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Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,489: R2-D2
R2-D2 Resurgence of the Jedi
The Legacy Collection Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 93144
Includes: Additional figures
Action Feature: Twist dome to raise or lower third leg
Bio: The determined astromech droid carries out his secret mission, resulting in a fateful meeting betweenn Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam Pawlus' former back yard.
Commentary: There have been many, many R2-D2 figures over the years including a brand new resized one in 2010. Many fans agree that the 2009 version pictured here (itself a repaint of the 2005 R4-G9 action figure) is the best. The subtle dusting on the feet, the silver of his dome, and the big black eye all help to bring what many consider to be the perfect astromech droid mold to life. There aren't any features to gum up the appearance, and the eye isn't too flat or anything. Plus the figure is scale to most other astromech droids, effectively making it the go-to figure. (I doubt they'll ever make more droids based on the 2010 Vintage R2-D2 as a standard size.) So yeah, of the many R2-D2s released since 1978 I would put this one as the overall best in terms of aesthetics. It's a crying shame Hasbro hasn't rereleased it just yet, as the rest of the set (with the upcoming release of another new Luke) may not be worth your trouble.
Collector's Notes: To date, this exact R2-D2 has not been reissued, and it seemed to be tough to get upon its initial release. If you're looking for a deal, stalk eBay and hope people can't spell "resurgence." Just R2-D2 from the set by himself goes for about five bucks, which is a bargain you totally need to buy before people realize just how cheap it is to pick up right now. I should also note, I saw a bunch of these at Ross stores around the middle of January of this year.
Posted by Adam16bit at 1:09 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Astromech, Droids, R2-D2, Star Wars, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,488: Clone Trooper Gunner
CLONE TROOPER Turbo Tank Support Squad
The Clone Wars Figures and Vehicles Assortment
Includes: Pistol, rifle, firing cannon, projectile, and a duplicate of everything
Availability: Summer 2009
Bio: Holy cow another Clone Trooper. (Clearly taken from the notebooks of George Lucas.)
Image: Adam Pawlus' puzzle table. Note the puzzle pieces.
Commentary: If you've been reading this column there's no shortage of Clone Trooper figures, like the Turbo Tank Support Squad here. These were part of the "vehicle" assortment which, sadly, quickly became a higher-price version of the Battle Packs with less stuff in it. While arguably a better value than two carded figures, this set gave you two of the same off-white Clone Trooper figure, complete with unique shoulder tampo logo and the 2009-style revised helmet which, as always, looks a little bit better than the 2008 sculpt without the notch in the chin. I thought I reviewed this one, but I guess all I did was make a video for work. But I digress.
The body is the 2008 standard, with swiveling and pivoting wrists and a grand total of 14 points of articulation. He can be posed to man his station, and the station itself is arguably what makes the set neat. The tripod is removable, and can be positioned to stand on its own or plug into the open sides of the giant Turbo Tank vehicle (sold separately). Multiple greys and silvers combine to make a pretty nice-- if ultimately smallish-- weapon that can be used to pimp out your expensive ten-wheeled vehicle of doom. It's awkward to pose the figure with his gun, but it's still worth snagging to add to your army and you'll want the guns for the vehicle. It's not a staggeringly unique figure, but obsessive collectors will no doubt enjoy adding yet another variation to the grand army of the Republic.
Collector's Notes: The set has two troopers, two pistols, two rifles, two projectiles, and two cannons with tripods. It's pretty darned sweet, but as "value" goes it's iffy-- the Battle Packs of its day were about $20-$25 and had four figures with accessories. eBay says that this set is worth about $10-$15 before shipping, effectively meaning that it (after shipping or whatnot) has maintained its original price. I'm a little surprised, but hey, that's good-- you won't have to pay a premium to outfit your Turbo Tank.
Labels: Clone Trooper, Clone Wars, CW (TV)
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,487: ARC Trooper (Yellow)
ARC TROOPER and Master Sev
30th Anniversary Collection Order 66 Target Exclusive
Number: 6 of 6
Includes: Helmet, kama, blaster, rangefinder, Master Sev
Availability: Spring 2008
Appearances: Clone Wars
Bio: Master Sev is a Jedi general in command of clone troopers aboard a Republic attack cruiser during the end of the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's box.)
Image: Adam's desk.
Commentary: It never ceases to amaze me how many times Hasbro can repaint the same mold and still have it be interesting. This particular yellow ARC Trooper was inspired by the Clone Wars Adventures comic series, where he shot Sev during order 66. The figure is a pretty accurate realistic interpretation of the armor, and was made by repainting the 2007 ARC Trooper figure with two major changes-- the kama was swapped out with the Commander Bacara mold. (To most of you, I figure, that won't mean anything. But it's real important to us clone dorks.) Also, the lower legs are taken from the first super articulated Clone Trooper figure. So it's mostly a remake of the Alpha ARC Trooper.
It's still great-- he holds his gun fairly well, the helmet comes off just fine, and the head sculpt is a normal, unspiffy take on Temuera Morrison's head minus any scars or fancy-pants haircuts. (Those didn't start appearing on toys until 2006, and this 2007 mold was rooted in the pre-2005 comic book design world.) Because of all the gear, the figure's super articulation is cut slightly short although it's better than not having it at all-- you can get some pretty decent motion out of these guys, and if you like to set up battles and such this is a great addition to your armies. I wish they did more multi-colored movie ARC Troopers!
Collector's Notes: This yellow ARC Trooper proved so popular, Hasbro rereleased it on a Saga Legends cardback pretty darned quickly. You can find it on the blue-and-white Legacy cardbacks, if you're lucky. It's about five bucks. The set with Sev is about $5-$10, and the one I'd suggest you get because Sev is worth owning.
The same basic structure of this figure was used to make ARC Trooper (2007, not identified as Alpha on the box), the black ARC Trooper (late 2007), the red ARC Trooper Alpha (Wal-Mart 2009), this yellow ARC Trooper, the red ARC Trooper Commander (Target 2008), and another blue ARC Trooper (Target 2008). Whew! Sorry if I forgot a few, but I can safely say there haven't been any green ones yet, sadly.
Labels: Clone Trooper, Clone Wars, Exclusive, Expanded Universe, TAC, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,486: Major Panno
MAJOR PANNO Dressellian Commando
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Number: #BD20
Includes: Blaster, cloak, commlink, goggles, droid piece
Bio: Major Panno is a Dressellian tactician who works with General Crix Madine to plan commando strikes for the Rebel Alliance. He assists Madine in planning the shield generator strike on Endor that helps destroy the second Death Star. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's kitchen.
Commentary: Quality does not always facilitate sales. Hasbro's 2009 Major Panno was a spectacular new character release which sported all sorts of detail. He had super articulation, a commlink that fit into a cloth cloak, goggles, and a blaster. The gear meshed together nicely, and while the goggles were a bit of an awkward fit I'd go out and a limb and say the sum of the parts was still pretty good. This character doesn't have an eye patch (like we're used to seeing), and it's a figure that has been packed with detail. He can stand, he can basically sit just fine, and the sculpting job here was a great example of Hasbro doing its typical good job.
Some other notable details: the commlink fits right into the two sleeves on his cloak. The gold eyes give the figure a strange feel in that it almost seems that he's moving his eyes. The green camo on the pants turned out pretty well, as splotches go. I like this figure a lot in terms of what it turned out to be, despite the goggles being somewhat iffy, but the obscurity of the alien design made it just a little less appealing to your average buyer.
Collector's Notes: In 1998, the first modern Dressel figure came out and he was a different character named Orimaarko. Since the assortment was in shorter supply, he was slightly sought-after. The 2009 Major Panno didn't fare so well. In 2010, the Major Panno legs were reused for the vintage Endor Rebel Commando. The figure itself was a weak seller and could be found on clearance about a year after his release.
Posted by Adam16bit at 4:27 PM 3 comments:
Labels: Rebellion, Return of the Jedi, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,485: Clone Trooper
CLONE TROOPER Damaged White Style 2
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive (and others)
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars
Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Commentary: Back in 2003, fans were still clamoring for more Clone Trooper figures and in early 2005 Entertainment Earth had an exclusive set of clones that basically satisfied demand for the then-hugely-popular super-articulated version of the figure. Rather than crank out all white figures, there were four "rank" figures as well as four "damage" deco jobs, as well as mixes of the two-- this is one of the "damaged" white clones. With a black splotch on his shin and his chest, there's not a lot of damage here, but back in 2005 any sort of damage was a welcome change in our figures. Since the figure's mold (but not deco) is still in circulation, it's no stretch to say that this is some of Hasbro's better work. I don't necessarily think you'll want to pay a premium for battle damage variants given how many hundreds of different Clone Trooper figures have been made since this one hit mailboxes, but hey, it's one more for the armies and for your vehicles if you're so inclined.
Collector's Notes: This deco is exclusive to this set, so shop accordingly.
Labels: Attack of the Clones, Clone Trooper, Clone Wars, Exclusive, POTC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,484: Han Solo (Gunner Station)
HAN SOLO Millennium Falcon Gunner Station
Power of the Force Gunner Station Assortment
Manufacturer: Kenner
Includes: Gunner station, missiles
Action Feature: Really fires!
Bio: Han Solo became caught up with the Rebel Alliance, courtesy of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, whom he helped rescue from the Death Star. Solo helped Skywalker destroy the Death Star when it attacked the Rebel base at Yavin 4, where they had taken Organa. Solo became an unofficial member of the Rebel Alliance, and fell in love with Organa. He helped destroy the Second Death Star at the Battle of Endor. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)
Commentary: It wasn't until late 1998 where we started getting figures where fans were really starting to scratch their heads. "Is that Han Solo different?" Well, yes-- this model looked astonishingly similar to the PC game figure sold for about $40 later in the year. This one came first, doesn't have jointed knees, and is slightly thinner than most of the "new" Han Solo figures from 1995-1998. He can stand, and he can more or less fit in the Gunner Station accessory with some futzing-- Kenner wasn't huge on figure/playset compatibility in those days, and they're getting a lot better about it lately. By today's standards, the figure is probably worth skipping. Ten bucks? So what, if he can barely stand on his own (he can't) and doesn't even have a gun? Ah well.
Collector's Notes: The figure was pretty common and was also available in the Great Closeout of 2000 at Toys "R" Us and Kay-Bee stores. In short, it's pretty worthless-- in 2007 Hasbro made a new version of this figure using new and old parts, so there's really no need to pick up the 1998 release unless you positively, absolutely, simply must have them all. The 2007 one was also included with the big 2008 Millennium Falcon vehicle/playset. Save your money.
Labels: Han Solo, POTF2, Star Wars
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,483: Labria
LABRIA Cantina Aliens
Power of the Force Cinema Scene Collection
Includes: Blaster, cape, stand, two more figures
Availability: Fall 1998
Bio: Their remote location makes the spaceports of Tatooine havens for many suspicious travelers from across the galaxy. At the Mos Eisley spaceport, Chalmun's Cantina is a popular hangout for the rough crowd and deadly violence breaks out on a daily basis. Takeel, a Snivvian, is known to dabble in bounty hunting and smuggling. The horned Devaronian Labria calls himself an "information broker," though his information is questionable at best. No one knows for sure what the Morseerian known as Nabrun Leids looks like underneath his breath mask, which he must wear in all non-methane environments. The former fighter pilot will fly anyone or anything anywhere, if the price is suitable. These kinds of patrons have helped make Tatooine's spaceports famous as a wretched hive of scum and villainy. In the days before the Galactic Empire, the spaceport of Mos Espa hosted many similar characters. From the outdoor markets to the junk shops--overseen by the gambling crimelords, the Hutts--Mos Espa was a place where a nine-year old boy like Anakin Skywalker could learn the ways of the universe. (Taken from the Cantina Aliens box.)
Image: Adam's old apartment.
Commentary: The third alien in Hasbro's pretty nifty Cantina Aliens pack from 1998 was Labria, which may or may not be giggle-worthy. The devilish alien was presented in a very pale light, with cream-colored skin and an outfit somewhat lacking in painted detail. Given that it's from before the prequels, it's no real surprise that it's lacking in articulation. Six joints allow this figure to stand, but because of his plastic cape he won't be doing too much sitting anyway. The detail as pretty good for the day and the figure had few problems standing or holding on to his gun. (You see, back in the 1990s, it was generally common for figures to be able to hold on to their gear.)
While time has dulled the excitement of the figure, there's no denying that this represented some pretty remarkable sculpting for the time-- check out the individual teeth and the wrinkles on his smile. As head sculpts go, this is a pretty remarkable example of what Kenner cranked out as Hasbro was rebranded as Hasbro in late 1998. The outfit is good, the cape isn't bad, but that face! The paint job was also pretty good, despite not exactly aligning with generally accepted coloring for Devaronian skin out costuming-- the skin should be redder, the ascot should be browner, the horns should be blacker. As a different character in your dioramas, I'd peg this as a must-buy, it's just that as Labria he isn't quite perfect. It's an odd way to describe it, I admit, but it's rare that figures are executed well but aren't authentic. (Well, maybe not rare as Cantina aliens go.)
Collector's Notes: Labria (and Nabrun Leids) received new life in early 2007 when Hasbro got a repaint wave. Labria had richer coloring, redder skin, and an overall better-looking appearance which would probably make that the version to get, assuming you only buy one. The original 1998 Cantina Aliens set remains worth buying because the Takeel mold has yet to be reused. Also, the current "official" name for the character is the unspellable Kardue'sai'Malloc which has not yet appeared as the main name on the toy packaging.
Posted by Adam16bit at 10:50 AM 2 comments:
Labels: Cantina, POTF2, Star Wars
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,482: Boba Fett (Animated)
BOBA FETT & BL-17
The Legacy Collection Wal-Mart Droid Factory
Number: #3 of 5
Includes: BL-17 figure, pistol, rifle, Dark Trooper jet pack
Appearances: Droids animated series, technically
Bio: In the animated television series Star Wars: Droids — The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO, Boba Fett acquires BL-17, a Battle Legionnaire battle droid creted to serve Mandalorian Protectors during the Clone Wars. The bounty hunter uses the droid on espionage missions while hunting fugitives. (Taken from the figure's package.)
Commentary: Sometimes a figure turns out exactly like it was planned, and other times you get the 2009 Wal-Mart version of animated Boba Fett. (See notes below.) The figure ended up being a rerelease of the 2007 animated Boba Fett figure, but with the accessories of the 2008 Evolutions Boba Fett figure. The pistol fits in the holster just fine, and the rifle looks like a normal realistic Boba Fett rifle. In short, it's cartoon Boba with movie gear.
The figure has all the successes and flaws of the original 2007 release. The cloth cape is here, the "new helmet" mold which was prototyped and shown to the public still isn't used, and he's super-articulated. If you're like me an are absolutely nuts about Droids (the animated series) this figure and set are no-brainers-- you're going to want BL-17, and you're going to want a slightly different Boba Fett. This is the one that can menace Thall Joben, while the other one tries to screw with Chewbacca on a goo planet. The 2009 animated Boba Fett is the very definition of "just different enough to make you mad," which is a shame because it was at one point intended to be an extremely different-looking repaint.
Collector's Notes: The most fascinating thing about this figure is what it isn't-- the original plan was to put this mold out in Empire Strikes Back movie-styled colors. The funny thing is that the final toy was in stores just a week after its Comic-Con 2009 debut, and the two really don't look anything alike. Given the mold changes (specifically the hands and belt) I think that would have been a much neater way to go, particularly since BL-17 wasn't exactly "toon styled." So for those keeping track, that makes two different versions of the Animated Debut Boba Fett figure that never made it out to store shelves.
Labels: Boba Fett, Bounty Hunters, Droids (TV Series), Exclusive, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,481: Jar Jar Binks
JAR JAR BINKS with Gungan Assault Cannon
Episode I Invasion Force
Includes: Rocket, cannon
Appearances: The Phantom Menace
Bio: Gungans produce many of their structures using a secret method that actually "grows" the basic skeletons of many of their vehicles and weapons. The Gungan assault cannon is created from this process and then fitted with electronic components to create a powerful assault weapon. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)
Image: Adam's former backyard.
Commentary: One of the great challenges in animation is to convey a personality of a figure. This is usually done through things like the pose and facial expression, two areas where this Jar Jar Binks figure opts to bore you. Released long after people knew who he was and what he should be like, this figure looks outright serene, almost bored compared to his low-level manic persona on the big screen. This was a guy who'd scream, jump, and step in a pile of poo-- and this figure? Well, he just looks like he's standing around waiting to film the next take. With a body sculpt that draws from the 1999 basic carded figure, this release has no articulation from below the waist and is actually a little disappointing. As a pack-in with a cannon accessory he's basically acceptable but the cannon isn't exactly a pile of fun either.
Jar Jar can't sit-- at all-- he has no hip joints. This figure's sole purpose is to stand and fire a cannon, or if you wanted to just make him stand, there's that. While this isn't the figure with the least play value of the entire modern line, he's probably in the bottom ten. I wouldn't suggest even considering buying this one unless you're a Jar Jar completist or really want the cannon. (The cannon, I should add, may misshapen with time and gravity so take care when storing it so it doesn't get bent out of shape.) If you have the basic 1999 carded figure, it's better than this one-- trust me.
Collector's Notes: The set was something of a weak seller in its day, and today can be had for under $10. Were this a regular retail release for $10 I think you might find it lacking, particularly when compared to the other "Invasion Force" vehicles which were actually, you know, fun. And the figures could sit. But who's keeping track?
Posted by Adam16bit at 6:00 AM 1 comment:
Labels: EP1, Gungans, Jar Jar Binks, The Phantom Menace
SANDTROOPER Escape from Mos Eisley
30th Anniversary Collection Saga Legends, Muddy Release
Includes: Grey shoulder pauldron, blaster, backpack, detonator, prod, coin
Availability: Early 2007
Bio: Jedi mind tricks often work on the weak-minded. Such is the case when a squad of sandtroopers asks Jedi Maser Obi-Wan Kenobi about the two droids that are with him in a landspeeder. Obi-Wan tricks them into concluding, "These aren't the droids we're looking for." (Taken from the figure's cardback.)
Image: Adam's former backyard. Man, that place was great for shooting stuff.
Commentary: Sometimes Hasbro is a confusing company simply because there are times where they leave lots of easy money on the table. The Sandtrooper was not one of these times-- after being very stingy with the various variant ranks of troopers and officers in the form of an action figure, they went completely nuts starting in 2005 up until 2008, cranking out figure after figure with slightly different dirt deco and rankings. I applaud this-- it's good for business (reusing parts) and collectors (offering trooper variety). Even if you aren't an army-builder, you'll still want to get several of the same basic figure.
Based on the 2006 Sandtrooper figure (which itself was modified from the 2004 Vintage Stormtrooper figure), this release has one of the most striking paint jobs I've ever seen on an Imperial figure. The clean white body was rubbed over with a layer of brown, which gives the figure a weathered look. While other figures look like a scaled-down movie costume which has been weathered, this one almost looks like it took a turn for the worse in a kid's sandbox. The deco varies slightly by figure, but you can see in the picture that the brown settled in various crevices to bring the figure a distinctive look. Originally it seems the intent was to replicate the look of the extra-filthy grey-pauldron 2005 Evolutions Sandtrooper figure, but it turns out that the figure looks a lot different than what was presumably his inspiration.
If you're buying this line, this figure should be on your short list of figures to get. Since his backpack and pauldron are removable, you have the ability to remove the added gear and wind up with a nifty, dirty Stormtrooper. As such, I'd say buy one or several-- you can mix-and-match the pauldrons and weaponry to come up with a diverse army of troopers using Hasbro's few official releases. This is a great example of one of Hasbro's absolutely best and most inspired repaints.
...having said that, the figure's not quite authentic. The helmet sculpt and lenses don't match the look of most of the Sandtroopers on film, so Hasbro could redo the sculpt if they really wanted to. (They came close to perfection with the late 2009 Dewback figure, which was recarded in 2010 as a Vintage figure.) For army scenes and crowd filler this guy is dynamite, but if you're a stickler for authenticity, Hasbro can do better-- and has. (I still love it anyway.)
Collector's Notes: The deco was available only in the Saga Legends assortments, making it one of the small number of figures unique to the sub-line which today is home to mostly just reissues. Prices will vary, but I can safely say that the figure's look is worth a premium on coolness alone... which is good, because it seems to command a slight premium over the other versions of the Saga Legends Sandtrooper.
Labels: Empire, Star Wars, Stormtrooper, TAC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,479: Warok
WAROK The First Modern Release
The Legacy Collection Battle for Endor Battle Pack
Includes: Hood, bow, glider, arrows, rocks, additional figures
Bio: Rebels and Ewoks attack stormtroopers during the Battle of Endor. The Rebel strike team arrives on Endor's moon to demolish the shield generator protecting the Death Star. The Rebels are captured but a surprise attack by the Ewoks freese them, and a desperate battle ensues. Through the combined forces of the Endorian natives and Rebels, the generator is destroyed. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Commentary: You might think that the prospect of a three-figure battle pack wouldn't be compelling, but Hasbro made it work in 2009 with this set including Warok, Luke Skywalker, and Yet Another Generic Imperial. The amazing thing is that all three figures are significantly better or different from earlier incarnations, or in the case of Warok here, the only modern incarnation. Last released in the mid 1980s, Warok was then a grey-furred, reddish-hooded figure with a bow and arrow. Fast-forward to today and it looks like he's brown, wears an orangey-reddish hood, and may be more comfortable in a glider. It turns out a lot of the 1980s Ewok figures may have deviated from the costumes, and at some point, some goon decided that the Kenner names were wrong and assigned to the wrong figures. Why this was decided, I don't know, because it's not like anyone is going to go "What the hell do you mean that wasn't Lumat?" But I digress.
Warok shares body parts with Graak, specifically everything from the neck on down. The figure has ball-jointed shoulders and ankles, plus swiveling wrists, jointed hips, and a twisting waist too. The head sculpt seems to be about as good as any would be for representing Warok, although it seems difficult to tell exactly what the furball should look like. The cardback photo of the 1980s figure seems to be a brown body and a grey face. The original Kenner figure was entirely grey. The 2009 release as reviewed today is brown. So it looks as if technically none of the figures so far are completely authentic to the film design, but the modern one is pretty close. If they repainted it with darker brown fur and a greyer face, I think it would probably work out just fine. In a situation like this I'm not sure if the confusion as to how the character looks is due to an error in the approvals process, an error on the part of the original Kenner team, or just a general sense of people not really caring about such trivialities when it comes to Ewoks as a figure-species.
Since it's the only Warok since the 1990s, it's going to have to stand in for your modern Warok needs. However, I can't say with complete certainty that the little guy complete with his bow and quiver of removable arrows will be a satisfactory update to the Kenner figure-- maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. Because we have no other options and to date Hasbro has only made updates to Wicket and Paploo (since the 1990s/2000s figures), this is probably going to be it. The sculpt is there, but the coloring is not.
Collector's Notes: This battle pack showed up on closeout in late 2010 and early 2011, so the set has basically been devalued by time and abundance. I wouldn't suggest paying more than $15 for the set, although it's fun and neat enough to warrant $25 if you stumble on it and don't feel like searching for the best possible bargain.
Labels: Ewoks, Return of the Jedi, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,478: Obi-Wan Kenobi
OBI-WAN KENOBI with Freeco Bike
The Clone Wars Vehicles with Figures
Includes: Lightsaber, Freeco speeder
Bio: Obi-Wan uses a Freeco speeder to traverse the snow-covered planet of Orto Plutonia while investigating an attack on a Republic outpost. The speeder has an enclosed cockpit designed to shelter the rider from the cold. The Jedi heads into a snowstorm, following the tracks in the snow that will lead him to the perpetrators of the assault. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Commentary: Want a super-articulated Obi-Wan Kenobi as seen on The Clone Wars? This is it! The mold takes the basic sculpt of the 2008 release and adds all-new super-articulated legs plus a cloth bit so he can sit. In short, this is the figure you wish came on the blister card. He can stand, sit, and be posed with his weapon quite nicely with what will likely the the Best Body Sculpt this particular costume will ever get. (A less-armored version is coming in 2010.) The only area in which this figure is lacking is the head, as the first 2008 issue didn't look exactly like the character model and neither does this one. It's a little wider and a little less angular, but it hits all the beats of the character design quite nicely.
If you display your figures, and if you play with your figures, this should be an essential figure as it can actually do things like sit. (Sitting is important, which you'll remember me say a lot in this column.) This installment is a little light on details because really, other than the legs, not much here is new and it is, at press time, as good as the character gets in this format. Should Hasbro opt to do a new version with, for example, a place to hang a lightsaber off his belt, or a new head sculpt, or pivoting wrists, I'd say you have a reason to buy a new version of the character. If not, get this one, because you aren't going to do much better otherwise.
Collector's Notes: This is an interesting piece as reuses go. The vehicle was rereleased in late 2010 with a snow Clone Trooper figure, and the same figure was also rereleased in 2010, but packaged with a special Speeder Bike with a sidecar. (I should note, that bike is a damned fun little toy despite your not buying one.) The set as originally sold wasn't especially tough to find, so don't go overpaying for one.
Posted by Adam16bit at 9:57 AM No comments:
Labels: Clone Wars, CW (TV), Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,477: Jabba the Hutt
JABBA THE HUTT The Big One
The Legacy Collection Wal-Mart Exclusive
Includes: Oola and Salacious Crumb figures, throne, throw pillows, pipe, bowl, railing
Bio: Jabba the Hutt and Salacious Crumb sit on a throne as Oola dances for the crime lord. The loathsome Hutt is momentarily entertained by the Twi'lek dancer's graceful performance. His monkey-lizard cackles with glee, knowing that Jabba will soon turn to some other amusement, such as throwing another victim to the hungry rancor. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: The box, like immediately after opening last year.
Commentary: One of the big-ticket character updates that Hasbro really dragged their feet on was Jabba the Hutt, which as of last August has more or less been perfected. I say "more or less" because it's my guess you'll never see another new sculpt, although the license is good for another seven years-- maybe Hasbro will do another one or find a new way to improve it. As this is a character which had received little love in the modern Hasbro line, it's nice to see an update that scratches all the itches you had, but unfortunately will not pleasantly surprise you. It's just really good-- which is about all you can ask for when designing an action feature-free toy for mostly adults.
This time around, Hasbro kept most of the significant elements form previous toys that you might want. Rubbery skin and arms with multiple points of articulation are present, as are sculpted details like a little drool, a lot of warts, and Jabba's often-overlooked tattoo. (The 1983 figure had it, so there's no excuse for skipping it in the 1990s.) The big cut in Jabba's tail is also present, which is very rarely represented in the licensed merchandise-- kudos to the sculptor if you're reading, and thanks for doing a really great job. The deco is good, but not fantastic-- it's very close to his movie appearance but it feels like the color changes quite abruptly on his skin. If you keep him in the dark it should be just fine though, as that's how he was meant to look in the first place. He can hold his accessories just fine, and of course he can sit without a problem.
As far as accessories go the pipe, rail, and bowl are reused from the 2004 release, while the throne and pillows are all entirely new. Salacious Crumb is a redeco of a 2007 figure, while Oola is brand new. (We'll examine her in the future.)
Unlike previous attempts at the character, this is more of a collectible than a toy. Jabba has had action features like a moving tail mechanism, a spitting feature, and even a removable tongue for that gross-out kiss with Leia. This time around, he has been designed to sit, to be posed, to be collected-- not to be played with. As such, most adult collectors should really enjoy this one while kids will only be able to enjoy a play feature on the bottom of the throne, and that's the inclusion if wheels so he can watch the Rancor eat. In short, this Jabba and his gear are what collectors have always hoped for with no real surprises. I admire Hasbro delivering exactly what we wanted, but I miss it when they don't sneak in a little more, like a "dungeon" in the throne or another unique and fun feature. Obviously, you should pick this set up at sale prices, and in the future on the secondary market I don't think you would be sorry if you shelled out $40 for a boxed one.
Collector's Notes: The last ROTJ-specific Jabba was released in 2004, and before that, 1983. In 2009 we got a really good cartoon-style Jabba figure. In 1999, there were two toys based on Episode I Jabba (one of which was very ROTJ-esque) and in 1997, we got one vaguely based on the Star Wars Special Edition. This new 2010 Jabba came out at $34.97, was extremely hard to get from about August to October or November, and then was marked down to $19.00 as soon as they started actually being available on a regular basis. Great job, Wal-Mart!
Labels: Exclusive, Jabba's Palace, Return of the Jedi, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,476: Super Battle Droid
SUPER BATTLE DROID Arena Battle
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena Packs 2010
Includes: Obi-Wan Kenobi figure
Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme from execution. The Jedi brandish their lightsabers against the Geonosian warriors and the massive army of battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. All hope seems lost that any Jedi will survive this battle, then Yoda arrives with an army of clone troopers. Although many Jedi are lost that day, others survive this climactic battle that ushers in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Background from the packaging.
Commentary: This Super Battle Droid was a gem of a mold in 2008, and since then Hasbro has been quietly repainting, remolding, and improving the figure with each release. This one gives the figure a less intensive deco, but improves the legs a little-- while not immediately obvious from the photo, the ankles on this one are articulated which (as some of my figures are hard to get to right now) I believe may be a first for this mold. I'm not sure why the figure was cast in a lighter shade of grey, but it was, and here it is. The red dot is still present, and the figure got some additional paint detail on the gun plus the lower parts of his torso, making it a unique version that's worth buying if you pick up every variety of the Super Battle Droid. If not, well, it's going to be tough to army-build so it might not be quite what you're after. Since it can stand, sit, and generally look cool I think it's a worthwhile purchase and probably the best version of the mold-- not deco, but mold-- so far.
Collector's Notes: Unlike the 2009 sets, this series seems to have sold through quickly. Most stores seemed done with them prior to Christmas, so if you see one in the wild (barring a large second shipment) you should probably grab it while you can. His companion figure was a tweaked Obi-Wan Kenobi which was altered just a bit-- it's probably worth getting if, again, you like different heads, deco, and weapons for figures you have already probably bought. The set was on sale for $9.99 almost immediately after release, so hopefully you got a good deal on it. Also notable: the jointed ankles for this figure were not kept for the 2011 The Vintage Collection release of the mold. A shame! So get this one if you want the best version of the mold, although it's not necessarily the best paint job.
Labels: Attack of the Clones, Battle Droids, Exclusive, Pit Droids, Separatists
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,475: Jungle Camo ARF Trooper
ARF TROOPER Jungle Camo
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Number: #CW16
Action Feature: Blaster, stand, projectile, cannon
Appearances: The Clone Wars movie
Bio: Advanced Recon Force (ARF) clone troopers conduct reconnaissance missions. They are trained in stealth techniques to gather information without being detected by the enemy. Wearing jungle camouflage armor, they are deployed to the planet Teth to scout the location where Jabba the Hutt's son Rotta is being held captive. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.
Commentary: This ARF Trooper was one of the first figures fans started asking for after the movie hit in 2008-- and in 2009, we got the mold to make it. And a repaint. Eventually we got this figure, and on the whole I think that it turned out exactly as well as you might hope. As this is a repainted ARF Trooper, which was a retooled 2008 Clone Trooper, it really does have all the best features a Clone Trooper toy can offer. The ball-jointed hips of the ARF Trooper are present, allowing him to use pretty much any vehicle ever designed for this scale of figure. The pivot-and-swivel wrists are here too, allowing him to use pretty much any gun ever made for this scale. In short, this is a great redeco of an already fantastic figure-- the ARF Trooper is really the best in breed when it comes to Clone toys, so this Jungle Camo version is well worth a look if you don't already have too many of the other ARF toys put out so far.
The main thing that sets this figure apart is the Jungle deco. A little green, a little brown, and the important thing is that it isn't just another white action figure. A little color goes a long way on these guys, and you'll probably want to get two in order to replicate the scouting on Teth seen in the movie. Great stuff, and some of Hasbro's best work.
Collector's Notes: In addition to this version, a plain white version is still in circulation and there's a Geonosis-themed repaint of the mold as ARF Trooper Boil. I'd suggest picking up Boil with his AT-RT first, but this Jungle camo version is easily the second best of the three-- and you'll want a pair of him to replicate the Scout Party from The Clone Wars movie. There's nothing wrong with the white version, it's just not as ornate as the others.
Posted by Adam16bit at 12:33 PM No comments:
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,474: Zam Wesell
ZAM WESELL Bounty Hunter
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Number: #VC30
Includes: Blaster, rifle, Clawdite head, human head, goggles, helmet, open veil, closed veil
Action Feature: Swappable heads, swappable veils on helmet
Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Commentary: I figured we were done seeing Zam Wesell figures-- we got 2 in 2002, the Sneak Preview one was a slower seller, and the Saga carded version was a mega-pegwarmer in some Phoenix (specifically Glendale) neighborhoods in Fall 2002 to the point of having multiple pegs of just the one character. As such, this release was quite surprising-- although in this age of collector-specific packaging and collector-targeted figures, the audience seems to be a little more receptive to the purple bounty hunter. While the final 2002 release had a really neat quick-draw function and a magnetic arm, well, it wasn't quite enough. What does this one have? Swappable heads, a customizable helmet, and that super-articulation you all love so much.
Without a doubt, this is the best-sculpted version of Zam yet. With two heads, you don't have to worry about fidgeting with an easily lost mask-- just pop off one head and stick on the other. It's worth noting her neck is human flesh colored, so when she's wearing the Clawdite head the skin doesn't quite match. They pop on and off easily and look pretty good relative to the films. I've already received a few comments from fans complaining that the human hair color under the helmet isn't perfect-- actress Leeanna Walsman was seen as having blonde tips in some photos-- but it's not like we saw her hair on-screen anyway. (In short, no, I don't anticipate a variation.)
The neatest feature of this toy is the helmet. This was included, I feel, just to drive us all nuts. How can we decide how to display it with so many options? The sight is articulated, the veil is removable and can either cover the face or hang to the side, and on top of that, there are two heads to choose from. With all those combinations, I'm sure picking how to display her will drive more than a few fans nuts, and it might even lead to the sales of additional figures just so you can have her on display more than one way. The gear all looks fantastic, and she has two guns too. The pistol fits right into the holster (just like the Saga 2002 version) while the rifle is nice and stiff, seemingly not being too droopy or too brittle. Score one for Hasbro improving on this one.
And how is the body of the figure? Also great. The sculpt is fairly true to the film, with silver armor, unique boots, silver gauntlets, and the waistcoat bringing you many shades of purple. She has no real problems standing or holding on to her weapons, making her a big improvement over previous releases. While you may not need a new Zam Wesell figure, this one is fun enough to play around with that I'd suggest getting it in addition to previous releases. Sure, it's going to be eight or nine bucks, but the extra gear makes the whole thing essentially worthwhile. Unlike most figures in this line, there's a lot more to this figure than just posing her-- and I really enjoy seeing that level of fun on my toys.
Collector's Notes: I've seen Zam in the wild a couple of times in the past week, which means you'll probably see her if you head out to the stores more often than once every week or two. Or you can order online at the link below and support this site. (All I'm saying is I wouldn't complain.)
Labels: Attack of the Clones, Bounty Hunters, TVC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,473: Commando Droid
COMMANDO DROID Carded Release
Action Feature: Blaster stores on backpack
Appearances: The Clone Wars episode "Rookies"
Bio: Commando droids land on the Rishi moon to attack a Republic outpost. Designed for surprise assaults, the droids quickly overwhelm the new clone trooper recruits stationed there. With this strategic outpost now in Separatist hands, General Grievous has everything in position to launch a surprise attack anywhere in the Outer Rim. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Commentary: This Commando Droid holds an important distinction-- it folds up small. Seriously, I store these things in tackle boxes and you can fold up this droid to fit into the tiniest sized compartment. Amazing! I'm impressed, even the normal Battle Droid isn't quite that flexible. Hasbro did a bang-up job on this guy, and the mold has been used on multiple versions of the droid so far-- this is the basic carded edition, which is probably one of the least common given how common the Rishi Moon Outpost Attack Battle Pack is lately. (Of course, that figure is a little different, so there.)
This figure is the very first version of the robot released, and sports a ton of articulation-- depending on your standards, I'd say this figure qualifies as super-articulated. His wrists swivel, but at the elbow-- so it's the entire arm moving and not just the hand. Even the hips are ball-and-socket joints, so if you want you can pop them off for "battle damage" or just leave them on to enjoy the increased amount of movement and, more likely, safety that they bring to the toy as a plaything. Basically, this is the level of articulation you want (and do not get) on a normal Battle Droid, so be sure to pick up this guy and know that it is (as of today) Hasbro's finest Separatist droid action figure in terms of engineering. It even has a waist joint, and it's well-hidden so you might not even realize that it's there.
The deco is simple, but effective-- there are some bronze/gold markings on the figure as well as white eyes and a red light. When you buy the figure-- and you will-- take care to note the wear and/or tear on the bronze paint as I expect it will rub off faster than other colors. The metallic silvers, bronzes, and golds tend not to last on playthings, but if you leave it in the package or display it you should be OK. Even still, examine it-- some of the recent Iron Man figures look worn even before you open them.
Collector's Notes: The figure was repainted as a blue mercenary as a Target exclusive in late 2010, which is the most distinctive repaint of the droid so far. There were two different repaints in the Rishi Moon Outpost Battle Pack, one has a lot of silver markings and a sword while the other is a basic grunt. The battle pack version has a richer, slightly redder gold and a grey gun rather than a black one, so it's different enough to be worthwhile for army building. The basic carded version, as reviewed here, seems to be worth about 5-10 bucks on eBay lately.
Posted by Adam16bit at 9:25 AM 3 comments:
Labels: Battle Droids, Clone Wars, CW (TV), Droids, Separatists
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,472: Luke Skywalker
LUKE SKYWALKER Jedi Knight/Endor Capture
Includes: Swappable shirt flap piece, handcuffs, lightsaber, droid part
Bio: Luke boards the second Death Star during the Battle of Endor to face his father and the evil Emperor Palaptine, in a confrontation that determines the fate of all three. Young Skywalker calls upon his Jedi skills to save himself - and his father. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam Pawlus' kitchen.
Commentary: Hasbro's increasingly bizarre takes on Luke Skywalker's various Return of the Jedi toys are nothing short of confusing. While this version is fairly straightforward, we've seen them based on deleted scenes and actual scenes with some fairly glaring errors, on occasion corrected and on other occasions we were blatantly told we were wrong and the figure was correct-- despite previous figures, subsequent figures, and movie stills saying otherwise. But I digress, let's talk about this one.
"Death Star II" Luke has been a tough one for Hasbro, since the first version of the character was produced in 1998 we've seen all sorts of tweaks and none of them were really satisfactory. Before the 2009 release, the last memorable one was in 2003 where Luke had the ugliest, meanest face sculpt you've ever seen on the character. This 2009 version was meant as the "ultimate," and while a 2010 release kicked its butt the 2009 one was certainly ambitious. The head sculpt was certainly acceptably Luke-esque, and the articulation was up to snuff providing us with the 14 joints we so crave. Heck, the figure had no problem holding on to his lightsaber and zero problem sitting down. So what was the problem, you ask?
Look at that chest. Despite Hasbro's ingenious decision to include a removable torso piece so you can swap the "open flap" for the "closed flap" (pictured), the chest had one simple problem: it's too big! The toymaker has done a great job getting more human proportions on the bulk of action figures designed since 1998, so this unusually large chest really sticks out-- typically only the female figures are the only ones with oversized chests, and rarely does a fan complain about that. While Hasbro has done removable chests on various droids, this is a rare instance of Hasbro giving fans the chance to change costumes on their own rather than planning a variation down the road to re-sell the same figure with one minor change-- although Hasbro did do an all-new version of the figure in about a year, so maybe they were planning on it all along.
Having said that, I like this figure, and I thought the recently released perfect Death Star II Luke was a little premature, if awesome. The 2009 release had great poses for his fingers, plus he was fun to play with-- which was totally not the case with the 2003 version, or some of the other ones. The cuffs were a nice touch, the costume looked right, and it felt like more of a toy than a top-notch collectible-- maybe that's why fans didn't much care for it.
Collector's Notes: Complaints aside, this figure sold extremely well-- while most movie figures were cycled out of assortments after one wave, this Jedi Luke kept shipping into early 2010. The market has spoken-- it's a good figure. Sure, the 2010 one was more awesome, but this one certainly scratched the market's itch and probably sold better than any other 2009-style packaged action figure in terms of quantity. That's nothing to sneeze at. On the secondary market, the prices are roughly that of original retail. That's not bad when you consider several of those Legacy figures' prices dropped.
Posted by Adam16bit at 2:19 PM No comments:
Labels: Jedi Knights, Luke Skywalker, Rebellion, Return of the Jedi, TLC
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,471: Clone Commander Stone
CLONE COMMANDER STONE Trooper
Includes: Helmet, rifle, pistols
Bio: Commander Stone takes part in a mission to rescue Republic hostages being held by Weequay pirates. The clone commander battles the ruthless pirates and dodges sulfuric geysers to help Jar Jar Binks deliver the ransom and free the prisoners. (Taken from the figure's box.)
Commentary: The endless parade of Jango's doppelgangers continues with Clone Commander Stone. While not a particularly memorable character (largely due to not recurring on the show much), the figure is of great significance-- Stone marked the debut of the second major body type used on animated-style Clone Trooper action figures. Before him, everybody used the same basic body design since 2008 with different heads, helmets, belts, or kamas to mix things up a bit. Stone was a complete resculpt, with a swivel waist, swivel elbows, and no ankle joints. That's right-- Hasbro took two points of articulation out and simplified several others. The end result is a better looking, more authentic action figure who can't sit worth a damn. Those hip joints suck.
The deco is fantastic, his scruffy bald head looks wonderful under the maroon-accented helmet and matching armor. Both holsters have no problem storing his twin firearms. While many fans dislike the simplified design, I can't deny that it certainly looks nicer. I do, however, frequently feel confused over the true audience for this line-- Hasbro says it's for the kids, but blocking the legs from having meaningful hip articulation seems like something you'd do to collectors and hope they don't notice. It's not conducive to getting the figure inside vehicles, but I suppose if you bother buying Stone you've probably already got dozens of other clones piloting your tanks. While not essential, the figure is significant in the development of The Clone Wars as an action figure property and a meaningful milestone in the evolution of what are essentially the title characters.
Collector's Notes: Like many new characters from the 2009-2010 The Clone Wars line, this one was a little tough to come by and held on to his value-- now he's about ten bucks. He's also off the market, so good luck finding one easily.
OBI-WAN KENOBI Jedi Padawan Knight
The 30th Anniversary Collection Tins
Includes: Cloak, lightsaber, comm unit
Bio: Though he was but a young Jedi during the blockade of Naboo, he was already a cautious man, who never approached a situation without careful thought. The sudden appearance of a Sith warrior was a huge shock to both him and his master. (Taken from the figure's box.)
Commentary: Since I've (we've? someone's?) forced the phrase "just different enough to make you mad" into the toy collector's lexicon, I think it's worth pointing out that this Obi-Wan Kenobi figure probably isn't different enough to make you mad but it's certainly distinctive enough to tick you off. By combining elements of multiple existing figures, this mishmash is very similar to other versions of the character sold in 2006, but, obviously, it's different. The Sith Lord Ambush Battle Pack Obi-Wan Kenobi sports a different hear, and the individually carded Saga Collection release has a head with rooted hair that's obviously different. In many respects this figure is a "variant" but since it's marketed differently and has its own unique construction, well, it's not a "variant" in the traditional sense. It's a unique figure cobbled together by the parts Hasbro decided to use that week.
The body was originally used in the 2000 Power of the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. The head is a tough call-- it's probably the original POTJ head, but dang if it doesn't look a lot like the Episode I heads. The deco is similar, but it has the blue lightsaber that came with the Episode I Final Duel and Naboo releases. The communicator comes from the 2000 Episode I Jedi Knight release. The cloak is basically the same cloak that's shipped with numerous Jedi for a while now, so you might have one in your toy boxes allowing you to cobble this figure together from parts around the house. There's no real reason to track this particular release down unless you're stalking Ewan McGregor or are collecting all major figures-- this boxed set also includes R2-R9, and this particular R2-R9 remains exclusive to this set. Other, better versions of this character in this costume exist, particularly the one from Fall 2009.
Collector's Notes: The set did show up on closeout shelves so it shouldn't be too hard to get. If you want one, do some searching-- you can probably get it under retail (before shipping) with little or no problems. Given the quality of the set overall, it's worth the $20 or so.
Labels: Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi, TAC, The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,488: Clone Troo...
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Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,482: Boba Fett ...
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,477: Jabba the ...
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,476: Super Batt...
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,475: Jungle Cam...
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,473: Commando D...
Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,472: Luke Skywa...


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Local Headlines Top Stories
UPDATE – Siblings Charged with the Murder of Three Bodies Found in Rapides Parish
October 26, 2017 October 26, 2017 KLAX TV, ABC 31
Press Release – On October 18, 2017, at approximately 0316 hours the Pineville Police Department responded to the area of Melrose and Shamrock in reference to an unresponsive female in the laying in the roadway. Upon their arrival, officers observed a partially clothed female, with what appeared to be multiple stab wounds about her body. The female was later identified as 42 year old Latish Renee White of Alexandria. Shortly after Fire and EMS personnel arrived on scene Latish was pronounced deceased.
Throughout the day of the 18th, Pineville P.D. developed two suspects relating to Latish's murder. The suspects, who are siblings, are 29 year old Matthew Sonnier and 31 year old Ebony Nicole Sonnier both of Alexandria. Later that evening, following a brief vehicle pursuit Matthew was taken into custody. Ebony was also taken into custody that evening without incident.
As Pineville P.D. was in the initial stages of their investigation, the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office responded to the 5800 Block of Old Boyce Road, at approximately 0630 hours, in reference to a fire located in the roadside ditch. Upon arrival deputies observed what appeared to the human remains of two persons within the fire. One of the two victims was later identified as 33 year old Kendrick Dwann Horn of Alexandria. R.P.S.O. Detectives and Crimes Scene Investigators, along with Investigators of the State Fire Marshal's Office responded to the scene where they began their investigation. Evidence at the scene in conjunction with information developed throughout the day, indicated the homicides were related. Pineville Detectives were contacted and informed of the discovery at which time it was learned they had two suspects in custody.
The three agencies consolidated their investigations during which multiple crime scenes were discovered and evidence supporting the allegations levied against the suspects was collected. Those involved with the investigation worked tirelessly around the clock.
On 10/26/17, representatives of the North Louisiana Criminalistics Lab confirmed the identity the second victim, via DNA, as 28 year old Jeremy Deon Norris of Alexandria. Notification was made to the victim's family prior to today's press conference.
Matthew Sonnier and Ebony Sonnier's Arrest Charges are as follows:
2 Counts – First Degree Murder
1 Count – Carrying Of Firearm By Convicted Felon
2 Counts – Obstruction of Justice
1 Count – Criminal Conspiracy
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Arrest Made in Escaped Inmate Case
June 10, 2014 June 10, 2014 KLAX TV, ABC 31
Heroin Found in Crash Investigation
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August 7, 2014 KLAX TV, ABC 31
wind speed: 7 mph NNW

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In the opinion of most of the respondents, the mere obtaining ISO 9000 Certification is not enough to make their companies competitive globally. So, the immediate reason for adoption of Total Quality Management practices in India is that Indian companies need to go beyond ISO 9000 Certification by adopting Total Quality Management practices that are prevalent in the rest of the world. Though most of the respondent Indian companies are ISO 900 Certified, they do not think it is enough to make them competitive globally, though most of them believe that ISO 900 Standards can act as foundation of TQM in companies.
Foreign Collaboration has a positive impact on management practices and Total Quality Management activities in Indian companies, as it gives an opportunity for Indian companies to imbibe the best Total Quality Management practices from the leading exponents of Total Quality Management practices in the world. Customer Satisfaction and Continual Improvement is the focus of the mission of the Indian companies. The Corporate Objectives of Indian companies centers around Customer Satisfaction and Quality of Products/Services. From these facts, it can be concluded that the main elements of a Total Quality Management in India are Customer Satisfaction, Continual Improvement and Quality of Products/Services of a company. However, several misconceptions about Total Quality Management exists which run contrary to the stated Mission and Strategy of Indian companies. Most of the respondents are aware of the importance of addressing the implied needs of their customers. At the same time, most of them are aware of TQM being a comprehensive long-term approach. However, most of the respondent Indian companies have failed to recognize their important roles in the discharge of CSR. The employees of a company are the internal customers of a company. Thus, to fulfill the basic tenets of TQM philosophy, Indian companies must take into account the welfare and well-being of their employees and workers. Only if they are satisfied, teamwork will prevail.
After all, teamwork is one of the basic pillars of TQM. India has a large population and Indian companies have a large workforce. So, Indian companies must take care of its Social Responsibilities. It has been found that the respondent Indian companies often lack incorporating Social Responsibility in their mission; vision and strategy the analysis of the research data also suggest that in some aspects TQM practices in India are not satisfactory, particularly in relation to Six Sigma and Market Research. Thus, it can be said that there are several barriers to implementation of Total Quality Management like unsatisfactory educational profile of management personnel, poor participation of workers in management, limiting Human Resource Management responsibility to a single department, low average man-days 161 devoted to training of employees, lack of proper partnership development with the different stakeholders, low Corporate Social Responsibility, inadequate Research and Development Venture with Universities and Colleges, inadequate use of Six Sigma, lack of proper Market Research, and so on. TQM has important repercussions on HRM, workers" participation in management, and especially on the top management.
Total Quality Management implementation is possible only through top management commitment. In India, often, there is lack of top management support for Total Quality Management. From the responses, it is evident that most of the respondent Indian companies do not encourage workers" participation in the management of the company. As a result, the upward communication chain is broken and the management-employee interface is not completely fruitful. This hampers the team spirit of Indian companies and act as a barrier to TQM.
Government companies do more to discharge their Corporate Social Responsibility as they are pledged to contribute at least 4% of their Net Profits annually. Similar commitment is awaited from the private sector. Many respondent Indian companies do not have joint Research and Development Venture with Universities and Colleges. This acts as an obstacle to more fruitful Research and Development work which could have been used to synergize and develop power and technology that could be subsequently transferred back to Industry. Many respondent Indian companies tend to think of quality as a part of Total Cost of a company. Most Indian companies have inadequate Six Sigma and Marker Research activities. The concept of JIT and Zero defects are still not clear to most of the respondent companies. From all these, we can conclude that the development status of Total Quality Management in India is not up to the mark. Total Quality Management has repercussions on all the management areas of 162 the company, be it in production or operation or personnel or cost or marketing or research/planning or human resource development.
To overcome all the obstacles and barriers, TQM strategies need to be developed in different operational areas. Like in production, Six Sigma and Kaizen needed to improve efficiency and reduce job time that are often lacking in Indian companies. In operation management, the top management must shape the strategy and the supervisors should take tactical decisions for more efficient use of company resources and effectiveness in meeting customer requirements. More trained supervisors with more exposure to modern Total Quality Management practices like Benchmarking, Poka-Yoke and Quality Circles are also the need of the hour. Among the sample companies, not all companies employ Quality Circle or PokaYoke activities. These value-added activities must be aligned to marketing management where the orientation is towards the needs and wants of customers.
Here also, Indian companies do not always invest in adequate marketing research. In human resource development, Indian companies need to enlarge the responsibility of the human resource management to rest of the departments of the company.
"Total Quality Management implementation in India." GradesFixer, 17 Dec. 2018, https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/total-quality-management-implementation-in-india/. Accessed 20 April 2019.


CBT is a short-term, solution-focused psychotherapy that has been shown through research to be effective to treat a wide variety of problems. Simply, CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings and behavior affect one another and, therefore, if we can identify and alter unhelpful thoughts and behaviors we will begin to feel better.
This therapy suggests that the emotions we experience and how we behave are determined by the way we think and perceive situations. If our perception of a situation is negative, this will result in negative emotions and negative behaviors. Therefore, CBT argues that emotional disorders are likely to manifest from negative and unrealistic thinking and so, through challenging our negative thought process, it is possible to reduce emotional disturbance.
CBT emphasis the collaborative aspect of client/therapist relationship which means that all aspects of the therapy are made explicit and would involve me working together with you to plan strategies to deal with problems and achieve agreed therapeutic goals within a time-limited framework. Through the use of this approach, you would learn new skills to identify unrealistic thinking, modify beliefs, relate to others in different ways, and change behaviors. In between sessions, you would also be asked to practice new skills in order to gain independence and effectiveness in dealing with real-life problems both now and in the future.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is not about "positive thinking" it is about thinking realistically and logically in situations that are experienced as highly distressing. Much of the CBT treatment is based on the here and now, and it aims at helping you bring about desired changes in your life.
CBT is recognised as the most researched and validated form of psychotherapy. The Department of Health strongly supports and confirms the evidence validating the effectiveness of CBT as a time limited and cost effective therapy.
What is CBT useful for?
· Mood disorders such as Depression and Bipolar.


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751 South recently released renderings of the community amenity center. Amidst the variety of townhomes and single family homes, and situated conveniently beside future retail, will be 751 South's 5,250 sq. ft. amenity center incorporating fun, relaxation and wellness. The amenity center will have something for everyone: the workaholic, the yogi, the gym rat, the socialite, the aquaphile, and the mom who just wants a day off.
751 South's amenity center will feature a large gathering hall complete with a catering kitchen and an outdoor event lawn—because life should be celebrated. The center will also include both an indoor fitness center and outdoor fitness lawn, for those gorgeous Durham spring days. Also included is a resort style swimming pool, perfect for when you want to lounge or take a dip. The best part? There is a separate kid's pool for the little ones, so your poolside lounging will be uninterrupted.
After a long day of sunbathing or pumping iron, gather at the fire pit with family and neighbors to plan your day tomorrow. The opportunities are endless—all without ever leaving the neighborhood.
751 South amenity center is planned to open early summer of 2020.
751 South offers a variety of living options including single family homes, townhomes, and limited edition flats specifically designed by some of the most renowned builders in the Carolinas. Homes are currently for sale. For more information on 751 South, call (919) 590-4104 or fill out a contact form here.


Some say "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" but in my case it is not the diamonds that make me shine but the handbag that I am carrying. There are so many to choose from so do you opt for a modern designer Gucci or a vintage 50s Llewellyn. The choice is entirely up to you but I do know that if you are holding a vintage bag you will definitely stand out from the crowd.
Bags date as far back to when they were made of skin and used as a container for food and flints but from these extremely humble beginnings have progressed to become must-have fashion accessories that every woman adores. Handbags became an important part of status and substance in the early part of the 19th century but it is the innovative and colourful designs of the 20th century that made these items what they are today.
The Metal Mesh Bags were introduction towards the end of the 19th century but really came into their own in the 1920s as the perfect accessory for the "Flapper" girl. These bags had screen printed brightly coloured designs and the most well known are bags by American company "Whiting and Davis" which are all signed on the clasps; they reach as much as £150 on the secondary market today. Another well known and sought after designer of mesh bags in the 1930s was Mandalian, a Turkish designer who lived in the USA. The influence for his designs came from the patterns that you find on Turkish rugs and so are always brightly coloured, expect to pay £120 to £150 for a Mandalian design. Mesh bags made a revival in the 1950s but this particular decade became the most innovative for handbag design. Introducing new materials such as Lucite, the new box bags were popular, fun and modern. American designers such as Llewellyn and Willardy are the epiphany of 1950s design and so are always highly sought after by collectors.
One of the rarest handbags from this decade has to be the "Beehive" by Llewellyn in 1951. It has a beehive shaped base with carved lid which has gilded metal bees on top, there are many beehive variations of this particular handbag but this is the original, thus commanding as much as £200 to £300 if you manage get your hands on one. Other popular bags in the fifties were made of raffia or wood, all highly decorated with beads, shells, or sequins and the Poodle motif was extremely popular. Post war design in bags became quirky with matching clip on umbrellas and even a battery operated light that enabled ladies to see into their bags even during the darkest of evenings.
Pictured: Plastic American beehive style bags 1950s – £40 each/$70 each.
Moving into the swinging Sixties plastic bags became all the range, the material PVC typified the era heavily influenced by Pop art and Op Art. Clothes designers such as Mary Quant and Biba opened their fashion boutiques and it became essential to team a dress and shoes up with a matching handbag, known as the "Total Look". The daisy was also a popular design as it was the Quant logo and hard plastic bags appeared with all kind of daisy designs in different guises.
Italian designer, Emilio Pucci, appealed to the wealthier woman of this decade with his psychedelic patterns and although he is better known for his clothes design he also produced some wonderful ladies handbags in the same swirly, kaleidoscope of colourful material but these do have a premium price attached. However, there is no need to part with large amounts of money to purchase handbags with psychedelic designs as the hippy generation towards the end of the sixties were particularly associated with this pattern and good examples can be found for as little at £50 to £80. Handbags are a woman's must have accessory and with so much choice it is difficult to make a decision. Look for good makers names, innovative designs and shapes that ensure individuality. The most enticing thing about buying vintage bags are that these items are useable and instead of just admiring them in a cabinet use them and I guarantee you someone will want to know where you bought that bag?
Smell inside a Lucite 50's bag before buying, if there is a strong chemical smell do not buy because this means that it is in the process of deteriorating.
Store Lucite bags away from direct sunlight and extreme heat.
Shortage of leather after WW2 forced manufacturers such as Gucci to use cane handles on bags.
Look for original labels and makers marks.
All well made designer handbags are signed.
The more innovative the design the more sought after the bag.
Check for cracks and faults especially on Lucite bags.
Watch out for fake designer such as "2.55" Chanel bag, the market in the 1980s and 1990s were flooded with copies of this design.
The Bolide Bag in 1923 was the first bag in history to feature a zipper.


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How to Research Local History from Home
Our Library buildings may be closed, but the Center for Local History has a wide variety of digitized materials that are an excellent resource for local research.
Whether you're diving into a new project, continuing down a longstanding research path, or just browsing for interesting material, here is a round-up of some of the great materials we have available online:
Oral histories are used to understand historical events, actors, and movements from the point of view of real people's personal experiences.
The Center for Local History has hundreds of oral histories in our collections, with many of those transcripts available online. These are rich primary sources featuring interviews with civic leaders, government officials, and business owners, painting a vivid picture of what Arlington was like through many decades and perspectives.
Start exploring with interviews from civil rights leader Dorothy Hamm, renowned bluegrass musician Roy "Speedy" Tolliver, or civic activist and beekeeper Floyd A. Hawkins, or any of the many other interviews available.
Browse a list of the online transcripts.
Read our Arlington Voices blogposts, which feature excerpts from the oral history archive.
Historic Newspapers
Newspapers are a great first stop for delving into a given time period. The Center for Local History has copies of the Northern Virginia Sun-Gazette available digitally:
Front page of The Sun from November 5, 1936, after the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to a second term. Available in the CLH's Community Archives.
The newspapers are accessible by individual issues, and you can browse by an exact date or keyword. (For future use, the Library of Virginia will eventually have these newspapers in their digital collections with extended search capabilities, but this addition is still forthcoming.) These papers are robust resources for Arlington news and other events in the broader NOVA/Washington area.
Our online collection includes copies of the Sun-Gazette from 1935-1978. More recent editions of the Sun can also be found online at insidenova.com.
Ancestry Library Edition is currently available with your library card number and PIN, and includes a wide variety of genealogical sources. Ancestry also offers a series of free research guides for those getting started.
Other resources available for genealogical research with your library card include HeritageQuest, and newspaper databases including:
Many of our photographic collections have been scanned for online viewing. These visual materials are an excellent way to see how Arlington has changed over the years.
Inspection of Barn at Dairy Farm, 1938
The photos in RG 21 feature the work of the Arlington County Department of Health, 1938-1973. Arlington's Department of Health was the first of its kind in the nation.
"West Side Story, " 1970
Peruse the colorful and creative posters in RG 188, which features about 90 posters made by students at Wakefield High School, primarily from the 1969-1970 school year.
Explore the full list of photographic collections available in the Center for Local History's Community Archives.
The Center for Local History has compiled numerous resources around topics relevant to Arlington history in the form of digital exhibits.
Project DAPS is both an online exhibit and searchable database that looks into the desegregation of Arlington Public Schools, with almost 2,000 scanned primary source materials the focus on many aspects of desegregation, including news coverage, legal proceedings, and reactions to this historic event.
The Nauck/Green Valley Heritage Project features a large selection of primary sources, focusing on the history of the Green Valley (formerly Nauck/Green Valley) neighborhood. The goal of this digital repository for images, memories, and documents is to make the history of the neighborhood available to the community.
Through objects donated to the Community Archive, Women's Work: Stories of Persistence and Influence is an online exhibit that tells the stories of Arlington women and women's groups who contributed to our community.
Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share?
Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.
Center For Local History - Blog Post Message Form
Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.
April 27, 2020 by Jordan Walker
Filed Under: Center for Local History, Collection, News
Notes on the Arlington Symphony
Oral History: The Arlington Food Assistance Center
Rediscover Lutrelle Fleming Parker, Sr.
This Week in 19th Amendment History: The 19th Amendment is Officially Adopted
Read more blog posts from the Center for Local History
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Has the Impact of the ECB's Asset Purchases Diminished Over Time?
Author(s): Andrejs Zlobins
by Andrejs Zlobins1
JEL codes: C54, E50, E52, E58.
Keywords: Quantitative easing, central bank asset purchases, monetary policy, euro area, non-linearities.
This policy brief evaluates the effectiveness of central bank asset purchases in the euro area given their prominent role in ECB's response to the pandemic as well as some evidence from the US suggesting potentially diminishing returns of this policy measure over time. Using a non-linear econometric framework, we find that the potency of ECB's asset purchases to lift inflation has indeed considerably declined over time with several factors contributing to a more muted response of prices to central bank asset purchases. Our results show that their ability to influence inflation expectations has significantly weakened, leading to the dissipation of the reanchoring channel. On top of that, we detect the emergence of several disinflationary (side)effects, primarily stemming from the supply-side of the economy. In particular, QE-induced compression of borrowing costs has given rise to counterproductive effects via the cost and capacity utilization channels. Overall, our findings point to a diminishing returns of ECB's asset purchases.
Central bank asset purchases, also known as quantitative easing (QE), have become a major monetary policy tool in plethora of advanced economies which is used to provide additional monetary policy accommodation against the backdrop of persistently low inflation and natural interest rates. Both phenomena contribute to longer and more frequent zero lower bound (ZLB) periods when standard monetary policy instruments are insufficient to bring inflation back to the target (Williams (2016), Kiley (2018)).2 In our study, we focus on the macroeconomic effects of the European Central Bank's (ECB) large-scale asset purchases, which first introduced the Asset Purchase Programme (APP) in 2015 and further expanded its arsenal with the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) in March 2020 to counter pandemic-induced financial fragmentation risks and, ultimately, ensure price stability.
The existing empirical evidence, primarily emanating from the initial round of the APP, suggests that ECB's asset purchases had successfully substituted the policy rate setting as it has largely been constrained by the effective lower bound. Literature suggests that the APP had significantly lowered borrowing costs for sovereigns as well as firms and households and generated favourable macroeconomic outcomes, significantly contributing to the ECB's efforts in maintaining price stability (see e.g. Rostagno et al. (2019)). However, current literature on the ECB' asset purchases lacks evidence on their non-linear or time-varying effects despite potentially diminishing returns over time (see Borio and Zabai (2016) for discussion on the US experience). This aspect, coupled with the prominent role of the PEPP in ECB's response to the pandemic as well as the recent strategy review, prompted us to comprehensively (re-)evaluate the effectiveness of ECB's asset purchase over time (see the Bank of Latvia working paper (Zlobins (2021)).
The time-varying effects of the ECB's asset purchases
In order to pin down the macroeconomic impact of the ECB's QE over time, we use a time-varying parameter structural vector autoregression with stochastic volatility (TVP-SVAR-SV) along the lines of Primiceri (2005) and perform identification via sign and zero restrictions of Arias et al. (2018).3
The results shown in Figure 1 suggest that the reaction of output to asset purchase shock has remained broadly stable over period from January 2015 to June 2020 but, strikingly, the response of inflation has considerably declined since 2018 onwards. It can be argued that this is a by-product of the Phillips curve flattening in the euro area, which is well documented in the literature, see e.g. Bobeica and Sokol (2019) and Eser et al. (2020). Both papers argue that the disconnect between slack reduction and inflationary pressures became particularly apparent from late 2017 onwards, which coincides with our results. Thus, our findings could imply that the effectiveness of asset purchases to lift inflation has not decreased over time, especially since their ability to reduce slack has remained intact, but they simply reflect an economic environment with a weak pass-through of costs to prices, which in turn is largely driven by factors outside the control of central bank.
Figure 1: Peak response of output and inflation to asset purchase shock (from January 2015 to June 2020)
Note: Figure shows peak impact from impulse response functions to asset purchase shock which has been normalized to a 1 pp increase in the Eurosystem asset holdings relative to 2015 nominal GDP (roughly 100 billion EUR) in each period, allowing the estimated elasticities to be comparable over time.
However, our analysis reveals that the observed decline in the response of inflation to large-scale asset purchases cannot be completely attributed to the recent Phillips curve flattening as we find that specific transmission channels of central bank asset purchases are no longer active in the euro area. On top of that, some disinflationary (side)effects have emerged from channels which have hitherto received little attention in the empirical literature on the ECB's asset purchases. In particular, the results show that their ability to influence inflation expectations has significantly weakened from 2019 onwards, leading to the dissipation of the reanchoring channel (Andrade et al. (2016)), which was particularly relevant in the transmission of purchases made under the "first round" of the APP. Two other major transmission channels of asset purchases – portfolio rebalancing and signalling – have remained broadly intact over the sample, leading to a significant compression in funding costs. This, however has given rise to counterproductive effects via the cost channel mechanism (Barth III and Ramey (2002), Christiano et al. (2005), Ravenna and Walsh (2006)) as firms have used lower interest rates to cut their costs. Complementary to the cost channel, Boehl et al. (2020), studying the US experience, have identified additional supply-side mechanism through which large-scale asset purchases can have disinflationary effects. Namely, they argue that asset purchases predominantly boost investment with limited impact on private consumption, thus leading to the increase in the productive capacity of the economy and lowering prices pressures. We label this mechanism as the capacity utilization channel and empirically verify that this channel has recently emerged also in the euro area. We argue that the strong response of investment has been driven by QE-induced compression of borrowing costs, creating an incentive for firms to shift away from labour towards capital to reduce the wage bill, hence dampening private consumption and, consequently, generating counterproductive effects on inflation.
To sum up, this paper contributes to the empirical literature on macroeconomic effects of ECB's large-scale asset purchases by exploring their non-linear effects over time. The evidence presented in this policy brief has important policy implications as they caution against systematic use of large-scale asset purchases to stabilize inflation and inflation expectations in the euro area as their effectiveness have significantly deteriorated over time.
Altavilla, C., Burlon, L., Giannetti, M., Holton, S. (2019). Is There a Zero Lower Bound? The Effects of Negative Policy Rates on Banks and Firms. ECB Working Paper, No. 2289, June 2019 (revised June 2020). 54 p.
Andrade, P., Breckenfelder, J., De Fiore, F., Karadi, P., Tristani, O. (2016). The ECB's Asset Purchase Programme: an Early Assessment. ECB Working Paper, No. 1956, September 2016. 63 p.
Antolin-Diaz, J., Rubio-Ramirez, J. F. (2018). Narrative Sign Restrictions for SVARs. American Economic Review, vol. 108, No. 10, October 2018, pp. 2802–2829.
Arias, J. E., Rubio-Ramirez, J. F., Waggoner, D. F. (2018). Inference Based on Structural Vector Autoregressions Identified with Sign and Zero Restrictions: Theory and Applications. Econometrica, Vol. 86, issue 2, March 2018, pp. 685– 720.
Barth III, M. J., Ramey, V. A. (2002). The Cost Channel of Monetary Transmission. NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2001, vol. 16, January 2002, pp. 199-256.
Bobeica, E., Sokol, A. (2019). Drivers of Underlying Inflation in the Euro Area Over Time: a Phillips Curve Perspective. ECB Economic Bulletin, Issue 4/2019.
Boehl, G., Goy, G., Strobel, F. (2020). A Structural Investigation Of Quantitative Easing. De Nederlandsche Bank Working Paper, No. 691, August 2020. 49 p.
Borio, C., Zabai, A. (2016). Unconventional Monetary Policies: a Re-appraisal. BIS Working Papers, No. 570, July 2016. 49 p.
Christiano, L. J., Eichenbaum, M., Evans, C. L., (2005). Nominal Rigidities and the Dynamic Effects of a Shock to Monetary Policy. Journal of Political Economy, vol. 113, issue 1, February 2005, pp. 1-45.
Debortoli, D., Galí , J., Gambetti, L. (2020). On the Empirical (Ir)Relevance of the Zero Lower Bound Constraint. NBER Macroeconomics Annual, vol. 34, issue 1, pp. 141-170.
Eser, F., Karadi, P., Lane, P. R., Moretti, L., Osbat, C. (2020). The Phillips Curve at the ECB. ECB Working Paper, No. 2400, May 2020. 51 p.
Jarociński, M., Karadi, P. (2020). Deconstructing Monetary Policy Surprises – The Role of Information Shocks. American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, vol. 12, issue 2, April 2020, pp. 1-43.
Kiley, M. T. (2018). Quantitative Easing and the "New Normal" in Monetary Policy. Finance and Economics Discussion Series of Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, No. 2018-004, January 2018. 40 p.
Primiceri, G. E. (2005). Time Varying Structural Vector Autoregressions and Monetary Policy. The Review of Economic Studies, vol. 72, issue 3, July 2005, pp. 821–852.
Ravenna, F., Walsh, C. E. (2006). Optimal Monetary Policy with the Cost Channel. Journal of Monetary Economics, vol. 53, issue 2, March 2006, pp. 199-216.
Rostagno, M., Altavilla, C., Carboni, G., Lemke, W., Motto, R., Saint Guilhem, A., Yiangou, J. (2019). A Tale of Two Decades: the ECB's Monetary Policy at 20. ECB Working Paper, No. 2346, December 2019. 339 p.
Williams, J. C. (2016). Monetary Policy in a Low R-star World. FRBSF Economic Letter 23. 6 p.
Zlobins, A. (2020). ZLB and Beyond: Real and Financial Effects of Low and Negative Interest Rates in the Euro Area. Latvijas Banka Working Papers, No. 2020/06, December 2020. 40 p.
Zlobins, A. (2021). On the Time-varying Effects of the ECB's Asset Purchases. Latvijas Banka Working Papers, No. 2021/02, October 2021. 47 p.
Andrejs Zlobins is a Senior Research Economist at the Monetary Policy Department of the Bank of Latvia. His research interests include monetary economics with a particular focus on the effects of non-standard monetary policy measures and macroeconometrics. He is PhD candidate in economics at University of Latvia.
1. ↑ Contact: andrejs.zlobins@bank.lv. The views expressed in this policy brief are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bank of Latvia.
2. ↑ Although a growing list of literature questions the empirical relevance of the ZLB (see Altavilla et al. (2019), Debortoli et al. (2020), Zlobins (2020)), suggesting that standard monetary policy tools are still effective beyond zero, Zlobins (2020) also shows that their ability to lift inflation is significantly weakened, thus requiring additional unconventional tools to ensure price stability.
3. ↑ In the working paper we show that our findings are robust also when using alternative identification strategies, namely via fusion of high frequency identification (HFI) with sign restrictions à la Jarociński and Karadi (2020) and a novel approach by merging HFI with narrative sign restrictions of Antolin-Diaz and Rubio-Ramirez (2018).


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JOHN BERRY PERFORMS NATIONAL ANTHEM AT ATLANTA BRAVES HOME GAME
Photo Credit: Robin Weinman
On Saturday, July 2, country music star John Berry saluted the nation when he performed the national anthem at an Atlanta Braves home game against the Miami Marlins. The game was the final July 4th weekend series in Turner Field history. The Braves will move to their new stadium near Marietta, Georgia to open the 2017 season.
"Performing the national anthem on 4th of July weekend at a Braves baseball game, in my home state, was pretty incredible!" says Berry. "I don't think it gets any more American than that. And to have one of my favorite Braves players, Jeff Francoeur, run out of the dugout to shake my hand and thank me was pretty darn cool!"
Last Friday, Berry performed a song from his new album, What I Love The Most, on Atlanta's CBS46. Watch the full performance HERE.
Berry's new album is available for purchase now at JohnBerry.com, Amazon and iTunes.
Labels: absolute publicity, atlanta braves, john berry, Latest News, Press Releases


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Wine & food event to take over Naples on Saturday
The event is presented by the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. It will be part of an 11-city USA TODAY Network food and wine event series.
Wine & food event to take over Naples on Saturday The event is presented by the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. It will be part of an 11-city USA TODAY Network food and wine event series. Check out this story on naplesnews.com: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/11/04/paradise-coast-food-wine-experience-take-over-naples/828468001/
Dave Osborn, dave.osborn@naplesnews.com; 239-263-4896 Published 8:00 a.m. ET Nov. 4, 2017 | Updated 7:46 p.m. ET Nov. 4, 2017
Patrons attend a Food & Wine Experience in Detroit in September 2017.(Photo: Detroit Free Press)
Neapolitans can get an early jump on feasting and drinking a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving.
The Paradise Coast Food & Wine Experience on Saturday, Nov. 11, is expected to draw hundreds to Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples to savor exceptional food and drinks.
"This event offers a unique take on the average food and wine event," said Tara Zajas, consumer brand manager for the Daily News, which is co-sponsoring the event with The News-Press.
"The Paradise Food & Wine Experience is just that: an experience," she said. "From the sampling of finest foods, to the tasting of the most unique and custom local wines, this event offers cooking demonstrations from local and nationally recognized chefs, as well as a preview into the latest kitchen gadgets."
The event is part of an 11-city USA TODAY Network food and wine event series.
More: Chef Graham Elliot to visit Naples in November
More: Naples' Ocean Prime executive chef worked his way up
More: Martha Stewart chef Thomas Joseph to visit Naples next month
Tickets are available now for the Nov. 11 event, which will run from 1 to 4 p.m.
Advance grand tasting tickets cost $85.
A $120 VIP grand tasting ticket will get you preferred parking; entrance at noon; access to a VIP lounge and restrooms; private wine, beer and spirits tastings; and chef demonstrations.
Chef Thomas Joseph will make an appearance at the Paradise Coast Food & Wine experience Saturday in Naples. He's Martha Stewart's Culinary Director and a 2017 James Beard Award recipient for the digital video series "Kitchen Conundrums." (Photo: Submitted)
The event will feature two nationally renowned chefs: Thomas Joseph, a New York native and culinary director for Martha Stewart, and Graham Elliot.
Joseph is a 2017 James Beard Award winner and host of the popular web series "Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph." The Beard award is considered the Oscars for chefs.
Chicago native Elliot has appeared on TV's "Iron Chef America," "MasterChef" and "Top Chef" and is known for his unique take on traditional dishes.
Planning for the experience has been in the works for nine months, said event producer Chelsea Fox, who works for R Entertainment in Phoenix. The company serves as the event's logistical arm, working with the Daily News and Naples.
Patrons can expect a secure venue. Off-duty police will roam the event, which will stretch along five city blocks. Perimeters will be open to people who don't have tickets, but they will not be allowed to sample the event's food and wine or get close to demonstrations, such as Joseph offering cooking tips, Fox said.
Allie Elliot and Graham Elliot appear at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
"Being able to have a seat in the direct vicinity, that will be exclusive to ticket holders," she said.
Even so, booths will be set up at each end of the event so people can buy tickets "if they say, 'Hey this is cool, I'm going to partake,' " Fox added.
In addition to the demonstrations and food and drink sampling, Martha Stewart merchandise will be sold and a large Thanksgiving table display from Macy's can be viewed.
"There's something for everyone to enjoy, from the newest home cook to the foodie who craves something new, we promise to have it all," Zajas said.
Paradise Coast Food & Wine Experience
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11
Where: Fifth Avenue South in Naples
Cost: From $85
Information: foodandwine.naplesnews.com.
Read or Share this story: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/11/04/paradise-coast-food-wine-experience-take-over-naples/828468001/
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