In the last days of October both children and adults can try their courage in the tunnels beneath the old town of Kranj!
Between the 26th and the 31st of October, a fairytale world emerges there and it is only visible to children. In the dark tunnels, they can experience magical adventures, with which they can overcome their fears and much more.
Much more horror will come to the tunnels on 31 October, when are opened to adults. Dark shapes will be wandering through them and lurking behind corners. Do you dare to take this walk through the tunnels?


Now check applications list in the emulator and you should see the new application installed and ready.
Some pointed me to the error message when running adb on windows : * deamon still not running * error: no device.
Hope this help, enjoy !


Vann Bennett, James B. Duke Professor of cell biology, was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in October. He studies the biochemistry of spectrin-based membrane skeletons and other membrane skeletal proteins.
Dorothy Powell, associate dean for global and community health initiatives at the School of Nursing, was inducted into the National Black Nurses Association Institute of Excellence. Powell is founding director of the nursing school's Office of Global and Community Health Initiatives.
Seth Sanders, professor of economics, was named director of Duke's Population Research Institute, an affiliate of the Social Science Research Institute. Sanders takes over from James Vaupel, the institute's founding director.
Huntington Willard, director of the Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, received the 2009 William Allan Award from the American Society of Human Genetics. The award recognizes a lifetime of scientific contributions to the study of human genetics.
R. Sanders Williams M.D. '74, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the medical school and senior adviser for international strategy, is the new president of the Gladstone Institutes, a biomedical research center affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco.
The board of trustees approved a one-year master of management in clinical informatics degree, to be offered by the Fuqua SChool of BUsiness in partnership with the Duke Center for Health Informatics. The board's executive committee, on behalf of the full board, approved the creation of a Ph.D. program in environmental policy.


Just as a good musician has a feeling for rhythm and a sports person has a feeling for the game, so a good businessperson has a well-developed sense of business feel. How do we develop our business feel? How does an understanding of business feel enhance our business judgement, our ability to trust our intuition, think on our feet, make and execute decisions? These and other questions will be answered by examining the life experiences of CEO's who are recognised for excellence in their feel for the business. The business feel of, amongst others Jack Welch, Andrew Grove, and Ricardo Semler will be explored.


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Home Restaurants & Food Angela Olivito & Gary Barney
Angela Olivito & Gary Barney
Molly Abraham
Petite tenderloin with Gorgonzola cream sauce and crispy onions, from Small Plates, a favorite place of Angela Olivito. // Photograph by Joe Vaughn
Angela Olivito is the chef/proprietor of one of the most charming restaurants on Windsor's Via Italia. When she gets away from La Casalinga, it's often to head for this side of the river with a group of five or six friends. Among her favorite spots is Small Plates, because she loves to "sample as much as I can, tapas-style." Often, she and her friends go to Somerset Collection, where they can shop as well as eat, with some in the group fans of rib-eye steaks at the nearby Ruth's Chris. "I am not a big meat eater," she says, but she does love the beef carpaccio at Somerset's Brio Tuscan Grille and the appetizers at Ocean Prime in Troy. "In Windsor, I'm totally Asian," she says of her dining out at home, although she says she wishes there were more authentic Thai restaurants in Windsor.
Gary Barney, proprietor of The Metropolitan Café in Shelby Township, still has a warm spot in his heart for the Vintage Bistro in Grosse Pointe Farms. "It's no longer there, but it's one of my all-time favorites," he says. "And it was inspirational, in a sense [when he opened his restaurant earlier this year]. "Simple food, done well." Another favorite of his and wife Jennifer's is Atlas Global Bistro in Detroit, "a nice combination of food and atmosphere." The couple also like Mr. Paul's Chop House, for the filet and made-at-the-table Caesar salad. "It's an oldie but goodie," he says of the Roseville restaurant. "Like walking back in time."
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Beyonce's 'Virtuoso' Off, Busy Schedule Threatens Release
by Singersroom October 2, 2008 January 1, 2016
Beyonce' is reportedly close to finishing her third studio album, unfortunately close was not good enough for her deadline. According to the NY Daily News, the "Single Ladies" star has had trouble finishing up that last few tracks to be featured on her album due to other obligations. "Beyonce is incredibly hardworking, and the album is 97 per cent to 98 per cent done" said a source close the project. The former Destiny's Child singer was due at Sony BMG Music Wednesday to make an announcement about the record's release – which was originally scheduled for November 18 – but insiders say they have run into problems. "The album is not going to be completed by November 18. But she's got to get it out early in the fourth quarter, when there's so much competition among artists." The delay is believed to be due to Beyonce's decision to star in two movies this year – 'Cadillac Records' and 'Obsessed' – as well as the duet she has recorded with Justin Timberlake. An insider said: "Both Beyonce and Justin didn't like the way the song sounded, so they insisted on doing it over and over again until they got it 100 per cent right." However, Rob Stringer, the chief of Sony BMG Music, still holds out hope for the album to be released later this year. He said: "Beyonce has an enormous number of very talented people doing whatever they can to make it the best record possible.
Taggedbeyoncerelease datesingle ladiesvirtuoso
Patron's Music in Motion Tour Party With Trey Songz and Company
Usher – Trading Places
Singersroom
Since 2005, Singersroom has been the voice of R&B around the world. Connect with us via social media below.
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Chris Brown Secures Consecutive Hit Singles With 'No BS'
R&B Singer Ashanti Not Signing With Fiddy's G-Unit Records
February 7, 2008 January 1, 2016
Frank Ocean: Let The Music Speak For Itself
Joshua Rogers and Kelly Price Set For 'Sunday Best' Performances
Britney Spears' Cutting Mother Out Of Her Will?
Fantasia Earns Strong Reviews in Broadway's 'After Midnight'


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>N-2026
Concepts of Operations
A More Coherent Framework for Defense Planning
by Glenn A. Kent
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This Note establishes the utility of concepts of operations as the central feature of a more logical and coherent framework for planning. The overall framework involves six levels of activity, each of which takes place in a specific organizational setting. The activities proceed from the definition and announcement of national security policies' objectives, strategies, and commitments to the development of operational plans and deployment and employment of forces. The organizational meetings range from the National Security Council to the operational commands. The Note focuses on Levels III (formulation of operational concepts to attain specific operational capabilities) and IV (development and acquisition of systems and equipment). An appendix offers an exemplar package for Levels I and II. No new directive is required for adoption; the framework need only be used.
Concepts of Operations and USAF Planning for Southwest Asia
This report is part of the RAND Corporation note series. The note was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1979 to 1993 that reported other outputs of sponsored research for general distribution.
Permission is given to duplicate this electronic document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Copies may not be duplicated for commercial purposes. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit the RAND Permissions page.
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Document Number: N-2026-AF
Series: Notes
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Kent, Glenn A., Concepts of Operations: A More Coherent Framework for Defense Planning. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1983. https://www.rand.org/pubs/notes/N2026.html. Also available in print form.
Kent, Glenn A., Concepts of Operations: A More Coherent Framework for Defense Planning, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation, N-2026-AF, 1983. As of July 18, 2019: https://www.rand.org/pubs/notes/N2026.html


SPECIAL $8 LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS by July 5th!
Buy Tickets in advance to guarantee admission!
CUBHOUSE SUNDAY: JULY 4th WEEKEND!
FURBALL NYC: Columbus Day Weekend! Sun Oct 12 8pm at BPM NYC!
FURBALL PRIDE NYC! Plus, FURBALL PROVINCETOWN!


XCOM® 2: War of the Chosen is the expansion to the 2016 strategy game of the year.... XCOM fans can also use Propaganda Center to get a head start on designing a new squad of soldiers, which can then be imported into the game, before War of the Chosen debuts later this month. If (for some reason) you're worried about system requirements, 2K says Propaganda Center has the same technical needs as the vanilla XCOM 2 .
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is an expansion pack for the 2016 turn-based strategy video game XCOM 2 developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games. The expansion was released via Steam on 29 August, 2017 for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.


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Sai Ying Pun (12 Hotels)
Hotels in Sai Ying Pun
Central And Western District, Hong Kong · 12 hotels available
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Hotel at Sheung WanHotel at CentralHotel at Mid-levelHotel at Sai WanHotel at AdmiraltyHotel at The Peak
Popular hotels in Sai Ying Pun
Grand City Hotel
338 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
With a stay at Grand City Hotel in Hong Kong (Western District), you'll be minutes from Tsan Yuk Hospital and University of Hong Kong. This hotel is close to Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal and Soho.
Ramada Wyndham Hong Kong Harbour View
239 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
With a stay at Ramada Wyndham Hong Kong Harbour View in Hong Kong (Western District), you'll be minutes from Tsan Yuk Hospital and close to University of Hong Kong. This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of Man Mo Temple and Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal.
Convenient - 8.1 / 10(286)
Island Pacific Hotel
152 Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
With a stay at Island Pacific Hotel in Hong Kong (Western District), you'll be minutes from Tsan Yuk Hospital and close to Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal. This family-friendly hotel is close to Soho and Lan Kwai Fong.
Apple Hotel (Sai Ying Pun)
2/F, Lee Wang Building, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
With a stay at Apple Hotel (Sai Ying Pun) in Hong Kong (Western District), you'll be steps from Victoria Harbour and 9 minutes by foot from Western Market. This hostel is 0.5 mi (0.9 km) from Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal and 0.6 mi (1 km) from Man Mo Temple.
Eco Tree Hotel
156-160 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
With a stay at Eco Tree Hotel in Hong Kong (Western District), you'll be steps from Dried Seafood Market and 3 minutes by foot from Chinese Medicinal Street. This hotel is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Tsan Yuk Hospital and 0.8 mi (1.2 km) from Pak Sing Ancestral Hall.
Superb - 9.3 / 10(26)
Butterfly on Waterfront Boutique Hotel Sheung Wan
94 Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
Butterfly on Waterfront is in the heart of Hong Kong, walking distance from Tsan Yuk Hospital and Para Site Art Space. This hotel is close to Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal and Soho.
Impressive - 8.8 / 10(6)
With a stay at CHI Residences 138 in Hong Kong (Western District), you'll be minutes from Tsan Yuk Hospital and Tung Wah Hospital. This apartment is close to Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal and Soho.
Apple Hotel Sai Wan Hostel
2 F Lee Wang Building, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
Best Western Harbor View Sai Ying Pun
239 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, 852
Citadines Harbourview Hong Kong
138 Connaught Road West Sai Ying Pun, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, 1
WE Hotel
11 Eastern Street, Sai Ying Pun, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
With a stay at WE Hotel, you'll be centrally located in Hong Kong, steps from Victoria Harbour and 10 minutes by foot from Western Market. This hotel is 0.5 mi (0.9 km) from Man Mo Temple and 0.6 mi (0.9 km) from Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal.
Other Popular Hotels in Sai Ying Pun
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Majority of American Workers Not Engaged in Their Jobs
Highly educated and middle-aged employees among the least likely to be engaged
by Nikki Blacksmith and Jim Harter
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Seventy-one percent of American workers are "not engaged" or "actively disengaged" in their work, meaning they are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive. That leaves nearly one-third of American workers who are "engaged," or involved in and enthusiastic about their work and contributing to their organizations in a positive manner. This trend remained relatively stable throughout 2011.
These findings are from a special Gallup Daily tracking series conducted on an ongoing basis since the fourth quarter of 2010 to explore American workers' engagement levels. Gallup's employee engagement index is based on worker responses to 12 actionable workplace elements with proven linkages to performance outcomes, including productivity, customer service, quality, retention, safety, and profit. Further research shows significant linkages between engagement at work and health and well-being outcomes.
Americans' levels of engagement at work are generally consistent with Gallup's trends on workplace engagement from various studies since 2000. The current percentage of engaged employees is similar to the historical high of 30% in 2001 to 2002 and 2006 to 2007. The percentage who are actively disengaged is near the high of 20% recorded in 2007 and 2008.
Highly Educated and Middle-Aged Workers Less Likely to Be Engaged
Americans who have at least some college education are significantly less likely to be engaged in their jobs than are those with a high school diploma or less. Additionally, workers aged 30 to 64 are less likely to be engaged at work than are those who are younger or older. Workers aged 65 and older are the most likely to be engaged in their jobs.
Men are much less likely than women to be engaged at work. There are no significant differences in employee engagement by income level.
Implications for American Businesses and the U.S. Economy
Over the past several decades, business and psychological researchers -- including Gallup -- have identified a strong relationship between employees' workplace engagement and their respective company's overall performance. It is likely that organizations with engaged employees experience positive business performance, while workplaces with not engaged or actively disengaged employees are more likely to experience lower productivity.
Gallup has also found that engaged employees are twice as likely as those who are actively disengaged to say their employer is hiring. The national engagement data reveal that businesses in the U.S. -- and in turn, the U.S. economy as a whole -- might not be reaching maximum worker performance because of the high percentage of not engaged and actively disengaged employees. Increasing the percentage of engaged workers in the U.S. could spur a significant amount of job growth, as detailed in Gallup's latest book, The Coming Jobs War.
Because jobs are more complex and require employees to have higher levels of skills and knowledge, business should be concerned that the more highly educated workers are less engaged. The less engaged employees are with their work and their organization, the more likely they are to leave to an organization. Turnover can be costly, and turnover in professional roles, such as nurses or engineers, is more costly than turnover in entry-level or front-line roles.
Organizations can do several things to increase their employees' engagement. Gallup researchers found that identifying and hiring top management talent can influence workers' engagement and organizations' business performance.
About the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index tracks well-being in the U.S., U.K., and Germany and provides best-in-class solutions for a healthier world. To learn more, please visit well-beingindex.com.
Results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking July 1-Sept. 30, 2011, with a random sample of 2,341 adults who are employed by an employer, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, selected using random-digit-dial sampling.
For results based on the total sample of employed adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.
Interviews are conducted with respondents on landline telephones and cellular phones, with interviews conducted in Spanish for respondents who are primarily Spanish-speaking. Each sample includes a minimum quota of 400 cell phone respondents and 600 landline respondents per 1,000 national adults, with additional minimum quotas among landline respondents by region. Landline telephone numbers are chosen at random among listed telephone numbers. Cell phone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. Landline respondents are chosen at random within each household on the basis of which member had the most recent birthday.
Samples are weighted by gender, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education, region, adults in the household, and phone status (cell phone only/landline only/both, cell phone mostly, and having an unlisted landline number). Demographic weighting targets are based on the March 2010 Current Population Survey figures for the aged 18 and older non-institutionalized population living in U.S. telephone households. All reported margins of sampling error include the computed design effects for weighting and sample design.
For more details on Gallup's polling methodology, visit www.gallup.com.
USA All Gallup Headlines Career Well-Being CliftonStrengths Employee Engagement Health Jobs Wellbeing Well-Being Index Workplace Northern America
Gallup Global Financial Health Study
Discover what more than 15,000 people in 10 countries say about their finances.
Gallup Finds Significant Drop in Unemployment During October
Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, was 8.3% for the 30 days ending Oct. 23 -- down sharply from 9.0% in early September. This drop suggests the government is likely to report an October unemployment rate of less than 9.0%.
Unhealthy U.S. Workers' Absenteeism Costs $153 Billion
Full-time U.S. workers who are overweight or obese and have other chronic health conditions miss an estimated 450 million additional days of work each year compared with healthy workers -- resulting in an estimated cost of more than $153 billion in lost productivity annually.
U.S. Students' Entrepreneurial Energy Waiting to Be Tapped
Many students in the U.S. express entrepreneurial interest and intent, but they may lack the experience and education needed to realize these ambitions.
Some Jobs Are Better -- or Worse -- for Workers' Wellbeing
by Julie Ray
A new study reveals inequity in U.S. workers' wellbeing by job category, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/150383/Majority-American-Workers-Not-Engaged-Jobs.aspx


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Tag Archives: Stage Fright
FrightFest 2014 Diary – Part 2: What was seen and worth seeing
28/08/2014 Mike	4 Comments
By Mike Shawcross (@Shawky1969)
For me, this was a quality year. However, I get the impression I actually missed the poorer films either by good discovery screen choices, buying extra main screen tickets or by doing something else; like interviewing Jessica Cameron and Ryan Kiser for their film Truth or Dare [keep an eye out for that interview and review on the site soon]. Or you could just get caught up with talking all things Sinister and its sequel with the writer of the film, C. Robert Cargill. In past years for me it was always about the films. This year, I really wasn't bothered if I missed the odd one here and there. I even skipped Sin City: A Dame to Kill For to go and see The Congress at Cineworld as it wasn't showing in Manchester; and after seeing Sin City 2 last night, I was glad I did!
I'm not glazing over the films here – and we do intend to post more detailed reviews over the coming days – there are just far too many films to cover and do them and the festival justice.
The Guest was a superb opening film, one I thoroughly enjoyed. Possibly one of the best opening films I've seen. The closing film, The Signal, was one I wasn't really feeling and instead went to the Phoenix bar for the party. General consensus was while it was a good film, it shouldn't have closed the festival.
I do like a good horror comedy as they usually work very well with this audience: Zombeavers, WolfCop, Dead Snow 2 and Life After Beth. Both Zombeavers and WolfCop had their share of funny moments, but I felt both were just not funny enough. In fact, I was really quite disappointed with WolfCop in the end. Dead Snow 2 however was the funniest thing I saw. Packed with laugh out moments, this was when the festival vibe got me. The Arrow screen audience responded superbly to the film with big laughs, cheers and applause; that's the Frightfest way! This was my 2nd favourite film of the weekend. Life After Beth had a superb cast was extremely well written and very funny at times, another festival favourite of mine.
Werewolves seemed to be one of the themes this year, with Late Phases, WolfCop and Blood Moon. I missed Blood Moon and never really heard too much about it, while Late Phases I saw and really enjoyed this. A blind vet takes on a werewolf to revenge the death of his dog – brilliant fun!
Honeymoon was a decent start to Friday. Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway carried the film quite well. Julia was a rape/revenge film taking its inspiration from Asian revenge films with overtones of Drive thrown in as well. Great soundtrack for this one, and one I liked very much. The Canal, another strong film, follows Rupert Evans as his character's life and mind start to fall apart after his wife goes missing. Calum Heath, who plays Evan's son, was superb.
Another disappoint for me was The Babadook. While Essie Davis gives possibly the finest female performance of the festival, the film wasn't what I was expecting. I didn't get "this year's Sinister", which is what it's marketed like; actually it's much more like The Canal. I really need to see it again.
Films I would have liked to have seen but ended up missing were Digging up the Marrow, Housebound, Deadly Virtues, Blood Moon, and The Drownsman, though I've not seen or heard anyone talk about that one. There was also R100 (which is actually repeated on Film4 on the 3rd September), Exists and Bad Milo. I know it sounds wrong to some but many people really enjoyed the musical Stage Fright; I do like musicals!
Truth or Dare was the nastiest piece of work I saw and I fully enjoyed it for that reason. Jessica Cameron is one sick woman! However, she popped my interview cherry and I thank her for that; a superb guest all weekend; so full of energy and all things horror! I get the impression she really enjoyed FrightFest!
Starry Eyes felt like a disappointment after it ended but it's gotten better the more I think about it – not much, but it was good. The Harvest had a tremendous cast in Shannon, Morton and Fonda, Morton was brilliant, another of my favourites. Among the Living was one I was looking forward to and one which didn't disappoint me. It had touches of Spielberg and King but with a French horror twist and a decent score.
Open Windows and Faults were big surprises for me, especially Faults. A dark comedy with Leland Orser and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in top form , as Orser tries to save Winstead from the cult 'Faults' which has her in its grip, another strong film. Open Windows, whilst a lot of fun, possibly may not hold up to repeat viewings. But Elijah Wood continues to make interesting film choices and Sasha Grey does a decent job in this one.
Now before my number 1 film, another that I had high hopes for was V/H/S: Viral. While better than V/H/S, it wasn't as good as the sequel. My main problem was the wrap around story which didn't seem to link the main films or have any connection with them at all. Plus, it was near enough impossible to work out was going on. The 3 main segments I did like, but in the end it could have just been a Creepshow film. I should have just seen the short film Showcase instead!
My favourite film of the weekend was The House at the End of Time, a horror film from Venezuela – the first one – and wow! What a film; and one of the jumpiest films at the festival! From the cast, which includes Ruddy Rodriguez (a former Miss Venezuela) to the kids who were both very good, to the sound design (which was incredible) and the very well told, very clever story. Outstanding!
The Duke Mitchell film club brought along a film, Coherence, which many people really enjoyed and one I will be looking out for. They also did a Film Party after it, where many of the guest directors, producers and even actors brought a little something to share with the crowd. For 90 minutes we got terrible music videos, trailers, shorts and party games. It was superb, very funny and a great break from all the films. They hope to repeat it next year and I for one will be going.
One last mention has to go the fans. They are brilliant. Some keep themselves to themselves but you could just start talking to anyone and you could end up in a conversation for hours. I'd often go for the drinks and they would have to come and find me, because I got talking to someone at the bar, sometimes I didn't even make the bar!
The after festival party was at the phoenix where the plan was to leave at 3am it was 5.05 am when we eventually walked home, maybe a little drunk; but still on a high having experienced my favourite FrightFest in 8 years! I will be back next year!
Coming up next at some point this week will be our interview with Truth or Dare director Jessica Cameron and star Ryan Kiser. We'll also take a more in depth look at some of our favourite films from FrightFest. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, All Cheerleaders Die and The Den reviews are already live on the site!
Among the LivingBad MiloBlood Moonc robert cargillCineworldCoherenceDead Snow 2Deadly VirtuesDigging Up The MarrowExistsFaultsfestivalsfilm4FrightfestHoneymoonHouseboundjessica cameronJuliaLate PhasesLife After BethOpen WindowsR100ryan kiserSin City 2sin city: A Dame to Kill ForStage FrightStarry EyesThe BabadookThe Canalthe congressThe DrownsmanThe GuestThe HarvestThe House At The End of TimeThe SignalTruth or DareVHS ViralWolfCopZombeavers
Frightfest 2014 Preview Part 2: Change and sleepy queues
Saturday usually boasts a strong line up and this year, it's got some decent looking films and even a Party! Films in the main programme during the day include All Cheerleaders Die, Starry Eyes and Dead Within.
All Cheerleaders Die is from the director Lucky McKee (The Woman) and Chris Siverston (The Lost). An All the Boys Love Mandy Lane and The Craft mash up, it sounds quite a bit of fun and one I'm disappointed to be missing; though it has a DVD release in September. Starry Eyes is a film from directors Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer and starring relative newcomer Alex Essose. A story of selling your soul for your dreams, as a desperate actress will do anything for her major break in Hollywood. Yet another one that sounds worth a watch. The Harvest starring Michael Shannon, Peter Fonda and Samantha Morton and directed by John McNaughton sounds a very strong film indeed. Boasting a solid cast and a something in the basement premise this really does sound worth seeing. I may have to rethink my Discovery Screen choice for this one.
In the discovery screen and playing against The Harvest for me is Dead Within; from director Ben Wagner. A couple struggle to stay alive in a remote cabin in the woods after surviving a pandemic; not only fighting the dangers from outside they soon have to fight their own paranoia from within. Not high on my watch list; over in the other Discovery screen is Bad Milo, a film I was up for seeing but may change my mind! Directed by Jacob Vaughan and starring Ken Marino (We're the Millers) about a bloodthirsty creature living in the lower intestine of Duncan (Marino) and emerging from his rectum to eat anyone that is annoying Duncan. Sounds bizarre and ridiculous and just the sort of Discovery film that will generate a lot of buzz! I think I may watch The Harvest.
Next in the Discovery Screens are White Settlers and The Short Films (Part 1). Over the years I've come to enjoy the short film showcase usually sponsored by the Horror Channel; some have been exceptional, but this year it is tucked away in the Discovery screen and I will be giving it a miss. White Settlers directed by Simeon Halligan (Splintered) and starring Pollyanna McIntosh (The Woman) set in the Scottish Borders as a young couple move into a remote farmhouse and are terrorized by a group of masked intruders. Sounds a typical house invasion film, but I'm hoping for something different. I know Simeon; he runs the Grimm Fest film festival in Manchester so I'll be supporting this film anyway.
Mitch Jenkins directs an Alan Moore penned film; Show Pieces in the Discovery screen 1. A trilogy of stories written directly for the screen by Moore and which sounds fun; I like anthology films, and I do like most of Moore's adaptations so I'll be seeing this one.
Saturday evening's main films are Life After Beth, directed by Jeff Baena in his debut feature and with a stunning cast; Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C Reilly, Anna Kendrick and Molly Shannon. A zombie rom-com with a twist it sounds a blast and I will be not be missing this one. The Babadook is one which has already gained quite a bit of buzz on twitter this year, and a film I'm looking forward to seeing. Directed by Jennifer Kent in her first film and starring Essie Davis (The Matrix sequels), Daniel Henshall (Snowtown) and Noah Wiseman. The story of a widow looking after her son while his fear grows that there is a monster in the house, she starts to feel a sinister presence around her.
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For needs no introduction or build-up; this is the biggest film at the festival this year. The original Sin City was a festival favourite and I'm sure the sequel will play very well; but it's actually a film I'll be missing. It opens nationwide a week later plus it's playing in the midnight slot for the Horror screen so I'm off to a Frightfest party instead. (NB – This has now moved to the opening night)
In the evening discovery screen 1 we have a TBC, Digging up the Marrow and Creep. Digging up the Marrow is a film of two halves. Literally. Opening as a documentary exploring Monster Art it then becomes a horror film as the documentary makers investigate a so called "real" monster. Sounds quite appealing and I do like Adam Greens films, but against The Babadook it has no chance. Creep directed by and starring Patrick Brice alongside Mark Duplass in this improvised film. Taken from a 10 page outline, Duplass and Brice make it up as they go along. I'll be at the party!
In the Discovery Screen 2 there is The Mirror, a UK production from director Edward Boase and starring Jemma Dallender (I Spit On Your Grave). Based on a so called true story of a haunted mirror reported by the Daily Mail and Huffington Post, I think I'll be waiting for the DVD.
The following two events in the discovery screen are from the Duke Mitchell film club. Coherence directed by James Ward Byrkit is showing first followed by a Film Party in the final showing of the day. Both events should be worth a visit, though I'll be attending the Party over the film.
The Sunday line up in the main screen looks very good and I'm only straying into the Discovery Screen for House at the End of Time in the evening session. Discovery screen 2 is showing some retro films for the day, they include The Visitor from 1979 and directed by Giulio Paradisi. A Nightmare on Elm Street, Robert Englund is in attendance at the festival. Nekromantik from 1988 directed by Jorg Buttgereit and The Shining from 1980, directed by Stanley Kubrick. The final film of the day is a new film; Another from director Jason Bognacki. Sounding like a giallo/hammer hybrid I think I'll stay in the main screen.
Open Windows directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Elijah Wood, Neil Maskell and Sasha Grey; who all have had previous films play at the festival before, comes this new cyber horror film. One I wasn't interested in until I read the synopsis. Worth a look. In the Discovery screen 1 there is Expedition; while it sounds good, I'm not sure I want to watch a dinosaur found footage film.
Faults starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead (The Thing prequel) and directed by Riley Stearns, his first feature looks an interesting look into the effects that a cult can have on people and their families; really looking forward to this one. In Discovery Screen 1 there is the documentary Drew: The Man Behind the Poster, a look at the life and art of Drew Struzan, it does sound a decent documentary and one I'll pick up on DVD.
Among the Living from the directors of Livid and Inside; Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo and starring Beatrice Dalle comes this coming of age horror film. I am looking forward to this one. Playing alongside this is Doc of the Dead, another documentary about surviving a zombie apocalypse; I'm not really a zombie fan so I'll stay in the main screen.
The Samurai, a German film and one I really know nothing about. I was hoping to jump into the discovery screen but they don't really interest me. The Shining, and Lost Soul. So I'll stick with The Samurai – it might surprise me. Lost Soul is another documentary and doesn't really draw me in, though it gets good feedback, but may be another I'll pick up on DVD.
The House at the End of Time, is a debut film written and directed by Alejandro Hidalgo. The first horror film from Venezuela to be shown internationally, this sounds a promising feature; a much better option than Stage Fright in the main screen or Another. Stage Fright, directed by Jerome Sable and starring Minnie Driver and Meatloaf is a musical, a mix of Friday the 13th and Glee, and while that sounds a strange mash-up, it's not one that's caught my imagination.
The final film of the day is Home. There is nothing playing against this film. From the director of The Pact, Nicolas McCarthy, Home stars Catalina Sandino Moreno in a story of demonic horror. I prefer the new title of At the Devil's Door. Sounds a good end to Sunday.
The final day is a mix of main screen, discovery films and tiredness and of course the after festival drinks at the Phoenix Club.
Alleluia, directed by Fabrice du Welz and starring Lola Duenas and Laurent Lucas. The 2nd film in the Ardennes trilogy, the first film being Calvaire. Worth a watch if the first one arrives in time from Amazon! In the discovery 1 there is Altergiest from director Tedi Sarafian, writer of Terminator 3, which put me off a little. This horror/sci-fi thriller is Sarafian's directional debut and is based on true events, which put me off again. Deadly Virtues from director Ate De Jong, sounds a run of the mill home invasion film, though my 2nd option if I've not seen Calvaire before the festival.
Nymph has me in 2 minds; a killer Siren, a Nazi concentration camp and featuring Franco Nero (Django) this doesn't sounds too bad. Directed by Milan Todorovic and starring Kristina Klebe, I might change my mind. At the moment my plan is to see Lemon Tree Passage in Discovery 1. An Australian urban legend and directed by David Campbell. We've been here before with a group of non-believers wanting to disprove the legend, and of course things are never what they seem. Blood Moon from Jeremy Wooding, who directed The Magnificent Eleven (which was alright!) comes this werewolf western starring Shaun Dooley.
Xmoor directed by Luke Hyams and starring Melia Kreiling and Nick Blood comes this UK creature feature. One I'll be avoiding. The Jessica Cameron Truth or Dare which she co-wrote, directed and stars in alongside Ryan Kiser and Heather Dorff, is my draw in Discovery 1. The film has had a fantastic run on the festival circuit and one I'm looking forward to seeing. Extraterrestrial sounds excellent, from director Nacho Vigalondo, who gave us Timecrimes (which was also excellent) comes this sci-fi romantic comedy. This is one I'm gutted to be missing.
VHS Viral, the 3rd outing in the VHS franchise and one I'm really looking forward to watching, after really enjoying VHS 2 and not really liking most of VHS 1, this one boasts a decent line up of directors including Nacho Vigalondo, Gregg Bishop and Marcel Sarmiento; could be a highlight of the festival. The Remaining plays in Discovery 1, directed by Casey La Scala is a religious-slanted horror film. Playing on the biblical end of the world scenario it's one I'll be avoiding. In Discovery screen 2 the 2nd part of the Shorts will be shown, with one short, The Tour starring Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff, a real coup for Frightfest's own Damon Rickard in his first short.
The final film of the festival is The Signal, starring Breton Thwaites (Oculus), Olivia Cooke and Laurence Fishburne. Directed and co-written by William Eubank this sounds an interesting film to end on and one I'm looking forward too.
Following the final film will be drinks in the Phoenix bar, where Mike Shawcross will be attending to celebrate and dissect what has been and gone over the previous 5 days – and of course have a well-earned pint or two!
FrightFest will be running from 21-25 August 2014. You can keep up to date with Mike's reactions here, on our Twitter page (@FailedCritics) or by following him at @Shawky1969
A Nightmare on Elm Streetall cheerleaders dieAlleluiaAltergeistAmong the LivingAnotherBad MiloBlood MoonCoherenceCreepDead WithinDeadly VirtuesDigging Up The MarrowDoc of the DeadDrew: The Man Behind The PosterExpeditionExtraterrestrialFaultsFrightfestHomeLemon Tree PassageLife After BethLost SoulNekromantikNymphOpen WindowsSin City 2sin city: A Dame to Kill ForSnow PiecesStage FrightStarry EyesThe BabadookThe HarvestThe House At The End of TimeThe MirrorThe RemainingThe SamuraiThe ShiningThe Short Films (Part 1)The SignalThe TourTruth or DareVHS ViralWhite SettlersXmoor
This year, DreamWorks Animation celebrates its 20th anniversary. In celebration, Callum Petch is going through their entire animated canon, one film a week for the next 30 weeks, and giving them a full on retrospective treatment. Prior entries can be found here, should you desire.
04] Chicken Run (23rd June 2000)
Gross: $224,834,564
Say what you want about DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, the man had vision at the start of the company's lifespan. Let's not forget, the company's (planned) first film was a biblical epic the likes of which had never been attempted in animation, let alone in Hollywood at all for a good 30/40 years prior. He jumped feet first into the wholly-CG realm well before any other Pixar imitators. He got the company to throw money behind a buddy-comedy adventure that time has been much kinder to than contemporary critics and filmgoers were. He had a real vision for his animated company; he wanted to rival Disney but, quite clearly, wanted to do it on his own terms with films that weren't just pale imitations of what Disney were churning out. He wanted an animation company that could hop from genre to genre, animation style to animation style, all aimed at a slightly older filmgoer instead of merely pacifying the youngest, but brought together under one roof with a company name that people could look at as a sign of quality, build trust in the consumer that their time and money weren't going to be wasted.
So of course one of the first things that Katzenberg would do upon co-founding the company would be to hunt down, sign to a contract, and inject a rather large cash flow into cult British stop-motion animation company Aardman Animations. Why wouldn't he? Prior to Katzenberg knocking on their front door, Aardman had built up quite the reputation in their near-three decade existence as Britain's premiere animation studio with such creations as Rex The Runt, Morph and the Oscar-winning short (that would later be expanded into an ad campaign and later still full-on television series) Creature Comforts (1989). They also made the iconic music video for Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" (1986) and, weeks before the DreamWorks deal was officially announced, they also released Steve Box's stunning animated short Stage Fright (1997). But, of course, they didn't truly start making giant waves with the public until A Grand Day Out (1989) introduced them to Nick Park's Wallace & Gromit, their household name status becoming truly assured with their follow-up shorts The Wrong Trousers (1993) and A Close Shave (1995), which both also won Academy Awards. The company was on the brink of superstardom, all it needed was a film that could announce its presence to the world.
Again, enter DreamWorks. By the time the deal had been signed in December of 1997, Chicken Run had been in pre-production for a good year and already had the financial backing of Pathé, and the critical prestige of Aardman (and particularly Chicken Run's three-time Oscar-winning co-director Nick Park) meant that practically every American studio with money to throw around was desperate for a piece of the pie (the box office success of Don Bluth and Gary Goldman's Anastasia a few weeks earlier, at a time when it seemed like any non-Disney animated release was a license to throw millions of dollars into a big ol' fiery pit, may have also helped somewhat). In the end, though, Katzenberg won out through sheer, bloody-minded persistence; he'd been courting the company since he first saw Creature Comforts. It seemed like a perfect marriage, both companies even extended their deal, as Chicken Run was wrapping up production, for another four feature films. Later history would show this to be far from the case (there's a very good reason why their new films are being released primarily by Sony Pictures Animation), although a squabble over the film's score would offer a brief glimpse at the creative differences that both studios would dissolve into, but at the time this was basically all leading up to a fairy-tale kind of ending.
And it did. It really did. Chicken Run opened at the beginning of the Summer, with its only competition being the disastrously performing Titan A.E., entering the charts at number 2 (behind Me, Myself & Irene). The film proceeded to ride that complete lack of competition to a six week run in the Top 10, where the most it dropped between weeks was 40% in Week 5 when Pokèmon: The Movie 2000 replaced it briefly as the big new animated movie on the block, a domestic total in excess of $100 million and slightly-larger than that foreign total as well. It even out-grossed Disney's official entry into their animated classics canon for the year, The Emperor's New Groove, and was only kept from being the highest grossing animated film of the year by Disney's other animated film for the year (retroactively added to their animated classics canon later on), Dinosaur. Critically, it was universally applauded, so much so that DreamWorks actually launched a campaign to get the film nominated for Best Picture. It failed, sadly (Chocolat got in over it, if you'd like a reason to get really angry today), but it has been said that the film was popular enough with Academy voters for it to lead to the creation of the Best Animated Feature award for the next ceremony. The film also failed to pick up the Annie Award for Best Animated Film because, well, it came out in the same twelve month window as Toy Story 2.
But other than the unfortunate shut-outs with regards to awards (seriously? F*cking Chocolat but not Chicken Run?), this was basically the outcome that multiple hokey underdog stories use for their feel-good endings, only in reality and fully-deserved. I was six upon the VHS release of Chicken Run and even I felt a tiny little something upon seeing the Aardman logo preluding a feature-length (not that I would have understood the full significance, obviously, I was still only six). Growing up, my parents were very generous to stock the "please, for the love of God, pacify the bugger the five minutes" VHS collection with an armada of cartoons. Disney films, BBC cartoons, Toy Story, Tom & Jerry collections, Looney Tunes collections, all that stuff, so I had a pretty early introduction to Wallace & Gromit. The beauty about them, as is the beauty with most of Aardman's best work, is that they work on multiple levels. They're not aimed specifically at families or children or anything like that. Like damn great movies, they just aim to tell good stories with the knowledge that everybody, regardless of age, gets something out the best stories. So, as should surprise no-one, Chicken Run ended up on regular rotation when it hit VHS. It was funny, fast, linked in terms of tone and style to Wallace & Gromit, and I always had an affinity for stop-motion animation. The fact that the DVD we eventually traded up to contained extensive clips of practically every Aardman short ever made beforehand admittedly helped matters.
The thing that I was dreading, though, upon sitting down to watch Chicken Run for this feature, the first time I have watched the film in at least 4 years, was that my earlier obsession with the film during my youth would dilute much of its impact. For the longest time I couldn't watch any classic episode of The Simpsons because my near cult-like devotion to a Season 4 boxset that I got one Christmas, and any of the numerous showings of any episode on Sky1 and Channel 4, had stripped most of those episodes of their humour and entertainment value. There was a part of me that was worried I'd be left sitting on the outside of this film, mechanically looking at its deeper meanings and such rather than being drawn in and becoming invested in proceedings. As mentioned just a few moments ago, though, the best Aardman works work on multiple levels with the same level of enjoyment being gained no matter which level you end up looking at it at. And that ended up being true of Chicken Run, many of its jokes may have diminished from over-consumption as a child, but I was still able to be entertained because, thanks to my older age, I could truly grasp the multitude of ways the film ends up working in.
For example, the mood, structure and feel of the film are very classic. Despite being a millennial release that was in production for the entire back-half of the 90s, Chicken Run feels even older than that. The obvious comparison, primarily because it's an affectionate parody of it, is the 1963 classic The Great Escape but it goes further than that. The whole film has the feel of classic Hollywood and, more specifically, the kind of films that crop up on Channel 4 when they need to fill a couple of hours of television time during an early weekday afternoon. I realise that that could read as an insult, but it's really not. There's a warm, inclusive feeling to the film that lacks from most animated films these days. Unlike, say, The House Of Magic or Planes or anything like that, Chicken Run aims at a general audience instead of just the youngest of children, and whereas that could lead to a bland or just plain lack-of-an identity it ends up working excellently. It feels classic, a film out-of-time, like if The Great Escape was made by British filmmakers and filtered through that off-beat mind-set we used to be so good at. It's why none of the jokes feel out-of-place or tonally misjudged, whether they be a practical hurricane of poultry-based puns delivered by rats Nick and Fetcher, some well-timed physical comedy during the montage of escape attempts near the beginning of the film, or a bit where the chickens realise that they're all for the chop and Babs knits herself a woollen noose. It all fits the all-ages mood and the British touch keeps any of them from coming off as obnoxious or ill-fitting, most of the gags being rather underplayed, really.
Speaking of that mood, of a film that feels (again, very much in a good way) older than it is, the animation, much like most of Aardman's stop-motion creations, feels very stuck in the late 80s and early 90s. The way that the film's imagery and colour-scheme seems rather washed-out, the low-key lighting of most scenes, I might have even seen some film grain, at points. I'd like to use the phrase "charmingly rustic", because that's the one that keeps sticking out in my mind right now, but I'm not sure it fully fits. It conveys the positive opinion I have, though. Many animated films, particularly in this age of CG, are often on a mission to have "the most graphics" or to just blindly copy the style of whatever the latest hot animated film was; unsurprisingly, it dates those films pretty quickly (for example, this clip from TMNT was from a film that released in 2007). Yet the Aardman style still looks pretty darn good. The decision to shoot at 20-frames-a-second instead of 24-frames-a-second in order to save money does cause a bit of a stiffness here and there, but it adds to the charm, more than anything. The works of Laika may have surpassed Aardman's stuff technically in the years since, but there's a cosy feel to Aardman's productions that I like. It may have something to do with my having grown up a devoted Aardman fan (you are looking at one of, like, ten children who actually stuck with Chop Socky Chooks for more than 45 seconds), it may not, but it's there and it's very much a plus.
As for things that I didn't notice until this go-around? The way the film handles scale and stakes. Chicken Run is actually really clever in this regard. The film is very small-scale, although there's the really large cast of extras, there are only nine prominent characters and even less than that that the film expects you to full invest in. You become worried for the nameless extras because Ginger is worried for the nameless extras and because Mrs. Tweedy is an unrepentantly evil person. It gets that not every character needs a name, arc and recognisable character trait for you to be worried about their outcome; if it's shown to be important to the main character, like how the continued survival of the chicken community in a freer land is to Ginger, and the film makes an effort to demonstrate why that's the case, then it is expected that the audience will swiftly follow. Also helping matters is just how quickly the film sets up the price that failure to escape will have on these characters; literally the first scene after the credits montage involves the death of Edwina, played dead straight at that, showcasing just how real the stakes are to our cast. It's splendidly well-done story work.
But that scale also manifests itself in more visual ways. What struck me first, above all else, was the shot of the camera pulling back to show the entirety of the chicken farm in one image as the title fades into view. I realised how small the map of the world's film actually looked, how there's very little space, how all of the huts barely looked like they could fit one chicken let alone twelve, how each of its landmarks look barely a stone's throw away from one another. But then we switch to the viewpoint of the chickens and there seems to be real distance between huts, how the courtyard (for lack of a better term) suddenly does seem like it could support an entire herd of chickens, and how every hut actually ends up more like a TARDIS than the thing we just clapped eyes on. It should seem inconsistent, especially whenever Mr. Tweedy opens one of their roofs to inspect what's going on, a mess of scene geography, yet strangely it isn't. I think of the little one-take scene where Ginger is walking through the hut the other chickens are turning into a makeshift plane and my first thought doesn't go straight to "how on earth could all of this be happening in that tiny hut?" Because the film does such an excellent job at communicating just how big the scenery and sets are and seem to the chicken cast, it makes it much easier to go along with because the film never truly breaks that scene geography, instead flitting between different viewpoints simply due to the angles and placements of camera shots. Now, in fairness, this works better in certain scenes than in others, specifically the height of the chickens compared to the Tweedys never truly feels consistent or convincing, but it's still much less of an issue than it could have been because, again, the world is so brilliantly constructed.
I guess I should also admit that it wasn't until this viewing that I grasped the not-exactly-subtle debts that World War II paid to its production design. Before you start laughing, I would like to remind you that it had been a very long time since I'd seen Chicken Run and that, for some utterly bewildering reason, I was never properly taught about World War II until I hit secondary school. Are you all finished judging me? Good. So the production design borrows very heavily from World War II POW camps, with some Concentration Camp elements thrown in for good measure. Now, yes, this is because the film is an affectionate parody/homage (take your pick) to The Great Escape, but it also helps bleed into the scale and stakes stuff I'd just mentioned. Although the place is never exactly an oasis, it ends up becoming rather multi-purpose, perfectly fitting the mood of whatever tone the film wants to go with. And, in practically every shot outdoors, the fact that the fence is nearly always in view creates a constant reminder of just how close freedom truly is for the cast. The fence uncomplicated but very effective in its required in-universe design, much like many POW camps. Plus, you know, there's the fact that Mrs. Tweedy's chicken pie machine and plan to turn all of the "vile, loathsome little" chickens into pies calls to mind The Final Solution somewhat and basically makes her Hitler. It all adds into the stakes without overriding the film too much, there's just enough of a gap between the subtext of the WWII design and the overriding prison break narrative that one can enjoy the film without appreciating, or getting uncomfortable at, the parallels. Again: the benefits of aiming at a general audience instead of one specific group.
Of course, Chicken Run isn't perfect. In fact, having watched it so much as a child and this being my first viewing in years actually seems to have made it easier for me to identify the flaws in the film. The plotting, specifically, is very generic and thuddingly obvious. It's paced fantastically, something that's not exactly a given when directors jump from shorter-form productions to feature-length (as just one example, both Inbetweeners films suffer from pacing issues), and it's all executed with a tonne of heart and love but it still feels perfunctory at times. "And now here's the scene where the seeming answer to everyone's prayers appears… and now here's the action scene where we demonstrate how much of a threat the pie machine is… and now it's the All Is Lost Moment, complete with dramatic thunder and rain because of course." One can call the beats to the second. It's not much of a problem, primarily because the film instead packs a lot of fun beats into its characters to make up for the lack of originality in the plotting, but it still feels too generic; like Peter Lord & Nick Park and the film's screenwriter, Karey Kirkpatrick (who pops up frequently throughout DreamWorks' history; we'll come back to him), were operating out of some kind of "My First Feature-Length Screenplay" guidebook to be safe.
Also, and maybe I've just been spoilt by my years of ingesting as much of the animation as I can have time for, but I think the voice acting is very hit-and-miss. On the hit side, especially on the hit side, there's Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Tweedy (who I am just going to assume was cast purely on the back of Blackadder II because, c'mon, you know it makes sense) who plays every line damn near perfectly and her refusal to ham it up all of the time actually helps sell the character as even more threatening than she could have been. Tony Haygarth as Mr. Tweedy bumbles with half-clueless ineffectualness brilliantly, Benjamin Withrow as Fowler does a dead-on "Back in my day…" ranting old veteran voice but also manages to get that same voice to deliver sincere emotional heft when he congratulates Rocky for helping sabotage the pie machine, whilst Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels (yes, really, I was surprised too) easily slide into the snarking comic relief roles whilst still, with a little help from the script, managing to imbue the characters with actual character instead of just pun-delivery.
Where things fall down is with regards to the leads. Mel Gibson, who plays Rocky the Rooster, isn't bad, he's certainly far better than a man having to deliver the majority of his lines over the phone sounds like he'd be, but he does really undersell a lot of the material. His character demands for him to be more boisterous, more showy, more American than Gibson and/or the people directing his performance seem willing to go. It works for when his character development changes him to be more humble, when he develops a conscience, but less so for the time he spends otherwise. The real issue comes from Julia Sawalha, who plays Ginger. She's really flat most of the time, there's a lack of energy and of real emotional connection. A lot of her lines, whether they're an upset cry to the heavens, an excited reveal of a plan, or a tender opening up to Rocky, are delivered in the same very underplayed and often-lifeless fashion and it really took me out of the experience. The same relatively-detached underplaying that worked for Mrs. Tweedy doesn't work for Ginger; Ginger needs some heart and passion invested in her line readings which either Sawalha didn't want to do, couldn't achieve, or had directors who weren't looking for them in the first place which is the wrong way to go as it turns out.
Finally, and this is the case for a lot of films in general but I still feel the need to bring it up, I don't buy the romance between Rocky and Ginger, nor do I think it really needed to happen. I understand why everyone involved felt like it did, Rocky needs to have his shameful exit at the two-thirds mark and then needs a reason to make a big heroic return in the finale and what quicker way than to have him and Ginger become attracted to one another, but it still feels wholly unnecessary. Hell, I basically just explained the fact that it was basically done for obvious plot's sake rather than any natural reason. Them hooking up just feels like something that everyone felt just had to occur because "that's how these things go, I guess," but it's still not really an excuse. The film could have just had them turn into becoming close friends instead of lovers, the romance starts at the halfway point with a dance and then Rocky getting over his sexist tendencies and referring to Ginger by name, and it still would have worked in both a narrative and character sense. Instead, they get together because that's how these things go and deviation from "My First Feature-Length Screenplay" was expressly forbidden in its foreword. It's not a deal-breaker, it's just a personal pet peeve of mine, not helped by how we're over a decade on and this kind of thing still hasn't really changed in the film industry.
I realise that I sound a bit down on Chicken Run, but I'm not. Really, I'm not. It's a damn great, often brilliant film and one that certainly justifies the love, acclaim and fairy-tale ending to the pre-2000s Aardman Animation story. The effects still hold up especially so since they've been bettered, the jokes still pack some laughs that a childhood of running the VHS on loop couldn't suck the entertainment from, the setpieces are entertaining and exciting, and the film's mood is endlessly relaxing and charming, the kind that is often lacking from most animated films nowadays. Again, I was worried that revisiting this film would only result in a souring of the memories, but the refusal to just stick to one specific age-group (and the fantastic work that's put into making that not create a tone that wildly slides all over the place) ends up showcasing even more aspects of its brilliance and discovering other, newfound reasons as to why it works. It turns out that it's not an outstandingly amazing film (unless the re-watch significantly lowers its quality, I have a feeling that Curse Of The Were-Rabbit will be closer to that), but it still succeeds at more than enough things, and its whole is great enough, for me to feel comfortable in the legacy that it's established.
Chicken Run proved to be the breakthrough smash-hit that Aardman Animations deserved, a runaway critical and financial smash that forcibly announced their presence to the world outside of the UK. For DreamWorks Animation, it was just the success they needed to counter-act the undeserving failure of The Road To El Dorado. Of course, it wasn't primarily produced by them and many may have wondered if DreamWorks were actually capable of long-term staying power on their own terms. Their next animated feature would silence those critics immediately, firmly put the company on the animated map, and completely re-invent and re-shape the animated landscape for almost the entire decade afterward, for better and worse.
But before we get to that, we have to take a quick detour into direct-to-video land for a prequel to The Prince Of Egypt. Next week, we shall take a look at Joseph: King Of Dreams, the sole direct-to-video entry in the DreamWorks Animation canon.
A brand new instalment in DreamWorks! A Retrospective will be posted here every Monday at 1PM BST.
Callum Petch guesses it's seen the sparks a-flowin'. Follow him on the Twitters (@CallumPetch)!
2000AardmananimationCallum PetchChicken RunDreamWorksDreamWorks AnimationJulia SawalhaLaikaMel GibsonMiranda RichardsonNick ParkPeter LordretrospectiveStage FrightSteve Boxthe great escapeTMNTWallace & Gromit


The translucent shed in rural Huntersville, North Carolina, showcases the siding-diffused sunshine, illuminating the shed interior.
While attending a silent auction at a nearby winery, the sunset across the street caught my gaze and resulted in this brilliant sunset.
The heat of summer scorched the foliage and produced this pretty, patterned scene near my condo in the San Jose, California area.
While returning to San Jose from Monterey, this rare yellow barn enticed me to maneuver an unplanned stop, where I captured the photo that became the basis for this artsy piece.
This scene conjures a kaleidoscope of nostalgic memories. It was the neighborhood park adjacent to my condo when I lived in San Jose.
I screeched to a halt to capture the sunset bathed front of this classic barn! In the process of finessing the photo, I removed intruding power lines to eliminate distractions while accentuating the fence to frame the scene.
This clay pot and water pitcher vignette capture the nostalgia of my uncle's Woodside residence.
Yosemite is my favorite vacation spot. It is a world-famous natural wonder, in this scene featuring Bridal Veil Falls, Half Dome, and El Capitan.


Now in its 60th year, the competition is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development and is sponsored by SuperValu. Over the lifetime of the SuperValu TidyTowns competition, generations of TidyTowns volunteers up and down the country have worked to improve the appearance of their locality and make their town or village more attractive for residents and visitors alike.
Speaking at the launch, Martin Kelleher, managing director with SuperValu, said: "This year is an important milestone for SuperValu TidyTowns as it marks the 60th anniversary of the competition. Reaching this landmark is a remarkable achievement both for the competition and the TidyTowns committees who have worked tirelessly over the year to enhance their towns and villages.
"2018 is the 27th year that SuperValu has sponsored TidyTowns. We are delighted to continue our long-running partnership with the competition to help make the communities we live in even better and to recognise the efforts of thousands of volunteers across the country who put in countless hours every week. This year, as we mark the 60th anniversary of TidyTowns, we are calling on volunteers in Co. Westmeath to get involved.
"As Ireland's leading independent grocery retailer, with our stores owned by entrepreneurs from the local community, we understand the importance of improving the quality of life in the towns and villages that our retailers work and live in."
This year's competition will also see the addition of the Schools Award, an initiative run by SuperValu that aims to encourage schools in communities across the country to get involved with their local TidyTowns committee and play a part in building better communities. The award aims to encourage greater youth involvement with TidyTowns initiatives, and primary or secondary schools that showcase a significant contribution to their local community are invited to enter this year for the first time.


Fire Extinguisher Range - Our Product Focus | FEV co.
There are three main products to focus on which cover varying areas in motorsport: hand held; AFFF; and gas.
The hand held fire extinguisher we want to focus on is our FESG2000RHH. This is a gas hand held fire extinguisher with an internal rubber bladder. The idea of the rubber bladder is that unlike a conventional hand held fire extinguisher this product can be used in any position, and the flexibility of this product means you can start and stop by using the squeeze grip valve to concentrate on the heart of the fire and also get into areas where a conventional hand held fire extinguisher cannot reach. This product is a favourite amongst rally teams.
AFFF on board fire extinguishers range from an MSUK starter system of 2.25ltr with engine cover only – a popular product for hill climb and with the 750 motor club participants. This product benefits from an internal bladder the same as the more expensive systems, and FEV's trimline system is the only one in the market place using an internal bladder.
Gas systems to focus on for circuit or open car, both FIA approved, are the FESG1500M and FESG1500E 1.5kg systems. These systems are very compact and very light which is ideal if space and weight is an issue. One system is mechanical and the other one electrical, both with an internal bladder – read more about the internal bladder in our useful information section. Another gas system to focus on is the FESG3000R, an FIA approved 3.0kg system for international rallying; the system is unpressurised, very compact for such a large capacity system and has all the benefits of the above.
See more about our fire extinguisher range in their sections on the products page, and the benefits of our product in the useful information section.


While waiting for one last installment on the Obama-in-Asia front, here is one last installment on the "does it matter that bright young things go to Wall Street" front. This is from a reader I know, American by background but living overseas for many years, on postings in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He went from a high-prestige academic track to the financial world, for reasons explained below and after the jump.
Heart of his argument: the problem is not so much the financial rewards of Wall Street, which had not begun their stratospheric ascent when he made the switch 20-plus years ago. Rather it was the scarcity of other work for people trained and interested in international work -- and, as he puts it, the distinctive role of business-based experts in American public life.
"Please allow me to give a view on the "Rhodes Scholars take the path to Wall Street" topic -- as I think my own experience sheds light on a fundamental fact which might be missing in the author's dismay that young US students in Oxford might lower their moral standards by pursuing a get-rich career in Wall Street: we need to understand the heavy weight of business pervading many segments of American political life and society, and to appreciate the lack of alternatives available to young American professionals if they wish to create a respectful career with an international background in non-business areas (diplomacy, journalism and/or academic). That in a nutshell is how I wound up in a Wall Street job coming out of a traditional university environment.
"I arrived at a Wall Street kind of job and witnessed many of the excesses bemoaned in the article, but I entered down this path not in the search of the Holy Dollar but rather due to a search to apply my expertise in international affairs and could not find an acceptable alternative to business. I was always fascinated by international affairs and had a real passion to understand the reasons for Marxism and world revolution. I wound up being a specialist in Soviet studies. I first sought to make my calling in the university as a professor, feeling that this would be an area where people following a sincere quest for higher learning would be able to make a contribution for society. I found however that young academics in American society tend to have few choices given the weak pay found here compared to many other professions in American society. US society seems to give lower priority to the teaching profession than is the case for many other countries. This was in the 1970s when the US economy showed a lot of weakness and had little interest in Soviet specialists (despite the rising threat of Brezhnev's USSR).
"As I became dissatisfied with the lack of choices available to a teacher in the US, I began to explore alternatives hoping to find a more satisfying way to make a living in which I could continue to make a contribution to society while also being able to pay my heating bills. Unless I were willing to become a spy and work for the CIA, I found few areas where I could convert my Soviet expertise into a non-teaching job. Unlike scholars I knew from Europe who enjoyed the prospects of the respectable alternatives of diplomacy or journalism (where expertise in foreign languages and local histories have been highly valued), I found a different story in the US: that the US State Department and major US newspapers tended to look down on being a "country expert". The State Department in the 1970s made a deliberate shift toward generalists (so a Soviet specialist would be sent first to Guatemala to work stamping visas and then to Kenya to follow agricultural projects) and the Washington Post and NY Times preferred to send to Moscow a reporter who had spent a few years following the police beat in Chattanooga. Meanwhile I noticed that among the people of influence in Washington and in the US embassies, there were many seniors coming from the business world. In the US, the path to contributing to international affairs is often through the business network.
"Hence despite my university-nurtured prejudice against businessmen, I eventually found to my surprise that there were intelligent people "even in the business world" and that in the business world overseas it was actually VALUED to have US executives who learned the local language and knew about the local culture and history of a country where you were working. I eventually chose a banking career, NOT because I wanted to be a banker or reach for a stratospheric salary, but rather because I found my skills could have greater outlets for appreciation than in the "higher" types of calling such as diplomacy or journalism.
"Looking back now to that career choice taken years ago, I see a mixed bag in which international banking certainly witnessed the excesses leading to the global financial meltdown of 2008, but it also led to the creation of social benefits which deserve more respect than is usually the case. The financing of power plants or aircraft deliveries or semiconductor fabs might not appear to be an obvious case of "doing public service", but with the financial meltdown of last year we see the perverse consequences to the world economy when bank credit for even basic goods and services gets withdrawn from the economy.
"My point here is to illustrate a fact about American life which sets us apart from Europe and Asia, namely the unique role of business within the fabric of American society. The commentary on the Rhodes Scholars seems to scoff at the idea of US students leaving Oxford to enter the business world -- a choice which might be found less frequently among the Oxford Dons but whch is not really startling if we appreciate how business dominates American society. Read Tocqueville and you'll find it wasn't that different when America was a younger country. Wall Street and Main Street are much more intertwined in the US than in Oxford, Paris or Heidelberg."


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If you're a progressive software developer and do not spend a few hours worrying about which tech stack to choose next, you're lying. We all do it. In fact, combined with the famous Impostor Syndrome, this constant anxiety is enough to break anyone's back.
Laravel or Symfony? Node or Go? React or Angular? Ember or Vue? Java or Scala? Java or Kotlin? Django or Rails? Python or PHP? Go or Elixir? C++ or Rust? These and countless other similar comparisons possibly run in your mind over and over and drive you insane (well, they drive me insane).
Are you a junior to intermediate developer?
If not, do whatever you want.
If yes, stick to the stack that has most jobs in your language ecosystem.
In other words, if you're into PHP framework-based development, pick Laravel over everything else. Not because it's the most amazing framework (it isn't) but because it will bring you more jobs, more projects, more growth.
And that's it, really. Do not, I repeat, do not crave for the greener grass on the other side. There's no written rule that Node developers are paid better than PHP developer always. Code monkeys are always paid peanuts no matter what tool they pick up; don't be one of them.
As a junior to intermediate developer, your goal is to master (I repeat, master) one stack that is quite popular. This will ensure a healthy income and self-esteem. Once you've started architecting complex system in your language, it won't that much. Your first responsibility is to be useful to your employer and be able to provide for your family.
Adventure comes second. And so, your language is not dying or going to be replaced. Relax.
Stop wasting time thinking about it.


Was born in 1948 in Leningrad.
Teacher by profession. He finished a musical school on percussion instruments class.
He was a boxer and a prize-winner in All-union competitions in boxing.
He wrote scripts, stories, novels. His works were published in newspapers and magazines. In 1978 he took an interest in cartoons and eventually in collages. He is a Grand Prix winner in the Fall-89, the All-Union festival of satire and humour, got the title «King of laughter», and also «Crystal drops». Prize winner in 7 All-Union cartoons competitions. He held a personal exhibitions around USSR, and also in the concert hall «Russia» (St.-Petersburg), in the State Russian museum (St.-Petersburg), in Israel, Switzerland, Italy, Finland. He had a publications in many magazines and newspapers at home and abroad. He is a designer of book covers, magazines, booklets, advertising, theatrical posters, etc.
In 1994 he has made the Higher theatrical premium of St.-Petersburg «Zolotoy Sophit».


With the Bookitit online booking system you will enhance the usage of your ressources. Today we will show it in the external use ot the gym rooms. Let's think about these rooms that the the gym rents to someone (external to the company) so that they can carry out there their activities, such as a pilates coach or a dance teacher.
The gym will have to manage who is going to hire the rooms every time, that is because the Bookitit booking engine can be very useful to combine schedules of these self-employees and the availability of the room. Besides, thanks to the online appointment system, the time in which there is no scheduled activity, it can be offered online so that anyone can book it.
For example: if my usual activities let the room every morning free, I will offer in this slot of time the renting of the rooms to self-employees that want to carry out their labour activity there. Furthermore, if I still have some more free times I will offer them in the Bookitit online booking widget to anyone who wants to use it.
About how to configure it, it is that simple as -after register- visit the Bookitit tutorial guides, or contact us right now and make the most of your ressources at any time.


text:
Melaloncha hirtipecta är en tvåvingeart som beskrevs av Brown 2005. Melaloncha hirtipecta ingår i släktet Melaloncha och familjen puckelflugor.

Artens utbredningsområde är Bolivia. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Puckelflugor
hirtipecta

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Crafter CMS Rollback to default Thumbail I have a page with a thumbnail and I want to remove it and go back to the default image.
I have this values in the config.xml of the content-type
<previewable>true</previewable>
<noThumbnail>false</noThumbnail>
<image-thumbnail>image.jpg</image-thumbnail>

Then I change it to the one I have before
<previewable>true</previewable>
<noThumbnail>true</noThumbnail>
<image-thumbnail></image-thumbnail>

After this, all I got is a broken image link. I don't see the default preview image when I try to create a new content type.
I'm working on 2.5.x on alfresco as my content repository. I did the changes trough Alfresco Share
Am I missing something to pick the change?

A: Did you try:
admin console -> configuration -> click on "clear cache".
See attached image.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange