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Oliver Tolentino’s Melrose Place, a stretch in Los Angeles famous for shopping. Opening the store just came to him organically, having spent eight years going back and forth Manila and Los Angeles.
LA-based Filipino patrons of his, he tells us, also requested that he open one. And, with the help of business partner Andrew Caruthers, a lawyer, and eight years' worth of studying the US market, Oliver Tolentino opened in LA last July, 2009 to about 220 guests.
“Los Angeles,” says Tolentino, “is more centralized. When I went there, I was thinking about Hollywood. There are a lot of glamorous parties held in LA. A lot of stylists are from there. I find the fashion district there more centralized, it’s just in one area.” And he adds, “I have more clients in LA.” While his American business partner, Caruthers confirms, “He just did a wedding for a billionaire’s family in Beverly Hills!”
Even with the US in recession, which caused for a recoiling of the retail industry among others, Tolentino’s business seems to be thriving. “They are really starting to notice him. The great thing about his shop is that we opened at the worst of times, the worst retail market in 50 or a hundred years and all of the stores who were doing what Oliver is doing now are all out of business or not doing it anymore. Oliver is one of the few shops in Los Angeles that offers unique gowns and couture,” says Caruthers. “The Hollywood celebrities and the stylists are finding him.”
youtu.be/voW0RiNTbGI?t=2s Trailer
This is one of the block-buster classics of early sci-fi movies. It's theme was so potent that offshoots have been remade in several other movies. When Worlds Collide (WWC for short) was a big budget film, shot in color, with a large cast, and fairly expensive sets, models and special effects (for its day). WWC usually makes classic sci-fi fans' top ten lists. Never mind petty quibbles over the science cited in the movie. The science is just there to support the premise. What if the earth was about to be destroyed? What would mankind do? With the usual romance elements and human drama, that question is explored.
Synopsis
A rogue star and its planet are hurtling on a collision course with the earth. The planet, Zyra, will come close to the earth, causing massive floods (ala Noah) and earthquakes, but it is the rogue star itself -- Bellus -- which will plow through the earth, burning it up. By the time astronomers discover Bellus and Zyra, the earth has less than a year left. Governments are paralyzed. A rich, selfish, wheelchair-bound billionaire agrees to finance the building of a rocket ship on the condition that HE gets to come. Hundreds of people build the ark with a sense of hope. It is a race against time. As the end nears, human drama complicates things. Only 44 people, chosen by lottery, will be able to go. A pair of young lovers is split up by the lottery. The billionaire's aide tries to steal the young lover's ticket, but is shot by the billionaire. As the end nears, chaos breaks out. All the lottery losers want aboard anyhow, but it's too late. The space ark takes off just in time, but leaving the selfish billionaire behind. Alas. Bellus destroys the earth. The space ark lands, albeit roughly, to find Zyra strange, but very earth-like. The remnant of mankind escaped the destruction of the old earth, to begin anew on a new world.
It's interesting that WWC used the same rogue planet plot device as Man From Planet X, which opened about 4 months earlier. This time, however, it was a collision course. In fact, the roles are reverse from Planet X. This time, it's the earthlings who are trying to escape their doomed world to another. The theme of WWC is thought provoking.
The acting is pretty good, even if some of the roles are fairly stereotypic. The rocket itself is a cool looking example of what 1950s thinking imagined rocket ships would be like. It's this fascination with sleek rockets that would lead the culture to tail fin mania in the latter 50s. The takeoff of the rocket-ark is made all the more dramatic by having it gain speed racing down a track, then up a ramp (rather like the V1s in WW2). A conventional vertical blast off would have been too slow for the urgent mood.
The threat of world destruction has been up-scaled for effect. The name of the rogue star, Bellus, reminded me of the Latin word for War: Bellum. "War" was coming and would totally wipe out the earth. Where many films imagine some survivors of a global nuclear war (see review of "Five"), WWC posits an inescapable total destruction of the earth. Yet, WWC looks at both the hopeful and the gloomy. The space ark represents the hopeful glass-half-full. The earth's anarchy and violence which they leave behind represents the pessimistic glass-half-empty view.
WWC was based on the 1933 novel by Edwin Balmer and Phillip Wylie. The plot of the movie follows that of the book generally, with many of the usual book-through-hollywood caveats. In the book, it's two planets, not a star and a planet. The two planets are named Bronson Alpha and Bronson Beta. While the movie makes only one mention of other rockets leaving earth, (yet only shows one) the book is more clear that several space arks left earth.
George Pal (the producer of WWC) is known for including fairly overt Christian messages into his productions. WWC is no exception. The movie opens with a shot of an ornate Bible, opening to a couple verses from Genesis -- the part where God is so disgusted with the corruption and violence of the earth that he decides to wipe it all out, (except for Noah, etc.). Pal is making a pretty strong social commentary right off the bat. The whole story line is a modern adaptation of the Noah's Ark account, right down to the animals, two-by-two. The ruthlessness and violence that break out on earth as the rocket-ark is about to take off, stand as a vindication that the "old" mankind was indeed corrupt and violent and deserved to be wiped out. You don't find yourself feeling too sorry for those being left behind. Certainly no tears were shed for rich Mr. Stanton.
Another fascinating part, which seems to get little comment, is when they get to Zyra, and disembark their ark, on the far left side of the Zyran landscape (painting) is some very man-made looking cuts in that cliff. Ahead of them are clearly two pyramids. Nothing is said of them. In the novels ("When Worlds Collide" ('33) and "After Worlds Collide" ('34)), the new planet was inhabited, but the advanced race had died out as "Zyra" coursed through cold, deep space. A movie sequel to WWC was planned, but George Pal fell on hard times, and the project was scrapped.
A feature of WWC which would be much more apparent today than in 1951, was that the space ark carried only white people. A half-century after the making of the film, even cereal box art is careful to show a politically-correct mix of white / black / asian / latino cartoon children frolicking behind the giant cereal bowl. Were the makers of WWC being subconsciously racist? That is (and has been) debated. A minor note on that, is that in the novel, many space arks are built in different countries. Many of them make it to the new planet. In WWC, about a half hour into the runtime, Dr. Fry says that other ships are being built too. WWC is the story of that one particular ship, which happened to end up with a crew (cargo?) drawn from only the all-white labor force at the shipyard.
A sort of subtext to WWC is triumph of egalitarianism over elitism. When the time came to go, only 44 people, out of the hundreds, could go. Surely everyone working on the ship had to realize this. It was built with only 44 seats. Those would be filled by a ruthlessly fair lottery. 22 men, 22 women. They weren't chosen for their skills, or their breeding proclivities or genetic makeup. They were chosen by simple lot.
Bottom line? WWC is a great sci-fi classic. It strives to explore big ideas with little wallowing to petty drama (unlike many in the B-grade films). It is a must-see of classic sci-fi.
Pronunciation
Various mispronunciations of Moët are known, including "mo-way" and "mow-ee". The correct pronunciation is "mo-wett" or "m-wet" (IPA: [moɛt]), as the word is pronounced in Dutch, not French.
History
Dom Pérignon (1638–1715) was a monk and cellar master at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers. He was the first to blend grapes in such a way as to improve the quality of wines and deal with a number of their imperfections, in 1670. He also introduced corks, which were fastened to bottles with hemp string soaked in oil in order to keep the wines fresh and sparkling, and used thicker glass in order to strengthen the bottles (which were prone to explode at that time). The development of sparkling wines as the main style of production in Champagne occurred progressively in the 19th century, over one century after Dom Pérignon's death.
Dom Pérignon was the first prestige cuvée Champagne introduced, an idea proposed by Englishman Laurence Venn.[2] The first vintage of Dom Pérignon was 1921 and was only released for sale in 1936.
The first buyers of Dom Pérignon 1921 were 150 customers of Simon Bros & Co, the company that imported Moët in the United Kingdom, which ordered the first 300 bottles. The wine got immediate attention in the marketplace and 100 boxes were shipped to the United States shortly thereafter. James Buchanan Duke, the billionaire who had founded the American Tobacco Company, ordered 100 bottles for himself. The 17 bottles sold at an auction in Christie's in New York City in June 2004 were part of that order (Doris Duke, the billionaire’s daughter, had kept them in her cellar). According to Dom Pérignon cellar master Richard Geoffroy, the 1921 vintage had a "distinctive bouquet comprising sandalwood, vanilla and praline".[3]
Until the 1943 vintage, Dom Pérignon was produced from regular vintage Moët & Chandon Champagne that was transferred to the special 18th Century-style bottles after extended cellaring. It was thus effectively an "oenothèque" release of Moët & Chandon Vintage Champagne in a different bottle. From the 1947 vintage, Dom Pérignon has been produced separately from the start.[4]
[edit]Vintages
From 1921 to 2002, Dom Pérignon champagne has been produced in 36 years. Three vintage years in a row are a rare phenomenon (which has only occurred two times: in 1969, 1970 and 1971, in 1998, 1999 and 2000).
The 36 Dom Pérignon until 2002 are: 1921, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002.
Since 1959 a rosé version of Dom Pérignon is also produced. 21 Dom Pérignon Rosé vintages have been produced until 2000: 1959, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000.
Paul Cejas and Jorge Perez celebrating his book, "Powerhouse Principles: A Billionaire's Guide to Real Estate Success."
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1. The Irish Hunger Memorial in the Battery Park City 02, 2. Welcome to Times Square NYPD, 3. 斤両十足 How heavy your camera is ?, 4. Foam, 5. Love potion number 9 - The Searchers, 6. A tale of two bridges in pano, 7. Evening rush, 8. The classic lamp post and the Flatiron,
9. Pedestrian Crossing over Chambers Street & West Street, 10. Ronnie at the age of two, 11. 曼克頓橋頭 Manhattan Bridge Entrance, 12. 101 Park Ave, NYC 01, 13. 可憐的鱟魚 The poor Horse Crab Fish, 14. Foliage view in Scarsdale, NY., 15. Iceberg in the glass, 16. Bushkill, Pennsylvania,
17. Water Drop, 18. Snowing in Yonkers, NY 2, 19. Verrazano Bridge at sunset, 20. Waltzing Bushkill Creek, 21. 4 " snow, 22. View of Downtown Manhattan from Brooklyn Height., 23. Hoboken at dawn, 24. The halo of the sun,
25. 魚麟雲 Fish Scale Clouds, 26. Jones Beach pier at dawn, 27. Sunrise at Sheephead Bay, 28. Dangerous slippery zone, 29. The 9th Annivesary 911 Memorial Day at dawn 01, 30. Manhattan panoview from New Jersey, 31. Modern and classical architec, 32. My ghetto studio,
33. The reflection, 34. 半島酒店 The Peninsula Hotel, 35. 唔好以為你大隻 , 夠胆同我隻抽隻 ! Don't think you are strong and bully me !, 36. Low low angle tripod, 37. Bushkill Waterfall Main Fall, Pennsylvania 02, 38. Verrazano Bridge at night, 39. Standing in the cold water, 40. Mid Town Manhattan West Side at Dawn,
41. Storm is coming !, 42. The down tree 02, 43. Dirty Teapot, 44. 日出而作 I'll follow the sun - The Beatles, 45. West Bridge, Macau 01, 46. Times Square 360 #1(A neon sign world), 47. Italian Ice ?, 48. Bridge over the frozen lake in Central Park,
49. The dawn at 5:46 am, 50. Empire State Bldg and the Bokeh, 51. One After One, 52. 月到中秋份外明 Mid Autumn Festival - Roundest Full Moon of the Year., 53. The Manhattan Bridge, 54. The reflection of the East River at dawn 5:37 am, 55. The East River (View from Brooklyn Side), 56. Manhattan Bridge (foreground) & Brooklyn Bridge (background),
57. The grass, 58. 老人與怒海 Old man and the rough sea, 59. Foliage in Scarsdale,New York, 60. Migration Flight, 61. A tale of two bridges at day, 62. 零時四分 00:04 a.m. on East 54 street, 63. The way to shoot Pursuit, 64. Midtown Manhattan at dawn (6:09 am of 6:44 sunrise),
65. Sunrise over the East River (6:29 of 6:24), 66. The billionaire's toy, 67. The rocks on an unknown beach, 68. Fishing at Jones Beach, NY, 69. The sun had already set in Macau, 70. The golden sun, 71. Bushkill Creek, Pennsylvania, 72. Glen Island, New Rochelle pano view
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
High tide laps the seawall outside Flavio Briatore's Billionaire's Resort in Malindi, Wednesday 12 November, 2014. Part of the wall is still under construction, despite claims from conservationists that the former F1 boss is jeopardising turtle nesting sites by building an illegal wall too close to the shoreline and inside a designated marine reserve. The Kenya Wildlife Service said plans to demolish Briatore's wall were at an advanced stage.
High tide laps the seawall outside Flavio Briatore's Billionaire's Resort in Malindi, Wednesday 12 November, 2014. Conservationists accused the former F1 boss of jeopardising turtle nesting sites by building an illegal wall too close to the shoreline and inside a designated marine reserve. The Kenya Wildlife Service said plans to demolish Briatore's wall were at an advanced stage.
Following the demise of Laker Airways, its former chief pilot, Alan Hellary partnered with a lawyer, Randolph Fields, with the idea of establishing an airline that would fly from London to the Falklands. The Falklands War had just ended when the two men began planning the new airline, and it was thought that there would be renewed interest in the Falklands Islands, enough to make an airline profitable.
Unfortunately, the runway at Port Stanley was too short for wide-body airliners, so Fields and Hellary turned back to Laker Airways for inspiration: the new airline--British Atlantic Airways--would offer low-cost flights between London-Gatwick and New York City-Newark. Flights between these two airports were cheaper and easier to obtain landing rights than London-Heathrow and New York City-Kennedy. British Atlantic needed financial backing, and the two men approached Richard Branson, the head of the Virgin Records corporate empire, for help. Branson was an admirer of Freddie Laker, and agreed to back the airline--so long as it changed its name to Virgin Atlantic Airways. Fields and Hellary agreed (though Hellary would eventually be bought out by Branson). and Virgin Atlantic launched in June 1984 with a single leased Boeing 747.
Branson wanted Virgin Atlantic to turn a profit within a year, and was not disappointed. The new airline filled a niche largely left open since Laker Airways went under, and Branson's aggressive marketing and charisma led travelers to give Virgin Atlantic a try. By 1986 the airline was operating two 747s. It wasn't enough for Branson, who wanted to expand Virgin Atlantic to cover Asia, a region served by only one British airline--the flag carrier, British Airways. The British government was willing to go along, and British Airways found itself in competition with a much younger and smaller airline, but one backed by a billionaire's money.
This set off a war between the two airlines, with British Airways attempting to strangle Virgin Atlantic in what Branson called the "dirty tricks" campaign. in 1993, British Airways was found guilty of such a campaign, which embarrassed the company and added to Virgin Atlantic's luster. Branson twisted the knife a little: when British Airways removed the Union Jack from its tails for the ill-advised "World Images" motif, Union Jacks went up on Virgin Atlantic's airliners, which now proudly proclaimed that Virgin Atlantic was the "true" flag carrier. Nose art based on World War II-era Varga Girls was also added to the fleet, with appropriate nicknames, which only helped Virgin Atlantic's cheeky image.
By 2000, Virgin Atlantic's fleet now consisted of all-new aircraft, a mix of Airbus (mostly Airbus A340s) and Boeing (all 747s) on its long haul routes; the airline opened subsidiaries, including Virgin America, Virgin Blue (Australia), Virgin Sun (holiday travel), and Virgin Little Red (London-Dublin). In 1999, 49% of the airline was sold to Singapore Airlines, but Virgin Atlantic continued to turn an impressive profit.
That began to change in 2005. Branson had overextended his airline--Little Red in particular was hemorrhaging money--and rising fuel costs began to hit the airline hard. It began to post losses, and by 2010, Singapore was looking to sell its shares. These were taken up by Delta in 2012, which likely saved Virgin Atlantic from bankruptcy. It returned to profitability by 2015, but the airline continues to struggle.
This Virgin Atlantic A340 shows the airline's most well-known livery; the current one differs only slightly. This deleted the first livery's cheatline for a "Eurowhite" fuselage design, with a red tail and red engine cowlings; the Union Jack is carried on the outside of the winglets (not seen from this angle), and the Virgin logo on the tail. All Virgin Atlantic aircraft carry the "Scarlet Lady" pinup nose art, which can barely be seen below the cockpit. This is an A340-300, with a shorter fuselage than the very long A340-600s; Virgin Atlantic retired its 300s in 2015.
The second supertall reaching completion on 57th Street "Billionaire's Row" and seemly visible from most of the rest of the city.
Very impressed with the result so far, and it won't look as out of place once more of its similarly tall neighbors spring up down the street in the next couple of years.
My Instagram
Strange golf course ornament.
Viewed at the ex Hyatt Coolum Resort which changed ownership in 2011.
Venue of the 2012 Australian PGA Championship 13-16 December 2012. Pro-Am day, yesterday.
News report from the Brisbane Courier Mail
Clive Palmer brings T Rex to Coolum
by: Marty Silk
From: AAP
October 17, 2012 5:24PM
CLIVE Palmer's plan to build the Titanic Two is ambitious, but with a Tyrannosaurus rex gracing his Queensland resort the billionaire's resurrection credentials are looking pretty good.
A life-size T rex robot, eight metres tall and 20 metres long, will arrive next week at the world's biggest dinosaur park at the Palmer Coolum Resort on the Sunshine Coast.
The mechanical monster will be brought to life with a swaying tail, moving arms and mouth, full head movements, "breathing" lungs and a guttural prehistoric roar.
The recreation of the world's largest ever carnivore will be the first of 160 "scientifically classified" robots to inhabit Mr Palmer's new dinosaur park.
"It marks the beginning of dinosaurs coming to Coolum," Mr Palmer said.
"It will be the biggest dinosaur park in the world, and it's going to happen right here."
couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/clive-palmer-brings-t-rex-to-coolum/story-e6freono-1226498041897
Later comment 13 December:
"I think the PGA will stay at Palmer Coolum Resort ... I'm pretty confident there's not a better place in Australia to have the PGA," he said...
What will definitely be staying regardless of where the PGA is hosted is Palmer's controversial animatronic dinosaur - a lifesize Tyrannosaurus Rex called Jeff.
Read more: news.com.au/top-stories/billionaire-clive-palmer-wants-australian-pga- championship-to-continue-at-coolum-course/story-e6frfkp9-1226536417182 #ixzz2EyiUsm7B
Latest news comment 14 December
heraldsun.com.au/sport/golf/ducks-drakes-and-dinosaurs-as-clive-palmer-revs-up-circus/story-e6frfgax-1226536469463
Queensland, Australia
Fifty Shades -- "When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires" -- from www.amazon.com
Oh, what to say about this book...where do I start...let's see...I have read books that are badly written. I have read books with extremely stupid characters in them. I have read books with chauvenistic, domineering male characters you wish you could impale with a red hot poker in them. I have even read books with highly sexual -- and sexually disturbing -- content that makes you want to shower just to get the feel of it off of you. But never...ever...have I seen all these things put together in one of the worst literary moments in history since Danielle Steele first put pen to paper. Yes, it's mommy-porn and that, in itself, implies a relatively low standard of literary achievement. However, this book doesn't even come close to the lowest standard you can imagine -- Fifty Shades of Grey makes Everybody Poops look like high class Nobel prize-winning prose.
Anastasia -- Ana for short -- is our dear lovely protagonist and a 22 year old virgin (gasp!). She is highly intelligent, well-educated and phyiscally beautiful. She has also apparently been living in a self-imposed mental nunnery that has kept her from hearing/reading/thinking about sex let alone experiencing any sort of sexual contact whatsoever. The average 10 year old knows more about sex than this woman. And as the uber-naive Ana -- about to graduate from college -- emerges from her ultra-sheltered academic cocoon she meets the man of every over-sexed deluded middle-aged housewife's dreams -- one Grey...Christian Grey, that is...27 year old billionaire S&M obsessed eye candy (let the drooling begin).
From their first meeting, Ana attempts to deny the obvious fact that her inner sexpot is chomping at the bit -- ready to tackle Christian and ride him like a jockey on a thouroughbred in the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, Mr. Grey is intrigued by the enigma (or anachronism) that is the virginal Miss Ana and happily picturing what tortuous delights he can introduce into her previously uneventful life.
Ana eventually submits to her own lustful wantings -- as well as christian's Hannibal Lecter-like sexual proclivities. The cherry is popped, the deed is done, birth control is arranged and (as soon as the contract is signed) sweet, naive Ana becomes Submissive-of-the-Year...thus the games begin.
Swept into a life of designer clothes, fast cars, spankings, whippings, beatings and every other page orgasms, Ana offers up what little self-esteem she has for christian to shred into bits all the while citing his Domination/Submission handbook to support his reasoning for such blatant emotional abuse. He controls her diet, wardrobe, choice of doctor, her daily schedule and even
attempts to manipulate her job interviews to suit his own needs. Not only does our protagonist accept this behavior, she welcomes...she encourages...hell, she outright excuses it on his behalf. Apparently, Christian is such a damaged soul after having been ripped from his loving drug-addicted birth mother's arms and forced to endure a horrible life of love, affection, wealth and privilege in the home of his evil, horribly wonderful adopted family (cue violins and eye-rolling). He is, in his own words, "fifty shades of fucked up" (so that's where the title comes from!!).
As their love (cue whip cracking sound effect) affair continues, Anastasia repeatedly informs Christian of her enthusiasm for her role of submissive while, simultaneously, begging him for a more dominant role in their relationship -- leading this reader to believe that despite her high I.Q. and good education, Ana is too stupid to utilize a dictionary and look up what "submissive"
actually means. Her stupidity is not entirely her fault though. Ana asks several others for help. From her slutty roommate who, one minute, advises her to stay away from Christian and in the next, tells her to indulge her fantasies with him...to Ana's serial monogamist mother who practically shoves her daughter into Mr. Grey's arms with a gleeful giggle.
Ana eventually grows tired of being used and abused for Christian's sociopathic amusement. In her one intelligent move (yes, she has one of those...but only ONE), she leaves him...forlornly clutching his braided leather whip and mopping up tears with his blood-red satin sheets (go ahead, cry for Christian...you know you want to).
Throughout the book, I waited for that overhyped sexually excited feeling that all those vibrator-lovin' stay-at-home mommies online told me I should getting. I waited...50 pages passed and no feeling...100 pages passed...then 150...and still no paperback induced orgasm...but then I got a tickle in the back of my throat. A cough, you ask? No, not a cough, but a guffaw. Yes indeed, this book was truly hilarious in it's own literary inept way.
From the moment the housekeeper asked if the metal balls -- that at one time occupied Ana's vaginal canal -- should be washed between uses...to when Ana (finally...it took her a lOOOOONg time) realized that Christian's large purchases from the hardware store were not so much for home improvement than they were for sexual self-help, this book was was tickling my funny bone far more than my g-spot.
Anyway, to sum it all up, here's what you need to know about Fifty Shades of (Fucked Up) Grey:
1) Ana is the dumbest creature ever to appear on God's literary green earth.
2)Christian -- smoldering abusive Christian -- is more a candidate for medication and a straight-jacket than a second date.
3) If a highly reclusive, superhot billionaire shows up and wants you to sign a booty-call-with-handcuffs kind of contract, use whatever brain power you have and DON'T DO IT! It ain't worth it and you're better off with a battery-powered-boyfriend anyway (they don't talk back when you try to pick your own gynecologist).
4) They make chains and cuffs you put on a track attached to the ceiling so you can move them around the room...you know?? so you can humiliate your submissive anywhere in the room and not just chained to the wall!! (how handy is that??)
5) Last but not least, if you're thinking of reading this book, stop! Take a deep breath, go to amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com and read the 1 star reviews...you'll get all the plot points you need to know and the reviews are better written and just as funny -- if not more -- than the book itself.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel like I need to take a shower.
Fifty Shades Of Grey -- Started: Oct. 4, 2012 Finished: Oct. 9, 2012
25 Book Challenge 2012 Book #64
Looking through the woods and past the playground towards the skyscrapers that make Billionaire's row.
Syria strike may hinge on #NancyPelosi
NYC Skyline Icons - View to a few of New York City's classic iconic structures. Seen in this image is One Vanderbilt, Billionaire's Row and the Statue of liberty lined up in front of the Empire State Building (ESB). This image shows the NYC midtown Manhattan skyline.
The Empire State Building is lit up in blue and white with a flickering candle in the mast in celebration of Chanukkah.
This image is also available as a black and white.
To view additional images please visit www.susancandelario.com
Thank You,
Susan Candelario
A billionaire's yacht (LE GRAND BLEU) anchored right off the coast of Bar Harbor. A closer look shows a sailing yacht secured on the deck too.
Jeeze
Delicious and sophisticated, like a Manhattan crossed with a Sazerac (harsh/smooth, sour/sweet), only with lots of spice too. Ingredients: Baker's high-proof bourbon, absinthe bitters, lemon juice, and their own Grenadine, which has flavors of pomegranate, clove and cardamom. The foam on top is long-lasting fun.
On approach to Newark, I love looking at the unseen infrastructure, especially from a broadcast perspective, looking out the side of the plane facing New York City. That's what we have here. The foreground is all urban/suburban and industrial New Jersey, and on the horizon is New York's skyline, with the ranking tall buildings bristling from hard rock underground. (Few tall buildings go up where the ground is soft, between midtown and the financial district.
Mouse over for explanations of particulars.
1. Inside Noccalula Falls, 2. Cruise Ships, 3. Little River Falls, 4. Beach Path, 5. Ron Jon Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach Florida, 6. VAB and STS-124, 7. Lunar Eclipse HDR, 8. The 227 in August,
9. The Belly Of The Beast, 10. Can You Spot The Camera?, 11. Wildflowers, 12. flickr.com/photos/21658875@N07/3023115691/, 13. Berry Buck, 14. Abandoned Bank, 15. More Two Two Seven, 16. Noccalula Falls,
17. Eastlake Light, 18. After The Storm 2, 19. Dark Day At Bucks Pocket, 20. Old Coke's Home, 21. Golf Course Sky, 22. Little River Falls, 23. Berry Path, 24. Ron Jon Palms,
25. Path to Tranquility, 26. Pink Park Sunset, 27. The Two Two Seven, 28. Strawberry Tower, 29. After The Storm, 30. DeSoto Boathouse HDR, 31. Daytona International Speedway, 32. In Tight On Little River Falls,
33. No Wake, 34. Bridge Curves and Sky, 35. 9 Time Champ, 36. Water Lily Reflection, 37. Desoto Falls Boathouse, 38. A Don King-fisher?, 39. Berry Fawn, 40. Shrimp Boat and Cruise Ships,
41. Yaaaa!!, 42. Waiting, 43. Roll Tide!, 44. Piper "Firetail", 45. Brotherton Cabin, 46. A Hint of Blue, 47. Roll Tide!, 48. Lake Sunset,
49. Ron Jon Woody, 50. VAB HDR Remix, 51. A Stack of Jack, 52. Some Kinda Flower, 53. Sunset Through The Slats, 54. Palm Tree Berries, 55. Clock Tower Door, 56. Sweet Flower,
57. Swallowtail, 58. Osprey At Sunset, 59. Golden Goal, 60. Little River Falls, 61. Kelly Slater Statue At Ron Jon Surf Shop, 62. 24, 63. 3 Palms Sunset, 64. A Waterfall in Florida?,
65. I'm In Love, 66. Le Grande Bleu: Billionaire's Toy, 67. Berry College Grist Mill, 68. Under The Bridge, 69. Reeds and Ripples, 70. Testing The 227, 71. Fishing By The Bridge, 72. Shooting Lizards at Noccalula Falls
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
I guess they do this every year over at Big Huge Labs.
Merry Christmas everybody!
This is 'Trump Tower' - creation of billionaire tycoon Donald Trump.
I know he always isn't the most popular figure, escpecially with his recent golf-course controversy here in Scotland but despite that I'm a big fan of 'The Donald' simply because he's a wrestling superfan. I was there when he shaved fellow billionaire Vince McMahon's head at the 'Battle Of The Billionaire's' match at 'Wrestlemania 23' in Detroit which was really a unique moment in history.
He is also involved in the US version of 'The Apprentice' which Is also one of my favourite TV shows so all this considered it was an honour to visit Mr Trump's tower on 5th Avenue - thanks Donald!
Even from within the dense thicket of skyscrapers in Midtown Manhattan, the pencil-thin residential tower 432 Park Avenue at 57th Street (a.k.a. "Billionaire's Row") stands out from so many angles, as it does here from Madison Avenue. In the coming years, this 1,397-foot tower will be joined by other towers of comparable and even greater height.
Amazingly, these supertall towers can be built as of right in New York, thanks to zoning rules that are unheard-of in process-laden San Francisco.
Her 5 year old grandson told her not to go to war
news.yahoo.com/-pelosi-grandson-opposes-u-s--strikes-in-s...
Syria strike may hinge on #NancyPelosi
Vip Party at billionaire's mansion #CovetFashion t.co/uP1bW30ZrK (via Twitter twitter.com/doll_book/status/723605748119404544)
Syria strike may hinge on @NancyPelosi
@latimes
touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-77291622/
Her 5 year old grandson told her no to #Syriawar
news.yahoo.com/-pelosi-grandson-opposes-u-s--strikes-in-s...
And the Pope fasts for peace
#codepink
L-R: 111 West 57th (SHoP Architects), One57 (Christian de Portzamparc), Central Park Tower (AS+GG), 220 Central Park South (Robert A.M. Stern)
Syria strike may hinge on #NancyPelosi
touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-77291622/
#codepink
Trump Tower was a terrific building.
It was predominantly marble and had loads of mirrored panels, designer lighting and shiny brass decorations which made for nice and interesting photography.
The shiny section on the left hand side of this shot is actually a huge indoor waterfall which flows into a small pool at the back of the cafe in the foreground. On the subject of the cafe it would be wrong for me not to mention some of the unique things you can buy there such as Donald Trump signature ice water (which has his portrait emblazoned shamelessly on the label) and chocolate gold bars which also have 'Trump' stamped into them - awesome!
This yacht is the first to be seized in British waters since sanctions began against Russia. It was seized by the National Crime Agency. The owner is a Russian businessman who tried to hide his identity which is why it's flying a Maltese flag, although it’s registered in St Kitts. The yacht is called The Royal Huisman Phi.
Two of Boeing's most interesting ladies share asphalt @ PDX. The Billionaire's mega-toy N757AF and the queen of all 707s the nuclear missile controlling E-6B TACAMO. One is for those on top of the world and one is for the who can end the world! Irony wrapped in aluminum and titanium I guess....
Manhattan NYC Icons - View to a few of New York City's classic iconic structures. Seen in this image is One Vanderbilt, Billionaire's Row and the Statue of liberty lined up in front of the Empire State Building (ESB). This image shows the NYC midtown Manhattan skyline.
The Empire State Building is lit up in blue and white with a flickering candle in the mast in celebration of Chanukkah.
This image is also available as a black and white.
To view additional images please visit www.susancandelario.com
Thank You,
Susan Candelario
The term 'Billionaire's Row' is given to a set of ultra tall residential towers in Midtown Manhattan that command exorbitant prices for each residential unit. From left to right:
- 220 Central Park South, completed in 2019, height 290 metres
- Central Park Tower, to be completed in 2020, height 470 metres
- One57, completed in 2014, height 306 metres
- 111 West 57th Street, to be completed in 2020, height 438 metres
Her 5 year old grandson told her no to #Syriawar
news.yahoo.com/-pelosi-grandson-opposes-u-s--strikes-in-s...
Syria strike may hinge on #NancyPelosi
youtu.be/voW0RiNTbGI?t=2s Trailer
This is one of the block-buster classics of early sci-fi movies. It's theme was so potent that offshoots have been remade in several other movies. When Worlds Collide (WWC for short) was a big budget film, shot in color, with a large cast, and fairly expensive sets, models and special effects (for its day). WWC usually makes classic sci-fi fans' top ten lists. Never mind petty quibbles over the science cited in the movie. The science is just there to support the premise. What if the earth was about to be destroyed? What would mankind do? With the usual romance elements and human drama, that question is explored.
Synopsis
A rogue star and its planet are hurtling on a collision course with the earth. The planet, Zyra, will come close to the earth, causing massive floods (ala Noah) and earthquakes, but it is the rogue star itself -- Bellus -- which will plow through the earth, burning it up. By the time astronomers discover Bellus and Zyra, the earth has less than a year left. Governments are paralyzed. A rich, selfish, wheelchair-bound billionaire agrees to finance the building of a rocket ship on the condition that HE gets to come. Hundreds of people build the ark with a sense of hope. It is a race against time. As the end nears, human drama complicates things. Only 44 people, chosen by lottery, will be able to go. A pair of young lovers is split up by the lottery. The billionaire's aide tries to steal the young lover's ticket, but is shot by the billionaire. As the end nears, chaos breaks out. All the lottery losers want aboard anyhow, but it's too late. The space ark takes off just in time, but leaving the selfish billionaire behind. Alas. Bellus destroys the earth. The space ark lands, albeit roughly, to find Zyra strange, but very earth-like. The remnant of mankind escaped the destruction of the old earth, to begin anew on a new world.
It's interesting that WWC used the same rogue planet plot device as Man From Planet X, which opened about 4 months earlier. This time, however, it was a collision course. In fact, the roles are reverse from Planet X. This time, it's the earthlings who are trying to escape their doomed world to another. The theme of WWC is thought provoking.
The acting is pretty good, even if some of the roles are fairly stereotypic. The rocket itself is a cool looking example of what 1950s thinking imagined rocket ships would be like. It's this fascination with sleek rockets that would lead the culture to tail fin mania in the latter 50s. The takeoff of the rocket-ark is made all the more dramatic by having it gain speed racing down a track, then up a ramp (rather like the V1s in WW2). A conventional vertical blast off would have been too slow for the urgent mood.
The threat of world destruction has been up-scaled for effect. The name of the rogue star, Bellus, reminded me of the Latin word for War: Bellum. "War" was coming and would totally wipe out the earth. Where many films imagine some survivors of a global nuclear war (see review of "Five"), WWC posits an inescapable total destruction of the earth. Yet, WWC looks at both the hopeful and the gloomy. The space ark represents the hopeful glass-half-full. The earth's anarchy and violence which they leave behind represents the pessimistic glass-half-empty view.
WWC was based on the 1933 novel by Edwin Balmer and Phillip Wylie. The plot of the movie follows that of the book generally, with many of the usual book-through-hollywood caveats. In the book, it's two planets, not a star and a planet. The two planets are named Bronson Alpha and Bronson Beta. While the movie makes only one mention of other rockets leaving earth, (yet only shows one) the book is more clear that several space arks left earth.
George Pal (the producer of WWC) is known for including fairly overt Christian messages into his productions. WWC is no exception. The movie opens with a shot of an ornate Bible, opening to a couple verses from Genesis -- the part where God is so disgusted with the corruption and violence of the earth that he decides to wipe it all out, (except for Noah, etc.). Pal is making a pretty strong social commentary right off the bat. The whole story line is a modern adaptation of the Noah's Ark account, right down to the animals, two-by-two. The ruthlessness and violence that break out on earth as the rocket-ark is about to take off, stand as a vindication that the "old" mankind was indeed corrupt and violent and deserved to be wiped out. You don't find yourself feeling too sorry for those being left behind. Certainly no tears were shed for rich Mr. Stanton.
Another fascinating part, which seems to get little comment, is when they get to Zyra, and disembark their ark, on the far left side of the Zyran landscape (painting) is some very man-made looking cuts in that cliff. Ahead of them are clearly two pyramids. Nothing is said of them. In the novels ("When Worlds Collide" ('33) and "After Worlds Collide" ('34)), the new planet was inhabited, but the advanced race had died out as "Zyra" coursed through cold, deep space. A movie sequel to WWC was planned, but George Pal fell on hard times, and the project was scrapped.
A feature of WWC which would be much more apparent today than in 1951, was that the space ark carried only white people. A half-century after the making of the film, even cereal box art is careful to show a politically-correct mix of white / black / asian / latino cartoon children frolicking behind the giant cereal bowl. Were the makers of WWC being subconsciously racist? That is (and has been) debated. A minor note on that, is that in the novel, many space arks are built in different countries. Many of them make it to the new planet. In WWC, about a half hour into the runtime, Dr. Fry says that other ships are being built too. WWC is the story of that one particular ship, which happened to end up with a crew (cargo?) drawn from only the all-white labor force at the shipyard.
A sort of subtext to WWC is triumph of egalitarianism over elitism. When the time came to go, only 44 people, out of the hundreds, could go. Surely everyone working on the ship had to realize this. It was built with only 44 seats. Those would be filled by a ruthlessly fair lottery. 22 men, 22 women. They weren't chosen for their skills, or their breeding proclivities or genetic makeup. They were chosen by simple lot.
Bottom line? WWC is a great sci-fi classic. It strives to explore big ideas with little wallowing to petty drama (unlike many in the B-grade films). It is a must-see of classic sci-fi.
The Maltese Falcon, a San Francisco Bay Area billionaire's yacht - the largest privately owned sailing ship in the world - is headed for Marin County as part of a cancer benefit regatta. The ship is making its continental United States debut as it slips under the Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday. It is entering just after 2 p.m., when the tide will be low enough for the yacht's 191-foot masts to clear the bridge with just 20 feet to spare.