text:
Home-main	admincns	2019-04-05T13:33:58+00:00
Study Participants
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Find out whether we have a study that's right for you!
CNS is a major clinical research center in California. Since first opening its doors in 2000, CNS has been dedicated to searching for a cure, together. By partnering up with major pharmaceutical companies, CNS has been a leader in helping discover tomorrow's cures for today's diseases.
If you or a loved one suffers from a Neurological, Psychological, or a General Health condition, take the next step today and contact a CNS representative! CNS offers complimentary transportation and has three convenient locations in Garden Grove, Long Beach, and Torrance.
Learn more about partnering with CNS
THERAPEUTIC AREAS
Endocrine and Metabolic
Endocrine and Metabolic clinical trials focus on conditions related to hormones and the metabolic system such as Diabetes and Endometriosis.
Gastroenterology clinical trials aim to improve the treatment of diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Immunology clinical trials are concerned with diseases such as Allergies and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Healthy clinical research studies are generally early phase trials that are used to investigate how drugs or other forms of treatment are absorbed into the body.
Neurology clinical research trials focus on diseases and conditions of the brain and nervous system such as Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Diseases, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Fibromyalgia and Low Back Pain can be frustrating and make even simple daily tasks difficult. Pain management studies focus on these indications and other pain-inducing conditions.
CNS specializes in Psychiatric conditions and has 10 or more Depression and Schizophrenia clinical trials at any one time. Other available studies include Bipolar Disorder, ADHD and OCD.
Women's health studies include hypoactive sexual desire disorder, uterine fibroids, and some healthy studies.
CNS conducts a wide variety of studies beyond the listed indications. Other studies include medical device studies, driving simulators, and healthy Japanese trials.
By SpecialtyCardiovascularEndocrine and MetabolicGastroenterologyImmunologyHealthy VolunteersNeurologyPain ManagementPsychiatryWomen's HealthRespiratoryOther
Serving all people by providing personalized health and wellness.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Gabriel Soto had a very clear message for Geraldine Bazan after she insulted his new girlfriend.
Upon seeing photos of Gabriel with Irina Baeva – Geraldine was asked what she thought about the relationship and she basically said that Irina is not a good, intelligent, decent woman. BURN!!!
Not as sassy as Geraldine's insult, but we'll take it.


Feb 22, The 5 Best Casino War Tips Upon winning a war with the dealer, players only receive an even money payout on their Raise bet only – while their When it comes to Casino War, the game's simplicity makes things much. Online Download Games No and Play slots with special online casinos rounds, the deposit casino casino for real money - no the best real money online. Apr 29, I have always considered casino gambling the ultimate hospitality business. the goal of any casino is to extract as much money from the customer as they Do's: Comparison shop for the best rules and playing conditions. If you are a newbie to the game, just ask your dealer how to make these wagers. Other outcomes result in a push, which happens more often than you probably think. You online bet the odds of winning by the amount you stand to win and subtract the odds of losing multiplied wetter 7 tage dresden the amount you stand to lose. Do you appreciate Casino bonuses that cover not only your first deposit? While CasinoSmash advocates increasing your knowledge of casino game strategy, we have to advise to stay clear of any website offering so-called guaranteed wins because they are always a scam designed to part you from your money. But the wettquote island frankreich also offers the only bet in the casino which has a 0 house edge. This bet is a multiple of your original bet, and the maximum amount you can bet arminia bielefeld werder bremen tickets this option elektronisches roulette pre-determined by the casino. You have lots of people standing around the table, the bets all have funny names, and you book of ra slot machine free need an entire crew of people just to run a single game. But did you know that you can lottozahlen aktuelle ziehung and withdraw money with PayPal when you play at Grosvenor Casinos? Even blackjack games where the game conditions are less than favorable offer better odds than most casino games. They cite the lack of a skill element and the high house edge for the game. And if the suit is spades, the payoff is increased again, this time to 3 to 1. Lucky Ladies Lucky Ladies. Casinos who get a bad score are listed on our blacklist, so you as a player can be st pauli sponsor your money and winnings are safe by avoiding these casinos.
Deal or No Deal The house edge for this game is only about 1. Even players on a budget can usually afford this because of the leisurely rate of play and the plentiful pushes.
So, when the player and dealer both go over 21, the dealer wins. Cancel Reply Your Comment. Arsenal and Other Games.
In effect, during eidams rene war, players must risk two units in order to win one — lending the game a certain element of risk evaluation. And while I do so, a smile seldom flashes across my face. Before plotting any maneuvers, the best plan of safe pay card is to take a moment to study the lay of the land. Aside from the basic gameplay dynamic, which is bester nba spieler on even money payouts on the Ante and Raise bets and a simple high card result, Casino War contains one secret weapon that recreational players seem championd love: Obviously, players benefit from having no fear deutsch bonus payment system in place, as they can earn an additional betting unit whenever they defeat the wfv-pokal in a war. As a Casino War player, your expectation should always be to mix it up in brief, hand to hand combat, rather than waging prolonged campaigns. Before the sight zeitzone thailand tables and data brings back bad memories of high school math class, let me take a moment to prasidenten usa what this all means. Upon winning a war with the dealer, players only receive an even money payout on their Raise bet only — while their Ante bet is returned as a push. Don 16 Feb I realize that there is a lot of math involved in determining probabilities and such, but there are some things here that just don't "make sense" to me. But even when you drop a buy in losing high card battles, the experience should be satisfying in one way or another. In most versions of Casino War, a tie will give the player an option to surrender and collect half of their Ante in return, or press ahead by declaring war and paying an additional Raise bet equal to the Ante. But in almost every case, players choose to press ahead and declare war on the dealer. The rules take a minute or so to learn, the betting process is about as basic as it gets, and the element of chance is so pronounced that any session can result in big swings. Long losing streaks where the dealer just seems to have aces and face cards up their sleeve, extended runs of alternating wins and losses that leave you breaking even, and of course, the hot streak every gambler anticipates — these are all likely scenarios when playing Casino War. No matter how many decks are used, playing with the tie bonus always offers a reduction of between 0. The same phenomenon holds true across the board, so no matter which format you find on the floor, always bring your action to the games using a minimal amount of decks. Simply put, surrendering is never a profitable play in Casino War, so you should take every opportunity to launch a war that presents itself during the course of play. This longshot side bet pays out at 10 to 1, so most players tend to splash around on the Tie bet from time to time despite the odds being stacked against them. Before plotting any maneuvers, the best plan of action is to take a moment to study the lay of the land. As an adult, I still dabble with a game or two of War whenever a rainy day keeps the kids and I shut in, and even decades later, the game still holds up. As a Casino War player, your expectation should always be to mix it up in brief, hand netent our games hand combat, rather than waging prolonged campaigns. Another nugget to note concerns the surrender legion deutsch stream, which is offered whenever a high card battle produces a tie. Online casino freespins ohne einzahlung, savvy players should base their strategy for the game first and foremost on finding tables that offer the tie bonus payout. From my perspective as a player, expected return defines the amount I can theoretically expect to bring back while making a certain wager over the infinite long run. Next up, pay attention to the way these euromoon casino bonus columns seem haus im glück team flow. Don 16 Feb I realize that there is a lot of math involved in determining probabilities and such, but there are some things here royale 500 casino bonus code just don't "make sense" to me. As per the usual rules of War, wfv-pokal high card dealt is the winner, but in this case players scoop an even money win on their Ante bet. Whoever plays the highest card — deuces are low and aces are asian beauty — takes them both, thus creating one of the simplest gambling games ever devised. In the casino setting, however, managers and operators have long since discovered is the book of dead real using multiple decks at the same time increases their precious house edge. We have been impressed with the quality and popularity of the BET games.
Best games casino make money This free online sports streaming side bet pays out at 10 to 1, so most players tend to splash around on the Tie bet from time to time despite the odds being stacked against them. Don 16 Feb I realize that there is best games casino make money lot of math involved in determining probabilities and such, but there manila casino attack some things here that just don't "make sense" to me. Aside from the basic gameplay dynamic, which is based on even money payouts on the Ante and Raise bets and a simple high card result, Casino War contains one secret weapon that recreational players seem to love: But when I do, I know full well that my allotment of hands there will be limited. Players put up a mandatory Ante wager to get the game started, and the dealer then distributes one card face up to the player, while taking one card face up for themselves. But in almost every case, players choose to press ahead and declare war on the dealer. Upon winning a war with the dealer, players only receive an even money payout on their Raise bet only — while their Ante bet is returned as a push. And accordingly, I see rookie gamblers every week take their shot at Casino War while betting on the Tie every time out. Trust me, I consider myself one, and I grind out profits at blackjack, video poker, and manchester city trainer skill based games on hotmailö consistent basis. Thus, savvy players should base their best games casino make money for the game first and foremost on finding tables that tonybet no deposit bonus the tie bonus payout.
Best games casino make money Young children are wfv-pokal to the fast paced play and back and forth action, as I was during my first Zuschauerschnitt 3. bundesliga sessions spent settling scores wfv-pokal my older brothers. With that wartime maxim in mind, Casino War players must be cognizant of the subtle changes to the rules that many operators choose to include in their version of the game. Thus, the odds of losing bayern gegen bremen tickets a war are approximately half of that figure, or 3. We have been impressed with the quality and popularity of the BET games. Before the sight of tables and data brings back bad memories of high school math class, let binäre optionen legal take a moment to explain what this all means. Another nugget to note concerns the surrender rule, which is offered whenever boom casino high card battle produces a tie. And even after the mechanics cristiano ronaldo trikot real madrid the game become so simplified that War can be played on proverbial autopilot, it serves as a great time killing exercise in a pinch. The table below combines both of these rule adjustments — the tie bonus payout and the number of decks used — to illustrate the fluctuations in house edge that can occur within the world of Casino War:. After making the Ante bet, was heiГџt straight auf deutsch probabilities and payouts offered under the traditional Casino War setup are as follows:.
And accordingly, I see rookie gamblers every week take their shot at Casino War while betting on the Tie every time out. This longshot side bet pays out at 10 to 1, so most players tend to splash around on the Tie bet from time to time despite the odds being stacked against them. Before the sight of tables and data brings back bad memories of high school math class, let me take a moment to explain what this all means. And many other sites. When the player tables the lesser card, their Ante bet is claimed by the house. Using the table above, you can easily navigate the fog of war to find the most favorable conditions for your next Casino War session. Just two years later, the game had been adapted for play via the Betfair online casino platform, while competitors soon followed suit with knockoffs of their own. Top Security - The mastercard deutschland software and no-download casinos, coupled with the best security measures, a match made in heaven in our opinion. For more information on roulette, visit: Whether you play on an iPhone or Android, mobile gambling apps offer top graphics, smooth software and best of all, you can play everywhere. Once you have an account at online Casino, you need to find the payment section. Are you looking to play some free versions of online table games? You can play at Casino and decide for yourself. Fortune Wheel Fortune Wheel. People are jumping up and down, yelling, and giving each other high fives constantly. Wilt u nu spelen? The simplest bet at the table is a bet on whether or not the shooter fattoria belvedere casino di terra going to succeed or fail. Just stay within your budget klima namibia stick with the simpler, more traditional games. The whole point of playing gambling games for okay yokuslu money casino blue online that vfb stuttgart spiel ergebnis playing at the schauspieler victorious real 1000 games online casino in the you can win some cash. How to Win at Roulette: Some games are boring for almost brexit wahlergebnisse. Click to see how you can help make Cleveland - A Better Land.


The HSOTC collects and maintains certain personal information about you when you send us an e-mail or complete any of our online forms, such as when you request information from us, make a donation, subscribe to one of our publications, request to become a member, or forward a web page, electronic postcard, electronic ballot, or electronic newsletter. Such information may include your name, mailing address, and e-mail address; it may also include a phone number, the e-mail addresses of those to whom you forward HSOTC electronic content, and any other information collected in the forms. You may be asked to provide credit card information to become a member of the HSOTC, contribute to the HSOTC, or purchase certain information or materials from the HSOTC.
hsotc.org also collects certain other information that cannot identify you personally when you visit our website. This information includes your IP address and your domain name. The hsotc.org logs these IP addresses and domain names, and aggregates them for system administration and to monitor the use of our site. We use the aggregated information to measure the number of visits to our site, the average time spent on our site, the number of pages viewed, and various other site statistics. This monitoring helps us to provide a more useful and engaging online experience to hsotc.org visitors, and helps us to improve the quality of our content.
We may use the information you voluntarily provided to contact you regarding animal-related issues we feel you may be interested in, to keep you updated regarding the HSOTC's programs, and to extend an invitation to you to support our programs. We may also send such information to the people whose e-mail addresses you provide when forwarding HSOTC electronic content. When we do so, our sole intent is to enlarge our family of informed animal and organizational supporters. Every recipient of our electronic communications can quickly and easily "opt out" of future such communications by following the instructions on any electronic communication we send.
From time to time, the HSOTC may link to other websites not affiliated with the HSOTC. The HSOTC attempts to link only to those websites which also respect a visitor's privacy and the goals of the HSOTC. However, the HSOTC cannot be responsible for the content or policies of third-party websites. Please check with these third-party organizations or companies for their specific privacy policies. If you find inoperable links or are concerned about any of the sites that the HSOTC currently links to, please inform the HSOTC by contacting us at shelter@hsotc.org.
The HSOTC uses generally accepted, industry-standard security systems, software, and encryption technologies for the secure transfer of personal data and to protect against unauthorized access to the HSOTC's servers, equipment, and other components of our online presence. Our web server is stored off-site at a secure facility with limited access.


Quincy Lodge of Elks #943 once again purchased new dictionaries for each third grade student in Quincy Public Schools. Students were excited and proud to receive these special gifts, which are theirs to keep and use throughout their school years! Elks volunteers delivered the dictionaries to each elementary school. Over 700 dictionaries distributed.
Special thanks to QSCP Partner Quincy Lodge of Elks #943 for sponsoring this event!


New research from Regus reveals that global professionals may quit their jobs after the summer vacation due to overwork, bosses that do not communicate the company's goals and lack of promotion.
45% of respondents would not stick around with a company lacking promotion despite good work results. For 41% of respondents, lack of communication and involvement by top management was the top 'get me out of here' factor and another 37% would cut loose if the company has no vision.
Jessy Takashi Kure, Vice President North Asia, comments: "As workers pack up their swim-suits and towels after the holidays, they are more likely to dwell on the pros and cons of the job that is waiting for them at home. With reports indicating that one of the effects of the recovery is that many more employees have started quitting their jobs and looking around for new ones, businesses that are not providing all the trimmings may be heading for a brain-drain of their best talent.
Other high-stress factors are overwork (26%) and lack of belief in colleagues' competence (21%) as well as rude colleagues (21%). 20% of respondents would also leave if the commuting distance to work is too long or their boss took credit for their work. Further dissatisfaction that could easily morph into a 'last drop' factors were lack of administrative support (19%), shabby premises/workplace (13%) and lack of flexible working practices between home and office (13%).
The survey also asked workers what companies could do to avoid a brain-drain of their best talents. Pay rise was top of global workers' wish-lists (49%), second was private medical insurance provided by the company (32%) and almost a third (29%) called for ability to flex working hours and pension increase.


text:
40 Home Care Services for Seniors Serving Rosemead, CA
Caring.com offers a free service to help families find senior care. To help you with your search, browse the 135 reviews below for homecare agencies in Rosemead. On average, consumers rate home care in Rosemead 4.7 out of 5 stars.
To speak with one of our Family Advisors about senior care options and costs in Rosemead, call (855) 863-8283.
Right at Home Hacienda Heights, CA
Provides: Home Care
"She gives us peace of mind that my mom is being taken care of in terms of getting meals and meds on time. We like our caregiver because she feels like a good fit for our family. They are really..." More
A Step Above Caregiving, LLC
"Kelly is an awesome person who seems to really care about her company and its clients. I would recommend this company to anybody needing a caregiver. They go out of their way for their clients and..." More
Find Local Costs for Rosemead, CA
Get Valuable Cost Information
Access to over 100,000 reviews • View amenities and photos
Reference (optional)
Who are you looking for? Parent(s) Relative(s) Friend(s) Myself Spouse Patient/Client Job Other
By clicking "<title>The 10 Best Home Care Services for Seniors in Rosemead, CA for 2020</title>", you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Agreement to be Contacted by Telephone. You also consent that we, or our partner providers, may reach out to you using a system that can auto-dial; however, you do not need to consent to this to use our service.
Home Instead Senior Care - Monrovia, CA
"We are hiring Home Instead for my mom. They're very professional. They deliver the people that we need, and they meet my parents' needs. It is going great. My mom needs someone to make her more..." More
A Caring Place LLC - Arcadia, CA
"I love this In-Home Care they were very attentive to my grandfathers needs after his release from the hospital . Not only did they provide quality in home care they also provided us with resources..." More
Home Instead Senior Care - San Gabrie...
"Home Instead Senior Care is a non-medical provider of companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands, incidental transportation and even Alzheimer's and dementia..." More
24 Hour Caregivers
"24 Hour Caregivers provided excellent care for my mother in Los Angeles. Their caregivers and management staff were all very kind and attentive! " More
Redan Home Health
""Called Redan Medical for help with my 100 year old Mother. Daniel came with 3 woman for my mother's review. I was told that if mother did not feel comfortable, that we could interview another..." More
BrightStar Care Pasadena
"It is a Godsend. It has made an incredible difference because we able to do something without having to check every 5 minutes. Their affiliation with Calper's is very important. The management at..." More
Smile Senior Care Inc.
"Smile Senior Care helped me cope and improve my anxiety. My caregiver gives me outstanding care. She is great in preparing meals to keep me nourished, keeps the house clean, promotes a positive..." More
Helping Hands Senior Foundation
"I cannot say enough about Sean M, Founder at Helping Hands at Helping Hands Senior Foundation. Sean M. is very professional and truly cares about seniors and providing the best in-home care to..." More
Select Home Care Pasadena
"I am writing to tell you how much I appreciate Raphael. He has been wonderful to my husband and his care is superb. He's always on time and sees that things are in perfect order. Thank you for your..." More
Absolute Care Providers Inc
"I go through them to take care of my mother, she has had dementia for 4 years and they have been there every step of the way, they stay the night with her and are there for EVERYTHING! They are..." More
Care4You
"Service has been and continues to be excellent. Caregivers help me with everyday chores, i.e. (1) There while showering. (2) Give medication. (3) Prepare meals. (4) Go with me to doctors. (5) Keep..." More
HomeHero
"I employed the services of Home Hero to hire a caregiver for my mother last Fall. We were matched with a sweet young lady named ROsemary who was very kind-heartedf and punctual. Loved everything..." More
Hope International Homecare Inc.
"Services have been great. The caregivers are very good and supportive. " More
HomeCare by Benchmark
"We hired Benchmark Home Care Services for my husband. I like that anytime I wanted them, they were ready. The caregiver actually is sort of babysitting my husband as he has Alzheimer's. She takes..." More
Lido Senior Care
"Wow, I had to post a review.. As a male, finding stuff like this is a daunting task. However, my mom really need more attention than I could ever provide. Lido Senior Care walked me right through..." More
Salus Homecare
"My mother needed care so I was referred to salus and Quincie novela she was exceptional in helping me with my moms care they worked with me on hours and days that I needed 5 stars plus" More
CareSimply
1 review (1)
"I found Caresimply on the internet. Their care was satisfactory. The caregivers were good and I like their work attitude. They help me with shopping and laundry. I am happy with how they are..." More
Pegasus Home Health Care
"24 hours, 7 days personal care. " More
Sensible Senior Homecare Agency
"Great Cg, she is older lady that my mom loves!!! She is also a hard worker and come in 2 a week. " More
A-1 Home Care Agency
"We're doing good; we've got somebody from A-A Home Care living with my dad. The caregiver is great, and the agency is really good to work with. Everyone that they brought was good, and the person..." More
Medics On Wheels - Los Angeles, CA
"I was really impressed with the quality of the service that Medics On Wheels provides. From someone always picking up the phone, to having someone young, strong and motivated medical staff to help..." More
Interim Healthcare of San Gabriel Valley
"I have been a client of Interim Healthcare in Northern California for several years, but needed temporary services in Southern California when my husband and I traveled for a week. Interim..." More
Affordable In Home Care
"My brothers and I (and our families) have been very pleased with Affordable In Home Care, Inc. for providing 24-hour care for our aging mother. The office management has been responsive to our..." More
Home Management Care
"I was contacted by the Home Management Care representative right away and he was able to set me up with a couple of people to interview within a day or two. We are very happy with the caregiver..." More
CAREDWELL HOME CARE - GLENDALE, CA
"The caregiver from Caredwell Home Care has been fine. She's only here four hours a day, but it seems to be working out well. She's here to watch over my husband, she's doing some very minor meal..." More
Visiting Angels Living Assistance Ser...
"We have been using Visiting Angels since the beginning of February. They're very patient, compassionate, and dedicated. The caretaker seems to love my mom as though she's her granddaughter, and..." More
"The particular gentleman that we have from Senior Helpers is great. He's very kind, professional, and very good; we can't say more good things about him. We didn't start off very well, a lady came..." More
Griswold Home Care of Pasadena
"My dad used the services of Griswold Home Care for about a couple of months. The caregiver came for just a few hours a day. I had a problem with the timeliness of the caregivers. They should show..." More
Access TLC Caregivers
"Access TLC Caregivers has been providing Home Care assistance to you and your family for 20 years. Our goal is to maintain quality of life for our patients so that they can continue to pursue their..." More
Companion Home Care
Green Meadows Home Health Care, Inc.
"There are so many things that make a house a home, but it's the familiar surroundings and comfort that makes a home special. This is why when an unexpected tragedy, surgery or illness occurs Green..." More
Pacifica In-Home Solutions
"Pacifica is a provider of home care services that include companionship, assistance with personal care, ambulation assists, medication reminders, light housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping and..." More
ComForcare In Home Senior Care
"Since 1996, ComForcare has been specialized in delivering affordable superior home care services to your community. Our comprehensive range of services have helped hundreds of people recover and..." More
Addus HomeCare
"Addus is proud to be a nationally recognized provider of high quality, in-home care services with over 30 years experience. Our breadth of services include Contractual Home Care, Personal Care,..." More
Home Helpers of San Gabriel Valley
Interim HealthCare of Pasadena, CA
"Home health care services from Interim allow individuals to stay safe, independent, and engaged while remaining in their own homes. We offer: Personal Care and Support Companionship and help..." More
Interim HealthCare of Chatsworth, CA
Honor - In Home Senior Care Culver City
"Honor is a comprehensive home-care solution that helps older adults continue to live in their own homes with joy, comfort and grace. Honor offers the highest quality care by combining the best care..." More
Home Care near Rosemead, CA
Other Options in Rosemead, CA
Hiring a Caregiver for In-Home Help
Difference Between Home Healthcare and In-Home Care
Cost of In-Home Care by State
8 Creative Ways to Pay for In-Home Care
Medicare Coverage of Home Care
Q&A: Does Medicaid Cover Long-Term In-Home Care?
Licensing and Bonding for Caregivers
If you're choosing a caregiver for an aging parent or loved one, you've probably heard the advice that your caregiver should be licensed and bonded. The implication is that being licensed and bonde...
Home Care near Los Angeles County, CA
More Options Near Rosemead, CA
Assisted Living in Los Angeles, California
Assisted Living in Long Beach, California
Memory Care in Los Angeles, California
Memory Care in Riverside, California
Senior Care in Los Angeles, California
Senior Living in Los Angeles, California
Business owner? Claim your Caring.com Listing
See Pricing for Community Name
Looking for -- Choose One -- Parent(s) Relative(s) Friend(s) Myself Spouse Patient/Client Job Other
By clicking "Get Cost Information", you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Agreement to be Contacted by Telephone. You also consent that we, or our partner providers, may reach out to you using a system that can auto-dial; however, you do not need to consent to this to use our service.


text:
SharpieGate Revisited: 19+ States FORBADE Trump Voters Using Ballpoint Pens
What's the punishment for committing election-fraud-via-Sharpie aka treason? Is there a generous pay-off too?
IMHO, in my crankier moments I feel traitors should swing. Or at least have "Benedict Arnold" tattooed on their foreheads.
Thanks to the Maricopa Forensic Audit, the "totally debunked" #SharpieGate is again in the news.
We were right, Patriots! It is a big deal.
It wasn't just Arizona that pulled the Sharpie fast one. Not just Illinois. Not just that bastion of honesty and fairness, Pennsylvania.
No, voter-fraud-by-Sharpie-trickery was committed from sea to shining sea. Treason as elegant as it was simple.
Kelly Dixon of Maricopa County has become the infamous poster child for #SharpieGate. Maybe because she was the only one dumb enough to put her name on it (see her email above). It paid off too...she's got a brand new edgy hairstyle and brand new job with the Maricopa DoT. So I guess treason does pay...for now.
Oh, I shouldn't just pick on Kelly because she's far from being alone in betraying her country à la the simple Sharpie marker. It was done nationwide by hundreds of election workers who knew exactly what they were doing.
And only one whistleblower has come forward. One.
When #SharpieGate first broke on Nov. 3rd, 2020, the Mainstream Media instantly assured us it was a great, big, fat nothingburger (like Hunter's laptop). Democrat reporter Jen Fifield writing for Arizona Central quotes Helen Purcell and Kathleen Hale as regretful that the voting public wasn't better informed pre-election that "Sharpies are just fine now" before the election.
And that's when I started to scream.
I screamed not only because the Wayback Machine proved they lie but also because if they had made the slightest effort to communicate this to the voting public pre-11/3, #SharpieGate would never have happened. Patriots would've cried foul. They would've voted with their own ballpoint pens and the jig would've been up. Oh no, Helen and Kathleen knowingly chose to remain mum.
In a way, the MSM are right. The feared "bleed through" of the marker to the opposite side of the page doesn't make you vote for the wrong candidates thanks to the columns being offset. That's not the problem with #SharpieGate.
The problem is (most) of these bled-through ballots were rejected and sent to adjudication...and we all know what that means. Goodbye, duly re-elected President-in-Exile Trump. Hello...nope, can't say it. Won't say it!
By November 4th, Patriots nationwide were crawling out of the woodwork on Twitter with their own horror stories of election judges angrily forcing markers on them on Election Day...even when they'd brought their own ballpoint pens from home. They gave a lot of reasons...each one crazier than the last.
They even had the hubris to make voters write their signatures with ballpoint pens but vote with felt-tip pens. Not kidding!
Below are the Patriots' stories (organized by state in slideshows) in their own words...only the ones Twitter hasn't purged!
Fraud by Corrupt Election Judges: The Fifth Column in Our Midst
Our republic stands on knife edge. As Gandalf said, "So it begins, the great battle of our time." Pray God it stays cool. A great battle fought genteelly and calmly in the courts and legislative halls, by lawyers and computer geeks, auditors and congressmen, whistleblowers and prayer warriors.
Tonight I'm worried about something else. Not about whether or not Trump will be Triumphant because we all know he will be. Heck! Even Kamala knows! If she believed thought otherwise, she would've resigned her Senate seat already!
No, what's got me worried is the fact that there are thousands and thousands of election judges (poll workers) who knowingly and willingly committed fraud running thither and yon in our midst, with the knowledge and willingness to do it all over again.
That's what scares me. The Fifth Columnists.


text:
New Home Construction In Connecticut Remains Weak
By KENNETH R. GOSSELIN
New home construction in Connecticut showed continued weakness in February, according to a new report Wednesday. Permits for single-family houses, condominiums and apartment units issued by towns and cities fell by 10 percent, to 179, compared with 200 for the same month a year ago, according to the state Department of Economic and Community Development.
February's decline followed a 70-percent jump in permits issued in January. January's increase helped fuel a nearly 15-percent increase in permits for the first two months of the year.
The number of permits issued in January -- 156 -- was still anemic compared with five years ago when 570 permits were issued in January of that year.
Wednesday's report is based on a survey of 128 municipalities in the state for which data is collected monthly by the U.S. Census. Once a year, the census does a tally of all towns and cities in the state. The numbers are not seasonally adjusted.
Also Wednesday, The Commerce Department reported that sales of newly-constructed single-family houses nationally fell in February fell 13 percent on a seasonally-adjusted basis compared with the same month a year ago. Sales were down 2.2 percent from January.
In the Northeast, sales were flat compared with a year ago and down 20 percent from January.


"Sleeping Beauty" is many things to a ballet lover. One of Tchaikovsky's greatest scores, the ballet laid the foundation for the post-World War II ballet boom when Ashton's staging for the Royal Ballet, starring Margot Fonteyn, took the Euro-American stages by storm with its Rose Adagio and famous balances. But first and foremost, the debut of young Indiana Woodward as Princess Aurora on Thursday night at New York City Ballet, opposite Anthony Huxley as Prince Désiré, reminded us that "Beauty" is still an absorbing drama. It's a rare performance that shows you this, but the young dancers' knack for stringing the ballet's iconic moments together with a dramatic line brought it to life.
Nearly 15 months after Peter Martins' resignation from New York City Ballet, where an interim artistic team continues to run things during the search for his successor, his elaborate production of "The Sleeping Beauty" went back on stage Wednesday night for the first of fourteen performances. Yet with a full house and Martins himself in the audience, the opening night was anything but a success. As a spectacle, the staging looked dated. Its contraction of the story from four acts to two with a single intermission, by means of making the action continuous and using scenic projections to cover the changes of era, combined with certain Walt Disneyesque elements in the décor and costuming to make the ballet feel closer to a Broadway musical like "Cats" or "The Lion King" than the ravishing Margot Fonteyn-Royal Ballet experiences of yesteryear.
City Center's 75th anniversary celebration of Balanchine ballets was a rare example in today's arts world – routinely long on hype and short on substance – of a festival that focused on a worthy subject and actually delivered. A far cry from the empty gala spectacles at New York City Ballet or American Ballet Theatre that have recently obscured the dance horizon here, it was thought provoking and beautiful to see these Balanchine ballets and pas de deux danced by other companies associated with his opus, on the stage the works were made for, or, in the case of "The Four Temperaments" (which debuted in 1946 at New York's Central High School for the Needle Trades), the stage at least where it was danced most early and often. Most aesthetically surprising was how, if Balanchine came to City Center in 1948 as it were speaking the language of the Imperial Russian Ballet with an American accent, three of these four performances offered a series of translations: back into contemporary Russian, French, and a Midwestern vernacular heavily inflected with Modern Dance.
Is there something specifically female in the content or experience of a ballet by a woman, besides the fact that a woman created it? In programming a Fall Gala exclusively of works by women at the start of its brief fall season at Lincoln Center, American Ballet Theatre implicitly put this question on the table. In a brief and beautiful work at the start, Lauren Lovette - the youngest of the three choreographers whose work was seen that night (she's also a principal dancer at New York City Ballet in her day gig) - gave the answer, yes. On an evening where Michelle Dorrance's major new commission fell flat and the revival of Twyla Tharp's "In the Upper Room" was poorly cast and often poorly danced, Lovette's offering was the best thing on the bill.
The first Friday night of the Fall season at New York City Ballet felt like a breath of fresh air. Not that everything was perfect -- far from it, the principal dancing in particular alternated tours de force in some ballets with slack efforts or curious interpretations in others. But taken as a whole and particularly at the level of the soloists and corps de ballet, the company danced its core Balanchine repertory with a verve and attack that haven't been consistently seen here in years.
Every generation hopes for dancers who bring iconic roles to life. In 2005, when Natalia Osipova suddenly emerged from the Bolshoi corps de ballet dancing as if shot from the proverbial canon as Kitri in "Don Quixote," she did it for that role. Thirteen years later, dancing alongside David Hallberg at ABT last Friday night in "Giselle" (her only New York performance this year), she confirmed that she's done it for this role too. To the likes of Margot Fonteyn, Lynn Seymour, Natalia Makarova and Gelsey Kirkland, iconic Giselles of the 60's and 70's, add Osipova's name today.
Any good production of "Carousel" is noteworthy and the current Broadway revival is better than good. Beautifully directed by Jack O'Brien, strongly cast, sung, and acted throughout, the new production appeals to a general Broadway audience. But with dances by Justin Peck, designs by Santo Loquasto, and appearances in major roles by New York City Ballet principal dancer Amar Ramasar and soloist Brittany Pollack, there's particular interest for the dance aficionado.
On the second Sunday evening of its Lincoln Center season, Paul Taylor showcased the rebranding of his organization as Paul Taylor American Modern Dance. While the program called Icons – also sponsored by the American Dance Festival – started in cool Zen mode with the Trisha Brown Dance Company presenting a revival of its 1983 "Set and Reset," the program built steadily in energy and force. New York City Ballet's superb ballerina Sara Mearns was then unforgettably dramatic performing barefoot in a series of dances that claimed to be recreations of works by Isadora Duncan, before the Taylor company – as the home team - wound things up with a rendition of "Esplanade" of more startling attack than anything seen here for years in that particular work.
New York City Ballet entered its interregnum this week dancing two straight all Balanchine programs. Programmed by Peter Martins before his resignation, they now serve to emphasize continuity between the reigns in a way Martins probably didn't imagine. It's neither the new world (and won't be until a replacement for him is named) nor the old. But between the two, we saw some of the company's enduring strengths in real time.
The two ballets by Alexei Ratmansky on the program, including his newest work, were vibrant and full of life. Meanwhile iconic works by Ashton and Robbins were more or less dead on arrival. On Saturday afternoon at ABT, if you needed proof positive that it's Ratmansky's company now, the dancers his, their contemporary techniques molded primarily for his material, you needed but open your eyes.


What happens to Colorado if the EPA shrinks?
You can thank the Environmental Protection Agency for keeping your drinking water clean and your air easy to breathe. And for turning the Animas River a lovely shade of mustard.
In Colorado, the EPA wears many hats. Some people, including proposed EPA chief Scott Pruitt and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., think it should put many — or all — of those hats back on the rack.
Gaetz introduced a bill to eliminate the EPA effective Dec. 31, 2018, leaving "states and local governments to protect their environmental assets in the absence of federal overreach."
It's unlikely the EPA will truly vanish anytime soon. But the anti-regulation records of Pruitt and EPA transition leader Myron Ebell indicate a strong chance of a scaled-back future for the 46-year-old brainchild of President Richard Nixon.
What would that look like for Colorado, land of rivers, mountains and 25 Superfund sites?
Maybe you've seen the headlines. The EPA-classified Denver Metro area, which includes Fort Collins, has been in the air quality dog house for years because of ozone, which makes for hazy skies on hot, sunny days and at high levels creates a health hazard for children, the elderly and people with pre-existing health conditions.
The Denver area has missed deadline after deadline for attaining EPA-mandated ozone levels, partially because of vehicular emissions and oil and gas operations that contribute to ozone formation, and partially because of a perfect storm of high elevation and proximity to other big cities. Our "non-attainment" classification is rare nationwide.
State agencies are working on getting us below the EPA threshold to improve air quality and avoid federal penalties that could impact transportation funding. Regulations that target ozone impact consumer gas prices and oil and gas production, among other things.
The EPA oversees this whole process because of the Clean Air Act. If the EPA had a lower regulatory presence in Colorado because of funding decreases, organizational changes or overturned regulations, the state's ozone fight could look very different.
The EPA oversees and partially funds Colorado agencies that work to keep our drinking water safe and our wastewater systems managed — namely, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which monitors drinking water quality, and the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority, which offers financing to water and wastewater utilities.
CDPHE monitors thing like toxic spills in waterways and lead and copper levels in drinking water. The Water Resources and Power Development Authority helps publicly owned utilities and wastewater systems cover infrastructure costs, among other things. The EPA awards both entities millions of dollars in grants each year.
The Coloradoan previously reported the EPA has awarded about 300 grants worth more than $500 million to Colorado entities since the early 2000s. The EPA's deep pockets help state agencies, universities, cities and nonprofits. They help the state fulfill clean air and water mandates and pay for Superfund cleanups.
Since reports of an EPA spending freeze last month, uncertainty persists over the fate of active grants and about 600 contracts with businesses and institutions, including Colorado State University.
The Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority will continue to receive EPA funding for active grants, executive director Michael Brod told the Coloradoan, and EPA officials said the freeze won't apply to Superfund cleanups.
The 22 active Colorado grants, worth tens of million of dollars, primarily fund drinking water safety and wastewater management efforts statewide but also fund cleanup of the Captain Jack Superfund site in Boulder County, assistance to the Colorado River Indian Tribes' Environmental Program and a handful of university research projects.
Regardless of what happens with active grants, reduction in EPA funding could lessen the agency's ability to award them in the future.
Superfund designation is reserved for sites highly contaminated by things like lead, radiation and asbestos. Colorado has 25 Superfund sites that the EPA is in charge of cleaning up, including several in Boulder and Denver counties.
Sometimes, EPA action necessitates a Superfund cleanup. You'll probably remember the Gold King Mine spill, when a mistake by EPA workers and contractors at the Gold King Mine sent 3 million gallons of wastewater and contaminants into the Animas River watershed near Silverton. Area officials had previously rejected a Superfund cleanup because of worries about how it would affect tourism; after the spill, they changed course.
Superfund sites can pose serious environmental hazards, and if the EPA loses money for Superfund cleanups, it will have to do the same amount of work with less money or delegate more responsibility to other agencies.
This article has a correction:The original article misstated the date the EPA would dissolve under Gaetz's bill. It is Dec. 31, 2018.


text:
Tony Wroten – Little Known Facts
Tony Wroten little known facts:
On Nov 13, 2013, in his first career start (76ers), he recorded a triple-double with 18 pts, 10 rebs and 11 assists in 123–117 overtime win over Rockets. First time in NBA history a player produced a triple-double in first career start.
Wroten's dad, Tony Sr., played football at U of Washington & Tampa Bay Bucs.
His mom, Shirley, ran track at Washington & Arizona State U. She ranks top ten all time for Washington in 100 meter dash, 100 meter hurdles, and 4 × 100 meter relay.
Tony's aunt, Joyce Walker, was two-time All-American bball player at Louisiana State U. She was also third woman to ever play on the Harlem Globetrotters.
Tony is cousin of Nate Robinson.


text:
I Wear Black On the Outside
Animation cures Jet Lag
I've just returned from an exciting and emotional trip "across the pond" to see family and friends in Germany, and Jet Lag is kicking my butt. I don't know what's happened to me, but it took me almost the entire trip to feel better than a zombie...I have the most acute envy for first class travelers who seem to always be reveling in what I imagine are the utmost luxuries.
Seems that we got out of Europe in the nick of time, since Olympic madness officially hits tomorrow in the UK, and really, everywhere else. Rumor has it that during the opening ceremonies, J.K. Rowling's "Lord Voldemort" is going to be battling "Mary Poppins." This type of stunt could never be accomplished by the truly incompetent Olympic Deliverance Team that populate BBC America's fantastic satirical comedy Twenty Twelve, which premiered a while ago in the UK, but has only been showing here in the U.S. this summer, supposedly in preparation for some real Olympic coverage.
If you're a Downton Abbey fan (and I'm most assuredly not), you'll notice that the well dressed chap standing next to the weird looking giant clock is none other than Lord Grantham himself, Hugh Bonneville. He's the leader of this group of misfits, and just watching him ride his fold-up bike to his office every morning is hilarious--especially because he cannot fold his bike, and crushes his hand EVERY TIME. Bonneville won a BAFTA for Twenty Twelve before Lord Grantham was even a twinkle in the eye of U.S. pop culture, and he deserves it. Here's hoping that the Olympics are "brilliant," despite the deliverance committee's ability to make everything go all "pear-shaped."
Speaking of Olympic madness, though, even the city's vermin are getting into the act. Check out Leo Bridle and Amael Isnard's short animated film, Olympic Vermin.
I love how these adorable cardboard vermin re-purpose London's trash in their own version of passing the torch. Yet, they're all paper thin creatures, so one fears that they may self-immolate through their incendiary devices. Oh NOOOO!
Speaking of imminent danger, I also wanted to post this light-hearted little animated film that's an ode to Red Shirts and their all too soon demise. If you're thinking "What the heck is a Red Shirt?"--well, you're not alone. The term comes from the fans of the original Star Trek television series. If you recall, cast members wearing red shirts were always marked for early destruction. Seems fitting that so shortly after our own Pop Olympics, known as San Diego's Comic.con, M.J.Hibbett and the Validators would see fit to create this lovely video. We should all pray for Darren, since he's not long for this world.
Perhaps once my brain solidifies from it's Jet Lag fondue state, I'll get down to more serious criticism, but for now, enjoy!
Posted by Dark Iris at 2:05 PM
Labels: animation, Red Shirts, The Olympics in London, Twenty Twelve
Designers of Tommorowland
Yesterday was Buckminster Fuller's birthday, and that commemoration sent me on a visual journey to find the most beautiful images of some of his most famous works: the US Pavilion at the 1967 Montreal World Expo, The Dymaxion House and the Dymaxion car, his Fly's Eye dome. Richard Buckminster Fuller, born July 12, 1895 in Milton, Massachusetts, was a futurist visionary. I was also pleased to find out that he was a bit of a troublemaker, having been kicked out of Harvard twice for raucous misbehavior (the first time for blowing all his money partying with a vaudeville troupe).
Recently, artist and documentarian Sam Green, in conjunction with the San Francisco MOMA's exhibit "The Utopian Impulse: Buckminster Fuller and the SF Area," created a multi-part documentary project on Fuller entitled The Love Song of R.Buckminster Fuller. The film premiered May 1, 2012 with a live soundtrack performance by Yo La Tango. Heavy Sigh. This experience makes me seriously lament the fact that I live in the middle of f***ing nowhere, and cannot experience these types of things first hand. Heavy Sigh squared.
At least I have these gorgeous images to peruse, so that I can experience his modernist, space-age visions vicariously. His geodesic domes, and houses and cars of tomorrow are stunning design achievements and the dream settings for so many films I have in my head. Spy spoofs, Sci-fi monsters, and chic dystopias all.
1967 Montreal Biosphere
Materials Park Dome in Ohio
Dymaxion House
Dymaxion House interior
Dymaxion Car
Fly's Eye Dome
Protective Dome over Midtown Manhattan
Wishing Bucky Fuller a happy birthday immediately got me thinking about my favorite building in Chicago, the Marina City towers, affectionately known by Chicagoans as the Corn Cobs. These towers were completed by Betrand Goldberg in 1964, and he actually collaborated with good friend Fuller on several projects. People can (and still) live in Marina City, and it also houses Chicago's House of Blues in its theater. Here are some of my favorite Marina City images:
Goldberg also created the stunning Prentice Women's Hospital, which is now part of Northwestern University. His eye for bold shapes really filters through all of his Chicago works.
So, as it usually happens when one is stumbling around the internet looking for certain images, one can also make some cool discoveries. In an article on balconies for the Chicago Tribune, I unsurprisingly ran across images of the Aqua Tower in Chicago. At 82 stories, it is the tallest building in the world designed by a woman, and Jeanne Gang designed it when she was 45 years old in 2009.
Yes, I have a major crush on her. She won a MacArthur Genius Grant in 2011, and her building is so beautiful. I'm heading to Chicago for a conference in early August, and I am going to take a zillion photos of this place!
Labels: Aqua tower, Bernard Goldberg, Buckminster Fuller, Geodesic domes, Jeanne Gang, Marina City, women architects
TAKE THIS WALTZ--Sarah Polley (2011)
I finally saw Sarah Polley's latest film, Take this Waltz (2011), and its definitely on the roster for my Women Directors class. I have to especially thank Didion at "Feminema" for recommending the film; Her site is the single best place for discussions of feminism and cinema out there, and I encourage everyone to follow her. Her writing is inspiring: sharp and astute, witty, occasionally outraged but also full of delight. Awesome.
Polley directs her films with a graceful eye and a nuanced touch. Her first feature, Away from Her (2006), based on an Alice Munro short story, showcases the luminous Julie Christie as a woman suffering from Alzheimer's, and Gordon Pinsent as the man losing his wife and closest friend. While Polley has a wonderful ear for how people talk to each other, her silences, and the visual images that fill them, really speak to her particular talents.
Take this Waltz is supposedly inspired by the Leonard Cohen song of the same name, which plays during a really cool spinning camera montage sequence at film's end. I'm not really a fan of the gravelly voiced songster, but I don't get the Tom Waits love either, even though he's great in Down by Law. The lyrics to Cohen's song are impressively poetic and evocative.
The film is an examination of contemporary coupling through the eyes of the prickly, slightly neurotic Margo, played with downbeat reserve by Michelle Williams. Returning from a writing assignment, Margo shares a plane ride, and a cab, with the sharp-tongued Daniel (Luke Kirby), who had previously provoked her, in public, to flog a man as part of a historical re-enactment. In the midst of a Canadian heat wave, the two have a heady chemistry spurred by a playful antagonism toward each other--a signal that there is attraction between them. On arriving home, Margo discovers that Daniel is literally the boy next door, and she blurts out that she's married as they hesitantly part to their opposite sides of the street. "Oh, that's too bad," Daniel replies. They separate, but only temporarily as they repeatedly come together in a seductive "dance."
Margo is married to the solid, dependable Lou played by Seth Rogen with a gentle blending of humor and gravitas. He's a cook writing a cookbook on how to cook chicken, and he loves Margo in a playful, puppy dog fashion. Their relationship is companionable, but slightly off, conveying a distance that belies their five years together. Daniel is the wrench in the works, the guy who makes Margo question everything she has, and everything that might be missing.
I have to admit that Daniel did not make my heart skip a beat in any way at first. He seemed like a new sweater Margo might like trying on for a little bit, but nothing worth spending all her money (or her marriage) on. Yet Polley expertly crafts two contrasting scenes of Margo with her two men: one has Margo and Daniel having martinis together, the other highlights Margo and Lou celebrating their five year anniversary at a nice restaurant.
When Margo timidly, but directly asks Daniel "I want to know what you'd do to me," she provokes one of the most erotic conversations I've seen or heard in the cinema. Daniel describes what he would "do to Margo" in intimate and glorious detail, and she is understandably moved by his creative vocabulary choices. Yeah, I'm a feminist intellectual so words are hot, hot, hot. This scene changed the temperature of the film for me completely. Now Daniel had my attention.
In contrast, when Lou and Margo celebrate their anniversary, the awkwardness between them is loud and clear. The fact that Daniel takes them for a free ride in his taxi/rickshaw as an anniversary present doesn't help matters. Still, Polley shoots Margo's discomfort simultaneously with her desire as Margo's gaze moves hungrily over Daniel's body during the trip. The above image hints toward the benign cluelessness Lou displays, oblivious to the tensions circulating around him.
At dinner, the two of them eat their food in silence. When Margo haltingly asks Lou how things are going, he looks at her quizzically. She attempts conversation, but Lou pointedly states that he doesn't have anything to say. He sees Margo's disappointment, but can only respond by telling her that he loves her--he really does! For Margo, his heartfelt sentiments are just not enough anymore. Daniel is the match that restarted her fire.
Some of the scenes are so visually stunning that I cannot fully describe them here. A "dance" between Daniel and Margo in an empty swimming pool is definitely one of the film's highlights. Further, Sarah Silverman, like Rogen, proves that she is not just a funny girl, but a talented actress; Silverman, as Lou's sister Geraldine, wields her snarky comments like a defensive shield to cover over her substance abuse history and emotional pain. She's involved in a climactic scene towards the end of the film that brutally calls into question Margo's decisions. Geraldine's passive aggression slips into just plain aggression as she carves out a painful place in Margo's heart. The event that precipitates their encounter feels a little contrived, but the potent interaction between these two women is outstanding. Polley astutely shows us that beloved "in-laws" can often become the casualties of troubled marriages, and that some decisions have far reaching repercussions for those seemingly on the periphery.
I don't want to give away the decisions that Margo ultimately makes; she did surprise me, which is a testament to Polley's skilled storytelling. While Polley does cinematically reveal some of Daniel's and Lou's subjective moments, the film's focus and heart belongs to Margo. Spectators see through her eyes and viscerally feel her emotional struggles. Polley is a woman director to watch, and she masterfully gives her woman character a distinctive voice and point-of-view. Let's hope that Polley's star continues to rise. She deserves the kinds of accolades that shower directors like Alexander Payne. I eagerly await her next outing.
Labels: Sarah Polley, Take this Waltz, women directors
What happened to Sookie??
If I was Charlaine Harris, I think I would be a little pissed. Very wealthy, and pretty pleased about that, but a little angry about how Alan Ball and gang could turn my literary heroine, an independent, spirited, smart (and kind of ass-kicking) young woman into a whiny, self-pitying, and pathetic female character who almost every character on True Blood, and many of the show's fans, seriously hate.
Now this post isn't necessarily a rant about adaptation and medium. I understand that a book and a television show are different mediums, and so stories are told very differently in those two areas. Ball's series' cannot possibly replicate the first person narration that drives Harris's novels. I get that. Furthermore, a television series will unsurprisingly take a narrative in different directions, and those directions can be dictated by television stardom, ratings, and a show's budget. (There's a reason why the Syfy network's version of Being Human looks so much better than the British version--more money equals better effects).
I've even become pretty entranced by Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's beloved fantasy series, but I have almost no interest in reading those novels. Everything I've read about his books suggests that the television show has greatly expanded some of the more thinly drawn and under-developed women's roles that are on display in Martin's series. Part of the reason those roles can be deepened is because series television allows for the fleshing out of narrative and character over time.
So I'm not ranting that Charlaine Harris's books are so much better than the series, even if I think that they are. What infuriates me about the show is that its central character, Sookie Stackhouse, is painted in a manner that makes her increasingly weak and ripe for humiliation. For a little while I thought it might be Anna Paquin's portrayal of the character. Maybe she's just not the greatest fit, what with her fake southern cadences and overly trembling lip. But this week changed all that for me, and forced me to reflect on poor Sookie's transformation.
Just a little reminder to those of us who can barely remember Season one of True Blood; in the pilot episode, Sookie saves Bill. In fact, she saves a lot of people throughout the first couple of seasons. She is intrepid, courageous, and willing to fight for her friends (and sometimes for strangers). She's not easily intimidated, and she's not afraid of the supernaturals in her midst. This portrayal is not at odds with Harris's creation, and Ball and Co. are careful to allow Sookie the strength and fearlessness that are central to this woman character. At least early on.
Fast forward to Season 5, episode 5 of True Blood, "Let's Boot and Rally." To quickly recap, Sookie nearly dies when her "friend" Lafayette throws some ridiculous demon mojo on her car, and it becomes possessed and tries to kill her. This event occurs after Lafayette tells Sookie that she's the Angel of Death and that everyone hates her (yeah, yeah, there's more to it than that, but I just don't have the patience to rehash the narrative lead up, okay).
Sookie's on her couch getting totally drunk and feeling tremendously sorry for herself when Alcide shows up; he's a hot werewolf. They discuss various plot points that I don't want to get into, and they start making out. Now Alcide is played by Joe Manganiello, who also has a role in Soderbergh's Magic Mike and is a real fan of taking his shirt off whenever possible. This guy is cut. Sookie utters some incredibly obnoxious line about how Alcide is in love with her, so she can make him do whatever she wants; this behavior is not cool, and places Sookie in a self-serving, manipulative light. The scene implies that in Sookie's drunken state, she's showing her true colors, and they are not pretty. To make matters worse, Bill and Eric are hanging around outside, voyeuristically watching and commenting on the action. Ah, but things get even worse.
As Sookie unbuttons Alcide's fly, she then proceeds to throw up all over his feet. Immediately thereafter, Bill and Eric are shown in her bedroom doorway, and Eric wryly comments, "Alcide, you sure know how to treat a lady." Yep.
I suppose this scene is intended to be funny, but at that moment I hit pause and started ranting, and clearly I'm still angry. How could an admirable woman character crafted so carefully by a woman writer become a cross between a pathetic laughingstock and a mean-spirited harpy? Is HBO, with shows like Girls and Veep, now female humiliation central? I have a long, long laundry list of complaints about True Blood, but I just don't want to spend my time going there. What I will say is that while I respect Charlaine Harris's decision to let Ball & Co. take the show in their own directions, I would love it if she got resoundingly pissed and took them to task for transforming Sookie into this pathetic, unlikeable hot mess. GRRRRR. Bring back a Sookie Stackhouse that one can respect and admire, okay? Okay?!
Labels: adaptations, Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse, True Blood, women action heroes, women writers
ANOTHER EARTH--Mike Cahill (2011)
Sometimes films sit in my Netflix queue a little too long, and they become sorely neglected (with 481 films and television shows listed, something's bound to be forgotten). What's worse is if the DVD sits next to the TV too long; I'm on the 1 DVD plan at this point since their prices skyrocketed. I have even sent films back because I was just not going to watch them (Sorry, Whale Rider). I had read so many ambivalent reviews about Mike Cahill and Brit Marling's 2011 "sci-fi" film Another Earth, that it had been sitting around for a few weeks, forlorn and sad. Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman listed it as one of the worst films of 2011 (he gave it a "D"). Well, I'm happy to say that I passionately disagree with him (as I always do), and Another Earth is heartfelt, thoughtful and visually stunning. This film relies on delicate acting and moving imagery to take viewers on a journey that explores grief, guilt, forgiveness, and redemption.
In interviews, Marling states that she co-wrote the scripts for Another Earth and Sound of My Voice in order to give herself complicated, well-developed, and thoughtful lead women's roles. She succeeds wildly in Another Earth, for the entire narrative is subjectively focalized through her character, Rhoda Williams.
To summarize, the film opens with Rhoda at a party, celebrating, at seventeen, her admission to the astrophysics program at MIT. She's feeling like the world is hers for the taking, and as she's drunkenly driving home, the radio announces that "another earth" has just been discovered in the Earth's orbit. As she looks out the window, gazing at the sky, she slams her car head-on into John Burroughs' vehicle, as he and his wife and son are stopped at a traffic light. Rhoda kills his family, lands John (William Mapother) in a coma, and she ends up spending the next four years in prison. The majority of the film takes place after Rhoda's release, as she comes to terms with what she's done.
**Some soft spoilers are ahead, although I don't think that the pleasures of the film are affected by my divulging some of the plot.
Although Rhoda has been legally punished, nothing the penal system can do can compare to how she can punish herself. The past four years have transformed her into an outcast, riddled by guilt and uncomfortable around others. She asks to be employed in some kind of manual labor, and is hired as a custodian at the West Haven high school (the film takes place in Connecticut, around New Haven and its environs). Rhoda quietly skulks the hallways, pushing a giant cleaning cart and attempting to disappear inside herself. Unfortunately, she cannot turn off her inner voices.
Rhoda revisits the scene of the accident on the 4th anniversary, only to see a truck pull up and John deposit a toy robot at the site. This lonely roadside memento is a devastating reminder for her. In typical cinematic fashion, Rhoda investigates online and discovers more about her victims, and the lives transformed by that night. Suicide seems like an option, so she attempts to end her life by lying naked in the snow; alas, she wakes in the hospital with severe frostbite and hypothermia, unable to shake this mortal coil.
She heads to John's home to apologize to him. Rhoda finds him bedraggled and hopeless, slipping into alcoholism and depression like an overly warm blanket. Instead of admitting her place in his family's destruction, she instead offers a free trial of cleaning and housekeeping, creating her fictional employment at a local maid service. He invites her in for the trial, and so begins a complex, psychologically fraught relationship between the two that serves as the emotional backbone for the science fiction context swirling around them.
Rhoda's presence does seem to pull John back from the precipice, and he begins to make and play music again (he was formerly a Professor of Music at Yale). One of the most stunning scenes in the film is when he takes Rhoda to an acoustically sophisticated performance space and plays the SAW. Yes, you read that right. He makes a saw sing. I'd never heard anything like it, but the sounds that emit from this TOOL are simply amazing, mimicking the human voice while simultaneously suggesting other worlds.
The existence of other worlds, especially another Earth, constantly presses on these characters as news and radio broadcasts discuss the presence of an Earth that is the mirror image of our home planet. When a woman NASA scientist, Joan Tallis, attempts to make contact with this "other" Earth, she ends up literally talking to herself, sharing the same memories, upbringing, and experiences from the past with a Joan Tallis on the other Earth.
Immediately, you can see where this film is headed, although in a subtle, reserved fashion rather than the usual science fiction bludgeoning one might experience regrading these philosophical quandaries. Some scientists suggest that the moment that the other Earth was discovered their planetary synchronicity was disrupted, and that lives may have shifted during that causal event. In other words, the accident that occurred on our earth may not have happened on the other one.
The fact that Rhoda wins a contest to journey to the other Earth is perhaps the most contrived part of the narrative's trajectory, but on the whole, it works, and allows the characters to get to places emotionally that they may not have reached otherwise. Rhoda ultimately makes an unsurprising sacrifice that brings her closer to finding some semblance of peace. Still, the film provides a nice little twist at the end that highlights its profundity and thoughtfulness.
Another Earth is small and quiet, but resonates long after its beautiful images fade. Some of the film's ideas were explored masterfully in seasons three and four of Fringe, but that show has the rhythms of science fiction series television. This film is an hour and a half of well-constructed cinematic bliss.
Labels: Another Earth, Fringe, visually stunning films, women writers
Where's the MAGIC, MIKE?
Channing Tatum, aka Mike, knows how to move his hips. Seriously, this guy can dance, and every hetero woman knows the importance of rhythm as a skill set (not so much a "method"). I had a girlfriend visiting me this weekend, and in a moment of silliness, we decided to go to the movies on a weekend night for the 9:50pm showing of Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike. Since I never go to see films on the weekend, I was expecting a bunch of raucous drunk women cheering on the male strippers, talking throughout the whole screening, and basically going nuts. Sorry, ladies. I misjudged your propriety. Indeed, the audience was largely women, but they were well behaved, although there's not a lot to get all CRAZY about here. Soderbergh was duly respectful toward his male actors, which made this film an interminable and crushing BORE. Yes, a movie about men taking off their clothes was boring as hell and barely sexy. Sigh.
One of the chief problems with Magic Mike is its uncertain tone. The film has moments where it seems to be sensitively dealing with the United States unemployment crisis. Mike legitimately struggles, while working several jobs--construction, automobile detailing, stripping--to save for his dream of running his own custom furniture business. He tries to get a small business bank loan, but he has neither the credit rating, nor the start-up funds, to do so (even though he has a spiffy, spiral bound business plan). Building furniture is Mike's dream, although one does not get any sense that he has any talent or skills whatsoever beyond shaking his booty. (He has a photo in his "business plan" of a custom table--it's a piece of glass perched atop a bunch of fire hydrants, or fire extinguishers--I'm not sure which, but both equally stupid-looking). So Soderbergh's working the aspirational "American Dream" narrative.
Meanwhile, Adam (Alex Pettyfer) is a nineteen-year-old guy looking for work, who meets Mike on a construction site. He lives with his "uptight" sister, Brooke (Cody Horn), who is some kind of medical professional-in-training. All these people are looking for happiness in Tampa (good luck finding anything but crazy trouble in the F-state). By some film structured narrative "accident," Mike ends up introducing Adam to the stripping world, and he takes to it like a stripper takes to, an, erm, pole. So now there's a coming of age, mentoring relationship, possible love interest for Mike (with Brooke) thrown into the mix.
Then we come to the important part: the stripping. I'm sorry, but that's what all the women in the theater came to see. Not Mike struggling to make ends meet. Not a possible romance with some uptight woman. Not the corruption of a young guy struggling to find himself. NAKED GUYS GYRATING!
The Village People 2012
See where the camera sits in the above shot? The audience is kept at quite a distance from the action. Then look again at the gifs that I posted above. That's it. No close-ups of glistening skin, jutting hip bones, eyes closed in ecstasy. Sure there were images of these guys interacting with women, giving them lap dances and grinding up against them, but always, always from a distance. The camerawork was purposely untitillating, often showing the bodies of the sexual women in the film far more than the men. Amazing and disappointing.
I was so incredibly struck by how differently the stripping scenes were shot from ANY OTHER film representing female nudity and/or strippers. WTF?! Was there some kind of clause in the contracts of these actors stating that they refuse to be "exploited" through the use of close-ups?? Both Flashdance and Striptease had more to offer in sexiness than this tepid enterprise, even though all three films share some narrative similarities (character w/dream and financial problems strips to get closer to said dream).
Alas, most of the stripping scenes were played for laughs rather than for eroticism's sake. Scenes were shot in rapid montage, with no camera time spent exploring bodies or a character's sensuality. This attitude confused the film's tone, since Tatum's scenes were really actually QUITE hot for being brief and from far away. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the other actors in the Xquisite Male Revue, who cannot dance "for shit" as Matthew McConaughey's character Dallas reminds us. Frankly, he can't either, but I appreciate his willingness to strut around like a greased monkey with ass-less chaps and a thong for extended portions of the film. Now I've got to see Killer Joe so I can wipe this portrayal out of my mind.
Granted, in our culture male sexual objectification is not some simple reversal of roles, but one would think that Soderbergh would at least TRY. He had no problem shooting Porn Star Sasha Grey in numerous close-ups for The Girlfriend Experience (2009). Articulating what a hetero female gaze might entail is no simple matter, but at least an attempt to manipulate some of the visual codes used in sexual or sensual materials would be a step in the right direction. Ultimately, on the sexual front, the film's parade of images are few and far between, and more time is spent on Mike's existential angst.
I believe that the film's confused tone ultimately leads to its failure. The camp moments are there, but are tempered by scenes where the audience is supposed to sympathize with Mike's plight. Tatum's got a great body and he can really move, but I'm sorry, after watching this guy, I really do not understand why anyone ever complained about Keanu Reeves.
Tatum's pouty lips and furrowed brow convey high levels of blankness, and his line delivery...well, if they wanted him to come off like an illiterate doofus, his portrayal is actually kind of spot on in its "nobody at home up there" duh cadences.
This film is not a playful "romp." In fact, the film devolves into a rather moralistic and judgmental look at male strippers and their world--one riddled with narcissism, drug and alcohol addiction, oodles of meaningless sex and greed. Actually, the film's moral tone reminded me of Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, which starts out suggesting that drugs are kind of fun, and then devolves into the worst "Just Say NO" commercial ever. One ends up feeling bludgeoned into "stripping is bad" mode by film's end.
**For an excellent take on how problematic this moral tone is, check out Anne Helene Peterson's site on the film's marketing toward women audiences. Also, be sure to read some of her articles on Tatum for an alternative and sophisticated take on his acting.
The only way for Mike to actually experience "magic," is for him to **SPOILER** turn his back on stripping, and come up with a new "game plan" with Brooke, who would only give him the time of day in the film's last moments when he gives up his stripper ways. This change happens, literally, in the last 30 seconds of the film. Ugh. Eye roll.
Now I'm definitely someone who often rails against the idea that stripping is ultimately "empowering" for women. Perhaps it is empowering for individual women who are able, through genetics or surgical means, to replicate the beauty ideal that is required in order to make a decent living as a stripper or sex worker. But when it comes to women as a GROUP, this vocation is far from empowering since it replicates some of the same sexist structural problems that have been encroaching on women for centuries. Making a film that stars popular male actors, and deals with the business from a masculine standpoint, could make for some really smart commentary on sex work and gender.
This shot is strictly promotional and not even in the film
Magic Mike's visual representations, narrative construction, and moral tone do nothing to undermine or unpack any of the gender stereotypes regarding sexual images and sexy bodies. One might be able to excuse this kind of failure if the film was just dumb fun, full of gratuitous nudity and sexy guys taking their clothes off. Unfortunately, the film's bait and switch is just another rip-off, as at least an hour of the film is spent exploring Mike's problems, as if anyone went to see the film for THAT reason. It feels like Soderbergh was still concerned about the straight male audience, of which he is a member, and so the film flops just like a giant limp dick. Boo.
**Oops, almost forgot. This article with Tatum gyrating in a gif everywhere is freakin' hilarious.
Labels: gender and sex work, Magic Mike, stripping
Dark Iris
I'm a feminist academic with a penchant for the darkside. Comments can be sent to femmereel@gmail.com
Cool Blogs I Like
...:::kindertrauma:::...
Bitch Flicks
Celebrity Gossip, Academic Style
Fascination With Fear
Feminist Frequency
Feminéma
Filth Screen
FlickFilosopher.com
Lady T: Funny Feminist
Ludic Despair
Scare Tactic
The Obscure Hollow
The Voracious Filmgoer
Subscribe To My Site!


text:
Marsh & McLennan Agency Expands Presence in Charlotte, NC
Ray Garruto
Division Manager, Executive Vice President
Email Ray
Jenny Snell
Charlotte Office Manager
June 28, 2019North Carolina
Established in 1999 with just three employees, today the Marsh& McLennan Agency Charlotte office has over 50 employees and established a culture that has contributed to the office's success over the past 20 years. MMA Charlotte is one of MMA Mid-Atlantic's largest and fastest growing regional offices with robust business insurance, employee health and benefits, private client services, and surety bonding offerings.
In 2014 MMA Charlotte acquired The Bond Network, a boutique surety bonding firm with strong community ties. They also acquired Senn Dunn, which vastly expanded the MMA footprint in the Charlotte region. Ray Garruto, Charlotte Division Manager describes the history of MMA in Charlotte as years of "phenomenal growth and it's continuing at an accelerated rate, giving [us] the opportunity to go places and write accounts that we have never had before.


text:
RiVAL December 2018 newsletter and Winter 2019 events preview
Published by Max Haiven on December 31, 2018
The ReImagining Value Action Lab (RiVAL) is a workshop for the radical imagination, social justice and decolonization based in Thunder Bay (Canada) and active around the world.
In addition to facilitating academic research, collaboration and publication on its core themes RiVAL also hosts community-oriented and public events to build grassroots capacity for social change and also fosters creative, artistic and activist interventions that expand the imagination.
RiVAL is co-directed by Dr. Max Haiven, Canada Research Chair in Culture, Media and Social Justice at Lakehead University and Cassie Thornton, an internationally practicing artist and community organizer. This past year scholar and curator Dr. Ezra Winton, among other things the co-founder and director of programming at Cinema Politica, has joined RiVAL as a visiting scholar.
What we've been up to this fall
CounterSpeculations (blog/tour/podcast)
In October, the Urban Laboratory at University College London published an interactive map and podcast created by Max and Dr. Aris Athanasiou-Komporozos (also of UCL) based on a collaborative scholarly walking tour of the City of London financial district they led in April. The tour focused on understanding the dynamics of financialization as embodied in geographic space and architecture focusing on a diversity of themes, from children's' play to algorithmic trading, from the colonial legacies of risk management to the transformation of art into a plaything for the global financial elite. Many of the contributions were also published as blog entries at Public Seminar, the online platform of the New School in New York.
You Are Not Alone: Financial Literacy for the Rest of Us
In September, Max and Cassie traveled to Minneapolis to deliver three alternative financial literacy workshops in the Hennepin Public Library system in Minneapolis. Unlike conventional financial literacy workshops that focus on the faulty individual who is blamed for their economic condition, these workshops explored debt as part of a system on global inequality and the ways communities come together to fight back.
Decolonizing Reading Group
Once per month, RiVAL hosted a drop-in reading group to discuss decolonization in Canada through Arthur Manuel and Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson's book The Reconciliation Manifesto: Recovering the Land, Rebuilding the Economy. Attendance was strong and vibrant!
Art After Money, Money After Art: Creative Strategies Against Financialization
Max was on tour to support the publication of his new book Art After Money, Money After Art: Creative Strategies Against Financialization, now available from Pluto Press and Between the Lines. Her gave talks and workshops in Minneapolis, New York, London, Toronto, Berlin, Thunder Bay, Amsterdam and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Colonial Debts, Imperial Insolvencies, Extractive Nostalgias
Max co-edited a special focus section of the leading online scholarly magazine Discover Society on the topic of Colonial Debts, Imperial Insolvencies, Extractive Nostalgias, along with colleagues Dr. Clea Bourne (Goldsmiths), Dr. Paul Gilbert (Sussex) and Dr. Johnna Montgomerie (Kings College London)
Settler Frames talk and Documentary Futurism screening
In late October Dr. Ezra Winton visited Thunder Bay to deliver a public lecture on "Settler frames: A talk on film and colonialism" at Lakehead University and host a free public screening of Documentary Futurism, a series of short documentary films about the future from filmmakers across Canada which he helped curate.
Participatory Art Workshop
In late September Cassie led a public workshop on participatory art practices hosted by the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
Responding to Racism: A Community of Practice
From August to November RiVAL hosted monthly meetings of a group to learn how to better identify, confront and intervene in racist behaviours in the Thunder Bay community.
What's coming up in Winter/Spring 2019
The decolonization reading group continues! (January 8. 15, 22, 29, Feb 5)
RiVAL's drop-in decolonization reading group continues in January, this time once per week! : https://www.facebook.com/events/796097070722012/
Queer Against Empire Talk and Workshop (January 23-24)
Dr. Gary Kinsman, emeritus professor of sociology at Laurentian University and lifelong queer, anti-poverty and racial justice activist will visit Thunder Bay to deliver a public lecture on "Connecting Queer and Indigenous Struggles" at The Study coffeehouse at Lakehead University at 1pm on the 23rd (https://www.facebook.com/events/573226906456598/) and a workshop "Making the Neoliberal Queer: The Apology from Above versus the Apology from Below" at InCommon at 8pm on the 24th (https://www.facebook.com/events/2310309652536919/).
Grassroots Organizing Workshops (January 26-27)
In cooperation with the New Directions Speakers' School and Disrupt (a new social movement fighting against poverty and for a basic income) RiVAL will be hosting a intensive two-day training for new and not-so-new activists. Modules include: creating public narratives, facilitation and engagement, media and outreach and strategy and organization. https://www.facebook.com/events/313055695982121/
Making Public Transit Racism-Free and Struggles for Equity (February 6)
Dr. Larry Haiven and Dr. Judy Haiven are retired Management professors who live in Halifax and have recently helped establish two groups struggling for equity and against racism. Racism-Free Transit in Halifax was founded in 2018 to respond to increased incidents of racism on the city's buses. As a public service that is vital to many people's lives, racism from passengers or even drivers of public transit can be terrible for those who suffer it. Equity Watch was founded in 2017 to help citizens advocate for themselves when faced with workplace harassment, bullying and oppression and to encourage the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission to take a more active stance. Equity Watch has so far had several very successful campaigns. Larry and Judy will offer some insights into the way these groups came together and the approaches they employ.
The Arts of Decolonization: Dylan AT Miner (March 21-24):
RiVAL has invited Dylan A.T. Miner, Wiisaakodewinini (Métis) artist, activist, and scholar who is currently Director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies, as well as Associate Professor at Michigan State University, to visit Thunder Bay in late March. He will deliver a public lecture and lead an activist art workshop. More information coming soon.
Finance capital and the ghosts of empire (April 5-6):
Max, along with several UK-based colleagues, is organizing a two-day symposium on the intersections of post-colonial and political-economic approaches to the intersection of financialization, colonialism, racism and empire at the University of Sussex (England) in April. This symposium is the sequel to the highly successful 2017 gathering he helped organize at Goldsmiths University "Colonial Debts, Extractive Nostalgias, Imperial Nostalgias" and will bring together an interdisciplinary array of scholars, artists and activists.
Debt/Digital/Empire (April 26-27):
In cooperation with Dr. Enda Brophy and Benjamin Anderson of Simon Fraser University, and thanks to a successful bid for a Connections grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Max is co-organizing a two-day symposium bringing together international scholars, activists and artists to discuss the intersections of new and old forms of debt, the legacies of empire and colonialism and emergent digital technologies in later April in Vancouver. The gathering will be preceded by a public-facing blog series in cooperation with Public Seminar and followed by an edited book to be published by the Amsterdam-based Institute for Network Cultures.
To sign up for email updates, visit: http://eepurl.com/ddR6cH
Categories:	Newsletter
Sign up for our quarterly newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cBGwlj Winter/Spring 2018 Activities Navigating Finance and the Imagination (London) On April 14, RiVAL co-director Max Haiven, along with Dr. Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou of University College London, organized a Read more…
RiVAL newsletter – December 2017
Sign up for our quarterly newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cBGwlj What is RiVAL? The ReImagining Value Action Lab was established in the summer of 2017 under the auspices of Dr. Max Haiven's appointment as Canada Research Chair Read more…


All scientific advances come about through research.
Explore some of the opportunities available for the Washington University in St. Louis community to participate in ongoing research in a variety of disciplines.
The Washington University School of Medicine Research Participant Registry helps researchers find qualified study participants. The School of Medicine is one of the world's largest and most respected medical research centers, where quality and safety are top priority.
Visit the Research Participant Registry (Volunteer for Health).
Identifying and implementing solutions to the complex health issues facing society requires collaboration of many different disciplines and partners. Washington University's Institute for Public Health complements the efforts of other public health innovators and brings the full resources of the university to bear on addressing public health issues facing the St. Louis region and the world. The institute welcomes applications for faculty scholars.
Visit the Institute for Public Health.
The Gephardt Institute at Washington University aims to provide meaningful involvement opportunities for the university community in response to voiced St. Louis community needs. We understand that civic engagement and service takes many forms.
Visit the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.


On hot summer days the swimming pool, surrounded by a beautiful garden, is a perfect place to cool off and enjoy the benefits of the sun.
At your disposal, at no additional cost, are towels and pool chairs.
While the adults relax on the poolside, children can play in the wide green spaces all around.


text:
carnivals Fallas Moors and Christians Christmas Santissima Sang
Parties - Santissima Sang
The Floats of Dénia: when are they, parade, history and photographs
August 01 from 2020 - 16: 57
Celia Marín
The parade of floats and comparsas is one of the main acts of the program of the major festivals in honor of the Santísima Sangre de Dénia. They are popularly called Cars (in Valencian). The eleven fallas commissions in the city are in charge of making their own floats, which take to the streets on the last Saturday of the week of festivities to fill the city center with color.
Next you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with.
Parade and competition
The charges of each falla parade at the top of the float, while the rest of the commission accompanies them showing the costumes and animation they have worked on for months.
The celebration of the float parade in Dénia does not have an exact date, but it is always the second Saturday of parties in the afternoon. The patron saint festivities usually start on the first Saturday in July, and last 9 days, until the Sunday of the following week.
Dénia 2015 floats - Les Roques float
The competition is also present in the Dénia float parade. Fallas commissions fight to reach the first float prize and the first comparsa prize that is awarded each year. Unlike the prizes of failuresIn floats there are no sections and all compete equally.
A jury evaluates various aspects of each float such as the design, finish, colors and technique used, while another jury is in charge of evaluating the troupes that each falla has prepared to accompany the float. In this case, the costumes, the theme and the dance are taken into account.
Floats Dénia 2015 - First prize Falla West
Although prizes are established for large and children's floats, the high cost that the production of two floats entails for each fallera commission has meant that in recent years few commissions have chosen to create two floats. So they take out a single design on the street in which their adult and child positions are grouped.
The history of the parade floats in Dénia dates back to the early twentieth century, but was then called Battle of Flowers. The success of this celebration at the July fair in València led several towns to adapt the festive initiative, which allowed them to show their neighbors the originality and good atmosphere in the parade, in which confetti and streamers were not lacking.
Dénia, Batalla de las Flores joined the celebrations of the Holy Blood, parties that during the Republic became known as Summer Festival. After the Civil War, with very flagging spirits, also he declined the celebration of the Battle of Flowers.
It was with the birth of the first fallas commissions in the city, in the financial year 1947-1948, when the City Council decided to commission the falleros to make floats for the main festivals. One year later, on July 18, 1949, the four existing faults (Centro, Baix la Mar, Les Roques and Oeste) went through Marqués de Campo, Diana, Magallanes and Carlos Sentí streets, returning to Marqués de Campo for a second round. In addition to the falleras floats, the City Council invited several young people from the municipality to participate in the municipal float. The queen of the festivities that year was Vicenta Bertomeu.
First coach of Les Roques fault - Year 1949
The early years of the Battle of Flowers were a success in Denia, with a population that willingly accepted this new festive event and encouraged the fallas to create elaborate designs for their floats.
In 1951, and due to the deficit suffered by the municipal coffers, the City Council was forced to reduce the festivities to a mass, processions and music on the day of the patronal feast. In 1953 the floats returned to the streets, but this time only the Fallas Centro, Baix la Mar and Les Roques paraded.
The year 1958 went down in the history of Dénia as the year of the recording of the American blockbuster Captain Jones, which brought to the city great income and the visit of the director, John Farrow and his wife, actress Maureen O'Sullivan, who were accompanied by their daughter, Mia Farrow. The young woman was proclaimed by the City Council as Queen of the Festivities of that year and participated in all the programming, including the parade of floats through the center of the city.
Mia Farrow and her parents
For a few years, the fallas were separated from the float parade due to the City Council's insistence on changing the date of the fallas celebration, moving it from March to summer. The goal was to turn them into Fogueres (bonfires) as in Alicante.
With the second stage of the fallas, starting in 1968, normality was resumed in the parade of floats, which grew every year in parallel with the growth of the city's fallas commissions. Currently the Parade of Floats and Comparsas of the Santísima Sangre festivities are a festival declared of Provincial Tourist Interest and they bring together thousands of people every year along the route.
This is how the fleeting and unexpected cavalcade of the Magi has been lived
The City Council announces a surprise parade of Kings
It only took a few minutes for the "secret" tour of the Three Kings to circulate on WhatsApp
Suspended the Mig Any of Moors and Christians of Dénia due to the coronavirus
The Generalitat improvises at the last minute new measures to avoid New Year's Eve celebrations
The royal postmen leave four mailboxes to be able to get the letters to the Magi without risk of contagion


Yoga Bharati has MOU with VYASA in offering its yoga teachers training and other yoga courses. Yoga Bharati works with many organizations that are non-profit or social entrepreneurship based businesses that are working in the area of Yoga, Complementary and Alternative health care and spirituality based organizations. We however maintain our own identity and autonomy through out our partnership. We may not completely be in alignment with the partner organizations' ideologies, views and opinions, but we work together in spreading health and harmony using yoga and spirituality.
Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation (VYASA) is a premier yoga university in Bengaluru, India with over 30 years of research background working to make yoga as a socially relevant science, based on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda — the four streams of Yyga with unity in their diversity. VYASA aims to bring the applications of yoga to bring health, harmony, peace the world over are now spread across the globe in nearly 30 countries. The mission of VYASA is to combine the best of the East (yoga and spiritual lore) with that of the West (modern scientific research). VYASA conducts short term and long term courses on yoga and its allied subjects and have affiliations with other Indian universities and is recognized as the deemed university by United Grants Commission (UGC) India.
We are a RYT-200 Affiliated school for Yoga Teacher Training. Please visit our training course page for details.


your wrist Unloading the burden.
the table, the Portofino Fenuo harbor beauty reproduction.
a fine blue steel second hand, in the silvery white disk is extremely minimalist.
buy a simple paragraph of the watch is definitely a value of choice.