by dislegal

A CHRISTIAN BOOK REVIEW OF “LEARN TO STUDY THE BIBLE” BY ANDY DEANE (ISBN 978-1-60791-576-8)

Pastor Andy Deane learned from real life experience that not everyone would benefit from Bible study with everyone using only one method of bible study. Out of this experience grew this wonderful book, with 40 different methods Christians can use for bible study. Deane has even categorized the methods, so that the reader can easily find the best method for their personal style and needs. This book would be useful to any person interested in studying the Bible, from beginners to Bible study group leaders.

The categories include the 9 basic methods, which are great for beginners first learning to read the Bible, 9 major methods that are considered classic forms of bible study, 6 creative methods which challenge the person studying to break into their own ways of relating to the Bible, 11 ways to study passages, and 5 ways specifically recommended for teens – a group that has very different learning needs than adults.

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Each method is given a short but concise treatment that includes how the method is used and what can be gained from the particular method. The use of notes is encouraged throughout the text, and for each method, Deane’s wife has made handwritten examples that demonstrate how the method is actually used.

Although their are many books already available that cover a single Bible study method, I do not know of any other book that attempts to give the reader a choice. Modern day teachers know that not all students in one classroom will learn the material presented to them in one way. If you look at the entire body of Christ, you can see that many different methods and approaches need to be available. In addition, what may be the best for the beginner may not be the best for those who have been studying the Bible for years. With this book, anyone can find a method that will work best for him or her. Whether you are a beginner of have been studying the Bible for years, and are looking for a fresh approach, you will find it here.

With the multiple methods outlined in this book, you can free yourself to find the best method for yourself. If you teach Bible Study classes, you can use the methods in the book to tailor your classes to adults or teens.

Review completed by Lisa Linnell-Olsen

by martnpro

Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s 2010 ATV Championship Year in Review

Creamer earned his first-ever AMA ATV Motocross Championship in his first year riding the championship-winning Suzuki QuadRacer R450, and teammate Dustin Wimmer, the two-time Champion, followed him to the podium to take second overall.  With a 1-2 punch, there’s no doubt that the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team is at the top of their game, and the Suzuki QuadRacer R450 has now taken home the big trophy three years in a row.

The season started out in Alabama in March, with Round 1 at Pell City. In his debut aboard the yellow QuadRacer R450, Josh Creamer was determined to prove that he had the speed and the talent to put himself at the front of the pack. He did just that by taking both holeshots for the day, but it was his teammate Wimmer who came out victorious with 1-1 moto finishes. It looked like the defending champ wasn’t going to let his new teammate get to the top so easily, and Wimmer took the immediate lead in the points chase. Creamer finished third overall but was positive he could do better in the next round.

Round 2 took place in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at Ballance MotoX on April 18th, and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team came prepared to rule the track. Creamer took his QuadRacer R450 to the overall victory with his 2-1 moto finishes, and clinched the holeshot in the second moto. Wimmer took second overall for the day, and things started to fall into place for the two Rockstar Suzuki racers to be on the podium a whole lot throughout the series. Wimmer was still in the points lead at this time, but Creamer was closing in.

The circuit made its third stop at the Birch Creek event in Danville, Virginia, on May 2. Josh Creamer enjoyed winning in Kentucky so much he decided to make it two in a row. Wimmer won the first moto and got the holeshot in the second, but Creamer came out victorious with his 2-1 moto finishes. Creamer edged out Wimmer for the lead in the championship points race at Round 3, and one of the Rockstar Makita Suzuki racers was on the top of the podium at every race so far in the young season, setting it up to be another great year for the team.

Sunset Ridge MX in Walnut, Illinois, was fourth on the list for the circuit in 2010, and it marked the fourth time in as many races that both of the Rockstar Makita Suzuki racers were on the podium at the end of the day. Wimmer took second overall with his 3-1 moto finishes, and Creamer followed taking third for the day by finishing 2-5. Even though they didn’t win the race, both riders put more distance between themselves and the rest of the field in the series points chase. Wimmer regained the lead with 174 points, but Creamer was not far behind with a total of 169.

Round 5 of the AMA ATV Motocross series took place at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, PA. Creamer was in the groove of his QuadRacer R450, and even though it was his first year competing aboard it, he looked smooth, confident, and very comfortable as he rode faster than everyone else. Creamer took the overall with his 1-1 finishes for the day and regained the championship points lead from Wimmer. Wimmer went 3-2 for second overall, making it yet another double podium finish for the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team. It started to look like all the other competitors were going to have a really tough time reining in the duo of Creamer and Wimmer, who were both hungry for the 2010 championship.

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Creamer wanted to stretch his lead in the series even further, and he did just that in Millville, MN, for Round 6 of the series. With his perfect finishes in both races, Creamer took his fourth overall win of the season. Creamer not only won both motos, but he led the first race from holeshot to checkered flag. He took the second holeshot, as well, and although another racer challenged him for the lead, Creamer had no problem using the power of this QuadRacer R450 to take him across the finish line first. Meanwhile, Wimmer finished 3-4 for the day and just missed the podium with his fourth-place overall finish.

Muddy Creek in Blountville, TN, hosted Round 7 of the ATV MX series, and true to form, Josh Creamer took the overall victory again. Making it his third overall win in a row, and five wins out of seven races, Creamer was really showing the ATV racing community that he was the man to beat in 2010 aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki QuadRacer R450. Creamer took second in both motos, while Dustin Wimmer won the second moto after having a rough go in the first race and finishing seventh. With Creamer taking the overall and Wimmer rounding off the podium in third place, the team was pulling away from the rest of the competition in the race to the championship.  “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pull off being so successful in my first year on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team, but I was hoping this is how it would go,” Creamer said. “The QuadRacer R450 is great and it’s no wonder this bike has multiple championships already. As long as the rider puts in the work, the machine is dialed in and ready to race.”

Pleasure Valley Raceway, in Armagh, PA, was the site for Round 8, and Creamer and Wimmer were starting to see the championship picture develop in front of them. With smart racing and the unstoppable QuadRacer R450, both racers knew that the key to locking down the championship would be smooth and consistent performances. Creamer ended up in fourth in the first moto, but he came back with a vengeance in moto 2, taking the win. Wimmer fared better in moto 1, finishing second, but fell back to fifth in moto 2. Creamer ended the day in second overall, while Wimmer just missed getting on the podium with his fourth-place overall finish. Both riders continued to gain points toward the championship, with Creamer still leading.

Creamer’s sixth overall victory for the 2010 season came at the legendary Unadilla track in New Berlin, NY, on July 18th. “I couldn’t ask for anything more from my quad or my team,” Creamer said. “I just want to keep this momentum going and finish off the season on top!” Creamer stretched his lead to 30 points with his 3-1 finishes for the day, and teammate Wimmer followed in second overall making it another 1-2 podium finish for Rockstar Makita Suzuki. Wimmer took both holeshots and was happy to be back in the groove with his 2-4 moto scores. “The QuadRacer R450 worked out really well and overall it handled good throughout the track!” said Wimmer. “I got two good holeshots and the first race went pretty well. I came out second, but couldn’t make up any ground and stayed there the whole moto. In the second moto, I ended up fourth. It was pretty hard to pass and the track was rough, but overall, the race went well.”

With the season winding down, the series moved to Red Bud in Buchanan, Michigan, at the end of July. Josh Creamer increased his point lead to 40 with his second-place overall finish. He took second in both motos, but also nabbed the holeshot in moto 2. “I ended up getting into second place and hung out there because I didn’t want to risk anything so close to the end of the season, especially leading the series,” Creamer said. “I got the holeshot in the second moto and led, but then got passed and I didn’t want to push it so I finished in second again. My Suzuki QuadRacer R450 worked awesome, and overall it was a good weekend.” Wimmer finished the day with 5-4 moto scores for fourth overall. Creamer was pretty much locked in to win the championship, but there was still Loretta’s to contend with, which is a notoriously demanding race on both racer and machine.

August 15th at Loretta Lynn’s wasn’t an easy day, with rain and stifling humidity, but it was the scene for the finale in a great series. The Tennessee crowd braved the weather to watch a shortened rage program of one final moto to cap off the season. With Creamer 40 points ahead, he went into the race knowing that he already won his first-ever ATV championship. Creamer didn’t push too hard during the race, and after a mishap, he ended up finishing seventh. It was the first time all season he didn’t finish in the top three overall, but regardless, he was on the podium to accept his championship trophy. “I knew that once I got on this bike it was a championship winning bike,” said Creamer after the race. “The QuadRacer R450 is by far the best bike I’ve ever been on. Everything works awesomely and it handles the best. There’s a reason it’s a championship-winning bike! This title is a lifelong dream of mine, and today is a dream come true.” Dustin Wimmer felt that he had a little something to prove at the final race, and with his second-place finish in the series locked in, he rode hard at Loretta’s to finish second for the day.

The Suzuki QuadRacer has now been on top of the AMA ATV Motocross series for three years running, and with Creamer and Wimmer aboard, it was tough to beat the power and performance. Suzuki also secured the Manufacturer’s Cup by earning the most points out of any manufacturer, and as Suzuki celebrates its 50th year of Racing in 2010, it was a fitting way to end the ATV series. Suzuki captured the podium at every race this season, winning a total of seven overalls from 11 events, with a total of 13 out of a possible 21 moto wins. Congratulations to both Josh Creamer and Dustin Wimmer on an exceptional 2010!

We offers a wide selection of replacement that are compatible with specific MAKITA . You can buy with confidence that replacement MAKITA power tool batteries from www.ibuynow.com.au and www.top-battery.com.au

by vrkrebs

60 Minute Loan Mod Review – Is it a scam?

A lot of people are in trouble with their homes and must modify their loans or lose their home. Once you have decided to try to save your home, you have to make a couple decisions. Do you want to hire someone or do it yourself?

Let me start by telling you a little about myself. I started in the mortgage business in 1988 with some of the largest Savings and Loans and banks in the country. The point is, I know a little about the mortgage business. I am also a real estate broker.

I think a lot of the problem is that bankers have a language all their own. We talk in terms of front end ratios, DTI’s, LTV’s and FICO scores. If any of this seems foreign or confusing to you, you can see the problem people are having modifying their loans.

Your home is your largest investment. Most homes in America are worth a couple hundred thousand dollars at least. It’s like having a single stock that’s worth 0,000. If you are trying to save your home yourself, you are taking an awful big risk with 0,000.

One problem is that there have been a lot of loan modification scams. On top of that, loan modification specialists cost money. Just like hiring a lawyer, a loan specialist needs to be paid for his/her time whether they are successful or not. This doesn’t sit well with a lot of people and others just can’t afford it.

So I started looking into the do-it-yourself loan modification kits. Having been in the business for so many years, I was skeptical about any system that tells you to risk 0,000 or more without help.

So let’s take a look at the 60 minute video marketing kit

Let me start by saying, this is a big package. It not only includes a manual, it also has printable forms, a step-by-step video, and actual recordings of telephone negotiations.

The manual is 119 pages long. They go into great detail.

This section is a get acquainted with the author Mike Rockwood. He talks about some of his past successes and the current housing situation.

Mike spends a few pages reinforcing the reasons why you should handle the loan modification yourself

Here the author sets up timelines and expectations. This is important to keep you on track. You have a limited amount of time to get this done

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The basic idea of a loan modification is to explain why you are in trouble (hardship letter), document it and then ask for help. Just remember bankers have very strict guidelines as to what they can accept and what they can’t. If you aren’t sure, you can ruin your chances of saving your home.

The author Mike walks you through step-by-step in filling out your application. This is the meat of the book. He takes special attention to crafting the hardship letter. He shows actual hand-written hardship letters others have successfully used. BTW, he recommends everyone do their hardship letters by hand, not using a typewriter/word processor for a reason which he reveals in the course.

I was very impressed with the detail he goes into in this section. Without this information, your chances of getting approved are going to be diminished.

This chapter surprised even me. This is an area I sometimes overlook with disastrous results.

Having worked in the industry, I can tell you for a fact that the mortgage processing is basically a business of crisis management. Everyone is up against deadlines. Forget to send something in or send in the wrong forms and you get pushed to the bottom of the pile. You may not even find out for a week while other crisis situations push their way to the top. You need to do consistent follow up. Mike breaks down the follow up into daily tasks you do until…

This is where 60 minute loan mod gets 5 stars that makes it worth the purchase. He not only tells you exactly what to say to get a loan mod, he explains how to negotiate a better deal. Some of the most effective tactics are very low key. Keep in mind, many people are so relieved to even get approved, they accept anything. Often thousands of dollars are left on the table. The 60 minute loan mod helps you mop up as much of that money as possible

Here Mike goes into the types of foreclosure you may be facing and how to work within the timelines. Absolutely essential information if you are doing this yourself

After you get your loan modified, you’ll want to get your life back in order. Mike goes into credit scoring and how to repair your credit. Nice touch!

– Copies of the forms he made mention to in the manual. Included are the toll free numbers of some of the major banks and ways to get around their automated switch boards.

– Help with mortgage terms. I recommend you read this section, not just use it when you need help. It will broaden your overall knowledge.

If this was all the course included, I would think its over priced. In addition to the workbook, you’ll find

A loan modification calculator – This calculator calculates your chance of getting approved for a loan modification.

A zipped folder of all the forms you need in word, txt and excel formats. These forms work on Mac’s or PC’s.  You can print them as many times as necessary. If you make a mistake, don’t white it out, just print a new form.

Audio recordings of actual negotiations – I really liked this feature. Many times I will read a book and think I know what I read but when someone asks me a question, I get tongue-tied. I’m not prepared enough to answer the question. What happens to your loan modification if the lender asks you a question you can’t answer? What if you answer it wrong? A mistake like that can cost your home. By listening to the tapes, I was able to plan for the questions they might ask and have responses ready to go.

A 60 minute video doing a loan modification from start to finish. Some people just don’t like to read. That’s pretty evident by the number of people who watch tv vs the number who read books for entertainment. Mike includes a 60 minute video that goes step-by-step into filling out the application and the documents to back it up. Very useful.

What happens if you still have a question?

Mike gives you 60 days of free email coaching. This is what makes this package so valuable. Your alternative, as I already mentioned, is to get a professional loan modification specialist to represent you. That will run you several thousand dollars. The 60 minute loan modification course costs much less than that but you still get personal service.

I tried this myself on a Saturday night at 1:30am. Someone from his office called me back the next day, SUNDAY, at about 2pm. Not only was it a Sunday, it was Father’s Day. They promise 6-12 response time but I never expected them to call back on a Sunday. The point is, they are on top of it. When and if you need help, you’ll get it.

All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of information in this program. If you can’t or don’t want to use a professional service to negotiate for you, this would be the next best thing.

I strongly recommend you use this program if you are trying to save your home. Its knowledge you need to be successful.

by vancouverfilmschool

MOVIE REVIEW – DISTRICT 9

, a faux documentary, violent sci-fi action extravaganza, social message film brought to you by producer Peter Jackson and first time director Neill Blomkamp is at times brilliant and at times ridiculously stupid.  The film is based on a short film from Blomkamp called Alive in Joberg.  The first half of the film is amazing but from that point on, the film degrades into the bastard stepchild of and .  It really is a shame because could’ve been one of the best sci-fi films ever.  I generally make it a point not to expose plot points in my reviews but I don’t think I can express what I loved and hated about the film without doing so.  That being said, there may be some spoilers ahead, so read on at your own risk.

The film starts as a documentary and quickly fills in the backstory that brings the film to the present.  In 1982, a large alien space craft flies over Johannesburg, South Africa, only to hover over the city motionless.  After 3 months of zero activity, the government cuts its way into the ship to discover aliens that can only be described as a cross between humans and shrimp with a little cockroach thrown in for good measure.  The aliens (known as Prawns) are found helpless and dying after their leaders all mysteriously died.  They are brought to Earth where they are segregated into a ghetto known as District 9.  The aliens are depicted as evil, animal like creatures and through interviews with different people on the documentary we discover that humans have become intolerant of the aliens and want them to just go away.  There are many sci-fi films that feature alien invasions and they always ask the same question; what are the aliens going to do to us?  flips that on it head and instead asks what would we do to them and this provides serious food for thought.  Based on all of the racial injustices throughout human history from Apartheid to Jews being placed in concentration camps during World War II, the film comes off as very truthful.  We as prejudiced based humans would probably treat alien visitors with hostility and social injustice.  It is here that the film shines and is worthy of praise and I wish the filmmaker would’ve explored these themes more.

In present day, the government has decided to move the Prawns from their current slum to a more controlled environment known as District 10, which is truly more of a concentration camp.  The government sends their agents known as MRU (Military Research Unit or Murderers R Us; not sure which) to facilitate the move.  Working with the government is a corporation that really wants to learn more about the aliens’ technologically advanced weaponry.  As they move into District 9 to evict the aliens, the humans are shown for the evil louts that they are as they bully and kill the Prawn mercilessly.  This is all filmed in documentary style and we also learn that the aliens have also been exploited by a crime lord who has been profiting from the aliens by trading cat food (the Prawns are addicted to it) and meat in return for their guns and money.  The film never answers how any of the aliens would have money, but whatever.  The problem that both the crime lord and the military have is that the Prawns weapons do not work for humans and can only be used when interacting with alien DNA. 

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The company sends in one of their geeky employees, Wikus Van De Merwe (a brilliant Sharlto Copley) to handle the eviction and get each alien to sign a form that gives their consent for the move.  This is one of the first things that struck me as demented.  Would a government hell bent on stealing weaponry from these aliens be concerned about eviction forms?  I understand that they did this to be politically correct but it is quite clear from the interviews with the citizens of Johannesburg that no one cares how the aliens are taken away, they just want them gone.  It is never really clear who, if anybody cares about the rights of these creatures.  As Wilkus goes from shack to shack searching for weapons, he discovers a device that seems dangerous and decides to confiscate it.  As he is examining the device, it spurts a black oil like liquid all over his face and soon after he starts to become sick; throwing up black liquid, teeth and fingernails falling off, etc.  It here that the film abandons the documentary format and where begins to come off the rails. 

It seems the liquid is turning Wilkus into one of the aliens and he is taken to a secret facility where he becomes a human (alien?) guinea pig.  At this point Wilkus’ arm has become alien and the company uses him to fire the Prawns weapons.  Seeing as he is the first human to survive as a hybrid, they plan to cut him up and research his organs so that they can duplicate the process.  Wilkus escapes and turns into on acid.  Wilkus take refuge in the only place he won’t be found, District 9 and meets a Prawn who is actually intelligent, known as Christopher.  Christopher is a brilliant scientist and a caring father and is the only Prawn featured in the movie that is shown to have any “humanity”.  This is also one of my biggest problems with .  I understand that the living conditions the aliens are forced into drives them to become like animals, but there aren’t any other Prawns who are intelligent and caring?  I find this tricky to believe and it makes it even more difficult to care about their fate.  It seems Christopher is the one that collected the black oil that is transforming Wilkus and it is the only thing that will power the spaceship so that the aliens can at long last return home.  This is another flaw in the film.  The oil can power a starship and alter a man’s DNA?  It has more functions than a can of WD-40.  Christopher promises Wilkus that he can cure him if they can get to the spaceship, unfortunately, it has taken him 20 years to collect the liquid and without it there’s nothing he can do.  Wilkus and Christopher then decide to break into the facility where the oil is being kept and this is where becomes a mind numbing, testosterone laced, action flick.  The last hour of the film seems to last for 4 hours and all the originality of the film is drained away.  It becomes no different than or .

The acting is first rate, especially Sharlto Copley and the effects are very good.  If anything, shows the promise of a brilliant filmmaker in Neill Blomkamp.  If he were able to sustain the intelligence of the first half of the film throughout the whole movie, instead of turning the film into a cliché sci-fi action film, would’ve been one of the best sci-fi films of all time.  I would be more forgiving of the film if they had at least cut down the length of the action scenes.  could’ve been a half hour shorter and been a way better film.  It is true that sometimes less is more.

To sum it up, is an original, intelligent, well thought out story that serves as a mirror to the social injustice and racism that runs rampant through our “human” society that dissolves into a overly violent, overly long, standard sci-fi action flick.  The first half makes it a film worth watching, but the second half will leave you with a headache.  Knowing what I know now about how the movie changes course, I can only hope that I will enjoy more a second time around. 

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by rburtzel

Review of Cj Jeeps

Looking for buying CJ Jeeps?  If you plan to buy a CJ Jeep in the near future, it is important to read reviews of CJ Jeeps.  By doing so, you will understand some of the fine options you have available when it comes to buy a CJ Jeep.  Here I will review the CJ 7 jeeps (a.k.a. CJ7 Jeeps), CJ 5 Jeeps and CJ 8 Jeeps here, so that you can get a better idea about what these vehicles have to offer.

The abbreviations “CJ” literally stands for civilian jeep. The CJ 5, CJ 7 and CJ 8 Jeeps are vehicles that were based on military jeeps, but made available to the general public later.  The very first of all CJ Jeeps was created in the early 1940s and was identified as the CJ-2.  The CJ Jeeps endured a process of evolution as years passed and each new model came out with different variations.  In the late 1980’s, the CJ7 and CJ8 were replaced by the Jeep Wrangler.

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More than 600,000 CJ 5 jeeps were manufactured before the production of this model ended in 1983.  These CJ 5 jeeps were manufactured with V6, F head, 4 cylinder engines under the hood, and there were many different models of the CJ5 Jeep created.  Models included the Tuxedo Park Mark III & IV, the Camper, the 462, the Renegade I & II, the Super Jeep and the Golden Eagle.

The CJ 7 Jeeps were first produced in the late 1970s and production of this model ended in 1986.  The CJ7 Jeep was build with all wheel drive, a hardtop, tilted steering, solid steel doors, and chrome grills, bumpers, and mirrors.  This model was actually produced with a diesel operated variant, but the production of the diesel power model was limited to only a couple of year’s time.  In addition, CJ7 Jeeps were offered with a total of four different motors: the AMC Inline four, the Inline six, the V8, and the diesel C240.

CJ8 jeeps were actually a truck version of the CJ 7 jeeps identified as the Jeep Scrambler.  This model became available to the public in the early 1980s.  A total of 30,000 units of this model were manufactured over the years.

I recommend you checking out JeepMax.com. It is a specialized Jeeps for Sale site, offering a great selection of CJ Jeeps for sale. This website makes finding your dream CJ Jeep a million times easier. Be sure to try this website before you buy.

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by Girl Journalist

The Mcrib – An Official Review

To McRib, or not to McRib – That is the question. (An Official Review)

Over the years, I’ve developed a nice sense of taste. Along with that amazing sense of taste has come a love for the cheapest and only 5 star meal in my eyes from a fast food joint; The McRib.

I love McRibs, I’ll just let you know that right now. If you were to ever ask my opinion whether you should go and get yourself a McRib, I’d say “is that a serious question? OF COURSE YOU SHOULD!)

Well, the other day I was coming home from my usual mid morning coffee and maybe a light meal and I heard the most amazing thing I’d heard in weeks. The commercial said that the McRib is back! Of course there was that “only at participating blahblahblah” line at the end. However I knew I had to go and get myself a McRib, right then and there!

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I drove on down to the store, hurriedly I might add, and ended up getting there 5 minutes faster than any legally driving driver would have. I rolled up, and no, nope, wasn’t there the McRib that I’d be longing for the whole drive to Mcdonalds wasn’t even on the menu…I was kind of torn inside.

I ended up ordering a soda and pulling up to “the second window” and was a bit mopey. To say the least! I figured I’d give it a try and ask the cashier employee to add a Mcrib to the order. I did exactly that, waiting (which seemed like an eternity) for a response avidly. He replied with a “sure, but you shoulda ordered it when you got your drink sir.” I was so happy, that I ignored that rudeness that he showed and yelped a little bit.

All in all, I ate the McRib, and ended up loving it just as I had every other time I’d eaten it.

top stories: McDonald’s BBQ pork sandwich returns; Halloween date change; wedding during dust storm. *Subscribe: bit.ly
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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by Daniel Semper

Paranormal Activity 2 Movie Review | Paranormal Activity 2 Review | Paranormal Activity 2

is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears is  and  than its predecessor, but more importantly, it is better. give-developed characters and detailed back-stories in an attempt to get to. The sequel makes  as a suburb of San  who has charisma appears

by Jennifer Janviere

Acquainted with the Night: Documentary Film Review

Feature-length documentary “Acquainted with the Night” (Markham Street Films, 2010), is a brilliantly executed examination of how humanity explores, embraces and attempts to protect the night.  Shot in seven countries and eight languages, director Michael McNamara and co-producer Jen Recknagel analyze the universality of elements embodied in dusk to dawn traditions – curiosity and the quest to learn, ritual celebration, fear and adaptation, and from a Western research perspective the concern for the night’s adverse impact on the individual, and society.

The movie is based on Christopher Dewdney’s book, Acquainted with the Night:  Excursions through the World after Dark.  While Dewdney breaks up the night into hourly vignettes based on science, myth and poetry, McNamara proceeds differently, showcasing key segments of time:  daytime preparations, dusk, night-time activities, dawn and its aftermath. 

In the film’s , individuals in a diversity of cultures and stations in life are shown preparing for darkness, foreshadowing what the night embodies for them:

In the town of Atzompa, in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, a family walks along a dirt road with a wheelbarrow and arms full of flowers, destined for the cemetery, the beginning of its Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) rituals;
Members of Astronomers Without Borders line up telescopes in Bhaktapur, Nepal, for viewing Jupiter and its moons;
A team of researchers arrive at Arches National Park in Utah, to measure light pollution;
On the Greek Island of Chios, villagers from two rival towns ready rockets and launching pads in preparation for a century – old,  middle-of-the-night pyrotechnics competition;
A group sets up high – power lamps in New York City near Ground Zero, for a tribute in lights;
Artists at Parc des Buttes Chaumant in Paris, France, install their art, and lighting, for Nuit Blanche, a unique exhibition.

Introductions continue through , in Austin, Texas.  Crowds gather before dark, eager to watch 1.5 million bats fly out from beneath an expansion bridge in a night-time feeding frenzy. This year the bats emerge unexpectedly early, but the film crew, on the ready, doesn’t miss a beat and catches the event as it happens.  

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Moving into , we’re whisked worlds away, to a marketplace in Marrakech, Morocco.  Children and adults alike are enthralled by the tales of a traditional storyteller, one of only two or three of his kind remaining.  But storytelling is universal, as McNamara illustrates, taking the viewer from this Moroccan custom to Anglo- and French-Canadian homes in Canada where parents read the same bed-time story to their children, “Love You Forever,” in English and in French.

McNamara uses his characters, rather than a narrator, to thread his theses.  Researcher Chad Moore, measuring light pollution with sophisticated instruments, decries the loss of the ability of Americans to witness true darkness.  It “ties all people together across the planet,” states Moore. “We have to decide if it’s worth saving,” he asks rhetorically.  Then in Nepal, as if to answer the question, we’re placed amongst astronomers encouraging onlookers to take a peak at the largest planet in the solar system.  Curiosity, intrigue, marvel and the quest to learn about the night, each transcends culture and age.

Returning to North America, and , a long-haul trucker drives across Canada with her son, after dark, exposing us to the night’s working world – its allure, its danger, and its necessity.  At the Sleep and Alertness Clinic in Toronto we learn of the afflictions which beset the night shift, and are told of modern-day disasters which have occurred during the middle-of-the-night as a result of human error – Chernobyl and Exxon Valdez are cited examples.  If humanity must work throughout the night, as is suggested, how do we better adapt?

The dark side of earth’s most densely populated club district is revealed, under the watch of Toronto Police Department’s 52 Division.  Another aspect of night shift work:  patrolling nightly, and then rounding up mainly youthful revelers as they emerge from partying shortly after 2 a.m., high on drugs or a little too much to drink, in either case resulting in unruly conduct or violence. Detention and in some cases arrest follows; then finally the morning clean-up,  . 

McNamara also illustrates how differently death is approached depending on societal mores. In the candle – lit Mexican cemetery his cinematographers capture the poignancy of an elderly couple lamenting the loss of their son, decades after his passing. He then switches to the somber spectacle of light near Ground Zero. On a subsequent night in the Mexican village, death is remembered no longer through solemnity, but now with comparsas – parades marked by reveling in costume, dance and song.  McNamara then takes us to the pageantry of a Winter Solstice celebration at Toronto’s Kensington Market. The night is a catalyst for celebrating in similar, almost identical fashion, under dramatically distinct circumstances.

Particularly striking and thought provoking contrasts occur within the context of McNamara taking us to a makeshift outdoor hockey rink illuminated by the full moon, then to beyond Yellowknife, where The Dene, one of Canada’s First Nation peoples, emerge from their teepees rejoicing the awe inspiring Aurora Borealis, and yes, telling stories.  Cut to Paris, where artificial light gives art a new appreciation, then to New York, where light pays homage to America’s fallen.  It’s hard to resolve the conflict between utilizing and appreciating the night and all its wonder and beauty – a motive for its preservation – and perhaps just as valid, transforming and celebrating the night, which leads to its adulteration.

As dawn approaches, thousands of spent rockets are gathered on the Greek island, the Parisian art exhibit has lost its glimmer, the 9 / 11 lights are extinguished, the now exhausted Nepalese storyteller heads home, and the villagers of Atzompa depart through the cemetery arch, until next year’s Dia de los Muertos.

Acquainted with the Night takes the viewer on much more than a cross-cultural journey traversing the exotic and the familiar, and then back again. It opens our minds to a sampling of what most of us miss between going to bed, and arising for work the next day.  It inevitably encourages many to re-evaluate an unnecessarily staid lifestyle, through examining a world not previously known to exist.  It ensures that we expose our youth to more, yet at the same time cautions, and raises questions – with answers difficult to reconcile.

Related Dia De Los Muertos Articles

by Herkie

Google Cash Detective 2 Review

Let me give you some background on the creator of GCD2 and his past products. Google Cash Detective 2.0 was created by Chris Carpenter. Several years ago Chris brought us Google Cash and the original Google Cash Detective.

: The Google Cash system is based on making money with Clickbank products with pay per click networks linking directly to the product page.

: Google Cash Detective then came out as software which automated the Google Cash system by finding other PPC affiliate marketer’s profitable keywords and campaigns thus enabling you to duplicate their efforts and success into you own profitable campaigns.

by contrast and comparison appears to be a bold step forward from the original.

is a competitive intelligence tool that tracks and analyzes the use of millions of keywords (currently 2.5 million!), advertisements and PPC campaigns.

GCD2 gives you the ability to essentially look over the shoulder of other affiliate marketers promoting products through affiliate networks such as Clickbank and Commission Junction. With GCD2 you can spy on other affiliate marketers and see which keywords, website addresses and landing pages they are using for their profitable campaigns. Significantly, with GCD2 you can see the very ads making them money.

Google Cash Detective 2 gives you the ability to track a specific campaign. You can see up to three months data on all tracked campaigns, the logic being that the longer an affiliate advertises a product, the higher the probability that product is making her/him money.

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* Unlimited keywords! That’s ZERO keyword limit. Take that PPC Web-Spy!

* Google Cash Detective 2 tracks over 2.5 million keywords inside a lightning fast database.  

* The system crawls Google daily, and records changes across 20 million+ websites!

* Customers can search for keywords and website addresses, or construct their own search queries with wildcard searches.

* Customers can perform wild-card searches to find CPA/PPL campaigns and dozens of different affiliate networks.

* Google Cash Detective 2 also has real-time slideshow features (similar to Apple Cover Flow) that reveals the landing pages of your fellow Pay Per Click marketers.

* All Advertisements, display URLs, destination URLs and even landing pages are indexed by GCD2 and are fully searchable.

* Other PPC Spytools make you wait until they have collected data before they’re useful, so you have to wait up to a month until you have useful data! GCD2 is pre-loaded with keywords that already have three months of daily crawls and all you do is search for a keyword or URL and you receive months of historical data right at your fingertips.

* Once you have found one profitable campaign with GCD2 you can easily find all of the other campaigns that an advertiser has in GCD2. You cannot do this with other tools since they limit the number of keywords you can use.

* Most competitive products have a hard limit of 500 keywords. However, Google Cash Detective 2 operates inside a multi-server cloud infrastructure, allowing you to locate advertisers that are promoting for thousands of keywords!

* It reveals all of the keywords – including those that produce profit, and the ones to avoid.

On the downside, this product is expensive in a relative sense. What I mean by that is that a grand (give or take) is a significant investment for anyone to make into their online business. This product, and by extension, any product becomes more expensive unless it is used to build profitable PPC campaigns.

In conclusion, clearly, folks engaged in PPC campaigns are going to see GCD2 as a “must have”. The breadth of the data available with GCD2 is too expansive to ignore.

To folks who might be new to PPC/affiliate marketing I say this: Do not buy this tool if it is just going to collect virtual dust. Every purchase you make to advance your business should give you a return on your investment. It can be very easy to become overwhelmed by the mounds of actionable data that GCD2 will give you which can and may lead to analysis paralysis. If you do purchase this software, use it to dominate! Don’t allow yourself to get discouraged for you now own a product that can separate you from the pack and that takes so much of the mystery, guesswork and TIME out of running successful, profitable and confidence-building PPC campaigns.

Follow the Google Cash Detective 2 Launch at http://www.googlecashdetective2-review.com

Find More Chris Carpenter Articles

by hectore

Juice Plus Review

Juice Plus is a supplement that has been in existence since 1993. I looked into the product at one time as a possible source of nutritional benefit for my family. I was even interested in becoming a distributor so that I could earn a residual income, since so many people are looking for ways to improve their nutrition just like you and I. I will not say outright that the Juice Plus is a scam. I have thoroughly looked into many business opportunities, especially health related companies, and I will say that there are many fraud companies out there. I think that Juice Plus is actually one of the better companies out there, but in my search for the best quality source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and general nutritional supplements… a little bit of research let me know that Juice Plus+ was not for me. Let me tell you why I decided that it was not for me.

Juice Plus is manufactured by a company called Natural Alternatives International in Santa Monica, California and distributed by National Safety Associates (NSA) in Tennessee. NSA was started in 1970 and before introducing Juice Plus, was known for other multilevel-marketed products. Juice Plus scam? No, they are just a smart company that seems to follow the business trends of the decades. Do you remember all of those water filter companies that were popular in the 1980s? Well this company sold home fire detectors when they were popular in the 70s, water filters in the early 80s, and air filters in the late 80s. They also sold educational games at one point.

While some companies in the past have made multilevel-marketing look bad, there is nothing wrong with using the method of sales distribution known as multilevel-marketing. If done right, it can benefit more people than traditional marketing, save people money and can also help get a product out to many who may have never learned about the product.

So from a business standpoint, it looks like they have the right idea. They follow the trends.

Their main products are the Juice Plus, which are not juice really, but powder in capsules. This is better than juice because juice supplements like the popular Acai berry juice, noni juice, Mona vie juice or Mangosteen juice products will begin to oxidate as soon as you open the bottle. This liquid oxidation is harmful to the body. The Juice Plus blend include great ingredients that come from fruits such as acerola berries, apples, cranberries, oranges, papaya, peaches, and pineapple. Their Juice Plus+ contains vegetables that are sourced from barley, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, kale, oats, parsley, spinach, and tomato. So to answer the question is Juice Plus fraud, I say that there is no Juice Plus scam, since they sell real products with decent ingredients.

It has become general knowledge that by increasing your fruit and vegetable intake on a daily basis, that you can improve your health and wellness. Eating more fruits and vegetables will actually help your body also get rid of free radical cells as well as a natural antioxidant in the body. I just do not feel that this product has enough fruits and vegetables in it for me is all.

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Their Juice Plus Gummies supplement for kids were found to have around 80% corn syrup and 10% beef gelatin, making the product almost without nutritional benefit. So these are not much better than the gummy vitamin/mineral bears that you can buy at your local store. Both are basically just candy!

I assume that their other products probably have a higher quality of nutrition than this but I saw some other problems that made me shy away.

The Biggest Problem

The biggest problem that I saw was that in all of the poking around on their company website, I could not find any of the product labels for any of their products! What are they trying to hide? Sure they list a few fruits and vegetables, but they don’t say how much of each fruit that they use. They don’t show you the nutritional facts so you can see how much sugar and natural or artificial ingredients are in each product.

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Some other problems that I saw …

1. The products were not unique enough

2. There was not enough research and science

3. The testimonials were lacking

4. The products were not manufactured to high enough standards to make me want to pay the extra money for them

5. Not all of their ingredients were organic and/or plant-based.

One thing that caught my interest when first evaluating Juice Plus was that the product had at least been in scientific journals such as Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Nutrition Research, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Integrative Medicine.

But wait a second! I soon discovered that of the the published peer-reviewed studies, only one was conducted independently! The others were all funded and/or authored by the manufacturer, the main distributor, or by individual Juice Plus distributors. That made me a little leery!

One serious mistake that was made, was in choosing former professional football player O.J. Simpson to be celebrity endorser of the product. Simpson was given a multi-year six-figure contract to sign on with NSA as a icon for the company. I personally like to see a company that has a product that is so good that star athletes use the supplement on their own, simply because they like the added performance gain and benefits that they get while using them.

The testimonial of O.J. Simpson was thrown even further out after he was charged with murdering his wife and her friend Ronald Goldman. In March of 1994, shortly before these murders took place, he was videotaped telling 4,000 Juice Plus distributors at a sales meeting that Juice Plus+ had cured his arthritis, enhanced his golf game, and freed him from needing to use anti-arthritic drugs. However, his defense attorneys in the criminal trial in 1995 and civil trial in 1997 (and in his 2007 book If I Did It) all suggested that Simpson was so handicapped by arthritis that he could not have committed the murders. They also went on to say that Simpson was using a variety of potent anti-inflammatory drugs, such as sulfasalazine and ibuprofen. Well, these may have been what improved his arthritis enough to allow him to have an enhanced golf game.

In conclusion, I looked into them as a health product and as a source for a second income, since they use the residual income model which I like. To answer the question is Juice Plus a Scam? No I don’t believe Juice Plus is a scam, but Juice Plus was not for me. You should do your own research. I found an alternative that I am extremely happy with.

A supplement that is used by hundreds of Olympic athletes!

I found an alternative product to Juice Plus that I really like! While just looking for a health product to help my family with some health challenges, I happened across a great opportunity to get paid to share a product that I really love. Help others feel great about their health and energy. Become a wellness distributor! It is fun, rewarding and after a few years of hard work put in, can return you a nice residual income.

Everybody wants good health and more energy. Ever heard of glyconutrients? Improve your wellbeing. And since glyconutrients are so new, and are easy for anyone to start including into their diet on a regular basis, there is a huge growing demand for glyconutrients distributors. If you would like to become a local representative for an extra flow of residual income, then come talk to me. I have been consuming glyconutrients supplements for a few years now and am extremely happy with my energy, immune system, and wonderful health.

Spencer Hunt is a wellness consultant who ha

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In 1996 Mona Simpson was selected as one of Granta’s Best Young American Novelists. Simpson is a recipient of of the Whiting Writer’s Award, a Guggenheim Grant, and the Hodder Fellowship at Princeton University. Her novel Anywhere But Here has been adapted for film. She reads to an audience in 2000 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego. Series: “Artists on the Cutting Edge” [6/2001] [Humanities] [Show ID: 5802]