By Chad Fleming
In this day and age in America, many people travel by plane, automobile and sometimes even by boat. It’s starting to become a distant memory for most people today but the most widely used methods of transportation during the migration West during the gold rush, was either by wagon or train. The train dramatically changed how the United States functioned and opened up the gates to the four corners of this great an unknown land. One rail line in particular I will discuss is the Narrow Gauge Line from Durango to Silverton, which I had the pleasure of riding on during my trip to Mesa Verde and then Silverton.
Mesa Verde is one of the most intriguing and spectacular man-made historical dwellings I have ever had the ability to see in person. While there is still much to be learned about the Anasazi who built the cliff dwellings, much had been gained over the last century when it comes to how they lived. When I first saw the dwellings in person I couldn’t believe that people had actually made this their home for generations because it’s literally on a cliff. Mesa Verde is a nationally recognized monument and recently was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. At first, I found it hard to imagine people living in the small sandstone and adobe dwellings because many of the doorways leading into them were very small. The Park Ranger then put my views into perspective because the people who lived there were a lot smaller than most people are today. The Anasazi people were shorter in stature and made homes to fit what they needed which then made a lot of sense.
According to the National Park Service, the ancient Puebloans started building and living in the cliff dwellings around the year 1190, after having lived in the area for six hundred years already. The Puebloan people established deep seeded roots in the region but why didn’t their presence in the region last longer? After roughly eighty years occupying the cliff dwellings, “The population began migrating south into present-day New Mexico and Arizona... and by 1300, the Ancestral Puebloan occupation of Mesa Verde ended”. I would be very interested to talk to the Puebloans of that time and ask them why they packed up and left after inhabiting the region for over half of a millennia, but some things are best left a secret.
The next part of my adventure took me on a trip to Silverton via the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. According to the Durango and Silverton Railroad Museum, “Durango was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1880… The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year”. After only a year the rail line was put to use and started carrying both silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains. During this time the railway was also “promoted as a scenic route for passenger service” but it was mainly used to move ore.
My experience on the forty-five mile trip from Durango to Silverton was an unforgettable experience to say the least because it was my first long trip on a train and the views were spectacular. Although I wasn’t aware that sticking my face out of the train car would cause my face to turn black, I soon found out. The ride to Silverton was a great experience because it took me back in time and let me imagine how the settlers in this land lived and traveled. The ride was not very smooth, the train traveled very slowly and my face was black from the smoke slowly drifting back to the cabins, but the enjoyment I had is something I will never forget. When I picture in my mind a Wild West town, the first one that comes to mind now is Silverton. After the long and bumpy ride, I finally made it to town and was greeted by men riding horses and wearing chaps, women wearing old-time Sunday dresses and a new outlook on the Wild West. On the main street there was a saloon with the swinging door and a restaurant with waiters dressed in the attire of the late 1900s. Buffalo burger was on the menu and was probably one of the best I’ve ever had.
Silverton was established as a mining town in 1874 after the Brunot Treaty with the Utes, according to Silverton Historical Society. Originally, two thousand miners moved into the area to test their luck at mining silver and more followed them to mine the miners. The town never became really big but to its credit, the town exists today if only a tourist attraction. I find it hard to believe, just like with the Puebloans in Mesa Verde that people were able to survive in the harsh conditions that Silverton endures in the winter. Silverton lies between two San Juan Mountain passes, Red Mountain and Molas. In the early days of the town, it was known as “the town that never quit”. This kind of enduring spirit is what makes me proud to be a native Coloradan as well as an avid explorer of Colorado.
Many Coloradans are unaware that Colorado has a great history with many small towns and nationally recognized monuments but they are still there waiting to be explored. My trip was eye-opening because I learned many new interesting facts about the early days of settlers as well as the lives of the ancient inhabitants.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Excerpt, Part II: Another One Bites The Dust, A Short Story
Ivan grew restless. It had been too long. He should have found it by now, even without the monk’s help. Already he had found an old friend, Nike, to help him. He had searched along the Amazon in Brazil and Columbia but to no avail. Reassurances flew from his lackeys, the poor mule traders hoping to have a part in the reward. Don’t worry señor. We will find it. Don’t worry.
Slowly, slowly an aching, a longing desire arose in his core. It grew and became nauseatingly constant in its plea. Unquenched and untamed, it grew stronger moment by moment. Consumed in fury, knowing the Fountain was still hidden and still eluded his desperate grasp, he hunted his prey with a savage passion, methodically destroying those who stood in the way. Months passed slowly as they snaked their way to Peru.
“How do we search a whole country, brother? There are only two of us,” Nike asked, curious why Ivan was so desperate.
“Surely someone will know of a monk in this pagan place,” answered Ivan.
“Indeed. But many call themselves such to gain respect,” Nike said.
Ivan grinned. “Ah, but only one knew of the Fountain.”
“Yes. But we need a guide –”
“At the inn. We need food and fresh horses anyway.”
And so to the inn it was. Into the place they stormed, shouting and demanding new steeds and supplies. There was only a beggar outside and an old woman inside, who cursed at them for disturbing her work. She was only sleeping. But they cursed right back and screamed for a guide to take them to the monk, Raul. All the noise brought in the beggar who told them shortly that there was no monk around, but there could be. For a price. While the old wench whined at the beggar to leave, he calmly filled his pockets with coins and said, “There is a monk who lives in the caves. He has been there for many years and never leaves. Go up the path to the lake and you will see the first of the caves, the one he lives in. It’s a monastery. Some of the boys, the orphans, go and live up there with him and bring him food from the village.”
They left with the old woman’s horses in a hurry without refilling their water pouches and food sacks. The path, being much longer than they thought, was entirely uphill, which upset the horses and forced their riders to walk most of the way. Having passed an abandoned graveyard along the way, Nike was still trying to reassure the guide that they were most certainly not going to be cursed. There was a crushing silence as they walked – even the trees were silent. A crack sounded close by.
“What is that, Nike?” Ivan exclaimed, startled.
“One of those orphan boys, I suppose,” Nike replied.
“Nothing else would care to climb this blasted pile of rocks,” Ivan spat.
“Come out, boy. Show us the way to the caves,” ordered Nike.
“Don’t talk to it. Revolting thing, still living like an animal! Lead the way, you little bastard,” Ivan said, disgusted. “Are you sure it knows where to go?”
“Certainly understands more than you. Look at it go,” Nike said.
They arrived at the lake and upon seeing the caves, rushed toward the first one, knocking their orphan guide roughly into the lake. The stony entrance, though small and unsightly, opened up to a spacious area. Rugged paths led away into other grottos, providing a rather large living area. Their frantic calls echoed throughout the cavern and produced a small, slightly shriveled old man.
Raul gaped a little at his visitors.
“Who are you?” he asked timidly. “I haven’t had visitors in decades.”
“We’ve come for your help. You know where the Fountain of Youth is?”
He paled and whispered, “No.”
“You should know.”
Raul strained to regain some composure but failed. “I don’t know where it is.”
“Tell us,” Nike demanded.
“Let me be,” pleaded the old man.
“I must find it!” Ivan screeched.
Nike shoved him out of the cave. “Ivan, look…he doesn’t know where it is.”
Ivan growled as he paced across the stony path, biting his fist. He couldn’t find it. Couldn’t find the Fountain. No! He thought. I’ll die. I can’t die. I can’t. “We’re going back to Haiti, where that man told me about the monk! I’ll kill the bastard,” Ivan cried. “I can’t let him live.” He cursed. Nike followed him as Ivan leapt onto his horse, kicking it into a gallop and swearing death on the monk, the orphans, and his own worst enemy, the unknown man in the forest.
Nike wondered if it had been wise, following Ivan on his exploration for the Fountain. No one had found it. No one knew much of anything concerning it. And for Ivan to believe a stranger, well, that was unlike him. Perhaps he would be convinced otherwise.
They traveled a long way before reaching a reasonably sized town. Ivan had insisted on finding a decent hostel to stay at - one in a village without monks, that is. He proclaimed hatred on every monk, saying they were greedy and trying to kill him. They tied the horses up, and Ivan screeched at the nearest child to wipe them down and feed them. Nike said nothing as they stepped inside. It was quaint, smelling of pine and old beer. A little brunette girl dressed in a faded rose dress skipped up to them, offering to take their grungy coats. Ivan tossed his onto her, spoiling her neatly combed hair and stomped up to the desk, demanding a room for the night. He asked gruffly if there were any monks staying here as well, to which the man, clearing his throat said, “No monks.” He grinned at Ivan, proudly showing him an array of crooked blackened teeth. Ivan sneered, taking the key and mumbling to Nike to come with him. A few wrinkled old men stood aside drinking ale and murmuring, staring pointedly at Ivan as he turned.
“Hello, Ivan,” one of them said, dressed in white coat and strangely clean trousers. He winked.
Nike pulled Ivan away and up the creaking stairs to their room, a small whitewashed space at the end of the long hallway. There they laid their dirty belongings and sat on the dingy mats left for them. The air was stale and smelled too clean for a room in an inn so dirty. Regardless, they were tired and cared little about their surroundings.
“Go to sleep, Ivan. You need to clear your head,” said Nike, pushing his friend onto the cleaner mat. He waited quietly til Ivan drifted off before disappearing down the crisply painted hall.
Slowly, slowly an aching, a longing desire arose in his core. It grew and became nauseatingly constant in its plea. Unquenched and untamed, it grew stronger moment by moment. Consumed in fury, knowing the Fountain was still hidden and still eluded his desperate grasp, he hunted his prey with a savage passion, methodically destroying those who stood in the way. Months passed slowly as they snaked their way to Peru.
“How do we search a whole country, brother? There are only two of us,” Nike asked, curious why Ivan was so desperate.
“Surely someone will know of a monk in this pagan place,” answered Ivan.
“Indeed. But many call themselves such to gain respect,” Nike said.
Ivan grinned. “Ah, but only one knew of the Fountain.”
“Yes. But we need a guide –”
“At the inn. We need food and fresh horses anyway.”
And so to the inn it was. Into the place they stormed, shouting and demanding new steeds and supplies. There was only a beggar outside and an old woman inside, who cursed at them for disturbing her work. She was only sleeping. But they cursed right back and screamed for a guide to take them to the monk, Raul. All the noise brought in the beggar who told them shortly that there was no monk around, but there could be. For a price. While the old wench whined at the beggar to leave, he calmly filled his pockets with coins and said, “There is a monk who lives in the caves. He has been there for many years and never leaves. Go up the path to the lake and you will see the first of the caves, the one he lives in. It’s a monastery. Some of the boys, the orphans, go and live up there with him and bring him food from the village.”
They left with the old woman’s horses in a hurry without refilling their water pouches and food sacks. The path, being much longer than they thought, was entirely uphill, which upset the horses and forced their riders to walk most of the way. Having passed an abandoned graveyard along the way, Nike was still trying to reassure the guide that they were most certainly not going to be cursed. There was a crushing silence as they walked – even the trees were silent. A crack sounded close by.
“What is that, Nike?” Ivan exclaimed, startled.
“One of those orphan boys, I suppose,” Nike replied.
“Nothing else would care to climb this blasted pile of rocks,” Ivan spat.
“Come out, boy. Show us the way to the caves,” ordered Nike.
“Don’t talk to it. Revolting thing, still living like an animal! Lead the way, you little bastard,” Ivan said, disgusted. “Are you sure it knows where to go?”
“Certainly understands more than you. Look at it go,” Nike said.
They arrived at the lake and upon seeing the caves, rushed toward the first one, knocking their orphan guide roughly into the lake. The stony entrance, though small and unsightly, opened up to a spacious area. Rugged paths led away into other grottos, providing a rather large living area. Their frantic calls echoed throughout the cavern and produced a small, slightly shriveled old man.
Raul gaped a little at his visitors.
“Who are you?” he asked timidly. “I haven’t had visitors in decades.”
“We’ve come for your help. You know where the Fountain of Youth is?”
He paled and whispered, “No.”
“You should know.”
Raul strained to regain some composure but failed. “I don’t know where it is.”
“Tell us,” Nike demanded.
“Let me be,” pleaded the old man.
“I must find it!” Ivan screeched.
Nike shoved him out of the cave. “Ivan, look…he doesn’t know where it is.”
Ivan growled as he paced across the stony path, biting his fist. He couldn’t find it. Couldn’t find the Fountain. No! He thought. I’ll die. I can’t die. I can’t. “We’re going back to Haiti, where that man told me about the monk! I’ll kill the bastard,” Ivan cried. “I can’t let him live.” He cursed. Nike followed him as Ivan leapt onto his horse, kicking it into a gallop and swearing death on the monk, the orphans, and his own worst enemy, the unknown man in the forest.
Nike wondered if it had been wise, following Ivan on his exploration for the Fountain. No one had found it. No one knew much of anything concerning it. And for Ivan to believe a stranger, well, that was unlike him. Perhaps he would be convinced otherwise.
They traveled a long way before reaching a reasonably sized town. Ivan had insisted on finding a decent hostel to stay at - one in a village without monks, that is. He proclaimed hatred on every monk, saying they were greedy and trying to kill him. They tied the horses up, and Ivan screeched at the nearest child to wipe them down and feed them. Nike said nothing as they stepped inside. It was quaint, smelling of pine and old beer. A little brunette girl dressed in a faded rose dress skipped up to them, offering to take their grungy coats. Ivan tossed his onto her, spoiling her neatly combed hair and stomped up to the desk, demanding a room for the night. He asked gruffly if there were any monks staying here as well, to which the man, clearing his throat said, “No monks.” He grinned at Ivan, proudly showing him an array of crooked blackened teeth. Ivan sneered, taking the key and mumbling to Nike to come with him. A few wrinkled old men stood aside drinking ale and murmuring, staring pointedly at Ivan as he turned.
“Hello, Ivan,” one of them said, dressed in white coat and strangely clean trousers. He winked.
Nike pulled Ivan away and up the creaking stairs to their room, a small whitewashed space at the end of the long hallway. There they laid their dirty belongings and sat on the dingy mats left for them. The air was stale and smelled too clean for a room in an inn so dirty. Regardless, they were tired and cared little about their surroundings.
“Go to sleep, Ivan. You need to clear your head,” said Nike, pushing his friend onto the cleaner mat. He waited quietly til Ivan drifted off before disappearing down the crisply painted hall.
The Green Hornet: Review
Joey Montoya
The Green Hornet, starring Seth Rogen and Jay Chou, gave a funny but not-so original outlook on superhero movies.
For the past decade Seth Rogen has made quite a name for himself, working with directors like David Gordon Green and Judd Apatow. His latest blockbuster, The Green Hornet, stole number 1 at the box office during its opening weekend with a 33.5 million dollar gross.
The Green Hornet offers a very comical outlook on the dominating superhero movie industry. Seth Rogen stars as the protagonist, Britt Reid, who inherits a magazine empire after the untimely death of his father. After a brush with criminals, he decides to become a superhero with his father’s ex-employee, Kato (Played by Jay Chou). Britt adopts the moniker, “The Green Hornet” and uses his newspaper to spread the word.
Although he does not have any special powers, Britt declares him a hero after saving a couple from vicious muggers. The only one with real powers is Kato, who is a martial arts expert and has the ability to slow down time (or speed it up, it wasn’t clear). The movie is full of explosions coupled with endless dialog and leaves the audience with nothing to take home.
To be blunt, this movie is typical. Its cookie-cutter -story follows closely behind its superhero predecessors. The bad guys deal drugs and murder, and the good guy battles the bad guys. It’s the same thing that we have been watching since the beginning of time. However, the film is full of laughs, and Seth Rogen’s character in this film isn’t too different than his roles that were seen in “Knocked up” or “Pineapple Express”.
The director, unbelievably, is Michel Gondry. I’m not exactly sure how he went from directing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to The Green Hornet, it may have been Seth Rogen’s charm (scoff). After all, he also got legendary director, David Gordon Green, to direct Pineapple Express.
I’m not saying that type casting is bad (it works for Michael Cera) but it can get frustrating when I go to see a movie that has been called, “funny and original” and I end up seeing the same old stuff. Sure, Seth Rogen is lovable and charming but I’m not convinced he is the great actor I keep hearing about.
The Green Hornet was a good popcorn flick; I enjoyed laughing at the off-beat antics Seth Rogen and Jay Chou. However if you are going to the movies to watch a movie that has depth or creativity then I wouldn’t recommend the Green Hornet.
Rock Climbing: There Is A Safe(r) Way To Do It!
By: Nate Hemmert
Rock climbing is an extremely intense sport. It’s both physically and mentally challenging, and as with most adventurous sports it carries some risk with it. But by doing your part, learning some of the proper techniques, and using the right safety equipment you can reduce the risk of injury.
First things first, the equipment – where to start and how to know you’re getting the right stuff. The first thing you going to need is a harness. A rope doesn’t do you much good without a harness. There are many different styles of climbing harnesses out there, ranging in price from a mere $40 all the way up to $150, but realistically a basic harness is more than suitable for the beginning climber. As long as it’s a climbing harness you’re good to go. As far as fit is concerned, find the correct waist fitting and the harness can be tightened from there. A proper climbing harness should fit rather snuggly – it is what’s keeping you connected to the rope after all. A good rule of thumb is to put your flattened hand through the waist of your harness as you’re wearing it, put your hand into a fist and if you can’t pull it back out you’re all set. Guys don’t worry these harnesses disperse the weight away from the important areas! Of course, I also have to mention a helmet - but just like everything else, it's optional - the harness: not so much!
Next comes the rope; and it’s not just any rope we’re talking about here. Sorry, you can’t just go grab any old rope from the tool shed (well, you could but it’s probably not the safest idea)! Climbing ropes are specially made; they have more elasticity than a typical rope helping to absorb the weight and fall of a climber. Climbing ropes vary only slightly from one another– simple things like length and the fiber and weave densities. Generally though, any climbing rope will work fine for a beginner. Experienced climbers tend to prefer a finer fiber that’s more tightly wound as they tend to last longer and are easier to handle. The most important thing about a climbing rope is to keep it clean! Dirt and debris greatly damage the integrity of the rope and its overall safety. To curb this effect there are rope bags that you can purchase, which manage and protect the rope. These are pretty simple bags too; just make sure the tarp is out and coil the rope onto it. Dirt problem: solved!
Now onto the hardware itself – carabiners, cams, belay devices, etc. There are literally hundreds of different types of carabiners, but there’s no need to worry yourself with that right now. Especially since most beginning climbers are usually going out with someone a bit more experienced – and this person typically has the load-out you will need. Belay devices too, vary greatly. This is really just a matter of personal preference in how a particular device works, but from basic belays all the way to the ones with self-locking features, they all serve the same purpose. Cams are nothing for the novice, or even the intermediate, climber to worry about – these devices are for extreme climb paths, most of which have no direct path or have never been scaled before. Cams are an eco-friendly climbing tool as well; since they do not do any damage to the rock face. Again, you won’t have to worry about most of these items in the beginning, but when you do start building your own collection a belay and carabiners are the place to start. Remember this is safety equipment and it holds your life in it hands, so don’t buy just any keychain carabiner! Make sure you are shopping for all of your equipment at a trusted sports retailer – as long as you’re buying your equipment at a place like this you can be assured it is proper safety equipment! There are shoes available which are made specifically for rock climbing. They work wonders for the grip factor, but they aren’t necessarily required for the amateur climber. If this is a hobby your thinking about sticking with though, they are definitely recommended.
Now that you’ve got all of your equipment taken care of let’s start the climb! Planning here is required too. Never climb alone! You don’t want to end up like Aron Ralston – the climber who was forced to cut his own arm off! Be sure to allot enough time for possible delays, such as fatigue and other climbers on the path. You don’t want to be caught halfway through your climb and realize the suns almost gone!
As with all physically demanding sports, a thorough warm up is recommended. Many injuries occur due to cramped or strained muscles. To prevent this, begin with a light cardiovascular workout – maybe some jumping jacks. After you’ve warmed up be sure to get a good stretch in. This is especially important when rock climbing, as it is extremely strenuous on the joints and tendons. Most importantly though, know your body – if you have shoulder problems, avoid overhangs. As a rule of thumb: don’t do anything that hurts!
Proper climbing technique really takes a lifetime to develop, but with a few basics even the beginning climber can make it to the top of most paths. The most important thing, from this climber’s perspective, is learning to use your body’s natural rigidity and bone structure. When your arms or legs are bent it is sheer muscle power holding you onto the rock face, by keeping yourself straight-limbed when you’re climbing it helps to disburse weight to your bone structure, rather than putting all of the strain on your muscles. The other major climbing technique, which benefits climbers of every skill level, is to climb with your legs! A person’s legs are much more powerful than their arms. As you’re making your way up the rock face, it should be your legs that are getting you up there. When climbing, the arms are primarily use for stabilization – helping hold you to rock face, while your legs are supporting your weight. Between these two basic techniques you can be sure to preserve you energy and enjoy many climbs to come.
With just a little bit of information and the proper safety equipment, rock climbing can become a minimally dangerous and exciting new hobby for just about anyone! Although not for those with a fear of heights, climbing is a truly invigorating and addictive thrill. So if you don’t mind hanging by a rope atop a ninety foot cliff, let’s get out there and climb!
Takers: A Movie Review
By: Nate Hemmert
Takers…just another movie about a bank heist or could it be something better? The cast might just tell the story before you’ve even seen the movie.
When a film is graced by the likes of type-casted pretty boy Paul Walker, and a near career ending domestic abuser – Chris Brown, one may begin to question where this movie might be going. To add to the confusion, the cast also includes famous rapper T.I. (Tip Harris), who gained his acting fame and earned the respect of fans in 2007’s highly acclaimed American Gangster. Rounding out the cast is the well-known lifelong actor, Matt Dillon, who has been seen in similar gritty films such as Crash. The cast gives this movie a fighting chance, but it is just that, a fighting chance. Ultimately, one is left wondering – Is this going to be a bust or a must?
I would say the answer to that question is neither. Not a total bust, but nowhere close to a must either. And in all honesty, it’s not the cast that is responsible for the mediocre result of this film. The acting itself, for the most part, was actually done rather well. Paul Walker barely even lives up to his type-casted role; a new sense of maturity seems to help his performance out. Even Chris Brown is believable in his role – the tough and hardened little brother who has become a member of the crew. Matt Dillon plays an over devoted cop. Who, at the cost of his own family, vows to stop this criminal group from another successful heist. Rapper, T.I., plays the role of Ghost – an old member of the team who has just been sprung from the joint. The role of Ghost, a street-hardened gangster, gives T.I. the chance at a role which would seemingly fit his “dope-boy” street thug persona, but this critic questions whether he was too suave of a gangster, especially having just gotten out of prison
In the end though, it is not the actors that are the downfall of this film, but rather the overly cliché and thoroughly used plot – all the way down to stealing an armored car by blowing up the street beneath it. Sound familiar? Seen it done before? Well think again, because these gangsters somehow fail to do the job right! After years of careful planning by Ghost while he was sitting behind bars and a near perfect execution by the team a failure is still at hand. This one simple scene seems to sum up the movie in its entirety – a blundering mess is made out of something that has been done so many times before. I guess blowing the plans seems to be a recurring theme here.
A Guide to Roof Leaks
Joey Montoya
Roof leaks are common in Colorado; Colorado is the 7th most hail-prone state in the USA. There are over 10,000 new roofs or repairs done in the Denver Metro Area every year, and they can be costly and annoying to repair. Using this guide, you will be able to repair common leaks and save money in the process.
The most common way to spot a leak is with a water test. These tests are used by professionals to find leaks and repair them quickly with the minimum amount of damage to your home. If you notice that a leak is making its way into your home, then grab a friend and start a water test.
A water test is a simple but effective way to check for leaks. This is where a team of people spray water on a roof to locate the leak.
The tools needed to perform this task are as follows: a ladder, hose (connected to running water), towel, cell phones or two-way radios, and a tube of silicon for the repair.
To start, either you or your partner must go into the attic and have a look around to see if there are any visible signs of water damage. Make sure that the person in the attic is equipped with a towel or a shammy, anything to clean up the water (if there is a leak).
If there are no signs of water damage in the attic, the second person will need to gain access to the roof using the ladder. Using the two way radio (or cell phone, whichever works best), locate each other’s whereabouts in/on the roof.
Once the two of you are near each other, begin to spray water on the roof. It helps to isolate the roof in ten-by-ten foot patches. You shouldn’t spray water on the roof for more than a minute at a time, giving the person in the attic time to spot the leak.
If there are no leaks to report, move on to another patch. Repeat this task until the leak is found. In many scenarios, the leaks occur around chimneys or skylights. These areas are coated by metal; this metal is used to divert water. In about 90% of these cases, there is a small opening in the metal that can be sealed with silicone.
If there is a leak on an area of the roof that is not a skylight or other non-shingled area, than the repair will be a little more difficult. If this is the case (and it RARELY is) then you should call a roofing company. Luckily, you get to save 30+ dollars on a roof test when they come to fix it.
If there is no leak that you or your partner can find on the roof, but there is still water coming into your house, there might be a leak in the pipes. Call a plumber to handle pipe-bursts, or find another how-to because they are not this writer’s specialty.
Congratulations! You just learned how to spot and fix (in most cases) a roof leak to your home. Using the water test you can save on costly repairs and become a certified do-it-yourselfer.
Note: this method only works with shingled houses.Nell: Movie Review
By Chad Fleming
The movie Nell was a very good movie which really tears on your heart-strings. Jody
Foster plays the role of Nell almost perfectly. The movie takes place in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1980s with Nell caring for herself in a small cabin outside of the city. For a while Nell lives on her own because there is no one left to take care of her when her care taker dies. The police check on the cabin after they notice the women who lived there hasn’t been seen in days. Eventually, the police find that Nell’s caregiver has died and Jerry decided to check in on Nell and keep an eye on her. Jerry notices that Nell doesn’t have good social skills because of the way she was raised, which was basically on her own.
Despite the fact that Nell has limited social skills and the ability to communicate, Jerry sees potential in her because of the abilities she does possess. Nell is able to work and cut down and take some care of herself so a judge orders Dr. Jerry to watch her for 3 months. During three months of evaluating Nell, Jerry finds the remains of her sister in the woods when he follows her to where the bones lay at rest. Nell finds comfort in the fact that she can always visit her sister and remember the memories they had together growing up. At the end of the three months the judge orders that Nell be taken to a hospital because of behavior she showed while shopping at a store for food and it doesn’t go well. Nell is unable to accept life in the hospital and is taken away by Jerry and to a hotel. After a short time Jerry and Paula take Nell back to court for a competency hearing and the judge decides to let Nell move back to the cabin and take care of herself.
This movie was sad in the fact that Nell had no choice in how she was raised or
what would happen with her life. I did get satisfaction that Nell proved almost everyone wrong by being able to do things on her own. Nell knew how she wanted to live and found a way to communicate with Jerry and Paula. This movie shows that the way a person is raised has huge affects on a person. Because Nell is not like everyone else in society, she is tagged as being stupid and is thought of as an “animal”. Nell proved to everyone that even though she grew up in
the wild with little care, she had emotions and was human. I loved the movie.
The movie Nell was a very good movie which really tears on your heart-strings. Jody
Foster plays the role of Nell almost perfectly. The movie takes place in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1980s with Nell caring for herself in a small cabin outside of the city. For a while Nell lives on her own because there is no one left to take care of her when her care taker dies. The police check on the cabin after they notice the women who lived there hasn’t been seen in days. Eventually, the police find that Nell’s caregiver has died and Jerry decided to check in on Nell and keep an eye on her. Jerry notices that Nell doesn’t have good social skills because of the way she was raised, which was basically on her own.
Despite the fact that Nell has limited social skills and the ability to communicate, Jerry sees potential in her because of the abilities she does possess. Nell is able to work and cut down and take some care of herself so a judge orders Dr. Jerry to watch her for 3 months. During three months of evaluating Nell, Jerry finds the remains of her sister in the woods when he follows her to where the bones lay at rest. Nell finds comfort in the fact that she can always visit her sister and remember the memories they had together growing up. At the end of the three months the judge orders that Nell be taken to a hospital because of behavior she showed while shopping at a store for food and it doesn’t go well. Nell is unable to accept life in the hospital and is taken away by Jerry and to a hotel. After a short time Jerry and Paula take Nell back to court for a competency hearing and the judge decides to let Nell move back to the cabin and take care of herself.
This movie was sad in the fact that Nell had no choice in how she was raised or
what would happen with her life. I did get satisfaction that Nell proved almost everyone wrong by being able to do things on her own. Nell knew how she wanted to live and found a way to communicate with Jerry and Paula. This movie shows that the way a person is raised has huge affects on a person. Because Nell is not like everyone else in society, she is tagged as being stupid and is thought of as an “animal”. Nell proved to everyone that even though she grew up in
the wild with little care, she had emotions and was human. I loved the movie.
Howls Moving Castle
By:Michelle Gamble
The animated feature film ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ by master animator and director Hayao Miyazaki; is a great movie that people of all ages will enjoy. This movie transports you to a world full of mystery, adventure and magic.
Set in a troubled times of war, the movie starts out on a calm note. In a large pasture filled with sheep, you hear the creaking of metal and the sound of steam as it comes out of the Castle. Its feet resemble a bird of prey and the castle itself looks like pieced together parts of a house, in a shape similar to a human heart.
Sophie, a hat-maker from a large city finds herself caught in a bind after a long day of work. On her way to visit her sister, two male soldiers stop her hoping that they could intimidate her. However in seeing what was happening, a nice young man who turns out to be a wizard helps her escape even though he himself is in danger.
Howel is a handsome and powerful being, who is being perused by the Witch of the Waste’s henchmen, who look similar to black ink blob men. The Witches goals are to become eternally beautiful and to have Howl’s heart. If you have ever seen Miyazaki’s film ‘Spirited Away’ she is a similar character to ‘Yubaba’ in the way she deals with Sophie. When she finds out that Howl has helped Sophie, she immediately finds her and curses her with a spell to turn her into an old crone.
In order to reverse the spell Sophie sets out on a journey to find the Witch of the Waste and get her to reverse it. Instead she happened to stumble upon Howl’s Castle which is controlled by a fire demon by the name of Calcifer, who is also cursed and is forced to move the Castle.
Along the way, she runs across a mysterious living scarecrow which she gives the name ‘Turniphead’ who always helps her in times of trouble. She also meets Howls apprentice Markl Fisher, a young boy who grows to see her more as a mother than a friend. In a way they all become a family and help each other no matter what danger awaits them.
The Castle in itself is a metaphor for a heart. It is where the characters meet, and it has one door that leads to several places. It can also be changed, as was done by Howl when he opened his heart to Sophie and his new family and once by Sophie herself when she protects his heart from the war that surrounds them all.
All of the characters are very relatable, even when it’s the Witch of the Waste. You can somewhat understand the reason behind how she is, and almost end up pitying her as she slowly wastes away not only in mind but in body as well.
You can connect with Sophie when she gets upset about feeling old and ugly, even though she is young. You then find yourself being happy for her in times when her younger self is reflected, even if it is only for a moment. Despite her being in a crones body Howl still finds her beautiful for the person that she is on the inside. That in itself is the theme throughout the story, ‘never judge a book by its cover’
Howl is a powerful wizard, yet at the same time very cowardly. He also has times where he can be very vain. He once claimed that he didn’t “see a point in living if he can’t be beautiful.” Despite those character flaws he shows bravery when it counts. In the end he even accepts his not so handsome self as he turns into a giant bird of prey. It happens because he abuses his powers. Howl over works himself quite frequently in order to prevent the war and as the story progresses his condition worsens.
The film came out in 2004 and was originally a novel written by Dianna Wynne Jones. And was adapted to the screen by the man who had created other animated masterpieces such as ‘Spirited Away’ , ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ and ‘Ponyo’, and like these titles ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ does not disappoint.
Though at times the film can be a little slow it is definitely one that shouldn’t be missed. It is filled with beautiful animation, color and Miyazaki’s amazing imagination. The movie makes you wish the story would never end, and that these extraordinary characters become part of your life.
The animated feature film ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ by master animator and director Hayao Miyazaki; is a great movie that people of all ages will enjoy. This movie transports you to a world full of mystery, adventure and magic.
Set in a troubled times of war, the movie starts out on a calm note. In a large pasture filled with sheep, you hear the creaking of metal and the sound of steam as it comes out of the Castle. Its feet resemble a bird of prey and the castle itself looks like pieced together parts of a house, in a shape similar to a human heart.
Sophie, a hat-maker from a large city finds herself caught in a bind after a long day of work. On her way to visit her sister, two male soldiers stop her hoping that they could intimidate her. However in seeing what was happening, a nice young man who turns out to be a wizard helps her escape even though he himself is in danger.
Howel is a handsome and powerful being, who is being perused by the Witch of the Waste’s henchmen, who look similar to black ink blob men. The Witches goals are to become eternally beautiful and to have Howl’s heart. If you have ever seen Miyazaki’s film ‘Spirited Away’ she is a similar character to ‘Yubaba’ in the way she deals with Sophie. When she finds out that Howl has helped Sophie, she immediately finds her and curses her with a spell to turn her into an old crone.
In order to reverse the spell Sophie sets out on a journey to find the Witch of the Waste and get her to reverse it. Instead she happened to stumble upon Howl’s Castle which is controlled by a fire demon by the name of Calcifer, who is also cursed and is forced to move the Castle.
Along the way, she runs across a mysterious living scarecrow which she gives the name ‘Turniphead’ who always helps her in times of trouble. She also meets Howls apprentice Markl Fisher, a young boy who grows to see her more as a mother than a friend. In a way they all become a family and help each other no matter what danger awaits them.
The Castle in itself is a metaphor for a heart. It is where the characters meet, and it has one door that leads to several places. It can also be changed, as was done by Howl when he opened his heart to Sophie and his new family and once by Sophie herself when she protects his heart from the war that surrounds them all.
All of the characters are very relatable, even when it’s the Witch of the Waste. You can somewhat understand the reason behind how she is, and almost end up pitying her as she slowly wastes away not only in mind but in body as well.
You can connect with Sophie when she gets upset about feeling old and ugly, even though she is young. You then find yourself being happy for her in times when her younger self is reflected, even if it is only for a moment. Despite her being in a crones body Howl still finds her beautiful for the person that she is on the inside. That in itself is the theme throughout the story, ‘never judge a book by its cover’
Howl is a powerful wizard, yet at the same time very cowardly. He also has times where he can be very vain. He once claimed that he didn’t “see a point in living if he can’t be beautiful.” Despite those character flaws he shows bravery when it counts. In the end he even accepts his not so handsome self as he turns into a giant bird of prey. It happens because he abuses his powers. Howl over works himself quite frequently in order to prevent the war and as the story progresses his condition worsens.
The film came out in 2004 and was originally a novel written by Dianna Wynne Jones. And was adapted to the screen by the man who had created other animated masterpieces such as ‘Spirited Away’ , ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ and ‘Ponyo’, and like these titles ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ does not disappoint.
Though at times the film can be a little slow it is definitely one that shouldn’t be missed. It is filled with beautiful animation, color and Miyazaki’s amazing imagination. The movie makes you wish the story would never end, and that these extraordinary characters become part of your life.
Hana Yori Dango Drama Review
By:Michelle Gamble
Being bullied by anyone is no fun, but getting bullied by someone who has control of practically everything? That is exactly what the heroine of ‘Boys before Flowers’ has to go up against. The T.V series based off the popular Anime and Manga tells of a girl who overcomes poverty, status, and most importantly the tough exterior of ‘Domyouji Tuskasa’.
The story starts out with a common girl named Makino Tsukushi at a school for only the most elite students. She is gawking at the number of brand name accessories and high end people around her, questioning the schools very existence. It appears as any normal day, but then out of nowhere a voice can be heard all over the school that someone has received a ‘red notice’.
The response to said announcement results in the whole school getting out of class to go bully some poor person who dared insult the wealthiest people in the whole school,The ‘F4’.
They bully people for the simple fact that they can. They are made up of, Akira Imasaka, Nishikado Soujiroh,and Hanazawa Rui and the leader Tsukasa Domyouji.
Makino and a transfer student were the only ones to stay behind, at least until the transfer student Sakurako Sanjo asks her about what is going on. Makino leads Sakurako through the hallways to observe the bullying first hand.
The crowd chants, similar to what I imagine a crowd of Romans in the coliseum did when the gladiatior was about to be eaten by a lion but in this case the lion is Domyouji. He punches the poor kid in the face hard enough to make the poor kid who has already be beaten collapse. Like drones the kids applaud their leader. The only one who finds it repulsing is Makino, who secretly wants to stop it but think she has no power to.
A few days later she gets the red notice for defending her new friend Sakurako. At first she takes the punishment, she gets bullied by the whole school instead of getting beat, however she does not give up, because the only ‘nice’ person in ‘F4’ helps her out saying that he is sick of all the beatings. She falls for her savior Hanazawa Rui, for his kindness and his beauty.
Her fighting spirit is triggered by accusations of impurity and Domyouji stepping on the prawn that her parents worked hard to get for her, leads her to fight back delivering Domyouji a punch in the face and declaring war back on them.
For reasons unknown instead of being mad Domyouji feels attracted to her. It is the first girl that he has liked so he assumes that she has the same feelings towards him.
She is invited to a formal party celebrating F4s friend and Rui’s love interest, and her idol Shizuka Todo’s homecoming. However she gets tricked when three girls tell her that she can wear informal attire. Shizuka sees this and stands up for her and gets her more suitable to wear. Through several accidents, later on that evening she ends up getting her first kiss from none other than Domyouji.
Eventually She falls in love with him as well, however her status is hindering their relationship when his mother finds out about it. Now it’s not only her but her family that are in danger.
Makino struggles relentlessly with what she feels for Domyouji and her family and throughout the entire show she struggles with what to do in regards to both. She loves Domyouji however her family will always be number one. In order to protect them she tries to break it off however Domyouji and F4 won’t have it. They always help her in whatever ways possible.
Domyouji’s mother however is relentless and even goes through the trouble of taking him to America, to take over running the business. At first he treats it as if it was nothing, thinking that people were replaceable.
In order to help him learn the truth his Mother creates a situation. The person he was staying with loses his job and decided to committed suicide by jumping off a building in front of Tuskasa. Needless to say this got him on the right path and he ended up feeling the weight of responsibility.
After a great amount of time being abroad, Tsukushi somehow manages to go to New York searching for Tsukasa, who at this point cares more about his company than he does for her. She gets mugged right after she arrives and as always like the knight in shining armor Rui come to her aid. That day she runs into Tsukasa at a hot dog stand however he ignores her and the drama begins again. Tsukasa is torn between his company and her, always dreaming of the man who died tragically in front of him yet never forgetting the girl he fell in love with.
At this point in the story without their leader the F4 adapts and most of them are on Tsukushi’s side. They go to Tuskasa demanding to know what it going on and why he didn’t want to see Tsukushi. Tuskasa doesn’t explain anything and tells them that he is too busy to be bothered by them either. They all feel betrayed, and leave empty handed and upset.
Not too soon after before his birthday his mom decides they need to go back to Japan to celebrate and to announce to everyone’s surprise his engagement to a girl he has no interest in. All of his friends including Tsukushi is in attendance and when he tries to explain the situation to her, something catches his eye, the man whom he thought dead is walking the streets of Tokyo. It turns out his mother played another nasty trick on him to get him to comply.
The main themes in this drama are ‘the power of love’, ‘the power of friendship’, and most importantly ‘finding ones way through life by overcoming odds placed in front of you.’ These themes are the basic morals which are obtained. While watching it brings people a sense of self worth and empowerment. Making one believe that in truth anything is possible with effort.
Over all it is a very entertaining story to watch unfold. The angst of high school is the perfect setting for the drama to commence, the events and characters are easy to relate with, especially when trying to find your way through life, when it is at its worst. The music accompanies the drama and like any good film enhances the feelings and reactions that the characters themselves are going thought. In all it’s a drama worth watching and enjoying to the fullest.
The series is a huge success in not only Japan but in Korea as well. The two are very similar though the Korean version goes into more detail than the Japanese Version. Each series is 25 episodes long and includes some of their respected top actors.
For Japan Oguri Shun, plays the gentleman ‘Rui’ ‘Matsumoto Jun’ plays the lead actor Tsukasa and Unoue Mao plays Tsukushi. They are all pretty famous and have many other works. The Korean main cast includes Lee Min Ho, who plays the lead male role Goo Jun Pyo, Kim Hyun Joong who plays the part of the ‘Rui’ Character but his name is Yoon Ji Hoo, and Hye Sun plays the heroine of the story Geum Jan Di. They all do amazing jobs at capturing the characters and letting you live through them.
###
Being bullied by anyone is no fun, but getting bullied by someone who has control of practically everything? That is exactly what the heroine of ‘Boys before Flowers’ has to go up against. The T.V series based off the popular Anime and Manga tells of a girl who overcomes poverty, status, and most importantly the tough exterior of ‘Domyouji Tuskasa’.
The story starts out with a common girl named Makino Tsukushi at a school for only the most elite students. She is gawking at the number of brand name accessories and high end people around her, questioning the schools very existence. It appears as any normal day, but then out of nowhere a voice can be heard all over the school that someone has received a ‘red notice’.
The response to said announcement results in the whole school getting out of class to go bully some poor person who dared insult the wealthiest people in the whole school,The ‘F4’.
They bully people for the simple fact that they can. They are made up of, Akira Imasaka, Nishikado Soujiroh,and Hanazawa Rui and the leader Tsukasa Domyouji.
Makino and a transfer student were the only ones to stay behind, at least until the transfer student Sakurako Sanjo asks her about what is going on. Makino leads Sakurako through the hallways to observe the bullying first hand.
The crowd chants, similar to what I imagine a crowd of Romans in the coliseum did when the gladiatior was about to be eaten by a lion but in this case the lion is Domyouji. He punches the poor kid in the face hard enough to make the poor kid who has already be beaten collapse. Like drones the kids applaud their leader. The only one who finds it repulsing is Makino, who secretly wants to stop it but think she has no power to.
A few days later she gets the red notice for defending her new friend Sakurako. At first she takes the punishment, she gets bullied by the whole school instead of getting beat, however she does not give up, because the only ‘nice’ person in ‘F4’ helps her out saying that he is sick of all the beatings. She falls for her savior Hanazawa Rui, for his kindness and his beauty.
Her fighting spirit is triggered by accusations of impurity and Domyouji stepping on the prawn that her parents worked hard to get for her, leads her to fight back delivering Domyouji a punch in the face and declaring war back on them.
For reasons unknown instead of being mad Domyouji feels attracted to her. It is the first girl that he has liked so he assumes that she has the same feelings towards him.
She is invited to a formal party celebrating F4s friend and Rui’s love interest, and her idol Shizuka Todo’s homecoming. However she gets tricked when three girls tell her that she can wear informal attire. Shizuka sees this and stands up for her and gets her more suitable to wear. Through several accidents, later on that evening she ends up getting her first kiss from none other than Domyouji.
Eventually She falls in love with him as well, however her status is hindering their relationship when his mother finds out about it. Now it’s not only her but her family that are in danger.
Makino struggles relentlessly with what she feels for Domyouji and her family and throughout the entire show she struggles with what to do in regards to both. She loves Domyouji however her family will always be number one. In order to protect them she tries to break it off however Domyouji and F4 won’t have it. They always help her in whatever ways possible.
Domyouji’s mother however is relentless and even goes through the trouble of taking him to America, to take over running the business. At first he treats it as if it was nothing, thinking that people were replaceable.
In order to help him learn the truth his Mother creates a situation. The person he was staying with loses his job and decided to committed suicide by jumping off a building in front of Tuskasa. Needless to say this got him on the right path and he ended up feeling the weight of responsibility.
After a great amount of time being abroad, Tsukushi somehow manages to go to New York searching for Tsukasa, who at this point cares more about his company than he does for her. She gets mugged right after she arrives and as always like the knight in shining armor Rui come to her aid. That day she runs into Tsukasa at a hot dog stand however he ignores her and the drama begins again. Tsukasa is torn between his company and her, always dreaming of the man who died tragically in front of him yet never forgetting the girl he fell in love with.
At this point in the story without their leader the F4 adapts and most of them are on Tsukushi’s side. They go to Tuskasa demanding to know what it going on and why he didn’t want to see Tsukushi. Tuskasa doesn’t explain anything and tells them that he is too busy to be bothered by them either. They all feel betrayed, and leave empty handed and upset.
Not too soon after before his birthday his mom decides they need to go back to Japan to celebrate and to announce to everyone’s surprise his engagement to a girl he has no interest in. All of his friends including Tsukushi is in attendance and when he tries to explain the situation to her, something catches his eye, the man whom he thought dead is walking the streets of Tokyo. It turns out his mother played another nasty trick on him to get him to comply.
The main themes in this drama are ‘the power of love’, ‘the power of friendship’, and most importantly ‘finding ones way through life by overcoming odds placed in front of you.’ These themes are the basic morals which are obtained. While watching it brings people a sense of self worth and empowerment. Making one believe that in truth anything is possible with effort.
Over all it is a very entertaining story to watch unfold. The angst of high school is the perfect setting for the drama to commence, the events and characters are easy to relate with, especially when trying to find your way through life, when it is at its worst. The music accompanies the drama and like any good film enhances the feelings and reactions that the characters themselves are going thought. In all it’s a drama worth watching and enjoying to the fullest.
The series is a huge success in not only Japan but in Korea as well. The two are very similar though the Korean version goes into more detail than the Japanese Version. Each series is 25 episodes long and includes some of their respected top actors.
For Japan Oguri Shun, plays the gentleman ‘Rui’ ‘Matsumoto Jun’ plays the lead actor Tsukasa and Unoue Mao plays Tsukushi. They are all pretty famous and have many other works. The Korean main cast includes Lee Min Ho, who plays the lead male role Goo Jun Pyo, Kim Hyun Joong who plays the part of the ‘Rui’ Character but his name is Yoon Ji Hoo, and Hye Sun plays the heroine of the story Geum Jan Di. They all do amazing jobs at capturing the characters and letting you live through them.
###
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
It's All Gravy
By Michelle Gamble
Its all Gravy
By Michelle Gamble
At home if there was ever a dish I could say was my favorite, it would have to be my mother’s Beef and Bell pepper Gravy. The aroma is enough to hit you like a sledge hammer, as soon as you came through the door. In times like that you almost wish you had a helmet; one that protected you from the delicious aroma of the thick meaty concoction. For the moment you smell it, you will want to devour it entirely.
It never ceased to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and in a way, it was better than even the best chicken noodle soup when it came to feeling at home. I remember one day when she said that she was planning on making it, I practically begged her to show me how. She was hesitant at first but with some persuading she taught me.
After learning for the first time I understood her hesitancy, it was complicated and not exactly precise. I was only ten or so at the time so I left it to my mother to fix, but I always watched her and helped out whenever possible. Then after a few years of observing her I gained the courage to make it myself. It turned out alright but it is definitely a trial and error recipe, which requires practice. After practicing for about a year, I finally managed to get it down to an art.
The first thing to do is acquire the ingredients. I found that the best gravy is made with rib-eye steaks because of their fat to meat ratio; however it can be made with any type, from sirloin to chuck steak. The bell peppers have to be green; the flavor will be more robust and will complement the beef better than the other colors. If you can’t find green peppers or just don’t have them, you can substitute them for mild green chilies, which have a slightly different flavor but at the same time add a depth that isn’t normally there.
Depending on how much you make, you will need liquid. The best form of liquid for this dish is beef broth. Why not water? Well technically you can use water but it usually cuts down the flavor, it won’t taste horrible if you use water, but it won’t have the fullness that beef broth produces. Sometimes it ends up being half water and half broth but again it is all in how much you make.
Flour is also a must; it thickens the broth and actually makes it gravy. Sometimes the flour isn’t enough, so have some corn starch on hand as well, just in case. If you want your gravy to taste like anything at all, salt and pepper is also highly recommended, as well as a bay leaf or two.
After getting all of the delicious ingredients listed above, you have to get the hardware to make the dish. You will need a large non-stick pot. Why non-stick? Because it makes for easier clean up, but still is able to produce the sear desired for cooking meat. You will also need a large spoon preferably thick plastic or wooden. Why Plastic or Wooden spoons? Non-stick pans have a coating on the bottom which metal spoons can ruin, and once ruined it’s a lot easier for things to stick to the bottom.
Now that you have everything you need, it’s time for the fun part. The cooking procedure starts with letting your pot warm up. The hotter the pan is the nicer the sear you will get on your meat. The sear is important because it locks in the flavor.
Place the meet evenly on the bottom of the pot. Try not to crowd it too much so it will cook thoroughly and evenly. After you place it in the pot add salt and pepper to the first side. Once that side is seared, flip them over and again add salt and pepper. After both sides are seared, take it out of the pot and place in the next batch of meat and repeat the process.
After you have completed searing all the meat return it to the pot and add just enough flour to lightly cover all of the meat and add more salt and pepper. With every step adding salt and pepper adds a layer of flavor and if forgotten the gravy will taste extremely bland.
Once the four is browned slowly stir in the beef broth or water, the motion of the stirring will keep the gravy from clumping up. While continuing to stir add the green peppers or chili and bay leafs and continue to stir until the mixture boils. This was usually my job when helping my mother; it’s a lot of stirring.
Check the consistency of the gravy after it starts to boil. If it isn’t as thick as you would like it; take the corn starch, and place a heaping table spoon of it in a container along with just enough water to dissolve it in. A container with a lid is best; this means instead of stirring you can shake the contents. Shaking is a more thorough way of mixing than stirring. However stirring is fine if you don’t have such a container. Poor the liquid cornstarch into the gravy just a little at a time. Make sure to keep the gravy in motion so that the cornstarch can be evenly distributed. Add the cornstarch until you decide that it is thick enough.
Congratulations you have finished all the cooking required of this dish, however the longer you let it cook the better it will taste so leave it alone for a while before digging in. Now is the perfect time to discuss side dishes. My personal favorite side dish is long grain steamed rice because when the gravy is poured on top of it the rice absorbs the entire flavor and gives it an irresistible texture. Other alternatives could be mashed potatoes or hash browns.
The serving possibilities are endless, but no matter how you serve it, the gravy will never cease to please your pallet.
Its all Gravy
By Michelle Gamble
At home if there was ever a dish I could say was my favorite, it would have to be my mother’s Beef and Bell pepper Gravy. The aroma is enough to hit you like a sledge hammer, as soon as you came through the door. In times like that you almost wish you had a helmet; one that protected you from the delicious aroma of the thick meaty concoction. For the moment you smell it, you will want to devour it entirely.
It never ceased to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and in a way, it was better than even the best chicken noodle soup when it came to feeling at home. I remember one day when she said that she was planning on making it, I practically begged her to show me how. She was hesitant at first but with some persuading she taught me.
After learning for the first time I understood her hesitancy, it was complicated and not exactly precise. I was only ten or so at the time so I left it to my mother to fix, but I always watched her and helped out whenever possible. Then after a few years of observing her I gained the courage to make it myself. It turned out alright but it is definitely a trial and error recipe, which requires practice. After practicing for about a year, I finally managed to get it down to an art.
The first thing to do is acquire the ingredients. I found that the best gravy is made with rib-eye steaks because of their fat to meat ratio; however it can be made with any type, from sirloin to chuck steak. The bell peppers have to be green; the flavor will be more robust and will complement the beef better than the other colors. If you can’t find green peppers or just don’t have them, you can substitute them for mild green chilies, which have a slightly different flavor but at the same time add a depth that isn’t normally there.
Depending on how much you make, you will need liquid. The best form of liquid for this dish is beef broth. Why not water? Well technically you can use water but it usually cuts down the flavor, it won’t taste horrible if you use water, but it won’t have the fullness that beef broth produces. Sometimes it ends up being half water and half broth but again it is all in how much you make.
Flour is also a must; it thickens the broth and actually makes it gravy. Sometimes the flour isn’t enough, so have some corn starch on hand as well, just in case. If you want your gravy to taste like anything at all, salt and pepper is also highly recommended, as well as a bay leaf or two.
After getting all of the delicious ingredients listed above, you have to get the hardware to make the dish. You will need a large non-stick pot. Why non-stick? Because it makes for easier clean up, but still is able to produce the sear desired for cooking meat. You will also need a large spoon preferably thick plastic or wooden. Why Plastic or Wooden spoons? Non-stick pans have a coating on the bottom which metal spoons can ruin, and once ruined it’s a lot easier for things to stick to the bottom.
Now that you have everything you need, it’s time for the fun part. The cooking procedure starts with letting your pot warm up. The hotter the pan is the nicer the sear you will get on your meat. The sear is important because it locks in the flavor.
Place the meet evenly on the bottom of the pot. Try not to crowd it too much so it will cook thoroughly and evenly. After you place it in the pot add salt and pepper to the first side. Once that side is seared, flip them over and again add salt and pepper. After both sides are seared, take it out of the pot and place in the next batch of meat and repeat the process.
After you have completed searing all the meat return it to the pot and add just enough flour to lightly cover all of the meat and add more salt and pepper. With every step adding salt and pepper adds a layer of flavor and if forgotten the gravy will taste extremely bland.
Once the four is browned slowly stir in the beef broth or water, the motion of the stirring will keep the gravy from clumping up. While continuing to stir add the green peppers or chili and bay leafs and continue to stir until the mixture boils. This was usually my job when helping my mother; it’s a lot of stirring.
Check the consistency of the gravy after it starts to boil. If it isn’t as thick as you would like it; take the corn starch, and place a heaping table spoon of it in a container along with just enough water to dissolve it in. A container with a lid is best; this means instead of stirring you can shake the contents. Shaking is a more thorough way of mixing than stirring. However stirring is fine if you don’t have such a container. Poor the liquid cornstarch into the gravy just a little at a time. Make sure to keep the gravy in motion so that the cornstarch can be evenly distributed. Add the cornstarch until you decide that it is thick enough.
Congratulations you have finished all the cooking required of this dish, however the longer you let it cook the better it will taste so leave it alone for a while before digging in. Now is the perfect time to discuss side dishes. My personal favorite side dish is long grain steamed rice because when the gravy is poured on top of it the rice absorbs the entire flavor and gives it an irresistible texture. Other alternatives could be mashed potatoes or hash browns.
The serving possibilities are endless, but no matter how you serve it, the gravy will never cease to please your pallet.
The Pentax KR
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| The Pentax KR comes in several colors. |
As a long time photographer I have fallen into the trap that catches many professionals. That is, limiting the possible choices for a camera to Nikon andCanon. I own and use both in digital format and have been happy with them. I recently had the opportunity to shoot with one of the newPentax cameras (the Kr) and I was very pleasantly surprised.
Most pro’s insist on using SLR (single lens reflex) cameras because they give a better idea through the viewfinder what’s going on with your photo. The Kr is an SLR and offers both a bright (and nearly full-frame) eye level finder and a ‘live-view’ mode that let’s you use the large color screen on the back as a viewfinder. Although using the screen as a viewfinder chews through battery power, it is a great way to frame moving subjects and a must for shooting video. (The Kr records high quality video in addition to still images.)
The other advantage to using an SLR is that you can change lenses. Many point and shoot cameras offer exceptional zoom ranges and innovative optics but nothing matches the ability to use a lens that is top quality and made for a specific purpose. For example, Pentax offers a 200mm f/2.8 lens that is great for photographing wildlife. Their 10-17mm is a very wide angle lens that let’s you photograph very well in small areas and creates really fun distorted portraits. In addition to the current Pentax lenses the Kr accepts the whole range of Pentax and after market lenses (such as Tamron, Tokina and Sigma) in the classic ‘k-bayonet’ mount.
If you are looking for a camera to do sports and action the Kr is a good choice. With a top frame rate of 6 frames per second, it shoots as fast as most professional digital cameras and its 12.4 megapixel CMOS chip gives you enough file size to make fine quality prints even at large sizes.
The camera offers many great professional features including image stabilization, CMOS self cleaning, choice of quality levels and color spaces. If you have been thinking about picking up a new camera to shoot photos and video, the Kr is a great choice for both. We got the camera in red and it never fails to get comments from friends, family and clients.
The Times of Fashion
The Times of Fashion - From the 1950’s pin up to the everyday life high fashion of the 2000’s, each era celebrates a new style sensation.
By Ashley Pinkham
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” (Thinkexist.com) This quote from Coco Chanel says it all. Many fashion designers find themselves under the illusion that their talent alone sells the fashions they create. In actuality, those in the spotlight aka celebrities are those that sell and popularize the fashions created. They are the ones that bring the look to life and make it a part of the national dialogue. In recent decades, each time period has a new outlook on style and a celebrity that made it happen. From the 1950’s pinup to the everyday life high fashion of the 2000’s, each era celebrates a new style sensation. The way an individual dresses expresses who they are, but the way those in the media’s eye dress can express a style, a nation, or even an era. If we take a look back at who changed fashion the names Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, even Lady Gaga are the first to pop into our heads, right? The fashion from 1950 through 2010 has evolved tremendously, with each decade commanding a look of it's own brought to the forefront by a celebrity with style to take the next fashion step forward.
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| Figure 1: Here is a look at a classic Marilyn look. |
The 1950’s were a time of lavish dresses and classic color palettes. There were many fashions that emerged in the fifties. However, the one look that changed it all was definitely the pin up doll style. The simple pin up look changed the way women not only viewed themselves but the way society viewed them as well. When I think of this evolutionary fifties fashion, the first and only name that comes to mind is Marilyn Monroe. Though everyone is familiar with the name, Marilyn Monroe was more than an actress; she was a celebrity, a model, and a fashion icon. Dying at the young age of 36 (wikkipedia.com) she stamped her mark on this country in more ways than one. Her classic, flirty, clothing created an opening for women all around the country. Often times Marilyn is depicted with pin curls, red lipstick, and a white ensemble. This look has stayed a classic through the times. Even earlier this month Kelly Osbourne was crowned a fashion icon by mimicking the beauty and grace of Marilyn’s style from the fifties. (myfashionlife.com) Known as the sex symbol of the fifties, Marilyn said, “The body is meant to be seen, not all covered up.” Plain and simple.
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| Figure 2:A picture of Twiggy from her “Glory Days” in the 60’s. |
From the beginning to mid 1960’s, women’s fashion was making its way to bigger and better things. In 1965, Twiggy born as Lesley Hornby (Wikkipedia.com) was the beginning of the style we’ve all come to recognize as “the norm” on high fashion runways. Although in the past few years there has been big scandal in the high fashion world, involving these models and the designers that use them, raising questions about and ridiculing the rail thin look. This thin, almost boy-like stature obsession, though, began about 50 years ago with a very famous model named Twiggy. At age 16, Twiggy became the first English prominent teenage model. Twiggy quickly became known for her androgynous looks. Large eyes, long eyelashes, thin build, and short hair were her signature assets. Twiggy changed the fashion industry with these looks and her sense of style. Her bubbly, retro fashion has carried on to, if not created the look for high fashion models of today. Of her physique Twiggy has been quoted saying, “It’s not what you’d call a figure, is it?” (Basicquotations.com) However, her non-"figure”, has remained the only acceptable look of high fashion since the 1960’s.
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| Figure 3:On the set of Charlie’s Angels (TV series in the 70’s) |
As we work our way through the decades of fashion, we find ourselves pondering the 1970’s. Women’s roles in society were being profoundly altered at this time in history. Growing feminism and the presence of the “working lady” would come to forever change women’s fashion yet again. Who else showcased the fashion of independent working women better then Charlie’s Angels? This classic TV series starring Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith essentially set fashion for the 1970’s. Charlie’s Angels was one of the first series to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men. The women working class was known for being reserved yet sexy. Bikinis and shorts, knee length skirts and flowing blouses, bell-bottom pants and tucked in polo button ups, heels and cleavage are just some of the many styles the Charlie’s Angels wore and "sold". Fashion of this time transformed the concept of women’s fashion that much more than those looks that came before it. A huge difference in the fashion of the 1970’s was that it was for every woman. It was not specifically dedicated to magazines and runways but fashion had moved to the street, the office, and the grocery store.
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| Figure 4: A still photo of Madonna from her “Like a Virgin” music video in 1984. |
The fashions from the late 1970’s were the big opening for the sultry fashions that emerged in the 1980’s. And who else but Madonna could have brought a mix of classic grunge and lingerie to the mainstream? Madonna was and is a fashion icon. Madonna's twist on lingerie fashion is what created 1980’s style. Even to this day those in the spotlight continue to play off her classic style of lace and leather. The Queen of Pop brought lace and corsets to outerwear. She brought bare midriffs and short skirts to everyday fashion and the celebrities of today such as the “Pop Princess” Britney Spears continue the look and are often crowned the next Madonna. Not too long ago, Queen Madonna said of herself, “I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” (Refspace.com) And that she is.
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| Figure 5: A familiar photo of Baby, Scary, Sporty, Posh, and Ginger Spiceshowing off their individual personalities. |
The 1990’s were a decade of diversity. In fashion, music, film, and all others the wide range of diversity in pop culture of the time is amazing. Pop music, big shoes, and individuality are three words that can best describe the 1990’s. In this time many musical artists repackaged past fashions and set themselves apart from the pack. Names like Britney Spears, N’SYNC, Backstreet Boys, and who else but the Spice Girls personify the era. The Spice Girls illustrated individuality and took the “Girl Power” of the 1970's to the next level. They showed teenage girls across the globe that it was ok to be themselves. It was not only ok to be and dress who you are but also ok for your friends to do the same. The cookie-cutter look was out and whether it was the high maintenance fashion queen or the sporty girl next door. Both styles were not only acceptable but revered in their own right. The Spice Girls didn't use pop culture to sell a "look" instead they sold individuality, and moved fashion in multiple directions all at once. Each Spice Girl's personality and fashion sense became a new stepping off place of budding designers and consumers. Baby Spice, Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, Posh Spice, and Ginger Spice all set the fashion of the decade through their onstage personalities. Baby Spice was the girl next door. She wore baby-doll dresses and cute white sneakers. Scary Spice was the wild child, sporting animal print and tight pants with a cropped top. Sporty Spice was the tomboy. She made running sneakers and athletic wear high fashion. Posh Spice was the “fashionista” with sultry outfits and high, skinny heels. Ginger Spice was the new spin off of the sexy pin-up doll. Often she was shown wearing short rompers and big heels. Every girl in America could relate to and wanted to dress like one of the Spice Girls. Fashion brillance! I even remember wanting those massive sneaker shoes, as I’m sure every female “tween” of the time did. The Spice Girls changed fashion in the 90’s not only in America but across the world. Their number one hit “Spice up Your Life” summarized exactly what they did to the fashion industry. Just as spices individualize a lunch dish, the girls spiced up the fashion dish and what better way to do it than making individuality the new look.
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| Figure 6: The Olsen sisters at a Modern Weekly (China) photo shoot in 2008 showcasing their “fashion icon” style. |
As the new century beckoned at our doorstep so did a new sense of style. We had gone from pin-up doll, to stick figure, to the working lady, to lingerie, to fun and girly, it was time to step it up that extra notch. And the girls who did just that were the Olsen twins. Yes, you heard me right, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. No, I’m not talking about the overalls they wore when they were 5 years old on the hit TV show, Full House, but rather their elegant adult fashion "icon status" style we have all come to expect. This fabulous duo quickly brought high fashion into the limelight of everyday fashion. Girls everywhere began to dress “high dollar” to high school with $200 - $2000 outfits. Many high fashion designers like Dolce & Gabanna and Christian Louboutin influenced the Olsen sister's look which in turn influenced millions of high school teenagers armed with their parents’ credit card, looking for the next big thing in fashion.
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| Figure 7: Lady Gaga’s album artwork for her latest single, “Born This Way”. |
The year of 2011 has begun and as I sit here writing I can’t help but wonder who the fashion icon of the next decade will be. As of this moment I don’t see it being anyone other than Lady Gaga. As I am sure most people will agree, Lady Gaga has some crazy, loud statements. She does this with her music, her words, and of course her clothes. She constantly has futuristic features within her ensemble. She brought raw meat to a new level and her choice of heelless shoes has become all the rage in the fashion industry. It’s just a matter of time before these looks becomes a daily occurrence on the streets of not only New York and Los Angeles but Chicago and Denver as well. Lady Gaga said within the past year, "You have to be unique, and different, and shine in your own way." (Goodreads.com) And all would also agree that Lady Gaga has done just that. Unique and different are two of the most prominent adjectives to describe her and the fashion of the future.
Fashion is all around us, even for those who don’t recognize its influence in their lives, fashion still occurs every moment of everyday. The simple black hoodie my fashion-less brother wears or my hand me down clothes my mother wears are a statement from the industry itself. Although the style may be geared down and on the street a year or so later than when it debuted on fashion runways in Tokyo, New York, and Paris, celebrities eventually bring it to the masses. Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion fades; only style remains the same.” This much is true, fashions from each era come and go but it’s the essence of that style and the value of a “big name” wearing your designer label that lasts for eternity.
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TRON Legacy: A Review
The storyline slightly differs from the 1982 original; however TRON: Legacy works well as a sequel and definitely still holds its technological appeal in its application of cutting-edge computer-generated special effects. The Plot revolves around the disappearance of the original hero of the series, Flynn (played yet again by Jeff Bridges) and his son (played by Garrett Hedlund) Sam’s adventure into a world that exists inside the fictional, highly advanced computer operating system ENCOM.
In our current movie climate, it seems like most of the sequels that have come out recently don’t really hold true to their original stories’ charm. This one however appears to have fallen very close to the proverbial parent tree and then some; especially if you get the chance to see it in 3D. It’s one of those movies that mark a milestone in what our computer graphic technology can do these days, not dissimilar to James Cameron’s Avatar that came out last year. There is no point in the movie where this is more abundantly clear than the second stab taken at recreating the infamous “light Bike” scene. Almost every element, all the way down to the background scenery and the outfits worn by the characters throughout the movie, closely resemble those from the original; yet still hold a modern day appeal.
Twenty years ago, Flynn becomes trapped in his computer generated world, never to be seen again. This causes his son to grow up fatherless, like the lost little puppy and renounce his father’s company which by now has become a major corporate empire. No one is sure what’s happened to Flynn, the common belief is that he’s run away from his family and his problems. Unwilling to accept this, one of Flynn’s friends promptly contacts Sam to let him know that he’s received a page from his dad’s office. Sam reluctantly investigates the cause of this, only to discover a secret underground vault in his dad’s old arcade. After entering a few wrong keystrokes into one of those outdated and confusing DOS prompts, he gets blasted by a suspicious looking giant laser and is transported into the world of the computer (put your 3D glasses on now!). After just enough time goes by for Sam to realize where he is, all hell breaks loose and he is taken by evil red and orange people/ programs to do battle with deadly Frisbees in a giant floating arena.
After the first of many lightshow like fight scenes he is introduced to several important new characters including TRON (one of the good guys from the original movie who ‘fights for the user’) and Clu; a program that is essentially a clone of Flynn (also played by Jeff Bridges) who was originally created to help Flynn create a perfect world. Clu apparently takes this “perfect world” thing way too far over the years and becomes tyrannical Dictator while TRON bites the bullet and pretty much does whatever Clu wants. There are definitely some similarities in this sequel between TRON and the Gimp from the 1994 classic Pulp fiction.
Flynn eventually comes back into the picture as an old man with some very ‘dude like’ qualities that resemble one of Jeff Bridges’ most notable roles in The Big Lebowski as a ‘bum’ whose main forms of recreation are “the usual; bowling, driving around and the occasional acid flashback.” The combinations of the two characters actually go really well together for a flick like this. Plus it definitely doesn’t hurt to have the face of the original movie in a sequel that came out twenty eight years later. Unfortunately this does lead to a unique plot-hole in that both movies are supposed to be set around the timeframe of their release dates, however according to the storyline; they’re supposed to be twenty years apart from eachother. Nevertheless, this makes neither movie less enjoyable.
Some of the action scenes and stunts can be a tad bit unbelievable at times, however there’s definitely room for some forgiveness saying as the bulk of the film is set in an environment of infinite possibility. Plus, who can blame Hollywood for wanting to show off their latest and greatest special affects in a movie like this. The bulk of movie goers that are interested in seeing this type of thing are usually willing to sacrifice a little reality for a digitally spectacular light show.
All in all, on a scale of one to ten, (one being the lowest and ten being the highest) I’d give this one an overall seven. As far as popcorn flicks go, I’d give it about a nine, however the story is probably only worth a six and a half. Essentially, I would highly recommend this movie to the kind of person that sees a film for its raw entertainment value, but I’m not sure the more analytical types would as thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of the plot. TRON is definitely no psychological thriller, but it’s a pretty cool movie if you get the chance to check it out.
In our current movie climate, it seems like most of the sequels that have come out recently don’t really hold true to their original stories’ charm. This one however appears to have fallen very close to the proverbial parent tree and then some; especially if you get the chance to see it in 3D. It’s one of those movies that mark a milestone in what our computer graphic technology can do these days, not dissimilar to James Cameron’s Avatar that came out last year. There is no point in the movie where this is more abundantly clear than the second stab taken at recreating the infamous “light Bike” scene. Almost every element, all the way down to the background scenery and the outfits worn by the characters throughout the movie, closely resemble those from the original; yet still hold a modern day appeal.
Twenty years ago, Flynn becomes trapped in his computer generated world, never to be seen again. This causes his son to grow up fatherless, like the lost little puppy and renounce his father’s company which by now has become a major corporate empire. No one is sure what’s happened to Flynn, the common belief is that he’s run away from his family and his problems. Unwilling to accept this, one of Flynn’s friends promptly contacts Sam to let him know that he’s received a page from his dad’s office. Sam reluctantly investigates the cause of this, only to discover a secret underground vault in his dad’s old arcade. After entering a few wrong keystrokes into one of those outdated and confusing DOS prompts, he gets blasted by a suspicious looking giant laser and is transported into the world of the computer (put your 3D glasses on now!). After just enough time goes by for Sam to realize where he is, all hell breaks loose and he is taken by evil red and orange people/ programs to do battle with deadly Frisbees in a giant floating arena.
After the first of many lightshow like fight scenes he is introduced to several important new characters including TRON (one of the good guys from the original movie who ‘fights for the user’) and Clu; a program that is essentially a clone of Flynn (also played by Jeff Bridges) who was originally created to help Flynn create a perfect world. Clu apparently takes this “perfect world” thing way too far over the years and becomes tyrannical Dictator while TRON bites the bullet and pretty much does whatever Clu wants. There are definitely some similarities in this sequel between TRON and the Gimp from the 1994 classic Pulp fiction.
Flynn eventually comes back into the picture as an old man with some very ‘dude like’ qualities that resemble one of Jeff Bridges’ most notable roles in The Big Lebowski as a ‘bum’ whose main forms of recreation are “the usual; bowling, driving around and the occasional acid flashback.” The combinations of the two characters actually go really well together for a flick like this. Plus it definitely doesn’t hurt to have the face of the original movie in a sequel that came out twenty eight years later. Unfortunately this does lead to a unique plot-hole in that both movies are supposed to be set around the timeframe of their release dates, however according to the storyline; they’re supposed to be twenty years apart from eachother. Nevertheless, this makes neither movie less enjoyable.
Some of the action scenes and stunts can be a tad bit unbelievable at times, however there’s definitely room for some forgiveness saying as the bulk of the film is set in an environment of infinite possibility. Plus, who can blame Hollywood for wanting to show off their latest and greatest special affects in a movie like this. The bulk of movie goers that are interested in seeing this type of thing are usually willing to sacrifice a little reality for a digitally spectacular light show.
All in all, on a scale of one to ten, (one being the lowest and ten being the highest) I’d give this one an overall seven. As far as popcorn flicks go, I’d give it about a nine, however the story is probably only worth a six and a half. Essentially, I would highly recommend this movie to the kind of person that sees a film for its raw entertainment value, but I’m not sure the more analytical types would as thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of the plot. TRON is definitely no psychological thriller, but it’s a pretty cool movie if you get the chance to check it out.
Free Agency: The Downfall of Sports
By Chad Fleming
Do you remember the days when a player made slightly more money than the average Joe and played professional sports as a means to make a modest living? I certainly don’t because it vanished long ago, before the new mega-stadiums were built to house as many fans as it could handle. Whatever happened to the dollar hot dog or the cheap seats in center field? Free Agency.
These days in sports, free agency dictates that big cities with a broad fan base should spend the most money and also, win the most championships and titles. Let’s take a look at professional baseball and the impact free agency has had on the success of small market teams as well big market teams. The greatest possible example of how free agency has changed Major League Baseball is the mere fact that a salary cap doesn’t exist. Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees is the ultimate money grabber. According to USA Today, he signed a ten year, 250 million dollar contract. We can put into perspective the massive contract by comparing his megadeal to the total payroll of another Major League team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2007, the same year of the Alex Rodriguez deal, the Pirates total team salary was a mere fifty million. In other words, the Yankees paid half as much on one player as the Pirates paid for twenty five players.
When it comes to competition in Major League Baseball, there is a huge discrepancy between the big market teams like the Yankees and small market teams like the Pirates. Don’t get me wrong the Pirates can and do draft players who go on to be great, but with free agency, the team can simply not afford to compete with larger markets and offer a salary to keep a homegrown player in town. Every time I see an up and comer playing in a small market, I have to ask myself when they will be playing for the Yankee pinstripes.
Free agency is part of the business side of sports and has forever changed the way a franchise is operated as well as how much the fan has to spend to keep the operation running. A dollar hot dog is quite hard to find these days because the payroll an owner must pay to keep a team running smoothly has to be made up somewhere. Fans are now paying extra so that players make extra, and the cycle of ever-growing contracts will continue.
One part of free agency that often goes overlooked is the fact that because a player can negotiate with any team, they have a major advantage that helps drive a bidding war to obtain their services. One way to maximize the potential profits of free agency is to hire a well-known agent (lawyer) that knows the ins and outs of the process. Many agents in pro baseball are notorious for getting the maximum profit for players even if it’s at the detriment of a small market team. The most popular agent for the stars in baseball is named Scott Boras and he’s very well known for not letting his clients negotiate with their current team before they are able to become unrestricted free agents. By not letting his clients sign extensions to their contracts, he is starting the process of free agency so that the richest owners will have a chance to drive up the purchase price of his client.
Professional sports are entertainment and have been in the United States for a very long time. Every fan wants to see their favorite team win and are willing to pay top dollar to attend the games but there comes a point when the price is simply too much. The only way to curb the effects of free agency is for the fan to let their voices be heard and start boycotting any given
team or league. If there are fewer fans at games or less merchandise being bought at stores,
owners will notice when they have to pay more out of pocket to produce what the consumer likes to see.
Now that we’ve looked at professional baseball and the impact free agency has had on the sport, let’s look at the National Football League to see how they have tried to lessen the effects of free agency. First off, there is still no salary cap in the NFL but there is something known as the franchise tag. According to ehow.com, “Designating a player as a franchise player allows an NFL team to hold onto his contractual rights for the upcoming season”. The price to keep a player by using the franchise is steep, the tag requires the team to “retain their top players for a specified salary determined by the salaries of the top players at their positions” (Ehow). Free agency has negatively affected the NFL because small market teams must place a franchise tag on the most popular or productive player or risk losing them. Not only can a team franchise the player once but they can do it two years in a row to give them time to make plans for the future of the team.
This day and age, most sports fans are willing to pay the enormous prices to attend games which fuel the ever growing problem. Not until people start staying home and forcing the owners to lower prices, will the problem ever be addressed or fixed. One aspect that often goes overlooked is that sports are an entertainment that meets the needs of a specific consumer. If the consumer becomes unhappy with the product, they will simply become interested in another. Anecdote: Lower prices by reducing the outrageous contracts in free agency and sports will continue to thrive and grow.
Do you remember the days when a player made slightly more money than the average Joe and played professional sports as a means to make a modest living? I certainly don’t because it vanished long ago, before the new mega-stadiums were built to house as many fans as it could handle. Whatever happened to the dollar hot dog or the cheap seats in center field? Free Agency.
These days in sports, free agency dictates that big cities with a broad fan base should spend the most money and also, win the most championships and titles. Let’s take a look at professional baseball and the impact free agency has had on the success of small market teams as well big market teams. The greatest possible example of how free agency has changed Major League Baseball is the mere fact that a salary cap doesn’t exist. Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees is the ultimate money grabber. According to USA Today, he signed a ten year, 250 million dollar contract. We can put into perspective the massive contract by comparing his megadeal to the total payroll of another Major League team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2007, the same year of the Alex Rodriguez deal, the Pirates total team salary was a mere fifty million. In other words, the Yankees paid half as much on one player as the Pirates paid for twenty five players.
When it comes to competition in Major League Baseball, there is a huge discrepancy between the big market teams like the Yankees and small market teams like the Pirates. Don’t get me wrong the Pirates can and do draft players who go on to be great, but with free agency, the team can simply not afford to compete with larger markets and offer a salary to keep a homegrown player in town. Every time I see an up and comer playing in a small market, I have to ask myself when they will be playing for the Yankee pinstripes.
Free agency is part of the business side of sports and has forever changed the way a franchise is operated as well as how much the fan has to spend to keep the operation running. A dollar hot dog is quite hard to find these days because the payroll an owner must pay to keep a team running smoothly has to be made up somewhere. Fans are now paying extra so that players make extra, and the cycle of ever-growing contracts will continue.
One part of free agency that often goes overlooked is the fact that because a player can negotiate with any team, they have a major advantage that helps drive a bidding war to obtain their services. One way to maximize the potential profits of free agency is to hire a well-known agent (lawyer) that knows the ins and outs of the process. Many agents in pro baseball are notorious for getting the maximum profit for players even if it’s at the detriment of a small market team. The most popular agent for the stars in baseball is named Scott Boras and he’s very well known for not letting his clients negotiate with their current team before they are able to become unrestricted free agents. By not letting his clients sign extensions to their contracts, he is starting the process of free agency so that the richest owners will have a chance to drive up the purchase price of his client.
Professional sports are entertainment and have been in the United States for a very long time. Every fan wants to see their favorite team win and are willing to pay top dollar to attend the games but there comes a point when the price is simply too much. The only way to curb the effects of free agency is for the fan to let their voices be heard and start boycotting any given
team or league. If there are fewer fans at games or less merchandise being bought at stores,
owners will notice when they have to pay more out of pocket to produce what the consumer likes to see.
Now that we’ve looked at professional baseball and the impact free agency has had on the sport, let’s look at the National Football League to see how they have tried to lessen the effects of free agency. First off, there is still no salary cap in the NFL but there is something known as the franchise tag. According to ehow.com, “Designating a player as a franchise player allows an NFL team to hold onto his contractual rights for the upcoming season”. The price to keep a player by using the franchise is steep, the tag requires the team to “retain their top players for a specified salary determined by the salaries of the top players at their positions” (Ehow). Free agency has negatively affected the NFL because small market teams must place a franchise tag on the most popular or productive player or risk losing them. Not only can a team franchise the player once but they can do it two years in a row to give them time to make plans for the future of the team.
This day and age, most sports fans are willing to pay the enormous prices to attend games which fuel the ever growing problem. Not until people start staying home and forcing the owners to lower prices, will the problem ever be addressed or fixed. One aspect that often goes overlooked is that sports are an entertainment that meets the needs of a specific consumer. If the consumer becomes unhappy with the product, they will simply become interested in another. Anecdote: Lower prices by reducing the outrageous contracts in free agency and sports will continue to thrive and grow.
Confidence in the Snow: A Guide to Winter Driving
Even though snow isn’t something most people encounter on a day-to-day basis, it’s still important to know what it’s capable of and how to deal with it; especially while driving. When you get caught in a snow storm, even with snow tires, you can count on the fact that the roads are going to be much more slippery than usual and your visibility will most likely be impaired. The cold is a factor too, which leads into the first step of a more confident winter driving experience.
Whenever you’re in an area that’s prone to harsh weather, it’s a good idea to carry warm jackets, blankets, gloves and hats in your vehicle at all times; even if you don’t use them often. They’ll come in handy if you accidentally drive off the road, or if the conditions simply become so dangerous you’re unable to reach your destination. It’s also a good idea to invest in an ice scraper that doubles as a snow brush. The more money you spend on something like this, the better off you’ll be. The best ice-scrapers are designed to extend to about six feet and have a wide brush on one end. Some models may even have a squeegee attachment. In a pinch, you can use your driver’s license or a credit card to remove ice from your windshield and headlights, but a good piece of equipment makes things a lot easier. If you drive a pickup truck, a shovel and a bag of salt or kitty-litter could come in handy if you get stuck because the vehicle is at a complete loss of traction.
You should definitely remember to purchase a sufficient amount of gasoline every time you get the chance. Winter driving eats up a lot more gas than summer driving because your wheels are having a harder time delivering the power from your engine to the road. Plus, driving in the snow is a lot slower going which also negatively affects your overall gas mileage. Plus, it’ll improve the quality of your winter driving experience to be able to run your car while you’re sitting in it so you don’t get any colder than you have to.
Before you take your car or truck out in a snow storm, make sure you have everything you’ll need ready to go before you venture out into the world. It’s a good idea to keep jackets and mittens in an empty passenger seat so they’ll be nice and warm in case you need them, rather than keeping them in your trunk. When you start your car after it’s been sitting in the cold for a while, you should allow the engine to idle for about 15 to 30 minutes before you take it anywhere; driving your car while the engine is cold burns motor oil and can lead to some costly repairs down the road. While your engines warming up, you should turn the heat and defrosters on so it’s a comfortable temperature before you go anywhere.
How you should drive in the snow has a lot to do with your personal experience as a driver, but a good rule of thumb is to take it slow until you get a good feel for exactly how slippery the roads are. You should also give yourself plenty of time to get wherever you’re going in case the weather causes a buildup of traffic. Whenever the weather is bad, you should try to use your brakes as sparingly as possible. Using your transmission’s lower gearing ratios to control your speed is always the safest way to go. As it’s a lot harder to stop in the snow and ice, you should try to keep a greater distance than you normally would between yourself and the vehicles of other drivers. Usually an extra two or three car lengths is enough to keep you out of harm’s way. Most importantly however, you should always wear your seatbelt.
It’s always good to remember that every vehicle on the road is different; therefore you’re going to encounter many drivers that are going relatively slow, as well as ones who are going much faster. You’ll have the most control over your vehicle if you drive at the speed you’re most comfortable with. A good winter driver drives at their own pace. Also, if you have a vehicle that does well in the snow, that doesn’t mean the weather won’t eventually get the best of you. Even experienced winter drivers will sometimes find themselves in situations that are too dangerous for their abilities; it’s inevitable. This is one of the main reasons one should avoid driving places they don’t necessarily need to go.
If you get caught in a slide, how you should react depends greatly on the vehicle you’re driving; however there is some pretty basic knowledge out there that can be applied to most slippery situations. First of all, there are three basic actions of acceleration (a change in velocity; acceleration doesn’t just mean speeding up) that can cause a slide to take place. The three actions of acceleration are: Speeding up, slowing down and changing direction. The main rule of thumb for winter driving is only accelerating in one of these three ways at a time. Basically this means you shouldn’t try to either slow down or speed up while you’re turning. Keep it at a steady pace. Even though there’s much dispute as to whether you should turn into, or out of a slide, the correct thing to do is steer in the direction you want to go – gently – until the vehicle regains control. Sometimes it’s a good idea to let off the gas pedal, but in a hydroplaning situation, this can actually make the slide worse.
Whenever you have to go up or down a steep hill, remember to do it when the coast is clear. If you’re going up, build up some momentum before you reach the base of the hill and let it carry you up. If you’re going down however, you should slow down as much as you can before you come over the top. Engine breaking is essential in this situation. Leave the car in a low gear and coast as far as you can. Even if you build more speed than you’re comfortable with, just ride it out and try to keep the vehicle under control. You should only use the brakes in either situation if you absolutely have to, but make sure you’re using them as sparingly as possible on the downhill slopes.
Hopefully this information will come in handy for those of you who’ve had little exposure with the ice and snow, but there is no substitute for experience. If you’re uncomfortable with winter driving, try getting a feel for it the day after a storm with someone you know is a safe and seasoned driver by driving on easy roads, or sliding around in a large, empty parking lot until some of your uneasiness is replaced by confidence!
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