March 4, 2010
We all know that at some point, we've had enough of these video games. Ranging from Nintendo's Mario Party 761 to Megaman 39, game characters that are just so darn popular that companies are begged, or just want to make more money out of video game product, we can call those 'milking' a video game character. What exactly does this slang term `milking` mean? The meaning of this term is to overuse, or extensively abuse something to get as much out of it as possible, that is what it is to 'milk' a videogame series or character..
1. Mario Games
We all know the spectacular plumber with the mustache! This fictional character, in love with the always kidnapped princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom will never give up, even if it means taking away his 3 lives! Mario is often seen in many 'platformers', where he sets on a battle, stomping all enemies in his path to get back his kidnapped princess from the evil Bowser.
We often see Mario in such games as 'Super Mario Bros.' where we've seen about 4 entries in the series throughout his lifetime, followed by Mario Party, Mario Golf, Mario Hoops, Mario Strikers, Super Mario World, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., Mario sunshine, Mario Galaxy, and… and…
You can see what this points towards, right? It shows just how much Nintendo loves it's mascot but not only that, just how much Nintendo is milking the franchise and character, bringing him into so many ridiculous games (i.e. Mario and Sonic at the Olympics), where he participates in sports while still being able to save a princess in his spare time. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could hire such a wonderful plumber to clean our clogged toilets?
2. Megaman
Megaman is the blue bomber. A man or robot, nobody knows, for at least his story is different in each of his games. He saves humanity from robots or saves the world somehow. He first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainement system, in all his pixel glory, just like mario, in 'platformers'.
We`ve seen him in games series like: Megaman, Megaman X, Megaman Battle Network, Megaman Zero, Megaman ZX and Megaman Starforce. He came in two forms of game play: Role Playing Game (RPG) and Platformer. Each series held between 1 and 9 games and still today Megaman games are still being produced much like Mario games although not as successful.
Megaman is considered to be a character who's been milking like a fat cow, for the Battle Network and Starforce series which seem to have gained an identity as the most repetitive game series ever. Note that these two series are possibly the only Megaman RPG series.
3. Sonic
Sonic, the blue hedgehog, with the big red shoes. He's letting go, though, as you can tell by the latest games that have shown just how bad he's gotten. In sonic games, it all starts out with the same evil do-er, Eggman. You beat his bosses, and without further ado, go to the following stage to beat his next boss, in hopes of rescuing and capturing the chaos emeralds.
Sonic has been with us for almost as long as Mario. He's had many, many games on different consoles, and will soon have another game, which will hopefully revive his fame and greatness to a new level. Sonic is considered to be one of the most milked characters because many of his games aren't exactly the best, and the developers always seem to make the same mistakes over, and over, and over again with the games. Nearly all Sonic games are the same, having to simply jam your analog stick towards the right in order to pass levels.
4. The Legend of Zelda main characters
The legend of Zelda has many characters, such as Link; the hero, Zelda; the princess, and Ganondorf; the evil one. In ALL of the Zelda games, these characters re appear in some way or form, but of course, the legend of Zelda is SUPPOSED to be about Zelda, and some blond, point eared boy who has to rescue her for some 'save the world' reason.
The legend of Zelda is just that, it's legend of Zelda, always, but each and every time, it's Link to the rescue. They've been known for their great storylines and graphics at the time of their creation, though, and it's hard to say whether or not Nintendo is really just 'milking' this one, or doing it for the fans.
There are several other characters that could have possibly made this list, but they just didn't seem to fit like these guys did…
February 25, 2010
Teach Your Child to Read before Kindergarten
The Video
I am tempted to save this juicy information and make one of those videos; you know which ones I mean. The “and if you order right now, you'll not only get our video for $29.99, but we'll throw in this fancy-shmancy-worth-over-$100.00-coloring-book for free” kind.
Expecting
Okay, I confess; I was one of those pregnant moms who read a bunch of books during my pregnancy that had titles like “How to Raise a Really Bright Child,” and “How to Stimulate Your Baby's Brain by Hanging Loud-Colored Fuzzy Things Over the Crib and Playing the Sesame Street Theme Song Backwards. And yes, a lot of the ideas in those books ranged from mundane and old hat to outright loony. But there were diamonds in the coal mine as well.
And I confess that I was one of those pregnant moms that spent approximately 10% of my time daydreaming about how my kid would be class valedictorian of her graduating class at age two, go on to Medical School and become a real-life Doogie Howser at the ripe old age of thirteen. Of course, right now my twelve-year old daughter is in her bedroom working on her 8th grade homework and the only doctor I'm seeing this week is my gynecologist.
Expectations
Now, maybe you are thinking that you are going to read this article and then your kid will be the next three-year old on the Believe it or Not Show (or maybe your personal preference is Oprah), reading all the flashcards with names of highly advanced neurological diseases that you don't even know how to pronounce yet. If that's the case, stop reading right here.
On the other hand, if you are thinking that it would be really neat-o if your babbling and drooling little bundle of joy would take an early liking to books and maybe be able to read you a bedtime story or two in a few years, then keep reading. Especially if you are on a budget and want to know how it can be done for next to nothing in monetary terms.
Please note that this author respects the fact that all children learn at different paces. Therefore there are no hard and fast age guidelines set forth in the following article; just a general process that is assumed to be spread out anywhere from ages 0-5.
Basic Skill
The most basic, but also most necessary, skill that you will need for this commitment is the ability to praise the efforts of your child. Sing, laugh, clap, or do a happy a dance if that's your thing, but do something to let her know how pleased you are with what she's doing.
Surround Sound
Sounds, they're everywhere. And a lot of them seem to burst forth from the human mouth. Before your baby is even born, your voice will be a familiar sound, and one that he or she will respond to and be comforted by. (Unless of course, you spend your whole pregnancy yelling and screeching, in which case your baby just might lie awake at night, wishing she knew how to count so that she could estimate how many days must pass before she can move out.)
Be Multi-lingual
From the very beginning, it is important to talk to your baby very often. Baby-talk and cooing are fine and dandy, but don't let those be the only languages your baby hears from you. She'll be listening and learning from your tone (as well as your volume) when you speak to people, learning how you communicate with those other really tall people who keep leaning their gigantic faces down so close to hers and saying profound things like “Coochy-coochy-coo, did da baby make a tinky poo-poo?”
A good habit to get into is using baby-talk for miscellaneous things that come up in the day and conversational tone for things that happen repeatedly in her world; for instance, making her bottle, a diaper change, getting dressed. Point to yourself when you use the word Mommy and to her when you are saying her name. Hold up the diaper and explain what you are doing with it. When you are making her bottle, if she is old enough to sit in the high chair and watch, go through the motions slowly, taking time to repeat the key words in the process. The key words must always be tangible. If the sentence is “Now Mommy is putting on your shoes.” Focus on the words Mommy and shoes, the things that she can see and feel. “Putting” is far too abstract at this time.
When your baby coos and creates sounds that might someday translate into real words, pretend that they already do. If you are making her bottle and she looks up at you and says “gah goo mmm pah bah ooh,” reply with something like “Yes! You are right! This is the same Barney bottle that you had yesterday at breakfast!” The point of this is to help the baby understand that the same words she hears you use are also available to her.
The Scoffers
Expect to take a little flak from people now and then. I know I had to. I was told many times that I was “neurotic” and “wasting my time.” And if I only had a dime for each time I heard “Don't you know she's just a baby?” As if that may have slipped my mind.
I can hardly explain the satisfaction I felt when a friend (who had teased me mercifully about all those books I read and all my babbling at my infant) was visiting with her one year old. I discovered a wet diaper and set my daughter on the ground, asking her to please bring Mommy a diaper. I repeated it several times and stressed the words Mommy and diaper. My friend made one of those snort-scoff sounds and reminded me that the baby was only six-months old. I just smiled as my she crawled off to the diaper stack and returned with a fresh one (to heaps of praise, of course). Yes, it was all worth it.
Beyond the Bottles Already
Do not despair if your child is already beyond the baby stage; any child of any age can learn to read. Your job is simply to help them along by fostering their natural curiosity and desire to learn and cultivating an easy-going environment to do that in. The easy-going part cannot be stressed enough. Under no circumstance do you want the child to feel forced to read, or discouraged about the process. Pressure and stress will be counterproductive. If you start early enough, kids don't even know they are learning to read, it just happens.
Read, Read, Read
If your child is still chewing everything, you can do the following for a shorter period of time (attention span issues) with cloth books. When your child is beyond the “I want to feel everything I see by placing it inside my mouth” phase, get yourself in a comfortable to place to read a magazine and give her one of your old ones to “read” alongside of you. Do this even if your child has her own collection of age-appropriate reading materials. Besides exposing to her to a variety of ways that words are compiled, it gives her that sense of “I'm just like my role model” that is so precious to children in the early years, even though the same thought starts making them nauseous a little over a decade later.
Set aside a portion of each day to read her children's books to her. Many parents choose the traditional “bedtime story” (more than one is better), but that doesn't have to be the time you choose and you can certainly have more than one story time a day. Run your fingers along the words as you read them, helping her approach the revelation that the marks on the page are connected to the words coming out of your mouth. When she asks you to read the same book every single night, don't balk; she is enjoying the repetition. A good way to approach this is to let the child choose one book and you choose one book.
Read to your baby all the time. No, I don't mean give up housework (wouldn't that be nice) to read the Cat in the Hat from nine to five, I mean let her be a part of your reading experience throughout the day. If you are at the grocery store, show her words on the cereal box, the bag of diapers, the formula can, the sale signs, and whatever else you run into.
Let your baby see that reading is important to you. You do this by taking time each day to read. It can be a book, a newspaper, cards from your recipe box, mail…anything at all.
It's Not an “A,” it's an “Aah”
If your child is far enough along that she can pick out the apple on the page, or the frog, or whatever other pictures are found in the baby books that she has been chewing on, she is far enough a long to start learning phonics.
Not to be confused with the alphabet and the song about knowing her ABCs, phonics is all about the sound of the letters and letter combinations. Flashcards become your new tool. It's not necessary to go out and buy the most expensive set you see in the educational section of the drugstore either. For the most part, those are not only a waste of money, but they tend to have too many distracting pictures on them. If a child can point out an apple by remembering the word (sound) with the picture, the same child can remember a stand-alone sound with a picture. There is no need for the apple to emphasize the “a” sound found at its beginning.
Simply pick up a pack of plain white index cards and draw bubble or block style letters on them. Create the first set with lowercase letters and use various bright colors. If your child is a little older, let her color in the letters while you talk about all the words that start with that sound. Turn it into a game.
Teach the sounds in the same way you taught the apple and the frog. Show her the letter, and say its sound. Not the name of the letter, the sound.
Introduce only a few sounds at a time, and begin with the short form of the vowels. Example: cat, hit, pet, cot, rut. After the short vowels are soaked up it's time to move on to the consonants. Avoid confusion by introducing distinctly different sounds and appearances each time. For instance, do not use the same lesson to launch “m” and “n” or “b” and “d.” Instead, introduce “m” and “b.”
The new sights and sounds you initiate each week will be based on your assessment of your child's individual progress. As a general rule, younger children are easily introduced to hard c (cat), hard g (go), m, l, b, f, t, and n.
It may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to really grasp each set; don't rush. This foundation time is crucial. If your child is able to use a crayon with some semblance of control, take some blank paper and create your own worksheets. This is nothing more than using a pencil to draw rows and rows of the sounds you are working on this week. Set her up with some crayons or pens and show her how to trace the letters, remembering to say each sound every time she does one. Be sure to compliment the artwork.
It is also a good idea to create a second set of cards with the same letters to play the card game “memory.” Turn all the cards face down and take turns flipping them over two at a time in search of pairs. Say the sound of each letter when the card is flipped over. If the cards don't match, they must be returned to their original face-down position. If they do match, they go to the person who discovered them and when all the cards are gone, the one with the most pairs wins.
When the child is armed with an arsenal of sounds and able to identify them quickly, begin introducing simple words that use the core sounds. Example: take those white index cards with the beautifully colored letters and create the word cat. At first, keep the letters spread out and slowly point to each one. Then move the letters closer together and pick up the pace. Continue doing this until the letters are right next to each other. Then do it again with another word.
Try to restrain yourself from pointing out to the child that it is a word. It will be worth it when you see that little face light up with the recognition that the sounds she can make by sight (read) come together as a “real” word. And make no mistake about it, that recognition will come.
At that point, the hard part is over. When you are cooking dinner, your child will be creating words with her index cards. When you are in the shower, she will come in wanting to show you the word she just found “all by her own self” in a book. And she will read the books she can sound out, over and over again. This is a good time to take a break and pat yourself (along with anyone else who contributed to the effort) on the back. Take a breather and enjoy the melodic sounds of Dr. Seuss a couple hundred times, and then get back to teaching.
You are over the hump. The most challenging part at this point seems to be the long vowels. Example: here, mate, tote, bite, flute. This is the time to introduce the word “vowels” and the names of the vowels. Then the mantra for this moment becomes: if there's an “e” at the end, then the first vowel says its own name. Practice this for at least three times as long as you did any lesson prior, even if your child seems to have caught on.
Then move on to sound combinations often found at the beginning and end of words, such as sh, ch, th. Combinations such as nt (ant), st (step, pest), nd (and), rt (cart), and those similar will work themselves out.
Now move on to the simple mid-word combinations such as ee (feet), oo (root), etc. Then the slightly more complicated ones like ai (rain), ea (fear), oi (boil), etc.
At this point, you might want to start talking about word context, or “how it fits into the sentence.” A good introduction to the concept is the ea combination in a comparison of fear and bear. If this proves to be too complicated at the moment, push it to the backburner and go back to what is comfortable. It will all fall together.
To Stress or Not to Stress
Don't stress yourself or your child out. Learning to read should be a fun and rewarding experience.
Do stress how proud you are of your child, how impressed you are with their reading, how much you enjoy hearing them read, and how much you love her. Especially how much you love her, after all, that's even more important than reading.
A Better Ending than the Diaper Story
Okay, what can I say, I'm a Mom like every other-I like to brag about my kid. So I'm going to end this with a story from kindergarten, that still makes my heart swell up and my eyes tear up.
My daughter was born in late December and many well-meaning (but completely out of touch with my life and child) people suggested that I hold her back a year so she wouldn't enter school so young. I didn't take their (often unsolicited) advice and enrolled her anyway. Then they told me I'd be sorry when she “falls behind and needs to repeat a year.” I brushed off these unfounded fears, confident in my child's abilities and her foundation.
At the first parent-teacher conference of the year, the teacher informed me what a “wonderful treat” it was to have my daughter in her class. When she needed that “extra moment” to grade papers or prepare for their next project, she would ask my daughter to read a story to the class. Not only did this validate my daughter's confidence in her own reading abilities, but it encouraged the other kids to want to learn. After all, they reasoned, if she can learn to read like that, I can too!
Now ask me if I wanted to burst with pride. Ask me if those countless hours of creating my own worksheets and flashcards were worth it. Ask me if I'd sit through Green Eggs and Ham another million times. The answer is yes, yes, and yes!
February 24, 2010
In his article entitled “Ideas of Authorship” Edward Buscombe discusses the development of the auteur theory of cinema as it was started by the French film critics of the 1940’s. The article states that “the project of a new film magazine would be to raise the cultural status of the cinema. The way to do this, it seemed, would be to advance the claim of the cinema to be an art form like painting or poetry, allowing the individual freedom of personal expression (23)”. In the same article Buscombe quotes Francois Truffaut, one of the founders of the auteur theory in saying that “a true film auteur is one that brings something genuinely personal to his subject (23)”.
Martin Scorsese is a director who has been considered an auteur of cinema for most of his career. His personal and artistic touches to films are clearly defined. His films Mean Streets which he made early in his career and Goodfellas which was made long after he had established himself as a director both deal with the world of the New York City mafia. The former film is a semi-autographical piece about a character that is torn between his lifestyle and his Catholic guilt, while the latter is a piece about the consequences that the temptations of a life of crime can lead to. Each film uniquely represents various stages of Martin Scorsese’s life.
In his article “The Auteur Cinema the film generation in 1970’s Hollywood” David A. Cook states that “Scorsese grew up in New York’s Little Italy and became deeply infatuated with the movies. After graduating from high school, he entered seminary school with the intention of becoming a priest (24).” Scorsese’s conflict between his Catholicism and his love for cinema was particularly evident in his early films. In the Journal of Popular Film and Television Richard A. Blake writes:
The Catholic imagination of Martin Scorsese, it can be argued, penetrates to the core of his thought and sensibility, shaping the way he perceives the world and the way he recreates that world in his films. Scorsese himself has acknowledged the extent of the influence of his Catholicism: “It always will in every piece, in every work I do, even in the way I act.”(6)
Mean Streets has more evidence of Catholic guilt than any other of Scorsese’s work. The main character played by Harvey Keitel is a low rent gangster, a street thug who specializes in petty theft and gambling. The film offers a look at the underbelly of Little Italy. It goes into the strip clubs, the alleys, the bars, and the scummy apartments that only people growing up in Little Italy might have seen. The most dramatic and memorable image in the film is of Scorsese kneeling in front of an alter in a church and holds his hand as close to a flame as he can.
He prays at the alter, and goes through the usual motions of crossing himself, but he does it with an expression of guilt and anguish on his face. He knows his life as a criminal as a sinful one. He knows that praying in church and asking for forgiveness is a way of redeeming your sins but he doesn’t seem sure that the redemption is actually going to occur. Keitel’s character Charlie is the embodiment of Martin Scorsese at the time the film was made, and in fact the voiceover narration in the film often alters back and forth between the voice of Harvey Keitel and the voice of Scorsese himself. This is the director trying to stamp a work of art with his own personal touch.
Film critic Roger Ebert writes that “The film recalls days when there was a greater emphasis on sin - and rigid ground rules, inspiring dread of eternal suffering if a sinner died without absolution. Charlie walks through the movie seeking forgiveness - from his Uncle Giovanni (Cesare Danova), who is the local Mafia boss, and from Teresa, his best friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro), the local loan shark Michael (Richard Romulus) and even from God. He wants redemption.” Scorsese abandoned his quest to become a priest after one year in order to attend film school.
He was torn between the obsessive desire to make films and need to serve his god. Perhaps he went in the direction of filmmaking because he felt it was his greatest skill. Charlie in Mean Streets has no talent other than being a runner for low rent, petty criminals. He surrounds himself with criminals, people who sell drugs and sex and people who kill one another. He doesn’t often participate in these activities, he serves as more of a middle man but instead of extricating himself from that lifestyle he tries to act as a mediator because he desires forgiveness from everyone around him.
The opening line of the Mean Streets is “You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. The rest is bullshit and you know it.” This is voiceover narration from Charlie. This dialogue would seem to indicate that Charlie is destined to make some kind of personal sacrifice of himself or someone around him that will occur in the streets rather than the church. The main person he tries to redeem in the film is his friend Johnny Boy (played by Robert Deniro) who is also a runner for the mafia but he’s mentally unstable, can’t be depended on, is constantly borrowing money he can’t return and generally making a nuisance of himself. Charlie is a much more grounded gangster. He views his career as a way to make a living for himself, whereas Johnny Boy represents a gangster with his entire lifestyle. Charlie knows that Johnny Boy’s recklessness is going to lead to his demise and that he needs to get Johnny away from the lifestyle before it ends badly for both of them.
At the end of the film, when both men are gunned down after a chase throughout Little Italy, they have made the ultimate sacrifice to the streets. While Charlie has failed to redeem himself as a Catholic before being murdered, and he has failed to redeem Johnny Boy as well he still experiences a form of redemption by losing his blood to the streets. Blake writes “At the same time, by the shedding of their blood both men achieve a form of salvation. It is the kind of redemption one associates not with the church, but with the streets (26)”. The quote from the beginning of the film remains true to the end. The point seems to be that a life in the church and a life in the streets cannot coexist. While this is bleak for the characters in the film, it’s useful to the filmmaker who knows that filmmaking and religion are capable of coexisting.
Blake writes:
The varied conflicts between wanting to belong to a community and fearing the loss of personal integrity may echo many of Scorsese's own mixed feelings in being technically “excommunicated” from the Catholic Church because of his divorces and failure “to make Easter duty.”(31) He continues to speak respectfully of the Church and still considers himself a member, even though he is apparently not inclined to accept personally many of its teachings and practices. Goodfellas was made twenty years after Mean Streets and it still features gangsters in Little Italy but it’s a different breed of gangster. The gangsters in Goodfellas aren’t low-rent thugs, they’re wealthy men who run the area they work in, throw money around as if it grows on trees, bossily control everyone around them and relish in their lifestyle. Nobody experiences the angst of Catholic guilt or the desire for the redemption that the characters in Mean Streets do.
The first thing the main character Henry Hill says in the movie is “As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster.” One of his last lines of dialogue, after he is put away in the witness protection program and separated from the mafia lifestyle he says that he misses the life and that he “can’t even get a decent mean anymore.” Henry Hill was a greedy man, obsessed with an unhealthy lifestyle that eventually left him hanging out to dry but rather than obsessing about forgiveness for his crimes he looks on them with glee and fond memories. He wouldn’t take any of it back if you paid him.
But Goodfellas isn’t without guilt. As Scorsese stated, Catholicism is evident in all of his work. While the men in Goodfellas don’t discuss religion and there is no religious symbolism in the film, there is the uneasy feeling that these men are getting pleasure out of inhumane, criminal activities and we as an audience are getting a thrill from watching them. While Henry Hill doesn’t beg for forgiveness, the audience sees his drug addiction, womanizing, murdering and stealing, sees that he doesn’t seek forgiveness for it and feels guilt for spending an entire film empathizing with a man who was essentially evil throughout. While there are several exhilarating scenes in Goodfellas Scorsese ultimately makes the audience regret enjoying those scenes. The movie is a condemnation of organized crime and the constant images of men who commit crime and don’t try to redeem themselves is where the Catholic influence of Scorsese is stamped onto the picture.
Stylistically there are many similarities between Mean Streets and Goodfellas. Two scenes in each respective film in particular strongly echo one another, both of them involving the main character and the way he moves through a certain space. Ebert writes about Mean Streets “He enters the bar in a series of shots at varying levels of slow-motion (a Scorsese trademark). He walks past his friends, exchanging ritual greetings, and eventually he gets up on the stage with the black stripper, and dances with her for a few bars of rock 'n' roll.” This is a key scene in the context of the film.
It introduces one of the main hangouts for the criminals it shows that Charlie is a well known man in this location and that it’s important for him to introduce himself to everyone. The slow motion effects give the scene an uneasy quality. While Charlie is clearly an important person in this location everybody around him looks mean, unhappy and shady. There is no glamour to this bar and the stripper onstage is an even further indication of that. There is a similar scene in Goodfellas in which Henry Hill walks through a night club with his girlfriend.
Ebert writes:
“In the most famous shot in the movie, he takes his future wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco) to the Copacabana nightclub. There's a line in front, but he escorts her across the street, down stairs and service corridors, through the kitchen area, and out into the showroom just as their table is being placed right in front of the stage. This unbroken shot, which lasts 184 seconds, is not simply a cameraman's stunt, but an inspired way to show how the whole world seems to unfold effortlessly before young Henry Hill.
There is a stark contrast between the nightclub in Henry Hill’s world and the strip bar in Charlie’s world. As Henry moves effortlessly through the areas of the club that few people have access to he is treated with respect. He’s given the best seat in the house, the people are enthusiastic to greet him and the surroundings are attractive. This is the world that Henry has been tempted by and he relishes every second of it. The unbroken camera shot is used by Scorsese to show the easiness in which Henry moves through his universe. It’s completely different from the slow-motion of Mean Streets. There’s no slow emphasis on every action Henry Hill makes. His world is fast, efficient and doesn’t stop.
The two different scenes could be indicative of how Scorsese’s life was at the time that each film was made. When he made Mean Streets he was a young, up-and-coming, unsuccessful filmmaker and the process of making a good movie was likely a very slow one. He was also riddled by Catholic guilt and obsessed with making a film about that guilt. When he made Goodfellas he was a successful filmmaker who could make any film he wanted quickly and efficiently. Life was much easier for him and as he matured as a director his films began to lean more towards great stylistic content than deep meditations on Catholicism.
There are distinct uses of cinematography in each film that gives them similarities. The use of the color red comes into play very distinctly. The entire strip club/criminal hangout that the characters occupy in Mean Streets is bathed in a shade of red. Ebert writes “the club is always bathed in red, the color of sex, blood and guilt.” Indeed, this club that Charlie frequents is often the source for his most sinful activities. He’s seen getting drunk, getting into fights, witnessing drug use and expressing sexual desires towards women in the club. Red is the color of sin and passion and the passion of Charlie’s criminal lifestyle is represented by the red of the camera work. The outside world seems more cold and dark by comparison.
The most distinct use of the color red in Goodfellas occurs during a scene about halfway through the film in which Henry and his cohorts are digging up the body of a man they had killed. The scene shows them in the middle of a field, their outlines barely visible because of the red of the headlights which bathe the screen in a shade of crimson. The scene is notable because as they dig up the body, Henry gets ill and vomits at the site of the dead body. It’s the first time we notice Henry being genuinely uneasy about his work. The dead body in the trunk is a source of discomfort for Henry in general. As they dig it up he loses everything in his stomach while the screen is a fiery red. The red is the blood and the sin that Henry Hill couldn’t handle. It pushed him over the edge and made him ill.
Martin Scorsese remains an American auteur, a director who has created and developed his own personal artistic style which he puts into every film. Pauline Kael writes “The ultimate premise of the auteur theory is concerned with interior meaning, the ultimate glory of the cinema as an art. Interior meaning is extrapolated between a director’s personality and his material (541)”. The progression between Mean Streets and Goodfellas shows two films with similar subjects in which the director has used his personality to give deeper meaning to the stories. The young, guilt-riddled Catholic filmmaker has since turned into the older, less Catholic but still respectful of it adult and while there was a different director behind each movie watching them closely you can see the same personality driving the art form.
February 22, 2010
Blu-Ray players, like a number of newer technologies, are thrust into the marketplace before all the bugs are ironed out, and before all of the advantages are fully exploited. Because of this “built-in obsolescence” they are made to be updatable, or upgradeable by the consumer–YOU. The procedure is known as updating or “flashing” the firmware. If you have internet access, a CD writer, and CD creating (burning) software, the process is easy. So, before you tear your hair out because you've just thrown away hundreds of dollars on a piece of equipment that seems to fail as often as it performs (or even more so), settle into your office chair, crank up your pc, and take a deep breath. This will take a lot less time (and money) than a visit to your therapist.
1.) Go to your favorite search engine (such as Google or Yahoo) and type in the name of the manufacturer of your Blu-Ray player. When the results pop up, click on the appropriate manufacturer site. What we're looking for here is a link for “support” or “downloads” or “software“–or, in some cases, there will actually be a link to “firmware,” precisely what we've come here for. With some manufacturer sites, the link is right in front of your face; with others you'll have to dig a little bit.
2.) Search for your product on the manufacturer's site. This often requires narrowing down choices via drop-down menus or search fields. Here's an example of a search for a firmware update for the Samsung BD-P1000: Click on the Samsung site; click on the “Support” tab; Under “Choose your product type” locate and click on “Blu-ray” (a subset of “audio/video”); a window pops up displaying the option “Choose a product model” followed by a scrolling list of all Samsung Blu-Ray players. Click on your model (in this case, BD-P1000) and click “okay.”
3.) Find your download. Usually once you've found the page for your specific model, there will be options to download various errata, including manuals, press releases, spec sheets, guides, etc. Find the “firmware,” “software,” or “update” link (in the case of Samsung, there's a tab in the middle of the page labelled “firmware”) and click on it.
4.) Download the firmware. Click on the link to the actual firmware (The Samsung version reads: Update firmware(Only for USA and CANADA) (ver.1.9)) which will open a window providing details about the firmware version, sometimes including detailed instructions and known issues. Click again to start the download process. A window will pop up asking if you want to save, which you do, so indicate so by clicking the appropriate button. This will download the firmware file safely onto your computer where it will sit there doing nothing, like a seed waiting to be planted. Don't worry; your computer won't know how to run it because it's specifically designed to work only on your Blu-Ray player. What you want your computer to do is save (or “burn”) it on a recordable CD (if you're in the woods on this one, ask your teenager or flag one down on the street).
Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions and notes regarding the implementation of the update.
5.) Write the firmware to CD and load it into your Blu-Ray player. In my experience with firmware, usually a simple click on the downloaded file will automatically trigger my computer's CD-writing software (Nero Burning Rom, for example) to lead me, step by step, through the simple procedure of creating the CD. If you do not know how to create a CD, please find that information elsewhere on the web or Associated Content, or ask a friend. Once the CD is complete, eject it from your computer and load it into your Blu-Ray player (as per manufacturer instructions). IMPORTANT: Let the procedure complete itself; it will take some time and the player may appear to freeze up. Do not turn the power off during the process or you may permanently damage the player. Mine takes about 15-20 minutes to update and goes through 3 separate phases. When it has completed updating, the player will display a message saying so and eject the disc.
Now you'll be able to play new Blu-Ray discs, though some of the advanced features may not be available to you depending on the age of your player.
Important note: Most of this software is Windows-based only, so if you have a Macintosh, you'll have to borrow a friend's pc to burn the disc.
For PHILIPS owners: If you own the PHILIPS BDP9000 you are in luck. It is a clone of the SAMSUNG BD-P1000–internally, it's exactly the same–which means you can update it with Samsung's firmware. I own a PHILIPS BDP9000 and have been frustrated with their lack of customer support. They haven't updated their firmware in nearly a year as of this posting (2-2-09) for this machine which went for $1000 new. Samsung, however, updates their firmware regularly. I have updated my machine using SAMSUNG BD-P1000 firmware and the machine reads all Blu-Ray discs now (though it thinks it's a Samsung). The load time is still very slow, because this was the first BD player out there, and occasionally it'll freeze up and I have to turn it off and on again to unstick it. Other than that, it works great and reads every disc I load.
The primary purpose of this article has been to reassure you that your Blu-Ray player may not be malfunctioning per se, rather becoming outdated occasionally as the technology progresses, and to help remedy the situation without having to run out and buy a new one every few months or to swear off purchasing new technology in the future because you feel you've been ripped off too many times. Be aware, there is some risk to this procedure; consider whether you'd rather keep a player that no longer plays Blu-Rays or risk updating it. Good luck!
February 14, 2010
In the 50 inch and larger category of plasma flat panel HDTV displays, you will begin to see pricy models appear. Many of the producers of plasma displays make specialty or professional level sets in sizes of 50 inch and up. Panasonic, considered a leader in plasma HDTV displays is no exception to this rule. Panasonic makes seven plasma displays in the 50 inch category. These displays range in price from $1999.95 on up to $3499.95. The differences amongst the offerings by Panasonic are subtle, but it is important to make the distinctions amongst the different displays. This overview will focus on the Panasonic Plasma HDTV with the model number of TH-50PC77U.
Model numbers play an important role in determining many aspects about a given plasma display. This model number of TH-50PC77U helps determine many things about this plasma display by Panasonic. The first two letters of TH are used on all Panasonic plasma HDTV displays and therefore have no significant meaning. The next two numbers of 5 and 0 describe the size of this plasma display of 50 inches. The next two letters of P and C indicates that this is a 720p HDTV display. Finally, the 77U indicates that this is Panasonic's midline offering overall. It is positioned just above the lowest price model that ends with the numbers 75U. The 77U does not come with many of the options that the 700U class offers such as more HDMI connections, more speakers with more power, the availability of more on screen adjustments, and other various features over the lesser sets that do not end with the 0U designation.
However, you may have noticed that this model carries a P and C designation rather than the standard P and X designation for a 720p set. The letter C designates this as a special model. This model is only available at select retailers. The letter C usually indicates the model is available only at Costco, however this may not always be the case.
Now we will move on to pricing. As this particular model is considered to be Panasonic's midline 50 inch plasma model, it is usually priced accordingly. Since this is a special model number and only available at select retailers, the pricing may vary and the retailer offers the set at their own price level.
This particular set is a 720p HDTV display. This means that this display has the ability to display the full resolution of a 720 p signal, but cannot display the higher resolution format of 1080. Though a 1080p set will be more expensive than an identical 720p, it will usually offer better picture quality and is capable of higher resolutions. There is a trade off between picture quality and price when deciding between a 720p set or a 1080p set.
The contrast ratio of this particular display is listed at 10,000 to 1. The contrast ratio determines the sets ability to show true black and crisp, clean whites on the screen at the same time. A higher contrast ratio translates to better picture quality. When comparing contrast ratio among plasma and LCD displays, you must compare the contrast ratio of the plasma display to the on screen contrast ratio of the LCD display. In order to make an accurate comparison, you should not look at the dynamic contrast that is listed for most LCD display.
This model utilizes Panasonic's G10 Progressive HD Plasma Panel. Though a direct comparison of panels cannot be made, it is worthwhile to note which Panasonic displays use the same panel. The same panel should give the same or similar picture quality.
This brief overview is intended for comparison purposes. If interested in comparing this set to another plasma or LCD set then please refer to my overviews listed for each specific model. Overviews are available for or will soon be available for major models from Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, Pioneer, and Toshiba.
Though portions of this article have been reused from my other Panasonic plasma reviews, model specific information is changed and pertinent only to the model listed.
Whenever I get into a conversation with my female friends about love and sex, the question “How to talk dirty to my boyfriend” regularly comes up from one woman I know or another. It's a matter of wanting to find that special spice that may be missing in the relationship or perhaps just wanting to add more to what is already there. Regardless, talking dirty can really turn a guy on and raise those hairs he may or may not have on his body.
Men and women are certainly different! Men are visual creatures and women are arguably a lot more emotional than men. What they both have in common is that words can really make a difference in how they feel about another person in a relationship, physical or emotional.
So, you want to know “how do I talk dirty to my boyfriend?” Well, one of the best ways is to sneak up behind him when he is least expecting it and tell him how hot he makes you. You can choose the verb to use, but make sure you communicate to him that he is making you feel a certain sexual feeling. Whisper it to him - this will drive him mad. Even further, take your fingers and massage his earlobes while you're whispering whatever it is you're saying.
Men love to hear how great they are, even if they're not that great! A man's definition of talking dirty may very well be different than the average woman's definition. You want to make sure than when you're talking dirty to your boyfriend that you use very descriptive, sexual words, coupled with telling him how sexual what does makes you feel. Guys love to hear that they are turning on a woman; it makes them feel as though they are conquering the competition. This may sound hilarious, but it is true of most men.
“Well, I want to know how to talk dirty to my boyfriend when we're in bed.” This is the big topic that comes up in conversation amongst my friends more often than any other element of “sexy talk.” It is through the act of love making that men go nuts for a dirty talk.
Depending on the sexual position you and your boyfriend are in, the one that has the most impact for talking dirty is when he's on top. He's in control in this position and an added comment here and there about how much love what he's doing, or you yelling out how much you love a certain body part of his while drive him through the roof. Don't be afraid to just blurt it out with some volume. Whispering in his ear while in this position works too, but a wild woman than can't help but yell out those sexual items which she loves while in bed will help to make a man love his sexual experience even more, and by doing so will heighten your experience as well. When my female friends say to me, “well, if I learn how to talk dirty to my boyfriend is that going to fix our sex life, or at least make it better?” Well, I can't tell you that it's going to fix any problems you're having in bed, but it will absolutely make things more interesting, and that's a start. And if things are great already, then talking dirty will only help.
One last tip for you - when you're in public with your boyfriend, at dinner, the movies, walking in the park, whatever - tell him you're not wearing any panties or underwear, or tell him that you are hot for him and want to find somewhere to have sex as soon as possible. Talking dirty to your boyfriend in public places will make your relationship that much more spicy!
February 12, 2010
Prior to going on the birth control Femcon Fe, I was on Ortho-Tricyclen Lo for two years. Two years too long, in my opinion. Here, I will tell you a little bit about the experience that I had with Ortho-Tricyclen Lo and what lead me to decide to switch birth control pills.
Long, Heavy Periods
As a sufferer of endometriosis, it is typical for me to experience a heavy period that lasts between seven and nine days. Certain birth control pills can either lessen this, while others do not change it whatsoever. When I first began taking Ortho-Tricyclen Lo, my periods were immediately lighter and shorter than they were in the past. After being on this birth control pill for about a year, I began to notice that my periods started getting longer and heavier again, however.
Mood Swings
As women, we are all susceptible to getting mood swings at that time of the month. While I had experienced PMS-related mood swings in the past, nothing can compare to those that I had when I was on Ortho-Tricyclen Lo. There were times when I truly felt sorry for anyone who was in my presence because the only thing that I would do is yell at everyone. When I wasn't yelling, I was crying - and not about anything important either. After switching to Femcon Fe, I am absolutely positive that Ortho-Tricyclen Lo is what was causing my mood swings.
Weight Gain
There is little supporting evidence that birth control pills actually lead to weight gain. When I asked my doctor if this was possible, she said that everyone has a different reaction to birth control. She also said that the hormones in certain pills are more likely to cause an increase in appetite, carb and sweets cravings, and fluid retention, which causes you to look bloated. I originally noticed my weight gain from Ortho-Tricyclen Lo about two months after I went on the birth control pill, and struggled to keep the weight off for a long time after. After being on Ortho-Tricyclen Lo for about two years, I began to notice the weight problems I was having again. Once I switched to Femcon Fe, I was able to lose most of the weight that I had put on while taking Ortho-Tricyclen Lo.
Known Side Effects of Ortho-Tricyclen Lo
Some of the known side effects of Ortho-Tricyclen Lo include depression, migraines, skin discoloration, fever, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, mental confusion, chest pain, jaundice, sleeping difficulty, changes in hair growth or loss, fatigue, nervousness, vaginal discharge, and breakthrough bleeding. If you begin to notice any of these or other side effects after beginning Ortho-Tricyclen Lo, the best thing that you can do is talk to your doctor. This pill may not necessarily be the right choice for you if side effects are severe or persistent.
Remember that everyone's body reacts to differently to every birth control pill. While one pill may not cause your sister to become moody or gain weight, there is a chance that you may have an entirely different experience. The best thing that you can do is talk to your doctor about any concerns that you may have about the birth control pill that you are on and see what he or she recommends for your needs.
To read my review of the birth control pill Femcon Fe, please visit this link.
February 10, 2010
When the Oakland School board adopted Ebonics as a separate dialect from English and proposed to include it in their teachers’ educations, the reaction from the general public was one of outrage and disgust. In fact, the policy created so much adversity that it was eventually dropped. Had the community possessed even a basic knowledge of linguistics or the historical origins of African American English, they may have given Oakland’s brave new policy a chance. Linguists have proved, contrary to what many Americans believe, that African American English (AAE), or Ebonics, is not a grouping of random deviations from Standard American English (SAE) or an attempt to break down the language into a more barbaric form. Instead, it is both systematic and rule-governed, just like all other language varieties. If teachers had a better understanding of AAE varieties, it would likely help them better teach native AAE speakers SAE.
It is a common assumption that AAE is a dialect of English. The term dialect is a variety of a language defined by both geographical factors and social factors, like class, religion, and ethnicity (Stewart 2001:492). In English, the word dialect often has a negative connotation associated with unusual or nonstandard types of language. However, dialect simply refers to any variety of any language that is characterized by systematic differences from other varieties of the same language. These varieties can be structural or lexical. Clearly, everyone speaks a dialect of his/her native language (Steward 2001:301). The word dialect is often misused by laypeople to refer strictly to differences in pronunciation, which explains why the majority of the public mistakes AAE for a dialect of SAE. However, the correct term for systematic phonological variation is accent, not dialect. A group of people who speak the same dialect is called a speech community. These communities are also defined in terms of extralinguistic factors, like religion, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.
One way to distinguish dialects from languages is mutual intelligibility: if those who speak one language variety can understand those who speak another language variety, then the varieties (which differ only systematically) are dialects of the same language. These varieties can be intelligible in either written form, spoken form, or both. For example: In China, Mandarin is spoken in the northern provinces of Kwang Tung, but Cantonese is spoken in the southern province. Even though these languages are not mutually intelligible in the spoken form, they share the same writing system, which makes them mutually intelligible in a different way. However, a complication of this mutual intelligibility theory arises in situations like that of the American Southwest: Papago and Pima are two different Native American languages. Their language varieties are more mutually intelligible in spoken form than Standard American English vs. Standard British English. However, because the two tribes consider themselves politically and culturally dissimilar, they consider their languages to be distinct from each other. Another complication of the mutual intelligibility theory is the dialect continuum. This occurs when, in a large number of contiguous dialects, each dialect is closely related to the next, but the dialects at opposite ends of the scale are mutually unintelligible (Stewart 2001:302). AAE refers to a continuum of varieties whose features can be very similar to or very different from SAE, depending on which end of the continuum one looks at. This is another cause for the general confusion about whether Ebonics is a dialect of English or a dialect of African languages.
As aforementioned, when the Oakland school board made its proposal, it was met with outrage and cynicism for many reasons. Among the most prominent were ill feelings about what people viewed as legitimizing broken-English and adopting certain features of AAE into the standard English language for fear they would penetrate SAE (Stewart 2001:318). Other popular labels awarded to Ebonics at that time were deviant, incorrect, sloppy, and handicapped English (Johnson 2000:115). Whether or not you agree with these assertions likely depends on to which of the two major theories of AAE origination you subscribe.
The first theory of AAE origination is the Dialectologist View. This theory asserts that AAE originated as a southern variety of English, which spread north in the 1920s due to a widespread migration of African Americans from the south to the north. This migration was a result of the decline of the cotton industry and the growing job opportunities in the north. According to this theory, AAE is a dialect of English (Stewart 2001:320). Unfortunately, most white supporters of the Dialectologist View who were unfamiliar with either African languages or Gullah made large generalizations that supported their preconceived notions about black speech habits. For example, in the “American Mercury” in 1924, George Krapp said, “it is reasonably safe to say that not a single detail of Negro pronunciation or Negro syntax can be proved to have other than English origins (Holloway 1990:20).
The second theory of AAE origination is the creolist View. This theory asserts that AAE is derived from West African origins as a result of the slave trade. As slaves were gathered from various parts of Africa, they were placed on ships to America. Often, slaves on these ships were isolated from other speakers of their native languages in order to prevent rebellion or trouble during their travels. Because of this isolation, the slaves were forced to create a pidgin, or system of communication devised for people who have no common language (Stewart 2001:321). When a pidgin becomes the principal language of a speech community, it is called a creole. As a pidgin changes into a creole, the variety expands in complexity and becomes the native language of a second generation of speakers. Like pidgin, creole does not have a written form (Johnson 2000:138). When a creolized variety moves closer to the dominant variety of the superordinate language variety, but still retains some of its previous features, it is called decreolization. Creolists have found features in AAE that are very similar to English-based Creoles of the Caribbean (Johnson 2000:140). The only English-based Creole left in the U.S. is Gullah; many creolists consider Gullah to be in direct relation to the origins of AAE. Today, Gullah is spoken by African Americans living on the sea islands off of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts. Because of the barrier conditions of the island’s geography, the language has survived extremely well there (Johnson 2000:135).
Englishization of Ebonics
West African Languages
Niger-Congo
Acquisition of foreign vocabulary
Maintains original morphology, phonology, grammar
More words and some grammar
Pidginization
Maintains original morphology and grammar
Creolization
Maintains morphology
Englishization- Ebonics
Maintains original communication style
Maintains some lexical items
Ability to switch
(Holloway 1990:23)
Despite the discovery that AAE might well be a result of pidgin and, later, Creole among early Africans in America, little investigation of the possibility was ever conducted. “Considered a corruption of English or the babbling of children, the language used by African “Americans was dismissed as unworthy of investigation (Holloway 1990:19).” Fortunately, a 1968 study by Labov, Cohen, Robins, and Lewis proved to be of major importance in altering many traditional views of AAE as an imperfect copy of standard English, flawed by ignorant and careless errors (Goodwin 1990:2:1). Ebonics, editor Joseph E. Holloway agrees, has systematic rules that are very different from English. The grammatical similarities between English and Ebonics that do exist are probably a result of the fact that Ebonics contains structural remnants of certain African languages, even though the vocabulary is overwhelmingly English. Since the language a person speaks is determined by the language to which he/she is exposed, it is sensible that not all African Americans speak AAE, and not only African Americans speak AAE. There are many cases of white southerners who grew up with black nurses who now speak using African tones and pitches. Similarly, many African Americans speak with a precise European intonation pattern because of young exposure to white American speech patterns (Holloway1990: 22). Marjorie Goodwin, who conducted an extensive study of the behavioral speech patterns of a group of Southwest Pennsylvania black children found their Black English Vernacular to be nearly identical to that of black speakers in Harlem (Goodwin1990: 3:1).
Many structural features of AAE distinguish it from SAE. These features include monophthongization (ex: now = ), word-final consonant cluster reduction (ex: cold cuts= [khol khΛts]), absence of third singular ‘s’ (ex: He need to get a book from the shelf), multiple negation (ex: I ain’t never got no lunch), and habitual ‘b’ (ex: The coffee always be cold.) (Stewart 2001:323). Furthermore, there are several similarities between the languages of the Niger-Congo (including Bantu) and Ebonics. For instance, both use aspect rather than tense in some verbal constructions:
Present he go
Near past he gone
Remote past he been gone
Future he going to go
Aspect of progress he going
Aspect of completion he done gone
Pasts aspect of repetition he been going (Holloway 1990:24)
Samples of Bantu language origins in Black English
kala-rice cala- Creole rice cakes
mbubu- stupid blundering boo-boo- blunder
nguba- peanut goober- peanut
nyambi- sweet potato yam- sweet potato
tota- to carry, pick up tote- carry, pick up
tshipi- in a short time, just a moment jiffy- in a moment
(Johnson 2000:137)
Another aspect of Ebonics that connects it to West-African Niger-Congo languages is serialization, or strings of short clauses put together without indirect objects, benefactives, or instrumental phrases. Ex: Instead of “He gave me money,” one might hear “He take money gave me.” Yet another indication that Ebonics is a derivation of African Languages is its tonal semantics. Many African languages are tonal languages, meaning that vocal pitch and intonation can completely change the meaning of a word. A bit of those tonal semantics may have been retained by modern African Americans, as many African Americans still use vocal inflection and voice rhythm in everyday speech. For this reason, many African Americans find the speech of whites to be bland and monotone, and many white find the speech of African Americans to be overly emotional and loud (Johnson 2000: 151).
Clearly, AAE is not a dialect of English, but a derivation of West-African languages. Ebonics is merely the result of African Americans maintaining their fundamental sense of culture, despite the onslaught of European behavior and speech patterns (Holloway 1990: 31). John Baugh, a linguist who studied African American street culture and language, asserts that, even with daily practice to gain proficiency in institutional language, African Americans can never simply “switch codes” and drop their inherent linguistic patterns (Cushman 1998: 123). This is exactly the reason that the Oakland School District had exactly the right idea; educating the educators about AAE is the only way to learn to properly teach its native speakers SAE. Interestingly enough, a certain precedent case that took place in Ann Arbor, Michigan was never acknowledged during the battle with the Oakland school district. In MI, a U.S. District Court judge ordered an Ann Arbor school board to train its teachers in “Black English Vernacular” as a result of a class action lawsuit in which black parents complained about their children’s lack of progress in school. This landmark case was conspicuously absent in most accounts of the Oakland case (Johnson 2000: 321).
In conclusion, if the general public was educated about the origins of AAE and basic linguistics, it might become apparent to said public that the Oakland school system took the correct action. AAE is not a dialect of English, but a dialect of an entirely separate language altogether, and should not be judged according to the standards of modern American English.
February 6, 2010
Farmer's Markets can be found in almost every town across the three states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. This region abounds with small hobby farmers and organic farmers. This is a bonus to the general population as you can find fresh produce and other home made goods throughout the spring, summer and fall months. If you live in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, or southwest Wisconsin, read on to find out the locations of some awesome Farmer's Markets!
Along the eastern border of Minnesota lies the town of Winona. Winona borders along the Mississippi River and boasts of rugged rock cliffs and beautiful bluff scenery. The town is also home to the University of Minnesota Winona. The surrounding rural area is full of small farmers and has a large Amish community as well. The Winona Farmers Market is located downtown on the corner of 2nd Street and Main Street. This farmers market is open on Saturday from 7:30 am until 12 pm (noon) and also on Wednesday 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. The market season runs from the middle of May through the end of October. Many vendors bring all sorts of items to the market including: fresh produce, home baked goods, honey and maple syrup.
In southwest Wisconsin you will find the town of La Crosse. La Crosse has a population of about 50,000 with a very rich rural community. La Crosse has two farmers' market locations. One is on the north side of town, in the suburb of Onalaska. This farmers market is located in the Festival Foods Plaza, just south of Interstate 90. This market abounds with vendors upon vendors displaying fresh produce for your enjoyment. The Festival Foods Farmer's Market is open Sunday from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. The Farmers market kicks off in June and ends its season in the middle of October.
Another Farmer's Market in La Crosse is the Cameron Park Farmer's Market. This market is located just off the intersection of highway 14 and Cass Street, across from the People's Food Coop of La Crosse. The coop is located at 315 5th Ave. S in downtown La Crosse. The Cameron Park Farmer's Market is open on Fridays from 4:00pm until closing time when the market has slowed down. Generally the market is wrapping up by 8:00pm. The months of operation are from May until October.
Another great Farmer's Market in the southwest area of Wisconsin in the Farmer's Market in Viroqua Wisconsin. Viroqua is the center of one of the nation's largest organic farming communities. This brings a surplus of home grown organic produce to the general population's enjoyment. The Farmer's Market is a main attraction and brings out the town and country folk each week. The Market is open on Saturday morning from 9:00am until 1:00pm. The market is located along the town's main street in the parking lot of the Western Wisconsin Technical college building. You can also shop the town's historic downtown shopping district where you can find unique gifts and other goods. The market features many Amish vendors who bring baskets, furniture, quilts and many other home made crafts.
Last but not least is the northeast corner of Iowa. Iowa of course is a very rich farming community. Located in Allamakee county is the small town of Waukon with a population of about 4,000 people. Many small farmers bring their produce to the farmer's market each week assuring a plentiful supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. The market is located at the Allamakee County fairgrounds, on the north side of Waukon along highway 9. This market is open each Monday night from 4-6:00 starting May 14 until September 24th. The market is also open every Saturday morning from 9-11:00 am starting on June 2nd continuing through September 29th.
There is no doubt that if you are living in one of these tri-state locations, you can find a farmer's market for you! Each year markets are added and more and more families are choosing to bring produce to sell. Gone are the days of buying mass produced fruits and vegetables from the grocery store when you can buy them fresh from the garden at these wonderful Farmer's Markets!
The American automotive companies have been losing market share for a long time now. The American public as well as the rest of the world was not aware of how damaged the American automotive industry was until Ford began to lay off workers by the tens of thousands. The small recession in the U.S. has forced automotive companies to rethink their strategies.
GM is looking to other countries where they believe the selling of cars will be more lucrative. China is a big prospect and GM hopes to be able to move into their market more quickly. The Chinese do not appear to be as price conscious of gas which makes American trucks and SUV's a possible excellent match.
One of the reasons why Chinese are not as concerned about gasoline prices is because China is way ahead of the U.S. market when it comes to securing lucrative oil products. China has been actively engaged in buying, making deals with, and securing both new and existing oil fields around the world. Likewise, China isn't as nearly concerned about pollution as the U.S.
China currently has about 100 vehicles that they are actively trying to sell to their countrymen. Some of these vehicles look so close to American styles. GM might pursue an intellectual property theft case for the wholesale theft of an American SUV style. In other words they have a product identical to the one produced in the U.S.
GM has currently around 13,000 employees and two billon dollars invested in the Chinese market. They believe that the nation of 1.3 billion people will pay them off big time as people get more used to vehicles. They expect as much as 50% of their growth to come from the Asian region and hope this would be a new era for American cars.
The good news is that the Chinese people adore American cars. Thus American products have a high demand in a country that is both expanding and whose citizens want to be more like Americans. China is one of the world's fastest growing countries. Once can see that just a few decades ago China had almost no expressways and now it has over 21,000 miles of them.
Even though many of the new jobs will be over in China, many Americans will be able to capitalize on their growth. Much of the world's knowledge in automotive design and manufacturing is based around the Detroit Michigan area. As plants open up in foreign countries these designers, engineers and managers may be asked to move to the new location. Like nomads they will enter into the field of bargaining their expertise.
