text:
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (US - BD)
Jonathan watches a delightfully odd Chritmas movie from Finland...
Young Pietari lives with his stern reindeer-herding father Rauno in arctic Finland. On the eve of Christmas, an enormous excavation at a nearby mountain disturbs the locals and captures Pietari's curiosity. When Rauno's reindeer herd is mysteriously slain and the children in the town go missing, Pietari realizes that the dig has unearthed the evil Santa Clause of local lore - who no one wants coming to town. Pietari's father rounds up a posse and captures the nightmarish creature in an attempt to sell him to the misguided leader sponsoring the dig. But Santa's freakish elves will stop at nothing to free their fearless leader, and what ensues is a fantastically bizarre holiday adventure that tests the bonds of father and son and pits man against mythology. (From the Oscilloscope synopsis)
If you can't tell from the plot description alone, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is an unusual film. It's not unique in the fact that it's a scary movie about Christmas. We've seen that done plenty of times. What sets it apart is the way it takes the mythical lore of Santa Claus, turns it on its head, and then approaches it with complete seriousness. It's a parody of uplifting Christmas movies and living dead features that never, for a second, stops to acknowledge how silly it is and let the audience know that the filmmakers are in on a joke. On one hand you might think that a little tongue-in-cheek humour would suit an idea like this well, but the serious approach used works marvelously. The movie does have humour to it, but it's incredibly dry and could go completely unnoticed. The tone reminded me very much of some of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's earlier films, like Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children. It's dark and creepy on the surface, but there is an odd whimsical nature beneath it all.
Rare Exports takes some bold risks, especially in the final moments. First time full length feature director Helander is aware that sometimes less is more. Whether its subtlety on his part or the result of budgetary constraints, some Hollywood directors (I'm looking at JJ Abrams) could certainly learn something from this example. Treating Santa Claus like he is some kind of mythical, child-murdering demon that came straight out of 'Dante's Inferno' is an effectively creepy concept. Helander milks his premise without ever being excessive or allowing the film to slip into a gorey slasher movie. It's more like an alien creature genre film, but with Santa Claus. The movie's weirdest moments don't really take place until the final 20 minutes or so, which makes it difficult to elaborate upon without giving anything away. To keep it vague, I'll say that it will undoubtedly leave some viewers nonplussed. It certainly rubbed me the wrong way at first, but having thought about it for some time after the movie now, the strangeness has a beguiling charm to it.
Not everything about this movie works well. The characters, as watchable as they may be, remain fairly undeveloped. The character arcs that do exist feel forced and implausible, even in a parody filled with some ridiculous plot developments. I didn't buy into the father-son relationship aspect as much as some film critics have. The supporting characters are just there. Infusing them with some sort of personality could've raised my enjoyment level. I try not to demerit a film based on poor special effects, especially if its a low budget foreign film and the effects are difficult to achieve through practical means. But Rare Exports reaches well beyond its budget in some of the climactic scenes, and I must admit that it took me out of the movie a bit. Despite it's evident problems, I'm still very happy that I took the time to watch it. If you're a Jeunet's odd tonal mixtures or admire a movie that's willing to take its silly premise into delightfully intrepid territory, give Rare Exports a rent and see if it's for you.
Oscilloscope does well by this film, giving it a gorgeous 1080p transfer. The film's palette mostly consists of cool blues with a warm colour (usually red) standing out. Shot on 35mm, the film has a nice soft grain that gives it a very natural appearance. It's never too harsh against the light blue skies like many grainier transfers are. Blurry angle effects are occasionally used by the cinematographer, giving the film a soft look in a lot of warmer lit scenes. When these effects are not at work the detail is quite good. You can see all the detail in the captured Santa's long twisted beard. Black levels are nearly reference quality. I noticed a couple incidents of damage specks that were hardly intrusive, and at least once instance of haloing, but fans should be very pleased with this video presentation.
This DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track gets a pretty good work out in the beginning and end of this film. At the start, there is a lot of construction going on at the excavation site near the home where our main characters live. You can hear a lot of off-screen equipment and drilling filling the extra speaker channels. The middle portion of the movie, as the story is developing, is fairly quiet. Aside from a few tense scenes, including one at the previously mentioned excavation site and one involving a chimney, things are kept front and center. The finale of the film features a wide range of noises that occupy the room, such as the whir of a swooping helicopter, taking full advantage of the 5.1 mix. The score, though not particularly memorable, sounds quite good in the mix. Dialogue is appropriately leveled and perfectly clear, though many viewers will be reading English subtitles anyways.
Rare Exports Inc. (HD, 07:19): Though it's encoded in HD, this special feature has more of a DVD-like quality to it. This is one of two short films from director Helander that eventually lead to a feature long film. This short follows a group of hunters (some of which star in the feature length version) as they hunt for "Father Christmases". I found it very enjoyable to go back and see the early stages of the ideas that are further developed in Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. In many ways, the humour of the feature film works better in these short parodies.
Rare Exports Inc. - The Official Safety Instructions (HD, 10:51): This one is also close to DVD quality. This short elaborates on the ideas in Rare Exports Inc., adding some characters to the mix (who appear in the full length film) instead of just having narration over a series of images. The main focus here is the safety rules that one needs to follow when interacting with these wild Santa Clauses. There is some comedy gold in here. If you're a fan of the film, you'll eat both of these shorts up.
The Making of Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (HD, 28:21): This is a lot less structured than your usual "making of" extra. It's mostly comprised of footage from the set and some screen tests. It's fun to watch the filmmakers and actors joke around on set, but those looking for a wealth of information about the film won't find much here. Even without interview footage, you still get a good sense of how a lot of scenes were filmed.
Blood in the Snow - A Look at the Concept Art (HD, 03:09): I don't find a lot of concept art featurettes too valuable, but this one is pretty neat. The high-definition really helps you see the detail that went into the artwork. There is no talking here, just a series of concept images followed by the segments from the movie that they belong to. A lovely piece from the film's score plays over the segment.
Animatics & Computer Effects Comparison (HD): There are two comparisons, each running approximately three minutes, that show the raw footage and animatics side-by-side with the final product seen in the film. It's neat to see just how much of the image was special effects. Though some of the predominantly CGI scenes in the movie were a turn off for me, there are a lot of subtle effects that were used without me realizing it. This featurette helped me to appreciate them more.
Photo Gallery (HD): 37 hi-res images taken from the set of the film.
Original Finnish Trailer (HD, 01:58)
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (SD, 01:19:55): What's this!? Without any mention on the Blu-ray packaging whatsoever, Oscilloscope has included a silly old Nicholas Webster film. It's not cleaned up at all, and it's easy to watch it online for free (legally), but it's very cool of them to use the extra space on their BD-50 to throw in an old title from their vault. I feel kind of spoiled!
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is an insanely odd movie. It works best as a dry parody; twisting traditional Christmas lore and subverting the audience's expectations of what a holiday movie can be. It does this while also trying to maintain a heartfelt story of a father and son who depend on each other, but I was less impressed with this aspect of the movie. Oscilloscope has given the film a lovingly crafted Blu-ray release with crisp video and a loud spacious sound mix. There are also enough extras here to satisfy any fan of the film, including the two hilarious short films that preceded it.
* Note: The above images are taken from the Blu-ray release and resized for the page. Full-resolution captures are available by clicking individual images, but due to .jpg compression they are not necessarily representative of the quality of the transfer.
Review by Jonathan Hogberg
djblack1313 Member Join Date: April 2006 Location: United States Posts: 529
i was VERY excited to see this but it left me feeling....meh. it has some creepy visuals and the big finale (the oncoming attack sequence) is cool but this fell flat for me. the Xmas horror movie SINT was much more enjoyable.
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Disc Details
Release Date: 25th October 2011
Discs: 2
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.35:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Finnish, LPCM 2.0 Finnish
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Extras: Rare Exports Inc. and Rare Exports Inc. - The Official Saftey Instructions (Two short film prequels), The Making of Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, "Blood in the snow" - a look at the concept art, Animatics & Computer Effects Video Comparison, Behind the Scenes Production Stills Photo Gallery, Original Theatrical Trailer from Finland, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, DVD Copy
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Jalmari Helander
Cast: Jorma Tommila, Peeter Jakobi, Onni Tommila
Genre: Action, Comedy and Fantasy
Length: 82 minutes
7Review Guide
Follow our updates
Past Reviews
Night Train Murders, The UK - BD Coco Before Chanel US - BD RA Gone in 60 Seconds (1974) US - BD RA Coffy UK - DVD R2 North by Northwest US - DVD R1
Hot Articles
Star Wars: Top 20 Moments DVD Star Wars: The Changes - Part One DVD | BD Star Wars: The Changes - Part Three DVD Star Wars: The Changes - Part Two DVD Die Hard: Top 20 Moments DVD
Latest News
A Star Is Born (2018) US - DVD R1 | BD RA Hunter Killer US - DVD R1 | BD RA Jack The Ripper (1959) US - DVD R1 | BD RA Suspiria (2018) US - DVD R1 | BD RA First Man US - DVD R1 | BD RA
Most Talked About
Halloween (2018) US - DVD R1 | BD RA Venom US - DVD R1 | BD RA All the Colors of the Dark US - DVD R1 | BD RA Cloverfield Paradox, The US - DVD R1 | BD RA Night School US - DVD R1 | BD RA


text:
A navigational mistake led to the British setting foot on the Caribbean island of Barbados in 1627.
It was a mistake, however, that helped shape the society and culture of Barbados, along with helping the island nation become a highly desirable tourist destination.
The British ruled Barbados for 339 years, until the island gained independence 42 years ago. During this time, Barbados developed admirable education, health and social systems, along with a reputation for being financially and politically stable. The standard of living and literacy rates are among the highest of countries in the developing world.
The British influence is still seen in Barbados today. Cricket is played. Afternoon tea is popular. And, cars are driven on the left side of the road.
But this influence doesn't overwhelm the rich mix of native customs, arts and food that makes Barbados a destination where visitors can have an authentic and original Caribbean experience.
Take the flying fish. It has become a symbol of the island and has been recorded travelling through the air at speeds up to 90 km/h. After catching flying fish, island residents (Bajans) are adept at deboning these fish of their hundreds of tiny bones. Bajans have turned this skill into something that's honoured at competitions, original only in the Barbados.
An authentic Caribbean experience can also be had when a visitor encounters a tuk band, an unusual grouping of percussion players and costumed characters including a "donkey man."
Other original or authentic moments? Well, there are few other places in the world where you'll see a mongoose crossing the road, a fingernail-sized whistling frog whose songs fill the air at night, or an association that represents organized games of "road tennis."
However, it's not just unusual experiences that characterize a holiday to Barbados. The country also fulfils most people's list of prerequisites that are desired when planning a tropical getaway.
This island -- just 38 kilometres long and 25 kilometres wide -- boasts two very different shorelines.
The west coast is more tranquil, perched on the mesmerizing blues and greens of the Caribbean Sea. The east coast, on the Atlantic Ocean, offers windswept vistas and more rugged shorelines.
In Barbados, fresh fruit abounds, including the grapefruit which was first grown here. Crops of sugar cane sway in the breeze, a testament to once dominant industry on the island.
Rum shops provide plenty of opportunity to taste some of the finest rum around. It's believed the first rum in the world was distilled here about 350 years ago.
Steady trade winds along with seemingly endless stretches of beaches provide plenty of opportunities for almost every watersport: surfing, swimming, snorkelling, bodysurfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wave-riding, fishing, water-skiing, parasailing, sailing. . . . or, after all those sports, you might be ready to just take in some rays and relax.
Praise for Barbados as a destination is growing.
The highly regarded Zagat Survey released a Best of Barbados guide in 2007 -- the first Zagat guide to a Caribbean island.
"Barbados is a breathtaking island and one of the best places in the world to kick back and relax, but it's also full of top-notch restaurants, exciting nightclubs, and world class golf courses," said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey.
Barbados' minister of tourism, Richard Sealy, said there's plenty of room for expansion in the Canadian tourism market.
"In 1979, (some) 99,000 Canadians came to Barbados," Sealy said in a report in Totally Barbados. "Last year, only 55,000 came. So, we have a lot of room there that we can grow."
The Canadian federal government also reports that an average of 50,000 to 60,000 Canucks visit Barbados each year, despite the fact that the relationship between the two countries dates back more than a century. The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service established an office in Barbados in 1907 and Canadian banks soon followed. The Royal Bank, for example, opened a Barbados branch in 1911.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper also visited the island last year, with Canadian media in tow.
As one Bajan, "Auntie Moses," said at the time on the Barbados Free Press website: "Keep smiling and get them cold tourists down here!"
- BEST BETS FOR couples: Visit Crane Beach, dubbed one of the world's sexiest beaches by Concierge.com. The flour-soft sands are pinkish in colour; tall cliffs shut out the rest of the world; and, its remote location is perfect for an intimate stroll along the beach. Or, take a walk through the Andromeda Botanic Gardens and escape to a tropical Eden. Exotic flowers burst forward in every colour of the rainbow at this beautifully landscaped garden, reputed to have one of the best collections of indigenous tropical plants in the Caribbean.
- BEST BETS FOR SINGLES: Take yourself on a photo safari and go wild taking pictures at the Animal Flower Cave. The "animal flower" refers to sea anemones, but the real highlight here is the vista. Waves pound against cliffs, the vantage point is high and whales can occasionally be seen. At night, singles can check out The Boatyard, which boasts a beachfront location and a pulsating island/club music mix, or Pravda Lounge, featuring a chic clientele, tapas and funky soul rhythms.
- BEST BETS FOR FAMILIES: Kids of all ages will be amazed by the limestone caverns at Harrison's Cave, which locals dub a wonder of the world.
Don't miss the 12-metre waterfall, the prehistoric rock formations or the special tram tour. Other best bets for families include a visit to the Harry Bayley Observatory for star gazing and the Oughterson Zoo, where many animals live uncaged and in a natural habitat.
- When Barbados was first settled in 1625, it was almost totally covered in a dense jungle, ruled by a huge population of wild pigs.
- Vehicles still use a 250-year-old bridge, constructed of molasses, eggs and egg shells in the 1700s.
- Barbados has never been successfully invaded by a foreign power.
- The first settlement in Barbados became known as Holetown, because the nearby channel was used for the off-loading and cleaning of ships' wastes.
(The channel is no longer used for such purposes.)
- During the period 1841-45, Barbados was considered the healthiest place in the world to live, having one death per 66 people, compared to world average of approximately one death per 35 people.
- In 1846, the tiny island was home to 491 active sugar plantations, with 506 windmills.
Source: Barbados Tourism Authority and Canwest Newspapers

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A first-of-its-kind "Facebook felon" bill, now working its way through the South Carolina legislature, would impose a $500 fine and as many as 30 more days in jail for any prisoner caught creating or using a Facebook or Twitter account.
In some jails nationwide, inmates are managing to get their hands on smart phones and surreptitiously tap out pithy updates, send messages to the outside world, and even post photos after lights-out.
It is a new wrinkle on the common problem of contraband cellphones in prison, which have been used to order outside associates around, intimidate potential witnesses, and even order gangland hits. States prison systems from Georgia to California have cracked down on contraband cellphones, with some also considering ways to jam wireless communications inside prisons.
For South Carolina state Rep. Wendell Gilliard, a law-and-order Democrat from Charleston, the use of social media by prisoners is "a slap in the face" to both society and to victims. But criminalizing cell block use of social media could infringe on First Amendment rights, some experts say. Moreover, they say, the law could obscure the real problem now being brought to light in prisons: an unchecked flow of contraband, including drugs and cellphones.
"This is a meaningless strategy that makes it look like you're doing something about contraband and you're not," says Michele Deitch, a prison policy expert at the University of Texas at Austin. "Adding 30 days to someone's sentence is not going to keep them from doing this. What needs to happen is better controls within the prison."
SOUND OFF: Read what our Facebook fans have to say about Facebook usage in prisons
'An insult to society'
For its part, Facebook prohibits third-party profiles and is also known to turn off prisoner pages once the company becomes aware of them. But for prison officials keeping the lid on restive prison populations clamoring for any kind of access to the outside, controlling smartphones and Twitter accounts is a never-ending battle, and one in which prisoners often gain the upper hand.
State Representative Gilliard, the bill sponsor, cites one story in particular where a rape victim found her imprisoned attacker on Facebook, grinning in a photoshopped image where he was shown with a lady on each arm. He says officials have also discovered coded Facebook messages that imply threats or guide drug deals.
The Associated Press recounted the tale of one South Carolina prisoner named Islam Dunn. In jail for being part of a gang who robbed a house and killed one person, Mr. Dunn admitted his Facebook use to a reporter. Among his jailhouse updates: "All i want is my life bac," and, after his birthday, "got SO high." Prison officials in South Carolina were not aware Dunn had a social media account.
And in Texas last week, inmate David Puckett escaped from Stiles Unit prison in Beaumont using a smart phone to befriend and cajole a Facebook fan who eventually helped in the breakout – one in a long string of cellphone related incidents in Texas facilities, which are some of the most locked-down and secure in the country, says Ms. Deitch, the University of Texas prison policy expert. Puckett was eventually apprehended in Nebraska.
"[Social media use by prisoners] is truly an insult to society, and by being silent on this issue we were putting out the message that crime does pay," say Gilliard. "You see guys on Facebook, they've got smiles on their faces, and here it is convenient for them to go to prison and get on Facebook, have a good time, and talk to their friends, and it's all being paid for by taxpayers, by people who haven't committed any crime."
Prisoners' free-speech rights
In 2003, a federal judge rejected the premise of an Arizona law that prohibited anyone from helping inmates access the Internet through indirect means, such as messages passed along in phone calls or letters, which were then posted by friends and family. The judge said that states could prohibit prisoners from using the Internet, but could not prohibit them from accessing the online world through proxies.
"The very nature of the internet medium makes prisons have these very strict rules on internet access, because, frankly, [prison officials] see them as tools to quickly organize a criminal enterprise – but that doesn't mean that the content of the message itself should be suppressed," says Margaret Winter, associate director of the ACLU's National Prison Project.
She cites Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" as one example of the kind of widely distributed prison communication that the South Carolina bill would criminalize.
"I'm not making the outrageous claim that every communication that goes out of prison is some great, world-changing human-rights document, but that ... the mere fact that a person is a prisoner does not mean that they are not entitled to try to speak to the world," she adds.
The South Carolina Facebook felon bill has the support of House Speaker Bobby Harrell as well as officials from the state's juvenile detention system, says Gilliard.
Missing the point?
But focusing on inmate behavior could also take the focus off the difficult challenge of preventing contraband goods. "Prisons are cities and they need to be stocked with supplies all the time, and that's how [most] contraband comes in," says Deitch, who also points the finger at corrupt guards.
"That said, I think it's entirely the wrong approach to criminalize having a Facebook or Twitter account. What needs to happen is you solve the contraband problem, and then you make [social media access] a violation of administrative rules," she adds. "There's plenty of ways to control prisoners' behavior in a well-run correctional system that doesn't involve criminalizing the behavior."


text:
|Competition, Action Shooting And Training. Competition, Three gun, IPSC, IDPA , and Training discussion here.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
I am unaware of any special "rate card" for instructors based upon their past acts of derring-do or military qualifications. Did I not get the memo or something? Last time I checked, its was pretty much a free-market thing ... whatever the market will bear. If you can get the rate, get it. Or perhaps an alternate business plan calls for a different student-to-instructor ratio and charges accordingly. That's a business decision, not an indicator of anyone's "awesomeness".
The notion of a "Tier One" background being a singular qualifier for fitness to teach strikes me odd, especially if the subject is self-defense in non-military circumstances. Of course, it's alternately suggested that only champion competition shooters can lay claim to that mantle. Check some of the competition forums and see how they make fun of what they call "Tactical Timmies" ... apparently being a genuine war hero means nothing as long you can shoot paper targets like a pro? Seems like a lot of adolescent posturing to me, and neither position seems to hold much logical weight.
I can't think of a single area of human endeavor - athletic or otherwise - where the very best performers usually make the very best teachers or coaches. Often the best teachers and coaches turn out to be so-so performers or have little in the way of awesome credentials ... aside from the fact that they can bring out the best in their students.
Béla Károlyi was a hammer-thrower and a boxer, and failed miserably at meeting even minimal low-level, standards at gymnastics ... I guess he wasn't "Tier One" enough to coach Nadia Comăneci, Mary Lou Retton, Betty Okino, Teodora Ungureanu, Kim Zmeskal, Kristie Phillips, Dominique Moceanu, and Kerri Strug, huh?
My kid's soccer trainer was a pro player of little renown ... pretty good trainer. Their coach is just an adult enthusiast ... and a much better teacher. I guess all those district cup wins are meaningless, not enough "Tier One" instruction.
Bobby Jackson used to be a neighbor of mine. Awesome skills, helluva decent guy ... could not coach basketball to save his life, from what I've witnessed personally.
Martina Navratilova's tennis coach never won anything of note as a player, from what I am told ... and that's far more common story in most sports than the opposite.
What is so special and unique about firearms training that only awesome death dealers need apply? Why is it different than anything and everything else? There are heroes on every police force (my nephew gave his all, thanks) and great shooters on every range. My training checkbook gets opened for educational value, not the chance to "stand in the presence of awesome".
I have no doubt that the likes of Vickers and others are excellent instructors, as they've gained reputations as instructors. Is there anything so unique about what they teach that their methods are completely unknown to anyone else ... or impossible to be taught except by those with Tier One experience? Believe or not, they have their detractors as well ... full of venom and spite, for reasons every bit as oblique and unfathomable. I can't say I place much faith in content-less, snarky attempts at character assassination ... regardless of source or target.
I don't pretend to be an "authority." I'm just a guy who trains a lot, shoots a lot and has a perspective.
Check the ZombieTactics Channel on YouTube for all sorts of gun-related goodness CLICK HERE
Last edited by ZombieTactics; 12-17-2012 at 6:24 PM..
ZT, you are more gracious than I.... and appreciate you taking the time to entertain Paul's hating.
I know a lot of guys with "cool t-shirt" backgrounds that suck as instructors. You'll note that most don't enter the instructor field, despite the tons of people eager to say they trained with someone with Tier 1 Experience. I also know a lot of guys with no background who are great instructors.
Paul, you are very confused about a lot of things. Your hate has made you drift a bit.... your post is inaccurate and baiting and I don't have time for either this evening. If you have anything to ask about the home study course, feel free to ask.
You've got my answers. CFS class is a pre-requisite. It is so for both safety and efficiency.
Unfortunately, the Fundamentals of Combat Focus Shooting course is not offered in SoCal in 2013 prior to the APH in Los Angeles in August 2013.
I don't see Jeff Varner or much of anything from 10X Defense any more.
Their drills are bloodless battles, and their battles bloody drills.
- Historian Josephus (AD 37-101) on the Roman military
Rob Pincus should be allowed to market his wares just like anyone else no matter if you agree with him or not. Larry Vickers said it best on M4C:
Their drills are bloodless battles, and their battles bloody drills.
- Historian Josephus (AD 37-101) on the Roman military
--edit-- oh wow I guess it was a 2011 schedule, didn't see that. Nevermind!
Last edited by GM_77; 12-18-2012 at 9:29 AM..
They currently have no CFS Intro or Fundamentals classes scheduled for SoCal in 2013:
Also, that Jeff Varner guy is no longer an active CFS instructor:
Their drills are bloodless battles, and their battles bloody drills.
- Historian Josephus (AD 37-101) on the Roman military
But it's an open question as to which of them are SMEs for the types of self-defense situations most likely to be encountered by civilians, lacking team support or combat load-outs. Certainly that's not a pejorative question or observation, or is it?
It's kind of drag-racing vs. F1 vs. NASCAR, isn't it? It doesn't make sense to say that someone who is a respected NASCAR figure can't teach NASCAR, because they never won a drag race.
Like it or not, Pincus does indeed have the respect of many important and established authorities in the self-defense training field. If you consider the opinions of people like Mike Seeklander, Mas Ayoob, Claude Werner, etc. to be "worthless", then I leave you to your rarefied sensibilities. What it means in any specific case is open to interpretation.
I don't consider myself to be a "defender" of Rob Pincus.I absolutely disagree with some of what he teaches. That's a subject for conversation, research and further study. Rational people don't start feuds over such things. In that respect, you have to admire the professional bearing of someone like LAV concerning these kinds of questions. Nobody is the "all seeing, all knowing" guru on these matters ... not even guys with Tier One military experience.
I take issue with baseless bashing and unnecessary drama, however. Maybe a little more mutual (even if grudging) respect and "staying in your own damned lane" is called for.
I don't pretend to be an "authority." I'm just a guy who trains a lot, shoots a lot and has a perspective.
Check the ZombieTactics Channel on YouTube for all sorts of gun-related goodness CLICK HERE
Last edited by ZombieTactics; 12-18-2012 at 12:06 PM..
You don't have to be the sharpest tool in the shed to realize these skills correlate directly to civilian training classes; covert/concealed carry = civilian concealed carry, diplomatic security = personal defense/defense of family, Low Vis Operations = civilian concealed carry, CQB = Home Defense, etc, etc.
Not to forget their adherence to very high accuracy standards in classes verses "Fighting" = "Good Enough" accuracy. If you are forced to defend your home with your family in the next room or forced to defend yourself in a crowded mall do you want to have been trained by one of the world's finest handgun shooters or a guy who shoots into a berm to avoid showing you he has boringly average weapon skills?
Hint #1: The topic of this thread isn't about a standard how to shoot Handgun or Carbine class. It's about "Counter-Ambush". A rather specialized topic if you ask me.
Hint #2: I only got involved because I noticed the names being thrown around are friends & business associates of mine. Rest assured they will not be used to sell somebody else's classes.
Hint #3: My statements were spot on. Trust me.
I am done with this conversation.
Paul A. Hotaling
Alias Training & Security Services, LLC
Last edited by va_dinger; 12-19-2012 at 12:43 PM..
I believe its a question of credibility. Can an firearm instructor teach without ever seeing combat? Sure of course he can. Could be a good one too. But if that instructor invents or adopts out of the norm techniques or tactics or creates a program that is beyond his knowledge base than anyone has a right to question it. That is fair. I'd rather learn about business from Warren Buffet than the local community college business professor who's never run a business.
As for ZT's coach analogy, I can say Freddy Roach was a lousy boxer and he has trained many a champion, David Ledbetter (to my knowledge) never amounted to much as a golfer but he (at least when I was following golf over a decade ago) was one of the most sought after coaches in golf. All the top players including Tiger (when he was unstoppable) seeked him out. The difference between sport coaches and firearm instructors is night and day. If Tiger or Pac-Man receive poor training or some new invented technique what happens? They lose a large purse, metal, belt, ranking and so on. Ultimately its not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. If one receives poor instructor of some unproven technique in firefight, that is something entirely different. That can cost you or someone around you their life. At minimum it could cost you your financial livelihood or freedom. Therein lies the difference so I don't think the analogy is a good one.
Again its credibility, those listed on the this post (Lamb/ defoor/ LAV etc) have it. They have it because of the teams they were on and the combat experience the have under their belt. Does being on a team make a good instructor? Of course not. But link me one bad AAR to this thread on any of those instructors mentioned. I doubt there are many. Also many of those listed have teaching experience whether it was because the wore a green beret (which is one of their main duties teaching guerilla armies) or were a senior instructor on their team or because Tigerswan or Blackwater hired them. I could be wrong but Hackathorn has no combat experience, but I'd train with him. Why? Because he has credibility and as such is endorsed by the likes of LAV and Howe among others.
As for pricing, Pincus can demand anything he wants. My comment earlier was mentioned because its out of whack with the marketplace. Imagine if someone was looking to buy a high end car in the $100K range. What would people look at? Benz S class, BMW 7 series, Audi, Lexus, and so on. What if while looking at those cars some one mentioned that KIA had a new luxury car that was $120K. You'd do a double take and say WTF?
As for the question whether military combat equates to self defense instruction. that's a legit question. I say yes. Those with military combat experience can teach us civies a thing or two. Obviously, most if not all of us will never take on a guy with a RPG, or have to take cover from a mortar attack. But one thing these guys can tell us is mindset (its the same whether taking on a bunch of drugged out somalies or a whacko breaking into your house). They can tell you what its like to fight through the fear and overcome it. They can tell you about how you'll get tunnel vision and your eyes will poop out of your socket when you get shot at or someone is pointing a gun at you. It goes on.
I'm not sure why this question is even asked. Does one actually believe one is getting the "Delta" or "SEAL" or "SF" way when taking a course from these guys? Of course not. The tactics even in an advance course is really not much. Its basic stuff still- how to approach a corner, which knee to take, how to enter a room, etc. Pretty basic stuff for an assaulter. You don't learn about stacking up or flank an enemy's position etc. At least I haven't seen it. When I took a class with Howe he made mention in one instance this is a military scenario, now you can't do that if you're LEO or civie so this is what you have to do if you're those....
Everyone is different and is free to use their money as they see fit but for me I only have so much time and money I can spend on training. I want vetted, combat tested techniques so in the unlikely event I need to use them I will at least be confident I have a good chance of surviving. I do not need any theoretical untested fluff invented by someone who never even tried it in a competition let alone a fight. I don't have Ram's training budget nor he's incredibly impressive ammo budget to just go see for myself. I'll have to rely on reputation and the various AAR throughout the web to see who gets my money.
Back to credibility, I'll let these videos speak for themselves:
Paul, as far as I know you are a good guy running a successful business. I have no idea why you've chosen to insert yourself into a side issue having almost nothing to to do with the nature of your business, or the very excellent people you represent. The vitriol and nastiness is unnecessary and unprovoked. It's enough that you do good work, nothing else is necessary.
I don't pretend to be an "authority." I'm just a guy who trains a lot, shoots a lot and has a perspective.
Check the ZombieTactics Channel on YouTube for all sorts of gun-related goodness CLICK HERE
Last edited by ZombieTactics; 12-18-2012 at 7:10 PM..
So, my full CAT package will take a little longer to get to me due to my Post Office box versus UPS delivery (part of my personal counter ambush if you will to not have physical addresses as much as possible).
I did review Rob's introductory video on his CAT material as far as how it's about concepts, perceptions and awareness plus geared towards teaching you the how and why for CAT. Good explanation and best to watch before purchasing.
The skeptic in me is having a hard time justifying the $268.61 I paid on Nov. 27th but I'll judge it after completing the course.
Their drills are bloodless battles, and their battles bloody drills.
- Historian Josephus (AD 37-101) on the Roman military
Still looking forward to your complete review, Ramin. It will form a big part of my yes/no purchase decision.
I don't pretend to be an "authority." I'm just a guy who trains a lot, shoots a lot and has a perspective.
Check the ZombieTactics Channel on YouTube for all sorts of gun-related goodness CLICK HERE
Paul Hotaling, are you always so obnoxious? What are YOUR qualifications, to be so judgmental about instructors? What military experience or law enforcement experience do you have? From what I can find, you don't have any. You are just a middle man for actual instructors who do have such experience. So please don't attempt to evaluate the abilities of instructors.
I'm sorry, I just couldn't read any more of Paul's rants without dropping the hammer on him.
Paul is a good guy, just passionate about his cadre of instructors. You can't fault a person for that. While I don''t ascribe to the "military experience = awesome civilian instructor" credo, (or the notion that only tier one military types are well qualified to teach) you cannot deny that Alias represents excellent instructors.
I don't pretend to be an "authority." I'm just a guy who trains a lot, shoots a lot and has a perspective.
Check the ZombieTactics Channel on YouTube for all sorts of gun-related goodness CLICK HERE
Last edited by ZombieTactics; 12-31-2012 at 10:48 AM..
Their drills are bloodless battles, and their battles bloody drills.
- Historian Josephus (AD 37-101) on the Roman military
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Linear Mode


text:
Our Mission
To ensure research performed within the university system is safe and ethical; to facilitate the conduct of research; to comply with applicable regulations, laws, and institutional polices; and thereby, promote a culture of integrity in research.
Our Programs
3702 Spectrum Blvd. Suite 165
USF Research Park
Tampa, FL
Telephone: (813) 974-5638
Fax: (813) 974-7091
Contact Us:
Phone and E-mail Directory
Organization Chart
» USF EthicsPoint Hotline
USF is dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and ethical workplace. This hotline provides an easy, anonymous way to discreetly and confidentially report activities that may involve improper conduct or violations of USF policies.


text:
Crazy Dance Of The Week: Group Of People Bustin A Windshield Wipers Dance To Wipe Them Haters Off! (Lol What Will They Think Of Next?)
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Coriolis flowmeter
The compact sensor with an ultra-compact transmitter
- Заказать
- Подбор и расчет
- Конфигурация
Данный продукт пока недоступен для заказа в России
Dosimass is specially designed for filling and bottling applications. It measures volume and mass flow directly with temperature and density compensation to ensure maximum repeatability. Designed for applications where space is a premium, Dosimass will be the preferred choice for system integrators, skid builders and equipment manufacturer.
High process safety – high measuring accuracy for different media in shortest filling time
Fewer process measuring points – multivariable measurement (flow, density, temperature)
Space-saving installation – no in/outlet run needs
Versatile and time-saving wiring – plug connector
Fast commissioning – pre-configured devices
Automatic recovery of data for servicing
Область применения
Measuring principle operates independently of physical fluid properties such as viscosity or density
Measurement of liquids with the most diverse properties in the continuous process control & batching applications.
Device properties
Nominal diameter: DN 8 to 25 (3/8 to 1")
Various hygienic process connections, 3A conform
CIP, SIP cleanable sensor
Robust, ultra-compact transmitter housing
Pulse/frequency/switch output, Modbus RS485
Excellent and easy cleanable transmitter


text:
Resident Evil: Afterlife (UK - BD)
Our Marcus doesn't feel bad siding with the zombies on this one. Finish 'em off!
Paul W. S. Anderson returns to the Resident Evil series with Afterlife. After an over the top, near incoherent opening sequence (which was only really missing Godzilla turning up to go totally out there), we catch up with Alice (Milla Jovovich) as she searches for Arcadia, the mysterious location for any survivors of the virus outbreak.
Discovering that the last place of refuge she's in search of may be a lie and that she may very well be alone, Alice flies over Los Angeles and notices a small band of survivors held up in a maximum security prison surrounded by zombies. Upon landing she finds out that Arcadia is actually a large freighter currently situated on the coast, and with the help of her new acquaintances (including Chris Redfield (Wentworth "I am the map" Miller) there may still be some hope left.
The Resident Evil movie franchise is a bit of a head scratcher for me. How, in a world where The Lord of Rings franchise had trouble getting The Hobbit made, Warner Bros. struggle to make a good Superman movie and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World makes tuppence at the box office, has Resident Evil got a fourth instalment (as well as a couple of animated spin offs)? I heard that Resident Evil: Afterlife was "the best of the bunch", but after seeing it (and having only seen the god awful original movie and not Apocalypse or Extinction) I'd like to know just how much worse those other sequels were for this to be considered "the best".
Paul W. S. Anderson smashes straight out of the gate with a series of action shots that feel like you're getting punched in the face for absolutely no reason at all. It doesn't help that he's been allowed to play with 3D. I wasn't watching it with a 3D TV or anything, but each and every shot shows off its 3D by coming straight at you and while I'm sure it would have been quite impressive from a depth of field point of view on the big screen, all of the shots are about as subtle as a brick and ended up feeling like a show reel of what 3D could do without actually doing anything clever with it. In fact it felt like one of those over the top adverts for 3D TVs where they show generic movie moments running around the 3D glasses-clad viewer donning a goofy grin in a living room.
When Wesker (Shawn Roberts) showed up, the gamer in me perked up but when he was about as rubbish as he was in the Resident Evil 5 game, it suddenly dawned on me that Wesker only just about works in the game nowadays so having his over the top Matrixness all over a movie could only come off as silly and out of place and it really did.
Anyway moving on through the opening sequence, which felt like Anderson cleaning up the mess from the previous instalments to get whatever story he wanted to tell up and running, everything calms down a bit and Alice goes about doing 3D stuff with planes. Once they get to the prison we're introduced to this movie's bunch of zero charisma cannon fodder including Crystal Waters (Kacey Barnfield), who I swear Anderson has a version of in all his movies; y'know, the pretty girl with a push up bra and a vest top. All of these characters feel far too clean and level headed despite the tons of zombies on their doorstep and it's here that it dawned on me just how fake all of this is.
Honestly nothing in this world feels real. Not only does the entire movie feel like one large and overly clean set, but with the combination of unconvincing effects and almost non-human responses to the events this feels more like... I want to say a game, but as all you gamers out there know, even games get this stuff right for the most part (well except maybe Resident Evil 5, which was a real let-down too).
Without giving much away (not that there's a lot) Alice and a few others (bet you can't guess which characters survive.... Hint: if Redfield is your surname in a Resident Evil story, you're probably gonna be okay) we meet up with the main bad guy (again for any Resident Evil fans, this is probably a no brainer) there's a big fight which highlights how special powers in games do not translate well to our movie screens, coming off as goofy at best and with the bad 3D effects thrown down our throat again it's hard to care about the badly played out finale. After that we're left on a big 3D cliff-hanger promising an even bigger incoherent opener to our already announced fifth instalment and I'm left wondering what's the word that means more than "watchable", but isn't as strong as "liked"?
As much as I'm enjoying dissing the movie, there's no denying the prettiness of this transfer. Every single shot, no matter the lighting (not that this movie is ever anything less than over-lit) or the tone, it looks absolutely glorious. That said, because of the clean looking nature of the movie everything looks fake as hell. Every prop feels like a prop, every set feels like a set and every single effect feels like an effect (and not a very good one at that).
Colours looks great in the scenes, reds and blues glow and explosions and flames (check out just how many torches light that prison... overkill much?) really look alive on the screen. The closing scenes in the all-white lab/ freighter really show off the HD presentation with Milla's slightly muddy presence popping off the plain background really well (something that the 3D design does well. Shocker).
Anderson does his usual and makes the action here a relentless assault on your senses. Gunfire, punches, sword swishes, explosions. He throws the works at you with an aggressive mix that the DTS-HD Master Audio track handles well. Of course he undermines the whole thing with that generic dance rock score cheapening the whole effect but what else did we expect?
Dialogue has a nice presence in the track as does the handful of the more subtle atmospherics. Overall the strong aggressive track is about as offensive as the visuals require. The track does its best to infuse the tepid and utterly unconvincing visuals with a techo-rock heartbeat and for those that like this sort of thing, there's plenty to turn the volume up to eleven for.
The commentary track with Paul W.S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt, and Robert Kulzer (though it's heavy on the Anderson) is just a group of three people talking about what we're seeing on screen, telling us stuff we already know from the wide world of movie making and giving us little nuggets about 3D and the franchise in general. It's pretty dull and honestly quite a slog to get through.
'Undead: Picture in Picture' is a solid picture-in-picture addition with plenty of cast and crew interviews, loads of animatics and production sketches and while it could have been a slightly bigger box it's a pretty good feature.
There are eight deleted and extended scenes (06:48 HD) all of which offer up ever so slight details to the rest of the movie (like Alice making her coin bullet shells) and the 'Outakes' (04:30 HD) are a collection of snippets with the cast pulling faces or laughing.
Moving onto the featurettes, 'Back Under the Umbrella: Directing Afterlife' (06:43 HD) tells us how much Anderson loved the first Resident Evil game (while showing us footage of the fifth one?) and a whistle stop tour to who Alice is and what Resident Evil is.
'Band of Survivors: Casting Afterlife' (06:39 HD) introduces us to Alice and the Redfields as well as the other cannon fodder... I mean cast. There's plenty of on-set footage and interviews and this continues in 'Undead Dimensions: Resident Evil in 3D' (07:27 HD) which has Anderson regurgitating James Cameron's speech about how audio became more immersive, now it's the visuals turn. We get a look at the tech and plenty of Avatar name dropping and we get a few animated diagrams about how this all works.
'Fighting Back: The Action of Afterlife' (05:31 HD) continues with talking heads of the cast intercut with movie footage set up and talk about the fighting and such and 'Vision of the Apocalypse: The Design of Afterlife' (07:28 HD) goes into the production design showing us sketches and animatics and what not.
'New Blood: The Undead of Afterlife' (07:31 HD) talks about the oodles of undead that don't really do much in the film but they do seem quite proud of the fact they have digging zombies and swimming zombies now (like they're Lemmings now?). We get to see the make-up effects and the process of turning someone into the undead and of course some extras hanging out on set dressed as zombies.
'Pwning the Undead: Gamers of the Afterlife' (06:11 HD) has Anderson telling us how he recreates the game on screen (he hasn't outside of a handful of characters and the odd shot— Resident Evil games have tension and a real threat, something these movie sorely lack). There's plenty of shots from the fifth game, they try to convince you that because they have Chris Redfield we suddenly have the perfect adaption (we don't) and of course Wesker. I really want to say it was the film that let Wesker down, but honestly re-watching the scenes from the fifth game and being reminded how over the top Wesker has got, it had all gone wrong before Wesker joined the movie.
'Sneak Peek of Resident Evil: Damnation' (01:10 HD) is a short and sweet look at the next animated movie. I quite enjoyed the last one but the trailer for this new one didn't do much for me really.
Lastly we have trailers for Blu-ray is High Definition, Salt, Faster, Ticking Clock, Takers and The Virginity Hit as well as BD-Live and movieIQ.
Resident Evil: Afterlife didn't do anything to make me regret missing out on the last two sequels, in fact it made me thankful I didn't see them. If anything it just added to my disappointment with the entire Resident Evil franchise of late and left me yearning for the simple walking around a mansion shooting zombies that the original game did so well. Now that'd be a great movie.
The disc itself excels in the A/V departments and has a good splattering of extras that fans of the movie franchise will probably enjoy a little more than I did, although saying that it all seems like it's aimed at newcomers as opposed to whoever bought into the previous movies. Fans have got a good little package to enjoy, but for me, I'm just left sitting here praying that Paul W. Anderson's next game adaptation isn't Metal Gear Solid. Oh god, just writing that down made me sick in my mouth. Apologies to anybody out there who had the same reaction.
* The above images are taken from the Blu-ray release and resized for the page. Full-resolution captures are available by clicking individual images, but due to .jpg compression they are not necessarily representative of the quality of the transfer.
Review by Marcus Doidge
Dumb Dealer Member Join Date: October 2008 Location: Indonesia Posts: 227
You got that right Marc. Despite fun, the movie has zero logic. I mean, how can a girl who live in zombie-pocalypse world where you have to replace bullets with coins always has pretty make-up on her face?
Seriously man, don't let Anderson near MGS or he'll kill Snake faster than the virus.
Even now I can imagine how The Musketeers will always have glittering faces and nice hairdo ahead of their time in Anderson's next movie. Oh, the horror.
Seriously man, don't let Anderson near MGS or he'll kill Snake faster than the virus.
Even now I can imagine how The Musketeers will always have glittering faces and nice hairdo ahead of their time in Anderson's next movie. Oh, the horror.
Workshed101 Member Join Date: January 2008 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 165
There is no way this could be worse than the utterly amateur Resident Evil 2.
Chris Gould Editor Join Date: May 2001 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 7,171
Workshed101 wrote: There is no way this could be worse than the utterly amateur Resident Evil 2.
You'd think not, but...
You'd think not, but...
Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over
Disc Details
Release Date: 10th January 2010
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.40:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Spanish, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Italian, Dolby Digital 5.1 Catalan, English Audio Description Service
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Norwegian
Extras: Commentary, Featurettes, Deleted/Extedned Scenes, Trailers, Outakes, Sneak Preview of Resident Evil: Damnation
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Wentworth Miller
Genre: Action and Adventure
Length: 96 minutes
3Review Guide
Follow our updates
Unseen Reviews
Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka UK - DVD R2 Stuff, The UK - BD RB Body Double UK - DVD | BD Capricorn One UK - BD RB Candyman: Collector's Edition US - BD RA
Hot Easter Eggs
Evil Dead: Limited Edition US - DVD R1 Moon UK - BD Finding Nemo: Collector's Edition UK - DVD R2 Legally Blonde 2 UK - DVD R2 Hellbound: Hellraiser II UK - DVD R2
New Editorials
Joe Lynch DVD | HD | BD David Hayter US - DVD R1 | BD RA SXSW Film 2013 - Part 1 US - DVD | HD | BD Will streaming kill physical media? DVD | HD | BD Gabe's 2012 Wrap-Up DVD | BD
Most Talked About
Halloween (2018) US - DVD R1 | BD RA Venom US - DVD R1 | BD RA Cloverfield Paradox, The US - DVD R1 | BD RA Suspiria (2018) US - DVD R1 | BD RA The Super US - DVD R1 | BD RA


text:
Friday, August 24, 2007
Spoiler Alert (?): Is Tom Colicchio a Bad News Bear?
Those of you who want to be preserved from fevered, tinfoil-hatted speculation, please stop reading now, etc., etc., etc. The rest of you, possums, come on down and let's wildly, if intelligently, speculate.
Cast your minds back, possums, to the time when Tom Colicchio was in Los Angeles opening the latest iteration of his signature restaurant, Craft. It was then that he told our pal Lesley at Eater LA (herself no stranger to Top Chef spoilers) that he would be in L.A. "until we tape the final show. The reveal is live, we taped everything up until that. We haven't told them who won yet."
And then came the news a couple of weeks ago that a finale or semi-final was being taped in Aspen (though our speculation about Tre Wilcox's involvement in that proved fallacious, so take today's speculation with an even bigger dose of fleur de sel).
And now comes this.
Faithful Amuse-Biatch reader Stephanie M. was watching this week's web broadcast of Raggaydy Andy-hosted "Watch What Happens" when she watched something happen. Raggaydy Andy, as is his wont, had the guests playing a word association game, and when it came to cheftestant Hung Huynh, Tom Colicchio declined to say anything. Why? Well, as Tom said, "I'm still judging him." (If you want to see for yourself, go to the Bravo website and check the "Watch What Happens" archives. It comes at the 2:32 mark on Part 4).
To us, it suggests that Hung is one of the final two, and that since the final decision, to be revealed live, hasn't perhaps been made, Tom, out of an abundance of caution and conscience, decided to bite his tongue. Of course, the idea of Hung being one of the final two isn't really much of a surprise, is it? So this isn't really much of a spoiler. But given what just happened to front runner Tre, one never knows. If what we speculate is true, more interesting is the question of who the other finalist is. We'd hate for it to be Asshat (though he hasn't worn hats in a couple of episodes); we'd pray for Hung to chop his seafood sausage off. We hope, of course, that it's Dale: Knife-Fight at the "OK, Are You Really Bi?" Corral.
So, possums, put on your tinfoil hats and let us know what you think.
8 comments:
- Rebecca said...
It could be Sara--she was really (surprisingly) in control this last episode.
Hmm..how do we know it is a final two rather than a final four like it was last time in Hawaii?
Charlus, Charlus... the reason I keep coming back to Amuse Biatch is because you're such an observant sleuth. Like me. And we all love people who are akin. Like watching a moment on a DVD catching something no one else notices.
It's the little things, isn't it.
: )
nice observation. glad that hung will likely be there in the end. now that tre is gone, i'm hoping for dale or sara.
on a different note, one thing i kept noticing in this week's episode was how when giving congratulatory hugs to the rest of the team, dale and hung always held each other warmly and tightly. hung's hugs with howie on the other hand were all awkward angles, arms and half hearted. was it lack of respect or fear of being sweated on? will we ever know?
if your observation is true, then we know it's not howie because tom's word for him was sweat.
I met Micah, with child in tow, at a supermarket in Boca Raton a few weeks ago. She complained that the producers made it very difficult for everyone (not allowing outside contact, no TV, no radio)and then proceeded to tell me that she "knows who the final FOUR are" and was invited to the taping of the reveal. I didnt ask her who it was. I wasnt going to give her smug little butt the satisfaction. And why ruin it....
Take that for what its worth....
Even though the finale begins with a final four, it soon comes down to two final competitors, who will each prepare their dinners for judging. If filming of the finale is complete, including the last dinner preparations, except for the judging and announcement of who the winner is, then by this time, Tom would know who the final two chefs in the competition are, and it seems, let it slip who one of those two are. Good catch, A-B!
the final is two episdoes so technically its final four. However, in S1 it was final three...three of them went to LV. In S2, four of them went to HI.
Nice observation on Tom's comment about Hung. Its easy to forget that all of it was taped a while ago.


text:
Home >> Education & Teaching >> View
Build a career in software testing field with our comprehensive UFT / QTP Online Training We cover all the concepts of QTP such as Test Automation, Debugging, API Testing,VB Scripting and more during the training program.
What is QTP?
Quick Test Pro is a GUI based testing tool for automated functionality. It allows to automation of the user actions on a web based or client based and desktop software application. The functional regression test automation is used primarily by QTP. A scripting language is built atop of VBScript for specifying the test procedure and to manipulate the objects and controls of the application under a test.QTP works together with Mercury Interactive WinRunner and HP Quality Center and also supports the Quality Assurance of an enterprise.
Career in QTP?
QTP is the abbreviation of quick test profession which is a software of HP enterprise. It is a old version software. The latest updated version is termed as #UFT - Unified Functional Testing. It is a user interface software which has diversified platform and high precision. Hence the software is being used in major MNC companies where there are opportunities for certified freshers.
Our training features:
> One Time Pay - Life Time Access
> 100% Job Oriented Training
> Get Training from Real Time Industry Experts
> Mock Interview Sessions
> Resume Preparation
> Job Support
Attend Free Demo Today
Contact us:
Email: email@example.com
Call: 770-777-1269
NRIS.COM is one of the premier NRI website that provides a range of resourceful services to Indian expats residing in the USA. Visiting the site you will find comprehensive information related to restaurants, casinos, pubs, temples, carpool, movies, education, real estate, and forums. The simple and easy to navigate format allows NRIs to gain information within a fraction of a second. Moreover, advertising through its column of Indian free classifieds in USA allow businesses to improve visibility of their brand.


text:
Whimsical Stockings
29 x 9.5
* denotes a required field in order to submit order successfully.
** Please indicate in the specific requests box below which thread color you would like to appear on the specific part of the monogram/font you are selecting. Be as specific as possible to ensure accuracy of your order.


text:
Seibertron.com - The Ultimate Transformers Fansite
Henry921 wrote:You can always be counted on to listen to reason, Pryme.
Dead Metal wrote:Have you ever, and i mean ever seen/read/heard something that is completely original and does not copy/homage/pay tribute to something else? Here's a hint: Nope. You never have and you never will.
Kibble wrote:Where are the pics of these stupid new Alternity figs found?
Henry921 wrote:You can always be counted on to listen to reason, Pryme.
Dead Metal wrote:Have you ever, and i mean ever seen/read/heard something that is completely original and does not copy/homage/pay tribute to something else? Here's a hint: Nope. You never have and you never will.
Shadowman wrote:This is Sabrblade we're talking about. His ability to store trivial information about TV shows is downright superhuman.
Caelus wrote:My wife pointed out something interesting about the prehistoric Predacons. I said that everyone was complaining because transforming for them mostly consisted of them just standing up-right. She essentially said, 'So? That's what our ancestors did.'
Flux Convoy wrote:Got myself a TRU MP Optimus Prime and I've been torn on whether or not to get the Takara version. Both are really good and have reasons to buy each. Both have little details that make me want the other version. If I could afford to, I would create a mash up of the best possible MP Prime. Obviously this is not feasible for me and the Hasbro version is much less expensive. I have sorta talked myself into keeping this one and saving myself some cash. He's certainly good enough for what I need from him. Podcast thoughts?
Flux Convoy wrote:::EDIT::
The iGear specialists, yeah those panels are ****. I also don't know where to put the figures. They're far too large to be Classics and I don't need MP Ironhide or Ratchet. That's where they'd fit best. They're nice but I actually had some buyer remorse over them.
Kibble wrote:To each their own, I guess. I'm a little uncomfortable with how fragile they seem to be in some spots, but other than that I think they're pretty incredible figures, despite some of the legitimate 'flaws', or areas for improvement, you pointed out that prevent them from being perfect. But what fig doesn't have something that could be a little better? I think there are easily as many 'flaws' with MP-10, if not a couple more. I think Takara will have their work cut out for them to come up with better representations for the MP line if they go there, though, and the Classics versions...don't think we even need to go there.
Return to Transformers General Discussion
Registered users: Agent 53, Alexhj, Amelie, Bing [Bot], bluecatcinema, Caelus, carytheone, Cobotron, Cravex, Cyber Bishop, DarkEnergon, DasMoonBat, Deathsaurus1, Exabot [Bot], First-Aid, Full-Tilt, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Insidious, JelZe GoldRabbit, Majestic-12 [Bot], MasterSoundBlaster, Moonshot, mordhelm, Nemesis Maximo, Nemesis Primal, o.supreme, Optimus_Prime007, Prowl4, Railbomb, shocksound96, Silverwing, Skritz, Stormshot_Prime, thundermace, Ultra Markus, william-james88, Wolfman Jake, Yahoo [Bot], ZeldaTheSwordsman, ZeroWolf


text:
How To Download Free Text Message spyware Online For Children
exactspy-Free Text Message spyware is text message spy software that works by remotely accessing text messages (iMessages from an iPhone) and extracting them from the phone you are monitoring. The messages are typically viewed on your cell phone, mobile device, or tablet, but can also be viewed on any device with an internet connection (laptop or desktop computer). Text messages are delivered to you with the date and time the text message was transmitted on the target device and the complete contents of the message. You can also see the telephone number from which the message came and to which it was sent. All of this takes place without having the phone.
Information like this can be very useful to anyone who has a good reason to monitor text messages when concerned for the safety or well being of another. As a parent, you can see if your child is exchanging messages with a child who may be a bad influence on them. Employers can use this software to maintain employee honesty and productivity.
But what about when someone deletes text messages immediately after they are sent or received? exactspy-Free Text Message spyware is one of only two programs I know of that can actually recover deleted text messages. exactspy can extract text messages that were over a year old! It can also retrieve text messages from as recent as the day before.
As it was explained to me by the people at exactspy-Free Text Message spyware, there is no way of knowing how many deleted text messages can be found using their text message spy and cell phone spy software because it depends entirely on the phone being monitored and some key factors about that phone. For example; the amount of available memory has a lot to do with how many text messages can be retrieved and how far back you can go. Cell phones with more memory can store more text messages. The more text messages stored, the more that can be retrieved. It's that simple.
When you delete text messages from a cell phone they aren't deleted completely until they are overwritten by another piece of data. Until they are overwritten, they can be retrieved and there is no way of knowing until you start retrieving them just how far back you can go. In most cases however, a good amount of deleted text messages can be retrieved using this phone spy software.
What you just need to do is to:
1. Go to exactspy's web-site and purchase the software.
2. Download the application into the phone you want to monitor.
3. View the phone's data from any device that has Internet connection.
With exactspy-Sms Tracker App For iPhone Tracking Free you will be able to:
• Monitor calls
• Track text messages
• Read emails
• Track GPS Location
• Monitor Internet Use
• Access Calendar and Address Book
• Read Instant Messages
• Record Surroundings
• Control Apps and Programs
• View Multimedia Files
• To Have Remote Control of the Phone and more…
Can You Download: How To Download Free Text Message spyware Online For Children


text:
Build a Website
Budsjett $250-750 USD
I am building a law office. I need a website for my business
76 frilansere byr i snitt $458 for denne jobben
Hello, Our understanding is that you are looking for a website for your law consultancy business. Kindly specify the functionality you are looking out for your website. We will provide you exact quote and timeline o Mer
Hello there, Greetings! We have gone through your job description and would like to convey you that we are the best match for this task as we are expertise team of prolific Website Development/ Designing Ninja wo Mer
Have read the info, and have a few questions about the work. Please message us to discuss the details of the project. We are the #1 US (as in United States, born and raised) provider on Freelancer.com. Nova Mer
Hi, Ready to start right away, let's discuss this a bit more please :) Please check my profile, I have 100% completion rate, 100% on time and 100% on budget statistics... Recent Work: http://www.sd-charte Mer
I have read your project description. With 100% completion rate, on time and on budget and with 5-star review I am confident in delivering your project as per your requirement and with the best quality. Demos & Portfol Mer
Hi. I'm really interested in helping you build your website and build your online presence. I have a ton of experience with WordPress websites, and I'm located in the US. I would love to talk with you about your projec Mer
I have 294 reviews check https://www.freelancer.com/u/tarekahmed.html I am Eng. Tarek have a Master degree of Information Technology I am a web programmer Professional in programming Mobile Phone using (ionic), PHP Mer
Hello We have checked the requirement and specifications. You can ask us any questions if you have. Sri Technocrat will provide fully interactive website for your project. The timeline and total cost for developm Mer
I just read the project description properly, and I can start your important project right away if you're ready. I am 24x7 available on massage board, so i can service you if you want anything related to the project. P Mer
I am a web developer who specializes in website development about 8 years. I can give examples of my work, you can read reviews about my jobs, my prices is flexible. Let's discuss the details of your project.


text:
An early 20thC enamel desk clock by Cartier, with white enamel dividers to the sections of pink guilloche, Roman numerals to the chapter ring, rose cut diamonds to the hands, the gilt metal easel frame stamped 155 PARIS 272, 8.5cm diameter.
Once you have saved a lot as a Favourite, it will show
You can then place a bid on that lot. Simply
enter the amount you wish to bid and add it to your 'bid
Your Provisional Bid will appear in your bid basket, right. From
there, tick the Conditions of Sale box and click 'Commit Bid'. Once
your bid is confirmed, it will move into the Bids page (and
disappear from your Favourites).
You can also bid from within a Lot page.


text:
BALTIMORE (AP) — When analyzing the key elements of a stinging defeat, Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost looked past Baltimore's eight hits and Matt Wieters' three RBIs.
To Yost, the most regrettable aspect of the 4-3 loss on Tuesday night was reliever Tim Collins' inability to throw a strike when it mattered most.
Collins (1-1) walked leadoff hitter Adam Jones to open the eighth inning, and nothing went right for the Royals after that. Jones advanced on Luke Hochevar's errant pickoff throw and scored on a twisting, opposite-field double to left by Wieters.
"The leadoff walk is something that's going to get you in trouble just about every time, especially late in the game," Yost lamented. "We thought we had the pitching matchup, but the walk killed us."
Alex Gordon homered for the Royals and former Oriole Miguel Tejada made a sparkling play at third base and had two hits to raise his batting average to .368.
The Orioles came into the game with 39 home runs, including 17 that gave them the lead and four that tied it.
On this night, they found a different way to win. Besides scoring in unusual fashion in the eighth, Baltimore turned three double plays and got a fielding gem from shortstop J.J. Hardy.
"When you don't walk people and you catch the baseball the way we did tonight, you give yourself a chance to win those types of games," manager Buck Showalter said.
Tommy Hunter (2-1) worked 1 1-3 innings of relief and Jim Johnson got three straight outs for his 12th save.
It was the fourth win in five games for the Orioles, who moved within a game of first-place Boston in the AL East.
"This team grinds it out," Hunter said. "This team is fun to watch for everybody. Nobody should ever leave the stadium, I'll tell you that much, under any circumstances."
Even on a brisk, wet night.
Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen had a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning when rain forced a 48-minute delay. After play resumed, Brian Matusz got an out before yielding a two-run homer to Gordon.
Chen allowed two runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Ervin Santana gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings for Kansas City. The right-hander walked one and struck out four.
"First inning I was always in trouble, but after that I settled down and threw a lot of strikes and blew guys away," Santana said.
Baltimore went up 3-0 in the first. Singles by Manny Machado, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones produced a run before Wieters hit a two-out, two-run double.
"I missed that one. He hit a mistake," Santana said.
Yost, however, said, "I thought that Wieters did a nice job hitting a pretty good slider."
In the third, Tejada hit a one-out single and scored on a single by Alcides Escobar. In the bottom half, Tejada made a diving stop of Jones' grounder and fired a successful throw to first while in a sitting position.
Hardy saved a run with a sparkling dive-and-throw play in the fourth. With two outs and a runner on second, Hardy went to the edge of the outfield grass to snare a grounder by Salvador Perez before throwing to first while on his knees.
Santana regrouped from his shaky start to retire 12 straight batters until Nate McLouth singled with two outs in the fifth. Machado followed with a single before Markakis hit a fly to left.
NOTES: The Orioles will probably move RHP Miguel Gonzalez back from his scheduled Wednesday start because of a blister on his thumb. ... Santana's streak of 13 consecutive scoreless innings ended abruptly in the first. ... Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts, who's been on the DL since April 5 with a right hamstring strain, still isn't feeling right and will visit Dr. Daniel Cooper in Dallas for a second opinion. "He just doesn't feel like it's moving at the pace he was hoping," Showalter said. ... Royals RHP Luis Mendoza (0-1, 7.00 ERA) vies for his first win of the season on Wednesday. Chris Tillman (2-1, 3.63) will start for the Orioles.


text:
From Okanogan County Sheriff's Office complaints Aug. 26
Vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 97, Okanogan.
Theft on Appleway, Okanogan. Vehicle keys and pellet gun taken.
Aug. 25
Burglary on South Second Avenue, Okanogan. TV taken.
Agency assist at vehicle crash on state Highway 173, Bridgeport Bar.
Theft on Engh Road, Omak.
Recovered property on state Highway 155, Coulee Dam.
Assault on Appleway, Okanogan.
Assault on Westlake Road, Oroville.
Aug. 24
Vehicle crash on state Highway 20, Okanogan.
Vehicle hit a deer on Old Highway 97, Brewster.
Theft on Tacoma Street, Okanogan.
Vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 97, Riverside.
Fireworks complaint on U.S. Highway 97, Oroville.
Assault on Appleway, Okanogan.
Aug. 23
Vehicle prowl in Tonasket; location not given.
Malicious mischief on Alta Lake Road, Pateros.
Fraud on Bentham Road, Omak.
Theft on Drywater Road, Okanogan.
Found property on Goat Creek Road, Winthrop. Bicycle wheel found.
Vehicle prowl; location not given. Purse taken.
Malicious mischief on county Highway 7, Tonasket.
Assault on U.S. Highway 97, Oroville.
Burglary on state Highway 20, Republic. Firearms taken.
Vehicle crash on Dry Gulch Road, Oroville.
Theft on Country Vue Road, Omak.
Road rage on Henry Road, Tonasket.
Vehicle crash on South Second Avenue, Okanogan.
Aug. 22
Vehicle crash on North Star Road, Brewster. Driver swerved to avoid a deer.
Vehicle prowl on Miller Road, Omak. Stereos taken from two vehicles.
Vehicle prowl on South Seventh Avenue, Okanogan.
Motorcycle hit a deer on Goat Creek Road, Winthrop.
Vehicle crash on Twisp-Winthrop Eastside Road, Winthrop.
Assault on Rebel Road, Wauconda.
Aug. 21
Malicious mischief on Alaska Street, Malott.
Vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 97, Brewster.
Vehicle crash on Dwinnell Cutoff Road, Oroville. Mailbox hit.
Vehicle crash on North Fifth Avenue, Okanogan.
Theft at the RV park, Riverside.
Burglary on North Second Avenue, Okanogan.
Aug. 20
Two animal traps stolen on North Second Avenue, Okanogan.
Burglary on Glenwood Avenue, Riverside. Purse taken.
Fraud on Cameron Lake Road, Okanogan.
Theft on Pine Street, Okanogan.
Fraud reported; location not given.
Trespassing on Kermel Road, Omak.
Unattended death on Bentham Road, Omak.
Assault on state Highway 20, Wauconda.
Shoplifter on B&O Road, Malott.
Malicious mischief on Conconully Road, Okanogan. Juveniles throwing pears at passing cars.
Theft on Main Street, Riverside.
Disabled vehicle on Sinlahekin Road, Loomis. Woman refused help, later threw rocks at the vehicle.
Assault on Wannacut Lake Road, Oroville.
Aug. 19
Bicycle frame found on South First Avenue, Okanogan
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.


text:
These days, you can't swing a cat without hitting 100 different iPhone cases (fear not, cat lovers — no cats were harmed in the writing of this article). I refrain from tagging something as useless just because it may not be what I would buy for myself. For almost any accessory, there's a customer who would get great use out of it. So, I decided to review a few examples that represent different consumer needs instead of trying to cover all the available choices.
The Callet
Basically, this rubberized phone case is like a wallet you can call from. It has two slots in the back for credit cards, an ID, library card, or whatever — and is available in a variety of colors for the iPhone and BlackBerry for $24.99 (USD). Despite the "As Seen On TV" boast on the front of the box, it's a reasonable idea. I hate having a bulky wallet in my pocket, and I'm not a fan of cell phone holders clipped to my belt. Combining a wallet and a cell phone seems like it would be an easy home run.
Unfortunately, the Callet wasn't for me. First off, the rubberized material is too pliable to easily slide in and out of my pocket without getting stuck in the fabric lining. Secondly, as a father and breadwinner, I have way too many things that I have to keep with me, such as insurance cards, credit cards, reward cards, and the like. It's ridiculous how much stuff I have to keep with me "just in case." The end result is that two slots don't provide enough room for me to carry everything I need on a daily basis.
On the flip side, I can imagine students or 'club'ers getting great use out of the Callet. The case is definitely thick enough to shield your phone from a ding if it gets dropped. Plus, the no-slip grip would be easy to hold onto, no matter how many Flirtinis you've had. In the back, you can keep a credit card and an ID. Throw it in your purse or jacket pocket, and you're good to go with very little excess baggage.
iPhone 4/4S Soft Touch Pong
This case is easily my favorite, and it's my recommendation for a professional look and usability. The iPhone 4/4S Soft Touch Pong is well made and durable — its hard shell surrounds the phone, protecting the most vulnerable points (corners and edges), while still allowing easy access to the controls, camera, and jacks.
Despite the hard shell, it still lives up to its "Soft Touch" name with the velvety feel of the surface. The distinct edge surrounding the back allow you to grip the phone and still keep your fingertips out of the way for wall-to-wall screen access. I can slip it in and out of my pocket easily, and there aren't any protruding parts to get snagged. It also prevents you from accidentally flipping the mute switch.
The Soft Touch Pong is available in six colors for $49.99 (USD). They also have a Leather Touch model, available in three colors, for $59.99 (USD), as well as a black Leather Touch case for the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930. As I mentioned, these cases seem to be marketed toward professionals who want the best protection possible with a low-key, slim design — nothing too fancy or flashy.
My next test drive was OtterBox. The lineup of cases they offer seems to be about rugged style as much as it is about protection.
- Defender series: These cases are designed for serious protection, and they look that way.
- Impact series: The knurled grip on the sides of the Impact case feels secure in your hand and gives it the tough-guy look with its one-piece silicone design.
- Reflex series: The two piece configuration of hard polycarbonate and silicone provide a double layer of protection on the Reflex cases (as with the Defender and Commuter series). These cases come with a screen film to complete the protection.
- Commuter series: This case offers great protection, but I don't like that you have to open a little door at the bottom to get access to the data port. Personally, I thought it was poorly designed and hard to open. The button covers on the side were also difficult to deal with, because you have to press firmly to get the desired results. With those exceptions, I really liked the overall style and protection — it's great for the outdoor types who have to worry about dust, tumbles, or rain drops. However, I have a friend who managed to break the polycarbonate shell on two Commuter cases in a row.
Because of the two-piece design, OtterBox offers a nice selection of color combinations and for a wide variety of phones. I tested the gunmetal grey and sun yellow model. Prices start at $19.95 (USD) for the one-piece Impact series and go up to $59.95 (USD) for the Defender in the Realtree Camo graphics.
Have you used any of the phone cases I've highlighted in this post? What other cases have you tried that are worthy of covering in upcoming posts? Please give us your feedback in the discussion thread below.
Full Bio
Will Lewis has been in the IT world for 18 years, encompassing areas such as software development, database administration, technical training, and sales force application management. His experience is with financial institutions, manufacturing firms, and international software publishers who specialize in sales, accounting, and small business applications. Will has been a writer for more than two decades, contributing to technical blogs, regional magazines, and local newspapers.


text:
Copenhagen, Denmark-based metal/hardcore act PILGRIMZ will team up with MERCENARY, RAUNCHY and one more as-yet-undisclosed band for the MTV Headbanger's Ball Tour 2008 beginning on August 8 in Copenhagen. The first show of the tour will also include performances by OBITUARY and AS WE FIGHT.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/headbangersball_live.
PILGRIMZ has been confirmed for this year's edition of the Roskilde Festival, set to take place July 3-6 in Roskilde, Denmark.
The band recently completed work on its debut album, "Boar Riders", with producer Jacob Hansen (HATESPHERE, MNEMIC, ILLDISPOSED, INVOCATOR, RAUNCHY, MAROON) at Hansen studios in Ribe, Denmark. The CD was mixed by Tue Madsen at his Antfarm studios (THE HAUNTED, SICK OF IT ALL, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, CATARACT). Artwork duties were handled by R. Black (MISFITS, BJÖRK)
PILGRIMZ is currently negotiating a record deal. In the meantime, the band will shoot two music videos in the heart of Copenhagen to accompany the forthcoming debut. Not too many details can be revealed, but casinos, gangsters, and hot strippers are involved!
PILGRIMZ took part in the Metal Mania Tour in 2005 and in 2006 was nominated for a Danish Metal Award in the category "Best Live Act" along with HATESPHERE, MNEMIC and AS WE FIGHT.
According to a press release, PILGRIMZ' live appearance can best be described as "a schismatic and spastic display of power with references to REFUSED and THE HIVES."
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/pilgrimz.


text:
Bayon Pearnik Magazine : Home Page
Welcome to the Bayon Pearnik Magazine website. Written by people who live here, Bayon Pearnik Magazine is your One Stop Expat, Travel & Tourism Guide to Cambodia.
The Bayon Pearnik is an independent magazine dedicated to raising beer money as well as encouraging debate over standards of taste, humor and journalistic ethics. Not to be taken seriously or while driving or operating heavy machinery. Always consult your doctor first because we're not responsible for what happens to you.
Copyright © 1997/2018 - Bayon Pearnik - All Rights Reserved
|top of page


text:
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (UK - BD)
Scott McKenzie checks out this comedy biopic from producer Judd Apatow...
When young Dewey Cox's brother dies in a terrible accident, his father all but disowns him, telling him that 'the wrong kid died' at regular intervals throughout his life. Dewey is visited by the ghost of his brother, who tells him that he has to live his life for both of them and he decides to make it as a professional musician. We follow Dewey's career as he rises, falls and rises again via rock and roll, protest songs, psychadelia and ultimately hip hop, with more than a knowing nod to recent musical biopics and popular musicians of the 60s and 70s.
I'll be honest right off the bat and say that I wasn't expecting much from Walk Hard. I haven't seen many of Judd Apatow's movies, but those that I have didn't impress me enough to think he's the saviour of modern comedy, as some critics are billing him. Emperor's new clothes? Maybe that would be a little harsh but I had my hopes pinned on something like an average Saturday Night Live skit-turned-movie at best. What I ended up watching wasn't exactly the funniest movie I've ever seen, but it did surpass my rather low expectations.
There are two versions of the movie included on this Blu-ray release—the 96-minute theatrical version and the 'Unbearably Long Self-Indulgent Director's Cut', which clocks in at two hours. I watched the director's cut for this review and was pleased to discover that there is an option to watch the movie with an icon in the corner to tell you when you're watching an additional scene. The director's cut is long, far too long for a comedy popcorn movie, but there are extra gags and songs thrown in so it's not quite as unbearable as the title may lead you to believe.
Walk Hard is camped firmly in the spoof genre, sending up musical biopics like Walk the Line and Ray. However, unlike incredibly heavy-handed spoofs like the Scary Movie franchise, Walk Hard plays with genre conventions with a little more subtlety and puts more faith in the audience's intelligence. Anyone who watched the serious movies that went before it will know that a tragedy will befall Dewey's brother early on and there is a lot of fun to be had working out just which one of their misadventures will end in his untimely death. Looking back on the movie as a whole, I'd say it would be possible to edit the whole thing down into a trailer for a more serious movie, such is its adherence to the structure and predictable beats in the against-all-odds story.
The music is also a big plus and I didn't expect the songs to get stuck in my head from a movie that's supposed to make me laugh. A lot of work has obviously gone into the quality of the songs, with some of them not necessarily designed to get big laughs, although the duet between Dewey and Darlene is one of the comedy highlights. There are a lot of nice cameo appearances from Jack Black, Harold Ramis and Seth Rogen to name a few, and Jack White's turn as Elvis is very funny. The only serious problem I had with the movie was the rather unnecessary number of racial gags, which aren't really to my taste in the volume they can be found here.
Taking visual cues from the biopics that inspired it, Walk Hard looks back on a contrived past through rose-tinted specs and as a result, the picture is very colourful. Scenes focusing on Dewey's childhood are washed with a sepia tone and the rest of the movie in bright, in particular the animated sequence. As you may expect from a high definition release of a recent movie, the detail in the picture is impressive and the blacks are as dark as you could hope for, but I have to wonder how many punters out there would choose to pick up a comedy movie in 1080p for more than twice the price of the standard definition DVD.
Walk Hard comes with TrueHD 5.1 options in English and Spanish, and also includes an audio description option, along with a decent selection of standard Dolby 5.1 options in other languages. The quality of the audio track is very good, with the music predictably playing a major role. Dialogue is clear and not drowned out by the background music. However, I did notice that the volume goes up a notch whenever one of the musical numbers kicks in. This isn't much of a problem but if you start off with it turned up to nine, your neighbours may start banging on the wall when the music turns it up to ten.
The audio commentary track includes Jake Kasdan, Judd Apatow, John C Reilly and Lew Morton. They state early on that the commentary track for the theatrical version is an edit of the commentary for the longer version, so if you're planning on listening to it and don't want to miss out on anything, you may as well pick the longer track. It's an enjoyable chat between four people who obviously had a good time working on the movie, but John C Reilly makes a point of mentioning that before making Walk Hard he had originally intended to make a serious music biopic with Jack White.
'The Real Dewey Cox' is a parody, including interviews with music types as if he were a real singer. Even though there are plenty of jokes in the movie focusing on his name, in this featurette Sheryl Crow delivers the best 'Cox' gag of all. 'The Music of Walk Hard' looks at the work that went in to creating the songs and different music styles of the movie. Behind the scenes footage shows how much work went in to creating and recording the songs and also how they worked around Reilly's vocal limitations.
'Line-O-Rama' is a compilation of alternative versions of key lines and is useful to understand where the actors were improvising some of their lines. There are three deleted scenes that didn't make it into the longer cut. In actual fact, two of them are extended versions of scenes that made the cut and the third is an alternative 'bad trip' scene that was probably left out for good reason next to the animated scene in the final cut. There are also full versions of six song performances from the movie for those of you who loved the music so much that you have to come back for more. It's worth noting here that the menu is good value as well, showing different album covers from Dewey Cox's career, which parody album covers of the different decades.
Walk Hard is a more enjoyable experience than I was expecting, with both the comedy and the quality of the music serving the movie well in equal measures. This high definition release looks and sounds great in 1080p and TrueHD and the extras complement the movie well, although there aren't any Blu-ray exclusives on offer. For that reason, I'll reiterate my previous point of recommending that you consider the standard definition DVD unless you're the world's biggest fan of this movie or you've got a few extra quid to spare.
* Note: The above images are taken from the Blu-ray release and resized for the page.
Review by Scott McKenzie
YlowBstard66 Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 661
I loved this film, but not in a "laugh out loud" sort of way. It was just a joy to watch, yet bI can't quite describe why.
Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over
Disc Details
Release Date: 12th May 2008
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.40:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Spanish Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Czech Dolby Digital 5.1, English Descriptive Audio 5.1, Hungarian Dolby Digital 5.1, Polish Dolby Digital 5.1, Russian Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Extras: Commentary, Director's Cut, Full Song Performances, Deleted Scenes, Line-O-Rama, The Music Of Walk Hard, The Real Dewey Cox
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Jake Kasdan
Cast: John C Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Jack Black, Frankie Muniz, Jack White, Harold Ramis
Genre: Comedy and Musical
Length: 120 minutes
6Review Guide
Follow our updates
Latest Reviews
Mission: Impossible – Fallout US - BD RA Zombie: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition US - BD RA Perversion Story US - BD RA Fog, The UK - BD RB Batman: The Complete Animated Series US - BD RA
Reviewer Agony
Emmanuelle in Soho UK - DVD R2 Batman Forever US - DVD R1 Green Hornet, The UK - DVD R2 Cannibals US - DVD R1 Doctor Who: Kamelion Tales - Part 2 UK - DVD R2
Hot Articles
Die Hard: Top 20 Moments DVD Star Wars: Top 20 Moments DVD Gabe's 2012 Wrap-Up DVD | BD Will streaming kill physical media? DVD | HD | BD Aspect Ratios Explained: Part One DVD
Most Talked About
Halloween (2018) US - DVD R1 | BD RA Venom US - DVD R1 | BD RA All the Colors of the Dark US - DVD R1 | BD RA Cloverfield Paradox, The US - DVD R1 | BD RA Night School US - DVD R1 | BD RA


text:
Shop by Category Shop by Manufacturer
Spare Parts
Sebo X & Felix Brush RollerPrice: £17.60
X-Range Brush Roller Standard Brush...More Information
SPARE PARTSPrice: £0.00
Spare Parts Need a spare part for your carpet c...More Information
|Displaying 1 to 2 (of 2 products)
|Result Pages: 1
Need some advice?
We deal with vacuums, carpet cleaning, stains, repairs and general cleaning questions all day - every day.
Call us today on
01924 375549 and
we can help suggest the best product to
suit you.
Next Day Delivery
We can have most items ordered before 2:30pm on your doorstep the very next day by courier!
100% Secure Checkout
We take customer data very seriously and ensure that our checkout process is 100% secure - we accept all major credit and debit cards!


text:
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 11th Jul 2013 13:16 UTC
"In a large staff memo, Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer details how the company is aiming for a 'One Microsoft', by altering its organization around the 'devices and services' vision. Terry Myerson will lead a new operating systems engineering group that will span across console, mobile device, and PC. Myerson used to lead the Windows Phone group at Microsoft. Julie Larson-Green takes over a new devices and studios engineering group."
Thread beginning with comment 566767
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Promoting the unsuccessful
by Invincible Cow on Thu 11th Jul 2013 13:34 UTC


text:
Hell hath no fury like a caddy scorned.
A day after Tiger Woods sacked his caddy of 12 years, Steve Williams struck back at the golf superstar, telling CNN's Mediaworks he lost respect for his old boss when his sordid personal life unraveled.
"Well, I think when you're great friends with somebody and a situation like this occurs, you obviously lose some kind of respect," Williams said.
Woods' marriage broke up at the end of 2009, after his then-wife learned of a string of extramarital affairs. The development shocked the sports world, and forever damaged Woods' carefully manicured image.
Still, Williams was more than prepared to stand by the golfer. That's why he was dumbstruck when Woods told him they were kaput.
"I've stuck by him through and through," Williams said. "Now he decides things aren't going well for him, and I'm down the road, so the timing's very disappointing."
Woods seemed gracious enough in letting his longtime pal go.
"I want to express my deepest gratitude to Stevie for all his help, but I think it's time for a change," Woods said on his website. "Stevie is an outstanding caddie and a friend and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments. I wish him great success in the future."
But Williams hinted that he may tell more of the story in the future.
"You know, when I write my book, it'll be the time I decide what I write," Williams said. "It'll just be one of those interesting chapters in the book."


text:
- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- Donate Now
GREENSBORO, N.C. (May 28, 2010) - Junior Mike James (Palm Bay, Fla.) advanced out of the first round of the 110m hurdles, but Buccaneer teammate Duronal Monal (Belle Glade, Fla.) saw his ETSU track and field career come to an end Friday night at the NCAA East Regional from the Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro, N.C.
A day after watching Monal advance to the 100m quarterfinals Thursday night, James did the same in his first round race of the 110m hurdles Friday. James became one of the top 24 runners to move on in the 48-man field after finishing second in his heat and 20th overall with a time of 14.17.
"Michael took care of business today by advancing and I'm extremely proud of the way he handled himself during the race", commented associate track and field coach Michelle Byrne. "I think he grew a lot today by securing a top three time in his heat and he will look to post one of the top 12 times tomorrow in the quarterfinals."
Meanwhile, Monal saw his illustrious ETSU track and field career come to a close after not advancing in both the 100 and 200m sprints. After qualifying for the 100m quarterfinals Thursday, Monal couldn't muster enough speed to be one of the top 12 finalists in the East Region. The three-time 100m Atlantic Sun champion placed 22nd overall after clocking in at 10.51.
In addition to not moving on in the 100m, Monal's luck came up short in the 200m. The two-time defending conference champion in the event wrapped up his day by placing 30th with a mark of 21.44.
"I can't say enough about Duronal's effort today, but in the end he just came up short," said Byrne. "He ran strong at the start, but his body let him down at the end. Duronal is a tremendous athlete and I commend him for everything he has accomplished as a sprinter at ETSU."
James will look to qualify for the 110m hurdle semifinals Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
For more information on Buccaneer track and field, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.