NEWARK, N.J. Since entering the National Football League in April, former Steelton and Penn State standout Jordan Hill has adapted to life as a rookie. Long gone are the days of trekking through a snow-covered Happy Valley en route to classes or the football building. That part of his daily routine has since been replaced with a new landscape to observe in Seattle, coupled with meetings, film study and more meetings.

The Seattle Seahawks selected Hill in the third round of the NFL Draft and due to injuries and a stout group of defensive linemen ahead of him, this season has been as much of a learning experience as any. In Seattles final preseason game the young defensive tackle sustained a partially torn left biceps tendon that resulted in him missing six games. After that it was an injured right arm that set him back yet again.

Thats been the hardest thing, Hill said during Tuesdays Super Bowl Media Day. Just working through the injuries because Ive never really gone through anything like that, especially upper body. I havent had any problems like that and just trying to wrap my head around it that Ill be back.

Watching from the sidelines it was hard at first to swallow, but I understand that Ive got to get healthy.

Hill wasnt active for the teams NFC Championship Game against San Francisco and the result of his rookie season thus far is seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. But through it all the 6-foot-1, 303-pound lineman continues to learn and better understand what it means to be in the league and just how difficult it is for a team to have a shot at winning the Super Bowl.

The thought of having a chance to win a ring after being in the league for nearly 10 months is something Hill cant help but crack a smile when asked about. The Super Bowl experience thus far has been more than he said he ever imagined.

Its been crazy, he said. Just the type of support weve had just from New York and New Jersey people cheering for us and coming up and just wanting to know who we are and what were about and what team we play for. I think theyre more excited just to be representing the Super Bowl.

When we left Seattle there were at least like thousands of fans lined up on the streets and the highway just going to the airport. It was crazy.

Sunday evening at MetLife Stadium Hills parents and two sisters will all have a chance to see him and the Seattle Seahawks compete against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Living across the country from most of his family and friends forced Hill to forge a new identity for himself, one where he continues to focus on the game thats gotten him thus far while acclimating to a new city hes learned to love. Add in new teammates who like to joke with the easygoing Hill and charge him with a meal every now and then and the 22-year-old is as content as ever.

Link:
Jordan Hill preps to close out rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII

Beautiful, haunting elegies for American poverty have gradually developed into a subgenre of modern documentary filmmaking: "October Country" captured the struggles of a dysfunctional family in upstate New York, while "Oxyana" found echoes of desperation among drug-addled residents a West Virginian mining town, and the newly released "12 O'Clock Boys" presents a lyrical view of daring teen street bikers from low income regions of Baltimore.

Sibling directors Tracy Droz Tragos and Andrew Droz Palmero's "Rich Hill," which won the Sundance Film Festival's grand jury prize for documentary over the weekend, epitomizes the best and worst aspects of this non-fiction storytelling tendency: It's often overwhelming gorgeous and deeply sad in its depiction of three young boys fighting through their youth in the trenches of deep poverty in Rich Hill, Missouri (where the directors grew up). At the same time, it's a meandering portrait that never snaps into narrative focus with the stunning clarity of its images. But that same lack of cohesion reflects the conundrums facing its afflicted characters, enabling "Rich Hill" to share the pathos of their lives even when it doesn't fully gel.

The filmmakers, who also handle the camera work, quickly establish the ethereal qualities of the town during a transcendent opening sequence, which encapsulates the setting with sweeping gestures: We first see glimpses of boys shuffling about their cramped homes among the faster movements of the local elementary school and the static qualities of the city streets. As the music swells and a train rushes past, "Rich Hill" instantly conveys the rush of existence that bears down on the despondent lives at its center. There's an immediate sense of tension with the admission of one young neighborhood resident that the wealthier part of the population regards their community "with their noses 50 miles in the air"; for the rest of the movie, the boys are seen constantly struggling to determine their own confidence in the shadows of such lofty neighbors.

With its constant melancholic tone, which blend voiceovers and somber asides from its characters, "Rich Hill" often feels like a Terrence Malick movie that trades majestic spirituality for burgeoning teen angst. Revealing very few details about its subjects outside of their own admissions, it unfolds with a straightforward verite approach that makes its bleak reality fully immersive, though the perpetual shifting between a trio of focuses never obtains a satisfactory rhythm, but it does serve a point.

The directors swiftly establish each distinct personality: Andrew, a soft-spoken, levelheaded man with a lanky frame, helps his peripatetic father work various odd jobs with no real sense of direction; Appachey, a chain-smoking 13-year-old first seen lighting his cigarette with a toaster, coasts around town on a raggedy skateboard and deals with his increasingly complaisant mother; Harley, who suffers from the greatest emotional problems of the three, lives with his grandmother in the wake of his mother's arrest for a dark incident only explained in the movie's final third.

Though none of the trio share a scene together, the varying degrees of discomfort that define their lives form a larger overview of instability. Harley is the most frightening embodiment of neglected youth, his disorders left unmedicated and his anger management issues constantly driving him to reject authority figures. Turning his back on school day after day as a tense exchange with a school official makes clear he's a sad figure trapped by his delusions with no firm guide to help him stabilize his situation. Yet that same issue haunts Appachey, a scowling, compact child with the disposition of a disgruntled old man as a result of the neglect surrounding him. Only Andrew seems to have a generally healthy attitude about his life, though that doesn't help his situation.

"Rich Hill" mostly repeats its observations of these characters over the course of a few years, but it manages to convey one strong argument in the implication that the sins of the parents have been visited on their children. "I never had any dreams or hopes," Appachey's mother says, which at least partly explains her son's unearned confidence. The similarly aggressive Harley asserts that he "doesn't need an education, I can make it out there anyway," and has no firm parental figure to tell him otherwise. The ultimate tragedy for these boys is that they have plenty of drive but no direction.

"Rich Hill" constantly explores their situations through sputtering glimpses of individual moments. Though some dramatic exposition develops around Harley's destructive resistance to stay in school and Appachey's behavioral problems with other classmates, the movie generally cycles through their disarray with a perceptive eye for details. The free-roaming structure is salvaged by a persistent commitment to enabling the barren Missouri landscape and the claustrophobic interiors to the define the mood. There are moments when Tragos and Palermo run the risk of transforming their subjects into tools exploited for the sake of the movie's artistic vision, but the best part of "Rich Hill" is that its participants rise above the limitations of the material. "You're looking at me through some special lens or something," Harley says late in the proceedings, linking the subject's willingness to take control of his life with his ability to take control of the movie.

Criticwire Grade: B+

HOW WILL IT PLAY? Almost certain to receive distribution due to its Sundance prize, the movie isn't a natural fit for a large distributor given its fairly experimental approach. Commercial prospects are limited, though it could find a steady broadcast deal, but is most likely to do its primary business on VOD.

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Sundance Review: Documentary Grand Jury Prize Winner 'Rich Hill' Is a Beautiful Elegy For American Poverty We've Seen ...

Southern York County to see major changes for next term

YORK, Maine When voters head to the polls to cast their ballot for state representative or senator, they had better check with their town clerk first. As of Jan. 1, many people in southern York County are going to be in a different district.

Cape Neddick residents who live east of Interstate 95 will join the majority of York residents in one House district. More Kittery residents will be added to that town's primary voting district; a small number will join a newly configured House district that includes all of Eliot and part of South Berwick. The majority of South Berwick residents now join many North Berwick residents in a new House district.

And stay tuned, York residents who live west of I-95. You will be in a House district with Ogunquit and parts of Wells and Sanford.

On top of all that, the district numbers themselves have been flipped so that, for instance, the former House District 151, which includes most of Kittery, is the new District 1.

Those elected to the new districts will be sworn in for the January 2015 legislative session. Until then, current districts remain in effect.

The road map for these new districts is set out in a little-publicized report completed last May by the Maine Apportionment Commission made up by equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.

They worked quietly and cooperatively, said chairman Michael Friedman, a Bangor attorney. "I'd like to take credit, but I don't think I can," he said. "For once, there was a bipartisan committee that actually could work together. That's what happened."

According to Maine's Constitution, redistricting occurs every 10 years after the data from the U.S. Census is disseminated. The ideal population for a House district is 8,797, and for a Senate district, 37,953. Only a 10 percent deviation from that figure is allowed.

Several factors guided the commission. Both parties "would prefer not to have two incumbents running against each other," for one, said Friedman. The commission, he said, also tried to redraw districts with a minimum of impact to voters.

Read this article:
Redistricting alters political landscape

By NATALIE KOTSIOSJan. 25, 2014, midnight

SHE is almost camouflaged against the blackened landscape.

Melissa and Tristan Meyers are grateful the fire stopped just short of the verandah of their Little Billabong Road home, but it was a different story with a nearby shed. Pictures: TARA GOONAN

The Meyers filly, Salara, has burns to her body, head and hoofs.

SHE is almost camouflaged against the blackened landscape.

Eyes scan the charred paddocks, burnt to a crisp in the Minnimbah fire north east of Holbrook for the only sign of life, an 18-month-old chocolate-brown foal, called Salara.

She desperately needs veterinary attention, her wounds from the blaze still fresh.

But her owner, Melissa Meyers, hasnt been able to get close enough to help her.

Instead, a still-skittish Salara is in mourning, pacing between the bodies of her mother a brumby Mrs Meyers four-year-old daughter, Caidence, christened Flicker and a miniature horse, Bambi.

Neither Caidence nor her brother Beau, 6, know whats happened to their horses, or to the 1400 hectares they call home.

View post:
Scars of inferno may never heal

Decorations a mess

I have loved the Hill Country since I was a law student in the 1970s. Upon retirement, I got back here as quickly as I could only to be disgusted by so many peoples low regard for the beautiful Hill Country. Lady Bird Johnson would be revolted at our roadside littering, both casual and organized. By organized littering, I mean the gaudy, so-called decorating of trees along the roadways.

It really irks me to see people intentionally defiling our beautiful landscape by festooning trees with sparkly junk. They are like those simple-minded cretins, so insecure in their own worlds, who share their angst by spray-painting graffiti over murals. You are not sharing the holiday spirit; you are just making a public mess on someone elses property. No true Texan should tolerate the intentional damaging of our landscape. If you want to do something constructive, clean up your own lives and homes. Then, really be helpful clean up other peoples litter. Dont Mess With Texas.

John Kelsey

kelsey4defense@aol.com

Dripping Springs

Don't alter test

Re: Jan. 23 article, Firefighter case nears settlement.

Here we go again. Our attorney general out of Washington, D.C., is after the State of Texas once again. This time its the City of Austin. Hes not happy because the written and oral tests are too hard for minorities? So, what does he want the mayor and City Council to do about it? Hard to say from the article in the American-Statesman other than, I assume, make the test a lot easier so minorities can pass? Is that what we really want in Austin? Firefighters less qualified to do the job because they happen to be a minority? I dont think so.

Here is my message to Mayor Lee Leffingwell, members of the City Council and our fire chief: Do not fear the possibility of a lawsuit from the Justice Department. Its wrong so, if necessary, take it all the way to the Supreme Court. Time to put a stop to this nonsense coming out of the current administration.

See original here:
Letters to the editor: Jan. 25

The Suburban Council produced some illuminating results last week, and the two teams that generated the biggest wins Shaker (10-0) and Averill Park (12-0) meet Tuesday night in Latham.

Both undefeated squads stayed that way by knocking off Shenendehowa, which fell from No. 1 to No. 4 in the Class AA rankings.

Here are the Times Union's weekly girls' basketball rankings, through Sunday's games:

CLASS AA

1. Albany (12-1, Last week No. 2): The Falcons are off until Saturday when they look to improve to 9-0 in the Big 10 against Bishop Gibbons.

2. Shaker (10-0, LW No. 3): A monster week saw the Blue Bison produce wins over Shenendehowa (61-33) and Bethlehem (59-49).

3. Bethlehem (8-2, LW No. 4): Up this week for the Eagles are Suburban Council games against Burnt Hills and Guilderland.

4. Shenendehowa (8-2, LW No. 1): The Plainsmen look to snap their two-game losing streak Tuesday vs. Guilderland.

5. Columbia (7-5, LW No. 5): The Blue Devils ended a five-game losing streak Friday against Ballston Spa.

CLASS A

Read the original here:
Suburban Council results shake up Class AA landscape

The history of the Vijayanagar empire, ruins of which now house Hampi, is dotted with several interesting episodes, some of which were dwelt upon by renowned architect-academic George Michell during a session at the Jaipur Literature festival on Monday.

Dr. Michell, an expert on Central Asian and Indian-especially Deccan-architecture, was introduced by historian-author William Dalrymple for a session titled Vijayanagar: the city of victory.

Dr. Michell received his training in architecture at Melbourne University and then went on to do a Ph.D in Indian Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

He has undertaken research projects at different archaeological sites across India, including over two decades of intensive field work at Hampi. His recent publications include Vijayanagara: Splendour in Ruins, The Great Temple at Thanjavur and Mughal Architecture and Gardens, among several other books.

Dr. Michell said Vijayanagar was among the earliest and perhaps the most complete examples of magnificent imperial cities and one of the very few Indian cities that were abandoned.

Not unlike Pompeii (the ancient Roman city) which came to a sudden cataclysmic end in 78 AD, Vijayanagar came to a cataclysmic end in 1565...This was a city that was abandonedand there are not many Indian cities like that, said Dr. Michell.

The most amazing thing about the place, he said, was the landscape.

It is one of the most extraordinary landscapes to be found anywhere in Asia, not just in Indiaincredible granitic landscape... one question that most people ask us is what the hell is a big imperial city of one of the greatest Hindu empires in southern India doing here? Why did they build it here?

There are several possible explanations-one, this type of landscape was a very good natural defence against empires that were at war with Vijayanagar; second, a great river, Tungabhadra, runs through this placeand it loses height ideal for taking off water channels and creating a very extensive hydraulic systemwhich permitted the cultivation of many types of crops, said Dr. Michell.

He said the earliest Vijayanagar emperors-the Sangama kings-were sort of local nobodies who seized the moment in a power vacuumwhen the Delhi Sultans abandoned control of this part of India...giving an opportunity to these local people to use the Muslim threat in a sort of ideological political wayto galvanise everyone together.

The rest is here:
George Michell showcases interesting episodes of Vijayanagar

The history of the Vijayanagar empire, ruins of which now house Hampi, is dotted with several interesting episodes, some of which were dwelt upon by renowned architect-academic George Michell during a session at the Jaipur Literature festival on Monday.

Dr. Michell, an expert on Central Asian and Indian-especially Deccan-architecture, was introduced by historian-author William Dalrymple for a session titled Vijayanagar: the city of victory.

Dr. Michell received his training in architecture at Melbourne University and then went on to do a Ph.D in Indian Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

He has undertaken research projects at different archaeological sites across India, including over two decades of intensive field work at Hampi. His recent publications include Vijayanagara: Splendour in Ruins, The Great Temple at Thanjavur and Mughal Architecture and Gardens, among several other books.

Dr. Michell said Vijayanagar was among the earliest and perhaps the most complete examples of magnificent imperial cities and one of the very few Indian cities that were abandoned.

Not unlike Pompeii (the ancient Roman city) which came to a sudden cataclysmic end in 78 AD, Vijayanagar came to a cataclysmic end in 1565...This was a city that was abandonedand there are not many Indian cities like that, said Dr. Michell.

The most amazing thing about the place, he said, was the landscape.

It is one of the most extraordinary landscapes to be found anywhere in Asia, not just in Indiaincredible granitic landscape... one question that most people ask us is what the hell is a big imperial city of one of the greatest Hindu empires in southern India doing here? Why did they build it here?

There are several possible explanations-one, this type of landscape was a very good natural defence against empires that were at war with Vijayanagar; second, a great river, Tungabhadra, runs through this placeand it loses height ideal for taking off water channels and creating a very extensive hydraulic systemwhich permitted the cultivation of many types of crops, said Dr. Michell.

He said the earliest Vijayanagar emperors-the Sangama kings-were sort of local nobodies who seized the moment in a power vacuumwhen the Delhi Sultans abandoned control of this part of India...giving an opportunity to these local people to use the Muslim threat in a sort of ideological political wayto galvanise everyone together.

Read the original:
Vijayanagara, earliest example of imperial city: George Michell

I realised on Wednesday morning that there is a chance I have been in this business too long. I woke with a sense of excitement rather as children sometimes do at Christmas. Why? Because I was really looking forward to finding out how Hargreaves Lansdown (HL), Britains best-known online investing platform, was going to change its pricing structure to comply with the new set of Retail Distribution Review rules.

Would there be a flat fee? Would it be simple? Would it be transparent? Would my mother understand it? Would it cost me less? Would the change be as disruptive to the market and as exciting as Hargreaves Lansdown itself was when it first launched all those years ago?

Oh dear. The key lesson for me is that if you ever allow yourself to get excited about possible innovation in the financial industry, you will be sorely disappointed. Days later, Im still a tad irritable about the whole thing.

The system isnt as bad or even as rapacious as it could be. HL is very solvent and service-orientated and most people dont much mind what they pay them. But the new structure just isnt particularly interesting, innovative, inexpensive or simple.

The booklet I got in the post this week from HL has a promising title: Changes to the Vantage Service explained. The rest is less promising. It contains 17 pages explaining the changes to the charges. They addled my brain.

The upshot is that if you are a traditional fund investor you will pay HL a bit less overall, but if you are a passive investor or if you have a thing for individual stocks and investment trusts (as I do), you will pay a bit more.

Im none too keen on the treatment of investment trusts (although there is a good new regular investment service) and the tiered charging based on the value of your investments. I had really hoped that it might take transparent flat-fee pricing mainstream. Instead, like the rest of the ad valorem obsessed industry, HL has claimed that this structure is fair.

It isnt remotely fair; it doesnt cost that much more to administer large accounts than small, so making those with large accounts pay more effectively forces them to subsidise the less well off. We dont need stockbrokers to redistribute wealth in this manner: thats what we have governments for.

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Platform reforms are changing the landscape for fund investors

Snowfall brings New Yorkers out of their apartments and onto their sleds for some downhill action that makes everyone feel like a kid again. Heres a roundup of some of the best places to slip and slide.

Third Street and Prospect Park West, Brooklyn

Nine-year-old Park Slope pals Jack (from left), Katie, Dela and Luna give a thumbs-up for the slopes in Prospect Park.Photo: Christian Johnston

On snow days, Park Slope families jam onto every possible peak in this Brooklyn park. Popular spots include a medium-size hill adjacent to the Picnic House, where, one Friday during a recent noreaster, the area teemed with kids and parents.

Anything goes at this chaotic scene, where children careen down all sides of the hill, often landing in a big pile at the bottom. At one point, a dog pulling his young charge by sled stopped to do his business in the middle of the hill, and kids leapt out of saucers to avoid the steaming pile of poo.

Theyre kinda rookies here in the city, says Robert Sluymer, 51, a Toronto native who has lived in Park Slope for more than a decade.

But kids dont seem to mind, including Sluymers 9-year-old daughter, Dela, who packed onto the familys wooden toboggan with a giggling pack of PS 107 friends before getting a push from Dad.

Walter, a 12-year-old off to a running start before dive-bombing down the hill headfirst, shouts, It feels like youre indestructible!

Teens crowd Long Meadow to practice jumps and snowboarding, while a bunny slope for tots faces the bandshell. (Watch out for trees at the bottom.)

Insider tip: Patience is a must at this parks popular spot, where sledders queue up before pushing off. The sprawling park is littered with hills. Keep exploring until you find enough space to sled safely in fresh powder.

Read the original:
Head for the hills! The Post rates NYC’s slippery sled slopes