Arts and entertainment calendar for Aug. 2 | Epou

July 31, 2012 10:02AM

Updated: July 31, 2012 10:34AM

Concerts on the Green, 7:30-9 p.m. Fridays at the Burr Ridge Village Center, 801 Village Center Drive, Burr Ridge. see www.brparks.org. Aug. 3: The Moods (Motown). Aug. 10: Tropixplosion (Caribbean). Aug. 17: ABBA Salute.

Concerts in the Park in the South Pavilion at Darien Community Park, Clarendon Hills and Plainfield roads. Call (630) 968-6400 or see www.darienparks.com. Aug. 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: K.O. Bossy (?60s-?80s classics).

Music under The Stars, 7:30-9 p.m. Wednesdays at Memorial Park Amphitheater, Woodlawn Avenue and LaGrange Road, LaGrange Park. Aug. 8: Mr. Blotto. Aug. 15: Johnny Russler & the Beach Bums (Caribbean/beach party).

Naper Nights concert series, at Naper Settlement outdoor history museum, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Concerts are from 5-10 p.m. Friday night tickets are $10; $5 youth ages 4-12. Saturday night tickets are $15; $10 youth ages 4-12. Admission is free for Naperville Heritage Society members. no outside food or beverages are allowed. Proceeds benefit the Naperville Heritage Society. for information, call (630) 420-6010 or visit www.napersettlement.museum. Aug. 24: ARRA (classic rock). Opening act is DownPour. Aug. 25: Al Stewart. Opening act is Dave Nachmanoff.

Oak Brook Park District Summer Concerts at 7 p.m. Thursdays in Central Park at the Gazebo, 1450 Forest Gate Road, Oak Brook. see www.obparks.org or call (630) 990-4233. Aug. 2: The Chicago String Artists.

Uniquely Thursdays summer concert series, sponsored by the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce, 6-9 p.m. Thursdays in Burlington Park, 30 E. Chicago Ave., Hinsdale. Call (630) 323-3952 or visit www.hinsdalechamber.com. Aug. 2: Trippin? Billies (Dave Matthews tribute). Aug. 9: Vinyl Highway. Aug. 16: 7th Heaven.

?All Kinds of Crazy,? presented by 16th Street Theater Aug. 9-18 at the Berwyn Cultural Center, 6420 16th St., Berwyn. Peformances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays. Arlene Malinowski, sauthor of ?What does the Sun Sound Like?? and ?Aiming for Sainthood,? returns to 16th Street to complete her trilogy of true tales. Tickets: $14-$18. Call (708) 795-6704 or visit www.16thstreettheater.org.

?The Merchant of Venice? will be presented by First Folio Theatre through Aug. 19 as part of its Shakespeare-under-the-Stars series on the outdoor main stage at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook. Performances are at 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Featuring lawn seating, attendees are invited to bring their own chairs or blankets, or rent one for $2 each at the concession stand. Concessions as well as pre-ordered box suppers from La Cuisine (prepaid 48 hours in advance) are also available. Gates open at 6:45 p.m. Tickets: $26-$36, with discounts for students and seniors. First Folio will also present a fully staged reading of ?Shylock and his Daughter,? by Maurice Schwartz, at 8:15 p.m. Aug. 2, 9 and 16. Originally written for the Yiddish theater and translated into English, the play tells the same story as ?The Merchant of Venice,? but from Shylock?s perspective. Tickets are $10. Call (630) 986-8067 or visit www.firstfolio.org.

?Sirens,? presented by Fox Valley Repertory Aug. 16-Oct. 7 at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Thursday performances at 8 p.m. Aug. 16 and 23 and 2 p.m. Aug. 30 and Sept. 13. Tickets: $32-$42. Dinner show packages are available from $52. Call (630) 584-6342 or visit www.foxvalleyrep.org.

?The 39 Steps,? through Aug. 26 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Based on the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film, ?The 39 Steps? is a fast-paced comedy thriller that introduced the ?man on the run? genre to Hollywood. The performance schedule is 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursdays; 8:30 p.m. Fridays; 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $35-$46, with discounts available for students and senior citizens. Lunch and dinner packages available for $49.75-$68. Call (630) 530-0111 or visit www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.

take Note

Jam on the Fox outdoor musical festival, 2-10 p.m. Aug. 18 at the North River Street Park, New York and River streets, in downtown Aurora. Performers include Red Woody, 2:30 p.m.; Heartsfield, 4:30 p.m.; The Georgia Satellites, 6:30 p.m.; and The Charlie Daniels Band, 8:30 p.m. Admission is $5; free for children 12 and under. Visit www.downtownaliveaurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.

Akoo Theatre at Rosemont, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000; the ticket prices listed below do not include service fees. for more information about the theater, call (847) 671-5100 or visit www.rosemonttheatre.com. Aug. 3-4, 8 p.m.: Il Divo. $85, $125. Aug. 7, 7:30 p.m.: yes with special guest Procol Harum. $40, $50, $65, $75. Oct. 21, 7 p.m.: Celtic Thunder. $32.50, $49.50, $65, $75. Nov. 17, 8 p.m.: Australian Pink Floyd.

Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000; the ticket prices listed below do not include service fees. for information, visit www.allstatearena.com. Parking is $20, cash only. Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m.: System of a Down with deftones. $50. Oct. 11, 7 p.m.: ?Twins of Evil Tour,? featuring Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, with special guest J Devil, the DJ alter ego of KoRn?s frontman Jonathan Davis. $39.50, $49.50, $59.50, $69.50.

The Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main Street, St. Charles. (630) 962-7000. www.oshows.com. Aug. 3, 8 p.m.: Guitarist Pat Travers with guests M&R Rush. $19-$39. Aug. 4, 8 p.m.: Aerosmith and AC/DC tribute starring Draw The Line. $19-$49. Aug. 18, 7 p.m.: ?Back to Woodstock? with Big Brother & the Holding co., Marrakesh Express (tribute to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) and The ?The Band? Band (tribute to Levon and ?The Band?). $39-$69. Sept. 4, 8 p.m.: Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. $39-$95. Sept. 7, 8 p.m.: an Evening with Kenny Rogers. $69-$125. Sept. 14, 8 p.m.: three Dog Night. $29-$75. Sept. 15, 8 p.m.: ?Three Faces of Elvis,? starring?winners?of the?international Elvis competition at?Graceland. $29-$59. Sept. 21, 8 p.m.: Kansas. $39-$79. Sept. 22, 8 p.m.: Branford Marsalis. $39-$89.

FitzGerald?s, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. (708) 788-2118. www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com. Tuesdays, 9 p.m.: Open mic in the SideBar. Aug. 3, 9 p.m.: This Must be The Band (rock). $10. Aug. 5, 6 p.m.: Chicago Grandstand Big Band (jazz). $10; $5 for those under 17 with student I.D. Aug. 8, 7:30 p.m.: The Rob Parton Big Band (jazz). $10; $5 for those under 17 with student I.D. Aug. 9, 8 p.m.: Exposure, featuring Marc Mulder, Benton Harbor Lunchbox and Herbie Gaines, $5. Aug. 10, 9 p.m.: Steepwater Band with Kinsey Report plus Paige DeChausse and Nick Boettcher (blues). $15. Aug. 12, 6 p.m.: Bill O?Connell?s Chicago Skyliners (jazz). $10; $5 for those under 17 with student I.D. Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m.: Jazz Consortium Big Band. $10; $5 for those under 17 with student I.D. Aug. 15, 8:30 p.m.: Milk Drive in the SideBar Music Room (bluegrass). $10. Aug. 16, 8:30 p.m.: an Evening with Janiva Magness (blues). $15. Aug. 16, 9 p.m.: Expo ?76 in the SideBar (rock). no cover. Aug. 18, 9 p.m.: Billy Prine CD release show (folk). Aug. 19, 6 p.m.: C-11 Hedberg Jazz Orchestra. $10; $5 for those under 17 with student I.D. Aug. 22, 9 p.m.: Yarn (roots/rock). $10. Aug. 24, 9 p.m.: Bill Kirchen & Candye Kane (roots/rock). $15. Aug. 25, 9 p.m.: Vanessa Davis Band (blues). $15. Aug. 26, 6 p.m.: John Burnett Orchestra (jazz). $10; $5 for ages 17 and under with student I.D. Aug. 30, 8 p.m.: Country Night in Berwyn, $5. Sept. 7: Bonnie Koloc. Sept. 13, 9 p.m.: Fred Eaglesmith Tin can Tour (roots/rock). $15. Sept. 14, 9:30 p.m.: The Fleshtones with Expo ?76 (rock). $12. Sept. 22, 9 p.m.: Heartsfield (roots/rock). $15. Sept. 27-28, 9 p.m.: Los Straitjackets plus Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys (rockabilly/surf). $20. Sept. 29, 9 p.m.: Deacon Blues (Steely Dan tribute).

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666. www.paramountaurora.com. Aug. 24, 8 p.m.: ?Happy Together Tour,? featuring The Turtles, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, and Mickey Dolenz. $59.50. Aug. 26, 7 p.m.: Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (bluegrass). $75, $85, $95.

Anderson?s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville. (630) 355-2665. www.andersonsbookshop.com. Aug. 2, 7 p.m.: Local author Robert Rodriguez signs Revolver: how the Beatles Reimagined Rock?n?Roll.

for youngaudiences

Akoo Theatre at Rosemont, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000 ; the ticket prices listed below do not include service fees. for more information about the theater, call (847) 671-5100 or visit www.rosemonttheatre.com. Aug. 9, 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.: The Wiggles! Celebration Tour. Tickets: $15.50-$85.50.

Classic Cinemas theatres, including North Riverside Mall Theatre, 7501 W. Cermak Road, North Riverside; Ogden 6 Theatre, 1227 E. Ogden, Naperville; Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove; York Theatre, 150 N. York St., Elmhurst, presents the Wednesday Morning Movie Series through Aug. 8, featuring family-friendly films for $1 admission. show time is 10 a.m.; doors open at 9 a.m. for appearances by costumed characters, games and other activities. for information, visit www.classiccinemas.com. Aug. 8: ?Dr. Seuss? The Lorax,? rated PG.

?The Wind in the Willows? theatre-hike, 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Aug. 4-26, at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Audience members walk to each location to enjoy the unfolding story. Low-impact version, suitable for strollers, walkers and wheelchairs, will be presented Aug. 5. Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a water bottle, blanket or lawn chair. Appropriate for ages 8 and up. Admission to The Morton Arboretum is included with ticket fees of $13-$19. Call (630) 725-2066 or visit www.mortonarb.org.

Classes for kids

Hinsdale Center for the Arts, 5903 S. County Line Road, Hinsdale, in Katherine Legge Memorial Park. (630) 887-0203. www.hinsdalearts.org. Aug. 6-10, 9-10:30 a.m.: Beginning Improv for ages 9-12. Aug. 6-10, 10-11:30 a.m.: Summer Music Theory Intensive, for ages 8 and up. Aug. 6-10, 10 a.m.-noon: Fashion Starlets Camp, for grades 5-8. Aug. 6-10, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Improv for Teens, for ages 13-16. Aug. 6-10, 1-3 p.m.: Project Runway Fashion Camp, for grades 9-12.

Acappellago, a volunteer acappella chamber choir that performs in the western suburbs, seeks additional singers. Auditions will be held Aug. 12 in Forest View and Sept. 9 in Naperville, and at other times by appointment. Tenors and basses are especially needed, but all voice parts are encouraged to audition. Concert dates for 2012-13 are Dec. 1-2 and March 16-17. for more information, visit www.acappellago.org; call (708)484-3797, ext. 2; or e-mail music@acappellago.org.

The Fox Valley Academy of Music Performance will hold auditions on Aug. 19 at the orchestras? rehearsal location, Eden Supportive Living in North Aurora. The Academy?s ensembles, open to ages 8 to 18, include the Fox Valley Youth Strings, Fox Valley Academy Orchestra, and the Fox Valley Philharmonic. Highly advanced high school and college-aged musicians may be accepted to play with Maestro Maryann Flock in the Philharmonic. The Academy orchestras rehearse in the late afternoon on Sundays. Positions are available in all sections. The Philharmonic is acccepting auditions in all strings, trombone and percussion. for information about the orchestras and auditions, visit www.FVAcademy.org.

Lemont Artists Guild seeks entrants for its juried fine art show, ?Love of Art,? to be held Nov. 3. Applications are available at www.lemontartistsguild.org. Application deadline is Sept. 30. for more information, contact Liz Pop at (815) 341-1145 or Lizzypopp@hotmail.com.

Crafters wanted for the Pumpkins ?n Holly Craft show and Bake Sale, to be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 17 at St. Barbara Parish Center, 4015 Prairie Ave. Brookfield. Spaces are 9 feet wide by 8 feet deep and are $25; tables to rent are 8 feet wide by 2 feet deep and cost $10; electric hook-up is $5. no vendors please. Call (708) 485-1962 for an application.

The Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main Street, St. Charles. (630) 962-7000. www.oshows.com. Aug. 25, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.: Andrew Dice Clay. $49-$89.

Zanies Comedy Club at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342. www.zanies.com. Aug. 2-4: Ken Sevara. Aug. 7: Ralphie May. Aug. 8-11: Warren B. Hall. Aug. 15-18: Tim Clue. Aug. 22-25: Larry Reeb. Aug. 29-Sept. 1: Ralphie Roberts.

Willowbrook Ballroom, 8900 S. Archer Ave., Willow Springs. www.willowbrookballroom.com. (708) 839-1000. Aug. 3, 7-11 p.m.: Country and western dance, ?Boppin? at the Brook,? $8. Aug. 5: Rumba dance lesson, 12:30-1:30 p.m., $20. Ballroom dancing to music by The Teddy Lee Orchestra, 2-5 p.m., $14. no jeans or gym shoes. Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and Sept. 4, 7:30-10 p.m.: Country and western lessons and dance, $8. Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29 and Sept. 5, 7:30-11 p.m.: Salsa lessons and dance, $10. no partner needed. Aug. 10 and 17 and Sept. 7, 8 p.m.: Good Time Charley Singles Dance. Admission is $6 before 8:15 p.m.; $8 after. Aug. 12 and Sept. 2, 2-5 p.m.: Ballroom dancing to music by The Steve Anthony Orchestra, $14. no jeans or gym shoes. Aug. 19, 2-5 p.m.: Ballroom dancing to music by The Steve Cooper Orchestra, $14. no jeans or gym shoes. Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m.: Swing dancing with the Flat Cats Band. $12; $10 for students with ID. Sept. 8, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.: Tejano dance with Avizo. $30 in advance; $35 at the door. Visit www.yellowrosetejanomusicpromotions.com. Sept. 9: Foxtrot lesson from 12:30-1:30 p.m., $20. Ballroom dancing to music by The Teddy Lee Orchestra, 2-5 p.m., $14. no jeans or gym shoes.

Family Farm Fest, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 4 in the parking lot at Church of the Holy Nativity, 275 S. Richmond Ave., Clarendon Hills. The event, which benefits Heifer International, features live animals, crafts, an Amish handmade quilt raffle, food and a cake walk. Call (630) 323-6820.

Wheaton Ale Fest 2012, noon-4 p.m. Aug. 4 at Memorial Park, 208 W. Union St., Wheaton. Featuring more than 125 styles of beer, food and live music. General admission of $40 includes a souvenir glass. Designated driver tickets are also available. for tickets, visit www.wheatonalefest.com.

Downtown Downers Grove Art Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 8-9 at the intersection of Main Street and Burlington Avenue, featuring works by more than 125 artists, live music, food and children?s activities. Free admission. Call (847) 926-4300 or visit www.amdurproductions.com.

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666. www.paramountaurora.com. Classic Movie Mondays film series ? Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7 p.m. Admission is 80 cents. Aug. 6: ?The Silence of the Lambs? (1991). Aug. 13: ?National Lampoon?s Vacation? (1983). Aug. 20: ?Grease? (1978). Aug. 27: ?Terminator? (1984).

CAC (Catholic Alumni Club of Chicago) Single Catholics. (708) 450-8280 or www.caci.org/chicago.html. Aug. 10, 7 p.m.: Dinner at Giordano?s, 10410 W. Cermak Road, Westchester. Reservations to (708) 788-3352. Aug. 11: Dinner at Francesca?s, 75 S. La Grange Road, La Grange. Reservations to (708) 788-3352 by Aug. 10.

DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley Ave., Wheaton. www.dupagemuseum.org. (630) 510-4941. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission to the museum is free, but donations are appreciated. Suggested donation amount is $4; $2 for children and students. through Sept. 3: ?Once upon a Time,? a collection of late-18th to mid-19th century French clothing, accessories and furniture.

Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst. (630) 833-1457. www.elmhursthistory.org. Admission is free. Hours are 1-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. through Sept. 30: ?Sweet Home Chicago: The History of America?s Candy Capital.? Learn about Chicago?s candy-making history while experiencing interactive displays with nostalgic photos and artifacts, watch a video narrated by Bill Kurtis, and take on the Twisted Candy Challenge to test candy-wrapping skills. Aug. 7, 1-3 p.m.: Summer Fun & Games: Hand Puppet Fun, a craft project for children ages 4-12 accompanied by a caregiver. $2; $1 for members. Aug. 9, 1 p.m.: It?s History: Adventures in Candyland. Third-generation candy maker Amy Wertheim of R.G.W. Candy Company will share the company?s tradition of making small batch, hand-dipped chocolates, toffees, caramels and more on the family farm in downstate Illinois. Aug. 14, 1-3 p.m.: Summer Fun & Games: Back-to-School Tote Bags, a craft project for children ages 4-12 accompanied by a caregiver. $2; $1 for members.

Flagg Creek Heritage Society Museum, 7425 S. Wolf Road, Burr Ridge, and the Robert Vial House, 7375 S. Wolf Road, Burr Ridge. (708) 246-1064. www.flaggcreekheritagesociety.com. through Oct. 7 the Heritage Society Museum will exhibit ?Post-War and Mid-Century Modern Home Life,? featuring a period den with furnishings, carpet and fabrics augmented by kitchen gear, toys, magazines, model cars and more. Visitors to the Robert Vial House will view ?The Fabulous Fifties,? an exhibit of 1950s fashions for women and men. Flagg Creek Heritage Society Museum is open from 2-4 p.m. the first Sunday of the month. The Vial House is open from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays and 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursdays.

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, 220 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst. (630) 833-1616. www.lizzadromuseum.org. Hours are 1-5 p.m. Sundays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; closed Mondays. Admission: $4; $3 senior citizens; $2 students and teens; $1 for children ages 7-12; free for children under 7. Free admission on Fridays. through Sept. 9: ?Healing Stones,? showing an alternative use of minerals and rocks as a healing modality. Aug. 18, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Fossil-collecting field trip to Irene Quarry in Belvidere, Ill. $40 per person. Reservations required. Aug. 26, 2 p.m.: ?Working with Healing Stones,? presented by Steve Rosley, owner of Rosley?s Rocks and Gems in Chicago. Regular museum admission. Sept. 15, 10 a.m.-noon: Lapidary Lorel Abrell teaches participants how to carve soapstone, using simple tools and techniques. all materials are provided. $15 per person; reservations required. Sept. 29: Celebrate Smithsonian Museum Day: Contemporary Stone Mosaics. As a Smithsonian Affiliate the museum will feature a special exhibit from the Smithsonian Museum. Free admission will be offered to visitors presenting a Museum Day Ticket, available online at www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday. at 2 p.m. Gwyn Kaitis will present contemporary mosaic techniques and the use of natural materials in mosaics.

La Grange Art League Gallery and Studio, 122 W. Calendar Ave., La Grange. (708) 352-3101. www.lagrangeartleague.org. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. August: ?Memories,? featuring impressionistic, realistic and abstract images done in pastels, pencil, oils, watercolor, mixed media and fiber arts, with the theme of people and experiences from the past. Aug. 4, 2-4 p.m.: Reception for the Creative Prayer Flag Project. Aug. 5, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Joanne Laudolff will present a Japanese paper-making workshop. Fee is $105; $95 for members. Aug. 24-26, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Dianne Martia will present an oil and cold wax level II workshop. Fee is $280; $250 for members.

A public display of 60 hand-painted and working six-foot clocks has been installed in La Grange as part of an outdoor art exhibit throughout the downtown business district and West end. Local businesses sponsored the clocks and secured local artists, both professional and amateur, to design the timepieces which will be exhibited on the sidewalks throughout the summer. with the theme ?Hour Town La Grange ? Time well Spent,? the artists have created clocks ranging from sophisticated to outlandish, contemporary to traditional. The clocks will be auctioned for charity on Sept. 7. an exhibit walking map is available at various La Grange businesses and is posted online at www.lgba.com.

Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst. (630) 834-0202. www.elmhurstartmuseum.org. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturdays; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays; closed Sundays and Mondays. Admission: $7; $5 for students and senior citizens; free for children under 12 and members. Free admission on Fridays. through Aug. 25: Michael Ferris, Jr.: Kindred, large-scale sculptures of recycled wood; Billy Tokyo: The Shape of Things to Come and John Dempsey: Urban Nature, paintings that are equal parts graffiti and illustrative patterns; Anders Nilsen: Adam and Eve Sneaking back into the Garden to Steal More Apples, an exhibition of stories from the 594-page comic book, ?Big Questions?; Heather Becker: The Hidden Face, portraits of women; and Casey Roberts: Totally Free Now, paintings that are reminiscent of elegant children?s book illustrations. Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m.: ?Conservation and Collection,? presented by Heather Becker, CEO, Chicago Conservation Center. Aug. 11, 10 a.m.: second Saturday with Billy Tokyo.

North Central College?s Schoenherr Gallery at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. (630) 637-5375. www.northcentralcollege.edu/show. through Aug. 12: Painter Kimble Bromley?s ?Resurrection,? an exhibit reflecting on perseverance and rebirth.

Riverside Arts Center, Freeark Gallery, 32 E. Quincy Road, Riverside. (708) 442-6400. www.riversideartscenter.com. Hours: 1-5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. through Aug. 3: ?Urban Trace,? new work by local artist Anne Evans. Using a variety of media, including photography, fiber and mixed media, Evans creates abstract compositions through color, pattern and surface.

Alison Krauss & Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas, will perform bluegrass and country music at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. Tickets are $75-$95. Visit www.paramountaurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.

Source: http://epou.net/?p=45518

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Worthing Liberal Democrats Weekly Newsletter ? 22nd to 28th July ...

2. Chess Opening Move

WORTHING LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 22ND TO 28TH JULY 2012

• ??? Lib Dems will keep Worthing?s services local
• ??? Lib Dems will get on with bringing our town into the 21st century ? no more dither and delay
• ??? Lib Dems will ensure ?We are all in it together? ? no more waste and high pay
• ??? Lib Dems are the only opposition in Worthing ? Labour can?t win here
• ??? Lib Dems support 20 mph in Worthing?s residential roads

Leader:??It?s not cricket

At Monday?s Worthing County Local Committee (CLC) the Chair of the Community Initiative Funding (CIF) Approval Panel?Clem Stevens jokingly said ?It?s not a cricket club!?.?Clem was referring to Alan Rice?s support for an application to fund a Sussex Junior Chess competition to be held at Broadwater CE First & Middle Schools ? Alan being the?County Councillor for Broadwater Division.? Alan had famously previously obtained funding for two cricket clubs in Broadwater ? Broadwater Cricket Club which?plays on Broadwater Green and Worthing Cricket Club which plays at the Manor Sports Ground.

Over the past three years the cross-party Worthing County Local Committee has supported a wide variety of Worthing local community groups distributing in excess of ?150,000.?The maximum amount granted to any one group at any one time has been ?5,000 and the smallest ?185.? A recent recipient of a ?5,000 grant was the Whole of Worthing Shakespeare Festival?which put on six plays during June in various outdoor Worthing locations. The plays?involved over 150 Worthing school children taking part and over 800 people saw at least one Shakespeare play.? Sussex Junior Chess is one of two groups to receive?just ?185 and will be holding a chess tournament?in the Autumn involving around 50 to 100 Worthing schoolchildren.

Worthing CLC?is unique in West Sussex in that all funding bids have to come through the local member?and the?useful local knowledge of the member of the applicant helps?ease the application.? It is because the?Worthing CLC is so flexible that bids rejected elsewhere have been looked on favourably. The Whole of Worthing Shakespeare Festival had been disappointed by?having the Big Lottery reject their application but Worthing CLC was happy to step in.? Similarly Worthing CLC was able to step in to fund Worthing Mayor?s Swimathon hire of the Aquarena and Worthing Youth Council ? both having been declined by Worthing Borough Council.? Not everyone that applies is successful but for many the fund has been the donor ?of last resort?.

Other local beneficiaries have included Sussex?Gruffs Male Choir (?949); Glendale Theatre Arts School (?5,000) enabling them to take part?in 2011 Dance World Cup in Disneyland?Paris;?Cortis Avenue Wildlife Sanctuary (?4,600); Butterflies Breast Cancer Group (?400);?Alzheimer?s Society (?5,000), Mick?s Garage (?2,491); Circus Seen (?3,500); End of the Pier Film?Festival (?2,000); Worthing Birdman (?5,000);

Worthing Fire?& Rescue (?5,000) for free smoke alarms; Liaise Debt Counselling (?750); Guildbourne IT Workshop (?2,497) and?Selden Kids in Play (?1,000).

With so many diverse Worthing groups benefitting, Worthing CLC is rightly proud of its record and?its unique way of handling applications.??Yet Worthing CLC still attracts its critics?for being different from the rest of the County Local Committees and for its methods.? Recently those critics have become louder but?Worthing Liberal Democrats believe the criticism is unfair ? it?s?not cricket.

Worthing Liberal Democrats?

DECOY?UNEMPLOYED

Monday 23rd July ? Recently Worthing Borough Council Planning Committee resolved ?to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration that no objection be raised to the allocation of the Decoy?Farm site within the draft Waste Local Plan.?? But both the Cabinet Member for Regeneration Bryan Turner and the Leader of the Council Paul Yallop?remained very tight-lipped ? not revealing how Worthing Borough Council (WBC) was to respond to the West Sussex County Council consultation on the draft?plan.? At tonight?s Worthing County Local Committee an officer presented the plan to the meeting and asked for comments from?committee members.? Worthing Borough Council broke their silence as Tory committee member?and WBC Cabinet Member for Resources Steve Waight announced, as landowners, Worthing would not be releasing the site for a waste facility. The West Sussex officer was completely taken aback as were other members of the committee.

Lib Dem Committee Member Alan Rice?said:??At least we now know?how at least one of Worthing?s Tory Cabinet is thinking and Mr Waight being responsible for WBC?s estate the decision to release or not release the site is his.??The decision will not be discussed in public and the views of the residents will not be sought ? no change from the Tory administration there then.?Naturally Worthing Liberal Democrats will continue to consult with residents and green groups to achieve the best result for Worthing.?

CHESS OPENING MOVE

Monday 23rd?July -?Tonight?s Worthing County Local Committee (CLC) approved?Community Initiative Funding (CIF) of ?185 to enable Sussex Junior Chess hold a chess tournament at Broadwater CE First & Middle Schools in the Autumn term.?Established in 1995 Sussex Junior Chess is a not-for-profit organisation which exists to promote and popularise chess among school age children in Sussex. Through their representative for schools in Worthing and district?David Graham, Sussex Junior Chess?runs a?tournament each term to provide an opportunity for children to play outside of their own school chess club.? The application was supported by Lib Dem West Sussex County Councillor for?Broadwater Alan Rice.? Two other CIF applications were approved?- ?5,000 for Women?s Aid towards replacement windows for their refuge and ?700 to Worthing Tennis and Squash Club for croquet equipment.

BENEFIT CHANGES

Thursday 25th July ? Worthing Borough Council Finance Officer Sarah Gobey presented a report to tonight?s Joint Strategic Committee?on the Government?s proposals to replace the current Council Tax Benefit scheme.? Currently, support is granted to Council Tax payers on a means-tested basis which can be upto 100% of the council tax due.? In most cases, the full cost of the benefit is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but as part of the Spending Review in September 2010 it was proposed to localise support for Council Tax from 2013-14, reducing expenditure by at least 10%.? Localising?of Council Tax Benefit will mean Worthing Borough Council will decide the criteria for granting benefit for April 2013 onwards.? The fact that the overall amount?available is being reduced by at least 10% would suggest benefits would be cut locally by the same amount unless?Worthing Borough Council fund the shortfall from elsewhere in the budget ? with unemployment trends the reduction is more likely to be in the 13-14% region.? The Joint Strategic Committee was asked to consider mitigating changes in the Council Tax to offset the effect ? removing any discount for second homes; removing the exemption for?unoccupied properties undergoing major repairs; removing the exemption for unoccupied or unfurnished properties; and levying an empty property tax. Even with the removal of these exemptions only around 55 to 70% of the expected shortfall would be met. The committee agreed to set up a Joint Overview?& Scrutiny Committee in the Autumn to make proposals for the new?Council Tax Benefit Scheme.

?

OPEN SPACE, SPORT AND RECREATION STRATEGY

Thusday 25th July ? The Worthing Borough Council Open Space, Sport and Recreation Strategy is in need of renewal, being originally set in 2006 ? Sport England considers updating should be done on at least a three yearly basis.? An up to date strategy is needed to determine the type of sports pitches needed to meet demand and to inform on any planning decisions involving any changes to provision.?Sport England only accepted the Worthing College application (on the grounds of loss of formal playing pitches)?on the basis the Council committed to an early review of Worthing?s Playing Pitch Strategy.? Further an up to date strategy is necessary for external?funders?(e.g. Heritage lottery Fund) to consider applications for improvements to green spaces including the proposed upgrade of Homefield Park.? The new strategy will also be needed to be taken into account with the new grounds maintenance policy adopted by Worthing Borough when the Continental Landscapes contract ends.

Lib Dem Alan Rice as Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment?said: ?It is obviously important we get a new strategy in place for open spaces?but we must look at all opportunities including meeting?community group wishes of taking over maintenance of their local green space themselves.? Worthing Liberal Democrats will continue to talk to local community groups to ensure their wishes are heard loud and clear by the Tory Cabinet Member and not ignored as has been so often the case in the past.?

?

NEW THEATRES BUSINESS PLAN REVEALED

Thursday 25th July ? Worthing Liberal Democrats have welcomed the more professional?format of the new theatres business plan which is a significant improvement on the first effort.?The continuing losses remain a concern as we understand?even on the budgetted figures for 2012-13?theatres are still losing around ?3,000 per day ? the figure quoted by Leader of the Council Paul Yallop early last year.?The accompanying report to the new business plan presented to tonight?s Joint Strategic Committee highlights the new catering arrangements at Denton Lounge have been a success but we do need to see the whole picture before making a valued judgement based on firm evidence.

Lib Dem Group Leader?Alan?Rice said: ?The new business plan still misses some vital points according to the expert friends we consulted but Worthing Lib Dems do recognise it is a vast improvement on the previous one.? And we do wish the theatre staff every success in?making the necessary improvement in the theatres? finances.? Catering appears to be an area which is improving but especially in catering the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.?

Wednesday 1st August ? Lib Dem Northbrook/Durrington Ward Surgery ? The Durrington Community Centre, New Road 7.30 to 8.30 pm

Saturday 4th August ? Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery ? The Strand Shops 10.00 to 10.30 am

Saturday 4th August ? Lib Dem Gaisford/Tarring Castle Wards Surgery ? West Worthing Baptist Church, South Street, Tarring 10.30 to 12.00 noon

Saturday 4th August ? Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery ? Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road 10.30 am to 12.00 noon
and every first Saturday of the month

Saturday 4th August ? Lib Dem Broadwater Ward Surgery ? The Community House, Dominion Road 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm
and every first Saturday of the month

FURTHER AHEAD

Wednesday 8th August ? WBC Planning Commitee -?Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Tuesday 21st August ? Lib Dem Durrington Surgery ? New Life Church, Durrington 7.00 to 8.00 pm
and every third Tuesday of the month

Printed (dispatched) by Virgin Media, Communications House, Bartley Wood Business Park, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9UP
Published and promoted by Worthing Liberal Democrats, 18 Woodlea Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 1BN

Source: http://www.wor-ld.org.uk/general/worthing-liberal-democrats-weekly-newsletter-22nd-to-28th-july-2012/

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Creativity with the Help of Crochet | Skyward Film

Meet?Tums and Pretty Jeff.?The one on the left has stomach problems and the one on the right has a very?fashionable hairdo. These fuzzy monsters are a type of Amigurumi, the Japanese art of?creating small animals. ML,?an artist and?a good friend,?crocheted these?little guys by looping thread with a hooked needle. Then he added stuffing and?sewed?them together to create formidable products.? (And with a charismatic grin, he?explains?how ladies?comprise 90% of his business.)

ML isn?t only a talented guy?he?s extremely creative. As a fellow entrepreneur, I?m fortunate to spend time around him and hear feedback?from his audience,?often a mix of?reverent?encouragement?and envious heckling.?His confidence is key,?eliciting a curiosity?and professionalism?in his approach to creativity. It?ensures his success.

Like ML, anyone can maximize their creative abilities by routinely relating different products and connecting them through an idea, also known as cross-referencing. ML?s stuffed creatures are prime examples of?a creative result. They display how a comforting toy (one idea) with a deviant expression (a second idea) can combine into something novel, maybe comic, or elevated to a new diminsion of comfort as a protective symbol.

ML?follows his own patterns for cross-referencing; yet this technique is nothing new. ML?browses around New York for something unique,?visiting The Strand?Bookstore at Union Square or plucking any articles of interest.?Here, you?ll notice a sample collection on mythology:?The Book Of Symbols, The King and the Corpse,?The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The Oedipus Cycle, and?even The Holy Qur?an.?To cross-reference, ML?writes notes, juxtaposes his thoughts,?and explores them.?With practice, he effortlessly forms his own opinions, interpretations, reflections, and decisions toward future action.?And it?s easy: The typical cross-referencing experience can involve a normal day, cross-referencing a book and a film.

While first seeming clich?, it?s important to consider that many people miss the value behind?such an?action,?placing a mental block on disagreeable ideas. For example, how many Cocktail fans now avoid a possibly good Tom Cruise movie, because once he converted to Scientology, he betrayed?their?preconception of the all-American hero? Without realizing it, the mind can close down and attach a limiting thought to a possibly good opportunity: Book clubs will seem like a meeting of emotionally-needy women; or reading the history behind a sculpture will appear like the act of snobbish intellectuals who lack any empathy for the?average or honest person.?Such thoughts are self-defeating. (You?ll see a positive example of this process during my next blog entry when I discuss two unrelated products and connect them through an idea.)

The usefulness of cross-referencing rests on two related principles:

1. The first principle, plain and simple, objectivity, suggests that you?re stepping out of your own shoes, out of the limits of your individual mind, and perceiving?an?outlook with the aid of an impersonal source,?like a website blog?that?alters your?interpretation of a movie. (Think about Casablanca?and the irresponsible main character as a newly responsible hero: ?Here?s looking at you, kid!?)
2. And secondly, we consider?anchoring, which?is a term used to describe a situation?when your mind automatically turns on a light switch of information?more often than not, to the wrong room of your house.?By actively observing this process,?the mind?illuminates?the?dark places,?fine-tunes?your attention-generator,?and?permits a?smooth,?creative flow.

Finally, remember to relax!?A person? overwhelms themselves with too many books and materials. The weight of responsibility?of remembering and processing rich content?quite literally clutters your mind. Intimidated by a stack of books,?a helpless feeling?develops into?an inert?state of?vulnerability. Seemingly simple worries like?a?large to-do list?fester and?irritate the spirit, diverting one?s?creativity?away from?accomplishing his/her?goals. So take your time; take pleasure in the process and reflect on what you?ve seen.?Stick to?a single well-chosen book, or if you must use several sources, at least articulate your reasons for cross-referencing unrelated materials. Accomplish this by writing down the reason on a sheet of paper, preferably somewhere visible, or rewrite the reason on a yellow sticky note.

There are other efficient methods, perhaps less relevant to creativity and more relevant to the mastery of a skill. If you?re attempting to pick up a new skill, a ?how-to? or ?self-improvement? book compliments practical experience. In graduate programs, academic curriculums will train students to balance their individual studies and group courses (visual/aural learning) with live teaching (applied learning) for the best results. This technique constitutes the foundation of my educational program for writers and filmmakers.

Philosophizin' writer, director, and cinematographer out of Manhatten, NY.

Source: http://skywardfilm.com/crochet-artist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=crochet-artist

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7 Signs You Might Be a Foodie | The Daily Muse

Do you collect cookbooks? Have you unwittingly spent half the day at the farmer?s market deciding what to make for dinner? Is the kitchen your favorite room in the house?

With the influx of great food and entertainment shows, it?s no wonder that so many of us are spending more and more time in our kitchens. But have you become more than just a home cook? Are you, perhaps, a full-blown foodie?

If any of these signs sound familiar?well, you just might be.

?

1.?When planning a vacation, you put as much thought into restaurants as you do the hotel

Let?s face it, most people get out of town to escape the weather or the stresses of everyday life. They?re looking for a clean, comfortable place to crash, a few touristy side trips, and possibly a fruity rum drink sporting a tiny paper umbrella served poolside.

But foodies take a different approach: For them, it?s all about the dining experiences that await. If you find yourself scouring Travel & Leisure or Food & Wine and picking your travel destination because you found a four-star restaurant with the killer six-course meals that you just have to try?well, just know that?s not how most people plan their trips.

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2.?You collect info on the likes and dislikes of professional chefs

Anybody can clip coupons and recipes, but as a die-hard wannabe chef, you also save feature articles on the pros: You have to know where they like to eat, their favorite recipes, and kitchen utensils they can?t live without. Hey, it?s food for thought for your next vacation, dinner party, or kitchen remodel, right?

?

3.?You keep instant espresso powder in the freezer (and you?ve never once used it to make a cup of coffee)

Most non-foodie types have no idea of the depth of flavor that just a teaspoon of instant espresso powder can impart on an otherwise mediocre batch of brownies. But foodies know that espresso is the Instagram of food: Just as a simple filter creatively enhances an otherwise bland image, the tiny espresso granule lives to elevate the chocolate experience.

?

4.?You take your kitchen knife sharpening appointments as seriously as you do your time at the hair salon

You understand the importance of keeping kitchen knives sharp (and the surprising dangers of the dreadfully dull blade). Enough said.

?

5.?You reschedule a long-delayed dental appointment to attend the opening of a new grocery store

Speaking of appointments?for a foodie, there?s nothing more inviting than a grocery store opening, an event that focuses on all things culinary (well, except maybe for the opening of a new Jean-Georges restaurant). The great menu ideas, even better deals, and the prospect of some cool freebies?how could you turn it down? Nevermind those errands you were supposed to run, they can wait.

?

6.?You know the difference between chiffonade and julienne?and you?re not afraid to use them

Mincing, dicing, slicing?everyone?s mastered those simple food prep tasks. But foodies take it a step further. You can chiffonade bright green basil leaves to sprinkle over farm-fresh tomato slices glistening in olive oil and you learned how to julienne cream-colored jicama to update your slaw recipe?and you know the difference it makes.

?

7.?A food photo on the cover of a magazine in the checkout line pulls you in faster than Us Weekly

I admit?even when it isn?t dinner time, a photo of a perfect square of lasagna oozing a river of bechamel sauce will grab my attention like no shirtless photo of Johnny Depp ever could. (Well, almost.) But if the mere mention of George Clooney has you thinking less about how nicely he fills out a tux and more about what he?s serving for dinner at his Italian villa?it might be time to admit that your relationship with food is one of the most important in your life.

?

It takes more than just watching the food shows on television (and following the blogs of all the hosts) to be able to legitimately stake your claim as a foodie. But if these signs are all hitting a little close to home?you just might be a true fanatic of all things culinary. And you know what? That?s a good thing. Like Alice in Wonderland, jump into your kitchen and see where it leads.

?

Photo of chef courtesy of Shutterstock.

Related posts:

Source: http://www.thedailymuse.com/social/7-signs-you-might-be-a-foodie/

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Apple To Take Twitter Stake? Nope, Apparently Not

Well, that was fun while it lasted.

The New York Times last week got the Valley all a-titter with a report that Apple?in recent months had held talks to take a stake in Twitter.

But Bloomberg reported over the weekend that in fact Apple is NOT in active talks with Twitter. The story is attributed to ?two people familiar with the matter.? Actually, the Times story says that the two sides are not in negotiations at the moment, but went on to suggest that the talks could point to a closer relationship between the two companies.

Bloomberg asserts that the two companies held talks more than a year ago but never reached ?any agreement. The Times had reported that the companies had held talks in recent months about Apple making an investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars that would would have valued Twitter at more than $10 billion.

The two stories agree on several basic points: the two sides talked, no agreement was reached, and they aren?t currently talking about a deal. What?s irritating about the Times story is the way it was positioned, with a headline reading ?Apple Officials Said to Consider Stake in Twitter,? and then a story that says that no talks are actually taking place.?

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2012/07/30/apple-to-take-twitter-stake-nope-apparently-not/

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Assistant Vice President Product Management (Oodle)

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Charlie Sheen sitcom poised for 90-episode pickup

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? These are good days for the "Anger Management" star Charlie Sheen, whose FX sitcom is halfway through its initial 10-episode run and poised to get an order for 90 more.

Sheen told reporters Saturday that doing the show is as "exciting as hell," cheerily adding that 90 more episodes may not be enough.

FX announced plans to bring on Sheen's dad, Martin Sheen, as a regular cast member. He will play the father of Charlie Goodson, the anger-management therapist played by Charlie Sheen.

Sheen likened last year's tumultuous departure from "Two and a Half Men" and its stormy aftermath to a dream he couldn't wake up from.

He was speaking to a session of the Television Critics Association.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-07-28-TV-Charlie%20Sheen/id-b294c13db4524f9a84a87242bc32d1f2

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Simon Gets Festive With Seasonal Coupons, Deals & Giveaways ...

Topics: Company, simon property group

Retailers, national brands team up with Simon to ring in Santa, shoppers and seasonal sales. This year, Simon will transform a trip to the mall - and a visit with Santa - into a celebration that gives shoppers a chance to take advantage of the free gifts and coupons, holiday television programming, and much more offered by holiday sponsors this year.

National brands are hopping on the holiday sleigh at Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) to welcome smart shoppers, Santa Claus and his elves to a truly festive season of shopping.

This year, Simon will transform a trip to the mall - and a visit with Santa - into a celebration that gives shoppers a chance to take advantage of the free gifts and coupons, holiday television programming and much more offered by holiday sponsors this year.

While at the mall, families can also sign up for the Simon Kidgits Club or pick up a Simon Giftcard, the goof-proof gifting choice of the season.

Kids and their moms and dads can celebrate the arrival of the holidays with a trip to Santa's Village, where photos and other activities for the whole family await them. Families can also enter to win a special at-home visit from Santa through the "Make a New Holiday Memory" sweepstakes, offered at Simon.com.

And this year, a visit with Santa Claus isn't just reserved for the kids: Now animal lovers can now share the magical experience of the season with their four-legged (or dual-winged) friends through photos with Santa, provided by Universal Studios Home Entertainment's all-new movie, Beethoven's Big Break, available on DVD December 30th, 2008. With an all-star cast including Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernies), Moises Arias (Hanna Montana), Rhea Perlman (TV's Cheers) and more, Beethoven's Big Break is jam packed with more action, more laughs and more surprises than ever before!

"This holiday season, Simon Malls are bringing brands and shoppers together for fun and interactive festivities close that are sure to lighten up the heart of even that holiday Scrooge," said Cathi Weiner, senior vice president of Simon Brand Ventures, the business-to-consumer arm of Simon Property Group.

"Smart shoppers walking through Simon's mall doors this year will have a great time participating in our special holiday events, while taking advantage of the hot sales and deals as well as variety of selection, all under one roof," added Lisa Bennett, Assistant Vice President of Business Development of Simon Brand Ventures.

National sponsors Sears, ABC Family, Duracell, Underwriters Laboratories, Simon Malls lighting and safety sponsor, and Gymboree will be setting up shop to sprinkle shoppers with coupons, free samples, safety tips for the holidays and giveaways straight from Santa's magic sack.

"The parents' mantra during the holidays is 'Don't forget the batteries' because part of the joy in their child's holiday is having toys and games that stay powered throughout the season," said Pat Vesay, assistant brand manager for Proctor & Gamble's Duracell brand. "Simon Malls provide a unique, creative and fun environment for reaching our consumers, and we can't wait to connect with them while they're doing their shopping or getting that traditional portrait with Santa."

Sears will serve as presenting sponsor of the Simon Santa experience at all participating properties, distributing special coupon offers, while associate sponsor ABC Family plans to spread holiday cheer with highlights from its 25 Days of Christmas programming. Gymboree will distribute 20-percent-off coupons, and Underwriters Laboratories will provide safety tips for the holidays as families prepare for the season.

About Simon Property Group

Simon Property Group, Inc. is an S&P 500 company and the largest public U.S. real estate company. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers?, The Mills?, community/lifestyle centers and international properties. It currently owns or has an interest in 387 properties comprising 263 million square feet of gross leasable area in North America, Europe and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. Simon Property Group, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol SPG. For further information, visit the Company's website at http://www.simon.com.

About Simon Brand Ventures

Simon Brand Ventures (SBV), Simon's business-to-consumer arm, is pioneering the transformation of shopping centers into a medium where consumer brands can build relationships with Simon shoppers who make over 2.8 billion visits each year. Simon's vast franchise of market-leading shopping centers nationwide provides SBV the foundation to monetize the distribution system through numerous consumer ventures. SBV has engaged in a number of consumer business initiatives, including the Simon Visa Giftcard(R), launch of Simon platform programs such as Simon dTOUR Live(R) and Simon Kidgits Club(R); a national media delivery channel including static, digital and experiential marketing and advertising vehicles, including the OnSpot Digital Network; and multiple national and local marketing alliances with Coca-Cola and Visa U.S.A., among others.????

About Duracell

Part of the Procter & Gamble Company, Duracell has been powering people around the world for more than 40 years. Our products serve as the heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. As the world's leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, Duracell also innovates in disposable, renewable and peripheral technologies and markets general purpose flashlights along with the advanced Daylite? LED flashlights. Visit http://www.duracell.com/ for more information.

About Procter & Gamble

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers?, Tide?, Ariel?, Always?, Whisper?, Pantene?, Mach3?, Bounty?, Dawn?, Gain?, Pringles?, Folgers?, Charmin?, Downy?, Lenor?, Iams?, Crest?, Oral-B?, Actonel?, Duracell?, Olay?, Head & Shoulders?, Wella?, Gillette?, and Braun?. The P&G community consists of 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com)]. Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with over billion in annual revenues and approximately 3,800 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has Martha Stewart Everyday products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart and in Canada by Sears Canada. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at http://www.searsholdings.com.

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 21 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each year. UL's worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 63 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 99 countries. For more information, visit:http://www.UL.com/newsroom.

About The Gymboree Corporation

The Gymboree Corporation's specialty retail brands offer unique, high-quality products delivered with personalized customer service. As of November 1, 2008, the Company operated a total of 873 retail stores: 614 Gymboree? stores (585 in the United States and 29 in Canada), 112 Gymboree Outlet stores, 110 Janie and Jack? shops and 37 Crazy 8? stores in the United States. The Company also operates online stores at http://www.gymboree.com, http://www.janieandjack.com, and http://www.crazy8.com. The Company also offers directed parent-child developmental play programs at 597 franchised and Company-operated centers in the United States and 30 other countries.

About ABC Family

Part of the Disney-ABC Television Group, ABC Family, distributed in over 95 million homes, features original movies, series and specials reflecting today's families and entertaining and connecting with adults through relevant stories about today's relationships, all told with diversity, dysfunction, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a mix of quality acquired series and theatricals as well as original movies and scripted dramas. ABC Family is also the destination for Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas" branded programming events. ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.

###

Posted On: Indianapolis, Ind. November 24, 2008

Source: http://room.pk/simon-gets-festive-with-seasonal-coupons-deals-giveaways-galore/

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Probe launched as empty seats leave fans fuming

Olympics organisers were urgently investigating why several venues had swathes of empty seats on Saturday, the first full day of competition at the London Games.

Organisers LOCOG were overwhelmed with demand for Olympics tickets when they first went on sale more than a year ago.

But there were rows and rows of unoccupied seats at some venues Saturday, notably the Aquatics Centre and the Wimbledon tennis complex, causing fans to vent their fury outside venues and on social media.

The embarrassing sight was blamed on accredited bodies, which include the International Olympic Committee, sponsors and the media.

"We are aware that some venues have empty seats," a LOCOG spokesman told AFP. "We believe the empty seats are in accredited seating areas, and we are in the process of finding out who should have been in the seats and why they weren't there."

There were entirely empty blocks at Wembley Arena for the badminton and plenty of unoccupied seats at Greenwich Park for the equestrian events, and at Earls Court for the volleyball.

Britain's Olympics minister Jeremy Hunt called the situation a "shame" and "very disappointing".

One angry punter at the Olympic Park told BBC television he blamed corporate ticketholders.

"It's not fair. There's thousands of people who would have got into that swimming pool to watch the races this morning and couldn't get in.

"They've (now) panicked about the political situation of the stadium being empty. We couldn't even get in but people were coming out saying how the stadium was half-empty.

"There were thousands of people stood outside wishing to go in."

During the Wimbledon championships, a match between British hopeful Anne Keothavong and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki on the 15,000-seater Centre Court would normally be played before a packed house.

But Centre Court was half-empty for the match on Saturday.

"Very surprised at amount of empty seats on Wimbledon Centre Court, especially as I applied for some! It can't be more than 50 percent full," wrote frustrated fan Alex Dover on Twitter.

"We're looking at this very urgently," Olympics minister Hunt told the BBC. "We want to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen."

If sponsors are not going to turn up and take their seats, "we want those tickets to be available for members of the public," he said.

"It's a shame this happened but we're going to do everything to make sure that we fill up those stadia."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/anger-empty-seats-191852950--oly.html

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Credit Report Errors Persist As Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

When Frank Deyoub and his wife were thinking about names for their newborn son, one moniker was completely off the table: Frank Deyoub.

"If I named my son after me, he would have all the issues I'm having," says 35-year-old Deyoub, who lives in Royal Oak, Mich., with his wife and now 8-year-old son. "I've gotten denied work, I've been embarrassed. It's made people in my own family look at me differently."

The problem? Deyoub's credit report, the data file of all the money he's borrowed or tried to borrow during his adult life. Most American consumers have a credit report compiled by each of three large private ratings companies: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Banks, landlords and even employers and use these reports to decide whether or not to trust someone with almost all the critical pieces of an adult's financial life: a job, credit card, auto loan, mortgage. At best, a blemished credit report translates into more expensive borrowing costs; at worst, it means a lost job, car or home.

For Deyoub, who works at a medical equipment company, the distress is devastatingly personal. His descent into credit report hell began 15 years ago, when he claims his father, Frank Scaramuzzino, stole his identity and used Deyoub's unblemished financial record to buy two houses and three cars.

Around the same time, a former high school classmate, a drug user, allegedly began using Deyoub's name when the cops arrested him. Since then, some credit companies have sent Deyoub reports that list his classmate's criminal history as Deyoub's, or that attributed his father's purchases and debts to him.

Scaramuzzino, who received a two-year prison sentence for federal tax evasion in 2009, told The Huffington Post that his son's version of events is inaccurate, that "there was never identity theft or fraud." He acknowledged that some of his own financial information made it onto his son's credit report, but said that may have been due to a clerical error, since the two men had the same name at the time. (Frank Deyoub legally changed his last name from Scaramuzzino in 1998.)

As for Deyoub, he says he doesn't have much of a relationship with his father anymore. Still, Deyoub finds that some credit-reporting and background-check companies continue to mix up the two of them.

"Someone's not really thoroughly checking this," Deyoub told HuffPost. "This is supposed to be gospel of who you are and how you handle things."

Last week Deyoub and countless other Americans with credit report horror stories got a little message of hope when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it would oversee the credit reporting industry as of September 30. Previously, the credit reporting companies have been regulated by the Federal Trade Commission under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. With the CFPB's new role, it is the first time that a single government agency will have complete access to credit bureaus and have some enforcement authority.

The CFPB, a one-year-old agency founded in the wake of the financial crisis to look out for consumer interests, said it will improve the way bureaus address accuracy. The agency will monitor the accuracy of information furnished to credit reporting companies, and will look at how reporting companies assemble that information. The CFPB said it would also examine how the bureaus handle corrections.

Over the years, Deyoub's tried to fix errors on his credit reports. Yet they persist. TransUnion lists Deyoub's birth year as 1953 (it's 1977). TransUnion doesn't have Deyoub's current address on file, though he's lived there more than a year. His TransUnion report also shows two liens of indeterminate origins, but that Deyoub believes are connected in some way to his father. [CQ] Deyoub says he's written TransUnion to try and set the record straight. He's been able to clear up some of the mistakes with some of the companies -- which he says took months of back-and-forth correspondence -- but other errors have proven harder to stamp out.

TransUnion said it does not comment on individual cases specifically, but said consumers can submit complaints through the company's website.

There's wide disagreement on the accuracy of credit reports. Studies from consumer groups have shown 25 percent to as many as 80 percent of credit reports contain some error that may or may not affect one's credit score, the number used by the big agencies to rank a consumer's credit-worthiness.

The credit bureaus say the numbers are nowhere near that high. The Consumer Data Information Association, a trade group for the credit reporting industry, points to statistics published in May 2011 by the Policy & Economic Research Council. That study, which was underwritten by the three biggest reporting bureaus, showed less than 2 percent of credit reports had errors that led to a score change of 10 points or more.

Norm Magnuson, a spokesman for the CDIA, said credit bureaus update consumers' files every 30 days and that lag time can skew the error rate higher. But consumer advocates point out that even a very low error rate, like that cited by the industry, still affects millions of consumers.

Sometimes the error can be as simple as one name sounding like another. Sandra Cortez, a Colorado accountant and grandmother, learned this the hard way in 2005, when a credit check at a local car dealership returned unexpected results: Cortez was supposedly on a government watch list of individuals suspected of having ties to terrorism. In reality, the person on the watch list was a different woman named Sandra Cortes Quintera, but Cortez didn't learn of the mistake until she'd spent a few anxious hours thinking she was about to be arrested by the FBI.

Pamela Banks, senior policy counsel for nonprofit consumer organization Consumers Union, said errors persist because of lack of enforcement by regulators, lack of investigation into errors by reporting companies, and consumers themselves not doing enough to monitor their own reports.

One reason some errors are perpetuated is because of how the bureaus match information from creditors with credit files, according to Chi Chi Wu, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. Wu said that some data-matching formulas only require seven out of nine digits of a Social Security to match, which can lead to credit files that contain information from more than one person.

"[Credit bureaus] don't undertake meaningful investigation, and automate everything in order to save money," said Wu.

There are approximately 3 billion credit reports issued each year by the three biggest reporting companies and more than 36 billion updates made to consumer credit files, according to the CFPB. Tracking all that information is a herculean task, to be sure. But consumer advocates brush off any suggestion that volume has anything to do with accuracy.

But many consumers are not doing their part, either. Less than 40 percent of Americans actually bothered to take a look at their own reports last year, according to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

"People chase their credit scores, but they skip the first step and obtain a credit report," said Gail Cunningham, director of the NFCC.

Everyone can get a free report from each of the three main bureaus each year at AnnualCreditReport.com. Have you had trouble correcting an error on your credit report? Or has an error on your credit report prevented you from obtaining a loan? Please share a comment or email money@huffingtonpost.com.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/credit-report-errors_n_1689378.html

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Mountain Biking Is An Excellent Form of Recreation and Sport | The ...

Mtn biking is a recreational sport wherein riders ride bicycles off-road on tough terrains. The bicycles used for these sports activity is specifically manufactured to suit these kind of terrains which are generally rough and patchy. Such bikes are well-knownly known as mntain bikes. These mtn bikes are especially suitable for these kinds of environments. These varieties of bikes look very similar to any other bike, but they are fitted with particular features to boost and improve the ride, consolation and most importantly performance on such terrains.

Terrain biking are of different categories such as mongrel country, dirt jumping and trails to name a few. The most well-known forms of mntain biking is the recreational and trail using categories. One can perform mtn biking anywhere like on country back rds, off-road trails, zigzag streets through forests, on hills or mntains, fields and on trails. given that mtn biking involves travelling on your own and most of the time being away from the civilization, the rider needs to be self-reliant in the activity. The rider is necessary to carry a backpack and be equipped with essential items like water, instruments necessary for repairs, a first aid kit, and some emergency food packets in case of need arising from any unfortunate incident like injuries. mtn biking through clubs or in teams is very common on long treks. This game has gained in favoredity after the year 1990 and is recognized as a form of recreational sport.

Some of the equipments one needs for mtn biking are, a good bike uniquely made for performance on terrains which are tough. They have selected distinctive features like dual suspension, wider tires, and flat and raised require for consolationable using posture giving good control for the rider. These make of bikes come fitted with disc brakes and gears to assist in climbing hills which are steep and journey through bumpy surfaces. Due to these exclusive capabilities such bikes are heavier as compared to the regular tour bicycles. A rider also needs to carry particular accessories like helmets, gloves, first aid kit, GPS device, pumps to fill flat tires, a good shoe, instruments for the bike etc.

cross-breed country is the most preferred form of off-road biking all over the earth. This involves journeyling from one point to another involving some climbs and descents on different forms of terrains. Trails involve jumping the bikes over obstacles without the rider?s foot touching the land. It is generally performed off-road and demands good balance from the rider. just about every single hobby has its risks and mountain biking also involves some risks. Without the use of any protective gears a rider can be susceptible to minor as well as some serious accidents to head or spine especifically in downhill biking. With a protective gear one can avoid such serious accidents.

Australia has some excellent terrain biking tours which are eco certified, these tours come with guides for every kind of biking knowledge be it the rainforest tours or the coastal tours on bikes. They cater to all kinds of rider amateur as well as experienced. knowledge the adventures involved in mtn biking like any other activity and also enjoy dynamics at its best. Such form of biking is a great stress buster.

If you?re not scared of the truth, then you will be ok ? Go Mountain Cycling . If you want total advantage: then use Mountain Bikes.

Source: http://www.grovelandbuzz.com/2012/07/28/mountain-biking-is-an-excellent-form-of-recreation-and-sport/

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Have A Successful Home Based Business With One Of These ...

Establishing a home enterprise can be a great way to achieve the independence and freedom you may have always wanted. But the only method to do well would be to inform yourself concerning the method and potential risks included. Put the following advice to be effective, and you will benefit from the entrepreneurial life-style you want.

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Get outfitted each day that you?re working on your home business. You don?t need to wear a suit, but company informal will do. Which includes boots! You?ll learn that becoming clothed properly and looking excellent helps you feel better about yourself, and you?ll offer a more professional attitude away in your e-mails and on the phone.

Be sure to subtract job-connected phone costs whenever you submit taxation for your business. If one makes adequate requires your company that you may have an independent mobile phone collection or mobile phone for function calls only, that cost is fully deductible. Or else, keep a record on your phone expenses of the costs that are for job calls. Developing a method can make sure that your savings will likely be maximized.

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You should try calling a nearby fm radio station and building a deal with these to barter products to get a tiny little airtime. They are able to make use of items for prizes in prize draws or cost-free freebies and in turn, they could talk about your small business as the place where they obtained these items.

Starting a residence organization is for a lot of the important thing to your genuinely unbiased presence. To acquire the tennis ball moving, you must find out the right way to setup and improve your enterprise. It becomes an continuing procedure. By using the recommendations identified in this post, you will get the eagerness to make it all on your own.

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Source: http://answers.apostoliccm.com/2012/07/have-a-successful-home-based-business-with-one-of-these-suggestions/

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Global markets extend gains after US data

LONDON (AP) ? Global markets rose Friday as U.S. economic growth figures were not as bad as some had feared and the European Central Bank chief's pledge to save the euro continued to bolster sentiment.

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the April-June quarter, according to the Commerce Department. While that is a slowdown from the previous quarter's 2 percent rate, it is not as weak as some traders had been expecting.

The figures show the world's largest economy is struggling to recover, but not plunging back into recession, as some feared.

By midafternoon in Europe, Britain's FTSE stock index was up 0.4 percent at 5,594.10 and Germany's DAX rose almost 1.8 percent to 6,665.35. France's CAC 40 rose 1.7 percent to 3,262.15. The euro was 0.73 percent higher at $1.2322.

On Wall Street, the Dow gained 0.6 percent while the broader S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent.

Sentiment has been buoyant since Thursday, when ECB President Mario Draghi said he would do whatever it takes to save the euro. Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande echoed that sentiment in a joint statement on Friday saying their countries are "deeply committed to the integrity of the eurozone."

Market fears have grown over the past few weeks that Spain, the fourth-largest economy among the 17 that use the euro, could need a bailout along the lines of Greece, Ireland and Portugal because its borrowing rates are high. That would strain Europe's finances and potentially cause the breakup of the euro.

Analysts say the shockwaves from a splintering of the currency union would likely tip the world economy into recession.

Draghi suggested the ECB could intervene in markets to lower the borrowing rates of financially weak countries like Spain.

IG Markets strategist Stan Shamu said hopes for ECB action will remain elevated ahead of its scheduled Aug. 2 monetary policy meeting.

"The ECB will have to deliver at its central bank meeting next week. Simply cutting its refinancing rate is not going to be enough. It will need to announce something more substantial, or the euro runs the risk of getting smashed," he said in a commentary.

Benchmark borrowing rates for Spain and Italy continued to drop, after falling sharply on Thursday. Spain's 10-year bond yield was at 6.73 percent while Italy's traded at 5.95 percent.

Corporate earnings figures, meanwhile, were mostly upbeat. Shares rose in Barclays bank of the U.K., French oil company Total, EADS, the owner of plane maker Airbus, and carmaker Renault after they reported earnings.

Asian markets also got a boost from Samsung's record-high quarterly profit. Customers flocked to Galaxy smartphones, in the April-June quarter helping it outdo rivals even at a challenging time for the global tech industry. Samsung Electronics vaulted 5.2 percent in Seoul.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average closed up 1.5 percent at 8,566.64 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 2 percent to 19,274.96. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.5 percent to 4,209.80. South Korea's Kospi climbed 2.6 percent to 1,829.16 and the Shanghai Composite inched up 0.1 percent to 2,128.76.

In energy markets, benchmark crude was up 32 cents at $89.71 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract crude rose 42 cents to finish at $89.39 in New York on Thursday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/global-markets-extend-gains-us-data-141457368--finance.html

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Romney goes to Europe, causes international stir

LONDON (AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney caused a stir in Britain on Thursday by questioning whether the country is prepared to pull off the Olympic Games without a hitch and scheduling a fundraiser with the former leader of a troubled bank.

On the first full day of his trip abroad, the former Massachusetts governor visited British political leaders as part of a larger effort to show he has what it takes to represent the U.S. on the world stage. But instead of highlighting ties with the America's staunchest ally, Romney may have embarrassed the Brits instead.

Romney launched a three-nation tour this week designed to bolster his foreign policy credentials and highlight his personal Olympic experience. Romney led the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and used the games to launch his political career.

But the trip got off to a shaky start.

Romney openly doubted whether Britain could handle the games, saying it was unclear whether issues that have dogged the final preparations could be overcome.

"It's hard to know just how well it will turn out," Romney told NBC News in an interview on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremonies.

Romney later met with Prime Minister David Cameron, and they discussed the Olympic Games in addition to alliances in Afghanistan and Syria.

"I expect the games to be highly successful," Romney declared after the meeting.

Earlier Thursday, Romney and Cameron seemed to address each other through the media. After Romney suggested it's impossible for any Olympic Games to go off without a hitch, Cameron said Romney and others will "see beyond doubt that Britain can deliver."

At the same time, Romney faced scrutiny for a London fundraiser Thursday night that's expected to attract employees of Barclays, which has been in the spotlight after becoming the first bank to admit its employees were involved in manipulating a key market index.

Last month, U.S. and British agencies fined Barclays a total of $453 million. In the wake of that shock, chief executive Bob Diamond resigned. Diamond had been scheduled to attend the fundraiser at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in the tony Knightsbridge district, but has pulled out. He already had sent Romney a check for $2,500.

Romney sought to steer the conversation away from the controversies.

"The world is a tumultuous and dangerous place," Romney said Thursday. "And certainly in many of the regions around the world we have great interests in having a common effort in seeing greater peace and prosperity."

As he met with British leaders past and present, the Republican also praised "the unique relationship that exists between our nations, our commitment to common values, our commitment to peace in the world and a desire to see a stronger and growing economy."

Romney, whose decades in private business gave him ample exposure to international affairs, is a former one-term governor untested on the world's political stage. He hopes to convince voters back home that he is no novice on foreign affairs and that they should feel confident electing him as president in a complex world and with the U.S. facing a myriad of security threats.

During the public portion of his meeting with Cameron, Romney weighed in again after his comment about the Olympics drew attention across Britain. "It is impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur," he said. "Of course there will be errors from time to time, but those are all overshadowed by the extraordinary demonstrations of courage, character and determination by the athletes."

Meeting with British officials is typically one of the first priorities of any new president, and establishing those relationships beforehand can help smooth any transition. It's not unusual for American presidential candidates to meet with British leaders during the campaign; Obama did so when he took a trip abroad as the likely Democratic nominee in 2008.

Romney's weeklong trip also will take him to Israel and Poland.

On Thursday, Romney also met with former Prime Minister Tony Blair; Ed Miliband, the current leader of the Labour Party ? the opposition to Cameron's Conservative Party; and Foreign Secretary William Hague. The candidate also met with Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Britain's top financial official.

On Friday, Romney is scheduled to attend the opening ceremonies of the London Games.

This wasn't Romney's first meeting with Cameron; the two talked when Romney visited London in 2011. Cameron visited the U.S. earlier this year to meet with Obama and attended a White House state dinner, but he did not meet with Romney.

The meetings come a day after the Daily Telegraph published a story quoting an unidentified Romney campaign adviser saying the Republican believes the U.S. relationship with Britain is special because of shared "Anglo-Saxon heritage" that the adviser said the White House doesn't appreciate.

Romney, however, quickly distanced himself from any such view.

"I don't agree with whoever that adviser might be," Romney told NBC News, "but do agree that we have a very common bond between ourselves and Great Britain."

Nonetheless, Vice President Joe Biden and top Obama aides criticized Romney. "The comments reported this morning are a disturbing start to a trip designed to demonstrate Gov. Romney's readiness to represent the United States on the world's stage," Biden said.

Accompanying Romney to some of his meetings Thursday were former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent, an adviser, and Kerry Healey, who served as lieutenant governor when Romney was governor of Massachusetts. Three of Romney's sons ? Tagg, Josh and Craig ? also have joined him in London.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-goes-europe-causes-international-stir-143822733.html

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