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The Bottom Shelf by Adam Jahnke

Around the World in 8 DVDs

Adam Jahnke - Main Page

One of my pet peeves is people who say they love movies but don't like foreign films (I also don't like people who use the phrase "pet peeves", so don't take it personally if you're in either group). The arguments against foreign movies are always pretty much the same. They don't like reading subtitles, they're too long, they're boring, blah blah blah.

What annoys me about this isn't so much the assumption that movies begin and end with Hollywood, USA, although that certainly is annoying. It's that people who say they don't like foreign movies say it as though "Foreign" was a genre unto itself. Certainly the layout of most video stores and movie guidebooks do nothing to dissuade one from that belief. Foreign films are almost invariably kept apart from all the other movies, as if just being near the English-language movies might somehow infect them with foreignness. And, of course, nobody ever considers movies like The Road Warrior, A Room With a View or Dead Ringers to be foreign, although last time I checked, Australia, Great Britain and Canada were still their own sovereign countries.

Thanks to the success of movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, it would be tempting to say that the tides are turning and the bias against foreign movies is starting to vanish. Tempting but wrong. Let's face it. Movies like Kung Fu Hustle could be in an untranslatable dialect of Martian and you could still pretty much figure out what was going on. These movies are told visually, through brilliantly choreographed action sequences and carefully composed images. Don't get me wrong. I think these movies are great and I couldn't be happier that they're finding a large audience over here. But that still leaves plenty of countries and genres that are going by and large unseen.

In fact, the only time when it was really in vogue to see subtitled movies was back in the 1960s and early 70s. Films by Bergman, Kurosawa, Godard, Fellini, and others like them revolutionized the way an entire generation of moviegoers thought about cinema. Today, thanks to DVD, it's easier than ever to watch movies made half a planet away. But by and large, people don't.

Because of this subtitle-phobia, lots of folks are missing out on a lot of really wonderful movies. So, from time to time, I'll be checking in here with an all-foreign edition of The Bottom Shelf. I've got eight very different movies to kick things off with. The oldest one dates back to 1959. The newest came out just last year. They cover a range of genres and continents. Europe, Asia, even one English-language movie that's foreign in everything except for its screenwriter, leading actors, and setting. But let's begin our world tour in Spain with a pair of releases from one of that country's best filmmakers, Pedro Almodovar.

Bad Education
2004 (2005) - Sony Pictures Classics

The Flower of My Secret
1995 (2005) - Sony Pictures Classics

Like a lot of people, I suppose, the first film by Pedro Almodovar I saw was 1988's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. I didn't really know what to expect, although I do remember that for some reason I was not looking forward to it. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it immensely and did my best to follow his career from then on. Since I was living in Montana at the time, this was easier said than done. Every so often I'd catch a movie but never with any regularity until 1999. With the release of All About My Mother that year, Almodovar raised his game substantially. I wouldn't say every movie he's made since then has been better than the last. All About My Mother may well turn out to be his masterpiece. But both movies he's directed since then have been exceptional: Talk to Her from 2002 and last year's Bad Education.

Bad EducationThe Flower of My Secret

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In Bad Education, Gael Garcia Bernal from Y Tu Mama Tambien plays Ignacio, a struggling actor who turns up at the office door of Enrique (Fele Martinez), an old schoolmate who has become a successful filmmaker. Ignacio is looking for work as an actor and drops off a story he's written called "The Visit" based on their time together at Catholic school. "The Visit" tells the story of a drag queen who returns to that school in an attempt to blackmail the priest who molested him as a boy. Enrique decides to make "The Visit" his next movie but is suspicious of Ignacio's insistence that he play the drag queen.

When I sat down to watch Bad Education, I was afraid that it would simply be an anti-Catholic movie about abusive priests. It's not. In fact, there is nothing simple about Bad Education at all. The story unfolds on more levels than a multitiered wedding cake. Almodovar shows us the relationship between Enrique and Ignacio, plus "The Visit" (the film within the film), plus the actual memories of what really happened as told by Ignacio and, ultimately, the now-retired priest himself. The molestation aspects of the story are handled artfully and the story is told within the confines of a genre tale. Bad Education is not the angst-filled drama I'd feared it would be. Rather, it is a twisty, satisfying, carefully constructed thriller that unflinchingly tackles a very serious subject.

Infinitely less satisfying is Almodovar's 1995 feature The Flower of My Secret. Between 1990's Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! and 1999's All About My Mother, Almodovar seemed to be making movies without passion. Movies like Kika went through the motions of what people probably expected from an Almodovar film. Garishly bright colors, kinky sex, and unrestrained adult humor but it all seemed rather lackluster and by-the-numbers. The Flower of My Secret is typical of Almodovar's mid-90s period.

Marisa Paredes stars as a middle-aged woman whose marriage is on the rocks. She also happens to be a highly successful romance novelist under a pseudonym. With her personal life floundering, she's finding it harder to write these frivolous books. Her latest book was rejected by her publisher, although a movie with an identical plot is about to go into production and no one seems to know how the movie people got ahold of the story. Paredes tries to expand her writing by taking on another pseudonym writing literary reviews for the newspaper and gives her personal life one last shot at reconciliation with her husband.

The Flower of My Secret is the only Almodovar film that I could describe as dull. He seems to be making a visible effort to mature as a filmmaker by reining in his typical excesses. It's an admirable attempt but Almodovar also doesn't seem to have much of a personal investment in these characters. Paredes is good, as is Juan Echanove as her secretly romantic editor at the paper. But it's difficult to get too wrapped up in these people's lives. Their problems seem fairly inconsequential, and while they're clearly enormous to them, Almodovar doesn't succeed in conveying that to us.

On DVD, Bad Education is big winner. Technically, it's a terrific disc. The picutre quality is outstanding in anamorphic widescreen (the aspect ratio actually changes throughout the film from 2.35:1 to 1.85:1 depending on what story we're seeing). The soundtrack is offered in its original Spanish. By and large, it isn't terribly active but the 5.1 does give you the opportunity to hear Alberto Iglesias's terrific score at its best. The Flower of My Secret isn't as impressive. The movie itself is ten years older than Bad Education and looks it. Not that it's a bad picture, just kind of soft and beaten up.

As for extras, Sony's Bad Education disc isn't bad, though it isn't quite as impressive as the list of specs might lead you to expect. Almodovar's subtitled audio commentary is the highlight of the disc, as he discusses his influences, his own upbringing, and the autobiographical aspects of the film. There are two deleted scenes, both interesting on their own but understandably cut. The Red Carpet footage from the AFI Film Festival premiere has a few moments of on-the-fly interviews with Almodovar, Bernal (an impatient publicist hovering close behind him), and Penelope Cruz (not that she has anything to do with the movie but she's worked with Almodovar and she's good-looking so that appears to be enough to justify her inclusion here). This is followed by Almodovar's introduction to the movie inside the theatre. This is fine but it's kind of Access Hollywood stuff and no replacement for a proper interview or documentary. And you might think you're getting that documentary in The Making of Bad Education. No, that's actually just two minutes of behind-the-scenes footage spliced together into a peppy montage. Unless this movie was actually made in two minutes, this is useless. At least the photo gallery is nice, tracing the evolution of the various ad campaigns for the movie. I love seeing rejected campaigns and poster designs on DVD and wish more discs would include them.

The Flower of My Secret also includes a making-of but this one is more substantial. Clocking in at almost 20 minutes, it interviews cast and crew on the set of the film. It's not great but it's the only real extra on the disc, so I guess it'll have to do. Both Almodovar discs also include a potpourri of trailers from other Sony Pictures Classics releases.

Pedro Almodovar has always been a highly capable filmmaker. Even his lesser movies have his own personal style stamped indelibly upon them. Lately though, he has emerged as one of the best European filmmakers working today. There is no mistaking an Almodovar film for a movie by anyone else. Watch any of them for a few minutes at any point and you'll know who made it. If he continues to make movies as compelling as Bad Education, he'll be a director to reckon with for some time to come.

Bad Education
Film Rating: A-
Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): A/A-/B-

The Flower of My Secret
Film Rating: C+
Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): B-/B/C-

Eyes Without a Face
1959 (2004) - Gaumont (Criterion)

Our world tour now takes us over to France, home to some of Europe's greatest filmmakers. These are directors who can be identified by surname alone: Godard, Truffaut, Renoir, Bresson. But for all the classics the country has produced, horror movies are not exactly synonymous with French cinema. Well, there's at least one that can proudly hold its own with any of the horror classics: Georges Franju's creepy, darkly poetic Eyes Without a Face.

Eyes Without a Face

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Pierre Brasseur stars as Dr. Genessier, a surgeon obsessed with finding a way to regenerate dead skin. He's developed something called the "heterograft", a method of face transplantation that he hopes will benefit his daughter (Edith Scob). Her face was irreparably destroyed in a car accident caused by none other than Dr. Genessier himself. The only drawback to the heterograft is that it requires a living face to transplant and donors aren't exactly lining up outside Dr. Genessier's creepy mansion to volunteer. So he and his assistant Louise (Alida Valli) have been kidnapping young girls and performing clandestine operations in a hidden room.

For a movie made in 1959, Eyes Without a Face's notorious face transplant scene is surprisingly graphic. But as disturbing as that scene is, it's just one factor contributing to the overall sense of dread in Franju's film. Edith Scob gives a haunting performance as the disfigured daughter, floating through the movie wearing an expressionless white mask. The film was adapted from a novel by Jean Redon by the team of Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, authors of Diabolique and Vertigo. Eyes Without a Face has a similar quality, with nightmarish situations unfolding in a familiar place. Here, Dr. Genessier seems like a reasonable, respectable surgeon. It's the clinical, dispassionate way he goes about his criminal activities that makes it so chilling.

As graphic as Eyes Without a Face is, it's nothing compared to Franju's earlier short film Blood of the Beasts, included as a bonus on Criterion's recent DVD. Blood of the Beasts is a 22-minute documentary on French slaughterhouses. The film opens innocently enough, with beautifully composed shots of the French landscape and children playing while a female narrator describes the area. Next thing you know, we're in the abattoir, seeing a horse butchered in the same visual style we saw locals posing with their art seconds earlier. Blood of the Beasts is extremely difficult to watch, unflinching in its depiction of this work. It's also one of the best, most powerful short films I've ever seen. It's a harrowing twenty-two minutes and I'm sure there are plenty of people who won't be able to make it through the whole thing. Personally, I thought it was incredible.

Blood of the Beasts is only one of several outstanding extras on this disc. Franju (who died in 1987) is present via several interviews excerpted from various French television series. In one, he discusses Blood of the Beasts, while in another he speaks about Eyes Without a Face and horror in general on a campy mad scientist set. The hyphenated team of Boileau-Narcejac is also represented in a segment from a documentary called Les Grands-peres du crime. Selecting Medical Charts takes you to a gallery of stills, production photos and promotional material. Criterion also includes both the original French trailer as well as a trailer for the American release under the title The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus (released as part of a double bill with The Manster!). Finally, the booklet includes essays by film historian David Kalat and novelist Patrick McGrath.

The Criterion Collection isn't exactly overflowing with horror movies so their release of Eyes Without a Face is extremely welcome. Not only do they give an underrated horror movie a wider audience, they've also included a landmark short film in the bargain. Georges Franju may be better-known for co-founding the Cinematheque Française than for his directing but Eyes Without a Face demonstrates that he was certainly a formidable talent behind the camera in his own right.

Eyes Without a Face
Film Rating: A-
Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): B+/B/A-

1985 (2005) - MK2 (Home Vision)

Perhaps a more typically French film is Andre Techine's Rendez-vous, an erotic drama that gave Juliette Binoche her first major role. Binoche plays Nina, a naïve young actress who arrives in Paris searching for stardom. She lands a bit part as a maid in a fluffy play and stays for short periods with one of the many men she seduces. Finally tiring of this, she searches for her own apartment with the help of real estate clerk Paulot (Wadeck Stanczack). Like most men, Paulot falls for her almost immediately but Nina likes him only as a friend. She's sexually attracted to his dangerous, mysterious roommate Quentin (Lambert Wilson), an actor who works in a seamy live sex show. Their relationship escalates but Nina doesn't really learn anything about him until the arrival of Scrutzler (Jean-Louis Trintignant), a director who wants to cast Nina in his new production of Romeo and Juliet.

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Rendez-vous is a film that could easily dissolve into a pretentious mess in lesser hands. Fortunately, this movie has three very important things going for it. First, the screenplay, co-written by Olivier Assayas who would go on to direct such films as Irma Vep. The script is very careful in how much information it doles out and when. There is enough mystery here to keep us absorbed but not so much that it becomes impossibly dense. Second, the direction by Andre Techine. I've only seen one other Techine film, the excellent Ma Saison Preferee. In Rendez-vous, Techine keeps things focused and succinct, wrapping things up in an economical 83 minutes.

Finally and most importantly, there is Juliette Binoche. When you're making a movie about a woman that men fall in love with too easily, more than half the battle is casting the right actress. Binoche is terrific as Nina. She's unworldly, promiscuous, and insecure but never comes across as stupid. The fact that she's also incredibly sexy practically goes without mentioning but that beauty is put to a very specific use in Rendez-vous. It's risky for a young actress' first major role to be that of a not-exceptionally-talented young actress but Binoche does it beautifully.

Home Vision's disc both looks and sounds a little worn but considering this is a not-too-well-known French movie from 1985, it could be much worse. Extras are restricted to the original trailer and a liner notes essay by critic Brian McFarlane. Rendez-vous is an elegant, compelling drama. Fans of Juliette Binoche should definitely seek it out without hesitation.

Film Rating: B
Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): B-/C+/D

La Commare Secca (The Grim Reaper)
1962 (2005) - Janus (Criterion)

Now let's head over to Italy for the first film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. La Commare Secca, directed by Bertolucci when he was just 21, is an interesting movie from a film history perspective but it's not, I'm afraid, all that terribly exciting or entertaining. The film follows a police investigation into the murder of a local prostitute. The detective (who remains offscreen through most of the film) interviews a number of people who were all at the scene of the crime. Through flashbacks, we see what they did on the day of the murder and how it occasionally contradicts what they're telling the police.

La Commare Secca

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The structure of the film is reminiscent of Kurosawa's Rashomon but La Commare Secca is otherwise not too similar to that classic. Bertolucci isn't particularly interested in the crime or in how different people remember the same event. Rather, he's concerned with the mundane details of a day that seems like any other but just happens to end with a murder. In each flashback, we eventually arrive at a point in the story when it starts raining. At this point, a crack of thunder takes us out of the story and over to the prostitute herself, waking up, making coffee, and getting ready for her day, never knowing that it's the last day of her life.

Some of this is quite interesting and even in his first film, Bertolucci creates some very memorable images with his restless camera. But ultimately there's a sameness to all of the flashbacks that makes the movie seem much longer than its 93 minutes. It also would have been nice if Bertolucci had at least a little interest in the crime itself. There's absolutely no tension or suspense in the unmasking of the killer. Bertolucci is just as interested in the killing of the prostitute as he is in a soldier wandering around killing time. That's a fine concept in theory but one is clearly more important than the other.

Criterion's DVD is one of their slimmer efforts, although the picture and sound quality are both very nice. The only extra is a new 16-minute interview with Bertolucci which, while brief, is quite illuminating. If you, like me, thought that art-house films like this were always personal projects immune from producer interference, this clears things right up. The project began as a story by Pier Paolo Pasolini and after the success of Pasolini's first film, Accattone, the rights-holder to La Commare Secca fast-tracked that project. But when Pasolini decided not to direct himself, his former assistant Bertolucci was assigned the project. I can just picture a Barton Fink-like producer asking Bertolucci to give him that Pasolini feeling. Bertolucci also discusses the awkward situation of being the youngest member of the crew, the reaction to the film, and his efforts to make the project his own.

La Commare Secca isn't a must-see landmark of Italian cinema. However, if you're already a devotee of these filmmakers, it's an interesting link between the work of Pasolini and Bertolucci. The movie certainly has its moments. But this is not the first film to watch if you're just beginning with Italian neo-realism.

La Commare Secca
Film Rating: B-
Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): B+/B/C

On to Part Two

Adam Jahnke - Main Page
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Default 09-29-2009, 05:12 PM

There should be an option to do that when you make an album. Otherwise, I'm not really sure.

I stare at the girl in the mirror: T-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen.
But the way that you see me, you get underneath me, and all my defenses just fall away, fall away.
I am beautiful with you, even in the darkest part of me. I am beautiful with you;
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be!

You're here with me: Just show me this and I'll believe I am beautiful with you!
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Admin The Downey Patriot

Paging Dr. Frischer - Yoga
WRITTEN BY :   Dr. Alan Frischer

What one activity increases flexibility, strengthens the muscles, centers your thoughts, and is relaxing and calming? If you guessed yoga, then you are correct. Let’s explore some of the history and philosophy of yoga, a few of the different types, and several benefits.
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual discipline, originating in India over 5,000 years ago. It literally means the joining or integrating of all aspects of the individual: body with mind, and mind with soul. Its goal is to achieve a happy, balanced and useful life. The ultimate goal is to reach kaivalya, which means “ultimate freedom.”
Yoga began, of course, long before written language, so the first recorded mention is of Yogis already practicing it. It has been passed down through the millennia from teacher to student. Over time, many different schools of yoga developed. Patanjali, an Indian Yogic sage who lived between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago, wrote the earliest texts. He is credited with writing the Yoga Sutras, which are the principles, philosophy, and practices of different types of yoga to this day.
Yoga uses postures, focused concentration on specific body parts, and special breathing techniques that are thought to integrate the body with the mind and spirit. The idea is that controlled breathing will control the energy flow in your body. The different postures help condition your body, and there are literally thousands of poses. Yoga focuses the mind by teaching how to concentrate on specific parts of the body. The focus is internal, and the idea is to not fight any thoughts you have, but to let them come and go freely while an instructor leads you through different positions. The practitioner drifts into a peaceful, calm, and relaxed state.
There are dozens of types of yoga, evolved as different yogis developed their own philosophies and approaches. Kundalini Yoga is perhaps the oldest discipline dating back over 5,000 years, and was introduced to the West in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan. Hatha Yoga is the most widely practiced type taught here in the United States, and is typically where beginners start. It originated in the 15th century, and is gentle with slow and smooth movements. The focus is on holding poses, chanting, and integrating breathing with movements. It is a great way to stretch, work the muscles, get in touch with your body, relax, and decrease stress.
Here in the United States, there are roughly 15 million practitioners of yoga or other Eastern disciplines. It has become a very popular exercise for children, for whom lack of exercise has become a national crisis. It’s a hugely sought-after class in my daughter’s public high school, and yoga classes now appear in senior citizen centers and retirement facilities; it’s not only beneficial for the mind but also helps to prevent falls and to improve balance and overall physical performance.
Although Western medicine has not fully studied the full range of benefits claimed by yoga, with consistent practice the following gains have certainly been supported: lowered blood pressure, lowered stress and tension, lessened fatigue, better balance and fewer falls, better focus and concentration, better posture and flexibility, improved lung capacity, decreased blood sugar levels, better strength and flexibility, and fewer asthma symptoms. Certainly the list will grow with more studies.
Clearly yoga is not for everyone. Those with underlying health issues such as heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension and various orthopedic conditions should consult their doctor before undertaking any exercise program. Should you choose to pursue yoga, you may be very pleasantly surprised at how it helps you feel. The only way to be certain of all that yoga can do for you is to give it a try.
I wish you all safe, healthful and spiritual exercise!
Dr. Alan Frischer is former chief of staff and current chief of medicine at Downey Regional Medical Center. Write to him in care of this newspaper at 8301 E. Florence Ave., Suite 100, Downey, CA 90240.

Published: November 13, 2009 – Volume 8 – Issue 30

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Chapter 2- Page 13

waterdragon on Aug. 29, 2008

Just the next page. sorry for the three week wait. Kinda went on a hiatus. Things go busy. I was working with an organization working on 4 large murals and well, I was very tired and artted-out by the time I got home ):.

Three guesses on who that is at the bottom ;D.

I forgot to mention, but about half an hour passed :< Daryl made the cakes from mixes, thus why he finished them so quickly. Ahah D:.


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U.S. on bin Laden Tape: No Negotiations with Terrorists

By Deborah Zabarenko
Jan 19, 2006

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney speaks to the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research January 19, 2006 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON - The United States dismissed Thursday a conditional truce offered in a tape attributed to Osama bin Laden and said it "does not negotiate with terrorists."

Vice President Dick Cheney said the offer from the al Qaeda leader appeared to be a ploy but that it was too early to draw conclusions.

The audiotape, aired by Arab television station Al Jazeera, also warned al Qaeda was preparing new attacks inside the United States.

"Clearly the al Qaeda leaders and other terrorists are on the run, they're under a lot of pressure. We do not negotiate with terrorists, we put them out of business," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.

"The terrorists started this war and the president made it clear that we will end it at a time and place of our choosing. We continue to pursue all those who seek to do harm to the American people," he said.

A CIA official said U.S. intelligence analysts believed the voice on the tape -- the first from bin Laden since 2004 -- belonged to the al Qaeda leader.

In it, bin Laden warned of new attacks inside the United States.

But he said al Qaeda was willing to "respond" to U.S. public opinion in favor of withdrawing troops from Iraq. Bin Laden did not specify conditions for the truce, but indicated that it was linked to U.S. troops quitting Iraq.

Asked about the truce offer, Cheney told Fox News in an interview: "I'm not sure what he's offering by way of a truce. I don't think anybody would believe him ... It sounds to me like it's some kind of a ploy, but again not having seen the entire text or validated the tape and the timing of it, I'm reluctant to draw any conclusions."

"This is not an organization that's ever going to sit down and sign a truce. I think you have to destroy them," he said.

Gauging the Threat

Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Michelle Petrovich said the agency had no plans to raise the country's security alert level in response to the tape's release.

ABC News reported that Homeland Security officials were sending a bulletin to 18,000 police agencies telling them to review all of their intelligence.

"Who are the current suspects? Where are they operating? What do the cases tell us? What do the other sources of intelligence tell us? You take the sum of that and then you adjust and say where's our threat level here?" John Miller, a senior FBI spokesman, told ABC.

Roger Cressey, a former White House counterterrorism official under President Bush, called the truce offer a "red herring" designed to make bin Laden look reasonable in the eyes of U.S. and Muslim public opinion.

But he said the tape was significant after such a prolonged absence of messages from bin Laden, which had led to speculation he might be ill, injured or even dead.

"By issuing a tape which we have to assume is current, the bumper sticker here is: bin Laden's not irrelevant yet," Cressey said.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said analysts typically checked such tapes for any threat indicators and clues that might help in the hunt for members of al Qaeda.

Cheney told Fox that in addition to authenticity, the key question was when the tape was made. Al Jazeera said the tape dated from January.

Cheney said U.S. officials did not yet know whether there was any link between the tape and an airstrike in Pakistan last week aimed at al Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri.

Pakistani officials said Zawahri did not appear to be hit in the strike, which killed at least 18 people including women and children.

Additional reporting by David Morgan, Caroline Drees, and Paul Eckert)


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Re: I find emailing them first is best....

Posted 5/16/2012 at 10:12:39 AM

A few points, from my experience:

When contacting a lady, I always pay attention to their preferred method of contact. For example, if my profile here says that I prefer email, I don't appreciate some strange lady contacting me with texts or calls on a Sunday. Giving a reference is a professional courtesy, and not an obligation, and should certainly not be abused.

Secondly, introduce yourself to her. Do not simply say "Hey, can I get a reference?". Discretion in this profession is of the utmost importance and if she does not know who you are, why should she waste her time screening YOU to figure out if YOU are someone she is willing to share with, especially after the gentleman has not contacted her?

Lastly, realize that you are here to make money and not friends. Get that "sisterhood" falacy out of your head. Unfortunately, this is kind of a catty business and many ladies are immature and competitive. I commend you for being reference-friendly, and good luck.

Posted By: linda
Hi Hun..
Yes the guys contacted these ladies..beforehand.. and one on the ladies told off the gent , she saw a few weeks also!!! not mention names dropping here...she curse him out, like a truck driver, for calling her for a reference, The gent call me back , and told me, and it was his only reference. He was a  new ter guy.. but no reviews yet on here.....I can go on and on...about other issues...But all i know is {Guys i am reference friendly>>>>}I am not saying all the Philly sisters out here are like this. by no means...Just some...the ones i  had  experience with....

Posted By: TrulyMsMocha
....also imo  the guy who is using these references should probably alert these ladies first that he'll be using them for another appt. I don't think your experience has ANYTHING to do with the Philly ladies in particular trust me. Just those individual ladies.  I have the same issue once in a blue moon from ladies in my area (D.C.).  It happens.

-- Modified on 5/16/2012 10:58:12 AM

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BASEBALL: Riders win 18th game, New Bremen beat Spencerville

FORT RECOVERY — The St. Marys boys baseball team clinched the most wins for a Roughrider baseball team in a season in 10 years with a 9-1 win at Fort Recovery on Thursday.

The Riders’ Nick Vogel went 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple and six runs batted in. He also started the game on the mound and earned the win.

Codie Deaton finished the game in relief.

D.J. Manning went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Adam Neal went 2-for-4 wiht a double and a run batted in, Michael Huber finished the game 2-for-4.

St. Marys, which improved to 18-7 on the season, wraps up its season on Monday at Ottawa-Glandorf at 5 p.m..

NEW BREMEN — The New Bremen baseball team scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning in a 13-5 win over Spencerville on Thursday — two days before the Cardinals’ key conference-ending game.

Ethan Elshoff went 3-for-3 at the plate. Aaron Clune drove in three runs and doubled. Doug Kremer drove in three runs and tripled.

New Bremen used four pitchers in the game. After Cody Wendel went the first two and 2-3 innings in which he gave up three runs, Clay Bertke worked two and 2-3 innings in which he gave up one run.

Trevor Kitzmiller and Alec Frideger each worked a scoreless inning.

Jared Rex went 2-for-3 at the plate for Spencerville. Matt Youngpeter was 2-for-4 and Joel Shimp was 2-for-4 at the plate for Spencerville.

New Bremen improved to 13-9 on the season. The Cardinals will wrap up their season with an important Midwest Athletic Conference resumption game on Saturday at 11 a.m. against Parkway.  New Bremen can clinch a piece of the MAC baseball title with a win over the Panthers.

Versailles 8, New Knoxville 2

NEW KNOXVILLE — The Tigers earned an 8-2 win in a game resumed from May 4. Versailles led 5-2 through four innings when action picked up.


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Lucas-Milhaupt establishes Spanish-language website

July 9, 2012

Lucas-Milhaupt Global Brazing Solutions, Milwaukee, has launched a Spanish-language version of its corporate website at, providing support for the Latin American region.

The website previously was translated into French and German. All the sites contain the same information.

Lucas-Milhaupt Inc., a Handy & Harman Company, is a supplier of brazing and soldering materials to the electrical/electronic, appliance, transportation, construction, and mining markets worldwide.

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The Fountain Pen, Guelph's On-Line News
ADV: BBS 42 - Reliable Web Hosting

Sign Polll 2014 Provincial General Election

Web posted on May 08, 2014

This spring Ontarians once again find themselves going to the poles on June 12, 2014 for our 41st Provincial General Election. Here at The Fountain Pen we are beginning to gear up for our traditional Sign Poll.

Date Schreiner MacDonald Sandals Gordon
May 062010
May 076040
May 08280234
May 09353204
May 1036183821
June 1154234733

The Sign Poll is the Fountain Pen's very own completely unscientific polling system. We have chosen a meandering route throughout the city of Guelph, and keep track of how many political election signs appear along that route for each candidate. Yes, the route is secret, so the results can't be skewed artificially, and Yes, the counts are done at approximately the same time each day. The numbers will be tabulated almost daily and published on our Sign Poll page.

You may ask how we came up with such a nifty idea. Well, we are all very observant and fond of nature, and have noticed a sharp increase in sightings of the usually rare signicus politikus - the Election Sign. These signs tend to flock to the edge of roadways and intersections every time an election is called. We thought that it would be interesting to see if there was any correlation between the number of signs for a given candidate and how well that candidate does on voting day.


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“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” Recap: I Don’t Know Who To Believe

By: Annika Harris / August 7, 2009

I’m so confused, y’all. Last night’s episode was all about the feud brewing between Sheree and Kim, and the one simmering between Kim, Lisa and NeNe. And I can’t tell who is lying, who’s acting extra for the cameras, and who really should be friends. After the jump, I recap what went down in The ATL when “The Real Housewives” tried to discuss their drama.OK, so NeNe and Kim finally sat down to discuss all the BS that went down last season. At first, both women seemed to be on the defensive — NeNe even questioned Kim about her choice of a margarita, instead of wine, her drink of choice. (Why? I don’t know.) Eventually, Kim made it clear that she’s missed NeNe, saying that all the arguing and backstabbing between her and the other women isn’t important because the friendship with NeNe is all she cares about. Their little chat ended with Kim sitting on NeNe’s lap and them reminiscing about the good times. NeNe also convinced Kim to meet with “the girls” so she could come clean about all the s**t she allegedly smack-talked about them.

Kim was apprehensive, as she should have been about the meeting, which NeNe and Sheree dubbed a “Kim-Tervention.” Who would want to be interrogated by three women about the alleged rumors she was spreading? Lisa didn’t show up, but NeNe and Sheree were there. So here’s why I don’t know who to believe. First off, Sheree has placed herself in the middle of every fight. She fed Kim information last season, and now she’s feeding it to NeNe and Lisa. She’s the orchestrator of everything. At the “Kim-Tervention,” Kim made another plea to NeNe regarding their friendship, ignoring Sheree’s attacks. As the attack continued and the restaurant folks started getting antsy about the loud arguing, Kim became fed up and stormed out. But not before she and Sheree got to name-calling. By the way Sheree, Kim could never be “trailer trash” because she wears way too much Dior and Dolce. I felt kind of sorry for Kim, and I hope she and NeNe work things out because I believe they genuinely care for each other.

Anyway, we were “treated” to some really gross romantic gestures, too. Lisa and Ed are trying to have another baby, so we had to go to a fertility doctor with them. We learned all about the risks of having a baby after the age of 35. (Maybe Jacqueline from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” can give Lisa some encouragement.) Then, we saw a really cliché interview with Ed in which he alluded to the fact that he’s not the conception problem. Yeah, we know Ed; you’re so young and virile that all you have to do is think pregnancy and your shooters stand at attention. Now can you get a job? Ed has a lot of time on his hands now that he’s not playing football, so he prepared a three-course dinner, flung rose petals all over the dang house, gave Lisa a massage, and ran a bubble bath for the two of them. Then they went to “make babies.” Barf! I love a romantic gesture, but this wasn’t one. I wish the camera stopped right before they entered the bathroom.

Now on to our newest housewife, Kandi. Her parts were all about her mother not wanting her to marry A.J. because he has six chil’ren. And Kandi boo-hooing about how he takes care of his kiiiids. She argued that there are so many men out there who can just forget they have kids and don’t even mention it to their girlfriends, so she admires A.J. for stepping up to the plate. Um, I can see her logic, but I think we need to stop commending men for doing what they’re supposed to. Anyway, Kandi, with the support of her aunts (who remind me of my own aunties), decided that she has to make herself happy, even if that means going against her mom.


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Posts tagged "sunny obama"

Sunny Obama Is Pooping All Over The White House

Sure, Syria might have released chemical weapons on its own people this week.  BUT I WANNA HEAR MORE ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE’S NEW PUPPY GAAAAAAH!  Here’s President Obama in an exclusive interview with CNN, talking about the new puppy Sunny (a Portuguese water dog like their four-year-old dog, Bo) and her accidents around the White House.

By: Jessica Wakeman / August 25, 2013

Meet The Newest Member Of The First Family, Sunny Obama!

Bo has a sister! The White House announced on Monday that they have added a furry new friend to their brood, a female puppy named Sunny! A Portuguese water dog just like Bo, Sunny was born in Michigan in June and, said the White House, “is the perfect little sister for Bo – full of energy…

By: Amelia McDonell-Parry / August 20, 2013


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[08/26/10 - 01:54 PM]
TLC Confirms the Final Season of Little People, Big World
The show's swan song begins Monday, September 6 at 8:00/7:00c.

[via press release from TLC]

All-new episodes premiere September 6 at 8/7c

LOS ANGELES, CA -- One of television's favorite families prepares to say goodbye as TLC confirms that the previously announced upcoming sixth season of the hit series LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD will be the series finale. For more than 200 episodes, the Roloffs - parents Matt and Amy, both little people, and their kids Jeremy, Zach, Molly, and Jacob - have welcomed viewers to share their daily lives from their pumpkin farm in Oregon. Since it began airing in 2006, an average of 74 million P2+ viewers each year tuned in to LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD to watch the family's adventures.

"Through LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD, the Roloffs have touched the hearts and enlightened the minds of millions of people worldwide," said Eileen O'Neill, President & GM, TLC. "Its groundbreaking premiere introduced us all to the realities of being a little person, and we thank Matt & Amy and their family for their courage and willingness to share their lives."

"The show has been an amazing and unforgettable experience for our entire family," said Matt & Amy Roloff. "Over the past 5 years we have shared the most rewarding journey that will forever be in our hearts. We are gearing up to begin new and exciting adventures as a family and we look forward to starting the next chapter of the Roloffs. We will always be grateful to our TLC family, and most of all, our fans."

Season six follows one of the most dramatic seasons of LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD ever - including a spring finale cliffhanger of Matt Roloff collapsing in his home office - leaving his family and fans concerned for his wellbeing. The premiere episode picks up right there, as the incident causes Matt to question his health and inspires both Matt and Amy, in typically different ways - Amy starts working with a personal trainer, while Matt takes a big risk by skydiving with Jeremy.

The season also finds Matt starting to think about the future of the farm while Amy focuses on giving back through her charity foundation. And, as the twins turn 20, they evaluate what to do next with their lives - do they have the drive and desire to move off the farm and make it on their own?

LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD is produced for TLC by Gay Rosenthal Productions. Executive producers are Gay Rosenthal, Paul Barrosse, Joseph Freed, Nicholas Caprio, and Jeffrey L. Weaver.

About TLC

TLC's innovative docu-series and reality-based programming include favorites Kate Plus 8, Little People, Big World, What Not to Wear, 19 Kids and Counting, Say Yes to the Dress, and LA Ink. TLC added to its menu of programming with Cake Boss and continues to expand into the food genre. TLC's daytime lineup includes the Emmy Award-winning A Baby Story. The channel is available in more than 99 million homes in the US, nearly 8 million homes in Canada and through the website at www.tlc.com. TLC is part of Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries.

  [august 2010]

[05/27/15 - 10:59 AM]
Revised: New Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere Dates For "June Weddings"
Now look for "Perfect Match" on Saturday, June 20; "A Country Wedding" on Sunday, June 21; and "Love, Again" on Saturday, June 27.

[05/27/15 - 10:11 AM]
From Bulls to Burgers and the "Men in Blazers" Esquire Network Announces Sizzling Summer Line-Up
Newcomers include "The Agent" on Tuesday, July 21 and "The Next Great Burger" on Wednesday, July 22.

[05/27/15 - 10:07 AM]
Spike TV Inks Season Seven of "Ink Master" And Creates Spin-Off Series "Ink Master: Redemption"
The network will launch the newest installment of "Ink Master" - season six - on Tuesday, June 23 at 10:00/9:00c.

[05/27/15 - 10:03 AM]
Destination America Brings More Action to the Ring Acquiring the Rights to Ring of Honor's Weekly Television Programming
The series will air Wednesdays at 8:00/7:00c, leading into "Impact Wrestling" at 9:00/8:00c, beginning June 3.

[05/27/15 - 10:00 AM]
TV One's Black Music Month Kicks Off with a New Season of "Unsung" Premiering Wednesday, June 3 at 8PM/ET
In a special episode, "Unsung Revisited," viewers will receive an update on artists, including Full Force, Zapp & Roger, Sylvester, and Miki Howard, who following their features on the series, have experienced profound changes to their lives and legacy.

[05/27/15 - 08:58 AM]
"Talent" and "I Can Do That" Are #1-2 Shows of the Night on the Big 4 Networks in Every Key Demo
NBC spins the numbers for Tuesday, May 26.

[05/27/15 - 08:34 AM]
Tuesday's Broadcast Ratings: "America's Got Talent" Returns on Top for NBC
The Peacock leads the night in both total viewers and adults 18-49.

[05/27/15 - 08:33 AM]
Smithsonian Channel(TM) Examines the Real Stories Behind Visionary Innovators and Their World-Changing Ideas - "My Million Dollar Invention"
The eight-part series launches Sunday, June 14 at 8:00/7:00c on the network.

[05/27/15 - 08:33 AM]
ABC's "500 Questions" Earns Its 2nd-Best Adult 18-49 Rating
ABC spins the numbers for Tuesday, May 26.

[05/27/15 - 08:28 AM]
John Michael Higgins and Paula Marshall to Guest Star in ABC Family's Peabody Award-Winning Series "Switched at Birth"
They're set as the parents of Daphne's boyfriend, Mingo.

[05/27/15 - 08:26 AM]
Comedy Central's New Historical and Satirical Series "Another Period" Premieres June 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome co-star in the newcomer, which they also co-created.

[05/27/15 - 07:31 AM]
Discovery Family Channel Brings Audiences Back to the Kalahari Desert with a Decidely "Downton" Twist in Two 90 Minute Specials, "Meerkat Manor: The Monarchy Begins" and "Meerkat Manor: The Monarchy Under Attack"
The specials feature entirely new narration inspired by ITV (UK) and PBS' smash-hit British period drama, packaged with reversioned footage from the series' first two seasons.

[05/27/15 - 07:28 AM]
New Additions to the Season Seven Cast of "Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'N Out" Feature Hot Comedic Talent and Social Media All-Stars
DC Young Fly, Matt Rife, Darren Brand, Aarona Lopez, TattooManPaige and Hunter Stiebel are among the new additions.

[05/27/15 - 07:09 AM]
BBC America's "Doctor Who" Set for Hall H Panel at Comic-Con
Capaldi's first season delivered BBC America its highest rated season ever and is available now on all digital platforms.

[05/27/15 - 06:57 AM]
"Over My Dead Body" with Linda Hamilton Adds Edge-of-Your-Seat Action to Investigation Discovery's June Programming Slate
Said effort is an adrenaline-fueled, 12-episode docu-series premiering Monday, June 15 at 10:00/9:00c and 10:30/9:30c.


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Press release from PR Newswire

Like, Share or Tweet and Taco Bell Will Give Mas To Help Teens Graduate

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Like, Share or Tweet and Taco Bell Will Give Mas To Help Teens Graduate09:30 EDT Thursday, May 24, 2012Mark Wahlberg to Appear in New Graduate to Go Ad to Support National Fundraising Campaign in Taco Bell RestaurantsIRVINE, Calif., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens' Graduate to Go initiative is inviting Americans to like, share or tweet to help at-risk teens graduate high school.  In return, Taco Bell will give up to $1 million to Graduate to Go to support teen-serving organizations.  The $1 million gift represents the more than 1 million students that drop out of high school each year.(Photo: The Graduate to Go social media effort is part of a two-week campaign including a TV ad with Mark Wahlberg and national fundraiser in participating Taco Bell restaurants.  From May 24 to June 7, Taco Bell will donate $5 for each of the following actions taken (maximum total donation $1 million):"Like" the custom-designed graduation caps created by Boys & Girls Club teens that will be posted on the Taco Bell Facebook page Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag #GraduatetoGo Share Graduate to Go's new TV ad featuring Mark Wahlberg and teen, Mona Dixon.  Click here for behind-the-scenes video from the ad filming. "Graduate to Go strives to put a diploma in every teen's hand, and it's going to require action from all of us," says Greg Creed, chief executive officer, Taco Bell. "Taco Bell is providing simple ways to make a big difference both in our restaurants and online, and our hope is that we can inspire the nation to mobilize around this important cause."The high school dropout rates are staggering in America, with one student dropping out of high school every 26 seconds.  More than 30 percent of teens in the U.S. and up to 50 percent of Latinos and African Americans fail to graduate with their class. Dropouts are more likely than high school graduates to be unemployed, in poor health, living in poverty, in prison or on public assistance.**  Raising Funds with Taco Bell® RestaurantsAdditionally, participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide will host the 4th annual Graduate to Go fundraiser through June 7th to encourage customers to donate $1 to fund teen programs.  As thanks for customer support, participating restaurants will give contributors a taco coupon. The success of the 2011 national fundraiser enabled the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens to distribute 350 grants totaling $3 million to Boys & Girls Clubs and other organizations that inspire teens to graduate high school.  Raising Awareness with Mark WahlbergTo help bring more awareness to the dropout crisis and support this initiative, Actor/Producer Mark Wahlberg, the Graduate to Go ambassador for the third consecutive year, will appear in a national TV spot to encourage support.  The ad features Boys & Girls Club Alumni Mona Dixon, who was helped by Graduate to Go through her involvement with the Club. Wahlberg also continues to support teens through his Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation."Each time I talk to a teen like Mona Dixon who has been helped by Graduate to Go, I am reminded of the reasons why I've partnered with the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens," said Mark Wahlberg. "Participating in this campaign with Mona inspired me, and I hope it will inspire others to help teens like her achieve greatness against all odds."In the TV spot titled "Imagine," Mark Wahlberg tells Mona Dixon's story of being homeless through her high school years and reveals how Graduate to Go helped her get where she is today ? a successful college student with a 3.93 GPA.  The ad closes with a call-to-action, encouraging consumers to give $1 at participating Taco Bell® restaurants."Life hasn't been easy for me and I'm sure there are more teens just like me out there," said Mona Dixon. "I'm so thankful to have had the support of so many and hope my story lets other teens know that there is a way to overcome the barriers you face."About Graduate to GoGraduate to Go is a national initiative of Taco Bell Foundation, Inc., also known as the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens, a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, committed to addressing the growing number of high school dropouts in the U.S.   The initiative funds real-world experiences, such as job training and college preparation, proven to motivate teens to stay in school. Through the Graduate to Go initiative, the Foundation serves more than 100,000 teens and awards more than 350 grants and scholarships each year.  Support includes the Graduate to Go Multi-Media Studios, Graduate to Go Business Camp, and National Keystone leadership program at 1,600 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.  For more information about Graduate to Go, visit, and find us on Facebook at 1995, more than $30 million has been donated to support teen programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and other teen-serving organizations with the help of on-going customer, franchisee and employee donations. About Taco Bell Corp.Taco Bell Corp. ("Taco Bell"), a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, signature quesadillas, Grilled Stuft Burritos, nachos, and other specialty items such as Crunchwrap Supreme®, in addition to the Why Pay More® Value Menu. Taco Bell serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.About The Mark Wahlberg Youth FoundationMark Wahlberg and his family established the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation on the belief that no child should be prevented to living up to his or her potential due to financial hardship.  The Foundation works to improve the quality of life for teens living in urban communities and distributes funds to support local youth service and enrichment programs nationwide. A life-long member and advocate of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Mark comes from a family of nine children with limited means and spent most of his afternoons and evenings at his local club.  He credits a large part of his success to the fact that he was fortunate to spend his free time in a positive and nurturing environment.  Visit  ** Silent Epidemic Research Study, March 2006Contact: Emily Hallford310/ SOURCE Taco Bell Foundation for Teens


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An editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal is raising concerns over the popularity among kids and teens of highly caffeinated energy drinks


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Team SpiderTech secures racing license Add to ...

Team SpiderTech, the pro cycling team put together by Canada's former Tour de France star Steve Bauer, has become the first Canadian cycling team to earn a Professional Continental license from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). It's a step toward getting a Canadian-based pro team on the Tour, Bauer said.

"It has been a challenging mission for our company to gain division two status, however it is a critical step forward in our long-term goals to compete on the World Tour and the Tour de France," Bauer said in a statement.

The SpiderTech team, which features World Cup silver track medalist Zach Bell, was approved by the UCI in Aigle, Switzerland and can now participate in highly-ranked UCI races around the world. The team of 13 Canadian and three other North American riders is sponsored by SpiderTech Inc. and a consortium of Canadian corporations known as C10.

SpiderTech, BlackBerry, NRS Brakes, PineTree Capital, Planet Energy and Saputo are the initial members of the C10 consortium.

The team has been invited by race organizer Serge Arsenault to compete in the two UCI World Tour events held in Canada - the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal - alongside the top 18 pro tour teams of the world. Arsenault called the approval of a Canadian pro squad "historic" for the sport.

Veterans on the team are Mark Batty, Martin Gilbert, Keven Lacombe, Bruno Langlois, François Parisien, Andrew Randell, Ryan Roth and American Lucas Euser and the three under-23 riders, David Boily, Flavio De Luna of Mexico and Guillaume Boivin, who won a bronze medal at the world cycling championships in Australia last October.

New faces on the 2011 roster are world silver medalist Bell, Canadian road champion Will Routley, and Ryan Anderson, all three from British Columbia. Rounding out the roster are the Canadian under-23 time trial champion, Hugo Houle from Québec and Pro Tour veteran Pat (Jonathan) McCarty from Texas.

For the spring, a three-month campaign in Europe debuting in February is currently being planned. The team will complete this campaign with the Presidential Tour of Turkey.

The team returns to North America with the goal to race the Amgen Tour of California, TD Bank International Classic Philadelphia, and Tour de Beauce.

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“Fit for a Rockstar” – Review of Rockmeisha

“Fit for a Rockstar”- Review of Rockmeisha

11 Barrow St
Greenwich Village, NYC
(212) 675-7775

Rockmeisha.  Photo by Sarah Ip

Rockmeisha. Photo by Sarah Ip

All hail the legions of wannabe rockstars.

That’s the theme of the night at Rockmeisha, or what I perceived it to be.  My friend Chloe and I have always harbored secret dreams of starting a rock band (who hasn’t?).  Rockmeisha indulges you with the momentary illusion that, Yes, I’m a rockstar…AND what??!

Rockmeisha is styled exactly like izakayas (snack bars) in Japan, and is ideal for drinks and grub into the wee hours.  Not exactly a dinner place, though, as I realized at 7 p.m. when it was still light out and the vibe was dead.  The black walls contrast the white curtains flowing from the ceiling like a giant floating canopy.  Old-school pictures of Japanese pin-up girls and “Uptown Martini Bar” art deco surrounded us, finished off with cherry wood accents.

Caption: Menu.  Photo by Sarah Ip.

Caption: Menu. Photo by Sarah Ip.

Regarding drinks, there’s lots to choose from: domestic and foreign beers, wine, soju, tea and half a dozen sake options, including the Lychee Sake cocktail.  Most individual drinks hit the $5 to $8 range.

Nanban fried chicken.  Photo by Chloe Ma.

Nanban fried chicken. Photo by Chloe Ma.

I thoroughly enjoyed the cold Sapporo draft ($5), Nanban fried chicken with tartar sauce ($12) – my pick, and Octopus pancake ($9) – Chloe’s pick.  Both dishes were edible, but the Nanban was my favorite.  Something about greasy, fried slabs of rotund chicken dipped in fatty, rich tartar sauce really did the trick.  Tartar sauce should certainly not be relegated to just fish and chips!

However, the service was noticeably slow, especially since we were one of only a handful of customers. We waited at least 20 to 30 min. for our dishes.  Our food suffered from a moderate case of mayonnaise overload, but then again, this is Japanese tapas, or snack food – not intended for a full sit-down meal.

Also, Rockmeisha charges a $13 minimum to sit at a table, so our four other friends (who weren’t interested in drinking) ended up eating down the street at Pinto for Thai cuisine.  I thought it was a little weird that we had to split up, but we still had a great time afterwards.

Octopus pancake.  Photo by Sarah Ip.

Octopus pancake. Photo by Sarah Ip.

Things I would try next time: Hakata Ramen, Buta kimchi donburi (sauteed pork strips, onion and kimchi over rice) and Gobo chips (Japanese burdock root, best deep fried to a golden crisp).

This is a decent place to get a cold beer or knock back sake shots and chow on some finger foods.  It’s where I would go with my bandmates after ripping up a late-night gig, starved for sustenance.  But I wouldn’t recommend it for a nice dinner.  And don’t take your date here.  Unless she’s your Number One fan and piling on greasy food and beers is your M.O.  In which case, go right ahead.  Methinks the ambiance is better after 10 p.m., when the crowd gets more raucous and the dazzling lights in the front window blind you to the slow service and other shortcomings.

Bottom line: Don’t expect five-class service.  Come for the drinks and snack food.  Leave full of giggles and silly stories.  And maybe, just maybe…you’ll get your true rockstar status.

Rockmeisha Izakaya on Urbanspoon

Speak Your Mind


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The Greg Brady Project

Welcome to the official Barry Williams' blog

My friends call me Barry. From time to time I also hear the name Greg. Yeah, as in Greg Brady. The Brady Bunch represents a fun time in my life. But it’s only part of the story. There’s more to say and that’s what The Greg Brady Project is all about – a place to say it. So, I’ve invited some friends to join me and share their perspectives on the Brady’s, the 70′s and just about everything else. Now, I’m inviting you…

Greg’s Story

I grew up in Pacific Palisades, California and after I turned 4 years old became one of those annoying kids who was bound and determined to get into show business. I was neighbors with actor Peter Graves whom I idolized. His daughter and I are the same age and went to kindergarten together. When I finally got up the courage to ask him how he became an actor, he said, “Well, Barry, I just thought about it. “After about a week of thinking about it, I put all my energy into convincing my parents to let me get an acting coach. It took a few years, but they finally gave in and at the age of 11, I thanked them by changing my name from Barry William Blenkhorn to Barry Williams.

Just six months later, I landed my first genuine role in one of those dull English class films called “Why Johnny Can Read.” Before long, I had an agent and parts in TV commercials and shows like “Run for Your Life” and “Mission: Impossible.”

Of course, you’re probably here because of a little TV show I was on called “The Brady Bunch. “Somewhere in those five great years, the series took on a life of its own and never stopped. We recorded four record albums, went on concert tours, hosted a variety show and then got back together for several TV reunions. We even had our own cartoon show.There’s a lot more, and you can read about it in my bestselling autobiography “Growing Up Brady,” which I later Produced into a made for TV movie for NBC.

After the series ended, I started performing concerts of my own and took up musical theatre with roles in “Pippin,” “West Side Story,” “The Sound of Music” and lots more. I continued to make appearances in front of the camera on shows like “Three’s Company,” “Highway to Heaven” and a stint on the daytime soap “General Hospital.” More recently, I was a regular on the teen series “S Club 7 in Hollywood. “Eventually, I even got to wear the “suit” AND sing how I want to sing on my own solo album “The Return of Johnny Bravo” and the rap single “The Real Greg Brady.”

These days, I’m still busy performing on stage, spinning groovy 70s hits on Sirius Satellite Radio, and if that’s not enough…I’m blogging!

Looking for more? There’s a good chance I have touched on it in the archive below…

Ask Barry

Q: [by ScottKeithLA] Barry, Every year at this time I pull out my Christmas with the Brady Bunch CD to get me into the holiday mood. Do you ever listen to this? Any special memories? Merry Christmas.

A: There are two songs I like on the Brady Christmas album.  Frosty the Snowman and Silver Bells.

Q: [by pjs2020] Barry, The Mod Squad containing the episode you were in is about to be released on DVD and I was wondering if you buy the DVD’s of the shows you were in? Do you collect them for your library and rewatch them or do you not really care?

A: Yes, I buy them and I am glad you told me about the Mod Squad.  Doing that episode is one of the reasons I got the role of Greg Brady.  Both shows filmed at Paramount along with Gomer Pyle and That Girl which I also appeared in.

Q: [by] What music artists do you think are overrated?underrated?

A: Appreciation of music and artists is so subjective I can't rate them.  I find that overrated artists just go away on their own as they cannot sustain support.  Long live the Brady Bunch Kids.

Q: [by stewierules] Hi Barry–I was surfing on Ebay lately and had a couple of questions:

A: 1. There are some items that the entire cast signed. You would be wise to check the date as Robert Reed passed away in 1992. Anything signed with his name after that would not be authentic.2. I am not a collector. But I have a lot of photos from the show.

Q: [by owlbay] I saw Growing Up 70s tonight and really had a blast. Are you planning to take this on the road?

A: We are planning tours but I don't know if I will be a part of the road shows other than as Producer.

Q: [by lozangelez] I hope you are doing well these days, I’m always a fan of your and of the whole Brady Bunch gang. Barry I wanted to ask you if you made a special appearance in the Pilot episode of Welcome Back Kotter? I thought I remember seeing you sitting in the back row of the first episode, I have always wondered if this was you.

A: No. I was not a part of the Welcome Back Kotter pilot.

Q: [by bradybucnh1fan] In the pilot episode of the Brady Bunch who is the woman in the picture.I know it was the first mother and wife but what was her real name and why did they pick her to be in the picture. Thank you.

A: Good trivia question. If you find out let me know.

Q: [by neecasguy] Are you a wrestling fan and if so, what show do you watch and who is your favorite and would the Brady’s watch it? Neeca-Heather

A: China Doll is a friend of mine and a former professional wrestler. I have to confess to not having seen a live match.

Q: [by vg56436p] Are you into the old black-and-white films from the 40′s and 50′s?

A: Yes. I love the story telling qualities of the earlier films. They are much more driven by the writers and the actors than the "effects" of today.

Q: [by dmon900] Are you an “American Idol” fan?

A: Absolutely. Are you going to audition?

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Rain, the G4S security fiasco, a cracked flyover, officials selling tickets on the black market… all this and more, yet the Games are set to be a triumph

In February this year, a team from the International Olympic Committee made their tenth and final visit to inspect and assess preparations for the 2012 "Games of the XXX Olympiad" due to begin in 12 days. The Games will embrace 26 sports in 34 venues across the country, involving more than 16,000 athletes watched by 11 million spectators and billions more around the globe. The cost to the public purse has risen over seven years from £2.5bn to more than £9bn. The IOC's verdict is that it is money well spent. "London is ready to host the world," it declared boldly.

Events over the past week or so have injected more than a modicum of doubt into that enthusiastic assertion – while raising questions about a lack of political leadership. A series of crises have occurred that appear all the more alarming both because of their proximity to the Games' opening on 27 July and also, perversely, because the previous seven years of planning and delivery, under the stewardship of Lord Coe, have gone mostly smoothly.

First, a crack in a flyover on the M4 risked putting London's most important Olympic route in jeopardy. Then, the ongoing issue of inadequate immigration staffing at Heathrow resulted in the public relations disaster of arrival lounges packed with visitors queueing for up to two hours and no staff in sight despite a ministerial promise that this would not happen. Most disturbingly, and still ongoing, is the security fiasco caused by the mismanagement of the international company G4S in failing to meet its target of providing up to 17,500 guards for the Olympic Park. As a result, 3,500 military personnel have had to be shipped in, many facing redundancy and forfeiting well-earned holidays, as well as extra police reinforcements. Ian Swales, of the House of Commons public accounts committee, has criticised G4S for charging "colossal fees" for "very poor service". On Tuesday the G4S chief executive, Nick Buckles, explains the company's latest public sector calamity (it lost its contract to deport refused migrants last year after one death and 773 complaints of abuse) to the home affairs select committee.

Boris Johnson, mayor of London, has told us glibly this is a case of "pre-curtain jitters" before the "very safe, very secure" Games begin. He is almost certainly correct, but what was needed was not flippant Boris-lite but a strong ministerial reminder of the uplifting mission and potential long-term rewards of London 2012. Jeremy Hunt, the Olympics minister, has been in purdah since his appearance at the Leveson inquiry and David Cameron, perhaps wishing to distance himself from yet another potential shambles, has conspicuously failed to fill the political void. Well, at a time when the eyes of the world are on London, someone needs to.

The prime minister could still rise to the occasion and give a clear explanation for the "jitters" and, as importantly, provide a spirited narrative about the world-class athleticism and human endeavour to come. He could pause to praise the admirable response of more than 70,000 volunteers ("big society", anyone?) and the fortitude of the local East End community, disrupted for the past seven years. He could remind us that Britain has faultlessly delivered world-class stadiums on what was a toxic industrial wasteland. He could talk of the hope we all have that this redevelopment will help regenerate one of the poorest parts of Britain. Instead, what we have this weekend are reminders to the public of the cost of the Games and the potential vulnerability of the host city.

Critics remain convinced that the London Olympics is worth its weight in gold, but only if you count the bounty that will accrue to the corporate sponsors – among them McDonald's and Coca-Cola, whose brazen appearance in the Olympic Park seems, at best, incongruous.

The commercialisation of the Games is not of London's making – it's a pact that any bidding city signs up for. The IOC insists that the candidate cities must sign a contract, described as an "epic masterpiece in micro-management". It stipulates IOC transportation in exclusive "Zil" traffic lanes in 500 air-conditioned chauffeured limousines and accommodation in 1,800 four- and five-star hotel rooms. It also demands that the Olympics are a tax-free haven so the 18 Olympic partners won't have to pay £600m tax on the £2.5bn they are expected to harvest.

What the contract does not do is confront the IOC's continued association with corruption. Last month, for example, 27 Olympic officials and agents were caught selling tickets for London 2012 on the black market.

Critics also voice concerns that the public money invested in the monumental regeneration of the East End (75p in every £1 spent by the Olympic development authority) will benefit the already affluent, with jobs going to outsiders and housing beyond the price of locals. In addition, although the Games are sited across Britain, many non-Londoners view them as a purely capital city bonanza. In a BBC poll last week, 74% said the rest of the UK would not benefit and 59% thought the taxpayer had footed too large a bill.

Add to that cavalcade of criticism the daily thrum of unrelenting rain and the appalling neglect of school sports (a squandered Olympic legacy) and it might appear that there are very few reasons to be cheerful about London 2012.

The Observer disagrees.

Of course there are caveats, including profound concerns about security; the IOC's "vanity" modus operandi; excessive commercialisation and inequities such as highly restricted ticketing that has locked out many ordinary people. But, uncharacteristically in Britain, let's look at the upsides.

The planning and execution of the London Olympics, delivering impressive transport connections, including the high-speed rail from King's Cross to Stratford. Completing infrastructure on time and £1bn under the adjusted budget. And, most importantly, the longer-term, meticulously planned legacy transforming an area that has suffered decades of shameful neglect. All these add up to an achievement of which Britain has a right to be proud.

And that is even before the Games commence, bringing with them a potential tally of medals accrued by our many young athletes, among them 15-year-old Rebecca Tunney, Tom Daley and Jessica Ennis. Over the past several months they have done so much to rebalance the almost wholly negative media coverage of youth. So, hopefully, we are on the threshold of a much needed 17-day holiday in optimism for Britain, an historic event that has its roots seven years ago in the quality of Britain's original bid and a promise "to inspire a generation".

In Singapore, in 2005, Team GB included 30 children from London's East End; David Beckham, Ken Livingstone, then mayor of London, and a typically crowd-pleasing performance from Tony Blair. London stole victory from the favourite, Paris, by only four votes. Lord Coe, two times gold medal winner, said he had won "the biggest prize in sport". Tessa Jowell, then minister for culture, media and sport, deserves credit as the godmother of London 2012. Against almost total cabinet opposition, and the professional judgment of economists she hired to conduct a feasibility study, Jowell persevered, allied with Ken Livingstone. Both believed that the Olympics could deliver to the highly deprived boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Hackney, Greenwich and Barking and Dagenham, "60 years of regeneration in six".

The 200-hectare site designated as the Olympic Park had the equivalent of 10 football pitches of Japanese knotweed; acres of fly-tipping; landfill and contaminated soil. The Queen visited in 2005 and viewed a mini-mountain of discarded fridges where the Velodrome is now sited. It is telling that while G4S has been handed bags full of public money without apparent scrutiny, targets or penalties, in contrast the Olympic development authority (ODA) has been transparent on goals, challenges and delivery. In the process it has created local jobs, training and apprenticeships.

Contracts have also been spread across the UK. Every public pound has worked hard trying to retain a senior partnership with private investment. While new techniques have been pioneered, from burying pylons to washing 2m tons of toxic soil to recycling and design, this is a remarkable story that has yet to be fully told. At London 2012, for the first time in Olympic history, the legacy plans were initiated three years before the Games began. That is a powerful blueprint for future Games.

Could more have been done for the East End community? Undoubtedly, but there are the next 30 years to make that good. The Observer would like to see an independent watchdog with clout established to ensure that this is the case. "Convergence" is a plan to improve a range of issues in the six boroughs – for instance, in education, employment, poverty and health – and bring standards up to the level of the rest of London. In July next year the Olympic site will reopen as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Six of the eight permanent venues are secure. The stadium goes out to tender again in the autumn; on Tuesday, it is likely that its agreed the press and broadcast centre will become home to iCity, a digital university, enterprise hub, broadcaster and provider of the first digital apprenticeship scheme.

Effort has been made in regeneration to treasure the past, not ensure its obliteration. Over the next three decades, 11,000 new homes (35% "affordable" housing) will be built. Homes, not high-rise apartments. Homes with gardens built into a new living community in the Park. All of these are reasons to cheer.

Twelve days hence we shall judge whether the imaginative appointments of Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry will produce a multimillion pound opening ceremony that sets a benchmark for creativity. London 2012 has already proved that, for a tiny island with a population of 60 million or so, we are far from slow off the blocks. Last week the ODA published its final report. In The Finishing Straight, Sir John Armitt wrote: "At every turn since 2005, the UK has proved that it can compete with the best, win, deliver and do what is promised."

Let the Games begin.


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Is faster and easier adoption necessarily better?

Tony Abbott wants to make adoption easier. This is a well-meant announcement, but such the adoption process is lengthy for a good reason: to put the welfare of children first

Tony Abbott poses with Deborra-Lee Furness, Hugh Jackman and journalist  Lisa Wilkinson.
Tony Abbott poses with Deborra-Lee Furness, Hugh Jackman and journalist Lisa Wilkinson. Photograph: Jane Dempster/EPA/AAP

Last week Tony Abbott, flanked by the actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, adoption advocate Deborra-Lee Furness, announced that the government would be taking steps to make it "much, much easier" for Australian couples to adopt from overseas. He spoke of "the millions of children in orphanages overseas who would love to have parents", adding that "thousands of those, maybe even tens of thousands of those could come to Australia. And we need to make it easier for that to happen".

Abbott promised speedy action, guaranteeing change within 12 months. He announced the formation of a taskforce to report in March on immediate steps "to make intercountry adoption easier and faster for Australian couples". He also reported that his government was "considering capping the length of time agencies have to process adoption applications to make it easier and faster for couples to adopt domestically and from overseas".

But is faster, easier adoption better adoption?

My colleagues and I have recently completed a study titled The Market in Children: Stories of Australian Adoption and for historians, the scene on the steps of Kirribilli House evoked a strong sense of déjà vu. Abbott has a long history as a promoter of adoption, notably as an alternative to abortion. In 2005 he introduced to the Australian public the son he had relinquished to adoption 27 years earlier – living proof of the virtues of the adoption solution (the man later turned out to be the child of another man).

The year 2005 also saw Bronwyn Bishop’s parliamentary inquiry into overseas adoption in Australia. The inquiry produced a detailed set of recommendations intended to speed up the process of adoption by removing bureaucratic roadblocks internationally and within Australia. As a result, responsibilities are more clearly assigned. State welfare departments are responsible for the placement of children and the assessment of intending parents. The federal attorney general has the job of making sure that all adoptions are compliant with international standards, a responsibility which covers the process both in Australia and in the country of adoption. Paradoxically this has resulted in a highly-regulated regime, and new delays for people wanting to adopt.

Given the government’s distaste for market controls, Abbott’s new taskforce may be intended to undo some of this regulation. This would fly in the face of recent revelations of corruption in the intercountry adoption market: of orphanages selling children without consent of their parents, and worse, instances of criminal gangs kidnapping children for overseas adoption. Children adopted into countries like America and Australia have been claimed by parents from whom they were stolen. The process of checks and verification governing overseas adoption is necessarily slow because the chances of malpractice are high.

The adoption process also moves slowly within Australia. The major factor delaying applications remains the assessment which prospective parents are required to undergo. Abbott’s promise to make adoption "much, much easier" can only work by limiting this assessment. Intending parents have never welcomed the scrutiny of social workers; it suggests that one might not make a good parent, and this is more than some people can bear. But the best interests of the child demand a full assessment of those seeking to adopt, and often some training in the particular skills needed to bring up children with special needs. To arbitrarily limit this process cannot benefit the children involved.

Our research has shown that adoption is always a market trading in the commodity of children. This is the case notwithstanding the commitment of people advocating adoption to the welfare of children. Whenever market forces are allowed free reign under the guise of benevolence, the risk is that the interests of the silent partner in this interaction – the child – will be assumed rather than acknowledged, and often ignored.

The history of adoption is a cycle of good intentions, uncritically accepted, producing sometimes fraught outcomes for those who are adopted. At a time when governments across Australia have all delivered apologies to victims of past adoption practices, it seems unwise to be advocating policies which, however well meant, run the risk of producing similar damage to people in the future.


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Evangelicals are betraying their heritage

Conservative Anglicans' message on gay people is starkly at odds with the progressive evangelical spirit of the past

On Monday a new coalition of evangelical and Anglo-Catholic parishes launched within the Church of England, claiming to uphold the "traditional biblical view" on homosexuality.

But such a coalition was unlikely to be contemplated by evangelicals at many times gone by. For the original evangelical spirit with its reforming zeal and progressive outlook was more often at odds with traditionalists, than aligned with them. The idea of an alliance with those of a conservative disposition would have been an anathema.

This should give evangelicals pause for thought. The new partnership is an indication of the extent to which evangelicals have turned their backs on their own heritage. Long gone are the Christian pioneers marked out by their radical and refreshing message of love. In their place stand backward looking, establishment figures intent on maintaining a certain religiosity.

Often quoted by evangelicals, particularly during the recent celebrations marking the anniversary of the end of the transatlantic slave trade, were the activities of the Clapham sect, maverick MP William Wilberforce and the wider movement which over decades brought significant reform and change. Often forgotten is the presence of members of the church who were on the other side of the debate too. And as with the current division over homosexuality, both sides used arguments from the Bible to make their case.

Only one side however claimed to be upholding "traditional biblical morality", and that was the one which wanted to defend the church's involvement in perpetuating injustice. It was the establishment Christians, the conservatives, who defended the traditional religious ideas which brought pain and suffering to thousands. It was evangelicals who brought the new biblical interpretation.

Go back another hundred years, and one finds that the origins of evangelicalism lay in its radical challenge to moralising legalism. John Wesley, with his message of justification by faith, was locked out of churches. His biblical message was believed by the religious to undermine morality, not uphold it.

The evangelical heritage, for all its faults, is a rich one. Much evangelical activism has been driven by love and concern for surrounding society. The huge outpouring of philanthropy in the 18th and 19th centuries laid many of the foundations for the welfare state. Historian Kathleen Heasman suggested that at least half of such activity was evangelical in character.

One might ask, as the new breed of establishment evangelicals launches its latest initiative, where the display of love was this weekend? Was it in the evangelical Bishop of Rochester's comments reported by the Daily Telegraph that gay people should repent?

Or was it perhaps in the groups of Christians who stood alongside the marginalised, and attended the Gay Pride march in London wearing badges and stickers quoting verses from the Bible such as 1 John 4, 18: "Love drives out fear".

Evangelical leader John Stott defined evangelicals are "Bible people" and "Gospel people". The Bible and the Gospel are claimed by both sides in the debate about the place of gay men and women within the church. But neither side should forget that the Gospel, as defined by evangelicals long ago, offered a message of liberty in place of legalism, and never belonged to those who excluded and condemned.


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We have the research brains - but not the funding brawn

If future academics are to experience "Eureka" moments, we must ensure that researchers have all the tools and the right environment to produce more life-changing discoveries

Playing a CD or turning on a computer has become an everyday habit for many, but in doing so, how many of us know we are benefiting from the work of UK academics? How many know that work on black holes lies behind today's medical scanners? Or that research into directional sound has been adapted for sirens to help alert us to the presence of emergency vehicles?

The academic discoveries that illuminate our everyday lives were lauded this week with the launch of a new book, EurekaUK, which celebrates 50 years of research at UK universities, highlighting 100 major discoveries, from unlocking DNA to producing the first test-tube baby.

Universities UK's striking publication highlights the real, everyday impact of such research. It underlines the life-changing discoveries made by UK academics and provides a lasting testament to the brilliant thinkers whose contributions to society have allowed us to live healthier, safer and longer lives; provided super-fast travel and communication; deepened our understanding of the world, and indeed of our own behaviour, past and present.

The publication is launched at a key time. We are approaching a comprehensive spending review, and discussions continue over the future shape of the assessment and funding of university research.

It is worth noting that the UK maintains a remarkable record for producing world-class research. It produces 9% of the world's scientific papers, with a citation share of 12%, second only to the US. It is equally noteworthy that the continued strength of UK research is present across the full range of scientific disciplines, from engineering and physical sciences through to the arts and humanities.

This strong performance by the UK has been achieved with relatively lower investment than its competitors. While public investment has increased significantly under this government - particularly with the 10-year science and innovation strategy - we still lag behind all other big industrialised nations. The UK spends just 1.9% of its GDP on research and development compared with 2.82% in the US and 3.09% in Japan. If we are to ensure that the next 50 years are as productive as the past 50, then we need to address this.

The government is currently looking at how it assesses and funds university research after 2008. Universities UK would welcome a move towards a more streamlined system, but any replacement for the existing research assessment exercise needs to be robust and to secure the confidence of the sector if it is to continue to underpin our success. It is important to have an open debate on this and we look forward to working with the government to get it right.

One of the recurring conclusions that emerges from EurekaUK is that research is by its very nature unpredictable. Research progresses in a series of small, incremental steps, often making advances over long periods of time.

What all the great thinkers over time have done is to challenge perceived wisdom and the status quo - often stubbornly and in isolation - to push the boundaries of discovery.

Archimedes's "Eureka" moment famously took place in the bath. If future academics are to experience similar moments of insight - whether in baths or labs - we must ensure that researchers have all the tools and the right environment to produce more life-changing discoveries.

But in the era of the iPod and the internet, it would be easy to think there are no more discoveries to make. In the 21st century, we must remain one of the leading nations in terms of high-level research. More than ever, research will play a key role in improving the economy and health care, tackling crime and protecting our environment.

The book has been written in a way that makes it accessible to all. EurekaUK celebrates the successes of the past 50 years but we must also ensure that we adequately support developments for the next 50 years. We hope to drive this by sending it to all secondary schools in the country. We hope that it will inspire young people to go to university and spark a lifelong - even life-changing - interest in discovery.

· Drummond Bone is president of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors


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Chateau China, a taste of wines to come with climate change

· Report identifies world's top producers in 50 years
· Severe droughts will make Australia too hot and arid

Fine Indian varieties, offshore floating wines and bees trained to sniff bad corks are among predictions for the future of wine-making as the effects of climate change transform the ancient industry.

Analysts say extreme droughts will leave Australia too hot and arid to remain a high-volume wine-maker, with China expected to become one of the world's biggest producers. Countries such as Russia, Croatia, Poland, Ukraine and Slovenia could become international players, and southern Canada is likely to rival the United States while Mexico and Brazil follow the lead of Chile and Argentina.

The Future of Wine report, drawn up by leading wine merchants Berry Brothers and Rudd to speculate on the state of the industry in 50 years, includes familiar optimism about English sparkling wines - on the condition that British drinkers support local vineyards.

The team also suggests that genetically modified, disease-resistant grapes will be grown hydroponically in floating offshore vineyards. Jasper Morris, Berry Bros' Burgundy-buying director, says people producing wine in large volumes would be looking for fermented grapes with some flavour. "It doesn't matter where it comes from. You are thinking about scales of efficiency and space to do it. Why not tether [vines] to wind turbines and float out there?"

China, already the world's sixth largest wine producer, will, with the right soil, low labour costs and soaring domestic demand, take the world by storm in both the volume wine (under £10) and fine wines sectors, it predicts.

"China has the vineyards, but not the technical expertise," said Alun Griffiths, the company's wine director. "However, if good people from wine-producing countries think there is an opportunity to make wine in China, they will go there and invest."

The report predicts China's present 400 wineries will rise at least 10-fold, with a quarter producing fine quality wine. Some wines could rival the best of Bordeaux. Morris said: "It is entirely conceivable that, in such a vast country, there will be pockets of land with a terroir and micro-climate well suited to the production of good quality wines."

India, because of its geographic position, might be limited to smaller-scale production, but the report says viticultural expertise from Europe and Australasia means the county is likely to challenge more traditional wine-growing countries as ambitious Indians turn to fine wine as a mark of social standing.

As the Australian heat transforms wine-growing into a niche industry in wetter areas such as Tasmania, much of eastern Europe - on the same latitude as some of France's wine-producing regions - will begin to feature more prominently.

With French champagne producers looking with interest at the chalky soils of southern England, the report suggests the amount of farmland given over to wine production may rival that of France by 2058, although Morris said yesterday there might be a snag in the shape of population pressures in the same areas.

For those who still think wine boxes naff, the report sees most wine being shipped round the world in "wine tankers' before being put in plastic or reinforced cardboard containers.

A more exotic type of sniffer might also offer protection against faulty wine, said Morris. Honey bees are already being trained to detect plastic explosives, help earlier medical diagnosis and spot signs of deterioration in fruit and veg. Morris suggested that the sommeliers of 2058 could use a small cassette of highly trained bees to ensure no poor-quality wine reaches customers.


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Study reveals enormous levels of illegal turtle harvesting in Madagascar

Up to 16,000 rare turtles are illegally caught each year in just one region in south-west Madagascar, conservationists have found
  • The Guardian,
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Green turtle hatchling in Madagascar
A green turtle hatchling. Up to 16,000 turtles are being caught every year in just one region in Madagascar. Photograph: Joe McDonald/Corbis

Up to 16,000 of the world's rarest turtles are being caught every year by villages in just one part of Madagascar, a year-long survey has revealed.

The study is the first direct assessment of the level of exploitation of turtles in Madagascar. Until now, measuring information on the small-scale turtle catches in the most remote areas has been tough, because of difficulties accessing these regions.

"Because turtles are an endangered species, it's important for us to know what's going on in the region so we can work with the local community to find a sustainable way forward," said Annette Broderick of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, who led the latest survey. The harvesting of turtles is illegal in the region, but the ban is not enforced for various cultural and practical reasons.

Broderick's team trained villagers to monitor turtle catches in Toliara, part of a remote south-western region of Madagascar. In 12 major villages along 60km of coastline, locals collected biological and fisheries data and photographed each catch. In total, they documented 699 marine turtle landings. The majority of these were green turtles, the commonest species in the water, but the catches also included the more endangered hawksbill turtle.

"When we contextualise our data with those of previous studies elsewhere in the region, we conservatively estimate that the annual turtle catch in the southwestern province of Madagascar is between 10,000 and 16,000," wrote Broderick in a paper published in the journal Animal Conservation.

Even this estimate is likely to be on the low end, Broderick said. "In reality it's likely to be much larger than that. We don't have a good handle on how the in-water populations have changed over the years."

All species of marine turtle have experienced population declines in recent years and are included in the IUCN red list of endangered species. In Madagascar, all marine turtles are protected from domestic exploitation by presidential decree but the laws are not enforced because of lack of capacity for implementation along the enormous length of the coastline, and also the cultural history of turtle harvesting.

Frances Humber of Blue Ventures Conservation said that catching turtles for meat is an important part of Malagasy culture in many coastal populations. "But the villagers also understand the importance of ensuring the future of this resource. This study is a great way of involving communities in the process of finding a sustainable way forward. Obviously we can't be sure every turtle catch is reported, so we view the figures from this study as a conservative estimate which is still nevertheless very valuable for informing policy."

Stopping the decline in turtle numbers would be a matter of working out where the harvested turtles are being used. "The important thing is whether the harvest is for subsistence use or for commercial exploitation," said Broderick. "If it's for villages for subsistence use, it's quite a different management issue. It's very difficult to tell people that they're going to have to stop using a certain source of food, especially in developing nations where it's an important source of food. There's a danger with these kinds of harvests that these turtles are being taken to larger markets and possibly being exported out of the country."

Humber added that Madagascar should not be singled out in harvesting turtles. "We'd expect similar harvests in many countries in the tropical coastal developing world, so this isn't an isolated issue, but clearly it is a cause for concern when dealing with endangered species. It's possible the model for this study could be used elsewhere to get a better idea of numbers. Until we get more details, it's difficult to draw conclusions about what is sustainable and how we can find solutions. Clearly making turtle fishing illegal hasn't worked, so we need to work with communities to promote sustainable practices."

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Switch: watch Eric Cantona in his new action thriller - video

Ooh! Ah! Action star! Having dabbled with French arthouse and played muse to Ken Loach, Eric Cantona's next role sees the former footballer channel Jason Bourne in Frédéric Schoendoerffer's thriller Switch. Cantona plays Damien Forgeat, a detective on the trail of a young woman accused of murder.

Switch is released in the UK on 30th March