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470 Mich. 305
PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellant,
Richard A. KIMBLE, Defendant-Appellee.
Docket No. 122271. Calendar No. 1.
Supreme Court of Michigan.
Argued January 13, 2004.
Decided June 29, 2004.
670*670 Michael A. Cox, Attorney General, Thomas L. Casey, Solicitor General, Michael E. Duggan, Prosecuting Attorney, Timothy A. Baughman, Chief of Research, Training, and Appeals, and Janet A. Napp and Jeffrey Caminsky, Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys, Detroit, MI, for the people.
Craig A. Daly, P.C., Detroit, MI, for the defendant.
MARKMAN, J.
We granted leave to appeal to consider whether defendant is entitled to resentencing where the trial court improperly scored offense variable 16 (OV 16), M.C.L. § 777.22(1). Defendant's minimum sentence, as a result, exceeds the appropriate sentencing guidelines range, and the trial court did not articulate a substantial and compelling reason for this departure. Defendant did not argue that OV 16 should not be scored until filing his application for 671*671 leave to appeal with the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals concluded that defendant is entitled to resentencing because the scoring of OV 16 was plain error. We affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals.
I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Defendant shot and killed the victim so he could steal the car she was driving for its wheel rims. Following a bench trial, defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm while committing or attempting to commit a felony (felony-firearm). The trial court sentenced defendant to consecutive prison terms of thirty to seventy years for the second-degree murder conviction and two years for the felony-firearm conviction. The issue here pertains only to defendant's sentence for second-degree murder.
At sentencing, defendant argued that OV 16, which considers the "property obtained, damaged, lost or destroyed," should be scored at one point because the stolen car had a value of $200 or more, but not more than $1,000, while the prosecutor argued that OV 16 should be scored at five points because the stolen car had a value of $1,000 or more, but not more than $20,000. The trial court scored OV 16 at five points. Without the five points, the appropriate minimum sentence range would have been 180 to 300 months, but, with the five points, the minimum sentence range was 225 to 375 months.[1] The trial court sentenced defendant to a minimum term of 360 months for second-degree murder.
Defendant appealed, arguing that OV 16 should not even have been scored because it is only to be scored in crimes against the person if the offense is home invasion. M.C.L. § 777.22(1). The prosecutor agreed that it should not have been scored, but argued that defendant waived the error.
The Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed defendant's convictions, but, in a split decision, remanded for resentencing.[2] We granted the prosecutor's application for leave to appeal and held defendant's cross-application in abeyance.[3]
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
This case presents an issue involving the interpretation of a statute and a court rule, which is a question of law that we review de novo. People v. Petit, 466 Mich. 624, 627, 648 N.W.2d 193 (2002).
III. ANALYSIS
Under the statutory sentencing guidelines, the trial court must score the applicable offense and prior record variables to determine the appropriate range for the minimum sentence. When the sentencing offense is a "crime against a person," as in this case, OV 16 is to be scored only where the sentencing offense is home invasion or attempted home invasion. M.C.L. § 777.22(1). The sentencing offense in this case is second-degree murder. Therefore, the trial court clearly erred in scoring OV 16. Although defendant argued at sentencing that OV 16 should be scored at one point instead of five points, defendant did not raise the argument that OV 16 should not have been scored at all until he filed his application for leave to appeal with the Court of Appeals. An objection based on one ground is usually considered insufficient to preserve an appellate 672*672 attack based on a different ground. People v. Bushard, 444 Mich. 384, 390 n. 4, 508 N.W.2d 745 (1993).
M.C.L. § 769.34(10) provides:
If a minimum sentence is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range, the court of appeals shall affirm that sentence and shall not remand for resentencing absent an error in scoring the sentencing guidelines or inaccurate information relied upon in determining the defendant's sentence. A party shall not raise on appeal an issue challenging the scoring of the sentencing guidelines or challenging the accuracy of information relied upon in determining a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range unless the party has raised the issue at sentencing, in a proper motion for resentencing, or in a proper motion to remand filed in the court of appeals.
The Court of Appeals majority concluded that § 34(10) precludes appellate review if the sentence is within the appropriate guidelines range and the party failed to raise the issue at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand. However, § 34(10) does not preclude appellate review if the sentence is outside the appropriate guidelines range, even if the party failed to raise the issue at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand. Accordingly, the majority concluded that appellate review is not precluded in this case because the sentence here is outside the appropriate guidelines range.
The Court of Appeals dissent, on the other hand, concluded that a scoring error resulting in a sentence that is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range is not appealable under § 34(10) unless it was raised at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand. By contrast, a sentence that is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range because inaccurate information was relied upon is appealable even if it was not raised at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand.
We agree with the Court of Appeals majority that there is no basis in the statute for treating these two types of challenges differently. We also agree with the Court of Appeals majority that, pursuant to § 34(10), a sentence that is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range, for whatever reason, is appealable regardless of whether the issue was raised at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand. However, if the sentence is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range, it is only appealable if there was a scoring error or inaccurate information was relied upon in determining the sentence and the issue was raised at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand.
Under the Court of Appeals dissent's view and the view of the dissenting justices of this Court, a scoring error that results in a sentence that is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range would not be appealable unless it was preserved in one of the ways listed in the second sentence of § 34(10). We respectfully disagree. The first sentence of § 34(10) provides that a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range is not appealable unless there was a scoring error or inaccurate information was relied upon. The necessary corollary of this statement is that a sentence that is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range isappealable.
The second sentence of § 34(10) provides that, even though a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range can be appealed if there was a scoring error or inaccurate information was 673*673 relied upon, it can only be appealed if the issue was raised at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand. In other words, the second sentence simply describes how a party must preserve a challenge to a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range; it says nothing about a challenge to a sentence that is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range.[4]
Because defendant's sentence is outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range, his sentence is appealable under § 34(10), even though his attorney failed to raise the precise issue at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand. However, because defendant failed to raise the argument that OV 16 is not applicable at all until his application for leave to appeal with the Court of Appeals, defendant must satisfy the plain error standard set forth in People v. Carines, 460 Mich. 750, 763, 597 N.W.2d 130 (1999). That is, defendant must show that
1) error ... occurred, 2) the error was plain, i.e., clear or obvious, 3) and the plain error affected substantial rights. The third requirement generally requires a showing of prejudice, i.e., that the error affected the outcome of the lower court proceedings. [Id. at 763, 597 N.W.2d 130.]
In addition, defendant must show that the "error resulted in the conviction of an actually innocent defendant" or that the "error `seriously affect[ed] the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings....'" Id. (citation omitted).
First, as explained above, there was clearly error in this case and the prosecutor concedes that the trial court erred in scoring OV 16. Second, the error was plain and the prosecutor concedes that the error was plain. M.C.L. § 777.22(1) could not be more clear that OV 16 is simply not to be scored where the sentencing offense is second-degree murder. Third, defendant was clearly prejudiced by this error. As a result of the error, defendant received a sentence five years in excess of that permitted by the properly scored sentencing guidelines. Finally, this error "seriously affect [ed] the fairness, integrity [and] public reputation of judicial proceedings." Id. It is difficult to imagine what could affect the fairness, integrity and public reputation of judicial proceedings more than sending an individual to prison and depriving him of his liberty for a period longer than authorized by the law.[5] Accordingly, defendant is entitled to resentencing under § 34(10).
674*674 The Court of Appeals dissent concluded that even if § 34(10) does not preclude relief, MCR 6.429(C) does. MCR 6.429(C) provides:
A party may not raise on appeal an issue challenging the accuracy of the presentence report or the scoring of the sentencing guidelines unless the party has raised the issue at or before sentencing or demonstrates that the challenge was brought as soon as the inaccuracy could reasonably have been discovered. Any other challenge may be brought only by motion for relief from judgment under subchapter 6.500.
We agree with the Court of Appeals dissent that, under this court rule, a scoring error is not appealable unless it was raised at or before sentencing, regardless of whether the resulting sentence is inside or outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range, except by way of a motion for relief from judgment under subchapter 6.500.
Although defendant did not raise the precise scoring error at or before sentencing, defendant is clearly entitled to relief under MCR 6.508(D)(3). In order to be entitled to relief under MCR 6.508(D)(3), both "good cause" and "actual prejudice"[6] must be established. "Good cause" can be established by proving ineffective assistance of counsel. People v. Reed, 449 Mich. 375, 378, 535 N.W.2d 496 (1995). To demonstrate ineffective assistance, it must be shown that defendant's attorney's performance fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and this performance prejudiced him. People v. Pickens, 446 Mich. 298, 338, 521 N.W.2d 797 (1994). At oral argument, the prosecutor conceded that defendant would be entitled to relief on the basis of ineffective assistance of counsel and defendant's appellate counsel, who was also his trial counsel, admitted that OV 16 was scored where it obviously should not have been, that he failed to bring this error to the court's attention, and that this failure ultimately resulted in a minimum sentence that exceeds the upper limit of the appropriate guidelines sentence range by five years. Under these circumstances, it is clear that both "good cause" and "actual prejudice" have been established.
Because we find that defendant is entitled to relief under both the statute and the court rule, it is unnecessary for us to decide whether the court rule or the statute controls.[7]
We affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals and remand this case to the circuit court for resentencing.
MICHAEL F. CAVANAGH, MARILYN J. KELLY and TAYLOR, JJ., concurred with MARKMAN, J.
WEAVER, J. (concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I concur in the majority's conclusion that a scoring error is not appealable under MCR 6.429(C) as currently drafted unless it was raised at or before sentencing, regardless of whether the resulting sentence was inside or outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range. However, I dissent from the majority's interpretation 675*675 of M.C.L. § 769.34(10) and its order remanding this case for resentencing on the basis of MCR 6.508(D)(3).
I agree with the Court of Appeals dissent by Judge GRIFFIN and would hold that M.C.L. § 769.34(10) requires that defendant preserve alleged errors in the scoring of offense variables and that the plain error doctrine does not justify reversal of defendant's conviction in this case. I would affirm defendant's sentence.
It is undisputed that offense variable 16 (OV 16) is not applicable to this case. The question before the Court is whether defendant can challenge the scoring of the offense variable when he failed to raise the issue at sentencing, in a motion for resentencing, or in a motion to remand filed in the Court of Appeals. Regarding this question, M.C.L. § 769.34(10) provides:
The first sentence of the statute governs when the Court of Appeals may remand for resentencing when a minimum sentence is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range. Those circumstances are limited to where there is an "error in scoring the sentencing guidelines or inaccurate information relied upon in determining the defendant's sentence."
The second sentence of the statute shifts the focus to when a party is permitted under M.C.L. § 769.34(10) to raise on appeal an issue "challenging the scoring of the sentencing guidelines or the accuracy of information relied upon in determining a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range...." The second sentence provides that neither issue can be raised "unless the party has raised the issue at sentencing, in a proper motion for resentencing, or in a proper motion to remand filed in the court of appeals."
This case involves a scoring error that caused a sentence to fall outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range. Thus, we consider whether the Legislature intended to limit appeals of scoring errors regardless of whether the sentence was within or outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range.
The majority concludes that there is no basis in the statute to conclude that the Legislature intended to limit appeals of scoring errors differently from challenges to the accuracy of the information relied on in determining a sentence. The majority bases this conclusion, however, on its interpretation of the first sentence of the statute, not the second sentence at issue in this case. The majority reasons:
The first sentence of § 34(10) provides that a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range is not appealable unless there is a scoring error or inaccurate information is relied upon. The necessary corollary of this statement is that a sentence that is outside the appropriate range is appealable. [Ante at 672 (emphasis in original).]
I respectfully disagree with the majority's logic. As noted above, the first sentence of the statute addresses when the Court of Appeals may remand for resentencing, 676*676 not when a party may appeal. The first sentence allows the Court of Appeals to remand for resentencing scoring errors if a minimum sentence is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range. However, the plain language of the second sentence reveals that the only scoring errors that the Legislature intended the Court of Appeals to review at all are those that were preserved by a party "at sentencing, in a proper motion for resentencing, or in a proper motion to remand filed in the court of appeals." As reasoned by Judge GRIFFIN'S Court of Appeals dissent in part:
There are two disjunctive phrases — "challenging the scoring of the sentencing guidelines" and the "challenging the accuracy of information relied upon in determining a sentence that is within the appropriate guidelines sentence range" — that establish two distinct and separate situations to which the statute applies. Only the former circumstances apply herein, where defendant is "challenging the scoring of the sentencing guidelines...." ...
In the present case, the alleged scoring error issue has been forfeited because defendant failed to "raise[ ] the issue at sentencing, in a proper motion for resentencing, or in a proper motion to remand filed in the court of appeals." M.C.L. § 769.34(10). [252 Mich.App. at 285-286, 651 N.W.2d 798.]
Thus, I would hold that pursuant to M.C.L. § 769.34(10), defendant cannot challenge the scoring of OV 16 because he did not raise the issue as required by the statute. I also agree with Judge GRIFFIN'S conclusion that the scoring error does not qualify as plain error that seriously affected the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings underPeople v. Carines, 460 Mich. 750, 597 N.W.2d 130 (1999).
The majority also premises its decision to order resentencing on its conclusion sua sponte that defendant is entitled to relief from judgment under MCR 6.508(D)(3). The majority's eagerness to serve as advocate, trial judge, and appellate court is unnecessary and inappropriate. First, it cannot be assumed that defendant will file a motion for relief from judgment. Second, there is no guarantee that defendant would carry the burden of establishing entitlement to the relief requested under MCR 6.508(D). Without the benefit of argument and briefing, I would not step into the shoes of the trial court and decide an issue that has not even been raised by a party. Third, the possibility that defendant could successfully file a motion for relief from judgment does not necessitate concluding that defendant would in this case, because the defendant is free to file such a motion regardless of how the question of statutory interpretation is resolved.
In conclusion, I concur in the majority conclusion that a scoring error is not appealable under MCR 6.429(C) as currently drafted unless it was raised at or before sentencing, regardless whether the resulting sentence was inside or outside the appropriate guidelines sentence range.
However, I dissent from the majority's interpretation of M.C.L. § 769.34(10) and its order remanding this case for resentencing on the basis of MCR 6.508(D)(3) and Carines. I would hold that M.C.L. § 769.34(10) requires that defendants preserve alleged errors in the scoring of offense variables and that the plain error doctrine requires no other result. I would affirm defendant's sentence.
CORRIGAN, C.J., and YOUNG, J., concurred with WEAVER, J.
[1] If OV 16 were scored at one point, as defendant argued at sentencing, the minimum sentence range would have been 180 to 300 months.
[2] 252 Mich.App. 269, 651 N.W.2d 798 (2002).
[3] 468 Mich. 870, 659 N.W.2d 231 (2003).
[4] The dissenting justices argue that the first and second sentences of the statute address two totally different issues: the first sentence addresses under what circumstances the Court of Appeals may remand for resentencing, while the second sentence addresses under what circumstances a party may appeal. Post at 675-676. The first sentence states that "the court of appeals shall affirm that sentence and shall not remand for resentencing...." § 34(10). The second sentence states that "[a] party shall not raise on appeal...." Id. If the Court of Appeals must affirm the sentence, pursuant to the first sentence, the appellant will not enjoy relief. Likewise, if the appellant is unable to raise appellate issues, pursuant to the second sentence, the appellant will not enjoy relief. Although these sentences are worded differently, they both pertain to the same issue, namely, the circumstances under which a person may obtain sentencing relief.
[5] The dissenting justices conclude that "the scoring error does not qualify as plain error that seriously affect[ed] the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings...." Post at 676. We respectfully disagree, and believe that sending a person to prison for a term several years in excess of what is permitted by the law sufficiently constitutes a plain error that seriously affects the fairness, integrity or public reputation of a judicial proceeding.
[6] Pursuant to MCR 6.508(D)(3)(b)(iv), with reference to a sentence, actual prejudice means that the sentence is invalid. Here, the sentence is invalid because it is five years in excess of the properly scored sentencing guidelines and devoid of any finding of substantial and compelling reasons to deviate from the properly scored guidelines range.
[7] Effective immediately, this Court has amended MCR 6.429(C) to conform with M.C.L. § 769.34(10).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Here's a nice little challenge for you to give you some extra motivation to get outdoors also this year! What?
The idea is by no means original and I found it originally on Finnish outdoor forum Vaellusnet back in 2013.
I thought this would a nice idea and I'm sure all but the most enthusiastic outdoor folks usually have at least month or two each year when they don't reach this target. For example I've been sleeping outdoors 60 or more nights a year over the past half a decade but still I have a month or two each year when I don't sleep outdoors at all. There are the depressing shoulder season months, months busy with mundane responsibilities, the too cold winter months and many other excuses not to go out. But I'm sure that a public challenge and some peer pressure would fix this, so here we go! Why?
The main motivation is naturally going outdoors and getting more nights under the canvas or stars. Also when "having to go" around the year you will hopefully experience new seasons and conditions and while squeezing in a night or two during the busy times you'll find new ways and places to go for an overnighter trip. This should be already interesting on its own but to motivate you further… If you are blogging or otherwise sharing your outdoor activities online I'll promise to share your posts thru the whole year 2015! I hope this will motivate you and others to get outdoors more regularly and will probably get some extra attention and traffic for your online content.
There are no prizes set for participating but if this turns out to be popular I'll arrange a nice prize and it'll be raffled between those who make it through the whole year, all the way from January to December. Two nights a month. How?
Rules are that you should get a minimum of two nights outdoors every month through the whole year, from January to December. * Edit: Due to several requests I added a February start option, so 12 months from February 2015 to January 2016 counts too.
1) Comment on this post sharing the link to your blog or other online platform. I'll include a list of participants with every post.
2) Post reports/proof of your two nights a month by the 7th day of the following month. If you are lucky to get more outdoor time in a month, choose any two nights you want.
3) Post links to the reports/proofs you'd like to share by commenting this or any of the #twonights posts in my blog. I hope to be in the outdoors enough not to have the time to go through all of the great content, so this will make sure your posts/reports will be shared.
4) At some point during each month I'll gather and publish all the posts from the previous month into a single blog post linking to your trip reports. If you don't blog or otherwise share your trips you can also comment directly on the summary post of each months, sharing the trips you did the past month.
Any language or media. Anywhere in the world. No limits for creativity. The outdoor experience is a universal thing.
starting with two nights a month through the whole year 2015!
Do you pick up the gauntlet?


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OmniFocus 3 full Voice Control support on iOS and macOS
OmniFocus 3, which is a popular task app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, received a major update on Monday that makes it easier to use for people with motor limitations. That's because the app now fully supports the Voice Control feature of iOS and macOS.
For those unfamiliar, Voice Control is not related to Siri. Instead, Voice Control is an accessibility feature introduced with iOS 13 and macOS Catalina that gives users full control of their device using voice commands. It recognizes all kinds of commands, such as "swipe down," "long press," or even "lock screen."
Of course, developers can take advantage of these features to improve accessibility support in their apps, and that's exactly what the Omni Group has done with OmniFocus 3.13.
As detailed in a blog post, the app now has specific commands for users with Voice Control enabled. You can select a specific item, change its settings, ask for a summary of the day's tasks, and even mark a task as complete using voice commands.
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 162 With Bug Fixes
iOS 16.3 fixes multiple security vulnerabilities with iOS…
We believe it's important to make OmniFocus available however and wherever you'd like to use it, whether that's using a keyboard and mouse, a touch screen, a watch, a web browser—or just your voice. Or any combination of the above!
The developers have provided full documentation on how to use the app with Voice Control enabled. But that's only part of the update as OmniFocus version 3.13 also brings automation enhancements, better Shortcuts support, and general bug fixes.
OmniFocus is available on the App Store for macOS and iOS with a 14-day free trial. After that, the app requires a subscription of $9.99 per month available as an in-app purchase.
Be sure to check out our special guide on how to enable and use Voice Control on your device.
controliosmacosOmniFocussupport
WhatsApp introduce new feature 'Message Yourself' on latest update
iOS 16.2 for iPhone Launch Next Week With 12 New Features
Apple launch macOS friendly health records app
Shazam version 13.7 identify song playing without open the app


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Tag Archives: siege
2/8/15: After the Freeze, the Thaw
action film, aliens, Atticus Mitchell, Bill Paxton, Canadian films, cannibals, CGI, Charlotte Sullivan, cinema, civilized vs savage, climate change, co-writers, Doomsday, Dru Viergever, dystopian future, extreme violence, film reviews, films, foreign films, frozen wasteland, horror, ice age, isolated communities, Jeff Renfroe, John Healy, John Tench, Julian Richings, Kevin Zegers, Laurence Fishburne, Movies, multiple writers, post-apocalyptic wasteland, quarantine, sci-fi, sci-fi-horror, science-fiction, Screamers, self-sacrifice, siege, Snowpiercer, survival of the fittest, survivors, The Colony, underground colonies, violent films, voice-over narration, writer-director
Sometimes, you don't expect much more from a film than you can get from a cursory glance at said film's box art: in this case, I expected Jeff Renfroe's The Colony (2013) to be a serviceable sci-fi/action flick, set in a frozen, dystopic future, with Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton butting heads…nothing more, nothing less. For the most part, this is exactly what I ended up with: while the film throws a few minor twists into the mix, nothing here will be unfamiliar to viewers who've seen films like Screamers (1995), Doomsday (2008) or any of a hundred other similar sci-fi/horror/action hybrids. That being said, The Colony is fast-paced, reasonably tense and features a handful of truly impressive fight sequences: if the film ends up being rather silly and over-the-top, in the end, it at least manages to keep the courage of its convictions.
We're immediately dumped into one of those frozen-over worlds of the near-future that forms such an integral part of recent sci-fi films like Snowpiercer (2014): in this case, we're not given any real reasons for the catastrophe, although a handy voice-over does let us know that the common cold is now a lethal killer, which positions this somewhere between climate change and bacteriological devastation on the "We're Fucked" scale. Regardless of the reason, humanity has been split into two separate groups: the ones who made it underground, to protected colonies, and the ones who stayed above-ground. To make it even easier: underground = alive, above-ground = dead. Suffice to say, the future ain't such a hot place to be, in every sense of the term.
Our entry into the narrative is Colony 7, one of the last, surviving colonies. Run by the even-handed, level-headed Briggs (Laurence Fishburne), the colony is also home to hot-headed, reactionary Mason (Bill Paxton), proving the old film adage that everyone needs an antagonist, especially those who lead post-apocalyptic societies. Our narrator (and defacto hero) is Sam (Kevin Zegers), a nice, upstanding young man who happens to be sweet on Kai (Charlotte Sullivan), the tough-as-nails supply controller who's more than capable of taking care of herself in an unforgiving world. Life in Colony 7 is harsh and violent death is always around the corner: any residents who develop the sniffles are given one of two options – let Mason put a bullet in their noggins or take a long, cold walk into the oblivion of the snow-blasted wasteland above-ground. It's not, exactly, how Briggs would prefer to get things done but it's a balance that works, for the time being.
In a development that vaguely echoes the under-rated sci-fi chiller Screamers, Colony 7 receives a distress signal from the only other known, surviving colony: Colony 5. In the interest of trying to preserve as many human lives as possible, Briggs, Sam and a young go-getter by the name of Graydon (Atticus Mitchell) set out on a perilous journey to check out the signal. Briggs leaves Kai in charge, which sits about as well with the ludicrously macho Mason as you'd expect. With tension back home at an all-time high, the trio set out for the blinding-white environs top-side, determined to find out what's going on with their closest "neighbors."
After a short series of adventures through the CGI-created frozen world that used to be ours, our trio ends up at Colony 5, only to discover what appears to be the remnants of violent conflict. Upon further exploration, the trio finds a single survivor, Leland (Julian Richings), who spins a tale that begins hopefully, with a potential thawed zone on the surface world, and ends horribly, with news of some kind of attack that wiped everyone out. Since our heroes really can't leave well enough alone, they continue to explore Colony 5 and run smack-dab into a rampaging horde of bloodthirsty cannibals led by a leader (Dru Viergever) who manages to be a teeth-gnashing, chest-beating amalgam of pretty much every savage/feral/cannibal/evil warlord leader in the history of dystopic cinema. This then begins a protracted chase, as our heroes must return to the safety of their colony while being careful not to lead the cannibal army directly to their next smorgasbord. Who will survive and who will become toothpicks? In this colony, it's anyone's guess!
For the most part, The Colony is a pretty run-of-the-mill, bargain-bin type of dystopic action flick. It's got all of the visual and aural hallmarks of said subgenre (morose score, muted color palette, panoramic wide shots), as well as many of the pitfalls (extremely dodgy CGI, extraneous use of slo-mo and overly flashy editing, over-the-top acting). The cannibal angle isn't so much a twist as an inevitability and this particular iteration of feral savages is much less interesting and singular than, say, the flesh-eaters of Doomsday, who at least had the foresight to barbecue their victims with an industrial size backyard grill. Here, we just get the typical filthy, snarling, rampaging cannibal Berserkers, albeit with the added lunacy of watching them run around in snow gear. If it sounds silly, it is but no more so than many films of its ilk.
For their part, the non-cannibal actors turn in fairly workmanlike performances, with both Fishburne and Paxton all but fading into the background. Paxton, in particular, seems to be moving on auto-pilot: I expected at least a little gonzo nuttiness but his performance was surprisingly subdued and more than a little grumpy. Zegers and Sullivan make a blandly attractive couple as Sam and Kai but there's not much spark to their turn, while the rest of the colony passes in a blur of rather similar, generic characterizations.
In truth, there are only two ways that The Colony really distinguishes itself: the computer-designed backgrounds, prior to arriving at Colony 5, are astoundingly fake and the film is surprisingly violent and brutal, even for a post-apocalyptic fable about rampaging cannibals. The violence isn't really an issue, since I doubt that any shrinking violets in the crowd are going to be drawn to a cannibal film, but it is certainly impressive: there's one setpiece, involving cutting someone's head in half, that's gotta be one of the most bravura effects spectacles I've seen in a while. The excellent gore effects are made even more noticeable by contrast to the awful CGI, which seems to exist at a sub-mockbuster level. There's never a point where the backgrounds look like anything less than a green screen: in one particularly egregious moment, the trio walk into the cheesiest CGI fog that has ever been committed to screen and I'll go to my grave believing that. I can deal with dodgy SFX: growing up on Corman flicks has a tendency to lower one's inherent expectations regarding B-movies. The CGI work in The Colony is so rudimentary, however, that it's all but impossible to suspend disbelief anytime our intrepid group is outside (which is often enough to be a huge problem). Once we get to Colony 5, the film actually doesn't look bad: close quarters seems to suit the filmmakers better than the wide-open, fake vistas of the surface world. The trip there, however, leaves a bit to be desired.
Ultimately, The Colony isn't a bad film, although it is a cheesy, largely predictable one. While Fishburne and/or Paxton fans might be a little disappointed at the disposable performances here, fans of dystopic future, cannibal or "frozen world" scenarios might find at least a little something to sink their teeth into. Think of this as a poor man's version of Snowpiercer (extremely poor, mind you), minus any of that film's political or sociological significance: if that's up your alley, pack your long johns and head for The Colony. Otherwise, you'd probably be better off just hibernating until spring.
1/2/15 (Part One): Painting By Numbers
action-horror, Amaury Nolasco, Animal, Brett Simmons, Cabin in the Woods, cinema, creature feature, director-editor, dysfunctional family, Elizabeth Gillies, film reviews, films, friends, horror, horror movies, isolation, Jeremy Sumpter, Joey Lauren Adams, Keke Palmer, Movies, Parker Young, Paul Iacono, secrets, siege, Thorsten Kaye
Nearly as generic as its title, Brett Simmons' Animal (2014) is the kind of film that you can practically see play in your head after just hearing a basic description: a group of people are chased through the woods by some sort of creature and take refuge in an isolated cabin, where they must make a last, desperate stand. Don't get me wrong: there's nothing wrong with mining trusted tropes…that's part of what makes genre films so popular, I would imagine. In the right hands, even the mustiest old cliché can achieve some sort of new life, be reborn into something that's truly unique and wonderful. After all, any "creature-in-the-woods" film has the potential to be THE "creature-in-the-woods" flick, the Citizen Kane (1941) of creature flicks, if you will. Sadly, Animal is not that film.
Five friends head out into the woods to spend a final weekend at a beloved camping area before encroaching development forever spoils their fond memories: brother and sister Jeff (Parker Young) and Alissa (Keke Palmer) lead the group, which also consists of their significant others, Mandy (Elizabeth Gillies) and Matt (Jeremy Sumpter), along with fifth-wheel Sean (Paul Iacono). After coming across some bloody human remains in the woods, the group runs smack into some sort of vaguely humanoidish creature: the creature proceeds to chase them straight to an isolated cabin, where they run into another group. This group consists of a couple, Vicky (Joey Lauren Adams) and Carl (Thorsten Kaye), along with an impossibly belligerent asshole named Douglas (Amaury Nolasco).
Once at the cabin, the newcomers find themselves as trapped as the group who currently resides there: turns out the creature chased them there, too, and it seems to be taking them out, on at a time. Unwilling to just sit in the equivalent of the creature's larder, the two groups must attempt to work together, even though no one really trusts each other and Douglas is a dangerously paranoid, violent individual. The monster is constantly testing the security of their little "fortress," however, and the danger of it finding a weak point and bursting in becomes all-encompassing. As long-buried secrets start to tear the groups apart, however, it becomes apparent that not all danger will come from outside: people can be just as dangerous as "animals," it would appear.
In pretty much every way possible, Animal is as middle-of-the-road as these types of things get. The cast is decent enough, although their interactions always seem a little stilted and the dialogue is never anything to write home about. The "twist" revelation of Alissa's group ends up being a tempest in a teapot, relatively speaking, and the character of Douglas is just such a complete shit that he never functions as anything less than a villain, even when he's actually serving as the voice of reason. The creature design looks good enough from far away but reveals some pretty severe limitations from up close, along with the overriding question "Why a humanoidish design?" I would imagine it's because the creature is actually someone in a costume but it doesn't fit and seems to raise questions that the film has no interest in answering (or even addressing, for that matter).
On the plus side, Animal is well-made and reasonably tense, even if the whole thing is overly familiar and rather obvious. Simmons and dual screenwriters Thommy Hutson and Catherine Trillo (really? two writers?) are also rather fearless when it comes to killing off characters, which lends the film more of a genuine surprise factor than many films of its ilk. There's also a pretty great scene lit only by a red emergency flare but I'm a big sucker for flare-lit scenes in horror films, so that was kind of a "Free Space" on my bingo card.
Ultimately, there wasn't much about Animal that stood out (sort of like that title…yeesh…) but it's definitely the kind of film that I could see doing decent business at the multiplex: fairly glossy, filled with attractive young folks and reasonably tense, Animal definitely reminded me of films like the Platinum Dune remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and Friday the 13th (2009). Never as gritty, mean-spirited or intense as it needed to be, Animal is decent enough but never much more than that: for my money, the intense French film Prey (2010) got to this same place much more effectively and with an actual emotional punch that's sadly missing here. Animal might appeal to horror neophytes but if you've seen any of its myriad peers, you've definitely seen it, too.
10/6/14 (Part Two): Middle Age, Pints and Blue Goop
31 Days of Halloween, alien invasion, auteur theory, Best of 2013, British comedies, British films, cinema, co-writers, David Bradley, Eddie Marsan, Edgar Wright, favorite films, Film auteurs, film reviews, films, friends, Gary King, horror-comedies, Hot Fuzz, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, male friendships, Martin Freeman, Michael Smiley, Movies, Nick Frost, obnoxious friends, Paddy Considine, Pierce Brosnan, pubs, Rosamund Pike, sci-fi, Shaun of the Dead, siege, SImon Pegg, the Cornetto trilogy, the Golden Mile, the Network, The World's End, writer-director, youth vs old age
Like most vacation destinations, nostalgia is a great place to visit but a pretty awful place to live. While all of us may spend at least some part of our lives pining for "the good old days" and hoping to relive past glories, there comes a time when we must plant our eyes firmly ahead and charge straight into the unknown, lest we find that our lives have become the equivalent of a hamster ball: furious motion with no chance of forward movement. In a real reason sense, nostalgia can kill…but it sure is a pretty poison.
Writer-director Edgar Wright's The World's End (2013), the third entry in his unofficial "Cornetto Trilogy" that also features Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007), is a movie that's not only about the curse of nostalgia but also informed by this very phenomena: it's a classic case of having your cake and eating it, too, if you will and it's doubtful that many directors could pull it off as capably as Wright does here. The end result is wildly successful and, as far as I'm concerned, ranks as Wright's greatest film, thus far, a towering achievement that manages to be equal parts gut-busting and thought-provoking. It's a film that should be enjoyed by just about anyone but will have particular relevance to that portion of society who find themselves aging into versions of themselves that seem distinctly watered-down from their youthful ideals. For anyone approaching middle-age who've ever taken a long look in the mirror and asked, "What the hell happened to me?," Wright's got the cheeky answer: "You got fucking old, mate…it happens to the best of us."
The man-child at the center of Wright's latest opus is Gary King, expertly portrayed by Wright regular Simon Pegg, who's managed to turn these type of roles into something of a cottage industry. From his start on the BBC with cult-hit Spaced to more recent films like How To Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008) and A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012), Pegg has become something of the go-to guy for schlubs trying to relive their youth, characters who would rather get ripped at the pub, play video games all day long and avoid honest work than buckle down and admit that the care-free days are far in the rearview mirror.
In this case, Gary King is firmly stuck in the past: 1991, to be exact, which happens to be the year that he and his pack of friends attempted, but failed, to complete the Golden Mile. The Golden Mile entails drinking a pint at twelve different pubs, culminating in the titular World's End pub. As far as he's concerned, Gary's life never got any better than that one debauched night and he's spent the two decades since chasing that same dragon. He wears the same clothes as he used to, drives the same junker car, listens to the exact same mixtape and obsessively dwells on every minute detail of that era. When it all gets to be too much, Gary decides to do the only "sensible" thing: get the band back together, as it were, and give the Golden Mile another go.
There's only one problem: Gary's crew haven't seen him in 20-odd years and many of them detest him with a passion normally reserved for baby-stealing dingoes. Never one to let common sense spoil a good plan, Gary goes about insinuating himself back into the lives of his former comrades, all the while trying to wheedle them into giving their old drinking challenge another try. Times, of course, have moved on and so have Gary's "friends": Andy (Nick Frost), Peter (Eddie Marsan), Oliver (Martin Freeman) and Steve (Paddy Considine) all have their own lives, jobs and responsibilities to see to and none of them, particularly former best friend Andy, want anything to do with their former "leader."
Gary's nothing if not insistent, however, and in no time, he's got the group back on the Golden Mile. As they pub-hop, however, issues old and new continue to rear their ugly heads: Andy is now a teetotaling "party-pooper" while no one is willing to forgive Gary's past (and present) churlish behavior. When Oliver's sister, Sam (Rosamund Pike) enters the picture, new conflicts abound: Gary had sex with Sam in the bathroom on that fateful night so long ago, but it's poor Steve who's always pined for her. Just when Gary's insensitive, assholish behavior threatens to tear the group apart for the second time, they become united in something that seems a bit more important: the group stumbles upon a sinister plot to usurp humanity and invade our planet, a plot which they seem to be in the unique position to foil…even they can quit taking pot-shots at each other, that is. As Gary and his friends fight for the very survival of our species, they're also fighting for the survival of their long-gone friendships and relationships, seeking to move from the immature past into the responsible present. If they succeed, mankind will live to fight another day. If they don't, however, we may just see a future that makes Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) seem more like public service announcement than flight of fancy.
The most important thing to note about The World's End is how absolutely, completely and totally enthralling the film is: from the very first to the very last one, Wright's film grabs the audience by the lapels and doesn't let go. From rapid-fire dialogue to an endless array of inventive and (frequently) astounding sight gags to one thrilling setpiece after another, The World's End is absolutely relentless. The film rarely comes up for breath and hardly ever slows down. This could, of course, be a recipe for one very tiresome film: nonstop chaos is almost impossible to pull off, as evidenced by the fact that even mostly successful films like Airplane (1980) feature as many leaden duds as high-soaring hits. Thanks to the exceptional script, sure-handed direction and fantastic ensemble cast, however, The World's End is one high-point after the other.
Truth be told, I'd already fallen in love with the film by the time the opening credits rolled: the next 100 minutes simply served to reaffirm this feeling. While I enjoyed both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, there was something about The World's End that really struck a chord with me. Perhaps it's the theme of aging gracefully into a more mature version of yourself…perhaps it was the wildly inventive invasion plot…perhaps it was just the fact that the film manages to hit all of its marks and then some…whatever the reason, The World's End hooked me hard and refused to let go.
Since part of the film's endless charm comes from the myriad surprises that it manages to throw at the audience, I'd be remiss to shed too much light on any of them. Suffice to say that the film features fist-raising moments galore: a spot-on reference to the under-rated Dead and Buried (1981); clever riffs on Invasion of the Body Snatchers; a throw-away visual reference to The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) that's made my jaw drop, a little; the fact that the climax manages to revolve around not just one but two classic clichés of sci-fi cinema; Nick Frost playing a neebish…Martin Freeman taking his prim and proper caracatures to their logical extreme…the film is like an endless replenishing box of goodies, coughing up untold comic treasures at a moment's notice.
The comedy's not the only thing that hits the mark, however: The World's End succeeds just as capably as a sci-fi/horror film, featuring some truly intense and frightening scenes. The moments where the Blanks' eyes and mouths become the equivalent of high beams is a truly chilling moment, whereas the numerous fight scenes are brilliantly choreographed and staged. One fight in particular, which features Simon Pegg moving in and around a brawl while attempting to avoid spilling his treasured pint of lager, is pure gold, perhaps the single best fight scene I've seen in years. Make no bones about it: The World's End is a very, very funny film. It's also a very thrilling film, however: the two polar opposites are absolutely not mutually exclusive, in this case.
In truth, there's very little real criticism I can give the film, aside from the fact that I felt the final coda was a bit silly and unnecessary. Aside from that, however, I found myself in a pretty constant state of awe for nearly two hours. The World's End is a smashing success, a film that sets a pretty high bar for itself, right out of the gate, and then manages to effortlessly hurdle that bar. It's a film that can be enjoyed by anyone but should be treasured by those folks with even a passing interest in sci-fi (classic and otherwise).
There's one point in the film where Gary posits that something must be going on with the people in the town because they've "changed": 20 years later and no one seems to be acting the way he remembered. He never once, of course, allows for the distressing notion that he might be the one who's changed, not them. We'd like to believe that we're the truest people out there, the equivalent of a bunch of Holden Caulfields stomping through the masses, pointing out "phonies" left and right. In reality, however, we're all just as compromised as the next person: time and the need to survive make hypocrites of us all.
Gary thinks that if he can just retrace his steps, he'll be able to unlock some sort of Fountain of Youth, some way to prevent any more of himself from slipping away. He's wrong, of course: the most that any of us can do is face the future, keep our backs to the past and keep trudging forward. If we're lucky, we'll get to make the journey with some good friends and companions. If not, we'll keep circling the drain spout of irrelevance, ending up as no more than the dreams that our youthful selves never dared to hope might one day come true. When an ultra-goofy alien invasion comedy can make you think about stuff like this, you have what I like to call a classic on your hands.
2/17/14: These are Mean Times
action films, Assault on Precinct 13, Austin Stoker, auteur theory, B-movies, child killing, cinema, classic movies, claustrophic, Darwin Joston, Douglas Knapp, favorite films, Film auteurs, film reviews, films, gang members, Halloween, iconic film scores, John Carpenter, Lalo Schifrin, low-budget films, Movies, Napoleon Wilson, police station, score, siege, synth scores, working together
Anyone who knows me well knows that pinning me down on my favorite anything can be an exercise in frustration: my specific lists of favorite films, music, TV shows, food, etc…tend to change not so much on a regular basis but on a moment-to-moment basis. Stick around long enough and, chances are, you'll hear me call at least two separate things "the greatest ______ ever," if not five separate things. This isn't to say that I'm necessarily fickle with my entertainment loves: rather, I try to constantly expose myself to new films, music, etc, which often has the effect of displacing some of my previous loves.
That being said, however, there are still a few films that never quite leave the "Best of…" list, even if their ultimate position in said list tends to be constantly changing. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is one of those films, as is The Godfather and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Goodfellas and Taxi Driver are both on there, of course, because I can't have a favorites list without some Scorcese. It goes without saying that John Carpenter's seminal Halloween is on the list but there's another Carpenter film that, for me, is even more of a no-brainer for inclusion. This is a film so perfect that I ceased looking for flaws at least a decade ago and have simply accepted its place in the ultimate list of my life: somewhere right around the top, maybe bumping shoulders with Faith No More, Travis Bickle and Leatherface. It's a movie that, if I'm being honest with myself, I actually like more than Halloween. The film? Assault on Precinct 13. Why do I love it so much? Let me count the ways.
Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 is one of those cases where the individual parts of a movie, while mighty on their own, come together to form something akin to the Voltron of exploitation cinema. We start with Carpenter's iconic synth score, including that mammoth theme song. For me, this provokes a near Pavlovian response, similar to the one I get from Morricone's essential score for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: every time I hear that series of terse, clipped notes, followed by that simmering synth stab, I get a little adrenaline rush, a little tickle in the back of my reptile brain. This is the "ass-kicking" cortex getting stimulated and the Assault on Precinct 13 theme is its cellphone ringer. Pair this theme with the stark red letters on black screen opening credits and the film seems classic before it even properly begins.
Carpenter's score is a whole lot more than just that jagged, robotic call-to-arms, however. There's a moody piece in the score that plays during Bishop's arrival at Precinct 13 (as well as the aftermath of the "shoot-in") that ranks as one of my favorite pieces of film music ever, including such luminous peers as the sweeping Godfather score and Morricone's aforementioned Good, Bad, Ugly score. It's a melancholy, nearly bluesy bit that reminds me of Lalo Schifrin's score for Dirty Harry (another of my all-time favorite film/score combos) and is so perfectly evocative that it almost tells a story on its own. It's a pensive piece that neatly serves as a theme for Bishop's thoughtful, quiet leadership style.
The score, by turns ominous and melancholy, perfectly underscores the film's themes and walks hand-in-hand with the stark, gritty visuals. Shot by Carpenter's Dark Star cinematographer Douglas Knapp (on what would end up being his last feature film work, to date), Assault on Precinct 13 has a washed-out, sun-bleached look that recalls Dirty Harry, yet manages to incorporate the deep-focus elements that would become so familiar when Halloween rampaged across movie screens two years later. As in Halloween, there's a lot in Assault on Precinct 13 that occurs on the edges of the frame: figures skulking about, the sudden appearance (or disappearance) of a character. The tight framing handily evokes a constant, sustained feeling of claustrophobia throughout the film, while the washed-out color palette gives everything a subtly doomed feel.
As with everything else in the film, Assault on Precinct 13th's plot is lean, mean and fat-free: on the eve that a small, isolated police station in one of the worst parts of the city is about to be shuttered, a tiny skeleton crew of officers and prisoners must make a desperate stand against a seemingly endless army of blood-thirsty, armed-to-the-teeth gang members. With no hope of rescue or reinforcements until the wee hours of the morning, Lt. Bishop (Austin Stoker), Leigh (Laurie Zimmer) and notorious convict Napoleon Wilson (Darwin Joston) must use their wits, resolve and whatever weapons they can scrounge together to keep from becoming more casualties of the mean streets.
And that's it, folks: no meandering B and C stories…no unnecessary romantic subplots…no drifting off into tangents that dilute the overall impact…just 90 minutes of pure survival. This isn't to say that there isn't any character development or that everyone is flat: far from it. Rather, Carpenter has written an excellent, tight script that allows characters to develop organically, rather than exist merely as convenient genre stereotypes. Bishop and Wilson, on their own, are two of the most fascinating genre creations to ever grace the silver screen: neither one comes across as clichéd and I've always found myself wondering what happened to the characters after the film ended. Hell, I often find myself wondering what happened to the characters before the movie started and I'm a guy that pretty much abhors prequels. In this case, however, I've always been dying to know what Napoleon did that was so terrible and what happened to Lt. Bishop as a young man. It's a testament to Carpenter's writing that he's left me wanting more, just like a good book.
All of these elements add up to a lot but they wouldn't add up to a righteously kick-ass action film without some righteously kick-ass action sequences, now would they? Fear not, friends and neighbors: Assault on Precinct 13th has this covered. From the Western-esque scene where about one million gang members shoot approximately 4 billion bullets into the station house to the edge-of-the-seat finale where Bishop and Wilson hold off a snarling, feral mob in a narrow corridor from behind the world's tiniest barricade, Assault on Precinct 13 very rarely comes up for air. In fact, the film is so tense that the pressure kicks on in the first frames (thanks to that epic theme) and is ratcheted up before we even get to the police station: by that point, the film is ready to explode…and does.
The acting, like everything else in Assault on Precinct 13, is impeccable. Although the cast is filled with unfamiliar faces and lacks the recognizable appeal of a Donald Pleasence, they work together quite beautifully. In particular, special recognition must be given to the two leads: Austin Stoker and Darwin Joston.
Stoker brings a real sense of quiet dignity and resolve to Lt. Bishop, qualities that almost bring him more in line with traditional Western heroes than with law enforcement ones. Joston, on the other hand, plays Napoleon Wilson with just the right amount of Southern charm, self-deprecation and quiet menace. Stoker and Joston have real chemistry together and I've always wished that the two could have gone on to do other "buddy"-type films. Missed opportunities notwithstanding, the friendship between the black police officer and the white, Southern convict brings some emotional heft to the story and makes the ending genuinely powerful: as Bishop and Wilson stand in the debris, a "rescuing" officer attempts to grab the prisoner, only to be violently shoved away by Lt. Bishop. After staring down the over-eager officer, Bishop walks Wilson out with the dignity and respect that he's earned over the course of the siege. It's a big, powerful moment and it never fails to get me in the gut every time: follow that with a quick cut back to the red text/black background with the theme playing and I stand and salute every single damn time.
At the end of the day, I have a lot of concrete reasons for loving Assault on Precinct 13: the acting is fantastic, the cinematography is moody and claustrophobic, the script is smart, the dialogue cracks, the relationship between Bishop and Wilson feels completely genuine and the score is absolutely superb. For me, these all seem like ingredients in a sure-fire formula for a perfect film. More than anything, however, there's a feeling I get from watching this film that's hard to quite explain. I'll never stop watching Halloween or The Thing but there's just something about Assault on Precinct 13 that really gets to me on a primal level. Perhaps it's because we live in such a hard world and it seems like the streets of the Anderson Precinct could become a reality at any time. Perhaps it's because the film so gloriously upholds that most human and beautiful of beliefs: as long as you can breathe, you can keep fighting.


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Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact and SmartWatch 3 alleged image leaked along with specifications
9:29 PM / by Abhinaya
Sony announced the Xperia Z2 earlier this year in February at the MWC 2014 press conference along with the Xperia Z2 Tablet. Now, Sony seems to be ready with the compact variant of Z2 Tablet, which is allegedly called the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. The name has been spotted in a Sony support document of an accessory. Now, the same has emerged in a new live photo along with the unannounced Sony smartwatch.
As you can see in the image above, there's an unannounced Sony tablet in white colour which is joined by a yet to be released Sony smartwatch, most probably the Sony SmartWatch 3. The image is captured by the pool side, hinting that both the products are water resistant.
There is no word on whether the upcoming Sony smartwatch will run on customized version of Android like other Sony smartwatches or the newly introduced and hit Android Wear platform.
According to an AndroidOrigin tipster, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact will feature an 8-inch Full HD IPS display with Sony's Triluminos X-reality picture processing screen, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) processor, 3GB RAM and Android 4.4.4 KitKat.
The tablet is also said to come with 16GB of internal storage with no word on microSD card slot, 8MP rear camera with EXMOR RS sensor and LED flash and 4500-5000 mAh battery. Connectivity series to include 4G LTE support, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.
There is no way to confirm the authenticity of the specs, but they align with the earlier rumours. Sony will be debuting the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact along with many other gadgets at the upcoming IFA 2014 tradeshow on September 3rd. (source)
In another news, Sony also appears to be prepping to launch a budget Android phablet with the model number D2203 in the coming months. The device has appeared on GFXBench database that reveals its possible specifications.
From the listing, it is speculated that the Sony S2203 will be housing a 6.1-inch FWVGA display, 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 5MP primary snapper and a VGA front-facing camera. Other aspects of the device are said to be Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, NFC and Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
As of now, the listing reveals only these aforementioned specifications and there is no detail regarding the pricing or the specific launch date of the same. However, from the specs, the Sony D2203 appears to be an entry-level phone and it should not be priced too heftily. (via)
IFA 2014 Leaks Reports Sony Sony SmartWatch 3 Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
Abhinaya


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China: Human Rights Workers Treated Like "Criminals," Report Says
By Eleanor Ross On 2/16/17 at 7:02 AM EST
Women during a police crackdown on prostitution in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, September 12, 2012. China should remove criminal penalties against sex workers which often lead to serious police abuses, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on May 14, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer
World China Human rights Abuse Torture
Updated | China is treating human rights workers like "criminals," according to a report which points to an increased government crackdown on civil liberties.
The report, produced by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a coalition of Chinese and international human rights non-governmental organizations, details the imprisonment and torture of rights workers and activists in 2016.
Beijing has implemented a raft of "draconian laws" giving police greater power to criminalize human rights activities, the coalition says.
"The Chinese government seems intent on eliminating civil society through a combination of new legislation restricting the funding and operations of NGOs, and the criminalization of human rights activities as a so-called threat to national security," Frances Eve, a researcher at CHRD, told The Guardian.
"What stands out is the almost institutionalised use of torture to force defenders to confess that their legitimate and peaceful human rights work is somehow a 'crime'," Eve added.
The report highlights "forced TV confessions," referring to the prominent case of Swedish lawyer Peter Dahlin, who was paraded on television after weeks in detention and allegedly told to admit he had harmed the Chinese government.
Such practices are damning for China's reputation, according to an anonymous humans rights lawyer cited in the report. "It might seem that the confessor is humiliated in front of the world, but it's really the government's image and the nation's dignity that suffer the most."
The Chinese government has also rolled out "draconian" measures against citizens' right to freedom of association, the report states. A number of rights NGOs, including groups advocating health rights, women's rights and LGBT rights, had remained shut down in 2016 after being closed in previous years, while others were allowed to operate on a drastically reduced scale, under police monitoring.
Although the government's actions defy United Nations independent experts' demands to improve its record on civil liberties, U.N. Member States re-elected China to the Human Rights Council for another term in October 2016, the report adds.
China's human rights violations have been widely criticized by rights groups. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported last year that torture was still "routine" in Chinese jails. In a statement on its website, the rights group says the Chinese government has "detained and prosecuted hundreds of activists and human rights defenders" since President Xi Jinping assumed power.
"The government has moved to tighten control over nongovernmental organizations, activists, and the media through a slew of new laws that cast activism and peaceful criticism of the government as state security threats," the statement said. "The "Great Firewall" used to censor the Internet has been expanded. Despite legislation to curb...torture in custody, police and interrogators have found ways to evade legal protections."
HRW spokesperson Maya Wang told Newsweek, "The human rights environment in China has significantly deteriorated under President Xi. We have observed alarming backsliding on a wide variety of rights. Despite President Xi's praise for 'openness' in Davos, his domestic policy has been one of increasing repression instead."
This article has been updated with a quote from HRW.
Pollution in India Kills 1.2 Million People Every Year
China Counts Win on Taiwan But Battles Loom With Trump
Gambia's Security Forces Must Put the Law Above Loyalty


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Houses For Sale In Hollis NH That Were Built Prior to 1950
By The Adams Home Team|2023-01-14T00:20:30+00:00January 14th, 2023|Categories: News & Blog|
Hollis, NH was chartered in 1746 and has quite a history. There are generally a few homes for sale that we would consider vintage. This list of homes for sale were built prior to 1950.
Notable facts
The following is from Worcester's History of Hollis:
When Hollis was incorporated, the town tax list comprised 54 families.
By 1760, that number had risen to over 105 families.
In 1767, two of the 384 slaves in New Hampshire resided in Hollis. In 1775, four of the 656 slaves in New Hampshire resided in Hollis.
The first trial for murder in Hillsborough County was of Israel Wilkins Jr, of Hollis, for the murder of his father, Israel Wilkins Sr., on November 2, 1772. The elder Wilkins died of "a blow upon the head…of the length three inches and the depth of one inch." Wilkins Jr. was found guilty of man-slaughter, pleaded benefit of clergy, and was subsequently branded upon the thumb with the letter "T", and forced to forfeit all his goods to the King.
Two-thirds of the grantees of the charter for the town of Plymouth, New Hampshire, were from Hollis, causing Worcester to refer to it as "A Hollis Colony".
Eight Hollis residents were killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
125 Hollis men were in the army in whole or in part during the year 1776, approximately one tenth of the population.
22 Hollis men died while in the army during the Revolutionary War.
In 1820, Hollis had five grain mills, six saw mills, one clothing mill, two taverns and four stores. By 1878, it had one grain mill, no saw or clothing mills, no taverns, and one store.
Missy Adams, Realtor
The Adams Home Team
Keller Williams Luxury Homes
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Direct Phone: +1 603.821.1138
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Tilton City Jail
Tilton City Jail Inmate Search, Mugshots and Prison Information
Updated on: January 8, 2022
Tilton City Jail, Belknap County, City Jail
179 East Main Street PO Box 292, Tilton, NH, 03276
http://www.tiltonpd.org/
Tilton City Jail inmate search: Who's in jail, Bond, Age, Booking Date, Address Given, Age, Race, Complaint, Arrests, Arrest Date, Bookings, Jail Roster, Status, Mugshots, Warrant, Release Date.
Situated in Belknap County, New Hampshire, you will find the Tilton City Jail. The Tilton City Jail is a correctional facility that holds all offenders who was arrested for committing crimes within the city.
The correctional facility is running smoothly by the Belknap County Sheriff's Office. All correctional officers within the facility are also deputies on the Sheriff's team as well.
How to Find Someone in Tilton City Jail
You can search the database by the inmates first and last name. Keep in mind that the database is updated on a regular basis and may not always display the most current information.
All incoming mail to the Tilton City Jail will be required to have the legal name of the offender. This name will be required to match up to the name he or she was booked and processed under.
You will also need to include on the envelope his or her offender number along with their housing location as well.
You will need to keep in mind that all mail that is sent to the Tilton City Jail will be opened to be inspected. The only mail that will not be opened without the inmate will be his or her legal mail from their legal counsel.
Please do not send greeting cards or photos to the facility.
Offenders in the Tilton City Jail will need to have funds in their commissary account, so they can purchase items they need while they are behind bars.
The Tilton City Jail allows family and friends to deposit such funds by logging on to the accesscorrections.com website. You can also deposit funds by coming down to the lobby of the facility or by calling 603-286-8207.
Offenders within the Tilton City Jail will have the opportunity to use the telephones that are in all the general housing units.
Offenders can make telephone calls to their loved ones between the hours of 8 am to 11 pm. As a friend or a family member of the offender, you will have the chance to create a pre-paid telephone account through ICSolutions. This will allow you to put money on the offender's phone account, so they can have access to the telephone service.
All visits to the facility will need to be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, but not longer than a week. You will be permitted to visit for 30 minutes.
Hernando County Detention Center
Sante Fe City Jail
Pleasant Hill Jail
Lochbuie City Jail
St. Robert City Jail
Louis C. Powledge Unit B2
La Crescent City Jail
Alex City Work Release
Victoria City Jail
Brighton City Jail
Sussex County Jail
West Dover City Jail
Washington County Jail
England Jail
New Castle City Jail
Webster Parish Work Release Facility
MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution
Linden Jail
Leigh City Jail
Saint Paul City Jail
Wakefield City Jail
Clay County Jail
Monroe City Jail
Richmond County Jail
Royal Oak City Jail
Newberg City Jail
Craig Jail
Arthur County Jail
MDC Guaynabo
Eastport City Jail
Other Types of Correctional Facilities in New Hampshire
State Prison 7