About two months ago, I was approached by one consultant to inform me that she was heading to my country for an evaluation.
And with a smile I wished her all the best in my beautiful country. She asked about her safety and I jokingly told her that if she was safe in my "hands" here then she would be still be safe in Zimbabwe.
"I am a typical Zimbabwean," I boasted. "Are you corrupt like most Zimbabweans, especially those in power?" she asked with surprise written all over her face.
Her perception is based on events of the last decade. She argues Zimbabweans are known for stealing elections.
Our natural resources are not benefiting the people and for that we have climbed the ladder of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Poverty levels in the country are a result of corruption and stolen freedoms and human rights. Sadly, she thinks all Zimbabweans are like that.
When I said I was a typical Zimbabwean, she was worried as she thought I was one of the criminals.
For the avoidance of furthering an unnecessary discussion which I suspected would turn political, I allowed it to die.
A few moments later a colleague, who has stayed in Zimbabwe for over half a decade and was listening to the conversation, expressed his sadness that that is what many people out there, especially in the West, think of Zimbabweans.
Have we become such bad people? Or rather, have been made that bad? How long will it take us to become the honest and peace-loving people that we used to be?
It got me thinking about the perception people outside Zimbabwe have about us, how that affects both our personal and national development. My colleague, Thembe Sachikonye, used to remind us a few years back that public perception influences your brand and your market acceptability.
She might be right about certain things, but surely such generalisation is appalling. But maybe she can be forgiven as that is how human mind operates.
You can be judged by sins of people whose ideas you do not support, simply because you share the same nationality.
Last week again when touring parts of northern Botswana, I was reminded by my Tswana friends about how risky it is to employ and trust Zimbabwean maids.
Stories range from the theft of minor items such as school shoes to big items such as television sets, radios and sometimes all household items and even husbands.
And every time such accusations were raised they were followed by the statement: "What's wrong with you people?" Sadly, some are convinced that every Zimbabwean is like that and it's a perception that is hard to deal with.
Again, I remembered the words of Tendai Biti, when he said bad policies breed bad behaviour. Our political environment has pushed many people into different survival modes.
Some are good and others are bad. But much of the bad behaviour is largely a replica of our political characters.
What can stop people from stealing if they feel their votes, freedoms and rights are being stolen? Why would they care about the perception of their own image and that of the country if those in leadership positions are not leading by example?
Just few weeks ago police were deployed in Alexandra Township in South Africa to quell a potential xenophobia outbreak.
The narrative was that Zimbabweans are "stealing" Reconstruction and Development Programme (popularly known as RDP) houses from South Africans. And foreigners were asked to surrender the keys or face the "music".
The story starts with Zimbos, as they are popularly known, "stealing" and accepting low-paying jobs.
With the meagre wages, they go on to "steal" their women with the hope of securing a permanent residence permit. With the same meagre wages, they bribe the housing officials to secure an RDP house.
Apparently an RDP house is free and reports suggest that if you "pay" you jump the long queue.
All this is happening while a South African is waiting for a better paying job, I suppose. And when that job fails to come, xenophobia begins so as to get rid of foreigners who are "stealing" opportunities.
In the US, some Zimbabweans are known for filing fraudulent tax return claims worth millions of dollars.
The money is quickly moved either back to Zimbabwe or other safe destinations where it is "sanitised" into proper businesses.
So already in that country Zimbabweans are competing with Nigerians for the scam kings tag.
What is interesting though is that while those in the Diaspora "steal" to send money back home, our politicians are "stealing" from our natural resources into off shore accounts.
Their justification is that the country is in a fragile condition and should anything happen, their money must be safe so they have somewhere to start from.
Because this money is either idle or used by countries in which it is kept, it is conclusively stealing from the people.
2011年10月30日星期日
2011年10月27日星期四
Toilets around the world
On cold mornings, the arrogant rulers of the ancient Turkish city of Ephesus forced slaves to sit on the frigid stone toilet seats in the communal restroom, the servants' warm buttocks taking the chill from the marble seats before the heartless rulers pulled up their tunics and sat down.
I point out this odd but true bit of history because I was recently in Ephesus and actually saw these 3,000-year-old stone toilet seats. And also because it explains why Steve Cox, the chief of staff for Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach, rushes down to the City Hall men's room each morning — just before Mayor Bach finishes his large coffee and fourth bran muffin.
But enough about that. Only an idiot would spend two weeks in Europe amid the yachts in the harbor of Monte Carlo, the savory cafés of Sorrento, the Greek windmills of Mykonos and 3,000 years of history, then write an entire column about the toilets in Turkey.
So let's move on and talk about the toilets in Italy.
A real crowd favorite was the restroom beneath the Piazzale Michelangelo above Florence, where a giant replica of the statue of David towers over tourists and vendors. David, as you know, was naked a lot and thus had no socially acceptable place to tuck away the 60 cents Euro (4.2 American gallons or 7/10ths of an acre) required to use the bathroom, which, according to art historians, he really needed to use. This would account for that funny look on his face.
Anyway, when you had to go, you first had to pay a nice Italian man who owned and managed the Piazzale toilets. This is considered a proud and important job in Italy, much like being a member of our Congress. Upon payment, the restroom baron allowed you into the tiny facility. There was nothing unusual about any of this, except he was holding a garden hose. Oh, and there wasn't an actual toilet. Just a hole in the floor.
The hole was surrounded by lovely ceramic tiles. The Italians tile everything. To use the facility you had to, uh, so as not to offend anyone let's refer to peeing as "No. 1" and let's call the other thing "Congressman Doug Lamborn."
So going No. 1 wasn't a huge problem, once you spread your feet very far apart like a giraffe at a watering hole to counter the splashage, which is a word I just made up. As for going Lamborn, well, you had to crouch down real low and maintain your balance while keeping a close eye on your trousers so you didn't drop a bomb on the wrong city, if you know what I mean.
When you were finished you had to rise from the crouch without touching anything because they didn't even have a handrail. Personally, I just held it for 14 hours until we were back on the ship.
There were restrooms in Italy and Turkey and in Greece, too, which had actual urinals and toilets inside privacy stalls. But even that was strange. There we were, men from all over the world standing shoulder to shoulder, settling in for a nice, modern pee, others in the stalls taking a big Doug Lamborn, and suddenly women would stroll right by you.
These women — I saw dozens of them during the two weeks — refused to wait in the traditional 34-hour line at the women's restrooms and instead barged through a sea of weenies in the men's room, talking and shouting at each other in languages I did not understand. Although as they went by me the giggling and pointing seemed eerily familiar.
I'd also point out that in the restrooms in Florence, where men took careful aim at the hole in the floor beneath the Piazzale (Italian, meaning literally, "I hope those aren't your best shoes"), the women's side had actual toilets. This is because no women are going to squat down over a hole in the floor, even if it's tiled, unless they are in strange and foreign places such as Texas or Manitou Springs.
A waiter at a sidewalk café in Rome laughed when I asked him about all of this. He said the lack of actual toilets in some public and government buildings was a cost-saving measure. He said you get used to the hole in the floor.
I hope our village never adopts that idea. It would be tough on all of us. Especially on Steve Cox, every time he had to extend a hand to hoist old Mayor Bach out of the squatting position.
I point out this odd but true bit of history because I was recently in Ephesus and actually saw these 3,000-year-old stone toilet seats. And also because it explains why Steve Cox, the chief of staff for Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach, rushes down to the City Hall men's room each morning — just before Mayor Bach finishes his large coffee and fourth bran muffin.
But enough about that. Only an idiot would spend two weeks in Europe amid the yachts in the harbor of Monte Carlo, the savory cafés of Sorrento, the Greek windmills of Mykonos and 3,000 years of history, then write an entire column about the toilets in Turkey.
So let's move on and talk about the toilets in Italy.
A real crowd favorite was the restroom beneath the Piazzale Michelangelo above Florence, where a giant replica of the statue of David towers over tourists and vendors. David, as you know, was naked a lot and thus had no socially acceptable place to tuck away the 60 cents Euro (4.2 American gallons or 7/10ths of an acre) required to use the bathroom, which, according to art historians, he really needed to use. This would account for that funny look on his face.
Anyway, when you had to go, you first had to pay a nice Italian man who owned and managed the Piazzale toilets. This is considered a proud and important job in Italy, much like being a member of our Congress. Upon payment, the restroom baron allowed you into the tiny facility. There was nothing unusual about any of this, except he was holding a garden hose. Oh, and there wasn't an actual toilet. Just a hole in the floor.
The hole was surrounded by lovely ceramic tiles. The Italians tile everything. To use the facility you had to, uh, so as not to offend anyone let's refer to peeing as "No. 1" and let's call the other thing "Congressman Doug Lamborn."
So going No. 1 wasn't a huge problem, once you spread your feet very far apart like a giraffe at a watering hole to counter the splashage, which is a word I just made up. As for going Lamborn, well, you had to crouch down real low and maintain your balance while keeping a close eye on your trousers so you didn't drop a bomb on the wrong city, if you know what I mean.
When you were finished you had to rise from the crouch without touching anything because they didn't even have a handrail. Personally, I just held it for 14 hours until we were back on the ship.
There were restrooms in Italy and Turkey and in Greece, too, which had actual urinals and toilets inside privacy stalls. But even that was strange. There we were, men from all over the world standing shoulder to shoulder, settling in for a nice, modern pee, others in the stalls taking a big Doug Lamborn, and suddenly women would stroll right by you.
These women — I saw dozens of them during the two weeks — refused to wait in the traditional 34-hour line at the women's restrooms and instead barged through a sea of weenies in the men's room, talking and shouting at each other in languages I did not understand. Although as they went by me the giggling and pointing seemed eerily familiar.
I'd also point out that in the restrooms in Florence, where men took careful aim at the hole in the floor beneath the Piazzale (Italian, meaning literally, "I hope those aren't your best shoes"), the women's side had actual toilets. This is because no women are going to squat down over a hole in the floor, even if it's tiled, unless they are in strange and foreign places such as Texas or Manitou Springs.
A waiter at a sidewalk café in Rome laughed when I asked him about all of this. He said the lack of actual toilets in some public and government buildings was a cost-saving measure. He said you get used to the hole in the floor.
I hope our village never adopts that idea. It would be tough on all of us. Especially on Steve Cox, every time he had to extend a hand to hoist old Mayor Bach out of the squatting position.
2011年10月26日星期三
Jordan Heels For Sale
Air Jordan Heels are so loony to be sure that not just man and girls jordan heels for women give a good offer more thought to them. because there is this new attention by males about their shoes, males in significant heels merely appear natural. Therefore, not stilettos, but heels are increased than males are already utilizing in latest history. attire shoes getting a thicker heal, men's nike heels shoes getting a thicker sole, boots with heels and soles, in add-on to casual boots getting an important heel are favored in men's shoes at this time. Of course, significant heels males are not girls in any way and since the glimpse is so favored most males do not recognize that hell is a good offer greater than what they are already within your shoes while in the past. What males know about these jordan heels shoes could be the reality which they glimpse marvelous with all their clothes.
An even more additional apparent method to area the fake is if they consider advantage in the phrase replica inside the title, for people that really browse the internet to possess the ability to purchase possibilities then you definitely jordan heels undoubtedly have undoubtedly consider area all through possibilities which claimed getting replicas of products that come going to be usually pricey, it is severely widespread to listen to about replicas inside the handbag and purse industry; this relatively amazingly exact same notion appears getting crossing over and invading the shoes business.
for just about any terrific provide an exceptional offer much more particulars about "jordan shoes", be particular you go to: jordan shoes Nike Dunks and oxygen Jordan - effortless methods to Steer apparent of Low-cost Imitations. Since he didn't do it when North Carolina won the 2005 national championship in St. Louis, Michael Jordan doesn't plan to speak to the Tar Heels before they play Michigan State for the NCAA title tonight at Ford Field. But if he was to talk to them, he said he'd repeat what legendary coach Dean Smith told him before the 1982 national championship game:"Just go out there and have fun. These are the games that are a lot of fun, because the expectations are a lot higher, the craziness is a lot higher, the stakes are a lot higher — but that's what you live for. That's the fun part, so just go out there and be who you are and have fun."Jordan, who hit the Tar Heels' game-winning shot in that title game, was announced as one of the members of this year's Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class this morning.
It seemed fitting that it would happen when the Tar Heels were in town, trying to win another title."It's uncanny how things happen,'' Jordan nike shox nz said. "I'm glad to be here, I'm glad that North Carolina's playing, I'm glad they're playing in a game I can watch and enjoy, and hopefully we can walk out of here with a champions
An even more additional apparent method to area the fake is if they consider advantage in the phrase replica inside the title, for people that really browse the internet to possess the ability to purchase possibilities then you definitely jordan heels undoubtedly have undoubtedly consider area all through possibilities which claimed getting replicas of products that come going to be usually pricey, it is severely widespread to listen to about replicas inside the handbag and purse industry; this relatively amazingly exact same notion appears getting crossing over and invading the shoes business.
for just about any terrific provide an exceptional offer much more particulars about "jordan shoes", be particular you go to: jordan shoes Nike Dunks and oxygen Jordan - effortless methods to Steer apparent of Low-cost Imitations. Since he didn't do it when North Carolina won the 2005 national championship in St. Louis, Michael Jordan doesn't plan to speak to the Tar Heels before they play Michigan State for the NCAA title tonight at Ford Field. But if he was to talk to them, he said he'd repeat what legendary coach Dean Smith told him before the 1982 national championship game:"Just go out there and have fun. These are the games that are a lot of fun, because the expectations are a lot higher, the craziness is a lot higher, the stakes are a lot higher — but that's what you live for. That's the fun part, so just go out there and be who you are and have fun."Jordan, who hit the Tar Heels' game-winning shot in that title game, was announced as one of the members of this year's Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class this morning.
It seemed fitting that it would happen when the Tar Heels were in town, trying to win another title."It's uncanny how things happen,'' Jordan nike shox nz said. "I'm glad to be here, I'm glad that North Carolina's playing, I'm glad they're playing in a game I can watch and enjoy, and hopefully we can walk out of here with a champions
2011年10月25日星期二
christian louboutin knockoffs
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2011年10月24日星期一
12 Futuristic Movie Gadgets We Need Right Now
Where are all those futuristic tech toys that were supposed to be gracing our lives by now?
Sure, we've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty; we've got whozits and whatzits galore. But we still need time-traveling DeLoreans, damn it, and shoes that lace themselves up without all that finger-draining effort.
To be fair, Nike did release thoseself-lacing sneakers fromBack to the Future. The only problem: They were missing the self-lacing capability. The shoes had the look and lights of Marty McFly's famous kicks, but they lacked the coolest feature of all.
Still, their presence was enough to get me thinking about all the awesome movie gadgets I'd like to have in my life. Some of them are pure fantasy; others could conceivably exist one day. All of them, though, have been the subject of countless geek dreams -- and all of them would be amazing to own.
So fasten your seatbelts, friends, and get ready to revisit some of the greatest movie gadgets of all time. Oh, and it probably goes without saying -- but where we're going, we don't need roads.
1. The Hover Board
Forget the shoes: TheBack to the Futuregadget wereallyneed is the high-flying transportation tool Marty McFly loved to ride. Not the DeLorean, mind you (though I'll take one of those, too), but rather, the hoverboard.
The hoverboard was the futuristic version of the skateboard Marty discovered while visiting the year 2015 in the second film of the series. Its defining characteristic -- duh -- was that it hovered without the need for wheels.
For a while, folks thought the hoverboard actually was real.Back to the Futuredirector Robert Zemeckis fueled the rumors, publicly claiming that the floating wonder had been around for years and was withheld only due to safety concerns from parental groups.
Unfortunately, ol' Bobby Bob was just joking, and the hoverboard is not yet here. An artist named Nils Guadagninmade a replica of onelast year, but alas, it was not able to support a human rider.
Let us not release this dream. One day, the hoverboard will hover into our lives -- and when it does, just remember: You can't ride it over water.
2. The Invisibility Cloak
We may be a bunch of muggles -- well,someof us may be, anyway -- but that doesn't mean we aren't entitled to certain magical pleasures. And yes, I'm talking about real magic here, not the heavily air-quoted kind that Apple sells.
One of the coolest creations to come out of the Harry Potter series is undoubtedly the invisibility cloak. First seen inHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the cloak lets Harry creep through any room without being seen. Just imagine the things you could do with that device (and keep your mind out of the gutter, pal).
Researchers have beentalking about a real-world versionof the cloakfor years now. From the looks of it, though, they may need to learn the Accio spell: Thus far, the cloak has yet to actually apparate into our lives.
3. The Neuralyzer
Also known as the "flashy-thing" (and sometimes the "flashy-thing memory-messer-upper"), the Neuralyzer helped maintain a sense of calm in 1997'sMen in Blackand its 2002 sequel. Agent K and Agent J -- aka Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith -- used the device to wipe the memories of anyone who encountered an alien or had a run-in with the top-secret M.I.B. team. Only a special pair of protective sunglasses could keep you from getting flashy-thinged into blissful oblivion.
I'm not saying there'd necessarily be an ethical way to use this, but I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few moments in my life when I wish I had one. Speaking of which, put on your glasses...
4. The Point of View Gun
If you can't flashy-thing someone's memory away, why not at least make them see things from your point of view? The Point of View Gun, introduced in the 2005 film version ofThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, accomplishes just that: You fire the gun at someone, and suddenly, he understands exactly where you're coming from.
Before you get too excited, though, take note: The gun won't work on just anyone. According to the movie, it was created by the "Intergalactic Consortium of Angry Housewives," whose members were fed up with their husbands' lack of empathy. As such, the weapon works only on men.
On second thought, maybe weshouldn'tbring this thing into the world.
5. The Bond Watch
Oh, come on: We couldn't possibly make a list of must-have movie gadgets without including a couple of 007 classics. And if there's one quintessential Bond item, it's gotta be the magnetic Rolex watch.
Bond's watch has done a lot of impressive things over the years. It's sawed through ties, disarmed mines, set off bombs, and even unzipped ladies' dresses.
Hey, it's Bond -- give the guy a break.
Sure, we've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty; we've got whozits and whatzits galore. But we still need time-traveling DeLoreans, damn it, and shoes that lace themselves up without all that finger-draining effort.
To be fair, Nike did release thoseself-lacing sneakers fromBack to the Future. The only problem: They were missing the self-lacing capability. The shoes had the look and lights of Marty McFly's famous kicks, but they lacked the coolest feature of all.
Still, their presence was enough to get me thinking about all the awesome movie gadgets I'd like to have in my life. Some of them are pure fantasy; others could conceivably exist one day. All of them, though, have been the subject of countless geek dreams -- and all of them would be amazing to own.
So fasten your seatbelts, friends, and get ready to revisit some of the greatest movie gadgets of all time. Oh, and it probably goes without saying -- but where we're going, we don't need roads.
1. The Hover Board
Forget the shoes: TheBack to the Futuregadget wereallyneed is the high-flying transportation tool Marty McFly loved to ride. Not the DeLorean, mind you (though I'll take one of those, too), but rather, the hoverboard.
The hoverboard was the futuristic version of the skateboard Marty discovered while visiting the year 2015 in the second film of the series. Its defining characteristic -- duh -- was that it hovered without the need for wheels.
For a while, folks thought the hoverboard actually was real.Back to the Futuredirector Robert Zemeckis fueled the rumors, publicly claiming that the floating wonder had been around for years and was withheld only due to safety concerns from parental groups.
Unfortunately, ol' Bobby Bob was just joking, and the hoverboard is not yet here. An artist named Nils Guadagninmade a replica of onelast year, but alas, it was not able to support a human rider.
Let us not release this dream. One day, the hoverboard will hover into our lives -- and when it does, just remember: You can't ride it over water.
2. The Invisibility Cloak
We may be a bunch of muggles -- well,someof us may be, anyway -- but that doesn't mean we aren't entitled to certain magical pleasures. And yes, I'm talking about real magic here, not the heavily air-quoted kind that Apple sells.
One of the coolest creations to come out of the Harry Potter series is undoubtedly the invisibility cloak. First seen inHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the cloak lets Harry creep through any room without being seen. Just imagine the things you could do with that device (and keep your mind out of the gutter, pal).
Researchers have beentalking about a real-world versionof the cloakfor years now. From the looks of it, though, they may need to learn the Accio spell: Thus far, the cloak has yet to actually apparate into our lives.
3. The Neuralyzer
Also known as the "flashy-thing" (and sometimes the "flashy-thing memory-messer-upper"), the Neuralyzer helped maintain a sense of calm in 1997'sMen in Blackand its 2002 sequel. Agent K and Agent J -- aka Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith -- used the device to wipe the memories of anyone who encountered an alien or had a run-in with the top-secret M.I.B. team. Only a special pair of protective sunglasses could keep you from getting flashy-thinged into blissful oblivion.
I'm not saying there'd necessarily be an ethical way to use this, but I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few moments in my life when I wish I had one. Speaking of which, put on your glasses...
4. The Point of View Gun
If you can't flashy-thing someone's memory away, why not at least make them see things from your point of view? The Point of View Gun, introduced in the 2005 film version ofThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, accomplishes just that: You fire the gun at someone, and suddenly, he understands exactly where you're coming from.
Before you get too excited, though, take note: The gun won't work on just anyone. According to the movie, it was created by the "Intergalactic Consortium of Angry Housewives," whose members were fed up with their husbands' lack of empathy. As such, the weapon works only on men.
On second thought, maybe weshouldn'tbring this thing into the world.
5. The Bond Watch
Oh, come on: We couldn't possibly make a list of must-have movie gadgets without including a couple of 007 classics. And if there's one quintessential Bond item, it's gotta be the magnetic Rolex watch.
Bond's watch has done a lot of impressive things over the years. It's sawed through ties, disarmed mines, set off bombs, and even unzipped ladies' dresses.
Hey, it's Bond -- give the guy a break.
Sweet feet: An edible shoe
This shoe, which will retail for $225, is constructed with 72-percent dark Belgian chocolate with a layer of painted white chocolate. Nonpareils are used to create a fabric look and Jelly Belly jelly beans create a magical line around the collar of the shoe. Jelly beans are also used to create the heel and sole. The bow is constructed of white chocolate and embellished with nonpareils and sour gummy and cream pumpkins.
2011年10月20日星期四
Sweet feet: An edible shoe
Philly Cupcake/Philly Chocolate, the twin boutiques in Center City, are now creating edible, lifesize shoes.
The first of the series, part of the Candyland Collection and named "Candy Garden," is a replica of a Christian Louboutin, and will make its debut Sunday, Oct. 23 at a fundraiser for the kid charity Little Smiles at the Hughes Center, inside the Curtis Center at Sixth and Walnut Streets. (Details here.)
This shoe, which will retail for $225, is constructed with 72-percent dark Belgian chocolate with a layer of painted white chocolate. Nonpareils are used to create a fabric look and Jelly Belly jelly beans create a magical line around the collar of the shoe. Jelly beans are also used to create the heel and sole. The bow is constructed of white chocolate and embellished with nonpareils and sour gummy and cream pumpkins.
The first of the series, part of the Candyland Collection and named "Candy Garden," is a replica of a Christian Louboutin, and will make its debut Sunday, Oct. 23 at a fundraiser for the kid charity Little Smiles at the Hughes Center, inside the Curtis Center at Sixth and Walnut Streets. (Details here.)
This shoe, which will retail for $225, is constructed with 72-percent dark Belgian chocolate with a layer of painted white chocolate. Nonpareils are used to create a fabric look and Jelly Belly jelly beans create a magical line around the collar of the shoe. Jelly beans are also used to create the heel and sole. The bow is constructed of white chocolate and embellished with nonpareils and sour gummy and cream pumpkins.
2011年10月19日星期三
Raising The Bar with Philanthropy
Most people assume that fraternity and sorority life is all about the parties, having fun and living the real-life "Animal House." However, there is more to be found in Greek life, such as high standards in academics, leadership opportunities, and most importantly service and philanthropy.
At UNCW there are 27 Greek-affiliated organizations and each fraternity or sorority has an individual philanthropy that is particularly special to their organization. In the 2009-2010 school year alone these groups raised over $45,000 to be donated to philanthropy groups and contributed over 15,000 hours of community service.
Alpha Tau Omega spent an entire week in October living in a replica shanty town in front of Wagoner Dining Hall as a way to gain awareness for the millions of people living homeless in the world. They collected cans of food, clothing and spare change for the Good Shepherd Center of Wilmington.
Several Greek organizations are joining the fight against breast cancer this month. Sigma Alpha Epsilon will be selling their breast cancer awareness shirts and raffling off a pair of Susan G. Komen New Balance shoes. Also, National Pan-Hellenic's Delta Sigma Theta will be holding Reds Go Pink for a Cause to give students information about breast cancer awareness.
Alpha Xi Delta will be raising money for Autism Speaks through their AmaXing Challenge Oct. 25, and Alpha Gamma Delta will host their annual Mr. and Ms. Greek Contest to benefit the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation.
In November, Delta Zeta will team up with their local charity the Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program and hold a Ride-A-Thon to help with therapeutic riding lessons for children. There will also be a barn clean-up to help the staff clean the stables. Then Sigma Sigma Sigma will hold a Rock-a-Thon in the campus amphitheater to raise funds for their national cause.
According to Greek Speak at George Washington University, "The Greek system is the largest network of volunteers in the United States, with members donating over 10 million hours of volunteer service each year."
With 1,160 members, or about 10.1% of the UNCW community, involved in a Greek organization on campus the numbers add up quickly. Each fraternity and sorority takes pride in their individual philanthropy groups and are making a difference in peoples' everyday lives. As one Greek community they are changing the stereotype here at UNCW.
At UNCW there are 27 Greek-affiliated organizations and each fraternity or sorority has an individual philanthropy that is particularly special to their organization. In the 2009-2010 school year alone these groups raised over $45,000 to be donated to philanthropy groups and contributed over 15,000 hours of community service.
Alpha Tau Omega spent an entire week in October living in a replica shanty town in front of Wagoner Dining Hall as a way to gain awareness for the millions of people living homeless in the world. They collected cans of food, clothing and spare change for the Good Shepherd Center of Wilmington.
Several Greek organizations are joining the fight against breast cancer this month. Sigma Alpha Epsilon will be selling their breast cancer awareness shirts and raffling off a pair of Susan G. Komen New Balance shoes. Also, National Pan-Hellenic's Delta Sigma Theta will be holding Reds Go Pink for a Cause to give students information about breast cancer awareness.
Alpha Xi Delta will be raising money for Autism Speaks through their AmaXing Challenge Oct. 25, and Alpha Gamma Delta will host their annual Mr. and Ms. Greek Contest to benefit the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation.
In November, Delta Zeta will team up with their local charity the Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program and hold a Ride-A-Thon to help with therapeutic riding lessons for children. There will also be a barn clean-up to help the staff clean the stables. Then Sigma Sigma Sigma will hold a Rock-a-Thon in the campus amphitheater to raise funds for their national cause.
According to Greek Speak at George Washington University, "The Greek system is the largest network of volunteers in the United States, with members donating over 10 million hours of volunteer service each year."
With 1,160 members, or about 10.1% of the UNCW community, involved in a Greek organization on campus the numbers add up quickly. Each fraternity and sorority takes pride in their individual philanthropy groups and are making a difference in peoples' everyday lives. As one Greek community they are changing the stereotype here at UNCW.
2011年10月18日星期二
You can Get A Pair Of Replica UGG Boots
As a way to become far more style, adult females will dress in UGG boots and so they cannot depart them because they go out or perform due to the fact these shoes have distinctive features. ugg classic boots not just have got an excellent top quality but additionally they stick to the trend pattern.
Daily inside the UGG store you might see quite a bit of new types UGG boots plus they will be the most trendy sneakers. Personal a pair of UGG boots have presently become the dream of every last adult females. But in truth, original UGG boots possess an incredibly higher value and only the rich man can manage If you would like to attain your individual dream to have on UGG boots, you should just take a special action. Many people obtain replica ugg sale boots hold the very same purpose compared with original ones, nevertheless they have a very far more lower value and conserve you a whole lot of cash. In modern a long time, UGG boots develop into a famed footwear in these stylish and luxurious products.
These days replica UGG boots are worn by all fashion females and they known this shoes can match up their apparel and by no means out of time. All forms of replica UGG boots are make to meet people's demands and you may never come to feel regret after you get UGG boots replica. And you may find out these boots may also take you the comfy and chill out feelings. Wear replica ugg classic boots could make you to be an upper society people today. The leather jeans and restricted shirt might be your finest decision as you need to be considered a simple folks. There's a way for that fat men and women as they use replica UGG boots that is certainly place down their jeans into boots and restricted your jeans. The special created UGG boots may be discover within the UGG shop plus they use sheepskin to form unique designs. Most of UGG boots have a very specific and classy outside the house to satisfy women's requires.
You can acquire these replica UGG boots at economical selling price and in convenient way. Right now replica UGG boots have a lot more values and tales that we can not leave. You are able to picture as the disappear of UGG boots, some women will in no way locate the trend items and they will quite unfortunate. And now we know why replica UGG boots also have a great reputation on earth. Immediately after the very long days promote in the market, a lot more folks can take replica UGG boots and these sneakers obtain a sizable gross sales. More women even now wear UGG boots to be part of the weddings and meetings, no one can know this really is replica boots. You'll be able to say you put on the first UGG boots together with other men and women will believe in your words. And that means you are going to be amazed to view replica UGG boots have the substantial superior material and distinctive outside the house, just exact same since the original footwear.
Daily inside the UGG store you might see quite a bit of new types UGG boots plus they will be the most trendy sneakers. Personal a pair of UGG boots have presently become the dream of every last adult females. But in truth, original UGG boots possess an incredibly higher value and only the rich man can manage If you would like to attain your individual dream to have on UGG boots, you should just take a special action. Many people obtain replica ugg sale boots hold the very same purpose compared with original ones, nevertheless they have a very far more lower value and conserve you a whole lot of cash. In modern a long time, UGG boots develop into a famed footwear in these stylish and luxurious products.
These days replica UGG boots are worn by all fashion females and they known this shoes can match up their apparel and by no means out of time. All forms of replica UGG boots are make to meet people's demands and you may never come to feel regret after you get UGG boots replica. And you may find out these boots may also take you the comfy and chill out feelings. Wear replica ugg classic boots could make you to be an upper society people today. The leather jeans and restricted shirt might be your finest decision as you need to be considered a simple folks. There's a way for that fat men and women as they use replica UGG boots that is certainly place down their jeans into boots and restricted your jeans. The special created UGG boots may be discover within the UGG shop plus they use sheepskin to form unique designs. Most of UGG boots have a very specific and classy outside the house to satisfy women's requires.
You can acquire these replica UGG boots at economical selling price and in convenient way. Right now replica UGG boots have a lot more values and tales that we can not leave. You are able to picture as the disappear of UGG boots, some women will in no way locate the trend items and they will quite unfortunate. And now we know why replica UGG boots also have a great reputation on earth. Immediately after the very long days promote in the market, a lot more folks can take replica UGG boots and these sneakers obtain a sizable gross sales. More women even now wear UGG boots to be part of the weddings and meetings, no one can know this really is replica boots. You'll be able to say you put on the first UGG boots together with other men and women will believe in your words. And that means you are going to be amazed to view replica UGG boots have the substantial superior material and distinctive outside the house, just exact same since the original footwear.
2011年10月16日星期日
Grand Rapids Civic Theater queen 'Miss Susan' Strohmer
Every year on her birthday, Susan Strohmer goes to Toys R Us, where they'll announce your name over the speaker on your special day.
“They say, ‘Do you want us to announce your age?'” she says. “And I say, ‘No.'
“Then, they say, ‘Attention shoppers: we have a special shopper with us today. It's Susan! If you see her, say ‘Happy birthday.'
“Then I stand in the middle of the store and yell, “IT'S ME!”
If only Strohmer could come out of her shell.
Strohmer, 41, is known as “Miss Susan” to the thousands of kids who have come under her kooky spell at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
A 14-year Civic veteran, Strohmer wears a lot of hats, including a sparkly tiara she dons at the beginning of summer camp season and rarely takes off until fall. You might spot her at Meijer wearing it.
She runs the popular summer theater camps, which attract close to 700 youngsters each summer, teaches theater classes during the school year, creates the theater's education programs, hires and trains the teachers and works on costumes.
As an actress in a slew of productions, she's knocked the socks off theater reviewers, who've called her “bombastic,” “delightful,” and “a scene stealer.”
And this month, drum roll please, she makes her main stage directing debut with “Night of the Living Dead,” a zombie-stuffed play that opened Friday. Cue the shivers.
Effervescent and wacky, Strohmer teaches kids how to sing Beyonce songs using only cat meows. There's a dance that goes with it. Break out your claws.
She has legions of former student fans, many in their 20s now, who still squeal at the sight of her.
Her husband, Patrick, tells how they were out to dinner the other night when their server took one look at her and blurted out, “Miss Susan! I love you!”
It happens all the time.
At a theater class for sixth-graders the other afternoon, Strohmer was all energy, her big earrings swinging, as she led kids through a whirlwind of wicked witch voices, hollers of “zip, zap, zop” and a mysterious exercise called “feeling the cheese.”
Strohmer shouts “woo!” a lot. She cackles. She meows for no reason.
“She's the strangest person I've ever met,” says Penelope Notter, Civic Theatre's associate director. She smiles. “I used to think I was.”
Is all this kookiness for real?
“Absolutely,” Notter says. “There's nothing fake about Susan Strohmer. It's all real, right down to her toes.”
While kids know her for her silly songs and her wacky cat obsession, there's something deeper going on as Miss Susan's young students memor-
ize lines, craft their costumes and work together to make magic on stage.
“We're all so different, but everyone fits in,” Strohmer says. “We have kids who are shy, who can open their mouth and barely squeak. We have kids who don't fit in at all at school. They're not in sports. They're not academically outstanding. You see a spark in them when they realize ‘I fit in here.'
“It gives them confidence,” she says. “They can say, ‘I'm weird, but that's OK.' We say, ‘Yeah, you're weird. So are we. Welcome.'”
“There's always a kid who feels like the odd one out,” says Rachel Sironen, 16, who's been taking classes from Miss Susan since she was 5. “Susan always goes up to that kid and includes him and soon, everybody's a big family.”
That's really important to Strohmer. Because she always felt kind of weird growing up, too.
She's a West Side girl, and she adds a “woo hoo” after she shares that.
She went to Harrison Park Elementary and Union High School, and grew up with parents Darlene and Robert Smitter and big brother Robert.
“They say, ‘Do you want us to announce your age?'” she says. “And I say, ‘No.'
“Then, they say, ‘Attention shoppers: we have a special shopper with us today. It's Susan! If you see her, say ‘Happy birthday.'
“Then I stand in the middle of the store and yell, “IT'S ME!”
If only Strohmer could come out of her shell.
Strohmer, 41, is known as “Miss Susan” to the thousands of kids who have come under her kooky spell at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
A 14-year Civic veteran, Strohmer wears a lot of hats, including a sparkly tiara she dons at the beginning of summer camp season and rarely takes off until fall. You might spot her at Meijer wearing it.
She runs the popular summer theater camps, which attract close to 700 youngsters each summer, teaches theater classes during the school year, creates the theater's education programs, hires and trains the teachers and works on costumes.
As an actress in a slew of productions, she's knocked the socks off theater reviewers, who've called her “bombastic,” “delightful,” and “a scene stealer.”
And this month, drum roll please, she makes her main stage directing debut with “Night of the Living Dead,” a zombie-stuffed play that opened Friday. Cue the shivers.
Effervescent and wacky, Strohmer teaches kids how to sing Beyonce songs using only cat meows. There's a dance that goes with it. Break out your claws.
She has legions of former student fans, many in their 20s now, who still squeal at the sight of her.
Her husband, Patrick, tells how they were out to dinner the other night when their server took one look at her and blurted out, “Miss Susan! I love you!”
It happens all the time.
At a theater class for sixth-graders the other afternoon, Strohmer was all energy, her big earrings swinging, as she led kids through a whirlwind of wicked witch voices, hollers of “zip, zap, zop” and a mysterious exercise called “feeling the cheese.”
Strohmer shouts “woo!” a lot. She cackles. She meows for no reason.
“She's the strangest person I've ever met,” says Penelope Notter, Civic Theatre's associate director. She smiles. “I used to think I was.”
Is all this kookiness for real?
“Absolutely,” Notter says. “There's nothing fake about Susan Strohmer. It's all real, right down to her toes.”
While kids know her for her silly songs and her wacky cat obsession, there's something deeper going on as Miss Susan's young students memor-
ize lines, craft their costumes and work together to make magic on stage.
“We're all so different, but everyone fits in,” Strohmer says. “We have kids who are shy, who can open their mouth and barely squeak. We have kids who don't fit in at all at school. They're not in sports. They're not academically outstanding. You see a spark in them when they realize ‘I fit in here.'
“It gives them confidence,” she says. “They can say, ‘I'm weird, but that's OK.' We say, ‘Yeah, you're weird. So are we. Welcome.'”
“There's always a kid who feels like the odd one out,” says Rachel Sironen, 16, who's been taking classes from Miss Susan since she was 5. “Susan always goes up to that kid and includes him and soon, everybody's a big family.”
That's really important to Strohmer. Because she always felt kind of weird growing up, too.
She's a West Side girl, and she adds a “woo hoo” after she shares that.
She went to Harrison Park Elementary and Union High School, and grew up with parents Darlene and Robert Smitter and big brother Robert.
2011年10月13日星期四
Tonight's TV: An eclectic Friday night
FRIDAY highlights include Lady Gaga, Harry Kewell, Jack Vidgen and a skateboarding budgie.
CHOCCYWOCCYDOODAH, ABC1, 6pm
BRITISH version of one of those cake-shop reality shows you usually see from America and on cable TV. This is based in a bakery staffed by "square pegs" in Brighton. As with the US shows, the weirder the request, the better the TV. Like a 70kg cake in the shape of a pair of designer shoes. Christine, who runs the shop, has a Willy Wonka vibe. She refuses to use fondant, rather she has a secret chocolate recipe used as "glue" and, like KFC, anyone who works there has to sign a confidentiality clause over the ingredients.
A-LEAGUE - ADELAIDE UNITED V MELBOURNE VICTORY, FOX SPORTS 2, 7.30pm
COULDN'T get a ticket tonight? Every other Reds fan will be desperate to see Harry Kewell make his competitive bow at Hindmarsh Stadium. Hopefully our local lads can bounce back from their lacklustre showing last week.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, CHANNEL 10, 7.30pm
YOU know the ratings year is ending when Rules returns. In a double dose. In prime time. Or at least Friday night. And look at poor House's season return at 8.30pm. Once a ratings king, now a Friday-night hole filler. Ouch. Anyway, Rules - yes, nothing's changed. Russell (David Spade) is still a pantsman with ladies' hair. And Jeff (Patrick Warbuton) relives his Puddy-on-Seinfeld days when he cracks it after being constantly asked to give money for presents for workmates he barely knows.
BETTER HOMES & GARDENS, CHANNEL 7, 7.30pm
WHAT other Channel 7 shows can Jack Vidgen get on? The Australia's Got Talent winner surfaces on Better Homes tonight. He's not showing off his makeover skills (his dentist certainly renovated his mouth) - rather, his cooking prowess. Is there anything this teenager can't do? There's some non-Vidgen recipes - from chocolate fudge to, er, white chocolate truffles. But tonight is really all about one thing - a skateboarding budgie!
THE JONATHAN ROSS SHOW, ABC1, 9.20pm
MORE fast-tracked UK talk show. Lady Gaga arrives on set with a sheep on a lead (his name is Kevin) and sits on a hay bale. She talks about bathing her godson with his dad Elton John. "Did he look up and say 'gaga' to you?" Ross asks. Fellow guest Jamie Oliver cooks up a replica of Gaga's meat dress. "You can't serve a lady up her own dress as an appetiser," Ross says.
CHOCCYWOCCYDOODAH, ABC1, 6pm
BRITISH version of one of those cake-shop reality shows you usually see from America and on cable TV. This is based in a bakery staffed by "square pegs" in Brighton. As with the US shows, the weirder the request, the better the TV. Like a 70kg cake in the shape of a pair of designer shoes. Christine, who runs the shop, has a Willy Wonka vibe. She refuses to use fondant, rather she has a secret chocolate recipe used as "glue" and, like KFC, anyone who works there has to sign a confidentiality clause over the ingredients.
A-LEAGUE - ADELAIDE UNITED V MELBOURNE VICTORY, FOX SPORTS 2, 7.30pm
COULDN'T get a ticket tonight? Every other Reds fan will be desperate to see Harry Kewell make his competitive bow at Hindmarsh Stadium. Hopefully our local lads can bounce back from their lacklustre showing last week.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, CHANNEL 10, 7.30pm
YOU know the ratings year is ending when Rules returns. In a double dose. In prime time. Or at least Friday night. And look at poor House's season return at 8.30pm. Once a ratings king, now a Friday-night hole filler. Ouch. Anyway, Rules - yes, nothing's changed. Russell (David Spade) is still a pantsman with ladies' hair. And Jeff (Patrick Warbuton) relives his Puddy-on-Seinfeld days when he cracks it after being constantly asked to give money for presents for workmates he barely knows.
BETTER HOMES & GARDENS, CHANNEL 7, 7.30pm
WHAT other Channel 7 shows can Jack Vidgen get on? The Australia's Got Talent winner surfaces on Better Homes tonight. He's not showing off his makeover skills (his dentist certainly renovated his mouth) - rather, his cooking prowess. Is there anything this teenager can't do? There's some non-Vidgen recipes - from chocolate fudge to, er, white chocolate truffles. But tonight is really all about one thing - a skateboarding budgie!
THE JONATHAN ROSS SHOW, ABC1, 9.20pm
MORE fast-tracked UK talk show. Lady Gaga arrives on set with a sheep on a lead (his name is Kevin) and sits on a hay bale. She talks about bathing her godson with his dad Elton John. "Did he look up and say 'gaga' to you?" Ross asks. Fellow guest Jamie Oliver cooks up a replica of Gaga's meat dress. "You can't serve a lady up her own dress as an appetiser," Ross says.
Texas Killing Fields: Ami Canaan Mann Interview
If you're a cop at a crime scene, don't use black or silver tape — use red. For reasons known only to them, killers love black and silver tape for binding victims' hands, feet and mouths; you don't want to get your tape mixed up with theirs.
Director Ami Canaan Mann learned this dark detail and more at "homicide school," the series of classes that beginning detectives take to learn the gory tools of their craft — murders and the investigation thereof. Mann was there doing research for her new film, Texas Killing Fields, about two detectives (played by Sam Worthington and Jeffrey Dean Morgan) tracking a killer who dumps his victims' bodies in a marsh. The film is not only inspired by true events but informed by them.
Riding along with the police one night, she got lucky — if "lucky" is what you call a double homicide in Commerce. Two bodies in an SUV. The corpses had been rotting for several days. "It was great," she says.
Sitting on the sidelines, she learned how slowly everyone moves. They took their time, scrutinizing everything. "There's no bravado walking onto the crime scene. No coming to rapid conclusions." Just the slow, methodical spreading of an intellectual net around the evidence. That thoughtfulness surprised her and found its way into the film.
Also surprising: how dapper the sheriffs and detectives dressed. Not in Armani like the guys on TV, but nice. She asked them about it. They told her, if they're going to have to knock on a stranger's door and inform them their son is dead, they're going to do it with respect.
When you're building a world, details matter. But which ones? The filmmaker watched how long people spoke to each other — the CSI techs, the detectives, the cops, the coroners, the myriad players in the theater of tragedy. She noted how shiny their shoes are. What kinds of notebooks and pens they use. What items they have hanging on their cars' rearview mirrors. If they wear a hat. How loudly they speak and to whom, if anyone, they raise their voice. The officers and detectives, she remembers, spoke in hushed tones. No yelling. In deference to the dead, who can't even hear.
Sometimes details are just plain details — a devil to sort out. Other times, they have God in them, and ought not be overlooked. The guns, for instance. What kind of gun would her lead character, Detective Brian Heigh, use? The characters in Mann's film are modeled on real people, and the real-life detective Heigh uses his father's old Colt revolver. Why carry this old-fashioned firearm into battle when the bad guys are loaded up with the latest automatic this and that?
"Because he doesn't ever want to have to fire it," Mann says with satisfaction. Though its provenance is never explained, and you only see it for a few seconds, the revolver (or a prop replica of it) made its way into her movie, too.
Not everything gets screen time. Poking around at the county morgue, Mann noticed a severed limb in a plastic bag. It firmed up her conviction that no one actually needs to see a severed limb. "I'll never get that out of my head," she says now, leaning forward onto the table, all elbows and intensity. She aims to seduce, not shock. She'd rather show, say, ants crawling on a dead girl's fingers. The ants were a piece of exposition in the screenplay, written by retired DEA agent Don Ferrarone, who based the story on his real-life experiences investigating homicides in Texas. "It's such a specific detail," Mann says. "It could only have been something he'd seen."
Ants. The shape of a lamp shade. The color of a person's eyes. A shadow. "I feel like that's how people remember traumatic events. Little inconsequential details," she adds. "Because we can't absorb the full impact of the trauma."
Beneath Texas Killing Fields' gritty police procedural beats the eerie heart of a ghost story. Ghosts are the manifestation of things we keep hidden, Mann believes. The voices we can't shut off in our heads. "At the morgue I remember thinking, 'There's a whole novel inside each of those bodies,'" she says. "Those stories, they're the reason why I'm here."
It was sensory information she was after, rote protocol, sounds and smells as much as sights. Visceral knowledge, like the fact that when you step out of the morgue into fresh air, you don't exactly leave the bodies behind. Your clothes still reek of them. "If you're a cop, you do that every day."
Director Ami Canaan Mann learned this dark detail and more at "homicide school," the series of classes that beginning detectives take to learn the gory tools of their craft — murders and the investigation thereof. Mann was there doing research for her new film, Texas Killing Fields, about two detectives (played by Sam Worthington and Jeffrey Dean Morgan) tracking a killer who dumps his victims' bodies in a marsh. The film is not only inspired by true events but informed by them.
Riding along with the police one night, she got lucky — if "lucky" is what you call a double homicide in Commerce. Two bodies in an SUV. The corpses had been rotting for several days. "It was great," she says.
Sitting on the sidelines, she learned how slowly everyone moves. They took their time, scrutinizing everything. "There's no bravado walking onto the crime scene. No coming to rapid conclusions." Just the slow, methodical spreading of an intellectual net around the evidence. That thoughtfulness surprised her and found its way into the film.
Also surprising: how dapper the sheriffs and detectives dressed. Not in Armani like the guys on TV, but nice. She asked them about it. They told her, if they're going to have to knock on a stranger's door and inform them their son is dead, they're going to do it with respect.
When you're building a world, details matter. But which ones? The filmmaker watched how long people spoke to each other — the CSI techs, the detectives, the cops, the coroners, the myriad players in the theater of tragedy. She noted how shiny their shoes are. What kinds of notebooks and pens they use. What items they have hanging on their cars' rearview mirrors. If they wear a hat. How loudly they speak and to whom, if anyone, they raise their voice. The officers and detectives, she remembers, spoke in hushed tones. No yelling. In deference to the dead, who can't even hear.
Sometimes details are just plain details — a devil to sort out. Other times, they have God in them, and ought not be overlooked. The guns, for instance. What kind of gun would her lead character, Detective Brian Heigh, use? The characters in Mann's film are modeled on real people, and the real-life detective Heigh uses his father's old Colt revolver. Why carry this old-fashioned firearm into battle when the bad guys are loaded up with the latest automatic this and that?
"Because he doesn't ever want to have to fire it," Mann says with satisfaction. Though its provenance is never explained, and you only see it for a few seconds, the revolver (or a prop replica of it) made its way into her movie, too.
Not everything gets screen time. Poking around at the county morgue, Mann noticed a severed limb in a plastic bag. It firmed up her conviction that no one actually needs to see a severed limb. "I'll never get that out of my head," she says now, leaning forward onto the table, all elbows and intensity. She aims to seduce, not shock. She'd rather show, say, ants crawling on a dead girl's fingers. The ants were a piece of exposition in the screenplay, written by retired DEA agent Don Ferrarone, who based the story on his real-life experiences investigating homicides in Texas. "It's such a specific detail," Mann says. "It could only have been something he'd seen."
Ants. The shape of a lamp shade. The color of a person's eyes. A shadow. "I feel like that's how people remember traumatic events. Little inconsequential details," she adds. "Because we can't absorb the full impact of the trauma."
Beneath Texas Killing Fields' gritty police procedural beats the eerie heart of a ghost story. Ghosts are the manifestation of things we keep hidden, Mann believes. The voices we can't shut off in our heads. "At the morgue I remember thinking, 'There's a whole novel inside each of those bodies,'" she says. "Those stories, they're the reason why I'm here."
It was sensory information she was after, rote protocol, sounds and smells as much as sights. Visceral knowledge, like the fact that when you step out of the morgue into fresh air, you don't exactly leave the bodies behind. Your clothes still reek of them. "If you're a cop, you do that every day."
2011年10月12日星期三
Penguinettes pump up the crowd
Before and during every Youngstown State University home football game, the band and cheerleaders perform to get the crowd going.
There is, however, another piece to the puzzle: the Penguinettes, a group of majorette-like dancers that cheer, twirl batons and pump up the crowd.
The Penguinettes, made up of eight students, attend each home game.
"We go over halftime and pregame, and we meet with the band, march through the tailgate, do the icebreaker and then start the pregame," said junior Erika Aulizia.
As a third-year performer, she is also captain. She said more goes into the performance than spectators actually see.
"You have a lot of work. You have to make up the choreography, like get the girls placed and get all their outfits together and buy them new things," Aulizia said.
Becoming a Penguinette takes a lot of time as well, she added.
"You have to learn how to do it; you have to take classes," Aulizia said. "Our adviser has her own studio. A lot of us have taken classes off of her before."
One part of the Penguinette routine is learning the baton, which Aulizia said is mostly in the wrist.
Sophomore Ashley Bowers said the baton involves a lot of precision and dedication.
"It definitely is not as easy as it looks because you have to make sure you're always holding the baton and not dropping it on the field," Bowers said.
Bowers is in her first year of performing and said she wants to do it again next year.
"I love it," she said. "It's a great group of girls, and it's a great thing to get involved with. We're all really close."
The Penguinettes purchase uniforms with the help of local donors, Aulizia said.
The Penguinettes traditionally wear red, white and black dresses with white boots, while a Pete the Penguin tattoo adorns their cheeks. They also carry batons for the first half of the game.
During the halftime show, they wear the same outfit but switch into jazz shoes.
After halftime, they switch to replica YSU football jerseys with the number "00" and the name "Penguinettes."
The Penguinettes begin their routine with the band at Stambaugh Stadium approximately four hours before each game. From there, they lead the band down to Bliss Hall and back.
After that, they march to the YSU Bookstore, turn around for a "band icebreaker" and march once again to the stadium for pregame ceremonies with stops in between at the tailgating lots.
"It's really fun," junior Caty Moran said. "We feed off of the energy because they are all excited."
Normally, the icebreaker is where the YSU band performs with a local high school band. There was not one at Saturday's game, but Austintown Fitch High School and Champion High School have participated in the past.
The Penguinettes lead the band onto the field and help get the crowd involved, said head football coach Eric Wolford.
"I think any time you get a chance to look at the support staff we have — whether it's band, cheerleading, Penguinettes, whatever — I think those people are just as important to the team as anybody else," Wolford said. "I think this is a community effort, a team effort, and that's what it's going to take."
Brandt Payne, director of athletic bands, said the Penguinettes are part of the band.
"They really enhance our visual presence on the field in performance," he said. "They have a lot of fun, but they're also very serious, and that's what they ultimately represent at YSU."
In his second year at YSU, Payne said the Penguinettes are "extremely reliable."
"They work hard [and] they are very serious about what they do, and I think what's most important is they have a lot of fun," Payne said.
There is, however, another piece to the puzzle: the Penguinettes, a group of majorette-like dancers that cheer, twirl batons and pump up the crowd.
The Penguinettes, made up of eight students, attend each home game.
"We go over halftime and pregame, and we meet with the band, march through the tailgate, do the icebreaker and then start the pregame," said junior Erika Aulizia.
As a third-year performer, she is also captain. She said more goes into the performance than spectators actually see.
"You have a lot of work. You have to make up the choreography, like get the girls placed and get all their outfits together and buy them new things," Aulizia said.
Becoming a Penguinette takes a lot of time as well, she added.
"You have to learn how to do it; you have to take classes," Aulizia said. "Our adviser has her own studio. A lot of us have taken classes off of her before."
One part of the Penguinette routine is learning the baton, which Aulizia said is mostly in the wrist.
Sophomore Ashley Bowers said the baton involves a lot of precision and dedication.
"It definitely is not as easy as it looks because you have to make sure you're always holding the baton and not dropping it on the field," Bowers said.
Bowers is in her first year of performing and said she wants to do it again next year.
"I love it," she said. "It's a great group of girls, and it's a great thing to get involved with. We're all really close."
The Penguinettes purchase uniforms with the help of local donors, Aulizia said.
The Penguinettes traditionally wear red, white and black dresses with white boots, while a Pete the Penguin tattoo adorns their cheeks. They also carry batons for the first half of the game.
During the halftime show, they wear the same outfit but switch into jazz shoes.
After halftime, they switch to replica YSU football jerseys with the number "00" and the name "Penguinettes."
The Penguinettes begin their routine with the band at Stambaugh Stadium approximately four hours before each game. From there, they lead the band down to Bliss Hall and back.
After that, they march to the YSU Bookstore, turn around for a "band icebreaker" and march once again to the stadium for pregame ceremonies with stops in between at the tailgating lots.
"It's really fun," junior Caty Moran said. "We feed off of the energy because they are all excited."
Normally, the icebreaker is where the YSU band performs with a local high school band. There was not one at Saturday's game, but Austintown Fitch High School and Champion High School have participated in the past.
The Penguinettes lead the band onto the field and help get the crowd involved, said head football coach Eric Wolford.
"I think any time you get a chance to look at the support staff we have — whether it's band, cheerleading, Penguinettes, whatever — I think those people are just as important to the team as anybody else," Wolford said. "I think this is a community effort, a team effort, and that's what it's going to take."
Brandt Payne, director of athletic bands, said the Penguinettes are part of the band.
"They really enhance our visual presence on the field in performance," he said. "They have a lot of fun, but they're also very serious, and that's what they ultimately represent at YSU."
In his second year at YSU, Payne said the Penguinettes are "extremely reliable."
"They work hard [and] they are very serious about what they do, and I think what's most important is they have a lot of fun," Payne said.
2011年10月10日星期一
Accessory woes for Kardashian after she is accused of stealing designs
Kim Kardashian may be popular among the media, but she has recently found her way onto one famous designer's bad side.
For the past few years, the women of the Kardashian family have mastered the art of brand building; everything from shoes, fragrances, handbags, diet plans, books, clothing lines and wedding extravaganzas have kept the Ks — Kourtney, Khloe, Kim and “momager” Kris — in the limelight.
In Monday's issue of Women's Wear Daily alone, a total of four separate articles featured the Kardashians, spotlighting the media hungry family.
Adding a notch in her belt as a fashion mogul (I use that term very loosely), Kim's new jewelry line, Belle Noelle, has been criticized for its very similar aesthetic to that of the jewelry designer Alexis Bittar, a Council of Fashion Designers of America award-winner.
In a New York Post article, while walking past the Dash store (the Kardashian's boutique) in SoHo, Bittar said that he noticed a similarity between his pieces and those displayed in her store.
According to the Post article, Bittar has loaned jewelry to Kim before, but has said he will not in the future. Bittar has no plans of suing.
“I haven't talked to Kim about it, the truth is she might not even know,” Bittar said to the Post. “She might be so far removed from it (the design process), and her designers go shopping and knock things off. But we are definitely not lending to Kim anymore.”
It is quite understandable for Bittar to refuse lending Kimmie anymore of his coveted designs, after unexpectedly seeing his pieces imitated while taking a stroll in SoHo. However, when is it safe to distinguish design inspiration from knock-offs?
I have seen the Belle Noelle pieces juxtaposed to the Alexis Bittar pieces, and I will say there are similarities, but nothing so blatantly replicated. Hence the reason, I think, for no legal action being taken by Bittar.
“She hasn't ever noted any inspiration from Alexis Bittar's pieces, so any similarity in design is pure coincidental,” a Belle Noelle representative said to the Post.
However, this is not the first time Kim or her sisters have been accused of copying a famous designer's designs.
According to a Forbes article in August, the Botkier company issued a cease and desist order, accusing the reality TV family of knocking-off one of its handbags — the “Clyde” bag — and selling it under the Kardashian Kollection brand.
In this case, Botkier pursued legal action; understandably so. The Kardashian Kollection handbag was almost an exact replica of the $600 Botkier “Clyde” handbag.
Hopefully Kimmie will learn her lesson; she already has enough rumors about her fake assets to deal with.
For the past few years, the women of the Kardashian family have mastered the art of brand building; everything from shoes, fragrances, handbags, diet plans, books, clothing lines and wedding extravaganzas have kept the Ks — Kourtney, Khloe, Kim and “momager” Kris — in the limelight.
In Monday's issue of Women's Wear Daily alone, a total of four separate articles featured the Kardashians, spotlighting the media hungry family.
Adding a notch in her belt as a fashion mogul (I use that term very loosely), Kim's new jewelry line, Belle Noelle, has been criticized for its very similar aesthetic to that of the jewelry designer Alexis Bittar, a Council of Fashion Designers of America award-winner.
In a New York Post article, while walking past the Dash store (the Kardashian's boutique) in SoHo, Bittar said that he noticed a similarity between his pieces and those displayed in her store.
According to the Post article, Bittar has loaned jewelry to Kim before, but has said he will not in the future. Bittar has no plans of suing.
“I haven't talked to Kim about it, the truth is she might not even know,” Bittar said to the Post. “She might be so far removed from it (the design process), and her designers go shopping and knock things off. But we are definitely not lending to Kim anymore.”
It is quite understandable for Bittar to refuse lending Kimmie anymore of his coveted designs, after unexpectedly seeing his pieces imitated while taking a stroll in SoHo. However, when is it safe to distinguish design inspiration from knock-offs?
I have seen the Belle Noelle pieces juxtaposed to the Alexis Bittar pieces, and I will say there are similarities, but nothing so blatantly replicated. Hence the reason, I think, for no legal action being taken by Bittar.
“She hasn't ever noted any inspiration from Alexis Bittar's pieces, so any similarity in design is pure coincidental,” a Belle Noelle representative said to the Post.
However, this is not the first time Kim or her sisters have been accused of copying a famous designer's designs.
According to a Forbes article in August, the Botkier company issued a cease and desist order, accusing the reality TV family of knocking-off one of its handbags — the “Clyde” bag — and selling it under the Kardashian Kollection brand.
In this case, Botkier pursued legal action; understandably so. The Kardashian Kollection handbag was almost an exact replica of the $600 Botkier “Clyde” handbag.
Hopefully Kimmie will learn her lesson; she already has enough rumors about her fake assets to deal with.
A family favourite in central Europe
"This place is like heaven for Hungarians," says our guide Gabor Torocsik, as our railway carriage trundles up the narrow-gauge line into the hills above Szilvasvarad. "To us, the hills are something magic."
The forested slopes would not strike the average mountain-dweller as anything extraordinary. But all things are relative, and it seems that Hungarians - whose landscapes tend towards the pancake-flat - go mad for their hills.
Certainly the Bukk National Park, near Miskolc, in north-east Hungary, is a lovely day out. We hop off at the end of the line and stroll down the trail through stands of oak and beech, waterfalls and trout ponds glinting through the green.
I detect a certain nostalgia in this yearning for the uplands. On an ancient map at park HQ, Gabor traces for us the great expanse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before the 1920 Treaty of Trianon gave away 72 per cent of Hungary to the neighbours.
"You saw those hills as we drove in?" He gestures beyond the forests towards the border with Slovakia. "All that used to be Hungary."
Eger's impressive castle is a monument to past glories: it was behind these walls in 1552 that some 2000 gallant townspeople held out against an 80,000-strong Ottoman army. Gabor explains how the ramparts are now an important symbol of national pride.
My daughter is not overly concerned about the slings and arrows of Hungary's historical fortunes. To any Harry Potter aficionado a castle is a castle, and this one has hidden cannons, tunnels, and a noisy replica of the defenders' ingenious "firing machine": a wine barrel that they stuffed with gunpowder and bullets and sent down the slopes of the castle to rout the invaders.
Eger and its surroundings offer treats galore for a nine-year-old. First, there are horses: our lunch at Szilvasvarad overlooks a paddock of Lipizzaners, and afterwards my daughter takes the reins of a horse and cart as we trundle through the forest. Then the sweets: Eger's confectionery museum houses everything from ballet shoes to bibles, all created from sugar paste and tempera glaze by confectioner Lajos Kopcsik.
In Eger's Szepasszony Valley, "the valley of the beautiful women", the goodies are more consumable.
Here, the soft volcanic tufa that underlies much of the town is honeycombed with 130km of wine cellars. In the chilled vaults of cellar 36, local vintner Tamas Sike treats us to a tasting.
"We cellar-keepers know three types of wine," he tells me, as we progress from a 2008 bikaver (bull's blood) to a syrupy 2009 late harvest.
By glass number nine, I am laughing at pretty much anything he says, and have begun to acquire the rosé-tinted spectacles that clearly explain the district's name.
The forested slopes would not strike the average mountain-dweller as anything extraordinary. But all things are relative, and it seems that Hungarians - whose landscapes tend towards the pancake-flat - go mad for their hills.
Certainly the Bukk National Park, near Miskolc, in north-east Hungary, is a lovely day out. We hop off at the end of the line and stroll down the trail through stands of oak and beech, waterfalls and trout ponds glinting through the green.
I detect a certain nostalgia in this yearning for the uplands. On an ancient map at park HQ, Gabor traces for us the great expanse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before the 1920 Treaty of Trianon gave away 72 per cent of Hungary to the neighbours.
"You saw those hills as we drove in?" He gestures beyond the forests towards the border with Slovakia. "All that used to be Hungary."
Eger's impressive castle is a monument to past glories: it was behind these walls in 1552 that some 2000 gallant townspeople held out against an 80,000-strong Ottoman army. Gabor explains how the ramparts are now an important symbol of national pride.
My daughter is not overly concerned about the slings and arrows of Hungary's historical fortunes. To any Harry Potter aficionado a castle is a castle, and this one has hidden cannons, tunnels, and a noisy replica of the defenders' ingenious "firing machine": a wine barrel that they stuffed with gunpowder and bullets and sent down the slopes of the castle to rout the invaders.
Eger and its surroundings offer treats galore for a nine-year-old. First, there are horses: our lunch at Szilvasvarad overlooks a paddock of Lipizzaners, and afterwards my daughter takes the reins of a horse and cart as we trundle through the forest. Then the sweets: Eger's confectionery museum houses everything from ballet shoes to bibles, all created from sugar paste and tempera glaze by confectioner Lajos Kopcsik.
In Eger's Szepasszony Valley, "the valley of the beautiful women", the goodies are more consumable.
Here, the soft volcanic tufa that underlies much of the town is honeycombed with 130km of wine cellars. In the chilled vaults of cellar 36, local vintner Tamas Sike treats us to a tasting.
"We cellar-keepers know three types of wine," he tells me, as we progress from a 2008 bikaver (bull's blood) to a syrupy 2009 late harvest.
By glass number nine, I am laughing at pretty much anything he says, and have begun to acquire the rosé-tinted spectacles that clearly explain the district's name.
2011年10月9日星期日
Home of the Week: Runners update formerly run-down home
Megan Moore doesn't walk into a room, she seems to sprint into it. She and husband Jon Line are both lithe and fit, with runners' bodies - probably because they are dedicated runners. Both are familiar sights jogging or racing along Annapolis streets and county trails, and both have participated in marathons and triathlons.
Still, with her long, flowing blonde hair, flawless skin and buoyant personality, Megan got carded recently at the Red Red Wine Bar on Main Street. The youthful-looking 36-year-old was flattered, until she realized she had left her driver's license at work.
Bummer.
Jon, who is 37, and sports a similar youthful vibe, made a mental note to keep his ID close by.
Along with Gordon "Gordy" Von Schnauzer III, their Weimaraner rescue dog, the couple owns the Annapolis Running Shop on Main Street downtown. Using the acronym for their business, they encourage folks, young and old, to "Run your ARS off." Jon also coaches the St. Mary's High School track and cross country teams, passing on his love of the fleet-footed sports.
Megan is the second-generation owner of another business, the Easy Street Gallery, on Francis Street, near its juncture with Main Street.
Easy Street is an American craft gallery brimming with sailboats, stained glass, vases, sculpture, art glass, wall art, lamps, blown glass bowls, paperweights and pottery. The gallery was opened in 1979 by Megan's parents Marsha and Terry Moore, who now reside in West Virginia. They had a second gallery a couple blocks away and, as a youngster, Megan would circulate between the two shops. Megan officially joined her parents at Easy Street in 1995.
The Moore family lived in an old detached frame house on Conduit Street that was notorious because it leaned noticeably (It's since been fixed.). Megan was a member of the first high school class to graduate from the "new" Annapolis Area Christian School building on Bestgate Road in 1993.
A little history
Megan and Jon's first home sweet home was in Eastport. "But, we wanted to be here, in Annapolis," said Megan of their eventual, two-year quest to sell the Eastport residence and move closer to her downtown roots. "We walk everywhere. When we moved into our new home, Jon and I gave up the second car. We gave it to a very happy nephew."
While the Eastport house languished on the market for two years, the couple set their hearts on a house in the historic district that is a few steps from Acton Cove. It, too, sat with a "for sale" sign on it for two years. "It was waiting for us!" said Megan.
They moved into their "new" home in 2009.
Megan invited us over, saying, "The exterior is really cute. We kept the feel of an old house but updated it to our taste."
"I'm used to old houses. We share a wall with our neighbors.
We love it," said Megan. "We shop local. We eat at local restaurants, not chains, and buy at locally-owned shops. If they don't have it downtown, we go without it."
According to the Maryland Historical Properties Inventory of Historic Properties, the Victorian-era townhouse, attached to its mirror twin on one side, was built between 1886 and 1891 as speculative housing, not custom-built. Through the next century, the house was rented to a succession of tenants, many of whom were laborers at the Naval Academy. It also passed through numerous owners, nine alone in the 20th century.
The previous owners not only undertook a major renovation of the property, they were the first owner-residents in the home's history. Megan and Jon are the second.
An old herringbone brick walkway is the home's front yard. The brick wraps around one side of the house, forming a path to its backyard. A touch of green is provided by a planter spilling lush vines, plus the two spiraling boxwood topiaries positioned on the front stoop. The two-story house has a raised brick foundation and is sheathed with pale gray painted German siding and white corner boards. Its white trim with black shutters and accents give it a contemporary look. The "sexy, hot pink" door adds a bold pop of color.
Looking up, it's easy to see why the historians get excited: tucked under the roofline is a lavishly detailed Italianate-style entablature or frieze. It's beautiful.
Of course, it is hard to miss the couple's chic, baby-blue, Vespa-styled Milan scooter moped parked near the front door. The Milan is an easy way to scoot around town when they're too tuckered to run.
If you were to look across a fence, the rear addition is in two parts. A low room connects the high vaulted back room - the master bedroom - to the original building. Both rooms have red, standing seam metal roofs.
Still, with her long, flowing blonde hair, flawless skin and buoyant personality, Megan got carded recently at the Red Red Wine Bar on Main Street. The youthful-looking 36-year-old was flattered, until she realized she had left her driver's license at work.
Bummer.
Jon, who is 37, and sports a similar youthful vibe, made a mental note to keep his ID close by.
Along with Gordon "Gordy" Von Schnauzer III, their Weimaraner rescue dog, the couple owns the Annapolis Running Shop on Main Street downtown. Using the acronym for their business, they encourage folks, young and old, to "Run your ARS off." Jon also coaches the St. Mary's High School track and cross country teams, passing on his love of the fleet-footed sports.
Megan is the second-generation owner of another business, the Easy Street Gallery, on Francis Street, near its juncture with Main Street.
Easy Street is an American craft gallery brimming with sailboats, stained glass, vases, sculpture, art glass, wall art, lamps, blown glass bowls, paperweights and pottery. The gallery was opened in 1979 by Megan's parents Marsha and Terry Moore, who now reside in West Virginia. They had a second gallery a couple blocks away and, as a youngster, Megan would circulate between the two shops. Megan officially joined her parents at Easy Street in 1995.
The Moore family lived in an old detached frame house on Conduit Street that was notorious because it leaned noticeably (It's since been fixed.). Megan was a member of the first high school class to graduate from the "new" Annapolis Area Christian School building on Bestgate Road in 1993.
A little history
Megan and Jon's first home sweet home was in Eastport. "But, we wanted to be here, in Annapolis," said Megan of their eventual, two-year quest to sell the Eastport residence and move closer to her downtown roots. "We walk everywhere. When we moved into our new home, Jon and I gave up the second car. We gave it to a very happy nephew."
While the Eastport house languished on the market for two years, the couple set their hearts on a house in the historic district that is a few steps from Acton Cove. It, too, sat with a "for sale" sign on it for two years. "It was waiting for us!" said Megan.
They moved into their "new" home in 2009.
Megan invited us over, saying, "The exterior is really cute. We kept the feel of an old house but updated it to our taste."
"I'm used to old houses. We share a wall with our neighbors.
We love it," said Megan. "We shop local. We eat at local restaurants, not chains, and buy at locally-owned shops. If they don't have it downtown, we go without it."
According to the Maryland Historical Properties Inventory of Historic Properties, the Victorian-era townhouse, attached to its mirror twin on one side, was built between 1886 and 1891 as speculative housing, not custom-built. Through the next century, the house was rented to a succession of tenants, many of whom were laborers at the Naval Academy. It also passed through numerous owners, nine alone in the 20th century.
The previous owners not only undertook a major renovation of the property, they were the first owner-residents in the home's history. Megan and Jon are the second.
An old herringbone brick walkway is the home's front yard. The brick wraps around one side of the house, forming a path to its backyard. A touch of green is provided by a planter spilling lush vines, plus the two spiraling boxwood topiaries positioned on the front stoop. The two-story house has a raised brick foundation and is sheathed with pale gray painted German siding and white corner boards. Its white trim with black shutters and accents give it a contemporary look. The "sexy, hot pink" door adds a bold pop of color.
Looking up, it's easy to see why the historians get excited: tucked under the roofline is a lavishly detailed Italianate-style entablature or frieze. It's beautiful.
Of course, it is hard to miss the couple's chic, baby-blue, Vespa-styled Milan scooter moped parked near the front door. The Milan is an easy way to scoot around town when they're too tuckered to run.
If you were to look across a fence, the rear addition is in two parts. A low room connects the high vaulted back room - the master bedroom - to the original building. Both rooms have red, standing seam metal roofs.
2011年10月7日星期五
Pirates Arrr! Invading Tybee For Annual Pirate Festival
Buccaneer, scallywag, or swashbuckler. all mean the same thing -- pirate. And that's the theme for Tybee Island this weekend and the Annual Pirate Festival.
"Arrrgghh!"
From replica ships to jolly rogers, the festival celebrates everything on the high seas, and folks weren't hesitant to get in the spirit.
"Any time there's a gathering of pirates, we get excited," said 'Cruel Cathy Blackheart.'
"It's great to become another person for a day and step out of your normal shoes and put on your boots and go play," said Lady Lindsay Lee.
"It's a carnival atmosphere. The whole town gets into it, the whole city gets into it, everybody's into the festival, downtown is into the festival, it's just a fantastic place to have a festival," said MC Pirate Joe.
Besides being a lot of fun, the festival is a big money-maker for vendors. And that's what keeps some vendors coming back year after year, trying to offer some treasure for the tourists.
"They're on vacation, they're having a good time, and of course they have to take things home, so they are looking for things that they can take home that are from this area so, you know, anything that's different," said vendor Susan Carter.
For other vendors, they needed to switch up what they're selling in order to cash in on all the booty being spent.
"I came last year and brought art, and art's a little challenging for this venue, so this year we brought our marona jewelry and our pirates mining company," said Fish Art owner Ralph Douglas Jones.
And he says the jewels may help him take home some gold this year.
"Arrrgghh!"
From replica ships to jolly rogers, the festival celebrates everything on the high seas, and folks weren't hesitant to get in the spirit.
"Any time there's a gathering of pirates, we get excited," said 'Cruel Cathy Blackheart.'
"It's great to become another person for a day and step out of your normal shoes and put on your boots and go play," said Lady Lindsay Lee.
"It's a carnival atmosphere. The whole town gets into it, the whole city gets into it, everybody's into the festival, downtown is into the festival, it's just a fantastic place to have a festival," said MC Pirate Joe.
Besides being a lot of fun, the festival is a big money-maker for vendors. And that's what keeps some vendors coming back year after year, trying to offer some treasure for the tourists.
"They're on vacation, they're having a good time, and of course they have to take things home, so they are looking for things that they can take home that are from this area so, you know, anything that's different," said vendor Susan Carter.
For other vendors, they needed to switch up what they're selling in order to cash in on all the booty being spent.
"I came last year and brought art, and art's a little challenging for this venue, so this year we brought our marona jewelry and our pirates mining company," said Fish Art owner Ralph Douglas Jones.
And he says the jewels may help him take home some gold this year.
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