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15 Views
00:30:00 01/04/12
Drive it!: The Motor Magazine
[LESS INFO] 15 VIEWS | ADDED 00:30:00 01/04/12
In this edition of Drive It! We look at the souped-up John Cooper Works Coupe of the Mini; a battle of efficiency between electric and diesel Smarts; and the new Mercedes B-Class tries to combine the stylish with the solid.present it! The Mini CoupeThe Mini family welcomes a rather flash new addition: the John Cooper Works Coupé. The design is extravagant, featuring a low and sporty profile and a chunky rear.The two-seater also boasts an active rear spoiler that automatically rises at speeds in excess of 80 km/h in order to increase the pressure on the rear axle. There are four engines available for selection. We treated ourselves to the most dynamic one, delivering 155 kilowatts of power. compare it! Electric Smart vs. Diesel SmartWith the electric Smart due to go into mass production in 2012, we decided to put one through its paces to check its practical credentials.This involved a face-off against stiff competition from a close relative - the diesel-powered Smart cdi. In visual terms the two Smarts are difficult to tell apart. But our car expert Alexandra Feders certainly discovered a few differences. test it! The Mercedes B ClassThe coffee house is a big Vienna tradition with an appeal to the young and old alike. Appealing to all generations is what big-on-tradition Mercedes wants to do with the B-Class. Until now the car has had a reputation for catering more to seniors than the style-conscious.The aim was now to discard that image - but without scaring off its older clientele. The Daimler designers first tried to give the new model a zippier look and feel by lowering its stance and introducing some pretty wild contours. drive it! checked to see whether the carmaker has managed to bridge the generation gap. examine it! Warning lights - what do they mean?Modern dashboards feature clusters of warning lights. Most of the time they remain idle - but what do we do when they light up red or start flashing? Take the light for ABS, for example. ABS prevents the wheels from locking when you brake. When the warning light goes on, however, it’s telling us there’s a problem.The wheels might now lock when you brake, meaning that you can’t steer and will carry on sliding straight ahead. But flashing lights don’t necessarily require a visit to the repair shop. drive it! provides some tips on how to correctly interpret the lamps and resolve the problem. vintage! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - the AMC PacerCostume designer Anne Jendritzko has her fair share of curiosities stored away. Among them is her lemon-yellow AMC Pacer from GM. Some say it’s the most unlikely car ever to hail from the US. When the oil crisis hit home in the 1970s, classic cruisers were no longer a sound economic option.As the small-is-good era dawned, one of the fruits was the efficiently-titled Pacer. Unlike most other new models, this baby apparently won cult status because its design was so advanced. drive it! took a look at the weird but wonderful antique car.
5 Views
11:00:34 11/16/11
Train Your Brain to Be More Creative
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:34 11/16/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - Recent studies into what the human brain can do and how people learn show us that being in a rut isn't very good for your head. You need to break out of old patterns and try doing things in new ways ... every so often ... to stimulate your brain and stay on your toes. Here's an example: Neurobics is a system of brain training and fun learning exercises that can keep your brain stimulated (at any age). I believe they can help stimulate creativity, too. One neurobic exercise is to shop at a different grocery store. Think about it - that will cause your brain to make new associations and become more perceptive and sharper. Or I like the neurobics exercise of combining two different senses at the same time, like closing your eyes and listening to music while smelling a fragrant flower. Brain studies show that you're stimulating your mind and helping to strengthen your ability to perceive, understand, and process information. There's always an interior design application for me in this type of activity! I believe it's a valid neurobics activity to look critically at a room that's been undecorated for more than 10 years, and think of ways to freshen it up, change things around, or move out art, lighting, and furniture that's been in place forever and bring other items into the room. Decorating equals brain stimulation. And that's a Dr. Irwin Weiner prescription for all of you at home today.... Today's featured video is about a brain training center in California that helps stimulate the brain. I found this stimulating and informative enough to make me want to redecorate the kitchen in my country house. Seriously! I look forward to sharing more about this new project with you in the coming weeks. It will keep my brain well stimulated for years to come.
Click here to subscribe to our daily design videos and features.
0 Views
11:00:34 11/16/11
Train Your Brain to Be More Creative
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:34 11/16/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - Recent studies into what the human brain can do and how people learn show us that being in a rut isn't very good for your head. You need to break out of old patterns and try doing things in new ways ... every so often ... to stimulate your brain and stay on your toes. Here's an example: Neurobics is a system of brain training and fun learning exercises that can keep your brain stimulated (at any age). I believe they can help stimulate creativity, too. One neurobic exercise is to shop at a different grocery store. Think about it - that will cause your brain to make new associations and become more perceptive and sharper. Or I like the neurobics exercise of combining two different senses at the same time, like closing your eyes and listening to music while smelling a fragrant flower. Brain studies show that you're stimulating your mind and helping to strengthen your ability to perceive, understand, and process information. There's always an interior design application for me in this type of activity! I believe it's a valid neurobics activity to look critically at a room that's been undecorated for more than 10 years, and think of ways to freshen it up, change things around, or move out art, lighting, and furniture that's been in place forever and bring other items into the room. Decorating equals brain stimulation. And that's a Dr. Irwin Weiner prescription for all of you at home today.... Today's featured video is about a brain training center in California that helps stimulate the brain. I found this stimulating and informative enough to make me want to redecorate the kitchen in my country house. Seriously! I look forward to sharing more about this new project with you in the coming weeks. It will keep my brain well stimulated for years to come.
Click here to subscribe to our daily design videos and features.
29 Views
01:09:13 09/12/11
Hamdulillah (Featuring Shadia Mansour) The Narcicyst Live At Swu In Texas
[LESS INFO] 29 VIEWS | ADDED 01:09:13 09/12/11
LYRICS Bismillah, like the feeling when I miss Falah, then wish to God in clouds to lift us all Hamdulilah, wonder if Bibi can ever see me, and if I back to Basrah will it ever receive me, Bismillah, homies that have the time to talk, Now I wish to stars that angel find Nawaf. Hamdulillah, I stand awed at the strength of my sister Kiss her and thank God our mission is planned for us. Bismillah, mamati inti hayati, moms the best one, hold her close to heart like my left lung Hamdulillah, for the truth in a being as beaming the moon queen you blessed my future to be with Bismillah, for the souls anguish, love, and the moment my brothers programmed these drums, Hamdulillah, We put the truth to the test, proof that we're blessed students of this music at best. Bismillah, Before I spit this bar, way Before Militants tried to split this law Hamdulillah, for every living day that we spend in the rays of the Shams, why we praise the condemned... Bismillah, wish I could take it back and lift the harm, make a track erase the past that we miss and gone... Hamdulillah, He Spoke So Right we listening wrong living raw, more than a livid song Give it all Bismillah, So I don't rely on an image or Man made divisions for land slave prison fraud, Hamdulillah, Excuse Me, If I use it loosely, forget to bow down and pray, how proud are they? Bismillah, hope you hear the whispers lil nas which stance should i sway when betrayed by wiswases.... forever hope this lasts and we live classic.... Bismillah, means to will in God's name, without the ball and the chain a slave falling to claim, Bismillah, will forever hold inner peace, Wicked streets cripple little being rippling through the middle east Hamdulillah, may God bless the dead and gone, forever strong a better song, breaking bitter bonds Hamdulillah, for this world, in this spot to this song with these words for hip-hop say Bismilllah, stay humble in rhymes in eyes that hate your hunger its like a jungle sometimes it makes you wonder. Filmed and produced by Jeff Zavala. A ZGraphix production. http://zgraphix.org Visit Narcy's website at: http://iraqisthebomb.com My TIP JAR
1 Views
01:09:13 09/12/11
Hamdulillah (Featuring Shadia Mansour) The Narcicyst Live At Su In Texas
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 01:09:13 09/12/11
LYRICS Bismillah, like the feeling when I miss Falah, then wish to God in clouds to lift us all Hamdulilah, wonder if Bibi can ever see me, and if I back to Basrah will it ever receive me, Bismillah, homies that have the time to talk, Now I wish to stars that angel find Nawaf. Hamdulillah, I stand awed at the strength of my sister Kiss her and thank God our mission is planned for us. Bismillah, mamati inti hayati, moms the best one, hold her close to heart like my left lung Hamdulillah, for the truth in a being as beaming the moon queen you blessed my future to be with Bismillah, for the souls anguish, love, and the moment my brothers programmed these drums, Hamdulillah, We put the truth to the test, proof that we're blessed students of this music at best. Bismillah, Before I spit this bar, way Before Militants tried to split this law Hamdulillah, for every living day that we spend in the rays of the Shams, why we praise the condemned... Bismillah, wish I could take it back and lift the harm, make a track erase the past that we miss and gone... Hamdulillah, He Spoke So Right we listening wrong living raw, more than a livid song Give it all Bismillah, So I don't rely on an image or Man made divisions for land slave prison fraud, Hamdulillah, Excuse Me, If I use it loosely, forget to bow down and pray, how proud are they? Bismillah, hope you hear the whispers lil nas which stance should i sway when betrayed by wiswases.... forever hope this lasts and we live classic.... Bismillah, means to will in God's name, without the ball and the chain a slave falling to claim, Bismillah, will forever hold inner peace, Wicked streets cripple little being rippling through the middle east Hamdulillah, may God bless the dead and gone, forever strong a better song, breaking bitter bonds Hamdulillah, for this world, in this spot to this song with these words for hip-hop say Bismilllah, stay humble in rhymes in eyes that hate your hunger its like a jungle sometimes it makes you wonder. Filmed and produced by Jeff Zavala. A ZGraphix production. http://zgraphix.org Visit Narcy's website at: http://iraqisthebomb.com
14 Views
18:08:00 04/20/11
Disneyland Japan Reopens and Texas Arms Preschoolers - Nearly The News #039
[LESS INFO] 14 VIEWS | ADDED 18:08:00 04/20/11
Nearly The News #039
NOT SUCH A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
Some good news from the South Pacific, Disneyland Japan is re-opening just a few weeks after the tsunami and nuclear reactor meltdown spread radiation over parts of the country. Although the log ride will remain closed for obvious reasons, visitors can expect to see a two hundred foot tall Donald Duck who shoots lasers out of its eyes and crushes city buses like they were toys.
THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS, AND WEAR GERANIMALS
The legislature in Texas is considering a bill that would allow toddlers in the state to carry concealed weapons. “We know anti-freedom gun haters are going to get their crazy liberal shorts in a twist about this,” said Governor Rick Perry. “But this is the only way we can make sure the terrorists don’t win, and our kids are safe during naptime.”
BANKS SUCK… NO, SERIOUSLY
And finally…
Bank of America is refusing to do a re-fi on the home of prominent local anchor woman, this despite her sending in all the paperwork they’ve asked for, again and again and again. “It used to be celebrity would get you a little consideration,” said the attractive blonde for a well known internet news service. “But I guess they just hate America.” There was no response from the bank, as per usual. Wow, some pretty strong words there, we’ll see if stupid B of A is listening.
-----------
This episode written by Collin Friesen.
1 Views
16:52:00 04/13/11
Video: Book Tells Story of Serial Bank Robber
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 16:52:00 04/13/11
A Crosby woman has written a book about a criminal who robbed several North Dakota banks. But Cecile Wehrman's book is much more than the story of a modern-day Jesse James. It's a look at how two brothers who grew up in a single household can take such diverse paths in life one becoming a serial bank robber, the other a 20-year veteran of the Marine Corps and Air Force. Jim Olson reports on Wehrman's book, The Brothers Krimm. (Cecile Wehrman, Crosby Author) "September 14, 2009." It's a date that Cecile Wehrman will never forget. The date Jimmy Krimm robbed the north branch of the American State Bank in Williston, led authorities on a gunfighting, car-stealing chase through eastern Montana and northwestern North Dakota, and killed himself within a few miles of Cecile's home. She'll remember it for the drama (Cecile Wehrman, Crosby Author) "Everybody in the neighborhood literally was armed. It seems kind of foolish to think that we were sitting in our living room with guns loaded, but when you're sitting there in a remote area and know someone is out there with a gun, you just do it." But she'll remember it more clearly because of how Jimmy Krimm's felonious acts that night changed her life. (Cecile Wehrman, Crosby Author) "I was so curious about how someone like this would end up here." Turns out, Jimmy Krimm had robbed banks all of his adult life. Wehrman is editor The Journal in Crosby. Her research showed Jimmy had served prison sentences, but kept getting out, and going right back to what he knew best. Bank workers and whole communities in towns across Iowa, Minnesota, and the Dakotas were terrorized by this masked man, waving a gun. Wehrman's interest in this modern-day Jesse James led her to Michigan - to interview Jimmy's mother and brother Rob. She learned that Rob had served two decades in the Marine Corps and Air Force - an upstanding member of society. (Cecile Wehrman, Crosby Author) "The idea that two brothers could start out in the same place with the same challenges and one go and become a serial criminal and the other serve his country for 20 years, that just seemed like a good story to tell." Wehrman learned that bank robber Jimmy had sexually abused younger brother Rob for years while they grew up. (Cecile Wehrman, Crosby Author) "Childhood sexual abuse is at the root perhaps of developing both of these brothers, and myself too. When I knew I had a shared background with these two men, the question had always been in my mind, why did I turn out OK, and I think Rob had those same questions." As for Rob, he too remembers the date of brother Jimmy's death well - because it was a date he savored. (Rob Krimm, Brother of Bank Robber) "For me, hearing that my abuser from my childhood was dead, it was like a celebration inside my head. I was satisfied." Rob says helping Wehrman with the book helped him close the chapter of his life that was so emotionally exhausting. (Rob Krimm, Brother of Bank Robber) "He was just a monsterous figure that only did terrible things and it helped for me to see him through some of his friends' eyes that we also spoke with." The author says the book can serve as a way for the victims of Jimmy's robbery spree to understand his background - there are indications he too had been sexually abused as a child. But she says the book is not intended to excuse what he did. (Cecile Wehrman, Crosby Author) "In some places as I was setting up the book tour I learned that people didn't even know that he was dead." Both Wehrman and Rob Krimm remember the date of Jimmy Krimm's death very well. But the process of writing the book together has helped them focus on a different date - they're engaged and will soon set a wedding date. In Crosby, Jim Olson, KX News. Wehrman and Rob Krimm will begin a month-long tour of 19 towns in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Saskatchewan - many of which were places where Jimmy Krimm robbed banks, Thursday night in Crosby at the Dakota Theater. You can find The Brothers Krimm on amazon.com, and at local bookstores in the region.
17 Views
22:58:18 03/24/11
Endless Love - Piano
[LESS INFO] 17 VIEWS | ADDED 22:58:18 03/24/11
"Music By Lionel Ritchie Performed as a duet with Diana Ross Another Popular wedding music. My love, Theres only you in my life The only thing thats bright My first love, Youre every breath that I take Youre every step I make And i (i-i-i-i-i) I want to share All my love with you No one else will do... And your eyes Your eyes, your eyes They tell me how much you care Ooh yes, you will always be My endless love Two hearts, Two hearts that beat as one Our lives have just begun Forever (ohhhhhh) Ill hold you close in my arms I cant resist your charms And love Oh, love Ill be a fool For you, Im sure You know I dont mind Oh, you know I dont mind cause you, You mean the world to me Oh I know I know Ive found in you My endless love Oooh-woow Boom, boom Boom, boom, boom, boom, booom Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom Oooh, and love Oh, love Ill be that fool For you, Im sure You know I dont mind Oh you know- I dont mind And, yes Youll be the only one cause no one can deny This love I have inside And Ill give it all to you My love My love, my love My endless love. * I do not take claim to any of the original materials used in this video. All rights are reserved by the respective record company's and artists."
3 Views
05:07:14 12/27/10
Video: Top 10: 2006 case renews debate over death penalty
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 05:07:14 12/27/10
countdown of the top ten stories of 2010. our number six story started in 2006--- and has been part of our countdown for a few years now it's michael astorga-- convicted this year for the murder of deputy james mcgrane. antoinette antonio shows us how this year-- the case renewed the debate over the death penalty. it was a moment four years in the making. june of 2010 -- michael astorga-- found guilty on all counts including first degree murder. tears of relief on the faces of deputy james mcgrane's parents -- as they hear the man who killed their son is convicted. as james senior and rita left the minute thumbnail 10:08 pm courtroom -- an embrace from public safety director darren white -- who was sheriff when deputy mcgrane was killed. "feel better than yesterday, it's been a long 4 years." shortly after the verdict -- the mcgrane's spoke to the media at a news conference. they say their son would be proud of his fellow officers' hard work to make the conviction happen. a battle has been won -- but not the war. "i'm not sure you can say there's closure, we cant bring our son back, we miss him every day, but it kind of is justice served." "i want to say thank you to the jury because they were able to see through new suit, a new tie, the deceit and the lies that michael paul astorga was a cold blooded killer minute thumbnail 10:09 pm and that he needed to be held accountable and justice needed to be served and i thank them for that." "we feel that justice has been served for jimmy and its a good feeling and an accomplishment for justice and we just want to thank everyone involved in helping us." meanhwhile -- on the astorga side -- his mother teresa romero was calm and collected moments after the verdict was read. she says she expected a guilty verdict. "because of new mexico's finances, we couldn't get a change of venue and got stuck in bernalillo county where everyone has heard this sob story for four years." a sob story she called it. her words -- even more harsh regarding a tearful closing argument by district attorney kari brandenburg. "oh my god, someone must have put onions under her eyes because minute thumbnail 10:10 pm she has about asuch compassion as, mm. i don't see much compassion from the woman." back over on the mcgrane's side -- they say they still have a long way to go in this case -- perhaps the most complex part of the trial -- the capital punishment phase. "and that will be probably be starting sometime in september. but we agreed to go this route way back 4 years ago and we're not backing down." but the death penalty hearing was pushed back -- until after the november election... then until january of 20-11... now -- it's on hold as the court takes time for more review. astorga's attorney arguing -- he isn't eligibile for the death penalty... since capital punishment was repealed in new mexico. antoinette antonio -
2 Views
14:00:10 11/23/10
C&L Opening Bell
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 14:00:10 11/23/10
enlarge Note: I'm experimenting with a new (hopefully) daily feature that attempts to recap the day's economic news in a way that's informative and entertaining. There's a lot of insane stuff going on in the world of economics and finance and my goal will be to explain it without making your eyes glaze over. So let's get started!
C%L Opening Bell, 11-23-10
* The big news of the day was in Ireland, where the Irish government finally acknowledged that bailing out its banks has rendered it insolvent. Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that he plans to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections juuuuuust after the sure-to-have-its-ass-handed-to-it Fianna Fáil coalition passes its next budget.
And what a budget it's expected to be! In exchange for a loan of up to €90 billion from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, Ireland will have to implement further austerity measures that involve raising taxes and cutting services. And whose services are getting cut, you're wondering? Do you even have to ask ? >
Deep cuts to the minimum wage and welfare benefits loom as part of the price the country pays for its huge emergency bailout loan as Brian Cowen insisted he was "not the bogeyman" who had led Ireland to financial crisis.
So the poorest people in the country are essentially paying to bail out the Irish banks' creditors. Pretty remarkable.
* Zero Hedge points us to the following video from Jim Rogers that lays out an alternative plan for the Irish: Just declare bankruptcy and restructure your debt already:
Here's the key part: >
This is ludicrous. This will cripple the Irish economy for years to come. In the future Ireland will be crippled because everything they earn will go to pay off old debt. There is no reason why taxpayers around Europe or in Ireland should pay for other people's mistakes. The bondholders and the stockholders of banks should lose money.
And this is what we should keep in mind when we hear about "bailing out Ireland." It's really about bailing out the Irish banks' creditors .
* It also goes without saying that this situation blows a hole in the meme that austerity is the best way to head off a recession. The Irish implemented spending cuts and tax increases long before most of the other PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) ever did. The result was the country was still deeply in debt and in need of a rescue. More than anything, though, this crisis shows that there are structural flaws in the Eurozone single currency that are probably impossible to resolve. I can't really see anyway for countries to be able to issue their own debts but not their own currencies.
* Over in the States, meanwhile, things aren't exactly better. The banks' fraudulent foreclosure activity (which our own Susie Madrak has covered extensively ) has created a buttload of anxiety in the housing market : >
The ongoing controversy surrounding foreclosures is taking its toll as homebuyers refused to look at distressed properties in October, and foreclosure sales suffered from delays, according to the latest Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance Monthly Survey. [...]
News reports that major servicers were pulling REOs off the market, including some already under contract, spooked would-be homebuyers. The monthly survey found that 14% of owner-occupant homebuyers and 6% of investors refused to view foreclosed properties in October. Homebuyer fear was worse for short-sale properties where 30% of owner-occupant buyers, and 20% of investors refused to view these homes.
As I told two friends who were looking to buy a home, you'd have to be N-U-T-S to think of buying a foreclosed home right now.
* On the somewhat-happier side of things, the FBI raided two hedge firms yesterday as part of its sweeping investigation into insider trading. The Wall Street Journal got the scoop on this probe over the weekend: >
Federal authorities, capping a three-year investigation, are preparing insider-trading charges that could ensnare consultants, investment bankers, hedge-fund and mutual-fund traders, and analysts across the nation, according to people familiar with the matter.
The criminal and civil probes, which authorities say could eclipse the impact on the financial industry of any previous such investigation, are examining whether multiple insider-trading rings reaped illegal profits totaling tens of millions of dollars, the people say. Some charges could be brought before year-end, they say.
The investigations, if they bear fruit, have the potential to expose a culture of pervasive insider trading in U.S. financial markets, including new ways non-public information is passed to traders through experts tied to specific industries or companies, federal authorities say.
Reading those words gave me a tingly feeling in my pants. I do hope this investigation is legit and that the government won't just take a wad of "We're Sorry!" Cash from the banks and call it a day. We have a wealthy criminal class in this country that never pays for its crimes and is often rewarded for them at taxpayer expense. If we want to keep living in a democracy, this sort of thing will have to stop.
* News of the hedge fund raid sent key financial stocks down today, as Bank of America's shares were down 3%, JP Morgan's were down 2.25% and the Vampire Squid was down nearly 3.5%.
* And finally, let's take a look at what I call the "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!11!!!" index of key measurements to see how much investors across the world are crapping themselves with fear. Basically, it goes like this: When U.S. Treasury yields go down and the price of gold goes up, that means investors are fleeing risky assets for things they consider to be safe investments. If the reverse is happening, then investors are likely feeling they can handle more risk on a given day.
Gold futures rose 0.4% to $1,357.80 yesterday.
10-year Treasury yields fell 1.41% to close at 2.80% on the day.
In other words, the chances of the world exploding just got greater. Have a happy day!
3 Views
14:00:10 11/23/10
C&L Opening Bell
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 14:00:10 11/23/10
enlarge Note: I'm experimenting with a new (hopefully) daily feature that attempts to recap the day's economic news in a way that's informative and entertaining. There's a lot of insane stuff going on in the world of economics and finance and my goal will be to explain it without making your eyes glaze over. So let's get started!
C%L Opening Bell, 11-23-10
* The big news of the day was in Ireland, where the Irish government finally acknowledged that bailing out its banks has rendered it insolvent. Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that he plans to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections juuuuuust after the sure-to-have-its-ass-handed-to-it Fianna Fáil coalition passes its next budget.
And what a budget it's expected to be! In exchange for a loan of up to €90 billion from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, Ireland will have to implement further austerity measures that involve raising taxes and cutting services. And whose services are getting cut, you're wondering? Do you even have to ask ? >
Deep cuts to the minimum wage and welfare benefits loom as part of the price the country pays for its huge emergency bailout loan as Brian Cowen insisted he was "not the bogeyman" who had led Ireland to financial crisis.
So the poorest people in the country are essentially paying to bail out the Irish banks' creditors. Pretty remarkable.
* Zero Hedge points us to the following video from Jim Rogers that lays out an alternative plan for the Irish: Just declare bankruptcy and restructure your debt already:
Here's the key part: >
This is ludicrous. This will cripple the Irish economy for years to come. In the future Ireland will be crippled because everything they earn will go to pay off old debt. There is no reason why taxpayers around Europe or in Ireland should pay for other people's mistakes. The bondholders and the stockholders of banks should lose money.
And this is what we should keep in mind when we hear about "bailing out Ireland." It's really about bailing out the Irish banks' creditors .
* It also goes without saying that this situation blows a hole in the meme that austerity is the best way to head off a recession. The Irish implemented spending cuts and tax increases long before most of the other PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) ever did. The result was the country was still deeply in debt and in need of a rescue. More than anything, though, this crisis shows that there are structural flaws in the Eurozone single currency that are probably impossible to resolve. I can't really see anyway for countries to be able to issue their own debts but not their own currencies.
* Over in the States, meanwhile, things aren't exactly better. The banks' fraudulent foreclosure activity (which our own Susie Madrak has covered extensively ) has created a buttload of anxiety in the housing market : >
The ongoing controversy surrounding foreclosures is taking its toll as homebuyers refused to look at distressed properties in October, and foreclosure sales suffered from delays, according to the latest Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance Monthly Survey. [...]
News reports that major servicers were pulling REOs off the market, including some already under contract, spooked would-be homebuyers. The monthly survey found that 14% of owner-occupant homebuyers and 6% of investors refused to view foreclosed properties in October. Homebuyer fear was worse for short-sale properties where 30% of owner-occupant buyers, and 20% of investors refused to view these homes.
As I told two friends who were looking to buy a home, you'd have to be N-U-T-S to think of buying a foreclosed home right now.
* On the somewhat-happier side of things, the FBI raided two hedge firms yesterday as part of its sweeping investigation into insider trading. The Wall Street Journal got the scoop on this probe over the weekend: >
Federal authorities, capping a three-year investigation, are preparing insider-trading charges that could ensnare consultants, investment bankers, hedge-fund and mutual-fund traders, and analysts across the nation, according to people familiar with the matter.
The criminal and civil probes, which authorities say could eclipse the impact on the financial industry of any previous such investigation, are examining whether multiple insider-trading rings reaped illegal profits totaling tens of millions of dollars, the people say. Some charges could be brought before year-end, they say.
The investigations, if they bear fruit, have the potential to expose a culture of pervasive insider trading in U.S. financial markets, including new ways non-public information is passed to traders through experts tied to specific industries or companies, federal authorities say.
Reading those words gave me a tingly feeling in my pants. I do hope this investigation is legit and that the government won't just take a wad of "We're Sorry!" Cash from the banks and call it a day. We have a wealthy criminal class in this country that never pays for its crimes and is often rewarded for them at taxpayer expense. If we want to keep living in a democracy, this sort of thing will have to stop.
* News of the hedge fund raid sent key financial stocks down today, as Bank of America's shares were down 3%, JP Morgan's were down 2.25% and the Vampire Squid was down nearly 3.5%.
* And finally, let's take a look at what I call the "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!11!!!" index of key measurements to see how much investors across the world are crapping themselves with fear. Basically, it goes like this: When U.S. Treasury yields go down and the price of gold goes up, that means investors are fleeing risky assets for things they consider to be safe investments. If the reverse is happening, then investors are likely feeling they can handle more risk on a given day.
Gold futures rose 0.4% to $1,357.80 yesterday.
10-year Treasury yields fell 1.41% to close at 2.80% on the day.
In other words, the chances of the world exploding just got greater. Have a happy day!
7 Views
13:09:00 11/22/10
Video: Soldier Reintegration - Part 1
[LESS INFO] 7 VIEWS | ADDED 13:09:00 11/22/10
Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, the North Dakota National Guard has deployed 3500 soldiers and 1800 airmen. With each deployment, comes the hope of a safe return home. Although, the transition back to civialian life can be an adjustment. Tonight, we begin our week long series on that transition. Reporter Kate Schell introduces us to one family who has worked to find their new "normal"... He caught her eye six and a half years ago. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "I made the move and introduced myself to him." An introduction that would forever change both of their lives. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "It was almost like fairy tale. It was instant. We went into the relationship right away." After nearly 5 years of dating, Derek finally proposed to Jenny. They planned to marry in August but that changed with news of Derek's deployment to Iraq. (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "So we bumped up the wedding." Easily accomodating what would soon interrupt their lives as newlyweds. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "He left October 5th and October 12th, a week later when he was in Oklahoma, we found out that we were having little Coby." Despite the exciting news of Jenny's pregnancy, the Heck's knew the next several months wouldn't be easy. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "We had the doctor put the ultra sound pictures in an envelope and we skyped each other, in the front seat of our truck. I had the computer sitting there and found out together that way. So he was still able to be there for the firsts." For the happy times....and for the heartaches. (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "The biggest feeling is probably helplessness just because I know I can look after myself and I know I married a very independant woman. But sometimes you need each other. Thankfully for Heck's they were able to celebrate one of the happiest times of their lives together. Derek was able to come home on leave Home to finally see his pregnant wife... (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, my wife pregnant." Home to witness his son's birth... (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "I knew she would have the next 3 months of the baths and the changing diapers and the bottle feedings and so I relished every moment of it trying to get every image and thought and memory in my head I could." Derek headed back to Iraq-Jenny headed home...now a single mother. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "Going through the journey with being pregnant and of course the first three months of Coby's life, doing that by myself. That was probably the hardest." Three months later Derek was home for good... To begin the life he and Jenny had started together... (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "She was the full time mom now, the fulltime house keeper, the full time bill payer, the full time everything. I had a little anxiety with where am I going to fit into this process. Is it going to be a smooth transition? At first it was. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "We couldnt get the smiles off of our face." But two weeks later reality kicked in... (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "Every day we had to apologize to each other and reaffirm our love for each other on a daily basis and make sure we were ok. And then by the 4th and now, it just all of a sudden clicked." A relief for both of them, as they close a chapter of their lives, only some understand. Dedication to a country... Committment to a marriage... Both worth fighting for. Kate Schell, KX News Join us tomorrow for day 2 of our series on reintegration. We talk to reintegration officers on the federally mandated program soldiers must go through after they return home from their deployment.
2 Views
13:09:00 11/22/10
Video: Soldier Reintegration - Part 1
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 13:09:00 11/22/10
Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, the North Dakota National Guard has deployed 3500 soldiers and 1800 airmen. With each deployment, comes the hope of a safe return home. Although, the transition back to civialian life can be an adjustment. Tonight, we begin our week long series on that transition. Reporter Kate Schell introduces us to one family who has worked to find their new "normal"... He caught her eye six and a half years ago. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "I made the move and introduced myself to him." An introduction that would forever change both of their lives. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "It was almost like fairy tale. It was instant. We went into the relationship right away." After nearly 5 years of dating, Derek finally proposed to Jenny. They planned to marry in August but that changed with news of Derek's deployment to Iraq. (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "So we bumped up the wedding." Easily accomodating what would soon interrupt their lives as newlyweds. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "He left October 5th and October 12th, a week later when he was in Oklahoma, we found out that we were having little Coby." Despite the exciting news of Jenny's pregnancy, the Heck's knew the next several months wouldn't be easy. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "We had the doctor put the ultra sound pictures in an envelope and we skyped each other, in the front seat of our truck. I had the computer sitting there and found out together that way. So he was still able to be there for the firsts." For the happy times....and for the heartaches. (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "The biggest feeling is probably helplessness just because I know I can look after myself and I know I married a very independant woman. But sometimes you need each other. Thankfully for Heck's they were able to celebrate one of the happiest times of their lives together. Derek was able to come home on leave Home to finally see his pregnant wife... (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, my wife pregnant." Home to witness his son's birth... (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "I knew she would have the next 3 months of the baths and the changing diapers and the bottle feedings and so I relished every moment of it trying to get every image and thought and memory in my head I could." Derek headed back to Iraq-Jenny headed home...now a single mother. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "Going through the journey with being pregnant and of course the first three months of Coby's life, doing that by myself. That was probably the hardest." Three months later Derek was home for good... To begin the life he and Jenny had started together... (Derek Heck/Served in Iraq, NDNG) "She was the full time mom now, the fulltime house keeper, the full time bill payer, the full time everything. I had a little anxiety with where am I going to fit into this process. Is it going to be a smooth transition? At first it was. (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "We couldnt get the smiles off of our face." But two weeks later reality kicked in... (Jenny Heck/Wife of Soldier) "Every day we had to apologize to each other and reaffirm our love for each other on a daily basis and make sure we were ok. And then by the 4th and now, it just all of a sudden clicked." A relief for both of them, as they close a chapter of their lives, only some understand. Dedication to a country... Committment to a marriage... Both worth fighting for. Kate Schell, KX News Join us tomorrow for day 2 of our series on reintegration. We talk to reintegration officers on the federally mandated program soldiers must go through after they return home from their deployment.
5 Views
01:20:35 11/22/10
Pilgrim's Bounty - Quest Changes - Interviews
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 01:20:35 11/22/10
Pilgrim's Bounty 2010
If you still haven't completed your achievements for this yearly event check out our Pilgrim's Bounty Achievements guide .
With the end of autumn just around the corner, the inhabitants of Azeroth gather together to enjoy the final fruits of the harvest and hunting seasons. Celebrated near every major city and many minor ones, Pilgrim's Bounty is a time of sharing and preparing for the winter to come. Check out our Pilgrim's Bounty page to learn more about this new Azerothian holiday now!
Major Quest Changes Inbound
All those aiming for the Loremaster achievements should definitely check this announcement out...
As you're all aware by now, the shattering of Azeroth will drastically and permanently alter the continents of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. In the wake of Deathwing's devastation, adventurers will be summoned to embark on new quests from levels 1 to 60 in these transformed territories -- and with so much new content to be found on these original two continents, many original quests will no longer be available after the shattering occurs. These quests will automatically be removed from your quest log, while any quests you’ve accepted that still exist in Azeroth will remain in your log.
You may be wondering how the shattering will affect the Loremaster achievements. If you've already completed Loremaster of Eastern Kingdoms or Loremaster of Kalimdor, you will not lose your achievements. However, if you've made progress toward these achievements without yet completing them, be aware that any quests that are removed from the game will no longer count toward your progress, so you may see your achievement quest counter drop. If you’re close to earning either of these achievements, we strongly suggest you finish them with great haste, as Deathwing's return is imminent.
In addition, the Loremaster achievements are being redesigned slightly to make them easier to track. Rather than having players complete a huge number of quests throughout a single continent, the criteria will change so that you will instead need to complete a set number of quests in each zone. Once you've earned the achievements for each listed zone on a continent, you will then be awarded the Loremaster achievement for that continent. For those who do have Loremaster of Kalimdor or Eastern Kingdoms completed already, you can still go back and get the new achievements for questing in individual zones on those continents.
We look forward to giving you an opportunity to take on brand new adventures in these classic zones. The times they are a-changin'.
Raid Lock Wipes Notification
In preparation for the new flex lock system we’ll be wiping the following raid locks at the time of the next patch release.
* Onyxia's Lair
* Naxxramas
* Ulduar
* Obsidian Sanctum
* Eye of Eternity
* Vault of Archavon
* Trial of the Crusader
This means that if you've extended a lockout for these raids it will be wiped at the time of the next patch. This does not apply to Icecrown Citadel or Ruby Sanctum as they already use the new flex lock system.
First resources revealed from the Fortune Awaits
We kind of missed this new " event " involving especially the Facebook users. Those who Like this Darkmoon Faire thingy, as horde or alliance, will contribute to the unlock of new things on this website.
For now, we have two wallpapers (check the website for them) and two awesome interviews:
9 Views
20:15:07 04/22/10
The Losers -starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoë Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Oscar Jaenada and Jason Patric
[LESS INFO] 9 VIEWS | ADDED 20:15:07 04/22/10
An explosive action tale of betrayal and revenge, “The Losers” centers around the members of an elite Special Forces unit sent to the Bolivian jungle on a search and destroy mission. But the team—Clay, Jensen, Roque, Pooch and Cougar—soon find that they have become the target of a deadly double cross, instigated from the inside by a powerful enemy known only as Max.
Making good use of the fact that they are now presumed dead, the group goes deep undercover in a dangerous plot to clear their names and even the score with Max. They are joined by the mysterious Aisha, a beautiful operative with her own agenda, who is more than capable of scoring a few points of her own. Working together, when they’re not arguing amongst themselves, they have to stay one step ahead of the globetrotting Max—a ruthless man bent on embroiling the world in a new high-tech global war for his own benefit. If they can take down Max and save the world at the same time, it’ll be a win-win for the team now known as The Losers.
“The Losers” stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”) as Clay; Zoë Saldana (“Avatar,” “Star Trek”) as Aisha; Chris Evans (the “Fantastic Four” films) as Jensen; Idris Elba (“Obsessed”) as Roque; Columbus Short (“Stomp the Yard”) as Pooch; Oscar Jaenada (“Che: Part Two”) as Cougar; and Jason Patric (“In the Valley of Elah”) as Max.
Sylvain White (“Stomp the Yard”) directed the film from a screenplay by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt, based upon the comic book series written by Andy Diggle, illustrated by Jock and published by DC Comics/Vertigo. “The Losers” is produced by Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster, with Steve Richards, Andrew Rona, Sarah Aubrey and Stuart Besser serving as executive producers and Richard Mirisch co- producing.
The behind-the-scenes creative team was led by director of photography Scott Kevan (“Stomp the Yard”), production designer Aaron Osborne (“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”), editor David Checel (“Stomp the Yard”), visual effects supervisor Richard Yuricich (“Orphan”), and costume designer Magali Guidasci (“Zombieland”). The music is by John Ottman (“Orphan,” “Valkyrie”).
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Dark Castle Entertainment, a Weed Road Pictures production, “The Losers,” to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for scenes of intense action and violence, a scene of sensuality, and language.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
Anyone else would be dead by now.
“The Losers have fun while they kick butt.” Director Sylvain White succinctly sums up the appeal of the ex-special forces unit that comes to the big screen from the pages of the popular DC/Vertigo comic book series, by the team of writer Andy Diggle and artist Jock.
As a fan of the original comics, White wanted to capture the same irreverent style in the film “The Losers.” He relates, “When I read the comics, the first thing that really struck me was the sense of humor Diggle and Jock were able to inject into a very action- driven story. It was such good source material, and I wanted to stay true to it by reflecting that tone in the movie.”
Producer Joel Silver agrees. “The great thing about ‘The Losers’ is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which originated with the comics, of course. But much of that attitude also came from the screenwriters, Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt, who brought so much to the table, and a lot came from Sylvain, who delivered a strong, visual cinematic style that I think feels fresh and hip and cool.”
Producer Akiva Goldsman was already familiar with Sylvain White’s work from the director’s feature film debut, “Stomp the Yard,” a drama centered around a step- dancing competition. “And yet,” Goldsman says, “there was a construct to the dancing in it that made it very much like martial arts, which spoke to the style he wanted to bring to this movie. Sylvain has a really good eye and a terrific sense of character and action. When he showed us what he wanted to do with ‘The Losers,’ we were all impressed.”
Employing his graphic arts background, White had created a full storyboard for the film that told the producers all they needed to know. “Sylvain came in and gave us a dazzling presentation,” recalls producer Kerry Foster. “He was so passionate and had such a clear vision for the movie that we knew he was the perfect choice to direct it.”
White says he not only drew inspiration from the original comic books but also from the screenplay. “It had a light tone paired with very gritty, visceral action. That can be a very difficult balance to maintain, but Peter and Jamie did it perfectly.”
James Vanderbilt, who collaborated with Peter Berg on the screenplay for “The Losers,” notes, “I was raised on Joel Silver movies like ‘Die Hard,’ ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘48 Hrs.,’ and that is my favorite type of action film—where there are real emotions, but not everything is so dire all of the time. The stakes are high, but the characters seem to be having a good time...and we have a good time with them.”
“The Losers are fun; you want to hang out with them,” White affirms. “They are not superheroes, they are real guys; in fact they’re underdogs who find themselves in what I would say is an extreme situation.”
“We’re not soldiers anymore. We’re fugitives.”
Despite what they are called, “The Losers” started out as anything but. Rather, they were an elite black ops unit, who were called upon for only the most perilous missions.
But in the jungles of Bolivia, while on a secret mission to eliminate a powerful drug and arms dealer, they are betrayed by a shadowy government operative named Max, who has his own reasons for wanting them eliminated...and almost succeeds.
“They’re left for dead and left taking the blame for the innocent lives that were lost on their mission,” White remarks. “Now they have to find their way back into the U.S. and redeem their names.”
Being presumed dead does have its advantages. But, although no one may be looking for them, five “dead men” can’t exactly walk back into the country without drawing unwanted attention. They need help and they find it in an unlikely source: Aisha, who is as beautiful as she is mysterious. Before they can reclaim their lives, however, they will have to deal with Max.
Each member of the team—Clay, Roque, Jensen, Pooch and Cougar—has a specialty that makes him individually strong. Together, they are unstoppable...or so they hope.
CLAY – OPERATIONAL CONTROL
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is Clay, The Losers’ man in command, whose entire identity had been wrapped up in being a soldier. After the team is betrayed, however, he is forced not only to fight for his country and his men but also his name.
Morgan offers, “His rank is colonel and that had defined him. Without that he has to question who he is, but he still has to lead this ragtag group. The leadership thing came naturally to me. It helped that I’m older than most of the guys in this movie, so I immediately wanted to kick their butts anyway,” he deadpans.
“Clay is a hardened man, but he has a definite sense of humor and I loved the dry wit of the script,” Morgan continues. “That can be difficult for a writer to capture on the page and a tricky thing for an actor to deliver. But I’m pretty sarcastic in real life,” he smiles. “In fact, I tend to be even a little dryer than Clay, so that worked well for me in playing the part.”
Sylvain White says he was sure Morgan was the right man for the role even before he actually met him. “He pulled up on his Harley and I knew instantly he was the guy. He’s got this very cool, mature energy about him, a kind of old soul quality that makes him a born leader. Jeffrey is very likeable, very approachable, but there is also a bit of a dark edge to him, which was something he was able to layer very well into the character of Clay as he spirals down into his obsession to take revenge on Max.”
“Jeffrey is that great combination of a tough guy with a heart of gold,” adds Goldsman about the actor, who played a very different kind of soldier in “Watchmen,” the film adaptation of the acclaimed DC Comics graphic novel. “He’s handsome and rugged and can appear dangerous, but at the same time be kind and sensitive. It’s a very mercurial quality that is hard to deliver, but he absolutely did.”
JENSEN – COMMUNICATIONS & TECH
Chris Evans plays Jensen, the team’s computer wizard, who can hack anything—or into anything—that comes his way. Even under cover on the other side of the world, he manages to keep up, via computer, with the standings of his niece’s 8-and- under soccer team, The Petunias.In terms of the family dynamic of the team, he is kind of the kid,” Evans admits. “He gets into mischief and cracks jokes at inappropriate times, but he cares about this group of people and loves what he does. He’s quick with a smile and has limitless energy. I enjoy playing guys like that because you can’t help but bring some of that attitude home with you.”
“Jensen is the geek with a gun,” White laughs. “Every character has moments of comic relief, but Jensen is probably the funniest guy in the movie. Chris had a ball with that because he is a genuinely funny person and was able to bring his own natural humor to the role. He is such a great guy to be around; he was always making us laugh, and that’s basically who Jensen is.”
“Chris was a wonderful addition to ‘The Losers’ cast,” Goldsman says of Evans, who is already a favorite of comic book genre fans for his role in the “Fantastic Four” movies and has just been announced as the new “Captain America.” “He is not only a talented and appealing actor, he also has the same sort of charm as Jensen, which is very engaging.”
ROQUE – DEMO & TACTICAL
Idris Elba plays Roque, an explosives expert, whose personal weapon of choice is a knife...the bigger the better. Roque has been Clay’s brother-in-arms for years, although Clay’s dogged determination to exact revenge on Max, at any and all costs, is now causing friction between the two old friends. “Roque is a no-nonsense type of character,” the actor observes. He’s a straight talker, very to the point. He’s an experienced soldier who’s not very emotional about the job; he just gets it done.”
White remembers, “When I first met with Idris, he told me about his ideas for how he could bring facets to the character of Roque because his story takes an unpredictable turn. He is an amazing actor; I knew he had the capacity to make his arc believable and yet surprising.”
“I liked the character of Roque, and that I had enough room to make it my own,” says Elba, who adds that there were other elements that appealed to him about the project. “The script was great—funny with a lot of larger-than-life action. And I’ve worked with Joel Silver before and am a fan of his movies, so that was another draw.”
“Idris is one of those go-to actors,” notes Silver who previously worked with the actor on “RocknRolla” and “The Reaping.” “I always know he’s going to give a great performance, no matter what the role. He can do drama, he can do comedy, he can do action, and there’s all of that in this movie. This is my third film with him, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
POOCH – TRANSPORTATION & HEAVY WEAPONS
Columbus Short takes on the role of Pooch, the group’s transportation expert, who “can rig, wire, fly, drive or commandeer any vehicle, and gets to shoot some pretty sweet weapons,” states Short.
Pooch also has the most personal motivation for wanting to return home. Short explains, “Pooch’s wife is about to have their first baby, and he desperately wants to get back in time to see his child be born. It makes Pooch kind of the heart of the group and adds to the guys’ individual reasons for wanting to clear their names.”
Short’s motivations for taking the role involved both the script and the director. “The storyline was great and the writing was very clever and witty; I laughed out loud reading some of the dialogue and I loved the action,” he comments.
The actor says he also appreciated the opportunity to reunite with Sylvain White, who had directed him in “Stomp the Yard,” which marked his first leading role. “Sylvain is a very collaborative director; he gave me the freedom to discover things about my character that weren’t necessarily in the dialogue. I couldn’t imagine a better experience than working with him again on this movie.”
White states, “I knew Columbus was perfect for Pooch from the get-go; I didn’t even have to think about it. When I read the script for ‘The Losers,’ I felt that the character was the emotional anchor of the team. He’s the family man and the kind of guy you want as a friend. And Columbus has a very warm soul and this sweet innocence about him that makes you care about him the second you meet him, so I pictured him as Pooch right off the bat.”
COUGAR – LONG-RANGE ELIMINATIONS
Spanish actor Oscar Jaenada is cast as Cougar, the unit’s crack sniper, who can hit any target with a steady hand, a cool eye and a quiet calm. “I loved playing a character who is more about sight than sound, more visual than verbal,” Jaenada offers. “Cougar may be the quiet type, but he’s always there watching out for his team. He’s the strong, silent guy in the movie.”
“Cougar is the mystery man of the crew,” says White. “I met Oscar and thought he was incredible; he has such an expressive face and an amazing presence. We needed someone who could act with his eyes, and that’s Oscar. He brought the character of Cougar to life in a way not many people could have.”
Kerry Foster emphasizes, “Oscar was such a boon to the cast. He enjoyed the idea of playing the guy who doesn’t need to speak to get his point across. He came in from Spain and wasn’t able to arrive until the day before we started shooting, and I think the other guys were sad to see him because he was clearly the coolest of the bunch,” Foster teases. “But he’s just the sweetest man and everybody loved working with him.”
“It’s pretty much a suicide mission.”
Despite their individual and combined skills, The Losers need help to sneak back into the U.S. undetected. That’s where Aisha comes in. Zoë Saldana plays the woman who proves to be either a formidable ally or a dangerous enemy...or both. It’s hard to know whose side she’s really on—other than her own—but Clay is about to learn she usually comes out on top.
“Aisha appears to them out of nowhere just when the guys think there is no hope for them to get back home,” says Saldana. “She makes them an offer that sounds too good to be true, but it’s also an offer they can’t refuse: she’ll get them back into the country, but then they have to deliver Max. They decide to take her up on it, but there is mistrust from the beginning because they don’t know what this woman is hiding up her sleeve,” the actress smiles.
White, who had been a fan of Saldana’s even before her recent roles in the sci-fi blockbusters “Avatar” and “Star Trek,” recalls, “When we started discussing the role of Aisha, I instantly thought of Zoë. She has remarkable acting chops, but she also has the physicality the role demanded. Aisha is not the lady in distress; quite the contrary, she’s the badass who actually rescues the men. She’s very capable, very strong and very determined, and Zoë brought her own genuine strength to her performance. She also happens to look very much like the character in the comic book, so we were thrilled when she said yes.” Joel Silver adds, “Zoë is beautiful and sexy and exciting—all the things Aisha needed to be. We wanted Aisha to be a match for the guys and then some. She’s tough, smart, opinionated and able to mix it up, and everything we expected of the character, Zoë delivered to the role.”
“You know that if we do this, we are waging a war against the Central Intelligence Agency.”
The man who targeted The Losers—and who is now their target—is Max, a shadowy and ruthless government operative, who is now operating by his own set of rules to keep America on top. And if a few billion dollars end up in his pocket along the way, even better.
Jason Patric, who plays the role of Max, affirms, “He has his own manifesto and a twisted sense of patriotism that I thought was funny and even a little topical today. Max has a bit of a swagger and an overconfidence, which I think he uses to hide the fact that he’s been beaten down in the past. But I just tried to have fun with it.”
“Max was probably the trickiest part to cast,” White asserts. “We wanted to cast against type, and Jason has never played a true bad guy in a movie before. He came in with some great ideas for the role, and I thought he would help me create a unique character who is different from other villains we’ve seen. He brought this quirkiness to his performance that I think really sets it apart.”
“Jason was terrific,” Foster agrees. “He made Max menacing and eccentric and funny all at the same time. He’s a villain you love to hate.”
As do all self-respecting villains, Max also has a henchman named Wade, because, as Patric says, “Every bad guy should have a thug.”
Wade is played by Holt McCallany, who offers, “Wade is a former special ops soldier, a very competent guy who has now kind of gone over to the dark side. He took all the skills he learned in the Special Forces and become a soldier of fortune. He’s a guy who’s essentially a mercenary. What makes him dangerous to The Losers is that he knows these guys. He knows their history and what they’re capable of...and what a threat they are.”
Judging by appearances, you can also tell what Wade is capable of. “You know Wade could physically take Max out any time he wanted to,” White allows. “But Max is smart enough and manipulative enough to have Wade following his orders, no matter how outrageous they are. Holt played the character with just the right balance of fear, loathing and respect.”
“CIA, NSA, Special Forces... We’re not them.”
Before the main cast of “The Losers” could portray a Special Forces unit they had to learn to behave like one. Former Navy SEAL Harry Humphries, who has served as the military advisor on a wide range of films, recently including “Iron Man” and “Transformers,” was the film’s military advisor and “training officer.” Humphries relates, “I come from the Special Operations community and I feel a great responsibility to them, so it was very important to me that the actors, who obviously didn’t have any prior tactical experience, look correct onscreen.”
He and his team put the cast of “The Losers” through a rigorous training regimen. “I didn’t try to turn them into total ninjas overnight,” says Humphries, “but I looked at what they would be required to do in the script and concentrated on those skill sets, like proper weapons handling, dynamic room entry, fire and cover, etc. They were all excellent students. I was very impressed.”
The actors had equal praise for their trainer. “Harry was a great instructor,” Idris Elba states. “He taught us quite a few tactical maneuvers. He made sure we looked realistic, especially handling the gear and the weapons.”
Columbus Short concurs, “Before I got there, I would not have known the first thing about dismantling or brandishing any sort of weapon. Now I feel like a weapons specialist. We were trained in the protocols known by every Special Forces operative in the world. It was very cool.”
Since Oscar Jaenada was still in Spain at the time, Humphries sent a trainer based in Europe to teach the actor the rudiments of being an expert sniper. Humphries notes, “A former British SAS (Special Air Services) Operative named Tony Smith went down to see Oscar in Madrid and just immersed Oscar for a week in the mental and physical requirements of precision rifle shooting.”
“It was very important for me to learn how to act like a real sniper,” Jaenada says. “Tony taught me the right way to hold the rifle and I also had to learn about precision and patience—when to know the perfect moment to take the shot.” Armorers Michael Papac and Vincent Flaherty worked closely with Humphries to select and supply the right weapons to use in each scene, including Cougar’s mammoth- scoped rifle, the Knights Armament SR-15.
Chris Evans points out that the most important thing he learned about the Special Forces was “I am not cut out to be one, that’s for damn sure,” he laughs. “We were out in the jungle doing those scenes, and I’m like, ‘I need water...I need a chair...I’m sweating...I’m tired...There’s mud, and bugs are biting me...’ We’ve got a whole team of ex-Navy SEALS consultants who never even break a sweat, and I’m wondering when lunch is.
Oh yeah, that’s not for me.
“But seriously,” Evans adds, “it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had making movies. Where else would a guy like me get Navy SEAL training? It was fantastic.”
One important aspect of the actors’ training was learning to work together as a unit, which they all agree came naturally. “There is a shorthand between those guys, a special camaraderie, and I think we captured that,” says Jeffrey Dean Morgan. “Within one or two days, we realized it had fallen into place as far as us all feeling like one team...with Sylvain White as the maestro.”
White remarks, “The first time the cast was all assembled as a group they immediately bonded, and it was pretty clear that they had great chemistry between them. That’s the kind of thing you can’t really predict or bank on, so when it happens, you feel really fortunate. And I think it makes a big difference on the screen, too.”
“Welcome back to the land of the living.”
The action of “The Losers” unfolds around the world—from the jungles of Bolivia to New Mexico, from Mumbai to Dubai, and from Miami to Houston to Los Angeles, with various points in-between. Despite the diversity of the settings, the filmmakers were able to accomplish almost all of the principal photography on the island of Puerto Rico.
“We looked at quite a few places,” White recounts, “but when we got to Puerto Rico, we saw that the islandhas a great infrastructure and different locales. It was very convenient because we could ‘cheat’ a variety of terrains within a relatively small distance.”
“It was staggering what we found when we came to Puerto Rico to scout,” Foster confirms. “There is a city, obviously gorgeous beaches, a close approximation of a desert, and a rainforest that was ideal to double for Bolivia. It’s a beautiful island and the people could not have been more wonderful.”
Filming on Puerto Rico, the filmmakers also took advantage of the dramatic backdrop of the Arecibo Observatory, the world’s largest radio telescope. Jason Patric shot his first scenes there and, in the process, discovered something about himself. “I didn’t realize I have a lack of fondness for heights, but I do now,” the actor reveals. “It was a pretty daunting way to begin.”
To craft the look of the film, production designer Aaron Osborne first went to the source: the original comic books. “What I noticed is that they used two or three colors to represent the tone of each setting, so I really tried to enhance that.”
“Every chapter of the comic books is a new environment distinguished by different color palettes,” White observes. I really wanted to do that in the movie as well—where every time we are in a new city or country, the aesthetic of the film changes completely, so there is no homogeneous look. It’s very eclectic.”
White collaborated with Osborne and cinematographer Scott Kevan to break down the images of the scenes. “We charted the whole movie with certain color schemes for each location and different shades as we moved from day to night,” Osborne explains. “We were quite meticulous about it.”
Color also came into play in the work of costume designer Magali Guidasci, who deviated from tradition by dressing the main protagonist, Clay, mostly in black, while the villain, Max, mainly wore white or light pastels. “Clay is a black-and-white type of guy,” she says, “so he wears a black suit and white shirt—another type of uniform in its own way, make no mistake. Max is always in a very light color, if not pure white. We first see him in a white suit and black tie, as if to appear the opposite of Clay.”
Form followed function with Cougar’s trademark cowboy hat, which was the perfect accoutrement for a sniper whose eyes needed to be shielded from the deflecting glare of the sun. His clothes are in muted colors to allow him to fade into the background and he wears gloves with the trigger finger cut out. Function was also important in costuming Zoë Saldana as Aisha, in clothes that Guidasci describes as “simple and athletic. She wears boots where she can conceal extra weapons, but no heels for that lady. She needs to be agile—able to jump and kick ass.”
In keeping with Jensen’s fun-loving nature, the character wore a collection of T- shirts that were as colorful as his personality. The idea of the T-shirts began with the one Petunias shirt he wears to support his niece’s soccer team. Guidasci offers, “Then Sylvain came up with the idea for Jensen to have a different funny T-shirt for almost every scene. Some we found and some were created by our graphic designer, Eduardo Gomez, and we also tried to make some of them subtly apropos to the moment.”
Osborne notes that the filmmakers adopted the term “Loser style,” which did not refer to the clothes of the characters but rather their surroundings. He elaborates, “Let me put it this way: anything we built in ‘Loser style’ either got burned, destroyed, shot up or blown apart.”
For certain sets, where the action was going to be explosive, Osborne and his crew consulted with special effects coordinator John P. Cazin, as well as stunt coordinator and second unit director Garrett Warren. Clay’s hotel room in Bolivia was the most obvious example of a set that was literally designed to be demolished.
“My first thought was, ‘Oh, we’re building a motel room...no big deal,’” admits Osborne. “But we had to design layer-by-layer, working everything out with John regarding the special effects, since we were going to burn down the entire room, and also with Garrett on the stunts, because people were going to be thrown around and putting their fists through the walls. So what seems to be a normal motel room was actually planned to the utmost detail. Every piece of furniture had to be replicated several times over because we were either going to burn it or smash it.”
The motel room is destroyed over the course of an all-out brawl between Clay and Aisha, who, surprisingly, is more than a match for her larger opponent. “The fight scene between Clay and Aisha was amazing to create,” says Warren, who had recently worked with Saldana on “Avatar.” “They were both consummate professionals: Jeffrey is up for anything and Zoë has a dancer’s physicality and loves doing stunts. We just pulled out all the stops.”
“The thing I loved about the way Garrett designed the fight is that he made it very playful,” Saldana comments. “When Clay and Aisha meet, you think they’re about to hook up for a steamy scene and they end up kicking the crap out of each other. There’s something sexy about a woman who can hold her own against a man, especially when they find each other irresistible.”
“It was pretty hot,” Morgan agrees, though not necessarily referring to the attraction between the characters. “The flames in that room were real, so filming that scene really stood out for me.”
Hot and steamy proved to the watchwords for the entire cast and crew while working in tropical Puerto Rico. “It’s a beautiful place, but the heat and humidity were unrelenting,” Morgan attests. “Add a black suit and about 60 pounds’ worth of guns and gear, and it made filming the action scenes a special challenge. You can’t drink enough water because no matter where or when you’re shooting, you’re drenched in sweat. But the good news is you’re bound to lose a lot of weight,” he grins.
In planning the stunt sequences, Warren says, “I got my team together and we brainstormed to come up with some interesting, fun ways to shoot. I talked Sylvain into letting us fly him above one action scene on wires and he actually held the camera to film one of our guys doing Parkour-style moves, running and jumping over these large containers. That was a lot of fun...at least for us.”
White also worked with Scott Kevan to film the action from a perspective that brings moviegoers right into the fray. The director emphasizes, “We want the audience to experience certain pivotal moments through the eyes of the characters. It’s about positioning the camera inside the action and staying as close as possible to the actors. Sometimes it’s limiting, and other times it opens brand new doors. It was a fine line, but I think we were able to find a good combination.”
He continues, “I’m very proud of the action in this film, but what I think shines through the most is the fun tone and the great characters. I think ultimately that’s what I want to leave the audience with—having had a good time with ‘The Losers’...and wanting to do it again.”
ABOUT THE CAST
JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN (Clay) starred last year in the action thriller “Watchmen,” Zack Snyder’s controversial big screen adaptation of DC’s seminal graphic novel. Morgan played Edward Blake, a.k.a. The Comedian, whose murder sets off a potentially explosive investigation and reunites his former costumed colleagues, the Minutemen. Also in 2009, Morgan starred in Ang Lee’s independent feature “Taking Woodstock.”
Morgan is currently at work on the crime thriller “The Fields,” in which he and Sam Worthington star as detectives investigating several unsolved murders in Texas. In November, he stars in the remake of the action hit “Red Dawn,” playing a U.S. Special Forces soldier who helps the teenage rebels, known as the Wolverines, fight back against enemy forces that have invaded the United States. Prior to “Red Dawn,” Morgan filmed the suspense thriller “The Resident,” opposite Hilary Swank, his former co-star from “P.S. I Love You,” in which he played her prospective love interest.
His other upcoming films include Mikael Hafstrom’s period drama “Shanghai,” with John Cusack, and the murder mystery drama “All Good Things,” in which he stars with Kirsten Dunst, Ryan Gosling and Frank Langella under the direction of Andrew Jarecki. Morgan’s additional film credits include the independent comedy “Kabluey,” with Lisa Kudrow; the romantic comedy “The Accidental Husband,” opposite Uma Thurman; and a cameo role in David Dobkin’s holiday comedy “Fred Claus.”
Morgan first gained the attention of television audiences with a recurring role in ABC’s smash hit series “Grey’s Anatomy.” His dramatic arc as heart patient Denny Duquette, who wins the heart of Katherine Heigl’s Izzie Stevens in a star-crossed romance, made him a universal fan favorite. He has also had recurring roles on the hit CW series “Supernatural” and on the award-winning Showtime series “Weeds.”
ZOË SALDANA (Aisha) enjoyed a banner year in 2009, starring in back-to-back blockbusters. She capped the year starring as Neytiri in James Cameron’s history- making sci-fi epic “Avatar,” for which Saldana won an Empire Award for Best Actress. The film, which also starred Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver, broke numerous box office records on its way to becoming the highest-grossing motion picture of all time. Among its many honors, “Avatar” won a Golden Globe for Best Picture – Drama and earned nine Oscar® nominations, also including Best Picture.
Earlier last year, Saldana played Nyoto Uhura in the sci-fi action adventure hit “Star Trek,” about the early years of the legendary crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the film also starred Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Eric Bana.
Saldana will next be seen in the Neil LaBute-directed comedy “Death at a Funeral,” in which she joins an ensemble cast that also includes James Marsden, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence, Columbus
Short and Luke Wilson.
Born and raised in New York, Saldana first gained attention with her memorable feature film debut in the starring role of Eva in “Center Stage,” directed by Nicholas Hytner. She followed with “Get Over It,” “Crossroads,” “Drumline,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” and Steven Spielberg’s “Terminal,” for which she won a 2004 Young Hollywood One to Watch Award from Movieline magazine. Her additional film credits include “Haven,” “Guess Who” and “Vantage Point.”
In 2009, Saldana graced the cover of ELLE as one of the magazine’s “Top Women in Hollywood.”
CHRIS EVANS (Jensen) stars this August in Edgar Wright’s action comedy “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” with Michael Cera, Anna Kendrick, Jason Schwartzman, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. He also just wrapped production on Adam and Mark Kassen’s drama “Puncture,” in which he stars as a drug-addicted lawyer who takes on a major health supply corporation while battling his own personal demons.
Evans next starts filming opposite Anna Faris in Mark Mylod’s romantic comedy “What’s Your Number?,” about a woman revisiting all her ex-boyfriends in hopes of finding the man of her dreams. This summer, Evans is set to go into production on the action adventure “The First Avenger: Captain America,” in which he will star in the title role of the Marvel Comics superhero, under the direction of Joe Johnston.
Evans is also well known to moviegoers for his role in the hit “Fantastic Four” action adventures. His more recent film credits include Paul McGuigan’s sci-fi thriller “Push,” in which he starred opposite Dakota Fanning; the independent period drama “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond,” written by Tennessee Williams and also starring Bryce Dallas Howard; and David Ayer’s crime drama “Street Kings,” with Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker.
Raised in Massachusetts, Evans began acting in regional theatre before moving to New York, where he studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute. He made a few guest appearances on television series before landing his first feature film starring role in the comedy spoof “Not Another Teen Movie.” His early film work also includes “The Perfect Score,” with Scarlett Johansson, and “Cellular,” with Jessica Biel and Kim Basinger.
In 2005, teamed with Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Ioan Gruffudd as a group of astronauts who gain individual super powers after being exposed to cosmic radiation in the blockbuster hit “Fantastic Four.” Two years later, he reprised the role of Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch, in the summer action hit “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”
Among Evans’ other film credits are Danny Boyle’s critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller “Sunshine,” with Cillian Murphy and Michelle Yeoh; “The Nanny Diaries,” opposite Scarlett Johansson; the independent drama “London,” opposite Jessica Biel; and Griffin Dunne’s “Fierce People,” with Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland.
IDRIS ELBA (Roque) recently starred in the hit 2009 thriller “Obsessed,” with Beyoncé Knowles and Ali Larter. Elba earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for his portrayal of a married man being stalked by a co-worker. He previously shared in a Screen Actors Guild Award® nomination as a member of the main cast of Ridley Scott’s 2007 true-life drama “American Gangster,” with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
Elba has several film projects upcoming, including the crime drama “Takers,” with Matt Dillon, Zoë Saldana and Hayden Christensen, and the action adventure “Thor,” in which he stars with Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman under the direction of Kenneth Branagh. He also executive produced and stars in the independent film “Legacy,” which was chosen to close the 2010 Glasgow Film Festival, and has also been selected to screen at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
Elba’s additional film credits include David S. Goyer’s horror thriller “The Unborn”; Guy Ritchie’s “RocknRolla,” as part of an ensemble cast that also included Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson; and the hit horror thriller “28 Weeks Later,” to name only a few.
On the small screen, Elba had a recurring role last season on the hit NBC series “The Office.” In his native England, he next stars in the title role of the BBC crime drama series “Luther,” set to debut in the UK in May. He first gained attention with his starring role as the de facto leader of a Baltimore drug empire in HBO’s acclaimed original series “The Wire,” for which he received an Image Award nomination. Additionally, he starred in the Channel 4 telefilm “All in the Game,” and gained another Image Award nod for his performance in the HBO movie “Sometimes in April,” as a Hutu soldier who tries to save his Tutsi wife and family during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Elba has also worked on the stage, including leading roles in several plays produced in London. Additionally, in New York, he starred in Sir Peter Hall’s off- Broadway production of “Troilus and Cressida,” receiving rave reviews for his portrayal of Achilles.
COLUMBUS SHORT (Pooch) previously collaborated with director Sylvain White as the star of the 2007 hit “Stomp the Yard,” which topped the box office in its first two weeks in release and brought Short an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Actor. He more recently won an Image Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the true-life drama “Cadillac Records,” about the birth of rock n’ roll in Chicago, in which Short starred with Beyoncé Knowles, Jeffrey Wright and Adrien Brody. He next stars in the ensemble comedy “Death at a Funeral,” alongside Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence, James Marsden, Luke Wilson and Zoë Saldana.
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Short relocated with his family to Los Angeles at a young age and, by his early teens, had landed work in television commercials. He was a senior at Orange County School of the Arts when he was offered a part in Broadway‘s hit show “STOMP!” He went on to choreograph Britney Spears’ “In the Zone” tour.
Short began his film acting career in 2006 with starring roles in “Save the Last Dance: 2” and the comedy “Accepted,” with Jonah Hill and Justin Long. His subsequent film credits include “This Christmas,” opposite Idris Elba, Regina King and Chris Brown; the horror remake “Quarantine”; the thriller “Whiteout,” with Kate Beckinsale; and “Armored,” with Matt Dillon and Laurence Fishburne. On television, he played the young writer Darius on Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed drama series “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
Short is also working behind the camera through his production company, Great Picture Show Productions. He most recently executive produced “Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming.”
OSCAR JAENADA (Cougar) is an award-winning actor in his native Spain, who is quickly becoming well known in the U.S. In 2005, he starred in the title role of “Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend,” the true story of Camarón de la Isla. Jaenada earned a number of acting honors, including Spain’s prestigious Goya Award, for his portrayal of the legendary flamenco cantaor. He more recently starred in “Todos Estamos Invitados,” for which he won the Málaga Spanish Film Festival’s Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Toulouse Cinespaña Award for Best Actor.
American film audiences have also seen Jaenada in Jim Jarmusch’s thriller “The Limits of Control,” in which he co-starred with Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton, and Steven Soderbergh’s biopic “Che: Part Two,” starring Benicio Del Toro.
Born and raised in Barcelona, Jaenada later moved to Madrid to pursue his acting career. He started out in the local theatre and also landed roles on television. His breakthrough came in the widely acclaimed 2003 feature “November,” for which he received a Goya Award nomination and won several other awards, including a Toulouse Cinespaña Award for Best Actor.
JASON PATRIC (Max) first gained attention with his starring role in Joel Schumacher’s 1987 comedy thriller hit “The Lost Boys.” He went on to earn critical acclaim for his performances in the drama “The Beast of War,” the erotic thriller “After Dark, My Sweet,” and the crime drama “Rush.”
Patric subsequently starred in Walter Hill’s “Geronimo: An American Legend”; the title role in “The Journey of August King”; Barry Levinson’s “Sleepers”; and Neil LaBute’s “Your Friends and Neighbors,” which was also the first feature Patric produced under the banner of his production company, Fleece.
Patric’s more recent film credits include “Narc,” “The Alamo,” “Expired,” “Downloading Nancy,” “In the Valley of Elah,” and “My Sister’s Keeper.”
On Broadway, Patric starred as Brick in the revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” opposite Ashley Judd. His other theatre work includes productions of Neil LaBute’s “Bash”; “Beirut”; “Out of Gas on Lover’s Leap”; “The Tempest”; “Henry V”; and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”
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04:28:36 03/20/10
Lucky Maylor
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Lucky Maylor Maylor said: Mother of girl sure gives love. Ryan's comments: Maylor is talking about my wife Linda and our 4 1/2 month old daughter Kayla. Linda gave Maylor a lot of attention during his first few hours with us while I was setting up his new room. Maylor continues: Thank you. You helped me in 10 seconds flat. Maylor thanks you Ryan for your help. For Maylor, you've done a lot of good. Ryan's comments: I only had a few seconds to diagnose Maylor when I say him the first time. I immediately knew that it was mites and told his guardian to take him to the vet. His eyes and beak were all covered and his eyes were almost closed shut they were so bad. I was surprised to see that he was such a frisky little guy for all the suffering he must have been in. Maylor continues: And Ryan's special. Precious Victor. Because I know now, I am glad you got me Ryan. Ryan's comments: It did not take Maylor long to pick up on the fact that Victor was my budgie and he even remembered my name after I only told it to him once. Maylor continues: And Maylor can't fly away. Lucky Maylor is home. Ryan's comments: Maylor must have bonded well with his first guardian because of his talking abilities. Often bonded budgies think they can fly away and find their way back home. Unfortunately many of them never can return because they are in unfamiliar territory. So he is telling me that he will not fly away this time. The woman who gave him to me said that he flew on her shoulder one day when she was in her yard. He was very hungry and thirsty and that is probably where he picked up his mites. Maylor continues: May I help you with the translations? Maybe you will enjoy a budgie as your roommate. Budgies don't sleep much. This open door is welcoming. There are some very interesting parts in this last segment. From listening to Victor he knowsthat I translate budgies and says he is willing to help. Then he talks about me being his roommate. He obviously sensed my willingness to want to move my computer in with him in a room so I could be near him more. Lastly he talks about budgies sleeping. I don't know how much attention he received in his last home, but I know he was not allowed out of his cage. The first thing I did when things settled down a bit was leave the cage door open so he could come out when he wants. Doing this showed him that he is welcome in our home and he makes reference to that.n 47 words added to his vocabulary with this recording
