Sam Sims began his musical journey at age seven, learning piano from his mother, and was writing original songs by age fourteen. His songs have been licensed and featured on prime-time television shows (CBS' Hawaii 5-0 aired Sam's Hawaiian Christmas Song in 2013 and 2014). With four full-length albums and a Christmas single to date, Sam's music encompasses melodically-voiced acoustic guitar, ukulele, exquisite lyrics, and soulful vocals.
Missions: encouraging positivity; writing and performing high-quality music; providing music education through performance and charitable outreach.
Sam has shared stages with well-respected acts such as Willie Nile (who frequently plays with Bruce Springsteen), Steve Forbert, and Rob Machado (surfer extraordinaire). Sam Sims Band opened large shows for Bob Marley's legendary band, The Wailers (in 2014 and again in 2015). Sam has performed in a variety of locations to include: New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Hawaii, Utah, Washington DC, Texas, Nicaragua, Tobago, and Costa Rica.
Sam also works with Springsteen's engineer, had his music featured on CBS' Hawaii 5-0, showcased at venues during the Sundance Film Festival, and played on The Mountain Morning Show, Park City Television, Park City, UT.
Outreach: Sam has volunteered in the United States and Nicaragua for charitable organizations such as Shining-Through-Shadows, Waves-For-Water, The Light-of-Day Foundation, Campership of Monmouth County, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Waves-of-Hope, Change a Life Uganda, Global Camps Africa, Family Promise of Monmouth County, Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation, NAMI, Mary's Place, CFC Loud N Clear Foundation, Surfrider Foundation, Joan Dancy & PALS (People with ALS) Foundation, Marine Resources Council, Monmouth Cultural Center, Sandy Hook Concert Series, Film One Festival, Highlands Clam Festival, and Monmouth University Fundraiser For Humane Society of Tinton Falls.
2013 EP "Christmas Songs" - Both tracks on this beautifully orchestrated album indefinitely provide a reminder of the holiday season's true purpose.
2013 Album "Into the Blue" - A highly organic album, reflects musical growth through a diverse compilation of heartfelt, lighthearted, and soulful songs.
2011 Album "Moments" - Embraces the concept of being present in the living moment as we are often distracted by the future and the past. Fully living, we are in the here and now.
2009 Album "Neon Signs" - It's full of heart-warming, evocative lyrics and melodies, and features popular live songs such as "Hula Girl".
MUSICIAN: Percussionist, Drummer, Vocalist. Dimitris creates a signature sound by integrating hand percussion instruments with a traditional drum kit.
CAREER: Dimitris began his musical journey at age twelve, learning to play drums inspired by teen friend Tico Torres of Bonjovi. His passion to play hand percussion came later in life inspired by Shelia E. of Prince. Dimitris has performed with musicians of multiple genres, and has performed internationally with colleges, cruise ships and land excursions. His performances have sailed him through the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian Seas.
Artie Ross, CD "Wanderlist and Friends"
Dimitris has performed with over 400+ musicians and bands. He has become a well-respected musician at two New Jersey Open Mics (one run by Rob Dye, George Ott and Mike Ghegan, and the other with Carol Barbieri, Bobby Donofrio, and Mike Penny). He is the percussion player and backing singer for the Sam Sims Band (which includes the multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Sam Sims and guitar virtuoso Kyle Ward). He also plays in the group, Square Head with Thor Tollefsen and Mark Jones; and Timekeypers with Bill Sapienza.
OUTREACH: Dimitris, is a member of various non profit organizations; the Count Basie Theater, and Musicians on a Mission. Furthermore, he has helped the Monmouth County Arts Council, Joan Dancy & PALS (People with ALS) Foundation, Light-of-Day Foundation, Mary's Place, CFC Loud N Clear Foundation, Monmouth Cultural Center, Sandy Hook Concert Series, Film One Festival, Highlands Clam Festival, and Monmouth University Fundraiser For Humane Society of Tinton Falls.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Acoustic Alchemy, Arturo Fuerte, Bonjovi, Bruce Springstein, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Eagles, Four Play, Gypsy King, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Journey, Kenny G, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Rodriquez, Santana, Shelia E, Spiro Gyro, Stevie Wonder, Train, Yanni, Jack Johnson, David Gray and ZZ Top.
PERSONAL LIFE: Dimitris enjoys weight lifting, biking, and traveling to places where he finds inspiration (such as the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Italia and the Greek isles). He enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Michele Camille, family and friends. While playing music, Dimitris was a banker for decades. His love for music and percussion spans a lifetime.
Kyle Ward is a multi-talented instrumentalist who specializes in music production and guitar performance. He currently attends Berklee College of Music, and has made numerous accomplishments at age 21. He started playing guitar at age eight and learned the drums shortly thereafter. Kyle was the lead guitarist of Ardvark Smile (an award winning Jersey Shore band). The band won the 'Rock-to-the-Top' Contest at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park after beating out 100 other groups and selling out their headlining show at the venue. Kyle is now the lead guitarist for the 'Sam Sims Band', and also performs with other respected musicians such as Doug Wimbash and Scott Elk.
Kyle graduated from Rumson Fair Haven High School where he received the Performing Arts Society Award as well as the John Philip Sousa Award for Musical Excellence. In the summer of 2014, Kyle was an honoree at the Rockin' Music Academy of Middletown and was recognized as one of the best guitarists in the history of the Academy. He was welcomed into the Holiday Express family of musicians in November 2014 as their youngest instrumentalist and logged-in close to twenty shows that season with some of New Jersey's best musicians.
In High School Kyle participated in many prestigious music programs including Summer programs at the Berklee College of Music, the Grammy Foundation's Grammy Camp, University of the Arts Summer Jazz Performance Program, NYU Future Music Moguls at the Clive Davis School of Music, The Jazz Arts Program and Rockit at the Count Basie Theatre, School of Rock All Stars, Rockin' Music Academy Band and Summer Programs, Musicians Studio, and the RFHRHS Jazz and Percussion Ensembles. He was also a finalist for best under twenty-one instrumentalist at the Asbury Park JAM Awards.
Kyle has taught private guitar lessons for over five years and worked in the Rockin' Music Academy Summer Camps as a musical counselor. He has also worked as an Intern at the Lake House Music and Recording Studio and completed an internship with Eventide Audio & Communications company as a result of his musical talent and electronics expertise. And as a direct result of his guitar talents, he was also invited to attend the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) convention in Anaheim, California.
In addition to Holiday Express, Kyle has helped numerous non-profit organizations to include: Musicians on a Mission, The Light of Day Foundation, Campership of Monmouth County, the Monmouth Museum, Lunch Break, Asbury Park Music Foundation, Film One Fest, Sandy Hook Concert Series, TedX Navesink, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, the Monmouth County Arts Council, and Big Brothers Big Sisters among others. He has performed at Rock to Prevent for Prevention First for the past four years where he composed the music and appeared in a PSA music video for Prevention First. His video aired on television for six months and was also featured at the 2015 Asbury Park Music in Film Festival.
Kyle has also studied with well respected musicians such as Matt O'Ree, Brent Bergholm, Bob Grieco, Jon Rotman, Dave Miller, and Jody Joseph Bongiovi. Kyle's instructors at the Berklee College of Music, who are some of the best in the world, continue to challenge and push him to the next level.
Aaron plays bass guitar, regular guitar, drums, and also sings vocals. He specializes in 80's and 90's music, but is extremely versatile in most all genres.
- Musical Groups & Experience: Bassist of Omega Train, EMW. Lead singer of Woodfish. Also a guest performer with Moroccan Sheepherders and Carnival Dogs.
Aaron has also appeared on the First Downtown All Stars of Red Bank album "Bright Lights on Broad Street" and is being featured on the upcoming album "Magic on the Navesink".


I despair at Coast. As previously blogged here, in the first episode of this series they managed to place Dover in Essex on a map, but last week's programme about Sweden's Baltic coast had me repeatedly shouting "Fail" at the screen.
Firstly, there's the age-old problem of Brits being utterly unaware of accented characters and the importance thereof in other languages – so we get map captions that say "Hogbonden" instead of "Högbonden" and "Aland" instead of "Åland". FAIL. It's ignorant, disrespectful and wrong. They are different letters, not just funny marks that don't matter. Imagine the condescending laughter if "foreigners" were to broadcast misspellings such as Löndon or The Ile of Weight. And don't get me started on presenter Nicholas Crane's dodgy (and inconsistent) pronunciation of non-English placenames. The BBC gives its newsreaders advice and training on this point, but apparently not its other presenters.
And then we have the obligatory visit to the tiny island of Viggsö (near Stockholm), where ABBA wrote many of their most famous songs. Except that, in this programme, the piece on this island was featured near the start of the show, sandwiched between two pieces about Sweden's High Coast – the implication being that Viggsö is in the remote north, which it isn't. FAIL. The piece should have been towards the end of the programme, as the notional journey taken on this episode ended in Stockholm.
Final whinge: the programme visited the Åland Islands, but at no time was it mentioned that the islands are actually part of Finland (although the inhabitants speak Swedish). In a programme specifically about the Swedish coast, this omission implied that the islands form part of Sweden. FAIL.


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It is now officially one month since Avengers: Infinity War released globally and with the movie grossing over 1.8 billion dollars internationally at the end of one month, surely everyone on this planet and that one guy in Vormir has seen it at least once.
If you're a fan of the franchise, you would have felt the emotional upheavals that this movie brings while also acknowledging just how well the directors did to bring so many diverse franchises together and give us such a coherent movie. I've always been a big fan of the Russo brothers for years and know them to be always thinking ahead a few steps ahead of the viewers and inserting hidden easter eggs within their scenes, right from their days on television with the show 'Arrested Development'.
Do you think you noticed all the minor details the directors hid inside this movie that was a culmination of a decade of movie story-telling? I am guessing not. There is only one way to find out. So here's my list of 35 things I bet you missed while watching Avengers: Infinity War.
It goes without saying that there are major spoilers ahead and you should not be reading this if you haven't watched the movie yet.
01 The Stones in the Gauntlet
This is an easy one to begin with but surprisingly, many I talked to missed it. I guess I just assumed everyone understood this. The Stones in the Gauntlet shine based on which stone/ability is being used. For example, the purple stone lights up when Thanos uses power to set the Asgardian ship on fire, blue when he uses the space stone to move across space and green when time is being manipulated at the end.
02 Half a ship
What really needs a second viewing to note is the very first visual of the movie. The ship that Thor and the Asgardians were on isn't entirely there! This could be because of the assault by Thanos that precedes what we see OR (as I believe) a suggestion that some characters we love (Korg, Valkyrie) escaped.
03 Voice of Asgardian distress call
Before you have the first visual on screen, you have the first voice - a distress call from the Asgardian ship. That is not some random voice pleading for the Asgardians. That's Kennath Branagh, the director of the original Thor movie. Wonderful to see the whole franchise family chipping in.
04 We Have a Hulk
Loki telling Thanos 'We Have a Hulk' is a direct callback to what Iron Man had told Loki before the battle of New York began in the first Avengers movie.
05 The Defenders video game
The game Groot is constantly playing is an old arcade game called Defenders. The aim of the game is to defeat waves of aliens while stopping them from abducting humans. Replace that last bit with 'making humans disappear' and you can see the similarities with the movie plot, I hope!
06 Steve Rogers is not Captain America, but Nomad
In the comics, there comes a time when Steve Rogers is so disillusioned, he gives up the title of Captain America and fights under a new look and title, Nomad.
While the film never calls him by this name directly, they drop hints by a) changing his earlier blue-white-red suit into a far muted, worn down version of the same that is now almost black and missing the star at the center. Nomad's suit in the comics is honestly hideous so this version is better and yet, the directors were smart enough to incorporate the shiny buckles on the upper half of his chest in a unique way.
07 The Blue Man in KnoWhere
Look carefully when the Guardians of the Galaxy enter the Collector's lair in KnoWhere and you will spot a moustached bald blue man wearing denim shorts inside a cage. Fans of the iconic television sitcom 'Arrested Development' will readily recognize him as the hilariously silly character of Dr Tobias Funke.
The Russo brothers are notorious for this, actually. Both earlier movies they directed for Marvel feature cameos from shows they worked on - actor Danni Pudi (Community) was in Captain America: The Winter Soldier while Jim Rash (Community) was there in Captain America: Civil war in addition to the Bluth family's stair car (Arrested Development) sitting in the airport during that iconic battle scene.
08 Return of the Red Skull
One of the biggest surprise cameos in this movie was definitely the return of the Red Skull, now exiled in Vormir. We last saw him disappear at the end of 'Captain America: The First Avenger' when he tried to hold the Tesseract (the Space Stone, essentially) which sent him to, well, you now know where after all these years.
09 Mantis and Spiderman realizing something is coming
On the planet Titan after 'the snap', only two people seem to have a forewarning that something bad is starting to happen. This is not a random choice. Both Mantis and Spiderman are the only ones among those there who have an extra-sensory ability regarding danger.
10 The first and last scene of Spiderman
In a storyline that saw the young school-going child selflessly risk his life to save a stranger (Dr Strange) just because his father figure told him to, finally become an Avenger and fight with great determination against an alien in another planet, what you may have failed to notice is that the first and last scene of Spiderman/ Peter Parker both involve his Spider sense warning him.
The first is the brilliantly shot moment in the bus where the hair on his hand literally stands up.
The last is the tragic moment at the end where, unlike the others, his spider sense actually warns him of his impending death resulting in him telling Tony Stark that he is not feeling so good.
11 Spiderman dying slower
Unlike the others who disintegrated in one to two seconds, Spiderman takes longer, pleading and crying to his father figure, Tony Stark in a heart-breaking moment before he dies. This wasn't just a deliberate ploy by the directors; of the lot on the planet, the only one with healing abilities which helps delay or survive damage to the body was Spiderman. (Peter Quill had it in Guardians of the Galaxy but if you recall at the end of the second movie, loses it, fighting his father.)
12 Yibambe
Black Panther screams the word - 'Yibambe' to his warriors as they stand there waiting for the battle to begin. This isn't a made up word. This actually is an African word from the Xhosa language that means 'Hold' (as in 'Hold the line')
13 Iron Man and his left arm
You think you've seen all the movies he's been in and know your Iron Man? Well, have you noticed the injury he has been nursing in his left arm for OVER A DECADE?
It starts in the first Iron Man movie when during his first battle with the suit on, Tony is hit in the left shoulder while flying by an anti-aircraft shell.
In Captain America: Civil War, he talks to Captain America before Bucky gets interrogated and mentions the numbness in his left arm.
Note where the suit shows his injury - left arm, once more
Shortly after, the two sides battle together and we see him get injured in the left arm again.
He wears a sling immediately after that battle and is troubled by that hand till the end of the movie.
Even as he talks to Peter Parker in 'Spiderman: Homecoming', there are at least two moments where Tony Stark is either holding that left hang gingerly or else (in the scene where he is at a wedding in India), you can see his left hand shaking (his right hand is deliberately shown to be perfectly steady) as he talks.
Even as his final scene has him breaking down as his protege Spiderman crumbles in his hands, he is still nursing the same injury that has plagued him for a decade.
Nods to MARVEL Comics books
Storm Breaker
In the comics, the axe Storm breaker, is actually gifted by Odin to a fellow hero Beta Ray Bill who had defeated Thor in battle and found worthy of wielding Thor's iconic hammer, Mjolnir.
The Iron Spider Suit
Just like in the comics, Tony Stark designs an advanced Spiderman suit for Peter Parker, one with new features including those appendages that shoot out from the back giving him extra leverage.
Ribbons and Blocks
In the movies, in the planet KnoWhere, Thanos turns Drax into blocks and Mantis into ribbons during the attack. This same scene occurs in the comics with Mantis and Thanos' brother Eros.
Image: ScreenRant
Ebony Maw torturing Doctor Strange too is a moment from the comics, though from a different storyline. There, he succeeds in gaining control of Strange and turning him against the others. Just goes to show how strong Ebony Maw really is.
Hulk / Bruce Banner falling through Doctor's Strange's roof at the Sanctum Sanctorum is a near replica from the comic books where the Silver Surfer (remember him from the second Fantastic Four movie?) falls through to warn that Thanos is coming.
The Fate of Nebula
In the movie, Thanos breaks his own daughter Nebula into mechanical bits while torturing her. The comics were not far off, where he burned her and yet kept her alive, suffering.
Vision and Wanda
In the comics, Vision and Wanda are a couple who even get married. Sadly, they were a very tumultuous couple with a sad end result in almost every timeline created over decades of story telling.
Stark discusses having a son with Pepper Potts and naming him Morgan, after his uncle. The comic book version of Morgan Stark would be his cousin, a bad guy who later becomes the villain Ultimo.
Doctor Strange's spells
Those aren't random spells Strange uses while combating Thanos.
The Crimson bands of Cyttorak are the red coloured energy beams that are strong enough to even hold Thanos.
Also seen is the 'Images of Ikonn' spell that shows thousands of Dr Strange's flying across the sky, meant to confuse Thanos.
That last scene
That last scene with Thanos resting peacefully as he watches the sun set like a hero (which he believes he is, remember) is again, an exact replica from a comic book from over two decades ago where Thanos retires to lead a quaint life after all the chaos he caused.
The Snap
We can't not talk about the snap, can we? Well, Thanos snapping his fingers and killing half of humanity is not something new if you know his story - in fact, in the comic book arc, it is the first page of the story!
Pop culture references
Iron Man calling the evil Ebony Maw 'Squidward' is a reference to his resemblance to the cartoon character Squidward Tentacles, from the show Spongebob Squarepants.
Iron Man also wishes Spiderman 'Happy Trails' before activating the parachute in his new suit, expecting to send the latter back to Earth as he himself heads off to space. This is the same farewell given by one of Hollywood's most iconic heroes, John McClane (Bruce Willis in Die Hard) at the end of the movie.
Peter Parker / Spiderman using a movie idea (Aliens, in this case) to kill Ebony Maw is the second time he has been influenced by old movies, after using an idea from the Star Wars movies to take down Ant-Man in Captain America: Civil War.
Sadly, one of Peter Parker's last lines in the movie 'I don't want to go' also actually betrays his love of television shows, as these are the exact last words of the 10th Doctor Who before he 'goes away' (Dr Who regenerates, for those who don't know)
StarLord calling Thanos 'Grimace' is an obscure reference to a villainous character from an 80's McDonald burger commericals series. This may seem weird to us but makes perfect sense considering Peter has never seen anything from Earth after the 80's!
That incidentally, explains why he believes the 80's Kevin Bacon hit Footloose is 'the greatest movie' ever and why he feels honoured when Iron Man tries to mock him by calling him Flash Gordon, an 1930s comic book hero who was abducted from Earth traveled across space fighting bad guys (exactly like Peter Quill.)
That would be Grimace. And yes, the man in this 30 year old commercial is President Donald Trump. How sadly prophetic for America those last words were!
30 Captain America and Black Panther visual comparison
Did you notice how the directors framed the same scene in two different movies (the first being the post credit scene from Avengers: Civil War, the second a moment from Avengers: Infinity War), showing the passage of time as one lives the life of a king and the other an outcast for two years?
31 That Orange World
The moment after Thanos snapped his fingers, he found himself healed and in a strange orange world where he conversed with a young Gamora. This isn't necessarily in his mind, as you imagined.
This is the Soul World, within the orange Soul Stone. Think of it is a version of Heaven where souls killed using the Stones now live in peace. In the comics, the Soul Stone is unlike the other stones and has something like a mind of its own, hungering for more souls.
32 The song "This is My Choice"
As Tony (stuck in the spaceship hurtling away from Earth) talks to Pepper, she begs him to come back and he tells her he may not be able to make it. In the background, the song 'This is My Choice' plays.
This is the same background tune that played in Captain America: The First Avenger at the end when Steve Rogers talks to his love Peggy in a similar situation for the last time, telling her he may not be able to make it back to meet her before he crashes the plane to save the world.
33 Link between Thanos and Iron Man
Did you pick up the similarities between Iron Man and Thanos? In their ending moments together, Thanos tells him how, like Tony Stark, he too is cursed with the power of knowledge. That is a far deeper concept that you think. Both are scared of a future they envision of the world and believe they are the ones 'cursed with the knowledge of what the future will be' and who must assume responsibility to save it (one by destroying half the universe, the other by starting the Avengers and being prepared for alien attacks.)
34 Miss Marvel
Nick Fury's SOS call is received after he disintegrates and the symbol is definitely that of Miss Marvel, an Earth based cosmic superheroine, considered to be one of the strongest beings in the Universe. We will know more about her next year as her movie kicks off 2019 and arrives before Avengers 4. That movie is set in the 1990s and so we will get to see younger versions of Nick Fury, an alive Agent Coulson, the starting phases of the group SHIELD and will even feature Guardians of the Galaxy villain Ronan the Accuser once more.
35 Dad (revealed by directors)
You couldn't have known this but the directors confirmed this heartbreaking footnote on Twitter a few weeks after the movie released. According to the written screenplay, the final words Groot cries before he disappears as Rocket Raccoon rushes to him is 'Dad?'
For him, the Guardians were his family but Raccoon was always like a father to him.
(I'm not crying. You're crying.) Imagine what's going through Rocket's heart, having to watch Groot die not once but twice.
That is it from my side.
How many of these did you know? How many were you surprised by? Do let me know your doubts or thoughts in the comments section.
The final words by King T'Challa at the end of the Marvel movie Black Panther is an apt reminder to a world that is increasingly choosing barriers over bridges to look beyond dominance and choose humanity.
A world that is hell-bent on 'avenging' the distant past instead of enriching the immediate future.
"Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We cannot. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we as brothers and sisters on this Earth should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe."
- King T'Challa, 'Black Panther'
Take a single moment and think about whom you support in today's suffocating world, wherever you may be.
Is your choice for the future one that involves barriers or bridges?
Can you forgive the crimes of the distant past committed by others so that you allow everyone to grow together as a single tribe?
Because the alternative is (whether you choose to say it aloud or not) genocide. And that is no alternative at all.
This were some of my #MondayMusings.
You can find the musings of other writers here
It certainly isn't something the bride expected. One moment Brittany Cook of Cambridge, Ontario was happily posing with her husband for the wedding photos and the next moment, he was dashing off and jumping into a pond!
While posing for the photographs by a park bridge, the groom Clayton Cook had noticed a child in the pond struggling to stay afloat. The child had been pushed by other children and was about to drown when Clayton reached him.
Darren Hatt, the wedding photographer, was there at the right moment and took pictures of the moment which went viral shortly after.
Image Courtesy: Hatt Photography
By the time the bride and photographer had realized what had happened, the groom had already dived in (wearing his wedding suit and all) and saved the child.
"That's Clay, like that's Clay to me," his bride Brittany mentioned to reporters later. "It's something he would just instinctively do."
Of course, who else but Ellen Degeneres to have the final word in this story. Watch how she thanks Clayton Cook for being a Hero of Kindness.
This post is part of the We Are the World Blogfest, a monthly event to showcase stories of compassion. The hosts for this month are: Shilpa Garg, Inderpreet Kaur Uppal, Peter Nena, Andrea Michaels, Damyanti Biswas.
The idea is to spread positivity and light to counterbalance the negativity and darkness in social media. You can check their pages to find the list of feel-good stories written by bloggers from around the world.
Cop. Rowdy. Lover. Cad. Don. Common man. Bullock-cart Driver. Casino owner. Killer. Dancer. Doctor. Mental patient. Awaiting the death penalty. Alzheimers. Bed-ridden. Carnatic singer.
In real life : Actor. Singer. Producer. Padma Shri. Superstar. Icon. Lieutanant Colonel. Six Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor. Four National Film Awards. Over 300 films.
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair.
Mohanlal.
Unlike a Bollywood superstar's 'Top movies' list, making a list for actors of Malayalam cinema (especially one from the golden era of storytelling), is tougher. If I were to make a list of the Top 10 Mohanlal movies worth watching, invariably movies showcasing his acting talent would be overshadowed by movies which provided great comic relief or 'just' entertainment.
So, keeping that in mind, I will attempt to combine both worlds - giving you a list that showcases both Mohanlal's acting abilities as well as some of his most loved movies. I'm thus limiting the total list to a meagre 50 movies ("BLASPHEMY !" I know.)
Fun Entertainers
Chandralekha
Rajavinte Makan
Udayan Aanu Taaram
Irupatham Noottandu
Thenmavin Kombathu
Aram + Aram Kinnaram
Poochakkoru Mookkuthi
T.P.Balagopalan M.A. ( State Award - Best Actor )
Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam
Vietnam Colony
Ulladakkam ( State Award - Best Actor )
Minnaram
Devasuram
Narasimham
Keeps you hooked
Thalavattam - Loosely adapted from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Mohanlal plays a patient in a mental hospital who slowly starts to recover and finds himself falling in love with his doctor, much to her father's chagrin.
Kilukkam - Kilukkam works because of the overall dynamics - comedy, storyline and a spirited Revathy. The story of a young woman who comes to Ooty and convinces a tourist guide ( Mohanlal ) albeit briefly that she is a Princess, while she searches for her father, was a huge hit, not just because of the comic timing of the lead and supporting actors ( Jagathy, Innocent, Thilakan ) but because the director, Priyadarshan had the ability to make you smile at one minute and tug at your heart the next.
The Nadodikkaattu trilogy - You ask me why this movie appears in this section of the list... I ask you why are you smiling as soon as you read the name. Unemployment has never been as funny as this movie where two 'friends' Ramdas ( Mohanlal ) and Vijayan ( Sreenivasan ) try to get to Dubai in search of a job but instead land up in Tamil Nadu. There are so many iconic moments of absolute comic timing, I wouldn't know where to start. The Managing director incident. The cow. Mammukoya as Gafur. Anganne Pavanayi Shavamayi. Srinivasan meeting actress Seema. Thilakan as Ananthan Nambiar.
Two more sequels of this duo ( now CIDs Ramdas and Vijayan ) - Pattanapravesham and Akkare Akkare Akkare - were equally hilarious. To a true Malayali, if someone says the word 'trilogy', he won't think of Star Wars or Avengers, he knows you mean these three films.
Sadayam - This was a darker role, of a convict awaiting the gallows, who narrates the chain of events culminating in him killing two men and two small children to the prison doctor. This thriller was a deserved winner of the National Award for Screenplay ( M.T. Vasudevan Nair )
Boeing Boeing - Nothing to do with acting. Nothing to do with originality ( it is a copy of a 1960 play, remade in English in '65, in Malayalam 20 years later and a further 20 years later in Hindi as Garam Masala. ) Mohanlal plays a 'rascally scoundrel' who's dating one air-hostess too many and trying to get away with it. It doesn't helps when your equally 'rascally' friend ( Mukesh ) wants a share of the 'metaphorical' pie and you have a aging chef ( Sukumari ) who's struggling to remember which girl is which. The real hero here is the script which combines slapstick with situational comedy to great effect.
Yodha - Inspite of bordering on the fantastical, Yodha was a major hit when it released. A small-village lad ( Mohanlal ) is packed off to his uncle's place in Nepal when an astrologer claims he will commit a murder very soon. Unknown to him however, he is to be the saviour of a young monk, destined to be the Rimpoche ( Tibetian for 'Precious One' )... that is, if he doesn't end up killing his annoying cousin, Appukuttan ( a hilarious Jagathy ) first. Fun fact: This was A R Rahman's only musical score for a Malayalam film.
Manichitrathazhu - This film is not famous for Mohanlal, but for Shobana and deservedly so. A true psychological thriller, it focuses on the sequence of unnatural events that occur when a married couple arrive at their ancestral house. The heady mix of tradition, beliefs, history, psychology and a thrilling script would have made it a hit at any rate - but it is the performance of Shobana that elevates this movie towards excellence.
Kaalapani - Based on the lives of Indian prisoners during British rule, this National Award winning film features an iconic performance from Mohanlal who plays a doctor wrongly accused of terrorism and taken to the legendary jail on the day of his wedding. This movie featured all-round excellent performances from Prabhu, Tabu and Amirsh Puri and features some truly haunting moments.
Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu - This one is not here for anyone's acting skills. One of Malayalam cinema's most hilarious comedies, it works off a star cast of comedy genuises together. Mohanlal is the driver of USA returned snob M.A.Dhawan ( who else but Srinivasan ) who comes up with the 'brilliant' idea of studying his future fiance by reversing roles with Mohanlal and pretending to be the driver. All hell breaks loose when the girl starts getting attracted to Mohanlal who is now not ready to give up the ruse either. What better example of the two's comic timing exists than this iconic scene - "How many kilometres from Washington DC to Miami beach ?"
Essential viewing
Includes some of his most iconic roles which truly showcased his acting talent
Kireedam - The iconic role of Sethu Madhavan, who wants to be a honest police officer like his father, but is not just let down by society but eventually converted into the very thing he despised, is more relevant in today's India than ever before. Watching the character being broken down by the system - his life destroyed for standing up for honesty - is heartbreaking. It is easily one of the best acting roles of Mohanlal.Warning : Do not watch either this or it's sequel, Chenkol, while you are depressed. Trust me.
Bharatham - The significance of the title ( Ramayana from Bharat's eyes ) dawned on me years later. Set to a carnatic music background, this film tells the tale of a younger brother (Mohanlal) who is forced to take up responsibilty when his more famous brother's ( Nedumudi Venu ) musical talents are overshadowed by first personal issues (alcoholism), and then his own disappearance. Why he has disappeared and how Mohanlal has to cope with what he knows form the crux of this film. National Awards for Mohanlal ( Actor ), Yesudas ( Male Playback ) and Raveendran Master ( Jury Award for composition ).
Thoovanathumbikal - A cult classic today, this P Padmarajan movie is considered to be ahead of its time. To say it is a love story between a man and two women (one, a head strong distant relative and the other a woman he helped bring into the escort industry) would be doing this movie a horrible injustice. The concepts, the imagery, the use of rain, the songs and haunting background score and even Trissur, the place itself, gets a life of its own. Mohanlal and actress Sumalatha's performances stand out here.
Kamaladalam - Taking a turn from Bharatham, here Mohanlal stars as a renowned dance teacher of temple arts who, following a personal tragedy, starts to lose his way in life. He attempts to redeem himself by taking on an ambitious dance project and training a young girl. Another excellent soundtrack from the Raveendran Master- Yesudas combination, along with great supporting roles from Nedumudi Venu, Monisha and Vineet.
Thanmatra - In the last decade he has played too many superhuman 'heroes of the masses' for my liking. Yet, in between that, came this gem that reminded us that talent can never be extinguished. Mohanlal played a government employee whose dreams and aspirations for his family are dealt a blow when he finds himself diagnosed with Alzheimer's. While he received State and Filmfare awards for this role, he lost out on the National Award to Amitabh Bachchan who also suffered from memory loss that year in Black. Another performance a few years later as a bedridden old philosophy professor in Pranayam also stands out in particular.
Drishyam - One of the biggest hits of 2013, this mystery about a middle class family who find themselves on the wrong side of the law after an intruder enters their house was a superb showcase of just how well Mohanlal can emote without having to resort to glorifying action sequences. A brilliant script and featuring one of the most memorable twists of this decade in Indian cinema, the movie has been remade in multiple languages but the consensus remains that Mohanlal did it best.
Spadikam - Again, a power-packed performance by two megastars, Mohanlal and Thilakan. This movie told the story of how by being a strict disciplinarian, Thilakan crushes his son's aspirations as a student and how it shapes their lives as the young man grows up.
Iruvar - I left this one out when I first published this post because I was predominantly concentrating on Malayalam movies. But that's not fair, I realise. Based on the relationship between real-life Tamil Nadu ministers MGR and Karunanidhi, this movie showcases the best of many worlds - direction ( Mani Rathnam ), music ( A R Rahman ) and above all else acting ( Mohanlal and Prakash Raj ).
Chithram - Remember what I said about Priyadarshan, in his prime, having the ability to make you laugh and cry simultaneously ? Nowhere is it better seen than in this movie, where a girl and her dad's friend hire a man ( Mohanlal ) to pretend to be her husband for a fortnight so as to appease her aging father who believes she is happily married. If the first half of the movie is a laugh riot, the second half changes tone dramatically as you realise who Mohanlal really is and why he agreed to this charade. The movie was an enormous hit, running for over a year in some parts of Kerala. As a kid, I remember it playing for months in Dubai itself. Fun fact : The story is written by one of Malayalam's most versatile and unsung stars - Srinivasan.
Vanaprastham - Astounding is the word to describe his acting in this movie. A Kathakali dancer of a lower caste, his performance as Arjuna on stage promises to change his fortune when a higher caste woman falls in loves with him. But it slowly becomes clear that the woman was in love with the man on stage, Arjuna and not the man behind the paint. This final rejection destroys the artist and his roles on stage take on a darker, more demonic tone. A Truckload of National,State and Filmfare awards are attached to this movie, in addition to critical acclaim at international film festivals like AFI.
Even as I see the list, I know I've left out some big hits and sterling performances ( Vellanakalude Nadu, Varavelupu ). But then again, that's the talent of the actor and the diversity of the roles he has undertaken over the last three decades.
This post was first published by me in one of my short lived sites, many a year ago. Back then, I had asked the public to add their opinion on which movies deserved to be in the list. Boy, did they oblige, helping me reach the magic number of 50 hits of Mohanlal worth watching!
Paradeshi
Vellanakalude Nadu
Varavelupu
Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam
Bhramaram
Paadamudra
Dhanam
Lal Salaam
Kalipaatam
Pavithram
Pingami
Chenkol
Vandanam
Keerthichakra
Rasathantram
Hey Auto
Kanmadham
Aaram Thamburan
Midhunam
Have you had the chance to watch Mohanlal's movies? If so, which ones did you like best? Do let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
Hello everyone! This is Zainab here & I blog at Slimexpectations.com.
I would like to thank Dr Roshan for giving me the opportunity for the guest post. I usually write about fitness, lifestyle & tv shows at times.
I have been a fan of tv shows for the longest time, and if you ever want to chat on it, then I'm your girl! Today, I'm going to list a show from each genre. It could be old or new - but I promise it will hook you!
Here are my 5 TV shows to watch:
Yes yes, I know you have seen it. But, I couldn't make a list with including this awesome series. I'm watching the series for the fourth or fifth time & guess what ? I always laugh!
"Joey doesn't share food!"
"At Monica's you can eat cookies on the sink!" ( so now you I know I have seen all of them!!!)
Why watch Friends (As if you need a reason;)
It will put you in a happy mood and make it easier to take life a little more easy! The series revolves around six friends and their daily lives. How they go through the highs, lows and everything.
10 seasons with 24 episodes, each!!! If you have not watched the series, I insist you go watch an episode right now!!!
This was one a very exciting show. I watched all the seasons in a span of few months. My workouts would just swing by and I actually started crushing over the Mentalist!
Why Watch The Mentalist
The series is about former 'psychic' Jane (Patrick Jane) whose wife and daughter got murdered. As the F.B.I investigates, Jane starts helping them, using his keen skills of observation. The head of the F.B.I is Teresa Lisbon and they often solve the cases together. The main story arc revolved around him solving the murder of his wife and child by finding out the identity of the serial killer Red John.
Nail biting and an interesting watch.
The series has 7 seasons in all.
This show is about 3 women, who come together under unusual circumstances after a single mother moves into the area. Lots of drama and definitely engaging.
Why Watch Big Little Lies
The cast!!! Yes, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. And, the script! Besides, the show gets better with every episode. A little intense and violent, it does contain some adult content, so make sure to watch without the kids around.
Season one came out in 2017. Fingers crossed for the next one ;)
This political thriller show focuses on Alicia Florrick who steps up to go back to work, after her husband, a State Attorney, is imprisoned following a scandal.
Why watch The Good Wife
This is one show which is a cocktail of everything. Drama, love triangles & a lot of surprises!
The show is really good and intelligent. PS: it's about lawyers. There are 7 seasons.
Following two separate timelines, this show belongs to the couple Jack & Rebecca and their triplets. Most episodes follow the journey of the parents as well as the children during different years, both in the present and past.
Why Watch This Is Us
Yes, this show is like a sad movie which will make you cry at times. But there are so many beautiful moments which make you smile too. Although keep a box of tissues ready for sure.
Season two just got over, season three comes next year.
Some more tv shows that I love and recommend:
Sorry, no Game Of Thrones & Orange Is The New Black here! I really tried to like them, but guess it's me against the world ;)
Zainab is a fitness and lifestyle blogger at slimexpectations.com. She has lost 8 kilos in the last 2 years and has successfully maintained it. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram to know about how moms or women can lose weight right form the comfort of their homes.
She's soon doing a series on weight loss so don't forget to subscribe to her newsletter too.
So that was Zainab's list.
If you had to recommend 5 shows to someone, which ones would they be?
P.S. I have also written a guest post at Zainab's blog this week on 'Common Blogging Misconceptions People Have.'
Book : The Vengeance of Indra
Author : Shatrujeet Nath
Pages :376
Publishers : Jaico
Formats available: Paperback / Kindle
The Vengeance of Indra forms Book Three of the 'Guardians of the Halahala' series by author Shatrujeet Nath. In my opinion, this series is one of the best by an Indian author in terms of blending historical fiction, mythology and pure adrenaline-packed action together.
The deadly Halahala weapon - created from the same poison that Lord Shiva had swallowed during the churning of the Ocean of Milk - would result in a war between the guardians of the weapon, the human/legendary king Vikramaditya on one side and no less than Indra (the King of the Gods) and Shukracharya (the High priest of the Asuras) on the other side.
Where the first two books showed us the action sequences that broke the characters on both sides physically, author Shatrujeet Nath takes a different route herein The Vengeance of Indra, plunging the knife into our characters friendships and alliances and thus, breaking them apart from within.
Vikramaditya may be the Guardian of the Halahala but there are doubts aplenty in the eyes of the people he rules over in the kingdom now. Kalidasa's actions (and Vikaramaditya's choices regarding that) raise many a question in their eyes and it does not help that friends like Ghatakapara have their own troubles to deal with.
But have no doubt, there is more at work here than meets the eye. Book Three once more finds the Devas and the Asuras forming an unholy alliance as they seek a new way to defeat Vikramaditya and his Council from within in their quest to gain the Halahala. Where they had lost earlier in the battlefield, Indra and Shukracharya turn out to be far more devastating this time around with their scheming ways.
As it has been with all his books from the first Indo-Pak spy thriller, The Karachi Deception, Shatrujeet Nath's prose is crisp and error-free, engaging you and taking you deeper into the world he builds without letting go. These are worlds that definitely deserve a movie trilogy of their own though I doubt Bollywood is equipped for it even today.
Characters are well-fleshed out and you can feel the angst within you as you turn the page, wondering how those you care about will deal with what has happened as well as the aftermath of some dubious choices they made.
I have no hesitation in giving The Vengeance of Indra by Shatrujeet Nath a high 9 out of 10 Appletinis.
The creativity of the author from the first two books remains but I love how he offers something new with this book and sets up a thrilling last act to follow. As far as world building and thrilling action sequences go, I still feel Shatrujeet Nath is the most underrated of Indian authors. Right from his first book, he stood apart from so many others who have joined the Indian literary field since.
Like everyone else who read this book, I too eagerly await the conclusion to this epic storyline in 'The Wrath of the Hellfires' (How cool a name is that, eh ?!)
I have grown old reading these books! I read the first book in 2015 and even today in 2018, I am still eagerly looking forward to the next one.
You can buy the book here.
Book : Padmavati : The Queen Tells Her Own Story
Author : Sutapa Basu
Publishers : Readomania
Predating the release of the controversial Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie 'Padmaavat' that had a whole nation debating the significance of the story behind the making of the movie rather than the movie itself, the book Padmavati itself focuses on two voices set in different eras -
a) Mrinalini the journalist who in the present day seeks to discover whether there ever existed a character named Padmavati and
b) the Queen of Chittor herself as she journeys from adjusting to life after marriage in a different country to making a decision that would etch her name forever as a legend.
What does Mrinalini discover in Chittorgarh? What do her conversations with Uma, a local village girl offer her in her quest for the truth? What made Padmavati choose the steps she took?
What stands out in this book
The author does not sugarcoat the harrowing reality of our past
This book, in my opinion, stand far above the much feted movie, simply because it does not try to appease any side. This matters because, at the end of the day, we are dealing with a controversial topic like Jauhar (a 'honourable' suicide). You get to see the doubts and the dismay, the uncertainty and the thought process that would lead a Princess and her fellow women to consider such a drastic step rather than succumb to being slaves to the invading ruler Khilji. Yes, there is a code-of-conduct at that time that demanded the tradition be followed but it was no easy decision for any human being to make.
Well-fleshed out characters
Whether it be Padmavati of Sri Lanka before she became a Queen, her Rajasthan king Ratan Singh, the scheming ways of Khilji or difference in traditions, the story allows enough time for you to see various nuances of these characters. You can see their evolution from their first appearance to their final moments and how their choices alter over time.
Historical fiction done right
A scholar herself, author Sutapa Basu has researched well for her story. I was frequently surprised to find out new tidbits about this legend I thought I knew about.
This is quite a quick read. I finished it over the course of a single night and totally enjoyed it.
Her thirty year career in the literary field includes being an editor and publisher and has seen Sutapa Basu work with Oxford University Press, India and Encyclopaedia Britannica in addition to publishing over 400 books. She also was one of the First Prize winners in Season 1 of India's largest literary contest, Write India, beating out over 25,000 entries that year to win. So ya, trust me... she knows how to keep you hooked with her words.
I am going with 9 out of 10 Appletinis for this book.
The use of Mrinalini is inspired, giving us a voice in this era who has the same doubts and queries we do about this legendary tale. The author has no trouble moving between the past and present while offering multiple viewpoints and arguments on this topic.
For all the hype that the legend of Padmavati had in India in 2017-18, the movie did not really delve into the minds of its characters, offering two dimensional portrayals that painted sides as black and white. The book Padmavati by Sutapa Basu offers far better insights than the movie Padmaavat into what could have occurred and the events that conspired to reach that ending we know.
You can buy Padmavati: the Queen Tells Her Own Story here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Kenpo o kempo és el nom descriptiu de diverses arts marcials japonesos amb orígens xinesos, i també d'arts marcials híbrids entre els japonesos i els xinesos. El kenpo és semblant al karate i inclou més cops de puny i puntades de peu que preses o claus de lluita.

Estils més coneguts de kenpo
 Kenpo americà
 Kajukenbo
 Shorinji kenpo (kenpo de Shaolín)
 Kempo tai jutsu
 Tracy kenpo
 Kenpo jiu-jitsu
 Kenpo Kai

Arts marcials del Japó
Esport a la Xina

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The best kept adventure secret in North America is 90 minutes north of Montreal
Exhibitor News, Exhibitor News Center /
The best kept adventure secret in North America is 90 minutes north of Montreal:
Eeyou Istchee Baie-James
[Ouje-Bougoumou, QC, Canada] The boreal landscape of ancient rocks, immense rivers and pristine lakes stretches 380 miles, south to north, along the eastern seacoast of James Bay, then inland another 380 miles. About the same size in area as Germany, this easily accessible Canadian wilderness is home to three distinct cultures: 1) Ndooheenou – the Cree of Eastern James Bay; 2) Inuit and 3) Jamesians – predominantly French-speaking non-aboriginal residents. Known as Eeyou Istchee Baie-James, the region is just a 90 minute direct-flight from Montreal. The close proximity of the region enables adventure travellers from DC to escape like never before to the real North for a weekend getaway.
Ouje-Bougoumou weekend getaway: A cultural adventure
In the traditional homeland of the Eastern James Bay Cree, Eeyou Istchee – the land of the people – is the modern, planned-community of Ouje-Bougoumou. The community was built in 1992. It is located on the northeast shore of Lake Opemiska, about 30 minutes from the airport in Chibougamau. Douglas Cardinal, the aboriginal architect that designed the American Indian Museum in Washington, designed Ouje-Bougoumou. The community has been recognized for its contemporary design, economic sustainability and environmental conservation, a hallmark of Cree culture.
Adventure travellers can book a two-night weekend getaway to Ouje-Bougoumou, with one night of hotel lodging on the shores of Opemiska, plus a community tour and a premium visit to the Cree Cultural Institute – Aanischaaukamikw. The second night is spent in traditional Cree dwellings at a forested, lakeside camp called Nuuhchimi Wiinuu, owned and operated by a family of Cree entrepreneurs. While at the camp, guests will be immersed in Cree culture, learning about traditional health and wellness, snowshoe-making, canoeing and the flora and fauna native to the region.
Affordable adventure
The per person package price of $589 Canadian dollars (approximately $405 USD), includes:
1 night at hotel, based on double occupancy
1 night at traditional Cree camp, based on double occupancy
7 meals (2 breakfasts; 3 lunches; 2 dinners + 1 traditional food tasting)
1 guided walking town tour
Visit and activity at the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute
Guides and traditional activities at Nuuhchimi Wiinuu
Transfer from and to the Chibougamau airport (free parking if by car)
Taxes and FICAV (Quebec compensation fund for travelers)
The price is valid for travel Friday to Sunday from June 1 to September 2016. For more information call toll free 1.888.2682 x 4225 or email dmccoordinator@creetourism.ca
Win a pair of traditional snowshoes made by a Cree artisan
Adventure travellers that live in the Washington, DC metropolitan region can enter to win a pair of traditional snowshoes crafted by a Cree artisan from Eeyou Istchee Baie-James. To enter the sweepstakes, visit Booth 822 at the Travel and Adventure Show, February 20 and 21, 2016 in the Washington Convention Center.
Meet Victoria Crowe
Victoria Crowe, whose ancestry is Eastern James Bay Cree, Inuit and Six Nations Turtle Clan, will represent the people of Eeyou Istchee Baie-James at the Travel and Adventure Show. She will deliver a 30-minute, illustrated presentation about the adventure playground during the show, as well as hosting Booth 822. Victoria is looking forward to introducing show visitors to the best kept adventure travel secret in North America.
Photos to illustrate articles are available for download: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/06rtll1mcuyvf6v/AAD_ujkVGZeMVU9kJx1FIBlba?dl=0
Contact: Victoria Crowe
Telephone: 1.418.745.2220 x 4227
vcrowe@creetourism.ca
Victoria Crowe is available for in-person interviews February 18 and 19th, 2016 in Washington. To book an interview call 1.418.745.2220 x 4227 or mobile 1.514.346.3107.
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Based on four of the most popular courses taught at the Wharton School, Achieving Personal and Professional Success is designed to introduce the tools and techniques for defining and achieving success at home and at work. You'll learn how to find your passion and core values, how to apply these values to your own life, how to work well with others, how to communicate effectively, how to set goals, how to use influence to achieve these goals, and even how to say you are sorry. Through exercises, self-diagnostic surveys, quizzes, and many case studies, you'll discover how to define not only what you want, but also the best way to get it. While many business courses cover topics related to successful organizational practices, these courses provide key insights into successful personal practices, whether you are in the office or in your home. We all bring ourselves to work every day, and these courses will help you be your best self wherever you are.
16 weeks is the typical sequence for completing this Specialization; however, you can work at the pace which makes sense for you.
No background knowledge is necessary to complete this Specialization; however, you must be able to be honest with yourself and willing to try new ways of thinking and communicating to achieve results.
No. The courses in this Specialization are designed to be taken in the order that is right for you. If you don't know where to begin, we recommend starting with "Success." Professor Shell will guide you through exercises designed to help you define what success means to you. You may wish to use this self-knowledge as a foundation for the other courses.
No. Although these courses are based on very popular courses offered by the Wharton School, they are not eligible for course credit from the University of Pennsylvania.
This Specialization was designed to help you be more successful in both your personal and professional life, using the techniques and exercises taught at the Wharton School. Upon completing this Specialization, you will be able to define what success means to you, apply your core values and principles at home and at work, communicate effectively and influence others to achieve your goals.


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Evaluating the clinical efficacy of Chinese herbal Pulian ointment in treating psoriasis vulgaris
07/01/2018 / By RJ Jhonson
Pulian ointment, traditionally used in China to treat psoriasis, has been confirmed to be beneficial to sufferers of blood-heat psoriasis. A study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine details the multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted to test the treatment's effectiveness.
Inpatients and outpatients from six centers were recruited for the study. The centers were: China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Dongfang Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital and Air Force General Hospital and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Participants were selected using a stringent set of criteria and diagnosed of blood-heat psoriasis using uniform definitions.
The 294 participants were divided into two groups: placebo and Pulian Ointment. Both groups were treated twice daily for four weeks and then scheduled for follow up after eight weeks.
Psoriasis area severity index (PASI) scores, symptom severity and skin lesion area, and the quality of life were evaluated at baselines, two weeks, and four weeks.
The researchers found improvements in both groups, especially in terms of PASI score at four weeks. Quality of life also improved. However, those in the placebo group showed a higher rate of relapse after eight weeks.
The researchers concluded that their findings proved the effectiveness of Pulian ointment and how well-tolerated it is by most patients. They recommended conducting a follow-up study to determine if preparation forms and greater intervention could improve the treatment's therapeutic effects.
Read the full text of the study at this link.
Li N, Zhao W, Xing J, Liu J, Zhang G, Zhang Y, Li Y, Liu W, Shi F, Bai Y. CHINESE HERBAL PULIAN OINTMENT IN TREATING PSORIASIS VULGARIS OF BLOOD-HEAT SYNDROME: A MULTI-CENTER, DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017;17(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1631-5
Tagged Under: alternative medicine, blood-heat psoriasis, blood-heat syndrome, Chinese medicine, herbal remedies, natural medicine, psoriasis, psoriasis treatment, psoriasis vulgaris, pulian ointment, skin health, traditional medicine
Presto, change-o: Innovative company is turning avocado pits into biodegradable drinking straws and cutlery
06/14/2019 / By Edsel Cook
Hepatoprotective effects of resveratrol found to ameliorate alcoholic hepatic steatosis
06/14/2019 / By Michelle Simmons
Japanese knotweed found to inhibit signaling, cell growth of hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells
06/14/2019 / By Evangelyn Rodriguez
Could we reprogram antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Scientists discover simple mechanism that makes them resistant
06/13/2019 / By Isabelle Z.
Chinese medicine formula Wu-Mei-wan found to prevent Type 2 diabetes
Baicalein found to reduce the viability of ovarian cancer cells and induce autophagy
The medical establishment routinely lies about patients being "brain dead" in order to harvest their organs for the multi-billion dollar transplant industry
06/13/2019 / By Ethan Huff
Scientists discover toxins from flooring and furniture in children's blood, urine
Are your clothes contributing to pollution? Synthetic fibers release tiny pieces of plastic into the environment
06/13/2019 / By Lance D Johnson
Sci-fi in real life: Scientists propose building a space station INSIDE an asteroid and using its gravity to mine valuable space rocks
Man Jing Zi, a powerful TCM, found to hold great anticancer potential
The neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic properties of white sesame flour
06/13/2019 / By Chloe Divino
The molecular structure of B-type proanthocyanidins in Masson's pine influences their bioactivities
Baicalin treatment found to have hepatoprotective effects on acetaminophen-induced liver injury
Researchers examine HOW vitamin D reduces breast cancer risk
Researchers study the antidiabetic properties of a fungus from Ichiigashi oak
Research shows babies are born with innate skills that help them pick out individual words from speech
06/12/2019 / By Ralph Flores
Study looks at which foods prevent cancer vs. those that contribute to it
Polyphenols in plum exhibit anticancer properties
Anticancer activity of doxorubicin can be enhanced with Caesalpinia spinosa
06/12/2019 / By Janine Acero
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All content copyright © 2018 by Science News Features, LLC.
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Our SBIRT trainings are designed for students, faculty, and community partners in both public and private health care and behavioral health care settings who want to learn more about providing screening, brief intervention, or referral to treatment services to address unhealthy substance use.
Our current schedule of trainings is available below. The Mason SBIRT team can also design an individual or series of trainings specific to your needs. For more information on trainings, view our Training Catalog or contact Panagiota (Patty) Ferssizidis at pzorbas@gmu.edu.
Refer to our training flyer (pdf) for a description of upcoming trainings.
8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. registration, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. training.
Contact the SBIRT team for more information.
8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. registration, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. training.


Discovered by William Herschel, Little Ghost Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ophiuchus, with a clear and very well marked ring structure. Its distance is uncertain, and estimates vary from a minimum of 2000 to a maximum of 5000 light years. In first scenario the nebula belongs to the inner edge of the Orion Arm, in second - it is within the Sagittarius Arm. The star that created the nebula is visible inside the ring, but it is not exactly at its center, it is relocated a little to the west. It is a white dwarf of pulsating type (known as V2310 Ophiuchi), that emits strong ultraviolet radiation which ionizes the gas pushed by itself in the last phase of its life cycle. If observed in radio waves, NGC 6369 appears to be the third brightest planetary nebula in the sky. Before the collapse, the progenitor star probably could have a mass greater than 1-1.5 M⊙, but there is uncertainty because no one has been able to determine the carbon abundance within the nebula. The current white dwarf has a surface temperature of 70,000 K. Two dark nebulae can be spotted on this image: Barnard77 and LDN 69 (see the annotated image). Below can be seen a highly magnified crop of the nebula itself.
L:4x10min, R:3x10min, G:3x10min, B:3x10min, Bin 1 Total Exposure Time 130 min.


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Q: Unescape text in Automator I have an Automator workflow where text is passed from Combine Text Files into a Run Applescript action. I can get the text using text of item 1 of input but the text shows enclosed in quotation marks and the internal quotes are \escaped. How can I get the text "as is" without the escaping so I can run the imported code?

A: The Run AppleScript action doesn't alter or escape its input, but text may be shown that way depending on how you are viewing it (the different ways to view the result of an action, for example), since that is how characters such as double quotes or backslashes are typically represented in a string.
The run script command can be used for running arbitrary script text, in which case you can do something like:
return (run script (first item of input))

Note that the run script command will also accept files directly, so in that case you wouldn't really need the Combine Text Files action.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Texas Stars took on the San Antonio Rampage at the Cedar Park Center to wrap up a 3 game series. It took an overtime period for the Stars to come away with a 5-4 win. The first shot is Travis Morin celebrating a goal in the first period. The second shot is Brett Ritchie chasing down an airborne puck with an opponent tightly covering him. The third shot is Greg Rallo coming in fast on a scoring chance, kicking up a blizzard in front of the Rampage net. Rallo would score the winning goal in overtime.


The Pegasus is a regular fit jacket with hood. The jacket has a mesh lining for extra breathability. Sideseam zipper for comfortable wearing and quick fitting. There are contrasting piping along the sleeves and chest and on the chestpocket there's a CHASIN' logopatch. Also, you'll find the rubber CHASIN' logo on the sleeve. The hood and cuffs are adjustable. The Pegasus has a chestpocket and normal pockets with zippers, but also has a extended collar. The jacket has no zippers to open it, since you have to wear it like a hoodie or sweater. But, this will make sure you'll keep yourself warm!


Dynamic Drive Forums > DD Scripts > Dynamic Drive scripts help > change to .js file for new window?
View Full Version : change to .js file for new window?
and I can't figure out how to make a change to the scipt anylinkmenu.js to do that?
However, all items in that menu (anylinkmenu1) will use that target. There's no way internal to the script to specify some links having one target and some having another in a given menu.
It will open all PDF links in a _blank target.


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Home Gambling in the USA Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 28-December 4
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 28-December 4
Niji Narayan
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Novibet has entered the Mexican market. This is Novibet's first move outside of Europe, and it is a key step in its strategic expansion plan as it seeks to enter new markets including Latin America and North America.
Greco has registered as a vendor in New Jersey, where it plans to start its US operations in enhancing risk management for online casinos and iGaming operators. Resorts Digital Gaming has already announced it has an agreement in place with Greco, which the New-Jersey-based arm of Resorts Casino and hotel hopes will "herald a wider shift in the local industry, worth $3.12 billion to the state economy".
The ACMA has requested that Australian internet service providers (ISPs) block more illegal offshore gambling websites, after investigations found 9 services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The latest sites blocked include Winning Days, 21Bit Casino, Oshi Casino, Lucky Elf Casino, NeoSpin, Lets Lucky, Boho Casino, Ripper Casino and BC.Game.
Scientific Games has announced that it will provide the company's latest WAVE point-of-sale technology across Atlantic Lottery's retailer network of 3000 locations in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
PointsBet Holdings, the leader in live betting, announced the company has officially unveiled its market-leading mobile app and digital sports betting product in the state of Maryland.
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke has launched a constitutional challenge against iGaming Ontario and the Attorney General of Ontario over the provincial government's unilateral changes to the way gaming is managed. It says the changes are illegal and unconstitutional and is contesting Ontario's re-interpretation of Section 207 (1) of the Criminal Code, which permits provinces to regulate single-event sports betting.
Underdog Fantasy has been named "Fantasy Sports Site of the Year" by the 2022 edition of the American Gambling Awards. The American Gambling Awards are produced by Gambling.com Group Limited, a leading provider of player acquisition services for the regulated global online gambling industry.
Pragmatic Play has established an agreement with Peruvian operator Tinbet for three of its leading verticals. Tinbet's customers will benefit from Pragmatic Play's leading Slots, Live Casino and Virtual Sports content, featuring a vast collection of exclusive products that are proven to boost player engagement.
Sports.com has entered into an exclusive multi-year Partnership with Berlin-based Data Sports Group. The Partnership will allow Sports.com to provide world-class sports content to digital publishers. The Partnership will be the first solution marketed under the Sports.com brand.
Gift & Go has finalised a long-term extension to its partnership with a subsidiary of Light & Wonder to continue its growth and expand its revolutionary gifting technology software across U.S. markets. The three-year agreement will further enhance Light & Wonder's position as a global leader in land-based casino ecosystems and cross-platform game experiences.
Fandifi Technology Corp has announced that the company is teaming up with Esports Awards to present day #1 of LVL Up Las Vegas. LVL Up Las Vegas is taking place December 11-13 coinciding with the 2022 Esports Awards.
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Niji Narayan has been in the writing industry for well over a decade or so. He prides himself as one of the few survivors left in the world who have actually mastered the impossible art of copy editing. Niji graduated in Physics and obtained his Master's degree in Communication and Journalism. He has always interested in sports writing and travel writing. He has written for numerous websites and his in-depth analytical articles top sports magazines like Cricket Today and Sports Today. He reports gaming industry headlines from all around the globe.


text:
Democrats turn a "crisis into a catastrophe", Biden declares "everybody guessed it wrong"
In an attempt to share the blame for the "catastrophe" that the democrats own lock-stock-and barrel Joe Biden admits they got it wrong when they predicted the jobs that were to be created (3.5 million) if the $878 billion economic stimulus bill wasn't passed quickly.
It turns out that Biden NOW predicts only 600,000 jobs will be saved or created by the plan. First things first, while it is admirable that the Democrats finally want to share something with their opponents on the other side of the isle this bill's failure isn't one of them that we want or will accept.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98QFMR80&show_article=1&catnum=0
As I recall it, in order to rush this bill into law our feckless and irresponsible elected ones failed to even read the damned thing.
"Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) predicted on Thursday that none of his Senate colleagues would "have the chance" to read the entire final version of the $790-billion stimulus bill before the bill comes up for a final vote in Congress." Cns news 2/13/09"
The Democrats have thrown this at us very last-minute," said Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.).
"That's why the rule of thumb in the United States Congress should be, 'When in doubt, vote no,' because the devil is in the details and that's why this stimulus is not worthy of support." Cns news 2/13/09"
The bill is expected to land on President Obama's desk no later than Monday, and the president is expected to sign it into law--whether the nation's lawmakers have read it or not." Cns news 2/13/09
To be fair, most of the Republicans failed to read it, which is why they all voted no which is quite different than voting yes on a bill that can be enacted without knowing what is in it or even if it contains provisions that are "unconstitutional".
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/arti...px?RsrcID=43478
Now for my next recollection, the final Senate vote for passage of this bill was 61 yeas and 36 nays which were all the Republicans.
The 61 yeas consisted of 58 Democrats and three Republicans (Susan Collins, Olympia Snow and Arlen Specter).
"With the nation falling deeper into recession, Obama used the first prime-time news conference of his presidency to warn that a failure to act "could turn a crisis into a catastrophe."
He defended his plan against Republican criticism that it is loaded with pork-barrel spending and will not create jobs. "The plan is not perfect," the president said, addressing the nation. "No plan is."
I can't tell you for sure that everything in this plan will work exactly as we hope, but I can tell you with complete confidence that a failure to act will only deepen this crisis as well as the pain felt by millions of Americans." Obama said 90 percent of the jobs created by the plan would be in the private sector, rebuilding crumbling roads, bridges and other aging infrastructure." - Msmbc 2/9/09
So a little math recap here:
Joe Biden now declares that the $838 billion dollar economic stimulus bill will only net (or save) 600,000 jobs in 2009. The unemployed in May 2009 alone was 787,000 which by my math is a loss of -187,000 before we even get to the end of the May.
http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2009/jun/wk2/art02.htm
"Moments before the vote, the Congressional Budget Office issued a new estimate that put the cost at $838 billion, an increase from the $827 billion figure from last week. "This bill has the votes to pass. We know that," conceded Sen. John Thune, a Republican who has spoken daily in the Senate against the legislation.
Even so, in the hours before Monday's vote, he and other Republican opponents attacked it as too costly, and unlikely to have the desired effect on the economy. "This is a spending bill, not a stimulus bill," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Republican. All 36 votes in opposition were cast by Republicans." – msmbc 2/9/09
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29106540
With the defection (or as I call it, RINO's declaring their Democrat roots) the MSM hailed the bill as "bi-partisan" (which meant 3 Republicans broke ranks and voted with the democrats – 3!).
For instance, a 2/7/09 "CNN headline" read:
VOTE EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTER BI-PARTISAN DEAL"
This is not bipartisan," said Sen. John McCain, who lost the 2008 election to Obama. "If this legislation is passed, it'll be a very bad day for America."
"This is not some abstract debate. It is an urgent and growing crisis," President Obama said at a White House ceremony unveiling a new economic advisory board. "If we drag our feet and fail to act, this crisis will turn into a catastrophe."
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the administration was pleased with the progress. "On the day when we learned 3.6 million people have lost their jobs since this recession began, we are pleased the process is moving forward and we are closer to getting Americans a plan to create millions of jobs and get people back to work," Gibbs said.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/06...html#cnnSTCText
Before the bill reached the Senate for their vote the House passed the bill with a vote of 244-188. The breakdown of the vote went something like this:244 Democrats voted yeah, with 11 Democrats voting against it! 177 Republicans voted Nay, 1 Republican not voting.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll046.xml
So when Biden and the Democrats fellow travelers in the MSM try to sell us on the fact that "everyone got it wrong" is cow flop. The only ones who voted for this "spending bill" vs. "economic stimulus bill" were Democrat/Socialists with 3 Republicans in name only voting with them. One of the three has since defected (Specter) back to the Democrats with leave the two Senators that hail from the State of Maine as the traitors to the American Public and their intended political parties.
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text:
Mike Smithson
South Australia's most prominent and recognised journalist
Award winning TV and newspaper journalist Mike Smithson has travelled the world as a foreign correspondent and rubbed shoulders with the rich and infamous.
His journey has taken him through the Skase chase in Spain, to dodging bullets during the War Against Terror, to being roughed up by one of Australia's best known celebrities.
Mike Smithson entertaining and witty presentation is supported by a revealing and humorous DVD of his experiences. Mike hopes his story will inspire the hidden journalist in all of us.
Celebrity Economy & Finance Environment & Climate Change Law & Crime Master of Ceremonies (MCs) & Hosts Media Social Trends & Current Affairs
Mike Smithson Book as a speaker/entertainer for your next event
Key Points for Mike Smithson
Award winning TV and radio commentator Mike Smithson is Channel 7 Adelaide's Chief Political Reporter.
Mike Smithson is a weekly commentator across four Adelaide radio stations as well as TV.
He's travelled the world reporting from several hotspots, and has also rubbed shoulders with the rich and 'infamous' over a colourful media career.
As MC or guest speaker, Mike Smithson has vast experience in meeting the needs of all functions with a warm and witty style which is certain to win over audiences.
Topics for Mike Smithson
Master of Ceremonies with a touch of comedy
Fugitives, celebrities & angry politicians
Testimonials for Mike Smithson
Mike Smithson was an absolute pleasure to work with- very professional and friendly. I would love to work with him again in the future.
Local Government Professionals SA
Very professional. Engaged brilliantly with the panel. Managed the session well.
Excellent, Mike Smithson has been our MC for several Conferences now and we are always satisfied with his management of the event.
LGMA
As per last year Mike Smithson was very professional, extremely helpful and flexible and did a fantastic job. His speech at lunch time was enjoyed by all and it will be our pleasure to use his services again.
Jigsaw Services
Mike Smithson was a delight to work with. He was a fantastic representation of the organizers and played a vital link between us and the delegates.
Expotrade


text:
01 How long have you been operating for?
Steve Boyd Motors has been fully licensed (motor dealers licence MD 8712) and operating now, in the popular town of Bowral, for over 36 years and has established one of the largest customer bases in the Southern Highlands. Before that it was originally opened in the picturesque north east coast of Northern Ireland from which all the family members here also originate.
02 What do you mainly sell?
Why buy new and lose lots of money when you can buy near new and save thousands. We specialize in near new (usually from 1 to 5 years old) personally selected quality ex Government cars and commercials sourced from the NSW State Government, NSW Councils, and Federal Government. We also sometimes have other cars available for purchase from other sources or which have been traded in by us.
03 How come your cars are such good value?
We're different to your stereotypical caryard. It basically comes down to this - we run a small and efficient business which doesn't have large overheads and we don't have to pay people to work for us because this is a family business. As Steve Boyd Motors has been going strong for over 36 years we don't need to spend huge sums of money on advertising, most business is through word of mouth. We also do our own internet advertising, in house. All this equals low overheads which gives us the advantage of being able to sell cars at a discounted rate to those sold by large cumbersome dealerships so you get far more bang for your buck.
04 How can I pay for a vehicle ?
You can pay with bank cheque, cash, direct debit, or via internet banking.
05 Can I pay with a credit card or by eftpos ?
No sorry we don't accept those as the fees charged by the financial institution would have to be added to the price of the car which would result in you paying more.
06 Do you offer finance?
Yes we do but we don't. No we don't offer it ourselves, as you need a credit licence for that, instead we just provide you access to the professionals at Ezilend. Whether personal or business you can easily apply now and get pre-approval. Just phone them directly on 1300 013 051 and tell them which of our cars you're interested in or go to their website by clicking the following link - ezilend.com.au. Also don't forget, after you apply, to tell us too so we know not to sell the car while you're applying for finance. You can also of course just contact your bank or another finance company. It's your choice.
07 Why don't you expand the business and get lots more space to stock lots more cars?
Because then we would have the problems mentioned in the question above and then our cars would be the same price as everyone else. No thanks we are very happy with our present setup and so are our customers who save money by buying their cars through us.
08 When do you get new stock in?
Every week. New arrivals can arrive any day of the week so keep keep checking our listings on this website.
09 When are you open?
Monday to Friday: 8:15am - 5.45pm
Saturday: 8:30am - 3.00pm
Sunday: 9:30am - 1.30pm
10 Do you deliver cars if I live far away?
Fortunately for you (and us) we have access to a personal delivery service to basically anywhere in Australia. We don't make anything out of this service, you pay them directly. Alternatively you can organise for a car transporter to pick it up.
11 Can I let you know what I'm looking for so you can let me know if it comes in?
Of course. Just go to our car wanted page and complete the short form so we can contact you if one arrives.
12 Do you take trade-ins?
Yes, but it depends on what it is and the condition (also please don't try a shifty and give us a car with problems and not tell us it has problems. We don't do that to you so please have the courtesy to not do it to us).
13 Do Ex Government cars still come with their manufacturers new car warranty?
Yes they do as long as they are still in the given time frame and kilometres allowed.
14 When do you have sales?
363 days a year (closed Christmas and New Years days). Everyday our cars are at sale prices. The only other thing we might have now and then is a quick Online Flash Sale on a selected couple of vehicles for a very limited time.
15 How many used car salesmen work there?
None! This is a small family business, you decide if you want to buy a car or not without being hassled. If you want some help from us then all you have to do is ask.
16 How far do people come to buy a car?
I think the furthest would be Perth and then Darwin. We also of course have people come from Sydney, Canberra, west, and from the South Coast.
17 Steve has a funny accent, where is he from?
We are all from the picturesque and peaceful north east country in Northern Ireland, near the Giants Causeway. Steve moved the family to Australia in 1980.
18 What is our email address?
You can use the contact form here.


text:
Q: Can't connect to Kafka using CONDUKTOR UI I have been connecting to KAFKA using CONDUKTOR Application. But somehow Conduktor connection is disabled (yellow highlighted in the screenshot), and I am unable to connect to kafka, even after rebooting system twice.
Attaching the screenshot. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,

A: To use Conduktor, login is mandatory
As mentioned in  Conduktor changelog, from version 1.4.0 onwards it's required to be logged into Conduktor in order to be able to connect to Kafka.
From Conduktor changelog:

Conduktor 1.4.0 (Jan 24, 2020):
We must have to login into Conduktor now. We are integrated with auth0, using a Native app with PKCE oauth flow.

A:
Kafka is running in a docker container

Your host cannot resolve docker containers by name. You need to connect to localhost:9092, or whatever the advertised listener you've set up to your host machine


So first off, I don't even know why I ended up choosing something involving zombies. Zombie movies, much like post-apocalyptic and end of the world movies, are usually kind of annoying. To me, the endings are so inconclusive. Like, how does the world come back from total destruction? How do you UNinfect a global disease spreading like wildfire? Why not just succumb and get bitten instead of constantly fighting to stay alive in a world that you no longer recognize, when everyone you have ever loved is probably gone anyway? Just flat out frustrating. I gave zombie movies another chance though, and I'm not sure how, but I looked at the concepts and themes a bit more broadly. Thinking about it, I wonder how many subtexts we gloss over and completely ignore while focusing on storyline alone. Probably a lot! It makes me want to rewatch a bunch of stuff I thought was terrible at first sight (and this goes for books, music, and many other interpretable outlets as well).
Not to give away too many spoiler alerts for the movie, it begins typically enough; hardworking dad and a sweet little daughter who wants to spend more time with him. They get on a train to go visit her mom in another city, and all heck breaks loose due to a zombie infection in the country. As with many other films of this nature, there is a core group of unlikely people who band together in order to stay alive. One scene, that I've probably seen many times, somehow sparked major curiosity with me. There was an outbreak on one train car, but two uninfected people were trying to escape. They were running to the next car, that was infection free, with the main group to seeking refuge. The dad could see them trying to escape through the window, but decided to keep the adjoining door closed for fear that some zombies might get through too. the daughter thought this was just so morally incomprehensible and begged him to open the door and let the two inside. In the nick on time he does and everyone is safe for the time being. This part made me wonder what I'd do in that situation. While trying to save as many people as you can, should you risk losing everyone to save one or two? Throughout the movie, this seemed to be a central theme of "no man left behind". Even when things were SUPER risky trying to save them and even threatened the safety of everyone. In a much more relatable comparison; society is very similar in this ideal. When there are those of us comfortable in our "safe area", we see others suffering "through the train car window", but feel as though if we let them in, our comfortability will somehow be less comfortable. So in order to preserve our higher quality of life, the ones struggling to have a better life (or any life at all) are left in the infected train car to fend for themselves against a certain fateful outcome. The connection just blew my mind!
In addition to this revelation, the fate of the fictional world in general really struck a cord. These people were basically fighting every step of the way, even though it seemed like such an uphill battle. I mean come on, one simple bite and you're done for, there are a billion of them and only like 5 of you, they are fast AF, strong AF, and hiding literally everywhere! How do you overcome all of this? But they all kept fighting anyway for some reason, if even merely for the HOPE that they live to see and fight yet another day. Powerful stuff if you think about it. In the real world, every day might not seem like an exact fight for our life, but it kind of is. Sometimes it really does seem like the whole world is sinking and heading for total destruction in a number of ways. All of the world's problems may seem impossible to fix... but here were are... fighting just to make it through each day the best we can. To save as many people as we can. For as long as we can.
The human will to survive really is supernatural. It's crazy how much we can overcome. Scary movies really do teach us that if nothing else. Perhaps that's why I enjoy horror so much. A lot of them have philosophical undertones relating to our most primal fears and most basic human instincts. Sometimes I really do wonder why the people in movies like these either shun all to save themselves or put their very own life on the line to save others. I suppose you never really know the true character of a person until you see how they act in high stake situations. When it comes down to it, would you risk your own security in order for someone with little or no security to be secure as well? It seems like what it comes down to is being able to share without feeling like we are losing something. Even if it may mean we have a little bit less in order for someone with nothing to have ANYthing, isn't that more satisfying than having more than enough while someone else is suffering without? Eh, what do I know! Anywho, everyone, this movie turned out to be better than I expected, so I do recommend watching on Netflix if you can! Even if you can't watch this one, I encourage you to look for deeper meaning in things you might think aren't worth your time. You never really know what thoughts will spark when you have an open mind!
P.s. Even the simple notion of being scared by certain movies while others not so much is very telling. I think our fears tell us more about ourselves than most things!
P.p.s. I have yet to figure out how the heck Netflix makes money as a company... can someone help me figure this out? I mean, everybody I know shares a password with someone else, yet they keep popping out these budgets for original series and original movies which I'm sure cost billions... and I never see any advertisements on the site other than their own! Not to mention all the licensing for a jillion popular tv shows and movies. How does it work people?
P.p.p.s. This is another reason why I just need to learn every language fluently. Then I wouldn't have to stop crocheting to read the subtitles!


Would it hit me so hard?
Would I have said goodbye?
Might I add, he's a bit of a slob?
Would it still be too late?
Would it catch you off guard?
[EO] Another song that went through several permutations before I could settle on a style.
The outline of the lyrics had been rattling around in my brain for a while, but I could never quite pin down how to complete them and round them out. So I sent what I ahd to Eric G, who gave them the once-over and returned something orders of magnitude more coherent than what I sent him.


Creating a play or recreational area inside your home for your kids is an important project. Recruiting local general contractors is a very important step that you will take in your search. After all, there are many contracting professionals to choose from, and you want to make sure you are getting a professional with the right experience.
One of the best tools you have at your disposal is access to several contractors that you can get quotes without any obligation. If you let each of them know that they are one of several companies you are considering, they will be more likely to give you a competitive quote. Getting a fair price, as well as ensuring that you get quality work, are both important.
You want to make sure you protect both your family and your bank account from scam artists. One way in which you can help protect the integrity of your project is by asking for references and viewing photos of previous work of this nature. If you have confidence that the contractor of your choice can handle this sort of work, the entire planning process will be much more enjoyable and rewarding in the end.
One of the most important things you can do for your whole family is to check out the background of any contractors who will work with you. Although many companies are careful about who they hire, some may have employees with a criminal background. Because these contractors may be working near your children, you want to make sure that they pose no risk to the kids.
Although contractor websites are a good way to evaluate their overall skills, don't hesitate to ask questions about their qualifications for things such as play areas. The contractor that you choose should be able to give you a reasonable plan for how they will accomplish your job. You should also find out how flexible they are regarding any unexpected changes to your original plans.
Finding the right contractor to help you bring your ideas for a playroom or another area for your children to life is one of the most rewarding experiences you'll have. Choose the right contractor for the job, and your kids will reap the benefits. You'll have the complete satisfaction of knowing that your kids will be happy in their new playroom.


There is a live webcam in the one of the best and highest mountain ski resorts in Slovakia – Štrbské Pleso, High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry). Predne Solisko southern slopes with 9 km of the primary and secondary levels of difficulty slopes and are considered the most popular for families with children, as well as for experienced skiers and snowboarders.
The height of the Štrbské Pleso ski resort, which is perfectly visible in our webcam online, is within 1360 -1825 m. The well-equipped snow feeding system allows to get quality skiing opportunities.
Two high-speed chairlifts, one chair lift for three people and two ski towers are used to transport tourists to the resort.
In the Štrbské Pleso region, which you see in live webcam, there are equipment rent, various ski services and ski schools for beginners. There is also a special playground – the Maxiland children's complex with its ski tow and a mobile belt.
Štrbské Pleso is proud of its high-class conditions for skiing and snowboarding, high-quality slalom slopes, various difficulty degrees downhill and cross-country ski routes. More than 2 kilometers of new artificial snow slopes have appeared recently.
Extremes will not be bored here too: an adventure snow park is waiting for them.
Besides the excellent ski slopes in the Štrbské Pleso, which mountains are visible in our webcam, resort has a rich historical past and excellent modern hotels.
In addition to the skiing possibilities, the Štrbské Pleso resort has all the conditions for cross-country skiers. Curiously, in 1976, the World Championships in cross-country skiing were held here, as also in 1987 and 1999, the Winter Universiade was organized in Štrbské Pleso. Cross-country skiing tracks have 11 circles and are 26 kilometers long.
Buying a ski pass in the Štrbské Pleso ski resort, you can also use it at the Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica ski resorts.