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Terms of Service
This agreement ("Agreement") is a contract between you and JNJ Mobile, Inc. ("MocoSpace") and governs your use of the MocoSpace Website services (the "Service") and/or Mocospace.com (the "Website"). By using the MocoSpace services, you agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions (the "Terms of Service"), whether or not you register as a member ("Member").
This Agreement sets out the legally binding terms for your use of the Website and your Membership in the Service. MocoSpace may modify this Agreement occasionally and such modification shall be effective upon posting by MocoSpace on the Website. You agree to be bound to any changes to this Agreement when you use the Service after any such modification is posted. This Agreement includes MocoSpace's policy for acceptable use and content posted on the Website, your rights, obligations and restrictions regarding your use of the Website and the Service and MocoSpace's Privacy Policy.
You must be 18 years of age or older to open a new account on MocoSpace.
MocoSpace reserves the right to remove any Member for any reason or no reason with or without prior notification. You acknowledge and agree that MocoSpace may store removed information at its sole discretion. You acknowledge and agree that MocoSpace is not liable for any lost or intentionally deleted data or information.
You may not upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable; or upload images which contain nudity, pornography, weapons, violence, or illegal drugs.
- Eligibility. Membership in the Service is void where prohibited. By using the Website and the Service, you represent and warrant that all registration information you submit is truthful and accurate. You represent and warrant that you are 18 years of age or older, and if you are not of the age of majority where you reside, you will only use the MocoSpace Service with parental or legal guardian consent (following their review of this Agreement), and that your use of the Service shall not violate any applicable laws or regulations. You must be 18 years of age or older to open a new account. Your profile may be deleted without warning if it is found that you are misrepresenting your age. Your Membership is solely for your personal use, and you shall not authorize others to use your account, including your profile or email address. You are solely responsible for all Content published or displayed through your account, including any email messages, and for your interactions with other members.
- Term/Fees. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect while you use the Website and/or the Service. MocoSpace may terminate your membership for any reason, at any time, without notice. If MocoSpace terminates your Membership in the Service, you shall not be entitled to the refund of any unused portion of subscription fees, if any. Even after membership is terminated, this Agreement will remain in effect. MocoSpace's Terms of Service and/or subscription fees, if any, that were provided to you at registration may change from time to time. By using the Service and by becoming a Member, you acknowledge that MocoSpace reserves the right to charge for the Service and has the right to terminate a Member's Membership should Member breach this Agreement or fail to pay for the Service if necessary, as required by this Agreement. Standard usage charges for SMS, MMS and other data charges may apply and may be billed on your wireless service bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. T-Mobile subscribers: Other charges may apply. To stop receiving text messages at anytime, text STOP to 46626. For help, text HELP to 46626 or email email@example.com
- Virtual Currency Sales. All sales of Moco Gold virtual currency are final. No refunds will be granted for any Moco Gold purchases, whether or not the Gold is redeemed. Moco Gold does not expire, and will be held in a balance associated with your account. If your account terminated either by yourself or by MocoSpace for any reason, any unredeemed Gold in your account will be forfeited. MocoSpace reserves the right to change pricing of virtual currency across different payment methods, devices and mobile carriers, to reflect variable processing fees associated with each form of payment.
- Non-commercial Use by Members. The Website is for the personal use of Members only and may not be used in connection with any commercial endeavors except those that are specifically endorsed or approved by the management of MocoSpace. Illegal and/or unauthorized use of the Website will be investigated. Commercial advertisements, affiliate links, and other forms of solicitation may be removed from member profiles without notice and may result in termination of membership privileges. Appropriate legal action will be taken by MocoSpace for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Website.
- Proprietary Rights in Content on MocoSpace. MocoSpace owns and retains all proprietary rights in the Website and the Service. The Website contains copyrighted material, trademarks, and other proprietary information of MocoSpace and its licensors. Except for that information which is in the public domain or for which you have been given written permission, you may not copy, modify, publish, transmit, distribute, perform, display, or sell any such proprietary information.
- Content Posted on the Site. a. You understand and agree that MocoSpace may review and delete any content, messages, photos, profiles, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, "Content") that in the sole judgment of MocoSpace violate this Agreement or which may be offensive, illegal or violate the rights, harm, or threaten the safety of any Member. b. You are solely responsible for the Content that you publish or display (hereinafter, "post") on the Service or any material or information that you transmit to other Members. You acknowledge and agree that MocoSpace is not responsible for any Content that you upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available via the Service. You acknowledge and agree that MocoSpace does not control the Content posted via the Service and, as such, does not control the accuracy, integrity, quality or any aspect of such Content. You understand that by using the Service, you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable. You acknowledge and agree that under no circumstances is MocoSpace liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to, for any errors or omissions in any Content, or for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any content posted, emailed, transmitted or otherwise made available via the Service. c. By posting any Content to the public areas of the Website, you hereby grant to MocoSpace the non-exclusive, fully paid, worldwide license to use, reproduce, publicly perform and display such Content on the Website, including without limitation distributing part or all of the Website in any media formats and through any media channels. You represent and warrant that: (i) you own the Content posted by you on the Website or otherwise have the right to grant the license set forth in this section, and (ii) your Content does not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyright rights, or other intellectual property rights of any person. You agree to pay for all royalties and fees owing any person by reason of any Content you post on the Website. d. The following is a partial list of the kind of Content that is illegal or prohibited on the Service. MocoSpace reserves the right to investigate and take appropriate legal action in its sole discretion against anyone who violates this provision, including without limitation, removing the offending communication from the Service and terminating the membership of such violators. Prohibited Content includes Content that: i. is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable; or upload images which contain nudity, pornography, weapons, violence, or illegal drugs; ii. harasses or advocates harassment of another person; iii. involves the transmission of "junk mail", "chain letters," or unsolicited mass mailing or "spamming"; iv. promotes information that you know is false or misleading or promotes illegal activities or conduct that is abusive, threatening, obscene, defamatory or libelous; v. promotes an illegal or unauthorized copy of another person's copyrighted work, such as providing pirated computer programs or links to them, providing information to circumvent manufacture-installed copy-protect devices, or providing pirated music or links to pirated music files; vi. contains restricted or password only access pages or hidden pages or images (those not linked to or from another accessible page); vii. provides material that exploits people under the age of 18 in a sexual or violent manner, or solicits personal information from anyone under 18; viii. provides instructional information about illegal activities such as making or buying illegal weapons, violating someone's privacy, or providing or creating computer viruses; ix. solicits passwords or personal identifying information for commercial or unlawful purposes from other users; or x. involves commercial activities and/or sales without our prior written consent such as contests, sweepstakes, barter, advertising, or pyramid schemes. e. You must use the Service in a manner consistent with any and all applicable laws and regulations. f. You may not include in your publicly accessible Member profile any telephone numbers, street addresses, last names, URLs or email addresses. g. You may not engage in advertising to, or solicitation of, any Member to buy or sell any products or services through the Service. You may not transmit any chain letters or junk email to other Members. Although MocoSpace cannot monitor the conduct of its Members off the Website, it is also a violation of these rules to use any information obtained from the Service in order to harass, abuse, or harm another person, or in order to contact, advertise to, solicit, or sell to any Member without their prior explicit consent. In order to protect our Members from such advertising or solicitation, MocoSpace reserves the right to restrict the number of messages which a Member may send to other Members in any period to a number which MocoSpace deems appropriate in its sole discretion. h. You may not attempt to impersonate another user or person who is not a member of MocoSpace.
- Links. The sites linked to by the MocoSpace Website are developed by people over whom MocoSpace exercises no control MocoSpace cannot and does not screen the sites. Some people may find these sites objectionable, inappropriate, or offensive. We cannot guarantee that MocoSpace will not link to unintended or objectionable content and assume no responsibility for the content of any site linked to by the MocoSpace Services.
- Copyright Policy. You may not post, distribute, or reproduce in any way any copyrighted material, trademarks, or other proprietary information without obtaining the prior written consent of the owner of such proprietary rights. It is the policy of MocoSpace to terminate membership privileges of any member who repeatedly infringes copyright upon prompt notification to MocoSpace by the copyright owner or the copyright owner's legal agent. Without limiting the foregoing, if you believe that your work has been copied and posted on MocoSpace in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our Designated Copyright Agent with the following information: (i) an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest; (ii) a description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed; (iii) a description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on MocoSpace; (iv) your address, telephone number, and email address; (v) a written statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; (vi) a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf. MocoSpace's Designated Copyright Agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement can be reached as follows: Designated Copyright Agent, JNJ Mobile Inc, 745 Atlantic Ave. Boston, MA 02111; Facsimile: (617) 542-1633; Attn: Designated Copyright Agent; and email: email@example.com.
- Member Disputes. You are solely responsible for your interactions with other MocoSpace Members. MocoSpace, Inc. reserves the right, but has no obligation, to monitor disputes between you and other Members.
- Accounts. MocoSpace does not recognize the transfer of MocoSpace accounts nor the rights of multiple owners of an account. You may not purchase, sell, gift or trade any Account, or offer to purchase, sell, gift or trade any Account, and any such attempt shall be null and void. MocoSpace owns, or otherwise has rights to all of the content that appears in the Games. You agree that while you own the content you upload to MocoSpace, you have no right or title in or to any Games content, including without limitation the virtual goods or currency appearing or originating in the Game, or any other attributes associated with any Account. MocoSpace does not recognize any purported transfers of virtual property executed outside of the Game, or the purported sale, gift or trade in the "real world" of anything that appears or originates in the Game. Likewise, you may not sell in-game items or currency for "real" money, or exchange those items or currency for value outside of the Game.
- Privacy. Use of the Website and/or the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy.
- Limitation on Liability. In no event shall MocoSpace, including its directors, officers, employees or agents, be liable to you or any third party for any indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental, special or punitive damages, including lost profit damages arising from your use of the web site or the service, even if MocoSpace has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, MocoSpace's liability to you for any cause whatsoever and regardless of the form of the action, shall not exceed the greater of one hundred dollars ($100) or the amount paid, if any, by you to MocoSpace in the past 12 months.
- U.S. Export Controls. Software from this Website (the "Software") is further subject to United States export controls. No Software may be downloaded from the Website or otherwise exported or re-exported (i) into (or to a national or resident of) Cuba, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, Syria, or any other Country to which the U.S. has embargoed goods; or (ii) to anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Commerce Department's Table of Deny Orders. By downloading or using the Software, you represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.
- Disputes. If there is any dispute about or involving the Website and/or the Service, by using the Website, you agree that any dispute shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflict of law provisions and you agree to personal jurisdiction by and venue in the state and federal courts of the State of Delaware.
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- No Agency. There is no agency, partnership, joint venture, employee-employer or franchisor-franchisee relationship between MocoSpace and any User of the Service.
- Termination. You agree that MocoSpace may, under certain circumstances and without prior notice, immediately terminate your MocoSpace account, any associated other accounts, and access to the Service. Cause for such termination shall include, but is not limited to, (a) breaches or violations of the terms of service or other incorporated agreements or guidelines, (b) requests by law enforcement or other government agencies, (c) discontinuance or material modification to the Service (or any part thereof), (d) unexpected technical or security issues or problems, and (e) extended periods of inactivity. Termination of your MocoSpace account includes (a) removal of account access to all offerings within the Service available with a password, including but not limited to Private Messages and images that are password protected, (b) deletion of your password, and (c) barring further use of the Service. Further, you agree that all terminations may be made in MocoSpace's sole discretion and that MocoSpace shall not be liable to you or any third party for any termination of your account, any associated email address, or access to the Service.
- Disclaimer of Warranties. You acknowledge and agree that: your use of the service is at your sole risk. The service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. MocoSpace expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Mocospace makes no warranty that (I) the service will meet your requirements, (ii) the service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, (iii) the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable, (iv) the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you through the service will meet your expectations, and (v) any errors in the software will be corrected. Any material downloaded or otherwise obtained through the use of the service is done at your own discretion and risk. You will be solely responsible for any damage to you or others. Computer system or loss of data that results, directly or indirectly, from the download of any such material. No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained by you from MocoSpace or through or from the service shall create any warranty not expressly stated in the agreement. You acknowledge and agree that MocoSpace uses commercially reasonable efforts to protect its members, but that MocoSpace does not guarantee that the use of the service will be safe or secure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, and to the extent that a judgment is rendered in a court of competent jurisdiction disregarding one or more of the warranty disclaimer and liability limitation covenants contained herein, MocoSpace's aggregate liability to you shall not exceed the greater of one hundred dollars ($100) or the amount you have paid MocoSpace in the past twelve months.
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- Assignment. This Agreement, and any rights and licenses granted hereunder, may not be transferred or assigned by you, but may be assigned by MocoSpace without restriction.
- Other. This Agreement is accepted upon your use of the Service and is further affirmed by you becoming a Member of the Service. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and MocoSpace regarding the use of the MocoSpace and/or the Service.
Please contact us at email@example.com with any questions regarding this Agreement. MocoSpace is a trademark of JNJ Mobile, Inc.


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Part Three: The Best, The Worst
Gabe Powers recalls his picks for the best and the worst third films of all time
This rush of threequels got me thinking about my favourite third film entries, and other times when perhaps the second time was the charm. I can't vouch for those films I have not seen, and the sheer quantity of films has made my selections tough. There are plenty of flicks out there that weren't good or bad enough to warrant mention here.
And by the way...
The best threequels aren't necessarily the best or in their series, they're just good movies that happen to be the third in a collection. It's almost impossible to not consider the precursors to a third film, and how that film expands upon the previous films' themes. Satisfaction is important, but sometimes expectations are more than simply met.
Return of the King: Extended Edition
These are in no particular order, but it's hard to top Return of the King, or The Lord of the Rings in general. It may all be bit indulgent, but Peter Jackson and crew's epic production pieces together such a wonderful quilt of image, sound, emotion, action, and drama it's really hard to complain.
As the third and final film in such a gigantic trilogy (the extended editions total almost twelve hours in all), Return of the King is nothing without its predecessors. This is not a standalone film. It's also even more over-stuffed than the original book. The filmmakers had to cram one and a half epic films into one, due to the fact that several large sections of the previous source novel were missing from the The Two Towers. In the end, the theatrical release of Return of the King was the weakest of the trilogy.
On DVD, with an hour plus of additional footage, Return of the King becomes the wrap up the trilogy needed. Even as a lover of the series, I question a lot of the editing decisions made for the theatrical release. Once the film is bloated to what should be an impossibly long runtime it all comes together and the final extended edition product is one of my favourite films of all time.
Revenge of the Sith/Return of the Jedi
It wouldn't be my list if it didn't have a Star Wars shout out, would it? But which one is number three? Are they both number three? I like to think of the trilogies as separate story arcs concerning the same characters, so I'm counting each film as a good number three.
I spent my last editorial contemplating my affection for the prequel trilogy, and in preparation I re-watched the films. Though I honestly and truly enjoy the first two episodes, I am fully in love with Revenge of the Sith. The majority of the disappointment I found in the other prequel episodes was compounded by the fact that everything I really wanted to see concerning the plight of Anakin Skywalker happened in the final act. We all knew that this would all come down to a bummer ending, but the fact that a multi-million dollar film series ends on such a sad note is pretty incredible. Sure, we know things will get better for the galaxy far, far away, but life is pretty much over for pretty much every one of the main characters involved in these three stories.
Like Return of the King, Revenge of the Sith has the good fortune of coming down to a series of climaxes, with only the General Grievous sub-plot adding anything the audience wasn't already anticipating. The film opens on a high note, but from the second Anakin meets back up with Palpatine the dread sets in. The whole film is just so dark, and it's made even darker by the fact that we, the audience, know that the story has already been told, and that there is no hope of redemption (at least not in this two-hour sitting).
This knowing doom is cleverly played by both Lucas and composer John Williams. The entire film is physically dark in hue, and even moments of triumph are played within shadows. Every planet seems to be overcast, built into a darkened canyon, or perpetually trapped in a gothic-induced night-time state. William's score downplays many of the film's more celebratory elements, constantly reminding the audience of what has to happen in the final act. The music almost cries in melancholy minors even when the visuals are at their most bombastic. Stronger storytelling and performances, and improved special effects all help make this the most memorable of the trilogy, but it is its overwhelming sadness that harvests my affection.
Return of the Jedi is an overall weaker film than Sith, due mostly to its endlessly bland middle section populated by warrior teddy bears, but it has the strongest final act of the entire series (in this humble man's opinion). Jedi's iconic opening brought the series back to its humble serial roots, as our rambunctious heroes save Han Solo who has been condemned to life as a work of abstract art on Jabba the Hutt's wall. The rescue is also a chance for audiences to see how far fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker has come with his force powers, as the black-gloved dare devil manages to take on the Hutt's minions almost single handed.
The Ewoks, though not nearly as cool as Wookies, serve their purpose in the historically influenced tale of resolve and bravery overcoming greater numbers and technology. Yeah they're cutesy, yeah their victory is pretty unbelievable (even in the realms of Space Opera), but they serve a purpose in the story, and they aren't entirely superfluous, not like a certain Gungan in Episode One ( 'Jar Jar Binks makes the Ewoks look like...like...fucking Shaft').
But everything is forgiven in the film's finely tuned final act. The plights of three groups of characters are expertly edited and intercut creating a rich tapestry of action and emotion. On Endor, Leia, Han, and their rebel and Ewok forces fight to shut down the shield generator, only to discover they've walked into a trap. Above the Death Star Rebel and Imperial forces battle is what may be the finest large scale dog fight committed to film in the pre-digital age, only to discover that the Death Star itself is entirely operational. Aboard the Death Star, Luke confronts his father and the evil Emperor, and during his epic lightsaber battle with the conflicted and muted Darth Vader he begins to skirt the Dark Side. Someone heroic really should've died at some point during these multiple climaxes, but otherwise it stands as a very satisfying conclusion.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Though not necessarily the best European Western, Sergio Leone's epic Civil War era romp is easily the most recognizable, and in turn may be the quintessential Spaghetti Western. The plot follows three bandits: Blondie (Clint Eastwood), Sentenza (Lee Van Cleef), and Tuco (Eli Wallach) on the trail of a fortune in buried gold during the American Civil War. There are double, triple, and quadruple crosses aplenty as the three ultimate anti-heroes slug it out for superiority.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly really is a culmination of everything found the previous entries in the Dollars Trilogy, Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. It isn't a direct sequel plot-wise; it's more of a third reboot, mixing the finest elements of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style. It was later overshadowed by Leone's superior work on Once Upon a Time in the West.
The story isn't anything to get too excited about, but master director Leone works wonders with his juxtaposed landscapes and close-ups, revelling in both the tiniest detail and the vastest scope. The three leads are so memorable that they have become the templates of the genre, the cool soft spoken one, the charmingly vicious villain, and the surprisingly crafty clown. Eastwood and Wallach are often played against type when on screen together, Wallach acting as the straight man to Eastwood's dry sense of humour.
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors
Nightmare on Elm Street played its part in reinvigorating the horror genre in the late '80s, after the fatigue of one (or two, or a dozen) too many Friday the 13th inspired slashers. Part two, subtitled Freddy's Revenge, was a definitive step down in quality ( unless one watches it as a cheeky, homoerotic comedy, but that's another editorial). Though the money was still pouring in, producers knew they had to step things up if they wanted the same critical acclaim the first episode garnered. Creator Wes Craven was brought back on as a writer, and all was well once again on Elm Street.
The Dream Warriors is my favourite in the series, and with the exception of some very, very dated elements (the 'Dream Warriors' outfits aren't exactly 'cool' by modern standards), the film holds up better than even the first entry. The title concept is actually more of a set-up for future films than a concept for this one, and it's too bad the concept was dropped in the first few minutes of Renny Harlin's follow-up, but the story line is still the finest expansion the character of Freddy Kruger has ever seen.
Director Chuck Russel etched his name into underrated horror cinema archives between this film and his follow-up, the 1988 remake of The Blob (though everything he directed after was increasingly bad). The film has a pulpy look; it's both dark and colourful, and endlessly stylized without ever overdoing it. The creative death scenes opened the flood gates for kills that would become the only highlights of later episodes. Unfortunately this was also the beginning of funny Freddy, which was the bane of the later episodes.
Day of the Dead
George Romero offered up his socio-political views on the 1980s with the darkest and goriest of his initial trilogy of 'Dead' films. The film was released the same year as Dan O'Bannon's comedic and hip take on former Romero compadré John Russo's novel entitled Return of the Living Dead. O'Bannon's film was met with enthusiasm, and grossed a hefty sum, whereas Romero's film was dead in the water (pun is, of course, intended). Even fans of Night and Dawn weren't exactly ecstatic about the finished film. The irony is, of course, that the public treatment of these two films was very much in keeping with Romero's metaphor: Americans in the 1980s weren't big on being told what was wrong with them; they simply wanted to be entertained.
Day of the Dead was the result of a studio refusal to back an unrated production. Romero had written an epic script but was left to choose between toning down the production and toning down the gore. Most fans would agree that he made the right decision in going with a more modestly budgeted film that was true to the style of the previous two films. After the initial disappointment died away, not to mention the blind apathy of the '80s, Romero's third zombie opus was re-evaluated positively by viewers and critics alike. Some fans even consider it their favourite of the series.
Army of Darkness
Someday someone will write a good book about Sam Raimi and devote an entire chapter to the final act of his two trilogies. The fact that fans eventually came around to liking Army of Darkness after years of disapproval leaves me with hope for the future of Spider-Man 3. The two films, and in turn series, have a whole bunch in common.
Evil Dead 2 and Spider-Man 2 are both built upon the foundations of their predecessors, and improve on that foundation, but basically tell the same story. The third parts of both trilogies take their heroes out of their natural environments (in Spider-Man's case, he's presented with a happy life and supernatural enemies, in Ash's case he's thrown into the Middle Ages), and amp up the humour. The fan bases for both series expected darker films than Raimi and his brother Ivan (who co-wrote both films, but not the others in either series) were willing to deliver. Both films were considered massive disappointments by series fan bases, and were unfairly dismissed.
I'm young enough that I actually watched the Evil Dead trilogy out of order. I had no idea that Army of Darkness had anything to do with Evil Dead at the time I saw it. To me it was a standalone film filled with energetic visuals, funny characters, and endlessly quotable one-liners. I can understand the quelled expectations in hindsight, but the film holds a special place in my heart. It was a gateway movie, before I saw it I didn't have a taste for horror, but after Raimi's comedic ease into the genre I spent the next decade addicted to a more pure brew.
Lady Vengeance
Lady Vengeance is a fantastic film. Visually it's one of the most gorgeous in years, but compared directly to its thematic prequel, Oldboy, its light fades to a glimmer. It's not fair that Park Chan-wook's previous film was so damn good. Technically it is the most ambitious film Park has attempted to date. His use of the widescreen frame is second to few, and the attention to decorative detail is astonishing. The film fluctuates between Baroque, hyper-real, impressionistic, and blatantly self-aware (including obvious digital work and characters speaking to the camera). The optical input can actually be at times overwhelming, for better or worse.
The entire film hinges on the performance of our 'Lady Vengeance', Lee Yeong-ae, the star of Park Chan-wook's popular break through film, JSA: Joint Security Area. Yeong-ae gives a wonderfully layered performance as a younger woman, feigning innocence, and an older woman hell bent on revenge and ravaged by guilt. Though despite all her dark and dangerous intensity, it is her intrinsic and witty sense of humour that most of us will remember her for. Yeong-ae is backed up by a rock-solid supporting cast, peppered with some of Park's favourite character actors, including Oh Dae-su himself, Choi Min-sik, as Geum-ja's mortal enemy and the cause of her imprisonment.
Continuing his ambitious streak, Park opts to deal with the moral and ethical issues presented by bloody, murderous revenge, rather than the aiming of guilt. Choi Min-sik's guilt is never in question, but Lee Yeong-ae's motives may be. These issues were the basis of the first part of his 'Vengeance Trilogy', Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, where they were dealt with in somewhat heavy-handed and unmistakably dark manner, which turned off many viewers. Here Park tries to infuse the issues with more humour, not to mention honesty. The hands are still pretty weighted, but they're much more elegant this time around. One might even call it 'lady-like'.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
I thought the first Harry Potter film, Philosopher's Stone, was a very poorly directed film with an interesting story. Chris Columbus kicked up the direction and all around quality with the second film, Chamber of Secrets, but the plot was a dull rehash of the first. I also have zero interest in reading any of the books. The only reason I even saw the third film is theatres was that I went along with my best friend and mother when they visited that summer.
I didn't know who Alfonso Cuarón was at the time, and I knew nothing of the plot of the third book (besides what the trailers told me), so I went into Prisoner of Azkaban with minimal expectations. The story of this third film is a wonderful build on that of the weak foundation set by its predecessors, and all the young actors improved exponentially between films. The clincher is Alfonso Cuarón, who's ten times the film director Chris Columbus could ever hope to be. Azkaban has a grounded realism not found in the other films, and Cuarón's control of special effects and action (something he'd perfect with his next film, Children of Men) is second to very few. All the while the previous film's greatest strengths — the art direction and set design — are not lost.
I'd like to think of parts one and two as extremely long trailers, Azkaban is the main course. Part four ended up tripping back a hair. If only Warner Bros. could get Cuarón back for another episode.
Honourable Mentions
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Not the best film in the series by a long shot, but a solid improvement on the weak second entry. The film's power lies in its sense of humour, something I'm hoping won't be forgotten when the ill-advised forth entry is finished.
Police Story 3: Super Cop: Hong Kong films are known for actually improving with sequels, and Jackie Chan's third Police Story film is no exception. All in all, Super Cop may be Chan's best film. The physical humour and action is multiplied tenfold and Michele Yeoh is thrown into the mix for good measure.
Alien 3: I admit I wasn't a fan of David Fincher's feature directorial début the first time I saw it, and when compared directly to James Cameron's super-charged second entry in the Alien series, the film still suffers, but I have developed a respect for the claustrophobic little recall of Ridley Scott's original. The release of a 'producers' cut on DVD, along with hours of behind the scenes footage telling us exactly what went wrong with the production only helps refine my respect. Not a great film, but not nearly as bad most of us remember. Of course, I still like Alien Resurrection, so take my opinion on this matter with the appropriate grain of salt.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines: A companion piece to Alien 3, Terminator 3 is a nice spit-wad in the face of Cameron's previous super influential series. My reason for including it as an honourable mention has everything to do with the fact that wasn't entirely awful. I went in expecting the worst, and didn't get it. The performances (other than Arnold, of course) are fantastic, the bone crunching car/crane chase is amazing, and the bleak finale is a very nice touch.
Goldfinger: I'm not a huge Bond fan, but I can watch most of the Connery episodes at the drop of a hat. Goldfinger is possibly the most famous early Bond flick, and is important to the archetype power of the character, but not one of my favourites overall. It's a very solid entry that just happens to have been stuck between the two best.
The Muppets Take Manhattan: I'm not sure if the Muppets have ever done wrong on the big screen (I even enjoyed Muppets from Space), and the third part of the series is easily the finest DVD I've ever peeled off a cereal box. Manhattan is best when it focuses on Miss Piggy, who's the weakest (and most obnoxious) character in the rest of the series (all of them, and I've seen all of them), and disserves quite a bit of love for that reason alone.
Halloween 3: Season of the Witch: I didn't see Season of the Witch for years based on the bad word of mouth from series fans. The film isn't a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but is the best of the Halloween sequels, mostly because Michael Myers isn't an interesting enough concept to build an entire film series upon. Season of the Witch is an odd little film, unlike any other, and worth at least a rent for '80s horror fans.
Exorcist III: Legion: Years after the complete debacle that was Exorcist II, Warner Bros. found the courage to revisit the series again, this time putting writer William Peter Blatty in charge direction. Blatty's picture was pretty much ignored on its initial release, but garnered more praise than John Boorman's massive flop. After its release on home video the film gained some steam and a healthy cult following. Some now consider the film on par with the original, but the truth is that like so many 'discovered on video' classics it has become a tad over-praised by a vocal minority.
Die Hard with a Vengeance: Another unfairly maligned film, the third in Bruce Willis' Die Hard series was very different from the first two (the script started life as an entirely unrelated film called Simon Says), but is an entertaining action film in its own right. The last act is sudden and poorly executed (have a look at the DVD extras), and the scenes without Willis or Sam Jackson are lacking, but the action is top notch, if not a bit daft (truck surfing indeed). At least it was R-rated.
Return of the Living Dead Part 3: Money man and horror genre enthusiast Brian Yuzna has a knack for making brainless comic book entertainment, and all his best films are sequels to series he didn't start (not including Re-Animator, which he only produced). Return of the Living Dead was a horror/comedy classic, but its immediate sequel is one of the worst studio horror releases of the era. Yuzna's teen romance follow-up, which came several years later, is something of a mini-classic, but only in its uncut, unrated form.
There are so many bad films that happen to be the third in a series we could be here all day. The real disappointment comes when a follow-up film fails to live up to the high precedent set by its predecessor. It is these disappointments that make up the worst threequels of all time, the ones you might have expected something good from, or at the very least some minor satisfaction.
Robocop 3
Not a lot was expected from the third trip to future Detroit, but I was still unbelievably disappointed with Robocop 3. First things first: the dreaded PG-13 rating. It's very shallow of me, but the first two films revel in their raunchy violence like too few other American films anymore. One could make a pretty convincing argument that the only good thing about the second film was the fact that it's so blatantly offensive. When a film series that wears its ultra-violence with a smile is so suddenly tamed one can't help but feel a bit ripped off. There're hardly even any of the great tongue-in-cheek commercials found in the previous two instalments.
There's a lot to be said for Frank Miller's script (yes, that Frank Miller), which was apparently originally part of his mammoth Robocop 2 script, and there are some great looking missed opportunities every which way. Like X-Men: The Last Stand, Robocop 3 gets so very close to taking the whole Robocop story to a satisfying conclusion. Alex Murphy ends up joining an underground resistance against the corporate run city of Detroit, but only after his partner and close friend is murdered in cold blood by the corrupt cops. He even takes on a genius kid as a sort of side-kick in a nice contrast to the bad-guy kid in part two, but none of this works because the filmmakers don't know how to treat the material.
Robocop, and to a lesser extent Robocop 2, is a comedy at its base. A jet black, comic-book inspired comedy. The first film deftly handles moments of over-the-top violence, with moments of genuine levity, and never forgets its pulp and pop roots. It's a product of its time. Robocop 3 attempts levity, and has the potential for some real drama, but in the face of its neutered violence and lack of adult aspirations, not to mention the wrong kind of humour, the film fails again and again. In the end we have a Saturday morning cartoon version of the original film, complete with various attachments to Robocop's cyborg frame, enabling the film to sell more toys.
Matrix Revolutions
Like most of the world I left Matrix Reloaded with big reservations. The whole thing seemed so overdone, and somewhat untrue to the plucky spirit of the original film. The Matrix was the anti- Star Wars, a referential and allegorically layered science fiction yarn for adults. Star Wars simplifies its meaning, The Matrix revels in over-analyzation.
Seeing Reloaded a second time on DVD was a bit of an eye opener. I could see now exactly what went wrong—the film takes too long getting started. When you distil the forty-plus minutes of dance scenes, repetitive character introductions, and lacklustre fisticuffs, you'll find a nice and concise set-up. When Neo meets up with the Oracle and the plot finally kicks in the rest of the film is a damn fine one. In fact, Reloaded is a film I respect a little bit more with each subsequent viewing. I honestly consider purchasing the DVD box set every once and a while, if only it wasn't for that awful third film.
I went into Matrix Revolutions with drastically lowered expectations, and I got what I deserved. I enjoyed the film the first time I saw it. But contrary to my reaction to Reloaded, I've learned to hate Revolutions with subsequent viewings.
The first problem is the fact that Reloaded ends with a gigantic, cliff hanging question mark, and appeared to be a lead-in to the richest psycho-analytical, big-budget production of all time. If the Wachowski brothers would've followed the tracks they laid they might have made a film to rival 2001: A Space Odyssey. Instead we get a substandard re-run of Return of the Jedi, minus the last act editing.
Revolution's opening reel opens a whole mess of new and intriguing doors, revealing the fact that computer programs within the Matrix have something close to human emotions. They aren't bad guys; in fact, they may be more worth saving than the apathetic humans that started the whole war. Then we're introduced to a new character, the Train Man, and reacquainted with the Merovingian (the sequels' second most interesting character behind Smith). Things are looking good until our heroes go to save Neo, which involves the same slow motion fighting we've seen a million times before, only this time it's all up-side down. Oooo. Then it turns out saving Neo from the Merovingian's clutches is as easy as putting a gun to the bastard's head.
From here on out the film is divided in two, one half giant battle in the real world, and one half giant battle with the Matrix. The real world battle is pretty and all, but devolves into every other war movie you've ever seen, complete with ridiculous one-liners, and a gaggle of B-characters nobody cares about. Neo and Trinity's trip to the core is more interesting, and less numbing, but the sequence is cut separate from the human vs. machine battle, making both appear short and limp-wristed. It's fun watching Neo and Smith pound the hell out of each other, but perhaps some urgency should've been considered. Maybe the machines shouldn't have put down arms until Neo was victorious. Perhaps some cross-cutting was in order.
The whole mess is wrapped up in a very frustrating bow. I get that this whole thing is about choice (I saw the previous film), but had the Oracle simply told Neo all he had to do was give himself up to Smith we would've had one half a movie instead of two. That's why I sat through all of this, so that Neo the Bratty could feel alright about dying? At the very least Hugo Weaving manages to steal every scene he's in. Without him the film would be a total waste. Let's not even talk about the possibly thrilling connotations of Neo's failure at the end of part two, what that could've done to such insanely devoted characters as Morpheus, or the fact that Neo's sudden control over the real world machines is left unexplained and under-utilized. Why did this have to be a trilogy? Why couldn't it be longer?
X-Men: The Last Stand
After years of not understanding the vehement backlash against The Phantom Menace I finally got my first taste of geek-drawn crushing disappointment in 2006. X-Men: The Last Stand is my Phantom Menace. It all comes down to what could have been rather than what was, as The Last Stand is a passable film. Hell, the first half could even be mistaken for good. There are a few stand out scenes, ones good enough that I was willing to eat my Brett Ratner hating words, but the whole thing falls apart so gracelessly that the fall hurts ten times more than it would had the film been irredeemable crap.
X-Men 2 is my favourite superhero movie. It has everything important to the genre going for it. The performances are perfect, the action is spectacular without being irrelevant to the story, the characters, so thinly drawn in the first outing, where entirely three-dimensional beings, and the plot was riveting. It is the Empire Strikes Back of the series in more ways than one, even though the Empire model is a bit over-played in the royal realms of sequeldom (see Matrix: Reloaded, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, etc.). With its final image, X-Men 2 sent me reeling with anticipation for the next chapter, the tale of the Dark Phoenix.
Then the pre-production problems started. Director Bryan Singer ditched the property for Superman Returns, and took a large chunk of the creative team with him. This was followed by a series of near starts with other talented writers and directors, including Joss Whedon ( Serenity) and Alex Proyas ( Dark City), and a real start with the very talented Matthew Vaughn ( Layer Cake), whose various interviews made the project sound like a strong follow-up to Singer's coup-de-grace. When Vaughn left the project suddenly, the greedy mongrels at Fox (the same people that ruined the first X-Men by pushing production into an unrealistic timeframe, and demanding an unrealistic run-time) brought in emergency backup director Brett Ratner to pick up the pieces.
I don't like Brett Ratner's films, and began to actively hate the guy's work when he somehow managed to make a slam-dunk like Red Dragon into the blandest film in the Hannibal Lector series (until the truly awful Hannibal Rising was released, of course), and a possible contender for this list (I'm counting it as number four). I don't, however, blame the Rat for The Last Stand's ultimate failure. I blame whoever decided to cram eight hours of material into less than two hours of runtime. I actually commend Ratner for not making a complete mess of things. This isn't a bad film, but it isn't a good film, and by all rights it should have been a great film. There are so many missed opportunities in to be found here they could fill Alkali Lake. I'll ask it again—why did this have to be a trilogy? Why couldn't it be longer?
Batman Forever
I really enjoy Tim Burton's Batman movies. When the pale-faced neo-goth left the series I was a little too young to really care about such things, and just assumed Warner Bros. wouldn't piss in their own pool, especially when this particular pool pulled in about a bazillion dollars. I don't know a lot about the history of Joel Schumacher's boisterously bad film, but apparently the Warners didn't like the dark tone of Batman Returns, and after extensive development Burton was 'taken off' the project (apparently Marlon Wayans was going to play Robin, which I initially want to say is stupid, but on second thought may have worked).
Whatever the cause, Schumacher's film is a complete mess, equal parts boring and cheesy. The film embraces nothing; it just plods along, tripping over plot developments and hideous production design all along the way. I actually prefer Batman and Robin because it's so flamboyant and preposterous it at least elicits a reaction ( edit: it elicits a hateful reaction. I hate Batman and Robin, just not as much as Batman Forever, clear?). Batman Forever is a pale shadow of Burton's first film, one not brave enough to be its very own piece of garbage. Nipples and butt-shots are the least of this film's problems.
Zombi 3
I really shouldn't have had any expectations for Lucio Fulci's zombie swan song, but the back-story and quashed possibilities are enough to break a spaghetti splatter fan's gory little heart. Though Zombie isn't actually a sequel to Romero's Dawn of the Dead, and Zombi 3 isn't really at all related to its predecessor, I've got to toss a very personal cheat into every editorial list I write for this site.
Lucio Fulci was pretty close to dying by the time someone finally talked him into making a new living dead flick. Needless to say, his heart wasn't in the feature. When he quit the production due to illness, the producers brought the king of crap Bruno Mattei (may he rest in peace) on board. No one seems to know how much of the footage in the final film was Fulci's and how much was Mattei's, but it's all moot because it all sucks—every last frame.
Don't get me wrong, I've watched the flick a few times, and it could be worse. The problem isn't that anyone should've expected great quality from either filmmaker (Fulci hadn't made a decent film in something like eight years, and Mattei never made a decent film), but fans should've at least been able to expect an appropriation of Fulci's good films. There's no atmosphere to speak of, unless you count all the super obvious smoke machine work, and even the gore is weak. It'd be great if the film was something special, but it isn't even a decent rip-off. The electronic score, though repetitive as all hell, is awesome, so I suppose that's something.
Dishonourable Mentions
Superman III: I've said before that I'm really not a fan of the Superman films on the whole, but part three is utterly abysmal. The only shining lights of redemption here are a few of the performances (no, not Richard Pryor), especially Christopher Reeve who remains ever dependable, even in the series fourth instalment, which is neigh-on unwatchable. The robo-lady did scare the stuffing out of me as a lad, though.
Godfather Part III: One of the worst films ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, but not quite as bad as history seems to remember, the final Godfather movie had a whole lot to live up to. The film's problems include a bland story, stilted and awkward dialogue, and some truly horrendous acting, but it still manages to be better than the people say. Not bad enough to make the official list, but bad enough to garner a nomination.
Star Trek III: The Search For Spock: Again, I'm not a big fan of the Star Trek series, and as a Star Wars apologist I don't want to cause any unnecessary friction betwixt the tribes, but after the pulpy grandeur of Wrath of Kahn, Search for Spock was one of the more boring major motion picture experiences of my childhood. An adult re-watch didn't prove much better. Tim was right; the odd numbered ones are the ones to miss.
Friday the 13th Part 3: Some fans hold Jason's second outing in Camp Crystal Lake in high regard because it's the one where the murdering mongoloid found his head gear. I've given the movie three chances now, and it bores like no other Friday the 13th, except maybe parts seven and eight (which are the worst ones, without a doubt). We shouldn't expect much from the series, but the kills (with the exception of the eyeball squeezing) are relatively tame, and the actor playing Jason is gawky and awkward. Perhaps if the DVD was in the original 3D I'd sing a different tune, but until them I'm done with this one.
Jaws 3D: The third, and unfortunately not the final entry in the Jaws series is so bad it's almost good—almost. I never miss it when it plays on cable, and if it was available in its original 3D on DVD I might have to buy it, but this doesn't change the fact that it is a terminally awful film. What in the hell was Sea World thinking when they lent their name and likeness to this trash?
The Howling III: The Marsupials: The Howling film series may very well be the overall worst in studio motion picture history. Only Joe Dante's original is worth a damned moon beast. The Marsupials isn't the worst (that would be part two), but it's pretty bad, and unfortunately wastes a premise that actually could've made for a decent flick.
Final Destination 3: I adore the first two Final Destination films, especially the kitchen sink included, killer Rube Goldberg festival that was part two. I went to the theatre opening day to see the third entry, and though I can't claim it was particularly 'bad', it was entirely forgettable. I can't remember a single kill off the top of my head. It may sound silly, but Final Destination 3 was one of the biggest theatrical disappointments I've ever had.
Child's Play 3: Child's Play was an unexpected hit, and is an unexpectedly effective little horror film. Its two direct sequels are so bland I can rarely tell one from the other (they were released only nine months apart). I had to look up the 'plot' on imdb.com, and I still recall very, very little other than entirely un-scary images of kids running around some kind of black-lit back lot. The tongue-in-cheek reboot Bride of Chucky was exponentially better.
Scream 3: Even though expectations should've been low after the lacklustre second entry in the Scream series, this third part was such a pathetic rehash it still managed to shock with its sense of utter apathy. The celebrity cameos are the only memorable elements.
Back to the Future III: Here's the question, do I get more flack from readers for liking something as universally hated as Alien 3, or for hating something as universally loved as Back to the Future III? Only time will answer this particular query. Actually, I don't really like any of the Back to the Future series, but part three was even a disappointment when I was still an un-satiated child. How could they follow up the futuristic, time paradoxed second entry with a half-assed trip to the Wild West? Clearly the way to end the series would be a trip to prehistoric times. You can't go wrong with dinosaurs; even the damn ride had one.
The Future
I have hope for the future of threequels, though that hope may be unfounded. The Toy Story series was recently saved from a non-Pixar outing, and if part two was any indication, we should be in for a treat come 2009. I'm hoping that Warner Bros. two big comic properties, Superman and Batman produce a few sequels that are X-Men 2 sized improvements on the previous instalments, then go on to break the third movie comic book curse (though truth be told, I actually liked Spider-Man 3). Dario Argento has been on a pretty stinky roll, but his fans still hold out for the final instalment in the much delayed Mother's Trilogy, which he started with Suspiria and Inferno.
So, what did I miss? I'm sure I missed plenty of awful films. Did I miss any great ones?
Editorial by Gabriel Powers
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July 30. 2013 6:22PM
Voter ID myths: The scheme to make fraud easier
Gov. Maggie Hassan said through a spokesman last week that she wants to repeal the entire voter ID law passed in the last legislative session. She echoed her claims from last year that there is no voter fraud in New Hampshire, but the photo ID requirement hinders the right to vote. She is using one myth to puncture another.
The claim that there is no voter fraud in the state — made repeatedly by the New Hampshire Democratic Party — is the first of two intentionally misleading statements that Democrats think will make them able to win elections in the state indefinitely. It is true that there have been a few documented cases of voter fraud over the years. Why not more? Because our laws have made it virtually impossible to uncover fraud.
Remember the stunt James O'Keefe pulled in the 2012 presidential primary? His Project Veritas team members were able to obtain ballots in the name of deceased voters — without even asking for the ballots. They simply showed up at polling places and asked if specific people were on the voter lists. Poll workers assumed that the activists were the people they named (all of whom were dead), and handed them ballots.
This is but one example of the kind of fraud our system had no way to detect before the voter ID law. Anyone could pose as anyone else, vote, and walk away without ever having his or her identity verified. This is what Hassan and her party want to restore.
We also know that out-of-staters vote regularly in New Hampshire elections. At the polls, they sign an affidavit stating that they are "domiciled" in New Hampshire. They vote, then leave. No one checks to see whether they are who they say they are or whether they live where they say they do. This has been documented for years.
The second misleading statement Democrats use to oppose voter ID is that it disenfranchises people. But it does not. Despite hysterical predictions that thousands of people would be turned away at the polls, there was not a single complaint about disenfranchisement in last fall's elections, the first under the photo ID requirement.
One has to wonder why Democrats insist that the exact opposite of reality is true and why they use these baseless claims to oppose voter ID laws. The public should be deeply suspicious of politicians who try so hard to establish a voting system that does not allow the public to verify the identity of those who vote.


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BOSTON -- Rep. Harold Naughton testified Monday he had called the former probation commissioner to recommend people for jobs in probation and had reached out to Rep. Tom Petrolati for the same purpose, but said the phone call he received from an aide to Rep. Robert DeLeo in the summer of 2007 was unique in his roughly two decades in the Legislature.
In that call, DeLeo's aide at the time, Lenny Mirasolo, told Naughton about one job opening in the Clinton Democrat's home city, at a new electronic monitoring facility run by the probation department, and asked if Naughton had a referral, Naughton testified in federal court.
Naughton said he recommended Michael Sheraton, the son of an attorney in the area he knew "professionally" and Sheraton later received a job. Naughton said he was aware in the summer of 2007 that DeLeo was positioning himself to succeed Salvatore DiMasi as speaker of the House, something DeLeo achieved after DiMasi's January 2009 resignation.
Also on Monday, Rep. James O'Day was called to the stand in the trial of three former probation officials and said that in July 2007, two months after he had been elected to the House, DeLeo himself called to ask if his district included Clinton and to let him know about a job opportunity at the new electronic monitoring, or ELMO, facility.
O'Day's recommendation, Stephen Ware, applied for a job at ELMO on Sept. 5, 2007, and John O'Brien, who was then the probation commissioner, wrote a letter also dated Sept. 5, 2007 to the chief justice of administration and management, saying O'Brien was appointing Ware to the job of acting assistant electronic monitoring coordinator with a starting salary of $40,446, according to evidence presented Monday.
Ware, 35, who had worked with O'Day, 60, at the Department of Social Services – now the Department of Children and Families – said he did some information technology work for O'Day during his campaign and had told him about his desire to get into law enforcement when the two worked together.
Ware also said he had submitted a resume prior to filling out the Sept. 5, 2007 application.
Both O'Day and Naughton said they never traded their votes in exchange for anyone they had recommended receiving a job.
"Your actions as a state legislator are not for sale, is that correct?" asked defense attorney John Amabile, finding agreement from Naughton. Amabile said, "You didn't get a bribe. You didn't bribe anybody else."
O'Brien and two of his former deputies, Elizabeth Tavares and William Burke III, are on trial for allegedly rigging hiring in the department and conspiring to use jobs as a form of bribery with the hopes of favorable treatment from the Legislature. O'Brien allegedly doled out ELMO jobs like "lollipops" to help DeLeo in his quest for the speakership, according to prosecutor Fred Wyshak.
Over Wyshak's objections and amid Amabile's paeans to patriotism, Naughton, a major in the U.S. Army Reserves, discussed the circumstances of his call to Petrolati, a Ludlow Democrat who was allegedly particularly influential in probation personnel decisions.
Naughton, 53, said he was in Baghdad at the time, serving on a tour in Iraq, and late one night he had a chance to use a land line. Unable to call his wife, Naughton tried the House floor, asked who was around, and was then patched through to the rostrum, where Petrolati, previously the speaker pro tempore, took the call. On the call, Naughton told Petrolati about a constituent who worked as a probation officer at Clinton District Court and was looking for a promotion, Naughton said.
The Clinton Democrat, who ended a campaign for attorney general earlier this year, agreed with Wyshak that the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, which was DeLeo in 2007, and the speaker, "pretty much control the budget process."
Naughton also understood House leadership to have influence over probation hiring.
"It would be helpful… for someone from leadership to advocate to the probation commissioner's office," said Naughton. Under cross examination, Naughton said he would call Chief Justice of Administration and Management Robert Mulligan about court officer jobs.
Naughton said Mulligan lobbied him for the authority to transfer funds between the various Trial Court appropriations, including from the probation department. In February 2005, Mulligan notified the Legislature he was transferring $2 million into court security, and moving $695,095 out of probation and into the District Court Administrative Office, among other transfers. Mulligan later lost his ability, granted by the Legislature, to move funds.
In 2007, when DeLeo and his office alerted Naughton and O'Day about ELMO jobs, Naughton said he "was aware" the House Ways and Means chairman and Winthrop Democrat was seeking the speakership.
Rep. Anne Gobi, a Spencer Democrat who is now seeking an open Senate seat, previously testified she was not aware that DeLeo was seeking the speakership until "rumblings" in late 2008. O'Day said he was also not aware until well after the 2007 phone call that DeLeo wanted the top House post.
DeLeo won the speakership over a challenge from Rep. John Rogers, a Norwood Democrat.
O'Day initially supported Quincy Democrat Rep. Ron Mariano for speaker, but Mariano did not have enough votes and withdrew his name from consideration, he said. Naughton said that he had previously backed Rogers in his losing bid for the speakership in September 2004, when DiMasi won the post.
O'Day, Naughton and Gobi, who all testified they saw the candidates they recommended hired to ELMO positions, all said the supported DeLeo.
O'Day said his experience working with Rogers on a committee tasked with addressing child abuse convinced him not to support Rogers for speaker. Naughton said DeLeo agreed with him on providing more support to veterans, which helped win his support.
Witnesses say DeLeo, aide outlined probation job fliing opportunities
BOSTON -- Rep. Harold Naughton testified Monday he had called the former probation commissioner to recommend people for jobs in probation and had reached out to Rep. Tom Petrolati for the same purpose, but said the phone call he received from an aide to Rep. Robert DeLeo in the summer of 2007 was unique in his roughly two decades in the Legislature.


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The eJournal of Education Policy was established Fall, 2000. Papers are invited that take seriously the broad issues of rights to an education in the public domain and the debates that emerge around differing opinions regarding educational policy making in a democratic society. The journal is published twice per year, Spring and Fall editions. Special editions are considered: contact the editor. International papers must be submitted in English.
Notification of the disposition of your submission will be by either April 1st for the Spring edition (if received by February 15th) or November 1st (if received by September 15th) for the Fall edition.
The following organizations are affiliates of the NAU COE eJournal of Education Policy:
The NAU COE eJournal of Education Policy was featured in the Spring 2011 edition of the Center for International Education's NAU Global. You may view the article on page 8.
*The papers reflect perspectives on current policy issues facing both K-12 and higher education and are not necessarily those reflected of the referees, or university.
Rosemary Papa


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Tammy Morris wiped tears from her eyes as she described to a jury this afternoon how she watched a fireball engulf motorcyclist Keith Michaelson after John P. Heaney's pickup truck careened into him and five bikers.
Tammy Morris wiped tears from her eyes as she described to a jury this afternoon how she watched a fireball engulf motorcyclist Keith Michaelson after John P. Heaney's pickup truck careened into him and five bikers.
Morris had allowed the caravan of motorcycles to get in front of her on Route 512 as she drove south out of East Bangor on July 1, 2011, she said. She said she was a car length behind them when Heaney's
Dodge Ram came around a blind curve in their lane. As she detailed the accident that killed Michaelson and fellow biker Michael Zadoyko at Heaney's vehicular homicide trial, she admitted she's still haunted by feelings of guilt for letting them ahead of her.
"I saw a man blow up in front of me," she cried on the stand before Judge Paula Roscioli, saying she was too distraught to drive for six months after the crash.
Assistant District Attorney Bill Blake said in his opening arguments Heaney, a retired Plainfield, N.J., police officer, drunkenly fishtailed out of his lane, striking two of the seven bikers and injuring four others who had to swerve out of the way.
Heaney had consumed two beers and between two and four vodka tonics before the crash after a day of fly fishing in the Stroudsburg area, officials said. Officers said Heaney smelled of alcohol when they interviewed him after the crash, and he refused to grant a blood sample that would have shown his blood-alcohol content, he said.
"The only thing I can remember was waking up and someone bouncing off my windshield," Blake said, quoting a statement Heaney provided police after the crash.
Defense attorney Dennis Charles, however, argued Heaney was not drunk but passed out from a medical affliction. Heaney had undergone gastric bypass surgery three years earlier, he said, and the surgery left his body unable to fully control his blood sugar levels.
After a day outside in the heat and drinking Gatorade and club sodas, Heaney's blood sugar plummeted, which caused him to faint, the attorney said. As proof, he argued the 305-pound Heaney still passed the field sobriety tests police put him through despite being weakened and in shock.
Prosecutors argue there were indications Heaney was drunk during one of the three field sobriety tests.
"He walks the nine steps of the line like Nadia Comaneci," Charles said, referring to the Olympic medal-winning Romanian gymnast.
Heaney told police at the time of the accident that Heaney suffered a multitude of injuries unrelated to the crash, including partial paralysis of his arm and trouble sleeping. Two medical experts determined Heaney passed out from hypoglycemia, Charles said, and prosecutors didn't even have a BAC test to prove Heaney was drunk, he said.
"Even now, after I gave them 1,000 pages of medical evidence, they are going to try to make those facts stick," he said, referring to the police reports of Heaney's glassy eyes and smell of alcohol.
Charles also said a witness would testify one of the bikers not injured in the crash assaulted Heaney, punching him in the head and arm. However, neither Morris nor George Curtis, the one biker not harmed in the crash, mentioned a fight in their testimony today.
Curtis said the men were all members of Last Chance Motorcycle Club, a group of recovering drug addicts and alcoholics who loved to ride. The members were as close as family and were on their way to pay their respects at a late member's wake when the crash occurred, he said.
Heaney rolled his truck onto the side of the road and began walking toward the wreckage, apologizing and asking the remaining men what they wanted him to do, Curtis said. The stunned bikers cursed at him and yelled at him to stay away, Curtis said.
"You (expletive) maniac, you killed my brother," one of the wounded bikers shouted at him, Curtis said.
The trial picks up Tuesday at 9 a.m. and is expected to last at least until Thursday.


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Kayla Hough
St. Matthew's University School of Veterinary Medicine
Renton, WA 98059, US
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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2018 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. All market data delayed 20 minutes.
Exclusive: As responding deputies were arriving to the scene to search for the active shooter in the Parkland massacre, a commanding officer apparently prematurely ordered some responders to stage and set up perimeter outside instead of rushing in and neutralizing the shooter. This goes against Broward policy. #Tucker
Fox News has learned that in the critical moments as first responding deputies were searching for an active shooter on the property of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, a commanding officer on scene apparently ordered some of the initial responders to "stage" and set up a "perimeter" outside -- instead of immediately ordering or allowing officers to rush in to neutralize the suspect, Nikolas Cruz.
"It's atrocious," a law enforcement source who was on the scene after the shooting told Fox News. "If deputies were staging it could have cost lives."
The law enforcement source said responding deputies and officers were called to an active shooter scene in which they are trained to immediately "go, go, go" toward the direction of the shooter. "Every second is another life," the source said.
The Broward County Sherrif's Office policy on active shooters indicates responding deputies may enter the building to preserve life without permission. That remains the priority until various objectives are met such as the shooter being detained. The policy does not appear to list staging -- setting up an area to keep first responders safe before police secure a violent scene --or a perimeter as an immediate priority.
However, two law enforcement officials said the call for staging or a perimeter might not have been a bad call because staging and a perimeter eventually has to happen during most emergency situations and the commanding officer might have had information the rest of the crews did not.
Fox News spoke to Carla Kmiotek, a sergeant for the Coral Springs Fire Department who said she was one of the first responding officers to the scene on February 14. Kmiotek says an active shooter call is "multifaceted when discussing tactics and scene command. Our officers are trained to respond and immediately press to the threat."
Sales banoverturned.
Matt Wales
The Australian Classification Board has announced that, following a successful appeal by publisher Gearbox, Compulsion Games' psychedelic dystopian adventure We Happy Few will now receive a R 18+ classification, enabling the game to be sold in the country.
Back in May, We Happy Few was
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in Australia, effectively banning it from sale, after it fell foul of the ratings board's strict policies on drug use in games. The board claimed that its drug-use mechanic, which can make progress easier in some circumstances, "constitutes an incentive or reward for drug-use and therefore, the game exceeds the R 18+ classification that states, 'drug use related to incentives and rewards is not permitted'".
In response, Compulsion Games noted that We Happy Few's "overarching social commentary is no different than Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, or Terry Gilliam's Brazil", highlighting that the game unfolds in a world where use of the drug Joy is mandated by the authorities, and that "the whole point of the game is to reject this programming and fight back".
At the time, the studio said that it planned to speak with the board to "provide additional information, to discuss the issues in depth, and see whether they will change their minds". In turn, the board announced last week that it would reconsider its initial ruling as part of an appeal by publisher Gearbox - an appeal which has now been deemed successful.
In its final report , the board confirmed that "A three-member panel of the Classification Review Board has unanimously determined that the computer game We Happy Few is classified R 18+ (Restricted) with the consumer advice 'Fantasy violence and interactive drug use'".
In a short statement released on its website, Compulsion said, "We are extremely pleased with the decision of the board and excited that our Australian fans and new players will be able to experience We Happy Few without modification.
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"We want to thank everybody who got involved in the discussion, contacted the board and sent us countless messages of support.Your involvement made a huge difference."
We Happy Few comes to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on August 10th.
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Complex human behaviors also appear at the origins of many security problems. Taking a natural history approach to human behaviors, which involves looking at both their evolutionary roots and their commonalities across human groups, can provide valuable insight into their present manifestations. Seemingly irrational behaviors, such as radical fundamentalist belief systems, make more sense when viewed in the context of an evolutionary bias toward forming strong group identity in opposition to outsiders,
a bias that has evolutionary origins long predating humans.
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Villarreal argues that human belief systems are simply the evolved manifestation of self recognition systems that have helped nearly all organisms maintain their autonomy since the earliest interactions between bacteria and viruses. Belief systems can spread through relationship networks. These human networks also share key characteristics with biological networks such as ecosystems, food webs, and social insect relationships. 39 In particular, they show resilience which emanates from many individual components engaged in improving their own fitness. Many successful terrorist networks were found to originate through adolescent friendships developed in radical mosque-sponsored soccer leagues. Astrid amp; Miyu JEWELRY Rings su YOOXCOM BsZgFIk
Although human belief systems have diversified, they show common features across societies – for instance, adolescence as a nearly universal period when ideological, religious, and other beliefs are either abandoned or solidified. Angara Double Loop Twist Swiss Blue Topaz Pendant with Diamonds j9c9Hxn8
These three aspects of belief systems – their deep evolutionary roots, their network-reinforced resilience, and their universal features – suggest that they can't be eliminated entirely, but that alternative pathways provided for adolescents (e.g., soccer clubs sponsored by secular or non-radical religious groups) may be effective in diffusing their most dangerous expressions.
Nonetheless, applying Darwinian ideas to human society inevitably raises ethical issues. Biological evolution is often a tinkering process of trial and error and many individuals die under natural selection. Most societies don't ethically accept the notion of sacrificing individuals to improve security, although engaging in armed conflict implicitly carries some aspects of this (and accordingly raises ethical deliberations). But biologically inspired security systems will not be perfect mimics of nature and they do not have to be beholden to the same forces of selection that operate on natural organisms. We can deliberately select the aspects of natural security systems we would like to incorporate, devise artificial tests of their efficacy, and selectively reproduce only those systems that demonstrate improvements. Already, realistic amateur and professional probing has been used to test the efficacy of security systems, but the results have not necessarily been used to select for better systems. For example, the fallibility of systems that attempt to screen contraband carried by people entering secure buildings and airport gates was revealed in tests well before Abdulmutallab smuggled incendiary material onto a plane, 42 but the response to both the simulated and actual failure of contraband screening systems has been, in part, to appropriate more resources to them.
Copyright 2017 Justice Administrative Commission PLEASE NOTE: Florida has a very broad public records law and all correspondence with JAC is potentially subject to disclosure.
Justice Administrative CommissionP : 850.488.2415 (Main Reception) P : 1.844.JAC.LINE (1.844.522.5463) (Help Desk) F : 850.488.8944 | 850.922.6794 227 N. Bronough Street, Suite 2100 Tallahassee, FL 32301 U.S. Mail: P.O. Box 1654, Tallahassee, FL 32302


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Where is this majority that wants common-sense gun laws? I can't seem to find them, A few of us are old enough to remember when most high schools had shooting clubs and students brought their guns to school to hold shooting competitions and learn gun safety. I don't remember any mass shootings then. I guess the guns back then had a different attitude. These new modern guns, especially assault rifles must be made from some new kind of metal that makes them more evil. It can't possibly be the attitude of the people can it.
After all the liberal agenda taught by out schools tells us that we must not try to teach our children right from wrong or punish them for doing wrong it might damage their little egos. It is OK to go to school with green, orange or purple hair, tattoos and pants hanging off your butt, talk trash and have unlimited sex, but whatever you do don't mention God for he is not allowed in school or for that matter in just about any other public place. If you are looking for reasons for these crazy acts of violence, they are hiding right in front of your face.
Richard Kipp
Pleasant View


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In any house, HVAC systems always consume the most energy. These systems are kept running throughout the day and night to keep the house comfortable for everyone. Unless they break down, they are also kept running all through the year. You need to schedule regular maintenance and AC repair in Rialto from time to time to ensure the AC will operate at the highest efficiency rating, and to consume as little energy as possible. In case you have an AC in the house that is more than 10 years old, you will end up spending a lot on repairs. As a result, it would be safer to get a complete system upgrade to a newer, more reliable and efficient AC. While getting a new AC might look expensive, you will be getting your money back each month in energy consumption savings.
Most contractors who offer Rialto AC repair will charge extra if they have to travel a distance to come to your house. This is why you are often advised to hire a local contractor because they will not charge you travel fees, or if they do, the extra will be relatively lower compared to other contractors. Upon the evaluation of your AC system and the possible problems, you may have to spend at least $200 on repair services.
The base charge for repairing your air conditioning in Rialto will be anywhere between $20 and $50, though some companies charge higher. After they check your AC system, they will be able to give you a complete quote for the repair, including the cost of equipment and materials needed to repair the system, and the cost of labor.
For reference it may be helpful to compare the costs from surrounding towns as well:
Whenever you suspect you are having a problem that needs air conditioning repair in Rialto, the first thing you should look at is the thermostat. The switch or breaker might actually be on the wrong setting or it could be off. Look at the furnace to ensure it is still properly locked. Usually, the safety switch will completely shut down the gas furnace. In case there is no air coming out of the AC system while it is running, you might be having an air filter problem. You can let the AC system rest for one or two hours and then try it out with a new filter. These are simple checks that can make a big difference. You may be able to solve the problem without having to bring in an expert.
Talk to people you know first before getting someone to do the work for you. Referrals will help you a great deal when it comes to air conditioning repair in Rialto. Having narrowed down your options on the contractor you will choose, tell them about the repair history. They will also want to know about the model of your AC system. You have to ensure that the contractor comes to your house to inspect the AC unit before they can give you a quote for their services.
Your AC needs proper and regular maintenance if you want it to serve you for a long time. Each system has a unique SEER rating. If your air conditioning in Rialto is to operate at the set level and keep serving you efficiently, you need it properly maintained. Schedule an inspection with your contractor at regular intervals. Follow their instructions to the latter. More importantly, try and avoid setting your thermostat under 78 degrees. This is because beyond this level, each degree lower than 78 consumes up to 5% more electricity.
Last updated: Jul 22, 2018


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Teens share experiences on distracted driving
02/28/2014 6:52amStudents at Corner Canyon High School in Draper participated Thursday in IKnowEverything, a program that surveys teens and educates them on the dangers of distracted driving.
Police search for missing elderly woman
02/28/2014 7:02amPolice are asking for help to locate a woman who has been missing for nearly 10 days.
More women 'marrying down' educationally, study says
02/28/2014 8:43amThe number of women who have received more education than their husbands is at an all-time high, according to the Pew Research Center.
'Night of Stars' celebrates volunteers, kids' reading progress
02/28/2014 9:08amA few thousand people attended a movie premier in theaters from Logan to South Jordan. They were not only guests but the stars.
Tips on finding a lost pet
02/28/2014 9:46amFor pet owners, losing a pet can be stressful and overwhelming.
Siblings draw on faith for strength after death of parents, brothers
02/28/2014 9:58amA brother and sister whose parents and two siblings died of carbon monoxide poisoning while the two were serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are relying on faith, they said Thursday.
23-year-old man using crosswalk hit by car
02/28/2014 10:04amA 23-year-old man was hit by a car turning right while he was still in the crosswalk Thursday, police said. He was unconscious when officers arrived.
Small games can generate big money, but it's rare
02/28/2014 10:28amThe maker of Flappy Bird pulled the plug when the game was making $50,000 every day. So, is developing a game worth it for the average designer, especially if the app is free to download?
Support growing for Chaffetz's GPS Act to protect cellphone data
02/28/2014 11:57amA privacy bill introduced by Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz that would keep police from using private citizens' electronic device data against them is getting support from around the country.
Hill Aerospace Museum to cut 18 aircraft, 3 missiles from collection
02/28/2014 1:44pmThe Hill Aerospace Museum will be cutting 18 aircraft, three missiles and other support vehicles from its collection.
Lawmakers quietly discuss deal with Count My Vote to end initiative petition
02/28/2014 1:56pmUtah lawmakers approved several bills on Thursday, including a bill to give enrollment preference to charter school founders' grandkids and a bill requiring state officials to discuss issues regarding daylight saving time. Lawmakers are also quietly discussing a deal with Count My Vote that would end the initiative petition.
Woman pinned under vehicle after being ejected from car, police say
02/28/2014 2:38pmA woman who wasn't wearing her seatbelt is in critical condition after she was pinned under a vehicle, according to police.
Utah defends freeze on benefits for gay couples
02/28/2014 4:04pmUtah officials say in a new court filing that they have no choice but to put a freeze on granting benefits to newly married gay couples until a federal appeals court rules on the state's same-sex marriage ban.
5 ways to get ready for the spring golf season
02/28/2014 4:18pmGet on the green (and save a little too) by preparing right this season.
Utah lawmakers consider 3 plans for Utah's 60K uninsured
02/28/2014 7:20pmUtah government leaders have three different plans to consider for Medicaid expansion that is needed to cover the nearly 60,000 Utahns without health insurance.
Shots fired at Salt Lake couple's home
02/28/2014 7:23pmSomeone fired about 12 gunshots into the home of a middle-aged Salt Lake couple, police said.
31 affected in Weber County pertussis outbreak are recovering
02/28/2014 7:24pmAn infant has been hospitalized and 30 people are being evaluated following an outbreak of pertussis in some Weber County schools, officials reported.
Police search along Jordan River for woman missing since 2002
02/28/2014 7:46pmPolice conducted an aerial search Friday in areas along the Jordan River in South Salt Lake following recent tips regarding Aletha Jo Williams, who went missing on March 6, 2002.
South Jordan lunch lady saves choking third-grader
02/28/2014 7:46pmParents are grateful to a lunch worker at an elementary school in South Jordan for successfully performing the Heimlich maneuver on their third-grade girl who was choking on an orange Wednesday.
Murray family bringing awareness of drunken driving after child's death
02/28/2014 7:59pmMatt and Aubrie Thurber are making a public plea after their 3-year- old boy was killed by a man accused of drunken driving five weeks ago.
Therapy dogs visit Salt Lake airport
02/28/2014 8:02pmThree therapy dogs are helping flyers at Salt Lake City International Airport reduce stress and make their wait go a little quicker.
Utah AG wrongly intervening in adoptions, same-sex couples claim
02/28/2014 8:59pmSeveral married same-sex parents say the Utah Attorney General's Office is unjustly intervening in their adoption cases.
Deal reached by leaders, legislators on Count My Vote
02/28/2014 9:57pmA deal that would end the Count My Vote initiative petition drive to establish a direct primary election in Utah was reached Friday night and will be announced Saturday.
Mudslide threatens homes in South Weber
02/28/2014 10:44pmResidents of four homes voluntarily evacuated late Thursday night when heavy rain triggered a mudslide on the hill above the homes.
Retirement center resident inspires musical for Olympus High School
02/28/2014 10:51pmAt age 64, Bill Binger isn't the typical Highland Cove Retirement Center resident.
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March 08. 2013 12:22AM
Businesses signal fears about Nashua Airport tower shutdown
By BENJAMIN C. KLEIN
Union Leader Correspondent
NASHUA - With sequestration cuts threatening to close the Nashua Municipal Airport control tower early next month, businesses at the airport are worried about the impact the closure could have on their bottom line - and safety.
While members of the Airport Authority work to try to convince the Federal Aviation Administration not to close the tower, which is one of 189 towers nationally scheduled to close on April 7, many business owners say they fail to understand how the government can close the tower after finishing $25 million worth of renovations to the airport less then a year ago. Ed Luppi, director of operations for OIA Aircorp, said his main concern is safety, not business.
"We're operating a corporate flight department here with a corporate jet, and not having a tower creates safety issues we have to consider. The lack of having eyes on the field when we are flying in the area of the airport and lack of a tower makes the airport an uncontrolled field.
The people in the control tower help keep traffic moving in an orderly fashion instead of pilots just communicating with each other.
The commingling of recreational traffic with commercial traffic can be confusing at times, especially for lesser-experienced pilots," Luppi said.
With four employees and one corporate jet, Luppi said that while OIA wouldn't be forced to move if the tower closure occurs.
"Not having a tower here could absolutely affect business negatively," said Bill Psaledakis, operations manager for Nashua Jet Aviation.
While the closure of the tower wouldn't force the business to move, Psaledakis said, that is only because "we have so many buildings on the airport, we're tied into this location."
"The federal government just spent $25 million on the new runway to entice new business, and now they are closing the tower? That is not the way to entice business here," he said.
Scott Wharem, owner of Harvest Aviation, said that changing to operating out of an uncontrolled airport will be an adjustment and that the loss of the tower has the potential to hurt his bottom line.
"While I can't say with any certainty that it will hurt us, I find it interesting they are closing the tower based on (takeoffs and landings numbers) that are significantly higher now than when the tower was first put in. (Takeoff and landing numbers) were much lower when they first thought we needed one," Wharem said.
Donald Davidson, chairman of the commissioners of the Airport Authority, agreed business and safety at the airport could be adversely affected by the closure of the tower.
"The Nashua Airport has about 60,000 operational movements each year, with a mix of small and corporate jets," Davidson said.
Davidson added that the Airport Authority is working on a plan to convince the FAA to delay or cancel the closure.
He said Nashua Airport is unique and should not be under FAA consideration for closure.
"Our economic concerns are shared by airports across the country, but the difference is the federal government just spent $25 million on the airport for safety reasons and within four months of work being finished they want to shut down the tower? It will be a tough fight, but we will fight it," he said.