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Take an in-depth look below at current issues affecting Turkish Canadians:
Toronto District School Board – TDSB
January 16, 2008 – TDSB – Program Committee Deputations
June 02, 2008 – TDSB – Appeal to the Director's Decision at the Program Committee
June 12, 2008 – TDSB – Final Decision of the Program Committee
TDSB – Program Committee Deputations in opposition and in favour of the course CHG38M (Genocide: Historical and Contemporary Implications)
While the citizens concerned about the course material were granted only two deputations, the group in favour of the course was granted four deputations (five speakers). TDSB is informed of our disappointment about this imbalance. Turkish Community was not heard for 2.5 years, this was Turkish Community's first chance to be heard. It would have given TDSB officials a much-needed fair and just image. While it is unfortunate that the Program committee missed this opportunity to display their commitment to equality, we are hopeful that fairness and balance will prevail in the review committee.
Videos of the entire session are provided generously by Turkuaz Television (TTV – http://www.turkuaz.tv) and placed here by their permission. We thank the staff of TTV for their work and their kind permission for use of their material. Copyright belongs to TTV.
Please contrast what you see in the videos with what is written in the Press Release (at the bottom of the page) by Armenian National Committee of Canada, titled Turkish Ultranationalists Try to Silence Prominent Canadians.
Notice how the Turkish Community members are portrayed as Turkish Ultranationalists (not Canadians) while the members of the Armenian Community and their supporters are Canadians.
Speeches by Lale Eskicioglu and Prof. Dr. Ozay Mehmet
Speeches in favour of the course by Leo Adler, Aris Babikian, Prof. Frank Chalk, and MP Jim Karygiannis
Part Three:
Fourth speech in favour of the course by David Warner and closing remarks by TDSB
Director's Decision:
TDSB published two versions of the Director's decision, only six days apart. In the second and final version of the decision, favorable wordings in support of the thesis of the Turkish-Canadian community were removed.
Here are these two versions for your review:
First version of the Director's Decision on April 23, 2008 (PDF – 88 KB)
Second and Final version of the Director's Decision on April 29, 2008 (PDF – 95 KB)
You can view the whole appeal proceedings in the videos below:
Videos are provided generously by Turkuaz Television (TTV – http://www.turkuaz.tv) and placed here by their permission. We thank the staff of TTV for their work and their kind permission for use of their material. Copyright belongs to TTV.
Appeals didn't make any impact to Director's Decision. Program Committee agreed with the decision of the Director without any debate what-so-ever. You can watch the complete session here.
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Out of Character – Short Script Review (Available for Production!) - post author Guest Reviewer
Out of Character (9 pages in pdf format) by R.E. McManus
Screenwriter Jack creates characters that live and breathe… maybe TOO much?
Ever watch Will Ferrell films? Well, there's one particular flick you should see. It's called Stranger Than Fiction – a tale about a man named Harold Crick, who discovers one day that he is in fact a character in one of Emma Thompson's novels. (Yes, Emma Thompson the actress – known in certain circles as Nanny McPhee.) Fortunately, Harold Crick's a gentle soul; despite the wringer Emma puts him through, he's pretty harmless all the way.
But what if a character you wrote was far more dangerous and… unhappy with their fate? What would they do to their creator? By final Fade Out, would YOU be safe?
That's the very question screenwriter Jack faces in R.E. McManus' twisty short Out of Character: when one of his shadiest characters arrives at his doorstep – armed, angry, and brimming with demands.
When Out of Character opens, Jack's writing in his claustrophobic unorganized study – surrounded by empty pizza boxes, half-finished cups of coffee and writer's manuals galore. (A scene all too real for some writers.) Just then, the doorbell rings. Jack answers – and finds himself face-to-face with… a man named Ken. There's a pistol in Ken's hand. Strangely familiar features on his face.
Ken forces his way inside.
Tense bantering ensues – until the stranger-than-truth reality is revealed. Ken's one of Jack's characters – disgruntled and demanding change! According to Ken, Jack created him a bit too fat. A lot too poor. And with too much attitude to let such things slide. Using his revolver to do the talking, Ken insists that Jack give him a thinner waistline, a better car, and a supermodel girlfriend as well (can you say 'join the club'?)
But can Jack do such things, and shove all creative integrity aside?
We won't spoil the ending – promise. But needless to say, the tension rachets up quick. Jack attempts to comply with Ken's milder demands, but conspires to take down his creation… before the plot gets too wild…
Equally humorous and tense, Out of Character is a great comedic dark script, stuffed with Easter Eggs for directors and writers alike. Grab it before someone writes YOU off. And the next time you compose a scene? Think real careful about Flat Slob #2's feelings. Maybe it's not wise to piss him off that much.
Production – Low budget. Two actors, one location (a house), one computer and one gun.
About the writer: R.E. McManus was born in England, of Irish roots. Hence he was always a little confused. He has since travelled the globe, and noted what he saw on his travels. He's been writing since he could pick up a pen. The fact they were IOUs is neither here nor there.
He fell in love with film when he first saw 2001: A Space Odyssey at the age of six. Although he's still not sure about the spelling of Odyssey. It's still looks wrong,
He loves Fincher, Hitchcock and Kubrick. And Faith No More. And Elvis. He even has a dog named after him. This seemed like a good idea until he went to the park.
Want more information? (Just say yes – you know you do!) Then head over to his website at Rendevous.yolasite.com, or email him at redarcy2000 (a) yahoo.co.uk.
Read: Out of Character
About the reviewer: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter who offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. Reach him at his website, follow him on twitter @MitchScripts, or email him at Mitch.SmithScripts (a) gmail.
The Role of the Dice – Short Script Review (Available for Production) - post author LC
The Role of the Dice by Dave Lambertson
The fate of two couples is determined by a single roll of the dice.
Couples game night. It's very much a tradition for some. And no – we're not referring to some kinky type of seventies Key Party, or Twister played in the buff. We're talking about a board game that is an institution to most, one that's been around since the nineteen-thirties – the classic game of Monopoly.
Game nights can be great fun. There's nothing like combining a healthy dose of friendly rivalry while cultivating memories and bonhomie with good friends. Cracking the caps off a few cold ones, opening a bottle of wine, snacking on some appetizers. Then sit back and let the games begin. Of course, there's the little matter of winning being a whole lot more fun than losing, not to mention playing fair – in life, just as in the game.
In The Role Of The Dice, our hosts for the night are Chuck and Hannah, their guests, well to do friends Demetri and his heavily pregnant wife Stephanie. Expertly presiding over the entire affair is writer David Lambertson.
Remember I mentioned 'fun' and 'playing fair'? Straight off the bat our host Chuck doesn't appear to be enjoying much of either. To say he's in a bad mood is an understatement – the words 'grudge match' instantly come to mind. But why, we wonder? Well, Chuck's got his reasons. While out on patrol today (Chuck's a cop) he discovered a little wheeling and dealing going on behind his back, and he's about to exact revenge. Exactly what he saw we'll leave up to you to find out… We will say, how he enacts justice, is just as captivating as why.
Equally captivating is the skill with which writer David Lambertson spins this very clever yarn by juxtaposing the action with the moves of the Monopoly game. We watch as with every roll of the dice Chuck's rage intensifies, and with each juicy revelation the subsequent plays on the Monopoly board mimic his state of mind – as do the escalating tensions of the other players around the table. Mind games, double entendre, (Chuck's first weapons of choice) – until it becomes patently obvious that Chuck has the monopoly over all of the players at the table, and that the game is about to take a deadly turn.
One of two entries tied for Reader's Choice Simply Scripts One Week Challenge, The Role Of The Dice is a skillfully written and well plotted thriller that's already proven to be a crowd favourite.
Filmmakers: Want to invest in something that's a sure fire winner? Don't leave this one to Chance, and Do Not Pass Go, it's time to make your move. You never know, this might just be money in the bank.
Budget: Minimal. Get a board game, good actors – a little bit more – and you're done!
About the writer, Dave Lambertson: I took up writing rather late in life having already been retired before I put pen to paper (okay – finger to computer key) for the first time. My favorite genres to read and write are dramedies and romantic comedies. In addition to this short, I have written four features; The Last Statesman (a 2015 PAGE finalist and a Nicholl's and BlueCat quarterfinalist), The Beginning of The End and The End (a PAGE Semi-Finalist). Taking Stock (a drama) and a new comedy – "Screw You Tube". Contact Dave via his website DLambertson.Wixsite.com/scripts
Read The Role of the Dice (12 pages in pdf format)
Daddy – Short Script Review - post author Steve Miles
Daddy by Marty Chartrand
An assassin's last act is to prove to his daughter and wife that he is not a bad man.
A RED DOT
Dances upon a MAN'S forehead until THUMP. The man's head rips backwards.
Annie (V.O.)
I'm sorry that when you woke up, we
were gone. You must have been so
scared.
From out of the darkness rushes, TYLER.
This is where we meet Tyler, a hard bitten killer on the opening gambit of his latest job.
We follow Tyler as he dispenses judgment with a grace and skill honed by the years; working his way to the top of the dirtbag food chain goon by goon. It isn't about the money – not this time. That was the old Tyler. This is a killer searching for change. The odds are against him, but Tyler finds strength in the words of his young daughter, Annie, as her innocence guides him to a reward far greater than he's ever known: redemption.
Marty Chartrand's Daddy shines light into the dark soul of a hired gun struggling to make his peace through one last selfless act. It's not for a first-timer, but for a filmmaker looking to push their craft this 7 page thrill ride gives you the opportunity to craft a fast-paced action piece underpinned by the most emotive of bonds: a father's love for his daughter.
About the Writer: "My life began with a FADE IN and it will surely end with a FADE OUT. What's written in between is what I make out of it. As a lifelong lover of movies, it was only natural that someday I would want to create some of my own. These are my stories …"
Marty Chartrand can be reached at martyc1028 (a) yahoo.com
Read Daddy (7 pages in pdf format)
Man's Best Friend – Short Script Review (Available for Production!) - post author LC
Man's Best Friend by Steven Clark
Three days after a couple's beloved dog goes missing, a phone call arrives that will change the game. Forever.
Put aside whether you're a dog person or cat person just for a moment and focus on the incomparable talents of Man's Best Friend, and why mutts have earned this most eminent title.
Guide dogs, guard dogs, sniffer dogs, therapy dogs, herding, hunting, tracking and cadaver dogs, bomb, drug, and chemical detection dogs; dogs of war, dogs who can sniff out cancer – dogs who rescue their owners from burning buildings and rolling rapids… And that's just to name a few of their talents. Add to that, unconditional loyalty and love, goopy grins, sloppy kisses and perennially wagging tails, and really – the 'elegant tramp', (as one of my friends labels felines), is really not much competition, now is it?
From Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie to the memorably cute but a lil' fugly Verdell in As Good As It Gets, it's no wonder dogs have an illustrious celluloid history, in both leading roles and as sidekicks.
Okay, now picture this:
You're wandering down the street, minding your own business, and you look up to see MISSING, LOST DOG, or REWARD, stamped across a poster and nailed to a telegraph pole. Typically a photo of said AWOL pooch looks dolefully and adorably into the camera. Aww, so sad, and guaranteed to tug at the ol' heartstrings.
This is also the opening scene of Steven Clark's screenplay, Man's Best Friend.
But hang on now, cause if you're thinking this is going to be a cute fluffy-dog piece think again. Curt and Cassie, a couple in their thirties (he's a cop btw) have just received a rather ominous telephone call and discovered there's a bounty to be paid on Ranger, their missing 'family member' – and a rather hefty ransom demand.
MAN (V.O.)
We have your dog. …
He's got nice teeth. But I've got
pliers. … $10,000 dollars for the
mutt. Cash. Or I start playing dentist.
Eww! Marathon Dog, anyone?
To say anything further would spoil the fun, the suspense, and the very, very, dark twists and turns of this piece. Suffice to say this tail (sorry, tale) is less for lovers of Marley And Me , and more for fans of teeth baring, and snarling Cujo, and Seven Psychopaths.
Dare I say, if you've got a nose for talent you can call off your search right now cause with Man's Best Friend you'll definitely be barking up the right tree.
Budget: Low. Just – make sure you do this one right… every beat!
About the writer: Based in upstate, NY, Steven Clark is the writer of over 30 short scripts, several of which are under option, in pre-production, or have already been made into films. On A Clear Night, a family Christmas feature aimed at a Hallmark Channel-type audience, is currently in the works. Steven can be reached at Steamroller138 (a) gmail.
Read Man's Best Friend (10 pages in PDF format)
Violent Domestic – Short Script Review (Available for Production) - post author Guest Reviewer
Violent Domestic by Kirk White
While hiding out from a double-crossing son of a bitch, an outlaw couple faces their greatest fear…waiting for the results of a home pregnancy test.
"If that test is positive, then I'm scared shitless because this is the part that terrifies me… no… not the 'is it gonna work' because I can't control that… but the 'how does one raise a human being' aspect which is one hundred percent in our court. That, my love, is the kick in the nuts that keeps me up at night."
As a father of three I can relate to this dialogue, spoken in Violent Domestic by protagonist Ted. It's a sentiment voiced by many men, moments after their wife pees on a stick. It's one of those defining moments in a man's life – the potential beginning of his legacy. Damned nerved wracking, is what it is – the entirety of one's future resting on whether there's one or two lines on that gizmo bought at CVS. If you've never found yourself teetering on that particular line of insanity, you have no idea what you're missing.
And our hero Ted's in those sniper-sights. As the script opens, Helen's holed up in a hotel bathroom.
As the obligatory three minutes count down, the couple debate the issue pro and con. A nervous Ted distracts himself with busy work, pulling C-4, guns and money from a bag. Yeah, that's right. I said C-4. 'Cause there's one last detail:
Our lovebirds are two badass thieves, hot off a job gone askew. It's Kill Bill meets Mr. & Mrs. Smith – with a dose of Parenthood! Like a real life Billy Joe and Bobby Sue*, they're planning on taking the money and run: a modern day Bonnie and Clyde!
Only it's not Frank Hamer they're hiding from. Nope, there's a particular "Grease Stain in a Suit" named Conn outside. He's come to collect his cut, no matter what price the couple must pay. Ted negotiates through the window with Conn… stalling until he can hear Helen's news. Ted and Helen are the ultimate bad "nice guys" – a helluva more sympathetic than Conn. They're a pair you can't help but cheer for. And the danger and stakes are sky-high.
A master of his craft, Kirk White weaves Domestic's dialogue seamlessly. A touch of humor – lots of danger, and protagonists that really breathe. It's one of those scripts that make you want to know what happens next. Because you love these guys. That's what happens when a script's done right. It takes a lot of practice to get to that stage. But when a writer does – the story truly comes alive. (Question is, will Ted and Helen make it out in one piece?)
Brass Tax: this script's got the goods. Low on budget. High on character. A feel-good action piece with minimal logistics. You want a short that audiences will remember and talk about? Then this is the short for you.
*If you listen to the Steve Miller Band while reading this short, your proposal email to the author will write itself.
About the writer: Kirk White is an independent film maker, web sen"sation" and figure of note in the world of global logistics. He is currently in pre-production on his second feature, The Soul Garden, which will basically be the art-house version of Re-Animator. Kirk can be reached emailed at quitefilm "AT" gmail to request a copy of his work.
Budget: Moderate. Get a hotel room, two damned good actors, and a few props. The rest will handle itself.
Read Domestic Violence (pdf format)
About the reviewer: Rod Thompson is an award winning screenwriter of both features and shorts. His feature, "The Squire" won Best Drama for the 2014 Table Read My Screenplay contest, and he has placed numerous times for his shorts at MoviePoet.com. His short scripts "Gimme Shelter" and "A Memory in Winter" have both been optioned through their exposure on SimplyScripts.com. He is also "the most humble man alive."
Hitman's Retirement Party – Short Script Review (Available for Production!) - post author LC
The Hitman's Retirement Party by John Hunter
Retiring is never easy…
A crim', a clown, and a cat walk into a bar…
Sounds like the opening gambit of a joke, doesn't it? But there is no bar, and delightfully these three characters are the headlining cast of John Hunter's screenplay, The Hitman's Retirement Party.
A rather gruesome opening scene introduces us to titular character – Bill, 60s, balding, glasses, – an ordinary looking Joe Blow, who if you met him on the street, he'd easily pass for an accountant, a bank manager, even a local handyman. But Bill's anything but what he appears to be. Fact is, he's a cold calculating killer, fast, methodical, deadly. At the front door of a mark's house he takes out a small caliber pistol, pops the guy unceremoniously twice – a bullet in the eye, one to the head, one final parting shot to the temple for good measure. As Bill says: It's nothing personal…
It's just all in a day's work. After forty years on the job however, Bill's decided it's time to hang up his holster for the last time. A quick call to management to inform them. Now it's time to kick back and enjoy the spoils of retirement with his loyal sidekick, Buddy.
Buddy is Bill's best friend, he's been there for Bill through thick and thin. He's the one Bill comes home to every night. You might say he's his soft place to fall – always eager and happy to see his best mate, Bill.
As with all great sidekicks Buddy is the silent type, but don't be fooled, there's usually a lot going on – think: Jay and Silent Bob, Penn and Teller, Han and Chewie, The Chief and McMurphy.
There's just one thing though… Buddy's a cat. A meow, perhaps an affectionate coil around the legs, is likely about all you'll get. Despite this, Bill believes he and Buddy share their own special repartee, a symbiotic relationship of sorts, least this is what Bill thinks…
But someone's about to come between Bill and Buddy, test their loyalty and their future happiness. That someone is a clown named Terry who just so happens to turn up unannounced at Bill's front door, dressed in fuzzy orange wig, big red nose, large floppy shoes, and holding a handful of helium filled balloons.
Has he come on behalf of management? Bill's last phone call did lead us to believe he might be in line for a proper sendoff. Perhaps the clown comes with a parting gift, maybe a nice gold watch, or a little retirement bonus? After so many devoted years of faithful service, it'd be no surprise. Or would it?
Well you're going to have to get to the punch-line – I mean denouement – yourself. Suffice to say John Hunter weaves a Hitman story with a difference, cleverly executed through dark comedy, tongue in cheek dialogue, the element of surprise, and some rather lovely dry wit.
Our parting shot? That Hitman's Retirement Party is a killer script, sure to draw even the best filmmakers out of retirement.
Budget: Very reasonable. A cat. Two guys and a smoking gun. Oh, and a really evil clown costume….
About the writer John Hunter: With the completion of (4) boffo features, a litter of riveting shorts, a one hour take-your-breath-away sci-fi TV pilot and first 30 minute episode for that series, I am now officially THAT guy — The one who really needs an Agent or Executive Producer. Contact me at x32792 (a) yahoo.com
Read Hitman's Retirement (9 pages in pdf format)
The Changer – Short Script Review (Available for Production) - post author KP Mackie
The Changer by David Troop
Two bickering police detectives must find a way to capture the world's most elusive criminal.
Some stories are tons of fun. Isn't that what we go to movies for?
Angst, terror and philosophical symbolism isn't needed for every film we see. Sometimes simple is the best. "Entertainment for the sake of entertainment" is a spectacular experience when done right. Especially when the jokes are primed to fly.
In his latest short The Changer, master storyteller David Troop makes a fun story live and breathe; resulting in chuckles galore!
Yet, for cops Kennedy and Harris, the events of The Changer are pure business. As often happens with film law enforcement types, these partners are different as two guys could be:
Kennedy's a Caucasian veteran cop in his 40s – lacking any form of fashion sense. Of course, film-logic requires him paired with African-American Officer Harris. Ten years Kennedy's junior, Harris is a "poster boy for Reebok." Together, the two are on the job, seeking a mysterious master-of-disguise known simply as, "The Changer.
Tense and bickering from Page One, the couple track "the dude" to urban apartment 4D. With police badges on display, they bust down the door – only to find screaming hooker Petunia inside. Encouraged by the officer's raised guns, Petunia points to the bathroom. Harris searches the area quickly, yet finds only – a cat inside.
Harris shrugs, turns his back. Allowing the Bizarre "Changer" to make his escape. Out the open bathroom window – down a rusty fire escape. Pretty soon, the chase is on (ala the Grand Budapest Hotel!).
In hot pursuit of a "tall figure in a trench coat", the partners race through alleys, down gritty streets. Eventually, Harris corners the perp. (Kennedy joins the chase somewhat late… having stopped to "question" the hooker privately!). But soon, Kennedy and Harris have their man…
Still – given The Changer's "special set of skills", the question is… Do they have him cornered?
Tongue planted firmly in cheek, The Changer is a fun – and very funny – ride.
Think movies like Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Police Academy, Naked Gun or Groundhog Day. If you're a director who loves goofy comedy, then TC is your blockbuster. Set your humor on stun. And pull the cinematic wool over your audience's tears-of-laughter-filled eyes!
Budget: Relatively low. Three talented male character actors (with good comedic timing) are required for the main roles. Plus a handful of extras. Settings include: Apartment interior rooms, stairway, streets, and an alley – all of which are easy to stage.
About the Writer: David M Troop has been writing since he could hold a No.2 pencil. In 2011 he began writing short films for MoviePoet.com and Simplyscripts.com. His produced short scripts include INSOMNIAC and THE DINER. Born on the mean streets of Reading, PA, Dave now resides in Schuylkill Haven with his wife Jodi and their two lazy dogs Max and Mattie. He can be reached at dtroop506 (a) gmail.
Read The Changer (9 pages in pdf format)
About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working on a historical feature.
Art's Tattoo Removal – Short Script (Available for Production) - post author LC
Art's Tatto Removal (13 pages in PDF format) by Mark Lyons
A retired hitman takes a job from an old employer in his new profession; slicing tattoos off people's skin and selling them as artwork.
Originality is quite often the bane of a writer's daily existence. Conceiving a story that hasn't been seen before with an exciting premise and a neat twist is no mean feat.
Mark Lyons nails the brief with Art's Tattoo Removal injecting style and colour (pun intended) into his story with more than a passing nod to crime noir and some of its tried and true conventions.
Told from the subjective point of view of the main character, an anti-hero with a jaded attitude but just the right amount of cockiness, the story effectively utilizes a wonderfully droll voice over and employs clever narrative time jumps, just to keep you on your toes.
'Arthur Lionel, otherwise known as Artie or just plain Art', is the titular character of the piece.
We begin in prologue then slide back into a little bit of Art's back-story as he reveals –
ART (V.O.)
I used to execute people for money…
Hmm, the operative words: 'used to'. Not anymore apparently…
So, what's a retired hitman to do when he's hung up his very selective tools of the trade? Well, Art's not going to hide his light under a bushel, no siree. He's going to parlay his unique talents, along with his surgical skills, into another specialized area of work, one with less collateral damage and less potential for damage to the psyche.
Art's now in the business of Body Art, enjoying a reputation, and a particular brand of skill to rival any of his competitors. So sought after are his talents he's achieved a monopoly in the trade.
No one delivers a better,
more carefully removed piece
of flesh art than me.
One scalpel lifts the skin
up as another slices off
the gristle that holds it
to the muscle underneath.
Things are humming along. Good money, clear conscience.
However, when word reaches Art that a former employer has a job for him he's a little surprised and a lot conflicted. After all the last job he did for Delvecchio didn't exactly go according to plan.
I never thought I'd hear from
Vincent Delvecchio again after I
gave him his down payment back for
not killing that mistress. That
was years ago. I was surprised
when I heard he was trying to get
in touch with me.
Art suffered a severe case of the heebie-jeebies, you would too if you knew the circumstances, (you can, if you read the script) and he was unable to follow through.
Still, Art's pretty sure there's no bad blood. Or is there…?
Delvecchio has a proposal, one that Art can't refuse. Deliver a much sought after and highly prized tattoo (Gupta, no less) of da Vinci's 'The Vitruvian Man'. This means peeling the skin off the back of its living and breathing host – as you do.
Art's got one week to deliver, one last big score and one rather nice prize guaranteed. Easy peasy – enough money to retire on permanently. He's already got his eye on a nice patch of sand and sea.
He's also got a little ace up his sleeve and some insider information which can't go astray, or can it?
Art surely wouldn't dare cross Delvecchio again? Would he?
One thing is for sure, Art's Tattoo Removal is a story that's hard to erase from memory and sure to get under your skin.
Filmmakers: Need a little jab in the right direction? Art's Tattoo Removal delivers the ink that is sure to leave an indelible mark. We think it's high time you imprinted your own special style on this one. There'll be no pain, in fact it'll be a pleasure.
Budget: Low. Though this one surely deserves the best classy/gritty film-noir atmosphere money can buy!
About the writer: Mark Lyons is a four-time award-winning screenwriter from Youngstown, Ohio. He's written several scripts, including 'The Ephesian', which won Best Drama at the 2015 Austin Revolution Film Festival (which also garnered him a Best Screenplay nomination), and was selected Best Drama for the Cinema Constant 2015. He also penned Best Film award-winner "God's Empty Acre", which was filmed as 'Girl(s)' at the 2013 Winter Shorts Film Festival and Best Drama at the 2013 World Independent Film Expo. He was also nominated for a Best Screenplay award at the 2016 Action on Film Festival. Currently, Mark is teaming with writer Sharon Day and producer Justin Colon to co-produce the feature film 'Lords and Harvesters', set to film in Summer, 2018. He can be reached at markielyons1107 (a) gmail
Read Art's Tatto Removal
Feels Like Falling – Short Script Review (Available for Production) - post author LC
Feels Like Falling (14 pages, pdf format) by Eric Wall
An elevator operator finds his simple job becoming much more complicated when he tries to talk one of his building's tenants out of an abusive relationship.
As film buffs, some scenes linger in our memories long after the lights come up. Remember when Kyle MacLachlan as Jeffrey Beaumont found the severed ear in Blue Velvet? Or when Jimmy Stewart as the wheelchair bound L.B. Jeffries in Rear Window aimed his binoculars at the apartment across the way? Now recall the unforgettable No Country For Old Men and the chain of events that followed Josh Brolin in the role of Llewellyn Moss after a fatal prick of conscience led him back to a dying man in the desert.
Of course Llewelyn should never have absconded with two million dollars, L.B. could simply have ignored the scream of a dying woman, and Jeffrey Beaumont should have never gone snooping into other people's private affairs.
Sticking your nose into other people's business can get you into a world of trouble.
On the flip-side: All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
Eric Wall's character Marcus Kirby is a good man, a man of honor. Estranged from his wife he's still as old fashioned and principled as his finely tailored suit. Marcus operates the elevator of a residential apartment block, and as such he is privy to some of the occupants' daily trials and tribulations.
Enter, Sophie Gardner. On the outside she's a confident and assertive young woman and dedicated teacher to her first grade charges. But appearances can be deceptive, or in this case revealing.
One particular day on the ride up in the elevator Marcus recognizes the tell-tale signs of domestic abuse. Though Sophie is determined to shrug it off and blame it on exuberant kids Marcus is well aware that David, Sophie's husband, has a violent temper and a heavy hand to match. Indeed Marcus knows a thing or two himself about growing up in the hard school of knocks, and he knows just what it feels like to break free of the shackles of abuse.
Marcus tries his darnedest to impart some of his wisdom to Sophie:
(sighs)
Alright. Way I see it, you've
only got two choices. You can go up
there and spend the rest your life
trying not to look too afraid, or
talk too loud, or say the wrong
thing, or look the wrong way…
Sadly, Sophie's like a lot of women caught in the cycle of abuse and it's going to take more than a well intentioned pep talk for her to make the break. However, a break does come in the form of serendipity. When Marcus and Sophie next see one another Sophie's in an ebullient mood, glowing with the news she's pregnant. Finally the resolve she's needed to escape David's clutches.
And then, a shocking turn of events.
Sophie turns up dead. Deemed a Suicide.
But that's not all. Did I mention David is a Police Officer – and a drunk to boot? Sophie's apparently killed herself with her husband's service revolver after first firing a shot into the floor? Who does that?
Marcus tells the investigating officer it's not possible – Sophie would never take her own life. When he offers to provide a statement to that effect he is given short shrift and told they're quite capable of running the investigation without him. It appears the police have closed ranks around one of their own.
And when David adds insult to injury:
She got what she deserved.
Marcus is now forced to make a decision which may have far reaching consequences.
Feels Like Falling examines the larger themes of power and corruption, miscarriage of justice, and vengeance. Inspired by a true life account and one of two entries tied for 'Reader's Choice' on Simply Scripts One Week Challenge – Feels Like Falling is a suspenseful drama with a poignant message, and powerful dialogue.
Filmmakers, feel like falling on your feet and reaping the rewards? If you know what's good for you you'll do this one justice. Case closed.
Budget: Medium. Only two main characters (with strong supporting roles such as David), and the primary location – an elevator. But bear in mind – this one deserves a robust enough budget to be done right!
About the writer: Eric Wall is a New Jersey based screenwriter who has written several short scripts, two features and is at work on multiple TV specs. He can be reached at e_wall1498 "AT" yahoo!
Read Feels Like Falling (pdf format)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Come experience and re-live the tragedy of Karbala through virtual reality. Stand next to Hazrat Abbas (as) and walk with Imam Husain (as).
See attached poster for details.
Click on the poster alongside for more information.
On 2nd December 2017, the Birmingham Abbasi Youth Network (BAYN) held the first mental health seminar led by Sakina Zahra Nazerali, with a very successful 120 attendees. This seminar was aimed to make the community aware of mental health and the reality of its impact to people even within our community. This seminar was a safe place to discuss these very important topics.
Sheikh Nuru being the MC mentioned the Islamic aspect on mental health. He emphasized that it is very important to seek help and diagnosis of any condition that someone may have. There are also some spiritual aspects which can assist, however it is important to seek the help of professionals in this field who are mentioned below. Dr Abbas Ramji spoke about OCD, depression, anxiety and Schizophrenia/psychosis. These were accompanied by very useful videos which showed what these conditions mean in the eyes of those who are affected.
Rukaiya Bhanji talked about the facts and myths about mental health medication. She explained what the benefits are and the reality of the effect of the medicines. There is no instant cure for mental health, it takes time and patience, she emphasized. Many people might think that that the medicine either cures or doesn't have any effect, in fact it is more complex than that.
Dr Safraz Jeraj talked about the relationship between mental health and physical health and how we need to have a balance in these. He explained the steps in getting help and what we need to do with very accurate and relatable examples.
There was a very beneficial mindfulness session by Fatima Syed who gave us a practical meditation session which can be replicated at home. This was to help us in being in the now and to be aware of ourselves.
To top this off there was a very practical talk by a service user explaining her journey through certain conditions. She explained how she could overcome these issues by seeking the right help and the impact that can make.
One attendee mentioned "First of all I think it was a great event. And much needed for the community. I also think the coverage was very good - you managed to get an excellent range of topics which were all very relevant. The large number of attendees is a concrete sign of the interest people have and the value they are giving to this subject".
The BAYN Wellbeing Team presents it's first ever Interactive Mental Health Seminar for both ladies and gents.
An evening of workshops and talks by professionals in the field, the aim of this event is to raise awareness about Mental Health and empower you to make positive changes in your life.
On: Saturday 2nd December 2017.
The programme will begin with registration after Maghribain Salaah at 16.07pm.
Registration of attendance must be made here.
PART TWO - YOUTH FORUM!
BAYN in conjunction with Ahlulbayt TV are holding an upcoming open forum with Sheikh Nuru Mohammed, discussing selected pertinent contemporary religious and societal issues related to youth.
- Why should I vote, how and who to vote for?
- Is gender interaction too strict?
- Should we get married young, and what does being 'ready' mean?
- Does racism still exist within our communities?


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


* Based on a light novel series written by Natsumi Kouji and illustrated by Tousaka Asagi.
Mysterious flying creatures called Zai suddenly appear and overwhelm all of mankind's aerial combat forces. To fight them, mankind modifies existing aircraft frames to create mechanized soldiers called "Daughters," which are operated by automated piloting mechanisms called "Anima" that have the appearance of human girls. The story begins when Narutani Kei, a boy who yearns to take to the skies, encounters a shining red aircraft and its pilot, an Anima named Gripen who has been named mankind's trump card.


text:
International Posted on Dec 14, 2020
Barr says deploying troops within U.S. should only be "a last resort"
Washington — Attorney General William Barr on Sunday defended the Trump administration's decision to have active-duty troops at the ready to respond to protests in Washington, D.C., saying the military should only be deployed to U.S. states and cities as a "last resort."
"Our position was common, which was that they should only be deployed as a last resort," Barr said on "Face the Nation," referring to the stance he, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley took regarding the use of active-duty troops in the U.S. to quell protesters in the nation's capital.
Earlier this week, as thousands demonstrated in the district and in major U.S. cities around the country, President Trump threatened to mobilize the military if local officials did not do more to stop the violence that had occurred in some places.
Transcript: Attorney General Bill Barr on "Face the Nation"
CBS News reported that in a contentious Oval Office meeting on Monday, the president demanded the military deploy 10,000 active duty troops to U.S. streets after protests against police brutality erupted from coast to coast. But some of Mr. Trump's top officials, including Barr, Esper and Milley, objected to the president's demand, a senior administration official told CBS News. In an effort to address Mr. Trump's request, Esper and Milley urged the nation's governors that day to activate the National Guard in their states.
Esper said this Wednesday at the Pentagon: "The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act."
Barr disputed that characterization of the Oval Office meeting as "completely false" on Sunday, denying the president demanded active-duty troops in the streets immediately, rather than having them on standby. "The president never asked or suggested that we needed to deploy regular troops at that point," he said.
While the National Guard in Washington, D.C., was mobilized to assist with the protests, and at least 10 other states sent National Guard soldiers and airmen to assist, the Pentagon also brought 1,600 active-duty troops to bases surrounding the District of Columbia.
In discussing the decision to bring active-duty service members to the nation's capital, Barr said the "decision was made to have at the ready and on hand" some troops.
"But everyone agreed the use of regular troops is a last resort, and that as long as matters can be controlled with other resources, they should be," he said, adding that administration officials "felt they had adequate resources."
The attorney general also noted that last weekend was capped by violent clashes between police and protesters, and federal property, businesses and historical sites were destroyed and vandalized during the demonstrations, including the historic St. John's Church, where a fire broke out in a parish office.
Barr characterized the "last resort" as needing to "restore order in a situation that is out of control and where life and property is endangered." He recalled active-duty service members being deployed to U.S. cities and territories twice during his tenure as attorney general in the early 1990s: Once to the U.S. Virgin Islands and again to California during the Rodney King riots. Barr also said the military was sent to southern states during the Civil Rights movement to oversee the integration of schools.
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated nationwide over the past two weeks in response to the death of George Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis and other unarmed African Americans by law enforcement. The demonstrations were capped by massive marches Saturday, including in Washington.
While demonstrations against police brutality earlier this week were marked by some violent clashes between police and protesters, the events Saturday from Washington to New York City and San Francisco remained peaceful. Mr. Trump said Sunday he ordered the National Guard to begin withdrawing from the district.
The Trump administration has come under criticism for its handling of the demonstrations in the nation's capital, sparked by aggressive efforts by law enforcement outside the White House on Monday to clear Lafayette Park.
Federal officers used pepper spray and rubber bullets to forcefully disperse the protesters, most of whom were demonstrating peacefully, and after the area was cleared, Mr. Trump walked from the White House to St. John's Church. Barr accompanied the president on the walk across the empty Lafayette Park and stood beside Mr. Trump in photos outside the so-called "Church of the Presidents."
The aggressive efforts to clear the area around the White House received widespread condemnation. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that Barr made the call to extend the perimeter.
Barr on Sunday rebuffed the suggestion that the protesters were peaceful, noting that 150 officers had been injured in the last week alone, one-fifth of those having been in Washington.
He said the efforts to move protesters was "not an operation to respond" to the crowd, but rather to move the perimeter around the White House by one block.
Barr said the actions by law enforcement were appropriate once officers "met resistance."
"Police have to move protesters, sometimes peaceful demonstrators, for a short distance in order to accomplish public safety, and that's what was done here," he said.
Read More: Barr says deploying troops within U.S. should only be "a last resort"
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text:
No matter how much you are hurting
No Marriage is Beyond Hope
There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
When life takes you on different paths
You Can Find the Love Again
Give Retrouvaille a Chance.
There is a Better Way to Communicate to
Put Your Marriage Back on Track
When the old way is simply not working.
No matter how hopeless it seems, you can
Learn How to Forgive & Trust
& find the love you once shared..
Going Your Separate Ways is Harder
Rediscover Your Commitment
Let Retrouvaille Help.
Retrouvaille is a lifeline for marriages..... ...a program to help couples heal and renew their hurting marriages.
Learn More! Find a program near you
The Retrouvaille Program is for Married Couples Facing Difficult Challenges in their Relationship
A Marriage program that helps couples restore their marriage and rebuild a loving relationship.
A Christian marriage program, Catholic in origin, where couples of all faiths or no faith background are encouraged to attend.
Primarily a practical program to improve communication, build stronger marriages, and help couples reconnect.
Presenters are not trained marriage counselors, but rather couples sharing their personal stories of marital struggles and the tools they used to rediscover their love.
Find Upcoming Weekends
By Country All Countries Argentina Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Ecuador France India Ireland Italy Kenya Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Philippines Republic of Korea Singapore South Africa Spain Trinidad and Tobago United Kingdom United States Zimbabwe
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Or Search Our Interactive Map
A Weekend Away Can Give Your Marriage a Chance
A marriage help program that gives couples the opportunity to sign off, get away, and examine their lives together in a real and realistic way. It's based on the belief that marriage is the most significant relationship on earth and is worth investing your time, energy and efforts to make it the best it can be. The weekend is hard work, but more worthwhile than can ever be explained.
Tens of Thousands of Couples Have Been Helped
Retrouvaille offers tools needed to rediscover a loving marriage. Tens of thousands of struggling marriages headed for cold, unloving relationships or divorce have successfully overcome their marriage problems by attending the program, which begins with a Weekend Experience that is followed by a series of follow-up sessions to help keep your healing on track and further develop the tools learned.
You Will Not Share Your Personal Struggles with Others
The Retrouvaille program is not a marriage encounter, marriage retreat, marriage counseling, or a marriage seminar, although they share some similarities. You will not be sharing your struggles with other people. You will hear from couples that have been through the program themselves. They will share their journey from brokenness to reconciliation.
A Program for Couples in Struggling Marriages
It is for couples with marriages that are struggling, not communicating well, and those who are considering marriage separation or divorce. It is also for those who are already separated or divorced that want marriage help. Some couples come to Retrouvaille during the initial signs of a marriage problem. Other couples are in a state of despair and hopelessness when they attend the program. Some couples have been married for many years, while others have been married only a short time and encountered trouble.
A Marriage Help Program that Teaches Effective Communication
The presenting team, three couples and a priest or pastor couple presents a technique of communication that enables you to take a good look at many areas of your relationship. The team provides practical tools for improving your marriage. Unlike marriage counselors, they will share how they were able to benefit from these techniques themselves. After each presentation you will have time for reflection and discussion in complete privacy with your spouse.
Find a Program Near You
Scheduled regularly in more than 160 communities worldwide, the weekend begins on a Friday evening and ends Sunday afternoon. It is not a 'miracle cure'; so the post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage renewal begun on the weekend. The post-weekend phase is as crucial, maybe more critical, to the healing of marriage problems. During these sessions, the techniques learned on the weekend are further developed and used to explore additional areas of your marriage relationship.
How is this program like marriage encounter?
As our friends in Marriage Encounter like to say, Marriage Encounter is for couples with good marriages who want to make them even better. Retrouvaille is for couples who have problems and need marriage help.
A good analogy is that Marriage Encounter is like getting a tune-up for your car and Retrouvaille is like getting a complete engine overhaul.
How is this program like a Marriage Seminar or Marriage Retreat?
In a setting that appears like a marriage seminar at times the team presents a technique of communication that enables you to take a good look at most areas of your relationship. After each presentation you will have a chance to reflect on it by yourself, then discuss it in complete privacy with your spouse.
The weekend is not a 'miracle cure'; therefore, the post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage help and renewal begun on the weekend. The post-weekend phase is as crucial, maybe more critical, to the healing of marriage problems. During the post-weekend sessions, the technique learned on the weekend is further developed and is used to explore additional areas of the marriage relationship.
What kind help can we expect from the program if not marriage advice?
The team presents a technique of communication that enables you to take a good look at most areas of your relationship. After each presentation you will have a chance to reflect on it by yourself, then discuss it in complete privacy with your spouse.
The weekend is not a 'miracle cure'; therefore, the post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage renewal begun on the weekend. The post-weekend phase is as crucial, maybe more critical, to the healing of marriage problems. During the post-weekend sessions, the technique learned on the weekend is further developed and is used to explore additional areas of the marriage relationship.
The Retrouvaille program is more like a marriage seminar or classroom setting. The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage. They will share the tools that they used to turn their own marriages around and then they will teach you how to use those tools yourself
What kind of marriage help will we receive?
Some couples come to Retrouvaille during the initial signs of marriage problems. Other couples are in a state of despair and hopelessness when they attend the program. These latter couples often consider the Retrouvaille program their final option.
The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage.
Many lawyers and judges send couples to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to filing for a divorce or rendering final decisions. Many marriage counselors send their clients to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to marriage counseling. These professionals know that the tools of communication in marriage taught in the program are often what couples need.
What kind of marriage problems does this program help?
The program has helped couples with many different kinds of marriage problems. Some couples come to Retrouvaille during the initial signs of a marriage problem. Other couples are in a state of despair and hopelessness when they attend the program. These latter couples often consider the Retrouvaille program their final option.
The types of problems couples deal with include the full range of issues from apparently irreconcilable differences and incompatibilities to infidelity and addictions. Retrouvaille is not a replacement for marriage counseling, therapists and 12 Step programs. Rather, this program compliments these other resources.
How is this program like marriage counseling?
This program considers itself a compliment to marriage counseling and not a replacement for it. In marriage counseling you meet privately with a therapist. You share your struggles and difficulties with the marriage counselor. The therapist provides marriage advice and helps you learn other ways of dealing with those marriage problems.
The Retrouvaille program is more like a marriage seminar or classroom setting. The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage. They will share the tools that they used to turn their own marriages around and then they will teach you how to use those tools yourself.
What will we get that we won't get from marriage counselors?
This program considers itself a compliment to marriage counselors and therapists and not a replacement for them. Marriage counselors meet privately with you. You share your struggles and difficulties with them. The therapist provides marriage advice and helps you learn other ways of dealing with those marriage problems.


Express Accounting Services Limited was set up on Thursday the 18th of June 2015. Their current partial address is Co. Kerry, and the company status is Strike Off Listed. The company's current director has been the director of 1 other Irish company; 1 of which is now closed.


text:
sometypeofartist
Let's Talk Games!
Let's Talk Other Things!
Some Type of Art!
Who Are You!?
Let's Talk Books! — Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut
Posted in Let's Talk Books, Uncategorized	by sometypeofartist
Warning: Spoilers!
Kurt Vonnegut was someone I'd heard great things about since high school. I knew a few people that swore by him back then, and one of my friends even went so far as to wish he was her grandfather.
Despite the high praises and interest to check him out myself, I never did pick up one of his books back then. It wasn't until my creative writing courses in the second half of college did I hear his name mentioned again with the same praises as before. A lot of my classmates were surprised I'd never read anything by him before and instantly recommended Slaughterhouse-Five.
After graduating and having more time to read for myself, I went on a reading spree, trying to catch up on a lot of books I felt I should have read but never did. Checking out Kurt Vonnegut was on my list of things to do, and I checked one of his books out of the library soon after. This book was While Mortals Sleep, a collection of unpublished short stories released after his death. I loved it — maybe it was because I was just coming out of an environment that taught me how to critically analyze and take away valuable experiences from short stories, but I felt a big connection with the book. I liked it so much, I ordered my own copy almost immediately after finishing it.
I tried Cat's Cradle next, but it didn't hold the same punch for me. It was okay, but… that's about it. Just okay. It never really left much of an impact on me.
Slaughterhouse-Five came fairly shortly after that, and I've got to admit: I didn't like it. I didn't see what the big deal was. Maybe it's because Cat's Cradle left a disappointing taste in my mouth after loving While Mortals Sleep, but Slaughterhouse-Five didn't captivate me at all.
It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, either. I always heard Kurt Vonnegut, particularly Slaughterhouse-Five, was terrific at dark humor, which I normally enjoy. But nothing in Vonnegut's work really felt like humor to me. It reflected real people and their experiences well enough, certainly. But all three of his books never felt like they were supposed to be humorous. Was I missing something?
After that, I felt I kind of had my fill of Kurt Vonnegut. I wrote While Mortals Sleep off as the one book I genuinely enjoyed by him, but otherwise felt he just wasn't for me. Didn't hate him. Just not my cup of tea.
A couple of years later someone recommended Welcome to the Monkey House to me. At first I wasn't interested in reading another Kurt Vonnegut book, but then I learned it was a collection of short stories. Since While Mortals Sleep was the only book I enjoyed by him, I thought maybe his short stories are just more appealing to me then his novels. I added it to my to-read list and finally got around to reading it during the past couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, it didn't really do anything for me either.
To be fair, I enjoyed it more than Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five. I definitely feel like I can invest myself into Kurt Vonnegut's characters more when they're presented in 10-20 page chunks instead of an entire novel. Still, as a whole, the stories in this collection for me were okay at best, and pretty uninteresting at their worst.
Among the more interesting stories are "Harrison Bergerdon," which is about a world that has devices on people to make everyone have relatively the same intelligence and capabilities, and shows a pair of parents watching their son tear away from the shackles and get shot as a consequence; "Who Am I This Time?," a story that tells of a girl that moved constantly as a kid and becomes enamored with an actor (or rather, his character) in a play she's participating it; "Long Walk to Forever," a love story between two childhood friends, one who's about to get married and one who went AWOL to come back home and tell her how he felt; "The Foster Portfolio," which was about a financial advisor consulting with a meek and humble man about what to do with a recently inherited fortune; "Miss Temptation," a story about an attractive girl a town falls in love with until a returning soldier comes home and lashes out at her for dressing like a whore; "Next Door," which is about a kid who stays home alone and tries to fix a troubling marriage he can hear from next door; "D.P.," a story about an young boy living in an orphanage that believes his real father is a soldier camping out nearby; "Deer In the Works," tells us the story of a man leaving his small business behind to enlist in a much larger corporation and how he struggles with adapting until he eventually runs away from the place; and "Adam," which is about a man whose wife just had a baby and his feelings regarding how happy he is and how little everyone else cares.
I feel like these stories do a good job identifying many different aspects of being human. The other stories, while they certainly do the same, don't hold the same kind of punch for me. I think one of the reasons why is because so many of them involve war and history, something I don't really have much of an interest in. Looking back, this may be one of the reasons I failed to connect with Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five, as both had similar themes.
But further than that, I feel like a lot of these short stories, even the ones I listed above, had pretty weak endings that hurt the overall experience for me. For example, in "Miss Temptation," after the man harasses the attractive girl and causes her to lock herself in her home and eventually plan to move, he comes by to give her something when she lashes out at him for judging people by appearances and criticizes him for taking his frustrations out on her just because he thought she was attractive, and therefore, a shallow person. It's a really great scene, but unfortunately it feels diminished when immediately after, she says he can take her by the arm and walk her into town to show everyone he's fine with how she is. I'm not sure how this was supposed to be interpreted , but it felt too much like the setup for them becoming a couple and it really crushed the themes of the consequences of built up frustration due to loneliness that the story was expressing. Many of these stories seem to abruptly switch to a "happy ending" situation that feels too separate and out of place from the rest of each story.
And then some stories just completely bored me. "All the King's Horses" in particular was my least liked. It was about a group of POWs forced to play in a chess game by their captor, with all of his players as the POWs. While an interesting setup, it lasts way too long and feels like it goes nowhere. The ending itself feels especially weak, as the captor lets them go and basically has this conversation:
"I was never gonna kill you guys. You're free."
"Let's play again sometime. But just normal chess."
"Yeah umm maybe. Probably not, tho."
In the end though, is it something I could recommend? Probably not. I personally feel there are better short story collections out there, and plenty of authors better than Kurt Vonnegut.
But that's just me. So many people love him and chances are, if you're reading this review, you probably love him too. And that's fine. He's just not my kind of author, I guess. It's a shame, because I'd really like to enjoy him more. But I'm either missing something pretty important from his works, or as I mentioned earlier, he's just not for me. Although if you've got a recommendation of one of his other books you think I might enjoy based on what I've said, let me know. It won't be anytime soon, but I can still see myself wanting to revisit him in an attempt to like him.
Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you're having a great week! 🙂
Info for my edition of Welcome to the Monkey House:
Published 2006 by Dial Press Trade Paperbacks,
ISBN 9-780385-333504
discussion, fiction, kurt vonnegut, let's talk books, review, short stories, welome to the monkey house	Leave a comment
Let's Talk Books! — Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
Posted in Let's Talk Books	by sometypeofartist
Earlier this year I read Kafka On the Shore, which incidentally was my first translated read in a long time. Despite it being a Japanese novel and my departure from liking anime, I really enjoyed it (even if I had some issues with the storytelling).
And now I've read another translated Japanese novel I'm excited to talk about: Battle Royale. One of my friends read it last year and I thought it sounded interesting. It was about a group of students who were thrown into a fight to the death/survival situation, like a combination of Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games. Kind of tired of borrowing from the library, I asked to borrow from her instead and finally gave it a read.
The story changes perspectives often, but the main character of Battle Royale is Shuya. The story starts off with Shuya and his classmates taking a study trip. On the bus ride there, we are introduced to every. Single. Person. In. The. Class. All 42 of them.
I hate to say the worst part of the book is the beginning, but if you ever want to read it it's important to know. The entire first chapter gives introductions to every single person in Shuya's class all at once. It's confusing, cluttered, and really unnecessary. From 10 years of anime, manga, JRPGs, and even these two most recent novels, I can tell Japanese stories are told with different values in mind that Americans might normally label as bad writing. I'm willing to give some of these things a little more slack considering they're told from a different culture, but I think something every reader and writer can agree on is to never start your story off with introducing forty different characters at once. Chances are extremely likely that no one is going to remember a fraction of these people and throwing the reader right into such a complicated information dump is most likely going to make them lose interest.
Although Battle Royale has been critically acclaimed, so… what do I know? 😛
Anyway, I didn't get too invested in any of them because a) in a book about students killing other students, I had to expect at least half of these 42 characters would be written off quickly or off page, and b) my friend warned me that the abundance of characters (as well as the names all being foreign) was going to make for a confusing experience, so I went into Battle Royale with the intention of reading casually and quickly. Luckily, I didn't find it hard to keep track of the central characters, but I'll explain why in a little bit.
So Shuya and his classmates fall unconscious on their bus because of some sort of gas, and when they awake they're in a classroom with a man named Sakamochi. He's in charge of the "game" these students are about to play in. You see, The Greater Republic of East Asia (which I guess is Japan or what Japan is part of in this story) randomly selects classes to participate in a program where the students are brought to an evacuated, isolated area to kill each other until one student remains (Japan's government is kind of a dick in this story). The public explanation is that it's for military purposes, but if that sounds like horseshit there's a better (although still kind of stupid) reason given at the end of the story.
Each student has a device secured around their necks that lets Sakamochi track them. They'll also explode if they're tampered with or attempted to take off, so they force students to participate. In addition, military ships are stationed around the island they're going to fight on, and if anyone attempts to escape they'll be killed on sight.
After a specific amount of time passes, Sakamochi will announce who's died since the last announcement as well as introduce new forbidden zones indicated on maps provided to each student. This also forces students to eventually stop hiding and pit them against each other, but if even that wasn't enough, if no one dies within a certain amount of time, Sakamochi will have each student's neck device explode and end the game with no winner.
Each student is given a pack with randomly selected gear, including a weapon. They range from handguns to various bladed weapons, and in the case of two students, a fork and a device that detects neck devices in the area. Like class selection, all of this is distributed randomly.
Students leave one by one with a few minutes in between each departure. The game opens pretty brutally, with Sakamochi showing the class the dead, torn up corpse of their teacher, as well as him killing two of the students before the game even began, one of which was Shuya's best friend Yoshitoki. Shuya sits and thinks about what to do before he gets to leave and wonders if any of his classmates would actually participate in this game. He's all for trying to group together and finding a way to escape, but when he finds two dead bodies right as he leaves the school and is attacked by a student on the roof, reality sinks in. Avoiding the assailant and grabbing an emerging student, Noriko (who Yoshitoki told Shuya he liked, thus Shuya vowed to protect her for his dead friend), the two flee to find safety.
They eventually meet up with Shogo, a mysterious student who transferred recently. He saves Shuya from another student and, going off the sole feeling of Shuya and Noriko looking like a good couple, decides to join Shuya's group. Shuya continuously goes back and forth between questioning Shogo's trust and following him blindly, and continues to do so throughout the whole book, but in the end the three form an alliance. Shogo has a plan to escape the game but won't tell Shuya and Noriko what it is in case one of them is captured and questioned. Sounds super fishy, and honestly I expected Shogo to betray them. Turns out that Shogo actually participated in the last program and has a unique advantage compared to everyone else. From experience, he knows more about the workings of the game and what other students are likely to do, so I guess this is supposed t be good enough of a reason to trust that Shogo really has a plan.
Like I mentioned earlier, chapters switch perspectives to different students, although it all remains in "limited" third person. I say "limited" because even though students don't always share the same knowledge of what's going on, Battle Royale often drops a line like "although x would have no way of knowing that the reason this and that didn't work is because y had set up blah blah blah," so at times it also feels like it's omniscient third person.
I don't want to give too much away.Weird, right? Considering I spoil a lot of plot points in these posts? But I don't know. So much of what happens in this book is irrelevant to the plot that it seems kind of pointless to mention. Even longer arcs that seem important end so abruptly that I can't honestly say it matters much to Shuya's group, who I have to think of as the main group with the ultimate end goal.
Although many of the chapters don't matter much to the plot, I can't say they're worthless. In fact, in their own weird way, they're probably the most memorable parts of the book. Many chapters focus on one student or a group of students and their encounters with others. It'll usually start up with someone hiding and being found, or going on the offensive, or something like that.
But then everything will be put on pause as a long, elaborate backstory is given for them. Every time this happens, I can't help but think of Weird Al's "Albuquerque" when he says "Hey, that reminds me of another amusing anecdote," when he goes off topic onto something else. The transition is so blunt it's almost comical. These backstories range from interesting to "all right, let's get to the killing now." Regardless, they all seem to set up an upcoming death to make it seem more meaningful. For example, two students debate whether or not to come out of hiding to call a ceasefire and a flashback is given to help us understand their desire to learn to trust others more. Once it's over, they come out only to be mowed down by gunfire almost immediately.
There are a few characters who recur enough through these side chapters, though. One of the biggest ones is Shinji, Shuya's friend. Shuya makes a huge deal to search for him for the first half of the book, so you really get the impression they're either going to team up or fight each other at some point. They don't. There's a good chunk of chapters dedicated to Shinji using his expert, flawless, middle school hacking abilities to try disabling their neck braces and taking down Sakamochi (in between bragging about how he's already slept with three girls, of course; you know, standard Japanese middle school stuff), but in the end he gets killed off by Kazuo, one of the two recurring "villains" of this group of students.
Kazuo is cold and emotionless (perfect for hating and conveniently making our heroes not feel too guilty when they eventually have to kill him) and comes equipped with a machine gun, and later, a bulletproof vest. Most of the students are killed by him, including his gang at the beginning of the program. To Shinji's credit, he puts up the most of a fight anyone gives Kazuo (aside from Shuya's group at the end, of course), but his entire arc is ended abruptly and rather disappointingly.
The other major villain is a girl named Mitsuko, the most popular girl in the class. She's the sweet talking, seductive, but secretly vicious antagonist that kills her fair share of people, too. Unlike Kasuo, Mitsuko actually has emotions and makes for a more interesting character, especially when you find out about her past which explains some of her behavior. She uses more people and it's interesting to see other students' responses to her. There's one in particular where Mitsuko is taken prisoner by two students, one who doesn't trust her and another who has feelings for here, and her relationship with the latter is one of the more complex interactions we see in the entire book.
Numbers wind down and eventually it's Shuya's group and Kazuo left. Mitsuko, despite the build up, is unfortunately also one of the abruptly ended arcs that never went anywhere. Shuya's group never even encountered her. Kazuo took care of her, and now he's hunting Shuya's group. There's a large car chase (it's only about half as comically random as it sounds) and Kazuo eventually dies to Noriko, although Shogo finishes him off so Noriko won't feel as guilty.
Then Shogo turns on Shuya and Noriko. There are gunshots and the game is over.
Not gonna lie. I almost laughed when this happened. The possibility Shogo would do this was something Shuya voiced concern over multiple times throughout the novel. And the longer Shogo stuck with Shuya and went out of his way to help treat his and Noriko's wounds, the more I began to believe he was really on their side. To have Shogo turn on them after all that time, abruptly and bluntly, seemed way to predictable at the start for it to actually happen. It honestly felt like a "fuck you" moment to the reader.
But in reality, as revealed during the final couple of chapters, it was staged. Shogo knew how to disable the neck devices and removed Shuya and Noriko's after firing his gun into the air (he knew Sakamochi was listening in, but since they remained hidden under trees satellites couldn't get visual confirmation). Shuya and Noriko secretly board the ship carrying Sakamochi and Shogo off the island. They kill everyone aboard and escape. Shogo dies from wounds he received both on the ship and during the fight with Kazuo. The book ends with Shuya and Noriko hiding, making their way towards wherever the road may take them, running from the police.
As I mentioned earlier, the way character backstories are abruptly presented isn't often clean. So much is thrown at the reader that it's unrealistic to remember everything and connect with many students. But the odd thing is, there were more memorable experiences here than I thought there would be. I thought it would just be Shuya's group I'd find myself concerned with, but some of the other characters turned out to be more interesting than the main cast.
In some ways, it's almost like a collection of short stories or vignettes centered around the central theme of the program. It may not matter in the grand scheme of things, but a lot of these side characters who only stuck around for a chapter or two was a big part of Battle Royale's appeal. For better or worse, bombarding the reader with random backstory in an arguably obnoxious way created more memorable characters. And I'm not sure how I feel about that.
I especially thought so when I began thinking how many participants in The Hunger Games left any kind of lasting impression at all. Besides Katniss and Peeta, I mean.
Okay, let's throw it all out there. The premise for this book may remind you of The Hunger Games. Teens being forced to fight each other, etc. In fact, a quick search revealed that many people think The Hunger Games ripped off Battle Royale. Honestly, while the concepts are similar, I don't think Battle Royale "invented" the concept of this kind of story. And both share their own unique traits to stand as their own things.
Regardless, I still couldn't help comparing the two books with each other. I feel like they both failed where the other succeeded. If we're talking about an overall better written narrative, I think The Hunger Games is more successful. For more risks involving how violent the characters are with each other, including descriptions, I think Battle Royale does a better job. I think Katniss is a more interesting character than Shuya, but as a whole the cast from Battle Royale leaves a more memorable experience than the other participants in The Hunger Games.
When it comes down to it, I think I liked Battle Royale more, flaws and all. The more I look at The Hunger Games, the more it seems like a YA series. And it is, I know. But the more I look at it, the more I feel like I've outgrown it a little. Battle Royale — I'm not exactly sure what demographic this is for.YA, adult, I think it could go either way honestly. Since it's a translated Japanese book, I'd say it definitely has more of a niche audience here in America. But that being said, if you enjoyed The Hunger Games and want to experience something else with a similar premise, I'd recommend Battle Royale. If you've unfamiliar with Japan, the huge amount of names may turn you off, especially after the first chapter (foreign style of writing or not, I don't think it was a good way to open a book at all). It's long, though. It's 600 pages and that might feel a little overwhelming. But I think it's worth checking out.
There's also a movie if you'd rather see that instead. It's more or less the same as the book, but abridged. There's a larger focus on the main characters instead of the side ones. It's pretty cheesey, though. It feels more like an action movie than the book, which felt a little more like horror. But it's on Netflix right now, so if you don't mind subtitles, it's there if you're interested.
Thanks for reading! Hope everyone's having a great week! 🙂
Info for my edition of Battle Royale:
Published 2003 by VIZ, LLC
battle royale, fiction, japan, koushun takami, let's talk books, thriller, translated	Leave a comment


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Grant-White raises $790 for cancer patients
by MELISSA LOU March 23, 2005 February 9, 2021
Proving they are "kids with character," students at Grant-White Elementary School collected pennies, nickels, quarters and dimes in February raising $789.67 to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The fundraiser is part of the society's annual Pennies for Patients program and, considering the size of the school, $789 is an incredible feat for these students.
"The kindergarten class is 22 students and most classes have been capped at 20," said Sue O'Giblin, PTO vice-president. "The second grade only has 11 students."
PTO President Towanda Gadoree agreed, adding that the fundraiser was an excellent opportunity for the students.
"It was a great way to teach the students at Grant-White what it means to be a kid with character," she said, adding that this was the school's motto.
Grant-White is one of 450 schools throughout Illinois collecting change for the society.
"In Illinois the program raised over $300,000 this year and last year we raised over $13 million nationally," said Brian Goodman, a representative of the society.
The society's mission is to find a cure for blood cancers, which include leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and Hodgkins disease, and improve the quality of life for patients.
"The money goes towards research, as well as patient aid," Goodman said.
In exchange for their support, the children earned themselves a pizza party for the highest fundraising class in the school, the kindergartners, who raised almost $228.
The society will sponsor a party on March 23 at 12:30 for these industrious savers.
The money raised at Grant-White, Goodman told the children, is enough to fund one patient for one year in incidental care.


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AC Milan 2 Real Madrid 2: match report
Read a full match report of the Champions League Group G match between AC Milan and Real Madrid at the San Siro on Wednesday Nov 3 2010.
King Leon: Pedro Leon celebrates his dramatic equaliser for Real Madrid Photo: REUTERS
Poacher: AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi pounces to score against Real Madrid Photo: AFP
Real deal: Gonzalo Higuain scores Real Madrid's opener at San Siro Photo: REUTERS
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Pedro Leon scored deep into injury time to rescue a 2-2 draw for Real Madrid at AC Milan and send the Spanish team into the Champions League knock-out rounds.
Gonzalo Higuain had given the Spaniards a deserved first half lead but a Filippo Inzaghi brace lit up an otherwise uninspired performance from the hosts.
Leon's last gasp heroics saved Real coach Jose Mourinho from suffering defeat on his return to the San Siro, where he coached Inter Milan for two years.
Real are through to the second round while Milan are now a point ahead of Ajax, who lost 2-1 at Auxerre.
Mourinho complained that Inzaghi's second goal should have been chalked off.
Mourinho: 'my team still needs to learn'
AC Milan v Real Madrid: live
Champions League preview
"Their first goal came from a slip by Pepe and their second was clearly and obviously offside, without a shadow of doubt," he said.
"But I don't want to talk about Pepe or the referee, we played very well tonight and Leon's equaliser was deserved."
Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri praised his side's character.
"I think the draw was a fair result, they were better in the first half but in the second we had a good reaction, that's our strength.
"Unfortunately, though, we didn't manage to hold on to the win."
Madrid carried on from where they had left off in the Bernabeu, where they won 2-0, creating many scoring chances.
Higuain had a low shot on just three minutes that Christian Abbiati tipped around the post while Pepe's downward header from Xabi Alonso's free-kick on nine minutes bounced up and over the bar.
Angel Di Maria got behind Milan's backline on 13 minutes but Gianluca Zambrotta battled away to put him off and the Argentine scuffed his shot wide.
World Cup final referee Howard Webb had his hands full at times trying to keep a lid on a tetchy affair that almost spiralled out of control when Cristiano Ronaldo rolled around on the floor theatrically after contact with Ignazio Abate.
Real came within inches of taking the lead on 20 minutes but Andrea Pirlo twice headed off the line, first from Higuain's header and then Di Maria's volleyed follow-up.
Kevin-Prince Boateng played Ibrahimovic in one-on-one with Iker Casillas but his weak shot from an angle hit the keeper's legs.
After a brief lull, Ronaldinho clipped in Ibrahimovic on 37 minutes but his chip over Casillas went well wide.
Real scored in the final minute of the half as Di Maria ran at the defence and slipped in Higuain as Alessandro Nesta tried to play offside but stepped up too late, allowing the Argentine to finish coolly from seven yards.
It was more of the same after the break as Ronaldo stung Abbiati's hands with a rasping shot from distance.
Milan were getting nowhere so Allegri sent on 37-year-old Inzaghi who immediately injected some passion into the side.
And it was he who brought the home side level after a comedy of Real errors on 68 minutes.
Pepe slipped when favourite to reach a Gennaro Gattuso through ball, allowing Ibrahimovic to run in on goal from the left, the Portuguese centre-half even tripping up team-mate Sergio Ramos when trying to do likewise to the big Swede.
Ibrahimovic then slipped as he went to cross but Casillas had already committed himself to come out and as the ball went behind him, he let it slip through his hands, presenting Inzaghi with an easy header home from three yards.
Ten minutes later, Inzaghi had repeated the trick following another Madrid defensive disaster as the master poacher was allowed to run onto a long Gattuso ball forward - the defenders claiming in vain he was offside - and slipping the ball under the advancing Casillas.
But then Mourinho threw on Leon and deep into injury time fellow sub Karim Benzema slipped him in to shoot home between Abbiati's legs.
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