text:
So this is the one that started it all, so to speak, so long as you consider "it all" to be the first cycle of films based, sometimes extremely loosely, on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, and directed by low-budget legend Roger Corman. Prior to this film, Corman had made a name for himself slapping together drive-in quickies while Price had become a beloved horror film icon working with William Castle. Film production company AIP had specialized primarily in black-and-white genre pictures, made two at a time with ten-day shooting schedules. Everyone came together for this historic meeting of elements that remains, to this day, one of the best examples of American-made gothic horror films. Corman's Poe films for American International Pictures became to the United States what Hammer films were in England: low budget, wonderfully acted, gorgeously designed horror films dripping with atmosphere and literary tradition. It was Corman's first picture in scope, and one of AIP's first color films to be sold as an individual movie rather than as part of a package. It also had an extended shooting schedule – a whopping fifteen days as opposed to ten.
Tag Archives: Horror
Dracula, Prince of Darkness
For many, the first official sequel to Hammer's groundbreaking Horror of Dracula, an oft-neglected film called Brides of Dracula, was little more than a pit stop on the road to this film, the second sequel but first to feature the return of Christopher Lee in the title role of Count Dracula. Hoping to avoid being typecast as Dracula, Lee resisted doing the sequel, and it was another eight years or so before he agreed to don the opera cape once again and reprise the role that made him famous. In that time, he'd built up a pretty solid and diverse career that would ensure he would not become "nothing but Dracula" to the audience. Of course, in the end, he was best known as Dracula, but what can you do? He would, I assume, remain cranky about people calling him Dracula until, some decades later, everyone just started calling him Saruman.
Brides of Dracula
When people talk about the sequence of films that make up Hammer Studio's "Dracula" series, a good many of them make the eight-year leap from the first film, 1958's Horror of Dracula to Dracula, Prince of Darkness in 1966. It's quite a jump, indeed, but one that seems to land you just about where you need to be, with the latter film beginning with a quick recap of the climax from the former. What gets lost in between the two films is the actual first sequel to Horror of Dracula, which is a shame because it's one of the best in the series, and one of the best vampire films Hammer ever produced.
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Whenever someone is promoting a film as either "getting back to the spirit of the original" or "the most faithful adaptation of the novel," you know you're going to be in trouble. They never recapture "the spirit of the original" even when the spirit of the original wasn't that hot to begin with, and the more they crow about how faithful their adaptation is, the less likely it will be to stick to the source material.
The Mummy
Ahh, Sangster and Fisher. If you want my opinion, and you must or else you'd go read a much better website that this, that screenwriter-director team is as integral to the success of the Hammer horror films as the Cushing-Lee acting team. When you make a list of the best films Hammer produced, the Fisher-Sangster duo comes up quite frequently. The whole quartet is at it again with this, Hammer's third reimagining of a classic Universal Pictures horror icon. By now, there was no real gamble involved in the Hammer formula. Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula had proven the effort, and Hammer's only challenge now lie in maintaining the high standards set by those two films. With two Universal legends left, those being the mummy and the Wolfman, Hammer decided to go all old Egypt and bring the bandaged avenger of desecrated tombs into the Technicolor world of Hammer horror.
Horror of Dracula
Hammer Studio's Horror of Dracula is, without a doubt (at least in my mind), the absolute best vampire film ever made, and quite simply one of the finest examples of proper Gothic horror that's ever been filmed. It was a busy couple of years for Britain's Hammer Studio. In 1955, their sci-fi/horror thriller based on the popular TV character Quatermass became a smash hit, and the studio soon learned it was because audiences were hungry for shocking, boundary-pushing films of the fantastic and horrible that still handled themselves with a degree of wit, intelligence, and dignity as would befit a rousing British tale of terror. Inspired by that film's success, execs turned to studio director Terence Fisher to rework Mary Shelley's classic tale of Gothic horror, Frankenstein. It was a risky move for any number of obvious reasons, not the least of which was the fact that Universal's Boris Karloff version of the monster was practically a global icon. Hammer had to come up with a completely new approach to the monster's appearance, since the Universal version was copyrighted, and they figured that while doing so, they might as well ratchet up the sex and violence and see just how much they'd be able to get away with in a horror movie.
Spirits of the Dead
Anyone claiming that Spirits of the Dead isn't a good movie is probably only just saying that because Vadim's contribution to this anthology of Edgar Allen Poe adaptations as conceived by three of Europe's maverick directors is so sloppy and unengaging. Vadim's contribution, "Metzengerstein," is certainly not the way you'd want to start a film. As was par for the man, Vadim casts his current sexy main squeeze in the lead, which just happened at the time to be Jane Fonda. The duo were fresh off Barbarella, and this story was originally envisioned as a feature film follow-up to that piece of sci-fi pop art. How they could have every stretched this thing out to a full running time is beyond me, though it's not as if Vadim wasn't a pro at stretching out thin-to-nonexistent plots and pasting them together with eye-popping, mind blowing costume and set design. Fonda plays the Countess Metzengerstein, heir to a vast fortune she squanders by throwing lavish orgies and torturing the underlings. Actually, they're rather dull and lifeless orgies. You know, orgies always seem like a good idea until you try and hammer out the logistics of the whole thing. As for me, I'd be too worried about people knocking stuff over. Anyway, she delights in hurling barbs over the fence at her more modest cousin, played by none other than Jane's brother, Peter. Eventually, she becomes sexually obsessed with him — kind of, well, you know, but then this is Roger Vadim we're talking about, and it was the sixties — until he rebuffs her advances. I mean, heck, Henry was probably already pretty steamed at the both of them for being a coupla hippies. Incest would have really set him off.
As revenge, the mad Ms. Metzengerstein burns down his stables, and he in turn dies in the fire trying to save his horses. Or so it would seem. A big black stallion bursts through the flames and gallops to safety, but there is no record of such a horse in the stable. Metzengerstein becomes convinced that the horse is the reincarnation of her beloved cousin, and her obsession with the horse crosses into madness and, frankly, borders on bestiality. Despite all the weird stuff thrown into the mix, this is a decidedly dull and uninspired way to kick off the film. The costuming, usually one of Vadim's only strong points, is relatively without shock or beauty. Jane dons some navel-exposing Little Lord Fauntleroy type outfits, but everything else looks like it's on loan from the local community theater. The cinematography is listless, and Vadim's usually striking composition of scenes is non-existent. In addition, everything is shot in soft-focus "Playboy-o-vision." The English speaking actors are dubbed into French in the currently available version, which means the only way we can judge their performances is through body language, most of which consists of them staring half-stoned at the camera.
The tone of the film is all wrong too, at least in my opinion. A tale of mystery and the bizarre, as this is meant to be, should have some sense of menace and the macabre, some sort of tension. There is none of that here, and the film instead unfolds like a languid, ethereal, and intensely boring dream. Fairy tales and Cocteau Twins songs conjure up more darkness and dread than this supposed Edgar Allen Poe tale. There are some nice crumbling castles and decaying seaside scenery, but Vadim doesn't seem to understand how to take thematic advantage of it or relate it to the decaying morality and mental state of his central Nero/Caligula-like figure (though I must say I bet Jane Fonda's figure is better than Nero or Caligula's). When you fail to match even someone as hit-or-miss with similar atmosphere as, say, France's Jean Rollin, you know you're way off the mark. It's like Vadim wasn't even trying here. The hilariously silly ending was repeated in Vadim's 1973 film Don Juan (Or if Don Juan Were a Woman), which we covered right up there at the very beginning of this journal.
Things pick up, but only just, for the second story in the trilogy. Luis Malle directs "William Wilson." Malle is probably most infamous for flirting with child pornography when he introduced the world to Brooke Shields in his 1978 film Pretty Baby. Before that, he was a member of the French New Wave, which helped get him this gig. He's pretty far off his game for this outing, though, turning in an entry that manages to be less ponderous and a little more tense and eerie than Vadim's meandering hunk of nonsense, but it still just doesn't play out the way it should, perhaps because the story itself has been done so many times and this one offers nothing new. French heartthrob Alain Delon stars as the titular Wilson, whom we meet as he stumbles into a confessional and claims to have killed a man. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn the history of Wilson, who in every regard is a grade-a prick. As a young boy attending a military school where his classmate was no doubt Damien from The Omen II, he encounters a boy with the same name as he who seems dedicated to countering everything he does. He encounters this double, who even grows to look exactly like him, throughout various points in his life until, ultimately, they face one another in a fencing duel.
There's very little to surprise here. The man fighting his doppleganger, and by killing it killing himself, is nothing new, and Malle's approach is so straight-forward and by the books that the story, while decent for a single viewing, has nothing more to offer. Like Vadim, Malle seems to almost be phoning it in just to collect his paycheck. The primary difference is that the performers, native French speakers, are better and the story is, as I said, OK at least for the first go-round. Brigitte Bardot shows up briefly in a gambling scene. All in all, the segment isn't bad. Direction is nice, acting is good, and it moves at a fair clip. There are also a few effective moments, chiefly the scene of a young Wilson lowering a new student into a barrel full of rats and a later scene in which Wilson, now a medical student, seeks to practice his dissection technique on a living subject. So OK, it's not bad. It's just not that interesting.
If you make it through the awful first story and middling second, they pay-off is Federico Fellini's entry, the final piece in the trilogy and easily one of the most delirious, grotesque, and utterly insane forty minutes of film you'll ever come across. Fellini was known for a lot of things, not the least of which was his fondness for the absurd. If you're familiar with the director, and you should at least try to be, then try to imagine everything about him and his style distilled down and concentrated in one forty-minute sequence. Quite frankly, it's almost too much, and that's simply divine.
His story is "Toby Dammit," based loosely on Poe's "Never Bet the Devil Your Head." A wild-eyed, completely mad looking Terence Stamp stars as Dammit, a drunken, wild British film actor who seems to be hovering on the brink of a career collapse. He travels to Italy to star in a film in which Jesus is reincarnated as a pioneer in the American West, but nothing about his trip to Rome is the least bit ordinary. Fellini saturates his film in colors, and they're all the wrong ones for what should be going on. Think of film that has been cross-processed. The world of Toby Dammit is awash in red and yellow, billowing orange clouds and dust, like driving through someone's hallucination of the end of the world. Given the Biblical nature of the film Dammit is to be starring in, it wouldn't surprise me if Fellini's own inspiration for the look of the film came straight from the Book of Revelations.
Dammit's biggest problem, besides his addiction to and disdain for fame, is that he is haunted by visions of a smiling young blonde girl (shades of Mario Bava's Kill, Baby, Kill) who he believes to be The Devil himself. We follow Dammit onto a bizarre talk show, an even more bizarre awards show, and finally a manic, out of control car ride as he attempts to escape the increasingly bizarre and artificial landscape around him (people on the street are frozen in mid-motion, and eventually become mannequins).
The difference between the two French directors and the Italian Fellini couldn't be more obvious. He seizes his story with gusto, indulging every bizarre notion that crosses his mind and throwing it all onto the screen with a madcap zeal totally lacking in Vadim's entry and an absolute lack of predictability as seen in Malle's. Nothing is the slightest bit real. It's all highly stylized and has its grotesque alien factor cranked to the very top. Everyone is grossly overdone. Their make-up is outrageous; their movements are more the movements of stage props and puppets. Lights flash and glitter from every angle, and a non-stop of psychedelic detail and sheer lunacy require that you watch the segment several times just to catch everything that goes on in each scene.
And standing above this gaudy, gorgeous horror show, this gleeful dissection of fame and the film industry (or rather, the industries that affix themselves to the film industry) is Terence Stamp, white-faced and genuinely looking like he's just come of a weeklong binge. He's haggard and sweaty and pasty and looks utterly spent, while at the same time seeming completely and utterly hysterical. Although in the currently available version all his dialog has been dubbed into French, unlike the Fondas in the first segment, he gives you plenty more by which to judge his frenzied performance. He's a whirlwind of agitated energy, and it's one of the best performances in the career of one of England's best actors. It's impossible not to compare him here to Malcolm McDowell's equally cracked performance in 1971's A Clockwork Orange. I'm no expert on the film, but I'm willing to bet Stamp's turn as Dammit (right down to the wild driving scene) was a major influence on both Kubrick as director and McDowell as actor. Spirits of the Dead is owned by Fellini's segment, and Stamp owns that segment. It is sublime, and a must-see.
Where Vadim and Malle try, or we assume they try, to invoke dreamlike and Gothic horror atmospheres respectively, grounding themselves in historical settings and costumes, Fellini sets his film in a warped and twisted version of the present, a fever dream where the mood he goes for is more one of psychosis and hysteria than creeping dread (or oozing boredom, in Vadim's case). "Toby Dammit" is as funny as it is warped. It is a celebration, in it's own way, and by dispensing entirely with the "typical" Poe setting, Fellini seems to have achieved the only truly eerie Poe feeling in the entire anthology, though it might be Poe on one of his famous drug binges. Every scene drips with the promise of menace, albeit a completely absurd one, and his ending is as comical as it is spooky. And those images of the maniacally grinning little girl/Satan? Positively brilliant. The whole thing is an orgy of a psychotic, surreal Hell on Earth populated by annoying comedians and glittering women in gigantic false eyelashes.
So skip the first segment. Sit through Malle's middle segment, but for the devil's ball-bouncing sake, don't miss Fellini's finale. It's the sort of lunatic filmmaking that makes you happy to be watching a movie. It's a five-star segment trapped in an otherwise two-star film, but more than justifies the effort of getting through the film.
Curse of Frankenstein
Technically, this should have been the first Hammer horror film I reviewed, if for no other reason than the sake of some chronological order running through this ongoing journal. This is the one that started it all. Well, no, technically I guess Quatermass Xperiment started it all, but this is the one that really made "all" all that much more. But in our zeal to watch a good vampire movie, we skipped ahead a bit and went for Horror of Dracula first. A faux pas, perhaps, but thanks to the miracle of hyperlinks and the web, you can always read this one first then skip on back to the other one. Or you can do what most people are probably doing anyway, and just not worry about it.
Ring 2
The horror boom in Japan didn't have any one cause, but it did have one big ingredient that made it a success: young girls. Under normal circumstances, saying that young girls were a key to the success of anything horror related would mean that young girls, possibly in wet white shirts, were prominently featured in the film and probably died gruesome deaths. In this case, however, the young girls weren't the ones doing the dying; they were the ones doing the buying. Someone somewhere had the bright idea to start running horror comics as a regular part of some very popular manga magazines (big, thick comic books the size of telephone books) aimed at teenage girls. What they found was that teenage girls love horror stories. It goes against conventional wisdom. In the West, horror has always been marketed to males roughly between the ages of thirteen and thirty. It was never seen as a genre for girls, most likely because the woman-hating misanthropes behind the films delighted in tormenting and degrading women every chance they got as a way of getting some weird little sort of revenge for having been snubbed at some point in their lives. Even when women were featured prominently as a story's protagonist (as was often the case), most films were peppered with plenty of other female characters to shoulder the brunt of the film's viciousness.
Horror in Japan was really no different, unless you see something positive in teenage girls getting raped by demons with forty-foot long multi-headed penises. It wasn't exactly the kind of stuff that had young girls flocking to the theaters going, "Yeah, this really inspires me." But where as the West continued to rake the ladies over the coals in horror, writers in Japan started trying something a little different. Chief among them was Junji Ito, who wrote horror comics in which teenage girls were the central characters but were not treated like or written as idiots and victims. Nor were they unbelievable super-women. They were regular girls, a bit on the smart side, and very believable. He placed these characters in the middle of wonderfully conceived and plotted tales inspired by the likes of HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe rather than the RL Stine tripe Americans were getting. In short, he target audience and his main characters were girls, and he didn't treat either one like they were simpletons.
Added to the rise in horror manga popularity was the popularity of X-Files, which at its peak at least attempted to be smart and well-written. It inspired a legion of imitation shows in Japan, and all these ingredients combined in 1999 to form the horror classic Ring. It was a smash hit, and a new Golden Age of horror was born in Japan. Many of the films took their cue from Ito's work (and many were in fact adaptations of his stories), featuring strong and believable female leads that would give girls in the audience someone for whom to root. Titanic proved that young girls are starved for movies that cater to them without belittling them, but that was a lesson completely lost on American movie makers, who went right on ahead making movies as if young, intelligent girls did not exist, or at least did not buy tickets to movies. Well, someone made Titanic one of the most successful films of all time, and it sure wasn't me.
What really sets these Japanese horror films apart from the pack is that, while many are aimed at teenage girls, very few of them suffer as a result. A girl can watch Uzumaki and appreciate the young heroine, but it's just as easy for a guy and for hardened horror veterans to appreciate the movie as well. Why? Because it's simply a good movie, as are many of the films that came out in Ring's wake. Although targeted at girls, that's not their exclusive audience, and there's nothing girlie about the movies. All they did in Japan is learn that if you make a good horror film that doesn't degrade women, then girls will be interested in it, and girls have a lot of money to spend. It's not so difficult a concept to grasp. Boy and girl slumber parties are exactly alike in that they always boil down to two things: talking about which member of the opposite sex you like, and swapping ghost stories or doing those "Bloody Mary" type party games. Boys have had their horrorlust indulged for decades. Now, at least in Japan, girls are finally getting the same chance.
Since Ring really started the boom, it was a given that there would be a sequel, not to mention plenty of rip-offs. Hot on the heels of the original's stellar success, production began on a sequel called Rasen, aka The Spiral (not to be confused with Uzumaki, which is often given the English title Spiral). The film continues the ghost Sadako's story as a friend of Ryuji's (again played by Hiroyuki Sanada. Miki Nakatani reprises her role as his assistant from the first film as well) discovers her attempts to be reborn into the human world. Hideo Nakata, director of the first Ring movie, didn't care for the development of the story in this direction. As a way of protesting this offshoot film, he set about making his own official sequel. Not too long after that, Ring 2 was born and Rasen lapsed into relative obscurity, never enjoying the overseas popularity of the two "official" Ring films, partly because no subtitled DVD, VCD, or VHS has yet to be released.
Ring 2 sustains the same clinical, George Romero style direction, but takes the story into fairly wild new ground as Mai Takano (a role reprised by Miki Nakatani) investigates the bizarre death of her teacher and possible love interest, Ryuji (played again by Hiroyuki Sanada). Aware that Ryuji was working on a strange problem with his ex-wife, and also having seen the expression on his corpse's face, Mai's curiosity is further piqued when Reiko, Ryuji's ex-wife, disappears with their young child. Matters get even stranger when Mai learns that shortly after the disappearance, Reiko's elderly father died under mysterious circumstances similar to those surrounding Ryuji.
An attempt to track down the whereabouts of Reiko leads Mai to the newspaper where Reiko used to work, though Reiko's assistant Okazaki (Masahiko Ono) confesses that they have no idea where's she's gone to, either. Together, Mai and Okazaki follow a trail of clues and psychic visions (like Reiko and Ryuji, Mai seems possessed of some rudimentary form of ESP) that lead them to the sanitarium where one of the only surviving witnesses to one of these strange deaths is currently residing – the girl from the opening sequence of the first film, who saw her best friend attacked and killed by the ghost of Sadako. They also meet a crackpot scientist and friend of Ryuji who shares his former colleague's interest in the supernatural, and using the young girl in his care, he's devised a way to draw the supernatural energy, or curse, of Sadako out and hopefully put an end to the curse that has been propagating itself through a videocassette containing the psychic imagery of Sadako's mind.
The trail also leads Mai and the doctor back to the island where Sadako was born, and finally to the hiding place of Reiko and her young son, Yoichi, who is soon revealed to have psychic potential that dwarfs that of his mother and father. He's also well on the way to becoming a new generation Sadako, as a rage that has been building inside him since the events of the first film threaten to warp his development in the same way the tragic childhood of Sadako was warped by her incredible powers. Mai assumes responsibility for finding a way to save Yoichi from the same fate as befell Sadako, while she, the doctor, and Okazaki, struggle to find a scientific explanation and way of dealing with something that defies science.
Ring 2 does a lot right, but it also has some flaws that keep from ever achieving the overwhelming feeling of creepiness and desperation that made the original movie such a spectacular piece of horror filmmaking. Chief among its flaws is that it throws too much at the wall and fails to develop most of its ideas in a satisfying fashion. With all the pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo being hurled about, the movie soon starts to feel like an episode of The X-Files, with too many theories being offered and not enough exploration of any single idea. Where as the first film was focused with an intensity rivaling the rage of Sadako, the sequel meanders from one idea to the other with no clear idea of exactly where it's going at any particular moment. While it does help create an air of mystery and urgency, it's not so successful that it makes up for the feeling that too much half-baked hypothesizing is going on. At times, the movie feels as much like a police procedural as it does a horror film, not unlike Exorcist III.
This movie also lacks the nail-biting, increasingly frantic race against time that kept the first film feeling like a thrill-a-minute ride even when it was moving very slowly. The "race against the clock" cliché is one of the most overused plot devices in film history, but the first film really made it work well. With that deadline removed from this film, and with the impetus for action being curiosity and Yoichi's eventual development into a vengeful spirit, the threat is more vague and less pressing. It does share a common thread with the forgotten Rasen in that both movies are, in a way, about Sadako seeking a new physical manifestation. In the case of Ring 2, it's by transferring her hatred to Yoichi. It's just not as compelling an emergency, but I guess if I was Yoichi, I'd probably feel differently about that.
The thing that irked me most, however, was the off-handed way in which Reiko was handled. I like the fact that Ring 2 takes two fairly unimportant supporting characters from the first film (Mai and Okazaki) and turns them into the main figures this time around, but given that Reiko was the central character in the first film, she deserved much more consideration than she was given here. They either should have put more thought into her fate, or they should have left her out entirely. As it is, what eventually happens to her is poorly thought-out and executed in a way that fails to illicit any of the emotion that should have been generated by such a strong character. Again, I like her as a background character while the story moves forward with new characters, but I really just don't like the somewhat feeble stuff they came up with for her.
Foibles aside, there's still enough in this movie to keep it solidly on the "very good" side of the fence. Mai and Okazaki are excellent leads, and they perform superbly in the very difficult position of having to take over for two characters as solid as Reiko and Ryuji. The rest of the cast performs admirably, with little Rikiya Otaka once again proving that not all little kids in movies have to be precocious and annoying brats. He's quiet and surprising subtle for someone his age, and the reason you can tell it's subtlety rather than lack of talent Is because when he's called upon to express rage, he does so in a disturbingly convincing manner that consists of some hate-filled looks and silence rather than the more predictable shouting and screaming.
There are also quite a few genuinely spooky moments even if the film as a whole fails to sustain the feeling for the entire running time. The movie begins with the revelation that Sadako lived for many, many years trapped in her well rather than dying. Anything that plays on our innate fear of being buried alive works well. Other effective moments include Mai finding herself trapped in said well with the ghoulish Sadako ascending the walls after her, and a few great second-long flashes of something appearing, like Sadako's face while a picture is being taken of a clay reconstruction of her head. Probably the most effective scene in the movie besides Mai's ordeal in the well is the scene in which she visits the inn from the first movie that serves as sort of the keystone for solving the tragic mystery of Sadako, and she witnesses the entire "mirror and hair combing" scene that was shown in flashes in Sadako's cursed video. Mai's stunned inability to even scream speaks volumes without saying a word.
It's also impressive that they manage to drum up some new revelations about Sadako to further develop her as something more than just a hateful ghost out for revenge against anyone and everyone who happens to see her videotape. She continues to develop as a tragic main character, not just as a plot device. For the third film in the series, a prequel called Ring 0: Birthday, the series would rely on Sadako entirely, as the film focuses on her childhood and the events that lead to her transformation into a rage-filled spectre. None of the revelations about her are contrived or absurd, either. We're doing much better than all that crap about Michael Meyers being the spawn of a druidic cross-breeding experiment, or Jason Vorhees being a little screaming worm parasite thing.
The revelations continue as supporting characters return for another dose of truth and uncovering of dark secrets. Once again, the old man at the inn plays an important part in the finale of the film, as the doctor attempts to use Yoichi's rage to draw out Sadako (who sort of becomes imprinted on the minds of those so closely affected by her, like Yoichi and the girl from the beginning of the first film). As with Sadako, none of these further revelations are goofy and all make sense within the plot.
Although there is a lot of crackpot science being thrown about in the grand tradition of supernatural films, most of it, underdeveloped though it may be, is fairly believable within the context of the film and the fantastic. There have certainly been worse offenses committed under the banner of scientific explanation in horror films. Some of the ideas are fascinating to consider, chief among them how strong emotion can be transmitted through a variety of means, making even something as coldly technological as a videotape serve as a conduit for supernatural rage. A similar theory was also presented in the Hong Kong Ring rip-off A Wicked Ghost, and it's something worth thinking about. Leave it to Japan to take spiritless technological things like a video cassette or a website (as in the incredible Kiyoshi Kurosawa film Kairo), and turn them into some of the scariest, most effective supernatural tools in film history.
Technically speaking, Ring 2 remains stylistically consistent with the first film. Hideo Nakata prefers to let the story do the work for him, adopting a minimalist style with long, static shots and very little in the way of camera movement and no wild flare. In that sense, I keep comparing him to George Romero. Both directors take a documentary-style approach to their direction, and with a less talented director, that could be mistaken for lack of talent. Nakata, like Romero, knows exactly what he is doing, however, and uses the plainness of his direction to establish a very real and believable world in which the incursion of horrific and fantastic elements becomes all the more disconcerting. Had he filled his film with flashy editing, special effects, and camera tricks, it would have been sapped of all its power. As with the first film, Nakata continues to prove that sometimes, less is more when it comes to allowing direction to intrude on the power of the story.
While Ring 2 fails to attain the level of the first film, which was a true classic, it's still a damn good film, and once again it's just refreshing to sit down and watch a movie that treats the subject matter and the viewer with intelligence. It gives us believable characters, normal people in extraordinary circumstance, who actually behave similar to how real people might actually behave. It's mercifully free of any moment where the character does something so stupid it causes you clutch your head and groan in pain. It also doesn't rely on cheap tricks, special effects, or gore, opting instead for that old school sense of dread achieved through the strength of the script and characters. You can't watch this film without having seen the first one, but after you have seen the first one, Ring 2 exists as a worthy but not equal follow-up to one of the greatest films in horror history.
Our rock and roll albums teach us that Hell is one big party town, but Jack Chick comic tracts would have us believe otherwise. Hell can take the shape of many different places. In one movie, it is an oppressively hot tropical village where b-grade made-for-television movie actors sweat profusely. In other movies, legions of the damned march pointlessly to and fro while a killer red robot stands on a mountain. My personal hell, of course, involves frequent broadcasts of Brat Pack movies and a stereo that only plays adult contemporary hits and that "Our God is an Awesome God" song.
Some people don't even believe in Hell, and I guess I'd have to be among them since I'm not a religious fellow. But still, Hell is fun to talk about. It's a lot more interesting than Heaven, even to Christians. Fire and brimstone sermons are a dime a dozen, and each one goes into graphic detail regarding the eternal sufferings one endures in Hell. When Dante wrote his epic Divine Comedy, he spent about five pages on Purgatory, a couple of pages on Heaven, and about a million pages on Hell. Everyone wants to describe Hell, but no one seems all that into Heaven. About the best we get is people wear a lot of robes, and maybe it's foggy. Other than that, who knows? The problem with Heaven is that it's a place where everything is basically going all right. While that may not be a bad way to live, it doesn't make for very dramatic literature.
This is why filmmakers, much like Renaissance poets, tend to dwell on Hell while dashing off Heaven scenes with little imagination or consideration. But Hell — now there's a place worth writing about. It's miserable, fiery, evil, and full of sin. Actually, I don't know if it's full of sin or just full of sinners. Seems like if you were a big time sinner in life, then Hell would be a place where you don't get to do any more sinnin'. I know I like me a good sin every now and then, and I'd be pretty annoyed if every time I tried to commit a sin, the Devil popped up to make me stop. Likewise, Heaven is a place where, if you didn't sin in your life, you get to sin like mad for all eternity. I don't know. This theory is probably why I'm not a preacherman.
Christians don't have a monopoly on Hell, of course, and lots of other religions serve up their own particular brand of post-mortem eternal suffering. One of the most wild and creative visions of Hell comes from Japan, and more specifically from the gloriously twisted imagination of famed horror director Nobuo Nakagawa. Nakagawa, one of the most respected names in the history of classic Japanese horror cinema, became an instant favorite of mine after I saw his stunning samurai ghost film Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan, a film that combined the more traditional slow build-up with some truly shocking gore scenes the likes of which were unheard of in 1959. A year later, he completely outdid himself with the film Jigoku, also known as Sinners of Hell.
People generally credit HG Lewis' outrageous 1963 film Blood Feast as the first splatter or gore film, a claim that betrays a lack of knowledge regarding horror and shock cinema on a global scale. Nakagawa not only beat Lewis to the punch, but he did it with a movie that is both far bloodier and far better than Lewis' ridiculously cheap but enjoyable romp. Jigoku is splatter that also manages to maintain a high production value, outrageous imagination, and a truly warped surrealism that sets it far apart from the legions of splatter films from all over the world that would follow in its wake. Part of the reason the film probably isn't as widely known as Lewis' film, apart from it being Japanese, is that while it delivers the grue, it's all reserved until the final third of the film. Up until that point, the movie is fairly slow in its pace, allowing time for the development of characters, the explanation of situations, and other aspects of basic storytelling that the kids these days seem not to have the patience for.
We begin things with a credit sequence that is positively James Bond in nature, or at least Seijun Suzuki. Scantily clad, curvatious femmes in weird shadows and blue light populate the sequence, which then leads into a montage of hellish images that will be revisited during the film's finale. Having thus shocked the viewer right out of the gate, Nakagawa continues with the story proper. A college professor is giving the typical movie professor lecture on concepts of hell, the kind of lecture that never actually takes place in real classrooms. One of the students, Shiro (Shigeru Amachi, who also played the wicked samurai lead in Tokaido Yatsuya Kaidan), is especially interested for a couple different reasons. First, he's about to marry the professor's daughter, but more influentially, he and a shady acquaintance named Tamura were recently involved in a hit and run murder. As a result, damnation, sin, and guilt have been weighing pretty heavily on Shiro's mind.
He and Tamura had been out for a drive that night when a drunken petty criminal stumbled out in front of their car. Though it was clearly not their fault and the police would probably write the matter off entirely as an accident, Tamura – who had been at the wheel – convinces Shiro not to report the incident since no one saw it. Though he is uncomfortable with such a course of action, Shiro is eventually persuaded by the darker, somewhat mysterious Tamura. Shiro begins to question why he even hangs out with this thoroughly creepy individual. "Who is this guy Tamura?" Shiro thinks to himself. "I know I don't like him." I guess everyone has one of those people in their lives who you really just absolutely do not like, and yet you always seem thrown together with them regardless of how much you strive to avoid them.
The big hole in Tamura's plot is that the crime did not go unwitnessed. The gangster's aging mother actually saw the whole thing, but rather than go to the police and settle for a court battle that will probably not end too horribly for Shiro and Tamura, she gives the license number to the recently widowed wife of the gangster, a fiery woman who immediately vows to hunt down the men who killed her man and extract horrible revenge on them. As if having the sexy but murderous widow of a gangster your creepy acquaintance killed after you isn't enough of a hassle, Shiro is soon involved in another car accident, this one resulting in the death of his fiancee, the professor's daughter.
Spurned by her relatives and obviously not getting a passing grade in the professor's theology class, Shiro seeks solace in the embrace of a young hussy named Yoko, who we immediately recognized as the vengeful widow. Before she can stick an ice pick in the back of his skull, however, he gets word that his mother is dying and so decides to pack up and leave town, his destination being to visit his ailing mother out in the countryside.
Upon reaching the Tenjoen Senior Citizens Facility where his mother lies dying, things hardly improve for the troubled young man. His mom, of course, is at death's door. His father is an unrepentant asshole who ignores his dying wife in the next room in favor of getting it on with a young harlot from the city. He also runs into the friendly and proper young Sachiko, who happens to look like his recently deceased fiancée. Oh, and there's the insane artist who spends all day working on paintings of Hell, a corrupt cop, a criminally negligent doctor, a seedy reporter, and a couple other rakehells and ne'er-do-well. Put it all together and you have one hell of those "gathering of lost souls" type things. Suffice it to say that this motley gang of sweaty sinners is hardly the pick-me-up Shiro was needing.
Shiro is at least happy hanging out with his dead fiancee's doppleganger, but the determined advances of his father's mistress are unwelcome. Equally unwelcome is Tamura, who shows up to taunt everyone and expose their secret shameful pasts. Slightly more welcome is the old professor, who is ready to reconcile his differences with Shiro, at least until Tamura starts talking about how the old man was a jackass during World War II and stole his wounded buddy's canteen, then left said buddy to die. It's really one of those parties that involves too much alcohol and "truth or dare."
Not one to have a moment of good luck, Shiro's life is further complicated when both Yoko shows up. She reveals her background then attempts to shoot Shiro. A struggle on a bridge results in Yoko accidentally plunging to her death. Maybe Shiro should just stay home. When Tamura shows up to taunt Shiro and generally act like an asshole, the two get into a fight and Tamura falls off the bridge, too! All this is witnessed by Yoko's crazy old mother-in-law, who also witnessed the hit and run and apparently spends entire weeks hiding in the bushes around various towns hoping to catch a glimpse of some knavery.
During a party to celebrate the center's tenth anniversary, everyone gets drunk and belligerent and generally behaves like those old guys you see trying to punch each other out in Japanese parliamentary meetings. When the dad's young harlot puts the moves on an exhausted Shiro, the father catches them and tries to kill her. The only reason she doesn't succeed is because she falls down the stairs while running away and breaks her neck. Lesson learned: don't be friends with Shiro. His dad immediately conspires to cover it up, and they both head back to the main hall where people are passed out, fooling around, or generally behaving like the scum of the earth. Not one to stay dead for long, a pale and deathly looking Tamura shows up to hurl barbs and taunts yet again, and as the clock strikes nine, Shiro finally loses it and tries to choke Tamura to death, his actions slightly hampered by the fact that while trying to choke Tamura to death, he himself is being choked to death by Yoko's crazy mother-in-law. About that time, the clock freezes, and the fiery pits of hell open up to consume the various lost souls bickering with one another in the living room! That will kill a party even faster than breaking a lamp or getting caught staring at the hostess' cleavage.
Shiro finds himself on the misty, barren banks of the river of death, and it is here that the movie kicks its eerie surrealism into high gear. I'd be slightly surprised if future surreal horror auteurs like Lucio Fulci didn't see this movie. There are parts of the landscape of Hell that look very much like the hellish landscapes from The Beyond. The king of hell shows up to bellow about damnation. On the banks of the river, he is met by his inescapable load, Tamura, who tells him they are destined to burn in hell together. Not one to accept the word of a psychopath who recently returned from the dead only to quickly return back to being dead, Shiro wanders off through the various levels of hell just like the protagonist in Dante's Inferno (as opposed to Dario's Inferno).
He first encounters his recently departed fiancée, who is spending her time in hell stacking rocks along the riverbank. Her sin: dying before her parents, which seems like a pretty lame thing to get sent to hell for, though not as lame as being damned for driving a Volkswagen backwards into the bay, if you know what I mean (and I bet at least three of you do). She informs Shiro that she was seconds away from joyfully telling him she was pregnant, but got sidetracked by the whole being killed in a car wreck thing. As if Shiro didn't have enough to deal with, he now understands that their baby, too, is condemned to Hell. This is pretty harsh, really.
Next thing you know, people are being dangled upside down with spikes jammed through their blood-gushing necks. They are being forced to drink from a river filled with pus and bile and other tasty treats (pus and bile custard is only slightly more disgusting than your average British fare, though). Others are forced to simply run around in a big confused circle forever, sort of like being stuck in a never-ending Limp Bizkit concert. One may provide the film's most shocking and gruesome atrocity as his skin is ripped away, leaving a bloody skeleton covered with pulsating, dripping organs.
As Shiro searches desperately for his child, he is still tormented by Shiro, who is revealed to be a demon and eventually tortured just to shut him the hell up. Shiro finally finds his child on a giant flaming wheel of life and struggles in vain to rescue the child and possibly achieve some sort of salvation from the horrors of hell. Needless to say, he appears to fail miserably.
What Nakagawa accomplishes in the final thirty minutes of this film is truly mind-blowing. His sets are not lavish, but instead make ingenious use of smoke, multi-colored lighting, superimposition, fire, and animation to create an otherworldly and terrifying nightmare landscape. It's the sort of thing Fulci spent his entire life trying to achieve (and did, to some degree, in The Beyond): an overwhelmingly eerie, alien world that feels like you've stepped right into a Salvador Dali painting. Cinematically, it seems to forecast the out-of-control artistic style of maverick film makers like Seijun Suzuki, who would apply similar color-saturated hallucinations to his yakuza films. As grisly as the effects to come are, they are overshadowed by the sheer wild imagination put into the set pieces they inhabit.
Simply put, the gore is good. The scene of the man being flayed alive, lying there screaming as his organs pulsate and spew blood, is really something else. I can only imagine how audiences must have reacted in 1960, because it's still a very successful and bloody effect, far more shocking than anything HG Lewis would attempt a few years later with his better known but far worse Blood Feast. Part of what makes the splatter content of Jigoku so powerful is that the movie itself is a very well crafted work of art. While some of the editing during the final journey through Hell is confusing, the movie as a whole is technically sound, not to mention full of great writing, pacing, and acting. Lewis' splatterfest is, of course, amazingly bad in all departments (though not at all unfun to watch).
Pioneering though it was, Jigoku was not necessarily alone in its move toward a more shocking, more surreal, or just plain bloodier presentation. While it was blowing the minds of unsuspecting patrons in Japan, the West was getting assaulted by Alfred Hitchcock's ground-breaking Psycho, which while not sharing the same artistic style as Nakagawa's film, certainly shares the same desire to shock, amuse, confuse, and break new ground in what was a very tired and overly safe genre. Though not nearly as well-known today, even in Japan, Jigoku is every bit as much responsible for throwing open the doors to a new type of horror as was Hitchcock's film. From the seeds planted by these films came glorious monstrosities like Blood Feast and the various Hammer horror films that continued to push the envelope of gore and sexuality throughout the 1960s.
Jigoku snares and disarms you with its very slow-paced, conventional first hour, leaving you completely unprepared for the moment when the clock stops and everyone is plunged into the depths of the underworld. Nakagawa once again proves himself a master of the classic horror film while, at the same time, defiantly showing that he is not bound by the conventions and can move the genre into bold new territory. It is a cautionary tale about the wages of sin and indulgence, yet it communicates its message without seeming preachy and its gore without seeming exploitive. Jigoku is a classic of the horror genre, and self-respecting fan with interest in horror owes it to themselves to track this horrible beauty of a film down.


text:
Here's a sampling of media reports on the Buccaneers today.
The Buccaneers have one of the easiest schedules in the league in 2015.
The easiest schedules in the league, listed in decreasing order.
The Bucs Fan Friday photo gallery for the week ending Friday, February 27, 2015.
Of all the draft picks the Buccaneers have made in the first round over the past four decades, which have worked out best for the team and which proved to be the most regrettable?
When will the nation's top college players hold their Pro Days?
Here's a sampling of media reports on the Buccaneers today.
Buccaneers Safety Major Wright tackles his favorite meal of the day at The Bungalow restaurant in Tampa.
Among the topics brought to the fore this week by Buc fans are the accuracy of a certain One Buc lobby display, Jameis Winston's 40-time and the history of the team's first-round selections.
Scott Smith answers a fan submitted question about what would happen to the Saints if they did not comply with the league's salary cap rules.
Former Buccaneers wide receiver Reidel Anthony discusses his post-playing career.
Former Bucs wide receiver Reidel Anthony stopped by One Buc to talk with Scott Smith about what he has been up to since his playing days.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hey guys, I haven't been on here in a long time. Kinda had to take a break from drinking and brewing. had a newborn daughter, work all time and those such things but im back at it now. last night i brewed a ferocious ipa kit from midwest and i steeped my grains and my steeping went great but instead of bringing to a boil after steep then pulling the pot off the eye and adding the malt extract i added it right after the steep. the way i was understanding my directions is i was to bring to a boil pull of the heat and then add. is this going to effect the taste of my beer or how my beer turns out? after this i did bring to a boil and added my bittering hops and all my hop editions throughout so that went good. just conscerned. so let me know from your guys experience if im gonna be alright or not. thanks in advance guys!
I believe turning off the heat is to avoid scorching LME which tends to sink to the bottom before it gets completely mixed in.. So, as long as it didn't get scorched, it shouldn't be a problem.
Drinking: Russian Imperial Stout Drinking: Pre-prohibition Lager In-process: Another batch of Pre-prohibition Lager Next up: Scottish Wee Heavy
Thanks man. That reassures me. It's so stressful when you do big beers like this one and you think you've messes them up after all the time and money you've put into them.
If doing partial boils (not the full batch size) just use 1/3 to 1/2 the extract at the beginning of the boil and add the remainder during the last few minutes...just take it off the heat when adding the remainder. This wll greatly reduce the Maillard reactions which cause the darkening of wort.
yea it was 6.6lbs gold lme and 3.3lbs amber. yea my wort was rather dark. I wish they would explain those kits better and where i messed up i had no scorching but i added it all at the beggining right after the steep and before i brought it to a boil. it seemed to all dissolve well though.
It's interesting the different opinions. The two MWS kits I've done so far both say to add all LME/DME at the beginning of the boil, after steeping the grains. Next batch I'm going to mix it up a bit with some of the suggestions I've read, like add some of the LME or DME before steeping grains, then add the bulk of LME more towards the end of the boil rather than at the beginning.
I know this may sound dumb but I'm a newb what is mailard reaction?And do you think my beer may not turn out right and have off flavors?


text:
Found the same room at a different price? Tell us, and we'll offer to match it.
Photos & Pictures - The Moorings Hotel
Not Classified | Small Hotel | Ratings explained |
We can accommodate guests from the business community or equally people looking for a break and a special occasion. We have two rooms with private outdoor hot tubs to treat your loved ones.
Set in the countryside just 5 minutes from the A1, you have the peaceful calm of the countryside yet are minutes from accessing the road network to all parts of the region. Including Beamish museum, the metro centre and Newcastle.
To report a photo or for more information read our terms of posting


text:
What does CSCA mean in Chess?
This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand CSCA in the Miscellaneous field in general and in the Chess terminology in particular.
Find a translation for CSCA in other languages:
Select another language:
Discuss this CSCA abbreviation with the community:
Use the citation below to add this abbreviation to your bibliography:
"CSCA." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2015. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. <http://www.abbreviations.com/term/524132>.
CSCA also stands for:
- California School of Culinary Arts
- California Sporting Clays Association
- California State Collection of Arthropods
- California State Coroners Association
- Cambridge School of Culinary Arts
... and 19 more »
Nearby & related abbreviations:
Alternative search:
- Search Colorado State Chess Association on Amazon
- Search Colorado State Chess Association on Google


text:
Foreign National those who supported Bangladesh in '71
View Single Post
December 3, 2011, 01:46 AM
bujhee kom
Cricket Sage
Join Date: June 27, 2007
Location: Dhaka Mental Hospital
Favorite Player: Mo Chow = Chow Mo
Posts: 21,580
Thank you bhais and apus for all the posts.
Laal Salaam to these good souls, great hearts of humanity and freedom.\
Good to have you back in here my dear Neel.
Khela-dhulai Haraa-haari maraa-maari often with Lathi o ghushi thakbei...
bujhee kom
View Public Profile
Send a private message to bujhee kom
Find all posts by bujhee kom


text:
Teaching Assistant (TA) and/or Academic Assistant (AA) Positions (May –July 2013)
Department of Global Development Studies
Queen's University
In accordance with the collective agreements between the University and Teaching Assistants (PSAC Local 901) and the University and Academic Assistants (USW Local 2010-01), applications are invited from qualified individuals for the following summer-term online course:
DEVS 100SS Canada and the 'Third World' (Spring/Summer)
Introduces basic theoretical concepts of development studies, the history of global inequality, and short histories of alternative development strategies. It also integrates case studies of Canada's ties to the so-called third world will including the military, business, foreign policy, and aid. Canadian colonialism over First Nations peoples will introduce basic issues in Aboriginal Studies.
The TAs/AAs will be expected to grade assignments using MS word, facilitate online discussions forums, and make themselves available online to assist students with course work. More specific expectations will be covered in the beginning of the term.
Applicants should have strong familiarity with the course material they have applied to tutor. Previous experience with online courses, familiarity with the Moodle course management system as well as appropriate experience in teaching and/or in applied development work will be an asset. Excellent communication skills are essential, as is superior computer proficiency and ability to work closely with undergraduate students. Successful candidates will be expected to have continuous access to high-speed internet in order to provide prompt online advice and electronically monitor the progress of students.
To Apply:
Please submit a CV along with a statement of no more than one page indicating the course name and number and highlighting any relevant experience or background. Your application should include your full name, contact information (including your phone number, email and address), and contact information of three referees.
Applications are invited from all qualified individuals. Queen's is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, aboriginal people, persons with disabilities and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.
Applications should be submitted to Sarah Pugh at email@example.com or hand delivered to MC B409 by March 25.


text:
Welcome to... ... the GNU Hurd!
Breaking News
The Google Summer of Code 2014 is on! If you're a student, consider applying for a GNU Hurd project -- details to be found on our GSoC and project ideas pages.
routine file_lock ( lock_file: file_t; RPT flags: int);
Apply/manipulate advisory lock.


text:
quote:So much so that they told reporters and showed video of him doing it?
quote:Yes. But they told him they wouldn't cooperate with the NCAA. It's a foolproof plan.
quote:i heard a theory on this today from a Bham sports talk show..supposedly the manziel family put some of these brokers on notice because they were using the Johnny Football name to promote their merchandise. The brokers got pissed and decided to turn JFF in for taking money
quote: When Manziel signed up to be an Aggie he must have thought that A&M stands for Autographs & Money. #ShowMeTheMoney


text:
Things to see and do - Verona
Leaving for Italy
Nearby hotels
Hotel Milano from76 €
Book -
Hotel Colomba d'Oro from136 €
Book -
Hotel Cavour from
Hotel Giulietta e Romeo :
Nearby tourist sites
Nearby Restaurants
Tre Marchetti
Cotation :
Type de cuisine : regional -
Borsari 36
Cotation :
Type de cuisine : classic -
Cotation :
Type de cuisine : fish and seafood
Hotel Giulietta e Romeo
Hotel Giulietta e Romeo
Address : Vicolo Tre Marchetti 3 I - 37121 Verona
from : 109 EUR
Offering free high-speed Wi-Fi, Hotel Giulietta e Romeo is just 50 metres from the Arena Verona. Rooms come with elegant parquet floors, a minibar, and a satellite LCD TV. The rooms are air-conditioned in summer. Each one has a private bathroom with shower and hairdryer. Verona Train Station is 1.5 from km from Giulietta e Romeo Hotel. You can reach the hotel by car, and use the private garage on site.
Useful Information
- Address : Vicolo Tre Marchetti 3 I - 37121 Verona37121Verona
Main services
- Car park
- Air conditioning
- Non-smoking rooms
- Internet
- Animals allowed
- Satellite TV


text:
Now Playing: Next Day Jumps - Manufacturer of Horse Jumps
Leo the Lip" also could lay declare to the most interesting pennant success of anyone in the top ten winningest supervisors club; the Leaders beat of their disliked competing, the Brooklyn Dodgers, in a three activity playoff in 1951. click for more
These are some great tools that i definitely use for SEO work. This is a great list to use in the future..
whitening cream face
Great info. I love all the posts,Passbeemedia I really enjoyed, I would like more information about this, because it is very nice., Thanks for sharing...
Hey it seems to be great content also share up this awesome from my side. https://archive.org/details/TedsWoodworking_2014
It is imperative that we read blog post very carefully. I am already done it and find that this post is really amazing.the venus factor
Thanks for sharing this information. I really like your blog post very much. You have really shared a informative and interesting blog post with people..
I admit, I have not been on this web page in a long time... however it was another joy to see It is such an important topic and ignored by so many, even professionals. professionals. I thank you to help making people more aware of possible issues.http://cardiofrequence.over-blog.com
I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well..
watch movies online
Interesting and amazing how your post is! It Is Useful and helpful for me That I like it very much, and I am looking forward to Hearing from your next.. number one way to turn a girl on
Toko Obat Herbal Grosir Amazon Plus menyediakan macam-macam alamiah bermutu bermaksud untuk membantu meningkatkan mutu kesehatan tubuh Anda. Grosir Amazon Plus adalah salah satu grosir produk amazon berries terpercaya di Indonesia.
Ditangani oleh tenaga kerja yang ramah, sehingga menciptakan mutu pelayanan berkualitas super.
Jus Amazon Plus
Jus Amazon Plus merupakan minuman berbahan Zaitun Hydroxytyrosol satu-satunya di dunia.
AMAZON PLUS berbentuk jus yang terbuat dari buah berkualitas dari seluruh belahan dunia.
Salah satunya buah-buahan dari hutan Amazon, di Amerika Selatan yang dikombinasikan dengan buah Manggis, ratu buah asal Indonesia yang juga terkandung kandungan antioksidan tinggi, juga berpadu dengan zaitun yang kaya akan zat Zaitun Hydroxytyrosol. jus amazon plus
Now, captivating hooked on consideration the short-lived special lifestyle that all leads, thanks cards get this amazing want right through the advertise. Personnel next from all area of life are by the credit certificate and people who are not with the credit certificate have ended positive their minds to relate representing equal one. Recognition for discussing your ideas by thanks cards. chord gitar cinta di pantai bali
chord gitar coklat
I was looking at some of your posts on this website and I conceive this web site is really instructive! Keep putting up.. megashare down
Hello, I have browsed most of your posts. This post is probably where I got the most useful information for my research. Thanks for posting, maybe we can see more on this. Are you aware of any other websites on this subject.
Horse riding is one such lovely exercise, which you can do it in a very relaxed manner. In fact, horse riding will make your body agile and flexible. Needless to say they are very easy to tame and befriended with.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog, I will keep visiting this blog very often. how do i lose my post pregnancy weight
In fact, nothing religion can do would justify faith, which will remain unjustifiable until science decides to quit. I'm one to follow directions; however, I will admit, taking this product on an empty stomach can be overwhelming. It's extremely fast and eliminates the need to boil water ahead of time. She uses this all the time. Amount Of Protein In Chlorella http://www.springstreetfloral.com/
I bring it with me when i go camping. I wanted another with a solid metal motor and case because that's what my last one was. Bosch, kreg, or benchdog. What Food Is Spirulina In http://www.springstreetfloral.com/1/chorella/?pagenum=3 Can Chlorella Cause High Blood Pressure


text:
Sign in now to view, license and download this image or contact us to see this image without a watermark. Want to embed this image on a non-commercial website or blog? Learn more.
Similar images
View allKeywords
Close Up Of Raw Tbone Steak Stock PhotoSteak,Meat,Raw Food,T-bone Steak,Beef,Elevated View,Tray,Protein,Studio Shot,Plain Background,No People,Freshness,Overhead View,Photography,Colour Image,Food and Drink,Healthy Eating,Single Object,Travel,VerticalPhotographer Kevin TwomeyCollection: OJO Images


text:
Zulily: Life is Good Apparel & Accessories up to 50% off!
Zulily has a great sale right now on my all time favorite brand – Life is Good. Matter of fact, I have one of these shirts on right now! They are so soft – I just love them!
Choose from 3 different sales – Kids, Men & Women, Accessories.
There are tons of clothes, hats, bags and more to choose from!


text:
Sign into your email account to send this page to a friend:
Outlook, Apple Mail or other default program
Complete lineup of Gators
Crossover models or traditional utility vehicles - John Deere has a full lineup.
Golf Financing
The JDF MasterLease can help you acquire the equipment you need for your course.
Locate your local Distributor
No matter where you are, there's a John Deere distributor close by.
Attachments & Implements
Take your Gator to the next level with these tough kits, tools, and packages.
Product features are based on published information at the time of publication. Product options and accessories may not be available in all regions. Product features are subject to change without notice. Contact your local dealer for more information.


text:
Olive Tree Genealogy Blog was one of MyHeritage top 100 Genealogy blogs, one of the 25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs by Technorati and one of the Top 40 Genealogy Blogs 2011 & 2012. See the list of Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter | Check out the Genealogy Books written by Olive Tree Genealogy! Organize Your Genealogy in Evernote in 10 Easy Steps is a must have! |
Never lose your genealogy research again!. 1TB of automatic Online Backup Storage PLUS 1TB of Sync Space file storage for $14.88. Save 75% |
SEARCH ENGINES FOR SHIPS TO NEW NETHERLAND & NEW YORKIf you don't find your ancestor on my ships' pages, try genealogy records on Ancestry.com. You can view them with a trial period free access. OliveTreeGenealogy.com free immigration databases are listed after the fee based databases below
Immigrant Processing Stations at the Port of New York
Didn't Find Your New York Ancestor?Don't miss the reconstructed passenger lists for ships to New Netherland 1624 to 1664 This is an Olive Tree Genealogy exclusive project. The names have been compiled from a variety of primary sources and not found elsewhere.Search New York Death Records for your ancestors [AncestorsAtRest.com] - coffin plates, funeral cards, wills, obituaries, cemetery records and more Try searching Ships Passenger Lists on Rootsweb.com Search Ellis Island database Steve Morse's search engines on Jewish Gen (several different search engines including Finding Missing Manifests)
URL: http://olivetreegenealogy.com/
All rights reserved
Copyright © 1996-present
Contact Lorine at |


text:
We want to ensure that making a return is as easy and hassle-free as possible! If for any reason you decide that your purchase just isn't for you, simply return the item within 30 days of receipt and we'll cover the return shipping when you choose our FREE Pre-Paid Return Shipping Label. Learn more about our return policy.
Shop now and get Free Value Shipping on most orders over $49 to contiguous 48 states, DC and to all U.S. Military APO/FPO/DPO addresses.
Master Rod Fishing Gear is incredible for any fishing enthusiast. We stock a massive variety of Fishing Gear from Master Rod and are thrilled to share with you the deals. Go out and start catching the fish for an exciting afternoon. Whether you are looking to cook the fish or to release - we don't care! We would like to see you fishing with all the Fishing Gear from Master Rod. It isn't just because we sell it. It's because we are definite that you will really like Master Rod Fishing Gear and definitely will have successful fishing trips again and again. Utilize great prices we offer on Fishing Gear from Master Rod and also enjoy free shipping and handling on orders of $49 or more!


text:
Upload Photo
Wild Fig
Residing in the heart of Roslyn is Wild Fig, a Turkish-Mediterranean restaurant that features a cafeteria-style dining experience. Simply hop on line while a counter person composes your order.
Disney shares 15 secrets about 'Frozen'
Long Island's best pizza: 10 pies worth the drive
42 Cheap Eats to try on LI
12 unique LI places to have a cocktail
Still Partners
24-hour diners on LI: 13 favorites
10 funny St. Patrick's Day tees you can buy now
25 cheap (or free!) events for kids on LI
Red carpet beauty looks you can get at home
10 fun things to do this week on LI
14 sumptuous soups on LI
Family-friendly performances on Long Island


text:
Activity Feed
g Register or sign in to start receiving activity updates from around Kongregate!
Explore Kongregate & earn 10 kreds Here are your 10 free kreds Explore Kongregate & earn a trophy Here's a shiny trophy for you 15%
Keep exploring Kongregate with more badges and games!
Hide the progress bar forever? Yes No
4 posts
Sign in to reply
I've seen some people on kongregate play with a BHB charachter that has a completely different name than thier kong chat name. I really wanna know (=. Thx for developing the game Spicyhorse.
u cant, ppl who create new account can pick now
awwwwww…. thx.


text:
Toshiba has announced their new high-performance laptop to their Satellite line today, the Satellite P35. Toshiba has introduced this laptop as a Gamers Notebook dubbing it the "ultimate gaming machine". The new model will feature 17-inch widescreen LCD monitor, 100GB hard drive, and a 3.3GHz Intel Mobile P4 processor.
Other features to note:
- Multiple built in data card slots - DVD +/- Recorder - Choice of ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000 IGP card or ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 discreet graphics card - 512MB DDR SDRAM expandable to 2048MB - Harman Kardon speakers and SRS TruSurround XT
Pricing and Availability
The Toshiba Satellite P35 is available now on Toshiba Direct starting at the base price of $1,799 US.
Name *
Email *


text:
"The harder you work, the luckier you get." by Gary Player
Below is the poem entitled In your House which was written by poet Mutemwa Gideon. Please feel free to comment on this poem. However, please remember, PoetrySoup is a place of encouragement and growth.
Read Poems by Mutemwa Gideon
Best Mutemwa Gideon Poems
The moments with you Are just so true That I don't know what to do For the moments are so few.


text: 1Institute of Geophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland 2Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland 3Gerber Scientific Inc., Reston, VA, USA 4Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA 5Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA Abstract. High spatial resolution measurements of temperature and liquid water content, accompanied by moderate-resolution measurements of humidity and turbulence, collected during the Physics of Stratocumulus Top experiment are analyzed. Two thermodynamically, meteorologically and even optically different cases are investigated. An algorithmic division of the cloud-top region into layers is proposed. Analysis of dynamic stability across these layers leads to the conclusion that the inversion capping the cloud and the cloud-top region is turbulent due to the wind shear, which is strong enough to overcome the high static stability of the inversion. The thickness of this mixing layer adapts to wind and temperature jumps such that the gradient Richardson number stays close to its critical value. Turbulent mixing governs transport across the inversion, but the consequences of this mixing depend on the thermodynamic properties of cloud top and free troposphere. The effects of buoyancy sorting of the mixed parcels in the cloud-top region are different in conditions that permit or prevent cloud-top entrainment instability. Removal of negatively buoyant air from the cloud top is observed in the first case, while buildup of the diluted cloud-top layer is observed in the second one. Citation: Malinowski, S. P., Gerber, H., Jen-La Plante, I., Kopec, M. K., Kumala, W., Nurowska, K., Chuang, P. Y., Khelif, D., and Haman, K. E.: Physics of Stratocumulus Top (POST): turbulent mixing across capping inversion, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 12171-12186, doi:10.5194/acp-13-12171-2013, 2013. |


text:
Coming up in the next {{countdown}} {{countdownlbl}}
Coming up next:
Skip to this video now
Now Playing:
Related Videos
Play Video
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
Mandela in His Own Words: Remembering a Global Legacy
Nelson Mandela inspired the world over with passionate speeches of racial equality.
South African Peace Leader Nelson Mandela Dead at Age 95
Mandela was hailed as the icon of the anti-apartheid movement, survived 27 years in prison.


text:
America, guns, and freedom. Part I: A recapitulation of liberty Miguel A Faria Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery (ret.) and Adjunct Professor of Medical History (ret.), Mercer University School of Medicine; President, www.haciendapub.com, Macon, GA, USA
Correspondence Address:Miguel A FariaClinical Professor of Neurosurgery (ret.) and Adjunct Professor of Medical History (ret.), Mercer University School of Medicine; President, www.haciendapub.com, Macon, GA USA© 2012 Faria; This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.1DOI: 10.4103/2152-7806.102951PMID: 23227438
The role of gun violence and street crime in the United States and the world is currently a subject of great debate among national and international organizations, including the United Nations. Because the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the individual right of American citizens to own private firearms, availability of firearms is greater in the U.S. than the rest of the world, except perhaps in Israel and Switzerland. Indeed, although the American people continue to purchase and possess more firearms, homicides and violent crimes have continued to diminish for several decades because guns in the hands of the law-abiding citizens does not translate into more crime. As neurosurgeons, we can be compassionate and still be honest and have the moral courage to pursue the truth and find viable solutions through the use of sound, scholarly research in the area of guns and violence. We have an obligation to reach our conclusions based on objective data and scientific information rather than on ideology, emotionalism or partisan politics.
Keywords: Civilian disarmament, constitutional republic, individual freedom, Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
Click on image for details.


text:
What does BROC stand for?
What does BROC mean? This page is about the various possible meanings of the acronym, abbreviation, shorthand or slang term: BROC.
We've found a total of 1 definition for BROC:
Sort by:PopularityAlphabeticallyCategory
Filter by:
BROC | Black Recruitment Orientation Committee |
What does BROC mean?
- Broc
- Broc is a municipality in the district of Gruyère in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.
Still can't find the acronym definition you were looking for? Use our Power Search technology to look for more unique definitions from across the web!
"BROC." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2015. Web. 5 Mar. 2015. <http://www.abbreviations.com/BROC>.


text:
SALES: SALES We need two Sales Consultants to join our team. We offer commission salary, benefits, bi-wee More info |
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Anuvia Prevention Recovery seeks FT bilingual QP w/Bachelors 2 yrs experience providing adolescent More info |
SALES: LOOKING FOR A CAREER NOT JUST ANOTHER JOB? Maola Milk and Ice Cream Co. will be taking applications More info |
SKILLED LABOR - TRADES: ** INSTALLER ** BATH FITTER seeks individualwith carpentry/renovation exp. NC plumbing license pref More info |
FINANCE: AVP; Quantitative Finance Analyst sought by Bank of America. Reqs: PhD 2 yrs exp; quant modeling e More info |
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Accenture LLP seeks an Associate Manager, Software Engineering in Charlotte, NC to develop/implement More info |
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: LIVE-IN ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT COUPLE Hawthorn Retirement Group is seeking exceptional couples for li More info |
NONPROFIT - SOCIAL SERVICES: AVAILABLE WITH CABARRUS COUNTY DHS Business ManagerSocial Work Supervisor III Social Work Investiga More info |
HEALTH CARE: LAKE PARK NURSING REHAB INDIAN TRAIL, NC DIRECTOR OF NURSING 3+YEARS EXPERIENCE-STABLE WORK HIST More info |
ENGINEERING: Comer Industries, Inc. is seeking a Product Engineer/China Sourced Products in Charlotte, NC with th More info |


text:
Gail Van Kleeck
For serial entrepreneur Gail Van Kleeck, each new business venture she launches springs from her deep-rooted personal beliefs and values, coupled with a profound desire to share her source of inspiration with others.
Over the last 30 years, Van Kleeck has excelled as an inspirational author, motivational story teller, interior designer and now adds anti-aging expert to that impressive list.
Much of what inspires the Westwood resident is rooted in the seven years she spent as a hospice volunteer. Van Kleeck's writings and presentations contain insights drawn from the families with whom she has worked. She also creatively incorporates her childhood experiences, journal writings, and her life as a daughter, wife, mother and friend into her professional life.
Her books, Simple Wisdom for Challenging Times and How You See Anything is How You See Everything, are packed with words, insights and images that are designed to inspire the reader to seek and recognize the possibilities within the framework of their daily lives. Her website, Simple Wisdom, offers more information on her writings and presentations.
With Van Kleeck's interior design business, Dover Interiors, she specializes in helping clients create "surroundings that support their lifestyles and nurture their spirits." Her work includes residential and corporate interior design, and much of her work has been conducted in the communities of Greater Boston.
The latest addition to her design work is nearing completion -- she has written a book on the subject. Van Kleeck describes it as a "step-by-step guide for creating a home that nurtures your spirit, respects your budget, supports your relationships, reflects your values and gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride." The book will be available in 2010.
Despite the demands of these businesses, Van Kleeck has recently become involved in the anti-aging field. She has aligned herself with a company that produces products that are backed by scientific studies from major universities, showing evidence of stopping the skin from aging at the cellular level. Van Kleeck says that she is a "walking billboard" for the products, as she has seen a dramatic change in her appearance (see "before and after" photos at bottom left).
The more positive and purposeful our personal lives become the more we participate in creating a world that reflects the best in each of us."
-- Gail Van Kleeck
"I love what I see in the mirror each morning," she exclaims. With this newest venture, Van Kleeck says she is helping women and men by "giving them the opportunity to change their lives for the better -- and every time we make a difference for someone else, we participate in creating a more positive and caring world."
The company, NuSkin, is a multi-billion dollar direct sales firm that has recently been receiving positive media attention across the country for its skin care line and has just been cited by Forbes as a best-bet stock pick for the second time this year. The patented company break-throughs in the anti-aging field are being touted by major scientific journals, including coverage in Nature and Science next month.
Gail's "Before and After" photos, taken six years apart.
For Van Kleeck, the down-turning economy has not been so much a challenge as an opportunity.
"Even in the worst of times, the anti-aging business is booming," she says. Not only is she using the company's products, she is training others how to learn the business.
To find out more about all that Gail Van Kleeck has to offer, call her at 781-769-1144 or email her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Got a question, comment or recommendation for a Small Business Spotlight? Email me at email@example.com.


text:
Today is the word of technology. People rely mostly on the way that do the work fast. download pemilu book free pdf pemilu ready for download hotfile.com pemilu fileserve.com pemilu torrent pemilu |
Here you can find free Ebooks about Pemilu, You can download PDF files about Pemilu for free, but please respect copyrighted ebooks.
PDF Search Engine do not host any PDF file, Your can download a tons of PDF files for Free


text:
Florida Georgia Line Set to Perform on 'Nashville' Season 3 Premiere
There's no denying the popularity of Florida Georgia Line right now, and the duo can only get bigger with an upcoming live performance on the 'Nashville' Season 3 premiere!
There's no denying the popularity of Florida Georgia Line right now, and the duo can only get bigger with an upcoming live performance on the 'Nashville' Season 3 premiere!
Dierks Bentley has been out on the road this summer with some very special guests, and he says everything is really clicking on his current tour.
Day One of the 2014 CMA Fest at Nashville's LP Field kicked off swimmingly on Thursday (June 5).
Hunter Hayes and Kacey Musgraves are just two of the artists recently added as performers for the 2014 CMT Music Awards. In fact, the awards will feature more live performances than ever before.
The quote beneath Brantley Gilbert's yearbook picture reads "Hey Andy!" Maybe these aren't the words most high school seniors want to leave as their legacy, but the expression says a lot about who the 'Small Town Throwdown' singer is today.
Brantley Gilbert's 'Just As I Am' album is now in stores, containing the Georgia-raised singer's No. 1 hit 'Bottoms Up' and his new single 'Small Town Throwdown.' Gilbert says he doesn't write about anything he hasn't lived
Thomas Rhett is on fire! The 24-year-old has scored his second consecutive back-to-back No. 1 hit with his latest single, 'Get Me Some of That.'
New country songs for the month of May come from a few heavy hitters in country music. Ever since Lady Antebellum's previous hit 'Compass,' fans have been excitedly anticipating the trio's next single, and they didn't disappoint with 'Bartender,' which hit radio this month. The upbeat track is off their forthcoming fifth studio record.
It was one of the closest battles for the No. 1 video ever. Chris Young and Ronnie Dunn fans traded punches until the final moments of this week's Top 10 Video Countdown voting period. The winner won by less than one percentage point!
Brantley Gilbert knows how to add some of his own personality to promotions for his new music. The 'Bottoms Up' singer is riding a Harley to help him with 'Just As I Am,' which drops on May 19.
Brantley Gilbert may not be a race car driver, but he'll be on the track at the Indianapolis 500.
Brantley Gilbert can celebrate, because his hit 'Bottoms Up' hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making it his fastest chart topper to date.


text:
Product Description
Available while supplies last.
3-Light Crystal Accent Chandelier
This beautiful chandelier has 3 lights and is decorated and draped with 100% crystal to capture and reflect the light of the candle bulbs. The frame is Wrought Iron, adding the finishing touch to a wonderful fixture. The finish is a near-black tone that has a slight bronze, rustic color.
- This item must be hardwired.
- Professional installation recommended.
- Crystals do not ship attached, and must be assembled.
Voltage: | 120 volt | |
Weight: | 7 Pounds | |
Installation: | Dry Locations [Explain] | |
Listing: | ||
Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer | |
Specialty Chandelier Type Chandeliers come in a wide variety of shapes and styles. More common types include Candle-Style, Crystal, Williamsburg, and Wrought Iron among others. | Specialty Chandelier Type | Candle-Style Chandelier |
Bulb sold separately
Dimensions & Weights
Chain/Cord: | 18 inches |
Diameter: | 14½ inches |
Height: | 24 inches |
Wire Length: | 18 inches |
Weight: | 7lbs |
Questions & Answers
There are no questions from the community yet
Customer Reviews
This product has no customer reviews yet
Write an online review and be the first to share your thoughts with other customers
Write an online review and be the first to share your thoughts with other customers
Tag This Product
A tag is a keyword assigned to a product which helps describe the item and allows it to be found by other customers
Add a new tag:
Separate multiple tags with commas
What's this?Additional Details
Mfr Part # | |
Sku | |
Group # | 1469873 |
Category | Chandeliers - 89 |
Style | Traditional - 143 |
Sales Rank | 2604 |
Your Recently Viewed Items
You have no recently viewed items. After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to products you are interested in.
Your Recommended Items
You currently have no recommended items. Browse a few more items to give us an idea of what you like.
©1999 - 2015
Copyright notice | Site Map | By using this site you agree to our Terms & Conditions of Use and Privacy Statement


text: my workstation (power mac g4) is vimana /* "In the Vedic literature of India, there are many descriptions of flying machines that are generally called vimanas. These fall into two categories: (1) manmade craft that resemble airplanes and fly with the aid of birdlike wings, and (2) unstreamlined structures that fly in a mysterious manner and are generally not made by human beings. The machines in category (1) are described mainly in medieval, secular internal linkSanskrit works dealing with architecture, automata, military siege engines, and other mechanical contrivances. Those in category (2) are described in ancient works such as the Rg Veda, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas, and they have many features reminiscent of internal linkUFOs." - Richard L. Thompson, 'Alien Identities' */ my g4 is also in category (2) :))) and my laptop (good old pentium 166) is streetfighter. -- sex, drugs, open source! cunnilinux@[riseup|bigmir].net icq # 199463711 http://livejournal.com/~cunnilinux/ ;)-


text:
The following is a quote from a letter written by FDR on August 16, 1937. "All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. Particularly, I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of Government employees. A strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government until their demands are satisfied. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable." Franklin D. Roosevelt: Letter on the Resolution of Federation of Federal Employees Against Strikes in Federal Service He was clearly against collective-bargaining for public union employees for very well-stated reasons.
Aren't public employees entitled to decent wages? Most public employees don't make fortunes, and where some do something needs to be done. But, most public employees are ordinary members of the middle class, not living in luxury, but living with reasonable degree of comfort.
Same reason they didn't listen to Ike: ...In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together. Eisenhower warns us of the military industrial complex. - YouTube Used to be that we just didn't always do what we were told- even if it was for our own good. Now, we pretty much do what we were told. The government employees are unionized because the courts said they could.
And if they don't get the wages they want, they can quit and get another job just like most people. The conflict of public unions negotiating with politicians is not in the PUBLIC'S best interests and the public's best interest is the responsibility of all politicians...not the needs of public employees. Do you have any direct counter-points to FDR's concerns?
We're not discussing the military-industrial complex in this thread...just the conflict of public union collective bargaining and politicians. Nice try though.... As a tax-paying voter, I don't want my politicians negotiating contracts with public unions and then attempting to gain their support. What are your thoughts on that statement?
Government employess are more important than other employees? Carpenters, nurses, teachers, ...they are all allowed to unionize and city clerks, water department engineers, and police should be forbidden to unionize? Why? Either you don't think anyone should unionize or you think government workers are much more critical to society. But that would work against the philosophy of the right that states that government workers are a waste and should be privatized. If you value someone so highly that they should never be allowed to strike, then you better pay them accordingly. That's the big connundrum, right?
I thought the question was "Why didn't we listen to FDR?" Yes. That was the question. My thoughts on your statement are that you are entitled to them, but you use a big brush to paint this subject. What goes on in Rhode Island, Mississippi, and Massachusetts are three different sets of dynamics. RI is apparently struggling with a culture of corruption that runs very deep. Mississippi deals on a daily basis, with a culture of ignorance and stupidity that handcuffs them on many levels. Massachusetts deals with a culture of commonwealth mentality that operates with a decidedly socialist bent. High taxes, many public services, amazing medical system (which I know is the envy of the rest of the country), great schools and kickazz professional sports teams. So I mostly reject your statement because it is too broad and vague. No offense. Just need more definition.
Wistah...I'm debating from the following perspective: -Public sector pensions are out of control (how did they get such incredible pensions?) -No one deserves a pension after working just 20 years (military, maybe) -States are going bankrupt due to the costs of public sector pensions and life-time health insurance. -Pensions are based upon the 3 highest earning years and INCLUDES over-time! -We have retired police officers getting over $100k/year pensions! Why can't public sector employees be like everyone else in the private sector? In other words, if you don't like what you're paid, do something else. We have bus-drivers and toll collectors collecting pensions and abusing sick-leave. What private sector unions negotiate with politicians to get their demands? The answer is...no private-sector union negotiates with politicians. What do politicians have to gain by pleasing public-sector unions? Do I really have to tell you?
Do you think that dynamic is any different than the one that controls how politicians behave toward the interest of corporations? I gauranty you that if you compared the flow charts and models (if they exist, and I'm sure they must somewhere), they would be identicle in structure with different labels on the inputs. The differnces would be that the politician/corporate values would be vastly larger.
I agree with you on that too. But that doesn't mean that both are ok....actually, both are wrong in my op.
they are totally different. the block diagram may appear to be the same, but what is in the block is comepletely different. something that can never happen in the private version is having a union in the midst of a negotiation, profess support for one candidate and then the otehr one wins. situations like this are not in the best interest of the common good, and the election of one official versus another should not have the intantaneous ability to impact the manner in which said union has the ability to provide its service. the private sector is hugely different in that it acknowledges the concept of long-term viability and common sense in the process of running its businesses. The public sector is a mere money grab at the hand of an endless relatively guaranteed revenue stream. It is human nature to handle money that is not yours like money that is not yours, and that's what the government does.....
When people get a choice they don't want unions plain and simple. Since Walker changed the rules and people weren't coerced into being in the Unions the AFSCME has lost ~60% of their members in a year. Only 7% of private sector employees are in Unions. The reason the left is upset is that it will hurt the funding they get from union dues being confiscated from workers and funneled to the dem party.
FDR was absolutely right. The argument that we can't trust the government to provide good wages, or a safe working environment for it's employees, and thus need public employee unions, is arguably one of more least intelligent I've ever heard. People shouldn't confuse the argument against public employee unions, with the existence of unions in the private sector. They are entirely different with respect to what the debate is. i.e. public vs private enterprise & money.
Public employees are entited to decent wages and I support that. And their wages are as good if not better than most private sector employees. But their benefits far exceed the private sector. I'm an elected official of the ward in the town that I live. We just voted on our budget and it went up 10.66% (without my support). Why? Because the town employees union would not give an inch on benefits. They get great health insurance and only contribute less than 5%. Disabilty incurance, fully paid. Pensions that they can retire after 25 years at a very nice sum. And many more perks like getting paid for unused sick days! So the elderly person on SS, the young family struggling, the people who have not seen a raise in 3 years will all have to pay for those benefits, that they themselves do not get. The wages and benefits of the public employees, local,state, and federal are way out of hand. I want them do do well and make a very good wage but their wages and benefits are crushing budgets. This is not the 1970's anymore. Today public employees are the better paid workers in the country. Problem is, they only get paid through taxes that are driving the standard of living of others down.
Where wages and compensation are out of whack they need to brought in line, but frankly the demise of labor unions has appeared to lead to a downward quality of life cycle around the nation, while the wealthy continue to do fabulously well. There are two ways to correct the problem: (1) Cut the wages and compensation for public employees and (2) increase the wages and compensation for everyone else. The latter used to be the model at hand, and that's why we have things like the 40 hour work week, overtime, vacations, minimum wage, etc. The compensation gap, I think, is due to Wall Street, not teacher's unions. But, again, where compensation is truly out of whack, even I support changes.
Unions were needed back in the day. My father was a strong union person. But about 25 years ago they had reached their peak and since then have had to do things to justify their exsistance. They have changed from representing their rank and file and now are self serving and power hungry at the top. And part of that self-serving power grab is to use memebers dues, without their permission, for political purposes. Teachers are now and have been for the last 20 years, well paid, compared to private sector people of the educational background. Because of unions, the really good teachers get paid the same as a really bad teacher, who should be fired but can't be, with the same edcucation and experience. I'm not downing teacher because my wife is one and several of my relatives are teachers. They will say the same thing. So my information is first hand and not talking points. We really need to cut back the benefits of public employees for one reason, we just can't afford to do it anymore.


text:
Results 1 to 4 of 4
- 12-12-2012, 07:13 PM Thread Author #1
How back up Jelly Bean to my PC?
Awaiting delivery of my Nexus 4 - 16GB, is there software to back up the phone data to my PC?
The Practical BBQ'r ! -
Re: How back up Jelly Bean to my PC?
Titanium backup but you need root and you will have to copy the files to desktop.
Re: How back up Jelly Bean to my PC?
You'll be using Google to sync most of your phones data, such as contacts and apps. You can take it a step further and use third-party apps to save various data, such as text messages, call logs, apps (app data backup requires root) and various phone settings/layouts. Here is a great resources to get you started and understand what can be backed-up:
Getting Started with Android - Tips and Tricks
If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask around. - 12-15-2012, 03:17 PM Thread Author #4The Practical BBQ'r !
Similar Threads
Will i be able to update to jelly bean if my device is rooted?
By HOLLYWOODANT215 in forum Sprint Galaxy S3Replies: 9Last Post: 04-06-2013, 10:45 AM -
how to downgrade jelly bean to ics in tab 7.7?
By chanhippo in forum Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7Replies: 2Last Post: 01-17-2013, 06:25 PM -
Trying to eat jelly bean with my ice cream sandwich.
By veevans01 in forum Verizon HTC RezoundReplies: 6Last Post: 09-23-2012, 12:32 AM -
How can I stream pictures to my pc through the cloud automaticall
By radman202 in forum Samsung Galaxy S II SkyrocketReplies: 0Last Post: 12-20-2011, 09:03 AM -
backing up sd card to pc - help
By mjt1265 in forum Verizon Fascinate Rooting, ROMs, and HacksReplies: 2Last Post: 04-02-2011, 11:55 PM