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Review: Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
Last month, Atari released Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime, a new foray into the Ghostbusters universe. If you remember, 2009 brought us Ghostbusters: The Video Game, a third-person shooter that placed players in the role of the Rookie, a new employee hired by the original 4 Ghostbusters to help out with the increased workload brought on by the return of Gozer (the bad guy/hot chick covered in bubbles from the first movie). It's important to point out how and why Ghostbusters: The Video Game was as good as it was, because the new Ghostbusters release shows that maybe it was just too damn good to follow up.
The 2009 game was voiced by the original cast from the movies, and both Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis (who wrote the scripts for both movies) helped out on the game's script. Ghostbusters: The Video Game managed to recapture the humor of the films without sacrificing the fun that a video game should entail. Ghosts had to be wrangled into ghost traps, and stray shots from your proton pack would fry the furniture around you. There were a few issues such as the length of the game, lip sync bugs, and the proton streams being difficult to aim at times. On the other hand, the streams were hard to aim in the movies too, so I wasn't too bothered. As far as the whole gaming experience went, Ghostbusters: The Video Game actually made you feel like a Ghostbuster. Unfortunately, playing Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime actually resulted in a severe gastric seizure (well, it was that or the improperly cooked pork I ate the night before).
Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is a top down twin stick shooter like SmashTV, Zombie Apocalypse, or Burn Zombie Burn. However, unlike Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime, those games are actually playable. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime takes place a number of years after the movies when the famous quartet decides that in order to deal with the surge in the ghostly population of New York, they need to hire some new recruits. This ensures that rather than play as whichever one happens to be your favorite Ghostbuster, you instead must choose from a generic white guy, a different generic white guy with a hat, a black scientist guy (you know he's a scientist because he wears glasses), or some random goth girl. I'd like to say that the characters stand out in some way, but in reality they are so painfully dull that they had me actually wishing I could choose from the cast of the hated Extreme Ghostbusters cartoon series of the late 90's. The game then has you wander across generic and ugly looking levels based vaguely off of a drunk's late night description of the plot to Ghostbusters 2. The story has something to do with stopping an ancient evil spirit, god or whatever named Dumazu the Destroyer, but most likely you'll stop giving a damn after the first level's intro cutscene. Cutscene is a generous term mind you. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime instead tells its story through poorly drawn comic book pages complete with voice bubbles.
The core gameplay is crap, which is surprising as the developers had both Ghostbusters: The Video Game and thousands of better quality twin stick shooters to steal from. Ghosts float around the screen, mostly ignoring any NPC ghostbusters, instead focusing their attacks upon whoever the player is actually controlling. When their attention is turned towards computer controlled ghostbusters, the ghosts tend to have an easy time of killing them as the idiots prefer squeezing together into a big, easily hit huddle. Ironically, while lumped together in an easily killable pile, your computer run companions seem to enjoy getting between you and your targets, ensuring that while none of your fire actually hits the ghosts, the absence of a friendly fire mechanic will keep you from attaining the mild satisfaction you'd get from murdering their assess. While the classic proton pack makes a return, ghost traps only make an appearance in boss fights. Instead of requiring player to actually trap them, this core concept of the franchise is ignored as the majority of the game's evil specters are simply blasted away by energy beams until they dissolve.
As the levels progress new weapons are unlocked automatically. I think the weapon system for this game was designed as part of an elaborate bet among the design team, as this is the only game I've ever played where I actually became pissed off whenever I unlocked a new weapon. Rather than providing variety and a certain amount of tactical planning to combat, the weapons in Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime only make the game more frustrating. Initially, the ghosts you fight are colored red, but by the second level yellow ghosts appear that immune to blasts from your red proton pack. "luckily" that's when the game provides you with a yellow, shotgun thing that damages yellow ghosts and only yellow ghosts. A blue ricocheting rifle heralds the appearance of blue ghosts and so on. This mechanic requires players franticly switch back and forth between weapons as rainbow hued swarms of enemies float towards them. Instead of having to choose the right weapon for the appropriate situation as in every other damned game on the planed, in Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime you're merely matching colors frantically. The effect is a feeling of being hassled rather than one of entertaining challenge. This is especially the case as the game punishes you harshly for wanting to temporarily cease playing. Character deaths can be healed easily by running up to the fallen companion and hitting a button repeatedly, with failure only coming when all 4 Ghostbusters have fallen at which point the game restarts that part of the level. But if for some strange reason you actually want to stop playing and try to tackle a difficult area again later, then you're utterly screwed as Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime does not have any sort of save system. You can choose to restart any chapter you've completed so far, but that's it. There's really no excuse for this sort of thing these days. Every damned game has some sort of save function, even crappy flash games you play via web browser.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game had a clever system where the more property damage you did while trying to catch ghosts, the less you got paid at the end of a mission. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime on the other hand rewards you for wrecking as much of the surrounding area. A good thing as the only way to find the game's hidden collectables is by destroying chairs, lockers and tables in order to make them appear. Not that there's much of a reason to as every single hidden item is a toy Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. While each level introduces new types of ghosts, once they appear they keep coming back no matter how inappropriate. The first level brings players back to The Sedgewick Hotel where they're introduced to flying skulls and ghostly bellboys. Later on in the sewers of New York City, player face, swarms of rat like ghosts, giant slimy hands, and…ghostly bellboys. At which point, it feels as though the developers just stopped trying. All of that pales in comparison to the awfulness that is the game's driving levels which has players shooting from the back of the new Ecto4, which looks like the bastard child of a Humvee and a delivery truck. That's right the developers thought the game would be improved by turning the classic Ecto1 into a Humvee.
I suppose the main reason why I hate Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime so much is that it is an utterly shitty knock off that bastardizes its source material in the pursuit of a quick buck. The graphics quality is laughable and the gameplay is torturous. It's a barely playable game the likes of which I was fairly sure we had seen the last of ten years ago. I'd like to be able to say that there's some sort of saving grace to the game, but aside from the fact that when launched it did not immediately crash my computer, I can't think of anything else. I'm not a violent man, and I respect the rights of men, women, and all living things. But I honestly think that Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime might be a good enough excuse to forcibly spay and neuter some of the game designers over at Behaviour Interactive in order to make sure that those responsible for creating this pile of drek are never allowed to contaminate the gene pool with the evil within them. Under no circumstances should pregnant women or anybody else ever play this game. It's not worth the $9.99 being charged for it on Steam or PSN, or the 800 Microsoft Points it costs on the Xbox LIVE Market. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is the kind of game that if bundled free with the purchase of a better game, you'd still never have the urge to install it and try it out. I say FRY IT!
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In general, reviewers have praised various elements of the gameplay, story, acting and graphics in a way consistent with the other platforms, but have expressed regret for a lack of multiplayer support and sometimes problematic digital rights management implementation. <!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Sporo jednostki frapuje się, co istnieje elementem płynu / kartridży, jaki użytkują nieelektronowe papierosy (e-papierosy). Kardynalną bazą odchudzanie istnieje glikol propylenowy. Stanowi owo organiczny kompozyt sztuczny z zgrupowania gazów. Bezbarwna, tłusta ciecz, o słodkawym smaku. Związek nie egzystuje toksyczny, a za sprawą własnym własnościom jest niejednokrotnie stosowany igłofiltry w przemyśle chemicznym. Zastaniemy go w jadłu, syropach na kaszlanie, i nawet paście do zębów czy niejednokrotnie płynie do płukania ust. Na wyrobach spożywczych istnieje znaczony jak E1150. Glikol markowe ciuchy propylenowy nie figuruje w indeksie surowców niebezpiecznych aktualnie ważnym w Polsce. Drugie czynniki owo m.in. dodatki smakowe, niekiedy gliceryna oraz niewątpliwie nikotyna,jaka nie występuje w wszelkiej wersji kartridża – można kupić wkłady jej pozbawione. Najczęściej sporadyczny płyn mieści odkąd 6 aż do 36 mg nikotyny na ml. Elektronowe skręty (e-papierosy) można nabywać także z odmiennymi gustami.
I am happy to find this post very useful for me, cooking games online as it contains lot of information.barbie cooking games I always prefer to read the quality content and this thing I found in you post.dog Games Thanks for sharing.
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There are some deck de piscina interesting points in time in this article but I don't know if I see all of them center to heart. There is deck modular some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and madeira plastica we want more! Added to FeedBurner as well
you have a great blog here! would you like composite decking to make some invite posts on my blog?
I really love the ideas behind this game so much. The action and graphics with this game will really blow you away. Such a big fan of the game. Keep up the good work.
In general, reviewers have praised various elements of the gameplay, story, acting and graphics in a way consistent with the other platforms, but have expressed regret for a lack of multiplayer support and sometimes problematic digital rights management implementation. -Steven C. Wyer
Burn the witch! This game sucks!


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Oh no! Ick.
Syd has a sore throat and was sent home from school. Bobbie is depressed enough that she's finally talking about going and getting anti-depressants. Jesi has moved out. My counselor said I presented in her office as depressed (surprise surprise) but I don't feel it. I do feel numb though. I know I should be upset about Jesi moving out and while I am on a certain level, I'm not the crying mess I would be if i were feeling normal. :/
These are the moments that I wish we were geographically closer so I could come over and give you a hug, Chrissy.
Thanks Bridget. I really don't mean to sound like 'oh whoa is me' Really, I'm marveling at my lack of feelings right now. This is a new experience for me. My therapist (Erin) felt that my anger and resentment are so built up that at this point she doesn't think I'll be able to let go and deal with my emotions while I'm here in this house. The longer I've stayed here, the more I've shut down and withdrawn into myself. It's not healthy and I know it.
Many Chrissy
Things are a little crazy, but I'm loving every minute of it My Blog
I don't think you sound woe is me at all, for what it's worth.
So what do you think your next step will be? Is there any chance of finding a place to live? Would Rich leave or is that not an option?
I don't want this house. For one, it needs too much work & I can't do it. For another, Rich soaked a lot of his money into getting it back for us and it wouldn't be fair for me to kick him out.
I have $ coming to me and I'm looking for an apartment. I've thought long and hard about it and I've decided I will not take Conner or Syd out of their home at a time when their parents are splitting up and their older sisters have both left home. They've had enough to deal with. I'll get a place where I can set up bedrooms for them and I'll of course stay in contact and when they're ready (hopefully not too long) they can come stay with me. I'm going to get a place in the same district so that won't be an issue...we'll be able to split the kids week by week that way (maybe, I haven't really figured that part out yet). I'm pretty sure I'll be a mess after I'm finally in my place, but it'll be a good thing. I really need to deal with all the crap that's happened in the last year and a half (more than that now).
Chrissy. I know this decision has been a long time in the making.
Me (40) DH (47) & furbabies * m/c 7/08 4/12 11/12
I'm so sorry, Chrissy.
When my neighbors got divorced, one of the things they did was to keep the kids in the house they grew up in. The parents took turns at the house, where the dad went and stayed at the mom's place and she came back home to be with the kids. This went on for a few months, and then they went to the usual of having the kids take turns with the parents. I think that the kids adjusted a little better because of this.
Huge hugs Chrissy, that must be such a difficult decision.
M was in the bathroom while I was in the shower the other day and exlaimed, "mumma, you have hair on your butt!" She meant the front, she thinks it's all the butt still (I don't have a hairy a$$, I promise )
AKA Lisa724
Big hugs Chrissy.
Shelley-mom to DS, 6
Oh boy, Chrissy. Is she staying in contact with you?
I was up all night with Sawyer. He has not thrown up again but it's coming out the other end fast and furious. I am so thankful we are still nursing. He nursed pretty much all night long. I never put him down. Tried once and he climbed right back to me. Today he's playing and seems much better.
Big hugs Chrissy. It seems like it's common for true depression to not feel or realize it at the time. I think most would have had a hard time with all you have had going on for the past two years.
I had a dinner fail last night. Tried a new recipe. I thought I liked everything in it but I do not like those things combined. it was a north african one with chicken, couscous, some veggies, raisins, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. DH ate it and thought it was ok....but I ended up having a frozen pizza. I think that the spices were too much and I don't like sweet and savory together or something.
Huge hugs from me Chrissy. I am actually happy that you are now set on making some moves though in your life but it must be so much to deal with. Also I was depressed as a young 20 something year old and felt the same as you, numbness and nothing about everything. I was told that was one of the most clear signs of depression.
Wanted to mention that I hope your therapist is giving us Erin's a good name.
I hope Sawyer is better soon Bridget, and you ladies have me cracking up about your pubes and boobs!
I think that the flavors might have been a bit too "foreign" for me. I have only had Indian food twice and liked that ok so thought I might like this.
I'm normally a pretty plain person....grew up on pizza, burgers and spaghetti. I didn't even have tacos until I was almost 20 and started dating DH and didn't want to look stupid when he suggested stopping at taco bell. LOL same with chinese....didn't have that until I was 19. I have expanded my diet quiet a bit since....but not quite that far i guess!
Jennifer, you sound like my dad. My kids love his cooking becaue he keeps it simple. His guacamole is just avacado, lemon juice, shredded cheese and sometimes a bit of chopped onion. Kai will eat the whole bowl.
I had lunch with my dad at the health food co-op once and was really surprised he got sushi with me since he's not an adventurous eater at all. Might have kicked himself in the arse for trying something new because he ate the wasabi chunk in one gulp. Thought it was avacado! I looked at his face and he looked like he was crying and said in a choked voice, "That wasn't avacado was it??"
OMG, Bridget! Poor dad!
Both DH and I are adventurous eaters when it comes to trying new and interesting, although I'm less adventurous with weird meats. What I really don't like is plain jane, "beige" food. So far, the only ethnic food I haven't liked is Korean.
DH grew up with pretty simple food too. He used to only eat white bread and I don't think he had ever had a salad until I met him. His mom cooked veggies but usually just canned or frozen, or mashed sweet potatoes, easy things like that.
I on the other hand was eating sushi by the time I was seven. LOL My mom is a great cook, she even took some culinary classes. But from a young age she was teaching me how to cook things from scratch. She always tried to get me to eat my veggies by melting cheese on top. I just would pick off the cheese and eat it.
I love avocado. I make my guacamole as simple as possible because I love the plain flavor of the avocado, not masked by onions and tomatoes and spices and stuff.
One thing your taco bell story reminded me of, Jennifer, is that I had only had fast food a handful of times before I met DH. And I had never eaten it in the car until I met him. I was like, really? Eat lunch in the car? LOL I had no idea how to order, or where you pay.
I grew up in a town that didn't have fast food because it was a historical town. It was only a few years ago that they finally got a Dunkin Donuts. There was a Burger King outside of town that I stopped by once when I started driving on my own and I thought I was so cool, ordering at the drive thru. Then I drove home and ate it in the house.
We got into the charter school! I am so thrilled.
Big hugs Chrissy. Sounds like you have some serious weight on you right now from all the changes/issues goign on with your family... it's easy to see how you could emotionally 'shut down' and get numb to it all. I really hope you and Jesi can stay in contact, I would be so scared for her because it just seems like she's prone to making some impulse decisions, you know?
I grew up on country/ranch food, but when my Dad passed away my mom starting relying heavily on processed foods. She was really depressed for almost 10 years and barely did anything then, that I can remember. It was Spaghettios, Campbell's tomato soup and cheese crackers, frozen foods, Diet Coke. Seriously the worst food ever. I don't even remember her buying veggies or fruit (fruit cups, maybe). When I was 16 my bff's mom made dinner for us and she was an amazing vegetarian cook. It seriously changed my life. I starting reading about vegetarian/veganism and then went vegan for a few years. I started being a 'bad vegan' in college (not a lot of time or money to prep food) so I switched to being vegetarian, and never looked back.
I really enjoy cooking, but it's hard in my house with one person who would be happy eating steak and salad every night (DH), one person who would be happy with chicken nuggets, cheese and peas every night (Abbey), and anther who would like to eat tofu and brown rice most of the time (me).
Weirdly japanese food works great for us eating out, because Abbey like chicken dumplings and edamame, DH likes all Sashimi, and I eat avocado sushi and inari (tofu pockets). Bridget, I can't imagine eating a chunk of wasabi like that, I bet his sinuses were cleared out for a week!
Bridget, congrats!
Hey, y'all! I'm back from the cruise; will try to catch up with ya's tonight when the kids are in bed. I'm currently cooking supper and have started on the mountain of laundry! I'll speak to y'all soon and hope everyone is well! xoxo
Hi Ash! I can't wait to hear all about it!!
Jesi wrote me briefly on FB. She's asking for $10 for food. Already. I'll do it this time, but it's not going to be a habit. If she asks again, I'll tell her there's plenty of food at home. I want her to fully fail though so that's why I'm doing it this time. Well, not fail but you know what I mean. I want her to see the merit, of her own accord, of sticking it out at home at least till she graduates high school.
sorry you are depressed or numb, just not your self Chrissy. I hope Jesi calls you today.
Hope little Sawyer feels better. yay for getting into the charter school, that is great news!
All the shaving talk reminds me how much I would love to have lazer hair removal LOL. Little scared of the pain, but it would be nice not have to shave.
I used to be a picky eater, food not touching, rarely tried anything new. But since meeting dh I have tried so many different foods. When I had my eye surgery complications, my dh and I ate our way through South Africa. Not much to do when you can't see, but eat eat eat!
Shelley-mom to DS, 6

subset: commoncrawl


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Home > Party Themes > Pirate > Tableware
Sale - Paper Pirate Treasure Cups - SaleItem: 039-068
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Serve up Fun at Your Pirate Party with Pirate Tableware
Complete your pirate party with stylish pirate tableware. Pirate tableware like these pirate treasure cups are just what you need to make sure all the young maties at your pirate party have a swashbucklin' good time!
- Eight cups per package.
- Nine ounce cups.
- Cups are 3¾″ tall and 3″ wide at widest point.
- Made of paper.
- Hot/cold cups can be used for hot tea and coffee.
- Pirate treasure chest and jewels design.
- Quantities Limited. Order now before they're gone forever!
- Sale items are non-returnable.
Pirate party tableware is just what you need to liven up your pirate birthday party or event. No matter what the pirate party occasion, celebrate in pirate style with pirate treasure tableware.
Reviewed By:A.Smith
It's a cup
These were cute little paper cups, not much else to say about them. They're not flimsy. Only thing I ran into was I didn't read the description properly and notice they were only 9 ounces, I would have shopped around for larger cups if I had noticed that.
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Mass layoff events in August 2008
September 24, 2008
In August, employers took 1,772 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 173,955.
The number of mass layoff events this August increased by 260 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial claims rose by 22,784.
From January through August 2008, the total number of mass layoff events, at 12,542, and initial claims, at 1,274,765, were the highest for the January-August period since 2003.
In August, 599 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, resulting in 72,244 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 156, and initial claims increased by 14,774.
These data are from the Mass Layoff Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see "Mass Layoffs in August 2008," (PDF) (HTML) news release USDL 08-1342.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Editor's Desk, Mass layoff events in August 2008 on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2008/sept/wk4/art03.htm (visited September 18, 2014).
Spotlight on Statistics: Productivity
This edition of Spotlight on Statistics examines labor productivity trends from 2000 through 2010 for selected industries and sectors within the nonfarm business sector of the U.S. economy. Read more »


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Keeping Up With Teen Care
Half a block from the children's hospital in Minneapolis is a comfortable old Victorian house that's been converted into a health clinic dedicated to teenagers. Patients don't have to grapple with the monolithic main hospital or sit in waiting rooms stuffed with crying babies and coughing seniors. Instead of dealing with terse or stodgy providers, they are seen by staff members who are experts in adolescent health care and who, most importantly, actually enjoy teenagers.
Jeff Vespa
Dr. Victor Strasburger Interview Extras
On adolescent reproductive health:
Thin Line
How We Fail
We are a country at war. And not just with immigrants. Reading the news these days, who can tell which brown people absorb the most American vitriol?
Ben Radford
The Radford Files
Seeking the Puerto Rican Chupacabra
The chupacabra hasn't reared its ugly head in Albuquerque lately. In fact, it's been almost exactly three years since the last local sighting on the Westside. But many believe the creatures are out there, sucking the blood from goats (chupacabra means "goatsucker" in Spanish) and other livestock. Descriptions of the chupacabra vary widely, but the typical version is a creature 4 to 5 feet tall. It has short, powerful legs, long claws, and terrifying black or glowing red eyes. Some claim it has spikes down its back; others report seeing stubby, bat-like wings.
Odds & Ends
Dateline: Japan—A 30-year-old factory worker has pleaded guilty to burning down his family's home after his mother threw out some of his action figures. Yoshifumi Takabe testified in Kobe District Court in western Japan that he became suicidal after losing several of his toy robots. Yoshifumi described the toys as partners with which he wanted to spend his life, ABC News Australia reports. In retaliation for his mother's housecleaning, Yoshifumi poured kerosene inside the home and torched it, saying he wanted to die in the fire with his other "precious" robots. According to reports, the bulk of Yoshifumi's action figure collection consisted of toys from the popular Gundam animated series. The fanboy's 55-year-old mother told the court she frequently complained to her son that the toys were cluttering the house. She said there were enough to fill 300 boxes. The fire, which was set on Aug. 9 of last year, completely destroyed the family's two-story wooden house. No one was injured. Presumably, all of Yoshifumi's Gundam figures were lost in the blaze.
Today's Events
Robo Task Force After School Program at ¡Explora!
An after-school robotics club for grades 3-7.
Ballet-Afrique Community Dance Class at Maple Street Dance Space
Glacial Earthquakes at New Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceMore Recommented Events ››
Yellowman * I Conscious • 9.30.2014
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Xiu Xiu is an American experimental post-punk group originally from San Jose, California. The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart, who has been its only constant member since its inception. As of 2009, his bandmate has been Angela Seo. The band's name is taken from the 1998 Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.
Xiu Xiu
This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors and is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike Creative Commons License. If you find the biography content factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia. Find out more about our use of this data.
Links & Information
- Official homepage at xiuxiu.org
- MySpace at https://myspace.com/xiuxiuforlife
- Wikipedia article on Xiu Xiu
- Last.fm page on Xiu Xiu
- Discogs at discogs.com/artist/154622
- MusicBrainz entry on Xiu Xiu
- Yvonne Chen (-2002),
- Jamie Stewart,
- Caralee McElroy (2004-2009),
- Devin Hoff,
- Ches Smith
Collaborated on
Links & information come from MusicBrainz. You can add or edit information about Xiu Xiu at musicbrainz.org. Find out more about our use of this data. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
BBC Reviews
Always 2012Reviewed by Martin Aston
Music for those comforted by blood, sweat and tears.
Dear God, I Hate Myself 2010Reviewed by Alex Tudor
As engagingly weird as anything before it, but this flows so much better.


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What other readers are saying about this title:
nitetrain said:
This movie started slowly, got better and I liked it at the end. 8 of 10 stars
posted Nov 11, 2008 at 8:52PM
Miss Jenny said:
I didn't care for this one as much as the Italian Job.
posted Nov 12, 2008 at 10:20AM
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SAVING LIVES: CREIA Inspectors on the Front Lines of Homeowner Safety
July 2009, (Palm Springs, Calif.) — This is the first in a five part series of home safety from home inspectors to home owners. As the premier home inspection association in state, California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA) members are intimately familiar with safety hazards found every day during an inspection. This first subject, Fire Safety, will be followed by Electrical Hazards, Appliance Safety and Recalls, Pool Safety and finally Trip and Fall Hazards.
Fire Safety
The most important, and also the least expensive item in your home are smoke detectors. These small devices detect smoke and notify occupants with a loud and piercing alarm. CREIA recommends that smoke detectors be installed on the ceiling (or within 12" of the highest part of a wall adjacent to the ceiling) of every floor level and in every bedroom.
In addition to smoke detectors, a permanently installed fire sprinkler system help to extinguish a fire once that fire starts. These systems are generally required on larger homes and in rural areas and may be required on all homes by the building department as a part of that building department's safety standards. Like the name hints, fire sprinklers spray higher pressure water onto an active fire located in range of a sprinkler head. These systems are considerably more expensive to install in a home as compared to smoke detectors but the price may be offset by home insurance rate reductions; talk to your insurance agent for details.
Making a fire escape plan and practicing that plan costs nothing and may be the single most important thing you can do for you and your family's safety. For those who live in a two story house, having a roll-up fire escape ladder in each occupied bedroom may mean the difference between life and death. For those with small children, teach your children how to open the window as part of an in-home fire drill. Also, place bedroom furniture close to or directly under windows to make it easier for small children and the elderly to get to a window in case of a fire.
Make sure to retain the services of a qualified, professional home inspector by using a Certified CREIA Inspector member to do a thorough, independent visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home. Since 1976, CREIA, a non-profit voluntary membership organization has been providing education, training, and support services to the real estate inspection industry and to the public. Inspectors must adhere to CREIA's Code of Ethics and follow the Standards of Practice developed by the association. These Standards of Practice have been recognized by the State of California, and are considered the source for Home Inspector Standard of Care by the real estate and legal communities.
CREIA requires its members to successfully pass a comprehensive written examination of property systems and complete 30 hours of continuing education each year. Members can accumulate credits through various sources of education including monthly chapter meetings, conferences, and other approved activities. CREIA keeps records to ensure that members are complying with the requirements. Educational topics cover a variety of technical subjects including updates and advances affecting the profession of real estate inspection.
CREIA is dedicated to consumer protection and education. To locate a qualified CREIA inspector near you click here or call CREIA at (800) 388-8443.
For the CREIA Press Release Archives click here.


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Recent attention has surrounded sexual assaults on college campuses. In April, Yale University came under scrutiny for failing to respond appropriately to sexual violence and harassment claims.
Vice President Joe Biden said in a speech last April, "No means no, if you're drunk or you're sober. No means no if you're in bed, in a dorm or on the street. No means no even if you said yes at first and you changed your mind. No means no."
Earlier this year, the Obama Administration sent out guidelines to help colleges deal with assaults. The government, however, failed to address actions some victims face long before their college years.
A study funded by the Justice Department found that one in four women will be assaulted during their college years, and 95 percent of sexual assaults on campuses aren't reported. If legal adults aren't reporting such illegal activity, then why would a child?
Personal injury attorney Joseph Klest has represented more than 500 victims of sexual abuse over his 29-year career. Just like sexual assault cases in college, Klest thinks less than five percent of child molestation cases are reported, so he encourages survivors to come forward.
"There are very few false allegations of abuse because it's a very embarrassing issue for the victim," Klest said. "Victims will be surprised at how society will rally behind them. It's never too late to share the truth."
Largest Sexual Abuse Settlement Handed Down
In general, sexual assault cases are "he-said, she-said." Klest thinks child molesters forge strong relationships with victims families to gain trust. Furthermore, they have their own families and want to save themselves if accused. Without any witnesses or hard evidence, cases can go nowhere, and many times, they are settled in a civil procedure.
In May, a revolutionary verdict was delivered in the Illinois case of Snyder v. Kenny. After six years of abuse from family friend Michael P. Kenny, Lawrence Snyder overcame a crippling drug addiction and life on the streets before bringing his disturbing past to light.
Running away from the abuse (and his home) at the age of 18, Snyder started experimenting with heroin and begged on the streets for money to feed his addiction. Six years later, he learned that Kenny was coaching children sports. Afraid for the kids' well-being, Snyder filed a lawsuit to prevent Kenny from getting near kids ever again.
"It's very common for survivors not to talk about it until they're in their later years of college," Dr. Walter Afield, Founder and President of the Neuropsychiatric Institute and former head of John Hopkins' child psychiatry department, said. "They still have problems relating to the opposite sex and maintaining relationships. They feel very embarrassed, so it's important that society continues to talk about the issue."
The $28 million settlement represents the largest single-victim, civil sexual abuse verdict in history. Snyder's lawyer was Klest, who said after the verdict that it looked like a great weight was lifted from his client's shoulders.
"These lawsuits are an important part of the healing process and a way for victims to get justice," Klest said. "Large settlements send an important message to sex offenders."
Big Names Come Forward
In February, Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) and actress Ashley Judd shared their personal experiences as survivors of child abuse. Recently, CNN Anchor Don Lemon and rapper Missy Elliott did too.
A prominent member of the media, Lemon came out of the closet in his newly released memoir "Transparent." He chronicles his tough upbringing, once believing his sorrows were a direct result of his homosexuality. After intense therapy and self-reflection as an adult, he realized the abuse he sustained as a child stunted his emotional development.
"I wouldn't wish this on my enemies, so it's terrible for it to happen to children," Lemon said in an exclusive interview with USA Today College. "For a long time, I just pushed it to a part of my brain where I didn't have to think about it. Getting the therapeutic help I needed earlier in my life would have made things smoother."
Lemon said his CNN platform has allowed him to make a far more powerful impact than he could have imagined.
Missy Elliott's story was featured in a recent edition of VH1's show, "Behind the Music." When she was eight, her 16-year-old cousin abused her every day after school.
"It became sexual, which, for me at eight years old, I had no clue what that was, but I knew something was wrong," Elliott said. "Being molested… it don't disappear. You remember it as if it was yesterday."
Senator's Brown's story is particularly noteworthy. He flew under-the-radar to win Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in 2010, giving hope to the Republican Party and – at the time – solidifying the Tea Party. Now, conservatives consider him a strong candidate for the 2016 Presidential Election.
Brown faced encounters with sexual predators as a child, evidenced by the abuse he sustained by a camp counselor. Like Lemon, Brown, 52, didn't tell anyone of the incidents until he came out with his autobiography, "Against All Odds" earlier this year.
"I've had a lot [of people] pull me aside and say, 'Thank you, it either happened to me or I know somebody, my family or friend who had been the victim of sexual abuse,'" Brown told USA Today in February. "It's something that made me who I am."
13-Year-Old Takes Action against Perpetrator; Wants Survivors to Punish Their Molesters Too
The psychiatric impact on a victim with haunting memories from his or her childhood can be debilitating.
"The consequences are unfortunate," Dr. Afield said. "I have one patient who's almost 40. She's been molested since she was one or two. The only way she knows how to relate with people is through sex. It worked for her when she was younger and was making money off it, but now she's struggling. Some victims will sexually act out with everybody and become promiscuous. That's not because they have a great sex drive – it's because something happened in their childhood. The majority of survivors, though, suffer in silence."
Star Melody Terrell of Waco, Texas, was a victim of incessant molestation suffered at the hands of her grandfather during her early years. Star, 13, isn't afraid anymore. And she doesn't want anyone else to be either.
Star accused her paternal grandfather of molesting her eight years ago, and she faced off with her alleged molester on April 18, taking the witness stand and testifying for justice. Unlike other minors whose identities are protected by the media, Star went public with her story, reaching out to me as I began the process to write this story. Her mother, Suzanna Terrell, said her daughter did not want to hide her suffering.
"She feels that other young children who have been victimized in this manner should know that what happened was not their fault, and that people who commit those acts against them deserve to be punished," Terrell said. "She also thinks that facing the man she has accused will be part of the healing process. It's a type of courage that I have never seen before, and I hope that people who see what she's doing are half as inspired by it as I am."
The accused molester, John Ray Edward Terrell, was charged by the state of Texas with child molestation, and upon further investigation, was additionally charged with production and possession of child pornography and human trafficking.
"It's in every religious and social order," Dr. Afield said. "It's in every place you can think of: boys and girls in schools, homes, prisons, places of worship. It's happening today, and it happened in the prehistoric times. Some cultures feel this is a normal way of growing and relating. Areas such as Uganda, Rwanda and the Middle East – some guys are busy raping people to show their control and power. In our culture, sicker people will abuse a bunch of kids, but it's still seen as out of context. The bottom line is, it's a bad thing to happen because it causes scars and major problems for perpetrators and victims. Getting help is important, and college could provide resources and support to facilitate a recovery."
Star is a 13-year-old putting herself on the line for those who are afraid to, and she's hoping her story will motivate others to do the same.
Steps to Take if You are a Survivor of Sexual Abuse:
1) Tell your immediate family and close friends. Counselors believe dealing with a sensitive issue like this during college can be viewed as more favorable than having to manage it while working or being married.
2) Seek psychiatric counseling and psychotherapy. Most colleges have Women's Centers that offer free counseling services for both males and females.
3) Ensure your personal safety. If necessary, tell campus police to keep yourself safe from perpetrators.
4) A suit is something you do not want to instigate in the heat of the moment. The decision concerning appropriate actions should be made slowly and carefully with your family. Contact a personal injury lawyer and other proper authorities. They will fill you in on statutory limitations. It could take years to build the courage to take this step, but it's important to remember that other people could be at risk too.
"There are people who enjoy sexual relationships with children," Afield said. "That's a genetic problem, so there's no known cure. Even if the perpetration stops, the feelings are always still present."


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Harford County sheriff's deputies and Maryland State Police report:
Alexander Isaac Brown, 49, who has addresses in the 200 block of Engle Avenue and the first block of Norman Avenue, was arrested on a bench warrant Thursday in a case in which he was charged with second-degree assault.
Stoney Henderson, 46, of the 600 block of Walker Street, was arrested on a bench warrant Friday in a case in which he was charged with theft less than $100.
Wardell Thomas Walton, 25, of the 200 block of Mayberry Drive, was charged Friday with attempted fourth-degree burglary, vandalism and harassment.
A shop was broken into Thursday in the 3200 block of James Run Road.
People were selling drugs Thursday in the 500 block of North Post Road.
Shots were heard fired Saturday in the 200 block of Golf Drive.
Tires were slashed Monday in the 200 block of Perrywood Court.
Aberdeen police report:
Carol Sue Hartley, 59, who has addresses in the first block of North Parke Street and the 2400 block of Harkins Road in White Hall, was charged Sunday with theft less than $100.
Michael Andre Knight, 33, of the 5700 block of Emelia Avenue in Baltimore, was charged Monday with trespassing.
Someone was shoplifting Monday at Target.
Illegal dumping was reported Monday at Magnolia Apartments in the first block of East Bel Air Avenue.
People were refusing to return an Xbox Monday in the 400 block of Oak Street.
Two people soliciting signatures at the Mars supermarket refused to leave Monday.
Generators were stolen from a work trailer Monday in the 900 block of Cirelli Court.
Jewelry was stolen Monday in the 600 block of Westwood Drive.
A mountain bike was missing Monday from a yard in the first block of South Rogers Street.
Someone stole DVDs Monday from the library.


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Goalie Antti Raanta did just fine and his teammates made sure he wasn't called on for extraordinary duty. The Blackhawks were good throughout and finished in fine fashion as they put the hammer down and defeated the Dallas Stars 6-2. Raanta is now 4-0-1 on the season with a 2.14 GAA.
The Stars were without their two best defensemen, as they were out due to injury. Even when at full strength their blueline isn't an all star staff. Dallas needs to play a more careful game and hope for good goaltending. The exact opposite took place as the Stars were guilty of careless penalties, some poor coverage and goaltender Kari Lehtonen wasn't very sharp. All that combined plus a strong effort from the Blackhawks led to a lopsided road win.
Many times when a club doesn't take advantage of a 1:55 two-man power play it will come back to haunt them. That wasn't the case on Tuesday night as the Hawks failed on a long two man advantage. Instead of leading to a Dallas charge, shortly thereafter Patrick Kane scored on a breakaway and the Hawks were on their way.
Defenseman Michael Kostka played his first game since October 19 and scored his second goal of the season to open the scoring. Chicago then followed with four straight goals to take a 5-0 lead. Kostka has played well and has an offensive flare, he looks to be a very good off season signing.
Patrick Sharp and Brandon Saad connected with two goals each, as the Hawks captured their league leading 12th road win.
Many like to focus on shots on goal, which are important no doubt. Another stat that is an indicator of strong play and can telegraph a winning effort on many nights is blocked shots. The Blackhawks recorded 21 blocks while the Stars had only 12. That type of effort along with some outstanding passing from defensemen led to a fast transition game. The Hawks offense was in high gear and the Stars had no answer.
This was one of the few times Joel Quenneville could cut back on ice time for some regulars during the third period in the first of back to back games. Old habits die hard as Duncan Keith still led all players with 24:47 of ice time. Kane, Sharp and Jonathan Toews all played more than 18:00.
The Philadelphia Flyers pay a visit to the United Center on Wednesday and Raanta should get the start once again. The Flyers are having a tough season and will be playing the final contest of a six game road trip. It is likely former Blackhawk Ray Emery will get the start in goal as the Flyers will be looking to break a two game losing streak.
Al's Shots
There is a debate among Hawk fans which has surfaced with the injury to Corey Crawford. Now that it has been reported Crawford will miss two to three weeks after suffering a groin injury there is some controversy.
Some fans believe there was a bigger need to acquire a solid backup goaltender as Nikolai Khabibulin hadn't been very effective before getting hurt, rather than to trade for Kris Versteeg. Once the trade was made for Versteeg, GM Stan Bowman knew he would be bumping up to the salary cap ceiling. Bowman knew the risks but still made the trade.
I can't argue with Bowman's thinking.
To be able to acquire a $4.4 million forward in Versteeg, albeit an overpaid player, for half price is difficult to pass. More so than the salary savings because Panthers GM Dale Tallon was in purge mode and couldn't find a better trade partner, Versteeg could fill a few needs.
I don't think Bowman was looking for more offense but there was a need to tighten up the defensive structure and Versteeg could plug a hole. His presence on the third line could help solidify them as an actual checking unit. Versteeg grasped a third line role here back in 2010 and that line was a key factor in the Stanley Cup run. The Hawks needed experience and Versteeg can play anywhere from the first to the fourth line, so his versatility was what couldn't be passed up.
Versteeg wasn't acquired to fill the second line center role but he will likely get a shot to do so. If that works out the Hawks would have a second line pivot who can skate with Kane and get creative. So Versteeg at $2.2 million was difficult to pass, and if he turns out to be a shadow of the player who hoisted the Cup only then should Bowman regret his move.
One shouldn't forget Tallon thought enough of Versteeg to sign him to a four year $17.6 million contract. Versteeg was injury plagued during his Panthers stint and it should be safe to assume Bowman did his due diligence before pulling the trigger on the trade.
Raanta has been rushed up to Chicago but let's not forget he wasn't the number two goaltender on the depth chart, that title belonged to Khabibulin. If Bowman made a mistake it was in the signing of the often injured Khabibulin.
The point of debate should not be a choice between Versteeg or another goaltender because it really wasn't an either or situation. Bowman wasn't ready to replace Khabibulin via trade, and if forced to make a change Raanta was likely next in line.
All a general manager can do is put his team in the best position to win. There is no way with salary cap limitations to have a foot on every base. The Hawks were basically three deep at the goaltender position even though Raanta is inexperienced, most teams are no better off.
Raanta will have to learn on the fly and Bowman may have to find an experienced journeyman to give him some time off if Khabibulin isn't back soon. Versteeg was a low risk acquisition, and now due to the injury bug biting hard some bad luck will have to be dealt with.
The best teams are able to cope, so Hawk fans will have to hang on tight.
I will be back on Thursday morning and you can follow me on Twitter @AlCimaglia.
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Research Manager - Female | CADRE Economic Cities - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Job Description
-Assist in developing new project applications and research proposals
Participation in design work conceptualising new directions user-centered interactive applications and digital communications
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• 5 – 7 years experience in similar position.
• Excellent communication skills.
• English written and speaking.
• Computer literate.


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The Ottawa Senators are expected to have defencemen Sergei Gonchar and Marc Methot in their lineup Saturday afternoon when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Gonchar was injured late in the third period of Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, while Methot has been day-to-day with a knee sprain after collided with a New York Islanders player in the second period of Tuesday's game.
Methot took part in Friday's morning skate while Gonchar did not.
Through 28 games this season, the 38-year-old Gonchar has two goals and 19 assists with a plus- 6 rating.
Methot, 27, has one goal and three assists with a minus- 4 rating through 30 games.
The Senators have been finding ways to win despite long-term injuries to key players, including star forward Jason Spezza, Norris Trophy-winning defenceman Erik Karlsson and forward Milan Michalek.


text:
cumngo: God, I think I am in love with Leo. Such a hot stud. Great looks and all the right equipment down below. Who wouldn't want to get in this guys pants?
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Dolby® Media Emulator is a software tool that provides metadata authoring and emulation for Dolby broadcast audio formats. Paired with popular digital audio workstations, Dolby Media Emulator enables you to emulate how your mix will sound when it's played back through a TV or set-top box. Dolby Media Emulator also simplifies the monitoring of metadata for use with Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, Dolby E, and HE AAC.
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Clinical Assistant Professor, Fones School of Dental Hygiene
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Office: Health Sciences Room 417
MSDH , University of Bridgeport
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BiographyMarie received her AS from the Fones School of Dental Hygiene in1992 and completed her Master's degree in Dental Hygiene in 2010, also at the University of Bridgeport. She began teaching at Fones as an adjunct clinical faculty member in 2005 and recently joined full-time faculty as a clinical assistant professor. Her responsibilities include teaching in second year clinic, the online degree completion program, an outside clinical rotation, and serving as a thesis advisor.
Her professional affiliations include the American Dental Hygienists' Association, where she has served as component trustee and the Connecticut Dental Hygienists' Association, where she has served as the Student Liaison and is currently a Conn HYPAC director. Additionally, Marie is a member of Sigma Phi Alpha, the national honor society of the dental hygiene association. She has presented various continuing education courses and has been published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene and Access Magazine.


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About the Center for Statistics and Quantitative Infectious Diseases
About CSQUID
The Center for Statistics and Quantitative Infectious Diseases is a joint program of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, and the University of Florida. Our main interest is in quantitative methodologic developments related to scientific and public health aspects of infectious diseases, including epidemiology, evaluating interventions, immunology, and vaccinology. Our research focuses on prevention and intervention in infectious diseases of global health importance, as well as emerging infectious diseases, such as pandemic influenza. The quantitative methods include statistical, epidemiologic, mathematical modeling, computational biology, and bioinformatic methods. Our group is in the MIDAS network and is partially supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH.
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We develop methods to estimate transmission parameters from studying outbreaks in close ...


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"In retrospect, I should have done the same thing," Hawley said of the rule, which allows passengers to board aircraft with certain small knives, as well as sports equipment such as ice hockey and lacrosse sticks.I'm not sure I would have given out the top-secret katana blueprints, but still. Amen. I'm tired of taking off my damn shoes because of one weird thing that didn't actually happen eleven years ago. It protects exactly nobody.
"They ought to let everything on that is sharp and pointy. Battle axes, machetes ... bring anything you want that is pointy and sharp because while you may be able to commit an act of violence, you will not be able to take over the plane. It is as simple as that," he said.
"So my position would be, bravo on the 2.6 inch knife. But why not take it all the way and then really clean up the checkpoint where officers are focusing on bombs and toxins, which are things that can destroy an airplane. And it would smooth the process, cost less money, and be better security."
Asked if he was using hyperbole in suggesting that battle axes be allowed on planes, Hawley said he was not.
"I really believe it. What are you going to do when you get on board with a battle ax? And you pull out your battle ax and say I'm taking over the airplane. You may be able to cut one or two people, but pretty soon you would be down in the aisle and the battle ax would be used on you."
And, he pointed out, "You can commit acts of violence on an aircraft with what is allowed now. With a Coke can, a key, a ruler, and some duct tape, you can make a 12-inch razor-sharp sword. And every eighth-grader would be able to do that."
The 9-11 hijackers used boxcutters. Whoever had this bright idea at the TSA is an idiot.Why, because you think you could hijack an airplane today with boxcutters?
I don't understand how they think it makes sense to allow KNIVES, but not, say, liquids over 3.4 ounces.Because knives can't explode, but some liquids can?
Is there a reason to support small knives on planes other than snark? Because, that's the only argument I'm seeing here.Because there's no reason not too? The TSA confiscates huge numbers of these items every day, so ending the ban will mean huge numbers of people won't have them confiscated. I would assume it's mostly simply because people forget or aren't aware of the rule. Presumably this also causes delays overall, so un-banning them may speed things up.
I will tend to stand with the working class flight attendants and law enforcement professionals on this one.The TSA is law enforcement, And what to flight attendants know about fighting turrists?
Its about the 90 lb flight attendants who get to deal with all the unbalanced people who get spooked by all the theater and go crazy in a confined environment that now will have access to knives.Well, it's not the TSA's job to protect flight attendants from unbalanced people. The TSA's job is to stop people from blowing up or crashing planes.
Those are all reasons to fix other parts of the system. Arbitrarily defined rules actually create inefficiencies throughout systems.What makes you think the rules are arbitrary? In fact, you are arguing for arbitrarily by saying knives shorter then 2.36 inches should be banned for no reason.
but you can bet there will be hold ups in the line as TSA agents break out the rulers or selectively enforce picky regulations on people who they think look funny.Yes, but there may be holdups now due to large numbers of people carrying shorter knives and having them confiscated. This is not a non issue, people are losing short knives because they are unaware of the current rules or forget them.
If you have a sentimental knife, leave it at home when you travel and put the not-sentimental knife in your checked bag and suck up the baggage fee becauseWell, no, people don't have to do any of that because it's within the rules for them to bring it on the plane. What you're arguing is that they should be forced to do that, despite having zero actual justification whatsoever. That's like the definition of an arbitrary rule: one that inconveniences people for no reason.
Really, I just see that people here are really fond of their material possessions or their everyday carry or whatever boorish reason and I don't see that that is a good enough reason to go against professional pilots, flight attendants and law enforcement who literally deal with this stuff everyday.The TSA is law enforcement, and Flight attendants are not counterterorism experts. The idea seems to be that airplanes should be as secure as prisons and flight attendants are at as much risk as prison guards for being stabbed. Prisons are the only work place I can think of where people make an effort to keep "customers" from having small knives.
Some of the rules are arbitrary, some are not. Enforcement does seem to be arbitrary, and I can only think it's because there are so many rulesWhat evidence is that the rules are enforced arbitrarily?
I've forgotten to take out my little baggie of toiletries, and not been yelled at. I've had tubes of more than 3 oz in the baggie and not had them confiscated.Because they didn't catch them. It's not like they knew you had them and decided they didn't care.
They won't let you fly with a 3-inch blade, but you can have 10-inch bamboo knitting needles in your carry-on. How is that not arbitrary?How is that an argument for banning pocket knives? If anything, this rule change makes it less arbitrary.
Yeah, it's people's fault! Stupid people.People as opposed to what?
You have to give the same information that you do when applying for a federal security clearance.
bquarters: "I just don't get this line of thinking. Because it is inconvenient to temporarily not have your swiss army knife on you, the rest of us must be willing and able to jump up and subdue potential terrorists or just random crazies at any moment?The same reason they're allowed on the bus and the train.
I think someone mentioned it earlier but what is the reason they SHOULD be allowed on?"
I'm merely advocating for the simplicity of rules. If people can't be trusted to understand a simple "no blades" rule, they can't be trusted to understand a rule with added qualifications like 2.36 inches or less.No one is saying people can't be trusted with a "no blades" rule.
Although I do live in a world where I was threatened with a knife in a public transit situation and, although it was probably larger than 2.36 inches, that hardly mattered, because the dude was not a rational actor.So? Was there a risk that this person was somehow going to cause the bus or train or whatever to blow up or crash? If not, it's not the TSA's problem.
The rules aren't there just for rational people, they're there to prevent insane people from feeling emboldened to do insane things.Those are the rules in a prison. We don't need to treat airplanes and flight attendants as if they were prisons and prison guards. Everywhere other then prisons or mental institutions, we make no effort to prevent insane people from doing insane things with small knives.
I see that people are interpreting "less than 2.36 inches" and "more than 2.36 inches" as two different rules and one rule is better than two and one ban results in more freedom than two bans.In the past, you couldn't take small knives on planes. Now, you can. That is clearly an increase in freedom.
But there are literally two and only two questions that can possibly be relevant here: are the knives in question a risk to the safety of the flight, and are they a risk to the safety of the crew. That's really, really it. I'm sorry this thing or that thing happened which sucked, but that's not a rational basis for deciding how to make air travel safe.Again, the TSA's job is not to protect the safety of the crew - it is to prevent terrorist attacks that cause the plane to crash or explode. The question is whether or not these blades can be used in an effective terrorist attack. And the obvious answer is no.
I just don't get this line of thinking. Because it is inconvenient to temporarily not have your swiss army knife on you, the rest of us must be willing and able to jump up and subdue potential terrorists or just random crazies at any moment?You have to do that whether or not small knives are banned. A terrorist is not going to be able to get through the re-enforced cockpit door whether or not you jump on him.
I think someone mentioned it earlier but what is the reason they SHOULD be allowed on?1) The TSA was confiscating thousands of them, and inconviencing people for no reason - most likely people just forgot, or didn't know about the rules. 2) Not doing that would probably save time.
But again, I can't refute the American logic of "I want to do what I want to do"...whether it's knives, guns, whatever.Well right. This is America, and we don't ban things for no good reason.
Did you not read the list of stuff I've experienced and witnessed?Do you think the TSA agents were aware you had those things, and just let you pass - or did they miss them? Because the studies that have been done indicate they miss a lot of stuff.
You can ask the question of "is this object more likely to endanger a flight or a crewmember than a defined threshold level of acceptable risk" completely independently of that.The problem is, it's not the TSA's job to answer that question. The question they need to answer is "is this object likely to cause the plane to be destroyed" Either by crashing or being blown up.
Did they not notice I was wearing a sweater or hoodie? Did the TSA agents who told me it was fine to keep my shoes on somehow miss I was wearing shoes?I don't doubt that the TSA is highly incompetent. What I meant was whether or not they were knowingly letting you carry on banned items like liquids. And even if they did, I don't see how that is an argument for banning short knives. Everyone knows the TSA sucks at actually enforcing their rules. But I don't see how that's an argument for having dumb rules to begin with.
The 9/11 hijackers used the fact that we trained crews and passengers to go along with hijacker demandsThis cannot be repeated often enough. Saying "do what we say and you won't get hurt" didn't even work for the entire day on 9/11. People had already forgotten this when Richard Reid was subdued by his seatmate a couple of months later.
[The TSA shall] provide for the screening of all passengers and property, including United States mail, cargo, carry-on and checked baggage, and other articles, that will be carried aboard a passenger aircraft operated by an air carrier or foreign air carrier in air transportation or intrastate air transportation.(49 USC § 44901, as referred to in 49 USC § 114 (e) (1))
They are in a closed tube with said passengers, possibly for hours at a time with no way of escaping or calling for any sort of law enforcement. I thought that was pretty obvious. Have a read through some of the unruly passenger incidents if you would like to see how it plays outSo should we also ban small knives on busses and trains as well? The idea that we need to treat an airplane like a prison just seems like an insane over-reaction to me. Yes, there are going to be unruly people every once in a while. Yes, it's a slight increase in risk. But the TSA's job is to prevent terrorist attacks, it's not to protect flight attendants from unruly passengers.
Should children or teens be allowed to bring knives under the length limit to school? There are other ways of cutting cake, paper, tape, or zip ties, you know.Uh, I have no idea? I would certainly trust the students at the highschool I went to with short knives, I don't even know if it was against the rules. And none of the schools I went to had any kind of screening system, kids probably brought pocket knives to school all the time.
same reason teachers want to keep them out of schools: they have ample evidence of their customers behaving like unruly children.Except, as I said, there are 800 million flights each year in the US. How many of them involve violent confrontation with flight attendants? It's something that's probably very rare.
It's not an argument for banning short knives. It's an argument for consistent enforcement and training, which is itself an argument for a shorter and more sense-making set of rules.So you're saying we should ban short knives because TSA agents are too stupid to tell the difference between knives longer then 2.36 inches and knives shorter then 2.36 inches?
If you can find the piece of legislation that mandates the TSA to protect only against threats to the aircraft as a whole, then I'll believe you. From what I see, the TSA has a very broad mandate to conduct "screening", but the precise purposes are left vague. The most specific language I can find isWell, I think it's fairly obvious why it was created, of course there was screening in the past and they took it over - but mainly that was about preventing criminal hijackings. And pre 9/11 you could carry small knives, and there were no problems.
kiltedtaco: "So you're saying we should also ban knives on ferries? (Okay, you can escape by jumping overboard, but that's no fun on the ferry from Hull to Rotterdam on a snowy night in February.)What is so special about flight attendants that they need to be protected from something that no one, except for prison guards, is?They are in a closed tube with said passengers, possibly for hours at a time with no way of escaping or calling for any sort of law enforcement. I thought that was pretty obvious."
herda05: "I don't get all the reaction over this. It seems common sense to me that in this context, an airplane at 35,000 feet, small weapons are out of place."... which is of course why the TSA allows you to bring a 4" pair of metal scissors and a 7" screwdriver on the plane, but not a 2" pocket knife.
But again, I can't refute the American logic of "I want to do what I want to do"...whether it's knives, guns, whatever.Preach it brother! And absolutely no one can refute the logic of the one who takes his toys and runs away because of how absolutely *spoiled* people are for asking for real justification instead of believing whatever people tell them.
I don't get all the reaction over this. It seems common sense to me that in this context, an airplane at 35,000 feet, small weapons are out of place. You're not at a bar, a grocery store, or a shopping mall where an ambulance with first responders is 15-30 minutes away. So no, this is not like any other place, and those comparisons are dumb.Why wasn't it a problem before 9/11?
That's your understanding yes, but your understanding isn't what determines whether the TSA has the authority or mandate to enforce rules that would impact cabin crew safety.Right... but you are the ones demanding that the TSA change it's policy, not me. Remember?. They are allowing short knives. I say this is fine because they are not required to keep flight attendants as safe as prison guards.
peeedro: "I just learned that safety razor blades are banned ..."But but but safety!
I can rephrase if you'd like. What function does a knife serve aboard an aircraft? Or indeed of any immediate need within an hour of arriving at your destination? None. Zero. Zilch. The check it and lose it argument is nonsense as is that clothes in a car stuff. Knives are barely needed in everyday life and I live in a rural, self sufficient setting so middle class, city stuff pales by comparison. Check your knife, check your ego.Or you could just take it with you on the plane. Because, you know, the rules allow it now.
If your knives, somehow. are irreplaceable then don't fly with them.Or you could fly with them, because, again, they are allowed. The argument is about whether or not the TSA made a mistake in allowing them.
My argument is that if you need to travel with a knife (and I can think of few reasons to) then check it with the rest of your luggage.Why?
If rules state they can't be carried on planes then no biggie as far as I'm concerned.No, the rules say you can carry them on planes.
Not here in the UK Delmoi. But seeing as you appear to be defining constraints of the discussion to the US then I'll just bow out.Because the thread is about rule changes in the US?
I've seen this argument before, but I don't understand why the expenses would scale at a faster rate than the income? And since all airlines have to pay the same wouldn't the ticket prices just scale up or down accordingly?The security process at El-Al is based on the race and nationality of the passenger. If you're not a Jewish Israeli citizen it can take hours, and is extremely unpleasant.
I actually think US screening methods are likely to be both more expensive and less effective.
I don't want to generalize too much from a single trip through Ben Gurion Airport, but I'd have to say that my experience leaving Tel Aviv was far and away the most unpleasant encounter I'd ever had with airport security officials in the decade. Moscow in 1998 was worse. As best I could tell, things went pretty smoothly as long as you were (a) Israeli, (b) traveling with an Israeli, or (c) traveling with some kind of well-established tour group. I think this may be how the majority of people go through the airport, which may account for its good reputation. But it took me approximately three hours to get from the initial passport check through to the food court. I was told that I couldn't take my iPad onto the plane, and therefore would have to check a whole bag that I'd been planning to carry on so that the bag ...also:
I was groped a couple of times, yelled at by surly Russian immigrants, accused of "lying" because I'd forgotten I had a second iPod charging cord in my bag, interrogated several times about who I'd talked to, etc.
"The African-American woman in our group was taken off to be questioned. A bunch of us were told we couldn't bring iPads on the plane," he said. The Jewish member of his group "had the easiest time," he said. "The black woman had the hardest time."posted by delmoi at 4:51 PM on March 14, 2013 [4 favorites]
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Blue Book® Suggested Retail Value
Fuel Economy (city/hwy)
1999 Kia Sportage Convertible
This 1999 review is representative of model years 1995 to 2002.
By Ann Job of MSN Autos
The Kia Sportage is a nicely styled, small sport-utility vehicle from South Korea with an equally attractive price tag. For 1999, Kia adds a new 2-Door Convertible model in two- and four-wheel drive. But the engine loses steam on hills, and the vehicle's light weight and tinny door slams linger in my memory.
It's a cutie
The four-door as well as two-door Sportages turn in smaller circles than most other sport utes, so you can make U-turns with far less fuss. And the beginning price tags—on either four-door hardtop or two-door convertible models—are less than what you'd pay for many used sport utilities.
No intimidating sport ute here
Jazzy fabric seats make the Sportage interiors feel light and breezy—again a departure from more heavily-dressed sport utes. Matching the light, zippy look, the Sportages drive with decent spunk, especially in five-speed manual models. The five-speed—the standard transmission for 4X4 models—does have a notchy-feeling gearshift lever with quite a bit of play, however.
Engine struggles some on hills
You definitely feel the ride
But the Sportage does well in slower-speed conditions off road. The 4X4 models have a two-speed transfer case and vacuum-operated Warn hubs that automatically disengage when the driver shifts out of four-wheel drive. Ground clearance is 7.9 inches, rivaling that of other sport utes.
Some good, some bad inside
I appreciated the placement of front-seat cupholders high up on the dashboard where I didn't have to look away from the road while reaching for my soda. Kia positioned other controls around the cupholders so I could still reach the emergency flasher, air conditioning and recirculation controls.
What I didn't like were the small radio buttons for the 1 through 6 radio station pre-sets. They can't be used properly if you have any kind of fingernails. The power on/off button is the size of a pin head, and I kept punching, by accident, the "source" button above the volume knob whenever I wanted to adjust the sound. The Sportage ride was that bouncy.
The Sportage convertible, like the four-door models, has Kia's unique knee airbag for drivers which is in addition to front airbags for driver and front passenger.
About that convertible . . .
You just have to work through all the zippers and Velcro attachments in the right order to get the plastic top down and then back up. But the vehicle's low cost shows here and there, such as in the tinny sound of the doors slamming and the uneven gaps around the test vehicle's front-passenger airbag cover. The plastic stripping around the rear cargo area was loose on the test vehicle, too.
A footnote: Kia's South Korean parent company, which is laden with debt, was up for auction in 1998. In October, officials announced another South Korean automaker, Hyundai, submitted the winning bid for Kia. But a spokeswoman for Kia Motors America Inc. said the deal "has not yet been fully consummated," and she had no information on how new ownership might affect Kia's U.S. operations.
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A bigger Social Security check?
How and when you claim benefits can make a big difference in the benefits you'll collect in retirement. Here are several scenarios.
With nearly 10,000 people in the United States turning 65 every day for the next 20 or so years, it's not hard to imagine a new reality show called "Extreme Social Security Claiming Strategies and Tactics," especially in the wake of news that beneficiaries will be getting just a 1.7% increase in their benefit in 2013.
But what is real is this: There are a dozens of lesser known, often overlooked Social Security claiming strategies and tactics that are worth sticking in your back pocket, just in case there's an audition call.
And case in point No. 1 is what Bill Meyer refers to as "rat holes," the ages at which single retirees should never, ever, ever claim Social Security. Or at least not claim Social Security if they want to maximize the present value of their Social Security benefits.
Meyer, a co-author of "Social Security Strategies: How to Optimize Retirement Benefits," and the CEO of Social Security Solutions, an online consumer advice tool, says strategies for maximizing Social Security income are based on the pattern of reductions for those who apply for benefits before full retirement age (FRA) and on the retirement credits available for those who delay benefits.
"If the single retiree begins benefits at FRA, she (or he) receives his Primary Insurance Amount or (PIA)," Meyer wrote in a recent paper. "If she begins benefits before FRA then her benefits are decreased by 5/9% of PIA per month for the first 36 months plus 5/12% of PIA for each additional month. Delayed retirement credits are 2/3% per month for each month benefits are delayed from FRA to 70."
And, without going to deep into the weeds, that math causes what Meyer refers to as the "rat holes," those ages at which single retirees should not claim Social Security.
In essence, what happens is this: The total value of your stream of Social Security benefits -- the present value -- would be greater if you didn't claim at FRA or three years prior to FRA.
There are plenty more of these little-known and underused claiming strategies and tactics. Here's a look at some of them.
Benefits for minors and spouses
In a relatively rare instance when a worker claims Social Security and is married to someone who is taking care of a child under the age of 16 or taking care of a disabled child, that spouse can collect 50% of the benefits regardless of the spouse's age, said Lita Epstein, the author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security & Medicare." And if the worker dies, the spouse's benefit, even if the spouse is younger than 62, would increase to 75% as long as he or she is still caring for a child under the age of 16, she said.
In addition, Epstein said, unmarried children under the age of 18 (or up to 19 if they are attending elementary or secondary school full time) are eligible for benefits if their parent is retired, disabled or deceased. "An eligible child can be a biological child, an adopted child or a stepchild," she said. "And, a dependent grandchild can also qualify."
To be fair, there is a limit to the total amount a family can receive on a worker's benefit, Epstein said. And the limit varies depending on individual circumstances, but is around 150% to 180% of a worker's Social Security benefit. "If the total for dependent family members is greater than the family limit, the amount each family member receives is reduced proportionately," Epstein said. "The worker's benefit is not affected by this adjustment."
Dennis Heywood, the owner of Social Security Solutions, gave this example: If the wage earner's age 66 benefit is $2,000 per month, the family maximum benefit would be about $3,400. The wife and children would receive half of the $2,000 up to $3,400 per month total for the family. He would get $2,000 while the wife and children would split the $1,400.
Along the same lines, Heywood said, another strategy is for grandparents who adopt a grandchild. "The grandchild is eligible for child's benefits when the adoption is final," Heywood said.
Overlooked survivor benefits
Since the earliest age of retirement is 62, most people believe this applies to survivors as well, according to Donna Clements, a manager with Social Security and Medicare Services at Mercer in Louisville, Ky. "A surviving spouse can receive benefits at age 60 -- assuming there are no eligible children," said Clements. "This is two years earlier than for retirement and can be a major financial windfall, particularly if the surviving spouse did not work."
Another overlooked benefit in the case of survivor benefits: A surviving-divorced spouse qualifies for a benefit if the marriage lasted at least 10 years. "The benefit is the same as the current surviving spouse but is not included in the family maximum, unless the benefit is based on caring for the worker's eligible child."
Overlooked criteria for disability benefits
To receive disability benefits, Clements said, a worker needs to have earned a minimum number of credits based on birth year, with some credits earned in recent years. In 2012, one credit is received for each $1,130 earned in covered Social Security employment, up to a maximum of four credits per year, she noted. "For example, if you retired at age 50 with a company pension and then became disabled seven years later; you would not be able to receive Social Security disability benefits because you have not earned enough recent credits," Clements said. "You would need 20 credits within the last 10 years and this person would only have 12 credits."
Another one: "A nonworking spouse that becomes disabled is not eligible for disability benefits based on their spouse's work record," said Clements. "Workers are eligible if they have earned a minimum number of credits based on their own earnings from Social Security covered employment."
Multiple spouses, 1 worker
Epstein said another quirk is that more than one spouse can collect on a worker's benefits. "A divorced spouse who was married for 10 years or more is entitled to collect on an ex-spouse's benefit," she said. Of course, there's a catch: In most cases, you cannot be remarried.
Epstein said the earliest a spouse can collect on his or her former spouse's work record is the age of 62. "If the ex-spouse applies for benefits before his or her full retirement age, the benefits will be permanently reduced," she said. An ex-spouse may also be eligible for widow or widower's benefits.
Bottom line: "Someone who has been married to more than one person for at least 10 years, and is now unmarried or a widow or widower, can collect survivor's benefits on the ex-spouse who has the highest-earning work record," Epstein said. "Each person can only get one check."
So if there are multiple marriages, the person must pick which work record on which he or she wants to collect. Obviously, the choice should be the work record that yields the largest check. If a person remarries before the age of 60, he or she can't collect on an ex-spouse's record unless that second marriage also ends in divorce or the death of the second spouse. The one exception: A divorced spouse who is collecting disability benefits can remarry as early as age 50 and still collect survivor's benefits.
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I just have one question; By what law does the U.S.Govt. have to allow them to touch so much as a penny of OUR SS ?
This is OUR (my) money and they have already ripped off the fund for millions and millions without so much as a hint of paying it back. We the people shouold charge them a nice fat interest fee and see what happens. HA, they'd probably accuse us of tyranny .
I will NOT wait until 70 to collect. Im taking mine at 62! for one, who knows how long I will live or remain in good health. at 70 I may not be self sufficient and mobile enough to enjoy my money. If I am responsible enough I will have my 401K and pension as well so why wait for the extra money when I can enjoy it at 62.
At retirement I plan to have my home paid off, have downsized to decent one floor home and have enough money to travel without worrying of bills! (barring any health problems).
The women in my family tend to check out mid 70's. Waiting is no good for me. at 70 I want to say I lived and not nickel and dimed my SS by sacrificing my precious time on earth!
Think about it. If you start collecting at 62 you may be collecting $1,600 per month. If you waited till 66 it would be $2,000.00 per month. If you start collecting at 62 you would have collected around $76,800 by the time your 66 (Roughly 4 years). If you wait till your 66 it will take you 192 months to make up the $76,800.00 assuming a $400.00 per month difference.
I will start collecting at 62 thank you
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Product DescriptionDesigned by the same team that brought you the Moto-8 motocross helmet, the Bell Drop Mountain Bike Helmet lets you attack the course head on with a burly ABS plastic shell to protect your braincase. The Drop meets the safety requirements of not only the CPSC, but the ASTM, as well -- a standard which is voluntary and demands a higher impact velocity. This fullface Bell helmet?s visor side pivots increase durability in case you do decide to put that higher impact velocity to the test.
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating
|Reviews 1 - 9 (9 Reviews Total)
User Reviews
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2011
Strengths: This helmet is very very comfortable, there is alot of padding, and a lot of space ( visually). The helmet provide lots of protection when crashing.
Weaknesses: Well....nothing yet
Bottom Line:
I would recommend it to any one who's looking for a full face helmet.
(The price is not the price in the US or UK)
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid: $200.00
Purchased At: rosen mintz
Similar Products Used: Havn't tried
Bike Setup: I own the 2010 Specialized ENDURO
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2010
Strengths: Very comfortable, quality padding thats removable. Easy to use buckle clasp.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid: $50.00
Purchased At: Online
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2010
Strengths: Comfortable!
Weaknesses: Could use more vents
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $58.00
Purchased At: Jenson
Similar Products Used: Bell Bellistic
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Heckler and Superlight
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2010
Strengths: Great protection and airflow! I have the Cedric Gracia signature edition and the graphics are really impressive and stand out from any other helmets I've seen.
Weaknesses: None so far. Let's just hope there are no weaknesses when I hit a tree or anything else head on; which I've come VERY close to doing a couple of times.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $60.00
Purchased At: 3point5.com
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2010
Strengths: Comfortable, light, protective.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid: $250.00
Similar Products Used: 661, prorider, the
Bike Setup: 2007 demo8 standard.
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2009
Strengths: Fit and style. Better protection than some of the lighter full face helmets. Not too hot.
Weaknesses: A bit bukly but the bulk is required I guess.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $120.00
Similar Products Used: Remedy, Deviant, TLD
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2009
Strengths: Weight,styling, pads inside
Weaknesses: none i can think of
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $42.00
Purchased At: Bell direct
Similar Products Used: SixSixone Comp,Giro remedy
Bike Setup: SantaCruz Bullit RFR
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2008
Strengths: Very comfortable, high quality materials in the liner, nice fit, very light weight,and works like a charm with my pink and yellow 1980s smitty goggles
Weaknesses: Ventilation could be a tad better
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $110.00
Purchased At: Simon's Bike Shop
Similar Products Used: Remedy
Bike Setup: 2008 Specialized Enduro SL
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2008
Strengths: Light weight, good ventiltation, looks cool in olive matt paint, clip chin strap
Weaknesses: S/M size is a little large. Have to tighten chinstrap almost all the way down
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $120.00
Purchased At: Universal
Bike Setup: 07 Reign 1
|Reviews 1 - 9 (9 Reviews Total)
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating
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