#fence pressure cleaning miami | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

junker-town · 3 years ago

Text

5 winners and 3 losers in NBA free agency so far

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Here are our early winners and losers in NBA free agency so far.

The NBA wasted zero time getting the free agency bonanza going this year. Lonzo Ball’s $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls via a sign-and-trade was announced the moment the moratorium period opened on Monday at 6 p.m. ET. That set the tone for a wild day of transactions that saw a large percentage of the league’s free agents give their commitments on day one.

The champion Bucks brought back a key piece on a bargain deal in Bobby Portis, but lost out on P.J. Tucker when he signed wit the Heat. The Phoenix Suns locked up Chris Paul and re-signed Cameron Payne. The Los Angeles Lakers brought back many old friends — Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza included — as they look to remake the bench. Kawhi Leonard, the top free agent in this year’s class, remains unsigned, but all indications are he’ll eventually re-sign with the Clippers.

Check out our running list of every signing in NBA free agency here. Here are five winners and three losers that stood out from day one.

2021 NBA free agency winners

Miami Heat

The Heat were the most active team on day one of free agency. Let’s run down the moves:

Starting with the headliner: Kyle Lowry is on his way to Miami on a three-year, $90 million deal.

Jimmy Butler is signing a four-year, $184 million extension that will pay him more than $50 million per year in his age-36 season.

Duncan Robinson is staying with the Heat on a five-year, $90 million deal

PJ Tucker is coming to the Heat fresh off a championship run with the Bucks. He signed for two years, $15 million with a player option on the second season.

Lowry is still one of the better point guards in the game even at 35 years old, and he immediately gives the Heat another trusted weapon on both ends of the floor. His pull-up shooting should add some needed juice to the offense, and you already know Erik Spoelstra is going to deeply appreciate every charge. Tucker is another defensive ace they can go to in the toughest playoff matchups. The Heat (probably) aren’t getting swept out of the first round this year.

Yes, it’s a lot of money for Robinson and Butler, but they had to be kept long-term. The league keeps waiting for Butler to fall off after such a heavy minutes load, but he was still excellent last season. Robinson is an amazing shooter and amazing shooters get paid. The Heat feel like they will be a factor in the East again even if they remain a cut below the Bucks and Nets.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have missed the playoffs the last four seasons since trading Butler, but there’s no more excuses this year. Chicago felt pressure to make a postseason run with Zach LaVine entering the last year of his contract and with the franchise trading two first round draft picks for Nikola Vucevic mid-season. The Bulls still needed another major talent infusion to have a chance to shoot up the standings, and it feels like they got one on day one:

Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls have agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal in a sign-and-trade agreement, according to Woj. Garrett Temple, Tomas Satoransky, and a second round pick are reportedly going to New Orleans in the deal, per Shams.

Alex Caruso is signing with the Bulls for four years, $37 million, per Woj.

Ball will immediately be the best passer on the Bulls. He also gives the team a stout defender on the perimeter, a high-volume three-point shooter, and a tempo-pusher who loves throwing deep outlet passes in transition.

Caruso brings ferocious on-ball defense, which will be a huge help for a Bulls team that often saw its guards get roasted on that end last season. He’ll need to prove he can score after averaging only about six points per game over the last two seasons, but he did hit 40 percent of his threes on low volume last year while also ranking in the 82nd percentile for rim attempts at his position, per Cleaning the Glass.

The Bulls lost Daniel Theis to Houston in addition to Satoransky and Temple to New Orleans, but this is the sort of talent infusion they needed. Front office boss Arturas Karnisovas has fully put his stamp on the team.

Chris Paul’s bank account

Chris Paul had made $300 million in NBA contracts before entering free agency again this year at age-36. He was always going to cash in again after helping lead the Phoenix Suns on an inspired run to the NBA Finals in his debut season with the team, and that happened in a big way.

Paul is signing a four-year extension worth up to $120 million. The third year of the deal is reportedly a partial guarantee, while the fourth year is unguaranteed. If Paul finishes out the deal, he’ll be making $30 million per year at age-40.

Paul’s career earnings if he finishes out this contact would be $420 million. Not bad work if you can get it.

David Nwaba

The headline names always get the most coverage in free agency, but sometimes the best stories come from the role players only hardcore fans have heard of. David Nwaba is an example of that after he signed a three-year, $15 million deal with a team option on the final season.

Nwaba’s path to the NBA is wild. He started his career at the DII level, transferred to a junior college, and then found a home at Cal Poly, a low-major DI school. Nwaba went undrafted but grinded his way into an NBA opportunity on the Lakers’ G League team. After the Lakers, he had stints with the Bulls, Cavs, and Nets. His tenure in Brooklyn ended with a torn Achilles.

A torn Achilles is the type of injury that could end the NBA career of a player on the fringes of the league, but it didn’t stop Nwaba. He returned to play 30 games for the Rockets last year and looked fully healthy in showing off his signature brand of energetic defense. The Rockets liked him enough to give him $10 million guaranteed with the potential to reach $15 million. That’s life changing money for a player who has had to bust his ass for every opportunity to this point in his career.

Cheers to Nwaba for finally securing a multi-year deal and a nice bag.

Lakers exes

The Lakers brought back a lot of old friends on day one of free agency. Let’s run down the list:

Dwight Howard is back

Trevor Ariza is back

Wayne Ellington is back

It’s Howard’s third stint back with the team. Ariza hasn’t been a Laker since his breakout role player days on the team that reached the NBA Finals in 2008 and won it all in 2009. Ellington hasn’t been on the team since 2014-2015, which was Kobe Bryant’s penultimate season. LA also signed Kent Bazemore away from the Warriors.

Former Lakers had a good run in free agency, too, with Alex Caruso signing for the midlevel exception and Reggie Bullock netting $30 million.

2021 NBA free agency losers

Dennis Schröder

While the rest of the big name point guards went off the board in day one, Schröder stayed on the market. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and there’s no doubt Schröder will sign a contract soon. It just won’t be for the reported $84 million the Lakers offered him in-season.

Schröder initially thought he could get $100-$120 million on the open market when he rejected the Lakers’ big offer. Instead, he had a rough end of the season and struggled in LA’s first round playoff loss to the Suns. The Lakers were ready to move on, and his market around the league was quiet enough for him to go unsigned through the first day.

Schröder will still get a nice deal, but he’s not getting nearly as much money as he turned down a few months ago. File this under ‘when betting on yourself goes wrong.’

The Knicks’ cap space creativity

The Knicks reportedly had as much cap space as any team in the league upon entering free agency. It felt like New York could finally be a free agency juggernaut coming off a shocking run to the No. 4 seed in the East last season, but they ended up using their money to bring back most of their own guys.

The Knicks locked up Derrick Rose to a $43 million deal over three years

Nerlens Noel is coming back on a $30 million deal

Alec Burks is also getting $30 million for three years

Each of these players was on a bargain contract last year. It’s nice that they were rewarded for their contributions to a winning team, but it feels like the Knicks could have dreamed bigger. It also stings that Reggie Bullock, a starter on last year’s squad, left for Dallas.

The Knicks did make a big move signing Evan Fournier to a $78 million deal. He will definitely provide some offensive punch the team was missing last season. In general, though, the Knicks’ moves on day one of free agency feel a little underwhelming.

Teams feeling pressure to win that need more moves

There is a long way to go in this offseason, but some teams are clearly feeling more pressure to win than others. A few of those teams still have a lot more work to do.

The Trail Blazers made a big move by signing Norman Powell to a five-year, $90 million deal. Powell was a top-10 free agent on the market, but he was also on Portland when they lost in the playoffs to the Jamal Murray-less Nuggets in the first round. Damian Lillard has been adamant he wants to see the Blazers swing for the fences to win now, and that hasn’t happened just yet.

The Pelicans also need to bolster the roster around a reportedly unhappy Zion Williamson this offseason. They are off to a questionable start: losing Lonzo hurts, but they recovered by bringing in Devonte’ Graham. Graham’s shooting will play nicely next to Williamson, but it feels like a talent downgrade in a vacuum. They also had to give up a lottery-protected first round pick to get Charlotte to avoid matching. New Orleans still has a lot of work to do.

The Mavericks had a good start to free agency by bringing back Tim Hardaway Jr., and signing Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown. It feels like they still need a big move though and it’s hard to see where it comes from right now.

What is the Raptors’ plan for next year? Toronto had cap space coming into free agency, and the only move they made on day one was resigning Gary Trent Jr. to a $54 million deal. Losing Lowry, the greatest player in franchise history, is a huge bummer. Are the Raps playing for a lottery pick next year? Are they playing to sneak into the playoffs? Either way, the upside of this roster doesn’t feel particularly high.

We’ll keep you updated on every signing here. Happy free agency.

0 notes

gwspressurecleaning0 · 4 years ago

Link

GWS best Pressure Cleaning Company in Miami. We are the top provider of Pressure Cleaning in the Miami area and are ready to serve you! Fill out the form to the right and we’ll get in touch with you ASAP.

#pressure washing miami #Pressure Cleaning Doral #Fence Pressure Cleaning Doral #pressure cleaning company miami

0 notes

techcrunchappcom · 4 years ago

Photo

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/the-latest-china-toughens-travel-rules-for-xinjiang-capital-national-news/

The Latest: China toughens travel rules for Xinjiang capital | National News

A government employee disinfects a public school as a measure against the spread of the new coronavirus, in the Taguatinga neighborhood of Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The local government has began preparing for the safe reopening of schools in mid-August, as restrictions related to the COVID-19 lockdown are eased.

A sign hangs outside Bruno’s Tavern in New Orleans on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Bruno’s is one of many bars around the city that shut down under new restrictions the state announced over the weekend to fight the spread of coronavirus. Bars in New Orleans had been allowed to open, with limited capacity, a month earlier when the number of hospitalizations from the virus in Louisiana was in decline.

Aziah Sajerstein, who works as a volunteer at the Cat Cafe South Beach, wears a protective face mask and gloves as she sanitizes touch points during the coronavirus pandemic, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in Miami Beach, Fla. The cafe offers a place for cat lovers to spend time with cats, which are also available for adoption. The business, independently owned by Celyta Jackson, will be closing at the end of the week as the tourism sector in Miami-Dade County is suffering due to the pandemic.

GermBlast employee Jade Davis fumigates disinfectant onto student lockers at Bowie Middle School in Odessa, Texas on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The cleaning crew that Davis is part of is one of many measures to be implemented to help ensure the safety of students and school staff from COVID-19 in the case of an in-person return to school in Odessa.

Volunteer Rachel Friedland prepares to load food in a car at a kosher food drive-thru distribution site, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation building in Miami.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards holds up his own mask, taken off while he was speaking, to remind Louisiana residents that a highly effective thing within their power to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to simply wear a mask, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at a press conference update on the state’s COVID-19 situation at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Baton Rouge, La.

Passengers arrive at Heathrow Airport, in London, Sunday July 26, 2020. The British government has announced 14-day quarantine restrictions from Sunday, for people arriving into England from certain countries including Spain, after Covid-19 second wave fears saw the European country struck off the UK’s safe list.

Silva Cossa, the caretaker, looks up as he ties ribbons onto the fence to represents a South African who has died from Covid-19, at St James Presbyterian church in Bedford Gardens, Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

Volunteer Malka Rodrig unpacks meals at a kosher food drive-thru distribution site, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation building in Miami.

A funeral home worker wearing a full protective gear to protect himself from the spread of the new coronavirus waits to enter La Verbena cemetery in Guatemala City, Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

FILE – In this Tuesday, July 28, 2020 file photo, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to local people at the Canal Side Heritage Centre in Beeston near Nottingham, England. Johnson is looking for a spokesperson with broadcasting experience— and a thick skin — to become the government’s face at televised media briefings. The government placed a job ad Wednesday, July 29 on the governing Conservative Party’s website seeking applicants with news judgment, the ability to remain calm under pressure and “excellent risk management and crisis communications skills.”

A man sunbathes at a park in Hong Kong Thursday, July 30, 2020. As of Wednesday, Hong Kong reported over 3,000 coronavirus infections, with dozens of deaths. Businesses such as bars, karaoke bars and amusement parks remain temporarily closed.

A new work of art entitled ‘The End’ by artist Heather Phillipson newly unveiled on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square in London, Thursday, July 30, 2020. Described as representing “exuberance and unease” and a “monument to hubris and impending collapse”, The End, by British artist Heather Phillipson, will stay in place until spring 2022.

People riding the subway wear face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, July 30, 2020.

A medical staff takes a sample for a voluntary coronavirus disease test (COVID-19) at the new corona test station at the ‘Hochfelln’ service station on the A8 motorway between Salzburg and Munich near Bergen, Germany, Thursday, July 30, 2020.

Dr. Deborah Birx, U.S. Global Aids Coordinator & U. S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, left, speaks with Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, right, and a roundtable of community and state health officials inside the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond, Va. Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

FILE – In this June 26, 2020, file photo Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci, center, speaks as Vice President Mike Pence, right, and Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, left, listen during a news conference with members of the Coronavirus task force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington. Fauci has warned that the United States could soon see 100,000 infections per day. “We haven’t even begun to see the end of it yet,” Fauci said during a talk hosted by Stanford University’s School of Medicine.

Employees disinfect a closed mall in Mumbai, Thursday, July 30, 2020. Malls and market complexes will reopen on Aug. 5. However theaters, food courts and gyms will remain closed.

Dr. Yomaris Pena, of SOMOS Community Care in New York, disinfects chairs at the new COVID-19 testing site at Pinellas Community Church on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in St. Petersburg, Fla. A new free testing site opened Wednesday in south St. Petersburg with the help of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo sent 7,500 tests to seed the site at the church. Tests are by appointment only, but don’t require symptoms or exposure. And since appointments are required, the testing site doesn’t require those seeking a test to wait in line or come in a vehicle.

Wearing masks to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro and his wife Michelle Bolsonaro, arrive to attend the launching of a rights guarantee program for rural women, at the Planalto Presidential Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

People wearing face masks line up to have their coronavirus rapid tests as they hope to use the government’s transportation assistance program to return to their outlying provinces on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at a stadium in Manila, Philippines. Hundreds of people who were stuck in the capital due to travel restrictions during the lockdown stayed at a crowded stadium as they wait for free rides back to their provinces.

An Indian worker crosses a street holding a shovel during monsoon rains in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

A man carries milk vessels and rides a bike in the monsoon rains in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

Women wearing face masks wait to join a parade in Bali, Indonesia, on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Indonesia’s resort island of Bali will reopen for domestic tourists on Friday after months of virus lockdown.

A woman wearing a face mask carries an offering to local deities on her head during a parade in Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Indonesia’s resort island of Bali will reopen for domestic tourists on Friday after months of virus lockdown.

Residents sit spaced apart to practice social distancing as a precaution against the new coronavirus outbreak as they access free wifi on their mobile phones at Jatirahayu village office in Bekasi on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

Indonesian students wear face masks to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus as they access free wifi on their mobile phones at Jatirahayu village office in Bekasi on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

In this July 29, 2020 photo made available by the Monroe County Sherif’ss Office, Fla., shows Yohana Anahi Gonzalez. Gonzalez and her partner Jose Antonio Freire Interian, both COVID positive, were arrested, Thursday, July 29, 2020, in the Florida Keys after authorities said they violated quarantine rules. The rare arrests underscore the fervent national debate over how to enforce rules on masks and self-quarantines.

FILE – In this Dec. 13, 2019, file photo, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks about his plans for the coming year during an interview at the Governor’s Residence in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio’s Republican governor was hailed as prophetic for his decisive steps to shut down schools and stop the state’s presidential primary election early during the coronavirus outbreak. Since then, he’s found navigating a path out of the state’s pandemic shutdown to be a bumpy one.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during an announcement that District of Columbia public schools will be all virtual through Nov. 6, during a news conference, Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Washington.

Rob Glassman, general manager of the Over the Top rental linens company, protests in support of the live events industry receiving federal aid outside of the office of Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., during the coronavirus pandemic, Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Miami. Many small businesses in the events industry have been shut down since March due to the pandemic.

In this July 29, 2020 photo made available by the Monroe County Sherif’ss Office, Fla., shows Jose Antonio Freire Interian. Interian and his partner Yohana Anahi Gonzalez, both COVID positive, were arrested, Thursday, July 29, 2020, in the Florida Keys after authorities said they violated quarantine rules. The rare arrests underscore the fervent national debate over how to enforce rules on masks and self-quarantines.

A couple of tourists, one wearing a mask, walk towards the fountains in Trafalgar Square in Trafalgar Square in London, Thursday, July 30, 2020.

A sign is posted on a pole along the main street to encourage visitors and residents to wear face coverings while walking around Monday, July 27, 2020, in the mountain tourist town of Georgetown, Colo.

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House, Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Washington.

A woman in a face mask speaks on the phone on a sidewalk during the coronavirus pandemic in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, July 24, 2020.

FILE – In this March 31, 2020, file photo, a sign applauding health care workers is displayed outside the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City. The head of coronavirus response at the university medical center says an increase in the number of younger Oklahomans dying as a result of the illness caused by the virus has become a worry. Dr. Dale Bratzler said Friday, July 24, 2020, that even though most deaths remain in the 65 and older age group, the increase in deaths among those 36-49 years old shows it can kill younger people as well.

Des Moines Area Quilters Guild member Deanna Wilson, of West Des Moines, Iowa, chooses a face mask kit that once completed will be distributed to Des Moines Public Schools students, Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Visitors to Karmel Plaza wear face masks as they gather Wednesday, July 22, 2020 in Minneapolis. Gov. Tim Walz issued a statewide mandate Wednesday requiring Minnesotans to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

Jean White and her great-grandson Mason Shumpert, 7, of Tupelo, wear their masks as they shop the vegetable aisle at Todd’s in Tupelo on Friday, July 24, 2020 as the coronavirus earns attention in Northeast Mississippi.

A street barber wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus attends to his customer near a banner on the pandemic which reads “Discover early” in Beijing, Thursday, July 30, 2020. China is stepping up testing for COVID-19 in an attempt to get a handle on new outbreaks that have defied the country’s considerable success in containing the coronavirus that was first detected in the central city of Wuhan late last year.

Residents at a Uniting Gen Regen AOD residential facility try on new masks in Melbourne, Thursday, July 30, 2020. Australia’s coronavirus hot spot, Victoria state, will make wearing masks compulsory after reporting a record more than 700 new cases on Thursday, mostly among the vulnerable residents of aged care homes.

A fan wearing a face masks to help protect against the spread of the new coronavirus cheers during the KBO league game between Doosan Bears and LG Twins in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, July 27, 2020. Masked fans hopped, sang and shouted cheering slogans in baseball stadiums in South Korea on Sunday as authorities began bringing back spectators in professional sports games amid the coronavirus pandemic.

BEIJING — China is tightening travel restrictions in the capital of the Xinjiang region amid a COVID-19 outbreak in the northwestern city.

People arriving in Urumqi from regions considered to have high infection risk must undergo a two-week quarantine. Others arriving from less risky areas most show proof of good health. Locals “in principle” must stay in the city or show proof of health to be allowed to leave.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, continues to see a third wave of infections, with almost 150 new cases reported Friday to bring its total to 3,151 cases and 25 deaths.

Despite that, authorities issued an order Thursday allowing restaurants to operate under limited hours and with limited capacity. But businesses such as bars, karaoke bars and amusement parks still must remain closed.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Florida tallies another record high daily deaths

— India says herd immunity won’t work, need vaccine

— Health officials Birx, Fauci recommend face shields, masks

— Deaths are mounting rapidly in the U.S., and cases are rising in close to 30 states in all. The outbreak’s center of gravity seems to be shift from the Sun Belt toward the Midwest.

#National

0 notes

pickteam · 4 years ago

Photo

The Weston rental market is on fire & inventory is low, but don’t worry! Another perfect Pick Team listing FOR RENT is Coming Soon! Working on getting it picture perfect ready in time for an AUG 1st occupancy! •4 BED •2 BATH •2CG •Single Story Family Home •Covered Patio •Private Yard, partial fenced •Full Accordion Shutters •Granite Kitchen, White Cabs, New Stainless Appliances •Tiled Throughout (no carpet) •Brand New AC •Interior will be freshly painted in modern neutral throughout. •Exterior, fence & patio will be freshly pressure cleaned. • Comm pool, gym, totlot •Guard gated comm •Close to Cleveland Clinic, Ultimate Software, Restaurants, Cafes, Boutiques, Parks, East highway access time Miami and Ft Laud. A+ Weston schools! #forrent #forrentwestonfl #comingsoon #thepickteam #coldwellbanker #westonflorida #realtor® #realtorlife #realtorsofinstagram #southflorida #rentalproperty #rent #rental #rentals #rentalhome #rentthishome (at Weston, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCq5g1EAyCg/?igshid=n2qwlub46rgw

#forrent #forrentwestonfl #comingsoon #thepickteam #coldwellbanker #westonflorida #realtor®#realtorlife #realtorsofinstagram #southflorida #rentalproperty #rent #rental #rentals #rentalhome #rentthishome

0 notes

pressurewashersconnect · 6 years ago

Text

Commercial Pressure Washing Services

youtube

ASC Pressure Washing Services Call us (786) 475 – 4211 URL : http://www.ascpressurewashing.com/ Google + : google.com/+ascPressureWashing

ASC Pressure Washing Services is an exterior Pressure Cleaning company. Pressure Washing Services, also know as Power Washing or Pressure Cleaning, is our specialty. We have Pressure Cleaned roofs, patios, poolsides, concrete, decks, fences, boats, parking lots, store fronts, driveways, walkways, commercial buildings and even the Drive-thru at fast food restaurants. ASC Pressure Washing Services can power clean virtually any surface and get it looking like new no matter how old or neglected.

Call us today for a free estimate.

Service Areas: Pressure Washing Broward Pressure Washing Miami

ASC Pressure Washing Services is a division of American Structural Corporate servicing Miami Dade and Broward Counties and dedicated to providing the highest level of quality workmanship available in South Florida (Broward county, Miami, Dade county).

0 notes

anastasiawcm-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Homemade Cleaning Soap - Goat Milk Soap Felted With Alpaca Wool

Guests can discover the new park and discover about its rich background. Metro District employees will be available to talk about fishing, aircraft, apples, the history of the root cellar, and other Metro District programs and events. Guests can also quit by and pet an alpaca Grinder amazon.

Miami on-line to see the costs of Segway rentals. It turned out we could have carried out a little much better if we had waited and booked the Segways on-line but it wasn't that remarkable of a distinction. In closing I realize that booking your issues to do in Miami activities and every thing else for your holiday is best carried out on-line.

Adopt an animal with the WWF. For a $50 donation to the Globe Wildlife Federation you can select from more than eighty endangered animals to undertake. The gift consists of a gentle plush edition of the animal you select to adopt, a photograph, undertake an alpaca and much more. The fantastic thing about this gift is that your cash goes to a great trigger while teaching the kid about endangered species.

Adopt an animal with the WWF. For a $50 donation to the Globe Wildlife Federation you can select from over 80 endangered animals to undertake. The present includes a gentle plush version of the animal you select to undertake, a photo, adopt an alpaca and much more. The fantastic factor about this present is that your money goes to a great cause while educating the kid about endangered species.

As part of our ongoing try to make it easier for individuals to select the correct yarn for them we are creating reviews of each of our yarns. Today we are heading to appear at Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran. We will give you some fundamental information about it as nicely as allow you know what we believe it is like to knot with.

This is an oldie-but-goodie way to find rock-base Alaska cruise offers. The journey agents will have accessibility to a virtually limitless number of travel resources, to assist you find the best deal possible. As a phrase of warning, keep in mind that journey agents obtain commissions for their sales. So make certain that the fee doesn't offset any savings from alpacas for sale that they secure for you.

Upon going to the farmers marketplace in Loveland, Colorado, a few months ago, I was greeted with enthusiasm by all of the little business owners who had been keen to familiarize me with their wares. I had the tasty surprise of attempting three different distributors samples of salsa, 1 of my preferred meals on the planet. Some experienced tropical fruits added and different flavors than 1 would usually find in their personal homemade salsa. Then there was the bread.received to love that house made flavor. You know the kind, the large loaves not produced in a pan, and reduce fresh, with butter, yum! There was also a pasta seller, granola, chocolate, do-it-yourself soaps, alpaca yarn, etc.

Cub Creek Science Camp is coed and open to children ages seven-seventeen. The campers are divided into junior campers and senior campers. Junior campers are campers who are seven-eleven years old. Not only do they divide campers into junior and senior ranks they also break up them by ages for bunking in the cabins. These splits also work to show who will participate in actions with each other.

Spinners are tempted to just jump in and begin spinning with their alpaca roving. This is a mistake. You will be unhappy with your last outcomes. If you take time with the planning, you can make fabulous yarn from this magnificent fleece. So, prep your roving and happy spinning!

Selecting the right Christmas gift can be tricky, particularly when the recipient is of a very younger age. If you discover yourself undecided on what to by for your new child niece or nephew, sister or brother, this manual will help you in creating that choice. This guide will stage you in the correct path, allowing you to discover the ideal present for the latest member of your family members below the age of one year previous.

Whether you're going to a concept park or thinking about working at one, there are several myths you've most likely heard. In the summer of 2004, I determined to take a place working for a local concept park. Whilst there, I learned that several things I believed I understood about concept parks had been false. But, there were also some issues that had been accurate. Right here are just a few myths you should know about prior to visiting or working for a concept park.

They're great for lowering your blood pressure. What? .Nicely, it's truly the lifestyle that can have an impact on your blood pressure. You get plenty of possible blood stress lowering exercise operating about your undertake an alpaca. Scooping poop and transferring it to your garden, herding the animals to worm and trim toenails, building fences and shelters, and other miscellaneous farm actions. You unwind and get a chuckle or two viewing alpaca antics. The foolish grin an alpaca perpetually wears can make you smile, as well. Spinning the fiber is, also, a very calming action. A pleased, well balanced life with a positive attitude will lower your blood pressure. Sip on your caffeine-totally free coffee, munch on some celery, and appreciate your stress decreasing alpacas for a reduce blood pressure.

0 notes

tediousoscars · 8 years ago

Text

2016

Predict-o-meter: This year: 7/8; Total: 87/103 (84%)

It is not that unusual for a movie to get nominated that I had absolutely no interest in seeing and so have to drag myself to. It doesn’t happen every year, but typically no more that 3 or 4 years go by without it happening. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised and end up loving the film (“The Social Network”), but more typically my worst fears are confirmed (“War Horse,” almost everything by Scorsese). However, I can’t recall a single year in which TWO movies were nominated that elicited not the slightest interest in me. Until this year. This year there were THREE. And while one of them did prove to be a pleasant surprise, the other two decidedly did not. I won’t say which ones, but see if you can tell from the reviews.

But before we get started we have to stop for a moment to give a shout out to Janelle Monáe and Mahershala Ali, who appear together in not one, but TWO films nominated for Best Picture: “Hidden Figures” and “Moonlight.” And while Mahershala was nominated for his strong work in “Moonlight,” it was Janelle who almost stole the show in “Hidden Figures.” Kudos!

Now let’s get to it.

- THE CONTENDERS -

Fences. Two towering performances from Denzel Washington and Viola Davis (both nominated - though how Davis’ role could be construed as Supporting rather than Leading is beyond me) are the pillars holding this wonderful film aloft. Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, “Fences” is the story of Troy Maxson (Washington), who is an extremely complicated man. Wracked by guilt over surviving on a pension his brother receives after suffering a head wound in the war that left him severely mentally challenged, frustrated over being a baseball star in the Negro Leagues just a few years before Jackie Robinson, and infuriated over the racism that holds a black ex-con down, there is a hardness about him that is undeniable. He says that the only good thing that ever happened to him was his wife Rose (Davis). But he is also an entertainingly loquacious storyteller, whom his best friend says must have a bit of Uncle Remus in him. Troy is an emotional storm with gale-force winds and churning seas. But Rose is the steadfast lighthouse, unflinching in the face of the tumult, always providing a beacon. Washington, who was also nominated for his directing, nicely captures the claustrophobia of the stage-play source material. Most of the action occurs in the two small downstairs rooms of their modest home, or in the backyard that is little more than a patio. We are exploring inner landscapes here. Troy’s snappy patter is entertaining enough to justify the price of admission, but the nuanced exploration of life and love, human strength and weakness, desire and motivation make this a masterpiece.

Hell or High Water. Part modern-day Western, part caper movie, part film noir, this movie is rollicking good fun. The Howard brothers are on a bank-robbing spree. With a purpose. They are robbing very specific banks to raise a very specific amount of money for a very specific reason. Because they only clear a few thousand dollars each time, and all of the banks are in the same state (Texas) the Feds have no interest in the case. So it falls to crusty old Marcus Hamilton, a Texas Ranger stereotypically weeks from retirement, and his half-Mexican, half-Indian partner Alberto Parker to run them to ground. Sounds simple, right? And it could have been, but Taylor Sheridan’s (nominated) screenplay is too smart for that. Ben Foster is sublime in the role of Tanner Howard, the ne’er-do-well, hell-raising ex-con brawn to brother Toby Howard’s brains. Tanner is a fuck up, and he knows it, but he is addicted to the adrenaline rush of the outlaw lifestyle. He sees this caper as his last chance to do something good (while still raising hell) by helping brother Toby (played by Chris Pine) save their father’s ranch and the newly-discovered oil there-under. Jeff Bridges was nominated for his role as Ranger Hamilton, which is essentially a reprisal of his role in “True Grit.” In fact, it is easy to imagine that Ranger Hamilton is the great grandson of Rooster Cogburn. The brothers’ scheme is ingenious, and hinges upon an epic (if not heroic) last stand by Tanner, and the coda in which Bridges’ Hamilton confronts Pine’s Toby to say that he knows Toby did it, but can’t prove it is pure bridled machismo.

Hidden Figures. There was a time, not that long ago, when the word ‘computer’ referred to a person, as in ‘someone who computes.’ During the early days of the space race, as an increasingly nervous America watched as Russia put first a satellite, then a dog, then a man into space, NASA employed quite a number of computers to check and re-check the calculations needed to determine the trajectories of spacecraft. These computers tended to be women, who today would be engineers, but at the time had no such option. And amongst these women were a cadre of ~20-30 black women stationed at Langley in Virginia, which at the time in the early 60s was still a segregated state. “Hidden Figures” is the triumphant story of these women and the incredible obstacles they had to overcome. The film focuses on three real-life figures: Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monáe), a budding engineer, Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer in a nominated roled), who became an early specialist in the machines we now call computers, and particularly Katherine Johnson (played by Taraji Henson). The Space Task Group is charged with properly calculating the launch and (crucially) re-entry parameters for orbital human spaceflight. It is a pressure cooker run by a demanding taskmaster with a reputation of burning through computers on an almost weekly basis. When a need arises for an expertise in analytic geometry the East Area Computers (the white girls) have no suitable candidate, so they ask the ‘colored’ girls of the West Area Computers for help. Enter Katherine Johnson. She takes on the job with a brilliant mind and an indomitable spirit. She is clearly the smartest person in the room, and yet she has to run a half-mile across campus back to the West Area to use the bathroom because that’s the only place that has ‘colored’ rest rooms. In a bit of poetic justice near the end of the film, a white male engineer must make the same sprint to find her because John Glenn has demanded that Katherine personally verify the re-entry calculations after the IBM machine that replaced her delivered inconsistent results. This movie has indomitable human spirit, unbridled American patriotism (that refreshingly has nothing to do with war), and, of course, sharp lessons on Civil Rights history all wrapped up in a package that is just good, clean fun. You should really stop whatever it is you are doing right now and go see this film.

Lion. Like all little brothers, 5yo Saroo idolizes his older brother Gudu. They eke out a hardscrabble existence with their mother and baby sister in the back of beyond of rural India. They are desperately poor, and they know it, but they have a loving family and are generally happy. While trying to tag along with Gudu on his night job, Saroo becomes locked in an empty passenger car on a train being relocated cross country without stopping. Two days and 750 miles later, he is in the urban bustle of Calcutta, which might as well be a different planet since few people speak his native Hindi. After some harrowing adventures he winds up in an orphanage where he is adopted by a loving and earnest middle-class couple in Tasmania. Fast-forward 25 years, and the adult Saroo is seemingly well-adjusted and integrated into his adopted culture. While at a party at the house of some Indian friends he happens across a plate of jalebis, a dessert he had craved as a child but could never afford. This triggers a flood of memories from his lost childhood and launches him on an all-consuming and ultimately successful quest to find his birth mother. “Lion” is a wonderful film based on an amazing true story. And while it could have been a simple, manipulative tear-jerker, director Garth Davis delivers a film with impressive emotional complexity. Sunny Pawar is amazing as the young Saroo, and Dev Patel was nominated for his role as the adult Saroo, as was Nicole Kidman - in her native accent! - for her role as Sue, Saroo’s adoptive Australian mother. You’ll enjoy this long, harrowing journey, but keep your hanky handy for the eventual reunion between mother and son.

Moonlight. This is a coming-of-age story set in a world that John Hughes never imagined. If you had to sum up Chiron (aka “Little,” aka “Black”) in one word, that word would be ‘awkward.’ Growing up in a rough part of Miami with a missing father and a (literal) crack whore mother (Naomie Harris in a nominated role), bullied at school and unwelcome at home, 9yo Little’s life is characterized by constant fear, stress, and uncertainty. Little is sullen and withdrawn; the only kid who seems to understand him is Kevin, a breezy charmer, and the only remotely positive father figure he has is Juan (Mahershala Ali, also nominated), a crack dealer with a kind girlfriend who sort of unofficially adopts him. Fast-forward to the painfully awkward high school teen years: he now tries to go by his given name, Chiron, but has been dubbed Black by Kevin. Juan has been killed (though his girlfriend Teresa still lets Chiron crash when his mother has “company”), and the bullies are still omnipresent. To this point the film is not characterized so much by action, but rather by the seething, building tension associated with trying to constantly avoid action. Something’s gotta give. After a fumbling (dare I say awkward?) sexual encounter with Kevin the bullies force Kevin to beat Chiron up. This is the catalyst that causes Chiron to snap, leading to the sort of violent retributive outburst that makes movie audiences cheer, but lands young black men in jail. Fast-forward a decade. Now an adult, he has emerged from prison, moved to Atlanta, and adopted the persona – and the pimped-out ride – of Juan, and embraced Kevin’s nickname for him, Black. We see him making the rounds to check on his subordinate pushers and working out to maintain his thug life body. He is still sullen and withdrawn, but hard. This all changes with an unexpected phone call from Kevin, whom he hasn’t heard from since leaving Miami. In a truly breath-taking piece of acting, Trevante Rhodes – as the adult Black – brilliantly captures the mannerisms and even the intonations of the younger actors who play Little (Alex R. Hibbert) and Chiron (Ashton Sanders). We see a hardened criminal pick up the phone, but as soon as he hears Kevin’s voice subtle changes sweep over his face and he reverts – unconsciously and unintentionally – to the troubled, awkward youth he was. It is an Oscar-worthy performance, but unfortunately he does not get enough screen time to warrant a nomination. Overall this is a difficult film, but it is finely crafted, almost painfully heartfelt, and presents such a unique perspective that it is definitely worth the investment.

- THE PRETENDERS -

Arrival. This is a refreshing new take on the “alien invasion” genre. What is most unique is the aliens’ motivation behind their arrival, which I won’t give away but is fascinating. In fact, it’s difficult to discuss the plot at all without spoilers, but I will say that it’s timey wimey enough for the most ardent Doctor Who fan. Most of this movie is very well done. The aliens are extremely alien (Director Denis Villeneuve (nominated) understands that your imagination is always more frightening than reality, so he keeps his aliens shrouded in a thick fog and only fleetingly, partially visible) while the humans are annoyingly human (there’s a pretty standard schism between the “let’s talk to them” faction and the “blow them up” faction). An overall tone of realism is maintained so that the disbelief that must be willingly suspended is minimized, and the always-wonderful Amy Adams departs from her quirky, perky safezone to deliver a solid performance as a serious scientist. I do have a quibble, however. The entire plot of the film revolves around the written language of the aliens, which is so complex it seems almost magical. But the way in which the humans decipher it is given short shrift. There is boundless opportunity here for dramatic tension with the scientists making furtive steps, false starts, and brilliant breakthroughs, but it just sort of … happens. There’s not even a montage of long hours hunched over a computer or scribbling on a white board. Though this seems like a tragically missed opportunity it should not prevent you from enjoying this film that breathes new life into a fairly tired old genre.

Hacksaw Ridge. This is an extremely mediocre movie about an extremely fascinating and compelling true story. Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield in a nominated role) was the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts as an unarmed medic during the battle of Okinawa in WWII. After confronting his drunken father (who was beating his mother) with a pistol, Desmond makes a promise to God to never touch a gun again. This conviction is challenged when his patriotism compels Desmond to enlist after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite his intentions of being a medic his superior officers try to force Desmond to train with a rifle during basic training. His steadfast refusal leads to hazing, beatings, and nearly lands him in prison. He is eventually allowed to serve, and after his battalion is chased off the titular ridge Doss remains behind alone and drags 75 wounded men to safety while constantly dodging enemy soldiers. The problem with the film is that every aspect is hyper-romanticized, from the rough-housing of the Doss brothers as boys, to the too-cute-by-half courtship of Desmond and his wife-to-be. Even the drunken excesses of his father seem cliche and rote. The Japanese are depicted as unstoppable killing machines with neither souls nor honor (who knew director Mel Gibson (nominated) had issues with racial stereotypes?) and the battle scenes are shot in operatic slow motion in which even the blood and the mud are made to look Just Right. Garfield’s turn as Doss is strong, but I’m not sure it’s Oscar-worthy, and there are also a couple strong performances by actors playing against type: Hugo Weaving is convincingly tortured as the drunken father, and Vince Vaughn is surprisingly good as the obligatory tough-as-nails sergeant. Overall the film is watchable and the story is almost strong enough to overcome the directorial flaws. But not quite.

La La Land. This is a starry-eyed love letter to Los Angeles, both the physical city and the dreams of success and stardom that inhabit it. The story is engaging and well-crafted, the sumptuous cinematography makes it look as though the entire film was shot during the Golden Hour, and the acting is superb. The scenes in which Emma Stone – as struggling actress Mia – auditions for various roles are tours de force. The film is also an adoring homage to the MGM musicals of the 50s, and herein lies the problem: Stone and co-star Ryan Gosling can’t sing or dance. I mean, they’re not tone deaf and club-footed or anything, but neither of them could make the chorus line of the worst show on Broadway. The singing is at the level of a high school musical (no, not “High School Musical”), and as for dancing, if they were on Dancing with the Stars they would not be expected to survive past the third episode. But no one seems to care! I even read one review that claimed that this was a clever choice because their characters aren’t stars … yet! Excuse me, but generally talent leads to fame, not the other way around. It’s a shame because there really is a lot to love about this movie. If you can overlook this (glaring, obvious) flaw you will really enjoy it. But that thumping sound you’ll hear is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers whirling dervishly in their graves.

Manchester by the Sea. We are introduced to Lee Chandler as a socially-maladapted loaner with anger management issues. Severe anger management issues. As the story unfolds we learn through flashbacks that Lee - played with understated intensity by Casey Affleck (nominated) - was once the epitome of the happily-married, blue-collar father, until tragedy struck. Unimaginable, life-shattering tragedy. That is the past, which informs the present, but the current tragedy is the sudden - but not totally unexpected - death of Lee’s brother Joe from a congenital heart condition. This leaves Lee as the guardian of his 16yo nephew, Patrick, a role for which (he is self-aware enough to understand) he is completely unsuited. What follows is an hour or so of stressful bickering as two guys who have suffered loss and who have feelings that they can’t comprehend, much less express, try to live together. In the end Lee manages to extract himself from the situation more or less gracefully, and return to his previous life. Still socially-maladapted, still a loner, but perhaps with slightly less severe anger management issues. The film is well acted, director Kenneth Lonergan (nominated) manages the pacing and the flashbacks skillfully, and the muted lighting captures the quiet desperation of New England in winter perfectly. But Lee’s character does not move an inch through the narrative: he is exactly the same person at the beginning and end of the film. And the film’s central tenet - that blue-collar guys in New England are not in touch with their feelings - is hardly revelatory.

So which SHOULD win?

I really loved all of the films in the Contenders category above, but Hidden Figures stands out as the one that not only elicited the most complex emotional response, but also the only one that I really want to watch again. Seriously go see it.

But which WILL win?

Though it boggles my mind, La La Land looks like a shoo-in for Best Picture. I really just don’t get it. Moonlight is a dark horse here, but is running a very distant second.

Best Actress - Emma Stone for La La Land. Note that it isn’t for Best Singer.

Best Actor - This is an interesting race between Casey Affleck for Manchester by the Sea and Denzel Washington for Fences. In my mind Denzel gave a much stronger performance with much greater emotional range, but I think Casey Affleck will win.

Best Supporting Actress - Viola Davis wins going away for Fences. Well deserved.

Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali for Moonlight.

Best Director - Damien Chazelle for La La Land. I mean, the DIRECTION didn’t suck.

Best Adapted Screenplay - Look for Moonlight to squeak in here.

Best Cinematography - La La Land. This is probably the only category that it actually deserves to win. It is gorgeous.

And that’s all I have time for because I am so late! Until next year …

0 notes