Welcome to Casa El Corasueño!
Come and enjoy our Spanish dream in the authentic village of Almogía!
Everything began with a dream… when we lost our hearts to this beautiful region and its inhabitants and when we began building our dream that turned into Casa El Corasueño.
Our roots are Belgian but we've lost our hearts to this spectacular place.
Our b&b Casa El Corasueño has four completely renovated guestrooms and is the ideal hub to discover Andalusia!
During the start of the day we'll be treating you to a delicious breakfast, we'll be offering you friendly advice to schedule your trip and on certain days we'll be giving you the opportunity to have dinner with us.
Every day we keep falling in love with the magnificent Spanish nature where there is a breathtaking new view behind every corner.
The region offers something for everybody. Take a walk, go for a bicycle ride or discover the many towns and villages, see the nature reserves in the mountains or relax on the beach.
Both the active holiday maker and the peace seeker can be satisfied right here!
But should you prefer to remain nearby our b&b, you won't be bored either.
Enjoy the sunshine at the swimming pool, walk around the neighborhood, relax on one of our sunny terence's or go explore Almogía, which is easily accessible on foot from our b&b.
Casa El Corasueño wishes to offer their guests a peaceful place which feels like home away from home.
We hope that the sunshine, the bright blue skies and the authentic Spanish villages with its charming inhabitants will make you fall in love with this region!


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Spring has come to Memphis, and the robins in the park are acting weird.
Usually they act like any bird... they flap around and peck in the dirt near the trail until you come near, and then they hop away five or six feet until you've gone safely past. Today, though, they were standing rigid, with their wingtips extended down to the ground, staying still as stone even when you came close. You could see their beady little eyes watching you, but unless you made a move at them, they didn't budge.
Bird sex can take some strange forms. Not much stranger than ours, though, I guess.
Anyway, I'm spending this weekend in Jackson, Mississippi, shooting for the MTC documentary. I have to be honest: at the moment, I'm not looking forward to it. Not because of the teachers or anything; but just because this kind of stuff is so far out of my comfort zone, especially taken four days at a time. I'm a classic introvert -- I find dealing with strangers to be exhausting, and this weekend will be basically nothing but strangers, 24 hours a day. Combined with the pressures of trying to shepherd two teachers and several teenagers through the shooting process, while also maintaining my shooting schedule and running camera and sound and conducting interviews simultaneously -- I mean, it's pretty demanding work, and I admit to feeling daunted. I'm up to it -- I can do whatever needs to be done -- but I'm really, really ready for this part to be over. And it's only just begun.
The most important thing is to try to enter into the shoot with as positive an attitude as possible -- I won't get anywhere if I'm feeling discouraged even before I really get started. So pardon me if I vent a little. I'm trying to get the resistance and negativity out of my system.
It would be so much easier if I just had one familiar person along to help. Oh well.
7:01 PM ::
Amy :: permalink
"Hollandale"
The short spec film I put together for the Mississippi Teacher Corps, "Hollandale", is available for viewing here. It's still a work in progress, but it should give you some idea of what the larger project will eventually look like. We're forging ahead with the big production -- I've already completed the first round of interviews with five
new first-year teachers -- but we're going to need some cash to see it through. So if anybody would like to help out by sending a few dollars our way, you'll get to see your name in the credits, and I'll be your best friend forever.
You can make a donation here (just make sure you tell them what it's for.) Not only will it help us get the film made, but in the long run it'll also help the Teacher Corps do its much-needed work by helping them recruit new teachers and raise awareness about the situation in the delta and how the MTC can help.
Wilford Brimley* says:
It's the right thing to do, and a tasty way to do it.
*Wilford Brimley is in no way associated with this project, Novena Films, or with the Mississippi Teacher Corps. He actually made this statement in reference to Quaker Instant Oatmeal.
My Other Work
I spend a lot of time fretting over whether I've chosen the right road regarding my work. This morning was exactly such a time, although not in an unpleasant way. Not knowing exactly what one should be doing because one is Pretty Good (TM) at a couple of different things is a good problem to have (even if both things are impractical and hard to make a living at.)
I re-re-restarted this website as a base of virtual operations for one particular project, but I've always assumed it would expand to include all the other projects I'm working on simultaneously. There are two others upon which I consider myself currently "at work": a video, and a book. The video (assuming all goes well) will be done relatively soon, the book will doubtless be a long time in coming -- years, I expect. For me, the creative dichotomy balances film on one side (my adopted meduim) and writing on the other (the only one win which I might be said to have been born innately talented -- if such a thing actually exists.) The big irony is that, as smoothly as these two things could fit together, the one thing I don't consider myself is a screenwriter.
Music videos are the best thing ever, from a filmmaking perspective. It's the last modern bastion of the avant-garde (and the greatest hope the avant-garde filmmaker has ever enjoyed). It's sort of the opposite of a film score -- rather than creating music to accompany a film, you're creating a film to accompany music. It's a liberating form, in that it's film in its purest state -- no narrative (or none necessary), no dialogue or exposition, no character development; just imagery. The music holds the piece together (since music is actually better at temporal cohesion anyway, being a strictly fourth-dimensional medium) so any further coherence in the piece is optional for the director. All you have to concern yourself with is making the thing visually interesting.
That said, you do need a good visual hook. You still need a structure (though that structure can be a lot more flexible), and the thing still needs to make some kind of internal sense. This one I'm working on now already has its structure and visual hook in place, and I'm happy with them -- I've had the idea in my mind for a few months now, and I still like it, which is generally how I know that something is worth pursuing. I hate 90% of my ideas within a week of having them, so surviving for months is a good sign. But there are still gaps to fill, and that the last, hardest step. The one thing I've learned is not to try to have other people's ideas, but the alternative -- waiting patiently for your own to come -- is the most frustrating thing in the world.
And then there's the book. It's a nonfiction piece on a subject about which obnoxiously little has been written, considering the subject's cultural magnitude -- I'm still waiting for the book I want to write to turn up on a shelf somewhere, already written, because I can't quite believe that nobody has done it yet. I have a feeling I'll be talking about this one for a long, long time, but I'm committed to it, and I feel confident that it will eventually see the light of day. Just last night I formulated a solid thesis and found that it allowed me to understand the subject on a more concrete level. Structure is still a problem, but I think that'll sort itself out as I go. The problem is finding the time and the creative energy to spend on it. There are days when I just want to hole myself up in the corner of some coffee shop or diner somewhere and spend the day pecking away at a keyboard, but I don't have means to do that. It would be even better to have a space of my own in which to work -- a private space, with white walls on which I could tack up notes and sketches knowing that nobody else would see them if I didn't want them to (creative privacy is a big thing for me.) But I don't have any of that yet, and as of this afternoon I don't really know how I might acquire it.
Writing is what everybody tells me I should be doing; they've been telling me that since I was in junior high. I'm reasonably good at it (when I set my mind to it), although I'm still undisciplined about it. When I write I start at the beginning, write straight through to the end, and then go back and clean up the obvious typos and stylistic problems (leaving just as many forgotten.) It's rare that I write a second draft of anything. With an experienced editor behind me, I think I could turn out some damn good work. Enough to get paid? Maybe; I don't know. I'm at a sort of pessimistic place about ever getting paid a living wage for anything right now.
It's funny, in a sad way -- one of the attractions of film originally was that it was something that I might be able to make a real living at, unlike the unending hell of making a living as a writer. Film work is a skill, a trade, and one that's always in demand in the modern world. I've never wanted to get Spielberg rich, but to just, y'know, make enough to live a modest bohemian life. And now that I'm skilled enough to expect payment, I find myself in a place where there's very little steady paying work. And so I turn to thoughts of what I might do to get by during these barren days, and I think about writing -- writing to support my filmmaking habit. I have to laugh for fear of crying.
It's a big problem, though; I find myself with plenty of time to work, but so anxious over being eternally broke that I spend a lot of that time consumed with worry over how much free time I have, which I'm not using properly because I'm so worried. The only thing that saves me from falling into despair is the work.
Project 1 Complete
I believe I'm finished with the short MTC film, and I have to say I'm relieved about it. Not that I didn't enjoy it; I did, very much. But I'm about done watching this film now. I'll be curious to hear responses to it, since I myself can't see it the way a typical viewer might. My own thought processes are too deeply embedded to be able to tell whether it'll make sense to anyone else.
But for the most part, I'm happy with how it came out. There are a couple of technical problems -- I did one exterior interview, which was great and very effective except for a sound problem. My own lav mic was stolen (along with my last camera) a couple of years ago, so I had to borrow someone else's to do the interview. It's a nice mic, and it did a great job on interviews in controlled settings, but it wasn't quite up to the job on a public street on a breezy day. While I was shooting, the wind noise sounded minimal through my headphones; in the editing room, it was more pronounced. Not enough that it obscures the words of the interviewee, just enough to really annoy the hell out of me.
But there's not much to be done about it under the current circumstances -- no amount of digital fiddling with the audio has accomplished anything helpful, and a high-pass filter only distorted the voice and robbed it of its expressiveness. If we had the money and time, I'd go re-shoot that interview, but we don't. And even if we did, I'd hate to lose the immediacy of that first interview. I think it's best chalked up to experience -- and an indication that I really need to procure a quality radio lavolier microphone of my own.
The only other significant technical annoyance I encountered was a quirk in Final Cut Pro. Towards the end of editing, I devised a design for the credit sequence that was based on still images taken on the trip to Hollandale. I was going to go all Ken Burns on them, which is simple, albeit fiddly, to do. And it looked fantastic, except that I couldn't get the motion control and the widescreen matte to play nicely together -- any attempt to zoom on the image blew out the aspect ratio. So now I've got a credit sequence using still images that are nice, but not as lovely as they were when they had an element of motion. It's always frustrating to see something not live up to what you know is its full potential.
There are at least a dozen other little nitpicky things I'd fix under perfect circumstances, but then, that's always true. Film is made of compromise. I said to a friend yesterday, "I think I'm better at this (documentary)..." as opposed to dramatic work. But thinking about it later, that's not necessarily true. I think this film is better than my previous one; it just happens to be a documentary, and the preceding happened to be drama. I think/hope that my next film will be better than this one, and the one after that, better still. And I always tend to prefer whichever cinematic mode I'm working in at the moment.
Anyway, I'm still wrestling with Compressor to squeeze out a web-worthy mpeg-4 to put up here; I'll post again when it's ready. It would be good to YouTube it as well -- I'll have to ask Ben G. if that's cool. Optimistically, I've got another project coming up imminently which will be a departure from this project and, I think, huge fun to do. And then (actually concurrently) I'll be looking to get dug in to the larger MS Teacher Corps film, hopefully this time at a more measured pace. I think the short came out well, but I can do even better with nine or ten months at my disposal.
PS: I've switched to HaloScan commenting, which is now fully functional. Just so you know.
Filmmaking.net
Film Threat
GreenCine
Mandy.com
Memphis and Shelby County Film Commission
The Open Video Project
The Prelinger Archives
London Film School
Live From Memphis
Marlboro College
Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute
Sawed-Off Collaboratory
Jay Craven
The Angry Filmmaker
Ben Siler
Indie Memphis
Black Lodge Video
Substream Films
Content by Amy Frazier
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Die USS West Virginia  (SSBN-736) ist ein Atom-U-Boot der United States Navy und gehört der Ohio-Klasse an. Als Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear führt sie 24 Interkontinentalraketen mit.

Geschichte
Die West Virginia wurde 1983 beim Konzern General Dynamics in Auftrag gegeben und im Oktober 1987 bei der zu GD gehörenden Werft von Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut auf Kiel gelegt. Nach zwei Jahren war der Bau beendet, SSBN-736 wurde vom Stapel gelassen und durch Mrs. Robert C. Byrd getauft. Ein weiteres Jahr später, nach der Endausrüstung und den Werfterprobungsfahrten, im Oktober 1990, wurde die West Virginia in die Flotte der US Navy übernommen.

Heimathafen war von Beginn der Dienstzeit an das an der Atlantikküste gelegene Kings Bay, Georgia.

Anfang 2011 wird die West Virginia zur Halbzeit ihrer Dienstzeit in der Norfolk Naval Shipyard überholt. Dabei wird unter anderem der Reaktorkern mit neuem Kernbrennstoff aufgefüllt.

Weblinks

 Bilder auf navsource.org (engl.)

Ohio-Klasse
Electric Boat

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Renowned Gangster Island on sought-after North Twin Lake. Majestic escape, with water as your only neighbor. Priceless sunrises and sunsets from the 9 acre island. Over 2,700' of rock/sand shoreline. Nearby mainland access is included! Extremely rare offering, just North of Eagle River, amidst the National Forests in the heart of Wisconsin's N'Woods playground. Crystal clear waters (2,788 AC), outlined by wooded-rolling hills, showcase depths of up to 60'. History of the Island: Originally owned by a principal of Hart, Shaffner & Marx clothiers; then in the 1920's and 30's the personal physician of Al Capone (story be told the island was patrolled by guards with machine guns, coining the identification of Gangster Island!); from 1940-93 the famed Kohler Family owned and was utilized as a WI Governor's summer retreat; and since owned by Camp Birch Knoll Girls Camp. The historic 6 bdrm/2 bath home has electricity, well and septic. Additionally there is a nostalgic 700sqft lkside bldg.


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Home » Webinars » Trademark Fraud on the USPTO
Trademark Fraud on the USPTO
Meeting the Challenges of Pleading and Proving Fraud After Bose
Conducted on Wednesday, November 10, 2010
This CLE webinar will provide guidance for counsel to trademark owners, applicants and practitioners on the rapidly developing post-Bose case law and the reckless disregard standard. The panel will offer strategies for meeting the challenges of pleading and proving fraud at the TTAB.
In the year since the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its standard changing decision in In re Bose, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has issued rulings that provide some guidance for counsel on how to plead and prove fraud.
While the Bose decision dramatically changed the landscape for pleading and proving trademark fraud, clearly rejecting the TTAB's prior Medinol "knew or should have known" standard, and now requiring a subjective intent to deceive the USPTO, it left many unanswered questions over which to grapple.
Recent TTAB rulings shed some light on these questions. Counsel must understand how the TTAB and the district courts are now addressing fraud to be able to meet the increased challenges of pleading and proving fraud and the related claims of void ab initio and no bona fide intent.
Listen as our authoritative panel of trademark attorneys examines the rapidly developing post-Bose case law, reviews the possible reckless disregard standard, examines the arguments in favor of the different standards, and offers valuable insights and best practices for operating under the evolving standard. Now that trademark fraud is more difficult to prove, the panel will also discuss the closely-related claims concerning bona fide intent and void ab initio.
TTAB post-Bose trademark fraud cases
M.C.I. Foods, Inc. v. Brady Bunte (TTAB 2010)
Meckatzer Löwenbräu Benedikt Weiß KG v. White Gold, LLC (TTAB 2010)
DaimlerChrysler Corp. and Chrysler LLC v. American Motors Corp. (TTAB 2010)
E.&J. Gallo Winery v. Quala S.A. (TTAB 2009)
Ayush Herbs, Inc. v. Hindustan Lever Ltd. Co. (TTAB 2009)
Asian and Western Classics BV v. Lynne Selkow (TTAB 2009)
Enbridge Inc. v. Excelerate Energy (TTAB 2009)
Applying the Bose standard
Honest misunderstanding
Inadvertance
Negligence and gross negligence
Reckless disregard for the truth
Conduct of "sufficient culpability" to infer a subjective intent to deceive
Fraud remedies and the possibilities of curing fraud
Viability of any of the post-Medinol TTAB decisions
Impact of CAFC decisions on patent inequitable conduct
District court treatment of trademark fraud in post-Bose era
The no bona fide intent and void ab initio claims
Reading the tea leaves, best practices and pointers
The panel will review these and other key questions:
What is the current state of the law concerning allegations of fraud before the TTAB?
What are the next steps for plaintiffs and defendants in the event of fraud pleadings?
What strategies and procedures should trademark owners utilize to mitigate the risk of fraud allegations?
Stephen R. Baird
Mr. Baird heads the Intellectual Property and Trademark and Brand Management Practice Groups, and his practice... | Read More
Mr. Baird heads the Intellectual Property and Trademark and Brand Management Practice Groups, and his practice emphasizes trademark law, related unfair competition law and copyright law. He counsels clients on trademark usage and clearance, branding strategies, portfolio management, litigation and enforcement, Internet domain name disputes, licensing and prosecution.
John L. Welch
Lando & Anastasi
Mr. Welch represents clients in patent, trademark, copyright, unfair competition, and domain name lawsuits across... | Read More
Mr. Welch represents clients in patent, trademark, copyright, unfair competition, and domain name lawsuits across the country, and has handled hundreds of opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Joseph R. Dreitler
Bricker & Eckler
He practices all aspects of trademark, copyright, advertising and Internet law, with particular emphasis on counseling,... | Read More
He practices all aspects of trademark, copyright, advertising and Internet law, with particular emphasis on counseling, prosecution, transactional and litigation matters, trademark clearance, licensing and advertising law review, unfair competition, false advertising copyright and domain name litigation in the federal courts and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
CLE On-Demand Audio
Intellectual Property Law Advisory Board
Charles S. Baker
Locke Lord
David S. Bloch
Ian N. Feinberg
Feinberg Day Alberti & Thompson
Bassam N. Ibrahim
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Strafford's programs offered a technical depth of coverage and a major law firm perspective of what has happened in that area of law.
E. Roger Stewart
McCarthy Lebit Crystal & Liffman Co LPA
Great information regarding recent case law.
Nicole Ressue
Santangelo Law Offices
Very clearly presented and very practical advice.
Winthrop Rutherfurd, Jr.


There's a typical stating that cooking is not brain surgery, that is absolutely true. Everybody can prepare, and for those who have little imagination, you are able to soon develop the innovative recipes of your.
If you are planning to test their hands on cooking the very first time, you should pick the recipes that aren't too complicated, as you wouldn't enjoy being at a loss for the recipe with unusual ingredients or difficult steps. Browse the entire cooking recipe carefully before beginning, and make certain you've all of the ingredients, appliances and utensils ready.
Understanding all of the directions is essential, and make certain you have lots of time to finish if off inside the time you've at hands. Collect all of the ingredients in one location, and measure each component before cooking. Always wash both hands with tepid to warm water and put on an apron just before cooking. Deal cautiously with raw meat, fish, chicken and egg products.
Cookbooks that are offered in bookshops are a good source of all type of recipes. Cooking recipes can be found in magazines, newspapers, on food packages, in supermarkets meat section, tv shows, cooking classes or they come out of your buddies. Internet is another great source of all sorts of recipes from all across the globe. File all of the cooking recipes in one location, and after you have enough collection, you may also classify them.
Once you begin feeling confident with cooking, you will get creative by tinkering with some ingredients for example substituting beans for carrots or beans for meats, and so forth. You may also utilize various herbs and spices, as all of them gives different flavours and aromas. Try tinkering with different textures and colors within the meals. You are able to take one sort of dish and discover plenty of variations. Try some worldwide recipes too for example Chinese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, Continental and southern cooking recipes.


Gadget (1st picture) - This five year old Einstein of a kitty is multi-talented. As a matter of fact, he won "best cat to have a conversation with" in our first PAWS Contest. Kevin and I have discovered that Gadget meows like it's going out of style until people give him some undivided attention. Once they do, he's quiet as a mouse. (: And we recently discovered that he likes a good lap, too! Oh how we love that boy!
Sweetheart (2nd picture) - Our dear Sweetheart may be hearing- and sight-challenged, but she somehow always manages to find a lap in her room! As soon as we sit on the floor, she's climbing right up onto our laps to stake her claim. And she'll stay there all day if given the chance. Kevin and I are hoping that an older person looking for a quiet lap cat will discover Sweetheart. Now THAT would be a perfect match.
While all three of these kitties give good lap, we have to say that the winner of "Best Lap Cat" goes to (drum roll please) ... SWEETHEART! This girl simply won't leave a lap for anything. She won't leave a lap for food (sorry Claire). She won't leave a lap to go exploring (sorry Gadget). It's almost as though sitting in a lap is Sweetheart's calling. And for that, we offer her our heartiest congratulations!
To Sweetheart, Gadget and Claire. Your perfect adopters are out there just waiting to discover how special each of you is. We love you all!
Izzy says, "Don't even THINK about touching my teddy bear."
Please remember to vote everyday for Pepper for "Best Picture" in the Petfinder "Whisker" Awards. Thank you!
Happy Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month! Pepper, a youthful and loveable 15-year old PAWS kitty, is a finalist in the "Best Picture" category for "The Whisker Awards" on Petfinder.com! :) Will you please help us by voting for her?
Pepper's is the sixth photo on "Best Picture" ballot. :) This spicy girl may officially be a "senior," but she acts and looks much younger! Pepper still has a lot of life in her, and lots of love to give, so we'd really like to get her the increased visibility (hopefully en route to a forever home!) with a win in the contest. Our shelter will also win some cool "Hide, Perch & Go" boxes if Pepper receives the most votes.
Please vote for Pepper daily (voting runs today through June 21), and ask everyone you know to do the same. And if you are so inclined, please share about her on your blog.


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Home›Culture›SNL and the Public Discourse: Political Sketches Through the Years
Photo courtesy of NBC TODAY / nbcnews.com
SNL and the Public Discourse: Political Sketches Through the Years
Culture, Out and About
by Raymond Cai
NBC's long-running late night staple, Saturday Night Live, recently came under intense scrutiny after its cast member Pete Davidson made an incendiary remark about Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican congress candidate and veteran. During a segment about the 2018 midterm candidates, Davidson remarked in front of a picture of Crenshaw, "You may be surprised to hear he's a congressional candidate from Texas and not a hit man in a porno movie." Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, wears an eye patch because of an injury he sustained from an I.E.D. explosion in Afghanistan.
The following week widespread denouncements of Davidson's remarks ensued as elected officials, public figures, and organizations on both sides of the aisle demanded an apology. The show invited Crenshaw to appear in the weekend update segment the following week, in which Crenshaw accepted Davidson's apology and took a few humorous jabs at the comedian's disheveled appearance and recent breakup. More importantly, the pair made an effort to find some common ground and called for the public to "remember what brings us together as a country and still see the good in each other."
Photo courtesy of NBC
Although the segment was well received, some still persistently questioned if the show had overstepped its boundaries and became excessively political. Now in its 44th season, SNL is no stranger to politics and has arguably played a significant role in the public discourse. In this assessment, we will take a look at some of the most iconic portrayals of political figures and issues since the show's conception in 1975.
1970s - 'Debate '76' (10/16/76)
In the show's Season Two Premiere, the relatively young cast and writers took a bald approach with this acute satirical take on the presidential election. Due to the show's moderate budget, no advanced cosmetic makeover was applied and the players barely bore any physical resemblance to their characters. However, that did not hurt the delivery of the performance. A spacey Chevy Chase delivered an exaggerated yet dead-on portrayal of then-President Ford that helped pin down the popular concept of Ford as a clumsy, bumbling man. Ford's famous klutziness and brain-farts were fully exploited as Chase, with a syringe awkwardly sticking out from one arm, utters the now-famous one liner as a response to a complicated question about the GNP, "It was my understanding there would be no math." Chase, known for his mastery of physical comedy, broke his groin as he tumbled off the stadium at the end of the sketch and had to sit out the next two episodes.
With the success of its political sketches in its early seasons, SNL is widely considered to have pioneered the popularization of political parody, which was still relatively new to American mainstream television in 1975. The show's critical portrayal of President Ford was considered by many as instrumental in helping the Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter win the 1976 election, as it especially resonated with the younger voter demographic. A month after the airing of 'Debate '76', Ford made his infamous debate gaffe, "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, "which effectively terminated his political career.
1980s - 'President Reagan, Mastermind' (12/6/86)
After a chaotic season and near-cancellation featuring a cast "perhaps too young" for the show's ambitious takes on social commentary, SNL returned to form and regained popularity with a new cast that included greats such as Phil Hartman and Jon Lovitz in the 86-87 season.
In this sketch shot during the height of the Iran-Contra scandal, Phil Hartman delivered a comedic yet compelling portrait of President Reagan as a sly and tactic actor who pretends to be dim in front of the public. In actuality, however, the commander-in-chief was shown to be the demanding, brilliant mastermind orchestrating everything ranging from the Arabic language to Swedish interest rates.
Hartman's portrayal of Reagan as a blatantly shady figure stood in stark contrast with the image some pundits of the time tried to paint for the "Teflon President," as a gullible and benign figure exploited by malicious underlings. Known for his spectacular record of evading public scrutiny by disassociating himself from his administration's scandals, the Reagan Hartman depicted was a closer representation of the actual POTUS in his heyday.
A significant departure from Chevy Chase's slapstick parody of President Ford, Hartman took a more sophisticated approach in his caricatures. Remarkably, Hartman's longtime partner and friend Dana Carvey also produced a superb impersonation of Vice President Bush during the same period. The former Texas congressman was often ridiculed for his habit of rambling on inarticulately while stumbling to appear as a folksy man. Together, the duo allowed for one of the most fruitful and successful periods of political parody on SNL that consolidated the show's leading status within the industry.
1990s - 'President Bill Clinton at McDonald's' (12/5/92)
Hartman's genius inarguably lies in his spectacular ability to observe and capture the essence of his characters' personality traits. As the 1992 election closed in, Hartman showed ease in transitioning from portraying Hollywood cowboy Reagan to smooth-talking Southerner Clinton. For his Clinton impressions, Hartman tried to stay true to form by not wearing a large prosthetic nose. Instead, he employed less obtrusive alterations including a wig and highlighters; he copied the president's "post-nasal drip" and the "slight scratchiness" in his voice, as well as his open, "less intimidating" hand gestures.
In this iconic sketch, Hartman's President Clinton is seen visiting a McDonald's restaurant, conversing with and explaining his policies to other customers—by eating their food. The charismatic president, whose shortcomings and contradictions are as well-known as his idiosyncratically pleasant mannerism, is put on full display almost effortlessly by Hartman. Despite his obvious less desirable and manipulative traits, the President is able to dazzle his constituents while quite literally cheating them out of their lunches. Quite ironically, the president's flaws lampooned in this sketch foreshadowed the infamous scandal that unfolded in the following years, which overshadowed Clinton's final years in office and much of his legacy.
Also quite notably, this sketch employed more dynamic camera and blocking movements compared to the conventional live sketches, as Clinton is shown entering, traversing, and leaving the stage. This experimental approach would later come to fruition in form of the SNL Digital Shorts, which have allowed the show to fully exploit the comedic potential of a more cinematic and complex set.
2000s - 'Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation' (9/13/08)
For comics searching for materials to parody, Sarah Palin is a gift from the heavens. Relatively unknown on the national stage before being named as the vice presidential candidate at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Palin soon garnered herself a reputation similar to that of the infamous Dan Quayle—the vice president perhaps best known for misspelling "potato" in front of elementary schoolers. Her tendency to make self-contradictory, confused, and generally nonsensical statements("But obviously, we've got to stand with our North Korean allies" "Polls are for strippers and cross-country skiers")–along with her controversial stand on numerous contentious political issues–made her an easy and frequent subject of ridicule.
Tina Fey, widely regarded as one of the greatest players and writers in the show's history, who had stepped down two years prior as the show's head writer, was noted to bear a striking physical similarity to Palin. After much anticipation, Fey returned to the show in its thirty-fourth season premiere to portray Palin in the opening sketch. The sketch depicted Palin and Hillary Clinton—portrayed by the also fabulous Amy Poehler—addressing the nation. The difference in the intellect and experience between the two were made abundantly clear as Fey showcased her mastery of Palinism with remarks like "I can see Russia from my house!" Fey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her impersonation.
It is noticeable that despite the perceived incompetence of Palin, this sketch also coincided with the exponential increase in the visibility of women in politics. Just as Fey and Poehler gained prominence as the show's defining personalities during this period, the 2000s also saw a rapidly shifting political and social landscape in which women became increasingly involved in the political sphere. An unprecedented number of crucial leadership positions began to be occupied by women, a trend that continued to blossom well into the following decade. Unfortunately, it also marked the beginning of a political environment that would become increasingly delirious, as ever-widening ideological differences steadily tore the country along a partisan divide.
2010s - 'Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton Town Hall Debate' (10/15/16)
Perhaps for the first time in the history of live television, the line between reality and the fictional world truly became blurred in the era of Trump. Trump, a former reality TV personality himself, embodies the restlessness, anxiety, and exasperation of a world still unsettled and recovering from the Great Recession. Trump's faults and controversies are too many to list, and Alec Baldwin has done an outstanding job at highlighting particular qualities in each of his appearance as the underdog winner of the 2016 election. Despite the continuous appearance of the character, the comedic effect has not waned. This is in large part due to the controversial statements and decisions the new commander-in-chief makes on a daily basis, oftentimes by means of tweeting. Now Trump skits have become a regular, almost essential feature of SNL, with an expanding cast of celebrities portraying characters entangled in the president's never-ending misadventures. However, the defining skit that truly captures the spirit of the whole farce is probably the Town Hall Meeting.
"All right, let's get this nightmare started," Cecily Strong's moderator says wearily as she downs a shot with a pale Anderson Cooper, vocalizing a sentiment shared by millions of audiences still processing the most vitriolic campaign stand-off earlier that week. Clinton and Trump greet with a dramatic and farcical face-off. McKinnon's neurotic, uneasy Clinton attempts an awkward "casual lean," coupled with her signature forced grin. Baldwin's Trump lurks behind her in a way that ironically fails to surpass the creepiness of the actual act. An ecstatic, dancing Ken Bone is seen on screen. Trump summarily dismisses sexual assault allegations and gives a ludicrous and fear-mongering monologue about gun-wielding immigrants. Trump wants to put Clinton in jail and compares her to "blacks." Clinton babbles about universal healthcare, but no one seems to be paying attention. Trump encourages minority voters to vote on "November 35th." Every line is comic gold on the surface, but deeply repulsive on second thought. "I like how generous he is," Clinton appears relaxed as she refers to Trump's "locker-room talk" statements. "Just like Friday, he handed me the election."
The election results sealed this moment as the pinnacle of the season. A genuine, ingenious instance of Shakespearean-tragedy-turned-dark-comedy, made perfect by impeccable timing and circumstance. An impossible collusion of the real and the fictional, albeit unintended.
Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon might not be the most talented cast members ever to be featured on the show. They are, however, definitely the most memorable impersonators of political figures to ever set foot on the stage in Studio 8H. 2016 was crucial both to the nation as well as the show; it was during this election cycle that SNL truly became a de facto part of the election process. Both Trump and Clinton themselves had hosted the show—there were no precedents. This only illustrates how crucial a role SNL has clinched in the public consciousness, not merely as entertainment, but also as a political entity and platform. Consequently, Baldwin and McKinnon have become deeply intertwined with the personalities they are portraying. To a certain extent, they have truly become a part of their characters.
With the boundaries between the real and the absurd becoming more and more indistinct, SNL has become increasingly similar to the real world. A late night variety show has become an integral factor in the democracy of the world's proudest bastion of freedom, the city upon a hill—America. The parody has become the reality, and the joke is on us.
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Nightly rates are AUD 235 per double and AUD 180 single. Prices include, of course, a delicious tropical breakfast. There is a minimum stay of 2 nights and you'd need a car. Marae is not suitable for young children.
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Who will join Steve Jobs on stage next week? A few educated guesses… perhaps Rupert himself?
Posted on January 20, 2010 | 1 Comment
I was having lunch last Friday with the guys at Connecting Point, a Melbourne Apple reseller with a large customer roll within the educational sector, from primary (elementary) through to college (university). It also makes sales to individuals, and I have referred a number of switchers to them over the last year or so.
I was booked to see Avatar for the second time at the iMax cinema not far from the Connecting Point Friday lunch get together, last week including an Apple engineer, so dropped in to discuss my preparation for Macworld, and of course rumours over the tablet. I jokingly offered that joining Steve Jobs on stage would be none other than Rupert Murdoch, whose parent company News Corp. has multiple media interests ranging from Fox Studios, through to the Wall Street Journal, and publishing houses such as HarperCollins.
Rupert, known in his Aussie homeland and especially the UK as "the dirty digger" for his union busting activities, has been outspoken about how users must eventually pay for quality journalism, even though critics of his publications such as the New York Post and the Fox cable network might question the meaning of "quality" in this context.
But Murdoch now owns the Wall Street Journal which in recent years has obtained accurate leaks of forthcoming Apple products, so we can assume that News Corp. and Apple may well have reached a deal, even if Murdoch and Jobs' politics diverge considerably. Both are huge business risk takers and surround themselves with highly competent and trusted senior executives. Both share a love and passion for how their respective products and services are world-changers, and so there is a business synergy between the two. Whether they would share a stage together to make a compelling announcement is up for grabs, but I fully expect a News Corp (or one of subsidiaries) rep. to be up on stage at some point on January 27. If it is Murdoch or a senior News Corp. exec., it will cause other publishers to sit up and really pay attention to what Apple's doing in the publishing world. I should also note the long term connection between Murdoch and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, from the Saudi Royal family, who has major media interests in the Middle East and who is also a long time significant Apple shareholder.
Who else then? (Assuming Steve himself does the heavy lifting for most of the keynote. I wonder if he will show the Amazon Kindle, as he did with the "usual suspects" smartphones in 2007's iPhone launch, and make a comparison between it, its target market and what the tablet will do?)
No doubt, Phil Schiller will play some role as Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing on stage, demonstrating some Knowledge Navigator-type of function of the tablet. We've already seen Jobs and Schiller do something like this when showing new competencies of iWork 09, as well as a three-way conversation when Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007. I don't expect Phil to do a demo on his own as he has done in the past with desktop Macs (do you remember Photoshop bakeoffs comparing Macs to Dells in previous Macworld keynotes?). If the tablet includes a webcam (perhaps using the screen itself as the camera, based on patents going back several years), then perhaps we will see a video conference with Phil take place.
Scott Forstall, Senior VP of iPhone development will get the stage to himself to demonstrate the next iPhone software, version 4.0, especially if this is also what powers the tablet. If it doesn't, then Bertrand Serlet, Senior VP of Software Engineering may do the duties. At an outside chance, they may share some time on stage demonstrating how iPhone 4.0 can allow OS X apps like iWork/iLife to be modded to work on the tablet and sync with your Macbook or iMac. And of course speak of the roadmap for iPhone 4.0 developers and when they can expect to get their new software underway.
I don't predict we will see Jonathan Ive live on stage, but he will be featured in a lengthy promotional video discussing in his passionate way the design philosophy of the tablet, plus the engineering challenges Apple spent years overcoming, which will leave its competitors dumbfounded in their efforts to match the Apple solutions Ive and his design team have developed. In the same video, I would expect to see interviews with other Apple senior engineers, well known within the company but without the fame the others mentioned so far have garnered over the years.
Naturally the same video will also include providers of third party services discussing the impact the tablet will have on their business and how Apple offered them unique solutions no one else had the foresight to conceive. And we'll say video of famous faces being "amazed" at what the tablet can perform.
Up on stage again, I am fully expecting a New York Times senior staffer or family owner to meet and greet Steve, then discuss how the NYT sees the tablet as the right step forward for its pay-per-download subscription model, something it tried and failed with previously for its elite content, such as Maureen Dowd and Paul Krugman's columns.
From there, it will be time for the select few app. developers to show their wares, including how their current apps can be resized, but also how they've developed new apps especially to take advantage of the tablet's special features. I'd include here comic developers for whom the tablet seems an ideal platform to reach new audiences.
Also expect one or two major gaming production studios to present, then some highly specialised domains to show how they intend to use the tablet. Something medical is a certainty, whether it be a hospital staffer showing new imaging software, Johnson and Johnson once more showing blood pressure or glucose measuring addons, or a less well known but highly innovative specialist company showing how the tablet has a place in the hospital setting, say in radiology.
Who else?
Clearly, those who will team with Apple to place the tablet into its own niche, and own it. Perhaps it will be a 3G cellphone CEO (but which one?), a major recording industry partner, or a rep. from Disney who will demo the downloading on demand of its products using a new version of iTunes, which Jobs himself will give a more full featured demo for when showing how the tablet integrates with other domestic appliances, including AppleTV and perhaps other set top devices.
And then there's one more thing… I can't even speculate on this, and frankly don't want to. Like most others who follow Apple closely, I enjoy being delighted by surprises even after I spend time tracking Apple's history which allows for the guesswork I've made in today's post.
Like most predictions about Apple, there will be many who will see the tablet as a weak solution to a non-problem, just as many predicted after the iPod's release in 2001 that it was a brick going nowhere, or that Apple would fail with its iPhone because that technological domain was already mature. What these soothsayers focussed on was the hardware, not the ecosystem that is Apple's ownership of the entire widget, starting with its ability to harness its software prowess.
With the tablet, Apple will enter into new fields of publishing with new partners, where once again the hardware is a mere conduit to content which is either too expensive or hard to access (I'm thinking here of specialised journals and literature), as well as new twists on familiar domains such as music and video, which a much larger screen with new user interface will leave us entranced. As Jeff Goldblum famously said in the first advertisement for the titanium Powerbook G4 in 2001, "you're gonna so want one".
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One response to "Who will join Steve Jobs on stage next week? A few educated guesses… perhaps Rupert himself?"
Bill Nation | January 20, 2010 at 2:51 pm | Reply
Les, I hope you're wrong about Rupert Murdoch appearing onstage with Steve Jobs. I know business is business, but….


Pancakes. This is my kids' favorite breakfast. They would gladly eat pancakes seven mornings a week. Seriously. Because of my kids' love of these flat circles of deliciousness, I had to get creative. Find ways to make the pancakes a little different each day.
Now, if you need a recipe for simple, yummy homemade pancakes, check out Debi's recent Tasty Tuesday post here.
Banana pancakes. Add banana slices to top of pancakes. You could even do almonds or walnuts.
Chocolate Chip pancakes. Add the chocolate chips to the batter for a yummy and sweet pancake! My kids even like to use the white chocolate chips.
Strawberry and banana pancakes. Preparing the strawberries as above, add strawberries and banana slices as a topping.
Vanilla pancakes. Simply add a tsp of vanilla extract to your batter.
Colored pancakes. Same taste but so fun! Just add food coloring to your batter for a fun breakfast. This is fun especially for the holidays.
Peach and granola pancakes. You can use fresh peach slices or canned, add peaches as a topping to your pancakes, then sprinkle with oats/granola.
What are you favorite pancake toppings?
So many different ways to make your pancakes delicious. I like just plain pancakes with homemade syrup. The homemade syrup sure makes them sweet, oh, so sweet. I love them that way.
So glad you asked! My kids absolutely love peanut butter spread on top with maple syrup. This is a great way to add some protein to the carb overload! I like to spread Nutella and sliced bananas on top with a drizzle of syrup. They are so yummy!


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As someone living and working in another country and culture, I have become quite familiar with the experience of "difference". Some days I hardly notice it, having lived, breathed and moved in its shadow for so long. But at other times it still impinges, unwelcome, upon my consciousness: when I walk into the lunchroom and don't understand the conversation with its jokes and innuendoes; when I try to make awkward conversation in Tagalog with the lady I buy vegetables from; or when my opinions on how we should live together as community seem to conflict with those of others.
Our guest writer this week is Valerie Tan.
I believe that many of us ask ourselves - what can I do to make my life more fulfilling? How can I be happier? And some of us may think that the answer lies in taking decisive steps to discern and effect a change in our external circumstances. For instance, a switch in careers, re-establishing ourselves in a different country, ending or beginning new relationships, etc.
I fully believe that there are times when God calls us to step into new territory. There are times when He leads us to new terrains and new experiences, as a part of our journey to be more fully human, more fully His children. There are indeed times when He will thus call us to take decisive action to move on from where we are, to move us closer to Him.
Yet, there are also times when He says - wait.
A few weeks ago, the day after Christmas, one of my friends was telling me about her celebrations and ended off saying, "My heart is full!" I smiled on hearing that. What a lovely way to describe the overflowing blessings of a grateful heart!
I'm sure the end of the last year brought similar sentiments to many people. I always enjoy our FCJ community's celebration of Christmas here in Manila as it gives us many opportunities to share joy and special moments with people around us. This year, there was plenty of joy to be had in the smiling faces, cheerful sounds and delicious smells of the season, but what touched me most was several encounters we had that revealed a little of the wonder and vulnerability of humanity.
This reflection by Afra fcJ was inspired by the FCJ Constitutions, #276.
I can only change myself….
Here we are again at that strange, blessed in-between time, between the old year and the new. I always appreciate this interval between the busy-ness of Christmas and the welcoming of the new year – a kind of fallow space in which to gather the blessings of the year that has passed, and listen to the new hopes and dreams emerging in our hearts for the future. It is a time for gratitude, and also for renewing our commitment to what truly matters.
Audrey is a member of the Society of Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ). She grew up in Singapore and dabbled in NGO work and government lawyer-ing before her life took a weird and wonderful turn, and she ended up becoming a Catholic sister. After two years in Indonesia, she now lives in Manila, where she seeks to treasure and share the surprising graces of each day.


That's great, Felony. It made me giggle.
Hehehe thanks guys! I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. Also have other ideas for other podcasts. For now, here's another progress pic of the SWAT Kats and Gunsmith Cats crossover I've been working on.
Minnie May finding T-Bone so cute! XD I'll have to combine the two images after resizing this one to make the full image work so not all of them may be seen later.
Felony wrote: Hehehe thanks guys! I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. Also have other ideas for other podcasts. For now, here's another progress pic of the SWAT Kats and Gunsmith Cats crossover I've been working on.
Oh this is so CUTE! XD That is just the Minnie May reaction you'd expect and the reaction I would expect from TBone when a young lady grabbing him by the face and possibly offering him some MeowMix cat food.
Combining the images in to one image will be the icing on the cake. Makes me wonder if this is Rally and May's first reactions, do they at this moment think the guys are just in a Gunshop in FurSuits? X3 Is May just trying to pull of TBone's head?
I will finish the other pics I swear XD I've a bad habit of sketching stuff and not doing anything else, mostly due to time. Here's some characters/personas in chibi style of our forum goers I doodled up in my random few moments of art time I have. Ty-Chou's Black Kat, Rai Pager and Cait Matthews.
Here you go, Nee. XD Sketched this up as I listened to the Army of Shortness podcast before work.
Felony wrote: Here you go, Nee. XD Sketched this up as I listened to the Army of Shortness podcast before work.
DJ Master P is hip and down with the kids.