Mrs. Hornbeam returned home with out her shoe. Please, if you come upon a pink pearl size 9, send it c/o The Hornbeams of East Egg.

Thank you.

So enjoyed your house at West Egg.

You must come up come day and see me in Maine.

Regards,

Dr. Webster Civet

Your bash this weekend was simply the best of the summer. Imagine my surprise when I ran into old Carraway from Yale. Haven't seen the old boy since our crew days. He says you're something of a mystery, and I must agree. We did not catch a glimpse of our esteemed host the entire night.

Better luck next time, chap?

Bunsen

What a surprise to find an invitation from you in the mail. The wife is delighted and has bought a new dress for the occasion.

Not sure I can afford any more of these parties of yours, but you can set us a seat for Saturday.

From,

The Leeches

My family and I enjoyed your party last week-end. Please allow me to apologise again for my son. He does sometimes let himself get away with himself.

He promises to be on his best behavior next time.

Sincerly,

Mrs. Chester Becker

the Chester Beckers
the Leeches
Bunsen
Dr. Webster Civet
the Hornbeams
the Willie Voltaires
the Blackbucks
the Ismays
Hubert Auerbach and Mr. Chrystie's wife
Edgar Beaver
Clarence Endive
the Cheadles
the O.R.P. Schraeders
the Stonewall Jackson Abrams
the Fishguards
the Ripley Snells
the Dancies
S.B. Whitebait
Maurice A. Flink
the Hammerheads
Beluga
the Poles
the Mulreadys
Cecil Roebuck
Cecil Schoen
Senator Gulick
Newton Orchid
Exkhaust
Clyde Cohen
Don S. Schwartze
Arthur McCarty
the Catlips
the Bembergs
G. Earl Muldoon
Da Fontano
Ed Legros
James B. "Rot-Gut" Ferret
the De Jongs
Ernest Lilly
Klipspringer
Gus Waize
Horace O'Donavan
Lester Myer
George Duckweed
Francis Bull
the Chromes
the Backhyssons
the Dennickers
Russel Betty
the Corrigans
the Kellehers
the Dewars
the Scullys
S.W. Belcher
the Smirkes
the young Quinns
Henry L. Palmetto
Benny McClenahan
Faustina O'Brien
the Baedeker
young Brewer
Mr. Albrucksburger and Miss Haag
Ardita Fitz-Peters
Mr. P. Jewett
Miss Claudia Hip
and a prince of something, whom we called Duke, and whose name, if I ever knew it, I have forgotten.

Week in and week out katee and Josh seem to rock the spot like Bosquiat minus the herion.(Line completely stolen from Gym Class Heroes) ANYWAY, they did it again. First with the Waltz. From my professional Waltzing career I can tell you first hand that they did well and Joshes pants did fit nicer. A subtle something that has been occurring over the last two weeks…the attention shifting away from Josh and to katee in a positive way. Sure Josh was bouncing a little tonight but shit wouldn’t you if your balls went from being in a vice grip (samba pants) to swimming in a ocean of freedom? I think so. Here is the video. Try not to focus on Joshes bouncing and more on the cool lifts like katee winding down his leg like lights around a Christmas tree.

Then by “coincidence,” the couple got brand new to the So You Think You Can Dance stage the Bollywood style of dance. Look that shit was for sure rigged. The producers knew they were trying a cultural dance that was brand new and they couldn’t fuck it up and embarrass that culture. So what did they do? They rigged the pull from a hat routine and made sure their best couple danced it and made it look good. Their plan did not back fire. Katee and Josh smashed it and spun on their knees all the way to the top ten. (In my opinion)

On an update for So You Think You Can Write (Write…Write) I soared into the top ten with a stellar performance with my contemporary rendition of judge F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in which all the main characters are trolls living inside Gotham City and the green light was the Bat symbol. Dr. Suess remains the leader in the competition but all of the judges agreed that his latest effort of one fish two fish red fish blue fish will not cut it if he wants to walk away with the title. In a write for your life competition John Steinbeck was eliminated due to no one feeling bad for the unfortunate endings of any of his characters.

I’m still waiting for the Judges to realize that the show is not about them but about the dancers. What a novel idea. Nigel the attention-grabbing whore annoys me frequently. Also, I really do like Gev and Courtney but the judges saying that they are the best couple? If that’s the case I’m black.

Everyone needs to check out the best solution to Joh McCains VP and look out for tomorrows post on the modern day superhero you never knew almost existed. (Hint: He’s from the Wu Tang Clan) Vote for Katee, read all the middlest most recent and tell your friends. We love big families here.

Let me always be worthy of Thee, let me not forget Thee in good times nor bad. Armor me with the armor of Thy Righteousness, give me the sword of Truth that I shall confound Thine enemies and be unto Thee a true knight.

O Lord, in my hour of need, be with me. Let me never forget my sacred and holy vows unto Thee, that I should not be prey unto demons and devils nor the dark things of this world.

Let me always be a beacon unto those in distress, never allow me to forget my obligation unto the homeless nor the poor: let me serve Thee and Thine Eternal Throne all the days of my life. Let me always remember the obligations that I have taken upon me. Lord, if it is Thine Will, let me serve Thee forever!

If ever, oh Lord, I turn from Thee and this Order, let my name forever be cursed, may my spurs be broken and my body given unto demons to dwell with them forever in that Lake of Fire which Thou hast: prepared for the ungodly.

Power beyond Power, Pillar of Strength, Refuge of the Homeless, let me serve Thee for all the days of my life! Amen.

The above words were part of an oral history of the Crusades compiled in 1200 A.D. and were spoken by a Knight Hospitaller moments before a battle against enemy forces.

--F. Scott Fitzgerald

You can't live in the world without an idea of the world, but it's living that makes the ideas.

Hannah (278), Angels in America

The paper is written, not done, but written. Further revisions to come. In the meantime, there are other books and new projects. There are always more books I need to read. There's this thing with The Great Gatsby that I'm putting together.

Is it the imagery and symbolism? Well, yes, it certainly makes it easier to use the book in an English class. In itself, the book wasn't very popular at the time of release, gathering moment as time passed. Nowadays, it is hard to consider yourself well read without having thumbed through the pages. And it must be said that Fitzgerald uses his symbolism throughout the book, dispersing meaning and possible interpretations at every chapter.

Is it the age old tale of smalltown values vs. the bigtown lack of the same? Nick Carraway is the narrator, and the book starts with him declaring that he avoids judging people, laying the foundation for the conflict between him and other characters. In a sense, the book is a description of the age and values of that particular point in time, but the references can be applied to other periods, even todays society.

Is it the aforementioned description of the Jazz Age? The book describes an interesting and exciting part of US history, and the reader has every right to be drawn into the book. More than the actual happenings and settings of this age, the reader is exposed to the values and ambiance that reigned in this period after WWI.

All this and more; it is a tale of love, a tale of deceit, and it is a gripping and well written book to boot. All in all it is a wholehearted recommendation from me, even if it means pulling out the old high school copy from storage. Good reading!

And if you don't own a copy of this great book, you can get one here from amazon.com: The Great Gatsby.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos

Julia Koch

Bettina Zilkha

Libby Fitzgerald

Joanne de Guardiola

Eva Lorenzotti

Christine Schwarzman

Leslie Stevens

Grace Meigher

Hillary Geary Ross

Coco Kopelman

Hilary Gumbel

Alicia Bouzan Cordon

Whitney Fairchild

Mariska Hargitay

Shafi Roepers

Muffie Potter Aston

Neva Martin Anton

Ranjana Khan

Sara Ayres

it's been less than a week and i've already run out of things to do on the computer...so, now i read *gasp*
actually, we should inform mr. considine that i've started this side of paradise because of his speech on grad day (and because for awhile i kept on thinking of starting it and then not starting it).

i have to admit, amory is quite the guy to be jealous of (despite his character being rather shallow and somewhat cliche). he's beautiful, rich, and clever (and lazy and arrogant...oh how i relate...jk). very east coast prep.

and i~ am going to boston in less than a month. which is crazy because somehow i've ended up going there for the past four summers in a row without meaning to (*fate*).

well, let's see what amory has to say about schools on the east coast:

"I want to go to Princeton," said Amory. "I don't know why, but I think of all Harvard men are sissies, like I used to be, and all Yale men as wearing big blue sweaters and smoking pipes...I think of Princeton as being lazy and good-looking and aristocratic - you know, like a spring day. Harvard seems sort of indoors..."

and - cut.

Pourquoi W3 ? Parce que ça sonne mieux que "www", très connoté "web". Au passage, c'est le seul acronyme plus long à dire que sa version complète. Il n'y a qu'à faire le test : doublevé-doublevé-doublevé ou doboliou-doboliou-doboliou, c'est bien plus long que world wide web. Voilà qui est fait pour le nom.

Passons à l'acronyme :

• We : nous, nous sommes, nous sommes des individus voire des nominalistes, nous sommes identitaires, nous voulons nous affirmer.
• Web : nous sommes en réseau, nous sommes empathes, nous sommes relationnels.
• Wii : nous sommes ludiques, nous sommes légers.

Cet acronyme est en anglais car c'est aussi une langue de la génération W3 : manuels d'utilisation, services innovants, l'anglais est partout plus présent que le français. Et puis c'est une langue que j'apprécie, au point de l'utiliser pour mes catégories de billets, qu'il faut lire en français mais entendre en anglais (oui, c'est subtil...).

L'impact de ces trois facettes sur la manière dont une génération conçoit le monde et l'appréhende, sur sa relation avec d'autres générations qui lui sont différentes est particulièrement fort, et surtout crescendo. La génération W3 n'a pour le moment que 20/30 ans, elle n'accède que rarement aux postes à responsabilité. Je ne suis pas sociologue mais j'entends déjà, comme beaucoup, le fracas des vagues qui annoncent un raz-de-marée imminent. A ceci près que de nombreux observateurs sont sur le rivage (planche aux pieds, ou incrédules, ou sourds) alors que je suis sur la crète des premières vagues.*

Ceci n'est pas un manifeste : je n'ai rien à revendiquer, je tente une analyse dans la mesure de mes connaissances et réflexions. Mon regard manquera certainement de profondeur et de rigueur sociologique, les commentaires constructifs sont les bienvenus.

Précision utile : il me semblait avoir vu une forme de définition de ce genre, mais pas tout à fait exposée en ces termes. La formulation n'était pas allée au bout de la logique, j'y avais vu des manques, des omissions, et le nom n'était pas exactement le même que W3. Seulement la mémoire me faisant défaut et n'ayant pas eu la présence d'esprit d'intégrer ça sur del.icio.us,  j'ai perdu l'origine. Si l'auteur se reconnaît, plutôt que de se lancer dans une guerre de paternité / maternité, faisons comme Lorentz et Fitzgerald qui donnèrent un nom conjoint à leur contraction.

* Il n'est pas interdit de mettre de la métaphore dans un blog. Au contraire.

19 December 1926
The old corner bar in Seville was quiet. It was dark and dusty (and not too welcoming). It had always been this way. It would always be this way. A man sat at the bar with shot glasses around the head that now occupied the alcohol stained wood bar. Matted hair mixed with blood and beer on his head dripped.
“¿Señor?” the barkeep asked. Jack did not move. He did not know if he would move.
Congreve rockets shattered the silence of the night. Soldier ran in the trenches. Rifles to bear!
“Yank!”
“Huh?”
“Get yourself up, Jack,” Sarge yelled, “We got a war to win!”
Rifles were filthy. The trenches were dirty. It smelled of chlorine.
“You got issues, Yank, get in!”
The face was dirty. It smelled of chlorine. There was gas.
“¿Señor?” the barkeep leaned over the man. His head was still in the spilled drink. He stirred.
It was filthy here. It was always filthy.
He rolled his head in the filth. It felt like war. It felt like it always felt. He lifted his head.
“¿Señor?” the barkeep asked.
“Fall back!” Sarge yelled, “Bloody Germans on the hill!”
The Germans were filthy, too. They were all dirty. War was dirty. It still smelled of chlorine.
“Jack!”
“Huh?”
“You run, mate, you run!”
He did run. Through the mud. Climb the trenches. He did run. He got dirty. Jack, be nimble.
“¿Necesita usted a un médico, señor?”
“I’m fine.”
“Usted no mira bien.”
“Leave me be, señor.”
The bar was always this way. It always had been; it always would be. War was always that way, too.
“Yank, run, mate—”
Sarge was silent. The air smelt of chlorine. He kept running. Jack, be quick.
“The Germans…they overran the line.”
“I can see that lieutenant.”
It was all so dirty. So painful.
“Lieutenant?”
“I’ll be going, señor.”
“Bueno. Mejórese, Jack.” The Spainard wished him well and added, “¿La guerra mata, hace no?”
“War always kills?”
“What I dije, Jack.”
“Always will, Stefan.”
“¿Cómo hágale Tira lo dice?” Stefan asked, “Good luck?”
“Suerte, yes. A usted también.”
“Thank you.”
The war never ended. Not in Germany, not in France, not in nowhere.
“Yank, alright?”
“No.”
“Chlorine?”
“Smells like.”
“See…Light…Trenches?”
“Yes.”
“Go…Hospital…There…Far.”
He ran. Ran toward the candle stick. Jack jumped over. The light.
Jack stopped outside the bar. There was a house. A candle in the window. Glow. It’s still so dirty.
Why?
Not far. He must get there. The chlorine.
The beer was hurting now. He wouldn’t die. Not then. He’d live. He’d live and die.
“On my terms,” Jack stopped, “I say my terms.”
The chlorine set in. the Candlestick. He got there. He lived. He’d die.
That’s how it was:
Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick,
Jack jumped over
The candlestick.

23 July 1934
Jack was his father in every bit and every way that was possible for a boy to resemble his father. He grew up in Minnesota in a small town. He lived every bit the life that a Mid-west boy would live. They never had much money and never felt much a need of it. His father told him that he was never to envy the rich for being rich because they, their family, had things that the rich could never have.
They were inexplicably traditional, this family of Jack’s, but this young boy would want to change it all, which is the reason why I am writing this for the entire world to read. Jack was five and a delightful companion when he began to write, just as his father had. His hand was nimble, and it was quick. There were no two ways about it. It was quite honorable in his family, the trade of the pen, but as Jack grew older, he sought a different sort of goal.
From his fifteenth to eighteenth year, Jack pursued more worldly things than his father would have ever desired. They parted ways after he went to school in the East. He would come back a changed man, but in pursuit of a very different, yet familiar goal. The war in Europe would see to such as thing as this.
There was one day, during his years at Harvard, he was asked a very simple question by another boy who had come from Minnesota. He had evidently known young Jack in his youth and saw a different person the boy had known when they were small children.
“How do you do, old sport?” this boy from home asked.
“It’s a fine old day, don’t you think?” Jack replied, obviously not interested in the slightest about whatever topic this unfamiliar face had on his mind.
“Do you know who I am?”
Jack would then do what he always did, widen his eyes and then narrow them as if he had come across some great conclusion in life, “You’re the boy from the park, aren’t you? Charles?”
“I am!” he said with a hint of relief, “You’re different now, Jack. World changed you?”
“That’s what happens,” Jack said. He proceeded to do whatever such thing he does with his eyes and this time the grand discovery was this: “Are you going to war, old sport?”
“I’ve never believed in much war.”
“But you have to,” Jack said and looked up to the sun in a most patriotic position, “It’s the thing to do.”
That young boy at Harvard was I, and I have never seen the same Jack again. He came home from the war and was once again a changed man. He lived on after it, of course. He had some run in with some unpleasant Germans, I hear. He now makes his living as a writer, of course, just as his father thought. After all those years, writing by the light of candlestick all the while, his hand was still nimble and quick. Jack was, after all, his father in every bit and every way that was possible for a boy to resemble his father.
3 September 1955
I heard about my granddad once. He was a writer or something; he fought in the war in all or something. The first war, not the second one. I read some of his writing. He seemed like a real phony though. He didn’t talk about real stuff just that romantic stuff after the war in the twenties. He never wrote about the war or anything real. I knew this guy back in school in Illinois. He liked war. His name was Winnie or something. Winfred Copernicus. Who names their child that? It was Winfred Copernicus III, even. What a phony. Anyway, he liked war and stuff and went to see all those movies. I hated those movies. They glorified all that fighting crap. Way I see it, you support your country with money. The whole war thing seems communistic. It’s all a sham anyway. The government and the crapfest in Hollywood make sure it sounds all romantic and stuff, but when everybody gets there, they hate it. Like this kid, Winfred Copernicus III, I told you about. He went to war in Korea. Wasn’t the same when I saw him in Chicago later. He just didn’t get the world, you know? Anyway, I read some of my granddad’s stuff. Name was Jack, his was. And he just wrote all this junk about the beautiful twenties and all the fun and… He was friends with some Fitzgerald bloke, too. They were all phonies. The whole lot of them were.

Rank (LW)     Team          Key Players

1 (N/A)         Chargers  LaDainian Tomlinson, RB; Shawne Merriman, OLB; Antonio Cromartie, CB              

The Chargers lost 21-12 to the Patriots in the AFC Championship, but they didn't have Antonio Gates, L.T, and Phillip Rivers was playing on a torn ACL. The Chargers would have beaten the Patriots if they had been healthy. Look for the Chargers to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

2 (N/A)         Cowboys  Tony Romo, QB; Terrell Owens, WR; DeMarcus Ware, DE/OLB

Drama in the 'Big D' this offseason, with the addition of Pacman Jones, and Romo singing to Jessica Simpson. But the Cowboys had a good draft and are going to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks: Training Camp. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys go all the way to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

3 (N/A)         Saints       Drew Brees, QB; Deuce McAllister, RB; Jonathon Vilma, ILB

Injuries and an awful defense plagued the Saints all the way to a 7-9 season. But Deuce McAllister is expected to be healthy by Week 1, and Reggie Bush is 100% (he was about 85% throughout the season) and; via the draft, trades, and free agency, the Saints improved their defense 200%

4 (N/A)         Steelers    Ben Roethlisberger, QB; Willie Parker, RB; Troy Polamalu, SS

The Steelers' offense this year is going to be deadly. By drafting Rashard Mendenhall with the 23rd overall pick, Pittsburgh added a compliment to Willie Parker. And by drafting Limas Sweed in the second round, gave Big Ben his big target (6'5, 220 Lbs) This offense paired with the always good defense makes the Steelers a playoff lock.

5 (N/A)         Colts        Peyton Manning, QB; Dwight Freeney, DE; Bob Sanders, FS

Hey! Marvin and Dwight are back! Peyton Manning, who is always good, found out that Reggie Wayne is just as good, if not...ahem...better, than Marvin Harrison. Joseph Addai had a break-out season as well in Indy. And don't forget, Dwight Freeney got injured in the playoffs, and he's the best pass rusher in the NFL.

6 (N/A)         Eagles      Donovan McNabb, QB; Brian Westbrook, RB; Asante Samuel, CB

Donovan McNabb & Company were .500 last year, but McNabb had nobody to throw to. Now he has explosive DeSean Jackson. McNabb will greatly profit from the speedy Jackson, who was the target of streaks, slants, and screens in college, because he ran the same system in college at California. Don't forget Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard, and Sheldon Brown makes Philly have one of the best Nickel defenses in  the NFL.

7 (N/A)         Patriots    Tom Brady, QB; Randy Moss, WR; Ellis Hobbs, CB

"Randy Moss!" - Randy Moss, in response to who was the best wide receiver on the New England team in a Super Bowl press conference. And he was right, just ask Tom Brady. But this year, the Pats aren't concerned about their offense, it's their defense. They lost Asante Samuel and Randall Gay to free agency, and their linebacking corps isn't getting younger.

8 (N/A)         Browns    Derek Anderson, QB; Jamal Lewis, RB; Shaun Rodgers, DT

Derek Anderson was THE surprise of the 2007 NFL Season (I would know, I cut him from my fantasy team at the start of the season) and the Browns reached 10-6 - but missed the playoffs - despite their defense being terrible. But the Browns are a wildcard favorite to start the year with the addition of Shaun Rodgers and other defensive players.

9 (N/A)         Jaguars    David Garrard, QB; Fred Taylor, RB; Rashean Mathis, CB

David Garrard had zero interceptions for a long while into the NFL season (then was picked in a game against Indianapolis) and Fred Taylor is no longer 'Fragile Freddy' But! Marcus Stroud was traded and the Jaguars did not have much success in the draft. But the offense looks good and the Front 7 looks good in general as well. If there was ever a time the Jags could vie for the AFC South Divisional Crown with the Colts it is NOW.

10 (N/A)       Vikings    Adrian Peterson, RB; Jared Allen, DE; Antoine Winfield, CB

Tarvaris Jackson is back and has a year of experience under his belt. The offense looks good with new additions at WR and the O-Line - which is arguably the best in the NFL - is back. The defensive line is now the best in the NFL with pro bowl DT's Kevin Williams and Pat Williams back. And the addition of last year's leader in sacks, Jared Allen (he had 15.5 in 14 games) acquired in a trade with the Chiefs makes the D-Line the best in the NFL.

11 (N/A)       Packers    Aaron Rodgers, QB; Ryan Grant, RB; Al Harris, CB

Brett Favre is gone and it's time to see what Aaron Rodgers can do. Basically the entire team is intact except for the loss of Favre. With Ryan Grant's breakout season at running back last year, the only question on offense is Rodgers. Yes, the defense is older this year, but they are one of the best with Charles Woodson and Al Harris playing Bump'N'Run on the outside.

12 (N/A)       Giants      Eli Manning, QB; Michael Strahan, DE; Kenny Phillips, FS

Champs! After upsetting the then undefeated New England Patriots, the only question is whether Michael Strahan is coming back. Plax showed he is still one of the most legitimate vertical threats in the NFL. And Brandon Jacobs showed he can run anyone over. But, Eli Manning has to show that he is going to live up to his great playoff performance.

13 (N/A)       Redskins  Clinton Portis, RB; Devin Thomas, WR; LaRon Landry, SS

The tragic death of Sean Taylor was the story of the year last year for the 'Skins. After their loss in the NFC Wildcard round to the Seahawks, Washington looks good this year. They added two rookie WR's with high expectations: The explosive Devin Thomas, and the tall Malcolm Kelly. Fred Davis, a TE out of USC, should be able to compete for the TE job. But Jason Campbell must step up and lead this team, manned by new head coach Jim Zorn.

14 (N/A)      Seahawks  Matt Hasselbeck, QB; Julian Peterson, OLB; Marcus Trufant, CB

They cut Shaun Alexander! They cut Shaun Alexander! But have no fear, Julius Jones is here! Jones is a speedy back that wasn't resigned by the Cowboys. So, Seattle picked him up and cut Shaun Alexander. The defense is a very good unit, and the Seahawks seem to be poised for another NFC West Championship.

15 (N/A)      Bucs          Jeff Garcia, QB; Carnell Williams, RB; Ronde Barber, CB

Cadillac is back. Carnell Williams is no longer injured. And the offense seems very steady with him back. They also added Warrick Dunn, so perhaps they could pair them together to make a pretty good duo. Even though Jeff Garcia isn't very happy, the offense looks good. And, with the addition of shutdown rookie corner Aqib Talib, the defense is still very good. 

16 (N/A)      Cardinals  Matt Leinart, QB; Darnell Dockett, DT; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB

Leinart is the starter in The Desert. Or, so Ken Whisenhunt says. The offense looks great with Edgerrin James at RB, and Fitzgerald-Boldin is the best wide receiver combo in the NFL, period(.) However, a bad loss on the defense occured, as DE/OLB Calvin Pace slipped to the Jets in free agency. But, DRC, cousin of Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie, was drafted and should help out the secondary.

17 (N/A)      Panthers   Jake Delhomme, QB; Steve Smith, WR; Julius Peppers, DE

Jake Delhomme is back in the house people! After coming back from Tommy John surgery on his elbow. Jake Delhomme seems to be the pre-season starter and looks to lead a dangerous offense. DeShaun Foster was cut. This lead to powerful Jonathon Stewart being drafted. Paired with the electric DeAngelo Williams, they should be a good duo. However, on defense, Dan Morgan and Kris Jenkins are gone. And DE Mike Rucker retired.

18 (N/A)      Broncos    Jay Cutler, QB; Brandon Marshall, WR; Champ Bailey, CB

After being diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes, Jay Cutler looks to lead the Denver Broncos to an AFC West title. And it's actually a possibility. Even though Travis Henry was cut, Brandon Marshall looks outstanding at WR. And on the defensive side of the ball; Champ Bailey, John Lynch, and Elvis Dumervil seem poised to be a shutdown D.

19 (N/A)      Bills          Marshawn Lynch, RB; Lee Evans, WR; Marcus Stroud, DT

The Bills should improve to a winning record this year. They added pro-bowl DT Marcus Stroud to the defense for basically nothing in a trade with the Jaguars. They also have a great LB corps too. But with the drafting of Leodis McKelvin, the secondary and special teams unit will improve. But, questions still remain with a shaky Buffalo offense.

20 (N/A)      Raiders     Jamarcus Russell, QB; Darren McFadden, RB; The D-Line

With the arrival of many free agents, the defense looks great. Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall makes a great CB tandem, and the secondary further improved with the addition of Gibril Wilson. And, the D-Line also looks great. But, on the offense, questions rise about Jamarcus Russell and the WR corps. Even though D-Mac is in Oakland, he isn't expected to be the starter. Why?

21 (N/A)      Titans       Vince Young, QB; LenDale White, RB; Albert Haynesworth, DT

He who drafted Chris Johnson is an idiot. Who is Vince Young gonna toss the rock to? Alge Crumpler is good, but he can't do it by himself! They needed to get a WR. LenDale White proved he could do it on his own and the defense proved to be a stable unit. It's a shame that Vince Young didn't get a WR. One hadn't even been drafted yet! They could have had anyone they wanted.

22 (N/A)      Texans     Matt Schaub, QB; Andre Johnson, WR; Mario Williams, DE

Houston is a very bland team overall. They don't have a consistent running back, and Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson got hurt last year. But, they found a good safety valve in Owen Daniels, the TE. However, on defense, Mario Williams is a beast on passing downs, and they actually had a few pro-bowlers. But the secondary still looks like it needs help. 

23 (N/A)      Ravens     Willis McGahee, RB; Jonathon Ogden, LT; Ray Lewis, ILB

They almost beat the Patriots and they lost to the terrible, terrible Dolphins. However, their pro-bowl tackle Jonathon Ogden was hurt last year. Joe Flacco was drafted, but their is no clear-cut #1 WR. Willis McGahee did what he did in Buffalo: run all over the place. McGahee was the only source of offense the Ravens consistently had.

24 (N/A)      Jets          Chad Pennington, QB; Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB; Kerry Rhodes, SS

They got Gholston with the 6th overall pick, and TE Dustin Keller with the 30th overall pick. So, they had a 'B' draft. But, there are questions about who is the starter. And whether or not Thomas Jones can have a good year at RB. But, at WR, Coles was hurt, so we'll see how he comes back this year.

25 (N/A)      Lions        Jon Kitna, QB; Kevin Smith, RB; Ernie Sims, ILB

Brett Favre is gone, so Jon Kitna is the best QB in the NFC North. But he can only be so good because the O-Line is terrible. They allowed the most sacks in the NFL the past two years. But, Kevin Smith was a great pick in the third round. He should start. BUT! Shaun Rodgers was traded to the Browns, a dumb decision. Matt Millen is an idiot. But at least they didn't draft a WR.

26 (N/A)      Rams       Steven Jackson, RB; Torry Holt, WR; Leonard Little, DE

The Rams could have been NFC West champs, but they didn't protect Marc Bulger. The defense is a steady unit. Very quietly success has come to the St. Lou' D. But on offense last year they failed expectations miserably. They should have been a .750 team last year. Let's hope that they can improve this year.

27 (N/A)      Bengals   Carson Palmer, QB; Chad Johnson, WR; Keith Rivers, ILB/OLB

Will he stay or will he go?...to the AFL. That is the question entering training camp in Cincinnati. He, of course, is Chad Johnson. The star wideout said that if he wasn't traded, he would play in the AFL. But, the Bengals' front office stood its ground and declined trade requests for Johnson. But on the other side of the ball, it is NOT looking good. Even though the Bengals drafted linebacker Keith Rivers with the ninth pick of the draft, the overall situation on defense is bad.

28 (N/A)      49ers      Alex Smith, QB; Frank Gore, RB; Patrick Willis, ILB

Patrick Willis was the Defensive Rookie of the Year last year - he had an astonishing league leading 172 tackles in '07 - and with the addition of Kentawn Balmer, the defense looks...g-g-okay. The offense should be good if Alex Smith performs well, because with the addition of Isaac Bruce, he has a go-to guy this year. A legitimate one.

29 (N/A)      Bears      Rex Grossman, QB; Cedric Benson, RB; Brian Urlacher, ILB

Turnoversaurus Rex is the starter, so that means Lovie Smith is still an idiot. But, Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, and Brian Urlacher are not happy at all on the defensive side of the ball with their contracts. The situation at wide receiver does not look good at all either, and we all know the Cedric Benson boat story. So, it looks like the Bears are in trouble again in the NFC North.

30 (N/A)      Falcons   Matt Ryan, QB; Michael Turner, RB; Keith Brooking, OLB

In a desperate P.R attempt to rid the Falcons of Michael Vick's namesake, Atlanta took Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the draft. Michael Turner was the biggest RB in the free agent market and they signed him too. But they made dumb off-season trades and releases. Such as cutting Alge Crumpler, releasing Rod Coleman, and trading cornerback DeAngelo Hall. The offense looks fine, but the defense seems to be in trouble.

31 (N/A)      Chiefs     Larry Johnson, RB; Tony Gonzalez, TE; Glenn Dorsey, DT

L.J was injured for the majority of the season., so lots of pressure was on Tony Gonzalez to perform. But, if you look three years down the line, the Chiefs look pretty good. They had the best draft in the NFL this year, so they are stacked with fresh rookie talent. However, the defense is still one of the worst in the NFL and they need to fix that.

32 (N/A)      Dolphins  Ronnie Brown, RB; Jake Long, OT; Jason Taylor, DE

Jason Taylor has angered the Big Tuna by Dancing With The Stars. The Fins were the worst team in the NFL last year with just one win. But, in all fairness, Ronnie Brown was injured, Ricky Williams got injured, but that's no excuse. I still don't think the Dolphins are going to improve that much. They cut pro-bowler Zach Thomas. But they've bolstered the line and they should win four games this year.

So what I have been able to do is set up tours for each Condo project that attracts them in Downtown.

One of the most popular tours is the Heritage Hill tour that I have brought more that 10 clients on over the last month. The Heritage Hill tour includes a walk through of Avenue 23, Fulton Flats and Hillmount. The tour with me allows you to understand the pluses and minuses of each building and allows you to ask questions in a free and fun environment

I was able to help 4 buyers purchase condos on these tours over the last 3 weeks. The buyers purchased in Hillmount and in Fulton Flats. It didn't cost the buyers anything, and my knowledge of the downtown market allowed them to relax and not feel pushed.

Other tours that you can take in downtown with me:

Monroe Center tour includes: Fox Lofts, Brickway, Peck Building, and more.

North Downtown Grand Rapids tour included: Boardwalk, Icon on Bond, Monroe Terrace, Union Square.

High End Tour includes: Riverhouse, Fitzgerald, Mckay Towers, City View, Plaza Towers

Urban Lifestyle Project: Fairmount Square, Celadon

So if you thinking about buying a downtown condo, and have enjoyed all the information you have been able to learn from my blog and want to schedule a tour of some or all of the buildings please let me know.

Both novels are in Spanish: La verdadera muerte de Juan Ponce de León (The True Death of Juan Ponce de León) by Luis López Nieves and Trance by Pedro Cabiya.

The first is historical fiction, where López Nieves takes events from Puerto Rico's colonial history and transforms them, completes them, finishing or filling in the sparse details that have been handed down to us through official Spanish colonial documents and personal accounts. It sounds like a boring chronicle, but believe me, it's not. Shock full of sex, murder, torture, corruption and swash-buckling adventure on the high seas, this novel is definitely worth learning Spanish for, so go buy your Rosetta Stone CD-ROM and get cracking.

The latter is sci-fi dramedy (does that even makes sense?). It's divided into two parts: "Perro" (Dog), "Poeta" (Poet), "Pato" (literally, duck, but it's slang for gay man), and "Principiante" (Beginner). Each part corresponds to one fragment of the overall story and, as you read, you realize all the characters are related in the most unsuspected ways. This novel made me scream and gasp and laugh at all the right moments. This one has definitely earned a spot up high in my bookshelf.

The short story I read was "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". It's being made into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett which will première this December. The source material is by the great F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of my favorite authors and writer of one of my top books The Great Gatsby. I saw a copy of "Benjamin Button" at Borders the other day; the price tag was $9.95 and I though maybe I could find it online. Indeed, I did. Seems like Fitzgerald's copyrights are running out, so it's pretty much a free-for-all on a lot of websites. I printed out the story and read it in one sitting. It was funny and gleeful and so, so sad at the end. I suggest you go and read it RIGHT NOW and bask in the majesty that is an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story.

My bank holiday went two ways: friday and saturday I did cool things, wandered about places, saw baby fuzzy duckies, met randoms, played Rock Band, half poisoned my significant other but made it up to him with phenomenal *** (who knew I was shy). Sunday and Monday I felt like I was being invaded by disease and refused to go outside where there was angry weather. This was boring.

I did finish Tender was the Night though, and decided that it was rather good as depressofests go. Although i have to admit that if I was Zelda I'd be pretty pissed off by the implication that I had an unhealthy love for my father. I've now started her Save me the Waltz, so we'll see what she has to say on the matter. I wish I was a faster reader. Admittedly it would have been more useful when I was at uni but I'd still like it now. I have so many books to read. sadface.

Anyway, short post as I actually have work to be working on.

PS: Have ordered new cds for the first time this year. woot. 

Yay, I'm graduated. It took roughly the better part of 6 years due to major changes, school changes, etc... I'm reminded of the Tommy Boy line where Richard says to Tommy something like "wow, graduated just shy of a decade." To which Tommy says "hey, lots of people go to college for 7 years." And Richard replies "Yeah, they're called doctors."

Well shut up Richard. I'm finally done. Rock.

I do not think...that I have even yet brought out the greatest contribution of medievalism to the formation of the scientific movement. I mean the inexpugnable belief that every detailed occurrence can be correlated with its antecedents in a perfectly definite manner, exemplifying general principles. Without this belief the incredible labors of scientists would be without hope.... My explanation is that the faith in the possibility of science, generated antecedently to the development of modern scientific theory, is an unconscious derivation from medieval theology.

In other words, meaningful scientific dialog is dead without the theological assumptions held by early scientists. Indeed, as I have briefly mentioned in an earlier post, it seems to me that everything about modern science has been built upon the back of the assumptions of Intelligent Designers. This line of thought in turn gave rise to the realization that this debate is simply a matter of philosophy. The hecklers spouting off that there is no science behind the notion of Intelligent Design are biased spin-doctors, trying to silence an opposition they fear (or hate, ether way it makes no difference). For there is just as much 'scientific' proof behind the notion that there is no God and that that evolution (understood as a process of random change “directed” by nature’s survive-or-perish judgments) is the sole cause of human development as there is behind the idea that God exists, is the prime mover and first cause of all creation and that the universe is ordered, rational and inherently meaningful.

So again I ask the question: exactly what HAS an atheistic, Darwainistic, evolutionary worldview ever gotten science truly? What value has the idea that all is bound by randomness ever garnered an endeavor that strives to find the correlations between all things in the universe (namely the sciences)? As I study the arguments of atheists, I find in them a disturbing level of unreflectiveness. Rarely do they seem to ponder the underlying worldview assumptions that make up their 'scientific' mindsets. Of course, it seems to me that this philosophical oversight is willful for two reasons: first being that any sort of examination of modern science's past reveals wave after wave of men developing theories based off the assumption that the universe has some sort of creative power behind it. Secondly, as we discover more and more about the world around us, the less random processes are able to account for what is being observed and it seems to be that it would hinder an atheist's claims against design to consider such things.

Irregardless, I will end, again, with a word from Mr. Whitehead:

In the study of ideas, it is necessary to remember that insistence on hard-headed clarity [comes from] sentimental feeling, as it were a mist, cloaking the perplexities of fact. Insistence on clarity at all costs is based on sheer superstition as to the mode in which human intelligence functions. Our reasonings grasp at straws for premises and float on gossamers for deduction.

The more I examine this 'scientific' duel between ID and Evolution, the less it seems scientific at all. And the sooner we might admit that this is all a game of philosophy and metaphysics, the better off we will be.

Apparently, this wasn't what director Andrew Adamson had in mind. Caspian was more of an "inspired-by" than it was an adaption of the book, and while it's true that the book itself is inferior to Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, it would nonetheless make a flippin sweet movie would they just adhere to the book.

Thusly, Prince Caspian the film threatens to degenerate into the depend-too-heavily-on-flashy-graphics, pseudo-epic battle type of movie that are all too common these days (Beowulf comes to mind). The worst part, though, is that CS Lewis' charming influence is almost wholly removed from the film. The lines are somewhat simplistic and the characters are almost never expanded upon - most grievously in the case of Prince Caspian himself. By the end of the film, you know almost nothing about him except that he's hot, is a prince, and has cool armor. The most telling line Caspian has in the entire movie is to declare "I am Prince Caspian!" At least we now know for sure... On a positive note though, Reepicheep mercifully retains most the awesomeness he exudes in the books. Even still, he seems far too intent upon stabbing people in the face while lamenting the fact that they notice he's a mouse (they seriously bring it up about four times in the movie).

Lastly, the movie fails to bring up plot points that the book uses to connect itself to the rest of the Narnia series. Aslan barely makes mention of how the Telmarines came to Narnia, but we're given a glimpse of how our world relates to theirs - Saddam Hussein is one of the main antagonists and I must say, his fashion sense is much improved. Apparently, there's a door to Narnia somewhere in Iraq.

Either way, the movie seemed a bit like they rushed to get to the battle scene at the end. More time should have been spent having Caspian unite the Narians, less on how Peter is now very surly for whatever reason. Having said that, I'm thinking I should go see the movie a few more times. Maybe it'll be better to see it earlier in the day. I wanted to like the character of Prince Caspian so bad - he was always my favorite in the books - but my initial reactions were a little disappointing.