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Date: 22nd February 2020
Solar technology breakthrough at the University of Queensland
The development of next generation solar power technology that has potential to be used as a flexible 'skin' over hard surfaces has moved a step closer, thanks to a significant breakthrough at The University of Queensland.
UQ researchers set a world record for the conversion of solar energy to electricity via the use of tiny nanoparticles called 'quantum dots', which pass electrons between one another and generate electrical current when exposed to solar energy in a solar cell device.
The development represents a significant step towards making the technology commercially-viable and supporting global renewable energy targets.
Professor Lianzhou Wang, who led the breakthrough, said: "Conventional solar technologies use rigid, expensive materials. The new class of quantum dots the university has developed are flexible and printable.
"This opens up a huge range of potential applications, including the possibility to use it as a transparent skin to power cars, planes, homes and wearable technology. Eventually it could play a major part in meeting the United Nations' goal to increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix."
Professor Wang's team set the world record for quantum dot solar cell efficiency by developing a unique surface engineering strategy. Overcoming previous challenges around the fact that the surface of quantum dots tend to be rough and unstable – making them less efficient at converting solar into electrical current.
"This new generation of quantum dots is compatible with more affordable and large-scale printable technologies," said Professor Wang.
"The near 25 per cent improvement in efficiency we have achieved over the previous world record is important. It is effectively the difference between quantum dot solar cell technology being an exciting 'prospect' and being commercially viable.'
UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Hoj AC extended his congratulations to the UQ team.
"The world needs to rapidly reduce carbon emissions and this requires us to invest much more in research to improve existing energy-generation technologies and develop entirely new ones," he said.
"Harnessing the power of fundamental technological and scientific research is a big part of this process – and that's what we're focused on at UQ".
Corning and Energy Materials Corporation Sign Joint Development Agreement
Rochester NY (SPX) Feb 21, 2020
Energy Materials Corporation (EMC) has signe a joint development agreement (JDA) with Corning Incorporated. Working together, the companies are focused on bringing low-cost, high-performance perovskite solar photovoltaic panels and products to the energy industry. The JDA focuses both companies' respective industry leading capabilities using Corning's flexible Willow Glass as the printing substrate in EMC's proprietary (patents pending) printing process. Dr. Stephan DeLuca, EMC's CEO, said, … read more
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Knowing signs of impending stroke is essential
Baltimore—Ophthalmologists must learn to recognize the signs and symptoms that indicate an impending stroke and initiate the appropriate evaluation for each patient, according to Preston C. Calvert, MD. He outlined a plan for ophthalmologists to implement to ensure a rapid neurologic consultation when patients present with risk factors for stroke.
Baltimore-Ophthalmologists must learn to recognize the signs and symptoms that indicate an impending stroke and initiate the appropriate evaluation for each patient, according to Preston C. Calvert, MD. He outlined a plan for ophthalmologists to implement to ensure a rapid neurologic consultation when patients present with risk factors for stroke.
"The ophthalmologist has a key role in diagnosing and managing stroke," said Dr. Calvert, assistant professor, department of neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore. "The prevention of stroke is really the main 'treatment' that we have available despite all our efforts with treatments such as tissue plasminogen activator. Many patients who will present to ophthalmologists' offices are at high risk of having a stroke in the immediate future. Ophthalmologists must take strong responsibility for what happens to these patients."
Dr. Calvert also underscored the importance of differentiating carotid disease from vertebrobasilar disease.
Speed is important in these cases. The most common form of cerebrovascular disease that ophthalmologists will see is atheromatous internal carotid artery disease with distal embolism into the retina, Dr. Calvert said.
"This can present as either amaurosis fugax or as a central or branch retinal artery occlusion. The risk of a completed stroke in those patients is immediate and severe," he said. The Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project, which looked at patients after a first transient ischemic attack of the retina or brain, found that there was a 5% risk of a completed stroke within 2 days of the first event, an 8.6% risk within 7 days, and 12% risk in the first month.
In patients who present to ophthalmologists, the risk of carotid stenosis, which is the most treatable cause of preventable stroke, is more frequent in those with amaurosis fugax or retinal artery occlusion than in patients who present with a stroke. Dr. Calvert noted that a recent study reported that 30% of patients who had amaurosis fugax had a lesion of 30% or greater in the ipsilateral carotid artery; that figure was 22% if they had a branch retinal artery occlusion or central retinal vein occlusion, and 15% with a cerebral infarct.
"These percentages show that patients who present to an ophthalmologist are at the highest risk," he said. "Those patients with a high-grade stenosis are walking time bombs, because the risk of stroke is about 5% per week before they undergo surgery."
Carotid syndromes	Amaurosis fugax and the retinal artery occlusions are the primary signs that the patient has a carotid syndrome.
"The goal with these patients is to find any process that needs treatment other than by antiplatelet agents. Patients with greater than 70% stenosis are best treated by endarterectomy. Identify the patients with a dissection or a cardiac source who need anticoagulation therapy and identify those with giant cell arteritis," he said.
Dr. Calvert described the noninvasive evaluators of patients with carotid syndrome. Color duplex ultrasound has a very high sensitivity and specificity, is inexpensive, is performed rapidly, and is available in most places the day it is ordered. One of its limitations is that it is used to evaluate only the carotid bifurcation and the proximal internal carotid and not the distal carotid; in addition, carotid dissection can be missed. Another limitation is that a tight stenosis may be called an occlusion, which must be confirmed.
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is another imaging option that uses several techniques to visualize the cervical and cranial carotid arteries and the vertebrobasilar circulation. The test is optimal with gadolinium contrast enhancement. For carotid stenosis exceeding 70%, the sensitivities range up to 95% and specificities up to 94%, Dr. Calvert pointed out. MRA can visualize the distal internal carotid to locate dissections, carotid siphon stenosis, fibromuscular dysplasia, and tandem stenoses. The limitations of MRA are that the test cannot be accessed the same day as ordered in many places, it is more expensive than ultrasound, and the procedure cannot be performed in patients with pacemakers.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Top Ten Favorite Movies Set During the 1600s
Posted on April 23, 2018 by ladylavinia1932
Below is a list of my favorite movies set during the 1600s:
1. "The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge" (1974) – Richard Lester directed this adaptation of the second half of Alexandre Dumas père's 1844 novel, "The Three Musketeers". The movie starred Michael York, Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway.
2. "The Man in the Iron Mask" (1977) – Richard Chamberlain portrayed duel roles in this loose adaptation of Alexandre Dumas père's 1847-50 novel, "The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later". Directed by Mike Newell, the movie co-starred Jenny Agutter, Patrick McGoohan and Ralph Richardson.
3. "The Three Musketeers" (1973) – Richard Lester directed this adaptation of the first half of Alexandre Dumas père's 1844 novel, "The Three Musketeers". The movie starred Michael York, Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway.
4. "Adventures of Don Juan" (1948) – Errol Flynn starred in this swashbuckling movie as the infamous Spanish nobleman and fencing master for King Philip III and Queen Margaret of Spain's court, who comes to the aid of the couple when another nobleman plots to steal the throne from them. Vincent Sherman directed.
5. "The New World" (2005) – Terrence Malick wrote and directed this cinematic look at the founding of the Jamestown, Virginia settlement. The movie starred Colin Farrell, Q'orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer and Christian Bale.
6. The Three Musketeers" (1948) – George Sidney directed this adaptation of Alexandre Dumas père's 1844 novel. The movie starred Gene Kelly, Van Heflin, Lana Turner and June Allyson.
7. "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (2005) – Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson starred in this adaptation of Tracy Chevalier's 1999 historical novel about a Dutch housemaid; her employer, painter Johannes Vermeer; and the creation of his famous 1665 painting. Peter Webber directed.
8. "The Wicked Lady" (1945) – Margaret Lockwood starred in this adaptation of Magdalen King-Hall's 1945 novel, "Life And Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton". Directed by Leslie Arliss, the movie co-starred James Mason and Patricia Roc.
9. "Forever Amber" (1947) – Otto Preminger directed this adaptation of Kathleen Winsor's 1944 novel about the rise of a 17th century English orphan. Linda Darnell and Cornel Wilde starred.
10. "The Crucible" (1996) – Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder starred in this adaptation of Arthur Miller's 1953 stage play about the Salem Witch Trials. The movie was directed by Nicholas Hytner.
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"GANGS OF NEW YORK" (2002) Review
Posted on April 5, 2018 by ladylavinia1932
With the exception of a few, many of Martin Scorsese's films have been set in the City of New York – whether in the past or present. One of those films is his 2002 Oscar nominated film, "THE GANGS OF NEW YORK".
Loosely based upon Herbert Ashbury's 1927 non-fiction book, "GANGS OF NEW YORK" had the distinction of being a crime drama about a gang war . . . set during the first half of the U.S. Civil War. Before I continue, I should add that the film was not only based upon Ashbury's book, but also on the life and death of a street gang leader named William Poole.
"GANGS OF NEW YORK" began in 1846, when two street gangs – the Protestant"Nativists" led by William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting; and the "Dead Rabbits", an Irish immigrant gang led by "Priest" Vallon; meet somewhere in the Five Points neighborhood of Manhattan for a fight. Near the end of a vicious street brawl, Cutting kills Vallon. A close friend of Vallon hides his young son inside an orphanage on Blackwell's Island. Sixteen years pass and Vallon's son, who has renamed himself Amsterdam, returns to the Five Points neighborhood to seek revenge against "Bill the Butcher", who now rules the neighborhood. Against the back drop of the early years of the Civil War, Amsterdam maneuvers himself into Cutting's confidence, as he waits for the right moment to strike and get his revenge against the man who killed his father.
There are aspects of "GANGS OF NEW YORK" that I either liked or found impressive. Considering that Scorsese shot the film at the Cinecittà Studios and the Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York; I must admit that I found Dante Ferretti's production designs serving for Manhattan rather impressive. Impressive, but not exactly accurate or near accurate. The movie looked as if it had been shot on a sound stage. But I must say that I admired how the designs conveyed Scorsese's own vision of Manhattan 1862-63. I also noticed that the color tones utilized by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus reminded me of the three-strip Technicolor process from the early-to-mid 1930s. Rather odd for a period movie set during the U.S. Civil War. However, thanks to Ferretti's designs and Michael Ballhaus' very colorful photography, the movie's vision of 1860s Manhattan had a theatrical style to it – especially in the Five Points scenes. I did not love it, but I found it interesting.
I could probably say the same about Sandy Powell's costume designs. They struck me as an extreme version of 1860s fashion, especially in regard to color and fabrics, as shown in the image below:
And there was something about the movie's costume designs for men that I found slightly confusing. Mind you, I am not much of an expert on 19th century fashion for men. But for some reason, I found myself wondering if the costumes designed for the male cast were for a movie set in the 1840s, instead of the 1860s, as shown below:
But if I must be honest with myself, I did not like "GANGS OF NEW YORK". Not one bit. The movie proved to be a major disappointment. One of the main problems I had with this film was that Scorsese; along with screenwriters Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan; took what should have been a character-driven period crime drama and transformed it into something nearly unwieldy. When you think about it, "GANGS OF NEW YORK" was basically a fictionalized account of a feud between American-born William Poole and an Irish immigrant named John Morrissey, the former leader of the real "Dead Rabbits" gang. And their feud had played out in the early-to-mid 1850s. Instead, Scorsese and the screenwriters shifted the movie's setting to the early years of the Civil War and ended the narrative with the New York City Draft Riots of 1863 in some attempt to transform what could have been a more intimate period drama into this gargantuan historical epic. I found this perplexing, considering that the Civil War had little to do with the film's main narrative. It also did not help that the film's narrative struck me as a bit choppy, thanks to Scorsese being forced to delete a good deal of the film at the behest of the producers.
I did not have a problem with the conflict/relationship between Bill Cutting and Amsterdam Vallon. I thought Scorsese made an interesting choice by having Amsterdam ingratiate himself into Cutting's inner circle . . . and keeping his true identity a secret. This paid off when Amsterdam saved Cutting from an assassinating attempt, leading the latter to assume the position of the younger man's mentor. At first, I could not understand why Scorsese had included a romantic interest for Amsterdam in the form of a grifter/pickpocket named Jenny Everdeane. In the end, she proved to be a catalyst that led to Amsterdam and Cutting's eventual conflict near the end of the film. One of the few people who knew Amsterdam's true identity was an old childhood acquaintance named Johnny Sirocco, who became infatuated over Jenny. When he became aware of Amsterdam's romance with Jenny, Johnny ratted out his friend's identity to Cutting.
But what followed struck me as . . . confusing. On the 17th anniversary of his father's death, Amsterdam tried to kill Cutting and failed. Instead of killing the younger man in retaliation, Cutting merely wounded Amsterdam, branded the latter's cheek and declared him an outcast in the Five Points neighborhood. An outcast? That was it? I found it hard to believe that a violent and vindictive man like Bill "the Butcher" Cutting would refrain from killing someone who tried to kill him. Perhaps this scenario could have worked if Cutter had tried to kill Amsterdam and fail, allowing the latter to make his escape. Or not. But I found Scorsese's scenario with Amsterdam being banished from Cutting's circle and the Five Points neighborhood to be something of a joke.
As for the movie's performances . . . for me they seemed to range from decent to below average. For a movie that featured some of my favorite actors and actresses, I was surprised that not one performance really impressed me. Not even Daniel Day-Lewis' Oscar nominated performance as William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting. Mind you, Day-Lewis had one or two scenes that impressed – especially one that involved a conversation between Bill the Butcher and Amsterdam, inside a brothel. Otherwise, I felt that the actor was chewing the scenery just a bit too much for my tastes. Leonardo Di Caprio, on the other hand, was crucified by critics and moviegoers for his portrayal of the revenge seeking Amsterdam Vallon. Aside from his questionable Irish accent, I had no real problems with Di Caprio's performance. I simply did not find his character very interesting. Just another kid seeking revenge for the death of his father. What made this desire for revenge ridiculous to me is that Bill the Butcher had killed "Priest" Vallon in a fair fight. Not many critics were that impressed by Cameron Diaz's performance. Aside from her questionable Irish accent, I had no real problems with the actress. I had a bigger problem with her character, Jenny Everdeane. To put it quite frankly, aside from her role serving as a catalyst to Cutting's discovery of Amsterdam's true identity, I found Jenny's role in this movie rather irrelevant.
As for the other members of the cast . . . I found their performances solid, but not particularly noteworthy. I thought Henry Thomas gave a decent performance as the lovelorn and vindictive Johnny Sirocco. The movie featured Jim Broadbent, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Cara Seymour and Michael Byrne portraying true-life characters like William "Boss" Tweed, P.T. Barnum, Hell Cat Maggie and Horace Greeley. They gave competent performances, but I did not find them particularly memorable. The movie also featured solid performances from the likes of Liam Neeson, John C. Reilly, Brendan Gleeson, Gary Lewis, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Stephen Graham, Eddie Marsan, David Hemmings, Barbara Bouchet and Alec McCowen. But honestly, I could not think of a performance that I found memorable.
My real problem with "GANGS OF NEW YORK" was Scorsese's handling of the movie's historical background. Quite frankly, I thought it was appalling. I am not referring to the film's visual re-creation of early 1860s Manhattan. I am referring to how Scorsese utilized the movie's mid-19th century historical background for the film. Earlier, I had pointed out that the Civil War setting for "GANGS OF NEW YORK" barely had any impact upon the movie's narrative. I think it may have been a bit in error. Scorsese and the screenwriters did utilize the Civil War setting, but in a very poor manner.
"GANGS OF NEW YORK" should never have been set during the U.S. Civil War. It was a big mistake on Scorsese's part. Day-Lewis' character is based upon someone who was killed in 1855, six years before the war's outbreak. Scorsese should have considered setting the movie during the late antebellum period, for his handling of the Civil War politics in the movie struck me as very questionable. From Scorsese's point of view in this film, the Union is basically a militaristic entity bent upon not only oppressing the Confederacy, but also its citizens in the North – including immigrants and African-Americans. This view was overtly manifested in two scenes – the U.S. Naval bombing of the Five Points neighborhood during the Draft Riots . . . something that never happened; and a poster featuring the images of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass that appeared in the movie:
What made this poster even more ridiculous is that the image of Frederick Douglass was anachronistic. Douglass was roughly around 44 to 45 years old during the movie's time period. He looked at least 15 to 20 years older in the poster.
In "GANGS OF NEW YORK", Americans of Anglo descent like Bill the Butcher were the real bigots of 1860s Manhattan. Not only did they hate immigrants, especially Irish-born immigrants, but also black Americans. I am not claiming that all 19th century Anglo-Americans tolerated blacks and immigrants. Trust me, they did not. But did Scorsese actually expected moviegoers to believe that most of the Irish immigrants were more tolerant of African-Americans than the Anglos? Apparently, he did. He actually portrayed one character, an African-American named Jimmy Spoils, as one of Amsterdam's close friends and a member of the latter's newly reformed "Dead Rabbits" gang. Honestly? It was bad enough that Scorsese's portrayal of Jimmy Spoils was so damn limited. I cannot recall a well-rounded black character in any of his movies. Not one.
Scorsese and his screenwriters made the situation worse by portraying the Irish immigrants as generally more tolerant toward blacks than the Anglos. In fact, the only Irish-born or characters of Irish descent hostile toward African-Americans in the film were those manipulated by Anglos or traitors to their own kind. According to the movie, the violent inflicted upon blacks by Irish immigrants was the instigation of Federal military policy. By embracing this viewpoint, Scorsese seemed unwilling to face the the real hostility that had existed between Irish immigrants and African-Americans years before the draft riots in July 1863. Actually, both the Irish and the Anglo-Americans – "the Natives" – were racist toward the blacks. One group was not more tolerant than the other. The movie also featured Chinese immigrants as background characters. In other words, not one of them was given a speaking part. If Scorsese had really wanted the New York Draft Riots to be the centerpiece of this movie, he should have focused more on race relations and been more honest about it.
I really wish that I had enjoyed "GANGS OF NEW YORK". I really do. I have always been fascinated by U.S. history during the Antebellum and Civil War periods. But after watching this film, I came away with the feeling that Martin Scorsese either had no idea what kind of film that he wanted or that he tried to do too much. Was "GANGS OF NEW YORK" a period crime drama or a historical drama about the events that led to the New York Draft Riots? It seemed as if the director was more interested in his tale about Amsterdam Vallon and William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting. If so, he could have followed the William Poole-John Morrissey conflict more closely, set this film where it truly belonged – in the 1850s – and left the Civil War alone. I believe his handling of the Civil War proved to be a major stumbling block of what could have been an well done film.
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Top Ten Favorite Movies Set Between 1750 and 1799
Below is my current list of favorite movies set between 1750 and 1799:
1. "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992) – Michael Mann directed what I believe is the best film adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel set during the Seven Years War. The movie starred Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Wes Studi and Russell Means.
2. "Dangerous Liaisons" (1988) – Stephen Frears directed this sumptuous Oscar nominated adaptation of screenwriter Christopher Hampton's 1985 stage play, which was an adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 novel. The movie starred Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfieffer.
3. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000) – Ang Lee directed this superb Oscar winning adaptation of Wang Dulu's wuxia novel. The movie starred Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi.
4. "Amazing Grace" (2006) – Ioan Gruffudd, Benedict Cumberbatch and Romola Garai starred in this biopic about British politician/abolitionist William Wilberforce's efforts to end Britain's TransAtlantic slave trade. Michael Apted directed.
5. "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (1982) – Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour starred in this superb adaptation of Baroness Orczy's 1905 novel and its 1913 sequel, "Eldorado". Directed by Clive Donner, the movie co-starred Ian McKellen.
6. "Pride & Prejudice" (2005) – Joe Wright directed this first-rate adaptation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel. The movie starred Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
7. "1776" (1972) – William Daniels, Howard da Silva and Ken Howard starred in this adaptation of Peter Stone's 1969 Broadway musical set during the American Revolution. Peter H. Hunt directed.
8. "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" (1963) – Patrick McGoohan starred in this Disney adaptation of Russell Thorndike's 1915 novel, "Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh". James Neilson directed.
9. "Jefferson in Paris" (1995) – Ismail Merchant co-produced and James Ivory directed this semi-fictionalized account of Thomas Jefferson's tenure as U.S. Ambassador to France. The movie starred Nick Nolte, Greta Scacchi, Gwyneth Paltrow and Thandie Newton.
10. "April Morning" (1988) – Chad Lowe, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Urich starred in this adaptation of Howard Fast's 1961 novel about the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Delbert Mann directed.
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1. "The Age of Innocence" (1993) – Martin Scorcese directed this exquisite adaptation of Edith Wharton's award winning 1920 novel about a love triangle within New York's high society during the Gilded Age. Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfieffer and Oscar nominee Winona Ryder starred.
2. "The Big Country" (1958) – William Wyler directed this colorful adaptation of Donald Hamilton's 1958 novel, "Ambush at Blanco Canyon". The movie starred Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker and Charlton Heston.
3. "True Grit" (2010) – Ethan and Joel Coen wrote and directed this excellent adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel about a fourteen year-old girl's desire for retribution against her father's killer. Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hattie Steinfeld starred.
4. "Far From the Madding Crowd" (2015) – Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge and Michael Sheen starred in this well done adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1874 novel about a young Victorian woman who attracts three different suitors. Thomas Vinterberg directed.
5. "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956) – Mike Todd produced this Oscar winning adaptation of Jules Verne's 1873 novel about a Victorian gentleman who makes a bet that he can travel around the world in 80 days. Directed by Michael Anderson and John Farrow, the movie starred David Niven, Cantiflas, Shirley MacLaine and Robert Newton.
6. "Stardust" (2007) – Matthew Vaughn co-wrote and directed this adaptation of Neil Gaman's 1996 fantasy novel. The movie starred Charlie Cox, Claire Danes and Michelle Pfieffer.
7. "Fort Apache" (1948) – John Ford directed this loose adaptation of James Warner Bellah's 1947 Western short story called"Massacre". The movie starred John Wayne, Henry Fonda, John Agar and Shirley Temple.
8. "Zulu Dawn" (1979) – Burt Lancaster, Simon Ward and Peter O'Toole starred in this depiction of the historical Battle of Isandlwana between British and Zulu forces in 1879 South Africa. Douglas Hickox directed.
9. "Young Guns" (1988) – Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips starred in this cinematic account of Billy the Kid's experiences during the Lincoln County War. The movie was directed by Christopher Cain.
10. "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011) – Jon Favreau directed this adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's 2006 graphic novel about an alien invasion in 1870s New Mexico Territory. The movie starred Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde.
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Favorite Films Set in the 1900s
Below is a list of my favorite movies (so far) that are set in the 1900s decade:
1. "Howard's End" (1992) – Ismail Merchant and James Ivory created this exquisite adaptation of E.M. Forster's 1910 novel. The movie starred Oscar winner Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham-Carter, Samuel West and Oscar nominee Vanessa Redgrave.
2. "The Assassination Bureau" (1969) – Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas starred in this delicious adaptation of Jack London's unfinished novel about a woman journalist who uncovers an organization for professional assassins. Basil Dearden directed.
3. "A Room With a View" (1985-86) – Ismail Merchant and James Ivory created this excellent adaptation of E.M. Forster's 1908 novel. The movie starred Helena Bonham-Carter, Julian Sands, Daniel Day-Lewis and Oscar nominees Maggie Smith and Denholm Elliot.
4. "Gigi" (1958) – Oscar winner Vincente Minelli directed this superb adaptation of Collette's 1944 novella about a young Parisian girl being groomed to become a courtesan. Leslie Caron and Louis Jordan starred.
5. "The Illusionist" (2006) – Neil Burger directed this first-rate adaptation of Steven Millhauser's short story, "Eisenheim the Illusionist". The movie starred Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti and Rufus Sewell.
6. "The Great Race" (1965) – Blake Edwards directed this hilarious comedy about a long-distance road race between two rival daredevils. The movie starred Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood.
7. "Flame Over India aka North West Frontier" (1959) – Kenneth More and Lauren Bacall starred in this Imperial adventure about a British Army officer who serves as escort to a young Hindu prince being targeted by Muslim rebels. J. Lee Thompson directed.
8. "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944) – Judy Garland starred in this very entertaining adaptation of Sally Benson's short stories about a St. Louis family around the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair in 1904. Vincente Minelli directed.
9. "The Golden Bowl" (2000) – Ismail Merchant and James Ivory created this interesting adaptation of Henry James' 1904 novel about an adulterous affair in Edwardian England. The movie starred Uma Thurman, Nick Nolte, Kate Beckinsale and Jeremy Northam.
10. "North to Alaska" (1960) – John Wayne, Stewart Granger and Capucine starred in this surprisingly fun Western about how a mail-to-order bride nearly came between two partners during the Nome Gold Rush. Henry Hathaway directed.
Filed under: Essay, History, Movies | Tagged: angela landsbury, angelica huston, anthony hopkins, austro-hungarian empire, belle epoque, blake edwards, british empire, daniel day-lewis, denholm elliot, diana rigg, e.m. forster, edward norton, edwardian age, emma thompson, fabia drake, helena bonham-carter, henry james, history, jack lemmon, james fox, james wilby, jemma redgrave, jeremy northam, jessica biel, john wayne, judi dench, julian sands, kate beckinsale, kenneth more, lauren bacall, literary, margaret o'brien, mary astor, merchant-ivory, natalie wood, nicholas day, nick nolte, nickolas grace, oliver reed, paul giamatti, progressive era, prunella scales, rosemary leach, rufus sewell, rupert graves, stewart granger, telly savalas, tom drake, tom fisher, uma thurman |	Leave a comment »
"A ROOM WITH A VIEW" (1985-86) Review
Ah, Merchant and Ivory! Whenever I hear those particular names, my mind usually generates images of Britons in Edwardian dress, strolling along a London street, across a wide lawn or even along some city boulevard in a country other than Great Britain. In other words, the images from their movie, "A ROOM WITH A VIEW" usually fills my brain.
Ishmail Merchant and James Ivory produced and directed this adaptation of E.M. Forster's 1908 novel, which first hit the theaters in Great Britain during the early winter of 1985. Four months later, the movie was released in American movie theaters. Forster's tale is basically a coming-of-age story about a young Edwardian woman, who finds herself torn between her superficial and snobbish fiancé and the free-thinking son of a retired journalist, whom she had met during her Italian vacation. The movie begins with the arrival of young Lucy Honeychurch and her cousin/chaperone Charlotte Barlett to a small pensionein Florence, Italy. Not only does Lucy have a reunion with her family's local clergyman, the Reverend Mr. Beebe; she and Charlotte meet a non-conformist father and son pair named Mr. Emerson and his son, George. The Emersons agree to exchange their room – which has a view – with the one occupied by Lucy and Charlotte. Lucy becomes further acquainted with George after the pair witness a murder in the city's square and he openly expresses his feelings to her. Matters come to a head between the young couple when George kisses Lucy during a picnic for the pensione's British visitors, outside of the city. Charlotte witnesses the kiss and not only insists that she and Lucy return to the pensione, but also put some distance between them and the Emersons by leaving Florence.
A few months later finds Lucy back at her home in Windy Corners, England. She had just accepted a marriage proposal from the wealthy, yet intellectually snobbish Cecil Vyse; much to her mother and brother Freddy's silent displeasure. Matters take a turn for the worse when George and Mr. Emerson move to an empty cottage in Windy Corners, she soon learns that both George and his father have moved to her small village, thanks to Cecil's recommendation. With George back in her life, Lucy's suppressed feelings return. It is not long before she is internally divided between her feelings for George and her growing fear that Cecil might not be the man for her.
What can I say about "A ROOM WITH THE VIEW"? It was the first British-produced costume drama I had ever seen in the movie theaters. Hell, it was the first Merchant-Ivory production I had ever seen . . . period. Has it held up in the past twenty-eight years? Well . . . it is not perfect. The problem is other than Julian Sands' performance, I cannot think of any real imperfections in the movie. A view have pointed out that its quaintness has made it more dated over the years. Frankly, I found it fresh as ever. Who am I kidding? I loved the movie when I first saw it 28 years ago, and still loved it when I recently watched it.
One would think that the movie's critique of a conservative society would seem outdated in the early 21st century. But considering the growing conservatism of the past decade or so, perhaps "A ROOM WITH A VIEW" is not as outdated as one would believe, considering its Edwardian setting. Mind you, I found some the Emersons' commentaries on life rather pretentious and in George's case, a bit long-winded. But I cannot deny that their observations, however long-winded, struck me as dead on. More importantly, Foster's novel and by extension, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's screenplay, makes Foster's observations more easy to swallow thanks to a very humorous and witty tale. Another aspect that I enjoyed about "A ROOM WITH A VIEW" was how Foster's liberalism had an impact on the love story between Lucy and George. I find it interesting how Foster managed to point out the differences between genuine liberals like the Emersons and pretenders like Cecil Vyse, who use such beliefs to feed his own sense of superiority.
While watching "A ROOM WITH A VIEW", it seemed very apparent to me, that it is still a beautiful movie to look at. The movie not only won a Best Adapted Screenplay award for screenwriter, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; but also two technical awards for the movie's visual style. Gianni Quaranta, Brian Ackland-Snow, Brian Savegar, Elio Altamura served as the team for the movie's art direction and won an Academy Award for their efforts. The art designs they created for the movie's Edwardian setting is stunning. I can also say the same about the Academy Award winning costume designs created by Jenny Beavan and John Bright. Below are two examples of their work:
And Tony Pierce-Roberts earned a much deserved Oscar for his beautiful and lush photography of both Tuscany in Italy and various English locations that served as the movie's settings.
One of the best aspects of "A ROOM WITH A VIEW" has to be its cast of entertaining, yet flawed characters. First of all, the movie featured rich, supporting characters like Lucy's charming, yet gauche brother Freddy; the very verbose and open-minded Reverend Beebe; the always exasperated Mrs. Honeychurch; the indiscreet and pretentious novelist, Eleanor Lavish (in some ways another Cecil); and the snobbish and controlling Reverend Eager. And it is due to the superb performances of Rupert Graves, the always entertaining Simon Callow, Rosemary Leach, the even more amazing Judi Dench and Patrick Godfrey that allowed these characters to come to life.
Both Maggie Smith and Denholm Elliot earned well-deserved Academy Award nominations for their unforgettable performances as Charlotte Barlett, Lucy's passive-aggressive cousin; and George's brash and open-minded father, Mr. Emerson. Charlotte must be one of the most fidgety characters ever portrayed by Smith, yet she conveyed this trait with such subtlety that I could not help but feel disappointed that she did not collect that Oscar. And Elliot did a marvelous job in portraying Mr. Emerson with the right balance of humor and pathos. Daniel Day-Lewis did not earn an Oscar nomination for his hilarious portrayal of Lucy's snobbish and pretentious fiancé, Cecil Vyse. But he did win the National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actor. Although there were moments when I found his performance a bit too mannered, I cannot deny that he deserved that award.
The role of Lucy Honeychurch made Helena Bonham-Carter a star. And it is easy to see why. The actress did an excellent job of not only portraying Lucy's quiet, yet steady persona as a well-bred Englishwoman. And at the same time, she also managed to convey the character's peevishness and a passive-aggressive streak that strongly reminded me of Charlotte Barlett. The only bad apple in the barrel proved to be Julian Sands' performance as the overtly romantic, yet brooding George Emerson. Too be honest, I found a good deal of his performance rather flat. This flatness usually came out when Sands opened his mouth. He has never struck me as a verbose actor. However, I must admit that he actually managed to shine in one scene in which George openly declared his feelings for Lucy. And with his mouth shut, Sands proved he could be a very effective screen actor.
Looking back on "A ROOM WITH A VIEW", I still find it difficult to agree with that blogger who stated that it had become somewhat dated over the years. Not only does the movie seem livelier than ever after 28 years or so, its theme of freedom from social repression still resonates . . . something I suspect that many would refuse to admit. Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, along with Oscar winner screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala created a work of art that has not lost its beauty and its bite after so many years.
Filed under: Movies | Tagged: daniel day-lewis, denholm elliot, e.m. forster, edwardian age, fabia drake, helena bonham-carter, judi dench, julian sands, literary, maggie smith, merchant-ivory, movies, patrick godfrey, rosemary leach, rupert graves, simon callow, travel |	Leave a comment »
"LINCOLN" (2012) Review
Posted on May 2, 2013 by ladylavinia1932
When I first heard of Steven Spielberg's decision to make a biographical film about the 16th president of the United States, I ended up harboring a good deal of assumptions about the movie. I heard Spielberg had planned to focus on Abraham Lincoln's last year in office and assumed the movie would be set between the spring of 1864 and April 1865. I had assumed the movie would be about Lincoln's various problems with his military generals and other politicians. I thought it would be a more focused similarity to the 1998 miniseries of the same name.
In the end, "LINCOLN" proved to be something quite different. Partly based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's 2005 biography of Lincoln and his Cabinet members, "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln", the movie mainly focused on Lincoln's efforts in January 1865 to have slavery abolished in the country, by getting theThirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the House of Representatives. According to Tony Kutchner's screenplay, Lincoln expected the Civil War to end within a month. He felt concerned that his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation may be discarded by the courts at the war's conclusion and the 13th Amendment defeated by the returning slave states. To ensure that the 13th Amendment is added to the Constitution, Lincoln wanted it passed by the end of January in order to remove any possibility of those slaves who had already been freed, being re-enslaved. To reach his goal, Lincoln needed Republican party founder Francis Blair to garner support from the more conservative Republicans and support from Democratic congressmen, who would ordinarily vote against such an amendment. In order to acquire Blair's support, Lincoln was forced to consider a peace conference with three political representatives from the Confederacy. And his Secretary of State, William Seward, recruits three lobbyists – William N. Bilbo, Colonel Robert Latham and Richard Schell – to convince lame duck Democratic congressmen to support the amendment.
I am surprised that the movie went through a great deal in crediting Doris Kearns Goodwin's book as a major source for the movie. Very surprised. I own a copy of the book and know for a fact that only four-and-a-half pages are devoted to the Thirteenth Amendment and five-and-half pages are devoted to the Peace Conference with Confederate political leaders. If so little came from Goodwin's book, where did Tony Kutchner receive most of his historical information for the movie? And if he did use other historical sources, why did Spielberg failed to credit other historical sources for the movie?
I recall watching the trailer for "LINCOLN" and found myself slightly repelled by it. As someone who had to endure a great deal of pompous and self-righteous dialogue in a good number of historical dramas, I noticed that the trailer seemed to be full it. Fortunately, the movie was only tainted by a few scenes featuring pompous dialogue. One of those scenes turned out to be Lincoln's meeting with four Union soldiers – two blacks and two whites. Of the four soldiers, only the first black soldier – portrayed by Colman Domingo – managed to engage in a relaxed conversation with the President. The two white soldiers behaved like ardent fanboys in Lincoln's presence and one of them – portrayed by actor Luke Haas – ended up reciting the Gettysburg Address. The scene ended with the other black soldier – portrayed by British actor David Oyelowo – also reciting the speech. Not only did I find this slightly pompous, but also choked with Spielberg's brand of sentimentality, something I have never really cared for. Following Lincoln's death, Spielberg and Kutchner ended the movie with a flashback of the President reciting his second inaugural address. I cannot say how the pair should have ended the movie. But I wish they had not done with a speech. All it did was urge me to leave the movie theater as soon as possible. Janusz Kamiński is a first-rate cinematographer, but I can honestly say that I found his photography in "LINCOLN" not particularly impressive. In fact, I found it rather drab. Drab colors in a costume picture is not something I usually look forward to.
The movie also featured a few historical inaccuracies. Usually, I have nothing against this if it works for the story. The problem is that the inaccuracies in "LINCOLN" did not serve the story. I found them unnecessary. Lincoln's meeting with the four Union soldiers allowed Oyelowo's character to expressed his displeasure at the U.S. Army's lack of black officers and the indignity of pay lower than white soldiers. The problem with this rant is that before January 1865, the U.S. Army had at least 100 to 200 black officers. And Congress had granted equal pay and benefits to black troops by June 1864. Thirty-three year-old actor Lee Pace portrayed Democratic New York Congressman Fernando Wood, an ardent opponent of abolition. In reality, Wood was at least 52 years old in January 1865. Another scene featured a White House reception that featured a meeting between First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and some of the Radical Republicans like Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner. Kutchner had Mary face Senator Sumner with a warm greeting, before she deliberately cut him off to face Congressman Stevens. The movie made it clear that the First Lady disliked the Radical Republicans, whom she viewed as personal enemies of her husband. Yet, the manner in which she disregarded Senator Sumner was completely misleading . . . especially since the senator and the First Lady had been close friends since the early months of Lincoln's presidency. In reality, Mary Lincoln's political views were more radical than her husband's. But due to her background as the daughter of a Kentucky slaveowner, most of the Radical Republicans viewed her as soft on abolition and a possible Confederate sympathizer.
Thankfully, the good in "LINCOLN" outweighed the bad. More than outweighed the bad. Recalling my original assumption that "LINCOLN" would turn out to be some pretentious film weighed down by boring dialogue and speeches, I can happily say that the movie's look at American politics during the Civil War proved to be a great deal more lively. Yes, the movie did feature a few pretentious scenes. However, "LINCOLN" turned out to be a tightly woven tale about the 16th President's efforts to get the Thirteenth Amendment passed by the end of January 1865. In many ways, the movie's plot reminded me of the 2007 film, "AMAZING GRACE", which featured William Wilberforce's effort to abolish Britain's slave trade during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Unlike the 2007, "LINCOLN" proved to be more tightly focused and featured a more earthy and sometimes humorous look at American politics at play. One of the movie's successes proved to be its focus on the efforts of the three lobbyists, whom I ended up dubbing the "Three Musketeers", to recruit lame duck Democrats to vote for passage of the amendment. In fact these scenes featuring James Spader, John Hawkes and Tim Blake Nelson proved to be among the funniest in the film. The movie also featured the tribulations Lincoln experienced with his immediate family – namely the volatile behavior of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and his oldest son Robert Lincoln's determination to join the Army – during this difficult period in which his attention toward the amendment's passage. More importantly, the movie on a political situation rarely mentioned in movies about Lincoln – namely the political conflicts that nearly divided the Republican Party during the Civil War. Not only did Lincoln find himself at odds with leading Democrats such as Fernando Wood of New York and George Pendleton of Ohio; but also with Radical Republicans such as Thaddeus Stevens who distrusted Lincoln's moderate stance on abolition and even his fellow conservative Republicans like Frances and Montgomery Blair, whose push for reconciliation with the Confederates threatened the amendment.
Now one might say that is a lot for a 150 minutes film about the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. And they would be right. But for some reason, it worked, thanks to Spielberg's direction and Kutchner's screenplay. One, for a movie with a running time between two to three hours, I found it well paced. Not once did the pacing dragged to a halt or put me to sleep. "LINCOLN" also attracted a good number of criticism from certain circles. Some have pointed out that the film seemed to claim that Lincoln kick started the campaign for the amendment. The movie never really made this claim. Historians know that the Republican controlled U.S. Senate had already passed the amendment back in April 1864. But the Republicans did not control the House of Representatives and it took another nine-and-a-half months to get the House to pass it. For reasons that still baffle many historians, Lincoln suddenly became interested in getting the amendment passed before his second inauguration – something that would have been unnecessary if he had waited for a Republican controlled Congress two months later.
Many had complained about the film's oversimplification of African-Americans' roles in the abolition of slavery. I would have agreed if the film's focus on abolition had been a little more broad and had began during the war's first year; or if it had been about the role of blacks in the abolition of slavery during the war. Actually, I am still looking forward to a Hollywood production on Frederick Douglass, but something tells me I will be holding my breath. But with the movie mainly focused on the final passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, I suspect this would not have been possible. Some claimed that the African-American merely hung around and waited for the amendment's passage. I would have agreed if it were not for Lincoln's encounter with the Union soldiers at the beginning of the film; Lincoln valet William Slade's day-to-day dealings with the First Family, and the film's focus on Elizabeth Keckley's attention to the political wrangling surrounding the amendment. One scene focused on Mrs. Keckley's conversation with Lincoln on the consequences of the amendment and another featured a tense moment in which she walked out on the proceedings after Thaddeus Stevens was forced to refute his earlier claims about equality between the races in order to win further Democratic support.
Aside from my complaints about the movie's drab photography, I can honestly say that from a visual point of view, "LINCOLN" did an excellent job in re-creating Washington D.C. during the last year of the Civil War. Production designer Rick Carter really had his work cut out and as far as I am concerned, he did a superb job. He was ably assisted by the art direction team of Curt Beech, David Crank and Leslie McDonald, who still helped to make 1865 Washington D.C. rather colorful, despite the drab photography; along with Jim Erickson and Peter T. Frank's set decorations. And I found Joanna Johnston's costumes absolutely exquisite. The scene featuring the Lincolns' reception at the White House was a perfect opportunity to admire Johnston's re-creation of mid 19th century fashion. I can honestly say that I did not find John Williams' score for the movie particularly memorable. But I cannot deny that it blended very well with the story and not a note seemed out of place.
"LINCOLN" not only featured a very large cast, but also a great number of first-rate performances. It would take me forever to point out the good performances one-by one, so I will focus on those that really caught my attention. The man of the hour is Daniel Day-Lewis, who has deservedly won accolades for his portrayal of the 16th President. I could go into rapture over his performance, but what is the point? It is easy to see that Abraham Lincoln could be viewed as one of his best roles and that he is a shoe-in for an Oscar nod. If Day-Lewis is the man of the hour, then I can honestly say that Sally Field came out of this film as "the woman of the hour. She did a beautiful job in recapturing not only Mary Todd Lincoln's volatile nature, but political shrewdness. Like Day-Lewis, she seemed to be a shoe-in for an Oscar nod. Congressman Thaddeus Stevens has been featured as a character in at least three Hollywood productions. In pro-conservative movies like 1915's "BIRTH OF A NATION" (upon which the Austin Stoneman character is based) and the 1942 movie on Andrew Johnson called"TENNESSEE JOHNSON", he has been portrayed as a villain. But in "LINCOLN", he is portrayed as a fierce and courageous abolitionist by the always wonderful Tommy Lee Jones. The actor did a superb job in capturing the Pennsylvania congressman's well-known sarcastic wit and determination to end slavery in the U.S. for all time. I would be very surprised if he does not early an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor.
But there were other first-rate performances that also caught my attention. David Strathairn did an excellent and subtle job in capturing the politically savy Secretary of State William H. Seward. Joseph Gordon-Levitt managed to impress me for the third time this year, in his tense and emotional portrayal of the oldest Lincoln sibling, Robert Lincoln, who resented his father's cool behavior toward him and his mother's determination to keep him out of the Army. Hal Holbrook, who portrayed Lincoln in two television productions) gave a colorful performance as Lincoln crony, Francis Blair. Gloria Reuben gave a subtle performance as Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker and companion, Elizabeth Keckley, who displayed an intense interest in the amendment's passage. James Spader, John Hawkes and Tim Blake Nelson gave hilarious performances as the three lobbyists hired by Lincoln and Seward to recruit support of the amendment from lame duck Democrats. Stephen Henderson was deliciously sarcastic as Lincoln's long suffering valet, William Slade. Lee Pace gave a surprisingly effective performance as long-time abolition opponent, Fernando Wood. And I was also impressed by Jackie Earle Haley's cool portrayal of Alexander Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederacy.
As I had stated earlier, I was not really prepared to enjoy "LINCOLN", despite its Civil War setting. To be honest, the last Spielberg movie I had really enjoyed was 2005's "MUNICH". And after the 2011 movie, "WAR HORSE", I wondered if he had lost his touch. I am happy to say that with "LINCOLN", he has not. Spielberg could have easily laden this film with over-the-top sentimentality and pretentious rhetoric. Thankfully, his portrayal of pre-20th century American politics proved to be not only exciting, but also colorful. And he had great support from a first-rate production team, Tony Kutchner's superb screenplay, and excellent performances from a cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis. The Civil War had not been this interesting in quite a while.
Filed under: Movies | Tagged: abraham lincoln, adam driver, bruce mcgill, chase edmunds, civil war, colman domingo, dakin matthews, dane dehaan, daniel day-lewis, david oyelowo, david strathairn, elizabeth marvel, gloria reuben, gregory itzin, hal holbrook, history, jackie earle haley, jared harris, john hawkes, joseph gordon-levitt, lee pace, luke haas, michael stuhlbarg, politics, sally field, steven spielberg, tommy lee jones, walton goggins, wayne duvall, william camp |	Leave a comment »
List of Favorite Movies and Television Miniseries About SLAVERY
With the recent release of Steven Spielberg's new movie, "LINCOLN" and Quentin Tarrantino's latest film, "DJANGO UNCHAINED", I found myself thinking about movies I have seen about slavery – especially slavery practiced in the United States. Below is a list of my favorite movies on the subject in chronological order:
"Skin Game" (1971) – James Garner and Lou Gossett Jr. co-starred in this unusual comedy about two antebellum drifter who pull the "skin game" – a con that involves one of them selling the other as a slave for money before the pair can escape and pull the same con in another town. Paul Bogart directed.
"Mandingo" (1975) – Reviled by many critics as melodramatic sleaze, this 1975 adaptation of Kyle Onstott's 1957 novel revealed one of the most uncompromising peeks into slave breeding in the American South, two decades before the Civil War. Directed by Richard Fleischer, the movie starred James Mason, Perry King, Brenda Sykes, Susan George and Ken Norton.
"Roots" (1977) – David Wolper produced this television miniseries adaptation of Alex Haley's 1976 about his mother's family history as American slaves during a century long period between the mid-18th century and the end of the Civil War. LeVar Burton, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, Georg Sanford Brown and Lou Gossett Jr. starred.
"Half-Slave, Half-Free: Solomon Northup's Odyssey" (1984) – Avery Brooks starred in this television adaptation of free born Solomon Northup's 1853 autobiography about his twelve years as a slave in antebellum Louisiana. Gordon Parks directed.
"North and South" (1985) – David Wolper produced this television adaptation of John Jakes' 1982 novel about the experiences of two American families and the growing discord over slavery during the twenty years before the American Civil War. Patrick Swayze and James Read starred.
"Race to Freedom: The Story of the Underground Railroad" (1994) – This made-for-television movie told the story about four North Carolina slaves' escape to Canada, following the passage of the Compromise of 1850. Janet Bailey and Courtney B. Vance starred.
"The Journey of August King" (1996) – Jason Patric and Thandie Newton starred in this adaptation of John Ehle's 1971 novel about an early 19th century North Carolina farmer who finds himself helping a female slave escape from her master and slave catchers. John Duigan directed.
"A Respectable Trade" (1998) – Emma Fielding, Ariyon Bakare and Warren Clarke starred in this television adaptation of Philippa Gregory's 1992 novel about the forbidden love affair between an African born slave and the wife of his English master in 18th century Bristol. Suri Krishnamma directed.
"Mansfield Park" (1999) – Slavery is heavily emphasized in Patricia Rozema's adaptation of Jane Austen's 1814 novel about a young English woman's stay with her rich relatives during the first decade of the 19th century. Frances O'Connor and Jonny Lee Miller starred.
"Human Trafficking" (2005) – Mira Sorvino starred in this miniseries about the experiences of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent investigating the modern day sex slave trafficking business. Donald Sutherland and Robert Caryle co-starred.
"Amazing Grace" (2007) – Michael Apted directed this account of William Wilberforce's campaign against the slave trade throughout the British Empire in Parliament. Ioan Gruffudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Romola Garai Rufus Sewell and Albert Finney starred.
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (2012) – History and the supernatural merged in this interesting adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 novel about the 16th president's activities as a vampire hunter. Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie and Mary Elizabeth Winstead starred.
"Lincoln" (2012) – Daniel Day-Lewis portrayed the 16th president in Steven Spielberg's fascinating account of Lincoln's efforts to end U.S. slavery, by having Congress pass the 13th Amendment of the Constitution. Sally Field, David Strathairn and Tommy Lee Jones co-starred.
"Django Unchained" (2012) – Quentin Tarantino directed this take on Spaghetti Westerns about a slave-turned-bounty hunter and his mentor, who sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo Di Caprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson starred.
Filed under: Book Review, Essay, History, Movies, Television | Tagged: abraham lincoln, adam drive, alessandro nivola, american revolution, andrew duggan, antebellum, anthony mackie, art evans, ato essandoh, avery brooks, ben masters, ben vereen, benedict cumberbatch, benjamin walker, brenda sykes, british empire, bruce dern, chase edmunds, christoph waltz, chuck connors, ciarán hinds, cicely tyson, civil war, colman domingo, colonial america, cooper huckabee, courtney b. vance, dakin matthews, dana gourrier, dane dehaan, daniel day-lewis, david carradine, david oyelowo, david strathairn, dawnn lewis, dominic cooper, don johnson, donald sutherland, doug mclure, early america, edward asner, elizabeth taylor, embeth davidtz, erica gimpel, forest whitaker, frances o'connor, georg stanford brown, gilded age, gloria reuben, glynn turman, gulliver mcgrath, hal holbrook, history, ioan gruffudd, j.c. quinn, jackie earle haley, james garner, james mason, james purefoy, james read, james russo, jamie foxx, jane austen, janet league, jared harris, jason patric, jay mcmillan, jean simmons, jeremy swift, ji-tu cumbuka, jim metzler, joe seneca, john hawkes, john jakes, john saxon, jonny lee miller, joseph gordon-levitt, ken broadhurst, ken norton, kerry washington, kirstie alley, larry drake, lee bryant, lee horsley, lee pace, lesley anne down, lesley uggams, levar burton, lewis smith, lillian hayman, lindsay duncan, literary, lloyd bridges, lou gossett jr., mary elizabeth winstead, mason adams, mexican-american war, michael gambon, michael parks, mira sorvino, movies, music, nicholas farrell, north and south, old hollywood, old west, olivia cole, patrick swayze, paul benedict, perry king, petronia paley, philip casnoff, politics, quentin tarantino, rhetta greene, richard roundtree, richard ward, robert carlyle, robert carradine, romola garai, ron white, roots, rufus sewell, sally field, sam waterston, samuel l. jackson, seth grahame-smith, slavery, solomon northup, sports, steven spielberg, susan clark, susan george, sylvestra de tourzel, television, thandie newton, tim burton, toby jones, tom fisher, tommy lee jones, travel, victoria hamilton, walton goggins, warren clarke, wayne duvall, william camp |	1 Comment »
Portraying HARRY FLASHMAN
Are there any fans of The Flashman Papers, a series of novels about a 19th century British Army officer, written by the late George MacDonald Fraser?
The origins of Fraser's fictional series began with another British author, namely the 19th century lawyer and author, Thomas Hughes. It was Hughes who first introduced the character of Flashman in his 1857 semi-autobiographical novel, "Tom Brown's School Days". The novel told the story of Hughes' years at the famous public school for boys, Rugby. Among the characters featured in the novel turned out to be an older student named "Flashman", who bullied both Tom Brown and another student named Harry "Scud" East. Flashman's appearance in the novel ended when Headmaster Dr. Thomas Arnold kicked him for drunken behavior.
Over a century later, a Glasgow journalist named George MacDonald Fraser took the character of Flashman, gave him a full name – Harry Paget Flashman – and wrote a novel about his early years as a British Army office in Great Britain, India and Afghanistan, following his expulsion from Rugby. The novel also featured Flashman's experiences during the First Afghan War. The results turned out to be "FLASHMAN", which was published in 1969. Fraser followed up "FLASHMAN" with three short stories published under the title, "FLASHMAN AND THE TIGER"and ten more novels. The last novel, "FLASHMAN ON THE MARCH" was published three years before Fraser's death.
Fraser had written Flashman's tales from the latter's point-of-view. The interesting thing about the character was that despite being a war hero – he had been decorated for his actions in the First Afghan War, the Sepoy Rebellion (aka the Indian Mutiny) and the American Civil War, and possibly other military actions – his character had not changed much from his portrayal in Hughes' novel. Flashman's character could be described as cowardly, cynical, unfaithful (although his wife Elspeth was equally so), spiteful, greedy, racist, sexist, and lustful. In short, he was completely amoral. However, Fraser also portrayed Flashman as a hilarious and very witty man with a pragmatic view of the world and society in the nineteenth century.
For a series of novels that have been very popular for the past forty years, only one novel has been adapted for the screen. In 1975, Dennis O'Dell and David V. Picker produced and released an adaption of Fraser's 1970 novel,"ROYAL FLASH". Based loosely upon Anthony Hope's1894 novel, "THE PRISONER OF ZENDA", "ROYAL FLASH" told of Flashman's experiences during the Revolutions of 1848 in Bavaria and the fictional Duchy of Strackenz, when he is coerced by German statesman Otto von Bismarck to impersonate a Danish prince set to marry a German princess. Bismarck fears that the marriage would tilt the balance on the Schleswig-Holstein Question and interfere with his plans for a united Germany. The producers hired Richard Lester ("A HARD DAY'S NIGHT","THE THREE MUSKETEERS" and "THE FOUR MUSKETEERS") to direct the film. Fraser wrote the screenplay and Malcolm McDowell was cast as Harry Flashman. Being a talented actor, McDowell had Harry Flashman's personality traits down pat. However, the actor looked nothing like the literary Flashman. McDowell possessed blond hair and stood under six feet tall. The literary Flashman stood at least six-feet-two and possessed dark hair and eyes. In fact, he was swarthy enough to pass for a native of the Indian sub-continent in at least two or three novels or a light-skinned African-American slave in "FLASH FOR FREEDOM!". Although the movie did receive some moderate acclaim from film critics, the majority of Flashman fans hated it. In fact, they refuse to acknowledge or watch the film. In their eyes, not only did McDowell bore no physical resemblance to the literary Flashman, director Lester had chosen to infuse the film with bawdy buffoonery and slapstick (as he had done with the MUSKETEERS films) and ignore both the story's historical context and the novels' cynically irreverent tone.
When "ROYAL FLASH" failed to generate any real heat at the box office, the movie industries on both sides of the Atlantic ignored Fraser's novels for several decades. Also, Fraser's experience with the 1975 movie had made him reluctant to hand over control of any screenplay adaptation of his novels. The author also complained about a lack of a suitable British actor to portray Flashman – which seemed to come off as a backhanded slap at McDowell's performance. Fraser has always favored the Australian-born Hollywood icon, Errol Flynn, to portray Flashman. The actor had not only possessed a similar physique with the literary Flashman (both stood at 6'2"), but he also – according to Fraser – had the looks, style and rakish personality for the role. Unfortunately, Flynn had died in 1959, ten years before Fraser's "FLASHMAN" was published. The author also suggested that Academy Award winning Daniel Day-Lewis might be right for the role, claiming that "He's probably getting on a bit," he "might make a Flashman . . . He's big, he's got presence and he's got style." In 2007, Celtic Films indicated on their website that they had a series of FLASHMAN TV films in development. Picture Palace have announced they are developing "FLASHMAN AT THE CHARGE" for TV and that the script has been prepared by George Macdonald Fraser himself. Both companies took an extensive role in developing Bernard Cornwell's "SHARPE" (TV series). However, no further news has been forthcoming since this time and the project has been removed from both companies' websites.
Hmmm . . . Daniel Day-Lewis. Granted Day-Lewis might have the height and dark looks of the literary Flashy, and he has the talent to carry the role; he seems a bit too lean for me. And he lacks the cowardly protagonist's wide shoulders that made the latter look so impressive in a cavalryman's uniform. But aside from Day-Lewis, who among today's actors would be great for the role? I had once considered Australian actor Hugh Jackman, nearly a decade ago, when he first became famous thanks to "X-MEN". He stands at 6'2" tall and possess Flashman's dark looks. But Jackman is now two months shy of 43. Perhaps he could still portray Flashman between the ages of 30-50, but that would make him unavailable for movie adaptations of the FLASHMAN stories set in the 1840s – when Flashman was in his 20s. And if I must be frank, Jackman seem incapable of portraying rakes. He can portray violent/aggressive types like Wolverine. But a rake? I once saw him portray a well-born rake in a movie with Ewan McGregor called "DECEPTION". For some reason, he did not seem like the right man for the role . . . at least to me. If there is one Australian who could possibly portray Harry Flashman, I would say it was Julian McMahon. Mind you, McMahon never had the same success in the movies that he had on television. But . . . like Jackman, he stands at 6'2" and possesses the same dark good looks. More importantly, he has the style and air to successfully portray a well-born rake. Hell, he could do it, standing on one foot and singing at the top of his lungs. However, McMahon is now 43 and like Jackman, would be unable to portray Flashman in the adaptation of certain novels. His voice is a bit light and for some reason, I have great difficulty imagining him in a period piece.
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers might be a good choice. Granted, he does not have Day-Lewis, Jackman or McMahon's height and build. But he has their dark looks. He is also talented and he has the style to portray a rake. More importantly, Rhys-Meyers is at the right age to star in the adaptations of nearly all of the novel, being 34 years old. Another good choice would be Henry Cavill, Rhys-Meyer's co-star in "THE TUDORS". He has the dark looks and talent to portray the 19th century rogue. And he has the height – 6'1" tall. And at age 28, he could portray Flashy in his 20s and 30s, which would make him available in the adaptation of most of the novels.
But there have been no plays to adapt any of the FLASHMAN novels. Not since Celtic Films had indicated an interest in adapting "FLASHMAN AT THE CHARGE", two years ago. But if Hollywood or the British film industry ever decide to adapt another story about Harry Flashman, I hope they will do right by the novels' fans and pick the right actor . . . and director for the films.
Filed under: Book Review, Essay, Movies, Television | Tagged: 19th century denmark, alexandre dumas, british empire, crimean war, daniel day-lewis, errol flynn, flashman, george macdonald fraser, henry cavill, history, hugh jackman, jonathan rhys-meyer, julian mcmahon, literary, malcolm mcdowell, movies, revolutions of 1848, richard lester, schleswig-holstein question, television, tudors |	1 Comment »


text:
Николай Второв:
 Второв, Николай Александрович (1866—1918) — русский предприниматель, сын А. Ф. Второва.
 Второв, Николай Иванович (1818—1865) — русский краевед, историк, этнограф, мемуарист; сын И. А. Второва.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Karsales (Harrow) Ltd v Wallis [1956] EWCA Civ 4 is an English Court of Appeal decision which established fundamental breach as a major English contract law doctrine. Denning LJ MR gave the leading judgment replacing the Rule of Strict Construction, which require a literal approach to the construction of contract terms.

The Karsales decision allowed a court to override exemption clauses in contracts, if it appears that such clauses undermined the "fundamental obligations" of the parties. Although the case was the leading case for a decade, it has since lost much of its significance.

Facts
Mr. Wallis viewed a used Buick car that was being sold by Stinton for £600.  Wallis found the car to be in excellent condition, and agreed that he would buy the car if Stinton would arrange financing through a hire-purchase company.  Karsales (Harrow) Ltd. bought the car and sold it to Mutual Finance Ltd., which then finally supplied the car to Wallis on hire-purchase terms.  Wallis had not seen the vehicle since his first viewing.

The car was delivered not at the dealership, but instead was towed at night to the customer's house.  The following morning, Wallis inspected the car and found it to be in a substantially different state than it was when he first saw the vehicle: the bumper was being held on by a rope, the new tires had been replaced by old ones, the radio was missing, as were chrome body trim strips. The car would not run, because the cylinder head (with bent and burnt valves) was lying loose upon the engine block.  Wallis refused to pay for the car since it was not in the same condition as when he agreed to make the purchase.

Judgment

Trial
Karsales sued Wallis for the remaining payments on the vehicle.  Karsales relied on an exclusion clause in their contract, which stated that

"No condition or warranty that the vehicle is roadworthy or as to its age, condition or fitness for any purpose is given by the owner or implied herein."

The trial judge held that this clause did allow Karsales to recover the remaining costs from Wallis, and entered a judgment against him.

Court of Appeal
On appeal, Denning LJ reversed the trial judge's decision. He said the following.

The Court added that despite the comprehensively-worded exemption clause in the contract, the dealer was nevertheless liable, as fundamentally this was a contract to sell "a car, a vehicle capable of self-propulsion"; so accordingly this Buick was "not a car".

Significance

The "fundamental breach" doctrine
Denning LJ established a new precedent by declaring this a fundamental breach: that is, a breach that goes to the root of the contract, where the breach is so severe that there cannot be a contract after this breach. This decision set the precedent that goes against the strict construction rule.  In strict construction, the rule is that the contract is intended to do what it says it will do, and that judges can only apply what the contract says within its own terms.  Since the contract has been agreed upon by both parties, the contract is seen as representing both parties' interests.  However, Denning ruled against this rule since it would not be fair for the consumer.

The doctrine challenged
Karsales v Wallis''' concept of "fundamental breach" (aka "breach of a fundamental obligation) was essentially a restatement of the "Main Purpose Rule" established in Glynn v Margetson [1893] A.C. 351, the leading case on deviation in carriage of goods by sea. While the Main Purpose Rule  still holds good in maritime law, it was deemed too wide for the general law of contract. The 1967 House of Lords decision of the Suisse Atlantique held that whether or not the breach was "fundamental" was not a matter of LAW but a question of CONSTRUCTION; that is, exemption clauses might apply if the court's interpretation of the facts was that the exemption clause was not inappropriate.

Despite some reluctance by Lord Denning to absorb the new ruling  in Photo Production v Securicor  1980, the House of Lords upheld and approved its earlier decision, thereby signalling the decline of the doctrine of "fundamental breach"

Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977
The Suisse Atlantique and Photo Production'' cases together represent the final authoritative statements of the common law on fundamental breach prior to the enactment of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. The Act provides that some contract terms are VOID (such as  limiting liability for causing death or injury through negligence), while others are "Valid only insofar as they are reasonable". "Reasonableness" was defined in the Act, which also provided some examples of reasonable and unreasonable terms. The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 was amended by the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Notes

1956 in case law
Lord Denning cases
English contract case law
1956 in British law
Court of Appeal (England and Wales) cases


In 1985 the Mountain Jacket was launched, 30 years later The North Face 1985 Mountain Jacket has been brought back in TNF Black/High Rise Grey. Combining lightweight polyester fabric with tried and tested on-mountain features, this jacket packs into it's own pocket for light travel and storage space.The fabric used repels direct sunlight to protect your skin whilst shielding you from spring showers. Zippered pockets safely secure belongings while elbow seaming with articulation has been included. Elasticated cuffs and hem keeps this shell jacket in place for a comfortable fit.Our model is 6ft tall with a 38" chest and wears a size Medium.


CHARLESTON, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs mashed two home runs to help overcome a 4-0 deficit, but couldn't finish the job, falling 6-4 in 12 innings and dropping the series to the Rome Braves on Wednesday night in front of 3,927 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
With the loss, the RiverDogs (63-52, 21-25) match their season-low watermark of four games below .500 in the second half with the first-half champs now trailing first-place Augusta by 7.5 games.
Charleston had two key chances to score in extras, stranding three men on base in the bonus frames before Jonathan Morales' double over the head of Charleston center fielder Ricardo Ferreira would bring home two and give Rome a 6-4 lead in the top of the 12th.
After Rome's offense dropped a three-spot in the top of the sixth, the RiverDogs answered back with two long balls off Rome starter Ricardo Sanchez to get back into the game. Chris Gittens snuck an opposite field shot to right to lead off the inning, his 19th of the year, and Alex Palma smashed a two-run shot to right-center after Mandy Alvarez doubled to make it a 4-3 contest. Gittens remains two homers shy of Lakewood's Jose Pujols for the league lead, and is now six shy of the Charleston franchise record circa 1980.
In the eighth, first baseman Audie Afenir brought him the tying run a sacrifice fly to center that scored Palma who cruised a one out double to left-center earlier in the inning.
Erik Swanson looked dominant in his second RiverDogs start, fanning eight in five innings while yielding just a run on three hits in his second start since being dealt to the Yankees in the Carlos Beltran deal.
Swanson's only run allowed came in the fifth when Rome broke the scoreless tie. After issuing his only walk of the night, Rome right fielder Tyler Neslony punched a single to left to bring home Morales and make it 1-0 Braves (52-63, 25-21). After giving up a single to Carlos Castro to put runners at the corners, the Fargo, ND native struck out three straight to limit the damage and end his night.
Former Rangers prospect Dillon Tate entered in the sixth, and his new teammates didn't help him out defensively with two errors in the frame that led to three runs, one that went earned against the former fourth overall pick, to push Rome out to a 4-0 advantage. Tate would finish with one strikeout across three innings in relief to follow the start of his former Rangers teammate.
RiveDogs righty Sean Carley (0-1) worked three scoreless innings including two in the extra frames before giving up the game winning hit to Morales in the 12th to take the loss.
Charleston collected two more errors in the game, and have now committed 16 over their last 15 games.
The RiverDogs paid tribute to Charleston's service sector with a Service Industry Night presented by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association with all employees in the field receiving discounts with proof of a pay stub at the gate. It was also a Senior Wednesday with the RiverDogs wiser fans enjoying a postgame run the bases after the 12 innings of action.
The RiverDogs cast off for a seven game road trip, first taking on the Greenville Drive, the Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, in a four-game series starting Thursday night at Fluor Field with the first pitch set for 7:05pm. Charleston will send RHP Christian Morris (7-3, 2.68) to toe the rubber against LHP Logan Boyd (12-6, 4.90) in the opener. The game will be broadcast on WTMA 1250 AM and online at riverdogs.com.


text:
Commission on Cancer Grants Midwest Cancer Care at Belton Regional Medical Center Cancer Program with Three-Year Accreditation
HCA Midwest Health /
Commission on Cancer Grants Midwest...
Belton Regional Medical Center February 04, 2013
Midwest Cancer Care at Belton Regional Medical Center has received three-year accreditation with commendation from The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS). The accreditation is a result of intensive on-site evaluations completed by a physician surveyor in November 2012.
Midwest Cancer Care at Belton Regional Medical Center has demonstrated "commendation level" compliance in six areas that represent the full scope of a cancer program including cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement.
The cancer program at Belton Regional Medical Center provides outpatient clinical services, inpatient chemo infusion, mammography, needle and surgical biopsies, and other cancer-related services by some of the area's top cancer experts and specialists. William T. Stephenson, MD, oncologist, serves as director of cancer services for Midwest Cancer Care at Belton Regional Medical Center.
"We are pleased to be recognized as an innovative facility that offers a high level of cancer care to people in Cass and southern Jackson counties. By offering cancer care close to home, we help to make the cancer journey less overwhelming and confusing," says Belton Regional Medical Center chief executive officer Todd Krass. "This accreditation from The Commission on Cancer validates the technology, skills and compassionate treatment we deliver to cancer patients."
The CoC, established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 42 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.
The Accreditation Program, a component of the CoC, sets national quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure conformity. Accreditation by the CoC is granted only to facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. To maintain accreditation, Belton Regional Medical Center must undergo an on-site review every three years.
For more information about Midwest Cancer Care at Belton Regional Medical Center, call (816) 348-1200.
tags: award ,	cancer care
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text:
Carl Adolf Lex  (auch: Karl Adolf Lex, Adolf Lex, Karl Adolph von Lex und Namensvarianten; * 17. September 1804 in Nassau; † 10. September 1883 in Wiesbaden) war ein deutscher Historiker, Publizist und Geheimer Kabinettsrat im Königreich Hannover. Er war der Privatsekretär von König Georg V. und galt als "[...] Hand und Auge" seines Landesherrn, hinter dem er als eigene Persönlichkeit jedoch fast verschwand.

Leben

Familie
Karl Adolph von Lex war ein Spross der Familie Lex, deren Mitglieder in Diensten des Fürstentums Nassau-Saarbrücken, des Fürsten- beziehungsweise Herzogtums Nassau und des Königreichs Hannover standen.

Werdegang
Geboren 1804 während der sogenannten "Franzosenzeit" in Wiesbaden, besuchte Carl Adolph Lex in Weilburg das Gymnasium, bevor er ab 1822 in Göttingen die Georg-August-Universität bezog, wo er am 12. November 1827 als Dr. phil. promovierte. Ab 1827 bis 1838 war er als Privatdozent in Göttingen tätig. In dieser Zeit arbeitete er unter anderem von 1827 bis 1831 mit an den von dem Historiker Karl Heinrich Ludwig Pölitz begründeten Jahrbüchern der Geschichte und Staatskunst.

Zeitweilig parallel zu seiner Tätigkeit in Göttingen arbeitete Lex von 1832 bis zum ersten Jahr der Deutschen Revolution 1848 als Redakteur der Hannoverschen Zeitung

Nach dem Regierungsantritt König Georgs V. von Hannover 1851 wurde Carl Adolph Lex noch im selben Jahr zum königlichen Hofrat ernannt, rund fünf Jahre später 1856 zum hannoverschen Staatsrat erhoben. 1866 schließlich – durch die Folgen der Schlacht bei Langensalza zugleich auch das letzte Jahr des Königreichs Hannover – beförderte der König seinen Vertrauten zum Geheimen Kabinettsrat.

Schriften
 Carl Adolf Lex: Urlaubsbriefe aus Paris. Der Geheime Kabinettsrat Dr. Lex schreibt an König Georg (= Welfenschriften, Heft 47), 32 z. T. illustrierte Seiten, hrsg. von Carz Hummel, Wedemark: Hummel, 2010
 Adolf Lex: Mit König Georg nach Langensalza. Tagebuchnotizen (= Welfenschriften, Heft 52), 24 Seiten, illustriert, hrsg. und kommentiert von Gisela Hummel, Wedemark: Carz und Gisela Hummel, 2011

Literatur
 Wilhelm Rothert: Allgemeine Hannoversche Biografie (in Frakturschrift), Bd. 2: Im Alten Königreich Hannover 1814–1866; Hannover: Sponholtz, 1914, S. 554

Archivalien
Archivalien zu Karl Adolph von Lex und dessen Familie finden sich beispielsweise
 als Depositum Familienarchiv Lex im Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Abteilung Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart, Signatur P 3, darin Dokumente hinsichtlich
 Ernennungen, Besoldung, Thronbesteigung König Georgs V. von Hannover, Ordensdiplome, Korrespondenz vor allem mit Mitgliedern des Welfen, Gedichte von Karl Adolph Lex, Material über eine Reise nach London 1853, Vermögensverwaltung

Weblinks
 Familienarchiv Lex in der Deutschen Digitalen Bibliothek

Anmerkungen

Einzelnachweise

Historiker
Hochschullehrer (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen)
Publizist
Georg V. (Hannover)
Person (Hannover)
Hofrat
Geheimrat
Hannoverscher Staatsrat
Kommandeur I. Klasse des Guelphen-Ordens
Sachbuchautor
Literatur (19. Jahrhundert)
Literatur (Deutsch)
Deutscher
Geboren 1804
Gestorben 1883
Mann


Flagbearer aspirant of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Mahama, has called on President Akufo-Addo to ensure the fumigation of dormitories in Senior High School (SHS) across the country.
According to Mr. Mahama he has encountered many students with complaints of bites from bed bugs due to the congestion in their dorms brought on by the free SHS policy.
"I call on the government that at least, if the dormitories are congested, it should just fumigate the dormitories so that the children could be free from these bed bugs", he pleaded.
His comments appear to be in relation to an incident in October, where the Deputy National Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joshua Akamba, was accused of inciting some students at the Tempane Senior High School in the Upper East region against government's free SHS policy.
Mr. Akamba, who is seeking to be elected as the substantive National Organizer of the NDC, can be seen in a video that's gone viral on social media, interacting with some senior high school students in the Upper East Region.
He asked the students if they were experiencing issues with bedbugs in their dormitories as a result of congestion which has been occasioned by the free SHS policy, to which they responded in the affirmative.
He made the students show their bedbug bite scars to the cameras, and promised them their challenges would be over in 2020 if they vote out the NPP.


John Foley is currently Executive Director of FRA Financial Group and an agent at The Insurance Center, both in Little Rock. John has a long career in the commercial banking industry, including the presidency at Central Bank and various roles at Landmark, Metropolitan and Bank of America.
John is a graduate of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program Class XXI and has served on various boards and committees including Little Scholars School Board, Little Rock Catholic Dioceses Finance Committee, Christ the Kings Parish Finance Committee, and St. Edwards School Board. He is a former member of the Downtown Development Partnership. John's past civic work includes Rotary International, Big Brother Big Sister and fund raising for the American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association.
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