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A soundtrack of rock-music standards remains at the heart of this stage hit as director Adam Shankman ("Hairspray") brings it to the screen. Also somewhat standard is its main plot of a small-town girl ("Dancing With the Stars" veteran Julianne Hough) and a city boy (Diego Boneta) whose paths cross as they seek showbiz fame.
However, the picture's strongest suit unquestionably is Tom Cruise, fully invested and dynamic as heavy-metal rocker Stacee Jaxx. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman and Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") also are in the notable cast. DVD extras: two "making-of" documentaries. *** (PG-13- and R-rated versions: AS, P) (Also on Blu-ray and Movies on Demand)
Buy 'Rock of Ages' on DVD.


text: UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez turned in perhaps the most impressive performance of his career last weekend at UFC 166 when he took out Junior dos Santos for a second straight time in lopsided fashion. Though JDS undoubtedly learned a lot from their previous encounter, it wasn't enough to slow down Velasquez who landed plenty of stiff strikes and ultimately put "Cigano" away in the final frame. With the dust settled, Velasquez has since spoken out about the win and what's next in a recent interview with FOX Sports. (Photos by USA Today Sports Images)

subset: commoncrawl


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Area codes are 850 unless noted.
Amernet String Quarter
ROSEMARY BEACH � The Amernet String Quartet, Ensemble-in-Residence at Florida International University, presents a weekend of chamber music at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in Town Hall. Tickets are $35 at sinfoniagulfcoast.org.
David Seering and Friends
DESTIN � Musician David Seering and the Michael Walker Band will perform in a concert, with special guest Gina Walker, at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at Village Baptist Church. All proceeds will benefit local charity Children in Crisis. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at 864-4242.
Gumbo Cook-Off
SANDESTIN � The 24th Annual Sandestin Gumbo Cook-Off will be held from 12-4 p.m. Feb. 16, rain or shine. Gulf Coast restaurants will feature top-secret recipes. Sample a variety of gumbo then, vote for your favorite for the "People's Choice Award." Celebrity judges will name the �Area�s Best,� and award the most creative set-up as �Best Display.� Live music by Dikki Du & the Zydeco Krewe. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25/day of event.
Valentine Tour of Homes
SOUTH WALTON � The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County will feature six South Walton homes on its annual Valentine Tour of Homes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 16 and from 12-4 p.m. Feb. 17. Tickets are $20/advance; $25/day of event. Tickets can be purchased at CulturalArtsAlliance.com and at Smith�s Antiques in Destin, the Bayou Arts Center and Sundog Books in Seaside, and Hidden Lantern Gallery in Rosemary Beach. Call 622-5970.
Food & Wine Tasting
OKALOOSA ISLAND � The 22nd annual Food & Wine Tasting, hosted by the Northwest Florida Symphony Guild, will be held from 1-4 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center. Michael J Thomas will perform from 2-3 p.m. Tickets are $35/advance and $40/door and on sale at Kitchenique and Chan�s Wine World in Destin and Magnolia Grill, Playground Music Center and Vandegriff Jewelers in Fort Walton Beach.
American Legion
DESTIN � Events at American Legion Post 296, 311 Main Street, include the following. Events are open to the public. Call 837-3818.
� Feb. 16, 23: Karaoke with Jim Hubbard 7:30-11:30 p.m.
� Feb. 17: Jabbo 4-7 p.m.
� Feb. 18: Bingo 6-8 p.m.; Boy Scouts 6:30 p.m.
� Feb. 18: Post and Sal�s general meeting 7 p.m.; Auxiliary general and executive meeting, 6 p.m.
� Feb. 22: Deep South 7-11 p.m.
� Feb. 23: Blood Drive, NWFL Blood Mobile,10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tijuana Flats fundraiser
FORT WALTON BEACH � Tijuana Flats will raise money for the Junior League of the Emerald Coast by hosting an evening fundraiser from 5-10 p.m. Feb. 18. Attendees can enjoy 2-4-1 draft beers, the corn hole game and bottomless chips and dips. Kids are invited to decorate the patio with sidewalk chalk. The Junior League will raise money for their Child Clothing Project. Ten percent of each guest's check will go to the Junior League of the Emerald Coast. Dine-in, drive thru and carryout orders apply.
Americana Under the Stars
SANTA ROSA BEACH � Topsail Hill Preserve State Park presents Lucky Mud at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 during a new concert series, Americana Under the Stars. Performers follow an open mic showcase of local musicians from 5-6:30 p.m. Must be present to sign up. Admission is free and there is a suggested $5 donation to the Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. Bring your own food or beverages, if desired.
Stars of Tomorrow
NICEVILLE � Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra presents �The Stars of Tomorrow� Concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College.
Winners of the NFSO's 2012 Concerto competition are featured as guest soloists with the orchestra, and guest vocalists and the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale also perform. Tickets are $22.50/adults, $16/Active Duty Military and youth ages 18 and younger. Call 729-6000 or visit www.mattiekellyartscenter.org.
Art exhibits
NICEVILLE � The Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville present the annual juried exhibit showcasing the best in NWFSC student and faculty artworks in both the McIlroy and Holzhauer Galleries Feb. 22-April 5. The event is free. Call 729-6044.


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Walk around Aquatic Park with Mark Liolios (EGRET) and Toni Mester (CESP)
Saturday September 22 – 10 AM-12:30 PM
- 10 AM: Meet at the Waterside Café, 84 Bolivar Drive outside seating only, introductions
- 10:15: walk clockwise around the Park
- 12:30: return to Touchdown Plaza
The walk is 2 miles on paved trail, suitable for wheelchairs, skateboards, and bikes with a few off-road spots that are not wheel friendly.
Appropriate dress in layers, sun hat. walking shoes and water bottle.
We will provide information relevant to 3 upcoming public processes:
- Proposed landmarking of certain structures
- Aquatic Park Improvement Program hydrology project
- Zoning of adjacent parcels on Bolivar Drive
For more information call Toni at 510-848-8234


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Within the galaxy, a mysterious cult spreads! First appearing on a Dimmy-controlled planet, an addiction for cake and other sweets quickly overtakes its people. These addicted Dimmies became even more violent and stupider than their predicessors. Forming the Cult of the Cake, these vile beings spread throughout the galaxy, bringing many more minifigures under the addiction...
Standard cultists. This particular group numbers 100. Cultists of the Cake are violent, numerous, and utterly insane.
The cultist up front carries the LINTOSH-XP HOME EDITION. She is a signalling beacon that urges the cultists to do actions on her behalf, promising them that there will be cake. The cultist that carries LINTOSH-XP HOME EDITION is transformed into the Champion of the Cake and is granted incredible power to perform anything necessary to spread the cake.
Among the first races conquered by the cult were the nefarious Fiends. Evil to the core, these minidolls purposely surrendered their will to the cake to continue their wicked plots. The Fiends rituatally set their heads on fire to emulate Manly Santa Day cakes. Though far more intelligent and independant than the standard cultists, Fiends are usually used to haul heavy loads and provide insidious designs from their homeworld for the cause.
I have no idea who these guys are or what their deal is, but they're pretty awesome.
Ice cream mortars. Armed with HD (Highly Delicious) cake rounds, these mortars provide essential indirect fire to the cause. If necessary, the operator can attach and fire a fellow cultist.
This fiendish foliage is known as the Watching Tree. Hailing from the Fiend's homeworld, this evil and presumably perverted tree utilizes psychic powers and its fire fruits to vanquish its enemies.
This mechanical device is the Iron Donut. Designed to project the will of LINTOSH-XP HOME EDITION, the donut features both delicious sprinkles and a massive eye.
That's all I have for now. They were originally supposed to be more bakery-themed, but everything keeps turning out into these eldritch abombinations. Case in point; the Iron Donut.


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Financial Affairs Forms Details
Credit Card Payment Form
Description: Used by departments that process credit card payments via Fiscal Services.
Last Revised On: 08/01/2016
Owner/Host: Fiscal Services
Download File: PDF
Related Forms/Worksheets:
- Departmental Cash Handling Request Form
- Departmental Cash Handling Security Policy
- Deposit Transmittal Form
- Credit Card Processing Methods - Quick Reference Chart
- Credit Card Discount Fees and Rate Sheet
- Check Register
Related Financial Management Operational Guideline(s) (FMOG):
Revision History:
- 08/01/2016: 2.25% Credit Card Charge added throughout form.
- 03/02/2016: Updated 'Important' section to include information about credit card convenience fee increase effective August 1st, 2016.
- 01/02/2012: Changed the credit card payment convenience fee (i.e. discount charge) from 1.855% to 2.0%.
- 10/04/2010: Modified the instructions section regarding sharing cardholder data.
For technical/design issues or questions, contact the Financial Affairs Webmaster.


text:
Subject: OTS Integration
Date: May 23, 2014
To: Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks and Federal Savings Associations, Federal Branches and Agencies, Department and Division Heads, All Examining Personnel, and Other Interested Parties
Description: Final Rule - Interagency Rules
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has issued a final rule that combines certain rules that the OCC originally issued jointly with the other federal banking agencies regarding national banks with rules that the former Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) issued regarding savings associations. 1 Specifically, the OCC is combining rules relating to consumer protection in insurance sales, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) compliance, management interlocks, appraisals, disclosure and reporting of agreements related to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This final rule also makes technical amendments to the OCC's FCRA rule to conform to provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Each pair of bank and savings association rules addressed in the final rule is substantively identical. 2 This final rule, therefore, does not result in any substantive changes for national banks or federal savings associations. The rule, however, streamlines OCC rules, reduces duplication, and creates efficiencies by establishing a single set of these rules for all entities that the OCC supervises.
This final rule is effective on June 16, 2014.
The final rule integrates the following OCC rules by amending the national bank rule to include federal savings associations (and when appropriate, state savings associations) and removing the savings association rule:
With a few exceptions, the OCC currently has one set of rules applicable to national banks and another set applicable to federal savings associations or, when appropriate, to all savings associations. The OCC is reviewing its rules to determine whether it is appropriate to integrate them into a single set of rules for both national banks and savings associations when legally permissible and consistent with underlying statutes applicable to each type of institution. The key objectives of this review are to reduce regulatory duplication, promote fairness in supervision, eliminate unnecessary burden consistent with safety and soundness, and create efficiencies for national banks and savings associations as well as for the OCC.
Based on this review, the OCC plans to publish a series of rulemakings, each focused on a specific category or categories of bank and savings association regulations. This final rule is the first of these integration rulemakings. The OCC also will soon publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would integrate its rules for national banks and federal savings associations relating to policies and procedures for corporate activities and transactions (licensing rules). 3
We note that the OCC is participating in an interagency review of regulations to identify rules that are outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome, pursuant to section 2222 of the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996 (EGRPRA). The OCC does not intend to publish further integration-specific proposals until the EGRPRA notice process has been completed, in an effort to minimize the potential for overlap and confusion and to afford the OCC the benefit of public comment through the EGRPRA process on potential ways to streamline rules and reduce regulatory burden. The OCC will continue, however, to evaluate whether to integrate rules as they are otherwise revised, as the agency has done since it assumed supervisory oversight of federal savings associations.
Further Information
Please contact Heidi M. Thomas, Special Counsel, or Stuart Feldstein, Director, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, (202) 649-5490.
Amy S. Friend
1 See 79 Fed. Reg. 28393 (May 16, 2014).
2 All of these rules apply to federal savings associations. 12 CFR 21, as amended, applies to both state and federal savings associations, consistent with 12 CFR 163.177.
3 The OCC has posted this proposal at www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2014/bulletin-2014-22.html.
Related Link


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Edelbrock/Musi 555 crate engines are a powerful big cubic inch package that features the all new Edelbrock E-CNC cylinder heads for the ultimate in Edelbrock performance. E-CNC cylinder heads are fully CNC ported to achieve optimal air-flow for maximum horsepower and torque in high performance street and light duty racing applications. They feature exhaust port exits in the stock location, which allows for the use of off-the-shelf headers. They are available in three options; carbureted and with Pro-Flo 2 or Pro-Flo XT electronic fuel injection. Each engine is assembled by 8-time Pro Street World Champ Pat Musi. They all deliver maximum hp and torque on 91-octane.
The carbureted package includes a Victor Jr. intake manifold and 800cfm Thunder Series AVS carburetor. It delivers an incredible 676 horsepower and 649 ft./lbs. of torque. The Edelbrock/Musi 555 RPM Pro-Flo 2 is complete with Pro-Flo 2 electronic fuel injection and is assembled with intake manifold, fuel injectors, fuel rails and throttle body, electronic engine control unit (ECU), handheld calibration module, Mallory® distributor, complete harness, fuel pump, fuel hose, attaching hardware and software.


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What sort of ethics and moral code do you follow in your life?
Do you follow the Humanism principles? As a Humanist I try to follow these.
The Affirmations of Humanism:
A Statement of Principles
We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation.
We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.
We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.
We are committed to the principle of the separation of church and state.
We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.
We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves.
We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.
We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.
We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest.
We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence.
We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity.
We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.
We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion.
We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences.
We are citizens of the universe and are excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos.
We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.
We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service to others.
We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.
We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings
Views: 1457
"We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences."
I really like this. I think they are all good principles to live by.
Oh well, what are you going to do? : )
When I run into people that assume I am morally depraved because I don't have a "god compass", if they are christian or muslim I like to mention passages in their books that are far from moral. When doing that, I usually get the following answers:
- The classic "you are taking it out of context" to which I reply: In which context is it okay to do what your scriptures say...
- "You are taking a passage of the <insert holy book here> that were written in another time, I do not subscribe to that anymore... yada yada" to which I reply: Then your holy book is not fit for modernity, and you should ask yourself why that is. Also, if you pick and choose from your holy book, then this criteria for picking and choosing is not coming from your holy book, it is coming from you, then, why do you need your book in the first place?
The looks I have gotten from the believers I have engaged in this way are priceless.
I kinda fell backwards into Humanism via Buddhism. It is all very similar. I love reading about Buddha as he was right on the only years before modern morality.
I don't mean anything because these are the AHA statements that I took from their site. http://www.americanhumanist.org/
I have never stated anywhere that I support socialized medicine.
"I have never stated anywhere that I support socialized medicine."
So medicaid and medicare should be eliminated?
I'm pretty sure I know your position, I was curious about Steph's.
She seems to like at least some of the Humanist Principles which are definitely not congruent with right-wing anarcho-capitalism.
"Who says I'm right wing?"
No, that reply was to Mr. M. who espouses right-wing anarcho-capitalism.
To see a social democratic (liberal democracy) nation, government and populace that basically follows these principles, check this out:
The list above pretty much covers it, though I'm not a card-carrying member of the Humanists.
here are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
I try to follow the UU and Secular Humanist principles.
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Howard County Executive Ken Ulman lent his support this week to a pair of bills in Annapolis that would make cyberbullying a crime in Maryland.
"The insults and accusations that rush through the cyber-sphere can be beyond anything with which we adults are familiar," said Ulman in written testimony submitted for a March 7 hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.
A House version of the bill, the subject of Thursday's hearing, is sponsored by Del. Jon Cardin, a Baltimore County Democrat. A Senate version is sponsored by Sen. Allan H. Kittleman, a Republican representing Howard County.
The bills seek to make it a specific crime in Maryland to use a computer or computer network to "cause a minor or another person to reasonably fear for his or her safety."
People would also be prohibited from using computers to "engage in conduct which would constitute sexual harassment of a minor [or] to disseminate data with the malicious intent to psychologically torment or harass a minor."
Violation would carry a penalty of up to one year in prison, a $500 fine, or both.
Ulman, a Democrat, said the bills "would create much-needed protections for young people in our community who are subjected to cyber-harassment."
"While it is difficult for our laws to keep pace with technology, we must make every effort to keep our children safe, healthy and thriving," Ulman said. "Increased attention on electronic harassment, with increased penalties, will help toward this goal."
Among those testifying on the bills — either in person or in submitted comments — were Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and Howard County Councilwoman Courtney Watson.
Also testifying was Chris McComas, the mother of Grace McComas, a Glenelg High School student whose suicide in 2012 focused a spotlight on the issue of cyberbullying. Her parents cited hurtful messages on the social network Twitter as a key factor in their 15-year-old daughter's suicide.
"It's the Wild West out there and our children need protection," Chris McComas told legislators. "If it can happen to her, it could happen to anyone. And therein lies the horror because this should happen to no one."
Ulman did not mention Grace McComas specifically in his testimony on the pending legislation, but said, "I have met with parents of children who have been targets of bullying and harassment. Their stories are heart-rending. … Parents, teachers and other adults all have an important role to play in making sure that the electronic interactions involving young people cause as little harm as possible."
Cardin's bill was the subject of Thursday's hearing, and in a statement he said he was "touched and overwhelmed by the support this bill has received from all across the state, whether it is from elected officials, professional athletes, or bullied teens and their families."
According to Kittleman's legislative office, his version of the bill is slated for a hearing in Annapolis on March 20.
Reporter Michael Dresser contributed to this story.


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Marcus's Top 10 2010
Marcus Doidge lists his favourite films of 2010 as well as few other topics...
2010. A year that started slow in regards to genuinely great movies, but when it found its feet offered up some crackers. Below are my favourites for this year, with a few reasons why and hopefully some topics for discussion.
The UK is still awaiting well received US movies like Black Swan and True Grit, so don't expect to see some of the yet to be seen titles on my list, but here is my Top 10 movies of 2010 as well as a few other sections to cover the year's movie releases. As always, feel free to leave your own lists on the comments section and discuss the hits and misses.
First up, let's take a brief look at the ones that just missed my Top 10; the ones that I've liked lots and felt bad leaving off the list, or the ones that might take a second viewing in order to nudge their way into the Top 10.
I was pleasantly surprised with the Gervais/Merchant dramatic theatrical debut Cemetery Junction. It offered up the goods, the laughs and had a fine group of characters that I loved spending time with. The Last Station was a review disc I received that I thought would be nothing, but ended up being fantastic, heartfelt and full of some great performances. Easy A made my ever growing love of Emma Stone take yet another giant leap forward and offered up not only a great comedy for 2010, but a stand out performance from Stone (hopefully she'll bring the same to Gwen Stacey in the Spider-man reboot.). [REC]2 was everything I wanted out of sequel for the awesome original movie and even after multiple viewing I'm still super excited as they all head straight to the penthouse suite. Runaways offered up yet another fantastic performance from Kristen Stewart as well as a coming of age role for Dakota Fanning. Another surprise was How to Train Your Dragon, which had Dreamworks providing another King Fu Panda as opposed to another lousy Monsters vs. Aliens. I so want that dragon. Lastly there was Monsters, a movie I'm still not totally sure about, but on the first viewing I just walked away a little bit in awe of it without really knowing why. Nothing really happens until you get to the end but somewhere in that movie something caught me and I'm looking forward to the Blu-ray release in 2011 to see if it clicks that well on repeat viewings.
So without further ado, let's get started with number 10 shall we?
"Ponyo Ponto Little Fishy in the Sea".
Released way back in 2008 in Japan, the UK got a release of the adorable Studio Ghibli tale of a fish who wants to be a real girl in 2010 and for my family at least it became an all time classic almost immediately.
This heart warming tale filled with heart meltingly lovable characters shines off the screen with its hand drawn animation and visuals that pop out of an HD presentation to fill your imagination to the brim with jaw dropping beauty. Little Ponyo instantly becomes yet another Ghibli character that you can't help but fall in love with, and even though the story is aimed at a slightly younger audience than their usual, there's something about the innocence of this tale that wraps you up in a warm hug.
With this traditional hand drawn animation working on all cylinders and knocking out visuals that are so stunning you could pause almost any moment of the entire movie and frame it on your wall, (seriously look at the storm scene with the fish waves. Wow!!) Studio Ghibli once again prove they are without a doubt the finest craftsmen of family adventures the world has ever seen and with a new HD format to show off their work, future releases of their back catalogue can't came around quick enough.
Check out my full review of the UK release here and Gabe's US review here.
"I Want to Tickle Your Belly Button... from the Inside".
Not being part of this mythical anti Michael Cera league that seemed to appear in 2010, Youth in Revolt was the first 2010 entry for Mr. Cera and what a start it was. Spinning Cera's usual likable nice guy persona and giving it a thoroughly enjoyable dark edge proved to add up to one of my favourite comedies of 2010.
I loved the dialogue coming out of his character Nick Twisp's mouth and the interaction with his love interest was fantastic. On top of that and adding a whole new element to the game was Twisp's alter ego Francois Dillinger. The moustached, dark eyed, take no shit side of Twisp, took this movie from its already great-greatness into one of my favourite rewatches of the year. Adding even more to the story are a few great supporting roles from Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta and an awesomely laid back Justin Long.
All in all Youth in Revolt was an intelligent, well paced and downright funny comedy that had some crackin' one liners and a whole host of character interactions that make me chuckle. 2010 felt a little drab in the comedy arena but this one more than made up for the lack of genuine laughs out there and just writing about it here now makes me want to sit down and watch it again.
Check out Gabe's review of the disc here.
"Let's go apeshit!"
This one hit me early in the year and never really let go. Drew Barrymore's directorial debut proved to have the perfect measure of drama, fun, laughs and Andrew Wilson. Ellen Page once again proved to be a leading lady who can do no wrong and the world of all girl roller derby opens its doors and let us all in with real charm.
The cast here are just great to be around. Drew's 'Smashley Simpson' is only a small role, but her balls out punch you in the face attitude was the funniest Drew's been in a while. Juliette Lewis played the perfect baddy, Kristen Wiig the perfect new best friend, Alia Shawkat the perfect existing best friend, and with Andrew Wilson rustling up one of the best characters of 2010 in his character Razor (seriously every word out of his mouth makes me laugh), Whip It had the makings of just the sort of movie I fall in love with.
Multiple viewings later, Whip It has become the perfect Friday night choice and is an easy entry for my top ten. I hope it finds a bit more of an audience as 2011 rolls on.
Check out my review of the DVD here.
I wouldn't usually put aside a section specifically dedicated to documentaries, but 2010 offered up lots of real gems. For starters the Blur: No Distance Left to Run documentary was just a blinder for any Blur fan. Loaded with stories, archive footage, performances and a real insight into the whole mid nineties Britpop explosion from one of my favourite bands. It was a joy to watch and I've found myself throwing it on for a rewatch countless times this year.
Next up, there was the fascinating Tales from the Script, which offered up look into the Hollywood systems mistreatment of screenwriters (as well as a few stories of barely believable tales of success). Filled with names and faces you'll all recognise, this one was a real enjoyable look into such an important part of movie making and well worth seeking out.
Also there was the fascinating look at the street art world, Exit Through the Giftshop from infamous artist Banksy, which was oodles of fun packed with the big ol' question of "what is art?" Also the economic nightmare tale that was Collapse was scary as hell but absorbing and full of cutting stories than make the current "save the environment" argument seem a little more pressing.
Rounding up are the two feel good documentaries of the 2010. Firstly Waking Sleeping Beauty, the story of Disney animation studios in the mid eighties through to the mid nineties, and how those in charge nearly sunk the animation house altogether and how the talent rose out of the murk's of under-achievement into the heights of the modern Disney we know today. Told in the same style as the Pixar documentaries that highlight the team's attitude as they struggled against the odds, this looks into the evolution of Disney in a time where they could quite as easily gone under was fantastic.
The second of the feel good docs is Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics. In much the same style as the short documentaries on the DC Universe animation titles, this look at DC comics as a whole and how superheroes entered the mainstream and is just plain awesome. With writers, editors and artists all giving their input and loads and loads of clips, art work and glimpse at the history of company Secret Origin was the perfect ninety minutes of comic book celebration and for those that have seen it, those last ten/fifteen minutes where the pace picks up and the clips of the TV shows and comic artwork increases, any comic book fan couldn't help but feel a warm glow and find themselves itching for the upcoming Green Lantern movie, as well as Superman's reboot and Batman rising once again.
"Hi, I'm Johnny Knoxville. Welcome to Jackass".
I know, I know, Jackass isn't exactly a critic's darling, but you won't catch me apologising for my enjoyment of the Jackass boys (quite literally) hitting our screens again. For me, Jackass 3D was the best out of their three movies and all this talk of "the guys getting old" or "they should give up now" was absolute bullshit. Knoxville and the gang haven't been so on form in ages, with almost every single sketch/stunt/ prank was pulled off with a real sense of fun like the TV show used to offer up. Gone were the more extreme acts of the second movie and back were the sorts of stunts you connect to. The sort of stunts you probably would have tried as a kid for a laugh.
Beehive swingball, the giant high five, the 3D show off stunts and the pranks they pull on each other on location had me in stitches. I don't think I laughed this hard at a Jackass movie, and I loved the last ones loads. Pissing about with jet engines, trapping Bam in a pit full of snakes and the poo volcano all caused me to fall apart laughing and with the home release due out soon, I honestly can't wait for a rewatch (especially without the 3D which frankly I'm so over now).
Jackass 3D was without a doubt the most fun I've had with a movie in 2010 and it was an absolute no brainer for the Top Ten of the year listing.
"I got in".
Tron Legacy wasn't the movie I thought it would be. After the first trailer, for absolutely no reason considering how iffy the original is, Tron Legacy somehow felt like it would be the best movie ever made. The mood, the visuals, that hint at the Daft Punk soundtrack all added to my excitement levels. A Tron sequel really shouldn't have offered this much goodness considering how dated and frankly hard to watch the original is nowadays.
Anyway, Tron Legacy isn't what I hoped it would be but weirdly it provided something I didn't even realise I was craving. A large scale, big screen adventure that was... wait for it... fun. I know it sounds weird but the last few years have been a shitstream of lukewarm bloated cinematic outings that forget how to entertain. Bad sequels, disappointing comic book movies and action flicks that are just plan dull have left my love of big screen adventures a little jaded but Tron Legacy with its neon lights and Daft Punk beats changed all that around and that's just the start of it.
I just entered the grid and it never let me go. I really liked Sam Flynn. But then I really like Anakin Skywalker too. I loved old man Flynn and his little Yoda moments, I loved the character of Clu, and it was nice to have a villain whose motivations I could get behind. Quorra was adorable and pretty good to look at, I simply adored Tron and his Maul-ness, and yeah I guess at this point I guess it's obvious that I loved Tron Legacy for its Star Wars-ness.
Tron Legacy looked and felt awesome (who doesn't crave the Blu-ray at this point?). The Daft Punk score fit like a glove and the scene in quirky Michael Sheen's club was one of the scenes of the year for me. Tron Legacy was just plain awesome and I really hope it marks a return to good old fashioned fun big screen adventures as well as maybe providing a sequel that's more like what I'd hoped this instalment would be.
"I've seen E.T. three times."
Taika Waititi's joyous movie about Boy, a New Zealand child who wants to see his father again. It's 1984 and Michael Jackson is Boy's idol. Looking after his family when his Gran leaves for a week, Boy's father returns and Boy's dream comes true. That is, until he begins to realise that his father isn't the legend he painted him as and Boy begins to see the truth. This little known gem of a movie is Waititi's follow up to Eagle vs. Shark, which is another I liked but nowhere near as much as I do Boy.
After happening upon the trailer early in the year, I tracked down this movie as soon as I could (via a friend who's from NZ) and it was one of the best movie viewings of the year for me. Boy is just delightful. The characters are a blast to be around and most of the dialogue delivered in that fantastic rural New Zealand accent makes for more smiles than the majority of comedies that came out in 2010. I just loved hanging out in this little story. The little references to Michael Jackson and even more so E.T. took an already heart warming tale and added the feel good factor.
I have no idea how easy this is to get hold of outside of New Zealand. I don't know when it will ever hit the US or UK but I really want the Blu-ray soon and can hardly wait for a rewatch. Boy had me grinning for its entire runtime, mainly down to the lead performance from little James Rolleston and Taika Waititi himself playing Boy's father with comes with more quirk than the quirkiest of quirky roles (can't wait to see him as Hal Jordan's man in Green Lantern next year) and that alone was enough for it to feature in this top ten listing. Boy is such a great little flick.
"Drop the "the". Just "Facebook". It's cleaner."
David Fincher feels like he's on Fight Club mode here and who doesn't want two scoops full of that? The Social Network sounded like the worse idea ever to me when it was first announced but then I found out it was David Fincher doing an Aaron Sorkin screenplay and the project suddenly became a must-see. Follow that with a series of frankly incredible trailers composed of either Facebook chats, well edited dialogue or choral versions of Radiohead's 'Creep' and this ultra modern subject which felt unnecessary became unmissable.
And Fincher did it again. He makes the subject compelling. He somehow turned a subject no one really cared that much about into something we suddenly all wanted to know the story behind. With plenty of help, Jessie Eisenberg, who draws you in with a complex and genuinely interesting performance and future Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield bouncing off of him as the pitch perfect disgruntled ex-best friend, The Social Network becomes fascinating (and all this with a great supporting role from Justin Timberlake).
Facebook once again joins everyone together and as the focus to this movie, it weirdly doesn't feel like a fad or a cash-in, but a relevant bit of storytelling. This is a story that sort of came out of nowhere for me as I had no interest on "where Facebook came from", but after seeing The Social Network I feel like my subconscious did want to know this stuff (however factual the story may or may not actually be). I'm actually intrigued to see if the movie itself holds up on repeat viewing as I'm pretty sure I got all the detail I needed to get on the first viewing but at this point in the year, The Social Network has Fincher working on the sort of mode I love seeing him on and Fincher's filmography just keeps evolving into wonderful places.
Right then, before we hit the Top 3, I'm gonna take a bit of time to highlight the movies that had the opposite effect; those movies that really disappointed me in 2010, kicking off with The Bounty Hunter, which was the hardest watch of the year for me. Just plain dull. Smokin' Aces 2 is everything straight to DVD sequels get a bad name for. Alice in Wonderland, a movie that was on the cards for Tim Burton for ages but proved to be nothing but awful and for me became the first Burton film I never want to see again. Date Night was painful for the most part, Twilight continued to baffle me as I can't be the only one that's seeing the god awfulness of those flicks yet box office numbers tell me otherwise. Likewise for Nic Cage's Bad Lieutenant. The reviews for that flick were stellar yet all I could do was scratch my head to what people were on. This one really passed me by. Peter Jackson took ages to release The Lovely Bones, but only the first twenty minutes were actually any good. Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia blurred together into one big boring mess for me. Knight and Day should have worked but barely managed to and, and...
I should stop. I've vented enough to cleanse my memory of my low-lights of 2010, it's time to get back to the good stuff and the last three are absolute corkers.
"Andy's going to college. Can you believe it?"
In at three, is the third Toy Story movie. The sequel that for me at least felt like it was destined for failure. The project felt forced in its birth, the trailers left me lukewarm and felt as if Pixar were about to start repeating themselves. The third Toy Story should have had me excited for the months of build up and it just didn't. Then I saw it.
Toy Story 3 is just a master class in treating its audience with the respect they deserve. We've all grown with these characters and for most of us we adore these toys, so dropping them in a situation where Andy is getting too old for his toys kicks off proceedings in a place that tugs the heartstrings and keeps us in the palm of its hands. For me you only need the ever so slight hint that Bo Peep is no longer in the toy box and Woody's moment of sadness and the drama is there—but Pixar take it even further.
Now I'll admit the middle act really is just a celebration of what's come before. The toys' mission isn't really re-inventing the wheel and Lotso is a little too close to Stinky Pete for my liking, but there's still plenty to enjoy (Mr Potato Head's element is particularly fun and Ken and Barbie are awesome). It's when the toys leave the nursery and end up in the junk yard that Toy Story 3 goes somewhere new. Somewhere never really touched on in what is essentially a kids movie and when the toys reach the incinerator room, Toy Story transcends from a total worthy sequel to a whole new plateau of awesome. The silent moment where the toys reach out for each other in what they believe is the end, is simply astonishing. You just feel it and you're right there with the characters in a way most live action movies fail at and for a second or two you genuinely feel that Pixar might very well end the franchise in the most gut wrenching way they could... even on repeat viewings.
Toy Story 3 is just a perfect close to the fantastic trilogy, Andy passing on his toys is a scene full of equal measure of happiness and sadness and even though I don't want to see another Toy Story movie (mainly it's because of the fear that there's no way they can pull this off again) there's something in me that feels like these toy's adventures could run and run and Pixar seems to have cracked a movie making code that no one else has been privy too before.
The Blu-ray is just perfection and a new standard setter for me. It's a shame there wasn't one massive documentary to cover the entire trilogy, but there's enough of the good stuff on the disc to be happy with.
"You have to dream bigger darling."
Christopher Nolan's movies between his kick ass Batman adventures seem to have the director pushing the envelope rather than coasting between his big event movies. The Prestige is a movie I kept watching for all the subtleties and Inception ramped that up another notch. Nolan took the success of The Dark Knight and convinced Warner Bros to seemingly let him go and play. Inception delivered something new to us in 2010 and even though it deals with a lot of the same subjects as movies like The Matrix, Nolan didn't need to put sunglasses on it to make it cool.
Inception, on first viewing hit me so hard that I left the cinema feeling as if I may have just seen one of the best films ever made. How the hell Nolan pulled off the effects, the ease of telling a complicated story and the ability to fit a fairly long movie into what felt like a heartbeat of time was something to be in awe of. Then came the dissection of what I'd just seen and the weeks of theories about what was real, how much of it could be a dream, and just how much of what I'd seen could mean that that totem would continue to spin forever as the credits roll filled my conversations with friends and I was itching rewatches.
The Blu-ray came along and I was on it like a shot. The presentation was stunning and I have to say that on the repeat viewing, I am more inclined to go with what we're shown is in fact what's actually happening and the theories of "but what if.." have all but been put to one side. The more I watch it, the more I love Cobb's entire team rather than just him as the central focus. The playful relationship Arthur and Eames have is brilliant. I love everything about Mal's presence in the film and those closing scenes and the choice of score just makes for a fantastic finale. Inception not only has Nolan progressed as a director but it was finally an intelligent movie that made money at the box office. On a personal note, seeing as Nolan seems to get better with every movie I am now itching to see where the next Batman movie turns out.
I WAS SO READY FOR THIS MOVIE. I'd been in love with the Scott Pilgrim comic books for the past year or so and after that first trailer I was floored. Edgar Wright had totally got it. Michael Cera felt like Scott and the entire cast just brought the best comic book series of the last decade to life. But remember, one trailer don't mean the movie will be good. The build up began. The last comic book ruled. The soundtrack ruled, the merchandise kicked ass, the game was a retro delight and even the game's soundtrack was a masterpiece. Seriously by the time the movie came around, if it was a failure it would have been the biggest bummer of all time. So with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World utterly sweeping me off my feet within the first ten minutes this movie was pretty much cemented at the top of my list for 2010.
Now without taking any credit away from Edgar Wright, who brings this to life in a big bad way and he's made one of the most rewatchable movies in my entire collection, the biggest chunk of credit here really needs to go to Brian O'Malley who made the gloriousness of the world of Scott Pilgrim already in black and white (with a few pages of colour) before it hit our screens. Those comic books are near perfect pieces of comic book and all of those characters were sitting waiting for someone to get them on screen. Edgar totally got it and judging by the Blu-ray features as well as the odd podcasts his movie adaptation grew with the making of the books and everything just came together in the perfect way.
Any fan of the books must have been in seventh heaven when they saw this movie. The great dialogue is intact, the changes feel right and the characters are spot on. Kim Pine on screen is as dry as she is in the books, Stephen Stiles and Young Neil feel more alive than they did on the page, Ramona is every bit as cool as she needs to be and Knives is as adorable. Gideon Graves is in the safe hands of Jason Schwartzman, whose work here is phenomenally enjoyable and every single one of the evil exes bring their own flavour in insanely enjoyable ways (oh and on a side note the vegan police were a delight). But front and centre is our star. Scott Pilgrim and Michael Cera got it bang on. Pilgrim is obviously confident and for me at least, he captures some genuine/ludicrous insecurities that this young adult has bouncing around his head. Scott Pilgrim may be a relative newbie on the scene but for me he's already one of my favourite comic book characters ever, so seeing him brought to life so well on screen felt like a personal treat.
With my love affair with Scott Pilgrim at its peak I find it hard to believe that there's no one that didn't have a total blast with this flick, but I know that's not the case. Pilgrim may very well be for the select few but those select few have a movie they can truly cherish and watch and watch and watch again with every single viewing being as awesome as the last. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is far and away my favourite film of 2010. The Blu-ray release is absolutely astonishing across the board with A/V and extras to die for and I can see this movie becoming a new default choice when someone suggests... "What do you fancy watching?" Scott Pilgrim vs. the World owned my 2010 and I may very well go watch it again now. K-0!
So there we go, my Top 10 of 2010. Generally I'd say that despite some real gems, 2010 as a whole was disappointing for the world of movies. The summer was a near write off, but the odd movies that got it right, got it right in a big bad way. Also in a year that raved about 3D, my love of the new technology all but died and I don't know about you guys but I'm so over it already (especially the paying extra at the cinema). Blu-ray moved forward a bit more with Avatar setting a new standard in visuals, Toy Story 3 keeping CGI animation perfection going and Scott Pilgrim setting a standard for what Blu-ray packages need to do to impress.
But what's next? What does 2011 hold? Let's take a peek...
Well the super heroes are back with a vengeance. Marvel throw us the next wave of avengers with Captain America and Thor and X-Men First Class too (please be more like the comics than Singer's were and please don't be Wolverine-bad). DC finally put Batman and Superman to one side for a bit and give us another big hitter Green Lantern. Oh and don't forget Green Hornet, which despite being written off before it's even released actually looks pretty cool to me, and by what I've seen of Super we might be in for a treat there too.
Other big loud movies like Drive Angry, Real Steel and Suckerpunch look like they could be a whole lot of fun, as does Battle: Los Angeles. Big sequels are on the way too, Scream 4 looks fun, Kung Fu Panda 2 left me a bit cold as does Cars 2, but I would like to be surprised. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides needs to be more like the original and almost nothing like those lousy sequels to win me over. Transformers 3 had better come out fighting and all the talk of making up for the second movie better be true because that teaser trailer was a dud. The Potter franchise left me behind after the fourth one and part one of The Deathly Hollows was just a two hour camping trip but I'm up for an exciting finale with Part 2. Lastly there's Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol. MI:3 was frickin' awesome, so more of that please Mr. Cruise.
Rounding up comedies like Hangover 2 and Your Highness should bring the chuckles, The new Muppet movie deserves to be fantastic and despite knowing it'll probably suck, the kid in me wants Smurfs to be awesome and not the blue version of the Chipmunks (which so far it looks like). Other bits that look great are Tree of Life and JJ's Super 8 as well as the return of Spielberg with War Horse and of course Star Wars on Blu-ray as well as trailers for Star Wars 3D and details of the new Batman and Superman movies for 2012.
So all in all there'll be plenty to get excited about in 2011 and we all deserve a good run of summer movies because the last few have been pretty weak. Anyway, see you all in 2011 to see what the year has in store for us... HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Editorial by Marcus Doidge
Existing Posts
Can't really disagree with much on this list. I thought Tron had solid visuals but a vapid story, so it wouldn't be on my personal top 10.... but your top 4 for exactly the same as mine.
Well the short and sweet version of that goes like this.
Pilgrim would still be top of the list as it's a fantastic all rounder. I loved the weekend I had devouring the Back to the Future box set, despite the talk of DNR I was satisfied with the end result so it didn't bother me too much. The final Lost box set was pretty great overall as well but something was missing for me to say it was amazing.
Outside of that I can't think of any other packages I was completely happy with. Not off the top of my head anyway. Inception and Toy Story kicked A/V ass but the features were a bit of a let down for me and even though it was great getting the Alien boxset all those feature were wasted on me as I'd seen them countless times before.
There's been a whole lot of good transfers, some great audio tracks and some fantastic extras throughout the year but 2010 offered up little for me in the way of totally satisfying overall packages. I think I'd need to knock up three separate lists in order to name the best Blu-ray's of the year
And after writing all that I feel like I've missed an obvious great release...
Pilgrim would still be top of the list as it's a fantastic all rounder. I loved the weekend I had devouring the Back to the Future box set, despite the talk of DNR I was satisfied with the end result so it didn't bother me too much. The final Lost box set was pretty great overall as well but something was missing for me to say it was amazing.
Outside of that I can't think of any other packages I was completely happy with. Not off the top of my head anyway. Inception and Toy Story kicked A/V ass but the features were a bit of a let down for me and even though it was great getting the Alien boxset all those feature were wasted on me as I'd seen them countless times before.
There's been a whole lot of good transfers, some great audio tracks and some fantastic extras throughout the year but 2010 offered up little for me in the way of totally satisfying overall packages. I think I'd need to knock up three separate lists in order to name the best Blu-ray's of the year
And after writing all that I feel like I've missed an obvious great release...
I was expecting a Top 10 Blu-ray list.
This has to be, without a doubt, the worst "Best of" list I have ever seen anywhere for anything ever. UGH!
Watched The King's Speech today. Great stuff. Firth proves again, as with "A Single Man", that he is one of the best actors working today. Will probably slip into my list at number 7 and push off Dogtooth.
Great list. Very close to mine!
I thought Toy Story 3 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 were the two best movies of 2010.
I was with you until you mentioned Toy Story 3 being good. It was horrible. The ending was so depressing and should never have happened. The movie was one of the worst movies that I've ever seen. And this coming from someone who's seen Overdrawn At The Memorybank, Cloverfield, and Dark Knight.
Hmm, I thought Tron Legacy was a let down. Flynn's son had the acting abilities of Jake Lloyd. And the middle of the film came to a boring crawl with so many slow downs and expositions told one after the other, it became a chore. Tron Legacy had so much more potential, and they dropped the ball. Hard. But hey, it was a beautiful film, I'll give it that.
Top 10 of 2010
1. Inception
2. Black Swan
3. The Social Network
4. Somewhere
5. Shutter Island
6. Toy Story 3
7. Winter's Bone
8. Never Let Me Go
9. The Town
10. The Ghost Writer
Honorable Mentions
Please Give
I Am Love
The Kids Are All Right
Mother and Child
Enter the Void
Yet to see
127 Hours
True Grit
Blue Valentine
Another Year
The King's Speech
The Fighter
1. Inception
2. Black Swan
3. The Social Network
4. Somewhere
5. Shutter Island
6. Toy Story 3
7. Winter's Bone
8. Never Let Me Go
9. The Town
10. The Ghost Writer
Honorable Mentions
Please Give
I Am Love
The Kids Are All Right
Mother and Child
Enter the Void
Yet to see
127 Hours
True Grit
Blue Valentine
Another Year
The King's Speech
The Fighter
Yeah Antichrist was a good 'un. 127 Hours and True Grit are on my to do list for early 2011.
As for Kick Ass. Liked it. But only really the first half. The more out there it gets the more I disconnected for some reason.
As for Kick Ass. Liked it. But only really the first half. The more out there it gets the more I disconnected for some reason.
Good list, Marcus. Even though I wouldn't place some of your choices in my personal top ten, I am very fond of a lot of them. Good to see Youth in Revolt getting some love. I have yet to watch Tron: Legacy, but I'm not very enthusiastic about it.
Here is mine:
1. The Social Network
2. Blue Valentine
3. Toy Story 3
4. 127 Hours
5. Scott Pilgrim
6. Exit Through the Gift Shop
7. Inception
8. The Fighter
9. True Grit
10. Dogtooth
Runners up include "Jackass 3-D", Bong Joon-ho's "Mother", Kim Ji-woon's "I Saw the Devil", "Best Worst Movie", and "Antichrist"
Here is mine:
1. The Social Network
2. Blue Valentine
3. Toy Story 3
4. 127 Hours
5. Scott Pilgrim
6. Exit Through the Gift Shop
7. Inception
8. The Fighter
9. True Grit
10. Dogtooth
Runners up include "Jackass 3-D", Bong Joon-ho's "Mother", Kim Ji-woon's "I Saw the Devil", "Best Worst Movie", and "Antichrist"
Agree 100% with your #1 pick. However no Kick-Ass even mentioned on this list is a travesty IMO.
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text:
Ubisoft: Don't wait 7 years to launch PS5
This long console cycle should not be repeated, says Ubisoft.
The firm, which took to the stage last night to reveal Watch Dogs for PS4, told MCV that new consoles invite more creativity and more innovative titles. And that the publisher doesn't want to wait seven years for PS5.
But CEO Yves Guillemot says there's certainly plenty of innovations on, and 'revolutionary social features', for PS4 that will keep his teams busy for some time yet.
"No we don't want to wait seven years for the next one," he said.
"We will have cloud gaming that will improve over time, for sure. And we certainly have enough novelties for a few years.
"The consoles have taken a long time, we've been saying it for a long time. It's really once those consoles come that we can let creative people more risk, and they feel they can take more risk because new consoles can be more open.
"They have so many features that they can play with. It's easier to be a creative person with new consoles, because after four years of people using all the capacity, it's harder to be innovative. With PS4, we will see new ideas and new ways to approach gamers. And that will excite consumers and excite creators."
He adds that he believes the firm's developers will be able to get the best out of PS4 faster than it did PS3, because the device is built on familiar PC architecture.
"PS4 is a great machine, we'll be able to make things look fantastic," adds Guillemot.
"Because the teams are working hard on their projects, I think we will see good things from the start. Sure, in two years engineers will figure out how to do a lot more. But these machines are easier to build on than before, so we should be able to reach their potential quicker."


text:
Mahendra Kumar Dash
عضو منذ ١٣ نوفمبر، ٢٠١٣
- 1 المشاركة
Animated Short Movie - Pushkin
Though we are malnourished, we have a suffer from hunger and poverty, some of use are uneducated, and work underaged, we still have the will and desire. We will come up one day.
Happy Children's Day.
We observe today in fond memory of Chacha Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the 1st Prime minister of the country. He was born on this day and he loved us.


text:
Haiti, Port-au-Prince, Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)
|This article describes a collection of historical records available at FamilySearch.org.
Access the records: Haiti, Civil Registration, Port-au-Prince, 1794-1843 .
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Title in the Language of the Records
Haïti, Port-au-Prince registre d'état civil
Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1794 to 1843.
This is a collection of birth, marriage, and death records from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Prior to 1804 Haiti was first claimed by Spain and then granted to France in 1697. During French governance, Haiti was known as Saint-Domingue. Some of the records were created using the Republican Calendar (1792-1806). Please see the website link listed in the Related Website section of this article for information on the Republican Calendar. The records were handwritten in French.
Local registry offices create the civil events, such as birth, marriage, and death, of citizens in their jurisdiction. The registrar sends the records to the Ministry of Justice annually, which verifies the records and affixes a seal before transferring them to the National Archives. A copy of the record is also kept at the local registry office or at the Civil Court Clerk's Office (Bureau du greffe du Tribunal civil). Unfortunately, a large number of births are not registered in Haiti.
The civil registration was created to record the events of birth, marriage, death, and other civil events, which would determine and prove the civil status and existence of citizens.
Civil registration records are a very reliable source for doing genealogical research after 1804, the year when civil registration was implemented in Haiti.
For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.
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It is often helpful to extract the information on all children with the same parents. If the surname is unusual, you may want to compile entries for every person of the same surname and sort them into families based on the names of the parents. Continue to search the records to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who were born in the same town or nearby location.
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Related Websites
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Related Wiki Articles
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"Argentina, Buenos Aires, Catholic Church Records, 1635-1981," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 28 February, 2012), La Plata > San Ponciano > Matrimonios 1884-1886 > image 71 of 389 images, Artemio Avendano and Clementina Peralta, 1884; citing Parroquia de San Ponciano en la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Matrimonios. San Ponciano, La Plata, Buenos Aires.


text:
Studying Theology+RS
The theolog's survival pack
Ultimate Realities 2: On and up from base camp
Bob Horn
- Bob Horn (1933-2005) was General Secretary of UCCF. View all resources by Bob Horn
Every Christian has opportunities and problems. Some give the impression that their lives are one long triumphal procession, a continuous mountain-top experience; others look as though they are always head-down in the valleys. The Bible has light to throw on all this.
They had their problems
All the characters of Old Testament history had their ups and downs, whether through hard circumstances or falling to temptations think of Abraham and Moses, Samson and David. And the Bible gives us warnings from the sad examples of everyday people - such as the Israelites who experienced the exodus deliverance and then sinned in their desert journey (1 Corinthians 10:6-11).
It was the same in New Testament days. On the one hand, the gospel made terrific advances through the early Christians. On the other hand, they had their problems. Some, for example, could not believe that God had worked for Peter, to deliver him from prison. They could not accept the words of the servant girl, Rhoda, when she told them that God had answered their prayers and released Peter (Acts 12:15). Or think of three typical problems that James mentions in his letter: those who gave preferential treatment to the rich; those who were unbridled in the use of their tongues; and those who started quarrels because of their coveting (James 2:14; 3:12; 4:13).
Even the leaders had problems
Remember how Peter failed to act in line with the truth of the gospel in Antioch and had to be rebuked (Galatians 2:14). Or listen in on the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over what to do about Mark, who had deserted them (Acts 15:39).
Bible characters had their wanderings and wonderings, so it is no surprise that we do too. It is easy to list some of the problems that unsettle believers today: problems of relationships; problems at home and at work; problems of being sure that God has accepted us; problems of guidance; of prosperity or failure; of self-esteem and personal identity; problems about goals; problems of depression and loneliness; of trusting God in an age of doubt; of weaknesses ... the list goes on and on.
Identifying our problems
It is often quite hard to identify what the problem is. And when we have identified the problems, the practical question is: what do we do with them? The danger is that we become preoccupied with ourselves in ways that may simply ape society around us. The feel-good factor drives the content of many magazines - how I can feel good about my image, my clothes, my car, my friends, my career. Many try to offer some form of popular therapy. Some put spiritual phrases and a Christian veneer on such approaches. Hence the many books, magazines, videos, seminars and conferences that claim to speak relevantly to these matters. As one writer has said, there are the wow books and the how books on ways to deal with everything from memories to self-esteem.
This is certainly not all to be dismissed. Much is helpful. We can all think of books or sermons that have come to our rescue on particular issues. And, of course, even a quick reading of the New Testament makes dear that it too was in business to deal with troubles and perplexities. Jesus dealt with a wide variety of problems for many different people, as the Samaritan woman and the rich young man discovered (John 4:1-42; Mark 10:17- 23). Most of the New Testaments letters devote half their space to practical questions in their readers lives and churches. The Bible faces up to such down-to-earth situations.
The New Testament, however leaves us with the growing feeling that its approach is different from ours. It seems to view life from another vantage point, to come to us with a radically different focus. It is not problem-orientated though in a profound sense it is problem-solving. It is not difficulty- dominated, though it enables the disciple to overcome. It is not a how to manual merely offering techniques, though it does give ways forward. It does not revolve around our needs like some therapy, though it knows well enough how to handle our true predicament.
The Crucial Difference
What is the difference between the New Testaments approach and ours? Two illustrations may throw light on this. We are like inexperienced climbers about to set out on the first great expedition. Full of raw enthusiasm, we dont want to take time tediously surveying the best route to our chosen peak. It is too laborious to set up all the supplies and emergency equipment we might need. We feel that weve got what it takes, and anyway, we want to be on our way. We have heard one or two accounts of others who made the ascent and they made it sound possible. We ignore the leaders instructions to prepare properly and one bright morning we set out ahead of him.
We soon conquer a few foothills and feel were making progress. Then the problems start. The mist closes in, our food runs low, we didnt pack a compass and we brought no charts. Without a base camp, the expedition will come to grief. We were too short-term in our approach, and the long-term prospects suffer.
To use a second illustration, we are like students approaching an exam or a major piece of course work. Were pressed for time and not on top of the syllabus, still less the whole subject. We become nervous and know that we need help now. So we look for quick solutions. We seek answers to fill-in those gaps of which, in our ignorance we are vaguely aware. We want someone to solve our immediate maths problem. We lock up a few quotations to pad out our literature essay. By these means we may pass, but this tactic will give us no under standing or grasp of the principles of the subject. It will never make us at home in it, because it simply deals with a few random parts. It may answer for today, but will give no basis for next year. It will certainly not help us to get a job or, if we find one, to be able to keep it. It will not give us true knowledge to put into practice.
The other way round
The New Testament puts things the other way round. It begins by surveying the ground and building the base camp. It stocks it with the food and equipment, maps and instructions, means of communication, emergency services and medical supplies which we will need for the ascent. Then it assures us that God himself, as the leader of the expedition, will go with us as we climb.
To take the other illustration, the New Testament starts by taking us through a lively and vital syllabus; it may not all seem relevant right now, but later on it will enable us to face and answer the questions which the examination of life will pose in each successive test. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit then commits himself to teaching and training us day by day, in the company of his people.
How does the Bible do this? Basically by introducing us to the ultimate realities. It cuts through our misconceptions and misunderstandings, brings us face to face with God and shows us how he sees things.
Introducing the ultimate
It presents to us the truth about God, the great overlord of our destiny. It displays his power and majesty. It describes his plans and decrees. It demonstrates that his purposes determine the worlds course and our individual story, that his are the promises that count and that he has the decisive say in all that goes on. It declares, moreover, that this God is for us and that he has chosen us for good - not for any good in us, but to receive good from him.
It tells us that this God has spoken. He is not a silent deity, leaving us to guess his mind and will, but the personal God who reveals himself. He uses language, the gift he gave when he created man and woman, to tell us what he is like and what he seeks from us. His book defines the truth about ourselves. It unmasks what we are actually like, why we are as we are, what we can and cannot do, and what we are responsible for. it gives us the only totally reliable understanding of ourselves, because it sets us before our Maker.
Through the Old Testament and into the New it reveals more and more of the truth about Jesus Christ, telling us the facts about his coming in history and what those facts mean. More centrally, it shows him as the embodiment of Gods unprecedented love for us. He is the one who sacrificed himself in our place, turning away the just judgment and wrath of God by accepting the penalty of our guilt. The Bible portrays him as rescuing sinners of every kind people of every class and colour, from all over the world, from every one of the hastening centuries. It reveals his eternal purpose to create a people for himself. It guarantees to all who trust in Christ the experience of new life and total pardon from God.
It opens up the truth about how God works in us, how he turns rebels into friends, aliens into children, lovers of self into lovers of God. The New Testament radiates the warming fact that, from the burnt-out ashes of our lives, God can reconstruct a temple in which he is happy to live. It tells how he does this by his Spirits gentle welcome and powerful entry into our lives. The Bible tells us that he does all this work in us within the company of his people. It stresses the fact that we walk the pilgrim way and bear our living witness along with all those who call on his name.
It is thoroughly realistic and reassuring. Lest we harbour fears about the future, it offers us a preview of the end. We may have doubts about whether we will make it to the goal of the journey, or wonder what will happen if we fall and disappoint Christ, so the Bible announces that one day the saints will go marching in to their eternal home, bloodied in the battle but unbowed. And it promises that Christ will return.
From, through, to and for
It is in the base camp of such stunning facts and truths that the Bible begins to handle our problems. Everything, as Paul told the Christians in Rome, revolves round God (Romans 11:33 36). Everything good about our life is from God. He is the origin, the Lord and giver of our existence, the governor of our every breath. He made us, he meets us, he reconciles us, he renews us, he rules us. There is nothing good about us that we have not received from him (1 Corinthians 4:7). We are total debtors; he is the sole donor.
Moreover, everything about our salvation is through him. It is by means of his Sons life and death that we are pardoned and adopted. It is by the resurrection power of his Spirit that we have life. It is by means of his Word that we know the truth and are set free. It is by his sustaining strength that we keep going. It is by his supernatural dynamic that the gospel advances. It is all through him.
Everything is also to him and for him. He designed us to live to the praise of his glory. He made us to please him and is busy remaking us to display, both now and in the coming ages, the incomparable wealth of his grace (Ephesians 1:6; 2:7). We are here for him, to serve his purposes, do his will and honour his Son each day.
God, from beginning to end
God, from beginning to end - that is the perception the Bible gives from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen (Romans 11:36).
This has a practical bearing on our lives, individual and corporate. Gods base camp is stocked with all the ultimate realities all those supplies that we will need in our tense and testing journey through life. Gods teaching programme has in it all that we shall ever need to know this side of glory. This has two powerful effects.
First, on our approach to what we are to believe. Every age throws up its own fashionable beliefs or doubts. At various times the vogue has been for doubt to be cast on the Bible, on the resurrection, on miracles or judgment, on the deity of Christ, on the exclusive claims of the gospel or on the existence of absolute, universal truth. This is why we look for and need to find truth in the midst of confusion. The chapters that follow try to open up the meaning and relevance for today of a typical statement of faith, as used for many years by the UCCF and many other Christian bodies. It has been of great value to countless individual churches and organizations providing a brief summary of what they stand for.
Many national churches, student movements and mission agencies around the world now use such a basis, showing that the truths it enshrines transcend local differences of history culture and background. Down the years it has exerted a strong unifying influence, holding together Bible believers from different traditions. It is a summary of base-camp, essential, core truth - not attempting to cover everything the Bible says, but highlighting those central truths that are at its heart (or were from time to time particularly attacked). It expresses, moreover, the unity in the gospel that brings believers together from various denominational backgrounds. These are the truths which, when held by the mind and heart, inspire Christians to bring Christ to others.
Questions about ourselves
The other effect of this is on our personal lives. You may have questions about yourself. Maybe youve never felt that you understood who and what you are. You remain a mystery to yourself. Why do you do the things you do? Why the gulf between where you are and what you want to be? And does your life have any significance anyway? Are you just a faceless statistic in the human crowd, just a back-row member of the congregation? Do you matter to anyone? Do you matter to God?
You may be anxious about assurance, low self-esteem, feeling that you are nobody special and not noticeably gifted. You are conscious of failures and weaknesses, feeling guilty about some past sins, doing your best but sometimes unsure whether you qualify to break the bread and drink the wine at the Lords table. You believe that God is love - but is he love to you? You know that Christ died and believe that he has done his part, but are you accepted as righteous in Gods sight? This lack of assurance in turn creates a problem in your witness. If you were more convinced about God for yourself, you would be more courageous about the gospel for others.
These are genuine problems, not in the least exceptional or uncommon. That is one reason why there are so many Bible verses that speak to them. Take two questions as examples. Do you matter? Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Another translation could be: It matters to God about you. Is assurance possible? If God is for us, who can be [successfully] against us? ... I am convinced that [nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31,3839).
More than isolated verses
Those are great verses, but God gives much more powerful help than isolated texts. Those texts, marvellous in themselves, are infinitely more glorious when seen for what they are: just some of the splendid details of the vast, majestic picture that God has unveiled to us in the Bible. He wants us to stand back for a while and take in the whole canvas he has painted. He wants us to absorb and admire his breathtaking plan of salvation, the grand design of our Saviour-Sovereign. He wants us (to revert to the earlier illustration) to become familiar and thrilled with all the supplies he has laid on for our expedition. We will lose out if we merely run a cursory glance over this tin of food or that compass. Christ wants us to make our own all the resources he has bequeathed to us from his pioneering journey through life and death.
As we scan through our statement of belief in the following chapters, we stand in awe before a panorama of the immense, many-splendoured Bible picture of God and his purposes. Each chapter sets out some of Gods truths which our human minds need, and some of the heavenly resources which our earthly route will require. They are not problem-solving chapters, though they will answer lots of questions. They aim to give wide-angle vision. They offer a framework of biblical understanding and that in turn can enable us to see where our questions and problems fit in. They do not answer all the questions about the way, but they do set up the base camp to equip and encourage us to go higher up and further on with God. This is, after all, simply a brief introduction to core Christian beliefs.
Truths power to change
The truths outlined in these chapters can change us from being self-centred or problem-centred to being God-centred. They can root out our obsession with short-term cures and set us on the road to long-term spiritual health. They can lift us from the valleys of our own (little?) troubles, to the high ground of loving God and knowing his love poured out into our hearts by his Spirit (Romans 5:5). They can settle doubts and fears and put a new spring of assurance into our step and service.
The truths set out here have been the inheritance and delight of believers down all the centuries. They have been rediscovered in each generation they have to be, because they get obscured by our sinful minds (which do not like them) and the devil (who hates them). They are not in the least new in themselves, though they are ever new. They have made strong, Christ-centred Christians out of weak, self-centred mortals ever since the days when they were first revealed. By Gods Spirit, they still have that power and that is exciting for us today.
Excitement about the future
Yes, there is excitement in these pages, though it is not the froth and bubble variety that recedes when the tide of events goes out, or disappears when our fun bubbles burst. It is the excitement of being appointed to the expedition, of setting out to climb the heights. It is what Paul felt when he wrote: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal (Philippians 3:13- 14). The future is still future and therefore unknown, though a new part of it arrives every day. None of us has yet climbed the peaks that lie ahead, whatever we have achieved in the past. This is why we may not see at once the relevance to the expedition of everything the leader has said or supplied. We may fail entirely to see the point of this instruction or that truth. Some information may make no sense to us at all right now; we may think we know better. Some maps are too detailed, we think; some directions seem odd. Surely we could work out a better route? But all that he has said and provided will come into its own as we go on. When we finally arrive, we will know that all he gave was absolutely vital to our survival and wellbeing.
The more familiar we are with what God has revealed, the more we shall enjoy the climb and the views. The more we use what the leader has supplied, the more he will be honoured by our progress, the better will we survive and the more strength and exhilaration will we find as we walk in his steps. The more you tread the high places in company with the Son of God, the more you will look back to thank him that he set his affection on you (Deuteronomy 7:7) and that he has met all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
This book, then, is about the truth of the God who is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
1. What would you say to the argument that doctrine is dry and unrelated to life and that what we need is experience?
2. What is the biblical relationship between Gods revelation and our experience - or between our understanding and our living?
3. As Christians we are pulled between being self-centred (our problems) and God-centred (his will). How does his truth help us to get things right?
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Ultimate Realities 3: Positive Helps
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