I ended up killing a bird on Saturday, after messing up with my 28 ga M37 on a perfect set up. I actually somehow squeezed off a shot before I intended. Shot clean over his head without even getting down on him. Still not exactly sure what happened, but unfamiliarity with the trigger combined with carelessness, in short.
Took my .410 loaded with the 370NM shell dupexed with 9x10s out this morning.
This one flew right to me off the roost. Very memorable hunt.
Congratulations Hal. Beautiful bird and nice spurs!
That's awesome-congrats on a successful hunt.
It is hard to believe that my 2018 North Carolina spring gobbler season is history. It's crazy how you wait for that all year, and then it goes by so quickly.
I took my nine-year-old grandson Jesus out for his first ever hunting trip. We got to roost a gobbler the evening before, and I had high hopes that we could get him to come in off of the roost early in the morning before the rain set in. I knew he had a lot of hens with him, and so my plan was to find a way in that would hopefully allow us to get close to him where he could fly down and come to us first.
So the next morning we came in from a direction that would avoid contact with hens, or so we hoped. We got in tight and were in good shape - and he gobbled good. We heard a few hens close by and the gobbler flew down and slowly worked our way.
Some of the nearby hens got with him but they were all coming our way. At one point we caught glimpses of him coming through the bushes - in range- and could hear him drumming as he strutted for the hens.
But right before he could get out from behind the bushes into a clear shooting lane, a hen that we did not know was there flew down out of the tree about 40 yards away. She had been looking at us the whole time, but never putted or never made a sound. But since she knew we were there, she flew down and apparently led the whole group away from us.
We tried to flank them a couple times, but Jesus quickly got tired of that, and wanted to Get out of the rain and ride around instead of hunt any longer.
So, that ended day one.
After an unspeakable mishap north of the border, my 2018 North Carolina season officially began at 10 AM when I signed into the logbook at the old club house.
I went To my favorite midday location, and decided to sit down and cold call for as long as it took to either get a turkey, or give up and go home.
After about an hour into my calling routine, I was answered by a hen not too far away. I couldn't really hear her all that well because the wind had picked up and was blowing pretty hard. But I started trying to work on her. I hoped that there might be a gobbler in tow. She would call back to me very aggressively every now and then, cutting and yelping and making all kinds of racket. But she didn't seem to want to come to me.
I was not in a location where I could easily move, so I stayed put and tried to convince her to head my way. I tried calling real sweet, I tried calling real aggressively, but she wouldn't budge. I tried mimicking her, but she wouldn't budge. So I gave her the silent treatment. She wouldn't budge on that either.
At one point she had begun to ease my way, and got to about 60 yards. This time when I called to her, I got a subdued afternoon gobble in response. So now I knew she had a tom with her. But then she went quiet again, and I lost audible contact shortly after that.
This went on for a couple hours when it finally sounded like she was moving some - over towards my left. Over about the next hour it sounded like she progressively kept going to my left and even went out into a nearby field. But try as I might, I could not see her out there.
So, I decided to scoot closer towards the field, very slowly and carefully, to see if I could get a better vantage point of what was in the field. I continued my calling routine as I did this. Not too long after that it sounded like the hen had actually gone past me in the field, though I still hadn't seen anything out there. Then all of a sudden, I thought I heard drumming. Try as I might I couldn't see anything, and wasn't sure that I actually heard drumming, with all the wind noise.
Then a few minutes later, in response to another of my calls, I heard drumming again - closer - and it was unmistakable. So i peered through the bushes at the edge of the field and saw turkey coming down the edge of the field closer to me. When the turkey reached an opening and showed me his profile, I saw a beard. Then a second turkey with a beard showed up right behind him and stuck his neck up looking towards me where I had been calling from. So I put the bead on his head and let the 28 horses go.
As it turns out, there were three toms with that hen, and they had gone by me with the hen, then turned around to come back to me after I had scooted a little bit closer to the edge of the field and called from there.
The pictures of that bird are in the OP.
I planned to do a before-work flash hunt on the first Tuesday of the season. This was a new place I had never hunted before, but I knew there were turkeys in the area. I had scouted a month earlier, and had been thinking about how I would make my approach early in the morning. I decided to get there extra early so that I could walk along the edge of a field without getting seen by Turkeys that possibly could be roosting not too far off the edge of the field.
So I got to my predetermined location in the dark and found a place where I could stand in a little bit of cover and watch what was going on, and move as needed if I heard something on the roost.
When it came time for gobbling to start, a bird gobbled right on the edge of the field about 70 yards to my left. It was so close, since I was also on the edge of the field, that I was afraid to move at all, even to sit down - in fear that I might get seen by that turkey. As I was thinking about that, all of a sudden another turkey gobbled about 40 yards behind me - about blowing my hat off. I had inadvertently positioned myself very well, right in the middle of two roosting, gobbling Turkeys.
When the bird to my left gobbled again, and the bird behind me gobbled again, I elected to slowly sit down and face the closest bird that was behind me in the woods since I thought I could do so without being seen. If the one on the edge of the field flew down first, I would be in an awkward position, but at least I'd be able to watch him and adjust my movements accordingly, to get a gun over on him.
Then another turkey gobbled and another and another. There were at least four maybe five or six gobblers-I don't know.
I looked and now could see the closest gobbler standing up on a limb and strutting and gobbling at the hens that began making noise as they began to fly down about 80 or 100 yds away.
Then I saw a second gobbler further back in the woods - also strutting and gobbling in the tree at the hens. It was crazy, and I was right in the middle of it.
Well, now I knew that I had to get serious with the competition, or my hunt might be over. So I began calling softly, immediately after the turkeys would gobble.
After a couple minutes of that, I saw a turkey fly down quartering towards me landing below the lip that dropped into the bottom. So I got my gun pointed in that direction in case it was a Tom that might come up over the lip to me. I called some more and then I saw a second turkey sailing through the trees headed my way- Right towards me actually. I could tell it was a male bird as it was flying towards me, because I could see the white top of his head. It kept coming and landed about 10 steps from me at 1 o'clock - And immediately went into strut.
I shifted my .410 over on his head - he stuck his head up - and I let the little gun squeak.
That bird turned out to be the longest spurred bird I've ever killed with 1 7/16 inch and 1 5/8 inch spurs.
And I wasn't even late for work.
On Friday the 20th, I picked my oldest grandson Trevor up after school and we took off for an afternoon hunt.
We were going to a place where I had killed a turkey last year, and had scouted the previous week. Both times Turkeys had roosted off the property but then moved back through our property. So I figured we would try to sneak in and get positioned in a direction between where I hoped they might be, and where I hoped they might be heading. And we were going to just sit and call till either we killed a turkey, or legal shooting time ended.
I did not call at all until we got set up in a good location and we're settled in for the long-haul.
Trevor dozed off a few times as we called for the next three hours, and he got some calling practice in.
Needless to say, I was very excited as he pointed two gobblers out to me, coming through the swampy area we were in. I called softly again, and they adjusted their approach slightly and headed straight for us.
We had gone over and over the scenario-including how to aim the gun, and what it meant when I told him that it was OK to shoot.
He was aiming the gun, and I called again to get the gobblers to stretch their head up and stay still so he could get a shot. But he didn't shoot. So I told him to shoot again. And then I said it again.
Finally, the gun went off, and I saw the turkey's fan flop down. But it never moved again - he slammed it with that 2 once load of TSS.
I picked up Trevor again for another afterschool Turkey hunt.
We decided to try another area that we had never hunted before. We slipped around through the woods quietly to avoid any contact from birds that might be out in a nearby field. I had scouted that field the morning before and had seen turkeys in it. Our plan was to approach the field Without being seen, stay in the woods, and try to call any turkeys in that might be out there.
We stayed put and waited in a patch of poison ivy, staying low, and with me trying to explain to Trevor how good a turkey's eyesight is. He seemed to enjoy using his ninja skills, and the fact that turkeys were within sight, that seemed to keep him alert.
After what seemed like forever, the turkeys moved far enough away so that Trevor could sit down on the tree in front of us, and so that I could stand up behind the trees to watch the Turkeys the whole time.
I didn't want to call any, until they were far enough away that they couldn't see where we were calling from. And also at a time when the hens were further away from us than the Toms were.
By the time that moment came, one of the Tom's had disappeared somewhere - so now there were three in the field. Trevor had dozed off a couple times while we waited.
I began calling and immediately the three toms which of been alternately sitting down, standing up, and preening their feathers - started strutting. And Trevor woke up.
One of the turkey's head began to turn white, and I knew that he was getting excited when he heard my soft calls. I watched him the whole time, as he alternately strutted towards us slowly, and then back over towards the hens.
Every time he would start easing back towards his female companions, I would call again, and he would turn back our way and start coming towards us once again.
As this was going on, I could tell Trevor was getting excited. I didn't even need me to tell him to carefully get his gun pointed in that direction.
As the Tom approached he was quartering to our right, making it harder for Trevor to get the gun on him. But Trevor did a good job slowly shifting around without the turkey seeing him.
When the turkey got into range I told Trevor to shoot anytime he could. At that point Trevor moved his gun one last time, and the turkey saw the movement. He stretched his head out horizontally trying to get a better look at what made the movement that he saw. At that point I told Trevor that he better shoot quickly if he has a clear shot. I didn't need to say that but once this time, and Trevor let the 2 ounces of TSS go once again.
Congratulations Hal. It looks like you and your grandson had a great hunt and good time spent together.
We had a good time but it was a tough season. The birds just weren't talking/working in Northeast MO on the five days I was able to hunt. We had snow the day before opener and the first 2 days of season it was 23F at first light with high winds. I was able to get my 79 year old father out. We setup a tent and I brought a heater for him. He has had health problems and hasn't hunted in several years. He commented he had a really good time. We had a group of 4 jakes come in but gave them a pass.
As you said, I can't believe it's over.


While I was out walking earlier today; I can not aid yet to rush back home into my home to share this write-up with you. It originates from me observing my environments seeing and paying attention to little kids and ladies play outdoors. After circling around the pathway and also hearing and seeing their approach of enjoyable it's "heart-breaking" to see them ignored and not considered at all. I spent thirty minutes outdoors and also not one time did I see or hear any grown-up or a person responsible for the children' health. I understand it's often essential to discover a time to kick back and take off the hat of parenting; but also we still have to know what our children are doing when they go outdoors as well as play. You intend to make certain your kids are having a good time, yet at the very same time you desire them to be in a setting that's safe as well as beneficial for their wellness. You want to see to it you are in eye range having the ability to see where your youngsters go to all- times, this is excellent parenting. I'm all for children enjoying and also playing; but likewise I likewise believe there must also be a certain amount of limitations and also rules that will be useful for your child. Take time to Look At This for additional insights about playgrounds via the link.
You might even want to establish a certain time period for your child to check in from time to time so you will recognize their whereabouts. Any kind of excellent parent understands where their child is at, at all times. If your youngster made a decision to visit your following door next-door neighbor you as a parent should recognize this. We listen to much too many kidnappings, kidnappings, and children being taken away mysteriously as well as I do not want that to happen to any type of moms and dad, however sadly it does occur across the land. This is all the more reason we as moms and dads ought to recognize our youngsters's surroundings.
It's our obligation as moms and dads to set the ground rules while children are out playing. Most child's think everything is enjoyable; and do not actually pay attention to what they are doing outside from time to time. As parents we must have dos and also do n'ts to stop unexpected expenses that might come from not knowing what our child or children are doing. To aid maintain your children safe you should see to it they do not play around dumpsters, road traffic, or anything else that might be damaging to their welfare. While your kid or youngsters are outdoors enjoying whether they're utilizing the trampoline, swimming, etc see to it you have ample supervision or make sure you look at them regularly. I recommend being far from my child sometimes when I'm not in her visibility, however if she's in walking distance or eye distance then I'm keeping watch over her production certain she's well mannered and also safe at all cost.


City Academy's summer programs offer a unique balance of education and enrichment for students who are enrolled at City Academy for the following school year. In the morning hours, all students attend academic classes. After lunch, students engage in arts, outdoor education, sports tournaments, social and emotional development exercises, water play and field trips.
Breakfast, lunch and snack are included. Please note City Academy's summer hours are 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration is due in early April each year. Forms are available in the office.


text:
Aren't You Glad? is the third release by American punk rock band The White Noise, and the first under their moniker The White Noise. The EP was released on February 26, 2016, under Fearless Records.

Music
With Aren't You Glad, the White Noise blends elements of post-hardcore, melodic hardcore, hardcore punk and punk rock.

Track listing

Personnel
The White Noise
Shawn Walker – Unclean vocals
David Southern – Clean vocals, rhythm guitar
Josh "KJ" Strock – Lead guitar
Bailey Crego – Bass
Tommy West – Drums

Production
Brad Blackwood - Mastering
Drew Fulk - Mixing, producing

References

2016 EPs
Post-hardcore EPs
Hardcore punk EPs
Fearless Records EPs
The White Noise albums

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
New York 2019 Fall Ready-to-Wear
Yigal Azrouël RTW Fall 2019
The designer conveyed his collection's message through film and gallery presentation.
By Thomas Waller Plus Icon
Thomas Waller
Recent Articles by Thomas Waller
EXCLUSIVE: Chanel Kicks Off 90th Anniversary of 'Bijoux de Diamants' With 55.55-Carat Sapphire Necklace
Yigal Azrouel RTW Fall 2019 Courtesy Photo
It's been several seasons since Yigal Azrouël has mounted a proper runway show. "I don't miss it at all," he said at a preview of his latest collection. Not being bound to the runway has freed him up to think of new ways to tell his seasonal message. For fall he used a film called "Reflection" to shed light on what is takes to build his collection. "The process and how I work was the inspiration," Azrouël said point blank.
The film shows exactly that. As models walk, Azrouël studies the movement and proportions of his silhouettes, gauging how his work has come to life. The piece is projected onto a wall of a West Chelsea gallery space, and while the average runway show lasts about 10 minutes, Azrouël's "show" runs until Feb. 27 and is open to the public.
"Every designer is an artist in a way, why not show it in a gallery," he said. In an age where there are many points of access to fashion, it's an interesting twist on inviting the customer into his world.
The film sees him once again meditate on texture, fabrication and proportion, all themes the designer is known for. Here he builds a wardrobe by deconstructing classic pieces. There was, for example, a royal blue corduroy coat, given an oversized raglan shape with patchwork corduroy, done in tiles, each flowing in a different direction and adding another layer of texture. Or roomy hand-made cable knits paired with soft flowing wide-legged pants, easy staples for a daytime wardrobe. Dresses with layered folds cascading down the front offered a softness, while leather pieces, like a moto jacket with knit sleeves gave edge. It's these types of dualities that are at the core of Azrouël's work: Each piece a building block to a throughly modern wardrobe.
Yigal Azrouël RTW Fall 2019 24 Photos
fashion show reviews

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
ERB Links
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Frank Westwood, Co-Founder of the British Edgar Rice Burroughs Society
October 2, 2013 August 9, 2015 Michael Sellers Tarzan, The Tarzan Files
by Laurence Dunn —
Frank Westwood, one of the founders of the British Edgar Rice Burroughs Society and editor of the society's journal The Fantastic Worlds of ERB, has sadly taken his final voyage down the River Iss. Earlier this year he had seen his doctor and told him that his heart was not working properly and had to have surgery for a triple by-pass operation. During his recovery period at home, he suffered a serious stroke that affected one side of his body. Only in recent weeks he managed to start talking again and have some movement in his arm. He was then moved into a care home in the last couple of weeks to assist in his recovery when I was given the sad news this morning by Rod Jackson, one of the co-founders of the Society that he had passed away the day before. His wife Doreen was at his side.
I first corresponded with Frank in late 1974 after an ad for the Society appeared in a newsstand journal called Science Fiction Monthly. It was another couple of years before I finally met both Frank and Rod at an event in London where the Society had a stand. It was the beginning of many years of visits and phone calls, discuss our favourite author and often have differences of opinion, but that's what made it so much fun. We attended our first ERB convention together in Louisville in 1985 (although there had been a small get-together at the World SciFi Convention in Brighton, England in the summer of 1979) along with his wife Doreen and another fan, Ken Hall. For many years, Frank was the Society as some of the co-founders like Dick Ellingsworth, Paul Norman and Paul Privitera each gave less time as the years passed by. Frank hosted two very successful conventions which took place in London and Greystoke Castle on both occasions in 1988 and again in 1997. I shall never forget that night in 1988 when we approached the castle in our bus as Frank first of all played a tape with Ed Burroughs dictating one of his novels. For many of us, that was the first time we had ever heard Ed's voice. Then as the bus turned a corner in the drive up to the castle, Frank played the theme tune from the movie, Greystoke. The moment was magical.
Frank Westwood With Other Burroughs Fanzine Editors in Tarzana
Front row: Bill Ross (Tarzine), Frank Westwood (Fantastic Worlds of ERB). Back row: Pete Ogden (Erbania), Danton, Mike Conran (ERB News Dateline)and George McWhorter (Burroughs Bulletin)
Many years ago he began writing a book that he titled the Martian Manuscripts of ERB as the Barsoomian novels were amongst his favourite. Sadly he never finished it. Frank was not overly impressed by the movie John Carter. He was a purist and Andrew Stanton had changed it too much for his liking. But at least he lived long enough to see Burroughs first Martian novel finally reach the big screen, unlike so many other friends that have passed away over the years. I always felt that Danton Burroughs was dealt a cruel blow when he passed away before seeing the film. Frank would often say that he thought Burroughs was on the verge of discovering something new when he talked of the various Barsoomian rays and he always hoped that one day, science would one day catch up with Burroughs vivid imagination.
Frank and Danton were so alike in their enthusiasm and passion for ERB that when you were with either of them, talking about Burroughs or his work, you became a part of it and every reason why you enjoyed reading Burroughs came alive. Both men enjoyed meeting new fans and Frank would take great delight in sharing his knowledge of the books and perhaps introduce them to other novels that they never knew the master story teller had written.
Frank was my introduction to ERB fandom and through him, my whole way of life changed forever. I have met so many friends around the world, attended countless ERB conventions and ultimately through them, I met my fiancé Judy. For a time, I was even Chairman of the Board for the Burroughs Bibliophiles and Frank could not be happier for me. But I owed it all to him.
I do not follow any religion, I never have done, but somehow I like to think that Frank and Danton have met up on that final voyage down the River Iss, and together they met Ed Burroughs and all of our favourite characters from the vast range of his novels and are sharing new adventures together.
A very dear friend and a dedicated fan of ERB has been lost to us today. RIP Frank, I'll miss you.
Courtesy of ERBzine
First Issue of The Fantastic Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs (Originally Entitled Burroughsiana)
Second Issue of The Fantastic Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Courtesy of Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc.
Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Fan Clubs
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Jim Malachowski says:
Hi Laurence I had the pleasure of meeting you, Frank and Doreen at the 1985 convention in Louisville . I remember 2 years ago reading that Frank had passed away, and I felt very sad, even though I had only spent a small amount of time with him. Frank had that great positive effect on people; he made you feel like you were someone very special and he wanted to hear what you had to say.
Very sad. Best wishes to you and Doreen.
Jim Malachowski
Pingback: AMAZING News 10/06/13 - Amazing Stories
Colin Langevel says:
A sad loss. An enthusiast who knew no bounds.
pascalahad says:
It's always so sad to see another ERB fan passing beyond the rim.
Craig Herbertson says:
Frank will be sorely missed. He was the perfect host. A true gentleman with a vibrant positivity in his outlook. My thoughts are with Doreen and his relations and many many friends
William Stafford says:
Very sorry to hear this. I will raise a glass to Frank later this evening.
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Bulandshahr violence: In an open letter to Yogi Adityanath, group of ex-bureaucrats calls for his resignation, terms killing of police officer 'more serious crime than any other'
Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was shot dead during the Bulandshahr violence.
New Delhi: A group of retired civil servants has demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath because he directed the state police to focus on the alleged cow slaughter that triggered the violence in Bulandshahr earlier this month, rather than to take action against the perpetrators of the mob violence, which left a police officer and a youth dead.
A group of 83 retired, IAS, IPS and other all-India service officers termed the December 3 killing of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh as "cold-blooded murder" in a letter and pointed out the killing of a police officer represents an assault on civilized society.
The letter said: "World over, in any civilized society, the killing of a policeman is a more serious offence than any other crime, because it represents an assault on the very basis of that civilization. It brooks no tolerance and even the most fractious of social and political groups come together to ensure that the perpetrators of such a crime are given exemplary punishment so that no one ever dares to attack the authority of law."
The letter also assailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the Bulandshahr violence. It says: "Our prime minister, who is so voluble in his election campaigns and who never tires of telling us of how the Constitution of India is the only holy book he worships, maintains stony silence even as he sees a chief minister handpicked by him treat that same Constitution with sheer contempt. It is evident that, for the Sangh Parivar, constitutional morality is of no value and is necessarily subordinate to the ideals of majoritarian supremacy."
On Wednesday, Adityanath declared the Bulandshahr violence as "political conspiracy".
Earlier, on Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested three new suspects in the alleged cow slaughter that led to the violence after declaring the earlier suspects, who were arrested earlier, as "innocent". It also arrested three people in connection to the violence on the same day.
Full text of the open letter (as it is written):
We are a group of retired civil servants from the All India and Central Services who, having spent long years in the service of the Constitution of India, have come together to express ourselves on issues of governance and public policy that have a bearing on constitutional principles, conduct and ethics. Since June 2017, when we first came together, we have spoken out on several occasions when we felt that constitutional values were under threat and that it was incumbent on us to voice our concerns publicly. As a group we have no affiliations with any political party nor do we subscribe to any ideology other than the values enshrined in the Constitution.
It is a measure of the rapid erosion of constitutional values that we, as a group, have felt a compelling need to speak out as many as nine times in the last eighteen months. The pace of erosion has been frightening and with each slip we seem to sink further into a lawless abyss.
The mob violence in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh (U.P), on 3 December 2018, instigated and engineered with malicious intent, which led to the cold-blooded murder of a police officer brave enough to step forward single-handedly to pacify the mob, marks the most dangerous turn yet in the direction taken by the politics of hate in recent times. It shows that in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, fundamental principles of governance, of constitutional ethics and of humane social conduct stand perverted. The Chief Minister of the state acts as a high priest of the agenda of bigotry and majoritarian supremacy – an agenda which now seems to take precedence over everything else.
Why is this incident such a frightening indicator of the complete collapse of constitutional values? This is not the first instance of a situation intentionally created to foment communal tension. The history of U.P. is replete with such instances. This is not the first time that a policeman has been killed by a frenzied mob. This is also not the first time that the politics of cow protection has been used as a means of isolating and cornering the Muslim community and deepening the social divide.
All this we have seen before but, so far, we had the confidence that whenever a political party actually forms a Government it keeps its partisan political agenda at bay and begins to exercise power with a sense of responsibility so as to gain wider political acceptability. The Bulandshahr episode, which follows a succession of events aimed at isolating and intimidating Muslim communities in U.P., shows that, under Yogi Adityanath, that confidence is misplaced and that hooliganism and thuggery have been mainstreamed into governance not just to intimidate minorities but to teach a lesson to anyone, including police personnel and others in the administration, who dare to be evenhanded in their approach to minority communities.
While it may be premature to come to conclusions about the murder of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh before the investigations are over, there is no doubt that there was nothing spontaneous about the violence that led to his killing, nor is there any doubt as to who the political elements were that aided and abetted the violence. This was a deliberate attempt to display majoritarian muscle and send a message to the Muslim communities living in the region that they have to live in fear, accept their subordinate status and conform to the cultural diktats of the majority community.
Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh's reputation of being independent and even-handed and his refusal to act in haste on the complaint of illegal cow slaughter that allegedly took place under his watch, was obviously seen as defiance of the majoritarian will. The local BJP and Sangh Parivar elements had already complained about his anti-Hindu conduct and sought his transfer. He was an impediment to their communal plans and had to go. Much as the Chief Minister may try to mislead by calling it an accident, this was murder with intent. It was murder most foul.
As horrifying as the brazen, daylight murder of a courageous police officer is the response of the administration to the event. The Chief Minister refuses to acknowledge the gravity of the incident and its communal intent, condemn the perpetrators of violence or direct the police to take action against them but instead asks them to focus attention on those responsible for illegal cow slaughter. The police authorities themselves draw an equivalence between the killing of a police officer and the illegal slaughter of cows and claim that unless both crimes are investigated together it will not be possible to come to any conclusions about the violence of the mob and the murder of a colleague.
Ample video graphed evidence exists to show that those engaged in violence and their leaders, as well as those who egged them on, are allowed to roam scot-free while, at the same time, alleged cow killers, against whom not a shred of evidence exists, are taken into custody, just because they are Muslims. Three of the main accused in the mob violence leading to the death of the police officer flaunt their affiliations to the Sangh Parivar and one of them openly declares that the slain police officer was corrupt, friendly with Muslims and anti-Hindu, implying thereby that he deserved his fate.
World over, in any civilized society, the killing of a policeman is a more serious offence than any other crime, because it represents an assault on the very basis of that civilization. It brooks no tolerance and even the most fractious of social and political groups come together to ensure that the perpetrators of such a crime are given exemplary punishment so that no one ever dares to attack the authority of law. In U.P. on the other hand we are witness to the entire administration, presided over by a Chief Minister who flaunts his bigotry as his badge of identity, preparing the ground not for bringing the perpetrators to book but for protecting them as defenders of faith and culture. This is the Rule of Lawlessness.
Our colleagues in service, in the Police and the Civil Administration appear, with honourable exceptions, to have capitulated readily to this perverted political order. They seem to have forgotten that their primary allegiance is to the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and that their constitutional status provides them an armour of such extraordinary strength that, had they taken steps to check the growing menace of the Hindutva brigade, they could certainly have prevented the outbreak of violence. Instead they not only allowed these hooligans to grow in confidence and gather political strength, they helped them gain impunity in their lawless actions.
Even now if they – the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, the Home Secretary, the District Magistrate and the district police authorities – stand together to uncover the insidious political agenda, identify its masterminds and bring the hooligans involved in the violence to book, they stand a chance to redeem their pledge to the Constitution and live up to the expectations that citizens have of the higher civil services.
Our Prime Minister, who is so voluble in his election campaigns and who never tires of telling us of how the Constitution of India is the only holy book he worships, maintains stony silence even as he sees a Chief Minister handpicked by him treat that same Constitution with sheer contempt. It is evident that, for the Sangh Parivar, constitutional morality is of no value and is necessarily subordinate to the ideals of majoritarian supremacy.
Never before in recent history has the politics of hate, division and exclusion been so dominant and the poisonous ideology which informs it penetrated so deep into the body politic. Never before has hate been directed with such calculated intent against minority communities, hate which is nursed, aided and abetted by those in power. Violence has been given social and political sanction and perpetrators of violence have been treated with kid gloves while victims have been punished and harassed.
This is a critical moment and we cannot take it lying down anymore. We call upon all citizens to unite in a crusade against the politics of hate and division – a politics which aims to destroy the fundamental principles on which our Republic is founded. We ask all citizens to whom constitutional values matter to join us in reasserting our sovereignty as citizens to:
Demand the resignation of the Chief Minister for his failure to abide by the Constitution to which he has sworn his allegiance. We know that this can happen, if together, we build a groundswell of public opinion by which we hold him accountable for his conduct and compel him to resign.
Remind the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, the Home Secretary, and all other members of the higher civil services concerned, of their constitutional duty to fearlessly implement the Rule of Law rather than the perverse dictates of their political masters.
Request the High Court at Allahabad to take suo motu cognizance of this incident and order a judicial enquiry supervised by them to uncover the true facts, expose the political collusion, fix responsibility and recommend action.
Work towards a citizen-led national campaign against the politics of hate and violence – in particular, the structural violence directed against Muslims, Adivasis, Dalits and women – violence which finds sustenance in the structures of political power.
Salute Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh for his bravery in standing up for constitutional values and refusing to yield to political pressure even at the cost of his life and for setting an example to his children and the younger generation that values matter more than career success. We also acknowledge and applaud the dignity with which his family has faced this crisis and their quiet resolve to uphold the principles for which Subodh Kumar.
Singh sacrificed his life. His martyrdom will not be in vain.
SP Ambrose, IAS (retired), Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping & Transport, Government of India
JL Bajaj, IAS (retired), Former Chairman, Administrative Reforms and Decentralisation Commission, Government of Uttar Pradesh
N Bala Baskar, IAS (retired), Former Principal Adviser (Finance), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India
Vappala Balachandran, IPS (retired), Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India
Gopalan Balagopal, IAS (retired), Former Special Secretary, Government of West Bengal
Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Coal, Government of India
Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (retired), Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, Government of India
Ravi Budhiraja, IAS (retired), Former Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Government of India
Sundar Burra, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Government of Maharashtra
Kalyani Chaudhuri, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal
Anna Dani, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra
Surjit K Das, IAS (retired), Former Chief Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand
Vibha Puri Das, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India
PR Dasgupta, IAS (retired), Former Chairman, Food Corporation of India, Government of India
Nareshwar Dayal,, IFS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
Pradeep K Deb, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Department of Sports, Government of India
Nitin Desai, IES (retired), Former Secretary and Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Keshav Desiraju, IAS (retired), Former Health Secretary, Government of India
MG Devasahayam, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Government of Haryana
Sushil Dubey, IFS (retired), Former Ambassador to Sweden
KP Fabian, IFS (retired), Former Ambassador to Italy
Prabhu Ghate, IAS (retired), Former Addl. Director General, Department of Tourism, Government of India
Arif Ghauri, IRS (retired), Former Commissioner of Income Tax, Government of India
Gourisankar Ghosh, IAS (retired), Former Mission Director, National Drinking Water Mission, Government of India
Hirak Ghosh, IAS (retired), Former Principal Secretary, Government of West Bengal
Tuktuk Ghosh, IAS (retired), Former Special Secretary and Financial Adviser, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping & Tourism, Government of India
Meena Gupta, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India
Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (retired), Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India
Deepa Hari, IRS (resigned)
Vivek Harinarain, IAS (retired), Government of Tamil Nadu
Sajjad Hassan, IAS (retired), Former Commissioner (Planning), Government of Manipur
Dr MA Ibrahimi, IAS (retired), Former Chief Secretary (rank), Government of Bihar
Kamal Jaswal, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Government of India
Jagdish Joshi, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary (Planning), Government of Maharashtra
Najeeb Jung, IAS (retired), Former Lieutenant Governor, Delhi
K John Koshy, IAS (retired), Former State Chief Information Commissioner, West Bengal
Ajai Kumar Indian Forest Service (retired), Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India
Arun Kumar, IAS (retired), Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, Government of India
Brijesh Kumar, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Government of India
Harsh Mander, IAS (retired), Government of Madhya Pradesh
Aditi Mehta, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan
Shivshankar Menon, IFS (retired), Former Foreign Secretary and Former National Security Adviser
Sonalini Mirchandani, IFS (Resigned) Government of India
Sunil Mitra, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Noor Mohammad, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India
Deb Mukharji, IFS (retired), Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh and former Ambassador to Nepal
Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, IFS (retired), Former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
Pranab S Mukhopadhyay, IAS (retired), Former Director, Institute of Port Management, Government of India
Nagalswamy, IAS (retired), Former Principal Accountant General, Tamil Nadu & Kerala
Amitabha Pande, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, Government of India
Niranjan Pant IA&AS (retired), Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India
Alok Perti, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Government of India
TR Raghunandan, IAS (retired), Former Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India
NK Raghupathy, IAS (retired), Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, Government of India
JP Rai, IAS (retired), Former Director General, National Skills Development Agency, Government of India
VP Raja, IAS (retired), Former Chairman, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission
C Babu Rajeev, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Government of India
MY Rao, IAS (retired),
Julio Ribeiro IPS (retired), Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & former Ambassador to Romania
Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned)
Manabendra N Roy, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal
Deepak Sanan, IAS (retired), Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Government of Himachal Pradesh
Shyam Saran, IFS (retired), Former Foreign Secretary and Former Chairman, National Security Advisory Board
NC Saxena, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Planning Commission, Government of India
Ardhendu Sen, IAS (retired), Former Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal
Aftab Seth, IFS (retired), Former Ambassador to Japan
Ashok Kumar Sharma, IFS (retired), Former Ambassador to Finland and Estonia
Navrekha Sharma, IFS (retired), Former Ambassador to Indonesia
Pravesh Sharma, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh
Raju Sharma, IAS (retired), Former Member, Board of Revenue, Government of Uttar Pradesh
Rashmi Shukla Sharma, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh
K Ashok Vardhan Shetty, IAS (retired), Former Vice Chancellor, Indian Maritime University, Government of India
Rajdip Singh IPS (retired), Former Special Director General, Border Security Force, Government of India
Sujatha Singh, IFS (retired), Former Foreign Secretary, Government of India
Tirlochan Singh, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, National Commission for Minorities, Government of India
Jawhar Sircar, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, & former CEO, Prasar Bharati
Narendra Sisodia, IAS (retired), Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Thanksy Thekkekera, IAS (retired), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Minorities Development, Government of Maharashtra
PSS Thomas, IAS (retired), Former Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission
Geetha Thoopal IRAS (retired), Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata
Hindal Tyabji, IAS (retired), Former Chief Secretary rank, Government of Jammu & Kashmir
Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (retired), Former Director General, YASHADA, Government of Maharashtra
Arvind Verma IPS (resigned)
• Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Convict Perarivalan's mother seeks his release, meets Tamil Nadu governor
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• Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's squadron receives 'Falcon Slayer' patch for F-16 kill
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Bulandshahr Violence
Bureaucrats' Open Letter To Yogi Agityanath
Full Text Of Open Letter To Yogi Adityanath
Subodh Kumar Singh
Bulandshahr Cop Killing
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The primary aim of this research was to investigate cooking practices and cooking knowledge in a rural environment, as well as learn how the kitchen environment may reflect and/or shape an individual's process when creating a meal. Qualitative methods were implemented allowing for the data to be triangulated. The research methods used included a semi-structured interview, participant questionnaire, and videotaping dinner time meal preparations by the primary meal preparer on two separate occasions. Emergent themes about the role of the rural food environment began to develop surrounding how respondents procure food. The rural Vermonter relied on using home gardens, farmers' markets, and community supported agriculture to procure food. Another theme that emerged was the role of the primary meal preparer, or the ―nutritional gatekeeper.‖ The nutritional gatekeeper was a huge component in controlling family meals and portion sizes inside, and outside the home, and the ingredients used in homemade meals. All rural respondents had some degree of cooking skills that began at a young age. Their skills were honed over time by necessity and/or curiosity. Rural respondents had general nutrition knowledge that was evident by their definition of a healthy meal, and procuring the freshest ingredients. The kitchen space was less of an influential factor when creating a meal than initially anticipated, but was the processing center where procured food items were crafted into a meal. The theme surrounding the environment and local foods strengthens the 21st century's shift of what consumers are demanding from the Nation's food system. Understanding how nutritional gatekeepers choose to prepare meals, and the influence of their food environment on the meal thought process, may make the domestic home a platform to disseminate healthful cooking practices. This study concluded an ongoing ethnographic study investigating peoples cooking practices, and cooking knowledge in an urban (Boston metropolis), suburban (Burlington, VT), and rural (Franklin and Lamoille County, VT) environments as an implication towards health.
Henley, Shauna, "Rural Vermont: the Food Environment and Cooking Practices As An Implication for Health" (2010). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 106.


Promote safety as well as your company name with the very functional and practical safety whistles. These custom whistles are made from anodized aluminum and are available either blank or customized with your name, logo or message. Custom whistles and blank whistles are available in standard or mini sizes. Whistles can be worn around the neck with an optional neck lanyard attachment.


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� Around the World with Mr. Putty | Main | Grumpy Pre-Valentine's Day Sighting Shot �
In praise of Groundhog Day
Because a certain unnamed philistine who is the coauthor around here saw fit to denigrate one of the truly great movies of the past two decades below, I felt the need to ride to the defense of Groundhog Day.
I will confess that this movie turned February 2nd into one of my favorite days of the year: it's the non-holiday holiday, the otherwise completely ordinary day of the year where the possibility of redemption and renewal are completely and utterly within grasp. Nothing seems quite as impossible to accomplish, as long as it is something to recapture a sense of wonder of the goodness capable of being found in the extremely ordinary.
Here's Jonah's review:
Here's a line you'll either recognize or you won't: "This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather." If you don't recognize this little gem, you've either never seen Groundhog Day or you're not a fan of what is, in my opinion, one of the best films of the last 40 years. As the day of the groundhog again approaches, it seems only fitting to celebrate what will almost undoubtedly join It's a Wonderful Life in the pantheon of America's most uplifting, morally serious, enjoyable, and timeless movies.
When I set out to write this article, I thought it'd be fun to do a quirky homage to an offbeat flick, one I think is brilliant as both comedy and moral philosophy. But while doing what I intended to be cursory research — how much reporting do you need for a review of a twelve-year-old movie that plays constantly on cable? — I discovered that I wasn't alone in my interest. In the years since its release the film has been taken up by Jews, Catholics, Evangelicals, Hindus, Buddhists, Wiccans, and followers of the oppressed Chinese Falun Gong movement. Meanwhile, the Internet brims with weighty philosophical treatises on the deep Platonist, Aristotelian, and existentialist themes providing the skin and bones beneath the film's clown makeup. On National Review Online's group blog, The Corner, I asked readers to send in their views on the film. Over 200 e-mails later I had learned that countless professors use it to teach ethics and a host of philosophical approaches. Several pastors sent me excerpts from sermons in which Groundhog Day was the central metaphor. And dozens of committed Christians of all denominations related that it was one of their most cherished movies.
When the Museum of Modern Art in New York debuted a film series on "The Hidden God: Film and Faith" two years ago, it opened with Groundhog Day. The rest of the films were drawn from the ranks of turgid and bleak intellectual cinema, including standards from Ingmar Bergman and Roberto Rossellini. According to the New York Times, curators of the series were stunned to discover that so many of the 35 leading literary and religious scholars who had been polled to pick the series entries had chosen Groundhog Day that a spat had broken out among the scholars over who would get to write about the film for the catalogue. In a wonderful essay for the Christian magazine Touchstone, theology professor Michael P. Foley wrote that Groundhog Day is "a stunning allegory of moral, intellectual, and even religious excellence in the face of postmodern decay, a sort of Christian-Aristotelian Pilgrim's Progress for those lost in the contemporary cosmos." Charles Murray, author of Human Accomplishment, has cited Groundhog Day more than once as one of the few cultural achievements of recent times that will be remembered centuries from now. He was quoted in The New Yorker declaring, "It is a brilliant moral fable offering an Aristotelian view of the world."
I know what you're thinking: We're talking about the movie in which Bill Murray tells a big rat sitting on his lap, "Don't drive angry," right? Yep, that's the one. You might like to know that the rodent in question is actually Jesus — at least that's what film historian Michael Bronski told the Times. "The groundhog is clearly the resurrected Christ, the ever-hopeful renewal of life at springtime, at a time of pagan-Christian holidays. And when I say that the groundhog is Jesus, I say that with great respect."
That may be going overboard, but something important is going on here. What is it about this ostensibly farcical film about a wisecracking weatherman that speaks to so many on such a deep spiritual level?
THOROUGHLY POSTMODERN PHIL
A recap is in order. Bill Murray, the movie's indispensible and perfect lead, plays Phil Connors, a Pittsburgh weatherman with delusions of grandeur (he unselfconsciously refers to himself as "the talent"). Accompanied by his producer and love interest, Rita (played by Andie MacDowell), and a cameraman (Chris Elliott), Connors goes on assignment to cover the Groundhog Day festival in Punxsutawney, Pa., at which "Punxsutawney Phil" — a real groundhog — comes out of his hole to reveal how much longer winter will last. Connors believes he's too good for the assignment — and for Punxsutawney, Pittsburgh, and everything in between. He is a thoroughly postmodern man: arrogant, world-weary, and contemptuous without cause.
Rita tells Phil that people love the groundhog story, to which he responds, "People like blood sausage, too, people are morons." Later, at the Groundhog Festival, she tells him: "You're missing all the fun. These people are great! Some of them have been partying all night long. They sing songs 'til they get too cold and then they go sit by the fire and get warm and then they come back and sing some more." Phil replies, "Yeah, they're hicks, Rita."
Phil does his reporting schtick when the groundhog emerges and plans to head home as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, a blizzard stops him at the outskirts of town. A state trooper explains that the highway's closed: "Don't you watch the weather reports?" the cop asks. Connors replies (blasphemously, according to some), "I make the weather!" Moving on, the cop explains he can either turn around to Punxsutawney or freeze to death. "Which is it?" he asks. Connors answers, "I'm thinking, I'm thinking." Reluctantly returning to Punxsutawney, Connors spends another night in a sweet little bed and breakfast run by the sort of un-ironic, un-hip, decent folks he considers hicks.
The next morning, the clock radio in his room goes off and he hears the same radio show he'd heard the day before, complete with a broadcast of "I Got You Babe" and the declaration, "It's Groundhog Day!" At first, Connors believes it's an amateurish gaffe by a second-rate radio station. But slowly he discovers it's the same day all over again. "What if there is no tomorrow?" he asks. "There wasn't one today!"
And this is the plot device for the whole film, which has seeped into the larger culture. Indeed, "Groundhog Day" has become shorthand for (translating nicely) "same stuff, different day." Troops in Iraq regularly use it as a rough synonym for "snafu," which (also translated nicely) means "situation normal: all fouled-up." Connors spends an unknown number of days repeating the exact same day over and over again. Everyone else experiences that day for the "first" time, while Connors experiences it with Sisyphean repetition. Estimates vary on how many actual Groundhog Days Connors endures. We see him relive 34 of them. But many more are implied. According to Harold Ramis, the co-writer and director, the original script called for him to endure 10,000 years in Punxsutawney, but it was probably closer to ten.
But this is a small mystery. A far more important one is why the day repeats itself and why it stops repeating at the end. Because the viewer is left to draw his own conclusions, we have what many believe is the best cinematic moral allegory popular culture has produced in decades — perhaps ever.
Interpretations of this central mystery vary. But central to all is a morally complicated and powerful story arc to the main character. When Phil Connors arrives in Punxsutawney, he's a perfect representative of the Seinfeld generation: been-there-done-that. When he first realizes he's not crazy and that he can, in effect, live forever without consequences — if there's no tomorrow, how can you be punished? — he indulges his adolescent self. He shoves cigarettes and pastries into his face with no fear of love-handles or lung cancer. "I am not going to play by their rules any longer," he declares as he goes for a drunk-driving spree. He uses his ability to glean intelligence about the locals to bed women with lies. When that no longer gratifies, he steals money and gets kinky, dressing up and play-acting. When Andie MacDowell sees him like this she quotes a poem by Sir Walter Scott: "The wretch, concentrated all in self / Living, shall forfeit fair renown / And, doubly dying, shall go down / To the vile dust, from whence he sprung / Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung."
Connors cackles at her earnestness. "You don't like poetry?" She asks. "I love poetry," he replies, "I just thought that was Willard Scott."
Still, Conners schemes to bed Rita with the same techniques he used on other women, and fails, time and again. When he realizes that his failures stem not from a lack of information about Rita's desires but rather from his own basic hollowness, he grows suicidal. Or, some argue, he grows suicidal after learning that all of the material and sexual gratification in the world is not spiritually sustaining. Either way, he blames the groundhog and kills it in a murder-suicide pact — if you can call killing the varmint murder. Discovering, after countless more suicide attempts, that he cannot even die without waking up the next day he begins to believe he is "a god." When Rita scoffs at this — noting that she had twelve years of Catholic school (the only mention of religion in the film) — he replies that he didn't say he was "the God" but merely "a god." Then again, he remarks, maybe God really isn't all-powerful, maybe he's just been around so long he knows everything that's going to happen. This, according to some, is a reference to the doctrine of God's "middle knowledge," first put forward by the 16th-century Jesuit theologian Luis de Molina, who argued that human free will is possible because God's omniscience includes His knowledge of every possible outcome of every possible decision.
The point is that Connors slowly realizes that what makes life worth living is not what you get from it, but what you put into it. He takes up the piano. He reads poetry — no longer to impress Rita, but for its own sake. He helps the locals in matters great and small, including catching a boy who falls from a tree every day. "You never thank me!" he yells at the fleeing brat. He also discovers that there are some things he cannot change, that he cannot be God. The homeless man whom Connors scorns at the beginning of the film becomes an obsession of his at the end because he dies every Groundhog Day. Calling him "pop" and "dad," Connors tries to save him but never can.
By the end of the film, Connors is no longer obsessed with bedding Rita. He's in love with her, without reservation and without hope of his affection being requited. Only in the end, when he completely gives up hope, does he in fact "get" the woman he loves. And with that, with her love, he finally wakes on February 3, the great wheel of life no longer stuck on Groundhog Day. As NR's own Rick Brookhiser explains it, "The curse is lifted when Bill Murray blesses the day he has just lived. And his reward is that the day is taken from him. Loving life includes loving the fact that it goes."
Personally, I always saw Nietzsche's doctrine of the eternal return of the same in this story. That was Nietzsche's idea — metaphorical or literal — to imagine life as an endless repetition of the same events over and over. How would this shape your actions? What would you choose to live out for all eternity? Others see Camus, who writes about how we should live once we realize the absurdity of life. But existentialism doesn't explain the film's broader appeal. It is the religious resonance — if not necessarily explicit religious themes — that draws many to it. There's much to the view of Punxsutawney as purgatory: Connors goes to his own version of hell, but since he's not evil it turns out to be purgatory, from which he is released by shedding his selfishness and committing to acts of love. Meanwhile, Hindus and Buddhists see versions of reincarnation here, and Jews find great significance in the fact that Connors is saved only after he performs mitzvahs (good deeds) and is returned to earth, not heaven, to perform more.
The burning question: Was all this intentional? Yes and no. Ultimately, the story is one of redemption, so it should surprise no one that it speaks to those in search of the same. But there is also a secular, even conservative, point to be made here. Connors's metamorphosis contradicts almost everything postmodernity teaches. He doesn't find paradise or liberation by becoming more "authentic," by acting on his whims and urges and listening to his inner voices. That behavior is soul-killing. He does exactly the opposite: He learns to appreciate the crowd, the community, even the bourgeois hicks and their values. He determines to make himself better by reading poetry and the classics and by learning to sculpt ice and make music, and most of all by shedding his ironic detachment from the world.
Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin, the writer of the original story, are not philosophers. Ramis was born Jewish and is now a lackadaisical Buddhist. He wears meditation beads on his wrist, he told the New York Times, "because I'm on a Buddhist diet. They're supposed to remind me not to eat, but actually just get in the way when I'm cutting my steak." Rubin's original script was apparently much more complex and philosophical — it opened in the middle of Connors's sentence to purgatory and ended with the revelation that Rita was caught in a cycle of her own. Murray wanted the film to be more philosophical (indeed, the film is surely the best sign of his reincarnation as a great actor), but Ramis constantly insisted that the film be funny first and philosophical second.
And this is the film's true triumph. It is a very, very funny movie, in which all of the themes are invisible to people who just want to have a good time. There's no violence, no strong language, and the sexual content is about as tame as it gets. (Some e-mailers complained that Connors is only liberated when he has sex with Rita. Not true: They merely fall asleep together.) If this were a French film dealing with the same themes, it would be in black and white, the sex would be constant and depraved, and it would end in cold death. My only criticism is that Andie MacDowell isn't nearly charming enough to warrant all the fuss (she says a prayer for world peace every time she orders a drink!). And yet for all the opportunities the film presents for self-importance and sentimentality, it almost never falls for either. The best example: When the two lovebirds emerge from the B&B to embrace a happy new life together in what Connors considers a paradisiacal Punxsutawney, Connors declares, "Let's live here!" They kiss, the music builds, and then in the film's last line he adds: "We'll rent to start."
Yips! from Robbo: Denigrate? I was denigrating my own philistinism, not the film!
Posted by Steve at February 2, 2006 11:26 AM | TrackBack
Excellent post on a terrific film. In fact, you might want to consider re-posting this three or four more times....
Posted by: utron at February 2, 2006 12:25 PM
But is it better than Caddyshack.
Posted by: rbj at February 2, 2006 12:39 PM
Yup, Groundhog Day is right up there with Scrooged as one of my two favorite Bill Murray flicks. I hated Lost in Translation, and coulnd't get through The Life Aquatic.
Posted by: Brian B at February 2, 2006 12:53 PM
Don't forget Andie McDowell, who was great here & in 4 Weddings & a Funeral
Posted by: beautifulatrocities at February 2, 2006 02:24 PM
A very good film; it teaches unselfishness and self-improvement to people who need it. Which is all of us.
Plus there's a lot of really funny stuff in it. The bit where he robs the Brink's truck, the abduction of the groundhog, and his goofing on the insurance salesman are all great comedy.
Plus, Chris Elliott. I'm still waiting for the full "Get a Life" DVD release.
Posted by: The Colossus at February 2, 2006 02:24 PM
Thanks for reminding me, the armored car heist was sheer genius.
"A dog barks . . . a gust of wind . . . car . . . "
You know he has walked through it dozens, if not hundreds of times and gotten hit by the car at least once or twice.
What makes it great is it shows the sheer persistence he can apply to any problem, given an infinite amount of time.
Then the followup, when he shows up at the theatre in the Mercedes dressed as Clint Eastwood, with the girl, inexplicably in a French maid outfit . . . "I thought you said it was a costume party . . ."
The payoff for him. So twisted.
What a great script.
Exactly. I was thinking of the monologue.
Even the ways he thinks of to commit suicide are amusing, if dark.
I'm gonna have to rent it now. I'm ashamed to not own it.
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The First Baptist Church is excited to announce that we now have a new pastor. His name is Brother Dwain Pollard and if you haven't heard Bro. Pollard preach before, you should make a point to attend this coming Sunday morning. It is sure to be a blessing.
If you are an atheist, what is your theory of how the universe, and everything in it came into existence! Is it something like this? "In the beginning, there was nothing. Nothing at all. But at a moment in time, something happened – even though there was nothing for anything to happen in or with. Something caused a chemical reaction in chemicals that didn't exist. This chemical reaction in non-existent chemicals must have spread to other non-existent chemicals. The reaction kept spreading in the nothing until there was this Big Bang explosion.This explosion of nothing caused all the uncountable celestial bodies to come into existence; moon, planets, stars, suns, solar systems, galaxies, comets and whatever else is out there, and all of them are rotating with incredible precision around other heavenly bodies and the whole universe is rotating around something!
Then, in this massive universe that's made of nothing, something else happened – even though there was nothing for anything to happen with or in. On one tiny planet [now called earth] there were conditions needed for life, as in air, water, land, climate – and something else happened. Seems maybe another chemical reaction took place, and maybe caused some goop to form. That goop kept growing on more nothing, and 1 non-existent day maybe some non-existent lightning struck that goop and it came to life – and maybe it divided into plant goop, animal goop, human goop … ok! Enough of this nonsense. The chance of that theory being true is 0! Surely no one could believe such a lie! If you could, the goop would be in your head!
The truth makes much more sense, and is much easier to believe. Whether ou believe it or not has no bearing on truth being truth!


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


THE Q&A AT THE BEGINNING WAS BURNETT'S HUSBAND'S IDEA.
(Tribune file photo) Jon Huntsman in 2005.
Upon further reflection, might you expect to hear from the good folks at Netflix, the owner of a federally-registered trademark looking like this?
Get Super-Fancy SK-II Sheet Masks on eBay for Way Less Than Sephora | Utter Buzz!


This August we are offering a series of day classes, at the Woodford Community Centre, Chester Road, Woodford.
Aimed at beginners, this class gives you a chance to start your upholstery project. You will be taken through the stages required to take your piece from frame to upholstery. You will be introduced to the traditional upholstery tools and techniques, or modern depending on your project. You may wish to learn how to reupholster or merely recover your piece - this class is suitable for either.
With one tutor per 4 students you will have lots of dedicated upholstery tuition. Both are City & Guilds qualified with over 10 years upholstery experience each. All tools are provided, and materials are available to purchase.
Get in touch if you would like to register - we have a few spaces left each day.


Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities firm headquartered in New York City, is investigating the Board of Directors of CEC Entertainment Inc.
NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan E. Monteverde, a partner at Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities firm headquartered in New York City, is investigating the Board of Directors of CEC Entertainment Inc. ("CEC" or the "Company") (NYSE: CEC) for potential breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with their conduct related to the sale of the Company to Apollo Global Management, LLC in a cash deal valued at approximately $1.3 billion, including the assumption of debt. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, CEC's stockholders will receive $54 for each share of CEC common stock they own.
Request more information now by clicking here: www.faruqilaw.com/CEC. There is no cost or obligation to you.
The investigation focuses on whether CEC's Board of Directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders by failing to conduct an adequate and fair sales process prior to agreeing to this proposed transaction, whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company to the detriment of CEC's shareholders.
If you own common stock in CEC Entertainment Inc. and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit us at www.faruqilaw.com/CEC or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@faruqilaw.com or by telephone at (877) 247-4292 or (212) 983-9330.


Welcome to your very own exclusive country retreat. Social Membership at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club offers a welcoming and vibrant environment to unwind, relax and enjoy this magnificent game of kings whether you prefer picnicking with your family in the picturesque grounds amongst the majestic oak trees or sipping a chilled glass of champagne with your guests in our Members' Clubhouse. The Berkshire offers a full fixture list of polo matches and tournaments to enjoy in the summer and also during the winter months in our All- Weather Arena under the covered grandstand seating.
For further information please either call Penny McCarthy on +44 1344 898 473 or email penny@rcbpc.com .
Thank you to our wonderful sponsors here at the Club; we are so grateful to you all.


Always select the 'credit' or 'CR' option (nb: you card might be declined if you choose another option) . Don't worry, you won't be charged extra, but as a prepaid card it goes via the Visa system.
How do I top up my card?


What you need to know to help you understand and plan for long-term care this year.
Healthcare innovation is increasing life expectancy, and as a result, the number of Americans who are the oldest old, or those age 85 and up, is growing much more quickly than the rest of the population. Living longer is generally good news, but it means we're increasingly at risk of requiring long-term care during our lifetimes. Unfortunately, that's a big problem because long-term care costs thousands of dollars per month, and it isn't covered by Medicare or health insurance.
Here's what you need to know about long-term care, including tips that can help you prepare for it.
One of the biggest mistakes most people make is underestimating how likely it is that they'll require long-term care during their lifetime.
The most common reasons for needing long-term care are stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer, and those are usually diagnosed later in life. For instance, over one-third of cancer diagnoses occur in patients over age 75 and only about 5% of all Alzheimer's disease cases are diagnosed in people younger than 65.
Because baby boomers represent such a big portion of our population, and they're getting older and living longer, the prevalence of disease and illness requiring long-term care is climbing. It also means more patients will suffer injury that could reduce their independence, too. For instance, falls are a major cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in people over 65, and they can lead to -- at a minimum -- admission to a skilled nursing facility.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 70% of people turning 65 this year will require long-term care in the future. Can you beat those odds?
Make no mistake about it, the costs associated with long-term care are high, and they're growing.
Long-term care costs can be lower if care is provided in someone's home, however, that care can pose a big psychological and financial burden on the caregiver, including lost wages. According to Genworth, the typical caregiver spends $10,000 out-of-pocket annually, and 77% of caregivers miss an average of 7 hours of work per week, or nearly 20% of their 40-hour work week. Importantly, the amount of missed work has increased by 23% since 2010, and that translates into an average 33% less in income.
In instances where home care isn't possible, and assisted living or nursing home care is required, the costs can run well into the tens of thousands of dollars per year. Genworth reports that the monthly cost of an assisted living facility and a semi-private room in a nursing home was $3,628 and $6,844 in 2016, respectively. If inflation increases 3% annually, these costs will grow to $4,876 and $9,198 per month in 2026, respectively.
While some patients won't require a long stay in long-term care, roughly half of long-term care patients will require a stay that's over one year, and out of those patients requiring more than a year of care, the average period of time requiring care is nearly four years.
it's a myth that long-term care will be covered by private health insurance or Medicare.
Health insurance will pay some healthcare services costs, but only under specific circumstances, and only for a limited time. For example, Medicare will pay for skilled services or rehabilitative care in a nursing home for a maximum of 100 days.
Importantly, private insurance and Medicare won't pay for custodial care or personal care services, and those services can represent a big proportion of long-term care expenses. Unfortunately, those costs will need to be paid out-of-pocket.
In some cases, Medicaid will pay for long-term care, including custodial services, however, most states only consider someone eligible for Medicaid if they have limited assets and income. Medicaid eligibility requirements include a five-year look-back period too, and that can result in penalties if individuals attempt to qualify for the program by givng away money or assets improperly.
Given the costs associated with long-term care, and the likelihood of having to cover long-term care costs out-of-pocket, planning ahead for these expenses is critical. One option that may be available is long-term care insurance.
Annual premiums for long-term care insurance plans can vary, and they depend on age, health, and coverage. Premiums can be lower if you buy a plan in your 50s, when you're healthier than in your 60s. Generally, premiums cost a few thousand dollars per year, and climb over time, depending on the plan. Spending a few thousand dollars per year on long-term care insurance might seem expensive, but the odds of requiring care, and the costs associated with that care, could make this insurance a bargain.
Another potential advantage (beyond the peace of mind associated with long-term care insurance) is that it allows you to plan ahead for your annual costs. For instance, if you know you're going to spend a certain amount per year on long-term care insurance, you can save more money, and if you plan correctly, returns on those additional savings could cover your premium payment.
Of course, everyone's situation is different, and returns aren't guaranteed, but setting aside extra savings specifically to pay long-term care insurance could help you avoid selling your home, getting a reverse mortgage, or wiping out your other savings because of mounting long-term care expenses.
Deciding it's time for long-term care is an important and difficult decision, but keeping a few things in mind may make it easier to select the right facility for you or your loved one.
First, it can help to know that some facilities specialize in caring for patients with specific diseases or illnesses, such as dementia. These facilities usually cost more money, but they may be the best option because they're likely to have the resources necessary to make the transition to long-term care smooth and the time spent there meaningful.
Second, don't limit your search to one facility. Visiting multiple places in person is the best way to evaluate the quality of the buildings and caregivers, and the availability of programming that can make settling into a community easier. In addition to talking with friends and family about their own experiences, visit the Department of Health and Human Services Eldercare locator and Medicare's online nursing home comparison tool. These sites can help you find facilities to consider, and they offer insight into quality, health or safety violations, and a facility's staff.
A plan to provide for long-term care is critical to any retirement strategy, yet millions of Americans don't spend enough time considering long-term care. Only about 8 million Americans have purchased long-term care insurance, and given the size of the baby boomer population, that suggests that many older Americans are rolling the dice hoping to avoid needing care. That's risky given that 20% of Americans will require long-term care that lasts more than five years.
It may be smart to visit with an elder law attorney, too. They can help you with retirement and long-term care planning strategies that may help protect your savings and home, or offer insight into how to manage Medicaid's rules, including their use of liens on homes to recoup expenses. A living will and healthcare power of attorney should be put in place ahead of time as well. And it may be wise to consider if a trust is a good decision -- especially if you have family members with special needs that need to be planned for.
Long-term care costs can easily wipe out all but the biggest retirement nest eggs, so having an open and thorough discussion with your loved ones about your long-term care plans is critical to your (and their) financial security. If you're getting older, now's the time to take steps to protect the assets you've spent your life accumulating.


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Custom Hot Rods @ the 31st Annual Dennis Kirk Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show Parts Extravaganza
The Donnie Smith Bike Show & Car Show Parts Extravaganza Biking & Hot Rod enthusiasts from all over the country will be flocking to the 2018 Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show, the largest custom bike show in the Midwest. Tickets are on sale at the RiverCentre Box Office, all…
ADMIN-USER February 1, 2017 April 28, 2017 News
Music from Corey Stevens
Don't miss blues-based rock singer Corey Stevens on Saturday night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A special Budweiser happy hour party with live music by Blues-based rock singer Corey Stevens. Stevens is a songwriter and guitarist. He will perform in the RiverCentre on Saturday night from 5 p.m. to…
ADMIN-USER January 29, 2017 September 19, 2017 News Blues-based rock singer Corey Stevens
We Have a Gigantic Swap Meet at Donnie Smith Bike and Car Show
It's a motorcycle part pickers paradise @ the Donnie Smith Swap Meet In its 30th year, the famed Donnie Smith Bike and Car Show presented by Dennis Kirk will take over St. Paul's RiverCentre and bring winter-weary motorcycle fans a dose of two- and four-wheeled eye candy as they welcome…
ADMIN-USER January 25, 2017 January 25, 2017 News Swap Meet
Donnie Smith Show Celebrates 30th Anniversary With More Bikes, Cars, Parts and Tattoos
Donnie Smith 30th Anniversary Show Custom Bike Show – Well over half the show, 135,000 sq. ft., will be dedicated to motorcycles, paying homage to the machines that started the show in 1987. Over $7,500 in cash awards will be presented to the top baggers and customs with awards also…
ADMIN-USER January 24, 2017 January 24, 2017 News 30th Anniversary Show
Tattoo Expo at 2018 Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show
ADMIN-USER January 24, 2017 April 28, 2017 News 2017 Tattoo Expo
MFG Profile: S&S Trike
SS Trikes SS Trikes designs and manufactures new and interesting three wheeled vehicles. The company mission is to provide style and excitement to riders.
ADMIN-USER January 12, 2017 January 25, 2017 News, Vendors S&S Trikes
From Dennis Kirk
It's Time – FROM DENNIS KIRK! It's time, once again, for the largest custom bike show in the Midwest. The Dennis Kirk Donnie Smith Bike and Car Show is back to kick off the motorcycle season here in the Midwest. This is the 31st annual show and it just keeps…
ADMIN-USER March 13, 2015 April 29, 2017 News Dennis Kirk
What's New for 2018: Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show
2018 Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show TATTOO EXPO Saturday Night we are having a happy hour from 5PM – 7PM with live music. This year has 16 classes of cars including Vintage, Antique, Hot Rods and Rat Rods. This year the Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show includes: Tattoo…
ADMIN-USER February 25, 2015 April 29, 2017 News 2015 Donnie Smith Bike Show
AMA Hall of Fame: Donnie Smith
Custom motorcycle builder focusing on making beautiful and functional custom bikes. INDUCTED: 1995 A custom bike builder for more than 30 years, Donnie Smith's innovations continue to influence custom bike builders today. Born in 1942, Smith grew up on a dairy farm in Donnelly, Minn. In the mid-1960s, after two…
ADMIN-USER February 24, 2015 February 25, 2015 Builders AMA Hall of Fame


As the saying goes, when it comes to growing older, Father Time is undefeated. Aging is the one process that impacts everyone … and it does so unmercifully. But the truth is that today, you no longer have to simply resign yourself to the effects of aging.
Using daily moisturizer on your skin is the single most valuable thing you can do to maintain a healthy complexion, even if you do nothing else to take care of your skin. Everyday conditions such as exposure to the sun or any type of hot, cold or dry weather saps moisture from your face, causing skin cells to shrink. After repeatedly losing moisture, your skin will lose its elasticity, allowing wrinkles to set in.
In addition to hydrating your skin, moisturizers create a barrier to not only lock moisture in, but also to keep dirt and other irritants out. To get the maximum benefit, use a moisturizer that's designed specifically for your skin type. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, look for a gel-based moisturizer that won't clog pores.
By now, it's a well-known fact that sunbathing without sunscreen might be the worst thing you can do to your skin. Not only does unprotected exposure to the sun dramatically increase the risk of skin cancer, it accelerates the aging process and most notably, the creation of wrinkles and unsightly skin blotches.
You don't have to be poolside or at the beach to be effected by sun exposure either. Dangerous UVA rays can penetrate cloud cover and even windshield glass, making you susceptible to sun damage on a cloudy day and even inside your car! Get in the habit of applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 every day.
Don't overlook heat that's generated for more unlikely sources either. Direct exposure to heat sources such as fireplaces, space heaters can "cook" your skin and dry it out unnecessarily, breaking down the collagen in your skin, which is the connective tissue that keeps skin firm and supple.
Healthy skin isn't created only on the outside. As the largest organ in your body, skin benefits immensely from a nutrient-rich diet.
Be sure to eat foods that are rich in essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 in particular, that are found in olive oil, salmon, walnuts and flaxseed, helping to hydrate and preserve the moisture barrier that keeps your skin from drying out.
Avoid those processed, sugar-rich and preservative laden foods that aren't just high in calories. They also stimulate the body's inflammatory response, which interferes with production of healthy new skin cells.
Stress and pressure affect more than just your disposition. Tension stimulates your body's production of cortisol, a hormone that produces the classic fight-or-flight response and also damages collagen. When you're under stress, your muscles involuntarily tighten causing frowns and other facial expressions that can also hasten the development of wrinkles. It's vital that you enjoy regular relaxation time. If necessary, schedule it just as you would any other appointment.
Sleep is when your body, including your complexion, gets a chance to repair itself. Whether it's stress or play that's keeping you up at night, the result is the same: it becomes more difficult to undo the damage. Focus on getting seven to eight hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep each night.
And if you don't smoke, don't start. Lung diseases caused by smoking include cancer, COPD, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer. If you need any more reasons to quit smoking, consider that smoking causes blood vessels to constrict, limiting the nutrient supply to your skin. It also damages collagen and causes wrinkles, two of the most common factors that age a complexion.


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Lethrice is a third-generation milliner. In 1935, her Lolo Angkoy (grandfather in Tagalog), founded their family's global hat manufacturing company. Lucban Hats factory was built in 1961 nestled in the center of Markina, Philippines. Growing up, she witnessed first-hand the dedication and craftsmanship that went into the creation of every headpiece. "I spent countless hours playing in our showrooms, admiring every single piece on the hat walls. I would beg my parents to take me to the factory after school instead of home, and I would hang out and watch our workers weave, sew, and block the hats." Lethrice shared. (Voyage LA)
Her father often traveled to America and Europe while participating in world fairs. Her mother would stay with her and her brothers while running her own business - manufacturing and exporting embroidered placemats and women's accessories. They moved to the US while her parents continued to travel and run their businesses both locally and in Manila. They invested and started a business in America and California became their home.
After college, she wanted to learn more about accessories design and businesses founded in America. She worked for some of the industry's most coveted brands like Ralph Lauren and Calypso St. Barth until she was ready to start her own. "It wasn't until I had both my boys that I truly felt I was ready to start my journey. It was important to me to share and continue our family's heritage." Lethrice told OC Weekly. Born out of her desire to revive the donning of hats as an essential accessory, Anhcoy continuous her grandfather and father's legacy. The brand feature collections carefully handcrafted by artisans using traditional skills learned and passed down from generation to generation.
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