Shares of Apple (AAPL) traded modestly lower today, pulling back after a steep run-up in the past month. Some investors are looking at the short term parabolic chart and selling their shares hoping to buy them back at lower prices. However, Apple may offer solid long term prospects as its iPad and iPhone 4 spread to new countries all across the globe.
“Not only are the analysts underestimating the strength of the iPad,” said Andy “Raw” Kibbens, co-CEO of The Markets Are Open, “But they don’t even consider new products such as Apple TV in their estimates. The new iPods are also coming out. All these can be huge for Apple.”
Kibbens increased his price target for Apple back in May to $333 per share. The stock has risen steadily since then.
To read the full Apple report, click here.
“People fret about Apple’s market capitalization,” Kibbens said, “But this innovator’s just getting started. Next stop - Exxon.”
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Prudential Financial (PRU) Cashes In On Wachovia
Prudential exercised a put option on Wachovia Securities in late 2009, that forced Wells Fargo the new parent of Wachovia to pay Prudential 4.5 billion for its minority stake.
Prudential Chairman and CEO John R. Strangfeld announced that Prudential would be looking to spend this money in 2010. Today, Prudential announced that it has paid $4.2 billion in cash for two Japanese life insurance units owned by AIG.
The purchase includes AIG Star Life Insurance Co. and AIG Edison Life Insurance Co. AIG will take a 3rd quarter charge of 1.2 billion related to the sale, meaning Prudential may realize a 1.2 billion dollar gain. Andyraw Kibbens the CEO of The Markets Are Open pointed out that its likely the fair value of the sale by AIG is above the price Prudential paid meaning Prudential will record a gain in the next quarter.
The acquisition allows Prudential to expand and leverage its financial strength and use the financial crisis as a way to grow its business.
To see the full report on Prudential Click Here
Prudential Chairman and CEO John R. Strangfeld announced that Prudential would be looking to spend this money in 2010. Today, Prudential announced that it has paid $4.2 billion in cash for two Japanese life insurance units owned by AIG.
The purchase includes AIG Star Life Insurance Co. and AIG Edison Life Insurance Co. AIG will take a 3rd quarter charge of 1.2 billion related to the sale, meaning Prudential may realize a 1.2 billion dollar gain. Andyraw Kibbens the CEO of The Markets Are Open pointed out that its likely the fair value of the sale by AIG is above the price Prudential paid meaning Prudential will record a gain in the next quarter.
The acquisition allows Prudential to expand and leverage its financial strength and use the financial crisis as a way to grow its business.
To see the full report on Prudential Click Here
Gamco Investors (GBL), Should We Play The Game?
Allan Edwards CEO of The Markets Are Open has found another stock which has a dual class structure. GAMCO Investors (GBL), CEO Mario Gabelli has nearly 95% of the voting shares and 72% of the equity interest. Gabelli was once thought of as a famed investor but has had his reputation tarnished in recent years. There have been two high-profile lawsuits filed against his companies ended in combined settlements reportedly worth $230 million. He has also faced protests from his own investors over his large annual salaries.
To See Edwards full Report on GAMCO Investments Click Here
GAMCO Investors, Inc., (GBL) is a provider of investment advisory services to mutual funds, institutional and private wealth management investors, and investment partnerships, principally in the United States. Through Gabelli & Company, Inc. (Gabelli & Company), it provides institutional research services to institutional clients and investment partnerships. It generally manages assets on a discretionary basis and invests in a variety of United States and international securities through various investment styles. Its revenues are based primarily on the firm’s levels of assets under management (AUM) and to a lesser extent, incentive fees associated with its various investment products. It also offers a series of investment partnership (performance fee-based) vehicles that provide a series of long-short investment opportunities, both market and sector specific opportunities, including offerings of non-market correlated investments in merger arbitrage, as well as a fixed income strategy.
To See Edwards full Report on GAMCO Investments Click Here
GAMCO Investors, Inc., (GBL) is a provider of investment advisory services to mutual funds, institutional and private wealth management investors, and investment partnerships, principally in the United States. Through Gabelli & Company, Inc. (Gabelli & Company), it provides institutional research services to institutional clients and investment partnerships. It generally manages assets on a discretionary basis and invests in a variety of United States and international securities through various investment styles. Its revenues are based primarily on the firm’s levels of assets under management (AUM) and to a lesser extent, incentive fees associated with its various investment products. It also offers a series of investment partnership (performance fee-based) vehicles that provide a series of long-short investment opportunities, both market and sector specific opportunities, including offerings of non-market correlated investments in merger arbitrage, as well as a fixed income strategy.
Betting On NCAA Football – Cardinal, Ducks In For Pac-10 Showdown
Those betting on NCAA football have heard some of the rumblings that the Pac-10 isn’t as good as the rest of the country, but there are a number of teams out west this season that are off to a great start. The top two teams in the conference are on a collision course this Saturday as Stanford heads to Oregon in what could be the best game of the week. Stanford Oregon Betting – Saturday, October 2nd, 8:00 PM ET
The No.9 Cardinal (4-0) showed a great killer instinct, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter of a 37-14 romp at Notre Dame. Andrew Luck didn’t have his best game, going 19-of-32 for 238 yards, a touchdown and a pair of picks, but Stepfan Taylor stepped up with 108 yards on the ground for the Cardinal, who had 404 yards of total offense. The Cardinal also committed three turnovers, but they forced two and held the Fighting Irish to 351 yards, including a mere 44 on the ground. Nate Whitaker also nailed all five of his field-goal attempts for Stanford.
The No.4 Ducks (4-0) managed to escape Arizona State with a 42-31 win, mostly because the defense forced an outstanding seven turnovers out of the Sun Devils. That’s the only way they could have won because Arizona State hung 597 yards of offense on the Ducks, and they never let Oregon run away with it. Darron Thomas was 19-of-33 for 260 yards, two touchdowns and a pick, while LaMichael James had 114 yards and a score on the ground for the Ducks. Some online football betting players thought that the Ducks would take a step back when Jeremiah Masoli was kicked off the team, and while they’ve done very well, the Arizona State game brought up some concerns.
Betting services have the Ducks as a 7-point favorite at home, where they’ve won four of their last five against the Cardinal, and they’re a decent 3-2 ATS in those games. The Oregon defense showed some weaknesses last week, but they’ve probably had an intense week of practice, and they’ll look to take away James, forcing Thomas to beat them. But Oregon’s biggest advantage is Autzen Stadium, where they’ve won their last 12 and haven’t lost since falling 37-32 against Boise State back in 2008. Pound for pound, Autzen may be the loudest stadium in the country and the Ducks put up tons of points there. They also distract the opposing team, and if Luck can steer the Cardinal to a win there, he’ll be in the running for the Heisman. However, we think James will have a big day, whether Stanford keys in on him or not. Take the Ducks to cover when you’re betting online on Saturday.
The Big Six Canadian Banks
Big Six is the name given for the six major Banking Institutions in Canada. This list includes Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia, Toronto Dominion Bank, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal.
Edwards feels that all the Canadian banking stocks, are somewhat safe and they will all produce similar returns over time. He did note that all the Canadian banks have lower common equity ratios than what will be required by Basel Reforms decided in September of this year. This means the Canadian banks use more leverage than its American cousins.
The Canadian Banks also have a much worse Return on Assets (ROA) than its American peers. Royal Bank has a ROA of 0.75 which is considered quite poor in the financial world. This compares to PNC Financial an American bank which has a 1.28. The higher the ROA the quicker the bank is growing.
However, if one does want to invest in Canadian banks here is a list from best to worst. Click Here
Edwards feels that all the Canadian banking stocks, are somewhat safe and they will all produce similar returns over time. He did note that all the Canadian banks have lower common equity ratios than what will be required by Basel Reforms decided in September of this year. This means the Canadian banks use more leverage than its American cousins.
The Canadian Banks also have a much worse Return on Assets (ROA) than its American peers. Royal Bank has a ROA of 0.75 which is considered quite poor in the financial world. This compares to PNC Financial an American bank which has a 1.28. The higher the ROA the quicker the bank is growing.
However, if one does want to invest in Canadian banks here is a list from best to worst. Click Here
Alcoa Stands for First
Alcoa will once again lead off earnings season, when they release their Q3 results on October 7. Alcoa is one of the leading aluminum suppliers in the world. Its products include precision castings and industrial fasteners among other things.
Alcoa stock has had the second worst performance in the Dow, for stocks that have remained in the Dow since March 2007. Among the worst performers are General Electric which dropped from $40 to 16 and Bank of America which has dropped from $53 to 13. Most of the other stocks in the Dow Jones stocks have had better results.
Alcoa Inc. (Alcoa) is engaged in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina combined. The Company’s products are used worldwide in aircraft, automobiles, commercial transportation, packaging, building and construction, oil and gas, defense, and industrial applications. Alcoa is a global company operating in 31 countries. Based upon the country where the point of sale occurred, the United States (U.S.) and Europe generated 52% and 27%, respectively, of Alcoa’s sales during the year ended December 31, 2009. In addition, Alcoa has investments and operating activities in Australia, Brazil, China, Iceland, Guinea, Russia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Alcoa’s operations consist of four worldwide segments: Alumina, Primary Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products and Solutions. In August 2010, the Company acquired Traco, a maker of windows and doors for the commercial building and construction market.
Alcoa stock has had the second worst performance in the Dow, for stocks that have remained in the Dow since March 2007. Among the worst performers are General Electric which dropped from $40 to 16 and Bank of America which has dropped from $53 to 13. Most of the other stocks in the Dow Jones stocks have had better results.
Alcoa Inc. (Alcoa) is engaged in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina combined. The Company’s products are used worldwide in aircraft, automobiles, commercial transportation, packaging, building and construction, oil and gas, defense, and industrial applications. Alcoa is a global company operating in 31 countries. Based upon the country where the point of sale occurred, the United States (U.S.) and Europe generated 52% and 27%, respectively, of Alcoa’s sales during the year ended December 31, 2009. In addition, Alcoa has investments and operating activities in Australia, Brazil, China, Iceland, Guinea, Russia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Alcoa’s operations consist of four worldwide segments: Alumina, Primary Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products and Solutions. In August 2010, the Company acquired Traco, a maker of windows and doors for the commercial building and construction market.
Humane Society to Start Adopting Out Animals at $10
Anyone looking to adopt a new pet will be able to while only paying $10 during the month of October. The Western Pennsylvania Humane Society will start adopting out animals to families for that nominal amount which will cover the animal's spaying, neutering, vaccinations, and microchip.
The Humane Society started the program as part of a nation-wide competition in which 50 animal shelters would compete for a $100,000 grant from the ASPCA. So far the Humane Society has placed 1,056 animals out of their October 31st goal of 2000.
To meet that challenge, the Humane Society is recommending that Pittsburgh area residents go to their North Shore Shelter or Fallen Timber Shelter to adopt. Families also may go online to adopt at www.wpahumane.org where they can see a list of the animals that are up for adoption to homes or sponsor animals for adoption.
The Humane Society started the program as part of a nation-wide competition in which 50 animal shelters would compete for a $100,000 grant from the ASPCA. So far the Humane Society has placed 1,056 animals out of their October 31st goal of 2000.
To meet that challenge, the Humane Society is recommending that Pittsburgh area residents go to their North Shore Shelter or Fallen Timber Shelter to adopt. Families also may go online to adopt at www.wpahumane.org where they can see a list of the animals that are up for adoption to homes or sponsor animals for adoption.
Football: Titan Reaves Takes a 4-TD Lead over Bulldog Harris in LoCo Scoring Race
(Sept. 30, 2010) - Dominion High School senior Deandre Reaves scored six times last week to increase his lead over Stone Bridge's Marcus Harris, who had four TDs, to 24 points in the Loudoun scoring race. Reaves at 84 points and Harris at 60 are ahead of the pack on a scoring chart that includes almost 100 local athletes
Scroll down in the chart to see all the players or click here
Scroll down in the chart to see all the players or click here
News: Touchdowns for Tommy Benefit Football Game Rescheduled Again - Moved to Oct. 14
(Sept. 30, 2010) - Due to a field conflict on its rescheduled date, Touchdowns for Tommy has been moved to 7 p.m. Thursday, October 14th. The game will still be played at Park View High School and all proceeds will benefit SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.)
Checks can be made out to the CJ Foundation for SIDS.
The Touchdowns for Tommy game is played between former Loudoun County
Checks can be made out to the CJ Foundation for SIDS.
The Touchdowns for Tommy game is played between former Loudoun County
Hudson City Bancorp Finishes September with Top Performance
Shares of Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK) finished the month up 7.53% which is better than most of its peers. However over the last year HCBK stock has stalled, as investors have feared the companies exposure to New York real estate market. Allan Edwards CEO of The Markets Are Open said that even if you take a 30% discount on their New York loans, their non performing loans are so low, that the bank is not only in a supreme financial situation, but they stock is not priced correctly.
Edwards noted that HCBK has a interesting business model, which is different than most banks, as it borrows more on average as a % of deposits and uses this money to invest in mortgage backed securities. Edwards said "while I wish this segment of the business was eliminated its loan business is very profitable."
To see Edwards full report Click Here
Edwards noted that HCBK has a interesting business model, which is different than most banks, as it borrows more on average as a % of deposits and uses this money to invest in mortgage backed securities. Edwards said "while I wish this segment of the business was eliminated its loan business is very profitable."
To see Edwards full report Click Here
Visteon Lives On
Visteon Corp. the beleaguered auto-parts manufacturer is preparing to exit bankruptcy. They just settled a dispute with Ford which was the last it needed before it could exit bankruptcy.
Visteon will likely raise $1.25 billion of equity through a rights offering and is also looking to borrow 700 million in secured debt financing.
Share of Visteon are currently trending 9% higher on the news.
Visteon Corporation (Visteon) is a supplier of climate, interiors and electronics systems, modules and components to automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide. The Company supplies a range of integrated systems, modules and components to vehicle manufacturers for use in the manufacture of new vehicles. The Company’s operations are organized in global product groups, including Climate, Electronics and Interiors. In March 2010, Autoliv Inc. acquired Visteon's radar system business. On May 28, 2009, Visteon and certain of its United States subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for reorganization relief under chapter 11 of the United States bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Visteon will likely raise $1.25 billion of equity through a rights offering and is also looking to borrow 700 million in secured debt financing.
Share of Visteon are currently trending 9% higher on the news.
Visteon Corporation (Visteon) is a supplier of climate, interiors and electronics systems, modules and components to automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide. The Company supplies a range of integrated systems, modules and components to vehicle manufacturers for use in the manufacture of new vehicles. The Company’s operations are organized in global product groups, including Climate, Electronics and Interiors. In March 2010, Autoliv Inc. acquired Visteon's radar system business. On May 28, 2009, Visteon and certain of its United States subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for reorganization relief under chapter 11 of the United States bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Angry Voters
Republicans in Congress are incredibly unpopular. And many of the party's Senate nominees across the country are too. Yet the party is still headed for a big election year. The reason? About 20% of the country is unhappy with both sides- and they're leaning strongly toward the GOP.
Our last national poll found that 19% of voters both disapproved of Barack Obama's job performance and disapproved of the Republicans in Congress. Those folks are planning to vote Republican for Congress by a 76-6 margin this fall. They may not be happy with either side but when it comes to deciding how to vote in November their feelings against Obama are a much more decisive factor than their feelings against Republicans in general.
It's a similar story when we look at Senate races across the country. Voters in Illinois who dislike both Obama and Mark Kirk plan to vote for a Kirk by a 47-9 margin. In California Carly Fiorina's up 69-13 with folks who don't like her or the President. Kelly Ayotte's advantage in New Hampshire is 56-19 with voters who mutually dislike her and Obama. And in older polls we found Sharron Angle up 40-32 in July and Ken Buck up 61-17 in August with voters who meet that description.
Pretty much across the board voters' ill will toward Obama outweighs their ill will toward the Republican Senate candidates. But there is one exception- in Delaware Chris Coons leads Christine O'Donnell 51-21 with folks who don't like her or Obama- I guess there's only so far some voters are willing to go.
The voters who hate everything and everyone are a key part of the electorate this year- and their support of the GOP is a big part of why the party's headed for a big victory.
Our last national poll found that 19% of voters both disapproved of Barack Obama's job performance and disapproved of the Republicans in Congress. Those folks are planning to vote Republican for Congress by a 76-6 margin this fall. They may not be happy with either side but when it comes to deciding how to vote in November their feelings against Obama are a much more decisive factor than their feelings against Republicans in general.
It's a similar story when we look at Senate races across the country. Voters in Illinois who dislike both Obama and Mark Kirk plan to vote for a Kirk by a 47-9 margin. In California Carly Fiorina's up 69-13 with folks who don't like her or the President. Kelly Ayotte's advantage in New Hampshire is 56-19 with voters who mutually dislike her and Obama. And in older polls we found Sharron Angle up 40-32 in July and Ken Buck up 61-17 in August with voters who meet that description.
Pretty much across the board voters' ill will toward Obama outweighs their ill will toward the Republican Senate candidates. But there is one exception- in Delaware Chris Coons leads Christine O'Donnell 51-21 with folks who don't like her or Obama- I guess there's only so far some voters are willing to go.
The voters who hate everything and everyone are a key part of the electorate this year- and their support of the GOP is a big part of why the party's headed for a big victory.
Who's having a worse season -- Javier Vazquez or A.J. Burnett?
Sorry I haven't written lately -- I was in the Carl Pavano Memorial MRI Tube the other day, and I'm still trying to get over it! Anyhow, congrats to the Yankees on clinching a postseason spot. It was funny trying to figure out what those celebratory hats said. I joked that the writing said, "No, we don't know how A.J. Burnett got his black eye, either!"
Anyhow, the era of good feeling after the Yankees clinched a spot in the playoffs was pretty much ruined not long after Javier Vazquez took the mound last night. Hopefully, it will be the last start we will ever see of Javy in pinstripes. Come to think of it, he'd better not be on the postseason at all. I usually like being proven correct, but I take no pleasure in being right on thinking Vazquez would fail in the Bronx again. (I also wrote I'd rather have Carol Burnett than A.J. Burnett as a Yankee, a post that made me look foolish in 2009, but not quite so foolish this year! And Squawker Jon and I were right about A-Rod hitting 30 homers this season.)
The New York Post's Joel Sherman wrote today that Javy "just might be the worst pitcher in Yankee history (thought before A.J. Burnett' s contract is over, well, watch out). Vazquez certainly is the worst ever given a second chance by the organization."
Alas, how quickly Carl Pavano is forgotten! $40 million for four years and nine wins has to be the worst. And I would also argue that A.J. Burnett is having an even worse year than Javy is. Vazquez is 10-10, with a 5.32 ERA. Brutal numbers, to be sure, but he was only supposed to be the #4 starter. Granted, he is making $10.5 million this year, but my expectations for him were so low, that I'm surprised he actually has 10 wins!
On the other hand, the Yankees are paying Burnett $16.5 million a year to...lead the league in hit batsmen? And the funny thing is that Joel Sherman argued just the other day that:
And I'm still wondering about A.J.'s black eye. Is this going to be like Dave Eiland's leave of absence, where we'll probably never hear the story? In Burnett's case, it's even more curious. How could nobody have leaked what happened by now? It's a question for the ages.
Anyhow, I think A.J.'s year is worse than Javy, but your mileage may differ. Tell me what you think.
Anyhow, the era of good feeling after the Yankees clinched a spot in the playoffs was pretty much ruined not long after Javier Vazquez took the mound last night. Hopefully, it will be the last start we will ever see of Javy in pinstripes. Come to think of it, he'd better not be on the postseason at all. I usually like being proven correct, but I take no pleasure in being right on thinking Vazquez would fail in the Bronx again. (I also wrote I'd rather have Carol Burnett than A.J. Burnett as a Yankee, a post that made me look foolish in 2009, but not quite so foolish this year! And Squawker Jon and I were right about A-Rod hitting 30 homers this season.)
The New York Post's Joel Sherman wrote today that Javy "just might be the worst pitcher in Yankee history (thought before A.J. Burnett' s contract is over, well, watch out). Vazquez certainly is the worst ever given a second chance by the organization."
Alas, how quickly Carl Pavano is forgotten! $40 million for four years and nine wins has to be the worst. And I would also argue that A.J. Burnett is having an even worse year than Javy is. Vazquez is 10-10, with a 5.32 ERA. Brutal numbers, to be sure, but he was only supposed to be the #4 starter. Granted, he is making $10.5 million this year, but my expectations for him were so low, that I'm surprised he actually has 10 wins!
On the other hand, the Yankees are paying Burnett $16.5 million a year to...lead the league in hit batsmen? And the funny thing is that Joel Sherman argued just the other day that:
Never have the Yankees let anyone pitch this many innings (180 2/3) and be this wretched....
Burnett has failed to reach five innings 10 times now this season, which is three more than anyone in the majors. We are talking about failing to reach in the minimum requirement to earn a win in nearly one-third of his starts – and the Yankees are, of course, 0-10 in those games, including a 7-5 loss in Toronto last night. If you are looking for places in which they might have secured a few more wins to secure the best record in the AL begin with Burnett.
Instead, Burnett has lost 15 games all by his lonesome. That is the most losses by a Yankee since Melido Perez had 16 in 1992. But those Yankees weren’t very good. Perez actually lost 16 games with a 2.87 ERA. The last time a Yankee lost 15 games on a winning team was when Catfish Hunter went 17-15 for the 1976 AL champs. Hunter threw 298 2/3 innings and 21 complete games. He failed to go five innings just twice all year or one fewer time than he pitched 11 or more innings.Yikes!
And I'm still wondering about A.J.'s black eye. Is this going to be like Dave Eiland's leave of absence, where we'll probably never hear the story? In Burnett's case, it's even more curious. How could nobody have leaked what happened by now? It's a question for the ages.
Anyhow, I think A.J.'s year is worse than Javy, but your mileage may differ. Tell me what you think.
News: True Spirit of Competition and Community - Upper Loudoun Youth Football Teams Stock Local Food Pantry
Purcellville (Sept. 30, 2010) - There is winning on the field and then there is winning off the field. The Upper Loudoun Youth Footbal League gives us a great example of a spirit of competition that benefits the community as teams in the league have raced each other to donate the most food to local food pantry, the Tree of Life.
A harsh economy left the food pantry's shelves nearly empty after
A harsh economy left the food pantry's shelves nearly empty after
Thoughts on... Zodiac (2007)
Zodiac, 2007.
Directed by David Fincher.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Chloë Sevigny, Elias Koteas and Dermot Mulroney.
SYNOPSIS:
A San Francisco cartoonist becomes obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer, a murderer with seemingly random targets who sends cryptic codes and threats to the city's police and media.
Today I rejoiced in the death of summer. Like a smug old miser I strutted contentedly amongst the pug faced, mourning proles, at once detached from and amused by their sodden gripes and moans. The streets were pelted a gloomy grey and everyone lamented the arrival of the dreary and the damp. I on the other hand basked in the murk and inhaled the invigorating moisture of decay. I smiled at the amber dying leaves on the trees through wet windows clustered with restless droplets. I watched the drones as they collided with other droids in the street and promised to meet up, both equally delighted at any sort of forthcoming event to disrupt the bleak routine, and felt satisfied with my own ongoing, indefinite ok-ness, which was somehow above the desperate need for meaning so evident here in their drizzle beaten faces. I would enjoy the death throes of autumn as they confined the summer to the past and await the renewal.
I suspect that this sort of contented and acceptable lonely misery is but a few misplaced steps from disaster. It’s not natural or healthy to find comfort in a puddle, joy in soaked litter or amusement in swaying, torturous supermarket queues. But such are the pitfalls of isolation and having too much time on your hands. Before you know it you’ll be getting such weird fulfilling highs and exciting kicks out of misery that you’ll be actively seeking out other people's or worse dabbling in a little sadness creation.
So perhaps serial killers simply have too much time on their hands and so do the hacks that get fascinated by their exploits, like Jake Gyllenhaal’s character Robert Graysmith in David Fincher’s 2007 “lightly fictionalised” film Zodiac, of the Californian murders. Fincher’s latest project The Social Network stars rising Brit Andrew Garfield and is a largely factual account about the creation of social networking site Facebook and the odd personalities behind it. Similarly Zodiac treads the ground of a true story and follows a number of insular, eccentric and withdrawn individuals who become consumed by the case and the need to break the code left repeatedly by the killer as the key to his identity. Indeed at times the film feels like a fly on the wall documentary following the investigation, flipping between various angles such as the police department and the journalists captivated by letters sent to their papers. The period detail is vividly executed and both Fincher’s direction and James Vanderbilt’s script must be praised for a striking realism. However the sizeable chunk of the movie that deals with the years in which the murders themselves takes place flashes by without focus, jumping rapidly through weeks, months and then years at a time, never quite deciding whether or not to follow the progress of the detective, the reporters or Gyllenhaal’s awkward, gifted cartoonist.
The disjointed nature of the first half of the film may not be Fincher or the script’s fault, as it may simply reflect events. The fact remains though that once Graysmith the cartoonist becomes properly fixated on the case the story is anchored and becomes far more engaging. During the first half of the movie Gyllenhaal’s character is introduced but then quickly becomes a periphery figure, only for him to become the much needed focus later on, with better opportunities for character development. Graysmith’s obsession drives a wedge between himself and his family, as he dredges up the past during a time when the Zodiac killer is not even active. He begins to piece together bits of the puzzle, bits the audience has already seen in the frenetic fast moving first segment of the movie. The film’s actors such as Mark Ruffalo, who plays his detective in a brilliant Columbo style, finally get the chance to act rather than simply move through events as Graysmith confronts them and tries to get them to confront their failures in the past investigation and to convince them of the importance of resolving the case. Robert Downey Jr also shines in this section after regressing to a failed drunkard from high flying crime reporter. If Fincher’s new Facebook biopic is as good as early reviews say then it is likely it follows the more focused approach of the latter part of Zodiac, as opposed to its wide ranging opening.
That is not to say there are not a number of good points about the first half of Zodiac, simply that it could have been better with clearer structure and better pacing. As I’ve said the film is always lovingly shot and the period sensually evoked, right down to the ear splitting rings of the telephones during high points of the crisis. There is also a piece of dialogue between police offers from different States over the phone that is at once humorous and sickeningly frustrating, as bureaucratic barriers and petty rivalry block an easy coordinated approach to handling the evidence. Mark Ruffalo’s Columbo lookalike Detective also forms a partnership with fellow investigator Anthony Edwards that is genuine and funny at times and makes the audience care, but sadly the film neither dwells on this relationship long enough for it become truly significant, whilst also lingering too long to damage the rest of the narrative.
The murder scenes themselves are perhaps not surprisingly some of the most gripping in the film and you sense Fincher had more creative freedom whilst shooting them, obviously due to the fact that these sequences had to be more “fictionalised” than others. The first murder is tense and creepy, with sexual undertones hinting at the killer’s motivation. The scene in which the killer kidnaps a mother and baby is distressing and chilling, with suspense hanging thick in the air. Not because you don’t know it’s the killer, the discrete camera angles and suspicious behaviour make this obvious, but because his reaction to the presence of the baby is surprising and what he does will prove just what a monster he is or not. Perhaps the most brazen murder and the one that truly kick-starts the investigation, the shooting of the cab driver in San Francisco, is filmed with a visual flourish reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto the computer game. Fincher has the camera follow the cab from a bird’s eye view as it passes through the bustle of the city, as the player views their vehicle in the early GTA games, with radio music blaring out and then interrupted abruptly by gunshots, and the slow motion splash of blood, followed by children’s screams and a 911 call.
All in all there is no doubt that Zodiac is a well made film full of decent performances and given the sensitive subject matter it was perhaps more important that it presents an accurate factual record than an entertaining story. However those looking forward to Fincher’s new fact-based film will hope it pulls of the feat of both documenting history and making it exciting throughout.
Liam Trim (follow me on Twitter)
Movie Review Archive
Killer Talent: A David Fincher Profile
Directed by David Fincher.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Chloë Sevigny, Elias Koteas and Dermot Mulroney.
SYNOPSIS:
A San Francisco cartoonist becomes obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer, a murderer with seemingly random targets who sends cryptic codes and threats to the city's police and media.
Today I rejoiced in the death of summer. Like a smug old miser I strutted contentedly amongst the pug faced, mourning proles, at once detached from and amused by their sodden gripes and moans. The streets were pelted a gloomy grey and everyone lamented the arrival of the dreary and the damp. I on the other hand basked in the murk and inhaled the invigorating moisture of decay. I smiled at the amber dying leaves on the trees through wet windows clustered with restless droplets. I watched the drones as they collided with other droids in the street and promised to meet up, both equally delighted at any sort of forthcoming event to disrupt the bleak routine, and felt satisfied with my own ongoing, indefinite ok-ness, which was somehow above the desperate need for meaning so evident here in their drizzle beaten faces. I would enjoy the death throes of autumn as they confined the summer to the past and await the renewal.
I suspect that this sort of contented and acceptable lonely misery is but a few misplaced steps from disaster. It’s not natural or healthy to find comfort in a puddle, joy in soaked litter or amusement in swaying, torturous supermarket queues. But such are the pitfalls of isolation and having too much time on your hands. Before you know it you’ll be getting such weird fulfilling highs and exciting kicks out of misery that you’ll be actively seeking out other people's or worse dabbling in a little sadness creation.
So perhaps serial killers simply have too much time on their hands and so do the hacks that get fascinated by their exploits, like Jake Gyllenhaal’s character Robert Graysmith in David Fincher’s 2007 “lightly fictionalised” film Zodiac, of the Californian murders. Fincher’s latest project The Social Network stars rising Brit Andrew Garfield and is a largely factual account about the creation of social networking site Facebook and the odd personalities behind it. Similarly Zodiac treads the ground of a true story and follows a number of insular, eccentric and withdrawn individuals who become consumed by the case and the need to break the code left repeatedly by the killer as the key to his identity. Indeed at times the film feels like a fly on the wall documentary following the investigation, flipping between various angles such as the police department and the journalists captivated by letters sent to their papers. The period detail is vividly executed and both Fincher’s direction and James Vanderbilt’s script must be praised for a striking realism. However the sizeable chunk of the movie that deals with the years in which the murders themselves takes place flashes by without focus, jumping rapidly through weeks, months and then years at a time, never quite deciding whether or not to follow the progress of the detective, the reporters or Gyllenhaal’s awkward, gifted cartoonist.
The disjointed nature of the first half of the film may not be Fincher or the script’s fault, as it may simply reflect events. The fact remains though that once Graysmith the cartoonist becomes properly fixated on the case the story is anchored and becomes far more engaging. During the first half of the movie Gyllenhaal’s character is introduced but then quickly becomes a periphery figure, only for him to become the much needed focus later on, with better opportunities for character development. Graysmith’s obsession drives a wedge between himself and his family, as he dredges up the past during a time when the Zodiac killer is not even active. He begins to piece together bits of the puzzle, bits the audience has already seen in the frenetic fast moving first segment of the movie. The film’s actors such as Mark Ruffalo, who plays his detective in a brilliant Columbo style, finally get the chance to act rather than simply move through events as Graysmith confronts them and tries to get them to confront their failures in the past investigation and to convince them of the importance of resolving the case. Robert Downey Jr also shines in this section after regressing to a failed drunkard from high flying crime reporter. If Fincher’s new Facebook biopic is as good as early reviews say then it is likely it follows the more focused approach of the latter part of Zodiac, as opposed to its wide ranging opening.
That is not to say there are not a number of good points about the first half of Zodiac, simply that it could have been better with clearer structure and better pacing. As I’ve said the film is always lovingly shot and the period sensually evoked, right down to the ear splitting rings of the telephones during high points of the crisis. There is also a piece of dialogue between police offers from different States over the phone that is at once humorous and sickeningly frustrating, as bureaucratic barriers and petty rivalry block an easy coordinated approach to handling the evidence. Mark Ruffalo’s Columbo lookalike Detective also forms a partnership with fellow investigator Anthony Edwards that is genuine and funny at times and makes the audience care, but sadly the film neither dwells on this relationship long enough for it become truly significant, whilst also lingering too long to damage the rest of the narrative.
The murder scenes themselves are perhaps not surprisingly some of the most gripping in the film and you sense Fincher had more creative freedom whilst shooting them, obviously due to the fact that these sequences had to be more “fictionalised” than others. The first murder is tense and creepy, with sexual undertones hinting at the killer’s motivation. The scene in which the killer kidnaps a mother and baby is distressing and chilling, with suspense hanging thick in the air. Not because you don’t know it’s the killer, the discrete camera angles and suspicious behaviour make this obvious, but because his reaction to the presence of the baby is surprising and what he does will prove just what a monster he is or not. Perhaps the most brazen murder and the one that truly kick-starts the investigation, the shooting of the cab driver in San Francisco, is filmed with a visual flourish reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto the computer game. Fincher has the camera follow the cab from a bird’s eye view as it passes through the bustle of the city, as the player views their vehicle in the early GTA games, with radio music blaring out and then interrupted abruptly by gunshots, and the slow motion splash of blood, followed by children’s screams and a 911 call.
All in all there is no doubt that Zodiac is a well made film full of decent performances and given the sensitive subject matter it was perhaps more important that it presents an accurate factual record than an entertaining story. However those looking forward to Fincher’s new fact-based film will hope it pulls of the feat of both documenting history and making it exciting throughout.
Liam Trim (follow me on Twitter)
Movie Review Archive
Killer Talent: A David Fincher Profile
Football: A Kick for the Record Books - Woodgrove Sophomore R.J. Warfel Makes History with His First Ever Field Goal
Purcellville (Sept. 30, 2010) - Before August Woodgrove High School sophomore R.J. Warfel had never played football before. Before Friday night the 156-pound travel soccer player had never attempted a field goal in a game situation. None of that mattered as Warfel calmly connected on a game-winning 19-yard kick in overtime to send the Wolverines to the school's first ever varsity football victory
RAD Budget Proposed
The Allegheny Regional Asset District, or RAD, which gives unrestricted grants to institutions such as libraries, county parks, museums, sports facilities released their 2011 preliminary budget on Thursday.
The budget is a recommendation of the Allocations Committee and is subject to a public hearing before the final budget is approved later this year. The hearing will be held on Tuesday October 26th.
The proposed budget is $80.2 million with grants to 89 organizations. It is $730,000 higher than last years. The RAD budget comes from one half of the proceeds of the Allegheny County Sales and Use Tax. The tax base was higher this year, said Rad Board Chairman Robert James and they also dipped into the reserve.
Libraries will get 33 percent of the budget. Barbara Mistick, President and Director of The Carnegie Library System said the libraries are facing a deficit of 1.7 million dollars so this increase will not make up their budget. They are seeking other ways to make up the deficit as well as find a sustainable funding solution.
Parks get 31 percent of the budget, sports facilities get 18 percent, places like The Zoo, Phipps and Aviary get eight percent and arts and cultural organizations get nine percent.
The budget is a recommendation of the Allocations Committee and is subject to a public hearing before the final budget is approved later this year. The hearing will be held on Tuesday October 26th.
The proposed budget is $80.2 million with grants to 89 organizations. It is $730,000 higher than last years. The RAD budget comes from one half of the proceeds of the Allegheny County Sales and Use Tax. The tax base was higher this year, said Rad Board Chairman Robert James and they also dipped into the reserve.
Libraries will get 33 percent of the budget. Barbara Mistick, President and Director of The Carnegie Library System said the libraries are facing a deficit of 1.7 million dollars so this increase will not make up their budget. They are seeking other ways to make up the deficit as well as find a sustainable funding solution.
Parks get 31 percent of the budget, sports facilities get 18 percent, places like The Zoo, Phipps and Aviary get eight percent and arts and cultural organizations get nine percent.
NC down on mosque ad
North Carolina isn't exactly a bastion of liberalism but even there a majority of voters think it's off base for candidates to exploit the proposed 'Ground Zero mosque' as a campaign issue. 51% label doing so as 'inappropriate' to just 37% who consider it to be an acceptable tactic.
This is particularly pertinent in the Triangle where Renee Ellmers, challenging long time Democratic Congressman Bob Etheridge, has run television ads about the mosque. Voters in that part of the state are particularly strong in their views that it's inappropriate with 56% expressing that sentiment.
Invoking the mosque is seen as acceptable by the Republican base, with 60% of GOP voters saying they think it's appropriate to only 29% who object. But for Ellmers to win she's going to have to take an overwhelming share of independents and also capture a healthy level of Democratic support. With those key groups exploiting the mosque is seen as particularly inappropriate- 68% of Democrats and 50% of independents share that feeling.
The mosque ad may end up hurting the GOP's long shot chances of knocking off Bob Etheridge but the overall picture for Republicans in the state when it comes to the House looks somewhat encouraging. North Carolina voters prefer a generic Republican for Congress over a Democrat 51-42. That's because of an overwhelming advantage for the GOP with independents, 53-27, and because 17% of Democrats are leaning toward voting Republican while only 2% are planning to cross party lines in the other direction.
The reality though is that North Carolina's potentially vulnerable members of Congress- Etheridge, Mike McIntyre, Larry Kissell, and Health Shuler- have always run well ahead of overall Democratic performance in their districts. So the GOP might be ahead of a generic Democrat in those places but the actual Democrats holding the seats in those districts are going to be harder to defeat.
Full results here
This is particularly pertinent in the Triangle where Renee Ellmers, challenging long time Democratic Congressman Bob Etheridge, has run television ads about the mosque. Voters in that part of the state are particularly strong in their views that it's inappropriate with 56% expressing that sentiment.
Invoking the mosque is seen as acceptable by the Republican base, with 60% of GOP voters saying they think it's appropriate to only 29% who object. But for Ellmers to win she's going to have to take an overwhelming share of independents and also capture a healthy level of Democratic support. With those key groups exploiting the mosque is seen as particularly inappropriate- 68% of Democrats and 50% of independents share that feeling.
The mosque ad may end up hurting the GOP's long shot chances of knocking off Bob Etheridge but the overall picture for Republicans in the state when it comes to the House looks somewhat encouraging. North Carolina voters prefer a generic Republican for Congress over a Democrat 51-42. That's because of an overwhelming advantage for the GOP with independents, 53-27, and because 17% of Democrats are leaning toward voting Republican while only 2% are planning to cross party lines in the other direction.
The reality though is that North Carolina's potentially vulnerable members of Congress- Etheridge, Mike McIntyre, Larry Kissell, and Health Shuler- have always run well ahead of overall Democratic performance in their districts. So the GOP might be ahead of a generic Democrat in those places but the actual Democrats holding the seats in those districts are going to be harder to defeat.
Full results here
Football: Beat the LoCo Experts - Week Five Winners! A Perfect 10 as Double Digit Fans Go Undefeated
(Sept. 30, 2010) - What do Spartan Super Fan (Ashburn), Illini Karen (Ranson WV), LJGA (Potomac Falls), MachineGunKelly (Broadlands), Coach Choppy (Stephens City), Tim (East Carolina), Ed (Sterling), HSFootballFan (Lovettsville), Sam (Ashburn) and TBonz (Ashburn) all have in common?
They were perfect last week in our Beat the LoCo Experts football picks contest but we can only have one winner
They were perfect last week in our Beat the LoCo Experts football picks contest but we can only have one winner
PARIS SHOW PREVIEW FOR ALL-NEW FORD FIESTA RS WORLD RALLY CAR
Ford's new challenger for the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship, the all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car, made its first global public appearance at the Paris Motor Show today.
The Fiesta RS WRC will make its competition debut in Rally Sweden, the opening round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship, on 10 - 13 February.
For Paris, the preview model has been finished in a striking blue and grey livery, specially developed for the show by Ford of Europe's design team. The new World Rally Car, derived from the best-selling Fiesta road car, is being developed by Ford of Europe and its rally partner M-Sport.
Using as a base the Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car, which won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally on its debut last January and other international and national rallies in 2010, Ford of Europe's design team and M-Sport have worked together to fine-tune the styling of the bodywork and aerodynamic package of the new Fiesta to create an exciting replacement for the outgoing Focus RS WRC.
Although detailed changes may be made as the Fiesta RS WRC car continues its development programme through the balance of this year and in time for the commencement of the team's specialised pre-season testing, the final car will share the eye-catching appearance and acclaimed 'kinetic design' styling cues synonymous with Ford's latest road vehicles. The interior will also be instantly recognisable as a Fiesta RS WRC rally car as it contains a number of production parts.
A new era for the World Rally Championship
The Fiesta RS WRC competition car will form part of a new era for the world championship. The Fiesta rally car will boast four-wheel drive transmission and a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, based on the all-new Ford EcoBoost engine family, to comply with new regulations.
The new Ford EcoBoost engine family features direct petrol injection and turbocharging to maximise performance and efficiency. "The introduction of Ford's latest engine technology to its rally programme reinforces further our commitment to motorsport. It also demonstrates our continued support for affordable competition by using an off-the-shelf production engine on which to base our WRC power plant," said Mike Norton, Ford of Europe's Motorsport Manager.
Specialist engineers from Ford and M-Sport have co-operated closely in the development of this 1.6-litre engine, with highly-respected French tuner Pipo Moteur bringing additional expertise to the power plant.
The Fiesta RS WRC appearance at the Paris Motor Show precedes the car's first major test programme with the full 2011 engine specification on gravel roads in Spain next week. The car has already completed almost 3000 kilometres of testing in Britain and France, powered initially by the current WRC engine and more recently by a prototype 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost turbo unit.
The test will provide the first opportunity for BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila to drive the new Fiesta RS WRC.
Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe's Motorsport chief, has overseen the Ford development programme throughout 2010 and says: "We're delighted to preview the Ford Fiesta RS WRC in such a prominent Motor Show as Paris. There are significant visual differences from the Fiesta S2000 base car as well as major changes under the skin. The biggest, of course, is the 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost turbo engine - the original version of which was developed by Ford's Powertrain Engineering team."
M-Sport managing director and BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson is equally enthusiastic about the new car.
"This is a thrilling time for everyone involved in the car's development," Wilson affirms. "Countless hours have gone into the Fiesta RS WRC to reach this point, and for the car to be unveiled in public for the first time is a proud moment for us. We are right on track with our development and the team is delighted with testing to date. Another major step forward will be taken at the start of October when the car tests in full 2011 technical specification for the first time.
"We will have a test car running under the guidance of our technical director, Christian Loriaux. Mikko and Jari-Matti lead our challenge with the new car in the 2011 WRC, so their feedback from the testing is critical, and will provide valuable data for our engineering team to work with," added Wilson.
The Fiesta RS WRC will replace the record-breaking Focus RS WRC as Ford's championship challenger. The Focus RS WRC won back-to-back manufacturers' world titles in 2006 and 2007, and its victory in New Zealand in May was the Blue Oval's 75th at WRC level, making Ford the most successful manufacturer in world championship history.
Ford has sold more than one million of the hugely-successful, latest generation Fiesta road cars around the world since it went on sale in October 2008. Fiesta, Ford's truly global car, is the No 2 best-selling car across Europe.
Also, the latest Fiesta has already proved its abilities in motorsport. The Fiesta SportTrophy International for Fiesta R2 cars is a successful support series to the FIA World Rally Championship and the Fiesta S2000 rally car currently leads the S-WRC support series within the WRC.
American sports icon Ken Block has campaigned a Fiesta rally car in the Rally America championship this season, and the car won gold and silver medals in both the Rally Car and Super Rally events at the X Games event in Los Angeles in July.
"The Ford Fiesta has already established itself as a serious contender in a range of global motorsport activities, and we can't wait to debut our official car in the hugely demanding World Rally Championship next year," said Gerard Quinn.
"We've worked hard to ensure the car is undoubtedly related to the best-selling Fiesta road car which itself is a global success story. Ford's design and product development teams have worked closely and efficiently with our partners at M-Sport whose enormous expertise is key to delivering not just a highly competitive rally car, but also a car that is both stylish and recognisably a Ford Fiesta," he added.
Why things could get better for Dems
You can put me in the column of folks who don't think things have gotten better for Democrats in September. Yes, things have gotten better in some individual races (California Senate, Washington Senate, Ohio Governor come to mind.) But they've also gotten worse in some individual races (West Virginia Senate, Ohio Senate, Wisconsin Senate come to mind.) And looking at the national indicators I just don't see a whole lot of progress.
I do, however, think Democrats could end up doing better in November than the polls suggest right now for two big reasons- 1) most races right now have a lot more Democratic undecideds than Republicans and 2) the enthusiasm gap isn't going to do anything but shrink.
First a look at the undecideds. We have polled 14 Senate or Gubernatorial races since Labor Day. In 12 of them there are more undecided Democrats than Republicans and it's usually by a wide margin- the average across those 14 contests is 17% more undecided Democrats than Republicans.
GOP voters are incredibly unified this year and most Republican candidates don't have much room to grow with their base over the final month of the campaign. There's no guarantee that the undecided Democrats will end up coming home but more than likely they will. Last year's New Jersey Governor's race is a good example of this.
Comparing our poll in mid-September to our final poll of the race Jon Corzine gained 8 points with Democrats while Chris Christie saw just a 3 point increase with Republicans. Obviously it wasn't enough in the end for Corzine to win but he gained a lot of ground and if the same thing happens for Dems who are down by 5 points right now rather than double digits it could put them over the top.
Here's the party breakdown of the undecideds in races we've polled since Labor Day:
And now a look at the enthusiasm gap. Republicans have been extremely excited about voting in this election all the way since the summer of 2009. GOP voters really can't get any more enthused about voting this year than they already are. Democrats have been significantly lagging on this front for most of the cycle but there are indications it's getting better. For instance our July national poll found 51% of Democrats 'very excited' about voting this fall. In September that figure had increased to 59%.
We also saw in our polling of the New Jersey and Virginia Gubernatorial races as well as the Massachusetts Senate contest that the electorate started looking more Democratic as the election got closer- the party's voters who weren't interested in the election 1 or 2 months out started getting more engaged in the final weeks. It wasn't enough (largely because the party had weak candidates in all 3 of those races) but again it could be in a race with different circumstances.
It's going to be a bad election cycle for Democrats- there's no doubt about that. But as Democratic interest in the election increases and the party's undecided voters come home it might not be quite as bad as it looks today.
I do, however, think Democrats could end up doing better in November than the polls suggest right now for two big reasons- 1) most races right now have a lot more Democratic undecideds than Republicans and 2) the enthusiasm gap isn't going to do anything but shrink.
First a look at the undecideds. We have polled 14 Senate or Gubernatorial races since Labor Day. In 12 of them there are more undecided Democrats than Republicans and it's usually by a wide margin- the average across those 14 contests is 17% more undecided Democrats than Republicans.
GOP voters are incredibly unified this year and most Republican candidates don't have much room to grow with their base over the final month of the campaign. There's no guarantee that the undecided Democrats will end up coming home but more than likely they will. Last year's New Jersey Governor's race is a good example of this.
Comparing our poll in mid-September to our final poll of the race Jon Corzine gained 8 points with Democrats while Chris Christie saw just a 3 point increase with Republicans. Obviously it wasn't enough in the end for Corzine to win but he gained a lot of ground and if the same thing happens for Dems who are down by 5 points right now rather than double digits it could put them over the top.
Here's the party breakdown of the undecideds in races we've polled since Labor Day:
| Contest | % of undecideds who are Dems | % of undecideds who are GOP |
| Illinois Senate | 46 | 27 |
| Illinois Governor | 58 | 14 |
| North Carolina Senate | 57 | 21 |
| New Mexico Governor | 62 | 24 |
| Michigan Governor | 37 | 25 |
| Wisconsin Senate | 40 | 16 |
| Wisconsin Governor | 35 | 11 |
| West Virginia Senate | 46 | 39 |
| California Senate | 51 | 20 |
| California Governor | 51 | 21 |
| Delaware Senate | 45 | 34 |
| Kentucky Senate | 46 | 36 |
| New Hampshire Senate | 25 | 37 |
| New Hampshire Governor | 11 | 47 |
And now a look at the enthusiasm gap. Republicans have been extremely excited about voting in this election all the way since the summer of 2009. GOP voters really can't get any more enthused about voting this year than they already are. Democrats have been significantly lagging on this front for most of the cycle but there are indications it's getting better. For instance our July national poll found 51% of Democrats 'very excited' about voting this fall. In September that figure had increased to 59%.
We also saw in our polling of the New Jersey and Virginia Gubernatorial races as well as the Massachusetts Senate contest that the electorate started looking more Democratic as the election got closer- the party's voters who weren't interested in the election 1 or 2 months out started getting more engaged in the final weeks. It wasn't enough (largely because the party had weak candidates in all 3 of those races) but again it could be in a race with different circumstances.
It's going to be a bad election cycle for Democrats- there's no doubt about that. But as Democratic interest in the election increases and the party's undecided voters come home it might not be quite as bad as it looks today.
3 Schools Win Suit Over Duquesne Student Transfer
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court says a law that allowed the state to transfer students out of the Duquesne Public School District’s high school to a trio of neighboring districts doesn't pass constitutional muster. The court unanimously found a lower court had erred when it ruled the state Department of Education had the right to transfer students from the shuttered Duquesne High School to West Mifflin, East Allegheny and South Allegheny districts. The state took over the district in 2000 and closed the high school in 2007. The state cited budget issues, poor test scores and declining enrollment when it closed the high school. The three districts filed the suit. The high court found the state law under which the students were transferred to be unconstitutional because it was so specific as to reasonably apply only to Duquesne and therefore constitutionally prohibited. The case was sent back to Commonwealth Court for further consideration.
Analysis of PA's Jobless
With Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate still above 9%, Labor & Industry Secretary Sandi Vito has introduced A Profile of Pennsylvania’s Unemployed People which details the demographics of unemployed people and the recession’s effects on the workforce. Vito says this recession is the longest since the Great Depression and she believes the demographics are somewhat different from prior rates of unemployment …”so we wanted to better understand so we could better serve the unemployed.”
Vito says most of the 600,000 currently unemployed Pennsylvanians are educated, in their working prime, and – for many – facing the uncertainty of unemployment for the first time in their lives. 350,000 will exhaust their jobless benefits by April
“In Pennsylvania, and across the nation, there are about five applicants for every one job opening. This report illustrates – with clarity – the challenges faced by citizens who, through no fault of their own, have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet.
Vito says the report presents the basic facts about Pennsylvania’s unemployed people, including their demographic characteristics and educational background, where they live, their work histories, and the industries and occupations of their last job.
“Pennsylvanians who are unemployed want to go back to work. We hear from people across the state that they want meaningful careers and jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage. What is also clear is that many skilled people are on the sidelines because of this recession, but could be making a meaningful contribution to businesses and our state economy. Their talents are being wasted because of a lack of job opportunities.
Vito says the report can be used by legislators and policymakers in making decisions regarding economic and workforce development programs and policies moving forward.
Girls Basketball: Park View Promotes Assistant Lorraine Kitchen to Head Varsity Coach
Sterling (Sept. 30, 2010) - Park View High School has promoted Lorraine Kitchen from assistant to head girls basketball varsity coach. Kitchen replaces Kim Grigley who stepped down from the position after five seasons with the Patriots.
Boys Soccer: South Riding Native Patrick Foss Joins United States U-17 Side
(Sept. 30, 2010) - Following success in the 2010 SUM Cup in Houston on July 29, D.C. United Academy midfielder Patrick Foss has been called into the United States U-17 Residency team in Bradenton, Fla. Foss, a South Riding native, is a member of United’s U-16 Academy side, and he has been named to a list of 40 players who will be part of the Residency Program under the instruction of U-17
For the Love of Trailers - The Character Piece Edition
What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Flipped, The American and Mary and Max...
FLIPPED
Rob Reiner. Director of films like Stand By Me, Spinal Tap and When Harry Met Sally. Undeniable classics of the 80’s. Most of us have seen his biggest films. But is this another great classic? I doubt it. Here comes a story about some kid who meets some chick when he moves to a new town. She turns out to be a bit of a bully. Years later, he realises he’s in love with her. Whoop-dee-doo. Talk about a flat catalyst.
There is supposed to be a set of main characters we can all identify with, but we fail to in this case. It might be a gender barrier issue (in my case), it could be the period it’s set in (way before my time). Whatever it is, here is the problem that the trailer makes apparent: the target audience is too narrow. Mr Reiner’s speciality is romantic, lovey-dovey films that are meant to teach us something about ourselves. I have no problem with this, I appreciate the dude’s films, but I have a hard time relating to anything that is going on here.
It’s a celebratory and nostalgic piece, but if the majority of movie-goers (I count myself in this category) are not addressed, the picture will fail. Winning the Heartland’s Truly Moving Award does not help either. It made me cringe a bit, to be frank. It confirms what the trailer exposes the film as: this is a sentimental charade. The film looks like it could be mildly entertaining but purposeless. Period pieces need something new about them. I see none here. It is (probably) sweet but boring.
The structure trailer itself emphasises my point. It is chronological and linear, but the voice over is too broken up and with gaps too wide in between to compensate for the lack of character depth. Paradoxically, this creates an unstructured trailer, meaning you need to watch it a few times before you can assemble the pieces. The snazzy soundtrack does not make up for it either. The bland performances are meaningless, unexciting. I don’t know how many more words I need to describe this film?
Rob Reiner’s nostalgia piece suits no one but himself and his age group.
UK release date: 12/11/10
THE AMERICAN
George Clooney. I am not what you would call a fan. I don’t swoon over him like so many other women; I am not fascinated by his acting. But I can definitely appreciate it when he does good work. This is one of those times.
The American is a thriller about a spy’s last job and happens to get involved with the enemy (put very simply). It is directed by Anton Corbijn, whose debut feature was the critically acclaimed Control about Joy Division’s singer Ian Curtis. A step far away from the narrative of Control, this film looks like it could be a great piece for Clooney. It suits his age, his acting style and is generally a role that comes at a very good time for him as an actor. It is Michael Clayton and Syriana, without the politics. It is a film about making the right choices at a particular time in one’s life.
The trailer is stylish and presents the picture as a big production. The sound design is pitch-perfect and the camera work very suave. The soundtrack is eerie and enjoyable; it avoids the usual sturm and drang effect most thriller soundtracks have, which most certainly sets it apart from the average Hollywood spy movie.
Despite the plot not being incredibly original, it is quite engaging. It has come in many other formats (as have almost all plots). It is straightforward and unorthodox for spy thrillers. The American looks like a film that can pull its own weight and move from screen to viewer with ease. Even to someone like me, i.e. not a middle-aged, silver-haired American fellow, I can still relate to it to a certain extent. I find myself dying to find out how he will cope with his dilemmas, what journey his persona will go through and what the outcome will be. It is a film about loneliness and self-understanding, a character piece that could potentially go deep into this Western man’s psyche. It could be tense, pressurised or sensitive. I hope for a mixture of all three.
Oscar material? I think so.
UK release date: 26/11/10
MARY AND MAX
Once or twice a year, a little, touching and heart-warming film comes along that not only brightens up your day but teaches you or reminds you of important lessons you once learned but forgot in your adult years. I like to think most of these come in the form of animation. Last year’s prime example was Pixar's Up. This year, it’s Mary and Max.
I don’t know a lot about animation. In fact, at film festivals, I opt out of seeing them as live motion is something I hold dearer than (forgive me for the use of the word) cartoons. The fact that this story is based on a true tale and is an animation is an important – if not the major - quality of this movie. Had it been shot in live action, you can only imagine the mushy drama and overwhelming string-based orchestra music triumphantly blazing through the soundtrack. Yuk.
The TV generation (people who were children in the 1960s and onwards) has grown up with animation. Very rarely is it that someone under 30 has not grown up watching cartoons. So it’s comforting to know that plots like MM are still efficient and made (!) in animation form. It avoids a lot of the trouble with acting that can oftentimes ruin a movie like this and destroy its tenderness, reducing to random elements we, the spectators, are supposed to piece together. Animation touches us to the core, as it allows space for emotion. We don’t need to think as much about actors’ performances (not in the same way at least) and it gives us ample opportunity to watch the plot unfold. A simple tale deserves a simple layout.
There isn’t much else to say about this trailer. It presents the characters well and although you might already have an idea where the story is going to end, it is acceptable. The point is the exploration of character and of their relationship, in order to bring back into our lives elements we may have lost. To think that the catalyst derives from a child’s mind (Mary) is fantastic and is something everyone can connect with. It is not naïve, but tender, sweet and hopeful.
It’s a film that is clever and comforting. Get the Kleenexes out everyone.
UK release date: 22/10/10
Louise-Afzal Faerkel
FLIPPED
Rob Reiner. Director of films like Stand By Me, Spinal Tap and When Harry Met Sally. Undeniable classics of the 80’s. Most of us have seen his biggest films. But is this another great classic? I doubt it. Here comes a story about some kid who meets some chick when he moves to a new town. She turns out to be a bit of a bully. Years later, he realises he’s in love with her. Whoop-dee-doo. Talk about a flat catalyst.
There is supposed to be a set of main characters we can all identify with, but we fail to in this case. It might be a gender barrier issue (in my case), it could be the period it’s set in (way before my time). Whatever it is, here is the problem that the trailer makes apparent: the target audience is too narrow. Mr Reiner’s speciality is romantic, lovey-dovey films that are meant to teach us something about ourselves. I have no problem with this, I appreciate the dude’s films, but I have a hard time relating to anything that is going on here.
It’s a celebratory and nostalgic piece, but if the majority of movie-goers (I count myself in this category) are not addressed, the picture will fail. Winning the Heartland’s Truly Moving Award does not help either. It made me cringe a bit, to be frank. It confirms what the trailer exposes the film as: this is a sentimental charade. The film looks like it could be mildly entertaining but purposeless. Period pieces need something new about them. I see none here. It is (probably) sweet but boring.
The structure trailer itself emphasises my point. It is chronological and linear, but the voice over is too broken up and with gaps too wide in between to compensate for the lack of character depth. Paradoxically, this creates an unstructured trailer, meaning you need to watch it a few times before you can assemble the pieces. The snazzy soundtrack does not make up for it either. The bland performances are meaningless, unexciting. I don’t know how many more words I need to describe this film?
Rob Reiner’s nostalgia piece suits no one but himself and his age group.
UK release date: 12/11/10
THE AMERICAN
George Clooney. I am not what you would call a fan. I don’t swoon over him like so many other women; I am not fascinated by his acting. But I can definitely appreciate it when he does good work. This is one of those times.
The American is a thriller about a spy’s last job and happens to get involved with the enemy (put very simply). It is directed by Anton Corbijn, whose debut feature was the critically acclaimed Control about Joy Division’s singer Ian Curtis. A step far away from the narrative of Control, this film looks like it could be a great piece for Clooney. It suits his age, his acting style and is generally a role that comes at a very good time for him as an actor. It is Michael Clayton and Syriana, without the politics. It is a film about making the right choices at a particular time in one’s life.
The trailer is stylish and presents the picture as a big production. The sound design is pitch-perfect and the camera work very suave. The soundtrack is eerie and enjoyable; it avoids the usual sturm and drang effect most thriller soundtracks have, which most certainly sets it apart from the average Hollywood spy movie.
Despite the plot not being incredibly original, it is quite engaging. It has come in many other formats (as have almost all plots). It is straightforward and unorthodox for spy thrillers. The American looks like a film that can pull its own weight and move from screen to viewer with ease. Even to someone like me, i.e. not a middle-aged, silver-haired American fellow, I can still relate to it to a certain extent. I find myself dying to find out how he will cope with his dilemmas, what journey his persona will go through and what the outcome will be. It is a film about loneliness and self-understanding, a character piece that could potentially go deep into this Western man’s psyche. It could be tense, pressurised or sensitive. I hope for a mixture of all three.
Oscar material? I think so.
UK release date: 26/11/10
MARY AND MAX
Once or twice a year, a little, touching and heart-warming film comes along that not only brightens up your day but teaches you or reminds you of important lessons you once learned but forgot in your adult years. I like to think most of these come in the form of animation. Last year’s prime example was Pixar's Up. This year, it’s Mary and Max.
I don’t know a lot about animation. In fact, at film festivals, I opt out of seeing them as live motion is something I hold dearer than (forgive me for the use of the word) cartoons. The fact that this story is based on a true tale and is an animation is an important – if not the major - quality of this movie. Had it been shot in live action, you can only imagine the mushy drama and overwhelming string-based orchestra music triumphantly blazing through the soundtrack. Yuk.
The TV generation (people who were children in the 1960s and onwards) has grown up with animation. Very rarely is it that someone under 30 has not grown up watching cartoons. So it’s comforting to know that plots like MM are still efficient and made (!) in animation form. It avoids a lot of the trouble with acting that can oftentimes ruin a movie like this and destroy its tenderness, reducing to random elements we, the spectators, are supposed to piece together. Animation touches us to the core, as it allows space for emotion. We don’t need to think as much about actors’ performances (not in the same way at least) and it gives us ample opportunity to watch the plot unfold. A simple tale deserves a simple layout.
There isn’t much else to say about this trailer. It presents the characters well and although you might already have an idea where the story is going to end, it is acceptable. The point is the exploration of character and of their relationship, in order to bring back into our lives elements we may have lost. To think that the catalyst derives from a child’s mind (Mary) is fantastic and is something everyone can connect with. It is not naïve, but tender, sweet and hopeful.
It’s a film that is clever and comforting. Get the Kleenexes out everyone.
UK release date: 22/10/10
Louise-Afzal Faerkel
News: Woodgrove to Host Seminar of Student-Athletes and College Recruiting
(Sept. 30, 2010) - Woodgrove High School is hosting a seminar on Oct. 13 on "The Student-Athlete and College Recruiting". The event, which starts at 7 p.m. in the school's auditorium, is open to all Loudoun County Public Schools athletes and parents.
The seminar is being presented by Dynamic Sports, Inc. Read this article from the Mooresville Tribune on a recent seminar.
The seminar is being presented by Dynamic Sports, Inc. Read this article from the Mooresville Tribune on a recent seminar.
PA House Bans Fake Weed
The Pennsylvania House has passed a measure outlawing the sale of synthetic marijuana.
The vote on the bill was near-unanimous. The measure would ban chemically treated herbs sold as incense, which trigger highs when smoked, but also lead to health risks.
Sponsor Jennifer Mann, a Lehigh County Democrat, says the state needs to step in and regulate the substances.
"This is definitely a growing trend, as people try to find a legal way to reach some kind of high. But folks, to do nothing is not the answer."
The one “no” vote came from Philadelphia Democrat Mark Cohen, who argued simply making drugs illegal isn’t an effective way to counter abuse...."We have banned marijuana and there is a vast amount of illegal marijuana trade all around this commonwealth."
Cohen has led the fight to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.
The House also passed a bill banning the sale of soda and unhealthy snacks in public schools.
A Senate Republican spokesman says the upper chamber likely won’t vote on either bill in the final days of session action. That means they would have to be reintroduced all over again.
The vote on the bill was near-unanimous. The measure would ban chemically treated herbs sold as incense, which trigger highs when smoked, but also lead to health risks.
Sponsor Jennifer Mann, a Lehigh County Democrat, says the state needs to step in and regulate the substances.
"This is definitely a growing trend, as people try to find a legal way to reach some kind of high. But folks, to do nothing is not the answer."
The one “no” vote came from Philadelphia Democrat Mark Cohen, who argued simply making drugs illegal isn’t an effective way to counter abuse...."We have banned marijuana and there is a vast amount of illegal marijuana trade all around this commonwealth."
Cohen has led the fight to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.
The House also passed a bill banning the sale of soda and unhealthy snacks in public schools.
A Senate Republican spokesman says the upper chamber likely won’t vote on either bill in the final days of session action. That means they would have to be reintroduced all over again.
Volleyball Notebook: Heritage, Loudoun County and Stone Bridge All Remain with Just One Loss
(Sept. 30, 2010) - The top three volleyball teams in the area -- Heritage, Loudoun County and Stone Bridge -- all remain with just one loss on their records.
Heritage (ranked No. 3 in the LoCo Elite 5 poll) survived a pair of 5-game matches over the weekend against Langley and Robinson and opened Cedar Run District play with a sweep to move to 7-1.
Stone Bridge (ranked No. 2)swept
Heritage (ranked No. 3 in the LoCo Elite 5 poll) survived a pair of 5-game matches over the weekend against Langley and Robinson and opened Cedar Run District play with a sweep to move to 7-1.
Stone Bridge (ranked No. 2)swept
Brady leads but Quinn closing
Bill Brady continues to lead the Illinois Governor's race but Pat Quinn's pulling a little closer, trailing 42-35 in PPP's newest survey of the race. Independent Scott Lee Cohen gets 6%, Green Party candidate Rich Whitney is at 4%, and Libertarian Lex Green is at 2%.
Quinn's doing better than he was in an August PPP poll, when he trailed by 9, largely because of an improved standing with independents. He continues to trail Brady 39-27 with them, but that's a significant improvement from his 25 point deficit in the last poll. Quinn is incredibly unpopular with independent voters, at an 18/67 approval spread. But those voters don't like Brady either, viewing him negatively 32/38.
It's amazing that Quinn's still in this given his continuing incredible unpopularity. 60% of voters in the state now disapprove of the job he's doing to only 24% who are happy with it. In addition to those dreadful numbers with independents only 6% of Republicans think he's doing a good job and even with Democrats he's at just a 42/38 spread. But he's fortunate that GOP voters nominated a very weak candidate themselves. Only 36% of folks in Illinois see Brady in a favorable light while 44% have a negative opinion of him.
The two biggest things to watch in this race over the final five weeks are the undecideds and the 10% of voters currently leaning either toward Cohen or Whitney.
The undecideds are an overwhelmingly Democratic bunch. 67% voted for Barack Obama while only 20% supported John McCain. They're planning to vote Democratic for Congress by a 44-17 margin this fall. They're supporting Alexi Giannoulias by a 21 point margin over Mark Kirk. But they don't like Pat Quinn- only 14% of them approve of him with 42% disapproving. Whether their Democratic loyalties outweigh their dislike of Quinn in the end may determine whether he can still pull out this race despite his very poor personal numbers.
The folks supporting Cohen or Whitney right now are also a Democratic leaning bunch. 52% voted for Obama to only 32% who supported McCain. They're planning to vote Democratic for Congress by a 43-28 margin. But they really hate Quinn- 4% approve of him and 83% disapprove of him.
If you allocate all of the undecideds who voted for Obama to Quinn and the ones who voted for McCain to Brady, the Brady lead shrinks to 44-43. My guess is that most of the undecideds will indeed end up in the Quinn camp and make this a much closer race. Quinn's path with the Whitney and Cohen voters is tougher though and he needs to hope those folks' dislike of him isn't so strong that they'll go so far as to vote for Brady to get him out.
This is a pretty fascinating race.
Full results here
Quinn's doing better than he was in an August PPP poll, when he trailed by 9, largely because of an improved standing with independents. He continues to trail Brady 39-27 with them, but that's a significant improvement from his 25 point deficit in the last poll. Quinn is incredibly unpopular with independent voters, at an 18/67 approval spread. But those voters don't like Brady either, viewing him negatively 32/38.
It's amazing that Quinn's still in this given his continuing incredible unpopularity. 60% of voters in the state now disapprove of the job he's doing to only 24% who are happy with it. In addition to those dreadful numbers with independents only 6% of Republicans think he's doing a good job and even with Democrats he's at just a 42/38 spread. But he's fortunate that GOP voters nominated a very weak candidate themselves. Only 36% of folks in Illinois see Brady in a favorable light while 44% have a negative opinion of him.
The two biggest things to watch in this race over the final five weeks are the undecideds and the 10% of voters currently leaning either toward Cohen or Whitney.
The undecideds are an overwhelmingly Democratic bunch. 67% voted for Barack Obama while only 20% supported John McCain. They're planning to vote Democratic for Congress by a 44-17 margin this fall. They're supporting Alexi Giannoulias by a 21 point margin over Mark Kirk. But they don't like Pat Quinn- only 14% of them approve of him with 42% disapproving. Whether their Democratic loyalties outweigh their dislike of Quinn in the end may determine whether he can still pull out this race despite his very poor personal numbers.
The folks supporting Cohen or Whitney right now are also a Democratic leaning bunch. 52% voted for Obama to only 32% who supported McCain. They're planning to vote Democratic for Congress by a 43-28 margin. But they really hate Quinn- 4% approve of him and 83% disapprove of him.
If you allocate all of the undecideds who voted for Obama to Quinn and the ones who voted for McCain to Brady, the Brady lead shrinks to 44-43. My guess is that most of the undecideds will indeed end up in the Quinn camp and make this a much closer race. Quinn's path with the Whitney and Cohen voters is tougher though and he needs to hope those folks' dislike of him isn't so strong that they'll go so far as to vote for Brady to get him out.
This is a pretty fascinating race.
Full results here
Senate GOP Leader Rips Marcellus Tax Rate
The Pennsylvania House has passed a natural gas severance tax, but the Senate’s top Republican is throwing cold water on the bill’s chances in the upper chamber.
The bill passed by a 104-94 margin with 92 Democrats and 12 Republicans voting for the measure, which sets a 39 cent tax on every thousand cubic feet of gas drilled.
The first 70 million dollars of revenue would go into the General Fund, along with 4 of every 10 dollars after that.
Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati says that’s too much.
"You know, from the beginning I said this isn’t about balancing the General Fund or raising revenues for the General Fund. This is about environmental issues, it’s about safety, and it’s about returning money back for impact to the local municipalities and counties."
He says the Senate will not consider the House’s measure, but he and other leaders are willing to “negotiate in good faith,” and could send a different severance tax back to the House in October.
But House Speaker Keith McCall views the bill as a starting point for negotiations, and says he’s willing to compromise in order to get a bill.
"All of those issues are going to be on the table. The rate, the distribution of those funds, and what we do legislatively to protect the environment. To ensure that the environment – that the monies we derive from this go to environmental programs that are so very important to the majority of members of the House and the Senate."
House Democratic leaders say they’ll begin negotiating with Scarnati and other Senate leaders today and the rate and revenue distribution are both on the table.
Kathryn Klaber, president and executive director the Marcellus Shale Coalition called the House approval misguided......
"Votes against job creation and the responsible development of clean-burning domestic natural gas, which is helping to lower energy prices for Pennsylvania consumers and driving down our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.
Klaber said she's confident that the Senate will remain steadfast in its "commitment to realize a competitive climate for growth and prosperity for Pennsylvanians."
The bill passed by a 104-94 margin with 92 Democrats and 12 Republicans voting for the measure, which sets a 39 cent tax on every thousand cubic feet of gas drilled.
The first 70 million dollars of revenue would go into the General Fund, along with 4 of every 10 dollars after that.
Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati says that’s too much.
"You know, from the beginning I said this isn’t about balancing the General Fund or raising revenues for the General Fund. This is about environmental issues, it’s about safety, and it’s about returning money back for impact to the local municipalities and counties."
He says the Senate will not consider the House’s measure, but he and other leaders are willing to “negotiate in good faith,” and could send a different severance tax back to the House in October.
But House Speaker Keith McCall views the bill as a starting point for negotiations, and says he’s willing to compromise in order to get a bill.
"All of those issues are going to be on the table. The rate, the distribution of those funds, and what we do legislatively to protect the environment. To ensure that the environment – that the monies we derive from this go to environmental programs that are so very important to the majority of members of the House and the Senate."
House Democratic leaders say they’ll begin negotiating with Scarnati and other Senate leaders today and the rate and revenue distribution are both on the table.
Kathryn Klaber, president and executive director the Marcellus Shale Coalition called the House approval misguided......
"Votes against job creation and the responsible development of clean-burning domestic natural gas, which is helping to lower energy prices for Pennsylvania consumers and driving down our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.
Klaber said she's confident that the Senate will remain steadfast in its "commitment to realize a competitive climate for growth and prosperity for Pennsylvanians."
Volleyball: Pride Mark Return of LeMaitre with Sweep Over Eagles
By Owen Gotimer
Heritage High School student journalist
Manassas (Sept. 29, 2010) - There was a lot to celebrate for the Heritage High School volleyball team this week as the Pride opened their Cedar Run District schedule Tuesday with a 3-game sweep over Osbourn Eagles and saw the return of senior Emma LeMaitre who had been out with a foot injury.
Led offensively in the 25-18, 25-8, 25-19 win
Heritage High School student journalist
Manassas (Sept. 29, 2010) - There was a lot to celebrate for the Heritage High School volleyball team this week as the Pride opened their Cedar Run District schedule Tuesday with a 3-game sweep over Osbourn Eagles and saw the return of senior Emma LeMaitre who had been out with a foot injury.
Led offensively in the 25-18, 25-8, 25-19 win
J.C. Penny Moves Into The Modern Era
J.C. Penney has finally switched completely to an electronic business as it closes down its traditional catalog business. This discontinuation has impacted revenue currently, but in the longer term it will make the company leaner and more profitable.
Chairman and CEO Myron “Mike” Ullman told investors at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference, “We’re not getting out of the print business...We’re transitioning from the catalog, which is essentially a static vehicle.”
J.C. Penny stock is already up 30% this month. The stock is positively reacting to a September investor conference where J.C. Penny announced improving results going forward.
To see his report Click Here
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (JCPenney) is a holding company whose principal operating subsidiary is J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc. (JCP). The Company is a retailer, operating 1,108 JCPenney department stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico as of January 30, 2010. Its business consists of selling merchandise and services to consumers through its department stores and Direct (Internet/catalog) channels. JCPenney sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products through Sephora inside JCPenney and home furnishings. In addition, its department stores provide with services, such as styling salon, optical, portrait photography and custom decorating.
Chairman and CEO Myron “Mike” Ullman told investors at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference, “We’re not getting out of the print business...We’re transitioning from the catalog, which is essentially a static vehicle.”
J.C. Penny stock is already up 30% this month. The stock is positively reacting to a September investor conference where J.C. Penny announced improving results going forward.
To see his report Click Here
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (JCPenney) is a holding company whose principal operating subsidiary is J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc. (JCP). The Company is a retailer, operating 1,108 JCPenney department stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico as of January 30, 2010. Its business consists of selling merchandise and services to consumers through its department stores and Direct (Internet/catalog) channels. JCPenney sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products through Sephora inside JCPenney and home furnishings. In addition, its department stores provide with services, such as styling salon, optical, portrait photography and custom decorating.
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