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There are seven essential principles that you must practice as an entrepreneur throughout your business life if you are to achieve maximum success. They have been taught and repeated in thousands of books and articles over the years, and here they are.
1. Clarity: You must be absolutely clear on who you are and what you want. You need written goals and plans for every part of your life. As Zig Ziglar would say, you must become a "meaningful specific" rather than a "wandering generality."
Begin with your values. What do you believe in and stand for? What is most important to you in life? What would you pay for, fight for, suffer for and die for? What do you really care about? Someone once wrote, "Until you know exactly what you would do if you only had one hour left to live, you are not prepared to live."
What is your vision for yourself and your future? What is your vision for your family and your finances? What is your vision for your career and your company? Peter Drucker once wrote, "Even if you are starting your business on a kitchen table, you must have a vision of becoming a world leader in your field, or you will probably never be successful."
What is your mission for your business? What is it that you want to accomplish for your customers? What is it that you want to do to improve the lives and work of the people you intend to serve with your products and services? You need a clear vision and an inspiring mission to motivate yourself and others to do the hard work necessary to achieve business success.
What is your purpose for your life and your business? Why do you get up in the morning? What is your reason for being? And here's a great question: What do you really want to do with your life?
Finally, what are your goals? What do you want to accomplish in your financial life? What are your family goals? What are your health goals? What difference do you want to make in the lives of others? And here is the best question: What would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail?
The greater clarity you have regarding each of these issues--values, vision, mission, purpose and goals--the greater the probability that you will accomplish something wonderful with your life.
2. Competence: To be truly successful and happy, you must be very good at what you do. You must resolve to join the top 10 percent in your field. You must make excellent performance of the business task your primary goal and then dedicate all your energies to doing quality work and offering quality products and services.
To be successful in business, according to Jim Collins, author of Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don't, you must find a field that satisfies three requirements. First, it must be something for which you have a passion-something you really believe in and love to do. Second, it must be an area where you have the potential to be the best, to be better than 90 percent of the people in that field. Third, it must involve a product or service that can be profitable and enable you to achieve all your financial goals.
According to the Harvard Business School, the most valuable asset a company can develop is its reputation. Your reputation is defined as "how you are known to your customers." And the most important reputation you can have revolves around the quality of the products and services you offer and the quality of the people who deliver those services and interact with those customers.
3. Constraints: Between you and your goal, whatever it is, there will always be a constraint or limiting factor. Your ability to identify the most important factor that determines the speed at which you achieve your business goals is essential to your success.
The 80/20 rule applies to constraints in your business. Fully 80 percent of the reasons that you are not achieving your goals as quickly as you want will be within yourself. Only 20 percent will be contained in external circumstances or people.
What are your constraints? What holds you back? What sets the speed at which you achieve your goals? And what one thing could you do immedi-ately to begin alleviating your main constraint? This is often the key to rapid progress.
4. Creativity: The essence of successful business is innovation. This is the ability to find faster, better, cheaper, easier ways to produce and deliver your products and services.
Fortunately, almost everyone is a "potential genius." You have more intelligence and ability than you could ever use. Your job is to unleash this creativity and focus it, like a laser beam, on removing obstacles, solving problems and achieving your goals.
The essence of creativity is contained in your ability to solve the inevitable problems and difficulties of business life. Colin Powell said, "Leader-ship is the ability to solve problems." Success is the ability to solve problems. And remember: A goal unachieved is merely a problem unsolved.
The way of the successful entrepreneur is to focus on the solution rather than the problem. Focus on what is to be done rather than what has happened or who is to blame. Concentrate all your attention on finding a solution to any obstacle that is holding you back from the sales and profitability you desire. And the more you think about solutions, the more solutions you will think of. You will actually feel yourself getting smarter by focusing all your energies on what you can do to continually improve your situation.
5. Concentration: Your ability to concentrate single-mindedly on the most important thing and stay at it until it is complete is an essential prerequisite for success. No success is possible without the ability to practice sustained concentration on a single goal or task, in a single direction.
The simplest way to learn to concentrate is to make a list for each day before you begin. Then prioritize the list by putting the numbers 1 through 10 next to each item. Once you have determined your most important task, immediately begin to work on that task. Discipline yourself to continue working until that top task is 100 percent complete. When you make a habit of doing this--starting and completing your most important tasks each day--you will double or triple your productivity and put yourself solidly on the way to wealth.
Like this article? Get this issue right now on iPad, Nook or Kindle Fire.
This article was originally published in the February 2007 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: 7 Secrets to Success.


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Fri 8 Jul 2011
{ Buckwheat & nutmeg banana bread }
Posted by Julia Tuomainen under Baking, Cakes
[20] Comments
I can already picture her little, eager hands grabbing a slice of this homemade banana bread from her lunchbox. Firstly, inspecting it briefly by slowly turning it over in her hands a couple of times – her typical modus operandi – then, when deciding it looks appetising, raising it to her face without delay.
The thought brings a smile to my face.
Banana bread is very popular. Not only in children's lunchboxes, but as a staple in coffee shops and cafes around town. It will certainly make a regular appearance in baby Mélanger's daycare lunch box – as well serve as breakfast-on-the-run for the busy working mum I know I will soon be!
Fortunately, as time will be a premium, it is great to know this banana bread will only take me 10 minutes to prepare. And compared with the cost of a packet mix (even with bananas at their current uncharacteristically high prices), it is also surprisingly good value (see results below at end of recipe).
Being able to make lunchbox treats from scratch for my daughter is important to me, but I know not everyone has the time (or patience!). But here is how I will be trying to save on time and cost so I can continue to prepare homemade over opting for pre-packaged.
1. 'HOMEMADE' PACKET MIX :: When measuring out the dry ingredients for this banana bread, I will measure out a couple of extra batches and store in empty glass jars. (Like having your own packet mix already prepared in the pantry!)
2. FROZEN BANANAS :: I will keep a ready stock of frozen bananas on hand. When I see some 'seconds' priced well (which are perfectly overripe for banana bread) I will stock up – particularly at current prices here in Queensland (is it like that all over Australia right now?). Simply let the frozen bananas defrost in a bowl, mash up a little and use exactly as fresh banana.
3. PRESLICED TO GO :: Like most quick breads, muffins and cakes, this little number freezes very well. Ahead of time I will be preparing half slices of this bread for baby Mélanger – and full slices for mum and dad – freezing individually for the weeks ahead to quickly grab at a moment's notice.
This seemed like a very obvious inclusion to for my little 'packaged' versus 'homemade' experiment in the Mélanger kitchen this month. If you know a packet mix junkie, give them a nudge to try banana bread at home!
Hint, hint, Mrs E.P!
{ Buckwheat & nutmeg banana bread }
This is a versatile little bread, and I am looking forward to playing around with some flavours to keep it tasting fresh – e.g. using different flours, sugars and spices. If you prefer, you can also substitute oil for melted butter – which is more traditional in a quick bread – but I prefer the flavour of butter.
* Ingredients *
225g / 1 ½ cups of plain flour
75g / ½ cup buckwheat flour
¾ teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
110g / ½ cup caster sugar
65g / ¼ cup melted butter
320g / 1 cup very ripe, mashed bananas (about 2-3)
80g / 1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Directions *
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 20 x 10 cm (8 x 4 inch) loaf tin. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and sugar. In a separate bowl, add the melted butter, mashed bananas, sour cream and egg, and stir together. Add the banana mix to the flour and mix only until combined. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, and bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
A bit of a disclaimer — these are the results from my experiment only. Costs will obviously differ depending on your local grocery prices and the brands you select. Time will depend on how quickly you work in the kitchen!
20 Responses to " { Buckwheat & nutmeg banana bread } "
I love your analysis of the comparison between the various aspects of packaged versus homemade. For me the taste and health/control factor of homemade would trump packaged even if the prices were comparable, but it's good to know it really is cheaper. Love the addition of buckwheat too .
That looks absolutely delicious Julia!
I am a big fan of buckwheat and that bread intrigues me! I bet it tastes wonderful.
Sounds yummy – although my teenage boy would devour the whole lot in 1 sitting! Buckwheat flour is not something I have regularly in the pantry. Can you substitute another flour or use all plain without affecting the flavour too much?
Love the idea of your comparison of mixes versus homemade. I tried a box cake mix and added a tasty homemade frosting for cupcakes, and nobody could tell. I also tried refrigerator-case cookie dough, and found the cookies too sweet, flat-tasing, and greasy. I definitely missed the butter and fresh-made taste in these.
I love the theme this month Julia it will be especially helpful for me in the near future. Also, I tried your gluten free linzertorte and just loved it, the texture of the pastry was something else!
you know i really should have frozen bananas! Now the price is so ridiculous!
I do the same with crumble toppings and pancake mixes. It also makes a great gift too!
Considering I can no longer get my faithful packet mix I might have to take your big hint and give this a go I think bananas here are about 29c per kilo!
I love the side-by-side comparison, it's very visually appealing.
Buckwheat flour is the one oddball flour I always have on hand. I love to throw into anything and everything, but have always had a tough time as it tends to make my end results quite dense and flat. This looks like the perfect amount to keep the quick bread light and fluffy. Will definitely be making this – especially since bananas aren't ridiculously pricey here!
Truth be told I've never baked anything from a packet! I didn't even know such things exist before coming to Australia (although I'm sure they are available in Finland, too. I just never even thought of using them). I miss bananas like crazy, prices are still way high here in Sydney! I love the addition of buckwheat flour in this recipe, I can't wait to bake banana bread again!
BB is my daughter fav for her school lunch, for got to mention it in my list as I have not made it in a while and u know why…$12.99 her in Melb. Anyway never thought of using Buckwheat flour….is it healthier?
Cost wise I totally agree with you, the price of a slice of banana bread in GJeans is almost the whole cost of baking at home (when bananas were not such a luxury).
Well done on yr start…looking forward to see more great school snacks.
Will post the recipe for my chicken pastie soon.
Oh, what a wonderful post! I don't have any kids but would certainly want them to eat good, fresh food, homemade always (if possible).
That banana bread looks delicious, Julia – I love the idea of using buckwheat flour in the batter. Great!
Bananas are crazily priced, I think I saw them at almost $15 the other day.. I like your little comparison sheet at the end, it puts things into perspective. I can't wait to make banana bread again when they become cheaper.
Bubba is lucky to have a mother like you
I ended up making this last weekend, and it turned out deliciously – as wonderful a banana bread as I've ever had. I was so pleased with the buckwheat component… only a small amount of which ended up in my teeth:)
Oh my! I can't believe the price of your bananas!
I came here from a Google search for buckwheat banana bread. Thank you so much! Just need to wait a bit for my bananas to get slightly browner. Your recipe sounds delicious! I'm going to get my husband to eat more healthfully despite himself
By the way, despite our low banana prices here in the US, my banana bread will be MUCH more expensive due to the thousand dollar eggs my hens lay (yes, they are spoiled, according to above mentioned husband)
Delicious! I made it today and we had some warm. I used barley flour instead of plain, in addition to the buckwheat flour as I no longer buy plain white flour, but otherwise I stuck to your recipe. One would never know they are eating whole grain. Perfect. Again, thank you!

subset: commoncrawl


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COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Another OT thriller for Notre Dame, DePaul
ASSOCIATED PRESS February 13, 2013 11:17PM
Jamee Crockett,Jerian Grant
Updated: March 15, 2013 1:38PM
In the midst of a nine-game losing streak, DePaul coach Oliver Purnell is looking for bright spots.
He saw two in an 82-78 overtime loss to No. 21 Notre Dame (20-5, 8-4 Big East). First, the visiting Blue Demons (10-14, 1-10) played well in the second half and had a chance to beat the Fighting Irish. Second, his team played a lot better in overtime than they did 11 days earlier, when Notre Dame scored the first seven points of overtime to win. This time the Irish used an 8-3 spurt late in the overtime to put the game away.
"I'm not happy with it," Purnell said. "I'm encouraged our guys continue fight and continue to get ready."
Brandon Young, who scored 20 for DePaul, said the Blue Demons shouldn't have let the game get to overtime.
"We should have gotten a big-time rebound, but we just have to gang rebound," he said.
Notre Dame, still recovering from its marathon five-overtime victory four days earlier against Louisville, had just enough to edge DePaul in overtime for the second time in 11 days. The Irish looked to be cruising to victory when DePaul used an 11-1 run to take the lead. The Blue Demons built a three-point edge, but couldn't hold on.
"That's really as big a win as Saturday, when you turn around and dig one out when it doesn't look good at times," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said.
Jerian Grant scored 21, including a big three-point play in overtime, to lift the Irish.
"It is tough," said Cleveland Melvin, who led DePaul with 23 points. "We were fighting the entire second half, but it is tough to get over the hump in overtime."
No. 1 Indiana 76,
Nebraska 47
Cody Zeller scored 16 points and Christian Watford finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds to help the host Hoosiers (22-3, 10-2 Big Ten) pull away from the Cornhuskers (12-13, 3-9). Indiana has won seven of eight and regained a share of the league lead with Michigan State.
UConn 66,
No. 6 Syracuse 58
Freshman Omar Calhoun scored 15, including three three-pointers in the deciding second-half run, as the host Huskies (17-6, 7-4 Big East) upset the Orange (20-4, 8-3).
Illinois State 79,
Bradley 59
Jackie Carmichael had 27 points and 13 rebounds as the streaking Redbirds (16-10, 7-7 Missouri Valley) avenged a loss to the visiting Braves (14-12, 6-8). Tyler Brown added 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Illinois State, which has won seven of its last eight.
SIU 65, Evansville 56
Jeff Early scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the host Salukis (10-15, 3-11 Missouri Valley) bounced the Purple Aces (14-12, 7-7). Southern Illinois' bench outscored Evansville's reserves 26-9.
Ball State 56, NIU 52
Jauwan Scaife (23 points) sank four free throws in the final 35 seconds as the visiting Cardinals (10-13, 4-7 Mid-American) held off the Huskies (5-18, 3-8). Antone Christian scored 14 and Darrell Bowie 11 for Northern Illinois, which shot 35 percent.
Noel's season over
Freshman forward Nerlens Noel of Kentucky was declared out for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Sun-Times wires


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Loints of Holland - SINCE 1918!
In 1918 C. Klijsen start as an independent shoemaker in the shed behind the house in Kaatsheuvel, a small town in the south of the Netherlands. This area is the main area for tanneries and shoemanufacturers.
His son H.L. Klijsen (1900-1957) made the step producing a collection in series and rebuild the shed into a small factory. After the second world war the numbers grew and we specialized in ladies comfort shoes, also semi-orthopedic.
Kees Klijsen, the third generation director and designer, started combining this knowledge with simple and pure design in the early 70`s. This was the start of what the Loints of Holland are today.
Making Loints still means a lot of manual labour and involvement. An average Loints shoe has 200 productionactions! Their shoes are very individual and not made by automised/robot machines, but by people!
At Loints of Holland they have been making shoes which are durable with less environment damaging. The figured out models use less (lining-) leathers, glue and energy.
Contributing to a better environment can be done on different levels:
1. Every year hundreds of millions of shoes are being thrown away globally. Shoes of better quality and durability make these "wastemountains" smaller. One way in which Loints of Holland brand helps reduce this problem of global waste is to manufacture products that offer repairing and resoling. This feature allows your shoes to be worn even longer! Extra lifetime extending tip: Maintain your shoes properly and wear them every other day.
2. How environmentally friendly are various footwear manufactures? Are they taking steps to help reduce global pollution? At Loints of Holland, they can proudly say "yes", we do! The origin of the raw materials is a very important item: are these manufacturers working in a clean way? How do they treat their waste? Loints of Holland works with suppliers from Western-Europe who are guided by strict European Laws. Their tanneries do not use Benzedrine and pcp`s and have extensive water-clearing installations. For years now, the manufacturers of their PU-outsoles do not use freon.
3. Most Loint's designs are simple and unlined: this saves glues, lining leather and labor, thus energy. Unnecessary and artificial materials are left out.
And let`s not forget The Human Factor: Loints of Holland are comfortable and therefore you wear them longer and with joy!
Buy Loints of Holland Shoes and Boots online at www.shoebedoo.com.au and instore at ShoeBeDoo Bunbury and ShoeBeDoo Dunsborough
|Loints of Holland
|37137 Fusion Ankle Boot
Was $349.00
Now $165.00


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Main Content
Order today, receive no later than Friday, January 2nd. Some limitations apply.
$4.99 3-day shipping. Need it faster?
You couldn't be more excited for another season of LSU athletics! Make sure you rep the Tigers all the time by wearing this Bergen cap from '47 Brand. It features an embroidered school logo on the crown and an adjustable slide closure at the back. There's no way your team loyalty will be mistaken when you sport this spirited LSU hat!
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Smith & Wesson Completes $100 Million Stock Repurchase, Authorizes Additional $15 Million
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: SWHC), a leader in firearm manufacturing and design, today announced that it has completed the repurchase of $100 million of the company's outstanding common stock through a program authorized by its Board of Directors in June of 2013. Under the program, which included the tender offer recently completed in July 2013, the company purchased 9.0 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $11.09, resulting in 55.8 million shares outstanding. Based on the results of the repurchase program, the company anticipates fully diluted shares of approximately 60.4 million for the quarter ending October 31, 2013.
The company also announced that its Board has authorized the repurchase of an additional $15 million of the company's common stock in open market or privately negotiated transactions. The amount and timing of any open market repurchases or privately negotiated transactions will depend on a number of factors, including price, trading volume, general market conditions, legal requirements, and other factors. Any shares of common stock repurchased under the authorization will be held as treasury stock but not outstanding shares of the company's common stock.
James Debney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Smith & Wesson, said, "The strategic steps we took this summer to optimize our capital structure allowed us to successfully complete our $100 million stock buyback program. Given the strength of our balance sheet and our expected cash flow from operations, our Board has approved the repurchase of an additional $15 million of our common stock. We continue to believe that investing in our own company is presently one of our greatest opportunities."
The Board of Directors, which was recently re-elected by stockholders at the company's annual meeting held September 23, 2013, also voted to eliminate the company's rights agreement (commonly referred to as a "poison pill") that was otherwise set to expire in August 2015. Barry M. Monheit, Chairman of the Board of Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, said, "In our review of general policies, we decided that terminating the rights agreement early is in keeping with our ongoing commitment to good corporate governance practices."About Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based leader in firearm manufacturing and design, delivering a broad portfolio of quality firearms, related products, and training to the global military, law enforcement, and consumer markets. The company's brands include Smith & Wesson®, M&P® and Thompson/Center Arms™. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts and Maine. For more information on Smith & Wesson, log on to www.smith-wesson.com.
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Student Home
Anoka-Ramsey is Challenged with the Loss of Key Players
The Golden Rams Earn Two Home Victories Against Southern Division Opponents
Anoka-Ramsey Women's Basketball Season Ends at State
The spring baseball season of 2008 will long be remembered as how we dealt with the weather - not too well!
New Coach for New Women's Soccer Program at Anoka-Ramsey Community College is Fired Up
The Golden Rams Split Matches in Illinois
Rams Split Weekend Games
Rams Defeat St. John's JV
Number of Season Bests in Victory over St. Thomas JV
Men's Basketball falls to Madison Tech
Golden Rams Rally, Split Weekend Games
Cold Shooting Dooms Golden Rams
The Golden Rams get fired up before taking on MSCTC-Fergus Falls
On January 2nd, Anoka-Ramsey opened Southern Division play by traveling to Minnesota West in Worthington, MN and defeating the Blue Jays 71-55. Down eight at halftime, Anoka-Ramsey intensified their defensive pressure both in the half court and full court and also did a much better job of getting defensive rebounds to help secure the win. Sonja Ellingson scored 21 of her 28 points in the second half. Kelley Olson was inserted into the lineup to help with rebounding and she responded with 6 rebounds in the 2nd half. Amanda Reh, who spent much of the first half on the bench in foul trouble, played the entire 2nd half. She was in charge of handling and distributing the ball and was the catalyst behind the defensive pressure that was key to their win. Jessica Cichy added 21 points of her own to the cause.
On January 5th, Anoka-Ramsey hosted Rochester Community and Technical College in an early season showdown between two of the top teams in the country. In a game that went back and forth with numerous lead changes, Rochester squeaked out a 83-77 win. That was the first loss for the Golden Rams on their home court in over 3 years. Carri Roline scored 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for Anoka- Ramsey, while Love Washington added 17 points.
On January 9th, Anoka-Ramsey traveled to Willmar to take on Ridgewater. The Golden Rams came away with a 63-52 road win to raise their season record to 15-2. Amanda Reh, a sophomore point guard from Monticello came up big in this game with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 steals and 2 assists. Sonja Ellingson added 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Jessica Cichy scored another 12 points. The Golden Rams jumped on the Warriors right away but could never put them completely away. "We have to do a better job of finishing teams off when we have the chance," said Anoka-Ramsey head coach Dave DeWitt. "We need to be more consistent in finishing."
Things have taken an interesting turn for Anoka-Ramsey though as they only have seven healthy bodies. They lost Georgia Morff, a freshman from St. Francis and the "best athlete on the team" right before the holiday break to a season ending ACL injury. Love Washington, a sophomore from Blaine and a key player in Anoka-Ramsey's National Championship run last season is out after undergoing knee surgery. She will be sidelined for at least 6 games. Sonja Ellingson, a 2008 All-American and the MVP of the National Tournament suffered a stress fracture in her foot and will be lost for a minimum of four weeks.
Anoka-Ramsey took on Riverland College out of Austin, MN on Wednesday, January 16th. The Golden Rams, who are currently ranked 4th in the latest NJCAA National Poll, played without several key players, as they lost a close 53-49 game to the 15th ranked Blue Devils.
On Saturday, January 19th, the Golden Rams dug deep down and played with a lot of heart as they defeated the Spartans of MSCTC-Fergus Falls 51-42. With only seven healthy players, Anoka-Ramsey has a tough week coming up as they travel to Minneapolis on Wednesday and end the week at home against the Blue Jays from MN West.
"Adversity is part of the game and part of life," said DeWitt. "We will not make excuses nor let these injuries be a reason to settle for mediocrity." Drake University showed the entire basketball world last season that through persistence and perseverance good things can happen. Facing a very similar situation last season only to a much greater extent, Drake under the leadership of Head Coach Amy Stevens, chose to remain positive and that approach paid off as they entered their conference tournament with seven healthy bodies and a #8 seed. Drake ended up winning four games in four days as they won the MVC Tournament and earned a birth in the NCAA tournament. Coach Stevens reminded her team how through great adversity comes great triumph. "We will take that same approach," said DeWitt. "I have already challenged the coaches and team that rather than setbacks, this is an opportunity for everyone to step-up. Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. I'm looking forward to seeing how we react."


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I focus on lifestyle photographs of newborns and babies. This means I do not use a lot of posing or props. Instead, I photograph natural portraits of the baby bonding with his or her parents in the comfort of their home (for young babies) or nearby places they are familiar with.
In addition to newborn sessions, I offer a "Belly and Baby" package which includes a maternity mini-session and full newborn session. Please inquire for pricing.


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Costa Rica Farmhouse Rentals(13)
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Special Offer! NEW YEAR-FARM STAY SALE-JANUARY 2015 ONLY!!!! January 1 - January 31
Costa Rica
Recent Costa Rica Reviews
This was our first trip to the tropics and it went really well. Every day we saw the howler monkeys passing by in the gigantic trees next to the house. Lizards, herons, pelicans, iguanas, hawks, vultures, nose bears, bats, squirrels and even an anteater were visiting the farm. We put up hammocks under the gigantic strangler fig on the property. The caretakers helped us to rent horses in Cabuya for a spectacular excursion to Mal Pais. After checking out the beach at low tide we found the perfect spot to body surf during high tide. There was a boogie board and a surfboard to rent. It felt good that the property is completely fenced in and that there is a friendly guard dog around. And it feels very good to be in the second story away from most the critters. Surprisingly there were no mosquitoes while we were there so we did not need the netting at all. If you love nature this is the place.
Like a dream !
We , 65 and 57 years old , spent four relaxing weeks in the house . It is easy , however, cozy and completely . The location is absolutely quiet and breathtaking with views of the Volcano Vista Valle and the surrounding fields and pastures. One lives in the truest sense of the word surrounded by nature with parrots , toucans , anise , woodpeckers, butterflies and many other animals . For activities , a car is essential. The owner couple is incredibly nice and helpful , you feel like belonging to the family . The beautiful dream went by too quickly .
Quiet Paradise
Never had I imaged that my first trip to Costa Rica would be so perfect! The morning views were astounding and peaceful with an occasional visit by a toucan, hummingbird, or butterfly. Not only were the mornings memorable but each night I was serenaded by the sweet lullabies of the Costa Rican wildlife. During the day, my son enjoyed swinging and cannon balling into the pool, which happens to be surrounded by paradise. And when swimming was no longer of interest, he played on the ping pong table, watched a movie, or played board games, which were all provided by the farm. The facilities were extremely clean and well-maintained, but most importantly, the staff were extremely professional and helpful. They organized a horseback tour of the farm and provided great suggestions and travel accommodations for other activities like zip lining, water rafting, surfing, and volcano tours. I could not have asked for a more perfect getaway and it was all because of the amazing staff.


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Where does the name "Moon" come from?
My students keep asking where does the name Moon come from. Also why do we call the moon, moon. They say all the other planets that have moons have names for their moon.
The Moon is called many things from different mythologies. For example, Luna by the Romans, Selene by the Greeks. Because the Moon is so obvious it has been known since prehistoric times, so tracing its name is difficult. It developed with different languages rather than being chosen conciously.
See the Nine Planets Moon Page for more information.
The moons around other planets are collectively called moons as they hold the same position relative to their planet as The Moon does to ours - ie. they are named after the Moon. However in order to distinguish between them they also have individual names. The first moons to be discovered around another planet where the 4 largest moons of Jupiter discovered in 1609 by Galilleo Galillei so I suppose we can blame him for calling them moons! Names were then decided for them, unlike objects which have been known since prehistoric times whose names develop with a culture and language.
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World Of Warcraft Global Arena Tournament
World of Warcraft gets a small patch and an arena tournament
Blizzard wants a few dedicated and skilled combatants to enter the new World of Warcraft Global Arena Tournament, where your team can both renown and cash prizes. According to the official WoW site, players will "battle on special Tournament realms purely dedicated to the competitive format of 3v3 Arena matches". The characters fighting it out […]3


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October: Twisted Tailgate
Football frenzy is in full swing. Chef Amy Sherman will teach you finger-licking good appetizers and snacks that are perfect for tailgating or a big game bash. So whether you are a seasoned pro or a rookie in the kitchen, you can score big!
$20/individual or $35/couple
Metro Health employees receive $5 off, contact Healthy Best for more information
Dates Undefined table data
|6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Ticket Prices
Location Grandville Family Fare
3960 44th St. SW
Grandville, MI 49418
3960 44th St. SW
Grandville, MI 49418
Hosted By Metro Health
5900 Byron Center Ave
Wyoming, MI 49519
5900 Byron Center Ave
Wyoming, MI 49519


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What's New
Engage the right stakeholders, leverage existing resources and craft winning strategies within your budget and timetable.
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Certified administrators and web scoring to develop leader, team and organization capabilities.


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So DH just told me he decided to cancel our weekend plans to go out of town. It's about 2-2 1/2hrs away. It is supposed to snow a couple of inches...AGAIN! Also supposted to be 35-45MPH winds....so now we aren't going. I know he wants to be safe, but I was looking forward to getting out of town....What to do now?
This sounds so silly but every once and a great while DH and I pull the mattress and boxspring off of our bed and set it up in the living room. we move the couches out of the way.
We pick out a ton of movies and stock the fridge. We camp out in the living room like a couple of little kids. there is just something "different" about sleeping out there and it feels a little special. it doesn't compare to a weekend out of town but on a rainy or snowy weekend... it's so relaxing and great bonding time.
wed23:Sorry to hear about that! It would have been nice to get away. My weekend plans have also been cancelled. I was supposed to go home for my baby shower, but my flight was cancelled I can't get on another until next week. The worst part is my first baby shower was also cancelled because of our December snowstorm and I was stuck at the airport for 2 days. I'm 0/2 on baby showers :-(
I think you ahev me beat on this one...I think NO more snow!!!


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With Killer Instinct returning at E3, hopes were dashed when Rare stayed hidden.
After a hiatus of almost 20 years, Killer Instinct 3 was announced at E3 for the Xbox One as a day one digital exclusive. The once incredibly popular fighting game hasn't seen the bright lights of a games console since its last outing on Nintendo's N64 as Killer Instinct Gold in 1996. But now it's back, and so it seemed was blast from the past, Rare Ltd.
After several years hidden away, Rare, the once admired poster boys of gaming development, had surely, finally been let loose by Microsoft and given the opportunity to test themselves on something other than a Kinect game. Hadn't they?
Instead, Californian based Double Helix Games will be developing the new Killer Instinct. Their CV includes Silent Hill Homecoming and the terrible Battleship game based on the film, but in their distant past part of their studio was responsible for classics such as Earthworm Jim and MDK, so it could be worse. One of their producers told Eurogamer that only a few of Killer Instinct's original developers were still at Rare but that they still sent builds over. "We get their feedback, and we factor that in to how we approach the game."
Killer Instinct aside, if it wasn't apparent before, now it's almost crystal clear. Rare are little more than a shadow of their former selves if Microsoft don't even trust them to develop a game they originally created. They're making Kinect Sports Revival. Great.
In their prime, Rare were considered to be the best gaming developers not just in the UK but across the world. Gamers everywhere knew they could rely on Rare to release spectacular games.
Check it: E3 Killer Instinct 'rape joke' controversy
They were Nintendo's darlings and the birthplace of some of the greatest characters to ever invade our consoles. Many gamers grew up idolising and holding a soft spot in their hearts for the likes of Banjo and Kazooie and Conker. Hell, you can't mention Rare without talking about them introducing the first person shooter genre to consoles, with gems such as GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. Yes, THAT Rare.
Their reputation was such that Microsoft shelled out an astounding $375 million in 2002 just to own the company and get them as their first party developers. And who could blame them? Rare at that time, under the guiding influence of the Stamper brothers, were inspirational in creating and developing brilliant games such as Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox Adventures and my personal favourite, Diddy Kong Racing.
They were once the best in the industry but now their standing has tumbled to an all time low. Since their big purchase by Microsoft to work on the Xbox, they seem to have lost their way, like the proverbial football signing who struggles to find the net.
While the likes of Viva Piñata and Kameo: Elements of Power released to fairly positive reviews, behind the scenes something was obviously wrong. The news that original founders Chris and Tim Stamper were leaving to "pursue other opportunities" was a crushing blow.
Suddenly even more key figures within the company were leaving for pastures new. The gamers who had idolised Rare in those glory years were becoming disillusioned and lost interest in their new projects. As the 360 has grown old, it seems Microsoft didn't really know what to do with them and instead ushered them away to focus entirely on the development of Kinect games.
Rare's fall from grace has become so greatly noted in the gaming industry that Eurogamer's Simon Parkin wrote an article called 'Who Killed Rare?' in which he investigated the reasons for this prestigious development company's disappearance. One of the key figures he interviewed in the article was Martin Hollis, a former employee at Rare, whose first project was working on the original Killer Instinct. He declared that "Microsoft and Rare was a bad marriage from the beginning. The groom was rich. The bride was beautiful. But they wanted to make different games and they wanted to make them in different ways."
Microsoft's announcement at E3 of the revival of the Killer Instinct franchise should have been a major positive and talking point about the future of Rare. Instead the news looks to have almost killed any hope of Rare's return to the frontline of gaming development and left gamers and fans like me to mourn the tragic loss of this once great company.
It's still extremely early days in the life of the Xbox One and hopefully in the coming years Rare will be given another crack at creating something other than Kinect titles. Until then, we can only speculate with a shrug of the shoulders about Rare's much awaited return.
More Xbox One news: Xbone: Paying more for less
Featured image: YouTube screengrab
Rare Ltd


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Pan African Graduate Development Programme
The Pan Africa Graduate Development Programme (PAGDP) is a 12 to 18 month programme designed to produce the next generation of future leaders.
Barclays Bank is looking for highly motivated, energetic and competent candidates to undertake this development programme.
The programme aims to develop graduates into management and eventually senior management level positions.
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- Actively involved in leadership and entrepreneurial initiatives
- Below 30 years of age
If you meet the requirements above, seize the opportunity and apply online today. Visit https://barclayscandidate.gradweb.uk.com/absa/CandidateLogin.aspx


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Flower delivery County Fermanagh is performed by a network of dedicated florists in County Fermanagh, delivering expertly crafted bouquets and arrangements direct from local flower shops. Send flowers in County Fermanagh and get your flowers delivered swiftly and without incident by one of our Interflora florists.
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Worldly Gemstone Wine Stoppers
Item #72352
Sale Price: $29.99
Original Price: $50.00
Availability: Out of stock. This item is no longer available for purchase.
- Description
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Preserve opened vintages with these world-class wine stoppers whose 24k gold-plated brass stems are capped by hand inlaid opalite globes. Rubber rings ensure a tight seal. Gift boxed. 3.5"l. x 1"dia. Set of 3.
Museum Provenance
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Mmm. So the power's back, which is excellent.. I had been without my computer, iPod and microwave for much too long. Not to mention hot showers and air conditioning. We humans are much too dependent on this "electricity."
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|© 2002-2008. Blurty Journal. All rights reserved.


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Pet Shop Boys will perform for the very first time to audiences in South Africa this December. Their acclaimed Electric tour (which has visited 45 countries with 104 shows to date) will now come to Johannesburg and Cape Town to headline at both of their 2014 Sonar festivals. A third date will be a PSB plus support show in Durban. The dates and details for these three shows are as follows –
December 12th: A Taste of Sonar Festival, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
December 15th: Sonar Cape Town Festival, Good Hope Centre, Cape Town
December 19th: People's Park, Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Tickets for each of the three South African shows (including VIP packages for Durban) are now on sale and can be purchased from the links below.
Johannesburg tickets
Cape Town tickets
Durban tickets
East Coast Radio (interview)
Media Update (Review)
Pet Shop Boys announce three tour dates in South Africa.
"Always On My Mind" by PSB is number one in the BBC Music song covers poll.
An extra Electric date in Uruguay next month.
It's finished (more or less).
The four last Electric dates are imminent.
Sunset over the Indian Ocean. Neil x


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Title: SO cute...kind of thin
Date: Feb 28, 2012
This puzzle is adorable ...bright and colorful! The pieces are alittle thin so it doesnt stay together really well but it is really cute. My son loves it!
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Woman In Black (2012)
Gore 1/5
Entertainment 3/5
Creepiness 4/5
Sporting more jump scares than an amusement park thrill ride (and probably setting some records with their sheer number), The Woman in Black is a throwback to Hammer's heyday. It's nice to see the label giving us some decent gothic horror once again. Not a classic by any means but it's still pretty fun nonetheless.
Daniel 'Harry Potter' Radcliffe is a widowed lawyer (named Arthur) who's having a tough go of it as of late. His employer is skeptical of his work and his pint-sized son remarks about his constantly sullen demeanor. When his boss gives him the undesirable job of settling a woman's estate with a 'This is it or else' undertone to it, he has no choice but to accept it. And it just so happens to be way out in the middle of the English countryside.
Once he gets to his destination, he's instantly met with a coldness by the innkeeper who runs the place. He remarks that they have no record of his booking nor any open rooms. Despite his insistence on a booked room, Arthur is told that absolutely nothing is available. He's saved by a female caretaker as he's offered a bed in the establishment's attic instead. Coupled with a next day meeting where a local businessman is more than a bit obstructive when he requests to be lead out to the house and you start to get the feeling that something is amiss in this small town.
He eventually makes it out to the abandoned house later that day and before you can say 'Bob's your uncle,' he's graced with the presence of a spirit that haunts it. It's subtle at first but then we see her in the surrounding marsh in all her glory, a woman cloaked in a dark outfit complete with headdress.
Getting back into town that evening, things grow more troublesome as some of the local's kids are dying in strange ways. Thinking him the impetus, the superstitious townsfolk attempt to drive him out. But he's given temporary shelter from a local man who also befriends him. Arthur asks him to take him back out to the house for just one night where he'll work through it, uninterrupted, and in peace. The local man drops him off and it's at this point where the real fun begins.
For the next 40 min. or so, you're bombarded with a constant stream of jump scares as our apparition terrorizes him throughout the house. For some, this can feel cheap and cliched but they worked well even though they became a bit tiresome. So as his hellish night wears on, Arthur finds out why this ghoul is tormenting him and more importantly, why she's killing off the town's children.
Powered by a steady diet of jump scares, The Woman in Black might be a turn off for some. I dug it (for the most part) as the story is interesting enough and the acting and cinematography were both stellar. I recommend it for a Friday night of cheap thrills and a good one to snuggle up with your sweetie to.
Cortez the Killer
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Share Your Lunch Break With All Things Horror!
The fine cats over at All Things Horror recently debuted a new series entitled Lunchbreak Horror. Every week they'll post a new short film that can be found via sites like Vimeo or YouTube but will save you the trouble of getting lost in the abyss that can be both sites. One click on the magic linky below and you can enjoy some quality horror as you devour your PB&J and coat your facehole with Cheetos crumbs.
They're already two posts in so get to watchin'! I mean it's FREE for cryin' out loud!
Cortez the Killer
The Tortured (2010)
Gore 2/5
Entertainment 0/5
Creepiness 0/5
The Tortured is the most superficial and soulless film I've seen this year. If torture porn was a real thing (I don't consider it to be a true sub-genre), this would probably be the definition of it. There is no justification for any of our character's actions and every single one taken within the story is hollow and again, without purpose. Not too mention it has some of the worst acting I've seen in a genre film, starring two washed up actors who made their name in teen flicks.
Elise and Craig (Erika Christensen and Jesse Metcalfe respectively) are two grieving parents. They've come to find out that their son, who had been abducted from their front yard, was sexually assaulted and murdered by a dirty old man driving around town in a beat-up van. Not much is known about him except that he's dirty, creepy, and drives around in said van. The child killer is played by non other than genre vet Bill Moseley who's quickly become a parody of himself. It's like someone gave him a stack of 100's, pointed a camera in his face, and said 'OK Bill, now act creepy.'
So mom and dad can't handle the death of their only child but instead of letting the justice system do it's thing they decide to take matters into their own hands. They hatch a plot to intercept the killer's prison transport and overtake it. Mom and dad suddenly turn from grieving parents into expert hijackers. They disable the transport and incapacitate the two armed guards and extract our child killer.
The whole of the rest of the film is mom and dad torturing this guy in a house out in the woods. It just so happens that mom does some real estate dealings on the side and she was able to score this perfectly secluded home, perfect for taking someone into it's basement, tying them up to a gurney, and torturing the shit out of them for days on end.
This film is exhausting and not in a good way. It's slow and plodding. While mom and dad's grief should resonate with the viewer it comes across as both contrived and insincere. This film serves one purpose and one purpose only: to shock. But the only thing that is shocking is that A) this film was produced in the first place and B) IFC thought it was a good idea to pick it up for distribution. I'm going to call a mulligan on this one guys.
If 'torture porn' is your thing, this might be up your alley. But fair warning, the acting is horrid and even the torture aspect you've seen ten times over in other films. This is the most pointless and worthless film watching experience I've had this year.
Cortez the Killer
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Madison County (2011)
Gore 4/5
Entertainment 5/5
Creepiness 3/5
Finally, a modern slasher that's good and doesn't make you want to annihilate every character onscreen within the first 5 min. I love slasher films but loathe a lot of modern ones due to the fact that they adhere way too much to the tried and true tropes and they claim to be unique but really offer nothing different. Enter Madison County, a different type of story with a serious axe to grind (literally). Sure it has its moments where it falls into common stereotypes but it does so with a lot of gusto and some pretty inventive kills.
The first part of this film you've seen a 1,000 times over: a group of attractive twenty somethings head out on the open road for a weekend of camping. Or so they tell a passing motorist. But really one of the boys is a journalism major and has been corresponding with a small town writer who's developing a tell-all book about a local man who's made the town infamous for its grisly murders. He wants to play investigator and interview the writer in-depth and learn more about the notorious past of this small town.
So the kids come upon the town and first come into contact with the locals in a roadside diner. The old woman running the joint claims that she hasn't seen the author in years. Puzzled, our intrepid young man tells the group they'll stay for a bit and check the scene out and see if they can't locate the author themselves. Bad mistake.
There is a bit of a slow build to the film as the gore and grue don't start right away. In fact, our kills don't begin in earnest until about the 3rd act or so. Most of the time is devoted to getting to know the characters and doing an excellent job of building atmosphere and suspense. In fact, can't remember the last time I saw a slasher film that did a great job of building a significant amount of suspense. Indie filmmakers take note.
And then the killing starts. There are nifty kills in this here little slasher ditty with some great practical effects to boot. Surprising kills are hard to come by these days as most you've probably seen before. But these are done and done well. Coupled with the fact that these are some genuinely crazy townspeople that are all in cahoots to keep the kids from leaving and you've got yourself one fantastic modern slasher film which will be in my rotation for years to come.
Madison County is currently available on multiple VOD services. Give this one a go. You'll be glad you did.
Cortez the Killer
Monday, May 21, 2012
The Planet of Terror Podcast Is Back!
In this episode, I interview filmmakers Sean Elliott (he also pulls double duty as one of the stars of the film) and Scooter Downey and non other than legendary genre actor Lance Henriksen. In it, we talk about the idea behind the fantastic psychological horror film It's In The Blood, the production of it, and Mr. Henriksen tells us a hilarious story about the Pumpkinhead series and what superpower he may take on if he were ever casted as one.
Sit back, relax, enjoy, and start your week off right!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Mother's Day (2010)
Gore 4/5
Entertainment 3/5
Creepiness 2/5
This particular remake seemed to avoid the ire of fans when the making of it was first announced. The original Troma production was both bizarre and downright nasty but not as highly regarded as most films in terms of 'Oh my god, that's a classic! How will they ever top it? What a travesty.' Helmed by Saw series vet Darren Lynn Bousman, genre fans seemed to be genuinely interested in the effort. Coupled with the fact that the mother was to be played by one of my favorite onscreen creepies, Rebecca 'The Hand That Rocks The Cradle' De Mornay, this felt like a remake that was primed to be better than it's predecessor. Well is it? Read on.
A trio of misfit brothers find themselves in a bit of a pickle. They just held up a bank and one of them got mortally injured in the process. Driving around and frantically trying to contact dear ol' mom (De Mornay) on their cellphone (whom they haven't seen in quite some time), they eventually give up and decide to head to their boyhood home with the hope that she's there to help them. The only problem? The house was foreclosed on not too long ago and the new occupants of the house are having a house warming party of sorts. Whoops.
Arriving at their former place of residence, the two non-injured boys encounter the unexpected group and quickly take control of the house. One of the friends is revealed to be a doctor and instantly he's threatened with the notion that if he doesn't save their injured brother, he will quickly be on the receiving end of a high caliber pistol.
The rest of the group party away in complete obliviousness. That is, of course, until they come into contact with one of the brothers who is wildly psychotic and would love nothing more than to kill off the whole lot. But his emotions are kept in check when dear ol' mom is finally reached and she arrives on the scene. Mom comes in and at first, she's a calming presence. She reassures the group that all they want to do is get out and get on with their lives. The only problem? Well there's more than one besides the son being injured. It's also revealed that the boys were sending huge wads of cash back home to mom and either the husband or wife were hiding the money somewhere in the house.
The vast majority of the rest of the film is a bit of a cat and mouse game as certain captives try to escape and get help and one of the boys takes the woman of the house out to get money out of the ATM. They need the money to pay some guy to get them across the border. Oh, and there is a subplot that involves mother being a baby snatcher and a notion that all of her kids may or may not be born of her womb.
The problem with the film is that it becomes very long and drawn out as not only the past of the mother is revealed but also why the money was being hidden from them. In addition, the only character that has more than one dimension is DeMornay's. But even that fact begins to grate as her performance fluctuates considerably. At first a calming presence, subdued, but with a bit of a sinister undertone, it then gives way to being really over the top and just downright silly.
Still, I've seen a lot worse. There are some great gore moments in the film and even though it could have benefited from some serious editing, it still kept my attention throughout. In terms of being better than the original, well, it's just different. Not quite as creepy but just as nasty. It's definitely worth a watch.
Cortez the Killer
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Area 407 (2012)
Gore 0/5
Entertainment 0/5
Creepiness 0/5
This just might be the found footage film that breaks me. Area 407 is insulting on just about every level and each scare is ripped off from every other found footage flick you've ever seen. And the only thing that makes it unique (read: not involving the supernatural) is revealed in the trailer. To top off this shit sandwich, it features the most inane, laugh out loud and then subsequently go into an expletive-filled tirade ending to a film that I've ever seen. It is truly an affront to filmmaking.
Our story begins with an obnoxious pre-teen girl and her college age sister boarding a plane. Obnoxious pre-teen thinks it a good idea to film everything on her return trip back home and puts her camera in the faceholes of every boarding passenger. No one finds this the least bit suspicious or curious in this post-911 world.
OK, confession time. I fucking hate flying. No amount of drugs or Jack Daniels can curtail my fear and I white knuckle it each and every time. So I may be overly sensitive to this little twat and her camera but it was no less annoying to see her as she ruffled the feathers of each and every damn passenger on the plane.
So of course things don't go so great mid-flight and in the only tense moment of the film, the plane experiences some serious turbulence and begins to free fall. The dreadful screams freaked me right out and the ensuing crash will give me nightmares for years to come. Sadly, this is the only terrifying moment in the film (at least for me anyways).
The rest of our film involves the surviving passengers (which includes an obnoxious fat drunk guy, a stewardess, a journalist, a couple of other throw away characters and our two sisters) trying to find someone to rescue them from the terror that is stalking them in the surrounding woods. What is it exactly? Fucking dinosaurs. No spoiler alert here kiddos because as mentioned, this is revealed in the trailer. Oh yeah, and somehow, during the crash which splits the entire plane in two, the girl's video camera is miraculously unharmed. Of course, she feels the need to document everything no matter what danger is ever so present.
And so our arguing, constantly yelling, and crying into the camera group (a la Blair Witch) get killed off in boring and cliched fashion. You have your requisite drag on the ground while the character simultaneously has his arms outstretched and he's screaming only to have it all fade into the darkness as said dragging occurs. And a host of others take place that I can't bring myself to remember nor do I really care to.
But the greatest atrocity to be committed in this steaming pile of worthlessness is the ending. I'm not that much of an asshole that I'd reveal it because it is a new release. And I know that you, my dear and awesome readers, are smart enough to know when something looks like it has potential and when it's an obvious turdburger served extra rare. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a film's ending nor overly cursed the insulting efforts of those involved with such a low rent production. This one gets zero ratings all around.
Cortez the Killer
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Caller (2011)
Gore 0/5
Entertainment 5/5
Creepiness 4/5
Confession time: I originally wrote this film off based off of the trailer, premise, and the heavy use of a rotary phone as plot device. I mean who the hell uses one anymore anyways? Well I needed a bit of a nudge by our Twitter followers to give it a fair shake and the film recently became available via Netflix instant. So I checked it out and boy was I wrong. This is a fantastic Twilight Zone-esque spooker that has the feel of that series and it's one of the more unique horror films I've had the pleasure of watching this year.
Mary is recently divorced and in need of a new place to live and fast. Not really having time to scope out the area as she needs to get away from her abusive husband, she settles for an old apartment in the barrio. Quite literally as there are an interesting cast of characters who call the building home.
It's not long after she settles in that she starts receiving phone calls on said rotary phone that was left behind. At first, Mary believes the woman has simply reached the wrong number as she asks for a man who isn't there. But after subsequent calls and an insistence that the man lives there and that he is expecting the female caller, Mary gets a bit concerned.
During the day, she makes friends with a tenant who takes care of most of the landscaping around the complex. By night, she goes to school and becomes enamored with a male physics teacher who's teaching in a classroom nearby. They strike up a friendship and start to spend time together despite the disapproval of her now ex- husband who still thinks he has a stranglehold on her.
Her is where things begin to enter Twilight Zone territory: after one particular conversation in which the woman (who now has identified herself as being a prior tenant and living in the year 1979), Mary encourages her to 'take care' of her problem. You see the old woman on the other end has an abusive and cheating husband herself and she isn't going to stand for it anymore. But instead of leaving, the woman takes far more drastic measures and Mary is horrified at what she tells her.
The remainder of our film becomes a real mind bender as Mary, her physics teacher, and our caller piece all the puzzles together and the film twists and turns as realities are changed and ultimately intersect. It's a brilliant play on age old story of altering time and realities. And Mary comes face to face with our previously faceless caller. The scene will send chills up your spin.
Well kiddies, there is a lesson here: don't judge a book by its cover. Yes the rotary phone device is a bit silly but it actually plays well to the story and Mary's surroundings (i.e. old run down apartment building). Check this one out via Netflix instant. You'll be glad you did.
Cortez the Killer
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The Fields (2011)
Gore 0/5
Entertainment 1/5
Creepiness 0/5
Featuring quite possibly the weirdest top billing in cinematic history (Tara Reid and Cloris Leachman), The Fields is a thriller that is short on suspense and long in drawn out situations that really go nowhere. It's the kind of film that is prone to give one a fit of fury as essentially there is no point or eventual payoff. It looks good in that its shot well, there are some decent performances, but overall, it's completely hollow.
It's the summer of 1973 and a young boy named Steven is sent out to the countryside (where exactly is never explicitly stated) to stay with his kooky grandparents, away from an abusive father and a boozing and partying it up mother. The mother is played by Reid who (thankfully) only has about 10 min of screen time and performs one of the worst emotional breakdown moments ever captured onscreen. Steven is worried about reports of the recent capture of one Mr. Charlie Manson and hears over the radio that some of his cohorts have taken off and are nowhere to be found. But mommy assures him that they are no where close by and that he'll be safe and sound and grandma and grandpa's.
'Hi, I'm Tara Reid. Give me a paycheck, won't you please?'
Despite the constant reminding of not to play in the fields, Steven continues to do so anyways and comes into contact with the group as they're hiding out in a nearby abandoned amusement park. Hearing noises coming out of the fun house, he decides to step inside. But before he can see what it is they're up to (and what was building up to be the only intense scene in the film), the group chase him out and Steven runs back through the fields and to the house.
The remainder of our film involves the presumed Manson followers terrorizing the family as they run around their house, giggling, and throwing rocks at it. Really, that's about it. There is never a feeling that the threat would turn real. No violence breaks out (save for some retaliatory gunfire from the grandfather) and no one gets shot or injured. The police eventually arrive and the group disappears. The. End. Thank. God.
Aside from some funny, laced with foul mouthed moments from Ms. Leachman, this film is completely devoid of any real tension or scares. I'm at a loss for a point to the entire affair and really don't see one. This is an absolute snoozefest which will cure anyone of insomnia.
Cortez the Killer
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Penumbra (2011)
Gore 2/5
Entertainment 4/5
Creepiness 3/5
What a wacky, out of left field, and filled with dark humor little number this one is. It's also a slow, methodical, creeping burner to boot. Penumbra is the type of film whereupon conclusion you'll be exclaiming 'What the fuck did I just watch?'
Marga is a strikingly beautiful albeit bitchy woman. She's in Argentina for a few days, trying to offload the rental of an apartment that her family owns in a sleepy town. She's got places to go and people to do (literally as she's banging it out with a married man) and she has no time for bullshit or games. She needs to rent the place quick and get out of this dumpy town so she can get on with her life, calling the shots at her company, belittling friends and family alike, and having a general disdain for anyone that isn't her.
Enter Jorge, a man with an immediate need for an apartment and just the right tenant to fill the vacancy who will gladly pay more than twice the asking price. Marga, against her better judgement, jumps at the opportunity, disregarding common sense in favor of dollar signs. Jorge says his client will be there soon and he'll be bringing the appropriate paperwork to make this a done deal. After a bit of casual chit-chat, it becomes obvious that Jorge is there to stall things. Marga is completely oblivious though, consumed by her own selfishness and center of the universe tendencies.
Marga decides to leave for a bit as Jorge waits for his client (a man named Salva) and heads to the local store to pick up a few things. She immediately endears herself to a poor beggar, berating him for his filthy existence and then promptly shocking him with her taser. Such a classy gal. At this point, it's very clear: someone better give this woman a good comeuppance as she is the epitome of an awful human being.
It just so happens that, on that day, a solar eclipse will be taking place. When she gets back to the apartment, she finds a new trio of people have arrived. They initially claim to be a part of the real estate company that Jorge works for. But as they continue to wait for the tardy soon-to-be proprietor, it becomes obvious to Marga that the group has far more sinister intentions. It's subtle at first: using up her prepaid phone minutes and hiding her keys. But the group then restrain her and reveal to her their plans and that Salva is the man that will be leading the group in a special 'ceremony' during the middle of the eclipse.
From this point on, it is anyone's guess as to what really happens as our film leads up to a startling conclusion. It's one that will divide more than it will bring together. I wavered on this one quite a bit, but overall, I enjoyed it in all its fucked up glory. It's definitely not your typical straightforward genre film. And just when you think it'll steer into familiar territory, well, the ball sails in from left field and smacks you over the head. If nothing else, the film has one of the best beheadings I've ever seen. It's shocking and downright brutal and worth the price of admission alone.
Penumbra is currently available via various VOD services from IFC Midnight.
Cortez the Killer
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Police in riot gear have raided 'Occupy Wall Street' camps in Los Angeles, arresting at least 200 people outside City Hall.
Busloads of officers closed in on the eight-week-old camp aftet midnight, declaring the hundreds of protesters congregated on the lawn, pavements and streets around City Hall as an "unlawful assembly" and ordering them to disperse or face arrest.
The encampment, which officials had left alone for weeks even as other cities moved in to clear out similar compounds, was among the largest on the West Coast.
"It's easy to talk the talk, but you gotta walk the walk"
Opamago Cascini - protester
The demonstration is aligned with the two-month-old national Occupy Wall Street movement protesting against economic inequality and excesses of the US financial system.
Except for some minor initial scuffles, the crowd remained boisterous but peaceful.
At least 20 protesters quit the area immediately, carrying tents and other belongings out of the camp, followed by a number of others escorted out by police.
At least a dozen people were seen handcuffed within 90 minutes after police moved in.
Planned eviction
City officials had hoped to keep the timing of the widely expected eviction operation under wraps.
But live local television footage revealed large numbers of police, patrol cars, buses and other vehicles meeting at Dodger Stadium, a few miles away, ahead of the raid.
Click here for more information
The pictures prompted supporters to stream into the area in a show of solidarity with the activists.
Protesters sat in a circle on the lawn outside City Hall, their arms interlinked, saying they would rather be arrested than leave.
"It's easy to talk the talk, but you gotta walk the walk," Opamago Cascini was quoted as saying by the AP news agency.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa earlier said he hoped to avoid confrontations between police and protesters that have marred evictions in other cities.
Villaraigosa issued the eviction order, saying the camp was unsustainable because public health and safety could not be maintained.
In Philadelphia, about 100 Occupy protesters peacefully vacated their camp early on Wednesday after police moved in and warned activists they faced arrest unless they left on their own, police said.
City officials earlier said the camp must be cleared to make room for a renovation project.
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Car vs. starlings: No contest
Associated Press
VIENNA — A mass collision between a flock of starlings and a car on a stretch of Austrian expressway has left up to 100 of the birds dead and the driver shaken but unhurt.
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" Vienna is actually in eastern Austria. "
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