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T.'S TAKE
A CATHOLIC'S MEDIA BLOG
GREAT GAMES
2022 Movie Ranking
I started writing about movies in 2014 under The Colorful Silver Screen; I've written about them under several different blog titles since, but I had a regular audience throughout those title changes. I've stuck with T.'s Take since 2017, and it's now hard to stay motivated to write for a blog when I can't build a regular audience anymore. Still, I occasionally want to have a more personalized place than Letterboxd and Twitter to jot down my thoughts, so I'm going to rank every 2022 movie I've seen by now on this blog.
I'm not a fan of straight-up dramas and art house films, so this isn't the most comprehensive year-end list you'll find. In fact, since I don't watch many new movies, I rank everything I see in a year instead of give a top ten. That said, this is one of the widest varieties of new releases within a year I've seen, even if there are still stragglers from this year I won't be able to get to until after I've posted this list.
I'm splitting the ranking into four categories: movies I DISLIKED; movies I MODERATELY LIKED; movies I GENERALLY LIKED; and movies I LOVED. I also want to give a shout-out to some of my favorite not-new movies I saw for the first time this year: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020), One Crazy Summer (1986), The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), Love and Monsters (2020), and Searching (2018). Now onto this year's titles:
20. Old (PG-13) – M. Night Shyamalan's adaptation of a graphic novel about vacationers who experience rapid aging on a beach they can't escape from is, like Split (2017), another recent horror effort of his that's missing the heart of his inaugural efforts like The Sixth Sense (1999) and Signs (2002); also like Split, it's my least favorite movie of its year. These days, Shyamalan's content with being weird and nasty just for the heck of it; I can't call his creative vision uninspired, though.
MODERATELY LIKED
19. Jurassic World Dominion (PG-13) – Like the previous Jurassic World movies, it's unremarkable but palatable fluff, with its greatest offerings being the dino action and the nostalgia of finally seeing Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum reunited.
18. Uncharted (PG-13) – Calling this one of the most competent video game movies I've ever seen isn't saying much, but as someone who likes the Uncharted games more in theory than in their vulgar and mean-spirited practice, I found the movie's thrills and laughs agreeable enough. (Full review)
17. Nope (R) – I have specific tastes in horror, so Jordan Peele's previous works don't pique my interest; hearing that this one is more of a monster movie, though, made me want to check it out. The irony of this is that I liked the movie's first half of buildup much more than the second half's turn into a monster movie, where the nature of the beast disturbed me more than it scared me while also having silly weaknesses. I can say that this is the first movie I've ever seen that has a made up SNL skit as part of its lore, though.
16. The Lost City (PG-13) – The entire first act of this Romancing the Stone (1984) for the 21st century had me laughing hysterically; on that level, it agreed with me more than Romancing the Stone. Alas, the last two acts have merely occasional laughs, opting to be more cute than funny. It's also unfortunate how the story validates the idea of smutty romance novels.
15. See How They Run (PG-13) – Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan lead this self-aware whodunnit with terrific comic timing, especially from Ronan. Alas, the laughs and meta commentary fizzle down after a while.
14. Thor: Love and Thunder (PG-13) – It wastes its villain's interesting potential, a couple subplots go too politically correct, and it forgets that the gods in the Marvel Cinematic Universe aren't actually gods. But, it did have me laughing throughout, it has a couple of innovative action scenes, and its ending is touching. While it's far from the greatest Marvel movie, Bao the God of Dumplings may be the greatest thing I've seen in a Marvel movie.
13. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (PG-13) – I enjoyed its ambition and admired its attempts at poignancy, but I didn't really feel those attempts until some very late flashbacks to the first movie. It's not a bad sequel, but, since I don't think the character they've chosen to now lead this franchise is qualified to do so, there could have been a better sequel had they recast T'Challa.
12. Kimi (HBO Max) (R) – A conspiracy thriller that has a couple of brilliant gags and payoffs, but for all its potentially thought-provoking themes, it ultimately ends up feeling disposable. Still, I really connected with the protagonist, played compellingly by Zoë Kravitz, even if her anxiety issues are more extreme than my own.
GENERALLY LIKED
11. Night of the Coconut (Nebula) (NR) – It's hard to explain the very premise of Night of the Coconut since it's the feature-length culmination of a storyline that developed throughout a series of video essays by Patrick H. Willems. Still, I now want to see Patrick produce a feature-length movie with this same sense of coco-nutty invention that doesn't require a series of video essays to understand, as long as he doesn't throw in another anti-Catholic joke.
10. Ambulance (R) – This isn't the first Michael Bay movie I ever liked since I used to love his Transformers movies, but between this and 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016), Michael Bay now has two movies that appeal to my current sensibilities. With Ambulance, I'm still not a fan of how hyperactive Bay's camera and editing can get, its runtime feels a little too long, and its conclusion is morally muddled, but I was invested in its story, characters, and Bayhem to the end, with its effective buildups of tension and humor to break them, even if some of the jokes feel forced.
9. Beast (R) – It may not have been a hit at the box office, but it was a hit with me, pitting a family against a rogue lion with unique camera staging, scary suspense, and a human element that's not the brightest but nonetheless sympathetic. (Full review)
8. Prey (Hulu) (R) – More enjoyable to me than the original Predator (1987), presenting its gore less in-your-face and making up for its unintentionally hokey dialogue with thrilling action direction (it missed the opportunity to be called Predater, though). (Full review)
7. The Batman (PG-13) – It's hard to picture this reboot leading to a planned trilogy when this one movie is long enough to already feel like a whole trilogy, but it refreshingly brings Batman to his detective roots that the mostly superior Christopher Nolan trilogy merely touched upon.
6. Thirteen Lives (Amazon) (PG-13) – Ron Howard nerve-wrackingly directs this retelling of a true daring cave rescue that happened in 2018 Taiwan, with Viggo Mortensen as rescuer Rick Stanton adopting an accent so British that it takes me aback even as a Lord of the Rings fan.
5. Avatar: The Way of Water (PG-13) – Not only does this have some of the most stunning visuals and immersive world building ever put to film, but it also introduces a new cast more endearing than the original's while adding more dimension to the existing cast. That said, the teenage angst and over-ambition within the family at the center of the story can be frustrating, major threads are left dangling for its sequels, and the plot takes many detours during its middle act that I couldn't appreciate until my second viewing where I knew where they were going. An uneven yet enchanting experience.
4. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (PG) – I have so many questions about its world building, and it could have done without a couple of edgy jokes, but those problems sink into the background when it has me smiling and laughing throughout and even almost makes me shed tears for a snail shell. A person really is a person no matter how small, or shell-like.
3. Belle (PG) – Despite pacing issues that became more apparent on second viewing, I think the story's emotional impact is more than powerful enough to overcome them, and its music and visuals are gorgeous. (Previous review)
2. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Roku) (TV-14) – UHF (1989) is one of my all-time favorites, but Weird Al's exaggerated autobiography that fittingly mocks the cliches of the biopic genre is downright brilliant, making me laugh until I couldn't breath on several occasions.
1. Top Gun: Maverick (PG-13) – The platonic ideal of a crowd pleaser, perfectly balancing action, drama, and humor. And if Avatar aims to wow us with what can be done with computers, Maverick aims to wow us with what can be done in-camera, with actors being flown in real airborne jets. As I've said elsewhere, the original Top Gun (1986) grated on me so much that I couldn't finish it, so it's outright miraculous that its sequel is not only a great movie on its own but also my favorite movie of 2022.
While there weren't any movies last year I outright loved, this year has four, and given how many movies on this list I liked in general, I'd say this was a pretty good movie year! Here's to hoping for next year to also be good, even if not many of its titles have caught my interest as of now – and to hoping that I can produce at least two 2D animated shorts next year (my first one).
Leave a comment 2022 Movie Ranking
July-August 2022 Media Roundup
I post about media on Letterboxd, Backloggd, and Twitter; here's my monthly (bi-monthly in this case) roundup of it.
I finished watching through the Mission: Impossible movies (skipping M:I-2) with my best friend who hadn't seen them, and… well, I now feel that Ghost Protocol has taken Fallout's place as my favorite one and that I feel a little more mixed on Fallout like I did on first viewing, after I'd raved about Fallout in my post that ranked the series. I also revisited The Shallows (2016), which I saw in theaters and found too harrowing at the time, but I decided to give it another chance now that I've seen more survival-creature movies; I still don't like it as much as I want to, but I did find more to appreciate about it. I also wrote a full review of Beast (2022), though I may stick with these monthly roundups for writing about movies here.
More new-to-me highlights:
One Crazy Summer (1986)
Because I saw movies like UHF (1989) and Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) at an impressionable age, I have a pretty zany sense of humor; alas, a lot of similar movies like The Naked Gun (1988) come with a heaping of raunchiness that puts me off. Thankfully, One Crazy Summer – a standard coming of age story at heart – has that kind of zaniness with virtually none of the raunchiness (if with other caveats like some profanity and risque beachwear); topped off with a protagonist who's striving to become an animator (which, as @JanelleWaz observed, makes sense of the zaniness), it's a comedy that feels tailor made for me.
Belle (2021)
I don't watch anime often, but I have seen non-Ghibli anime movies like Your Name. (2016), Weathering With You (2019), and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006). Belle, a sci-fi pseudo retelling of Beauty and the Beast that's wrapped in commentaries on trauma and virtual reality, comes from The Girl Who Leapt Through Time's director Mamoru Hosoda, and while Leapt Through Time has a fun concept, it got bogged down by too much teenage relationship melodrama that I didn't care for. Belle, however, blew me away throughout its runtime, even though it juggles so many ideas and deals with such heavy subject matter at times that I'm still not sure if it entirely gels for me; what I do know is that certain sequences are some of the most beautiful I've seen in any movie.
Please Stand By (2017)
This joins the ranks of Galaxy Quest (1999) as a great movie about Star Trek fans, where a young autistic woman played by Dakota Fanning sets out to prove herself to both her caregiver and her own frustrated sister by journeying to Paramount Pictures to deliver her own Star Trek fan script for a contest. Movies that cast non-autistic actors as autistic characters often get criticized, but given the reviews I've seen from autistic viewers who've connected with this movie, I can't be one of those critics. Saying it's great isn't to say that it's a cinematic masterpiece, but it is sweet (aside from a couple of distressing moments), endearing, moving… It made me shed tears in the end.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
My best friend and I love watching guilty pleasure-type movies together, such as The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Van Helsing (2004), and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), the last of which I introduced to him and probably had more fun with his reactions than he had reacting to the most bonkers introduction to Godzilla anyone could have. This time, he introduced me to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, whose trailers I remember making me laugh at the time for their sheer lunacy. Sure enough, it's exactly the kind of movie that's promised, one that would make Abraham Lincoln himself roll in his grave but that's a lot of fun to watch, somehow playing itself both straight and with a wink at the same time.
Even though I wasn't crazy about the original Predator (1987), I wanted to see a fresh take on this franchise, especially from the director of 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016). While there is gruesome violence aplenty, it isn't filmed as in-your-face as the original's; not to mention, CGI gore doesn't hit me as viscerally as practical prop gore does. The action choreography in general makes up for some unintentionally hokey dialogue; though what really puts me off is when the hero commits a cruel act of vengeance against a third party that plays a major part in the climactic showdown. Aside from that unfortunate descent into darkness, Dan Trachtenberg has impressed me once again.
I finally beat Star Wars: Jedi Knight II – Jedi Outcast (2002) after I beat to the ultimate boss years ago but couldn't figure out how to defeat him, and I still needed a walkthrough this time. I have beaten its followup, Jedi Knight – Jedi Academy (2003) many times throughout the years, though, and I still enjoy it despite its flaws, definitely in my top ten favorite games. I've also started Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered (2022) for PC; I don't know whether I'll write a review for it here, but it's given me good first impressions.
I've finally finished my first 2D animated short, "A Snowman Walks Into a Wendy's"! Hopefully I can finish my next 2D animated short sooner than I did this one.
Leave a comment July-August 2022 Media Roundup
Beast (2022) | Movie Review
Monster movies like Jaws and Jurassic Park aren't only landmarks in cinema history, but they're also landmarks in my own taste in movies; they also come courtesy of Universal Pictures (and also of Steven Spielberg, but that's beside the point), who have a long history of bringing monsters to screen, from sharks to mummies to dinosaurs to werewolves to giant sand worms to vampires.
With Beast, lions can now join that roster, with a lion who's become a serious misanthrope after poachers slaughtered his pride, and his latest targets are a doctor played by Idris Elba and his two daughters played by Iyana Halley and Leah Jeffries who are vacationing in Africa with an old family friend played by Sharlto Copley.
I've seen one other work from director Baltasar Kormákur, 2018's Adrift, based on the true lost-at-sea story of Tami Oldham, and while that story's poignancy ultimately shines through in the end, the choice to start with the survival portion of it and continuously flash back to how Tami got there instead of playing it out chronologically kept taking me out of the moment. Of course, Adrift is a survival drama that can play more loosely with structure than a survival thriller like Beast can, but in thriller mode, Kormákur doesn't let up the tension when it kicks off, limiting his characters' choices of weapons and methods of outside communication as the titular beast keeps them trapped in a car for much of the story.
What helps keep up the tension is Kormákur's unique choice to film much of the movie in dynamic long takes, giving the action a refreshing sense of clarity in an at times over-edited genre, and while the violence is gruesome, it's never overdone or played for shock value. He also uses this situation to heal the bonds between Elba's Nate Samuels and his daughters after Nate split with their mother and wasn't there for them while she was fighting a losing battle with cancer, a decision Nate deeply regrets.
Of course, like with many monster movies, these characters end up making decisions that keep them in trouble, though to be fair, how many of us would be thinking straight in such a situation? While such character writing has taken many viewers out of the movie, it didn't do that for me too much. What troubles me more is how the script introduces the idea of vigilantes who murder poachers, and while this minor subplot does lead to consequences, it doesn't exactly call out the anti-poachers' vile methods.
Still, I've come across quite a few disappointing monster movies, whether they're poorly made, depressing, or plain unremarkable; while Beast may have its far-fetched moments, its competent staging, scary suspense, and sympathetic human element did not disappointment me. There was hardly an audience when I went opening night, and I hope it finds one, both for the sake of the movie itself and for the sake of original modestly budgeted movies continuing to get released in theaters.
T.'S GRADE: B
Leave a comment Beast (2022) | Movie Review
June 2022 Roundup
I post about media on Letterboxd, Backloggd, and Twitter; here's my monthly roundup of it.
Obviously, since I dedicated a whole post to it, one of the biggest movie highlights of this month was Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes. My review even got a couple of family members interested in checking it out; I haven't heard from one of them about it since, and the other didn't finish it because it wasn't for them. Still, I'm happy to give attention to a hidden gem for once.
I tried looking for a decent monster movie, and I almost did in the shark-based 47 Meters Down (2017) and the crocodile-based Black Water (2007). Both have effective suspense, especially the terrifying Black Water, and that's partly because its characters are sympathetic enough for me to want to see them survive; 47 Meters Down's characters are compelling at least as surrogates for us to picture ourselves in their situation. Alas, both movies' downer endings fail to stick the landing emotionally.
Since my search for a decent monster movie resulted in disappointment, I capped off said search with one that never disappoints: Jaws (1975). Granted, I've seen scarier monster movies than Jaws (i.e. A Quiet Place Part II), but its character work makes it the best one I've ever seen regardless.
I went to the theaters twice for the first time since March to see Top Gun: Maverick. The characters in the first Top Gun (1986) are so lewd that I couldn't finish it, but positive buzz convinced me to see its long belated sequel, and sure enough, it's the best time I've had at the movies since Avengers: Endgame (2019). Granted, a great theater experience doesn't always equal a great movie; I had a blast in theaters with with merely good movies like Endgame, King of the Monsters, and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and I had conflicting theater experiences with great movies like Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Into the Spider-Verse; however, I truly believe Top Gun: Maverick is a popcorn masterpiece.
Not only does that mean that my favorite movie since Into the Spider-Verse is somehow the sequel to a movie I couldn't stand, but that also means I've seen a parody of Top Gun (Hot Shots! [1991]), a ripoff of Top Gun (Fire Birds [1990]), and a sequel to Top Gun without having finished Top Gun.
Every episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi has now been released. I loved the first three episodes; the fourth episode threw the series off, but the last two brought it back a bit, so despite the series's flaws, I generally felt positive about it. Then I rewatched the whole thing, and… I have mixed feelings.
On one hand, it relies on some major contrivances, especially ones that make Darth Vader look really dumb; there's too much time spent on a secondary villain; both the cinematography and the musical score make it feel like an expensive fan film; and it lacks a sense of invention in its production design that's been missing in most of Disney's live-action Star Wars. And yet, the final confrontation between Obi-Wan and Vader hits me on every rewatch, bringing much better closure to their relationship before they meet again in A New Hope than Revenge of the Sith does, especially on Anakin's/Vader's end where he has something much more thoughtful to say to Obi-Wan than "I HATE YOOOOUUUU!!!"
So, in certain regards, the series is worth watching once. But in general, I don't feel that it needs to exist. Hopefully The Bad Batch season 2, The Mandalorian season 3, and Ahsoka won't disappoint.
I didn't beat any new-to-me games this month, but there is one I would have beaten: Project Eden (2002). It's a sci-fi third-person shooter that requires us to switch between four team members: one who has security clearance to unlock certain doors, one who can hack tech, one who can repair tech, and one who can enter hazardous environments. Despite its setting of an overpopulated dystopian future where the antagonists are a gang who takes drugs that mutate them into eldritch monsters, I was enjoying the methodical gameplay. Alas, when it got to a part where an innocent community turns into these hostile creatures, including a little girl, it finally surpassed my grimness tolerance.
I revisited a title I could put on a "video games I've played the most" list: Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis (2003), which takes place in a universe where the trip to Jurassic Park apparently went well because Alan Grant, Ray Arnold, Ellie Sattler, and John Hammond are assisting us in building our own Jurassic Park. It spits in the face of the franchise's caution against messing with nature, and I don't usually like simulation games, but regardless, I still enjoy it, if up the point my park gets a five-star rating. There are additional modes to unlock, but I'm not so interested in doing so at the moment.
A quick preview of my current animated project. It's still very much a work in progress, but I'm proud of the character animation so far; I'm willing to take pointers on it, though.
Leave a comment June 2022 Roundup
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (Droste no Hate De Bokura) (2020)
As I indicated in my May 2022 roundup by highlighting titles like Gravity, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and Coherence, science fiction is the genre that can wow me the most, whether by providing thrills or brain teasers, whether on macro or micro budgets (which is similar to what I said about the genre in my Metropolis review, but I've seen a lot more movies since). In fact, it may impress me the most when a film like Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes can pull off a cinematic magic trick with practically no budget.
Of course, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is not the first film in a recent trend of microbudget Japanese productions that each appear to tell their stories over one unbroken shot, though I can't find any other title of this genre other than its 2017 initiator, One Cut of the Dead, which does not sound like my cup of tea.
But Two Minutes' magic goes beyond its immersive illusion of an unbroken shot filmed over the course of a week, where a cafe owner discovers that the computer monitor in his apartment can see two minutes into the future through the TV screen in the cafe below, and he begins to have conversations with his two-minute-in-the-future self; soon, other acquaintances discover this anomaly and move back and fourth between each monitor to discover what the future holds as the evening goes on. While it does feel a bit repetitive at first, the situation progresses in inventive ways, and the amount of rehearsal it took for the actors to repeat their own performances as they switch between screens must have been painstaking.
The one real problem I have with it is that the lighthearted tone is thrown off when the situation starts to lead to some potentially life-threatening consequences, if for using the future to obtain material riches; thankfully, the violence doesn't end up getting too menacing, and this predicament's clever resolution provides cathartic laughs. Also, as the characters try to figure out ways to see further into the future and fulfill the actions they see their future selves perform, the question is raised of whether knowing the future makes us deterministically controlled by it; once again thankfully, it's ultimately revealed that a presented outcome can be changed. It may create a paradox, but it validates the potential of free will.
While it's not a premise that would likely interest kids, its subtitles (at least on Amazon) present no foul language, and at little over an hour long, the end result is a quick, contained, and charming hangout movie with an ingenious sci-fi twist that could both please genre fans and inspire indie filmmakers.
T.'S GRADE: B+
Leave a comment Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (Droste no Hate De Bokura) (2020)
May 2022 Roundup
I don't post on this blog often, but I often write about movies and video games on Letterboxd, Backloggd, Twitter… So, starting with this post, I'll try to write monthly roundups of media I've experienced. And since this roundup will have to catch up on highlights from the rest of the year, it will likely be longer than subsequent roundups.
Last year, I started regularly watching movies I hadn't seen before, whether they were new releases, classics, or obscurities; most of these movies have been from the 80s and onwards, and many of them have been meh, but the new-to-me title that really blew me away last year was Gravity (2013), the kind of movie that would have shaped the way I view movies had I seen it at release.
This year's biggest highlight came early with 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), which was the most tense a movie had made me feel since A Quiet Place Part II, and it was so good that it had me fist pumping by the time the credits started rolling; I enjoyed the original Cloverfield, too, and since this franchise is an anthology, 10 Cloverfield Lane can't count as one of the greatest leaps in quality for a sequel, but it's certainly one of the greatest leaps in quality for a franchise's second entry.
This year has had other highlights, such as the mind bending and mostly improvised sci-fi thriller Coherence (2013) and the Danish fantasy franchise The Ash Lad; I also saw The Batman (2022), which is now my favorite Batman movie behind Nolan's first two entries, even if it's truer to the character's spirit than those. Shazam! (2019) can also now join the ranks of DCEU movies I like, along with Aquaman (2018) and Wonder Woman (2017).
However, a couple of the movies I've enjoyed the most since 10 Cloverfield Lane I viewed this month: The Aeronauts (2016), a fictionalized but nonetheless thrilling, awe-inspiring, and moving retelling of a true scientific hot air balloon expedition; and A League of Their Own (1992), which, given its baseball subject matter, isn't my usual kind of movie, but it is heartwarming and at times hysterically funny.
I also finally saw icons like Titanic (1997), which, despite the problematic affair at the core of the story, sucked me in with its craft; and Saving Private Ryan (1998), which had been on my watchlist for a long time until I finally decided to brave it on Memorial Day. It's one of the most riveting movies I might never watch again; its graphic violence is meant to show the realities of war, but it still feels like it goes too far.
I don't usually watch TV; heck, the most TV I've watched in recent years are Marvel and Star Wars shows on Disney+, and if Disney+ didn't have such exclusives, I probably wouldn't support it. Still, these Disney+ shows have really redeemed the Disney era of Star Wars for me, especially with The Mandalorian. The Book of Boba Fett was alright, and it ironically jumped in quality when it became The Mandalorian season 2.5; I've heard it referred to as a good Star Wars show but a bad Boba Fett show, and in the words of young Boba in Attack of the Clones: yep.
However, these series reintroducing characters who were established in the Star Wars animated series finally persuaded me to check out The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch, and the best of these shows is some of the best Star Wars period!
Granted, I had to follow Kotaku's essential Clone Wars episodes list due to the amount of filler, and it made Anakin look even worse in Revenge of the Sith because of how well the show characterizes him and his central relationships; on the other hand, it does add the emotional resonance to the Order 66 sequence that used to be there only in theory.
That brings us to Obi-Wan Kenobi, which premiered with two episodes this month… I can't say too much, but I love what they've done with it so far. I think Ewan McGregor is one of the few actors in the Prequels who could deliver the hokey material he was given with confidence, but even then, the flat performances surrounding his distracted from it. This time, Ewan neither has bad material to work with nor bad performances to distract from his, allowing us to really feel for his Obi-Wan. There are specific things I want to see in this series, especially acknowledgements of Clone Wars characters who were important to Obi-Wan and Anakin, but if it could at least keep up this quality, then in the words of George Lucas while working on The Phantom Menace: it's gonna be great.
The "Television" section isn't the last time I'm going to be talking about Star Wars this month, because in March through May, I beat some Star Wars games that were years in the making: Dark Forces (1995), Jedi Knight – Dark Forces II (1997), and Jedi Knight – Mysteries of the Sith (1998).
I'd beaten Dark Forces's fourth sequel Jedi Academy by the time I first played Dark Forces itself, but Dark Forces II was the first game in the series that I knew about; in fact, when I first played Dark Forces a decade after its release, I was expecting low-polygon 3D models instead of sprites. All three of these are shooters, but the latter two add the options of a 3rd person perspective, lightsaber combat, and Force powers; in addition to more varied gameplay, they offer more complex storytelling than the original's.
Alas, Mysteries of the Sith is the least worthwhile of the lot, practically punishing us with overpowered enemies if we've only upgraded non-combative Light Side powers before we're forced to stick with our lightsaber in the climactic portion of the game, even though the story's ultimately about trying to save someone from the Dark. I felt foolish about all the walkthroughs I had to look at for all the switches I missed in Dark Forces II (heck, I gave up on Dark Forces for years because one part stumped me), but this one had me looking at walkthroughs so many times that I feel it's the game's fault more than mine.
Fortunately, Dark Forces and especially its first sequel are worthy classics. Though while the Steam port of Dark Forces runs fine, the Steam port of Dark Forces II is unplayable; get the GOG port.
Now, Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force (2001) is another FPS from my childhood that I got stuck in and dropped until now, except it's from the previous franchise's archrival; but hey, if Ravensoft could go on to develop the last two Jedi Knight games after this, I can like both, too. While I don't know Voyager well, I appreciate that this game brings in the show's actual cast, which is secondary to the titular special ops team that goes on off-ship missions. Although shoot-em-up gameplay doesn't quite fit the spirit of Star Trek, and the combat could be more challenging, the game aesthetically nails the Star Trek universe despite poorly aged graphics, it moves at a brisk pace, and I actually didn't have to look at walkthroughs.
I also started its sequel, Elite Force II (2003), and it was actually better than the first one in almost every way until it introduced a character who's so sexualized that she ruined the whole game for me.
Although Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003) is one of my favorite games (I spent a good amount of time earlier this year learning to speedrun it), I've avoided its main sequels due to their edgier content; thankfully, The Forgotten Sands (2010), which takes place between Sands of Time and its first sequel The Warrior Within (2004), scratches that Prince of Persia itch for me. The story is unambitious, recycling a lot of ideas from Sands of Time, but it's engaging enough; the horde-based combat often lacks challenge, but the platforming sections and the inventive mechanics used to traverse them make up for that. While it's a fairly fluffy experience, I can picture myself revisiting it.
Also, given the mediocre Sands of Time movie adaptation from that same year, it can't be a coincidence that the Prince's brother looks kind of like Jake Gyllenhaal.
I launched my own business, Martin Media, where I can provide video editing, graphic design, and illustration. I also posted a new stop-motion video, "Iacon P.D. 2", on my absurdlyawesome Youtube channel, and I have gone back to work on a 2D animated project that I've stalled for months and am planning to launch a 2D animation channel with it.
Leave a comment May 2022 Roundup
There have been video game movies that were a hit with critics and audiences alike, like Werewolves Within and The Angry Birds Movie 2. Even more miraculously than them being well-received video game movies are how they're based on games that are all about gameplay; they have no real narratives to adapt. But what about video game movies based on games with cinematic storytelling, acclaimed games-turned-derided movies like Prince of Persia, Tomb Raider, and most recently Uncharted?
The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie does cut down on the game's biggest caveat, the pervasively scanty attire; the recent Tomb Raider movie also improves on the game it's adapting by not repeating its excessive brutality. And yet, both of these movies avoid adapting elements from the games that would have made them more compelling, such as Sands of Time's titular prince accidentally unleashing sand zombies and Tomb Raider's supernatural conceits being, well, supernatural.
As for Uncharted – which, like Tomb Raider, is in the treasure-hunting spirit of Indiana Jones – , I played the first three games a few years ago; although I was charmed by them on first playthrough, the novelty that wore off on an attempted second playthrough could no longer make their vulgarity and mean spiritedness easier to overlook, so I figured a movie adaptation could improve upon these elements. Sure enough, while the movie doesn't completely clean them up, it does reasonably cut back on them.
What it unfortunately doubles down on are the lead antiheroes' penchant for unjustified theft. After living his childhood in an orphanage, protagonist Nathan Drake even grows up with a disdain for nuns that his colleagues tease him for, and they're not afraid to potentially disrespect church property in order to find the treasure they're seeking. Still, if it weren't for these elements, I'd be able to give a solid endorsement.
Tom Holland and Mark Walhberg may not recapture the games' Nate and Sully, but they bring their own charisma. Drama is undermined often by punchlines and eventually by a late narrative switch-out, but the jokes are funny, and the action scenes are creative enough. It's faint praise to call this one of the most competent video game movies I've ever seen, but I had a fairly good time with it. I'm still waiting for a movie based on a video game with built-in cinematic potential that's more than just okay, though.
T.'S GRADE: C+
Leave a comment Uncharted (2022)
Five More Video Games I've Played the Most
There are games I enjoy – or even used to enjoy – that I want to write about but don't have enough to say for full reviews, so I'm putting them into another "Five Video Games I've Played the Most" list. This time, the list is based not only on how many hours I put into each entry but also on how many times I've beaten them, because most of these titles can be beaten in just a few hours if one knows them well enough.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003) is the first taste of parkour I got from video games, and playing it still feels really cool, even though the camera can be a mess at times, during both the platforming and the sword-based combat. Still, said combat is pumped up by both the acrobatics the titular Prince can perform and the musical score that mixes Arabic with rock and roll, and being able to turn back time with the Dagger of Time can thankfully prevent complete start-overs after slipping up. Amid the coolness is a solid morality tale about the dangers of trying to bring glory to oneself, where the Prince is fighting to undo his own mistakes; the relationship he develops with Princess Farah also adds a witty and emotional core to the story. The one major caveat is the constantly scanty attire, and I've avoided its sequels (sans the slightly censored Wii version of the third one) because they're even worse in this regard; I also hear that they're more brutally violent and less thematically sound. Here's to hoping that the Sands of Time remake turns out well.
Half-Life 2 (2004) blew me away when I first played it, even though I first played it two gaming generations after its release, and I'd seen it being played a few years earlier. I beat the first Half-Life (1998) beforehand, which itself was revolutionary for its own time, but it didn't prepare me for the craft, attention to detail, and constantly innovative gameplay of its sequel; I can't believe it was only released in 2004. On a now-defunct blog, I even wrote several essays trying to decipher this game's theological implications and moral themes. Ultimately, though, after my most recent attempt to play it (which was a couple years after my last full playthrough), I couldn't finish it. The game wallows too much much in grimness, and it makes the villains horrifically evil as to justify the brutality we pay them back. Still, part of me continues to be invested in this series; watching the ending to Half-Life: Alyx (2020) blew my mind, and I'm curious about how the long-fabled Half-Life 3 will play out.
Shadow of the Colossus (2005), along with its spiritual predecessor Ico (2001) on the same remastered collection, is the reason I don't fully regret buying a PS3 (other iconic titles like Uncharted and especially The Last of Us didn't do it for me), though they weren't enough to make me keep my PlayStation account. Still, Shadow of the Colossus is exhilarating – a game with an empty world that only offers boss fights, with us as Wander having to tensely keep our stamina meter up as we climb these creatures and stab their weak spots, with a grandiose musical score elevating the battles to a whole other level. I just don't know what to make of the game's story; it seems to be a cautionary tale about making a deal with a metaphorical devil even for the right reasons, but the consequences of this deal are mixed, and those who committed the injustice that Wander's trying to correct with this deal are ultimately validated. Still, I'll never forget what makes this game exhilarating.
Portal (2007) and Portal 2 (2011) are both short enough to count as one entry. The original Portal was picked up by Valve, the developers of Half-Life, when a team of indie developers pitched a game that used, well, portals as a traveling and puzzle-solving mechanic, and it developed into the game that would become a cultural phenomenon. This first entry is short, sweet, and to the point, and I've played it the most of the duo, but technically, it does feel like a prototype for Portal 2, which is more expansive, even more inventive, and even funnier than the original, with Stephan Merchant and J.K. Simmons providing many of the laughs. Granted, Portal 2 also has a bit of a more mean-spirited tone than the original, and it's less critical of the A.I. GLaDOS's status as a man-made godlike figure. Nonetheless, I still enjoy revisiting both of these games.
Mirror's Edge (2008) is the closest game I have to a guilty pleasure, and like every title on this list sans Prince of Persia, I first got to it after the generation it was first released in. While I've seen others hail it as a masterpiece, I think its plot is nonsensically convoluted and its controls at times clunky; even for a game that can be beaten in an afternoon, its story feels stretched out. But boy does its parkour gameplay feel cool, and unlike Prince of Persia, it's in first-person. And for as wonky as this game is, its unnecessary and repetitive 2016 reboot, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, managed to make it look even better, making me realize how charming the original's cast of characters are and how much more a short, linear story fits this kind of gameplay than an open world.
Leave a comment Five More Video Games I've Played the Most
The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year – or at least its first entry, The Fellowship of the Ring, is. I wasn't old enough from 2001 to 2003 to see the trilogy in theaters, but I grew up from there watching it at home, and since it all functions as one continuous story, I consider it my favorite movie of all time.
Along with Star Wars, Zelda, and The Wizard of Oz, it's also the reason why fantasy is my favorite genre, or at least in theory. There are times where the genre can be too fantastical for me, like Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Wolfgang Peterson's The Neverending Story, and Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Then again, those films are more in line with Oz than Rings, where protagonists from the real world are transported into fantasy worlds; Oz's weirdness is made palatable to me by its sense of whimsy and nostalgia.
Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, is a swords and sorcery epic, with its source material having invented the modern iteration of the genre, completely taking place in a richly crafted world with various kingdoms and races, like hobbits, men, elves, dwarfs, goblins, wizards, and even walking, talking trees.
While the sorcery in many examples of this genre veers uncomfortably close to actual occultism, such as in Matthew Robbins's Dragonslayer (I haven't seen and judged Harry Potter, the common go-to example of this, for myself), Lord of the Rings ironically pioneered this genre from a Christian imagination, where the sorcery is used exclusively by angelic beings, where supernatural abilities are part of the elves' nature, and where the corruptive One Ring is a metaphor for sin. Alas, the movies don't make it clear that wizards are angels, but it does enhance the movies knowing additional details from the books.
While Hollywood has since attempted to recapture the epic fantasy of Lord of the Rings, such as with the similarly based-on-a-Christian-author's Chronicles of Narnia, it hasn't done so with the same sense of mastery; Peter Jackson couldn't even do that with his later Hobbit trilogy, though one of that trilogy's biggest problems comes from turning a children's fairy tale into a Rings-type epic. Narnia's solid first entry (and only its first entry), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is arguably the next best thing to Rings.
But Lord of the Rings is remarkable all the way through The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King; it's sold especially by the use of practical effects as much as possible, New Zealand's landscapes, Howard Shore's score, and the performances from Ian McKellen (deservingly nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Fellowship), Viggo Mortenson, Sean Astin, and Andy Serkis.
Its CGI, while still the best of the early 2000s, doesn't look seamless like it did when it was first released (and I disagree with those who claim that it looks better than most movies today), and there are moments where the spectacle feels like it's done for the sake of spectacle, but far more often than not, the genre-defining battle sequences are exhilarating, especially in Return of the King, which is essentially the action-packed third act of a normal movie stretched out to three hours. But the battles would feel empty if they didn't involve characters worth caring about, and Return of the King manages to keep its heart afloat.
The only real problem I have with Return of the King is that after one character commits a huge mistake during the climax, said mistake is swept under the rug for the emotional twenty-minute epilogue, and said character is completely lionized; on the other hand, how culpable this character is of making this mistake is up to debate. Other than this ambiguity, Return of the King blows me away like no other movie; if it's not the greatest film ever made, then it's hands-down the greatest threequel ever made.
Of course, Tolkien's writing doesn't have such an emphasis on action; rather, it's deliberately paced and filled with poetry. Peter Jackson's vision of the story, though, is still an historic achievement; unlike in other Jackson works like The Frighteners and King Kong where the creative ambition is both a merit and a detriment, the ambition of filming three humongous movies at once and releasing each one a year after the other fully pays off, and its story remains a powerful testimony to fellowship, self-sacrifice, and hope.
T.'S GRADE: A
Leave a comment The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
BLOG AUTHOR T. MARTIN
Welcome to T.'s Take, where I irregularly review movies, review action-adventure video games, and announce my own artistic projects. You can also find me on Twitter, Youtube, Letterboxd, and Insta.
I grade movies as high as A's, because no movie is perfect, and I grade video games as high as A-'s, because I can't grade my favorite game any higher.
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text:
package matgr.ai.genetic;

import java.util.UUID;

public interface Genome {

    UUID genomeId();

    Genome deepClone(UUID genomeId);

    static <GenomeT extends Genome> GenomeT cloneGenome(GenomeT genome, boolean newId) {

        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
        GenomeT clone = (GenomeT) genome.deepClone(newId ? UUID.randomUUID() : genome.genomeId());

        if (!newId) {
            if (clone.genomeId() != genome.genomeId()) {
                throw new IllegalStateException("Invalid clone - Genome ID should not be altered by cloning");
            }
        }

        if (clone.getClass() != genome.getClass()) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid clone - deepClone not overridden correctly in derived class");
        }

        return clone;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


St Mary's Churchyard, Acton was used for burials under family rights until the 1920s, and contains some interesting monuments. In front of the church what was once the village green is now a pedestrian precinct.
Acton was part of the Manor of Fulham at the time of the Domesday Survey and a church had stood at the old centre of the village from at least 1228. An important stop on the London to Oxford coaching road, Acton developed into a market town and was later popular as a rural retreat. A larger parish church was erected in 1837 to serve the growing population, reconstructed in 1865-67. St Mary's Churchyard served as the main parish burial ground until 1863 when Churchfield Road Burial Ground was opened as a relief ground.
Opening is unrestricted. Church usually open 10.30am - 12.30am Monday-Saturday.


Electromagnetic Linear Solenoid for max. AC performance. High magnetic permeability & low magnetic loss.
AC or DC power supply, Iron frame & plunger, Electromagnetic Linear Solenoid.
Latching Electromagnetic Holding (force 1200g) or liniear pull Solenoid, magnetically latching for DC coil display.
Electromagnetic Hold Solenoid, special hold, no moving part within, to lift, move or retain ferrous material.


Valderrama, A., Lee, S., Batts, D., et al. (2016). Healthcare Organization and Hospital Discussion Guide For Cybersecurity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Healthcare facility staff can use this document--presented as a discussion-based exercise--to identify their cybersecurity challenges, needs, and strengths.


June 7th, 2014: I remember it fondly.
It was a whirlwind weekend of wedding gatherings, events and lots of amazing food. Loved ones traveled from near and far to celebrate our wedding as friends cheered us on. Nothing could be greater than launching our new adventures with so many blessings and well-wishes.
This past Sunday, Aaron and I celebrated a year of marriage. It's a drop in the bucket of years ahead, but a drop nonetheless.
And through our conversations, my husband has followed me through thick and thin as my heart faced turmoil of many kinds. We often think that adventures involve trekking to high elevations or swimming deep oceans; but adventures can happen in a small apartment, as one person pours their heart out to the other.


text:
Геннадий Семёнович Гун () — российский учёный-металлург, специалист в области обработки металлов давлением, доктор технических наук, профессор, заслуженный деятель науки РФ (1997), лауреат премии Правительства РФ в области науки и техники (1999).

Биография
Родился в Кировограде 3 июня 1939 года. Брат Рудольфа Семёновича Гуна, сын инженера-металлурга Семёна Борисовича Гуна. Вырос в Магнитогорске.

Окончил школу № 16 (1956, с серебряной медалью) и металлургический факультет Магнитогорского горно-металлургического института (МГМИ) (1961).
Там же: ассистент (1962—1965), младший научный сотрудник и аспирант (1965—1968), старший преподаватель (1968—1969), доцент (1969—1980), старший научный сотрудник (1980—1985), с 1985 профессор, заведующий кафедрой материаловедения, качества и сервиса металлургических и машиностроительных технологий (1987—2007), профессор кафедры машиностроительных и металлургических технологий (с 2007), проректор по научной работе (2003—2007), с 2007 г. — советник ректора (на правах проректора).

В 1968 г. защитил кандидатскую, в 1985 — докторскую диссертацию на тему «Совершенствование технологии производства высокоточных профилей оптимизацией по комплексному критерию качества».

Специалист в области обработки металлов давлением, оценки качества продукции и технологий. Создал новое направление в области квалиметрии, управления технологическими процессами обработки металлов давлением. Под его руководством и при личном участии разработаны процессы получения высокоточных профилей из композиционных и порошковых материалов для металлургического и машиностроительного производства.

Автор (соавтор) более 150 научных трудов, в том числе 12 монографий и 7 изобретений. Под его редакцией издано 17 сборников научных трудов по обработке сплошных и слоистых материалов. Организовал 6 международных научно-технических конференций.

Г.С. Гун разработал и возглавлял систему эстетического воспитания студентов МГМИ в качестве его проректора по эстетическому воспитанию на общественных началах, организовал студенческий камерный оркестр, который под его руководством стал лауреатом международных и национальных фестивалей и конкурсов. Как руководитель студенческой филармонии в 1984 году был удостоен почётного звания «Заслуженный работник культуры РСФСР».

Монографии:
 Стальная проволока: монография / Х. Н. Белалов, Н. А. Клековкина, Г. С. Гун, А. Г. Корчунов, М. А. Полякова Магнитогорск: Изд-во Магнитогорского государственного технического университета им. Г. И. Носова, 2011. 689 с.
 Управление качеством продукции в технологиях метизного производства: монография / А. Г. Корчунов, М. В. Чукин, Г. С. Гун, М. А. Полякова М.: Издательский дом «Руда и металлы», 2012. 164 с.
 Производство высокопрочной стальной арматуры для железобетонных шпал нового поколения: монография / Под общей редакцией М. В. Чукина. Авторский коллектив: Чукин М. В., Корчунов А. Г., Бакшинов В. А., Барышников М. П., Гун Г. С., Долгий Д. К., Ефимова Ю. Ю., Колокольцев В. М., Копцева Н. В., Куранов К. Ю., Лебедев В. Н., Мезин И. Ю., Полякова М. А. Чукин В. В. М.: Металлургиздат, 2014. 276 с.

Заслуженный работник культуры РСФСР (1984). Заслуженный деятель науки РФ (1997). Лауреат премии Правительства РФ в области науки и техники (1999).

Умер 25 января 2020 года в Израиле, где находился на лечении, после продолжительной болезни. Церемония прощания состоялась 30 января 2020 года в Магнитогорском государственном техническом университете.

Литература

Ссылки

Примечания

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Преносиви рачунар је врста рачунара пројекотвана да се преноси са једног места на друго и укључује монитор и тастатуру. Преносиви рачунари се због своје величине често називају "кофери". Главна предност преносивог рачунара над лаптопом и другим врстама покретних рачунара је употреба стандардне матичне плоче која омогућава додавање додатних картица. Преносиви рачунари такође пружају више места за складиштење података јер користе стандардне 3-1/2" уређаје.

Спољашње везе

Рачунари
Класе рачунара


Over/Under: Over 133.5 at 1.83 Bet Now!
Sixth plays seventh in the FIBA Champions League and this is a game that both of these sides will believe they have a chance of winning. The hosts, currently with a 3-6 record can move up the table if they win but for the away side, with a 1-8 record, this game is about narrowing the gap on the Skyliners and trying to create some space between themselves and the Bakken Bears.
When these two sides clashed earlier in the season, it was the Skyliners that grabbed the win and this will leave the hosts with a touch of confidence coming into this game. The hosts have lost three matches on the spin, falling to Banvit, AS Monaco and Ironi Nahariya, since their 81-74 win over Aris. There are a lot of good teams in Group A, so it is no surprise that the Skyliners have struggled slightly but there is no doubt that this is a game the hosts need to take advantage of. Kwame Vaughn has been a star player so far this season, offering an average of 14.3 points per game.
The Suns have only won one game this season and that came against the Bakken Bears, the other side with a 1-8 record at this stage of the season. The Suns are on a 5 game losing streak and while this away tie will be a tough challenge, it is one of the few away games where they stand a chance. With the Bears facing Monaco on Wednesday night, that should be a loss for the bottom side so this is a genuine chance to move away from the foot of the table. Tomaš Kyzlink has been a key player for Helios Suns so far, offering an average of 13.2 points per game.
The hosts should have enough about them to claim victory and you can back the Fraport Skyliners at -10, at odds of 1.83. For the Over/Under market, go OVER 133.5 at odds of 1.83. Bet Now!


These babies tick all the boxes both comfy and stylish! The perfect slide that you will live in featuring a woven leather style and thicker front strap across the toes, you'll be able to walk marathons in these! Team them with your favourite florals or denim!


The Friends of Dupré Library Annual Book Sale will be held Nov. 4 - 6.
Fiction and nonfiction used books on a wide variety of topics are available for research and for leisure reading.
Hardcover books cost $1, and paperbacks are 50¢. The sale also includes LPs and some other recordings, priced at $1 for singles and $2 for sets.
The book sale will be open Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. It will take place on the first floor of the library.
The library is located at 400 East St. Mary Boulevard. Public parking lots are located on McKinley Street in front of the Student Union and at the corner of St. Mary Boulevard and Girard Park Circle.


text:
Ве́нтильная голо́вка (в просторечии — кран-букса) — устройство для подачи и закрытия воды в смесителях вентильного типа — для холодной и горячей воды соответственно. Чаще всего изготовляется из латуни.

Конструкция
Состоит из шлямбура (корпуса) (1), штуцера (2) и штока (8) (см. рис. 1.1). Шлямбур имеет резьбу (3) с прокладкой (5) для герметичного ввинчивания в корпус смесителя. Передняя часть шлямбура выполнена в виде шестигранника под гаечный (разводной) ключ. Штуцер закрепляется в шлямбуре с помощью быстросъёмной шайбы (7), которая надевается на канавку и служит как бы подшипником, когда букса установлена в смеситель, а также предотвращая её выпадение, когда она снята (штуцер вынимается внутрь шлямбура, если смотреть на него спереди).

Виды букс

Резьбовые буксы
В таких буксах внутренняя часть штуцера (см. рис. 1.1) представляет собой червячный винт с левой резьбой (4), которая вкручивается в шток (8), представляющий собой полый запорный шестигранник входящий в шестигранное гнездо шлямбура. Наружная часть штуцера имеет головку (6) под маховик. Штуцер, вращаясь, заставляет шток двигаться поступательно. На противоположном конце штока на шкворне (11) закреплена резиновая запорная прокладка (10), которая в закрытом положении полностью перекрывает седло клапана смесителя от водопровода, прекращая подачу воды. Для открытия/закрытия крана нужно сделать несколько оборотов (3-4). Недостатком буксы такого типа является относительно частый износ запорной прокладки. Когда она изнашивается и не держит воду, слышен характерный дребезжащий гул — вентиль резонирует. На рис. 2. показаны положения штока в открытом (слева) и закрытом положениях (справа). На переднюю резьбу для эстетичности внешнего вида надевается пластиковый или металлический декоративный колпак. Иногда вместо этого используется маховик с длинным стволом (закрытого типа), который полностью скрывает буксу.

Металлокерамические буксы
В этих буксах подача/закрытие воды осуществляется при помощи металлокерамических тщательно отполированных дисков, обычно из окиси алюминия (Al2O3). Шлямбур в таких буксах имеет цилиндрическую форму с отверстиями по бокам цилиндра. Штуцер имеет два выступа, соединяемых с верхним, подвижным диском. Оба диска имеют прорези для подачи воды (верхний подвижный — V-образные вырезы, с которыми соединяются выступы штуцера; нижний неподвижный — окошки треугольной формы). Для открытия/закрытия такого крана нужно повернуть маховик на 90° или 180° в ту или иную сторону — тогда прорези либо совмещаются (вода идёт), либо перекрываются (воды нет). В торец шлямбура вставляется упорная резиновая прокладка, прижимающая нижний диск к верхнему, благодаря чему обеспечивается герметичность. Как и у резьбовой, у данной буксы также относительно часто изнашивается прижимная прокладка, об износе которой говорит дребезжащий гул. Также недостатком является высокая чувствительность к воде (особенно, если в воде присутствуют примеси песка) и желательность установки водоочистного фильтра.

Совместимость
Буксы отечественного (СССР, Россия) и зарубежного производства не взаимозаменяемы, то есть невозможно заменить неисправную буксу на отечественном смесителе зарубежной и наоборот. То же относится и к маховикам: у отечественных букс головка под маховик квадратная, у зарубежных — шлицевая.

При замене нужно учитывать размеры буксы (1/2 или 3/8 дюйма), длину её штока и число шлицов (20 или 24) на импортных буксах (иначе маховик установить не удастся). Для маховика (вентиля) крестообразной формы используется специальная кран-букса с резьбой в верхней части. К ней прикручивается юбка маховика. В народе такую кран-буксу называют «под крест».

Техника безопасности
 Перед заменой (ремонтом) буксы нужно обязательно отключить воду.
 Чрезмерная затяжка керамической буксы может вызвать поломку дисков.

См. также
 Смеситель
 Кран

Ссылки
 Как выкрутить, снять и заменить кран-буксу
 Септик.гуру
 П. А. Галкин, Е. А. Галкина — Большая энциклопедия сантехники. Изд. ЭКСМО, 2012. ISBN 978-5-699-41062-0
 В. А. Волков — Справочник сантехника. Как всё устроено и как всё починить. Изд. АСТ, Астрель, 2006. ISBN 5-17-034756-1, ISBN 5-271-13237-4

Примечания

Водопровод
Трубопроводная арматура
Сантехника


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Please contact the travel company direct if you have any queries relating to route numbers or travel times.
If you are aged 16-19 years, you may be eligible for subsidised or fully funded travel. Please click here to find out more and apply.


text:
Home » Blog » Where to Find the Best Bars in Austin (29 of Them!)
Where to Find the Best Bars in Austin (29 of Them!)
Editorial credit: Rolf_52 / Shutterstock.com
👉 Best Sports Bars
👉 Best Dive Bars
👉 Best Live Music Bars
👉 Best Gay Bars
👉 Best Patio Bars
👉 Best Hotel Bars
The best bars in Austin don't have a type. But you knew that already.
The best bars in Austin are some of the best bars in Texas on the whole. The best dive bars in Austin are real honky-tonks — preserving old Austin culture in the face of the tech onslaught. The best cocktail bars in Austin stack up with any in New York — let alone Dallas and Houston. The best bars in Austin for live music are big parts of the cultural fabric of the city.
The best sport bars in Austin count cowboys and tech execs among their regulars. The thing that unites them is the Longhorns.
Heck, love of the Longhorns transcends sports bars. Goodall's Kitchen & Bar, one of the best hotel bars in Austin, used to feature a Longhorn Margarita as its signature cocktail.
The best bars in Austin TX are all over the spectrum — but they have something in common. They're the labs where Austin's weird and wonderful culture is constantly evolving.
Best Sports Bars
2021 marked Austin's entry to major league sports with the inaugural season of Austin FC. But Austin sports fans haven't really needed it — they've been spoiled for choice for most of the city's modern history.
The Longhorns are first — in preference and often in the standings. Their baseball team is the winningest team in NCAA Division 1 history, but they're not the team that brings in the most fans. Longhorns football is legendary around these parts, packing Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium, the ninth-largest stadium in the world, on a regular basis.
And Longhorns basketball? The University of Texas is the alma mater of Kevin Durant, perhaps the best basketball player in the world.
Besides all that, Austinites have their choice of 12 pro sports teams in the rest of Texas to root for. Not having a local team has its advantages.
So it should come as no surprise that Austin sports fans are passionate. Here are the bars where they show up best.
What to order: They have 6 margaritas on the menu
https://cover-3.com
Since shuttering their downtown location, Cover 3 is down to two Austin locations — that is, if you include their 'Cover 2' north Austin branch, and exclude the Round Rock spot. It's remained one of the best sports bars in Austin, on the strength of their made-from-scratch menu and upscale sports bar concept. The proof is in the pudding — Cover 3 has won Do512's 'Restaurant of the Week' award and had their Chop-House burger ranked by Texas Monthly as the 12th-best burger in the state.
The League Kitchen and Tavern
What to order: Check out the 4 mules on the menu
https://www.leaguekitchen.com
The concept should be familiar to nostalgia hounds — The League is a Prohibition-themed bar that skips the bathtub gin in favor of fried pickles and blood orange Prosecco spritzes. Buttoned diner booths surround the tables, providing shelter from the flat-screens of the bar section.
What to order: Weekend brunch features 5 flavors of mimosa
https://thepark.us
OK, you know the drill — not your run-of-the-mill sports bar, with a scratch-made kitchen and tastefully-placed flat-screens. What makes The Park unique? Let's start with their generous happy hour offerings, which range from Monday's all-day drink specials to a four-hour sweet spot for margaritas and sirloin sliders. Park-ing tends to be easy at their downtown-adjacent locations. There's even a tree growing out of their large South Lamar terrace.
Location: 922 W 12th St, Austin
What to order: One of the top chicken wings in Austin
https://www.tavernaustin.com
Before there was Austin FC there were the Austin Aztex, which played in the United Soccer League. The Tavern was their home.
Here are some fans drinking from their USL-PDL Championship trophy in 2013:
The team dissolved in 2017, but The Tavern still contains multitudes. Over its 5,000 square feet, it houses the Esther's Follies comedy troupe, the all-hours Star's Café, 30-plus flat-screens over two floors and a dog-friendly terrace.
BBG's
Location: 214 E 6th St, Austin
What to order: Their chicken wings come in 11 different flavors
https://www.bbgsaustin.com
Remember 'breastaurant' chain Bikini's Sports Bar and Grill? BBG's is its replacement, with the same corporate overlords but fewer bikinis. But let's not bury the lede — BBG's does everything a sports bar should, with a long bar facing several flat-screens, a good offering of local beers and pub classics, and some great 6th Street energy.
Best Dive Bars
Austin's dive bars are a crucial part of the 'keep-Austin-weird' culture. As Travis Tober, co-owner of Nickel City, told Tribeza, "They're one of the last remaining places where people of all walks of life can still hang out in the same room, and Austin is better for it."
Giddy Ups
Location: 12010 Menchaca Rd, Austin
What to order: Choose from 3 whiskey flights
https://giddyups.com
Giddy Ups is a classic honky-tonk, with live music, karaoke and shuffleboard tournaments throughout the week. It's also home to the "Biggest Little Stage in South Austin," and the annual Spring Fling Music Festival.
Deep Eddy Cabaret
Location: 2315 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin
What to order: The cheapest bottle of Lone Star in the area
https://deepeddycabaret.com
Deep Eddy Cabaret may be the most legendary honky-tonk on this list. There's no live music on the schedule most nights, just a well-worn lounge surrounded by souvenirs of drinking sessions past, a classics-packed jukebox and fellow day drinkers. Though the swimming hole it was named after has since dried up, this watering hole continues to draw all types. Just remember — they don't run tabs, even with the credit card company!
Barfly's
Location: 5420-B Airport Blvd, Austin
What to order: Lone Star and Jäger combo
http://www.barflysaustin.com
Barfly's opened in 2001, and fulfills its dive bar mission so well that it's made USA Today's 10Best roundup of top bars in Austin of any type. There are no house cocktails or live music — instead they've got pool, foosball, arcade games and a big smoking section on the patio. Most essential for a dive bar, they've got the vibe down pat.
Ego's Lounge
Location: 510 S Congress Ave Austin
What to order: Strong mixed drinks
https://egos-karaoke-bar.business.site
Wondering where it's always karaoke night? Check out Ego's from 8 pm to 2 am seven nights a week for a great song list and some of the best karaoke singers in town. Just know what you're getting into. They take their karaoke seriously and won't hesitate to kick out rule-breakers and piss-takers — check out their love-them-or-hate-them Yelp reviews to get a sense of visitors' wildly divergent experiences.
Location: 500 Comal St, Austin
What to order: 3 words: Whiskey. On. Tap.
https://www.thewhitehorseaustin.com
If you're looking for a honky-tonk in East Austin, just follow the yellow-painted cinder blocks. The White Horse has live music every night of the week, a big dance floor, a photo booth and a shoe shine station. Condé Nast Traveler calls it "perhaps the coolest honky-tonk in Austin." It's a great place for cowboys, birthday girls and fun enthusiasts of every stripe.
Best Live Music Bars
Austin is the 'Live Music Capital of the World' — so it should come as no surprise its live music bars get their own category.
Gone are the days where live music was exclusive to 6th Street — now, Austin has great live music all over the map.
Austin Chronicle has a great live music calendar here.
Location: 912 Red River, Austin
What to order: They have a 'Build Your Own Bloody' menu
https://mohawkaustin.com/
Mohawk is one of Austin's main all-ages venues, with a heavier slant on the music and plenty of it. Between their indoor and outdoor stages — not to mention a full-service roof deck — visitors can expect to be entertained most days of the week. They have an everyday happy hour for the quiet times between.
Continental Club
Location: 1315 South Congress Ave, Austin
What to order: Local draft beer
https://continentalclub.com/austin
The Continental Club started out in the 50s as a swanky supper club before becoming Austin's first burlesque club. In the 70s it become what it is today — one of Austin's most legendary live music venues. Standard-bearers from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Link Wray to Robert Plant to Willie Nelson have graced the stage. "It was kind of a cosmic cowboy bar, mixed in with some rock and blues," employee Dianne Scott told the L.A. Times. It still has that classic vibe going, winning the Austin Chronicle's 'Best Intimate Live Music Venue' award two of the last three years.
Elephant Room
Location: 315 Congress Ave, Austin
What to order: They've got 20 draft beers on top
https://elephantroom.com
This basement bar has been called one the top 100 jazz clubs in the world by DownBeat Magazine. It's got music every night of the week, starting at around 9.30 pm. Come early for the happy hour, 6–8 pm, and to make sure you get a table.
Empire Control Room & Garage
What to order: Go to their crawfish boil next SXSW!
https://empireatx.com/shows
Empire is a super-modern club, with 15,000 square feet of concert space spread across three stages — the giant, 1,000-person capacity garage, an indoor space called the control room and a creekside patio. Make sure you come early to get good sightlines for the low-rise stage, and watch out for the auto-gratuity they've been known to put on checks at busy times.
Best Gay Bars
Austin is one of the most LGBTQIA-friendly cities in the US, and it has a thriving queer culture to show for it. The city had gay bars before the gay liberation movement of the 1970s came to Austin, and its nightlife has only gotten stronger since.
Most of Austin's gay bars are clustered around 4th Street — the Warehouse District.
Oilcan Harry's
Location: 211 W 4th St, Austin
What to order: $1 mimosas on Sunday Fundays
https://oilcanharrys.com
This is Austin's oldest gay bar and still one of its best, regularly featuring on 10best lists and Austin Chronicle's best ofs. This gay mainstay has three bar areas, and no shortage of karaoke, drag king and queen shows, bingo, amateur strip contests and themed parties like 80s' nights.
Rain of 4th
What to order: Sidle up to the front bar and order from Bobby
https://www.rainon4th.com
Down the street from Oilcan is Rain, which has a similarly storied reputation. Check out its six-year Austin Chronicle 'Best LGBTQ Hangout' run of the mid-to-late aughts. While it might not be regarded as the top spot anymore, its disco ball still shines down on a packed crowd most nights, with drag shows, strip contests and theme nights to keep them dancing.
Cheer Up Charlies
Location: 900 Red River St, Austin
What to order: Wunder-Pilz Kombucha on tap
http://cheerupcharlies.com
Cheer Up Charlies picked up where Oilcan and Rain left off, winning pretty much every Austin Chronicle LGBTQIA best of from 2010 to the present. How did it manage this stunning takeover?
It's more than just a gay bar. Charlies won Austin Chronicle's 'Best Intimate Live Music Venue' award in 2018 and 'Best Cocktail' in 2015 for the kombucha-whiskey-ginger Golden Ticket.
"This place is just welcoming, period," artist Juan Wences told the Austin Chronicle. "You have all walks of life on that dance floor moving and grooving together like Gaga intended."
The Iron Bear
What to order: $6 beer pitchers on Sundays
http://www.theironbear.com/
We had to save a spot on the list for Austin's only bear bar! With underwear nights, drag brunch and Musical Mondays, this bear bar has something for everyone.
Best Patio Bars
Patio bars have always had a special place in Austinite hearts, but since the pandemic they've been essential! Here are some of the best.
Yellow Jacket Social Club
Location: 1704 E 5th St, Austin
What to order: Lone Star beer to complement your Frito pie
https://www.yellowjacketsocialclub.com
If you're in East Austin and hoping to eat better than the girls on that show, grab a picnic table and a Frito pie, or maybe one of Austin's best grilled cheeses. For this and many other reasons, Yellow Jacket has been buzzing up the patio power rankings.
Yard Bar
Location: 6700 Burnet Rd, Austin
What to order: Something off their 'Hair of the Dog' menu
https://www.yardbar.com
We've spent a bit too much time talking about what humans like — what about our four-legged friends? Yard Bar's got them covered, with a patio doubling as a dog park and specific breed meetup days, as well as all the things humans like.
Hula Hut
What to order: Hu-La-La — the signature cocktail
https://www.hulahut.com
Hula Hut's patio is right next to another thing people love about the outdoors — water. They've been serving Tex-Mex with a Hawaiian twist since 1993 under a lakeside thatched roof.
The Little Darlin'
Location: 6507 Circle S Rd, Austin
What to order: Their version of a michelada — a beer and Bloody Mary popsicle
https://www.thelittledarlin.com
At the intersection of dive and patio bar sits the Little Darlin'. Intended as a hangout space first, Darlin's huge patio nails the vibe with lawn games, bench swings and a more relaxed atmosphere than 500 people gathered in one place usually produce.
Scholz Garten
Location: 1607 San Jacinto Blvd
What to order: A German beer and a build-your-own sausage
http://www.scholzgarten.com
Transcending the patio bar category, Scholz Garten is the oldest business still operating in all of Texas. Opened by German immigrant August Scholz in 1866, it's stayed remarkably true to its original mission — a place where everyone can come together and hash out their differences over a pint.
Best Hotel Bars
Austin's hotel bars have become a new home for the city's cocktail culture. The following hotel bars are for more than just tourists.
Geraldine's, Hotel Van Zandt
Location: 605 Davis St, Austin
What to order: Geraldine's G&T
https://www.geraldinesaustin.com
Geraldine's is good for more than just pretty views of Lady Bird Lake. Kimpton, the adjoining hotel's operator, is known for their chef-driven, independently-operated restaurants, and Geraldine's has a glam swag all its own. Warm up by the fireplace before tucking into their library of American whiskeys and agave spirits.
The Driskill Bar, The Driskill
Location: 604 Brazos St, Austin
What to order: The Batini, aka the official cocktail of Austin
https://driskillhotel.com/dining/driskill-bar
The Driskill is still the grandest of all Austin hotels, and its bar is no less impressive. Built in 1886 by cattle baron Jesse Driskill, the Driskill Bar still has its worn-leather authenticity. If raspy-voiced piano players and 19th century ranch grandeur are your things, you'll be happy you came.
Goodall's Kitchen & Bar, Hotel Ella
Location: 1900 Rio Grande St, Austin
What to order: The Longhorn Margarita is out — get the Ellavation instead
https://hotelella.com/goodalls
Goodall's drinks lean in an exotic direction, especially considering the prim and proper surroundings. Their menu is elaborate at every turn, whether you prefer a rich drink like the Parts Unknown — Tito's, Caffe del Fuego, Godiva Dark Chocolate and Disaronno — or the tamarind-orgeat-mezcal-rum blend of The Statesman.
The Secret Bar, W Austin
Location: 200 Lavaca St, Austin
What to order: A martini, don't skip the vermouth
https://www.yelp.com/map/the-secret-bar-austin
There are no secrets anymore in the internet age. Well, to be fair, if you really want to have a secret bar, there are better places to put it than inside another bar in a W Hotel. But you didn't come here (through the Records Room in the W's Living Room Bar) to be a stickler, so get a drink that complements the Mad Men vibe and play along. Open from 6 pm until late, Thursday through Saturday.
Bar Moxy, Moxy Hotel
Location: 2552 Guadalupe Street, Austin
What to order: $12 mimosa carafes on Sundays
https://www.moxyyouniversity.com
There aren't too many hotel bars that could pull off a Mean Girls–themed MONTH, but Bar Moxy managed to do it in 2021. It's a cute bar with a lot of gimmicks — like swings, ping pong, table games, fire pits and 24-hour tacos. If being close to the university doesn't faze you, you'll be in for a good time.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Greenland is divided into five municipalities  Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, and Sermersooq  as well as the large Northeast Greenland National Park which is unincorporated. The Thule Air Base is administered by the United States Air Force and operates as an unincorporated enclave surrounded by territory of Avannaata.

Municipalities

History
Greenland was originally divided between the two colonies of North Greenland with its capital at Qeqertarsuaq (formerly Godhavn) and South Greenland with its capital at Nuuk (formerly Godthaab). These were directed by inspectors until 1924, when the officials were promoted to governors. The colonies were united in 1940 and the administration centralized at Godthaab.

In 1953 a new Danish constitution promoted Greenland to full membership in the Danish state with all of its inhabitants given Danish citizenship.

Divisions and national park
For statistical and some regulatory purposes the country was divided into three divisions (landsdele) in 1951: West Greenland, North Greenland and East Greenland. The large Northeast Greenland National Park was established in 1974 encompassing the northern part of East Greenland and amended with the eastern part of North Greenland in 1988.

With the advent of Home Rule in 1979, these names were Greenlandicized to Kitaa, Tunu, and Avannaa. By 2008, Kitaa had 15 municipalities, Tunu 2, and Avannaa 1.

Municipalities
In 1908 Greenland was divided into 63 municipalities with elected municipal councils. After the modernization phase started in the 1950s these were consolidated and by 1979 there were 18 municipalities.

The structural reform in 2008-09 created 4 enlarged municipalities.  Of these the largest, Qaasuitsup Kommunia, was partitioned on 1 January 2018 to form the new municipalities of Avannaata and Qeqertalik.

Kitaa (West Greenland)

Southern part:
Nanortalik Municipality
Qaqortoq Municipality
Narsaq Municipality
Ivittuut Municipality
Paamiut Municipality
Central part:
Nuuk Municipality
Maniitsoq Municipality
Sisimiut Municipality
Kangaatsiaq Municipality
Aasiaat Municipality
Qasigiannguit Municipality
Ilulissat Municipality
Qeqertarsuaq Municipality
Northern part:
Uummannaq Municipality
Upernavik Municipality

Tunu (East Greenland)
Ammassalik Municipality
Ittoqqortoormiit Municipality
Northeast Greenland National Park (southern part) (unincorporated)

Avannaa (North Greenland)
Qaanaaq Municipality
Thule Air Base (Pituffik) (unincorporated)

See also

KANUKOKA, the municipalities' leadership council
Subdivisions of the Nordic countries
ISO 3166-2:GL
ISO 3166-2:DK

References

Greenland

Greenland
Greenland


Its 2031. Strange creatures have taken Over a Small town, And Everyone is Forced to Fend for themselfs.
The U.K Goverment has decided to seal the Infested town in A dome, Meaning no escape.
Yet, They supply the Uninfected with one Important thing.
Submachine guns, Light machine guns, Assault rifles, Shotguns, Rocket launchers, You name It, You have it.
Food Is scarce, Therefore people have to venture out of the safety of Domesecure (The Survival Base) To find it.
But, There is an Antidote.
It works, But it where the most feared zombie Is. Project Blackspine.
This creature is made Entirely Out of Spines, And One Small touch will put you in pieces.
You have just left your home, And youre ready to Work for Domesecure.
You have to make some options first.
Primary:(Assault rifles,Submachine guns,Light machine guns, Sniper rifles.
Job:Guard:Goes in to the places recon's Have found food/Water and defend it waiting for Heli extraction.
Recon: Heads out To find Food/Water.
Medic:Probably the most dangerous job, Goes to the Antidote place of the town Heavily armed, Can have to Primarys and 2 secondarys.
Choose Carefully, It could be a choice of Life or death.
Then what Are you still here for?Fight some zombies!


The Great Batavia Train Show has moved on down the line.
After a successfully spring show at Richard C. Call Arena at Genesee Community College, the show returns for its fall event after years of hosting it at Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.
The show has been ongoing for more than 40 years, with all forms of railroad and train-related merchandise, modeling demonstrations and door prizes.
The Genesee Society of Model Engineers has promoted the hobby of model railroading in the Western New York area for nearly 50 years. This not-for-profit organization is headquartered at 50 Main St. in Oakfield. In its facility above the M&T Bank, its membership maintains four operating model train displays. An open house is offered free to the public each December, and visitors are welcome on Tuesday evenings.
The train show will be from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 11. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for those under 18 and free for children under 13.
For more information, visit www.gsme.org.


text:
No safe level: pollution labelled a public health emergency
By Jenny Noyes
December 16, 2019 — 12.00am
A joint statement signed by 22 organisations has labelled Sydney's poor air quality a "public health emergency" that requires urgent government action, as NSW braces for more smoke and a looming heatwave.
Released by the Climate and Health Alliance on Monday, with signatures from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, Public Health Association of Australia and 19 other organisations, the statement said "there is no safe level of air pollution".
Hazardous pollution levels are linked to "premature births, low birth weight babies, impaired lung development in children, asthma, heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer," the statement said.
It urges NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison to show leadership and "implement measures to help alleviate the health and climate crisis" – including the development of a national strategy on climate and health.
Sydney and other parts of NSW are bracing for another week of smoke haze, combined with temperatures in some areas soaring well into the 40s as a heatwave sweeps the state from Wednesday.
That forecast is prompting NSW Health to advise vulnerable groups to plan ahead and if possible to stay indoors, preferably with airconditioning or a fan.
Sydney is barely recognisable under smoke on Tuesday. Credit:Peter Braig
But NSW Health director of health protection, Jeremy McAnulty, said despite the "concerning" short-term effects of bushfire smoke, "we wouldn't expect these sorts of occurrences to lead to any long-term chronic health problems". He said Sydney's air quality, notwithstanding the bushfires, was "generally very good".
On Sunday, air quality hit "hazardous" levels again in Camden, Campbelltown and Liverpool, while it was "very poor" in the north-west and "poor" in the city's east.
Last Tuesday, Sydney's air pollution soared to levels 11 times higher than the "hazardous" threshold as thick bushfire smoke seeped into buildings, and emergency departments were inundated with twice the average number for a single day this time of year.
NSW Opposition Leader Jodi McKay has accused Ms Berejiklian of "neglecting her responsibilities" during Tuesday's heavy smoke haze. Ahead of this week's forecast heatwave, she said the Premier and Health Minister Brad Hazzard should personally provide daily pollution warnings, make available urgent additional resources to hospitals, and launch a public health awareness campaign.
"People require public health information so they can make basic decisions," Ms McKay said.
"Should they be wearing a face mask? Is it fine to sleep with the windows open? Should I let my kids run around in the park?
"This is what people are saying to me at everything from backyard barbecues to school assembly morning teas – why aren't there air quality warnings and where is Gladys Berejiklian?"
NSW AMA president Kean-Seng Lim said the combination of hazardous air quality and increasing heatwave days was "likely to see increased stress on the health system".
Dr Lim said he "fully supports the sentiment" of the CAHA statement, and there is "no simple answer" to managing the health effects of climate change.
"There's no question that the current air quality issue with the unprecedented number of days with hazardous air quality is causing harm right now and possibly into the future. We really don't know what the effect of this could be on developing lungs in years to come," he said.
The Premier's office has been approached for comment.
Jodi McKay
Jenny Noyes is a journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via Twitter, Facebook or email.


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MY PERSPECTIVE
Living Our Commitment to Community By Michael Hemesath '81, President "In every parish I have worked, it is the Johnnies and Bennies who are providing the lay leadership to keep the community strong and healthy." So said a Twin Cities priest when a Johnnie introduced himself and his alma mater came up in the conversation. At a recent reunion, Johnnies honored two of their physician classmates from small Central Minnesota towns, in part for their work in healthcare but more significantly
in this issue, the history of Benedictine service in The Bahamas goes back to 1891, and Bahamian students have been braving Minnesota winters since 1924. This long and deep relationship has without a doubt had the most impact on any community outside of Minnesota, and arguably rivals the influence of Johnnie grads anywhere. When I first visited The Bahamas in 2013, I had the privilege of meeting the Governor-General of The Bahamas, Sir Arthur Foulkes. He was a long-serving politician and ambassador, and an important leader of the independence movement in the Bahamas in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. After centuries of colonial rule, in 1973 The Bahamas earned independence from Britain and became a sovereign nation. The 1960s and '70s were an era during which many former European colonies became independent, but the Bahamian path was different than that of many other nations. "The independence movement took place with relatively little political, economic and social unrest and almost no violence. I believe this was due in large part to the Catholic and Benedictine influence in The Bahamans," Sir Arthur said. "Without the Benedictines, the transition to independence and our future could have been very different."
Many Benedictine-educated men, both from Saint Augustine's College (high school) in The The February reception in Nassau, Bahamas with members of the SJU Bahamas and at SJU, provided a strong base of Alumni Association and CSB Alumnae Association Bahamas Chapters leaders across political parties that supported a is an annual highlight for Saint John's President Michael Hemesath and peaceful, democratic transition. Subsequently, Saint Benedict President Mary Hinton. those same leaders and younger Johnnies and Bennies helped maintain political stability for the philanthropic and civic leadership they provided to and economic growth, making The Bahamas one of the help their towns thrive. most well-educated and prosperous nations in the British A big holiday charitable event felt like Reunion on campus Commonwealth. with the participation of dozens of Johnnies and Bennies who had supported and often led one of the most important One of the most important hallmarks of our Benedictine charism and the education we provide at Saint John's is our social service organizations in the Twin Cities. sense of community. Whether the influence is in a small One of the things that makes SJU and CSB so well-known church parish or in a nation-at-large, we can be immensely and widely respected in Minnesota and beyond is the way proud of how Johnnies past and present have lived their our alumni succeed both personally and professionally commitment to community. – and at the same time contribute to making their communities a better place. Read more perspectives from Michael Hemesath by visiting This is certainly true in The Bahamas. As you will read his blog Quad 136 at blogs.csbsju.edu/mhemesath/
2 WINTER/SPRING 2019
CSB & SJU
Saint John's Magazine Winter/Spring 2019
Saint John's Magazine is published in the fall and winter for alumni, parents, friends and the Saint John's University campus community.
csbsju


Gabriel my friend, I wish you nothing but the best! I know a lot about your capacity, your talents and your determination…that's why your name is Gladiator! You are a natural born fighter, a true champion that teaches and instills principals in our lives. I have followed and studied your skill for many years and I know very well what I'm talking about and who I'm talking about. I am very blessed to have been a part of your beginnings and even though we live far apart now I am always rooting for you and for your continued success! A huge hug from your friend "Velho" Sérgio Babu.


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These are resources that have been prepared for use by parents and families who are invested in school attendance. They may be relevant to the prevention of absenteeism, identifying the early signs of a school attendance problem, or responding to a chronic or severe attendance problem. If you are looking for resources in a language other than English, please check the 'My Country' menu.
Kearney, C.A. (2006). Solutions to school refusal for parents and kids: Pinpoint and address reinforcers of the child's behavior. Current Psychiatry, 5, 67-69, 73-76, 78, 83. (Reprinted in part from Journal of Family Practice article with extra material at editor's request).
Kearney, C.A., & Haight, C. (2011). Avoidance and school refusal. In G.P. Koocher & A.M. La Greca (Eds.), The parent's guide to psychological first aid: Helping children and adolescents cope with predictable life crises (pp. 206-212). New York: Oxford University Press.
Kearney, C.A. (2007). Getting your child to say "yes" to school: A guide for parents of youth with school refusal behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.
A podcast 'What to do when your child refuses to go to school', based on an interview with Dr. Jonathan Dalton, Director of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change.
A website called 'School Refusal Families' focused on school refusal, prepared by a person conducting research in this area
A website called 'School Refusal Hope' for the parents of school-refusing youth
'Peer support for Australian families with children & teens experiencing school refusal', a parent-created website under the name School Phobia / School Refusal Australia.
A blogg about school refusal, titled 'Tis better to have feared and fled, than never to have feared at all'.
A handout for parents, about how they can support a child with school refusal
A handout for parents with information and strategies to help them assist their child or adolescent who has been refusing to attend school
Disclaimer: INSA's Mission encourages us to disseminate as much readily available information as possible, without judgement. The sharing of this information should not be seen as an endorsement by INSA. Please access and use the information with proper judgement. Information shared remains the right of those who authored it and they maintain such right even when you access the information via the INSA website. Please reach out to the authors directly if you have questions or suggestions.


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Home/Sports/Highlights Netherlands vs Argentina: Messi's Argentina beat Netherlands 4-3 on penalties to reach semi-finals | Football news
Highlights Netherlands vs Argentina: Messi's Argentina beat Netherlands 4-3 on penalties to reach semi-finals | Football news
NEW DELHI: Argentina and Lionel Messi keep their World Cup dreams alive on a tense night as they beat Netherlands 4-3 on penalties to reach the semi-finals on Saturday. Argentina will now face runner-up Croatia, who knocked Brazil out of the tournament with a penalty shootout win on Friday, in the final four on Wednesday.
The two-time champions advanced to the semi-finals after taking a 2-0 lead at the end of the second half, before making a substitution Wout Weghorst sent the game into extra time by scoring two late goals for the Netherlands. The Netherlands' second goal came late in the 111th minute. The score was still leveled at 2-2 after 30 minutes of extra time, paving the way for a dramatic penalty shootout at the Lusail Stadium.
As it happened | Schedule & Results
Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez saved the first two Dutch penalties to give Argentina a 2-0 advantage in the penalty shootout. But Enzo Fernandes, who took the fourth penalty, missed his penalty for Argentina to give the Netherlands a glimmer of hope, before Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal for the South American team.
It's a Messi again miraculously for Argentina in regulation time, scoring their first goal with a decisive pass to Nahuel Molina in the first half. He then successfully netted a 73rd-minute penalty to help Argentina score two goals, before Weghorst came on from the bench and turned the game around. But in the end, it was a happy ending for Messi and his teammates.
Argentina to Semifinals!@adidasfootball | #FIFAWorldCup
– Football World Championship (@FIFAWorldCup) 1670623081000
Messi raised his hands in celebration in front of a swarm of Argentina fans, hopes of winning football's biggest prize at the fifth attempt still alive for a few more days.
A third bench melee of the match took place behind him as several Dutch players, distraught after coming so close to one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history , clashed with their Argentinian rivals.
Apparently on the way home with a 2-0 scoreline with only seven minutes remaining in official time, the Dutchman scored twice thanks to substitute Weghorst to send the game into goalless extra time. win.
Messi, almost certainly, played a key role in giving Argentina the lead.
All emotions… https://t.co/55zBVmMf9h
While Molina's goal put Argentina ahead in the 35th minute, it was Messi who unlocked the suffocating Dutch defense that snuffed out any previous chances.
The 35-year-old sent the ball out 40 yards and dribbled it left in front of the marked fence before passing it back to the right to Molina at the edge of the box.
The full-back touched the ball and poked a gap through the rushing goalkeeper Andries Noppert, much to the delight of the vast majority of 88,235 spectators at Lusail Stadium.
The Albiceleste's followers were even more excited in the 73rd minute when Messi scored a penalty in the midfield right after Denzel Dumfries fouled Marcos Acuna on the edge of the box.
What does that mean ❤🇦🇷#FIFAWorldCup | #FIFAFanFestival https://t.co/Ajwy4AdBdy
With a tactic more reminiscent of Sunday park football than Total Football, the Dutch returned to the competition by bombarding the Argentina area with high balls aimed at their tall players.
They paid off with a goal in the 83rd minute when Steven Berghuis crossed from the right and his substitute Wout Weghorst headed the ball past Martinez's pass.
The Argentine held the lead until 11th minute of injury time when Teun Koopmeiners deftly reversed a free-kick and let Weghorst free the ball past Martinez and level the game.
The Argentinians were shocked by the comeback early in extra time but they regained their composure to score against the Netherlands with shots, Enzo Hernandez coming closest to the goal with a shot. finish bouncing the vertical column.
It was the Dutchman's first loss in 20 games since last year's European Championship and ended 71-year-old Louis van Gaal's third term as manager.
(With input from agencies)
Argentina chaotic emi martinez Lautaro Martinez Lionel Messi netherlands World Football Championship wout weghorst
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