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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Natalie just confirmed on twitter that she and Jessie are not going to the BB house this season.
Looks like Will called it. Reality Tea is reporting the Duos will be Jeff/Jordan, Brendon/Rachel and Evil Dick/Danielle.These 3 groups will certainly add a lot of drama to the house! Here's hoping it's a good season!
3 interesting speculations/rumors I've heard a few times now...1. The "dynamic duos" were somehow "split up" once entering the house so that they can not play together...2. The returning HGs are not the only "dynamic duos" in the game...3. Not every returning HG in the episode on Thurs entered the house... they had to earn their way in...Got to love the rumor mill... guess we just have to wait until Thurs to find out if any of these are true...
Janelle/Howie or Kaysar
I liked Kayser but when he fell for the tears and lies.. and was back in and out in no time. I couldn't believe it. Maybe he was the worst player, game wise.
Quote from: TexasLady on July 08, 2011, 07:54:23 PMI liked Kayser but when he fell for the tears and lies.. and was back in and out in no time. I couldn't believe it. Maybe he was the worst player, game wise.Not necessarily -- at least, not in Season 6. He was smart enough to get James and Sarah on his side and to arrange the nominations in such a way that he could break up Eric & Maggie. But he erred in not getting rid of Maggie instead of Eric. And then the "Friendship" got rid of him the very next week because he'd made it all too clear he was in charge of his alliance. It was after he was gone that Howie fell for Maggie's offer to target James and Sarah instead of one of the "Friendship" first. When Kaysar came back, the plan was to get rid of James, so he had no reason to believe he might be targeted instead. But he also erred in trusting Jennifer even if his allies (particularly Howie) had made the greater error that put him in the position of making the lesser one. So Kaysar wasn't a bad player -- he just wasn't as good as Maggie.Belle Book
I was devastated when he believed Jennifer. Now that I think about it.. there were others who were far worse players. Chicken George when he nominated Howie when he had to make a fast decision, but THE worst was Marcellas who had to POV and didn't use it to save himself and was voted off.
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insuranse website testing
Client : Farmers Insurance Group ([url removed, login to view])
Technology : J2EE and Mainframe
The Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is a personal lines property and casualty insurance group providing homeowners insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, and financial services in the United States. The Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is the country's third-largest writer of both private passenger automobile and homeowners insurance.
The project is about Functional Regression Testing of the web application. There are twelve testing cycles (Major/Minor releases) which cover the entire testing activity in the accelerated environment. Testing for different billing plans is also a part of the cycle. The testing activity includes both testing web as well as Mainframes applications for different business scenarios and business transactions done as Agent, Underwriter, and Policy service specialist.
Posted in: Insurance Projects,Insurance Projects Descriptions.
Type Of Testing Completed
Automated and manual testing
Functional testing
Regression testing
Interface testing
Loading testing
Secure testing.
Please perform all testing on this project.
Hello I have gone through your shared website. I am pretty much comfortable to test your windows Website. I have 5+ years of software QA/testing experience. I have work on many projects like this and tested a wide 更多
4 威客就此工作平均出价 $55
Hi, I am Shiva. I have over 4 years of testing experience in Manual and Automation. Have expertise in all types of testing activities. Will discuss more if you would like to award this job to me. Thanks, Shiva.
I have around 4 yrs of testing experience . I am available to start just now. I will complete this project and on time .

subset: commoncrawl


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(NewsUSA) – Here's a scary number to keep in mind if you're just getting your tax receipts together: $1 billion.
No, it's not the amount that Warren Buffet's secretary — let alone Buffet personally — paid the IRS in her lifetime. It's how much taxpayers approximately wind up forfeiting each year to the government because of self-inflicted tax errors like: failing to claim tax credits and deductions legally due them; choosing the wrong filing status; and not bothering to send in a return at all.
Well, guess what? A slew of recent changes in the tax law won't make things any easier this year.
"At a time when taxpayers are hurting, it really doesn't make sense to leave money on the table," says Elaine Smith, master tax advisor at H&R Block, the giant tax preparation firm (www.hrblock.com).
Here are some things — good and bad — to watch out for:
* Casualty losses. Hurricane Irene. Midwest tornadoes. Texas wildfires. Mother Nature went a little nutty last year, and — if the president declared your area a disaster — you could be able to claim your loss as an itemized deduction on your 2011 return or on an amended 2010 one.
* Reduction in the Energy Savings Home Improvement Credit. At its height, this was a 30-percent credit on the cost of high-efficiency windows, furnaces, central AC and the like. It's now 10 percent. Plus, the maximum lifetime credit went from $1,500 to $500. "That means if you spent a total of $5,000 on IRS-approved upgrades in 2011," says Smith, "you can claim a $500 credit. Unless, that is, you'd already maxed out in prior years."
* Expiration of the tax credit for hybrid cars. If you bought a Prius last year, you did so without the feds' help. However, the green cars du jour — i.e., the electric-drive Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf — will score you a $7,500 credit. And there are goodies for things like conversion kits, too.
* New cost-basis reporting requirements. Apparently, some of you were inflating the price you paid for stocks to reduce the taxes owed on capital gains. Or at least the government fears that was happening. So look out for a mandatory statement from your broker reporting your "cost basis" for stocks and securities held in taxable accounts — as opposed to 401(k)s and IRAs — that you sold in 2011.
Of course, with the April 17 filing deadline approaching, those worried about becoming a member of the $1 Billion Club might want to consult a professional like those at H&R Block, which offers in-person services at its retail offices nationwide as well as the only face-to-face online preparation through Block LiveSM.
It's Tax Time. Are You Taking All the Deductions Allowed?
(NewsUSA) – Here's a scary number to keep in mind if you're just getting your tax receipts together: $1 billion.


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The binding, all ready to be sewn on. I love the colour combination and I think I might use it as inspiration for my next (or the one thereafter) quilt.
I leave you with my favorite Dr. Seuss quote:
The quilt looks great. The Dr Suess fabrics are so vibrant. It's a wonderful idea for a classroom, a great talking point.
Oh I love it Vreni - such a fun quilt!! I remember those days too when the children were just starting to read....happy memories!!
Great quilt..what fun!!
And I love your "planning process"!!
Lucky children to have such a great quilt to look at. Well done Vreni.
Really cute, Vreni! Your DD is so fortunate, as are her kids. I LOVE the binding!
Lovely post!
Hallo Vreni,
meine Kinder haben Dr. Seuss auch geliebt. Die Bücher, nicht so sehr die File.
Toller Quilt und der Spruch ist sooo typisch!
LG Doris, die langsam wieder aus der Versenkung auftaucht.
Vreni hi,thanks for the visit,and by voting,your blog is beautiful,loved the panel and the boxes of tea,a great weekend,kisses,Val.
I love Dr Seuss! You have made an awesome quilt and I'm sure the kids in the classroom will love it!
This looks like a whole lot of fun for you and the recipients.
How special is Dr Suess and these fabrics sure hightlight all that is fun and whimsical about the characters.
Love that saying too.
This is a terrific quilt and will be a hit in her classroom. I have bought some Eric Carle fabrics ( Brown Bear, brown bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabrics) for the same purpose. Perhaps one day soon I will try and make them.
Your daughter is one lucky girl- It is so much fun to see things that inspire kids to read and love books.
Warmest regards,
It's fabulous Vreni, I still have mine in the brain. Don't you just love the 820?
Is it such a FUN quilt! It will be a wonderful addition to your DD's classroom. :D
"Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun
But you have to know how."
(The Cat in the Hat)
Vreni! I LOVE it!!! I love that fabric anyway and this quilt is just adorable! Thanks for the inspiration!
cute, cute CUTE!! now...i'm wantin' this fabric...o! tooo cute!
=) new follower =)
Liebe Vreni
Da kann ich einmal mehr nur noch staunen!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!! Du bist eine ganz grosse Künstlerin!!!!!! Einfach super!
Herzlichst grüsst Dich Yvonne


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Wabash Hosts First Blueprint Campby Jim Amidon • July 9, 2010 Share:
Wabash's commitment to expanding its summer programs to high school students is on display this week as nearly 60 students — from a dozen states and Korea — are attending a pair of camps at the College.
Forty-six students are participating in the 38th annual Opportunities to Learn About Business program (OLAB) and another 13 students are taking part in the first collaborative program between Wabash and Blueprint Admissions. Click here to see photos from the first afternoon.
While OLAB remains largely unchanged over the years — and offers students a competitive immersion in all things business — the Blueprint program offers students immersion in the biology and chemistry of drug development and ethics in law.
Bill Doemel, director of operations for the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts, has worked with the New York-based staff of Blueprint Admissions on the launch of the new program.
"We're thrilled to be offering young men from high schools throughout the country the opportunity to experience the college classroom," said Doemel. "For one week, five young men are exploring the biology and chemistry of drug development. Eight young men are engaged in a very different course that focuses on the issues of life and death as those intersect with ethics and law."
Ryan Tallman, who has worked in summer programs domestically and abroad for the last six years, is the on-campus director of the Blueprint program. "Blueprint Admissions is very excited to be working with Wabash College," said Tallman. "We think this program is an excellent way to introduce young men to the Wabash community."
For the Blueprint program, Wabash professors Ann Taylor, Scott Feller, and Walter Novak from the Chemistry Department are leading the students on an exploration of what drugs are, how they affect the body, and how they're developed.
On Wednesday, the students will travel to Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis. Wabash alumni Jared Fennell '93, Principal Research Scientist, and Alonzo Weems '92, Assistant General Counsel, have organized a visit to the company so students will see first hand how new drugs are discovered and developed.
Wabash professors Scott Himsel, Cheryl Hughes, and Todd McDorman are joined by Kris McAloon, a Constitutional Law and A.P. Government teacher at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, and are confronting and considering some of the legal and ethical issues that arise from decisions about life and death,
Students in this track on Wednesday will meet with Judge John Baker, who is Chief Judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals. Judge Baker, in 1982, made a crucial legal decision concerning the fate of "Baby Doe," a child born with Down's Syndrome and an incomplete esophagus. Judge Baker will be talking about this case and the ethical and legal issues surrounding it.
While these academic experiences are at the core of their week on campus, these students also have time to relax, to know each other better, to know Wabash students, and to know the opportunities of the campus.
Wabash junior Andre Adeyemi is the lead counselor for the Wabash Blueprint program. He'll work largely on activities outside the classroom that will make the experience unique for the inaugural class of campers.
"I am really looking forward to getting to know the 13 lucky men who get a chance to come on campus for the program," said Adeyemi, who is Vice President of Beta Theta Pi. "Some of the interesting activities consist of visits to the Indianapolis NCAA Hall of Champions movie nights, pool parties, and getting to know Wabash and the Crawfordsville community."
Students in the Blueprint program will also receive college counseling advice from Jamie Watson of the Wabash Admissions Office.
The Blueprint program runs until July 17.
In photos: top left - Chemistry Professor Ann Taylor shows students how to use equipment Monday afternoon during a lab, bottom right - students in the ethics track engaged in a discussion.


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Yearbooks for Homeschoolers
Having problems figuring out where to start? Let other homeschoolers offer you some advice!
Moderators: Theodore, elliemaejune
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Yearbooks for Homeschoolers
My daughter has told me that she wants a yearbook. It wouldn't be hard to put the material together for one, but what about getting it published. Are there any companies that publish yearbooks for homeschoolers for reasonalbe prices?
I was a volunteer at a private christian school for several years. One of my responsibilities was the school year book, with a very limited budget, and 20 children expecting miracles, I purchased several disposable camras and handed them out to the children when we went or did any thing and I kept one which I took pictures of every day activities. I developed the film and got the picture cd's and I made a small scrapbook, the children had their own page, which they put anything they so desired on, or the childs parent designed the page, we had a page for each learning center, ect. The school purchased a spiral binder (I'm not sure of the proper name for this thing I used to bind their yearbook) it was aprox. $30-$40. at the end of the year we printed one for each child and the parents paid for what it cost me to make this which was around $10 each (this was for 20 children - cost included paper and ink, I just paid for the film developing) I home school now and we still make a scrapbook on the computer and print it out so my daughter can show to all the family and her friends.
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Free Shipping on Orders Over $495 4233092171 | Promotional Finance for 24 Months* See Details
Free Shipping Free shipping available on orders over $495. Does not include clearance merchandise or shipping outside of our local trading area, and is not valid on previous purchases. Furniture assembly not included.
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because with weakening and first strike it might as well just kill you automatically.
They need to make mana just not give resistance to physical!
Perhaps weak desecration penalties need to be buffed, because it should never be a decision that is taken lightly.
and reward piety for picking up money/power ups/potions.
GG: Punishment should removing the large item highest in your invintory, or all your small items if you have no large items (with a message that GG has forgiven your transgression if you have no items).
Mystera: Punishement - Increases resistances to magic users, converting items only rewards 1/2 conversion points. Magic boon grants MP, but corrodes (and weakens?) you.
Drac: Punishment - All enemies gain life steal. Paying life should reward less and less piety each time.
Darvin wrote:For Taurog, he's pretty marginal unless you're a Monk or Berserker. Most of his boons simply are not worth the -2 mana tradeoff, and requiring piety and an inventory slot on top of this makes him a no-go for most classes.
This may result in some over-powered horribleness, but what if Taurog's equipment was changed to be small items, or maybe have it reserve a block of two item slots?
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Disorder characterised by multiple hemangiomas involving at least three organ systems. The lesions may be present at birth or develop during the neonatal period. The typical patient shows multiple bright red, blue or purple superficial papular hemangiomas covering the entire body surface. The liver, CNS, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, eyes, mouth and tongue may be affected, as well as, less commonly, other organs including the thyroid, spleen, pancreas, muscles, kidney and heart. The hemangiomas usually regress, often as early as during the first year.
Diffuse Neonatal Hemangiomatosis


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Not necessarily when the mobile suit's canopy door is painted red while the rest is painted in a dark color. . .Temjin wrote:Mecha with cockpit in the body, good idea.
Although sometimes this works well like in Layzner and Dougram, even Xabungle, but over all I can't see how a pilot could refrain from getting sick!Mecha with cockpit in the head, bad idea.
Hands down the worst color scheme is that bright pink Zaku Warrior from SEED Destiny. Probably the worst MS of all time. Worse that the Capule from ZZ and Turn A, which is only slightly better than the Flat.


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Thurston and Rik Carlson's
(June 26th, 2010 - Craig Maupin at http://www.cfidsreport.com) Vermont may be known for its bucolic scenery and small town charm, but a new documentary film, Invisible, highlights an often unseen presence in Vermont, the voices and lives affected by chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). From 2004-2009, filmmaker Michael Thurston interviewed members of the CFS community in Vermont. The result of those interviews is a complete picture of what makes living with chronic fatigue syndrome singular -- and devastatingly unique -- amongst human experiences.
A diverse array of voices speak to their experience of awakening one day to the harsh realities of life with CFS: families and finances shattered, physical suffering, and a lack of support from community. A common theme is the sudden onset of the viral symptoms of CFS. Rik Carlson remembers it as "lightening, a thunderbolt. I got into bed, and I didn't get out of it, for years." Julia Bond remembers that "it felt like the flu... I kept thinking I could get over this, but I never could". Despite the descriptions, more than one sufferer describes not having previous experiences that enable them to describe the physical experience of CFS.
Through their voices, it becomes clear that the highest price of CFS may not be its physical price. The support of family, financial safety nets, and access to medical care are guaranteed with some illness, but not with CFS. Dr. Terry Naumann, who purchased a disability policy before contracting CFS, found that the fine print said it did not cover CFS. Another voice, Tiffany Martin, speaks of not having enough resources for food and shelter.
Invisible is not only about people who suffer from CFS. Supportive clinicians add their experiences of working within a medical community that seems largely disinterested of CFS. Dr. Ken Friedman and Dr. Carol Joy Gardner share their experiences of working with CFS, a disease in which the federal research agencies and his medical colleagues have failed patients.
Family members are also affected by CFS. Two mothers speak of the effect of CFS on their relationships with their children. Friendships fall by the wayside as well. Raymonde Perron talks of losing friends who seem unable to understand the severe limitations of the illness.
Dramatic testimony comes from a former physician, Dr. Terry Naumann. Once healthy and successful physician, Dr. Naumann recalls seeing patients in his former practice who "lost their spouse, their jobs, and everything they want to do" to chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Naumann, now disabled, speaks candidly of the difficulty of "being on the other side of the exam table...especially when you aren't believed."
Invisible is not without hopeful sentiment. Love for stricken spouses pours through in the testimony of Barbara Carlson and Rex Forehand. And Rik Carlson emanates a warm presence throughout the film, advising those with CFS to find support, work together, and accept their limitations. Tiffany Martin, who describes what it was like to "never really get to be a kid", focuses on a hope of a future someday without CFS. Pondering a healthy life, a future without CFS, she asks: "What would I do?"
Invisible may be the title of the film, but the voices in this documentary narrative are clear and cohesive. The illness that Rik Carlson aptly describes as having a "ridiculous name", is more than an invisible to the national consciousness. Chronic fatigue syndrome brings indescribable suffering. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a stealer of dreams, finances, family, and future. Rendering the price of the devastating disease visible is what the film Invisible does very well.
INVISIBLE is available from Exile Films at http://www.invisiblethemovie.com and exilemediacorp.com.


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Oshun Routine
Oshun Routine
Oshun is a Classic Nia routine that focuses on Steps and Stances. "Steps" mean one foot is always leaving the ground and "Stances" mean you stop and stay in place. Stepping is non-stop movement, using mobility for heart and whole body conditioning. Stances are rooted in stillness, felt as waiting and sensed as the energy of stability. This supports the body's principle: The Body's Way Demands Simultaneous Mobility and Stability. This lesson reminds us that moving and stopping are vital to the conditioning of the nervous system.
Oshun NiaSounds "Oshun is a journey into precision, power, and grace. Seductive in nature, the experience solicits a play with time, motion, and stillness, slow and fast, rhythm and harmony. Listening or moving provides stimulation to the nervous system like never before. Awaken to feminine and masculine energies and step into a journey for the Warrior and Dancer within.. " Featuring music by: Illumine, Tosca, Shakatura, Makyo, Ian Pooley, Isaac, Afterlife, and Tim Story.
*$89 - This routine is in the Nia Vault and may only be produced as a hard copy (DVD + CD)*


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Circumcision is a surgery to remove the skin covering the end of the penis. This is called the foreskin. This surgery is most often done 1 or 2 days after a baby boy's birth. Circumcision can also be done on older boys. This can be more complex. An older boy may need medicine (general anesthesia) to put him to sleep during the procedure.
In some cultures, circumcision is a religious practice or a tradition. It is most common in Jewish and Islamic faiths. In the U.S., newborn circumcision is not required. It is an elective procedure. This means you can choose to have your child circumcised or not. Circumcision is often done 1 to 2 days after birth. It is helpful to decide before your baby is born.
It is important to learn about the benefits and risks of circumcision. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
The AAP has found that the health benefits of circumcision are greater than the risks. But the AAP also found that these benefits are not great enough to advise that all newborn baby boys be circumcised. Parents must decide what is best for their baby.
Circumcision has some risks. But the rate of problems is low. The most common risks are bleeding and infection.
The skin of the penis is also very sensitive after a circumcision. The area can get irritated from contact with the baby's diaper or with the ammonia in urine. This can be treated by putting petroleum jelly on the penis for a few days.
There may be other risks. This depends on your baby's health. Talk about any concerns you have with the healthcare provider before the surgery.
Make sure the healthcare provider fully explains the procedure. Ask if anesthetic is used for a circumcision. The AAP advises anesthetic. This helps reduce a baby's pain during the procedure.
If your baby is born early or has other health problems, he may not be circumcised until he is ready to leave the hospital. If your baby has a physical problem with his penis, he may not be circumcised. This is because the foreskin is used in a future surgery on the penis.
The procedure is usually done by an obstetrician or pediatrician in the hospital. When it is done for religious reasons, other people may do the surgery after the baby comes home from the hospital.
Circumcision is done only on healthy babies. The procedure is painful. So the AAP recommends using a local anesthetic. This numbs the area of the penis where the incision will be made. There are different types of anesthetic. A healthcare provider may put a numbing cream on your child's penis. Or he or she may inject small amounts of anesthetic around the penis. There are risks with any anesthetic, but these are considered safe. In addition to the anesthetic, your healthcare provider may give your baby a pacifier dipped in sugar water. This can help soothe him while the procedure is happening.
A circumcision can be done in several ways. The procedure usually takes about 15 minutes or less. The procedure goes like this:
After the circumcision, you will need to care for your baby's penis until it heals. This includes cleaning the area with plain water at least once a day. You will also need to clean it if the area is dirty after a bowel movement. Then let the area dry, and put petroleum jelly on it. This keeps the gauze dressing from sticking.
You may be asked to remove the dressing the next day. Or you may be asked to use a new dressing, and some petroleum jelly, each time you change diapers. When the gauze dressing is no longer needed, you may be told to keep putting petroleum jelly on the end of the penis for a few more days. This helps prevent the penis from sticking to the diaper.
Some swelling on the penis is normal. It is also normal for the penis to develop a crust. This will go away after a few days. A small amount of bleeding is not unusual. But if you see a blood stain on your baby's diaper that is bigger than a quarter, call the healthcare provider right away. If the penis keeps bleeding, apply firm pressure with a washcloth for several minutes. Then look to see if the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding continues, bring your child to the emergency room.
If a plastic ring was used, it should fall off within 10 to 12 days. Tell your healthcare provider if this doesn't happen.
A baby's penis usually fully heals from a circumcision in 7 to 10 days.
Call your child's healthcare provider if your baby has any of the following:
Always use a digital thermometer to check your child's temperature. Never use a mercury thermometer.
For infants and toddlers, be sure to use a rectal thermometer correctly. A rectal thermometer may accidentally poke a hole in (perforate) the rectum. It may also pass on germs from the stool. Always follow the product maker's directions for proper use. If you don't feel comfortable taking a rectal temperature, use another method. When you talk to your child's healthcare provider, tell him or her which method you used to take your child's temperature.
Here are guidelines for fever temperature. Ear temperatures aren't accurate before 6 months of age. Don't take an oral temperature until your child is at least 4 years old.
Infant under 3 months old:
Child age 3 to 36 months:
Child of any age:
Before you agree to the test or the procedure for your child make sure you know:
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Axiom Cascade 1.2 Frame Bag
This item is currently not available.
When you attach Axiom's Cascade 1.2 bag to your bike, you get a great, low-profile way to add some storage. Made of 600-denier polyester, this tough, water-resistant bag fits most road and mountain bikes and attaches easily with hook and loop straps. What's more, it doubles as a shoulder pad when you need to carry your rig.
Volume: 70 cubic inches
Weight: 116 grams
Axiom Bags - Granfondo Series
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In spite of late summer, early fall rains across Texas, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is petitioning the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to allow them to cut off Colorado River inflows to Matagorda Bay, a measure the Authority claims is needed in order to meet the water demands of its many city, industry and agriculture customers.
But a conservation biologist, appearing before the LCRA Board last month, warned that cutting off river inflows into the fragile Matagorda Bay system should not be allowed because of the potential negative impact to wildlife and the environment that would follow.
Ducks Unlimited Conservation outreach biologist Kirby Brown told LCRA board members during a September meeting that water conservation measures currently in place are not adequate. He suggested that current water conservation programs penalize agriculture and the environment while allowing other water users to continue using water irresponsibly.
"Every individual, every occupation, every community depends on water, and there is presently not enough to meet all demands," Brown told the board. "The reality of the immediate situation is that all users should conserve equally and as much as possible. In the longer view, we must look at all the triggers for water conservation. The ones we have now are clearly coming up short, and system wide water conservation is the only immediate solution."
If you are enjoying reading this article, please check out Southwest Farm Press Daily and receive the latest news right to your inbox.
In a report issued last month, LCRA warned that while Sept. rains provided an additional 20,000 acre-feet of water to Lakes Buchanan and Travis, the two largest reservoirs managed by the Authority, both lakes remain at about 33 percent of capacity, and without substantially more rain in the weeks ahead, additional water restrictions will be necessary.
LCRA says the two lakes provide water for more than a million central Texans as well as businesses, industries and the environment throughout the lower Colorado River basin. But the Authority warns that only rainfall and inflows produced by that rainfall can fill the lakes, and much more rain is needed.
As a result, LCRA filed an application with TCEQ Sept. 26 seeking relief from requirements to send water from Highland Lakes to Matagorda Bay. The state-approved Water Management Plan requires Highland Lakes water be sent under certain conditions for the bay's environmental health, and any variance from that plan would require the state's approval.
But Brown says such a move is counter productive and would adversely affect the environment and wildlife that depend on those inflows. He says the board decision to cutoff inflows is a bad approach and further claims better conservation by city governments is needed to avoid such damaging action.
"There continues to be a lack of understanding of the situation by our communities and the public. Cities use anemic water-conservation policies that continue to allow non-essential uses of water while criticizing and politicizing agricultural and environmental water uses and crying out that it's a 'critters' versus people debate. That's an oversimplified and ineffective approach to the problem, and it needs to be corrected," Brown told the Board.
He said shrimpers, farmers, fishing guides and birding eco-tourism businesses are directly tied to ecosystem services, especially the freshwater supply.
Singling out specific water users unfair
Brown encouraged Texans to remember that water is required for all life and livelihoods, and that all users must take part in conserving this limited resource.
Brown argues that the general public, especially residents living in urban areas, need to understand that watering the lawn to keep it green and washing the car are luxuries we may not be able to afford during times of serious drought and water shortage.
"How is watering the lawn weekly or keeping golf courses and business grounds green a matter of public health and safety?" Brown asked the board. "If the public doesn't start thinking along those lines and share water conservation responsibilities equally, then we are going to debate and argue the issue while the supply continues to dwindle and limit our economy."
Over the last two years LCRA asked for and was granted authority to limit water use by rice farmers, resulting in lost rice acres and less production. But Brown says lake levels continue to drop and as much as 75 percent of water used in urban areas is "dumped on the ground" or used for other non-essential purposes.
"Cities and communities, which are justly worried about their economies in the face of limited water, are calling for halts in environmental and agricultural uses while not taking a hard look in the mirror at their non-essential uses," Brown said. "Cities must recognize their water-conservation policies are not working and make responsible changes."
Earlier this year, citing drought problems and low lake levels, LCRA Board Chairman Timothy Timmerman says the Board is not planning on lowering lake levels any further.
"Our Board is looking at innovative ways to expand and extend our water supply, but the idea of lowering the lakes is not and has not been a serious consideration," said Timmerman.
More on the effects of the LRCA moves to restrict water.
More conservation is needed by all users
But Brown said cutting off inflows to the bay and taxing rice farmers and rural economies should not be one of those ways.
"The cutoff of water to rice farmers is crushing the rural economy of three coastal counties on the lower Colorado River and creating a food-supply deficit for more than 600,000 ducks on the Texas Mid-Coast. Environmental flows currently being considered for cutoff are necessary for the habitat that supports 60 to 80 percent of the continental redhead duck population and critical fisheries," he warned.
Concerning birding and wildlife, Brown said Texas waterfowl hunting alone provides more than $204 million in annual economic input, and annual revenues from wildlife tourism, including hunting, fishing and wildlife watching in Texas top $5 billion. He says cutting off water supplies will hurt the Texas economy and it still continues to fall short of addressing current and critical water needs for the future.
"Ducks Unlimited understands that there is simply not enough water to meet all needs at present, and natural resources and downstream economies should and have shared in restrictions and conservation measures," he added. "Common-sense water-allocation policy is required in these times. The luxuries of lush, green lawns and squeaky-clean cars each week are relics of a bygone era of conspicuous consumption possible in times of greater rainfall. Now our ecosystems and the economies they support must come first."
By their own admission, when LCRA released 8,684 acre-feet from lakes Travis and Buchanan in September to meet some of the requirements from earlier in the year, and salinity levels in the Bay's delta dropped from 33 parts per thousand (ppt) to less than 28 ppt.
Scientific studies have determined that levels greater than 30 ppt may not be suitable for oysters, juvenile fish and other species in the bay.
But Brown warns that cutting off inflows, as requested by LCRA, will quickly push salinity rates much higher than allowable to maintain a healthy bay system and will penalize the wildlife and industries that depend on a healthy ecosystem.
LCRA says if enough rains and subsequent flow comes into the Highland Lakes in the near future, they could be required to release up to an additional 5,834 acre-feet for the bay by the end of the year unless the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) grants their request to waive the requirement.
LCRA reports they have been working with its industrial and municipal customers on water conservation measures. A published LCRA advisory claims the water authority is urging all users in the region to use water wisely and conserve wherever possible.
"Everyone should strictly follow the watering schedules set by local water providers. These generally limit the time of day and days of the week that you can water your lawn and landscaping with a sprinkler system," the advisory suggests.
More from Southwest Farm Press:
Texas rice farmers could get relief from new reservoir project
Wildlife group cries 'foul' over LCRA water issue


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Atlantic City Casino Unveils 'Sufficiently Sexy' New Image
On Friday, the new owners of the Resorts Casino Hotel officially revealed their innovative marketing strategy to stimulate business and make the local townsfolk proud: fill up the place with scantily clad ladies, put on some naked circus shows, and improve the noodle bar.
At yesterday's grand reopening event, spectators got to hear all about the casino's new plans—most exciting of which is the "Naked Circus" series of parties, which co-owner Dennis Gomes promises will be "as naked as the law allows." Hoo boy! The sextacular spectacles will start on the Fourth of July in honor of the Founding Fathers, who hosted America's first and most epic naked-people party on that day in 1776.
In addition to receiving the naked circus news, yesterday's audience got to ogle some ladies dressed up in Resorts' "skimpy," low-cut, black-fringed, flapper-inspired server uniforms, who took to the stage to demonstrate progress and the future. The women had apparently met Resorts' strict sexiness guidelines, enforced by their special sexiness panel. In March, 15 servers who were fired for being "insufficiently sexy" filed a lawsuit against Resorts; the case is still pending. Nobody really talked about them at the grand opening, though! Just noods. And the noodle bar, which has undergone improvements.


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Pistons Have Plenty of Amnesty Candidates
By Steve St-Pierre
The NBA and its players remain divided on a new deal for the league's next collective bargaining agreement. However, both sides have apparently OK'd a proposal for a new amnesty clause that would allow each team to waive one player and shed 75 percent of that player's contract against the salary cap.
According to multiple reports, the new amnesty clause is still being discussed in labor meetings. Some teams are arguing that, if they don't currently have a bad contract they wish to shed, they should be allowed to save their amnesty clause for at least a year or two.
Certainly, the Pistons are a team that could desperately use such a privilege. One would think that the logical candidates for this clause would include guards Rip Hamilton, Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva. All three players have struggled the last two seasons in terms of performance, and each is due a substantial amount of money over the next two to three seasons.
Hamilton, who the Pistons have tried to trade the last two years, is due to make over $25 million the next two seasons. Though he was a major contributor during Detroit's title run in 2004, he has been a thorn in the franchise's side for a number of years with his lackluster behavior both on and off the court. Since the Pistons traded away his former backcourt mate Chauncey Billups, Hamilton has appeared disinterested and welcome to a change of scenery.
The year after they traded Billups, the Pistons appeared ready to part ways with Hamilton when they spent $90 million to sign Gordon and Villanueva in the summer of 2009. Gordon, who like Hamilton is a shooting guard, established himself as one of the NBA's best scorers with the Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, Detroit hasn't found a way to make it work with either player. Gordon is owed more than $37 million the next three seasons.
Villanueva, a power forward who was signed to replace veterans Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess, has also failed to live up to expectations in his two seasons with the Pistons, leaving a major void in the frontcourt. Villanueva will make over $24 million the next three seasons.
Assuming the Pistons elect to exercise an amnesty clause, they would have to decide between waiving Hamilton, Gordon or Villanueva. To do so, the front office would need to gauge its feelings on each player. Three years ago, Joe Dumars, Pistons President, elected to sign Hamilton to a three-year, $34-million contract extension. Two years ago, Dumars was willing to pay $90 million to sign Gordon and Villanueva. Obviously, Dumars will need to determine which player's value has decreased the greatest the last couple seasons.
This time around, Dumars will surely need to consider the input of Lawrence Frank, Pistons Head Coach, and even Tom Gores, Pistons Owner. Even during this current NBA lockout, these three individuals should be communicating on a regular basis, preparing for a possible amnesty clause and discussing the number of scenarios it presents.
The Pistons could very well elect to waive one of either Hamilton, Gordon or Villanueva via the amnesty clause while arranging a buyout for another. For example, the team could decide that since Hamilton only has two years left on his contract, it might make more sense to either continue trying to trade him or simply buy out the remainder of his salary whenever the lockout ends. If he was bought out, Hamilton would still stay on the Pistons' salary cap for the duration of his contract, but he would be free to sign with another team, and the Pistons could use his roster spot to sign a different free agent.
Another option, of course, is to just use the amnesty clause on Hamilton and commit to moving forward with Gordon and Villanueva. Clearly, both players have been misused during their first two seasons in Detroit. Gordon, though undersized, is perfectly capable of handling a starting role at shooting guard. His scoring and ball-handling make him extremely valuable on the offensive end, and the Pistons must utilize these capabilities if he's going to remain on the roster.
Even with Hamilton gone, it could still prove difficult to commit the proper amount of playing time to Gordon. The Pistons still have a logjam in the backcourt with point guards Will Bynum and rookie Brandon Knight. Likewise, combo-guard Rodney Stuckey is a restricted free agent who Dumars has previously expressed interest in retaining. If Stuckey was to return, Detroit's rotation issues would likely continue.
If they used their amnesty clause on Villanueva, the Pistons would be even thinner up front. Veteran Greg Monroe is set to remain as the team's starting center, but both forward positions are up for grabs. Austin Daye is currently penciled in at small forward, and restricted free agent Jonas Jerebko will likely be re-signed. If Villanueva was to be released, Jerebko could start at power forward. The Pistons still have veterans Ben Wallace and Jason Maxiell under contract, but Wallace appears on the brink of retirement, and Maxiell has never been more than a complimentary reserve player.
It remains to be seen how long the NBA lockout will last and what results will come of its completion. It does, however, appear certain that there will be some sort of amnesty clause for each of the league's 30 teams. The Pistons are arguably in need of it more than any other, and they'd better be ready to make the most of it.


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when checking IDUG 2012 agenda, found there was a topic as "Dale Mcinnis - DB2 Backups - are they really required anymore? (DB2 for LUW - II)".
It's about similar topic as my blog "Can you really be able to rely on backup/restore? " but has different focus.
pretty funny. I like this.
pretty funny. I like this.


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"Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) is a viral disease of cattle and buffalo. Typically, affected animals are only sick for a few days, hence the alternative name - Three Day Sickness."
This disease is preventable by vaccination. We choose not to vaccinate our stock, so this wasn't an option for us. There is a homeopathic treatment available for it, but we did not have any on hand. I'd consider keeping this in our animal first aid box though, as we've had success with using homeopathic remedies on our pets and livestock.
Poppy went down in a treed area on the edge of our furtherest paddock. She was partially protected from the elements there, but a long way from the house, and from water. Several times each day we trekked through long grass, and sometimes pouring rain, to tend to Poppy's needs. She was upright, not lying on her side, which was a good thing!
Before we realised it was Three Day, we treated Poppy with a remedy from Keeping A Family Cow - molasses, apple cider vinegar, plain yoghurt and epsom salts. We figured it'd keep her bowels moving at least, while we figured out if she'd eaten something awful or was suffering from something else.
Our main concern was that Poppy have access to cool, clean water that she could reach from her sitting position. We mixed molasses into the water which encouraged her to drink plenty. She was still urinating and deficating the whole time she was down (4-5 days), and shuffling away from her waste - all excellent signs. We treated with injectable Vitamin C every time we went up to see her. We always keep this on hand as it's so useful for a wide variety of illnesses. The whole time she was sick, Poppy was able to drink and swallow and apart from when we first found her, she was alert, bright-eyed and calm.
At one stage, buffalo flies were annoying Poppy, but it was too difficult to rub neem oil on her as we usually do. A friend suggested that we try using aerosol insect repellant designed for humans. We don't normally use chemicals, but with Poppy being so still (a natural defence to flies is to brush through tree branches and long grass), and the rain being so heavy, we decided to give it a go. A quick once-over with the low-irritant spray and she was fly-free for days... Makes me wonder what they put into those magic cans! Eeek!
On the fifth day, I was rocking Poppy on the spot as I usually did (to encourage her to shift her legs because of the risk of injury from poor circulation) and she seemed to want to get up. I enlisted the help of my husband and we rocked and shoved Poppy until she suddenly lurched onto her feet and wobbled away, eating grass as if nothing had happened.
Poppy had only been AIed (artificially inseminated) three weeks before she became ill, so we're watching to see if she is in calf. Overall she was bright as a button the whole time, and soon after getting to her feet became as active and round as before she got Three Day.


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German2 wrote:
What drives me crazy is a phone call of my aunt yesterday. She saw a tv show and told me that they have found a new desease for which they are fundraising actually...And she immediately would have thought of me..".You also did have swallowing problems and muscle decline, right??" GREAT!! That saved my weekend!!
I tried to explain to her that this is exactly my biggest fear, and I explained oll over again and again that this is no new desease but the desease which killed the mother of my aunt's daughter in law a few years ago..- So she might know it.."Oh I have forgotten", she said."But maybe you don't have that." It is not her fault.
But I don't know how to stand the one and a half week until hospital appt., even not to think about the investigations itself. What if they find nothing? What if they find my biggest fear desease....?


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Jake rolled up to the TransWorld offices today in a new Hummer 3 on his way to surf Oceanside. He skated his way across the country on his way here. It's just another day in the life of the Burton Rover, a newly created paid position through Burton and Snickers. His job description, I shit you not, goes like this: session parks, slopes, and waves from March 2006 to March 2007.
Of thousands of entries that poured in, Jake got the job, which means that he's a one man RV tour heading to all the events, resorts, skateparks, surfspots … pretty much he is wherever fun is. He'll be telling you all about it through the Burton Rover blog, complete with videos and pictures. Check it out at rover.theonseason.com.
I sat down with Jake and a bag of Snickers to find out more—there's got to be a catch.
How did you get the job? Are you funny or what was your angle?
Well, basically, what I kept saying is that I've been doing this job my whole life. I've worked up at Timberline Lodge cooking in the summers and camping in the rain on the spur road off the Timberline access road—just to ride. I've had cook jobs on the east coast so I could snowboard and skate. I've worked just enough my whole life so that I could travel and snowboard. I mean, my dream has always been to just snowboard, that's what my whole deal with trying to go pro was. Now, it's just good to not have a night job anymore.
Did you meet Jake Burton yet?
I met him really quickly at the U.S. Open at night. They were like, "Jake meet Jake.
Are you hitchhiking around or did they set you up?
I have a Hummer H3—it's awesome. It has a navigation system in it that gets me through the cities. I'm from Maine, so I'm not used to driving on multi-lane roads at all. I had to sign some form that I wouldn't abuse it—the governor on it is set at 100 mph—I checked.
So we'll be seeing you everywhere?
Yeah, I guess so.
Are drinks on you this winter?
Well, I do have a travel budget …
Yeah, this kid checks out. See you on the road this winter Jake. Watch his every move at rover.theonseason.com.


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The Mets selected Mazzoni with the 71st overall pick in the second round of last year's draft out of North Carolina State University. He then appeared in 12 games for St. Lucie and Brooklyn, during which he was 2-1 with a 1.38 ERA while striking out 18 batters and walking 3 in 13 innings pitched.
In his report, Goldstein writes of Mazzoni:
[jbox color="gray"]"Those numbers came in short stints after a heavy college workload, and he'll return to starting in 2012, equipped with a fastball and slider that both rate as above average. His early success has some tempted to see if he could move quickly as a reliever, but for now, that's a backup plan."[/jbox]
In late December, MinorLeagueBall.com's John Sickels ranked Mazzoni as the team's 10th best prospect giving him a C+ grade.
[avatar name="cerrone"]Matthew Cerrone: I have heard minor league experts talk about his smooth, consistent delivery and impeccable control, which probably gets the coaching staff excited because it means he can now spend more time developing pitches (instead of tinkering with mechanics). They say he needs to work on his fastball, which lacks movement. However, overall, insiders say he has a lot of potential and an intriguing arm. They also say he 'looks like a relief pitcher,' because of his arm slot and size. But, like Goldstein suggests, he'll certainly begin 2012 as a starting pitcher. I've also heard there is a very good chance he moves through the system quickly, again because he's advanced enough and the team has a lot less-mature, young pitching fighting for time in the lower levels.
To see Goldstein's list of 10 Breakout Prospects for 2012, on which no other NL East players appear except Mazzoni, click here.


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Upon graduation, students will be prepared to pursue an unlimited
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be a researcher, teacher, or lawyer; or envision working in local,
state, or federal government or non-governmental social or legal
services, an Otterbein education puts the possibilities at your
There are numerous
internship opportunities available to students in history, political
science, and international studies. History and political science
students benefit from the University's proximity to the state capitol
complex and the Ohio Historical Society. International studies majors
have access to an expanding range of internships thanks to the growth of
the Columbus metropolitan area and its international business
Internship opportunities can be
arranged at the local, state, or national level. In recent years,
students in our department have interned with:
Otterbein University is a member of the Washington Semester Program, an exciting opportunity at American University in Washington, D.C. that offers 13 different programs for full credit.
Students in this program live in our capital for a semester while
taking part in this once in a life time opportunity. Three days per week
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lectures by guest speakers. The other two days are spent performing an
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Otterbein University, 1 South Grove Street, Westerville, OH 43081 614.890.3000
Otterbein University is a private, non-profit, United Methodist affiliated, regionally-accredited institution.
© 2019 Otterbein University. Otterbein University is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer


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BBC News
- Islamic State group plans to rebound with more attacks - MI6
- Brexit: Theresa May's strategy unchanged despite Tory row over defeat
- Alesha MacPhail murder accused had 'fantasy' killing chat
- Boys arrested after crash injures girl, 6, in Northampton
- Climate strike: Schoolchildren protest over climate change
- Joy Morgan: Police fear student 'may have come to harm'
- Private probation firms in Wales and south west in administration
- Exeter murder case: Gun 'found near body' of victim, 80
- Man admits killing Britain's Got Talent choir nurse
- Andrea Levy: Small Island and Long Song author dies aged 62
- Schwimmer 'doppelganger' denies fraud and theft charges
- Ariana Grande: The Thank U, Next singer scores UK chart double
- Father of teen IS bride Amira Abase: 'Let the teenagers into UK'
- Does Bethnal Green want IS teenager to return?
- Car used to break into Wallsend's Forum Shopping Centre
- Tilly Lockey: 'I can paint with my bionic arms'
- Children learn secrets of performing stand-up comedy
- PM defeat over Brexit strategy announced
- Jacob Rees-Mogg comments on concentration camps
- BBC News Channel
- Heck's 'Sausage World' on hold after EU funding blow
- National Parks competition won by Peak District photo
- Obituary: Andrea Levy
- Which banks do customers love or hate?
- Climate strike: Why are students striking and will it have an impact?
- Unconditional uni offers don't make us lazy, say teenagers
- Derry City: UK football club staying in Europe after Brexit
- A tale of two Merlins: Sir Patrick's wizard transformation
- Meet the tech entrepreneurs tackling sexual harassment
- Brexit: Is there a 10-year-rule to sort out trade?
- Valentine's Day: People share their 14 February horror stories
- What is Article 13? The EU's copyright directive explained
- Helping people with a learning disability to find love
- Surrogacy: 'I gave birth to my daughter's baby'
Local Pubs in BOREHAMSTREET:
BeerInTheEvening.com search for pubs in BOREHAMSTREET
TheGoodPubGuide.co.uk search for pubs in BOREHAMSTREET


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For the first twenty minutes or so, I fully expected Pedro Luis Ramírez's 1975 sinister-finishing-school thriller School of Death (El Colegio de la Muerte) to play out like a poor man's La Residencia (previously reviewed and drooled over on MMMMMovies here). SoD has a lot of the same elements that made that earlier flick so entertaining: a cold-as-ice headmistress with a creepily lesbonic right-hand girl, several instances of light bondage, and a shadow-draped old manor house serving as the dormitory where the young, orphaned charges must band together to survive their sadistic educations. Hell, the school even has a "Punishment Room" where naughty girls are sent to be whipped for the most minor infractions. Which is fine by me, of course--I don't mind if my 70s flicks are derivative, so long as they come from good sources.
But then School of Death started to separate itself from my idea of its derivation in some surprising and mostly entertaining ways. While Ramírez doesn't give have Narciso Ibáñez Serrador's eye for gorgeous violence and penchant for Freudian psychology, he makes up for it with mad science, some mild perversity, and a couple of closing-act twists that are as fun as they are silly. It's not going to supplant La Residencia on anyone's list of Best Girls' School Thrillers, but it does have something to offer for those in the mood to explore.
I love a hot opening (iykwim), and whatever else it does, School of Death certainly gives the viewer that: a lace-bodiced, heaving-bosomed girl strapped to a laboratory table, being menaced by a faceless villain with a scalpel and a big syringe ready for action. (IYKWIM.) After paralyzing the girl with the needle, the baddie makes a small incision in her temple, which makes the heaving stop and her eyes go glassy. We won't know what exactly is going on here for a while yet, but suffice to say the director had my attention.
Shortly thereafter we find ourselves at St. Elizabeth's School for Girls, where unfortunate orphans and the bastard spawn of aristocrats and whores are being groomed for exciting careers in the Victorian household service industry. Headmistress Miss Collins rules her sewing class with an iron fist in an iron glove: when a street-side organ grinder sets the toes of plain-but-sweet Sylvia (Victoria Vera) a-tappin', Collins quickly puts an end to that noise with a vicious ruler-to-palm smack. Further insubordination from Sylvia's sexy BFF Leonore (Sandra Mozarowsky) lead to the latter's incarceration in the aforementioned Punishment Room, where Collins's assistant ties Leonore to the bedpost and gives her a taste of the strap! While the bondage is nice, all we get in the way of flesh is a marked naked back and some bared shoulders from Leonore. Which is good, but not all you might hope for. And by "you," I mean "me."
While Leonore licks her wounds overnight, Sylvia learns she is to be transferred the next morning to her new job as housewench for a faraway aristocrat, which means she won't get to say goodbye to her friend or exchange addresses. Arriving at her place of employment well after dark, she's shown to her bedroom and told she will start her duties the next day. It's all a ruse, though, as midway through the night she's snatched from her room and strapped to a now-familiar laboratory table, where Dr. Kruger, a rasp-voiced medico with a puss like Dick Tracy's Pruneface, does his best to set the terrified girl at ease. "Quiet, my little Sylvia," he hisses, "You are in the hands of SCIENCE!" Oh, well all right, then. Of course she gets the same treatment as our pre-credits victimette, is returned to her bed and soon pronounced dead by handsome but unwitting Dr. Brown, the village GP.
Next we follow Dr. Brown to his fencing club, where he puts on a good show against local newspaperman Alan. After the inkstained wretch goes down in defeat and grudgingly congratulates his foe in a way that lets you know he just doesn't mean it, portly Lord Ferguson approaches Alan nervously. "They say you know an address that makes it possible to enter the doorways of Paradise itself," the sweaty peer whispers. "Do I explain myself well?" Apparently he does, because Alan gives him the address in question, and with it the key to what's going on down in Dr. Kruger's basement.
Bob, have an arrangement with Miss Collins at St. Elizabeth's whereby girls are sent to Kruger's pad, lobotomized, declared dead thanks to a super-sedative of Kruger's concoction, and then pimped out as Living Sex Dolls to sweaty fat fucks like Ferguson. (One of the film's unique joys is hearing Collins, Kruger, and their minions talk in hushed, terror-stricken tones about Bob--"What will happen when Bob finds out? What about Bob?" It's just such an un-criminal-mastermindish name, it gave me the giggles.) It's not a perfect system--not as good as Olaf's in The Sinful Dwarf, perhaps--but it seems to have worked out well for them.
Things go awry, however, when Lord Ferguson brings the zombie-like Sylvia to his estate for a ride on the Party Barge. Showing off his wealth, the aristocrat plays his newfangled phonograph for the unimpressed sex worker--but as luck would have it, the song is the same as the one the organ grinder played at the beginning of the movie! Shocked into sepia-toned flashbacks by the coincidence, Sylvia comes to long enough to stab Lord Ferguson and flee the scene, returning like a homing pigeon to Kruger's lab before losing her memory again. Of course once they turn on their masters they can't be retrained, so the hapless lass is put down like a rabid gerbil by her keepers.
One girl short of a full stable, the baddies put in an order to St. Elizabeth's for a replacement piece, and of course Leonore is next on the menu. As she uncovers clues about her friend's death and begins to get involved in a romantic relationship with Dr. Brown, Leonore is menaced by Dr. Kruger midnights in her room, though the raisin-headed scientist also seems to be harboring a crush on her too, which keeps her out from under the knife for a while. At the same time, a pointy-chinned, skeleton-thin Inspector has been on Kruger's trail since his escape from prison (the mad doc had been perfecting his memory-erasing surgery years earlier when a lab accident during his arrest gave him his scarred visage). As their scheme begins to unravel around them, Kruger and Miss Collins receive a visit from the horror-inspiring Bob, and then things all go boom.
Despite some truly atrocious dubbing, iffy pacing, and an appalling a lack of nekkidity, I found quite a bit to like about School of Death. The "brain damage as a means of turning girls out" idea was suitably icky and one I can't remember having seen before. (But I do have this weird scar on my temple...) Dr. Kruger's disfigurment and utterly impractical realm of study reminded me a bit of some of Jess Franco's cool mad scientists, if in reverse with regards to facial deconstruction. And the "discipline" elements at the school were handled well, and greatly appreciated.
Ramírez doesn't strike me as a great director, but he does manage some nicely gothic compositions here, especially on the carriage rides to and from the fateful house, with some stark spotlights casting long shadows and a blue gel adding just the right touch of color. Unfortunately he's also guilty of some of the most atrocious day-for-night photography I've ever seen on film, so points off there. A couple of stalking scenes through the shadow-steeped mansion almost make up for it, though, and provide some needed tension. The overuse of extremely intrusive library music is a bit harder to overlook.
As often happens with Eurocult films of this era, things go a little off the rails in the finale, as the spotlight of suspicion is cast on everyone and the script throws in twists to make you think the obvious culprit is NOT the mysterious Bob (he is), but then twists again to pull another surprise reveal out of its ass. (Suffice to say a latex mask technology in the mid-1900s was apparently far more advanced than you would think.) Still, it's pretty entertaining if you go along for the ride; just be sure to buckle your seat belt and throw logic over the side.
Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll and The Devil's Possessed) and would go on to appear in the Nazisploitation staple Love Train for the SS, is lovely to look at as the much-menaced heroine, and the actor portraying the Inspector brings grace and intelligence to a small role.
School of Death isn't a spectacular movie--it drags a little once the big bad plot is revealed, and its ending is almost too stupid, even given what's come before--but it does have some things to recommend it and is a fairly entertaining obscurity if you're in the mood. I fall in the range of 1.85 to 2 thumbs. If you can't find a copy of La Residencia, this one will do.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
School of Death (1975): or, What About Bob?
Posted by The Vicar of VHS at 11:00 AM
Labels: '70s, 1-2 Thumbs, Girls' School, Mad Science, Old Dark House, Whipping
6 comments:
- The Duke of DVD said...
Once again, Vicar, you expose yourself to us through your beautiful, hilarious reviews, and also through the duck-taped glory hole cut into the stall wall down at the Toot N' Moo gas station on Hwy 65.
Also, hooray for us attaining 100 followers! Our acolyte army is growing, and soon we shall challenge the old gods, with their pitiful sorceries and their terrible dental plans. There will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth, then the nude Twister.
- July 9, 2009 at 3:58 PM
- Al Bruno III said...
You guys are amazing, this is another film I haven't heard of and a very entertaining read.
You know I went to a private school for a year (they threw me out for being academicly lacking) but as far as I know there were no whippings or punishment rooms. Maybe if there had been I might have studied a little harder.
- July 10, 2009 at 7:35 AM
- Tenebrous Kate said...
OK, your write-up of this movie makes it sound entirely more incredible than your warnings would indicate. DAMN YOU!
Also--did I ever tell you about the time I interviewed for a job as the assistant to a very exclusive all-girls' boarding school? In short, I realized I was ENTIRELY unsuited for the job because I'd been so heavily influenced by movies like THIS.
- July 10, 2009 at 7:45 AM
- Tenebrous Kate said...
ARGH--hit enter too soon! Should have been "assistant to the headmistress at a very exclusive all-girls' boarding school." Damn first thing in the AM internetting :S
Still--tis an entirely true story :)
- July 10, 2009 at 7:46 AM
- The Vicar of VHS said...
@Duke of DVD--Whoreson! You swore, after our surprise and totally unplanned meeting at the Toot N'Moo, NEVER TO SPEAK OF IT AGAIN! And also to have your teeth straightened--such is the worth of *your* promises! ;)
@Al Bruno III--I believe the Punishment Rooms still exist--I sort of have to--but thanks to the litigious society we live in, they've now become "Time-Out Rooms." Oh, what a falling off was there.
@Tenebrous Kate--I think you might enjoy this movie on its merits, though as I say, La Residencia is a much better example of the subgenre. Also, I can't help thinking you'd have assayed the "assistant to the headmistress" with the same aplomb as Irene in that movie; watch it and I think you'll agree she's a fantastic role model. ;)
- July 10, 2009 at 8:48 AM
- Jenn said...
You had me at 'hot opening,' (that's really all I need to hear), then you go and hit me with a 'lace-bodiced, heaving-bosomed girl strapped to a laboratory table' and I'm really all over it.
You got me a-gain when Dr. Kruger says, 'Don't worry, you're in the hands of SCIENCE.' I wish somebody would take it upon themselves to put me in the hands of science.
- July 10, 2009 at 8:18 PM


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The One That Got Away
Now onto the real reason of this post. I have a minor light fixture obsession. At the designer warehouse sale I attended last fall (still have to do a post on that sale!) I came home with 4 fixtures, 2 shades and 3 table lamps. For a small townhouse, that's a lot of light. Since moving in, we have added a pendant above the sink, a chandelier above the dining room, changed out 1 flush mount, and added chandeliers in all 3 bedrooms. The only place without a real fixture to call it's own is our small entry way. So when I saw this baby at TJ's my heart started pumping real fast.
OH. EM. GEE. Ain't she beautiful? I don't even know what it's called, but I'll call it a chrome pentagon pendant (although it looks to have more sides than that) or maybe a honeycomb? Any ideas let me know!
Anyways, I fell in love with her the instant I saw her. And when I looked at her price tag I loved her more. $38.99. The "compare at" price was $499. EEEEKS!!! How could I say no? I tried to stuff it in my cart, but it was already overloaded with other things. I put it back down. And I thought long and hard. And then I walked away. Well, first I had to show the hubby what I was walking away from so he would be proud, and then I walked away.
How could I? Well, I did self impose a spending restriction this month. My Already Own April is supposed to help tame the spender in me, and cultivate the user of things already owned in me. Plus, it was pretty big. And it had a really long bar (so it would hang really really low) which might have been able to be cut down to make it a flush mount, but I didn't want to take the chance. Also, the fact that it was so steeply marked down made me worry it might not work. And we don't have a TJMaxx around the corner to return it to, so big potential hassle.
Should I have just gone for it? I'm starting to regret not buying it. If you live near Bellingham, Washington, hop in your car right now and go buy it! She deserves a good home. Here's a fixture I found online that looks VERY similar.
Super cute, right? You can buy it here for $1040. YIKESABEE! Now I'm really wishing I had bought it.
Another thing we walked away from? This adorable shirt. We are a touch obsessed with our wiener dog, so it was a big deal not to buy this. But it was too small for hubby and too large for me, so at TJ's it stayed. I am slowly starting to realize I don't need to buy EVERYTHING that has a wiener on it. Although I really want to.
Anything big you've walked away from and regretted? And am I certifiably insane for leaving that pendant behind?


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SantiOntanon needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 158 designs submitted by 39 freelance designers.
Logo design for a social gaming website based on artificial intelligence. The Logo will be for a web where players can create their own artificial intelligences (called Mind Engines, or MEs), and challenge other people or other people's MEs in challenges.
Make ME Play ME
We need a logo for a social gaming website where the main components are competition, artificial intelligence, and strategy games. The website is called "Make ME Play ME" (Where ME stands for Mind Engine). The target audience is people in the 15 - 25 age range. So, it has to be something that looks appealing to them. Ideas that could be used in the logo are:
- social gaming (fun, collaborative, play with friends, make teams)
- casual (not hard-core gamers only, but should also incude serious gamers)
- strategy (but broad range, including Risk, not just WoW)
- challenges (competitive, win points, earn reputation)
- artificial intelligence (teach your Mind Engine to play for you)
- modern, vibrant, interactive (not dark, heavy, brooding, metallic like WoW)
- targeted at 15-25, both boys and girls
- try logos built with "Make Me Play Me" words and also art with the name in the logo or no name at all
- possibly play off the ME = Mind Engine theme somehow but not essential
The logo should be delivered in a vector format (preferably illustrator), and we would also like a favicon.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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"Burnt Ends": Pitmaster Robbie Richter (formerly of Brooklyn's Fatty 'Cue) previews Roadhouse LA, slated to open this summer, today to through Sunday at This Is Not a Pop-Up. On the menu at the "Burnt Ends" dinner series: Tejas sausage tempura, mustard, queso, bock and lap cheong aioli; brisket shabu shabu with smokey bone broth and cured and barbecued deckle; Jamaican jerk Frenched cupcake chicken with curried black-eyed peas and drunken grilled pineapple salsa; pulled Moroccan lamb shoulder with central Asian plov; and Southern cakes and pies. The five-course meal costs $50 per person. Supplements: whole and half rack of pork spare ribs with palm sugar glaze; collard greens and lamb belly; and pickled watermelon salad. Make reservations at www.thisisnotapopup.com and by phone at (323) 451-1767.
Chez Soi all-you-can-eat (and drink): The newly opened Chez Soi is offering all-you-can-eat moules frites (mussles and duck fat french fries) for $25.00 per person from Saturday to Monday (Memorial Day). Additionally, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, there will be live music, and the restaurant is serving brunch featuring unlimited mimosas for $16. 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd. (Metlox Plaza), Manhattan Beach, (310) 802-1212, www.chezsoirestaurant.com.
"Booze & Barbecue Weekends": Starting Memorial Day Weekend, the Weekend Grilling Menu will be available at the Hyperion Public after 1 p.m. The menu is made up of classic American fare with a Southwest influence, including cheeseburgers, quesadillas with smoked chicken and epazote, skirt steak skewers and bacon cole slaw. 2538 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 761-6440, http://www.hyperionpublic.com.
'Best-of-the-Bayou boil': On Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m., Dominick's will serve over 300 lbs. of Louisiana Crawfish flown in from New Orleans along with Chef Brandon Boudet's other southern inspired dishes. 8715 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 652-2335, www.dominicksrestaurant.com.
Fig & Olive brunch and mocktails: From Friday to Monday, Fig & Olive will be serving a three-course prix-fixe brunch for $28. They will also debut their non-alcoholic, spa-inspired "mocktails" for $10 each. The mocktails will include Spiced Orchards made with cloudy apple juice, muddled Thai basil and lemon, with ginger and lime juice; Banane et Orange with orange juice, muddled banana, ginger, lemon juice and honey, and Jardin de Fraises with kefir clover, muddled strawberries, fig, clover honey and fig balsamic. 8490 Melrose Place, West Hollywood, (310) 360-9100, www.figandolive.com.
Plan Check all-day happy hour: On Monday, the Plan Check bar will serve a limited edition Maui Brewing Co. Lemongrass Saison for $6 and their happy hour specials all day long. 1800 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 288-6500, www.plancheckbar.com.
Street hosts a "Korean BBQ of Giant Proportions": Street and Giant Robot are co-hosting an international Memorial Day celebration on Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. with a Korean barbecue, kimchi station and sake lounge on Street's patio. You can pre-purchase tickets 48 hours in advance for $35, which includes 4 drink tickets, or at the door for $45, with 3 drink tickets. 742 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 203-0500, www.eatatstreet.com.
'Sunkissed Bottomless Brunch': Despite what the event title may suggest, one should wear pants to this event. Zengo and SubstanceLA are hosting an all-you-can-eat brunch and cocktails ($35 per person) and a DJ set performed by Boris M.D. on Zengo's patio from noon to sunset. 395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica, (310) 899-1000, www.richardsandoval.com/zengosm.


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Food & Drink
Try a shop-over en route to relaxation
By Anthea Gerrie, Special to CNN • Updated 14th September 2012
View Gallery
14 Pictures
Could the shop-over be the new buzzword for addicts to serious retail therapy? This delicious term has been coined by a tour operator that is packaging two-destination holidays with great shopping cities at their core.
Many itineraries put hundreds of miles between the closest shopping mecca and the beach, but Western & Oriental's Rome-Amalfi combination is one of many possible pairings in which a world-class shopping capital and a legendary vacation playground are linked by just a few hours' drive.
Rome and Amalfi Coast, Italy
Western & Oriental suggests a shop-over in Rome before chilling out on the romantic and glorious Amalfi Coast. And the Eternal City is not all about Gucci, Prada and other Italian designer stores lining the Via Condotti; Western & Oriental puts up its guests in Monti, a hip neighborhood with some great little boutiques, happening bars and cool restaurants. In Amalfi, it's back to tradition at the
Monastero Santa Rosa
, converted from a 17th-century monastery. Like all the most desirable hotels along this coast, it offers fabulous mountainside views over the sea.
From $2,635, excluding international airfare, for the four-star Rome and Amalfi combo:
New York and Vermont, United States
No one disputes that the Big Apple is the shopping capital of the world, but it's less well-known that certain hotels have close links with the personal shoppers in Manhattan's most desirable stores. The
Waldorf Towers
concierge can arrange for personal shoppers from Barneys or Bloomingdale's to come to the hotel, or you can have your in-store purchases delivered to the hotel at any hour, leaving you unburdened as you head downtown to shop the boutiques of SoHo and other areas. Not to mention that the Towers apartments have the heady 1930s ambiance of a Fred and Ginger movie.
From Shop-Till-You-Drop Central, peaceful
is only a four-hour drive. The
Blue Horse Inn
in Woodstock
is a serene place to stay in a beautiful village -- and there is more retail therapy not far away at the tony outlet town of Manchester, Vermont.
Mumbai and Goa, India
You can fly direct to Goa's beaches on the west coast of India, perhaps the most laid-back and eclectic coastal paradise in the world. But it's more fun to take a couple of days to explore the country's most cosmopolitan and vibrant city, Mumbai -- not least because it's home to so much great homegrown design
The best way to explore the boutiques is to hire a car and driver for half a day and hand over a list of hot addresses. These should include Anokhi, Abraham & Thakore and Le Mill, but at a top hotel like the
Taj Mahal Palace
, the concierge will know the names of even newer, hotter places shoppers may want to add. The hotel has one of the world's best urban outdoor pools, perfect for post-shop chilling in a hectic town.
Paris and Normandy, France
Paris is such a brilliant shopping city, you'll be footsore by the time you've combed the Rue des Francs Bourgeois and other shopping streets of the trendy Marais, not to mention the Rue Napoleon on the Left Bank and the designer haunts of the Faubourg St. Honore. A hotel designed specifically for ladies who shop is the
Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg
, with fashion murals in the corridors and in-room macaroons on request.
Kitted out in style, head for the Gare St. Lazare station and follow the chic Parisiens taking the train to the twin resorts of Deauville and Trouville on the
coast. They're as different as chalk and cheese; Deauville, with its upscale boutiques and boardwalk emblazoned with the names of Hollywood stars, looks like a location for a Ralph Lauren resort catalog. Trouville is laid-back, charming and family-friendly; don't miss the fabulous brasserie
Les Vapeurs
for a dinner that could turn into a wild night. You can walk from one town to the other.
Shanghai and Zhou Zhuang, China
Shanghai has some of the most exciting shopping in Asia: Head for the boutiques of Xintiandi, a redeveloped neighborhood of beautiful old buildings retaining a 1920s ambiance, to find some of the most inventive fashion and accessories in China. Many international designer brands are housed in Maison Mode on Huaihai Road, but it's more fun to hunt down local designers like Mary Ching, whose shoes are China's Louboutins, on Ferguson Lane. Fashionistas can now stay within a few steps of the boutiques in
The Langham
hotel in Xintiandi.
Less than two hours' drive away, the old China lives on in Zhou Zhuang water village, dubbed the Venice of the Orient for its canals. The highlight is a picturesque double bridge, with Chinese gondoliers standing by to ply the waterways. The tiny town also has gardens to rival the more famous ones of nearby Suzhou -- but the bigger city has the better hotels. A non-cookie-cutter choice with one of the most famous Suzhou gardens on its doorstep, as well as greenery of its own, is the
Garden Hotel
Marrakech and Essaouira, Morocco
The souks of Marrakech are a shopper's paradise for everything from embroidered kaftans to punched-metal lanterns to the pointy-toed slippers known as babouches. You don't need a guide, but you do need a serene place to escape to after a frenetic round of shopping. Choose one of the riads -- lovely old houses built around courtyards -- within the medina, or old city, just a five-minute stroll from the souks.
Riad Farnatchi
offers good insider info and has a great hammam for soothing sore feet with steam and massage.
On the next leg, drive to Essaouira, a dazzling little blue and white town on
's west coast with a medina of its own that's light, bright and laid-back, a complete contrast to crowded Marrakech. Essaouira's original guesthouse, the
Villa Maroc
, offers traditional decor, bags of atmosphere, a popular restaurant and the odd celebrity sighting.
Melbourne and Daylesford, Australia
A day at Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa in Hepburn Springs, Victoria, offers a soothing follow-up to Melbourne shopping.
Courtesy Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa
From high design to vintage fashion, resin jewelry to aboriginal art, Melbourne is Australia's shopping mecca, thanks to a diverse and creative population. It's more about the neighborhoods than downtown; check out tony South Yarra (Chapel Street), edgy Fitzroy (Gertrude Street and Brunswick Street) and eclectic Prahran (Greville Street and the fabulous Prahran Market). You can stay among some of the best boutiques at the
Olsen Hotel
on Chapel Street.
Within a 90-minute drive is Daylesford, whose mineral springs make it Melbourne's spa bolthole of choice. The village of Daylesford itself is charming, and if you can't linger overnight, there are day spas, including the historic
Hepburn Bathhouse
in nearby Hepburn Springs. But it would be a shame to miss a stay at charming properties like the
Lake House
, which boasts an award-winning restaurant as well as a state-of-the-art spa.
What are your favorite shopping destinations? What do you recommend purchasing there?
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Human Resources
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The City of Des Moines is a great place to locate or expand your businesses. The Des Moines Office of Economic Development office is dedicated to helping you meet your existing and future development needs.
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I must say, though it was nice to be home — not to mention the only way I was going to get my work finished up — I did miss my blue table. And my main kitty, too. (Not pictured. She went to the vet this morning and is not feeling photogenic.)
The first of the Gentleman's Fancy Socks is finished. And has been for a while, truth be told. The 6-ply Trekking knits up nice and sturdy, as a 6-ply should; the colors lend the sensible sturdiness a bit of excitement. Since I didn't have the pattern with me when I cast on, I modified the leg for simplicity: 64 stitches, no decreasing, 6 pattern repeats before turning the heel. Seems to work so far, though I've yet to cast on for number two. Sigh.
Until I get more knitting photographed (on the blue table!), there isn't much to talk about. But again, meme to the rescue! Jaime tagged me for this musical one. Quite easy and I only cheated a little bit, but only when a song came up that I didn't recognize at all. That didn't seem fair — if I can't even remember it, it obviously doesn't get a lot of play.
The rules: Turn on your MP3 player. Go to SHUFFLE songs mode. Write down the first 15 songs that come up–song title and artist–NO editing/cheating, please. Choose some people to be tagged.
1. Whole Lotta Yoko, Yoko Ono and Ivry Gitlis with The Dirty Mac {The Rolling Stones' Rock 'n' Roll Circus}
2. A Handful of Stars, Stan Getz {Stan Getz and the Cool Sounds}
3. Spinning Around, Kylie Minogue {Light Years}
4. Passenger Seat, Death Cab for Cutie {Transatlanticism}
5. Sorrow, David Bowie {The Singles Collection}
6. Uncle Son, The Kinks {Muswell Hillbillies}
7. Money, Money, Money, ABBA {Gold}
8. When the Battle is Over, Aretha Franklin {Soul Queen}
9. Stupid Girl, The Rolling Stones {Aftermath [US]}
10. Brown to Blue, Elvis Costello & the Attractions {Almost Blue}
11. Heavy Weather, Jarvis Cocker {Jarvis}
12. Bernice Bobs Her Hair, The Divine Comedy {Rarities}
13. Lachlom, Yael Naïm {Yael Naïm}
14. What's Ya Take on Cassavettes, Le Tigre {Le Tigre}
15. This Guy's In Love with You, Burt Bacharach {The Best of Burt Bacharach}