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Wednesday, May 9, 2018 George Nelson
Lordstown Commission OKs Rezoning for TJX Project
LORDSTOWN, Ohio – The TJX Companies Inc. cleared a key hurdle Tuesday evening in its plan to develop a 1.2-million-square-foot regional distribution center here.
The Lordstown Planning Commission last night voted unanimously in favor of rezoning seven parcels of land from R-1 Residential to I-1 Industrial. It followed a 2½-hour hearing attended by more than 100 village residents and others.
TJX representatives outlined site plans for the $160 million regional distribution center that would serve its HomeGoods division. TJX has options to purchase the 290-acre site where it plans to build the distribution center.
The location of the project has become a source of friction within the village. Opponents have argued against rezoning the land and say there are industrially zoned properties in the village where TJX could build its distribution center.
More than 100 residents and others attended Tuesday night's Lordstown Planning Commission hearing.
"Over the past two years I've traveled from central Virginia to New York to Ohio," said Mark Walker, senior vice president of real estate for HomeGoods. "We landed in Lordstown because we felt this is a great place that has a great workforce. It's got a work ethic. It's got a commitment to excellence that we didn't see in a lot of places."
Within five years, the center will employ about 1,000 associates, most of whom will be full-time employees with comprehensive benefits, Walker said. Annual payroll when the center is fully operational will exceed $27 million.
Development of the 290-acre site is limited to 170 acres, with the remaining property serving as an environmental buffer, Walker said. Details are yet to be worked out, but he pledged the company would work with the village "to come up with a sensible assurance that that land will never be developed."
In response to newly raised resident concerns, TJX is installing a berm and a swale on the site. In addition, the project will involve relocation of a portion of Hallock Young Road, which TJX will undertake and pay for, Walker said.
Stuart Strasfeld of Roth Blair Roberts Strasfeld & Lodge, local attorney for TJX, addresses those gathered.
For about an hour, Members of the audience voiced opinions for and against the rezoning.
James Dignan, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, warned that the region "is getting older, poorer and smaller" unless something changes.
"The No. 1 export of our Valley is our youth and our talent," he said. "If you want a place for your children to grow, if you want this Valley to turn the corner, support TJX, support rezoning and take a look at a real comprehensive plan for all of Lordstown. Not from 35 years ago but from 35 days ago. Look at it on a continuous basis."
Phillip Eubank, a resident of Silver Fox Drive, which is near the site, said he initially opposed the rezoning. "I'm not thrilled about it. I'm not happy but it's better than the original site plan we saw," he said. "This isn't the best solution for me in any way, shape or form. But it's something that I can swallow, and I think it would be good for Lordstown."
Robert Dellick, Lordstown, spoke against the zoning change.
Among those speaking in opposition to the rezoning were Village Council members Karen Jones and Robert Bond.
"This property is zoned residential and does not border industrial property as the turnpike is a natural buffer between the industrial zoning on the north and the residential zoning on the south," Jones said.
After General Motors came to Lordstown and purchased several farms for its assembly plant, village leaders enacted zoning ordinances "to protect our residential neighborhoods from being destroyed," she said.
Bond told commission members that their responsibility was zoning, not economic development.
"There is more than ample industrial acres in Lordstown for this project. It is not your job to find [TJX] the cheapest property to make zoned industrial to save them money," he said. "The primary reason for a community to enact zoning is to protect what they currently have and to ensure orderly development. This is not what would occur if you make this change."
Kathy Dickson of Pleasant Valley Drive, who said she represents 222 people who signed a petition saying they opposing the rezoning, said she and her associates want the project in Lordstown but not on residential property.
According to Dickson, there are three industrial-zoned sites that meet the criteria TJX has stated would be suitable for its project. She also accused the Regional Chamber, which worked with TJX over the past two years to identify potential sites, of steering the company to the property it selected.
TJX officials spent the past 30 days speaking with owners of alternative sites in the village, Walker said, but he could not go into specifics regarding the issues that prevented other parcels from being used. "We wish they would work for us. They don't. This is the only viable site in Lordstown," he said.
Several other opponents of the rezoning left the meeting as the commission voted in favor of rezoning each of the individual properties.
Supporters of the project – many of whom wore bright yellow shirts saying "TJX Right Project Right Property" – were pleased with the result of the meeting.
"From the beginning, I thought that this would be a good project for this area and the region as a whole," Tom Cowie of Newton Falls said.
"There are some concerns and I think the company is trying to address those concerns as best as they can," he added. "Some of the concerns may be overblown but I think TJX will do their best to address all of the concerns of the citizens down there."
Warren Township farmer Harvey Lutz, who owns 121 acres he has optioned to TJX for the project, said he felt the hearing went as it should. Lutz drew wide media exposure with his proposal to site a chicken farm on the property should the TJX project fall through.
"It is the best thing for the community," Lutz remarked. "[TJX is] working really hard on getting this right. You're not going to please everybody."
Bob Shaffer, a village resident whose property abuts the project site, said he looks forward to the 1,000 jobs and other benefits the project would bring to the village. "This is a win-win situation for Lordstown, Trumbull County and the whole Valley," he said.
Property owners Bob Shaffer and Sherri Burchett, who live next to the site, support TXJ.
Following the meeting, Andrew Mastrangelo, manager of media relations for TJX, issued a statement praising the planning commission's decision.
"We want to reiterate, especially to those who reside alongside the property, that we are committed to being a good neighbor to the Lordstown community," Mastrangelo said. "We are confident that the enhancements we have made to our plan, which include substantial green space and forested area, berm and swale construction for water management, and road infrastructure to mitigate traffic, will minimize impact to them."
TJX addressed or will address many of the concerns expressed regarding the site, said Lordstown's mayor, Arno Hill.
"The residents who are adamantly against it, I hope we'll be able to pull them into the fold," Hill said. "You'll never get 100% of the people happy. But I think the majority of the people in Lordstown after tonight will be happy."
The planning commission will now forward its recommendation to Village Council for reading at its May 21 meeting, followed by another public hearing 30 says after that, Hill said.
Overturning the planning commission's recommendation would require five votes, but one member of the six-member council has to abstain because some of his family's property is involved, he said.
After three readings, there will be a 30-day period if anyone wants to initiate a referendum to overturn the rezoning.
"If nothing comes up, hopefully that will be it," Hill said.
Opponents have vowed to pursue litigation and a petition drive to put the issue on the November ballot.
Pictured: Mark Walker, senior vice president of real estate for HomeGoods, addresses those gathered at last night's hearing.
Pa. Industrial Centers Aid Manufacturers
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SHARON, Pa. — The Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce is looking to continue its path back to "business as usual" as it moves into 2023, says David M. Grande, board president. 2022 was a transition year as in-person events were…


Nicole, P., & Arnauld, A. (1834). The perpetuity of the faith of the Catholic Church on the Eucharist: With the refutation of the reply of a Calvinistic minister. Dublin: Printed by John Coyne.
Nicole, Pierre, and Antoine Arnauld. The Perpetuity of the Faith of the Catholic Church On the Eucharist: With the Refutation of the Reply of a Calvinistic Minister. Dublin: Printed by John Coyne, 1834.


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nude censored under glass in Britain
J / February 10, 2010
This Is Me (Who Am I) by Marie White
The modesty of a nude sculpture has been hidden by frosted glass in a gallery's window after complaints led to police intervention.
Police said the model at the A Gallery, in Wimbledon, south-west London, was deemed offensive under the Indecent Displays Act 1991.
Artist Marie White, 24, said she did not intend the piece, entitled This Is Me (Who Am I), to cause offence.
Scotland Yard said officers gave a man and woman "advice" at the gallery.
Ms White, a student at the Wimbledon School of Art, said: "She's not posing in a lewd, crude way so the reaction of males that they can't view a nude sculpture and not imprint the sexual aspect onto her, I find that quite surprising really.
[From BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | Artist's naked ambition censored ]
it amazes me that something like this actually warrants a visit from the cops. don't they have something better to do? I'm lucky enough to have A Gallery and their director in my contacts so I asked Fraser Kee Scott for his opinion on the matter.
Personally I find it strange that you can have naked breasts on page 3 of the biggest selling paper in England, but can't put a nude sculpture in a window. If you hide something and insist it is hidden then it becomes a strange and curious thing – and to do that to something 1/2 of the people on Earth have – breasts – then that causes trouble.
This piece is entirely non sexual. in fact, it's no more arousing than a storefront dummy that is in the process of being dressed. it's an interesting concept and I would like to see more of the piece. England is very strange in it's censorship laws. there seem to be many disparate and opposing views. from the sublime to the ridiculous.
I hope that the frosted glass will enable the gallery more walk in traffic, people intrigued by the censorship, what is obscured and what it all means. Perhaps the censorship will, in fact, create the opposite effect- I can always hope!
February 10, 2010 in Nudes, Rants. Tags: a gallery, art, art world, censorship, fraser kee scott, gallery, marie white, Nude, Nudes, nudity, sculpture
Prudish council rejects nude art
Why not expose children to nudes?
friday nude quotes →
3 thoughts on "nude censored under glass in Britain"
Phantomimic says:
Hi Jennie
Yes, these things are ridiculous and show that some of the most puritanical and moralistic persons really just have a dirty mind. They will object to any form of nudity. Do you know that there were objections to the plaque featuring a naked man and woman on the Pioneer 10 and 11 robotic probes that were sent to the stars?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_plaque
These two spacecrafts are billions of miles away from the Earth and the artwork in their plaques are the first nudes sent beyond our solar system!
Phantomimic
Jaz says:
how ridiculous. what next?
Gw Stone says:
Perhaps a disclaimer should have been displayed indicating that no one was harmed in the execution, creation or display of this piece.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Did Hedge Funds Drop The Ball On QUALCOMM, Incorporated (QCOM) ?
Hedge funds run by legendary names like George Soros and David Tepper make billions of dollars a year for themselves and their super-rich accredited investors (you've got to have a minimum of $1 million liquid to invest in a hedge fund) by spending enormous resources on analyzing and uncovering data about small-cap stocks that the big brokerage houses don't follow. Small caps are where they can generate significant outperformance. That's why we pay special attention to hedge fund activity in these stocks.
QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) was in 45 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of March. QCOM has experienced a decrease in enthusiasm from smart money of late. There were 51 hedge funds in our database with QCOM positions at the end of the previous quarter. Our calculations also showed that qcom isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds.
In today's marketplace there are dozens of methods stock traders have at their disposal to assess their holdings. A couple of the most useful methods are hedge fund and insider trading moves. We have shown that, historically, those who follow the best picks of the top investment managers can outclass the S&P 500 by a significant margin (see the details here).
Let's take a look at the key hedge fund action encompassing QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM).
What have hedge funds been doing with QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)?
Heading into the second quarter of 2019, a total of 45 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were long this stock, a change of -12% from the fourth quarter of 2018. On the other hand, there were a total of 56 hedge funds with a bullish position in QCOM a year ago. With hedge funds' sentiment swirling, there exists a select group of notable hedge fund managers who were adding to their holdings considerably (or already accumulated large positions).
More specifically, D E Shaw was the largest shareholder of QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), with a stake worth $667.8 million reported as of the end of March. Trailing D E Shaw was Two Sigma Advisors, which amassed a stake valued at $333.9 million. Citadel Investment Group, Citadel Investment Group, and Partner Fund Management were also very fond of the stock, giving the stock large weights in their portfolios.
Due to the fact that QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) has experienced declining sentiment from the entirety of the hedge funds we track, logic holds that there is a sect of hedgies that elected to cut their full holdings in the third quarter. At the top of the heap, Philippe Laffont's Coatue Management dropped the biggest position of the "upper crust" of funds monitored by Insider Monkey, valued at an estimated $248.9 million in stock. Zach Schreiber's fund, Point State Capital, also said goodbye to its stock, about $63.4 million worth. These bearish behaviors are important to note, as aggregate hedge fund interest fell by 6 funds in the third quarter.
Let's go over hedge fund activity in other stocks similar to QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM). We will take a look at BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK), Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), Ambev SA (NYSE:ABEV), and Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX). This group of stocks' market values are closest to QCOM's market value.
BLK 45 753724 9
INTU 42 2351847 3
ABEV 13 247756 0
BDX 35 784594 -2
Average 33.75 1034480 2.5
As you can see these stocks had an average of 33.75 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $1034 million. That figure was $1906 million in QCOM's case. BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Ambev SA (NYSE:ABEV) is the least popular one with only 13 bullish hedge fund positions. QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. Our calculations showed that top 20 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 1.9% in Q2 through May 30th and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by more than 3 percentage points. Hedge funds were also right about betting on QCOM as the stock returned 16.8% during the same period and outperformed the market by an even larger margin. Hedge funds were rewarded for their relative bullishness.
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Switcheroos
Vivian's Drive-In in Portland Closed for Renovations, Up For Sale
The previous owner promises "Nothing should change," though.
by Adam H. Callaghan@AHCallaghan Oct 29, 2015, 12:29pm EDT
Via Vivian's Drive-In in Portland is Being Sold [PPH] and Maine's Most Iconic Burgers [EME]
Share All sharing options for: Vivian's Drive-In in Portland Closed for Renovations, Up For Sale
Vivian's Drive-In, Portland.
Adam H. Callaghan/Eater
One of Portland's cheapest hamburger restaurants, Vivian's Drive-In, is being sold for the third time in its 63-year history. The Press Herald reported last month that owner Donna Morgan, who bought the place in 1994, is selling — "But despite rumors that the Forest Avenue business might be closing, Morgan said it isn't going anywhere." She also promised "Nothing should change," including the concise menu of low-priced little burgers (virtually all items sell for under $4 each, even double cheeseburgers) and red snapper hot dogs.
Things might change a little, though — since the Press Herald's piece, the seasonal eatery has closed for renovations, according to a hand-written sign on the front door. No official word has made its way out about new ownership nor a timeline for reopening, and the business phone number is disconnected. For now, burger fans, you'll have to look elsewhere for your iconic burger fix.
Editor markup for Maine's Most Iconic Burgers. This is only visible in the story editor.
Vivian's Drive-In
948 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103 (207) 797-7077


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Gavin William James Esler (born 27 February 1953) is a Scottish journalist, television presenter and author. He was a main presenter on BBC Two's flagship political analysis programme, Newsnight, from January 2003 until January 2014, and presenter of BBC News at Five on the BBC News Channel. Since 2014 he has served as the Chancellor of the University of Kent. On 11 March 2017, Esler confirmed via his Twitter profile that he would be leaving the BBC at the end of the month to concentrate on his writing activities. He returned to the BBC later that year as host of Talking Books.

He stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for Change UK in London at the 2019 European Parliament election.

Early life
Esler was born in Glasgow on 27 February 1953, the first son born to a manager of a building company. During his first weeks, he suffered from a condition that made him unable to digest milk and his parents feared for his life. He had an operation at just three weeks old. His family lived in Clydebank before they moved to Edinburgh, where he began his education at Duddingston Primary School before gaining a scholarship to George Heriot's School at the age of seven.

His Scottish childhood had a profound and long-lasting effect on him. His parents moved to Northern Ireland but he remained in Edinburgh. Esler was the first in his family to go to university, graduating at the University of Kent with a BA in English and American literature in 1974. Alongside his studies he also wrote for Incant, the university newspaper. He then gained an MA in Anglo-Irish literature with distinction from the University of Leeds.

Journalism career

Esler began working as a journalist in 1976, aged 23, as a junior reporter with the Belfast Telegraph.

He joined the BBC in 1977 as Northern Ireland reporter, working under Bernard Cornwell, and extended his role after joining Newsnight in 1982. Esler was appointed Washington correspondent in 1989 and then, a year later, became the BBC's chief North America correspondent. Based in Washington, Esler's responsibilities now extended to shaping the corporation's coverage across the whole of North America, which included reporting on both the earlier George H. W. Bush and Clinton administrations. Esler has also reported for news and documentary programmes across Europe, Russia, China and North and South America.

Esler combined reporting with presenting from the mid-1980s on BBC One's regional news programme for London and the South East of England – Newsroom South East. He worked as an anchor on the BBC News channel (at the time known as "BBC News 24") from its outset in 1997 and co-presented its prime-time slot with Sian Williams for several years.

In January 2003, he joined Newsnight, replacing Jeremy Vine, who had left to take over from Sir Jimmy Young on Radio 2. During his career Esler has interviewed heads of state and government including Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac and King Abdullah II of Jordan. He has also interviewed a wide range of cultural figures, including Dolly Parton, Doris Lessing, Penélope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, V. S. Naipaul, Roger Waters, Vikram Seth and Seamus Heaney. Esler left Newsnight in January 2014, and was replaced by Laura Kuenssberg.

In 2005, Esler interviewed George Galloway on Newsnight about the London bombings. The BBC was reported to have received hundreds of complaints about his interview alleging his questioning was "rude and aggressive". Peter Barron, editor of Newsnight, defended the questioning of Galloway's tactics:

In 2007 a BBC Trust publication investigating impartiality in the organisation criticised an unnamed BBC news presenter for writing an article in the Daily Mirror newspaper entitled "Why the World Needs Hillary", stating they had been "unwise" for doing so. The article appeared to endorse Hillary Clinton to be the next US President and it soon emerged that the news presenter in question was Esler. The BBC report noted that "the apparent endorsement of one presidential candidate in elections in a country which, in his words, 'now seems seriously off
course' could make it hard for that presenter to conduct American political interviews".

Until 2017, Esler was the main presenter of Dateline London on BBC News and BBC World News most Sunday mornings at 11 am. Between 2008 and 2017, he also presented the BBC News at Five on the BBC News channel on Fridays and when Huw Edwards was away. Esler has also hosted BBC Radio 4 factual series Four Corners along with fellow Scottish broadcaster Anne MacKenzie. He had a regular slot on Saturdays and Sundays, working across BBC World, BBC News and BBC One, and co-presented the regular Film Review with Mark Kermode.

On 11 March 2017, Esler confirmed via his Twitter profile that he would be leaving the BBC to concentrate on his writing activities. The Film Review was presented by other presenters although he continued to present Dateline London. He returned on 31 March 2017 to present his final BBC News at Five and Film Review. He returned to the BBC later that year as host of Talking Books.

Since 2021, Esler has been a regular presenter and contributor to the political podcast The Bunker.

Literary career
Esler is the author of five novels and four non-fiction books. The novel A Scandalous Man was described by fellow author Bernard Cornwell as "a compelling book, its political sophistication made luminous with wisdom, sympathy and story telling". His fifth novel, Powerplay, was published by HarperCollins in August 2009. Esler's first non-fiction book, The United States of Anger published in October 1997 by Penguin, explores America's discontent with itself and was described by the New Statesman as "a vivid portrait of America in the 1990s". Esler's 2019 book Brexit Without the Bullshit discusses some of the potential consequences of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. For several years he also wrote regular columns for The Scotsman, The Independent and other publications..

Esler's most recent book, How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations, was published in February 2021 and in which Esler claims a resurgent English nationalism is pulling the United Kingdom apart.

Political career
In August 2018, Esler spoke at a People's Vote rally in Edinburgh. People's Vote is a campaign group calling for a public vote on the final Brexit deal between the UK and the European Union. On 23 April 2019, he was announced as a candidate for Change UK in London in the May 2019 European Parliament election. The party announced its intention to stop Brexit and pursue a second referendum on membership of the EU. It gained 3.4% of the vote nationally and failed to win any seats. In London the party achieved 5.3% of the vote, but this was only just over half of the number required for Esler as lead candidate to win the 8th and last seat under the d'Hondt system of proportional representation used in the election.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, published on 6 May 2019, Esler stated that, "I want to stop Brexit. Fix Britain. And then I want to reform the things that are wrong with the EU". He added, that he thought Nigel Farage was "affable" and a "good communicator", but whilst he was "more honest on that than many other politicians who support Brexit", his approach was reminiscent of Nazism; "The word 'betrayal' was used in Germany from 1919 onwards and throughout the 1920s with terrible results".

Esler has criticised the way the BBC and other TV and radio news has handled balance. He states that the present mode of balance involves "if you have a Tory on you get a Labour Party person", but says that "that's not what politics is like anymore". He criticises giving equal balance to "someone who really knows what they are talking about" and "someone who is essentially the village idiot".

In August 2021 it was announced that Esler would be a competitor on BBC's Celebrity MasterChef. He left the competition during a quarter-final "after serving up an 'incomplete' dessert compared to 'soup'."

Personal life
Esler has been married to rock violinist Anna Phoebe, his second wife, since 2012. They have two children. He was first married in July 1979, to teacher Patricia Warner, and they had two children together. The couple's separation was reported in 2008 and a divorce granted in 2010.

Esler's hobbies include camping, hiking and skiing. He is a fan of progressive rock, citing King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Colosseum and Pink Floyd as favourite bands, and presented Prog magazine's Progressive Music Awards for three consecutive years between September 2012 and 2014.

Awards and honours
Esler's report on the military build-up in the Aleutian Islands as part of the Reagan administration's New Maritime Strategy earned him a Royal Television Society award.

In 2007 he won a Sony Gold Award for his radio documentary report Letters from Guantanamo on Sami al-Hajj, one of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay. Following the broadcast, al-Hajj was released from American custody.

Esler has received two honorary degrees from the University of Kent: an honorary MA was awarded in 1995, followed by an honorary Doctorate in Civil Law in 2005. He was installed as the sixth Chancellor of the university in July 2014.

Bibliography
Esler has written the following books:

Non-fiction

How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations. Head of Zeus. 2021.

Fiction

References

External links

Gavin Esler BBC Newsnight
Gavin Esler's Personal Website

1953 births
Alumni of the University of Kent
Alumni of the University of Leeds
BBC newsreaders and journalists
BBC World News
Chancellors of the University of Kent
Living people
People educated at George Heriot's School
Mass media people from Glasgow
Scottish people of Irish descent
Change UK politicians

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Story: "Psychic investigators" Ed and Lorraine Warren are called in on a case of demonic possession in England. The Lowdown: A considerable improvement over its predecessor, this one is genuinely unsettling and atmospheric — even knowing that the story is utter hogwash. While deploring the glorification of the Warrens, I can't deny that James Wan has made one creepy horror movie.
James Wan returns to the horror genre with The Conjuring 2, and it pretty much cements his position as the major player in mainstream horror today, despite some inescapable — and hardly insignificant — problems with his latest. I have championed Wan's horror pictures from Dead Silence (2007) through Insidious (2010), Insidious Chapter 2 (2013) and, to a lesser extent, The Conjuring (2013). That qualifier on the last is why I approached the new film with some trepidation, which was both borne out and not. On the plus side, it fixes one of the major problems of its predecessor by providing a big climax worthy of all the creepy buildup. It also manages to side-step some of the more risible aspects of the earlier film. That is not the whole story, however. First of all, there's the 133 minute running time. The film could have lost 30 minutes — including its mini-Amityville Horror segment at the beginning (which is actually pretty good in itself) — and been the better for it. But that's not all.
While I don't begrudge any movie — especially a horror film — from playing fast and loose with the facts, The Conjuring 2 insists on elevating the ghost-hunting duo of Ed and Lorraine Warren (played once again by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) to truly absurd levels. The film makes the real-life Warrens' penchant for exaggeration and self-mythologizing look like the very definition of humility. Here, they are not only downright saintly, but unfairly persecuted by nonbelievers. (The film barely skirts the realm of faith-based movies.) Banana oil. It is not perhaps surprising that very soon after the claims of "based on true events," we find the disclaimer that the film is "based on characters created by Carey and Chad Hayes." The truth is that the largely debunked "Enfield haunting," or "Enfield poltergeist," the movie is built on had precious little to do with the Warrens. They showed up — quite uninvited — and observed for one day. It was certainly not the Warrens going best two-out-of-three falls with a demon. In short, it's outright hooey. That, however, does not keep it from being a pretty swell horror movie of the kind that Wan is very, very good at. In that regard, The Conjuring 2 is a winner.
In the world of the movie, the Warrens are called in by representatives of the Catholic Church to verify whether the events at a shabby council house (public housing) in the London borough of Enfield actually involve a case of possession. (Of course, they are. Otherwise, we'd have no story.) The film overall is a reasonably basic possession/haunted house movie with its roots in The Exorcist (1973) and Poltergeist (1982) — with a few nods to The Sentinel (1977), The Shining (1980) and The Babadook (2014). You have your usual bed-shakings, invisibly propelled furniture, spooky voices coming from the mouth of a young girl, etc. You know the drill by now, though I admit I never saw a spirit so intent on changing channels to prevent the object of its possession from watching The Goodies TV show. And I was certainly unaware of the Rumplestiltskin factor in dealing with demons.
But what sets the movie apart — aside from a clever script (the business with the two tape recordings is a neat chill) and an effective shift late in the film — is the horror craftsmanship of James Wan. He may be working familiar ground, and the overall sense may be no more than a spectacularly effective spook house, but he has an unusual mastery of the genre. His shock effects are among the best ever. I'd say he has them down to a science, but it's more of an art. The sense of just when to use one seems more inherent than calculated.
The films are atmospheric in a way where every dark corner might conceal a fresh horror, while his almost constantly moving camera seems ready to uncover something nasty at every turn. The pacing of his individual set pieces is just right — and then there is Wan's startling sense of what is creepy. What scares you, or at least creeps you out, is very personal and probably related to something from childhood. Whatever the reason, Wan has an unerring knack for what gets to me. (And others, judging by the box office.) The Mary Shaw character in Dead Silence, the lipstick-faced demon in Insidious, the black bride in both Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2, the mother in Insidious: Chapter 2 are all nightmares come to life on the screen. To this we may now add the Crooked Man and especially the demonic nun. There's a primal fear in Wan's bogeys that transcends the basic disbelief inherent in such tales — and lingers long after the movie is over. That in itself makes these films worth having. Rated R for terror and horror violence.
Playing at Carmike 10, Carolina Cinemark, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande.
A while back I complained about the trailer for this movie (loaded as it was with what appeared to be well-worn jump scares), and your local guy Ed warned me not to "talk smack about James Wan", and also to not judge a movie by its trailer. And he was right. Although it revisited a number of familiar horror elements (as you indicate), it did have that marvelous and truly unique scene involving the Crooked Man. I've never seen anything like that before. I also liked the unexpected moments of tenderness. And Wan's camerawork really is great.
Another good movie that had an unworthy trailer was "Pretty Poison", featuring a scene that wasn't even in the film.
I'm glad you liked it – and I was relieved to see Wan hasn't lost his horror touch after getting Fast & Furious money (a different kind of horror altogether). Have you seen his other films?
I guess I've seen most of the horror stuff: Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring. I don't remember much about Saw (clips and stills have replaced any personal memory of it), but Insidious was remarkable in the way it truly, legitimately scared me — not startling me with a jump scare, but the pure horror of seeing that entity hanging over the crib: Yow. All that said, however, I can't say Conjuring 2 scared me much (nor did I ever jump, which I tend to do pretty easily). As good as it is, this sort of thing is maybe just becoming a bit too familiar. I also thought that the bit where the demonic nun uses its own portrait to rush its victim bordered on the risible. But so much is going on that one small misstep like that hardly matters.
I could barely breathe during the portrait scene.
I think the two Insidious movies are his best (nothing wrong with the third, but Wan didn't make it). I might follow them with Dead Silence and then this one. I don't have much interest in Saw when all is said and done.
I get why people like Saw and I think it's clever, but I also had zero desire to see any more of them.
Well, you weren't reviewing movies at the time either, I think. They're not good, but I'll say this for them — I dreaded Halloween at the movies when they were an annual event a lot less than I did/do(?) when they were overtaken by annual Paranormal Stupidity movies.


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Even after 44 years of installing traditional, bespoke, luxury kitchens for a whole range of customers, it's always intriguing to discover what their main reasons were for choosing Broadway Kitchens.
Whether sitting on the sublime sun terrace or the cast-iron balconies of the Isle of Wight's Elverstone Manor, you're surrounded by uninterrupted views of the serene, twinkling blue of the English Channel. On the horizon, cross-continental ferries drift beneath a clear azure sky.
With a vista such as this, I can't help but wonder how my customer managed to achieve such opulence... and I can't help but ask.
Chris Hartley told us: "…my mother was a cleaner and my father was a postman so life was tough in the East End of London where any thought of a luxury bespoke kitchen was just a silly pipe dream."
Chris worked hard following a career in a number of roles in a multinational engineering company but started to achieve success as soon as he went into business. Realising that he'd be better off earning money for himself than for other people, Chris entered the world of commercial property and now has a portfolio of over a million square feet with little finance on any of the properties. "Not bad for a boy from the East End!" he remarks.
Chris' recently purchased Victorian home originally belonged to Lord Elverstone, before being converted into a hotel and then later a boarding school with over 90 pupils. Over many years, successive owners had spent very little to preserve the fabric of the building and it had fallen into disrepair, but Chris was quick to see the potential. Ironically, the lack of 'improvements' since it was first built had allowed almost all of the original features to remain intact and the external appearance was almost 'as built'.
Do you feel that it is a kitchen that you and Angela deserve after all the years of hard graft?
"Not at all," responds Chris, "it's not what we deserved, although we love every bit of it and it's designed to suit us - it's what the Manor House deserved. It is a befitting compliment to the original Manor and puts back the love that so obviously went into all the original design features. It is now our main residence and we love it, if we ever decided to buy another house I would make Broadway my first choice for the kitchen.
Would you have ordered without visiting our manufacturing workshops and one of our kitchen showrooms in Brentwood Essex or Sutton Coldfield?
Chris is quick to answer, "It was initially the photographs of real customers' traditional luxury kitchens throughout your website which drew us to Broadway, but you and your son made us feel so much at ease when you first came to visit us that Angela and I felt comfortable in reciprocating by making the journey and we certainly weren't disappointed. Your showroom, the evident dedication of your craftsmen in the carpentry workshops plus the obvious passion that you display and the quality of your products were reassuring clinchers.
Thank you for your time, Chris.


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Отто Ґротеволь ( ; 11 березня 1894, Брауншвейг — 21 вересня 1964 Берлін) — німецький політик, член СДПН, з 1946 року — СЄПН. У 1949—1964 роках обіймав посаду голови Ради міністрів НДР.

Біографія
У 1908—1912 роках Отто Гротеволь вивчився на друкаря і після закінчення навчання вступив до Спілки німецьких друкарів і Соціал-демократичну партію Німеччини. Воював в Першу світову війну і отримав важке поранення. У 1918—1922 роках Гротеволь перебував в Незалежній соціал-демократичній партії Німеччини, в 1920—1930 роках Гротеволь був депутатом ландтагу Брауншвейга від СДПН. У 1922 році обіймав посаду міністра юстиції і народної освіти Вільної держави Брауншвейг в кабінеті Отто Антріка, в 1923—1924 роках — міністра юстиції Брауншвейга в другому кабінеті Генріха Яспера. У 1928 році був призначений головою земельної страхової установи.

Примітки

Посилання

Політики XX століття
Учасники Першої світової війни
Депутати рейхстагу (Веймарська республіка)
Почесні громадяни Дрездена
Члени Соціал-демократичної партії Німеччини


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Queen and Philip back at Windsor in HMS Bubble ready for Lockdown 2.0
November 2 2020, 1.58pm Updated: November 2 2020, 3.52pm
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have travelled to Windsor Castle ahead of the second lockdown (Steve Parsons/PA)
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have returned to Windsor Castle together, ready for England's second national lockdown.
Buckingham Palace said the royal couple travelled to Berkshire from the Sandringham estate on Monday – three days before the month-long restrictions come into force.
The 94-year-old monarch had spent the weekend visiting the 99-year-old duke in Norfolk.
Philip's decision to accompany the Queen to Windsor and return to HMS Bubble – the nickname for their reduced household of staff – came after the Government's announcement on Saturday of the new lockdown in England in a bid to reverse the spread of coronavirus.
The Queen and Philip are just over a fortnight away from marking their 73rd wedding anniversary on November 20.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the duke's move to Windsor had been planned for a while.
Royal author Penny Junor said: "I just think it's very nice if they are together in the same residence and same part of the world.
"It's company for one another. They're a marvellous old couple."
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said the move meant the royal tradition of a Christmas at Sandringham this year was in doubt.
"Clearly it indicates there isn't going to be any sort of Christmas at Sandringham," the royal commentator said.
Windsor Castle (Steve Parsons/PA)
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on any future plans for the festive season.
Philip has been staying at his Wood Farm cottage on the Sandringham estate for the past few weeks since the Queen returned to Windsor at the start of October.
He has spent much of his retirement so far in the sanctuary after stepping down from public duties in 2017 after decades of service.
Prior to the pandemic, the Queen was usually more than 100 miles away at Buckingham Palace or at Windsor carrying out her duties as head of state.
But Philip reunited with the monarch at Windsor ahead of the nation going into lockdown in March.
They stayed at the castle in HMS Bubble for their safety for nearly 20 weeks, before heading to Balmoral in Aberdeenshire for their summer break, and then spending a few weeks together at Sandringham.
HMS Bubble


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The Best New Drama of the Fall Isn't On Television
By Dustin Rowles | Miscellaneous | October 13, 2014 |
Regular listeners of Ira Glass' This American Life were treated a couple of weeks ago to a special episode, "The Alibi," that — in television terms — acted as something of a backdoor pilot, introducing TAL's spin-off, Serial, the most exciting and best new drama of the fall.
I'm not being hyperbolic about that, either. It's flat-out terrific. With all the new and returning television shows this fall, nothing has been as gripping, engrossing, and compelling as Serial, which takes one story and tells it over numerous episodes (the first story will be told in 12 episodes). After one episode, I was hooked. After two episodes, I was obsessed. After three episodes, I was devastated because I'd have to wait another week to hear the fourth installment.
Hosted by the voice crush of my dreams, Sarah Koenig, the first series in Serial takes us through the mysterious real-life murder of 17-year-old Hae Min Lee in 1999. Hae Min's ex- boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was convicted of the crime and is currently serving life in prison for it, but something doesn't sit right about conviction. A lot of somethings, in fact.
This story has everything, too. Star-crossed lovers of different religions. Adnan was a Muslim honor-roll student. Their parents never knew they were seeing and sleeping with each other because they were not allowed to date. The focal point of the mystery is a small, half-hour window of time on a Wednesday in January of 1999, when Adnan apparently kidnapped and killed his ex. Despite no physical evidence connecting Adnan to the crime, he was convicted based almost entirely based on the testimony of one witness.
Through the first three episodes — which explore the alibi, the motive, and the discovery of the body — our allegiances to Adnan Syed shift several times. In a way, it's like the Sundance series, Rectify: Despite the jury conviction, we have no idea if he murdered his ex-girlfriend or not, and for every piece of damning evidence presented, another piece of evidence cuts his way. What is for certain is that Adnan Syed — who provides interviews throughout — is a charming and charismatic person, and while he may ultimately be guilty, we don't want to think that he is.
Though three episodes, I have no idea where the 12-part series will take us, and I'm not sure that Sarah Koenig even knows. Her, producer Julie Snyder, and overseeing director Ira Glass have been working on this story for the better part of the last year, but they're still piecing the episodes together. But I absolutely cannot wait for the fourth episode. I can't wait to see where this true-crime story takes us. In so many ways, it's the best TV show, the best book, and the best podcast of 2014.
You're Not Watching 'black-ish' Yet? Let's Fix That.
Kristen Stewart Calls Non Feminists Ridiculous & Ernie Hudson Calls Female Ghostbusters Wrong


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Sign up for our Lehigh Valley School Zone education newsletter
News Local News
Parkland teens use social media to win $25,000
Marion Callahan, Of The Morning Call
Akil Lewis, powered by social media, his network of friends and the reach of online classified websites, is $25,000 richer.
The South Whitehall 16-year-old won a Men's Wearhouse promotional contest, earning a prize for himself, money for his friend and an additional $25,000 for Parkland High School. Winning, however, took more work than simply filling out a slip for a drawing.
The Parkland senior and his friend Rohit Rajendran, 18, of Upper Macungie, launched a campaign to bring a record number of discount-seeking customers to the men's apparel store by encouraging people to use an online tuxedo coupon in Lewis' name. One referral got him a free tuxedo rental. Ten referrals earned him an iTunes card.
A few months after the contest began, referrals reached the hundreds, qualifying for the grand prize.
"When we began to see we were close, that we actually had a chance, we worked even harder," said Lewis, who was on the computer every night posting links to his coupons on Facebook and dozens of online classified sites.
When the contest ended June 30, Lewis and Rajendran had encouraged 526 people across the country to stroll into Men's Wearhouse stores and use their coupons.
As the band played Taio Cruz's Dynamite, Lewis wrapped his arm around a ceremonial over-sized $25,000 check, nodding to his friends and family who gathered in the parking lot of Whitehall's Men's Wearhouse to celebrate Tuesday morning.
"This is a great entrepreneurial lesson that all of our students will learn from," said Jim Muniz, principal of Parkland High School, congratulating both winners.
Bob Henderson, Men's Wearhouse regional vice president, said Lewis competed against more than 50,000 challengers across the country during the company's Prom Rep Challenge. Lewis brought in the most referrals with 526 tuxedo rentals in his name, he said.
Rajendran, who came up with the idea and will get half the prize, was eager to share their contest-winning strategy. He created a website – dealsontux.com — added the site to Google and used search optimization tools to build traffic.
"We made it so if people searched for 'Men's Wearhouse' and 'coupon,' they would find our site," said Rajendran, who now attends Virginia Tech. "I'm still amazed that we actually won this."
For months, nearly every day, Rajendran and Lewis would get online, re-posting their coupons to classifiedads.com to give their website link more presence. Social media gave them a big boost, too, he said.
"It's a powerful tool to spread the word, if you know how to use it," said Rajendran, who created a separate Facebook account for the contest.
Lewis plans to use his share of the money to help his family pay off debt. Rajendran will use his winnings to pay for college and make a donation to the international microfinance non-profit, Kiva.
A big bonus, Lewis said, is knowing that $25,000 will go to his school.
At Tuesday's celebration, Parkland Assistant Principal Donna Steckel said the prize will be spent on the school's post-prom party for upcoming year.
"Since this was a prom-related challenge, we couldn't think of a better way to spend the money then to use it to help keep kids safe," she said.
mtcallahan@mcall.com
'I want the community to know they are safe,' Bucks County bomber says in admitting late-night explosion spree
Report: Pennsylvania's Sen. Pat Toomey floated deal for each side to summon an impeachment witness
Traffic stop in Allentown leads to arrest of Crips gang members, one armed with gun, police say
Insider Guide


We all know how important great product photos are for selling on-line right? There is nothing worse than a fuzzy, dark, 'busy' photo where you can't get a clear idea of just how wonderful the item actually is. And sellers ... don't believe buyers will look past your dodgy pics and simply 'know' it's fabulous because you've made it. Unless they're you're friends or family they'll likely scroll on by!
There are lots of photo editing options available both software, freeware, and on-line including Photoshop, Gimp, Picasa and much more. They all have standard features and many have cool 'whizz bang pop' things you may rarely use.
If you're wanting a great on-line tool you can't go past PicMonkey (www.picmonkey.com). It's free (although you can pay a subscription to unlock 'premium' features) and no registration is required.
As well as your basic edit tools, there are touchups, text, overlays, frames, textures and themes. (Note: items with a little 'crown' symbol are available if you have the Royale subscription only).
Do you use PicMonkey? What's your favourite function?