After being made an example of by the King of Strong Style, something has awoken within the Charismatic Enigma, and it's hungry for revenge! Can Jeff Hardy get back at Shinsuke Nakamura while retaining his United States Championship? Plus, Miz TV will have the SmackDown Tag Team Champions as the special guests!
Xavier w/ The New Day VS Rusev w/ Aiden English; Rusev wins.
WWE United States Championship Open Challenge: Jeff Hardy VS Shinsuke Nakamura Eric Young; Young wins by disqualification, Hardy retains the WWE US Championship.
Six Man Tag: SAnitY VS Jeff Hardy & The Usos; Hardy & The Usos win.
Becky Lynch VS Sonya Deville w/ Mandy Rose; Becky wins.
Daniel Bryan VS Harper w/ Rowan; Bryan wins, by disqualification.
SmackDown opens with Miz TV!
The Most Must-See Talk Show in WWE has fans chanting "Daniel Bryan!" Miz asks them, "Are you done?" That aside, Miz kicks off his show by introducing "actual soul-devouring" real-life monsters, it's The SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Bludgeon Brothers! Harper & Rowan appear and make their way to the ring. They then stand across from The Miz, intimidating as always.
Daniel Bryan was all set to face anyone in the Gauntlet, but that was just Act One. Not that these two would understand that. Miz doesn't mean to insult them, but he's just saying, Bryan was the overconfident protagonist who was "about to get a rude awakening." Cut to Act Two: Harper & Rowan defeating The Club, only to be met on the ramp by Daniel Bryan. It was all coincidence of their match ending and his match beginning, but it seems like there was some offense taken. Miz frames it as such, Bryan is a "glory hound" and he can't stand it when someone else has the spotlight. He tries to steal their thunder, but then, the plot twist. Daniel Bryan is actually our villain! Yes, he is the villain!
And Miz's favorite part is in Act Three: the BLUDGEON BOMB! This of course allowed Miz to easily defeat Bryan and move on, but he ignores that part. Miz wants the fans to cheer for that! The Bludgeon Brothers are award winning supporting actors, maybe even the new Miztourage. Well maybe not that far, but– Harper slaps the mic out of Miz's hand… Then both Harper & Rowan move in on Miz. But to the rescue, it's Daniel Bryan! What a shocker! Bryan is stealing the spotlight again. Bryan tells Miz to shut up. Harper, Rowan, you two cost Bryan a shot at the WWE Championship. But their size isn't as important as heart.
Bryan is not afraid of Harper & Rowan, or The Miz who cowers behind them. Bryan just wants to know who is up first. Harper says Bryan never learns. But he's gonna learn, tonight. Is that Harper accepting the challenge?
The New Day gets their pancakes turned into milkshakes!
Mr. Bootysworth serves up a pancake-shake, and the New Day is pumped up! They're ready to take on the new #1 Contender to the WWE Championship, Rusev!
Xavier w/ The New Day VS Rusev w/ Aiden English!
The Bulgarian Brute is now the #1 Contender after winning the SmackDown Gauntlet last week. But with Extreme Rules still weeks away, he needs to keep up momentum. Can he defeat the brains of the most positive trio in the WWE? Or will his momentum be stopped so soon after his triumph?
MC Artiste English comes out and the fans chant "Rusev Day!" English sings a question for Xavier. "Do you have a waffle? Because everyone here thinks your pancakes are awful~!" The Brute's going to wear you out like a toupee, and hopefully AJ Styles is watching so that he'll know he's losing on… RUSEV DAAAAY~! Rusev himself appears, and the match begins.
Woods and Rusev circle while fans chant "Rusev Day!" Woods gets a headlock, but can't get the takedown. Rusev powers out and runs Woods over! Rusev stomps Woods to the ropes, then whips, but Woods kicks Rusev back. Woods chops, throws hands, then runs, but into a tilt-o-whirl headscissors. Big E speaks for Rusev via speech bubble.
And a fitting choice as Woods dropkicks Rusev into the ropes! Woods clubs on Rusev, then whips him corner to corner. Rusev reverses but runs into a boot. Woods rolls, but Rusev SPINEBUSTERS the Honor Roll down. Cover, TWO, and Woods rolls to ropes while we go picture in picture.
Rusev stalks Woods, then drags him up to throw him out. Rusev keeps on Woods as he bumps him off the announce desk. He then puts Woods into barriers, and into the ring. Cover, TWO, but Rusev grabs Woods by the hair to drive in elbows. Rusev wraps Woods into a chinlock, but Woods endures as the New Day and fans rally for him. Woods stands, hits body shots then a dropkick. Woods runs in, but into a boot! He goes down in a heap while Rusev walks it off. Rusev drags Woods back up, then kicks the legs out until Woods sits down. Rusev reels Woods into a roundhouse! He glares at Kofi & Big E before toying with Woods. They go to a corner and Woods hits back with body shots. Woods runs, but into a back elbow!
Rusev looms over Woods, and drags him up while fans rally. Rusev throws forearms into Woods' back, and Woods doubles over. Now Rusev shoves Woods, but Woods hits back on the rebound! Woods throws haymakers, then runs, but into a bearhug. Rusev squeezes Woods tight, but Woods endures. We go back to single picture as Woods gives ear claps and haymakers. Woods frees himself, then jawbreakers Rusev back. Rusev gets up but Woods counters with more haymakesr and even kicks. Woods chops, chops and chops, then whips. Rusev reverses but Woods dodges and slides under to hit the roaring elbow! Woods runs in, but Rusev puts him on the apron. Woods kicks Rusev back, then springboards in for the DDT! Cover, TWO!
English is relieved, because he knows Rusev's tougher than that. Fans chant for Rusev Day, but Woods drags Rusev up for a fireman's carry! But Rusev fights out, only for Woods to throw forearms. Rusev knees low but Woods ducks the roundhouse to SUPERKICK! Woods runs, but into a Samoan Drop! Cover, TWO! Rusev keeps his cool while Woods crawls for ropes. He puts Woods on the top rope, throws hands, then climbs up. Woods fights back with body shots and sends Rusev down. Woods adjusts but Rusev corners him. Rusev runs in, but into a post as Woods evades! Woods hurries to a corner and the top rope. Woods walks the ropes, but has to land on his feet. They speed up, and Woods slides again, but spins into a roundhouse! MACHKA KICK! Rusev is fired up, "Rusev, MACHKA!" Accolade! Woods taps, Rusev wins!
The Super Athlete is laser focused towards a singular obsession: become WWE Champion! Rusev speaks, "Tonight was not about Xavier Woods." Not about trombones, pancakes, Booty-O's or whatever. This is about AJ Styles! Styles is scared, which he proved by punching English out last week. Fans duel between Styles and Rusev Day, but this is just a preview of Extreme Rules. Rusev will break down the door on the House AJ Styles Built, and when he wins, it'll be a phenomenal Rusev Day!
Adrenaline coursing through his veins, heightening his awareness and threshold for pain while clarifying his vision. The Charismatic Enigma is ready to take flight, and fight. What has Shinsuke Nakamura awoken within the US Champion? However, Nakamura is not medically cleared to compete this week, so Hardy will have to wait for revenge. But being a fighting champion, Hardy issued an open challenge! Who will accept?!
Naomi & Lana are backstage arguing.
The Glowbug and the Ravishing Russian are still not over their dance-off controversy. But they encounter the cast of GLOW!
The Glamorous Ladies of Wrestling are here, and are so excited to #FeelTheGlow! Naomi loves Allison Brie's own Russian persona. Lana should not be the sad, they are both Ravishing Russians. They could even be sisters. Well yes, that's a good accent, for a peasant. Zoya is no peasant, she's a warrior! The cast of GLOW loved their dance off, they should be partners instead of opponents. Yeah, but Lana is tripping. Lana didn't fall. Thta's not what she meant. But Naomi admits Lana is a good dancer, too. Maybe they can be ravishing together while snatching opponents bald? Then everyone will #FeelTheGlow!
WWE United States Championship Open Challenge: Jeff Hardy VS ???
Hardy is #ImmuneToFear, so he does not fear the possibility of losing. The challenge has been issued, and the superstar to accept is… a member of SAnitY! But which member? Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe & Killian Dain all come out together. They all hit the ring, but it's Eric Young who enters.
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we begin. Eric goes right after Hardy with clubbing hands. He clubs and stomps Hardy in a corner while Wolfe & Big Damo taunt the champ. Eric whips Hardy but Hardy reverses, so Eric tumbles up and out to the apron. He slides back in under Hardy, but Hardy catches him with a kick. Hardy hits a partial Twist of Fate stunner, then climbs up top. Eric bails out, regroups with SAnitY, and we go to break.
SmackDown returns and Eric has Hardy in a neck wrench. Hardy stands up, fights out and runs, but into a back elbow. Cover, TWO, and Eric is frustrated. Eric stalks Hardy to a corner, climbs up, and drags Hardy into a hangman dragon sleeper! He lets go at 4, then drops ax handles. Cover, TWO! Eric grins, he knows he's in control. He drags Hardy up and tries to spin Hardy's head off! Eric stalks Hardy while fans rally. Eric does it again, and the referee checks on Hardy. Hardy refuses to quit, so Eric drags him back up for a chinbar. Hardy endures while fans continue to rally, and he fights out of the hold. Eric throws him down by his hair, cover, TWO! Back to the chinbar and neck wrench.
Hardy endures the twisting and wrenching, and the fans rally again. He stands up, fights out again, then whips. Eric reverses, and hard! Cover, TWO, but Eric doesn't lose focus. Eric stomps on Hardy, then brings Hardy up. Hardy fights back, backs Eric to a corner, then whips. Eric reverses again, but Hardy is ready this time, and he rolls Eric up as he comes in. TWO, and Eric clobbers Hardy! Cover, TWO, and now Eric is frustrated. Eric declares himself the new champion as he stomps on Hardy. He drags Hardy up, then twists the neck more. Hardy endures while fans rally again. Hardy stands up and jawbreakers out! Eric staggers, and Hardy throws hands. Hardy whips but Eric reverses again, only for Hardy to rally. Atomic drop to leg-splitting leg drop, and dropkick! Cover, TWO!
Hardy keeps focus, he calls for another Twist. He kicks, but Eric slips out, double clotheslines wipe them both out! Fans rally while both men stir. But wait, it's the Usos! Jimmy & Jey want some payback for last time, and SAnitY is willing to give it. It's an explosion of a brawl on the outside!
Eric jumps out to join in, bringing Jey in. Jey tackles, the match is thrown out!
But just because the match is over, doesn't mean the fight is! Hardy & The Usos fight SAnitY all over the ring! Jimmy & Jey run over Damo & Wolfe while Hardy holds onto Eric. They all work together to dump Eric out, and we go to break while the chaos calms down.
Six Man Tag: SAnitY VS Jeff Hardy & The Usos!
Holla holla, the SmackDown GM Paige clearly followed in Teddy Long's footsteps to make the brawl into a match! Can Hardy help The Usos get that revenge they're after?
SmackDown returns as Jimmy fights off Big Damo with body shots and a jawbreaker. Hot tag to Jey! Jey leaps over the Beast of Belfast, then hits Wolfe & Eric just because. Jey builds speed while dodging Damo, but still gets caught by the Divide! Damo's big crossbody flattens Jey underneath! Damo glares down at Jey as he stomps him at the ropes. He scrapes Jey out while tagging Wolfe, and Wolfe rams Jey into barriers, then flapjacks him on the apron. Wolfe puts Jey back in the ring, covers, TWO. Wolfe tags to Eric, and Eric hops up while Wolfe gives a gutbuster, and Eric adds an elbow drop! Cover, TWO, and Eric is upset again. Eric wrenches Jey's neck now, like he was to Hardy earlier.
Fans rally while Jey stands up and fights back. Jey runs but Eric runs him over. Eric stomps Jey, then pulls him into the ropes for a choke. Jimmy protests, but that leaves Jey open to Damo's cheap shot stomp. Eric drags Jey up, then tags in Damo. Damo gives a boot to the ribs, then stalks Jey to a corner. He brings Jey up and suplexes him down. Cover, TWO! Damo keeps on Jey with a neck wrench of his own. Fans rally and Jey gets up. Jey throws body shots, then an uppercut. Damo shoves Jey but Jey hits SAnitY. Jey leaps but Damo intercepts. Damo rocks Jey with an uppercut, then does the same to Jimmy. Jey ends up in SAnitY's corner, and Damo squashes him with the corner splash. Eric tags in, and Damo holds Jey in place for Eric to rock him with a right.
Eric drags Jey up, suplex, but Jey lands on his feet! Jey shoves Eric out of the ring, but he's still far away from Hardy! He leaps to tag, but Eric trips Hardy! Jey is isolated as Eric drops elbows. Eric tags in Damo and brings Jey up. They double whip Jey into the corner, then Damo whips Eric in. Jey puts Eric out, then dodges to send Damo into the post! Jimmy returns, and Jey heads to his brother. Hot tag to Jimmy just as Wolfe tags in. Jimmy rallies, pop lock uppercut! Then, Samoan Drop! Jimmy is fired up while Wolfe gets to a corner. He runs in, but Wolfe put shim on the apron. Jimmy punches Wolfe away, big crossbody! TWO!
Jimmy takes aim, but Wolfe blocks the superkick. Jimmy still hits the dragon whip! Then he gets the hip attack! Jimmy covers, but Eric breaks it with an elbow outta nowhere! Hardy dropkicks Eric out, but Damo throws Hardy out. SUPERKICK from Jey, but Damo stays up. Jey SUPERKICKS Eric away, but Damo grabs Jey. Jimmy SUPERKICKS, but Damo stays up, so DOUBLE SUPERKICKS send him out. The fans and Usos fire up, Jimmy holds the ropes for Jey to FLY! But Wolfe rolls up, TWO! Wolfe German Suplexes Jimmy but Hardy tags in. SUPERKICK from Jimmy, then Hardy climbs up! SWANTON BOMB!
Cover, Hardy & the Usos win!
The Uso Crazy Enigma trio succeeds in curtailing the chaos! Will SAnitY come back for more? Will Hardy be able to get his revenge on Nakamura in the near future?
The Lass Kicker fires up.
She's so focused for her match, she almost hits one of the staff. Her match with the Gladiator Gal approaches, will she burn her up with #StraightFire?
Becky Lynch VS Sonya Deville w/ Mandy Rose!
The duo formerly known as Absolution found humor in Becky's supposed comeback story. Becky dared one of them to step up and get their arm ripped off, so here we are.
The bell rings and the two circle. Sonya swings kicks but Becky ducks and dodges each of them, to then sweep the leg. Sonya out at One, and the two grin. They tie up, and Becky bends Sonya back. Sonya bridges, but Becky covers, ONE. Sonya stands back up, and she knees low. She runs and runs Becky over with a shoulder. She and Mandy embrace the heat, then cover, but Becky slips out even before a count. Becky mule kicks the shocked Sonya, then waistlocks. Sonya bucks her off, then mule kicks back. Sonya waistlocks to a takedown, then again. Becky headlocks and spins around to a waistlock. Sonya standing switches, but Becky runs and tosses Sonya off. Mandy coaches Sonya up while calming her down. Sonya drags Becky out and goes to throw her at the announce desk, but Becky turns that around and sends Sonya over!
Becky returns to the ring and dares Sonya to return while we go picture in picture. Mandy and Sonya regroup, then Sonya returns. Becky is right on her with a drop toehold to roll, TWO. Sonya kicks low, then rolls Becky, TWO. Sonya grabs Becky in a facelock, but Becky stands up. Becky reverses and whips, then follow to dropkick Sonya down. Sonya bails out while Becky fires up. Becky sees Sonya regroup with Mandy again, so she slides out. Sonya and Mandy get clear, and Sonya rams Becky into the apron. Sonya then throws Becky into barriers, and embraces the heat. She talks Becky, then puts her back in the ring. Sonya covers, TWO, and she grows a bit frustrated.
Sonya kicks Becky against ropes while we return to single picture. She throws body shots, kicks and knees, then wraps Becky in body scissors and a chinlock. Becky endures the squeeze and grind, and fans rally up. She makes it a cover, TWO, but then SPINEBUSTER. Cover, TWO! Mandy is frustrated for Sonya, but Sonya toys with Becky. Becky hits back with European Uppercuts, but ends up in a backslide. TWO, and Sonya rocks her with a heel kick. Cover, TWO, and Sonya puts Becky back in the body scissors. Becky endures again as Sonya puts on the chinlock. Fans rally and Becky feeds off the energy. She stands up, Sonya rocks her with a right and puts her in the corner. Sonya runs in, but misses, and Becky responds with a jump kick!
Becky runs, and rallies on Sonya with lariats! Calf kick dropkick on top, then a handspring. Becky uses a Becksploder and throws Sonya, cover, TWO! Becky keeps her cool as she runs in at Sonya, but that knee drives Becky right down! Cover, TWO! Sonya goes for a high stack, TWO. Sonya runs, but she misses the knee, and Becky hits a forearm. Cover, TWO. Becky keeps going, bringing Sonya up and going after the arm. Sonya pushes her off, rolls up, holds the gear, TWO! Step-up enziguri! Sonya crawls to a cover, TWO! Becky gets to a corner, and Sonya runs in, but into a boot. Becky hops up but Mandy distracts so Sonya can yank Becky off. Cover, TWO!
Sonya rains down rights while Mandy shouts for Becky to give up. But Becky yanks Sonya into Mandy! Then she yanks Sonya into Disarm-Her! Sonya taps, Becky wins!
The Lass Kicker's comeback continues! Can she heat up even more this Summer and make it back to the SmackDown Women's Championship?
And by "prepare", he really just puts on an Asuka mask. But then he encounters the Perfect Ten, Tye Dillinger! Sup, ya boy's back. No no no. That mask is more of a ten. Wait, "Todd", he's a ten, right? No, put down a hand. So, a five? No, put down like four fingers. That's you. A one?! Yep! Well, Ellsworth still thinks of himself as number one, but what will Ellsworth do after the break?
Andrade "Cien" Almas & Zelina Vega speak.
James Ellsworth heads to the ring.
Ya boy Jimmy L is back again to once again do the bidding of "the greatest woman ever", Carmella. That includes him taking the bullet for Carmella last week against Asuka, it seems. But he says there are two types of men in the world: the kind who wear sandals, graduate high school, and "talk about their feelings"; then the real men like Ellsworth! Men who stand up for their beliefs! Asuka ruined the Mellabration and attacked him for no reason. But that's okay, because Asuka is here tonight. So listen up "babe", this is a man's world, and when you mess with a bull, you get the horns! Now before you blow up his Twitter getting all triggered, Ellsworth lets everyone know he loves and respects women. His love life is so hot, you could fry an egg on it. And the feeling is mutual, wink wink.
But Asuka, there's no love lost between them. Nor is there respect. Ellsworth wasn't ready last week, but now that his shirt's off, he's ready this week! Try it again, Asuka, he dares you! Ellsworth waits, and fans hope she shows up, too. That and hopefully he puts his shirt on. Instead, it's the GM, Paige!
She asks Ellsworth what he's doing. He knows full-well Asuka is not here, because Ellsworth was asking the entire time where Asuka went. And when he found out Asuka was back home in Japan, that's when he decided to come out and pull this stunt. But since he's here, let's get to business. Ellsworth's appearance at MITB warrants love and respect for Asuka, from Paige. Carmella WILL defend her SmackDown Women's Championship at Extreme Rules against Asuka! That's funny, everyone knows Asuka doesn't' deserve that rematch. But is that all she's got? Or is it… Is she out here because she wants to go out with him? Fans already know the answer to that. Paige plays along and says yes, so how does next Tuesday sound? Y-Yes! Okay shush. See you there.
But um, it's not a date with Paige. No. And it's not a date, but a match. With ASUKA!! Ellsworth's words will come to haunt him, because he messed with a bull, and now he gets the horns. Will Ellsworth get gored by the Empress of Tomorrow?
Bryan warms up with the help of the Good Brothers.
Gallows & Anderson know what it's like to go up against Harper & Rowan, so they can give good advice. Will their hints and tips help The Goat overcome one half of the duo of doom?
Daniel Bryan VS Harper w/ Rowan!
The Bludgeon Brothers claim they're trying to teach the Grand Slam Champion Goat a lesson the hard way, but have not explained what the lesson is about. Will Harper get it through to Bryan by breaking him? Or will Bryan prove the bigger heart trumps the bigger man?
The bell rings, and Harper immediately powers Bryan to a corner. Harper uppercuts, then throws Bryan out. Rowan lurks but Bryan gets away. Harper chases and corners Bryan but Bryan slips out to kick away. Harper rocks Bryan with a right, then throws him back out. Bryan gets back in, builds speed, and dropkicks, but Harper catches him to drag him out and put him into barriers. Harper drags Bryan up for chops, then brings him around the corner to scoop him. Bran slips out and shoves Harper into posts. Bryan kicks away, then goes back into the ring to kick Harper on reentry. He kicks and kicks, then wrenches, but Harper decks him with a forearm. Harper rakes and hooks the face of Bryan, then puts him in a half-clutch.
Bryan endures being bent back, and fans rally. Harper rakes the face again, but Bryan chops and kicks back. Harper hits another uppercut, then brings Bryan up. He pushes but Bryan kicks back. Bryan dumps Harper out, then builds speed to DIVE! But Harper catches him, to throw him at the announce desk!
Harper lines up a shot, and boots Bryan into the timekeeper's area! Bryan is down, but we go to break.
SmackDown returns and Harper has Bryan in a chinlock. Fans rally and Bryan feeds off the energy. Bryan fights back, but Harper knees low. Harper has Bryan in a corner, then chops him again. Bryan gets to another corner, but Harper is upon him. Harper whips him corner to corner, but Bryan goes up and over. Bryan runs, dodges, but runs into a scrapbuster! Cover, TWO! Harper grows a bit frustrated, but he's still calm because he has control. He sits Bryan up to clobber him in the back. Harper grinds his foot into Bryan, then slingshots with the senton atomico! Cover, TWO, so it's back to a chinlock. Harper also traps an arm, so it's half straitjacket. Fans rally again, and Bryan gets up again. Bryan jawbreakers out, but Harper clubs and clamps on again!
Harper keeps Bryan on the mat, but fans keep rallying. Bryan stands up, fights out, but Harper rocks him with another right. Harper takes aim, runs in, but into a boot! Bryan runs and dropkicks the arm. Bryan runs corner to corner, for a big dropkick! Then another! He tries one more time, but runs into a scoop Michinoku driver! Cover, TWO! Harper keeps focus, and stands up. He brings Bryan up by his hair to club and clamp on again. Harper brings Bryan backward into the body scissors. Bryan endures while fans rally again. Bryan gets loose, then stands back up for more body shots. He kicks the leg, then the bad arm. "YES! YES!" but Bryan runs into Harper's dropkick!
Harper gets feeling in his arm while Bryan gets to a corner. Harper brings Bryan up and chops him swiftly. Bryan staggers but chops back. Harper headbutts Bryan down then stalks him to a corner. Harper chops Bryan again, then hoists him up top. He chops more, then climbs up to join Bryan. Bryan resists, sends Harper down, then fights with haymaker after haymaker! Tornado DDT! Both men are down, but Bryan is firing up. Bryan stands to give YES Kicks! "YES! YES!" over and over. He prepares the buzzsaw, but Harper mule kicks him back. Harper brings Bryan up, but Bryan slips out to a roll up, TWO. Harper misses the discus, Bryan goes after the bad arm! They go around, YES Lock is on!! Rowan attacks!
Rowan throws hands and body shots, then stomps away. Harper comes back to give knees, then Rowan gives more stomps. They stand Bryan up, and Harper slaps Rowan to fire him up. Rowan whips Harper in for a big back elbow! And Rowan adds the crossbody! The Bludgeon Brothers aren't done with Bryan, they drag him back up. Harper climbs, but fire and brimstone! It's KANE!!
The Big Red Machine has returned! And he's saving his old Team Hell No partner! Kane stands toe to toe with both Harper & Rowan, but no one backs down. Kane throws hands! He boots Harper down, then grabs each of them with a hand. They kick back, but Bryan flies in to double dropkick them! KNEE PLUS for Rowan! Then for Harper, the CHOKE SLAM! The Bludgeon Brothers retreat, and fans chant "Welcome back!" for the Devil's Favorite Demon. Bryan himself isn't so sure if Kane is a friend or foe. But fans hope for it as they chant "Team Hell No!" Bryan and Kane approach each other, and fans chant "Hug it out!" Kane steps forward, and offers a hug! Bryan isn't sure about that. But then, after thinking about it, he accepts!
Team Hell No is back together! Paige won't let this moment slip through her fingers. Extreme Rules will see a SmackDown Tag Team Championship match, The Bludgeon Brothers VS Team Hell No! That deserves a Hell "YES! YES!" And as if the answer isn't obvious, will they take those titles from Harper & Rowan?
This calls for a #YES! chant!
What an all-around fun SmackDown. There were some changes to what I remember being announced this morning, but SmackDown still adjusted to them well. Nakamura may actually be hurt enough to take a week off, but it was a great shift to have SAnitY appear and bring in The Usos for the "impromptu" Six Man Tag. That was a great match, and it's fine that Hardy & Usos go over, SAnitY is still new and yet is used more than AoP or Revival have since their call-ups. Then I thought it was to be Becky VS Peyton for the possible IIconics sweep, but perhaps something changed. Becky VS Sonya still turns out great, and either way, Becky wins to keep herself going strong.
Almas & Vega have a good point: just because Sin Cara is "out", doesn't mean Almas should be off TV. Put him in a match with someone, like Hardy or Dillinger. Maybe that can start next week while we still wait on Nakamura to return for Hardy or Sin Cara to return at all. Bryan VS Harper was set up perfectly via Miz TV, and their match was incredible. While SmackDown copies Raw with "great main event is ruined by interference", SmackDown does it better because of who comes out to save Bryan: KANE~! I was hoping for this last week, and I'm so glad we got it this week. Nothing against Harper & Rowan, but I hope Team Hell No wins the titles at Extreme Rules as a last hurrah for Kane before he truly retires.
Mitchell's WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament 2018, Finale!


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Yamaha's Maximus Purvis takes out MX2 win
Altherm JCR Yamaha's Purvis takes out MX2 win at Woodville's New Zealand Motocross GP
The Altherm JCR Yamaha team experienced the highs and lows that come with the tough sport of motocross, as it opened its 2020 campaign at the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville.
The newly-formed team made up of MX1 riders Hamilton's Kayne Lamont and Australian Kirk Gibbs, plus MX2 riders Mangakino's Maximus Purvis and 2019 British Motocross MX2 Championship-winner Dylan Walsh had mixed fortunes at the big, annual, stand-alone motocross weekend, which doubles as a FIM Oceania event.
Altherm JCR Yamaha's MX2 rider Maximus Purvis, of Mangakino, won his category at the New Zealand Motocross GP at Woodville over the weekend. He is pictured with his mechanic Tsuyoshi Wantanabe
Purvis (19) came out tops with a win in his category – demonstrating he is a force to be reckoned with for the four-round Fox New Zealand Motocross Championships, which begin this weekend in Balclutha.
After wet practise and qualifying sessions, Purvis got a good start in the first race, working his way to the front from fourth position.
"Then I pulled a comfortable gap and maintained it for the rest of the race," Purvis says.
He succinctly summed up his second race: "Got the holeshot and gapped out."
A third in the final race was enough to give him the overall MX2 win, in what was an impressive first race outing after recovering from an ankle injury.
"Overall, I'm really happy with my starts and speed and I'm looking forward to round one of the nationals," Purvis says.
Altherm JCR Yamaha team manager Josh Coppins was unable to attend due to overseas Yamaha commitments, but kept close tabs on his riders, in what was the 59th running of the Woodville event.
"Max has been off with an injury and it was good to see him get a win straight off the bat for his first race back with us, as last time he raced for us was in March," Coppins says.
Sunshine Coast-based Gibbs has returned for his second season with Altherm JCR Yamaha and although he found the slippery track conditions challenging, he has also staked his claim as a 2020 nationals front-runner. His 2-2-1 set of results gave him the runner-up position in the flagship MX1 class.
"In the first moto, I didn't get off the line very well at all and had to come from pretty much dead last. I actually felt really comfortable on the bike, made some good progress on the leaders and then got into second. Then I got right onto the back of first for the last lap but just ran out of time," Gibbs says.
The track had been watered before the second race and he "struggled a little bit trying to push hard when the track was drying out."
"I got into second, then just as I got into the lead Hamish Harwood passed me. He could turn off a few things a little bit better than me until the track started to dry out towards the end of the race and then I got right back on him but couldn't pass," Gibbs says.
Altherm JCR Yamaha rider Kirk Gibbs, of Australia, finished runner-up in the MX1 class at the New Zealand Motocross GP at Woodville at the weekend.
In the final race he settled into second behind Harwood.
"I sat there for a little bit but started to inch up. He made a little mistake down the back and I got through and rode it home for a win. All in all, I felt very good and felt good on the bike. My starts can definitely be better and I've got to work on those this week and then I'll come out swinging for round one," Gibbs concludes.
Coppins says Gibbs hasn't raced since August, "so he needed some track time."
"He came through in the first race from a stalled start, to finish second, which was a great ride – only under one second off the win. He's quite happy with his speed and results after a four-month break," he adds.
After recently being signed by Ben Townley Tours and racing as a satellite rider with the Altherm JCR Yamaha team, 22-year-old Walsh was keen to make an impression back on home soil.
A mixed bag of results saw him claim 4-5-4 as he settled into competitive racing on his Yamaha YZ250F.
"It was a rough start to the New Zealand racing, although it was good to learn the bike all weekend and make changes. The best race I had was the last moto, despite having a fall. I've got to take the positives from it and the fact I've got the bike set-up a lot better for next weekend," Walsh says.
Coppins believes Walsh probably heaped a fair amount of pressure on himself.
"Dylan was a little bit rusty and made some mistakes but he had good speed. The potential is there – he got a holeshot and led some laps. I think he'll be a whole lot better this weekend. No doubt he's frustrated with himself and I know Ben [Townley] is working hard with him to get him to calm down and enjoy it," Coppins says.
After an injury-free build-up to the season, Lamont had a first race that every rider dreads - crashing heavily early on.
"I got the holeshot in race one and crashed after the second turn on one of the jumps, which sent me out for the day. I went to hospital and I've got no broken bones but I do have a haematoma on my bottom and a slightly bruised lung. My bike was good and I was feeling good. Hopefully I can get out on the race track again soon and put in some good results," he says.
Coppins thinks it's highly unlikely Lamont will be able to ride at least at Balclutha as his bruising is extensive and is currently being monitored to make sure it stops bleeding.
"That obviously puts him out of the MX1 championship hunt, which is a shame. I honestly felt he was ready to win. We'd worked hard to get him ready."
"That means it falls back onto Kirk – so that's a good back stop. I'm looking forward to working with him and making some improvements this week while he's staying with me in Motueka. We'll do some testing and iron out any issues for this weekend."
"A first and fourth in MX2 and second in MX1 is not too bad. Obviously we've had better Woodville GPs but it's a fairly solid start heading into round one," Coppins wraps up.
The forecast is looking wet for the week in Balclutha and potentially over the weekend in the small South Island township.
"I'm looking forward to coming home and being at the race track as I missed the two New Zealand Superbike rounds and this weekend at Woodville," says Coppins, who is the Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motorsport Manager.
1st Hamish Harwood – 72
2nd Kirk Gibbs – 69 (Yamaha YZ450F)
3rd Ethan Martens – 54
4th Cody Cooper – 51
5th Hadleigh Knight - 48
1st Maximus Purvis – 70 (Yamaha YZ250F)
2nd Wyatt Chase – 67
3rd Josiah Natzske – 56
4th Dylan Walsh – 52 (Yamaha YZ250F)
5th James Scott – 46
2020 ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA RACE SCHEDULE:
2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship
Round One - Balclutha, 1st February 2020
Round Two - Rotorua, 23rd February 2020
Round Three - Hawkes Bay, 1st March 2020
Round Four - Taupo, 15th March 2020
ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS:
Altherm Window Systems, JCR, Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Yamalube, GYTR, bLU cRU, YMF, YMI, Holland Collision Centre, Ward Demolition, Contract Consultants, Fox & Workshop Graphics.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Hair get shaved during Monroe High Wish Week event
Sydney Nimeth Monroe News Staff Reporter
Kelsie Cousino of Erie served as princess for Monroe High School's 2019 Make-A-Wish project; the students raised money to help with her wish vacation.
A person's hairstyle can be just as identifiable as, say, his or her name or even a tattoo, but for two students and a teacher at Monroe High School, it's the lack of hair that's making a difference.
Monroe High School concluded its third annual Wish Week Monday with three people shaving their heads in the high school's auditorium surrounded by lights, balloons and a 6-year-old girl wearing a pink tiara and waving a princess wand.
That 6-year-old girl is Kelsie Cousino of Erie, who was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome when she was 12 weeks old. According to her mother, Jackie Cousino, Williams Syndrome is a developmental disorder that causes a person's genetic makeup to be missing multiple genes on Chromosome 7. As a result, Kelsie is missing 24 genes and has had eight heart surgeries and one brain surgery.
Kelsie's wish is to go on a Disney Cruise to see her favorite princess, Cinderella.
"Minus the health problems, it's been a blessing to our family," Jackie said. "She's very outgoing, very social and brings joy to everybody who meets her," Jackie said. "The health problems have brought us closer as a community and we are very grateful to everybody who has supported her."
Kelsie's personality definitely shined bright as she was on stage watching Daniel Kosanovich and Robby Reed, both 10thgraders, and Joshua Webb, a chemistry and physical science teacher at the high school, get their heads shaved by hairstylists from Evolve Salon and Day Spa.
Walking back to his seat after being shaved, Webb's once full beard lay on the auditorium stage floor after Kelsie convinced him to not only shave his head, but also his face.
"So Kelsie, you want this beard off?" Webb asked. "Let's do this!" Kelsie replied.
After Robby got his head shaved, he announced to the audience that his family didn't know he was going this.
"I'm going to walk in and act like nothing's wrong," he said.
Daniel wanted to participate in the head-shaving assembly because he believes no child should have to be on Make-A-Wish's list. "I wanted to donate because she has to get better. I hope she gets better," he said.
Wish Week was started three years ago by MHS' student council and was inspired by a state conference the student council participates in which "encourages a charity week."
According to Avery Morales, a senior and head of the hair-shaving assembly, Make-A Wish connects the student council with a "wish child." This year, the council tried to adopt the wish with a goal of raising $6,000 through various fundraisers, including the head-shaving assembly.
"We're trying to change the energy in the school and get everybody hyped while supporting a great cause," Avery said.
The audience cheered and clapped as balloons fell from the ceiling when the dollar amount the high school raised during Wish Week was announced. With an original goal of $6,000, the school was able to raise more than half that goal with an amount of $3,013.30. According to Avery though, the fundraising efforts haven't stopped with more activities coming within the next few weeks.
"It's very amazing, especially with the high school kids being in charge of it, that they would want to take this on and help somebody in their community," Jackie Cousino said. "Thank you to everybody who put this on."
The Cousino family doesn't have a set date for the Disney cruise, but has been told it will be either at the end of this year or early next year.


Anastasia Schipanova represents a new generation of emerging Russian contemporary artists, a mix of expressionism, symbolism and abstraction in a vessel of so-called energo-abstractionism.
A: Could you describe your method in terms of combining influences? How do you find balance between these whilst creating something that you feel is your own?
AS: I love abstraction because it's closer to my personality and does not restrict my imagination. It allows me to emulate my feelings as well as echo the atmosphere and the energy of a place that inspired the painting. It's an unseen, delicate matter far beyond the realms of reality; there are no defined shapes. Expressionism helps me bring my personal feelings to life. Occasionally I use subjects that are easier to understand. My paintings reflect the inner meaning, not the real form. When working on a new canvas, I never do sketches. My process has a lot more flow and is extremely impulsive. Whatever the painting turns out to be is what it it's going to be like. This is only way I can truly say that it's a piece of me.
A: Do you think that a revival in painting as a contemporary practice is important, and do you think that your practice feeds into this thought?
AS: I don't think that painting is in need of revival, it has never fallen. Painting is a fundamental part of art. Of course, nowadays a lot of mixed-media unusual movements are being developed, but painting is a unique form. All you need is a blank canvas, paint, brushes and a desire to create. It's a lot more accessible, so anyone can give painting a try. The important thing is for classical painting to evolve alongside the modern times which will allow it to show its full potential and step outside of the landscape-portrait-still life box. I enjoy creating artworks dedicated to the energy that a specific place radiates, to the outbursts of emotions. Painting can affect your inner well-being. You can use it for relaxation, restoring energy and filling yourself with positivity. I believe that this alone can bring a huge value to the modern society and believe that this is art's main purpose.
A: Is it important to think about time when creating a piece of work, especially when considering the acceleration of contemporary society?
AS: Extremely important. It's a unique topic that contains the philosophy of our lives and perception of the world. I once caught myself thinking about capturing a moment on a static canvas; capturing the briskness, the infinite shift of the image and the distortion of the composition. Speed is relative. It can be viewed from completely different angles, which is exactly what I'm trying to convey.
In recent years, the rhythm of life has become a lot faster. Everything changes so rapidly and it's impossible to get used to something new because soon enough it will no longer be valid. In my studio, I try to detach myself from the external environment and not think about the time, the bustle, or any other errands. It's where time stops. Speed is born on the canvas with each new stroke of my brush. It might take a few hours until I decide that the painting is finished, or it might take a week.
A: How do you incorporate a sense of colour theory into the pieces?
AS: Paints and colours are my passion; I love working with them. My palette is very varied, it changes based on my inspiration and the image I see in my mind. If you look at my paintings you will notice that I have worked in gentle pastels in some of them, whereas others are full of deep, rich tones. The choices help transport the meaning and the energy of my work by causing certain emotions. When I studied psychology, I was intrigued by the ability to impact the viewer through colour. What is the first thing you think of when you see an abstract painting in red? Aggression or passion? It's very personal but if you choose the combinations wisely and dilute them with other tones, you can capture an unimaginable spectrum of the viewer's thoughts.
A: What has been your best achievement to date, in your opinion?
AS: I'm realistic when it comes to evaluating my progress and believe that my main achievements are still ahead. At the current stage of my artistic career, I would say the biggest achievement was my first solo exhibition, Echo of the Universe, in the Boccara Gallery, Moscow. The exhibition included over 30 paintings that were created over the stretch of seven years. It included some of my earlier works, too. I really enjoyed the experience as it allowed me to see the true reaction to my paintings from the viewers' side, as well as talk to industry professionals. The opinions of those around you always push you to develop your skills further.
A: What exhibitions have you got coming up this year?
AS: This year is full of different events. In May I am taking a few of my pieces to a group exhibition and an art fair in Tokyo which will be my first step into the international arena. I am also being invited to showcase my art in Paris and Monaco. For the last few months I have been working on a new project in my studio which will be premiered this Autumn in Moscow. You can also see a few of my paintings being displayed as part of group exhibition in London.
A: What do you have planned in terms of future projects / working in other media?
AS: I am curious to try working with shapes more hands-on, so I want to venture into sculpting and perhaps volumetric paintings as well. Playing with textures, shapes and materials is a completely different approach to art. My current paintings are going to be used for a series of installations as part of my next solo exhibition. I am also familiar with the fashion industry so I'm sure you will see a collaboration with a fashion brand sometime in the future, too.
1. Anastasia Schipanova, Orange Snowstorm (2015). Courtesy of the artist.


Our client is a sucessful real estate business who acquire and manage properties in major cities across the world. They now require a Tax Analyst to join their UK tax team.
You will be reponsible for the oversight of all tax return filing and related activities.
As part of the continuing development of the role my client is offering tax candidates the ability to develop exposure to finance working with the FC.


AECOM is actively seeking a Senior Ecologist for immediate employment to work in any one of the AECOM offices located in Ohio. The successful applicant will have significant experience in ecological assessment, permitting, and mitigation including for utility-scale electric transmission and oil and gas pipelines.
AECOM is seeking a dynamic individual, capable of conducting the below work with local knowledge of ecosystems; someone who works well with others and is comfortable in small or large groups; and who can skillfully and efficiently prepare high quality technical documentation/reports/permit packages.


Over the past few years, many strong and active members have told us that they are unable to activate because of the restriction to tranfer funds from their country.
And although they are really strong players, they are unable to continue with the program.
In the mean time, we've also seen many activated members having a lot of trouble referring strong players into their team.
As a result, we've decided to bring these 2 groups of people together.
For all activated members, you'll now be able to see a new BuyRef link under Membership Status section. There will be a list of members with their activity status, number of personal referrals they have, and the number of contacts/interests they've received from other activated members.
You'll also be able to send message to them and communicate with them before you choose to benefactor their way into your team.
As for those strong players who've been able to lock in due to financial difficulties, you'll also be able to find the new link under Membership Status section where you can add yourself to the list to prove your worth to your potential new sponsors.


Art is about forging connections; connections between places, cultures, ideas, between the past, present and future and most importantly between people.
In all the public art that I create I begin with the question – "How can this art generate a greater sense of community in this place?" I love the power of art to strengthen the social and emotional importance of a place. Art can transform a physical location into a connection between people. This connection helps people to identify with each other and helps facilitate community growth.
Public art should create a sense of ownership in the viewer. Just as the art in your home helps to make that place meaningful to you, public art can inspire investment in your community. It can help to define "your neighbourhood" and "your city". Art can lift up a community and energize the spirit of the individuals within it.
My hope is that my art will become part of the community identity and woven into the fabric of individuals' lives.
Paul was born in Calgary, Alberta on April 25, 1974. At the age of six, his family moved to the picturesque community of Crawford Bay, British Columbia. Growing up surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the Kootenay region's mountains and lakes instilled in Paul, a love of nature that inspires much of his art to this day.
Today, Paul lives with his wife and two children in Cranbrook. Family and community involvement are the most important elements of Paul's life. Through his early public art projects he was able to facilitate substantial positive changes in the way that people in Cranbrook relate to their community and to each other. He has since, been able to bring that same spirit of community building with public art projects to many other cities.


A group of artists started The Echo Society in Los Angeles in the spring of 2013.
The core group of founding composers.
"Do you make art?" This question is something you might hear Brady say at holiday party.
Brady got schooled in New York working along designers while producing shows for fashion week. He continues now in LA with lighting design, production design and retail design.
Mixing engineer Satoshi Mark Noguchi has been working up a storm around Hollywood. After just under a decade in Los Angeles, the Seattle native's list of credits suggest that he does more mixing than sleeping. He is currently recording/mixing film scores and songs for artists such as Rob Simonsen, Nathan Whitehead, Joe Trapanese, Bret McKenzie, and Dia Frampton. In 2013 he was nominated for a CAS mixing award for Explosions in the Sky's score to the film "Lone Survivor".
Elizabeth Joy, an architectural engineer, founded Joy Design Collaborative as a way to blend her skills as an engineer with her lifelong love for design. Her engineering background is realized through the construction of custom designs for her events, and her concentration in design keeps her at the forefront of new ideas making her scenescapes have the best balance of classic and modern.
Elizabeth also co-owns Nous Engineering, a structural engineering company based in Downtown Los Angeles that specializes in creating temporary and permanent spaces or art installations for international brands, organisations, agencies, developers and governments.
Most recently, Elizabeth and her team traveled to West Africa to work with the Liberian government on upgrading their hospital structural standards.
Anthony Ciannamea (EFFIXX) is a creative director working at the intersection of design, motion, and technology. He spent his early career as an interactive art director at advertising agencies in Chicago, where he was involved in the design and development of award-winning branded content for clients including Gatorade, Motorola, and Burton Snowboards. As an outlet to create music-related works, Anthony founded the artist collective Scenic Studio. There, he directed and produced film projects for musicians like Son Lux, and indie labels like Alpha Pup and Ghostly International, soon expanding into live tour projection and lighting with Deru, Shigeto, Prefuse 73, and a residency at Low End Theory (SF).
In 2011, during the production of a feature-length travel documentary (Outliers, Vol. I: Iceland), Anthony met and began working regularly with composer Benjamin Wynn (aka Deru). Together, they led a team of artists and engineers to build the first album released on a handheld LED video projector crafted from walnut: a modern-day time capsule. Titled 1979, the project explored themes of nostalgia and featured nine audiovisual collaborations between the two artists. Now based in California, Anthony continues to work with The Echo Society, and is launching a VR album series and physical music artifacts with 79Ancestors, a newly-formed interdisciplinary record label with partner Ben Wynn and acclaimed Adobe experience designer Yaniv De Ridder.
Guest composers who have participated in The Echo Society concerts.
Harpist Alison Bjorkedal is a freelance musician who teaches and performs in the Los Angeles area. Named "excellent player" and "enterprising young harpist" by the Los Angeles Times, Alison's notable chamber music performances include the world premieres of William Kraft's Encounters XII for harp and percussion; Anne LeBaron's HSING for solo harp and Wadada Leo Smith's Ten Freedom Summers, a 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist. In addition to the harp, Alison also plays the Kithara (an instrument created for the music of Harry Partch) with LA-based, Grammy Award winning ensemble Partch.
Violinist Alma Fernandez is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and UCLA, where she received a Master's Degree in Viola Performance. She is a member of the Eclipse Quartet, an ensemble devoted to contemporary music, which has released recordings under Bridge Records, New World, and Microfest. Alma is also active in the Los Angeles recording industry. She is currently professor of Viola at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA.
Violinist Alyssa Park made her professional debut at age eleven with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and at age sixteen she was the youngest prize winner in the history of the Tchaikovsky International Competition. She has made many appearances as a soloist throughout the United States, Europe, Autralia and Asia. An avid chamber musician, Ms. Park has been a frequent guest at major festivals and is a member of the Lyris Quartet based in Los Angeles. They are the ensemble in residence for the Jacaranda Music Series and the Hear Now Music Festival.
Violist Caroline Buckman grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia and chose to play the viola in the fifth grade after her mother explained the cello was too large to take on the school bus. She received a Bachelor of Music from Arizona State University where she studied with Dr. William Magers, and then pursued a Masters degree from the Hochschule fur Musik "Carl Maria von Weber" in Dresden, Germany.
Caroline moved to Los Angeles in 2002 and has since performed in the Santa Barbara, Pasadena and New West Symphonies, Long Beach and Santa Barbara Operas, and played for artists at the Grammys, American Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards and Academy Awards. She toured the US with Gnarls Barkley in 2006, and was a solo violist on two consecutive world tours with the Jonas Brothers from 2008-2010.
Cellist Jacob Braun performs and records frequently. He teaches at The Colburn School and UC Santa Barbara. Jacob lives in Echo Park with his wife and 3 dogs.
Los Angeles based violinist Kathleen Sloan is active as soloist, member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Sonus Quartet as well as a session musician in the film and recording industries. In the last year, Sloan has soloed with the San Francisco Symphony, The Dallas Symphony, the Nashville Symphony as well as the San Diego Symphony in aerial performances of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Cirque Musica. Sloan began violin studies at the age of 3 in Texas, and at 15, was accepted into the Cleveland Institute of Music's Young Artist Program. She later graduated from the University of Southern California.
Cellist Vanessa Freebairn-Smith's diverse and prolific career spans the music and motion picture industries. She works as a multi-instrumentalist for artists such as Sinead O'Connor and Sarah McLachlan, and has composed and arranged for various artists and bands including The Red Hot Chili Peppers. She regularly records for acclaimed music producers David Foster and Danger Mouse, and enjoys an ongoing collaboration with film composer Clint Mansell.
Vanessa trained at the Colburn School of Performing Arts before completing her BA in Cello Performance at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a founding member of the Sonus Quartet, which took part in the Julliard Quartet Seminar and held a residency at the Banff Center in Canada and now enjoys a diverse musical career both recording and performing around the world. She has toured with Josh Groban, Gnarls Barkley and Sia.
JAMES MILLER is the Associate Principal Trombone with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position he has held since 1999. His duties include performing on alto, tenor and bass trombone; tenor tuba; and bass trumpet. His previous orchestral experience includes the North Carolina Symphony, the Long Island Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. Miller earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa and his Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, where he was a scholarship student of Per Brevig.
As a composer, James has had world premieres in New York's Lincoln Center and continues to perform his own works in solo performances throughout the country. He serves on the faculty of the California Institute of the Arts (CIA) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Miller is a Conn/Selmer and a Denis Wick clinician and has two CDs, "from coast to coast" and "Delays, delays", on All Barks Dog records.
James Sullivan explores the versatility of the clarinet and bass clarinet family in an expansive scope of styles and repertoire. Collaborations range from free improvisation with Vinnie Golia, Stravinsky's L'Histoire du soldat with Martin Chalifour, and several years playing jazz with the Brad Dutz Quartet. He honed his microtonal skills studying maqam while playing for a decade with classical Arabic ensemble Kan Zaman. His just intonation background includes premiering and recording Ben Johnston's Parable and participating in the creation and recording of composer Andrew McIntosh's Symmetry Etudes. Additionally, he has performed with Partch ensemble in Harry Partch's Oedipus, where he became special friends with the Chromelodeon. Classical orchestral performance includes work with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pasadena Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony and Seattle Symphony. He has appeared as soloist on the series Jacaranda, Green Umbrella, Boston Court, and Microfest. When the licorice stick is resting in the case, he likes to spend the day running in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Originally from Tennessee, Dr. Justin Hageman has performed and worked in many different capacities in the Los Angeles area as a horn player. He has performed with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Andrea Bocceli, Frank Sinatra Jr., Josh Groban, Diana Krall, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. In addition, he has recorded with many artists and worked on several motion pictures and television shows.
Dr. Hageman is a member of the Santa Barbara Symphony and has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Long Beach Symphony, the Pasadena Symphony, the New West Symphony, the Riverside Philharmonic, Broadway LA's production of Wicked and the Center Group Theatre's productions of Les Miserables and Mary Poppins.
He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Lindsey, and amazing daughters, Sydney and Katelyn.
Trombonist Lori Stuntz holds Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the USC Thornton School of Music. Lori plays principal trombone with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, trombone with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, and frequently performs with many orchestras.
As a commercial player, Lori plays lead trombone for the all female big band Maiden Voyage and has performed with artists such as DIVA, Nancy Wilson, Jack Sheldon, Diane Schuur, Ray Anthony, Lionel Hampton, Bill Watrous, and The New York Pops. As a recording artist she has appeared on many major motion picture soundtracks, commercials, video games, and records. She is the first female trombonist to record on a major motion picture.
Lori enjoys living in the Los Angeles area with her family of six.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Max Kaplan has been pursuing music since he first took up the clarinet in grade school. Max graduated from UCLA with a double music concentration in performance and composition. Max has had three commissions since graduation; a Trio for clarinet, viola and piano commissioned by the Milwaukee New Music Foundation, and a string quartet commissioned by the Guatemalan Children's Education Fund benefit, and a Medley of Beatle's Songs for Elementary Band commissioned by Steven S. Wise Elementary.
Max currently freelances as a woodwind doubler, teacher, composer and arranger.
Neel Hammond is a violinist, violist, arranger and orchestrator. He studied with Yoko Matsuda at Pomona College and holds a Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with David Russell and Peter Salaff. An avid chamber musician, he is a former founding member of the Juniper Quartet and Sonus Quartet. He enjoys a career as a session musician, and has contributed to numerous records and film scores.
Danielle Ondarza is a horn player in Los Angeles. As a freelancer, she has performed with many orchestras in Southern California, including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Danielle played principal horn for Josh Groban on his Straight to You Tour, traveling for six months throughout the United States and Europe. She has also performed live with Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey, Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra Jr., Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keyes, Queen Latifah, Idina Menzel, Kanye West, and Juan Gabriel. Recording credits include record dates for Mary J. Blige, Barry Manilow, Madonna, Sia, and Justin Timberlake. She has been seen on the MTV Video Music Awards, the American Music Awards, the Jimmy Kimmel Show, and Fox's hit show "Glee."
Pete Korpela is a Latin Grammy Award nominated percussionist. Since moving to Los Angeles in 1997 he has gained a reputation as a versatile musician in orchestral, latin, jazz, world, rock and pop music. The most notable touring & recording collaborations: Josh Groban (2011 & 2013 tours), Robbie Williams, The Lion King (2003-07 1st National Tour), Cirque Du Soleil, Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Jesse Carmichael (Maroon 5), Melody Gardot, Luis Conte, Seth MacFarlane, Ron Jones and Randy Brecker. Performance venues include Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Sydney Opera House and O2 Arena (London).
A pianist of "unerring, warm-toned refinement, revealing judicious glimmers of power," Robert Thies is an artist renowned for his consummate musicianship and poetic temperament. Thies enjoys a diverse career as an orchestral soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and recording artist.
Thies has worked and recorded with many of the top film composers, including James Newton Howard, James Horner, Danny Elfman, and Mychael Danna. In February 2006 Robert released his debut solo recording Live in Recital. Later that same year, he recorded a Classical/Jazz crossover CD Difference with the Croatian flutist, Damjan Krajacic. 2012 marked the release of the improvisational acoustic/ambient album, Blue Landscapes, also with Krajacic. His solo debut album of original compositions Life Around Us is due for release later this year.
Violinist Serena McKinney leads a diverse musical life as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. She is a founding member of the internationally heralded Janaki String Trio. Since her solo debut at age twelve, she has performed as soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. Ms. McKinney holds degrees from the New England Conservatory and The Colburn School, where she worked with Robert Lipsett. She is active in film scoring in Los Angeles, recording with composers such as John Williams, Thomas Newman, Hans Zimmer, and Randy Newman. She performs on a Joseph and Antonius Gagliano violin, c. 1740.
Cellist Timothy Loo, joined the Lyris Quartet with violinists Alyssa Park and Shalini Vijayan and violist Luke Maurer in 2008. The Quartet has quickly become one of the major performing ensembles in Los Angeles. Performing regularly on concert series including Jacaranda, Hear Now, Sunday's Live from the Bing Theater at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, South Bay Chamber Music, Pacific Palisades Chamber Music. In 2011 the Lyris Quartet performed at the Martha's Vineyard Chamber Music series and was the quartet in residence at the University of Cailfornia at Davis in 2012. This year they will perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall with Billy Childs and on the Green Umbrella series.
Bassist Ian Walker lives and works in the Los Angeles area. His experience includes recording in motion picture, television and phonograph, performing with local orchestras and singer-songwriters.
A freelance violinist in Los Angeles, Marisa has enjoyed the privilege of sharing the stage and the studio with many of her favorite artists; including Beck, Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Michael Buble, and Madonna. Marisa is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Charles Castleman, and Camilla Wicks.
Marisa recently returned to sunny Los Angeles after spending many months abroad, leading a string quartet for John Legend's "All of Me" tour. Other travels include the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Tour, where she served as concertmaster; several tours as the string leader for Kanye West; and a trip to China with the San Diego Symphony.
When she is not busy making music, Marisa can be found walking her Boston terriers, and making pasta.
Gina Luciani, a Miyazawa Emerging Artist, performs frequently in solo, chamber and orchestral settings and can be heard on many recordings in the film and television industry. Gina is described as "One of those amazing young flutists who has all the musical bases covered" by Jim Walker.
Harpist Jacqueline Marshall plays with many orchestras and has recorded for dozens of major motion pictures. Jacqueline has appeared as a featured soloist with Symphony Irvine, the UCLA Symphony Orchestra, the La Sierra University Orchestra and at the Banff Music Festival. Jacqueline received a B.A. from UCLA, a Professional Studies Diploma in Harp Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and an M.M. from UCLA. Jacqueline is currently on faculty as Adjunct Lecturer of Harp at La Sierra University, and serves as a teacher in The Harp In Our Public Schools Project. Jacqueline has also been a regular recitalist and lecturer for the Gluck Foundation's Music Outreach Program, and has been a guest lecturer at UCLA Extension.
Percussionist Nick Stone has made his career performing across the world, from America to Zululand. He has performed for the Presidents of Russia, South Africa, China, and Brazil as well as the Prime Minister of India. He spent two years as the Principal Percussionist for the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic in Durban, South Africa and now lives and works in Los Angeles.


The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history.
The operation continued from August 23, 1941 to September 26, 1941 as part of Operation Barbarossa. In Soviet military history it is referred to as the Kiev Defensive Operation (Киевская оборонительная операция), with somewhat different dating of July 7 to September 26, 1941.
Nearly the entire Southwestern Front of the Red Army was encircled with the Germans claiming 665,000 captured. However, the Kiev encirclement was not complete, and small groups of Red Army troops managed to escape the cauldron days after the German pincers met east of the city, including head quarters of Marshall Semyon Budyonny, Marshall Semyon Timoshenko and Commissar Nikita Khrushchev. Nevertheless, the Kiev disaster was an unprecedented defeat for the Red Army, exceeding even the Minsk tragedy of June-July 1941. On 1 September the Southwestern Front numbered 752-760,000 troops (850,000 including reserves and rear service organs), 3,923 guns & mortars, 114 tanks and 167 combat aircraft.
The encirclement trapped 452,700 troops, 2,642 guns & mortars and 64 tanks, of which scarcely 15,000 escaped from the encirclement by 2 October. Overall, the Southwestern Front suffered 700,544 casualties, including 616,304 killed, captured, or missing during the month-long Battle for Kiev. As a result, four Soviet field armies (5th, 37th, 26th, & 21st) consisting of 43 divisions virtually ceased to exist. The 40th Army was badly affected as well. Like the Western Front before it, the Southwestern Front had to be recreated almost from scratch.
On June 22, 1941 Hitler began his "drive to the East" by invading Ukraine on his way to Moscow. On the first day of the attack the Ukrainian cities of Kiev, Odessa and Lviv were bombed. German armies captured huge territories of Ukraine and there was little resistance. At first the Ukrainians treated the Nazis as liberators from Russian Communist rule. However, although the Ukrainians may have suffered repression under the Russians, but they were treated much more brutally under the Germans. It only took a few weeks before the Germans' true intentions came to light.


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That'll be the smooth satin textured Crowberry fruit you never tasted!
Tasting note: really ripe fresh berry fruit nose but with sharp twist of what Andy described as antiseptic. That may not sound appealing but strangely it does have an allure. It keep the fruit fresh and lively without that over the top cloying sensation that leads to sickliness.


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Clemency Board Will Consider Antonio Balta's Case
Michael J. Mooney December 8, 2010 7:56AM
When the state Clemency Board meets for the final time later this week, the four-person commission might, against better judgment, pardon long-dead rocker Jim Morrison. And the board may look at the case of a condemned South Florida dog.
But a network of activists stretching from Florida to New York to California is hopeful the commission spends a substantial amount of time examining the case of Antonio Balta, the former horse-track employee sentenced to 20 years for the accidental death of his 9-month-old daughter.
Doris Sutton, a 90-year-old poet in California who's been leading the letter-writing campaign aimed at freeing Balta, received a letter from the office of Charles H. Bronson, commissioner of agriculture and a member of the Clemency Board, stating that the board would definitely consider Balta's case.
Earlier this month, a representative from Gov. Charlie Crist's office confirmed that he was also reviewing Balta's case and would make a decision before the meeting tomorrow.
We examined the case of Antonio Balta in a cover story earlier this year. On the day of the Florida Derby six and a half years ago, Balta left his daughter, Veronika, in the family car while he went inside the casino to see his boss, say goodbye to his friends, and place a few small bets. After pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child, Balta received a 20-year sentence -- one of the longest in the country for this type of crime.
For years, Sutton and a few like-minded associates sprinkled across the country have written letters to the governor and to every member of the state Legislature. In a recent letter sent to all four members of the Clemency Board, which in addition to Crist and Bronson includes outgoing Attorney General Bill McCollum and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, Sutton again laid out her case for Balta's release:
"He was the blue collar Dad who worked at the Hallandale Racetrack and whose baby died in the back of the family car," the letter reads in part. "Antonio is an immigrant from Peru who in the heat of the moment got an unprecedented long sentence for a tragic mistake."
At more than $50,000 per year, Balta's 20-year sentence will cost taxpayers more than a million dollars. And since Balta is not a legal resident of the U.S., he will be deported after serving his sentence anyway.
Here is a video Ms. Sutton made, a direct appeal to Charlie Crist: