Reilly made Shad, Kate and me each a present today. He drew a picture and wrote a note for each of us.

Shad’s said:

Ha Dad have a wonderful Christmas. I love you. This note was accompanied by a drawing of Shad on a bike.

Mine said:

Ha (I found out it means “hey”) Mom have a wonderful Christmas. I love you. My note was accompanied by a drawing of me kicking a soccer ball into a goal.

Kate’s said:

Ha Kate I love you sometimes. Have a Merry Christmas. Kate’s had a drawing of Kate.

Shad and Imistakenly  laughed when he read Kate’s note to her. We thought it was so cute. He said “WHAT’s funny?” To him, nothing about that was funny, it was the truth.

We bit our tongues.

Drew Shirley and Jon Foreman

Last Friday Noele and I won tickets to a special radio station (104.5) performance of one of our favorite bands, Switchfoot.  They were performing at the TLA in Philly later that night and swung by the station to do a few acoustic numbers on air.  There were only 12 people in the studio audience.  Really intimate and cool.  REILLY had actually opened for Switchfoot last May in NJ and so it was good to catch up with them without the massive number of fans that usually accompany a show.  Very sweet guys.

They played Mess of Me, Meant to Live and then a cover of the Verve’s “Lucky Man”.   A nice change of scenery and pace from the rock out set which would happen later that night.  Both the acoustic and full concerts were excellent though and had their highlights.

Check out their latest album Hello Hurricane in case you haven’t yet.  Excellent album.

Drew, Noele, Dan and Jon

Kate was against sledding last year, when asked to go, she would always reply “when I’m bigger.” No matter how much we tried to convince her she wouldn’t go, Shad and I were a little bummed. Kate says “when I’m bigger” about so many things, riding a bike, playing soccer, clearing her plate, sledding, etc. It’s her rationale… well, wouldn’t you know we got a few inches of snow and the first thing she asked was if she could go sledding. I couldn’t believe it. Maybe she “just knows” when the time is right. Given Kate’s extremely strong personality, it’s rare I get to really dictate what she is doing. But heck, why am I telling you that, you know from the “fashion” shots throughout the blog. Okay, back to the point of this entry, watch: 

Reilly asked me “Have you ever been to the Principal’s office?”

“Yes, when I was young once, have you?”

“Yah, I have.”

Gasping and freaking out on the inside I decide to start inquiring. What I found out was:

• Reilly went to the principal’s office for tugging another little boys arm.
• He went with another boy “DeShan” or something like that.
• DeShan goes often for talking fresh and sticking his middle finger up to God.
• … that was enough for me to share… if you know me you know how I feel about this….

Okay, that was so much more than I wanted to know. I can not believe the school does not call you when your first grader is sent to the principal’s office because “he doesn’t think it’s a big deal”. Call me crazy but I WANT TO KNOW THESE things. Reilly isn’t always going to tell me. I know he felt badly about it or he would never have brought it up. I know he was trying to figure out how to fix what had happened. AND, I know that was one of the first lessons about the “Reilly” brand. How the people you hang out with often reflect who you are. So, in principle, I called the principal and wrote the teacher a letter insisting that I know about things like this moving forward.

Reilly is such a good kid. I believe all kids can make a bad choice and they need to figure it out, that’s how they learn. BUT, as a parent I want the knowledge to continue the learning when they get home. I want the opportunity to talk about it, if the teacher/principal/school staff don’t call, how can I?

Listen to the 911 phone call - it will part your hair.

The law says if there is someone in your house – and you are armed – you have the right to protect yourself – it’s called SELF DEFENSE – If anyone comes into my home-our shepard will get him but Myqui has a lead pipe on her side of the bed and I have a hammer with an amazing claw.

On our walls we have numerous swords that I would love to use on someone who tries to come into my home. Let’s just say = they won’t be leaving alive.

—-Bonju Patten

22.... 41.... 63.... 12.... huuuuuutttt.... huuuuutttttttt..... HIKE

The game is taken seriously. Reilly found his way to be able to touch the ball a LOT. When you’re the smallest person on the field you need to make your own difference. He did.

Das englische Wort ‘particular’ bedeutet in keinem Fall ‘irgendeine’, sondern meistens ‘bestimmte’. Wieso wird hier also ohne Not falsch übersetzt? Wird das mit einer ‘zulässigen Unschärfe’ gerechtfertigt? Wie immer erwarte ich von den öffentlich-rechtlichen Medien (allen voran von der 20 Uhr Tagesschau) einen präzisen Journalismus. Zumal, wenn bei Übersetzungen die Originalstimme nicht mitverfolgt werden kann. Denn da könnte man den Zuhörern ja alles unterjubeln, das ist das Hauptproblem: Vertrauensverlust …

20 Uhr Tagesschau am 23.11.2009 mit Jens Riewa

Guten Abend meine Damen und Herren. Die EU Länder mit Opel Standorten wollen auf Alleingänge bei Staatshilfen verzichten. Das ist das Ergebnis eines Spitzentreffens heute in Brüssel. Um einen Subventionswettbewerb zu verhindern, hatte EU Industriekommissar Verheugen Vertreter aus Großbritannien, Spanien, Belgien, Polen und Deutschland geladen, mit dabei war auch der neue Europachef von General Motors Reilly. Er kündigte an, bis Ende der Woche ein Sanierungskonzept vorzulegen.

Bericht Rolf-Dieter Krause:
Freundlich guckte der neue Europachef von General Motors in die Kameras und das war auch nötig. Dass seine Firma seine europäischen Werke notfalls auch allein und mit eigenem Geld sanieren könne, wie sie bisher behauptet hatte, das sei nämlich nicht so.

(O-Ton Nick Reilly) »We are looking for support …« – Wir brauchen Unterstützung von allen Regierungen, die willens sind uns mittelfristig finanziell zu helfen, aber ich betone, unser Plan ist fertig und wird nicht mehr beeinflusst dadurch, dass irgendeine Regierung uns irgendeine Summe gibt. »… and will not be influenced by any particular government giving us particular money.«

Für den Umbau seiner europäischen Werke veranschlagt General Motors einen Aufwand von 3,3 Milliarden Euro. Zusagen für 1,3 Milliarden Staatshilfe hat es angeblich in der Tasche. Zwar will es die übrigen 2 Milliarden teilweise selbst tragen, aber den Rest erwartet es wohl von Deutschland, das allerdings weiter kühl reagierte.

Rainer Brüderle, FDP (Bundeswirtschaftsminister)
»Es ist nochmals deutlich geworden, dass die weitere Verantwortung bei Dschennl Modas liegt und dass die europäichen und national Regeln für staatliche Beihilfen von allen Beteiligten strikt eingehalten werden müssen.«

Eine halbwegs gute Nachricht hatte Reilly auch mitgebracht: In Europa will General Motors nun gut 9000 Arbeitsplätze abbauen, das ist etwas weniger, als bisher befürchtet wurde. Aber welche Werke dies trifft, das will Reilly zunächst den Betriebsräten mitteilen.

Günter Verheugen, EU-Kommissar für Industrie:
»Es wird eine weitere Beratung zwischen d Wirtschaftsministern geben, am Ende d nächsten Woche, äh, wenn wir alle den Sanierungsplan von Dschenrel Moters kenn. Und bis dahin gilt ein Stillhalteabkommen.«

Rolf-Dieter Krause Brüssel:
»Es wird also Subventionen geben aber der befürchtete Wettlauf um sie scheint vorerst abgewendet, was alle Beteiligten zufrieden stellte. Etwas anders dürfte dies aussehen bei jenen, die heute nicht dabei waren, denn Europas Autoindustrie hat Überkapazitäten, sie müssen abgebaut werden, das bedeutet, jeder Arbeitsplatz, der jetzt bei Opel mit Staatsgeld erhalten bleibt, wird auf die Dauer bei Ford, Volkswagen oder irgendeinem anderen Autobauer wegfallen.«

Beautiful Supermachines > Shut Up

Birdman > Pricele$

Susan Boyle > I Dreamed a Dream

Lady GaGa > Fame Monster

Adam Lambert > For Your Entertainment

Memphis Bleek > The Process E2

Ike Reilly > Hard Luck Stories

Rihanna > Rated R

Shakira > She Wolf

Timbaland > Shock Wave 2

Tom Waits > Glitter and Doom (Live)

Yeah, people have all kinds of horrid problems, but let’s face it. I’m sexier than they are. Here are some photos of my dog because you care.

Reilly says the pope smelled of mothballs and gardenias.

Shortly after saving a small child from a bullshark

Diverting a train from hitting a stalled bus full of orphans ... WITH HIS MIND

Rescuing me from excessive Christmas cheer

If you feel at all moved, please send five hundred dollars for a pet deposit so I can have my dog back.

Após o pedido de demissão de Carl-Peter Forster da Opel, que deve assumir a Jaguar-Land Rover, a General Motors anunciou o novo CEO da empresa alemã. Trata-se de Nick Reilly, que comandará temporariamente a marca. Ele fica no cargo por tempo indeterminado, até que a GM escolha um executivo em definitivo.

Nick Reilly é um executivo britânico que, até então, ocupava o cargo de vice-presidente de General Motors e vice-presidente de operações internacionais da empresa. Anteriormente, trabalhou na divisão europeia da gigante americana. Por isso, a experiência de comandar a Opel não deverá ser uma grande surpresa.

My two favorite guys

like son…

Part 1 Adventures… near the end you see our actual “Road” Experience…heheh

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Directed by Paul Weitz
Starring John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Massoglia

Darren and Steve are best friends. They are also opposites in almost every way. Darren is the good kid, works hard in school, makes good grades, etc. Steve is the teenage punk from a troubled home that is apt to get into trouble. After finding a flyer for a traveling circus of freaks, the two decide to attend… and both of their lives are transformed.

During the show, Steve recognizes the magician to be a vampire from one of the many books he has on the subject. Darren, on the other hand, is far more interested in the unique spider that works with the magician/vampire.

When the show is broken up by local citizens and police, Darren and Steve are separated. Darren finds himself outside the dressing room of the magician/vampire, and decides he wants to see the spider again. Inside he finds the spider, but hears someone coming down the hall and grabs the spider and sneaks into the closet.

The magician/vampire and a friend step into the room and shortly thereafter… and so does Steve. Steve confronts the magician/vampire, and tells him he wants to be made a vampire, that he has nothing else to live for. The vampire sends him away.

When he gets the chance, Darren makes a run for it, and goes home, with the spider.

The next day, Darren takes the spider with him to school and meets up with Steve. The spider, accidentally freed from its cage, bites Steve, leaving him near death.

Darren makes his way back to the theater where they saw the show, hoping that the vampire can help Steve. The vampire makes a deal to help Steve, in exchange for Darren becoming his assistant… and a half-vampire.

Thus begins Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. This movie is an obvious foundation for other films planned for a series based on the Cirque Du Freak books, which is both good and bad. Good, in that it is trying to establish a world and we are introduced to a lot of characters so that we get a feel for that world. Bad, in that many of those characters are given little time to truly establish themselves.

But, if the film does spawn the sequels, that will be forgiven, perhaps even lauded as we don’t have to deal with the problems of introducing so many characters with each subsequent installment.

The real basis of the story, though, is the rivalry between two sets of bloodsuckers – the Vampires and the Vampanese. Vampires, in this setting, are the “good” guys – they still drink blood, but they only sedate their victims, they don’t kill them. The Vampanese, on the other hand, are violent and bloodthirsty, and power hungry. There has been a long tentative peace treaty between the two groups, but it is now threatened.

I’ll admit that I knew nothing about this film going in. I had seen one commercial for it, and decided to see it just because of the planned theme for this week. And, though the film had a lot of faults, I was pleasantly surprised overall.

This isn’t really a vampire film, though. There are “sorta” vampires in it, but it is almost… vampires sifted through Tim Burton’s brain and then highlighted with Harry Potter-ness… if that makes any sense. The film is more of a quirky fantasy than anything in the realm of horror. Because of that, a lot of people will be immediately turned off of the film. Me? I’m rather proud of myself. When I realized what this film was going for, I thought, “Oh, okay. Well, I’m not exactly the target audience, but let’s see what happens.”

And, sure enough, I’m not the audience for this film. I can’t imagine rushing out to get the DVD for it when it comes out, or even going out of my way to see it again… but I did find it enjoyable.

Yeah, I could talk about the shortcomings of the film all day. I could tell you that Chris Massoglia, who plays Darren, is essentially a clone of Ashton Kutcher and that his performance seemed disengaged. I could complain that the other freaks of the Cirque didn’t get anywhere near enough screen time, and that the large number of name actors were generally wasted in the film.

But, you know what? That is a bunch of nitpicky kinda stuff that, while accurate, didn’t really stop me from enjoying this movie. The effects for the movie were pretty cool, even if some were a little too obviously computer animated. The makeup on this film was stellar, though, top notch stuff that really made this world come alive.

And, though they had limited screen time, the cast of freaks were really good. Jane Krakowski as Corma Limbs was bizarrely perky.

Orlando Jones as Alexander Ribs was… well, Orlando Jones. (Orlando Jones seems to be himself in most things.) Ken Watanabe had an amazing presence as Mr. Tall, and Patrick Fugit was so fantastic as the Snake Boy that I’d like to see an entire movie based on that character.

And, there is Salma Hayak… being all Salma Hayak and hot and all.

The most amazing performance for me, though, had to be John C. Reilly as Crespley, the vampire. The role is so completely against type for him, but he manages to completely own it.

His turn as the weary, cynical vampire is enough for me to recommend this movie to anyone I know. He delivers some of the best lines in the film that range from dark, wry humor, to an almost sad melancholy, and delivers them well.

Honestly, other than when he appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and tore into Kevin Costner about when they both were doing For Love of the Game, this is my favorite thing John C. Reilly has ever done!

(And, by the way, if anyone knows where to find a clip of that, I’d be forever grateful to have it!)

For me, this movie was an unexpected treat. It won’t appeal to everyone, as it is definitely aimed toward mid-teens, but it wasn’t bad. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that I wouldn’t mind seeing this film get some sequels, if only to expand on this world and to see the actors in supporting roles get a chance to shine.

I’m giving Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant three out of five Running Steves.

If nothing, this film has made me want to seek out the series of books on which it was based.

Oh my goodness.  It seems that Greg and I have been so busy talking about ourselves that we’ve neglected to mention a very important member of the Venus and Mars Bars team.  A contributing editor, if you will.

Meet Reilly.

Hi, I'm Reilly.

Reilly is a 2-year-old red nose pitbull and an irreplaceable member of our family.  Reilly’s favorite hobby is chasing squirrels, and he enjoys eating red bell peppers but does not like shrimp.  Reilly prefers to sleep with his head on the pillow and will push you out of bed if he does not have enough room.  He is a Sagittarius.

What's your sign?

Reilly holds several important positions at Venus and Mars Bars.  Most importantly, he is the Director of Eating Shit He Is Not Supposed To.

Some of Reilly’s recent projects include:

Post-Its, several clothes hangers, tofu, a pumpkin, a hat, a Banana Republic sweater, 4 collars, 1 leash, a hairbrush, an entire cantaloupe, a lint roller, Scotch tape, a couch cushion, a bath towel, the TV guide, a notebook, all the measuring cups except for the 1/3 cup, and a box of Brillo pads.

Thankfully, with the exception of One Night We Will Not Discuss, Reilly has an iron-clad digestive system.  Taking him for a walk is the equivalent of an archaeological dig.  What goes in always comes out, often with hot pink Post-It notes flagging the way.  This skill set has earned him the title of Poop Master.

I eat a lot of fiber.

Reilly is also a highly-skilled nap-taker and was recently promoted to Sleep Supervisor.  While he prefers to do most of his napping from 9-5, he often works overtime to get the job done.  Reilly has an incredible work ethic.

All in a day's work.

Occasionally, Reilly also does some freelance work as a Gas Manager.  This role generally involves slinking up behind his co-workers and releasing deadly fumes.

It wasn't me.

On several occasions, Reilly has been known to clear an entire room.  After several run-ins with upper management, it seems necessary that we fill this position permanently with a less-potent candidate.

Reilly may pop up on the blog from time to time, so it seemed appropriate to give him a formal introduction.  He is currently accepting applications for Full Time Belly Scratchers, so if you know of anyone interested, please email us at:

venusandmarsbars@gmail.com

Please scratch my belly.

Our family's house in Iowa City

Tami, Reilly and I are in Iowa City with my mother and step father.  This is Homecoming at the University of Iowa, which is Tami’s and my alma mater.  Iowa City is one of those sacred places to me.  I was born here, then returned for college.  While in college, I met Tami and knew right away that she was the woman I wanted to marry.

Of course, it took a bit of time to convince her.

We were friends first and when it became clear that friends was not enough for either of us, we took the next step.  We dated and later we married, here in Iowa.

Today, my parents wanted to drive around town to see the house we lived in when I was born, my siblings’ elementary school, Tami’s and my first apartment and then the apartment we lived in for years.  We drove by the places where we worked and the places where our friends lived.  We stopped by the church where Tami and I were married.  We drove by Kinnick Stadium, empty save for the crews testing the lights and score boards for tomorrow’s match.

When Jim said he wanted to see our former residences, I thought he was crazy, but went anywhere.  In looking back now, I think that he gave us a great gift.  As with many people in this Great Recession, Tami and I have struggled at times to make ends meet.  But driving past our first apartment, I see how fortunate we are to have what we have.

That first apartment was our first place together.  At the time it was so special because it was OUR place.  Two bedrooms, 1 bath, a small kitchen.  No air conditioning, except the wall unit in the living room.  A tiny porch out back, overlooking the railroad tracks and fuel oil tank farm.  We reminisced about my old Daihatsu Rocky, how the seat belts had been recalled, but there was no dealer to do the work, so we jerry-rigged the one that worked by hooking it around the other.  Not perhaps the smartest idea in the world, but it’s what we did.

Looking back on where we came from, what we did together reminds me that there is nothing that we cannot do as long as we stay together and work together.

Iowa City is a sacred place for many people.  It’s the place where many of us learned what we are made of.  It’s the place where many of us found our heart’s desire.  It’s the place that we call home.

It’s time for the Homecoming Parade.  Reilly’ll have a front row seat on my shoulders.

I recieved a massive parcel full of products with my designs on from Portico a couple of weeks ago – here are some edited highlights:

Reilly product for WH Smith

Bad Alice product:

(there was a brief period of time when I considered packing this washing stuff into my hospital bag – but luckily sense got the better of me!)

More Bad Alice product wonders after the jump…

Hey Friends,

John here. I am having a relaxing day as I get ready for the next leg of our tour. We are leaving again, this time for the Southeastern states (AL, FL, TN, SC, VA, etc.) this Thursday. We are excited to get on the road again and enjoy the gift of music with some new faces. Please pray for us- that our time would be fruitful. Recently, I was reading the bible and it struck me how desirous God is for us to be fruitful with our lives. Even in Genesis, before sin entered our world, God instructed humanity to be fruitful (and multiply).

As some of you might now, we’ve been home for just about 3 weeks. Aside from enjoying opportunities to catch up with loved ones, we have also been writing songs together in hopes for a new collection of songs to offer you. Please pray for us in this pursuit as well. As REILLY is growing we are having to make more and more decisions daily. We really need to maintain our focus and to keep our pursuits biblical…to be fruitful. Please lift us up as we are writing, looking for producer(s), and as we are seeking to grow in songwriting and our ability to serve you all effectively with music that doesn’t smell

So, I’ve got one batch of laundry done and packed. One more to go. Check out our tour dates and come on out for a night to see us.

Recommended Podcast: Renewing Your Mind with RC Sproul.

John

Sam Neill

 

Nigel John Dermot “Sam” Neill, DCNZM, OBE (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor who was born in Northern Ireland.

He has had a number of high-profile roles including: the lead in Reilly, Ace of Spies, the adult Damien in Omen III: The Final Conflict, Merlin in the miniseries Merlin, the executive officer, Capt 2nd Class Vasily Borodin in The Hunt for Red October, Lord Friedrich Hoffman in Snow White: A Tale of Terror, Alisdair Stewart in The Piano, and paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III.

Most recently he played Cardinal Wolsey in the Peace Arch Entertainment production for Showtime, The Tudors.

After working at the New Zealand National Film Unit as a director and actor, Neill was cast as the lead in the New Zealand film Sleeping Dogs. Following this he appeared in the Australian classic, My Brilliant Career (1979), opposite Judy Davis. This appearance led to his being selected to play Damien Thorn in Omen III: The Final Conflict in 1981, one of the sequels to The Omen. In the late-1970s his mentor was the notable British actor James Mason.

Neill has played heroes and villains in a succession of film and television dramas and comedies. In the UK, he became well-known in the early-1980s, starring in dramas such as Ivanhoe and notably in the title role of Reilly, Ace of Spies. Neill is known for his leading and co-starring roles in major films including Dead Calm (1989), La révolution française (1989) playing the famous Lafayette, The Hunt for Red October (1990), Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), The Piano (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), Sirens (1994), Event Horizon (1997), The Dish (2000), and Jurassic Park 3 (2001). The film Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill (1995) was written and directed by Sam Neill and Judy Rymer. In it Neill narrated his personal recollection of New Zealand film history. Neill was asked to play the role of Elrond in The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson, but turned it down because of his contractual obligations to another film, namely, Jurassic Park III (2001). He hosted and narrated a series of documentaries for BBC entitled Space (Hyperspace in the United States) in 2002.

In 2006, Neill also lent his voice to a series of radio ads for Fifth Third Bank in the midwestern U.S.

Neill also appeared in Merlin (1998), a film based on the legend of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake, portraying the legendary wizard. He also reprised his role as Merlin in the film’s not-so-well received sequel, Merlin’s Apprentice (2006), in which Merlin learns he fathered a son with the Lady of the Lake.

He also starred in the historical drama The Tudors, playing Cardinal Wolsey, on the Showtime Network. “I have to say I really enjoyed making The Tudors”, Neill said. “It was six months with a character that I found immensely intriguing, with a cast that I liked very much and with a story I found very compelling. It has elements that are hard to beat — revenge and betrayal, lust and treason, all the things that make for good stories.”
Also, he stars as Mr Jones in Under The Mountain (2009 film).

Trivia:

One son, Tim Neill (b.1983), with Lisa Harrow, a daughter Elena Neill with Noriko Watanabe, and a step-daughter Maiko.

Met wife Noriko Watanabe on the set of Dead Calm (1989), where she worked as a make-up artist.

He has homes in Beverly Hills, Sydney and New Zealand.

Awarded the O.B.E. for Service to Acting (1993).  ["Officers of the Order of the British Empire" a class of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V.]

“Best Actor on British Television” for _”Reilly: The Ace of Spies” (1983)_, Australian Film Institute Award “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” for Evil Angels (aka _Cry in the Dark (1988)_).

His vineyard is in the Gibbston Valley, Otago. His wine is a Pinot Noir called Two Paddocks.

One of the original candidates for the fourth and fifth actor to portray James Bond – 007 in The Living Daylights (1987) and GoldenEye (1995). Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan ended up as James Bond, respectively.

Montana is a recurring element in his films: in The Hunt for Red October (1990) he wants to live in Montana; in The Horse Whisperer (1998) he goes to Montana to find with his wife; in Jurassic Park (1993) he is digging up fossils in Montana.

He is one of the three founders of Huntaway Films, along with his good friends John Clarke and Jay Cassells.

Was considered for the role of the villainous “Doc Ock” in Spider-Man 2 (2004). His wife ended up as the principal make-up & hair stylist for Kirsten Dunst in the movie.

He is a big fan of The Beach Boys.

Moved to New Zealand at age 7.

Good friends with musicians Neil Finn, Tim Finn and Jimmy Barnes.

Born to Dermot Neill, a New Zealand army officer, and his English wife Priscilla.

Studied at the University of Canterbury and at the Victoria University in Wellington, from which he graduated with a BA in English Literature.

Owns a winery, Two Paddocks, in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. It was started in 1993.

[In March of 2009, those made Principal or Distinguished Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit (PCNZM or DCNZM) since 2000 could opt to be known as Sir or Dame, with the titles effective from today.

Of the 85 people invited to take up the titles, Neill and Dr Walker were among the 13 who declined, while Sir Colin Meads, Sir Peter Snell and Dame Jenny Shipley were among those who accepted. Neill, who starred in films such as The Piano and Jurassic Park, said while he had nothing against the titles, and the alternative system was "somewhat confusing", he would not like to be known as "Sir". -- source http://www.3news.co.nz/]

Check out the video of us at LifeLight…

Enjoy!

What is ESPN’s fetish with USC about?

“You’re seeing a freshman QB grow up in front of our eyes.”

OMGZ LOLZZ!!!111 I <3 USC so much!!

Umm, how? He was 15/31 for 195 yards and an INT. He just handed off the ball to McKnight and threw it to the flats and let the receivers do everything. He did squat. Seriously, this is one of the biggest problems with ESPN. They are obsessed with USC, ESPECIALLY Mark May. I can’t imagine how Mark May kept his head from exploding when USC was losing. He regularly sends Pete Carroll flowers. It’s ridiculous. He’s as bad as Lou Holtz is for Notre Dame.

Get some people who will actually tell things straight!

Serena Williams was disqualified for taunting. Probably the second best news of the day (besides Virginia Tech destroying Marshall). She is beyond arrogant and such a poor sport, it’s good to see she got hers. Serena is another one of ESPN’s darlings. Rick Reilly wrote an article on ESPN saying the Williams’ sisters are the most underreported story in sports. GIVE ME A BREAK! That is all I hear about when tennis highlights come on, or the only reason tennis shows up on SportsCenter. Please. Again, get people working for the best sports network who are actually honest and tell it like it is. It’s become a circus.

How could anybody DQ.... ME?!

Reilly is excited to announce that the seasonal brew that bears his name and image, Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red Ale, is back just in time for the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. Twisted Pine will be tapping Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red Ale on Friday, September 18 and it will only be available for a limited time.

Twisted Pine Brewing ages its Red Mountain Ale in genuine oak whiskey barrels for up to 12 months to create Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red. “This beer is truly unique because of the high-end wooden bourbon barrels used to age the beer,” explains owner Bob Baile.

Those who sample Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red are greeted by the aroma of whiskey, followed by a delicate toffee taste. The flavor of this medium-bodied, smooth ale is rich and complex, with a pale ruby color and creamy off-white head. The finish is clean and has a slight warming sensation.

Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red was a gold medal winner at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Co. “We brought Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red to the Great American Beer Festival as an experimental beer and didn’t even have any package for it,” recalled owner Bob Baile. “But sure enough, it won a gold medal, and now it’s a seasonal staple here at Twisted Pine.”

Come stop in on Friday September 18 and try this delicious brew!

Howdy folks,

I have been researching video and animation.  I keep running across an argument called Flash vs. Toon boom.  apparently, this is similar to the mac vs. pc argument (or ford vs. chevy).  I digress.

The software in question is from Toon Boom.  yup, silly name (kind of like outofnapkins – but a little more on topic), but pretty powerful software.  The also have some great marketing.

First, there are three main versions for adults. There are also three versions for children, but those don’t have enough features to satisfy any but the most basic animation desires.  The bottom level software is called Toon Boom Studio.  the mid-level is Toon Boom Animate and the top tier is Animate -Pro.  A good comparison chart can be found here:

http://www.toonboom.com/products/compare/compare_animation_software.php

the comparison of flash vs toon boom needs to clarify versions.  Just as macromedia flash 8 is vastly inferior to adobe flash cs4, different versions of the toonboom software have different capabilities. I digress again…

If you have ever wondered how they make those great Jib Jab videos, this program will give you a lot of insight.  I’m not saying they use Toon Boom, but it has many many features that can replicate a jib jab style video.  When paired with Flash and Adobe Premiere, I think you could mimic all but the most difficult techniques in the Jib Jab style.

p.s. I’m still trying to figure out how they did the three color technique (black, white and red) in the Wierd Al video: “CNR”