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Posts tagged 'caamfest'
Keep Your Head To The Sky: 2017 CAAMfest
Angsty emo, The Lockpicker, 2016
CAAMfest is just around the corner so I'm posting a few quick recos to help people wade through the massive program. As usual this year the festival is screening more than 100 films, plus music and food events, so finding your bliss can be a daunting process. Here are a few things that I've seen that I like. Get your tickets while they're hot—they're going fast!
Wood paneling and wide ties, The Tiger Hunter, 2016
The Tiger Hunter, dir. Lena Khan
A sweet and amusing comedy set in the 1970s about an Indian guy who moves to the US to make his fortune, The Tiger Hunter is a crowd-pleaser that's set as the CAAMfest opening night movie. Danny Pudi is appealing and genial as the son of the titular tiger hunter and the ensemble cast brings a goofy charm to the rest of the film. Speaking as someone who grew up in that inglorious decade I can also say that the 70s art direction is totally on point.
The Lockpicker, dir. Randall Okita
Randall Okita's teen angst drama made my best-of list for 2016 and I'm sticking by that decision. Asian American narrative film directors have pretty much mastered the art of mimicking Hollywood movies these days, but The Lockpicker is a different animal altogether. Raw, unstructured, and brutally honest in its examination of some of the worst aspects of adolescence, the film is anchored by a charismatic and emo performance by first-time actor Keigian Umi Tang. As I've said before, as a parent of teenagers this movie terrified me in its depiction of the casual cruelty of ennui-stricken youth.
Sunkrish looking fly, Chee and T, 2016
Chee and T, dir. Tanuj Chopra
Tanuj Chopra's latest flick is a wacky ride through the wilds of Palo Alto with a couple slightly sketchy desi dudes who exist on the fringes of Silicon Valley's tech wonderland. Funny and frantic, with typical Tanuj Chopra hijinks including hallucinogenic drugs, ethically questionable characters, and surprising individuals who are not what they seem to be.
Search for self, AKA Seoul, 2016
AKA Seoul, dir. Jon Maxwell
An intriguing look at the experiences of a handful of twentysomething Korean adoptees as they return to Seoul to search for some of the answers to their family histories. Along the way they discover that uncovering the truth may not always be the best way to determine your destiny and that detours don't necessarily mean derailment on the track tracks of life (wut?).
Basha Man, dir. Daniel Chein
A perceptive look at the conflict between capital and culture, this short documentary profiles a young tour guide and performer in a small village in western China. The film explores the difficulties in maintaining a cultural heritage in a rapidly commodifying world.
Francis cameo, Bruce Takes Dragon Town, 2015
Bruce Takes Dragon Town, dir. Emily Chao
Returning to Taiwan during Ghost Month takes on extra significance for a Taiwanese American filmmaker tracing her family's migrations. This short experimental doc gets bonus points for featuring clips of the obscure Francis Ng film Banana Spirit.
It Is What It Is, dir. Cyrus Tabor
This short experimental documentary uses home movies, archival footage, and a personal narrative that attempts to unlock family secrets across generations and between continents. Dreamy, sad, and perplexing, with a blurry sheen of flawed memories that demonstrates the difficulties in finding the line between truth and fiction.
Death In A Day, dir. Lin Wang
A brief look at a significant moment in a young boy's life, this sharply observed short narrative, told from the boy's point of view, is full of subtlety and symbolism.
March 8, 2017 at 7:16 am Leave a comment
Hot, Cool & Vicious: Favorite movies, 2016
Learning to breathe, Moonlight, 2016
Before we get too deep into 2017 here's a baker's dozen of some of my most memorable cinematic viewing experiences from last year. My only requirement for this list is that the film had to be seen on the big screen, whether in a regular theatrical run or in a film festival. Though I spent a lot of time last year consuming media online and on DVD those viewings don't count for this list. There is in no particular order except MOONLIGHT is number one.
1. Moonlight: Barry Jenkins' masterful, virtuoso film has so many strong points that I could (and probably will) write an entire essay about it, but here I'll just mention one thing. Jenkins knows exactly when to have his characters speak and when to keep them silent, enacting a complex choreography between dialog and subtext that emphasizes the film's theme of the performativity of gender, identity, and masculinity.
Posse, The Mermaid, 2016
2. The Mermaid: Stephen Chow Sing-Chi returns to slay the Asia box office with this incredibly loopy cinematic manifestation from the inside of his one-of-a-kind brain. In Hong Kong in the 1990s no one made comedies like Stephen Chow and it's good to see he's successfully crossed over to the greater Chinese film industry. Chow continues to combine a uniquely twisted worldview, a highly refined cinematic eye, lowbrow humor, a beautiful visual sense, cynicism and romanticism, maniacal wordplay, slapstick, random violence, and gross-out humor in a way that no other filmmaker can match.
Fleeing, Train To Busan, 2016
3. Train To Busan: Although ostensibly a zombie apocolypse flick, Yeon Sang-Ho's film is also a melodrama, teen romance, road movie, and critique of capitalism all rolled into one thrilling ride. Gong Yoo anchors the film with his sensitive and vulnerable performance as a man caught up in a madness far beyond his imagining and control
Meta, Three, 2016
4. Three: Johnnie To's yearly masterpiece, which dissects the Hong Kong crime film vis a vis the hospital movie. Every shot and every scene is a meta commentary on its genre forerunners.
Despairing, Old Stone, 2016
5. Old Stone: Johnny Ma's indie film is a scathing attack on the hypocrisy and idiocy of China's Kafka-esque judicial system as it depicts one man's attempt to escape a spiraling set of circumstances that threaten to ruin his life.
Viewed at the 2016 San Diego Asian Film Festival
Real, The Lockpicker, 2016
6. The Lockpicker: Randall Okita's bleak & angsty drama looks at a teenager dealing with loss, alienation, and anomie in snowy Toronto. The film is a very slow burn that pays off in the end. The casual cruelty of high school students rings very true and as a parent of a teen I found this movie to be terrifying. Led by a very strong performance by first-time actor Keigian Umi Tang, despite some confusing narrative moments the film sustains its tone of dread and anxiety throughout. Viewed at the 2016 San Diego Asian Film Festival
Yellow, Anti-Porno, 2016
7. Anti-Porno: Sion Sono's playful and sexy pranking of Nikkatsu Studios' Roman Porno films is made especially meaningful since it was produced by Nikkatsu itself. Viewed at the 2016 San Diego Asian Film Festival
Doppelganger, Fan ,2016
8. Fan: Shah Rukh Khan, the Badshaah of Bollywood himself, leads this twisted, meta examination of stardom and fandom, playing a dual role as both the adored and the adorer in a dysfunctional symbiotic relationship between a movie actor and his biggest fan. SRK is fearless in this film, exposing more warts than many other superstars might be willing to reveal. Director Maneesh Sharma delves into the darker side of fame, with the full support of his willing star.
Masculinities, The Magnificent Seven, 2016
9. The Magnificent Seven: Antoine Fuqua directs a deeply subversive and radical film disguised as a Hollywood action movie. This joint shows that the subaltern can speak as well as shoot a gun. Bonus points for looking at alternate expressions of masculinity, male bonding, and homosocial love.
Histories, United Red Army (The Young Man Was, Part 1), 2016
10. United Red Army (The Young Man Was, Part 1): Naeem Mohaiemen's experimental documentary deconstructs the audio recordings of the conversations between members of Japan's militant revolutionary Red Army and Bangladeshi government negotiators after the group landed a hijacked plane at Dhaka in 1977, adding in Mohaiemen's own wry recollections of the event that he witnessed as a child via television broadcasts. Viewed at the 2016 Third Eye South Asian Film Festival in San Francisco.
Writing, Mele Murals, 2016
11. Mele Murals: In this documentary about Native Hawai'ian mural artists Tadashi Nakamura creates a thoughtful rumination on giving up selfhood in order to serve community, art, and culture. Viewed at the 2016 CAAMfest in San Francisco
Charming, At Cafe 6, 2016
12. At Café 6: In yet another highly satisfying entry in Taiwan's teen melodrama genre, director Neal Wu draws out excellent performances from his young cast. Though it doesn't stray far from its genre conventions it hits all the right notes with subtlety and emotion, effectively looking at friendship, fate, love, and loss. After spending way too much time looking at the surgically enhanced beauty of so many K-drama stars it's nice to see Cherry Ngan's snaggle-toothed smile and Dong Zijian's imperfect boy-next-door charms.
Off-balance, The Wailing, 2016
13. The Wailing: Na Hong-Jin's creepy thriller had me off-balance throughout its running time, with its constantly changing POV and its refusal to adhere to genre conventions. Also in the mix is a strutting, scene-stealing performance from the ever-awesome Hwang Jung Min as a badass shaman, some incredibly disturbing man/dog violence, and boils and pustules galore. I was shuddering for days after seeing this one.
Honorable mentions: Line Walker; Spa Night; Equinox Flower; In A Lonely Place; We Are X
NOTE: An earlier version of this list appeared on sensesofcinema.com
January 27, 2017 at 4:43 am 3 comments
Shining Star: CAAMfest 2016
Art, life, and community, Mele Murals, 2016
It's March so that must mean it's time for CAAMfest, San Francisco's annual Asian American film festival. As with past iterations, the ten-day fest includes a generous helping of documentaries, narratives, shorts, and animation from Asian and Asian American and diasporic directors.
Notable this year is the strong slate of Asian American documentaries, including the Opening Night film Tyrus, directed by Pam Tom (Two Lies), which looks at Chinese American animator Tyrus Wong, the man behind Disney's Bambi, among other iconic characters. Also of note are Breathin': The Eddy Zheng Story (dir. Ben Wang), which follows the life of the titular Chinese American poet and prison activist; Daze of Justice, (dir. Mike Siv) which looks at the trial of Khmer Rouge war criminals in Cambodia, and Ninth Floor (dir. Mina Shum), an examination of the historic 1969 occupation of Sir George Williams University in Montreal by Jamaican student activists.
Another doc of note is Tadashi Nakamura's latest, Mele Murals. Nakamura (Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strong; A Song For Ourselves) has again produced a winner in this beautiful and moving story about two Hawai'ian artists who gradually learn about themselves, their art, and their culture. Commissioned to lead the creation of a large-scale mural on the walls of a public school in Waimea, graffiti artists Estria Miyashiro and John "Prime" Hina gradually immerse themselves in Waimea's history, culture, and community through their involvement with the mural project. As the project progresses Prime discovers a heretofore unexpressed connection with his Hawai'ian heritage, while Estria learns to overcome his ego and his need to be "the artist." Featuring some beautiful digital cinematography, Nakamura's film includes a remarkable sensitivity to and empathy with his subjects. Prime talks about growing up shuttling between his divorced parents and the resultant disconnect with his history and culture, and Estria develops an understanding of the importance of respecting the wishes of the group over individual needs and desires. Director Nakamura understands how human beings interact with place and the land and he often frames his shots with a lot of sky and horizon, placing the people as part of the landscape and not just centering the human experience. The final scene is powerful and moving and all I can say is MIC DROP.
It's lit, Grass, 2016
Another fun film is Tanuj Chopra's Grass, a narrative about a day in the life of two weedheads as they smoke a huge amount of cannabis and hang out in a park in Los Angeles. The plot, such as it is, follows Cam and her buddy Jinky as they contemplate a backpack full of buds that Cam's boyfriend Austin has given them to deliver to a third party. Cam and Jinky can't help sampling a bit of the goods and one thing leads to another as they gradually imbibe more and more of Austin's weed. Mostly comprised of the absurdist running commentary by the increasingly lit protagonists, the film features spot-on dialog that effectively simulates the sensation of smoking many joints over a short period of time. Emily C. Chang and Pia Shah are hilarious as the stoned protagonists as they gradually become higher and more paranoid throughout the day. Chopra breaks up the two gals' crazy rambling and obsessive discussions about pizza with a synthy score, hallucinatory bumpers featuring food porn and blooming time-lapse plants, and a few well-placed digital effects to heighten the generally baked proceedings.
Crushed, The Kids, 2015
For those looking for films on the Asian tip, Taiwanese director Sunny Yu's narrative The Kids is a poignant and effective drama about two teens facing adversity as they try to make their way in an adult world. Set in working-class Taipei, the film includes heartfelt and unaffected performances by the two young leads. The actors portray adolescent parents of an infant daughter who are slowly being crushed by the weight of grownup responsibilities. And for those looking for a more commercial Asian cinematic experience, CAAMfest is showing the South Korean historical The Royal Tailor, which stars the hot and charming Ko Soo as Lee Gong-jin, a rakish fashion designer who turns the Joseon court upside-down and who becomes romantically entangled with the young queen (played by ingénue Park Shin-Hye, star of hit K-dramas The Heirs, You're Beautiful, and Pinocchio).
This is only the tip of the iceberg of CAAMfest's bounteous programming slate, which also includes music shows, panels, and food events. Tickets are selling fast so go here to get yours before they're gone.
March 9, 2016 at 2:25 am 1 comment
Nothing Compares 2 U: 2015 CAAMfest
Traces, Dot 2 Dot, 2014
CAAMfest, everyone's favorite San Francisco-based Asian American arts festival, starts up this week and as usual it's stuffed with films from Asian and Asian American directors, musical happenings, and food events. The festival spotlights veteran documentary filmmaker Arthur Dong, including a premiere of his new feature-length documentary The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor, which is about the Cambodian doctor perhaps best known for his Oscar-winning turn in The Killing Fields in 1984 and whose mysterious murder tragically ended his life some years later. Former CAAMfest/San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival director Chi-Hui Yang curates a program of shorts, Playtime, that includes Trails, Cyrus Tabar's hallucinogenic microportrait of Tokyo, as well as a revival of the rarity Snipers In The Trees (1985), an early experimental short by Curtis Choy (The Fall of the I-Hotel). Below are a few other highlights of the upcoming cinematic onslaught.
Dot 2 Dot
Amos Why's debut feature is the real deal, an intriguing look at Hong Kong's past and present that uses the city's unique history and geography as a backdrop for a thoughtful commentary on the transience of culture, place, and identity. The film follows Chung, a Chinese Canadian expat returning to HK who leaves dot-to-dot puzzles inscribed on the walls of the stations of the MTR, Hong Kong's ubiquitous subway system. A recent mainland China emigre (Meng Ting-yi) begins to decipher Chung's cryptograms and the two begin a virtual courtship, linked by Chung's mysterious symbology. Director Why captures a street-level view of contemporary Hong Kong that's filled with ordinary people who represent the multifaceted denizens of the city in the 21st century. The movie includes lots of non-touristy Hong Kong locations and has a great feel for the everyday sights and rhythms of the city. Hong Kong movie fans can also spot Susan Shaw as a language-school headmistress, and Tze-chung Lam, aka the chubby guy from Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer, as a teacher, as well as TVB star Moses Chan (hiding his celebrity good-looks behind black-framed eyeglasses) as Chung. Though it fondly recalls the Hong Kong of the past, the movie isn't overly sentimental or nostalgic. It's a nice look at what's vanished in Hong Kong over the past few decades and the rapidly accelerating changes in the city.
Possessed, Hollow, 2014
This US/Vietnam co-production is a slick and creepy horror movie by Ham Tran, the director of Journey From the Fall (2006), which looked at the experiences of Vietnamese immigrants in the US, as well as last year's glam-slam How To Fight in Six-Inch Heels. Hollow is a quite a departure from Tran's debut film and demonstrates both the uptick in genre films directed by Asian Americans in the past few years as well as the trend toward US/Asia co-productions. The story centers on Chi, whose younger half-sister Ai apparently drowns in a nearby river, causing Chi much guilt and anguish. But when Ai later turns up a few kilometers down the river seemingly alive and well, things take a turn for the supernatural as the young girl develops a greenish pallor, scratches at mysterious wounds, and otherwise exhibits signs of demonic possession. The movie does an good job blending Viet ghost stories with modern-day horror film tropes and for the most part keeps the source of the mysterious child-possession hidden until the end. I would like to have seen a bit more agency on the part of Chi's character but the film draws interesting parallels between sex traffickers and malevolent spirits, trying together past and present evils in Viet society. The movie is nicely shot, although the soundtrack relies a bit too heavily on sudden loud and jarring violin sounds to emphasize the scary bits in the story, but there are some nice visceral touches—it's always rewarding to see pimps and child abductors vomiting gallons of river water.
Water country, Nuoc 2030, 2014
Nuoc 2030
Nuoc 2030 is another US/Viet genre film coproduction, this one a science-fictional look at Vietnam in 2030, which is by then mostly flooded by global warming. The film's title plays on the dual translation of "nuoc," which means both "water" and "country" in Vietnamese. Despite a modest budget, director Nghiem-Minh Nguyen-Vo does an excellent job of world-building with his imaginative use of existing locations and evocative imagery to suggest a drowned world. The poetic narrative centers on Sao, a fisherman's widow searching for clues to her husband's murder in a watery Vietnam of the not-too-distant mid-21st century. For the most part the film delicately renders its futuristic storyline with imagination and vision, mixing in environmentalism, genetic engineering, and a fatalistic romance.
Flowing Stories
Jessey Tsang Tsui-Shan's outstanding documentary looks Ho Chung village, a small settlement in Hong Kong's New Territories, an area which is currently undergoing a construction boom due to its location near the Hong Kong/China border. Due to the harshness of farming in the region many NT residents immigrate to Europe to find work, including the two generations of the Lau Family featured in Tsang's film. Tsuan shot much of the film during the village's ten-year festival that occurs every decade, using that event as a means of examining the ongoing village diaspora and its effects on the residents. The Laus dispersed primarily to France and the UK and the film also includes footage of their lives overseas, with the resulting French/English-speaking children, intermarriages, and mixed-heritage offspring. Only the family's world-weary matriarch remains in the village, where she bitterly reminisces about the poverty and hardship of farm life and her still-raging anger at her late husband, who emigrated to the UK decades before and who was only able to return a handful of times to visit his wife and children. The film is an excellent testament to the effects of globalization and the costs of modernization on ordinary people but it's by no means downbeat or depressing, as it also celebrates the endurance of and connections to the villagers' cultural roots as they return every decade to celebrate the festival.
I'm gonna live forever, My Voice, My Life, 2014
My Voice, My Life
Oscar-winner (and former San Franciscan) Ruby Lam's latest film follows several at-risk Hong Kong high school students as they prepare for a large-scale musical production. This verite-style doc celebrates the struggles and accomplishments of those who have been left out of Hong Kong's fast-lane, including students from a school for the blind, recent mainland China immigrants, and those whose academics keep them from top-ranked educations. Part Fame, part Frederick Wiseman's High School, the movie subtly reveals a lot about the social strata of contemporary Hong Kong and its constantly changing cultural milieu.
2015 CAAMfest
San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley
March 10, 2015 at 4:00 am Leave a comment
The Dark of the Matinee: CAAMfest 2014
Looking, A Picture of You, 2014
Everyone's favorite local festival starts this week with a slew of film screenings, food parties, and musical events. The fest includes treats such as the world premiere of the legendary Rea Tajiri's newest experimental doc, Lordville, as well as Golden Gate Girls, Louisa Wei's feature length study of Chinese American film director Esther Eng, who worked in the Hong Kong film industry in the 1930s, and The Missing Picture, Rithy Panh's Oscar-nominated personal doc that's a harrowing look at the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, told with intricately designed miniature tableaux populated by rough-hewn clay dolls.
Though by no means exhaustive, herewith is a small selection of some of the festival's other highlights.
Ilo Ilo
This family drama out of Singapore has been racking up a bunch of awards including the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Film at the Golden Horse awards. The plot concerns a middle-class Singaporean couple with a rambunctious 11-year-old son who hire a live-in Filipino housekeeper. Shot in Ann Hui-styled realism, the film shows the struggle of ordinary people caught in the global economic crisis. None of the characters in the film are exempt from the human cost of corporatization, as the OWF maid has a young son back in the Philippines and must moonlight as a hairdresser to make ends meet, while her Singaporean employers hold a series of oppressive, soul-crushing office jobs. Everyone is ground up by the relentless gears of global capitalism—will their humanity remain intact?
A Picture of You
JP Chan's debut feature (he's directed a bunch of short films) is a sharply drawn slice of life about a brother and sister, Kyle and Jen, who return to their late mom's house in the Pennsylvania countryside to pack it up after her passing. Despite the potentially maudlin subject matter, director Chan infuses the film with levity—the tense and familiar bickering between the siblings rings pretty true as once in their mom's house the two revert to old patterns of behavior. As they're packing up they find out a bit more about their mom than they might want to know, which leads to more tension and bickering. Chan draws out amusing performances from his cast, lead by Andrew Pang as the sardonic brother and Jo Mei as the discombobulated sister. Also good are Lucas Dixon as Jen's dorky white guy boyfriend, and Teyonah Parris from Mad Men who plays Jen's BFF with endearing geekiness. The movie is a bit like a Wes Anderson film (without the twee and annoying stylistic tics) in the way that it delves into the quirkiness of interpersonal familial relationships without sentiment or melodrama.
Rote, Innocents, 2013
In yet another Singaporean narrative, two lonely kids befriend each other at their strict middle school. Syafiqah's absent parents have left her with her indifferent grandmother. Huat lives with his strict father and his mentally handicapped younger sister. The two become friends despite Syafiqah being the good girl and Huat the outcast who's bullied by the other kids. The scenes where the two kids play joyfully in an aquaduct on the edge of the town contrast beautifully with the rigid, doctrinaire atmosphere of the schoolroom, where corporal punishment is routine and the students dutifully recite facts and numbers without analysis or critical thinking. Huat is imaginative and creative and so doomed to fail in this educational and social system. The adults are either cruel,abusive, or absent and the only affection and tenderness the two children find are with each other. Writer-director Wong Chen Hsi, who grew up in Singapore but who went to USC film school, draws out quite wonderful performances from her two young leads who effectively convey the stubbornness, rebellion, and confusion of their pre-adolescent characters. The film sports some impressive wide-screen cinematography and has a subtle and effective sound design, with the sound of Singapore's relentless equatorial rain becoming a metaphor for the muffling of dissent in the school and in society. The film is a poignant and moving indictment of the stifling of difference within the modern Singaporean social system.
The Haumana
Lisette Marie Flanary's documentary Na Kamalei: Men of Hula was a huge hit on the Asian American film festival circuit a few years back, so it's no wonder someone else has decided to further mine the trials and tribulations of male hula dancers. The Haumana follows Johnny Kealoha (competently played by Tui Asau), a cheesy, alcoholic Waikiki lounge singer who's bastardized his native Hawai'ian heritage for the aim of fleecing tourists. Yet despite Johnny's apparent lack of hula street cred, on her deathbed Johnny's mentor recruits him to tutor a group of high school male hula dancers for the big show. The movie follows Johnny as he strives to whip his motley crew of hula dancers into dancing trim while rediscovering his cultural roots. A feel-good, let's-put-on-a-show hula movie with lots of pretty boys and nice scenery, The Haumana touches briefly on some of the social issues facing Hawaii but it's not a particularly dark or gritty movie and it never really strays far from afterschool-special territory. Of note is Kelly Hu in a small role as a barkeep–for some reason she looks absolutely dreadful. She's badly lit and sports unflattering chola eyebrows and a frizzy frightwig blow-out. But Tui Asau in the lead role is cute and dimply, and the young dude hula dancers, each with their own representative backstory, are about as sexy and cut as you can get. What more could you ask for?
Grace & Detroit, American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs, 2013
American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs
A good, solid portrait of long-time Detroit civil rights activist Grace Lee Boggs, this documentary traces Boggs' journey from a middle-class daughter of a Chinese American restaurateur to her 1960s activism in the Black Power movement and through the present day. Now in her late nineties, Boggs is as cogent and cognizant as ever and speaks eloquently about her involvement with the struggle for self-determination in Detroit's African American community and beyond. Although the pace of the film lags a bit after a dynamite first half, the film captures the thoughtful intellectualism that has driven Boggs' work for nearly seventy years, and director Grace Lee (no relation, ha) effectively blends personal narrative, historical documentation, and Boggs' own thoughtful ruminations in an engrossing and informative package.
Slapstick, Pee Mak, 2013
Pee Mak
The highest grossing Thai film of all time and a big hit across several Asian territories, Pee Mak is a comedic remaking of a classic Thai ghost story in which a beautiful apparition romances her besotted, living husband. Here the fable is played for laughs, and the film owes a lot to Stephen Chow movies, 90s Hong Kong ghost story films, and the Three Stooges as it utilizes physical shtick and nonsense situations for its laffs. The movie follows four hapless idiots who determine that their friend's beautiful wife may be a more than she seems. Hilarity ensues, but the broad slapstick lacks Chow's ingenious blend of crude physical shtick, perfect comedic timing, rapid-fire wordplay, and cinematic finesse. While classic Hong Kong ghost stories certainly were often full of idiotic slapstick and mo lei tau nonsense they also had imaginative cinematography, creative art direction, and the divine action choreography of masters like Ching Siu Tung, not to mention the well-honed comedic chops of actors like the late great Wu Ma to support their pratfalls. Pee Mak's cast mostly mugs and screeches its way through the exposition, supported by wacky haircuts and toothblack. I wanted to love this movie but after about 30 minutes I wearied of the clueless, somewhat repetitious antics of the various characters.
CAAMfest
San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland
March 14, 2014 at 7:18 am 2 comments
U Got The Look: CAAMfest 2013
Teen dream, 15, dir. Royston Tan, 2003
Another year, another San Francisco Asian American International Film Festival, except now it's been rebranded as CAAMfest, which certainly rolls off the tongue more easily than the previous moniker. The festival has added a tagline (film, music, food) that's a nod to the increased presence of the audio and gustatory arts, but it doesn't mean that movies are taking a backseat. As per usual there are more than a hundred new Asian and Asian American flicks in this year's festival—below are a few preview picks.
Jeremy being Jeremy, Linsanity, dir. Evan Jackson Leong, 2013
I don't need to tell you that this is a great Cinderella story, but filmmaker Evan Jackson Leong has taken the familiar material and shaped a charming and inspiring documentary about everyone's favorite Asian American underdog. Jeremy Lin turns out to be funny, self-aware, and loquacious and Leong uses his longstanding access to his subject (he started shooting the film when Lin was at Harvard) to great effect. Interviews with Lin's friends and family members, home videos of the budding basketball prodigy, and great coverage of the actual Linsanity phenomenon makes this a super-fun, captivating movie. The movie also touches on the racism and discrimination faced by Lin, the NBA's first Asian American superstar, as well as Lin's devout Christianity, but Lin is such a self-effacing guy and Leong so skillfully handles these elements that they work seamlessly into the whole picture.
A solid film noir set in Manila and directed by Filipino American Ron Morales (Santa Mesa, 2008), Graceland looks at the repercussions of the kidnapping of a pair of young girls. Dark and moody, the film questions the morality of its various characters and, like the best noirs, no one is above scrutiny, everyone is guilty, and everyone has something to hide. The cast is lead by a nervous, sweaty performance by Arnold Reyes as the desperate father trying to save his daughter and who has many hard choices to make. The film also indicts the sex trade, corrupt policemen, and shady politicians—this is classic hardboiled stuff and well worth a look.
Hard times, When The Bough Breaks, dir. Ji Dan, 2012
Ji Dan's verite documentary about a poor Chinese family living in a hovel on the outskirts of Beijing examines the effects of China's rapidly expanding economy, which has ironically left many in dire economic and social straits. The father is a laborer, the daughters are adolescents trying to find money for themselves and/or their preteen brother to go to a decent school (one "sponsor," a sick elderly man, offers to fund their education if they'll sleep with him), and upward mobility is nowhere to be found. As if that wasn't enough, Dad is a tyrannical drunk who verbally abuses his family at any opportunity, Mom is angry and fed up, and the teenagers are already learning to psychologically torment each other. Plus, the family's eldest daughter has gone missing for some years after being lured into prostitution by the false promise of a factory job folding cardboard boxes. Overlong, somewhat shapeless, and leaning toward poverty porn, the film is interesting nonetheless due to the tenacity of the two younger daughters who grimly soldier on in the face of a bleak existence.
Another film set in China, this narrative examines the notorious case of a young man who is driven to commit murder by that country's oppressive police force. Ai Wei Wei made a documentary about the same case, but this film focuses on travails of the man's mother as she tries to unravel her son's unfortunate fate. The movie is composed primarily of long, stationary shots that emphasize the delicate action within the frame, lending a sense of oppression, immediacy, and intimacy to the film.
Walker, Beautiful 2012, dir. Tsai Ming-Liang, 2012
Also of note in the fest: Debbie Lum's sharp and observant documentary, Seeking Asian Female, which is all about white dudes with yellow fever (full review here); The Land of Hope, Sion Sono's second feature set in the Fukashima tsunami zone (full review here); the omnibus film Beautiful 2012, which includes Hong Kong director Ann Hui's short narrative My Way, starring Francis Ng as a transgendered woman (!) (full review here), and Apichatpong Weerasethakul's latest dreamwork, The Mekong Hotel. The festival is also presenting a brief retrospective of director Royston Tan, including Old Romances, his documentary elegy to old-time Singapore, the maniacal musical 881, and his debut feature 15, which looks at teenage angst, Singaporean-style. I'll be interviewing the director onstage live at the Pacific Film Archive following the screening of 15, so be there!
San Francisco and Berkeley, CA
full schedule and ticket information here.


Harvest One Cannabis Inc. reports the company's wholly owned medical subsidiary, Satipharm Ltd., has launched European sales of its recently reformulated CBD capsules.
"The first product to market is the Satipharm 10 mg CBD Gelpell® capsule that provides superior bioavailability and quality," notes a press release from Harvest One, a global cannabis company that develops and provides lifestyle and wellness products to consumers and patients in regulated markets around the world. They are currently available online at www.satipharm.com.
Bricks and mortar distribution of the capsules "will follow with major retailers throughout the United Kingdom and European Union, with Canadian distribution to follow," the company statement reports.
Satipharm points out that its technology "improves the body's absorption of CBD and other cannabinoids through a patented formulation of CBD hemp extract contained in seamless Gelpell® gelatine biospheres." The biospheres "are placed in gastro-resistant capsules, ensuring the timely release of CBD in the small intestine, thereby improving bioavailability, and further ensuring patients receive a consistent dose of CBD," it adds.
"We are delighted with the launch of Satipharm's new website and e-commerce platform," making the capsules available to consumers across Europe, comments company president Jonathan Hartshorn.
"The launch of Satipharm's patented CBD Gelpell® formulated capsules is an integral part of Harvest One's health and wellness strategy," adds Grant Froese, CEO of Harvest One. "We look forward to the launch of additional product lines as we advance our health and wellness strategy in regulated markets around the world," Foese says.


text:
Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement this week, proposing with his beloved mother, Princess Diana's Sapphire and diamond 32-carat sparkler, Prince William has officially made Kate the envy of many.
The Brits are not the only ones obsessed with the royal family, as many all over the world can't get enough of this breaking announcement. It is known and well-documented, Princess Di set trends with her hair styles, hats and fashion. Now, almost thirty years later we have a new Princess on the rise as we await the royal wedding.
In other news, Fortune 500 takes a look at the top 40 under 40 highest paid of the year. Among them we found Roland Fryer, Professor of Economics, being the youngest African-American to ever receive tenure at Harvard. Fryer completed a controversial study involving paying kids to get good grades. Speaking of which, early learning strategies and educational programs such as the WINGS Curriculum led by Dr. Bisa Batten Lewis, affectionately called, 'Dr. Bisa' will help the role of both parents and teachers to set a clear standard for high achievers. Dr. Bisa is our new addition to the TWS family!
As an up and coming publicist, it saddens and shocks me to learn of shooting death of Ronni Chasen. Publicist or as she liked to be called, "Press Agent" to the Stars, the 64 year-old fashioned her style after old Hollywood, with clients such as screenwriters, directors, actors, and composers. Ronni Chasen spent over twenty years in the PR industry and will be missed by many.
And that's this week's news hot off the press.
Tagged African Americans, Americans, British, Dr. Bisa, Dr. Bisa Batten Lewis, fashion, Fortune 500, Harvard, Kate Middleton, old Hollywood, PR, Prince William, Princess Di, Princess Diana, publicist, Roland Fryer, Ronni Chasens, royal wedding, TWS, weddings, WINGS Curriculum
Photo courtesy of NY Daily News
Woman power at its best – Forbes Magazine honors the power of woman in its latest 'lists' just released with Michelle Obama coming in at number one, beating out Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton. And while we're definitely celebrating our First Lady getting her proper due, if you're a lover of fashion like I am, then you can't ignore the homage paid to these trendsetting icons, Tory Burch (#88), Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Magazine (#56), and Vera Wang (#92), just to name a few.
Not only are these women gloried in all of their power, but they definitely know a thing or two about putting their best stiletto forward. For instance, First Lady Obama is a woman after my own heart as she branded White House Black Market so eloquently last year with her appearance on The View. With a budget conscious purse these days, even this modestly priced retailer can keep a lady out in waiting for that sale price to come through…but I digress.
Live this Friday at 11am ET, The Greenlight Project welcomes USA Today's fashion/style writer Arienne Thompson to the show and she will be talking all things fashion forward and I'm excited about what her thoughts will be about this list and what these women are caught wearing on the red carpet. Set your reminders for this one. Arienne is known to give the juicy scoop and the latest fashion news on our favorite celebs, so we're in for a USA Today treat!
I'd also like to note some other fashion forward power women I watch that showed up on this list are: Beyonce' Knowles, model Heidi Klum, Sarah Jessica Parker, Venus and Serena Williams and so many others. I'm very proud of the diversity this list shows. You can see the entire list by clicking on this link: http://www.forbes.com/wealth/power-women/list.
Tagged fashion, Forbes, Forbes Power List, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Oprah, The Greenlight Project
Shoes Are Two Sisters' Fashionable Friend!
By: Intern Tia Tia
Family oriented, fashionable, and stylish are words that describe the owners of FaSHOEnista, Monica and Murielle, who are also sisters. The name FaSHOEnista, a savvy high-life shoe boutique in Atlanta came about during a brainstorming event with the two sisters sitting in front of the computer.
Born and raised in the "Peach State" of Georgia, the two owners also have another sister, who decided to watch on the sidelines and cheer them on as their biggest fan. Since Monica wears a 5 ½ sized shoe, she found it very difficult to find stylish shoes in her size, "So why not open up my own boutique?" is what came to this style-conscious entrepreneur-ess mind and that's when the dream was fulfilled.
As for Murielle, she always wanted to work in the fashion industry, "But I couldn't draw, so I felt like that would hold me back," shares Murielle. But that didn't stop these two determined women. And now, FaSHOEnista has been opened since February of this year and is going strong!
Debuting at FashionGLAM , Atlanta's second edition of boutique owners, retailers and lovers of fashion celebrating in style at this "Fashion Meets Philanthropy" trunk show, taking place on September 18th at the illustrious Millennium Gate Museum in Atlantic Station, the ladies are extremely excited!"Events like FashionGlam are what we love because we don't have a physical store, " shares Monica. However, that doesn't stop their business, because as they say, "We are a mobile shoe boutique!" From home events to online shopping and trunk shows such as FashionGlam, the dream for the ladies is now their reality..
With Murielle being a happily married woman with two children and Monica standing beside her, the FaSHOEnista brand continues and I especially look forward to seeing the ladies at FashionGlam on Saturday, September 18th, 2010.
Thanks for reading and "like" them on Facebook where exclusive deals and discounts are always given. Better yet, get your tickets for FashionGLAM and shop with them personally!
Signing off,
Intern Tia Tia
Tagged Atlanta, Atlantic Station, beauty, boutiques, Facebook, fashion, fashion meets philanthropy, FashionGLAM, FaSHOEnista, retailers, shoes, The Millennium Gate Museum
Fashion Meets Philanthropy at FashionGLAM!
I love talking about fashion – it's my passion and one of the fashion icons I follow is Beyonce'! Beyonce', girl you better kill it! The number one thing that I love about Beyonce' is that she is truly a triple threat! She dances, gliding across the stage in 5'' heels and hitting EVERY note while looking stunning is something many artists cannot do. I will not name names, Keri Hilson LOL, but I digress..
From Beyonce's amazing voice, to her clothing line, Dereon, to being one of the most sophisticated women in the industry; she in fact impacts the lives of many. Looking at the Hip Hop world there aren't many women artist who are really making an impact. She's conscious and charitable and is someone I can really respect and look up to and that's why she's one of the first people I think of when it comes to FashionGLAM, a celebration of fashion, creativity and philanthropy! Led by the wonderful ladies at TWS Marketing Communications and Chocolate Pink Productions in Atlanta, FashionGLAM's main purpose is to celebrate feeling good, looking good and being good as a whole. One deserving woman will be getting a full makeover that includes clothes, hair, makeup and a photo shoot! Talk about a nice "give back", wow! Can someone nominate me?? 🙂
This season's benefiting organizations are All Grown Up Inc., a youth organization dedicated to helping young girls and maturing teens develop into womanhood and the Millennium Gate National Monuments Foundation. The Millennium Gate's mission is to preserve and interpret Georgia history, architecture, culture and philanthropic heritage as well as highlight Georgia's historical and aesthetic relevance to the United States and to the world. It's a really beautiful place, so click the link to check it out!
There will be plenty of trends, trendsetters and lovers of fashion there to get their shop on. And did I tell you that all you can drink sparkling wine from Pearly Bay – Opici Wines, their official sponsor and food is included in the admission that is only $35 for the "Glam Fashionista All-Inclusive" pass. Don't you love these names?
Anyhow, I'm so excited and look forward to all the vendors, retailers, boutiques and lovely sponsors that are coming on board daily. Well, that's my "Fashion & Philanthropy" report – I'll be updating you often, so if you're in Atlanta and want to be part of these awesome festivities and hear me tell you all the reasons why Beyonce' is my favorite artist, then hit me up on email and we'll get to chatting!
Tagged All Grown Up, Atlanta, Beyonce', black women, Chocolate Pink Productions, Diversity, fashion, fashion and philanthropy, fashion in Atlanta, FashionGLAM, Inc., Keri Hilson, Millennium Gate Museum Atlanta, TWS Marketing Communications
Appreciating 'The Sound' of Music
The Ken Ford Foundation
By: Portia Rice
I'm new to the TWS blog roll and call it quite an honor to write my first post ever! Since coming onboard, it's been all things music, entertainment, fashion, media – all very exciting! However, the one moment I've come to really appreciate is our agency's involvement with keeping music alive in our schools through The Ken Ford Foundation.
In this day and time, it's really a challenge for children to get exposure to the kind of music that can fuel their dreams – this is heartbreaking, considering we live in such a time where the world is at our fingertips, but sadly, music seems to be slipping through.
With a recent appearance on our agency's show, The Greenlight Project, this unique, talented and most of all gifted musician, Ken Ford, will be sharing his talent with us in concert June 25, 2010 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in Atlanta. The concert is actually FREE to children and will have Grammy-nominated vocalist, Dionne Farris, singer/songwriter/producer/musician Daniel Moore who's also a staple on BET's The Mo'Nique Show and new pop/urban/soul/alternative vocalist, Salakida all performing and I hear there are even more surprises in store. Talk about awesome!
Growing up in Milwaukee, WI as a student of Atwater Elementary School, we had the choice to play an instrument beginning in the third grade. I was so eager have my chance at playing an instrument because all of the "popular kids" were either in orchestra or the band. When I finally I made it to the third grade, I was introduced to the violin so to have Ken Ford become so accomplished at it makes me very proud to say that I played as well. The violin often gets a bad rap, but I was excited and enthusiastic to play and continued playing throughout elementary through the eighth grade. While playing the violin I learned a lot about myself and I became at peace with things I was going through. The violin itself is such a strong and graceful object that the horse-tailed bow just adds to the music, giving it that soft melody!
I do have to give credit where it's due, my father loves jazz, so every day on the way to school he'd make me listen to "Smooth Jazz" 93.3 FM! At first, I hated listening to it because it was all instruments never an artist singing! My dad would always say, "Now this is really music Portia; just sit back and listen to the violin, clarinet, and flute." I would just sigh and sit back in my seat (OMG, it felt like torture!).. When I think back to those times, I can really appreciate an artist like Ken Ford because he is really making "real" music and not just using a Mac to Google a sound for his next song!
When listening to Ken Ford, there is no need for a vocal artist because his nonverbal communication skills speak for him. The way he rocks back and forth and moves with the bow makes you feel the melodies going through one ear and out the other. This concert will truly be inspiring and relaxing, make sure to come out and enjoy this wonderful concert all the while supporting music and arts in school – and did I mention it's free to children?? Or if you're not in the Atlanta area, listen to our show when the critically acclaimed electric violinist, Ken Ford was the guest and hear him for yourself!
Thanks for allowing me to share my blog with you .
Tagged arts, Atlanta concerts, BET, children, clarinet, concerts, Dionne Farris, Electric Violinist, Electric Violinist Ken Ford, entertainment, fashion, flute, Google, Grammy, Grammy-nominated artists, Ken Ford, Mac, media, music, musicians, Porter Sanford, Porter Sanford Performing Arts, Salakida, schools, Singer Daniel Moore, The Greenlight Project, The Ken Ford Foundation, The Mo'Nique Show, The Sound of Music, TWS, TWS Media, violin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Pakistan India India's move to reschedule Kartarpur meet 'incomprehensible': Pakistan – gulfnews.com
India's move to reschedule Kartarpur meet 'incomprehensible': Pakistan – gulfnews.com
Posted on 29th March 2019
Technical experts of both India and Pakistan during a meeting at the designated Zero Line to discuss the plan for the Kartarpur corridor project, at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district.
Image Credit: PTI
Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday described as "incomprehensible" India's decision to reschedule the upcoming meeting of the experts on the Kartarpur Corridor.
India on Friday summoned Pakistan's deputy high commissioner in New Delhi and conveyed concerns over the presence of several Khalistani separatists in a committee appointed by Pakistan on the Kartarpur Corridor.
The Pakistani Cabinet constituted a 19-member Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) to facilitate Sikh pilgrims after opening of Kartarpur Corridor, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
However, it did not name the members of the committee.
The next meeting of technical experts on the Kartarpur corridor was earlier scheduled in Wagah on the Pakistani side of the border on April 2 and was "jointly agreed by both sides" on March 14, the Foreign Office said here.
"The meeting was to discuss and find consensus on outstanding issues," Mohammad Faisal, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted following a statement from Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday.
"Last minute postponement without seeking views from Pakistan and especially after the productive technical meeting on March 19 is incomprehensible," Faisal tweeted.
Faisal's response comes shortly after India said it had "sought clarifications from Pakistan on key proposals put forward by India at the last meeting held in Attari to discuss the modalities of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor".
A MEA statement in India said it has been conveyed to the Pakistani side that the next meeting on the modalities of the corridor can be scheduled at an appropriate time after receiving Pakistan's response.
In order to take forward the infrastructure development for the corridor in an expeditious manner, India has proposed to hold another meeting of technical experts in mid-April to resolve outstanding issues at the zero point agreed to at the last meeting, the statement said.
Last November, India and Pakistan agreed to set up the border crossing linking Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district.
Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine.
India's Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had on November 26 last year laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur Corridor in Gurdaspur district.
Two days later, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of the corridor in Narowal, 125km from Lahore.
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19 Years After Marrying Pakistani Man, Sharjah-based Former Indian Citizen Faces 'Identity Crisis' – News18


Genelec is justly proud of its success, but developing a multiaward winning monitor does not happen overnight. The 8260A is the result of almost 35 years of manufacturing experience in professional audio monitoring. At the core of Genelec's business has been a commitment to research and development of new products. This has resulted in a number of industry firsts and established the company as one of the leaders in active monitors. Furthermore, the very latest Genelec monitoring products remain true to the original philosophy and offer reliability, neutral sound reproduction (regardless of size) and the ability to adapt frequency response to the listening environment. The 8260A incorporates these qualities, as well as building on them to create a product that offers a new blueprint in audio monitoring.
The 8260A offers all the sonic benefits of a three-way system in a compact enclosure. With a three-way system higher sound levels can be achieved due to the separate midrange channel which can be optimised for that frequency range. This improved performance usually comes at the cost of having to make a larger enclosure. A small enclosure does not have the space for directivity control in the midrange and at high frequency, which results in more audible room effects. A larger three-way enclosure allows for proper directivity wave control.
The 8260A uses a die-cast aluminium enclosure for improved low frequency efficiency and volume control. The LF cut-off is 26Hz (-3 dB). The curved surfaces are inherently rigid giving structural resonances at higher frequencies which are easily damped. Heat generated in the power amplifiers is also effectively conducted away for improved system reliability. The Iso-Pod™ vibration isolation stand stops whole enclosure vibration and allows vertical tilting to allow easy aiming at the listening position.
The main structure of the MDC™ (Minimal Diffraction Coaxial) tweeter-midrange consists of an integrated MF diaphragmsuspension tweeter. The visible part of the coaxial driver is formed by the curved flexible foam surface with the dome tweeter assembly at its centre. There is no conventional spider, and the suspension is made of foam over the entire cone. Inner and outer suspensions are dimensioned to eliminate possible non-linearities and create a linear total suspension system. The 8260A combines for the first time a coaxial driver (MDC™) within a modern waveguide (DCW™) ensuring drivers to couple coherently over their full operating bandwidth as well as being a single MF/HF coincident point source. The inner section joins the cone to the tweeter structure without any acoustical discontinuity and the outer one does the same between the cone and the driver chassis. In this way there are no acoustically observable discontinuities between the tweeter and the cone and no diffraction either. The cone profile is optimised to form an integrated directivity control waveguide for tweeter radiation. This coaxial design provides improved imaging ad overall sound quality both on and off axis swell as an extremely smooth frequency response leading to outstanding clarity and definition of the inner details of the music being played.
DSP (digital signal processing) allows for steep crossover filters with high stop band attenuation. The combination of the MDC™ coaxial midrange tweeter driver, DCW™ and MDE™ enclosure design are complemented by steep crossover filters to minimise coradiation from any drivers within frequency range. In the 8260A it concerns only the woofer-midrange crossover where vertical directivity changes are small. The 8260A also features six fully configurable notch filters as well as two high and low frequency shelving filters for room alignment and calibration. All have wide adjustment ranges. The DSP hardware is a true three way with the driver feed signals for tweeter, mid-range and woofer all fed into their own DA converters then to separate power amplifiers and finally onto each drive unit. The power amplifiers are physically integrated into the MDE™ enclosure walls to enable very efficient heat transfer when the loudspeaker is heavily loaded. This ensures high system reliability in stressful operating conditions.
The GLM™ Software provides all the necessary means to setup, calibrate and control the system set up. It features a sophisticated graphical user interface and offers acoustic calibration and system alignment through the AutoCal™ function. GLM™ manages the 8260A like any other Genelec DSP loudspeaker, so it is possible to mix other DSP system speakers. This gives great freedom in designing system setups.
Acclaimed as a stunning technical design achievement, the 8206A represents a masterpiece in electro-acoustic systems. All the elements – mechanical, acoustical and signal processing – are intimately linked in a cohesive whole. Combined with the DSP features the result is a loudspeaker that is capable of outstanding performance in a wide variety and challenging environments.


text:
Q: Can't authenticate with custom PASSWORD_HASHERS I am working on the migration of one website with php to Django framework.
There is used to a specific hash passwords algorithm, so I had to write:
#settings.py
PASSWORD_HASHERS = (
    'django.contrib.auth.hashers.PBKDF2PasswordHasher',
    'project.hashers.SHA1ProjPasswordHasher',        # that's mine
    'django.contrib.auth.hashers.PBKDF2SHA1PasswordHasher',
 ...
)

and:
#hashers.py

import hashlib

from django.contrib.auth.hashers import (BasePasswordHasher, mask_hash)
from django.utils.datastructures import SortedDict
from django.utils.encoding import force_bytes
from django.utils.crypto import constant_time_compare
from django.utils.translation import ugettext_noop as _

class SHA1ProjPasswordHasher(BasePasswordHasher):
    """
    Special snowflake algorithm from the first version.
    php code: $pass=substr(sha1(trim($_POST['password'])),0,8);
    """
    algorithm = "unsalted_and_trimmed_sha1"

    def salt(self):
        return ''

    def encode(self, password, salt):
        return hashlib.sha1(force_bytes(salt + password)).hexdigest()[:8]

    def verify(self, password, encoded):
        encoded_2 = self.encode(password, '')
        return constant_time_compare(encoded, encoded_2)

    def safe_summary(self, encoded):
        return SortedDict([
            (_('algorithm'), self.algorithm),
            (_('hash'), mask_hash(encoded, show=3)),
            ])

It's works well when PBKDF2PasswordHasher is first:
>>> from django.contrib.auth import authenticate
>>> u = authenticate(username='root', password='test')
>>> u.password
u'pbkdf2_sha256$10000$EX8BcgPFjygx$HvB6NmZ7uX1rWOOPbHRKd8GLYD3cAsQtlprXUq1KGMk='
>>> exit()

Then I put my SHA1ProjPasswordHasher on the first place, first authentication works great. The hash was changed.:
>>> from django.contrib.auth import authenticate
>>> u = authenticate(username='root', password='test')
>>> u.password
'a94a8fe5'
>>> exit()

Second authentication is failed. Can't authenticate with new hash.
>>> from django.contrib.auth import authenticate
>>> u = authenticate(username='root', password='test')
>>> u.password
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<console>", line 1, in <module>
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'password'

What could be the problem? Thanks.

UPDATE: Ok, the problem became more clear. When I remove slice from here:
return hashlib.sha1(force_bytes(salt + password)).hexdigest()[:8]

everything working fine. I can't get why..

A: Although years have passed, i' m putting my solution here for future reference
Vlad is partially right; The following method from django.contrib.auth.hashers seems to be forcing you to use a hash format that includes the dollar $ sign to mark the algorithm used for django to decide which hasher to use
def identify_hasher(encoded):
"""
Returns an instance of a loaded password hasher.
Identifies hasher algorithm by examining encoded hash, and calls
get_hasher() to return hasher. Raises ValueError if
algorithm cannot be identified, or if hasher is not loaded.
"""
# Ancient versions of Django created plain MD5 passwords and accepted
# MD5 passwords with an empty salt.
if ((len(encoded) == 32 and '$' not in encoded) or
(len(encoded) == 37 and encoded.startswith('md5$$'))):
algorithm = 'unsalted_md5'
# Ancient versions of Django accepted SHA1 passwords with an empty salt.
elif len(encoded) == 46 and encoded.startswith('sha1$$'):
algorithm = 'unsalted_sha1'
else:
algorithm = encoded.split('$', 1)[0]
return get_hasher(algorithm)

There is a way though to "trick" django without hacking your django installation. You 'll have to create an authentication backend to use for your authentication. There you'll override django's check_password method. I had a db where hashes were {SSHA512}hash and i couldn't change this because i had to be able to communicate with dovecot. So i put the following in my backends.py class:
def check_password(self, raw_password, user):
        """
        Returns a boolean of whether the raw_password was correct. Handles
        hashing formats behind the scenes.
        """
        def setter(raw_password):
            user.set_password(raw_password)
            user.save(update_fields=["password"])
        return check_password(raw_password, "SSHA512$" + user.password, setter)

That way when django has to check if a password is correct it'll do the following:
-Get the hash from the db {SSHA512}hash
-Append it temporarily a SSHA512$ string on the beginning and then check
So while you'll be having {SSHA512}hash in your database, when django is using this backend it'll see SSHA512${SSHA512}hash.
This way in your hashers.py you can set in your class algorithm = "SSHA512" which will hint django to use this hasher for that case.
Your def encode(self, password, salt, iterations=None) method in your hashers.py will save hashes the way dovecot needs {SSHA512}hash (you don't have to do anything weird in your encode method).
Your def verify(self, password, encoded) method though will have to strip the SSHA512$ "trick" from the encoded string that it is passed to compare it with the one that encode will create.
So there you have it! Django will use your hasher for checking hashes that don't contain a dollar $ sign and you don't have to break anything inside django :)

A: Only unsalted md5 hashes can not include a dollar sign:
# django/contrib/auth/hashers.py

def identify_hasher(encoded):
    """
    Returns an instance of a loaded password hasher.

    Identifies hasher algorithm by examining encoded hash, and calls
    get_hasher() to return hasher. Raises ValueError if
    algorithm cannot be identified, or if hasher is not loaded.
    """
    if len(encoded) == 32 and '$' not in encoded:
        algorithm = 'unsalted_md5'
    else:
        algorithm = encoded.split('$', 1)[0]
    return get_hasher(algorithm)

So the best way is convert the current password hashes to the format: alg$salt$hash
class SHA1ProjPasswordHasher(BasePasswordHasher):
    """
    Special snowflake algorithm from the first version.
    php code: $pass=substr(sha1(trim($_POST['password'])),0,8);
    """
    algorithm = "unsalted_and_trimmed_sha1"

    def salt(self):
        return ''

    def encode(self, password, salt):
        assert password
        assert '$' not in salt
        hash = hashlib.sha1(force_bytes(salt + password)).hexdigest()[:8]
        return "%s$%s$%s" % (self.algorithm, salt, hash)

    def verify(self, password, encoded):
        algorithm, salt, hash = encoded.split('$', 2)
        assert algorithm == self.algorithm
        encoded_2 = self.encode(password, salt)
        return constant_time_compare(encoded, encoded_2)

    def safe_summary(self, encoded):
        algorithm, salt, hash = encoded.split('$', 2)
        assert algorithm == self.algorithm
        return SortedDict([
            (_('algorithm'), algorithm),
            (_('salt'), mask_hash(salt, show=2)),
            (_('hash'), mask_hash(hash)),
            ])

.
>>> from django.contrib.auth import authenticate
>>> x = authenticate(username='root', password='test')
>>> x
<User: root>
>>> x.password
u'unsalted_and_trimmed_sha1$$a94a8fe5'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Desktop or mobile, web or native app, autoplay or click to play, unmuted or muted on start. There are lots of things to consider when thinking about how you set up players on your page to maximize plays and viewability for your content (and ads if you're running them) across devices and browsers. It may seem like a no-brainer thanks to the scrolling feeds of images and videos made popular by the likes of Facebook and others, but autoplaying video content on mobile was not always possible. With JW Player 7.8, you can now configure your players to automatically start playback on mobile without going fullscreen.
Is Your Live Social Video Strategy Working?
With the growth of online video, connected mobile devices, and Internet for everyone, live content streaming is on the rise. Whether it's an official cast of an event or concert, or "citizen journalism" efforts that deliver video feeds of what's happening in the world, live-streaming has become embedded in today's modern online and social experience.
Businesses understandably want to tap into this phenomenon—but making the most of the vast landscape of opportunities means looking beyond consumer-focused platforms like Facebook Live, Periscope/Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat.
Adobe executive Stephan Rioux will lead JW Player's Enterprise Sales team, industry veterans from Kaltura and Yext also join leading video solutions company.
NEW YORK – Dec. 10, 2016 – JW Player, the world's most popular video player and leading digital and mobile video solutions company, today announced the hire of three pivotal players to lead several new strategic initiatives designed to drive the company's continued global expansion.
Stephan Rioux, former Adobe vice president of Sales for Media, Publishing and Agencies, Financial Services and Retail verticals, will lead JW Player's newly created Enterprise sales team as Senior Vice President. Amin Makhani, an 8-year veteran of acquisition marketing at Yext is JW Player's new vice president of Digital Marketing. And Elad Ophir, a solutions engineering professional formerly with Kaltura and the Israeli Defense Ministry, has been tapped as the senior director of Solutions Engineering.
Any UX practitioners watching the HBO series Silicon Valley may have been screaming at their TVs during season 3's final weeks. The fictional consumer-facing compression platform Pied Piper launched to dismal daily active user numbers, and viewers saw a perfect illustration of what can happen when no user research or testing is involved in a product development process.
Live streaming is becoming a critical part of the video strategy for many content creators and publishers, especially given the popularity of Facebook Live. However, because of the complexity of typical live streaming workflows and the feature limitations of existing platforms, it has been difficult to deploy live streaming and to reach its full potential.
JW Live, our recently-launched end-to-end platform for live streaming, solves these problems and enables anyone you to quickly setup a live broadcast and monetize it across devices.
In Part 1 of our 360 Video / VR blog series, we presented an overview of the current state of 360 Video / VR technology and the industry. We also announced support for 360 Video and VR in our HTML5 player and native mobile SDKs.
In this post, I'd like to add more detail around our new JW Player VR and 360 Video playback features with our HTML5 VR Plugin and native VR SDKs, which provide a smoother more performant experience for your iOS and Android apps.
In addition to the ability to watch spherical 360 Video on desktop/mobile browsers and your native Android and iOS apps, with JW Player these platforms will also support immersive live-action VR experiences with popular headsets such as Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and the upcoming Google Daydream View.
With HTML5 favored by default, the latest version of JW Player will ensure optimal viewing experience! JW Player has been working hard to understand the trend of HTML5 and optimize our product for HTML5, understanding that flash-based video was not in-line with future industry standards.
Our HTML5-first video player consistently helps publishers distribute high quality on demand and live videos on every desktop and mobile browser.


After a tiring week we all sometimes feel to take a break from all the hustle and bustle of the city and jet to a new place where we can enjoy our life, leaving everything behind at least for few days, but that is practically not possible. The practically possible solution for this is heading towards a staycation for few days.
Although, few people will counter on this thought that it's useless to spend money and time to book a hotel for a night or two in Singapore when we have our own bed to sleep. But once you experience the luxury and the comfort of spending a night at a new place then you'll forget all the stress and love staycation.
Let's check out the list of few best Hotels in Singapore which are the best for staycation, depending upon the services they provide.
The Warehouse Hotel was built in 1895 along the Singapore River as part of the Straits of Malacca trade route. At that time, the area was a hotbed of secret societies, underground activity, and liquor distilleries. Open as of January 2017, it delivers thoughtful hospitality with historically-detailed rooms, classic local dishes and craft cocktails in the vibrant neighbourhood of Robertson Quay.
Built on the edge of a secondary forest along the southern ridge of Singapore, Villa Samadhi is sited away from the urban pace whilst offering convenient access to the city's key attractions. It opened its doors in January 2017 and has been a wonderful option for those who want to be one with nature and self in Singapore.
Showcasing both historic heritage and modern style, our luxury hotel is set in the heart of Singapore's art and culture district. Those planning events here in Singapore will be delighted by the standalone Grand Ballroom, with its designer interior. Contemporary and sleek with art installations peppering the hotel, it is a visual feast and delights the instant you step into the hotel.
Oasia Hotel Downtown stands out with a unique silhouette covered by a lush green façade that is a massive vertical garden. This greenery is enhanced by alternating 30-metre tall sky gardens and sleek architectural details to form a tropical skyscraper in the Central Business District.
Located in Katong, just minutes away from East Coast Parkway beach, Hotel Indigo features designs inspired by the culture and customs of the Joo Chiat Heritage Area. Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is nestled amongst 112 Katong Mall, the nearby Parkway Parade Mall and shop houses that feature restaurants and cafés.
Stay in the best staycations of Singapore and book your hotel using voucher codes singapore and save your money.


Professional media players can often be found in fixed installations that require good sound quality and reliability. (Functions such as pitch, loop and effects aren't featured on these devices, but you'll find them on DJ gear such as tabletop players. Pro audio players such as tuners and CD, DVD, MP3, cassette and minidisc players are more extensive than multimedia devices designed for basic home use, and they can usually be mounted in a 19-inch rack. Furthermore, professional media players often have better (digital) outputs, and are compatible with multiple types of storage media, such as CDs and USB sticks. If you want to be able to play sound and video simultaneously, then you should go for a pro audio & video player.


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Mike Bennett Talks 'Horrible' First Impression He Gave at WWE
The former WWE Superstar talks the first impression he gave at WWE
By Jake Jeremy
Former WWE Superstar Mike Bennett recently appeared on SiriusXM's Busted Open Radio. Formerly Mike Kanellis, Bennett would discuss a number of topics from his time with WWE. These topics would include creative meetings with Vince McMahon, appearing for NWA and his battle with addiction.
Mike Bennett on First Impressions
"Here's the thing that I learned when I got sober, is you have to hold yourself accountable" Mike Bennett began on the show. "One of the big things I've started doing is…there's this mantra that I kind of live by. It may not be your fault, but it is now your responsibility. That's something that I've kind of had not only in life and that's what helped me with my addiction, but just in general."
Bennett would then recant his early days when WWE, shortly after being signed along with Maria Kanellis. The couple debuted in 2017 at the Money In The Bank PPV. "So I showed up at WWE, it was my dream job. It's what I always wanted to do. But, I showed up not in the best shape. I showed up addicted to drugs and I showed up not ready to go. And so, first impressions are a big deal."
"If the first impression that Vince [McMahon] or anybody else got there was, well? 'He's had three months to sit at home before we brought him there AND he's not in the best shape of his life!? What has he been doing!?'" Bennett continued. "And then 'we sign this guy who's addicted to drugs!? Maybe we need to look at our vetting process a little bit better!?' You add all those things together? And I think there's a percentage of the failures that falls on me."
Renee Young On If Her Relationship With Jon Moxley Impacted Her WWE Career
Mike Bennett would also discuss the angles that he was put in on WWE programming. Originally, Bennett and Maria Kanellis were portrayed as a performer/manager pairing, however that shifted to a 'cuckold' style angle, with Mike having to 'submit' to his wife. "It might not be my fault but it is my responsibility. Now was there bad creative along the way? Of course there was, but I tried to make the most of it. I tried to do the best I could; with what I was given."
"I actually liked the challenge of that crazy RAW angle of like submitting to my wife all the time" Bennett continued. "I was like, 'let's see if we can get something out of this. Because who knows? Maybe this could be the best thing that ever happened to me.'"
Do you think that Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis deserved a better shot in WWE? Let us know in the comments


This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 29th, 2015 at 1:30 pm	and tagged with aging, communication, Dragon Dictate, essential tremors, hands, Health, keyboard, pen, pencil, shaking, tremors, Typing, voice recognition, Writing and posted in Business, Personal, Professional.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
« Where are all the aliens?


For all of us who has been feeling tired and stressed from both home chores, work loads and everyday errands, don't we all deserve a break and enjoy life's joie de vivre as we embark on a stress busting pamper escape even for a day's off? It's about time to get some much-needed me-time and R and R. After all, there is no better way to reward one's hard work than giving in to a little self-indulgence. And at Tony Galvez Salon, finding a place for rejuvenating the mind, body and spirit is such a breeze what with its wide selection of salon, spa and wellness treatment services it offers.
From updating your looks with the latest cut under the expert hands of hair guru and master coiffeur himself, Mr. Tony Galvez, or getting a gorgeous locks, to having a hand and feet blowout or that full body massage you always crave for, the exquisite pleasures of complete relaxation are there for your taking.
Look forward to a more fabulous "Me-time" at Tony Galvez Salon, which offers an appealing array of services for pampering and looking good. Update your hair style just as I did with the latest cut and color or fancy up your crowning glory with hair extenders, all while having a mani-pedi and relaxing massage.
Enjoy a superb hands and feet blowout with cozy and comfy chairs while getting your nails done just the way you like it. Look younger and refreshed with a facial and diamond peel treatments or have your warts zapped off. Continue your indulgence with body scrubs, body waxing, hand paraffin, eyelash extension or eyelash rebonding curl. With so many services to choose from, you'll definitely come back for more!
At Tony Galvez Salon, you'll certainly look perfectly gorgeous each time you visit. Oh, here's a tip: They do offer ONLINE Consultation thru iPhone Facetime or Webcam. They also do Home Service for Hair Care Services. They also have an attractive Wedding Package at a very reasonable price. By request, they also do fashion, hair and makeup styling and even photography. Not to mention, Tony Galvez didn't rest on his laurels as he continued to add more feathers on his cap--his desire to bestow crowning glories to both men and women, to pass on his skills and share his knowledge and expertise with others. It's no longer surprising that it eventually inspired him to establish his own school, The Tony Galvez School of Cosmetology (TGSC).
"We are the only cosmetology school in the Philippines that offers cosmetology courses with a curriculum based on international standards and global training structure, that are intensive and rigorous, to hone students to be globally competitive," Galvez said.
He's also proud to say that they are the only beauty school in the country to be recognized and accredited by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology in the United States. Our hairdressing and cosmetology courses comply with the international licensing requirements."
Galvez travels abroad to gather more information, experience and to become updated with and keep up with the latest trends in hairstyling and hair treatment globally. The great news is whatever valuable innovation he learns from there, he shares and introduces here in the Philippines.
Disclaimer: I am not compensated for my post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Mr. Tony Galvez was an old friend of Drei's preschool teacher/owner at ELC (a former UPIS faculty) Teacher Mimi, small world she read my blog about Tony Galvez tech-voc advocacy and saw once again her long friend.
My perception with "parlorista" had gone deeper and appreciate the art and skill behind it, truly worth giving importance esp. "licensing" tech-voc course.


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Posted inMoney & Politics Column
Gun bills fail, shots fly
by Bill Lueders June 3rd, 2014 July 29th, 2016 Why you can trust WisconsinWatch.org
If Wisconsin had tougher penalties for habitual criminals caught with firearms, might Sierra Guyton, age 10, not have been shot?
The most honest answer: We'll never know. The most intriguing: Possibly.
Sierra, a third-grader who liked singing, the Disney Channel and school, was shot in the head on a playground near her home in Milwaukee on May 21. She was left gravely injured with brain damage.
Two men drew guns and shots were fired; Sierra was caught in the crossfire. It was no anomaly: Nine children have been killed by errant gunfire in Milwaukee since 1995, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. A week before Sierra was shot, an 11-year-old girl was wounded by gunfire about two miles away.
Speaking to reporters, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn was unabashedly angry.
"Why can't the people of this neighborhood enjoy a beautiful spring day without worrying about their children getting shot?" he asked. "I'm damned sick and tired of it."
Flynn implored the community to stop tolerating young men carrying guns. And he called on the governor and Legislature "to pass a law that makes these little monsters afraid to get locked up for possessing a gun."
It riles Flynn that people with multiple misdemeanor convictions don't face felony charges for illegal gun possession. In fact, under current law, these individuals can obtain a state license to carry a concealed weapon.
The city of Milwaukee is lobbying for a three-pronged approach: exclude offenders with three or more misdemeanor convictions within a five-year period from getting a concealed carry license; make illegal gun possession a felony; and set a mandatory three-year minimum sentence for felonious firearm possession.
Currently, felons busted with guns face potentially harsh penalties but no mandatory minimum.
Last year, for a brief while, the call for tougher gun laws seemed to gain critical Republican support. State Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, announced she was drafting a bill to impose a three-year mandatory sentence for illegally carrying guns, and Gov. Scott Walker said he was open to the idea.
Joel Plant, Flynn's chief of staff, says he believes that Darling circulated a bill draft seeking cosponsors. But the legislation was never introduced. The police department and city are still trying to build support for changes in the law.
In March, state Rep. Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, introduced a bill to ban persons with multiple misdemeanor convictions from possessing guns. Goyke says he waited until late in the session, hoping Republicans "would take the idea and run with it." In the end, his bill had no GOP cosponsors and went nowhere.
Goyke suspects Darling's bill stalled because "there was an interest group that didn't want to see it pass." Rep. Terese Berceau, D-Madison, has a similar take: "I wouldn't be surprised if somebody pulled her back." And Democratic candidate for governor Mary Burke cracked that state Republicans seem to "take voter suppression more seriously than … violence suppression."
Darling's office declined comment, after repeated requests. A spokeswoman for Walker said the governor is willing to work with law enforcement and others "to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals" — but not whether he backs a mandatory minimum.
Charged in connection with Sierra's shooting are Sylvester Lewis, 18, and Jamey Jackson, 28. Lewis had more than a dozen prior arrests, going back to age 12. Jackson served time for fatally shooting a teenager in 2003, about a block from where Sierra was gunned down.
As convicted felons, both men were barred from possessing guns and would face a mandatory minimum, if one existed. Would that risk have been enough to counter the perceived incentive of "being a big man," as Flynn puts it?
Possibly. And Lewis might have benefited from the bill's impact on others. Police say Lewis was in a car that was shot at in February and, a week before the playground shooting, was himself wounded by gunfire.
Bill Lueders is the Money and Politics Project director at the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.wisconsinwatch.org). The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

Gun bills fail, shots fly

by Bill Lueders, WisconsinWatch.org
June 3, 2014

If Wisconsin had tougher penalties for habitual criminals caught with firearms, might Sierra Guyton, age 10, not have been shot?

The most honest answer: We'll never know. The most intriguing: Possibly.

Sierra, a third-grader who liked singing, the Disney Channel and school, was shot in the head on a playground near her home in Milwaukee on May 21. She was left gravely injured with brain damage.

Two men drew guns and shots were fired; Sierra was caught in the crossfire. It was no anomaly: Nine children have been killed by errant gunfire in Milwaukee since 1995, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. A week before Sierra was shot, an 11-year-old girl was wounded by gunfire about two miles away.

Speaking to reporters, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn was unabashedly angry.

"Why can't the people of this neighborhood enjoy a beautiful spring day without worrying about their children getting shot?" he asked. "I'm damned sick and tired of it."

Flynn implored the community to stop tolerating young men carrying guns. And he called on the governor and Legislature "to pass a law that makes these little monsters afraid to get locked up for possessing a gun."

It riles Flynn that people with multiple misdemeanor convictions don't face felony charges for illegal gun possession. In fact, under current law, these individuals can obtain a state license to carry a concealed weapon.

The city of Milwaukee is lobbying for a three-pronged approach: exclude offenders with three or more misdemeanor convictions within a five-year period from getting a concealed carry license; make illegal gun possession a felony; and set a mandatory three-year minimum sentence for felonious firearm possession.

Currently, felons busted with guns face potentially harsh penalties but no mandatory minimum.

Last year, for a brief while, the call for tougher gun laws seemed to gain critical Republican support. State Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, announced she was drafting a bill to impose a three-year mandatory sentence for illegally carrying guns, and Gov. Scott Walker said he was open to the idea.

Joel Plant, Flynn's chief of staff, says he believes that Darling circulated a bill draft seeking cosponsors. But the legislation was never introduced. The police department and city are still trying to build support for changes in the law.

In March, state Rep. Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, introduced a bill to ban persons with multiple misdemeanor convictions from possessing guns. Goyke says he waited until late in the session, hoping Republicans "would take the idea and run with it." In the end, his bill had no GOP cosponsors and went nowhere.

Goyke suspects Darling's bill stalled because "there was an interest group that didn't want to see it pass." Rep. Terese Berceau, D-Madison, has a similar take: "I wouldn't be surprised if somebody pulled her back." And Democratic candidate for governor Mary Burke cracked that state Republicans seem to "take voter suppression more seriously than … violence suppression."

Darling's office declined comment, after repeated requests. A spokeswoman for Walker said the governor is willing to work with law enforcement and others "to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals" — but not whether he backs a mandatory minimum.

Charged in connection with Sierra's shooting are Sylvester Lewis, 18, and Jamey Jackson, 28. Lewis had more than a dozen prior arrests, going back to age 12. Jackson served time for fatally shooting a teenager in 2003, about a block from where Sierra was gunned down.

As convicted felons, both men were barred from possessing guns and would face a mandatory minimum, if one existed. Would that risk have been enough to counter the perceived incentive of "being a big man," as Flynn puts it?

Possibly. And Lewis might have benefited from the bill's impact on others. Police say Lewis was in a car that was shot at in February and, a week before the playground shooting, was himself wounded by gunfire.

Bill Lueders is the Money and Politics Project director at the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.wisconsinwatch.org). The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

This article first appeared on WisconsinWatch.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Tagged: alberta darling, Criminal Justice, Edward Flynn, Evan Goyke, Guns, Jamey Jackson, Sierra Guyton, Sylvester Lewis


The Organizers have said that this year's Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run has been oversubscribed, however, they still need more donations to hit the $50-million target they have set in order to meet the needs of the Spanish Town Hospital Neonatal Unit, and St Christopher's School for the Deaf in St Ann. The annual 5K, now in its 20th year, was earmarked to attract 25,000 participants. However, Ingrid Card, executive director of Sagicor Foundation, said that the weekend registrations have topped that number. Scheduled for Sunday, February 18, the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run is the largest road race in the Caribbean and has raised more than $250 million in donations for numerous beneficiaries since its inception. The Suncity Team will be live on location. This year's event is themed '20 years of running for a purpose' and is being staged under the patronage of sprint legend Usain Bolt, Miss Universe 2017 second runner-up Davina Bennett, and CEO of Dynamic Lifestyle Patrice J White.


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Ågesta gård är en herrgård och ett gods i Ågesta i Huddinge socken i Huddinge kommun, Stockholms län. Anläggningen ägs sedan 1945 av Stockholms stad.

Historik

Fornfynd har visat att det fanns här en gård sedan äldre järnåldern (300–400 e.Kr.). Äldre namn är Ågista och Agastum. Äldsta skriftliga belägget för namnet härrör från 1330-talet. Då testamenterade Kaniken Brynolf i Strängnäs sin kåpa till Christine i Agastum.

År 1535 bestod Ågesta av tre gårdar som brukades troligen av frälsebönder. För sina diplomatiska förtjänster under 30-åriga krigets slut fick riksrådet Johan Adler Salvius Ågestas gårdar i förläning. Vid hans död 1652 drogs de in till kronan och anslogs 1692 på livstid till ammorna för två av Karl XI:s söner. Under 1700-talet hade Årsta många kända ägare, bland dem friherren Carl Bunge, ämbetsmannen Olof Elias Lagerheim och fältmarskalk Carl Mörner.

År 1899 förrättades en offentlig auktion som kan återspegla gårdens stora djurbesättning. Där såldes bland annat följande: en 6-årig vagnshäst, en sto kvartsardenner 8 år, 11 arbetshästar, tre par dragoxar, 58 mjölkkor av prina beskaffenhet, 19 kvigor en del kalvfärdiga en del betäckta, två betäckningstjurar, ett ungdjur 10 månader av ren östfrisik ras, 10 påläggningskalvar och 100 unga höns.

Från 1910 var ingenjör Lennart Hellstedt ägare till Ågesta gård och rustade upp den från grunden. Han bekostade i mitten av 1920-talet bygget av den första fasta broförbindelsen över sjön Magelungen (föregångaren till dagens Ågestabron).<ref>En vandring på Huddinge och Tomtberga kyrkogårdar." Huddinge 2009, s. 11</ref> På 1930-talet omfattade egendomen 230 hektar åkermak och 1 000 hektar skog.

Corps de logi anses vara från 1600-talet och fick sin nuvarande utformning i slutet av 1700-talet eller i början av 1800-talet. Ågesta gårds huvudbebyggelse består idag av en före detta mangård (väster om Vidjavägen), en så kallad Gammalgård med huvudbyggnad och två flyglar (öster om Vidjavägen) samt fyra mindre rödmålade tidigare arbetarbostäder, kallade Baracker, som står i rad längs med Vidjavägen. Till anläggningen hör även gamla och nya ekonomibyggnader. Mangården har två våningar och en vindsvåning under ett mansardtak. Mot vägen dominerar en tre våningar hög frontespis. Fasaderna är putsade och avfärgade i ljusgul puts. Gammelgården, belägen öster om Vidjavägen, är enligt förre riksantikvarien Gösta Selling uppförd som arbetarbostäder i början av 1800-talet.

Gården under Stockholms stad
Egendomen förvärvades 1945 av Stockholms stad från Lennart Hellstedts dödsbo. Därefter har familjen arrenderad gården genom Bo och Madeleine von Krusenstierna. Man fortsatte med traditionellt jordbruk, men lönsamheten blev allt sämre och 1963 såldes gårdens omkring 60 mjölkkor. Sedan fortsatte man med biffkor. Efter Bo von Krusenstierna övertogs driften av sonen Jan von Krusenstierna (1943–2015).

Den 26 november 1957 började anläggningsarbetena för Ågestaverket som uppfördes på gårdens Alängen och i intilliggande berget i höjd med avtagsvägen mot torpet Fräkenbotten. Det blev Sveriges första kommersiella kärnkraftverk som var i drift mellan 1963 och 1974.

Idag ligger den historiska gårdsmiljön inträngd mellan Ågestasjön och Ågesta Golvklubbs anläggning. Marken omkring och ekonomibyggnaderna används numera för ridverksamhet av Ågesta Ridskola som bildades 1978 genom Jan och Margaretha von Krusenstierna. Ridskolan förfogar över 55 ridhästar och har cirka 900 elever per vecka. Nuvarande ägaren är Kristian von Krusenstierna.

Ågesta gårdsarrende omfattar 100 hektar varav 80 hektar ingår i Orlångens naturreservat. Arealen betas av gårdens 74 hästar, omkring 30 vuxna nötkreatur och cirka 20 kalvar. Stora markarealer nyttjas även av Ågesta Golfklubb som golvbana. Klubben grundades 1958 och har idag en 18-hålsbana och en 9-hålsbana.

Ågesta solcellsanläggning

En solcellsanläggning invigdes i september 2018 på en av gårdens paddockar sydväst om gården. Anläggningen var ett projekt av Ågesta Ridskola och genomfördes med ekonomisk hjälp från EU:s jordbruksfond för landsbygdsutveckling. På ett cirka 5 000 m² stort inhägnat område installerades 1 588 fasta solpaneler (motsvarande 2 492 m²) som monterades på stativ, vinklade mot söder. Tolv växelriktare gör att man kan avläsa produktionen av elenergi i realtid vilken anges på en skylt på teknikhusets fasad.

Årsproduktionen beräknas till 400 000 kWh som gör att hela Ågesta gård blir självförsörjande på elektricitet. All den energi som inte förbrukas matas in i elnätet.

Vägnamn med anknytning till gården
Flera vägnamn i området erinrar om tidigare ägare av Ågesta gård:
 Greve Mörners väg efter Carl Mörner som i början av 1800-talet bland annat var guvernör och militärbefälhavare i Pommern och överståthållare i Stockholm.
 Biskopsvägen efter Sven Caméen, biskop i Västerås, Ågestas ägare mellan 1710 och 1740.
 Peder Smedhs väg efter Peder Smedh som ägde Ågesta Norrgård i mitten av 1500-talet.

Bilder

Ågestas bevarade gårdar och torp (urval)
I alfabetisk ordning.

Se även
 Ågestasjön
 Ågesta friluftsområde

Noter

Källor

, s. 82-82
 Huddinge kommun om Ågesta gård
 Stockholms läns museum: Ågesta - Orlångsjö (Ågesta, Orlångsjö).
 "Torp och gårdar i Huddinge" utgiven av Huddinges Hembygdsförening under året 1999.
 Ågesta gård: historik.

Externa länkar
 Ågesta i Carl Martin Rosenberg: Geografiskt-statistiskt handlexikon öfver Sverige, Stockholm 1882-1883
 Ågesta i Historiskt-geografiskt och statistiskt lexikon öfver Sverige'' i 7 band, Stockholm 1856-1870

Byggnader i Huddinge kommun
Solkraftverk i Sverige
Trångsund (kommundel)
Herrgårdar i Södermanland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
L'Alçament de Mieres va ésser una revolta que hi hagué el 22 de setembre de 1484 a la vall de Mieres (La Garrotxa), dirigida per Pere Joan Sala i produïda a causa de l'intent de confiscació de béns dels pagesos que no volien pagar drets senyorials.

Fou l'inici de la Segona Guerra Remença.

Cal situar aquesta revolta en l'ambient creat després de la Guerra Civil i arran de l'aprovació per part del rei, el 1481, d'una constitució favorable a la noblesa i contrària als interessos dels remences.

Referències

Baixa edat mitjana de Catalunya
Revoltes a Catalunya
Revoltes del segle XV
Mieres


text:
La Hipertensión esencial (denominado también hipertensión primaria o hipertensión idiopática) es la definición de una hipertensión que surge sin causa específica identificable. La hipertensión secundaria, por el contrario, es una hipertensión de causa conocida. Este tipo de hipertensión sin causa específica conocida afecta al diez por ciento de la población mundial, y se considera que es responsable del ochenta por ciento de los casos clínicos. Otros autores mencionan porcentajes superiores en torno al 95% de la población, apuntando en sus estudios a condiciones e interacciones ambientales  y factores genéticos. La prevalencia de la hipertensión esencial se ve incrementada con la edad de los pacientes, e individuos con relativamente alta presión arterial a edades jóvenes tienen un alto riesgo de desarrollar hipertensión a edades más maduras. Puede evolucionar lentamente a una hipertensión con la edad (denominada hipertensión benigna, término actualmente en proceso de desuso), o rápidamente (hipertesión maligna). Afecta con mayor proporción a las mujeres que a los hombres.

Historia
El reconocimiento de la hipertensión primaria o esencial se le atribuye a la obra de Huchard, Vonbasch y Albutt. Observaciones por Janeway y Walhard llevaron a demostrar el daño de un órgano blanco, el cual calificó a la hipertensión como el «asesino silencioso». Los conceptos de la renina, la angiotensina y aldosterona fueron demostrados por varios investigadores a finales del siglo XIX y principios del siglo XX. Nikolái Korotkov inventó la técnica de la auscultación para la medición de la presión arterial. Los nombres Irvine H. Page, Donald D. Van Slyke, Harry Goldblatt, John Laragh y Jeremy B. Tuttle son prominentes en la literatura sobre la hipertensión, y su trabajo mejora la actual comprensión de las bases bioquímicas de la hipertensión esencial. Cushman y Ondetti desarrollaron una forma oral de un inhibidor de una enzima convertidora a partir de péptidos de veneno de serpiente y se les acredita con la síntesis exitosa del antihipertensivo captopril

Factores de Riesgo
Se conoce que hay factores que permiten modificar los valores de la tensión arterial en el caso de hipertensión esencial, como son: la disminución de la incidencia del tabaquismo, baja ingesta de potasio, exceso de masa corporal (más del 85% de los casos detectados se producen en población con un Índice de mása corporal superior al 25), y exceso de consumo de alcohol.

Referencias

Véase también
 Hipertensión maligna
 Dieta hipotensiva

Esencial