’t bizarre enough, he is accused of trying to hire someone to kill his ex-wife while he was already in jail.

Johnson’s ex-wife had an order of protection signed out against him, but Johnson allegedly violated the order of protection in Lombard. So while he was in DuPage County Jail on this charge, he is said to have told someone that he was willing to pay $3,000 to have his ex-wife murdered.

This person told representatives of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, and this department assigned one of its members to pose as a hit man. As one of my colleagues said to me, everyone in the Sheriff’s Office probably wanted that job.

Johnson reportedly offered the “hit man” $3,000 to kill his wife. On Monday, Johnson was charged with one count of solicitation of murder, a Class X felony. He faces between six and 30 years in prison if convicted.

Maybe Johnson should have used the $3,000 on marriage counseling. Sitting in a marriage counselor’s office for a few months must be much preferable to spending up to 30 years in prison.

Yesterday, in the What Does John Know? blog, publisher John Hansell passed along some information to his readers from Richard Lombard-Chibnall about the availability of Lombard whiskies in the US.

If you’d like to try some of their whiskies for yourself, you’ll find them at WhiskyFest New York on Tuesday, November 10.

Buy your tickets here.