How to sink a $63,000 Mercedes by Photographer Michael Muller

10-26-2006
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How to sink a $63,000 Mercedes by Photographer Michael Muller

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Automotive engineers are notoriously tough on the pre-production vehicles they test and evaluate, but suspension-busting terrain and subzero temperatures seem tame compared to what photographer Michael Muller did to a Mercedes-Benz SUV in the name of art: He submerged a $63,000 (including options) 2007 GL450 in a giant water tank as part of an art project titled “Quiet,” which includes photographs of objects and people submerged in water. It was all done in the name of charity.

The ethereal image (at right), titled “The Sinking Fear,” shows actress and model Eva Mendez in a couture gown swimming in front of the GL450. The SUV was Muller’s only four-wheeled subject. Other photographs show things like money floating in water — a photo titled “First Blood” — and synchronized swimmers in red bathing suits. In “Quiet,” Muller aims to portray the enveloping stillness and silence one experiences underwater.

View more pictures of the GL450 underwater and read about Muller’s artistic vision for the project.

Twenty-five prints of “The Sinking Fear” are for sale, along with prints of other photographs in the “Quiet” project. All of the proceeds will be donated to The Art of Elysium in Universal City, Calif., which is handling the sales. (Muller didn’t quote a price for the prints but said interested parties could contact The Art of Elysium’s James Gilbert via email at [email protected] or go to www.theartofelysium.org for more information.)

Founded in 1997, The Art of Elysium is a non-profit organization that encourages actors, artists and musicians to volunteer their time and talent, as Muller did, to benefit children battling serious medical conditions. “We wanted to incorporate Mercedes-Benz into the exhibit as a way to thank them for their generous support of The Art of Elysium,” said founder Jennifer Howell.

When approached by Howell about how to weave Mercedes-Benz into the project, Muller said, “The only way that I’ll do that is if they sink a car underwater … Two minutes later it hit me; on my shoot list was to have a model descending from a car in a couture gown.”

Going against every automotive enthusiast’s sense of vehicular sanctity, Muller had the chutzpah to request a 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300 SL for the shoot, which the company (thankfully) declined to provide. Mercedes-Benz instead came back with a pre-production 2007 GL450 that fit Muller’s artistic vision.

Although submerging a 5,249-pound vehicle might sound simple given its considerable weight, it wasn’t. “I had to find the car, organize the logistics of a crane to lower the vehicle into the tank and arrange for the vehicle to be prepped for dropping it into the water,” said Mercedes-Benz spokesperson Larkin Hill. The pre-dunk prep was limited to flushing all fluids from the engine and transmission.

“After rigging up the GL450 to the crane, we dropped it in the tank and I jumped in with my gear to start shooting,” said Muller, who is a certified scuba diver and used a digital single-lens-reflex camera for the “Quiet” project. At first, the GL450 just floated and took some time to completely submerge. Its buoyancy made it so Muller didn’t have to rush to get shots. At one point, he even climbed on the roof to help speed the submersion process. “I alone was able to easily position the 5,000-pound vehicle for the shoot,” he said. At publication time Mercedes-Benz hadn’t decided what to do with the dunked GL450.

The shoot took place on Sept. 20 at a tank used for filming movies, television shows and commercials. The “Quiet” photos were on display at an exhibition at The Esquire House 360 in Los Angeles on Oct. 19.

Muller’s work can be seen on the pages of Glamour, Rolling Stone and Time Magazine; on movie billboards for X-Men 3: The Last Stand; on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium album cover; as well as in ad campaigns for Fila, Nike and Cingular, among others.
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@темы: Michael Muller, 2006

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Каталог минералов.

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@темы: поделиться

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Howard Unruh/Говард Унру

Убийца-психопат прожил свои 88 с Библией в кармане, 60 из них - в психиатрической больнице.
Школьное прозвище будущего убийцы.

"How"

The Woodrow Wilson High School yearbook from 1939 indicated that he was shy and that his ambition was to become a government employee. They called him "How." A check of his records revealed Bs and Cs for things like "health," "courtesy," and "personal impression." There was no evaluation of his intelligence, but his mental alertness was average.

многабукаф

fallbook.blogspot.com/2009/10/breaking-news-mas...

Monday, October 19, 2009
BREAKING NEWS: Mass-murderer Howard Unruh is dead
UPDATE 10/20/09: Sources say Howard Unruh's body has been claimed by an unidentified niece. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

~~~~

Howard Unruh, who has been called (somewhat errantly) "the father of mass murder," has died in the New Jersey mental hospital where he has lived since gunning down 13 people in Camden, N.J., in 1949. He was 88 and spent more than 60 years in the asylum.

He was not, in fact, America's first mass murderer, nor even the first one to snap, pick up a gun and start killing people. He was, however, a rarity, in that he didn't commit suicide after his rampage.

Charles Cohen, a 12-year-old boy whose parents and grandmother were slaughtered in Unruh's angry, 12-minute spree, became the most outspoken survivor of the so-called "walk of death." When Unurh was seeking less restrictive accommodations in the hospital, Cohen campaigned to keep him under the strictest control. He kept artifacts of the killings in an old suitcase and yearned for the day the seriously psychotic Unruh would be dead, so he could bury the suitcase -- and his memory. Alas, Cohen himself died at age 72 less than two months ago and was buried on the 60th anniversary of the shooting.

Ironically, Unruh was a WWII veteran who might now be eligible for a burial with full military rites. No services have yet been announced.

The story of Howard Unruh's rampage and Charles Cohen's extraordinary survival will be part of a 2010 book by Ron Franscell about survivors of mass killers.


www.dvrbs.com/people/CamdenPeople-CharlesSHance...

September 5, 1949

In this photo from the Camden Courier-Post, Detective William Kelly (left) and Officer Charles S. Hance stand ready to fire during he September 5, 1949 standoff between city police and Howard Unruh, who barricaded himself inside his apartment at North 32nd Street and River Road in Cramer Hill after shooting 13 people to death. More than 50 Camden policemen took part in the arrest.
misanthropia777.blogspot.com/2009/10/mass-murde...

Mass murderer Howard Unruh dies at 88
By Joseph A. Gambardello and Barbara Boyer

Inquirer Staff Writers

Howard Unruh, 88, who became the modern face of mass murder when he shot and killed 13 people in East Camden in 1949, died yesterday.

Unruh was never found competent to stand trial after the killing spree. He spent the rest of his life at Trenton State Hospital after being diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic.

He was hospitalized repeatedly in recent years. Authorities said he died of natural causes related to old age.

Unruh outlived many who witnessed his rampage, including nearly all the investigators and Charles Cohen, who spent his life waiting to hear that the man who murdered his parents and grandmother was dead.

Cohen, who was 12 at the time and hid in a closet during the spree, died last month and was buried Sept. 6, the 60th anniversary of the crime.

"It came six weeks too late," a tearful Marian Cohen said yesterday, adding that her husband believed his loved ones never rested in peace while Unruh was alive. "He waited and he waited. We talked about it so many times. . . . I feel his spirit with me."

Cohen said that, once Unruh died, her husband had planned to bury all the paraphernalia he kept of that day and to remember the dead with Kaddish, a Jewish prayer of mourning.

"Our thoughts are with the families of the other victims touched by this heinous tragedy," the Cohen family said in a statement released after hearing of Unruh's death. "We know that our family members and the other victims can rest in peace from this day forward."

Unruh's rampage in the 3200 block of River Road of Cramer Hill unfolded Tuesday, Sept. 6, 1949. At the time, it was known as the "walk of death." The 13 victims included three children.

Eventually, after Unruh exchanged shots with police, officers used tear gas to smoke him out of his apartment.

"I'm no psycho," the World War II Army veteran told police. "I have a good mind."

Experts have offered many explanations for Unruh's actions, all fitting what has become the textbook profile of a spree killer: Introverted. Narcissistic. Oedipal. Remorseless.

He had a fascination with guns, which apparently developed during the war. He served with the 342d Armored Field Artillery in Italy, Austria, Belgium, France, and Germany.

His Army commanders told reporters at the time that Unruh was a good soldier who kept to himself. Among recognitions, Unruh held a Good Conduct Medal and two bronze stars on his European medal for his battle participation. He didn't drink, smoke, or chase women, and took orders well, the commanders said.

Unruh's younger brother, James, told reporters he thought the war caused him to snap.

"Since he came home from the service, he didn't seem to be the same. He was nervous. He never acted like his old self," James Unruh said then.

Experts at the time said Unruh more likely had been suffering from mental illness before the war.

He was born Jan. 20, 1921, in Haddonfield. His parents separated and the children lived with their mother, Rita, in Camden.

An average student, he graduated from Woodrow Wilson Senior High School and then worked for Curtis Publishing Co. In 1942, he was employed briefly as a sheet-metal worker for the Philadelphia Naval Base until he enlisted in the Army.

He served with a self-propelled field artillery unit and sometimes served as a tank gunner. In 1945, he was honorably discharged.

He returned to live with his mother in Camden, where the two regularly attended Sunday services at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Unruh, born-again, participated in Bible study Monday nights as well.

He took college classes briefly and never held a job.

At home, Unruh listened to somber music, Brahms and Wagner, and constructed a range in the basement where he practiced shooting with a cache of guns he collected. Tall and lanky, he was considered weird by teens who teased him. Although Unruh, known as Junior, dressed nicely, he often wore his Army boots and clutched a Bible as he walked the neighborhood.

To get home, Unruh often cut through a rear yard owned by Maurice and Rose Cohen at 32d Street and River Road, where they ran the local pharmacy. He often had run-ins with the Cohens and other shop owners. Secretly, he plotted to kill them over two years.

After Unruh squabbled with Cohens about a backyard gate, he constructed his own gate that was wrecked by neighborhood boys on Sept. 5.

Unruh told police he planned his killing spree as he sat overnight in Philadelphia through three showings of a double feature - The Lady Gambles and I Cheated the Law.

In the morning, he had a dazed look, his mother later recalled. He threatened her with a wrench and she ran for help. Her son left with a 9mm pistol he'd bought in Philadelphia for $37.50.

Police said he walked River Road in a rampage that lasted 20 minutes, shooting through windows, at passing vehicles, and at pedestrians, and entering shops along the way.

Unruh stopped killing only when he ran out of ammunition, then retreated to his apartment. When police entered, they found Unruh's Bible opened to a passage that spoke of wars that would end the world.

Ron Dale, who still lives in Camden, was 8 years old and waiting to get his hair cut when he witnessed Unruh kill one of the victims. His father never let him attend court hearings, fearing Unruh would be released one day and go after those who helped keep him in custody.

"I figured he would die in there [prison]," said Dale, who is being treated for lung cancer and seemed unfazed by news of Unruh's death. "I'm too old to worry about it and too sick to worry about it. What are you going to do?"

In the state hospital, Unruh spent his time reading, including the Bible, watching television, listening to music, and playing cards. He was still regarded as a loner.

He had visitors over the years, including a fellow World War II veteran who died in 2001. Since then, his health steadily declined, and before his death, officials said, he was no longer lucid.

Unruh has no known survivors.
www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/m...
The Story Unfolds

Two people believed they had hit Unruh with a bullet -- the tavern owner and a police officer, but only when Unruh got off his chair after hours of questioning did anyone notice the bloodstain. He had been wounded in his right side but he was uncomplaining throughout the interrogation. He was sent to Cooper Hospital, the same place where the victims were being treated or placed in the morgue.

Howard Unruh in custody
www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/10/19/us/2009102...

There he underwent surgery for his own wound, but surgeons were unable to remove the bullet. That meant they could not determine who had actually shot him. (While the newspapers offer no answer in later reports, most accounts attribute the hit to Frank Engel.)


Two psychiatrists, Drs. H. E. Yaskin and James Ryan, were assigned to ask Unruh questions while he was still hospitalized at Cooper. What they learned would be compared with assessments by other professionals later, because it seemed clear that, regardless of his past record, he was destined for psychiatric treatment. They (along with reporters looking for Unruh's acquaintances) learned more about his background.

Unruh talking to police at hospital

Unruh was living with his mother, Freda, in a small apartment on River Road. He had a married younger brother living in Hadden Heights and his father, Samuel Unruh, was alive but estranged from the family. (Samuel had come to City Hall when he'd heard about the shootings.)

Howard Unruh school photo, 1939

Unruh had had an ordinary childhood and seemed to have been a well-behaved boy, although reportedly he was quiet and moody. He attended the Lutheran church every Sunday and studied the Bible. When he was of age, he enlisted in the army in 1942 to fight for America during World War II, but most people did not realize that this was not just a patriotic duty for him. It was also an experience of death that he painstakingly documented.


He took excessive care of his rifle and was a brave soldier as a tank gunner in Italy, Belgium, Austria, Germany, and France, taking part in the relief of Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. Whenever he killed a German, he wrote down the day, hour, and place. If he actually glimpsed the remains, he described the corpse in some detail, to the point where a fellow soldier who read the tight-lipped, Bible-reading soldier's diary was quite shocked. Unruh was honorably discharged in 1945. Like many soldiers, he returned home with medals and a collection of firearms.

He decorated his bedroom in the three-room apartment with military pieces. Berger writes that on the walls he had crossed pistols, machetes, crossed German bayonets, and photographs of armored artillery in action. Even his ashtrays were made from German shells.

Unlike other soldiers, he did not try to find a girlfriend and settle down, although for a few weeks prior to his enlistment he had dated a young woman who went to his church but he had ended this relationship by letter from overseas. After coming home, he mostly remained inside his mother's apartment, rarely going out and becoming increasingly more reclusive. She supported them both with her income as a packer for a soap company, although Howard had made and sold several model trains. For three months, he took pharmacy courses at Temple University in Philadelphia, across the river. He also went to church and attended Bible classes.

"I always thought of Howard as a soft-spoken young man," said the pastor of his Lutheran church. "He came to services regularly before the war. After the war, he came mornings and evenings regularly for about a year. About three months ago, he stopped entirely." The pastor's wife called Unruh "the mildest type of man you could meet."

Mrs. Pinnar, who had corresponded with Howard when he was overseas, said when he came back he was different. "He always appeared to be very nervous. He walked very straight on the street, his head rigid, never glancing to the right or left." She thought he was suffering from "war neurosis."

Unruh's brother, James, 25, said that Howard was a "born-again Christian" who had undergone a deep religious experience and had tried to live by the ways of Christ. Yet he'd become "nervous" over the past couple of months, according to statements James made to the New York Times. "He just seemed changed."

Another church member who visited him a month after he stopped going to church said that he exhibited strange behavior, believing that people were making things hard for him. This is precisely what Unruh's mother had been frightened about.

Unruh's primary recreation was collecting guns and target shooting in the basement. Eventually he stopped going out. Without a job, he just sat around the house, often thinking about his neighbors.

He kept a list of grudges against them, imagining how he would get his revenge. He felt that people in the neighborhood were slandering him, talking behind his back. Next to each offender's name he had recorded that particular person's misdeeds. Then he had placed the word "retal," short for retaliation. "I had been thinking about killing them for some time," Unruh commented. "I'd have killed a thousand if I'd had bullets enough."

Despite Unruh's claim that he had pondered all of this while at the movies, many people believed that the damage he saw to the gate when he came home from the theater was the final straw. Freda Unruh had sensed that morning that something terrible was going to happen. As she left the Pinnar's home that morning, according to them, she heard gunfire at a distance and went back in, crying, "Oh Howard, Howard, they're to blame for this." She asked for a phone to call the police, but before she reached it, she fainted. (Some accounts say a doctor revived her and took her to her sister's. Others say that the Pinnars revived her and she went back out.)

In sum, Howard Unruh appeared to be a quiet man who developed suspicions but kept them to himself, letting them simmer and grow into paranoid delusions. Now his fate was in the hands of a team of mental health professionals.

www.dvrbs.com/camden/CamdenNJ-HowardUnruh.htm
HOWARD UNRUH

First, let it be understood that this page is in no way an attempt to glorify Howard Unruh or the terrible things he did on September 6, 1949. If anything however, this page stands as evidence for each of us that "there but for the grace of God go I."

Howard Unruh has been described as "an odd, withdrawn 'mama's boy' in his neighborhood". He grew up in East Camden, attending Cramer Junior High School and graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in January of 1939.

Unruh served in the United States Army in Europe, and saw considerable combat. After returning home he became increasingly withdrawn. On September 6, 1949 the schizophrenia that had been manifesting itself unknown to his own family and his neighbors overtook him, and he killed 13 people in a shooting rampage that has been inaccurately described as "America's First Mass Murder".

Howard Unruh was never brought to trial, his mental condition being apparent to those who apprehended him. Sent to Trenton State Prison shortly after his arrest, he has been confined to a maximum security hospital for the criminally insane, and will remain confined for the rest of his life. This may well be considered one of the few times that the criminal justice system in New Jersey worked by its very un-involvement in the proceedings.

If there is any possible "silver lining" that can be found in this sad affair, is that the Unruh affair may have spurred the federal government to put additional resources into mental health care for the veterans that came home from World War II. Howard Unruh's rampage was arguably the culmination of a chain of events that had been taking place since the middle of World War II, evidenced by a series of suicides and suicide attempts by soldiers home on leave and discharged veterans.

Howard Unruh - 1939 High School Yearbook

www.dvrbs.com/ccwd-WW2/WW2-ThePriceOfFreedom.ht...
At the end of hostilities, hundreds of thousands of men and women came home. Most made a successful readjustment to civilian life. For others, the return home was harder, and the psychological problems of certain returning veterans began to attract the attention of the government. Probably the most notorious case would be that of Camden NJ native Howard Unruh, a combat veteran who developed paranoid schizophrenia, was not diagnosed, and went on a shooting rampage that left 13 people dead. The Veterans Administration reacted to the evident problems of America's veterans by enlarging the psychological and psychiatric services in its system of hospitals. For some, help came far too late.
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2259445544&v=wal...
Howard Unruh fan club
www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=...
Birth: Sep. 17, 1946
Death: Sep. 6, 1949
Camden
Camden County
New Jersey, USA

Murder Victim. Thomas was the ninth of thirteen persons killed by mass-murderer Howard Unruh in East Camden, New Jersey. Thomas was the nephew of entertainer Kay Hamilton and grandson of Joseph Hamilton, Camden's famed minstrel man. (bio by: Joann Genzano DeCastro)

Burial:
Calvary Cemetery
Cherry Hill
Camden County
New Jersey, USA

Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Joann Genzano DeCastro
Record added: Sep 29, 2003
Find A Grave Memorial# 7931561



И, кроме всего:
www.thex-files.ru/files/titlesnames.htm
4X02 Unruhe (Беспорядок)
По-немецки - "волнение", "беспорядок". На самом деле главным источником вдохновения было имя известного убийцы-психопата Говарда Унру (Unruh).

@темы: asylum, имя, X-Files, массовое убийство

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Supernatural bobby's car?

www.google.com.ua/search?q=supernatural.oscilla...

ecoli

Supernatural bobby's car?
in season 3 eppisode the magnificent seven (premire) of supernatural , bobby was driving a old car. what was it?
Report Abuse
4 years ago



Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
EDIT: There was no mention of the year of the car, but from watching the season premiere again, it sure looks like Bobby was driving this 1968 Camaro..just imagine it banged up slightly and really dirty.
You see a good view of the car when Bobby backs it into the diner to save Tamara from the demons.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1968ChevroletCamaroZ...



Bobby was driving a Chevrolet Camaro

www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Bobby_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Camaro
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4 years ago

Other Answers (1)

punk_in_...

Bobby's car was a '71 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, not a Camaro. The front bumper on the '68 Camaro goes into a V with the grille whereas on the Chevelle it shapes itself around the headlights before sticking out. The air inlets also start right at the front of the hood on the Chevelle, whereas they start further back toward the windscreen on the Camaro.
©

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Chevelle
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1971_Chevelle_SS396....

@темы: Bobby, 2007

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Лакросс

ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Лакросс
ukrsport.ru/main/sport/another/4222-lakross.htm...

www.lacrosse-information.com/lacrosse-equipment...
easypartytravel.info/
www.lacrosse-information.com/how-to-play-lacros...
www.lacrosse-information.com/lacrosse-tricks.ht...



www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD37zjJPerY&feature=rel...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a66Ra4TCNDc&feature=pla...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcgO3S63xII&feature=rel...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGZVOaYhioY&feature=rel...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpNC8juQM2Q&feature=rel...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAJuU5ORaOY&feature=rel...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq0_y-iMXlc&feature=rel...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvFEc6b4ZXA&feature=rel...

@темы: jensen ackles, дженсен экклз, лакросс

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Пронзительно.

I Am My Father's Son

Dedicated to my father, Billy Joe Rushing
Born September 20th 1930
and still going 80 years later.



I am my father's son..... The first time I heard this idiom it washed over me like an ocean wave on a rocky seashore.

Seemingly unaffected by the power of the wave, the huge rocky outcrops stand firm in their place, hard and rough. With time and exposure they are worn down, smooth and silky to the touch. In time, you can walk upon their warm surface bare footed, bringing you comfort instead of injury.

At first, I was unaffected by this pointed sentiment. For I did not see myself as my father's son. I find that I take after my mother in most things. It has been said of me that I am my mother's son. As a result, I admired the idiom but did not adopt it as my own.

Yet like the ocean waves that comes back again and again, I often found myself revisited by this phrase. With each visitation it would tackle me, tumbling me over and over. It's meaning washing over me soaking my whole being. Relentlessly reminding me, I am my father's son.

The older I get, the better I understand my father. In my youth I ran from him. Vowing to be better then him. Determined not be like him. But soon I had a wife and a son, then a daughter, then three daughters, and another son. Just like my father, I had a five children, three girls and two boys. There it was, whispering in my ears. I am my father's son.

The need to provide for this family began to weigh heavily upon my shoulders. I would work long hours and come home cranky. Often I would bark and be quick to anger. Sending children scattering to all corners of the house to avoid my short tempter. I would hide away and get lost in my own activities and thoughts. Present, yet not engaged. I am my father's son.

My dad loved to play baseball and taught me how to catch, hit and throw. It was one of the ways we spent time together. He was such a goof. He made baseball fun. Actually, he made everything fun. Whether it was a church picnic or watching the Dukes of Hazard. He would add the extra excitement that made you want to be there. When teaching me to catch he would wind up his arm really fast like a fan, then throw the ball like a bullet straight at me. The winding up was over exaggerated as part of the fun. He would say, "If you don't catch it, it will hit your nose," or " I'm going to hit your belly button, you better catch it!" Indeed, it was true. He was that good of a shot. I quickly learned how to catch.

Playing catch always became a drive down memory lane. Dad would tell me of his youth and how he played ball with his brothers. He loves to tell stories even today. Long drives are always made short by his musings. Stories in which he was always the hero. I love his stories. I could listen to them all day. Stories about his younger brother Elbe who was the best pitcher around. In fact, he had a chance to go pro, but was not able to because his father needed him home on the farm. Of course, my dad was the best catcher around. He was so good he was able to reach up and grab the ball, even before the batter could swing the bat. To hear my dad tell it, you would think the two of them were the whole team. There was no need for anyone else. He tells these stories with a sparkle in his eye and smile on his face. It is a joy to me to hear him reminisce.

It's funny, I now realize that I enjoyed baseball for his sake. As an adult, baseball is not one of my interests. History, music, literature and, philosophy, seem to be where I go with my children. I know what your thinking. For suddenly I am thinking the same thing. How boring! Baseball would be more fun. Indeed...... I admit, there are times in which I say, "I wish I were my father's son." Unfortunately, in this way my father and I are miles apart. He can't sing or play an instrument, can't read very well for he has severe dyslexia, a learning disability the flips numbers and letters around. He shuns away from public speaking and is not a deep thinker, yet he is more sensitive to others then I am. For the most part he is everything I am not. Yet, when I am strolling down Florida's garden trails or national parks with my children in tow, or driving home from a concert or waiting in the car with the kids while Diane does her shopping. I find myself driving down memory lane sharing a piece of my life with my children in stories where I am the hero. There I find myself thinking with humble pride, I am my father's son.

His love for story telling has given birth to mine. Where he was unable to put his stories to print, I am able. I wish to make up for his deficit. It is his love of life that has given birth to mine. For his stories are locked away in my memory. Despite the fact that he can not write, his whole life has been written upon the parchment of my heart. Ironically, I find that I strive to be more like him. Embracing who he is, and in the processes, discovering who I am.

My father has grown wiser and more tempered with age. He is not the man today that he was in my youth. I have watch the process of maturity work its magic in his life, just as it has in mine. I admire his simplicity and his ability to go with the flow. He does not seem to get as worked up emotionally as I do. He is faster to forgive and sees things that I can't. I admire his strength. Today, I look back at the foolishness of my youth and shake my head in regret. For I was stubborn and arrogant. I was sure I was better than him. Now, I wish I could compare to him.

The sharp, rough, and unpleasant memories that once caused me pain and embarrassment, driving my desire to be someone more accomplished, are now smooth and silky. A sources of reassurance, bringing comfort to my life's journey. Warming my feet as I walk.

I am my father's son!

ABR

Post sсript

My Father is now in the arms of my savior. He died Thursday 3/31/2011 around 11:30 PM. He did not see his 81st birthday. I was proud of him when I wrote this, and I am prouder still in his death.

I am still my fathers Son!

@темы: поделиться

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SO HERE'S THE REST OF IT. 2

©
Some other things about Jensen you might want to know:


Short Takes
Jensen Ackles (Eric) has landed an endorsement deal for national company Lindenwold Fine Jewelers, based in Canton, Ohio. It entails several photo shoots and a number of trips over the course of the year. He's particularly excited about an upcoming trip to Canton, the home of the Football Hall of Fame and its annual festival. Ackles will also attend the first game of the NFL season, in which the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "I can't wait!" admits the football fan. "Lindenwold is also flying three of my buddies in with me. We're going to have a ball!"
Just Like Dad
How did Jensen Ackles (Eric) choose his career? Well, at one time he considered working in computers like his older brother. But then he decided to follow in someone else's footsteps. "My dad's done really well for himself as an actor," says Ackles, whose father, Alan, works in radio and commercials in the Dallas area, and has shown his son the advantages of his chosen career. "He was there for me when I was young because he was an actor," Jensen explains. "He didn't have a nine-to-five routine like other fathers, so he came to my football games and spent a lot of time with me and my brother and sister." Looking back, Ackles believes that he, too, made the right choice. "I see now why my father stuck to it," he says. "It's a challenging career, but it also gives you something very valuable - time. There aren't many jobs that give you that freedom."
HOOPING IT UP
Jensen Ackles (Eric), seen recently sporting a new summer 'do, likes the shorter hair because it's "easier to keep in the heat" and dries faster after post-game showers. Ackles fills some of his away-from-the-set time playing on the Hollywood Knights basketball team. Comprised of celebrities from TV, local radio, film and stage, the Knights play against local high school teams to raise funds for their schools. "Bryan Dattilo (Lucas) told me about the team," says Ackles. "It's great fun, and I like to feel I'm able to help out." Thyme Lewis (ex-Jonah) is a regular team player, too. Of course, once Jim Reynolds (Abe) heard of Ackles' hoop prowess, he immediately recruited him for the Days team that plays to raise funds for Reynolds' son's high school. Reynolds' wife, Lissa, heads the women's team that annually plays a quickie game during the men's halftime.
Up Close & Personal
Late Night With Jensen

It's midnight - do you know where your favorite soap star is? Well, Jensen Ackles (Eric), for one, is probably just getting to bed. Although his usual wake-up time is around 6 a.m., Ackles is a night owl who just can't get to sleep if he hits the sack to early. "I'll go to bed, but usually end up watching The Tonight Show," he admits. He adds that he's a very light sleeper and has to have a fan on in his bedroom to drown out annoying night sounds. "Cars in the distance - or even crickets - will keep me awake if I don't." Once he's out, though, he's really out. "When that alarm goes off in the morning, I'm in a deep sleep," he reports. "There's no way music will wake me up, so I have to set the alarm to the irritating beeping sound. That gets me right out of bed."
Jensen Ackles (Eric) recently experienced two big firsts - he visited San Diego for the first time and, while there, met his girlfriend Lisa's parents."We drove down from L.A. on Thursday night to beat the traffic for the weekend," Ackles says. "We got in kind of late, but her parents were waiting up. So we hung out in the kitchen and talked and talked until we all went to bed." The couple made it to the beach and spent some quality time with Lisa's family, but never got to visit the world-famous San Diego zoo. "We decided to stay away from the crowds," he explains. So, um, how did meeting Lisa's parents go? "They were very nice and receptive, so it was cool," the handsome young actor reports with a smile.
Jensen Ackles (Eric) picked up an unusual nickname on the set of Days after receiving his Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Younger Actor. "Everybody on the set has been calling me 'Nominee'," he reveals. "I don't have a name anymore - it's just, 'Hey, Nominee! You're on the set!' It's funny." Well, there are worse things they could be calling him, right? "That'swhat I've been told," Ackles concedes with a grin. "But they're having fun with it and so am I."
Love Status: My girlfriend, Lisa Rideg. She's a social studies major at UCLA and graduates this summer.
What's Your Sign: Pisces
Favorite Bedroom Attire: Silk boxers
Sexiest Feature: I get the most compliments on my eyes. They say there's mischief and knowing in them.
What Puts You In The Mood?: Candlelight. It's so soothing and relaxing.
To Feel Sexy, I Put On: A suave yet playful attitude. That puts out the signals.
Favorite Sexy Movie: When A Man Loves A Woman. There's a scene at the beginning when Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan pretend they don't know each other even though they're married. It was a great scene - sexy.
Sexiest Woman Alive: Ashley Judd. I'm a big fan.
Personal Definition of Sexy: When I'm feeling confident, when I know that the feelings are mutual.
This summer It's revealed Eric had a gay lover in Colorado..... say it ain't so!!! (from SOM)

Eric saved a young runaway from getting in trouble. Madison (played by Jensen's friend and country star Lee Ann Rimes)

Jensen Ackles (Eric) has been putting in many weekend appearances on the road - everywhere from Garwood, New Jersey, to Columbus, Ohio - but one upcoming trip will allow him to mix business and pleasure. "I'm going to Dallas," says the actor, who calls Texas home. "I'm doing some promotional stuff. I've got news interviews and I'm going to do Good Morning, Texas, Planet Hollywood and then I'm doing a big autograph signing at Nordstrom's in the mall. Then I have the rest of the weekend off." So what's he going to do with his free time? "I'll kick around with the family and friends," he says with a smile. (from SON)
Love Status: Single
Biggest Extravagance: Electronics of all kinds - stereos, TVs, computers, games, everything. Just don't ask him to fix anything!
Pets: A pound puppy named Dallas
Favorite Actor: Harrison Ford
Favorite Actress: Meg Ryan
Favorite Book: The Bible
Favorite Food: Pasta, preferably with red meat sauce
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Vacation Spot: Colorado's Rocky Mountains. He loves to ski and hike.
Favorite Spectator Sport: Football
Favorite Participant Sport: Football and horseback riding
Favorite Junk Food: Granola bars
Favorite TV Show: Party of Five
Favorite Movie: Good Will Hunting
Favorite Time Of Year: Definitely Christmas - the holidays, the cold, the lights, the spirit
Favorite Saying: "If it happens, it happens. If not, it wasn't meant to be."
Favorite Charity: Young Life. It's a Christian organization for high school teens, a youth ministry. They offer outings and ski trips, and have a camp.
Most Unusual Job: Except for helping his uncle with his moving company, he's never had anything but acting jobs.
Most Treasured Possession: A necklace. When his best friend was killed by a drunk driver, everyone in our circle had his initials tattooed on their ankle. Being in acting, he made a beaded necklace in his honor instead. It's blue, his favorite color, and black.
Greatest Fear: Changing who he is. Becoming too Hollywood.
Greatest Wish: To have a wonderful family of his own.
Pet Peeves: People leaving things out where they don't belong.
Professional Goal: The big screen.
Personal Goal: Falling in love, finding a life mate.
Best Personal Trait: Patience
Worst Personal Trait: Putting off doing his laundry.
Role Models: He looks to his dad a lot.
What Makes Him Angry: Running late, getting caught in traffic and being delayed.
If I Wasn't Acting, I'd Be: He'd be in school studying sports medicine.
Most Embarrassing Moment: He was about 13 at the time, doing a photo shoot for a catalog on the Southern Methodist University campus. The jeans were about three sizes too small, so they cut out the back and opened the leg - it looked fine from the front but the back was missing. Suddenly, the period bell rang, and students flooded out of every building as he stood there with my rear end hanging out. It was not a fun moment!


From Shadysha

@темы: имя, DOOL, интервью

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©
www.rubyfoxgraphix.com/images/JENSEN_jpg.jpg

I've always enjoyed sketching, and started drawing at a young age. I loved drawing guitars,
funnily enough, and animals.

About two years ago I discovered drawing using Adobe Photoshop. This is done by using a Digital Tablet.
I use the Wacom Graphire4. The surface of the tablet becomes the "paper" and the special magnetic pen
becomes the "pencil". Anything "drawn" on its surface is transferred to the canvas within Photoshop.

I've done a handful of portraits this way. Just click on the thumbnails for a larger view.


Visit the Wacom site for more info on tablets

@темы: арт, jensen ackles, дженсен экклз

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SO HERE'S THE REST OF IT.

©

Jensen Ackles Chat on CompuServe (7/30/97)

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: Hello and welcome to Days of Our Lives' Conference with Jensen Ackles (Eric Brady) ! I am DeLina Cruz ( "Dee" ), your host and one of the Soap Forum's DAYS Section leaders! I am very glad you've joined us tonight!!

Now for some background on our guest! :-)

Every once in a while, Hollywood is blessed with a very down to earth person, who is incredibly talented and just happens to be very good looking. Such a person is Jensen Ackles. Upon arriving in Los Angeles in July of 1996, Jensen immediately booked a guest appearance on SWEET VALLEY HIGH, followed almost immediately by a series regular situation on MR. RHODES, creating the role of Malcolm Butterworth. The demise of MR. RHODES only allowed Jensen to move to yet another level -- creating the role of Eric Brady on the ever-popular daytime drama DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Jensen is excited about joining such a popular soap opera. "It's overwhelming and cool! I've started watching the show and getting the storylines down. I'm slowly but surely getting up to par." While attending an Actor's Workshop in Dallas, Texas during the spring of 1995, Jensen was noticed by two talent managers -- Craig Wargo and Gordon McCormack of Talent Management Associates, Inc. -- and an agent -- Michael Einfeld of the Robert Cosden Agency-- and as they say the rest is history. The trio encouraged Jensen to consider a move to Los Angeles after graduating high school to pursue a career in film and television. After much thought, Jensen decided to give LA a try and has not looked back since. Jensen is a graduate of Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas. His parents, Donna and Alan Ackles still reside in Richardson, along with brother Joshua, age 22 and sister Mackenzie, age 14. Jensen comes from an "acting family" where his father, Alan Ackles is a professional and has appeared on numerous episodes of WALKER TEXAS RANGER and DALLAS as well as movie-of-the-weeks, THE CHALLENGER and GUILTY OF INNOCENCE. Alan has done several national commercials, print and industrials films. Jensen began his Dallas at the age of 4 doing print work and commercials, including Nabisco, Wal Mart and Radio Shack, to name a few. Jensen played the role of Michael in "Wishbone," a series for PBS. While at Berkner High School, Jensen played the role of Tony in WEST SIDE STORY and Christian in CYRANO DE BERGERAC.

In his spare time, Jensen likes to play golf, go roller blading with friends, at the gym, or just to hang with his friends from Texas. Let's have a great time tonight!

Evelyn: Impressive!

Caren: Very impressive

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: So when did you know that you wanted to be a actor??

Jensen Ackles: It didn't come as a decision. it just sort of grew on me.. when I got the part on Mr. Rhodes, I still wasn't sure..

Caren: is eric going to be like sami or carrie?

Shannon : gee, hope that didn't hurt!

Kelly: LOL

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: Well, don't have that growth removed

Shannon : ROFL!

Jensen Ackles: it was fun.. then as the year progressed, and I got the part on DAYS, I thought, "If I can make a career out of this, why not?"

LUCY: we are glad you joined the family

Jensen Ackles: Well thank you very much.. I'm very excited about it..they're a cool family to join!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Shannon, you have a question?

Shannon : Sure do Dee! Thanks!! Hi Jensen! I'm thrilled that you've dropped in tonight to chat with us! My question is , who do you like to work with most on the show, and why?

Jensen Ackles: Tough question..

Shannon oops, sorry! But is there one?

Jensen Ackles: I'd have to say Deidre Hall, because she's so experienced..

Mary: Welcome to the cast of DOOL!

Shannon Oh, I bet!! what's she like??

Jensen Ackles: she carries the scene so well, I just feed off of her when we're working together.

Shannon This conference is to be formal in nature. If you have a question, please type a *?* and you will be called on in turn. Please limit your turn to two questions each turn.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Thanks Sha

Shannon you bet, Dee! :-)

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Eve, you are up.

Evelyn: Welcome Jensen, it is a pleasure to have a chance to chat with you! First off, I want to say you really held your own in your first scene with Deidre, and Drake. Were you intimidated?

Jensen Ackles: I was a little intimidated before I ment them, knowing that I was working with them first off the bat, but when I met them, they were very welcoming and very genuine and welcomed me right into the family and made me feel at home. It was easy working with them, but there was a little intimidation working with such established actors, hoping that I wouldn't bust a line in front of the queen of DAYS.

Evelyn: Well you came off like a pro!

Dee [eHost/DAYS] | Are you doing your own typing Jensen??

Stephanie [eDrive]: Tonia is typing for Jensen

Evelyn | LOL!!!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Kel, next question.

Jensen Ackles Thank you very much. Couldn't have done it without my costars!

Evelyn: YOu are doing a great job so far!!

Jensen Ackles: Thank you!!

Evelyn: Welcome!

Kelly: Hi Jensen thanks for being here! How did you enjoy doing west side story and would you like to do more musical theater in the future? if so, which plays?

Jensen Ackles: I loved it -- it was a complete thrill to get up in front of 1500 people and sing in a lead role for the first timever. I was nervous, but I was very happy. It was a rush. I would love to do more. You can't just mess up and say "cut" and re-do a line.. it's all on the line. Oh gosh... off the top of my head -- Phantom, Les Mis, Miss Saigon, etc., etc.

Kelly: How about Grease?

Evelyn:LOL

Dee [eHost/DAYS]:Caren, you may ask the next question.

Jensen Ackles: I would love to do Grease!

Kelly: I hope u get the chance, thanks!

Jensen Ackles:

Caren: Hi Jensen,How do you like working with Christie Clark and Allison Sweeney? Which one do you like better?

Jensen Ackles: I love working with them..I haven't had a chance to work with Christie a lot, but both of them are very sweet girls. I would be content with working with either one of them any day.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: | Diane, you may ask Jensen the next question.

Diane: Hi Jensen! Boy, that's a great name you have, especially for acting! Were you a watcher of soaps before now? Which do you like to act in better, soaps or TV?

Jensen Ackles: I didn't watch soaps regularly.. my mom watched AMC since I was born, so I grew up with that in the house. Primetime TV is a whole different ballgame.. daytime is much quicker, primetime is slower and you have comic relief in it. It's more laid back.. But I like daytime better because you get to establish your character better.

Diane: We're glad to have you on the soaps-thanks!

Kelly: yes!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Lini, you have the next question.

Lini: Hi Jensen and welcome, I have not had a chance to catch you on Days yet, so I was wondering where has Eric been all these years? I do remember him being in Colorado but lost the rest. Sorry will catch the show the rest of the week

Jensen Ackles: Eric has been in CO living with his grandparents (Marlena's parents). He's been growing up, going to school, doing all those Colorado things -- skiing, hiking.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Eve, you are up for the next question.

Evelyn: Hello again Jensen. Where were you when you found out you won the coveted role of Eric, and who did you tell first?

Jensen Ackles: I was here in Los Angeles..when I found out, I think I called my roomate first -- and then I called my parents.

Lini: I knew he was in Colorado but could not remember with who, forgot about Marlena's parents, thanks for the update

Jensen Ackles: Anytime, Lini.

Evelyn: LOL Parents were a second!

Shannon: | of course, Eve! LOL!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Mary, you have the next question.

Mary: Will u be on DOOL for awhile?

Jensen Ackles: I hope so!  I'll be on as long as you keep writing in.. the more letters the better!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Sha, you are up next.

Shannon: | Jensen, if you could be any Deli sandwich, what kind would you be, and why?? ( I had to ask a silly question--they've all been too serious!! (HUSH, KEL! ) )

Kelly: rofl!

Evelyn: ROFLMAO

Shannon: | heehee!!

Lucy: ROFLMAO!!!

Evelyn: You are crazy Sha!

Kelly: well at least it wasn't a boxer's or briefs question

Evelyn: LOL

Shannon: | No, I was saving that question for YOU, Kel!

Lucy: LOL, Kel

Kelly: Meanie!

Mary: Hey Jenson

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Well, since you ask the question Kel.......

Stephanie [eDrive]: you stumped him Sha!

Kelly: LOL!

Jensen Ackles: That's a tough one..

Lucy: would you like to answer that one Jensen?

Shannon: | yeah, KEL, ya did!! LOL Steph!

Evelyn: LOL

Shannon: | aw, give it a shot, Jensen!!

Evelyn: Poor Jensen!

Kelly: Discerning minds wanna know

Evelyn: We have scared him!

Jensen Ackles: I'd be a fresh Turkey sandwich. Why? Because it's the first thing that came to my mind. Or maybe because I'm hungry.

Shannon: | ROFL!!!

Evelyn: ROFL! Good answer

Lucy: LOL, Jensen

Evelyn: ROFL! Good answer

Lucy: LOL, Jensen

Diane: Good answer! I love turkey!

Shannon: | Me too Diane!!

Stephanie [eDrive]: LOL Sha!

Shannon: | Okay, and which is it Boxers or Briefs???

Kelly: Shannon! ROFL

Jensen Ackles: Shannon: Briefs during the day, boxers when I go to sleep.

Evelyn: ROFL! There you go Sha!

Lucy: ROFL

Diane: ROFL Jensen!

Kelly:

Shannon: | ALL RIGHT!!! A Man who likes Both!! Thanks for answering that, Jensen! :-)

Marja: So much for formality . Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Mary: ROFL

Shannon: | ROFL Marja!

Mary: Kelly u really have a good sense of humor ROFL

Kelly: thank u Mary

Mary: No Problem! You're making me P- - in my pants!

Shannon: | ROFL!!Thanks for being such a good sport! ;-D

Yoko: Hi Jensen, you are really a breath of fresh air on DOOL. Now is Roman really Chris and is this another bad joke by Stephoenix??? Will Lucas turn

Jensen Ackles: I'm not really sure.. we'll just have to wait and see.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Lucy, you have the next question.

Lucy: Like your sense of humor. Have you been involved with Stef?

Jensen Ackles: I'm not involved with Stefano...yet. Stay tuned!

Evelyn: Ah, a.....YET!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Eve, you are next.

Evelyn: OH!

Caren: oh, don't say that,

Lucy: thanks, I will stay tuned

Evelyn: Do you have any clue what secret you have?

Caren: I hope you won't be involved with him!

Jensen Ackles: No, I have no clue.. I've even asked the producer, and he told me I will have to wait and see.

Evelyn: Don't you hate that!

Caren: I do,I really wanted to know what it is

Evelyn: Me too!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Mary, you have the next question.

Mary: Do u have an address where we can write to you?

Stephanie [eDrive]: You can write to Jensen at: DAYS OF OUR LIVES c/o NBC 3000 West Alameda Ave, Burbank, CA 91523

Mary: Thank U Stephanie!!!!!!

Stephanie [eDrive]: Write to Jensen and tell him you were at his chat and he'll write back a real nice letter to you.

Mary: Thank u Steph! Your're a doll!

- Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Marja, you have the next question.

Marja: A lot of actors who have never done soaps look down their noses at the medium. How are you finding it? What do you particularly like, and what don't you like so much? What would you like to do next?

Stephanie [eDrive]: he just started Marja...why are you trying to have him move on

Jensen Ackles: Most of the people I talked to were excited for me when I got the part. I don't surround myself with people who think they're above soaps.

Marja: (sorry - that was not the intent of my question)

Jensen Ackles: It's not that I can't take criticism, it's just that I don't like to surround myself with stuck-up people.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Jensen, there is a rumor floating around that your character is the father of baby Elvis (Susan's baby). Any insight??

Jensen Ackles: LOL -- that's the first for me! I haven't heard that one yet.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Anything is possible on a soap!!!

Caren: neither have I where did you hear that?

Evelyn: Jensen, you must surf the boards!! Many rumors going on!

Stephanie [eDrive]: Jensen shared with us that he doesn't go on the computer but his mom and brother do!

Marja: What do you like best about your new job?

Jensen Ackles: Making new friends and working with other talented actors and actresses.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: | Lini, you have the next question.

Lini: When you come into a role like this, one already created, do they have you read background on the character and the ones they will be playing with like Sami, Carrie, Marlena?

Jensen Ackles: They really didn't.. I had to figure it out for myself. I asked people.. Drake Hogestyn sat me down and gave me the history of the Brady clan. It was very helpful.

Lucy: Drake is sooo sweet

Caren: he is!

Lini: I bet because some times I think the fans remember more than the writers

Jensen Ackles: I think they do too, Lini.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Mary, you have the next question

Mary: How old are u? Where you from?

Jensen Ackles: I'm 19, from Dallas TX

Caren: You are very cute,Jensen

Mary: I agree with you Caren.

Jensen Ackles: Thank you very much Caren

Lucy: a lot of us here are oldtimers, any time you have a question ask

Jensen Ackles: Will do, Lucy

Kelly: do u like older women? sorry

Jensen Ackles: I like all women in general

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Kel, you have the next question. Or was that older women question the question??

Evelyn: Good Answer Jensen!

Evelyn: ROFL Kelly!

Stephanie [eDrive]: LOL

Shannon: | Oh Kel!! PUH-LEEZ!

Kelly: well steph took my question...so let me ask what do u think about cyberspace and would you enjoy coming to see us all again?

Evelyn: Good Question Kelly

Kelly: thanks eve!

Jensen Ackles: I think it's fun.. yeah, definitely!

Kelly: great!

Caren: cool

Evelyn: ::applause::::

Stephanie [eDrive]: we'll have him back anytime he wants to come!

Kelly: okay book him Danno

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Sha, you have the next question

Evelyn: ::more applause:::

Shannon: | I promise to be goot this time! Jensen, if you were offered any other part on DAYS, which would it be and why?

Jensen Ackles | Hmmmm....

Shannon: | oops!! goot=good!

Evelyn: ROFL

Kelly: LOL

Jensen Ackles: I think it would have to be John Black, because he's the knight in shining armor. I like his chivalrous character.

Evelyn: Another GREAT ANSWER Jensen!

Shannon: | Oh, that's kewl!! thanks for your answer, Jensen!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Caren, you have the next question.

Caren: Would you ever choose to be a bad guy or do you like being a good guy?

Lucy: good role model Jensen, he does strawberry and whip creams scenes well

Evelyn: Lucy!!!

Jensen Ackles: I like being a good guy, but being evil could definitely be fun and different.

Evelyn: LOL

Lucy: sorry

Shannon: | ROFL Lucy!! and I thought I was the 'only' baaaad one here!

Evelyn: Sure you are!

Stephanie [eDrive]: You shared some info with him Lucy that he was not aware of! LOL!

Evelyn: ROFL

Evelyn: Now we have scared him!

Lucy: did I lose him

Stephanie [eDrive]: he's liking John Black more and more now

Evelyn: What stories he will have to tell at the set!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Mary, you have the next question.

Mary: Jensen, do u have any future plans on being in a movie?

Jensen Ackles: Not yet, Mary, but hopefully soon.

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Diane, you have the next question.

Diane: got any hints for us for the coming weeks???

Jensen Ackles: BIg changes.. lots of excitement!

Diane: Cool!!!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Can you be specific, Jensen???>>

Diane: Pretty please??

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: With sugar on top.

Kelly: or whipped cream

Evelyn:

Jensen Ackles: Be on the lookout for the Carrie-Austin-Sami storyline..

Evelyn: ROFL

Lucy: >Jensen is going to go to work asking Drake about the whipped crean and strawberries

Kelly: LOL Lucy

Stephanie [eDrive]: Remember that Jensen stated earlier that he is going to be in some scenes with Stefano

Evelyn: YOu are right Lucy!

Kelly: Eric will never think of mom the same way again

Evelyn: ROFL

Lucy: ROFLMAO

Evelyn: Thanks for the reminder Steph

Diane: Maybe Stefano will find out his secret!

Lucy: must have been a naughty boy in CO

Evelyn: Leave it to him to find it out!

Lucy: something's got to open the door for Stef connection

Shannon: | Because time is getting away from us, we will close the queue, but please stay and enjoy the rest of the evening!

2qt2bstr8: If you could only act with one other actor - male or female - for the rest of your life...whom would you choose?

Evelyn: Good question 2

2qt2bstr8: evelyn.... thanks

Evelyn: YOu are welcome

Jensen Ackles: 2qt: Actress Meg Ryan, because she's just amazing -- and actor Harrison Ford, because he's just awesome, and he reminds me of my dad.

2qt2bstr8: I think most 19 year old males might choose Meg!

Stephanie [eDrive]: And for those that didn't know....Jensen's dad, Alan is an actor too!

Kelly: neat! he must be very proud of you Jensen

2qt2bstr8: Does the bad grammar on the show bother you at all? And, is it the writing or the actor's ad-libbing?

Jensen Ackles: The actors ad lib, but sometimes there is an occasional writing error.

Lini: thanks for coming and answering our endless questions Jensen

Evelyn: Good choices

Shannon: | Eve, do you have a question?

Evelyn: Jensen, how long is your contract for?

Jensen Ackles: 3 years, Evelyn.

Shannon: | kewl, Jensen!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Yea!!!!!

Evelyn: Great!! Looking forward to getting to know you!

Caren: cool

2qt2bstr8: I am sure the man who portrays Stephano is a nice person....so have fun with him, Jensen

Diane: Hooray!

Dee [eHost/DAYS]: Mary, what's your question?

Mary: Jenson, how did u feel when u went to the audition for Days?

Jensen Ackles: Like I didn't have a chance in the world, knowing that they were casting out of LA, Chicago and NYC.

Caren: Jensen,would you like to play austin?

Evelyn: Wow!! How thrilled you must have been !

Jensen Ackles: Caren, I don't know.. I don't like talking to myself.

Kelly: LOL

Caren: LOL

Evelyn: ROFL

Stephanie [eDrive]: LOL!

Caren: lol

Shannon: | LOL!!

2qt2bstr8: Well.... I am in the French West Indies for 6 months and won't see you on the show until NOV...great luck and break a leg.

Jensen Ackles: Thank you very much 2qt!

Diane: Well, all the characters seem to talk to themselves in this show!

2qt2bstr8: bon soir!

Caren: Eric doesn't

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: LOL

Lucy: not yet

Evelyn: Yet

Diane: True, Lucy

Lucy: wait until his secret start to come out

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: Will your character have a love interest??

Shannon: | I kinda think that DAYS should have a brother murdering his sister, don't you??

Evelyn: YOu keep doing what you are doing Jensen!! WE love you already!

Jensen Ackles: Gee, I can't wait

Kelly: LOL Sha

Lucy: Jamie's sould be coming back, interested?

Mary: I can't wait to see more of you in the coming months!

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: Wait for the love interest or the murdering of the sister?

Caren: Jensen,I hope you have fun on the show and keep up the good work- I think he should kill Sami!

Jensen Ackles: I talked to the producer about that.. for right now, I'm going to be involved with some other storylines, but perhaps they will bring someone else in down the line.

Kelly: Yes, if you ever leave DAYS some day, Jensen, come to AMC your mom would love it

Jensen Ackles: Kelly, yes she would!

Diane: Or go to GH, that's where they all go!

Shannon: | I do too Caren!

Kelly: LOL Diane!

Lini: LOL Diane

Evelyn: True Diane!

Kelly: I would too

Shannon: | that would be interesting, wouldn't it, Diane??

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: Hey, Jensen. Can you do me a favor??

Evelyn: Uh-Oh! Beware Jensen!

Lucy: be good Dee

Lucy:

Shannon: |

Jensen Ackles: Dee, what??

Stephanie [eDrive]: behave Dee

Evelyn: LOL

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: Can you give Josh Taylor a BIG WET KISS and tell him Dee in San Antonio sent ya!!!

Evelyn: DEE!!!!

Kelly: roflmao!

Caren: ohh

Shannon: | ROFL Dee!!

Lucy: we should have known it! ROLFM@O!

Diane: Oh my!

Stephanie [eDrive]: LOL Dee

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: What can I say!!

Jensen Ackles: Dee, I will give him a hug!

Caren: you are great,Jensen!

Lucy: my computer is getting steamy again

Evelyn: She is over board for him Jensen!

Kelly: LOL

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: OK, we Texans need to stick together!!!

Jensen Ackles: That's right (note southern accent). Texas Pride, baby!

Evelyn: LOL

Mary: Jensen, I just want say that you are great,and I look forward on seeing a lot of you.

Stephanie [eDrive]: Alright-- thanks everyone!

Evelyn: Thanks Jensen!

Caren: thanks Jensen

Kelly: Jensen thanks for joining us this evening! you've been a wonderful sport!

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: | I'll pick a Yellow Rose for ya Hon!!!

Kelly: ::applause::

Lucy: Thanks so much Jensen, we had lots of fun

Dee [eSoap/DAYS]: We want to extend a special thanks to the incredible eDrive staff, who helped make this conference possible: Michael Bolanos [President & CEO], Stephanie Seplow, and Tonia Raebiger.



Also, we'd like to extend our thanks to Christa Ryan [Sysop], Kelly McGlynn [Forum Manager] DeLina Cruz ("Dee") [eSoap/DAYS Section Leader]//Host, Shannon Patton [eSoap/GL]//Queue Keeper, and Lini Federici [eSoap/GH] //Greeter. Entertainment Drive's eSoap Forum (GO ESOAPS or GO SOAPFORUM) is the preeminent place in cyberspace to talk about your favorite shows with other soap fans. You can also get the inside gossip on stars, download photos, and keep up-to-date on everything pertaining to daytime drama! Check out the biography and photos of our guest Jensen Ackles (and other DAYS stars) in Library 10. Download files Ackles.TXT, Ackles1.JPG, and Ackles2.JPG.

@темы: Deidre Hall, DOOL, интервью, 1997

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Закрытая запись, не предназначенная для публичного просмотра

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Pottery Barn.

www.stroymart.com.ua/ru/publications/2697/

Pottery Barn: мебель, которую приятно покупать

2006-11-09 10:24:44
История этой торговой сети полна парадоксов. Сеть называется Pottery Barn (можно перевести как «Гончарный сарай»), но не имеет ни малейшего отношения к керамике, а ее стильные магазины и шикарные интерьеры на страницах ее каталогов никак нельзя назвать сараями. В начале 90-х владелец хотел избавиться от нее как от малодоходного и убыточного предприятия, а сейчас Pottery Barn приносит ему основную прибыль - более $1 млрд. в год. Сеть Pottery Barn оказалась основателем нового стиля и признается специалистами зачинщиком настоящей революции на американском рынке товаров для дома. Наконец, в последние годы Pottery Barn успешно продает достаточно дорогие товары тем, у кого обычно есть деньги только на карманные расходы, - детям и подросткам-тинейджерам. Все началось с дивана В 1949 году в Нижнем Манхэттене открылся небольшой магазинчик, где продавалась стильная, комфортабельная и очень качественная мебель, изготавливаемая малыми сериями в собственных мастерских компании по проектам ее собственных дизайнеров. В то время Pottery Barn ориентировалась в основном на состоятельных консервативных клиентов, которым предлагались дорогие, красивые и высококачественные изделия в традиционном староамериканском стиле XIX века или же мебель, изготовленная по известным европейским образцам. Этот бизнес не приносил очень больших денег из-за узости рынка, однако компания получала достаточно приличную прибыль и постепенно росла. В середине 80-х годов у нее уже была мини-сеть из 21 магазина в ряде крупных городов США и довольно значительные производственные мощности, позволяющие самостоятельно выпускать в требуемых количествах стильную мебель по оригинальным проектам. В 1986 году этот период спокойного и медленного развития завершился тем, что Pottery Barn приобрела калифорнийская компания Williams-Sonoma, специализирующаяся на продаже по каталогам и через собственную розничную сеть профессионального кухонного инвентаря, столовых приборов, деликатесов и кулинарных книг. В начале 80-х Чак Уильяме, основатель компании (она была создана в 1956 году), решил расширить область своего бизнеса и приобрел еще пару фирм, производящих и продающих товары для дома, в том числе и Pottery Barn. Поначалу у Чака Уильямса не было особых причин считать эту инвестицию удачной. Прибыли Pottery Barn снижались еще с конца 70-х годов, а после вхождения в состав Williams-Sonoma этот неблагоприятный процесс ускорился. Основными проблемами Pottery Barn были узость ассортимента и постоянно сокращающаяся рыночная ниша. Дорогая мебель, выдержанная в стиле середины века, в конце 80-х казалась безнадежно устаревшей, а у американских «новых богатых», «поднявшихся» в период рейганомики, были иные вкусы, чем у их отцов. Появление в продаже стильного кухонного инвентаря и посуды под брендом Pottery Barn исправить ситуацию тоже не помогло. Несколько лет подряд Pottery Barn приносила одни убытки. Попытка Williams-Sonoma продавать ее товары по каталогам полностью провалилась: в 1991 году объем продаж через этот канал составил всего лишь $14 млн. Чак Уильямс всерьез подумывал о продаже сети, но на нее пока не находилось покупателей. Чтобы найти свое новое место в изменившемся мире, надо было измениться самому, и катализатором этих перемен в Pottery Barn неожиданно стала 27-летняя Хилари Биллингс, принятая в компанию в 1991 году на должность директора каталога Pottery Barn. В качестве некоторого отступления отметим, что в Williams-Sonoma выпуск каждого каталога (тогда их было пять: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Hold Everything — полки и шкафы, Gardeners Eden — садовые товары, продан в 1999 году, и Chambers — дорогое постельное белье) осуществлялся отдельным подразделением, директор которого сам контактировал с производственниками, самостоятельно принимал решение о включении товаров в каталог, полностью отвечал за его дизайн и содержание, заключал договоры с фотографами, копирайтерами и дизайнерами. Иными словами, Хилари Биллингс была предоставлена большая степень свободы. И она ею воспользовалась. Как впоследствии вспоминала Хилари Биллингс (Fast Company, ноябрь 2001 года), думая о том, как сделать товары Pottery Barn более продаваемыми, она внезапно поняла, что у американцев в то время существовал очень скудный выбор возможностей для того, чтобы обставить свой дом. На массовом рынке безраздельно главенствовал т.н. «американский» стиль — функциональный, «стерильный» и стандартизованный. Красивая мебель стоила очень дорого, а чтобы подобрать себе всю обстановку, надо было обращаться в дизайнерскую фирму и снова тратить огромную сумму. Между этими двумя крайностями была пустота, и Pottery Barn стала одной из первых компаний в США, которые сумели ее заполнить. Первым опытом Хилари Биллингс было включение в каталог расширенной серии недорогих, но стильных ковриков из копры (кокосового волокна), и они вдруг превратились в один из самых популярных товаров. В следующем выпуске появились выдержанные в том же стиле простые занавеси из хлопчатобумажной ткани на металлических прутьях, которые также имели большой успех. В течение всего 1991 года Биллингс экспериментировала с различными предметами обихода, а в начале следующего года поместила на обложку очередного каталога оригинальный, красивый, качественный и недорогой диван. По словам Хилари Биллингс, это было сигналом того, что компания избирает новую стратегию, переориентируясь на средний класс. Выбор именно дивана в качестве головного продукта новой серии не был случайным. «Диван - это не просто деревянная рама с пуфиками, стоящая у стены в комнате, — говорила Хилари Биллингс, давая интервью Fast Company в 2001 году. — Обычно это первый предмет меблировки, который вы покупаете. Диван ассоциируется у людей с отдыхом, покоем и домашним уютом, и они хотят видеть в нем нечто большее, что просто функциональные качества». Диван от Pottery Barn разительно отличался от того, что до этого было представлено на американском рынке мебели. Он был очень дорогим на вид, на фотографии в каталоге он был помещен в шикарные апартаменты в доме стоимостью в миллион долларов. Однако его стоимость составляла только около $1 тыс., что выводило его в средний ценовой сегмент. С этого момента и начался подъем Pottery Barn. Диван оказался рекордным хитом во всей ее истории, и с 1992 года компания целиком перешла на новый стиль, предназначенный для новой аудитории. В 1995 году объем продаж по каталогам Pottery Barn достиг $100 млн., а Хилари Биллингс заняла пост вице-президента по дизайну и развитию ассортимента (в 1997 году она ушла из Williams-Sonoma и затем дважды повторила свой успех с Pottery Barn в компаниях W Hotels и RedEnvelope; сейчас она считается одним из лучших мерчандайзеров США). Бизнес в новом стиле Как потом говорили американские специалисты в интервью разным изданиям (например, MSN, январь 1999 года, Money Magazine, июль 2000 года), Pottery Barn и ее быстро появившиеся подражатели совершили настоящую революцию на американском рынке товаров для дома. Потребители получили возможность широкого выбора товаров достаточно высокого качества с выдающимся дизайном и относительно невысокой ценой. Это вызвало резкий подъем спроса на мебель и предметы обстановки. По данным Barnard's Retail Trend Report (MSN, январь 1999 года), в 1997 году американцы впервые потратили на товары для дома больше, чем на одежду и аксессуары ($296,3 млрд. против $277,9 млрд.). Согласно оценке консалтинговой компании WSL Strategic Retail, в 1999 году оборот американских магазинов, специализирующихся на мебели и домашнем декоре, достиг $77,3 млрд., что на 51% превысило показатель 1989 года (Money Magazine, июль 2000 года). Однако Pottery Barn была все-таки первой компанией, заложившей основу новой тенденции, и именно ее бренд стал ассоциироваться с новым стилем. Покупка мебели и сопутствующих товаров в Pottery Barn символизировала стремление окружать себя простыми, красивыми и удобными вещами, жить интересно и со вкусом, ценить уют, комфорт и домашний очаг. Это идеально отвечало стремлениям повзрослевших яппи 80-х годов — остепенившихся, создавших семьи, научившихся ценить простые радости жизни, хотя и не избавившихся при этом от некоторого снобизма и любви к красивым вещам. Впрочем, по отзывам наблюдателей, в магазинах Pottery Barn можно было встретить покупателей из различных слоев населения — одиноких молодых людей, желающих стильно обставить свою квартиру, семейные пары, ценящие уют, жителей сельских районов, ищущих возможность за один визит в мебельный магазин полностью обновить всю обстановку (Ноте Textiles Today, сентябрь 2001 года). Благодаря расширению ассортимента в начале 90-х компания могла удовлетворить все эти потребности. Она предлагала покупателям мебель, коврики, занавеси, постельное белье, покрывала, посуду, светильники, различные предметы декора. При этом порядка 70% своего ассортимента Pottery Barn изготовляла самостоятельно, силами собственных производственников и дизайнеров, что позволяло ей гибко реагировать на изменение спроса и потребностей, а также упрощало связь между всеми участниками производственно-сбытовой цепочки. Бизнес Pottery Barn стремительно разрастался. Тираж каталогов к 2000 году достиг 80 млн., чему немало способствовало и проведенное Хилари Биллингс кардинальное улучшение их дизайна. По отзывам потребителей (Catalog Age, июнь 2001 года), при ней каталоги стали больше похожими на рекламные развороты журналов — с изысканными интерьерами, высококачественными цветными изображениями, завлекательными текстами, написанными квалифицированными копирайтерами. В оформлении каждого каталога выдерживался единый стиль, что касалось не только изображения, но и дизайна товаров. Цвета обивки мебели, ковриков и занавесок менялись в соответствии с модой текущего сезона, а сами товары ежегодно сменялись новыми. В каждом очередном выпуске, как правило, полностью обновлялись фотографии, даже если там должны были появиться те же товары, что и в прошлом квартале. По словам Криса Уэббкера, шеф-дизайнера каталога Williams-Sonoma, это делалось для того, «чтобы каждый раз представлять наши продукты с новой стороны» (Corporate Design Foundation, 1998 год). Знаменитый диван Хилари Биллингс в 1992 году появился на страницах каталога раньше, чем в магазинах, однако впоследствии равновесие между прямыми продажами и ритейлом было восстановлено. В течение 90-х годов Williams-Sonoma быстрыми темпами расширяла сеть магазинов Pottery Barn. В 1999 году их было более 120 по всей территории США (во всех сетях Williams-Sonoma к тому времени было около 280 магазинов). Каждый магазин Pottery Barn отличался оригинальным дизайном, для их оформления привлекались известные специалисты. Например, интерьер около 60 торговых точек, открытых в 1994—2001 годах, создавал известный нью-йоркский дизайнер и архитектор Бадди Родс. Трудами его и его подчиненных каждый из магазинов не был похож на другой, но был оформлен в общем стиле. Торговые залы площадью в 400-700 кв. м напоминали очень большие жилые комнаты, в них было много пространства, что позволило избежать того впечатления захламленности и тесноты, которое производит большинство мебельных магазинов. Отдельные группы предметов меблировки и декора были расставлены в «естественном» порядке и представляли собой готовые фрагменты жилых комнат. В цветовой гамме (свет, отделка стен, покрытие пола) преобладали теплые тона — медово-желтый, светло-коричневый, темно-оранжевый. Магазины Pottery Barn вообще не были похожи на современные магазины: в них возникало ощущение комфорта и домашнего уюта. С 1994 года в сети Pottery Barn стали открываться дизайнерские студии — магазины с большей площадью и более широким товарным ассортиментом. Кроме того, в них были предусмотрены специальные «рабочие места» для посетителей, оборудованные монтажными столами (а впоследствии и компьютерами), за которыми покупатели могли самостоятельно составить план комнаты или всего дома и разместить мебель и декор от Pottery Barn, пробуя различные варианты. Подобные решения, возможно, повышали затраты Pottery Barn на аренду относительно больших помещений, однако это помогало создавать в магазинах сети уникальную атмосферу и свой оригинальный стиль. Кроме того, интерьеры Родса и других известных дизайнеров и архитекторов неоднократно получали различные награды, о них писала пресса (например, Metropolitan Home, American Home Style, Home, Architectural Digest), что повышало престиж Pottery Barn и обеспечивало ей бесплатную рекламу. В середине 90-х годов объем продаж Williams-Sonoma превысил $1 млрд., и более половины от этой суммы приходилось на Pottery Barn. Сам бренд получил широкую известность, и руководство компании решило, что для ускорения роста следует распространить его на новые товарные группы. Все лучшее - детям И вновь руководство Williams-Sonoma смогло найти свободную нишу: на американском рынке хватало детской мебели, но не было ни одного бренда, который бы специализировался именно на этой группе товаров. Такой бренд был создан и получил название Pottery Barn Kids. Новая стратегия компании основывалась на четкой тенденции роста расходов на детские вещи. В 90-е годы в США появился многочисленный класс «массового благосостояния» — высокооплачиваемых профессионалов среднего возраста, вкладывающих свободные деньги в быстро растущие в цене ценные бумаги. Как правило, представители этого слоя поздно обзаводились детьми, но зато могли тратить на них значительные суммы. По подсчетам Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, если в 1980 году американцы купили различных детских вещей (не считая одежды, обуви и игрушек) на $850 млн., то в 1999 году этот показатель достиг $5,4 млрд., увеличившись на 11% по сравнению с предыдущим годом (Shopping Centers Today, декабрь 2000 года). Значительная доля этой суммы пришлась на детскую мебель, и вот на часть этого быстро растущего рынка собралась претендовать Pottery Barn. Подготовка к запуску началась в 1998 году. В течение нескольких месяцев была создана большая серия детских товаров — стульчиков, кроваток, шкафчиков, ковриков, занавесок, светильников и т.п. К началу 1999 года был подготовлен экспериментальный каталог, который планировалось выпустить тиражом всего 500 тыс. экземпляров и распространить среди уже существующих клиентов, занесенных в базу данных компании. Эту рассылку предполагалось повторить в конце весны и осенью. Однако запуск нового бренда с самого начала шел со значительным опережением плана. При подготовке детской линии Pottery Barn придерживалась тех же принципов, что и в своей основной деятельности. Ее продукция отличалась фирменным дизайном, высоким качеством и была доступна для достаточно широких слоев населения, варьируясь от светильника в виде бабочки за $40 до детской кроватки из клена за $799. Товарами, представленными в каталоге, можно было обставить всю детскую комнату. Наконец, сам по себе каталог детской мебели был совершенно новым явлением и поэтому вызвал неподдельный интерес. Уже в 1999 году каталоги Pottery Barn Kids были изданы тиражом 9 млн. экземпляров и принесли около $50 млн. После этого руководство Williams-Sonoma решило открыть в 2000 году 7 тестовых магазинов по продаже детской мебели и сопутствующих товаров. Товарооборот в них был настолько велик, что в 2001 году открылись еще 20 торговых точек. В 2000 году в Pottery Barn было реализовано еще два проекта. В апреле был выпущен новый каталог Pottery Barn Bed & Bath, через который продавались различные текстильные изделия, относящиеся к среднему ценовому сегменту, а в августе начал свою работу Интернет-магазин www.potterybarn.com. Williams-Sonoma вышла на рынок электронной коммерции намного позже большинства других американских ритейлеров, создав свой первый сайт только осенью 1999 года. Как сообщили представители компании, задержка была вызвана тем, что Williams-Sonoma стремилась достичь высокой степени технического совершенства и удобства для потребителей и поэтому ждала, пока не будут созданы соответствующие системы и программное обеспечение (Business First, сентябрь 2000 года). Объем Интернет-продаж в целом был достаточно скромным, однако руководство Williams-Sonoma вполне обоснованно рассудило, что потраченные на создание сайта средства не пропали зря. По состоянию на конец первой половины 2000 года 34% Интернет-клиентов компании не значились до этого в ее базе данных, так что Интернет позволил Williams-Sonoma расширить число потребителей, а также продвинуть свои бренды в районы США, не покрытые сетями магазинов. Появление Pottery Barn Kids и Pottery Barn Bed & Bath позволило резко увеличить объем продаж компании. Если в 1999 году валовой доход Williams-Sonoma составил $1,38 млрд. (из них $505 млн. пришлось на продажи по каталогам), то в 2001 году этот показатель достиг $2 млрд., из которых более 65% пришлось на Pottery Barn и ее суббренды. Правда, прибыль и в том, и в другом случае была почти одинаковой — около $65 млн. Основной причиной относительного снижения прибыльности Pottery Barn был спад, начавшийся в экономике США в 2001 году. Кроме того, быстрое расширение привело к тому, что производственные и дистрибуторские мощности компании стали отставать от оборота, из-за чего выросли накладные расходы. Наконец, значительные средства вкладывались в развитие, а это тоже уменьшало прибыли. В широких объятиях бренда Впрочем, для генерального директора Williams-Sonoma Дэйла Хилперта это было не более чем временной трудностью. Несмотря на экономический спад, компания не отказалась от своих планов по расширению торговых сетей Pottery Barn (за год появилось 10 новых магазинов, что довело их число до 146) и Pottery Barn Kids, открыла три магазина в Канаде, а также продолжила подготовку к запуску на рынок нового бренда West Elm, ориентированного на молодых людей от 25 до 35 лет со средними или ниже средних доходами. По словам Дона Кербера, аналитика компании WR Hambrecht, товары West Elm представляли собой «80% от качества Pottery Barn и 60% от ее цены» (Business Week, июнь 2002 года). Первый каталог West Elm был отпечатан в апреле 2002 года тиражом в 680 тыс. экземпляров и принес относительно неплохой результат. Уже в июне выпуск был повторен, чтобы расширить покупательскую базу. Специалисты в целом настороженно отнеслись к появлению нового бренда, отмечая, что компания, продавая аналогичные товары по низкой цене, рискует нанести ущерб своим остальным торговым маркам, в первую очередь Pottery Barn. Правда, при этом те же аналитики отмечали, что Williams-Sonoma старается развести эти бренды как можно дальше друг от друга. В каталогах West Elm был представлен намного менее широкий ассортимент, чем в Pottery Barn, к тому же там делался упор не на мебель, а на аксессуары, наподобие подушек или свечей. Кроме того, под маркой West Elm компания стала продавать предметы мебели, которые надо было самостоятельно собирать, — вещь, немыслимая для Pottery Barn. Пока что все эти товары можно приобрести только по каталогу или через Интернет, хотя в этом году планируется открытие первого тестового магазина West Elm. В 2001 году в компании была проведена серия мероприятий, направленная на совершенствование системы поставок. Благодаря применению современных информационных технологий управления дистрибуцией и оптимизации организационной системы в звене поставок, складские запасы за год удалось уменьшить на 12,3%, а производительность труда в системе поставок — повысить на 16%. Работа компании была еще более децентрализована, и каждый бренд превратился в самостоятельный «центр прибыли», ведущий свою маркетинговую, дизайнерскую и сбытовую политику. Вследствие этого принятие решений было «приближено» к конечному потребителю и сделало бизнес более гибким. Наконец, в ассортименте Pottery Barn была увеличена доля товаров собственного производства, что сделало компанию еще более независимой от сторонних поставщиков. Все эти изменения сказались уже в следующем году, когда прибыль Williams-Sonoma выросла почти вдвое по сравнению с предыдущим 2001 годом (до $124,4 млн.), а объем продаж достиг $2,3 млрд. Как отмечали специалисты, трагические события 11 сентября 2001 года и усиление экономического кризиса в США не оказали негативного влияния на бизнес Pottery Barn, скорее наоборот. В последнее время американцы проводят больше времени дома, опасаясь больших скоплений людей, и обращают больше внимания на интерьеры. Кроме того, понижение процентных ставок в 2001—2002 годах позволило многим домовладельцам рефинансировать свои ипотечные кредиты на более выгодных условиях. Часть сэкономленных таким образом денег также была потрачена на приобретение предметов домашней обстановки. На 2003 год был запланирован еще один крупный проект Pottery Barn Kids. Видя огромный успех этого бренда, компания решила сделать логичный шаг и запустить на рынок линию Pottery Barn Teens, ориентированную на подростков. Эта ниша представлялась еще более выгодной, чем детская. По данным Teen Research Unlimited (PRNewswire, 20 марта 2003 года), около 40 млн. детей и подростков от 10 до 19 лет в 2001 году потратили $125 млрд. собственных денег и оказали непосредственное влияние на трату еще $245 млрд. на ведение домашнего хозяйства. В то же время предложение мебели и прочих товаров домашнего обихода, ориентированных именно на подростковую аудиторию, оставалось явно недостаточным. Пробный каталог Pottery Barn Teen был выпущен ограниченным тиражом 21 апреля 2003 года. Товары, представленные в нем, делились на пять групп: мебель, коврики, светильники, постельное белье и покрывала, аксессуары. При создании этих продуктов были применены те же испытанные методы, что уже используются в Pottery Barn и Pottery Barn Kids, — сочетание высокого качества и средней цены, оригинальный дизайн, высококачественное оформление. По словам Лауры Элбер, президента Pottery Barn Brands, учитывались специфические требования подростковой аудитории, поэтому внешнему виду каталога уделялось особое внимание. Эстетика и язык издания воспроизводили стиль молодежного журнала, в оформлении продуктов использовались образы популярных в молодежной среде артистов, киноперсонажей и героев комиксов, некоторые предметы мебели можно было самостоятельно «достроить» в соответствии со вкусами покупателя (например, на торцах и дверцах шкафов, спинках кроватей предусматривались обтянутые тканью панели, на которых можно было что-то нарисовать или что-нибудь к ним приклеить). Кроме того, в конце каталога были напечатаны тесты типа «найди свой стиль» и «комнатный» гороскоп. Если все пойдет нормально, в 2004 году должны появиться и магазины Pottery Barn Teen. Сейчас Pottery Barn вступила в тот счастливый период, когда бренд завоевал популярность и ассоциируется с определенным стилем и образом жизни. Теперь задача Williams-Sonoma заключается в обеспечении экстенсивного роста — дальнейшем расширении сетей магазинов (в 2002 году было открыто еще 56, из них 14 Pottery Barn и 25 Pottery Barn Kids), освоении новых региональных рынков, зарубежной экспансии (в прошлом году было открыто еще 3 магазина в Торонто). Сочетание приемлемой цены и стильного дизайна — всегда удачная стратегия, и компания, которая успевает первой реализовать ее в своей рыночной нише, обречена на успех.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery_Barn
www.potterybarnkids.com/
itunes.apple.com/ru/app/pottery-barn-catalog-vi...
www.shopstyle.com/browse/living?fl=r143


forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?show...
forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?s=d1...
I wouldn't necessarily think a guy who likes Pottery Barn is gay, just that maybe he went shopping too often with his mother.

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Движение

@темы: что

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Exclusive Interview with Traci Dinwiddie. Eclipse Magazine

INTERVIEW: Traci Takes on Supernatural- An Exclusive Interview with Traci Dinwiddie

Posted by M R Reed on September 14, 2008

in Hollywood Insider,Television

Traci Dinwiddie

“Whether she’s flirting with the boys or conjuring spirits, she works it unapologetically, with the bold fierceness of a total rocker chick!”
That was Traci Dinwiddie’s response to my question about what drew her to playing the role of psychic Pamela Barnes in the Supernatural season 4 opener ‘Lazarus Rising’ which will be airing on the CW Network Thursday September 18th at 9PM EST.

Supernatural, the hit Warner Bros/ CW Network series now entering its fourth season, stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean Winchester – two brothers who have spent their lives being trained by their father to save people by hunting down and killing all manner of supernatural entities and creatures while at the same time tracking down the Yellow-Eyed demon that killed their mother when Sam was baby and Dean was four: a demon with plans for Sam, who seems to be endowed with mystical powers of his own, to become the leader of an army of demons released from hell.

The climatic ending of season two left the Yellow-Eyed demon dead and Dean bound in deal in which he would trade his soul into hell in one year’s time for having his brother Sam, who had also been killed, brought back to life. The chilling finale of season 3 saw Sam facing down a new demonic threat named Lilith and Dean having to make good on his deal and have his soul plunged into an abyss of torture as a heartbroken Sam could do nothing but cradled Dean’s lifeless hellhound ravaged body.

Season 4 of Supernatural picks up four months later with Dean climbing out of his grave having been taken out of hell and put back into his fully restored human body with no clue how it happened. After hooking back up with his brother Sam and their friend and fellow ‘hunter’, Bobby Singer (played by Jim Beaver who enters his 3rd season in the role of this highly popular recurring character) they head off to find some answers.

Enter, Pamela Barnes whom Bobby Singer describes as ‘the best damn psychic in the state.’

Eclipse Magazine caught up with Traci Dinwiddie, the vivacious and very talented thirty-four year old brunette actress who has taken on the role of psychic, Pamela Barnes.

The first thing that Dinwiddie reveals to us is that she knew about Supernatural because she had heard of it and seen some funny Youtube blooper vids and loved them. She has since moved on into being a true fan of the series. “I am now the proud owner of the box set of the first 2 seasons,” she tells us and then, her voice lowering conspiratorially, she makes a huge confession about how she has to watch them. “I had to watch them during the day. I’m better at doing the spooking than being spooked!”

To illustrate her point, Traci Dinwiddie draws on a personal story from her teenage years that had me thinking ‘now this is my idea of someone who would have been way cool to hang out with’ and could immediately see why Dinwiddie felt right at home in the setting of Supernatural.

“You might or might not find this funny but, as a teenager, I used to scare the crap out of my cheerleading squad during camp and late night storytelling as I would pretend to channel evil spirits. I even got sent home from sleep-overs, TWICE, for freaking out the birthday girls with my wild stories and portrayals of demons. At last, I have found my home in Supernatural.”

Dinwiddie’s character of Pamela Barnes is, as described, a psychic and we asked if this posed any challenge to her and what kind of research she did for the role to prepare for taking on the task of playing someone who talks to spirits. “Usually, I go with the writers’ intent,” she explains in regards to the question about research. “It’s a respect thing, in TV.” However Dinwiddie does have personal knowledge of tools employed by psychics and tells us that she uses Tarot cards regularly for meditation purposes, which she says helped to give her something of a personal nature to add to the character of Pamela Barnes. “I am also familiar with stories of the Fox Sisters. Evidently, they put on a grand show! You know of them?”

Even with her feeling at home in the world of Supernatural, I asked Traci Dinwiddie what was the most challenging aspect for her in playing the role of psychic Pamela Barnes in Lazarus Rising. Her answer was very enlightening.

“If I told you, Eric Kripke would have me hunted down and hanged from my toenails!”

Oh my!

I think that pretty much tells us that Supernatural fans and viewers have something really exciting and big to look forward to in the upcoming season 4 series premiere, so moving right along now to what Dinwiddie could tell us about her experiences working on Supernatural she said that the thing that was the biggest surprise for her was finding out where the hit series was filmed at.

“I actually did not know that Supernatural was filmed in Vancouver, so it was a pleasant surprise to finally get to check out “Van” as the locals call it.”

The Tricks and Treats of Working on Supernatural

Traci Dinwiddie as Pamela Barnes meets up with the brothers
Winchester and Bobby Singer

It would appear that Supernatural stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, who play Sam and Dean Winchester, are fast becoming an ‘urban legend’ all on their own for what seems to be a growing notoriety concerning their penchant for playing pranks on guest stars.

Dinwiddie tells us that she was forewarned that Jared and Jensen are quite the pranksters. “I stayed on alert for any of their mischief,” she says with a smile then relates to us a funny story of how she came to realized she might have become a bit too paranoid about waiting on the two known pranksters to spring one of their tricks on her.

“One night when I returned to my hotel room to find the radio blasting some static and the bathroom trash can placed on top of the toilet with water running in the sink. I thought no they couldn’t have gotten into my room, could they? I called the front desk and found out that it was just that the maid had not turned down my room properly. What a trip!” Traci tells us with a laugh over how the boys managed to ‘get one over on her’ without even having to do a thing.

Of course now that we’ve possibly given Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki new ideas on how to pull pranks on guest stars just by psyching them out, I asked Traci what her experiences were like actually working with the two lead pranksters…err I mean lead actors of Supernatural.

This question elicited a wicked smile from the beautiful Dinwiddie as she told me with instructions to ‘insert wild Jane of the Jungle roar here’: “Let’s just say I would happily indulge in a Supernatural Sandwich consisting of equal parts Jared and Jensen.”

LOL!

After advising Traci Dinwiddie that she could actually get a decidedly G-Rated one of those by participating in a Creation Salute to Supernatural Convention this coming November, we moved on to talking more seriously about working with what she described as two very talented and dedicated young actors and working with the equally talented and dedicated Jim Beaver.

“All jokes aside, Jared and Jensen are terrific fellas, just great guys all around but let’s not forget Mr. Jim Beaver. He was actually my favorite buddy on the set,” Traci says with fondness very evident in her voice over this newly made friendship. “He even took the time to have a nice dinner with me on our day off.”

Yet, so far for Traci Dinwiddie the biggest ‘treat’ of all has been the feed back she has gotten from the fans of Supernatural since it was announced that she was going to be guest starring in the role of psychic Pamela Barnes.

“The Supernatural fans have rocked my world,” Dinwiddie tells us with appreciation in her voice. “I’ve received some nice fan mail here and there over the years, but nothing like this. By the second day of shooting, my mailbox was full of messages through my website and myspace from Supernatural fans. I was blown away!”

Dinwiddie says that what really has surprised her the most was the overwhelming and kind responses to her being a woman in her 30′s and also a stage actress. “I even had two drummers write to me that found out I play djembe and asked if I would be drumming in the show. I told them to write to Eric about that!”

Traci Dinwiddie says that this, so far, positive feedback and acceptance of her into the role and the show has come as another pleasant surprise. She told me that, as far as the discernment factor among Supernatural fans, that yes she has heard that the fans could be quite opinionated concerning female cast coming into the show.

“Honestly, I don’t blame them for wanting their favorite show to feature fine acting and not just a pretty face,” Dinwiddie offers in understanding of where the fans are coming from. “I think it is very encouraging to see so many people digging the idea of having a strong chick in her EARLY 30′s sharing the plot with their boys.” Dinwiddie goes on to temper this a bit with what is also a very pragmatic outlook about how quickly the acceptance could change. “All of that being said the true test will be on September 18th when the episode airs and fans see my work in it, eh?”

So what next for the lovely Traci Dinwiddie now that Lazarus Rising is set to air?

“Well…dare I say- I’ll be tied up most of October, shooting a recurring on your very own ‘Supernatural’. Also, audiences may see an entirely different expression of me as I play Catherine, a fresh-faced midwestern mama, in the feature film “The 27 Club” with Joe Anderson.”

Traci Dinwiddie is also currently looking into co-producing a feature film and tells us that she’s already got one mysteriously magical film in the works with her dear friend and fabulous Stop Motion Animator, Michael Granberry. She and her manager are reading scripts day and night but that audiences can see her in various completed projects as well. “I’m playing the lead in several films that are heavy hitters on the film festival circuit right now, so we’ve become utterly inspired while attending several screenings.”

Dinwiddie promises that more will be revealed about her upcoming projects, and that Eclipse readers will be one of the first to know about them and about new updates on her recurring role in Supernatural season 4.

Meanwhile Supernatural viewers and fans can take a look at Traci Dinwiddie as Pamela Barnes in a sneak peek teaser for Lazarus Rising and can watch the full episode as Supernatural season 4 premieres Thursday, September 18th at 9PM EST on the CW Network.

Check out Traci Dinwiddie’s Official Site

@темы: Traci Dinwiddie, 2008, интервью

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MySpace (“Что это? Порносайт?” © Дин Винчестер ^_^)

Jason Manns


www.myspace.com/mannsmusic

@темы: Jason Manns, музыка

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Штамповка.

www.famouspeoplebiographyguide.com/actor/jensen...
current.com/1r9eo4c

What Religion Is Jensen Ackles ?

Jensen Ackles is a Protestant Christian and grew up attending a Protestant church. Jensen Ross Ackles was born on March 1 in Dallas, Texas. His parents belonged to the conservative Christian community. His mother, Donna Joan Shaffer, and father, Alan Roger Ackles, attended church regularly so he grew up in a religious way.


However, he claims that he is not very religious himself and yet respects where he came from. His father was a stage actor in Dallas and that is how Jensen got interested in acting and decided that he would become an actor.

Jenson Ackles talks very little about his religion or religious beliefs and values that he carries. He has always maintained that he likes to lead a simple lifestyle because he has been brought up in a simple way. And, there was a lot of discipline in his growing up years so he is very punctual and even ritual about certain things in life.

For a common man, a famous and rich person would seem to be living life really the king’s size. Well that notion is wrong in most cases and many Hollywood actors right from the most famous ones to everyone else in the industry live very simple and grounded lives. Very few people in Hollywood party everyday and spend money just for pleasure. Actually a lot of youngsters are very responsible in their behavior, attitude towards work, life and money. Several of them even think they should get married and have kids or start their own family. Even Jenson Ackles has the same values and expects to pass on the same values he was brought up with to his children.

Jenson Ackles.

Рядышком статейка о том, что он женат на Стефани Вэар.
www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Stepha...
www.youtube.com/user/stephanieackles
www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_wank/111236...

Насмешили категоричные утвержденияо ритуалах в его жизни, приправленные пунктуальностью и строгим воспитанием. Без обьяснений - просто монстр и робот. Религиозная семья. Да, каждый раз, возвращаясь домой, он продолжал по воскресеньям ходить в церковь.
conservative Christian community, ну не в такую же общину:
directory.ic.org/21333/Conservative_Christian_C...

О голливудских нравах - песня.

@темы: personal life

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Английский генератор девизов на латыни.

www.inrebus.com/latinmottogenerator.php

Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword she seeks peace, but peace only under liberty, Massachusetts state motto).

@темы: латынь, поделиться

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Bangtown Hair Saloon - Vancouver, BC

www.downtownvancouver.com/directory/hair_salons...
www.bangtown.ca/


www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8k6IqHPK3E&NR=1
Saloon - Vancouver Film School (VFS)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyLwIUrJmPQ&feature=cha...
Salvador - Vancouver Film School (VFS)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=typwHq2cy98&feature=rel...
A Conversation with Hollywood Sound Vets, Perry Robertson and Scott Sanders

@темы: VFS, ванкувер

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Языки и словари.

inostran.org/index.php

@темы: словари, ссылки

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Watch Supernatural Online

www.cucirca.com/2009/06/21/watch-supernatural-o...
June 21st, 2009
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Watch Supernatural Online

Created by Eric Kripke, “Supernatural” paints the thrilling and terrifying journey of two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester. Twenty three years ago, a mysterious and demonic force sent their mother to glory… Subsequent to that tragedy, thick as thieves by the same destiny, they were raised by their father to be soldiers. At first, having enough of the harsh trainings, Sam, the younger son, left home in order to lead a normal life, away from the supernatural, and to follow the Law School. But life is not all roses and, at a given moment, Dean paid a visit to his brother to tell him that their father, John Winchester, disappeared.

The “Supernatural” adventure begins with the two brothers’ departure in search of the man who trained them to be warriors against evil and of the demon that killed their mother. As they travel across the country in a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala, their journey is interrupted by a lot of strange events, the real embodiment of urban legends and myths, supernatural creatures such as werewolves, vampires and ghosts. During these fights against evil, Sam discovers he has a series of paranormal abilities… As if that weren’t enough, a demon in this supernatural, but real world has a plot with Sam in its center. After they get the scent of the demon, a bloody battle leads to a tragic denouement. Dean makes the ultimate sacrifice, exchanging his soul for his brother’s life, but the “Devil’s Gate” opens momentarily, releasing several demons… neither more nor less than three hundred of very powerful demons.

Dean’s clock is ticking, but the two continue their journey, fighting the supernatural wherever they go: changelings, cursed objects, malevolent spirits, vampires or witches… Scary just got sexy and fear became a luxury on Cucirca.com

@темы: кино, онлайн, Watch Supernatural Online

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@ Homer & W Pender downtown

Вчера, 31 марта, там снимали Суперов.

forum.ncix.com/forums/?mode=showthread&forum=19...
LATEST TOPICS | FORUMS » MODERATED » IS W.PENDER AND HOMER ST SAFE?...

Subject: Is W.Pender and Homer St safe?

Author Date Posted Tools

Artem_M
Rating: 64 | Rated by 7 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 12:25 AM Reply | Bookmark
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Is area around W.Pender and Homer St intersection (Vancouver downtown) considered a safe place or is it a part of the infamous "East side"?

Thank you.

Topic URL: forums.ncix.com/forums/topic.php?id=1545237
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bag
Rating: 596 | Rated by 27 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 12:32 AM Reply | Bookmark
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It's pretty much on the border. Thou as long as you're not walking down the dark alleys and stay on streets with cars, you're pretty much safe. Just don't flash your gold watch and fur coat around. Anyone wearing normal clothes even brand name stuff is fine.

That area is near some nightclubs too.

I've been around Downtown Eastside a bunch of times late at night, as long as you're not hostile or obnoxious no one will bother you. There are a bunch of chinese cultural clubs that happen within these areas.
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jakeelwood
Rating: 5787 | Rated by 2012 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 02:16 AM Reply | Bookmark
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Its downtown, eastside yes but, you are far more likely to get into trouble with the drunk idiots coming out of the nightclubs than the hobos down there.
Downtown is really a very safe place actually. The outer edges like around metrotown or new west are much more dangerous places.
Downtown you need to be worried about having your motor bike ripped off while you are not home, not bodily harm type crime.
Just try to look like you know where you are going at all times and that you belong wherever you are.
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Soundwave
Rating: 3637 | Rated by 273 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 02:24 AM Reply | Bookmark
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www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/police/Planning/Report...

Actually according to the VPD downtown in general has some of the highest crime rates in Vancouver (not the GVR) When compared to crime rates from many of the the GVR city websites (just do some google searches, pretty easy to find this info) you will find that downtown Vancouver is still a fairly high crime rate. Not as bad as Surrey no... but places like New West are still over all better rated.

But that being said, in general, its not that bad for the average person. Just dont get involved with sketchy crowds.
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Relief
Rating: 475 | Rated by 28 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 02:36 AM Reply | Bookmark
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Yes.

I walk Homer + Pender + surrounding streets daily, and have never had a problem. However, you will be asked for spare change :P
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Ny
Rating: 264 | Rated by 12 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 03:48 PM Reply | Bookmark
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I think it is still safe until you get into E.Pender.
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QuBeRT
Rating: 1831 | Rated by 100 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 04:26 PM Reply | Bookmark
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You'd be about two blocks west from where the largest homeless community is in the city. Go another two blocks and after that and you'd almost be dead center in it.

That being said, I'd still feel safe living there. And you won't be getting the "rundown neighbourhood/homeless line" scenery either. It's weird how that works...anyone else ever notice when they're driving on Hastings street how everything changes when you pass Cambie? You hit the bend in the road at the light at Cambie and you immediately go from skid row to a "standard" much cleaner downtown setting. And Homer street is ~two blocks west of Cambie. I totally agree with the other post that there are other places that are far more dangerous - homeless people aren't usually looking for trouble. You'll see them around but probably not many of them, and the worst they'll do is ask you for change.

This message was modified by the poster at 01 17, 2008 04:27 PM
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Vivek_J
Rating: 386 | Rated by 22 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 04:37 PM Reply | Bookmark
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If only NCIX sold Nanosuits I'd never have to live in fear of change-seeking hobos. Strength punch is ftw.
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RacerStu
Rating: 198 | Rated by 18 Visitors Jan 17, 2008 04:58 PM Reply | Bookmark
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That area is safe place for drug pushers, not sure about the general public, though...

Please take a moment to read this notice about the filming of the television series “Supernatural” on Thursday, March 31st, 2011 in the alley south of 500 West Pender Street and the Victorian Hotel, 514 Homer Street.

@темы: ванкувер