text:
TSA Pre-Check Grand Island Site
Terminal Building Hours
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Extended Parking
Pet and Animal Relief Area
About the Airport
Airport History
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Employment – Hall County Airport Authority
Hall County Airport Authority Staff
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FAA Airport Diagram and Info
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BID PACKET FOR AG LEASES 2020-2025
Revised Exhibit B effective 01/02/2020
The Hall County Airport Authority is requesting Bids for Agricultural Leases. Bids will be based on a five (5) year term from March 1, 2020 through February 28, 2025.
Bids are due Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. at the Authority Administration Building located at 3579 Sky Park Road.
Prospective Bidders may direct questions to Executive Director Mike Olson at (308) 385-5170 Ext. 112.
Ongoing Request for Proposals for Commercial Air Service
The Hall County Airport Authority operates the Central Nebraska Regional Airport located in Grand Island, Nebraska and is pleased to offer air service incentives through its Air Service Incentive Program.
TITLE VI SOLICITATION NOTICE The Hall County Airport Authority, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 USC §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders or offerors that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.
Negotiated Agreement is also subject to the following Federal provisions: CIVIL RIGHTS – TITLE VI ASSURANCE – 49 USC § 47123; DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION – 2 CFR part 180 (Subpart C), 2 CFR part 1200, & DOT Order 4200.5; DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE – 49 CFR part 26; TRADE RESTRICTION CERTIFICATION – 49 USC § 50104 & 49 CFR part 30; LOBBYING AND INFLUENCING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES – 31 USC § 1352 – Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment, 2 CFR part 200, Appendix II(J) & 49 CFR part 20, Appendix A.
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The Ellen Payne Odom Genealogy Library Family Tree
The Family Tree - June/July 2004
Wee Snippets (7)
Shirk not the impossible task.
Art McKellips, master woodcarver, donates carvings to Odom Library
Art McKellips is descended from Clans McDonell of Keppock and MacLaren on his father's side and Irish/Cherokee/Osage Indian in his mother's bloodline.
Injured as a Washington State Trooper forty years ago, Art turned to his hobby of whittling to make a living and has been a woodcarver ever since. With stints as a court room trial artist for all three major networks and a brief career as a political cartoonist, Art always returns to his first love, carving. He has carved practically every subject customers can dream up from sports figures like Hank Aaron and Brooks Robinson to Marine Corps figures, religious items, trophies, and elaborate Crests of Arms.
His preference is action-type human subjects, like his Highlanders and Indians, which give him the opportunity to render as "life like" as he possibly can carve them. He has carvings placed with many notable figures, including the King of Norway and Jackie O, when she was the First Lady. He also carves animals, although he enjoys the challenge of humans far more. His reasoning is that you seldom see a bird smile or a turtle grin. Art's home is a woodcarver's museum, as well as a fascination library of a multitude of subjects needed as reference to make sure ALL his work is accurate and as realistic as can be done.
Since his health is failing, Art contacted Beth Gay, his old friend, and asked if the Odom Library would be interested in a donation of many of his Scottish works when he succumbs to the health problems plaguing him. His main desire in life is to use the talent God has placed in his mind and hands and to give people the opportunity to see and perhaps learn from what he has done over the years. Then he would feel he has glorified his God with his works.
Aida Aquino McKeen passed away on Friday, April 23, 2004 at the age of 69. She was born on November 29, 1934 in San Narciso, Quezon Province, Philippines. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics in 1957 and a second Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1965 at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. She was employed as an elementary school teacher in the Philippines prior to her immigration to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968. In Honolulu, she continued her career as an elementary school teacher, but also held positions in the travel/tourist industry as well. Aida became a naturalized US citizen on October 24, 1973 and married Harold R. McKeen III (Sandy) in Kaneohe on August 26, 1974. She started her career with the US Government (Department of the Army) in 1980 in Seoul, Korea where her husband was also employed. She subsequently held positions with the Department of the Army in Japan and Hawaii, where she retired from Federal Service in December 1997. After retirement, she devoted herself to her beloved Secular Franciscan Order, volunteering in Healing Touch at Kaiser Moanalua Hospital and working part-time at Borders Books & Music Store in Waikele. She is survived by her husband Harold R. McKeen III (Sandy), her brothers Vic Aquino and Ramon Aquino, her sisters Cora Roces and Miriam Rosel. Aida will always be remembered as a very loving, caring person, a devout Catholic and beloved Franciscan. Those who wish to remember Aida are asked to send donations to The Saint Francis Hospice, 24 Puiwa Road, Honolulu, HI 96817, Attention David Wo. Checks should be annotated, "In Memory of Aida McKeen."
Geneva Montgomery, 98, of Pretty Lake, Dousman, formerly of Pewaukee Lake, passed away Thursday, March 25, 2004, at Linden-Grove Health Care Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
She was born February 25, 1906, in Rockton, the daughter of Arnold Franklin and Mary Belle (nee Lawton) Widmer.
She married Arnold James "Monte" Montgomery on October 21, 1933, at the Christ Church in Harvard, Illinois.
Geneva earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1933.
She graduated from LaCrosse Normal School in 1926 and taught high school English in Augusta.
She was the editor of the Douseman Index. Earlier she worked for The Lake Country Reporter and wrote the columns Kettle Morraine Cooking and Lake Country Cooking for these newspapers.
Geneva was a charter member of the Scottish Clan MacFarlane Society and was the editor of its publication, The Lantern, for 22 years.
She enjoyed genealogical research, writing, gardening, traveling and cooking.
Geneva is lovingly survived by her daughters Bonnie Montgomery of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Mary (John) Rogalski of Douseman; and her grandsons Matthew Majeskie of Madison, Michael (Shari) Rogalski of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and Joseph Rogalski of Madison.
She is further survived by her nieces Mary Ann Morris and Kathryn Kerst, other relatives and friends.
Geneva was preceded in death by her husband, Monte, 90, in 1995; her sisters Hazel (George) Kuenning, Winifred (Dr. Frank) Brandenburg, and Ruth (Dr. Leonard) Sanford. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Geneva's name may be made to the Pretty Lake Advancement Association (PLAA), W379-S4712 E. Pretty Lake Road, Douseman, WI 53118, for the purchase of a bench overlooking the lake.
Our paternal ancestors left Glasgow and migrated to Australia in the 1840s and 1850s. My own interest lays in trying to find out if the McTAGGART priests were originally of Celtic Druids or maybe Viking-Norse Anglo-Saxon priests? (Macan T' Sagairt = sacerdos in Latin) Possibly Celtic Christianity or heathen high priests? Apparently, the name is also of Irish Gaelic as well. There is a place seemingly named Ballymacantaggart in Vullenderry, located in Northern Ireland. The Macant'sagairt (McTAGGART) appeared in 1214 and somehow originates from the lay Abbotts of Applecross in which connects somehow to the name of ANRIAS in which the MACANT' SAGAIRTS came from the O'BEOLAN bloodline of priests. I wish to ask you if you could purely provide me of any contact addresses in Scotland or even Ireland that would have relevant history on the priesthoods and which inherited priests would the McTAGGART have come from. (Would I have to look for Celts, Norse, Anglo, Christian origins?) I seem to be not making any relevant progress in my enquiry into my inherited genealogical name. Worse still, I haven't a computer. I must communicate in the old fashioned manner of letter and written communication, I'm afraid. Furthermore, if you are able to give me some written contacts in Scotland so I can communicate with, I'd be extremely pleased. Contact Mr. Ian Robert McTaggart, PO Box 6017, Karingal 3199, Victoria, AUSTRALIA.
While researching my family, I came into possession of a black and white picture from my grandmother's personal effects. It appears taken in the late 1800s. The subject is a group of posed men in front of a building. Handwritten in the lower right corner is "JOHN CLARK" as Cheafton of Clan McGragor." I am trying to establish a connection between this JOHN CLARK and my grandmother ANNIE A. CLARK of Scotland, but have not been able to find any documentation of a JOHN CLARK as a Scottish Clan Chieftain. I feel that he is either her father or brother. If you have any information, contact Thomas A. Proctor, PO Box 209, Lee, ME 04455 oryou might wish to email <tproctor2003@yahoo.com>.
Do you know the origin of NAWASSA, QUINDORA and MAMO. The names QUINDORA and NAWASSA are our Mom's first and middle names. QUINDORA NAWASSA CREMEANS. MAMO was what we called her birth mother, our grandmother. If you have any information, please contact Hal Lewis, 124 Cumberland Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14220.
Louisville Genealogical Society presents family history seminar
On Saturday, September 11, 2004, the Louisville Genealogical Society will present Family History Seminar and Book Fair. The event will be held at the University of Louisville's Shelby Campus Founders Union Building, 9001 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40292 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. General admission price is $5.00, which includes free classes and vendor displays) and is open to the public.
The one-hour classes that are free with admission are on the topics of "Louisville History," "Common Surnames, Dating Old Photographs, and Kentucky Migration," and "Preservation of Photos and Documents." Commercial vendors will have on display new, old, rate and out of print books; computer software and hardware, genealogical program demos, maps and charts, and specialty items such as mugs, t-shirts, etc.
A silent auction will also be held with local libraries and archives represented.
Seminar speaker will be Thomas W. Jones, CG, CGL, the co-editor of National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Lectures are $10 each and topics are "Solving Problems with Original Sources," "Missing Something? Getting the Most Out of Genealogical Evidence," and "Five Proven Techniques for Finding Your Ancestor's European Origins."
For more information about registering for the event, contact the Louisville Genealogical Society, 2934 Grinstead Drive, Louisville, KY 40206-2645. Deadline for the reservations is August 27, 2004.
Return to June/July 2004 Index Page

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Birth alert or hospital alert is a practice in Canada, in which a social or health care worker notifies the staff of a hospital if they have concerns for the safety of an expected child based on their parents' history. This can include past instances of poverty, domestic violence, drug usage, and history with child welfare. Birth alerts are typically issued without the parents' consent, and often result in apprehension and placement of the child into foster care after birth.

Birth alerts have been considered a controversial practice, as they have been disproportionately used for Indigenous children. The Indigenous rights group Idle No More considers birth alerts to be one of the major "hardships" faced by Canada's Indigenous community. In June 2019, the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) recommended the abolishment of "the practice of targeting and apprehending infants (hospital alerts or birth alerts) from Indigenous mothers right after they give birth", as they were "racist and discriminatory and are a gross violation of the rights of the child, the mother, and the community."

Following the release of the report, the practice of birth alerts was discontinued in multiple provinces in the years that followed. , the only remaining province to practice birth alerts is Quebec.

Usage

Alberta
Alberta ended birth alerts in 2019.

British Columbia
In March 2018, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered that the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) return a child to their mother, and coordinate community support and supervision within the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. Under a birth alert, the child was apprehended after birth, with the mother only allowed limited visits. The court ruled that the MCFD violated the Child, Family and Community Service Act by not providing an adequate reason for the measure besides "her own mother's history with MCFD", and not providing the mother with advance notice of the decision.

In July 2019, following the MMIWG report, Minister of Children and Family Development Katrine Conroy suggested that the province was looking into its recommendations, explaining that "we know there are far too many Indigenous kids taken into care", and that "especially in the Indigenous communities, we are making sure there are more supports in place and working in partnership with the communities so that those children have the support they need – that the parents have the support they need."

In September 2019, Conroy announced that provincial health care providers and social service workers "will no longer share information about expectant parents without consent from those parents and will stop the practice of birth alerts." She emphasized that "moving to a voluntary approach of providing early supports and preventative services to expectant parents will help them plan and safely care for their babies."

Manitoba
On June 23, 2020, Manitoba announced that it would end birth alerts on June 30. Minister of Families Heather Stefanson stated that "our government believes that strong families are the cornerstone of our province and we understand that to strengthen our families we need to ensure they are supported by the community organizations that serve at-risk parents and children each and every day in our communities." Manitoba Child and Family Services would provide referrals to support programs such as Mount Carmel Clinic's Mothering Project—which concurrently received additional government funding to help double the program's capacity.

New Brunswick
In January 2021, the Ministry of Social Development stated that the province has been reviewing its use of birth alerts. The practice was ended in October 2021.

Newfoundland and Labrador
In January 2021, the provincial Ministry of Children, Seniors and Social Development stated that it was reviewing its use of birth alerts, consistent with the recommendations of the MMIWG inquiry and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The province ended the use of birth alerts in June 2021.

Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ended the use of birth alerts in November 2021.

Ontario
On July 14, 2020, Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues Jill Dunlop directed Ontario's Children's Aid Societies to stop issuing birth alerts by October 15, 2020. Dunlop stated that "we're trying to work to collaborate with families. That families have a voice in their plans moving forward. And birth alerts just do the exact opposite."

Quebec
Birth alerts have been used in Quebec since 2009.

Prince Edward Island
On February 1, 2021, PEI ended its use of birth alerts.

Saskatchewan
In January 2021, the province announced that it would end its use of birth alerts on February 1, 2021.

Yukon
The Yukon last issued a birth alert in 2017, and ended the practice in 2019.

See also
 Sixties Scoop

References

Child welfare
Indigenous child displacement in Canada

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Latest Current Affairs March, 2015 with Current Affairs, news summary on current events of National and International importance of March, 2015 for Banking, SSC, CLAT, UPSC, State PCS, IBPS, Railways and other Competitive Examinations.
PDF Compilation of these updates can be downloaded from This Link
Winners of Dubai ATP Tennis Championship 2015
Men's singles
Roger Federer of Switzerland won the ATP Tennis Championship Men's single title held in Dubai. In the final match, he defeated Novak Djokovic of Serbia by score of 6–3, 7–5.
It was Roger Federer's seventh win in Dubai ATP Tennis men's single's title. Earlier, he had won in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2014.
Romanian professional tennis player Simona Halep won the ATP Tennis Championship women's single title held in Dubai.
In the final match, she defeated Karolína Plíšková of Czech Republic by score of 6-4, 7-6.
Men's doubles
Rohan Bopanna (India) and Daniel Nestor (Canada) won the Dubai ATP Tennis Championship men's doubles title.
In the final match they defeated Aihsan-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pakistan) and Nined Zimonjic (Serbia) by score of 6-4, 6-1.
Women's doubles
Tímea Babos (Hungary) and Kristina Mladenovic (France) won the Dubai ATP Tennis Championship women's doubles title.
In the final match they defeated Garbiñe Muguruza (Spain) and Carla Suárez Navarro (Spain) by score of 6-3, 6-2.
Month: Current Affairs – March, 2015 Categories: Persons in News • Sports & Games
Tags: Tennis
DAC gives nod to MCMV project
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on 28 February 2015 gave approval for afresh Mine Counter Measure Vessel (MCMV) project worth over Rs 32,000 crore.
This decision was taken by DAC meeting chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
MCMV project will built specialized vessels for the Indian Navy as per Make in India policy at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in collaboration with a foreign manufacturer. These ships will weigh around 600 to 1,000 tonnes and will be used to dismantle antiship mines.
DAC also gave approval for
Buying one C-130J medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of Rs. 530 crore. This aircraft will replace a C-130 J which had crashed in 2014 near Gwalior.
Buying 38 more Pilatus trainer aircraft from Switzerland a cost of Rs. 1,500 crore. These trainer aircraft will train IAF fighter pilots.
It should be noted that DAC is the apex body for clearing defence procurement proposals forwarded by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
Month: Current Affairs – March, 2015 Categories: Defence
Tags: Current Affairs 2016 • Indian Air Force • Indian Navy • Ministry of Defence
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Read Next:	Listen: What Laura Linney Learns From Bad Shows
September 25, 2017 6:02PM PT
Critic's Pick
Off Broadway Review: 'Mary Jane' Starring Carrie Coon
By Marilyn Stasio
Marilyn Stasio
Theater Critic
Marilyn's Most Recent Stories
'My Name is Lucy Barton': Theater Review
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CREDIT: Joan Marcus
Liza Colon-Zayas, Carrie Coon, Danaya Esperanza, Susan Pourfar, Brenda Wehle
"Mary Jane," a heart-stopping play about women as domestic caretakers, was written by a woman, directed by a woman, largely designed by women, and performed by women. But Amy Herzog's devastating new work, now playing at New York Theater Workshop and featuring an infinitely optimistic single mother struggling to provide 24-hour care for her special-needs child, is must-see theater for anyone with a heart.
Carrie Coon (a 2017 Emmy nominee for "Fargo") burrows deep down into the multi-layered character of Mary Jane, a single mother who has devoted her life to caring for her 3-year-old son, Alex, who has cerebral palsy. The actress emerges with the searing performance of a woman who is everything a mother is supposed to be – loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, and altogether selfless. But in addition to being the perfect mother, Mary Jane is a person in her own right, a woman with the joyous spirit and the indomitable strength to do battle with her grief. Mary Jane is a person of many parts – and Coon respects and relates to them all.
In another lifetime, Mary Jane might have been a perfectly ordinary mother, making healthy school lunches, putting her foot down about bedtime, and giving herself some "me time" at the gym. But that's one of the pertinent points Herzog makes in this play – that even a perfectly ordinary mother with no special skills or miraculous aptitudes becomes a tower of strength when her child needs her.
Over the course of this wrenching one-act drama, Mary Jane juggles the working shifts of housekeepers, baby sitters, doctors, nurses, and nurses' aides, and springs into action whenever Alex has a seizure (he's had three since he was born) — all the while desperately trying to hold onto a job that she needs for the medical coverage. The beauty of the character and the wonder of Coon's performance is that, through it all, Mary Jane succeeds in maintaining her upbeat nature, her life-affirming optimism, her wonderful sense of humor.
Believe it or not, this play is full of laughs. They just happen to be on the morbid side, as are the people who figure in Mary Jane's sadly narrow life. Playwright Herzog made a point of wanting the actors to double in the play's other eight roles. Director Anne Kauffman, her frequent and always perceptive interpreter, obliged with a top-drawer supporting cast of four. (Just a thought, but maybe Herzog and Kauffman are reminding us that hard-working actors can relate to the play's overworked and stressed-out characters.)
One of these characters openly acknowledges Mary Jane's burden. That would be Ruthie, the laconic superintendent of her depressing apartment house in darkest Queens. (Laura Jellinek designed Mary Jane's demoralizing one-bedroom apartment.) Brenda Wehle, who also plays a Buddhist nun in the gorgeous final scene, gives a hilariously deadpan performance of the dour super, who is working to unclog the kitchen sink. When Mary Jane tries to warm her up with a story about some cute kids she saw on the subway, Ruthie responds with a narrative about dead people on the tracks.
Once started, Ruthie's on a roll. "You seem to be someone who's carrying a lot of tension in her body," she tells Mary Jane. "I wonder if you have an outlet for expression, or if you're absorbing that all in your body. … because that's how my sister got cancer."
Ruthie herself swims, does yoga, and has deep tissue massages. Mary Jane barely has time to put her head down at the end of the day, because there is no end of the day; she is constantly on call for Alex. Her life is an unending series of ups and downs. As a friend told her when Alex was born, "Mary Jane, you'll still have good days and bad days." Herzog's perfectly modulated dialogue and carefully structured dramaturgy reflect these ups and downs. A kind word, or even a wisecrack, is enough to break up a harrowing moment. By the same token, in the midst of a pleasant exchange with a friend, the shrieking alarm in Alex's room is bound to go off.
If Mary Jane has a talent, it's that she's genuinely interested in other people, quick to share their problems and even quicker to offer help. That's another of Herzog's themes – the way that women who are perfect strangers will meet and instantly bond, exchanging the most intimate secrets about themselves and extending a hand in a storm.
With Alex's nurse, Sherry (a salt-of-the-earth perf from Colon-Zayas, who plays a doctor when they get to the hospital), Mary Jane is a helpful and knowledgeable assistant. With her Facebook friend, Brianne (played with kindness by Susan Pourfar), she shares her encyclopedic knowledge of what's in store for her as the mother of a severely disabled child – and how to work the system to survive.
At the hospital, Pourfar plays a self-assured Hasidic wife who expects her husband to help with child-care duties. But every other mother accepts her solo caretaking duties as if they were destined from birth to take on this burden. And there are more women where they came from. Danaya Esperanza, who plays a sensitive music therapist at the hospital, gives another lovely performance as Mary Jane's niece, Amelia, who seems poised to carry on the womanly traditions when her time comes.
You can't help but wonder who might save these women from the caretaker role they assume as their birthright. Perhaps another woman. Yes, definitely another woman.
Off Broadway Review: 'Mary Jane' Starring Carrie Coon
New York Theater Workshop; 199 seats; $69 top. Opened Sept. 25, 2017. Reviewed Sept. 22. Running time: one hour, 40 min.
Production: A production by the New York Theater Workshop, in association with Yale Repertory Theater, where it was commissioned and first performed, of a play in one act by Amy Herzog.
Creative: Directed by Anne Kauffman. Sets, Laura Jellinek; costumes, Emily Rebholz; lighting, Japhy Weideman; sound, Leah Gelpe; properties, Kathy Fabian; wigs, hair & makeup, Dave Bova and J. Jared Janas; production stage manager, Lisa Ann Chernoff.
Cast: Liza Colon-Zayas, Carrie Coon, Danaya Esperanza, Susan Pourfar, Brenda Wehle
Carrie Coon
New York Theater Workshop
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In 2013, Disney's "Frozen" hit screens like a 100 mile-per-hour snowball, sparking a pop cultural phenomenon in which little girls and boys pranced about dressed in Anna and Elsa and Olaf costumes while belting aloud "Let It Go," Elsa's feminist anthemic response to ice powers rendering her a societal outcast. The animated movie won two [...]
'My Name is Lucy Barton': Theater Review
Laura Linney is in love. Just watch the radiant expression on her face as she wraps her arms around the character of Lucy Barton, a role she played in two separate engagements at the Bridge Theater in London, and is now reprising on Broadway in "My Name is Lucy Barton." The feeling is obviously mutual, [...]
'Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadal' to Air Weekly, Syndicate Nationally (EXCLUSIVE)
"Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadal" will become nationally syndicated, marking a first for a program about the Great White Way. Beginning in fall 2020, the monthly show will increase frequency to air weekly. The show is hosted and executive-produced by 12-time Emmy Award winner Tamsen Fadal, a news anchor at WPIX, the channel that initially [...]
Listen: What Laura Linney Learns From Bad Shows
For Laura Linney, every stage experience is a learning experience. "Even the bad ones!" she cheerfully declared on the new episode of Stagecraft, Variety's theater podcast. Listen to this week's podcast below: "Even the ones that are really bad, and I've been really bad in some things," continued the Emmy winner, currently back on Broadway [...]
'Betrayal' Star Zawe Ashton Signs With CAA (EXCLUSIVE)
Zawe Ashton has signed with CAA, Variety has learned. Most recently seen on Broadway in the hit revival of Harold Pinter's "Betryal," Ashton is the definition of a multi-hyphenate. In addition to being an in-demand actress, Ashton is a director, playwright and author. While earning critical raves for "Betrayal," Ashton made her debut as a [...]
Jerry Herman Memorial Set for Feb. 3 at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
A memorial service for Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman will be held at 3 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Michael Feinstein is producing the tribute, which will feature performances from a number of notable legit stars, including Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Sutton Foster, Kelli O'Hara, Bernadette Peters and Betty Buckley. Angela [...]


The roots of TL70 are implanted in the classic twin lens camera. An engineering masterpiece that synchronizes elegance and function. Experience the thrill as soon as you pick up this timeless camera, professionally designed so that even an amateur can handle.


text:
The Garden Conservancy is an American nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate America's gardens and diverse gardening traditions for the education and inspiration of the public.

Founded in 1989, by Frank Cabot, the Conservancy has since helped a number of American gardens to develop preservation strategies, organizational structures, and funding plans. In some cases, the Conservancy takes the lead in transitioning the garden to a sustainable, nonprofit status. The Garden Conservancy is headquartered in Cold Spring, New York.

History
During a visit to Ruth Bancroft's garden in Walnut Creek, California, Frank Cabot asked Bancroft what would happen to the garden after her death. Cabot's wife suggested the establishment of a nonprofit organization for garden preservation, and the idea for the Conservancy was born. Cabot founded the organization in 1989. The first garden the Garden Conservancy opened to the public was the Ruth Bancroft Garden, which began tours in 1992 and officially became a nonprofit in 1994.

Gardens
Projects include:

 Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California
 The Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek, California
 The Chase Garden, Orting, Washington
 The Fells, the John Hay National Wildlife Refuge, Newbury, New Hampshire
 Greenwood Gardens, Short Hills, New Jersey
 The John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden, Mill Neck, New York
 Montrose, Hillsborough, North Carolina
 Peckerwood Garden, Hempstead, Texas
 Rocky Hills, Mount Kisco, New York
 George Schoellkopf's garden, Washington, Connecticut
 Steepletop, Austerlitz, New York
 Van Vleck House and Gardens, Montclair, New Jersey
 Yew Dell Gardens, Crestwood, Kentucky

See also

Historic garden conservation

References

The Garden Conservancy, June 2020, #OpenDay25: A Quarter Century of America's Gardeners and Their Gardens,

External links

.
Horticultural organizations based in the United States
.
Nature conservation organizations based in the United States
Landscape architecture organizations
Environmental organizations established in 1989
1989 establishments in the United States
Non-profit organizations based in New York (state)


text:
"Narrative and Creative Potentials in War and Peace," three extracts from Hidden in Plain View
Gary S Morson
Slavic Languages and Literature
George Gibian
Morson, G. S. (1996). "Narrative and Creative Potentials in War and Peace," three extracts from Hidden in Plain View. In G. Gibian (Ed.), War and Peace (2nd ed., pp. 1156-65). Norton.
Morson, Gary S. / "Narrative and Creative Potentials in War and Peace," three extracts from Hidden in Plain View. War and Peace. editor / George Gibian. 2nd. ed. Norton, 1996. pp. 1156-65
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News items related to Trinity Financial Sports and Entertainment Management as issued by the Send2Press Newswire service on behalf of the noted news source.
WALL, N.J. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Peter Grandich, dubbed the 'Wall Street Whiz Kid' on national television for calling the 1987 'Black Monday' market crash, has been making major top and bottom calls for 26 years. Now, Grandich has his bear suit back on, and is calling for a new top.


text:
Quantum electron optics using flying electrons
Feb. 1 (Wed.), 2p.m.
#1323(E6-2. 1st fl.)
Dr. Michihisa Yamamoto, Department of Applied Physics, The University of Tokyo
Feb. 1 (Wed.), 2p.m. #1323(E6-2. 1st fl.)
Abstract: Quantum electron optics is a field in which one manipulates quantum states of propagating electrons. Combined with technologies for confining and manipulating single electrons, it allows us to investigate the scattering and interference of electrons in a unit of a single electron. The necessary elements of quantum electron optics experiments include single electron beam splitter, phase shifter, Coulomb coupler, single electron source and detector, spin-orbit path and electron-pair splitter.
In this talk, we present development of some of these elements. The beam splitter and phase shifter are implemented in our original two-path interferometer [1-3]. This interferometer has been shown to be the only reliable system for the measurement of the transmission phase shift of electrons [4,5]. To suppress decoherence induced by the electron-electron interaction and enhance the interference visibility, we recently developed a two-path interferometer of depleted channels, where single electrons are injected by means of surface acoustic waves (SAWs). We also confirmed that a single electron in a static quantum dot (single electron source) can be adiabatically transferred into a SAW-driven moving quantum dot [6], a necessary ingredient for achieving the high interference visibility of a single flying electron.
Quantum electron optics also targets the manipulation of spins of flying single electrons. We found that the spin information of one or two electrons can be transferred between distant quantum dots, which work as the single electron source and detector, with the fidelity limited only by the spin flips prior to the spin transfer [7,8]. We also realized an electron-pair splitter that can be used to split spin-entangled electrons in a moving dot into different moving dots. Combined with single spin manipulation using the spin-orbit interaction (spin-orbit path) [9], this splitter should allow for Bell measurement of electron spins.
This work is in collaboration with S. Takada (now at Institut Neel), R. Ito and K. Watanabe at the University of Tokyo, B. Bertrand, S. Hermelin, T. Meunier, and C. Bäuerle at Institut Neel, and A. Ludwig and A. D. Wieck at Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
[1] M. Yamamoto et al., Nature Nano. 7, 247 (2012)..
[2] A. Aharony et al., New J. Phys. 16, 083015 (2014).
[3] T. Bautze et al., Phys. Rev. B 89, 125432 (2014).
[4] S. Takada et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 126601 (2014).
[5] S. Takada et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 107, 063101 (2015).
[6] B. Bertrand et al., Nanotechnology 27, 204001 (2016).
[7] S. Hermelin et al., Nature 477, 435 (2011).
[8] B. Bertrand et al., Nature Nano. 11, 672 (2016).
[9] H. Sanada et al., Nature Phys. 9, 280 (2013).
Center for Quantum Coherence in Condensed Matter, KAIST
168 2022-05-02 16:00 E6, #1501 What can we learn from the history of science and technology?(우리말강의)
167 2022-04-25 16:00 E6, #1501 Ultrafast electron beam, a tool to explore the nanoscopic world of materials(우리말강의)
166 2022-04-11 16:00 E6, #1501 Emergence of Statistical Mechanics in Quantum Systems
165 2022-04-04- 16:00 E6, #1501 New paradigms in Quantum Field Theory
164 2022-03-28 16:00 E6, #1501 Ultimate-density atomic semiconductor via flat bands
163 2022-03-21 16:00 E6, #1501 Multi-wavelength Studies on Relativistic Jets from Gamma-ray Bright Active Galactic Nuclei
162 2022-03-14 16:00 E6, #1501 Quantitative phase imaging and artificial intelligence: label-free 3D imaging, classification, and inference
161 2022-03-07 16:00 E6, #1501 Climate Physics and Modelling(우리말강의)
160 2022-02-28 16:00 E6, #1501 Spin-based training of optical microscopes
159 2015-10-23 10:30 E6, #1501 How to write a good scientific paper[Open lecture series]
152 2018-11-22 15:00 E6 Room(#1323) Experimental and Computational Study on Physical Properties based on Granular System
151 2022-06-23 11:00 E6 Room(#1322) JILA's search for the electron's Electric Dipole Moment (eEDM) to probe physics beyond the standard model
150 2022-05-26 16:00 E6 1323 (광학분야 특별세미나)Topological photonic devices
149 2022-05-10 16:00 E6 1323 (광학분야 특별세미나)Testing quantum thermodynamics using quantum optics


Grayson Highlands State Park- Great trails for hiking and riding in the high country. Wild ponies! About an hour trailer ride from camp.
Please support the Back Country Horsemen who keep your trails open and safe!


You are attracted by the advantages offered by the Villa Bungaroo? You particularly want to spend great holidays in Mauritius? Check the periods that are still available for rent.
The calendar below shows real-time periods available and those that are already booked.
Check it out to see if the desired period is available.
(click on the arrow to the right of the month to view the rest of the year).
(water, electricity, air conditioning, Internet access).
– The cost for each additional person is € 10 per day.
– Weekly cleaning is charged € 30 (payable locally).
– Deposit: 30% of the total amount (payable on booking)..
– Soldes : Sales: 70% of the total amount (to be paid 15 days before arrival).
– Payment: bank transfer, cash, French bank check issued in France.
– Currency: The payment is usually made in Euros, unless otherwise agreed.


With no preparation and no lighter fluid needed, Kingsford Easy Light Bag makes impromptu grilling fun and easy. Convenient and portable, this single-use bag allows you to charcoal grill almost anywhere. Like Kingsford Original Charcoal, these charcoal briquettes are made with natural ingredients and real wood to deliver an authentic smoky flavor. This charcoal features Sure Fire Groove technology for fast lighting. Just turn the bag on its side, pull bottom flap out, and light as illustrated on bag. This Kingsford Easy Light bag of charcoal is easy to light. When coals are covered in ash spread evenly and start grilling. This 4 pound bag is perfect for camping, picnics, or sporting event tailgating and will give guests an authentic BBQ experience. Add Kingsford Easy Light Bag Charcoal Briquettes to your barbecue supplies to ensure each cookout is delicious.


Java-Gaming.org > Game Development > Newbie & Debugging Questions > Setting Up libGDX?
Ok, so following the posts on the discussion about why people are still using java2D I have decided I want to try out libGDX. I was linked to where to download a libGDX ui setup application and then a tutorial for libGDX.
The ui app has created four projects for me. I only want to program for desktop, what do I do now? I'm really confused. I don't know what projects I need to work in or what other libraries I may/ may not need for libGDX.
Just start coding in the libgdx project.
To start the project you coded, run the -desktop project. Everything is fine now.
I tried google and there was nothing that helped.
in eclipse there's errors beside the andriod and html one, probably because I do not have the libraries for those.
what one do I code in?
Write your game code in "game", and start your game via "game-desktop".
How was there nothing that helped in google? That's how everyone else figured it out. I have to question your motivation if you have to ask just for the setup.
What's wrong with code.google.com? You know it's not all actual code, right? Some libgdx tutorials are on code.google.com, although some of them are outdated. The project setup remains the same tho.
If you have no desire to make the game work on Android or HTML5, you can simply delete those folders (or untick them while setting up the project in the project setup UI).
Yes, the android and HTML ones will give you errors and you won't be able to compile them without the proper SDKs.
It doesn't matter if you are just developing for desktop, though. Put your game code in "game" and to test it run the main class in "game-desktop", like matheus said. Put your resources in assets/data of "game-android."
Another way to set it up is to create a new class library in Eclipse, and point to LibGDX's JARs and natives. Then you don't need android/HTML projects, just one project for everything. This is standard practice for installing any 3rd party library in Java, and something you should get comfortable with if you plan to continue using Java.
Is there anything we can do to make this easier? I'm a bit at a loss, feedback is appreciated.
Just letting you know I ATTEMPTED to use libgdx but I cannot due to a bug with it and mac OSX's java 1.7 implementation - so if you plan on using it, you may want to stick with the older 1.6 release of java. I simply cannot use it as I rely on a number of 1.7 features. Oh well.
Why do you rely on 1.7 features? You realize that all Mac users < 10.7 (i.e. Snow Leopard and older) will not be able to play your game? Even if you're just using Java2D.
The bug is not because of LibGDX but because of LWJGL (or, more specifically, some drastic changes that were introduced with Java 7). The LWJGL devs have mostly fixed it, although it still needs more testing.
This is one thing I'll never understand about APIs. There's 5 versions of something, and only the oldest versions are acceptable to use. Java 1.7 is great, has lots of new features and is a joy to work with. The reality is nothing supports it, so it's effectively useless for anything. By the time 1.7 has any support I'm sure 1.8 will be out. I guess I'll go back and switch out a lot of my clean exception handlers and switches back into noisy catch and if/else blocks..
Agreed that XML parsing is much clearer with string switch. But is it worth losing potentially hundreds of users?
I used to write XML parsers like that; they got quite long-winded and difficult to scale and debug. Nowadays I lean towards JSON and other means of serialization.
But I guess that's just preference.
It IS sad. The only problem is linux and mac distribution - if it was available by default, it wouldn't be a problem.
Well we can hope: "I anticipate rapid adoption of Java 8 (much faster than 7)"
I actually set up a LibGDX project yesterday and ran into several issues. After some googling it was all fixable though but I ended up on stackoverflow to get the answers instead of in the wiki or so.
All in all it went okay and if you cannot google yourself to solve these kind of issues it will probably be quite hard to create a game. Maybe add a troubleshooting section to the wiki?
An Eclipse Plugin would be an awesome way to set it up!
Just reporting in that porting to libgdx went pretty well. The major issue I ran into was the fact that jBox2d is SLIGHTLY different from stock. It's not super changed, but it's changed ~just enough~ to be annoying. The last thing I have to solve is why I'm getting crashes on body removal; it was rock solid with official jbox2d, but is crashy using the libgdx version. I'm also not sure why you guys decided to do things like rename ENUMs and such. For example, is it REALLY necessary to change BodyType.DYNAMIC to BodyDef.BodyType.DynamicBody? Body on the end is a bit redundent as it is off of the BodyType enum.
Nonetheless, I got to take my android to work and show off my game so in the end it went pretty well.
Stay on official Gdx project setup, it's safer and guaranteed to be working.
Thank's, I got it setup, and am learning it.
Sorry, I thought code.google.com was just code but when i went on it, I followed a few tutorials on it. It's quite good.
Like I said, be very careful - several parts of LibGDX have been replaced and some of those tutorials are deprecated/outdated.
If there is, I don't see it. People can't expect everything to go well the first time they do something. That's why we have prototyping in the first place. There will always be newbies asking these questions, because they got stuck halfway through the first set up, and feel they've exhausted google by searching "this library does not work help", instead of searching for "libgdx project setup tutorial".
Learn by doing, and if after 2-3 hours you still haven't got anything on the screen, and you've been following a tutorial, then ask your question on a forum. The best way to learn how something works, is to stick your hand in it, and feel around. Don't think you're starting your awesome platform game the first time you set up libgdx. Getting Box2D physics implemented will take a long time, especially if you had problems with something as simple as the project setup. Just take it slow, and be happy for each new piece you get working.
People can't expect everything to go well the first time they do something.
The first priority of a game development toolset should be easy set up. Press button A to download, press button B to install, press button C to compile and run your first game.
LibGDX is pretty easy to set up right now, but as with everything in life, there is still room for improvement.


Carol Forbes gave one final glance at her cafeteria staff at St. Aloysius School in Baton Rouge, bracing for what would soon be growling young stomachs ready to pounce on their lunch offering.
Catholic Schools Office superintendent Dr. Melanie Verges, left, and Bishop Michael G. Duca join Father Randy Cuevas, right, pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Baton Rouge, and Erin Candilora, principal of St. Aloysius School, to serve lunch to students. Federal, state and local officials toured Catholic schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge March 18 – 22.
"Here they come!" Forbes said as she gazed at the double doors, where the sounds of kindergarten voices yelped their anticipation.
Within seconds, dozens of energetic young students bounded into the lunchroom, filling the air with chatter and laughter of kids using their outside voices inside. Behind the serving line, Bishop Michael G. Duca joined Catholic schools superintendent Dr. Melanie Verges, St. Aloysius principal Erin Candilora and pastor Father Randy Cuevas, loading up trays with fruits, vegetables and a cupcake.
March is Child Nutrition Month and Lynda Carville, director of child nutrition for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, uses the time to let lawmakers and policy makers understand the importance of funding school lunch programs.
From March 18 – March 26, local officials, state and federal lawmakers and USDA representatives made lunch stops at Catholic school cafeterias throughout the diocese.
"We serve nine different (civil) parishes – it's a lot," said Carville. "But we want to let them know we do a lot of cooking from scratch and we want them to see how the actual system works.
According to Carville, child nutrition directors across the U.S. battle two areas: funding and flexibility on guidelines on what must be served, including calorie count, sodium intake and serving sizes.
Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) talks with students at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge on March 18 during his visit to the school to learn about the school lunch program in the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
"We're seeing a lot of waste and that's the biggest thing because we have to serve a half a cup and they have to take a fruit or a vegetable and some children don't want that. And, some people can't eat a half a cup of fruit and so a lot of it goes into the trash and so we're trying to minimize that from happening," she said.
Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) joined workers at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge in the service line, then sat for lunch with students and a visit with child nutrition staffers to learn more about the challenges in creating healthy menus, including requirements of whole grain-rich foods.
"It's an opportunity for children, who may not want to finish their entire meal, to take some of the items, for example an orange or an apple, and place it on the share table for other children who may want to partake of that item," said Longoria.
New rules from the USDA that allow more flexibility on flavored milk options, sodium standards and whole grains go into effect July 1.


In our work with the Judgment Index, we spend a lot of time talking about hierarchies. At the core of our entire work is Robert S. Hartman's "Hierarchy of Value" in which he moves from Systemic, conceptual forms of judgment and valuation, to Extrinsic, process, and then to an Intrinsic, human dynamics. Most people who have heard our presentations know that Hartman and Abraham Maslow were great personal friends, and that Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" was created after an evening dinner conversation with Hartman. Maslow famously talks about survival, social, and self-actualization/self-transcendence needs. Both end up seeing the ability to "give" ourselves to the larger whole of life as the highest form of human living.
The way that most hierarchies are graphically presented, a pyramid figure is created with a wide, strong base on one end and a high peak on the other—the top, and there is always a great deal of conversation (as with Zig Ziglar's famous book) about wanting to "get to the top." The hierarchical graphic is iconic in the way it implies a progressive upward movement, a growth and development that calls upon people to always be creating themselves in new ways. I have no problem agreeing with most of these hierarchical sentiments.
However, the hierarchical model is somewhat deceptive. It seems to imply that the "top" is always better, and that the "bottom" is—well, obviously—the less-important bottom. In fact, real life is usually more integrated and inner-dependent that the graphic would imply. You don't have a "top" without the support of the middle and the bottom base. I have often seen Hartman's hierarchy as an interactive, integrative circle. And, with regard to Maslow, there is very little self-actualization unless the survival needs are totally being covered. Life works together in greater interactive wholes rather than loosely aligned parts.
All of this conversation—even with perhaps helpful additions to our new teaching graphics—brings us back to one of our seminally important topics: all work is done through people and groups of people—so the more you understand people, the better you will become at accomplishing work. That's what we do—help organizations understand their people better, and—in that sense—a better understood and fully maximized human being who "fits" in the right place at the right time in the right hierarchical sector is allowed to contribute to and advance the potential of the entire enterprise.
We will probably never stop talking about "top" and "bottom," and hierarchies will remain as iconic teaching paradigms. In life, and in real organizations, real people are not so easily pigeonholed. We may relate functionally along hierarchical lines, and organizations may have functional templates relating to specialized tasks. But, in the end, it is people, people, people, and ultimate success always rises from seeing all people as synergistic parts aligning with each other and recognizing each person's vital necessity to the whole.


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Tag Archives: kate winslet
It's the end of the world as we know it … Chappie and Insurgent
Indiana's Gov. Mike Pence signs this (unnecessary) law in … private? Who invited the Mel Brooks movie extras?
Oh, Indiana, my Indiana … home of my upbringing and constant source of horrified bemusement and righteous indignation in my adulthood.
The latest and greatest affront to all creatures great and small in Indiana is the so-called "Religious Freedoms Restoration Act," which, no matter how you want to spin the rhetoric, is intended to make the narrowly-defined, faith-based, mid-century (you pick the century) morality (?) of a bunch of Bible-thumping, pitchfork-wielding Hawthorne caricatures the law of that land wherever and whenever you try to go buy … baked goods?
And, yes, I've heard the rationalization that, "Well, all these other states had it, and Bill Clinton, the big ol' dirty heathen, put this in place over 20 years ago at the Federal level, so why are Audra McDonald and Miley Cyrus and Angie's List being so mean to us. We are just good Christian folks here." Riiiight. And if Jimmy jumped down a well, would you all go, too? Please? There's nothing nice about this legislation (or its timing); it is quite simply petty, spiteful, vindictive, and mean.
I had a Facebook "debate" with a soon-to-be-former Fort Wayne newscaster on another former Fort Wayne newscaster's wall, and I ended my remarks thus, "If Indiana doesn't want to LOOK bad, stop passing legislation like this that really only serves the purpose of MAKING INDIANA LOOK BAD. (Not to mention pandering to the blood lust of a certain fringe demographic to secure their future votes – the same people who claim to want 'small government'.) And, yes, all those other places that have this legislation look bad too, but this is the freshest one. Congrats."
To be clear, losing one's cultural hegemony does not qualify as "persecution."
(And don't even get me started on the fun, wholesome family pastime of "pig wrestling" in Indiana and other states. Yes, that is a thing. Sadly. I can't imagine this is what Jesus had in mind. Just sayin'. Oh, I do digress. This is a blog about movies, right?)
It is with this mindset last night that I set forth on a double feature of Neill Blomkamp's Chappie and Robert Schwentke's Insurgent. While neither film is Tolstoy, it is interesting how both traffic in themes of persecution, isolation, pogrom-like social mandate, and government and big business collusion run amuck.
[Image Source: Wikipedia]
Chappie, the more ambitious of the two, is directed by Blomkamp, who specializes in such Bradbury-esque allegory and class-warfare dystopia as District 9 (segregation) and Elysium (healthcare). With Chappie, he pilfers his narrative from a hodge podge of references: Oliver Twist, Pinocchio, Robocop, Short Circuit, 2001 to varying degrees of success.
The plot is rather simple: a military-industrial complex (headed up by Sigourney Weaver at her most teutonic) is supplying Johannesburg (which must be the "new" Beirut in film) with a fresh supply of robot cops, who, in their emotionless, unrelenting style can put a steely hard thumb in the heart of crime. Her star employee (Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire) has invented the "robo-cops" but wants to introduce free-thinking sentience to the strange rabbit-eared creatures.
His rival at the company is Hugh Jackman being all "bad Hugh Jackman" … which basically means him glowering while saddled with a awful mullet haircut and Steve Irwin/Croc Hunter wardrobe choices. Crikey those shorts are short! Jackman's character has created the Dick-Cheney-special of all robot law enforcement: something called the "moose," a tank-like device that, in Jackman's words, isn't a "godless creature" (vis a vis the autonomous robo-cops) but is rather a machine that will be, um, super efficient at killing people … a lot of people. (I didn't say the metaphor was subtle here, just appreciated.)
Patel ends up creating one robot with a winning personality – "Chappie" – a baby Energizer bunny who likes He-Man cartoons but gets in with the wrong crowd (a set of "gangsters" who make the acting work of Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel seem subtle by comparison). Chappie causes all kinds of ruckus when Jackman realizes he can leverage Chappie's very existence (and the uncontrollable nature of his robot brethren) to unleash discord and create the kind of violent societal conflict that makes people want to sign over any and all civil liberties. (See a pattern here?)
Chappie (the film) is interesting if a bit recycled/derivative, and it runs out of steam at the 2/3 mark. I grew very tired of Chappie's family of thugs and would have enjoyed more development of the Patel/Jackman rivalry. Simplistic as it is, their characters' implied debate of creator rights vs. created rights, independent thought vs. jack-booted control, authentic innovation vs. corporate profiteering is timely, frightening, and essential.
I would be remiss if I didn't crow about Sharlto Copley's stellar motion capture work as Chappie. His is the most fully-realized characterization in the film as our heart aches for this innocent, animal-esque creature desperately trying to survive and thrive and feel and love in a muddled world that he didn't (nor wouldn't) create. That performance is a keeper and likely deserves a more substantive film.
Insurgent continues in this near-future-there-but-for-the-grace-of-someone-goes-our-society vein. It is the second part of the young adult series Divergent, based on the books by Veronica Roth and starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James along with Kate Winslet, Miles Teller, Ashley Judd, Ansel Elgort, Jai Courtney, Maggie Q, Zoe Kravitz, and Octavia Spencer. Naomi Watts joins the fun this time as yet another mysteriously motivated, first-name only "faction leader" … actually make that "factionless" leader – the nomadic "Evelyn."
I noted in my review of Divergent (here) that, as young adult fantasy series go, this one is closest to something I can stand. It's obviously not as popular as Hunger Games or Twilight, but, for me, it offers a more humane and humanistic look at our collective foibles.
Again, this ain't deep stuff and it's just as violent (if not more so) as those other series. However, the little socialist in my heart finds the central conceit of the Divergent books/movies very appealing: a culture that has decided to solve its problems by segregating its people along personality lines being rocked to its core when a young woman emerges who demonstrates exceptional abilities across the continuum of all those very traits (heaven forbid!). It's not deep, but it's feminist (lite), it's inclusive, and it's a wonderfully educational metaphor for young people to understand that a society is strengthened not weakened by diversity. Again, not subtle, but obviously much-needed right now.
Insurgent as a film feels like a bit of a placeholder as the series kicks into high gear with the upcoming final two installments, and that's ok. Woodley has done stronger character work elsewhere, but those key moments where she needs to telegraph her utter frustration with her role as society's new messiah are delivered with aplomb. That's pretty much all she needs to do here.
James, still Anthony-Perkins-on-steroids, does a better job this time establishing that he isn't just all smoldering petulance but that he has a heart and a brain. Winslet continues to be an icily bureaucratic delight as the calculating Jeanine, whose nefarious actions at every turn belie her hollow rhetoric for "peace and unity." (Sound familiar?) Finally, Miles Teller mounts a much-needed charm offensive in this installment, no doubt realizing that this isn't Ibsen and the dour delivery from everyone in the first film was a bit of a buzz kill. He is a charmingly oily sparkplug as the dubiously motivated Peter.
When one's soul is at sea because the world and its leaders seem hellbent on plain meanness, it helps to see a couple of movies (even if they aren't that terribly great) that reflect a point of view that some of us do see through this insidious crap in real time. The fact that hundreds of people might be like-minded enough to put together a film (or two) for the masses that might sow some seeds of popular dissent? Well, that's the kind of balm I go to the movies to receive. It's the end of the world as we know it … and I feel fine.
Reel Roy Reviews 2
Reel Roy Reviews is now TWO books! You can purchase your copies by clicking here (print and digital)
In addition to online ordering at Amazon or from the publisher Open Books, the first book is currently is being carried by Bookbound, Common Language Bookstore, and Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room in Ann Arbor, Michigan and by Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, Michigan.
My mom Susie Duncan Sexton's Secrets of an Old Typewriter series is also available on Amazon and at Bookbound and Common Language.
Posted By: Roy Sexton (Reel Roy Reviews)	Category: (Dark) Slice-of-Life, Action, Americana, Australians, Film Review, Sci Fi	Tags: #boycottindiana, 2001, angie's list, ansel elgort, anthony perkins, apple, ashley judd, ashton kutcher, audra mcdonald, beirut, boycott indiana, chappie, chappie review, croc hunter, dev patel, dick cheney, district 9, divergent, elysium, energizer bunny, evelyn, factionless, factions, fort wayne, four, george takei, governor pence, harvey keitel, he-man, hillary clinton, hoosier, hugh jackman, hunger games, indiana, indianapolis, insurgent, insurgent review, jai courtney, jeanine, jesus, joe pesci, johannesburg, john green, kate winslet, larry king, liz berry schatzlein, maggie q, marc benioff, mel brooks, melissa long, mike pence, miles teller, miley cyrus, moose, motion capture, naomi watts, neill blomkamp, octavia spencer, oliver twist, pat mcafee, peter, pig-wrestling, pinocchio, ray bradbury, religious freedom, religious freedoms restoration act, rem, rem. end of the world as we know it, robert schwentke, robocop, robots, salesforce, shailene woodley, sharlto copley, short circuit, sigourney weaver, slumdog millionaire, steve irwin, theo james, tim cook, tris, twilight, veronica roth, workforce, zoe kravitz
"The future is for those who know where they belong" – Divergent
Anyone who has followed this blog for a while knows that I am not exactly a fan of young adult fiction or the various movies it has spawned over the past 10 years. Twilight makes me snoozy; The Hunger Games leaves me peckish (and cranky), and gooey dreck like The Mortal Instruments just gives me a sugar headache.
Imagine my surprise, then, at how much I enjoyed Divergent. I've been dragging my heels to see it, waiting until the last possible moment, as it has been in theaters over a month. In fact, my showing tonight only had one person in it: me.
It is yet another dystopian fantasy in which society has (more or less) survived some unidentified cataclysm. A new order has been put in place to keep all of us well-behaved, monochromatic, and … a little dull. In Divergent's case, humanity has been organized into factions according to some key defining personality trait; for example the Dauntless are courageous or the Abnegation are selfless or the Erudite are, well, really smart.
Akin to Harry Potter's famous sorting hat, teens in this society are forced to choose which faction will serve as their tribe/home for the rest of their days. Said coming-of-age ceremony seems to involve hallucinogenic drugs, plasma screen televisions, and some very unfortunate outfits that appear to have been designed by Eileen Fisher on a very bad day.
Shailene Woodley, portrays "Beatrice," the heroine of our tale. She is a member of Abnegation, the selfless folks, and her parents are played by Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn (who are always so good at being stately and worried). Beatrice's father serves some role in local government, though I wasn't ever entirely clear what. All I could figure is that society is now led by a rather boring yet politely dysfunctional city council from hell.
Unsurprisingly, the parents in Divergent-world are hopeful that their children end up staying in the faction of their birth, but that is not always the case. Hence, the title "divergent" pertains to young people who defy tidy categorization. This diversity of thought and attitude seems to be the bane of existence for Kate Winslet's "Jeanine" who heads up the power-hungry Erudite clan – as indicated by her smart Hillary Clinton haircut and Donna Karan-esque navy blue suits.
The bulk of the film is spent setting up the rules of this future society and, when Woodley is in fact revealed to be "divergent," tracking how she will survive a society that doesn't much want her in it. She is mentored by the hunkily haunted "Four," portrayed by newcomer Theo James, channeling an Anthony Perkins-ish, glowering charm.
I found the proceedings much smarter than what is typically on display in these kinds of films. I suppose the casting of Winslet is a sign that director Neil Burger (The Illusionist, Limitless) had something greater in mind for this one. It reminded me at times of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, both of which depict near-future societies whose well-meaning, peace-keeping totalitarianism results in widespread mediocrity and a crushing fear of the unique. Orwell's allegorical legacy continues … praise be!
At one point, Winslet's character ominously declares, "The future is for those who know where they belong." Perhaps its just my paranoid middle age speaking but our society today seems to fear the unknown more than ever. The cinematic parable of Divergent (and its two planned sequels) strikes me as so powerful at this precarious cultural crossroads where we find ourselves. So, for once in my movie-going life, I'm actually looking forward to the second installment in one of these teen oriented sci-fi fantasias. Heaven help me.
Reel Roy Reviews is now a book! Please check out this coverage from BroadwayWorld of upcoming book launch events. In addition to online ordering at Amazon or from the publisher Open Books, the book currently is being carried by Bookbound, Common Language Bookstore, and Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room in Ann Arbor, Michigan; by Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, Michigan; and by Memory Lane Gift Shop in Columbia City, Indiana. Bookbound, Common Language, and Memory Lane also have copies of Susie Duncan Sexton's Secrets of an Old Typewriter series.
Posted By: Roy Sexton (Reel Roy Reviews)	Category: (Dark) Slice-of-Life, Action, Film Review, Must See, Sci Fi	Tags: abnegation, anthony perkins, ashley judd, beatrice, dauntless, divergent, donna karen, dystopia, eileen fisher, erudite, fahrenheit 451, four, george orwell, harrison bergeron, harry potter, hillary clinton, hunger games, jeanine, kate winslet, Kurt Vonnegut, limitless, neil burger, plasma screen, ray bradbury, roy sexton, shailene woodley, sorting hat, the illusionist, the mortal instruments, theo james, tony goldwyn, twilight
"No warning. No escape." No kidding. Pompeii
Today is Oscar Sunday, when Hollywood self-congratulates to the point of apoplexy, celebrating the best and brightest (or most cannily marketed) that the film industry has to offer.
So how do I honor this momentous day? I go to see hack auteur Paul W.S. Anderson's "historical" epic Pompeii.
You might recall Anderson's last outing in which he thought it would be nifty to turn The Three Musketeers into some steam-punk orgy of tomfoolery that included fire-breathing, clockworks dirigibles. And he's also made a whole bunch of junk movies based on video games.
So this track record certainly qualifies him to direct a film depicting one of the most compelling and haunting natural disasters to befall mankind. Right.
The script is basically a sugary smoothie of no nutritional value, blending the corny bad boy/good girl/class warfare-doomed romance of Titanic, the episodic "do we really care if these people get crushed by flaming objects?" disaster of The Towering Inferno, and a smattering of the weirdly homoerotic oeuvre of Anderson's fellow b-movie ham-hander Zack Snyder (see: 300 …. or the Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue).
As for the obvious Titanic swipe (another movie I can't stand, I might add) Anderson even has lead Emily Browning intoning "I'll never let you go!" at the film's abrupt conclusion. In a sign of some cinematic advancement, though, she doesn't then instantaneously contradict herself by dropping her beau Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) into the briny depths – as Kate Winslet did to a blue-lipped, bug-eyed Leonardo DiCaprio.
You'd be better off watching a History Channel documentary on the volcano that ate a Roman seaside village than this over-baked tripe. And so would the rest of the cast. Why is brilliant Jared Harris continuing his downward slide appearing in crud like this? He and Carrie-Anne Moss soldier through their stilted, portentous dialogue about investing in Pompeii's new vomitoria or some such nonsense. I think he's the mayor of Pompeii? I have no idea.
Then Kiefer Sutherland shows up seeming very … Kiefer Sutherland … as ominous Roman Senator (by way of Malibu) who wants to steal Harris' daughter away. 'Cause of course when a volcano (which I will admit is truly impressive, by the way) starts blowing chunks all over town, what would you do? I'd stop for a little palace intrigue, myself. Who cares if the grocery store just got flash-fried! Let's twirl our proverbial mustache and destroy a family for kicks!
(And didn't Mount Vesuvius erupt like instantly so that people were trapped in time baking bread and stuff? That's what I remember from grade school, though that could be totally wrong. That would have made for a much shorter movie, and we could have avoided the laughable moments of crockery shaking and dust falling from ceilings as people furrowed their brows confused about the imminent mountain-go-boom headed their way.)
I was entertained, but I half expected Fred Astaire, Tony Curtis, Ricardo Montalban, Shelley Winters, and Jean Simmons to show up wearing togas and hanging out with bell boys or maybe breaking into a musical number. That would have helped immeasurably.
Reel Roy Reviews is now a book! In addition to online ordering at Amazon or from the publisher Open Books, the book currently is being carried by Bookbound in Ann Arbor, Michigan; by Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, Michigan; and by Memory Lane Gift Shop in Columbia City, Indiana. Bookbound and Memory Lane both also have copies of Susie Duncan Sexton's Secrets of an Old Typewriter series.
Posted By: Roy Sexton (Reel Roy Reviews)	Category: Action, Film Review, Skip It, Thriller	Tags: 300, abercrombie and fitch, academy award, carrie-anne moss, dirigible, emily browning, fred astaire, game of thrones, history channel, hollywood, jared harris, jean simmons, kate winslet, kiefer sutherland, kit harington, leonardo dicaprio, oscar, paul w.s. anderson, pompeii, reel roy reviews, ricardo montalban, rome, roy sexton, shelley winters, steampunk, steampunk abercrombie and fitch, three musketeers, titanic, tony curtis, towering inferno, zack snyder