After taking Lindy classes from Ruth and Mike, students across continents are often heard to exclaim, "Why haven't I taken classes from you before now?!" Ruth and Mike teach with a subtle blend of technical detail and silly fun that keeps people interested and pushes their dancing to new heights. Ruth and Mike are passionate about helping students connect with both the technical and artistic aspects of Lindy Hop. They want students to find their own style while staying true to the core of dance.
Ruth and Mike bring a potent and diverse combination of skills to their teaching. Both of them possess deep anatomical knowledge that they use to make technical movement details very accessible, helping students access ease and comfort in their bodies. Ruth has two certifications in the Franklin Method, an internationally recognized body efficiency modality. They use their backgrounds as musicians to help people connect to music on a deeper level. Between the two of them, Ruth and Mike have taught not only Lindy Hop and other swing dances but also Argentine Tango, vintage Blues dances, lyrical dance, vintage ballroom dances, and much more. They care about pushing Lindy Hop forward as a living art form as well as staying strongly rooted in the origins of the dance. To this end, they scrutinize old video clips (Sandra Gibson, Al Minns, and Earl "Snake Hips" Tucker are current favorites) as well as studying current dance forms in the African diaspora (West African dances from Senegal, Mali, and Benin, Twerking, Dancehall, Urban Ballroom and more).
When they are not dancing, Ruth and Mike both love carrot juice, smoky Scotch whisky, and philosophical discussions. Since they started traveling and teaching together, Ruth has started using the Oxford comma, and all of Mike's electronic devices are from Apple. They work on dance obsesssively and have been known to swing out in the aisles of moving trains while traversing the French countryside. Check out ruthandmike.com, facebook.com/ruthandmike, and youtube.com/ruthandmikedance.
Ruth and Mike are among the most respected and sought-after instructors in the blues dance world. They have taught at most of the blues dance events that exist (In 14 countries and counting…). They are founding members and choreographers of the B Sides, which is the first and currently only ongoing professional blues performance group.
Ruth and Mike are an exceptional teaching partnership, internationally renowned for their dynamic energy, precise explanations, entertainment value, and ability to make detailed technique fun to learn. They are prolific choreographers, avid dance nerds, and enthusiastic social dancers. Ruth and Mike are passionate about creating fresh and expressive art that stays true to the roots of the blues. They love dance pedagogy and mentoring newer teachers to fulfill their potential as instructors.
Ruth and Mike both love carrot juice, smoky Scotch whisky, and philosophical discussions. Since they started traveling and teaching together, Ruth has started using the Oxford comma, and all of Mike's electronic devices are from Apple. They have been known to fishtail in grocery stores and swing out in the aisles of moving trains. Check out their facebook page and youtube channel.
Ruth skipped into her first dance class more than 25 years ago, and has since been dancing as many styles as she can get her feet on.
Ruth's 15+ years as a dance instructor have taken her on teaching adventures across the US, Canada, Europe and Southeast Asia. She has continually developed both her teaching and her dancing skills. Ruth is known for her ability to craft explanations that fit students' learning styles. She brings a vibrant mixture of deep technical knowledge, passion for movement, and silly fun that students can't help but connect with.
In addition to training in blues, lindy, Argentine tango, modern, ballet and many other dance forms, Ruth is certified in Franklin Method, an increasingly popular body somatics method. She has a long-standing love affair with close-embrace connection, has sneakily swung out in the Louvre, and is curating a fine collection of fishtail variations.
Mike Grosser is one of the most recognized names in the Blues dance community. Mike is a top level instructor, dancer, choreographer, performer, and mentor. He has not only won respected blues competitions but also thrown down hard in unofficial late night dance-offs. Mike is a founding member and choreographer of the B Sides, which is the first and currently only ongoing professional blues performance group. Students across continents rave about Mike's insights, personality, and breadth and depth of knowledge.
When starting music school, Ruth assumed that everyone saw dance when they heard music. She still wants to dance whenever she hears music. To everything. Playing music that pulls other people to dance gives Ruth a thrill. She enjoys a wide range of music– deep, dirty blues to slinky jazz to sassy shuffles and far beyond. If you want to make Ruth really happy (aside from dancing), feed her good whisky. Ruth loves traveling the world dancing and playing music.
Mike has loved music since he was a kid. He started playing drums at age 14 and was soon entertaining crowds with his mad skillz. Nowadays as a DJ, Mike musically entertains crowds by taking them on fantastical voyages through his playlists.
Being a DJ gives Mike an excuse to spend time hunting the world for danceable songs. He digs fat grooves, titillating brass, and smoky vocals. He is also a fan of tea houses, the Millennium Falcon, and yogurt.


text:
using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Configuration;
using System.Web.UI;

using System.IO;
using System.Globalization;
using System.ComponentModel;
using SoftLogik.Miscellaneous;
using SoftLogik.Reflection;
using SoftLogik.Text;

namespace SoftLogik.Web
{
  public static class ControlUtils
  {
    public static bool EnableLegacyRendering
    {
      get
      {
        System.Configuration.Configuration configuration = WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration(HttpContext.Current.Request.ApplicationPath);
        XhtmlConformanceSection xhtmlSection = (XhtmlConformanceSection)configuration.GetSection("system.web/xhtmlConformance");

        return xhtmlSection.Mode == XhtmlConformanceMode.Legacy;
      }
    }

    public static bool IsDesignMode(Control control)
    {
      if (control == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("control");

      ISite site = control.Site;

      return (site == null || site.DesignMode);
    }

    public static void AddAttributesWithoutID<T>(T control, Action<T> action) where T : Control
    {
      string tempID = control.ID;
      control.ID = null;

      action(control);

      control.ID = tempID;
    }

    public static void AddAttributesWithoutID(Control control, Action<HtmlTextWriter> addAttributes, HtmlTextWriter writer)
    {
      string tempID = control.ID;
      control.ID = null;

      addAttributes(writer);

      control.ID = tempID;
    }

    public static bool IsControlEmpty(Control control)
    {
      if (control == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("control");

      ControlCollection controls = control.Controls;

      // placeholder has no controls
      if (controls.Count == 0)
      {
        return true;
      }
      else if (controls.Count == 1)
      {
        LiteralControl staticContent = controls[0] as LiteralControl;

        // control only has a literal control which is either empty,
        // or contains nothing but whitespace
        if (staticContent != null)
        {
          if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(staticContent.Text))
            return true;
          else if (StringUtils.IsWhiteSpace(staticContent.Text))
            return true;
        }
      }

      return false;
    }

    public static string RenderTemplate(Control parentControl, ITemplate template)
    {
      if (template == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("template");

      Control temporaryContainer = new Control();
      parentControl.Controls.Add(temporaryContainer);

      template.InstantiateIn(temporaryContainer);

      string html = RenderControls(temporaryContainer.Controls, 0, string.Empty);

      parentControl.Controls.Remove(temporaryContainer);

      return html;
    }

    public static string RenderChildren(Control control)
    {
      if (control == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("control");

      return RenderControls(control.Controls);
    }

    public static void RenderChildren(Control control, HtmlTextWriter writer)
    {
      if (control == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("control");

      RenderControls(control.Controls, writer);
    }

    public static string RenderControl(Control control)
    {
      if (control == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("control");

      return DoRender(delegate(HtmlTextWriter writer)
      {
        control.RenderControl(writer);
      });
    }

    public static string RenderControls(ControlCollection controls)
    {
      return DoRender(delegate(HtmlTextWriter writer)
      {
        RenderControls(controls, writer);
      });
    }

    public static string RenderControls(ControlCollection controls, int indent, string newLine)
    {
      return DoRender(delegate(HtmlTextWriter writer)
      {
        writer.Indent = indent;
        writer.NewLine = newLine;

        RenderControls(controls, writer);
      });
    }

    private static string DoRender(Action<HtmlTextWriter> render)
    {
      StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
      using (StringWriter sw = new StringWriter(sb, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture))
      {
        using (HtmlTextWriter htmlWriter = new HtmlTextWriter(sw))
        {
          render(htmlWriter);
        }
      }

      return sb.ToString();
    }

    public static void RenderControls(ControlCollection controls, HtmlTextWriter writer)
    {
      if (controls == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("controls");

      if (writer == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("writer");

      for (int i = 0; i < controls.Count; i++)
      {
        controls[i].RenderControl(writer);
      }
    }

    private static T FindControl<T>(Control parent, string id, bool required, string errorMessage) where T : Control
    {
      if (parent == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("parent");

      ValidationUtils.ArgumentNotNullOrEmpty(id, "id");

      Control control = FindControl(parent, id, required, errorMessage);
      T typedControl = null;

      if (control != null)
      {
        typedControl = control as T;

        if (typedControl == null)
        {
          if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(errorMessage))
            throw new Exception(errorMessage);
          else
            throw new Exception(string.Format("Could not cast control '{0}' of type '{1}' to '{2}", id, control.GetType().Name, typeof(T).Name));
        }
      }

      return typedControl;
    }

    private static Control FindControl(Control parent, string id, bool required, string errorMessage)
    {
      if (parent == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("parent");

      ValidationUtils.ArgumentNotNullOrEmpty(id, "id");

      Control control = parent.FindControl(id);

      if (control == null)
      {
        if (required)
        {
          if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(errorMessage))
            throw new Exception(errorMessage);
          else
            throw new Exception(string.Format("Could not find control '{0}'", id));
        }
      }

      return control;
    }

    public static T FindOptionalControl<T>(Control parent, string id) where T : Control
    {
      return FindControl<T>(parent, id, false, null);
    }

    public static T FindOptionalControl<T>(Control parent, string id, string errorMessage) where T : Control
    {
      return FindControl<T>(parent, id, false, errorMessage);
    }

    public static T FindRequiredControl<T>(Control parent, string id) where T : Control
    {
      return FindControl<T>(parent, id, true, null);
    }

    public static T FindRequiredControl<T>(Control parent, string id, string errorMessage) where T : Control
    {
      return FindControl<T>(parent, id, true, errorMessage);
    }

    public static object GetControlValue(Control c)
    {
      ValidationUtils.ArgumentNotNull(c, "c");

      ControlValuePropertyAttribute attribute = ReflectionUtils.GetAttribute<ControlValuePropertyAttribute>(c.GetType(), true);

      if (attribute == null)
        throw new Exception(string.Format("Could not find attribute '{0}' on type '{1}'.", typeof(ControlValuePropertyAttribute).Name, c.GetType().Name));

      object value = DataBinder.Eval(c, attribute.Name);

      if (value == null)
        value = attribute.DefaultValue;

      return value;
    }

    public static object FindControlValue(Control parent, string id)
    {
      return FindControlValue(parent, id, null);
    }

    public static object FindControlValue(Control parent, string id, string errorMessage)
    {
      if (parent == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("c");

      ValidationUtils.ArgumentNotNullOrEmpty(id, "id");

      Control foundControl = FindControl(parent, id, true, errorMessage);

      return GetControlValue(foundControl);
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The New Special Edition M815 Metal Striped Pelikan Souveran at Penbox.
The special edition Souveran M815 Metal Striped offers a new level of sophistication. The combination of high quality resin combined with palladium plated stripes of brass running the length of the barrel together radiate a refined elegance. The inlaid metal stripes on the barrel gives a special appearance to this fountain pen and continue the striped design element typical of the Souveran pen range. The brass material used as base material for the barrel adds weight and a higher quality feel to the pen compared to standard fountain pens. All in all this special edition sets itself above others with its combination of material elements and design.
The rings and the clip are palladium plated and the single tone 18k nib is rhodium plated. A choice of nib grades are available to suit your preferred line width. These differential piston fountain pens will be available in nib sizes EF, F, M, and B from June 2018. Pricing and availability can be found at Penbox.


At SideBySideStuff.com, we're constantly adding new items in our selection to stay fresh on what you want and what you expect out of your ride. This dedication to only offering the newest and best UTV parts and accessories is what sets us apart from other retailers. Keeping in the spirit of always looking ahead, we also work with some fantastic brands and manufacturers that innovate the sport we love so much. Here, you'll find a selection of some of our featured brands and items - all of which are a perfect fit for your side by side.


text:
le Temple de la renommée du squash australien (Squash Australia Hall of Fame) honore les joueurs de squash qui ont rendu des services exceptionnels au squash australien. Le Hall of Fame est administré par la Fédération australienne de squash Squash Australia. Actuellement, 18 joueurs sont membres du Hall of Fame, qui distingue les catégories Membre et Légende.

Membres du Temple de la renommée du squash australien

Légende des couleurs et des personnes :

Les joueurs marqués d'un * sont également membres du Temple de la renommée du squash

Références

Voir aussi

Articles connexes
 Temple de la renommée du squash

Squash
Squash en Australie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime;
using Windows.Foundation;
using Windows.Foundation.Collections;
using Windows.UI.Xaml;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Primitives;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Data;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Input;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Navigation;

// The Blank Page item template is documented at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=234238

namespace MyVote.UI.Views
{
    /// <summary>
    /// An empty page that can be used on its own or navigated to within a Frame.
    /// </summary>
    public sealed partial class LandingPage : ResizablePage
    {
        public LandingPage()
        {
            this.InitializeComponent();

			this.Loaded += LandingPage_Loaded;
        }

		void LandingPage_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
		{
			VisualStateManager.GoToState(this, "DoneLoading", true);

			if (this.DataContext != null)
			{
				this.ViewModel.PropertyChanged += viewModel_PropertyChanged;

				UpdateState();
			}
		}

		void viewModel_PropertyChanged(object sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
		{
			if (e.PropertyName == "IsBusy")
				UpdateState();
		}

		private void UpdateState()
		{
			var isSnapped = DetermineVisualState() == NarrowState;

			if (this.ViewModel == null)
				return;

			if (this.ViewModel.IsBusy)
				VisualStateManager.GoToState(this, string.Format("{0}Busy", isSnapped ? NarrowState : string.Empty), true);
			else
				VisualStateManager.GoToState(this, string.Format("{0}Idle", isSnapped ? NarrowState : string.Empty), true);
		}
    }
}


text:
What's the Hype About Marriage?
by Tundun Adeyemo
So, What's the Hype About Marriage?
This is a rant. Having a parent around during the bleak autumn/ winter months is not ideal for several reasons. Please don't get me wrong. parents are a blessing to have around at any time, but if you are unmarried. it is extra hard to deal with the constant nagging to find a partner. If it was easier, one would go to the shops to buy a partner. The shops in this context are online dating sites such as Tinder, Grindr (for gays and bisexuals). Plenty of Fish, eHarmony. Match.com, BENaughty, EliteSingles, Zoosk, Christianmingle.com. The trouble is that the majority of men on these sites want one thing only. So, forget dating. What is that? Let us just have sex or a casual relationship. What is wrong with men these days? A video on Facebook shows a mother crying and begging her unmarried daughter to do something about her 'situation'. After the exaggerated tears. the daughter had mercy on her mother and promised to date. The end of the video shows the mother letting up a mischievous wink. Whilst. most mothers are not that dramatic. many singletons endure similar pressure from their parents to get married. Most times. it does not matter if you marry a friend, the message seems to be: just get married. The pressure to marry is depressing. I think. Most people want to get married. but unfortunately, they cannot marry themselves! They need to fall in love and get married or marry and fall in love later! Whichever is easier. But what if it never happens. What if it happens much later in life? Is marriage the best thing life has got to offer? Really? Does it. for instance, beat getting published in a national magazine? Marriage is important in every culture and in every nation, but for Nigerians, marriage is much more than a day of celebration in itself. It is an end all by itself. Some Nigerians live for two things: to get married and to have sex. Perhaps, we should leave sex out of it and edify the conversation by discussing only marriage. People respect the institution of marriage. They should. The problem is that such veneration makes life a little bit uncomfortable for the rest of us unmarried singletons. If you are married. enjoy your marriage and leave us alone. An unmarried woman who has achieved in the world of business, career, and academia is not regarded as much only because she is not married. The Nigerian society is terrible for reinforcing this. The wedding ring is all there is to life: not Boko Haram. not the fuel scarcity, not declining electricity, not kidnapping or galloping inflation, not malaria. childhood obesity. not fraudsters and sugar daddies. The problem is that you are not married! Surely. there are worse things in life. Cleverly, churches have made millions of naira on the back of this niche market. Seminars. deliverance sessions, retreat sessions, all night vigils for unmarried women are on the increase. Men of God, do pay mountaintop prayer sessions with women. Women are encouraged to return to their homes with anointing oil, praying naked at obscene hours of the night. Men don't suffer as much as women. it seems. A woman confided in me that she was made to wash and drink oil for three nights in a row. Not adding the effect of the cholesterol, the woman is still unmarried. What a waste of time
and olive oil. Ehn? Secretly, people's gossip adds to the misery of singletons. Many women have fallen prey into the hands of unscrupulous men because of their single status. But must we all marry? A lazy argument would be that marriage is not that important because those we know married are either not enjoying their marriages or they are not successful in their relationships. Should we really be discussing the necessity of marriage? It is a debate, isn't it? We are marrying much later than our parents did. Unmarried today does not mean never married, but what if it does? Deal with
Girl, 25 Sues Father for Obstructing Her marriage
FG Hammer Falls on Marriage Registrar in Edo for…
The Thoughts of Love Reduces Blood Pressure
Marriage is great. being unmarried is even greater. the Bible says. Got you there! So what is the hype about marriage? Is marriage meant for everyone? Must society punish unmarried mothers, divorcees, widows and so on for being single? Undoubtedly, the UK like most other parts of the world has a growing population of single people. People are single for many reasons. Some in the UK have no desire to get married and so they never do. Shocking? The post-modern society we live in is witnessing a decline in men who want to get married. I do not blame them. Women have become feminist tigers who basically scare the living daylights out of any man who means well. There are at least three women in me as I write this. The most prominent woman out of the three is the one I interact with every day. This feminist within us women does not see any reason or need as it were to be with a man. The need scales back as one grows older and as one's ability to meet one's needs expands. The obvious reason, a man is needed could be for sexual emergencies but religious pragmatism dictates that such a need can be put on hold. Women in this group are powerful and successful and it is hard for them to find men to match their accomplishments in the world. This writer was recently taken aback when she read about the struggles with loneliness a supposedly successful black woman was encountering in her '50s. It is okay not to need a man now, in 10 years time though, would this be the case? Loneliness is not easy at any time, but the spin the feminist woman puts on it makes it bearable. It does not help that eligible man within her range and social status are far few and far in between. The second woman whose voice is never heard is the traditionalist. This traditional woman comes out when the family is around and she becomes the domestic goddess. Subliminally, she is thinking that one day, her prowess in the kitchen and elsewhere will bring to her the man of her dreams. This woman dreams of being a housewife or a writer at home whilst her husband goes out to work, she is at home cleaning, cooking and making it all nice for him. The problem with this lifestyle is the monotony of it and the fact that over years, resentment will set in. Life was made for the outdoors not within the walls of a house as a housewife. Rather boring. So this woman is rarely ever heard and her dreams will ultimately die. The third woman tries to strike a balance between the real and the imaginary. Marriage is not what it is hyped up to be. Marriage is work and commitment. It is for the brave-hearted. ■
So what is the hype about marriage? Is marriage meant for everyone? Must society punish unmarried mothers, divorcees, widows and so on for being single?
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Tags being single?, BENaughty, Christianmingle.com, divorcees, eHarmony. Match.com, EliteSingles, Loneliness, Plenty of Fish, unmarried mothers, What's the Hype About Marriage?, widows, Zoosk
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
BOOK VERSUS FILM: An Epic Study of FIGHT CLUB
On 18th February 2017 ·
Fight Club is an interesting and unusual example in the book versus film debate. Here is a cult novel that received an incredibly faithful, big-budget adaptation. The movie version then underperformed at the Box Office but found a following through home entertainment. Chuck Palahniuk is on record as applauding the adaptation, particularly the way it streamlined his original plot. When you compare the two, it's apparent at least 90% of the book made it into the film, so no wonder the author was pleased.
The subject matter here is confrontational, but there was little conflict between the respective visions of Palahniuk and David Fincher, the director responsible for the 1999 film. Yet there will always be differences, however subtle or significant, when a story makes the leap from the page to a visual medium. Let's explore these now and, for anyone unfamiliar with the work in question, expect adult subject matter and spoilers.
Palahniuk was in his early thirties and unable to place what would ultimately become his third novel (Invisible Monsters) so he penned Fight Club as a kind of "fuck you to the New York publishing industry". Into his new idea Palahniuk poured all his frustration, not just with his creative struggle but consumerism in general, the crisis in masculinity and all the superficial values of contemporary America.
The conventions he established here would recur in all Palahniuk's fiction; ideas of identity and acts of shocking violence, a barrelling, hyper-real style and 'transgressive' subject matter, stories that break at least one of society's taboos. As with many of his novels, the idea was written as a short story first, this one with the intention of disturbing that publisher who rejected him.
Much to Palahniuk's surprise, his new idea interested them. It was expanded into a punchy novel of less than 60,000 words, through Palahniuk's usual methods of in-depth research, repetition and spinning out further plot developments. That's how we get from the unnamed narrator's meeting with Tyler Durden to the formation of Fight Club and on to Project Mayhem before everything falls apart.
It Works Well On The Page
The most attention-grabbing aspect of the opening is the narrator's voice; insistent, alienated, pummelling us in the present tense. Palahniuk's strength has never been in portraying fully-rounded characters or creating a realistic world, he's more about powerful imagery, intense developments, unexpected twists and turns.
Rather than adopt a conventional structure, narrative progress comes through a process of accretion, meaning the author can layer in allusions to the big twist early on ("I know this because Tyler knows this," "Tyler's words coming out of my mouth" etc.) These hints make developments seem obvious in retrospect, but they don't spoil the surprise on a first reading.
On the page Chuck can skim over the more unlikely aspects of his story, such as the characters' swift recovery time from horrendous injury or Tyler's ability to travel the world while the narrator is supposedly asleep. The author simply barrels on to the next action-packed set-piece or memorable mantra.
When I first read Fight Club in the late nineties it seemed to me entirely successful; an exhilarating, sui generis piece, too near the knuckle for Hollywood. They would inevitably sanitise everything; render the book family friendly and PG-13. Filmmakers could never capture what made the book so effective – its vicious, nihilistic, pornographic, slapstick, profane, borderline fascistic elements – then sell the result to us as popcorn entertainment, could they?
The Swift Journey To Adaptation
Many in the industry who saw the manuscript initially passed on it, with the book's first reader at 20th Century Fox actively discouraging the studio from adaptation. Rights were finally bought for $10,000 which, when you consider Brad Pitt would later be paid $17.5 million to play Tyler Durden, shows the balance of power when it comes to writers and the stars who play their characters.
This was where David Fincher came in, still riding the worldwide success of Seven. The young director had the clout to get something this edgy made and being the same age as Palahniuk, the novel's obsessions resonated. Fincher had even tried to option the work himself while another fan, budding screenwriter Jim Uhls, would lobby for the job of adapting it. This was Uhls' first major screenwriting credit, working in collaboration with the director on something very different from the only other Palahniuk work to make it to the screen so far, 2008's Choke which is an underwhelming, low-budget piece. Rather Fincher and Uhls would spare no expense to realise Fight Club's full-on maximalism, with an initial budget of $50 million rising to $67 million and Fincher using three times the average amount of film on his fourth feature, some 1500 rolls.
Success on the Screen
It worked. The movie ended up far better than anyone could have expected. As I've mentioned, Palahniuk's writing doesn't really conform to traditional narrative structure, but in adapting Fight Club Jim Uhls refined the material to tease out act breaks (the formation of Fight Club, the beginning of Project Mayhem) as well as a clear Inciting Incident. It happens ten minutes in, when the narrator spots Marla Singer at the cancer support group they both attend and is the very antithesis of a meet-cute. The opening and concluding scenes with the gun in the narrator's mouth were retained, while Fincher lobbied hard to keep the distinctive address through voiceovers, something that was initially opposed by the studio. Perhaps they were in thrall to the then-fashionable teachings of screenwriting guru Robert McKee, the execs who described this convention as hackneyed and trite. But rules are made to be broken, and our unreliable narrator becomes clear and sympathetic as his voice pounds in the audience's ear throughout.
What Was Improved
Fincher took advantage of the technology and resources available to turn into an overwhelming sensory experience. He put on the screen moments only mentioned as offhand fantasy in the book, such as the narrator willing his plane to crash, now shown in graphic detail. There are wish-fulfilment cutaways and visual montages, with the first fight between Tyler and the narrator expanding over a number of nights, as other men are attracted by the sight, all keen to wallop each other and feel alive once more. Later Project Mayhem's mischief committee will use pigeons to soil luxury cars, take out sculptures and sabotage the in-flight guides of aeroplanes.
During the opening credits special effects take us through the narrator's brain and soon we will pan down buildings, into the underground car park hosting the club. There is a pounding score from electronic group The Dust Brothers, perfectly in synch with the visuals, but perhaps the most effective addition is also the subtlest.
To hint that Tyler is an invention of the narrator's fracturing mind, and also reference Durden's hobby of inserting porn frames into family films during his projectionist work, Fincher splices in subliminal appearances from Brad Pitt, beginning when the narrator meets Marla. They reflect the narrator's declining mental stability, his subconscious need to invent a new persona to attract Marla; a decisive, buff man of action. He is the kind of alpha male Norton's character has been made to believe she wants, and if your mind was inventing the perfect physical specimen back in 1999, it would surely be Brad in his heyday. Flashes of Pitt start to permeate the reels before Tyler appears in the background at an airport and is then introduced, the director manipulating the frame regularly as events progress through the narrator's mental breakdown.
Inevitably certain elements from any novel, however short, won't make the cut in a two-hour feature. In the book there is a strand that involves Marla storing her mother's fat, which the narrator uses to make products for the Paper Street Soap Company and leads to recriminations. Near the end of the story Marla is further alienated by seeing Tyler-slash-the narrator murder a man while working as a waiter at a murder-mystery party. I suspect these elements were removed because Uhls saw Fight Club as a "romantic comedy". The screenwriter played up the connection between Marla and the narrator, something Palahniuk doesn't dwell on in the book, uninterested as he is in happy endings.
Certain elements have actually been toned down for the film, with Marla's memorable line after sleeping with Durden – "Marla said she wanted to have Tyler's abortion" – considered too strong for US sensibilities and changed to her saying: "I haven't been fucked like that since Grade School". Arguably this is even more shocking, but at least it won't get the pro-lifers' backs up. More obscure in the book are references to the central character's mental condition, as the narrator tries to explain by asking Marla if she's ever seen the 1976 American TV mini-series 'Sybil' and Marla in turn saying he was like "Tony Perkins' mother in Psycho". The film prefers to cite Jekyll and Hyde, which brings us to …
As I've mentioned, on the page the difficulties of a narrator achieving all he does with two personalities using the same body – one in daytime, the other at night – can be glossed over. When it's up there for the audience to see, this sleight of hand isn't possible. As with The Sixth Sense (whose writer-director has just tackled D.I.D. himself in Split), Fight Club's twist makes you go back and realise that one of the central characters was never actually there.
On a second viewing you observe the minor players and wonder how likely it is they react as they did around Ed Norton effectively talking to himself. The movie manages this fairly well, with moments gaining significance in retrospect as when Marla asks who he's talking to while they're having sex, Bob mentioning the rumour Durden "only sleeps one hour a night" and the scene where Norton shows how adept he is at beating himself up before his boss.
But as the twist approaches things start to unravel, specifically in the scene when Durden crashes a car with two 'space monkeys' in the back to make the narrator feel more alive. In the book Tyler doesn't actually appear in the vehicle, this stunt is done on his orders by an acolyte who spouts Tyler's invective while driving. Watching the film, we later realise there was only one person in the front of the car and ask ourselves: would those in the back really have been so brainwashed? The space monkeys fail to intervene, even as the narrator becomes increasingly unhinged and looks as if he will kill them. And worse is to come…
In the film, once the narrator realises that Tyler Durden is a figment of his imagination we are shown a sequence of earlier scenes with no involvement from Pitt: the narrator attacking himself, sleeping with Marla, heading up Fight Club and so on.
As the apotheosis of Project Mayhem approaches, reworked here with an anti-Wall Street bent, the narrator takes action to free himself from Tyler's malign influence. This gives the film the opportunity to end Fight Club in the same manner as every Hollywood action movie ever – with two men fighting each other. But as interpolated CCTV footage shows, this is actually Ed Norton attacking himself, dragging his body along by the hair then throwing himself downstairs in a way that's physically impossible, even for an experienced self-harmer. As the climax approaches the audience moves from willingly suspending their disbelief to being unable to accept what is happening, as it all becomes too implausible.
At least, they do for me.
In the book, the narrator's realisation that he can consciously control Tyler, but will only be rid of his malignant alter-ego with drastic action, leads him to blow a hole through his own cheek. The narrator then ends up in a mental institution with "a jagged smile from ear to ear", following much reconstructive surgery (presumably). This is much more satisfying and thematically appropriate than the ending the film offers, where Uhls and Fincher fall into the trap of offering an upbeat finale and strain credulity in doing so.
Because when Ed Norton fires a handgun through his cheek in the film, it creates a minor wound that is somehow sufficient to cure his D.I.D. and vanquish Tyler, but doesn't actually affect his speech much. It certainly doesn't spoil the romance of the climax; he simply dabs a bit of gauze on it then happily holds Marla's hand while they watch the empty buildings fall. I'm not a medical expert, and I know very little about ballistics, but I suspect if a bullet was fired through my cheek the immediate concerns would be very different from Norton's here. Excellent use of the Pixies' 'Where Is My Mind?' to soundtrack it though, you don't get that in the book.
Cult Success
In spite of these flaws, this adaptation remains a triumph, number four in Total Film magazine's list of the greatest films ever made and with an 8.8 average on IMDB; higher than La La Land. After an underwhelming theatrical run when it failed to make a profit and led to Fox studio head Bill Mechanic's resignation, Fight Club found an audience on DVD and video, shifting more than six million units. The film eventually made a $10 million profit for 20th Century Fox and would remain the high-point of Jim Uhls' career, although he did go on to write Doug Liman's 2008 teleportation disappointment Jumper.
Fincher continued to have huge success with the similarly dark Zodiac and other twisty literary adaptations like Gone Girl or The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, while Chuck Palahniuk gained a whole new audience from the publicity and continues to transgress fictional boundaries, although his insistence on releasing a book a year since the late nineties has resulted in a significant drop-off in quality.
Overall Fight Club is as faithful a book-to-film adaptation as I've seen and a much-loved movie in its own right. I suspect my preference for the novel might be because of those plausibility issues I mention, and because it was on the page when I first encountered Palahniuk's ideas, the author elucidating things I was feeling only vaguely at twenty-two. However many visual innovations or shots of Brad with his shirt off Fincher employs, his movie simply can't have the same impact as when I first read Tyler's philosophy:
You are not your job, you are not how much money you've got in the bank. You are not your family, and you are not who you tell yourself.
Then again, how many other films make an eight figure profit and lead to the resignation of a studio boss? Maybe we should call it a draw.
BIO: Alan Devey is a London-based writer of scripts and fiction. His most recent book is a novella for the Kindle called You Don't Bury Survivors. He presents the Comes With Mp3s music show on Radio Woking, writes a blog on writing and other matters at and can be contacted via his website alandevey.net.


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Photograph by S. Martin Shelton, courtesy of the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office.
The turn-of-the-century mining town of Manhattan in Nye County flourished for a bit then failed.
Miner George Nicholl found rich silver deposits in the southern part of the Toquima Range in Nye County during 1866. Only sporadic production occurred there until major new discoveries, assaying at $3000 a ton, were made in April 1905. A rush to the booming mining camp ensued, and by the end of 1905, Manhattan had a population of more than 1000, seventy-five frame buildings, and two newspapers. Although the town was at its peak, the San Francisco earthquake in April 1906 had a tremendous effect on it. Most of Manhattan's investors were from the destroyed bay city, and they pulled their money out to help rebuild their own community.
Fortunately, extensive gold placer deposits were discovered below town in 1909, bringing new prosperity to Manhattan. By the 1920s, however, mining slowed dramatically and little was produced until a huge dredge was built in 1938 to work the placer deposits. The dredge, an oddity in Nevada, produced $4.6 million before being dismantled in 1947.
During the 1980s, an open pit operation was active and new mining operations started in 2005. About fifty people still call Manhattan home and there are many reminders of its once glorious past.
Southern Nevada›Nye County
Tybo
Shawn Hall. Preserving the Glory Days: Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of Nye County, Nevada. Reno, NV: University of Nevada, Reno, 1999.
George Nicholl
Nye County
Community and Society
By Shawn Hall


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La Región de Hradec Králové (; , ) es una unidad administrativa (kraj) de la República Checa. Se sitúa en la región histórica de Bohemia. La capital es Hradec Králové. Limita con la Región de Pardubice, al suroeste con la Región de Bohemia Central y al oeste con la Región de Liberec. Al norte limita con el voivodato polaco de la Baja Silesia.

Distritos (okresy)
 Distrito de Hradec Králové
 Distrito de Jičín
 Distrito de Náchod
 Distrito de Rychnov nad Kněžnou
 Distrito de Trutnov

Ciudades importantes
 Hradec Králové
 Chlumec nad Cidlinou
 Jičín
 Náchod
 Rychnov nad Kněžnou
 Trutnov
 Dvůr Králové nad Labem
 Jaroměř

Enlaces externos

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Q: Will the garbage collector collect the objects created by this C# code? I have the following code:
public abstract class State
{
    public abstract void HandleState();
}

public class StateA : State
{
    public override void HandleState()
    {
       // do stuff here
       ....

       // this returns a new state object, and there are multiple, like StateB, StateC etc.
       State newState = GetNewState();
       newState.HandleState();
    }
}

Assuming that state objects keep getting returned ad-infinitum, will the garbage collector ever be able to collect objects generated by this code?

A: Well, that depends on what GetNewState returns. If you are creating stack overflow (as Frédéric Hamidi pointed out) by creating new instances of StateA, then you'll get a StackOverflowException (most likely before the GC would try to run).
However, provided GetNewState() returns an instance of something else that doesn't create objects that are in turn creating new State objects recursively, then they will eventually get garbage collected at some point after they are no longer referenced (garbage collection is non deterministic and will clean up unused memory when it gets around to it).
Example of an implementation that wouldn't cause a stack overflow:
public class StateB : State
{
   public override void HandleState()
   {
     // do stuff here - that doesn't keep creating new State objects.
     ....
   }
}

As Eugene Podskal pointed out, those created classes could create a reference to themselves that would cause them to not get garbage collected. Such as:
public class StateC : State
{
   private static List<StateC> _myStates = new List<StateC>();

   public StateC()
   {
       //Unless items are removed at some point from _myStates, they
       // won't get garbage collected.
       _myStates.Add(this);
   }

   public override void HandleState()
   {
     // do stuff here
   }
}

A: No.  You're holding onto all of the references to these old State objects in the stack, which you continually delve down in without (apparently) ever coming back up from.  Since you're holding onto references to the old state objects, they won't be GCed.
Once (if) you get to whatever point at which you don't generate a new state and "go back up the stack" then the objects will be able to be reclaimed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


You are here: Home / Desserts / Cupcakes / Gingerbread Cupcakes & A Giveaway!
Sweet, soft gingerbread cupcakes infused with the spices of fall and topped with a vanilla bean & cinnamon-speckled frosting. Make sure to scroll down to the end of the post to enter in a giveaway for some of my favorite Rodelle products!
I think we've all had enough of politics over these past few months, so today we're sticking strictly to cupcakes. No matter which side you fall on, I have a feeling you can appreciate a good cupcake recipe.
I mentioned these cupcakes in my last post, in what I called "The Great Cupcake Fiasco". TEN times I trialed this recipe trying to get it right. TEN! I melted butter, creamed butter, substituted oil, switched up the number of eggs, increased and decreased my leaveners and made just about every possible recipe change I could think of. My kitchen trash can has devoured dozens of cupcakes, some that were dry as sand (Zach took a giant "test bite" of one of those… big mistake!), dense as bricks, and many with sunken, deflated tops.
First they were too dry, then when I tried to make up for that they became too wet, oily, and saturating their wrappers and leaving a greasy film on everything they touched.
These cupcakes were a challenge.
But, guess what: finally, finally, finally everything came together.
Finally I get to share these cupcakes with you that are neither too dry nor too oily — they're perfectly moist and tender. They're not dense nor are they sunken, they're soft, fluffy, and lightly textured with tops that don't necessarily puff and round, but spring back to the touch.
The spices are carefully balanced, lots of ginger and cinnamon, a little nutmeg, a sprinkle of allspice and ground cloves. Tastes like Fall.
This is gingerbread without the crunch of a cookie or the density of a loaf-pan — gingerbread in the form of pure cupcake perfection.
To frost these temperamental little cupcakes, I first played with a white chocolate buttercream but decided that it made things much too sweet. So cream cheese it was.
I feel like I'm always throwing cream cheese based frostings at you, but I can't help it, they're my favorite! Not too sweet, and not overpowering in flavor, and perfectly complementary to these spiced gingerbread cupcakes.
I added a little bit of brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon to this frosting for a little extra flavor. Top with cinnamon sticks if desired (mostly just for decorative purposes!).
Recently I've been a little obsessed with using vanilla paste, and those are half of the specks you see in the above frosting (the rest are cinnamon flecks). While I love using real vanilla beans when I can, I've been using Rodelle's vanilla bean paste, which I'm absolutely in love with — it has a rich vanilla flavor without the hassle of scraping a (expensive) vanilla bean.
And those vanilla flecks are just everything to me <3.
Speaking of Rodelle, I have to mention that I'm very proud to officially be a brand ambassador for them!
I know I've mentioned their products before, and my pantry is always fully stocked with plenty of Rodelle vanilla, so I'm very happy to be working with them.
I don't know if you've ever used their products before, but I wanted to give you the chance to do so, and so we're running a giveaway for a bundle of their products. Make sure to enter the giveaway just before the recipe below!
I'm happy to have partnered with Rodelle as a Brand Ambassador to host this giveaway, thank you for supporting the brands that support Sugar Spun Run! As always, all opinions & content are my own.
The giveaway has ended — Congratulations Theresa!
Soft and fluffy gingerbread cupcakes with a cinnamon spiced cream cheese frosting.
Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and line a 12-cavity cupcake tin with paper liners.
In stand mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and beat until well-combined.
Stir in Rodelle vanilla extract.
Combine buttermilk and molasses in a large measuring cup and stir with a fork until combined.
With mixer on low-speed, gradually add buttermilk/molasses mixture until combined (you may notice some separation, this is fine), pausing occasionally to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until completely combined (take care not to over-mix).
Bake on 350F (177C) for 18-20 minutes or until tops spring back to the touch.
In a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer), beat together butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar until well-creamed.
Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Pause occasionally to scrape down sides of the bowl.
Stir in ground cinnamon, if desired.
Spread or pipe frosting over cooled cupcakes (I used a Wilton 1M tip to decorate these).
If desired, top with Rodelle Cinnamon sticks***, as in picture.
Hi, when you say cloves are you talking about whole or ground? Also what would a good replacement for molasses i live in the UK and we have golden syrup or treacle and not sure if they are similar. Recipe sounds fabulous, hoping to make some festive treats for children's teachers.
not sure if you looked at the ingredients of the vanilla items you are buying but i did. these are not pure items at all , not even close to vanilla products i would say……………..sorry. take a look yourself at the vanilla bean . first item is sugar, that says it all. then the next one and so on. homemade vanilla takes two items. thats it and its PURE.
Hi Kari, I think you are speaking specifically of the vanilla paste, which is made of different ingredients than their vanilla extract. I love the vanilla paste because of the great depth of flavor (and the vanilla specks!) it adds to anything that I add it to (and I'm not exactly shy of adding a few extra grams of sugar 😉 ), but please feel free to substitute the vanilla paste for regular vanilla extract or a scraped vanilla bean instead, if you would like!
There are certain flavors that are necessities at Christmas, peppermint and ginger topping the list. I wanted something gingerbread, but not cookies, so I looked for a gingerbread cupcake. I'm glad I decided on these because I just finished making them and they are amazing! I was afraid the amount of molasses would make the cupcakes heavy, but I love their texture and "just right" spicyness. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is the perfect, not-too-sweet complement. This was my first time on this site but I will be visiting often.
This sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving and Holiday Dessert. Plan to put it on my try this year list. I use Pure vanilla from Mexico like the flavor better than what ours is. Haven't tried the Vanilla Paste or any of there products. Hope I win would like to try them. Is Rodelle available in stores or just on internet?
Betty I'm so sorry I didn't see this sooner, my spam folder caught a lot of messages it wasn't supposed to last week! Rodelle is available in some stores, one of the three grocery stores in my area carries it. I believe you can go to their site to find if a store near you carries it, but I've found its the same price on Amazon as it is in the store, so if you have Prime/free shipping it's not a bad deal to order it online!
I have a question, I want to make these to take to a dinner on thanksgiving day, (lovely recipe from the looks of it!) but it's been years since I have made any gingerbread and I cannot recall ever seeing unsulphered molasses … if I cannot find that, is regular molasses an okay substitute? Will it change the taste of texture of these cupcakes?
These look amazing and so flavorful!
These look to die for! I can't wait to try them out!
I love these cupcakes, and never get tired of a good cream cheese frosting! Thank you for giveaway!


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The Vikings were Scandinavian raiders of the 8th to 11th centuries. Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians all came down from the cold north and plundered Europe. For almost 300 years they terrorized the world.
The above is the time of the Viking Age, but what many don't realize is that many of the famous Viking heroes were actually pre-Viking Age. This history will cover many of these legendary heroes as well as important dates during the Viking Age.
A.D. 436, This is the time of the legendary Sigurd the dragon slayer. Son of hero Sigmund and leading figure in the Volsung saga. Also known as Siegfried.
480, King Hadding of Denmark. Raised by giants he fought many a great battle. His tale is filled with fantastic creatures and magic.
520, Beowulf. Perhaps the most well known of the Viking heroes. Known mostly for killing the wicked Grendel.
550, Hrolf Kraki. Hrolf is another legendary King of Denmark. His tale is filled with berserkers, witches and all manner of creatures.
793, on the eighth day of June the Vikings sacked the monastery of Lindisfarne on the east coast of England. This was the beginning of the Viking Age.
The scholar Alcuin said, "Never before has such a terror appeared in Britain."
793-795, Norwegian Vikings attacked the monasteries of Jarrow, Monkwearmouth, Rechru, St. Patrick, and St. Columbia, sacking them with incredible speed and efficiency.
795, the Vikings sacked the Irish monastic foundation on Iona. They attacked again in 801, and once more in 806, slaughering 68 monks. The survivors fled to the Irish mainland.
799, Aquitaine is raided by Vikings.
800, coastal defenses are organized by Charlemagne.
810, Frisia is ravaged by the Danish king Godfred.
815, Floki of Rogaland set out from the Faergoe Isles and discovered Iceland.
822-823, Archbishop Ebo of Rheims undertakes a mission to Denmark.
832, Vikings raid Armagh in Ireland three times in one month.
835, The Oseberg ship burial in Norway.
837, 60 Viking longships entered the mouth of the Boyne and another 60 sailed up to Liffey. The Vikings devestated Ireland by ravaging her churches, sanctuaries, and her shrines.
839, the Norse leader Turgeis led an impressive army into the north of Ireland, conquering Ulster, and founding the harbor-stronghold of Dublin.
843, Norwegians plunder the town of Nantes in western France. They then sailed up the Loire as far as Tours and attacked the whole of France.
844, a group of Danes sailed up the Guadalquivir and attacked Seville. They slaughtered indescriminately and even killed a coterie of aged men who sought refuge in a mosque. The sacrilege outraged the Moors and they gave the sanctuary a new name, Mosque of the Martyrs.
845, The Vikings defile the shrine of Clonmacnoise. Ota, the wife of the Norse leader Turgeis, performed pagan rites on the high altar. Turgeis later took the settlement of Armagh and proclaimed himself king. The Irish later captured him and drowned him in Loch Owel.
845, Vikings threaten Paris and are paid a tribute of bullion worth 7,000 pounds of silver not to attack.
851, Danish Vikings land in Ireland and join forces with the Irish to become the rulers of Ireland.
853, Olaf and Ivar, two sons of a minor Norwegian ruler, established a Norse kingdom in Dublin. This kingdom lasted for more than two centuries.
859, the Danish chieftain Hastein joined forces with another Viking leader and led a fleet of 60 dragon ships through the straits of Gibraltar and raided Algeciras and the coasts of Morocco.
860, Hastein led his fleet to Italy and sacked Luna, a town that no longer exists.
874, first settlement of Iceland.
876, Rolf the Ganger's first arrival in the Seine.
885, birth of Erik Blood-Axe.
907, Swedish Viking Oleg the Wise led an army of eighty thousand men and two thousand ships to Constantinople. Panic-stricken, the Byzantines paid a large tribute and agreed to a commercial treaty.
919, birth of Hacon the Good.
930, Erik Blood-Axe becomes King of Norway on Harold Fairhair's abdication.
931, death of Rolf the Ganger, founder of Normandy.
933, death of Harald Fairhair.
934, Hacon The Good becomes king of Norway.
939, Erik Blood-Axe becomes King of Northumberland.
940, Gorm the Old King of Denmark.
950, death of Erik Blood-Axe at Steinmore in England.
958, Harald Bluetooth becomes King Of Denmark.
961, death of Hacon the Good after the battle on the island of Stord.
968, birth of Olav Trygvason.
982, Viking chief Erik the Red, accused of a cold-blooded murder, is banished from Iceland for three years. He set sail for the west and finds Greenland.
985, death of Harald Bluetooth. Swein Forkbeard becomes King of Denmark.
992, Leif Erikson, the son of Erik the Red, leaves Greenland with thirty-five men in search of another land. He lands on Labrador and becomes the first European to discover America.
995, Olav Trygvason becomes King of Norway. Birth of St Olav.
1000, Olav Trygvason killed at battle of Svold by Swein Forkbeard & Olaf King of Sweden.
1066, Norwegian king Harald Hardrada leads an army to invade England, but is killed at the battle at Stamford Bridge near York. The English king Harold Godwinesson is himself killed three weeks later at the battle of Hastings against William, duke of Normandy who was crowned king of the English on Christmas Day.
1070, Danish king Sven Estridsson arrives in Humber to claim England. King Williams defenses were too strong and he was forced to withdraw in the summer.
Home. . History . . Viking Life . . Weapons and Armor . . BERSERKERS . . Ships . . Gods . . Runes. . Books. . Movies and Music . . Funnies. . My Collection . . About This Page . . Links . .


It this was a correct theory, than Lizzie would have been more easily fingered in the crime as she had been spotted trying to purchase that type of poison. It has been largely accepted that Mrs. Borden was killed first and her husband was murdered shortly after. Because the Bordens had been very careful about locking all their doors, a stranger just entering the house without admittance by a family member seemed very remote. It would appear that this was not some random crime but one carefully executed by an individual who had access to the family and knew the layout of the house. Autopsies were performed on the victims and the case into finding the murderer was begun in earnest.


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BN Community
One Day Until Destiny: 2014 World Cup Day 10 Open Thread
Oh, what a tournament it has been - the Mexicans showed some real grit holding off the Brazilian assault on their goal, both Spain and England have been dumped out of the tournament without a single victory to their name yet, while the French and Croatians both showed they have some serious firepower for a deep run.
By Bellerophon Jun 21, 2014, 8:36am PDT
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Matthias Hangst
Tomorrow, our boys in Red, White, and Blue return to the field in the sweltering jungle humid heat in Manaus to take on the world's best (or second-best, depending on who you ask) player, Cristiano Ronaldo, and an injury-depleted Portugal squad in a very winnable game that could get the Americans out of the Group of Death and into the knock-out stage. But while we have to wait another day to believe, we have some big games on tap today.
Today, we'll get the action started with La Albiceleste of Argentina taking on Iran at 9 a.m. PST, with the world's best (or second-best, depending on who you ask) player, Leo Messi, leading Argentina in their iconic white and sky blue stripped kits. The Argentinians are looking to secure three points and their spot in the knock-out stage, but they'll have a tough job on their hands as Iran showed they're no push-over, fighting out a defensive draw against the 2013 African Cup of Nations winner Nigeria on Monday. Argentina will line up in a 4-3-3, with Messi playing in a withdrawn #10 role, with Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Agüero, and Angel di Maria playing in attacking roles alongside the Barcelona goal-scoring machine. It should be a good one, set to kick-off at 9 a.m. PST on ESPN.
Next up will be game of massive importance to the United States - Germany takes on Ghana at noon PST on ESPN. Die Mannschaft should be able to break down Ghana's defense and win easily, given how extremely deep and talented Germany is, and the Americans will be hoping the Germans can eliminate the Black Stars today. Even if Ghana salvage a draw, it keeps them alive and requires a bit more work from the Yanks. Ghana won't be able to enjoy the same amount of possession they did against the Americans and even if the Black Stars find a way to slow down Thomas Müller, they'll need to also find a way to keep Mario Götze, Toni Kroos, Mesut Özil, and Andre Schürrle from scoring, which should prove to be a next to impossible task. So, make sure to tune in to this one to keep tabs on how it will impact our boys in Red, White, and Blue.
Finally, we end the day with Bosnia taking on Nigeria at 3 p.m. on ESPN. The Bosnians played well in their 2-1 loss to Argentina and look like the second best team in an uninspiring Group F. A win over the Super Eagles of Nigeria should help cement that position, especially if Argentina beats Iran as expected.
And just to get you fired up for tomorrow's big fight, remember: I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE THAT. I BELIEVE THAT WE. I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!
In case you need to watch this again: John Brooks FOR THE WIN! #USMNT http://t.co/rIvCvHeCo4
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 17, 2014
This is your World Cup open thread for the tenth day of action in Brazil. Fire away with your thoughts, analysis, and opinions as you tune in and as we anxiously count down to the return of the boys in Red, White, and Blue tomorrow against Ronaldo and the Portuguese.
I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!
GO BRUINS
GO U-S-A!


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Big names skipping DP World a sour end to Euro season
By Alistair Tait November 18, 2018 5:39 pm
By Alistair Tait | November 18, 2018 5:39 pm
So much for Keith Pelley's goal of getting the top European Tour players to play more on their home circuit. It didn't exactly work out in the season-ending $8 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
Pelley launched the lucrative Rolex Series two years ago with intention of ensuring Europe's top players competed more on their home tour. What tour pro wouldn't want to play in a tournament worth a minimum $7 million? And who in their right mind would turn down a $13 million, season-ending event (an $8 million prize fund and $5 million bonus pool for the top 10 players)? How about Justin Rose and Paul Casey? They didn't seem to get Pelley's memo. Both sat out the DP World.
Rory McIlroy could skip next year's event after hinting in Dubai he may quit the European Tour next year to focus on the PGA Tour. Not the sort of news Pelley wanted as he punctuated an excellent European season that produced a Ryder Cup win and a major champion in Francesco Molinari, the 2018 European No. 1.
Some might be wondering how Pelley justifies his $3.5 million pay package when he can't get his top players to play in a $13 million tournament, and can't get his star attraction to commit to just four regular European tournaments next season.
Rose was cryptic about skipping Dubai, saying the reason would become apparent in 2019. Rose was on course to win a potential $750,000 bonus for finishing second on the European money list, money he could only earn by playing the DP World.
Still, Rose isn't short of cash. He's reportedly just signed a five-year, $10 million per year club contract with Honma that requires him to play eight Honma clubs. No wonder he can afford to say no to a Middle East trip.
There was no official reason for Casey missing the season finale. Casey made much of re-joining the Tour to play in the Ryder Cup. The least he might have done was play in the year's final event.
If the absence of star players sat heavily on Pelley's mind, he didn't show it in Dubai. The bespectacled Canadian may be diminutive in stature, but he's got that hockey player's mentality of never backing down from a scrap.
"Our two critical KPIs [key performance indicators] are playing opportunity and prize funds," Pelley said. "The 100th-ranked player in 2016 made €275,000. This year, they are going to make over €400,000.
"This year on the schedule, I think there are 4,382 playing opportunities, which is a little up from last year but it's five or six hundred more playing opportunities than a couple of years ago. As a members' organization, that's key, providing opportunities for people. We're thrilled with the media value and we're thrilled with what the Rolex Series has brought to the tour."
Rolex might think otherwise. The luxury watch company probably couldn't care less about the 100th ranked player. Star players skipping lucrative events isn't what they signed up for.
Pelley has another potential PR disaster looming. The European Tour travels to Saudi Arabia next year for the Saudi International from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 amid the House of Saudi's fall from grace following Jamal Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Pelley was resolute recently when asked about breaking new ground in Saudi Arabia.
"I can simply say that the Saudi International is on our schedule in 2019, and I really don't have anything more to add than that," he said several times to repeated questioning.
So the curtain falls on another European season, but a glimpse through that curtain suggests everything isn't rosy backstage at the European Tour. Gwk
Digital Edition, DP World Tour Championship 2018, European Tour, Rory McIlroy, Digital Edition
PGA Tour schedule and results: 2018-19 season
Inspiration from late Heather Farr has driven Val Skinner's LIFE Event for 20 years
More Digital Edition


(3) as it has been reported that there has been a rising trend in the number of cases in which torture claimants of South Asian descent committed criminal offences such as handling stolen goods and drug trafficking, whether the authorities will consider afresh setting up closed camps for torture claimants, abolishing the issuance of recognizance forms to torture claimants, and reviewing the mechanism and conditions for vetting and approving legal assistance applications, so as to avoid such mechanism being abused by illegal entrants and bogus torture claimants?
In Hong Kong, all persons, regardless of their background, nationality or race, shall abide by the laws of Hong Kong. The Police are committed to maintaining law and order and combating crimes, thereby maintaining our status as one of the safest cities in the world.
On April 29, 2017, a case of gang fight took place in Sham Shui Po; another case of possession of offensive weapon by multiple persons took place on May 2. The Police attach great importance to the cases. The Crime Squad and Anti-Triad Unit of the relevant districts have been designated to conduct in-depth investigation into the cases. According to the latest information from the Police, in the first case, one man has been arrested for suspected wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm; and five persons have been arrested in the other case for suspected possession of offensive weapon. Active investigation into the cases is still going on, and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
(1) According to statistics of the Police, in 2015 and 2016, 4 476 and 4 703 non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) persons were arrested for suspected criminal offences, accounting for 13.3 per cent and 14.1 per cent of all persons arrested in the respective years. In the first four months of 2017, 1 453 NEC persons were arrested, representing 14.4 per cent of all persons arrested during the same period. The Police do not maintain further statistical breakdown of these arrestees by nationality or race.
Among all NEC persons arrested in 2015, 2016 and the first four months of this year, respectively 1 113, 1 506 and 491 were NEC persons on recognizance; most of them were non-refoulement claimants. The offences for which they were arrested include shop theft, serious drug offences, miscellaneous thefts, wounding and serious assault, serious immigration offences, forgery and coinage, disorder/fighting in public place and other serious crimes (including criminal damage, possession of offensive weapon, burglary, indecent assault, robbery and pickpocketing). A detailed breakdown is at Annex.
(iv) strengthening the Police's system and process of criminal intelligence collection for enhancing the capability in gathering intelligence on triad societies.
(3) At present, sections 32 and 37ZK of the Immigration Ordinance (the Ordinance) stipulate that the Director of Immigration (the Director) may detain illegal immigrants during the removal procedures and the screening process of their non-refoulement claims respectively. In 2014, the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) ruled in a judicial review case that the Director's detention power is subject to the common law Hardial Singh principles. Accordingly, the Immigration Department (ImmD) cannot continue to detain an illegal immigrant if it cannot complete the removal procedures or the screening process within a reasonable time.
ImmD has formulated a detention policy on how such power will be exercised. For example, matters to be considered for detention include whether the person concerned has conviction(s) associated with crime(s) of serious or violent nature, whether there is doubt on his true identity and whether he has a record of absconding. The policy is available on ImmD's website for public access. Also, every detention case will be under regular review to ensure legality of all detention decisions.
If a person is considered not suitable for detention under the policy, ImmD will require him / her to enter into a recognizance under section 36 of the Ordinance in the prescribed form (commonly known as recognizance form or Form 8) in such amount and with such number of sureties as it reasonably requires. When a detained person enters into such recognizance, he may be released. Currently, most NEC persons granted recognizance are non-refoulement claimants, whom ImmD has to grant recognizance to according to the law and the above policy as ImmD cannot remove them within a short period of time.
Presently, NEC persons on recognizance include claimants pending screening by ImmD, rejected claimants who have lodged an appeal and claimants whose appeal has been rejected and are undergoing removal procedures. Ceasing the arrangement to grant them recognizance is unlikely to be consistent with the above CFA's ruling, which requires ImmD not to continue to detain an illegal immigrant if it cannot complete the removal procedures or the screening process within a reasonable time.
At present, most illegal immigrants (including claimants) detained by ImmD are placed in the Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre, which has about 500 detention places. In 2017-18, the Government will create 35 posts for the Centre to strengthen its management.
We are also considering different measures from the from the legal, public security, and resources perspectives, including using existing prisons or penal institutions or recommissioning vacant ones to detain illegal immigrants and providing more effective operational support to detention facilities. The Government will further report to the Legislative Council when specific proposals are ready.
As regards publicly-funded legal assistance (PFLA) to claimants, the Government is required in another judicial review case in 2008 to provide legal assistance on public funds to non-refoulement claimants lack the means, otherwise we will be in breach of the high standards of fairness required in screening non-refoulement claims according to high standards of fairness. The Duty Lawyer Service (DLS) commenced a scheme in 2009 to provide PFLA to those claimants who pass DLS' means test and requires such assistance. The scheme does not have a merits test.
We are conducting a comprehensive review on the strategy of handling non-refoulement claims, including how to provide PFLA to claimants in a way that makes the screening process more effective and responsive to changes in the number of claims whilst continuing to meet with the legal requirement above. The Government will soon launch a pilot scheme to refer some claims directly to lawyers who are already qualified. The pilot scheme will reduce administrative work by paying a fixed legal fee and providing cash allowance instead of employing Court Liaison Officers, such that screening capacity can immediately increase and we can trial run a more flexible operation model at the same time. The Government will review the pilot scheme after one year, and will consider the most appropriate long-term arrangement.


Oakam provides instalment loans both through www.oakam.com and also on the high street. This company arrived in 2007 that was also when they opened their first store. They have just over 20 high street branches with most of these being located around the London area. The Bonus Loan is their main product in focus here, but they also have The Big Plus Loan that has much higher sums and this has to be phoned though to them. With the Bonus product, £200 to £600 is available that can be taken over either 3, 4, 5 or 6 months. With the Big Plus the maximum available sum is £5000.
Satsuma Loans is the online equivalent of the popular doorstep loan service Provident Personal Credit. This new brand was launched recently in 2013 at www.satsumaloans.co.uk. Plenty of media attention and TV advertising has helped to spur on their growth. There has been a lot going on at Provident Financial Plc that has included the major management shuffle with John van Kuffeler handing the control on to Manjit Wolstenholme. They have been busy with this new company alongside the Tandem project that was created at the same time. More recently they also acquired Moneybarn in the car finance sector. They also run the successful credit card brand (Vanquis).
The Lending Stream was the first major company to launch an instalment loan product that differentiated them to the monthly brands popular at the time. This service was launched at www.lendingstream.co.uk back in the year 2008. When we last checked this site, most loans available were taken over 6 months (for £180 amounts or above). Between £100 and £180 was 5 months and any amount below was taken over 4. As it now stands, a 6 month term is now fixed for every such available sum. New applicants are offered cash from £50 to £800 and the top figure of £1500 is there for existing customers.
Wizz Cash that is the creation of Emergency Cash Ltd has been one of the UK's fastest growing lenders. They launched at www.wizzcash.com not far back in 2012 and within just a few years they have emerged as one of the top performing direct loan providers through the Google search engine. Rather than heading down the traditional 30 day route, this company has created an instalment product with a more manageable repayment structure. This service was designed with a set 3 month term in place. However, they have recently updated to offer applicants with the choice of selecting 12 months to spread the payments out further.
~ Fixed monthly terms have now been scrapped. They now head an instalment term, although this sits just below 2 months at 50 days.
~ The cost was £29.98 per £100 borrowed. A single representative example is now provided at (£85.28 per £300). This works out at 0.569% daily.
~ There has also been an update with the accessible loan sums. Existing customers can now receive as much as £1500.
~ Verification calls no longer need to be made. In select circumstances, they will now just ask that documents are faxed or uploaded.
~ Finally, they state that the funds should be received on the same day. They have historically stated that a delay of a day should be expected.
Swift Sterling loans have been available through www.swiftsterling.co.uk since back in 2010. Although this company arrived fairly recently, they have already witnessed significant growth across the industry. The owner also operates locally as Pounds Till Payday that came much earlier in the year 2006. This brand is a release of the Northway Group who have setup camp in sunny Malta. The local market is the most important destination to them, although they do trade in other countries spanning the globe such as in the emerging Australian sector (as Payday Mate). These loans carry a set monthly term and they are matched to PTP in every way.


Don't you just hate it if you have to wait for several hours after arrival at the airport to reach your hotel? After several hours of flying, you need to wait for a few more hours. This could be very frustrating. Instead of being excited about your trip, you might feel like going home and not going through with the trip at all.
If you are travelling with kids and lots of luggage, it is even more difficult. The best way to solve this problem is by hiring a chauffeur to collect you at the airport. With someone waiting for you to arrive, the only thing you need to do is wait at the arrival area. You will then be ushered to your luxury car.
Your luggage will then be taken care of. You just have to hop inside the car along with your kids and have a comfortable seat. There is no need to wait until you get a cab before you feel relaxed. You also don't have to worry about taking public transportation, which is totally crowded. Yes, you have to spend more for this service, but you are getting exactly the kind of comfort you deserve.
Another problem when taking a cab or waiting for public transport is that you might get lost. The driver might not know how to reach the place where you intend to stay. You might even end up paying more, especially if you have been circling around the city for a long time. If you are travelling to London, it could be a disaster. You don't want to get lost in such a huge city or else you will never find your way.
On the other hand, if you have a chauffeur who knows where you are going, your route has already been mapped out. He also has knowledge of the local area. The fastest way to reach your destination will be taken. You will avoid traffic and bumpy roads.
Your London chauffeur is also connected with an agency. You can easily make complaints if ever you have one. You know that you are in good hands. These chauffeurs have training and experience in doing their job, and will avoid possible accidents on the road. This is such a huge relief.
Getting this type of service is very easy. You only need to go online. Fill out some forms, send your payment, and wait for your chauffeur at the airport arrival area. You don't have to pay additional fees aside from the amount for your booking online. Travelling has never been this comfortable and relaxing.


Mid-tier Yorkshire law firms are out-ranking the legal giants with their online presence. Read more about how the legal profession is adapting to change and the secrets behind the successful law firms.
In the run up to finding out who will survive the Government's 'dual contract' initiative, the methods we use to attract new business and raise profile are increasingly under the spotlight. In the past, law firms could rely on a healthy share of clients from many sources such as duty slots, general footfall from high-street locations, word of mouth, and repeat clients. The chances of getting through the police station to the court system may arguably have been higher in the past and clients were likely to stick with the same firm for all legal needs. Solicitors and barristers co-existed with defined roles that suited both business models.
However, it's safe to say that things have changed and the legal profession cannot remain still and expect the same return. Business models are ever-changing and employees are expected to manage many different aspects of the business.
We notice that there is a trend by firms of solicitors to link and cross-refer clients internally. Crime and Regulatory departments, for instance, are seeing the benefits of joint marketing and cross-referring opportunities with the commercial departments. The 'Company Director Client' may need the services of both the Criminal and Insolvency teams. The commercial client may need to be referred to the regulatory department for a Trading Standards or Health and Safety Investigations. St Pauls Chambers is proactive in attempts to connect business to business. We see the value in being the centre point of these newly formed connections.
There are many different ways to develop business opportunities and we are tasked to find those methods that suit our business and ability. We also have to learn new skills that can enhance our websites. For example, one of our clerks received training in the creation and development of WordPress sites to keep on top of our website. Many law firms and chambers are employing fewer individuals so it's imperative that we are committed to the continued development in our workforce. Brushing the cobwebs from the training budget is necessary, and with a little investment and inspiring vision we could all have a workforce that will be responsible for increasing turnover.
A cohesive approach to marketing the firm as a whole is necessary but it also has to include the value of each department. This can be done very effectively with regular content being produced by the departments. Content should be directed to a central point within the firm for online publication. Having a central point enables the firm to present a connected approach between departments, with a solid brand message that threads through the content. The 'calls to action' and the key search terms can be added and presented in a uniform way and can be monitored more effectively if one member/team is overseeing the whole operation.
It is more important than ever for law firms to recognise the importance of their online presence and continually make the effort to update and add to their website.


Independance day was celebrated at 7.15 a.m. with a flg hoisting by Mr.Krishnamoorthy a resident senior at aarogyakudumbam.Mrs. Meenakshi who is with us at the home for more than a year sang "THAIN MANI KODI PAREER ".she has such melodiious voice and good memory at her 8o+ age.
Mr.Krishnamoorthy spoke reg his memories of independance day ,and the need to remain patriotic immaterial of the caste,religion,colour. sweets were distributed to the children and the residents.
Neer More Panthal conducted every year at summer.


Reconfigurable network computing platform with applications in grid/cloud computing.
Communication middleware system for smart grid and sensor networks.
Circuit-switched/packet-switched reconfigurable interconnection on-chip networks.
PhD in Computer Science, University of Victoria, 2003; PhD in Operations Research and Control Theory, Shandong University, 1990; BS in Mathematics, Shandong University, 1984.
Reconfigurable network computing platform (2007-present). This project delivers a new computing platform for solving large and complex distributed computing problems. It was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council in early investigation and by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) for commercialization.
Communication middleware system for smart grid (2012-2015). This project is a joint project with the University of Waterloo and industrial partners. It is to deliver a communication software system which provides reliable, secure and high performance 2-way communications among utility servers, macrohubs, microhubs and smart sensors/controllers for data acquisition, monitoring and control, distributed optimization computing.
Sub-Ghz wireless sensor networks (2013-2014). This project is to deliver a reliable embedded software for wireless sensor network (WSN) based on DASH7 communication protocol. This project involves both hardware and software implementation.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council 2005-2010.
OCE-POP grants phase I and phase II, 2010-2012.
CMD-CFI Canada embedded system grant.
OCE smart grid grant, 2012-2015.
I have research assistantships opportunities for undergraduate interested in software development for smart grid and cloud computing, as well as hardware design and implementation for networks-on-chip.
H. Fan, Y.L. Wu, C. C. Cheung. "Design Automation Framework for Reconfigurable Interconnection Networks." Computer Journal (2013).
H. Fan, Brian Moore, and Y.L. Wu, "Structured Overlay Network for File Distribution," Discrete Mathematics, Algorithms and Applications. (2012).
H. Fan, J. Liu, Y.L. Wu, and C.C. Cheung, "The Exact Channel Density Bound and Compound Design for Generic Universal Switch Blocks", ACM Transactions on Design Automation of Electronic Systems. ( 2007).
H. Fan, Y. L. Wu and C.C. Cheung, and J. Liu, "Decomposition Design Theory and Methodology for Arbitrary-Shaped Switch Boxes," IEEE Transactions on Computers. (2006).


text:
Q: logstash conditional statement in input block I'm using logstash and lumberjack to manage my logs. Logstash gets input from two different file types, one of which logs multiline stack traces. I know I should use multiline codec, but I don't know how to apply it to only one type of logs. This does not work:
input {
  lumberjack {
    #some configs
    port => 9000

    if [type] == "TYPE1" { # IF STATEMENT CAUSES ERROR
      codec => multiline {}
    }
  }
}

Is there any way to allow input codecs to work with conditionals?
I know I can use multiline filter instead of codec, but multiline filters disallow mutiple workers and I need them.

A: I suspect the answer is to set up separate inputs for different data types. That way you don't need to add any logic into multiline codec.
For example:
Send all Java logs that follow pattern X to port N
Send all Ruby logs that follow pattern Y to port N+1
I'm not sure how to make this work in a stack that includes Redis or other caching server since all data should ideally go into the cache without any processing, but will require processing logic when it is retrieved since it will contain various data types.
I guess you need to take care of joining the multiline logs at the receiving layer so that caching servers receive complete messages and then run the heavier filters before you send the data to Elastic Search.
Something like this:
LS1 (multiple inputs and codecs like multiline)
Redis (caching)
LS2 (filters)
ES (storage)
KIB (viewing)


text:
Brian Rouff July 13, 2009
The Peppermill Beats the Odds
Photo by Linda Evans
Beckoning locals for 40 years: the Peppermill
We're not the most sentimental bunch here in Las Vegas. Most of our traditions get blown up, bulldozed and steamrolled to make way for the next big thing. Occasionally, someone cares enough to stick some artifact in a museum or storefront. But more often, the object in question simply disappears, never to be seen again, like the Bugsy Siegel suite at the Flamingo.
For years, Las Vegas' official slogan was: "What happens here, stays here." I think a more appropriate one would be: "Don't get too attached."
That's why I find it comforting that a handful of old-time establishments have managed to hang on, sometimes for decades. Like the Peppermill restaurant on the Strip. The Peppermill opened its doors on Dec. 26, 1972, at 11 p.m. I know what you're thinking. "That's only 37 years – big deal." Well, it is by Las Vegas standards. This ain't Manhattan or Chicago, after all. Time takes on a different meaning here.
Immortalized on the screen, the Peppermill's
neon-enhanced interior is instantly recognaizeable
The Peppermill is one of the few stand-alone structures still in existence on the Strip. It sits back from the street behind a nice, convenient parking lot – a throwback to the days when you could park directly in front of every casino. (Quick story: When I moved here in 1981, I could literally leave my car 20 feet from the main terminal at McCarran and waltz right in. Today, to paraphrase Woody Allen, you could take a taxi from the overflow lots.)
If you're heading north on the Strip, the Peppermill will be on your right, wedged between the Silver City Plaza and the Riviera Hotel. The Silver City Plaza derives its name from the now-defunct Silver City Casino, which closed its doors for good in 1999, despite a last-gasp attempt at survival as the only nonsmoking casino in town. (I could have told them it wouldn't work, but nobody asked me. Smoking and gambling go together like drinking and gambling. In fact, the more vices you can pile into one session, the better.) That's something else you should know about Las Vegas – the names of things usually outlive the things themselves. Or they get recycled. If you head down to Lake Mead, for example, you can stop at a little hotel/casino called the Hacienda.
If you've got it, flaunt it: mirrored ceilings and plastic
cherry trees in bloom
If you've seen a great film like "Casino" or a really bad one like "Showgirls," you'll recognize the Peppermill the minute you walk in. Both movies had interior scenes in the restaurant and lounge; so has the "CSI" TV show. The aptly-named Fireside Lounge, dark and intimate, is where you'll find the Peppermill's signature element: a fire pit with gas flames dancing out of a pool of electric-blue water. Sidle up to the bar and order one of 60 exotic drinks from Alabama Slammers to Zombies. Or live dangerously and try an ice cream drink specialty like a Creamsicle or Ultimate Mud Slide, concoctions that taste like milk shakes but sneak up on you fast.
The restaurant interior is as colorful as its history and as kitschy as it gets, with a mirrored tile ceiling, plastic trees sporting fake cherry blossoms, and oversized horseshoe-style booths with faux-Tiffany flamingo lamps perched over every table. The booths are done up in a combination of maroon, green and blue velour, with red neon skirting running along the bottoms. The menus, the napkins, even the server uniforms all carry the same floral color scheme. Either these guys are branding geniuses or they own a flower shop on the side. Somehow, it all works. And every table comes with its own peppermill, which just makes good sense. (I'm reminded of the time I went to Chili's and they were out of chili. If you're gonna call yourself something, you'd damn well better carry it.)
In the end, though, the Peppermill is about the food – more than 100 menu items in all.
My wife and I bring our appetites on a recent June afternoon, knowing that the Peppermill has a reputation for generous portions. My wife orders Dijon chicken, which comes with a choice of soup or salad (tossed green or spinach), veggies, potato and garlic bread. Our server, Sarah, is helpful and attentive without being overbearing. "The spinach salad has bacon bits, eggs and a red dressing," she volunteers. It's also accompanied by a chilled fork, an unexpected touch.
I opt for a mushroom Swiss burger and onion rings. (Onion rings or potato salad can be substituted for fries at no additional charge.) When Sarah brings our food, the blond lady from Boston in the adjacent booth gasps, "Oh my God, look at the size of those rings." I offer one up and she readily grabs it from my plate. "Be sure to tell everyone back home how friendly the locals are," I suggest in my best Chamber of Commerce manner.
The burger is a half-pound of Angus beef, perfectly broiled, spilling out from the soft, fresh bun. My wife's portion is even larger, two chicken breasts complemented by a mound of real mashed red potatoes and fresh, not frozen or canned, green beans and carrots.
Hold the entree: a Peppermill dessert
As we finish, Sarah asks us about dessert. "Too full," I say, certainly not the first time she's heard that. "Do people actually order dessert?"
"If they come in just for dessert," she smiles.
The bill before tip, including iced tea, is $36 and change, a real value for the money, especially on the Strip. After dinner, I talk to assistant manager Martha Montague, a trim, bespectacled woman who's been with the Peppermill since the day it opened.
"I was a senior at Clark High School," she tells me. "They put me on as a waitress on graveyard with absolutely no training. Just said, 'You're on Station 1,' and threw me into the deep end. We were busy from day one, the line out the door. I was the worst waitress in the world. But I picked it up fast."
Martha goes to her office and brings back an original menu, orange and black – the color scheme before everything turned all floral. The prices are eye-opening: $4.50 for a complete sirloin dinner, $3.95 for shrimp Creole, $2.25 for ham and eggs. (The Peppermill has always been a 24-hour restaurant with every menu item available throughout the day.)
"We were considered expensive in those days," Martha says. "We've never been a Denny's. We're a cross between a diner and a dinner house. Our main competition is the Strip hotel coffee shops. We can compete with Bellagio and beat them on price."
Over the years, the Peppermill has developed a faithful clientele. "Visitors, mostly. Locals tend to forget about us, but we see the same out-of-town guests coming back time after time. Now they bring their kids and grandkids. Same with our staff. I've worked with daughters of some of our original employees. The Peppermill has always been like one big family. A place like this becomes your home."
It's what's kept her here all this time, catering to everyone from conventioneers to movie stars. "Oh, yes, we've served some really famous people. Robert DeNiro used to sit at the bar when they were shooting 'Casino,' drinking by himself. Just a super-nice guy. The Smothers Brothers, Debbie Reynolds, all the way back to Sinatra. Penn Gillette, from Penn & Teller, is a regular. He patterned the kitchen in his home after ours."
What's the secret to this kind of loyalty and longevity in a city like Las Vegas? "Quality food, lots of it, friendly staff," Martha says. "It's the reason we're keeping our heads above water, even during the recession. Believe me, the Peppermill isn't going anywhere."
A reassuring thought, indeed.
Filed under Las Vegas Strip, Shopping & DiningTagged with las vegas, Nevada, Peppermill, Silver City Plaza
5 responses on "The Peppermill Beats the Odds"
Megan Edwards says:
I LOVE the Peppermill. You've really captured its charm. Even though it's right on the Strip, I've never had trouble finding a place to park. Amazing!
"The Peppermill isn't going anywhere." Excellent news.
Just ate breakfast there yesterday. You're certainly right about the portions. I still have some Denver Omelet left.
VegasTaxiDriverDotCom says:
One of the original places I used to go when I moved here 18 years ago. I used to get off work at Vegas World at midnight and go there. In the early 80's, I lived in Denver and there were two Peppermill Restaurants, and they were just like the one on the Las Vegas strip. Everything in the restaurants back then was orange, including the waitress outfits. I never could get used to colored sugar crystals in glass jars on the counters. I got to know several of the managers in both Denver and Las Vegas. All the workers I met there have been very pleasant. A lot of things have disappeared over the years, but this one is an oldie but goodie.
Carolyn Uber says:
I just read in Norm's column that the Peppermill is a Holly Madison fave!
I love it too — if you want to have a real conversation with someone along with a drink, their bar is the best!
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