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Director: Michael Katleman
Cast: Dominic Purcell, Brooke Langton, Orlando Jones, Jürgen Prochnow, Gideon Emery, Gabriel Malema, Dumisani Mbebe
MPAA Rating: (for strong graphic violence, brutality, terror and language)
Running Time: 1:33
Release Date: 1/12/07
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Review by Mark Dujsik
Primeval is a silly, silly movie that takes itself way too seriously. There've been a good number of recent mainstream movies dealing with the atrocities going on basically ignored in Africa, and that mass exposure is a good thing. Here, though, is the downside—a movie that diminishes the subject to pulp entertainment. I don't know if the filmmakers of Primeval should be commended or condemned for somehow managing to fit the horrors man can do to each other within the confines of a creature feature. Because when I think of the misery in Africa, my mind immediately veers to big, killer crocodiles. The movie boasts that it is inspired by a true story. Yes, there is a giant, man-eating crocodile named Gustave that reportedly still prowls Lake Tanganyika in Burundi, and yes, there was a civil war in that country. The promotional material for the movie also says that it is the story of "the most prolific serial killer in history," and that's misleading anthropomorphizing if I ever heard it. It's a giant crocodile. It's a predator; it eats. Semantics aside, the tone of Primeval is too somber; it's almost as if they forgot this is a movie about an oversized crocodile.
A researcher working with the UN in Burundi discovers one mass grave, thinks she's found another one, but ends up chow for Gustave. In the States, Tim Manfrey (Dominic Purcell), a TV journalist, has become headline news himself when it turns out a scathing report about a US Senator was made using cooked evidence. His boss uses the incident as leverage to get him to accompany Aviva (Brooke Langton), a reporter looking to make a name for herself, to Burundi to capture Gustave—and not just on film. Joining the two is Steven (Orlando Jones), Tim's cameraman, and upon arriving, they are further joined by hunter Jacob Krieg (Jürgen Prochnow, who sadly appears to do just about anything for a paycheck these days) and television conservationist/crocodile hunter Matthew Collins (Gideon Emery). The team's contact in Burundi, who likes to be known to Westerners as Harry (Dumisani Mbebe), assigns a couple of army guards to accompany them, as their path to the croc takes them through a war zone where rebels under the leadership of the mysterious "Little Gustave" kill indiscriminately in spite of a cease fire agreement.
In a very problematic, very odd movie, perhaps the most problematic and oddest material revolves around the portrayal of African conflict. Here's a movie with a pair of morals, both flat-out stated by characters on screen and ruined by the movie's end. One lesson tells us that Gustave's attacks are the result of the killing in the area—the blood by the river attracts the crocodile. "We make our own monsters," Tim solemnly intones, and while it's an interesting theory, do we really need the characters here waxing philosophical? And what's the point of making the argument when the coda at the end tells us Gustave continues his rampage even after a more official cease fire? The other message is one we've heard many times before in films with better intentions than this one. Basically, people ignore the trouble in Africa. The hypocrisy of that moral in the context of the movie is that screenwriters John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris and director Michael Katleman are exploiting the tragedy for derivative means. Take the portrayal of the execution of a local shaman by Hutu rebels. The man is beheaded, and there's a cut to the severed head followed by the open wound left dropping into the background.
It's a completely unnecessary shot, but the movie as a whole would have benefited by eliminating the questionable—and self-righteous—pandering of the secondary story. The plot and action involving the crocodile peculiarly plays second fiddle most of the time, but even it is lacking. The creature itself is poorly rendered, meaning most of its scenes take place at night, preferably in the rain, and even more troubling is the lack of giddy guilty pleasure to accompany these scenes. Gustave saves Aviva from an attempted rape (More exploitation? You bet.), Krieg reveals a personal vendetta against the croc for killing his wife, and Steven is chased in unintentionally hilarious slow motion by the giant. One scene comes close to campy fun, as the croc hunter runs across a wooden pier, Gustave skipping over the boards just behind him, but this is one of the many dark, rainy moments. The screenplay gets a lot wrong, but there's one infuriating detail that sucks the little logic completely out of the movie. Early on, an electronic tracking device is shot on Gustave, but despite the fact that the device emits a more frequent beeping whenever it gets closer, the crocodile still manages to sneak up on them—repeatedly.
In the process of taking notes, I tried to mark down the occasions in which this lazy oversight happens, but it just got redundant. The movie does, too, and by the time the movie reveals why that incredibly useful but rarely used tracking device was placed on the croc and someone's head pops in its jaws, Primeval has clumsily transitioned from a silly movie to a downright weird one.
Copyright © 2007 by Mark Dujsik. All rights reserved.


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Ravens' John Harbaugh Lists Baltimore House for Sale
With this year's NFL free-agency period entering its twilight, John Harbaugh has turned his attention to a bit of housecleaning away from the field. Specifically, the Baltimore Ravens head coach is selling his home in Reisterstown, MD.
Harbaugh is asking $2.1 million for the custom stone and brick home approximately 25 minutes north of M&T Bank Stadium. He was just a few months removed from being named head coach of the Ravens when he paid $2.34 million for the two-acre property in May 2008.
Built in 2007, the suburban offering features a comfortable floor plan of 6,500 square feet, with six bedrooms, five full bathrooms and a pair of half baths. Interior details include extensive millwork, reclaimed hardwood flooring and beautiful beamed ceilings.
A gourmet country kitchen has custom cabinetry, a large center island and a butler's pantry. A downstairs man cave sports a full kitchen and bar. A master suite fit for a Super Bowl champion comes complete with two fireplaces, a soaking tub and ample closet space.
Outside, mature trees provide the perfect cover for a large patio area, fire pit and a small pond.
With the listing, Harbaugh is now the third NFL head coach to list his home this year. In January, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton put his Westlake, TX, estate on the market for $3.45 million. Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman also has a property up for sale, having listed his Winnetka, IL, mansion with the Bulls-themed sports court in March for $3.495 million.
Harbaugh, 51, has been nothing short of impressive during his time in Baltimore. In his first six seasons with the team, he has compiled a record of 62-34 while making the playoffs five times, including a Super Bowl victory over his brother, San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, in 2012.
Sally Byrne of Prudential Homesale Realty has the listing.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wow! Just Wow! That's all I can say to describe how great SQL Saturday 86 was on November 5th in Tampa, FL . I got so much positive feedback from every attendee, speaker and sponsor. Food was great, sessions were amazing, speakers were first class! I have to say thanks to everyone for attending, speaking, sponsoring and helping out with these great event put together by the Tampa Bay Business Intelligence User Group officers and volunteers.
Organizing Committee & Volunteers
I cannot take personal credit for this event. It was truly a team effort. Somewhere I read that in order to be successful you need to surround yourself with talented & driven individuals that are committed to your same goals. Maybe I'm paraphrasing or simply making that up, but this has proven to work with running our local Tampa Bay Business Intelligence User Group and the SQL Saturday #86 BI Edition event.
The organizing committee was made up by:
The volunteers that participated in our event included:
Our speakers were world class speakers to say the least. The speaker roster included Microsoft MVPs, field engineers and evangelists and other professionals that committed their time and paid for their own travel to support our event. We had just a few speakers that cancelled for personal, health or work-related conflicts. We still want to express our appreciation to them for willing to support our event as well. Thankfully, we managed to secure alternate speakers who did a great job even though it was last minute. Thank your SQL Saturday #86 Speakers!
Our sponsors made our event a quality and epic event by sponsoring with cash, items and swag to giveaway. Thanks to them we were able to sponsor great Cuban food from LATAM restaurant, coffee and donuts throughout the day, swag and raffle prizes and provide our speakers with a thank you dinner.
To all our sponsors thank you for supporting our SQL Server and Business Intelligence Community!
Panel of Experts
In this event I decided to put together a panel of experts to discuss several topics relating to SQL Server and Business Intelligence as well as a discussion of what's new in the upcoming release of SQL Server 2012. The Panel of Experts took place at LATAM restaurant right after lunch. Our panel of experts included:
We invited our sponsors to briefly talk about their products and services and prizes they were giving away during the event. Following our sponsors I decided to recognize Andy Warren, MVP and PASS (Website) Board of Directors, for his contributions to the SQL Server community, SQL Saturday creation and 100 SQL Saturday milestone.
BI BootCamp pre-conference
Along with our free SQL Saturday #86 event we hosted a paid pre-conference titled "BI BootCamp" presented by SQL Server MVP and SSAS Maestro Instructor Adam Jorgensen. We exceeded our goal with 33 attendees paid attendees, all of which gave very positive feedback of Adam's presentation. I did a star appearance, helping Adam present a section on SSRS Reports using OLAP cubes as a source.
Thanks to Mike Wells for (Twitter | LinkedIn | Blog) for taking pictures throughout the event. You can see more event pictures at:


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Watch monthly live webcast - Like us on Facebook - Subscribe on YouTube
Creation in the 21st Century
Creation in the 21st Century is a weekly television show on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) aimed at presenting evidence for creation and refuting the false claims of evolutionism. The show is hosted by David Rives, president of David Rives Ministries.
The program airs every Wednesday at 11am Central (9 Pacific) on TBN.
In July 2013, Dr. Paul Crouch and Matthew Crouch of TBN interviewed David Rives on a Behind the Scenes special about the launch of the show.
The host, Rives, interviews top scientists from leading creation organizations including Institute for Creation Research and Answers in Genesis. The 30 minute programs, according to the show's website, aim to get viewers to "…look objectively upon what we see around us, as scientific facts reveal that there is a solid basis for the belief in a Creator."
Creation in the 21st Century
More Info
- Creation in the 21st Century Creation in the 21st Century Official Site.
- David Rives Ministries Official Site Host, David Rives Ministries homepage.


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by Staff Writers
Adelaide, Australia (SPX) May 29, 2013
A simpler and faster way of producing designer bacteria used in biotechnology processes has been developed by University of Adelaide researchers.
The researchers have developed a new one-step bacterial genetic engineering process called 'clonetegration', published in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology.
Led by Dr Keith Shearwin, in the University's School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, the research facilitates faster development of designer bacteria used in therapeutic drug development, such as insulin, and other biotechnology products.
Designer bacteria are produced by integrating extra pieces of genetic material into the DNA of bacteria, in this case E. coli, so that the bacteria will make a desired product.
"E. coli strains are commonly used workhorses for biotechnology and metabolic engineering," Dr Shearwin says.
"For example, new genes or even the genetic material for whole metabolic pathways are inserted into the bacteria's chromosome so that they produce compounds or proteins not normally produced. Insulin is an example of a therapeutic product produced in this way."
"The existing process for integrating new genes is inefficient, taking several days. Our new process can be completed overnight."
As well as speeding up the process, 'clonetegration' enables multiple rounds of genetic engineering on the same bacteria, and simultaneous integration of multiple genes at different specific locations.
"This will become a valuable technique for facilitating genetic engineering with sequences that are difficult to clone as well as enable the rapid construction of synthetic biological systems," Dr Shearwin says.
Related Links
University of Adelaide
Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com
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text: Now discover the amazing all natural secret that can help you look years - even a decade or more younger - without harsh cosmetics or a painful and expensive face-lift. It is gentle yet powerful treatment that goes underneath the skin surface to lighten discoloration at the source! Its breakthrough ULTRA G ingredient actually stimulates blood flow, reducing puffiness and circles.


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Get Your Dog Care Questions Answered by Experts
It sounds like your dog might have either kennel cough
or canine influenza
Both of these are very easily picked up from another dog. They can also go into pneumonia which impacts oxygen levels making a dog quite ill.
You can see if some Robitussin DM will help the dog breathe better and control any cough or sneezing or runny nose. Read here about cautions and dose info
You can see and hear a dog with kennel cough here
If you see a colored discharge from nose or eyes, if your dog coughs stuff up, seems lethargic, has any real trouble with breathing, or goes off eating, see your vet as your pet may have a secondary bacterial infection that will need antibiotics or other meds.
Some breeds of dogs have problems with their trachea which you can read about here
However if this is an unvaccinated puppy this may be distemper virus too. You can read about that here
And it if its only his eyes that seem impacted this could be due to pressure on his brain from fluids, an eye issue such as glaucoma, or a painful eye infection.
If your dog might have gotten into anything toxic (including toxic plants), appears dehydrated (see if a pinch of skin over the shoulder blade stays stuck in a tent form or flows back down normally when released), has a rectal temp over 103.5F (normal is 100.5-102.5 Fahrenheit or 38 - 39.2 Celsius ), has gums or tongue that look white, blue, gray or yellow tinted where they are normally pink, has a slow color refill if you press on a pink area of gum or tongue, is having difficulty breathing, or is becoming more lethargic and non responsive to you as time goes on then you may want to get the dog in to see a vet. You can call your vet office to see if they give instructions on getting off hours emergency care.
This site may help you locate an emergency vet if you need one
Otherwise you may want to see your vet first thing when they open.
Hope this helps you!
You are very welcome - meant to mention you can rinse eyes with sterile saline solution if you need to clean them!
thanks for your accept above!


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Cynthia Van Zandt
Excellence in Teaching
Assistant Professor of History
College of Liberal Arts
Back to the archives
There's a certain consuming contemplation Cynthia Van Zandt possesses, as if she always deliberates upon her thoughts and concepts, weighting them with knowledge learned over her lifetime and the lifetimes of those she has studied.
It's a pausing one feels from her; a pausing to understand the cultures of people from centuries past, a pausing to understand her students, and a pausing to understand herself.
She is, in every sense, a scholar.
"I am one of those people who has the privilege of doing what she loves," says Van Zandt, associate professor of history. At UNH since 1998, she specializes in the history of Colonial North America, Native America, and the Early Modern Atlantic World.
"Some people study history because they identify with the past and want to learn more about their heritage. But if we stay at only that level, there are whole worlds we are not understanding. We also can learn about the ways in which our ancestors' world and worldview were different than ours. That's when you're really becoming a student of history," she says.
After earning her undergraduate degree, Van Zandt expected to go to law school. But while working as a legal assistant, she decided against it. Instead, she began reading in the hopes of finding another path and soon was drawn to early Colonial American history.
"I enjoyed developing an understanding of the lives of people who are now long dead and feeling that sense of communication between their world and our world," she says.
How did the people of Colonial America make the decisions they made when faced with a world of so many possibilities? How did such an incredible mix of cultures and people figure out how to live together in that time and place?
"The period was extraordinarily precarious for people, but it also led to alliances and arrangements of mutual self-interest," says Van Zandt, ". . . [people] were interested in living together because that was the only way in which they could survive."
Once Van Zandt began researching and writing articles about the period, the teaching followed. "When you have that kind of passion for learning about a subject yourself, you want to tell people about it," she says. "I want to open that door between the world of the present and the world of the past and try to let my students move through it."
Van Zandt encourages her students to think of the 17th century as a foreign country. Many students, she notes, have a tendency to believe that the English colonists were similar to themselves, but Van Zandt pushes them to recognize the strangeness of the people they study.
"To understand why people made the choices that they made and acted as they did, you have to understand what their world was like. And to do that, you have to think of the differences," she says. "If you can look at anyone in the past and understand why they took a particular course of action, you are much more prepared to think thoughtfully about how we all act today."
Van Zandt has written articles on colonial settlements, culture, and life; presented her research to national and international scholars; and been honored with awards and fellowships. Her first book, Brothers Among Nations: Mapping and the Pursuit of Intercultural Alliances in Early America, will be published in 2006.
She also has become a favorite professor of both undergraduate and graduate students. Her Ph.D. students say she has a knack for making each one feel as if he or she was Van Zandt's only doctoral student.
For Van Zandt, teaching allows her to relive the experience of discovery as it washes over her students as well as hone her scholarship and research. Much of the direction that her first book took arose because of questions asked by her students.
"Sometimes they hit upon areas where we don't know enough or nobody has thought to look at this particular kind of source before, which is why being a scholar and a teacher is such a great thing," she says. "I want my students to keep asking me things that send me back to the archives."
—Lori Wright


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When I was an undergraduate, the Cambridge Union invited Jean-Marie Le Pen – then Leader of the National Front Party of France – to debate immigration. Le Pen is a highly polarizing figure: a darling of the French right wing, and a demon to the left. Seen (rightly, I think) as a race-baiting, foreigner-hating, anti-semitic, [Read More…]
Who Gets a Platform on the College Campus?
No Such Thing as Islamophobia?
There is an unfortunate trope in the Freethought movement which suggests there is no such thing as "Islamophobia". Rather, those who take this view aver, Islamophobia is merely a term used to shut down criticism of inhumane aspects of Islamic belief and practice, a useful weapon in the hands of the liberal thought police. Such [Read More…]
We Must Criticize Islam – Responsibly
On Monday I helped coach a group of leaders from all around the world in the opening session of the Harvard Kennedy School's "Global Change Agents Executive Education Program". It was an inspiring day: participants from all continents and numerous nations shared their stories, explaining what called them to change the world. One story particularly [Read More…]
Responsible Religious Criticism: Part Two – What is a "Religion"?
Part of a Series on Responsible Religious Criticism Part One – Questions of Power Update: I edited the section on beliefs, values, and practices to be more (I hope) accurate to the great diversity of religions in the world When engaging in any sort of criticism, it is essential to know what one is criticizing. [Read More…]
Responsible Religious Criticism: Part One – Questions of Power
Provoked, as so often, by adorably elfin blogger Vlad Chituc, I've decided to codify some of my thoughts regarding the responsible criticism of religion, and particularly responsible criticism of Islam. This is a topic which has sometimes divided the freethought community: some see Islamophobia in some of the criticism which prominent atheist writers direct toward aspects [Read More…]
What Do We Mean By "Religion"?: Religions Have No "Heart"
Part of a Series: What Do We Mean By "Religion"? What do we mean by "Religion"? I find that whenever I'm in disagreement – either with a person of faith or with another atheist – it frequently boils down to a disagreement over the meaning of "religion". Someone will begin with "The problem with religion is X" or [Read More…]


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Difference between revisions of "Dragon Brain"
m (image update)
(California and San Andreas can exist in the same universe, it doesn't replace it. There is most definitley still a San Andreas as evidenced by the in-game website and the reveal of Grand theft Auto V.)
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== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
* A "Dragon Brain" theme tune can be purchased from [[Vipluxuryringtones.com|www.vipluxuryringtones.com]] and used as a [[phone]] ringtone.
* A "Dragon Brain" theme tune can be purchased from [[Vipluxuryringtones.com|www.vipluxuryringtones.com]] and used as a [[phone]] ringtone.
[[es:Dragon Brain]]
[[es:Dragon Brain]]
Revision as of 06:55, 6 July 2012
Dragon Brain is a fantasy film that is advertised on the radio in Grand Theft Auto IV with the tag "Dragon Brain coming to theaters, rated G for Gibberish.". It is likely to be a parody of popular fantasy film series' such as the Harry Potter film series and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The name could also be a parody of Dragonheart. The film's website is www.dragonbrainthemovie.com. The film feature multiple action/fantasy cliches, including a "hero with a California accent" and a furry sidekick who says oneliners during battle scenes.
Radio ad transcript
Narrator: In an ancient land, before time or sundials, it was time for a hero. This fall, prepare to believe all over again, once more, again. Dragon Brain - prepare to believe.
Woman: It's a time before time. Oh no, here come the fucking dragons!
Man: We need a hero, or evil will reign for 2,000 generations, and a million orcs will storm these lands, and the CGI bill will be apocalyptic!
Narrator: Dragon Brain - prepare to love.
Hero: I'm only a humble blacksmith with a California accent. How can I possibly rise up and conquer evil without a montage?
Guy: How indeed? Do we believe?
Hero: I believe, in the miracle of merchandising! I'll need a furry talking sidekick to spew one-liners while I chop off heads!
Sidekick: (sound of decapitation) Don't lose your head! Hehehe!
Guy: We shall spill goo out of this drill.
Narrator: Prepare to sit, through a four hour journey.
Hero: I've got a quest: I must defeat evil and sell franchising rights to theme parks.
Woman: We're cursed! The dragons! They're flying upside down!
Hero: No! The CG machine is broken again! (yelling) DRAGON BRAIN!
Narrator: The quest is yours: Dragon Brain, coming soon to a theater near you. Rated "G" for gibberish.
- A "Dragon Brain" theme tune can be purchased from www.vipluxuryringtones.com and used as a phone ringtone.


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Humble Bundle: Saints Row Bundle, Telltale Bundle, Kirby & Eisner Comic Bundle, Mobile Bundle: KEMCO X HyperDevbox, Tinybuild Week and More
Telltale Bundle, Capcom Rising Bundle, Mobile Bundle: KEMCO X HyperDevbox, Tinybuild Sale in the Humble Store, NBA 2K17 and Pillars of Eternity free with a Humble Monthly subscription and more!
28620Jul 18 2017 08:25 PM
Top Deals The most popular deal threads on CAG right now
Popular Today The most popular deal threads from the past 24 hours
From the Community Blogs A featured blog post from the community.Video Recap: The Deer God, Rive, Citizens of Earth, and More!
Rather than post a new blog for each video, I figured I would hold off and offer up a recap of my most recent videos covering a variety of games. Covered below are Citizens of Earth, The Deer God, Halo 5 Guardians' MP Beta, Rive, and Trials Fusion.
I checked out the Halo 5 Guardians Beta and found out that I'm still not good at Halo MP, but still had fun... Read More
I checked out the Halo 5 Guardians Beta and found out that I'm still not good at Halo MP, but still had fun... Read More
CAGs Live on Twitch
MoCiWe is streaming 7 Days to Die
vic_x51 is streaming Dragon Quest Builders
NintendoCleveland is streaming Watch Dogs 2
StryderOmega is streaming Citadel: Forged with Fire
TheSilkiest is streaming
GameSquadSquad! is streaming Suikoden II
CAG on Twitter
Today, 02:24 AMI think we can all agree that it's time to boycott Walmart until the next time there's a pre-order button for SNES Classics.
Today, 02:13 AMAnd an official cancellation email from Walmart to round out the saga.
Today, 02:00 AMCAG will have a Panel at @classicgamefest with a Raffle During it. One Prize is a Wind Waker Link Nendoroid.… https://t.co/gxaXNBVGCQ
Today, 01:16 AMhttps://t.co/S1IKFHHtlY https://t.co/1Kwy8d7obr
Today, 12:30 AMHere's 16 seconds of me playing table tennis today https://t.co/snhpVsyfdz
Yesterday, 11:51 PMHa, just got a Walmart email telling me my SNES pre-order date has changed to 9/29. Good times.
Yesterday, 11:40 PMWhile supplies last. Limit 1 per customer. https://t.co/3q75f2Ev6N
Yesterday, 11:04 PMJust doing a little research on inflatable outdoor projection screens and projectors and it has everything to do with NBA Baller Beats.
Yesterday, 10:22 PM@CheapyD @nba_playgrounds If I need to play @HipHopGamer one on one to be a playable character I will be in New York in a couple weeks.
Yesterday, 10:15 PMSeconded https://t.co/cDqGOmdueR
Yesterday, 10:14 PMWe need to get @shipwreck into @nba_playgrounds
Yesterday, 10:12 PM(PCDD) Green Man Gaming Summer Sale. Flash Sales: Fallout 4, Dirt Rally & More. https://t.co/TJNEMyS0Bp https://t.co/LPxZLk3g6l
Yesterday, 09:35 PMWitcher 3 Clothing Sale via J!NX, https://t.co/2Wd6zN9gAZ https://t.co/vHdSiIBT02
Yesterday, 09:19 PMTai is taking over my Twitch channel with some @PlayOverwatch https://t.co/01lyQ8aBU8
Yesterday, 09:19 PMI just had to google the name of that new Xbox One coming out this fall because I had forgotten its name. Also you still can't pre-order.
Yesterday, 09:11 PMIt honestly would have lost all the charm if we could all just buy an SNES Classic like it was some kind of consumer product.
Yesterday, 08:41 PMPath of Exile: The Fall of Oriath (X1) Beta is Free if Picked via Publisher. https://t.co/ff3V6V7ziw https://t.co/OiXUaRQQqr
Yesterday, 08:09 PMFollow & RT For a Chance to Win a Huge G Fuel Prize Pack or 3 Runner Up Prizes by @GFuelEnergy . Ends Aug. 2 at 9PM… https://t.co/5sPyMwvnIk
Yesterday, 08:03 PMCheapy & Son enter the BATTLEGROUINDS https://t.co/zTezzzIokL
Yesterday, 07:56 PMBuy One, Get One Free on G Fuel Energy Formula Tubs via G fuel. Use Code: CAG for 10% Off Everything Else.… https://t.co/A30nj9VJvI
Yesterday, 07:53 PMThis was inevitable. https://t.co/A9xRDBzmTb
Yesterday, 07:47 PMNews: Wal-Mart Email Canceling SNES Classic Pre-Orders. https://t.co/ielucrj8uY https://t.co/jH9flqt7YZ
Yesterday, 06:33 PMOff 50% off. https://t.co/QI3ypHLnAv
Yesterday, 06:25 PMPre-Order: Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth Launch Ed. (3DS) $39.99 (GCU $31.99) via Best Buy.… https://t.co/2FDtql93tl
Yesterday, 06:13 PMPre-Order: Metroid Samus Returns Special Edition (3DS) $49.99 (GCU $39.99) via Best Buy. https://t.co/j8wUJY2a1p https://t.co/6F64iGEPq3
Yesterday, 06:03 PMAll I can picture is the one guy who gave a thumbs down to my video just walking around my basement shaking his head in disapproval.
Yesterday, 06:02 PMThe Sims 4 Deluxe Party Edition (X1) $59.99 (GCU $47.99) Reg. Ed. (PS4/X1) $49.99 (GCU $39.99) via Best Buy.… https://t.co/gcuY5wT77Q
Yesterday, 06:01 PMBring Your Switch w/ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Zelda: BotW to Our Booth at @classicgamefest for Free amiibo Unlocks. https://t.co/qc5EKmExSp
Yesterday, 05:49 PMTransformers: Devastation (X1) $7.99 via Microsoft Store (Free Shipping). https://t.co/4ej3YwjGrM https://t.co/KPsl294Hny
Yesterday, 05:45 PMDid you know Doomfist is out tomorrow? I did because Tai has been announcing it every day for the last week or so. #summerofoverwatch
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Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens Are Feeling Porny, Baby
If there's one couple that wouldn't seem to need naughty toys to keep the spark in their love life, it's Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.
But, apparently, even the young and beautiful need a little arousal help sometimes.
The High School Musical stars recently encountered a faithful fan and, being the crowd-pleasers that they are, Zac, 21, and Nessie, 19, took time out to pose for photographs with her.
Even though they were in a porn shop at the time, surrounded by vibrating pleasure rings and inflatable unicorns.
Naturally, the embarrassing photographs were quickly leaked onto the Internet (appearing on oceanUP to be exact).
Unfairly, perhaps, the public display of a private matter is a painful phenomenon that Hudgens knows only too well.
What sort of lurid knickknacks could America's favorite couple have been shopping for? Chances are, nothing too disturbing; the happy lovebirds were probably just searching for a tiny little bit of entertainment.


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Photos: Margs Taco Bistro adds a third location, this one in Uptown
The third location of Margs Taco Bistro opened this week at 500 East 19th Avenue in Uptown; the original in LoDo continues to pack in the crowds, as does the second in Cherry Creek -- particularly during patio weather. Westword's Philip Poston recently visited the newest member of this taco-joint family; keep reading for photos of the space.
See also: - Photos: Margs Taco Bistro opens today in Cherry Creek - Margs Taco Bistro now pouring in LoDo - Margs Taco Bistro sets its sights on Uptown
All photos by Philip Poston
The new Margs is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11. p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 11 to 1 a.m. The restaurant will host a fundraising dinner with a mariachi band to benefit Breathin and Children's Hospital on May 28; tickets are $20, and there are seatings at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Call the restaurant at 303-832-6274 for more information, and visit the website to view the menu.
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And Jimmy Fallon covered the song twice—once as Neil Young and once alongside Idol judge randy Jackson.
randy and wife, Tina, said they had both wanted to vote for Herman Cain until he dropped out of the race in the fall.
Today is the first anniversary of randy Pausch's death at the age of 47.
As randy notes, "Maybe there is a value in shining a light on this and asking the questions."
"They'd had a couple of run-ins with [randy] revving his car in the morning," said Ron Johnson, another neighbor.
"He and Brown seem to be pretty thick," was randy's comment.
There is no better fun than a "randy" over the snow on a light komatik.
Well, randy, run out and find her, and tell her ter come in ter dinner.
"Then there is only one other thing to do," said randy quickly.
With a shotgun in his hand Andy wanted to have some fun with one of the servant girls, but randy quickly stopped him.
1690s, Scottish, "aggressive, boisterous," probably from rand "to rave," an obsolete variant of rant (v.). In the original sense especially of beggars, "and probably implying vagrant habits as well as rude behavior" [OED]. Sense of "lewd, lustful" first recorded 1847. Related: Randiness.
[1847+; origin unknown; various dialect senses suggest a possible derivation fr ''wild movement,'' ''boisterousness,'' ''wantonness'']


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Want To Be President? It Helps To Be Tall
What qualities do people look for in anyone running for President? Honest, integrity, good ideas, solutions to American's problems and oh, one more thing, it helps to be tall too.
That's the word from a new study which found American prefer tall presidents. The study had students draw their idea of a typical citizen along with an ideal national leader. Sixty four percent of students in the study drew the leader as taller than the citizen, which the study's director says both research and literature show there is a preference for physically formidable leaders. John McCain was 5-8 and Barack Obama is 6-1. This time around, Rick Perry is 6-1 and Mitt Romney is 6-2. We'll have to see how this theory holds up in November of 2012.


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Fast keystone project with some interesting aspects. This is LotusBowl, and it can be made in a single firing, although for finishing's sake I did it in two.
I didn't have a heckuva lotta luck with Mom's Christmas present this year. The first, a pate de verre project, had a color change I didn't care for. I decided instead to try an idea I'd had as part of the keystone projects (Keystone is what I call tack-fuse projects that involve balancing layers of glass in a mold so that the pieces support each other in a stable configuration while unfired, then gradually slide, slump or pull each other down into a final, tack-fused configuration).
I'd wondered if I could layer concentric shapes in a flower pattern, cut Indian-style into a lotus shape, and get them to sag in a graduated color series, so you wound up with a "lotus flower" with a dramatic heart. Didn't seem too difficult.
I first did this bowl in red, laid into BE's 8647 square bowl mold. Came out OK, although in the end I wasn't too crazy for the colors. A leaf broke in handling (and probably also because I rushed the cooldown), and an attempted refiring showed up some annealing problems, so I decided to start over. Along the way I thought up some refinements that made the second attempt much nicer than the first.
The blue version…
Please note: I didn't exactly go from red version straight to blue. As usual, I made this design up in clear glass, several times, testing the results for annealing stress and to make sure the sides of the bowl could support the weight of the bowl. Once I was pretty sure I had a good formula, I moved onto the "real" thing. You might want to try that to get the measure of your own kiln and processes.
I use the BE 8647 mold quite a bit for keystone stuff. The contrast of curve and square create a nice tension you can play off with curvy shapes, and you have definite "sides" to your bowl so you can segment decoration into centers and edges. It offers a lot of possibilities for fibre paper modifications too.
I have clear plastic patterns of segments or sides of all my commercial molds, and I used the one of 8647 to try out in paper, making petal shapes until I had something I liked. Then I graduated the shapes down, cut some teardrop shapes for the center, and started playing with leaves. When you're tack-fusing into 8647 you usually want to cut a long, thin shape for the each side of the corners–if you balance them correctly, one on each side, they'll slide into each other, fuse, and give quite a bit of strength. But that would also have given me long "iris" leaves that wouldn't exactly have fit the "lotus" thing. (Lotus leaves are usually roundish)
I finally decided to do a more compact version of the petal, and let it pivot on the outer petals. Hopefully, if it were long enough, it'd pivot down onto the petals as they flattened, and help hold the edges together.
I chose clear 3mm BE for my outermost petals and the leaves, and to keep the weight down, thin glass for the rest. I would have preferred using thin glass to get a delicate profile, but that's too dangerous; people will almost certainly try to lift this bowl by the edges at some point. Thin glass will almost certainly break as it tries to support the weight of this bowl–using 3mm is much, much safer.
On the red version, I machine-ground all the component edges, and the effect was nice, but a bit crafter-looking. This time, I decided to hand-grind the edges of the 3mm pieces (so I could keep the roundness of the edge very organic). Then I fired all the individual components in a short full fuse.
The interim component fuse does three things: First, it rounds and glosses all edges so they look very finished. Second, it slightly thickens the edges of the thin glass components (I call it "lipping" the edges) which will help make the layers very separate and distinct, almost as if they've been carved. Third, I can sift on frit powder to create some texture. It doesn't add much color (although it could) but the slightly raised lines catch the light and give a more organic-looking surface.
I sifted the powder on, then combed through it, following the general shapes of petals. Most of the powder you see here will darken and melt into the surface of the final piece, leaving only a slightly raised texture. About the only real color was on the center pieces, neo-lavender opal with a mixture of Plum and VIolet Striker powder that did show up pretty clearly.
You can see the faint texture marks from the interim component fuse in both views.
After the components were out of the kiln, I set a piece of thin clear in the bottom of the mold and topped it with a mix of coarse frits in the same colors as the glass I was using. The frit serves in much the same way as gravel in a vase for flower-arranging–it holds everything in place while the sheet slumps into the bottom, and keeps some spacing between layers so they don't completely flatten.
The coarse frit gives an interesting mottled texture, but it also contributes to a very long annealing cycle for this piece. Another option might be to cut staggered squares of thin glass and rest the bottoms of the petals against them, in stair-step. The flat sheet is actually much less of an annealing headache because there aren't so many separate joins of glass.
After that, it was pretty much a matter of layering in the components, outside to in. The hardest part, actually (and it wasn't hard) was balancing the center petals so they'd stay aligned. I extended these beyond the edges of the outer petals–I think it looks a little less commercial that way. I slid the leaves down in the corners until they literally balanced on the outer petals like seasaws–the petal edge would keep them from sliding all the way down, and as they settled into the corners they'd create a crease that looked like a leaf's center vein.
Not a lot more to it than that. I added extra frit to the center both to anchor the center petals and give a stameny-sepaley kinda feel. Then I got cute and sprinkled a few orange fritballs and about three specs of crushed dichroic glass on the frit. Other than that, it's pretty schmaltz-free. 😉
This is another one where low-slow firing is crucial, and the anneal/soak in this case is a heckuva lot longer than the same thickness in flat glass-you've got a LOT of things going on in the bottom of that bowl, lots of tack-fused glass meeting at odd angles. But that's about it. I should probably take a better picture of the finished work; if I do I'll repost.
Nice exercise.


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Environmental Factor, August 2007, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Extramural Update
Extramural Update: NIEHS Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Superfund Programs
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the two NIEHS Superfund programs, the Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) and the Worker Education and Training Program (WETP). NIEHS plans two anniversary celebrations of the programs, which were created under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. The first Superfund awards were made in 1987.
NIEHS will hold a meeting December 3-5 at Durham's Washington Duke Inn, titled "Superfund Basic Research Program: 20 Years of Success and a Vision for the Future." The Institute will co-host a second event April 3-4, 2008 on the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Md.
These programs were designed to develop a better understanding of the health effects of hazardous substances, to develop better remediation strategies and to train a work force that can safely clean up hazardous waste spills or respond to emergency spills. Using different, but complementary approaches, the SBRP and WETP have worked to minimize the potential for environmental contamination to impact human health and the environment.
SBRP: For 20 years the SBRP has funded basic research that provides a solid foundation of knowledge that can be used by remediators, health professionals and political leaders to make scientifically informed decisions. SBRP-funded researchers have made significant contributions within and across multiple environmental health disciplines:
- Multidisciplinary Research - SBRP was among the first federal programs to require multidisciplinary research that spanned the biomedical and environmental engineering fields. The collaborative efforts have led to significant discoveries about sources of arsenic exposure, impacts of benzene exposure and strategies to reduce exposures to contaminants in drinking water.
- Arsenic - SBRP-funded researchers have made seminal discoveries about the modes of action and pathways of metabolism and detoxification; identified impacts on intellectual development of children; developed analytic methods and screened hundreds of thousands of wells in Bangladesh; and contributed to development of remediation technologies to remove arsenic from drinking water.
- Analytic methods - Before a contaminant can be studied in the human body or in the environment, sensitive and accurate analytic methods are required. SBRP-funded researchers have developed analytic tools to detect and quantify metals, pesticides and organic compounds. They have applied these technologies to design bench and field-applicable methods.
- Remediation - Understanding that prevention of exposure is the best strategy for minimizing the impacts of environmental contamination, the SBRP has funded the development of innovative biological, chemical, physical and nanotechnology methods that effectively remove and/or reduce the amount of hazardous wastes in sediments, soil and other environmental media.
WETP: Since its inception, the WETP has funded non-profit organizations to provide occupational safety and health education to target populations of hazardous waste workers and emergency responders. The WETP has provided science-based safety and health training for nearly 2,000,000 such workers. As a cooperating agency named in the National Response Framework's Worker Safety and Health Support Annex, the WETP can provide high quality site and disaster specific training during national emergencies.
- World Trade Center (WTC) Terrorist Attacks - In response to the attacks, the WETP sent personnel to assist in coordinating WETP grantee activities at the WTC site, assess the safety and health status at the WTC site, evaluate the site safety and health plans, and conduct a preliminary assessment of training needs.
- Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the WETP, its awardees, and the WETP National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training developed training materials for response workers; established a field office in Baton Rouge, La; fielded teams of highly skilled trainers, and conducted safety and health training in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Nearly 30,000 responders received training because of this effort.
- Avian Influenza - WETP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) recently sponsored a 3-day conference on protecting Avian Influenza responders attended by nearly 300 industry, labor and government representatives.
"Upcoming Distinguished..." - previous story next story - "Extramural Papers..."
December 2007 Cover Page


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"Accessible and easy to obtain and can be used in a variety of ways," is how Vetter describes Polygal 100 percent recyclable polycarbonate sheets. He used it on this wine storage building to let light—but not too much light—seep in while keeping weather out. The multi-walled sheets provide high thermal insulation, controlled daylight transmission, and UV protection. Polygal Plastics Industries, 800.537.0095; www.polygal.com.
John Vetter, AIA
vetter denk architecture


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Foster Adapting to Added Attention
Despite falling 81-75 to Iowa State Saturday afternoon, Foster's solid performance in which he hit three 3-pointers and shot 7-of-18 from the field for a game-high 20 points kept his team within reach of the Cyclones when things began to look grim.
While suffering back-to-back Big 12 road losses is never easy, if there is a bright spot as the team looks forward to the future, Foster is the highlight.
"I'm further ahead than I ever expected. I didn't think that I'd be coming in and making the impact that I am right now," Foster said one afternoon after practice.
Known on the court for his hard work ethic, it was no surprise the 6-foot-2 guard was still sweaty when media circled around him ready to ask him their many questions.
In a few short months Foster - a relatively quiet recruit for K-State - has become a local hero on the court and has received more attention than he could have imagined back when he first stepped foot on campus.
There's always media ready to chat with the high scorer, and when he slammed down a huge, momentum-changing dunk against Gonzaga on Dec. 21, the attention grew even greater - all the way to ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10.
"That (attention) is making it more fun. Seeing myself on SportsCenter was pretty cool," Foster laughed. "I've always watched it and being on there, it's a dream come true to me. But now that it's happened, I've just got to take that and use it as motivation to get better and to a higher level than I'm already at."
And it's not just the fans and the media putting added attention on Foster - opposing teams are watching him a little closer now, too.
"I've got a lot of attention coming. The teams are scouting me harder now, so I've just got to figure out how I can score on teams and get myself mentally ready for games," he explained. "I've been feeling pretty good though. I've just got to stay hungry and humble, that's my goal right now."
Foster especially felt the effects of being scouted when the team traveled to Lawrence, Kan., earlier this month.
"The game against Kansas was my first scouting defense where they knew everything I wanted to do and I pressed myself about it," explained Foster. "I was trying to press the issue and was trying to force the issue too much, but now I'm coming in a little more relaxed. You have to be relaxed in the games where people scout you so hard."
Foster has led the Wildcats in scoring in nine of the team's games this season and has scored points in the double-digits in 16 of K-State's 20 games. He's become the team's go-to guy and, despite preforming in a league littered with talented freshmen, has garnered both Big 12 Freshman of the Week and Tisdale National Freshman of the Week honors so far this season.
He is averaging a team-leading 14 points per game to go along with his 3.9 rebounds per game and season total of 39 assists and 14 steals.
With his three treys against Iowa State, Foster was able to set the school record for 3-point field goals by a freshman, which was held previously by Brian Henson (42) during the 1992-93 season. His 44 3-pointers are more than tallied by Michael Beasley (36), Jacob Pullen (40) and teammate Will Spradling (40).
"He is tough," head coach Bruce Weber said about Foster after the Wildcats' 72-66 win over Oklahoma. "He seems to get hurt every day in practice, and I think he is dying, then I turn my head and he is back in there. He is very determined and very mature. I have said this since the beginning, he is the most mature (freshman) I have been around. He really wants to do well and he has become pretty good defensively. Not only is he scoring, but he is playing well on both ends of the floor, and that says a lot for a freshman."
Humble, determined, mature and hungry for more, Foster is ready to continue to give it all for the game he loves.
"It means a lot to me. I really love this game," Foster said. "I get to go out and sacrifice for it. I'm sacrificing my body right now. I'm kind of banged up right now, but it's for the love of the game and I really love this game. I'd do anything for basketball."
K-State returns home tomorrow evening to face Texas Tech (10-10, 2-5 Big 12). The Red Raiders are coming off of a 74-65 home loss to Oklahoma and are led on the court by senior forward Jaye Crockett, who is averaging 14.3 points per game.
Tuesday evening's game will tip off in Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m., and will be televised on the Big 12 Network.
K-State's Shane Southwell and Marcus Foster celebrate after the game against Oklahoma at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas on January 14, 2014. (Scott D. Weaver/K-State Athletics)
We hope you enjoy K-State Sports Extra. We would like to hear your comments and any story ideas for future emails, so fire them our way. Contact Kelly McHugh, Mark Janssen or K-State Assistant AD for Communications Kenny Lannou.


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std::map above. The
tosortedvector member function doesn't make sense with the
|I doubt a C++ programmer would like Objective-C
|No! you are wrong. A list only allows a binary search IF it is sorted.
a list can never be searched using a binary_search.
push_back makes . In a list you can insert using
lower_bound. But you lose the intended position.
|I think he claimed that a list can never be searched efficiently using a binary_search. The complexity is still O(n) compared to searching in a tree O(log n) or a hash table O(1).


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I've been a blogger for nearly a decade – and the most frequently asked question I receive is how to make money blogging. First, I want to dispel the myth that it's quick and easy money. Not even close. I had to work for nearly 5 years before I made more than $1000 per month. And a lot of that was eaten up by expenses. But now, all these years later, I can tell you that I've made a six figure income for three years in a row. If you want to start a blog – or grow a current blog – this post is for you. Instead of creating a series on my tips for blogging, I decided to throw it all into one massive post. It's a lot of information, so let's get started so you can learn how to make money blogging.
Don't have a blog yet? No problem – go here to learn how to start a blog (you can do it in under 15 minutes!)
How to Make Money Blogging
*this post contains affiliate links for your convenience*
Before you actually get to the money portion of learning how to make money blogging, you've got a little groundwork to do. These are the top five things I always recommend to bloggers who are either just getting started or are ready to up their game.
- Sign up with WordPress.org. That's the self-hosted kind of blogging that you have complete control over. While you can get started on free blogs, if you ever want to learn how to make money blogging, you'll want to be in charge of everything in your blogging world. Choosing the right company to host your website is one of the most important blogging decisions you'll ever make. I highly recommend Orange Geek (you can save 10% on hosting fees by using coupon code SHABBYCREEK). You want to be sure you choose a hosting service that can handle your traffic (I get 3 million hits a month with no problems) and has great customer service. BUT – if you're not 100% sure you want to invest $50 per month for hosting, BlueHost is one of the cheapest available starting at $3.50 per month.
- Pick the right plug-ins. There are very few that I consider essential, but Yoast SEO is definitely one of them. I also recommend PopupAlly for emails (more about that later) and Wordfence Security to keep your site safe.
- Take time to showcase your brand. You'll want a good logo, but you can find a lot of great options on Etsy that don't break the bank. If you are starting this on a budget, spend your money on good hosting. Also be sure to create good social media graphics (I use font packages from My Design Deals to keep it affordable.)
- Learn the basics of tech on your own. Paying someone to fix every tiny detail of things you need done can get to be expensive, so you should at least learn about the bare essentials. I learned what I know from Lesley Clavijo's book What the Tech. If you fix just a couple of things yourself by learning from this book, then you'll have saved money over hiring someone. At the very least, try to use Google to find solutions to sort out issues before you start panicking.
Now that you've got a blog set up, you need to add some content. And, as the old saying goes, content is king. Learning how to create blog posts that stand the test of time – and that people actually want to read – that's the ultimate key to success – and that's what you need to know before you learn how to make money blogging. Because without a good blog there is no money.
- Build up a catalog of sustainable content. I'm not going to go too in-depth about this one, because I wrote an entire e-book just on the topic of creating content alone called the Blog Post Tool Kit. Essentially it teaches you every tiny detail about writing blog posts and how to promote them properly (which leads to how to make money blogging), but it all comes down to this: use the keyword tool to find the best keywords, use them to maximize SEO in your posts, then promote them properly (more on that later.)
- Photography is important. Photography is the thing that grabs the reader's attention, long before they see the words. It can make good content even better. (Notice how the images in this post compliment the content.) Teaching you about how to improve your photography isn't really the goal here – but learning more can improve your blog a lot. The best tool I've used in improving my own photography was Aniko Levai's book The Ultimate Photography Book for Bloggers.
- Creating a content plan. Any successful blogger will tell you the same thing: you need to plan out your content. Between making a project, photographing it, writing the post, then scheduling in social media promotions, there's very little room to fly by the seat of your pants. Whether you plan on using an old school calendar to pencil in ideas, or use a more streamlined plan for creating and maintaining content, either method will need at least a little planning. You might have to reconfigure a bit when something in life pops up (because life does happen!), but having a good basic plan in place will help to keep you on track.
- Maintaing old content is more important than creating new. Yes, you just read that right. If I wrote this post, then continued for years on end to promote it without any revisions, the content would go stale rather quickly. So after you've built up an arsenal of good, sustainable content, be sure you take care of that content so it doesn't die.
Writing great content isn't enough. You have to promote that content for years and years to come. One of my strongest posts was written nearly 3 years ago – and I still promote that post almost every day. Promotion is often overlooked in the to-do list of bloggers – but high earning publishers know that the key to page views is promotion.
- Pinterest is the king for creative content. Write a DIY, craft or food blog? Then Pinterest should be your blog's BFF. Seriously. 40% of my overall traffic comes from Pinterest, and it is 74% of my social media driven traffic. That's huge! With over a million hits a month directly from Pinterest, it would be silly for me to ignore it. I personally use Board Booster to schedule out my pins – because you only have so many hours in the day. Just be sure you're sharing at least 50% of other people's content to balance things out.
- Facebook isn't dead. Don't worry, I used to think Facebook was useless, too. That was until I learned how to properly utilize it. With over a billion users on FB, you shouldn't ignore the potential. Although I admit, I ignored it for way too long, now I'm using it to create crazy good traffic for my blog. I use Post Planner to help find (and sometimes) schedule out content – but good posts will not go very far unless you engage with your followers, so be present on Facebook and it will be kind to you.
- Instagram's community is insanely interactive. I find that the most invested community among my social media outlets is Instagram. Since the beginning, users there were encouraged to like and comment on photos – so that's what they are ingrained in doing. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of your blog audience, Instagram can be the perfect place to do it.
- Email marketing is the best marketing. Social media sites change their algorithms often to keep spammers at bay – but your email list is yours to keep and no one can take that outlet away. That's why it's crucial to build up a mailing list starting as soon as you can – and use it! Every day you're not adding to your list is a day you've lost forever. Start today – using PopupAlly to gather and ConvertKit to deliver is my preferred way – and capture those page viewers and turn them into loyal readers. Those are the people who will help you learn how to make money blogging. Speaking of making money….
Now we're getting to the good stuff. So let's see… we've started a blog with the right set up, we've created good, sustainable content, we've learned how to market that content, and now we're ready to get down to the nuts and bolts of how to make money blogging. No matter what other sites says, at the end of the day there are really only 5 ways to actually make money blogging. Any other option just falls under one of these categories:
- Adding on advertising networks. There are tons of them available, starting with the most basic, Google Adsense – and moving up to the cream of the crop, Adthrive (in my opinion). Each of them will either pay you per view or per click for visitors. Per view means for every 1,000 people who see an ad, you'll receive X amount of dollars (usually between $5-6). Pay per click means you earn money when someone clicks on an ad, whether they buy or not (price varies.) If you are just looking to make money, this is the easiest way. The main objective is to get the most page views you can, because the more page views the more ad money. It's pretty simple – yet effective. It is the #1 way I make money from this blog.
- Affiliate marketing is essential. Until recently, I never thought much about affiliate marketing. I used Amazon affiliates here and there, but it was never a huge focus. Then last year I read Tasha Agruso's Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers and it pretty much blew my mind. Her blog receives 1/4 of the page views of mine, but she was making 10x more than I was in affiliate earnings. Since reading her book, my affiliate earnings have gone up dramatically – because I actually started using affiliate links! Now I spend as much time perfecting the affiliate links in a blog post as I do researching the keywords (like throughout this post.) It's a little more work, but I'm earning much more money. And it kind of makes me sad to look back and see all the money I lost out on before I started. So start now. Like today. Your page views have nothing to do with your earnings – even smaller blogs can make big bucks.
- Working with brands (aka sponsored posts.) If you've ever been to my blog before, you'll know that I don't shy away from writing sponsored posts. I'm highly selective in the sponsors I accept, and it has to be a product that I can incorporate in a natural way into a project. I made 25% of my overall income in 2015 with sponsored posts. That's a huge amount – more than I made from the day job I left 6 years ago. I know they're not for everyone – but if you can partner with the right sponsor it can be a win/win for both sides. There's tons to learn about working with sponsors, and Shannon Acheson's book Bloggers + Brands is a great place to start.
- Selling your own product. These days I make about 25% of my income from product sales – and those are all digital products. On the flip side, I'm working more on products and less on sponsored posts, so those numbers will change over the course of 2016 (I hope.) I currently only have 2 ebooks available – The Blog Post Tool Kit and Super Fast Freezer Meals. There are successful bloggers who make 90% of their money selling products, so don't sell this idea short.
- Social media promotions. You don't have to have a huge following to make money posting on social media. Unlike blog posts (so you're not really learning how to make money blogging here), you are getting paid for sharing content exclusively on social media outlets (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) You can signup with networks like SheKnows who offer bloggers these deals, or try to strike your own with brands you love.
And that's what I know about how to make money blogging. It sounds like a very long winded explanation, but you really need each of these stepping stones to create the path of successful blogging. Of course, we can dig deeper and go super in depth with advanced tactics, but that's after you've tackled all of these steps.
Want to learn how to start a blog? CLICK HERE
If you're a blogger (or want to be) – make sure to sign up for my FREE blogging newsletter to get blogging advice right in your inbox!
Have questions? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to give you a solid answer!


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William Carroll
Email: email@example.com
William Carroll is an attorney at law residing in the District of Columbia. From 1995-2009, Mr. Carroll practiced in the Washington, DC office of the Dykema law firm with a focus on government contracting and export controls. Prior to joining Dykema, Mr. Carroll had served as an attorney in various components of the Department of Defense for over 30 years. In 1985, he was appointed as the first General Counsel for the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, a position from which he retired in 1994. Since 1996, Mr. Carroll has taught the Government Contracts course at WCL. He is a Director of the Procurement Roundtable and a member of the International Institute for Space Law.


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Toyota Land Cruiser for Sale
Selected Filters:Type of Ad: Vehicles for Sale Make: Toyota Model: Land Cruiser Remove All
1969 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
New Hyde Park, NY
Originally a California truck with title and plates from the Golden State, this outstanding 1969 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser was the recipient of a... More
1970 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-40
Grand Rapids, MI
GR Auto Gallery is pleased to offer this purpose built, very capable, 1970 Toyota FJ 40 Land Cruiser for consideration. This truck features a... More
Advertiser since 2009
1982 Toyota Land Cruiser SUV
Charlotte, NC
SUMMARYProfessional restoration completed in 20162F 6-cylinder4-speed manual transmissionFactory air conditioningFactory Power steeringFactory power disc brakes front / drum brakes rearExclusive FJ43 medium wheelbase chassisIn... More
Advertiser since 2007
1989 Toyota Land Cruiser
Arundel, ME
1989 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ70 Diesel For Sale or Trade The 70 / 75 series Toyota Land Cruiser took over from the 40 /... More
Advertiser since 2011
2014 Toyota Land Cruiser 4d SUV
Oakwood, GA
Excellent condition 2014 Toyota Landcruiser. Infamous reliability and comfort is ever present in this very clean vehicle. One owner vehicle. Weathertek rubber floor mats... More
1976 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4
Mustang, OK
1976 FJ40 with frame-off restoration in show condition. It has GM ZZ4 V8 355 hp crate engine conversion. This Cruiser is immaculate with no... More
1977 Toyota Land Cruiser
Alabaster, Al
Offered for sale is a 1977 Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser 4-wheel drive. It is powered by a 2F 4.2L six cylinder engine rated at 135HP... More
Advertiser since 2013
1967 Toyota Land Cruiser 2 Door
Ruskin, FL
Up for sale in our Tampa showroom is this outstanding 1967 Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser.rolled out the FJ40 series in 1960 and competed with... More
2004 Toyota Land Cruiser 4d SUV
Oakwood, GA
Extremely well maintained 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser in excellent condition. Zero Rust! Florida Car! One Owner! Loaded with all options including rear seat... More
1975 Toyota Land Cruiser
Van Nuys, CA
Rare 1975 Toyota Land Cruiser diesel. This vehicle has under went a 10 month frame off restoration and has a file full of photos... More
Advertiser since 1990
1977 Toyota Land Cruiser SUV
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For the May challenge Marcellina from Marcellina in Cucina dared us to make Lamingtons. An Australian delicacy that is as tasty as it is elegant
Instead of covering my lamingtons in the traditional grated coconut, I crushed some speculoos (spice cookies, e.g., Bischoff) and rolled my chocolate-coated cubes in the resulting crumbs.
I needed to make pound cake for another project, and I baked the leftover batter in a loaf pan to cut into cubes for this challenge. Then I made the traditional cocoa powder-based dip and crushed up my speculoos.
I really should've crushed more speculoos to make sure the crumbs stayed neat, but I knew I'd end up with too many after I was done, so I had clumpier crumb covering toward the end. The first few, at the top left, came out fine, though. The row on the right has only had a couple rolled in the crumbs.
Final product! It made just enough for my little family.
Click through our blogroll to see my fellow DBers' lamingtons. Read more!


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Get an overview of this hotelHotel in Murray with free breakfast and indoor pool
Popular property highlights
Situated in Murray, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Murray State University and Central Park. Wrather West Kentucky Museum and Arboretum at Murray State are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Hotel Features
An indoor pool, a fitness center, and a bar/lounge are available at this smoke-free hotel. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, coffee/tea in a common area, a business center, and a 24-hour front desk are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 72 rooms offer free WiFi, coffee makers, and LCD TVs with cable channels. Free weekday newspapers, free local calls, and hair dryers are among the other amenities that guests will find.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Breakfast
- Pool
- Helpful staff
Hampton Inn & Suites Murray
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Hampton Inn & Suites Murray features an indoor pool and a fitness center. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access.
A business center is on site. This Murray hotel also offers coffee/tea in a common area and express check-out. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Hampton Inn & Suites Murray is a smoke-free property.
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 72
- Number of floors - 3
- Free breakfast
- Bar/lounge
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Free WiFi
- Free self parking
- Smoke-free property
- Indoor pool
Family Friendly Amenities
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Free weekday newspaper
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Cable TV service
- Free WiFi
- Blackout drapes/curtains
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary hot/cold buffet breakfast.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool and a fitness center.
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Hotel Name
- Hampton Inn Hotel Murray
- Hampton Inn Murray


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Chiangi T2 has an area where sunflowers grow. I took this during a layover.
SCENIC SUNDAY is a weekly meme. Please join us.
Amateur photog's online photo cache. All photos are original pics taken by author and her husband. This is not a place to see those awe inspiring Ansel Adams, these are ordinary subjects shot on a whim most of the time.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Scenic Sunday #11
Chiangi T2 has an area where sunflowers grow. I took this during a layover.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Photo Hunt #42: Books
Dhaka University 1, originally uploaded by M'roy.
Where are the books you ask? I say, go inside and I'm pretty sure you'll find books everywhere. This is after all a school building.
I am reposting a Dhaka University building image for this week's Photo Hunt. Okay I fess up, I forgot to "hunt" for a photo for this week's theme (tooo busy). Thankfully, Flickr to the rescue. I have a university building already uploaded, this will do if I stretch the theme.
PHOTO HUNT is being hosted by TNCHICK. Go and hunt with us.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
SkyWatch #45
Sunset By The Bay, originally uploaded by M'roy.
My work schedule has made it impossible for me be outside for both sunrise and sunset photography, so I hardly have any of these images posted for Skywatch.
But I dug into my archives again and found one sunset photo taken in the Fall from Marin Headlands. Here's my sunset by the bay for this week's edition of Skywatch.
SKYWATCH is a treasure chest of sky photos. Go and visit or play with us.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Las Vegas, originally uploaded by M'roy.
With this image, I close my Vegas series. I am so busy with stuff/offline life that I have not set up my next series. But I was browsing through my flickr site and I have some uploads that haven't been blogged yet, so that will give me time to gather photos for a series.
I have a whole Yosemite Summer 2008 series that is still waiting to be featured. Then there's May 2009 Yosemite too. And of course the NYC spring 2009 series. Finally, I still have some San Fran photos to show. Oh too many photos, too little time to organize them.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Dale Chihuly
2,000 hand-blown glass flowers welcomes you upon entering the lobby of Bellagio.
Monday, May 25, 2009
All Quiet Here
It's a delight to find a quiet corner to photograph or to just breathe. It wasn't long before I snapped this that people started to come. Oh well, at least I had it all to myself for a brief moment.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Scenic Sunday #10
I found out that Vegas has a Chinatown too. Although, it's not a full-blown Chinatown like other big cities, it's a great start.
SCENIC SUNDAY is a weekly meme. Come and join us.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Photo Hunt #41: Plastic
Remember to dispose of your plastics (and cans and papers) properly. Recycle.
Wanna join the fun in hunting? PHOTO HUNT is hosted by TNCHICK.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sky Watch #44
day skywatching from my hotel window.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Or the art of shopping? In my case, it's window shopping. Shopping is another popular activity in Vegas.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Bellagio Botanical Garden
Across the lobby from the front desk is an opening through which a glass ceiling rises up 50 feet. This is the beautiful conservatory. The ceiling framework and beams are the sculpted green metal of oxidized copper, called verde, set in floral patterns.
In February with the celebration of the Chinese New Year, the garden was all decked in Chinese symbols, all gold and red colors of plants, ox, gold coins, etc.
The garden changes looks every season.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Vegas takes on an outlandish personality when the sun comes down. It's so pretty.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Scenic Sunday # 9
A little more Vegas at night. Somewhere along the strip.
For more Scenic Sunday post from all over the globe, click here.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sky Watch #43 and Photo Hunt #40: Painted
Skywatching on painted ceiling. Killing two memes with one post, I thought I would not have the photo to accomplish that, but hah, I got one.
Here begins my WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS........GETS POSTED ON THIS BLOG series. It's not going to be a comprehensive series as I have done a Vegas series in the past (early 2008 I believe).
If you were with me in the early years of this blog while I was doing the Vegas series, you would remember that Vegas is not my kind of town. Then why return, you ask? I'll tell you why!
We found a deal that's too hard to pass up. In February, we got an email about a deal from usairwaysvacation dot com that was too good to ignore. This trip included four nights at Circus Circus (price varies depending on the hotel) and RT air fare from SFO for $280.00, that's for both my husband and I inclusive of all the taxes. Now tell me who can say no to that deal? And because we love our friends, we spread the word. Two of them came with us on this trip, the rest made the trip some other time, but still got the same deal. Enough of that.
Skywatch main page is here, go and visit for more wonderful skywatching.
Photo Hunt is being hosted by TNCHICK. Go visit and play with us.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
700th Post
It's my 700th post and I'm running with it.
I thought blogging was just a phase I was going through. 700 posts later I still love to do it :)
My 600th post is here in case you wanna see.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Waiting or simply Chilling?
It was a respectable 48F when I snapped this in Lake Tahoe. From a distance I spotted a single soul soaking up the sun. I did not stay long to see if he was actually waiting for someone.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy First Anniversary
charcoal nani, originally uploaded by M'roy.
Before I start another series, I would like to sneak in a little personal shout out to people we love on the event of their first anniversary. I can't remember the exact date, but I know for sure it's in the second half of May.
In case you want to see my Grand Canyon set (I haven't posted all in this blog), it's here.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Photo Hunt #39: In Memory
I wasn't going to feature these photos today (a series is in the works and on the way), but the theme that TNCHICK chose fits perfectly with these images. These are taken from Trinity Church (trinitywallstreet dot org). We actually got lost and stopped somewhere. When we got out of the subway station and walked a bit, we spotted the church. When we entered, we saw this beautiful park-like resting place. I surmised these are headstones from British colonizers, Trinity Church being an Episcopalian (Anglican) church.
I shall not see the shadows,
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Sky Watch #42
I love the stone buildings that house the gift shop/visitor center. I know it's more of a gift shop, but the storekeepers are so knowledgeable that it's like asking someone from the visitor center.
The sky has turned cloudy here. One of last few shots I took before heading back to Vegas.
Want more sky? See more sky here.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
A Closer Look
I have one more image to post before I end this series. I have more photos to show, but I may still posts them someday, although not on a series.
Monday, May 04, 2009
El Tovar
From wiki: The El Tovar Hotel has 78 rooms and suites, all with cable television, telephone, full bath and air conditioning. Standard rooms have one double, one queen, or two queen beds. Deluxe rooms have either two queens or one king bed. Suites have a bedroom with either two queens or one king bed, and a sitting room, and some of the suites have a porch or balcony.
Can you imagine the view from your room? I think I'll try to stay here on my next visit, if and when there is another visit.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Another One
Are you tired of GCNP already? Don't worry I only have a few more lined up for this series.
Okay, so how's your first weekend of May? It's been raining here, far from being a soaker though, but rainy day just the same.
And oh I want to congratulate Manny Pacquiao for another victory. Boy, I'm glad I didn't get tempted to order the game, which lasted only 2 rounds, would have been an expensive two round fight. I remember getting a call from my Indian friend who left a message on my machine asking if we knew who's having the fight on so he can watch it. We suggested he go to a sports bar and watch it there.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Scenic Sunday #8
I think scenic and Grand Canyon are synonymous.
SCENIC SUNDAY is a weekly meme. To participate or simply to gawk at all the other scenic scenes, click here.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Photo Hunt #38: Walking
I am sure that posting a video clip for Photo Hunt is kinda breaking the law, after all the title of the meme says photo, not video. But I found the fact that little tots find it amusing to wear big people's slippers/shoes the moment they master the art of walking.
Here's my then 20-month old nephew walking in big person's slippers. In two weeks' time, he will turn the big 3 and I miss him a lot.
TNCHICK hosts photo hunt. Go visit and join.


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LG G3 S Repairs
The LG G3 S is a lovely smartphone designed by LG Electronics. It has a curved design that enables better grip as well as metal frame stain reduction. It is also very delicate and susceptible to damage if not protected properly. You therefore need to put special safety measures in place to avoid damaging your phone. Sometimes, inevitable accidents happen. These may leave you feeling quite helpless and in dire need of an experienced technician. Quick Mobile Fix provides the best LG G3 S repairs around. Here, we have a dedicated team of experts who are always at your beck and call.
Our unsurpassable LG G3 S repair services
Sometimes, your earpiece may get seriously damaged. This condition could manifest itself when you fail to hear the voice of someone who's at the other end of your call. Instead of bearing with the great frustrations caused by a damaged earpiece, send your device to our stores using our free postal address. Once we get your phone, out expert technicians immediately get down to work. They replace your damaged earpiece with a brand new part and return your phone in excellent working condition.
To get the best LG G3 S screen repair services in town, drive to Quick Mobile Fix and let our professionals work their magic. Your screen might have experienced a series of falls and developed a lot of cracks. It may also develop blots, dents or scratches. Whatever the case, our technicians can fix it. All we'll need is your damaged phone and a short period of time. Once we get your phone, our technicians quickly remove your damaged screen and replace it with a new one. The end result will leave you delighted beyond words.
Sometimes, your clumsy hands cause you to drop your device in a pool of water. While this can leave you feeling awful, there's a solution for it. The technicians at Quick Mobile Fix come across similar cases every day and handle them to extreme precision. To receive the best liquid damage repair services, drive to any of our stores and allow our technicians to fix your damaged device. Once they receive it, they immediately sterilize all the hardware to get rid of moisture. They then run tests to ensure that everything is working perfectly. When you finally receive your phone, you're exhilarated by the level of excellence that was used to fix it.
A Few Useful Links:
Where Your Device Really Ends Up
How To Send Your Device Using Quick Mobile Fix
How To Wrap Your Device For Quick Mobile Fix
Quick Mobile Fix Before And After Pictures
If you need any more help, please contact us here


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-Established 1997-
page added: 5/8/09
Blu-ray Reviews
Blu-ray Disc reviews by
Jeff Kleist
The Digital Bits
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2008 (2009) - Paramount (Criterion)
Released on Blu-ray Disc on May 5th, 2009
Also available on
Film Rating: A
Video (1-20): 19
Audio (1-20): 18
Extras: A+
If there's one constant in life, it's that we're born, we grow old, and we die... often lamenting that the lessons learned over a long life could have been better applied during our youth. So what if we were given that chance? Benjamin Button was born an old man and has aged in reverse, living life with that experience we all crave. But can love overcome the hardship of experience not shared?
The new Blu-ray release of
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
is a rare Paramount title licensed to (and produced by) The Criterion Collection. As such, the film looks and sounds as good as you'd expect. Shot using a hybrid system of VIPER FilmStream digital cameras the Sony F23,
Benjamin Button
has never left the digital realm. An early enthusiast of digital color grading, director David Fincher has chosen an intentionally muted color palette, except when he wants something to pop out at you, and then the contrast is striking. Simple objects like a bottle, or the greens of the natural world, progress in richness throughout the movie. The sepia tone relaxes as Benjamin gets younger, but the same superior detail and contrast is maintained throughout the presentation. On the audio end, while many such dramas have less than stellar sound mixes, the huge variety of environments present in this film lets the sound designer play with a gigantic pallet of flavors and colors that the DTS Master Audio track captures with excellent precision. Whether it's the subtle relaxation of Louisiana, or a hail of bullets bouncing around your speakers in scenes set during World War II, the audio always keeps you immersed in the story and never pulls you out of the action.
As the creators of the special edition, and having established a long relationship with Fincher, Criterion has gone above and beyond the call (in partnership with Paramount) to create the definitive special edition of this film. First among the extras is the next in a long line of great Fincher commentaries, bolstered by an on-screen index. Fincher is direct and to the point in his thoughts, and manages to stay interesting for the almost the entire three hour runtime. The highlight of the set is a nearly three-hour documentary by longtime Fincher DVD producer, David Prior. It's broken up into four segments.
First Trimester
talks about the film's long road to the screen through the many casting choices, production teams, location scouting and technology choices required to create the film they wanted to make.
The Second Trimester
covers the actual making of the film, while the
concentrates on the post production, scoring and visual effects. It should be noted that selecting ōPlay Allö does not play everything, as there are side documentaries on location scouting and costume design (and also still galleries) that should not be overlooked. Finally,
covers the film's release.
Though it failed to win all but three of the ten Oscars it was nominated for, few of even the best films these days manage to succeed in the ways that
Benjamin Button
does. A unique film with an odd concept, it still manages to connect with its everyman audience through universal themes and desires, a compelling performance by Brad Pitt and the supporting cast, and some incredible cinematography. A real chance was taken here to create something different, and both the studio and the audience reap the end rewards. On Blu-ray, Criterion's attention to detail on this package is second to none. And it's worth noting that, since their return to Blu-ray, Paramount has consistently put their money where their mouth is. I can't help but give this film, and this Blu-ray, the highest possible grade.
Grease: Rockin' Rydell Edition
1978 (2009) - Paramount
Released on Blu-ray Disc on May 5th, 2009
Also available on
Film Rating: B
Video (1-20): 17
Audio (1-20): 18
Extras: B-
is one of those classic "rights of passage" movies. Year after year, new teens discover the film and memorize every note and word. A tale of 1950's California greaser culture, and a summer romance that blooms into an unexpected high school reunion.
As so often happens in these films, the young lovers are separated by their respective cliques. Will they transcend peer pressure and come together once more?
Let me say right up front, "greased lightning" has never looked this good. The film exhibits a much improved color palette and level of detail on Blu-ray than was seen in the previous DVD edition. Gone are the muddy skin tones and overly soft detail. The real star of the Blu-ray show, however, is the lossless soundtrack. As a musical,
lives and dies by its audio presentation, and that's probably the biggest upgrade here. The new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 remix is a bit stereo heavy, and attempts to steer the vocals into the center channel aren't always successful. Those little issues aside, there's wonderful extension of the highs and lows in the music here that weren't present in the DVD's Dolby Digital compression. The added resolution really lifts the soundtrack to the next level.
All of the extras from the 2006 DVD have made the upgrade to Blu-ray, including the
Rydell Sing-a-Long
with on screen lyrics,
The Time, The Place, The Motion
(an almost 30 minute retrospective documentary), a dozen deleted and extended scenes, and footage from the DVD launch party that includes an Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta duet. More material on the cars, choreography and enduring kitsch of
finishes out the package, along with some photo galleries and the trailer. The only thing not included, from the very original DVD release, is the VH1 retrospective documentary.
has been an enduring classic for 30 years now, and I hope (in the face of the looming threat of
High School Musical
) that this far superior product continues to stay relevant to a generation whose parents were born long after the
Happy Days
were over. Either way, this Blu-ray is the definitive edition of a classic, and you can be sure it's the one that you'll want for a long time to come.
Saturday Night Fever: 30th Anniversary Edition
1977 (2009) - Paramount
Released on Blu-ray Disc on May 5th, 2009
Also available on
Film Rating: B
Video (1-20): 17
Audio (1-20): 18
Extras: B-
Many people will say that
Saturday Night Fever
represents both the birth and death of disco in one fell swoop, instantly bringing the musical genre into the mainstream while also killing the underground scene that made discotheques so appealing in the first place.
What's ironic is that
Saturday Night Fever
is less about the dancing, and more about how we build walls to escape the humdrum of everyday life. Such is the lot of Tony Manero (John Travolta) who spends his days at a paint store and his nights as king of the dance floor at a Brooklyn nightclub. Sometimes, Tony's reality has a nasty habit of penetrating his fantasy life.
Saturday Night Fever
hits Blu-ray with a surprisingly good looking image, well above expectations. Despite the soft filters, muted colors and generally cruddy film stock of the time,
transcends its limitations to deliver a lot of fine detail in a picture that - frankly - has no right to look this good. All of the video noise and bleed of the DVD is gone, and the colors of the dance floor are nice and strong. Like
, the Blu-ray's lossless audio track offers great extension of the lows and highs. The improvement hits you immediately during
Stayin' Alive
. The Bee Gees have seldom sounded this good.
All of the
30th Anniversary
DVD extras are here on Blu-ray, many of which get an upgrade to 1080p. You get the audio commentary, an hour-long documentary (split into multiple featurettes), a trivia track and a handful of deleted scenes - it's all here for you to enjoy. Missing from the very original DVD (again, like
) is the VH1 documentary.
Saturday Night Fever
is the film that defined a whole generation back in the 70s. Whatever kind of mistake white leisure suits were, this is the original ü"dance and dreamü" flick upon which countless lesser imitators are based. The Blu-ray delivers - I honestly don't think the film has presented so well since Day One in the theater. Recommended.
Jeff Kleist
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