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Myth-making in the Movies
Posted on November 19, 2014 by gustg
Since the earliest years of the cinema, fantasy has been one of the most common filmic modes — and it is no coincidence that many (or indeed most) fantasy films feature significant elements of myth and/or tragedy. For your final Blogpost of the semester, you have three options: 1) In the wake of our fun-filled 'Star Wars' screening on Wednesday, it would be interesting to hear some more words on the mythological (or tragic) elements, characters, or themes of George Lucas's influential film. Alternately, if you want to address some of the ideas, heroes, or symbols in one of the other 'Star Wars' films that we did NOT watch, that would be useful as well. 2) On the 'Wizard of Oz', just how does the film fit with some of the key archetypes or heroic adventures we have seen so far this semester? Again, if you'd like to address some characters or themes in another early American movie with "mythological" elements, that would be just fine. 3) Finally, what do you make of the myth-making in J.R.R. Tolkein's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy and/or the Harry Potter franchise? I have deliberately left this final Blog a little bit open-ended, but I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts on some of the most famous "myths" created in the (post)modern world!
35 thoughts on "Myth-making in the Movies"
Hannah Feldman on November 19, 2014 at 3:55 pm said:
I chose the third option to write about. In my personal opinion, I love the Harry Potter films. They're constructed very well for being composed of mostly computer graphics. On the other hand, I do not like some of the things that J.K. Rowling has brought to light. I realize that the public enjoys witches and spells, but it gives them improper facts. Witches in today's society are actually just normal humans that deal with herbs and worship gods for health and belief reasons. My mother is a witch or Pagan, and it annoys me because from Harry Potter, everyone asks me if she can turn them into a toad or an animal. Obviously, the answer is no, but it's still idiotic to ask. Also on another aspect, elves from mythology are beautiful creatures, and the Harry Potter movies painted them as gross, ugly creatures that are house elves. This is wrong because elves are beautiful creatures and deserve to be painted as them. As a thing that I like, I do like how they put the Phoenixes into the movie. They're really pretty and the details about what happens to them during their lives is true. The overall screenplay and cast of actors and actresses is outstanding, but the creatures that were used are not necessarily correct.
Shefali Patel on November 20, 2014 at 8:27 pm said:
I am going to do the third option and will focus on Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter!
What I love about the series is that J.K. Rowling makes the modern day world extraordinary. This is mostly why the books are popular today. There are more symbols in Harry Potter to mythology than people think.
"Rowling's literary myth also has a parallel to Hercules' tale. In Harry Potter, Fluffy, the three-headed dog guards the door to the forbidden corridor just as in the tale Hercules, the dog Cerberus guards the gate to the underworld."
People often wonder if there is a clear definition of good and evil. Since Harry Potter gives a clear definition, it makes it even more likable.
"However, the most important symbols are found in the contrast of the two groups Gryffindor and Slytherin. Gryffindor, which is the group of good wizards in Harry Potter, is represented by the lion, for a griffin is a half-lion half-eagle. The lion can symbolize "¦a valorous soldier, whose magnanimity is such as he had rather expose himself to all dangers, and even to death itself, than to become captive." 25 Just as a lion is considered a king of its realm, so is a snake. The group Slytherin is represented by the snake, which is mythically described as "¦the infection of his pestiferous and poysonfull aspect, wherewith he poisoneth the aire." 26 This group of wizards called Slytherin can in no doubt be described as that which is not good."
Both of these quotes were taken from this website. It is an interesting read, and it talks about Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars.
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/sensemaking/
What people like about Harry Potter is that it gives them a world full of magic and magical creatures, of curses, spells, and prophecies, but it still gives off the air of an ordinary world. It is what many people today wish and dream were real. The moral values and teachings that come along with the series are invaluable. This series has made a lot of people stronger in their moral values and must not be considered has trash. The movies that were produced did cut a lot of the things from the books, but the lessons, main idea, and plots were the same. Harry Potter is not just a tale of a boy, a villain, and a prophesy, but a tale about love, loyalty, friendship, and unfortunately death. I believe that Harry Potter is just one of the many things that will continue to live on in the hearts of many. It started an era of learning of finding and believing in oneself.
Luke Leifken on November 21, 2014 at 12:29 am said:
I will be choosing to talk about The Wizard of Oz. The film does very well fit into what we've talked about as myth this semester. The whole story is basically an adventure and it is also sort of a fairy tale. There are many magical and mystical elements of the story; for example, the witch and her powers, the talking scarecrow, lion, and tin man, the many litte creatures and munchkins, and who could forget the color changing horse. The main character Dorothy does go on an adventure with the tin man, scarecrow, and lion, because she wants to find the wizard so that she can finally get back home. Throughout this journey, all of the characters grow and become closer. The lion gets courage, the scarecrow gets proof that he is smart, and the tin man gets a heart. And to get to this point, like normal myth stories and tales, they have to defeat the wicked witch of the west, the main villain.
Medgina Saint-Elien on November 21, 2014 at 6:57 am said:
The Wizard of Oz is a modern day myth because it has magical elements in everyday life. It reminds me of a Disney movie that comes to life. It's targeted for families stating how there "is no place like home", using a sentimental lesson to bring in it's audience. The speaking animals, magic, song and dance allude to that factor. She was a damsel in distress who wanted to go after her own destiny. It's also interesting that the "god" everyone goes to for help was actually a man behind a machine. The cross between magic and science could be noted there because it shows that witches can exist but the all-powerful Oz cannot. There can only be so much knowledge and power and seeing the great and mighty Oz, taken off his pedestal raises questions. Is everything just run by one man? Is it all just smoke and mirrors? Fantasy enters the post modern world because it makes us question reality and limitations.
Jose Amparo on November 21, 2014 at 7:57 am said:
After watching Star Wars for about the billionth time I watched it one more time to look for even more mythological aspects. While going through the series you often hear the Jedi speak about the force as something only a few people can use. This is called being force sensitive. The force is explained as an organism that is in everything and can be controlled. This organism is called Midichlorian. This can be considered mythological because the midichlorians gave the Jedi the ability to do things that are supernatural and not human. This could be seen as a supernatural force that helps the heroes to accomplish their goal.
Timothy Lipari on November 21, 2014 at 2:09 pm said:
I chose to write about the second option, The Wizard of Oz. My mom is a huge fan of the wizard of Oz and over the past couple of years has made me sat through it several times. The movie can be classified as the "American Myth" because it shows several mythological aspects. The most important aspect, to me, is the hero's journey. We come across Dorothy as an unlikely hero because its abnormal to see a female take on the role of a hero besides Joan of Arc of course. Dorothy was part of an average life until everything got twisted. She was put into another world where she came across beasts, magic, flying monkeys, and a variety of friends. Most heroes go out on a quest to save someone or something but in Dorothy's case she was just trying to find a way back home. Her hero's journey shows adaptation and changes to who is seen as a hero and what is seen as a journey. Dorothy and her trip to Oz became the quintessential American version of a hero's journey. She went on a journey, made great allies, defeated a wicked witch, and learned a valuable lesson: "There's no place like home." Any hero of ancient myth goes through the same journey and basically does the same exact things. The Wizard of Oz just shows how a girl can do anything as heroic as Hercules or Perseus.
Jess Garvin on November 23, 2014 at 11:01 am said:
The Harry Potter franchise I believe is so strong because people have such a strong attachment to myth, everyday people use tv shows and movies to get out of the realistic world around them. The magical factor of these Harry Potter movies provides a connection to people's childhood; their memories: the stories they were told. Harry Potter along with magic, brings adventure and lessons to be learned with each movie. The Harry Potter myth gives people a larger spectrum of fantasy to look at, Harry Potter introduces some new myths along with some old ones: new being the screaming mandrake root, old being the Phoenix that Dumbledoor owned. Harry Potter interests readers and watchers because of it's imagination and ideas. The myths enhance the quality of the movies of Harry Potter are giving people something to "believe in", at least when they are watching the movie.
Naijasia Thomas on November 23, 2014 at 12:47 pm said:
The Wizard of Oz is a classic film shown in my household. Dorothy has been taken into another realm where she is able to lead a band of men to their destiny. There were many of the different archetypes found in a typical heroin tales prominent in The Wizard of Oz. The hero, would be the first of the types that are shown. Since Dorothy arrived in munchkinland, she was a hero. Her house landing on the witch gave all the munchkins that much more freedom than before. She also showed heroic characteristics by saving Toto from the lion's rage. Dorothy is the hero by sacrificing herself to save what she loves. At the same time, Dorothy was also the damsel in distress. She was captured and helpless and had to be saved which allowed her that title. Another archetype that was prominent in the film was that of the villain. The witch caused havoc for everyone and attempted to kill our hero. She is in every way a villain. The aspect of magic also fits into the mythical aspect of the film. Without magic, none of the ideals present in Oz would be real.
Nile White on November 23, 2014 at 3:02 pm said:
For this blog post I am going to be doing option 2. As many times as I have seen the Wizard of Oz with my mom I had never really thought about it in a mythological way, but the more I think about it, it becomes more clear to me. The Wizard of Oz fits into Joseph Campbell's hero's journey and has many elements of myth. Dorothy goes off on a long amazing journey that she was imagining just to figure out the true meaning and value of home and family. She finds 3 main important allies (Tin-man, Lion, Scarecrow) that are foil characters to her three uncles back in Kansas. She defeats 2 witches and becomes the master of two worlds, Oz and her World, although she has no special powers. Even the way the director made Kansas a black and white and made Oz a wonderful colored land, shows how Dorothy could have been trying to escape the dull place she called home in Kansas.
Jonathan Bannon on November 23, 2014 at 3:22 pm said:
For this blog I chose to write about a theme from Star Wars and that theme is the monomyth or, in the way I am using the term, syncretism. George Lucas mentioned in an interview that he was aware of the campbeliian idea of a repeating narrative throughout mythology. That idea of a unified mythological formula is very much prevalent in the different elements he purposely combines. The best example of this would be the Jedi, who are a mixture of Christian knights and Shinto/Buddhist samurai. The Jedi wear clothing reminiscent of a samurai's kimono, but with the addition of a hood that was borrowed from Christian monks. Another such element of the Jedi is their light saber, which are individualized by color (the explanation of this is in the expanded universe books that a friend of mine had told me about) and this is reminiscent of the samurai idea of a samurai sword containing the wielder's soul. In short, Star Wars is filled with mixed elements of different mythologies to create a story that is universally recognized much like the monomyth.
James Whalen on November 23, 2014 at 4:01 pm said:
The Wizard of Oz has been considered to be one of the most influential modern myths on the page and on screen. It has captivated the attention of millions, including myself, with it's aura of a land that is engrossed in mythological elements and heroic archetypes. Dorothy is the hero of the tale and directly fits Joseph Campbell's archetype of a Monomyth. Dorothy has the initial Separation from her home of Kansas and goes out into the Land of Oz. She then goes through the Initiation phase of the challenge of facing the Wicked Witch of the West, after which Dorothy then returns home after her adventure in Oz.
The Land of Oz in particular has many fairy tale elements with the Witches of the North, East, and West; as well as the talking Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow. There is also the balance of good and evil with the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West. The ruby slippers that Dorothy acquires also have a magic element to them because they can transport their user to any location that they so desire. This is directly why the Wicked Witch of the West sought after them so desperately and exemplifies how the heroin Dorothy had to keep them away from her.
Destannie Morris on November 23, 2014 at 4:40 pm said:
When looking at the film, "The Wizard of Oz," one can clearly trace the central theme of the hero's journey throughout the feature. The main character Dorothy goes through each of the steps that Joseph Campbell describes as vital to the hero's journey. The film follows Dorothy as she goes through the three steps of separation, initiation, and return. As for the first step of separation when she is knocked unconscious and travels to the magical Land of Oz, it is here that she will begin her journey as a heroine. The second step of initiation occurs when Dorothy discovers she must set out to seek the help of the Wizard of Oz in order to return home. Third would be the return to Kansas after Dorothy realizes she had the power to return home all along. It is upon Dorothy's arrival home that she learns that it is not always better to seek happiness in other places. This would be the "savior" lesson that the hero would bring back and spread to her community, as I'm sure Dorothy would pass this knowledge as her life goes on. 'The Wizard of Oz" is also very similar to other stories we've read in the semester. For example Dorothy's journey is similar to that of Odysseus as they both wish to return home. The details involving each character's quest differ but the three main points of separation, initiation, and return is all there. While Odysseus leaves for war and has to battle his way, he still returns home with the knowledge that his role is to be at home where he can fulfill his duties and he knows that there's no other place he'd rather be just like Dorothy. Whether L. Frank Baum created "The Wizard of Oz" purposely to follow the hero's journey or not he stills fell Joseph Campbell's idea of a Hero With A Thousand Faces.
Jeremy Dilks on November 23, 2014 at 6:43 pm said:
As someone who really appreciates the Harry Potter series, I decided I would talk about the series in terms of myth-making. As a little kid when the series first came around on film, it really opened up a new world for me. As a little kid with a wild imagination, seeing a land full of magic made it seem as if becoming a wizard was a true possibility. This may seem silly now, considering I'm now a college student, but that is kind of the point. The story appeals to little kids as it makes a world of magic seem so real, and it appeals to teens/adults because the story is about a boy with nothing but negativity in his life, and turns him into a great wizard whom at the end of it all conquers all his obstacles and kills the man who murdered his parents. Not only does the story represent a myth through all of the magic and creatures, but it also follows a character who goes through a lot in order to become a better, wiser, and stronger character at the end. Of all mythological-like stories, Harry Potter is probably the one that lays the closest to me.
Bill Ong on November 23, 2014 at 6:48 pm said:
For my last blog post, I would like to talk about the Star Wars movie we watched on Wednesday. I have not seen the movie since I was a child and forgot most of what happened. After seeing it again I quickly realized it came to be such a classic and develop such a large fan base. The thing that struck me the most was how dark the empire was when they killed Luke's uncle and aunt. We are given an image where we see two burning skeletons along with a ruined home. That scene was the most tragic to me. It showed the brutal might of the empire and innocent people were killed. I thought that this was the event that pushed Luke to really go with Ben and learn the ways of the force. He said that he would go because there was nothing left for him once his home was burned down. At first Luke was kind of reluctant at the idea of leaving the farm, but then when he came back to find everything was gone, he immediately turned to Ben and asked to go with him. To me this was the hero initiation point that has been a common theme within our class texts or movies. There is always something that happens that pushes the hero or main character to action. Luke's was especially graphic because we got to see the burning corpses.
Brenna Borz on November 23, 2014 at 8:06 pm said:
For my final blog I thought I would go over option two and review some of the tropes that we have learned this semester that are reflected through the movie Wizard of OZ. In the Wizard of Oz we follow the magic of Dorthy's journey through Oz, the main character, like in many heroes journeys start off in with a normal life much like Dorthy and long for something more, they then go in search of adventure in this case it is found in Oz where there is magic around every turn where all the characters try to obtain something of importance from the great and powerful Oz, and lastly they return home; in this case Dorthy returns home with a better appreciation for the life that she has and more brains, heart, and courage then she had before. We can see the role of the master or teacher played by Galinda the the good and evil represented in The Wicked Witch of the West. Dorthy is also accompanied by side characters that protect and empower her along the way. The tale of The Wizard of Oz follows the same blueprint as every heroes story.
Erin Grugan on November 23, 2014 at 8:22 pm said:
For my final blogpost, I will be discussing the archetypal mythology in The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy, our hero, follows pretty closely the monomyth cycle as conceptualized by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with A Thousand Faces. She follows the departure, in running away and ending up the mystical world of Oz. Her initiation takes place within Oz, coming across beloved characters such as the lion, the tin man, and the scarecrow. She travels about Oz meeting supernatural beings like fairies (connection to not only myth, but the fairy tales). She faces a villain, The Wicked Witch, and even runs into a typical mythical trickster character in the form of the "wizard". Her return, is her physical return to Kansas as she wakes up in her bed surrounded by her family/friends. Though she fits this model vaguely, there is a point to which she does NOT fit the myth archetypal hero, and that involves what happens when she gets back to Kansas… nothing. Nothing happens. And that goes against the hero usually returning victorious to lead or change the world around them. As you can see, though she fits the physical archetypal pattern, she does not embody the true idea of a hero in a myth.
Rachel Hancharuk on November 23, 2014 at 8:39 pm said:
For this final blog post I will be choosing option number two. The 'Wizard of Oz' fits the heroic adventures we have seen. Dorothy searches for a way to get home and encounters many difficult obstacles throughout. A common theme throughout is friendship. Due to the friendships Dorothy makes with the Scarecrow, Lion and Tinman, she is able to make it home. Another common theme between this text and the others we've read is betrayal and consequence. When Dorothy wishes to go somewhere else because she doesn't like her life at home and betrays her family, she is eventually forced to face the consequence and deal with many hardships along the way. Another theme is trust. Dorothy as well as the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion had to trust eachother in order to make it to the end of the yellow brick road to see the great Oz. If they didn't, they would have never made it.
Because they trusted eachother they also learned things about who they really are. The Lion has courage, Scarecrow has brains and the Tinman has a heart. 'The Wizard of Oz' is a classic story which is used for entertain purposes while it also serves to talk about the economical struggles during the time it was written.
Parker Magee on November 23, 2014 at 8:59 pm said:
I think it is pretty easy to view Star Wars in terms of a methodological story. Looking at the basic level of the story we see a masked evil that oppresses the common people that is defeated by the hero. Looking at that level we see a story that could be projected onto any number of old stories mostly because the tale revolves around the journey of the hero. We see a hero who at first is reluctant who then leaves his life of normalcy and enters into the unknown and dangerous. Another huge factor similar to other myths is the idea behind divine intervention in the hero's journey. For example in Greek myths the Gods themselves directly interfere in certain situations so long as what they want to happen happens. In Star Wars the divine force is never actually personified or even given a direct definition of its existence. But still we see multiple cases of characters who revere the entity and regard it as either a godly being or a type of prophecy that dictates the universe. One way you could see as the force's interference with people is the way that some beings can directly use powers that come from the force.
Allison Baer on November 23, 2014 at 9:03 pm said:
It is easy to argue that within "The Wizard Of Oz" there are several elements and themes that relate to other myths we have read during this semester. We know that in mythological stories there includes different types of archetypes. Just like Joseph Campbell stated in his theory of "The Hero With A Thousand Faces" each myth, no matter where from, includes a hero type figure. Clearly in this movie, the hero is Dorothy. Dorothy is considered a hero for several reasons. The key reason, however, is her journey. She embarks on this crazy adventure, like most heroes do, (Beowulf, Odysseus, even Disney princesses), and along the way helps others to learn valuable lessons about life. Another archetype we have in this movie is the villain. The wicked witch of the east would be that villain, just like in every fairy tale or story of mythology there is a villain that is out to get the hero no matter what circumstances. Last but not least, we have the archetype of the "Mother figure" or someone who gives guidance to the hero. In this case it would be Glinda, the "witch" that guides Dorothy in the right direction, and in the end helps her get home. We have utilized mythology as a way to comprehend things that happen in the world, and it is especially important to understand the time period in which this movie was made. A lot of people were dealing with the effects of the Great Depression, poverty, self-doubt, and just plain struggling. Just like the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, people of America were searching for their own "brains", "heart", and courage. Ultimately, the Wizard of Oz is a movie that shares themes with other myths, like adventure, betrayal, and friendship. It is appropriate to call it a typical American myth because it bestows a common lesson about life.
Mary Kate Donahue on November 23, 2014 at 9:16 pm said:
J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy is truly a modern myth. The world that Tolkien has created is not an ordinary world that may be found in a book. Tolkien took time to develop Middle Earth into something more then just words on paper. Tolkien took the time to craft a history of his world and entire languages to go along with the races that appeared in the book. Such as Elvish and Dwarvish.
There are also detailed maps of his world.
http://lotrproject.com/map/#zoom=3&lat=-1315.5&lon=1500&layers=BTTTTT
This is more then just a story it is a modern myth.
Here's a bit of Elvish (Have fun translating it!):
Pedin i phith in aníron, a nin ú-cheniathagir
Kenny Wilson on November 23, 2014 at 9:27 pm said:
Although I never really payed attention to the Wizard of Oz as a child or throughout the years growing up, I still knew what it was and the significant impact it had on the world due to it's sheer popularity. After watching it on class Friday, it came to my realization just how well the tale fits into the idea of myth, along with the archetypes and heroic adventures that are associated with particular myths. In the case of the Wizard of Oz, Joseph Campbell's idea of a monomyth works perfectly with the heroic adventure found in this story. Dorothy goes off on an adventure when she is taken up by a tornado that hits her home. Along her journey, she comes across many famous characters such as the tin man, scarecrow, and the lion. They aid her over the course of her journey and really contribute to the entire tale. Eventually, Dorothy learns she has to face the Wicked Witch of the West and that is just what she does when defeats her with water. This marks the end of her journey and time for her return home. For archetypes connected with Dorothy's heroic adventure, there is a wide variety consisting of, the hero, the mentor, the trickster, the mother, and the father just to name a few. The hero in this case is without a doubt Dorothy, while the mentor is Glinda who tells her what she needs to know in order to return home. The trickster can be considered the Wizard of Oz himself, along with Toto. For the mother, Dorothy's Aunt Em is the mother figure in the story, as well as Dorothy's Uncle Henry being the father figure. With the use of these archetypes, the various themes found all throughout the tale are developed and contribute to what makes the story so likable, relatable, and popular among the millions of people who know the Wizard of Oz.
Zach Pomrink on November 23, 2014 at 10:21 pm said:
For this blog post I will choose the first option, to examine star wars more in depth. Whenever I see the original movies I always think about the soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970's. The soviets being the empire and the afghan rebels being the rebel alliance. There really aren't any characters I can think of to compare to the historical figures of the event but the story is pretty similar. The empire (Russians) take over everything by force and have a strong control over the area with no representation from the people. Then the rebels (afghans) rise up and begin to fight back against the empire (Russians). After several major victories the empire (Russians) get desperate. Then they plan to use their ultimate weapon the death star (soviet helicopters) to destroy the rebels (afghans). They under estimate the rebels (afghans) and they are able to destroy their ultimate weapon using superior strategy and fire power. With their ultimate weapon destroyer the empire (Russians) begin to retreat and never fully recover. The rebels (Afghans) eventually destroy the empire (Russians) and are finally able to live free and in peace. The story of Star Wars is very similar to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.
Eric Garcia on November 23, 2014 at 10:51 pm said:
I am writing once again about Tolkein's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. lord of the rings does not just represent the definition of Campbell's theory of a hero's journey but includes many elements of traditional myths that we have looked at in the beginning of class. In lord of the rings we a variety of characters that all can fit the various different roles of heroes and villains. it also contains many types of mythological creatures in it such as Goblins, Orcs, elves, and ghosts. it also contains fairy tale like elements with its use of magic from characters such as Gandalf. one can take almost any character and be able to place them into the heros journey.
Sarah Eddy on November 23, 2014 at 10:51 pm said:
J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy is one of the best examples of the modern day myth. They are very controversial books; because of this, it would be difficult to accurately portray them on film. However director Peter Jackson does a phenomenal job at making the books quite literally come to life on screen. His goal was to not only satisfy the already existing fans of the books and their stories, but also to be enjoyable to people with no previous knowledge of the book. The story line itself doesn't necessarily have a set villain per say, however there are several evil characters that work as a force against the fellowship (Saruman, Orcs). The novels contain everything that the modern day myth entitles: A hero, mythical creatures/beings, an unrealistic story line. It is the tale of a hobbit who sets out on a journey away from home, the Shire, to places unlike nothing he's ever seen before. His guide, or you could say his magic fairy godmother, comes in the form of a character named Gandalf the Grey, one of the five wizards. He has his three other hobbit companions, an elf, two humans, and a dwarf accompany him to destroy the ring. This being the whole point of the story. The plot is so technical and goes stray from time to time, but the complexity of it all pulls together in the end, and Jackson does a great job at accurately portraying this complexity.
Aleko Vastardis on November 24, 2014 at 12:35 am said:
In Star Wars Luke Skywalker is our traditional hero throughout the series of films. He follows the classic hero archetype where he is initiated when he meets Ben Kenobi, his tests occur while he learns to use the force to practice his jedi skills on the Millennium Falcon, his return could be when he returns to the rebel base after destroying the Death Star and becoming a hero. Woman are also considered heroes in this movie as well in the form of princess Laia. She was both the damsel in distress and a hero for when she was free she did everything she could to help Luke and Han Solo escape and continued her fight against the Empire.
Obiwan Kenobi and later Yoda, teach Luke about a supernatural connection called the Force. The Force is said to connect everything and served an all important role in the religion of the Jedi and Sith. The Force is one of the mythological aspects in these movies because it's worshiped and seen as all powerful like the gods in previous myths. But the Force could be used for good and evil and the villain in Star wars, Darth Vader and his Empire, use it for evil to immorally control all the other planets in the galaxy.
Camilla Albuquerque on November 24, 2014 at 1:14 am said:
I chose to write about option 3. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, where many creatures and themes we talk about of myths in class are also portrayed, is popular film famous for the magical themes being brought into everyday life. Many people like the franchise especially because they wish their world would be like the world is in Harry Potter. The setting is mostly a school where children attend, except magic exists in this school. There are also people who aren't "magical" in this world, bringing it a little close to reality, but at the same time making it a magical place that would never exist in the real world. I personally love the Harry Potter franchise, usually when there are too many movies in a franchise they get more and more boring,but this is one of the few exceptions. J.K. Rowling is successful in keeping her audience entertained as the story gets more and more intense, and making her audience wish they could live in a world exactly like Harry Potter's.
Erica Tesoriero on November 24, 2014 at 2:08 am said:
I will be presenting a power point on Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings on Monday and in my research it has become clear that they are most certainly legends and not "myths". Harry Potter for example is a great example of a legendary hero. He sacrifices himself in order to protect his loved ones several time throughout the series. Despite feeling completely alone and out of place for his whole life his still finds people to care for and defends them fiercely. He treat all magical creatures equally even when most of the wizarding community looks down on them for not being human. He also ends up defeating the bad guy that has been trying to kill him since birth and has been terrorizing the entire wizarding community. Harry story also follows Campbell's format for a hero's journey. First, the separation: Harry leaves a relatively normal life on Privet Drive for the magic and mystery of Hogwarts. Next, the initiation: Harry learns of the prophecy about himself and lord Voldemort and how one of them will have to kill the other. Finally, the return home: Harry defeats Voldemort and grows up gets a job, gets married, has kids, and returns to a normal home life like he had when he lived on Privet Drive. Also there is no explicit presence of a deity, but there are supernatural powers and creatures; wizards, obviously, but also trolls, centaurs, dragons, mermaids, giant spiders and many more. It is the lack of physical divine beings that mark it as a legend and not a myth. The story is not an explanation of why something happens but rather a story created to teach the reader good morals and values through a heroic character.
Nolan Wentworth on November 24, 2014 at 2:23 am said:
The Lord of the Rings will always hold a special place in my heart. To be more specific, I remember the speech that Sam, Frodo's friend, gives at the end of "The Two Towers" (Second film). His speech is about how him and Frodo are just simple hobbits, but to see how far they have come on their adventure despite all of the opposition they had faced. It speaks to the element that sometimes the heroes are not the big and powerful warriors, but rather the simple like these two unassuming hobbits from the shire. It's the classical tale of the underdog having to go over massive hurdles, but emerges victorious on the other side having gained some kind of honor or insight.
Devyn Brown on November 24, 2014 at 7:32 am said:
I am choosing the second option to write on. Reflecting back on The Wizard of Oz, many key elements are present. The first one being is pull away from reality. his starts when Dorothy begins singing somewhere over the rainbow. As much as we'd all like musicals to actually exist on a daily basis, they don't. In this song we begin to realize she wishes to be somewhere other than on her farm in Kansas. That brings us to our next archetype. The magic. When Dorothy is swept away in the tornado he can clearly see things passing by her window and doesn't have a worry that all of the sudden she will be hit by one of these things or her house will collapse. Then when she enters Oz her world changes from sepia to Technicolor. Then shortly after the "witch" Glinda arrives in her magical transportation bubble. That is where we begin to realize "she's not in Kansas anymore". Along with this the element of magic is relevant throughout the film and is probably its key component. This brings us back to stories we have previously learned. A major theme of most of them is in fact magic. Especially in the fairtytales we've read such as, Snow White and little red cap. Thus, making the Wizard of Oz an American fairytale.
Sydney Andrews on November 24, 2014 at 7:33 am said:
The film the Wizard of Oz closely fits the typical monomyth cycle that we've discussed in class. It might be a far stretch, but the Wizard of Oz displays some key archetypes and heroic adventures similar to that of Homer's Odyssey. In the simplest of summaries, they are both about an individual making their journey home. While both stories are set in completely different times and places, and involve different obstacles, themes, and characters, they both exhibit the basic points of the monomyth cycle; separation, initiation, and return. Dorothy's separation occurs when her house lands in Munchkin Land. There she meets her mentor Glinda, where soon after her initiation begins as she must follow a yellow brick road to the Wizard of Oz who will send Dorothy home. Along the way, Dorothy meets many characters that become her friends and travel with her to Oz. Her return comes however, when Glinda gives her specific instructions on how to get back to Kansas. Dorothy also fits the typical hero mold as she is orphaned and helps others. She is traditionally unusual because she is female but as society has progressed, it is more common. Overall, the Wizard of Oz fits the monomyth mold like many other texts we have covered this semester.
Hailey Getz on November 24, 2014 at 7:34 am said:
If you think about it's history, myth is amazing. Someone, somewhere had to of created a story and throughout time it turned into a well know legend. J.R.R. Tolkien did the same thing when he created the stories surrounding Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and even The Silmarillion are all epic fantasies meant to please the audience while grabbing them in for an explosive story line. With all the magic and mystery that is experienced during the films, it is easy to imagine how great a read the book series is. It is a time consuming adventure to be able to understand these films, as they have characters with that leave a lasting impression. Gandalf alone draws you in since he is the greatest wizard in the world. These stories excite, and with the amount of detail in them it takes a lot of effort to understand them. our generation must appreciation the work and dedication of J.R.R. Tolkien because these stories will last forever in the world of myth.
Megan Razukas on November 24, 2014 at 8:53 am said:
In the Wizard of Oz, I was surprised to find so many similarities between Campbell's idea of myth. It never quite struck me as a mythological film, because I saw it when I was very young. Seeing that this film plays a huge role in today's society with all of it's political references that we discussed in class, made me think more about this hidden elements. This weekend, I actually watched a movie on TV called "Oz: The Great and Powerful." This is a very modernized tale that explains how the Wizzard actually came to be. But in seeing this film, it made me think that the book and the film made back in 1939 was still so influential to this day. We still have modernizations of this film, because it spoke out to a number of different audiences. The excitement of witches and talking animals, brought joy to the children. Yet, the adults often enjoyed the hidden messages lying beneath the shallow surface plot. The Wizzard not actually being a Wizzard (more like a magician) was a hint that anything is possible, and you can come from nothing, but still make something out of yourself. The Wizzard of Oz is still a great film to this day and is one of the key films for both adults and children, with a mythological background.
John krumaker on November 24, 2014 at 10:00 am said:
For my choice i chose to elaborate on the second option of the wizard of Oz. When we look at many fairy tales they all have a similar pattern within them and the wizard of Oz is no different. There are many archetypes in this movie. The first would be the hero and that is obviously Dorothy, she leaves her home and embarks on a very wild journey and returns home but does not bestow any Boones she has on her family but she does learn something which could be her enlightenment. She learns that her home is not as bad as she thought. Than we have our helpful creatures or person(s) this could be the Lion, straw man, and the tin man. They help her along her journey to see the wizard of Oz. Then we have the guide which I believe to be Glinda, she from the start tells Dorothy what she must do to complete her quest home and informs her of the magic ruby red shoes that can help her get there. When we look at all these different characters we see all of the classic archetypes within every fairytale.
Sara Brown on November 24, 2014 at 11:30 am said:
For this last blog post, I am going to discuss the Wizard of Oz and how it relates to the typical heroic adventure. With the help of the worksheet that Gust handed out in class on Friday, I have deduced which archetypes reveal themselves within the work. First off, there is the obvious "hero", Dorothy, even if she does not always act in the heroic manner, such as when she must be saved by her friends and thus turns into the damsel in distress. there is also present a number of other similarities: namely, the mentor (the good witch, Glinda), threshold guardians (the lion, scarecrow, and tin man), the herald (Oz), and the trickster (the wicked witch of the west.) They fit the mold well, falling into the categories with little exceptions such as the imperfections of the "guardians." Additionally, there is a slight present of a mother and father embodied in the aunt and uncle in that they are her worldy guardians but take little interest in her. Also, the god Toto could be seen as the "child" Dorothy takes care of.
Similarly, The Wizard of Oz resembles the heroic adventure because there is an ordinary world beginning (when she is seen in the beginning being ignored by her family and living in a small, uneventful town of Kansas), the call to adventure (the storm and ending up in Oz), and meeting with the mentor (finally meeting Oz and all 4 of them getting their wishes.) Additionally, there are many tests, allies, and enemies. The tests include mostly just following the yellow brick road despite difficulties, the allies include her obvious friends and the good witch herself, and the enemies include the wicked witch of the west and her minions (in this case flying monkeys.)
Finally, there is an ordeal, reward, and return. Dorothy is stolen from her friends by the wicked witch, but rescued by her friends, and they kill the witch with the "infamous" water. Dorothy then leaves Oz and goes back home with the clicking of her heels and realizes that life In Kansas is not as bad, and therefore brings her "boons" home as symbolized in her love for her home and her family. As you can see, there are a lot more similarities than one may think at first glance.
Julia Collins on November 24, 2014 at 1:27 pm said:
I chose to discuss The Wizard Of Oz in relation to the many archetypes found in the novels and movie. Several themes in The Wizard Of Oz can be seen in many of the myths we've studied this semester. One sure archetype in The Wizard Of Oz is the hero figure. The hero figure is a necessity to myth according to Joseph Campbell. Dorothy is the hero in The Wizard Of Oz. A key reason as to why Dorothy can be seen as the hero is her heroic journey. Her journey teaches her many life lessons through her encounters with many mythological creatures- for example, flying monkeys and witches. Dorothy's heroic journey features a call to action, initiation, and a return home. One archetype seen in many myths is the villain archetype. The villain in The Wizard Of Oz is the wicked witch of the east. She is out to get Dorothy (the hero) and eventually fights and is defeated by Dorothy. Another archetype seen in The Wizard of Oz is the mentor. Glinda, the good witch, is Dorothy's mentor. She guides her on her quest and in the end helps Dorothy realize that she has the power to travel back home. The scarecrow, lion, and tin man also work as mentor figures. They each help Dorothy achieve her goals of finding her way home. An important aspect of The Wizard Of Oz is the time period in which it was made. The Great Depression was occurring and many people were struggling financially and inter-personally. This movie helps the American people discover their own "home" and gain "brains", "courage", and "heart". The Wizard Of Oz shares many themes and characteristics that other myths have. The Wizard Of Oz is such a well-known and enjoyed mythological tale because of it's realistic qualities of friendship, adventure, and home.


A receipt notice is important for two different reasons. Firstly, a receipt notice is an official government document that can be provided as evidence that your application has been received by USCIS. If you lose your receipt notice, you will no longer have an official record that your case was formally received by USCIS. Although it is possible to request a duplicate receipt notice from USCIS this process is time consuming and costly. So, make sure you are keeping your receipt notice in a safe place.
Secondly, a receipt notice contains a "receipt number" which is used internally by USCIS to track and identify your case. You will need your receipt number when communicating with USCIS about your case by mail, phone, or in person.
Moreover, for specific case types such as the I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident, the receipt notice plays a crucial role, because the I-751 receipt notice automatically extends a conditional permanent resident's green card status for a period of 18 months, while the I-751 application is pending with USCIS.
Why else is the notice important?
Finally, the receipt notice is important to identify the service center that will be processing your application. When looking at your receipt notice or "notice of action" you will notice that your receipt number begins with three letters followed by a series of numbers, for example VSC-15-123-45678.
The letters that appear on your receipt number identify the particular USCIS service center that is processing your petition.
Why is this important? This is important because if you, or your attorney, need to get in touch with the particular service center that has your case, you will need to know what service center to get a hold of.
What do the digits mean in a receipt number? The first two digits of your case number represent the fiscal year in which USCIS received your petition. The following three digits represent the computer workday on which the receipt was processed by USCIS and the fee was taken by the agency. The last five digits of the receipt number are chosen sequentially to identify the petition filed. These digits are chosen during initial intake of the application.
Now you know all there is to know about receipt numbers. If you have any questions please contact our office.


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Upper West Side – Save Our Stores
Dedicated to stopping the epidemic of empty storefronts and revitalizing commercial life in our neighborhood.
Town Hall Meeting
Reports/Resources
Laws/Bills
LAWS and Pending Bills
Recently passed laws as well as pending bills that address the plight of retail and empty storefronts
RECENTLY PASSED LAWS
August 2019: Storefront Tracker, Intro 1472, passed by NY City Council, requires all commercial storefront and second floor spaces citywide to register. Non-compliance will be penalized. Data will be made public. Bill sponsored by City Council Member Helen Rosenthal. Press Release with details.
August 2019: Small Business Legislative Package, Local Law 156 of 2019/Int 1471, passed by NY City Council, requires the City to provide small businesses with training and other technical assistance related to building an e-commerce presence, marketing, and business systems.
August 2019: Database of Small Business Laws and Rules, Local Law 155 of 2019/Int 1467A, passed by NY City Council, requires the Commissioner of Small Business Services to establish a searchable and interactive data base to aid business owners in understanding city laws and rules applicable to businesses, including the applicable licenses, permits, certifications and zoning information. Sponsor: Mark Gjonaj.
August 2019, Small Business Health Assessment, Local Law 152 of 2019/Int 1049A-2018, Passed by NY City Council, requires the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) "to complete an assessment of the state of storefront businesses in at least twenty community districts in the City once every three years. The bill would further require SBS in coordination with the Department of Finance and City Planning to produce a report containing information related to storefront businesses." Sponsor: Carlina Rivera.
December 2017: Small Business Tax Credit, Local Law 254 of 2017, Int 799B, passed by NY City Council, establishes a Small Business Tax Credit ("the credit") against Commercial Rent Tax. The credit would provide complete tax relief for taxpayers with incomes of $5 million or less and who pay less than $500,000 per year in rent. Taxpayers who have incomes of $5 million or less and who pay between $500,000 and $550,000 per year in rent, and those taxpayers who have incomes between $5 million and $10 million and who pay less than $550,000 per year in rent would receive a partial, sliding scale credit. Taxpayers who have incomes of more than $10 million would not receive any credit." Sponsor: Former Councilman Daniel Gorodnick.
December 2017: Small Business Tax Credit, Local Law 256 of 2017, Int 1783-2017, passed by NY City Council, amends "the definitions of base rent and total income for purposes of the Small Business Tax Credit against the Commercial Rent Tax." Sponsors: Daniel Gorodnick and Ben Kallos.
June 2012: Zoning: Special Enhanced Commercial District-Neighborhood Retail Streets Zoning on UWS: NY City Council Summary; Powerpoint Presentation on Zoning
BILLS PENDING — NY CITY COUNCIL
Nov. 2019: Commercial Rent Regulation, NY City Council Int 1796-2019: To amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the regulation of commercial law, to establish a system of commercial rent registration and regulation applicable to retail stores of 10,000 square feet or less, manufacturing establishments of 25,000 square feet or less, and professional, services or other offices of 10,000 square feet or less. Seven-member Commercial Rent Guidelines Board would be appointed by Mayor to establish guidelines and the rate of rent adjustments for covered commercial spaces, annually. Sponsored by City Council member Stephen Levin.
Oct 2019: Exempting Grocery Stores from Commercial Tax, NY City Council Int 1779-2019: This bill would exempt grocery stores from the commercial rent tax if they meet certain floor space and affordability requirements. Sponsored by City Council member Margaret Chin.
March 2019: Legal Services, NY City Council Int. No. 1470: Local law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing legal services to small business owners facing eviction proceedings. Sponsored by NY City Council Member Mark Levine.
February 2019: Prohibition of Real Property Tax Exemptions, NY Assembly A4963: Bill would amend New York State real property tax law, in relation to prohibiting exemptions for owners of vacant or unoccupied storefront properties "if the property has been vacant or unoccupied for at least two years." Sponsor: NY Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell.
March 2018: Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA), NY City Council Int 0737A-2018: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating a small business lease program for establishing an environment for fair negotiations in the commercial lease renewal process in order to determine reasonable lease terms." In Committee (on Small Business). Sponsors: By Council Members Rodriguez, Espinal, Chin, Rivera, Constantinides, Rosenthal, Reynoso, Menchaca, Ayala, Van Bramer, Levine, Levin, Cumbo, Kallos, Treyger, the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams), Perkins, Eugene, Ampry-Samuel, Adams, Miller, Koslowitz, Rose, Gibson, King, Barron, Dromm, Salamanca, Maisel and Diaz
BILLS PENDING — NY STATE SENATE
April 2019/June 2019: Commercial Vacancy Tax, NY State S5166 and NY Assembly A8231: Amends State Tax law to give NYS Tax Commissioner powers to impose and collect taxes on commercial storefronts that are "vacant or abandoned" for over six months. Bill applies to properties that are unoccupied or unsecured, unoccupied and secured by boarding or other similar means, unoccupied and unsafe, unoccupied and has multiple city code violations. Sponsors: Senator Robert Jackson and Assembly member Linda Rosenthal.
May 2019: Commercial Vacancy Tax, NY Senate S5952, NY Assembly A6997: Amends general municipal law and imposes a fee on vacant commercial property that has remained continuously vacant for a period of six months or more to be paid to the state every thirtieth day such commercial property remains vacant. In committee. Sponsored by Sen. Robert Jackson and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal.
2019: Commercial Vacancy Tax Bill, NY Senate S5686 and NY Assembly A8234: Any city having a population of one million or more to impose and collect taxes on vacant ground floor commercial premises that "have been vacant for a period of not less than six months. The tax on such vacant ground floor commercial premises shall be measured as determined and calculated in accordance with a formula or formulas set forth in any such local law, provided that any such tax shall not exceed two thousand dollars per square foot annually. Any such local law may impose such tax at different rates in different geographical areas of any such city. Such tax shall be imposed on the owner of such premises." In committee. Sponsored by Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assembly Member Deborah Glick.
2019: Small Business Survival Act, NY Senate SO5326 and NY Assembly AO6529: Bill creates a small business lease program for fair negotiations in the commercial lease renewal process. Read Summary. Sponsored by NY State Assembly member Danny O'Donnell; Sponsored by NY State Senator Julia Salazar.
UWS SOS Fights Retail Blight
https://uwssos.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/20190317_192548.mp4
Comptroller Scott Stringer, UWS Town Hall
https://youtu.be/-N7aaKGuQmY
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I'm thinking about the last twenty-four hours of my life.
It's like nothing made sense until I drove out of the church parking lot with Tav. My mind's replaying the evening's events, and that's waking me up further. My night prayers are something between "Thank you, Lord," and "Please don't let me get hurt," to "Can I have more Tav?"—like he's something I could order off of a menu.
"Sweet dreams. And I want to hear all about it tomorrow." That was Gwen, strolling in half-asleep into my room, making sure I was home, and out again.
Now, I know what sweet dreams are made of—my moments with Tavish MacGregor.
I. Am. In. Deep. Trouble.
It's morning. I don't want to wake up. I'm still dreaming about last evening.
Gwen's late as usual…and I'm even later.
Where do I want to go to church?
So I'm walking to the church down the street.
It's not a large place, and they always give me a warm welcome. I feel like the long-lost prodigal daughter.
"Natalie, we've missed you." That would be the usher.
I'm thinking, all play and no sleep—that's what makes Natalie a dull girl.
No, I'd rather not. But I get a hug anyway.
Why is it that people don't realize that some grandfather type of personalities are quite the lechers? Everyone, well, most, think these men are warm and friendly, but I've know some of them to hug…just a little too close.
"And so the Lord sayeth…" The pastor has begun his sermon.
King James, of course. And I'm not sure what the Lord is sayething and I should have been paying more attention to the pastor's sermon, but his soft voice and my sleep deprivation were perfect companions to make me nod off a few times and miss some important (I guess) points.
And then, I was doing that woman thing—should I or shouldn't I?
Should I call Tav and thank him? Would he think that I'm reading too much into an evening out? He might think I'm desperate for him? But he did pay for dinner and it was amazing. I started to pray that God would give me a sign. Now signs can get you into trouble. I remember the time that I thought God wanted me to talk to this guy at church, only to find out that he told everyone that I was hitting on him. The creep.
But I decided to pray for a sign anyway. I thought I heard the pastor say, "If you're thinking about it. Do it. Take a risk." I took that as a sign. I would have taken anything as a sign. Maybe he said, Don't! Or maybe he had said, "Sinking boats are risky." Anyway, the pastor probably shouldn't have said whatever he had, because he lost one person in his audience for the rest of his sermon.
Another try. No. Not quite right.
Ding. Ding. Ding. That's me receiving a text message.
Shhh. That's pious lady next to me, glowering at me…in Christ.
It is Tav. I'm so excited, I'm pointing to the phone and whispering to Mrs. Pious that it's Tav.
Why is it so simple for them to send a text? I bet Tav hadn't pondered every single word, overanalyzed it, added a little flippancy with a dose of denial to make sure I didn't think he was interested in me. And then, read and deleted the sentence five times, or checked with three people in the room to make sure it was okay, before he sent it.
"In church. Yes. Where are you?" I text.
See. Simple. Men are straightforward. They want to see you. They say it. We women never want a man to know that we're dying to see him and that we're sitting with our phones in our hands, checking them a million times in one second to make sure we haven't missed his message or call.
Now Mrs. Pious has lost her piety and is quite into my texts. She's reading them, smiling at me, and giving me a thumbs up!
I'm in shock. Can't text. He wants to see me again?!
My new friend's body is convulsed in giggles. "He's in love with you." I'm shaking my head no.
"You're adorable." He texts. I'm adorable? He thinks I'm adorable.


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Lawyers for Liberty
Defending Human Rights & its Defenders
Adam Ali obtains leave from court to challenge UPSI's decision
KUALA LUMPUR (June 21, 2012): Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris' (UPSI) student Adam Adli Abdul Halim today obtained permission from the High Court to challenge the university's decision to suspend him for allegedly breaking its regulations. Judge Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim granted leave for a judicial review filed by Adam Adli after hearing submissions from both…
June 24, 2012 NewsBy Administrator
Police grill Bersih filmmaker for two hours
Witness Linus Chung is unhappy over the manner in which he was called in for questioning, saying it was an attempt to intimidate. VIDEO INSIDE KUALA LUMPUR: A filmmaker who shot a video of a group of policemen assaulting a Bersih supporter was called in for questioning today. Linus Chung Yao Fui, 32, was however,…
Copyrights (C) 2015-2019 Lawyers for Liberty. All Rights Reserved.


Money in the Garage: Halloween ideas that sell!
Now that we're in October, it's time to finish selling off any remaining Halloween items you might have laying around. I started early. My Halloween inventory went up on eBay way back in the July. Starting early is always a good idea if you don't want to get stuck with smiling pumpkins and skeletons staring at you for an entire year, not to mention the royal pain of storing big, bulky Halloween decorations.
A Halloween idea! Sell em on eBay!
My Halloween sales began in July as a trickle. I posted one eBay listing at a time to get things moving and to free up space in the MoneyintheGarage warehouse. I began with this huge pumpkin inflatable. Most yard inflatables are made by a company called Gemmy and can sell for big bucks in the stores. If you snag one at the right price at a yard sale, they can be excellent flips on eBay. I bought the pumpkin seen here at a yard sale back way back in June. In fact, I actually bought five holiday inflatables from the same seller that day. I paid $10 dollars for each one. They included three Halloween pumpkins, one Thanksgiving turkey and a snowman. But while you can make a lot of money flipping yard inflatables, it also can be risky business. The main problem? You may get stuck with one that doesn't fully inflate. Usually this is because of a hole somewhere in the fabric. The dead giveaway is when your inflatable refuses to stand straight up after plugging in the fan. Who wants a saggy pumpkin on their front yard, right?
But while it's wise to test out an inflatable before paying, I rarely do. If it's cheap enough, I fork over the dough and go! Most of the time, I'll snag a holiday themed inflatable for around five to ten bucks. In the case of the five inflatables I bought in June, the seller promised me they all worked. He even told me that if any of them didn't inflate, I could return them. With that money back guarantee, I forked over $50 big ones and hoped for the best.
Obviously, you always want to test out an inflatable prior to re-selling it. Once it's fully inflated, you can also snap some photographs for your Craigslist or eBay listing. In the case of the five holiday inflatables, I decided to test all of them on a hot summer day in July. Take it from me, there's nothing stranger then the sight of a huge Halloween pumpkin or Frosty the Snowman on your front yard in July! To avoid calls to the police from my neighbors, I test out my inflatables in the backyard away from prying eyes. There is one neighbor I can't hide from. He lives right next door and can't help watching my antics in full view. But he's grown accustom to seeing me photograph all kinds of weird, wacky garage sale finds in my back yard. In fact, I was in the middle of inflating one of the giant pumpkins when he wandered outside and looked over. I waved at him and yelled, "Happy Halloween!" He just waved back, shook his head and walked back inside his house.
Halloween decorations sell for big bucks!
Once the testing and picture taking was completed, I packed all five inflatables back into their boxes and stacked them on my inventory shelf. Noticing that five inflatable boxes can take up a lot of space on the shelf, I decided to take a shot at selling them early. I began by posting the eight foot high Jack-o-lantern for a Buy-it Now price of $65 plus shipping. Before the month was out, a buyer snapped it up! Feeling lucky, I then posted what I though was my crown jewel of all the inflatables-a combination pumpkin, turkey and scarecrow. I listed the trio for a BIN price of $65 dollars. These guys were quickly snapped up too! Keeping my streak going, I posted my final Jack-o'-lantern in September for $50 plus shipping. He sold just as quickly. At this point, all of my Halloween inflatables have been sold and shipped. In total, I made $180 bucks on a $30 investment! I still have the Thanksgiving turkey and the snowman waiting in the wings! If I can keep up the pace, I should make around $275 dollars on all five inflatables. That's pretty good money for spending fifty bucks at a June garage sale!
Great flips! I haven't sold any inflatables, but I have sold several of those holiday outdoor light projectors that project holiday scenes onto your house. I usually pick them up for $3-$5 and flip them for $30.
Kimberly-Hmmm, yeah, I've seen a few of those projectors around. A definite addition to the garage sale BOLO list. Thanks for sharing the idea....Dude!
I have always been too scared of getting a bad one that I have not tried it, but I have only seen them at Goodwill and figure they might have gotten returned to Target and then donated. I will have to look for them at garage sales from now on. Thanks!
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New Games for 2023
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Diablo 3: Reaper Of Souls
This Diablo 3 player has spent over 2,000 hours chasing a perfect solo speedrun
By Iain Harris
"I wanted to attempt a run which would be a true test of endurance and sanity"
(Image credit: Blizzard)
A Diablo 3 fan has spent over 2,000 hours across two years chasing a first-of-its-kind speedrun that would see them truly complete the game solo.
As Twitch streamer The Travelling Inquisitor (opens in new tab) lays out on the Speedrun forums (opens in new tab), that means completing everything across categories like campaign, classes, and challenges – naturally, co-op accomplishments don't count. For some added spice, the run is "non-seasonal", meaning you wouldn't benefit from the temporary buff of the moment – like increased damage for equipping an Ancient Item.
The Travelling Inquisitor tells me that watching a runner called Baffan perfect a 2003 RPG called Baten Kaitos sparked their interest in grandiose 100% completion challenges. They started small with Castle Crashers and Until Dawn before moving on to more significant time commitments like Digimon World Next Order and Hyrule Warriors. Seeking a bigger challenge still, they then found Diablo 3.
"I wanted to attempt a run which would be a true test of endurance and sanity," they say. "My first estimate of Diablo 3 was 6,000+ hours, but now, re-evaluating and adding new parts into the run, it's more 20,000+ hours due to grinding and extreme RNG."
Alongside streaming their marathon run on Twitch and uploading VODs to YouTube (opens in new tab), The Travelling Inquisitor has also been documenting their progress on Reddit (opens in new tab) after every 1,000 hours (opens in new tab). Progress has inevitably slowed as the easier achievements make way for the harder ones, though it's also because feats once thought impossible have been figured out. For example, The Travelling Inquisitor's challenge completion percentage jumped from 99% to 100% between reports as they discovered a co-op-focused task called Savior was doable solo – it was just a "massive pain in the ass".
Some of Diablo 3's items, though, are equally a pain in the ass to get. The Travelling Inquisitor tells me that obtaining a vanity item known as the Cosmic Wings was a worry as there are three layers of RNG at play. You first have to hope that a Rainbow Goblin will spawn in a Nephalem Rift and that they will then open a portal to a different realm called Whimsydale once killed. If you're lucky enough to get that far, you then have to hope that a mystical unicorn called Princess Lilian is around, as they're the ones who drop the item.
"I got extremely lucky very early in the run - 129 hours in I believe," they recall. "I was worried they would take thousands of hours alone to get, as some players have been looking for them for years."
As of right now, the speedrunner reckons they're "70-80%" done. You might think the end of their run is in sight, though it appears there's still plenty of work to do.
"The last two things on my to-do list are the Primals and Paragons, which take the longest to achieve," they say. "Primals have a 1/400 chance to drop; even then, they can be duplicates. Paragons increase after each level, so the amount needed becomes crazy."
The Travelling Inquisitor then shows me a screengrab of a particular Paragon calculator tool that estimates how long it would take them to reach their goal. "On my current level, it would take 74,512 hours or 12,418 days," they say.
The hunt for loot is one of Diablo's greatest joys, inspiring plenty of community traditions in testament to it. For example, a popular one from Diablo 2 is the Holy Grail, which involves finding every unique item in the game. With that in mind, I ask The Travelling Inquisitor what the appeal is, given the time commitment of their run.
"For me, my draw with any kind of random loot-based game is the excitement of finally getting the item you've been after for hours, days, and even weeks – in some cases, the rush of dopamine can be very fulfilling," they reply. "One item took me an entire month of grinding. It's Wirt's Original Leg, and it has become a staple of my stream from just how happy I was to finally get it."
When they do eventually finish the run, The Travelling Inquisitor hopes to journey to games like Hades and Monster Hunter and do "more relaxed 100% marathons in support of charities". They may even check out Diablo 4.
"I 100% will not be finished by the time Diablo 4 comes out," they say. "I hope I have the time to play it, but Diablo 3 is a demanding beast."
Check out our new games 2023 feature to see when Diablo 4 and all the other big hitters release.
Iain Harris
Deputy News Editor
Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn't pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you'll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.
Herman Miller X Logitech Vantum review: "A well-designed and comfy ergonomic chair but one that lives firmly in the shadow of its sibling"


Since writing MEAT, a post-apocalyptic novel inspired by the realities of factory farming and slaughter, I've been known as an 'Eco-Horror' author. Now, on the heels of the Black Dawn series, descriptions like Eco-Fantasy and Eco-Punk have also cropped up.
Most recently this quote – "While there is no doubt that Joseph D'Lacey is a preacher, he at least couches his message in an entertaining framework." – left me worried that readers will begin to see me a campaigner rather than a story-teller.
It's true that MEAT caused some people to look a little differently at the subjects it dealt with. Critics of the novel called it a vegan manifesto; as though my intent, rather than to tell a thrilling tale, was to evangelise. Though I didn't set out to make people rethink their dietary habits, rethink they did. MEAT created a lot of vegetarians.
I've begun to wonder now more than ever: is it appropriate for a novelist to 'speak' to the world through fiction about the challenges we all face or should we leave responsibility for ourselves and the planet in the hands of our saintly politicians and the benevolent corporations who gently stroke their wires?
I asked the author and North American Sales & Marketing Manager for Angry Robot Books, Mike Underwood, a similar question at World FantasyCon 2013. He said he has no qualms about bringing political messages into his work. He saw no reason why authors shouldn't campaign for change through fiction.
It's a personal thing, but it feels wrong to me to force an agenda into a book. My primary concern is that the message will ruin the story – as with Orson Scott Card's evangelical fiction, for example, which I can't bear. I've always believed that story comes first; that story is everything.
And yet, what if the theme genuinely affects us all? Might it then be a good thing to proselytise within the weft of your tale? Huxley did it. Orwell did it. So did Kafka. The books they wrote were incredibly accomplished and are now literary classics; tales which have caused generations of readers to challenge 'accepted' modes of thought. Many more SF writers have satirised societal 'norms' since then and I expect they always will. Fiction allows us room, without censorship, to question and expand our worldview.
To a degree, the issue of whether one is evangelising or not relates to whom the author addresses when writing. I rarely, if ever, imagine a reader at the other end of my work. I write for myself. It's a process of discovery rather than intent – hauling up material from the subconscious and examining it on the page.
The themes in MEAT, Garbage Man and the Black Dawn series all burn on environmentally and ecologically thematic fuel but, in each case they are explorations of 'the territory of possibility'; my attempt to burrow through the shell of what I think I know, down into a place where I can discover something more valuable. My writing is a treasure hunt rather than a pre-planned mission statement.
I don't see myself as a campaigning environmentalist or a writer of political fiction. For me, what powers the novels that some people see as sermonising is the beautiful, ongoing mystery of our relationship with the land and with nature.
In 'Western' culture, we've almost totally lost touch with our earthy roots. Being human, being conscious, is the most astonishing privilege and honour. Our bodies are made from the elements that occur naturally on this planet. We are, literally, of the earth and sky. But because we're currently so delighted with the charms of technology, we have – temporarily, I hope – forgotten nearly everything about our relationship with nature and how mutually beneficial that relationship can be.
I don't set myself apart in this; I'm as 'severed' as anyone else. But my fiction allows me to explore and re-grow my natural connections. It allows me to ask ever deeper questions about human purpose and potential. Our position in the matrix of the natural world is a rich seam of inspiration for me, one which I mine through fiction. I want to write about that. A lot.
I believe the human race talks to itself through story. In myth, folk tale and oral lore, we have together investigated where we came from and where we're heading, the consequences of our actions and what it means to live, love, win, lose and die. I see myself as part of that storytelling tradition – perhaps every writer naturally is, no matter how they see themselves.
Can I change the world through writing about it? Should I even try or does fiction exist for entertainment only? Truly, I have no idea. But if my stories are exciting, enthralling and horrifying enough to touch people in the way that writing them touched me, I consider the purpose of my work – spinning a good yarn – to have been fulfilled.
Joseph D'Lacey is best known for his shocking eco-horror novel Meat. The book has been widely translated and prompted Stephen King to say "Joseph D'Lacey rocks!".
His other published works to-date include Garbage Man, Snake Eyes and The Kill Crew. He was named the winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Newcomer in 2009.
When not realising his fantasies on paper, he dabbles with Yoga and continues a quest for the ultimate vegetarian burger recipe.
I think the "acceptability" of the message, for lack of a better way to describe it, lies solely in the author's ability to craft a story that is strong enough, entertaining enough, that the reader doesn't feel like they are getting preached to. I think fiction can shed light, directly or indirectly, on meaningful issues. Story is a powerful medium. I think the conundrum lies in whether or not the author has a good story to tell, or just a message they want to get across.
I think Paolo Bacigalupi is a good example of an author who really wants to say something with his fiction, particularly his young adult fiction. I personally feel he succeeds because when I read his YA fiction I get lost in the world he has created. Sure, the message is there, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the fiction.
But I agree that it is a fine line, easily crossed, and there are always those who will read messages into fiction whether they are there or not and will judge that fiction negatively because of that. I don't think an author should be overly concerned with those outliers.
If an author is passionate about something and that passion works its way seamlessly into the fiction, more power to the author. That fiction will, in my opinion, have an extra something that makes it stand out. And if that message induces positive change in people while also entertaining I think that is a worthy accomplishment.
It is the mark of a good writer to be able to make audiences think about major issues while at the same time telling a story that's unputdownable.
I do too, and that is why Paolo Bacigalupi sprang to mind the moment I started reading this as I don't think he is in any way being subtle about what he is passionate about in his young adult books, but I don't feel I'm losing out on good story for the sake of a message, if that makes sense.
Glad to have provided some food for thought.
I'd agree that it's dangerous to write explicitly to a political or social agenda. But I refuse to shy away from the tools of satire, social commentary, and the like. I couldn't be a comedic writer without satire.
My goal is to be inspired and fueled by my beliefs about social justice and mutual interdependence, and to then find a story where those ideas are manifest naturally within the context of the story. To design a narrative that expresses those ideas, perhaps even articulates a specific opinion, but does so without being a naked polemic or piece of agit-prop.
Though sometimes blatant agit-prop can be fun. But I wouldn't expect to change anyone's mind with such a work.


text:
Mahindra Reva ties up with Australian State of Victoria for R&D
Mahindra has always been setting a benchmark as one of the most revered brand names in the automobile industry of India. The electric car wing of the car has been appreciated and acknowledged as Mahindra Reva is one of the most economical electric cars that are rolling on the Indian roads at the moment. Mahindra is doing its best to promote the Reva and has always been enthusiastic about innovation.
Latest news to hit the stands is that apparently Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt Ltd had signed a bond of MoU with the Government of Victoria over the advancement of the research wing of the electric car department of the brand and therefore is now in alliance with many scientific institutions present in the Victoria state. As a result, they will now be researching more on the prospects of improving the quality of Reva and thus will give a more economical car to the people. Mahindra plans to improve its supply chain development wing in collaboration with institutions of Victoria state and thus by doing this, they can serve the customers well as this alliance has opened a platform for them to research on the betterment of the use of electricity for cars and thus soon they plan to launch a new variant of electric car which will totally substitute the Reva. Mahindra has a deep focus on the energy management and advanced vehicle technologies and thus have collaborated with LaTrobe University, Swinburne University and AutoCRC which happens to be the main research wing in the field of automobiles.
Mahindra released a statement following the press conference and said that electric cars were the next big thing in the market and very soon there will be more demand for electric cars than other cars and Mahindra is aiming to put the optimum economical mobility solutions to test by joining hands with these institutions and thus now Mahindra believes that they have got the perfect platform that they aspired for in order to promote research and development in the field of electric cars. On the other hand the Government of Victoria is also enthusiastic about the formation of this new alliance with Mahindra as they have been strongly promoting the use of electric cars and the facilitation of their research and development and all kinds of advancements since a long time now. The MoUs have been signed for a tentative period of two years and three years during which Mahindra will jointly be researching on the car and all the features and will accordingly be innovating electric cars.
Perfect solutions regarding the pressure of environment are being taken up and Mahindra aims to stay active in the production of electric cars as these are renewable sources of energy which can be used by mass of people and if the trend of electric cars is promoted in the right manner then a lot of energy can be saved so Mahindra is taking its step towards betterment of environment by being economical.
Tags: Mahindra R&D with Australian State of VictoriaMahindra Reva electric car in IndiaMahindra Reva signed a bond of MoU with Victoria
Hi-Bird launched luxury ricks for European markets
Nissan globally recalls its Micra - the Indian variant is not impacted


text:
Conway The Machine & Jay-Z Link Up
Conway and Jay-Z recently connected, fueling hope that the two formidable emcees would hit the studio for a collaboration.
It cannot be denied that the Griselda trifecta — Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, and Benny The Butcher — are easily among the most respected emcees in the game. With each one having mastered their craft behind the mic, it's hard not to count the Buffalo emcees as the best rappers of today's current era.
Following the release of his brand new album La Maquina, which features standout turns from his Drumwork talent Jae Skeese and 7xvethegenius, as well as J.I.D, Ludacris, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, 38 Spesh, and more, many were quick to celebrate everything Conway has been bringing to the table during his triumphant run. Clearly vying for immortality atop the fabled hip-hop Mount Rushmore, it would appear that Machine has already been accepted by many of the faces currently lining the monument.
On that note, Conway recently found himself connecting with the legendary Jay-Z, who has been a longtime supporter and fan of the Griselda movement. In fact, his recent 2020 year-end playlist featured a fair number of solo cuts from Gunn, Conway, and Benny, to the point where fans have begun clamoring for Hov to follow their musical lead and enlist production from Alchemist, Daringer, and Beat Butcher. And if we're really fortunate, some collaborations on wax with the Griselda emcees.
Perhaps we're closer to that reality than once thought. "Politics as usual," captions Machine, alongside a few pictures of the pair posted up. While it's not exactly an in-studio picture, it's clear that conversations are being had, and it's hard to believe that the prospect of uniting on wax isn't entirely unrealistic. And let's be honest — if anyone can stand a chance at outshining Jay-Z on a track, it's The Machine. Best believe that lyrical battle would be among the year's most memorable, were it to actually go down.
Check out the pictures below, and sound off if you'd welcome a collaboration from Jay-Z and Conway The Machine.
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Boasts 29 Highway MPG and 24 City MPG! This Volkswagen Jetta Sedan boasts a Gas I4 2.0L/121 engine powering this Automatic transmission. Window diversity antenna, Vented front/solid rear pwr disc brakes, Variable intermittent windshield wipers.
Torsion beam axle rear suspension -inc: coil springs, telescopic dampers, Titan black interior trim, Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), Tilt/telescoping 3-spoke steering wheel, Temporary spare tire, Strut-type front suspension w/lower control arms -inc: coil springs, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar, Rear window defroster, Rear seat lower anchors & tethers for children (LATCH), Pwr windows -inc: front/rear 1-touch auto up/down, pinch protection, Pwr door locks -inc: auto locking when vehicle reaches 8-mph, auto unlocking upon airbag deployment.
Stop by JD Byrider - OH112 located at 7871 Market Street, Boardman, OH 44512 for a quick visit and a great vehicle!


Connecticut saw a decline in drunk-driving fatalities in 2014, but the state still ranks among the highest in the country in the percentage of traffic deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers, new federal data show. Ninety-seven of the 248 traffic fatalities in Connecticut, or 39 percent, involved drivers with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher, considered alcohol-impaired, according to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That rate is higher than the U.S. average of 31 percent, and is the fifth highest nationally — behind Texas, North Dakota and Massachusetts, with rates of 41 percent, and Delaware, at 40 percent. Vermont had the lowest rate, at 20 percent. Total motor vehicle deaths in Connecticut declined from 276 in 2013 to 248, in line with a national trend.
Connecticut had one of the highest rates in the nation of motor vehicle fatalities in which drivers were alcohol impaired in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available – 41 percent, compared to the national average of 31 percent, according to federal estimates. But the state also had one of the lowest rates nationally of reporting drunk-driving data in fatal accidents – a lapse that hampers efforts to gauge the impaired-driving problem and to develop and evaluate programs to address it, experts say. Connecticut reported blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) results for just 45 percent of fatally injured drivers — far lower than the national average of 71 percent, according to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Only Mississippi reported a lower rate of such testing. Thirty-four states reported testing rates of more than 70 percent.


Singapore is a city in south east Asia, It's pollution level is one of the highest in the world. The government in singapore has limitations on the amount of private cars driven through taxes. When a private car is purchased in singapore the person has to pay up to 1.5 times the commercial value of the car to be able to drive it; not every one can afford these prices so this causes the amount of cars driven to decease. These taxes may help to decrease the amount of emissions from cars but the port of singapore is the 5th most busy port in the world. This constant amount of ships in the singapore port from all over the world more than cancels out what the taxes that the government put on the purchasing of private cars. I think that if other countries implemented the taxes that Singapore does then it would greatly decrease the amount of cars that add to the rising carbon emission problem.
Carbon emissions dont just come from cars and boats, they come from any form of combustion. energy plants(especially coal burning energy plants), and increases in deforestation are also large contributors to the rising carbon emission level. Without drastic change in the regulations on carbon emissions, this will be a hard obstacle to conquer. To upgrade a factory or power plant to lower carbon emission is very expensive and not alot of companies are willing to do it if not required.
Governments are taking steps to reduce the amount of pollution coming out of daily commuting, trade ships, trains, and other forms of transport, and on emissions from factories and power plants. In america Cars are inspected every year to see if the emissions levels are too high, and if they are you are required by law to fix your car. In india there are road blocks set up by the government to catch cars that have higher emission than the maximum legal level. There are precautions being taken by governments to lower emission levels, but the carbon emission level is still rising.


The Mill's Soho Archive has been moved from Camden to The Stockroom's 120,000 sq ft Cannon House building in the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.
The Stockroom completed the removal and re-shelving of 60,000 film cans, video tapes, drives and archive boxes over the past six weeks.
The Stockroom director Peter Godden added: "The Mill's new state of the art facility in Windmill Street is now tapeless but there is still a need to preserve the Mill's film and tape archive.


text:
Democracy Now! — Tuesday, March 22, 2016
In the Belgian capital, Brussels, explosions have hit the international airport and a city metro station, reportedly killing more than two dozen people and wounding scores of others.
Eric will have the exciting new Spring Reading for you by April 17. Pre-order today for the best price.
A police line in the aftermath of the Brussels attacks. Image: video still
In the Belgian capital, Brussels, explosions have hit the international airport and a city metro station, reportedly killing more than two dozen people and wounding scores of others. Amy Goodman interviews Yousef Munayyer, executive director of U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, on the links between these attacks and the situation in Syria. Munayyer had this to say:
I think the attacks today really underscore the urgent crisis and catastrophe that is taking place in Syria and the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to address in a serious way the civil war that is going on there that has really given rise, through the failure of the Syrian state, the vacuum of power that exists between Syria and Iraq, to this monster that we have come to know as ISIS, which has metastasized around the globe.
Also today, the show reports how all of the Presidential candidates except for Bernie Sanders attended the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee Monday. In her address to the conference, Hillary Clinton sought to place herself as a greater ally to Israel than Donald Trump. Amy Goodman hosts a debate between Munayyer and Robert Freedman, a political science professor, on the candidates' positions and the Israel-Palestine conflict in general.
We are honored to offer this broadcast as part of our affiliation with the Pacifica Network.
Posted in Democracy Now! on March 22, 2016 | No comments yet
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text:
package baylandtag.au_display_image;

import javafx.scene.image.Image;

public class Member {

	private Integer id;
	private String surname;
	private String forename;
	private String title;
	private Confession confession;
	private MaritalStatus maritalStatus;
	private Image image;

	public Member(Integer id, String surname, String forename, String title, Confession confession, MaritalStatus maritalStatus) {
		this(id, surname, forename, title, null, confession, maritalStatus);
	}

	public Member(Integer id, String surname, String forename, String title, Image image, Confession confession,
			MaritalStatus maritalStatus) {

		this.id = id;
		this.surname = surname;
		this.forename = forename;
		this.title = title;
		this.image = image;
		this.confession = confession;
		this.maritalStatus = maritalStatus;

	}

	public String getSurname() {
		return surname;
	}

	public void setSurname(String surname) {
		this.surname = surname;
	}

	public String getForename() {
		return forename;
	}

	public void setForename(String forename) {
		this.forename = forename;
	}

	public String getTitle() {
		return title;
	}

	public void setTitle(String title) {
		this.title = title;
	}

	public int getId() {
		return id;
	}

	public void setId(int id) {
		this.id = id;
	}

	public Confession getConfession() {
		return confession;
	}

	public void setConfession(Confession confession) {
		this.confession = confession;
	}

	public MaritalStatus getMaritalStatus() {
		return maritalStatus;
	}

	public void setMaritalStatus(MaritalStatus martialStatus) {
		this.maritalStatus = martialStatus;
	}

	public Image getImage() {
		return image;
	}

	public void setImage(Image image) {
		this.image = image;
	}

	@Override
	public int hashCode() {
		final int prime = 31;
		int result = 1;
		result = prime * result + ((confession == null) ? 0 : confession.hashCode());
		result = prime * result + ((forename == null) ? 0 : forename.hashCode());
		result = prime * result + ((id == null) ? 0 : id.hashCode());
		result = prime * result + ((maritalStatus == null) ? 0 : maritalStatus.hashCode());
		result = prime * result + ((surname == null) ? 0 : surname.hashCode());
		result = prime * result + ((title == null) ? 0 : title.hashCode());
		return result;
	}

	@Override
	public boolean equals(Object obj) {
		if (this == obj)
			return true;
		if (obj == null)
			return false;
		if (getClass() != obj.getClass())
			return false;
		Member other = (Member) obj;
		if (confession == null) {
			if (other.confession != null)
				return false;
		} else if (!confession.equals(other.confession))
			return false;
		if (forename == null) {
			if (other.forename != null)
				return false;
		} else if (!forename.equals(other.forename))
			return false;
		if (id == null) {
			if (other.id != null)
				return false;
		} else if (!id.equals(other.id))
			return false;
		if (maritalStatus == null) {
			if (other.maritalStatus != null)
				return false;
		} else if (!maritalStatus.equals(other.maritalStatus))
			return false;
		if (surname == null) {
			if (other.surname != null)
				return false;
		} else if (!surname.equals(other.surname))
			return false;
		if (title == null) {
			if (other.title != null)
				return false;
		} else if (!title.equals(other.title))
			return false;
		return true;
	}

	@Override
	public String toString() {
		return "Member [id=" + id + ", surname=" + surname + ", forename=" + forename + ", title=" + title
				+ ", confession=" + confession + ", maritalStatus=" + maritalStatus + "]";
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Transfer News: Real Madrid told to pay €40 million for Benjamin Sesko
by Anas Ali
Home » news » Transfer News: Real Madrid told to pay €40 million for Benjamin Sesko
Real Madrid have reportedly been asked to fork out €40 million if they are to acquire the services of RB Salzburg prodigy Benjamin Sesko.
According to Sky Sports, as relayed by Defensa Central, Red Bull Salzburg have slapped a €40 million price tag on Benjamin Sesko in an attempt to fend off suitors. The young forward is being courted by Real Madrid among many other top clubs across Europe, with many expecting the player to move on next summer.
Salzburg, though, are prepared to keep hold of Sesko for at least another season. As such, they have set a €40 million price tag on the youngster, who is starting to make his presence felt in the first-team, after coming back from a successful loan spell at FC Liefering last season.
A centre-forward by trade, Sesko has netted seven goals in 17 competitive matches so far this season, three of which have come in the Austrian Bundesliga. Although his numbers might not be particularly eye-catching, he is widely regarded as an ideal replacement for Patson Daka, who moved to Leicester City in the summer.
Standing at 1.94m, though, Sesko is often likened to a certain Erling Haaland. His massive frame, coupled with his aggression and goalscoring ability make him almost an identical twin to the Norwegian superstar, who is also a target for Real Madrid next summer.
However, Real Madrid are not the only club pursuing Sesko. Liverpool have been linked with a move for the teenage sensation in the past while Inter Milan have showcased their interest as well. It could make the task difficult for the Spanish giants, especially given the fact they are already expected to rope in attacking superstar Kylian Mbappe next summer.
At the same time, it was always unlikely that Real Madrid would want to meet Salzburg's €40 million demands. They are in a bit of a financial rut and are thus focusing on largely signing free agents as well as one or two star players like Haaland and Mbappe. Investing a large sum on a young attacker like Sesko could, therefore, be a bit practical.
Even Liverpool are unlikely to make a move for the Slovenian forward, as they clearly prefer the slightly more experienced players and the in-demand Karim Adeyemi. It appears the German international will also cost €40 million and it won't be surprising to see the Reds pouncing on the opportunity to snap him up.
Tags: Benjamin SeskoRB SalzburgReal Madrid
Afo says:
I wish Madrid can secure B. sesko and off-load the likes of Mariano, Bale, Isco, Marcelo and others that could leave on free after expiration of thier contracts. Very importantly Mbapee and Haaland are priorities .