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Discussion (153) ¬
Ha ha, awkward moment has arrived!
wait what the devil just happened
he had fun… I know, it's amazing right?
You kiddin?
This whole ark's been awkward for poor King XD
Cannon fodder uses leech
It's super effective!
Yay! Kingy had fun with the squeeky! But don't be too hard fox, he just know how awesome you were yet.
didn't know*
There goes being 3rd…T_T
Cheer up ^^ *Pats back*
Jeez even animals hate PETA!
Well, that's a sharp turn back into depression there – and bad news for Joel/King; unless time travel is involved, returning to human might be quite awkward.
I was wondering if the had police notice that Joel wasn't there no more. Can't wait to find out at the end if he turns back into a human or not.
I still hope not. Just think of the possibilities in having a pet in the community who knows how to – say – make mechanical or electrical repairs, handle a phone menus system, or drive a car.
Plus the possibilities of having a spokesman with a decent education for the pets. After all, there was that bit about Pete's release bringing about a golden age or equality.
Knowing how to do something and being able to do something are 2 different things. I don't think a Corgi could reach the gas and break pedals of a car and still see over the steering wheel.
Besides, this is a Housepets version of "It's a Wondrful Life", or did you not notice the title of this story arc?
I bet he will realize the error of his ways and WANT to be human again in order to face the consequences of his actions like a RESPONSIBLE person. And then he'll probably turn his life around and do things that actually DO help pets.
Yep – but it's always possible to use extensions, there are real-world arrangements for legless drivers, and a comic strip can improvise in many ways.
Speculations on the meaning of the title, whether the character names mean anything, and lots of other details have been engaged in for the fun of it in earlier comments and – to some extent – in the comments on earlier strips.
As for Joel – he realized the error of his ways back when he decided to stop trying to run away and go back.
I doubt Joel/King will become human again – he assaulted police and evaded arrest, meaning that he'll go straight to jail. That would be a very unhappy, unsatisfying ending. Besides, that would mean that King wouldn't remain a primary character in the comic, which would be a great loss; I can't wait to see King meet Grape and Peanut.
On the Pete thing… Tarot said Pete was a jerk. While Pete's goals may seem nice right now… I think he's going to use rather harsh methods to get there. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Tarot was talking about.
And still we wait to see what happened with Tiger and Co.; I wonder if King and Zach will meet? Their emotions of depression and loneliness are similar, but their personalities/perspectives are just different enough that it could create an interesting dynamic.
Well, it is a comic, and hence has no limit to the number of ways to work things out – but it doesn't look good.
As for Pete's goals… There's really no way to know what they are at the moment. We've got his own (rather strange) activities, a woodlands "prophecy" (which could well be badly distorted), and Tarot's statements (also possibly confused; psychics are notorious for that).
Good point J.C.
I was wondering about the same thing. Zach still desperately needs a friend.
like you said, he's kinda a jerk, exactly why when everything seems to be going right for King, I expect him to turn 'em back into Joel, if he shows up in a prison cell, there's no real way for police to explain what exactly happened, and he can say whatever he wants, but I do believe that it will cause him to become attached to the community, and give him a real goal in terms of helping the animals get what they deserve: their rights.
a couple of cameo characters supposedly going through the same thing later, and Pete will have created an animal rights movement, heck he may even reform the entirety of Peta, just for kicks, and to be a huge jerk to every other animal rights movement out there (it would also force those groups to jump on the band wagon, and I'm certain you can see how that would spiral out of control)… I think Pete is a jerk, but more on the positive side of being one .
You don't know that he's a jerk. Just because that's what Tarot said doesn't make it true. She might not even be a real dog. She just showed up out of the blue right before Pete was set free. She could be some kind of magical creature, even another gryphon. Pete can change his shape to a human, no reason he couldn't become a dog. Tarot could be an ex-girlfriend of Pete's who is being petty and vindictive.
Judging by
I'd bet on a real pet, and probably a real dog.
Although much of the speculation does note that her statements are not necessarily accurate.
Personally, I tend to assume that most of the information presented is accurate from at least the characters viewpoints since that makes it harder to fit it all together – and I like complicated puzzles. Speculation is just a mental game after all.
You mean you tend to assume the MOST RECENT information presented is accurate. The information presented when Grape and Peanut first met Pete was that he was nice. He made no beef about Peanut not being able to pronounce his name, and he let them ride him. An arrogant jerk would be 'too good" to permit that.
But Tarot calling Pete a jerk came after that, so that's what you're going with.
Since the first bit of this is a direct reply to my previous statement above, and there is no seperation, I'll have to assume that the entire segment is directed to me. Hopefully that's accurate.
As noted I tend to assume that most information presented is accurate from the character's viewpoints; We presumably got an accurate representation of what Grape dreamed. We also presumably got an accurate statement of what Tarot said. Note that this does NOT mean that any given character-presented statement might not be an attempt at manipulation, but the endpoint of that logic is discarding all dialogue – ergo it seems reasonable to take most statements with no obvious manipulative purpose as being relatively accurate from the character's perspective.
Now, in fact I didn't mention Pete in the comment above; where I did – further up – I noted that we have no way of knowing what his goals are as of yet. Sending a dream is a part of his activities. Information from that dream is going to be whatever Pete wanted it to be – as translated by Grape into a dream. Most people have a positive view of themselves and tend to stress that if they want something and dreamsending is definitely manipulative. Ergo, that information must be rated as being somewhat less reliable.
However, the statement I made was that – going by the referenced comic strip – it seemed likely that Tarot was indeed a real pet and probably a real dog. That is because the little shared-heart images are not a part of the strip "reality"; just like the more recent pain-stars hanging around Joel/King, they're emotion-indicators for the readers – and thus unlikely to be misleading.
Is that a hint of remorse I'm sensing from Joel?…I mean King…I mean…gah never mind.
Well, it's not like he was ever too enthused about the kidnap plan in the first place. He didn't know about it in advance, didn't see the point, and the "was the part where we righted an injustice" speech seemed fairly revealing.
So he joined PETA without actually investigating it, then – equally foolishly – presumed that their plans actually made sense. If he'd bailed out ten minutes earlier – say by pulling over and letting Fox out – would he be a heroic figure?
To an extent, yes. he'd be a hero. but then we'd lose out on the "happy" feeling we get when a bad guy gets caught and pays for his crimes.
And the joke about fatty's glandular problem. And that's nooooo good.
Not quite what I meant: He'd still be exactly what he is now; a bit thoughtless and easily led, still an accomplice to petnapping even if a regretful one (remorse, even a few minutes afterwards, would not negate the original offense), and – quite possibly – still in much the same situation.
Looking at his speech then, I suspect that he might well have pulled out given a little time – and would still be exactly the same person. Seeing him punished (presuming he is being punished) isn't or wouldn't be particuarly satisfying; foolishness is best dealt with by education.
It's only subjective perceptions of him that would change.
I see that and agree as well (we are also reading a little deep into it). Just the fact that Joel pulling over would actualy change him from being submissive and thoughtless to a more independent person. His veiw of the world and of pets would have been changed and (in my opinion) he'd be more comfortable around Fox, since Fox's hatred toward Joel births from Fox being held captive.
Wow that was a little too deep for a comedic web comic.
I'm not sure Joel/King's perspectives need to be "dealt" with. He never seemed like that bad of a character; even now, his distinctive personality, while negative, makes him a powerful character, perhaps even more than Grape and Peanut.
I would hate to see his personality snuffed out; the stubbornness, negativity and cynicism foils well with the other characters in Housepets.
Well, it was the readers perceptions of him that were in question.
Joel/King does need to learn to look before he leaps however – as well as not to be so blind a follower.
Fortunately, he may now be getting just the education he needs. Nothing like a change of viewpoint to get people to question their assumptions.
dang it, I should of responded to this one… oh well, you can read it up there XD.
Well at least he's finally having fun with his new form!
My post got taken down.
Oh well.
nice new navigator rick
It looks like Fox is playing video games in the last panel. Just thought I'd say that.
Love the artwork as usual, always loving it. Looking forward to more.
Ha love the sudden "inconspicuous" nervousness in King's voice at the end. And the way his eyes shrink, priceless. oh and Fox's face is sweet too. He does have a brutal side, doesn't he?
Lol, but now I'm wondering if by a slim chance Fox is talking about the fat guy that tried to smother him him with his weight…
I really doubt that's the case, since Pete did bust Joel out of the prison at the start of this arc.
Unless Pete's been really busy ever since he vanished from sight.
Of course Fox may not know which one it was. He'd probably have stronger feelings about the lunatic with the noxious rhetoric who tried to kill him than about the driver – especially if he actually remembers the converstation.
Actually I think Pokeblue might be correct. In the first place, the person 'escaped from the courthouse' and Joel was in the jail (which, I guess, could be in the courthouse but it seems less likely). Second, part of the comedy of situations like this is that it's nearly always a case of mistaken identity with Joel somehow interrupting everyone just before he gets the vital info that it's the other guy everyone is talking about. Finally, Joel was just the driver – I'm not sure Fox would get this ticked off about the guy who drove the vehicle as opposed to the one that tried to smother him.
Then again, Rick can always turn every convention on its head and inside out.
You make some good and convincing points, but I guess we will just have to wait to find out if you guys are right.
Waiting blows…
*goes off to find a new hobby*
King is dealing with the fact that Fox still hates his human form by diverting attention from the topic; I wonder if he's simply afraid of breaking his cover, or whether it's something else.
I think it's interesting that Fox never heard Joel's explanation of his role in the kidnapping. Will Rick consider this in the following scenes, or will that remain inconsequential to the story?
The comic reminded me of the scene in the Lion King where Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa lie in the grass and talk about the stars, but I'm not sure the comparison applies on more than a superficial level.
At least King is finally enjoying himself; I wonder if he's experiencing reverse Stockholm syndrome. At any rate, King's personality/perspective seems to be changing.
Just "PLAY IT OFF", King! Play it off…
Man, what a way to "learn from your mistakes"!
He didn't make any, except joining the wrong group without doing some prior research to their methods, and agreeing to be fatty's driver.
I think the point here is for Joel to realize that animals are exactly like people, except maybe nicer, but not just to realize it, to be so enthused at the end of all this that he wants to rally people behind him to fight for equal animal rights, in much the same way that women did in most of the world., except he may be human when he does it, why? animals are a completely different race than humans, getting humans behind you as supporters would be a larger help to your cause than getting animals behind you…
Why is equality always assumed to be a good thing? Everyone may be equally miserable – no one would like that.
The whole point, even in that scenario, is that their equal, particularly when it comes to their rights and the privileges presented to them. Everyone could be miserable, but lets say one group of miserable people is allowed to do anything they like, whereas the other is miserable because of just how repressed they are, to the point that they don't make any personal decisions, others make it for them. These groups may be equally miserable, but they are not truly equal; to be truly equal, they would need to have the same rules and guidelines applied to both groups, as though they were one group, even if they're still kept separate, both groups would at least be able to do just the same amount of things, and be treated with the same respect from either group as they are from their own.
More to the comic itself; what we're discussing is total equality, not partial, they already have partial. As you can Imagine, total equality is a good thing, as it means rules can be universal. However, people in a position of power are often reluctant to relinquish it, and what seems like a very simple and functional solution, is vastly over complicated by unnecessary interruption.
It would be an irony if Fox and King become good friends only to have Pete change king back into Joel at a really inopertune moment. Letting Joel/King see things from the pet perspective Could be more than just a form of punishment.
you mean like… when all the other pets are around and there all having fun?.. man, that would just… and I could just Imagine what Pete would say: "you mean, you never told them?!?".
Maybe not that inopportune eh?
Ahahaha… haha… ha… Hee.
i wonder what will become of their relationship. lol
arg! i thought i updated my avatar!
XD I love fox!!!!!!
btw, this was the "second time" he was interrupted by awkward laughs…
then when was the first?
this moment HAD to come! Wonder how King didn't turn violet by now…
And here I thought Joel/King was cynical enough to not feel fear.
Oh well.
Light and funny, but also touching in the foretold redemption of the character through mutual understanding (coming to age and all that; the quintessential element of the American novel). A very nice recovery in a storyline that seemed to lean towards a distubringly serious version of CSI or Law and Order. Well done. I'll keep reading this comic, after all!
O.O Shame on you for doubting Rick!
Still, it's healthy; essential even. If you do not doubt an author's ability to deliver, how can he ever surprise you?
I had a really long comment on this, but in a effort to not become know as "the boy that writes too much" I'll sum it up:
Ricks way of telling story isn't fast paced, it's what allows him to throw as much comedy as he wants into the story, if you take a look at each little arc, that story section could probably be summarized into one 8 panel long serious strip, and as Rick wants to keep his readers hooked, as noted by his "keep hooking" speech, he draws out the days of his story into weeks of comedy, quite contrary to the serious strips that tell days of story as they think of them, and that to me is an effect of too much stress on a writer, and the want to just tell you're story as quickly as you can, make your voice heard, and be done with it, maybe having one or two people pat you on the back after it, and is highly unprofessional, and Rick is a Professional, he's probably got years worth of story already stockpiled, with the only problem being "how do I make it funny" and he's good at doing that. sure it's healthy to doubt people ever now and again, but if the story takes a little turn for the worse because the particular part of the story he's trying to tell just can't be that funny, no matter how much you draw it out, and you stop reading entirely, then you're being too unrealistic, as the truth is that Rick does have a story to tell, and sometimes it won't be as funny as others, and you're only setting your standards too high if you expect every strip to be just as funny, or funny in the exact same way, as the last… nay, you're not setting them too high, you're looking at them with too narrow of a perspective.
I'm a "the glass is half full" not a "the glass is half empty" kind of person, there is no use getting upset as long as you still have some of that precious liquid left, and dropping some of the comedy down allows for a sort of break in the flow that keeps readers interested, I mean come on, if all this was is random comedy, you'd get bored of it eventually and go off to find a better comic because this was missing something, it wasn't concrete enough, even for comedy.
and yes, this is summing it up, I went into much detail about every little point, and looked up after a half hour with wide eyes and said O.O WOW that's HUGE, I could write a short novel on what it takes to be a professional comic book artist on this alone XD… now if only I could tell a good story.. or draw cartoons for that matter .
OMG it's STILL HUGE, AHHHHH *Smashes head against desk repeatedly*… maybe what I had written before was a small novel…
Well, there are always the forums…
a very good point, I've never hit the forums of any comic I've posted on before, but lately my comments have been becoming less of a comment than a commentary… it's just so hard to comment without elaborating for me, and it feels so much more natural to post under the actual strip you're talking about….
there I go again DX
Ha ha, I completely agree with your views on how to write a comic, Justice, but disagree with you on how the comic works.
Unlike you, I feel that Rick's arcs often run short; I am a little biased, though, as I read Jack, Lackadaisy, MNT Gaiden and Dreamkeepers, and am therefore used to longer, better-established storylines. In fact, in all those comics, comedy is sometimes sacrificed for the sake of the story; in MNT Gaiden and Jack, jokes are rare.
On the other hand, I also read Penny Arcade, VG Cats, and XKCD – I believe these comics stay alive on pure comedy and nothing else.
Housepets now occupies a precarious middle ground, attempting to both tell a story and be funny. I personally believe Lackadaisy and Dreamkeepers accomplish this better; this is why my comments on this comic are often pessimistic.
I strongly suggest you read Dreamkeepers or Lackadaisy as well as Housepets.
And, honestly, I think commentary is exactly what belongs in the comments space: the forum seems like a better place for praise/witty comments about the comic.
I'm not sure what to make of your reply, Justice. I just wanted to say that I like to be surprised, and good surprises come at the price of risking bad ones.
As for the pace, I agree with you, and I'll add that in my opinion the sequential, regularly updated American comic strip is fundamentally flawed in that matter. While the advent of the internet allows more flexibility in that matter with weekly or monthly updates, the need to deliver a punchline almost every day seems too restrictive for me.
Also, I mentioned that I considered not reading this comic anymore not because jokes fell flat (not everyone can be funny all the time) but because of elements I found disturbing: the apology of violence on PETA members, or some bizarre animal/human interactions too reminiscent of apartheid policies. There's no need to argue on that: I fully understand that those perceptions are mine only, and if you don't see things that way and enjoy the story, good for you. But the freedom to read what you like is also the freedom not to read what you don't.
There, I went and wrote a huge reply too. Seems like it's contagious.
good, I was beginning to worry that I over-think Everything .
I personally could see some bizarre human/animal interactions too, I'm just trusting Rick's pg-13 policy, something I wish every comic had, and I fully agree that it is hard to deliver a punch line every comic, which is exactly what I was getting at, in order to deliver one, sometimes you need to purposefully lower the readers expectations for a second, before they get too high
and hey, even Peta members, no matter how monstrous, are human… though I generally agree with you on that point, and I'm sorry if I came off as offensive in any form, certainly not what I was trying to do, I just love expanding on topics .
Don't worry – I don't aknowledge the existence of the word "offend".
Let's see just how awkward this can get!
LOL kinda reminds me of Brother Bear XD i miss that movie and like the way things are going here XP i wonder how peanut and grape are spending Christmas
Whoo… New buttons-n-such
the lids gunna be blown off eventually, cant wait ^^
Also great image choice for your "Vote TWC" box, love that pic
hahaha that's so very classic
Commissioning a new vote button. If you want your avatar or any other picture or original image on it, send the image to "firstname.lastname@example.com". Kai, thx!
The images will be due by Jan 1st.
But I LIKE this one 8(
What's wrong with it? You just want a cameo character don't you?
No, I just need to stay busy for a while. Still waiting for vacation to end and I need something to catchup with.
There's this cool anime called Baccano! you could watch.
It's pretty short, like 16 episodes total, but it's a fun ride.
Vacations are for relaxing >.>… but I do agree that this particular holiday is a little long winded, like myself.
you could take up plastic canvas craft , or clay modeling, or fly tying; etc… get a hobby, it's what I do when I have spare time that I'm not filling with work and research for future projects.
hahahaha.. i love it… poor guy. i imagine hes getting really nervous now.
Hooray for akward moments! Also, love the new site layout.
I think I'm just reading this to see King's expressions each update now. It just keeps getting more brilliant each sequence.
humans go to the extremes with their expressions, I wonder if that could account for many of kings… meh.
so my topic, as you probably know by now, for today is: what will Joel Learn/ what exactly is Pete up to? We all read a little deep into the comics, try to figure stuff out, if you skiped over the other coments let me recap mine: Pete is probably attempting to reform Peta , turning it into an animal rights activist that know what animals really need: equal rights (that or he's using Joel as staging for a new group… however, I like to think there's a reason Pete is one letter off from Peta, and he has to be a jerk somehow.) causing other groups to suddenly wonder "what have we been doing rong that they suddenly started doing right?" and jump on the band wagon, sending this nothing of equal animal rights spiraling out of control until the world just accepts it (not like there'd really be much of a choice after that).
Joel is probably going to be a human after this, why?: not that it really benefits Joel much in terms of happiness, he'd probably be happier staying a dog, but he'd be more thankful after this if he's human again, it's not much to show up in a jail cell, explain his way out of a baffled court, and begin rallying supporters… and as previously stated; I believe Pete means business, it's much easier to get humans to equalize their rights systems if you have actual humans behind you, instead of just a bunch of animals. (no offense to any animals, but you do see my point right?)
now the only problem is getting the animals behind you, after all, what's the point if there happy just the way they are?… gee, I wonder how he could do that?… *cough* slip up *cough* … I could elaborate but… I'm feeling good today, like I could be on a role, and I prefer to just watch and see if I'm right, better not to ruin an arc for everyone if I am as all I've touched so far is more or less just side story XD.
thoughts everyone?
finally: WHY DON'T YOU HAVE AN AVATAR RICK?? how are we supposed to recognize you at a glance? :puppyface:
any thoughts on this?
Oh well, if we're reading into things deeply…
I doubt we'll see much reform of PETA. After all, the only serious PETA member we've seen was entirely lost to reality. People like that are poor cantidates for reform. They're also about the closest thing to real villians that the strip has, it would distance the background even further from reality – and thus make the strip less accessible – and PETA is apparently widely disliked, in reality, among the readers, and in the setting. Why work uphill?
In any case, the ASPCA is apparently already working for reform, and getting animals rights, within the legal system. Given the fact that humans in the strip are already making mockeries of the leash laws, giving their pets allowances, and treating them as their kids, I suspect that "rights for pets" already have plenty of backing among humans. Perhaps what they need are some examples of animals who are obviously deserving of rights and clearly capable of handling them… Episodes like the Canine Easter Egg Hunt will not do; the animals need a coherent spokesman.
I would speculate on the introduction of something like the General Obedience Exam – perhaps the General Citizenship Exam – allowing animals who can demonstrate the ability to handle having rights to get them. After all, the Housepets universe has farms, which means that any form of "general rights for animals" would really overturn the setting.
As far as names go… We can always speculate on "Joel" – most notable as a minor old testament prophet who spoke of a plague of locusts as an omen or an upcoming of a judgement. The name itself seems to mean "The Lord is God". We could combine that with Tarot's predictions to come up with some really apocalyptic scenarios.
For that matter, we can simply take the arc title literally; "It's a Wonderful Life" convinced a suicidal man to go back to his life because it made a difference. Ergo, would a "It's a Wonderful Dog's Life" be about convincing someone who felt that their life was worthless and that the world was full of nothing but pain that a better alternative was open?
Personally I'm hoping that Joel stays a dog. I think it would work at least as well as a catalyst for change in the setting – Joel as a human, even a reformed one, is nothing special. Joel as King is fairly unique – plus I can think of a lot of possible jokes involving him, and this is a comic strip.
As for getting the animals behind him… Well, that would almost have to go through human media – and through the owners. The animals themselves only have word of mouth, which would both take forever and is terribly prone to distortion. Secondarily, it would be kind of impractical to organize the pets for a mass demonstration, or even exert much pressure, when their owners are free to simply lock them up. It's not like a civil rights movement, or even women's sufferage in the US.
where the men were free to just lock them up?, I see your point, and I think you almost see mine, maybe I should elaborate on the pet part, but less story wise;
equalization of rights is hard, and takes courage, from allot of people on both sides, and in the middle, because there is middle ground that needs to be worked out. True, Joel is from Peta, but he's also formerly from ASPCA, and has just joined Peta for that matter, by explain his way out of court, I meant it would be easy for him to explain his current situation, say he didn't know that they were not only such extremists, but stupid, and begin a campaign that would eitehr end up starting a much stronger version of the ASPCA, or eventually cause it to merge into their cause.
Peta is hated, and while I agree that removing it removes a villain from the story, perhaps the real villain here isn't Peta, it's equality, and while everyone does hate Peta, they are the exact type of extremists that could cause a stir if they had the right motivation (you know, not "set all the cute bunnies free in the wild to be eaten by a pack of ravenous carnivores", rather "set the animals free of their constraints, give them their rights"), if this is something that isn't possible (ie: assuming everyone in Peta isn't raving mad) Joel would at least know enough of both the 'pencil pushing, dodge around the topic but insist it's important just so I can get a living off of it… it will happen eventually' side of it and the "DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW" side of it to start up a proper movement.
King is most likely (and I say most likely because it seems more logical to me, but is not necessarily the way rick will tell it) going to be Human at the end of this, why? the short is that it's tuff, live with it, Pete is a Jerk; the long is that you are absolutely right, even if the animals wanted to do something about it, what is keeping their owners from locking them up? sure King would be an excelent example of just what Animals are capable of, but he [b][i]isn't[/i][/b] a true example of what pets are capable of, you don't go on wanting equal rights by lying about yourself (ie: men didn't dress up as women to help them gain their rights), which is also why I believe that King will slip up, spill the beans, and eventually everyone in the entire community will eventually know his true identity, possibly only finally believing it when he is Joel again, alleviating my conscience of having to think about what could happen while he's a dog, and any possible natural desires he may get (sure, him dating another dog would feel weird, but what if his natural attractions were based off his root form? ie: human.), forcing people to realize that their pets are the same as humans, and getting owners full support… all you have to do is read some of the character bios to learn that not all owners, even in this community, really believe their pets are capable of handling anything humans can, it's evidenced by how much they pay them, when they do work, and just how much like children they treat them, but their true intelligence is expressed by various aspects in the pets lives that many of us have probably missed or ignored, including myself (I'll have to have another go at reading through these) but include and are not limited to: holding meetings, reading and enjoying novels (not just books), working, and taking care of others, perhaps one of the better examples of just how intelligent animals are, and a much better candidate than King is, is the Wolf family, and Pete had nothing to do with that, something that gives it a better ring in my ears.
this would also allow Joel to take on the more serious side role that I believe he was meant for, allowing brief comic moments to occur, while still allowing him to seem like he's doing allot of serious stuff on the side as opposed to turning the comic into the serious story telling stuff so many of us dread this turning into…
Or we could all be wrong and this is just a test to see how much Joel likes being an animal before Pete turns EVERYONE into animals… forever… and I know that Rick has some point to this so I'd prefer to believe that is not the direction he's going with this… cause he'd have to be both a madman and a genius to be able to continue effectively hooking after that, you know, COMPLETE comic shift.
at least the minority would be right… but it's not like Rick to only aim at pleasing the minority… part of what people like about this is that while it's a comic based around animals, it's not a "furry" comic, which is refreshing.
You think too mcuh
You think too little.
Sadly, I agree with him to a point, you can never really think too much, but for this comments section I may be overthinking it a little. Mind you I had thought of more to post, but thought better of it…
You know, Rick doesn't care how long these get surprisingly, says 'e loves reading them (I asked in a sideways sorta way in my activation email)
Just don't repeat my mistake of using too long a paragraph/ too many run on sentences … it's hard to read; too bad I can't edit that >.>.. yes, I will go on about it .
The equality issue doesn't necessarily apply to animal rights; certainly, we've seen some examples of discrimination and marginalization within the pets themselves, especially in the "Oops, I Arced" arc, where this entire idea of "Pete will bring equality" was introduced.
I seriously doubt that Rick would turn the entire world into animals; this would have a minimal effect on the reader, as very, VERY few humans have been introduced. See, a transformation story hits hardest when we know and relate to the characters: this is why seeing Joel turned into King captured my attention. If Rick is planning to turn everyone into animals without the plot feeling contrived, he should introduce at least some of the owners of the pets. For the transformation emotional effect to be substantial, Rick would have to take up a large chunk of time developing these owner's personalities.
And, of course, the name of the comic would no longer make sense. Because turning everyone into animals would feel contrived and takes too much work to pull off, I don't believe the author will do it.
"Housepets isn't furry"? … he he he HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! *wipes away a tear*
The mini thesis would be better served for the fourms.
The trouble there is that Joel would have a lot of trouble founding an organization; he's already spent time in jail, he was a member of PETA – showing either spectacularly poor judgement or serious problems – and he really doesn't show much in the way of human leadership qualities.
As for reforming PETA – we have only one example of a generic Peta member (so tagged) – and he was completely disconnected from reality already. Why start with the lunatics when you don't have to?
While King wouldn't be "a true example", so what? Most of the potential "true examples" will never get a chance. All that's needed is an effective example. If the worst thing that an attempt at social upheavel throws up is a minor deception, it's doing very well.
As for what might happen while he's a dog; presumably the same things that might happen with any other dog in the strip within the limits of a PG rating and King's (apparently fairly high) embarrasment level.
Now the Miles's family – and the manipulations of the Ferrets – may well be important, but the attempt to allow animals to function in human society is unlikely to be unique – or to be entangled in prophecies.
you people have all truly surprised me with the length of constructive comments you can dish out, I've never seen it anywhere else .
for Once I might have almost nothing to say ,
I must agree on the point of Peta, which is why I offered an alternative in my theory, generally what I'm saying is that he is probably moving towards it somehow, starting with Joel and his confidence in… well… everything… as it was hinted at by Joel that he considers the ASPCA's methods far too slow.
and I agree that sometimes a lie needs to be introduced to help clear things up, I just prefer solutions that present themselves as opposed to ones you introduce that could mess things up… could be that human "I'm Flawed" part of me speaking though .
hahahahaha that was so funny! sorry i dont have an avatar in doing this off a cell fone
Hey, I have to use my phone until I'm back from vacation
I didnt say it was bad, I just thought i wouldnt have an avatar, which somehow i do……
It's with the email, it's universal.
yeah, a few places I post on have this set up, I was kinda surprised to see my avatar stayed universal when I started posting on other comics myself, gonna have to make a mental note of this in case I ever decide to start up a web comic, or know someone that does .
*stares at the new layout* Ooh, Pretty, and with new TWC buttons, YAYYY!
well, at least King is enjoying himself, finally, dispite the awkwardness.
P.S. href=http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/02/27/and-the-finch-and-the-shrew-and-the/ is the first time that Fox was interupted by awkward laughing, for those of you who wanted to know.
P.S.S. This is my real name, Theo. or at least it is on Deviantart, PSN, XBL, and anywere else on the internet. >83 Mwe he hee!
My full name is Theodore Christmas Rollock.
That's right. My middle name is Christmas.
It's on my birth certificate.
Everyone on my mother's side of the family has the last name Christmas. Legally, too.
Ball's in your court, my alias'd friend.
how far back does this extend?? only reason I ask is that it sounds kinda silly hard to imagine a teacher keeping a straight face reading it XD.
Just last update.
Bwa ha ha, he has told me his full name! Now I shall steal his identity, look up his adress, buy thousands of copies of videogames that nobody over the age of three wants (with a credit card in his name), and send them all to his house! BWA HA HA HAAAA!!!
Okay, not really. But several college security classes have taught me to be warry of the internet and the people therein. so I will keep my full name to myself. Besides, BlueAnubis sounds far better than Figgs.
This was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo funny! XD
Poor King tho
makes me wonder, what would fox's reaction be to finding out who King really is? if it ever does happen >.>.
Wait, so Fox's dad is a cop, his best friend is a cop, but he isn't??
right… I think… he might be, but we've only seen him off duty? I presume he has some ties with the military somehow, unless his owner thought it would be silly to have him walking around with a dog tag that was a picture of a fox and opted for something cooler only time will really tell, however he's not saying "one of the guys we caught" as though he was part of the team, so it's probably safe to say that he's not a police dog.
Well, it's not contagious. I have I have friends with the same job that my father had, but that doesn't mean that I do the same thing.
Hol-ee crap, Justice, are your comments ever LONG!!!
LOL, anyways, has anybody ever heard of the comic Dreamland_Chronicles? It uses the same server or hosting service as Housepets now does, so that's why I wasn't all that surprised when Rick switched hosts.
In fact, I'm happy even. Now I can finally use formatting in my comments! (Even tho' it's HTML >.< Why can't it be BBCode?! Much simpler if you ask me…)
I certainly like Fox's outfit and King is just amusing.
This is just a test to see if my Gravatar worked. It's taken from the "awkward laughter" of King.
Ah, I just LOVE furries! ^_^
Nope. How do you use the Gravatar, once you've associated a picture to the account?
Seems like you understand it now
…But no picture's showing up here….
Doh! Nvm, just had to clear my cache.
Almost as embarrassing as when I walked into a gas station/Tim Hortons and asked them where the washroom was. Turns out it was right behind me!
I wonder what Pete is doing. It could be something that makes sure Joel won't get in any more trouble for Pete taking him. Or he could be just watching as King bonds with Fox.
Looks like Fox is gonna have to choke a …..!
Help me squaeaky bone!
lawl xD ooooooh the pricelessness!!
For the fun of speculating, here's a scenario for Joel/King's background:
He's apparently in his 20's or early 30's as a human.
He had pets (presumably friends/quasi-siblings) as a child; his parents treated them, and possibly him, badly enough to make them run away and take him along, whether willingly or unwillingly.
Life on the streets with the now-feral pets did not go well.
The situation only lasted for a week.
Joel may have been returned to his parents, or he might have been placed in foster care.
As for his pets… Ferals have no rights of any kind. They'd gone feral, and had almost certainly been accused of kidnaping, and possibly of injuring, a human child. It doesn't seem at all likely that Joel's parents would have taken responsibility for the mess rather than blaming the pets.
If they were very lucky, they escaped. If they were less lucky, they were caught and impounded – and probably put to sleep; judging by Miles's case; Humans apparently have few compunctions about eliminating dangerous animals.
Worst case? Joel saw one, two, or all three of them die at the hands of his "rescuers". That would at least account for his special concerns about animal rights, animals not getting Miranda warnings, and why he apparently has no pets any longer when one or more of them might well have lasted this long – thanks to the doubled lifespan mentioned in the information thread – otherwise (and ASPCA people usually have pets anyway). It would be nicer if they escaped, and there's a reunion (possibly due to the publicity) sometime – or perhaps meeting some of their kids – but it doesn't seem all that likely.
Joel joined the ASPCA as an adult, but did something that got him kicked out – likely the same thing that got him jailed. This could be as simple as drunken driving, but, since none of the other pets rights organizations would let him join, seems likely to be pet-related.
His "not being OK" with petnaping, and his speech on "righting an injustice" make it seem unlikely that his offense was harming a pet. What else would disqualify him for membership in a pets-rights organization? It might have been assaulting someone who abusing a pet, or an illegal rescue attempt, or some such. Those kinds of offences would certainly get him labeled a loose cannon.
Now that background could account for his being dedicated enough to join any animal-rights group that would take him, for an irrational willingness to follow unwise leadership, for obeying people who shout at him (like his parents), for having a panic attack when the police are arresting him, for his desire to "keep other pets from ending up like his", for having trouble dealing with animals despite wanting to help them, for feelings of bitterness, isolation, and depression, for an extreme emotional reaction when confronted with Fox, for an emotionally troubled response – apparently including crying – to a dog that wants to be friends, and even for his excessive nervousness about any mention of police involvement in his current situation.
Now that's not the happiest possible scenario, but Joel/King isn't an especially happy character.
And that makes it someone else's turn to spin a scenario… Got any nice rosy ones? That one is a bit sad, even if it does fit in with the "it's a wonderful life" theme.
unfortunately I agree with you entirely, and had come to close to the same conclusion as to his past, and while I prefer to Imagine that his old pets hadn't died, it is quite likely… however, I think that anyone would be scared when confronting the dog that threatened to tear you to pieces, wears a leather jacket, dog tags, a biker scarf, and looks to have enough muscle to back up his threats … even if he had a squeaky bone, I'd at least be uneasy for a bit .
I refuse to account his nervousness about police to his past however, he seems logical enough to realize what their jobs are, he just doesn't want to be caught, or alternately found out, believed, and turned in… he is technically an escaped prisoner, which at least doubles whatever sentence he may of gotten… especially considering he was Peta >.>… until he's put back, Pete is only helping 'Joel' look more like a raving lunatic.
I'm amazed that he wasn't the least bit surprised by seeing a Gryphon though. That, at the very least, suggest a past so troubled that seeing one would seem normal to him in his current situation, and after the quick little bit Pete said, he may have been all too willing to have a chance at redemption. the question is simple: is it a chance at redemption, or is he being used again?
I hope it's both personally.
Oh, I suspect that I'd put a lot of it down to pure talk; after all, Fatty tried to smother Fox – which pretty much must have left him within range to be attacked – and came off without a scratch.
A lot of people are nervous about police, but he does seem a bit excessive about it. After all, if he was found out and believed, he's not an escaped prisoner; he's a kidnaped prisoner. If he's not believed, than he's just a silly dog. I suspect he's irrationally nervous based on a very unlikely scenario – being found out, believed, and then having his "case" handled according to whatever procedures there are for dogs.
As for seeing Pete – well, we do know (from the dolphins in the zoo storyline) that Telepathy, and possibly other psychic powers, are known and accepted in the Housepets universe. His initial assumption that "Pete" was a figment might be pretty rational in the setting – or it might easily indicate a seriously troubled past, or both.
So the police have noticed he was gone. I was under the impression they were working with Pete. You know from the size of his room and all. Maybe they are, maybe Fox's owner will know King's secret.
Oh well, I am still hoping he stays a corgi, but has to live with fox and his owner. Kind of like a house arrest or probation.
King sure is having those butterfly effects right about now after hearing Fox's vengeful words and to think they are becoming good friends while in King's canine form!
A few arc back Pete said to King that "I have something I need to do" I wonder what it is?
something's telling me he's going to "help" some of other pets. the Jerk. If not then God and Rick only knows.
I hope that King learns this lesson above all else, "Life is Hard, but worth suffering through."
He's already got the first part down and here I think we can see that he's slowly realizing the second part.
You know, I have a question. Since everyone like webcomic so much, why hasn't this comic voted into the top ten in top world comics?
because you're not clicking that button often enough, CLICK IT MORE!!! you can click once every 16 hours .
I intend to camp it whenever possible
Because the vote buttons only been up for (I think; I didn't make a note of when it went up) four days or so?
As of a few minutes ago, Housepets was up to #79 on the list, with 572 votes. If (and it is a large if) that keeps up, that would imply 3000-4000 votes per month. That would put it comfortably in the top thirty.
Many great leaders have built a golden age upon the bones of their enemies. Personally being a jerk may not make him totally evil. As for King, if it was me being a total asshat jerk then I'd wait till he was really happy with being a pet then put him in a situation where he had to be a human to save someone and having to make the choice of going back to be human (being hated by all and wanted by the police) or remaining a dog (having friends and a good life).
Of course he could just be a normal jerk and is doing this for his own amusement and will get bored at some point and either wander off or change him back.
Years from now, they'll unearth King's private journal, revealing his prior identity as Joel, and they'll make the writings into an Academy Award winning film…
"My Life As A Dog"
Also, in the lst panel, Fox looks like a little kid trying to be tuff….
It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!
I love this comic. But is it just me or does the comments and things not seem to work on Internet Explorer?
I had to swap it into compatibility view, but that seemed to do it. It does tend to vanish otherwise though, at least on my machine.
IE is not internet friendly, and Microsoft is extremely stubborn when it comes to updating it's format, for anythin internet related, I'd honestly sugest using something else… like Firefox … which is also safer .
Yay, NEW LOOK <-Awesome!
My Computer, <-finally recognizing new format…
Can the "previous comments" link be moved above the "New comment" box? It's hidden in the explanation of the markup as it is and I was all "wait a second, this can't be all"…
141st! Wait, that few. What has come over us? Not ODing on commenting!
Hm. It may just be me, but in some of the older strips – such as this one -
with a lot of comments, there seems to be no way to get to the older comments. That particular strip notes 141 comments, of which only 21 show – and there doesn't seem to be any way to get to the rest. It looks like the "previous comments" link is attached to the Comment box – so once comments are closed, there's no link.
Wow…. nice comic today, and well on and off topic at the same time, I noticed the TCW vote button cool.
I sure hope that what ever happens, it is for King's betterment. personally… I do wonder if King goes back to human…. he might be put in the insanity plea.
Though what is this golden age of pets or animals? I must admit that this is all very interesting, either this is one huge dream…. or well… I will just see where Rick takes this, no use speculating when one can show patience and see what the story comes next.
I still think this is the perfect punishment.


text:
The Five Best Commodities of 2012 (CORN, PPLT, SOYB, UGA, WOOD)
Jared Cummans: Another year has come to an end, and another 12-month stretch of frantic commodity trading can go in the books. As is par for the course, this year saw a number of big movers throughout the space, as these assets maintained their reputation for general volatility. This year saw its share of winners and losers, as a number of macroeconomic factors combined to guide the commodity space to the finish line. Below, we outline the five commodities that outperformed their competition in 2012.
- Lumber: Though it does not get the attention it deserves, lumber has been one of the best-performing assets in the past century and lived up to that reputation this year. Lumber futures shot up over 38%. As the housing sector has continued its recovery, lumber has been the beneficiary, especially as the year has drawn to a close. Should the rise of the housing/construction industry continue, lumber could be set for a big 2013.
- Soybeans/Soybean Meal: Soybean meal raked in an impressive 36% on the year while soybean futures gained a respectable 16.7% over the same time period. As was the case for a number of agricultural products, soybean futures and prices soared this summer as a crushing droughtafflicted much of the nation. These will be good commodities to watch in the coming year as weather patterns hopefully return to normal and supply increases.
- Corn: Another major beneficiary of this summer's drought, corn futures rose approximately 15% in 2012. This year will go on record as the hottest in U.S. history, and as the world's largest producers of corn, weather patterns in the states have a major impact on this commodity. Note that corn is one of the most actively-traded contracts of the CME Group exchanges, as its wide use in our daily lives has made it a key holding for many active investors and speculators [see also 50 Ways To Invest In Agriculture].
- Gasoline RBOB: Crude oil may have had a tough time finding its footing this year, but gasoline certainly did not. RBOB futures jumped more than 12% and trading volumes have been surging throughout 2012. These contracts spiked in the summer only to take a hit after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the east coast. The last month of the year, however, has seen positive momentum return to these futures.
- Platinum: Though this precious metal rarely receives the attention that gold and silver do, it had a solid performance for 2012, gaining more than 7%. The biggest news to hit the platinum space this year was the mining strikes in South Africa, by far the biggest producer in the world. As tensions remain, many are calling for platinum to climb higher in 2013.
Have you ever wondered how billionaires continue to get RICHER, while the rest of the world is struggling?
"I study billionaires for a living. To be more specific, I study how these investors generate such huge and consistent profits in the stock markets -- year-in and year-out."
CLICK HERE to get your Free E-Book, "The Little Black Book Of Billionaires Secrets"
Related: CornFund (NYSEARCA:CORN), Platinum ETF (NYSEARCA:PPLT), Soybean ETF (NYSEARCA:SOYB), Gasoline ETF (NYSEARCA:UGA), Timber ETF (NASDAQ:WOOD).
Written By Jared Cummans From CommodityHQ
CommodityHQ offers educational content, analysis, and commentary on global commodity markets. Whether you're looking to speculate on a short-term jump in crude or establish a long-term allocation to natural resources, CommodityHQ has the information you need.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In last week's episode, a single mom gets arrested for domestic violence, but Benson thinks that actions by the mother is by fear and not neglect, and Dr. Lindstrom uncovers the woman's own repressed memories of abuse.
In this week's episode, called "Beast's Obsession", Benson finds herself in trouble again as she falls herself in a situation she might not get out of.
Lewis (guest star Pablo Schrieber) uses his charm and lack of respect to human life to break out of prison.
LT. Murphy (guest star Donal Logue) returns and is taking the lead on the case because Benson is the target and 1PP doesn't want her in the lead.
Lewis ups his game knowing that all of NYPD will be looking for him. He wants Benson and he wants to finish what they have started. He kidnaps a little girl in order to get Benson's attention. He had promised to let the girl live if Benson admits the truth about what she did to him.
As the search for Lewis continues, he starts taking down anyone and everyone that gets in his way. Murphy quickly learns that Lewis is smarter then the average criminal, but he always seems to know how Lewis will act, despite what Benson thinks.
Benson makes a bold move, leaving her protection detail so that she can try and attempt to save the little girl that Lewis has hostage.
The end of the show has quite the twist. As you think that it's going to be the end of Benson's life, it turns out Lewis kills himself but making sure that Benson is close so that she can see the whole thing. He has set up a good ending for the season (which is coming soon) as no one is going to believe that Benson didn't shoot him in cold blood because of her confession of what she did to him.
The show is going to be off the air for a little bit, but will be looking to be coming back soon with the season finale to be aired on May 21st.
To get email alerts for articles you can subscribe to this page or you can follow Kris Duplisea on Twitter at @kaydup2989 or her blog.
What did you think of the show?


text:
Small tip on top of today's post guys, and it's for the enchanters out there. I know cataclysm enchants are selling for below cost right now with only a couple enchants actually being sold for a profit.
Take a look at the +15 stats enchant to chest. It requires 2 lesser celestial essence to craft and sells for 150-200g per. It's an awesome enchant to sell as it's the second best enchant for the chest for almost everyone, the best being +20 to chest, which requires an absurd amount of materials to craft. I've been DE'ing tons of Jewelcrafting materials, and this is an awesome way to get rid of those extra essences that you can't sell.
Also, check out the Hurricane enchants. This does cost a little more to craft, costing 6 heavenly shards & 6 volatile air, but I can manage to sell these enchants around 1,100g per. I'm currently making 4-500g per enchant and they're selling like hotcakes.
That's all for today folks! Make sure to check out the new Trade Skill Manager Addon posted below!
Small tip on top of today's post guys, and it's for the enchanters out there. I know cataclysm enchants are selling for below cost right now with only a couple enchants actually being sold for a profit.
10 comments: on "Cataclysm Enchanting Gold Tip"
Funny, those are exactly the two enchants I made for myself when I didn't want to empty the AH of Maelstrom Crystals to make the top-end ones (and I would have had to empty the AH to do it).
Funny how hurricane isn't selling at all here (only 40g above mats cost) and the heartsong and 2h weap agility sell quicker then you can craft them with 500g+ profits. It all depends on your server. Do a little research and there's always an item you can make crazy profits on.
Vince said... January 17, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Mighty Agility (+130 agi to 2-hand) has been a consistent seller for me too. I've sold a few Avalanche, but I haven't touched Hurricane because the mats and the sell price are right at about equal. I should look into the +15 stats again, thanks!
April said... January 17, 2011 at 4:00 PM
I wish I was on your server. Mighty Stats to chest is always flooded but I usually manage to sell them for about 90g each which is still decent profit. But Hurricane only goes for about 500g.
Anonymous said... January 17, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Guess it varies server to server, +15 stats on my server goes for 40g and hurricane goes for 350g. People here have no idea how to sell so just sell retardedly cheap.
Brett said... January 17, 2011 at 8:08 PM
Stats to chest sells for like 35g on my server, hurricane mats cost as much as the enchant. My server tends to have terrible people that play the AH.
Half the time people are selling everything for less then cost to make.
@Brett and Anonymous#1: to all of us, at times it seems that way. But if you spend a little time researching, you are sure to find things that turn a profit, no matter how badly other things turn out to be.
For instance, see if there is a way to get cheaper mats. Or choose to put up enchants that do sell at above material cost (make a spreadsheet, or download one). Or step outside of enchanting for a bit and sell some vanity items, resell snatched/underpriced items, or just play a toon you haven't played in a while and take a break from the frustration of undercutting wars. :)
There are always options out there. Limiting yourself to a market that seems entirely retarded isn't good for anyone.
Anonymous said... January 18, 2011 at 3:24 AM
Enchant chest major health is a great seller on my server i craft 4 daily and all sell for over 100g each and cost 1 g to craft.
Anonymous said... January 19, 2011 at 12:00 AM
Mighty Agility could be a great seller on my realm if not for the screwed up/backward requirements: (great quote from Wowhead.com)
"What's equally amusing is, that rod which you need 500 enchanting to use, requires 515 to make.
You need 515 enchanting to make a rod that requires 500 to do an enchantment that requires 470.
Whoever coded this stuff was drunk."
Too bad my enchanter is quite a ways from 84 and Twilight Highlands. Hopefully Blizz corrects this flaw. :)
@Anonymous#3 I feel the same way. Trying to find time to get my enchanter to 84 so I can get that rod recipe and those final five points!
With regard to the post: it just goes to show that all realms are different. The chest enchant goes for 40-50g on my realm, and there are always at least two pages of it.
If you prospect / craft / DE for the lesser celestials it will cost you around 25g; to buy them it is around 30g. It's really not much profit, especially considering how much competition there is.
But overall enchanting can be good. Just find that niche market and hold your breath in the hopes that there are people out there who want what you have to offer. And make sure that you are indeed flexible! The enchants mentioned in the post are not a good money-maker on a lot of realms (Hurricane currently shows a loss from crafting to selling); but there are always other options!
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text:
Does getting married help you live longer? It takes more than just a ring on your finger, but couples who tie the knot are more likely to be healthier and live longer.
Celebrate great health! LIKE BlackDoctor.org on Facebook!
New research shows that getting married could lengthen your life for up to 17 years. A study published in The American Journal Of Epidemiology reveals that single men have a 32 percent higher chance of death than married men across a lifetime. That means they could die eight to 17 years before the average married man — of loneliness?
Single women fare a bit better: They have a 23 percent (or about seven to 15 years) lower life expectancy compared to their married peers.
But why? And what about people who are in committed relationships but haven't said "I do"? Or those who are happily single?
Why is marriage so healthy?
Here are three reasons why marriage may make for better health:
- Safer behavior. Risk-taking and substance abuse drop when couples marry — more than if they move in together.
- Socially connected. If you're married, ideally that's your closest relationship. That means there's a partner and close source of support readily available. On the other hand, people who are unhappily alone may run the risk of social isolation. That can lead to depression and neglecting one's health.
- Health helper. Your spouse could help you keep healthy habits. Your spouse is a large force of influence in your own behavior. You have someone to remind you that you shouldn't eat that; that you should have one less drink.
People who are in happy marital relationships are also more likely to follow their doctors' recommendations, research shows.
And long-term relationships…what about those?
Living with your significant other may also have health benefits. The general consensus is that, yes, cohabiting has positive effects, but not to the same degree as marriage.
Much of the research in this area has been done on heterosexual couples. But the experts interviewed for this story didn't see why the benefits of having a partner shouldn't extend to same-sex partnerships.
The love and support, and how this translates into us taking better care of ourselves when we have someone who is invested in our happiness, is immeasurable.
Quality Counts
Just wearing a ring isn't enough. A better marriage may mean better health.


text:
Sour Grapes
I wanted to quickly comment here on something that kind of disturbed me the other day:
Just recently, the Minnesota Twins organization released a statement saying how they are going to improve Target Field by adding a right field scoreboard and a cool LED tower thingy…
Basically, the organization is telling fans that they are going to continue to try and provide the best fan experience in major league baseball
However, just a day later, Twins 1B Justin Morneau complains that the Twins are not going to move in the fences. Talk about your sour grapes. Though I understand Morneau's thinking to an extent (as HR's were very difficult to come by in 2010), that is not his decision to make, or even comment on.
The Twins set up Justin for life with a huge contract, and (since that point) have seen him miss significant time due to injuries. Now, by no means am I saying that Morneau is faking his injuries (concussion) or anything like that, but after missing an entire half a season, it isn't his prerogative to get whiny about the executive decisions (sometimes life sucks and you need to just man up and keep your mouth shut).
Plus, if I were a Twins pitcher reading that article, I'd be feeling a little miffed right now too. The Twins had the best home record in the AL last season, I believe, and now Morneau wants to change the fences for what would primarily be a personal gain? That wouldn't fly with me.
None of this is to say that I have completely soured on Morneau, but these are the little flashes that we get into people's character that competitive sports often bring out.


text:
About IWMI
Featured Publication
- Improving water management in Myanmar's Dry Zone for food security, livelihoods and health
This research study was initiated as part of the project: Sustainable management of water to improve food security and livelihoods in the Dry Zone of Myanmar.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a non-profit, scientific research organization focusing on the sustainable use of water and land resources in developing countries. It is headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with regional offices across Asia and Africa. IWMI works in partnership with governments, civil society and the private sector to develop scalable agricultural water management solutions that have a real impact on poverty reduction, food security and ecosystem health. IWMI is a member of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future.
IWMI's Mission is to provide evidence-based solutions to sustainably manage water and land resources for food security, people's livelihoods and the environment.
IWMI's Vision, as reflected in the Strategy 2014-2018, is 'a water-secure world'. IWMI targets water and land management challenges faced by poor communities in the developing countries, and through this contributes towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of reducing poverty and hunger, and maintaining a sustainable environment. These are also the goals of CGIAR.
IWMI works through collaborative research with many partners in the North and South, and targets policymakers, development agencies, individual farmers and private sector organizations.
Read more about IWMI's achievements as it celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015
- A Strategy and Results Framework for CGIAR
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CGIAR is a global research partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for sustainable development. CGIAR research is dedicated to reducing rural poverty, increasing food security, improving human health and nutrition, and ensuring more sustainable management of natural resources. It is carried out by the 15 centers who are members of the CGIAR Consortium in close collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector. www.cgiar.org
- Who We Are
- Capability Statement
- From the Director General
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- IWMI Strategy 2014–2018
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Spring into a whole new wardrobe of wearable essentials – like pastels and patterns
that add panache, sleek silhouettes leggings, plus classic styles you'll wonder how
you ever lived without – all designed to fit, flatter and flaunt this season and beyond.
share the collection:
adding styles all season - so check back.
©2013 NYDJ Apparel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Our slimmest legging style yet, in a jungle-inspired pattern
that adds all the more appeal. Slip on this fun-to-wear pair
with your favorite pump and watch out, world.
share this look:
*arriving early April
A slimming classic that goes with everything, a great
black jean is one you'll reach for again and again. The
curve-accentuating cut only adds to its timeless appeal.
Our universally flattering jeans
have met their match: easy to
wear and cute as can be tops,
new from NYDJ.
Here, our Georgette Colorblock
Tunic (arriving in April).
chevy blue
optic white
bright watermelon
butter cream
Our ankle-skimming Alisha has spring fever. Soft wash
denim in a rainbow of sherbet shades and jewelbox hues
make it easy to add a pop of color every day.
This popular cut comes in a gradient of modern denim
washes, from fab faded Huntington Beach to deep Dark
Enzyme. Being blue never felt (or looked) so good.
*arriving late march
By popular demand, we've
created a new line of tops to
make every outfit head-to-toe
Here, our Colorblock Raglan Tee
in Tangerine.
huntington beach
dark enzyme
It just wouldn't be spring without flowers in bloom.
We're bringing the season's beautiful blossoms to our
most popular style for a look that's simply lovely.
sterling grey
Zippers along the pockets and at the ankle make an
edgy statement. In earthy rosemary twill, the
fashion-forward Angelina Legging is a super-stylish
take on our skinny silhouette.
With just the right amount of flare, this modern
narrow bootcut fits and flatters all figures.
Long-legged lines are a classic way to show off
your curves.
dark indigo
seal beach
Long, lean and fitted with just the right amount of
edge. The Jill ankle-zip is a versatile style that
easily transitions from a Saturday coffee run to
Girl's Night Out.
Brand new and oh so you, our
fresh collection of fun-to-wear
shirting launches this spring.
Here, our Ombre Top in Crystal Blue
(arriving in April).
cadet blue
Our Sheri skinny is the right way to wear white.
Comfort is key with this fabulously flattering, slim-leg
style in light, move-with-you denim.
barely pink
jade stone
NYDJ's feminine version of the boyfriend jean, the
Tanya comes in a cuffed cut that's urban, modern
and oh-so cool. Our new Modesto wash makes it
even easier to love.
New for spring, NYDJ signature
tops pair perfectly with our
cult-classic denim.
Here, our perfect Stripe Jersey Tee
santa barbara
You asked for it, so we delivered perfect pieces to pair with our fan-favorite
jeans. Casual-chic, day-to-night, designed with your style in mind – we're
loving our brand new collection of NYDJ tops and we think you will, too.
Here, our Georgette Blouse in Cayenne


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All, I have a string from which I want to extract a substring. The thing is that the starting position is stored in variable. AWK Doesn't seem to recognize the variable.
Here is the code
str="This is a test"
i=$(awk -v a="$str" -v b="$s1" 'BEGIN{print index(a,b)}')
echo "$str" | awk '{print substr($0,$i)}'
But this doesn't work. How do coerce awk to recognize
i ?


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Animal Admissions
Lollypop Farm is an open-admission shelter, and we accept all animals that come through our doors. We understand that sometimes it may be necessary to give up a pet, and we will do our very best to place yours into a new home. However, we strongly suggest that you use us as a last resort.
On this page:
Thinking About Giving Up Your Pet?
Before you decide to give up your pet, please make sure you are aware of all the possible solutions to the problems you may be experiencing:
If your pet has a behavioral issue, please contact our free Pet Peeves Behavior Helpline at 585-295-2999 or check our helpful behavior tips.
If your landlord doesn't allow pets, please check our Pets Are Welcome list of housing that accepts pets.
If you cannot afford to spay or neuter your pet(s), please consider our Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP). We can assist you with the cost of surgery.
If you or a family member is pregnant, read our information on Preparing Your Pet for Baby's Arrival (PDF).
Rehoming Your Pet on Your Own
If you decide to give up your pet and find a home for him yourself, please read the following tips:
Talk to friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, and your veterinarian, as they may know someone who might be interested in taking your pet.
Submit your pet to our free re-homing courtesy listing.
Place an ad in your local paper or on Petfinder.com or Craigslist.com. These tips can help you ensure the safety of your pet.
Visit Bugsy's Animal Network to find area organizations that may be able to take your pet.
Having Your Pet Euthanized for Health or Age Issues
If your pet is suffering from health- or age-related issues and you would like to have him euthanized, please contact your veterinarian. If you cannot afford your vet's fees, Lollypop Farm staff can perform this service. Please be advised you will not be able to be present with your pet during euthanasia. We ask for a donation of $50 to help us with the cost of the service. If you can't afford the fee, we may be able to offer you a reduced rate. Please call (585) 223-1330 x275 to make an appointment. We also accept walk-in requests, but we prefer that you attempt to make an appointment. We also offer cremation services.
Surrendering Your Pet to Lollypop Farm
PLEASE BE CERTAIN THAT YOUR DECISION TO TURN YOUR PET IN TO THE SHELTER IS YOUR FINAL DECISION. We are unable to answer your inquiries after you leave a pet with us, so please do not contact us for this reason. If you have any doubts about surrendering your pet(s) to us, please DO NOT do so.
NOTE: Leaving your pet at Lollypop Farm without having a staff person admit him to the shelter is considered abandonment. In New York State, this offense is a misdemeanor with a potential penalty of up to one year in jail and/or a fine of $1,000.


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Jun 4, 2012 8:20 AM
We may not be kids anymore, but we still love wearing headbands. But our friends say that the thick fabric-wrapped ones make us look like schoolgirls.
What do they know? Since we care about their opinions, we have opted for the Banana Republic Flower Brooch Headband ($25). It is much more mature and far more sophisticated than those plastic things we constantly grab from the drugstore, and we admit that this turquoise-embellished piece looks better than (and outperforms) our four-year-old sweat-stained headbands. But that doesn't mean we'll give up our old faithfuls entirely. We have to pull our hair back with something while we do our homework wash the dog.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
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Station 42020 - CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - 60NM SSE of Corpus Christi, TX
Owned and maintained by National Data Buoy Center
Latest NWS Marine Forecast 1 and Latest NWS Marine Forecast 2
Meteorological Observations from Nearby Stations and Ships
No Current Reports
Links which are specific to this station are listed below:
Some data files have been compressed with the GNU gzip routine. If you do not have gzip, you may retrieve gzip sources and executables from this server.
The weekly status report and the weekly maintenance report also provide valuable station information.
Note that the payload types and the station locations occasionally change.


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Flames Drop Heartbreaker To Memphis, 3-2
Sept. 14, 2012
Four Flames members posted kills in the double digits. Among them, seniors Kelsey Safranek (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) and Janise Dismuke (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) with 14 and 12, respectively. Sophomore Molly McCoy (St. Charles, Ill./Wheaton Academy) with 11 and senior Aubrey Sniegowski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont Township) with 10.
After dropping the first set 25-20 to the Tigers, UIC rallied back in the second set as the team gained an early 10-4 lead over Memphis. It was a lead that the Tigers were unable to overcome, and resulted in a 25-20 victory for UIC to tie the match at 1-1.
Moving into the third set, UIC and Memphis battled back and forth through the early portion of the game. The teams then tied the score at 12, before UIC pulled away to outscore the Tigers 9-3 for a hefty 21-15 lead. The Flames compiled a .423 hitting percentage to lift them to victory.
Despite leading the match 2-1, the Tigers battled back by taking the fourth set 25-20 to even the score at 2-2. From there, Memphis clinched the match in a 15-7 outcome in the deciding set.


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Barbra Streisand criticizes treatment of Israeli women
Published: Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 11:08 a.m.
JERUSALEM — Entertainer Barbra Streisand waded into one of Israel's touchiest issues Monday on the first major stop of her tour of the country — Jewish religious practices that separate men and women.
Speaking at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Monday, where she received an honorary doctorate, she took aim at cases of ultra-Orthodox Jews targeting women, even as she warmly praised the country.
"I realize it's not easy to fully grasp the dynamics of what happens in a foreign land," she said.
But "it's distressing to read about women in Israel being forced to sit in the back of the bus or when we hear about 'Women of the Wall' having metal chairs thrown at them when they attempt to peacefully and legally pray."
She was referring to isolated incidents in which ultra-Orthodox men tried to force women to sit separately at the rear of buses that go through their neighborhoods, as well as more serious clashes in which ultra-Orthodox Jews tried to prevent women donning prayer shawls and carrying Torah scrolls from praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the holiest site where Jews can worship.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Comments are currently unavailable on this article


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($50.00 Value)
Ideal for relieving stress and tension, AHAVA?s Foot Indulgence brings some TLC to where you need it most, your feet. Made with 21 essential Dead Sea minerals and soothing natural extracts, AHAVA?s award winning Mineral Foot Cream hydrates rough, dry feet, while AHAVA 100% Dead Sea Bath Crystals soothe skin and provide essential moisture. Deluxe Warming Socks offer the ultimate in relaxation and treat tired feet with the benefits of Lavender.
Approved for Sensitive Skin, Dermatologically Tested, Allergy Tested.
Foot Indulgence Set Contains:
Mineral Foot Cream (3.4 oz/100 ml)
Dead Sea Bath Crystals (250 g)
AHAVA?s Deluxe Warming Socks
Disclaimer: Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer's discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, please refer to the product packaging.
If you need any help for applying these offers or any other issue please call us toll-free at 1-866-830-6161.
Gift with Purchase: FREE AHAVA Gift Set with the purchase of AHAVA products. Some restrictions apply. See details �
Gift with Purchase: FREE AHAVA Gift Set with the purchase of AHAVA products. Some restrictions apply. See details �


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Karina Veras was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At the age of 8, her family moved from Santo Domingo to New York City. Karina earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Fordham University in New York, and a master's in international affairs from the Johns Hopkins Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
Growing up in New York City motivated Karina to pursue a career in international affairs where she could learn about other cultures and strengthen relations between the United States and its partners. With the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship Karina learned more about the State Department through internships at the U.S. Mission to the Organization of the American States and the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. She joined the Foreign Service in July 2011 and shortly after began her current assignment as an economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City where she follows issues such as competition, investment, and tourism. In her one year in the Economic Section, Karina has worked a number of visits, including Vice President Biden's visit to Mexico City. Karina's informative reporting on the tourism sectors in both the United States and Mexico helped bring high-level U.S. participation at the G20's Tourism Ministerial in Merida.


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- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 500 g premium minced beef
- 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 500g pasta sauce
- 2 tsp dried italian herbs
- 1 tbsp parsley
- Basil – 1 tbsp dried basil or 5 – 6 fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 carrots (grated)
- Broccoli (chopped)
- ¾ cup frozen peas and corn
- Fresh spaghetti pasta (find the recipe for fresh pasta here!)
- 3 eggs
- 150g grated Edam
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.Cook your fresh spaghetti in boiling water until al dente (grab an oldie
for some help).Then drain it and set
aside to use later.Fresh pasta cooks
really quickly so it should only need to cook for 3 – 4 minutes.If you decide to use dry pasta for this
recipe, it will need to cook for about 10 minutes.
2.Put your garlic, onion
and mince into a heated pan with a little oil and brown the mince.
3.Add tomatoes, pasta
sauce, herbs and veges to mince – stir together and leave to simmer for 10 – 15
4.While your Bolognese is
simmering away, start getting your nests ready.Spray some jumbo muffin tins with a light spray of oil.Then, grab a fork and twirl some of your
cooked spaghetti around it until you have a bundle of spaghetti.Place your spaghetti bundle into one muffin
hole, and repeat until you have four spaghetti bundles in your muffin tin.
5.Beat your eggs together
and pour equal amounts of your beaten eggs over each of your spaghetti
bundles.The egg will help hold your
pasta together and set your spaghetti nest.
6.Once your Bolognese
sauce has simmered until it has thickened slightly and the veges has softened,
put a large spoonful of your sauce on top of each spaghetti nest.Top with grated cheese.
7.Bake in the oven for 15
minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted.Serve with salad on the side.
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Ok, so I have a user who we've just deployed a machine for.
He can work for about 30 minutes, and then his screens just go blank. Like, nothing from the computer registers. No freezing, no blue screen, no anything. Nothing in the error log, no kernel dumps, nothing. Computer can be immediately restarted and has no problems - screens come up, Windows runs, everything is happy. For about a half hour.
I checked out his temperatures, they're like 30C, so it isn't that. I was thinking it might be a power supply, or video card issue.
Does anyone have any suggestions or insight about what can cause screens to go dark after 30 minutes? Note, the computer is still on when this happens.


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Where we saw it: Anna Sui (shown here), Carolina Herrera, Narciso Rodriguez, Peter Som
The scoop: Extravagant volume has dominated the runways in recent seasons, so it was refreshing to see a selection of straight, minimalist stylings on many fall runways. Make no mistake, sleek hair doesn't have to be boring. To create the understated hair seen at the Carolina Herrera show, hairstylist Orlando Pita worked Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream through the models' damp hair, blow-dried it straight, created a side part, and tucked the face-framing pieces behind the ears. "The idea is to keep the hair fresh and natural, but very well-groomed," he said.


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B8561-001: Entrepreneurial Law for Start-Ups: Planning for Success
T - B Term, 02:15PM to 05:30PM
Location: WJW 208
Instructor: David Haber
Thinking about founding the next
great start-up? Do you have the
knowledge and experience to avoid making a mess of the core legal matters? Great!
No need for this class! However,
if you're looking to develop an understanding of the legal issues involved in starting
an entrepreneurial venture with a focus on areas often overlooked or
misunderstood by first-time founders, this course is for you! A subtitle for the course could also be "how
to protect your earliest assets and avoid paying your lawyer a large sum to
clean-up a mess". The course is taught by a professor with over 15 years legal
experience focused on early-stage technology companies (in Silicon Valley and
New York) and who has taught venture capital and angel finance at Columbia
Business School since 2006.
During the course, we will
explore key areas including: legal structure and choice of entity, including
tax implications thereof; corporate maintenance, governance and fiduciary
duties; capitalization and dilution; capital raising and the related securities
laws and regulations (including the impact of the recently enacted JOBS Act);
founder relationship issues including responsibility allocation and stockholder
agreements; employee and consultant engagement; equity compensation and related
valuation and tax issues; intellectual property protection and prosecution; licensing
agreements and indemnification obligations.
David Haber
David Haber was a Columbia Business School faculty member from 2006 to 2016.


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The Shure ULXD24B58 Digital Beta 58A Handheld Wireless Microphone System offers incredible audio clarity and performance, featuring what many consider to be the ultimate live vocal mic, the Beta 58A. Experience articulate vocal performance like never before heard in a wireless mic system. Advanced rechargeability options eliminate the need for disposable batteries while extending usage times and life cycle.
Shure ULXD4 Digital Wireless Receiver
The Shure ULXD4 is a half-rack, networkable wireless receiver for use with ULX-D Digital Wireless Systems. With an expansive set of professional features, including 24-bit/48 kHz digital audio quality, efficient and intelligent RF performance, and AES 256-bit encryption, ULX Digital offers uncompromising wireless tailored for professional sound reinforcement.
Shure ULXD2 Handheld Wireless Transmitter
The Shure ULXD2 wireless transmitter included in the Shure ULXD24B58 digital wireless mic system features the Beta 58A capsule for optimum performance for live use. With a rugged yet lightweight aluminum body and integrated antenna, the ULXD2 delivers uncompromising audio quality and RF performance, AES 256-bit encryption for secure transmission, and advanced rechargeability options for professional sound reinforcement applications.
Uncompromising Professional Digital Wireless


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losing baby weight?
I had my daughter 3months ago and I cannot seem to lose the weight! I have lost some of the weight, but not nearly as much as I'd like to. I was watching this online show called MOM LIFE and they had an episode about Post Baby Body and how to shed the pounds. They gave some really good tips including walking with the stroller for 20 minutes a day. Anyone have any other good tips?
Keep taking vitamins, pre-natals until the Rx is gone, then any multivitamin. Drink lots of water. If you are nursing, that will help. Lack of sleep actually makes you keep the weight on, so if your baby is up in the night, you'll have to be extra patient with yourself, too.


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STARKVILLE, Miss.– For a year of great success on the course and in the classroom, Ally McDonald of the Mississippi State women's golf team was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Women's At-Large Team District 6 on Thursday.
Selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, the Capital One teams reward the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the classroom and in their respective sports.
"Another honor for Ally [McDonald]," fourth-year head coach Ginger Brown-Lemm said. "The dedication she has for balancing academics and athletics is tremendous to be able to have the success she has in both. We are thrilled the College Sports Information Directors of America have recognized her in this way."
The All-SEC selection McDonald currently boasts the lowest single-season season stroke average in school history at 71.74, while holding a 3.58 grade point average in her studies. McDonald has impressed in her third season at MSU by claiming five top-5 and eight top-10 finishes on the year, including the tournament championship in the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational back in the fall.
McDonald has been named to the Women's Golf Coaches Association Academic All-American teams in both seasons for the Maroon and White, while also being selected to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll last campaign.
Later this month, first-team Academic All-District honorees will advance to the Capital One Academic All-America Team ballot to be selected to the first-, second-, and third-team All-America squads.
McDonald and the Bulldogs will tee off in the NCAA Championships on May 20-23 in Tulsa, Okla., at Tulsa Country Club.
Stay updated on Mississippi State women's golf through the team's Twitter account, @HailStateWG, and Facebook page, facebook.com/HailStateWG.
- HailState.com -


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Jul 14, 2009 12:18 PM
Remember our crush for Orange Crush? We have a tiny confession to make. As much as we love the good vibration…we sometimes feel like we're reverting to junior high when we're imbibing in the HFC sodas. We're now ready to make a totally mature upgrade (at least in public) with Izze's Clementine Soda ($10)! Soo yummy. Made with natural flavors and sparkling water, Izze's soda's come in amazingly fresh fruit flavors. This not-too-sugary-sweet beverage is an "adult" version of soda and won't leave people wondering if you're gonna bust out your jelly sandals next.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
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When trying to make a slasher film that takes on the genre from a "different angle" or "takes it to the next level," the worst thing that those making it could do would be to make one that's just like all the other forgettable entries in the genre. In their attempt to do something different, that's exactly what director Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett have done with "You're Next." The basic premise of their film involves a family reunion of sorts as siblings and their boy/girlfriends come together at their parents' house. Some of them clearly don't get along, but that hardly matters when things go terribly wrong. They suddenly find themselves under attack from a group of maniacs that try to pick them off one by one, leading our characters to fend for themselves with whatever means they can.
This is another one of those films where it's futile to put down any of the characters names (or their corresponding actors/actresses) because they hardly matter at all in the scheme of things. Then again, that's something that applies even to the best of films in the slasher genre, but it just happens to apply even more to the bad ones. When people watch a film of this sort, they're not looking for character development or Oscar-winning performances, but rather for thrills, chills, and enough plot to have them guessing as to the final outcome. It may leave you guessing, but sadly the thrills and chills are somewhat scarce throughout this brief 90-minute bloodbath.
The reason behind the attack is revealed about halfway through the film. I won't reveal it here, but I will mention that it's a rather disappointing "plot twist" (if you even want to call it that). The main thing it has going for it up to that point is the mystery of why these masked psychos are trying to kill everyone in this isolated house, but as soon as that reason is unmasked, things go downhill pretty quick, turning this into nothing that we haven't already seen before. As a home invasion film, it's somewhat reminiscent of "The Strangers," but the reason that film worked so well was because the filmmakers didn't feel the need to provide an explanation, making it all the more creepy. It just goes to show that sometimes having no explanation is better than trying to think of something clever. That's not saying that's what they should have done here, but they should have at least found a better spin on the material than what we're eventually given.
Indeed, it's hard to think of something new to do with this genre, and certainly not every slasher can be as smart as "The Cabin in the Woods" or "Scream," but if they weren't going to at least try something new (or at least come up with a better mid-way reveal), then why bother at all? Even "bad" slasher movies can be fun if done in an entertaining fashion (the "Friday the 13th" franchise is clear evidence of that), but "You're Next" doesn't go that route because the filmmakers mistakenly think they're being clever with this bland tale.
Instead, we're treated to the same tiresome bits we've seen many times before, including the standard characters of sub-human intelligence who've obviously never seen a single horror movie in their lives or have a single wit of intelligence about them and the lone survivor who actually does. Of course, it helps when they've grown up on a survivalist compound (no, I'm not joking. That's the character's actual background). Sadly, what we're left with is a pretty forgettable film. It would have been nice had they elevated it in some way as they clearly stated was their intent, but with nothing here to differentiate it from the rest of its lower-class slasher brethren, there's not much of a reason to bother with it.
"You're Next" comes to Blu-ray in a 2.35:1, 1080p transfer of decent quality. This is a pretty dark film for the most part, but the picture doesn't suffer for it, staying crisp and clear throughout the entire presentation. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is very soft, so you'll have to turn it up quite a bit to hear the dialogue, but this is another one where you'll have to be cautious while doing it because of the few jump scares featured throughout the film, which are very loud. Aside from that, the audio is satisfactory, leading to a good experience overall.
Special Features:
No Ordinary Home Invasion: The Making of You're Next: A pretty good look behind the scenes, featuring interviews with the cast and crew discussing various elements of the project. It's not incredibly in-depth, but it does provide several tidbits of interesting information. Worth a watch.
Audio Commentary with Director Adam Wingard and Writer Simon Barrett: A track featuring the director and writer discussing such things as how the project came to be and how it changed from the original script. They get a little distracted at certain points, but overall it's a decent commentary.
Audio Commentary with Director Adam Wingard, Writer Simon Barrett, and Actors Sharni Vinson and Barbara Crampton: This second track features the director, writer, and two of the actors discussing far-less interesting parts of the film, leading to a commentary that's not particularly worth listening to. You're much better off with the director and writer's solo track.
Despite the decent quality and a pair of worthwhile extras, the film is simply not recommendable, and that makes all the difference. Instead of taking this chance to do something original with the slasher/home invasion genre, Wingard and Barrett have opted to retread familiar territory with their gorefest. It may be acceptable to those who aren't looking for anything more than that, but if you were hoping for something different, you're not going to find it here.
Score: 2.5/5
Available on Blu-ray and DVD starting tomorrow.
Recent Blu-ray/DVD releases: Star Trek: Enterprise - Season Three, Thanks for Sharing, Insidious: Chapter 2, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Elysium, The Hunt, Touchy Feely, The Rooftop, Drinking Buddies, Inpractical Jokers: Season One, Planes, Paranoia, The To Do List, Blackfish
Now playing in theaters: August: Osage County, Lone Survivor, The Wolf of Wall Street, Her, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Inside Llewyn Davis, American Hustle, Saving Mr. Banks, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Dallas Buyers Club
Also be sure to check out my lists of the Best and Worst Films of 2013.
Follow me on Twitter @BeckFilmCritic.


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Ayden Collard Festival Art Show
The 7th Annual Ayden Art Show will be a feature of the Ayden Collard Festival in September 2015. Artists are invited to enter their artwork. Art submission is August 30th and 31st. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy this free indoor art show. Art is displayed September 4th and September 8th – 13th.
Collard Festival Art Show Press Release
The 7th Annual Ayden Art Show will be a feature of the Ayden Collard Festival in September. Eastern North Carolina artists are invited to enter their artwork. Categories include painting, sculpture, jewelry, graphic art, and photography.
Entry fees are $5 for one piece, $10 for two, and $15 for three pieces. Prizes will be awarded for First, Second, and Third place in each category, plus Best-in-Show and Viewer's Choice. Entries need to be submitted to the Ayden Community Building, 548 Second St., Ayden NC on Sunday, August 30th, from 2pm to 5pm and Monday, August 31st, from 9am until 12pm and 4pm until 8pm.
The public is invited to view the artwork and vote for your favorite creation during the Ayden Collard Festival at the Ayden Community Building. Groups are welcome and should contact The Ayden Art Show members below for days and hours.