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OSU football: Jacob Farrell enters transfer portal
by Jacob Unruh
Published: Tue, August 11, 2020 5:19 PM Updated: Tue, August 11, 2020 8:09 PM
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State's offensive line depth took a bit of a hit Tuesday.
Offensive lineman Jacob Farrell entered the transfer portal, he announced. The Sulphur product played in just two games for the Cowboys.
Forever a Cowboy pic.twitter.com/9xGMcT1OSf
— Jacob Farrell (@jfarrell_52) August 12, 2020
Farrell's transfer was first reported by GoPokes.com.
OSU has had more than a dozen players enter the transfer portal since the start of the 2019 season.
A 6-foot-6, 313-pound redshirt sophomore, Farrell was a three-star recruit. He was on The Oklahoman's All-State team following the 2017 season.
He then redshirted his first season at OSU. Last season, he played against Oregon State and McNeese State.
All-State football team member Jacob Farrell, Sulphur High School is seen on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Jacob Unruh
Jacob Unruh is a graduate of Northeastern State University. He was born in Cherokee and raised near Vera where he attended Caney Valley High School.During his tenure at NSU, Unruh wrote for The Northeastern (NSU's student newspaper), the... Read more ›
CommentsOSU football: Jacob Farrell enters transfer portal


Angela Davis is an American activist, writer and feminist. She is known for her contribution to the Civil Rights Movements and her fight for the rights of the marginalised people in the world.
Born on this day in 1944, Davis was involved in political activism at a young age and this put her at logger heads with the government. She has been arrested a number of times and was even listed as FBI's top 10 most wanted fugitive in 1970.
Recently, she made headlines when an Alabama rights group decided to reinstate an honour it had rescinded over her support of the Palestine.
Her never-ending fight for the minorities has earned her many awards and accolades and has made her a formidable force in the world.
Scroll through to read some of Angela Davis's insightful quotes.


Europe and the Americas lead growth at the nation's No. 3 executive search firm as the company consolidates its consulting and cultural shaping business units. Let's go inside the latest figures.
October 27, 2017 – Executive search, leadership consulting and culture shaping services provider Heidrick & Struggles International / (NASDAQ:HSII) has posted revenues of $159.8 million for the third quarter, an increase of 11.3 percent from the same period last year.
Executive search net revenue increased 14.1 percent year over year, or $17.9 million, to $144.1 million from $126.3 million in the third quarter of last year. Search revenues grew 16.7 percent in the Americas and 18.9 percent in Europe, but declined 4.2 percent in Asia Pacific. Leadership consulting net revenue rose 1.6 percent, or $200,000, to $8.8 million from $8.6 million in the third quarter last year. Culture shaping net revenue declined 19.8 percent, or $1.7 million, to $6.9 million from $8.6 million in the third quarter of 2016.
During the quarter, the Chicago-headquartered recruiter — the third largest in the Americas as ranked by Hunt Scanlon Media — recorded a net income of $8.6 million, or 43 cents per share, compared to net income of $6.7 million, or 35 cents per share, last year.
Progress has also been made, Mr. Rajagopalen said, in integrating the firm's leadership consulting and culture shaping operations into a new business, Heidrick Consulting. The goal, he said, is to provide a cohesive suite of services that will allow clients to accelerate their performance at the leader, team and organizational levels.
That integration will be co-led by Colin Price, EVP and managing partner of leadership consulting, and Mike Marino, EVP and managing partner of culture shaping.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have modified their holdings of Heidrick stock over the last several quarters. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lessened its stake by 15.9 percent, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 270,440 shares of Heidrick's stock after selling 51,100 shares during the past quarter. JPMorgan owned about 1.44 percent of the recruiter's worth $5,882,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Royce & Associates recently increased its holdings in Heidrick by 107.1 percent. It now owns 1,549,800 shares of the firm's stock worth $33,708,000 after acquiring an additional 801,336 shares in the last quarter.
Dimensional Fund Advisors also boosted its position in shares of Heidrick by 7.6 percent. It now owns 1,272,325 shares of the recruiter's stock, worth $33,525,000, after buying an additional 90,410 shares. Renaissance Technologies recently increased its position in shares of Heidrick 4.3 percent. It now owns 1,159,902 shares of the firm's stock, worth $30,563,000, after acquiring an additional 47,916 shares. Vanguard Group raised its position in shares of Heidrick by 7.9 percent. It now owns 993,314 shares, worth $26,173,000, after buying an additional 72,798 shares. Lastly, Boston Partners boosted its position by 2.4 percent. It now owns 917,669 shares of the firm's stock worth $19,959,000 after buying an additional 21,472 shares. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.16 percent of the company's stock.
Several analysts have recently weighed in on Heidrick: In one recent research report, Zacks Investment Research raised the firm's stock from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating. ValuEngine, meanwhile, cut Heidrick from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating, while BidaskClub cut the company from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating. Deutsche Bank AG reaffirmed a "hold" rating and set a $25 price objective (down from $27) on shares of Heidrick. Finally, TheStreet cut the firm's stock from a "b" rating to a "c" rating in a research report. One research analyst rated the stock with a sell rating and four have issued a hold rating. The company currently has an average rating of "hold" and an average price target of $25.
Heidrick expects fourth quarter consolidated net revenue of between $150 million and $160 million. This forecast is based on the average currency rates in September and reflects, among other factors, management's assumptions for the anticipated volume of new executive search confirmations, Heidrick Consulting assignments, the current backlog, consultant productivity, consultant retention and the seasonality of its business.


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The A List is the UK's attempt at a 'Riverdale' and if you want to watch it in your country this is the guide you need.
In this guide I'll be showing you how you can watch The A List in any country right now. Best of all is this will only take you a few minutes to do and most importantly, there are no sketchy illegal websites involved either.
The A List has been taking the UK by storm recently. If you love Riverdale but you want another take on the genre then check out what the British BBC has to offer.
It's possible The A List may make it to other countries but it could be a long while off and if you want to avoid spoilers and be ahead of the trend then read on to find out how you can watch right now.
Step 1: Know what you'll need to watch
The A List is available to watch right now online on the UK's BBC iPlayer service. You can binge watch all 13 episodes because it's been released in one swoop Netflix style.
If you visit the BBC iPlayer website then you'll be blocked from watching because you're not in the UK.
The way to bypass this block is to use a VPN. A VPN is a tiny app for your computer, tablet, phone, Amazon Fire TV Stick or other device that lets you access overseas TV services.
I've been using the company ExpressVPN but there are a whole host of other providers too. My three recommended VPN providers for watching The A List outside the UK are:
It's important to note that even though there are literally thousands of companies that sell VPN services not all work with BBC iPlayer that shows The A List. Thankfully the three recommended providers above do and I've tried and tested them.
Follow the steps below to find out how you can watch The A List using a VPN.
Step 2: Get a VPN app and use it to watch
I find ExpressVPN to be slightly better than the competition and I really like the 30-day money back guarantee they've got which means it's totally risk-free.
Follow the step-by-step guide below to watch The A List in your country.
How to watch The A List outside the UK:
Visit the ExpressVPN website by clicking here and sign up for their service.
Grab the app from the 'Products' section of the ExpressVPN website. You can also search your usual app store for 'ExpressVPN' and install from there.
Open the app and activate it or login.
Press Choose Location. Then press United Kingdom.
Wait for the app to connect or press Connect if it doesn't automatically.
Once connected visit BBC iPlayer or use the BBC iPlayer app.
Watch The A List outside the UK using ExpressVPN.
When you're connected to ExpressVPN the BBC iPlayer website or app will think that you're in the UK.
This allows you to watch The A List in your country.
So, of course, this means you can watch The A List in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan or anywhere else in the world.
Watch The A List while you're on vacation, away for work or whenever or wherever you find yourself.
Step 3: Get the BBC iPlayer app for tablet or phone
You'll only need this next step if you want to watch on a tablet or phone. If you want to watch on a computer then you can just visit the BBC iPlayer website.
If you've got any kind of Android tablet or phone or an Apple iPad or iPhone then you'll need to also download the BBC iPlayer app to watch The A List.
Follow the instructions below to do this depending on your device.
Open the web-browser on your phone or tablet.
Enter the following URL: https://apkpure.com/bbc-iplayer/bbc.iplayer.android
Download the app.
You should now connect to the VPN first as described in the section above and then open the BBC iPlayer app.
Apple iOS:
If you've got an Apple iPad or iPhone then the process is a little bit more difficult and you'll need to follow this guide to download the BBC iPlayer app outside the UK.
Once you've downloaded and installed it you can use the VPN to watch The A List.
What's The A List all about?
Stranger Things and Riverdale have seen audiences move to Netflix in their droves. The UK's BBC wants a piece of that action and is trying to encourage the teenage market to watch their service.
Step forward The A List. A new 13-part supernatural drama from the UK's famous BBC network.
The A List borrows some of the best parts of Netflix's star shows but it isn't an exact copy and it's why it's got audiences so excited. The show throws a British twist on things and if you've been a fan of movies like Harry Potter or other British shows then you'll know the Brits can do things well.
I'm not going to spoil the show for you but isn't it about time you got yourself a VPN so you can watch The A List in your country?
Recap: How to watch The A List outside the UK
If you want to watch The A List outside the UK in America, Canada, Australia or anywhere else then it's really easy.
Just grab yourself a VPN app from ExpressVPN. You can do this by clicking the button below.
Once you've signed up download their app and connect to the UK. You'll now be able to watch The A List on the UK's BBC iPlayer service.
Enjoy watching The A List in any country wherever you are.
Watch The A List with ExpressVPN
Have you watched The A List yet? I would love to know what you think of the show. Why not let me know in the comments section below.
Looking to watch more stuff? Try these articles:
How to watch Butterfly in any country
How to watch Killing Eve anywhere in the world

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Classroom Resource: A Portrait of Berenice Sarmiento Chávez
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/1024px-HugoCrosthwaite.jpg 809 1024 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-09 14:03:252019-11-10 14:20:39Classroom Resource: A Portrait of Berenice Sarmiento Chávez
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Picture2-1.png 377 485 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-09 08:12:392020-01-17 16:00:13Our Mission and Approach
Video: Where are you from?
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Primary Source : Chinese Exclusion is Anti-American
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/a091037227f1497db37523d76b96842e_18.jpg 562 1000 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-06 11:32:462019-11-06 13:19:39Primary Source : Chinese Exclusion is Anti-American
Trying to Justify Chinese Exclusion
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Henry_George_c1885_retouched.jpg 2088 1434 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-05 15:09:092019-11-09 13:29:22Trying to Justify Chinese Exclusion
Primary Source: Language and the Promised Land
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Mary_Antin-_promised_Land_1912.gif 302 200 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-05 14:49:092019-11-05 14:51:22Primary Source: Language and the Promised Land
Teaching Idea: An Anti-Chinese Statue for the Harbor
Anti-Chinese sentiment built up during the 1870s, pushed by Dennis…
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/A_Statue_For_Our_Harbor_-_G._F._Keller_11_November_1881.jpg 786 563 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-05 13:24:442019-11-05 14:33:54Teaching Idea: An Anti-Chinese Statue for the Harbor
Irish Emigrants: Why did they leave their homes?
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/xSteamerNewYork-advert4June1862inNorthernWhig.jpg.pagespeed.ic_.aRcvHL9p68.jpg 434 366 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-11-05 11:52:082019-11-09 13:30:19Irish Emigrants: Why did they leave their homes?
Understanding Migration: A Basic Glossary
https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Re-imagining-migration-color-band.jpg 280 4184 Adam Strom https://reimaginingmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Re-imagining-migration-color4no-background-300x120.jpg Adam Strom2019-10-31 12:02:392019-10-31 12:23:52Understanding Migration: A Basic Glossary


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Freestyle Bristol will be providing regular information about opportunities in the city that young people can get involved in. These include training, employment and other ways to increase your skills and connections.
This information is provided by third party organisations independent of Freestyle Bristol. If you are under 18 years old, please discuss these opportunities with a parent or guardian before contacting the advertisers.
If you'd like your opportunity to be featured on our page, please fill in our form.
Operations Manager, BORN2BE Records
Experience is ideal, but not necessary. This role is aimed at young people aged 18-24 years of age available to give approx. 6 hours per week across flexible working days. The initial rate of pay will be the National Living Wage. We have a quick turn around, so please send an expression of interest to info@BORN2BErecords.com by 9pm on Friday the 10th of September to enter the selection process.
Project Coordinator, Vocalise Bristol
Part-time role. 16 hours a week, to coordinate the production and distribution of the quarterly community magazine Vocalise (the community magazine for Ashley Ward, Bristol).
MORE INFO & APPLY
Black & Green Ambassadors programme 2021/22
"We are recruiting four new Black & Green Ambassadors to start a part-time role in September 2021. They will be paid to develop their leadership skills and work with diverse communities and organisations in Bristol to explore solutions for a fair and green future. This opportunity will be of interest to individuals from African, Asian, Caribbean and Minority Ethnic communities in Bristol who have an interest or passion in the environment, nature and/or social justice. Application deadline: Tuesday 3 August, 11:59pm"
Employment and training support
CMT provide taining and support for people looking for employment or education opportunities. From creating CVs & cover letters to CSCS training, CMT are able to provide regulated training to enhance your skills and open up employment and training opportunities.
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Priest is a 2011 American action horror film directed by Scott Stewart and stars Paul Bettany as the title character. It is loosely based on the Korean comic of the same name by Hyung Min-woo. In an alternate universe, humanity and vampires have warred for centuries. After the last Vampire War, a veteran Warrior Priest lives in obscurity until his niece (Lily Collins) is kidnapped by vampires.

The film was released on , 2011. The film earned over $78 million at the box office against a $60 million production budget, but it was panned by critics, who praised the film's visual style and art direction while criticizing the movie's use of genre clichés, writing, acting, editing and action scenes.

Plot
A centuries-long war between humans and vampires has devastated the planet's surface and led to a theocracy under an organization called The Church. Despite the vampires' vulnerability to sunlight, and all of mankind's technological advances, the vampires' greater strength and speed made them impossible to defeat until humanity sheltered themselves in giant walled cities and trained a group of elite warriors, the Priests, which turned the tide.

In the opening scene, a group of Priests enters the Sola Mira Hive but are ambushed by the vampires.  As they attempt to retreat, one of their numbers is seized from behind, and their leader tries to pull him to safety, but is forced to let go and watch him dragged, screaming, back into the hive.

Years later, the majority of the vampires have been killed, while the remainder were placed in reservations. With the war over, the Clergy disbanded the Priests. Outside the walled cities, some humans seek out a living, free from the totalitarian control of The Church.

Priest (Paul Bettany) is approached by Hicks (Cam Gigandet), the sheriff of a free town, Augustine. Priest learns that his brother, Owen, and Owen's wife, Shannon—Priest's girlfriend before he was recruited by the clergy—were mortally wounded in a vampire attack, and Priest's niece, Lucy (Lily Collins), was kidnapped. Hicks asks for Priest's help in rescuing Lucy. Priest asks the Church to reinstate his authority, but leader Monsignor Orelas (Christopher Plummer) does not believe the vampire story and refuses, insisting on maintaining the common belief that the vampires have been completely defeated, for fear of compromising the Church's authority. Priest defiantly leaves the city and Orelas sends three Priests and a Priestess (Maggie Q) to bring him back.

Priest and Hicks arrive at Nightshade Reservation where humans called Familiars, people infected with a pathogen that makes them subservient to the vampires, live alongside a number of the surviving vampires. After a fierce battle, the pair discovers that most of the vampires have taken shelter in Sola Mira, which was thought to have been abandoned after the war. Priestess, one of Priest's team during the failed attack on the Hive, joins them at Sola Mira. The trio destroys a Hive Guardian vampire, then discover that the vampires have bred a new army and dug a tunnel out of the mountain towards a town called Jericho. The other three Priests have arrived at Jericho just as night falls and an armored train arrives, unleashing hundreds of vampires upon the population. The vampires are led by a powerful and mysterious human wearing a black hat (Karl Urban). When the three Priests reject Black Hat's offer to join him, he kills them all.

The next morning, Priest, Priestess and Hicks arrive in Jericho and discover the town empty and the three dead Priests crucified. Priest and Priestess share an intimate moment when she confesses her feelings for him, hoping that now that Shannon has died, he would no longer feel bound to her. Priest gently refuses. Priest realizes that the vampires have been using the trains to travel by day and attack the free towns by night, with the walled cities at the end of the train line. Hicks believes the cities are likewise protected by the sun, but Priest explains that the cities' massive clouds of smoke and ash have permanently deprived them of sunlight.  If the train reaches one of the cities, the attack will be a slaughter.

Hicks, who is in love with Lucy, threatens Priest, believing that Priest intends to kill her if she has been infected by the vampires.  Priestess explains that he cannot do so, because Lucy is actually Priest's daughter, and that Owen stepped in as a husband and a father when Priest was taken by the Church.  Lucy was never told the truth about her parentage.

While Priestess rushes ahead to plant a bomb on the railroad tracks, Priest and Hicks board the train to rescue Lucy. Battling vampires and Familiars, the two are finally overpowered by Black Hat just as they find Lucy. Black Hat is revealed as the priest who was lost in the attack on Sola Mira.  After being captured, the vampire Queen gave him her blood, turning him into the first Vampire-Human hybrid who can survive the sun. As Priest fights Black Hat, Lucy discovers the truth about her parentage. On the tracks ahead of the train, Priestess battles several Familiars, but one of them destroys the detonator for the explosives.  Instead, she mounts the explosives on her motor bike and drives it into the train engine. The explosion and subsequent derailment kills the vampires and engulfs Black Hat in flames, while Hicks, Priest, Priestess, and Lucy are able to escape.

Priest returns to the city and confronts Monsignor Orelas during Mass, telling him of the burnt train containing the vampires' bodies, but not the Queen's. He proves this by throwing a vampire head onto the floor and shocking everyone in the room. Orelas still refuses to believe him, declaring that the war is over, while Priest says that it is just beginning. Outside the city Priest meets Priestess, who confirms that other Priests have been notified and will meet them at a rendezvous point. Priest sets off into the sunset.

Cast
 Paul Bettany as Priest
 Karl Urban as Black Hat
 Cam Gigandet as Hicks
 Maggie Q as Priestess
 Lily Collins as Lucy Pace
 Brad Dourif as Salesman
 Stephen Moyer as Owen Pace
 Christopher Plummer as Monsignor Orelas
 Alan Dale as Monsignor Chamberlain
 Mädchen Amick as Shannon Pace
 Jacob Hopkins as Boy
 Dave Florek as Crocker
 Joel Polinsky as Dr. Tomlin
 Josh Wingate as Familiar

Production

Priest is directed by Scott Stewart and written by Cory Goodman. The film is based on the supernatural horror and action Korean comics Priest by Min-Woo Hyung.

The project was first announced in March 2005 when the studio Screen Gems bought Goodman's spec script. In January 2006, Andrew Douglas, who directed The Amityville Horror, was attached to direct Priest. In June 2006, actor Gerard Butler entered negotiations to star as the title character, and filming was scheduled to start in Mexico on , 2006. Filming did not proceed and, by three years later, director Douglas had been replaced by Stewart, while Butler had been replaced in the starring role by Paul Bettany. Stewart and Bettany had previously worked together in the Screen Gems film Legion.

With a budget of $60 million, filming began in August 2009 in Los Angeles, California, and it concluded in November 2009. The film was the most expensive production from Screen Gems, to that date, and as of 2018 is still tied for third-most expensive, behind only Underworld: Awakening and Resident Evil: Retribution.

Tokyopop flew Min-Woo Hyung to where production was taking place so the comics' creator could visit the art department and discuss the film with Stewart. The film diverges from the comics in following a different timeline of events and adding elements of the sci-fi western, cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic science-fiction genres. The director described Priests vampires as not being human in origin, and humans bitten by vampires became familiars instead. There are different forms of vampires, such as hive drones, guardians, and a queen. Since the vampires were intended to move quickly, they were fully computer-generated for the film. While vampires are harmed by sunlight in most lore, the film's vampires are instead photosensitive, being albino cave-dwellers. Stewart said, "They are the enemy we don't really understand, but we fought them for centuries. They are mysterious and alien, with their own culture. You sense that they think and communicate, but you don't really understand what they are saying." The director also called Priest an homage to The Searchers with the title character being similar to John Wayne's character and the vampires being similar to the Comanche. The animated prologue for the film was created by American animator and director Genndy Tartakovsky.
The production team includes:
 Michael De Luca
 Josh Bratman
 Shareena Carlson
 Joshua Donen
 Glenn S. Gainor
 Steve Galloway
Stuart J. Levy
 Mitchell Peck
 Nicola Stern

Theatrical release
Priest was released in the United States and Canada on , 2011. The film's release date changed numerous times in 2010 and 2011. It was originally scheduled for , 2010, but it moved earlier to , 2010, to fill a weekend slot when another Screen Gems film, Resident Evil: Afterlife, was postponed. When the filmmakers wanted to convert Priest from 2D to 3D, the film was newly scheduled for release on , 2011. It was delayed again to , 2011, so the film could attract summertime audiences.

Priest was released outside the United States and Canada on , 2011, in four markets. It grossed an estimated  over the weekend, with "decent debuts" of  in Russia and  in Spain. It performed poorly in the United Kingdom with under $700,000.

The film was released in the United States and Canada on , 2011, in  with 2,006 having 3D screenings. It grossed an estimated  over the weekend, ranking fourth at the box office. Its performance was considered subpar compared to similar films in the Underworld series and Resident Evil series. To date, Priest has grossed an estimated , of which  was from North America.

Critical reception
Priest was largely panned by critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 15% based on reviews from 101 critics and reports a rating average of 4.00 out of 10 with a consensus that "Priest is admittedly sleek and stylish, but those qualities are wasted on a dull, derivative blend of sci-fi, action, and horror clichés". At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 41 based on 13 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". CinemaScore polls reported that the average grade audiences gave the film was a "C+" on an A+ to F scale.

See also
 Legion, a film also directed by Scott Stewart and starring Paul Bettany.
Vampire films, about vampires in cinema and other films featuring vampires.

References

External links

2011 films
2011 3D films
2011 action thriller films
American films with live action and animation
American action horror films
American action thriller films
American horror thriller films
2010s monster movies
Cyberpunk films
American dark fantasy films
American dystopian films
Films based on manhwa
Films directed by Scott Stewart (director)
Films produced by Michael De Luca
Films scored by Christopher Young
Films shot in California
Films shot in Los Angeles
Live-action films based on comics
American post-apocalyptic films
American vampire films
Screen Gems films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Explore the dark alleys of Harbor Prime and a host of diverse locations in both physical reality and the wild reaches of cyberspace. Discover the truth behind an enigmatic AI striving to reach the Singularity, a theoretical "event horizon" in which artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence and all bets about the future will be off. How will you play your part in the story?
Update #17: Game Extension & Unique Armor Types Goal Achieved!
Update #16: Last 20 Hours! Add-Ons Opened!
Update #15: Wii U Achieved, Game Extension in Detail, & New Trailer!
Update #12: Greenlit, First Stretch Goal Hit, GOG & Other News!
Update #11: Final Week + New Screenshot Bundle!
Update #10: 1000 Backers + Stasis!
Update #8: More Music & New Reward Tiers!
Update #5: Funded! Stretch Goals Revealed!
Multiplatform development: Game is being developed in the Unity 3D game engine for PC (Windows), Mac, Linux, and OUYA.
DRM-Free: Dex will be distributed DRM-Free, with an option to receive a Steam key (if we succeed on Greenlight).
All of the team members involved in Dex have made a very personal contribution to the game. Locations are hand-drawn; all levels are integrated parts of the world and yet each of them tells its own story – about the local low-life, the corporations, the Illuminati, the events in cyberspace, the main protagonist, and the emancipated artificial intelligence seeking the Singularity.
Side missions ("runs") are a major adjunct to the main storyline, allowing the player to meet intriguing characters, explore the city, and experience the whole story from other perspectives. Our approach is to create a lower number of substantive side missions rather than a higher number of generic, go-fetch-come back quests. We prefer that every side mission add a real value to gameplay, the story, or the game world – whether by introducing an interesting NPC, a spectacular location with unique obstacles, an interesting boss fight, or other distinctive game element.
The levels and gameplay are non-linear and feature alternative solutions to each problem and obstacle. In other words, the game injects the poison (a problem, an enemy, an obstacle) and offers various antidotes (skills, abilities, equipment). The rest is up to you. In our vision, this is what makes an RPG a true Role Playing Game – the freedom to choose how to do things.
Dynamics and pacing are reminiscent of Castlevania or Metroid titles with a smattering of the Deus Ex and Splinter Cell series. Other notable references and inspirations include Blackthorne, Flashback, and IJI.
Is the era of true cyberpunk lost in the wormholes of time? We believe there is an exciting way to present cyberpunk (and cyberspace!) to modern audiences, updated to include the latest technological trends.
With Dex, we have two intertwining realities. An obstacle or problem in physical reality can be overcome through cyberspace. On the other hand, if too many ICE (Intrusion Countermeasure Electronics) are encountered in cyberspace, it might be better to return to the physical body and overcome the area's obstacles by an alternative route. All locations and important gameplay objects (enemies, cameras, turrets, drones…) have a corresponding representation in augmented reality. This twofold division allows for multiple solutions to game problems in a natural and authentic way.
NOTE: You can read more about augmented reality and cyberspace in Dex in our first update!
Take a moment to listen to Dex soundtrack samples, created by our talented composer Karel Antonin (www.karelantonin.com).
Your pledge of £7 ($11.20) or greater will get you a free copy of the final game when it's released. Based on a survey among backers, this may be a Steam key (providing we make it through Steam Greenlight), Desura key, OUYA key, or DRM-free download for PC/Mac/Linux.
Pledging £15 ($23.90) or more grants access to closed Alpha and Beta releases, along with entry to internal development forums (and your name in the Credits as a Tester!). The Alpha build (features and content complete, but unfinished and untested) is scheduled for February 2014, while the Beta build (mostly finished game, but without final proofreading, voice acting, and play balancing) is scheduled for April/May 2014.
Physical editions come in two versions: the basic Physical Edition (game DVD only) for a pledge of £30, and the Deluxe Physical Edition for all pledge tiers of £50 and above. The Deluxe Physical Edition features the game DVD plus a CD with the game soundtrack, a printed version of the Art Book, and a printed map (poster) of Harbor Prime. International shipping included.
Your identity will be implanted in the game and immortalized forever in cyberspace.
All Digital Identity Rewards offer a customized personal representation of you within the game itself: a tag (graffiti) on one of the walls or buildings in the city (with a style and text of your choice), an animated NPC with your face (or based upon sketch and/or guidelines provided by you) and a boss of your design (with your face or based on visuals you provide or suggest to us). The boss design includes a meeting with our designer and artist (via Skype or other online communicator), since we must design the whole encounter (where we meet the boss, what weapons and combat moves it uses, etc.). Ultimately, you can receive your own personal statue in an upscale part of the city, based on your image and featuring an inscription of your choosing (in-game this will be regarded as a statue of one of the founders of Harbor Prime).
If you pledge for any of the tiers that include Digital Identity Rewards, we will contact you after the end of our Kickstarter campaign to discuss the details with you.
All rewards of £1250 and above are unique – the first backer to pledge for them is the only one to receive them.
Benefactor – This one is for art collectors. You'll get the original artworks, drafts, and concepts used to create the Art Book, handmade and signed by our artists!
Day with Developers – Come to our office for a day. This may include seeing not-yet-published game materials, watching us at work drawing levels and animating scenes, and joining us for the meals, along with an additional activity of your choice (bowling, dinner, sightseeing in Prague, nightlife, etc.).
Produced By – Your name will appear in the game before anyone else's with a Producer credit. No more, no less. Your contribution at this level really supports us a lot and for that you will get our eternal gratitude as well as visibility with everyone who plays the game.
As for the community (you, our backers!), we want to hear your feedback – what do you think about the game and its presentation, the mechanics, and the overall feeling?
Backers at the Decker level and above – those who have access to early game builds and development forums – can influence the development by giving us feedback, opinions, and ideas or helping us decide amongst several alternatives.
As for the use of funds, see below.
The full game with all the features we want to include in it will cost more than the sum we aim to raise through Kickstarter. We have already invested a considerable amount of our own money. However, to realize our full vision, we are coming to you.
Full English voice acting by professional actors, handpicked to fit in their roles and enliven the characters and story.
Professional proofreading and editing by Andy Wolfendon, a writer and editor with extensive experience in the games industry (lead designer of Darkened Skye and a writer for Blizzard Entertainment). Since we are not native speakers, Andy helps us not only with grammar proofreading, but also with individualizing the game characters via unique vocabulary, street slang, accents, etc. He also brings senior-level advice to the team based on his 20+ years experience as a writer and game developer.
Original music score by Karel Antonin mixing movie-style themes for important story parts with electronic background music fitting the atmosphere and pacing of the game. You can listen to some of his samples for games and movies on his website.
Sound engineering by Andrej Sinkevic, our dedicated sound guy. Because Dex features stealth mechanics, mindful sound design is a major key to gameplay, so this is going to be a large job requiring months of intensive work.
Hiring additional staff, most importantly 2-3 on-site game testers for the final development period to make sure the released game is well balanced, bug-free, and works well on all devices and operational systems we support (including various Linux distributions).
All additional work done by freelancers, such as: polishing the GUI design, website, animated cutscenes, and other minor tasks.
A live vocalist will join our composer Karel Antonin to add even more juice to the soundtrack! Plus a small chamber orchestra (3-5 professional musicians) will be hired to accompany the vocals and the synthesized tracks! Also, the game soundtrack (the reward for backers who qualify for the Deluxe Digital or Physical Edition) will be extended from 60 minutes to 75 minutes!
Dex will be made available on Wii U about 2-3 months from the initial PC/MAC/Linux/OUYA release. The funds will cover the license fees and the additional development time for porting (programming, GUI, testing). Upon reaching this goal, all backers eligible for game download (£7 and above) will have the option of choosing the Wii U version.
Note: This stretch goal will either prolong development time by a few months or will be available as post-release DLC (free for all backers eligible for Digital Game Download).
We will add four unique armor types, including specific new gameplay parameters – not only different stats, but also organic features. Remember the Spike-Breaker from Castlevania or Hazmat suit from the Deus Ex? Like that. We will also expand the whole game by adding new areas and side-quests, creating new content, locations, and game moments to make the fullest use of our extension funds.
Upon reaching this goal, Dex will be made available on NVidia Shield about 2-3 months from the initial PC/MAC/Linux/OUYA release. All backers eligible for game download (£7 and above) will have the option of choosing the NVidia Shield version.
Localization of in-game texts (mainly GUI and dialogues), done by professional translators and native-speaking proofreaders and editors, in German and French.
A whole new mission to take place on an island outside the borders of Harbor Prime will be added and organically melded into the game. Will you hack your way through or turn the island into a hell on Earth with firearms and explosives? Includes a whole new map, sized several vertical by several horizontal screens, with unique sprites and art, multiple solutions and paths!
Localization of in-game texts (mainly GUI and dialogues), done by professional translators and native-speaking proofreaders and editors, in Spanish and Italian, plus one additional language based upon a poll of our backers.
One of our two "open-world/sandbox" game extensions, Fighting Club will be a place where you can, well, fight... as well as practice and join tournaments. The location will probably be connected to a side mission or two and may involve dirty practices and reveal aspects of the personal backgrounds of some of the characters in the storyline. Fighting Club will probably also be connected to some achievements (in-game as well as Steam achievements, if you are on Steam) and – perhaps – some RPG features as well.
Similar in concept to Fighting Club. A location where you can practice, shoot at targets, or perform various challenges. At the moment, we are considering an outdoor shooting range, beyond the city borders and an indoor one with sophisticated training drones. As with Fighting Club, we will connect the Shooting Range organically to the rest of the game, through characters and side missions.
A documentary (30+ minutes) about the development of Dex, including developer commentaries, notes, and behind-the-scenes stories and footage. Filmed by a professional camera crew over the course of development (starting with the end of Kickstarter campaign and ending with the release of the game), this short movie will be a "time-lapse exposure" of real people creating a game under indie conditions. The movie will be available for download to all Kickstarter backers eligible for the Deluxe Digital Edition and above.
At the moment, there are two major gangs in the city, which you are somehow involved with. When we reach the £55000 Stretch Goal, we will add a third gang to rule the streets and underground of Harbor Prime. This addition will include new locations, a new gang headquarters, a whole third gang, and an array of gang missions for you to undertake. We will also flesh out the gang hierarchy more: you can perform missions for the gang of your choice, become its member, and climb the gang leadership ladder, with specific gameplay and story impacts.
PS4 and Xbox One versions of Dex will be issued about 2-4 months from the initial release of the game. The funds will help us cover all license and legal fees and related development costs (programming, GUI, testing). All backers eligible for game download (£7 and above) will have the option of choosing the PS4/Xbox One version.
You can learn about our team members in one of our updates.
Linux: Ubuntu 10.04 or later and compatible distributions – Arch Linux, Gentoo, Debian, and possibly others.
Mac: OS X "Snow Leopard" 10.6 or later.
Regarding hardware requirements (for PCs): Graphics card with shader model 2.0 capabilities (DirectX or OpenGL, any ATi or NVidia card made since 2004 should work, or Intel cards with Occlusion Query support), 1 GB RAM, 8 GB disc space.
Additional platforms and devices are possible, but will not be available immediately upon initial launch.
We're participating in OUYA's #FreeTheGames Fund, created by OUYA to support developers making new and creative console games. OUYA will match your pledge dollar-for-dollar up to your goal amount (and a max of $250,000), so help us get there and make a great game for everyone! To be eligible for this match, we commit that this game will be an OUYA exclusive for a period of time. To learn more about OUYA, go to www.OUYA.tv. Note: the exclusivity applies only among consoles and does not affect Windows/Linux/Mac release!
The game, upon release, will be simultaneously available for PC (Win, Linux), Mac, and OUYA.
Backers eligible for game download will receive the game for the platform of their choice or will get a key to redeem it on Desura/Steam (again, provided we make it through Greenlight) or GOG (if possible).
We are determined to complete the game. Without funds from Kickstarter, though, it will take a much longer development time and we will have to omit some features and content, especially material produced by external freelancers.
Dex is already quite far along in development and is following a clear vision of what the game will be like when finished. The close of pre-alpha development (i.e. adding, subtracting, and experimenting with features and content) is scheduled for February 2014. This means we are nearing the feature-stop phase, but are maintaining flexibility for multiple possible Kickstarter outcomes (finance-wise) as well as for adjustments and ideas based on your input.
Because game development is hard to predict, there may be delays in the original plan. Budget-wise, we plan to set aside a reserve fund to cover potential delays. Should our estimated workflow proceed as expected, the reserve will be used for free post-release updates, fixes, enhancements etc.; otherwise we are prepared for a possible longer development time. We will keep everyone updated to make sure you know what we are doing at every moment and which phase we are in.
THANK YOU! You will receive a heartfelt thank-you email plus access to backers-only updates!
DIGITAL EDITION: a downloadable copy of Dex, upon release, is yours to play and enjoy!
DELUXE DIGITAL EDITION: a digital download of Dex, extended edition of the game soundtrack by our composer Karel Antonin, PDF compiled Art Book/Manual/Design Notes, plus a detailed digital map of Harbor Prime.
DELUXE DIGITAL EDITION + EARLY ACCESS: all of the above benefits (Deluxe Digital Edition), plus Early Access - get your hands on the game while it's still in development and let your suggestions and feedback be heard! Includes an invitation to internal development forums, and your name in the credits as a supporter and beta-tester.
PHYSICAL EDITION: Physical edition of Dex on DVD, plus all of the above benefits. International shipping included.
DELUXE PHYSICAL EDITION: Game DVD, CD Soundtrack Extended Edition, Printed Art Book/Manual/Design Notes and a printed map (poster) of Harbor Prime with additional game clues and markers on important locations and gang territories. Plus all benefits in the £15 tier (Deluxe Digital Edition, Early Access, development forums, and name in credits). International shipping included.
DELUXE PHYSICAL EDITION: Exactly the same as the £50 reward tier. First and last limit extension. International shipping included!
STREET ARTIST: A tag/graffiti of your custom design on a wall in Harbor Prime (in the game itself). Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
CITIZEN: An in-game NPC based on your picture/photo/instructions will be created by our artists and will tread the streets of Harbor Prime (or perform some nefarious activity such as juggling). Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
MUSIC LOVER: Our music composer Karel Antonin will compose a music track specifically for you, based on the topic you choose and your suggestions about style and approach (within reason, as to both the style and length; around 2-3 minutes for a track is fine). You may use the track as you wish – a gift for someone or a song for your new game. Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
BOSS: A boss in one of the game's side missions or dark alleys will be created based on your instructions. This includes a design meeting (Skype/online) with our designer and artist to specify the visuals, attacks, advantages/disadvantages, and the whole setting of the encounter. Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
FOUNDING FATHER: You'll be immortalized as one of the founders of Harbor Prime via a statue in one of the luxurious parts of the city. The statue will be based on a photo/instructions provided by you. Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
ART LOVER: you'll receive our heartfelt thanks along with a collection of artworks and concept sketches used for the production of our Art Book. Hand-signed originals drawn by our artists are yours only! Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
CORPORATE PRESENCE: Your company will be featured as one of the corporations in-game. The company may be based on a real company you run or may be purely fictional. In either case this tier will include an online meeting with our designer and artist to tailor the company presentation to the game world and create a set of billboards and commercials that not only fit the atmosphere of Harbor Prime but also present your company in the light you desire. Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
DAY WITH DEVELOPERS: You get a day with the developers at our offices in Prague. Observe our on on-site development work, see the process of drawing and animation, give us your feedback and opinions on the game, sit back, relax, have lunch and dinner with us and enjoy the evening in Prague. We will gladly discuss a program for the day and evening with you beforehand and help you organize sightseeing in Prague in case you want to stay longer. Includes two nights in a four-star hotel and delicious meals (or developer-style pizza boxes in the office). Travel costs to/from Prague not included. Includes all benefits in the £50 tier.
PRODUCED BY: Your name will appear in the game intro before everyone else's. After all, your pledge at this level greatly supports the development and you deserve an honorable place in the game: Produced by… you!


The 'Hangover' boys were back for another booze-filled adventure this weekend, and as box office estimates showed, audiences were more than willing to go along for the ride.
The sequel to the 2009 smash comedy took in a whopping $105.8 million over four days, helping to make this weekend the biggest Memorial Day weekend ever at the box office.
Meanwhile, this weekend's other sequel, the more family-friendly 'Kung Fu Panda 2,' opened slightly below expectations, with $62.2 million over four days. Its five-day total currently stands at $68.0 million, less than half of 'The Hangover Part II's' $137.4 million.
In third place was 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,' with $50.4 million, down 44 percent from last weekend. 'Bridesmaids' came in fourth place, with a steady $20.4 million, while 'Thor' rounded out the top five in fifth place ($12.0 million).


text:
Monument to railway heritage
A book on the lost railways led to an enthusiast building a memorial in tribute to Wetherby's heritage.
Regular visitor to the town Terrance (Terry) Sykes saw his masterpiece unveiled at the revamped car park on the site of the old station in the town, shortly before Christmas.
Terry said: "Recently I was pleased to see that the car park on the site of the old railway station had received a considerable amount of work from Leeds City Council, and is now a much more attractive area. But the place has a real story to tell! And how best to tell it?"
The monument, which Terry built in his back garden, is a small stone obelisk and each of the four sides has a ceramic picture of the old station and rail network mounted in them.
"The idea is that when you stand and look at one of the pictures, you are looking at the station and seeing it in the present environment," said Terry. The tribute came from Terry and his wife taking a short walk along Harland Way.
"It was sometime later after reading a book on lost railways that I realised that there was so much more to discover, and I began looking for the site of the old railway station," added Terry. On finding it he decided to pay create his tribute.
"Ceramic pictures I felt was a really good idea, there were so many quality images taken by the late Mike Mitchell of Collingham Bridge.
"And if they were arranged in such a fashion as to allow the viewer to see the station in the setting of present day landmarks, then all the better."
Terry added: "The memorial is now in place and my thanks are due to the Town council secretary Iona Taylor, Coun Vic Hawkings, and especially Wetherby and Leeds city councillor Gerald Wilkinson, for his simple and no nonsense approach to the project.
"Wetherby has given me much pleasure over the last few years. Now I hope I have given something back."


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home Piracy
Colorado Congressman to gamers: help us stop SOPA
Piracy Justin_Massoud - January 13, 2012
Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) visited an unusual forum this week to ask gamers to stand together against the Stop Online Piracy Act.
Chinese hackers steal online info of 35 million South Koreans
Piracy Justin_Massoud - July 29, 2011
A new cyber attack aimed at South Korean social network aficionados was perpetrated this week, resulting in the theft of some 35 million users' personal info. It's possibly the largest hacker undertaking since the colossal PlayStation Network security breach in April which affected an estimated 77 million people around the world.
Ubisoft accused of pirating its own Assassin's Creed digital music
Piracy Justin_Massoud - March 17, 2011
France-based video game publisher Ubisoft elicited scorn from gamers and consumer rights advocates due to its widespread implementation of 'always on' DRM protection within the PC versions of countless titles. The measure was intended to cut-down on piracy, but found little favor within the gaming community. In January, the company relented and removed all DRM via an update. Ironically, Ubisoft is now being accused of including music torrents from file-sharing site Demonoid as a bonus in the PC release of hit game "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood." Especially odd since the music in question is Ubisoft's own "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" soundtrack.
Operation Payback Pirate Bay verdict revenge attack continues
Piracy wconeybeer - December 4, 2010
The DDoS revenge attack that Operation Payback began on the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) in response to the unsuccessful outcome of the Pirate Bay appeal began on November 28th and is still going, making it the longest continuous attack on a single target yet.
Mega-search.me, search engine for Mega – full of pirated content
Piracy Jan Willem Aldershoff - January 31, 2013
A search engine for the recently launched Mega appeared. The search engine has an index of files stored on Mega and gives access to large amounts of mainly pirated content. Mega has discovered the search engine and is actively deleting the files. In order for files to appear in the index, users need to manually add their files.
Another judge deflates music piracy damages
Piracy Jared Newman - July 10, 2010
For illegally sharing 30 songs over the Internet, Joel Tenenbaum shouldn't have to pay $675,000, a federal judge decided.
MPAA boss renews criticism of anti-piracy OPEN Act
Piracy Justin_Massoud - February 3, 2012
The OPEN Act, introduced by Rep. Darrell Issa and supported by Rep. Ron Wyden, received support from the same Internet businesses that spoke out against previous anti-piracy legislation. MPAA Executive Vice President Michael O' Leary, however, wasn't satisfied. The trade group boss last month called the bill's proposal to place the burden for shutting down foreign rogue sites on the International Trade Commission a big mistake. This week, O'Leary once again slammed the OPEN Act, saying it "falls significantly short" of meaningful anti-piracy legislation.
WikiLeaks support creates a "splintering effect" with Anonymous
Piracy wconeybeer - December 14, 2010
"This is not one massively coordinated campaign anymore, it's pure anarchy," says the security experts on the PandaLabs Blog who have been tracking Operation Payback activities since they began in September.
Anonymous goes after Arizona police again, dumping even more info
Piracy etdragon - July 1, 2011
Anonymous is continuing their reign of terror on the Arizona police force with another huge dump of information. This posting contains email addresses, usernames, passwords, and even credit card information for 1,200 officers. This information dump marks part three in an operation Anonymous has coined Chinga La Migra.
Protect IP Act aims to grow Internet censorship in the USA
Piracy etdragon - May 12, 2011
Copyright infringement and anti-piracy legislation seems to be all the rage these days. A draft of the PROTECT IP act, provided to Ars Technica by a source in Washington, appears to be even more extreme than it's parent bill, COICA. COICA (Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act) which failed to pass last year proposed to allow the Justice Department the power to declare a website "rogue" and obtain a court order forcing third parties to censor that site. PROTECT IP takes this concept a step further, not only allowing the Justice Department the power to force censorship of a site but also giving the rights holders themselves the right to take action.
ISP data retention bill gets hung up on Captiol Hill
Piracy etdragon - July 13, 2011
It seems that the legislation which, would make Internet service providers responsible for logging relevant information about users for a period of 18 months, has hit a road block. A previous supporter of the bill, Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, isn't happy with the bill as it stands right now and insists, "It's not ready for prime time."
US ISPs to start six-strikes anti-piracy measure 28th of November
Piracy Jan Willem Aldershoff - October 15, 2012
If you're in the US and a customer of one of the large ISPs, then you might be interested in reading the following story
Anti piracy group takes child's laptop
Piracy Wombler - November 30, 2012
Finnish anti-piracy group CIAPC seizes child's laptop
Game publisher Codemasters hacked, personal info compromised
Piracy Justin_Massoud - June 10, 2011
Another day, another devastating cyber attack on a video game company. Hackers targeted UK publisher Codemasters last week, forcing the company to shut down its official website and several services offered through it. The intrusion affected an unspecified number of people, though Codemasters, who recently released the third installment of its "Dirt" racing franchise, admitted myriad data was compromised.
Camcorder DVD bootlegger sentenced to 4 years in jail
Piracy Randomus - October 22, 2010
Three people involved in a camcording operation have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from five months up to four years for their role in the "Burn Central" DVD business.
Pentagon wants to get serious on defending against cyberattacks
It looks like the Pentagon is finally starting to take all of this hacking business seriously. At a recent cyber strategy speech the pentagon revealed more about it's plans for dealing with cyberattacks. It seems that the Pentagon wants to protect not only their own servers but also servers owned by banks, transportation groups, utility companies, and other non government groups.


text:
What if you were to suddenly be able to read instant messages while driving?If you've ever wondered what it's like to send a text message while driving, this app might be for you.The app is called Instant Messaging and it lets you read your texts while driving.Instant Messages are essentially a text messaging app, but it lets users view messages […]
How Twitter Killed Google, and Now Facebook Is Back
I was at Google in 2017 when the company announced it was hiring the first female VP of engineering, and she had the following to say: "Google was the first to build a fully mobile, online-first search platform.Google's vision is to empower everyone to make the most of the web.Google is now the leading search engine for the world.It's the […]
Microsoft to allow Skype and Microsoft Office for Windows 10 – BBC News
Microsoft has revealed it will allow Skype for Windows as well as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Exchange for Windows Live.The announcement comes as Skype has been the subject of a huge investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission, which is examining whether Skype breached the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines on how it operates.Skype for the desktop will […]
Amazon Echo speaker, Alexa, Amazon Alexa devices, Alexa voice-activated assistant launch at $99.99 via Amazon.com
A slew of new Echo-branded devices are being announced on Wednesday, as Amazon Echo and Amazon Alexa will officially launch for just $99 (and, yes, they will come with a microphone).The Echo Dot will be the first new Echo device to hit the market since the Echo Dot went on sale in April 2018.The Echo Dot is Amazon's answer to […]
Snapchat, Instagram: Insta-messaging company that is killing the traditional video-on-demand business
Instagram has entered into a deal to buy a group of mobile-messenger companies called Instant Messaging.Instagram says it will pay $1 billion for the group, which will include two other mobile-video brands: Snapchat and InstaSnap.The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year.Instant Messages is a $200 million-a-year company that was acquired by Snap in 2015 […]
MedStar, Inc., a leading provider of medical imaging and diagnostic services, has been acquired by AstraZeneca, Inc. The deal will result in MedStar's $8.8 billion in cash and $1.9 billion in common stock, according to an announcement from Astra.The acquisition will enable Astra to accelerate the company's transformation and strategic direction, Astra said in a statement.Astra is the world's largest […]
3ds users can get 3ds app now, even if they don't own 3ds
3DS users can now download the new 3ds game app for free, even though they don the 3ds.This was announced via Twitter on Monday and includes a number of other new features including a new 3D mode, and an option to play offline using the same Wi-Fi connection as the iPhone.The app is available for download for $1.99.It also includes […]
How to sign up for the Amazon Instant Video service
The NFL is about to introduce an Instant Video subscription service that lets players watch up to 50 hours of video per week on a tablet.The service will be available through NFL Mobile, a company that connects NFL players with NFL Mobile partners to stream their games online.Players can sign up to receive the service via NFL Mobile's mobile app.NFL […]
Canada's new mobile operators have some very interesting things to offer
Google News Canada has just published a blog post detailing some interesting things about Canadian mobile operators, and what you can expect to see in the future.While it may seem like a bit of a departure from the usual coverage of Canadian telecoms, the article focuses on the first wave of Canadian operators in the mobile space, and the operators […]
What you need to know about the new League of Legends – and how it's different from other games
In League of Legend, teams are players with a common goal – win an important match.In other games, teams play for the same purpose, with different goals and a different level of strategy.The difference is the emphasis on teamwork, and the emphasis in which teams are allowed to work together."League of Legends is more team-based than the other games," says […]


Margaret Leclaire, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director, Acquisition, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. She is the USTRANSCOM acquisition executive and senior procurement executive. Her responsibilities include oversight of the program management and acquisition of $6 billion annual spend of distribution and transportation services for global movement in support of the warfighter.
Mrs. Leclaire entered federal civil service in 1975 as a management intern with the San Antonio Air Logistics Center. She has served in a number of key positions in the acquisition and logistics functions that span the wide range of Air Force line and staff positions. These include Program Director for the Advanced Cruise Missile, and Deputy Program Director for the C-17. She has also been the Director of Program Management at the Aeronautical Systems Center. She previously served at USTRANSCOM as Deputy Director for Strategy, Policy, Plans and Logistics. Prior to her current assignment, she was Program Executive Officer, Mobility, U.S. Special Operations Command.
1973 Bachelor of Science degree, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
1983 Program Managers Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
1997 Leadership for a Democratic Society, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va.
3. November 1980 - October 1983, acquisition logistics manager, automatic test equipment, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Md.
4. October 1983 - August 1986, manager, Air Force modifications, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
5. August 1986 - October 1986, acquisition logistics manager, technical data and provisioning, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C.
6. October 1986 - September 1990, logistics adviser to the Air Force competition advocate general, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. July 1998 - August 1999, Deputy Director, Global Combat Support System, Directorate of Plans and Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. July 2003 - February 2005, Deputy Director, Plans and Programs, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
16. February 2005 - January 2008, Deputy Director, Strategy and Policy, USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill.
17. January 2008 - August 2008, Program Executive Officer, Mobility, USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, Tampa, Fla.
18. September 2008 - present, Director, Acquisition, USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill.


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Houston Astros: What to watch from Luis Garcia in 2022
By Matthew Kunkel
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
A pleasant surprise for the Houston Astros last year was the emergence of starting pitcher Luis Garcia. The right-handed pitcher is the most recent Astros player discovery and development success story, who climbed from Low-A to make his initial debut with the Astros in 2020.
Garcia followed that up with a terrific 2021. In his first full year starting, the Venezuelan finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting, while posting an 11-8 record with a 3.48 ERA, 9.7 strikeout per nine rate and a 1.15 WHIP — pretty impressive for an obscure prospect no one saw coming at the age of 24.
Garcia is an interesting pitcher in that he doesn't have overwhelming velocity or unhittable specialty pitches. His success is predicated on pitch repertoire and deception. Garcia typically throws his 94-mph fastball 42% of the time with a good mix of a cutter (22%), a slider (12%), a change up (12%) and a curveball (9%).
Garcia perhaps doesn't look imposing on the mound and his pre-pitch motion is very peculiar, but he generates a ton of success. His fastball is in the 90th percentile for spin rates by Baseball Savant and his secondary pitches also get a fair amount of movement and each generate a Whiff rate above 35%.
However, the big question coming into the Astros' 2022 season is can Luis Garcia improve from being exposed in the playoffs last year?
Garcia went 1-4 during the postseason and truly got exposed against the elite lineups. If you exclude his ALCS Game 6 gem that he threw, Garcia gave up 14 earned runs, 12 hits and 11 walks in 12 innings in those other four games.
Game 6 of the World Series was particularly rough where he gave up that huge Jorge Soler bomb that put the nail in the coffin for the Astros' championship hopes.
So what should we expect from Garcia in 2022? At age 25, it's fair to assume he's going to only improve, but the "sophomore slump" is very real for MLB ballplayers. Here are a few things that Garcia needs to improve upon for a successful 2022 season.


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WNBL 2014/15 Round 1 Preview
Steve Chalmers
The WNBL kicks off once again on Friday night, with season 2014/15 set to be a cracker. Join us at The Pick and Roll to follow the ups and downs of another jam packed season!
Melbourne Boomers vs University of Canberra Capitals
A showdown of the 2010 and 2011 grand finalists to kick off-season 2014/15 as the Melbourne Boomers host the newly named University of Canberra Capitals.
Both sides have had a jam-packed off-season, starting with the Boomers who had three players sent to Turkey, who represented Australia at the FIBA World Championships. Rebecca Allen, Rachel Jarry and Natalie Burton all played extended roles for the Opals who claimed the bronze medal. Melbourne however, will be without Jarry for what could be most of the WNBL season, as surgery is required for her injured knee she suffered during the tournament.
For the Capitals, Lauren Jackson was a major part of the Opals plan however succumbed to injury and missed the World Championships. In good news for the Caps, she will only miss the early part of the WNBL season.
Both teams went 2-1 in the recent Spring Shield held in Bendigo; the Boomers losing to eventual champions, the West Coast Waves and Canberra falling short to Townsville. Tess Madgen was the star for Melbourne over the course of the weekend, scoring 23 points against Sydney while having 18 points and seven rebounds against the Waves. Abby Bishop controlled the tempo for the Caps, exploding for 21 points, six rebounds and five assists (against the Fire) and 20 points and eight rebounds (against the Lightning) in the two games she played.
Look for both of these teams to come out of the gates a little nervous and the first half to be a dog fight in order to get the upper hand. Defence will win this game, in what looms to be a low scoring contest.
Melbourne by 5
Dandenong Rangers vs Melbourne Boomers
The Rangers kick off their season with a home opener against arch rival Melbourne. With the Boomers facing a second leg of a back-to-back, they are faced with a difficult task ahead.
For the Rangers, their star-studded signing Liz Cambage went down early, seeing her WNBL season crushed with an Achilles injury. Dandenong were not to be denied in claiming one of the biggest scalps of the season to wear green for the upcoming campaign, as they went on to sign Cappie Pondexter as her replacement.
Dandenong were not one of the best teams during last weekend's Spring Shield, heading into the regular season with three double-digit losses. In fact, not just double-digit losses, they lost by an average of 23 points (20p loss to Townsville, 20p loss to Canberra, 29p loss to West Coast).
Expect the Rangers to heavily lift from their pre-season form and will battle hard for the Michele Timms Cup. Look for early signs of who Dandenong will be going to for offence, as Pondexter won't be able to control the game by herself.
West Coast Waves vs Adelaide Lightning
The West Coast Waves have stormed into season 2014/15 being crowned the WNBL Spring Shield champions. From dead last winning just one game the previous season, the Waves have come along in leaps and bounds from their dismal season just seven months ago.
Adelaide on the other hand, has had their captain Laura Hodges taste success thanks to the Aussie Opals. Hodges will once again play a vital part in the Lightning's success this season and will be one to watch throughout the early part of the season.
The Waves went 3-0 in Bendigo, defeating the likes of Melbourne, Bendigo and Dandenong in the process. Deanna Smith was named the final MVP with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Lindsey Moore chipped in throughout the tournament and will be a talent in the WNBL.
With West Coast coming off the back of a confidence boosting weekend, they have a major opportunity to carry that over into the regular season and tie their season record from last season after just one game.
West Coast by 1
University of Canberra Capitals vs Sydney Uni Flames
Sydney Uni hit the road for their opening game of the season, facing a tough task of the Capitals. Canberra will have had their regular season hit out against the Boomers to prepare for this one as they look to delight fans in the club's first home game.
The addition on Kristen Veal for the Caps will provide an enticing matchup against newly acquired Leilani Mitchell as the two point guards will be looking to gain the upper hand early on, while trying to impress their new teams respectively.
In the WNBL Spring Shield, the Flames finished 1-2, with the solitary win over the Adelaide Lightning. Strong performances from Katie Rae Ebzery (28p against Adelaide) and Casey Samuels (16p and 6r against Adelaide) provided an indication of what's to come.
With both sides looking for an improved performance this season, look for a tough tussle this early on in the season plus all of the new faces wanting to impress coaches on both sides of the floor.
University of Canberra by 7
Townsville Fire vs Bendigo Spirit
The final game of the round pits last season's grand finalists, where the Fire will look for some sort of redemption.
With both teams maintaining somewhat similar squads as the season prior, it will be Townsville's energy and new signing Cayla Francis that could lead the charge for their chance at a victory. Bendigo brings in just one new addition, veteran Belinda Snell returns to Australia on her quest to claim the WNBL prize.
Both teams WNBL Spring Shield had minimum impact, as the Fire cruised to two easy wins before sharing minutes between players in their final game against Melbourne. Bendigo went on to make the final before also losing in their final game to the West Coast Waves.
Stephanie Cumming and Micaela Cocks provided a promising duo once again for the Fire, both shining throughout the weekend. While Belinda Snell only played one game for the Spirit, she certainly proved her worth. A 15 point, six rebound and four assist effort against the Flames saw her debut run like clockwork.
The Spirit may have the wood over their week one opponents, however Townsville have home court and the motivation for vengeance and it should be enough for an early season victory.
Townsville by 3
For more information regarding the WNBL, please visit their website, here.


Very shortly after the end of World War I, a group of public-spirited citizens decided that some form of lasting memorial should be erected in Fredericton to honour those members of the community who laid down their lives for their country during the conflict. A committee was formed, called the Fredericton War Memorial Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice O. Crocket of the Supreme Court of Canada, formerly Member of Parliament for York-Sunbury, to study the matter and to transform the thought into action.
Dedicated on November 11, 1923 to the memory of the 109 Fredericton soldiers who died in WWI, the monument's 14-foot tall white granite column is inscribed on all four sides with names of the battles in which they fought. The column is supported by a 26-ton carved stone base, said to be one of the largest blocks of cut granite in Canada. Similarly to cenotaphs across Canada, the Fredericton War Memorial eventually added inscriptions and names of the City's soldiers who gave their lives in WWII and the Korean War.


Heartworms are worms that live inside the heart. You will not see the worms in the stool. These worms are spread by mosquitoes, so every dog is at risk, and they do not have to be in contact with other dogs. Heartworms eventually lead to heart failure, usually in 3-5 years.
How do I find out if my dog has heartworms? Testing requires a blood test. Cost is $28.00, with the results in ten minutes.
What if the test is positive? Treatment is recommended. Cost is $600.00-$1000.00 for most dogs. Includes: X-ray, blood work, sedatives, pain medication, treatment injections, four days hospitalization, follow up visits and testing. Dogs will need to be confined for 6-8 weeks following treatment.
What if I can't afford treatment? We can discuss options to keep your dog as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
What if the test is negative? We strongly recommend heartworm prevention. Even though your dog may not have heartworms now, we want to keep your dog heartworm free.
Heartgard Plus: (Ivermectin/Pyrantel) Heartworm prevention in an easy-to give chew. Also controls roundworms and hookworms.
Iverheart Plus: (Ivermectin/pyrantel) Generic heartworm prevention in a flavored tablet. Also controls roundworm and hookworms.
Sentinel: (Milbemycin oxime/Lufenuron) Heartworm prevention in a flavored tablet combined with an insect growth regulator. (kills flea eggs but not adult fleas) Also controls roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.
Trifexis: (Milbemycin oxime/Spinosad) Heartworm prevention in a flavored tablet combined with Comfortis, a fast-acting flea control that kills fleas starting in 30 minutes. Also controls roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.
Advantage Multi: (Moxidectin/Imidacloprid) Heartworm prevention in a topical solution that also controls fleas. Also controls roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and sarcoptic mange.


Are you efficiently using your Emotions?
Or, Are your Emotions using You?
Fully, Embrace your Emotions Power and remove the inauthentic relationship with them and Experience a truly geniune respectful,honoring,depth and sacred mutually satisfying authentic equal and balanced engagment and participation.


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IWD2018: Japan - diversity & perspective
Maiko Oda
Editor & Staff Writer, Nikkei Dual
To celebrate International Women's Day, all week bluenotes will be guest edited by respected journalist and author Catherine Fox. We'll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality. We hope you enjoy it.
According to a July 2017 survey into corporate attitudes towards the appointment of women into management roles conducted by Teikoku Databank, a corporate credit and market research company, on average in Japan females make up only 6.9 per cent of management positions.
This is a very long way from the government's goal of 30 per centby 2020. However, ANZ's Japan office has exceeded the national average by over 3.5 times, with 24 per cent of its managers being female.
In addition to this, since taking on the role as CEO of ANZ Japan in February 2016, Grant Knuckey has presided over a rise in the number of female senior leaders from 14 per cent to 36 per cent, reflecting ANZ's policy and corporate culture.
"We look for diversity, not only in terms of gender, but also nationality and experience"
Knuckey explained the reasons for the rise in the number of females in management roles in Japan.
"It's not that in the past we didn't look at diversity as being important, however I think we have become more aware in Japan that as the needs of our business and customers have become more varied, we need a wider variety of perspectives within our team for decision making," he says.
"For this reason, we needed to have a clearer strategy around how we encourage and manage diversity".
With this in mind, Knuckey set about considering making changes to his leadership team to reflect this idea.
"Within the current ANZ Japan leadership team, we have people from a variety of different backgrounds, who also have a range of different perspectives. I believe that allows us to make better decisions," he says.
The changes also extended to hiring processes.
"We started by engaging with the recruitment firms we use in Japan, and talked to them in a more directive way about the kind of candidate lists we wanted to see.," Knuckey says.
"They tended to look at things in a traditional way – so we got candidate lists consisting of only men, and with very similar backgrounds. If you are looking through the lens of diversity, and are specific around what kinds of people you want to see, candidate lists suddenly take on a more diverse appearance."
This story originally appeared in Nikkei DUAL
In addition to this, Japan integrated the ANZ Group policy which requires during the hiring process for at least one of the interviewers to be female.
As a result of the changes to the hiring strategy and process, not only gender, but also a lack of diversity in terms of nationality was addressed.
"Previously, apart from the CEO, the entire leadership team was made up of Japanese nationals," Knuckey says. "However we now have a Chinese national, a Briton and in total 5 different nationalities on the leadership team".
"As a bank that deals with international customers both externally and internally, it makes sense to have a variety of nationalities on the leadership team. We also don't just have people who have come through traditional banking pathways, we have diversity of experience with people who have come from and know other industries."
"As a result of this, we have seen better collaboration, exchange of information and better debate. This has meant our decision making ability has improved."
"It has also been a new influence on our frontline staff. With increased diversity within our management team, in July 2017 we were able to form a grassroots working group to discuss sustainability and diversity within the bank. We made it so that anyone who wanted to be part of this working group could be."
"That said, the topic of female participation within our organization is still very much a live issue. In particular we have the overall number of female managers at just 24 per cent. Now in Japan, that is a high percentage, but it still means three quarters of our managers across all levels are male."
"We can't change that with the stroke of a pen. But targeted mid-manager hires, and taking greater interest in our internal promotion processes at that entry manager level are two of the things we can do."
Ninety per cent of ANZ's worldwide workforce of 50,000 people can work flexibly
In other jurisdictions, three years ago ANZ introduced a policy called 'All Roles Flexible'. This system of workplace flexibility was introduced to the Japan operation in September 2016. This means employees are able to work flexibly, anywhere and anytime.
"A rigid employment policy does not necessarily meet the needs of our clients, let alone our staff," Knuckey says. "What we are trying to achieve is to have our employees be as productive as they can be, whilst still having work-life balance and meeting their various commitments."
At ANZ Japan, the employees themselves don't need to give a reason as such to ask for flexible working conditions. As long as they and their line manager are in agreement it can be either a temporary or a permanent arrangement.
With the agreement of their manager, they can go home early for the day if required, or start and finish earlier or later than their usual working time. Flexibility can also take the shape of flexible hours, working from home or another location, or working part time.
With 90 per cent of ANZ staff worldwide having the ability to work flexibly, according to Knuckey, this was the catalyst for introducing flexible working to the Japan office.
"However there's a big difference between talking about such a system and actually putting it into place, especially in Japan", he emphasised. "There are two main reasons why we've been able to increase the number of employees taking advantage of flexible working."
"Firstly, we've increased the IT support on offer, making it easier for our employees to work from home in terms of technology."
"Secondly, to overcome the perception in Japan that flexible working is too hard and to change people's ingrained habits, it was important to provide staff with "live" examples of how flexible working can be used."
"For example, seeing colleagues working from home when they have to look after a sick child or relative, or seeing members of the management team working from home, made it easier for our employees to take the leap to flexible working."
"For me personally, I had to work more flexibly in a period where my wife was overseas for an extended time, with our children still in Japan. Even though it was challenging given that in my role "face time" and physical presence is very important, I was pleased to have contributed in the sense that our staff had more confidence around whether they could do the same thing themselves. This is essential!"
Knuckey also explained that shareholders and investors are increasingly looking at diversity these days, in addition to the more well-known environmental, social and governance factors.
"Companies that are more diverse in their leadership and staffing empirically produce better results. Investors are only too aware of this fact," he says.
A company's policy on diversity can of course change as a result of regulatory changes.
"However we haven't changed our policy because we've been told to or forced to," he says. "We've moved in this direction because it's the right thing to do in every sense."
Globally, ANZ has the current target of having 42.5 per cent of its managers being female (presently this figure is 41.5 per cent) The Japan branch has the same goal, though with a lot further to go.
Female role models
ANZ's two home markets of Australia and New Zealand have been acknowledged as early leaders in the fields of women's rights. In particular, in 1893 New Zealand women gained the right to vote, which was a world first. New Zealand has also had three female Prime Ministers, including the present female Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
"I grew up in New Zealand and from an early age was surrounded by successful working women. My mother ran her own business, I had aunts who were lawyers and successful entrepreneurs. Both of my grandmothers also worked. And I could also see that reflected to some extent in NZ politics and institutional leadership," Knuckey says.
"So from my point of view, it was entirely normal that women be in business and in leadership roles. As someone from that background, of course it does appear that Japan is in an entirely different mindset. Indeed, there are probably still people here who cannot readily accept the idea of females being in leadership roles."
"For that reason, it is important for the corporate world in Japan to take the initiative when it comes to female leaders. The media also needs to play a role to promote more women as business role models because that is what will engage the next generation of young Japanese".
Maiko Oda is editor and staff writer at Nikkei Dual. English translations by Joshua Sharkey.
This is an edited version of a Nikkei Dual interview with ANZ Japan CEO Grant Knuckey which was originally published in Japanese on 7 February 2018, and has been translated back to English, approved by Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. Comments are therefore not verbatim. All rights reserved.
Diversity Culture
IWD2018: women throughout ANZ's history
James Wilson & Peter Marinick | Historical Editor, bluenotes & Archivist, ANZ
As we celebrate IWD, we look back at the women who shaped our history
IWD2018: fake it till you make it
Catriona Noble | Managing Director Retail Distribution Australia, ANZ
In 2018, why is there still a cavernous gap between men and women assessing their own competence and ability to do a job?