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Review: Best of 2022 in ...
Human Connection: Organizations Return To ...
In-Depth Critical Writing
Review: Best of 2022 in Movies, Music, Books, Gaming and Streaming
by Grady Multiplatform Journalist December 31, 2022
From one of the year's hottest video games to music from Harry Styles and a psychological thriller Apple+ series, here's what topped critical writing students' best of 2022 lists.
'The Banshees of Inisherin'
After the abysmal "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," director Martin McDonagh's last film, I had bated expectations for "The Banshees of Inisherin." Almost five years later, McDonagh has stepped back from the thorny world of American racial politics to focus on something more universal: friendship.
Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell in the film "The Banshees of Inisherin." (Photo/Jonathan Hession; Courtesy/Searchlight Pictures)
"The Banshees of Inisherin" is the story of Pádraic and Colm (played by a lovably oafy Colin Farrell and a prickly Brendan Gleeson) and the sudden amelioration of their friendship. "I just don't like ya' no more," Colm, facing late-life gloom, says in his musical Irish lilt to Pádraic at the beginning of the film. And with that, the two part ways as Colm devotes himself to writing a violin piece — which lends the film its name — and Pádraic grapples with the sudden loss of his friend.
While the inciting event reeks of concept — "what if your best friend suddenly stopped speaking to you" — the plot blooms into a grim contemplation on the struggle between a man's life purpose and his need for friendship. The beautiful simplicity of McDonagh's story is matched only by the lush, green Irish countryside setting. —Justin Morris
'Harry's House'
Over two years after the release of "Fine Line," pop artist Harry Styles returned to the top of the charts in May with his third solo album, "Harry's House," which is his best one yet. Styles has not only matured since his first two albums, but he is also having more fun.
"Harry's House" was released in 2022. (Photo/De Turner)
After the pandemic canceled his tour in 2020, Styles used his newfound free time to travel, spend time with family and friends, and find inspiration for songwriting. His experience led to the concept of the album, with him realizing that "home" is more abstract than a concrete location.
"Imagine it's a day in my house, a day in my mind," he told Apple Music. "What do I go through? I'm playing fun music. I'm playing sad music."
The upbeat, jazzy rifts within multiple songs are balanced with the vulnerable, confessional lyrics found in others. Trumpets and scatting open up the album in "Music for a Sushi Restaurant," and the funky, disco beats continue in hits like "Late Night Talking" and "Cinema." Styles gets more personal in ballads like "Love of My Life" and "Little Freak," where he reminisces on a past love with lyrics like "I'm not worried about where you are, who you'll go home to. I'm just thinking about you."
Following the release, Styles returned touring to sold-out crowds, who were singing the new lyrics days after the album dropped. Despite it being over a decade since his boyband days, Styles is just now finding his groove as an artist and is far from his peak. —De Turner
'Surrender'
It's hard to compete with my favorite albums of 2022, like The 1975's "Being Funny in a Foreign Language" and Taylor Swift's "Midnights," but the unapologetically noisy and joyous 12-song experience of Maggie Rogers' "Surrender" is like no other.
The record, released in July with Capitol Records, follows Rogers' graduation from Harvard Divinity School, and it seems like the pop/alternative singer-songwriter gained more than just a master's degree, but a purposeful and somewhat spiritual focus heard in her new record.
The lead single, "That's Where I Am," immediately drew me in with its vibrant combination of synth bursts, raw vocals and catchy lyrics. The song is meant to be played while driving with the windows down and sunroof open.
"Want Want" and "Shatter" follow this concept of using dynamic instruments and delightfully authentic lyrics to invite listeners to, well, surrender to a wonderfully loud liberation of emotion. Rogers sings in the chorus of "Shatter," "I don't really care if it nearly kills me, I'd give you the world if you asked me to." Even the quieter, more acoustic songs like "Begging For Rain" and "Anywhere With You" have a level of restless noise that contributes to the record's theme of unrelenting expression.
"Surrender" is a beautifully raucous masterpiece of lyricism, production and theme, reminding listeners of the incredible nature of untamed music and passion. —Katie Beth Williams
'God Save the Animals'
Alex G's ninth studio album, "God Save The Animals," travels through nearly 45 minutes of cathartic instrumentation, varying vocals and ornate songwriting. His music is difficult to define. Some might bill it as alternative or any of the indie subgenres of rock folk, lo-fi, or another concocted category — but he doesn't need to fall under one classification of music.
"God Save the Animals" was released in 2022. (Photo/Julianne Akers)
The Philadelphia-based musician, Alex Giannascoli, emerged into more mainstream popularity this year with a performance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," but still holds on to his DIY roots.
He experiments in "Blessing" with whispered vocals that contrast its harsh noise and synth-heavy sound. While the instrumentation is dark, the lyrics focus on a lighter tone saying, "Every day (every day) is a blessing."
His raw voice is heard in "Miracles," a guitar-centric track reminiscent of a folk rock sound, with tender lyrics like, "I see great waves coming our way. Beautiful sunsets on lost and lonely days."
"Runner" leans into this also but still leaves room for the unexpected with a screech almost two minutes in from Giannascoli that is not off putting, but feels like he is just having fun. "No Bitterness" and "Immunity" spin in the direction of hyperpop with plenty of vocal layering and electronic influence — showing Alex G really can do anything.
"God Save The Animals," presents his most wide ranging record and a possible preview of what is next for the musician in his new era of fame. —Julianne Akers
'Superache'
Conan Gray's second studio pop album, "Superache," from Republic Records pushes you to delve into the deepest of your emotions, the ones you never want to face but can't help but feel.
The record is a testament to relationships and how to navigate them. Gray does not hold back in his emotional rollercoaster of an album about romantic, platonic and familial relationships.
"Superache" was released in 2022. (Photo/Emmalee Allen)
"Family Line," for example, conveys the disappointment of turning into your parents, while in "Movies," he wishes for a relationship that is as magical as those portrayed on the big screen. He longs for a relationship to stay in the past in "Memories," singing "I can't be your friend, can't be your lover, can't be the reason we hold back each other from falling in love with somebody other than me."
Gray shows off his knack for songwriting —every song is a battlefield of emotion. It feels as though Gray ripped out his own heart and put it on paper for the world to hear.
TikTok users have latched onto many of the songs as they relive their experiences and relate to the relationships Gray describes through his heart-wrenching but beautiful album. —Emmalee Allen
'Stick Season'
The transition between fall and winter varies by region, yet the feelings and emotions associated with this period seem to be universal regardless of location. Noah Kahan's third album, "Stick Season," is a powerful reminder of the ubiquitous harmony in experience and emotions felt by all.
Even if you aren't from Vermont and have yet to experience a true season of the sticks, the album encapsulates nostalgic feelings of love, home and solitude. Originally garnering attention through TikTok, Kahan's 2020 verse, "I am terrified of weather 'cause I see you when it rains, Doc told me to travel, but there's COVID on the planes," on the namesake track remains poignant two years later.
"Stick Season" was released in 2022. (Photo/Maggie Ruland)
The album may cause a tear to be shed. Yet, dynamic variations in instrumentation and lyricism through track 14 provokes an experience greater than sadness. The album encompasses the subtle joys and comfort in the leaves falling and weather dropping.
Folk music is not always appreciated by the masses. However, Kahan's ability to immerse the average listener with the omnipresent impact of raw emotions comes as a reminder that the genre resonates with the shared experiences of the human condition. —Maggie Ruland
Quality video games from big studios are hard to come by these days. God of War Ragnarök by Santa Monica deserves every penny of its $60 price tag and so much more. It is one of the most polished, mechanically sound, beautifully crafted stories I've played.
The game somehow improves on the best traits from its predecessor without getting lost or overwhelming. Ragnarök loses the simplicity of the first game's powerful story about a boy and his father trying to spread their mother's ashes and yet manages to shine. Characters old and new hold depth and dialogue that immerse you into the world.
The artistry is mind-bending. The Norse mythology realms are stunning and breathtaking, from the blistering cold of Helheim and the intense heat of Muspelheim to the stunning mountains of Asgard and the simple forests of Midgard.
You could not fight a single enemy and still be satisfied exploring the world. When you do fight, it is exhilarating and brutal. The combat is flashy and cinematic while still giving the player control over how to pulverize the enemies. New mechanics, weapons, side kicks and environments keep it fresh.
Ragnarök is the ultimate example of what a story should be. Despite all the crazy battles with monsters and gods, the action-packed game still finds time to tell a story about a boy and his father against fate. —Gabriel Fulbright
Anyone who has played the labeled "Soulsborne" franchise understands the tumultuous rollercoaster of emotions these games present in the struggle of setback, perseverance and victory. Elden Ring is the culmination of the previous FromSoftware games, delivered in a package that is full of exploration, wonder, mischief and awe.
Elden Ring was released in 2022. (Photo/Giovanni Rossi)
Different from typical FromSoftware favorites like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Bloodborne or the Dark Souls franchise, Elden Ring's open-world exploration leaves for hours of playtime and allows players to invest in the scenes dominated by the enduring sunflower-yellow sky, discovering all that is in the Lands Between.
The ominous, foreboding and grandiose soundtrack, which has always been my favorite part of FromSoftware games, makes Elden Ring a captivating and alluring experience. As you traverse through various parts of the map, engage with enemies or combat the demigods, you feel and see it in every regard.
It's hard to believe the game is only $60 for all the content provided. Its open world is so gargantuan, detailed and subtly mysterious that you find yourself leaving nearly 200 hours of playtime (or at least that's how much I spent since it was released in February of this year). The game is challenging, but regardless of your gaming prowess, Elden Ring is an action-adventure feast that will never leave you unsatisfied. —Giovanni Rossi
'Severance'
"Severance" on Apple TV+ is a well-crafted satire of the modern workplace and a perfectly-paced mystery that unfolds with scintillating suspense.
The series, created by Dan Erickson, centers on Mark S. (Adam Scott), who has undergone a procedure called "severance" that uses a brain implant to split a person into two halves — an "innie" who is conscious at their job and an "outie" who is conscious at home.
"Severance" was released in 2022. (Photo/Stuart Steele)
Mark and his coworkers: workaholic Irving (John Turturro), sarcastic Dylan (Zach Cherry) and new recruit Helly (Britt Lower) unravel a sinister conspiracy about the procedure and Lumon, their employer.
What intrigues the viewer is the constant feeling that something is "off" at Lumon. The group's supervisor, Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman), has an emptiness behind his eyes even when he appears outwardly happy.
The performances are excellent, the ensemble perfectly playing off each other's energies. Scott's layered portrayal and ability to act as essentially two characters stands out.
Ben Stiller directs six episodes in a striking visual style that deftly supports the tone of the psychological thriller. Each episode is punctuated by a reveal that ranges from surprising to shocking. Just when the viewer gets comfortable, these scenes get the mind reeling through the implications on the wider plot. —Stuart Steele
'I'm Glad My Mom Died'
For people like me who grew up on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, watching beloved child stars turn into adults has become a fascinating hobby — a quick Google search produces hundreds of articles answering the "Where are they now?" question.
"I'm Glad My Mom Died" was published in 2022. (Photo/Josie Lipton)
We envied and idolized them but never truly understood them. When former "iCarly" star Jennette McCurdy released in August her breathtaking memoir "I'm Glad My Mom Died," however, we got a glimpse into the underlying darkness of celebrity. With a raw, open voice, McCurdy shares her rise into show business as a means of supporting her less-than-healthy family. Her tone defies any pressure to perform, and after spending all of her formative years in front of a camera, who can blame her?
As she delves into her eating disorders, addiction and unhealthy sexual relationships, we feel every hurt and every moment of tenderness she describes. "I yearn to know the people I love deeply and intimately — without context, without boxes — and I yearn for them to know me that way, too," she writes. McCurdy eloquently expresses the hidden vulnerabilities that some readers may be afraid to acknowledge, but reading her innermost thoughts is as therapeutic to us as it is to her. —Josie Lipton
'The Sickness'
Alberto Barrera Tyszka's "The Sickness" (translated from Spanish by the well-respected British translator Margaret Jull Costa) is a candid and inspiring read, despite the depressing title.
The novel follows Dr. Andrés Miranda, a doctor in Venezuela who despises the daily grind of medicine; he admits early on that he hated opening cadavers in medical school. But when his father is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Miranda has to figure out how to tell his own father that he has a few weeks to live.
Meanwhile, Ernesto Duran — another patient — is convinced he's sick of some unknown illness. Despite Dr. Miranda's attempts to calm him down, Duran keeps sending emails to Miranda's secretary, Karina, who stupidly ends up falling in love with him.
Jull Costa's translation felt faithful to the original Spanish text, bringing to life the humorous absurdities of medical practice in Hugo Chávez's socialist Venezuela alongside the serious matter of how we as a society deal with the impending death of our loved ones. Most people think of dying as a scary thought pushed to the side like dirty laundry, but through Dr. Miranda's eyes, readers learn that although no amount of treatment can stop the inevitable, only death can underscore the value of life.
The book, which I read in honor of Women in Translation Month, is a short read–just under 200 pages!–with a satisfying ending that answers the question Dr. Miranda asks himself throughout the novel: "Why do we find it so hard to accept that life is pure chance?"
When Dr. Miranda sits beside his dying father in the hospital bed, he realizes that it is because it is always and never too late to realize how much we love the people around us. —Andrea Gutierrez
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Q: Where to get hardware model data? I have a task which consists of 3 concurrent self-defined (recursive to each other) processes. I need somehow to make it execute on computer, but any attempt to convert a requirement to program code with just my brain fails since first iteration produces 3^3 entities with 27^2 cross-relations, but it needs to implement at least several iterations to try if program even works at all.
So I decided to give up on trying to understand the whole system and formalized the problem and now want to map it to hardware to generate an algorithm and run. Language doesn't matter (maybe even directly to machine/assembly one?).
I never did anything like that before, so all topics I searched through like algorithm synthesis, software and hardware co-design, etc. mention hardware model as the second half (in addition to problem model) of solution generation, but I never seen one. The whole work supposed to look like this:

I don't know yet what level hardware model described at, so can't decide how problem model must be formalized to fit hardware model layer.
For example, target system may contain CPU and GPGPU, let's say target solution having 2 concurrent processes. System must decide which process to run on CPU and which on GPGPU. The highest level solution may come from comparing computational intensity of processes with target hardware, which is ~300 for CPUs and ~50 for GPGPUs.
But a normal model gotta be much more complete with at least cache hierarchy, memory access batch size, etc.
Another example is implementing k-ary trees. A synthesized algorithm could address parents and children with computing k * i + c / ( i - 1 ) / k or store direct pointers - depending on computations per memory latency ratio.
Where can I get a hardware model or data to use? Any hardware would suffice for now - to just see how it can look like - later would be awesome to get models of modern processors, GPGPUs and common heterogeneous clusters.
Do manufacturers supply such kinds of models? Description of how their systems work in any formal language.

A: I'm not pretty sure if it might be the case for you, but as you're mentioning modeling, I just thought about Modelica. It's used to model physical systems and combined with a simulation environment, you can run some simulations on it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Dog Jog
VARIOUS DATES IN 2021
Various locations in the UK
The Dog Jog series offers unique 5k jogging events for you and your four-legged friend to get fit and have fun, in a relaxed atmosphere with no times and no pressure.
3 Peaks Challenge
This challenge will see you summit the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon — exploring picturesque mountain ranges and discovering stunning scenery along the way.
Tour de Môn
The Tour de Môn takes place on the island of Anglesey with unparalleled views of Snowdonia and the island's beautiful coastline.
Bath Half Marathon
The Bath Half is one of the longest established and most popular city centre road events in the UK.
Penrhyn Quarry, North Wales
Join a team of RAF Benevolent Fund adventure seekers for a unique and exhilarating experience on the fastest zip line in the world!
The world's greatest half marathon takes you from Newcastle to South Shields. Don't just take it from us – 20 Olympic Gold medallists have taken part in this awesome run so that's got to be the best recommendation!
The Virgin Money London Marathon is top of most people's running bucket lists! The iconic race starts in Blackheath and takes you passed such famous London landmarks as Cutty Sark, Tower of London and Houses of Parliament before finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.
Oxford Half Marathon
Join the RAF Benevolent Fund team for a fast and flat half marathon in the historic city of Oxford.
Great South Run
This run, on a course steeped in history, is a very special one to be part of. Run past iconic sites including Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Spinnaker Tower and HMS Victory.
Women's 10K
Take on this women's only 10k with a fantastic route through Edinburgh city centre.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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News Sports Entertainment Lifestyle Opinion USA TODAY Obituaries E-Edition Legals
Pueblo joining lawsuit challenging state law
Anna Lynn Winfrey
The city of Pueblo and four other Colorado towns have filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado and Gov. Jared Polis over a recently passed state law that restricts their authority to collect taxes on school construction projects.
The state constitution grants home rule municipalities the ability to impose municipal taxes, but a recent law closed the loophole that let towns and cities tax building materials on school projects.
Pueblo is joining the lawsuit at no additional cost to local taxpayers, but Mayor Nick Gradisar previously told Pueblo City Council that the city could lose up to $4 million in tax revenue if the law takes effect.
"The state's attempt to exempt construction materials used in public schools from taxation in home rule cities would be very costly to the city of Pueblo," Gradisar said to The Chieftain, adding that it interferes with "the ability of the citizens of Pueblo to impose their own taxes."
City council approved the city joining the lawsuit 4-3 in June. Councilors Lori Winner, Sarah Martinez and Vicente Martinez Ortega voted against the city signing on.
"I would just rather see that money go back into the schools for their building, I think that's more appropriate. I don't think we should be charging schools sales tax on any building supplies," Winner said.
Councilor Dennis Flores noted that the bonds voters passed for schools under construction already took the sales tax into account. He expressed concern that not being able to collect the taxes would hurt smaller communities such as Pueblo.
State tax has not been imposed on school-related construction since 1979, according to a report from the state auditor.
The Colorado Municipal League, an organization of town and city governments around the state, urged Polis to veto the measure before he signed it into law in April.
The complaint, filed in Denver District Court, asks for a "speedy" hearing before the new law, House Bill 22-1024, takes effect Aug. 10.
Chieftain reporter Anna Lynn Winfrey can be reached by email awinfrey@gannett.com or on Twitter, @annalynnfrey.
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At KTS Computer Repairs we have a clear understanding just how much people rely on computers to help them work and play.
We understand that you need to get that report finished for your important meeting or check your calendar to help plan your day.
We also understand that you might want to watch you favourite DVD, listen to some music or book a holiday on the web.
So we understand the importance of the situation when your computer breaks down.
At KTS Computer Repairs we'll do our best to help get your computer back to full health as quickly as possible. We can help with your hardware and software problems, checking for viruses and giving your computer a full health check.
So get in touch, and we'll do our best to help.


Kate Binder shows you some great effects you can use in Photoshop Elements, including the use of borders, gradient fills, posterization, and smart brushes.
With the invention of the electronic calculator, schoolchildren are the only ones who fret over doing arithmetic by hand. Similarly, you might be surprised at how many commercial artists don't draw from scratch anymore. Many of them earn their daily bread using computer graphics software such as Photoshop Elements to make photos look like fine art.
When you've worked through the tasks in this Part, you'll know many of their secrets. You can make greeting cards and party invitations look as if they were hand-drawn by a skilled sketch artist, create photorealistic illustrations for flyers and newsletters, and add expensive-looking graphics that give a professional touch to your personal Website.
Photoshop Elements helps you achieve artistic effects by way of filters that can transform an image with a click, but in complex ways. The program comes with a wide variety of filters, and you can download even more of them (called plug-ins) from www.adobe.com and other vendors' Websites. There are far too many filters to cover them all here, but you'll see enough to show you how easy they are to apply—and to start you thinking about all the creative possibilities.
Before It helps to start with a photo that has an interesting composition, and some bright colors and contrasts.
After Here's some "fine art" that took less than a minute to make. It's the result of adding both the Palette Knife artistic filter and a Sandstone texture, and finally adjusting Hue for brighter greenery.


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DE NL
About Ancra
Ancra Worldwide
Home >	About Ancra	>	Team
Profile, Mission & Vision >
Business Model >
Ancra Worldwide >
Marc Hezemans - Managing Director
Marc graduated from TU Eindhoven in Engineering Business Administration. During his career he has worked for, amongst others, Bosch Rexroth and Windsor EDS as Project leader and Head of Purchasing & Logistics. He also had his own business in the security industry for several years.
"Since I started at Ancra Systems in 1999, Ancra has developed from undertaking small to medium-sized projects, mainly in the Benelux, into an international organisation with proven capabilities for major projects. It's my responsibility to realize these projects. To achieve this, Ancra Systems has a close team of mechanics, engineers, purchasing & logistics and administration."
In addition to his busy schedule at Ancra Systems, Marc (1965) spends as much time as possible with his family of three young children.
Marcel Berkers - Sales Director
After his bachelor in Business Engineering and Master in International Business, Marcel worked for several Machine Construction Companies active in mainly the 'material handling industry' for the Automotive, Airfreight, Recycling and FMCG Markets. This background has led him through commercial positions handling a diversity of local cultures and customs.
"Personally, I see my role within Ancra in understanding the customer's needs worldwide, resulting in the best fit by our team's solutions, in any situation. With a practical view, i like to dive into our customer's logistic processes with support of our local and international team. More companies nowadays realize that their profitability is largely influenced by the efficiency in their logistical processes."
Marcel (1981) is living with his girlfriend and three horses in Belgium, and likes to spent his free hours outdoors.
Jos den Teuling - Technical Manager
Jos studied aeronautical engineering at the HTS in Haarlem. As an engineer Jos gained many years of experience at Talson Transport Engineering where, amongst other things, he developed the self-supporting trailer. Since the end of the eighties, Jos has been the head of engineering at Ancra Systems. During this time he has become the authority in the field of loading and unloading engineering.
"I like to visit customers so I can hear about the logistic requirement at first hand. My greatest challenge is to find the most optimum technical solution. I now have an excellent team of experienced electrical and mechanical engineers that support me in this."
Jos (1953) is married and has a daughter. During leisure he also likes to be busy with everything associated with engineering. Jos is also a keen climber and hang-glider flyer.
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Amputation of the digits and/or limbs can be a traumatic occurrence, particularly when it arises as a result of clinical negligence. An amputation can affect a person's life considerably including their ability to work and even carry out everyday tasks. Therefore, claiming for compensation can be vital to help both with financial loss and the costs of future care.
Amputations can occur as a result of a long-term misdiagnosis, surgical errors ( See Surgical Error Compensation ) or delays in treatment. What might have appeared at first to be a minor injury can lead to life changing consequences . Diabetics are at particular risk of amputation if they are not looked after properly or any kind of laceration, infection or ulcerations are not treated quickly or efficiently.
We understand the impact amputation can have on a patient's life, including the psychological trauma it can cause. We are committed to helping our clients receive the best possible compensation to ensure that they have the equipment and care they need in order to continue with their day to day life. Simply contact us today for a free, no obligation chat to find out how we can help you.
Being left with injury or long term consequences often leads to financial loss, or expenses directly related to ongoing care of conditions caused by negligence. You have every right to claim compensation to help deal with this financial loss.
Amputations may occur when you have been misdiagnosed, or been a victim of surgical errors or delayed treatment of even minor injuries. People who suffer from diabetes are at particular risk if not treated quickly for lacerations, ulceration, infections and injury.
We have experience in pursuing Amputation claims, a complex area of compensation.


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SCP Stranded Copper Security & Control cables are available in shielded and unshielded configurations with both designed for plenum or riser installations.
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Home Bulgaria Bulgaria records fresh 588 COVID infections with 14 deaths
Bulgaria records fresh 588 COVID infections with 14 deaths
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 1 155 975 novel coronavirus infections have been recorded in Bulgaria as of April 29.
Bulgaria records fresh 588 COVID infections with 14 deaths.
Bulgaria has recorded a total of additional 588 cases of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, as per the data shared in the unified information portal of April 29, 2022. This brings the overall number of the active COVID-19 infections to 144 889.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 1 155 975 novel coronavirus infections have been recorded in Bulgaria as of April 29. The positivity rate of the fresh COVID infections stands at 6.63%, which has been detected of the 8856 tests conducted the previous day.
At least 14 COVID patients lost their lives to the contagious viral illness during the last 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll of Bulgaria to 36 901, the data further adds.
There are a total of 3593 patients who got recovered from the contagious virus and have been discharged from the hospital facilities in Bulgaria, taking the total count of the COVID-19 recoveries to 974 185.
According to the data, there are a total of 913 patients with COVID-19 virus in the hospital facilities, including the recently admitted 97 patients. There are a total of eighty-six (86) patients in intensive care units – ICU.
During the previous day, a total of additional 2744 doses of the WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines.
There are a total of 2,055,194 individuals who have received their required number of the COVID-19 vaccines and are now in the category of fully vaccinated individuals. This number of Bulgarian nationals represents around 29.7% of the total targeted eligible population, the official data adds.
On the other hand, there are a total of 744,343 Bulgarian nationals who are fully vaccinated and have taken their booster shots; that is the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, representing nearly 10.7% of the total targeted eligible population, as per the data shared in the portal.
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Tag Archives: Tim Roth
Luce (2019) Review
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Luce Edgar
Octavia Spencer as Harriet Wilson
Naomi Watts as Amy Edgar
Tim Roth as Peter Edgar
Brian Bradley as DeShaun Meeks
Andrea Bang as Stephanie Kim
Norbert Leo Butz as Dan Towson
Director: Julius Onah
A liberal-minded couple, Amy (Naomi Watts) and Peter Edgar (Tim Roth), are forced to reconsider their image of their adopted son (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) after they discover he has written an extremely disturbing essay for his class at school.
I heard about Luce more recently, I knew of Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts and Tim Roth's involvement, and I also heard it was pretty good, so I wanted to check it out for sure. Having seen it, I can say that it's really one of the most overlooked movies of 2019, and it really deserves a lot more attention than it has been receiving.
I think it's better to be surprised by the plot and not know too much going in, so I'll try to keep my review as vague as possible when it comes to the plot. Luce relies quite a lot upon its script, and thankfully it's written quite well, and has your interest from beginning to end. Much of the movie feels like a play at times in the way it's written, especially with the dialogue. As it turns out, it is based on a play by J.C Lee. It's also a movie that talks about plenty of difficult subject matters, like adoption, social injustice, tokenism, mental illness, stereotyping, and race. With that said, it doesn't explore every single theme to its fullest extent or done equally as well. It's a very ambiguous movie with a lot of complexity, it's not as black and white as it would seem at first, there's a whole lot of grey. You have to assume that you won't get the answers that you want about certain characters, and you'll have to draw your own conclusions based off what the movie actually gives you. The ending particularly will have people confused a little as to the interpretations of the final moments of the film.
Part of what makes this movie work particularly well are the 4 central outstanding performances. Each character has their own thing going on with them and have more complexity to them than they initially appear. Naomi Watts and Tim Roth play the parents of Luce, and both are great (this is the best I've seen Roth in years). Octavia Spencer gives one of her best performances as Luce's teacher, really believable. I had previously only seen Kelvin Harrison Jr. in It Comes at Night but he's shown himself to be an outstanding actor with his performance here as Luce. He's so charming and convincing, and there are points where even though you can't tell whether he's manipulating and lying or telling the truth. Definitely an up and coming actor that you want to be paying attention to. These 4 performances essentially anchor the movie, and even elevate it a bit.
I just know Julius Onah as the director of The Cloverfield Paradox, and while for many that doesn't bode well, with Luce he really gets to show off his talents. The cinematography was stunning, and it was edited very well. The music by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury was also good, adding a level of unsettledness throughout. While it's not a conventional thriller and you're not expecting anyone to be killed or anything of the like, you do feel somewhat tense throughout, like something isn't quite right.
Luce is a complex and well written movie, with some excellent performances leading it. There are some aspects that don't work quite as well, some parts of the writing are a little too ambitious for its own good, it doesn't quite follow through on what they set up during it, and they don't all come together to form a clear message at the end, but I still think it's generally well done. Definitely check out Luce when you can, at the very least for the acting.
This entry was posted in Drama and tagged 2019, 2019 movies, Andrea Bang, Brian Bradley, Julius Onah, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Luce, Naomi Watts, Norbert Leo Butz, Octavia Spencer, Tim Roth on March 21, 2020 by thecinemacritic.
The Hateful Eight (2015) Review
Age Rating: Graphic violence, sexual violence & offensive language
Samuel L. Jackson as Major Marquis Warren
Kurt Russell as John Ruth
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Daisy Domergue
Walton Goggins as Chris Mannix
Demián Bichir as Señor Bob
Tim Roth as Oswaldo Mobray
Michael Madsen as Joe Gage
Bruce Dern as General Sandford "Sandy" Smithers
James Parks as O.B. Jackson
While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover located on a mountain pass. Greeted there by four strangers, the eight travelers soon learn that they may not make it to their destination after all.
I had been meaning to rewatch The Hateful Eight for a while. I remember looking forward to The Hateful Eight ever since its announcement, mostly because of Quentin Tarantino's involvement. We nearly didn't get this movie when the script leaked and Tarantino initially wanted to not do it, but I'm glad he changed his mind because The Hateful Eight ended up being really great. Having rewatched it (the recently released extended version), I now consider it to be one of his all time best movies. The acting from its large and talented cast is fantastic and Tarantino's script is great, it had me riveted from start to finish.
Quentin Tarantino is generally great when it comes to writing, and his script here is among his best work. This movie like his many of his others are dialogue driven, and unsurprisingly the dialogue is fantastic, no one writes dialogue like him. The theatrical cut is very long at 168 minutes and people need to know that going in. Also it's not like an explosive action movie, it's a suspenseful mystery film and moves at quite a slower pace. Once all the main characters are in the same place in the same house, it builds up the suspense as we spend time with the characters and have to try to figure out if they are trustworthy or not. It definitely improves on a repeat viewing, because you know exactly what is going on. People only really start dying around the halfway point, from then on it becomes very tense. So if you are a little bored during it, the second half should pick up for you. None of these characters are particularly good people, in fact in terms of lineups of Tarantino characters in each of his movies they are easily the most despicable group, but they are entertaining and interesting enough that you're still willing to watch them for just under 3 hours. This movie was surprisingly darkly hilarious as well, it really had me entertained throughout. As for people who have seen the movie already and are wondering about the extended cut, Netflix broke it up into 4 50 minute segments, making the movie about 3 and a half hours long. I looked up at some parts of it, and the parts that did add in were written pretty good. Otherwise for the most part I didn't notice too many differences, and you're not necessarily missing out anything major. So if you're watching the movie for the first time, it might be better to go with the theatrical cut.
This cast is large and talented with Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern and James Parks and they were all fantastic, there were a few highlights though. This is one of Samuel L. Jackson's all time best performances, he just absolutely nails this role. This was actually the first movie I have seen Walton Goggins in, and if I was forced to pick a highlight performance among plenty of other great performances in this movie, it would be his. Another showstealer was Jennifer Jason Leigh, who is amazing here as the prisoner being taken by Kurt Russell's bounty hunter. I do feel like the writing didn't give the character quite as much to do in the movie as she could've, but JJL really brought it to the performance. Channing Tatum also makes an appearance that's a little more than a cameo, and I will say that he is great in his screentime, very different role for him.
Tarantino once again directs this film really well. One of the first things you'll notice about this movie is Robert Richardson's cinematography, it's a stunning looking movie. It really felt like we were back in the 19th Century and it really places you in this snowy environment, we don't really get that with Westerns. The Hateful Eight is a much smaller movie compared to Django Unchained, there are very little action or scenes with violence. It's very much a suspense and mystery film, almost like a longer and Western version of Reservoir Dogs. There aren't a whole lot of people being killed like in Kill Bill or Django Unchained but when people die, it is unsurprisingly violent in pure Tarantino style. However this time it's much more brutal than you'd expect it to be, which fits the tone of the movie. The soundtrack from Ennio Morricone was masterful, he actually used some unused music from The Thing as part of it. It fits absolutely perfectly for this movie.
The Hateful Eight is yet another fantastic film from Quentin Tarantino that has gotten a bit of a mixed response from some people, but it really worked for me. From the fantastic writing, the great performances and direction, everything about this movie I really loced. This Hateful Eight definitely does hold up on repeat viewings, in fact it gets better upon rewatches. Both this and Inglourious Basterds are now my favourite movies from Tarantino, and I'm looking forward to seeing if Once Upon a Time in Hollywood manages to be at that level.
This entry was posted in Crime, Drama, Mystery and tagged 2015, 2015 movies, Bruce Dern, Demián Bichir, James Parks, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino, Samuel L. Jackson, The Hateful Eight, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins on August 13, 2019 by thecinemacritic.
Pulp Fiction (1994) Review
Age Rating: Graphic Violence and Offensive Language
John Travolta as Vincent Vega
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield
Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace
Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge
Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe
Tim Roth as "Ringo"/"Pumpkin"
Amanda Plummer as Yolanda/Honey Bunny
Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne
Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallace
Eric Stoltz as Lance
Christopher Walken as Captain Koons
Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) are two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a few days later when Wallace himself will be out of town. Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his next fight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together comprising of a series of funny, bizarre and uncalled-for incidents.
Pulp Fiction is one of the big cinematic classics that most people have heard of. I remember hearing about this movie for years and when I finally saw this movie I wondered how I could've held off this long. Everything is good in this movie with the great acting, filmmaking and the brilliant script created by director Quentin Tarantino, all of these help to make it a cinematic masterpiece.
Let's get the obvious out of the way: the script is absolutely fantastic. The structure is interesting, it has three stories, one with Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta, another with John Travolta and Uma Thurman and another with Bruce Willis. These stories aren't played chronologically instead they are plated during each other, a structure that Sin City would eventually use. All of the stories are great but if I had to pick a favourite, I'd pick the Jackson/Travolta story; the chemistry between those two were just so hilarious. I love dark comedy and it is well done here, it proves that death in movies can in fact be funny (not spoiling anything). The dialogue really shines here, a lot of these characters end up talk about meaningless things but they are interesting, hilarious and overall entertaining to watch. On top of that, all of the characters are well established and a lot of that is done through the dialogue. The pacing is also really good, I didn't feel bored, the only time it felt a little slow was a scene with Bruce Willis and his girlfriend which felt a little long but that was it.
Something that Quentin Tarantino can generally do is get the best out of his actors. It definitely helped that Tarantino's ensemble of actors were well picked for their roles. Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta are great in this movie and as I said before, their chemistry was very strong. Other actors like Uma Thurman and Bruce Willis did very well. It should be noted that this movie revived John Travolta and Bruce Willis's career, so they have Tarantino to thank. Christopher Walken is only in one scene in the film and it results in one of the funniest scenes in the movie involving a gold watch. Every actor in this movie takes advantage of any scene they're in.
Pulp Fiction relies more on its script and acting than it does on special effects but the technical side is done very well. The film is very stylish with the editing, cinematography and overall direction, it was all very Tarantino esque. There are so many locations and moments that are so memorable, even when there's nothing big going on. The soundtrack was also well picked and all of the songs were edited to the right moments.
Pulp Fiction is a fantastic movie that should be watched by everyone. The acting is superb, Tarantino's direction is great, the film is entertaining to watch but it's the script that really ties everything together. It's in my opinion Quentin Tarantino's best movie, everything fits nicely together. If you haven't seen this classic, check it out as soon as possible. Just know that it's more of a dialogue driven movie, so you may not love this movie as much as others.
This entry was posted in Crime, Drama and tagged 1994, 1994 movies, Amanda Plumer, Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Eric Stoltz, John Travolta, Maria de Medeiros, Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Uma Thurman, Ving Rahames on April 1, 2016 by thecinemacritic.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Harvey Keitel as Mr White
Tim Roth as Mr Orange
Michael Madsen as Mr Blonde
Chris Penn as Nice Guy Eddie
Steve Buscemi as Mr Pink
Lawrence Tierney as Joe Cabot
Edward Bunker as Mr Blue
Quentin Tarantino as Mr Brown
Six criminals, who are strangers to each other, are hired by a crime boss, Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), to carry out a diamond robbery. The six strangers are Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), a professional criminal; Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), a young newcomer; Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), a trigger-happy killer; Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), a paranoid neurotic; Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino); and Mr. Blue (Edward Bunker). Right at the outset, they are given false and are completely sure that the robbery is going to be a success. But, when the police show up right at the time and the site of the robbery, panic spreads amongst the group members, and one of them is killed in the subsequent shootout, along with a few policemen and civilians. When the remaining people assemble at the rendezvous point, they begin to suspect that one of them is an undercover cop.
With Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino established himself as a director to keep an eye out for. His excellent dialogue with the well rounded cast and even the bloody violence makes this an absolute classic.
Quentin Tarantino movies are often driven by dialogue. Sometimes, some of the dialogue doesn't have much to do with the plot but it doesn't feel forced; it actually makes the dialogue even better. In the first scene we don't really hear anything about the heist; instead we hear the main characters talk about what Madonna's "Like a Virgin" is about and a debate about tipping. The only other writer I can think on the top of my head who has managed to do this is Martin McDonagh. It is also one of the best heist movies despite not even showing the heist. The film shows the events before and after the heist and are presented and written so well, the audience doesn't need to see the heist in order to get a picture of what happened; the majority of what happened is conveyed through dialogue. It's also not always placed in chronological order; some of the scenes are mixed around in time.
The film has a huge cast which consists of Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Laurence Tierney and a cameo by Quentin Tarantino. All the actors are great but the two stand outs are Steve Buscemi and Michael Madsen; both of them were absolute show stealers. Michael Madsen in particular has a scene involving the song 'Stuck in the middle with you' by Stealers Wheel, which is probably the most famous (or infamous) scene in the movie; it was reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange's use of "Singin' in the Rain". The actors really played off each other well and delivered the dialogue greatly.
The film is well shot; the cinematography is often overlooked due to the excellent writing and dialogue. While not mind-blowing, the cinematography is good, same goes for the editing. This movie also showed another thing that Tarantino would be using for a lot of his movies; a lot of blood and gore. Some people have argued that the violence is unnecessary but I think it was well done and used. The music is absolutely great and is picked right for the moment; a great example is again "Stuck in the Middle with you".
Reservoir Dogs is one of Quentin Tarantino's best movies. It isn't for everyone; I can see that, mostly because of the level of violence. But if you think you might like it or if you are a Tarantino fan, who hasn't seen this movie yet, go see it as soon as you can, you won't be disappointed.
This entry was posted in Crime, Thriller and tagged 1992, 1992 movies, Chris Penn, Edward Bunker, Harvey Keitel, heist movies, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, movie, movie reviews, movies, Quentin Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth on August 2, 2014 by thecinemacritic.


How do you feel about sharing your home with a stranger? To some people this is an odd, if not downright scary, idea. How can you know they are not an axe-wielding murderer? Of course you can never be one hundred percent sure, but I think it is fairly unlikely; when I was growing up, we always had lodgers from abroad in our house, and so far I have lived to tell the tale.
With some simple reference checks it need not be risky. Since my children flew the nest, I have been letting out their rooms to the occasional lodger. Often these are friends of friends, and my children's connections with Spain means that many of them are Spanish. Of course there are financial benefits to renting out a spare room, but people often don't realise there can be more to having lodgers than just the money.
We discussed good places to have afternoon tea in London and my recommendations went down well. (…) My other favourites are The Goring, The Lanesborough and The Milestone Hotel, but of course we Brits do not go out for tea all the time, especially in view of 'la crisis'.
My most recent lodger was recommended by a neighbour and during her stay we taught each other a lot about our respective cultures. This went beyond simply learning a few new words of each other's language: our Gallega was most enthusiastic about all things British and there was not too much complaining about the weather, as coming from Galicia, she was used to the rain.
My assumption that all Spaniards drink coffee was wrong, as she was more of a fan of English afternoon tea. While I introduced her to the peppermint variety, she suggested I try Lady Grey. Who would have thought I would discover a new favourite tea by talking to a Spaniard? I told her about the 'miffy or tiffy' debate – tea or milk first? I'm definitely a 'tiffy' – milk last. Most importantly, though, I taught her the value of using a proper teapot rather than a teabag in a mug. The pot gives the tea more space to brew and the tea is then at perfect drinking temperature when poured.
We discussed good places to have afternoon tea in London and my recommendations went down well. The National Portrait Gallery scored top marks for the view, but not for the tea; The Wolsely was a hit for the ambience and great service. My other favourites are The Goring, The Lanesborough and The Milestone Hotel, but of course we Brits do not go out for tea all the time, especially in view of 'la crisis'.
This is why I also wanted to show her how important tea time is at home, an experience far more typical than posh tea in a smart hotel. We invited her to join us at 4 o'clock in front of a roaring fire in the sitting room – just how tea should be served during the dark days of winter.
In my opinion, cream goes first, as it replaces butter and it is easier to spoon jam on top of cream than the other way round.
Although it is a regular event for us, she raved about the experience for days, not least because Rick, my official scone baker and husband, gave her a lesson in how to make the perfect scone. She was surprised by how quick and easy it was. We introduced her to Delia Smith, the creator of our favourite recipe, explaining her prominence in British culinary history. Delia's Cookery Course was published alongside a TV series in 1978 and shaped a generation of young cooks, teaching them how to make traditional British meals from scratch. I advised her that scones should always be made and eaten fresh and never microwaved, as it makes them go spongy, although they can be toasted a few days after they are made if there are any left over. Size is also important. Too small and there is not enough of the inside, too big and they are difficult to handle – plus you don't have room for cake!
Our homemade scones were of course served with cream and jam, and we told our guest about the ongoing debate over in which order they should be spread. In my opinion, cream goes first, as it replaces butter and it is easier to spoon jam on top of cream than the other way round. I was proud to tell her that I had made the jam myself, from blackcurrants I had grown at my allotment. That meant two new Spanish words for me (grosella negra and huerta) and three new discoveries for her: how many different berries there are, how delicious they can be and that Londoners can grow their own food in urban space.
In return we discovered how to make the perfect tortilla. She made it clear that, yes, you really do need to use a frying pan full of oil, which is a bit frightening when you aren't used to it. I had made tortilla many times before but never managed not to over-cook it, for fear of it falling to pieces. She taught me that making tortilla is like a religion: the tortilla pan is sacred, and should never be used for anything else.
In return we discovered how to make the perfect tortilla. She made it clear that, yes, you really do need to use a frying pan full of oil, which is a bit frightening when you aren't used to it.
I also learnt that every family has their own method. She explained that her mother used to add courgette (calabacín – another new word for me) to incorporate more vegetable into the dish, and would peel it first so that no-one noticed. I was amazed to watch her cook so calmly, as I have always found it incredibly stressful to deal with such a large quantity of hot olive oil, not to mention the trauma of tossing the tortilla. Yet she cooked and chatted as if she was making an everyday recipe, which she was, whereas I have only braved the trials of cooking tortilla for very special occasions. This perfect ability to cook and talk meant that I also learnt the origin of the tortilla francesa. Apparently, during the French occupation of Spain in 1808, the French used up all the potatoes, so the Spanish had to make do with tortilla cooked with other vegetables.
So, I have finally overcome my fear of making tortilla, and our guest has mastered the art of scones. By renting my spare room out to a lodger, I gained more than just a little extra income. In turn, she got more than just a place to sleep. We made the most of being thrown together by coincidence, mutual friends and economic circumstance. I don't think I would have someone to stay in my house for free. It isn't always easy to have a stranger in the house, so the financial gain is important. But it is always satisfying when a practical arrangement can also be a fun and enriching experience. This time I learnt a lot about Spain and Spanish culture. Who knows what the next lodger will teach me?
I am a Londoner born and bred, and have worked in education for over 30 years. I am currently studying a course on the history of the City of London. I am discovering many new and exciting things about the city and I love it! My first visit to Spain was when I was 16 and did a Spanish exchange in Madrid and Segovia. I was hooked by the language, food, culture and the weather - and I still am!


Police receive many calls for assistance, but this one was quite unusual.
Douglas Kelly, 49, from Hawthrone, Florida, called the Putnam County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, police said, asking them to test the drugs he bought a week earlier because he wanted to press charges against the person who sold them to him.
Kelly drove down to the police station and handed over the clear, crystallized substance for offices to test, and tests showed it was meth, according to the Facebook post. He was arrested and charged with possession and booked into the Putnam County Jail.
Officers used this incident to let others know on that they are always here to help test any illegal drugs.


Game accelerator and investment platform Execution Labs has announced it has secured CAD $6 million in Series A funding, in a round led by Toronto-based Corus Entertainment Inc. Existing investors BDC Capital, Real Ventures and White Star Capital also participated in the round. This funding will help Execution Labs expand its presence and existing services by now offering independent game developers two different programs: the Pre-Production Accelerator and the Finishing Fund.
Meanwhile, the Finishing Fund will give substantial funding (up to CAD $250,000) to independent game studios when their games are at least 80 percent complete. Using this funding, developers will be able to put the finishing touches on their products and implement testing and marketing strategies going forward. In this program, Execution Labs would offer developers assistance ranging from helping with the final game design to data analysis and user experience testing of the finished product.
Developers interested in signing up for either program can do so here.


You cannot help but smile back when BECKY McCATHIE walks into a room exuding confidence, exuberance and dedication to a common good. As the "Running for Victory 5K Run/Walk" Race Director, Becky is excited to share news about the race to be held at beautiful Staring Lake in Eden Prairie on AUGUST 9th. All proceeds will be donated to Educate Tanzania.
Outdoor Christian Worship and Lunch to follow.
Runners and walkers of all abilities are invited to join the event. You don't have to have a fancy running outfit or even run! If you cannot make it on August 9th, please register and join us in spirit! 100% of your race fee ($25.) will be donated to ETI.
Join us Sunday Aug 9th. The 5k will start at 8:30am around beautiful Staring Lake Park in Eden Prairie. Visit http://victorylcms.org/victory5k/ for more info about how to register for the 5k! Runners and walkers of all abilities are invited to join the event, which also includes a Christian worship service and a fellowship lunch for those interested. You don't have to have a fancy running outfit or be a professional to be a part. In fact you don't even have to be present: You can sign up as a virtual runner (we call them gazelles)! C'mon! Be part of the story!!


From my various job experiences I have witnessed some pretty cutthroat dealings. Unless the company you work for has a unique, one of a kind type of product; there will always be someone else who will try to outdo your company. The majority of salespeople I have encountered really are the company's foot soldiers. One can also say they are the circus performers who do acrobatic twists and turns in order to please their customers as they try to "seal the deal." I know I could never do sales because I do not have the temperament for it. From all my business dealings I could work with any customer until I discovered they were dishonest. Once that happens I lose all respect for them. There are certain products or stores I will not go near because of the way I was treated either as a customer or vendor. Even if a company's salesperson meets with me and during our conversation speaks negatively about their competitor, it leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Some people say just by definition the word job has no place for fun; I disagree with that type of thinking. Sure it can be hard work, but I feel there needs to be something fun about the workday to keep people motivated. On the other hand I have seen where some individuals have had way too much fun. DESPERATE to land a big business deal and save his fledgling company Dan Trunkman, played by Vince Vaughn (Couples Retreat, Delivery Man), flew to Europe with his employees Mike Pancake and Timothy McWinters, played by Dave Franco (Warm Bodies, 21 Jump Street) and Tom Wilkinson (Selma, The Lone Ranger). With stiff competition going against them the three workers were willing to do anything to win the business. Let me say right at the beginning; consider the movie trailer for this comedy to be its highlights reel. I understood what the story was trying to do, but I thought it lacked imagination and originality. There were several times where I was simply bored. One of the main issues for me had to do with Vince's performance. It was no different from the past several roles he has performed; they were all the same and it drove me crazy. He really could use a fresh team around him that pushes him to stretch his acting ability. I will keep my fingers crossed for him since he will be starring in next season's drama series, True Detective. Tom Wilkinson was his usual good self and I believe this was the first time I really thought Dave took ownership of his role. As a movie reviewer I am forced to see many "bad" films; I could have used combat pay for my time with this one.
Posted on March 11, 2015, in Comedy and tagged 1 3/4 stars, comedy, dave franco, europe, sales, sienna miller, tom wilkinson, vince vaughn. Bookmark the permalink.	8 Comments.
I agree with you in many respects, but still liked it even if it was repetitive.
My motto is if a movie moves you in some way it has done its job. I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you for coming by to tell me.
Having loved the first season of True Detective, I admit I am worried about Vaughn's casting for the second season. I'm hoping he proves me wrong but I can't remember when the last time was that I enjoyed his performance in anything. It appears from your review that this movie fits that pattern of him bring lacklustre.
I too am nervous since I loved the first season and was thrown when they announced Vince for season 2. My fingers, legs and eyes will be crossed hoping the show won't tank.
That is absolutely right. Avoid this one.
I love your style. You are always respectful and honest, not harsh without reason, and I am always curious about your clear point of view. Every time I feel like I have something to learn from you. Thanks for all the reviews !
ps : It's like Vince Vaughn is stuck in a role from which he cannot be freed. I think he could do much more, like you said.
Thank you for the kind words and comments; I appreciate it deeply and am thrilled you find something of interest in my reviews. Thank you for stopping by to leave them.


text:
Schools Throw in the Towel on Getting Kids to Shower
By NANCY WRIDE
Sept. 25, 1996 12 AM PT
Let's say you are the type of student in high school who loves physical education. It's your favorite class. You run to P.E.
Despite this making you a minority on the planet Teenville, you also love the uniforms. Love running around the track, vaulting hurdles, swimming laps, sweating through . . . ahhh, there. There's that one thing about P.E. you probably hate, like every teenager before and after you: the dreaded communal shower in the locker room.
Some things about P.E. never change. But as the 1996 fall semester unfolds in Orange County, it is clear one thing has: Few students shower at school now.
Not after P.E. Not after a two-hour round of competitive basketball. Not after a stinky, sweaty football game.
"I can't remember the last time I saw a kid take a shower," says Dan Miller, veteran athletic director at Anaheim High School, which more than 2,000 students attend.
A few years ago, Anaheim's football coach, Allen Carter, made the team shower. Miller entered the locker room and heard gushing water. He was alarmed. What was going on? Did he have a plumbing leak on his hands?
"I remember being shocked," Miller adds, laughing, "to actually find kids there." //
There is no code governing school showers, according to the California Department of Education. But the prevailing view among public educators is that it's no longer appropriate to require students to take showers. Teachers are more sensitive to charges of harassment. Students are more likely to claim--and be granted--a right to some privacy.
In December 1994, a Pennsylvania school district dropped its showering requirement after the American Civil Liberties Union threatened to sue on behalf of a teenage girl. The ACLU argued that a student's right to privacy is violated if he or she is forced to be naked before classmates.
And then there's the matter of towels.
Schools gradually stopped providing them and their laundering as they looked for ways to save money after Proposition 13 led to reduced property tax revenue for schools. Students cannot be charged separately for them because the state bans public schools from levying fees connected with required courses. Teachers say it makes it harder to insist on showers when as many as 2,000 kids would need to be responsible for bringing towels to and from school all week because they can't leave wet ones in their lockers.
P.E instructors and coaches say they still preach the virtues of hygiene and encourage showering. But given the choice, a majority of students don't.
This new reality has emerged around the country, according to the National Assn. for Sport and Physical Education, which comprises teachers and coaches.
Brent Ellis, a sophomore at Westminster High School, is goalie for the varsity water polo team. He and his teammates are exceptions. They actually shower.
But not in the nude.
"All the guys I know shower in swimsuits," says Ellis, who is tanned and seems confident. "I have never seen anyone shower at school in the nude. I have two friends who are not on the team who just don't shower. P.E. is their last class of the day.
"My dad said [that] at his gym, nobody wears anything in the shower, and I was like, 'What?! That's weird.' "
So seldom are the showers used in some middle school student locker rooms that campus furniture is stored there. Occasionally, the showers don't work. If they do work, there may not always be hot water available.
Budgets are so tight that a few schools figure it's wasteful to repair plumbing or hot water tanks for showers that are rarely used.
Bonnie Mohnsen, who oversees physical education programs for the Orange County Board of Education, says that as the number of students showering trickled down, many schools began doing away with towel service. That towels are no longer provided as they were a generation ago is a pet peeve of Katella High School Athletic Director Tom Danley, who thinks youths would be inclined to shower if they didn't have to bring towels to school. But towel laundry and replacement are luxuries at many campuses.
"We just had all our drains routed, so yes, the showers work and there is hot water in both the locker room for P.E. and the one for the athletic teams," says Kim Jeffers, varsity softball coach and girls athletic director at Anaheim High School. "But we also don't have towels for them. I think it's more of an issue of modesty, though."
At Costa Mesa High School, showering after P.E. is strictly voluntary for the 1,800 students in grades 7 through 12, says Principal Andy Hernandez, adding, however, that the school offers students bonus points for showering to encourage it.
"Showers went out of vogue a few years back when the state decided we could no longer charge kids for the towel fee," Hernandez adds, referring to a laundering charge. "At that point, most schools [unofficially] ended mandatory showers."
Even after competition, few athletes shower at school--their own or the opposing team's, according to coaches at many of the county's 75 high schools.
The basketball team at Corona del Mar High School finishes a game and--perspiring or not--dons sweats and rides the bus back to campus. Then players go home to shower, says Coach Paul Orris. The only time he sees P.E. students shower is after they have been swimming. And then, they shower in swimsuits.
"My son played football for three years," says one Anaheim father, "and I think he showered all of maybe two times at Magnolia High. He'd rather get onto the team bus all sweaty and come home to shower."
In many cases, certainly with his own children, it is less modesty than the wish to not stand out that overrides all, he says. In other words, because the modest are the majority, kids who are not self-conscious feel suddenly self-conscious about that.
"It's interesting," he adds with amusement, "I guess we have whole schools of kids walking around campus all day like sweaty little pigs."
Says Miller, Anaheim's athletic director: "Fortunately, I haven't had to ride the team bus for 12 or 13 years."
One boy from Edison High School in Huntington Beach says he is torn about his choice between showering or not after P.E. class.
Interviewed at Westminster Mall while shopping for back-to-school wear, the youth insisted on talking some distance from the food court area that is a magnet for teenagers promenading the tables, eyes darting about to check and be checked out. This P.E. can be such a sensitive subject.
Tall but skinny, the 15-year-old says he subjects himself to mockery if he takes a shower in front of other boys. If he doesn't, he risks alienating fellow students all day with body odor. He opts for deodorant and the latter.
"I have P.E. second period, so I have to like load on the Right Guard and hope it lasts me," says the teen, who asked that his name not be used. "Don't even say what color hair I have. I'm sort of a geek anyway, so I don't need any more hassles."
Teachers say timeless are the fears that young people have about their physique measuring up to their peers. Boys and girls alike obsess about their appearance in the tender junior to senior high school years.
Requiring students to shower, some teachers and P.E. experts say, can be extremely counterproductive.
Pressuring unnerved youths to trudge into a situation fraught with potential embarrassment does not serve the larger aim behind the framework. That's the 2-year-old, statewide program to recondition public school P.E. programs. The goal ultimately is to inspire interest in fitness and teach skills that will serve students for the rest of their lives.
At Huntington Park High School, the gym showers were out of commission for two years for repairs. Instead of sweat-inducing activities, students were allowed to walk around the track each day during phys ed. Teachers say some kids complained, but P.E. attendance shot up. The reason? No worries about baring oneself in the shower, plus more time to socialize and stroll.
Given that teenhood is a time when one nose pimple can ruin a kid's day, changing into a P.E. uniform might be enough to leave some students self-conscious. Teachers, though, say it's the rare kid who will actually say so.
"Its definitely modesty, and it's definitely the age group you're working with--how important it is at that age for privacy," Mohnsen, of the county's education board, says. "I don't know that we, at our age, would want to shower in the gang showers. And at this age, that's a traumatic experience for adolescents."
Adds Jeanne Bartelt, the state Department of Education's physical education consultant and former high school and college P.E. teacher in Northern California: "I was just as scared and self-conscious at that age. Even in the Marine Corps! I discovered that even if I got up at 4 a.m. to shower in private, there was someone else up at 3 doing the same thing.
"If you're a good teacher, and paying attention to your kids," she says, "you can tell if modesty" or fear of disrobing in the communal locker room is preventing a student from participating in P.E.
At Aliso Niguel High, just 4 years old, showers have teal and beige tile and individual temperature controls, says Alma Ming, manager of the girls' locker room. Perhaps because it's more inviting, she says, a lot of the kids shower, even if they lather up in their swimsuits.
"We have some kids who are very secure in their bodies," Ming says. "And because we are near the beach . . . I think there is a different mind-set; kids are used to being outside with fewer clothes on."
Still, one would expect a towel to be used before dressing. At Aliso Niguel, students often use towels while dressing.
"We call it changing surfer style," an amused Ming says. Stealing the style of local surfers who often put their swimsuits on in the beach parking lot, the students wrap a towel around themselves and shimmy clothes on and off beneath it.
"It's amazing," Ming says, "how they can put an entire outfit on under a beach towel like that."


Gorgeous beauty Samantha never leaves an opportunity to shower her love on her beau Naga Chaitanya. Sam's amusing speech while accepting the Best Actor Female award last night stole everyone's hearts.
Samantha and Naga Chaitanya, who have been in love for several years, will be tying the knot on October 6.


Born just a few miles up the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh, Jarrod has been living in sunny St Augustine, Florida for the past 20+ years. While his love for periogies remains strong, much of the Pittsburgh accent has faded. He attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Finance, and met the woman who would eventually become his wife… some 20 years later. After working for a short time in the finance industry, he and his (future) wife Dawn, both quit their corporate gigs to open and operate the not-so-world-famous 'Backstreets Coffeehouse' in St. Augustine. After selling the business, Jarrod took a job with the local library system working in acquisitions, while running the book budget for the 7 library branches in the county. Though Jarrod grew up with a father who considered himself a "Dewars Man", he never had a real interest in whisky himself until his 40th birthday when he felt the need to buy himself a bottle of singlemalt scotch whisky as a rite of passage. It was only a few pours into that bottle of Macallan 12 Sherry Oak that Jarrod knew he had found his new love. In an effort to learn more and meet other like minded people, he joined Twitter under the name @FL_ScotchLover and quickly became immersed in the online whisky community known as the #whiskyfabric. It was not until joining the team at Bourbon & Banter that he really began to explore the world of bourbon and rye whiskies. Hobbies include photography, gardening, woodworking, hiking and biking.
Backpacked through Western Europe for 3 weeks after graduating from college.
Operated a seafood wholesale business in Sarasota, FL, supplying much of the seafood served in area restaurants.
Our Coffeehouse was on an episode of MTV's Ultimate Video Game Countdown when we hosted a performance by the video game cover band, The NESkimos.
As a personal trainer, worked with the world famous stunt pilot & aerobatic national champion Patty Wagstaff.
Married my wife on the 20th Anniversary of our first date… Which also happens to be April Fool's Day.


Nursing I: This course introduces the student to the basic skills necessary for the safe and competent practice of Practical Nursing. The concepts of health, nursing and the individual are correlated with meeting the basic needs of the patient. Basic communication principles and the nursing process are introduced. Correlated clinical experiences facilitate application of learned knowledge and theoretical principles. Emphasis is placed on meeting the basic human needs of selected adult medical-surgical patients by providing safe and competent basic nursing care.
Anatomy and Physiology: This course presents the structure and function of the human body. Basic principles of chemistry, microbiology, and physics are included. Medical terminology, examples of pathophysiology and common diagnostic procedures are introduced.
Nursing Process and Critical Thinking I: This course is designed to help students develop problem-solving skills in order to provide safe and knowledgeable nursing care. The concepts of the nursing process and the development of basic assessment skills. The emphasis of this course is on the basic patient assessment.
Calculation of Drug Dosage: This course presents the metric system and basic mathematical concepts for the calculation of drug dosages.
Gerontology: This subject discusses the individuals health related needs that result from the normal aging process. Focus is on the older adult in their struggle to maintain, promote, and restore health. It also discusses assistance for the challenges of abnormal disorders such as dementia and related conditions. This course deals with the psychosocial and physiological changes that occur normally in the older adult.
Personal and Vocational Relationships I: This course is designed to assist the student in making the necessary personal and professional adjustments appropriate to the role of student practical nurse; included are the transition to the educational environment, nursing's history, ethical and legal guidelines and career information.
Pharmacology I: Basic pharmacological principles of medication administration are covered. Demonstration and laboratory practice enable the student to practice these principles safely and competently in the clinical area. The course continues with in-depth review of general principles of pharmacology.
Nursing Process and Critical Thinking II: This course builds on skills learned in Part I. The course is designed to help students develop problem-solving skills in order to provide safe and knowledgeable nursing care. Development of the nursing care plan is introduced.
Nursing II: This course presents more advanced skills needed for the safe and competent practice of Practical Nursing. It builds on the knowledge and skills attained in Nursing I. Emphasis are placed on the nursing process in identifying needs/problems of the adult patient. Correlated clinical experiences facilitate application of learned knowledge and theoretical principles.
Normal Nutrition and Diet Therapy: This course presents the basic principles of nutritional science, nutrition throughout the life cycle, cultural influences and clinical nutrition.
Pharmacology II: This course is presented to further prepare the LPN for their expanding role as patient bedside nurses under the direction of the physician and/or the registered nurse. Drug Administration & Pharmacology I are prerequisites. The course stresses the importance of the LPN in working toward maximizing therapeutic drug effects while decreasing the possibility of adverse effects. The nursing process is utilized throughout the course to achieve this purpose. The course begins with a general review of pathophysiology that correlates closely with Level II Medical-Surgical Nursing. The course then progresses to the detailed discussion of drugs and how they affect associated body systems. The course is designed to follow closely to corresponding clinical experiences.
Medical-Surgical Nursing 201: This course introduces the student to adult patients with alterations in the respiratory, genitourinary, integumentary and gastrointestinal systems. Common medical disorders are discussed in reference to etiology, symptoms, diagnostic tests, and treatment methods. Use of the nursing process in planning care of the patient with alterations in the wellness continuum is emphasized.
Clinical assignments are scheduled in medical-surgical areas to enhance the learning experience. Promotion of the application of safe and competent nursing care is correlated with didactic learning. Supervised medication administration is introduced.
Medical-Surgical Nursing 301: This course briefly reviews normal anatomy and physiology of the reproductive, immune, musculoskeletal, and endocrine systems. Alterations in these systems are presented in detail. Continued use of the nursing process in planning care of the patient with complex needs/problems is emphasized. Competent and safe nursing care of the patient in need of proficient use of more advanced knowledge and skills is the expected outcome.
Correlated clinical experiences are scheduled in medical-surgical and extended care areas to provide the opportunity for the student to improve nursing skills and utilize the nursing process to meet the needs of the adult patient. Supervised medication administration is also included.
Maternal-Child Nursing I; Obstetrics: This course presents the necessary knowledge and skills needed to care for the pregnant mother, fetus, family and newborn. Growth and development and nursing care of the normal newborn as well as infants with health problems is covered. Women's health, family care and cultural diversity are stressed throughout the course.
Correlated clinical experience provides the student the opportunity to care for the patient in labor/delivery, post-partum area, and nursery.
I.V. Therapy: This course covers the scientific principles of Intravenous therapy including care of central lines, administration of medication, venipuncture, site care and complications.
Pharmacology III: This course continues the progression of the detailed discussion of drugs that affect body systems that correlate closely to the Level III Medical-Surgical Nursing. Drug Administration, Pharmacology I and Pharmacology II are prerequisites. The course is designed to follow closely to corresponding clinical experiences.
Mental Health: This course presents basic concepts of assessment, diagnoses, and treatments of the patient with mental health problems. The subjects of abuse including substance and eating disorders as well as sexual abuse and domestic violence are emphasized as well.
Medical-Surgical Nursing 401: The emphasis of this course is the maintenance of wellness and the importance of patient education in disease prevention associated with the sensory, neurological, blood and lymph and cardiovascular systems. The continued use of the nursing process is integrated throughout the course content. Common complex disease states associated with the specific body systems presented in this course are introduced and thoroughly discussed. Integration of pharmacological principles as they relate to the disease state becomes more detailed. Correlated clinical experience allows the student to utilize the nursing process in planning care for patients with health care problems associated with neurological, blood and lymph and cardiovascular systems. The goal is to promote the application of advanced knowledge and skills necessary for safe and competent nursing care.
Personal and Vocational Relationships II: This course prepares the student to function as a practical nurse who is capable of assuming a leadership role. It incorporates employment-seeking skills, legal implications, continuing education and nursing organizations into the graduates' background.
Maternal-Child Nursing II; Pediatrics: This course presents concepts of nursing care for the child from toddler through adolescence. Emphasis is placed on identifying appropriate needs/problems appropriate to age and developmental stage by use of the nursing process. Correlated clinical assignment provides the student experience in the acute care clinical setting. Other assignments are also scheduled to allow the student to experience on-going health promotion and maintenance of the child.
Pharmacology IV: This course continues the progression of the detailed discussion of drugs that affect body systems that correlate to Level IV Medical-Surgical Nursing. Drug Administration, Pharmacology I, II and III are prerequisites. The course is designed to follow closely to corresponding clinical experiences.
© 2019 Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Nursing Program. All rights reserved.


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Defeated Lawmakers Trek From the Hill to Middle Earth — And Beyond
Life after Congress has included ambassadorships for dozens
Former Sen. Scott Brown was nominated by President Donald Trump to be U.S. ambassador to New Zealand. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
By David Hawkings
Posted May 9, 2017 at 5:05am
If three makes a trend and four creates a pattern, then dispatching favored congressional losers to New Zealand has become not just a sliver but a pillar of the American diplomatic order.
When Scott Brown takes over the embassy in Wellington by this summer — his confirmation virtually assured thanks to the endorsements of both Democratic senators who have defeated him — the onetime matinee idol for Republican centrists will become the fourth former member of Congress who's assumed that particular ambassadorship after being rejected by the voters.
It's a curious criterion for filling the position, because getting defeated in a prominent campaign for the Senate provides no obviously important experience for representing the United States to one of its most prominent and loyal allies on the Pacific Rim.
But such is the rarely predictable, although often political, nature of how a president chooses his envoys to the world — a process that seems destined to look as mercurial as ever now that President Donald Trump has taken over.
As his presidency passed the symbolic 100-day mark, in addition to Brown, the president has tapped candidates for only a half dozen of the most prominent ambassadorships, among them Gov. Terry E. Branstad of Iowa for China, former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. of Utah to Russia, the president's bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman for Israel and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson for the United Kingdom.
With more than 180 positions still open, frenzied lobbying for the choicest continues to intensify, mainly among the legions of generous Republican donors hoping to be rewarded with a plush posting, mostly in the Caribbean or Western Europe.
But, if the past is any prologue, at least a couple of the jobs will go to onetime lawmakers — some hoping a toehold in the diplomatic corps will restart a public service career cut short by their constituents, others seeking a life other than lobbying after leaving the Capitol voluntarily.
Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, a former House Intelligence chairman who retired in 2010, is eyeing a return to the Netherlands, where he was born. Randy Neugebauer of Texas, a senior member of House Financial Services who left at the end of last year, is getting mentioned for Mexico.
There's also a chance that Trump, who's already cherry-picked several lawmakers for his Cabinet, will fill a premier ambassadorship with an incumbent on the Hill. Each of the three previous presidents has done so, most recently when President Barack Obama persuaded Democrat Max Baucus three years ago to relinquish the Senate Finance Committee chairmanship and become envoy to Beijing.
One member of the Trump senior team, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, was ambassador to Germany for almost four years in between his stints as a GOP senator from Indiana.
Altogether, nine members of Congress have resigned to take ambassadorships in the past century and 56 others — precisely split between the parties — have assumed such posts since Word War I after lawmaking tenures, a search of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress reveals.
(Composite by Chris Hale/CQ Roll Call)
Parting gift
Brown is now slated to join that roster as something of a consolation prize, his widely expected nomination for Veterans Affairs secretary disappearing after a reportedly disastrous job interview with Trump during the transition.
Endorsing Trump just before his crucial victory in the New Hampshire primary has breathed new life into Brown's mercurial public career. Running as an outsider moderate, the onetime Cosmopolitan centerfold and state legislator scored one of the bigger upsets in recent congressional history in 2010 to become the first GOP senator from Massachusetts in 32 years. But he lost to Elizabeth Warren two years later, then relocated next door to New Hampshire but came up short in his 2014 challenge to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. He's been a contributor to Fox News since then.
The New Zealand Herald has signaled its approval of Brown, hailing the choice of "a former nude model who supports waterboarding."
The other former members who went to New Zealand were Carol Moseley Braun, posted at the end of the Clinton administration following her defeat in Illinois in 1998 for a second term as the first African-American female senator; Armistead Selden, a House member who lost the Democratic primary for an open Alabama Senate seat in 1968, switched to the GOP after Richard Nixon sent him overseas but then failed in his second Senate try; and Robert Hendrickson, who got the job in the Eisenhower administration after his anti-Joe McCarthy stand effectively cost him the 1954 GOP nomination for a second Senate term from New Jersey.
All the while, the country has been among the most reliable, important and breathtakingly gorgeous non-NATO allies of the United States.
And its temperate beauty combined with its remoteness has helped make it a relocation hot spot for those disaffected with the new president.
Since the election, The Associated Press reported, there have been surges of both American tourists and U.S. applicants for Kiwi work visas and citizenship. (The craze may have been egged on by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who joked last summer that "It's time for us to move to New Zealand" would be her reaction to a Trump victory.)
Only two other plum diplomatic posts have been filled by more people with congressional experience.
Five have been ambassador to the United Kingdom, although none since the Truman administration.
And a cluster of six nationally prominent figures have been ambassadors to the United Nations — including Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. after losing his Massachusetts Senate seat and before becoming Nixon's 1960 running mate, George Bush after he left his Houston House seat in 1970, and Andrew Young between his stints as Atlanta's congressman and mayor.
Japan has long pressed for a U.S. envoy who's a well-known political name, most recently Caroline Kennedy, and four of her predecessors gained global stature from time in the top echelons of congressional power: Democratic senator and Vice President Walter Mondale, Democratic House Speaker Thomas S. Foley, and a pair of Senate majority leaders, Democrat Mike Mansfield and Republican Howard Baker.
But this time, Trump has gone a different route, tapping Tennessee private equity firm founder William Hagerty.
In the past century, meanwhile, just 13 people have come to the Hill after serving as ambassadors, and three are in the House today: Democrat Donald S. Beyer Jr. of Virginia represented Clinton in Switzerland, while Republicans Ann Wagner of Missouri (Luxembourg) and Francis Rooney of Florida (the Vatican) were tapped by President George W. Bush.
The roster of congressional alumni includes only 215 women and just six of them, all prominent voices in their legislative days, went on to diplomatic careers. Moseley Braun and Lindy Boggs, a veteran New Orleans congresswoman before becoming Clinton's Vatican envoy, are the only Democrats.
The others were all House Republicans. Claire Booth Luce of Connecticut was the first woman confirmed for a premier U.S ambassadorship and headed to Italy in 1953. President Ronald Reagan sent Millicent Fenwick to the U.N. Agencies for Food and Agriculture after she lost the 1982 Senate race in New Jersey. Margaret Heckler of Massachusetts, ousted from her House seat that same year, was Reagan's second-term envoy to Ireland after a rocky stint as Health and Human Services secretary. And when prominent GOP moderate Constance A. Morella was defeated in Maryland in 2002, she spent five years as envoy to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
There was rampant speculation that, had Hillary Clinton been elected, Nancy Pelosi would have had her choice of diplomatic sinecures as a thank-you present for departing after 14 years as leader of the House Democrats. But like so much else about the intersection of diplomacy and Congress, those predictions proved wholly premature.


The Wrexham AFC Website posted a Build the Budget article whereby supporters can grab themselves a signed match worn 2017-18 white third shirt. Also; manager Sam Ricketts attended a football special held at the Cambrian Heritage Railway last weekend. The boss was invited along by Wrexham supporter Dave Owen and he attended the event to help raise funds for Hope House Hospice.
The Leader ran a story about the Macron Store Wrexham launch of our official Portugal training tops. The new shirt features the iconic vintage Wrexham Lager logo on the front and has been well received by supporters.
The Daily Post have spoken to midfielder Leo Smith who believes that new manager Sam Ricketts is the perfect manager to bring the best out of his playing abilities. Smith has made his way through the Racecourse ranks and earned a three year contact under previous boss Dean Keates.