By Melinda Myers

Plan now for a memorable grand finale in this year’s garden. Dahlias are spring-planted bulbs with big, colorful flowers that bloom continuously from midsummer to the first fall frost.

Early in the season, the foliage of these easy-care plants provides a lush green backdrop for nearby annuals and perennials. Then, as many other plants are waning from the summer heat, dahlias burst into bloom, filling the garden with their impressive flowers for months to come.

There are many types of dahlias and many ways to use them. Shorter border dahlias like the Gallery or Melody series are perfect for planting along walkways, in the front of a flower border, or in pots next to the patio. The compact plants support full size flowers for a dazzling display.

Mixes of dahlias create decorative floral arrangements. Photo/Longfield-Gardens

Plant taller varieties in the middle of the flower border, and boost their ornamental appeal by including varieties like Fascination and HS Flame with burgundy foliage. The darker leaves combine nicely with the greens of their neighbors and are the perfect backdrop for the rose-pink and bright red blossoms.

Dahlias dazzle with their many unique flower shapes and sizes. The brilliant color and rolled petals of the cactus dahlia Karma Red Corona are sure to make you stop and take a second look. Or consider the powder puff blooms of Myrtles Folly, with petals that capture the colors of a sunrise. Dinnerplate dahlias, like deep purple Thomas Edison, grow 4 feet tall and have enormous, 8 inche flowers.

Suppliers like Longfield Gardens (longfield-gardens.com) offer dozens of dahlia varieties as well as attractive mixes based on color themes and flower styles. A combination like the Soft Orange mix, works great in the garden and combines nicely in an arrangement. 

Don’t be afraid to cut your dahlias. Picking encourages more blooms for you to enjoy. With as few as three to six plants you’ll have plenty of flowers to enjoy yourself and share with friends. Since dahlias thrive in the same great soil as vegetables, consider adding a few plants to your food garden as well. You’ll be able to cut fresh flowers for the dinner table when harvesting the vegetables for your next meal.

In northern areas where dahlias are not winter hardy, the tubers can be dug and stored indoors for the winter. Or make it easy and just treat your dahlias like other annuals. With so many wonderful varieties to choose from, it’s fun to try different ones each year.

Review your garden plans to identify places that could benefit from a burst of late season color. Order your dahlias early for the best selection, plant them in the spring and enjoy a spectacular show.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” TV and radio program. 

Digger Boggs Gooch

South Lake Tahoe native Digger Boggs Gooch died Feb. 10, 2017. He was 37.

He spent his childhood in Pollock Pines.

As an adult he returned to South Lake Tahoe, also spent time in Santa Cruz, and most recently was living in Kyburz.

Digger was as unique as his name. He was a generous, caring, and loving man of many talents which included being artistic, creative, and musical. He loved trees and being high up them so that he could see all the beauty. His most current job fit him to a tee – he worked for a tree company. He was a hard worker and always gave 100 percent.

Digger had an amazing smile that could brighten and warm all the hearts of those around him. He also had a keen sense of humor, and kept everyone on their toes and laughing.

However, the most important trait he had was the deep love and dedication for his family.

Digger is survived by his father, Jerry; mother Barbara; sister Rachel; grandparents, several uncles, aunts and cousins.

Services will be March 3 at 1pm at the Green Valley Church, 3500 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville, with reception to follow.

Random Acts of Improv, the resident improvisation company of the Theatre Arts Department at Lake Tahoe Community College, return on March 3.

Random Acts of Improv has been providing laughs at LTCC for six years. The shows are family-friendly and appropriate for kids of all ages. Expect some audience participation and, of course, kids will be invited on stage to help out with some improv games.

Tickets are$5 at the door. The fun begins at 7:30pm in LTCC’s Duke Theatre.

By Howie Nave

One thing for sure at this year’s 89th Academy Awards ceremony, there is way more diversity than at last year’s Oscars show (and the year before that).

In fact, having nine nominations in the Best Picture category alone offers up quite a diverse selection of films ranging from the human struggle, life in a musical and all things extraterrestrial (involving an alien that doesn’t get political). No doubt there will be acceptance speeches with a political tone to them as it seems to be the norm at any Hollywood awards show lately.

Will comedian/host Jimmy Kimmel set the stage for things to come by being political? He has vowed that he won’t, but I can tell you from experience comedians tend to go off script after feeling the room out. I mean, I thought Chris Rock did one of the best jobs ever addressing the elephant in the room at last year’s Oscar for the lack of minorities nominated. It was brutal and well, for me, the highlight of the evening. This Sunday should be an interesting one with Kimmel as he has such a wide range of topics to cherry pick from given the spectrum of movies nominated this year.  

That said let’s see who’s going to win, or more important, who should win. In the Best Picture category we have nine, count’em nine movies in the running that include: 

“Arrival”
“Fences”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Hell or High Water”
“Hidden Figures”
“La La Land”
“Lion”
“Manchester By the Sea”
“Moonlight”

There’s no shortage of color at this year’s event with contenders “Hidden Figures,” “Fences,” “Lion” and “Moonlight.” Obviously being the biggest science fiction geek in this universe I’d like “Arrival” to be the upset, but sci-fi never gets the top prize. (“ET: The Extra-Terrestrial” I feel still should’ve won back in 1983 even though it was nominated). “La La Land” with its 14 nominations (the most ever tying with “Titanic”) is the favored, but personally I think it’s overrated. Still, it does represent total escapism from the ugly reality of the real world so yes, I’m going to say “La La Land” wins for Best Picture.  

In the category for Best Actor we have: 

Casey Affleck, “Manchester By the Sea”
Andrew Garfield, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Ryan Gosling, “La La Land” 
Viggo Mortensen, “Captain Fantastic”
Denzel Washington, “Fences”

The odds are that it’s going to go to Ben’s younger brother, Casey Affleck and, yes, he did a remarkable job (and was nominated for an Oscar in the Supporting Actor category for the 2007 flick, “The Assassination of Jesse James). He has a good shot and if Casey wins this Sunday he and Ben will become the 16th Oscar-winning sibling pair in history. Denzel Washington could be the spoiler as he was brilliant (and wore several hats also directing “Fences”), but I’m going with Casey Affleck for Best Actor. 

In the category for Best Actress we have: 

Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”
Ruth Negga, “Loving”
Natalie Portman, “Jackie”
Emma Stone, “La La Land”
Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins”

Hollywood has a way of making love to its own and odds are Emma Stone is going to win and, yes, she was very good and won several of the other awards that lead up to the Super Bowl of motion pictures so she’s probably going to snag it. I don’t think anybody saw “Elle” in part because it is a foreign film. As much as I enjoyed Natalie Portman’s performance in “Jackie” it’s all about Emma. It’s worth noting here that Meryl Streep (who was hilarious in “Florence Foster Jenkins”) has been nominated now 20 times (winning three in this category), but it’ll be Emma Stone for Best Actress. 

Moving on to the category of Best Supporting Actor we have: 

Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Jeff Bridges, “Hell or High Water”
Lucas Hedges, “Manchester By the Sea”
Dev Patel, “Lion”
Michael Shannon, “Nocturnal Animals” 

I’m slightly biased on this one being a huge fan of actor Jeff Bridges (who won an Oscar for Best Actor at the 2010 Oscars for “Crazy Heart”) and had him on my morning radio show and podcast. His movie, “Hell or High Water” is also up for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Bridges said his flick “shines a light on why the election went the way that it did.” The favorite though seems to be leaning toward both Mahershala Ali for “Moonlight” and Lucas Hedges for “Manchester By The Sea,” but I’m still going for Jeff Bridges to win for Best Supporting Actor.

In the Best Supporting Actress category we have:

Viola Davis, “Fences”
Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”
Nicole Kidman, “Lion”
Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures”
Michelle Williams, “Manchester By the Sea”

I love Viola Davis! Not just her acting, but if you ever get the time research her personal life, she is one amazing woman. I know all actors have had their personal struggles to get where they are, but I’m just so impressed with Davis who was nominated in 2009 for Best Actress in “Doubt” and in the supporting role for 2011’s “The Help.” Viola Davis will win an Oscar for her brilliant portrayal of wife and mother Rose Maxson, who is the bedrock in the family opposite Denzel Washington as her husband (and up for Best Actor) in “Fences.”  

We’re at the halfway point here with Best Director that includes:  

Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Mel Gibson, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”
Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester By the Sea”
Denis Villeneuve, “Arrival”

Again, wouldn’t it be nice if just once, a director would win for their mind-expanding helmsmanship beyond this planet in a sci-fi epic like “Arrival” on this planet? No? All right, but as you may have guessed “La La Land” is going to take home a treasure trove of awards and will give itself a pat on the backside by giving the statue to Damien Chazelle. And it must be mentioned how much of a survivor Mel Gibson is after being shamed for being such a Jew hater that his work is being recognized in this category? I forgave him a long time ago what with the “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” verse from the bible. “Hacksaw Ridge” is an amazing and beautiful piece of filmmaking, so Gibson should be nominated. If you haven’t seen his movie, you are really missing out. But for now it’s “La La Land” all the way here with Damien Chazelle getting the nod for Best Director. 

Let’s get a fun category and that is the nominees for Best Animated Feature: 

“Kubo and the Two Strings”
“Moana”
“My Life As a Zucchini”
“The Red Turtle”
“Zootopia”

Remember earlier when I said that politics will definitely be part of the agenda at this year’s Academy Awards? Well, try weaving the current attitude going on in our country subliminally in only a way an animated flick can pull it off while at the same time entertaining the entire family and you’ve got “Zootopia” folks. And this is a Disney flick too! Say what? Who know the folks from that legendary studio could tell a message so subversive involving race, drugs and policy all centered around cute furry creatures? Well, they did and some might find that uneasy, but I have always felt sometimes one can get away with a lot more when you infuse animation into the picture and “Zootopia” does that. I am hoping that it will win for Best Animated Feature. 

It’s all about the story and up for Best Original Screenplay we have: 

Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filipou, “The Lobster”
Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester By the Sea”
Mike Mills, “20th Century Women”
Taylor Sheridan, “Hell or High Water”

Screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester By the Sea” was also directed by him. Truth be known I wasn’t too familiar with him. I am now, though. Wow, what an incredible output of creativity. He should win. It’s no coincidence his words couldn’t have taken shape as his vision from the written page to being behind the camera has given us a Best Actor nominee in the way of Casey Affleck, a Best Picture nod, Best Supporting Actor (Lucas Hedges), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams) not to mention himself as Best Director. This is literally an East Coast vs. West Coast with Lonergan’s movie taking place in New England in the namesake town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts with “La La Land” taking place in well, you get the picture and so will “La La Land” for Best Original Screenplay. 

In the Best Adapted Screenplay the nominees are: 

Luke Davies, “Lion”
Eric Heisserer, “Arrival”
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”
Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi, “Hidden Figures”
August Wilson, “Fences”

Please, oh please, let it be Allison Schreoder and Theodore Melfi for the story based on what really happened at NASA and tuned into a heartwarming and inspiring movie, “Hidden Figures.” Am I grateful “La La Land” wasn’t nominated? Yes! I wouldn’t mind either if Barry Jenkins took home an Oscar for his story (also based on real experiences) for “Moonlight.” Again, very inspiring. I wish it was a tie. Both amazing stories and a testament to the human spirit. In fact, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that both movies, “Hidden Figures” and “Moonlight” will win. It’s just too close folks for this category. 

In the Best Foreign-Language Film category the nominees are:

“Land of Mine” (Denmark)
“A Man Called Ove” (Sweden)
“The Salesman” (Iran)
“Tanna” (Australia)
“Toni Erdmann” (Germany)

Full disclosure, I only saw three of these because it’s not easy getting access for screenings (especially living in the high Sierra of Lake Tahoe). I was able to see “Toni Erdmann” through another film critic/friend and loved it. This German gem is a comedy that clocks in at almost three hours. After watching it my accent changed some. Also saw Sweden’s “A Man Called Ove” because it actually played locally (at the Fandango in Carson City). It centers around a retired gentleman who is isolated from society visiting his wife’s grave, has decided to give up on life (man, this sounds familiar except for the dead wife part) and develops an unlikely friendship when he least expects it. I’m hoping this one wins but I think it’s going to go to “The Salesman” from Iran again because of political reasons. Writer/director Asghar Farhadi said he won’t attend this year’s Academy Awards to protest President Trump’s ban on Muslim countries, so how much you wanna bet the Academy will award the Oscar as a statement against the current administration? Exactly.  

For Best Documentary Feature the nominees are: 

“Fire At Sea”
“I Am Not Your Negro”
“Life, Animated”
“O.J. Made in America”
“13th”

 I love documentaries (when they’re done right) as they convey the filmmaker’s opinion so explicitly, especially on a budget. These films are a definite backlash against last year’s all white nominations and are all pretty darn good. Standouts include “I Am Not Your Negro” threading I feel the civil rights movement from the 1960s to the Black Lives Matter movement in our current time in history. That said and because of America’s undying fascination with the trial and outcome, I’m giving the Oscar to “O.J. Made in America” hands down. 

Music always plays an integral part to any motion picture and this year’s Best Original Score nominees include: 

Nicholas Britell, “Moonlight”
Justin Hurwitz, “La La Land”
Mica Levi, “Jackie”
Thomas Newman, “Passengers”
Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka, “Lion”

Let’s be realistic here, OK? Since the entire movie is one long musical, Justin Hurwitz wins this one hands down. It would be a major upset if “La La Land” didn’t take home the Oscar in this category. 

For Best Original Song the nominees are: 

“Audition: The Fools Who Dream,” “La La Land”
“Can’t Stop the Feeling,” “Trolls”
“City of Stars,” “La La Land”
“The Empty Chair,” “Jim: The James Foley Story”
“How Far I’ll Go,” “Moana”

Again, “La La Land” will win in this category for “City of Stars” which is very catchy. But how about this for an upset? Justin Timberlake’s mega hit, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” is from the movie “Trolls” and that my friends could be one of the night’s biggest upsets. 

In one of my favorite categories because it is the canvass for the movie, the nominees for Best Cinematography are: 

Greig Fraser, “Lion”
James Laxton, “Moonlight”
Rodrigo Prieto, “Silence”
Linus Sandgren, “La La Land”
Bradford Young, “Arrival”

Again, creating something literally out of this world isn’t easy because we as humans have seen it all, so to see Bradford Young’s epic science fiction fantasy “Arrival” is without doubt an amazing piece of imagery. But it’s going to go (the Oscar) to Linus Sandgren’s brilliant piece of cinematic artwork for “La La Land.” I mean, just that opening sequence with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling cinches it right there. So enjoy the after parties “La La Land” you’re going to be hungover the next morning with Oscar love and all your agents will be asking for a much higher fee when your next movie comes around.

Howie Nave is host/emcee/manager of The Improv at Harveys. You can hear him Monday-Friday 6 to 10am on KRLT FM-93.9. He has been reviewing movies for years. They may be heard on four other stations each week where he does “A Jew Doing a Movie Review,” and he occasionally writes reviews for Lake Tahoe News.

By Kathryn Reed

My book club rates what we read based on if we liked it, would we recommend it and literary merit. The scale is 0-10, with 10 being the highest. “The Sound of Gravel” received several zeros, a few eights and a lot in between.

My scores for this memoir by Ruth Wariner (2015, Flatiron Books) – all zeros. I would have stopped reading it if I didn’t “have to” read it.

The story is written from Wariner’s point-of-view when she was a child. She grew up mostly in Mexico in a Mormon polygamist compound. Most of us agreed it was like a cult. The poverty, the abuse, the way women are second class citizens at best are etched throughout the book.

This is Wariner’s life. She had to grow up fast because she was like a second mother to her siblings. Her education was cut short because it was presumed her future was to wed early and be a baby producer; and she would not have been expected to contribute to society in any other way.

There is so much repetition in the book I was wondering where the editor was.

She did a good job with foreshadowing, and the descriptions made it easy to visualize the horrendous conditions.

While some of my friends said they learned things from this book, not many would actually recommend it.

Spoiler alert: The book that would have been more interesting to read would have been how Wariner got her life together, the turmoil of those years, how it was to literally raise her siblings, the guilt she must have had over her mother’s death – because if she had not died, Wariner may have never left the compound. It could have been told as a flashback so her voice as a child stayed intact.

The Genesis G90 redefines the luxury automobile. Photos/Larry Weitzman

By Larry Weitzman

In my 20 years of testing cars and trucks, driving the most luxurious cars in the world, Mercedes S550, Audi A8, VW Phaeton, Cadillacs, Lexus LS, BMW 7 Series, Infinitis and even a Bentley and Rolls now and then, I have finally driven perhaps the best luxury ride of them all, the entirely new Genesis G90, which in my tester’s case was powered by a small, 3.3L V-6 turbo engine. A 5.0L V-8 is available for another $1,700, but more on engine choice later.

Genesis came to America as an upscale near luxury/luxury ride from Hyundai in 2009. They also brought us the Equus a couple of years later as a full-on luxury ride. But with this new generation, Hyundai has raised the bar to a new level.

About a month ago, I tested another new Genesis, the G80, which I rated as the best luxury car I had ever driven (especially when price is considered), that is until the Genesis G90. While the aggressive front end of both models are similar, it is the formal design of the rear that sets apart the G90 from its smaller brother. It is a clean, simple design with perfect proportions especially with respect to the upper window line. It is a beautiful, classic look.

G90 is a large car, its wheelbase stretches out over 10 feet at 124 inches an increase of 6 inches over the G80 and its length is 205 inches, 8 more than the G80. But what makes the G90 manageable is its reasonable width of 75 inches, the same as the G80 and 5 inches narrower than most every full-size SUV. Inside is a cavernous saloon with rear seat leg room like a Maybach. When I drove it I kept thinking “where is my chauffeur’s hat as any chauffeur would love to drive this vehicle.” If this were to be chauffeur driven, I might apply for the job and here’s why.

Specifications
Price
$69,050-$72,150 with destination
Engine
3.3L turbocharged, direct injected, DOHC, 24 valve V-6 365 hp @6,000
376 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,300-4,500 rpm
5.0L normally aspirated DOHC, 32 valve direct injected V-8 420 hp @ 6,000 rpm
383 lb.-ft. of torque @ 5,000 rpm
Transmission
Eight-speed torque converter automatic with paddle shifters (on a limousine?)
Configuration
Longitudinal front engine/RWD/AWD
Dimensions
Wheelbase 124.4 inches
Length 204.9 inches
Width 75.4 inches
Height 58.9 inches
Track (f/r) 64.5/64.5 inches
Weight 4,630 pounds
Fuel capacity 21.9 gallons
Trunk capacity 15.7 cubic feet
Passenger capacity 113.2 cubic feet
Wheels (f/r) 19X8.5/19X9.5 inches
Tires 245/45X19/275/40X19 inches
Brakes (f/r) 14.2/13.4-inch diameter; ventilated
Steering lock to lock 2.55 turns
Turning circle 39.2 feet
Co-efficient of drag 0.27
Performance
0-60 mph 4.81 seconds
50-70 mph 2.48 seconds
50-70 mph uphill 3.19 seconds
Top Speed Perhaps escape velocity?
Fuel economy EPA rated 17/24/20 mpg city/highway/combined. Overall in rural and suburban driving expect 20-22 mpg and on the highway at legal speeds 28-29 mpg.

First is the power train. My tester was powered by the best V-6 turbo engine ever, the 3.3L V-6 with twin turbos and every other advanced feature including DOHC, 24 Valves, direct injection and twin turbos plus a high 10:1 compression ratio to make turbo lag history. It cranks out 365 hp at 6,000 rpm and 376 pounds of incredible twist from between an off-idle 1,300 rpm to 4,500 rpm. The normally aspirated 5.0L V-8 makes 55 more peak hp (420 hp at 6,000 rpm) but just seven pounds more peak twist (383 at 5,000 rpm), and although I haven’t reviewed the torque curve of the V-8, you can bet dollars to donuts that between idle to 4,500 rpm, maybe even to 4,700 rpm, the V-6t actually makes more hp than the V-8 and those are the rpms that you really drive with, unless you are on a racetrack where you can keep the engine boiling at or near 6,000 rpm.

In most acceleration tests the V-6T is just as quick as the V-8. Zero-60 mph testing consisted of five runs averaging an astonishing 4.81 seconds with all five runs below 5 seconds and all within a 0.13 second bracket. That is consistency in super sedan performance. If my memory is correct, this is one of the quickest sedans ever tested by the Road Beat, especially if we don’t consider any AMG Mercedes or a BMW M cars. In fact, it is a tenth of a second quicker than the lighter G80 5.0L V-8 tested a month ago and this larger G90 weighs in at 4,630 pounds, about a hundred pounds more than the G80 V-8.

Passing tests also reflect the prodigious power of this diminutive powerplant. Fifty to 70 mph simulated passing times on a level highway required just 2.48 seconds and up a steep grade (6 to 7 percent) only slowed that time to 3.19 seconds, all super sedan times. There is no slow in the G90 in any form, V-6t or V-8 as I have also driven the V-8 and found the performance virtually identical except for the perhaps barely audible wonderfully melodious sound of the V-8 engine. Step hard on the throttle and G90 V-6t will snap your neck performing its own imitation of a rocket sled ride. The V-6t is so smooth, quiet and responsive that many drivers will think that this V-6t is a V-8. There is virtually no turbo lag with the V-6t as well and it will provide perhaps an mpg or two better fuel economy from reduced friction hp and pumping losses. For comparison, the times for the G80 V-8 were 4.92, 2.44 and 2.99 seconds or virtually identical.

As to fuel economy, the EPA rates the G90 V-6t at 17/24/20 mpg city/highway/combined. My overall average for 525 miles of varied driving with less than 10 percent on a four-lane highway, 20 percent in suburban traffic and all performance testing was 22.2 mpg. In a 180-mile run to South Lake Tahoe and back from Placerville the big “G” averaged 25.9 mpg. Interestingly the EPA rates the AWD version of the “G” identically. Fuel capacity is large at almost 22 gallons. Also helping is a coefficient of drag of 0.27.

The other part of this incredible story is the ride and ambiance which is wonderfully smooth and quiet. It is the best vehicle that I have encountered, period, end of story. It does this with almost no float as well as the ride is solid, like a bank vault carved or machined from a steel ingot. The engine spins at a very low 1,750 rpms while cruising at 70 mph and there is no tire, wind or road noise. This vehicle is isolated making one think in a quiet whisper, like a golf tournament. And at nearly 16 cubic feet, it will swallow your foursome’s golf bags easily.

Now here’s where you ask the question of how did they do that while keeping its handling crisp? It’s the same system that gives the ride quality Genesis Adaptive Control Suspension with Electronic Damping Control and Intelligent Mode and it obviously works as this G90 can change directs with aplomb. It also has all the credentials with five link independent suspension at all four corners, solid stab bars at both ends, super wide 19 x 8.5-inch front and 19 x 9.5-inch alloys front and rear shod with 245/45 front and 275/40 series rubber in the rear. Those are some meats. It also has super quick steering at just 2.55 turns lock to lock. The suspension keeps the attitude flat and the tires exhibit gobs of cornering power. The steering is accurate like the scope on a sniper rifle with very quick turn in and perfect on and off center feel with just a bit of numbness and isolation. It is amazing at how adept the G90 is in the twisties and how easy it handles. While long by today’s standards, its narrower width makes it easy in tight parking maneuvers. Who needs or wants a chauffeur when driving can be so much fun?

Safety is at the top of the class with every acronym. Brakes are huge (more than 14 inches in front and more than 13 inches in the rear) and all four discs are ventilated. Automatic emergency braking is standard as well as the multi-view camera which gives a top 360-degree view of the G90 and its surroundings with the front and rear camera at the same time at speeds below 10 mph from its massive 12-inch-wide center stack screen. But perish the thought of putting a scratch on this car and its absolutely perfect finish and remember what pilots say if their engine quits at altitude, “I guess my insurance company just bought my airplane and now let’s make a landing I can walk away from.”

Inside is where you want to be with soft Nappa leather everywhere, quality soft touch materials on the dash and doors and polished wood in all the right places. Everything, besides its full complement of power accessories, has been thought of down to the heated steering wheel, the automatic induction phone charger and more. Comfort is beyond outstanding and the rear seat leg room imitates a fine Limousine, however only the G90 is a better and more capable vehicle (than a limo). Instrumentation is complete (speedo, tach, trip computer, etc.) and the center stack as complex as it looks and with a mini-mouse is actually very easy to operate. If you read the last sentence as Mickey Mouse you are wrong, if anything it should refer to “Tomorrowland.”

All this super luxury will cost you $68,100, plus $950 for the suite on the boat from Ulsan, Korea. There are no options other than all-wheel drive, which is $2,500. The V-8 is $1,700 more and is called the “Ultimate” instead of the V-6t nomenclature of “Premium.” Along with the V-8 you also get LED headlights instead of HID units which are outstanding anyway, and power rear seating adjustability which is probably more of the reason for the $1,700 than the V-8 engine. AWD is also available on the V-8. This is the first time I would not recommend the V-8 over the V-6 unless you are hauling a lot of finicky rear seat passengers around like chauffeuring a third world dictator. The rear seat on the V-6 is absolutely fabulous anyway. Now $68K-70K is a lot of money, but just remember the competition, if there is any, will cost you $20-$40K more.

I want to point out that a month ago, I called the G80 V-8 the best car I had ever driven. While I may still prefer the G80 as it is 8 inches shorter and it is almost $15K less, the G90’s classic looks, incredible performance and ultimate features does make that decision a bit difficult for me.

Hyundai and Genesis have shown the world that when it comes to cars and value the Koreans can out Japanese the Japanese.

Larry Weitzman has been into cars since he was 5 years old. At 8 he could recite from memory the hp of every car made in the U.S. He has put in thousands of laps on racetracks all over the Western United States.

STHS senior Hawley Jarrett sets up one of the 3D printers to start printing an object. Photo/Jessie Marchesseau

By Jessie Marchesseau

Students in Cliff Smith’s AutoCAD class at South Tahoe High School are printing out more than just term papers. Since fall 2015, students have had the opportunity to not only design three dimensional objects with the computer aided drafting software, but watch their creations come to life with the help of in-class 3D printers.

On a recent winter afternoon, the trio of printers was busy cranking out a space ship, a three-dimensional chess board and a set of working gears. A single object can take anywhere from 30 minutes to more than 24 hours to complete, depending on its complexity.

Meanwhile, students were working on their final semester projects: action figures containing at least two types of working joints.

Cliff Smith, STHS career tech education and math teacher, holds a model of a prosthetic hand he printed with the 3D printers in his classroom. Photo/Jessie Marchesseau

In place of ink cartridges, the printers have spools of polylactic acid filament. It basically looks like the spool of weed whacker line. PLA is a thermoplastic, meaning when you heat it, it melts, and when it cools it becomes solid again. So essentially, the printer melts the PLA and “prints” it in the desired form where it cools.

The melting process is especially obvious in the classroom graveyard of misprinted objects (which they are trying to figure out a way to recycle). It’s not uncommon for a student to send an object to print one day, then come in the next day to find a plastic blob where their design should be.

“It’s funny to watch other people, but it’s super-frustrating when you keep failing,” said Jessie Brown, a junior in Smith’s 3D AutoCAD class. She was laughing with a classmate whose gear project had misprinted 14 times so far. “It’s just luck,” she said, “a lot of luck.”

Brown explained that every time someone’s project fails, they have to figure out why and add it to a running list of printer tips and instructions. Sometimes it has to do with the design, sometimes it’s the printer. For example, they discovered wiping the plate with alcohol helps the plastic stick, thereby reducing mess ups, and how needles and unfolded paperclips work wonders for cleaning a clogged tip.

Smith insists the students repair and maintain the printers.

“The more toys they get to play with, the more ways they can come up with to solve problems,” he told Lake Tahoe News.

STHS students have printed a variety of objects on the classroom 3D printers, including fully-functioning gears and chess pieces. Photo/Jessie Marchesseau

For example, when a part broke on one of the printers, the students designed a new part to fix it, and then printed it with one of the other printers.

Smith said problem-solving is his No. 1 goal for his students. “To me, that’s the key, is allowing them to troubleshoot, problem solve, but in a fun way. Whether they go into engineering or not, they’ll be good problem-solvers.”

And it sounds like it’s working.

Most of the class projects are fairly broad, allowing students to be creative with their designs. They’ve created dice, chess pieces, various working gears, functioning joints, and puzzles. And once students have finished the required projects, they are free to create and print their own designs. Smith has seen a Star Trek badge, a Harry Potter wand, Lake Tahoe keychains and a smartphone stand to name a few. One student even purchased a special type of filament in order to print out custom skateboard wheels.

“You come up with a problem, and you find a way to fix it,” Brown said of objects she has created for family and friends.

Other students, like Hawley Jarrett and Sam Satin, both seniors, are less focused on the problem-solving aspect, and more into just creating cool stuff. Jarrett said his favorite part of the class is having the opportunity to design and create new things. Satin, an aspiring architect, enjoys designing and working with the CAD software, calling the 3D printers “the icing on top.”

Though he may not be consciously focused on problem-solving, Satin said, laughing, that he wasn’t sure anyone had anything work the first time around all semester, an indication that problems are being addressed and solved by nearly everyone on every project.

And the experimental printing and designing doesn’t stop with plastic. The 3D printers can also print a type of dissolving filament which, when placed in water, will disappear, creating voids within the plastic part of the printed object. Students can also hop across the hall to the laser cutter/etcher/engraver which can create intricate designs on and out of wood. Figuring out what kinds of wood and what thicknesses work has been a problem-solving experience in itself. Pieces of burned and cracked wood in the printing room are evidence of the experimentation.

Though not all of these students expect to be using this type of technology in their future careers, the rate at which 3D printing technology is advancing makes it nearly impossible to tell what we may be printing a year or 10 years from now.

But even if they never use a 3D printer again, at the very least they have gained some problem-solving skills … and printed some cool stuff.

By John Przybys, Las Vegas Review-Journal

They’re not just bottles. They’re mirrors that reflect Nevada during a different time, prisms that break up the sunlight of modern-day Nevada into the earthier colors of the state’s mining tradition.

But, yeah, some of them look pretty cool, too.

Drugstore bottles from long-ago Nevada towns have been a passion of Fred N. Holabird’s since his college days at Humboldt State University in California. In his second book, “Ghost Towns & Medicines: The Nevada Bottle Book Volume II — Drug Store Bottles” (Sierra Nevada Press, $42), Holabird, a Reno mining geologist, shares his love of antique bottles, not just as collectibles but as historical relics.

Holabird’s first volume dealt with embossed soda, whiskey, beer and dairy bottles. This time, he focuses on the bottles both fancy and utilitarian that Silver State druggists used in providing medical care to miners and pioneers.

Read the whole story

By Howie Nave

Most everyone knows about the annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (also referred to as the Oscars) celebrating Hollywood’s best, but what about Hollywood’s worst movies? I mean, c’mon, how many times have you seen a movie and wished that the theater had a refund table set up in the lobby so you could get your money back if the movie you just watched was universally deplorable?

There have always been bad movies, but until John Wilson came along there was never a platform to acknowledge those movies and give out an award to show how much their work was admired. This Saturday marks the 37th annual Razzie Awards celebrating the worst that Hollywood has to offer. And just like the Oscars there are categories to highlight individual achievements (or more accurately lack of).

Howie Nave, left, with Razzie creator/producer John Wilson. Photo/Provided

The Razzies has your basic main categories such as Worst Picture, Worst Actor/Actress, Worst Supporting Actor/Actress, Worst Director and Worst Screenplay and a couple of bonus categories too such as Worst Screen Combo and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel.  

Every year I look forward to chatting with Razzie creator Wilson. He’s been on my morning radio show now for 15 years. If you want, you can tune in to hear our chat this Thursday morning by going to KRLT 93-9 FM or online (in real time) at KRLTFM.com. John said the Razzie Awards (originally called the Golden Raspberry Awards) wasn’t really planned, but got its start in his living room back in 1981 with some of his friends over mocking the Oscars and his friends given ballots that they filled out with the movie, “Can’t Stop the Music” winning what would be the very first Razzie for Worst Movie. Now the event has taken on such a life all its on it has become as much of pop culture as the annual Oscars show. 

Over the years some of Hollywood’s elite has actually embraced the Razzie Awards. “Showgirls” (which received a record 13 Razzie nominations, a record that still stands) director Paul Verhoeven appeared in person to accept his Razzie for Worst Picture of 1995. Wilson said, “He sat through the entire ceremony and then got up at the end and said, ‘Obviously my film has entertained you, but not in the way I intended it to.'”

In 2005, Oscar winning actress Halle Berry made national headlines when she not only accepted her Razzie, but took it one step further when she parodied her Academy Award acceptance speech (for her Best Actress nod for “Monsters Ball”) taking home the Razzie for Worst Actress award for her performance in “Catwoman.”

My favorite though (and Wilson’s) was the year actress Sandra Bullock won a Razzie for Worst Actress in 2010 for her performance in “All About Steve” and then the following night won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in “The Blind Side” making it a first to win a Worst and Best Actress in one weekend. What made the event more memorable (and showing she has a wicked sense of humor) not only did Bullock accept her Razzie, but came out on stage pulling a red wagon full of DVDs of “All About Steve” taking her Worst Actress trophy along with the Worst Movie award for “All About Steve.” After winning her Oscar the next night Bullock said, “You know, nothing ever lets me get too full of myself.” She promised to keep both her Razzie and Oscar trophies prominently displayed in her home. “They’ll sit side by side on a nice little shelf somewhere,” she said. “The Razzie maybe on a different shelf … lower.” 

Sandra Bullock was a good sport about her worst actress Razzie. Photo/Copyright 2017 Razzies LLC

Wilson said he wishes Hollywood would make more original movies and not so many turkeys so he wouldn’t have to nominate so many. I not only agreed, but I’ve exalted on my radio show that Hollywood seems lazy making remakes and sequels that are just lame. Wilson piped up saying, “Howie, we created a category with that in mind.” It’s my favorite category too. In fact, there are some pretty selections in the Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel category. This year’s worst are:

“Alice Through the Looking Glass”
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
“Fifty Shades of Black”
“Independence Day: Resurgence”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”
“Zoolander No. 2.”

I’m hoping they all tie. But if I had to choose just one I’m going with “Independence Day: Resurgence.” Why an actor the caliber of Jeff Goldblum would return to be part of that horrific movie still baffles me. At least Will Smith had the dignity to pass on it so the filmmakers made it known that his character had been killed off; that’s why he couldn’t be in this vomitfest of a movie. 

There are so many hilarious stories that Razzie creator Wilson has told over the years when he’s on my radio show the week before his show, but one that I never heard before was when Donald Trump “won” a Razzie award playing himself back in 1990 starring opposite Bo Derek in the fantasy crime turkey film, “Ghosts Can’t Do It.” In one scene he tells Derek, “Be assured Mrs. Scott, that in this room there are knives sharp enough to cut you to the bone and hearts cold enough to eat yours as hors d’oeuvres.”  The movie would go on to win for Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director and Worst Supporting Actor, Trump. 

Here are the categories for this year’s Razzie nominations:

Worst Picture

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
“Dirty Grandpa”
“Gods of Egypt”
“Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party”
“Independence Day: Resurgence”
“Zoolander No. 2”

Worst Actor

Ben Affleck, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
Gerard Butler, “Gods of Egypt” & “London Has Fallen”
Henry Cavill, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
Robert de Niro, “Dirty Grandpa”
Dinesh D’Souza, “Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party”
Ben Stiller, “Zoolander No. 2”

Worst Actress

Megan Fox, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”
Tyler Perry, “BOO! A Medea Halloween”
Julia Roberts, “Mother’s Day”
Becky Turner, “Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party”
Naomi Watts, “Divergent Series: Allegiant” & “Shut-In”
Shailene Woodley, “Divergent Series: Allegiant”

Worst Supporting Actress

Julianne Hough, “Dirty Grandpa”
Kate Hudson, “Mother’s Day”
Aubrey Plaza, “Dirty Grandpa”
Jane Seymour, “Fifty Shades of Black”
Sela Ward, “Independence Day: Resurgence”
Kristen Wiig, “Zoolander No. 2”

Worst Supporting Actor

Nicolas Cage, “Snowden”
Johnny Depp, “Alice Through the Looking Glass”
Will Ferrell, “Zoolander No. 2”
Jesse Eisenberg, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
Jared Leto, “Suicide Squad”
Owen Wilson, “Zoolander No. 2”

Worst Director

Dinesh D’Souza & Bruce Schooley, “Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party”
Roland Emmerich, “Independence Day: Resurgence”
Tyler Perry, “BOO! A Medea Halloween”
Alex Proyas, “Gods of Egypt”
Zack Snyder, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
Ben Stiller, “Zoolander  No. 2”

Worst Screenplay

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
“Dirty Grandpa”
“Gods of Egypt”
“Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party”
“Independence Day: Resurgence”
“Suicide Squad”

Worst Screen Combo

Ben Affleck & His BFF (Baddest Foe Forever) Henry Cavill, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
Any 2 Egyptian Gods or Mortals, “Gods of Egypt”
Johnny Depp & His Vomitously Vibrant Costume, “Alice Through the Looking Glass”
The Entire Cast of Once Respected Actors, “Collateral Beauty”
Tyler Perry & That Same Old Worn Out Wig, “BOO! A Medea Halloween”
Ben Stiller & His BFF (Barely Funny Friend) Owen Wilson, “Zoolander No. 2”

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off, or Sequel

“Alice Through the Looking Glass”
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
“Fifty Shades of Black”
“Independence Day: Resurgence”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”
“Zoolander No. 2.”

Howie Nave is host/emcee/manager of The Improv at Harveys. You can hear him Monday-Friday 6 to 10am on KRLT FM-93.9.

Emily

Emily is a 4-year-old, 35 pound English Bull terrier mix who has lived with kids, cats and dogs. She is very sweet, very energetic and loves car rides.

Bull terriers are not for everyone. These dogs do best with active families, for they have a high energy level that comes in bursts. Emily needs frequent, brisk walks, occasional vigorous games of ball, and total immersion in the family, meaning lots of companionship and interactive play sessions.

Emily is spayed, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. She is at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes. Go to the Tahoe animal shelter’s Facebook page to see photos and descriptions of all pets at the shelter.

Call 530.573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Karen Kuentz