text:
Parents, motorists urged to keep Halloween safeBY MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent
October 29. 2013 8:29PM
LEBANON — Safe Kids New Hampshire is urging parents and motorists to keep Halloween scares fun, not dangerous.
On average, twice as many children are struck and killed by vehicles while walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year, Jim Edson of Safe Kids New Hampshire said Tuesday.
Safe Kids New Hampshire is a Children's Hospital at Dartmouth and FedEx program that aims to educate the public on safety issues for those 19 and under.
"Just take that extra step to be a little bit more cautious. Nationally, it is the most dangerous night for kids (from) a pedestrian standpoint," he said.
Elementary school-age children should be given guidelines and be monitored by adults. Additionally, drivers out on Halloween should be more attentive to the roadway. Several things inside your car could distract you, including your own children.
"It's just like anything else, even cars that are in neighborhoods that are better lit, with these little guys there is still a chance of backing up into one," Edson said.
All children under the age of 12 should have an adult with them, he said. "There are studies out there that say children just don't have the cognitive skills to cross the street safety until 12."
Also, children should carry flashlights or glow sticks and opt for make-up instead of masks, which hinders the child's vision and take away the child's distinct human profile.
"If possible, wear face paint or makeup instead of masks," Edson said.
Parents are also urged to make sure their child's costume is not hanging too long or is too loose. Accidents can occur when a child trips on a floppy costume or it gets caught in a car door.
Along with road safety, parents should also remember to double check candy collected that night before letting their children eat it.
"Even though it's hard, any candy that you've seen that has been opened should be thrown away," Edson said.
For more tips on how to help kids become safer pedestrians on Halloween, and throughout the year, visit www.safekids.org .
Safety tips for kids:
Costumes can be both creative and safe. The most important thing is to make sure you can be seen by drivers. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct your vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible. Carry glow sticks or flashlights so you can see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don't run, across the street.
Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
Slow down and stay alert. Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and don't dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
Top safety tips for drivers:
Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
Public Safety Human Interest Holiday or vacation Lebanon Top Section Stories


text:
Hey guys,
I am having an old Lennox air conditioner (R22)replaced with an Amana RTG 36. The new heat pump is R410A. Replacing the line set will be very problematic but could be done if necessary.
My question is..........is it necassary?
I have talked to havc guys locally and the answers are all over the map. The guy here doing the work said that he will abide by the consensus of the board.........so have at it.
From reading the board I know that there is lots of opinion out there.......LOL.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A reader deep within the bowels of the Environmental Protection Administration — and nasty bowels they are too — says he is following the orders of outgoing EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson by forwarding this message from her to "all agency employees." We pass on this important message verbatim, minus only the [email protected] banner displaying Jackson's smiling countenance:
Dear Colleagues:
I am proud to share with you an important effort our colleagues at EPA are supporting. It is called the It Gets Better Project.
Created in September 2010 by syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller, the campaign's mission is to show young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) people "the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years." Video by video and story by story, the It Gets Better Project reminds LGBT teenagers who may be struggling that they are not alone — and that it will get better.
As President Obama said in his own It Gets Better video, "As a nation we're founded on the belief that all of us are equal and each of us deserves the freedom to pursue our own version of happiness; to make the most of our talents; to speak our minds; to not fit in; most of all, to be true to ourselves. That's the freedom that enriches all of us. "
I am honored to work alongside so many outstanding colleagues who have experienced tough challenges in their life due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, yet still have the courage to be open about who they are and the people they love. Many of them were able to keep focused on their life goals by telling themselves it will get better each day.
Some of these colleagues have offered to share their experiences of what it was like coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender. Each story is different, but each story teaches us the profound difference that support and respect can make in a young person's life.
I invite you to take a moment to view EPA's It Gets Better video via the link below. I also invite you to share this link. Email it to your friends. Post it on Facebook. Tweet about it. This is a message we want to spread far and wide.
Special thanks to Ryan Robison, the multimedia team and the others who contributed to making this video. And thanks to all EPA employees for doing your part to ensure our agency is an open, welcoming and respectful place to work.
Lisa P. Jackson
It Gets Better, Indeed. It's Getting Better All the Time.


text:
Member? Sign in. Not a member? Register for free.
This app was removed from the App Store.
Touch Tennis: FS5
iOS iPhone Games
Multi-player Table Tennis on your iPhone with amazing graphics and stereo sounds. Play against different computer levels, a friend on your iPhone or another friend over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth wirelessly.
Unlike traditional ping pong like games, you can also perform "power shots" by tapping the paddle as you hit the ball.
Choose from different rackets sizes and from various match lengths to increase the challenge! Accurate arcade physics, beautiful graphics, amusing sounds and natural accelerometer support will keep users entertained.
What's New
Improved support for iOS 4 multi-tasking and other bug fixes.


text:
Diplo's Hilarious Twitter Review: Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'
Daft Punk's Random Access Memories has landed in the hands of Diplo – world-famous DJ, Mad Decent label boss and Twitter's Number 1 punster. Diplo, took his Twitter feed to provide the cyber world his very own review of Daft Punk's Random Access Memories (Out May 21).
It ain't pretty, but it's so funny you'll snarf all "night to the sun". →


text:
May 07. 2013 8:02PM
Windham to benefit from Scouts' elbow grease
By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
WINDHAM - Two outdoor facilities are about to get a much-needed face-lift.
During Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting, the board unanimously approved projects proposed by two members of Windham Girl Scout Troop No. 10281 and Eagle Scout candidate Brian Deranian.
If all goes as planned, there will be a restored gazebo on Town Common and a new changing facility at the Cobbetts Pond town beach by summer's end.
Recreation Director Cheryl Haas said local Girl Scouts Taylor Mendes and Molly Ryan, both 14, approached her earlier this year.
"They wanted to do something for the town," Haas said. "Sitting in my office, I looked out the window and saw our gazebo, which needs some serious sprucing up."
The girls, who have been involved in local Scouting programs for the past eight years, were intrigued.
Mendes said their plan is to begin replacing the gazebo's rotten boards, then the structure will be sanded and painted. New plantings will be added around the gazebo site.
"Sometimes the folks from the senior center go down there to sit on a nice day," Mendes said. "We'd like to make it better for them."
The girls will begin working on the project as soon as classes end for the summer, with plans to raise funds by selling handmade friendship bracelets.
The project will take an estimated 50 to 60 hours of work, according to Ryan.
In order to achieve the Girl Scouts' highest status, the Gold Award, scouts must first complete Bronze and Silver projects.
In accordance with Scouting rules, Silver Award projects must be completed prior to entering 10th grade. The award is given in recognition of outstanding community service projects.
Local high school student Brian Deranian hopes to earn his Eagle Scout badge by rebuilding the Cobbetts Pond changing facility.
The Eagle Scout badge is the highest rank a Boy Scout can achieve: only about 5 percent of all Boy Scouts earn the honor.
"The building is in major disrepair right now, but people still use it because there's really nowhere else to change," Haas said.
Deranian said he'd be working closely with town officials for guidance and has already discussed the project with Windham building inspector Mike McGuire.
A Life Scout with Troop 266, Deranian said his plan is to tear down the existing structure and replace it with a new one that not only looks nicer but also is handicapped accessible.
"Hopefully we'll get a lot more people to come out and use the town beach," he told the board.


text:
source: http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/22084/info Indexu is prone to multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities because it fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input. An attacker may leverage these issues to have arbitrary script code execute in the browser of an unsuspecting user in the context of the affected site. This may help the attacker steal cookie-based authentication credentials and launch other attacks. Indexu 5.3.0 and prior versions are vulnerable; other versions may also be affected. http://www.example.com/INDEXU_PATH/mailing_list.php?error_msg=[XSS] http://www.example.com/INDEXU_PATH/mailing_list.php?email=[XSS]
Related ExploitsTrying to match CVEs (1): CVE-2007-0364
Trying to match OSVDBs (1): 32850
Other Possible E-DB Search Terms: Indexu 5.0/5.3, Indexu 5.0, Indexu


text:
Located just ten miles southwest of the city of Winston-Salem is the charming little village of Clemmons. The city's namesake, a merchant named Peter Clemmons, founded the village in 1802. Peter owned a store in the area and built the first bridge across the nearby Yadkin River. The home he lived in with his wife and their fourteen children still stands today.
Later, under the guidance of the village founder's great grandson Edwin, the village became a hub for stagecoach transportation until the coming of the railroad. The pride of Edwin's fleet, a nine-passenger coach that he named after his wife, has been fully restored and can be seen in the Clemmons Village Hall.
The Clemmons of today is a bustling little village of nearly 19,000 people. It's a convenient commute to nearby Winston-Salem just down I-40. Coupled with its convenient location, small-town charm, low unemployment, and rich history, Clemmons neighborhoods have continued to flourish.
Clemmons has a lot to offer the discriminating homebuyer. Sturdy Craftsman-style homes for sale in Clemmons are in abundance, as are architectural nods to the Greek Revival movement. Vintage Georgian revival mansions sometimes make appearances on the Clemmons real estate market, and the many newer homes built in classic styles give Clemmons homeowners all the charm of yesteryear, without the extra maintenance.
If quaint, convenient Clemmons seems like your cup of tea, take a look at our comprehensive list of homes for sale in Clemmons. Our simple yet powerful search tool can help you find just the home you've been looking for. Get in touch with us – we'd love to help you find your Clemmons dream home today.


text:
AlgeBasics 5.0
Teach and learn the basics of algebra including the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of algebraic terms, algebraic fractions and indices.
It includes order of calculations, simple indices and removal of brackets. The tutorials include graphics and animation presented in an easy to understand way to help in the understanding of concepts. It includes order of calculations, removal of brackets and simple indices up to the power of three. The sums will get progressively more difficult if the user is scoring well. It can generate thousands of sums - up to 200 per session. It is ideal for improvement through drills. If an answer is wrong, the correct answer is revealed immediately. Sums are marked automatically and a report can be printed after each session. Use the Test Module to set a test in minutes, administer a test, check the answer scripts.


text:
Against a backdrop of rising supply and a murky economic backdrop, RBOB gasoline rises up out of the ashes. Ok maybe not ashes but rising on refining and pipeline issues as we get ready to top off the tank for the upcoming kickoff to the summer driving season.
Just when things were looking so good for gas it just had to happen. Of course now the rest of the country might get a small taste of what the Chicago area has been struggling with. The Chicago gas prices have gone crazy as two of the three refineries that make that special "Chicago Gas," which is that politically concocted blend that only a mandate from the state, federal and local government could dream up creates mandated shortages every spring. Midwest gas supply is at multi-decades low as the rest of the country enjoys a bounty of supplies that are at the highest levels since the 1930s.
Yet from coast to coast it seems the gasoline gremlins are at work. In California, Bloomberg reported that BP Plc's Carson oil refinery, the second-largest in California, performed an unscheduled shutdown of a crude unit yesterday and cut rates at two others for repairs, a person with knowledge of operations said. The No. 4 crude unit was taken out of service to fix a valve leak and for exchanger work, and the No. 1 and No. 2 units are running at reduced rates, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information isn't public. The plant is processing about 45,000 barrels less a day during the work, the person said.
Also Colonial Pipeline Co. shut Line 1 pipeline for about one hour after a leak was detected yesterday, Steve Baker, a company spokesman said by e-mail to Bloomberg. They said that operations were safely resumed downstream of Hebert at normal levels and that operations from Houston-origin sources will resume once the source of gasoline found on a right of way is determined and repairs are completed, Co. They say they do not know how much gasoline spilled.
Natural gas pulled back after a bearish injection number. The Energy Information Administration reported that working gas in storage was 1,964 Bcf as of Friday, May 10, 2013, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 99 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 694 Bcf less than last year at this time and 83 Bcf below the 5-year average of 2,047 Bcf. In the East Region, stocks were 105 Bcf below the 5-year average following net injections of 55 Bcf. Stocks in the Producing Region were 29 Bcf below the 5-year average of 825 Bcf after a net injection of 31 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 51 Bcf above the 5-year average after a net addition of 13 Bcf. At 1,964 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range.
Reuters is reporting that "North America should have enough power to meet electricity demands this summer, the region's electric reliability organization said on Thursday. But continued growth in Texas coupled, with only a small amount of new resources in the state, could cause problems there, the organization, the North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC), said. NERC is a not-for-profit entity that develops and enforces power reliability standards in the United States. Its territory covers the continental United States, Canada and the northern portion of Baja California in Mexico. "However, continued peak demand growth in Texas coupled with only a small amount of new resources made available this summer is causing resource adequacy projections to fall below targets," he said.
NERC said it will closely monitor the situation in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which oversees the power grid in most of Texas, as well as impacts from persisting drought conditions in the west. In ERCOT, NERC said the anticipated reserve margin is 12.88 percent for this summer, which is below NERC's 13.75 percent target for the area. NERC warned that insufficient reserves during peak hours could lead to increased risk of emergency operating conditions, including curtailment of interruptible load and even rotating outages. Interruptible load includes mostly industrial companies that pay less for power with the understanding that their supplies may be reduced or cut off if needed. ERCOT, Texas regulators and Texas power companies have long been aware of the potential shortfall and have been taking action to tackle the problem for this summer and in the long term. NERC also warned of tight power supplies in Southern California that may lead to "operational challenges" due to the continued shutdown of the San Onofre nuclear power plant since January 2012. "A prolonged or extreme heat wave could result in localized controlled load shedding in San Diego and Los Angeles Basin to maintain integrity of the system," NERC said. Power companies in California expect several system enhancements to be in service by the summer peak, which "should relieve some operational issues and support system flexibility during conditions of stress," NERC said.
NERC warned that increased reliance on wind and solar power resources in regions with a lot of renewable generation could pose challenges for some operators to get other plants online when the sun stops shining and the wind stops blowing. NERC also said drought conditions west of Mississippi River could pose localized problems for some generators. The retirement and retrofit of power plants to meet environmental regulations is not expected to cause immediate reliability concerns, NERC said NERC also said it was watching for above-average growth in peak demand in Texas and the West, that it was expecting an active hurricane season this summer, and that it was keeping an eye on increasing dependence on natural gas to fuel power plants across the country as coal units retire.


text:
Legendary singer Andy Williams, known for his smooth voice and classics such as "Moon River," died after a year-long battle with bladder cancer at his Branson, Missouri, home Tuesday night, his family said.
Williams, 84, began his singing career as a child in a quartet with his brothers, but he rose to stardom as a solo act starting in the 1950s.
"The Andy Williams Show," a weekly television variety program that ran for nine years on NBC starting in 1962, and a dozen TV specials from 1959 through 1987 made Williams a household name in the United States.
He spent the last 20 years of his career performing on his own stage at his Moon River Theatre in Branson.
Jimmy Osmond said his family would be "forever grateful for the interactions we had with him."
"Not only did he discover us as a group, but also allowed us the opportunity to be discovered as individuals and develop our own talents," Osmond said.
"The clarity and warmth and grace of his singing shaped my love of music as I watched my brothers perform with him on his weekly show," Donny Osmond said.
Williams gave him several voice lessons when he was just 7, Osmond said.
"When I finally joined my brothers and toured with Andy as his opening act and back-up singers, I was always impressed with the way he handled an audience," he said. "He loved the audience. That was one of the most important lessons he taught me."
His sister, Marie Osmond, who made her TV debut on his show at age 3, said Williams was "the first person to affect my career."
"The group 'The Osmonds' would not exist without the foresight and generosity of our mentor Andy Williams," Marie Osmond said.
"No one sang more beautifully than Andy Williams," she said. "Hearing his version of 'Moon River' never failed to move me deeply. I can't imagine the holiday season without Andy Williams; we did so many specials together."
"Moon River" became his theme song after he performed it at the 1962 Academy Awards, where it won an Oscar for best song in a movie. Audrey Hepburn sang the Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini composition in the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
Williams' recording career reached superstar status in 1963 when his album "Days of Wine and Roses" spent 16 weeks at the top of the U.S. music charts.
His variety TV show, which promoted the careers of many other artists including the Osmonds, won high ratings and three Emmys.
Singer Ray Stevens, who was managed for years by Andy's brother Don, called him "one classy guy."
"He was a marvelously talented and generous performer who in 1970 entrusted his nationally acclaimed TV show and audience to a green kid from Georgia," Stevens said. "That kid was me, and he changed my life."
Williams hosted the first live Grammy Awards telecast at the Hollywood Palladium in 1971. He went on to host for seven years straight.
"The entertainment industry has lost a giant piece of its living history today, but Williams' legacy will forever be enshrined in the annals of music and television," said Neil Portnow, the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. "Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who will miss this American treasure."
The singer hosted five Christmas television specials, between 1973 and 1985, along with seven other television specials, the first in 1959 and the last in 1987.
Williams, who also had a home in La Quinta, California, is survived by his wife of 21 years, Debbie, and his three children with French singer Claudine Longet -- Robert, Noelle and Christian.
He was married to Longet from 1961 until their divorce in 1975. A year later, she was charged with the fatal shooting of her boyfriend, Olympic skier Spider Sabich.
Williams stood by Longet, who claimed the shooting was accidental. She spent a month in jail.
Williams' Branson theater was the first non-country venue built in the small Missouri tourist mecca.
He was born on December 3, 1927, in Wall Lake, Iowa, where he began singing with brothers Bob, Dick and Don in a Presbyterian church choir led by their parents.
Williams was just 8 when he made his professional singing debut with the Williams Brothers Quartet. The brothers were regular performers on radio station WHO's "Iowa's Barn Dance Show" in Des Moines. Their popularity grew, taking the brothers to national stations, including WLS in Chicago and WLW in Cincinnati.
Doris Day was his friend when they were both young and living in Cincinnati.
"He and his brothers sang and, of course, so did I, and often I would go over to their house and we would sing together," Day said Wednesday. "They asked me to join their group, but my vocal coach thought I should be out on my own, and so that's what I did."
Smokey Robinson said Williams "befriended me when I was just a teenager starting out in show business, and we remained friends throughout the years."
"I regret that we didn't have the chance to spend more time together," Robinson said. "He was one of the great voices and great people of our time."
[Source: CNN]


text:
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 26, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE:GY) company, announced that yesterday afternoon, Vice President of Quality & Mission Assurance, Lee Tait, presented a check for $100,000 to the board of the Powerhouse Science Center as part of its $1.5 million commitment toward creation of the new Aerojet Challenger Learning Center in Sacramento.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=17354
In December 2011, Aerojet became the first title sponsor of the planned Powerhouse Science Center (www.powerhousesciencecenter.org), the new home of the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center set to break ground later in 2013 and open its doors in 2015.
"Aerojet's unique partnership with the Discovery Museum goes back more than 17 years and highlights the company's continuing commitment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and to the Sacramento community," said Aerojet President Warren M. Boley, Jr. "The new Powerhouse Science Center will be a science and technology jewel for the region and I'm excited about the huge impact our expanded, high-tech Challenger Learning Center will make in inspiring future generations."
"Since 1997, Aerojet has taken the lead role in supporting our highly successful Challenger Learning Center," said Michele Wong, board president of Powerhouse Science Center. "Their longstanding support and generosity makes a positive impact on the quality of STEM education throughout our region."
Shortly after the loss of NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger and its seven crew members in January 1986, the astronauts' families established the national Challenger Center for Space Science Education in honor of their loved ones to inspire students to continue their space exploration mission.
In 1996, Aerojet led local efforts to fund and design a Challenger Learning Center in the existing 61-year-old Discovery Museum, located on Auburn Boulevard in Sacramento. The center's interactive space mission simulator experience includes a realistic Mission Control room, patterned after NASA's Johnson Space Center, along with an orbiting space station through which students complete launch mission scenarios relying on teamwork, communication, decision making and problem solving.
Since its opening in October 1997, more than 60,000 students have participated in 2,300 simulated space missions at Aerojet's Challenger Learning Center.
The new Aerojet Challenger Learning Center will showcase a cutting-edge simulated NASA space mission program, the most advanced in the nation, and serve as a cornerstone of the future Powerhouse Science Center. Once completed, the new science complex is expected to draw approximately 500,000 visitors a year.
Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader providing propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense, strategic, tactical missile and armaments areas in support of domestic and international markets. GenCorp is a leading technology-based manufacturer of aerospace and defense products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities related to the entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's excess real estate assets. Additional information about Aerojet and GenCorp can be obtained by visiting the companies' websites at http://www.Aerojet.com and http://www.GenCorp.com.
The Aerojet logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12048
CONTACT: Glenn Mahone, Aerojet, 202.302.9941 email@example.com Kristin Conner, Aerojet, 916.355.2143 email@example.com
Source: Aerojet


text:
It's come to this... the sense of entitlement to all of our public space that drivers demonstrate on a daily basis is now being addressed in a way that potentially punishes the entire population, whether we're driving responsibly or not. Oh goody.
When I was a kid (here in Brooklyn, when Pluto was still a planet), people walked their dogs in the street and sidewalks were clean. Traffic was less heavy on residential streets - and truck traffic was minimal compared to what it is now. We played on the streets, taking reasonable care (for kids) to look out for cars and drivers also looked out for us. It was not unusual for a driver to actually STOP while a ball was in play on the street, wait till the action paused, and then proceed. If the driver was someone we knew we'd offer a little thump on the hood or the side door as a thank-you.
What's that you said? Where were our parks? Where were our parents? Yes, we had parks in Cypress Hills, including Highland Park. The problem was that it was too far away for us to travel there alone - we were KIDS - and we had no one to drive us there; and besides, the street was perfectly adequate for street hockey, tag, skully, skating, stoop ball, stick ball, epic snowball fights, and other games. We didn't feel like we were missing anything by playing on our tree-lined street.
And people curbed their dogs. I remember this fondly. No one allowed their dogs to poop on the sidewalk, ever. Sidewalks were for, well, people. Now, dog owners have been driven (literally) from the curbs because the average city driver speeds and/or drives in other reckless ways. It's simply not safe to leisurely walk your pet in the street, not even if you hug along the parked cars. It's also not enjoyable or safe to take a long walk or run to exercise your dog on the street, which has increased the demand for dog runs in our parks.
Nowadays people feel forced to walk their dogs on the sidewalks. Even if they thoroughly pick up after their dogs, our sidewalks are no longer healthy place for kids to play... what parent would feel comfortable allowing their kids to play on the sidewalks, aware of this toxic layer added to noxious car and truck fumes?
The incremental result of car domination over these decades is this: We are all cowering on the sidewalks and running for our lives; some of us might die waiting for that fire truck or ambulance; and we've all have voluntarily placed ourselves under virtual house arrest. Sadly, we don't realize that most of the time. Saddest of all, we've lost any sense that things could be different - or that in fact they once were. With these Rumblers, the NYPD has clearly forgotten as well.
I remember a time when all drivers of all vehicles immediately pulled over to let emergency vehicles pass, no fooling around, no funny business. Today I see drivers either stuck between or behind idiot drivers who clearly are refusing to budge - you can SEE there's room for them to pull over but they don't - and I can't believe their selfishness, even though I've watched it encroach upon and finally take over our public space.
Most drivers seem to care little that the house on fire might be their own, or a loved one's. They seem to care little that the person in the ambulance might be a relative or possibly them, heaven forbid. The only reality that seems to matter is their progress towards their destination, and they're not about to yield that up to some stupid screaming emergency vehicle that is paid for with their tax dollars, damn it. Now the NYPD has bought into this wayward thinking, and instead of running a public service advertising campaign (which would be more to the point and probably less expensive), they're spending money on this technology.
These "Rumblers" are just another way that we're being punished for the choices - which seemed so minor, so individual, so convenient, so harmless - that we've collectively made over the years. I'm wondering how much more punishment we'll inflict - and accept - before we start to question, as an entire city population, whether allowing car dominance has been worth the price.


text:
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries
Imagine the thrill of discovering something brand-new about a creature that lived millions of years ago. Ever since the first dinosaur fossil was identified almost 200 years ago, people have wondered how these fascinating animals lived, moved, and behaved. At first, dinosaur hunters used only such tools as a keen eye, shovels, and compasses. Today, scientists also rely on everything from satellite technology to scanning electron microscopes.
Take a journey into the exciting world of modern paleontology. New dinosaur fossils are being discovered faster than ever before. Advanced technology allows scientists to look at these fossils in fresh ways. And researchers are gaining surprising insights into these amazing animals.
Answers are coming from an area of science called biomechanics. This approach applies principles of physics and engineering to biological movement; it lets scientists study animals-including humans-as if they were machines.
What are these unusual body parts good for? What purpose, we wonder, could they serve?
Perhaps more than any other kind of fossil, footprints evoke the walking, running, living and breathing animals of the past.
Researchers have long wondered about the purpose of such peculiar features. Perhaps some served to protect the animal in battle. Others might have helped a dinosaur stay cool. More recently, scientists have come to another conclusion: Some of these features were likely used by dinosaurs in the competition for mates or to recognize members of their own species.
Get ready to travel back in time. Your voyage will take you to a part of eastern Asia as it looked 130 million years ago. At the time, this region--now in the Chinese province of Liaoning--was warm and dry.
You've probably heard how dinosaurs went extinct: They were all killed one terrible day when a huge object from outer space-a comet or asteroid the size of at least 100,000 Superdomes-slammed into Earth around 65 million years ago. But this description is not quite right.
Not long ago, all we knew of the great dinosaurs was the shape of their bones and the sound of their names--the rest of our "knowledge" was largely guesswork. Today, scientists probe the way these creatures moved and ate, lived and died. And in decades to come, researchers aim to understand dinosaurs nearly as well as they understand some animals living on Earth today.
Dr. Mark Norell, Chair and Curator, Division of Paleontology, Curator, Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries
Image Gallery
Take a quick peek behind the scenes at some Exhibitions staff members hard at work preparing exhibits for Dinosaurs.
Educator Materials
Use these free online resources to further explore themes presented in the Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries exhibition.
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries and its accompanying education and public programs were made possible by Bank of America. Major funding has also been provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund.
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org), in collaboration with the Houston Museum of Natural Science; the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; The Field Museum, Chicago; and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh.


text:
Mystery has surrounded the fitness of Lukas Podolski since he was surprisingly eased out of the Arsenal starting XI last month.
The forward has not started a match for his club since the Champions League first leg against Bayern Munich on February 19, and was surprisingly a substitute for the league matches against Aston Villa and Tottenham.
A few eyebrows were raised when he was called up to the Germany squad to face Kazakhstan this week. "Fully recovered from my injury, back on track ready to help the team soon, aiming the 3 points #GoArsenal," tweeted the German.
Goal.com understands that a calf problem has affected Podolski over the last six weeks, rather than the long-running ankle complaint that led to him being substituted so frequently in the first half of the season.
The German's calf setback was regarded by Arsenal as relatively minor in comparison to the ankle injury, which could require surgery in the summer.
- Wayne Veysey
Gill tips Premier League to bounce back
For the first time in 17 years, the Premier League will not field a single representative in the last eight of this season's Champions League.
But Manchester United chief executive David Gill is confident that the world's richest and most popular league will swiftly bounce back from the sidelines.
Speaking at a recent Premier League shareholders' meeting, The Sweeper can reveal that Gill told colleagues the English top flight "had enjoyed 20 years of success and was the envy of all the other leagues who could not catch up with it" because they had not invested in their stadiums or centralised selling of broadcasting rights.
Accordingly, the Premier League can be confident of maintaining its huge global appeal in comparison to rivals like Germany's Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga.
Gill said he "could not foresee any of the European leagues, in the next three years, challenging its (Premier League) supremacy".
The 20 Premier League clubs will vote at the full board meeting next month on whether to rubberstamp plans for a domestic version of Uefa's financial fair play (FFP) rules.
Gill, who will stand down as United chief executive in June to pursue his twin ambition of senior administrative roles in English and European football, has been one of the most vocal advocates of a tweaked system.
At the behind-closed-doors meeting, Gill explained that FFP was a way of preventing the looming TV revenue windfall from simply flowing into the pockets of players and agents.
He argued the Premier League had to change "because the percentage of income paid out to players had grown over recent years", disagreeing there would be a talent drain if FFP was ratified.
Oligarchs and sheikhs will not be entirely thwarted by the new plans, which "would attract different types of owners who would know they could make money out of owning a club".
- Wayne Veysey


text:
While single practitioner analysts or analysts at boutiques will occasionally comment on the research done at the major firms (often in a snide tone), it is rare for an analyst at a major firm to acknowledge something from a major competitor. Forrester's Jeremiah Owyang (Twitter handle, poster child for tech analysts using social media) does just that in Understanding Gartner's "Generation Virtual". Jeremiah – fairly, in a professional tone – highlights the research and points out where he agrees or disagrees with Gartner's conclusions. My only quibble is that rather than focusing on just the Gartner research, Jeremiah might have also contrasted the Gartnerian model with Forrester's Social Technographics Ladder.
Bottom Line: One way for major analyst firms to cut through the clutter of the competing voices on the Web could be to Continue reading
Filed under: Analyst industry, Commentary, Social media | Tagged: Adam Sarner, analyst relations, AR, Forrester, Gartner, Generation Virtual, Jeremiah Owyang, Social Technographics Ladder, Web Strategy by Jeremiah | 6 Comments »


text:
For Educators
The Butterfly Conservatory is made up of a vivarium and a long hallway with information, photos, and butterfly specimens. This comprehensive guide will help you explore the exhibition with your students.
Educators Guide and Materials
More Resources For Educators
Use these free online resources before or after your visit to further explore themes presented in the Butterfly Conservatory exhibition.
Animal Keeper (Science World)
Live animals add an element of surprise to Museum displays. But they need more than a cute face or bright colors to earn a spot in an exhibition hall. Find out what it takes.
Animal Keeper (SuperScience)
From blue butterflies and red frogs to a green iguana nicknamed "Iggy," meet the live animals in the Museum's exhibitions and the people who take care of them.
The Butterfly Kingdom
Taiwan may be a small island, but it's home to more kinds of butterflies than any almost other place in the world — about 400 species have been discovered by scientists. Find out why.
Draw a Monarch
You don't have to be a terrific artist to create a scientific illustration of a monarch butterfly—just willing to take your time researching and re-creating what you find.
Which Way Out--A Study of the Exit Tunnels Made by the Goldenrod Gall Fly, Eurosta solidaginis
Monarch butterflies have an internal magnetic compass that guides their migration. Is a similar force at work guiding the gall fly's exit tunnels? See what this young naturalist discovered.
The butterfly begins life as an egg, emerges as a caterpillar, and then undergoes a complete change in body form during development.
Wear a Chimp on Your Wrist
How can you wear a chimp on your wrist—without getting primate elbow? The answer to this riddle is not as tough as it may seem. Need a hint? Take a closer look at genetic code.


text:
Over the years, a variety of non-native species (plants, animals, and other organisms) have been introduced to Connecticut. Non-native species are those that are alien to the ecosystem that they have been introduced into and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm to the environment or human health. Some non-native species exhibit an aggressive growth habit and can out-compete and displace native species. These are referred to as invasive species and they are a serious problem in Connecticut and elsewhere.
Protecting native species and the habitats in which they occur is an objective of the Department. To address the issue, the Department has taken measures to control and remove invasive species on state land while offering assistance to private landowners seeking to manage invasive species on their properties.
Invasive Insects
A Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plants in Connecticut - link to Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Invasive Aquatic Plant Program at Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Connecticut Invasive Plants Council - Draft minutes of the most recent Council meeting are available on the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group
Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG)
Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)
Invasive Species Identification Sheets
Controlling Phragmites australis (PDF) - Information on how to control Phragmites australis in freshwater and saltwater marshes.
Running Bamboo - Although not considered an invasive species in Connecticut, information on this species can be found on the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) website.
Connecticut General Statutes (CGS)
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127 / Phone: 860-424-3000
Home | CT.gov Home | Send Feedback | Login | Register
State of Connecticut Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, and Web Site Accessibility Policy. Copyright © 2002-2018 State of Connecticut.


text:
Commercial real estate brokerage firm CBRE Group Inc. announced Tuesday that it has been chosen to exclusively lease two buildings in a corporate campus in Montville.
The two properties, located at 340 Changebridge Road, are headquarters-quality buildings totaling 218,413 square feet and are located on 27 acres.
Geoff Schubert, CBRE senior vice president, Brian Godau, vice president, and Todd Ward, associate, will be responsible for leasing and marketing the property on behalf of the owner, Vision Real Estate Partners LLC.
"This is a unique opportunity for companies to establish an institutional presence in a premier headquarters facility on a secure corporate campus, with exceptional on-site amenities, property management, security booth at the gated entrance and high-quality planned upgrades to the properties," Schubert said in a statement.
The two properties previously served as a corporate campus for Bayer Corporation.
Sealed Air moving HQ, hundreds of jobs to N.C.
Campus Town is taking shape at TCNJ: A Q&A with the developer
Pair of court rulings split on Obamacare subsidies for those who bought insurance on HealthCare.gov


text:
By DAN SEWELL and ASHLEY THOMAS
Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) - A plane carrying a wing walker crashed Saturday at an air show and exploded into flames, killing the pilot and stunt walker instantly, authorities said.
The crash happened at around 12:45 p.m. at the Vectren Air Show at Dayton International Airport. No spectators were hurt.
A video posted on WHIO-TV shows the plane turn upside-down as the performer sits on top of the wing. The plane then tilts and crashes to the ground, exploding into flames as spectators screamed.
Ian Hoyt, 20, an aviation photographer and licensed pilot from Findlay, was at the show with his girlfriend. He told The Associated Press he was taking photos as the plane passed by and had just raised his camera to take another shot.
"Then I realized they were too low and too slow. And before I knew it, they hit the ground," he said.
He couldn't tell exactly what happened, but it appeared that the plane stalled and didn't have enough air speed, he said.
"I'm still shaking," Hoyt said. He said he had been excited to see the show because he'd never seen the scheduled performer - wing walker Jane Wicker - in action.
The names of those killed weren't immediately released, but a schedule on the event's website and the announcer at the show said Wicker was performing.
Airport spokeswoman Linda Hughes and Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Anne Ralston confirmed the deaths to the AP.
The show was canceled for the rest of the day, but organizers said events would resume Sunday. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.
Another spectator, Shawn Warwick of New Knoxville, told the Dayton Daily News that he was watching the flight through binoculars.
"I noticed it was upside-down really close to the ground. She was sitting on the bottom of the plane," he said. "I saw it just go right into the ground and explode."
Wicker's website says she responded to a classified ad from the Flying Circus Airshow in Bealeton, Va., in 1990, for a wing-walking position, thinking it would be fun. Her full-time job was as a budget analyst for the Federal Aviation Administration, according to her website.
She told WDTN-TV in an interview this week that her signature move was hanging underneath the plane's wing by her feet and sitting on the bottom of the airplane while it's upside-down.
"I'm never nervous or scared because I know if I do everything as I usually do, everything's going to be just fine," she told the station.
Wicker wrote on her website that she had never had any close calls.
"What you see us do out there is after an enormous amount of practice and fine tuning, not to mention the airplane goes through microscopic care. It is a managed risk and that is what keeps us alive," she wrote.
In 2007, veteran stunt pilot Jim LeRoy was killed at the Dayton show when his biplane slammed into the runway while performing loop-to-loops and caught fire.
Organizers were presenting a trimmed-down show and expected smaller crowds at Dayton after the Air Force Thunderbirds and other military participants pulled out this year because of federal budget cuts.
The air show, 1 of the country's oldest, usually draws around 70,000 people and has a $3.2 million impact on the local economy. Without military aircraft and support, the show expected attendance to be off 30% or more.
Thomas reported from Philadelphia.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Raw video of the crash has been uploaded to YouTube. WARNING: THE FOOTAGE IS VERY GRAPHIC AND MAY BE DISTURBING TO VIEWERS.


text:
Application Deadlines and Public Hearing Schedule for Broward County Land Use Plan Amendments
The Planning Council has eliminated the application deadlines for Broward County Land Use Plan Amendments and will be accepting applications on a continuous basis.
* Please be advised that applications deemed incomplete or insufficient may be delayed, pending receipt and acceptance of information required by application guidelines. The public hearing schedule will be determined upon the receipt of an application. Specific dates will be determined based on the number and type of applications, and approval by County Commission, as appropriate.


text:
Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The People's Choice Awards will air live Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, on CBS
Kaley Cuoco, star of CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," will return to host the People's Choice Awards 2013, live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 (9 to 11 p.m.), on the CBS Television Network.
The People's Choice Awards is the only major awards show where fans determine the categories, nominees and winners across multiple genres of movies, music and television. Beginning Oct. 23, fans will have the opportunity to narrow down a selection of nominees in each of more than 40 categories. Voting will take place online athttp://www.Peopleschoice.com/nominees until Friday, Nov. 2.
"It's an honor to return as host of the 2013 People's Choice Awards and kick off awards season with one of the most fun events of the year," Cuoco said.
"I am so thrilled that Kaley will be joining us again as host for this year's People's Choice Awards," said executive producer Mark Burnett. "She is such an engaging performer who brings an undeniable energy and passion to our stage. There is no doubt she will be a key part of what makes this year's show a can't-miss event."
Prior to her role as "Penny" on "The Big Bang Theory," winner of the 2010 People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy, Cuoco was best known to television audiences for her role as Bridget Hennesy in the series "8 Simple Rules," winner of the 2003 People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy.
This year, Cuoco starred opposite Rob Lowe in the Lifetime movie "Untouchable: The Drew Peterson Story." She was also seen in "The Last Ride," an independent film that tells the story of Hank Williams's final days, and in 2011 she co-starred in the family comedy "HOP" with James Marsden and Russell Brand. Recently, Cuoco wrapped production on "Scribble," an indie comedy about a group of aspiring writers.


text:
Exorcist: The Complete Anthology, The (US - DVD R1)
The Power of Christ compels you to read Gabe's review of the horror series...
Warner Bros. has decided to repackage and re-release all five (or six if you consider the 2003 original re-release) of their Exorcist films. If you've already bought or seen the previous DVD releases of these films you may not want to bother reading what will most likely be a very long review. These are all the exact same DVDs. There really isn't much to say about them that hasn't already been said, so I'm going to do my best to keep things short.
The Exorcist
The original film is a pop culture mainstay. As one of the first massive blockbuster releases of the post movie-brat era, it's often forgotten how genuinely good The Exorcist is. Straight out of his Oscar shattering debut, the ne-plus-ultra of gritty crime dramas The French Connection, director William Freidkin had an amazing sense of inflated ego and something to prove when he started production on the film adaptation of William Peter Blatty's original hit novel. The finished product struck such a chord with the nation that it went on to be one of the highest grossing motion pictures of all-time.
The fact that a relatively slow moving, psychological horror film about the possession of a pre-teen girl could capture the attention of so many people is a product of the time it was made. Had the film premiered today, in its present form, it would most likely be written off as cheesy, boring, and ultimately (and perhaps most shockingly) not scary. Almost as interesting as a litmus test for a past society's moral barometer and entertainment measure as it is a film, The Exorcist begs revisiting, even if it has become unfortunately dated in 33 years.
Freidkin's craft is undeniable, as are the performances. After the novelty of shock value has long since warn off, we can admire the layered plot building and amazing acting chops. Had The Exorcist been made in the post- Scream '90s, those involved would've most likely found it impossible to take the subject matter as seriously as necessary. At no point during this film is anyone's tongue planted in his or her cheek, and this serious tone is what ultimately leads to the many critical dissections of it that followed its release. Like most '70s era, hard horror releases, it is an allegory for many real life issues, in this case divorce, puberty, dogma, and faith, and many others.
The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen
For the 30th Anniversary, director William Freidkin—who by the way never repeated the critical or monetary success of either of his first two films—re-edited the original film, and added new sound and visual effects. Obviously this decision was based largely on the success of the re-release of George Lucas' original Star Wars Trilogy in 1997, though this revamping proved to be far less controversial than Lucas'.
The new effects (most of which are subliminal images) are iffy, and like those of Star Wars, they did not blend into the original footage very well. The inclusion of the 'spider walk', a scene originally deleted back in 1973, was the biggest difference. It's effectively creepy, but makes little sense, and makes the mistake of having the possessed Regan leave the confines of her bedroom, which at that point in the film was a mistake. In addition to this there are some other reinstated scenes throughout the picture that owners of the original DVD release may remember from the The Fear of God documentary. It appears that author Blatty finally nagged Friedkin enough to make things a little less up to interpretation. The revamped sound on the other hand is spectacular and almost the preferred way to view the film.
In the end this re-release ended up making even more than Warner Bros. had anticipated, proving perhaps that younger generations were willing to revisit the horrors of their parents. Based on the general youth consensus however, the film doesn't quite transcend the generation gap.
Exorcist II: The Heretic
The second Exorcist film is a great example of how not to follow up a massively successful motion picture. This wouldn't be the last time Warner Bros. would drop the ball on the franchise, but it was a great place to start. First off, if history has taught us anything, it's that the audience usually wants more of the same out of a sequel. This is especially true when the first film left no room for a sequel in the first place. I know that this is creatively bankrupt way to make a movie, but it's usually a good way to make a few bucks, especially in the creatively bankrupt late '70s.
Exorcist II awkwardly tries to expand on the original's story, but the plot makes almost no sense, and the film bares very little resemblance to Friedkin's original. As best as I can explain it, the story revolves around the demon Pasuzu trying to repossess Regan, who's now in college, having forgotten completely about her harrowing experience in the first film. To stop the demon, Father Philip Lamont tries to bring about Regan's repressed memories through an experimental hypnotism process, which involves some silly Sci-Fi headgear. Credited writer William Goldhart only wrote one more script following this one, just in case anyone was wondering.
The second failed step made in the pre-production process was the hiring of John Boorman, one of the most experimental men ever to work in mainstream Hollywood. Boorman is best know for his work on indispensable films like Point Blank and Deliverance, but has also directed such overdone fantasy epics as Zardoz and Excalibur (both cult films, but undeniably weird ones). Boorman really goes for broke when it comes to bizarre touches, such as pre-digital layered effects, and a very long flashback sequence from the point of view of a locust.
In the end, Exorcist II may be worth revisiting for Boorman's over-the-top direction and Ennio Morricone's inappropriate but extremely catchy score, but since the damn thing seems to be on cable TV every other weekend there's little point in purchasing a DVD. The finished film is the utter disaster that history claims it to be, but this is what makes it somehow watchable today and not unlike watching a car crash as portrayed by Salvador Dali after a bout with e coli. The film also contains, in flashback, a third variation on Merrin's past which differs from both of the later prequels.
Exorcist III: Legion
Years after the complete debacle that was Exorcist II Warner Bros. found the courage to revisit the series again, only this time putting the writer of the original, William Peter Blatty, in charge of both writing and directing. Blatty based his film on his original novel, entitled Legion, in which we find out a man called the Gemini Killer (not to be confused with the Zodiac Killer) was put to death at the same instant Father Karras killed himself in order to stop Regan's possession. The killer, played with gusto by the one and only Brad Dourif, goes about his bloody business post-mortem by possessing victims to do his evil bidding. Gruff cop, played gruffly by the always gruff George C. Scott is hot on his trail, but must deal with his own preconceptions of the supernatural and faith first.
Blatty's picture was pretty much ignored on its initial release, but garnered more praise than Boorman's massive flop, which intelligently enough Blatty pretended never existed. After its release on video, the film gained some steam and a healthy cult following, as is want to happen in out post-internet day and age. Some now consider The Exorcist III on level with the original, but the truth is that like so many 'discoverd on video' classics, it has become a tad over-praised by a vocal minority. On the whole, the film is fine, hinging on a tortured performance from Scott, a surprisingly potent visual sense, and some genuinely creepy scenes that leave a lot to the viewer's imagination. Unfortunately, the final act is very muddled, only skidding by through Blatty's visual flair.
Word has it that Blatty was plagued by a lot of studio interference, and that the final act, especially, was compromised. Apparently the original book and screenplay didn't end with an exorcism scene at all; a fact that once realized makes the scene even more painfully moot. The key to the film's success is how low-key it is, and the fact that only the most liberal of minds could even consider it a horror film, despite the tacked on exorcism and one of the most bowel cleaning scares in cinema history (you know the one). This is the one film besides the original that may be a must see, but it only barely earns the tag.
Exorcist: The Beginning
The story of the Exorcist prequel is, unfortunately, about ten times more interesting than the actual movie itself. When someone at Warner Bros. (or technically subsidiary company Morgan Creek) first came up with the idea of making a film concerning the adventures of a young Father Merrin, director John Frankenheimer was brought on board. Frankenheimer is best known for his early successes ( The Manchurian Candidate, Seconds, Grand Prix, Birdman of Alcatraz), and later failures ( Island of Dr. Monreau, Reindeer Games), and actually shares quite a bit in common stylistically with Exorcist II director John Boorman. Unfortunately Frankenheimer died during pre-production, and Paul Schrader was brought on board. Schrader is best known for his dark work writing films like Taxi Driver, and directing films like Affliction. He seemed like a good choice.
When Schrader delivered his final cut, the producers were none too happy. Apparently Schrader's film was too psychological, and too understated. Execs were expecting a horror film, not a study of the loss of faith in the face of darkness (a Schrader specialty). Once again, Warner Bros. stepped in to muck about with an Exorcist film. Schrader was taken off the project and cheese processor Renny Harlin ( Deep Blue Sea, Cutthroat Island, Cliffhanger) was brought aboard for re-shoots. After struggling to produce the thrill-machine Warner Bros. wanted, Harlin ended up partially recasting, and basically started from scratch. All this meddling did not bode well for the final film.
When the film was finally released, the general public didn't seem to have a grasp on just how screwed up the filmmaking process had been, and The Beginning actually pulled in a decent opening weekend haul, all things considered. Of course the fact that the film was exactly as awful as fans had feared didn't help the film in the following weeks, nor did it garner more than a small handful of positive reviews.
It's too easy to blame Harlin for the film's eventual self-destruction. Factually, Harlin was brought on as the hands of executives, and in the end was simply doing his job. The plot of the film follows a young Father Lankester Merrin (played by Max Von Sydow in the original and here by Stellan Skarsgård), a man down on his luck and faith, who's confronted for the first time by the evil demon Pasuzu. Merrin has found solace in archeology, and has discovered an ancient church buried in the sands of East Africa. When the site is opened, the demon escapes and possesses a villager. Meanwhile, evil is afoot, and a war is about to break out between the natives and the British settlers.
Exorcist: The Beginning was most reviled for its generally nasty nature (showing a small boy torn limb from limb by ravenous hyenas and a lingering shot of a maggot infested still-born, for example). I do not pretend to think the film was not nasty, but personally feel that it was this nastiness that gave the film its one edge. For the most part there is nothing to separate this film from any other generic Exorcist rip-off. No interesting characters, no dynamic visuals, no decent special effects, and no real scares. The worst offense the film commits, however, is its twist ending, which goes against the original films loose mythology, by changing the possessed individual.
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist
After the fish-like flopping of Harlin's film, Warner Bros. decided to release Schrader's film after all, thanks to good early reviews and the fact that it had gained a bit of a mythic reputation over the internet. Suddenly we were left with two very different versions of the same film, something that hadn't occurred in cinematic history (as far as I know, and remakes don't count). Now the public could decide for themselves whether the original producers had made the right decision in scrapping the film in the first place.
Shockingly enough, it turned out that Warner Bros. may've been right; Schrader had delivered a thrilless, boring motion picture. Not only this, but the drama was flat, the characters were just as uninteresting, and Schrader's usual gritty touch was almost entirely absent. If anything, I'd say that at least visually Harlin's film has the edge, especially in texture, which Schrader should be expected to deliver.
Dominion does deliver some creepy moments, but I was personally expecting a psychological experience on par with Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Affliction, and Auto Focus. Instead I got a thinly drawn lead who comes off as more of a big baby rather than a tortured soul (I get it, Nazis are bad, enough). The film is an actual prequel, in that it doesn't change anything, and thus should be seen as the real prequel by fans (for the record, only Dominion and Legion are cannon, the other two films kind of take place in an alternate universe), but it doesn't excuse the fact that its still a bad movie.
It seems unfair to berate Schrader while letting Harlin off the hook, but I have to remember that Harlin was just doing a job, and had almost no creative interest in the project. This, we are expected to believe, is the best Schrader could do, and I for one know it is not.
As I said before, these are exactly the same as the previous releases, right down to the disc art. There has been no re-mastering. The original Exorcist is the same single layered disc released back in the early days of the format. Thankfully it is anamorphically enhanced, and has been cleaned up to a degree. The colours and detail levels are muted, and there is a lot of cross-colouration, but overall the print isn't too bad.
The re-release, on the other hand, is a revelation in clarity. When compared back-to-back it's obvious that a lot of effort went into the reconstruction of the original negatives for the revamp. Colours are much richer, details are extremely sharp, and grain has been greatly minimized. If you can take the additional scenes and the added effects, The Version You've Never Seen is by far the superior version.
Exorcist II gets a decent treatment, but is one of the newer releases of the set, figuring there wasn't much demand for supply. Again, it is anamorphically enhanced, and has been cleaned. Details aren't the sharpest, but will do, and colours are relatively vibrant. Black levels are deep, and nearly noise free. There is some digital blocking on moving edges, but overall this is rather impressive. Exorcist III is another older DVD, and has some problems with noise mostly. But the release is anamorphically enhanced, and detail levels are decent, making it an average DVD watching experience. I must admit I was a bit impressed considering the disc's age.
The two prequels are the newest films, in both production and DVD mastering, and are sharp all around. The Beginning is the only film in the set that utilizes a widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ratio, and probably looks the best all around. Night time sequences are slightly muddy, but finding real fault is pretty much impossible. Dominion is a hair less crisp, but represents the film's muted colour pallet well, and cannot be faulted on any great level.
The original DVD release of the original film was sort of awkwardly remixed from mono into Dolby Digital 5.1. The track is very two-dimensional, and though the surround channels get some action, they always seem to be playing on the same volume frequency. The mix also lack bass. The re-release is, again, a revelation. Fidelity is very high, and the added bass track throbs most unsettlingly. Surround tracks are very aggressive, and directional effects are frighteningly effective. Once again, if you don't mind the extra junk, this is the ideal way to watch the film on a modern home theater system.
Exorcist II is the only disc in the set that isn't presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. The disc retains the original mono soundtrack only, which despite box claims, only comes out of the center channel. It sounds fine, nothing too exciting. Dialogue is clear, and there's very little distortion, even during the film's louder moments. The only loss is Ennio Morricone's wacko score, which sounds great on stereo CD, and probably could've sounded even better in full-on surround sound.
Part three has been semi-successfully remixed into 5.1 Dolby Digital, is more just loud than good. There are some effective surround effects, but dynamic range is severely lacking in separate channels. There isn't much distortion, and dialogue is plenty clear, but the track tends to just blare noise rather than sound.
The two prequels sound like new movies, and The Beginning is especially aggressive. It's also the only one with an optional DTS track, which is basically a louder version of the Dolby Digital one. The Beginning isn't a very good film, but a lot of effort was put into its sound design, and the effort was worth it. Dominion on the other hand, sounds surprisingly flat, and even during the spooky scenes doesn't raise too many neck hairs. The mix is crisp and realistic, but not exactly mind-shattering.
Once again, in case you've skipped the rest of my review for this section alone, these are not new DVDs. If you own the old DVDs, you own this set, just in a different box. Warner Bros. has pretty much dropped the ball here, especially in the shadow of Fox's Alien Quadrilogy re-release a few years back (not to mention their own Superman collection due out this year). That set included long, well produced documentaries about each film in the series, and offered up a producer's cut of the misunderstood Alien 3.
The original DVD release of The Exorcist was a flipper (movie on one side, features on the other), and was a real special edition set when it came out. I personally did not have a DVD player at the time and bought the special edition VHS tape, which featured parts of the feature length documentary, The Fear of God: The Making of The Exorcist. I never got the DVD, so I never knew how much of the documentary I'd missed. Produced and narrated by Mark Kermode (who can be heard on a plethora of horror film related documentaries, including Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror, Scream and Scream Again: A History of the Slasher Film, and Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments), the doc is all encompassing, and one of the most impressive of its kind, even today.
From a fan standpoint, the bit of information I'd missed on the truncated VHS version was the fact that El Topo sound designer, Gonzalo Gavira was brought on by Friedkin to help create the eerie effects track. The rest of the doc contains some pretty common knowledge stuff—Friedkin's on set tyranny, production deaths, the film's massive response, but the best parts are the asides with Blatty and Friedkin discussing what was cut from the original release, all stuff that was put back in for the re-release. If you don't own the original DVD release, and aren't too hip on picking up all 5 films, you might want to track down a used copy just for this doc alone.
The disc also features two commentary tracks, one from Blatty, one from Friedkin, just in case you hadn't already learned everything you ever needed to know about The Exorcist from the doc. Blatty's a lot less entertaining than Friedkin to listen to, and their is a bit of repetition, but these are basically solid tracks. There are a few outtakes from the doc featuring an even longer discussion between the writer and director about the deleted scenes. The trailer and TV Spots are all tops, including the infamous 'flashing-faces' trailer that was banned by the MPAA during the film's reissue.
The Version You've Never Seen is a bare-bones release, with only another Friedkin commentary and a few trailers to show for itself. The commentary is pretty moot if you have the old one, as Friedkin hardly even mentions the reinstated scenes. It's pretty obvious that this was meant as a companion piece to the original DVD and not a replacement.
Exorcist II is also barebones, though its teaser and trailer have to be some of my favourites of all time. The rhythmically quick-cut full trailer will get Morricone's theme song stuck in your head like non-other. Fortunately for me, I own the CD. Sometimes the making of a flop can be even more interesting than the making of a classic, and a retrospective documentary could've been a nice addition for this release. They could've at least gotten a hold of Boorman for a commentary, he did a decent one on Point Blank with Steven Soderberg.
The big tragedy of this re-release is, of course, the lack of a Blatty director's cut on Exorcist III. In light of Richard Donner's Superman II finally seeing release, you'd think Warner Bros. could've looked into re-cutting their other fan favourite studio infiltration piece. I suppose the footage may've been lost, but we all know Blatty would be interested, based solely on his treatment of the original film. As is, the disc is barebones, featuring a only a trailer.
The Beginning has an advertiser's featurette, some trailers, and a Harlin commentary track. I've always been a fan of Harlin's track because he makes no qualms about the low-level ambition of most of his films. Here he's a little less active than usual, but manages to cover all but one base. The base Harlin oh-so-delicately tip-toes around is the fact that this was not originally his film. There is almost no mention of the film's sorted past, though this may've been implemented by the studio before the track was even recorded. Those who've sat through the film will be happy to know that Harlin basically apologizes for the sub-par nature of the digitally created hyenas, and blames the short production period.
Dominion also features a trailer and a collection of deleted scenes (all of which are totally dispensable). Again, the worthwhile feature is Schrader's commentary. Schrader is another creative type that is good at speaking about his work, and the track is the closest we get in the set to a history of the doomed project. Schrader leaves too many blank spots on the track, but when he does speak it comes from the heart.
I find myself thinking again of Fox's Alien Quadrilogy box set, where the studio had the guts to make a feature length expose on their own breaking of Alien 3. Had Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek had any guts, or want to please series fans, they would've done something similar here for the prequels. It's a tragically missed opportunity to make this collection an important one on the grand scale.
So, once again, if you already own the previous region one releases of these films, you have this set. For the price, it's not a bad deal, if you like the films, but really there's only two good films to choose from, the original Exorcist, and Exorcist III (and for the superior A/V experience, though with extra and unnecessary scenes, the 30th anniversary re-release). The second film is a slightly fun oddity, and the prequels, though basically garbage, are interesting for historical and comparable reasons. Warner Bros. has, in my opinion, dropped the ball in not putting any effort into this release, unlike other, superior re-releases like the Alien Quadrilogy.
Personally, I've had enough of these films for a very long time now.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Disc Details
Release Date: 10th October 2006
Discs: 6
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: NTSC
Aspect: Various
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English, French
Extras: Fear of God Documentary, Trailers, Commentaries, Making of Featurettes, More
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: William Friedkin, John Boorman, William Peter Blatty, Renny Harlin, Paul Schrader
Cast: Jason Miller, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Richard Burton, George C. Scott, Ed Flanders, Brad Dourif,
Genre: Horror
Length: 710 minutes
6Review Guide
Follow our updates
Unseen Reviews
Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka UK - DVD R2 Stuff, The UK - BD RB Body Double UK - DVD | BD Capricorn One UK - BD RB [REC] Collection, The US - BD RA
Latest Reviews
House on Haunted Hill (1999) US - BD RA Ant-Man and The Wasp US - BD RA [REC] Collection, The US - BD RA Prince of Darkness UK - BD RB Sicaro: Day of the Soldado US - BD RA
Past Reviews
Clash UK - DVD R2 Coraline US - BD The Sender US - BD RA Kiss Kiss Bang Bang UK - DVD R2 Grindhouse UK - BD RB
Most Talked About
Solo: A Star Wars Story US - BD RA The Meg US - DVD R1 | BD RA Exorcist II: The Heretic Collector's Edition US - BD RA Mandy US - DVD R1 | BD RA Mission: Impossible – Fallout US - DVD R1 | BD RA


text:
C034/9492 Rights Managed
530 pixels on longest edge, unwatermarked
Request/Download high-res file
Uncompressed file size: 63.3MB
Downloadable file size: 2.3MB
Please login to use the price calculator
Credit: GARO/PHANIE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.
Keywords: alternative medicine, alternative therapy, complementary medicine, homeopathic medicine, homeopathy, homeopathy pills, still life, unconventional medicine
Licence fees: A licence fee will be charged for any media (low or high resolution) used in your project.