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Let's give the Knicks credit for something. Over the past few seasons, the team has done an excellent job of mining some pretty good mid-roster talent, all while having a rough cap situation because of the huge contracts to their "star" players. Often times this is through free agency or the D-League, and it's even through the draft – something the Knicks often seem voluntarily allergic to. Guys like Landry Fields, Steve Novak, Iman Shumpert, Jeremy Tyler, Toure Murry, and at one time Jeremy Lin all come to mind. Last season the Knicks actually had a first round draft choice, in a draft that prognosticators were quick to call the worst in recent memory. Choosing 24th in any draft, the chances of nabbing a good rotation player aren't great, and last year it was probably lower. But the Knicks reached for a name, and probably made a very, very good choice in Tim Hardaway, Jr.
Numbers and Stuff
10.2 points per game, 42.8% shooting, 36.3% 3-point shooting, 12.7 PER, 112 offensive rating, 114 defensive rating
The Good
Offense, aggressiveness, shooting. Tim isn't bashful. From the Vegas Summer League, to the preseason, to the regular season, to the Young Stars Game, Hardaway proved that he likes to have the ball in his hands, and he likes to shoot. And for a lot of the season he was really good at it. A but of a rough patch down the stretch of the regular season brought Hardaway's shooting numbers back down around the league average, but for large swaths of the season he was a fairly reliable perimeter threat. He finished the season a solid 41.5% from the right corner 3, a very sought-after shot in today's NBA, and was an above-league average 43.2% from straight away 3. Hardaway was also the Knicks' best player in transition, an aspect the team sorely lacked this season.
The Bad
Unfortunately for Hardaway, mostly everything else. He was just a rookie, and the 2014 Knicks weren't exactly a great team to learn the NBA ropes on, particularly on the defense, but there's a legitimate concern that Hardaway will be a one-dimensional player. There's a lot of time before we'll really know, but his poor defense and penchant for holding onto the ball were valid concerns in Year 1. The coaching change and new regime could certainly help Hardaway become a more well-rounded player, perhaps especially if the next man coaching him is Steve Kerr, who voted Hardaway for Rookie of the Year.
Best Moment
Hardaway had a handful of games where he caught fire and put up some gaudy numbers, though a lot of those happened in blowouts (though in fairness, sometimes Hardaway helped create the blowout). In March against Philadelphia, in a game that was closer than it probably should have been, Hardaway hit 9-of-13 overall, including 5-of-7 from deep and got to the line six times, canning five of them to boot, finishing with 28 points in a 123-110 Knicks win.
Worst Moment
Let's go with Tim's two nightmare games in his hometown of Miami, where his father's number is retired. In the two games, on Feb. 27 and April 6, Hardaway shot a combined 2-for-22 overall and 0-12 from deep, and was a combined -61 in just about 46 minutes of floor time. Yikes bro.
Final Grade
B? B+? Somewhere around there. Let's go with a B. That's pretty good, Tim! I think you can put that up on the ol' fridge. For a rookie, one picked 24th overall in a weak draft, the Knicks got some very positive, encouraging contributions from Hardaway. Coupled with Iman Shumpert at the guard position, the Knicks have two very talented, athletic players who are a bit one-dimensional, but have the ability to improve with better coaching and a more stable environment. In Hardaway's case, he has the athletic ability to be, at the very least, a disruptive defender, and he should continue to be a threat in transition with the ability to finish at the rim and a good catch-and-shoot guy. His offensive game can improve by becoming more versatile in half-court situations and a more able and aware passer. After a pleasantly surprising rookie season, it's a good thing that Hardaway possesses something which seems very rare in Knicksland thee days: room to grow.
Should Tim Hardaway Jr. be a starter next season? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Why Battleship flopped: 5 theoriesPosted on May 21, 2012, at 2:42 PM
The Transformers-like, effects-heavy blockbuster capsized at the weekend box office, mustering a weak $25 million debut. What went wrong?
What to Expect When You're Expecting: Which cast members escape unscathed?Posted on May 18, 2012, at 11:59 AM
Critics are down on the latest star-packed romantic comedy, featuring J. Lo, Cameron Diaz, and more. Still, some actors manage to rise above the dreck
Is there anything good about Battleship?Posted on May 17, 2012, at 2:35 PM
While the $200-million bloatfest tortured most critics, some admit that slick effects, authentic patriotism, and Liam Neeson manage (barely) to keep the film afloat
The Dictator: Has Sacha Baron Cohen's shtick gotten old?Posted on May 16, 2012, at 3:35 PM
After shocking audiences with Borat and Bruno, the strategically crass character actor attempts to strike gold again with his fish-out-of-water formula
Rock of Ages first listen: Can Tom Cruise actually sing?Posted on May 16, 2012, at 1:10 PM
Critics get a taste of the actor's take on Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" in the upcoming rock musical — and they aren't so sweet on it
Dark Shadows: Did Tim Burton's campy tone switcharoo pay off?Posted on May 11, 2012, at 1:57 PM
Movie-goers were shocked to learn that the director's adaptation of the '60s soap ditched its gothic style for cheeky laughs. And critics are divided
The Avengers' record-breaking opening weekend: By the numbersPosted on May 7, 2012, at 11:42 AM
Iron Man and his superhero pals score an eye-popping $200 million debut, obliterating the old record set by last year's Harry Potter finale
Summer's 12 most buzzed-about movies: A slideshowPosted on May 7, 2012, at 10:16 AM
The Avengers kicked off the summer movie season with a superhero-sized $200 million at the box office. Here's what else Hollywood is sending your way
The Avengers: For comic-nerds only?Posted on May 3, 2012, at 2:10 PM
Diehards are geeking out over this weekend's well-reviewed superhero flick. But those who don't know their Iron Man from their Hulk may be hopelessly lost
How big will The Avengers be?Posted on May 2, 2012, at 2:57 PM
Iron Man and Captain America could help this weekend's superhero jamboree break box office records. At least until The Dark Knight Rises comes along in July
The Dark Knight Rises' awesomely complex viral marketing campaignPosted on May 1, 2012, at 1:45 PM
Fans unlock the stunning new trailer for Christopher Nolan's upcoming blockbuster one frame at a time by spotting strategically-placed graffiti all over the world
How Think Like a Man dethroned The Hunger Games: 5 theoriesPosted on April 23, 2012, at 11:06 AM
Despite middling reviews, the romantic comedy banks a surprisingly strong $33 million at the box office, ending Katniss' four-week reign
The Hunger Games sequel loses its director: A major blow?Posted on April 12, 2012, at 11:51 AM
Fans of Gary Ross' blockbuster adaptation lament that the director won't be back for the franchise's second installment, Catching Fire
Should school libraries ban The Hunger Games?Posted on April 10, 2012, at 5:45 PM
Suzanne Collins' hit novels rank third on the list of 2011's most-challenged books, reflecting a surge in parent complaints over the arguably objectionable content
The Dark Knight Rises' PG-13 rating: 4 talking pointsPosted on April 10, 2012, at 1:15 PM
The upcoming summer blockbuster escapes an R rating, but fans should still brace themselves for envelope-pushing violence and... sensuality?
Woody Allen's 'delightful' To Rome With Love trailer: 5 talking pointsPosted on April 4, 2012, at 3:56 PM
The 76-year-old filmmaker sends yet another cinematic postcard to movie audiences this summer, this time from Italy. Here's what critics are buzzing about
- Why Pakistan won't hunt down the terrorists within its borders
- 43 TV shows to watch in 2014
- How academia's liberal bias is killing social science
- Pope Francis' American problem
- Sorry, GOP, tax cuts don't pay for themselves
- How to be the most productive person in your office — and still get home by 5:30 p.m.
- What would a U.S.-Russia war look like?
- Hey, bosses: Stop giving bonuses to your employees
- Why torture doesn't work: A definitive guide
- The real story behind Deliver Us From Evil
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- Hotel Details
- Member Reviews
- Photos
Best Western The Grand Hotel Middlesbrough3 Stars
Swainson Street Hartlepool TS24 8AA
Offering comfortable accommodation and quality services, Best Western The Grand Hotel Middlesbrough is the perfect base for guests to reside whether they are in Middlesbrough for business or pleasure.
Best Western The Grand Hotel is ideally located in the heart of Cleveland. Several attractions are located close to this hotel such as The Newport Bridge and Albert Park.
All well-appointed rooms at this hotel are tastefully designed including an array of amenities such as hairdryer, cable television and alarm clock.
Best Western The Grand Hotel features an onsite restaurant that serves delicious Italian cuisines.
Best Western The Grand Hotel Middlesbrough offers well equipped conference and banquet facilities for hosting all kinds of events. Friendly reception staff provides warm hospitality throughout the stay.
Hotel Facilities
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Room Facilities
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Other Recommended Hotels
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Bear Hardware
75 West Chestnut, Salt Creek Plaza, Nashville, IN, 47448
We hope that while visiting scenic Brown County you will stop in and visit Bear Hardware, located behind IGA, and next door to Comfort Inn. Bear Hardware carries a wide...
Brown County Antique Mall
3288 State Raod 46 East, Nashville, IN, 47448
Family owned and operated and has been located in Nashville, Indiana since 1972. Our building is over 7,000 square feet and filled with antiques, jewelry, pottery, china, glass, furniture, artifacts,...
Brown County IGA
30 Hawthorne Drive, Nashville, IN, 47448
Brown County IGA has been serving beautiful Brown County since 1975. Our management team has over 100 years experience in this store alone! Our commitment to providing a unique array...
Olde Time Flea Market
5400 East State Road 46, Nashville, IN, 47448
Open 38 years and still going strong. Come and visit the flea market where our dealers have a variety of interesting merchandise, you're sure to find something you'll love and...
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Trails End Panhead Saloon
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Trails End is located in Southern Brown County just 7 miles South of Nashville....


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Our Lucia faux leather bed is the ultimate in luxurious comfort and style, made exclusively for Dreams.
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"Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disorder that causes you to be very tired."
I've been diagnosed with CFS for over eleven years. I am not "very tired." I'm not even "tired." I don't fall asleep while reading or watching TV. I don't nod off while people are talking to me. I'm not tired. I'm sick. Among other symptoms, I have the kind of sickly fatigue and malaise that healthy people suffer from when they have an acute illness like the flu—only I've felt this way for 11 1/2 years straight. I call it "the flu without the fever."


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Do you think they will rebuild it???
Do you think they will rebuild it???
i'm gonna say yes. it may take a while, but casino will be back. i mean, it's not like the whole thing collapsed, so the rebuild won't have to be total.
Heres the problem, people are saying that we should rebuild structures instead of what we should be building...Dunes and marine forests. This is a warning that we need to retreat from the shoreline not continue to build towards it, its madness to me.
Ocean beds change, if it wasn't for human impact and dredging places like long beach island would be alot smaller or gone. how long can we fight of mother nature?
it should and will be rebuilt. measures need to be taken to make it more durable and I'm sure they will
I live in ventnor and have been stuck on the island since last sunday. tuesday morning before all the crazy police state nonsence, we got a chance to drive around the island. The majority of the damage was caused from bay flooding. however the beach side blocks without dunes were also hit hard. Having the dunes can be the difference between staying dry and safe (my block) or having 3 ft of sand blanketing a block like snow (all of longport)
yup...driving along central ave at the south end of oc, you could see where the dunes held & where they didn't...50-59th, the dunes collapsed & were blown into the street, covering the road in about a foot of sand. 40-49th, they held & the street was clear...the beaches & dunes in the 50 blocks had been erroding steadily for some time, exposing pilings i hadn't seen since my childhood 15-20 years ago.


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New Year's Coloring Page
When the clock strikes twelve on December 31st, it means that a new year is about to begin! Help your child celebrate with this festive coloring page, which features confetti, balloons, and the message "Happy New Year."
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Updated on Feb 5, 2013
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Car Hire Amritsar - Compare Amritsar Car Rental Companies
Browse comprehensive listings of online and offline car hire companies in Amritsar. Travel Library includes web links and full, direct contact information so you can easily get in touch with providers of car rental in Amritsar.
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- Address: 3 1st floor, Court Road,, 143001, Amritsar, India
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Back to All Listings
John W. Engeman Theatre 2014-15 Plays - EPAs
John W. Engeman Theater|Northport, NY
Date of Audition:
Call Type
Equity Principal
Equity Principal Auditions
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
10:00 am-6:00 pm
(lunch 1:30-2:30 pm)
Ref. to COST ($410/wk min - negotiable)
Nola Studios
250 West 54th Street (enter at 250 W 54 ONLY)
(not 244 W 54)
New York, NY
5th floor
Seeking male/female actors 18+, all ethnicities for 2014-15 season plays.
Please prepare a brief monologue in the style of the shows.
Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together.
Other Dates
Please see breakdown for rehearsal, opening, and closing dates for each production.
Richard T. Dolce, Producing Artistic Director
Joy Dewing Casting, Casting
· EPA Rules are in effect.
· A monitor will be provided.
Performers of all ethnic and racial background are encouraged to attend.
Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.
By Ira Levin
Director: Richard Dolce
Rehearsals: July 7 – July 23, 2014
Open: July 24, 2014
Close: September 7, 2014
[SIDNEY BRUHL] Male, 40-60. Once polished, stately and erudite, Sidney is a celebrated playwright of murder mysteries who has hit a dry spell. His magnetizing personality and sense of self are inflated, but have faded a touch in middle age. Experience with stage combat a must.
[MYRA BRUHL] Female, 40s-60s. Sidney's upper middle class, modest, self effacing wife. Sweet, caring, emotional, nervous, even skittish, but very supportive of Sidney's career.
[CLIFFORD ANDERSON] Male, 25-35. Clifford is the charismatic and optimistic former writing student of Sidney. He is optimistic, boyishly handsome and full of wide-eyed youthful exuberance. Experience with stage combat a must.
[HELGA TEN DORP] Female, 40s-60s. A wild, gypsy-like mystic. Her European eccentricity is disarming and to her, her powers are real and potent. She revels in her fame and status. Must be a strong character woman.
[PORTER MILGRIM] Male, 40s-60s. He is a 'suit and tie guy' - pragmatic and meddlesome. He is the straight forward lawyer in charge of Sidney's legal affairs, but also a long time friend – bumbling, yet buttoned up.
By Christopher Durang
Director: Richard Dolce
Rehearsals: January 5 – January 21, 2015
Open: January 22, 2015
Close: March 8, 2015
[VANYA] Male, 50s. Living in Bucks County and more or less resigned to his life. Dour; a master of comedic underplaying.
[SONIA] Female, early 50s. Vanya's discontented and regretful stepsister with an innate self-effacing humor about her, living with him in Bucks County. Longs for a life not lived.
[MASHA] Female, 40s-50s. A glamorous and successful actress who goes gallivanting around the world. Competitive and insecure.
[SPIKE] Male, 18-30. An aspiring actor and Masha's new boy toy. Sexy and self-absorbed.
[NINA] Female, 18-30. A lovely, sincere would-be actress visiting her aunt and uncle. Energetic and star-struck.
[CASSANDRA] Female, any age. A cleaning lady and soothsayer with a quick, biting wit.
Back to All Listings...
VIDEO: Sneak Peek - Kristin Chenoweth & More Set for Tonight's Final LATE LATE SHOW
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BWW Reviews: Hallelujah. The Collegiate Chorale Brings MESSIAH (Not) to Carnegie Hall
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The stately bur oak, native to the Midwest, is a great choice as a shade tree and for specimen plantings in parks, spacious yards, and other large areas. Its massive trunk has gray to brown furrowed bark and its branches bear lustrous dark green leaves that turn yellow-brown in fall. Large acorns with fringed caps attract birds and small mammals.
- Tree
- Deciduous (foliage falls off)
- Chicago area
- ,
- Illinois
- ,
- North America
- Zone 3
- ,
- Zone 4
- ,
- Zone 5
- ,
- Zone 6
- ,
- Zone 7
- ,
- Zone 8
- Slow
- Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily)
- Dry sites
- ,
- Occasional drought
- ,
- Occasional flooding
- ,
- Alkaline soil
- ,
- Clay soil
- ,
- Road salt
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Inconspicuous
- ,
- Other
- Large tree (more than 40 feet)
- Irregular
- ,
- Spreading
- Specimen
- ,
- Shade
- Late spring
Size & Form
70-80 feet high and wide
A large tree with massive, wide-spreading, heavy branches, especially in open areas
Tree & Plant Care
Commonly found in upland savannas
Full sun in well drained soil, but adaptable to many soils. Drought tolerant once established
Prune oaks in the dormant season to avoid attracting beetles that may carry oak wilt.
Disease, pests, and problems
Can be affected by pests such as the leaf galls and kermes oak scale.
Anthracnose, bacterial leaf scorch, and powdery mildew
Native geographic location and habitat
C-Value: 5
Attracts birds, pollinators, or wildlife
Fringed cap acorns are high-value to animals that can chew the nut, such as ground birds, water birds and small mammals.
Bark color and texture
Mature bark is dark gray to brown with a furrowed trunk
Stems are stout and smooth but young twigs can be develop corky ridges.
Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture
Alternate leaf arrangement
Large, 4 to 10 inch long leaves with 5 to 7 rounded lobes. The terminal lobe can be fiddle-shaped.
Leaves are lustrous, dark green above with lighter silvery green beneath.
Fall color is yellow-brown
Flower arrangement, shape, and size
Male flowers hang down in drooping catkins, female flowers are small spikes in leaf axils
Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions
Large 2 inch diameter fringed acorns. The conspicuous fringe covers most of the nut. Fruit ripens in the fall.


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Time for the next party Thrifty and Vintage Finds party on Dagmar's Home!
If you found an amazing deal on an item, new or vintage, then play along and link up! And see my latest find for the Blue Cottage!
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Kabhie Kabhie
14 Kabhie Kabhie Articles
Birthday special: Amitabh Bachchan's 5 path-breaking songs!2 months ago 0
The mega star, who turns 72 today, has sung and danced to many a songs but here are five songs which introduced Bollywood to something new, for the… Read Article ▶
Shashi Kapoor recovers from ailment, discharged from hospital!3 months ago 0
The veteran actor is said to have recovered from chest infection ailment and was discharged today from the hospital Yesteryear's heartthrob Shashi… Read Article ▶
Shashi Kapoor likely to be discharged soon3 months ago 0
Looks like prayers of B-town celebs for speedy recovery of the veteran actor has worked wonders Yesteryear's heartthrob Shashi Kapoor's condition is… Read Article ▶
Amitabh Bachchan prays for Shashi Kapoor's speedy recovery3 months ago 0
The legendary actor complained of cough and breathlessness Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has wished his Deewar co-star Shashi Kapoor a speedy recovery… Read Article ▶
Shashi Kapoor admitted to hospital3 months ago 0
The legendary actor complained of cough and breathlesness Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor has been hospitalised in a Mumbai hospital after he complained… Read Article ▶
Amitabh Bachchan remembers his mother Teji Bachchan on her birthday!4 months ago 0
The superstar called her mother the most beautiful women in the universe Megastar Amitabh Bachchan remembered his mother Teji Bachchan on her… Read Article ▶
Amitabh Bachchan regrets not greeting fans11 months ago 0
Not greeting fans creates void for Big B Meeting his fans, who gather outside his Juhu residence every Sunday, gives a feeling of fulfilment to… Read Article ▶
Amitabh Bachchan: Producers once matched dates with mine11 months ago 1
Big B took on to Twitter to share his thoughts on how the Hindi film industry has changed over time Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who has been a part… Read Article ▶
Amitabh Bachchan birthday special: 10 dumdaar dialogues of the superstar!1 year ago 1
People have been obsessed with Big B's deep baritone for years now. And many of his dialogues have become immortal 'coz of this very quality. We pick… Read Article ▶
Amitabh Bachchan, happy birthday – Send your wishes!1 year ago 73
Bollywood's original angry young man turns 71 today Born on October 11, 1942, Amitabh Bachchan started his Bollywood journey with Khwaja Ahmad… Read Article ▶
Yash Chopra: Remembering the King of Romance1 year ago 0
The late filmmaker is still alive for everyone associated with Bollywood. On his first birth anniversary, we take look at the filmmaker's gems… Read Article ▶
Yogen Shah
Mahesh Bhatt, happy birthday!1 year ago 0
The National Award winner turns 65 Born on September 20, 1948, Mahesh Bhatt is known for his niche films in Bollywood. Bhatt directed his first… Read Article ▶
Madhuri Dixit-Nene to sing for Gulaab Gang along with mom2 years ago 0
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Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Format: Kindle Edition
Publisher: Penguin (3 May 2012)
Buy the book: Amazon
Source: Purchased
Genre: Fiction
Language: English
Rating: 4/5
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
My Thoughts
I had been meaning to read this book for months I read the sample a while back and got sucked in straight away, but thought i would wait for the price to go down.
I really liked reading from Hazel's point of view because I got a glimpse into what it is like to have a terminal illness and a realistic perspective on the matter there was no sugar coating in this story it was very frank and very realistic. I liked that Hazel was down to earth and spoke and thought about her illness in a frank and honest way. It made me feel very thankful for my good health and the good health of my own child.
You would expect this book to be nothing but a tear jerker but it is far from it there is humor throughout the book that warmed my heart when I read it. I enjoyed the banter between Hazel and Augustus' the most, and also Isaac as well.
I found the whole read interesting, funny and sad. Anyone that reads this book will enjoy it and to me it was a special read that I will never forget.
Please read this book and enjoy. Let me know if you have seen the film and how you liked it?
Read more...


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Cadillac Lounge
1296 Queen St. W. (Dufferin St.) Send to Phone
416-536-7717 | Make Restaurant Reservations
OpenLunch & Dinner daily, Brunch Sat.-Sun.
Open late
- Dress code: Casual
- Entertainment: Entertainment most nights
- Full bar
- Kid-friendly
- Outdoor dining
- Take-out available
- Wheelchair accessible
* Click here for rating key
Cadillac Lounge Restaurant Review: This is one of the original hubs in the heart of the now-happening Parkdale area of the city. The neighborhood vibe is suited for gathering with friends, and the mounted memorabilia from the 50's and 60's makes it a tourist's delight. Meanwhile, the kitchen serves up standard fare such as tacos, wraps and sandwiches, along with classic burgers made with beef, turkey or bison. Share the Mediterranean dip platter; the deep-fried, crunchy dill pickle is worth trying, too. Also recommended is the goat cheese-filled portobello salad with bruschetta salsa on a bed of wild greens. Weekend brunch dishes include eggs and pancakes, make-your-own omelet and the Caddy skillet, complete with home fries, Italian sausage, sautéed peppers, onions, two scrambled eggs and hollandaise sauce. And watch for the always entertaining monthly burlesque brunch. Many come to just lounge at the horseshoe-shaped bar or on the massive backyard patio; either way, get ready to peruse the selection of brews, cocktails and shots.
Check out the 2014 edition of GAYOT's Annual Restaurant Issue, which features the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., Rising Chefs and more.


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Four U.K. water companies are ending restrictions on the resource use after recent heavy rains, the National Farmers Union said.
South East Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Veolia Water Central and Veolia Water Southeast have lifted bans on outdoor watering, the NFU said today on its website. All four companies confirmed ending the hosepipe bans on their websites. Three other companies, Thames Water, Anglian Water and Southern Water, lifted similar restrictions in June, according to the U.K. Environment Agency.
To contact the reporter on this story: Whitney McFerron in London at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Claudia Carpenter at email@example.com


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Portugal Raises $2B In Debt Sale, Cuts Forecasts
By BARRY HATTON
LISBON, Portugal (AP) ⿿ Portugal raised ⿬1.5 billion ($2 billion) in a debt sale at sharply lower rates Wednesday as the bailed-out country continues to benefit from improving market confidence, despite forecasts its recession will deepen.
Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar said Wednesday the government expects an economic contraction this year of 2 percent â¿¿ double its earlier prediction. It will be Portugal's third straight year of recession as austerity measures including steep tax hikes and welfare cuts are blamed for a crunch on spending and investment, as well as an unemployment rate that has hit a record 16.9 percent.
Portugal needed a ⿬78 billion bailout in 2011 when a decade of average growth below 1 percent and mounting debts pushed it close to bankruptcy. Investor faith in Portugal has returned in recent months ⿿ a trend reflected in falling interest rates on its debt ⿿ as the European Central Bank has indicated it is willing to help eurozone countries that, like Portugal, are abiding by debt-reduction programs. Portugal hopes to be able to finance itself without help by the end of the year.In the third quarter of last year, the latest figure available, the deficit stood at 3.2 percent of annual GDP. In 2010, it was 10.1 percent. Given Portugal's recent record on slashing debt, Gaspar told a parliamentary committee hearing it was "reasonable" to expect that its bailout lenders ⿿ the so-called troika of the ECB, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund ⿿ will grant Portugal an extra year to meet its debt targets. He did not elaborate but Portugal is currently aiming for a deficit of 2.5 percent of gross domestic product in 2014. A longer time span to reduce the deficit would potentially allow the government time to ease off on its contested cuts and tax hikes.
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Putoline Racing Grease 200gr
Product Code [HL386975]
DESCRIPTION:Racing Grease is a special high quality EP2 lithium 'complex' grease. It has excelent mechanical stability and due to its fine structure there will be no oil separation. It is waterproof and therefore very suitable for all race applications.
Composition: Lithium Complex Specification: EP 2
Application: Recommended for use on steering head stem bearings, wheel axles and bolts


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At the time of this writing, we're at a point where a good deal of film fans are suffering from an affliction that has become known as "zombie fatigue." Thanks in no small part to video games, zombies began to shamble their way out of the niche horror market and into the mainstream. And then, just like the movies always told us would happen, the zombie outbreak spread swiftly and without mercy, consuming the entire country in a year or so. Zombies were everywhere, and one of the most obvious results of this sudden explosion of pop culture adoration for the walking dead was a glut of terrible, boring, no-budget zombie films. Sure, there were a few good ones scattered throughout the wasteland — Undead, Hide and Creep, even the Day of the Dead remake wasn't nightmarishly terrible — but for the most part, it was an onslaught of shoddy shot-on-DV stinkers. Worse still, George Romero himself was responsible for many of the stinkers. Land of the Dead was underwhelming, Diary of the Dead was unwatchably rotten, and Survival of the Dead was…well, it wasn't as bad as Diary of the Dead.
Tag Archives: Italy
Operation White Shark
Fairly or not, Eurospy films are generally regarded as cheap knock-offs of the James Bond movies. But there is cheap, and then there is cheap. Anyone who has actually watched a significant number of these films knows that there are a rare few that don't appear cheap at all, and even glance — if barely — at the kind of production values seen in the 007 franchise. Others occupy a comfortable middle ground, and are able to succeed as long as their ambitions don't outstrip their means. Then, of course, there are those on the other end of the spectrum that are so visibly poverty ridden that you almost wonder why the filmmakers even bothered.
Amazons vs. Supermen
On occasion, we here at Teleport City are accused of being, perhaps, not the most discerning of viewers, susceptible to pretty colors, flashing lights, and naked flesh that blind us to the fact that a movie might otherwise be one of the most atrocious pieces of crap ever made. Frustration can occur when someone looks to us, sees us shrug and go, "It seemed all right to me," and takes that as a recommendation that eventually winds up with them writhing on the floor, clutching their head in agony as they succumb to the mind-melting wretchedness of a movie I thought wasn't really all that bad. I can't say I have done such things with a completely clear conscience. I may have mislead a few people into thinking the Star Wars Holiday Special was going to be hilariously awful instead of just regular ol' boring awful. But for the most part, it's true that I enjoy a lot of really terrible movies that I recognize other people probably should not watch. And the sad, sick thing is that I don't enjoy these movies with any sense of ironic detachment or "so bad it's good" emotional distance; I genuinely enjoy Treasure of the Four Crowns.
Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankhamun
Like many people, I find that there are certain types of films that appeal so strongly to me on a conceptual level that I tend to cut them considerable slack when reviewing them. Often times, even the very worst of these films, like when Santo is old and fat and spends half the film driving a station wagon to the grocery store, muster enough of the elements I like to keep me satisfied. And one of my very favorite genres is the Eurospy film and the various offshoots and influenced tributaries — among them the Italian fumetti-inspired films. As we covered in some weird and convoluted fashion in our review of Kriminal and the three Turkish Kilink films, as well as Danger Diabolik, fumetti were saucy Italian comic books populated by sexy, violent anti-heroes and villains. Super-thief Diabolik became the flashpoint for a whole series of comics and related films that drew both from Diabolik and the James Bond movies. Diabolik himself was a throwback to the old pulp heroes like The Shadow, The Spider, and European counterparts like Fantomas — with a bit of Batman thrown in for good measure.
When Women Lost Their Tails
It's hard for us today to imagine what life must have been like for the human race in a more primitive age. But the astonishing fact remains that there was indeed a time when a movie like When Women Had Tails could not only gain international theatrical release, but also merit a sequel. Thus was born When Women Lost Their Tails, a film which today comes to us as an archaic remnant of that ancient folk tradition known as the Italian sex comedy.
Blood and Black Lace
Several years ago, I got a Netflix account. I did it for a variety of reasons, though the two biggest were the fact that the selection of movies at the average video rental store was abysmal and the price of a rental at the un-average video store was outrageous. Netflix — not to sound like a commercial for the service — offered an astounding number of titles, and because one of their main distribution centers is in Queens, the turn-around time for receiving new movies was lightning fast, provided the lightning is that ball lightning or swamp gas stuff that drifts slowly from Queens to Brooklyn over the course of a day and is often mistaken for a UFO or gnome. Let it be said right now that on my list of things to do before I die is see swamp gas or ball lightning, or at least photograph a weather balloon that could be mistaken for a UFO. But that is neither here nor there.
Superargo vs. Diabolicus
I'd like to start off by telling you that what you're reading is in every way identical to a normal movie review… except for one thing. It's bullet-proof. It also contains a tiny transmitter by which we here at Teleport City can track all of your movements. So that would be two things, then. Oh, and it can also act as shark repellent. Of course, if you were to find yourself in the kind of circumstances in which you could put all of those hidden functions to the test, I'd be very impressed. Unfortunately, you'd also be dead. The fact is that I've just always wanted to give one of those "except for one thing" spiels like you hear in 1960s spy movies. Exactly, in fact, like the one that the masked hero Superargo receives toward the beginning of Superargo vs. Diabolicus, during which he is presented with all kinds of items — from a dhingy to a cocktail olive — that are in every way identical to what they appear to be on the surface, except for one thing. That doesn't really apply to the cocktail olive, though, because it is actually a Geiger counter and, as such, completely inedible. So it's really completely un-identical to a cocktail olive except for one thing — i.e., looking like a cocktail olive.
Shark Hunter
What is it, to be a man? This is the question, indeed, many of us ask ourselves. In this, our post-macho, post-feminist, post-metrosexual era, what then becomes the measure of a man? What is it that defines his life, gives him meaning, makes him a man? Indeed such a question is difficult to answer, at times perhaps even seemingly impossible. And so we enter an era of confusion, of aimlessness, until at last something emerges from the chaos to point the way, to illuminate us, to help us along on our journey and, at long last, make the answer as clear as the crystal blue waters of Cozumel. What is it, to be a man? Let Franco Nero tell you. No, no — let Franco Nero show you.
The first fifteen minutes of Enzo G. Castellari's Shark Hunter play as follows. We meet the titular shark hunter, Franco Nero, looking like he just stumbled out of the jungle and fell into a puddle of crazed hippie biker, while perched on a rock overlooking the ocean. Suddenly a shark catches his eye, causing him to leap up, run down the beach while accompanied by the sounds of Guido and Maurizio DeAngelis prog rock, and struggle to haul the thrashing beast to shore. He then retires to his open air beach bungalow to make love to his beautiful Mexican senorita, then goes to a bar where he beats the crap out of half a dozen thugs. Happy that Franco has whooped ass on the goon squad, a local takes him out for a bit of parasailing. I know, I know. You're thinking to yourself that while hauling in a fishing line hooked to a man-eating shark is tough, and making love on the beach to a sexy gal is tough, and beating up half a dozen hired bruisers is tough, there's not much that's tough about parasailing. That's what sunburned fat Americans do when they visit resorts, right? What's so tough about that? Well, nothing. But while Franco does admittedly get a kick out of the parasailing, what makes this tough parasailing is that, while in mid-air, he spies a shark in the water below, let's out a primal whoop of excitement, cuts himself loose from the parachute harness, plunges into the water, and immediately starts punching the shark in the face.
Although everything about the movie, from the title to Franco Nero's seemingly unquenchable thirst for punching sharks in the face, would lead you to believe that this is going to be another in the brief but highly enjoyable line of Italian Jaws rip-offs along the lines of director Castellari's own L'Ultimo Squalo, a film that so closely aped (or sharked) Jaws and Jaws 2 that an injunction was issued against it, spoiling big plans to unleash it in American movie theaters and, in fact, even going to far as to ensure that it would never see the light of day even on home video. However, after the insane opening and Franco Nero's lesson on how to be a real man, Shark Hunter settles down into being a rip-off not of Jaws, but of another American film, 1977's The Deep starring Nick Nolte and Jaqueline "Miss Goodthighs" Bisset as scuba divers who stumble across a fortune in sunken drugs. That film was remade in 2005 as Into the Blue, starring Paul Walker and Jessica Alba. That movie was completely idiotic, but I enjoyed it if for no other reason than it had cool scuba scenes and lots of shots of Paul Walker and Jessica Alba being scantily clad. Plus, it's not like doing a dumb remake of a movie that was pretty dumb to begin with was any great crime against cinematic art. Of course, I also like The Deep, and it used to scare the crap out of me as a kid.
You see, I come from a long line of scuba divers, and by "long line" I mean my dad and, later, my sister. But I grew up around diving and diving equipment, and as a kid I used to get into my old man's trunk full of equipment and get gussies up in the way-too-large for me wetsuit and flippers, mask, and dive knife, which I referred to more dramatically as the shark knife. I'd then stomp around the basement, playing Thunderball and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and trying to throw the knife into the bare 2x4s of the unfinished walls. When I got to watch The Deep on our brand new Betamax video machine, it enthralled and terrified me. I loved all the scuba stuff, and even at a young age I know there was something special about Jaqueline Bisset in a bikini. But the one thing anyone remembers about that movie is the moray eels. My dad used to tell me outrageous tales about moray eels, and how the way their teeth curved in meant that once they bit you, it was impossible to remove them. You just had to pull out your knife and amputate your arm. The Deep certainly backed those stories up, and for years, the sight of sharks and barracuda did little to phase me, but I was always wary of eels. Even after I learned that moray eels are basically docile so long as you don't go shoving your arm into their hidey holes, I still get antsy when I turn around underwater and see one of them floating there, staring at me inquisitively with that horrible, evil grin they all have.
Shark Hunter, however, is better than either The Deep or Into the Blue, and Franco Nero looks less like Nick Nolte in The Deep and more like Nick Nolte in his more recent mug shot. But the gist of Shark Hunter is that Nero's character, Mike di Donato, gets pressured by a local gangster into helping salvage a downed plane full of loot. Franco and his parasailing buddy try to figure out a way to get the gangsters off their back and outsmart them. Despite the expectation generated from a title like Shark Hunter, there isn't much shark action in this film other than the beginning and the very end. Most of the action revolves around Franco Nero in his ratty shirt and bell-bottom dungarees getting into fights on the beach, only to have his beloved Juanita (Patricia Rivera) threatened by the gangsters. And there's a lot of scuba diving, sometimes with sharks present, which is a touchy subject for a lot of people.
Scuba scenes usually get a bum rap in movies for being somewhat slow moving and boring. They do happen underwater, after all. I actually think a lot of scuba diving scenes are kind of keen, owing to my enjoyment of scuba diving, and depending on how they are filmed. Thunderball, for example, has pretty thrilling scuba scenes. All those Jacques Cousteau documentaries have cool scuba scenes. The Incredible Petrified World does not succeed as well with its many scuba scenes of guys sort of doing nothing for like ten minutes at a time. Anyway, point is that scuba scenes don't have to boring, even if they frequently are. Shark Hunter has pretty good scuba scenes, though one wonders why Nero spends so much time diving in his blue jeans when he later reveals he owns perfectly good shorts and a wetsuit. I don't know if you've ever tried to swim in blue jeans, but it's not pleasant. The scuba scenes are also aided by the fact that Castellari was fond of slow motion action scenes anyway, so you hardly even notice the diving is slow. At least he didn't film them in slow motion.
Castellari and Nero worked together several times before most notably on the superb 1971 poliziotteschi thriller High Crime. Among the many, many directors who made a living in the murky waters of Italian exploitation films, Castellari was one of the best when he was on his game. Like Umberto Lenzi and Antonio Margheriti, Castellari managed to direct some really great action films. He also managed to direct some really awful ones. Castellari, however, directed fewer truly awful films than did Lenzi and Margheriti, possibly because Castellari managed to avoid having to make crappy cannibal movies. Where as other directors skipped from one genre to the next based on whatever trend was at the forefront of exploitation cinema that week, Castellari stayed pretty well grounded in action films. He avoided horror almost entirely. Even when he ventured into the realm of other genres — most notably a few post-apocalypse Road Warrior rip-offs in the 1980s — he treated them more or less like action films. The one time he worked almost completely outside the realm of what he was familiar with was 1989's Sinbad of the Seven Seas, and we can see how that worked out for him. By the 1980s, there was no doubt Castellari knew his stuff, even if he wasn't exactly what you might call a visionary artist. He did have his style though, and he seems interested in Shark Hunter, which he keeps moving along nicely and crammed full of action both above and below the ocean surface.
If there's anything to criticize in Castellari's direction, it's the choice to use footage of real sharks being caught and killed. This only happens once or twice, and I suppose scenes of shark fishing are more defensible than other scenes of real animal cruelty that pop up in Italian exploitation films, but it's something to warn people about. I understand why they used real footage, though I don't necessarily agree with the decision. But then, I used togo fishing, and lord knows we used to take pictures of ourselves with our fish, so I guess that's why I can't see to getting too worked up about the scenes of a hooked shark in this movie, as opposed to the far more frequent and far more abusive animal killing that goes on in those cannibal films.
Franco Nero is in good form here, looking completely deranged and badly in need of a shower. You'd think a dude who constantly went swimming and shark punching in the clear waters of Cozumel, Mexico, wouldn't have so much soot and crap smeared all over his face, but then you'd also expect that a guy with a girlfriend that pretty would have at least two pairs of clothes. But the only thing he has is his outfit, and then the same outfit with a hat and sunglasses. Nero throws himself headlong into the role though, lending it gravity and a great intensity, and the look is pretty spectacular. Nero made a career out of playing bad-asses, and while he's not as bad-ass here as he was in some of his old cop films, he still punches sharks in the face and jumps out of parachutes to wrestle them. Eventually, the movie gets around to explaining why sharks piss him off so much, but it's pretty uneventful and predictable. He goes on to have family members killed in a traffic accident, but he doesn't run around Mexico punching cars and trying to drag them back to his bungalow. And given how much the guy hates sharks, and how he seems to spend all day sitting around just waiting for a change to sock one in the jaw, you have to wonder they come to his aid all Aquaman-style during the underwater finale. I guess they respect his predatory, killer instinct and knotty tangle of blond locks.
Helping the movie be that much cooler is the music by Italian exploitation film staples Guido and Maurizio DeAngelis. Blending rock, prog, and film orchestration, G&M, who also worked under collective name Oliver Onions for some reason, turn in a great score that perfectly matches the action and fires up the blood. Pairing all that with nice location work in Cozumel — my dad's favorite dive spot, incidentally — makes for an all-around thrilling action film that is far different than the Jaws inspired title would otherwise lead you to believe.
Strip Nude for Your Killer
You wouldn't think that a movie with a title like Strip Nude for Your Killer would turn out to be among the sleazier, trashier, less redeemable Italian thrillers — or giallo — but what do you know! Strip Nude for Your Killer turns out to be among the sleazier, trashier, less redeemable Italian thrillers, and if you know anything about gialli, you know that sleaze, trash, and irredeemability are practically requisites for the genre. Strip Nude for Your Killer is also probably not the best film to use as a primer on the tropes and history of gialli, but at the same time, perhaps the fact that it slavishly caters to the lowest common denominator expectations of giallo films and never exhibits much in the way of style or ambition beyond fulfilling the base formula requirements make it the perfect, if not respectable, candidate for the following brief — and possibly wildly inaccurate in spots — history of what fans loving refer to giallo.
Giallo is, like pulp fiction in America, a loaded and often misrepresented concept that takes on various attributes and boundaries depending on who is doing the defining. Pulp, for example, was used to cover everything from romance to cowboy to crime to sci-fi and horror stories, though in time it became more specifically identified with crime and fantastic literature. And then, in the 90s, pulp started being used as a description of outrageous action cinema from the 70s, applied interchangeably with "cult film," "drive-in movie," and most recently, "grindhouse." Pulp thus became an adaptive term, and even though it no longer meant what it used to mean, just as "drive-in movie" could have been any movie (I saw Jaws and Star Wars at the drive-in in the 70s, after all) but now has a very specific exploitation-oriented definition, "pulp" has an agreed-upon (more or less) pop culture definition that most people live with.
The history and evolution of giallo in Italy is very similar. Giallo originally referred to a series of pulp novels published by a company called Mondadori. The name "giallo" arose from the bright yellow covers that identified books as part of the series. As with American pulps of the same era (the first giallo was printed in 1929), the subject matter of giallo varied wildly, but in time they seemed to settle down into a steady pattern relying predominantly on murder mysteries, horror, and lurid tales of wanton sauciness. From time to time, the stories of well-established and well-respected mystery authors like Edgar Wallace and Agathie Christie showed up as part of the giallo series. Thus, like pulp, giallo became a much more specific phrase, irritating some (as does the abuse and rampant application of the descriptor "pulp").
Making any claim regarding which film was "the first" of any type of film is pretty silly. No matter what you pick, someone is going to find an earlier film that fulfills the same basic requirements of whatever genre you've chosen, and then they'll start claiming that movie was the first. Sort of like, "who was the first punk rocker," a debate that includes everyone from Iggy Pop to Joey Ramone to the MC5 to Mozart. Or, to relate it to film, there's the endless debate over "the first slasher film." With "first" being nigh impossible to nail down, what becomes more important is the first film to act as a major cultural touchstone. So, while nailing down "the first slasher film" may be almost impossible, nailing down "the film that inspired the slasher movie boom of the 80s and defined the tropes of that trend" is much easier.
The exact same problem exists in determining "the first giallo movie." Considering that Edgar Wallace and Agathie Christie books were part of the giallo series, you could reasonably argue that one of the movies based on those was the first giallo. What is more pertinent, again, and at least for our purposes here, is to define the film where the giallo trend really arrived, and the film that served as the template for the movies that would follow this trend. Regarding this, most people agree that it's Mario Bava's 1963 thriller The Girl Who Knew Too Much (which even features the lead character reading a giallo novel), with a major assist from Bava's Blood and Black Lace in 1964. It is in these two movies that we see most of the "rules" of the genre established, sort of like how George Romero's Night of the Living Dead certainly wasn't the first zombie film, but it was the zombie film, and it set forth a template that is followed to this very day. Bava's two early murder mysteries laid the foundation for what would come after them. And of course, just to dirty the martini further, from that start point forward, you can spend plenty of time endlessly debating which films are or are not gialli, or which films are or are not zombie films. So on and so forth. After all, us film nerds gotta debate something, and some of us are tired of arguing about whether or not Star Wars was awesome or sucked.
Bava's two movies give us the framework and the common themes that define giallo: the unreliable eye witness and the general unreliability and subjectivity of observation, the international jet set flavor (including frequent use of American and British leads), the obsession with fashion and photography (another form of observation) and the industries that exist around each, prolonged and often fantastically complex murder sequences, highly stylized lighting and cinematography, and perhaps most famous of all, the black-gloved killer.
Giallo simmered through the 60s, but it was in 1970 that things really exploded. That year, a former scriptwriter and assistant director named Dario Argento made the film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Here, what started with Bava became crystal clear and fully realized. From 1970 on, the always zealous Italian exploitation market began cranking out all sorts of films that fit the giallo bill, more or less. Adding a dose of 1970s libertinism to the Bava formula, the giallo directors of the 70s were able to heap on more gore, nudity, and general sleaze. The films also showcased an increasingly cynical viewpoint of the morality of man, often featuring victim characters who were only marginally less rotten than the mysterious killer. Some of these films were incredibly good. Some wallowed in their own filth. A few were just plain awful, but most were enjoyable in a wild Grand Guignol fashion that demanded you abandon logic, accept often wildly improbably plot twists and resolutions, and concentrate instead on the imaginative style and outlandish setpieces. In other words, if you are going to be upset about disappointing revelations and idiotic, illogical behavior on behalf of the victims, giallo is not the genre for you to play in, and you will find little, even in the best films, that will convince you otherwise. These films take place in a world that appears similar to ours and involves characters who resemble humans, but ultimately, the world of the giallo film and the people who inhabit it resemble humans and the human world only superficially. Gialli operate under their own set of rules, and dealing with it can often be irritating — especially since that leads to the age-old battle over when something is an intentional artistic vision and when something is just incompetent crap.
In the case of Strip Nude for Your Killer, the debate is pretty one-sided. This movie is definitely incompetent crap. It's largely unimaginative, always seedy and mean-spirited, and laughable in its attempt to build the central mystery. That said, it's also horribly fun in a way you should be maybe just a little bit ashamed of, and it stars the queen of 70s giallo and one the most perfect and beautiful women to ever walk the planet, French Algerian actress Edwige Fenech.
To be fair, Strip Nude for Your Killer may be scummy, but it wastes no time letting you know exactly where you stand, as the first shot is a full frontal nude shot of a woman in a doctor's office, legs up in medical stirrups, with a doctor's face firmly planted between her legs. If this image — and keep in mind that it is quickly revealed she's in the middle of an abortion — offends or insults you, then it's best to just skip ahead to some other movie. I recommend Dario Argento's Deep Red. It's really good, and as far as gialli goes, it's pretty clean. At least it doesn't start off with a close-up of a chick getting an abortion. From this auspicious opening salvo, Strip Nude for Your Killer has the woman suffer a heart attack, causing the doctor and his pal to bring the woman back to her home and leave her in the bathtub in hopes that the police will just chalk it up to a heart attack without noticing the abortion thing.
From there, the film picks up at a photography studio staffed primarily by snide, condescending people who all seem to hate each other. Among them are star photographers Carlo (Nino Castelnuovo) and Magda (Edwige Fenech), who are involved with each other though Carlo is by no means a one-lady man. The other cast members all have names too, but there's not much point in remembering them since, 1) they're all basically the same character, and 2) they're all going to die anyway. And sure enough, it doesn't take too long before someone is stalking the employees of the studio and killing them off. Signature murders include the stabbing of a woman who, upon realizing a prowler may be in the house and all her co-workers are getting murdered, investigates while completely nude except for a pair of clunky platform clogs; and then there's the one where, after charmingly attempting to rape a co-worker before going impotent, we get ample shots of an enormously fat man in his sagging tighty whities and black dress socks, clutching a deflated blow-up doll in one hand and a kitchen knife in the other while he cries uncontrollably. Tasteful!
Eventually, the cast is whittled down to a few potential suspects, including Carlo, Magda. Carlo and Magda take it upon themselves to investigate the murder, though it's possible on of them is actually the culprit, and for some reason, any time they turn up a clue, they make a big fuss about how they couldn't possibly go to the police with it, even though there's no actual reason they couldn't go to the police beyond the fact that the giallo film depends on the concept of the amateur sleuth, and writer-director Andrea Bianchi sort of blows at writing stories. When the killer is finally revealed…well it's best for this movie and for many gialli to master the use of the phrase, "Oh, come on!" Strip Nude for Your Killer isn't quite so bad as to have the killer be someone that hasn't been in the movie until the point they are revealed to be the killer ("Why, it was his brother we've never seen all along!"), but it's really close. And there's plenty more "Oh, come on!" moments to keep your eyes rolling. Like the part where Magda goes to retrieve film from Carlo's studio that presumably has pictures of the killer on it. While there, the lights go out, and Magda hears someone else sneaking around. So, knowing that everyone who works at your studio is being murdered, knowing that you have a piece of evidence that could reveal the killer, and knowing that the killer knows you have this and also knows where it is, when you are in this place, and the lights go out all of a sudden, do you instantly think, "Goodness, it is entirely likely this killer who has been stalking us has now arrived here!" Or do you think, "Aw, it must be a blown fuse!"
In fact, there are three distinct points at which you will need to master the use of "Oh, come on!" if you are ever going to get very far into the world of Italian murder mystery horror fun. The first is used pleadingly and comes when you engage in the following exchange with a friend:
You: Let's watch Strip Nude for Your Killer.
Your Friend: That looks like crap.
You: Oh, come on!
You will also find the phrase handy to use in a sort of "just roll with it" use. For example:
Your Friend: Wait! Why can't they go to the police? Man this movie is idiotic.
You: Oh, come on!
And finally, there is the point at which you and your friend can finally agree on the proper application of the phrase. This comes at the end, when the killer is revealed to be someone you can't even remember if they were in the movie before. It is here that you can both roll your eyes and exclaim, "Oh, come on!"
Strip Nude for Your Killer definitely requires a healthy sense of humor to get through. Director Andrea Bianchi does not possess the stylistic flourishes that make many other bad gialli worth watching even when their plots are of dubious merit. What Bianchi lacks in terms of inventive direction he attempts to make up for with sleaze, and at least on that level, he's a Viking. Before you even start the movie, you can guess what sort of ride you're in for. And while some titles may make lascivious promises the movie can't keep, Strip Nude for Your Killer definitely is not one of them. I mean, here's a film that plays a botched abortion for cheap titillation and ends with a joke about a guy strangling his girlfriend and sodomizing her against her will. Oh, the hilarity! In between, you get near frequent male and female nudity (often in the form of people you never wanted to see nude), plenty of slasher gore (usually in the form of the aftermath of a murder), and an all-around level of scumminess that becomes so thick it takes on the properties of camp excess. I'm sure John Waters would appreciate the ludicrousness of it all. It's that gleeful willingness to reel about in the muck with such reckless disregard for even the most frayed threads of decent taste that keep Strip Nude for Your Killer from being offensive. It's far too idiotic to be taken with that degree of seriousness. This movie is like stumbling upon a hobo jerking off behind a dumpster. Sure you can get offended, but honestly, what's the point?
One of the fun things about gialli is that they actively invite psychoanalysis. Regardless of how shoddy and shallow the product may be, if it just follows the template close enough, it can piggyback on the psychological groundwork of Bava, who himself was nodding to Hitchcock. It's like buying meaning wholesale, or shopping at Hot Topic instead of making your own punk clothes. For example, I have no doubt that Bianchi had absolutely nothing to say with Strip Nude for Your Killer. He wanted to make a sleazy murder mystery and get Edwige Fenech naked as often as possible, plus show a fat guy in saggy underpants. And that's exactly what he did. But because, by 1975, so many gialli had been made and the cliches of the genre were so well established, he didn't have to put any thought at all into having things us film nerds could pick up on in our never-ending quest to artistically justify even the basest and greediest of crap. Strip Nude for Your Killer is rife with the standard giallo themes, the most obvious of which is the deceptive nature of observation. You could even justify the tasteless opening by saying that Bianchi is intentionally duping the audience into thinking they're getting a bit of cheesecake right off the bat, only to spoil it by introducing a dramatic and tragic revelation regarding the nature of the nudity we are observing. You would, I think, be full of shit if you did this, but it's still fun.
Later in the film, the roll of film with the killer's identity is brought into play, under the assumption that a photograph of a murder in progress is irrefutable proof. Once again, however, very little is what it appears to be. Edwige spends much of the movie poring over photographs of the victim, an old magnifying glass plastered to her face as a visual homage to the dime store detective novels from which the giallo film grew (and also as a fine example of how magnifying glasses aren't designed work). In Strip Nude for Your Killer as in many other far superior gialli (specifically Dario Argento's Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Deep Red), the protagonist spends a great deal of time examining and re-examining something that seems perfectly clear but is later revealed to hold a significance no one recognized. Bird with the Crystal Plumage is one of the most obvious indictments of the notion of eye witness, but Deep Red is my favorite for playing off the lead actor, David Hemmings, and his role as a photographer obsessed with the grainy, minute detail of a photo in Anonioni's Blow Up. In the case of Strip Nude for Your Killer, Bianchi is obviously just copying what he's seen before, but it's still kind of fun and one of the reasons bad gialli are often still enjoyable to dissect.
Bianchi is no stranger to sleazy thrillers. His filmography includes Cry of the Prostitute, The Malicious Whore, and Burial Ground, infamous for casting an obviously older midget as a child, and then having him bite off his mom's breast while she lovingly breast-feeds him. I ain't talking no Harry Earles looking guy, either, where you could almost believe the illusion that he was a little kid (still way too old to be breast feeding though, at least off his mom). No, this was more like a cross between Dustin Hoffman and Chris Kattan. Anyway, Bianchi isn't much of a director, and whatever style exists in Strip Nude for Your Killer is most likely the product of Bianchi aping those who came before. The direction is competent and professional, but not much else.
Of course, for most viewers, there is one big reason, at least above the simple blanket "because it's Italian giallo," to watch Strip Nude for Your Killer, and that's the appearance, usually nude or in little more than panties and an unbuttoned men's dress shirt, of Edwige Fenech. Fenech was a staple of both Italian sex comedies and the giallo film, and she brought to the game a wicked combination of actual acting talent, comedic timing, a willingness to drop her robe for pretty much no reason, and some of the most devastating good looks I've ever seen. She split her time evenly between exceptionally great gialli like All the Colors of the Dark and other films with director Sergio Martino, and dodgy nonsense like this and The Case of the Bloody Iris. She was always game, though, and never looked to be half-assing it, even when her primary role was to show half her ass. In Strip Nude for Your Killer, she's about as close as you're going to get to a likable character, even though she's kind of condescending and nasty to people. But when you're surrounded by the likes of mean-spirited S&M lesbians, a guy who thinks anal rape is hilarious, a fat crying guy who also thinks rape is the way to a woman's heart, and someone who is killing a bunch of people — well, it's not hard to look like the good guy.
If you are looking for a good and proper introduction to the world of Italian murder mysteries, Strip Nude for Your Killer is not your movie. You want to be watching Deep Red or Blood and Black Lace or All the Colors of the Dark. Still, if you are already prepared for the peculiarities of sloppy Italian filmmaking, Strip Nude for Your Killer is surprisingly enjoyable. Even though it's poorly written, even though it's relentlessly tasteless (actually, because it's relentlessly tasteless), even though it has very few points you could single out as being good other than Edwige, and even though it's packed full of gratuitously seedy garbage (once again, what I mean is because it's packed full of gratuitous, seedy garbage), it ultimately comes across as harmless.
I think it's because you never get an opportunity to take the thing seriously for even a minute. Compare it to, for instance, Lucio Fulci's New York Ripper, a film that is marginally less sleazy, almost as absurd, but a whole lot meaner. The hatred for mankind is palpable in that film, and if you make it through to the end, all you really want to do is take a shower. Conversely, Strip Nude for Your Killer comes across as little more than a bunch of drunk Italians wanting to make a movie with a lot of nudity in it. If you go to the shower after watching it, you're doing something, but it's not because you feel grimy and depressed. Sure, the film is mean, but it never seems serious about it or committed to its misanthropy. This could just be my perception as a horribly twisted and dark individual, but Strip Nude for Your Killer just doesn't have that visceral kick you would need to really be offended. It was preposterous anyway, and I was having too much fun reveling in the filth alongside it to worry about the many faults.
Throne of Fire
At my age, and with my experience, I shouldn't fall for it. And yet, on occasion, I'm still taken in by cool posters and cover art. At these times, I actually leave my body and hover above myself, screaming warnings but powerless to prevent my corporeal self from plunking down a wad of cash on a movie that has a cool looking cover. "You fool! You know the movie isn't going to be anything like the cover!" my spirit cries, but alas his words are unable to prevent the transaction. And so it is I end up owning movies like Throne of Fire, a dreary, slow-moving, largely uninteresting Italian sword and sorcery film with a cover that featured an illustration of a big-breasted nude chick swinging around a sword and wearing a little metal thong. "This looks pretty good," I said to myself, even as my other disembodied self was shouting, "Dude, seriously! That chick probably never even shows up in the movie! Didn't you learn anything from the cover of Hot Potato???"
Well, I didn't, and true enough, Throne of Fire never features a sexy, naked Valkyrie type chick swinging around a sword. In fact, it's the rare sword and sorcery film that doesn't feature any toplessness at all. The whole thing plays out more like a really bad throwback to 1960s peplum than it does a 1980s sword and sorcery film. Once again, the jazzy, saucy poster art lured me in and let me down. And once again, I learned nothing from the transaction. I'd do it again, I tell ya! I'd do it again! Ha ha ha!
What Throne of Fire lacks in sexy, naked Valkyrie type chicks swinging around a sword it makes up for with plentiful scenes of people sitting around in poorly lit throne rooms discussing events that would be more interesting if they were actually happening on screen instead of just being described to us by bored Italians. Keep in mind that my capacity for liking even the absolute worst of 1980s sword and sorcery films is legendary. I like Barbarians. I like Conquest. For crying out loud, I like Hawk the Slayer and Archer: Fugitive from the Empire! Right now, I'm sitting here and thinking about how I want to watch one of the Ator movies — and possibly all of them!!! And that seems like a good idea to me, and it's not something I haven't done before. This past weekend, Krull was on TV, and not only did I watch it, but I also watched it when they did the late-night replay — and I already own that shit on DVD, man! So for a sword and sorcery movie not to get my easy-going seal of approval really has to mean something, I think. Throne of Fire is a bad movie. Not Yor, the Hunter from the Future bad, which is awesome, but regular old boring "is this asshole still explaining the plot to us?" bad.
Taken at face value, the description of Throne of Fire's plot is as deceptively enticing as the lurid artwork. Satan wants a son so he can plunge the world into darkness, but instead of siring the kid on his own, he sends his messenger. When he becomes a man, the son of…well, the son of Satan's messenger will sit upon the throne of fire, thereby giving him power to — honestly, I'm not sure, but it probably has something to do with more plunging the world into darkness type of business. Only a hero pure of heart and clad in naught but a loincloth and leather bicep tassels can stop the evil one's dastardly plan. Also, only the rightful heir can sit in the throne of fire without being set ablaze (something you'd think wouldn't bother the son of Satan, but since this is the son of Satan's errand boy, I guess it's important), so Satan's ward must also kill the proper king and marry that king's daughter. In time, you will learn that setting people on fire when they sit on it without permission is the sole power of the throne.
But really, I mean that doesn't sound so bad, right? Aside from the fact that Satan is too lazy to sire his own son. But then, I guess technically God didn't do the deed with Mary, so he didn't sire his own son, either. Seriously, you Christian gods and demons need to take a page out of Zeus' pick-up artist manual. Now there was a god who knew how to sow his seed. That cat could hardly find time to hurl his mighty thunderbolts, so busy was he getting busy and seducing fair maidens by appearing to them as a shimmering mist of impregnation or a horny silver-furred pygmy marmoset waving its hands wildly and yelling, "I'm king of the gods, baby!" I guess Satan was too busy tempting the souls of good men and pressing Slayer CDs to find time to bang some disinterested lady in a crappy Italian sword and sorcery film.
Anyway, with a plot like the one possessed by Throne of Fire, you figure you're going to get some random scenes of villages being pillaged, and an old man or woman will probably talk rapturously about how the hero has come to fulfill the prophecy, and then since this is the devil's adopted son we're talking about, there will probably be scenes of sweating people being tortured, and there will be an orgy. Hell, that could be the entire plot, with the finale consisting of a plodding sword fight and probably some crudely animated magical ray beam effects. And you know what? I'd be pretty satisfied. But even in the admittedly modest realm of being "at least as good as Iron Warrior," Throne of Fire fails miserably. And while it does have the prophecy, the torture chamber, and random scenes of pillaging, there is no orgy (Seriously? The son of Satan isn't going to have an orgy? He isn't even going to litter his throne room with scantily clad maidens? Lame, son of Satan, lame!), and even the stuff that is present is so unimaginatively staged and so lacking in energy that it hardly even registered. I mean, dudes are pillaging a village and setting huts on fire, and I didn't even notice.
So where were we? OK, yeah. Satan sends his messenger to impregnate a woman, so that this child may sit on the titular throne of fire, a feat which seems to have absolutely no effect, positive or negative, on the powers of the people who sit upon it. Morak, the son of the messenger of Satan, grows up to be Harrison Muller, who spends his day sending gangs of killers out to perform the most boring acts of pillaging you're ever going to see. On the plus side, some of them have pretty cool eagle wing helmets. It seems like, given the free reign Morak has with sending around death squads, that he has already succeeded in conquering pretty much the entire crappy kingdom, but people are still talking about the good king on his throne of fire. It apparently never occurs to Good King Fire Ass to send out an army to stop Morak's band of brigands. Seriously, Morak's army has like ten guys in it. How can they possibly not be defeated? Maybe if the king spent more time attend to the affairs of his kingdom and less time worrying about his fire throne, he wouldn't be in this situation. The last time we had a fire king around these parts, he had armies of scantily clad barbarian dudes and was able to fend off attacks from a guy who could hurl icebergs at him. By comparison, Morak doesn't seem to have any powers at all beyond the powers of prolonged exposition, and still this fire king gets his ass handed to him.
The king eventually falls to Morak, but the princess Valkari escapes. Hey! She does look like the sword swinging chick from the cover, though she keeps what little top she has on through the entire film. Sabrina Siani plays Valkari, and she at least is a welcome sight for eyes that are fast becoming difficult to keep open. She was a staple of the Italian sword and sorcery industry during the 1980s, having appeared shortly before this film as the largely naked evil Ocran in Lucio Fulci's completely bizarre barbarian fantasy film Conquest, which would be a much more entertaining film to watch than this one. She also appeared in The Invincible Barbarian, Sword of the Barbarians, White Cannibal Queen, and Ator the Fighting Eagle — all of which would be more enjoyable to watch. Yes, even Ator. I never thought I'd find a movie that would make me think, "Man, I sure wish I was watching Ator right now — no, I really wish I was watching Ator III!" but I guess that's the thrilling part of this job: you always learn new things.
Only one man stands in the way of Morak, the little gang he has, and his mad scheme to do whatever it is he'll be able to do by sitting on the throne of fire. That man is Siegfried, played by Invincible Barbarian star Pietro Torrisi. Pietro is a huge guy who gives off a sort of "Brad Harris with a perm" vibe, and his career in Italian exploitation was extremely long if unremarkable. He mostly filled uncredited roles, starting out as far back as 1963 with an appearance in The Ten Gladiators. In 1965, after a few more gladiator movies, he made the jump to Eurospy films, appearing in a couple pretty movies starring George Ardisson. Still, his roles were restricted to things like "Bodyguard." He continued this steady but minor work throughout the spaghetti western trend, the violent cop film trend, and the sexploitation trend.
In 1982, after nearly twenty years in the business, someone finally decided that the post-Conan sword and sorcery boom was the right time and place for Pietro to step up to the plate and take on a starring role. And so he became Zukhan, king of the barbarians, in Franco Prosperi's Invincible Barbarian. He had another starring role shortly thereafter in Sword of the Barbarians, then was back to an uncredited role in The Iron Master, one of the few Italian sword and sorcery films that has eluded my prying eyes up to this date. And then it was on to the role of heroic Siegfried. At age forty-something, he still looks good, and if nothing else, he handles the action scenes with gusto. It's just too bad there are so few of them. He spends most of the movie getting captured, escaping, getting captured again, being taunted by Morak, escaping, then getting captured. And to make matters worse, Morak isn't even a very good taunter.
The movie threatens to pick up when Morak has Siegfried cast down into the Well of Madness, where he will be assaulted by all manner of ghoulish monsters and hallucinations. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't really deliver on the Well of Madness, and Siegfried is menaced by one guy with blobs of make-up on his face and some spooky underlighting before he is allowed to go about his business. While down there, he happens to find his own father, who has been imprisoned lo these many years by Morak. It turns out that Morak can't kill the old man because the guy knows the secret of the prophecy that prescribes by when and in exactly what manner Morak must sit upon the throne of fire. He imparts this knowledge to Siegfried, and then just for the hell of it also gives him a spell of invisibility and the gift of invulnerability to anything but fire — which is kind of a lame gift when you are fighting a guy who is about to take over the fire throne. Anyway, there's a long bit where Siegfried and Valkari keep rescuing each other and then getting captured again, and the whole things finally boils down to the inevitable showdown between Siegfried and Morak. By the time this admittedly competent — especially within the realm of Italian barbarian movies, where the sword fight choreography was often legendarily awful — sword fight occurs, you will have stopped caring, fallen asleep, or coughed up your own skeleton in an attempt to relieve the mind-numbing tedium.
So let me put this in perspective: there is a movie directed by Jess Franco called Diamonds of Kilimandjaro. Even among fans of Jess Franco, it is considered to be terrible and tedious. I am going to give that movie a tepidly positive review and claim that it's not as boring as, well, as Throne of Fire. Other than the fact that some of the sword fights are OK and the leads look good, I have almost nothing positive to say about Throne of Fire except to mention that Siegfried is a master of gymkata. I go into movies like this expecting to be entertained no matter how awful they are. And I almost always am. And when you put this movie in, and it's got that topless barbarian woman cover and the first thing you are greeted with is the Cannon films logo and a remarkably crappy synth score, well things seem to be headed in the right direction, at least to me. But it doesn't take long for you to realize that you'd be much better off watching one of Cannon's other cheap-ass barbarian films, possibly Adventures of Hercules. Anything would be better than Throne of Fire.
Although you can't fault Torrisi and Siani for their one-note but largely competent performances (relative to the performances one usually sees in these types of movies), there is plenty of blame to be spread around among the writers and director. By this point in his lengthy career, Franco Prosperi should have known better. Way back when, he helped write the script for Mario Bava's Hercules in the Haunted World, one of the very best peplum adventures and arguably one of the best fantasy films of all time. He was originally slated to be the director before Bava took over. He must have died inside the day Bava took on directorial duties for Hercules in the Haunted World, because shortly thereafter Prosperi settled into a career of churning out scripts and doing directorial duties on a slew of sleazy mondo exploitation films. By the time he was tapped to direct a couple sword and sorcery films in the 1980s, he must not have given a damn about anything. His direction in Throne of Blood is as listless and boring as the script, and while me manages to keep everyone in frame and in focus, he doesn't put much effort beyond that into things. Frankly, though, I guess it's hard to blame him. After Throne of Fire, he decided to direct and a write a couple Cannibal Holocaust rip-offs. Cannibal Holocaust rip-offs…think that one over for a few minutes.
Complicit in the crime of boring me to tears are writers Giuseppe Buricchi and Nino Marino. Between the two of them, they had almost zero experience writing scripts, and their lack of ability shines through in every scene. There is no sense of pacing, not a single moment that generates even a spark of excitement. The dialog is dull and pointless and abundant. The entire thing is lazy. Why is the son of Satan's messenger doing all this instead of the actual son of Satan? Why does the son of Satan's messenger need a Christian friar to perform his wedding ceremony? Shouldn't he have his own devil-y friar? Why is the good king so easy to beat? Why do all the peasants killed in one scene show up again, alive and well, a few minutes later in another scene? OK, OK — that one we have to blame on Prosperi. The only bright spot in the entire dismal affair is a single gag where Morak agrees to let Valkari's people free. He then proceeds to shoot them in the back with arrows as they try to leave. But hey, at least they were free. Still, a ten second gag in ninety minutes of undiluted dullness hardly makes for a film worth recommending.
You know the worst thing about Throne of Fire? It's that I just finished watching the movie and writing a review about how boring it is and how much I hated it. And then I look over at the table and see the bad-ass cover and think to myself, "Hey, Throne of Fire. That movie looks kind of cool. Maybe I'll watch it…"


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What Price FleadomWhat Price Fleadom (1948) Theatrical Cartoon
This page has been viewed 66 times this month, and 1947 times total.
- Theatrical Cartoon Pictures and Posters
- Featuring: Homer Flea, Girl Flea, Hobo Dog.
- Originally Released on March 20, 1948.
- Originally Released Theatrically.
- Running Time: 6:54 minutes.
- TechniColor
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What Price Fleadom
Comments By: damfine
Pretty much every Tex Avery cartoon made in the '40's, and some he made in the '50's, deserves AT LEAST a 10. Maybe even... (read more)
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Best Town Hall Level 8 Defense Strategy And Setup For Clash Of Clans + Tips And Tricks
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Zach Z.: I threw up watching this video
Julie Stender: dude im town hall 5 and i have level 10 gold mine
Sten Vogelzang: bad base haha the air defences are weak and wow XD just wow badness
Supersaiyan ACE: Thx you so much I subbed cause I was having trouble thinking of a town hall 8 set up
Thomas South: I'm th7 level 62 I could get 2/3 stars on your base and your walls need some work
Awesome Gamings: Dude guys this is not noteworthy games because he always have that song at the begging the this one doesn't
Julien Nicholas: I just wish u had show some replays i dont know how u are winning defenses with that base also 1600 is easy to make i almost hit crystal withy town hall 7 and u should put air defense more in the middle
Jack Wilshere: Dude no offfenncceee but this is very easy to raid with an air attack.. your air defences are easy to break
xxxxxxxxxxX420 MLG QUICKSCOPE 360 FaZe CLAN SWAG YOLOXxxxxxxxxxx: you idiots UPLOAD DATE. this was good back then, now it's not th8s didn't have a 3rd air defense
Clash King: his new video for th 8 is a lot better
PreX' Borealis: Upgrade some stuff. Yeesh
Rene Barajas: I would crush the f*** out of that base lol 😁 keep dreamin bro your defense ain't good 😉
Jimmy Torres: Your missing a air defense
GAZA ALPHONSO: Join my clan guys GAZA EMPIRE
PredatorGames: my th lvl 7 base is way better than this base
Aimen Ahmed: u are aswome :)
Adrien Lopez: GOOD BASE I'M COPYING IT
Phil Diesel: Easy 3 ⭐⭐⭐ with Dragons !
Music Max Mix: No Offense +NoteworthyGames - Clash of Clans , I like your Defense Strategy start from 1-7 , But this TH 8 ? I think it is easy to raid .
ryan chadwick: That Kyoto Tho the base is alright
King Pin: All these comments are just so negative. Just thank the guy for sharing and tweak his layout if you don't like it, but for christ sake get all those pickles out your butt holes and leave guy alone. Oh and thanks for the video man it gave me some good ideas.
journey whitlock: super good base im going to use that base for th8!!!!
TheRetroGamer: Wow at this point in the game their weren't even leagues.....THIS IS ANCIENT.
Trenton James: That base sucks your town hall is rushed
Demah S: is this Walter jr from breaking bad talking?? lol
TJ-The-Tiger74: Cool
Jayden Ladley: 2 air defence where da other
Alan Torres: Bro, no joke.. this defense sucks
Louis Anderson: Mortars to close spells will knock them out
pupawh0511: wow..i agree..there is no weak spot..because your base is weak as a whole..fvck those low level defense..
max puntsag: Where is his another air defence
Julien Nicholas: I just wish u had show some replays i dont know how u are winning defenses with that base also 1600 is easy to make i almost hit crystal withy town hall 7 and u should put air defense more in the middle
Javier Orozco: Your voice got deep
Phil Rogers: you are a huge gemmer
Tyler: Dude that base looks terrible... seriously, you said it took you 'weeks' to make? it looks like you slapped everything down within like 5 minutes
Jonathan Dyer: Whos therno?
Jack Ward: It's symmetrical.. that is all that matters to me.
Jack Morton: Weres Landon ?
Shad Uddin: That set up is terrible fix it
max puntsag: Tyler your can't be any better
ericb1312: He dident max anything
asianjbninja: Your air defense is more important than mortars and to let everyone know, double walls r useless nowadays
Grace Loia-Lopez: That base is orribly upgraded 4 town hall 8
Logan Paauwe: Weak th8
Bob Lasso: Better than the Ball base.
Robert Glover: JOIN MY CLAN HOG RIDERS INC.
Hislamion: NoteworthyGames's clan is NoteworthyGame2 not NoteworthyGames freaking idiot
Joshua Paul: That base looks like crap no offense
Joe Helou: I can make a base better then that in one minute
Best Town Hall Level 8 Defense Strategy and Setup for Clash of Clans + Tips and Tricks 4.5 out of 5


text:
The XML Protocol WG has decided to resolve issue 205 [1] in the following manner: 1. with regard Fragment-Identifiers in the text of the SOAP 1.2 specification, include a reference to RFC-3023 [2] 2. with regards XML-Base in the text of the SOAP 1.2 specification, state that SOAP 1.2 uses XML Base and include a reference to the W3C XML Base Recommendation [3] Please inform the Working Group if this resolution is not satisfactory. Thank you. [1] http://www.w3.org/2000/xp/Group/xmlp-issues.html#x205 [2] section 5 in http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3023.html [3] http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlbase/ ............................................ David C. Fallside, IBM Ext Ph: 530.477.7169 Int Ph: 544.9665 email@example.com on Monday, 13 May 2002 20:27:01 GMT
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.2.0+W3C-0.50 : Tuesday, 27 October 2009 08:42:27 GMT