Phuket was the second stop of the epic backpacking trip I took with my friends and some strangers. We reached Phuket on the night of the second day of this trip. Though I couldn't enjoy the beauty of this place at night but I had no clue what the following two days had in store!
We lodged ourselves in a studio apartment in Phuket, near Patong beach. The first night in Phuket was just about sleeping because we had a long day ahead.
The first thing on the next day's itinerary for island hopping. Now this is something you have to pre-book and can be easily done with the help of your hotel. And it completely depends on your negotiation skills. So, we had booked a speed boat, which was shared by 50 people, and it had a tour to three islands and a lunch buffet at a local restaurant on one of the island and snorkeling near other. All this was for TBH 950 per person.
Before going for the tour, we decided to go for the sunrise early in the morning. However, it was cloudy but we could witness the early morning serenity of the Patong beach.
Because back shots are necessary!
As I mentioned in the previous post, Thailand is pretty amusing. I spotted a telephone booth on our way back to our apartments. And thus, I had to get clicked!
After having a good breakfast, we started for the tour.
This tour included the transfer from our residence to Chalong pier and back. From the Chalong pier we were taken around the Phuket island for the the island hopping in the speed boat. Once we reached the pier, all I could see were the speed boats and the calm sea.
The sea only looked calm! As soon we started our journey, I got to know that even sea rides can be bumpy!
The destination was pretty far away!
And for any sea fearing person like me, it was one hell of an experience. When something as powerful as a speedboat trembles when they cross the might waves, all the childhood poem suddenly started to make sense.
I was so scared that the destination still seemed impossible to reach!
It took me some time to get accustomed to this and then we sped towards the Raya Yai island for snorkeling.
See that beautiful spot? I was enjoying the beauty too from my boat. But I had know clue that soon I will be jumping off there!
For someone like me, who fears water, even though life jackets were on us, snorkeling seemed like a nightmare. I literally clinged on to this sweet lady the whole time and probably deprived her of the beautiful underwater life sighting(of which I could catch a glimpse every now and then) as well.
After this li'l adventure, we went for the a very local lunch at a restaurant on the island, where we were "transported" using a tractor.
The other side of the island, where we halted for lunch.
And yes, when I said a tractor, I really meant a tractor.
The following picture is taken after the most unexpected life experience of mine. I wish I could explain it in words. The picture thus captures scared yet happy look on my face.
The very local restaurant which looked pretty scary but served great food!
After a full tummy, we did what every tourist would do - Enjoy the amazing waves and click hundreds of pictures!
The next stop was coral island which was cleaner and more peaceful!
And then, the necessary click with other backpackers of the gang happened on coral island!
And that is how the island hopping tour ended.
It was now time for some hopping around in Patong. Patong too has a night life to enjoy - just like Pattaya. So there is this Patong beach road which has got the best street shops and some great bars.
One of the many fascinating cafes at the Patong beach road was this surfing cafe. I can never get tired of saying that Thailand is a pretty cute place!
And then there is again the walking street. However, the walking street here is the mellowed down version of the one in Pattaya.
We retired to our apartment that night after a good amount of shopping and food!
The next morning was about exploring the local food for breakfast. I am a non vegetarian and open to experiments. However, there is one peculiar smell that might make you a li'l averse to trying the sea food. However, the street food market in Phuket is huge and pretty alluring.
For breakfast, we went to this li'l and authentic Thai street restaurant. I had Hainanese chicken, which is a originally a Chinese dish, made of boiled skinned chicken. It's bland and best enjoyed with the chicken clear soup and Thai chilly sauces. And yes, it is pretty filling and a great and healthy breakfast to keep you going for the rest of the day.
And on this very day, I was introduced to the heavenly food - sticky rice and mango. It is one of the best dishes that I had tried there till that day (yes, more to come!). The best part about tropical countries are their fruits. So this dish makes you enjoy a ripe and pulpy mango with sticky rice made in coconut milk - which gives a mild aroma of coconut, keeping in mind that the major flavour of this dish is mango.
This was followed by a hearty serving of watermelon and guava. So yes, when on a tropical island never miss the fruits that it has to offer.
Thailand is a heaven for fruit- lovers.
After this, we started for Phi Phi Island. We departed in a ferry and trust me, this is one of the most fancy feeling that you will get (keeping aside the cruise, of course).
This is one of my favourite pictures - cutting the sea and saying goodbye to Phuket, only to return!
That is how the whole of Thailand looks from your ferry!
I will be covering Phi Phi Island, our adventure island for the next two days, in the next post.
However, while on our way back to India, we stayed in Phuket for another day. We traveled from Krabi to Phuket by road, thus completing the discovery of every possible way to travel within Thailand.
You should definitely plan to travel via road from one island to another. It is one amazing experience! There is a beautiful bridge, Sarasin Bridge, over the sea which connects Krabi to Phuket.
Remember how I mentioned that there are many worshiping place on the roads? Here you go with one more!
This time we lodged ourselves at the Surin beach and that was an amazing experience of different level. Surin beach is the "Baywatch" kind of a beach - clean and so many surfers all around with white tourists every where. No, I am not trying to sound racist but yes, Surin was definitely a perfect way to end the trip.
But above all, Surin beach offers the best sunsets! Mesmerizing is an understatement.
The change in colors of the sky is something that you might not witness anywhere else in this part of the world.
After watching the sun set at the horizon, we went for a traditional dinner at one of the many cafes this place has to offer! And yes, finally the beach chick decided to get high on alcohol!
Usually, I don't get high, but when I do, I make sure that I am getting high on fancy drinks!
Topping it up with some pad thai noodles, which by the way, are now my favourite.
And the beauty of Surin beach is altogether different in the morning. We had our breakfast at the beach.
Trust me. you will feel as if you are walking towards a Microsoft Windows wallpaper.
So, there are shacks on the each side where you will get proper thai food to enjoy with a view. And even if these are shacks, they are no less when it comes to the taste and presentation of the food!
The Massaman curry is a mildly spice vegetable/meat curry which is totally great in taste.
However, I am a huge fan of the pineapple rice being served there in Thailand, anywhere!
Though my trip ended here with this serving of Pineapple rice, there are still loads to cover on the blog.
I stayed in Phuket for a total of 3 days and 3 nights and that is the minimum you would need to explore every side of this island.
Next up - Phi Phi Islands.
Sticky rice with mango! Oh how I love that!
I know right! I wish I can find that here, back in Delhi!
Lovely pictures; reminded of my trip here.
Hi Susmita Malakar, You putted your story in a book that's cann't enough to share what a life in the phuket & what you feel, but you write as much you seen and displaying into pictures. Keep it up and would want to read more stories. Thanks for sharing.


Welcome to the live blog of our annual Safer Salford Forum on Tuesday 12th March 2019. Today's event will focus on "Frailty: Living and Ageing Well".
We know that failure to effectively connect the health and care system has the greatest impact on those who need our services the most. This event will be an opportunity for system leaders to come together to influence the design and delivery of health and care models in Salford.
The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership recently launched a new Frailty Charter, with input from regional and national experts, providing a framework to align clinical services to better identify and support our frail population. We will use this as the foundation for our approach here in Salford.
As we seek greater integration across traditional boundaries of health and care providers, the Safer Salford programme provides an opportunity to ensure that transformative change delivers improvement in quality and safety for the people we serve.
We begin by a welcome and introduction by Abigail Harrison, Head of Innovation and Consultancy at Haelo.
Abigail starts by explaining how the day has been set up to meet different people and talk together. We then go straight into an ice breaker; find your crew!
The first session of the day is led by Paul Walsh, Head of Integrated Commissioning at Salford City Council/CCG.
Paul wants to putt the scale and nature of frailty into context. The population is ageing, and Paul shows some interesting statistics not only about the global ageing population, but also that in Salford.
Progressive thinking about frailty as an enabler to healthy ageing.
The session is then handed over to Dr Tim Pattison, Consultant Geriatrician at Salford Royal Foundation Trust, to discuss what we actually mean by frailty.
You can be old, but that doesn't mean you have to be frail.
A state of increased vulnerability to poor resolution of homoeostasis after a stressor event, which increases the risk of adverse outcomes.
More likely that something will happen to you.
Your outcome will be worse.
Frailty is not necessarily a binary thing, instead there is a scale. A clinical frailty scale can help decide on the required intervention for that person. It can predict how well a person will do after an operation, for example, to help signpost future care for them.
Tim ends this session by reflecting back to the GM Frailty charter, and the recommendations that should be implemented.
The next session is our keynote; Reflections from a system leader by David Fillingham, Chief Executive of AQuA.
David begins by sharing 3 images that mean something to him.
How do you create an inspiring vision?
After a quick coffee break, we are moving on to look at new models of care in Salford. This session will be divided into 3 presentations; Learning from Integrated Care, Digital futures, and Safety Medicines.
Mark Albiston, Head of Adult Social Care at Salford Care Organisation leads the first part, Learning from Integrated Care.
He begins by identifying the key challenges in Salford.
Salford have the ability to redesign the system and how we do it.
There is further information on these programme priortities on the Salford Together website.
The next part of this session is led by Paul Moore, Acting Head of Interoperability at GM Health and Social Care Partnership.
Paul begins by talking about the requirements of frail citizens to help support them across health, social care, and local government.
The final part of this session is led by Claire Vaughn, Head of Medicines Optimisation at Salford CCG and Lindsay Harper, Director of Pharmacy at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.
Claire and Lindsay begin by looking at the integration and learning from Safer Medicines. They are starting to shift the aims of the programme to respond to progress.
Following quick discussion times on their tables, the group have the chance to put some further questions to the presenters.
Q. How is frailty being identified in the wider community team?
A. Sporadically. Part of being here today will allow us to be more systematic with this approach.
Q. What is the timescale for getting neighbourhood teams fully functional?
A. It is important to recognise boundaries and how we can learn from each other.
The group are asked, what is your vision for the future?
Does the starting point need to be before looking at the health and care system?
Workshop 1 is all about predicting, identifying and assessing frailty.
This workshop begins by asking the group to read through the frailty standards and then discuss.
The group raise concerns about how to engage the primary care system with these standards.
The group then moved on to look at identifying frailty. They noted that there is a lack guidance, pathways are different with different CCGs. There also needs to be a balance between objective and subjective tools.
The final part of the workshop focuseses on assessment of frailty. The group discussed lots of options including; what should you assess, where and when? Should a person be assessed at their best?
Workshop 2 focuses on living with and managing frailty.
The group then begin to look at what does the term frailty mean to you?
There are considerations around who is, or needs to be involved in supporting frailty to ensure that people start well, live well, and age well.
Is there a prevention role? Who has a role and what can be offered?
Workshop 3 is all about what we can learn about safety and frailty.
The workshop is broadly broken down into 2 halves; a common understanding of safety, and safety in the context of frailty.
The STEEEP principles are there to help identify where does safety fit.
Safer Salford will learn from the latest thinking about safety in health and care, applying this to ensure care delivered in Salford is the safest in the UK.
Safer intelligence in practice will enable safety to improve.
Following the workshop sessions, the group are using the Time to Think technique to answer some key questions such as, what will you take away from today?
The final session of the day is the leadership panel discussion. The session is chaired by Jeremy Tankel, Clinical Lead for Quality and Safety at Salford CCG, the rest of the panel are made up of Mark Albiston (Salford Care Organisation), Tim Patterson (Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust) and Jean Rollinson from Age UK.
As the panel take questions from the group, it shows what interesting discussions have been going on throughout the day.
Many of the discussions are not just around what the people in the room can do to improve frailty, but also looking at age friendly cities, and what can the wider system do to improve this.
It is important to improve things at a neighbourhood level. We need to take our ideas back to the people who this will actually affect to find out what is important to them.
Francine Thorpe, Head of Quality and Innovation at Salford CCG wraps up the day. Francine is the lead for Safer Salford across the system.
Francine begins by reminding the group of how important it is to recognise the strength of our relationships in Salford.
Francine wraps up by thanking everyone for their attendance, and reminding us of what a great day it has been all round.


text:
Q: What is the meaning of "something is my pitch"? I heard someone say

"Something is my pitch".

Its sounds strange to me.
What is the meaning of "my pitch"?

A: It's probably a used in the sense of 'my idea' or 'my proposal' (which I'm trying to persuade you to go along with).
From Oxford

*[countable, usually singular] talk or arguments used by a person
trying to sell things or persuade people to do something

an aggressive sales pitch
the candidate's campaign pitch
Each company was given ten minutes to make its pitch.

I believe it's a baseball metaphor.

Also see the idioms here

to make a determined effort to get something or to persuade somebody of something
He made a pitch to black voters in Alabama.
(British English, informal) to spoil somebody's plans or their chances of getting something

(Oxford)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


How do you put a value on connection?
That thought kept coming to me during the recent delegates' meeting of the International Union of Superiors General in Manila. As compelling as the sessions were, particularly those on multiculturality and the central theme of "building community in an intercultural world," the real spirit of UISG was evident in the connections forged among the sisters throughout the week.
The leaders of the congregations — some growing and vibrant, others aging and diminishing; some limited to a few dioceses, others spanning the globe — nonetheless found similarities and mutual support. Some knew each other from the 36 regional UISG bodies, known as constellations, or from area religious conferences, but for many, this was a new encounter with the worldwide scope of sisterhood.
It was for me. While Global Sisters Report focuses on Catholic women religious and their ministries around the world, and I have interviewed sisters in Japan, the Philippines, Kenya, Thailand, Myanmar, Hong Kong and Canada as well as many U.S. cities, I never before witnessed a gathering of women religious leaders from so many different nations united to live out the Gospel message " 'to welcome the stranger, to feed the hungry, to liberate the captive,' as Jesus has told us," as UISG president Sr. Carmen Sammut said in her opening remarks.
Congregations, charisms and ministries differ, of course. But though I have had a long career in business and economic journalism in which I interviewed many successful female business leaders and participated in several forums on women in leadership, what was remarkable to me about the UISG gathering was the true sense of shared purpose.
The sisters had traveled to Manila from all corners of the world — some on 20-plus-hour flights, with at least one sister waiting two days to get out of her country when the first plane broke down — to connect not for individual gain or even the advancement of an organization or corporation, but for the common good.
The emerging global sisterhood is evident in shared projects like Talitha Kum, the anti-human-trafficking "network of networks" that operates in 70 countries. But I saw it in action in many other ways at the UISG meeting in the Philippines.
In daily prayer reflections and discussion groups, the leaders of the congregations shared experiences, joys and challenges facing their congregation in conversations held in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Tagalog and local languages of African and Asian nations.
At mealtimes, the tables initially were segregated by language. Sisters from France connected with sisters from French-speaking Africa. Sisters from Central and South America joined each other and with sisters from Spain. English-speakers sought each other out. But as the week went on, even that barrier was overcome as sisters who spoke multiple languages spontaneously interpreted for those who did not.
The peaceful, tropical garden setting of the Villa Consuelo Retreat House in greater Manila was a welcome respite from the pressures of leadership. Yet it wasn't entirely a break: The sisters gathered in the lobby early in the morning and late in the evening to get internet access for news from their communities and to take care of needed business.
They also used this time to deepen conversations begun more casually during breaks and meals. For example, a sister from France assisted a sister from the Democratic Republic of Congo in sending photos of mass graves, children killed, and those left orphaned by skirmishes engulfing that war-torn African nation to contacts outside the country, pictures she feared could be blocked by the government at home. Another sister from French-speaking Canada translated her story to English-speakers.
Participating in UISG provides opportunities to share and learn, said Sr. Faustina Hasford, superior general of the Society of the Infant Jesus in Ghana, which has 66 sisters in four dioceses working in schools, parishes and health clinics.
"What you're going through is similar to what others are going through, so it's a form of encouragement to go on and know you are not alone, there are others on the road with you," she said. "You also get information as to how to do things, and you learn by what others are doing, and you are moved to action."
Certain sessions and messages particularly resonated with some sisters. After a session on multiculturality focusing on ways we exclude those who are different, one sister in a group discussion recalled with shame how years ago she and others in her community teased a sister from another ethnic group within her country, one deemed lower and less educated, until that sister became reserved, almost silent in their presence. Another sister in a small and aging congregation recognized bias as also intergenerational, wondering aloud if younger sisters had been inadvertently driven away by expectations that they be like the older sisters in the community.
"The whole concept of interculturality is an interesting one, and I can see how it can apply even when there aren't huge cultural issues," said Sr. Monica Cavanagh, congregational leader of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, which has about 800 sisters ministering throughout Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Peru, East Timor, Scotland and Brazil.
While most of the sisters in Australia are of Australian and Irish background, there are some Asian sisters, Cavanagh said. The current congregation is a result of five congregations that have merged since 2012, so some of the points about interculturality apply to these circumstances as well, she added.
International Union of Superiors General helps "connect you to the global picture," she said. "Religious in Australia generally can be very insular." Cavanagh said she took away "a great sense of solidarity" from the meeting.
That solidarity is strengthening as some UISG constellations take connection to the next level. At the May 2016 UISG plenary in Rome, the regional group, or constellation, of Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe was invited to partner with the U.S. constellation.
The relationship is still evolving, said Sr. Illumina Virginia Jenny Katsukunya, superior general of the Little Children of our Blessed Lady, in an interview at the delegates' meeting in Manila. She and a sister leader delegate from Zambia attended the Leadership Conference of Women Religious assembly in August in Orlando and the U.S. constellation meeting that occurred right afterward.
"It's just like a friendship — a give and take," she said. They communicated the challenges in their countries, congregations and constellation to the U.S. delegates, she said. "They know what is happening with us. That is how friendship goes."
The value of UISG is that "it is opening up new horizons and responding to help us tackle issues at home, especially in formation," she said. "Our novices and young sisters need exposure. We are isolated by ourselves. We need to interact with others, to be part of a big family rather than on our own."
Two examples of connection through dance stay with me. During a visit to the residential program run by the Good Shepherd Sisters in Manila to rescue young girls from trafficking and abuse, Sr. Letta Mosue, superior general of the Sisters of St. Brigid of South Africa, and Sr. Josephine Mpatane, superior general of the Sisters of Calvary of Botswana, spontaneously joined in a dance performance created by the girls. It was powerful to see the sisters raise their arms in solidarity with the young girls to the song "One Billion Rising," the Philippines version of the women's empowerment song.
And later that evening, after cultural performances by young Filipinos, a few sisters joined them on the dance floor, then others, until more than 40 sisters were part of an exuberant, joyous — and just plain fun — dance.
The closing session of shared prayers was powerful and enriching. I was sorry to see the meeting end, conscious that I had been privileged to participate in a gathering of very special women who have answered the call to live their lives and lead other sisters in living theirs in special ways.
The closing prayer of Sr. Sally Hodgdon, UISG vice president and superior general of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery, still echoes: "Compassionate God, in gratitude for the grace of being called to be co-creators of communities which reflect the fullness of hope and the fullness of life in our intercultural world, we commit ourselves to live the blessings of our days together here in Manila."


text:
Peer-to-Peer Team Fundraising: a new, collective way to reach younger audiences
iRaiser news
iRaiser » News » Peer-to-Peer Team Fundraising: a new, collective way to reach younger audiences
Globally, Millennials account for 84% of charitable donations. In Norway, most donors between the ages of 17 -68 are constantly connected with smartphones and other devices, ready and willing to be engaged in new online campaigns where they can express their support.
Working together towards a common goal, and doing something people love for charity, helps philanthropic organisations all over the world raise significant funds and awareness for their cause. Peer-to-peer fundraising has been a winning online tool for not-for-profits in the last decade, but as generations evolve & new technologies appear, there is a constant need for innovation. Something progressive that drives supporters to join forces and multiplies their efforts is Peer-to-Peer Team Fundraising.
Combining advanced technology, leading payment methods with one-click donations and ease of connecting with the right social channels, Peer-to-Peer Team Fundraising is an amazing online tool for organisations to engage younger generations in a whole new way.
Think of Corporate, Community, Schools or Friendship groups, anyone wanting to work towards a common goal for charity needs the right digital solution in place to support them. With iRaiser's new peer-to-peer fundraising solution, you can easily offer supporters a new, collective experience with Team fundraising.
Today, one in three organisations in the world has a peer to peer fundraising strategy. In Norway, almost all organisations are using peer-to-peer to engage their supporters, run a variety of fundraising events and advocate their causes. It is vital to include this form of online collection in your digital strategy as there is a larger online presence of young people, demographically making up the largest proportion of donors, who tend to engage, share and support these types of socially-driven campaigns.
Norway is notoriously one of the largest donor countries in the world ranking seventh, in 2020. Over 55% of Norwegians give to charity every month, which makes them arguably one of the most generous and socially conscious populations. With that said, it is also one of the few that has the means and access to technology to do so. With Vipps, and Vipps' subscription, for example, paving the way for flexible charitable giving, conveniently from your smartphone, anywhere you are.
However, there is fierce competition amongst organisations to capture these millions of donations. These have traditionally been captured through street fundraising, newspaper & mail advertising, cold calling and advocacy efforts. But steadily, over the course of the last few years, online fundraising has become one of the most important revenue streams for not-for-profits because more and more people are spending their time online, and on their smartphones.
The Covid-19 pandemic further perpetuated that trend, and those organisations that had digital solutions to capture donations online, benefitted immensely. In a recent report, Giving in Norway found that over 50% of donations in the country went to large organisations. However, during and after the pandemic an increased number of smaller and mid-sized organisations strategically placed themselves online and captured new audiences.
Furthermore, Giving Tuesday, recently published in their annual report, that in Q1 of 2021, new donors increased by 6%, the most they're seen in the last 10 years. Thus, they found that the donor retention rate improved by 34.5% (donors who gave last year, and again in 2021).
So who are these new donors? – Millennials, of course.
As we mentioned, Millennials account for the majority of charitable donations. They understand & adopt new technologies, are spending most of their time on their phones and social media, use mobile payment methods, and have a deep rooted understanding of sustainable development, which they are driven to promote & support. They are a generation with some of the highest levels of education, and when they see an advertisement for a cause that they are passionate about and can relate to, they are most likely to give.
But, to keep acquiring new donors and to maintain a high retention rate, organisations have turned to targeted ads on social media. This strategy is not only expensive, but fundamentally dictates that all the work lies within the organisation.
With the shift in donor demographics, organisations should embrace online tools like peer-to-peer fundraising, to have their supporters lead their campaigns. And millennials are the perfect target group.
Peer-to-peer fundraising has been around for a decade, so our experts at iRaiser explored how to take it to the next level to offer more engaging and social options for organisations to reach those millennials and their network, and inspire them to participate in online campaigns.
Introducing, Team Fundraising: a new collective approach
Peer-to-peer team fundraising is the future of strategic and resourceful digital fundraising.
Essentially, your supporter can now:
Set up a team fundraising page and identify a common goal
Invite friends, family, work colleagues and even strangers to join the team
Each team member has their own unique online fundraising profile, linked to the overall team goal
Share the profile far and wide via email and social media to spread & increase awareness & donations
This means that multiple people can now set up profiles and new fundraisers, to collectively support that initial fundraising goal. This is incredibly impactful, imagine one of your ambassadors or social influencers creating a team fundraiser and how many individual fundraisers and donations they could attract.
If you think as an organisation, and are thinking of donor acquisition, team fundraising allows for an exponentially higher outreach than traditional individual fundraising campaigns. For instance, if we were to quantify the donations received by 1 person, who sets up an individual collection, on average they receive 10 donations, now 1 person who has five team members can gain up to 50 donations. With every new donor your organisation grows. And your supporters are doing the growth part for you.
Another aspect, apart from the new profile set up journey of the donor, is that internally and via the system or via email, the team leader and the organisations can now directly interact with the donors and communicate encouraging messages, highlights or achievements. Having automated emails, triggered emails and these personalised communications, nourish the organisation – donor relationship and improve visibility and transparency. You are essentially providing your supporters a platform that you trust them to run. But most importantly, you still have full control.
Team fundraising is extremely powerful for:
see Plan International norway's page
UNICEF Visma campaign
see Hei Verden
Gaming events
see iRaiser demo Page
like birthdays etc see Kummit
Peer to crowd-fundraising
see Dan Church Aid
As we are launching this new platform around the Nordic countries, we're excited to see more and more uses of team fundraising and peer-to-peer fundraising overall.
Interested in seeing how our team fundraising feature can help grow your donor reach & donations? Contact us for more information and a free demo!
Kim Nielsen
Nordics Account Manager: Sweden & Norway
knielsen@iraiser.eu
Other posts you could be interested with
6 Simple Ways to Increase your Average Donation Amount
An interview with GivingTuesday's founder & CEO Asha Curran
Boost your end-of-the-year fundraising this GivingTuesday!
Fundraising Showcase for the Education Sector

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Just five days before the scheduled close of the historic St. Moritz Hotel on Central Park South, a housekeeper reported that she was raped late on Wednesday in a vacant guest room, the police said yesterday.
The victim said she was making her cleaning rounds about 11 P.M. when a man sneaked up behind her and forced her into a room on the 17th floor, which had been vacated an hour earlier, Sean Crowley, a police spokesman, said.
The victim passed out during the attack, the police said, and regained consciousness as the suspect left the room.
The hotel fell on hard times in the late 80's and its owner forfeited the building to his lenders. It is now owned by Donald J. Trump and F.A.I. Insurances of Australia. It is scheduled to reopen in 2000.


Attorneys that are suing St. Pius X School in a bullying case can depose a school priest who allegedly had a sexual relationship with a teenage boy 15 years ago, a judge ruled Friday.
Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Sarah H. Stewart said that plaintiff attorneys David Kennedy and Christine Hernandez will be allowed to ask Rev. Johnny Savoie, the school administrator, about the incident and the teenager as long as they identify the teenager by his initials in the deposition.
Furthermore, Stewart said that the deposition would not automatically fall under a confidential protection order. Attorneys for St. Pius would have to request such an order after the fact.
"It's relevant, it's discoverable," Stewart said, in a testy exchange with Finn Cox, an attorney representing St. Pius X School.
The plaintiff's lawyers subpoenaed Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon earlier this month in order to ask her questions about a report she received regarding the allegation made against Savoie.
Previously, Dixon said the subpoena was invalid because rules governing civil cases require plaintiffs to file a notice of their intent to question a non-party and then give other lawyers in the case 15 days to object.
In the lawsuit, one of four against the school, lawyers allege that school administrators turned a blind eye to severe bullying faced by the students. Attorneys have argued that the nine-year-old allegation against Savoie is relevant because he oversees the school administration at St. Pius.
Alabama, her office determined that no crime had been committed.
Savoie told his parish about the allegation in February last year and denied that it was true, according to court records. Those documents indicate that Savoie took and passed a lie detector test.
Previously, attorneys for the school claimed that Savoie should not have to answer additional questions about the matter. They argued that whatever additional information would arise from such questioning is not relevant to the current lawsuit and would not be allowed into evidence.
On Friday, Cox argued that just because Savoie told his parish about the allegations, it never made its way into the public arena until the plaintiff's attorneys forced the issue in court and in headlines.
But Kennedy maintained that knowing the full story of Savoie and the teenager is vital to their case.
"Whether or not the priest engaged in a multi-year affair with a teenage boy is pertinent to a lot of our questions," Kennedy said.


Supported by creative and experienced professionals, we are offering an exclusive range of Knee Support Four Way. In order to craft this support in adherence with medical industry norms, our skilled professionals use supreme quality basic materials and modern machines. The offered support provides controlled compression around the knee for a strong lateral immobilization and support of splint. Clients can avail this Knee Support Four Way in several designs and sizes at reasonable costs.


I just wanted people to know that the Natami team is creating a New 68k compatible on a chip in FPGA, with built in gfx,sound, 3d support.
the 68070/50 cpu has high optimized instruction set.
In the forums they are discussing creating emulation for other platforms.
How hard would it be for the Easy68k team to make a simulator ?
EASy68K is primarily a 68000 emulator. The only advanced 68K instructions supported are the bit field instructions from a 68020. Adding support for a 68050/60 would require quite a bit of work. The UAE (Unix Amiga Emulator) already has support for the 68020 so it might be easier to start with the UAE code and make it compatible with a new chip.


With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10, Samsung is leveraging a decade of leadership in flagships to usher in a new era of smartphone technology. As such, the new Galaxy S10 series come with a host of next-generation features. These include Infinity-O Display, versatile Pro-Grade camera, Wireless PowerShare and in-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner (only on Galaxy S10+/S10) and set the stage for the dawn of a new mobile era.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 series builds on Samsung's heritage of creating stunning designs and functional smartphones. Available in 5.8-inch Galaxy S10e, 6.1-inch Galaxy S10, and 6.4-inch Galaxy S10+, the smartphones feature the world's first Dynamic AMOLED display.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 supports HDR10+ content; delivering vivid digital content and dynamic tone mapping, allowing consumers to see a wider range of color for a brilliant, realistic picture. Users can enjoy the world's most accurate colors on a mobile device, even in harsh sunlight. Even without a filter, Galaxy S10 reduces blue light through its TÜV Rheinland-certified Eye Comfort display which helps protect your eyes without compromising picture quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S10's display isn't the only piece of cool tech built into the front of your smartphone. Embedded directly beneath the screen is the world's first in-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner. The scanner reads the 3D contours of a physical thumbprint, for improved anti-spoofing, allowing the phone to be unlocked securely and intuitively. Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ smartphones are the world's first products to receive certification from the FIDO Alliance's new Biometric Component Certification Program.
Building on Samsung's camera leadership of Dual Pixel and Dual Aperture firsts, the Galaxy S10 introduces Penta Pro-Grade Camera and advanced intelligence that makes it easy to take epic shots and videos.
Both the Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ feature a triple camera module design. The main camera module has a 12 MP sensor and a dual-aperture lens that intelligently varies between an f/1.5 and f/2.4 aperture. The secondary camera is a 12 MP 2x telephoto lens, with an f/2.4 lens. The devices come with an ultra-wide-angle 16 MP lens and a 123-degree Field of View (FoV), allowing users not only see wider but also closer with a naked eye.
For those who create videos., the Samsung Galaxy S10 offers Super Steady recording with digital stabilization technology. Whether you're dancing in the middle of an amazing concert or trying to record every detail of a bumpy bike ride, Super Steady allows users to capture the moment. The Samsung Galaxy S10's front camera supports UHD video so you can capture high-quality content and record 4K UHD Selfie videos and in an industry first, the rear camera gives you the flexibility to record video in HDR10+.
With the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) available on the chipset, users can get pro-grade shots without having to manually select any advanced camera settings. Scene Optimizer can automatically recognize and more accurately process additional scenes because of the NPU. And with AI Photo Assist, Galaxy S10 offers automatic composition recommendations for users to frame their photos better than ever.
With the Galaxy S10+, you can get up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of base storage. From expansive storage to advanced speeds, Galaxy S10 is like having a supercomputer in your pocket. Engineered to provide the best gaming experience, Dolby Atmos has been optimized for gaming mode and the S10+ also comes with an enhanced vapor chamber cooling system. Galaxy S10 is also the first mobile device to be optimized for games created on the Unity platform.
Galaxy S10 is the first-ever mobile device compatible with gives you the capability to access the first-ever Wi-Fi 6, to provide four times faster access even in crowded areas. The newly launched devices come with Wireless PowerShare, making it possible to easily charge Qi-certified smartphone devices and even compatible wearable devices. By just placing a compatible watch, earbuds, or even a friend's smartphone on the back of Galaxy S10, Wireless PowerShare will start charging your device.
Where can I get my hands on Samsung's Galaxy S10 lineup?
The new Galaxy S line comes in three stunning colors with ultra-premium prism sheen. The Samsung Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128GB storage variants and will be priced at LKR 299,999, LKR 233,990 and LKR 187,990 respectively. The 1 TB and 512 GB variants are being offered in luxurious, ceramic white and ceramic black colors respectively, while the 128 GB variant will come in premium Prism Black, Prism White and, Prism Blue colors.
Priced at LKR 168,990 the Samsung Galaxy S10's 128 GB variant will be available in colors of Prism White, Prism Black, and Prism Blue. Further, the Samsung Galaxy S10e comes with 128 GB storage variant in Prism Black and Prism White colors. It will be priced at LKR 139,990. Customers will be able to purchase their Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ devices from 15th March onwards through Damro, JKOA, Singer, Singhagiri, Softlogic, Dialog, Mobitel, Wow.lk, Daraz.lk and selected authorized retail outlets islandwide.


Note: Most GPS devices and mapping apps only take you to a cul-de-sac. When you arrive at the cul-de-sac, continue straight on the gravel road past the storage lockers (which will be on the left). The kennel is at the end of the driveway, past the barn.
From PA Route 550, turn onto Granny Lane which is 2.5 miles from Old Route 220 or 1.5 miles from Stormstown. At the top of the hill, turn left onto TLD Circle. Follow past the storage lockers on the left onto the dirt road that leads to the kennel.


When looking for a therapist, it's important to find someone who not only has the right kind of training and experience, but also someone with whom you click. Therefore, when we first speak on the phone, please feel free to ask any questions that will help you determine how we might work together. We will also discuss my fee schedule, hours of service and the details of your insurance plan. And if for some reason we are not able to make an appointment for you, then I will see if I know of other therapists who may better meet your needs. By the end of the call, you should have a good idea of how well we match up.
It's a good idea to arrive about 10 minutes early to your first appointment so that you will have time to fill out the paperwork before we meet. I will leave a clipboard in the waiting area with information about my practice, including a confidentiality agreement and intake form for you to fill out.
The first appointment is usually devoted to assessment. I'll be inquiring about the reasons for your visit, asking about your general lifestyle, and finding out more about your background. I may ask you to fill out a questionnaire or two to help us get more specific information about what is going on in your life. If you are currently in crisis, we will of course, address that immediately and come up with something you can do right away to address the critical situation.
After two or three sessions, I'll have a good idea about what is going on in your life and how to help. At that point, while assessment is an ongoing process, there will be a shift to more active therapy. Helping you develop insight about your emotional and psychological world is crucial. But integrating those insights into real changes is where the heart of therapy lies. In our sessions you will most likely be practicing specific strategies such as cognitive restructuring, assertiveness, breathing and relaxation, mindful awareness, or communication skills. Your treatment plan may also involve home practices such as self-monitoring or reading to complement the work we do in session. The emphasis is on helping you draw on your strengths to overcome obstacles to your well-being. I will ask for feedback and continually monitor your progress until we both feel that you've achieved the quality of life that you seek.


What's So Amazing About Social Media Marketing Anyway?
https://www.sandcrestseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SandCrestSEO-e1491241864520.png 0 0 Sand Crest SEO https://www.sandcrestseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SandCrestSEO-e1491241864520.png Sand Crest SEO2017-11-16 06:00:542017-11-18 03:33:44What's So Amazing About Social Media Marketing Anyway?
Does Web Design Impact the Bottom Line of a Blog?
https://www.sandcrestseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SandCrestSEO-e1491241864520.png 0 0 Sand Crest SEO https://www.sandcrestseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SandCrestSEO-e1491241864520.png Sand Crest SEO2017-10-23 06:00:462017-10-21 04:03:51Does Web Design Impact the Bottom Line of a Blog?
4 Blog Design Errors You Need to Fix Now!
https://www.sandcrestseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SandCrestSEO-e1491241864520.png 0 0 Sand Crest SEO https://www.sandcrestseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SandCrestSEO-e1491241864520.png Sand Crest SEO2017-10-20 06:00:412017-10-21 04:47:214 Blog Design Errors You Need to Fix Now!


If you don't know where you are going then how do you know when you've gotten there?
At every point in time, you need to have a goal. It doesn't have to be a BAG (big audacious goal) or MAD-centric (making a difference) or any of those fancy terms motivational speakers use. Life is not a playground and we are not children anymore. Always trying to outdo the next guy and turning everything to some sort of competition is just both immature and wrong. If the goal that will get you to your desired point in life is a simple and easy-looking goal, then stick to it rather than complicating it to meet some high sounding acronyms.
A goal is a specific objective you want to achieve. It has to be well defined and achievable. As an example, one of my goals is to build a software company. Though it is a short statement, it is a well-defined and achievable goal.
Next is to have an elaborate plan of how you will achieve you goal. A strategy that will take you from where you to where you want to be. You don't need to burden the plan with all the technical knowledge you got from your project management training and eight sigma purple belt training. In fact, the simpler the better. You want something your mind can easily grasp and internalize. A plan you won't need to read every week to remember how it is meant to work. Again as an example, my plan to achieve that goal is to set-up a company (which I have done), learn programming (which I am doing), build software programs and sell them. It is a plan so simple that I can remember it easily, transfer it to my subconscious and estimate how far I have gone with it in reaching my goal.
Finally, you need to build helpful habits. When I say helpful habits, I mean habits that will help you reach your goal, not all good habits. The benefits of building helpful habits is like setting up an automation system, it's what I call set and forget. When I wanted to use my right brain more, after I learned from books and research papers that I am left-brain dominant, I began brushing with my left hand and writing with my left hand. I didn't keep to the writing with my left hand as the font and speed were very disappointing, but I kept to the brushing with my left hand enough to turn to a habit. Today, I still brush with my left hand even without remembering the original goal that got me started on it. That is the power of habit. And now it is the same strategy I use to get to whatever goal I am after. I do the things that will move me towards achieving my goal repeatedly enough to turn them to habits. I wrote daily until it is now a habit. I practice programming now so much that I am turning it into a habit. I also let go of habits that will take me away from my goal. I have turned to zero my social life, gotten rid of the habits that ensured I had a semblance of a social life. They weren't helpful to my goals. It sounds extreme; yours could be less extreme but the point is you will still have to sacrifice some good habits that are weighing you down. That way I am more certain of reaching my goal.
And that's how goals, plans and helpful habits work together.


Tag Archives: Contrast Optical Design & Engineering Inc.
This was evident – an HDR video camera! We have seen the Highly Dynamic Range video concept with two DSLRs here and then painstakingly done frame by frame here. Contrast Optical Design & Engineering Inc. recently introduced a groundbreaking and fundamentally new technology in the form of an HDR video camera that is poised to change the HDR imagery landscape. AMP's HDR video Camera shoots 1080p at 24ps or 30fps video with RAW data.
The AMP philosophy is to preserve all the content and information in a scene, thus giving the artist as much raw material to work with. To this end, we developed the AMP camera and video system. AMP uses a novel optical engine to split the light from a single camera lens onto three digital video sensors. AMP can produce a true, high-dynamic range (HDR) image for every single frame in the video stream. And the best news is: that's just the beginning.
AMP captures three widely spaced exposures in order to extend the dynamic range of the camera and produce images that are as close as possible to what the human eye can experience.
The AMP HDR Camera is available later this year but it wouldn't be a mass-produced product.


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Peck Acorn Reference to the Movie 'Willow' Found in Revendreth
Another cute reference has been found in the Shadowlands, this time in Revendreth. Sold by Matos, Matos, and Fourbi, the Gland magique has the following on-use ability:
Use: Throw the mystical acorn at the target to see if it is in fact mystical and turns enemies into stone. Only usable outdoors in the Shadowlands.
These acorns are a reference to the classic 1988 fantasy film Willow. In the movie, the protagonist, Willow (Warwick Davis), meets a caged warrior named Madmartigan (Val Kilmer). The two will ultimately team up, but not before some argument, during which Willow threatens Madmartigan with an acorn.
Willow: See this acorn? I'll throw it at you and turn you to stone!
Madmartigan: Ooh, I'm really scared. No! Don't! There's a- a peck here with an acorn pointed at me!
Full disclosure: I tested these acorns and the ones I threw did not, in fact, turn anyone into stone. But that could just be because I'm not a powerful sorcerer.
Commentaire de Gamblorr
Warwick Davis, not Warrick (though it is pronounced like "Warrick").
Commentaire de Sharden
I've been saying it wrong my whole life.
Also, they are making a sequel to this movie.
Commentaire de greenegg
after the dark crystal reboot being kinda whatever, I'm not sure if I should be excited another old movie is getting brought back or worried. I think a healthy dose of skepticism is justified at least.
Commentaire de Chaxton
Who's up to spending hours testing if it will actually turn someone to stone? I'm sure it will happen at least once!
Commentaire de MissMerdur
I concur - "Willow" was one of my favorite movies growing up, next to Labyrinth and of course The Dark Crystal.
They ruined the reboot of The Dark Crystal as there is a flaw in the lore they are using in the series vs the movie which ended up turning me off from the whole thing after that.
Some things just need to be left alone ... They are great movies because there are no others, it's that simple.
I'm sure in time we'll also see a sequel to Legend, Princess Bride and Hook, etc ...
Commentaire de tupolew519
well that's interesting.
Commentaire de Waterbuffel
Hate to break it to you but the Dark Crystal reboot was actually quite the success and had a lot of people loving it, so your personal opinion doesn't apply to all. The only reason you probably don't like it is because you loved the old and it's not the exact same. It's true that reboots are really overdone nowadays and everything gets a reboot instead of coming up with something new and original, but Dark Crystal is one of the worst examples to name to make your point. I would've agreed more with you if you named 'Ghostbusters' or something like that as example.
Same with the announced sequel to Willow: you're already negative about it while pretty much nothing about it is known so far. Keep an open mind, try to accept that with time comes change and when it actually turns out terrible you're free to butcher it then. But right now is definitely way too prematurely.
Commentaire de Thagesthoughts
I'll die on this hill: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is one of a few prequels worthy of the original, recapturing the aesthetic and mystery of the original while introducing a new generation to the practical effects, set design, and worldbuilding that made the original so great. It's fine if you don't like it, but it's going to take a lot to convince me to stop liking it.
Also, Willow II deserves a chance to thrive or die on its own merits.
Also also, this stone is cool even if it doesn't end up doing anything on my gnome mage.
Commentaire de Stormwander
When I saw this on the vendor I recognized it immediately as a 'Willow' reference and was so excited I announced it to General Chat. As for a sequel to 'Willow'... Hollywood please, for the love of God and all that's holy, STOP MAKING SEQUELS 20-30 YEARS LATER! It's painful.
hence my use of "I" and not "we", I don't know if I, me, myself, should be skeptical or excited for it. Nothing you said is wrong, but you shouldn't scold someone for their opinion on something as trivial as movie taste.
all that said, I didn't find age of resistance bad exactly, I just didn't think it was amazing. I for sure don't regret watching it, but it's also probably not something I'd look at in a few years and be like "lets watch that again!"
Commentaire de stevenstraw
Mmm...Sorsha...
Commentaire de SkywardShadow
Hate to break it to you but the Dark Crystal reboot was actually quite the success and had a lot of people loving it...
It was cancelled because hardly anyone watched through it. I'm all for giving Willow a chance, but the Dark Crystal series is regarded as a failure, whether or not it was good and/or enjoyed.
Commentaire de Kriandis
There is nothing wrong with the Lore in the Age Of Resistance.
(Quick condensed timeline)The Movie takes place in the Age of Power. Age Of Resistance takes place 1,000 trine after the crystal cracked and the Urskeks separated into The UrRu and the Skeksis, also known as the Age Of Division which happened during the second great conjunction.
Age Of Resistance, or Resistance And War, has Mother Aughra leading the resistance and the battle in the end, know as the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood leads to the Skeksis defeat which leads to the series end with the Garthim Wars about to take place which wipes out the entire Gelfling population other than,. of course, Jen and Kira which is when the movie takes place.
I am a HUGE Dark Crystal fan and have read all the novels and the graphic novels.
Commentaire de Myzvale


One month after the premature birth of their son, Dana Griffin-Graves and her husband Arkell shared photos of baby Kaleb with the world.
Earlier this week, Dana provided her Facebook fans with a health update on little Kaleb.
Dana and Arkell, of Dinwiddie, made international headlines in October when they posted their emotional pregnancy video online. Dana said she and her husband started trying to have kids after they got married 17 years ago, but gave up after delivering a stillborn baby at six months and four miscarriages.


Armatürsan Aydınlatma San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
In 2006 our company started to manufacture artificial windows and sky panels under the brand name of "Prosky Panels". With the development of product range began to manufacture led lighting fixtures under the brand of "Armatürsan". We are converting our knowledge and experience in LED lighting technology to lighting products.
LED panel light and LED backlight panels manufacturer.


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Lotus Exige 360 Cup released
Lotus have unveiled a new variant of their popular Exige sports car. Using the Exige V6 Cup as a starting point, Lotus redefined the formula to create the Exige 360 Cup, a limited edition model which will see just 50 cars produced.
Compared to the V6 Cup, the 360 Cup weighs 47kg less for a 1130kg kerb weight, thanks to the use of lightweight body panels (including an updated front access panel and tailgate) as well as the removal of some items of equipment, such as the stereo, air-conditioning unit and some sound insulation. Thankfully, should you need any of these items they can be ordered as optional extras. Also on the extras list are carbon fibre seats, four-point safety harnesses, a quick release steering wheel, plus Ohlins adjustable dampers and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars.
Diet aside, the 360 Cup is also more powerful. Whilst the Toyota derived 3.5L supercharged V6 remains the same, it has been modified and now includes a custom Lotus exhaust and TRD high flow air filter. These changes means the V6 now produces 265kW of power and 400Nm of torque. Impressive figures in such a lightweight car, but it's up just 7kW over the regular V6 Cup.
But that's not the end of it. The 360 Cup stands taller thanks to a new aero package, comprising of a new front splitter, new rear diffuser and a taller rear wing. While they might not sound like much, these items should serve up 42 kg of downforce at 160 km/h. The extra downforce doesn't hold the 360 Cup back in a straight line, either. Lotus says it'll sprint from 0-100km/h in under four seconds and on to a top speed of 274km/h. Some properly quick numbers right there.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus had the following to say about the 360 Cup, "The V6 Cup was a favourite amongst many knowledgeable customers with its incredible track performance and distinctive design. I am excited about the introduction of the new 360 Cup which moves the game forward with striking new design features and performance upgrades that offer phenomenal ability on road and track," said Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus about the new car."
The 360 Cup will be available in four colours only (Metallic White, Metallic Grey, Metallic Black and Metallic Silver) but all come with a matte black roof to help set them apart from the crowd.
Maserati's new 911 Rival
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Sean McKellar June 29, 2018 June 29, 2018
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Nissan is working on brain-to-vehicle technology for future vehicles
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New BMW i3's traction control system 50 times faster; will feature on all future BMW & MINI models
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Jeremy Clarkson partners with Emirates and Mercedes
Sean McKellar November 21, 2017 September 6, 2018


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Q: Understanding the logic of a increase max element by 1 method The duty of this method is to increment or add 1 to, the largest element in the array arr. If the same largest element is present more than once in the array, the last occurrence should be incremented. ("Last" means the one in the row with the largest subscript, and the one with the largest column subscript if there is more than one occurrence of the largest element in that row.) The method should not do any unnecessary work or computation. Note that the array's rows may have different numbers of elements.
Solution:
public static void incrMax(int[][] arr) {
    int maxRow = 0;
    int maxCol = 0;
    boolean found = false;
    for(int row = 0; row < arr.length; row++) {
        for(int col = 0; col < arr[row].length; col++) {
            if(!found || arr[row][col] >= arr[maxRow][maxCol] {
                maxRow = row;
                maxCol = col;
                found = true;
            }
            if(found) {
                arr[maxRow][maxCol] += 1;
            }
        }
    }
}

What I understand is that we would want to create two int's to store the maximum elements for horizontal rows and vertical columns. In order to seek those values out we need to loop the 2D-array. I am particularly confused by nested for-loops and 2d arrays. And the line:
if(!found || arr[row][col] >= arr[maxRow][maxCol]

Can someone please walk through the logic of this code?
Thank you

A:  void increment(int[][] mat) {
        //increment the max of every row by one
        for (int i = 0; i < mat.length; i++) {
            int maxRow = 0, maxIndex = -1;
            for (int j = 0; j < mat[i].length; j++) {
                if (maxRow <= mat[i][j]) { // to allow multiple occurences of the same value i used <=
                    maxRow = mat[i][j];
                    maxIndex = j;
                }
            }

            //we check if a max is found
            if (maxIndex != -1) {
                mat[i][maxIndex]++;
            }

        }
    }

this will do the work you are asking for


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Women's Rights & Movements in IranU.S. demands Iran release hunger-striking human rights lawyer
Women's Rights & Movements in Iran
U.S. demands Iran release hunger-striking human rights lawyer
Reuters: The United States on Friday demanded that Iran free jailed human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, who it said has been on hunger strike for more than six weeks, and sharply criticized Iranian authorities for their treatment of the 49-year-old prize-winning lawyer. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States on Friday demanded that Iran free jailed human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, who it said has been on hunger strike for more than six weeks, and sharply criticized Iranian authorities for their treatment of the 49-year-old prize-winning lawyer.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said reports of Sotoudeh's rapidly declining health were deeply troubling, and that she had been denied medical care and kept in solitary confinement.
"We demand the Iranian government cease its intolerable mistreatment of Sotoudeh and immediately release her and the more than 30 other female political prisoners detained in Evin Prison," Nuland said in a statement.
Sotoudeh, who last month was awarded the European Union's Sakharov prize for human rights and freedom of thought, was arrested in September 2010 on suspicion of spreading propaganda and conspiring to harm state security. She is serving a six-year jail sentence in solitary confinement.
She has defended journalists and rights activists, including Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and Dutch national Zahra Bahrami, who was hanged in January 2011 on drug trafficking charges.
"We remain concerned for Sotoudeh's well-being given Iran's history of withholding treatment from prisoners and allowing them to die from hunger strikes," Nuland said.
Sotoudeh began a hunger strike on October 17, according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. She is protesting against a travel ban placed on her daughter and authorities' limits on visits with her family, the group said.
(Reporting by Alister Bull)
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Tag Archives: barista
A road trip with a punk band can be a bloody good time.
(2020) Horror Comedy (Epic/Dread Central) Chet Siegel, David Littleton, Jeff Riddle, Ruby McCollister, Ryan Conrath, Greg Maness, Shannon O'Neill, Chloe Roe, Lucy McMichael, David Weinheimer, David Bluvband, Ruth Lolla, Alex McKelvey, Josh Peck, Adam R. Brown, Joey Maron, Nicholas Santos, Chris Tapp, Wicky Mendoza, Dave Ruestle, Kevin Lawrence. Directed by Matthew John Lawrence
With a title like Uncle Peckerhead, you know that the movie is either going to be very, very bad, or very, very good. Fortunately, in this case, it's the latter.
Judy (Siegel) fronts a punk band called DUH! who are about to go out on their very first tour which will end with them opening a show for the Queef Queens, a punk band that features Jen Jennings (O'Neill) who happens to own a record label. Her dreams of rock stardom look to be within their grasp. But, as many indie bands will tell you, that's generally when the floor disappears beneath you.
Their van gets repossessed, leaving her, guitarist Max (Riddle) and drummer Mel (McCollister) to look for some wheels to allow them to get them to where they need to be. Eventually, they find an old redneck living in a van which after some convincing, agrees to drive them in and to be their roadie. He introduces himself as Peckerhead (Littleton), or just Peck.
For some reason, Judy doesn't hit it off with Peck even though Max and Mel think he's great. Soon, it develops that there's a good reason Judy has bad vibes about him. I won't tell you exactly why but there's a reason that the actors playing Max and Mel are covered in fake blood in the picture above. However, despite Peck's horrible issue, Judy finally begins to warm up to him. Then, once again, out goes the floor.
The first few minutes of the movie don't give any hint about how good it actually turns out to be. The movie starts out rocky with some awkward dialogue, stiff acting and a feeling that everyone is standing around, looking at each other and whispering "Now what?" Fret not, true believers. Once Peck gets introduced into the mix, the movie takes off. Yes, there is some gore although not a lot – some extreme horror fans might end up disappointed, but Peckerhead is such a great character, with a kind of bumpkin charm that's endearing.
And the music! It really rocks, with some fairly high-level indie influences, not the least of which are X (for the harmony vocals) and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It's a shame that DUH! isn't a real band because I'd buy their shit for sure. There's even a condescending rival band who doesn't sound half-bad either. This might end up having the best indie movie soundtrack of the year.
There is a little more emphasis on the comedy than the horror, and while the scares aren't the aneurysm-inducing sort they are nevertheless effective. The horror is more situational, and again tends to be overshadows by the more humorous elements. Best line in the whole film is when Peck asks Mel why they chose the name DUH! and she responds "Because James Taylor was already taken."
There is a lot going on here that is worth checking out. I would have liked to see a little more attention paid to the horror elements, but that might well have been a function of its micro-budget. This could easily end up being a cult classic and inspire a franchise of its own. I enjoyed the heck out of this – and if you like a good horror movie with a good dose of comedy and killer indie rock music, you might just agree with me.
REASONS TO SEE: The music is actually really good. Peckerhead is kind of a sweet guy.
REASONS TO AVOID: The dialogue is occasionally awkward and a bit indie-snooty.
FAMILY VALUES: There is all sorts of violence, profanity, gore and some adult images.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Riddle is the lone performer in DUH! who plays his own music in the film; he also supplies the guitar for Dominion Rising as well.
BEYOND THE THEATER: Amazon, AppleTV, Fandango Now, Google Play, Microsoft, Redbox, Vudu, YouTube
CRITICAL MASS: As of 8/20/20: Rotten Tomatoes: 100% positive reviews; Metacritic: No score yet.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: CHUD
NEXT: Tesla
Posted in VOD Review	| Tagged barista, Chet Siegel, cinema, Cinema365, David Littleton, demo tapes, dishonest promoters, Dread Central, Epic Pictures Group, Films, ghoul, horror comedy, Jeff Riddle, midnight, movies, New Jersey, punk band, record label, repo, road trip, roadie, tour, tour van, transformation, Uncle Peckerhead, VOD Reviews	| Leave a reply
Sid & Aya (not a love story)
Posted on July 21, 2018 by carlosdev
My blue heaven.
(2018) Romance (Viva) Dingdong Dantes, Anne Curtis, Gabby Elgenmann, Cholo Barretto, Bubbles Paraiso, Josef Elizalde, Pio Balbuena, Gab Lagman, Joey Marquez, Jobelle Salvador, Johnny Revilla. Directed by Irene Villamor
Some movie titles tell you exactly what the movie is about. Others are a little more sly. Occasionally, a title lies outright about what the movie is. This is one of those.
Sid (Dantes) is a Manila-based stockbroker with insomnia. He works for a corporation full of sharks – and is a shark himself – on the fast track to become partners in a company where the only partners are part of the same family. But at night, he wanders the streets, hangs out in bars and clubs until they close and then in coffee shops until he heads back to his swanky apartment for a couple hours of rest before he goes back into the salt mines. Sid's girlfriend (Paraiso) is out of town for an extended people so he's a bit lonely.
At one of the coffee shops he meets Aya (Curtis), an outgoing, pretty and fearless young woman. The two get to talking and eventually hit it off. The insomniac Sid enjoys hanging out with her – and is willing to pay for the privilege. Aya, who works three jobs to support her ailing father and her siblings who are looking to get a higher education, is at first skeptical but eventually agrees.
The two are from diametrically different social classes but they see something in each other that draws them closer together. The two end up headed in the direction you might expect – but the destination turns out to be a lot different than whatever expectation you might have.
This is not your typical romance, although it might seem to be developing in that direction at first. Villamor, who also wrote the film, shows a sharp mind and a good sense of changing things up when you least expect them. She also cast the leads just about perfectly; Aya comes off a little bit like a Filipina Zooey Deschanel. She's absolutely delightful and it's not hard to see why Sid was attracted to her.
And that's not as easy a matter as you might think Sid is the sort of guy who pushes people away from him – unless he needs something from them. He is as self-absorbed as any human could imaginably be, and yet Dantes still infuses him with a certain amount of likability that as the film goes on we end up rooting for him. It takes a great deal of screen charm to do that and Dantes has that in abundance. I'm not sure his first name will play well in the States but with the right management he has the presence and the looks to go far.
The movie seems to have a fixation on wealth and on the trappings of it. I wondered for awhile if there was some wealth worshiping going on – although the end message is that money can't buy the important things in life there and that it corrupts, it almost feels rote. There's too much focus on the beautiful apartment, the fast cars, the ability to go and do anything, anytime you want. I found it a bit off-putting to be honest but that may be an overreaction on my part so take it with a grain of salt.
What you can take to the bank with more certainty is that there are a few rom-com clichés particularly in the last 30 minutes of the movie and what had once been a delightfully unpredictable movie settled into a typical rut. That's a shame because if the last third of the movie had been as good as the first two thirds, this could have been a worldwide hit. Even so, it's one of the strongest romantic dramas to come out of the Philippines in quite awhile.
REASONS TO GO: Aya is a Filipina version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Dantes has a ton of presence.
REASONS TO STAY: There are too many rom-com clichés. There is some wealth worship going on here as well.
FAMILY VALUES: There is some sexual content, drug use and more than some profanity.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Although this is the first time Dantes and Curtis have aappeared together in a feature film, they have worked on several projects together going back to their student days.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 7/21/18: Rotten Tomatoes: No score yet: Metacritic: No score yet.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Pretty Woman
NEXT: John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Posted in New Releases	| Tagged amusement park, Anne Curtis, barista, cinema, Cinema365, coffee house, Dingdong Dantes, dry cleaner, Filipino cinema, Films, girlfriend, Manila, movies, paid companion, partnership, reviews, Sid and Aya (not a love story), stockbroker insomnia, Viva Pictures	| Leave a reply
Not the expression Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone want you to have when watching THEIR movie.
(2016) Musical (Summit) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, J.K. Simmons, Finn Wittrock, Josh Pence, Tom Everett Scott, Meagen Fay, Valerie Rae Miller, Zoë Hall, Damon Gupton, Marius de Vries, Terry Walters, Callie Hernandez, Jessica Rothe, Sonoya Mizuno, Claudine Claudio, Aimée Conn, Thom Shelton, Olivia Hamilton. Directed by Damien Chazelle
Once upon a time the Hollywood landscape was ruled by two genres: Westerns and Musicals. Sure, there were thrillers, horror movies, comedies, dramas and even a little bit of sci-fi but those two aforementioned genres dominated both the box office and the release schedule. Both gradually fell out of favor and have been relegated to occasional appearances but have little relevance to executives eager to greenlight the latest potential tentpole franchise.
Damien Chazelle, who wowed critics with his Oscar-nominated indie hit Whiplash, now tackles the musical genre with a film that is both a modernist take on the musical and a reverent homage to the genre. Sebastian (Gosling) is a talented jazz pianist who yearns to open up a nightclub of his own, one where he can do things his way. He even has the perfect location for it – the site of a former legendary jazz club, now a tapas and salsa club (it's heresy, I tell you). Mia (Stone) is an aspiring actress who like many of her peers works as a barista – in this case, on the Warner Brothers lot. She attends audition after audition always hopeful only to have those hopes dashed by an indifferent casting agent or a surfeit of competition.
The two meet under trying circumstances and at first take a bit of a dislike to each other, but they keep bumping into one another and soon they fall in love – it's a Hollywood musical, after all. Eventually, Sebastian gets a break as a musician – he joins Keith's (Legend) band which combines jazz with pop and finds success. However, on a constant grind of touring and recording makes him put his own dream on the back burner. Mia notes that this is exactly the kind of music that he hates and Sebastian argues that there comes time that one has to grow up and turn your back on your dreams for the sake of building a life. Sebastian has urged Mia to write a part for herself – it turns out she's a talented writer – but when the one-woman show turns out disastrously and with Sebastian unable to attend because of a photo shoot, Mia turns her back on her dream and on Sebastian as well. That's of course when things are about to change.
You are served notice that this is going to be a musical that would do Busby Berkeley proud with the very first scene, a lavish musical number set in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a freeway overpass. It's preposterous and lavish but done with much love. It is both retro in feel and modern in execution and that theme continues throughout.
Stone and Gosling are two of the most attractive people in the world and they make a fascinating couple. Both of them are consummate actors and won Golden Globes for their performances here; whether or not that will translate to Oscars is anyone's guess but they are almost certain to garner nominations at least. In fact, La La Land is considered the frontrunner for Best Picture and after winning the Globe for Best Musical or Comedy, it certainly has a good chance to duplicate that at the Academy Awards.
Chazelle gives us some really beautiful, transcendent moments – a dance sequence in the Griffith Park Observatory in which gravity loses its meaning, for example – and shows that he has a sense of style that marks him as a gifted director with enormous potential to become one of the greatest of his generation if he continues to make movies like this one.
I have mixed feelings about the various nods to classic musicals. On the one hand, I respect Chazelle's knowledge of movie history and his clear love of the classics but it is this very thing that turns out to be a double edged sword. Certainly I love old musicals as most movie buffs do. The issue is that this is a very different era. Stars back in the golden age of movie musicals were also trained singers and dancers. They moved with a grace that is largely absent today. Dancers are trained not so much for classical dancing but for jazz and hip-hop. The moves and feel for those forms are very different. Even on Broadway, much of the choreography favors those forms. Dancing today is largely more athletic than it was back then. Those who made musicals great – Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Debby Reynolds, Cyd Charisse and Ginger Rogers to name a few – were of a different appeal, one that bespoke elegance and grace. Not that Ms. Stone or Mr. Gosling aren't elegant or graceful, but again, it was a different era.
Another disappointment for me was the songs. Other than two – "City of Stars," which was the representative of the movie at the Globes, and "Audition (Here's to the Fools)" – not a single song will remain with you after the movie's over. Those two will and for a long while too, particularly the latter with its aching, yearning and bittersweet tone. Stone's delivery of that song reminded me a good deal of Anne Hathaway's show-stopping performance in Les Miserables – which not uncoincidentally won Hathaway an Oscar. Other than the aforementioned the songs feel like generic showtunes without any sort of hook; soft, mushy songs that kill time before one of the two really good songs are presented.
I have to say that I admired the movie more than I liked it. Many of my friends and fellow movie buffs have put this movie at the top of their best movies of the year lists, or at least very near it. I can't say that I don't understand their love for this film. It is one of the best musicals to come along the pike this century and may eventually be considered one of the all-time classics and I might even by that time feel that kind of acclaim justified – just not now. When you hold this up to the light next to actual all-time classics, it's just plain to see that there's no comparison. This is a very good musical and a very good film, but a great one? I'm really not sold on that.
REASONS TO GO: Chazelle has a good visual sense. The movie is innovative and different. The performances by Gosling, Stone and Legend are fine. The movie has a throwback feel.
REASONS TO STAY: It doesn't really hold up next to classic musicals. The songs with a couple of exceptions have a Broadway sound to them.
FAMILY VALUES: There's a little bit of profanity.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Gosling spent two hours a day, seven days a week learning the piano parts that he played live without CGI or hand doubles. His first scene in which he plays piano was completed in a single take. John Legend, a classically trained pianist (who himself learned to play guitar for the movie) proclaimed himself jealous.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Moulin Rouge
NEXT: Catch 22: based on the unwritten story by seanie sugrue
Posted in New Releases	| Tagged 2017 Oscar-nominated film, aspiring actress, barista, Busby Berkeley, casting directors, cinema, Cinema365, Damien Chazelle, dreams, Emma Stone, Films, Finn Wittrock, Golden Globes, Griffith Observatory, Hollywood, J.K. Simmons, jazz club, jazz piano, jazz pop, John Legend, Josh Pence, La La Land, Marius de Vries, movies, musical, musical numbers, one-woman show, Paris, reviews, romance, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ryan Gosling, Summit Entertainment, throwback, Tom Everett Scott	| Leave a reply
Life's a party when you have a Hall Pass.
(2011) Sex Comedy (New Line) Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins, Christina Applegate, Alexandra Daddario, Stephen Merchant, Nicky Whelan, Larry Joe Campbell, Tyler Hoechlin, Joy Behar, J.B. Smoove, Alyssa Milano, Kathy Griffin. Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly
Hollywood has made a good profit off of the immaturity of men who are really adolescent boys in grown-up bodies. It plays into a female stereotype of men as being more or less lost and helpless without them, not to mention oversexed and a little bit ridiculous. Not that there isn't any truth to this, mind you – where there's smoke there's fire – but definitely it's a stereotype the movies have helped perpetuate.
Rick (Wilson) and Fred (Sudeikis) are best buddies, and their wives Maggie (Fischer) and Grace (Applegate) are likewise. Rick and Fred have a lot of things in common, not the least of which is possessing the names of the "I Love Lucy" husbands, but also they both possess a case of the Wandering Eye. You know; whenever a pretty girl walks by the two of them are compelled to stare. Fred is a little bit more subtle about it than Rick is but nonetheless both are caught out by their wives who are none too pleased by their propensity to girl-watch.
Finally fed up with their spouses behavior, the two women determine to give their fellas a hall pass. They agree to leave for a week on a Cape Cod vacation and whatever happens during that week is a freebie – they can do whatever they want without repercussion. The boys accept eagerly.
Of course, these guys – who have been married 15 years or more – have absolutely no game. They are as rusty as Newt Gingrich's exercise equipment. They flounder around trying to pick up hot chicks – at Applebee's. Meanwhile, their wives – far better looking physical specimens – are discovering that they have a Hall Pass of their own and are far more likely to cash in with the minor league baseball team whose manager is friends with Maggie's dad (Jenkins).
Of course each member of this foursome will have their moment of truth and they may find out just what is important to them and who they are. At least, that's the idea.
The Farrelly Brothers had the blessing/curse to make an iconic movie early on. Everything they've made since has been compared to There's Something About Mary and let's face it folks, not many movies are going to turn out that good. Hall Pass is nowhere near that level, which is disappointing but inevitable in some ways. There are some moments that are laugh out loud funny but the movie, like many comedies, is uneven to say the least.
Owen Wilson has made a career out of playing affable young men who have a good deal of charm, and he does it very well. Still, there are occasions when he breaks out of the mold a little bit and those tend to be his best movies. This won't be remembered as one of those, however; that doesn't mean he is any less capable in it. He pulls off his part with charm.
Sudeikis has shown some flashes of brilliance over his career and has been impressive in a number of films as of late. He plays the everyman with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, and that again serves him well here although the part is not written as well as I might have liked. I get the sense that Sudeikis didn't really get a handle on the character, although I may be wrong on that score – I certainly didn't and that did make the movie less successful for me.
I enjoyed the parts with the wives more and not just because Applegate and Fischer are far easier on the eyes. It just seemed more realistic to me and less of a goof. I mean, yeah make the guys a little awkward in terms of their game but don't turn them from horndogs into eunuchs. That seemed a little stereotypical – guys talking a good game but falling short when it came time to man up.
I'll admit the male ego is easily bruised and has a tendency to overcompensate for our insecurities. I am also willing to admit that this is a legitimate source for humor and entire movies have been made – successfully – about this fact and this one could have been successful as well. It could have used less juvenile humor and a little more wit. I have nothing against dumb jokes but maybe my fragile male ego could have used a little less smacking around. I'd rather laugh with this movie than be laughed at by this movie in other words.
WHY RENT THIS: The girls are very hot. Jenkins, Smoove and Merchant are veteran scene-stealers.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: Dumb and dumber. Too many gags fall flat. Too much sophomoric humor.
FAMILY VALUES: Well, there's quite a bit of crude sexual humor, a little bit of drug use, some graphic nudity and its share of bad language.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Maggie's father is played by longtime Boston Red Sox outfielder Dwight Evans. The Farrelly Brothers are both sports fans, particularly of Boston-area sports teams and often have sports personality from that region cameo in their films.
NOTABLE DVD EXTRAS: Nothing listed.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: $83.2M on a $36M production budget; the movie was profitable.
TOMORROW: Encounters at the End of the World
Posted in DVD Review	| Tagged Alexandra Daddario, Alyssa Milano, Applebee's, Atlanta, bar, barista, best friends, brownies, Cape Cod, Christina Applegate, cinema, coffee bar, cougar, drinking, DVD Reviews, Farrelly Brothers, Films, golf, Hall Pass, J.B. Smoove, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Joy Behar, Kathy Griffin, male bonding, marital infidelity, minor league baseball, motel, movies, New Line Cinema, nightclub, Owen Wilson, resort, Richard Jenkins, roving eye, sex comedy	| Leave a reply
Posted on February 4, 2011 by carlosdev
Ye Liu examines Meryl Streep's face for unsightly blemishes.
(2007) Drama (First Independent) Meryl Streep, Ye Liu, Peng Chi, Aidan Quinn, Blair Brown, Yonggui Wang, Lei Tsao, Jing Shan, He Yu, Bo Yi, Boris McGiver, Bill Irwin, Taylor Schilling. Directed by Chen Shi-Zheng
We struggle to understand the complex workings of the universe. Mostly the discoveries we make serve to illustrate that we are painfully ignorant and that the universe is a far more wondrous place than we could ever imagine. However, there is a dark side to the universe, one that resides in the matter that not only binds the universe together but touches the dark places in the human heart.
Liu Xeng (Liu) is a Chinese student studying for his doctorate at an unnamed Southwestern U.S. university. He is admonished by his family as he leaves for the great unknown that is America to make his family proud and bring no disgrace to the family name. No pressure, right?
He is brought into a world of academic politics, woefully unprepared. Brilliant in the science of cosmology (the study of the workings and origins of the universe), he is interned to Dr. Reiser (Quinn), one of the most respected scientists in the United States. At first, they get along very well – Xeng is brilliant which reflects positively on Dr. Reiser.
Xeng joins a number of other Chinese students sharing a house in the university community. Mostly, they like to hang out, drink beer, talk about chicks – and particle physics. Those wacky college students! Xeng even develops a crush on a comely barista (Schilling), although that turns out to be unrequited. He's living the American dream, college nerd style.
The Chinese students stay in America is being facilitated by Joanna Silver (Streep), a wealthy patron with a keen interest in Chinese culture. She takes a special liking to the young Xeng, whose brilliance and shy sweetness intrigue her. Then one day, Xeng has a breakthrough – a theory about dark matter that might change the way we see the universe.
But the wheels start to fall off. His theory comes into direct conflict with Dr. Reiser's own – which the arrogant and egocentric Reiser can't allow. Reiser works behind the scenes to discredit Xeng, who loses an important prize to one of his roommates who has been making a point of kissing Dr. Reiser's ass. Xeng is unable to land a job following his graduation and is forced to sell skin care products door to door to make ends meet. His mental state fractures and shatters, leading to tragedy.
This is loosely based on events at the University of Iowa in 1991 when a graduate student named Gang Lu opened fire on several professors and students, killing five before turning his gun on himself. The academic world depicted here is not necessarily the one that was encountered by Lu in his downward spiral, but it is pretty accurate as to some of the down side – dark side – of modern American universities. It is sadly true that politics usually trump performance when it comes to human endeavor.
The culture clash between the Chinese students and their American hosts is one of the most compelling things about the movie. The students are astonished to discover that Americans send their elderly to separate facilities; in China, caring for the elderly is part of a family's responsibility and to not do so would be a serious loss of honor.
There are a lot of scientific ideas that are put across here that are necessary for the advancement of the plot. They could easily be dry and confusing to the audience, but Shi-Zheng manages to make them at least reasonably understandable with a liberal use of computer graphics to aid him.
Getting Streep was amazing; I don't know how they convinced her to do this movie but she is typically wonderful, performing in a way that is effortless and authentic. She doesn't exactly steal the movie but she is the most prominent reason to see the film. Liu as Xeng does a credible job, but his mental deterioration doesn't feel authentic; he goes from frustrated to homicidal almost without any sort of transition. It's a little bit jarring, even if you do know it's coming.
The middle third drags a little bit, but the first and last parts of the movie are exceptionally paced. The feeling of impending tragedy hangs throughout the movie. Shi-Zheng has divided the film into five chapters, each pertaining to a specific element. He utilizes a Chinese children's chorus singing standard American songs as a kind of linking device that foreshadows and forebodes.
I like many of the elements of the movie; it just doesn't generate a movie that is a cohesive whole. The conceit of Dark Matter as an allegory for petty human emotions under the surface is a nice one, but a bit obscure. That may wind up losing some audience; still, anything with Meryl Streep is going to be worth a look.
WHY RENT THIS: Meryl Streep elevates the movie with yet another unforced performance. Shi-Zheng manages to present complex scientific ideas without sailing completely over the heads of the audience. The cultural clash between the students and their hosts are the best element of the film.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: The middle third drags a bit and Liu Xeng's mental breakdown doesn't feel authentic.
FAMILY VALUES: There is a scene of intense violence, some sexual content and a modicum of bad language.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Director Chen Shi-Zheng is best known in China for directing Chinese opera productions; this is his feature film directing debut.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: $66,375 on an unreported production budget; the film lost money.
TOMORROW: I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With
Posted in DVD Review	| Tagged academic politics, academics, Aidan Quinn, barista, Bill Irwin, Blair Brown, China, cinema, cosmology, cultural exchange, culture clash, Dark Matter, doctoral thesis, DVD Reviews, Films, First Independent, mass murder, Meryl Streep, movies, origins of the universe, university, University of Iowa	| Leave a reply


text:
Cathy Craig
A shot thunders towards goal. At the last minute the ball takes a wicked deflection. For the goalkeeper it's an instant decision. A split second for their brain to analyse the direction and speed of the ball, to pull off a match winning save or leave their teammates in despair as the net behind them bulges.
Until recently, coaches training their keepers relied on nothing but their own perception to help goalkeepers refine their skills, but now the world of immersive technology is taking the process forward light years. Through head mounted displays units, virtual reality can now be used to analyse their performances in real time and to improve the way they respond to a variety of situations.
This particular software, Cleansheet, has been created for goalkeepers, but the same data analytic technology is being developed to improve decision making in every aspect of sport.
That technology is being developed here in Northern Ireland at INCISIV, a pioneering company founded by Professor Cathy Craig, the first in the world to use immersive, interactive virtual reality technology to understand decision-making in sport. Over the last few years she has refined the technology working with some of the world's leading sports experts and players.
Currently Professor of Experimental Psychology at Ulster University, Cathy's interest in this field was kindled while taking an undergraduate degree and PhD in Psychology at Edinburgh University.
Her father started a club in the little village of Armoy, just outside Ballycastle in the beautiful Glens of Antrim, where she grew up. She played hockey at Edinburgh and rugby in Marseilles, where she lived subsequently with her Swiss husband and young daughter.
After several years in Marseilles working on a post doctorate project, Cathy found the lure of home was becoming stronger. When a suitable position became vacant at Queen's University, she applied immediately.
While at Queen's she received a European Research Council grant which allowed her to dedicate five years to researching human movement. "It was looking at everything to do with how the brain controls movement," she says. "How we move, why we move, why sometimes we can't move."
In the early days the technology was very expensive and the software was difficult to develop but in the last few years Cathy's world leading research has benefitted from a huge advance in immersive technology. "When I set up my lab at Queen's it cost around £100,000," she says. "Today I can buy the same technology for £500 or less."
Whatever the application, the basic method used is broadly similar. The visual information is presented to the brain, through the eyes, by a headset. Hand held motion controllers track movement and allow you to interact with the digital content.
"The technology has advanced so rapidly," Cathy says, "that you can walk into a room with the headset on, draw out the space you want to move in and go. You don't even need an external computer. The tracking is done in the headset. The technology is fantastic in recreating the real viewpoint of the player."
By 2018, Cathy was ready to take the technology to market. Working with Belfast's Ormeau Baths tech hub and with the support of the Invest NI Propel programme there, Cathy formed INCISIV.
"Basically, we're translating 20 years of know-how into technologies and products that can help people perform better in sports," she says. "The first off the conveyor belt was Cleansheet, which really began when I was in Marseilles and working on a collaborative project with Adidas. They were developing their Predator football boots and wanted to analyse the degree of curve they could put on the ball."
Cathy's work analysing the impact of concussion has seen her liaise with sports and medical experts around Europe as well as players at every level, including pupils at Campbell College in Belfast and Ballymena Academy. She explains the advantages of using immersive technology in this field.
"Beforehand, we weren't getting objective measures of brain function, such as movement, to understand when players with concussion could return to their sport. Every brain injury is different, every impact is different. Analysis was therefore very subjective. Now virtual reality can control what the brain sees and hears and we can measure precisely how the brain responds."
With vital support from NI Screen's Future Screens programme, also based at the Ormeau Baths, Cathy is embarking on more intensive data collection for this project. VR-HIT (Virtual Reality Head Injury Tool) is now seeking FDA approval so they can branch out in the US market.
While becoming an ever more valuable tool for improving performances in a variety of sports – Cathy worked with Ulster rugby for several years and is currently working with Scottish rugby, for instance – there are other exciting non-sporting areas INCISIV are exploring, including helping people with Parkinson's Disease.
"The beauty of technology," Cathy says, "is that the only limit is your imagination."


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I picked up a fun little stamp set from Lawn Fawn called Clear to See You. It is a set of eyeglasses and a couple of cute sentiments. I made a quick set of notecards with the set.
I used Distress ink Wilted Violet, Peacock Feather, Twisted Citron, and Picked Raspberries for the glasses.


3. Register to attend our uber-awesome after-bash party at Aloft's w xyz bar. Appies and drinks on us!
If you can't make Summit, you can still view recordings of our previous speaking sessions on experience driven commerce, with McGraw-Hill Education, Western Union and Liberty Global — all right here.