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I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightning.
I see bad times today.
~ John Fogerty.
This weekend, Yüksekova and Hakkari led the way on payback for the new realities on the ground in Turkey.
Below is a video from Yüksekova showing the protests in the city this weekend. Please note that although it may be possible for some people to mistake the police in this video for Israeli security forces and the protestors as Gazans, this is not the case.
Although, it's also possible for some to ask me what the difference is between Turkish and Israeli security forces and I'd have to say, "None."
Here's a similar video (hat tip: Özgür Gündem), which shows a pack of Turkish--not Israeli--police severely beating one Kurd--not a Palestinian.
In Beytüşşebap, Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown at the Kaymakam's headquarters and the post office building. There were also clashes with police. My sources indicate that no DTP party members intervened to end the beating of two not-so-lucky police in Beytüşşebap. There's a tiny bit from ANF on that here: http://www.firatnews.com/index.php?rupel=nuce&nuceID=18508 and something at Özgür Gündem.
The word from the region is that not only did the Kurds of Hakkari beat the shit out of two Turkish police, the people had also disarmed the police. In a moment of irony, if not for the intervention of DTP party members, the goat-smelling asses of these two police would have been torn to pieces by the crowd. You can see a video of those police getting what they so richly deserve, here.
Better luck next time.
Radikal had a number of photos from Hakkari, here. Below is a selection:
In another item, I noticed that Radikal was reluctant to show the faces of two fascists who shot Şevket Aslan, a Kurdish youth who was attending a protest against DTP's closure in İstanbul Beyoğlu, but ANF had no such qualms. Here are the photos:
(Source: http://www.firatnews.com/gallery/index.php?rupel=galeri&gid=2491)
The images were captured by an AFP photographer. I hope they are spread around as much as possible so that these two hyenas can meet with an untimely end.
Human Rights Watch released a statement on DTP's closure. It says, "Blah, blah, blah, blah", which is exactly the same thing the ECHR is going to say about DTP's closure when their case finally makes its way through all the bullshit legal hurdles of the world's finest "democracies".
Excuse me for a moment while I vomit.
To end on a positive note, almost 800 new guerrillas have joined HPG in the last nine months (Source: http://www.firatnews.com/index.php?rupel=nuce&nuceID=18013). That's almost 100 new recruits per month. With any luck, by the spring we may see an increase in that average.


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Let me give you a very simple, practical explanation.
- REST is a methodology for creating web services.
- The point of RESTful web services is to be as simple as possible.
- RESTful web services use HTTP Methods: GET, POST, DELETE, PUT. You do not use the URL or the request body to specify the method.
- RESTful web services use URLs specify what objects should be operated upon.
- RESTFUL web services use HTTP status codes as return values.
- The HTTP request body of a RESTful web service call is used only for data - not to specify the method, target objects, or return value.
The point of writing web services using REST is to take advantage of the simplicity of the HTTP protocol, and not to work against it. Your web service calls end up being very simple and easy to understand.
Here's an example of using a REST web service. This is a javascript function that retrieves a task object from the web service.
function sendGetTaskRequest(packet, template, task, handler) {
// This line creates a web request
requestGetTask = new XMLHttpRequest();
// This line specifies the HTTP method and the URL.
// Notice the URL is simply a path to an object.
requestGetTask.open("GET", baseUrl + "/v1/packets/" + packet +
"/templates/" + template + "/tasks/" + task);
// This line hooks up a method to handle the response
requestGetTask.onreadystatechange = handler;
// This line sends the request
So to get a task, I just have to make a GET request to the task URL. To add a task, I could just POST to the tasks URL. REST makes web services very easy to use.
If you want a really good book to learn about REST, I recommend RESTful Web Services by Leonard Richardson and Sam Ruby.

subset: commoncrawl


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Book Rental
Save Some Green
Book Rental may be an option to use to save on your text book cost. Book rental is available with our text book partner and online bookstore. Textbook rental allows you to use the book for the term or semester and return the book back to the vendor.
Check on Book Rentals!
Helpful Hints:
- Keep in mind your book must be returned on time to avoid additional charges.
- You must supply credit card information as security to rent a book.
- You will receive an email with pre-paid postage to return your book.
- You may not use a book voucher to rent a book.


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Researchers in Oregon have announced they were able to create embryos bearing genes from one man and two women, which could theoretically lead to babies born to three genetic parents.
This isn't mere Frankenstein science for the sake of making so-called "designer babies." Early-stage human embryos with genes from three parents some day may keep newborns from inheriting rare diseases carried by maternal genes.
The gene transplant researchers led by Masahito Tachibana of the Oregon Health & Science University produced early-stage human embryos that contained healthy versions of "mitochondrial" DNA, which only comes from a mother.
Defects in those genes can cause diseases involving muscle weakness, brain abnormalities and other ailments that occur in 1,000 to 4,000 births every year nationwide.
The study researchers do not intend to produce children with the engineered embryos and called for further safety study of the technique.
Plus: 6 Inherited Health Conditions
British experiments produced similar results four years ago.
Scientists say the process could guard against passing down certain horrible diseases from parent to child, but detractors raise ethical questions including the spectre of designer babies – the ability of parents to choose a child's sex or the color of a baby's eyes.
There's a one in 5,000 chance that babies will inherit a mitochondrial defective gene, leading to strokes, epilepsy, and many other problems. The new technique, if approved someday for routine use, would allow a woman to give birth to a baby who inherits her nucleus DNA but not her mitochondrial DNA.
A British bioethics group announced this summer that they would consider the technology ethical if it were demonstrated to work safely.
Rita Chappelle, a spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration, told USA Today that any requests to perform human experiments to test the gene-swapping process "would be carefully evaluated" by the agency to see if federal approval is required.
What do you think about the provocative new science? A slippery slope to designer babies or a new hope for the removal of gene defects? Let us know.


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Ollie; Perhaps these "tips" could make their way to the "Bay Area Kiteboarding Forum Index ª San Francisco Bay Area Kiteboarding Resources ª SF Bay Area Kiteboarding Locations & Guidelines ª [Coast] Waddell Creek" page.
Having watched the 'rotation' for a few hours late one afternoon on a weekend drive-by, one cannot miss the extension on the surfing pattern.
Way to go Gabe Your proactive guidance really helps me prepare for a cooperative, safe and friendly first-time on the waves. Hope to see ya out there sometime.


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For centuries, the winter solstice has been a day of celebration, rebirth and communing with friends, inspiring festivities that were the precursors to our modern holidays.
Falling this year at 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 21, the winter solstice signifies the moment when the Earth's northern hemisphere tilts most sharply away from the sun. It represents both the shortest day and the longest night of the year — the official start of winter.
Ancient peoples, ignorant of astronomy and the earth's axis, simply knew that the solstice marked the darkest time of the year, when the sun seemed to hover for days in the same position on the horizon.
"In olden days, it was a time of great fear," said David Weintraub, executive director of ECO of Henderson County. "The crops were dead, it was freezing cold and people didn't know if they would live until spring. So spiritual practices arose to counter that."
Romans observed the winter solstice with a weeklong feast honoring the god Saturn, while the Germanic people of northern Europe celebrated with Yule festivals, where animals were slaughtered, harvests toasted with wine and, yes, logs were burned.
"It became spiritual, in a sense, because the land was telling them something," Weintraub said. "The land needed a chance to replenish itself. It was a time to rest the land, to spend time with family. In cultures around the mountains, it was a time to dance and play music."
Every December for the past 15 years, ECO has held its own tradition to mark the solstice, a short nighttime hike with its members. This year's is scheduled — weather permitting — from 7-9 p.m. Friday along the Hooker Falls Trail in DuPont State Recreational Forest.
The outing is more of a stroll than a hike, Weintraub said. The .38-mile trip from the parking lot to the Hooker Falls overlook can take less than 15 minutes during the day. But Weintraub said the event is more about savoring the nighttime surroundings and the camaraderie of friends than racking up miles.
"It's a chance to commune with nature when the forest is quiet, peaceful and calm, listening to the sounds of the river and the rustling of leaves that might still be on the trees," he said.
Modern life has become so rushed, Weintraub observed, that even a short hike at night provides "a chance to slow down and reflect on the natural wonder around us."
For Mark Raymond of Dana, hiking in DuPont during the longest night of the year offers something else: fantastic star-gazing potential. Urban light pollution has made it difficult to see the full celestial range on any given night, he said, but not in DuPont on a cloud-free evening.
"When you get out where there are no city lights, there's a beautiful array of lights," Raymond said. "It's nice to be out at night with a group of people who are just enjoying the panoply of stars and the panorama of the night sky."
For Raymond's wife, Jean, the winter solstice also reminds her that brighter days are ahead.
"The sun is coming back," she said. "We're gardeners and love to work in the yard, to hike, to camp and backpack. The idea of day and sunshine returning to us, it takes us back to our rootedness on the planet, on the land, surrounded by all these phenomenal things."
Registration is required to participate in ECO's Winter Solstice Night Hike, which can be done by calling 828-692-0385. Participants are encouraged to bring flashlights and a thermos of hot beverage. The trip will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.
Discover nature at night hike, and feel the Earth's renewal
For centuries, the winter solstice has been a day of celebration, rebirth and communing with friends, inspiring festivities that were the precursors to our modern holidays.


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Oh my, it started talking and I got scared Im really surprised he won't vote for the one I thought he would have.
Up to two episodes ago, I would have voted for Amanda for sure out of all 4 of those girls. But now im not so sure based on just the way she acted towards me, and the way she played me on top of everyone else playing me. I don't know Parvarti very well but she might get my vote because she hasn't done anything to betray me like the other three.
I hear "blankedy blank might get my vote because she hasn't done anything to betray me like the other three". I think he is discussing all 4. But just how it sounds to me, of course! Out of context and all...
Page created in 0.072 seconds with 34 queries.


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Australia's Attorney General Says Metadata Collection Won't Track Your Web Surfing, Just The Web Addresses You Visit (Huh?)
from the say-what-now? dept
However, it's pretty clear that he has no idea what this all means. He gave an absolute train-wreck of a TV interview on SkyNews, trying to defend the policy, in which he claims that the metadata rules won't track your web surfing habits, but just what websites you visit -- as if that's a different thing. You can see the video here. It's quite incredible. First he claims that the telcos "already collect this data" for billing purposes, but they want to change the law because now flat rate plans mean telcos might not track this data. But then he jumps to internet metadata (which, uh, has never required tracking for billing purposes) and things get ridiculous quickly.
SkyNews host: Well, the Prime Minister today said "it's not what you're doing on the internet, it's the sites you're visiting." So will it be the sites you're visiting?I wouldn't normally include stuttering and false starts in a transcript, but in this case it seems somewhat necessary to show the level at which Brandis was clearly uncomfortable with the subject matter. The conversation then goes on to metadata for social media, and Brandis takes the easy out here saying that the rules are still being discussed. However, he does admit that metadata will be used for criminal investigations.
George Brandis: Well, well, it... it wouldn't extend, for example, to web surfing. So, what people are viewing on the internet is not going to be caught.
Host: So it's not the sites you're visiting.
Brandis: Well... um... what people are viewing on the internet when they web surf is not going to be caught. What will be caught is the... is the... is the, um... the web address they communicate to.
Host: Okay, so it's only the... I'm sorry... the web address? If I go to an internet site, that will be recorded and available?
Brandis: The web address... um... is... is part of the metadata.
Host: The website.
Brandis: Well, the web address. The electronic address of the website.
Host: Okay. If I go to the SkyNews website, the Australian website, a more questionable website, that will be... is that what we're talking about here?
Brandis: Well, I... b... m... m.... m... the... what you're viewing on the internet is not what we're interested in. And that's not what we're...
Host: You'll be able to see whether I've been to that website or that website or that website.
Brandis: Well, what we'll be able... what the security agencies want to know... to be retained... is the... is the electronic address of the website that the web user is visiting.
Host: So it does tell you the website.
Brandis: Well... well... it tells you the address of the website.
Host: That's the website, isn't it? It tells you what website you've been to.
Brandis: Well, when... when you visit a website you... you know, people browse from one thing to the next and... and... that browsing history won't be retained or... or... or... there won't be any capacity to access that.
Host: Excuse my confusion here, but if you are retaining the web address, you are retaining the website, aren't you?
Brandis: Well... the... every website has an electronic address, right?
Host: And that's recorded.
Brandis: And... um... whether there's a connection... when a connection is made between one computer terminal and a web address, that fact and the time of the connection, and the duration of the connection, is what we mean by metadata, in that context.
Host: But... that is... telling you... where... I've been on the web.
Brandis: Well, it... it... it... it... it... it... it records what web... what at... what electronic web address has been accessed.
Host: I don't see the difference between that and what website I've visited.
Brandis: Well, when you go to a website, commonly, you will go from one web page to another, from one link to another to another, within that website. That's not what we're interested in.
Host: Okay. So the overarching... if I go to... SkyNews website, it'll tell that, but not necessarily the links within that that I go to?
Brandis: Yes.
We've long argued that metadata is incredibly revealing, and anyone who claims it's "just metadata" has no clue what they're talking about. But here, Brandis takes that cluelessness to a new level. It's pretty clear that he is totally and completely ignorant of what he's discussing. At times it suggests he thinks that the web address doesn't reveal what you've been reading, and I thought maybe he thought that there's a real distinction between the web address and what you see on the page (which would be ridiculous). But at the end, he seems to imply that ISPs will only be asked to record the top level domain of pages you visit... which is... equally unlikely and almost certainly false. Everywhere else he says the "web address" which would be a lot more than the top level domain.
Either way, it seems abundantly clear that he doesn't understand the details, yet is pushing for legislation to make things happen when he is either completely ignorant of what it means, or he knows exactly what it means and knows that people would revolt over it, so he's trying to mislead everyone.
No matter what the truth is, he has no business setting up these rules.


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The issueshowed up while working on Human Resourcesmodule of Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. Once a new worker record(same scenario whether if it's an employee or a contractor) is created, or anexisting record is being modified, you can enter information about the worker'sbank account(s) by clicking on Bankaccounts in the Personal informationsection. Once you clickon that menu item, the system provides the Workerbank accounts form, by which you can enter a new record.
The Account identification field is the onlyone being mandatory to be filled, and that's exactly where the issue shows up:if the user is not a System administrator, doesn't matter how the field isbeing filled, the system always shows the error "Field 'Worker' must be filled in", making it impossible to completethe operation.
The fix initlizes the worker field on initMethod() of HcmWorkerBankAccount datasource so it won't be empty anymore.
More information
Note This is a "FAST PUBLISH" article created directly from within the Microsoft support organization. The information contained here in is provided as-is in response to emerging issues. As a result of the speed in making it available, the materials may include typographical errors and may be revised at any time without notice. See Terms of Use for other considerations.


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This edition contains rewritten chapters throughout, with expanded coverage of symmetry and group theory and related areas such as spectroscopy and crystallography. Reorganized chapters on bonding, coordination chemistry and organometallic chemistry are also included.Ellen A. Keiter is the author of 'Inorganic Chemistry: Principles of Structure and Reactivity (4th Edition)', published 1997 under ISBN 9780060429959 and ISBN 006042995X.[read more]
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This was a fun piece to paint. The possibilities are endless on the final look of the piece.
I saw a photo of this deer rock and fell in love with it! This was a fun piece to paint. The possibilities are endless on the final look of the piece. The rock or sky colors could be changed to match something in your house. This would make a special gift for some of those deer hunting friends.
Deer Rock
Kinzie KR6Paint sky area behind deer head with daffodil, with daffodil mixed with white drybrush over the yellow area; make it lighter as you go toward the top of the sky. Cover more than what you want with the yellow (this area will be used for blending). The pink area of the sky drybrush with dusty rose mixed with white to a soft pink color. Cover more than what you want with the pink (this area will be used for blending). Paint the blue part of the sky with navy blue mixed with white for a lighter blue. Feather the blue down into the pink to make clouds. Use a clean brush and white paint and make clouds. Base coat the rest of the piece black. Dry brush the top section of the mountains, rocks behind pine trees, side and back of the piece with fog. Drybrush with light grey and highlight with white. Drybrush middle and bottom section of the mountain, deer and trees with real brown. Dry brush middle section of mountains with fog. Dry brush bottom section of mountain with rust. Dry brush foreground rocks with dark grey and very lightly with shadow green and highlight with white. Dry brush pine trees with shadow green and highlight with leaf green. Paint tree trunks with real brown. Dry brush the deer with medium brown. With a clean brush dry brush white around eyes, belly, tail, chest, ears, and legs (refer to photo). Paint nose and eyes black with a white pupil. Spray with sealer.
As always, if you would like to see something on the blog, attend a class or two or have questions text me at 870-331-4255.
Doc Holliday Creative Paradise
Daffodil Dusty rose
Navy blue
Light grey
Real brown
Medium brown
Shadow green
Leaf green
Dark grey


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Remus Corcaci - Print • UI • Web
Hey there!
I'm Remus Corcaci, also known as ibib on various design and freelance websites. I'm a Graphic Designer based in Iasi, Romania.
I love doing Print, User Interface & Web related design. I love creating usable, good-looking and professional design.
My weapon of choice is Photoshop, but once-in-a-while I use Illustrator or Fireworks.
Besides designing awesome things I'm also a SEM/PPC enthusiast. When I'm not focused on design I'm usually in contact with interesting and remarkable people.
I am available for freelance!
For more info & quotations feel free to contact me.


text:
Throwback 2pac Clip Of The Week: Tupac's Mother Crying About Her Son's Death In 1997! (How Broke He Was Just 6 Months After He Died)
Submitted by Havern
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Chicken is an ingredient that i love to cook with. Most of the time i try to make something new with it. I have prepared many variations of chicken stir fry over the yrs, peppery chicken ,a herb chicken fry among the popular ones in the family.This one is the simplest of them all with salt ,pepper and a dash of chilli pdr being the only spices added.I also coated the chicken with some all purpose flour for some crispiness and a change of texture. They are quick to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious. Great as appetizers.
Chicken tenders - 4 strips, cut to bite size pieces
Salt and pepper
Chilli pdr - 1/2 tsp
All purpose flour -enough to coat the chicken
Onions - a medium size,sliced
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Marinate the chicken with salt,pepper and chilli pdr.Coat it well with some flour.Leave it aside.Heat oil in a wide cast iron skillet.Slowly add the coated chicken.Shallow fry the chicken pieces until brown on both sides.Transfer it to plate.In the same skillet add the sliced onions and curry leaves.Add salt and pepper.When it becomes slightly brown add the chicken pieces.Stir fry for a minute or two.Serve warm as appetizers.


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Friday, July 3, 2009
Ramadan: I am awaiting to convert to Islam but I have a problem?
seriously help! i stoped getting gfs becuz of islam cuz i was scared wen my muslim friend told me a story :'( im 16 turning 17. i like hockey, football, surfing, basketball , i skate blah blah.. im buff :D pretty muscled guy. gals love me. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH help? :'(
9 comments:
okay, so that mite be really hard or not hard at all. Its really cool that you're interested in islam, and it isn't as strict as it seems. Some muslims are very strict, some don't care at all, and some are in the middle. Here's what i do, its OKAY to talk to girls, and hang out and everything, but stay away from, you know, "extremes" if you get what i'm saying... no extreme touching and stuff, hugging is enough, and no making out, idk about kissing... dress properly, pray, etc. i'm a 15 year old girl, and i don't really date yet, but i have tons of guy friends, so maybe you should just stick to have friend-girls... You can always start dating when you're older, someone you really like and everything, but stay away from extremes. hope i helped :)
- July 27, 2009 at 1:12 AM
Dear Justi
I am happy to know that a young teenager like you has a good mind and understanding. You have to choosen the right path of life to be happy and successful. Islam is the best religion and the fastest growing religion in the west.
Justin just think this way.. according to a statistical study in US, most women before getting married to a guy have "intimate relations" with at least 8 different guys before settling with one. Its mainly coz there are no restrictions ,no limits.
Islam teaches you a good simple and yet peaceful and happy way of life. Wouldnt you want to marry a girl in future who is pure and had not had any extreme relations with other guys in the past? Who would be entirely faithful to you and close to God?
There are hundreds of diseases spreading coz of intimate relations between teenagers. Islam is nor strict, it sets boundaries and limits.
When you go for an exam , you have certain rules and regulations to follow. You cant just cheat all the way. Coz at the end you will suffer..
You can be extremely happy by following Islam completely. All you need is someone to guide you properly.I have seen so many happily married muslim couples. They are so content with their lives. You can be as well . Just try to read english translation of Quran. I can give you a couple of good websites..
try these websites. Try to live a good clean and simple life. I guarantee you, you will be one of the happiest and most content in your life.
May Allah Guide you
Take care
- August 10, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Justin *
- August 10, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Dude, you can be mulsim, christian, jewish, whatever, and still do what you want.
Religion is between you, yourself and God.
You can sleep with women, do drugs, drink alcohol, and still be a good muslim.
- August 28, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Hi Justin,
I do understand what you mean. There is no extremism in Islam though. if you're a Muslim you have to try your best to follow all the rules. It's for your own good, and it's between your self and god (remember whether you are a muslim or not god is watching u). One of the most important sayings from the prophet pbuh is that "every action has an intension". Whatever you do is k as long as ur intention is pure. If you do something without intending to do it God will forgive you (if he wills). For example i think you can accept a hug from a girl, because it's rude not to, as long as ur intention is to not offend the girl i think it is alright. but you have to try your best to avoid this. And accepting a hug doesn't mean that you can hug her back (that is something you might be able to avoid).
What you can do is take it easy this year, go ahead and convert to Islam, because if you die the next minute you might regret not doing it. When you move from high school to university, try not to make friends with too many girls. go step by step. And with every new day make a little effort to be a better muslim. God is the most merciful. Get help from someone who thinks rationally and who is knowledgeable Islamically. Good luck to you.. I will pray for you inshallah.
Since you are a guy who's used to having girls around u, I think it might be hard for u, but if you pray to god and ask god to make it easy for you... you don't have to worry about anything.
Try your best to learn more about Islam. go to Islamic conferences etc.
If you accept islam and start living your life according to islam, then I think you are going to be a blessed person. Especially since you are making sacrifices for the sake of god, god will definitely make it easy (if he wills), There's nothing impossible if you have god by your side!
- October 2, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Well, Justin. I have one thing to tell you. Islam is the most hypocrite religion ever. Guys can sleep with girls but not vice versa because they wouldn't want those girls, they want them "pure" but it is ok for guys not being "pure". Islam it's about appearances, you should behave well in the day but in the night "Allah is sleeping" if you know what I mean. And it's not just the things I say it is the things I saw while being in various Muslim countries, actually living there, not like a tourist. And I just got sick and tired of all this hypocrisy. Plus I have many Muslim friends who were telling me all this stuff trying to get me reconsider my thoughts about Islam and how great it is, like you will get plenty of virgins when you get to heaven if you're Muslim, I mean think about it, you go to heaven just to have sex with virgins???!! Isn't that just sick? So, find another way.
P.S. For all of you defenders of Islam, don't bash my comment, it is my opinion and it would be useless to explain how wrong I am. BTW, I was born Muslim but I am happy that I am not anymore. Peace
- October 8, 2009 at 1:28 PM
- Ismail said...
hey last commentor when v go 2 heaven v have pure minds not perverted minds
so ven v go 2 heaven v dont have sex with them k, and even guys shud b pure allright look at catholic priests:they molest kids,jewish ppl theyre driving ppl (palestinians) out of there home if u READ the Quran properly u will c wat i mean nderstand.Oh and Justin u made a wise choice may Allah bring u 2 heaven
p.s v dont have sexial organs in heaven
- April 30, 2010 at 1:10 PM
- neha shaikh said...
Muzzies why do you people lie......y are those houries with sweeling breast, virgins, free of menses, are you going to play tic tac toe with those virgins....ur sick sex maniac mohammed madeup that x rated heaven in his mind to please male and get an army to fight
- September 4, 2012 at 2:52 PM
acctually u came have a gf if u both plan on marrying each other. Nothing much, no speeches. Its as simple as that.
- May 22, 2014 at 7:21 AM


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Everyday there is something to be thankful for. Take a deep breath and just look around you.
American Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I (Sincerely, Emily) do not think that is the only time that we need to pause and reflect on what we are thankful for. Everyday I look around me and can list many things I am thankful for. This is especially helpful when I am just plain having a bad day. I have been wishing for rain for many days, many weeks, many months. I know the saying, "be careful what you wish for" and I have to be really careful about wishing for rain in Texas because usually when it rains, it pours Texas-Style to the tune of 8″ + at a time. When it does rain "Texas-style" it comes down hard and fast giving the ground no opportunity to soak it up. What does that all mean? It means, that I live in Texas and we live in drought, with occasional flooding.
A few weeks ago my wish came true. We were blessed with rain. Three inches according to my rain gauge over a period of 24+ hours. For the most part it came down nice and slow, allowing the ground to accept it and start soaking it up. What a dream come true. The rain barrels are overflowing and the plants and trees are smiling. I am grateful.
Two weeks ago my former junior coaching student and friend Dee had her second child, and is potting training the first. She's not getting much sleep. My virtual friend Jo is in the throes of early tweendom. I just spent the afternoon with my grown children (24 and 27). As I told Jo and Dee, new parenting and toddlerhood and the dread tweens is like childbirth– there's an amazing person at the end of all the pain.
What are you thankful for today?


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Turns Out Not Everyone Drives Worse While Talking On A Phone (But You Probably Do)
from the so-how-do-you-deal-with-that? dept
In fact, Slashdot points us to a recent study that found a small number (a very small number) of people do not seem to drive worse while talking on their phones (and, in some cases, they even seem to drive better). These so-called "supertaskers" are apparently amazingly good at multitasking. Of course, this probably doesn't apply to you and you (yes, you) probably do drive worse while talking on a mobile phone -- which is why you shouldn't do it. But shouldn't we focus on stopping bad driving in general, rather than a blanket ban on driving while yakking?


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Yunnan - Adventures in Tribal China
|Overview • Detailed Itinerary • FAQ's • Testimonials • Dates & Prices
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Day 1: Arrive in Kunming
Upon arrival you are transferred to our centrally located hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore the city on foot.
Day 2: Stone Forest and Kunming
This morning we drive to the Stone Forest to view the strange rock pinnacles that resemble trees. In the afternoon we explore a Sani minority village. After dinner we attend a performance that highlights Yunnan province's ethnic minorities.
Day 3: Western Hills and Kunming
In the morning, we head out to the Western Hills, a few miles outside the city. The hills are set on the shores of Lake Dianchi. We follow the pathway that takes us through a series of famous temples built on the hillside, some of which are carved into the side of the cliff and are filled with sculptures and grottos.
Day 4: Dali, Lake Erhai, Three Pagodas
Taking advantage of the new highway, we leave in the early morning for Dali which is 360 km north-west of Kunming, and the bus ride will take about 5 hrs. Arrive at Dali for late lunch. Dali is an excellent example of what ancient Chinese cities looked like. There are still remnants of the old wall that once protected it, and there are several fine gates through which people and vehicles still enter today. Dali's main inhabitants are the Bai people who have lived in the area for over 3000 years. Dali is spectacularly set against the Cangshang Mountains (13,000 ft/3,962 m) and on the shores of Lake Erhai (6000 ft/1,829 m). After lunch, we visit the 9th century Three Pagodas and have the chance to wander around the lovely old town in the late afternoon.
Day 5: Dali, Boat Cruise on Lake Erhai
Our day begins with a boat cruise on Lake Erhai. We stop at a small fishing island to see the local seafood market. In the afternoon we take the Cangshan Ropeway (chairlift) for a birds-eye view of Dali and the lake far below and then visit the only Catholic church in Old Town with a history of over 100 years.
Day 6: To Shaxi
Today we continue exploring the beauty of Dali. Our first stop is Xizhou, where we admire the distinctive Bai architecture, characterized by open courtyards, surrounded by rooms and walls that reflect the light into the surrounding rooms. We also stroll through a local market and visit a family "tie dye" workshop in nearby Zhoucheng. The Bai are renowned for their impressive "tie dye" skills. In the afternoon, we arrive at Shaxi.
Day 7: To Shangri-La
Today is a long driving day but the beautiful scenery more than makes up for it. As we make our way north to Shangri-La (formerly Zhongdian), we head into Northern Yunnan's rugged landscape.
Day 8: To Tacheng Nature Reserve
We depart Shangri-La this morning for our 150 km drive to Tacheng Nature Reserve to search for one of the rarest primates on earth, the rare golden monkey, also known as the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey.
Day 9: Search for Golden Monkeys, to Deqen Via the Baimang Pass
We leave early morning, as this is the best time to view these rare monkeys. It is believed that there are fewer than 2,000 in the wild today. Tacheng Nature Reserve is perhaps the best place to see them in their natural high elevation habitat. They are endemic to China and are recognized as the monkeys which have the highest elevation as their habitat, having been recorded as high as 4,700 meters. Only 17 groups have survived in northwest Yunnan. Group size is small, typically only 20 to 60.
Day 10: Mingyomg Glacier, Feilai Temple
Today we have a scenic drive to Mingyomg Glacier. We will go by shuttle bus to the halfway point of the walk. There will be 1300 gentle steps to the top where we are rewarded with views of the 1.2 million-year-old glacier and a small Buddhist temple. We will have lunch and visit Feilai Temple. (There is an option to just go part way and return down if the walk is too difficult. Or remain in the village and explore the visitors center before meeting up with the group for lunch.)
Day 11: Explore the Himalayan Region, Return to Shangri-La
We hope to visit a local school this morning (pending permission from local authorities.) Next stop is the interesting small local market.
Day 12: To Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge
En route to Lijiang, our first stop is Tiger Leaping Gorge. Legend has it that a tiger pursued by a hunter, leapt to freedom using a rock at the bottom of the gorge. It is here that the mighty Yangtze is squeezed between two massive walls of rock creating a roaring spectacle of water.
Day 13: Lijiang - Yufeng Temple, Traditional Naxi Village
Lijiang is a major center of the Naxi people, a minority who live in a matrilineal society, of which many of the old customs survive to this day. They have inhabited this region for well over a thousand years and have their own written language that uses a unique system of pictographs.
Day 14: Lijiang - Black Dragon Pool, Fly to Chengdu
The old town of Lijiang has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to its historic architecture and layout. Here, you find serpentine walkways, footbridges and small canals that make for wonderful exploration. From here we head back to Black Dragon Park to enjoy the tranquil surroundings (gardens, pagodas and pools).
Day 15: UNESCO Panda Breeding Sanctuary; Chengdu City Tour
On the outskirts of Chengdu we visit the famous UNESCO Panda Breeding Sanctuary. We spend the morning watching the bamboo-eating giant pandas, as well as the brilliant-colored lesser pandas.
Day 16: Depart Chengdu
The Yunnan adventure concludes with a transfer to the airport to catch our international flights homeward.
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Earth : Asia : South Asia : India : Eastern India : Sikkim : East Sikkim : Gangtok
Gangtok is a bustling, friendly hill station, and the capital of the Himalayan state of Sikkim. The name Gangtok is derived from the Tibetan word for 'hillside,' and the city currently has a population of around 80,000 - a mixture of indigenous Sikkimese and people of Nepalese and Tibetan ancestry.
Gangtok is popular place with tourists heading on treks, though the facilities do not reflect the number of international visitors. However, efforts are being made by the government to improve the conditions. Gangtok would be easily one of the most cleanest cities you would ever come across, highly organised and beautifully maintained it the switzerland of the east. Tourists are of paramount of importance, hence rules have been laid in order to prevent tourists from being cheated. Fares of Cabs are mostly fixed for such reason. A really nice place to unwind. Quite a few places for vegetarians to eat since it is mostly dominated by Buddhist culture. The city resembles the Bhutanese capital. Devoid of large stores, book shops this place is an nice break away from typical city lives. Still, the city is a fascinating place to spend a few nights, the winding side alleys hide some unexpected gems, and the main street (MG Marg) is pedestrianized and a pleasant place to take a stroll.
The city sleeps by 9pm mostly, except for a few pubs which are open till 11pm.
Beware that Sikkim has banned all forms of tobacco. It is illegal to smoke anywhere in Sikkim or buy/sell cigarets. Gangtok also has strictly enforced traffic and littering laws among others.
Get In
By plane
The nearest airport is at Bagdogra,from there you need to hire a cab or taxi to go up there.A lovely highway with beautiful landscapes,twists and turns and loads of waterfalls and also you'll find River Teesta always running along.Many direct flights are there for Bagdogra and after reaching there its just the mountains and you.
By train
The nearest train station to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri which has direct connections to New Delhi, Kolkata, and other major cities in India. It is a 10-12 hour journey from Kolkata.
By Road
Once you arrive in New Jalpaiguri, you can either hire a taxi from the station itself or take an auto-rickshaw to the Siliguri bus stand. From there, you have the option of travelling to Gangtok by state bus, roughly a 5-6 hour journey. State bus is operated by Sikkim National Transport. The fare on March 2013 for 1 seat was Rs.135. All seats are reserved from the counter. Last bus starts from Siliguri at 11am and reaches in evening in Gangtok. Bus ride is most comfortable compared to rushing Sumo/Safari/Jeeps.
Dozens of jeeps travel to Gangtok daily from Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and other mountain locales. Fare of the shared cabs is generally fixed, it is around Rs. 155 to Gangtok from NJP station. Drivers might try to charge high so check for the fare with other cabs before taking one. Approx. 95 kms distance gets covered between 2-3 hours.
Get around
Taxis ply routes around the city, and there are standard charges within the main areas: 40rs for a private service and 8rs for a shared. NB: Taxis can only be hailed from designated taxi stands.
Sikkim is famous for its fruit processing and tea aside from the local handicraft.Passion fruit Squash, Alpine Cheese, Temi Tea & Maha Gurudev Tea are some of the local products.
There are many great and cheap places to eat in Gangtok.
Littering and spitting are fineable offenses. No Plastics carry bags sold or used .
There are no internet cafes along the main thoroughfares and the rate is compatible with other centers of commerce in India. However, the infrastructure is weak, and the mantra of most internet cafes is 'server down.' Travelers who need to work extensively on the internet are advised to do so in Siliguri, where the server connection is much more reliable.
Get out
To reach Rumtek one can hire an taxi. There are share taxi's which run from MG Marg taxi stand to Rumtek. One way fare is around Rs. 30 per person. It is a cheaper alternative but you need to return from the Rumtek Monastery before 4pm to get shared taxi to MG Marg again.123456


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Another survey points to eurozone recovery despite sharp fall in December retail sales
LONDON – Further evidence emerged Tuesday that the economy of the 17 European Union countries that use the euro has started 2013 in better shape than many had expected.
Markit, a financial information group, said its purchasing managers' index for the eurozone economy — a closely watched gauge of activity similar to that of the Institute for Supply Management in the U.S. — rose to a ten-month high of 48.6 in January from 47.2 in December.
Though the index remains below the 50 mark that would indicate expansion, the survey echoes other findings that the eurozone economy may be over the worst. Both main pillars of the eurozone economy, manufacturing and services, are off their lows, according to Markit.
"The eurozone is showing clear signs of healing, with the downturn easing sharply in January and the region moving closer to stabilization in the first quarter," said Chris Williamson, Markit's chief economist.
However, the eurozone economy continues to face a number of headwinds, not least related to the debt problems afflicting many of its members. In order to get their public finances into shape, many countries, including Greece, Italy and Spain have had to cut spending and raise taxes as well as pursue a raft of economic reforms that will take time to reap dividends.
There are also growing concerns over France, Europe's second-largest economy after Germany. Markit said its survey pointed to output in France falling at its fastest monthly rate since March 2009, when the world's major economies were deep in recession following the global banking crisis.
Retail sales figures released Tuesday by Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, confirmed expectations that the eurozone will have remained in recession in the final quarter of 2012. Retail sales fell 0.8 percent in December from the month before, double market expectations.
December's decline was the fifth straight fall, clear evidence that households across the eurozone have battened down the hatches amid the recession. In Germany, the fall was even more marked at 1.7 percent, which could be enough to tilt Europe's biggest economy into a fourth quarter economic drop.
For 2012 as a whole, eurozone retail sales were 1.7 percent lower. Few economies in the world can eke out economic growth when a key engine such as household consumption, is performing so badly.
"Looking ahead, the likelihood is that eurozone consumers will remain pretty cautious in their spending for now at least, although at least some of the pressures on them are showing signs of easing," said Howard Archer, chief European economist at IHS Global Insight.
Overall, the figures of late are unlikely to prompt the European Central Bank to do anything more to help foster a recovery in the eurozone. Most economists expect it to maintain its benchmark interest rate at its record low of 0.75 percent when it wraps up its latest policy meeting on Thursday.


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Canucks need some more Higgybum in Rinne's business. Wait, that's doesn't sound right.
The Canucks need to bugger Rinne. Nope, that's not right either.
(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
Game Day Recon: Western Conference Semifinal Game 5 – Predators @ Canucks
Two weeks ago, the panic level amongst Canucks fans went through the roof, as the Canucks failed, then failed again, then failed again, to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks.
Well that was then, and this is now. And the Canucks aren't playing the Blackhawks anymore.
Can the Vancouver Canucks prove that they're ruthless and eliminate the Nashville Predators tonight?
Broadcast Info
Game Time: 5:00 PM PT
The Intel
The collective blood pressure of Canucks fans was high and still rising as their team was in the same position in Round 1. The Canucks had the chance to sweep the Blackhawks but failed miserably. The two teams returned to Vancouver and the again Canucks pulled a complete no-show, this time in front of their hometown fans. As is now written in Canucks lore now, the Canucks then had to return to Chicago, only to lose again in heartbreaking fashion, then came home to finally knock off the Blackhawks.
Why bring this up? Well Canucks fans have short memories and that was a hard series to forget. The Canucks blew three chances to move on to the next round before finally emerging victorious. The Canucks are now on to the second round and, lo and behold, they have their first chance to move on to the Conference Final since 1994. And if the Canucks are paying attention to what's happening in this series, they'll see that the cards are starting to go their way. So tonight is the perfect opportunity for them to get their opponent, who's already laying down with his back on the mat, to finally tap out.
Shea Weber and Ryan Suter are slowing down, looking tired. Pekka Rinne is starting to look beatable again, and is getting frustrated. With the exception of Joel Ward for the past two games, the Predators offense is not generating nearly enough chances to get their team a lead, which they've held for less than half a period through 4 games. A perfect example of this is: After Ryan Kesler scored his highlight reel goal in Game 4 to give the Canucks the lead for good, the Predators fired only 4 shots on Roberto Luongo. Four. That's it. Unless you get the luckiest of lucky bounces, you're not going to win with a sheer lack of offense. And now the injuries are starting to befall the Predators, too. In consecutive games, they've lost Steve Sullivan and Jerrod Smithson and are now stretching their already razor thin offensive depth.
And while the Predators are starting to falter, the Canucks are warming up. Ryan Kesler put the team on his back while the Sedins were cold. Well now the Sedins are getting going, with two much improved performances in Nashville for both Daniel and Henrik. While neither was playing quite to their Art Ross winning level, they're starting to heat up and the Canucks will need that if they hope to move on to the Conference Final.
Can the Canucks finally be ruthless? Can they finally put the Predators out of their misery? Can they prove to remaining teams that they are not a team to take lightly? They can only do that if they win tonight, to silence the doubters and critics. Getting to the Conference Final for the first time in 17 years would go a long way in quashing that doubt. 17… Hm…. Vancouver sure loves the number 17 lately. And with good reason.
The Three Keys
Here are the three keys for the Vancouver Canucks tonight:
1. Push the pace early. The Predators are starting to look gassed. And the Canucks aren't. Pure and simple. The Canucks need to get skating early and dictate the tempo of the game. The more the Predators are chasing, the more penalties they'll take.
2. Own the faceoffs. The Canucks have not been their normal dominant selves in the faceoff circle. Interestingly, Kesler is the one who's had the most trouble lately. If they can get back to winning the faceoff battle, then they'll control the puck and virtually dissolve any chance the Preds have of generating offense. A perfect example of this was the play on Henrik's empty-net goal in Game 4, executed to perfection.
3. Get down the ice, then go at Rinne. The Canucks did a great job of this in Game 4, and need to keep it up. Get the puck down the ice 180 feet, then move the puck across Rinne in the last 20 feet. Mason Raymond has been terrific at carrying pucks deep, but he keeps going into the corners with the puck. He need to stop 15 feet sooner and go to the net. If he doesn't get a shot, he'll at least draw a penalty.
The Links
Here are your top 5 links for today's game:
1. Tale of the Tape: Predators @ Canucks (Canucks.com)
2. Predators on the hunt for way to slow down Kesler (The Province)
3. Canucks' Dan Hamhuis a steadying hand on the blue line (Vancouver Sun)
4. Canucks/Predators Preview (Yahoo! Sports)
5. Predators @ Canucks Game 5 Preview: Not Dead Yet (On The Forecheck) << SEE WHAT THE ENEMY HAS TO SAY!


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My mental escape hatch for bike related stories and other festivities. Your mileage may vary. Call now - operators are standing by.
Monday, April 9, 2012
BOY - Powerful Short Film
Moving and incredibly well done short film. Break out the hanky before viewing. Having a cyclist son myself, even more powerful. I wept both times viewed. Call me sappy. Impressive little film.
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American Gods in a High School Classroom
I was not quite prepared for how low many of my students' skills would be, since I haven't taught eleventh graders in a few years and had forgotten what a large transition it is between sophomore and junior year of high school. In the first two weeks, when we were studying The Great Gatsby, I often lamented to colleagues, "They can't read. I'm not a reading teacher. I can't help them. I'm useless. They can't read. This is going to be a horrible year," forgetting that I'd said exactly the same thing at the beginning of every every year about whatever group of students I had, because what was most vivid in my mind were the accomplishments of my students from the previous spring, and most students make quite a long journey from September to May. (I did end up having to push My Antonia to the next term, as American Gods ended up taking much more time than I had anticipated.)
One of the reasons I chose American Gods was because it is big, and I knew that few of my students would ever have read a book of more than 200 pages. I hoped that they would get caught up in the story of American Gods enough to find that reading it was enjoyable, and so they would reach the end without too much pain and suffering, and then could look back with a great sense of accomplishment.
The first day, when they went to the bookstore and bought the book, I thought most of the kids would try to transfer out of the class. "There is no way I'm going to read a book this thick," more than one student said to me. Another student told me the longest thing he'd ever read was an entire issue of Sports Illustrated. Others accused me of trying to kill them, particularly when I told them that we'd be discussing the first chapter (about 30 pages) at the next class.
"I am not going to finish 30 pages in one night," one of the students said.
"Bet you will," I said, trying to suppress the evil seeping out of the corners of my grin.
The next morning, I stopped by to talk to a co-conspirator, who I will call Diane, because that's her name. Diane teaches our Advanced Reading class, which a number of my students take in addition to mine. She gives them time to read my books and helps them with comprehension, etc., and I had run many of my ideas by her to make sure I wasn't completely insane for assigning the book. She had been on duty in one of the dorms the night before, and said to me, "Boy, your book caused quite a stir in the dorms last night."
I would hear the same thing from other dorm parents. Apparently, the scene at the end of Chapter 1 where a prostitute absorbs a man into her vagina (she's the goddess Bilquis) had been popular with the kids. One of the more dutiful students finished the assigned reading and then ran to a dormmate, book in hand, and said, "You've got to read this, you won't believe it!" That created a chain reaction, and not only were all of my students rushing to read the chapter, but plenty of students from other classes were borrowing copies of the book to read.
Visions of angry parents and administrators stomped through my head...
During classes that day, I told the students that I hoped they would handle the mature material maturely, and that this is a book written for adults and not high school students, etc. etc., blah blah blah. Secretly, I was thrilled.
The energy from the first day carried through for the next hundred or two hundred pages, but the more they read, the more I noticed many students were completely lost. Not because they had trouble keeping up with the reading (a few did), but because they had trouble figuring out how to read a fantasy novel. It was a minority of my students that knew how to read a novel that mixed reality and fantasy, history and fiction, myth and the mundane. The handful of kids who had read other fantasy novels did fine with the book -- indeed, devoured it, finishing a week or more before the rest of the class. But the majority of students, kids who would have no trouble suspending their various disbeliefs for the most fantastic products of Hollywood, told me again and again that the book was nearly incomprehensible.
I attacked the problem with a few different strategies, including the use of reading quizzes on basic material. I would essentially give the students the answers to the quizzes in discussion, often telling them to mark one page or another because it would be important later, and then use the quiz as a way to force them to memorize a few key details that would allow them to have some "ah ha!" moments later on. It's a crude technique, but it worked -- when the pieces to the story began to come together in the last third, more and more students found themselves enjoying the book. In the first half, they loathed and often skipped the "Coming to America" sections, but by the second half they were able to tie these seemingly unconnected parts of the book to some of the ideas fueling the main story. One of the things I like best about American Gods is its scope -- Gaiman's bold willingness to tackle American history (whether mythic history or real) from 14,000 B.C.E. to now, and to do so on the outskirts of the primary story, allowing the book the virtues of popular plot-based literature along with the virtues of philosophically serious literature (the two don't need to be mutually exclusive, though they often are). That scope and breadth, though, is also what makes the book particularly challenging for people who are used to much less ambitious books, never mind people who don't read many books at all.
Now that my students have finished reading the book and are reflecting on the experience of reading it, most of them seem grateful to have read it. Not all of them enjoyed American Gods -- some of the kids said it was just too weird for them overall, some never got into the story enough for the amount of pages to seem like anything other than a burden -- but over and over again kids have said to me this week, "I'm glad we read that book," or "I never thought I could enjoy a long book" or "I didn't want it to end!" Many students have said that it got them thinking about their own beliefs, their relationship to religion or legends or tall tales or history. We did some research with Encyclopedia Mythica, and I was surprised to find how many students had no idea there were myths other than Greek ones (or how many students didn't even know about those). I was happiest to see that for some students the book became more than just a book; it was a portal into new ideas, new curiosities. If we're going to force people to read something, and determine a grade for their reading of it, then it's nice if we can offer them the possibility that the work they do could change their perspective on life.
Scott Edelman once wrote an editorial that I mostly agree with, titled "Science Fiction is Supposed to Be Fun". Amongst other things, he said,
When I think back to all of the books that were ruined for me in high school, I am glad that science fiction at the time was only in its infancy as an academic subject. ...It is, indeed, difficult to keep from killing all the pleasure a book offers when you are doing such things as forcing people to read it each night and giving them tests on the content. In an ideal world, people would read whatever they wanted, however they wanted, and talk vociferously about the experience. In the real world, many teachers don't know what to do other than ask what all the colors in The Great Gatsby stand for (green for money, yellow for desire ... or was it green for envy, yellow for...), and so the books that get taught in high school are often the books that are, frankly, the easiest to create multiple-choice tests for. It's one of the reasons I have ambivalent feelings about the English Journal article I mentioned recently -- if students are taught that SF is nothing more than a weak form of sociology, or that the point of any literature is to "teach lessons" [sound of gagging], then it's no wonder they think all books are dull or incomprehensible.
The educational establishment that started teaching SF as an inducement to get kids to read has instead managed for some to take a genre that is supposed to be fun and made it homework. Based on the evidence of the e-mails I receive from students seeking help, it seems that the school system, having embraced science fiction, is helping to turn novels that are supposed to be fun into dead frogs.
A healthy culture of literacy needs literatures that aren't sanctioned by schools, literatures that are enjoyed simply for enjoyment, that have a mystique to them, an inability to conform to the central culture of the society. But a healthy culture of literacy also needs literate people, people who are capable of reading more than a basic instruction manual for how to tie shoelaces, people who have active imaginations. I fear we are losing that. As passive visual culture becomes more and more dominant, I fear that people who are otherwise capable of using their imaginations don't know how, because they are used to the imagining being done for them. In such a situation, teachers have a certain responsibility to buck the trends, to offer something other than pre-imagined material. Most literature doesn't need to be dissected, it's true, because dissection requires a dead subject. But literature most certainly deserves to be discussed, argued about, examined, and celebrated. That's what both the best teachers and the best critics do. There are no right answers, but there are certainly good questions to be asked and good answers to be offered. But before any discussion, argument, examination, or celebration can take place, the text in question has to be understood, at least at some basic level. If fewer and fewer readers are capable of utilizing their own imaginations, then literature is doomed, regardless of how it is taught.
I have strayed through many subjects here. The key is this: vital, exciting literature can still be vital and exciting in a classroom, and it can even help people stretch their minds, leading them to think in ways they had not considered before, helping them to exercise their imaginations. That's what American Gods seems to have done for quite a few of my students, and it has been great fun watching their struggles and progress.


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HARRISBURG — So what if you have to pay a little extra to use the state's major east-west highway? At least the guys at the top have sweet rides.
HARRISBURG — So what if you have to pay a little extra to use the state's major east-west highway? At least the guys at the top have sweet rides.
Tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike have increased for five consecutive years, and the highway's debt burden has ballooned by more than 200 percent since 2007.
At the same time, the men charged with running the turnpike received new cars valued at more than $28,000 each and were reimbursed for the cost of gas and maintenance, according to an audit released by Auditor General Jack Wagner.
The Turnpike Commission spent more than $406,000 purchasing vehicles for commissioners between January 2007 and August 2011, according to the audit. The turnpike did not limit those vehicles exclusively to work-related purposes.
The vehicles were American-made sedans, station wagons and sport-utility vehicles valued at more than $28,000 each.
In addition to cars they could use on personal time, the commissioners were also reimbursed for more than $20,000 in maintenance costs and $29,000 in fuel costs during that period, according to the audit.
In total, the Turnpike Commission spent more than $450,000 in vehicle expenses for commissioners in less than five years from January 2007 through August 2011, the period covered in the audit.
"We found no convincing reason to allow commissioners to use commission-purchased vehicles for personal use," the auditors wrote.
During a news conference, Wagner said the turnpike should stop giving cars to commissioners and instead offer mileage reimbursements for work-related travel.
"Rather than giving a commissioner an automobile, pay them for mileage," Wagner said. "We think minor items like that are very significant because it defines the culture of the turnpike and the Turnpike Commission."
On top of the vehicle expenses, commissioners rang up a total of $539,000 in reimbursements for meals, lodging and other expenses, the audit found.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is a five-member governing body, with four members selected by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. The state Secretary of Transportation serves as the fifth member of the commission.
Commissioners are paid the relatively modest salary of $26,000 for their positions, which require them to be on-duty 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
But they seem to make up for the modest salaries with expense accounts that auditors deemed "overly generous and permissive."
Commissioners do not fill out timesheets or otherwise document their work hours, auditors wrote, making it impossible to verify the turnpike's claim that its commissioners are on call around the clock.
"Let's face it, the commissioners are the leaders and they need to be cost-efficient for the turnpike to be cost-efficient," Wagner said.
In a written response to the audit, the Turnpike Commission's acting CEO, Craig Shuey, said the report gave the agency "additional areas to consider as a part of our long-term strategy to position the organization for future challenges; as such, each will be given the appropriate level of attention as we continue to modernize our operations and readjust our priorities."
However, the response did not specifically address the issue of vehicles for commissioners. Turnpike spokesman Carl Defebo said the agency had no additional comment.
The audit also found that the turnpike commission had reimbursed commissioners for the cost of purchasing cell phones, cell phone equipment and mobile Internet service on occasion.
There are no monetary limitations on travel reimbursements and the turnpike allowed commissioners to have complete autonomy regarding their expenses and vehicle usage, the auditors reported.
"We believe government officials should be held to a higher standard and that excessive and undocumented expenses should not be permitted nor reimbursed," they concluded. "The Turnpike Commission needs to be fully transparent regarding expenses incurred by its commissioners, and moreover, commissioners need to be held accountable for those expenses."


text: Once again Waterfall Resort proved why it is a world class fishing resort. There great location and historic site combined with top-notch service, fishing boats, guides and great food make Waterfall Resort a top choice for anyone looking for the very best Alaska fishing adventure. Waterfall Resort can also accommodate corporate groups and is the only Alaskan lodge with an... More


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NORTHFORD, Conn.— Notifier by Honeywell is among those who believe that BIM or building information modeling is likely to take hold in a big way in the fire alarm market. To take advantage of this trend, the company recently created digital content models of its most popular fire alarm control panels.
BIM is information-rich, three-dimensional architectural modeling of a structure, and is increasingly being used to design building projects instead of the traditional 2-D format.
© 2019 United Publications Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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StihlBudding Enthusiast
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Mondeo Estate 07 2.0TDC1 130ps
Mondeo Fuel Injectors
Stihl posted a topic in General Ford Related DiscussionsHI All, I have an 07 plate Mondeo Estate 2.0ltr TDCi 130PS It is just getting to 100k on the clock. A friend just told me I should get rid of it because the fuel injectors go on them and cost a fortune to replace. Can anyone tell me if they have a reputation for the injectors failing and if they are expensive. Many thanks.
Stihl started following Mondeo Fuel Injectors
Not sure, but will find out. I have found other information that says if there is a fault with the EGR or EGR control unit the engine management system over fuels slightly, under heavier acceleration, in order to keep the combustion temp down. In other words doing the job of the EGR in a different way.
Took the manifold off today, it had a LOT of soot deposits in it. The ports nearest the EGR being the worst as the soot there absorbs oil from the turbo, so it turns thick like a solid crude oil. Cleaned as much out as I could and as much as I dare from the ports on the head. Got absolutely loads of sooty crud out. Put her back together and went for a spin up the road. Wife reported it looked like I was running on solid fuel when we first set off through the village, but got better later on. Thrashed it a couple of times in 4th up to just over 4000revs. There is a lovely long straight stretch near us and had her going full blast down there. Back sat on drive popping the accelerator and still putting out puffs of black smoke when revved. Main dealer said it needed a new EGR, but I think that was because they wouldn'y want to clean it. It must be working beacause all the soot in there proves it is opening and when I cleaned it last week the carburettor cleaner pooled in it cos it was shut. The black smoke means a an in-efficient combustion, but why? I am getting sick of it, aaahhhh!
Issues With New (2Nd Hand) Mondeo Estate
Stihl replied to daithesaes's topic in Ford Mondeo / Vignale ClubMy local Ford dealer charges £67 +VAT. I said "eh" in a loud voice and they did it for half price. Still a rip off, I reckon.
Issues With New (2Nd Hand) Mondeo Estate
Stihl replied to daithesaes's topic in Ford Mondeo / Vignale ClubBe interested to compare how you get on. Just cleaned my EGR and still smoking slightly on gear change. Starts no problem, but a little 'lumpy' when slowly increasing revs at about 1300 revs. Did not do manifold. My thread is 'exhaust smoke on gear change'. Good luck with yours.
Mintalkin, Just had the valve off and cleaned it as much as possible. Say this because the inlet from the exhaust is perpendicular to the through pipe from the intercooler and so difficult to get into. Blasted into it for ages though with carb cleaner through the usual straw supplied with the tin. I have attached a pic of the soot build up, which was quite considerable. Took out for a test with Mrs following and it is still popping smoke out. Possible a bit better, but still there. The pipe from the intercooler was oily, but I would expect some oil in there. She does not seem to use oil between services and the smoke is dark rather that bluish. I could not test the valve as the guy does in that ford Wiki link as I do not have a vacuum pump. However, even if it was stuck shut would this make a difference? What is the engine management system expecting on gear change? Surely not a burst of exhaust gases through the EGR? I did not take off the manifold as per the wiki. Do you think it is soot from in there being pushed trough the cylinders? Any thoughts welcomed. Cheers, Stihl
That link you sent me looked great. Have transferred the pictures in to Word so that I can print them off and follow them easilt. Probably not going to bother with the manifold, just the EGR valve. Might not get time to get the EGR off this weekend, if not next week. The Ford main dealer technician said the engine would come to no harm if I left it. What do you think about that? Can the cylinders, valves, rings etc cope ok with soot fragments going through there?
Mintalkin, just to let you know that your diagnosis was correct. EGR valve blamed for smoke. They said it gets blocked up. Quoted £383 including VAT to replace it. Might have a closer look at that wiki entry. It did not look as easy as that guy claimed! Thanks for your help. Stihl
Thanks for the reply mintalkin. Not the egr valve! I have a Land Rover Defender 300TD1 (97 plate), it has an egr valve. Mine has been fine, but on the LR forum I use everyone recommends blanking the valve off. I have the Mondeo booked in to the Main Stealers tomorrow for a diagnostic check. I will let you know what they come up with. Thanks for the link to the wiki.
Exhaust Smoke On Gear Change
Stihl posted a topic in Ford Mondeo / Vignale Club07 plate 2 litre TDCi 65,500 miles on the clock. I get small puffs of black smoke from the exhaust on gear change. I drive remarkably sensible, now that I have grown up a bit, and get 52+mpg. There is no obvious oil used between servicing and the car pulls ok. Has been serviced regularly and just had 65,000 mile service two weeks ago. I asked to have the air filter changed thinking that would sort it as it is not a huge amount of smoke. It's still happening though. Any ideas before I bite the bullet and go to the main dealers?
Mondeo Steering Wheel Shaking When Braking
Stihl replied to Geo's topic in Ford Mondeo / Vignale ClubThis happened to me about 15 months ago. Vibration started small then got gradually worse. It was most noticeable breaking at low speeds first. My tyres were low on tread, so I had them replaced and the wheel wobble completely disappeared! I was expecting to need the steering set up or discs checked too, but the tyres sorted it. It was bizarre. Strangely I have only two weeks agao had to replace the tyres again and in the last few days I have started to detect a slight vibration when breaking. I can only think that the steering set up is paricularly sensitive to tyre imbalance caused by tyre wear.


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Can anyone help me find a spam musubi press online with a seller who will deliver to UK pleeeeeaaaassseeeeee!!!! I'm risking my fingers here to make my fav food every time for my bento!
Finding an online seller who will sell you an acrylic press who won't charge an arm and a leg in shipping fees to Belfast/UK really is going to be a tall order.
If you enter "wooden sushi press" into Google UK and select the "pages from the UK" option you will find a selection of vendors who will ship to Belfast. In order to mimic the properties of an acrylic press, line the box and lid with cling film. The thicker the cling film the better (Sarin wrap would be ideal).
You may find that you don't need cling film and just wetting the wooden press is enough, but I have seen testimonials of Hawaiians who own and use both acrylic and wooden musubi presses and, although they can use both, they definitely have a preference for the acrylic type.
Just make sure to have the next person you know who's going to Hawaii promise to bring you an acrylic press back with them!
Thanks for that Loretta, I'm off to google now :0)
Do a search for ice cream sandwich press or mould. While looking for something totally different I came across this http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Kitchen/Pots-pans-bakeware/Other/au... which reminded me of your search. Then I looked and found various others, e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Icon-Cream-Sandwich-Molds/dp/B000G34T3A which I can think of lots of bento uses for. Can't find a rectangular one apart from the NZ one though.
My blog is Food and Shoes
They are UK-based, so should not be a problem :)
They are UK-based, so should not be a problem :)
Hello mirjam!
Unfortunately, it isn't discussed or referred to here, but these presses were already suggested in this thread:
I can only assume these aren't suitable for Spam Musubi (which need to be pressed together much more firmly than 'regular' onigiri)
I'm still on the hunt for a musubi press and also a leaflet tight bento box. I can finds them on line but nay sellers who will ship to the UK only accept paypal, which I don't have, nor am I interested in signing up for it. *sigh* will keep looking. Thanks for the input so far :0)
I got an acrylic one from Daiso when I was in San Francisco. If you're interested, I can sell you mine. I used it once and it's been sitting in my drawer since. It was time consuming to make spam omusubi...as much I like it. It'd be nice to use PayPal, but if not that's fine.
I will check out my local Marukai (probably this weekend) to see if they sell any, so I can get you a new one.
Hey.. I live in SF and are you sure DAISO sells musubi presses? This was recent right? I'd hate to go all the way to SF from SJSU and not find it =/
If you are at SJSU (San Jose State University), just jump on the light rail and go to Japantown and check out Nijiya Market - 240 Jackson St. They will probably have a musubi press. If they don't, try Santo Market - 245 E. Taylor St. While it will be more than at Daiso, it is certainly a lot more convenient.
I went to Marukai on Sunday and FORGOT to look for this. Grrrr! Next time I'll try to remember.
Have you considered using the SPAM tin as your press? I saw it on a YouTube video once. Just cut out the bottom of the tin, load your rice, and press firmly with your hands, a wooden spoon, or whatever else you have lying around.
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People Still Get Their News From Local Newspapers And TV Stations?
from the massive-overreaction dept
Which brings us to FCC chairman Kevin Martin's New York Times op-ed defending his remarkably timid proposal to allow a newspaper in one of the 20 largest cities to purchase a TV or radio station—but not one of the metro area's four largest TV stations. Under his proposal, none of the FCC's other media ownership rules would be changed. In other words, a newspaper would be allowed to buy an also-ran TV station in a cacophonous media market like New York or LA, but the vast majority of cities would see no changes at all. Yet some members of Congress seem to think that even those miniscule changes are too much and have introduced legislation to require the FCC to spend even more time debating the issue, even though, as James Gattuso points out, that the FCC has been debating the issue for 11 years already. On the other hand, as ridiculous as the situation is, it's hard to have too much sympathy for the broadcasters. After all, they were happy to raise bogus fears of media concentration to stop the XM/Sirius merger this spring. Now the broadcasters are getting a taste of their own medicine.


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The access that governments have to data is plentiful, but determining the best way to get the most value from this information isn't always clear. Given the sophisticated, evolving threats customs agencies deal with every day, it's especially critical that they leverage big data to make informed decisions.
Predictive analytics reveals critical data insights that enable customs agencies to act proactively to predict and manage non-compliance or boost levels of enterprise productivity. The use of customs analytics provides a key step to move agencies into a mode of intelligent operations, providing a foundation for building customs agencies that are geared for the future. Given the pace of change and strenuous demands of global trade, customs agencies can pursue the benefits of intelligent operations fueled by predictive analytics, which can result in a more nimble, proactive, and effective agency if applied across the entire customs value chain.


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Latest Projects
Passion for creating state-of-the-art digital projects and guiding engaging user experiences is the fuel behind what we do for forward thinking brands and clients.
Brands and clients
We work together with brands to craft strategies along with a unique and innovative digital approach. We thrive on collaborating with clients who are looking to push the limits and think outside the box.
Want some LOOP swag?
Catchy stickers for your notebook or an analogue sneak peek into our office?
We would love to send you a packet!
Analogue look
into our office
24 assorted stickers for
the digitally inclined
polaroid shot just for you
There's more to Explore
We would love to hear about your project ideas or talk about how we can work together to set your business apart from the rest. And if you feel that we would make a winning team, well give us a shot!


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A home decor retail startup, The Ivory Company, raises $525,000 in angel funding
The Ivory Company, an Atlanta based home-decor company focused on curating an assortment of gently priced quality home merchandise in white and ivory, announces the closing of an angel round of investment capital.
Experience the color of life in its purest form - The Ivory Company.
Feb 19, 2013, 01:01 ET
ATLANTA, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ivory Company, LLC (http://www.theivorycompany.com), an Atlanta based home-decor company focused on curating an assortment of gently priced quality home merchandise in white and ivory, announces the closing of an angel round of investment capital.
The company has raised a total of $ 525,000 from various angel investors and intends to use the investment to fund startup operations, test and proto-type the concept across the marketing mix and to launch an omni-channel proof of concept as early as March 2013.
Founder of The Ivory Company, an e-commerce veteran Shelley Nandkeolyar, believes that the pureness, warmth and enduring allure of the color ivory in home decor provides timeless elegance to your home decor and an inviting touch to your living spaces. Shelley, director emeritus of Shop.org has launched and scaled several e-commerce and multi-channel businesses for iconic brands like - Levi's (www.levis.com) Williams -Sonoma Inc -(www.williamsonoma.com, www.potterybarn.com, www.potterybarnkids.com) and The Home Depot (www.homedepot.com).
As Shelley states - "We started The Ivory Company with just one thought - Experience the color of life in its purest form - and as we thought more and more about it the more we got excited about creating a brand and business that would be based on using just one color -- the more we considered the concept the more appealing the concept of being all things ivory became." His passion to provide an intimate and distinctive collection of merchandise to enhance a home is clearly reflected in the assortment being offered on the site today - which is a small start to the vision for the company.
The Ivory Company offers bed, bath, table linens, furniture, tableware and decorative accessories like figurines, frames, garden stools and vases. The site also sells decor gifts.
The introduction of Zara Home (www.zarahome.com) to the US market in 2012 is a key validation that the home decor consumer is seeking alternative value conscious merchandise. Well established high-end retailers like Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma, Gumps and Crate and Barrel provide a wide assortment in home decor. The Ivory Company's vision is to be the pioneer in creating a luxury experience for a price sensitive consumer seeking to enhance the aura of their living spaces - an assortment in the color "ivory and white" with a classic and timeless home decor sensibility.
The funding allows the company to launch catalogs combined with a concept showroom in Atlanta. Shelley comments "While the online experience is critical to capture the sale, we want our customers to experience our brand through the channel of their preference. Our long term strategy is to open concept showrooms in all the major cities in US. "
Shelley's founding team has decades of experience in the retail industry. The angel funding is provided by a global venture capital company in addition to several retail visionaries.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
SOURCE The Ivory Company


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DelaCastro Named UW Human Resources Director
Richard DelaCastro, a consultant with more than 25 years of experience in the profession, has been named director of the University of Wyoming Department of Human Resources effective Oct. 29. He has served as interim director since July.
"Rick has done an exceptional job and demonstrated the skills and expertise that we are seeking in a full-time director," says Mark Collins, UW interim vice president of administrative operations. "I'm confident that he will provide the leadership that we need for this important position at UW."
DelaCastro will lead the planning, development and administration of all aspects of human resources, including employment, compensation/classification, benefits, performance management (classified staff), employee relations and human resources information systems. He will ensure compliance with employment laws and regulatory requirements within the current emerging employment practices guidelines, Collins says.
As a consultant with the Mountain States Employers Council and HR Ventures, DelaCastro provided a full range of human resources consulting, including compensation, employee relations, career development, benefits, policy administration, performance management and staffing.
He previously served as director of human resources for the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center (2006-2008) and for the City of Fort Collins, Colo. (1999-2006). Additionally, he was an adjunct professor at both Creighton University and the University of Northern Iowa.


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Official HBA TShirt [2010] - Limited
Re-design from the old shirt, because it had to much going on and did not flow right. I now bring you the "HBA MEDICAL MEMBER AND FACULTY PSYCH WARD" T-Shirt. The idea here was the "HBA" was the front door to a world of the crazy, with each members link was a patient's room. A room of undetermined madness and monstrous mayhem, wow that is a mouthful isn't it well you all get the idea.
So are you interested? Do you want this "Exclusive" Member's Only Shirt?
T-shirt will be one-sided and on a "Kiwi Color".
sizes: medium or large or x-large $20.00 [shipping included]**
sizes: xx-large $22.00 [shipping included]**
Payable to Paypal [email@example.com], Postal Money Order, Check [10 day waiting period]
**Out of the United States shipping maybe slightly more.
DEADLINE: November 30th, 2010 [ordering shirts first week of December]
Reference: HBA-SHIRT-001
Contact: Jeremy
This Week For: October 31st to November 6th
Let everyone know what you are doing this week
The HBA Takes an Undead Walk to See Saw 3D!
Hey hey, stabers! Today is the day where we all get one last, well, maybe last, Saw film, and this time around, it's in 3D! The Saw franchise is arguably the biggest current franchise of the current era of horror, but how will this newest installment play out for the members of the HBA? Leave a comment below with a link to your review, and we will add it for all the other members to check out!
Dinner With Max Jenke: Saw 3-D: The Most 3-D Saw Of Them All!
Doctor Blood's Video Vault: Saw 3D (2010)
The Cheap Bin: Review: SAW 3-D (theatrical release)
Porkhead's Horror Review Hole: Saw 3D
Now, even if it isn't technically a movie, the highly anticipated zombie series, The Walking Dead, is stumbling its way onto screens on Halloween night. I'm sure that more than a few horror writers will be sharing their thoughts on their respective sites, so be sure to share your thoughts with all of us!
Things That Don't Suck: The Walking Dead
Fear of Fiction: The Walking Dead: TV show episode 1
Cyberschizoid: THE WALKING DEAD - Does It Live Up To The Hype?
Horro's Gory Reviews: Reviews to Die For: Horror on TV
Comments/ Contest HWR - Rosemary's Baby - By Krzysztof Komeda
with special guest writer JASON COMERFORD
Last posting for the Halloween season from Howlin' Wolf, but it doesn't have to end... this last installment brings the mother-load of prizes. Don't take my word for it, go look for yourselves... they specialize in horror music and that is a good thing! So get over there right now!.. Go!
Just Around the Corner...
What will you be doing on Halloween?
Comment / Contest - HWR - Halloween III: Season of the Witch By John Carpenter & Alan Howarth
with special guest writer JASON COMERFORD
AMC's The Walking Dead...
Comment / Contest - HWR - "Trick 'r Treat" by Douglas Pipes
with special guest writer JASON COMERFORD
Part 11: "Trick 'r Treat" by Douglas Pipes
This Week For: October 24th to 30th [2010]
Let everyone know what you are doing this week
02. New Members please post your "Site" here, we will update as soon as we can [you still can email us too].
03. Be Respectful and Kind to all members.
04. Members please respond to post made by other members, let them know you care.
05. Have fun and if you have any questions, please ask.
Thought Of The Day: Scream IV...
What are you first thoughts on the soon to be released "Scream 4"..
Is it going to not fit in to what modern horror films are?
Is it going to suck or rock?
Who is going to die this time?
Will Randy be there?
Wes Craven's films D.O.A.?
So this can be answered in many ways...
The HBA Takes A Stab At: Paranormal Activity 2!
Another week and another film for the HBA to take a stab at, and this time it comes in the form of Paranormal Activity 2, the sequel to the mega successful surprise hit of last year. I think most horror fans shared a collective sigh when they heard that there would be a sequel to Paranormal Activity, let alone a sequel that would be rushed into theaters less than a year later, but the reviews I have glanced over have been surprisingly very good. However, it is not the opinion of mainstream websites and news sources that I trust nearly as much as the one of my fellow horror fans, the ones that don't get paid for their opinions but do it out of passion. So carry forth my dear HABer, stab away and let us know YOUR verdict (by leaving a link to your review in the comments section below, naturally)!
Dinner With Max Jenke: Paranormal Activity 2
Horro's Gory Reviews: Reviews to die for!!!: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 REVIEW
Cyberschizoid: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 - Is It As Good The Second Time Around?
Im a Strange Kid!
I feel very honored to be letting you all know that I have just been interviewed by the
Strange Kids Club. For those of you who are not familiar with the Strange Kids Club it is a world filled will everything that made your childhood worth living, and is brought back to life as vivid as you remember it. I want to thank Ron for this wonderful opportunity to bring a little piece of me out to those who may not have had the chance to see it. Please hop over to the Strange Kids Club and meet up with your childhood, and check out my interview while your there.
Later days,
- - - All original artwork on this blog (c) Chris Zenga. This artwork is under a Creative Commons Licence. See The Day After for details.
Comment / Contest - HWR - SUSPIRIA (1977) by Goblin
Part 8 is here and it's the Dario Argento's directorial-style in his 1977 classic Suspiria...
SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT - Gershon Kingsley
MALEVOLENCE - Stevan Mena
This Week For: October 17th to 23rd [2010]
Let everyone know what you are doing this week
Hey boys and ghouls,
If you would like to win this "original" piece of art, head over to KinderScares for all the details. I don't normally have original work available for purchase or prizes so take the opportunity to bring a bit of me home!
Later days,
- - - All original artwork on this blog (c) Chris Zenga. This artwork is under a Creative Commons Licence. See The Day After for details.
Comment and Contest - presented by: Howlin Wolf Records
SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT - Gershon Kingsley
MALEVOLENCE - Stevan Mena
Random Question of the Day
Last year we saw the surprising dethroning of one of the most popular horror franchises of all time, Saw, by the underdog indie horror flick, Paranormal Activity. Now here we are, one year later, and while Saw moved its release date back by a week, the two biggest films of the Halloween season are meeting once again in what is almost a head to head mach up.
My question has nothing to do with which do you think will do better in the box office, but which film you are all more excited to see? The latest and possibly last film in a long lasting horror series with a three dimensional touch, or the sequel to the film that swept the nation last year, but also divide a lot of horror fans? Both is a fair answer too, but I am sure most of you will sway at least a little one way or the other. What say you HBA?!?! WHAT SAY YOU?!
This Week For: October 10th to 16th [2010]
Howlin Wolf Records - 13 Days of Chills...
Friends of the HBA please stop over and be part of "Howlin' Wolf Records 13 Days of Chills" posting and be entered in a really cool contest and be able to win some great items... They are up to Installment #4, which will run until midnight on Sunday, October 10. Enough of me telling you to go there, find out for yourselves... tell them you are from the HBA and we support them!
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN - Franz Waxman [HWR Special Series]
The film follows on immediately from the events of the first film, and is rooted in a subplot of the original novel, Frankenstein (1818). In the film, a chastened Henry Frankenstein abandons his plans to create life, only to be tempted and finally coerced by the Monster, encouraged by Henry's old mentor Dr. Pretorius, into constructing a mate for him.
Preparation began shortly after the first film premiered, but script problems delayed the project. Principal photography started in January 1935, with creative personnel from the original returning in front of and behind the camera. Bride of Frankenstein was released to critical and popular acclaim, although it encountered difficulties with some state and national censorship boards. Since its release the film's reputation has grown, and it is hailed as Whale's masterpiece. On several occasions, Universal Pictures has sought to remake the film.
The HBA Spits On: My Soul to Take While Being Buried!
The second weekend in October brings us even more horror for the HBA to take a stab at, and the first film on slate is Wes Craven's latest, My Soul to Take. The whole 3D thing is a bit of a turn off, but Craven has a way of sticking around for a very long time so maybe he cane keep with tradition with this one. I really look forward to people's thoughts on this film.
Dinner With Max Jenke: My Soul Train Wreck To Take
Being Buried alive is a tough situation for sure (well, not that I actually know, but bear with me here) but not nearly as tough as making a film in one setting can be. Does Ryan Reynolds have what it takes to have an entire film rest on his shoulders, and can Buried stay interesting enough for a feature length runtime? I look to you, dear HBAer, to let us all know the truth.
Last up we have the second unrated release in as many weeks and a lot has happened since the release and eventual removal of Hatchet 2 from theaters. I gotta wonder how things will pan out for the I Spit On Your Grave remake as it is still slated to be released in a few select AMC theaters, so if you are lucky enough to have it playing near you, please, let us all know your thoughts!
This Week For: October 3rd to 9th [2010]
The HBA Takes A Hatchet to: Case 39 & Let Me In!
One of the most talked about horror films of the year has been the pseudo-remake of Let Me In, with many lashing out at the prospect of a basterdized cash-in of the beloved Swedish vampire film. However, with a handful of great clips and trailers, the film has started to turn the negative hate into positive hope that this might be a pretty good film. We'll see what you all have to say about it.
Dinner With Max Jenke: Shadow Of The Vampire
Horro's Gory Reviews: Reviews to die for!!!: LET ME IN REVIEW
Cinema Somnambulist: Let Me In
Cyberschizoid: HAMMER HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE - Let Me In Review
Another film that is making its way into theaters this weekend is Case 39, a movie that I would never even remotely care about personally, which is only cemented by the presence of Renee Zellweger. Still, as much as I don't want to care about this film, director Christian Alvart made a fantastic little sci-fi/horror gem with 2009's Pandorum, and I have heard great things about his previous film Antibodies, so I cannot simply brush this film off all that easy. I'll be very curious to read what the HBAers have to say about this one.
Terror Titans: 'Case 39' is good but predictable horror film
Dinner With Max Jenke: A Case You Hadn't Noticed
Horro's Gory Reviews: Reviews to die for!!! CASE 39 REVIEW
Dr Blood's Video Vault: Case 39 (2009)
Last but certainly not least is Hatchet 2, which, due to its lack of rating, is only playing in AMC theaters. Adam Green has gone against the grain, and the MPAA, by keeping his movie as bloody as he intended, thus, keeping it out of a ton of theaters, so I really hope that people that have the chance to see this one do, just based on principal. It's kind of a big deal.
Mike and Chuck's Blog of the Dead: Mini Review: Hatchet II
365 Horror Movie: Hatchet II
The Horror Effect: Hatchet II (2010): Citizen Kane Hodder
You know the drill…do a write up for either Let Me In, Case 39 or Hatchet 2 and you can post a link to the review in the comments section so we can add it here for all the HBA to see.
Have fun at the movies!