FormCritic wrote:1) The Village was a great film. It just wasn't the film that was advertised. With the Shamster, we expect some unexpected unexpectedness. But, if I had gone to see...let's say, Cloverfield (best movie this year) and had gotten Kung Fu Panda instead...it would still be a fair movie, it just wouldn't be the movie I paid to see.2) If the Artist Formerly Known as M. Night is making any points with The Happening, all of them are pretty pie-in-the-face obvious. The message is pretty heavy handed and oh-so-clear. I would describe the movie as, "entirely lacking in suspense," and "I did not care which characters died and was disappointed when any managed to live." There was nothing to miss.
Student Gets Credit for Expletive on ExamAPPosted: 2008-06-30 14:33:25LONDON (June 30) - A British high school student received credit for writing nothing but a two-word obscenity on an exam paper because the phrase expressed meaning and was spelled correctly.The Times newspaper on Monday quoted examiner Peter Buckroyd as saying he gave the student - who wrote an expletive starting with f, followed by the word "off" - two points out of a possible 27 for the English paper."It would be wicked to give it zero because it does show some very basic skills we are looking for, like conveying some meaning and some spelling," Buckroyd was quoted as saying."It's better than someone that doesn't write anything at all."Buckroyd said the student would have received a higher mark if the phrase had been punctuated.Buckroyd is a senior examiner for the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, one of several bodies that grade British high school exams.He said the expletive was used in 2006 by a student in response to the question: "Describe the room you are sitting in."The alliance confirmed the newspaper's story was accurate, but said Buckroyd's decision to award the student marks was not official policy."The example cited was unique in the experience of the senior examiner concerned and was used in a pre-training session to emphasize the importance of adhering to the mark scheme: i.e. if a candidate makes any sort of response to a question then it must be at least given consideration to be awarded a mark," the company said in a statement.It said obscenities on exam papers "should either be disregarded, or action will be taken against the candidate, depending on the seriousness of the case."
Agent Cooper wrote:Oh, funny you should mention the education system today. Ours is VERY bad here in New York State. Why? The despicable and evil teachers union. They are out of control. See the story linked below in our local paper: Two very good teachers suspended and reassigned. Why?First, they dared to criticize the union leadership. Second, and probably worse in the union's view, they were conservatives who dared to be open about it and refused to drink the liberal kool aid that is mandatory for Union teachers. Note in the story that hundreds of students and former students are banding together to support them. Also note how one of the teachers was on maternity leave when they did the "Cultural Investigation" on her without her knowledge. This is truly frightening in an Orwellian way. It's also typical of how they operate. http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story. ... yID=700318
Texan Cleared in Controversial ShootingBy JUAN A. LOZANO,APPosted: 2008-07-01 07:45:57HOUSTON (July 1) - Ever since he fatally shot two men he suspected of burglarizing his next-door neighbor's home, 62-year-old Joe Horn has been both praised and vilified for his actions.Horn called 911 and told the dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill the intruders. The dispatcher pleaded with him not to go outside, but a defiant Horn confronted the men with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot both in the back.Some community activists wanted Horn to face charges for the deaths. Supporters of the retired grandfather said what he did was justified under the law.After listening to evidence in the case, including testimony from Horn himself, a grand jury on Monday cleared him of the shootings."He wasn't acting like a vigilante. He didn't want to do it," said Tom Lambright, Horn's attorney.Lambright said Horn was not a "wild cowboy" who took the law into his own hands after he saw the two suspected burglars, with bags in hand, crawling out of windows from his neighbor's home on Nov. 14 in the Houston suburb of Pasadena. The neighbor was out of town at the time.Instead, Horn was a frightened retiree who tried to defend his neighbor's property and when the two men came onto his yard and threatened him, Horn defended himself, Lambright said."He was scared. He was in fear of his life," he said.Grand jurors had to consider two issues in the case: the intentional killing of another person and whether the killing was justified either by self-defense or the defense of property, Harris County District Attorney Kenneth Magidson told reporters."I understand the concerns of some in the community regarding Mr. Horn's conduct," Magidson said. "The grand jury concluded that Mr. Horn's use of deadly force did not rise to a criminal offense."Texas law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves if it is reasonable to believe they are in mortal danger. In limited circumstances, people also can use deadly force to protect their neighbor's property; for example, if a homeowner asks a neighbor to watch over his property while he's out of town. It's not clear whether the neighbor whose home was burglarized asked Horn to watch over his house.Frank Ortiz, a member of the local League of United Latin American Citizens chapter, said he hopes federal authorities investigate the case further."That's amazing that they would no-bill him with so much evidence against him," Ortiz told the Houston Chronicle in Monday's online edition. "This was no more than a vigilante."Horn did not speak with reporters on Monday.A large red sign with the words "No Trespass" on it blocked the path to his front door and a handwritten sign on the door said "Please no media," "No Trespassing" and "Do not knock or ring bell." A couple of neighbors also had signs on their doors asking media to leave them alone.A few police cars patrolled the area near Horn's home.The two suspected burglars, Hernando Riascos Torres, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30, were unemployed illegal immigrants from Colombia. Torres was deported to Colombia in 1999 after a 1994 cocaine-related conviction.The city of Pasadena, where protesters and defenders of Horn engaged in counter-demonstrations, pledged to keep its police force staffed enough to protect its citizens.Keith Hampton, a Houston attorney not connected with the case, said he didn't expect Horn to be indicted. "This is a real conservative county," he said. "A lot of folks in Houston and Harris County are saying this man was doing a good thing."In the 911 call, a dispatcher urges Horn to stay inside his house and not risk lives."Don't go outside the house," the 911 operator pleaded. "You're going to get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun. I don't care what you think.""You want to make a bet?" Horn answered. "I'm going to kill them."After the shooting, he redialed 911."I had no choice," he said, his voice shaking. "They came in the front yard with me, man. I had no choice. Get somebody over here quick."
Prufrock wrote:I guess I need more information. Man calls 911 tells the person that he is going outside to kill two men he believes are robbing his neighbor.He shoots the two men in the back (how could they be threatening him with their backs turned to him).There is no mention of any weapons in the article. It does say the two men were at some point in the shooters yard.I'm not against using deadly force to protect yourself when you feel your life is threatened, but I see no threats here. But I will accept that the Grand Jury probably was given more infor than the news report gives.One last point: Frank Ortiz needs to shut-the-hell-up. Two of his boys here illegally and then on top of that, they are robbing a house.Martin
Kingofpain89 wrote:Wake up call buddy: They werent American citizens...they have no rights as they were here illegally. But give it a couple of weeks and I guarantee some perverse attorney will file a civil suit.....
As of May 2008, approximately 270 detainees remain. More than a fifth are cleared for release but may have to wait months or years because U.S. officials are finding it increasingly difficult to persuade countries to accept them, according to officials and defense lawyers. Of the roughly 355 still incarcerated, U.S. officials said they intend to eventually put 60 to 80 on trial and free the rest.
Kingofpain89 wrote:More signs of the impending apocalypse:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25482250?GT1=43001I think most people would agree that it was just a matter of time. How can a company grow so quickly and expect to not have major problems during an economic recession? This mess coupled with the closing of a good number of Krispy Kreme stores across the country spells certain doom for a lot of the quick breakfast eaters of America. I guess it's back to the good ol' Egg McMuffin for some.
Badmike wrote: In another case, some in Dallas guy who owns a auto store was sleeping at his property to prevent theft when someone tried to break into his shop. He shot him dead. Then, a week or so later, ANOTHER Mensa student tries to break in the SAME business in the SAME way. Another dead piece of crap. The jury no-billed the guy TWICE. Call me crazy, but I'd be surprised if this dude has to kill ANOTHER brain surgeon to get the point across you shouldn't try to rob his property..... but if so, I can only hope the jury no bills him AGAIN to get the point across. Mike B.
