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6th July, 2012
Jarv's Schlock Vault: Shark Night 3D
What are all these sharks doing here?
Fuck this film.
After the success of Piranha 3D in 2010, the inevitable happened: a whole host of geniuses decided to copy the formula laid out in Piranha and then translate it for other large hungry fish. Obviously, the biggest, scariest and hungriest is the noble shark, and so it was inevitable that one of the first out of the blocks would be Shark Night 3D.
Does not contain a single solitary boob sighting, but does contain spoilers below:
For those that don't know, the large and angry fish movie should in theory be one of the easiest forms of schlock to bash out. Take one group of idiots, place on the water somewhere and expose them to the hunger of a big and scary fish. Some large fish have cachet automatically, such as sharks and piranhas and whatnot, others are more difficult such as the stupid hungry chinese thing in Frankenfish. However, generally, as a rule you can't really go wrong with ludicrously oversized sharks.
Don't get excited. This is almost as close to boob as the film gets.
Once you've placed your cast of disposable cretins in harm's way, then the following essential ingredients should be added: Alcohol consumption, nudity, gore by the bucket load, cheap laughs. If you get the quantities balanced properly, then it is possible to turn in a ludicrously entertaining film. Although I do not want to see scenes with our victims crossing open stretches of water on suspended ropes that then dip perilously close to the drink and therefore the carnivorous bastard under it ever again.
Given the simplicity of the formula, I always find it frankly astonishing how difficult it is to translate to the big screen. The number of good hungry fish movies is almost infinitesimally small (Deep Blue Sea, Piranha 3D, and the daddy: Jaws) compared to the sheer volume of absolute fucking stinkers out there. Still, at the very least it should be possible to drag something hilarious out of even the worst films- the epic "I EAT YOUR HEART" scene in Frankenfish is a good example of this.
Occasionally, though, a fish film comes that just fails on every conceivable level. I'm told that this year's Piranha 3DD (pathetic and juvenile title) is such a film, but before that, last year's Shark Night 3D set the bar particularly low. How is this possible? It's not brain surgery, rocket science or even some combination of the two of them, it should be as easy as hitting water when you fall out of a boat, and yet the sheer number of crushingly lame fish films out there suggests that it might actually be quite hard.
Taking a shot in the dark, I'd say this was a shark.
In this case, the premise is inordinately stupid. College nerd Nick (Dustin Milligan) is friends with uber-jock Malik (Sinqua Walls). He's dragged away from his X-box along with buddy Gordon (Joel David Moore) for a weekend at Sara's (The Innkeepers' Sara Paxton) plush lakehouse. Accompanying them are piece of tattooed filth Beth (Katherine McPhee), cretinous male model Blake (Chris Zylka) and Malik's love Maya (Alyssa Diaz). After a run in with the local sherrif (Donal Logue) and Sara's ex Dennis and his redneck buddy Red (Chris Carmack and Joshua Leonard respectively), they settle in for some beer and some water related antics.
Unfortunately for Malik, he's showing off while wakeboarding when a big fucking shark pops up out of nowhere and has his right arm. This sends our group into a panic, as they now are on the clock. Can they get Malik back to safety, without further loss of limbs? So, with that, Nick, Maya, Sara and Malik set off in the boat. Shark attacks and Maya is turned into chum. Through an act of fuckuppery rating at 9.7 on the fumbletrumpet scale, they total the boat. Malik, Sara and Nick drag themselves back to the house, because for reasons best known to themselves they turned the boat round and were surprisingly close when it blew up. 1-0 to the fish.
"My god! Is that a shark?"
Meanwhile (this word will come up quite a lot), Beth has a nervous breakdown of some description and Dennis and Red turn up- ostensibly to give them a lift to the nearest major hospital. Sara reveals that Dennis tried to drown her, so she ran his face over with a propeller (although you can't tell), so you'd think that letting Beth and Gordon go off with him may be a bad idea. Nevertheless, they go through with it. Half way across the lake, Dennis and Red stop the boat to reveal that they are filming some kind of shady reality TV "When Sharks Attack" thing, and they've been letting the sharks into the lake to eat tourists. What a dastardly plan. Anyhoo, they shoot Gordon, who manages to swim to a mangrove tree, before a shark breaches and has him in one. However, he has it easy compared to Beth, who they strip down to her underwear and then stuff her in a net full of cookiecutter sharks. These things are, in terms of hungry fish films, possibly the worst thing I've ever seen. Anyhow, despite that she could quite easily have got out of the enclosed area, she stays around and lets them eat her. So, on the half time whistle, it's 3-0 to the sharks.
Meanwhile (see), back at the house, Malik has gone a bit nuts. He's found a spear from somewhere (eh?) and is marching into the water to show the Shark the "West Baltimore" (aye, via fucking Julliard) way. Eventually, he gets in a hilarious fight with a hammerhead shark, and with a bit of help from Nick and Sara, stabs it in the head with his spear. Malik's late consolation goal registers a kill for the humans making it now 3-1 to the sharks.
Blake enters the game. His genius plan is to ride a jetski to hospital with Malik on his back. Needless to say, this goes badly, and Malik sacrifices himself to save his buddy (4-1 to the Sharks). Blake carries on at a rate of knots crying havoc with the sharks of hell on his tail. Just as it looks like he's about to make it, a big fucking Great White jumps out of the water and fucks him up good and proper (5-1 to the Sharks).
Don't worry, he's 'armless. Sorry.
The Sherrif turns up, and reveals himself to be playing on the same team as Dennis, Red and the fish. The species traitor. Anyway, he sedates Nick and Sara, and tries to lower Nick into a shark infested tank on a chair. Luckily, Nick is super cunning and using a Zippo that defies the laws of physics is able to set the fat cop on fire and tip him in the tank with the fish. 5-2 to the Sharks.
Meanwhile, Sara is in a bit of shit. Dennis, apparently, is still holding a grudge about that whole propeller incident, and they've called for a late substitution in the form of a Great White. Pausing only to throw her pet dog overboard (fucking hilarious scene), he plans to stuff Sara in a shark cage, cover her with gore and let the big Saffa go to work on her. This, in theory, is a plan WITH ABSOLUTELY NO DRAWBACKS WHATSOEVER!! Well, it isn't but you get the idea. Nick turns up on the boat (eh?) with the Sherrif's gun. No sooner does Dennis sacrifice Red (own goal, but that makes it 5-3 to the sharks), hilariously, when in a punch up with Nick he's knocked overboard. Nick goes to rescue Sara, but the evil wannabe reality TV mogul isn't dead. Instead he drops the Shark cage sending both him and Sara into harms way. Sadly, he didn't plan this one out properly at all, and the Great White fucks him. (5-4). Sara, clearly Aquaman's daughter given how long she can hold her breath) is being snapped at by the great white before Nick pops up to score a late equaliser for humanity. Our hero and heroine escape. With their dog, which the fish turned its nose up at.
I think this may also be a shark. Just not the one we saw earlier.
This is clearly shite, hence my slightly facetious keeping score. The writing is dismal, with nary a decent laugh, the acting (aside from Paxton) is best described as somnambulent, and the direction and effects are all over the place. Because it was filmed in THREE FUCKING D the film spends an inordinate amount of time pointlessly poking things at the camera, which is massively irritating. Nevertheless, I could let it off all of that, if it realised that it was a stupid schlocky fish eats people film. It doesn't, annoyingly, so for some fucking inane reason best known to the studio, Shark Night 3D was filmed for a PG13 certificate. Therefore, we've got the most boring and straightlaced Shark film out there- there's not a single solitary boob sighting in the entire run time (Boooooooooo!) and the gore is simply fucking pathetic.
The calling card scene is obviously meant to be Beth in with the little sharks, and it is, just not for the reasons that they intended. This sequence is a nigh-on perfect example of everything that's wrong with the film. Firstly, she should be naked, or at the very least topless. These are murderous redneck scumbags, are you honestly telling me that they'd strip her down to her underwear and then allow her to keep her bra on to save her modesty? Secondly, she could easily escape the fish. Easily. Thirdly, the little sharks themselves, while quite a scary idea as they're a sort of death by 1000 cuts thing, are some of the most disgustingly shitty CGI that I've seen in a while. This 5 minute sequence encapsulates the total lameness and point-missing shiteness of the entire fucking film.
I really wasn't joking about her being Aquaman's daughter. She holds her breath for about 20 minutes here.
Nevertheless, it isn't an Orangutan of Doom effort. Malik punching the Hammerhead with his good arm is hilariously stupid, as is throwing Fido overboard, while Paxton's acting is streets ahead of the rest of the cast. This is not, by any stretch of the imagination, enough to make up for the utterly hopeless rest of the film.
Overall, I don't recommend this. Shark Night 3D is an almost perfect example of how not to make a hungry fish film. Quite why you would make something as ridiculous as this and then neuter it with a kiddie rating is one of life's mysteries. Basically, if you're going to make a piece of intentional marine schlock, then you make it balls out- maximum nudity, maximum gore, and throw the curse words around. You do not, frankly, make a lame and nutless effort that's as much fun as spending an afternoon memorising Pi to as many decimals as you can. This is shit, and that's the rating it's getting.
What a failure.
Tags: Alyssa Diaz, bad gore, Big hungry fish, Chris Carmack, Chris Zylka, Complete and utter shit, Donal Logue, Dustin Milligan, Film, Joshua Leonard, Katherine McPhee, no nudity, Review, Rubbish CGI, Sara Paxton, Shark Night 3D, Sinqua Walls
71 responses to "Jarv's Schlock Vault: Shark Night 3D"
Droid says : 6th July, 2012 at 11:33 am
Yeah, I've avoided this one because it seemed lame. I'd rather watch Deep Blue Sea again. Incidentally, the only boob in that film was LL Cool J.
Meanwhile, the two people in that "My God, is that a shark?" picture look like they've just walked in on the pool sex scene in Showgirls.
Jarv says : 6th July, 2012 at 11:35 am
Shit! I wish I'd thought of that.
Damn it.
It's utter wank this film. Deep Blue Sea destroys it.
That's what I meant about Balance- DBS only has LL boob, but the comedy and dumbhouse factor on it is huge so it makes up. Jaws is almost entirely boob free as well. Jaws is higher quality than DBS though.
Jaws has a flash of boob at the beginning. But Jaws is just a stupendous film. It's really not fair on the other angry fish films to directly compare them to it.
DBS is hilarious. Crap like Jackson's monologue getting cut short. And if I remember correctly (I haven't seen it in ages), the shark springs out of the water and chomps LL Boob J's parrot. And the shark nicking Skarsgard and using him as a projectile to break the glass. hehehehe I'm going to have to watch that again.
Yes, you are remembering it correctly.
Also has stuff like LL Cool J's "We walk through the shadow of the valley of death and we shall fear no evil because we are the baddest motherfuckers in the whole valley."
I also agree about Jaws being infinitely better than the rest.
Droid says : 6th July, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Jaws is kind of a different beast. For one thing, it's actually legitimately frightening. Nothing in angry fish films like DBS, or Anaconda (not a fish, but largely set on/in water), is remotely scary. Jaws takes time to develop real characters, and to tell a story.
DBS and Anaconda are basically comedies. Jaws, however, is rarely funny. The occasional amusing exchange, or reaction shots from Dreyfuss or Sheider, but its intent is not to amuse. These later films, that's solely their intent. And this is why the mastery of Jaws can never be overstated. These films ARE hard to do well. So many have tried and failed, and the one's that are successful are entertaining for very different reasons. Piranha 3D, DBS and Anaconda are all comedic.
Jarv says : 6th July, 2012 at 12:06 pm
That's what I mean about how it should be easy- these modern ones are set up for schlock comedy value- yet so many of them are lame and boring.
Jaws is effectively a slasher film- it has the same beats etc. It's a great film, Jaws.
Yikes:
http://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/ryan-reynolds-batman-dark-knight-rises/?utm_source=crowdignite.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crowdignite.com
Is that true? I haven't read that anywhere else. About Reynolds I mean. It's assumed that the new Batman won't be too far away. But casting Reynolds seems a bit too much of a risk for them considering he has just starred in a big superhero movie that didn't do well. Maybe they should cast Taylor Kitsch!!
Reynolds is also too desperate for a big superhero franchise. I like him as a general rule, but what with the X-Men character, Green Lantern, and his attachment to The Flash movie that didn't eventuate, it's getting a bit ridiculous.
This being said, wouldn't be at all surprised if they cast him (or someone) now, and had him as a credit cookie cameo at the end of Superman. You just know that the next Batman will crossover with Superman.
They could cast Jensen Ackles as Bats. That way the character always has the Batvoice whether he's Bats or Bruce.
I'm sure I saw him linked to another superhero movie as well.
It's getting a bit silly. It's a pity that GL was so lame because that could have done him. Also, I don't really see him as Batman.
The problem isn't that I don't see him as Batman, it's that I don't see him as Bruce Wayne.
No. I don't either, and I don't know why.
Actually, if he wasn't so tall and was a bit younger, he'd be more suited to Robin. If Robin was like Arkham City Robin.
Jarv says : 6th July, 2012 at 1:03 pm
I really like the Arkham city heroes and villains. I'd love to see that Penguin on the big screen.
Droid says : 6th July, 2012 at 1:04 pm
They're mostly well done. Are they ripped straight from the DC comics? Their character design and whatnot?
I don't think so. Bane definitely isn't.
Although having just said that, I'm almost certain that Bane is from South America in the funnybooks.
Blade 3… Funnybook character included in movie as potential spinoff character.
Wolverine… Funnybook character included in movie as potential spinoff character.
The Flash… Funnybook character. Development hell. Never eventuated.
Green Lantern… Funnybook character.
RIPD… Funnybook adaptation.
Batman… Funnybook character.
Jesus. That's a lot of funnybook stuff.
I know. He's like Nic Cage. Desperate for a funnybook franchise.
Actually, I think The Flash would've been a better superhero movie for WB to start with, if they were trying to do a Marvel and build one universe. Not that I pretend I know anything about The Flash, but as far as I'm aware, it's set entirely on Earth, there's no aliens and whatnot. That way, you could do it Iron Man style. I think the more fantastic nature of Green Lantern put a lot of people off (before the reviews and word of mouth of course). Marvel introduced those elements after 3 or 4 movies. Now you've got the third highest grossing film of all time and it's about space nasties attacking earth, and the public is lapping it up. I don't think they would have accepted it quite so readily if Marvel had kicked off with Iron Man vs Aliens.
I don't think the Space Opera of GL was a problem. I think the piss poor plot, daddy issues, boredom, schonky effects and general all round BLAHness of it was.
It wasn't a dreadful film, but it most certainly was not good.
They didn't seem to know what to do with it- goofy or completely serious, and it suffered as a result.
I agree about GL that they didn't really know how to approach it. Just the fantasy would have put people off I think. Like John Carter.
The concept is intrinsically silly, that's the thing. I don't think the space cops aspect of it would have been too hard, but the bloody "Yellow= fear and negates Green which = will" crap would have.
Sure, but if handled correctly, it's no less silly than an alien superman from Krypton, an alien god from Asgard, or even a kid who is bitten by a radioactive spider and develops super abilities. I just think that GL would have been accepted a little more readily if the foundations were layed by a movie like The Flash, which is basically a guy that can run real fast. It's fantastic, but less fantastic than GL. Because in honesty, I thought GL was better than Crap, Le Hulk, and Iron Man Poo.
I thought it was better than IM 2 and X:Foetus, but marginally worse than Crap. I'm not sure about Le Hulk, as my mood towards it fluctuates and GL really was totally lame. I think, on balance, better.
Certainly better than Hulk-San, but that's not saying a lot. Worse than Daredevil, better than Spidey 1 and 3, worse than Spidey 2. These are all below 2 Chang films though.
The missus hated it. Her worst film of the year, even worse than Sucker Punch.
Funnybook rankings:
Tier 1: Blade, Blade 2, TDK, BB, Superman, (the best ones)
Tier 2: Superman 2, Burton's Bats films, Thor, Punisher War Zone, Hellboy, Hellboy 2(the good ones)
Tier 3: x2, Wolverine, IM, Punisher (The mediocre)
Tier 4: Supes 3, Daredevil, Spidey 2, Batman Forever, (worse than mediocre)
Tier 5: Crap, X1, X3, Spidey 1, Le Hulk,GL, FF (Shite but not totally hateful)
Tier 6: Hulk, Blade 3, Ghost Rider, FF2(really shite, toying with OoD)
Tier 7: Elektra, IM2, X:Foetus, Spidey 3, Superman Returns, Batman and Robin, Superman 4, Catwoman. (Orangutan of Doom).
The shite far outweighs the good.
A little different.
Tier 1: Blade, BB, Superman, Hulk, Superman 2, Burton's Bats films
Tier 2: Blade 2, TDK, Thor, Hellboy, Daredevil DC (the good ones)
Tier 3: x2, Wolverine, IM, Punisher War Zone, Hellboy 2, Spidey 2, GL (The mediocre)
Tier 4: Supes 3, Spidey, X1, X3, Crap, Superman Returns (worse than mediocre)
Tier 5: Le Hulk, FF, FF2, Punisher, Batman Forever (Shite but not totally hateful)
Tier 6: Blade 3, X:Foetus, Ghost Rider (really shite, toying with OoD)
Tier 7: Elektra, IM2, Spidey 3, Batman and Robin, Superman 4, Catwoman. (Orangutan of Doom).
I think the fundamental differences (ignoring Hulk because there's nothing to say about it), are that I haven't seen Daredevil DC, and you've been much more generous to Stalkerman than I can bring myself to be.
And I seem to like Punisher films more than you, for some reason.
I hated Tom Janes punisher movie. I quite liked War Zone. Nothing too special though.
And I don't hate Supes Returns like you do. It's actually quite similar to GL for me. Really felt bad for Routh that he got lumped with Singer on that one.
It's a solid 2 I think. I feel a bit bad for Reynolds, because he really did try to make the movie work.
Christ no. I'd go 1 for it. I also feel bad for Reynolds but the good in it is crushed by the lame.
I liked it fine. Did you see the extended cut? Cause that's actually worse than the theatrical version because the whole opening is the daddy dying. Which is then flashed back to when his plane is plummeting just a little later. The movie is worse for having that footage added back in.
Ah! I saw all the daddy dying stuff.
That may be what's the difference. I wonder if I should bother with the theatrical one.
I didn't even know there were two versions.
Not necessarily. It's better, but to be honest, it's not very different apart from that opening. That is pretty bad.
That opening does it so much damage.
The other thing that hurts it is the demonstration with the plane. It's meant to show his overwhelming "will to win" but it just makes him look like a stubborn and reckless cock.
In fact, that entire first 40 minutes is poop on a plate. It gets better when he gets to Oa, but there's plenty of rubbish to follow.
The worst bits, for me, are:
The daddy dying bit, which is poor in the theatrical, but abysmal in the extended cut. The extended cut also shows it twice because it flash backs to it, so it's even worse.
Ryan Reynolds co-starring with a plank of wood.
Saving the helicopter with a race car, or whatever it was. Showed the confusion of the filmmakers. Is this film aimed at little kids?
Rushing through the Oa scenes.
Best bits were actually the performances. Reynolds and Sarsgaard. And I liked the end. How he defeated the big fart cloud. That is actually what the test pilot scene is intended to set up, IMO.
Wasn't a huge fan of Reynolds v Big Fart Cloud, to be honest. The thing is, this is obviously what they were intending to set up with his "Will to win" garbage in the first bit, but they botched it in the first bit and he came across as an arrogant dick, whereas the end felt more like him sacrificing himself.
The other thing worth noting, is that it was, for a fucking change, trying to hard to set up a sequel. Why can't they just make a decent film and then make the sequel later?
Article #1
This is pieced together from a few articles. It's all highly suspect, but hey ho. Worth posting as a talking point.
News hit earlier that Warner Bros. had anticipated the success of The Avengers movie and has hired Will Beall to pen the Justice League Movie script.
First of all, director Zack Snyder has previously mentioned that his Superman movie, starring Henry Cavill, wouldn't be involved with any other movies, let alone a Justice League movie.
We are told that is now changing.
• Our source tells us that the major developments are underway at DC Entertainment — and the Man of Steel will spearhead it all.
• The Man of Steel will be chapter #1 of a shared universe, it will all bend around that film.
• In chronological terms, the Man of Steel is the first, with the Lobo movie looking to be the second, followed by the Justice League movie.
• Henry Cavill will be given a new contract after Man of Steel that would probably include a pay raise along with his new terms that feature the Justice League film and subsequent sequels.
I'm told that a new Batman movie might be slated for 2016 following the Justice League Movie, and it will not be an origin story (like Amazing Spider-Man), but will feature a Batman who is entering his second year as a hero.
The film may also be called "The Batman," though I can't be sure on that as the 2004 animated series was of the same title which featured a Batman in his third year.
Also, this new Batman will be part of the same shared DC Universe that features the Justice League Movie as well as having Henry Cavill in the role of Superman in Justice League and subsequent sequels to the Man of Steel.
Our source tells us that Ryan Reynolds is expected to return for the Justice League Movie.
Though the Green Lantern movie was – shall we say – less than stellar, and Reynolds himself has stated he has nothing to do with a Justice League Movie, we are told that Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment expect the actor to reprise his role as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern.
While Reynolds did state previously that he hasn't been approached about the Justice League Movie, he did seem to leave the possibility open when he added, "We'll see if they do it in the long run."
We are also told that the events that transpired in the Green Lantern movie — although they won't be ignored in the Justice League Movie, they won't be acknowledged either. It will sort of be hints to Green Lantern's backstory, and the character will be more serious than in the solo film (more like how he was towards the end of the film).
Regarding the Green Lantern movie sequel, we're told it has a treatment but the situation is unclear. It most likely will be brought to a stage where it is near getting the green light and will be held there until things become clearer where that franchise is headed.
the Lobo movie
Who the fuck wanted that?
Who's Lobo?
I just looked him up. That will fail.
"I have no idea why Lobo took off," Giffen once said in an interview. Referring to the 1990s incarnation of Lobo he created, he said, "I came up with him as an indictment of the Punisher, Wolverine, hero prototype and somehow he caught on as the high violence poster boy. Go figure."
Giffen is the guy who created him.
I'm sure it started as a joke.
This is why I don't listen to nerds. Hey, I'm sure it's a decent read, but fuck me it's a funnybook for fuck sake. What a douche.
Out of all of Frank Miller and Alan Moore's stellar works for Marvel & DC Comics in the 1980s, Daredevil: Born Again by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzuchelli must stand out as being the most concise, the most stripped down and the most affecting tales that the revisionist trend for super heroes threw out in the mid-1980s.
Whatever was in Frank Miller's tea when he co-created this Marvel masterpiece starring blind lawyer Matt Murdock and the long, slow and insidious dismantling of his personal and professional life, should be bottled up and sold to the legion of imitators that came after who couldn't quite match Miller's visionary storytelling. Myself and many of my friends at the time who were fans of Alan Moore's writing on titles for various publishers such as Marvelman, Swamp Thing, Captain Britain and Watchmen when Born Again came out originally in comic book form (Daredevil Volume.1, issues 226 – 233), there was a collective belief that Miller had finally stepped up in to the big leagues and was if not the better then certainly the equal of Alan Moore. All the more impressive since Miller's tenure as artist/writer on Daredevil from #159 – 191, followed by his highly personal tribute to the Lone Wolf & Cub stories, Ronin, for DC Comics, a 1980 Batman short story and a few Spider-man annuals (Amazing Spider-man Annuals 14 & 15 and Marvel Two-In-One #51 & #100 were superior work for hire fare).
Miller's best work by far, Born Again, achieves its impact on the reader by virtue of its understanding and manipulation of emotional themes – its depiction of the Kingpin renders the Kingpin of Crime in the most realistic terms in the Marvel Universe since Daredevil #179 (His gloating over winning Businessman of the Year award for "procuring footage of acts beyond description for a automobile distributor" place the Kingpin and his amoral ruthlessness firmly and subtly into abject reality. His torment as he realises Murdock has escaped his wrath is cinematic in the extreme; it would be hard to believe that a certain Q. Tarantino hadn't read this and felt humbled by Miller's writing genius. Ditto for the shootout in the police cell when Lois the nurse working for the Kingpin is being interviewed.
Finally, Miller's tribute to Captain America co-creator, Jack Kirby, is astonishing (Jack Kirby being deeply embroiled in an undignifiedlegal battle with Marvel Comics for recognition as one of the architects of the Marvel Universe). Faced with the corrupted, evil version of himself in the shape of Agent Simpson aka Nuke, Captain America comes face to face with the reality of modern day, corporate Reaganite America. The exchange on the rooftop between Matt (Daredevil) Murdock and the star spangled Avenger is one of the most powerful scenes in the history of comics and the final battle between the escaped Nuke and Daredevil is a Battle Royale modern cinema would be hard pressed to emulate.
In DD: Born Again, writer Frank Miller's aim was to separate the man from the hero, from the troubling contradiction between costumed vigilante and defense lawyer (Matt Murdock's day job) but this was too much for lesser writers to maintain and the character and his stories went to a limbo of mediocrity well, pretty much ever since these comics came out but that's just this reviewers personal opinion. In dramatic terms, nothing since then has ever matched this incredible piece of comic writing and art and for this reason alone, you should purchase this trade paperback edition. Simply stunning.
What a load of cobblers.
Here's a request for the funnybook aficionados…
Since I'm essentially completely and utterly ignorant of all forms of superhero funnybooks, can you suggest what you consider to be the best series, books or whatever you call it for me to read. Just one or two each would be good.
Let's start with the main ones. Supes, Bats, Spidy. And suggestions for characters like Daredevil, GL, The Flash, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Craptain America and Fantastic Four would be good too. Not really interested in X-Men so don't worry too much about that.
If this works, and I've got enough material, I may do a review series on it.
I can help you with Spidey- read them when I was in school.
The two definitive Spidey stories are The Death of Gwen Stacy and Kraven's Last Hunt.
From general knowledge of funnybooks:
Bats- er… I suppose, although I'll be told I'm talking shite here- The Dark Knight Returns (I've got this at home, you can have it), and maybe The Killing Joke, or Death in the Family, or The Long Halloween. Probably not Knightfall though.
Iron Man is easy- Demon in a bottle.
GL is pretty easy as well- Sinestro Corps War. Or the one where he goes bananas and nukes Coast City.
Superman? Vaguely remember the one with him dying. Seem to think that was important, but I've seen a lot of geek moaning about Kingdom Come.
This really isn't my bag at all.
The other thing worth noting is that nerds are generally wrong about stuff-
For example- Michelene and McFarlane's Venom run was something I loved when I was 13. But thinking about it as an adult, it's Spidey v Gollum with MJ as porno wank fantasy.
They also get a real boner for anything old, and like stupid OTT Crossover shit- so in the case of Spidey that was Maximum Carnage in the 90's (which was terrible and he won with the power of love). Then there was all the nonsense with clones and not being peter parker any more.
Fecking stupid.
Yeah that's why I need advice from the guys here. I don't know where to start and don't trust Internet nerds. Cheers for the suggestions.
Cockshaw's at it again:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jul/05/total-recall-review?commentpage=last#end-of-comments
How the fuck is Total Recall a guilty pleasure. Cunt.
The thing is, as I understand it, most nerds about "runs" that a certain writer did or whatever, and I don't think they're self-contained stories. Me and a mate used to read the self-contained books in Chemistry instead of working. I read loads of Spidey in that.
Continentalop says : 7th July, 2012 at 12:44 am
To add to what Jarv wrote:
Spidey:
Doc Oct/Black Cat saga from Spectacular Spider-Man (75-83 I believe). Great story by the tragic Bill Mantlo.
First appearances of the Hobgoblin by Roger Stern.
Spider-Man vs. the Juggernaut.
Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil's run, especially the Daughter of the Demon storyline and the Joker's Five Part Revenge.
Englehart's Case of the Laughing Fish and Strange Apparitions.
Detective Comics #576 (fun story with DC's greatest detecives – minus Detective Chimp – Batman, Robin, Slam Brady and Elongating Man trying to solve the last case that Sherlock Holmes worked on).
Plus I would add the DC archives especially Detective Comics #18 (Batman's first appearance), Detective Comics #33 (Batman's origin) , Detective Comics # 38 (first appearance of Robin), Batman #1 (FIrst appearance of Joker and Catwoman), Detective Comics #58 (first appearance of the Penguin), and Detective Comics #66(First appearance of Two-Face), but that is just me.
For DD get Frank Miller's two runs (especially the Elektra and Born Again sagas). For FF, only Stan Lee & Jack Kirby and John Byrne's really count IMO (get the original Galactus Trilogy and then the Trial of Galactus). . For Thor, you can get by with just Walt Simonson's (get the Beta Ray Bill Saga).
Cap, get Stern & Byrne short run from the early 80s. It features a Nazi vampire, so it is awesome. Brubaker's current run is also highly respected for Cap fans.
You could also get Batman and Captain America's team up, set during WWII.
tombando says : 7th July, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Killraven w Mcgregor etc in the 70s is ok, John Byrne Xmen run, FF King Kirby stuff 60's, Avengers 150-180, Spidey 70's all will work.
Plus Superman family 70's, you know Streaky the Cat, Lightning the Horse, Krypto the dog, etc. Bobo detective Chimp is fun, too.
Bartleby says : 6th July, 2012 at 9:43 pm
how many comments until we arrive back at spiderman? sort of like how many licks to the center of a tootsie pop? jk.
This movie is ass, and not the good kind. The thing is its a waste of a premise. Strangely, when I first heard about this movie one other came to mind; Burning Bright. Both have a concept that just sounds very unlikely to result in anything but crap. If you just told me the premise of both, just the premise, I'd probably tell you the idea of a lake full of saltwater sharks sounded more likely to yield a good movie than a girl being chased through a house by a full-grown tiger.
Of course Burning Bright works and makes you feel sort of limited for not believing it could work. Once this was over, I wondered why I gave it a try in the first place. Also, I really want to see the supposed demographic/test audience for these movies. Who is the one saying 'You know what shark night needs more of? Killer hillbiillies planning a realty tv show? Know what it needs less of? Sharks!
Why do movies continue to do this. Perfectly acceptable creature concept, and then we add in a human threat. Jaws? no human threat. Masterpiece.
And for the final moment of bitching, why is the horror genre so forgiving for screw-ups? What I mean is that its one of those few arenas–action films seem to be another–where clearly talentless dickheads keep getting work again and again and again. I get that David Ellis paid his dues as a stuntman, that's cool. Good on ya.
But who said you could/should make movies? And after this little stable of gems–Final Destination 2, Cellular, Snakes on a Plane, Asylum, The Final Destination–who let you make more? And when this thing didnt have a title, AICN and other venues were calling it the 'Untitled David R. Ellis project' like that should mean somerthing.No worries. He's got four more movies in pre-production.
Meanwhile, this douche keeps going around ruining genre stuff. It's like that knobhead who did Dracula 2000, White Noise 2, Prophecy III, My Bloody Valentine, Drive Angry. He;s already on tap to do Halloween 3.
Meanwhile the directors of Burning Bright, Outlander, and Dont Be Afraid of the Dark have absolutely nothing on the horizon according to IMDB.
Patrick Lussier. That guy is such a talentless hack.
ThereWolf says : 6th July, 2012 at 11:48 pm
I knew this would be cack – the trailer was terrible.
Brilliant review though, Jarv, loved the score flash concept.
P.S. By coincidence I watched 'Green Lantern' last night. Thought it was okay – didn't like the 'saving the chopper with a car' bit but to be fair, his mate takes the piss about that. I just read it as Hal's naivety while he gets to grips with his new powers. I'd never heard of the character until the movie was coming out…
Fuck. Good review Jarv, but movies like this frustrate and piss me off to no end.
How hard is it to make up a decent killer sea creature schlock movie? No, seriously. It should be as easily as ABC.
Fuck, I'll make one right now. KRAKEN. Giant killer squid (which hasn't been overdone) because you know they got tentacles so they can reach up and grab you on docks and boats – you are never safe. Plus tentacles look cool in 3D.
Fuck. In 10 seconds I made a better movie than Shark Night 3D. Lazy fuckers.
Bartleby says : 7th July, 2012 at 12:55 am
oh no, never fear conti, they cacked that up too:
Continentalop says : 7th July, 2012 at 3:23 am
Well, they still have yet to come up with Knightmare. That's all mine.
tombando says : 7th July, 2012 at 1:07 am
Needed acquatic lions, robots and Jeff Goldbloom. Pass.
SEA LIONS. It's no longer just king of the jungle.
A mad scientist insane experiment leads to an aquatic lion with a hunger for human flesh.
Let's get crackin'
Or we got for the hybrid water-creature human mash-up.
Look at it: Manatee. They hve already done half the work for us.
Of course it could be an Adam Sandler comedy too about a fun-loving aquatic mutant… Part Man…Part-y!
Make at least one of them a robot sea lion, and you are in business.
Continentalop says : 7th July, 2012 at 3:59 pm
No Tom, they have to build a robot sea lion to fight it. Like Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.
Bart, has there been an aquatic werewolf movie yet? Cause I'm thinking SEA WOLF could work.
kloipy says : 7th July, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Under water no one can hear you howl!
'This wolf has been eating seamen like there is no tomorrow!'
I am down w all that but gotta cast Joe Don Baker. Put him in and you are doubly all set.
Deep bloo sea is cool.


The last thing that you want to happen to your roof is to have roof rot develop. Roof rot can destroy your roof and can really do some damage to your bank account. Here are four things that you can do this spring to ensure that your roof is protected against roof rot.
The first thing that you need to do is get up on your roof and pick up all the various debris that is on your roof. Throughout the winter and spring, debris such as leaves and sticks may get on your roof. Don't leave this debris up there; when debris builds up on your roof, it can allow water to accumulate on your rooftop, which is one of the key ways that roof rot is developed.
Pick up the debris by hand or use a broom to gently sweep away the debris. Don't sweep too hard, you don't want to damage the shingles.
The second thing you need to do to ensure that roof rot doesn't develop on your roof is clean your gutters. To clean your gutters you only need a few basic supplies: a ladder, a bucket, and some gloves. Situation your ladder somewhere that where it is safe and secure, and hang a bucket off the bucket hook on the top of your ladder. Then, stand on a safe step on your ladder and scope out the junk into the bucket. Empty the bucket before it is full and while it is still light enough for you to carry down the ladder.
Once you have cleaned all of your gutters, you can rinse them out with a hose. This is a great way to get rid of the rest of the junk in your gutters. When your gutters get too clogged, water can back up and damage your roof and lead to roof rot.
Third, when you clean your roof, be sure to keep an eye out for damaged shingles. If you find any damaged or missing shingles, you are going to want to replace them yourself or hire someone to do so as soon as possible. Damaged shingles will allow water to reach and seep through the various layers of your roof and potential lead to long-term damage, including roof rot. It is best to deal with damaged shingles right away.
Finally, check around all of the vents on your roof. Any vent or structure that comes through your home presents space for water to leak into your roof. Make sure that the area around all protruding structures is well sealed. If you doubt the integrity of the seals, you are going to want to apply roofing tar around the structure to ensure that there is a solid seal between the protruding structure and your roof. This will prevent water from getting deep into your roof and leading to roof rot.
Be sure to take the four steps above to prevent roof rot from ever touching your roof this spring. For more information, contact companies like Roof-Rite Roofing, Inc.


Migrant Help is a leading national charity offering support, guidance and accommodation to vulnerable migrants across the UK. Whether someone has fled persecution, escaped from slavery or found themselves in a situation that they do not understand, Migrant Help offers advice, support and a place of safety.
Read more about who we are, what we believe and what we do on our website.


You'll find everything is made fresh, with our pizza dough and sauce made daily. We have fresh, never frozen meat, cheese, vegetables, and meatballs. Enjoy one of our sub sandwiches, which are made fresh to order.
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We have highly experienced workers and owners in the food and service industry.
Are you craving a freshly made pizza, sub sandwich, or the delicious taste of a quality Italian meal? Tony's Pizza & Pub is your restaurant of choice. Our food is cooked fresh using only the best ingredients.


text:
Marjorie Pizer (1920 – 4 January 2016) was an Australian poet.

Life
Pizer was born in Melbourne and studied literature at the University of Melbourne from 1939, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. Pizer began her working life as a clerk in the public service. She met and married the poet Muir Holburn (q.v.) and they left for Sydney, where they became members of the Communist Party (until the invasion of Hungary). In 1947 they set up Pinchgut Press in a spare room. She was enamoured of poetry since a young age before beginning to compose her own works.

Bibliography
Creeve Roe, Poems of Victor Daley; co-editor with Muir Holburn, 1947
Freedom on the Wallaby, Poems of the Australian People; editor, 1953
The Men Who Made Australia, Stories and Poems by Henry Lawson; editor, 1957
co-editor with Joan Reed, Come Listen, Poetry for Schools, Sydney : Angus and Robertson, 1966.
Thou and I, Poems, 1967
To Life, Poems, Sydney : M. Pizer, 1969.
Tides Flow, Poems, 1972
Seasons of Love, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1975. ,
Full Summer, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1977. ,
Gifts and Remembrances, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1979. ,
To You the Living, Poems of Bereavement and Loss, 1981, 1991, 1992, 2010
The Sixtieth Spring, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1982. ,
Below the Surface, Reflections on Life and Living; co-authored with Anne Spencer Parry, 1982, 1990, 1994
Selected Poems, 1963-1983, 1984
Poems of Lesbia Harford; co-editor with Drusilla Modjeska, 1985
Equinox, Poems, 1987
Fire in the Heart, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1990. ,
Journeys, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1992. ,
Winds of Change, Poems, Sydney : Pinchgut Press, 1995. ,
Await the Spring, Poems, 1998
A Fortunate Star, Poems, Sydney, N.S.W. : Pinchgut Press, 2001. ,
A Poet's Life, Poems, 2006, 2010
Poems, Poems, 2010

References

A lifetime's resources to call on (SMH, August 2006)
The Pinchgut Press

1920 births
2016 deaths
Australian poets
University of Melbourne alumni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Nelson Mandela attends World Cup closing ceremony
Former South African president greeted with vuvuzelas and roars of applause ahead of World Cup final
David Batty and agencies
Sun 11 Jul 2010 14.19 EDT First published on Sun 11 Jul 2010 14.19 EDT
Former South African president Nelson Mandela and his wife Graça Machel wave to the crowd at the World Cup. Photograph: Michael Kooren/Reuters
Nelson Mandela enjoyed a rapturous reception from fans at the World Cup final tonight as he attended the closing ceremony.
A thunderous mix of vuvuzelas and roars from the crowd greeted the former South African president as he was driven across the pitch in a golf cart with his wife Graça Machel.
The anti-apartheid icon had kept a low profile during the tournament, having cancelled plans to attend the opening ceremony after his great-granddaughter died in a car crash the night before.
The Nobel laureate shook hands with officials before leaving the field a few minutes later.
Heads of state, including South Africa's Jacob Zuma and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, have attended the match, which sees European champions Spain take on Holland. Other VIPs in attendance include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, supermodel Naomi Campbell and Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman.
Shakira, backed by South African Afro-fusion band Freshlyground, did one last rendition of the cup's theme tune, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) after a lights show and fireworks.
Dancers wearing the colours of the 32 competing nations performed before a backdrop of pictures of stars and fans beamed on to the pitch. Others, dressed in white elephant costumes, made their way on to the field toward a large image of a watering hole.
Themes included pantsula and gumboot dancing and local jazz, all touchstones of South African music.
Some had doubted South Africa's ability to stage a successful tournament, but the matches have been played before mostly capacity and joyous crowds. The competition, the first to be held in Africa, has been free of any major incidents.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
music / Electronic
Is Cuban Music About To Blow Up In America?
As the U.S. and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations, Latin music execs are scouting the island for crossover hits.
By April Clare Welsh
Two girls wearing the American flag in Havana in January 2015, following the announcement that diplomatic ties were to be re-established between the US and Cuba. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Musically, Cuba is like a paellera—the pan in which locals cook up their take on the Spanish paella—filled with flamenco licks, Jamaican dancehall riddims, West African drum beats, and club-ready blends like cubaton and reggaeton. It's a broad sonic spectrum that was borne painfully from Cuba's blood-stained legacy of Spanish colonizers and imported African slaves, with Afro-Cuban percussion providing the backbone to many of the country's diverse musical styles. Cuba is often seen as the ultimate music mecca, however, thanks to fraught Cuban-American relations, there's been little chance of experiencing it in person for over fifty years.
It was a different story in the early '50s, when Cuba's capital Havana was a playground for America's rich and hedonistic: hop aboard a short flight, hit up venues like the Tropicana Club in the city's Marianao neighborhood, famed for popularizing the mambo and the rumba, and be in with a chance of rubbing shoulders with Hollywood A-listers like Marlon Brando and Ava Gardner. However, diplomatic relations were put on ice back in January 1961––following divisive revolutionary Fidel Castro's 1959 takeover of the U.S.-backed Batista government and the country's subsequent shift towards communism––and a trade embargo was imposed that same year. The good times ground to a halt.
Cuba's President Raul Castro speaks with U.S. President Barack Obama in Panama City, April 2015. Mandel Ngan / Getty Images
On July 1st 2015, a historic deal saw Cuba and America formally restore diplomatic relations.
That was until July 1st 2015, when a historic deal between U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban president Raul Castro saw the two countries formally restore diplomatic relations. (Last Monday saw the reopening of Havana's embassy in Washington.) The tide was already turning last December: a statement issued by The White House had unveiled Obama's intentions to unpick the fraying stitches of Cold War history, "normalizing relations" between the two countries in the hope of providing "more opportunities for the American and Cuban people."
Since then, Obama has already begun lifting travel blockades. Any American wishing to travel within one of 12 approved categories or purposes––including participation in public performances, visits to close relatives, and professional research––is no longer required to apply for a case-by-case license from the OFAC, which had previously been a lengthy and convoluted process. Now you just have to tick a box and keep your receipts for five years. Although tourist travel is still currently prohibited by statute, people-to-people programs (which fall within the remit of education as far as the 12 categories of general-license travel are concerned) could offer a way around the holiday ban as they do not discriminate on eligibility. However, they come with a strict itinerary and will set you back thousands of dollars as the trip must be booked through a certified organization like Blue Note Travel.
Cuban nationals, on the other hand, have been able to visit the U.S. freely since the island eased travel restrictions two years ago, but how will they fare from this renewed relationship? For starters, despite the trade embargo still being in place, Obama and Castro have eased import restrictions from the U.S., allowing more American telecommunications and technological goods into Cuba. This should help make the country better connected; according to independent watchdog organization Freedom House, only between 5%-26% of the 11.3 million people currently living in Cuba have access to the internet, with hourly connection costs amounting to as much as 20% of monthly wages.
"There's just so much enthusiasm for anything Cuban at the moment."—Michel Vega
So what does all this mean for the Cuban music industry? According to Latin music executive Michel Vega—the former head of Latin music at William Morris Endeavor, the first major talent agency to have a department dedicated to the Latin market, and now the CEO of songwriter/producer Marc Anthony's new entertainment company, Magnus Media LLC—many of his colleagues in the U.S. music industry have been treating the new relationship a little like a gold rush. "We've heard of a lot of A&Rs and writers going over to Cuba and doing scouting trips," he tells me over the phone from his home in Miami. "It just seems that every day you hear about someone having gone or planning to go. With a rise in Americans traveling to Cuba, the ball is now rolling and there's just so much enthusiasm for anything Cuban at the moment."
Vega says that, historically, U.S. record labels have been unwilling to sign Cuban artists, largely on account of the politics and the complexity of traveling between the two countries. Since 1988, the congressional Berman Amendment has exempted "informational materials" like records from the trade embargo––meaning Americans could legally license recordings by Cuban artists that had already been produced––but performing in the U.S. has been a different story. The majority of Cuban artists have to hire a lawyer to organize their artist visa, which is an expensive and arduous process that can sometimes take up to four months. What's more, if they do get their travel authorized, performers are not entitled to any kind of fee, only small "per diem" payments which amount to a maximum of $188 a day, per group. However, this could change in time if the trade embargo is lifted by congress.
"All the A&Rs have started rushing here and I think that the labels are very interested in capitalizing on what's going on."—Javier Otero
Havana-born Javier Otero, the founder of music production company Blue Night Entertainment, says that he has also noticed an increased flurry of industry activity directed at Cuba. "All the A&Rs have already started rushing here and I think that the labels are very interested in capitalizing on what's going on, although I think they're still a little bit cautious about the legal aspects," he explains. "But it's like anything––what will happen eventually is that Cubans will end up being viewed just like people from anywhere else in the world, in as far as the musicians are concerned anyway."
Otero is looking ahead to the day when Cuban music will be widely embraced by the U.S. commercial mainstream. Although there are a few obstacles to overcome before the path is cleared completely, a number of Cuban artists have already broken through. Take popular reggaeton act Gente de Zona, for example, just one of the acts that Blue Night represent. The Cuban duo mix the rap/reggae hybrid with more traditional rhythms like son––a melding of classical Spanish compositions with Afro-Cuban percussion––and have triumphed in the current climate. They won three Latin Grammys for their collaboration on Enrique Iglesias' 2014 hit "Bailando," which topped the Latin Charts for 33 weeks. Then, just last month, a recording of their track "Homenaje Al Beny (Castellano Que Bueno Baila Usted)" was played at a conference celebrating Apple's new streaming service, chosen by Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services and an American of Cuban descent.
Gente de Zona performing with Enrique Iglesias and Sean Paul in New York, 2014. Theo Wargo / Getty Images
"Gente de Zona didn't have this kind of ideological weight on them as much as the previous generation. I think that could be a precedent for future Cuban musicians."—Billboard's Judy Cantor-Navas
Billboard's Latin music specialist Judy Cantor-Navas has nothing but respect for Gente de Zona for opening more ears to what Cuba has to offer. "They have learned to use all the skills they have but to do a sound that's more international and has all the things that everyone loves about Cuban music," she says, over a Skype call from Barcelona. "What's more, Gente de Zona didn't have this kind of ideological weight on them as much as the previous generation to say they couldn't do it and I think that idea could be a precedent for future Cuban musicians."
Otero says that Cubans are excited about what the future might bring. "The relationship between Cuba and the U.S. has been broken politically for years, but the U.S. has not abandoned Cuba and has helped support it by providing food and aid during times of need." he says. "A lot of Cubans see America as a great country. I believe that large record companies, like Sony, will now want to establish offices in Cuba because Cuba is one of the most culturally rich countries in the world and Cuban music is known everywhere."
Cuban hip-hop, in particular, has been flourishing since the early 1990s, when the government announced the implementation of periodico especial, or the "Special Period." This was a time of austerity which coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba's long-term communist ally to whom it had always turned to for economic and political support, as well as trade. The economic depression saw many raperos, or rappers, turn to music as a vehicle for their discontent. Despite the political divide of the time, the influence of U.S. rap in Cuba was very present, even though it wasn't always the easiest to come by.
"I believe that large record companies, like Sony, will now want to establish offices here because Cuba is one of the most culturally rich countries in the world."—Javier Otero
"It's a myth that Cubans never listen to American music," says Cantor-Navas. She has been going back and forth to Cuba since the '90s. "Whether it was a case of people bringing records in when they went abroad back in the '70s and '80s, or via pirate satellite dishes. They used to—or still do—make homemade antennae so they can listen to American radio stations from Miami, and that's how so many things got in. Then there was a point in the '90s that the hotels started to get MTV. I think many Cuban artists see the States as somewhere they should be."
Unlike in the U.S., the Cuban music industry is regulated by the government, with the majority of artists on a salary. If the Cuban-American trade embargo is lifted, EGREM—the country's state-run record label since 1964—may find itself licensing more and more of its recording artists and songwriters to U.S. labels and, as Otero suggested, seeing those same major labels establish offices in its capital. The FADER reached out to EGREM and fellow Cuban label Bis Music for comment.
I asked Cuban sound engineer Ali Álvarez, the son of famous pianist and composer Adalberto Álvarez, whether he sees the thawing out as a chance for Cuban recording artists to make a bigger splash in the U.S. charts. He says he's unsure how easily they will fit in: "I think it will be a while before we see any massive surge, not necessarily because of politics but more because of mentality. Most Cuban artists and producers do not fully understand the American market per se. Their lyrics are extremely local and the level of production is poor in most cases, due to the lack of technological knowledge and expertise."
An old American car in the streets of Havana, Cuba, as the two country's flags hang above. Yamil Lage / Getty Images
"Cuba is like a rough diamond, but hopefully this change will be an eye opener for those on the island and they will start to produce works that compete with what's coming from the U.S."—Ali Álvarez
In more traditional circles, Cuba's commitment to the arts is demonstrated by its prestigious conservatories, like the Amadeo Roldán, and its classically trained musicians like Roberto Urbay; some of the best in the world. "Cuba is like a rough diamond," Álvarez continues, "but hopefully this change will be a big eye opener for those living on the island and they will start to catch up, producing works that are up to compete with what's coming from the U.S. and other parts of the world." Where there's youth, there's curiosity, and it's arguably a synthesis of the old and the new that creates the most exciting, forward-thinking music—and Cuba's richly diverse musical heritage means there's plenty for a younger generation of musicians to draw on.
Now diplomacy has been restored, it's possible that sonic adventurers will find more opportunities to present their music to a U.S. audience. And if Cuba's communication infrastructure improves, then the internet will, of course, be an all-important vehicle for casting the island nation's myriad musical styles further afield.
Caribbean, Electronic, Gente de Zona, Modern Classical, Pop, RUTH SAXELBY
music / Features


Do you know the most important thing in any website? Well it's the SEO content. However it is important that you know all the aspects of writing perfect web content for SEO. A very important thing about SEO is the content. A good and unique Content is considered as the heart of a website.
A good content will help in proper ranking of a website. Here are few things that you need to take care about while writing SEO content for your website. A keen observation on the same is bound to avail you with great search engine rankings that can be acquired easily with Jacksonville SEO service.
It is extremely important that you work on your SEO content very deeply. You need to work on everything right from grammar to information. If you keep on adding fillers to your content without working on any kind of data then people are not going to bother going through your website. Therefore make sure that you have good enough content in your website. But the main question is how to choose quality content and the right answer can be given by professionals of Jacksonville Fl SEO.
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· What You Get from Jacksonville SEO service providing company.


Welcome to the Campus Activities Board website! Here you will find more information on what we do, who we are, how you can get involved, upcoming events, and much more!
Through CAB you can network with students all over the country, participate in regional and national conferences, and explore leadership opportunities!
The vision of CAB is to create a welcoming community for students, to establish a positive atmosphere outside the classroom by continuing traditions and exposing students to diverse experiences, and to build a sense of pride and commitment at GCSU.
Email us at gcsucab@gmail.com with any questions or comments!
This would be the point of contact for students who are interested in your organization.


text:
package org.apache.beam.runners.fnexecution.environment;

import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.theInstance;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;

import org.apache.beam.model.pipeline.v1.RunnerApi.Environment;
import org.apache.beam.runners.fnexecution.control.InstructionRequestHandler;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
import org.junit.runners.JUnit4;

/** Tests for {@link RemoteEnvironment}. */
@RunWith(JUnit4.class)
public class RemoteEnvironmentTest {

  @Test
  public void closeClosesInstructionRequestHandler() throws Exception {
    InstructionRequestHandler handler = mock(InstructionRequestHandler.class);
    RemoteEnvironment env =
        new RemoteEnvironment() {
          @Override
          public Environment getEnvironment() {
            throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
          }

          @Override
          public InstructionRequestHandler getInstructionRequestHandler() {
            return handler;
          }
        };

    env.close();
    verify(handler).close();
  }

  @Test
  public void forHandlerClosesHandlerOnClose() throws Exception {
    InstructionRequestHandler handler = mock(InstructionRequestHandler.class);
    RemoteEnvironment.forHandler(Environment.getDefaultInstance(), handler).close();
    verify(handler).close();
  }

  @Test
  public void forHandlerReturnsProvided() {
    InstructionRequestHandler handler = mock(InstructionRequestHandler.class);
    Environment environment = Environment.newBuilder().setUrl("my_url").build();
    RemoteEnvironment remoteEnvironment = RemoteEnvironment.forHandler(environment, handler);
    assertThat(remoteEnvironment.getEnvironment(), theInstance(environment));
    assertThat(remoteEnvironment.getInstructionRequestHandler(), theInstance(handler));
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


"Location. Location. Location." In real estate, location is arguably the most important factor when looking for a place to live or finding a location for a business. But what does "location" really mean? Is it simply the state, city, or zip code? Is it the people, the demographics of those who live and frequent the area?
When it comes down to it, "location" encapsulates much more than the physical space. The demographics and habits of the people who live and frequent the area, and the businesses and amenities offered around it, are all important factors to consider when evaluating a location. The more you know and can understand these factors, the greater your ability to calculate the associated benefits and risks, such as the speed of growth of the area and the resale value.
Businesses are now looking for deeper and more data-driven analyses of geographic areas. They are seeking a better understanding of who frequents a place and understand their habits, where they go, what time, and when. By looking at custom geographic areas outside of standardized zip codes, neighborhoods or zones, a deeper and richer understanding of their customers and competitors can be achieved.
Let's examine ways location and mobile device data can help support real estate businesses.
Location data reveals people travel patterns and differences in various cities and ZIP codes.
Finding the right environment for potential new locations at scale is a challenge. To tackle this problem, shared workspace leader, WeWork, partnered with Factual to leverage location data to assess the vibe and walkability of potential locations. Click here to view the full case study and read how WeWork created data-driven tools to use the context of location for smarter decision making.
Factual observes over hundreds of millions of unique mobile devices each month (Observation Graph). Combined with our proprietary Places dataset, we help businesses derive the insights and analytics required to truly understand a set of locations or POIs. Our Observation Graph dataset can help provide key insights to solve a variety of these businesses problems.
To learn more about leveraging Factual location data for real estate, contact our team today!


Uber has been fined £385,000 for failing to protect customer information following a major data breach.
The taxi-hailing app was punished by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) after the breach, which saw the personal details of around 2.7 million UK customers put at risk back in October and November 2016.
Account details of 82,000 Uber drivers based in the UK, including their payments received and journey details, were also taken during the incident.
Uber has also been fined by the data protection authority in the Netherlands, the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, being ordered to pay €600,000 after 174,000 users in the country were also affected.
Uber did not tell the customers or drivers affected about the incident for more than a year, instead paying the attackers responsible $100,000 to destroy the data that had been downloaded.
Eckersley added that Uber paying the attackers but not disclosing this was not "an appropriate response" to the attack.


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John Cheetham may refer to:
John Cheetham (composer), American composer
John Cheetham (cricketer), cricket player
John Cheetham (manufacturer), English cotton manufacturer


For World Book Day we are celebrating a case study from our Shared Reading groups run by The Reader.
Shared Reading is a way for people to connect with each other over great literature. All of the reading takes place live, within the group, so group members don't have to prepare anything beforehand. They can drop in, listen, and have a chat. During the session, a trained volunteer leader will read aloud a short story and a poem, pausing at various points to allow the group to talk about what they have listened to so far.
The groups are run across Bristol libraries, care homes, sheltered housing, hospitals, bookshops and more. Each group reads something different every week – modern short stories, extracts from classic novels, Shakespearean sonnets and more.
Recently, one of the participants decided to share her experience with us.
I started going to the reading group in the autumn last year after two friends suggested it. I have mild depression and anxiety and it took me some time before I felt able to take the next steps and attend the group.
I remember I arrived at the library and stood outside the room where the group takes place. I could see through the window that the table was full, the room looked packed and I was about to do a U-turn, but as I was thinking about it, Mina (the joint Volunteer Reader Leader of the group) opened the door, smiled and said, 'Hello, are you coming in?'. So it was inviting; I felt like the door had been opened - literally! If she hadn't done that, I wouldn't have gone in that day. Although I like to think, I would have gone back at some point, because I'm not a quitter.
I went in and there were lots of smiles and everyone was saying 'Come and sit down, have a cup of tea and a biscuit'. It was everything I love about kindness and hospitality. What I also liked about it was that it was very quickly explained that you can participate as much or as little as you want. You can just be comfortable. That was the message I got. No pressure just pleasure - I instantly relaxed.
I've always had a fondness for reading, since I was a child, but the last ten years it's been harder to read - I just couldn't get into any books. My friends would lend me some but I'd have them for months and months and not read them because I find it hard to focus and concentrate. I think the group is helping me with that. When I'm at home watching the TV or a film, I can rewind if I've missed something. But you can't do that in the group, so it helps me to stay focused. I love the way people jump in with comments, but without interrupting - it's well-mannered and people are considerate, they include each other.
One of the key things to me is the element of surprise - no two weeks are the same and that engages me and holds my attention. Somebody else has prepared the stories and the poem, somebody else has thought about where to pause in the story and what the discussion points might be, but in a way that is inclusive of everybody there. That makes me feel great because it's like I'm being given something in a way, like I'm being taken care of.
When you're already dealing with a lot - loss of financial status, health problems, your own sense of credibility - it's great that you can go to the group and it's no questions asked: you don't have to divulge what you've done in the week, it's not a continuum of "Are you 'better' yet?" and I love that. I don't need to make small talk and it's not invasive. No-one talks in depth about their ailments - it's quite upbeat. I really enjoy the lightness, warmth, laughter and ease of the sessions. It's sort of like a family, without the headache!
I love that you don't need to remember anything from the week before - everything is fresh each week: what you read is fresh, how you feel is fresh, who comes is fresh, even where you sit can be fresh. Recently, I volunteered to read. I feel like I'm trying to find my voice in a group environment and when I read a bit of the story aloud, butterflies erupted in my stomach. But I did it and it felt…powerful actually.
That's what I mean about it not being about just reading, but about being more active in the group and about my whole well-being. It's not only about making a connection to the stories and the poems, it's also about making a connection with each other. It's about everything that surrounds it - the walk there, listening to other people's experiences, having a sit down and cup of tea. It's my natural thing to be a care-giver and the first few weeks I went to the group it was almost like being on the receiving end of care and I really enjoyed that and it was what I needed. But now I find I'm paying it forward - I've told a few people about the group now and encourage them to come. I want to pass it on.
What I see in the group is people showing their worth. People hit a certain age and sometimes illness comes into the picture - mental and physical - and you start to think 'What am I bringing to the table? What have I got to offer? Have I still got it in me to learn something new? Am I still useful?'The group is about wanting to still keep achieving and not wanting 'disabilities' of any kind to hold you back: that one ailment, that one issue or diagnosis, that doesn't define you. There's still a brain in there, so don't judge me, give me an opportunity and recognise that my well-being matters.
I really look forward to the groups. It's almost like a therapy - because I know what I need right now. It's my weekly challenge and personal achievement. If I miss the Wednesday reading group I feel a little loss, like I didn't get my treat and I've missed out. So now I put it on my planner as a must do, as if a doctor had given me it as a prescription to be taken for improving my health.
For more information about shared reading, contact Josephine Harwood, josephineharwood@thereader.org.uk or ring 07807 106 869.


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Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2018
Region Spain, Catalonia, Priorato
Brand Alvaro Palacios
The evolving seriousness of Terrasses eventually left room for a new wine, Camins del Priorat. Alvaro had never wanted to be known solely for expensive "trophy" wines, and with Camins, he found the opportunity to create something special. Drawing on his wealth of vineyard sources, Alvaro is aiming to produce a wine that is affordably priced, but which also stays true to his vision of Priorat-powerful but elegant, approachable but restrained. The wine is a blend of Garnacha, Carinyena (Carignan), Cabernet and Syrah.
The regional red blend 2018 Camins del Priorat was produced with grapes from 101 plots from eight villages in Priorat and wants to represent the overall character of the zone. It's a blend of 35% Garnacha, 20% Cariñena, 20% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot that fermented in a combination of stainless steel and oak vats and matured in barrique and oak vats for four to six months. It's young and fruit-driven with some herbal hints from the French grapes, which were picked early, intermixed with licorice and fennel. It's nicely textured, happy and fresh, juicy, clean and with no noticeable oak. It has a modern and clean profile. The tannins are soft and round. It's like a more concentrated version of 2016 and 2014, both cool years. Easy to drink and very pleasant.
Luis Gutierrez, August 30, 2019
Black cherry and blackberry flavors are ripe and juicy in this fruit-centered red. The texture is round, gentle and fresh, with light tannins and citrusy acidity. Garnacha, Samsó, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Drink now through 2028. 25,000 cases made.
Thomas Matthews, April 30, 2020


Firearms instructors in South Pasadena, CA have various levels of expertise, training, experience, and many specialize in particular shooting disciplines such as; revolvers only, automatics only, a combination of both types of handguns, rifles, shotguns, hunting, precision shooting, long-distance shooting, and the list goes on. In addition to a firearm instructors training, experience, and shooting discipline that they teach it is important to find out if they also are currently certified, and who was the certification organization or agency, do they have references they can provide, how many students have they taught in the past, and are they insured?
Remember, you're asking this individual to not only teach you about the proper use of a firearm and firearm safety, but also many of the laws in South Pasadena, CA that will pertain to your gun ownership. You have every right to investigate them thoroughly. Any firearms instructor that is not willing to answer all of your questions or to invite you to their facility so you can observe a training class is an instructor that I would not recommend and I would be very leery of.
US Precision Defense maintains a large database of Firearms Instructors in South Pasadena, CA and from all across the country, find a link on our Firearms Instructors introduction page for a complete list of NRA Certified Instructors in your area by Clicking on the "Shoot For More" link below.
South Pasadena, CA, The City of South Pasadena is a charming community, situated only six miles from downtown Los Angeles. Called the City of Trees, the area is known for its stunning homes, unique small businesses, and top quality schools. South Pasadena's diverse population of about 25,000 occupies a mere 3.44 square miles of flatlands and hillsides on the west side of the San Gabriel Valley. This small town atmosphere makes South Pasadena one of California's most desirable locations.
More than 100 acres of parks and playgrounds blanket its landscape and more than 21,000 trees adorn its streets. The quiet, historic character of its attractive neighborhoods is a testament to the preservationist efforts of residents in protecting both its architectural and natural beauty. The city enjoys a low crime rate and the benefits of a close-knit, participation-oriented community. Small, proud and independent, the City of South Pasadena has battled for a hundred years to preserve its status as a distinct and distinctive community.
In 1888, South Pasadena incorporated the southern portion of the Indiana Colony and land south and eastward to the Los Angeles border, becoming the sixth municipality in Los Angeles County. With establishment of the Raymond Hotel and the Cawston Ostrich Farm, the small community was able to attract tourists and increasingly large waves of new residents to the Pasadena area in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.
With completion of the Pacific Electric Short Line, putting the entire city within easy walking distance of the "red car" stations, South Pasadena also became a one of the first suburbs of Los Angeles. It is now certainly one of the best-preserved cities, maintaining a small-town quality and humanity in the scale of its buildings, its residential streetscapes and historic commercial core.
So it is with the Second Amendment. The Framers may have intended the right to keep and bear arms as a means towards the end of maintaining a well-regulated militia -- a well-trained armed citizenry40-- which in turn would have been a means towards the end of ensuring the security of a free state.
South Pasadena, CA, South Pasadena's streets are lined with numerous species of native California trees. These include redwood, sequoia, ash, walnut, and sycamore. Some non-native trees, such as sweetgum, are also seen. Because there are very few stucco-clad Spanish Colonial houses and virtually no palm trees in some parts of the city, South Pasadena is a popular stand-in for Midwestern and Northeastern towns in motion picture and television productions. South Pasadena sits less than 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Los Angeles; substantial numbers of residents work either in Bunker Hill or as professors and staff at the University of Southern California.
"Mom and Pop" merchants populate the business district, and the Mission West area is a part of the original U.S. Route 66. Of historical relevance is The Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain; also the Rialto Theater in downtown South Pasadena is a unique blend of Spanish Baroque and Egyptian stylings and was built in 1925.
It is one of the last remaining single screen cinemas in the country. The Rialto was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, having narrowly missed being torn down that year. It went out of business on August 19, 2007 because of low profits. It has been featured in many films and commercials, most notably Robert Altman's The Player and more recently in La La Land.
The Farmer's Market has become a tradition in the historic Mission-West District of South Pasadena on every Thursday from 4pm to 8pm. On the first Saturday of December every year, South Pasadena Booster Club hosts an annual 5K/10K run around South Pasadena known as the "Tiger Run", after the SPHS mascot.
Racers from kindergarten to age 80 are invited to participate, including a wheelchair event. The 5K is run on flat sidewalks and roads around town, but the 10K (6.2 miles) includes some difficult hills. There is also a 300-meter children's run for kids 10 and under.
South Pasadena can often be seen in motion picture productions with its beautiful tree-lined streets and "anywhere in America" feel.
Gun shows are responsible for a large number of firearms falling into the hands of criminals. - False. Contrary to President Clintons claims, there is no gun show loophole. All commercial arms dealers at gun shows must run background checks, and the only people exempt from them are the small number of non-commercial sellers. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, at most 2 percent of guns used by criminals are purchased at gun shows, and most of those were purchased legally by people who passed background checks.


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Q: Guitar Dual Volume Control Not Working Correctly I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this, please notify me if there is a better place.
I have just created my first guitar pedal and thought i would go simple with a basic passive circuit but it doesn't work correctly.
If I am switched one way both potentiometers control the signal volume but if i am switched the other way there is no signal but there is a noticeable change in noise as i turn the potentiometer.
The footswitch is supposed to switch the signal between the two potentiometers to have 2 selectable volume levels
This is how i have it wired currently:

A: Usually, the input would go to the one end of the pot, and the output would be taken from the wiper (moving contact).
You can fix your circuit by simply exchanging the "IN" and "OUT" labels.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Energy giant Equinor increases stake in Scatec Solar
By Liam Stoker
Companies, Markets & Finance, Power Plants
Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has increased its stake in international solar developer, Scatec Solar.
The O&G major confirmed late last week that it had taken an additional 6.5 million shares in the Oslo-headquartered solar firm, taking its total shareholding to 15.2%.
The transaction came at a total purchase price of NOK724 million (US$78.5 million), a transaction which values Scatec at around US$1.5 billion.
It comes just over a year after Equinor, formerly known as Statoil, first acquired an interest in Scatec, picking up a 10% stake in November 2018. It was shortly followed by the completion of a 162MW solar project in Brazil that the duo worked on together.
Pål Eitrheim, executive vice president at Equinor's New Energy Solutions division, said the deal would further strengthen the company's "exposure to the fast-growing solar energy sector".
"Since acquiring a 10% interest a year ago, we have continued to work effectively with Scatec's management and now we are capitalising on an opportunity to acquire an additional stake in this high performing company," he said.
Scatec Solar has thrived in 2019, confirming at the start of the year that it had more than 1GW under construction in six countries, including a bifacial solar project in Egypt, a 65MW array in Malaysia and a raft of solar farms in Ukraine.
"Our shareholding in Scatec Solar remains an important long-term investment for Equinor and reinforces our strategy to develop a strong position in renewables to secure lasting value for our shareholders," Eitrheim added.
UK Solar Summit
Join us in London for 2 days as we look at the UK's new landscape for utility & rooftop solar. Understand the new opportunities within this GW-plus annual market!
eqiunor, finance, investment, m&a, scatec, solar pv


If your mornings are hectic, overnight oats are a nutritious and tasty meal that can be ready the moment you wake up. Hallelujah! All this time we had been slaving away cooking oats for years when we heard about set-it-and-forget-it overnight oats. We started pretty simple: 4 cups of water, brought to a boil; add 1 cup steel cut oats and let simmer for one minute before turning off and letting it "cook" overnight. Wake up the next morning and it's perfect!
The next morning, turn on the burner to low-med to heat the oats.
After 5 or so minutes, it's heated through and ready to serve. Yum!
Want to take breakfast to go? Mix all ingredients (including yogurt) together in a bowl and then spoon into a mason jar. Screw the lid on tight and place in the fridge. It soaks up all the goodness overnight in the fridge and is ready to go the next morning!


NOS glass, wide body Skelly Gasoline pump globe with original box. Has one minor flea-bite on the edge of one lens you can see in the pic, otherwise perfect NOS color & condition. No cracks or chips in glass body.
Price is $500.00. Prefer PayPal and buyer pays fees. I do not want to ship but will deliver it to a UPS/FedEx store for packing and shipping at buyers expense or can deliver to Peotone.
Skelly globe is still available.
Good deal!!! Can't believe know one bought it and brought to peotone.


A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Peter H. Kostmayer acknowledged yesterday that the congressman and his wife of nearly five years have separated, but a divorce is not being contemplated.
John Seager, an aide to the 8th District Democrat, said Kostmayer and his wife, Pamela, have been living apart for several weeks.
"They are having a difficult time of it at the moment," said Seager.
Kostmayer did not return telephone calls. Seager said that neither the congressman nor his wife, a Washington public relations executive, prefers to talk about their problems publicly at this time.
Kostmayer, 40, was married in late 1982, shortly after he was elected to office after a hard-fought campaign against Republican James K. Coyne. Coyne had ousted Kostmayer from the seat in 1980.
It was the day after the election when Kostmayer announced that he would marry the former Pamela Rosenberg in a small ceremony at Trinity Episcopal Church in Solebury Township. It was the second marriage for Rosenberg, the first for Kostmayer.
Seager said Mrs. Kostmayer is residing in the family's home in Alexandria, Va., with her two children from her previous marriage. Kostmayer is living in a Washington condominium he has owned since 1977.
The couple also maintain a residence in Solebury Township.
"They've had a difficult time for a while. I can't get any more specific than that," said Seager.
Seager said, though, that it is a "fluid situation."
"I don't think either one knows what lies ahead," he said.
Seager said Mrs. Kostmayer is planning to accompany her husband back to Bucks County tomorrow for two fund-raising events that will feature House Speaker James Wright. Wright will appear at events for Kostmayer in Newtown and Fairless Hills.
"They obviously still have a close relationship," said Seager.
Seager said neither Kostmayer nor his wife intends to seek a divorce.
Mrs. Kostmayer, 36, is the owner of Kostmayer Communications, a Washington public relations firm. Her clients have included such major trade associations as the American Fair Trade Council and such companies as the McDonnell Douglas and Monsanto corporations.
In a 1986 interview, she said, "It's hard to run a business, two children, two homes and four employees. When I decided to start my own business, I sat Peter and the children down and I said, 'This will mean fewer dinners at home. You're either with me or not.' They said, 'Fine, we'll support you.' "
Since becoming a congressman's wife, Mrs. Kostmayer has been named to the board of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. She is also a founder of Mothers United to Save Children's Lives, an organization promoting the use of car seats and other child-restraint devices in motor vehicles.


Read here to find out all about how to relax muscles and finally be able to indulge in the long-lasting relief for which you have been searching.
Some of the best natural muscle relaxants are right at home. Find out what they are and how they can help you finally start living a pain-free life.
Muscle weakness in hands can be irritating, particularly if it is such that it stops you from carrying out everyday tasks.Experiencing hand muscle weakness can be frustrating, learn more about the causes and treatments of this affliction.
Leg muscle weakness can be difficult to cope with and understand. Learn more about the various potential causes and effective ways to treat it.
Extreme fatigue and weakness can be hard to deal with. Learn more about this difficult condition, its causes, and treatments.
Developing muscular weakness can be worrying, but there are several medical tests that can help to determine the cause of your condition.
Muscle weakness and pain can be a symptom of a wide number of health matters. Learn about some of the most common diseases known to cause this.
Muscle weakness can affect many women during menopause. Learn more about popular medicine for muscle weakness.
Keep reading to learn how to relieve headaches and muscle tension during menopause.
Muscle tension during menopause is unfortunately very common. However, these six relaxing activities will help you ease the symptom.
Muscle tension and stress are closely linked during menopause. Fortunately there are a series of alternative cures for it you can try at home. Learn more.
Painful and tense muscles during menopause can be caused by hormonal imbalance, as well as a variety of other factors.
Muscle tension is a common symptom of the menopausal transition. The most common cause of muscle tension during this phase is hormone imbalance.
Tense, sore, and painful back muscles are surprisingly common among women approaching menopause. Learn about the possible reasons for them.
Looking for relief from neck tension? Along with regular movement and exercise, these stretches will help soothe tension that builds up in the neck.
Sore, tense muscles are a common symptom of menopause and are closely linked with anxiety and stress. Click here to learn how to relieve it.
Some people have found relief from muscle tension through practicing yoga. Yoga focuses on treating the mind, body and soul for overall health.


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Killing Eve Isn't Your Average Mystery Series. Here's How It Breaks the Mold
By Eliana Dockterman
April 5, 2018 6:56 AM EDT
Villanelle sketches pictures of Eve's hair. She steals Eve's suitcase and demands that a lover wear Eve's clothes. She uses Eve's name as an alias as she flits across Europe, assassinating colonels and moguls in increasingly creative ways.
Audiences have watched psychopaths taunt the agents who are chasing them down countless times before. Yet actor Jodie Comer offers a chilling portrayal as soulless assassin Villanelle in the new BBC America series Killing Eve, premiering April 8. Grey's Anatomy alumna Sandra Oh–finally in a much-deserved leading role–plays Eve, a whip-smart MI5 agent who's still vulnerable enough to run screaming when hit woman Villanelle breaks into her house.
But Killing Eve quickly subverts the tropes established by a long line of British mystery series. Those shows often hint at sexual tension between the hunter and hunted, usually two men (Sherlock and Moriarty) or a man and woman (Luther and Alice).
Eve and Villanelle's longing is more explicit. Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge adapted Killing Eve from a series of Luke Jennings novellas but aged up Eve from a young upstart to a bored 40-something desk jockey. The change places her firmly in midlife crisis, a stage in a woman's life rarely seen on TV.
"Eve hits a plateau in her marriage, in her job," says Oh. "Then Villanelle comes along with her finesse, her style, her lack of inhibition–everything Eve doesn't have. Villanelle ignites something in Eve." Eve yearns for Villanelle's apathy toward the rules. Villanelle admires Eve's sense of purpose. They want to kill each other. They also fantasize about being each other–or being with each other.
Eve begins to risk the lives of her colleagues and husband just to catch a glimpse of Villanelle. At one point, the agent dreamily describes Villanelle's honey-colored hair and catlike eyes to a sketch artist. "She's totally focused, yet almost entirely inaccessible," Eve muses.
"So is that, like, a square face or an oval face?" the sketch artist asks.
on the case Sandra Oh returns to TV as an MI5 agent chasing a psychopath in the subversive thriller Killing Eve
Maarten de Boer—Contour RA
Writers typically portray female obsession as one-sided. Crazed women stalk the wives of the men they can't have (Fatal Attraction, Obsessed) or try to subsume another's life (Single White Female, Ingrid Goes West). Eve and Villanelle's mutual fascination is rare.
But creator Waller-Bridge is skilled at flipping the script on tired genres. She similarly rethought another cliché–the female "hot mess"–when she wrote the dark comedy Fleabag. On that show, Waller-Bridge starred as a grief-stricken woman who steals from a bad date and declares at a feminist meeting that she would trade five years of her life for the perfect body. Most writers would make a woman like this the butt of a joke. But Waller-Bridge deftly navigates issues like mental illness and guilt. "As an audience member and an actor, I was just screaming for a woman who doesn't have all the answers," she says.
Amazon acquired the BBC series, and Waller-Bridge ascended to It girl status: she was cast in the upcoming Star Wars spin-off Solo, and Fleabag was greenlighted for a second season. All along, she was working on the script for Killing Eve. She pored over research on female psychopaths, which she says she found oddly empowering.
Audiences, too, may find themselves cheering for Villanelle when she stabs a lascivious man in the face. Depictions of female power remain so rare that Villanelle's manipulation of others' sexist expectations of her can feel heroic.
"We're familiar with this idea that men would kill someone and not have a care in the world," Waller-Bridge says. "But Villanelle's male victims, especially, have this complete meltdown at the idea that she could be a threat to them."
Though spy thriller Killing Eve may not seem the most obvious follow-up to a comedy lauded for its realism, Waller-Bridge easily makes the leap to drama: Many Fleabag fans thought the main character in that show was also a sociopath. And Waller-Bridge's favorite kind of joke ends with a sadistic twist. She likes to make her audience feel guilty for laughing. "When people are laughing, they're vulnerable, they're open," she says. "It's a great opportunity to kick them."
For Killing Eve, Waller-Bridge and Oh worked together to find a balance between comedy and tragedy, homing in on Eve's envy of Villanelle. In one scene, Eve flirtatiously asks her husband how he would murder her. "Flatter you to death?" he suggests. She rolls her eyes. "O.K., how would you kill me?" he asks.
"I'd paralyze you with saxotoxin and suffocate you in your sleep," Eve deadpans. "Chop you into the smallest bits I could manage. Boil you down. Put you in a blender. Take you to work in a flask and flush you down a restaurant toilet."
Oh delighted in these exchanges. "You so rarely get to be creepy and hilarious at the same time," she says. The actor never expected to be tapped for the titular role on the show, in part because many fans of the books imagined Eve as white. Oh encountered a similar issue when Shonda Rhimes cast her as Cristina on Grey's Anatomy, a character that network executives also expected would be played by a white actor.
"Most people assume, unless it's otherwise specified, that every character on the page is white," says Oh. "There are certain people who can be open-minded and see beyond that unconscious bias when they're casting and certain people who can't. I've worked with a lot of the people who can, and they happen to be women and women of color." When Killing Eve premieres, Oh will become one of just a handful of Asian actors with top billing on a TV series.
Waller-Bridge had been a fan of Oh's for years, and Oh quickly fell for Waller-Bridge: they share an irreverent sense of humor, and Oh appreciated Waller-Bridge's impulse to surprise the audience. But Oh wanted to test their in-person chemistry. When they first Skyped, they found they were wearing the same shade of red. When they first met in person, they accidentally wore the same pair of pants. That unconscious creative alignment carried them through the making of Killing Eve. "Committing to a show is like a marriage," says Oh. "It's potentially a multiyear relationship. With Phoebe, I thought, I could fall in love with this person."
This appears in the April 16, 2018 issue of TIME.
Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com.
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I am a diabetic on Coumadin (warfarin). Can you help me with diet?
I am a diabetic on Coumadin. What should I eat?
I need to know about diets on Coumadin, Like what not to eat, but I also am a diabetic. Can you help me with what to do?
The first step is for you to speak with your physician about the the number of calories you should be eating each day. Many physicians have dietitians available to their patients. Diabetics need to follow a diet based on a strict number of calories each day. Sometimes the amount of calories is to help with weight loss as well as controlling blood sugar.
At the same time it's extremely important for diabetics to eat a balanced diet. One key to this is consuming three regularly scheduled meals each day. Often doctors will recommend that their diabetic patients have a small bedtime snack as part of their diet as well. The plans created using The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan software on the Dr. Gourmet website will have you following a Mediterranean-style diet, which our most recent evidence shows is the best diet for diabetics. Using the planner with the number of calories recommended by your doctor or dietitian is an option.
A lot of the foods that are good for you are also higher in Vitamin K. One approach to healthy eating for patients on Coumadin® (warfarin) is to eat foods that have a similar amount of Vitamin K each day. For example, one day you could eat spinach and the next day broccoli. Then you could have a salad made with lettuce or cabbage as a side dish. By eating a consistent amount of such foods each day, your intake of Vitamin K is likely to be more stable.
Another approach is to eliminate foods that are high in Vitamin K from the diet altogether. This is an easier approach, but you have to make sure to eat other vegetables. There are a LOT of veggies that don't have very much Vitamin K in them, however.
How can I add diabetes to my Quality Calorie Diet profile?