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New Evangelizers Post: We Are An Easter People
I have a new article up at NewEvangelizers.com.
The most common image in most Catholic churches is the crucifix. It is displayed prominently, usually above the altar as a focal point of the congregation. Catholics have a long tradition emphasizing the Passion in our relationship with Jesus. For us, God shows His love for us by dying on the cross for our sins. There was no price which He was not willing to pay in order for the chance that we could be with Him forever.
But this focus on the Passion carries with it an inherent danger. While it is absolutely good and proper to keep Christ's sacrifice in the forefront of our minds and hearts, we must never overlook the fact that the story does not end on Good Friday. We are not a people who live in perpetual sorrow over the loss of His life. We are something else.
We are an Easter people.
A few years ago I went to a wake for a co-worker's mother. As we approached to give our condolences, I was surprised to see him so jovial. He spoke with a big smile about how his mother was now reunited with his father and the brother he had lost many years ago. His voice was strong and hopeful. I remember walking away amazed at his faith. Here was a man who lived in the hope of the Resurrection.
He understood that we are an Easter people.
The most important Holy Day of all the Holy Days is not Christmas, Ash Wednesday, or Even Good Friday. It is Easter.
Easter is so significant that it is re-enacted not just once a year, but once a week. Every Sunday is a mini-Easter. This is why the Christian Sabbath was moved from the Hebrew celebration on Saturday to the Lord's Day on Sunday. At the head of every week, we remember that Jesus rose from the dead.
Pope Benedict XVI once pointed to some historical evidence that ancient Christian altars faced the rising sun in symbolic remembrance of the Rising Son.
It is true that life is hard and Christ took on all the horror that the world has to offer. While we live in this Vale of Tears, it is easy to be convinced of the reality of the Passion, but the reality of the Resurrection can sometimes seem far away. Suffering is a universal experience to which anyone can relate. Fr. Benedict Groeschel once said that he has never been resurrected, but he had been to Calvary several times.
But without the Resurrection, the cross is pointless.
We don't end the story on Good Friday. That was the mistake of the disciples who fell into fear and depression. Even though the Master told them that He would return after three days, they doubted. Sometimes we may look down on them for doubting His words after all of the signs He gave them. But don't we do the same thing?
Jesus provided the proof of His words by rising from the dead. He promises this to us as well. Do we doubt?
As I wrote a few weeks ago, the history of the world may be a long defeat. But it will end in ultimate victory for God and those on His side. Do we truly believe this? Are we confident in this?
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things out there that are not of God. We have the pandemic still causing great distress to the physical, emotional, and psychological health of the world. We have great atrocities still being committed by tyrannical governments. We have a cancel culture that is waiting to raise the digital mob into a frenzy to destroy anyone who stands against whatever modern society holds sacred. We have a Church that is constantly attacked and persecuted from without and who also is dealing from festering corruption within. Economic woes seem to be on the rise. Religious rights are under attack. More and more people in this country are rejecting the Christian faith. The family itself is being undermined and basic truths of human nature are being exchanged for convenient politically correct lies.
All of this is happening right now. These are real problems to which we cannot turn a blind eye. We have a responsibility to speak truth to power and witness against all manner of evil and corruption in the world. But as the darkness grows, do we truly believe that God is still in control?
You can read the whole article here.
Posted by Catholic Skywalker at 11:20 AM No comments:
Sunday Best: Oscar Game 2021
OBJECT: Get the most points!
HOW TO PLAY: Fill out a score sheet for each category with your prediction.
In the past, I had to levels to the game where you would have your choice distinct from your prediction. However, since this year there have been so few movies that have been seen by the general public, we are only going to be covering predictions.
1. MAJOR AWARDS
-Best Picture
-Best Director
-Best Actor
-Best Actress
-Best Supporting Actor
-Best Supporting Actress
-Best Original Screenplay
-Best Adapted Screenplay
-Best Original Score
-Best Original Song
-Best Animate Feature
On the night of the Oscars, give yourself 1 point for each correct guess in MY PREDICTIONS. If you get a prediction wrong, subtract 1 point.
2. TECHNICAL AWARDS
-Best Editing
-Best Cinematography
-Best Visual Effects
-Best Sound Editing
-Best Sound Mixing
-Best Makeup
-Best Costumes
-Best Production Design
For these, give yourself 1 point for each correct guess in MY PREDICTIONS. There is no penalty for incorrect guesses for MY PREDICTIONS
3. MINOR AWARDS
-Best Documentary Feature
-Best Documentary Short
-Best Animated Short
-Best Live Action Short
-Best International Feature Film
For these, give yourself 1/5th of a point (.2) for each correct guess in MY PREDICTIONS. There is no penalty for incorrect guesses for MY PREDICTIONS.
Fill out the below score sheet and send it to me. I will be the designated score-keeper. You may change any choice up until the broadcast begins.
The winner will receive bragging rights and recognition on this blog.
Click the link below to fill out the form
CATHOLIC SKYWALKER 2020 OSCAR GAME
Here are my choices so far:
Name Catholic Skywalker
Do you want me to use your real name on my blog?
BEST PICTURE - MY PREDICTION "Nomadland"
BEST DIRECTOR - MY PREDICTION Chloé Zhao, "Nomadland"
BEST ACTOR - MY PREDICTION Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
BEST ACTRESS - MY PREDICTION
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - MY PREDICTION
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MY PREDICTION Glenn Close, "Hillbilly Elegy"
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - MY PREDICTION "One Night in Miami"
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - MY PREDICTION "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MY PREDICTION "Soul"
BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MY PREDICTION
"Speak Now" ("One Night in Miami")
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM - MY PREDICTION "Soul"
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - MY PREDICTION Erik Messerschmidt, "Mank"
BEST COSTUME DESIGN - MY PREDICTION "Mulan"
BEST FILM EDITING - MY PREDICTION "Promising Young Woman"
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING - MY PREDICTION "Mank"
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - MY PREDICTION "Tenet"
BEST SOUND EDITING - MY PREDICTION "Greyhound"
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - MY PREDICTION "Tenet"
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM - MY PREDICTION
"Quo Vadis, Aida?" Bosnia and Herzegovina
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE - MY PREDICTION "My Octopus Teacher"
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT - MY PREDICTION "Hunger Ward"
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM- MY PREDICTION
"If Anything Happens I Love You"
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM- MY PREDICTION "Two Distant Strangers"
I Don't Deserve To Be Loved
A few years ago, I started to notice a trend in media. In the movie A Wrinkle in Time, the main character has a big speech at the end which completes her arc. After being emotionally validated the entire film, she shouts that she deserves to be loved. In the movie The Greatest Showman, in the song "This is Me," the main singer sings "I know that I deserve your love. There's nothing I'm not worthy of."
These are other examples have been floating around for awhile and they have made me uncomfortable every time I have encountered them. There seems to be something fundamentally wrong with this world view. For as long as I can remember, I have always known this:
I do not deserve to be loved.
There are many things in this world that I do deserve. I deserve justice under the law. I deserve to be treated with respect as a human being. I deserve my rights that come to me from nature. I deserve all that I have earned by my labor.
But love? How in the world can I say that I deserve love?
The term "deserve" implies a debt that is owed. If I am a worker for hire, then I deserve the pay that is given to me. If I give money to the worker at the window at McDonald's, then I deserve my McNuggets and fries. I am owed these things because of what I have done. Sometimes I am owed things simply because of who I am. As a citizen, I am owed the protections of law enforcement and the criminal justice system, regardless if I pay for those services through my taxes.
But you cannot look at love in this way. Love is too big and too wonderful to be reduced to some kind of economic transaction. If this is what we turn love into then it ceases to be real love.
Above all, love is a gift. It must something that is freely chosen and freely given. Love is at the heart of human existence. It is the greatest dimension of our reality.
Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors, love our enemies, and love each other. But I cannot recall Him ever telling us that we are to love other people because they deserve our love. In fact, love seems to be most real when it is given to those who are least deserving. St. Paul says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Jesus did not love us because we deserved to be loved. In fact, His love for us is even more profound because He loves those who do not love Him back. He did not wait for us to become deserving of salvation before we He saved us.
I think one of the reasons that Jesus commanded us to love each other is because He understood that love is undeserved. We are not supposed to wait until people are worthy in our eyes of our love. We must love them. GK Chesterton once said "There is the great lesson of Beauty and the Beast, that a thing must be loved before it is lovable." The Beast is not entitled to the love he is seeking. But it is in the free gift of love that he is transformed. It only works because he has not earned her love as something that is owed. The transformation occurs because the love that he receives is undeserved.
Author Brad Meltzer once wrote that when it comes to our best friends, we don't see them as equals, we see them as our betters. There is a part of us that cannot believe that they have chosen to be our friends and we feel undeserving. This is the exact right attitude when it comes to real friendship and love.
Do not misunderstand: saying that I do not deserve love is not say that I am not good or not capable of being loved. Sadly, people in abusive relationships still cling to their abusers because they become dependent on their affections. Their abusers brainwash them into thinking that no one will ever love them because they are worthless. Being worthless and not deserving love are not the same thing.
I am not worthless. As a human being I have value because I am made in God's image. But even beyond that, Jesus looked at me and said that I was worth dying for. In His eyes, I am worth His life. My value is unfathomable: my life is worth the life of Christ. And that is the worth of every human life.
But returning to the point, if I thought that somehow Christ owed me salvation, I would miss the point of love entirely. Things that are deserved are not things that are free gifts.
My amazing wife of nearly 20 years made a vow to love, honor, and serve me all the days of her life (she added the "serve" into her vows herself). She made a permanent commitment to me for life to love me. But I would be a fool to ever think that she owed me her love.
Thinking someone owes you love will kill love.
If I begin to think that her love as something that I am owed, I will be filled with a horrible sense of entitlement. Because of our commitment we can make claims on each other. But I am well aware she never needed to make that commitment. I'm not worthy to be her husband. With this knowledge, I am filled with awe and gratitude for every second that she gives me. My parents got divorced when I was a child, so I know that even marriage in this world is not always treated as permanent. Every morning I am so grateful that she is still with me. The moment I think that her love is something that she owes me, all of that would evaporate.
How can I be filled with gratitude for something that I am owed? Am I in awe when the McDonald's worker hands me my Happy Meal? Perhaps I can be grateful in a general sense in the same way we are grateful for any good thing in our lives. But this is something quite distinct from the absolute free gift of love that someone gives you.
It is the same way with our friends. When I think of my pals, I am filled with gratitude and awe. How in the world did I become so blessed to have these people in my life? Circumstances may have caused our lives to intersect but our continued friendship is a free choice. I am not owed their friendship and yet they freely give it. Like marriage, there are obligations in friendship that aren't always pleasant. As the wise man once said, "It ain't easy havin' pals." But we are not forced to these duties of friendship from without, but compelled to these from within. Inside, I just want to demonstrate my gratitude for these undeserved friendships.
And this is also the way it should be in our families. Providence chose who would be our parents, our brothers, our sisters, and our children. Growing up, we are thrown together in close quarters where we see all the good and the bad. And once through all that, I am in awe that we can forgive each other and keep those bonds of love. If anyone of my family members were to keep a record of my wrongs, it would be vivid indictment of my life and why I do not deserve their love. But love does not keep a record of wrongs. Love forgives. And forgiveness, like love, is not something deserved, but an act of mercy.
I am repulsed by the idea that I deserve someone else's love. There is a horrible sense of entitlement that underlies that way of thinking. This would turn my heart into a black hole that would ravenously suck in all the affection and attention from others that I thought I was owed. It would shift the center of my universe to my own ego. I would lose the awe and gratitude that comes when I am the recipient of the free gift of gratuitous love. Going back to Beauty and the Beast, Gaston believes he is owed Belle's love. The Beast knows he doesn't deserve her love. And that makes all the difference.
One my observations is that it seems that those who claim that they deserve love are the ones who focus on all the love that they don't have. Their eyes are on those who do not love them rather than on the ones that do. I do not deserve love and yet, I am so loved. I am surrounded by the love of my friends, my family, and above all, the gracious love of God. When it comes to love, I have an embarrassment of riches.
And the richness of this love is all the sweeter because it is not something that I deserve.
Labels: Essays, Spirituality
Film Review: Zack Snyder's Justice League
Sexuality/Nudity Acceptable
Vulgarity Mature
This is a difficult movie to review because I don't think that there has ever been a movie like this.
For some context, Zack Snyder directed the hit movie Man of Steel and then went on to make the sequel the (unappreciated) masterpiece Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. However, even though the second movie made over $850 million, it was considered a box office disappointment. The studio believed that part of the reason for the result was the darker tone that Snyder brought to his films. However, by the time BvS was released, he was already deep into his Justice League, which the studio wanted to be their Avengers. However, after shooting ended, Snyder experienced a family tragedy that caused him to walk away from the project. Warner Bros. took this as an opportunity to course correct Snyder's vision. They brought in Avengers director Joss Whedon who did extensive reshoots, causing the final product to be very uneven. The result was a financial disappointment worse than BvS.
Over the years, fans have been clamoring for the "Snyder Cut" of the movie, claiming that the studio had it but refused to release it. After a long grass roots internet campaign, Warner decided to let Snyder finish his cut and release on HBO Max, hoping it would draw people to their service. What results is a 4-hour film that has been chunked up into chapters so that you can watch it like a mini-series.
And I highly recommend watching it like a mini-series. Looking it as one long movie is difficult because it's enormous length will make you focus on all that could still be trimmed. Seeing it as a mini-series of self-contained chapters makes the story feel like it is going at a tighter pace. Even with the 4-hour run time, the story is densely packed. I remember we got to the first hour and I could have sworn 2 hours had gone by. I don't mean that the story dragged. On the contrary, I felt like a lot had happened in only the first hour. But I think I only looked at it this way because I viewed it as a mini-series.
The same basic plot is present in the Snyder Cut as was in the theatrical: after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill) in BvS, Earth is now vulnerable to attack from the conquering Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds). He has to find three ancient devices called "Mother Boxes" to use to destroy the world. Atoning for his attack on Superman, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) seeks to find heroes to protect the world including Wonder Woman (Gal Godot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cybort (Ray Fisher), and the Flash (Ezra Miller). Together they must protect the mother boxes and save the world from Steppenwolf and his evil master Darkseid (Ray Porter).
For those who read my original review of the theatrical version of Justice League, I was not a hater of Joss Whedon's cut. I mentioned that it had an uneven tone that it never quite reaches the heights of BvS. But I think that a lot of the dumping on Whedon is very unfair. He was charged to make massive tonal changes to a movie that was already wrapped in terms of filming. The fact that Snyder and Whedon have drastically different styles is not Whedon's fault. Overall, The Snyder Cut is an improvement, but that isn't to say that Whedon's contributions were all bad.
Even though Snyder tends to be a highly stylized director, Justice League is the one movie of his that feels the most toned-down. That isn't to say that his very unique visual style isn't present, but that it is not as immersive as in his other movies. For fans of Snyder this is a disappointment, For non-fans, this may be a relief. There still plenty of slow-motion shots set to rock ballads to satisfy most hardcore Snyder fans. It is also strange in that it goes for a 4:3 aspect ratio. At first I thought it had something to do with saving money on special effects, but apparently it is because it mirrors IMAX screens. When seen on a widescreen TV, it is distracting at first, but then you forget about it.
There are many improvements to this cut, particularly in how the characters are presented. The character who benefits the most is the Flash. Snyder still uses him the way Whedon did, where is the novice of the group and throws out most of the quips like Spider-Man. But there is a difference between your character being jokey and turning your character into a joke. Unlike the theatrical version, this movie made me look at Miller seriously as a heroic figure. In his introductory scene, he plays his Barry Allen as a geeky clown. But when danger is present, Miller was able to kick into hero mode and it made me take notice. I questioned the casting of Miller from the beginning and through the Whedon cut. But in the Snyder cut, I could see what Snyder saw. Miller is able to still be funny while playing his Flash with seriousness and sincerity. There is a point where he says by the grave of Superman, "He was my hero." It isn't too melodramatic, but you can see how he says it like an innocent kid talking about a fallen idol. And while there are weird gags in there involving hot dogs, gone are the strange asides about brunch.
Another drastic improvement is with Steppenwolf as the villain. As I wrote in my original review: "The biggest drawback of the film is its villain. Steppenwolf is a character made of sub-par CGI and bland motives. He is definitely no Loki." In this cut, Steppenwolf has a much more inhuman design, but ironically he is much more understandable. There is a principle called "the Uncanny Valley," where the closer something not human looks to human, the more we are attracted to it, but at a certain point as it gets closer to human but not quite, we have a deep sense of repulsion. The theatrical Steppenwolf fell into the low end of the Uncanny Valley. Snyder's Steppenwolf is alien enough to stay on the upper side of the Valley and be much more interesting to watch. The way he looks at Darkseid, with such fear and awe and majesty, you immediately get his motivations and understand them. His look is also more intense and frightening than in the theatrical cut. I love how his metallic armor bristles dangerously in response to his mood.
Cyborg is also given a much more complete arc. Particularly, his incredibly complicated relationship with his father is fleshed out to tremendous emotional effect. Joe Morton does a fantastic job as Silas Stone, playing the role of a father that crossed the line in saving his son and living with his son's resentment for it. He seems resigned to Victor's hatred of him with a quiet dignity that I really liked about Morton's performance. He actually gives us one of the most emotional scenes in the movie and he does it with stoic grace.
Affleck's performance is much more consistent in this movie. As I wrote of the theatrical cut, "His performance in Batman v. Superman is nuanced and powerful, always smoldering with barely-contained rage. And there are many scenes where this can be seen in Justice League. But then there are scenes where he comes off as relaxed and aloof like Tony Stark. I would stake my paycheck that those latter scenes were filmed by Whedon. Neither performance is bad, mind you. But it feels a bit inconsistent." Justice League shows a toned-down Batman, but that is part of his arc from the previous movie. Superman taught him to step a little more into the light and let go of some of that rage.
On this thread, there is an thematic element that is added to this one that is absent from the Whedon cut: faith.
One of the reason for the difference in Bruce's change in personality between movies is how he is now more a person of faith. He approached Superman with cynical suspicion in their first encounter. Having learned that lesson, he now realizes that sometimes you have to have faith in people. It reminds me of how the priest told Clark in Man of Steel that sometimes you have to begin with a leap of faith and then trust comes after. This reminds me of the change we saw in Jack Shepherd in the show Lost, where cold logic is thawed to make room for faith. It is not that the two things are incompatible, but that faith goes beyond what reason can see. By putting his faith in others, Bruce helps them become more than they are alone. While this is not about religious faith, it nevertheless shows faith's importance. I also noted how in the opening Wonder Woman sequence the religious elements of the terrorists were toned down in Snyder's cut. While I don't know Snyder's personal relationship to God, his use of Christian imagery in Man of Steel and BvS tells me that he at least understands the power of those symbols and respects them.
The four-hour run time allows the story to breath and lets it unfold more naturally. There is a clear through-line from the death of Superman through to the end. The explanation of how the Mother Boxes work is woven better into the narrative. Smaller elements really help the movie along too. In the theatrical version, the Amazons seal themselves in the building with Steppenwolf. But this doesn't seem like a big deal as Steppenwolf simply breaks through the wall and pursues the Mother Box. In the Snyder Cut, sealing the building also causes it to fall into the sea, thus making the action an heroic sacrifice on the part of those who stayed behind to give Hippolyta (Connie Nielson) a chance to escape. Also Lois Lane's grief is explored a bit more in depth and how she is having trouble moving on after Clark's death. She also has a more complete character arc in this film rather than her being simply an emotional control on Superman.
Something else I thought was very interesting was the lack of conflict within the League itself. In Whedon's cut, the team almost come to blows over whether or not they should resurrect Superman and then later they almost tear themselves down after Steppenwolf gets the final Mother Box. Snyder's cut has most of the League on the same page. Some are reluctant, but they all tend to grudgingly agree. This is a place where I would say that Whedon was correct to add a bit more conflict so that we could see how distinct the characters are. But this seems to go against Snyder's idea stated above about having faith in people and giving them the benefit of the doubt.
That isn't to say that Snyder Cut couldn't have been trimmed. Because it feels like Warner Bros. gave him carte blanche, Snyder left a lot more in than should be there. There is a musical number when Aquaman heads to the sea that could have easily been cut. Also there is an introduction of another hero that feels a bit out of place (more on this later). Scenes that add to the feel of the movie are left in because they can be not because they needed to be.
The biggest problem with the movie is that it feels too forward-looking. Don't get me wrong, most super hero films lay the groundwork for future adventures. But all indications are that this is the last hurrah for Snyder's storyline. Robert Pattinson has just finished filming his new Batman movie. JJ Abrams at this time is apparently rebooting Superman. The Snyder Cut leans heavily into the idea that this movie is not a complete story. This is especially true in three areas:
First, Darkseid is a cool addition to the story but he is set up to be a future threat more than a current one. They setup Steppenwolf as a formidable force that necessitates bringing back Superman, but they also set up how much Steppenwolf is dwarfed in power by Darkseid. However, we never see this fully realized. It is setup for a future movie.
Second, the epilogue between Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) and Deathstroke (Joe Maganiello) points to the now-cancelled Batfleck solo movie. The idea of Deathstroke going head-to-head with Batman onscreen is almost too awesome to imagine. But when I watched that scene, I kept thinking about how the movie was cancelled and it left me with disappointment.
Third, there is a "Knightmare" sequence in this movie similar to BvS. In some post-apocalyptic future, Batman is leading a cadre of heroes (and villains) against an evil Superman, just like in the previous movie. And while I really enjoyed the scene, it felt made Justice League feel like a stepping stone to a larger story we may never see. The build up to this also includes a long-time member of the Justice League who makes his debut in this movie. I would be more excited about it if this character were more integral to the main story of this movie and not a tease to something in the future.
There are also some other dangling issues regarding Lois Lane and Superman that never get fully resolved. Because of this, the movie ends on an ellipses in a way that the theatrical version does not.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed Zack Snyder's Justice League. I have been a fan of his style and it was nice to see him get to execute his vision. It is not as good as BvS, but I wasn't expecting it to be. It is too indulgent as a feature film, which is why it helps to see it as a mini-series. In that context, I highly recommend the Snyder Cut.
SUNDAY BEST: Oscar Nominations 2021
So the nominees were announced this past week for the 93rd Academy Awards.
These awards remain the most prestigious in film. And while many of you, dear readers, are of the opinion that all awards shows are terrible and should simply be shunned, it is my perpetual hope that Hollywood will reform itself and once again nominate movies that matter.
That is not this year.
Granted, this was a terrible year for movies. Because of COVID, so many films were delayed and held from release. The Academy even bent their own rules and nominated films that premiered on streaming. And still the list is poor.
Normally, I would make a comparison between the top 10 box office earners and the films nominated for Best Picture in order to illustrate the divide between the Academy and the common man. However, we have so little reliable data on what people actually watched this year. Streaming services are notorious for keeping their viewing numbers under wraps. So while anecdotally I can tell you a lot of people watched Hamilton on Disney+, I don't have any hard information for you.
My own top ten of the year include:
1. Hamilton
3. The Way Back
4. Wonder Woman 1984
5. Greyhound
6. Soul
7. Tenet
8. Bill and Ted Face the Music
9. Godmothered
10. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Even I have to admit that in a normal year, most of these films probably would not have made the top ten, but pickings are slim.
However, if you paid me to come up with a list of nominees that would guarantee the lowest-rated Oscars ever, I don't think I could do better than what the Academy gave us. So if you have no interest in the Academy Awards this year, I don't blame you.
So below are my thoughts on some (not all) of this year's nominees.
And next week, I will open it up if you would like to participate in this year's Oscar Game!
Best Picture:
"The Father"
"Judas and the Black Messiah"
"Promising Young Woman"
"Sound of Metal"
"The Trial of the Chicago 7″
The only movie that I have seen on this list is Mank, and it was terrible. The only other film that looks like it could be good is Minari, but I'm not sure if I'd pay money to see it. Everything else on this list are things I wouldn't spend money on to see.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Riz Ahmed, "Sound of Metal"
Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
Anthony Hopkins, "The Father"
Gary Oldman, "Mank"
Steven Yeun, "Minari"
-Boseman was my choice for best actor of the year and he should win. His performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is outstanding. Oldman is always good. I'm very happy for Steven Yeun, as he is a talented actor and I'm glad he is getting this recognition.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Sacha Baron Cohen, "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
Daniel Kaluuya, "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Leslie Odom Jr., "One Night in Miami"
Paul Raci, "Sound of Metal"
Lakeith Stanfield, "Judas and the Black Messiah"
-Haven't seen any of these films.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Viola Davis, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
Andra Day, "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"
Vanessa Kirby, "Pieces of a Woman"
Frances McDormand, "Nomadland"
Carey Mulligan, "Promising Young Woman"
-I've only seen Viola Davis who was fantastic as always. But the Academy might lean towards Carey Mulligan as her performance gained a lot of buzz.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Maria Bakalova, "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm"
Glenn Close, "Hillbilly Elegy"
Olivia Colman, "The Father"
Amanda Seyfried, "Mank"
Youn Yuh-jung, "Minari"
Close should have been nominated for Best Actress, because her performance is extrodinary, but she deserves to win in this category.
Best animated feature film of the year
"Onward"
"Over the Moon"
"A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon"
-Soul is not one of PIXAR's best, but it is better than Onward, the only other movie I've seen in this category.
Achievement in directing
Thomas Vinterberg, "Another Round"
David Fincher, "Mank"
Lee Isaac Chung, "Minari"
Chloe Zhao, "Nomadland"
Emerald Fennell, "Promising Young Woman"
Fincher makes Mank look great, even though the movie is awful, but I haven't seen the others to comment.
Adapted Screenplay:
"Borat Subsequent MovieFilm"
"One Night in Miami"
"The White Tiger"
-Haven't seen any of them
Original Screenplay:
"The Trial of the Chicago 7"
Original Score:
"Da 5 Bloods"
"News of the World"
Soul has a decent score. That's the most I can say about any of these.
SNUBS
-Ben Affleck, Gavin O'Connor, and Brad Ingelsby were completely overlooked for The Way Back, one of the best movies to come out this year.
-Hamilton should have been nominated, but I think there was a prejudice against it because they considered it simply a stage play.
-Tom Hanks and Greyhound was incredibly compelling and entertaining and I think it would have reached a wider audience if it was not on Apple TV
-Tenet had a lot of problems, but as a technical piece of work, Nolan should have been recognized.
-Glynn Turman and Amy Adams should have gotten nominations
Film Flash: Zack Snyder's Justice League
Watch like a mini-seres. Improved from original, but incomplete without sequels that may never happen.
New Evangelizers Post: Sacramental Matters
Sunday Best: STEVEN SPIELBERG MOVIES RANKED - #8 -...
TV Review: WandaVision
Film Review: Coming 2 America
Sunday Best: Top 10 Eddie Murphy Movies
Film Flash: Coming 2 America
A Constant Source of Perpetual Rage
Non-Film Review: Malcolm and Marie
New Evangelizers Post: Reflections on Veronica's Veil


text:
Tweets from https://twitter.com/AKsportshall/lists/ashof-twitter-feed
Curfman's ERA drops like a 12-to-6 curveball for Northern State
Cody Curfman
When it comes to the Northern State University player who has improved the most this season, it's tough to beat Cody Curfman's comeback.
The junior right-hander has massively improved his mount presence since early March as his ERA has dropped like a 12-to-6 curveball, falling from double digits all the way to 3.15.
Whether it's the Most Improved Player Award or Comeback Player of the Year, Curfman deserves to have his name on a plaque.
He has emerged as the NCAA D2 team's No. 2 starter as he leads the team with 47 strikeouts, ranks second with 45.2 innings and third with three wins.
He had a dumpster fire of a debut on March 2 after giving up 5 runs in just 2 innings for a 22.50 ERA.
Since then, though, he's lowered his ERA in eight straight outings: 22.50 to 7.71 to 7.56 to 6.39 to 5.94 to 4.50 to 3.48 to 3.32 to 3.15.
That's some serious steam.
Curfman has been especially excellent over his last four starts as he's gone 7+ innings in all four and earned 7+ strikeouts in all four.
In his most recent appearance, he struck out a career-high 11 batters in a 10-3 win over Bemidji State.
Tags: Baseball
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Playing stronger players for more game time to get better match results runs contrary to the Coledale Waves motto of 'football for everyone'. Our aim as a participation-based club is to maximise the enjoyment of all players and provide an environment where every player, regardless of skill and experience, is allowed to develop to the best of their ability.
In the mini roos stage (U6-11), the coach and manager should try to ensure there is equal game is applied to every match.
From U12 (competition) upwards, the coach and manager should try to ensure equal game time is achieved over the course of the season. As competition teams reach older age groups they may start to consider playing the strongest line-up. In these cases, full transparency and open discussion must take place with players and parents concerned.
Punctuality and reliability is important in helping our valued volunteers perform their roles. In order for a player to qualify for equal game time, they are required to attend the majority of training sessions. Players are also expected to arrive at the specified time on game day.
Players should also be well behaved, courteous and respectful to coaches/managers, teammates, referee officials, grounds persons and volunteers.
Players who continue to be uncommitted, unreliable or disruptive members of a team can be subject to losing game time at the discretion of the team's organisers.
For U12 teams and upwards who finish in the top four positions in their leagues and qualifying for the finals, there is a choice whether to continue with an 'equal game time' philosophy or to adopt a 'strongest line-up' approach in order to try and win the competition.
It is a democratic team process reached by the all players, where each member of the team votes, with the majority count deciding the direction taken.
If you feel a child isn't provided the same game time as their teammates, please discuss the issue with the team coach and manager. If you find that there continues to be an issue, the problem should be escalated to the age-manager at mini-roo stages, otherwise reported to the President or Vice-President for competition levels.
We pride ourselves on being a friendly, safe and inclusive club and fortunately instances of conflict, bullying and harassment are extremely rare. If you feel you have been mistreated then it's important to know that our club has a zero tolerance bullying policy. Bullying is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Any claims of bullying will be carefully considered by the club committee in line with the following policy.
Bullying is defined as repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a player, group of players, officials, volunteers or parents that creates a risk to health and safety. Whether it's intentional or not, such actions can still be classed as bullying.
Unreasonable behaviour means behaviour that a reasonable person, having regard to the circumstances, would see as unreasonable, including behaviour that is victimising, humiliating, intimidating, threatening or physical.
If you believe your child is being bullied, speak to your team coach and manager immediately. All complaints will be treated seriously and dealt with as promptly as possible in order to try and 'nip the problem in the bud'.
If, after reporting the problem at team, level you continue to experience problems, then the team organisers will escalate the issue to the club committee. An impartial subgroup will then be appointed to investigate the matter further. They will conduct face-to-face meetings and decide on appropriate action.
Football is a contact sport and injuries can occur which result in players not returning until the following season. Depending on when in the season a player is forced to stop, he or she may qualify for a full or partial refund.
A change in circumstances relating to work, family and health can also affect a player's ability to continue playing. Refunds in such cases are discretionary and decided by the committee.
Members who are forced, either through injury or personal reasons, to deregister with Football South Coast before the June 30 closure date may qualify for a full refund subject to certain conditions.
Discount registrations are available for players who join the club once the season is well underway and miss at least eight games. These discounts are discretionary and subject to committee approval.
As a guide, the amount is calculated by passing on the Football South Coast base player cost and then adding a Coledale Waves 'per game' fee (comprising of match official costs and ground maintenance fees).
From season 2019, the club is introducing a clear policy that sets out the age group a new player joining the club must join. The club was unsuccessful in attempts to introduce this policy in 2018. It is therefore hoped that applying it to all new U6 players and those transitioning into U7 will be a smoother process in light of the information being widely available on our website and being at the fore of discussions at committee and U6 age levels through the relevant age-manager. In essence 'playing up' will be phased out, starting with our current 2019 U6 and U7.
What age group should my child play in?
To work out what age group is correct for your child, simply look at the age they turn in the current calendar year. For example, a child turning 6 at any point in 2019 must join our under 6 age group.
Why is it important my child play in the correct age?
We strongly recommend registering a child in their correct age group.
Children need time to develop physically, mentally and emotionally and being equipped to cope and concentrate at training and games means they'll enjoy their football more, and so will their teammates and coach.
Moving a child up an age group has the potential to impact on the formation of teams and could even mean a child of the correct age missing out on a spot in a team.
Starting out in the correct age and remaining there, means that as the teams increase in player numbers it's easy to form competition teams and align your child with their correct grade or representative level football if they show talent.
Can my child start playing before they turn 5?
If you have a child in kindy who turns 5 in the calendar year, the best option is to play in the under 6 age category for two consecutive seasons.
Occasionally, a child may be asked to play up in the interests of other players, the teams and the club.The main reason for playing up is to assist in an urgent need to make up the numbers in age-group above. In these cases it can make the difference between being able to form a team or not – so the difference between a large group of players being able to participate or not.
Playing up an age grade is at the discretion of the club team forming committee and after discussion with parents/carers.
What if my child is already playing up?
All new U6 players and existing U6 players who turn 7 in 2019 are required to play in their correct age group. If your child is already 'playing up' and part of a formed team, they may be asked to join a team in the correct age group, but the move back to the correct age will not be forced.
We prefer any new players that join the club from U8 register in their correct age-group.
Grading is where a player's football skill and experience are used to help determine which level of football is most suitable for them.
We are a friendly, welcoming club, where everyone gets the chance to play. This philosophy remains at our core, but at times there are other factors such as player numbers, different skill levels (both internally and from opposition clubs) and our need to retain players in the future that become important to consider too.
How does the grading process work?
The simplest way to look at a child's skills is to run a training and game session involving all those who wish to try out. The session will be run by a number of independent and experienced players from our senior teams with coaching experience, none of which have any association with the age-group concerned. Players are asked to perform a number of football drills, exercises and possibly play a game. The assessors will make notes and score each child throughout the session. The grading sheets be used to decide who goes into an advanced team, an intermediate team and a basic team etc.
What if my child has a bad game at the grading session?
To make the process as fair as possible the results from the independent assessors will be used in conjunction with the team's coach/coaches score.
The grading process will only happen if sufficient numbers within an age group agree.
Even if the majority within an age group decide to grade then your child can still decide they do not wish to be considered for any advanced team.
The following policy is an addendum to our Code of Conduct. It specifically deals with player penalties, suspensions and fines.
I will learn teamwork, sportsmanship and discipline.
I will respect coaches, teammates, parents, opponents and officials.
I will not use drugs or alcohol.
In addition to the penalties assessed during the game, any violation of the above code may result in a one game suspension. A second violation may result in a three game suspension. Any additional violation may result in a possible season suspension.
In the case of a one or three game suspension, the player will not be able to participate in a league game, practice game or tournament game and will not be able to participate in training sessions during that period.
In the case of drug or alcohol use the child will be immediately and automatically suspended until hearing by an appointed Conduct Review Committee.
It is the responsibility of coaches/managers to keep a record of players within their teams who receive cautions. Upon a player receiving their 5th yellow card in any grade, that player must be stood down from playing for 1 competition game/round – that being the game/round the team next plays where he/she received their 5th card. Should a player participate in a game after receiving their 5th caution, having not been stood down then those games may be forfeited with the player and/or club facing further disciplinary action.
If any player, from any grade is awarded a red card for any reason the team coach or manager is responsible for reporting the incident directly to the club President or Vice President immediately. Depending on the severity of the penalty it will be decided whether a conduct review committee be appointed to investigate the incident and access if further penalties are warranted.
The club has a zero-tolerance of violence. Any incidents must be immediately reported to the club President and Vice-President. Players involved in violence may be subject to an immediate and automatic suspension until the circumstances are heard by an appointed conduct review committee.
This Policy applies to all Football NSW affiliated Clubs, Associations, Branches, Centres, Referee Branches and all Officials, Coaches, Managers, Technical Directors, volunteers and participants for 2018 and onwards.
The WWCC legislation currently provides exemptions from the requirement to obtain a WWC number for certain categories of individuals, including: 1. Volunteer parents or close relatives coaching or managing their own child's or close relative's team; 2. Referees; and 3. Persons aged under 18 years.
For the 2018 season and beyond, it is a requirement of Football NSW, Football South Coast and Coledale Waves that all Technical Directors, Coaches and Managers working or volunteering with children under 18 years obtain a WWCC and provide their Club, Association, Centre and/or Football NSW with a valid WWC number.
All referees now require a WWCC, unless exempt. The only exception recognised by Football NSW is the exemption for persons aged under 18 years. For the 2018 season and beyond, it is a requirement of Football NSW that all referees obtain a WWCC and provide their Branch and/or Football NSW with a valid WWC number.
When registering in MyFootballClub (MFC) as a Coach, Manager, Technical Director or Referee or any other role that involves working or volunteering with a child under 18 years of age, it is now a precondition of registration with Football NSW that the individual obtains a WWC number and enters their WWC number in the MFC registration system at the time of registration. Persons under 18 years of age are exempt from this registration requirement.
– The person's registration is not to be approved in the MFC registration system by the relevant administrator and will not be effective until the individual has entered their WWC number into their MFC profile during the registration process and their Club, Association, Branch, Centre and/or Football NSW (as the case may be) has verified the WWC number via the on-line WWC verification system at www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au.
– It is the responsibility of the relevant Club, Association, Branch, Centre and/or Football NSW to obtain the person's WWC number either from MFC or directly from the individual and then verify the WWC number via the online WWCC verification system at www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au and retain a record of the verification details in accordance with the requirements of the WWCC legislation.
The NSW Office of the Children's Guardian (OCG) is the State Government Agency responsible for managing the WWCC in NSW. Football NSW will continue to work closely with the OCG in relation to child protection and our members' compliance with the WWCC. The OCG has already conducted audits of over 200 FNSW clubs and associations and will continue to audit our members in 2018.
The role of a Ground Official during a game is very important in maintaining a safe, enjoyable and harassment free atmosphere. Their primary responsibility is to the welfare of the Referees and Assistant Referees and the provision of adequate safety for the protection of players and the public. Ground Officials should act impartially and assist other ground officials with any duties when required. Ground Officials must wear a yellow or orange fluorescent coloured vest and be visible to all players, referees and spectators during scheduled games.
At Coledale Waves, a bibbed official is provided as a point of contact for all home and visiting teams and assist in answering questions. Also, to help in the change overs between games, by reminding parents to clear equipment when pitch configurations change. Officials help manage the team sheet area and ensure sheets are available at the correct slots and swapped throughout the morning. At competition level (U12s and above) a bibbed official must be present with the team manager during card checks.
To assist further, here is a list of 'Duties' and a list of 'tips for safety and conflict resolution.
Alert the club/referees if you notice a portable goal post is unsecured or anything hazardous.
Ensure your own safety first and then arrange appropriate first aid for any injured persons if required.
Answer all questions clearly, remain calm and notify those in charge at the venue that you have called 000. Once the call has finished help to ensure the approach to the venue and gates are open for approaching emergency vehicles so they have access to the incident or victim.
Send someone to the entrance to meet the emergency vehicle and to guide them to the incident or victim.
When the emergency vehicle arrives assist where possible and keep spectators away as required.
To make soccer an enjoyable and rewarding experience for all participants and to provide an environment where all children can have fun, develop skills and learn sportsmanship and team play, we have a Zero Tolerance Policy with respect to poor behaviour of players, coaches, parents and spectators.
This Club Code of Conduct is a club initiative and takes the basic minimum standard proposed by the Illawarra Junior Football Association and adds our club's culture and mission to it.
Players, coaches, parents and spectators must agree to adhere to our Code of Conduct. All committee members, coaches and officials are instructed to carry out the enforcement of the Code of Conduct. When necessary a Conduct Review Committee will be established to investigate complaints and decide penalties.
respect coaches, teammates, parents, opponents and officials.
not openly and repeatedly, in an unreasonable manner dispute or argue with an official's decision.
not use drugs or alcohol.
In the case of drug or alcohol use the child will be immediately and automatically suspended until hearing by a conduct review committee.
not embarrass my child by yelling at players, coaches, or officials and I will always show a positive attitude towards the game and all its participants.
If a parent violates any part of the code they may not be allowed to attend another game, practice game, tournament game or practice session for two weeks.
In the case of subsequent violations the parent may be subjected to further disciplinary action by a Conduct Review Committee, which may include a permanent ban on attending games or suspension of the child for the parent's failure to adhere to the code and/or comply promptly with sanctions.
Winning is a consideration but not the only nor the most important one.
Coaches shall be subject to penalties assessed and determine by the Conduct Review Committee and the full committee.
The club committee will review the effectiveness of the Code of Conduct every two years and revise the policy when required.
ALL PENALTIES SHALL BE ASSESSED BY A CONDUCT REVIEW COMMITTEE UPON A DULY FILED COMPLAINT AND HEARING.
ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO APPEAL AND REVIEW BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE COLEDALE WAVES JUNIOR SOCCER.
Too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun causes sunburn, skin damage and increases the risk of skin cancer. Sun exposure in the first 15 years of life contributes significantly to the lifetime risk of developing skin cancer. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Skin cancers account for 80 per cent of all new cancers diagnosed in Australia each year.
Melanoma is the most diagnosed cancer for 15 – 44 year olds.
This policy is followed all year round as the UV radiation levels are always high during peak UV periods (10am to 3pm). Club officials, coaches, managers, referees, assistant referees will act as role models in line with the NSW Skin Cancer Strategic Plan 2011-2015 SunSmart program requirements and OHS standards.
Increase community awareness about skin cancer and sun protection.
Encourage the entire soccer community to use a combination of sun protection measures all year round.
Provide free SPF 30+ broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen at the canteen.
Assist players, officials, spectators and club officials to be responsible for their own sun protection.
Ensure families, players, officials and spectators are informed of the CWJFC Sunsmart Policy.
All the of our community use a combination of sun protection measures throughout the day to ensure they are well protected. Particular care is taken between 10 and 3pm when UV levels are peak.
Coledale Waves will work towards sufficient sun shelter and trees providing shade at the club grounds, particularly in areas where the soccer community congregates, e.g.canteen area and the hill.
Shade awnings have been installed on the club northern edge to provide shade to canteen and seating area. Shade provision will be considered in plans for future buildings and grounds.
Grant applications for shade provision will be actively sought including shade sails and tree planting.
Players, club officials and spectators will be encouraged to use available areas of shade at the CWJFC grounds and at away games.
Where possible, players and staff members will be encouraged to wear sun-safe clothing. Including shirts that protect the neck with collars and sleeves.
Club officials, referees and assistant referees are encouraged to wear close fitting, wraparound sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard 1067 (Sunglasses: Category 2,3 or 4) and cover as much of the eye area as possible.
SPF 30+ broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen is available for club officials, referees, assistant referees and players use. Sunscreen is to be applied at least 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapplied every two hours as required. Time will be allocated for sunscreen application prior to games.
Wearing sun protective hats (broad brimmed, bucket or legionnaire hats), clothing and sunglasses outside.
Applying SPF 30+ broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen.
Sun protection and skin cancer awareness information is provided to players, coaches and managers of teams.
The policy is provided in all team kit bags, displayed at the club canteen and on the CWJFC Facebook Page.
Players are encouraged to be involved in initiatives to promote and model sun protection measures to the whole soccer community.
Sunsmart behaviour is regularly reinforced and promoted by the soccer community through newsletters, website, club meetings, at registration and other club events.
We will review the effectiveness of the Sun Protection Policy every two years and revise the policy when required.


The next key ingredient to the Ritual to Receive, and to getting more of what you want, is to expand. When you pour water into a cup, the cup will only hold the amount of water that equals the space available. The same principle holds true in how much you can receive. The key to expanding in the most desirable way is to make your "cup" bigger.
Expanding does not mean spacing out or checking out. It means becoming a bigger person with greater bandwidth and greater ability to receive what you want most in your life. Where is your cup so full that there is no room to hold any more? Expansion is about getting a bigger cup to make room for so much more. It's also vital to review the contents of your relationships, your systems, your finances, your dreams, your work, your family, your hobbies, your self care, everything, and see what you perhaps want to pour out of your cup…this will help the expansion process. You are big enough to keep making space for it all, and you are also entitled to edit and choose exactly what you create space for. Every moment is a choice.
To Expand: Breathe deeply and feel into the container of your body. Give yourself 30 minutes of constructive inspiration time. Go do something that makes your inner child happy. Keep it simple. Take your inner artist on a date.
Then close your eyes and imagine. What you would like your life to feel like one year in the future? What does it feel like? Turn up the Technicolor on it and really feel into the details of what is happening in your vision. Float yourself into your own vision and see how it feels. Keep the feeling of your vision when you return, and when you are done, find one small thing you can do that replicates the feeling you have from your imagined memory of the future. You have now started the process of expansion.


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Conflict Awaits in Lame-Duck Session
By Emily Pierce
Posted October 1, 2010 at 4:58pm
Democrats studiously avoided Senate floor fights over taxes and spending before hitting the campaign trail last week, but the post-election debate on those issues promises drama and gridlock.
Democrats and Republicans agreed that a GOP buoyed by even modest Election Day additions to their ranks is unlikely to negotiate much on bills to fund the government or extend Bush-era tax cuts when Congress returns Nov. 15.
'Much of what we will accomplish ' or won't accomplish ' during a lame-duck [session] has to do with who is going to be elected in November,' one senior Senate Democratic aide said. 'Even though most of those new Senators won't have a vote during the lame duck, if a large number of tea party Republicans are elected, sitting Republican Senators that don't want to face a primary in 2012 will want to hew to the right, not work with Democrats to get something done.'
Eric Ueland, who served as chief of staff to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), agreed. 'When Congressional Republicans pick up seats next month, they will return to town with a greater say in how core issues are resolved, and it looks like the emphasis will be on what is feasible and achievable,' he said.
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) could have as many as three new Members during the lame duck, if GOP candidates in Illinois, Colorado and Delaware win special elections to fill the terms of previously appointed Senators. Democrats enjoy a 59-41 advantage but have had trouble picking off even the one or two Republicans they need to beat back GOP-led filibusters. Trying to get four GOP votes could be more of a heavy lift than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) can muster, given that Republicans are likely to be even more united after winning.
But even without the lame-duck gains, Republican leaders may want to give their Members a chance to weigh in on spending and tax policy decisions.
Senate GOP appropriators already helped to stymie spending bills earlier this year, when they banded together to demand that Democrats slash $26 billion from Obama's budget request. Senate Democrats on the Appropriations panel adopted a proposal to cut $14 billion, but the difference was enough to create an impasse.
Just before leaving town, Democrats beat back two GOP attempts to amend the continuing resolution with a 5 percent spending cut and a proposal to kick the spending decisions to the 112th Congress, when Republicans will presumably have more votes to force larger cuts. The CR will keep government agencies funded until Dec. 3, when a new CR or omnibus will be needed to avoid a government shutdown.
History shows that political parties sometimes find value in postponing decisions on spending until the next Congress. In the 2006 lame-duck session, appropriations decisions were punted to 2007, when the new Democratic majority could more easily determine spending levels.
On Bush tax cuts, sources speculated that the impetus could be to delay action until next year or later, by passing an extension of all the 2001 and 2003 tax breaks for a year or two.
The likelihood of the Senate mustering the votes to extend only those tax cuts for couples making $250,000 and less ($200,000 for individuals) is slim, just as it was last month.
But some Democrats said they still think they have a hand to play, even if they lose seats on Election Day.
Another senior Senate Democratic aide said the majority could decide to bring up Obama's plan to extend only middle-class tax breaks. If Republicans block that and the GOP plan to extend all the tax cuts also fails ' because of opposition from liberal Democrats ' Republicans could be in a tough position if the public blames them for letting all the tax cuts expire, the aide said.
'If we fail to pass something on Bush tax cuts in the lame duck, they have more to lose from that than us,' the aide said, noting Democrats would recycle their argument that Republicans are holding up middle-class tax cuts in order to give breaks to the rich.
Knowing that deals on those issues and others may be hard to reach until after Nov. 2, Reid set up procedural votes on three lower-priority bills for Nov. 17, two days after the chamber is expected to reconvene. The three votes will be on a bill to establish new food safety rules, a measure to boost enforcement of equal-pay laws, and legislation to create incentives for natural gas and electric vehicles.
Those votes are intended to give the Senate time to process the results of the elections and devise a game plan for what bipartisan agreements are possible, sources said.
Besides Bush-era tax cuts and keeping the government funded, the Senate may also have to deal in the lame duck with other tax extenders, an extension of unemployment insurance, a nuclear arms agreement with Russia, the recommendations of Obama's debt commission and a Defense Department authorization bill, among other things.
'While I do not expect much to change when it comes to the Republican record of 'no,' we remain committed to addressing the many issues facing the country,' Reid spokeswoman Regan Lachapelle said.


The NBA announced today that they've suspended Mavericks forward Nerlens Noel for five games, reportedly following a third positive test for marijuana, a drug that is legal or decriminalized in much of the country. That alone is not a big deal, but Noel's suspension—which will see him out for the conclusion of the Mavs' season—is a pretty demoralizing endnote on a year that has gone very, very poorly for the former lottery pick.
If you remember back to last offseason, the Mavs offered restricted free agent Noel a four-year, $70 million contract after trading for him at the 2017 deadline. Noel rejected that, asked for a max contract, and the Mavs subsequently ended negotiations. Noel eventually signed for one year and $4.2 million after switching agents.
That was a rough way to head into the season, though even then, it still could have been the beginning of a story about a player believing in himself, proving his talent on the court, and eventually receiving an even more lucrative contract. Unfortunately, there's no reason to think that'll happen this summer. Noel hasn't stayed healthy this year—he tore a ligament in his left thumb in December and missed 42 games— and even when he's played, he has not impressed. In 15.7 minutes a night, Noel has averaged just 4.4 points and 5.6 rebounds—all of which are career lows. This has been, without a doubt, the worst year of his career.
In fairness, the Mavs are stuck in the toilet and have no incentive to win right now, so a lack of playing time or success shouldn't be taken as a wholesale reflection of what Noel is capable of on a team actually trying to win. Additionally, Noel will only be 24 this offseason, so as long as he's in the league, he'll have plenty of time to show he's worth more than a minimum deal—such as, for example, $70 million. Still, that money was already there, and now it's gone, so this season has to sting, as does its especially forgettable conclusion.
Former Mavericks Employee Who Made Harassment Claims: "I'm Still Not Sure The Mavericks Get It"


The YouGov Brand Index recently came out with their 2015 mid-year review of the public's perception of brands across all industries. Every day YouGov interviews over 5,000 people asking them one simple question - have you heard anything positive or negative about the brand in the media or through word of mouth?
We were most interested in the restaurant industry of course and took a look at both the QSR and Casual Dining category included in the study. What we found was that the brands that topped the charts had a few key things in common. Check out the slideshare below to learn more about the brands that did well and the factors that helped them!
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Darren Freeman has told his Whitehawk players it is payback time.
Hawks take a 2-0 deficit into the second leg of their FA Vase semi-final away to Wroxham today.
The County League leaders were hugely disappointing in the first leg last Sunday and their Wembley dream looks to be all but over.
Joint-boss Freeman is adamant they can still turn around the tie but knows they have to play a lot better than six days ago.
He included himself in criticism of the players on show last week and insists they owe the people of Whitehawk a decent performance.
A number of people, including vice chairmen Peter McDonnell and John Summers, have funded Hawks' ambitious dream of a league and Vase double this year while other volunteers have given countless hours to the club rather than money.
Freeman said: "We have to wear our hearts on our sleeves, get the ball down and play. We didn't do that last Sunday. We have got to remember what Ned (McDonnell) and the committee have done for us as players and as a team. It is payback time.
"I saw what sort of work went on to get the game on last Sunday. There were people slogging their guts out for four days solid. It is payback time and only the players can do that.
"Anyone who played, including myself, we could all be dropped. I said after the game there was no one who could come off the park, look me and George (Parris) in the eye and say 'we gave it our best'.
Whitehawk have won five times away from home during this FA Vase run.
Their performances away to Marske United in a fifth round replay and Gresley in the quarter-final were particularly impressive, which is why no one in the Whitehawk camp thinks the tie is dead.
Far from it. Freeman insists they can play better and believes they can draw inspiration from Arsenal's comeback against Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.
He said: "We let ourselves down. That is the worst we have played this season but I still feel definitely 110% we can do it.
"If you look at some of our results in the Vase, we scored three away to Marske, three away to Gresley and they were a better side than Wroxham.
"We need to turn up on the day which we didn't do last week. Maybe the occasion got to a few of the lads but that is the first time they have let themselves down this season.
"Look at Arsenal on Wednesday evening, they were 2-0 down to Barcelona, one of the best sides in the world. They managed to get their heads right within the 45 minutes and they turned it round.
"We have had the best part of a week to go away, get our heads right and regroup. We need to remember it is just half-time. We need to remember how good we can be and do the things we are good at.
Freeman is eligible for the game despite being sent off in stoppage time last Sunday as his ban does not come into effect until 21 days after the offence.
Josh Jones is available again after a hamstring injury.
Wroxham are certainly taking nothing for granted. They had a Ridgeons Eastern Counties League game with Norwich United on Wednesday and did not field a single player who started against Whitehawk last week.
Whitehawk (from): Anderson, Lovett, Holmes, Head, Harris, Fisk, Budd, Kirkwood, Davis, Tate, Freeman, Crabb, Jones, Whiteman, Hughes, Townsend, Taylor.


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Patrick Lam (born 24 June 1983) is a Hong Kong equestrian. He competed in two events at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

References

External links

1983 births
Living people
Hong Kong male equestrians
Olympic equestrians of Hong Kong
Equestrians at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Place of birth missing (living people)
Asian Games medalists in equestrian
Equestrians at the 2010 Asian Games
Equestrians at the 2018 Asian Games
Asian Games bronze medalists for Hong Kong
Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Available rare books, used books and second hand books of the title "Mengelingen Voor Wetenschappen En Fraaije Letteren Verzameld Door H.w. Tydeman En N.g. Van Kampen. Stuk 1-10. (Dutch Edition)" from Mnemosyne (Creator) are completely listed.


1. Raising your deductible - Your deductible is the amount of risk you agree to accept before the insurance company starts paying on a claim. As homeowner's rates increase, you may want to be willing to take on more of the risk yourself. So if you have a low deductible of $500, you may consider raising it to $1,500. You could save up to 25% on your premiums.
When assessing your deductible, you should ask yourself: "How much risk am I willing to assume?"
2. Combining homeowner's and auto policies - Consider buying your homeowner's and auto insurance policies from a company that offers both. Some companies offer discounts of 5% to 15% if you buy both types of coverage from them. Ask us to look into buying your policies from the same insurer.
3. Asking about other discounts - Insurers will often offer discounts for people who install smoke detectors, deadbolt locks, security or fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers in the home, as well as for roof type and more. Also, if you're over 55 and retired, you may qualify for an additional 10% discount.
4. Don't buy coverage you don't need - Don't buy insurance for risks you are unlikely to encounter; for example, earthquake coverage in a non-earthquake zone, or a jewelry floater to your policy if you don't own expensive jewelry.
5. Making your home a better insurance risk - Ask us what you can do to make your home safer for insurance purposes. For example, you may consider making changes that reduce the risk of damage from windstorms and other natural disasters. Or you could update your wiring or heating systems.
6. Knowing what your homeowner's policy covers - Your home is your biggest investment. Make sure it's adequately protected from risks you cannot afford to cover yourself, and that it covers any home improvements you've made, major purchases, and increased costs of rebuilding.
7. Keeping your policy up to date - Every year, before your homeowner's insurance policy is due to renew, read the details of your policy and call us to discuss any changes in your situation that occurred during the previous 12 months.
8. Avoiding risks that insurers shun - Insurers are shying away from additional risk, such as homeowners with certain dog breeds like pit bulls, Doberman pinschers and Rottweilers. These breeds can limit or void your policy altogether. Other risks insurers aren't keen on include trampolines and swimming pools, both of which can increase your premiums.
Read all the fine print in your policy under the "Conditions and Coverages" section.
9. Improving your credit score - Insurance companies are increasingly using credit information to price policies. Don't have too many open credit accounts, don't charge close to the limits on your credit cards, and pay all your bills on time to keep your credit score healthy.
10. Renovation discounts - Ask about discounts for new or recently renovated properties. Because a newer home usually results in fewer losses, some insurers reduce rates by up to 25% for properties that are less than five or 10 years old. Likewise, homes that have had significant renovations completed by a qualified contractor can also qualify for reduced insurance premiums.
If you have any questions about your policy and how to reduce your annual premium, call us. We are always glad to help.


A templating method for the fast derivation of systolic arrays is presented and discussed in relation to differencing formulae and similar problems which generate tabular representations. Individual designs can be optimised and generate a full table in O(n) rather than the O(n2) operations (where n is the number of starting values). Finally the designs are incorporated into a single array i.e. the Unified Systolic Array for Differencing (USAD), which can be used as a cheap chip-based 'add-on' device to accelerate algorithms involving table generation and differencing.


Hannibal is back with his hour-long stand-up special, "Hannibal Buress Live From Chicago", taped at the Vic Theatre in his hometown of Chicago, IL. Buress' latest offering features more of the signature dry wit and cool delivery we've come to love.
This outrageous standup performance documentary, premiering on Comedy Central, spotlights a category of black comedian rarely witnessed: the nerd variety.
China, IL – meaning "China, Illinois" – is an animated television series for the cable network Adult Swim. The series is created by Brad Neely, and features Neely's existing characters from the China, IL web series and special. Characters include Frank and Steve Smith, aka "The Professor Brothers," and Mark "Baby" Cakes. Neely provides the voice for all three characters. The series is produced by Williams Street and animated by Titmouse, Inc. China, IL has been renewed for a second season with the possibility of a new half-hour runtime.
On May 25, 2008, Adult Swim ran The Funeral, an 11-minute special which was streamed on the now defunct Super Deluxe website. The special combined Brad Neely's Professor Brothers and Baby Cakes webseries, which were also streamed at Super Deluxe, and established a larger environment for the characters. The special, as well as Brad Neely's other videos, can be viewed at Neely's YouTube page.
Hannibal Buress braves Scotland's epic Fringe festival in Edinburgh, performing dozens of wry stand-up sets and testing new material on the locals.