There are certain spaces that homebuyers crave, like giant kitchens and expansive walk-in closets.
And then there are the spaces that turn up unexpectedly, especially in some older homes — spots like bomb shelters, smokehouses and outhouses.
These can open a window into history, giving a fresh sense of how people once lived. The bomb shelter recalls a time when Americans feared nuclear attacks from the Soviet Union and imagined how to survive in a scorched landscape. The smokehouse tells of a time when Americans didn't buy their meat at the supermarket, but butchered it and smoked it to preserve it.
And the outhouse tells about life before indoor plumbing.
Quite often, homeowners find new uses for oddball spaces. Tom Johnson of Liberty 100 Realty in Waldwick, N.J., recalls selling a house where a secret staircase connected a closet on the first floor with a closet on the second. The owner lined up her shoes on the steps.
A Ridgewood, N.J., Tudor listed by Beth Freed of Prominent Properties Sotheby's International Realty includes an elevator, which the owners use as a linen closet.
Old bomb shelters are sometimes converted to wine cellars. Ruby and Bobby Kaplan of Teaneck, N.J., store old clothes, toys and household items in theirs. In Bobby Kaplan's words, it's "a nice, cool place for junk."
The shelter is a surprise in the Kaplans' large stucco house, which has been so extensively renovated it looks nearly new. (The seven-bedroom home is on the market for just under $1.5 million because the Kaplans' three children are grown.)
The Cold War hideout has thick concrete walls and a 21/2-foot-diameter corrugated-metal tunnel, which leads beneath the lawn to the outside. Bobby Kaplan recalls that when the couple first moved into the house, he was in the yard with the dog when the dog suddenly vanished. He had fallen into the bomb shelter tunnel, which the family later closed up.
Bomb shelters were built in the 1950s and 1960s as places to escape nuclear fallout. A photo from the National Archives shows a cozy model, with a table covered by a checked cloth, two neatly made bunk beds, and shelves stacked with canned food. Magazines are piled on the table, to help pass the time underground.
And in 1960, Popular Mechanics magazine offered readers advice on how to build a shelter, saying: "An underground shelter having at least three feet of earth or sand over it, plus adequate door and air filter, will give you almost complete protection."
Nickie Lisella's Allendale, N.J., house came with a bomb shelter. "I thought it was cool when we first saw it," says Lisella, a manager with Terrie O'Connor Realtors in Allendale. "I figured if anyone dropped a bomb, we could save our family."
Buyers often are drawn to extra spaces, especially if they're big enough for a variety of uses.
2011年11月30日星期三
2011年11月29日星期二
The Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Blake Griffin PE is available now
Wondering what color Hyperdunks Blake Griffin is going to rock when the Clippers take the stage to start their 2011-12 NBA season? If it's a home game (and it probably will be because the Clippers always have stacked home games early on to make up for their crazy February "Grammy Road Trip"), it will be the white/blue/red colorway you see to your left. It will have the BG icons on the tongue on the shoe, but it won't have webbed caging on the toe box like its Supreme counterparts.
The Nike Hyperdunk 2011 basketball shoe is designed for the baller who wants exceptional lockdown and responsiveness in a lightweight package that's ready for the game played at all levels. Flywire construction locks the foot down and conforms to the foot to minimize any unnecessary movement inside the shoe. Lightweight Phylon midsole adds impact protection and comfort . 3D reinforced midfoot shank provides torsional rigidity. Solid rubber outsole with herringbone traction pattern offers the ultimate in on-court traction.
The Nike Hyperdunk 2011 basketball shoe is designed for the baller who wants exceptional lockdown and responsiveness in a lightweight package that's ready for the game played at all levels. Flywire construction locks the foot down and conforms to the foot to minimize any unnecessary movement inside the shoe. Lightweight Phylon midsole adds impact protection and comfort . 3D reinforced midfoot shank provides torsional rigidity. Solid rubber outsole with herringbone traction pattern offers the ultimate in on-court traction.
2011年11月28日星期一
Say Hello To Another Super-Clean Pair Of Jordan CMFT Max Air 10 Kicks
I've slept on the Jordan CMFT Max Air 10 sneaker. In theory, these things were practically built for me. They're not exactly a sneakerhead's wet dream. But, if you play ball and you like a good, clean sneaker to wear before and after a game—or you're just looking for a casual alternative to all of the other Air Max sneakers that have become commonplace recently—then these sneakers are for you. I just bought a pair in a cool-grey colorway and I can already envision them slipping into my regular sneaker rotation in no time.
Jordan realizes that it obviously has a winning sneaker. So they've decided to push forth with it and drop another new colorway in the new year. In January, they'll roll out a black/white/varsity red colorway that seems to pay homage to the guy responsible for starting the Jordan brand in the first place. They're not super flashy or anything, but they are the perfect companion to a pair of sweats and a hoody this winter. They also feature a red-and-black checked sockliner that's pretty similar to the one found on the Air Jordan X.
These won't be cheap. Like other Jordan CMFT Max Air sneakers before them, they'll run you about $135 when they drop. But that price is well worth it when you consider that these could easily turn into an everyday sneaker that you wear with just about anything. So make sure you save some of your Christmas cash this year to get a pair.
Jordan realizes that it obviously has a winning sneaker. So they've decided to push forth with it and drop another new colorway in the new year. In January, they'll roll out a black/white/varsity red colorway that seems to pay homage to the guy responsible for starting the Jordan brand in the first place. They're not super flashy or anything, but they are the perfect companion to a pair of sweats and a hoody this winter. They also feature a red-and-black checked sockliner that's pretty similar to the one found on the Air Jordan X.
These won't be cheap. Like other Jordan CMFT Max Air sneakers before them, they'll run you about $135 when they drop. But that price is well worth it when you consider that these could easily turn into an everyday sneaker that you wear with just about anything. So make sure you save some of your Christmas cash this year to get a pair.
2011年11月27日星期日
Region enjoying a warm moment
It was a day for playgrounds, for jogging in shorts and T-shirts, and even, for a few brave souls, a day for wading in the ocean, as temperatures soared into the 60s yesterday.
Though the calendar showed December looming, the thoughts of many across the region turned to picnics and beach walks, more than post-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping.
At Sullivan's, the landmark hot dog stand on Castle Island, it was a momentous day for manager Jim Barron - yesterday was his last day serving the public after 45 years on the job there. But he hardly had time to contemplate the milestone, as he faced down a July-sized crowd in a line that extended outside the propped double doors.
"I don't remember a November this nice in 45 years," Barron, 59, said during a cigarette break at a picnic table out back, as jets rumbled and gulls screamed overhead.
Boston hit a high of 63 at 2:30 p.m. yesterday, short of the record of 67 recorded in 1946, but well above normal late-November highs in the 40s, according to the National Weather Service. Warmer than normal weather was expected to continue through Tuesday, with temperatures due to descend to a more seasonable chilliness Wednesday, just in time for December's arrival the following day.
"Enjoy the moment and bask in the sunshine," advised National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Dunham.
Across the region, people did just that, tossing Frisbees to dogs, flocking to hiking trails, and dragging bicycles outside. Holiday-minded homeowners seized the opportunity to hoist decorations to the rooftops without battling biting winds.
The burst of balmy weather arrived almost a month after a freak October storm dumped an early load of snow on central and western Massachusetts. Some state parks in the region, including Robinson State Park in Agawam, Chicopee State Park, and the Nashua River Trail, remain closed as a result of the extensive tree damage caused by the storm. Trails in Mount Holyoke State Range Park are also closed until further notice.
The state Department of Conservation and Recreation advised hikers to call ahead to other parks to check conditions, which could include hazards caused by branches hanging over trails and roads.
At Blue Hills Reservation in Milton yesterday, hikers in T-shirts and shorts reveled in the warmth.
"We're just out here burning off that turkey dinner," said Matt Caliri, 43, of Braintree, standing near a trail. "We've never seen this many people and dogs out here."
In Lynn, residents Richard Leelman and Fred Currier watched their German shepherds, Max and Hercules, romp on the grass at Red Rock Park with the ocean glittering behind them.
"You can't plan for this," said Leelman. "You've got to seize the day. It's carpe diem to the nth degree."
Two 8-year-olds from Arlington felt the same way. At the end of an outing to Castle Island in South Boston, they kicked off their shoes, rolled up their pants, and waded knee-deep into the ocean, describing the freak springtime weather as "wonderful."
"And kind of weird," their 5-year-old companion added thoughtfully from the beach, digging her bare toes into the damp sand.
Equally pleased was 71-year-old Ron Bertocchi, who kicked back in the front seat of his pale green Lincoln Town Car to lounge and catch some rays by the water in South Boston.
"We all cherish this weather," he said. "We don't get it often in New England, so we grab it."
In Worcester, the mercury hit 59 yesterday, not enough to topple the century-old record of 64 degrees, recorded in 1895, according to the National Weather Service.
Though the calendar showed December looming, the thoughts of many across the region turned to picnics and beach walks, more than post-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping.
At Sullivan's, the landmark hot dog stand on Castle Island, it was a momentous day for manager Jim Barron - yesterday was his last day serving the public after 45 years on the job there. But he hardly had time to contemplate the milestone, as he faced down a July-sized crowd in a line that extended outside the propped double doors.
"I don't remember a November this nice in 45 years," Barron, 59, said during a cigarette break at a picnic table out back, as jets rumbled and gulls screamed overhead.
Boston hit a high of 63 at 2:30 p.m. yesterday, short of the record of 67 recorded in 1946, but well above normal late-November highs in the 40s, according to the National Weather Service. Warmer than normal weather was expected to continue through Tuesday, with temperatures due to descend to a more seasonable chilliness Wednesday, just in time for December's arrival the following day.
"Enjoy the moment and bask in the sunshine," advised National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Dunham.
Across the region, people did just that, tossing Frisbees to dogs, flocking to hiking trails, and dragging bicycles outside. Holiday-minded homeowners seized the opportunity to hoist decorations to the rooftops without battling biting winds.
The burst of balmy weather arrived almost a month after a freak October storm dumped an early load of snow on central and western Massachusetts. Some state parks in the region, including Robinson State Park in Agawam, Chicopee State Park, and the Nashua River Trail, remain closed as a result of the extensive tree damage caused by the storm. Trails in Mount Holyoke State Range Park are also closed until further notice.
The state Department of Conservation and Recreation advised hikers to call ahead to other parks to check conditions, which could include hazards caused by branches hanging over trails and roads.
At Blue Hills Reservation in Milton yesterday, hikers in T-shirts and shorts reveled in the warmth.
"We're just out here burning off that turkey dinner," said Matt Caliri, 43, of Braintree, standing near a trail. "We've never seen this many people and dogs out here."
In Lynn, residents Richard Leelman and Fred Currier watched their German shepherds, Max and Hercules, romp on the grass at Red Rock Park with the ocean glittering behind them.
"You can't plan for this," said Leelman. "You've got to seize the day. It's carpe diem to the nth degree."
Two 8-year-olds from Arlington felt the same way. At the end of an outing to Castle Island in South Boston, they kicked off their shoes, rolled up their pants, and waded knee-deep into the ocean, describing the freak springtime weather as "wonderful."
"And kind of weird," their 5-year-old companion added thoughtfully from the beach, digging her bare toes into the damp sand.
Equally pleased was 71-year-old Ron Bertocchi, who kicked back in the front seat of his pale green Lincoln Town Car to lounge and catch some rays by the water in South Boston.
"We all cherish this weather," he said. "We don't get it often in New England, so we grab it."
In Worcester, the mercury hit 59 yesterday, not enough to topple the century-old record of 64 degrees, recorded in 1895, according to the National Weather Service.
2011年11月24日星期四
1,000 strike at Apple supplier in China: rights group
Hundreds of police officers, some in riot gear, deployed after staff at the factory in the manufacturing hub of Shenzhen walked out on Tuesday and blocked a highway to protest long working hours, China Labour Watch said.
Staff at the plant commonly worked 100 to 120 hours of overtime a month and said they also suffered a high rate of workplace injuries, mass layoffs of older workers and frequent verbal abuse by managers, the US-based group said.
The plant, which employs 3,000 people in the Pearl River Delta — home to millions of Chinese migrant workers — is owned by Taiwan’s Jingyuan Computer Group, which supplies components to Apple and IBM.
The strike ended after the company promised to reduce the amount of overtime, the rights organisation said in a statement. No one at the factory could immediately be reached for comment.
It was the latest in a recent spate of worker action in China, where strikes have historically been relatively rare as the country lacks truly independent trade unions.
More than 400 female workers at a bra factory in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, cut off the power and downed tools this week after a manager told one to “jump off a roof and go to hell”.
And last week, more than 7,000 workers at a factory in nearby Dongguan making New Balance, Adidas and Nike shoes went on strike, clashing with police in a protest over layoffs and wage cuts.
Staff at the plant commonly worked 100 to 120 hours of overtime a month and said they also suffered a high rate of workplace injuries, mass layoffs of older workers and frequent verbal abuse by managers, the US-based group said.
The plant, which employs 3,000 people in the Pearl River Delta — home to millions of Chinese migrant workers — is owned by Taiwan’s Jingyuan Computer Group, which supplies components to Apple and IBM.
The strike ended after the company promised to reduce the amount of overtime, the rights organisation said in a statement. No one at the factory could immediately be reached for comment.
It was the latest in a recent spate of worker action in China, where strikes have historically been relatively rare as the country lacks truly independent trade unions.
More than 400 female workers at a bra factory in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, cut off the power and downed tools this week after a manager told one to “jump off a roof and go to hell”.
And last week, more than 7,000 workers at a factory in nearby Dongguan making New Balance, Adidas and Nike shoes went on strike, clashing with police in a protest over layoffs and wage cuts.
2011年11月23日星期三
Raymond James Analysts Now Covering Ubiquiti Networks Stock
Ubiquiti Networks in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock.
Separately, analysts at Pacific Crest initiated coverage on shares of Ubiquiti Networks in a research note to investors on Wednesday. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Analysts at ThinkEquity initiated coverage on shares of Ubiquiti Networks in a research note to investors on Wednesday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Also, analysts at UBS AG initiated coverage on shares of Ubiquiti Networks in a research note to investors on Wednesday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock.
Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. designs, manufactures and sells broadband wireless solutions worldwide. The Company offers a portfolio of wireless networking products and solutions, including systems, high performance radios, antennas and management tools, designed for wireless networking and other applications in the unlicensed radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The Company offers solutions that incorporate its RF technology, antenna design and firmware technologies, which it refers to as AirTechnologies. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 (fiscal 2010), Ubiquiti introduced a number of products based on its AirTechnologies, including its AirMax systems. In fiscal 2010, 802.11 standard systems and AirMax systems together accounted for 82% of the Company's revenue.
Shares of Ubiquiti Networks traded down 3.60% during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $19.80. Ubiquiti Networks has a 52 week low of $16.25 and a 52 week high of $23.04. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $19.61 and its 200-day moving average is $19.61. The company has a market cap of $1.233 billion.
Separately, analysts at Pacific Crest initiated coverage on shares of Ubiquiti Networks in a research note to investors on Wednesday. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Analysts at ThinkEquity initiated coverage on shares of Ubiquiti Networks in a research note to investors on Wednesday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Also, analysts at UBS AG initiated coverage on shares of Ubiquiti Networks in a research note to investors on Wednesday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock.
Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. designs, manufactures and sells broadband wireless solutions worldwide. The Company offers a portfolio of wireless networking products and solutions, including systems, high performance radios, antennas and management tools, designed for wireless networking and other applications in the unlicensed radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The Company offers solutions that incorporate its RF technology, antenna design and firmware technologies, which it refers to as AirTechnologies. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 (fiscal 2010), Ubiquiti introduced a number of products based on its AirTechnologies, including its AirMax systems. In fiscal 2010, 802.11 standard systems and AirMax systems together accounted for 82% of the Company's revenue.
Shares of Ubiquiti Networks traded down 3.60% during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $19.80. Ubiquiti Networks has a 52 week low of $16.25 and a 52 week high of $23.04. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $19.61 and its 200-day moving average is $19.61. The company has a market cap of $1.233 billion.
2011年11月22日星期二
Nike Air Force 1 'Ultimate Spider-Man' custom by Proof Culture
Proof Culture's Flight Crew has produced another awesome custom variation of the Nike Air Force 1. This time we are treated to rendition of the rebooted "Ultimate Spider-Man" character that generated a ton of buzz the past few months. While it remains to be seen if the new kid playing Spidey will go the way of Ben Reilly (yeah, I read that in 1996 and swore off comic books afterwards it was that bad) or if he will be accepted by the fan base. Either way, the shoes look amazing, tongue firmly in cheek.
Flight Crew does not mess around when it comes to their custom jobs. It is a meticulous process that any artist will appreciate. Check out the Flight Crew custom sneaker site here.
Flight Crew does not mess around when it comes to their custom jobs. It is a meticulous process that any artist will appreciate. Check out the Flight Crew custom sneaker site here.
2011年11月21日星期一
What's with this guy and why does Y!
What's with this guy and why does Y!A let him get away with it?
I have ordered 10 pairs nike shoes from the website.and i received my shoes 7days later
i am so happy to the products i order,because the shoes look nice but crazy price at 39usd.
does anyone help me to check the website if they offer the real shoes real or not.
i think they are knock off,because the price is so cheap,
but any way,and the quality of the shoes is great,i like the shoes very much.
I have ordered 10 pairs nike shoes from the website.and i received my shoes 7days later
i am so happy to the products i order,because the shoes look nice but crazy price at 39usd.
does anyone help me to check the website if they offer the real shoes real or not.
i think they are knock off,because the price is so cheap,
but any way,and the quality of the shoes is great,i like the shoes very much.
2011年11月20日星期日
A costly ripple from Thai floods
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A bad dream is playing out in Thailand and turning into an unpleasant and costly reality for Midlands computer retailers and repair shops.
The Southeast Asian country, which is grappling with the effects of devastating flooding and evacuations from its largest cities, is home to many of the world's largest computer hard disk drive manufacturers, including Western Digital, Seagate Technology and Toshiba Corp.
Over the last three months, floodwaters have crippled hard drive manufacturing facilities, bringing hard disk drive and component production to little more than a trickle. Hard disk drives are about the size of a small book and serve as the main storage components in computers, holding information about the machine's operating system and other software.
Analysts and computer store owners who serve Nebraska and Iowa say the shortfall of hard drives is going to take its toll on the holiday shopping season and could last well into 2012. The issue could mean disappointment or lighter wallets for consumers planning to give certain electronic gifts.
"It's a nightmare scenario for us," said Thor Schrock, owner and CEO of Schrock Innovations, a computer retailer and repair shop with locations in Omaha, Papillion and Lincoln. "And it's only going to get worse."
At the beginning of November, Schrock said, hard disk drives already were becoming so expensive at wholesale prices that he spent $27,000 at Office Max and bought as many hard drives as he could.
"We cleared out three of their warehouses," Schrock said. "In order to get to the end of November, we needed more hard disk drives."
Hard drive prices have doubled since mid-October, Schrock said.
He said there may not even be enough available hard drives to maintain a predictable inventory, especially of low-priced netbooks.
"As a computer retailer, this is our big time of the year, and if we can't get hard drives, we can't sell computers," Schrock said. "And if we can't sell computers, we can't service computer parts, either."
Fang Zhang, an iSuppli analyst, wrote in a research note that Western Digital will likely be knocked from the No. 1 perch of hard disk drive producers because of the flooding. Zhang also predicts that the shortage will become more serious at the end of 2011 and pour into 2012, at least through the first quarter.
During that time, shipments are expected to decrease 30 percent, causing prices to soar, Zhang said.
Darby Deeds, owner of Computers To Go in Bellevue, said in mid-October he made an order for 500-gigabyte hard drives, which are used to build and repair computers, for $40 apiece. As of Friday, the same drives carried a price tag of $99.
Across the board, consumers buying computers as gifts this holiday season should expect that to translate into at least a 10 percent price hike on all computer purchases, he said.
With that inflation sending the prices of PCs upward, Deeds said he has noticed that his sales to business clients, which include some sales to Offutt Air Force Base, haven't slowed. He expects that to continue through the shortfall.
"Their reaction has been — 'We've got to have it,'" Deeds said. "They're not changing anything."
General retail consumers, however, are exhibiting more patience, Deeds said.
That spells bad news for Nebraska Furniture Mart, one of the area's largest electronics retailers.
Bob Batt, executive vice president at the Berkshire Hathaway-owned Furniture Mart, said the disaster in Thailand reminds him of the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunami that blasted Japan and disrupted electronics supply chains earlier this year.
"We're not expecting good things," Batt said. "We're monitoring the situation and will take the appropriate action. It's that kind of a deal. Time will tell."
Computer companies that have been pinched by weak demand in the United States and Europe are bracing for the hard drive shortage to compound those issues.
Analysts have said that the drives that are available will first go to companies with top priority, like Dell and Hewlett-Packard, for example.
Still, those producers remain concerned. In a statement, Dell said that it anticipates hitting the low end of its fourth-quarter revenue projections because of the disaster in Thailand.
The industry prioritization, however, means companies like Acer and Asustek, both of which make cheaper netbooks and desktops for consumers with a tighter budget, are more likely to get shorted in the supply chain.
A bad dream is playing out in Thailand and turning into an unpleasant and costly reality for Midlands computer retailers and repair shops.
The Southeast Asian country, which is grappling with the effects of devastating flooding and evacuations from its largest cities, is home to many of the world's largest computer hard disk drive manufacturers, including Western Digital, Seagate Technology and Toshiba Corp.
Over the last three months, floodwaters have crippled hard drive manufacturing facilities, bringing hard disk drive and component production to little more than a trickle. Hard disk drives are about the size of a small book and serve as the main storage components in computers, holding information about the machine's operating system and other software.
Analysts and computer store owners who serve Nebraska and Iowa say the shortfall of hard drives is going to take its toll on the holiday shopping season and could last well into 2012. The issue could mean disappointment or lighter wallets for consumers planning to give certain electronic gifts.
"It's a nightmare scenario for us," said Thor Schrock, owner and CEO of Schrock Innovations, a computer retailer and repair shop with locations in Omaha, Papillion and Lincoln. "And it's only going to get worse."
At the beginning of November, Schrock said, hard disk drives already were becoming so expensive at wholesale prices that he spent $27,000 at Office Max and bought as many hard drives as he could.
"We cleared out three of their warehouses," Schrock said. "In order to get to the end of November, we needed more hard disk drives."
Hard drive prices have doubled since mid-October, Schrock said.
He said there may not even be enough available hard drives to maintain a predictable inventory, especially of low-priced netbooks.
"As a computer retailer, this is our big time of the year, and if we can't get hard drives, we can't sell computers," Schrock said. "And if we can't sell computers, we can't service computer parts, either."
Fang Zhang, an iSuppli analyst, wrote in a research note that Western Digital will likely be knocked from the No. 1 perch of hard disk drive producers because of the flooding. Zhang also predicts that the shortage will become more serious at the end of 2011 and pour into 2012, at least through the first quarter.
During that time, shipments are expected to decrease 30 percent, causing prices to soar, Zhang said.
Darby Deeds, owner of Computers To Go in Bellevue, said in mid-October he made an order for 500-gigabyte hard drives, which are used to build and repair computers, for $40 apiece. As of Friday, the same drives carried a price tag of $99.
Across the board, consumers buying computers as gifts this holiday season should expect that to translate into at least a 10 percent price hike on all computer purchases, he said.
With that inflation sending the prices of PCs upward, Deeds said he has noticed that his sales to business clients, which include some sales to Offutt Air Force Base, haven't slowed. He expects that to continue through the shortfall.
"Their reaction has been — 'We've got to have it,'" Deeds said. "They're not changing anything."
General retail consumers, however, are exhibiting more patience, Deeds said.
That spells bad news for Nebraska Furniture Mart, one of the area's largest electronics retailers.
Bob Batt, executive vice president at the Berkshire Hathaway-owned Furniture Mart, said the disaster in Thailand reminds him of the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunami that blasted Japan and disrupted electronics supply chains earlier this year.
"We're not expecting good things," Batt said. "We're monitoring the situation and will take the appropriate action. It's that kind of a deal. Time will tell."
Computer companies that have been pinched by weak demand in the United States and Europe are bracing for the hard drive shortage to compound those issues.
Analysts have said that the drives that are available will first go to companies with top priority, like Dell and Hewlett-Packard, for example.
Still, those producers remain concerned. In a statement, Dell said that it anticipates hitting the low end of its fourth-quarter revenue projections because of the disaster in Thailand.
The industry prioritization, however, means companies like Acer and Asustek, both of which make cheaper netbooks and desktops for consumers with a tighter budget, are more likely to get shorted in the supply chain.
2011年11月17日星期四
Boeing fortunes make sharp turnaround with new orders
Boeing is starting to fly right.
An Indonesian airline's commitment to buy $21.7 billion worth of new planes is the latest good news for the company after a year when some things could have gone better.
Earlier this week, Emirates Airlines ordered $18 billion worth of 777s. Both deals come shortly after Boeing finally began delivering its two newest planes, the next-generation 787 and the latest version of the iconic 747.
Just a year ago, the outlook was dicier.
The new 787 was already running nearly three years late when an electrical fire on a test plane in November 2010 forced it to suspend flight tests. The revamped 747 was running late, too. And Airbus announced plans to put a new engine on its A320, making the plane more fuel efficient and a more potent competitor to Boeing's 737.
The Airbus move forced Boeing to switch gears and offer a new-engine version of its 737 rather than build an all-new plane as it had originally expected to do.
Boeing needed some successes, and it found them in Asia and the Middle East, where rising wealth is turning more people into travellers.
Boeing expects demand for 11,450 planes in the Asia-Pacific region over the next 20 years, more than in any other part of the world. That number includes planes made by Boeing and competitors such as Airbus and new entrants into the market. Airbus has already booked 1,268 firm orders for its A320neo, so named for its "new engine option."
The commitment by Indonesia's Lion Air announced on Thursday is for 230 Boeing 737s. Lion Air also has options for 150 more planes, valued at $14 billion, bringing the deal's total potential value to $35 billion.
The order would be Boeing's largest ever in terms of both volume and dollars.
"This order is a big deal," RBC Capital Markets analyst Robert Stallard wrote in a research note to clients. The deal "gives a meaningful boost to Boeing's backlog."
Most of the planes are the 737 Max, a new version of Boeing's most popular plane with more fuel-efficient engines. It won't be delivered to its first customer until 2017. Boeing has said it has about 600 commitments for the 737 Max.
But the Lion Air deal is not a certainty. The airline still has to finalize the order, and it's struggling. The Jakarta Post reported in August that Lion Air was ordered to ground 13 planes so it would have more in reserve because it had too many late flights.
"There's always a risk that a deal's going to fall through," Citi analyst Jason Gursky said. "It's a brutal industry, and when we go through periods of slower economic growth, there will be failures. It's Boeing's job to pick the winners and losers. But I think they're pretty agnostic right now as to who they sell to."
Gursky said Boeing went on "order holiday" in 2011 because it didn't have a product to sell. That has changed now that it decided to put a new engine on the 737. He expects Boeing's deliveries to increase by 27 per cent next year, compared with a 9 per cent increase at Airbus.
"That's why we think this year is going to be the year of Boeing," he said.
Even before Lion Air announced its plans, Boeing has been ramping up production to try to meet demand for the 737 as well as the 777, a larger plane used mostly on international routes. It already has a backlog of 2,191 737s that have been ordered by airlines around the world but not yet built.
Boeing already completes about one 737 every day in Renton, Wash. It is raising that to 42 per month in 2014. It has not yet said whether the 737 Max will be assembled in Renton or somewhere else, perhaps in South Carolina, where it is opening a second assembly line for its new 787.
Boeing already employs some 80,000 people in Washington state. Gursky, the analyst, has written that the biggest risk to Boeing's planned rate increases appears to be its ability to hire the thousands of new workers it will need.
Lion Air already has orders for 125 more Boeing 737-900ERs. Its fleet currently stands at 73 planes, according to Airfleets.net. Sixty-five of those are Boeing 737s.
Also Thursday, Boeing said that aircraft leasing company Aviation Capital Group had ordered 20 of its 737-800s and committed to buy 35 of the planned 737 Max.
Shares of Chicago-based Boeing fell 25 cents Thursday to close at $66.09.
An Indonesian airline's commitment to buy $21.7 billion worth of new planes is the latest good news for the company after a year when some things could have gone better.
Earlier this week, Emirates Airlines ordered $18 billion worth of 777s. Both deals come shortly after Boeing finally began delivering its two newest planes, the next-generation 787 and the latest version of the iconic 747.
Just a year ago, the outlook was dicier.
The new 787 was already running nearly three years late when an electrical fire on a test plane in November 2010 forced it to suspend flight tests. The revamped 747 was running late, too. And Airbus announced plans to put a new engine on its A320, making the plane more fuel efficient and a more potent competitor to Boeing's 737.
The Airbus move forced Boeing to switch gears and offer a new-engine version of its 737 rather than build an all-new plane as it had originally expected to do.
Boeing needed some successes, and it found them in Asia and the Middle East, where rising wealth is turning more people into travellers.
Boeing expects demand for 11,450 planes in the Asia-Pacific region over the next 20 years, more than in any other part of the world. That number includes planes made by Boeing and competitors such as Airbus and new entrants into the market. Airbus has already booked 1,268 firm orders for its A320neo, so named for its "new engine option."
The commitment by Indonesia's Lion Air announced on Thursday is for 230 Boeing 737s. Lion Air also has options for 150 more planes, valued at $14 billion, bringing the deal's total potential value to $35 billion.
The order would be Boeing's largest ever in terms of both volume and dollars.
"This order is a big deal," RBC Capital Markets analyst Robert Stallard wrote in a research note to clients. The deal "gives a meaningful boost to Boeing's backlog."
Most of the planes are the 737 Max, a new version of Boeing's most popular plane with more fuel-efficient engines. It won't be delivered to its first customer until 2017. Boeing has said it has about 600 commitments for the 737 Max.
But the Lion Air deal is not a certainty. The airline still has to finalize the order, and it's struggling. The Jakarta Post reported in August that Lion Air was ordered to ground 13 planes so it would have more in reserve because it had too many late flights.
"There's always a risk that a deal's going to fall through," Citi analyst Jason Gursky said. "It's a brutal industry, and when we go through periods of slower economic growth, there will be failures. It's Boeing's job to pick the winners and losers. But I think they're pretty agnostic right now as to who they sell to."
Gursky said Boeing went on "order holiday" in 2011 because it didn't have a product to sell. That has changed now that it decided to put a new engine on the 737. He expects Boeing's deliveries to increase by 27 per cent next year, compared with a 9 per cent increase at Airbus.
"That's why we think this year is going to be the year of Boeing," he said.
Even before Lion Air announced its plans, Boeing has been ramping up production to try to meet demand for the 737 as well as the 777, a larger plane used mostly on international routes. It already has a backlog of 2,191 737s that have been ordered by airlines around the world but not yet built.
Boeing already completes about one 737 every day in Renton, Wash. It is raising that to 42 per month in 2014. It has not yet said whether the 737 Max will be assembled in Renton or somewhere else, perhaps in South Carolina, where it is opening a second assembly line for its new 787.
Boeing already employs some 80,000 people in Washington state. Gursky, the analyst, has written that the biggest risk to Boeing's planned rate increases appears to be its ability to hire the thousands of new workers it will need.
Lion Air already has orders for 125 more Boeing 737-900ERs. Its fleet currently stands at 73 planes, according to Airfleets.net. Sixty-five of those are Boeing 737s.
Also Thursday, Boeing said that aircraft leasing company Aviation Capital Group had ordered 20 of its 737-800s and committed to buy 35 of the planned 737 Max.
Shares of Chicago-based Boeing fell 25 cents Thursday to close at $66.09.
2011年11月16日星期三
Max Air Says Plane Lost Four Tyres, Didn't Crash Land
Max Air Airlines has denied media reporting suggesting that one of its planes carrying over 500 pilgrims from Jeddah crash landed on Monday at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kan o.
The denial was contained in a statement yesterday by the airlines' secretary, Shehu Wada.
It said, "As against the wide spread that the Boeing 747 belonging to Max Air Ltd carrying over 500 pilgrims from Jeddah crash landed in Kano, the management hereby release detail of the occurrence.
"DBM one of the Max Air Ltd Aircraft carrying 511 Adamawa State Pilgrims from Jeddah scheduled to land at Yola Airport was denied access at the airport because of some technical issues experienced by the Airport at night. Thus, the Aircraft had to make a detour to the Aminu Kano International Airport Kano.
"However while taxing, the airplane lost 4 of its tyres and with the wealth of experience of our pilot (a FAA rated), he was able to bring the plane to a halt with minimal damage on the rims of the aircraft. The rims damaged have been replaced by our experts from GMF Garuda and the Aircraft is back to shape.
"We are using this medium to further pledge our commitment for optimal safety."
The denial was contained in a statement yesterday by the airlines' secretary, Shehu Wada.
It said, "As against the wide spread that the Boeing 747 belonging to Max Air Ltd carrying over 500 pilgrims from Jeddah crash landed in Kano, the management hereby release detail of the occurrence.
"DBM one of the Max Air Ltd Aircraft carrying 511 Adamawa State Pilgrims from Jeddah scheduled to land at Yola Airport was denied access at the airport because of some technical issues experienced by the Airport at night. Thus, the Aircraft had to make a detour to the Aminu Kano International Airport Kano.
"However while taxing, the airplane lost 4 of its tyres and with the wealth of experience of our pilot (a FAA rated), he was able to bring the plane to a halt with minimal damage on the rims of the aircraft. The rims damaged have been replaced by our experts from GMF Garuda and the Aircraft is back to shape.
"We are using this medium to further pledge our commitment for optimal safety."
2011年11月15日星期二
Meet the 10 best shoes in the history of basketball
What are the best shoes in the history of basketball? It is certainly a complicated question, but according to a consensus made in the USA, these are the 10 best shoes that have been used in that sport.
The list begins with the wonderful Shaqnosis Reebok, with its striking black and white colors that will undoubtedly give the feeling of "hypnotize", continued by the Grant Hill Fila Ninety6 ninth. At number eight are the Nike Air Max Penny I, Nike and others followed in this case, the Zoom Kobe V in purple with black and yellow at number seven.
Then the number six is ??the Reebok Pumps, which noventero design completely white in color with orange and blue make them a jewel of the nineties. The classic Converse with the fifth place, followed by Foamposite One, Reebok The Question in fourth and third respectively.
Second are the Nike Jordan I, to finally give way to first place, the Nike Air Jordan XI.
The list begins with the wonderful Shaqnosis Reebok, with its striking black and white colors that will undoubtedly give the feeling of "hypnotize", continued by the Grant Hill Fila Ninety6 ninth. At number eight are the Nike Air Max Penny I, Nike and others followed in this case, the Zoom Kobe V in purple with black and yellow at number seven.
Then the number six is ??the Reebok Pumps, which noventero design completely white in color with orange and blue make them a jewel of the nineties. The classic Converse with the fifth place, followed by Foamposite One, Reebok The Question in fourth and third respectively.
Second are the Nike Jordan I, to finally give way to first place, the Nike Air Jordan XI.
2011年11月14日星期一
Deer Track North Course owners still planning redevelopment
The former Deer Track North Course was pulled out of a foreclosure sale last week, and one of its co-owners said he expects to retain ownership of the property and still intends to develop it.
The National Bank of South Carolina has a mortgage lien against the course's owners of nearly $2.93 million stemming from a $2.6 million loan in 2006. The course was on the list of foreclosed properties to be auctioned on Nov. 7, but the bank pulled it from the sale.
“We're negotiating with the bank on the note,” said co-owner McCray Smith. “The foreclosure was what the bank had to do and we're doing what we have to do.
“… Like I've said before, we're going to develop that property.”
The bank's attorney in the case, Tara Nauful of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A., could not be reached.
The course was originally scheduled to be auctioned off on July 5 after the bank foreclosed on Smith and co-owner Jerry Pettus.
The sale was canceled after the owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the course in late June, but the case was dismissed on Aug. 19 and officially closed on Oct. 24, reinstituting the foreclosure.
United States Bankruptcy Judge George R. Hodges dismissed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, granting a motion by Synovus Banks – The National Bank of South Carolina is a division of Synovus – seeking dismissal.
The case was filed in the Western District of North Carolina after Deertrack Investors LLC – the entity that owns the course – merged with Woodend LLC, another of Smith and Pettus' companies that owns property in North Carolina. The bankruptcy was filed under Woodend.
Hodges ruled the continuance of the Chapter 11 case would be “objectively futile,” and he found the filing to be in “bad faith.”
In his decision, Hodges wrote: “Deertrack has no current business operations, other than the pursuit of litigation. Deertrack has no revenues, no employees, no going concern to preserve. … Quite simply there is nothing to reorganize
“Additionally, a review of the debtor's schedules show that the merged debtor is not operating any business and has no cash flow. Without a reliable source income, debtor cannot sustain a plan of reorganization to pay Synovus and other secured creditors.”
In the bankruptcy, the Horry County Treasurer submitted a claim for $8,287.12, and a bank submitted a claim for $437,000 stemming from property owned by Woodend LLC
Hodges added: “The timing of this bankruptcy was strategically aimed at forestalling foreclosure and hindering the collection efforts of Synovus.”
Smith said he is prepared to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in South Carolina if it becomes necessary.
Smith and Pettus purchased the course in March 2006 for $8 million, according to court documents, and closed it six month later with intentions of redeveloping the property.
But Horry County Council changed the zoning against the will of its owners from R-7 primarily to a less-dense R-3 at the behest of homeowners in November 2006, and homeowners have a class-action suit against the course owners arguing that there is an easement on the property preventing redevelopment.
Two judges have ruled Smith and Pettus are free to redevelop the land, but the rulings were appealed and the homeowner lawsuit remains active. Smith said an appeal hearing is scheduled in the next two months. Smith also has a countersuit against the homeowners.
Sammy Truett of Surfside Beach and potential partners Dr. Brian Adler and Linwood Foster have been interested in purchasing the 183-acre property and reopening the golf course. They were prepared to attend the July 5 auction.
But Truett said if the course ever makes it to auction and the bank bids at least $2.6 million to protect its interest, his group would be eliminated from contention. Truett's group had negotiated with bank officials prior to the bankruptcy filing.
“I can tell you if the price is $2.6 million we're out. The numbers don't work,” Truett said. “We're not even close to $2.6 million and when we were negotiating with them before we weren't even close.
“… We still think it's a viable project but it's been dragging on for a couple years. Our fire is not burning [to reopen the course] as much as it was six months ago.”
The National Bank of South Carolina has a mortgage lien against the course's owners of nearly $2.93 million stemming from a $2.6 million loan in 2006. The course was on the list of foreclosed properties to be auctioned on Nov. 7, but the bank pulled it from the sale.
“We're negotiating with the bank on the note,” said co-owner McCray Smith. “The foreclosure was what the bank had to do and we're doing what we have to do.
“… Like I've said before, we're going to develop that property.”
The bank's attorney in the case, Tara Nauful of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A., could not be reached.
The course was originally scheduled to be auctioned off on July 5 after the bank foreclosed on Smith and co-owner Jerry Pettus.
The sale was canceled after the owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the course in late June, but the case was dismissed on Aug. 19 and officially closed on Oct. 24, reinstituting the foreclosure.
United States Bankruptcy Judge George R. Hodges dismissed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, granting a motion by Synovus Banks – The National Bank of South Carolina is a division of Synovus – seeking dismissal.
The case was filed in the Western District of North Carolina after Deertrack Investors LLC – the entity that owns the course – merged with Woodend LLC, another of Smith and Pettus' companies that owns property in North Carolina. The bankruptcy was filed under Woodend.
Hodges ruled the continuance of the Chapter 11 case would be “objectively futile,” and he found the filing to be in “bad faith.”
In his decision, Hodges wrote: “Deertrack has no current business operations, other than the pursuit of litigation. Deertrack has no revenues, no employees, no going concern to preserve. … Quite simply there is nothing to reorganize
“Additionally, a review of the debtor's schedules show that the merged debtor is not operating any business and has no cash flow. Without a reliable source income, debtor cannot sustain a plan of reorganization to pay Synovus and other secured creditors.”
In the bankruptcy, the Horry County Treasurer submitted a claim for $8,287.12, and a bank submitted a claim for $437,000 stemming from property owned by Woodend LLC
Hodges added: “The timing of this bankruptcy was strategically aimed at forestalling foreclosure and hindering the collection efforts of Synovus.”
Smith said he is prepared to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in South Carolina if it becomes necessary.
Smith and Pettus purchased the course in March 2006 for $8 million, according to court documents, and closed it six month later with intentions of redeveloping the property.
But Horry County Council changed the zoning against the will of its owners from R-7 primarily to a less-dense R-3 at the behest of homeowners in November 2006, and homeowners have a class-action suit against the course owners arguing that there is an easement on the property preventing redevelopment.
Two judges have ruled Smith and Pettus are free to redevelop the land, but the rulings were appealed and the homeowner lawsuit remains active. Smith said an appeal hearing is scheduled in the next two months. Smith also has a countersuit against the homeowners.
Sammy Truett of Surfside Beach and potential partners Dr. Brian Adler and Linwood Foster have been interested in purchasing the 183-acre property and reopening the golf course. They were prepared to attend the July 5 auction.
But Truett said if the course ever makes it to auction and the bank bids at least $2.6 million to protect its interest, his group would be eliminated from contention. Truett's group had negotiated with bank officials prior to the bankruptcy filing.
“I can tell you if the price is $2.6 million we're out. The numbers don't work,” Truett said. “We're not even close to $2.6 million and when we were negotiating with them before we weren't even close.
“… We still think it's a viable project but it's been dragging on for a couple years. Our fire is not burning [to reopen the course] as much as it was six months ago.”
2011年11月13日星期日
A Night at The Montalbán
Isn't this supposed to be No Fun November? That's certainly what I thought this morning. The forecast of rain had preemptively dampened my mood, and I had already accepted the fact that I'd have to work most of the weekend, in a grit-your-teeth, get-stuck-in kind of way. I was also already pretty tired, having gotten up at 7:30 to help man our fundraising event for USC Boxing. And so I trudged into the all-too-familiar confines of the law library on this, a bleak Saturday morning, resigned to putting in a solid six hours or so into reading and outlining before watching what was likely to be a one-sided beating in the form of a boxing mismatch.
To borrow one of Larry Merchant's quotes, though: we live in the “theatre of the unexpected.” The dreaded rain never materialized, so after an hour of studying I decided to head down to the tailgate to grab a quick bite. Of course, they were pretty much out of food but had plenty of beer (on a somewhat related note, I've had way too much free beer these past two days). After a few more drinks, some conversation, and a little peer pressure, I decided to make the only rational and responsible choice I had as a USC student – my half-hour study break turned into attending my first USC football game. Oops.
It was a lot of fun and definitely a good time, and I got to hang out with the 2Ls while Nima walked me through the rules and rituals of a USC football game. I'm not the biggest fan of American football, but it was fun to experience the event, and I was impressed by the passion and fervor of the crowd. It's probably the closest thing to an American equivalent of soccer matches in most parts of the world. The game itself was entertaining – especially the trick plays that USC ran – but the huge lead meant that by later in the second half, both the drama and the crowd had started to evaporate.
We left in the fourth quarter with the score at 40-10 and I silently hoped that it wouldn't be a foreshadowing of the Pacquiao fight at night. After picking up some of the guys on the USC Boxing team and briefly waging war on my mortal enemy (aka LA traffic), we finally got to Hollywood. The Montalbán is a theatre with an old and decorated history in Los Angeles, but still a relatively small building; it didn't catch my eye when we got there and were trying to figure out where to go. It turned out to be pretty simple though: just follow everyone else. A huge line of people of all shapes, sizes, and colors clad in their assortment of red and blue Manny Pacquiao gear allowed me to make the Holmesian deduction that we had arrived at the right place. Apparently they had been lining up for hours before the doors even opened at 7pm. I overheard one of the Nike staff say that over 1600 people had “RSVP'd” on Facebook to try to get in.
Luckily, as members of the USC Boxing Team we had been specially invited by a Nike rep (Nike Boxing sponsors only one fighter – Pacquiao) and got to stand in the thankfully far shorter VIP line. As we were waiting for the doors to open, a huge Nike Sportswear customization truck was parked in front, stocked with customizable MP product. Some of the things they were selling were the Pacquiao Air Trainer 1.3 Max Breathe ($175) and an rumored and exclusive Nike MP hoodie, of which only 111 were made and one of which Manny wore to the weigh-in yesterday. To purchase it, you had to be present at one of the four locations across the country selling it on fight night and be willing to part with a cool $250 to get it. Of course, they were sold out long before we got there, but I did end up getting a Pacquiao t-shirt, dropping $30 like a high roller.
We got in right away through the VIP line and wandered throughout the place, which was decked out in Pacquiao memorabilia: shoes, gloves, hoodies, robes, championship belts, bags, framed pictures, and much more. There was an unlimited amount of free vitamin water, smart water, and other bottled beverages, but when we went up to the VIP lounge area, we found out they had a bar serving free beer! There was food, of course, along with a DJ, and other forms of entertainment/promotion. There was a photobooth where you could take a picture with the same background as Manny's photo in the promotion poster, and computers set up where you could play around with NikeID and customize different Nike gear.
We finally made our way to the second floor at the VIP seating area and sat down facing a huge HD screen flanked by two smaller ones. We caught the end of the Breidis “the Khanqueror” Prescott vs. Mike Alvarado, which was a great fight. Alvarado came from behind to rally and knock Prescott out with a series of vicious uppercuts, and the action fight pumped up everyone watching. The atrocious Bradley-Casamayor bout slightly deflated the atmosphere until it was mercifully stopped by the ref in the 7th. It's sickening to think that Bradley earned $1.1 million for this “fight” as a contractual HBO comeback date (and making it from the pay-per-views) when he turned down a much better offer to fight Khan in July.
To borrow one of Larry Merchant's quotes, though: we live in the “theatre of the unexpected.” The dreaded rain never materialized, so after an hour of studying I decided to head down to the tailgate to grab a quick bite. Of course, they were pretty much out of food but had plenty of beer (on a somewhat related note, I've had way too much free beer these past two days). After a few more drinks, some conversation, and a little peer pressure, I decided to make the only rational and responsible choice I had as a USC student – my half-hour study break turned into attending my first USC football game. Oops.
It was a lot of fun and definitely a good time, and I got to hang out with the 2Ls while Nima walked me through the rules and rituals of a USC football game. I'm not the biggest fan of American football, but it was fun to experience the event, and I was impressed by the passion and fervor of the crowd. It's probably the closest thing to an American equivalent of soccer matches in most parts of the world. The game itself was entertaining – especially the trick plays that USC ran – but the huge lead meant that by later in the second half, both the drama and the crowd had started to evaporate.
We left in the fourth quarter with the score at 40-10 and I silently hoped that it wouldn't be a foreshadowing of the Pacquiao fight at night. After picking up some of the guys on the USC Boxing team and briefly waging war on my mortal enemy (aka LA traffic), we finally got to Hollywood. The Montalbán is a theatre with an old and decorated history in Los Angeles, but still a relatively small building; it didn't catch my eye when we got there and were trying to figure out where to go. It turned out to be pretty simple though: just follow everyone else. A huge line of people of all shapes, sizes, and colors clad in their assortment of red and blue Manny Pacquiao gear allowed me to make the Holmesian deduction that we had arrived at the right place. Apparently they had been lining up for hours before the doors even opened at 7pm. I overheard one of the Nike staff say that over 1600 people had “RSVP'd” on Facebook to try to get in.
Luckily, as members of the USC Boxing Team we had been specially invited by a Nike rep (Nike Boxing sponsors only one fighter – Pacquiao) and got to stand in the thankfully far shorter VIP line. As we were waiting for the doors to open, a huge Nike Sportswear customization truck was parked in front, stocked with customizable MP product. Some of the things they were selling were the Pacquiao Air Trainer 1.3 Max Breathe ($175) and an rumored and exclusive Nike MP hoodie, of which only 111 were made and one of which Manny wore to the weigh-in yesterday. To purchase it, you had to be present at one of the four locations across the country selling it on fight night and be willing to part with a cool $250 to get it. Of course, they were sold out long before we got there, but I did end up getting a Pacquiao t-shirt, dropping $30 like a high roller.
We got in right away through the VIP line and wandered throughout the place, which was decked out in Pacquiao memorabilia: shoes, gloves, hoodies, robes, championship belts, bags, framed pictures, and much more. There was an unlimited amount of free vitamin water, smart water, and other bottled beverages, but when we went up to the VIP lounge area, we found out they had a bar serving free beer! There was food, of course, along with a DJ, and other forms of entertainment/promotion. There was a photobooth where you could take a picture with the same background as Manny's photo in the promotion poster, and computers set up where you could play around with NikeID and customize different Nike gear.
We finally made our way to the second floor at the VIP seating area and sat down facing a huge HD screen flanked by two smaller ones. We caught the end of the Breidis “the Khanqueror” Prescott vs. Mike Alvarado, which was a great fight. Alvarado came from behind to rally and knock Prescott out with a series of vicious uppercuts, and the action fight pumped up everyone watching. The atrocious Bradley-Casamayor bout slightly deflated the atmosphere until it was mercifully stopped by the ref in the 7th. It's sickening to think that Bradley earned $1.1 million for this “fight” as a contractual HBO comeback date (and making it from the pay-per-views) when he turned down a much better offer to fight Khan in July.
2011年11月10日星期四
Cole & Weber United, Seattle's First Ad Agency, Celebrates 80 Years
Cole & Weber United, Seattle's first ad agency, celebrates its 80th Anniversary this month. The agency has played a key role in the growth of the Northwest's most well-known brands both past and present including: Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Weyerhauser, Microsoft, Tree Top, Darigold, Washington's Lottery, Nike, and Westin.
Originally founded in 1931 by Arlyn Cole, Mac Wilkins, and George Weber as Wilkins & Cole Advertising, the founders had the goal of bringing Madison Avenue to the West Coast. A few years later the name was changed to Cole & Weber as the agency grew and spurred its clients' growth. The agency's reputation and work has caught the eye of the industry both nationally and internationally. Its iconic Goose campaign for Wein Air Alaska (Alaska Airlines) has a place at the National Air and Space Museum, a TV commercial they created for Seattle Art Museum is installed at the MOMA Museum, and the International Olympic Committee has enlisted them to create its global youth campaign, which utilizes social media and specifically, facebook, to engage the next generation of Olympic viewers.
Mike Doherty, CEO of Cole & Weber said, "We're proud and excited to celebrate our founders, our heritage and the clients that made it all possible on this momentous occasion. While our founders pioneered marketing in the great Northwest, we aim to honor them by pioneering marketing in the ever-changing ad landscape."
Cole & Weber has evolved beyond traditional advertising to become a full-service creativity company helping clients all over the world build experiences that involve people with their brands.
"I had the pleasure of working with Cole & Weber for nearly a decade," said Saga Shoffner, an executive at Nike, a former client of Cole & Weber. "In that time, we didn't just create ads together -- we created experiences like Nike Goddess that brought new audiences into the brand and programs like the United Countries of Baseball that ignited a conversation among fans -- igniting a movement around Nike baseball fans that hadn't existed for a while."
To commemorate the anniversary, Cole & Weber "celebrated creativity" with several events. The agency staged panels featuring well-known industry creative directors who built their careers at Cole & Weber. Panel participants included Jim Elliot, Chief Creative Officer of Y&R, Tedd Baseler, CEO of St. Michelle Wine Estates, Scott Bedbury, CEO of Brandstream Inc, among many others. The agency also hosted a "Brew ha ha" for employees and industry colleagues at Elysian Fields in Pioneer Square.
Originally founded in 1931 by Arlyn Cole, Mac Wilkins, and George Weber as Wilkins & Cole Advertising, the founders had the goal of bringing Madison Avenue to the West Coast. A few years later the name was changed to Cole & Weber as the agency grew and spurred its clients' growth. The agency's reputation and work has caught the eye of the industry both nationally and internationally. Its iconic Goose campaign for Wein Air Alaska (Alaska Airlines) has a place at the National Air and Space Museum, a TV commercial they created for Seattle Art Museum is installed at the MOMA Museum, and the International Olympic Committee has enlisted them to create its global youth campaign, which utilizes social media and specifically, facebook, to engage the next generation of Olympic viewers.
Mike Doherty, CEO of Cole & Weber said, "We're proud and excited to celebrate our founders, our heritage and the clients that made it all possible on this momentous occasion. While our founders pioneered marketing in the great Northwest, we aim to honor them by pioneering marketing in the ever-changing ad landscape."
Cole & Weber has evolved beyond traditional advertising to become a full-service creativity company helping clients all over the world build experiences that involve people with their brands.
"I had the pleasure of working with Cole & Weber for nearly a decade," said Saga Shoffner, an executive at Nike, a former client of Cole & Weber. "In that time, we didn't just create ads together -- we created experiences like Nike Goddess that brought new audiences into the brand and programs like the United Countries of Baseball that ignited a conversation among fans -- igniting a movement around Nike baseball fans that hadn't existed for a while."
To commemorate the anniversary, Cole & Weber "celebrated creativity" with several events. The agency staged panels featuring well-known industry creative directors who built their careers at Cole & Weber. Panel participants included Jim Elliot, Chief Creative Officer of Y&R, Tedd Baseler, CEO of St. Michelle Wine Estates, Scott Bedbury, CEO of Brandstream Inc, among many others. The agency also hosted a "Brew ha ha" for employees and industry colleagues at Elysian Fields in Pioneer Square.
2011年11月8日星期二
Jerry West's Dream Game
As the N.B.A. lockout continues to eat its way through the season, the principal view of pro basketball, despite some recent advertisements by Nike attempting to convince us otherwise, is of a stalled and bloated financial beast, made up of wealthy squabblers deadlocked over abstractly large amounts of money. The whole thing, to use a current formulation, feels very 1%—more boardroom than locker room, and not much to do with the redeeming qualities of sport.
Funny, then, that a measure of relief, at least for this fan, would come from Jerry West, whose jaunty silhouette has adorned the N.B.A. logo since 1969. Though West achieved greatness as a player—first as an All-American for his home-state West Virginia Mountaineers, then later as co-captain of the 1960 Olympic team, and as a fourteen-season flag bearer for the Los Angeles Lakers—his greatest successes may have been cemented as an executive, most notably for a nearly twenty-season run as the general manager of the Lakers, beginning with the Showtime glory years of the eighties and ending in 2000. West was a Hall of Fame player, but as an executive assembler and massager of talent, he was, according to many around the league, unparalleled.
His new memoir, “West by West,” is deeply thoughtful in a way rare among books by former athletes. West never tries to separate money out of the game. In a brief passage from his playing days, for example, he recalls a flashpoint in the N.B.A.'s labor history, when before the 1964 All-Star Game in Boston, he and his fellow players threatened to boycott the game unless progress was made with owners toward a pension deal. He remembers it as an uncomfortable but necessary stand, perhaps in a way that today's players may look back at the summer of 2011, though that seems unlikely. And much of the book, written with Jonathan Coleman, is devoted to West's life as a basketball businessman—from his complicated relationship to Lakers owner Jerry Buss to the ins and outs of keeping players (James Worthy) or begging ownership to send others away (Dennis Rodman) to the deal that brought head coach Phil Jackson to Los Angeles.
The relief, then, isn't that West is some amateur purist standing against the complex business of basketball. Instead, it comes from a chapter near the end of the book that unites those two ideas. During a bout of sleeplessness—the book is as much about depression, self-doubt, and insomnia as it is about basketball—West gives his mind over to the construction of the perfect game, played by two rosters built from the best players across the years.
West is seventy-three, but here he dreams with the gusto of a boy, imagining the precise and improbable conditions of a world wherein anything is possible: the location is Madison Square Garden on a mid-afternoon in May. Playoff time, maybe Game Seven. The stands are full of his favorite fans living and dead: Jack Nicholson, Spike Lee, Frank Sinatra, Monet, and Picasso, along with West's high-school English teacher, his friends, family, and others. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama agree to set next to each other. Old-fashioned organ music fills the dead air; no laser-light shows or T-shirt cannons. The rules of the game are amended, back to those in place the days when West played, and other more improbable rules are laid down as well: players are all in their primes, they have undergone the same contemporary conditioning programs, they've arrived at the game flying in coach, and they've travelled alone. “No entourage, no bodyguards, no publicists, no Twittering.”
His old teammates Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain are there. So is his nemesis, Bill Russell. Magic and Bird square off one last time. Shaq lumbers through the paint. The younger generation is represented by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. Building a pair of dream rosters is the great general-manager fantasy, a test of his skills as an evaluator of talent. And in a way, this kind of thinking about basketball—puzzling over historical and statistical possibilities, comparing players across eras, optimizing talent—has also become a significant part of the fan experience: in fantasy leagues, in basements, and on barstools. Perhaps it always has been; today's advanced computer metrics and inky box scores from the fifties both inspire the same kind of day-dreaming. Yet the difference between all of us and Jerry West, for example, is that West can realistically imagine how he would fit into his dream game. He makes one of the teams.
The last time I could imagine making any team was when I was a kid, shooting alone at a hoop after school as the evening turned to night. Basketball, despite being a team game, is in many ways a lonely sport, as much about boring solitary repetitions as it is about feats of athletic grace. The outside shot, for instance, is constructed by persistence and time. Most anyone who has spent hours taking jumper after jumper at the elbow has felt his mind wander to grander accomplishments. To the final seconds, down by one, the ball in your hands with the game on the line. Soon, the scenarios grow more baroque, the odds more dire, and begin to incorporate all the particulars of a real game. For me, that would start spinning out into the names of my teammates, their backstories, to entire games, and even to seasons. This was the real fantasy basketball, before cap space, Player Efficiency Rating, or labor negotiations meant anything to me. I lost myself in stories, and forgot to practice my backspin.
Funny, then, that a measure of relief, at least for this fan, would come from Jerry West, whose jaunty silhouette has adorned the N.B.A. logo since 1969. Though West achieved greatness as a player—first as an All-American for his home-state West Virginia Mountaineers, then later as co-captain of the 1960 Olympic team, and as a fourteen-season flag bearer for the Los Angeles Lakers—his greatest successes may have been cemented as an executive, most notably for a nearly twenty-season run as the general manager of the Lakers, beginning with the Showtime glory years of the eighties and ending in 2000. West was a Hall of Fame player, but as an executive assembler and massager of talent, he was, according to many around the league, unparalleled.
His new memoir, “West by West,” is deeply thoughtful in a way rare among books by former athletes. West never tries to separate money out of the game. In a brief passage from his playing days, for example, he recalls a flashpoint in the N.B.A.'s labor history, when before the 1964 All-Star Game in Boston, he and his fellow players threatened to boycott the game unless progress was made with owners toward a pension deal. He remembers it as an uncomfortable but necessary stand, perhaps in a way that today's players may look back at the summer of 2011, though that seems unlikely. And much of the book, written with Jonathan Coleman, is devoted to West's life as a basketball businessman—from his complicated relationship to Lakers owner Jerry Buss to the ins and outs of keeping players (James Worthy) or begging ownership to send others away (Dennis Rodman) to the deal that brought head coach Phil Jackson to Los Angeles.
The relief, then, isn't that West is some amateur purist standing against the complex business of basketball. Instead, it comes from a chapter near the end of the book that unites those two ideas. During a bout of sleeplessness—the book is as much about depression, self-doubt, and insomnia as it is about basketball—West gives his mind over to the construction of the perfect game, played by two rosters built from the best players across the years.
West is seventy-three, but here he dreams with the gusto of a boy, imagining the precise and improbable conditions of a world wherein anything is possible: the location is Madison Square Garden on a mid-afternoon in May. Playoff time, maybe Game Seven. The stands are full of his favorite fans living and dead: Jack Nicholson, Spike Lee, Frank Sinatra, Monet, and Picasso, along with West's high-school English teacher, his friends, family, and others. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama agree to set next to each other. Old-fashioned organ music fills the dead air; no laser-light shows or T-shirt cannons. The rules of the game are amended, back to those in place the days when West played, and other more improbable rules are laid down as well: players are all in their primes, they have undergone the same contemporary conditioning programs, they've arrived at the game flying in coach, and they've travelled alone. “No entourage, no bodyguards, no publicists, no Twittering.”
His old teammates Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain are there. So is his nemesis, Bill Russell. Magic and Bird square off one last time. Shaq lumbers through the paint. The younger generation is represented by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. Building a pair of dream rosters is the great general-manager fantasy, a test of his skills as an evaluator of talent. And in a way, this kind of thinking about basketball—puzzling over historical and statistical possibilities, comparing players across eras, optimizing talent—has also become a significant part of the fan experience: in fantasy leagues, in basements, and on barstools. Perhaps it always has been; today's advanced computer metrics and inky box scores from the fifties both inspire the same kind of day-dreaming. Yet the difference between all of us and Jerry West, for example, is that West can realistically imagine how he would fit into his dream game. He makes one of the teams.
The last time I could imagine making any team was when I was a kid, shooting alone at a hoop after school as the evening turned to night. Basketball, despite being a team game, is in many ways a lonely sport, as much about boring solitary repetitions as it is about feats of athletic grace. The outside shot, for instance, is constructed by persistence and time. Most anyone who has spent hours taking jumper after jumper at the elbow has felt his mind wander to grander accomplishments. To the final seconds, down by one, the ball in your hands with the game on the line. Soon, the scenarios grow more baroque, the odds more dire, and begin to incorporate all the particulars of a real game. For me, that would start spinning out into the names of my teammates, their backstories, to entire games, and even to seasons. This was the real fantasy basketball, before cap space, Player Efficiency Rating, or labor negotiations meant anything to me. I lost myself in stories, and forgot to practice my backspin.
2011年11月6日星期日
Madonna's sons David Banda and Rocco wear matching outfits on night out in New York
They've spent the last five years getting used to one another.
And it seems the brotherly bond between Madonna's two sons is as strong as that of biological brothers.
Rocco, 11, and the pop star's adopted Malawian son David Banda, 6, both stepped out all in white for an evening out in New York with their mother, sisters Mercy and Lourdes and Madonna's boyfriend Brahim Zaibat.
David was dressed like a rather smart young man in a white cap, long-sleeved polo top, jeans and Nike air max trainers.
While his brother went for more of a 'street' look with his hooded top, tracksuit bottoms, baseball cap and trainers. He added a black rucksack to the ensemble for that authentic hip-hop look.
Meanwhile their mother stuck with her favoured black wearing a three-quarter length jacket with a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms.
The 53-year-old appeared a little camera shy as she walked hand-in-hand with her adopted son, David.
At one stage David, who was adopted in 2006, took a piggy back from Madonna's beau Brahim, proving how close the dancer has become to her family.
And little Mercy, who is six years of age, was carried along by the family's nanny.
Lourdes, the oldest of the children, wore a fitted leather biker jacket with a leopard print top, black jeans and heels.
The 15-year-old has her own fashion line, which she runs with her mother.
And now, with teen label Material Girl already a success, Madonna has announced the launch of a second label, Truth or Dare.
This time, though, she will be focusing on an older audience, with a target market of women aged 27-50.
The 'lifestyle brand' is due to launch next year with a fragrance and accessories.
An image of the bottle was released today - a minimalist, hexagonal white bottle with gold cap and simple, geometric logo.
Shoes, handbags and lingerie are expected to follow.
Madonna said that she had been approached many times in the past to create her own brand, but only now was the timing right.
She told WWD: 'Over the past several years, I have been approached countless times to create my own brand.
'The timing is right and I have found great partners in Iconix, who can help translate my vision to reality.'
And it seems the brotherly bond between Madonna's two sons is as strong as that of biological brothers.
Rocco, 11, and the pop star's adopted Malawian son David Banda, 6, both stepped out all in white for an evening out in New York with their mother, sisters Mercy and Lourdes and Madonna's boyfriend Brahim Zaibat.
David was dressed like a rather smart young man in a white cap, long-sleeved polo top, jeans and Nike air max trainers.
While his brother went for more of a 'street' look with his hooded top, tracksuit bottoms, baseball cap and trainers. He added a black rucksack to the ensemble for that authentic hip-hop look.
Meanwhile their mother stuck with her favoured black wearing a three-quarter length jacket with a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms.
The 53-year-old appeared a little camera shy as she walked hand-in-hand with her adopted son, David.
At one stage David, who was adopted in 2006, took a piggy back from Madonna's beau Brahim, proving how close the dancer has become to her family.
And little Mercy, who is six years of age, was carried along by the family's nanny.
Lourdes, the oldest of the children, wore a fitted leather biker jacket with a leopard print top, black jeans and heels.
The 15-year-old has her own fashion line, which she runs with her mother.
And now, with teen label Material Girl already a success, Madonna has announced the launch of a second label, Truth or Dare.
This time, though, she will be focusing on an older audience, with a target market of women aged 27-50.
The 'lifestyle brand' is due to launch next year with a fragrance and accessories.
An image of the bottle was released today - a minimalist, hexagonal white bottle with gold cap and simple, geometric logo.
Shoes, handbags and lingerie are expected to follow.
Madonna said that she had been approached many times in the past to create her own brand, but only now was the timing right.
She told WWD: 'Over the past several years, I have been approached countless times to create my own brand.
'The timing is right and I have found great partners in Iconix, who can help translate my vision to reality.'
2011年11月3日星期四
Meet Isaiah Scott, the child behind the Air Jordan IV Doernbecher
Nike has posted a video featuring the designer behind the Air Jordan IV "Doernbecher," Isaiah Scott. As a patient at Doernbecher Childern's Hospital, his love of the game of basketball made him an ideal candidate to team up with some of Nike's finest designers to produce a one-of-a-kind shoe that could only come from the imagination of a child.
Using unique materials and colorways, Scott produced an Air Jordan IV that is sure to turn some heads and inspire others that they can overcome obstacles in their way. In the video, Scott recalls the story of why he chose Superman to be on the shoe thanks to Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard. Scott's position touched Warner Bros. so much that when Nike asked them if it was okay to put the Superman logo on the shoe, they more than willing to acquiesce.
Nike has also posted video profiles of the other patients tapped to design some unique kicks and you can check them all out here. All proceeds from the sale of these limited edition shoes will go to the Doernbecher Childern' Hospital. And while the designs are definitely not for everybody, people should at least take the time and consider donating to the hospital as well.
Using unique materials and colorways, Scott produced an Air Jordan IV that is sure to turn some heads and inspire others that they can overcome obstacles in their way. In the video, Scott recalls the story of why he chose Superman to be on the shoe thanks to Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard. Scott's position touched Warner Bros. so much that when Nike asked them if it was okay to put the Superman logo on the shoe, they more than willing to acquiesce.
Nike has also posted video profiles of the other patients tapped to design some unique kicks and you can check them all out here. All proceeds from the sale of these limited edition shoes will go to the Doernbecher Childern' Hospital. And while the designs are definitely not for everybody, people should at least take the time and consider donating to the hospital as well.
Why are these people running back and forth?
The extent of my soccer experience goes as follows. I was 6 years old; wearing a green peewee soccer jersey stained with orange juice, trying to remember which goal I was supposed to kick the ball into with my lanky, uncoordinated legs. I always thought the main rule of soccer was that when my parents cheered from their lawn chairs and took me to Baskin Robbins post game, I knew I did something right. If Mom and Dad pretended like they didn't know me during the game but still took me to Baskin Robbins, I questioned my skills a little.
Like so many other Americans, I didn't know the first thing about soccer. I knew players couldn't use their hands, I realized that the goalies wear random colors and I knew that David Beckham is married to Posh Spice.
I'm embarrassed to say that I had never attended a Hofstra soccer game until Tuesday, when the men's team took on Penn State, a Big Ten school.
Notebook in hand, I decided to use this game as an opportunity to learn as much as I could about the game in nine innings - which I soon learned was actually two halves of 45 minutes each. Like a true student journalist, I did my research. With the help of Max Sass, The Chronicle's Editor in Chief and former Sports Editor, senior midfielder Gareth James and head coach Richard Nuttall, I believe I racked up enough information to actually follow the happenings of the game.
Pregame
It's cold. Should I have worn this red pea coat? People might realize I'd rather talk fashion than football. They just announced the starting lineup. The only name I recognized was Shaun Foster, and that's because I liked the scarf he wore on the back cover of the The Chronicle.
Start of Game
It's freezing. Considering running back to dorm for additional clothing. Oh well, the game is about to get started. Max is throwing out facts rapidly at me as I write in chicken scratch and try to watch the game at the same time. I learn about the number of players on the pitch and the boundaries – basic stuff, I know, but to me it's a whole new language.
15th Minute
I adjust my scarf to cover nearly half my face. I learn about fouls and the free kicks – either direct or indirect – that follow. I decide that my favorite part of the game is when a player is getting ready for his free kick and the rest of both teams are attempting to inch closer and closer to the ball. Call me biased, but every time a group of strapping young lads are together in a huddle…sweating…all jacked and buff, I just - okay focus Alexi.
30th Minute
I am knowledgeable enough to realize that the Nittany Lions have possession much more frequently than the Pride. It's really awesome that so many other Hofstra athletes came out to support the team. They are all wrapped in blue and yellow blankets and seem warm and toasty – clearly these athletes have done this before.
Half Time
Mmm, watery hot cocoa for a mere $2.50. There's no score and no Max talking in my ear for the first time in 45 minutes. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this. I recognize what is expected of the midfielders, forwards, defenders and goalkeeper. I'm still not sure what position I was playing when I was 6.
67th Minute
Penn State scored a goal. They lead 1-NIL, that's right NIL, not zero – that's what you're supposed to call it in soccer. Max is screaming at the referee after he gave a yellow card to midfielder Chris Griebsch. "Someone give the ref a yellow card!" Max yells at the top of his lungs. Now I'm cold and embarrassed.
82nd Minute
GOOOAAAALLLLLL! Hofstra defender Tyler Botte deflected one into the back of the net off the Griebsch free kick. All tied up at one! Did I just think that? Wow, this game is getting clearer. But my toes are getting colder. Boat shoes were a bad decision.
End of Regulation
Hofstra and Penn State are all tied up. Here, I learn about the complex, but ever important off sides rule. From what I gathered, any time an offensive player is not in possession of the ball and goes behind the last defender (excluding the goalie) on the opposing team, he is considered off sides and any goal he scores thereafter is null. Max tells me this is one of the more difficult concepts. I think I've officially graduated from the peewee level.
Overtime
Both teams are working hard to score that glorifying overtime goal. One of the players on Penn State has a severely ripped sock, resulting from a collision with a Hofstra player. Didn't his mother pack him a change? My mother always did. Not today though, I think my toes are falling off.
End of Game
The game ends in a tie. The Hofstra players are pleased by a hard fought game. I walked onto the field afterwards – after a brief questioning from a Public Safety Officer of course – and spoke with some of the players about the most important aspects of soccer.
"If you know the off sides rule, you'll really understand a lot," said coach Richard Nuttall as his young daughter ran up to him, only to be lifted in the air. So cute.
I then stood in a circle with Max, Shaun Foster and Chris Griebsch as we disscussed the game and things around campus. I really felt like I was one of the gang.
I then asked Gareth James, who had earned his first career start that evening, what was the number one most important fact to remember about soccer.
"You're shivering," he said in a not-so-subtle New Zealand accent. Max hands me his scarf. I guess being a ‘tough' member of the crowd has officially been ruled out.
"But seriously, soccer teams need good cooperation and communication," Gareth added. "The really great teams are not necessarily the ones with the most skills, they are the ones with the best communication."
Like so many other Americans, I didn't know the first thing about soccer. I knew players couldn't use their hands, I realized that the goalies wear random colors and I knew that David Beckham is married to Posh Spice.
I'm embarrassed to say that I had never attended a Hofstra soccer game until Tuesday, when the men's team took on Penn State, a Big Ten school.
Notebook in hand, I decided to use this game as an opportunity to learn as much as I could about the game in nine innings - which I soon learned was actually two halves of 45 minutes each. Like a true student journalist, I did my research. With the help of Max Sass, The Chronicle's Editor in Chief and former Sports Editor, senior midfielder Gareth James and head coach Richard Nuttall, I believe I racked up enough information to actually follow the happenings of the game.
Pregame
It's cold. Should I have worn this red pea coat? People might realize I'd rather talk fashion than football. They just announced the starting lineup. The only name I recognized was Shaun Foster, and that's because I liked the scarf he wore on the back cover of the The Chronicle.
Start of Game
It's freezing. Considering running back to dorm for additional clothing. Oh well, the game is about to get started. Max is throwing out facts rapidly at me as I write in chicken scratch and try to watch the game at the same time. I learn about the number of players on the pitch and the boundaries – basic stuff, I know, but to me it's a whole new language.
15th Minute
I adjust my scarf to cover nearly half my face. I learn about fouls and the free kicks – either direct or indirect – that follow. I decide that my favorite part of the game is when a player is getting ready for his free kick and the rest of both teams are attempting to inch closer and closer to the ball. Call me biased, but every time a group of strapping young lads are together in a huddle…sweating…all jacked and buff, I just - okay focus Alexi.
30th Minute
I am knowledgeable enough to realize that the Nittany Lions have possession much more frequently than the Pride. It's really awesome that so many other Hofstra athletes came out to support the team. They are all wrapped in blue and yellow blankets and seem warm and toasty – clearly these athletes have done this before.
Half Time
Mmm, watery hot cocoa for a mere $2.50. There's no score and no Max talking in my ear for the first time in 45 minutes. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this. I recognize what is expected of the midfielders, forwards, defenders and goalkeeper. I'm still not sure what position I was playing when I was 6.
67th Minute
Penn State scored a goal. They lead 1-NIL, that's right NIL, not zero – that's what you're supposed to call it in soccer. Max is screaming at the referee after he gave a yellow card to midfielder Chris Griebsch. "Someone give the ref a yellow card!" Max yells at the top of his lungs. Now I'm cold and embarrassed.
82nd Minute
GOOOAAAALLLLLL! Hofstra defender Tyler Botte deflected one into the back of the net off the Griebsch free kick. All tied up at one! Did I just think that? Wow, this game is getting clearer. But my toes are getting colder. Boat shoes were a bad decision.
End of Regulation
Hofstra and Penn State are all tied up. Here, I learn about the complex, but ever important off sides rule. From what I gathered, any time an offensive player is not in possession of the ball and goes behind the last defender (excluding the goalie) on the opposing team, he is considered off sides and any goal he scores thereafter is null. Max tells me this is one of the more difficult concepts. I think I've officially graduated from the peewee level.
Overtime
Both teams are working hard to score that glorifying overtime goal. One of the players on Penn State has a severely ripped sock, resulting from a collision with a Hofstra player. Didn't his mother pack him a change? My mother always did. Not today though, I think my toes are falling off.
End of Game
The game ends in a tie. The Hofstra players are pleased by a hard fought game. I walked onto the field afterwards – after a brief questioning from a Public Safety Officer of course – and spoke with some of the players about the most important aspects of soccer.
"If you know the off sides rule, you'll really understand a lot," said coach Richard Nuttall as his young daughter ran up to him, only to be lifted in the air. So cute.
I then stood in a circle with Max, Shaun Foster and Chris Griebsch as we disscussed the game and things around campus. I really felt like I was one of the gang.
I then asked Gareth James, who had earned his first career start that evening, what was the number one most important fact to remember about soccer.
"You're shivering," he said in a not-so-subtle New Zealand accent. Max hands me his scarf. I guess being a ‘tough' member of the crowd has officially been ruled out.
"But seriously, soccer teams need good cooperation and communication," Gareth added. "The really great teams are not necessarily the ones with the most skills, they are the ones with the best communication."
2011年11月1日星期二
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