Natural clay systems, commonly referred to as bentonite, are composed primarily of montmorillonite clay. This natural material is used commercially in a wide range of products including toothpaste. Typically, bentonite waterproofing systems contain 85–90 percent of montmorillonite clay and a maximum of 15 percent natural sediments such as volcanic ash.
After being installed in a dry state, clay, when subjected to water, swells and becomes impervious to water. This natural swelling is caused by its molecular structural form of expansive sheets that can expand massively. The amount of swelling and the ability to resist water is directly dependent on grading and clay composition. Clay swells 10–15 percent of its dry volume under maximum wetting. Therefore, it is important to select a system high in montmorillonites and low in other natural sediments.
Bentonite clay is an excellent waterproofing material, but it must be hydrated properly for successful applications. Clay hydration must occur just after installation and backfilling, since the material must be fully hydrated and swelled to become watertight. This hydration and swelling must occur within a confined area after backfill for the waterproofing properties to be effective. Precaution must be taken to ensure the confined space is adequate for clay to swell. If insufficient, materials can raise floor slabs or cause concrete cracking due to the swelling action.
Clay systems have the major advantage of being installed in various stages during con- struction to facilitate the shortening of the overall building schedule or reducing any impact the waterproofing system installation might have. Clay systems can be installed before concrete placement by adhering the waterproofing product to the excavation lagging system as shown in Fig. 2.80, or against slurry walls or similar excavation and foundation support systems as detailed in Figs. 2.81 and 2.82.
FIGURE 2.80 Clay system applied directly to foundation lagging.
FIGURE 2.81 Clay system applied directly to shotconcrete foundation wall.
FIGURE 2.82 Application of clay panels directly to foundation sheet piling.
Clay systems can also be applied to the inside face of concrete formwork that is intended to be left in place due to site access constrictions; a similar installation photo- graph in shown in Fig. 2.83. These application methods permit the contractor to provide an effective waterproofing installation without having to delay the schedule awaiting the concrete placement and curing time necessary for other types of below-grade products.
FIGURE 2.83 Clay membrane applied to inside of concrete formwork.
This also holds true for the typical waterproofing of elevator pits shown in Fig. 2.84.
Here the clay panels are laid directly on the compacted soils before concrete placement, without a working or mud slab required for the waterproofing installation. Again, this can save not only construction time but associated costs as well.
FIGURE 2.84 Typical clay system detailing for elevator pit with no mud slab required.
There is no concrete cure time necessary, and minimal substrate preparation is necessary. Of all waterproofing systems, these are the least toxic and harmful to the environment. Clay systems are self-healing, unless materials have worked away from a substrate. Installations are relatively simple, but clay is extremely sensitive to weather during installation. If rain occurs or groundwater levels rise and material is wetted before backfilling, hydration will occur prematurely and waterproofing capability will be lost, since hydration occurred in an unconfined space.
Immediate protection of applications is required, including uses of polyethylene covering to keep materials from water sources before backfill. If installed in below-grade conditions where constant wetting and drying occurs, clay will eventually deteriorate and lose its waterproofing capabilities. These systems should not be installed where free-flowing groundwater occurs, as clay will be washed away from the substrate.
Bentonite clays are not particularly resistant to chemicals present in groundwater such as brines, acids, or alkalines.
Bulk bentonite is supplied in bulk form and spray-applied with an integral adhesive to seal it to a substrate. Applications include direct installations to formwork or lagging before foundation completion in lieu of applications directly to substrates. Materials are applied at quantities of 1–2 lb/ft^2.
Bulk bentonite spray applications provide seamless installations. Controls must be pro- vided during application to check that sufficient material is being applied uniformly.
Materials should be protected by covering them with polyethylene after installation. Due to possibilities of insufficient thickness during application, manufacturers have developed several clay systems controlling thickness by factory manufacturing, including boards, sheets, and mat systems.
Bentonite clays are packaged in cardboard panels usually 4 ft^2, containing 1 lb/ft^2 of bentonite material. Panels are fastened to substrates by nails or adhesives. Upon backfilling, panels deteriorate by anaerobic action, allowing groundwater to cause clay swelling for water- proofing properties. On horizontal applications the panels are simply laid on the prepared substrates and lapped (Fig. 2.85).
These systems require time for degradation of cardboard panels before swelling and watertightness occurs. This can allow water to penetrate a structure before swelling occurs.
As such, manufacturers have developed systems with polyethylene or butyl backing to provide temporary waterproofing until hydration occurs.
Panel clay systems require the most extensive surface penetration of clay systems.
Honeycomb and voids should be filled with clay gels before panel application. Special prepackaged clay is provided for application to changes in plane, and gel material is used at protrusions for detailing. Several grades of panels are available for specific project installation needs. These include special panels for brine groundwater conditions (Fig. 2.86), and reinforced panels for horizontal applications where steel reinforcement work is placed over panels.
FIGURE 2.86 Saltwater panel application.
Panels are lapped onto all sides of adjacent panels using premarked panels that show necessary laps.
Bentonite sheet systems are manufactured by applying bentonite clay at 1 lb/ft^2 to a layer of chlorinated polyethylene. They are packaged in rolls 4 ft wide. The addition of poly-ethylene adds temporary waterproofing protection during clay hydration. This polyethylene also protects clay material from prematurely hydrating if rain occurs before backfilling and adds chemical-resistant properties to these systems.
Some manufacturers have developed sheet systems for use in above-grade split or sandwich slab construction. However, constant wetting and drying of this system can alter the clay's natural properties, and waterproofing then depends entirely upon the polyethylene sheet.
Bentonite and rubber sheet membrane systems add clay to a layer of polyethylene, but also compound the bentonite in a butyl rubber com position. Materials are packaged in rolls 3 ft wide that are self-adhering using a release paper backing. They are similar to rubberized asphalt membranes in application and performance characteristics.
These combination sheet systems are used for horizontal applications, typically split- slab construction in parking or plaza deck construction. As with rubberized asphalt sys- tems, accessories must be used around protrusions, terminations, and changes in plane.
The polyethylene, butyl rubber, and bentonite each act in combination with the others, providing substantial waterproofing properties.
Unlike other clay systems, concrete substrates must be dry and cured before application.
Care must be taken in design and construction to allow for adequate space for clay swelling.
Bentonite mat systems apply clays at 1 lb/ft^2 to a textile fabric similar to a carpet backing.
This combination creates a carpet of bentonite material. The coarseness of the fabric allows immediate hydration of clay after backfilling, versus a delayed reaction with card-board panels.
The textile material is not self-adhering, and adhesives or nailing to vertical substrates is necessary. Protection with a polyethylene sheet after installation is used to prevent pre- mature hydration. This system is particularly effective in horizontal applications where the large rolls eliminate unnecessary seams. This lowers installation costs as well as prevents errors in seaming operations.
Properties of typical clay systems are summarized in Table 2.8.
My father works in a software development company, which opened its branch office in another city a few months ago. Being a senior official, he was transferred to the newly opened office to recruit computer engineers and run the business activities smoothly. Therefore, my mom had to accompany him, and I was shifted to college hostel. Since, out home remained neglected for two months, I felt dismayed to see dampness all around the kitchen sink. I decided to call waterproofing experts immediately, and I got the useful reference through the internet.


text:
Реакции радикального присоединения — реакции присоединения, в которых атаку осуществляют свободные радикалы — частицы, содержащие один или несколько неспаренных электронов. При этом радикалы могут атаковать как другие радикалы, так и нейтральные частицы.

Реакции радикального присоединения обозначают AdR.

Реакции свободно-радикального присоединения характерны для алкенов, которые всегда вступают в них вместо реакций электрофильного присоединения в присутствии источника свободных радикалов.

Механизм реакции
Механизм реакции радикального присоединения включает в себя следующие стадии:

 Первая стадия — инициирование цепи. Она может начаться спонтанно, фотохимически, электрохимически, посредством нагревания или путём химического инициирования.
 Вторая стадия — развитие цепи. На этой стадии радикалы реагируют с молекулами, образуя продукты реакции и новые радикалы.
 Третья стадия — обрыв цепи или рекомбинация свободных радикалов.

Реакции радикального замещения ускоряются в условиях генерирования свободных радикалов и замедляются в присутствии веществ, улавливающих свободные радикалы.

Радикальное присоединение идёт против правила Марковникова (эффект Караша). Вызвано это повышенной стабильностью третичных, аллильных и некоторых других радикалов, образующихся при присоединении атакующего радикала в определённую позицию в молекуле.

Типовые реакции радикального присоединения
1. Гидрогалогенирование.

Возможность проведения присоединения по свободнорадикальному механизму реализуется только для HBr и в редких случаях для HCl.

2. Карбохлорирование.

3. Присоединение CCl4.

4. Присоединение карбоновых кислот.

Реакция идёт в присутствии ацилпероксидов и катализируется медью.

5. Присоединение гидросульфита натрия.

6. Термическое присоединение алканов.

7. Присоединение карбенов.

8. Реакция Симмонса-Смита.

Примечания

Реакции присоединения

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I know there has been some discussion in other threads about areas of improvement but lets just all bring it in here.
Where do we need to improve to make us a serious contender for the umcoming season?
IMO, and it is obvious that we need to improve in the striking ranks. ATM, I think the only striker we have is Ashleigh Sykes, and firstly she is no good up front and secondly, she is not suited to that position- more of a midfielder. WE need someone like Lisa De Vanna or Sarah Walsh. Hopefully a big name Matilda. WE need two strikers- not just the one.
With the loss of Munoz and McDonnell, two Matildas, it is looking like our weak point.
I think we are set in the midfielders wise. With Gill, Cian M., Hogg, Van Egmond and also Ellie Brush playing there if needed; that is our first choice midfielder line-up.
Defence wise, I still think we are lacking a solid defender, who cleans everything at the back. Seems to inexperienced for my liking. At back we have: Brush, Walters, Studman and Bisset. Is Bisset a defender? With that it just lacks a little "spark".
Goalkeeping wise, we are definitely set. Williams is by far the best keeper in the country-even ahead of Barbieri. Any news on a back-up?
TBH, I think this team needs some work on before the season. Only the midfielders am I happy with. With this squad I don't think we can win it.
Therefore, we need two striker- one of which a stand-out and an experienced defender. If that happens, I will be very happy.
Nice post and agree with you in all of it. Spot on.
I think we out a top notch striker, we will go no where near a top 4 finish.
That is right. If we don't get some quality strikers we will not win the league.


This post about the noise level in a kids yoga class has really touched on an important topic. As we develop our style as a teacher we will also develop our own guidelines for what is acceptable and what is not in our classes.
When we go out and teach, not everyone will like those guidelines! We also decide which of our guidelines we are willing to change and when to move on to find those who do appreciate our philosophy as a kids yoga specialist.
Who to Connect With? One teacher didn't like that I used the words Universe and Infinite, and thought I should say "God." That was early in my teaching years when I was deliberately not saying "God" so I wouldn't offend anyone. I learned you can't please everyone!
Noise Level in the Class: In a different class the teacher kept jumping in to quiet the kids down. I didn't have a problem with the noise level. Later that week they called and canceled the rest of our classes saying yoga "wasn't really working" with their kids.
Thank you for your insight. I was teaching yoga in a class room setting and the kids ages 7-9 were having fun and being kids and I was having fun! Then the director of the private school came in and started to discipline the kids telling them, yoga's quiet and relaxing, and proceeded to tell me how I need to discipline them more!
I felt like the kids…………………. like I'd been caught and now I'm in trouble!!! I cringed at the thought. I really didn't know what to say!! She is the boss! so the rest of the class had a stifling quality! I felt badly for the kids because we were having fun.
I haven't been back and I have shied away from teaching kids in school settings thinking I'm not the type who wants to be this harsh task master telling them to control themselves!!!! I've taught many art classes where the clay is flying and the paint is everywhere, they were the most fun and most expressive.
Thank you for your insight the next kids class I teach I will tell them before hand this could get to be loud with lots of laughter and sound!
Thank you have have a great day!
The teacher or parent sets the tone for what is acceptable and what is not. We've all seen kids ask daddy because mommy said no! Kids are very intuitive and they quickly figure out who will let them do what. The same applies in the classroom.
Teachers are surrogate parents for kids while their parents are away. Just like parents, they need to agree on what is acceptable in the classroom.
Obviously certain rules are no-brainers like the rule: No Running with Scissors.
But other rules are not so obvious. To mommy, jumping on the couch is dangerous. To daddy, it is fun. At some point mommy and daddy have to work out an agreement on whether the kids can jump on the couch or not. Then consider, jumping on the couch at home with a couple kids may indeed be fun, but in the classroom I can guarantee eighteen children jumping on the couch will lead to problems!
Ask the teacher if the classroom rules are posted anywhere. If you are a visiting teacher it will be useful to support the rules instead of making up a new set on your own. Useful because the kids will know these rules and it will help you a lot with classroom management.
A classroom or daycare teacher has a large group of children for five days a week, up to eight hours a day. This is very different than teaching an hour long class once a week. If kids are loud all day – the teacher will be burnt out before too long. Believe me, I've had many burnt out teachers in my adult yoga classes.
In almost every school I've visited, classrooms have a calm and controlled indoor atmosphere. When kids are outside they can run and yell and jump as much as they want. Once you've been in a few classrooms you get to understand the general noise level that is acceptable. It is easier to teach a class who can be quiet and respect the boundaries. If the kids don't have boundaries they often interrupt and talk while the teacher is talking.
Are the kids loud and yelling because they are taking advantage of you as the new teacher? Or does the exercise or game call for this Spirited Expression? If I'm doing a game that is on the loud side I usually warn the teacher before, saying, "OK Teachers – cover your ears for this part, these lions can roar pretty loud!" Plus I let the kids know what the quiet signal will be. Part of your teaching style should included a way to quiet the class quickly. If a teacher frowns upon the noise being made – then your yoga style may not be a fit with that classroom.
Each teacher needs tools and games to quiet the class quickly for when the noise level escalates (and it can escalate quickly). You'll learn these in most Kids Yoga Teacher Training courses but you can also find ways in many books like here.
It also helps to end the class with a relaxing and meditative activity so the kids leave settled. Handing the teacher or parents a group full of hyped up, noisy kids will create resentment.
Like the kids, we use our intuition to tune into the culture of each group. We will connect with many classes and some we will walk away from so they can find the teacher that does connect with them.
"The biggest stumbling block for a successful life is dependency on conditions.
and generates more thoughts of dependency on substance.
For many teachers, there comes a time to choose a style and through deep meditation to understand who we want to be as a teacher and a leader of children. Whether you want to be strict or loose, loud or quiet, serious or playful – we decide who we will be and no one else. If you don't come to this point you spend much time trying to please everyone – what a struggle you are in for!
No matter how many supporters we have, there will always be someone who will complain. So in the end, we must develop our own style and then enjoy the consequences.
Those who you work with will appreciate you, those who don't appreciate you, you won't work with.
P.S. Kids Yoga Teacher Training – I invite everyone to join me to learn some tools that will help you develop your teaching style based on the Timeless Wisdom passed down from the Yogis. You may be surprised to find out how easy it is to use yoga tools, meditations, and games to help kids calm down in the classroom. Details here.
Excellent article! I agree that we should focus on having fun with the kids and not try to fit into someone's preconceived notion that yoga should be quiet and relaxing. I just want the kids to enjoy practicing yoga and hopefully want to continue for life. I think a good class is a balance between activity and quiet.
There are plenty of poses to quiet them down in between the different active asanas, such as Mountain (Tadasana) or Mouse (Balasana). The kids know that mice and mountains are very quiet. But they really love the very active poses and games we do!


Melvin Gaels captain David McSharry experienced both agony and ecstasy last Sunday as he was forced from the game in the first half with an injury that could see him side-lined for months before he managed somehow to make it up the stairs to collect the Fenagh Cup.
McSharry, who had started brightly for the Gaels, dislocated his knee midway through the first half but despite watching nervously on the sidelines, the veteran never felt the result was in doubt – "I had visions of lifting the Cup but I didn't think it would be like this but it doesn't make a difference.
"The boys pulled it out on the day and we were never going to go home with the Cup today. I never seen such belief and focus in a team, we knew we were going to win it. That is what your panel of players is for, everybody gets injured.
Yet it was hard for David to avoid the implications of his knee injury despite the delight of victory as the Melvin Gaels captain admitted that it wasn't easy to watch the game from the bench – "No it wasn't, it was hard watched. I was gutted to be honest to come off, my knee just popped out.
As much as a bit of good fortune favoured the Gaels with their two goals, their captain felt that the new champions had worked hard for their luck – "To be honest, I just think we were by far the better team, we were more hungry on the day and I think that made the difference in the end.
And the scale of Melvin Gaels achievement is what pleases David most – "To come from nowhere after being relegated and to prove to everyone in Leitrim but to prove to ourselves more than anything that we are the best team in Leitrim. We can justifiably say now that we are the best team in Leitrim.
"I came on ten years ago in a County Final for about ten minutes as a 17-18 year old, it went over my head a wee bit. It is a special occasion and I'll definitely savour the occasion a lot more today.


text:
package ru.olegcherednik.utils.jackson;

import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
import org.testng.annotations.AfterMethod;
import org.testng.annotations.Test;

import java.time.ZoneId;
import java.time.ZoneOffset;
import java.time.ZonedDateTime;
import java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter;
import java.util.Map;

import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;

/**
 * @author Oleg Cherednik
 * @since 02.01.2021
 */
@Test
public class ObjectMapperUtilsTest {

    @AfterMethod
    public void clear() {
        ObjectMapperUtils.setMapperBuilder(null);
    }

    public void shouldUseNewBuilderWhenSetNotNullBuilderToObjectMapperHolder() {
        Map<String, ZonedDateTime> map = createData();
        assertThat(JsonUtils.writeValue(map)).isEqualTo("{\"UTC\":\"2017-07-23T13:57:14.225Z\"}");
        assertThat(JsonUtils.prettyPrint().writeValue(map)).isEqualTo('{' + System.lineSeparator() +
                "  \"UTC\" : \"2017-07-23T13:57:14.225Z\"" + System.lineSeparator() +
                '}');

        ObjectMapperUtils.setMapperBuilder(() -> new JacksonObjectMapperBuilder(ZoneId.of("Asia/Singapore")).get());
        assertThat(JsonUtils.writeValue(map)).isEqualTo("{\"UTC\":\"2017-07-23T21:57:14.225+08:00[Asia/Singapore]\"}");
        assertThat(JsonUtils.prettyPrint().writeValue(map)).isEqualTo('{' + System.lineSeparator() +
                "  \"UTC\" : \"2017-07-23T21:57:14.225+08:00[Asia/Singapore]\"" + System.lineSeparator() +
                '}');
    }

    public void shouldNotRebuildMapperWhenSetSameBuilder() {
        ObjectMapper expectedMapper = ObjectMapperUtils.mapper();
        ObjectMapper expectedPrettyPrintMapper = ObjectMapperUtils.prettyPrintMapper();

        ObjectMapperUtils.setMapperBuilder(ObjectMapperUtils.DEFAULT_MAPPER_BUILDER);
        assertThat(ObjectMapperUtils.mapper()).isSameAs(expectedMapper);
        assertThat(ObjectMapperUtils.prettyPrintMapper()).isSameAs(expectedPrettyPrintMapper);
    }

    private static Map<String, ZonedDateTime> createData() {
        String str = "2017-07-23T13:57:14.225";
        DateTimeFormatter df = DateTimeFormatter.ofPattern("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSS");
        return MapUtils.of("UTC", ZonedDateTime.parse(str, df.withZone(ZoneOffset.UTC)));
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Traditionell wird Namaste gesagt, während die Handflächen vor den Herzen in Gebetsposition zusammengefaltet und Kopf und Schulter leicht gebeugt werden.
"I honour the place within you where the entire Universe resides. I honour the place within you, the place of Love and Light, of Truth and Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, there is only ONE of us.
Traditionally NAMASTE is said while bringing together both the palms of the hands before the heart in prayer position and lightly bowing the head and the shoulders.


text:
Q: XSLT for removing tags from a XML file I have this XML file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<results>
  <output>
    <status>OK</status>
    <usage>Please use it</usage>
    <url/>
    <language>english</language>
    <category>science_technology</category>
    <score>0.838661</score>
  </output>
</results>

I want to remove the tags <output> </output> from this XML.
OUTPUT EXPECTED
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
 <results>
 <status>OK</status>
    <usage>Please use it</usage>
    <url/>
    <language>english</language>
    <category>science_technology</category>
    <score>0.838661</score>

</results>

How can I do this?

A: The easiest way to do this (almost mechanically and without thinking):
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
 xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
 <xsl:output omit-xml-declaration="yes" indent="yes"/>
 <xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>

 <xsl:template match="node()|@*">
  <xsl:copy>
   <xsl:apply-templates select="node()|@*"/>
  </xsl:copy>
 </xsl:template>

 <xsl:template match="output"><xsl:apply-templates/></xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

when this transformation is applied on the provided XML document:
<results>
  <output>
    <status>OK</status>
    <usage>Please use it</usage>
    <url/>
    <language>english</language>
    <category>science_technology</category>
    <score>0.838661</score>
  </output>
</results>

the wanted, correct result is produced:
<results>
   <status>OK</status>
   <usage>Please use it</usage>
   <url/>
   <language>english</language>
   <category>science_technology</category>
   <score>0.838661</score>
</results>

Explanation:

*

*The identity rule/template copies every node "as is".

*There is a single template overriding the identity rule. It matches any output element and prevents it from being copied to the output, but continues the processing of any of its children.
Remember: Overriding the identity rule is the most fundamental and most powerful XSLT design pattern.

A: Shortest as possible:
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">

    <xsl:template match="results">
     <xsl:copy>
       <xsl:copy-of select="output/*"/>
     </xsl:copy>
    </xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

or using identity rule:
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">

    <xsl:template match="node()|@*">
        <xsl:copy>
            <xsl:apply-templates select="node()|@*"/>
        </xsl:copy>
    </xsl:template>

    <xsl:template match="results">
        <xsl:copy>
            <xsl:apply-templates select="output/*"/>
        </xsl:copy>
    </xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Elon Musk announced his intention to "Go to War" against Apple. The CEO of Twitter has voiced his discontent with Apple's 30% levy on software sold through the Apple Store. According to Musk, Apple has threatened to exclude Twitter from its App Store. The software is still accessible on the App Store, though.
Elon Musk criticised the "secret 30% tax on everything" in the Apple App Store in a series of Tweets. He then demands that Apple make all of its prior censorship decisions public.
Elon Musk published a tweet in which he declared his willingness to "Go to War" with Apple in order to avoid paying the 30% tax. The billionaire appears to have deleted the tweet, though.
In another recent tweet, Elon Musk called it a "battle for the future of civilisation". Claiming that all that lies is tyranny, "if free speech is lost even in America."
Apple has allegedly already stopped running ads on Twitter, according to the newly appointed Twitter CEO. In a statement, he said, "Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?"
If Apple or Google decide to block or prohibit Twitter, Musk has made strong suggestions in a previous tweet that he would create his own line of cell phones.
The billionaire's response to Apple's threat to "withhold Twitter" has yet to be seen. Elon Musk has directly criticised Tim Cook for allegedly stifling "free expression" on the site.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Tunnel cooler is designed to cool poured into a container and capped beverages for further labeling and packaging.
Equipment dimensions depend on the performance and the required temperature. The cooler is made in the form of tunnel.
Principle of operation: A product passing through the cooling zones is cooled from an initial temperature to a temperature required by a customer.


text:
Johnny Mnemonic: Film Review
Johnny Mnemonic is a very flawed film. It's not a garbage film that other aspiring cyberpunk movies from this time can be, but it is a movie that significantly stumbles in its execution. That said, there are chunks of this movie that help make it still a pretty enjoyable film.
The premise goes from William Gibson's short story of the same name (with Gibson writing the screenplay). Johnny Mnemonic follows a Mnemonic Courier named Johnny (Keanu Reeves). Mnemonic Couriers transport information physically via headware memory that can't be trusted to be transported over the net. However, Johnny had to give up some of his long term memory – particularly memories of his childhood – to get the implant, and he wants out. He wants the implant removed and his memories restored.
Johnny's fixer, Ralfie (Udo Kier), will set up the surgery, but he needs him to do One Last Job to get the money to do the procedure. And just like every other time in crime fiction where the words "One Last Job" come up, everything goes spectacularly pear shaped. First the payload is larger than Johnny's storage can carry, even with a doubler – which means that if he doesn't get it out of his head in 24 hours he's dead and the data is corrupted. Then before the encryption key can be transmitted to the destination, the client gets attacked by the Yakuza. Then the physical copy of the encryption key gets cut in half, with Johnny having one of the three images, and the Yakuza having one of the other.
On paper, this is all honestly really good. This could make for a tight cyberpunk crime thriller. The problem is that the execution is bad, for a lot of reasons. First off, putting aside studio meddling and recuts and the director not having the final cut on the film, I don't think director Robert Longo and Gibson himself (who partnered heavily with Longo in the creative process in pre-production), really understood the scope of what they were making. Going from Wikipedia articles on the production, the film was originally meant to be a $1.5 million art film piece. To be blunt – I think that movie would not have worked.
Yes, Reservoir Dogs had a similar budget, and had some fairly well established stars (Keitel had worked with Scorsese, Tim Roth had done Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, and Steve Buscemi had done several roles for the Cohen Brothers), and is also a crime film. It's also not a science fiction movie. Some of this, you can fake, like with Johnny's neural jack. With cyberpunk, particularly with Gibson, we expect to see cyberspace, which means mid-90s CGI and lots of it, which isn't cheap. And that's without getting into the heroin addicted, cybernetically augmented hacker dolphin in the room.
That's not just a pithy remark.
So, in short, Longo and Gibson may not have initially understood the scope of the work they were trying to create, and the amount of work (and with it money) that would be necessary. That doesn't diminish their issues with the distributor re-cutting the film. However, even looking at the film in the international cut – which is closer to the director's vision – it's still got some pretty fundamental issues.
That said, films where the creator's reach exceeds their grasp can be quite enjoyable – and this is definitely one of those movies, and even some of those moments can be found in the production design and writing.
To be clear, Johnny Mnemonic nails some of the core themes of cyberpunk beyond the cosmetic elements like cyberspace and cybernetic augmentation. The elements of Cyberpunk of "High Tech and Low Life" and "The Street Finds Uses For Things" come through clearly. This is probably best exemplified with not only razorgirl Jane (Dina Meyer – taking the place of Molly Millions, whose rights are tied up with Neuromancer), and the LowTeks – who are running pirate TV broadcasts to counter corporate propaganda, and help Johnny get the data out of his head, but also the street doc Spider (Henry Rollins).
Spider's character leads into the anti-capitalist themes as well – with megacorp PharmaKom sitting on the cure for AIDS/Cancer-analog NAS and preferring to sell treatments instead, because they can make more money that way, while street docs like Spider run underground clinics to treat the masses (like a hospital combined with a cyberpunk analog of AIDS buyers clubs, and ultimately make the gamble of trying to steal the cure from PharmaKom's servers in order to save their patients.
And there are parts of this, all of this, that work. Henry Rollins nails the character of Spider as a doctor who is stuck working outside the system because the system doesn't work, but is faced with a spectacularly overwhelming problem, which is in turn leaving him overwhelmed. Similarly, Ice-T is perfectly cast as J-Bone, the leader of the LowTek's and the voice of their broadcasts.
And then there's Dolph Lundgren as Street Preacher, the heavily cybered assassin/evangelist who likes to crucify people before he kills him. Lundgren is clearly having the time of his life in this role. He's played villains before. He's played characters who have had lots of dialog before (like Dark Angel). However, he is having a ball with the material in this movie, and it's a bummer that his career went into direct-to-video territory for the next 15 years.
I will even cut some slack for the "I want room service!" speech from Johnny. The speech is delivered incredibly well by Keanu, and considering that Johnny has had what is undoubtedly the shittiest day of his life, where what was meant to be one quick job has been fucked presumably beyond all hope of recovery (it recovers), having a personal meltdown feels completely believable, and honestly he'd seem less human as a character if we didn't get a scene like that. Is it a character from a position of privilege bemoaning his loss of privilege? Absolutely. It's also a person who is facing impending death in a really unpleasant situation bemoaning that fact.
To be clear – this film could absolutely could have been better. It should have been better. But it's not a bad film. It's not great. It's not terrible either, and I don't regret any of the times that I've seen it.
Johnny Mnemonic has received a DVD release and is available digitally from Amazon.com. Both of those releases are the US cut, though some DVD releases have the scenes from the International release as deleted scenes. The version on streaming is the US cut. In any case, buying anything through those links helps to support the site.
Alexander Case February 6, 2021 January 27, 2021 1990s in film, Cyberpunk, Film Review, science fiction film
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EU developing 'militarised' space policy which could trigger 'arms race'
The European Union is developing a military space policy which has the "potential for an arms race", a report has claimed.
By Urmee Khan
1:49AM GMT 21 Nov 2008
The European Space Agency is accused of developing technology to dominate the "high ground" of space, including a multimillion pound EU Satellite Centre in Spain.
The Transnational Institute, a Dutch think-tank, said: "EU-financed communication and spy satellites are slowly becoming reality and in the long term the inclusion of space-based missile defence and other more offensive uses of space are real options for an increasingly ambitious EU military space policy."
The report said French ambitions for the "militarisation of space" have led to arguments with Britain - particularly over Galileo, the much-delayed European global positioning system.
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, who currently holds the Presidency, said in June that space agenda was one of his priorities.
Next week, ministers from all ESA member states will meet in The Hague to implement a new European space policy which identifies military "security" as a priority.
Huge ice glaciers on Mars
Galileo would be vital in any European deployment of the sort of GPS-guided artillery now being used by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2002, the EU approved the £2 billion satellite network to break strategic dependence on America and seize the lead in space technology.
Galileo was designed to end dependence on America's Global Positioning System, a network of 24 satellites controlled by the American defence department which can be cut off in war or even used as a tool of pressure.
At the time, it was said that Galileo would create 150,000 jobs, generating £7 billion in annual revenue for European companies from 2008.
British demanded a statement in 2002 to describe Galileo as a "civilian" project that would not threaten the cohesion of Nato.
However, author of the new report Frank Slijper, an economist and arms trade specialist, said: "While Galileo is generally presented as a genuinely civilian programme, it now appears highly militarised.
"The public denial of these important capabilities shows how much Brussels and many European capitals are afraid to tell the public that Galileo is to become an extremely important tool in future warfare by European military forces," he said.
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The Cost of Preserving Fuel-Secure Electricity Resources – Part 2
By Michelle Bloodworth & Paul Bailey, ACCCE
This is the second in a series of short papers about the debate over the retirement of coal-fired power plants, grid resilience and fuel security. These papers are intended to highlight important points that we think are overlooked or downplayed in the debate. Our first paper explained why it's wrong to assume that the electricity grid is (or will be) resilient just because it's reliable.[i]
This second paper offers a few thoughts on the administration's efforts to prevent the retirement of even more coal-fired and nuclear power plants, which provide fuel security.[ii] (Almost 40 percent of the nation's coal fleet has either retired or announced plans to retire.) The coal fleet maintains a large coal stockpile at each power plant. Last year, the average coal-fired power plant had an on-site coal supply ranging from 71 days to 104 days of coal burn.[iii] Coal stockpiles provide resilience against high impact, low frequency disruptions because on-site fuel supplies minimize the potential for fuel supply disruptions. By contrast, at least 40 percent of the nation's electricity resources are not fuel secure.[iv]
The administration's efforts to prevent more retirements have not been popular. Critics panned DOE's grid reliability study released in August 2017[v]; then they opposed the grid resilience rule that DOE proposed for FERC ("FERC NOPR") in September[vi]; and now they're objecting to a recent paper drafted for the National Security Council ("leaked NSC memo").[vii]
Often, critics point to cost. Someone will have to pay to keep an as-yet-unknown number of coal and nuclear power plants running in order to promote national security and ensure the electric grid is resilient. The cost could be borne by either ratepayers or taxpayers, depending on what the administration decides to do. Regardless who pays, it sounds like any cost is too high for these critics. However, would the cost really be out of line? We thought answering a few questions would add some perspective.
What would it cost to prevent at-risk power plants from retiring? Recent reporting mentions estimates that range from $311 million to as much as $34 billion per year.[viii] PJM's Independent Market Monitor estimated the cost of the DOE NOPR at $1.7 billion to $29 billion per year in the 13-state PJM footprint.[ix] ICF estimated that providing compensation to 84,000 MW of coal-fired and nuclear generation could cost $1 billion to $4 billion annually.[x] Because no one knows, $4 billion per year doesn't seem like an unreasonable guess for the cost of preventing the retirement of at-risk coal and nuclear plants. However, keep in mind unintended consequences that also could lower the overall cost. For example, fewer coal and nuclear retirements could reduce demand for natural gas, which could lower natural gas prices.
How does the cost of preventing power plant retirements compare with other spending to protect national security? Department of Defense installations are more than 90% dependent on the electric power grid.[xi] The leaked NSC memo makes a persuasive case for avoiding more coal and nuclear retirements that could weaken national security. "[R]esources that have a secure on-site fuel supply, including … coal-fired power plants, are essential to support the Nation's defense facilities, critical energy infrastructure, and other critical infrastructure."[xii] Asked recently how DOE would justify the cost of keeping at-risk coal and nuclear plants operating, DOE Assistant Secretary Bruce Walker replied, "… the question I would pose is what's the value of national security … which I think is priceless. Our freedom and our democracy are priceless."[xiii]
While $4 billion per year is not trivial, it is tiny compared to other investments for national security. One way to put $4 billion into perspective is to compare it to defense spending, whose purpose is to promote national security. (There are other expenditures that promote national security, such as for the Department of Homeland Security.) Defense spending over the past three fiscal years has averaged about $645 billion per year.[xiv] Paying an additional $4 billion per year to promote national security would represent less than 0.6 percent of federal funding for the same purpose.
How does the cost of preventing retirements compare to the overall cost of electricity? Consumers paid roughly $400 billion for electricity last year.[xv] Using our best-guess cost of $4 billion per year, consumers would be paying 1 percent more for electricity in order to promote national security and to make the grid more resilient. Considering the benefits, that cost doesn't sound unreasonable.
How does the cost to prevent retirements compare to other subsidies? Our best-guess cost of $4 billion per year is considerably smaller than federal tax subsidies that have supported renewable energy sources for four decades. For example, wind and solar will have received tax subsidies averaging $7.3 billion per year over the period 2016-2020, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.[xvi] Wind and solar do not provide fuel security.
What's the cost if the grid is not resilient? There is no direct answer to this question, but there are estimates for the cost of electricity outages. All are in the billions of dollars. According to the National Academy of Sciences, "… a large-scale blackout could result in billions of dollars in economic impact, and risk injury or death."[xvii] Examples include Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's estimates that power outages and blackouts cost some $79 billion per year.[xviii] In addition, President Obama's administration cited annual costs of power outages ranging from $59 billion to $209 billion.[xix] An investment of $4 billion to reduce the possibility of severe, prolonged power outages sounds like a good investment to us.
What's our point? First, no one knows right now how much it would cost to avoid more coal and nuclear retirements. We'll have to wait and see what the Administration decides to do. Second, any cost needs to be put into perspective. And, finally, we need to keep in mind what we're getting in return for that cost. National security sounds priceless to us too.
[i] The first paper is available at www.americaspower.org.
[ii] PJM defines fuel security as "the ability of the system's supply portfolio, given its fuel supply dependencies, to continue serving electricity demand through credible disturbance events, such as coordinated physical or cyber-attacks or extreme weather that could lead to disruptions in fuel delivery systems, which would impact the availability of generation over extended periods of time. To define potential fuel-security criteria, PJM needs to understand the fuel-supply risks in an environment trending towards greater reliance on natural gas supply and delivery."
[iii] EIA, Electricity Monthly Update, "Electric Power Sector Coal Stocks: March 2018," release date May 28, 2018.
[iv] NERC indicates that only 27% of natural-gas-fired generating capacity built over the past two decades has dual-fuel capability. (Source: NERC "Special Reliability Assessment: Potential Bulk Power System Impacts Due to Severe Disruptions on the Natural Gas System," November 2017.) This means that roughly 275,000 MW of gas-fired generating capacity lack dual-fuel capability. In addition, renewable generating capacity totaled some 204,000 MW last year. Thus, approximately 409,000 MW of electric generating capacity lack fuel security. U.S. electric generating capacity last year totaled slightly more than 1 million MW. (Source: EIA AEO 2018)
[v] U.S. Department of Energy, Staff Report to the Secretary on Electricity Markets and Reliability (August 2017).
[vi] U.S. Department of Energy, Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule, Docket No. RM18-1 (September 28, 2017).
[vii] The 40-page leaked paper was referred to in trade press articles as a "memo," so we refer to it as the "leaked NSC memo." However, it's actually styled as an addendum to some other document. The leaked paper is dated 5/29/18.
[viii] SNL, "Economics is secondary: DOE coal, nuclear plan likely hits utility or tax bill," Taylor Kuykendall, June 26, 2018.
[ix] http://monitoringanalytics.com/Filings/2017/IMM_Comments_Docket_No_RM18-1_20171023.pdf
[x] ICF, "DOE NOPR – Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule," PowerPoint presentation, October 4, 2017.
[xi] Leaked NSC memo.
[xii] Ibid.
[xiii] Interview with Bruce Walker about "Bolstering U.S. Grid Resilience," Columbia Energy Exchange podcast, June 18, 2018.
[xiv] CSIS, Analysis of the FY 2018 Defense Budget, December 2017.
[xv] According to AEO 2018, electricity sales totaled 3,845 billion kWh in 2017. The average retail price of electricity the same year was 10.6 cents per kWh.
[xvi] Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, Estimates of Federal Tax Expenditures for Fiscal Years 2016-2020, Prepared for the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance, January 30, 2017.
[xvii] Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Cost of Power Interruptions to Electricity Consumers in the United States, February 2006.
[xviii] National Academy of Sciences, Enhancing the Resilience of the Nation's Electricity System, 2017.
[xix] Executive Office of the President, Economic Benefits of Increasing Electric Grid Resilience to Weather Outages, August 2013.
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On Sunday, 3 Sivan, the talmidim of Cheder Menachem of Los Angeles , together with their parents, grandparents, relatives and friends, gathered together to mark the culmination of over two months of learning Mishnayos and Tanya Baal Peh, as a present to the Rebbe in honor of Yud Alef Nissan.
This year's achievements include, Mendel Schmukler, 8th Grade, who was tested on the entire Seder Moed Bvas achas, as well as Masechtos Brochos, Bava Kama and Bava Metzia and 4 Perakim of Tanya. Levi Cohen, 8th Grade, who learned the entire Seder Moed, as well as Masechtos Brochos, Midos, Bava Metzia and Perakim of Bava Kama, Avos and Zevachim, as well as the first three Perakim of Tanya. Yossi Heidingsfeld, 5th Grade, who learned Seder Moed, Masechtos Brochos, Bikurim, A Perek of Avos and the first three Perakim of Tanya.
In the spirit of Maalin Bakodesh, the Talmidim learnt this year a total of over 75,000 lines of Torah, including 5,001 Mishnayos, which includes 564 perakim and 67 complete Masechtos, and 14,000 lines of Tanya, including over 200 complete Perakim and a number of Bar Mitzvah age Talmidim who completed the first 12 perakim of Tanya Baal Peh.
Talmidim were awarded Seforim of their choosing (based on their point total) for their efforts and achievements. Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivos, Shluchim, Mashpiyim, parents and friends joined together to recognize and congratulate the achievements of the students.
Rabbi Mendel Greenbaum, Menahel of Cheder Menachem, welcomed everyone with a D'var Torah and giving a Yasher Koach to the talmidim. Words of Bracha were shared by Rabbi Yosef Halevi Shusterman, Shliach of the Rebbe to Beverly Hills and Rav of Anash, as well as by Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, Head Shliach to the West Coast.
Rabbi Sholom Heidingsfeld, the coordinator of the Mishnayos Be'al Peh program, announced the accomplishments of this year's MBP, which was followed by awarding the Seforim to the 3 talmidim with the highest accomplishments. Mention was made of the new initiatives for Mishnayos Baal Peh this year, the Siach HaSodeh program, where Talmidim can get tested throughout the year on the Mishnayos they learn in class, the Sefer a Month Club, for Talmidim to review a complete Masechta every month and receive a Sefer, and the 12 perakim Club, encouraging Talmidim to complete learning the first 12 Perakim of Tanya before their Bar Mitzvah. After this, every talmid was called to come up and was presented with a certificate for their achievements and the Seforim they earned based on their achievements.
Thank you to photographer Yudi Vogel, and a special thank you to Mrs. Ruchie Stillman, R' Nochum Labkowsky, Mr. Sam Kustanovich, all the Rebbeim and Menahalim of the Cheder and the Cheder board for all their help in ensuring the success of the day's events.


Amaury Coeytaux violin has been an Associate Artist of the Fondation Singer-Polignac from 2010 to 2012.
Hailed by The Strad as an "exceptionally sensitive and poetic" musician, French violinist Amaury Coeytaux has won universal praise for his profound interpretations of artistic grace and sensibility. Established as a soloist, chamber musician, and concertmaster, Mr. Coeytaux has conquered a unique niche as one of the most multi-talented and versatile artists across the globe. Winner of the 2006 Rodolfo Lipizer Competition in Italy, Mr. Coeytaux soared to international acclaim after clinching the coveted First Prize as well as 6 special prizes for his outstanding performances. Throughout his career, he has established an impressive record of competition awards, including the 2007-2008 Eisenberg-Fried Prize for the best performance of a concerto, the 2002 Musee Bonnat Prize for the best chamber music performance at the Maurice Ravel Academy, and top prizes at the 2004 Julius Stulberg International String Competition, the 2004 Rosalind & Joseph Stone Berg Philharmonic Competition, the 2004 Waldo Mayo Violin Competition, and the 1997 Royaume de la Musique Competition. As a result of his superior musicianship and talent, Mr. Coeytaux has been awarded prestigious scholarships from the Banque Populaire-Natexis program, the ADAMI Foundation, and the Manhattan School of Music. He is currently an Associated Artist with the Singer-Polignac Foundation.
In 2004, Mr. Coeytaux made his Carnegie Hall debut playing the Brahms Violin Concerto under the direction of David Gilbert in Stern Auditorium. Following his public success, he has been invited to perform extensively around the world, giving concerts in France, Spain, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, the United States, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. In constant demand as a recitalist and concerto soloist, Mr. Coeytaux has performed concertos with the philharmonic orchestras of Rome, Ukraine, and Romania, as well as the Toulouse National Orchestra, and has given full-length recitals in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. He has been featured on the CBC Radio of Ottawa, Radio France's France Musique channel, and France's leading TV station, TF1.
During the 2012-2013 season, Mr. Coeytaux was invited to perform and record the world premiere of Pierre Wissmer's Violin Concerto with the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Fabrice Gregorutti. This recording forms the final installment of the integral recording of Wissmer's complete works and will be released by Naxos.
Highly-regarded just as equally as a chamber musician, Mr. Coeytaux has participated in prestigious chamber festivals, including the Santa Fe Chamber Festival, Festival de Deauville, and Festival de Cordes-sur-ciel. His dedicated interest in this field has led to collaborations with many prominent artistes,including Joseph Silverstein, Pinchas Zukerman, Joseph Kalischtein, Michael Tree, Marielle Nordman, Nicholas Angelich, and the majority of France's top soloists.
In 2008, Mr. Coeytaux was appointed super-soloist of the Orchestre d'Auvergne. There, he gained the unanimous confidence of the musicians and artistic director Arie van Beek, leading the orchestra through four successful concert seasons. On many occasions, he directed the orchestra in concerts without a conductor and also took on the dual role as soloist and conductor for performances of Bach, Vivaldi, Haydn, and Mendelssohn concertos. In 2013, he was invited to conduct and perform as concerto soloist with the Orchestre de Picardie.
Amaury Coeytaux began studying the violin at a young age and made his first public appearance with an orchestra at age 9. At age 11, he was featured live on Radio France playing Eugène Ysaÿe's Ballade no. 3 and entered the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris two years later. After graduating with the highest honors, he went on to pursue graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music as a full-scholarship recipient, where he was awarded a Masters degree in 2005 and the prestigious Artist Diploma in 2008. His principal teachers have included Micheline Lefebvre, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Patinka Kopec, and Pinchas Zukerman.
In 2012, Mr. Coeytaux was appointed super-soloist of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Amaury Coeytaux performs on a 1773 Guadagnini violin.


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Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers
When we talk about the art of classic film many of us tend to focus on the work of the director. It's easy to do that. Their names are directly linked with their work in a way that other crew members, beyond the cast, are not. It's easy to ignore the contributions of the cinematographers who do so much with framing, composition, lighting, focus and movement of the camera to create the masterpieces we love.
Director Daniel Raim's new documentary Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers celebrates the work of seven early visionaries who learned their craft through practice, curiosity and invention. Their work is simply incredible because there was no precedent. Cinematographers developed their art form from scratch and their techniques would lay the foundation for technicians for decades to come. The film calls them a "fraternity of light" and they would share their craft with their fellow cinematographers through apprenticeship and collaboration.
Image Makers spotlights seven notable cinematographers from the 1910s to the 1950s. These seven include Billy Bitzer, Charles Rosher, Rollie Totheroh, William Daniels, Karl Struss, Gregg Toland and James Wong Howe. Bitzer was one of the early pioneers who came from nothing to establish a career working with D.W. Griffith. Totheroh was a former baseball player who had a background in illustration and his talent for being able to frame a shot lead to his long-time collaboration with Charlie Chaplin. Rosher had a background in photographer, gained the trust of Mary Pickford and became a master at lighting. Daniels worked with Greta Garbo at MGM developing techniques to best display Garbo's stunning countenance. Struss collaborated with Rosher on Sunrise (1927), used German camera movement techniques and even invented his own lens. Toland tragically died young at the age of 44 but during his short career photographed some majors including Citizen Kane (1941), Wuthering Heights (1939) and The Grapes of Wrath (1940). Wong Howe developed a love of photography as a child and after a brief career as a boxer found himself working in the film industry and quickly adapted to sound, color and widescreen working through the 1930s and into the 1970s.
"Cameraman Billy Bitzer and director D.W. Griffith ignite Hollywood spectacle with Intolerance (1916)"
"Cameraman James Wong Howe trailblazes on roller-skates for his breakthrough boxing film Body and Soul (1947)"
"Greta Garbo surrenders lovingly to William H. Daniels' camera for the pre-code talkie Romance (1930)"
Film discussed at length include Intolerance (1916), Way Down East (1920), The Kid (1921), City Lights (1923), Greed (1924), Flesh and the Devil (1926), Sunrise (1927), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), The Thin Man (1934), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Body and Soul (1947) and Hud (1963). Other cinematographers mentioned include Karl Freund (the inventor of the unchained camera technique) and Harry Stradlings.
The documentary is directed, produced and edited by Daniel Raim. I really enjoyed his film Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story and the focus of his work is primarily on those in the industry who work behind the scenes. Illustrator Patrick Mate, who did wonderful artwork for Harold and Lillian, fills in the blanks with vibrant and expressive illustrations. They are always such a joy and add a unique energy to the documentary that archival images just cannot by themselves. The film has plenty of film clips, behind-the-scenes photographs and archival audio clips of cinematographer interviews in addition to the illustrations.
Image Makers is narrated by Michael McKean and features interviews with various experts including the father of silent film research Kevin Brownlow as well as film historian and critic Leonard Maltin who wrote the book The Art of the Cinematographer (which I need to get my hands on!). Other talking heads include cinematographers John Bailey and Rachel Morrison, director of the Margaret Herrick Library, curator of the ASC Camera Museum Steve Gainer, David Totheroh, grandson of Rollie Totheroh, Lothia Toland, daughter of Gregg Toland, among others. One of the highlights of the film is a scene with Kevin Brownlow and David Totheroh as they geek out over a makeshift camera projector that Rollie Totheroh and Charlie Chaplin used back in 1916.
Image Makers is an enlightening and informative documentary that shines a much needed spotlight on the work of early pioneers in cinematography. TCM fans, especially those who want to learn more about film history, will definitely want to check this one out.
Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers is a TCM original documentary and premieres on the channel on November 6th. Check your local listings for air times.
Check out my interview with the director Daniel Raim on the TCM website!
Posted by Raquel Stecher No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Billy Bitzer, Charles Rosher, Cinematographers, Daniel Raim, Documentaries, Film Reviews, Gregg Toland, James Wong Howe, Karl Struss, Patrick Mate, Rollie Totheroh, Turner Classic Movies, William Daniels
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Blog content Raquel Stecher, Out of the Past (2007-2019). Blog Design by Kate Gabrielle.. Simple theme. Powered by Blogger.


We recently used Banko Overhead Doors to repair our Garage Door. The representative was named "Dan" and he was very professionally, knowledgeable, and courteous. The showed up on time and completed the job in a timely manner. We were very pleased with Banko and would not hesitate to recommend them to a friend.


Do you ever look at things you made in middle school? Yeah, this is why this box is empty now.
Whos idea was it to MIX THREE STACKS OF CARDS so that the game would be OVER AN HOUR!??
Aw. Don't worry Kiku, there's still a hoard of fangirls that will keep you company.
Ashley has the (swine) flu!?!?
"I want France, Austria, and Prussia, drunk and naked..NOW"
"But not as much as France!"
"Why are you so scared of them?"
"Cause they are weird and scary and America is the most idiotic person!"
"Well, our friends are scarier than they are if you ask me."


text:
19, Wealth and tax brackets in Memphis
The City Taxpayers and Their Wealth.
The tax ledger in the controller's office shows that assessments for the present corporate year, have been made as follows:
717 taxpayers of from $1000 to $3000; 341 of from $3000 to $5000; 334 of from $5000 to $10,000; 141 of from $10,000 to $15,000; 93 of from $15,000 to $20,000; 56 of from $25,000 to $30,000; 19 of from $30,000 to $35,000; 27 of from $35,000 to $40,000; 16 of from $40,000 to $45,000; 12 of from $45,000 to $50,000.
Taxpayers of $50,000 and upward, each are as follows: [list of 60 names with amounts follows]
From the same source we learn that $1,389,000 of the above is assessed upon property held and owned by married and single ladies (the names of the latter class, we understand, cannot be ascertained by batchelors [sic] without a fee) and that the sum of $54,000 is assessed upon property held and owned by free persons of color, eighteen in number.
For the above very entertaining statement we are indebted to the city controller, W. O. Lefland, Esq. It affords a proof of the accuracy and clearness of the city accounts as kept in his office.
Memphis Daily Appeal, March 19, 1861.
19, Ms. S. McNairy and Major-General A. McD. McCook
Spirit of the Nashville Ladies.
So long as the ladies of Nashville exhibit the spirit indicated by the two following incidents, which were procured from an entirely reliable source, we can never despair:
When Gen. McCook, of the Lincoln army, arrived in Nashville, he sent up his card with the request that he might renew his former acquaintance with Miss S. McNairy. The following was the patriotic reply of the noble and accomplished lady, written upon the back of the card:
"Sir: I do not desire to renew any acquaintance with the invaders of my State!"
Two other Hessian officers obtruded their presence into the parlor of Dr. Martin, and sent up their cards to his daughter, Miss Bettie Martin, an elegant and accomplished young lady, requesting also the renewal of an old acquaintanceship. Repairing to the parlor, with a look of ineffable scorn and contempt, she dashed the cards into their faces, and said: "Your absence, Sirs, will be much better company to me than your presence."
Tennesseans, are you not proud of your women? Will not these noble responses nerve your arms in the hour of battle?
[Knoxville Register]
Montgomery Weekly Advertiser, March 19, 1862.[1]
19, "Let Andrew Johnson beware. He may find a Corday in every woman he meets; he may expect at every corner, in every crowd, the ball that is to send him to his Maker's presence, unshrived of his odious crimes." A call for resistance to the pending Union occupation
Another Appeal to the People of Tennessee.
Editors Appeal: Gen. Beauregard appeals to the planters for their bells, to be cast into cannon. If our country needs the metal, should not our churches give their bells to this sacred cause? True worshipers need no sounding brass to call them to the house of God. In times like these the human heart naturally flows out in prayer; every thought is a prayer—prayer for our imperiled country, imperiled friends. These bells have long served in well-doing. Thousands of straying feet have they called into the paths of peace, up to religion's altar. There is now a stern duty to perform—sterner, but no less sacred. Mold these bells into cannon and let their roar sound the death-knell of tyranny. Let their thunderous music make the song Tennesseans most delight in. Memphis may fall into the hands of the Vandals, and if Memphis falls, her men, her metal must fall back and fight on for freedom. At this time the South can ill afford to have either her men or her metal fastened up within Yankee pickets.
The Yankees are astonished at southern hopefulness. One of their reporters, writing from Clarksville, says: "Strange as it may seem to those who, flushed with recent success, are predicting the war will end in a month, these people seem to believe in the ultimate success of their cause."; And why should we not believe in our ultimate success?; Because within the last two months we have met several severe defeats?; How little you seem to know—we will not say of southern nature—but of human nature, Mr. Reporter. Our defeats have only made us in more deadly earnest. We are just getting properly stirred up. The fall of fifty Fort Donelsons will not find us conquered. You may pour in your Yankee hordes until our race is extinct, but not conquered. You may slay the eight millions of men, now arrayed against you, but there are as many boys growing up to whom their mothers will teach an eternal hatred of the murderers of their fathers, the invaders of their homes, the polluters of their country's soil. In time these boys will be men, and the sons of southern mothers are not born for bondage. The day of reckoning will come.
It is probable that the enemy may get possession of the Mississippi river, of the cities on her banks, of the cities on the Atlantic coast, and yet the fight will be but begun. Even in that case, our condition would not be so bad as other nations have fallen into, yet have struggled up from victoriously. I have already mentioned the case of Prussia, with only five millions of inhabitants, fighting for seven years against allied Europe. In the annals of the world there is not a parallel to so unequal a contest—five millions of people at war with one hundred millions, yet triumphant in the end!
After the dreadful battle of Pavia, which left ten thousand Frenchmen dead on the field, Francis I himself made prisoner, dispatched a letter to his mother, Louise, the regent, containing only these words:; "Madam, all is lost except our honor."
The honor of a nation is its soul, its spirit. Until our honor be lost, there will always be power to retrieve disasters. The honor of the South is untarnished.
When Francis I, the brave, chivalrous king of France, sent that memorable letter to his mother, the kingdom was in a fearful condition. Robertson says:; "France, without a sovereign, without money in her treasury, without an army, without generals to command, encompassed on all sides by a victorious and active enemy, seemed to be on the very brink of destruction. But the great abilities of Louise, the regent, saved the kingdom. Instead of giving herself up to lamentations, as were natural to a woman so remarkable for her maternal tenderness, she discovered all the foresight, and exerted all the activity of a consummate politician."
In the history of the world there are many such examples; and yet, in the face of history, our foolish foes persist in believing the South is conquered because we have lost two half-manned forts.
"Whom the gods destroy, they first make mad."
We will not positively assert that the gods intend to destroy the Yankee race, but are positive they have lost all common sense. Witness this extract from a Yankee reporter to a northern paper:
"Gen. Smith has made a very favorably impression upon them (the Clarksville people.); The gray-headed old veteran looks a soldier. Whatever latent Union feeling there may be in the place he will draw it out. His treatment of a pompous rebel the other day was characteristic. The man called on him to ask a special favor. "Who are you, sir," asked the general?; "I am a Southerner, sir, and not ashamed to say, a Secessionist."; "Get out of my room, you scoundrel!; I don't talk to traitors!; Get out of my room!"
We look in vain to find the irony in this statement, but no!; the reporter is in cool, dead earnest. In the same passage that tells us, 'if there is any latent Union feeling Gen. Smith will be sure to draw it out," he gives us a sample of the general's low bred bullying of a southern gentleman for the honest utterance of his sentiments. If this is the way Gen. Smith proposes to "draw out Union feeling," we confidently predict he will not, in a hundred years, get enough to fill a pint bottle.
Andrew Johnson has accepted the position of military governor of Tennessee. The Yankees think there is a peculiar fitness in this appointment. So think we. We prefer they send us Andrew Johnson to any man in the world, unless it be Emerson Etheridge. There is but little difference between them. Let us be content with Andy and return dutiful thanks to Abraham for all such favors. Our purpose in mentioning this matter, is to hereby extend to that military governor an invitation from us, the women of Memphis, to visit our city. From our hearts we hope he may come, and when he comes, when Tennessee soil is dishonored by the tread of that dastard traitor, let him beware. In her darkest days of oppression France had her Charlotte Corday, [2] and when the dark days fall on Tennessee, her men may be beyond her borders fighting in the ranks of freemen, but her women will be left. Let Andrew Johnson beware. He may find a Corday in every woman he meets; he may expect at every corner, in every crowd, the ball that is to send him to his Maker's presence, unshrived of his odious crimes.
The Wife of a Soldier.
19, The Federal Army's Persecution of Confederate Women and Children in East Tennessee
Affairs In East Tennessee.
A refugee from Tennessee, who has just left our lines there, gives the most deplorable account of the situation of the unhappy people of that State. Both classes, Unionists and Confederates, have come under the ban of the two armies, and what property has been spared by one has been appropriated by the other. Most of the residents consist solely of women and children, and these have been stripped of all save what they have upon their backs, and the few blankets that protect them from the cold at night. They are clad in cotton rags, bare foot and hungry, and live only on the meagre allowance they have managed to bury or otherwise secrete. Negroes, once the property of well-to-do farmers, have returned to their homes, backed by Yankee troops and bayonets, and perpetrated unnamable enormities. The wives and children of "rebels" are debarred from the purchase of even the necessaries of life, unless they first take the hated oath of allegiance, while hundreds and thousands have been driven into exile, and are now scattered through the army and through the more Southern States where they seek the liberty denied them at home.
A favorite occupation of these blue-uniformed wretches, of late, has been, and still is, to march abruptly upon some quiet residence, occupied by women and children, give them twenty four hours' notice to leave, and then send them, under guard, across the lines where they arrive penniless, friendless and alone.
God only knows the sufferings that have been endured in this struggle, but as sure as He over-rules the destinies of mankind, just so certain is the hand of avenging justice to fall with blighting weight upon these more than diabolical oppressors.
The Daily South Carolinian, March 19, 1864. [3]
[1] As cited in: http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts.
[2] French Revolutionary heroine who was guillotined for the assassination of Jean Paul Marat in 1793.
Posted by Boyd Jones at 11:14 AM


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A look at how snooker was transformed by a string of colourful characters.
Gabriel Clarke presents a guide through a gallery of top level racers.
Including footage and interviews with Muhammad Ali, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn.
A look at some of the eccentric characters that have appeared in the game since the 70s.


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KINO - Radio Voltaire
(CD 2018, 56:10, Inside Out Music)
1- Radio Voltaire (7:06)
2- The Dead Club (4:12)
3- Idlewild (6:03)
4- I Don't Know Why (5:25)
5- I Won't Break So Easily Any More (5:30)
6- Temple Tudor (4:32)
7- Out Of Time (6:22)
8- Warmth Of The Sun (1:50)
9- Grey Shapes On Concrete Fields (4:42)
10- Keep The Faith (5:38)
11- The Silent Fighter Pilot (4:50)
12- Temple Tudor Piano Mix (4:29)
13- The Dead Club Berlin Headquarter Mix (4:02)
14- Keep The Faith Orchestral Mix (5:34)
Inside Out Records
Thirteen years ago KINO, a side project of John Mitchell, released their debut album called Picture and I wrote a raving review about that little "masterpiece". Finally, KINO, consisting of Mitchell (vocals and guitar), Pete Trewavas (bass guitar, synths), new drummer Craig Blundell, who replaced Chris Maitland and special guest John Beck, who also played keyboards on the debut album, release their follow up.
The first question everybody wants to be answered is, is the new album worth the wait of thirteen years? I can answer that right away with a definite YES, as Radio Voltaire is again a great album filled with modern style prog rock songs with very addictive choruses, marvellous melodies and breathtaking, melodic guitar solos by Mitchell. Just listen to his more than outstanding solos in the amazing title track or the highly emotional and melodic Idlewild. The latter is one of my favourite tracks on the album and that is mainly due to the outstanding vocals and the highly addictive chorus which you cannot get out of your head for weeks! The first single of Radio Voltaire is a song called The Dead Club which is filled with heavy driving guitars and probably well suited for radio air play. Pete Trewavas and Craig Blundell musically shine in the beautiful track Out Of Time and the last track called The Silent Fighter Pilot ends this truly amazing album almost perfectly.
So, if you liked KINO's debut album, and I cannot think of a reason why you shouldn't, then Radio Voltaire is a must, as it is prog rock music blended with a little pop music at the highest level. Or, as Mitchell said: "we wanted to make this album purely for the music, this is about the songs you'll hear, that is the sole emphasis." Well done, guys and I hope that we will not have to wait for the third KINO album till the year 2031........
****+ Martien Koolen (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen)


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Donkey work
Sunday, 21st January 2018
The word workmanlike was used to describe the duffle coat last month, but its prosaic chops are as nothing next to that of the donkey jacket — a garment whose very name, from middling 20th-century uniform association to hapless equine connotation, is so redolent of hard graft.
Here, though, its grubbier-than-thou pretensions are shaken up in every way conceivable. This is a donkey jacket, yes — but not as we know it. Indeed, allusions to the donkey jacket orthodoxy are given up the second it deviates from the prescription of patch pockets, tartan lining, and PVC shoulders. But just as well, because what an exciting world, the world of donkey jackets liberated from the strictures of mid-century workwear homage.
The key thing with this donkey jacket is its whole-cut upper body, with back, front, shoulder, and sleeve, all cut unbroken from one piece of cloth. It is a type of construction sometimes seen on hunting jackets or, oddly, old dressing-gowns — and more often than not is accompanied by a seam across the chest, which here is extended by one across the sleeve, too, at the same height. This gives the jacket the two-tone signature of the jackets with which it shares its name. The construction also gives the donkey jacket a casual and easygoing feel, and a cut which capably flatters the broad and slight of shoulder alike.
After that, everything else slots into place. Seams run down the inside-front, both bringing shape to proceedings, and facilitating the addition of hard-to-see warmer pockets. Either would invite stiff disciplinary action from the union, but for life outside it, better that function takes precedence over idealised notions of the form. And surely all is forgiven with a collar so whopping it nearly but not quite unbalances the whole thing.
The donkey jacket of today comes in heavy overcoating and sail-cloth. Be not under-whelmed by its short and single-breasted appearance: like the neighbouring flight jacket, the heft of its outer materials, coupled with its fully faced interior, adorned with melton wool from West Yorkshire, makes for something very warm indeed. The donkey jacket of tomorrow, meanwhile, is currently in work. It is a spring version, which relocates the sail-cloth to the lower half, and introduces a new material — matching, of course — up top.
Sleeve preservation society
There are many ways wild and exotic to cut a sleeve, and few more so than the Magyar sleeve of the field jacket. "Sleeve preservation society"More
Impersonation of shopkeepers
The rich tradition of world-beating shopkeeping-specific attire in this country the shopcoat hopes to continue. "Impersonation of shopkeepers"More
The little workshop was built more than a century ago, and for the past decade has served competently and compactly as company headquarters. Garments aren't made on site, of course — that's the purview of makers all over the British Isles — but are all on display to peruse, try, and buy. More
1 Cleve Workshops
Boundary Street
E2 7JD
Open more not than often, these days, the workshop. Still, look out for the first workshop in the row, and if the lights are on, please step on inside.
Please email info@sehkelly.com day or night.
There's Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.
S.E.H KELLY © 2020


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HomeInstrumentationsConcert band / wind bandYou Are The Music In Me (from High School Musical 2) - Baritone T.C.
You Are The Music In Me (from High School Musical 2) - Baritone T.C.
By: Jamie Houston
For: Concert band / wind band
Jamie Houston
Johnnie Vinson, Jamie Houston
Johnnie Vinson
Reviews of You Are The Music In Me (from High School Musical 2) - Baritone T.C.
Score: You Are The Music In Me (from High School Musical 2) - Baritone T.C.
Score: You Are The Music In Me (from High School Musical 2) - Baritone T.C. & full set of zero parts (Show part names)


Well we managed to duck the blizzard of 2015 with only about 10" of snow, not the 24"-30" they had predicted. Also, we never got the high winds that were expected. I guess you could say we dodged the bullet! Or was it something else? While I was home on our "snow day" I received tons of emails from friends who were also home due to the snow and decided to flood my email account because I think they were bored with little to do but enjoy the beauty of the day. One of my buddies sent me a story that stood out from the rest. I would like to share it with you.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park, just staring at the pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him some chips. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but never said a word.
As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!
Have lunch with God... Bring chips.
My fellow members, remember February 14th is Valentines Day, remember to do something special for the one you love!! This month try to do something a little extra, like maybe buy a round of drinks at the club bar and make sure I am there if you do!!
P.S. If you have any ideas for the club please call or email me. Thanks.