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Home Celebrity Spouses Vanessa Laine Bryant Wiki (Kobe Bryant's Wife) Age, Biography & Family
Vanessa Laine Bryant Wiki (Kobe Bryant's Wife) Age, Biography & Family
Vanessa Laine Bryant (born May 5, 1982) is an American Former Model and Instagram Star from Los Angeles, California. She is famous for being the wife of Kobe Bryant (American former basketball player). Furthermore, the 40-year-old player had a successful 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Her real birth name is Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta.
Vanessa and Kobe started their relationship in November 1999. Moreover, the couple first met when she worked as a background dancer. Vanessa also worked in the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up".
Later, Bryant and Laine engaged each other just after six months of dating. The engagement ceremony took place in May 2000. In addition, they married officially on April 18, 2001. The wedding ceremony took place at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California.
But Kobe's parents were against couple's marriage. This was because their son was very young and Vanessa didn't belong to African-American ethnicity. However, Kobe and his parents later united after two years when couple's first daughter was born.
In 2003, Vanessa Bryant and Kobe's first baby girl named "Natalia Diamante Bryant" was born. Later, the Instagram model suffered a miscarriage in the spring of 2005. Their second daughter "Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant" was born in 2006.
Personal Affairs, Boyfriend & Children
After the birth of their second girl, the couple developed problems in their relationship. In fact, on December 16, 2011, Vanessa filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Moreover, the couple also requested joint custody of their daughters.
However, they resolved their problems and came close once again. On January 11, 2013, Bryant and his wife both announced that they had called off their divorce via social media.
In early December 2016, Vanessa gave birth to their third daughter named Bianka Bella Bryant. Recently, on the New Year day, Kobe and Vanessa announced that they are expecting a fourth child. In fact, the couple's is eagerly waiting to welcome their fourth daughter in 2019.
Real Full Birth Name Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta.
Nick name Vanessa Bryant.
Profession Former Model and Instagram Star.
Famous for Being the wife of Kobe Bryant (American Former Basketball Player).
Age (As of 2018) 36 years old.
Date of Birth (DOB), Birthday May 5, 1982.
Birthplace/Hometown Los Angeles, California, United States.
Nationality American.
Gender Female.
Sun Sign (Zodiac Sign) Taurus.
Ethnicity Multiracial.
Religion Christianity.
Current Residence Los Angeles, California, United States.
Meters: 1.65 m.
Bra Size 34D.
Body Measurements (Breast-waist-hips) 35-27-36.
Shoe Size (US) 8.
Tattoo details? Will Update.
Eye Color Brown.
Hair Color Dark Brown.
Parents Father: Stephen Laine.
Mother: Sofia Laine.
Siblings Not found.
Famous Relatives Grandparents:
Dating History? Not available.
Boyfriend None.
Husband/Spouse Name Kobe Bryant.
Son None.
Daughter 1. Natalia Diamante Bryant.
2. Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant.
3. Bianka Bella Bryant.
Highest Qualification High School Graduate.
School Marina High School.
College/ University None.
Favorite Celebrities Actor: Robert Downey, Jr.
Actress: Jennifer Aniston.
Dream Holiday Destination Paris.
Favorite Color Black and Red.
Love to do Travel, Shopping, and Music.
Favorite Food Mexican Food.
Net worth (approx.) $75 Million US dollars (As of 2018).
Annual Income & Earnings Under Review.
Office Address Not Known
Home Details Will Update.
Mobile or Phone Number N.A.
Email Address Not found.
Official Website None.
Some Lesser Facts about Vanessa Laine Bryant
Kobe Bryant's spouse was born on the 5th of May 1982 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Therefore, Vanessa Bryant's age is 36 years old.
Her father name is Stephen Laine and mother name is Sofia Laine.
She is extremely popular on Instagram having 1.3+ million followers. But her account is private.
Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta height is around 5 feet 5 inches tall and her body weight is 60 Kilograms approximately.
The 36-year-old Model has graduated from Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California.
Money Factor: The estimated Net worth of Vanessa Laine Bryant is $75 million US Dollars. All thanks to her spouse amazing basketball career.
Must visit: The Profile of Dee Devlin (Wikipedia) & Personal Trivia
Later, she became famous because of her affair with Kobe.
Therefore, Laine completed her further education independently in order to stay away from media.
In 2003, Vanessa's husband Bryant accused of sexual assault in Colorado.
However, the charges later dropped and a civil suit was settled out of court.
Vanessa Laine Bryant
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Made in America label stages comeback at U.S. stores
"Made in the USA" label may no longer carry such a premium price tag. That's because production and shipping costs in China and other foreign manufacturing centers are rising. Shifting some manufacturing back to the United States doesn't necessarily mean manufacturers have to raise prices to compensate for higher labor costs.
NEW YORK: When Roger Simmermaker went shopping for clothes at a Florida mall in the mid-1990s, he wanted to buy American, but to his frustration, he couldn't find anything made in the USA.
The experience motivated Simmermaker, an electronics technician by trade, to write "How Americans Can Buy American" – a guide to finding products manufactured in the United States, which were a scarce commodity at the time.
Nearly 20 years after writing the book, he has seen a big change, with the pendulum in full swing back toward a wider choice of American-made products. They are often available without the expected higher price tag.
"It's definitely easier," says Simmermaker, 47, who lives in Orlando and works for a defense contractor. "Especially in the last year or so, things have really changed."
Those who believe in buying American-made goods from US-owned companies say it creates jobs and boosts the economy through reinvested profits and taxes.
Profit-driven US companies have their own reasons for locating factories, but manufacturers of goods ranging from refrigerators and dishwashers to laptops and tablets are starting to bring some of their production home, affording more opportunities for consumers with the patriotic conviction that Americans ought to buy American.
Better still, that "Made in the USA" label may no longer carry such a premium price tag. That's because production and shipping costs in China and other foreign manufacturing centers are rising. Shifting some manufacturing back to the United States doesn't necessarily mean manufacturers have to raise prices to compensate for higher labor costs.
To be sure, many industries are still dominated by imports – toys and textiles, for example. Still, Simmermaker and others who believe in buying American are seeing a broad shift.
"Reshoring" advocates were thrilled earlier this year when Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, announced it was throwing its weight behind the movement. In January, the chain – known for its extensive selection of imported goods – said it would spend an additional $50 billion over the next 10 years on American-made products, "helping to onshore US production in high-potential areas like textiles, furniture and higher-end appliances."
Likewise, Apple Inc. said it planned to build some of its iMac line in the United States instead of China. Ford Motor Co., Coleman Co. (part of Jarden Corp. ) and Master Lock Co. (part of Fortune Brands Home & Security Co.) all have said they're returning some manufacturing to the United States. The list goes on.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR CONSUMERS
While few companies will move production for patriotic reasons alone, the public relations boost that goes with a decision to bring jobs back to the United States is gravy.
"They run the numbers and say 'We can deliver just as cheaply from a US operation as we can from, say, China.' It has some nice extra benefits," says Dan Seiver, chief economist for Reilly Financial Advisors, a wealth management firm in San Diego, California. "Whatever credit goes with it is fine"
With little pricing difference, the impact on US consumers might not be that obvious. But Simmermaker and other advocates also contend that products made in the United States are often higher-quality and safer than those made elsewhere.
There is a decided upside for the companies, too. Making products closer to their end-market allows them to be more nimble in terms of customizing and delivering products.
That was the case with Spreadshirt, a Germany-based custom shirt maker that recently opened a plant in Nevada to supplement the output of its existing facility in Pennsylvania.
In 2011, the company was running its Pennsylvania plant around the clock. To keep up with holiday demand, it was forced to send some work to a plant in Poland, said Mark Venezia, vice president of global sales and marketing for North America.
But the company quickly realized that the distance hurt overall costs and speed – to the tune of about $2 more per unit. "We didn't lose money, but, obviously, it hurt our bottom line," Venezia said.
Hunting for a new location led Spreadshirt to Henderson, Nevada, where facilities that met specifications were available at favorable terms, along with a pool of prospective workers.
"We just got this incredible deal that provided us so many benefits," Venezia said.
Made in USA Certified Inc.
Tags: Apple business China How Americans Can Buy American Roger Simmermaker Spreadshirt Wal-Mart Stores
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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c1850s - 1880s ECLECTIC HANDWRITTEN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INFORMATION, GENEALOGICAL RECORDS, RECIPES, REMEDIES AND CURES, POEMS, PSALMS, SERMONS AND SONGS IN THIS MID 19TH C. TREASURE OF AMERICANA
By: E.C. GRAY
On offer is the remarkable handwritten journal of Mr. E. C[hester ?]. Gray as shown on the free front endpaper's title: "E.C.Gray's Topic Book". Extraordinary Americana relic of the 1850s through the 1880s being one part what appears to be an abridged version of the renowned 'Treatise on Anatomy, Physiology, and Hygiene' by Dr. Calvin Cutter which Mr. Gray kept as a medical reference comprising of approximately 26 pp of the text with 31 chapters. Mr. Gray, of the Northampton Massachusetts had an exceptionally fine almost calligraphic in its steadiness handwriting in this very densely written journal packed with his precise neat cursive. (Research suggests that Mr. Gray may have been a doctor and a reverend or deacon of his Church.) This section is followed by some 60 pp. of ink and pencil poems, songs, sermons including "The Arab's farewell to his Horse", "To the Wind", "Sonnet Written in a Churchyard", "A Thought on the Future", "The Californian's Song" by Brown; and many more. There is yet another section of recipes for baked goods, dye colors, remedies, cures and much more. A page or two relates to Church and fundraisings for Foreign Missions ["1854 Jan & Feb Foreign Missions contributions; Mrs Morton, Miss Almira, Miss Butterfield, Miss Cook, Miss Field, Miss West, Miss Pasco…"] Lastly is a genealogical section detailing the lives of the West and Gray families. Here are some snippets: Thomas West b. Ap. 22 1778; married Miss Auldah Parsons; Parsons West born Oct. 16, 1801 died Nov 27 1882; Parson West married Elisabeth Parker Willard died Ap 2nd 1883; Hannah Gray b. june 13, 1792 d. Sep. 10, 1865; Chester Gray b. Apr 28, 1795 d. Nov. 9 1882…" Another hand or two appears to have put in some late genealogical info. The journal has a cloth spine over marbled boards with some losses to the spine ends and some age toning to the paper, but overall G+.; Manuscript; 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall; GRAY, WEST, GENEALOGY, CIVIL WAR, CIVIL WAR ERA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, DIARY, JOURNAL, LOG, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, DIARIES, JOURNALS, LOGS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, AMERICANA, MASSACHUSETTS,
Title: c1850s - 1880s ECLECTIC HANDWRITTEN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INFORMATION, GENEALOGICAL RECORDS, RECIPES, REMEDIES AND CURES, POEMS, PSALMS, SERMONS AND SONGS IN THIS MID 19TH C. TREASURE OF AMERICANA
Author Name: E.C. GRAY
Categories: 19th Century Manuscript, Books and Manuscripts General Overview, All, 19th Century Ephemera,
Publisher: NORTHAMPTON CHICOPEE SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS MA, 1854
Keywords: GRAY WEST GENEALOGY Civil War Civil War Era HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT LETTER


Room Dorm-room is well equipped and clean.White bed, white sheet and white wall: everything looks really neat. Comfortable mattress, reading light on the bed, safe under the bed, and big windows.
Travel Information One of the best things about Dream Hostel is that staffs really friendly and informative. Tour information, restaurant suggestion and they help to book the other accommodations around the country.
Other service There are six shared toilets and 4 showers for male/female each.
Tea and coffee is free all day. Kitchen is there for you to use.
There're enough common area to hangout/ work.
The place is family/ kid friendly. There is a little corner for the kids in the hostel.
The name Tampere was familiar for me because of my friend. I didn't know anything about the city but I knew that it's one of the city in Finland, besides Helsinki. Few weeks ago when I was working hard for Runaway Europe, I got to know Ville of Dream Hostel through Kash of Budget traveller. Kash recently was in Finland and had a pleasant visit in Tampere. I thought I had to explore more of Finland other than Helsinki.
So I did. First of all, the hostel was beautiful. Easily, it was one of the best hostels I've ever visited so far. A few of them only can top Dream Hostel. They have all the things we need as a backpacker/ traveler. A reading light on the bed, little shelf on the dorm bed, safe in the room, door lock, comfortable bed and plenty of toilets so we don't have to hold it every time.
Ville, the owner, is a traveler himself. He grew up in the area and lived here whole his life. Now he's married and has two kids, still loving the city. Ville said 'Tampere is the best city in the country'. And I can't argue with that. He said, he got ideas from other hostels he visited on the road. 'How can I make it better?' was the motif of Dream Hostel. And clearly, it worked.
The location is also convenient. Well, Tampere is not a big city; but the hostel is easily accessible from the train station and not to far from the bus station. Great restaurants and local hangout places are around the hostel as well. The staff will point out if you need the information.
All the staffs are very friendly and resourceful. We also got great inside tips from the staff for where to eat and what to see. They are always busy with customers and cleaning the place, which is a good thing.
For two and a half days in Tampere, I was pleasantly surprised with all the great aspects of the city. Staying with Dream Hostel made the trip a lot easier as well. If you are going to Finland, don't dismiss Tampere. And if you are going to Tampere, make sure to check out Dream Hostel, the only hostel in Tampere!
#Photos are from Dream Hostel's website. Ville provided our stay at Dream hostel due to the partnership with Runaway Juno. However, all the opinions are written with my own words.


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State Sen. Tom McGarrigle's district, which sprawls across Philadelphia's western suburbs, has been hit hard by the opioid crisis. Delaware County has the dubious honor of leading the state in police use of Narcan, an anti-overdose drug. Two drug counselors at nearby Chester County recovery house recently overdosed on site.
Stories like these motivated McGarrigle to sponsor SB-446, bipartisan legislation that would establish baseline regulations for recovery housing in the state, according to McGarrigle's chief of staff, Mike Rader.
The bill was voted out of Senate's Urban Affairs & Housing committee today.
While the need for transitional housing has boomed along with addiction rates, the number of quality units has not. Many are "under the radar" operations, Rader says. A recent Inquirer investigation found that some operators still profit from squeezing government benefits out of addicted men and women, along with other kickbacks.
SB-446 would establish a licensing and oversight arm within the state's Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, which would be funded through a "Drug and Alcohol Recovery House Fund." That fund, in turn, would draw revenues from licensing fees.
Rader said the new guidelines would seek to establish minimum standards for safety, cleanliness and security at recovery houses, with provisions for enforcement coming later. The regulations would apply to both government-subsidized and private operators.
However, the shortage of legitimate recovery housing, which has fueled grey-market operators, has yet to be taken up by Harrisburg.
"This is just one piece to the puzzle in the opioid crisis," Rader said, of SB-446.


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Climbing: Procedural animation allows you to move BUD's hands independently, creating a unique and unrestricted climbing experience.
Exploration: Explore every nook and cranny of the alien world as you hunt and collect crystals that can enhance BUD's abilities. It's a physical playground and many of the alien plants have unusual properties that can help you on your quest.


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text:
Thread: UK troops killed by Afghan policeman 'needed more guns'
ianstone
Over the pond
UK troops killed by Afghan policeman 'needed more guns'
4 October 2010 Last updated at 05:14
By David Lewis BBC File on 4
Jimmy Major's father claims his son was not issued with a side arm
Five UK soldiers killed by a "rogue" Afghan police officer did not have enough pistols to defend themselves, one soldier's father has said.
Adrian Major, of Cleethorpes, North East Lincs, whose 18-year-old son Jimmy was shot last year in Helmand, said he had been told it was too expensive to issue every soldier with a pistol.
"If I had known that, I would have bought him a side arm myself," he said.
The MoD said cost was not an issue and not all troops carried a pistol.
But the BBC has learned this policy has now been reviewed.
Five servicemen died in the attack by Gul Buddin at a police outpost in Helmand, southern Afghanistan last November.
Radio 4's File on 4 programme has also learned that the gunman should not have even been at the police post.
He had been employed unofficially by the local police commander, who is now under arrest.
Continue reading the main story "Start Quote
The Afghan policeman was in the corner and he just walked over and just opened up on them all as they were all just sat down chilling out�
End Quote Adrian Major Father of Guardsman Jimmy Major
Taliban claim
The Taliban subsequently claimed they had carried out the attack.
The soldiers, who had been mentoring the Afghan police, had become concerned about their inability to verify the identity of some of the people they were working alongside.
The troops from the Grenadier Guards and the Royal Military Police had just returned from a morning patrol.
Once inside their defended compound, they put down their main weapons and removed their body armour, as Army rules allow.
A policeman known as Gul Buddin, who was on guard duty, stepped aside from his position and opened fire at close range on British soldiers sitting in a group.
Mr Major, from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, and other bereaved families have been briefed by British military personnel.
"Jimmy was on guard on the roof. He had just been relieved for five minutes and they were sat at the end of the building on a step and the Afghan policeman was in the corner and he just walked over and just opened up on them all as they were all just sat down chilling out," he said.
'Cold blooded killer'
"[The soldiers] are there to help the people. It's like any soldier - if you are going to die, you want to die in combat. To be murdered in cold blood, it beggars belief," he added.
"I think if they'd had side arms and body armour on, I don't think he would have done it.
"He had the ideal opportunity - they were sat and relaxed and he took great advantage of it."
The MoD said: "This is absolutely not an issue of cost - not all British troops routinely carry side arms.
"There are enough side arms in theatre, should individuals require them, and they will be carried if individuals are trained to do so and their roles require it."
However, the BBC understands the MoD has investigated the possibility of issuing all its soldiers with side arms, with priority being given to troops involved in mentoring operations. It's understood extra pistols have been bought and sent to Afghanistan.
Mr Major has also discovered that the troops at the police post were concerned that they could not verify the identities of some of the police they were working alongside.
He said: "We were told that the police were coming and going and they didn't know who would turn up on particular days. There was no record of who was turning up - and no identity of anybody on the Afghan side.
"There were supposed to be 10 policemen but some days three would turn up, some days five would turn up and some days 12 would turn up."
The troops' commander had sought verification of identities but the information did not come through in time.
Checking identities and vetting people's backgrounds is extremely difficult in a country like Afghanistan where addresses are imprecise, where people don't have an accurate record of their date of birth and where family names can be vague.
Gen Sir Graeme Lamb, who recently stepped down as a special adviser to the coalition military command, said confirming who people are was challenging, but he said biometrics was providing a solution along with developing local intelligence.
"But the challenge is not insignificant. This is 'hard pounding', to borrow a line from Wellington," he said.
But a former senior UN official is concerned that Taliban sleepers may be slipping through the net.
Continue reading the main story LISTEN TO FILE ON 4
File on 4 is broadcast on Radio 4 at 2000 BST on Tuesday, 5 October and at 1700 BST on Sunday, 10 October
Subscribe to the File on 4 podcast
Antonio Maria Costa, who was executive director of the UN's Office of Drugs and Crime in Afghanistan until August, told File on 4: "We have plenty of evidence we had a number of suicide attacks carried out by people who had been trusted because they were affiliated to either the army or the police.
"Certainly there are sleeping cells, certainly there are individuals who are waiting for instruction to hit and that is one of the biggest problems which we have seen in Afghanistan as of late.
"There is fear that a very large number of insurgents could have been infiltrated... not only the army and the police also in other parts of the government establishment in that country."
But Lt Gen Nick Parker, deputy commander of the coalition forces in Afghanistan, said the issue of Taliban infiltration had to be put into perspective.
"There have been some very unfortunate incidents but in a force this size it is probably inevitable that that sort of thing will occur on rare occasions," he said.
He added: "My view, this [Taliban infiltration] is something we must watch very carefully. It is not widespread and what we've got have to do is continue to partner effectively with security forces out on the front line."
File on 4 is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 5 October at 2000 BST and repeated on Sunday 10 October, at 1700 BST. You can listen via BBC iPlayer or download the Podcast.
Stay low and move slow !
dmaxx3500 (11-03-2010)
dmaxx3500
Do the Brits give their troops anything?,it seems i read were they didn't have enough ammo and pilots didn't have enough fuel to train,,,the pay that goes to pay Parliament should go to the troops


text:
Vicky Krieps
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Paul (Daniel Auteuil) is a successful surgeon married to Lucie (Kristin Scott Thomas), and the two lead a comfortable middle-class life. Their marriage is disturbed when Paul attracts the attentions of...
Film of: 2013, France, Luxembourg, UK release: 9 May 2014 Source: Movies.Kiao.net
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Great minds when put together can achieve even greater things and this is what transpired at the recent Second Botswana Biodiversity Symposium in Maun on the 13th – 15th February. The symposium was hosted by the Department of National Museum and Monuments under the theme, Biodiversity Management – A strategy for Sustainable Development and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Botswana is rich in biodiversity and the symposium brought together about 80 participants ranging from conservationists and researchers to discuss strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change conditions while providing sustainable livelihood options for rural communities. CCB had the opportunity to present our research findings from our camera trap surveys in the Ghanzi wildlife management areas. On the whole, it was a perfect occasion to learn and share current research in Botswana, discuss community development experiences, network with various practitioners and get to know what other people are doing in their respective fields. We are thrilled to have been part of the symposium and hope that this will open more collaborative opportunities and assist us in making real differences in the lives of cheetahs and local farming communities in Botswana.


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Category: pay gap
pay gap
Visualizing the Current State of the Global Gender Gap
June 28, 2022 by Carmen Ang
The Current State of the Global Gender Gap
As a global society, we still have a long way to go before we reach gender equality around the world.
According to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) latest Global Gender Gap Report, it could take up to 135.6 years to close the global gender gap, based on the current rate of change.
This graphic by Sebastian Gräff gives a breakdown of gender equality worldwide, showing how long it will take before each region reaches gender parity.
How Gender Gap is Measured
In its 15th edition, the Global Gender Gap Report analyzes gender-based discrepancies across 156 different countries. To gauge each region's gender gap, the report digs into four key areas:
Economic Participation and Opportunity
Health and Survival
Political Empowerment
Each subindex is given its own score, then an average across the four pillars is calculated to give each country a final score between zero (exceptionally unequal) and one (completely equal).
Out of all the regions, Western Europe has the smallest gender gap, with a score of 0.78. At this rate, the gender gap in Western Europe could be closed in approximately 52.1 years, more than 83 years faster than the global estimate.
Overall Gender Gap Index (2021)
1 Western Europe 0.77
2 North America 0.76
3 Latin America and the Caribbean 0.71
4 Eastern Europe and Central Asia 0.71
5 East Asia and the Pacific 0.69
6 Sub-Saharan Africa 0.67
7 South Asia (Read more...)


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Despite violating terms of release, offender will return to Viking Way LRA
UPDATE | Community notification meeting has been moved to Monday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019 3:36pm
A civilly-committed sexually violent predator, Elmer Todd Gillis, will be returning to the Viking Way Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA) residence in Poulsbo, despite violating the conditions of his release earlier this year and being sent back to the Department of Social and Health Services' Special Commitment Center at McNeil Island.
Since beginning operation in late 2018, a number of violations have been reported by overseers at the residence which houses multiple Level 3 sexually violent predators, all of whom have been civilly committed under Washington's Involuntary Treatment Act. Staff at the residence — operated by the DSHS contractor Westsound Support Services — reported multiple violations by Gillis dating back to Feb. 1 and included Gillis accessing the internet without permission and behaving belligerently towards staff members.
Gillis' crimes date back to 1984 when he was convicted of indecent liberties at the age of 18. In 1990 Gillis was convicted of second-degree rape, in 1993 he was found guilty of fourth-degree assault and second-degree assault with sexual motivation. Additional crimes include trespassing, DUI and domestic violence with simple assault. While incarcerated, Gillis also received multiple behavioral infractions for frottage of female hospital employees.
A community notification meeting concerning Gillis' return to the residence will be held Monday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Poulsbo City Council Chambers at City Hall.
While Gillis may be returning to the residence, a fight continues to shut down the residence which has been determined by the Kitsap County Department of Community Development and the Kitsap County Hearing Examiner to be operating in violation of county code. According to a July 26 determination, the location of the LRA in the 17000 block of Viking Way, is incongruent with the approved uses per local zoning regulations for rural residential areas.
Prospective CKFR commissioners discuss future of district
Candidates for school board discuss the important issues facing districts


Virgin Trains has come up with a novel way to help promote safety on the railways with the launch of a new book entitled Ryan's Railway Adventure.
The guide to railway safety which is aimed at young children and their parents tells the story of Ryan's first ever journey on the train with his family.
At the very start of his adventure Ryan meets Sammy the Railway Safety Bear who helps him along the way to ensure he arrives safely with his mum and dad at the seaside.
The book was written by Gareth Shelley, Customer Service Assistant with Virgin Trains at Stafford station and illustrated by fellow Virgin Trains' colleague Barry Redfern based at Preston.
"Safety on the railways is paramount," explained Gareth. "Working at the station as I do, it is great to see lots of excited young children travelling by train. It is important however that we make them aware of the potential dangers from as early an age as possible. This is especially the case during school holidays.
In addition to Barry's illustrations Sammy, the Railway Safety Bear, has been brought to life in the guise of a 6ft mascot who to mark the launch of the book, will be touring a number of Virgin Trains' stations this week including London Euston, Coventry, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle and Glasgow Central. During the course of his trip he will be meeting school children and reading from the book. (See attached schedule below).
As well as handing out books at our stations, Virgin Trains is actively encouraging local schools to get in touch to arrange station visits where the children will get to meet Sammy and of course have the book read to them. Our Community Champions will also be happy to to discuss visits to the classroom.
For more advice on railway safety or a large print/digital version of this book please email gareth.shelley@virgintrains.co.uk or call 0845 000 3333.
Tragically, 164 people lost their lives after going onto railway tracks in the last five years. Of these, 70% were struck by trains with 18% suffering electrocution by coming into contact with the power supply which can be as much as 25,000 volts. The peak ages for trespass fatalities are late teens and earlier twenties, with around one in five deaths in this age group. These incidents are avoidable and Virgin Trains is committed to getting a positive message to young people that might help to save their lives.
To mark the launch of the book Sammy, along with Gareth (the author) and Barry (the illustrator) will be calling travelling on our trains to the following stations.
To arrange for media visits please call Richard Stanton – 07500 122941.
Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group (VRG), which is owned by Virgin Group (51%) and Stagecoach (49%). Virgin Trains has operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997, serving key UK cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. In June 2014 the Department for Transport (DfT) awarded VRG a new franchise until at least April 2017.
Virgin Trains is committed to delivering a high speed, high frequency service, offering shorter journey times, more comfortable travel and excellent customer service. We provide the most frequent long-distance rail service in Europe (London – Manchester and London – Birmingham, both every 20 minutes).
Since 1997, Virgin Trains has introduced over 70 new trains at a cost of £1.5 billion. The service carries more than 32 million passengers a year and Virgin Trains employs approximately 3,290 staff.
Virgin Trains customers consistently rate the company as one of the top long-distance rail franchise operators in the National Passenger Survey (NPS) commissioned by industry watchdog "Passenger Focus".
Visit the Virgin Trains Media Room – www.virgintrains.co.uk/mediaroom – for the latest news, images and videos. Subscribe here for regular news from Virgin Trains.
Press Office: 0845 000 3333. Company website: http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/.


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Book Review: THREE DOG NIGHTMARE: The Chuck Negron Story (4th edition; independently published 2017)
From 1969 to 1974, Three Dog Night was one of the biggest rock bands in the world, known for smash hits like "One", "Eli's Coming", "Mama Told Me Not to Come", "Shambala", "Black & White", and of course "Joy to the World". Their squeaky-clean, family friendly image made them popular with both teens and adults, but behind that image lurked a deep, dark secret – co-lead singer Chuck Negron, the long-haired, mustachioed one, was an unrepentant heroin addict.
THREE DOG NIGHTMARE, first published in 1999 and revised in 2017, tells the harrowing tale of the horrors of drug addiction by the man who lived that nightmare for over twenty years. And 'nightmare' it truly was, as Chuck tells his tale of going from the pinnacle of the rock'n'roll universe to a Skid Row junkie, lying, cheating, and stealing his way through life leaving nothing but sorrow and devastation in his wake, callously hurting everyone who loved him (including his children) to get his next fix, and getting thrown out of the band he helped put on the charts by co-founders Danny Hutton and Cory Wells.
The original Three Dog Night
It's an ugly story, and Chuck Negron himself would be the first to admit it isn't a very likable portrait, but fortunately for him (and us) he lived to tell it, finally getting clean and sober in 1992 after over thirty attempts at detox. His story then turns into a redemption song as he tries to put back the broken pieces of his life together, remaining frozen out of Three Dog Night by Hutton and Wells, and he speaks frankly about the new addiction that gripped him in his first few years of recovery: anger, "a dubious luxury" for an addict, as AA founder Bill Wilson once coined it.
Chuck Negron today: Still Alive & Rockin'
Chuck Negron finally made his peace with the world and with himself, and is now 27 years clean and sober. I've seen Chuck perform solo three times, including earlier this year on the 'Happy Together' tour (which I wrote about here at this link ). And as someone who is celebrating 16 years of personal recovery himself today, September 7, I salute you, Chuck Negron, and I thank you for sharing your experience, strength, and hope with the world! If THREE DOG NIGHTMARE can help save just one life, the effort you put into it was well worth it.
You can purchase a copy of THREE DOG NIGHTMARE at Chuck Negron's website ( http://www.chucknegron.com/ ) or through Amazon. Whether you're a rock fan or a person in recovery, you won't be disappointed. Now let's listen to Chuck Negron and the original Three Dog Night sing their biggest hit, 'Joy to the World" from a 1975 SOUNDSTAGE TV performance! Peace out, peeps!:
Book Review: BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME by Burt Reynolds and Jon Winokur (Putnam 2015)
While doing my usual browsing around Barnes & Noble recently, I came across a real bargain – Burt Reynolds' 2015 memoir BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME, for the low, low price of just $6.98! Naturally, being a long time Reynolds fan, I eagerly snapped it up and bought it (and no, Mr. Salesperson, for the umpteenth time, I do not want to join your book club!). Cowritten with Jon Winokur, who also coauthored a 2011 memoir with James Garner, the book is unlike your typical star 'autobiography', as Burt looks back on his life and, most importantly, the people who influenced him most, for better or worse.
Florida State running back "Buddy" Reynolds, 1954
Burt (who died last September at age 82) was Hollywood's #1 box office draw from 1978-82, and ranked in the top ten for 12 years, but the man certainly paid his dues to get there. A horrific accident rang down the curtain on a promising football career, but another curtain rose when he discovered a love for acting thanks in large part to his mentor, college professor Watson B. Duncan. In the book, Reynolds acknowledges not only Duncan, but others who helped him along the way, from the famous (names like Spencer Tracy , Bette Davis, and Johnny Carson), to the people in his home of Palm Beach County, Florida, where he made many lifelong friendships.
In the Spaghetti Western "Navaho Joe", 1966
Through it all, you'll hear Burt's distinctive, warm-as-honey voice sounding in your head, and his trademark self-deprecating good humor as he relates his story:
On his football career as Florida State: "(M)y run against Auburn gets longer at every reunion. It was 54 yards, but the last time I told the story it was 98 yards and I got tackled in the parking lot next to the hot dog stand."
On making his one and only Spaghetti Western: "Sergio Corbucci was all about body count. He thought that making a great Western involved killing a lot of people. He figured if I killed more people than Clint Eastwood, NAVAJO JOE would make more money than A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS."
On DELIVERANCE author James Dickey: "…he was a man who, after he'd had a few martinis, made you want to drop a grenade down his throat."
On SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT: "Lots of movies ridiculed Southerners, and I resented them. I wanted to play a Southern hero, a guy who was proud of being from the South. SMOKEY gave me the chance to do that. And to make a movie for people in 'flyover country'… They believe in God, they work hard, and they love their country. They're the people I grew up with, and I like them."
On Sally Field: "I wish I could turn back the clock. I'm sorry I never told her I loved her, and I'm sorry we couldn't make it work. It's the biggest regret of my life."
On Donald Trump: "Donald was born on third and thought he'd hit a triple… Now don't get me wrong, I like Donald. I hold onto my wallet when we shake hands, but I like him."
Burt in 2018
BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME has tons more stories and insights as Burt looks back on his life, his family, his loves, and his work. It's a fast read at just 293 pages (along with a forward by Burt's close friend Jon Voigt) that'll leave you wanting more. And it was a steal at seven bucks! I couldn't ask for a better bargain! But enough about me, go buy the book. Somewhere up there, Burt Reynolds is telling stories, and laughing as only Burt could:
Book Review: ROCK-COVERY – Not Your Mother's Meditation Guide by Kim Jorgensen-Richard
And now for something a little bit different…
Blogging about classic films and pop culture isn't my only passion. Full Disclosure: I've personally been in recovery from alcohol and all other substances (and trust me, there were a LOT of other substances) for the past 15+ years. For the last ten of those years, I've worked in the substance abuse treatment field, helping others find their own pathway to recovery. Along the way, I've met a lot of good people in the field who share my passion for helping those who struggle with addiction issues. One of those is Kim Jorgensen-Richard, with whom I once shared an office, and when I started a new job this past January, Kim was working in the same building (in a different program).
Author Kim Jorgensen-Richard
I discovered I wasn't the only writer in the house: Kim recently achieved a lifelong dream and wrote a book! ROCK-COVERY: Not Your Mother's Meditation Guide, is a daily reflections styled ode to coping with life on life's terms. Kim told me the seed of the book began in 2004, while "going through a pretty difficult time in my recovery… I was in my office working with music in the background, as was the norm. At the same time, a co-worker was preparing to facilitate a group for the clients… He decided to do a music group because climate at the center was pretty negative, and music group was very effective in shifting the energy in a more positive direction… I thought to myself, wouldn't it be cool to create a way to re-create the effects of a music group when you can't take advantage of such a group?".
ROCK-COVERY turned out to be "a pretty different concept than what was finally published", after fourteen years of trial and error. The book takes on a different subject each day (Anxiety, Co-Dependency, Depression, Obsession, Procrastination, Relapse, Sexual Abuse, and Toxic Relationships, among others) and pairs them with an appropriate rock song by artists like Alice in Chains, Five Finger Death Punch, Guns'N'Roses, Journey, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Tom Petty , and The Who , giving her insightful thoughts on the matter at hand, followed by "Today's Chorus". Here's an example for you, reprinted with Kim's kind permission:
Anger and Rage
Inspired by: Bullet With Butterfly Wings- Smashing Pumpkins
My adolescence was a package deal that included explosive anger that I couldn't contain and substances that helped to extinguish the volcanic verbal venom that spewed from my mouth daily. Giving up substances improved my life greatly, but it also left me a huge cargo of anger that I had no idea how to unload without creating damage.
We may be surprised to discover how angry we are when we get clean and sober. We may fly off the handle in a heartbeat, hurt the people we love, swim in shame, and finally apologize with a firm resolution never to respond that way again. Deep inside, we know this is an empty promise created to assist us with damage control. We feel powerless to snuff out the spark once our fuse is lit.
Unresolved anger leads to episodes of rage. Although rage is damaging, it also makes us feel all-powerful and in control of those people, places, and things we deem unacceptable to us. This feeling of power and control is a short-lived lie that changes nothing but our degree of remorse and self-loathing. Relief lies in reaching out for help. We can seek out a therapist, a program, or an understanding friend who can provide us with the safe space needed to express anger in a healthy way before it ripens into rage.
Today's Chorus: Control cannot be harnessed through outside demands, but developed from inside the self"
Kim learned her insights the hard way. After ten years of sobriety, "with all the outside things in place (education, job, husband, kids, house, car) I picked up a drink, and it took three years of struggling to get back on the road to recovery". She recently celebrated her nineteenth year of continuous sobriety, and is living her dream as a published author, hoping that ROCK-COVERY will benefit those "unable to forgive themselves for suffering the effects of addiction or trauma… I guess it was targeted to benefit people who are hard on themselves for being human". ROCK-COVERY is self-published through Kindle and available on Amazon (just follow this link!), or directly through her on Twitter (@RockCovery) and the ROCK-COVERY Facebook page. Be sure and tell her Cracked Rear Viewer sent you! And Rock On!
(excerpt ©Kim Jorgensen-Richard, 2018)
Book Review: HANDSOME JOHNNY, The Life and Death of Johnny Rosselli, Gentleman Gangster, Hollywood Producer, CIA Assassin by Lee Server (St. Martin's Press 2108)
Ever since THE GODFATHER, I've been fascinated by the history of the Mafia in America. I've devoured just about every book on the subject, and consider myself a bit of an expert on this clandestine crime cartel. I believe it was while reading Ovid Demaris's 1980 THE LAST MAFIOSO, a biography of gangster-turned-rat Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno, that I first became aware of the man known as Johnny Rosselli. His story captivated my interest, so when I saw a new biography of Rosselli was on the shelves at the local Barnes & Noble, I thought it'd make a great Christmas present… for myself! Naturally, I bought a copy, eager to learn more about this man who played a pivotal role in both the Mafia's rise and the shadowy underbelly of American life in the 20th Century.
Author Lee Server is someone I'm unfamiliar with, which is strange, because his previously released titles sound right up my alley. There's THE BIG BOOK OF NOIR, a compendium of articles about film noir, pulp fiction, and the like, and biographies of Sam Fuller, Robert Mitchum, and Ava Gardner. Obviously, Server knows the Hollywood turf, and HANDSOME JOHNNY is a meticulously researched account of Rosselli's life. At times, his prose reminded me of James Ellroy, a perfect fit for this material.
The dapper Johnny Rosselli
Server takes us on a trip down the dark alleys and glittering neon lights of 20th Century America, and Johnny Rosselli was there for it all. The slum kid immigrant who hit the road as a teen; Prohibition in the days of Al Capone; Hollywood's classic era, where he made friends with Harry Cohn, slept with Jean Harlow, married 'B' starlet June Lang, milked the studios with shady labor practices, and even produced a couple of films (CANON CITY, HE WALKED BY NIGHT); the glory days of Las Vegas; political shenaningans with Joe Kennedy; and the ill-fated attempt by the CIA to assassinate Fidel Castro, which may have cost President John Kennedy his life. The famous and the infamous rub shoulders behind this opaque curtain, lifted by Server in a gripping read I just couldn't put down. You won't believe some of the names who pop up in HANDSOME JOHNNY, but I'm not talkin' – you'll have to pick up a copy for yourself!
Rosselli in later years
My only quibble with Server comes when speaking about Rosselli's involvement with Eagle-Lion Films, successor to Poverty Row studio PRC. He calls Edgar G. Ulmer's DETOUR a "rock-bottom crime drama" and states a "doped-up Bela Lugosi" was on the roster. DETOUR has rightly been hailed as a classic in the film noir canon, while Lugosi only made one pic for PRC, THE DEVIL BAT (a personal favorite of mine!). But I'm just nitpicking here based on my own personal bias. Gangster buffs, movie gossip fans, political junkies, and history nerds like myself will devour HANDSOME JOHNNY like a platter of calamari washed down with strong bathtub gin, a right-between-the-eyes look at Rosselli the man and a side of America you don't learn about in school. I highly recommend you buy it on your next trip to the bookstore!
Halloween Havoc! Book Extra: DARK DETECTIVES (Edited by Stephen Jones; Titan Books paperback 2015)
Back in September, I was browsing at the local Barnes & Noble (as I frequently do, given the lack of independent bookstores around here) looking for something to review this Halloween season. I'd just finished with Stephen King's REVIVAL (Pocket Books paperback, 2017), and while it's good, everybody does King this time of year, and I wanted something different. I wandered through the fantasy section, and waaaay up on the top shelf I spotted a title that caught my interest. DARK DETECTIVES: An Anthology of Supernatural Mysteries, combining two of my favorite genres, horror and detective fiction! Curiosity piqued, I grabbed the book and bought it (along with the great James Lee Burke's latest novel, ROBICHEAUX).
DARK DETECTIVES, first published as a limited edition in 1999, features ten short stories, some old, some written especially for the anthology, by authors I'm familiar with (and I assume you are too, if you're into horror fiction): names like Clive Barker, R. Chetwynd-Hayes, Neil Gaiman, Brian Lumley, and Manly Wade Wellman. Interspersed between these stories of supernatural sleuthing is Kim Newman's serial "Seven Stars", based loosely on Bram Stoker's novel JEWEL OF THE SEVEN STARS, using it as a starting point to tell a Lovecraftian tale that spans the centuries. Each chapter features one of Newman's creations battling against the other-worldly power of the jewel: Charles Beauregard and Edwin Winthrop of The Diogenes Club, the 70's-styled sleuth Richard Jeperson, futuristic Jerome Rhodes (aka Dr. Shade), and the vampiress Genevieve Dieudonne. There are some amazing twists and turns in this 187-page novella, and it will definitely hold the interest of any horror aficionado.
The other stories are quite good as well, some more on the detective side (Peter Tremayne's "Our Lady of Death", Basil Copper's Sherlock Holmes pastiche "The Adventure of the Crawling Horror"), others out-and-out horror (Lumley's "Dr. Marigny's Clock", Brian Mooney's "Vultures Gather", Barker's "Lost Souls", Gaiman's prose poem "Bay Wolf"), all guaranteed to keep you up at night. Another thing about DARK DETECTIVES that was fun for me is the connection between the stories and film. Stoker's original "Seven Stars" was made into a Hammer film in 1971 (BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB ), Chetwyn-Hayes's short stories have been adapted into the horror portmanteaus FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE and THE MONSTER CLUB, and Barker is well-known as a filmmaker in his own right (HELLRAISER, NIGHTBREED, LORDS OF ILLUSION). Some of the stories also feature famous film luminaries along the way, Familiar Faces like John Barrymore, Errol Flynn, Peter Lorre, John Carradine, and… John Wayne??? Wait, what's The Duke doing among all this Lovecraftian weirdness, you may well ask – but you'll have to read Marty Burns's "The Man Who Shot The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" to find that out!
An example of Randy Broecker's artwork
Illustrations by noted fantasy artist Randy Broecker accompany each spooky story. Editor Stephen Jones, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the prestigious Horror Writers Association, has complied another wonderful collection of creepiness sure to please the horror lover in all of you. I suggest you scan your own local B&N, or wherever you may go to get your literary horror fix, and pick up a copy soon as you can, gather by the fireplace with your favorite beverage, and be prepared to let some spellbinding authors carry you to places you dare not go alone!
Book Review: THE LAST STAND by Mickey Spillane (Hard Case Crime 2018)
2018 is the centennial anniversary of Mickey Spillane's birth! Spillane got his start in comic books, then caused a sensation with his 1947 novel I, THE JURY, introducing the world to that hardest of hardboiled PI's, Mike Hammer. Hard Case Crime, an imprint every pulp fiction fan should know about, celebrates Spillane's birth by releasing THE LAST STAND, The Mick's last completed novel, with a bonus unpublished novella from the early 1950's.
Spillane with friend/literary executor Max Allan Collins
Mickey's literary executor and friend Max Allan Collins writes the introduction. Collins is no stranger to the hardboiled genre himself, having been Chester Gould's replacement on the long-running comic strip Dick Tracy from 1977-92, author of the graphic novel ROAD TO PERDITION, and the Quarry series of books (made into a Showtime series in 2016). Since Spillane's death in 2006, Collins has been editing and completing the writer's ("I'm not an author, I'm a writer", he once said in an interview) unfinished works.
The unpublished 50's novella "A Bullet for Satisfaction" is up first, and fans of Spillane will rejoice – it's truly Vintage Spillane, a brutal tale of corruption, gangsters, violence, and femme fatales! Ex-cop Rod Dexter (how's that for a macho name!) wades through this sordid tale filled to the brim with murder, sadism, and plenty of sex. You can tell where Collins did some editing and rewriting here, because good as he is, nobody captures Spillane's voice quite like Spillane; multitudes have tried, but The Mick is unique! Take this example from Page 42:
"Three days ago I was a cop. Now the cop was gone. What was left? Nothing but a thirst for booze, quenched by a bender, and vengeance, which I'd quench a whole other way. And when you're playing a game like this, there's only one way to play it, and that's a hell of a lot rougher than they do.
"They were going to die. Every last one of them would feel pain and I would receive satisfaction by watching their expressions as I pulled the trigger".
Or this gem found on Page 116:
"A blast from the open door took her head off and splattered it against the far wall, where dripping blood and chunks of bone and gobs of gore and one lonely eyeball stuck there like the work of some cut-rate Picasso. Then a body getting no signals from an obliterated brain toppled on its back with a rattling thud, and the headless body lay limply on the floor".
See what I mean? Vintage Mickey Spillane!
The writer (don't call him author!) in his twilight years
Next is "The Last Stand", Mickey's final novel published for the first time anywhere. This one finds a – dare I say it? – much more mellow Spillane, now 88 years old but still writing in his signature voice. The sex and violence are toned down, but that terse style is still there, only with a touch more humor that comes with reflective old age. More of an adventure than hardboiled crime, it follows ex-serviceman Joe Gillian (named after Mickey's friend, longtime Charlton Comics writer Joe Gill) as he's forced to land his vintage plane in a Southwestern desert. There he encounters Sequoia Pete, a young Indian whose horse has thrown him, and the unlikely pair banter their way through a desert trek, where Joe discovers the joys of eating rattlesnake, and an ancient arrowhead loaded with radioactivity.
Returning to Pete's village on the rez, Joe will meet his new friend's gorgeous sister Running Fox, whose jealous would-be beau Big Arms sets out to kill his white rival. The plot involves hidden treasure, gangsters, FBI agents, and a threat to national security. With "The Last Stand", Spillane shows us he's still a master storyteller, older and knocking on Jehovah's door but still managing to entertain his audience. Fans of Mickey Spillane will definitely love THE LAST STAND, and for the uninitiated the book gives you a chance to read him in both his early, hardboiled phase and his last, more seasoned work. I'm a huge fan, so don't just take my word for it: go out and buy a copy, and prepare to be thrilled!
Book Review: NOIR by Christopher Moore (William Morrow 2018)
In between everything else I do, I read about a book a week, mainly mystery fiction. Current favorites include James Lee Burke, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Janet Evanovich, and John Sandford, all with their own unique styles, and all masters of the genre. But when I need a good laugh, I pick up Christopher Moore. I first became aware of Moore's work with his brilliant 2002 novel LAMB, OR THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD PAL, an irreverent satire narrated by Jesus's good buddy Biff that's as outrageous as it sounds, and sinfully funny to boot.
Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer in "Out of the Past" (RKO 1947) have nothing on Sammy and The Cheese!
This time around, Moore goes from taking on the Scriptures to the hard-boiled world of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. The novel is set in 1947 San Francisco, a very good year for noir (OUT OF THE PAST, NIGHTMARE ALLEY , BORN TO KILL , LADY FROM SHANGHAI , and other seminal films noir were made that year), as we follow the adventures of Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin, a down-on-his-luck bartender with a past working in a seedy dive owned by a sleazy cheapskate. A femme fatale named Stilton (nicknamed "The Cheese"), a serviceman's widow who can crack wise with the best of 'em, walks into the bar, and Sammy goes head over high heels for her. There's plenty of intrigue involving an Air Force general who wants to procure some dames dressed like Dorothy in THE WIZARD OF OZ, a crooked cop who wants a piece of everyone's action, the dark alleys of Chinatown where men drink snake piss to gain virility… oh, and a man from outer space! Told you Moore was unique!
Distinguished author Christopher Moore
Sammy narrates most of this outlandish stew, except for some chapters told by… well, I'm not gonna say, you'll have to read it and find out yourselves. There are a ton of characters woven in and out of this funny tale, friends and foes alike of Sammy and The Cheese, and they're all carefully crafted by the skillful Mr. Moore. Parts of NOIR are laugh-out-loud hysterical, parts drew a chuckle, but all of it kept me smiling throughout the brisk 330 pages (not to mention the Afterword and the special section in the Barnes & Noble edition, an essay by Moore titled "Tough Guy Talk"). Christopher Moore is a satirist worth reading, and NOIR ranks among his best, which means its real damn good. Perfect for beach reading, or those rainy nights when it's Three AM and you're down to your last bourbon. Pick up a copy today and discover the wacky world of NOIR and Christopher Moore!
Book Review: ORSON WELLES'S LAST MOVIE by Josh Karp (St. Martin's Press 2015)
There's a lot of buzz around the film community about THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND, Orson Welles's unfinished film begun in 1970 that he worked on for almost a decade. Welles used different film stocks (8, 16, & 35 MM) and varied his styles to create a film-within-a-film focusing on the early 70's clash between the Old Hollywood of the studio system and the New Hollywood auteurs (Welles, the ultimate auteur himself, disdained the term). Netflix has announced the film has finally been restored and completed with the help of an Indiegogo campaign, and will be available for viewing sometime in 2018 (When, Netflix, when???). In the meantime, you can read author Josh Karp's fascinating 2015 book ORSON WELLES'S LAST MOVIE: THE MAKING OF THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND.
Karp gives us a fast-paced look behind the scenes of a genius at work, creating art on the fly despite constant financial woes. Film buffs will not be able to put this book down as we get a glimpse into Welles's creative process, and his determination to make his film his way. Welles was a cinematic genius to be sure, but the sum of his parts was greater then the whole: a tyrant on the set, a charming personality, an obsessed madman, and an artist out to prove to the world he wasn't ready to be put out to pasture just yet.
John Huston, Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich
We also get a seat for the long, long gestation of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND following Welles's death in 1985, involving among many other setbacks the Iranian Revolution, his mistress Oja Kodar, daughter Beatrice, and various moneymen out to recoup their losses. The players involved in the movie read like a Who's Who of Hollywood: John Huston , Peter Bogdanovich, Edmond O'Brien , Mercedes McCambridge, Dennis Hopper , future mega-producer Frank Marshall, and low budget cinematographer Gary Graver, whose devotion to Welles's vision was unparalleled, and who supported himself during lean periods by making porn films (and you'll discover how Graver got Welles to actually edit one of the things for him… I won't tell you which!).
ORSON WELLES'S LAST MOVIE deserves to be on any film lover's bookshelf. It's a spellbinding look at an artist struggling against the odds to get his work onscreen the way he wants, and the aftermath of that process. Welles never did quite finish editing his film, but thanks to Netflix we'll soon be able to see as close a proximity to his vision as humanly possible. I for one can't wait to watch!
Posted on November 25, 2017 March 29, 2019
Book Review: WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE CASABLANCA by Noah Isenberg (W.W. Norton 2017)
CASABLANCA was released seventy-five years ago on November 26, and The Cult of Casablanca is stronger than ever! The film resonates with young and old alike in its themes of lost love, redemption, and answering to a higher moral authority. Noah Isenberg's latest book, WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE CASABLANCA: THE LIFE, LEGEND, AND AFTERLIFE OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST BELOVED MOVIE, takes a look behind the Silver Screen to track the history of the film from its beginnings through its continuing popularity today.
Isenberg, a professor of film studies at The New School and author of the definitive EDGAR G. ULMER: A FILMMAKER AT THE MARGINS (2014), gives the reader a three-pronged look at the film. In the first, he meticulously delineates the screenplay's roots, from its birth as the play Everybody Comes to Rick's by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison, to the adaptation by brothers Julius and Philip Epstein, to the contributions of writers Howard Koch and Casey Robinson. All this is carefully researched by Isenberg through interviews and the Warner Brothers archives, unearthing the correspondence of producer Hal Wallis and studio chiefs Jack and Harry Warner, among others.
The second prong deals with the film's memorable cast and crew. Yes, the big names are all there – Bogie, Bergman, Henreid, director Michael Curtiz, composer Max Steiner – but Isenberg also shines the spotlight of many of the smaller players, most of whom were refugees from war-torn Europe. Though these actors were big names themselves in their respective native countries, the majority of them were reduced to being bit players in Hollywood, a fact that made them feel as if they'd turned from "St. Bernards to Dachshunds". The plight of actors Curt Bois, Marcel Dalio, Lotte Palfi, and Hans von Twardowski, forced out of the limelight by circumstance and into lesser, sometimes uncredited roles, caused much bitterness among these talented strangers in a strange land.
Finally, Isenberg takes us to the CASABLANCA phenomenon, starting shortly after the death of Humphrey Bogart. Revival houses like The Brattle in Cambridge, MA brought the film a new, college age audience in the late 50's. It's anti-authoritarian stance and theme of fighting for a just cause also resonated with the 60's counterculture movement, and of course the film's romanticism played a large part in that. Isenberg looks at the movie's lasting impact in pop culture, even today, and discusses several critical points of view, not all of which are favorable (which is sacrilegious far as I'm concerned!).
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE CASABLANCA is a surprisingly easy read. Only the arms of Morpheus prevented me from finishing it in one sitting. Then again, you know what a huge CASABLANCA buff I am! Even if you're not as obsessive about the movie as me, if you're a classic film buff (and I assume most of you reading this blog are) the book is a fascinating look at Hollywood filmmaking in the 40's, when the studio dream factories were in their glory. I highly recommend it to those of you interested in movie history – in fact, it would make the perfect Christmas gift for the film fan in your life!.
More on CASABLANCA from Cracked Rear Viewer:
Top Ten Reasons CASABLANCA is The Greatest Movie Ever Made!!
Here's Looking at You On The Big Screen, CASABLANCA!
Pulp Fiction #1: Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
"The roar of the .45 shook the room. Charlotte struggled back a step. Her eyes were a symphony of incredulity, an unbelieving witness to truth. Slowly, she looked down at the ugly swelling in her belly where the bullet went in.
"How c-could you", she gasped.
I only had a moment before talking to a corpse. I got it in.
"It was easy", I said. "
– from I, THE JURY by Mickey Spillane, first published in 1947 by EP Dutton
Mickey Spillane's PI Mike Hammer made his debut in I, THE JURY, and set the shocked literary world on its collective ear with its sex-and-violence laden story. Critics savaged Spillane, but the book buying public ate it up, turning I, THE JURY into a best seller and launching Hammer as a pop culture icon. Hammer's roots were deeply set in the bloody pulps and another 20th century phenomenon… the four-color comics!
Spillane got his start writing for both mediums. Born in Brooklyn in 1918, the tough-talking Irishman found he had a knack for storytelling, and by the 1930's managed to make a few sales to the pulps. Spillane soon joined the fledgling comic book world, cranking out stories for Timely's (later known as Marvel Comics) Human Torch, Captain America, Sub-Mariner, Fawcett's Captain Marvel, and a ton of those two-page "fillers" publishers used to print to meet the cheaper second-class postal rates. Like most red-blooded American males of the era, Spillane joined the service during WWII, and when it was over he returned to grinding 'em out. Only this time, Spillane had an idea.
Spillane dreamed up a tough private eye named Mike Danger and, together with artist Mike Roy, looked to sell it to the lucrative syndicated newspaper comics market, without success. Undaunted, Spillane took his project and wrote a novel based on the character, now renamed Mike Hammer. The writer ("I'm not an author", he once claimed) elevated the levels of sex and violence, whipping up his lurid adaptation in a little over a week. Publisher E.P. Dutton bought the book, titled I, THE JURY, and history was made. The critics lambasted Spillane's literary style (or lack thereof), but post-war readers grabbed onto all the sex and violence within the book's pages and begged for more.
"The guy was dead as hell. He lay on the floor in his pajamas with his brains scattered all over the floor and my gun in his hand"
– from VENGEANCE IS MINE , first published in 1950 by EP Dutton
Mike Hammer is Spillane's macho fantasy alter ego. The PI was, like his creator, a World War II vet, now a Cold War Anti-Communist who played by his own set of rules. He was a law-and-order guy dishing out vigilante justice, not interested in waiting for an incompetent system that rarely worked for the little guy. Hammer had a way with the ladies, yet the love of his life was loyal secretary Velma. His two best friends were NY Homicide Captain Pat Chambers and his trusty Colt .45, which served him well when delivering just desserts to the lowlifes and corrupt officials who deserved them. Say what you will about Hammer's misanthropic methods or misogynistic viewpoints; he was a stand-up guy who got the job done… by any means necessary!
Ralph Meeker as Hammer in "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955)
Spillane's terse, graphic novels exploded in the public conscience like a .45 slug through flesh and bone, and it was inevitable Mike Hammer would blast his way to the Silver Screen. Tough guy actor Biff Elliot was the first to play Hammer in a 1953 adaptation of I, THE JURY, which of course was considerably toned down for the screen. Probably the best known movie Hammer was Ralph Meeker, who starred in director Robert Aldrich's KISS ME DEADLY (1955), as bleak and violent a film noir as you're likely to find. Robert Bray next stepped into Hammer's shoes for 1957's MY GUN IS QUICK, a low-budget but fairly entertaining entry. A syndicated television version of MIKE HAMMER was run from 1958-60, with Darren McGavin as the PI, a series decried by critics for its excessive violence – hey, what did they expect?
Mickey Spillane as his creation Mike Hammer in "The Girl Hunters" (1963)
Mike Hammer took a ten-year hiatus before Spillane resurrected him in the 1962 novel THE GIRL HUNTERS. Believing his beloved Velma dead, Hammer's been on a booze soaked bender before learning she's actually alive, and he begins his regeneration from drunken bum to instrument of vengeance. This book was made into a film a year later with none other than Spillane himself cast as Hammer! It's as violent as you'd think with the author doing a not-bad job. Spillane had always been a self promoter, and in later years he made the rounds of TV talk shows and even starred in a series of commercials for Miller Lite Beer!
Stacy Keach, TV's greatest Mike Hammer
Hammer was back with (what else?) a vengeance, and a new audience was turned on to Spillane's sex-and-violence fueled world. In the Reagan-era 1980's a new TV version was broadcast on CBS, starring Stacy Keach, by far the most popular of Hammer portrayers. The stylish series was a hit, that is until Keach got busted in Britain on cocaine smuggling charges and had to serve time in prison. He returned to the role in (appropriately enough) the 1986 TV movie THE RETURN OF MIKE HAMMER, and again the 90's with the syndicated MIKE HAMMER, PRIVATE EYE series.
"There isn't a Coliseum anymore, but the city is a bigger bowl, and it seats more people. The razor-sharp claws aren't those of wild animals, but man's can be just as sharp and twice as vicious. You have to be quick, and you have to be able, or you become one of the devoured, and if you can kill first, no matter how and no matter who, you can return to the comfortable chair and the comfortable fire. But you have to be quick. And able. Or you'll be dead"
-from MY GUN IS QUICK, first published in 1950 by EP Dutton
Tough as a two dollar steak, Mike Hammer refuses to die, even though his creator Spillane passed away in 2006. Mystery writer Max Allan Collins, who once took over the Dick Tracy comic strip and penned the graphic novel THE ROAD TO PERDITION, has been chronicling the hard-boiled adventures of Hammer since 2007, working from Spillane's own unfinished manuscripts. As long as there's a need for a ruthless avenger to take on the dirty jobs no one else can, there will be a need for Mike Hammer, political correctness be damned!


text:
Sky Angkor Airlines Inc., anciennement Skywings Asia Airlines (, en coréen) est une compagnie aérienne basée à Siem Reap, au Cambodge. Elle est principalement basée à l'aéroport international de Siem Reap.

Histoire

Fondée en 2010, la compagnie aérienne est une coentreprise d'investisseurs coréens et cambodgiens qui se concentre sur le marché du voyage coréen. Skywings Asia Airlines, (son ancien nom), reçoit alors son «approbation des activités de transport international à l'étranger».

Le , elle effectue son vol inaugural sur la route Siem Reap - Séoul-Incheon - Hanoï - Siem Reap avec un avion McDonnell Douglas MD-83. La compagnie introduit son premier Airbus A320 en juillet de la même année.

Le , Skywings Asia Airlines cesse officiellement ses opérations et la compagnie est rebaptisée Sky Angkor Airlines.  Depuis, elle effectue de nombreux vols réguliers et charters à destination et en provenance du Cambodge vers des pays comme la Chine, le Japon, la Corée du Sud et le Vietnam.

Destinations
Sky Angkor Airlines dessert les destinations dont l'Aéroport international de Shanghai-Pudong
, l'Aéroport international de Xiamen-Gaoqi, celui de Yiwu, ou encore l'Aéroport de Hualien.

Flotte

Flotte actuelle

En , la flotte de Sky Angkor Airlines est constituée des avions suivants :

Ancienne flotte
Sky Angkor Airlines, (et Skywings Asia Airlines), a par le passé exploité les avions suivants en  :

Voir également

 Transport aérien au Cambodge
 Liste des compagnies aériennes du Cambodge

Références

Liens externes

Compagnie aérienne ayant son siège au Cambodge

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