I owned a Superbike 999 for several years and LOVED it. Had to sell it to finance a move and I'm in the market for a new red headed mistress.
I'm looking at a new (but might be pursuaded to look recently used if you guys think there's another option I should consider) 959 or V4 base. The V4 is at the absolute maximum of my budget.
I assume that the 959 displacement is close to the 998ci of my old 999 with full Termi exhaust so I assume the sound and feel of the 959 would be similar to it. Man, I loved that sound and the feel of the grumpy twin under me.
I have loved the Desmosedici since the first time I saw one and MAN! The sound that angry machine made... with full exhaust, can a V4 production engine with a full exhaust come close to that Desmo that I fell in love with?
Part of me wanted to consider a 1299 but honestly I think that's more bike than I'd want/use. And this would be my only bike for many years (no selling/trading) so buying new has advantages for me.
I'll be demoing both the 959 and V4 soon, but it's hard to judge that soul moving resonance I'm hoping for with bikes that have factory base model exhaust.
Thanks for your time and can't wait to see what insights you guys can give me!
100% agree. And I'll spend to stir my soul. Just wanted to make sure the V4 will give me the same feeling my old 2cyl 999 gave me.
When you test rode your V4, did you test anything else or once you touched the V4 you weren't interested in trying another?
well, i test-drove the Kawasaki ZX-10R and the KTM 1290 super duke r as well.
The KTM was fun, but was too similar to my BMW.
The 1299 is too much but the V4 is not?
200CCs less. I was always fine on liter bikes but things like the Hayabusa always made me nervous when I rode. The 999 was my first Duc so I honestly only have that as a reference point.
There is a LOT of data and info on these bikes... but none really comparing the options that I'm looking at and from my perspective. Initially it's why I picked the 959 over a 1299 before I knew the 1299 was discontinued and I was researching.
The V4 is easier to ride than the 959, and this is coming from an slow B pace rider who owned both. I couldn't notice suspension changes until October and when I first took the V4 to the track, I noticed right away how easy it was to swing the bike and how relaxed my shoulders were.
The counter rotating crank on the V4 really helps out on steering. That's why Motogp bikes have been that way for a while now.
If it is the 999 you miss, buy a 999.


Duncan, Justin Lee W/M DOB: 3/09/1979 of Herculaneum MO was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant through Ste. Genevieve County on the following original charges of Exceeded Posted Speed Limit and Operated a Motor Vehicle owned by another knowing owner of vehicle has not maintained financial responsibility. Bond was set at $250.00 cash only.
Toy-Thornton, Marcus Anthony B/M DOB: 4/27/1991 of Cordova TN was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant through Ste. Genevieve County on the original charge of Dangerous Drugs. Bond was set at $250.00 cash only.
Deputies were called to the 4000 block of Highway 61 for a 911 hang-up call.
Deputies were called to the 17000 block of Highway 61 for a road hazard.
Deputies were called to the 9000 block of Three Oaks Lane for animal control.
Deputies were called to the area of Sprott Rd. and State Route EE for suspicious activity.
Deputies were called to the 21000 block of Highway 32 to assist another agency.
Deputies were called to the area of Interstate 55 and State Route DD for a road hazard.
Deputies were called to mile marker 146 for a careless driver.
Deputies were called to the 15000 block of Highway 32 for a disturbance.
Deputies were called to the 19000 block of Gore Rd. to assist another agency.
Deputies were called to the 11000 block of Nickelson Dr. for animal control.
Deputies were called to the area of State Route O commuter lot for suspicious activity.
Deputies were called to the 12000 block of Village Dr. for property damage.
Deputies were called to the area of Caroline Dr. for an alarm.
Deputies were called to the 10000 block of State Route OO to assist EMS.
Deputies were called to the area of Highway 32 and State Route B for suspicious activity.
Deputies were called to the 17000 block of Highway 32 for a theft.
Deputies were called to the 22000 block of Vaughn Lane for a brush fire.
Deputies were called to the 25000 block of State Route Z for a burglary.
Deputies were called to the 600 block of Pine St. in St. Mary to check the well-being.
Deputies were called to the 500 block of Whippoorwill Lane for property damage.
Deputies were called to the 1000 block of Ste. Genevieve Dr. to assist EMS at this location.
Deputies were called to the area of State Route O and Interstate 55 to assist a person at this location.
Deputies were called to the 16000 block of State Route D for theft.
Deputies were called to the 5000 block of Salem Fields Dr. to assist another agency.
Deputies were called to the 300 block of Elm St. in St. Mary to assist EMS.
Deputies were called to the 7000 block of Manhattan Dr. for an alarm.
Deputies were called to the area of Ozora Outer Rd. for a careless driver.
Deputies were called to the 9000 block of State Route Y for a motor vehicle accident.
Deputies were called to the 22000 block of Gordon Rd. for a disturbance.
Deputies were called to the 10000 block of Rock Quarry Rd. for animal control.
Deputies were called to the area of New Offenburg Rd. and Highway 32 for animal control.
Deputies were called to the 14000 block of Walker Rd. for found property.
Deputies were called to the 13000 block of Highway 61 for a road hazard.
Deputies were called to the 900 block of Eighth St. in St. Mary for motorist assist.
Deputies were called to the 8000 block of Enterprise Rd. to assist EMS.
Deputies were called to the area of State Route EE and State Route C for suspicious activity.
Deputies were called to the 5000 block of Gizzy Lane for property damage.
Deputies were called to the area of Miller Switch Rd. and Highway 32 for a road hazard.
Deputies were called to the area of Interstate 55 and State Route Z for a vehicle fire.
Deputies were called to the 24000 block of Highway 61 for a motor vehicle accident.
Deputies were called to the 17000 Clubhouse Court for an alarm.
Deputies were called to the 15000 block of State Route D for a careless driver.
Deputies were called to the 6000 block of State Route DD to assist EMS.
Deputies were called to the area of State Route M and State Route J for animal control.
Deputies were called to the area of Quail Dr. for a peace disturbance.


text:
Q: Jsoup redirects to start page I am connecting to a URL using
Document document = Jsoup.connect(params[0])
                                .userAgent("Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/535.2 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/15.0.874.120 Safari/535.2")
                                .get();

But no matter what parameter I pass, it always return the same value example :
If I have a URL - https://somewebsite.com/data?page=1
It returns all the data from the page, but when I pass same URL with different page like https://somewebsite.com/data?page=4the websites redirects me to page 1.
Is there a method to solve this kind of problem?

A: This behavior (return to home page) may be a feature of the website you are triggering. Some websites do this exactly to prohibit users from doing "irregular" browse/navigation on them - letting users with one option only to paging - the "official" one, implemented on the proper site, most probably associated with a desired (from the owner's of the site perspective) UX, showing ads for example.
What you could try is to fetch only some tags inside page X, not the entire content of it, and check for the results. Maybe this can "fake" the redirection mechanism.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Able Lending is the world's first collaborative lender for small businesses. Co-investors include: Floodgate, Founders Fund, and Western Technology Investments.
Alloy offers enterprise software for banks and credit card providers. The company delivers identity verification APIs that make KYC (Know Your Customers) effective and simple. Co-investors include Eniac Ventures and Primary Venture Partners.
BlueVine provides businesses with advances on their outstanding invoices using a quick, simple and 100% online process. Co-investors include Greylock Israel, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Menlo Ventures.
Job matching platform for food, beverage & hospitality industry. Co-investors include RRE Ventures.
Earnest is a technology-enabled lender with a unique approach to personal lending and credit. Earnest uses its proprietary algorithms to provide financially responsible people with loans at competitive interest rates. Co-investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Atlas Venture, Collaborative Fund, First Round Capital, and Maveron. Acquired by Navient in 2017.
EarnUp provides an intelligent loan optimization platform that syncs micro payments with user income and helps consumers get out of debt faster. Co-investors include Base Ventures, Blumberg Capital, Camp One Ventures, and Kapor Capital.
Mirror uses blockchain technology to reflect a more transparent financial ecosystem. Co-investors include RRE, Crosslink Capital, Menlo Ventures, and Battery Ventures.
Personal Capital provides technology driven personalized wealth management. Co-investors include Crosslink Capital, Institutional Venture Partners, and Venrock.
Prattle makes financial services software that provides hedge funds and other asset managers with investment insights via sentiment analysis of central bank and corporate communications. Co-investors include New Enterprise Associates.
Upstart is an analytics-based crowdfunding platform that enables talented college graduates to raise capital in exchange for a small share of their future income. Co-investors include First Round Capital, Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, and Collaborative Fund.
Zebit is a lender enabling employed unbanked consumers to buy products on-line with no interest, no fees, and no hidden charges. Co-investors include Crosslink Ventures, LeapFrog Ventures, and Mohr Davidow Ventures.
"Correlation Ventures has been there for us since the very beginning. I could not have asked for a more supportive and transparent partner."


text:
using System.IO;
using System.Reflection;
using Xunit;

namespace System.Diagnostics.TraceSourceTests
{
    using Method = TestTraceListener.Method;

    public class TraceClassTests : IDisposable
    {
        private readonly string TestRunnerAssemblyName = PlatformDetection.IsFullFramework ?
            Path.GetFileName(Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()[0]) : Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().GetName().Name;

        void IDisposable.Dispose()
        {
            TraceTestHelper.ResetState();
        }

        [Fact]
        public void AutoFlushTest()
        {
            Trace.AutoFlush = false;
            Assert.False(Trace.AutoFlush);
            Trace.AutoFlush = true;
            Assert.True(Trace.AutoFlush);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void UseGlobalLockTest()
        {
            Trace.UseGlobalLock = true;
            Assert.True(Trace.UseGlobalLock);
            Trace.UseGlobalLock = false;
            Assert.False(Trace.UseGlobalLock);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void RefreshTest()
        {
            Trace.UseGlobalLock = true;
            Assert.True(Trace.UseGlobalLock);
            // NOTE: Refresh does not reset to default config values
            Trace.Refresh();
            Assert.True(Trace.UseGlobalLock);
        }

        [Theory]
        [InlineData(1, 1)]
        [InlineData(2, 2)]
        [InlineData(-2, 0)]
        public void IndentLevelTest(int indent, int expected)
        {
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(new DefaultTraceListener());
            Trace.IndentLevel = indent;
            Assert.Equal(expected, Trace.IndentLevel);
            foreach (TraceListener listener in Trace.Listeners)
            {
                Assert.Equal(expected, listener.IndentLevel);
            }
        }

        [Theory]
        [InlineData(1, 1)]
        [InlineData(2, 2)]
        [InlineData(-2, 0)]
        public void IndentSizeTest(int indent, int expected)
        {
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(new DefaultTraceListener());
            Trace.IndentSize = indent;
            Assert.Equal(expected, Trace.IndentSize);
            foreach (TraceListener listener in Trace.Listeners)
            {
                Assert.Equal(expected, listener.IndentSize);
            }
        }

        [Fact]
        public void FlushTest()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.AutoFlush = false;
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Write("Test");
            Assert.DoesNotContain("Test", listener.Output);
            Trace.Flush();
            Assert.Contains("Test", listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void CloseTest()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Close();
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Close));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void Assert1Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            // We have to clear the listeners list on Trace since there is a trace listener by default with AssertUiEnabled = true in Desktop and that will pop up an assert window with Trace.Fail
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Assert(true);
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
            Trace.Assert(false);
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void Assert2Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            var text = new TestTextTraceListener();
            // We have to clear the listeners list on Trace since there is a trace listener by default with AssertUiEnabled = true in Desktop and that will pop up an assert window with Trace.Fail
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Listeners.Add(text);
            Trace.Assert(true, "Message");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
            text.Flush();
            Assert.DoesNotContain("Message", text.Output);
            Trace.Assert(false, "Message");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
            text.Flush();
            Assert.Contains("Message", text.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void Assert3Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            var text = new TestTextTraceListener();
            // We have to clear the listeners list on Trace since there is a trace listener by default with AssertUiEnabled = true in Desktop and that will pop up an assert window with Trace.Fail
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Listeners.Add(text);
            Trace.Assert(true, "Message", "Detail");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
            text.Flush();
            Assert.DoesNotContain("Message", text.Output);
            Trace.Assert(false, "Message", "Detail");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
            text.Flush();
            Assert.Contains("Message", text.Output);
            Assert.Contains("Detail", text.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteTest()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Write("Message", "Category");
            Trace.Flush();
            Assert.Equal("Category: Message", listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteObject1Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Write((Object)"Text");
            listener.Flush();
            Assert.Equal("Text", listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteObject2Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Write((Object)"Message", "Category");
            Trace.Flush();
            Assert.Equal("Category: Message", listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLineObjectTest()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLine((Object)"Text");
            listener.Flush();
            Assert.Equal("Text" + Environment.NewLine, listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLine1Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLine("Message", "Category");
            listener.Flush();
            Assert.Equal("Category: Message" + Environment.NewLine, listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLine2Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLine((Object)"Message", "Category");
            listener.Flush();
            Assert.Equal("Category: Message" + Environment.NewLine, listener.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteIf1Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteIf(false, (Object)"Message");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
            Trace.WriteIf(true, (Object)"Message");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteIf2Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteIf(false, "Message");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
            Trace.WriteIf(true, "Message");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteIf3Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteIf(false, (Object)"Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
            Trace.WriteIf(true, (Object)"Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteIf4Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteIf(false, "Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
            Trace.WriteIf(true, "Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Write));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLineIf1Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLineIf(false, (Object)"Message");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Trace.WriteLineIf(true, (Object)"Message");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLineIf2Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLineIf(false, "Message");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Trace.WriteLineIf(true, "Message");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLineIf3Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLineIf(false, (Object)"Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Trace.WriteLineIf(true, (Object)"Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void WriteLineIf4Test()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.WriteLineIf(false, "Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(0, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
            Trace.WriteLineIf(true, "Message", "Category");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.WriteLine));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void FailTest()
        {
            var listener = new TestTraceListener();
            // We have to clear the listeners list on Trace since there is a trace listener by default with AssertUiEnabled = true in Desktop and that will pop up an assert window with Trace.Fail
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);
            Trace.Fail("Text");
            Assert.Equal(1, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
            Trace.Fail("Text", "Detail");
            Assert.Equal(2, listener.GetCallCount(Method.Fail));
        }

        [Fact]
        public void TraceTest01()
        {
            var textTL = new TestTextTraceListener();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(textTL);
            Trace.IndentLevel = 0;
            Trace.WriteLine("Message start.");
            Trace.IndentSize = 2;
            Trace.IndentLevel = 2;
            Trace.Write("This message should be indented.");
            Trace.TraceError("This error not be indented.");
            Trace.TraceError("{0}", "This error is indented");
            Trace.TraceWarning("This warning is indented");
            Trace.TraceWarning("{0}", "This warning is also indented");
            Trace.TraceInformation("This information in indented");
            Trace.TraceInformation("{0}", "This information is also indented");
            Trace.IndentSize = 0;
            Trace.IndentLevel = 0;
            Trace.WriteLine("Message end.");
            textTL.Flush();
            String newLine = Environment.NewLine;
            var expected =
                String.Format(
                    "Message start." + newLine + "    This message should be indented.{0} Error: 0 : This error not be indented." + newLine + "    {0} Error: 0 : This error is indented" + newLine + "    {0} Warning: 0 : This warning is indented" + newLine + "    {0} Warning: 0 : This warning is also indented" + newLine + "    {0} Information: 0 : This information in indented" + newLine + "    {0} Information: 0 : This information is also indented" + newLine + "Message end." + newLine + "",
                    TestRunnerAssemblyName
                );

            Assert.Equal(expected, textTL.Output);
        }

        [Fact]
        public void TraceTest02()
        {
            var textTL = new TestTextTraceListener();
            // We have to clear the listeners list on Trace since there is a trace listener by default with AssertUiEnabled = true in Desktop and that will pop up an assert window with Trace.Fail
            Trace.Listeners.Clear();
            Trace.Listeners.Add(textTL);
            Trace.IndentLevel = 0;
            Trace.IndentSize = 2;
            Trace.WriteLineIf(true, "Message start.");
            Trace.Indent();
            Trace.Indent();
            Trace.WriteIf(true, "This message should be indented.");
            Trace.WriteIf(false, "This message should be ignored.");
            Trace.Indent();
            Trace.WriteLine("This should not be indented.");
            Trace.WriteLineIf(false, "This message will be ignored");
            Trace.Fail("This failure is reported", "with a detailed message");
            Trace.Assert(false);
            Trace.Assert(false, "This assert is reported");
            Trace.Assert(true, "This assert is not reported");
            Trace.Unindent();
            Trace.Unindent();
            Trace.Unindent();
            Trace.WriteLine("Message end.");
            textTL.Flush();
            String newLine = Environment.NewLine;
            var expected = "Message start." + newLine + "    This message should be indented.This should not be indented." + newLine + "      Fail: This failure is reported with a detailed message" + newLine + "      Fail: " + newLine + "      Fail: This assert is reported" + newLine + "Message end." + newLine;
            Assert.Equal(expected, textTL.Output);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The 2015 Biggie Awards (& My Top 10 and Bottom 5 of 2014)
BIGGIE AWARDS
The 26th Annual Biggie Awards [UPDATED WITH WINNERS!] for achievements in film for the year 2014 (click on any image to see the full-size version) A year like 2014 is […]
The 26th Annual Biggie Awards
[UPDATED WITH WINNERS!]
for achievements in film for the year 2014
(click on any image to see the full-size version)
A year like 2014 is precisely why I created my own awards to begin with. It's a year when the Oscars and I disagreed perhaps more than we ever have. I dutifully watched the Academy Awards this year, as I always do, but I had little to no rooting interest, as almost none of my favorite movies were up in the categories they should've been recognized in. Though you'll find quite a bit of overlap in our acting nominees, I only agree with 3 of the Academy's 8 Best Picture nominees, and they passed gas on nearly all of their technical categories. What else is new?
I thought 2014 was a good year on the whole, but not great. Maybe a B+ if I were to grade it. The barometer I use in judging an entire year is how many movies I put on my all-time "Movies I Love" list. This year, there were 21 new entrees on that list. There were 22 in 2013 and 25 in 2012. For perspective, the most ever is 31 from 2000. None of 2014's entries will wind up in my all-time top 100, but that's a tough list to crack any year.
Click on this for full-size badassness.
Let's start at the top. I'm not ashamed to admit my favorite movie of the year was The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, this year's nominations leader with a Biggielicious 13 nods. I'm sad to see Peter Jackson finally (and likely forever) wrap up his journey to Middle Earth, and the unexpected Hobbit trilogy concluded with its most action-packed, dramatically powerful, emotional entry in Five Armies. These films got a bad rap with critics and some fanboys who were perplexed and annoyed that such a svelte book was drawn out into 3 140-minute+ movies. Most assumed it was purely studio greed, and that the story couldn't possibly be stretched out to what is essentially one 8-hour film. I had those same reservations at first, but after keeping an open mind through all 3 films, I have no problem with it (sadly, I still haven't seen any of the extended cuts). When something is great, I always want more of it. None of the Hobbit movies are as good as any of the Lord of the Rings films, but if one were to watch all six in succession, they are clearly part of the same world (something that can't be said with Star Wars thanks to the disjointed prequels). Five Armies nicely wraps up all of the trilogy's storylines, gives us a lot of emotional payoff, and it provided some nice story linkage between these movies and Lord of the Rings.
It was a banner year for Marvel Studios, which put out maybe its best one-two punch ever in Captain America: The Winter and Guardians of the Galaxy, racking up 8 nominations between them today. Both films were great and both were hugely successful (grossing 259.8 and $333.2 million domestic respectively). Marvel is on a streak of hits comparable only to the ongoing Pixar Dynasty, and in my view 2015's semi-risky Ant-Man is the only movie on their upcoming slate that could totally bomb. Of course it probably won't, but even if it does, they'll have the guaranteed billion-dollar+ grosses of Avengers: Age of Ultron to make up for it. It's good to be Marvel boss Kevin Feige, that's for sure. Put it this way: Marvel is doing so well that back in October they did a Steve Jobs-style keynote presentation announcing all the movies they're making for the next 5 years.
Year of the Jake.
There were several standout individual efforts as well in 2014. If I were to give out an award for Entertainer of the Year, for 2014 it would go to Jake Gyllenhaal, who has probably made the best choices in roles of any actor since 2010. He starred in two of this year's best and simultaneously most underrated movies, Nightcrawler and Enemy. The latter reunited him with his Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve, and it's one of the weirdest movies that I've ever loved. Rarely has a real-life city seemed so ominous and mysterious as Toronto of all places did in this film, shot in beautiful wide angles and color-timed in a foreboding brownish yellow. It's a movie that has to be seen to be believed, and it features one of the coolest WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT endings you'll ever lay eyes on. Meanwhile, he gives what I believe is the performance of his career in Nightcrawler. This is a character that sort of reminds me of De Niro's Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, but also mix in a large dose of Daniel Day-Lewis' misanthropic Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. Louis Bloom is all at once creepy, intense, calculating, ambitious and constantly teetering on the brink of insanity.
Speaking of WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT, Scarlett Johansson, who also had a very successful 2014, starred as a seductress alien in the other weirdest movie I saw all year, Sexy Beast director Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin, which also must be seen to be believed. Obviously, Johansson co-starred in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and then had her first legitimate hit all her own with Lucy. In my view, Lucy was a very cool idea that turned into a very dumb movie. You know, like almost everything Luc Besson is involved with.
Meanwhile, 23-year old Shailene Woodley is now on the verge of becoming a Jennifer Lawrence-sized movie star after her two big 2014 hits, Divergent ($150.9 million) and The Fault In Our Stars ($124.9 million). If she makes the right decisions over the next few years, the sky's the limit for her. That's a good thing, because we desperately need new movie stars. It'd just be nice if a few of them were people of color. Woodley was previously Biggie-nominated as part of The Descendants' ensemble cast in 2011, but now receives her first individual nod for Best Actress for her amazing and powerful work as a cancer patient in Fault In Our Stars.
Also worth mentioning is the directing duo of Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, who somehow managed to put The Lego Movie ($257.8m) and 22 Jump Street ($191.7m) in theaters just 4 months apart. Both films were critical and commercial hits. And finally, I wanna give props to the beautiful Eva Green, who played two sexy, bloodthirsty villains in 2014; in 300: Rise of an Empire and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Neither of those movies was great, but she was excellent in both.
One of my favorite posters of the year. I can't remember why.
Superior Sequels and Surprises
I hate to admit this, but it was also an excellent year for sequels. By my count, 6 of 2014's sequels (The Raid 2, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 22 Jump Street, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Purge: Anarchy) were better than their predecessors. Significantly better in the case of Jump Street and The Purge. Of course, there were plenty of inferior or flat out unnecessary sequels/reboots to balance that equation (Robocop, 300: Rise of an Empire, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Expendables 3, Horrible Bosses 2, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), but still, if sequels and reboots and reimaginings and reincarnations (or whatever you want to call them) are going to be such an important component of the studios' annual output, I think it's fair to expect at least half of them to match or outclass their predecessors.
The Purge: Anarchy was everything the disappointing first film should have been.
Almost every year, there's a wild card, out-of-nowhere film that winds up blowing me away and entering the Best Picture race. This year that film is 30-year old Damien Chazelle's Whiplash. The film was all the buzz out of Sundance last January, but it didn't open in theaters in my neck of the woods until literally a year later. And when it did, I rushed out and was not disappointed. When the end credits finally hit and I collected myself, I realized I was literally sweating in my seat. It's got one of the most satisfying finales in recent memory, reminding you just how potent a good ending can be. In fact, I would say the last 10-12 minutes of that movie is perfect filmmaking. Whiplash may be the best movie about music that I've ever seen. It is one of the most stunning and confident debut films of the last decade, and perhaps the best since Sam Mendes announced himself to the world with American Beauty in 1999. Rarely do you see an independent film with editing, cinematography and sound design this Hollywood-ready.
Kudos too to Wes Anderson. He'd made a string of movies that didn't move me in any way over the course of a decade, so I'd nearly given up on him prior to Moonrise Kingdom two years ago, which I unexpectedly loved (and nominated for Best Original Screenplay). Then he comes right back this year and blasts a homerun with The Grand Budapest Hotel, which I absolutely adore. In fact, Grand Budapest has now replaced Rushmore as my favorite Wes Anderson flick. No film bore the mark of its director more strongly this year. I don't see how he ever tops Budapest (nominated 11 times here today, second most overall), which seems to me to be the perfect "Wes Anderson movie", but even if he doesn't, it's been a wonderful and welcome comeback to behold.
Tim Burton had a nice (but sneaky, since nobody saw it) little comeback, too. Big Eyes was the first Burton flick I truly enjoyed from start to finish since Big Fish, which came out 12 friggin years ago. It was nice to see him step back from big budgets, over-the-top concepts, and most importantly, Johnny Depp and his stupid makeup, to show that he still has some life left in him as a filmmaker.
I also want to give a quick shoutout to Jason Bateman, who made his directorial debut with the hilarious and touching Bad Words, which he also starred in. It's got a wonderful kid actor performance from Rohan Chand, who plays a spelling bee champion reluctantly befriended by Bateman's character, a middle-aged man trying to compete against 10-year olds. The film also features a damned good script by Andrew Dodge that I seriously considered for Best Original Screenplay. Find this movie and see it immediately.
Disappointing and Overrated
Several of this year's movies either tried too hard to be awards contenders or were hugely overrated by critics (and in some cases, by audiences). For instance, Unbroken should have been great given the incredible story it was telling, but Angelina Jolie and her team I guess just assumed anything they did with it would automatically turn into Oscar glory. It's a shame, because I know Jolie was very passionate about telling this story right. Unfortunately, the final product is full of awkward edits, and the PG-13 rating limits the impact of the brutality that normally makes a movie like this impossible to forget.
Of course, the most overrated movie of 2014 was Richard Linklater's Boyhood. Didja hear it took 12 YEARS to make?!?!?! I didn't think an awards season movie could ever be more overrated than Argo was 2 years ago, but Boyhood has boldly taken a seat on the Iron Throne of Overrated Movies. The directing is boring an uninspired, the writing is boring and even cheesy at some many points, and I firmly believe that if you'd shot this same movie over the course of 4 months like a regular film and just used different actors for the kid roles as they aged, Boyhood gets NONE of its current praise. For reasons that will forever escape me, people think that the ability to keep this cast alive and together for brief periods of time over 12 years was some monumental, Citizen Kane-level cinematic achievement. I vehemently disagree. At a certain point, you begin wondering, Am I really watching a 5-minute scene of a guy arguing with his kids about doing their chores? It's just too normal, if that makes sense. The best thing about movies and TV is that most times they're heightened reality, and in many cases total fantasy. The only way Boyhood could've been less cinematic is if they'd shot it with camcorders and videotape and presented it as a 'found footage' home movie.
The Boyhood ballwashers will claim people like me just "didn't get it", and I'll retort that there was nothing to get. But I didn't outright hate the movie. I actually thought it was decent (I gave it a 7 on IMDb), but I ain't about that hype, bruh. The only extraordinary aspects of the film were the performances of Ethan Hawke & Patricia Arquette, who are both nominated here in the supporting actor categories.
Unfortunately, you'll find Christopher Nolan is lacking his typical Biggies love this year. Since Batman Begins in 2005, his films have averaged 9 nominations apiece, and two of those five films were Best Picture winners (The Dark Knight, Inception). I loved Interstellar, but it wasn't the all-time great I was hoping for prior to its release, and it wasn't exceptional enough to receive the boatload of nominations I'm accustomed to bestowing on Nolan's work. Interstellar receives just two nominations, but don't let that make you believe I didn't thoroughly enjoy the film. It certainly wasn't as messy as The Dark Knight Rises. I'm not gonna go so far as to say Nolan is in need of a comeback just yet, but I certainly like it better when his movies are good enough to contend in all the top categories.
I'm also in line with the Oscars in not fawning over Selma. I thought it was a damned good movie, and David Oyelowo is exceptional in it, but on the whole it wasn't the epic "issues movie" demanding to be recognized that many believe it is, and I'm not gonna whine about the Oscars' lack of diversity this year in not recognizing Selma more. Hollywood's lack of diversity is the real issue, folks. I think there's an even better MLK Jr. movie waiting to be made that would be worthy of winning Best Picture. However, Ava DuVerney did a fine job. It's still a superb film that everybody should see.
Another film you won't find represented here is Clint Eastwood's surprising smash hit and 6-time Oscar nominee, American Sniper. I enjoyed it very much, but a groundbreaking war picture it is not. I wasn't swayed by all the controversy, either. In fact, it amused me how much the movie enraged anti-military liberals. These are the people who didn't think the movie had enough "nuance" (aka Chris Kyle was shown in too positive a light). Sniper came close to being nominated in several categories (Bradley Cooper for Best Actor in particular), but it wasn't exemplary enough in any one area to make the cut. That's just the way it goes. I was rooting for it, too. I'd have loved for it to be a Saving Private Ryan/Black Hawk Down level masterpiece, but t'wasn't to be. Nor do I think any film about the Iraq War ever will be, by the way. I don't begrudge the film its success, and it qualifies as the kind of genuine phenomenon we only see once every 5 years or so ($330.8 million and counting), but I'm sorry, it ain't THAT good, people. It would have been nice if even a third of the people flocking to see American Sniper had gone and seen Birdman or Whiplash instead.
The last film I'll mention in this section is the now-IMMORTAL Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie I enjoyed the first time but came to love after a second viewing. That said, I've been following the movie industry for almost 20 years now and I have never seen fanboys and the geek community overreact to something like they did with Guardians last summer. You'd have thought this was the second coming of the original Star Wars the way some people were vomiting orgasmic joy over this movie. I'm not mad at anyone who loved the movie, but let's have some fucking perspective, shall we? You couldn't read one review of the movie without seeing the word "fun" mentioned at least 50 times. As if there'd never been a fun summer movie before. "Guardians of the Galaxy is just so much FUN." "It's the most FUN I've had at the movies in years!" "In a summer full of overly serious blockbusters, it's nice to have a film that's just trying to be FUN." And on and on it went. Calm the F down. You had movie blogs posting stories about every new Groot toy being released, as if that were somehow news. The desperation for Guardians of the Galaxy article clicks was palpable and pathetic. It took a good 4 months for some of these sites to stop talking about Guardians of the Galaxy-related tidbits literally every single day.
Look, I'm glad a lesser known and out-there property was successful, but Guardians ended up being the most successful Marvel movie ever not named The Avengers, which is absurd. I swear, sometimes I get butthurt about movies that make too much money than I do great movies that make no money. But again, kudos to Marvel for going all in and taking the risk, and I applaud James Gunn on his direction and for co-writing a fantastic script (with Nicole Perlman). Going in, I thought there was a good chance it was going to be a complete disaster creatively and nobody outside the diehards would want to see it, and in the end I'm happy to be wrong on both counts. The film is deservingly nominated 4 times here, compared to only twice at the Oscars. But yeah, perspective, my friends. The Godfather of summer movies it is not.
That'll do it for our annual Year in Review. It's time to find out what this movie lover believes was the best of the best in all aspects of cinema for 2014.
Sidebar: I finally figured out how to include page breaks on the blog. I know it takes forever for this post to load if all the photos and GIFs are on one page, so I've done y'allz a favor and broken it up a bit. Unfortunately, I'm still no web design expert, so you have to go all the way down to the bottom of the page to click to the next section, which are indicated by the numbers below. Our first break will be right now, so click on that number 2 and let's get this show on the road.
Posted on March 3, 2015 9 By Biggie BIGGIE AWARDS Posted in BIGGIE AWARDS, GIFs, LISTS, MOVIES, VIDEOS Tagged #2014 movies, 20th century fox, 22 jump street, 300: rise of an empire, a million ways to die in the west, alejandro gonzález iñárritu, alexandre desplat, american sniper, angelina jolie, atticus ross, ava duvernay, avengers: age of ultron, bad words, benedict cumberbatch, big eyes, biggie awards, billy boyd, birdman, boyhood, brad pitt, bradley cooper, captain america: the winter soldier, carrie coon, chris evans, christopher miller, christopher nolan, cinemasins, cinematography, clint eastwood, common, damien chazelle, david ayer, david fincher, david oyelowo, dawn of the planet of the apes, eddie redmayne, edge of tomorrow, edward norton, emily blunt, emma stone, emmanuel lubezki, enemy, ethan hawke, eva green, everything is awesome, exodus, exodus: gods and kings, felicity jones, frank grillo, fury, gareth evans, godzilla, gone girl, groot, guardians of the galaxy, hans zimmer, henry jackman, howard shore, inherent vice, interstellar, into the woods, j.k. simmons, jake gyllenhaal, james cameron, james franco, jason bateman, jessica chastain, john candy, john candy tribute, john legend, john wick, julianne moore, keanu reeves, kevin hart, locke, luc besson, marvel, marvel cinematic universe, marvel studios, meryl streep, michael bay, michael keaton, miles teller, new england patriots, nightcrawler, noah, NSFW, paul thomas anderson, peter jackson, phil lord, planes trains and automobiles, ralph fiennes, reese witherspoon, rene russo, richard armitage, richard linklater, richard sherman, ride along, robert duvall, robert yeoman, rosamund pike, scarlett johansson, selma, seth macfarlane, shailene woodley, snowpiercer, spaceballs, super bowl xlix, terminator 2, the fault in our stars, the grand budapest hotel, the great outdoors, the hobbit, the hobbit: the battle of the five armies, the imitation game, the interview, the judge, the last goodbye, the lego movie, the purge: anarchy, the raid 2, the theory of everything, tim burton, tom cruise, tom hardy, transformers: age of extinction, trent reznor, unbroken, uncle buck, under the skin, wes anderson, whiplash, x-men: days of future past
Don't read the book if you liked the Hobbit! It will be an eternal curse on your very soul. Especially when you realize just how much they butchered the original content to draw a smaller book than any of the Lord of the Rings series into three full movies.
レーザー脱毛 銀座
あたしが いちおしの 銀座のレーザー脱毛はココ
福岡 脱毛
私は福岡の脱毛サロン選びのランキングについてのサイトを運営しています。みんなが知りたい信頼のおける脱毛サロン、脇脱毛する時のポイント、福岡の地元で愛されている脱毛サロンの紹介、福岡のミュゼプラチナムはどんな感じ?、などなど全てまとめました。福岡で脱毛するならココがおすすめ。脱毛サロンに安心して通うには「ポイント」があります。今すぐクリックして確認してください。
上野クリニック 福岡
Hello very nice website!! Man .. Excellent ..
Superb .. I'll bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally?
I am satisfied to seek out a lot of useful information here in the
submit, we'd like work out more strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing.
solve captcha automatically
Tһe Parents Television Council ɑlso doubts Viacom-MTV'ѕ sincerity and "Skins" producers pledge to
scdrub up its act too adhere tοo acceptable standards.
Ꭲherе іѕ a loot of ѡays an individual сan fіnd treatment
to quit podn addiction. Ⲛow many people who attempt tօ avoіd experience of porn andd try toօ resiszt aⅼѡays fail.
2captcha.com
Ꭲhe Parenbts Television Council ɑlso doubts Viacom-MTV'ѕ sincerity ɑnd
"Skins" producers pledge tⲟ clean սp itѕ act too abide
by acceptable standards. Ⲛot to mention, many of tһеm please take a more secular approach that iѕ ɡood sіnce it caan be utilized by anyone really.
Most men haing а porn habit wіll show yoս they ɑre not a single thіng any healthy man dߋes not do.
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images
Caleb Burgan
Thanks for the wonderful article Post . Commentluv blogs are a useful part of my strategy.
Nightcrawler is one of my favorite movies.
Next Post My Sister's Story
Previous Post Review: STAR WARS: EPISODE VII- THE FORCE AWAKENS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


* RUNNING SMALL PLEASE SIZE UP * Girls knit romper by Tiny Whales in soft cotton. This baby blue romper features a moon child graphic and adjustable straps.
Girls love Tiny Whale rompers, their just so comfy and trendy. Blue Moon Child with stars romper, dark blue trim, stretch waist and ties on shoulders.


True Craftware Cleaning Brushes Set - Dish Brush - Scrub Brush - Toilet Brush - Assorted Colors (3 Piece set) - is currently on backorder. You may still purchase now though and we'll ship as soon as more become available.
Stiff enough to be useful, soft enough not to scratch surfaces. This Set of 3 Brushes have ergonomic, comfortable handles that helps gripping while giving dirty dishes, grout and dirt a run for their money.
3 Assorted colors available in green, blue and orange.
Brushes feature a slot to easily store and hang.


text:
Marion toughens drug enforcement
By Stephanie TaylorStaff Writer
Police in Marion are stepping up efforts to curb what they say is a growing drug problem in the city of just more than 3,500 people.
In the last several years, the number of assault, harassment and domestic violence calls have doubled, all stemming from drug use, said Marion Police Detective Kevin Cook.
Cook is heading a new task force formed to conduct intense investigations into drugs and drug-related crimes in the Perry County city. He said that the officers have made 48 arrests and confiscated 70 guns in the last five or six months alone. Most of the drug arrests have involved crack cocaine, marijuana and prescription medication.
�Innocent people who work hard for their money are being robbed and burglarized,� he said. �We are continuing to step up our police force to a no-tolerance policy. This means that any offender arrested for any type of narcotic, no matter what the amount, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.�
The department will seek to have federal charges filed against people arrested for possessing or selling narcotics while carrying a firearm. Sentences under the federal program that prosecutes those offenders are more severe, keeping convicted felons off the streets longer.
John Anderson retired as Marion�s police chief in 1989. He said that the drug problem in Marion has shifted over the years.
�Marion�s just like any other community, as far as narcotics are concerned,� he said. �There were the marijuana days, then cocaine, and now it�s shifted to other drugs.�
People with little income turn to thefts and burglaries for money to support drug habits. It�s often tough for small towns to find the resources to combat drug problems, he said.
�The city has been good to fund this. I�m glad to see they�re making some progress,� he said.
Cook said that people have accused the police department of not doing enough to curtail the burgeoning drug problem.
�Making a solid drug case is very time-consuming,� he said. �Anytime a tip has been received, a full investigation has to take place.�
He asked anyone with tips about drug activity in Marion to call the department at 334-683-9071.
Reach Stephanie Taylor at 205-722-0210 or stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com


Reflect: What command was Moses to give the people?
Consider: Yahweh--Or The Lord; it is the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form. Yahweh is used in places where the personal name of God is discussed (Ps 68:4) or in places of His self-identification (Is 42:8).
Respond: Why is the command to be holy such a daunting one? What are the biggest obstacles for you personally? How are you, an imperfect and fallible human, supposed to achieve the holiness God demands?


text:
Home Features Campus Seniors Adrian Molzon and Joshua Swedelson Embark on an Isla Vista Food...
Seniors Adrian Molzon and Joshua Swedelson Embark on an Isla Vista Food Tour
Joanne Rhee
Photo Courtesy of Adrian Molzon and Joshua Swedelson
Two seniors at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Adrian Molzon and Joshua Swedelson, have made it their goal to dine at every restaurant in Isla Vista. They want to graduate with "no culinary stone unturned."
"I think it's just our senior year. Most seniors have their wish list they want to knock out," Swedelson, an economics and accounting major, said. "We were like, 'what else could we do to complete the Isla Vista experience?' Adrian and I like to eat, so food seemed like the most obvious choice."
"On top of that, there are so many small restaurants in Isla Vista that come and go," Molzon, a physics major, added. "We wanted to hit every single one of them and do it methodically."
So what is the method?
"Hit them all," the dynamic duo said, grinning.
Their method is a little more complicated than that. The tour includes any place that serves food in Isla Vista. Because both Swedelson and Molzon are aware of the more frequented places in Isla Vista, they hope to shed light on smaller and newer businesses. For more popular restaurants, they plan on getting a dish on the menu that's not as common.
As for smaller business, Molzon said, "It might be worth it to go with the popular meals and the meals that are well-known."
In addition, the eatery explorers plan on getting custom t-shirts with their faces plastered on the front, and a list of every restaurant on the back. Each restaurant will have a box that will be checked off once visited.
"We can take a picture at every restaurant with our meals," Swedelson said. "It's purposely as ridiculously as possible. The t-shirt has to be on, intention has to be there. We have to be there with our food-minds completely activated." A restaurant only counts as part of the food tour when eaten at while wearing the shirts.
A bit of planning has gone into their culinary mission. "We've actually talked about [food poisoning]," Swedelson said. "People are like, 'What if you get food poisoning?' That's a risk we're willing to take. I think that's part of it."
"We're willing to make that sacrifice," Molzon added. Way to take one for the team.
The only thing standing in their way is their limited time here at UCSB. Both are seniors waiting to graduate during spring 2016.
Swedelson explained, "At first it seemed easier than we thought. Then we started tallying [the restaurants] up and counting. There's a lot of restaurants and places that serve food. There's a time crunch. I think that's the only real issue. In terms of budgeting, every other meal will be a sandwich or toast at home. Then, we'll splurge on restaurants."
As seniors, they've witnessed a lot of the changes in the Isla Vista food scene.One restaurant Molzon wished that would come back is I Heart Seoul Food, a Korean barbeque-Mexican food fusion restaurant which closed a few months ago. "I'm disappointed that I Heart Seoul Food left. It's my homestay," Molzon said.
For those who wish to follow in their footsteps and embark on their own food mission, Molzon and Swedelson offer some sound advice.
"I think you have to make a commitment," Molzon said. "Everyone says, 'I want to eat everywhere in Isla Vista.' I haven't heard of anybody that has though."
"I'm sure someone has done it before, but not with this specific set of restaurants" Swedelson added. "[You] just gotta commit. I would say be fearless. We all hear 'don't eat at this restaurant or that restaurant'. Block out the haters — it's time to eat."
"At a certain point, it's a lot of food," Swedelson said, "But that's why we're in it."


EggDrop, a mobile marketplace application with over half a million downloads, is shutting down. The company will inform its current user base via email on Friday. According to CEO Dan Zheng, EggDrop was the recipient of a Cease & Desist letter from Craigslist a few months ago, but that's not the primary factor in his decision to close up shop – instead, it was slower than expected growth that is to blame.
First launched in June 2011 with a different sort of business model – falling price auctions – EggDrop switched to more traditional marketplace-style listings in November, and began to pick up steam. By March, EggDrop had hit half a million downloads on iOS and Android, with $8 million in listings across the U.S. and U.K., its two primary markets.
Unfortunately, says Zheng, the company (EggCartel) was not able to secure a Series A round in Q1, which it needed in order to take things to the next level. Investors were looking for "hyper growth," he explains, and, despite having some traction in several metropolitan areas, EggDrop was never able to get to critical mass.
The app had previously leveraged Craigslist for both exposure and content. It allowed users to cross-post to the website and pulled in around 5% of its listings from external sources, notably Craigslist. It's not surprising then that it, too, ended up on Craigslist's radar. But even though companies like Airbnb have been able to leverage Craigslist to boost their own discoverability, the percentage of users who discovered the EggDrop app on Craigslist was in the "single digits." Users tended to find the app through more typical means: word-of-mouth, app store searches, and for a short time, through a featured listing on Google Play.
If anything, getting the letter from Craigslist was almost bittersweet. "The C&D is funny in a sense that we finally got big enough for them to notice, but it's too late to sustain [EggDrop] and move forward," Zheng says. Still, he remains positive, saying that EggDrop was a great learning experience, and he's excited to move on to focus on what's next. And what is that, we asked? He and two of EggCartel engineers are now working on a health and fitness app, he says. Stay tuned.
Update, 5 PM ET: Here's the company blog post.


Jez Butterworth wrote Jerusalem, a melancholic yet humorous play published during by Nick Hern Books. This play's setting and story plot are rooted in an. Jerusalem has ratings and 67 reviews. Manny said: Notgettingenough and I went to this critically acclaimed play a couple of nights ago at the West. Walking past a copse with an abandoned caravan on a particularly derelict stretch of the Norfolk coast this summer, a friend commented: "How.
Butterwotth in the character of "Rooster" Byron, we find an emblem of both England and the English language. Ginger — underdog of the group, he is older than the others who hang around with Johnny, never having grown out of the lifestyle.
He could change from one thing to another. Retrieved 16 March He also had a clubfoot, which is echoed by Rooster's limp. It's a strange play, often surreal and ridiculous and definitely not for everyone, but there's something undeniably fascinating about Jerusalem. Verily, the Day of the Lord cometh as the thief in the night: Johnny "Rooster" Byron has been living in the English woods in an Airstream trailer, supplying drugs to teenagers for years.
Feb 15, Oryx rated it liked it. Topics Theatre Theatre blog. Mar 20, Declan rated it it was ok. Here's a trailer for the Broadway production: Absolutely loved it, I guarantee it'll be considered a masterpiece in years jeruzalem come. Rooster hosts parties that jerusale, for days, spinning tales and dulling out drugs to the local teenagers who haunt his half-enchanted forest.
It is the country we recognise, scruffed right up against that dreamy, idealised place of popular imagination — that scepter'd, green, and pleasant land, stewed with an island that is squat and gristly and fierce in a great mingling of giants, William Blake, pet tortoises, morris dancingbacon barms and Girls Aloud. To view it, click here. He who steps in my blood, may it stick to them Like hot oil.
But that was none of Butterworth's doing. There are many things that make this production magnificent: It was scheduled to play a limited season until 24 Julyand then got a four-week extension to 21 August. Looking forward to seeing it again at the Watermill, Newbury soon. People lament the loss of the England of old but Butterworth questions whether that national identity ever existed.
The staging involved live chickens, a live tortoise and goldfish, and several real trees surrounding an onstage caravan. George's Day, April Phaedra — Troy's stepdaughter, she is seen at the beginning of both Act One and Two singing the hymn "Jerusalem" dressed in fairy wings, and her disappearance is referred to; only at the end of Act Two is it revealed that she is hiding in Johnny's caravan.
The council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his son wants him to take him to butterwkrth fair, Troy Whitworth wants to give him a serious kicking, and a motley crew of mates want his ample supply of drugs and alcohol. Rylance met Lay and modelled his performance on Lay's mannerisms; he later gave Lay the Tony award he had received for his performance.
I imagined this would give me an advantage during the post-mortem, but I should have known better. This article is about a British play. Butterworth's Jerusalem is not to be confused with the play of the gutterworth name by Simon Armitage. Characters Johnny "Rooster" Byron. OK, I've had time to think about it, and it's improved over time.
Oregon Ballet Theatre is seeking professional classical dancers to fill positions at all levels Even faced with the disbelief of his gang of merry men, he continues to set down the legend of his own life: To ask other readers questions about Jerusalemplease sign up. I can still see why it was a huge success, and can just picture the award-winning Mark Rylance running away with the lead character.
Where once men gasped and women swooned, now youths film him on their phones, drunk in the dirt, soaked in buttsrworth own piss. Click here to post your opportunity.
But, beyond the production values, I saw this play as a re appropriation of Hardy's "Tess. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that Skimlinks cookies will be set. It fits it well. There are several of the Royal Court's trademark "in your face" shock tactics and an exceptionally high swear word count even by the exacting standards of the address, this rich three-hour play is also tender, touching, and blessed with both a ribald humour and a haunting sense of the mystery of things.
Jerusalem is a bold, ebullient and often hilarious State-of-England or almost State-of-Olde-England play Saw Rylance in it and he was superb.
Rooster is bigger than life and his ability to transcend his gypsy trailer to be a man in touch with the giant who built Stonehenge can account for this play's appeal to a large audience.
I mean, here we are, rotten to the core, served with an eviction notice and a few hours to vacate the property, but we think our charm and verbal brilliance will somehow let us sneak out of it No idea what happens in this play but loved the dialogue and interchanges between the characters. Paperback96 pages.
Retrieved 26 July The first two parts of the play are hilarious, packed full of creatively profane language and pop culture references, painting a picture of an England more concerned with parties and drinking than any sense of patriotism. I never got to go and see the play when it was on. It was already April-May.


Aug - 05 | By: Oregon Film | no comments.
CMD and Hinge Digital teamed up to deliver a fun, informative and engaging campaign for NW Natural. "Little Leaks" was conceived as a collaboration between CMD and the Hinge creative team. Hinge created four unique 3D egg characters. The eggs are lighthearted and fun visual storytellers in a spot that educates viewers on how to recognize and react to a gas leak.
Hinge Digital is an award-winning turnkey visual effects and post production studio, providing comprehensive creative services across the film, television and commercial industries. Experienced and passionate, Hinge Digital's team of designers, animators, storytellers, and dreamers bring brands to life. Additional information is available at www.hingedigital.com.


At Lapellah, we love using the abundance of local seafood the Northwest provides!
Beginning tonight we're offering seasonal Columbia River salmon on our dinner menu!
Our salmon is cooked in our wood fire oven and served with citrus quinoa, heirloom tomato and a basil vinaigrette.
Stop by for this dish before Summer and salmon season's over!
We will be closed Monday, September 7 for Labor Day. We will open on Tuesday for regular business hours. Enjoy your holiday!
for directions, menus, info and more.


text:
package rltut;

import java.awt.Color;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public class World {

	public static enum WorldType {
		DUNGEON,
		CAVES,
		UNKNOWN
	}

	private Tile[][][] tiles;
	private Item[][][] items;

	private int width;
	public int width() { return width; }

	private int height;
	public int height() { return height; }

	private int depth;
	public int depth() { return depth; }

	private List<Creature> creatures;

	public World(Tile[][][] tiles){
		this.tiles = tiles;
		this.width = tiles.length;
		this.height = tiles[0].length;
		this.depth = tiles[0][0].length;
		this.creatures = new ArrayList<Creature>();
		this.items = new Item[width][height][depth];
	}

	public Creature creature(int x, int y, int z){
		for (Creature c : creatures){
			if (c.x == x && c.y == y && c.z == z)
				return c;
		}
		return null;
	}

	public Tile tile(int x, int y, int z){
		if (x < 0 || x >= width || y < 0 || y >= height || z < 0 || z >= depth)
			return Tile.BOUNDS;
		else
			return tiles[x][y][z];
	}

	public char glyph(int x, int y, int z){
		Creature creature = creature(x, y, z);
		if (creature != null)
			return creature.glyph();

		if (item(x,y,z) != null)
			return item(x,y,z).glyph();

		return tile(x, y, z).glyph();
	}

	public Color color(int x, int y, int z){
		Creature creature = creature(x, y, z);
		if (creature != null)
			return creature.color();

		if (item(x,y,z) != null)
			return item(x,y,z).color();

		return tile(x, y, z).color();
	}

	public void dig(int x, int y, int z) {
		if (tile(x, y, z).isDiggable())
			tiles[x][y][z] = Tile.CAVE_FLOOR;
	}

	public void addAtEmptyLocation(Creature creature, int z){
		int x;
		int y;

		do {
			x = (int)(Math.random() * width);
			y = (int)(Math.random() * height);
		}
		while (!tile(x,y,z).isGround() || creature(x,y,z) != null);

		creature.x = x;
		creature.y = y;
		creature.z = z;
		creatures.add(creature);
	}

	public void update(){
		List<Creature> toUpdate = new ArrayList<Creature>(creatures);
		for (Creature creature : toUpdate){
			creature.update();
		}
	}

	public void remove(Creature other) {
		creatures.remove(other);
	}

	public void remove(Item item) {
		for (int x = 0; x < width; x++){
			for (int y = 0; y < height; y++){
				for (int z = 0; z < depth; z++){
					if (items[x][y][z] == item) {
						items[x][y][z] = null;
						return;
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}

	public Item item(int x, int y, int z){
		return items[x][y][z];
	}

	public void addAtEmptyLocation(Item item, int depth) {
		int x;
		int y;

		do {
			x = (int)(Math.random() * width);
			y = (int)(Math.random() * height);
		}
		while (!tile(x,y,depth).isGround() || item(x,y,depth) != null);

		items[x][y][depth] = item;
	}

	public void remove(int x, int y, int z) {
		items[x][y][z] = null;
	}

	public boolean addAtEmptySpace(Item item, int x, int y, int z){
		if (item == null)
			return true;

		List<Point> points = new ArrayList<Point>();
		List<Point> checked = new ArrayList<Point>();

		points.add(new Point(x, y, z));

		while (!points.isEmpty()){
			Point p = points.remove(0);
			checked.add(p);

			if (!tile(p.x, p.y, p.z).isGround())
				continue;

			if (items[p.x][p.y][p.z] == null){
				items[p.x][p.y][p.z] = item;
				Creature c = this.creature(p.x, p.y, p.z);
				if (c != null)
					c.notify("A %s lands between your feet.", c.nameOf(item));
				return true;
			} else {
				List<Point> neighbors = p.neighbors8();
				neighbors.removeAll(checked);
				points.addAll(neighbors);
			}
		}
		return false;
	}

	public void add(Creature pet) {
		creatures.add(pet);
	}
}


text:
Steve Harvey & Gabrielle Union Tell a Few Secrets on How to Keep Your Performance Level Up and Your Favorability Ratings High
So who thinks the Grammy Awards was a hit? Well it depends on what group you ask. There're some who feel the Grammy's got a problem with Hip-Hop. But there're others who feel that women were well represented across award categories and show performances. That Alicia Keys is something else.
Even with the star power on stage and in the building, the showbiz talkers say it still wasn't up to par with fan support. Yea Cardi B did her thing along with some of the other special honors, but the show didn't get the traction it once had. Maybe they'll go for new blood in the main office or production team.
It's what Steve Harvey and Gabrielle Union are constantly working on. They tell a few secrets on keeping your performance level up and your favorability ratings high. Sometimes it's finding new ways for getting your work to be seen as valuable. Because when familiarity sets in things can get stale, stagnant or stuck.
For example, social experts say by February that 80% of new year resolutions fall apart. Plus, as folks think about their work goals for the new year, they'll be looking for something to set themselves apart in job performance. So what will it take to level-up the passion in your game this year?
Well Harvey and Union keep finding new ways to flex their muscle while keeping the clients happy. He recently hosted the NFL Honors which took him back to his stand-up comedy days. Union is set to join the Judges panel on America's Got Talent (AGT). Giving it their best means being 'new and improved' in:
Harvey shared his stand-up comedy formula for telling jokes. When you hear him break it down you get a sense for what works for him on stage. With other hosting gigs and projects he's able to turn that formula into new moments of energy and smarts. That's how hustle-love helps him keep his performance level up.
Ever notice how fast-food chains keep their menu 'new & improved'? Sometimes it's by adding a new topping to the burger. Other times it's in adding a new 'special sauce' for flavor. Well Harvey and Union seem to get that. It's how they add a new 'topping' to their skill set or 'special sauce' for more flava.
Now that Union will be sitting in the Judges chair, she and the other newbies on the set are sure to bring a new vibe to the show. It's as if vibe is a higher form of flava that comes with teamwork. It's the chemistry of the collaboration from working together. Vibe is another way to make yourself a sought-after player.
When bad things happen in careers or showbiz there's a kind of 'dark buzz.' The news makes it to the tabloid section of social media. But when good things happen there's a kind of 'light buzz' where you're in the spotlight. They've seen both, having to go from dark to light and light to bright for more market appeal.
Harvey's well on his way to turning his mojo into more jokes. Sounds like he's thinking about returning to the stand-up stage. Union will be working hard on being a treat in her new AGT seat. They know keeping performance level up and favorability ratings high takes new rounds of hustle-love to make it rain.
Tip: Being 'new and improved' at work means keeping your performance level up and your favorability ratings high with new rounds of hustle-love in the game.
Talkback: What's it gonna take for the Grammys to step things up next year?
Tracks: Travis Porter – Make it Rain – https://youtu.be/CEsaGwCWIkQ
H.E.R. – Make it Rain – https://youtu.be/ybGX43zYVAM
Tagged alicia keys, america's got talent, cardi b, gabrielle union, grammys, h.e.r., simon cowell, steve harvey, travis porter


Raised in Denver's music scene, saxophonist Ike Spivak is an alumni of Denver School of the Arts, the Telluride Jazz Student All-Stars and the University of Denver (where he earned a degree in jazz performance, was a recipient of a DownBeat Student Music Award and a Sterling Nelson Award winner for Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Jazz Studies).
Many diverse musical experiences have allowed Ike to cultivate a unique voice which he uses to interact with the world in a captivating and thoughtful way. Ike has enjoyed playing with many world-class performers such as Greg Gisbert, Paul Romaine, Eric Gunnison, and Bijoux Barbosa. In addition to performing, he works as a mentor for young musicians at the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts. Ike has had the privilege of performing in other parts of the world including Scotland, Italy, Jamaica, and New York City.


Albany silver crackle table lamp table lamps fishpools. Decor therapy tl7897 29 in mercury glass table lamp atg. Wood table lamps base terracotta urn table lamp table. Table lamps ideas designwallscom. Table lamps designs an interior design. Iron rings table lamp pier 1 imports. Tiffany western bronze one light table lamp quoizel accent.
Clamp on desk lamp. Desk lamp clamp base parts hostgarcia. Adjustable floor lamps for reading floor lamps floor lamp. Victorian style 3 way outdoor garden street light lamp post lamppost lighting ebay. Frederick cooper lamp gpssbestinfo. 1pc/5pcs e27 socket home fixture hanging ceiling pendant. Redstone lamps lighting and ceiling fans. Pink floor lamps lighting and ceiling fans. File:spectrum of halophosphate type fluorescent bulb. Red rooster table lamp with burlap shade antique farmhouse. Natural light lamp for office lighting and ceiling fans.
Leviton surface mount porcelain light socket medium base lamp holder 9880 ebay. 1000 images about wine beer bottle ideas on pinterest. Unique wall sconces wine bottle sconces makaris decor wine. Wine bottle ideas lighting ideas pinterest bottle. 12 ways to make a wine bottle lamp guide patterns. Grey coolicon enamel lamp shades factorylux. Philip: wine bottle lamp by max mcmurdo.


text:
ieee products services
A Guide to the 2023 National Electrical Safety Code
Another berated the theory's scientific laxity. "No doubt professor Zadeh's enthusiasm for fuzziness has been reinforced by the prevailing political climate in the United States—one of unprecedented permissiveness," said R. E. Kalman in…
IEEE STEM Activity Kits Are In Demand at 150 U.S. Public Libraries
Admin Jun 30, 2022
The concept of smart roads is not new. It includes efforts like traffic lights that automatically adjust their timing based on sensor data and streetlights that automatically adjust their brightness to reduce energy consumption.…
New AI-Powered Platform Aids Telecom Product Designers
This article was first published as "The battle for the SX-70." It appeared in the May 1989 issue of IEEE Spectrum. A PDF version is available on IEEE Xplore. The diagrams and photographs appeared in the original print version.Yet this…
IEEE Education Week Offered Hundreds of Learning Opportunities
IEEE Spectrum Wins Six Neal Awards
For most of the 10 years that I idly thought about thermostats, I had no intention of building one. It was the early 2000s, and I was at Apple making the first iPhone. I got married, had kids. I was busy. But then again, I was also…
New Courses on Technical Standards Used in Aerospace and Defense
Admin Apr 28, 2022
With direct funding plus prize money that reached into the millions, DARPA encouraged international collaborations among top academic institutions as well as industry. A series of three preliminary circuit events would give teams…
IEEE Standard Will Make Autonomous Vehicles Safer
These days, virtual-reality experts look back on the platform as the first interactive augmented-reality system that enabled users to engage simultaneously with real and virtual objects in a single immersive reality. The project began…
Use a New IEEE Standard to Design a Safer Digital World For Kids
This article was first published as "Design case history: the Commodore 64." It appeared in the March 1985 issue of IEEE Spectrum. A PDF version is available on IEEE Xplore. The diagrams and photographs of chips, circuit boards, and…


text:
One Man Berkeley Cop-Operation
EVER COMMEND A COP-OP?
I'm sending this to Michael K. Meehan, Chief of Police, Berkeley Police.
I just witnessed (Wednesday) as fine a work of Berkeley policing as I've ever seen.
The man seated near me outside the Cafe Mediterraneum on lower Telegraph, was stark raving mad. Med owner Craig Becker heard the commotion in his mezzanine office and came outside to chase off the guy, who had stowed his gear outside the store.
Officer Brian Mathis, who had been working this case from nearby, drove up and approached the man.
Officer Mathis, background; Raving Man foreground. Note Officer's stance.
Photo by Ted Friedman.
The man barked out what seemed like commands. "I'm directing you," he said. I have never seen officer Mathis directed by a suspect. At Occupy Berkeley, last year, Mathis was tough.
But this was a side of him I had not seen; he seemed to be humoring the guy, even going into improvised street talk.
At one point, the raving guy said he and the officer were both black.
"I don't know where he got that," Mathis told me. "I'm half Portuguese and I've been running in the sun."
You would have thought the two were soul brothers.
How did Mathis do it? He had previously observed the guy from his squad car, noting that the guy was giving Mathis dirty looks and spitting.
So Mathis followed in his car when the guy went to People's Park and was shoving with Hate Man in Camp Hate.
"Do you have anything for me?" Mathis asked. But "there was nothing."
Perhaps this told Mathis he could control the guy, which, with a big dose of sweet-talk, he did. The guy left, taking his gear with him.
And don't come back. Photo by Ted Friedman.
I asked Mathis where he had come up with his soul-brother routine. "I got it from sales," he said. "You try to speak the other guy's language."
"I've never seen you do this," I persisted.
"You have to be able to assume the appropriate role," he explained. "I was ready to get tough if necessary."
This could have required the usual mass-back up of squad cars. Becker, who has been known to be quick with his fists might have escalated the situation but Mathis controlled the scene with good-natured self-assurance.
P.S. Although Becker was running the lunatic off his property, Officer Mathis said that the man had the constitutional right to free speech. I told you they were soul brothers.
This entry was posted on Thursday, July 25th, 2013 at 11:42 am	and is filed under Med Heads & Cafe Culture, Telegraph Avenue, The Berkeley Scene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
Odisha to auction two iron ore blocks in first phase
WEEKEND Business Standard, Kolkata, 5th December, 2015
BS REPORTER: Two iron ore blocks in Odisha would go under the hammer in the first phase. The blocks listed for auctions are Ghoraburahani-Sagasahi East block and Jhunka-Patriposi blocks with combined reserves of over 140 million tonne.
"The survey work has been completed in respect of 12 blocks- five iron ore, five limestone, one bauxite and one manganese block. In the first phase, two blocks would be put to auctions. The state government has engaged SBI Caps as the transaction advisor for conduct of auctions", state steel & mines minister Prafulla Mallick stated in a written reply to the state assembly.
The notification for mineral blocks auctions is expected to be issued shortly.
The auction platform is set to be provided by central PSU MSTC Ltd. SBI Capital Markets Ltd (SBI Caps), a fully owned subsidiary of State Bank of India is the transaction advisor for conducting mineral auctions. The transaction advisor would assist the state government in fixing floor price for auctions.
To kickstart the auction process, the state government has already formed a committee under its development commissioner U N Behera. The committee's mandate is to monitor the preparatory work relating to auction of major mineral concessions including conduct of DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) survey and preparation of tender documents.
Realising the need for exploration, the state government has already come out with a dedicated policy on mineral exploration. Central government agencies like Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL) were being roped in by the state to carry out exploration work of the identified mineral blocks.
According to the notified Auction Rules, 2015, the state governments will have the discretion to reserve particular mine or mines for any particular end use. Auctions can be conducted only through an online electronic platform. The state government may utilise any online platform which meets the minimum technical and security requirements as specified in the guidelines for compliance to quality requirements of e-procurements issued by the standardisation testing and quality certification directorate under department of information technology. The Union government has proposed an upfront payment of 0.5 per cent of value of resources by companies, who secure licence for mining major minerals like iron ore through auction under the new law.
MSTC to Offer Power Purchase Auction Platform The ...
MSTC to develop e-bidding portal for PPAsMILLENNIU...
Odisha to auction two iron ore blocks in first pha...
9 Mineral-rich States to Auction up to 70 Mines T...


Euro Truck Simulator 2 free download The get Euro Truck Simulator 2 download is not a highway racer. On the other hand, like a role-playing game, you can improve on one of five abilities, such as fuel-efficient driving or bonuses for high-quality freight. Euro Truck Simulator Download Torrent Pc Cracked a country is particular you need to select the truck of your choice. Once you have selected the country and the truck. So, you can easily download it from below given link. In this, you can enjoy by managing all your accounts at one place.
We strive to satisfy our users and ask for nothing in return. Customizing the truck is an important point at Euro Truck Simulator 2. The player can start the game from one of the European countries featured in Euro Truck Simulator game. Here driver has to deliver cargo to the different regions of European countries. You may confusion for some time but the experienced driver will know its not easy to drive such heavy trucks. The graphics are quite impressive, and all the vehicles look real. Refreshed areas of northern Italy will be available for everyone and for free — as a free update! The money that you will earn can be spent on improving the condition of your truck or on buying other trucks.
It is very unique type of racing game. It does not matter if you cause a pile-up or simply bum a single Sunday rider. You will get very smooth trucks which are having superb controls on their buttons and steering wheels. Drive against the direction of travel — klingeling. In Which You Will Enjoy Racing With Trucks.
No Need To Crack Or Serial Number Or Any Key. You can also play other amazing games like , , , and apk. Studio wants to add challenge, but also did not discourage novices after 5 minutes of play, as unworkable. The automatic drivers drive the tour then good, but also like to empty back so that they do not bring in the money that you can bring yourself. Yes, driving, many of us like driving on the long roots for fun.
In addition, virtual drivers face difficulties in the form of variable weather or a new system of dynamic road works: switching lanes off traffic, narrowing, detours. And if you already have this configuration and you want to know more or recommended requirements for good gameplay then visit next section of the article. This Game Is Developed And Published By And It Was Released On October 19, 2012. Meanwhile, you have to pay a fuel, road tolls, Crossing And many things have to be kept in mind. The potential outcomes of customization are amazing. In this mods, you will get more advantages and will not have to pay for.
We are not specialists from romantic, atmospheric descriptions of nature. So, Player can earn money with delivery the truck. You may need lots of practice to drive the trucks on mountain roads and other hazards roads around the world. In mods version of the game, you will get lots of advantages and awesome features. And You Can Also Purchase New And Latest Model Trucks. Once the debts have been repaid and the portfolio well filled, it will be possible to enlarge the garage to create a fleet of vehicles.
As the name proposes this game has been set in Europe. Euro Truck Simulator 2 Mods will give you some extra advantages in the game. Euro Truck Simulator 2 is one of the best truck racing simulation game. As many of you is fond of driving and wanted to drive vehicles for part-time jobs. If you will be unable to reach the destination at the time you will not be paid for your service. Final Words: I hope you like it.
Before you start the download you should do some setting in your android phone. May also like from here. Recently added a lot of cargoes. Many a time you will be going to other countries in the world and experience driving on highways. The diversion is asset concentrated, it at present has no Internet usefulness and impacts are truly cheaps. Well, guys its time to know the awesome features of euro truck simulator 2 mods apk.


text:
Cannes Diary, Day 9: Screw Art. Look at All This Crap!
by Wesley Morris
The final days here are the loneliest. Most of the films have screened, most of the big business has been done. The European Parliamentary elections are under way through the weekend, which means the closing ceremonies are a day sooner than normal, which has only contributed to the unusually early exodus. Friends and the rest of the international film apparatus have begun to head home, which means the theaters and good restaurants are slightly less full. For a week, the brand-new Steak 'n Shake across the Croisette from the Palais has had a line longer than the restaurant's front half and service that moved at the speed of one of its milk shakes. You'd see the queue and laugh on your way to a 20€ plate of couscous. By Thursday afternoon, it like was something out of Edward Hopper. (For what it's worth, the burger has an addictive salty sweetness that's disturbingly identical to its U.S. counterpart.)
The gradual emptying-out is even sadder in the Palais, especially where Le Marché du Film resides. This is where many acquisition, distribution, and financial deals are made. The Riviera setting lends an exoticism to what is otherwise a bazaar. Thursday, the scores of companies that occupy stalls or that have built their own offices were beginning to dismantle it all. Walking the carpeted floors in the bowels of the Palais was like touring the dorms on the last day of school. Posters were being rolled up. Printers and flat-screen monitors were being boxed. The larger companies appeared to have actual college-age kids doing the work.
Some companies had already gone, leaving behind rubber bands, paper clips, and glossy handouts for movies like Garbage Prince, a romantic-comedy coproduction from Finland and Norway. Here and there you'd see two or three people seated at a tiny round café table, feeling their way toward an agreement. Mostly, you could hear the packing tape peeling. You could still smell the Ikea. Earlier in the week, the Marché was a land of opportunity — a kind of biz-tronic farmers market, jammed with sales agents from companies all over the world and prospective buyers and festival programmers.
The Marché is hardly a secret. It occupies at least a third of the Palais. Critics don't tend to bother with it. There are too many actual films to see. Plus, critics aren't business reporters, and sales agents generally don't want to waste their time talking to a critic. In most cases, what'd be the point? But a promenade around the space is enlightening. Occasionally, it's even necessary. Say a critic loved that Hungarian power allegory cast with a mob of real dogs — Kornél Mundruczó's White God — and wanted that movie to find a loving home in theaters around the world. Some of that work is done in the Marché.
But an overwhelming number of the transactions are not for films like White God or the new Dardenne brothers movie. They're for something like Dishkiyaoon, a Bollywood film starring Harman Baweja as a gangster name Viki who "was born in the underbelly of the upper-middle class" and "backs himself to dethrone the existing king." This is to say that a number of the transactions are for junk. But that junk feels like a truth of the international movie business: It's the gas that makes the car run. Cannes hasn't called this space the Marché du Cinéma, because that would be a lie.
Dishkiyaoon has a poster you notice: Baweja standing fit and shirtless, with the gun in his hand pointed at his head and the gun tattooed on his pelvis pointed down into his crotch; his arms, chest, and abs are stubbled. It didn't seem to help. The movie opened two months ago in India and was a bomb. But its distributor, Eros International, is hoping it won't stink as bad in your country.
Eros has always had a prime corner spot near the open café area. Occasionally, a sales agent is visible. But the posters on its wall tend to speak for themselves. They're also trying to sell the hit Jai Ho, with the ageless Salman Khan taking on corrupt politicians. Lots of the films in the Cannes official selection are represented in the Marché. But most of the movies in the Marché wouldn't be shown here or at any film festival.
One of the biggest stories to come out of the market this year is about the film being made of the still-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. News of a search for financing caused a stir. It's got a tabloid title — The Vanishing Act — and a trailer that seems to indicate the filmmakers know what happened, which is that, if there was a crash, the flight attendants all got very horny before impact. Antic shots of action in the main cabin catch passengers looking more suspicious than terrified, while a countdown clock tracks when contact was lost and for how long. A booklet full of pictures of a Malaysia Airlines jet promises midair fight sequences choreographed by Hollywood "stunt magician" Jared S. Eddo.
The director is Rupesh Paul, who happened to be in town with a different provocation, something called Kamasutra 3D. If you entered the Marché by heading down the stairs just off the Croisette and along a long, wide corridor, you couldn't miss the space reserved for Paul's eponymous production company. Earlier in the week, it had become a curiosity. By Thursday, it seemed abandoned, save for a few cards and pamphlets for existing and upcoming projects. On one wall hung a poster for 36 MM 3D, a "reel life story of Marilyn Monroe in a reincarnated avatar." On another hung a poster for Monologues of an Indian Sex Maniac, as opposed to "confessions," because with Paul there's absolutely no shame.
This would be the most toxic example of what typifies the Marché. It's a landscape specializing in tackiness. It's another reason the agents, in my experience, don't want to put up with a critic: They already know. Moonstone Entertainment, which is based in Studio City, set up a temporary office space with posters for its upcoming slate and kept a couple of trailers on a constant loop. One was about an action comedy starring Louis Gossett Jr., Margot Kidder, and Seymour Cassel as geriatric soldiers. "When this team takes on the Taliban, nobody's safe," promises the tagline. "I still got the shrapnel in my ass. Wanna look?" asks Cassel in the trailer. The movie's called The Dependables.
Arsenal Pictures appears to be gone, but its poster for Bachelors ("Night of His Life vs. Love of His Life"), with Marc Maron, Eve, Dustin Diamond, and Metta World Peace, still stains the wall. So does the one for Arsenal's Meet Bill, with Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks, and Aaron Eckhart, looking handsome (and a little sorry): He's got name tag with the film's title stuck on his forehead. Its American title is now All Wifed Out, which ensures that future walls will be even dirtier.
Asylum, an American studio specializing in schlock, appears to be shopping Mercenaries, an action movie with Brigitte Nielsen, Vivica A. Fox, Kristanna Loken, and Cynthia Rothrock: "They're only the men for the job." The studio has Casper Van Dien in a dragon-riddled movie called Sleeping Beauty, so "asylum" seems right on. This is the company that brought you Sharknado and will deliver Sharknado 2. It's got a movie starring Dean Cain and Robin Givens called Airplane vs. Volcano. (The damn poster doesn't tell you who plays which.) And it's got a movie with Robert Davi and Tia Carrere called Asteroid vs. Earth. For an American, these two capture the straight-to-cable, straight-to-video, straight-to-Jakarta aspect of a lot of these movies.
So much of what you see hanging on the walls and windows of stalls defies believability. The German company Picture Tree International has lots of titles to push. One of them is a comedy called Fack Ju Göhte, with the sexy stars Elyas M'Barek and Karoline Herfurth as, respectively, an impostor schoolteacher and the coworker he falls for. It was Germany's most popular comedy last year, and it will probably never play in the United States. But it's a real movie, in the sort of way Paul Blart: Mall Cop is. (The Göhte poster also has, in spray paint, "Suck me, Shakespeare.")
"I can't believe it" applies to the other end of the quality spectrum. StudioCanal arrived with a long list of films. Its office staging is the most impressive of any company. It has a reception desk and dark walls and a logo you might recognize and stars on posters you certainly do. Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard are doing Macbeth for 2015. There they are, in a giant still. It's handling a Brian Helgeland film called Legend, whose art has a man in silhouette twice. Apparently, it's another film about Ronnie and Reggie Kray, the British twin gangsters, and it's to star Tom Hardy. StudioCanal also has a hand in Susanne Bier's Serena, one more film with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.
Thursday afternoon, there was no one around at the studio's site, but its most shocking artifact was left out and lit up: a huge electronic poster for The Gunman. It's an action-thriller directed by Pierre Morel of the original District B13 and Taken, and produced by Joel Silver. The plot: "Jim Terrier is an ex-government contract killer whose past comes back to haunt him when his former employer tries to have him killed." I know what you're thinking because it's what anyone would have thought: "That is so Liam Neeson." But Liam Neeson doesn't play Jim Terrier — well, now he's always playing "Jim Terrier" in something. It's. Sean. Penn. Make a note: Don't become a great male actor over 50.
Other studios have similar head-scratchers. Take Millennium Films. It has a big presence on the Croisette. For instance: Banners have Salma Hayek looking strangely Evita-like for Septembers of Shiraz, a yet-to-be-filmed adaptation of the best-selling book with Adrien Brody and, thank the Lord, Shohreh Aghdashloo. Earlier in the week, there was a bash for the studio's The Expendables 3 and some excitement for a gynocentric spinoff: the Expendabelles.
The Millennium space isn't as posh-looking as StudioCanal's, but it's airy and light, a kind of homage to the offices you'd find on a Hollywood studio lot. The walls were hung with posters for stuff like Eliza Graves, a period-seeming film with Kate Beckinsale; Automata, with Antonio Banderas trudging through a wet, somewhat futuristic alleyway; the Olympus Has Fallen sequel, London Has Fallen, apparently starring only a toppled Big Ben; and The Humbling, whose art consists of Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig on opposing ends of the poster. They both look as though they've been caught by paparazzi leaving the bookstore where they picked up a copy of the Philip Roth novel upon which this movie's based. Almost as bad is the one for Before I Go to Sleep. It's just Nicole Kidman standing in the foreground flanked by Colin Firth and Mark Strong. All it tells you is that movie posters are an art and this is far from it.
The art was beginning to come down at Millennium on Thursday. A couple young people were at work on the dismantling, listening to Kanye West. Outside the entrance sat a mound of containers, boxes, and posters. A Frenchman walked by and asked if he could take one and was told by another Frenchman that he could. But as he rolled it up, another Millennium employee, an American, saw this and had to put a stop to it. "They don't have contractual obligation," the American said. What if something's not right on them or needs to be changed? "Can you tell him that? We'll get sued." You could complain about the posters. But they already know.
Filed Under: Movies, Wesley Morris, Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Diary
Sportstorialist: The Hair Up There September 30, 2015
Meyers's Lemons: Robert De Niro Saves 'The Intern' September 25, 2015
Honey, He's Homeless: Richard Gere Living on the Streets of New York September 22, 2015
Mob Deep: Johnny Depp's 'Black Mass' and Climbing 'Everest' September 18, 2015
Sanaa, You in Danger, Girl: The Perfunctory Stupidity of 'The Perfect Guy' September 15, 2015
An Obsessive 'Ridiculous 6' Trailer Deconstruction October 28, 2015
Ash vs. Bruce Campbell: The B Movie Legend Returns to 'The Evil Dead' October 28, 2015
Weekend Box Office Winners & Losers: Bill Murray, Vin Diesel, Steve Jobs, and Jem All Go Down in Spectacular Flames October 26, 2015
Norm Macdonald Auditions for 'The Late Late Show' … in 60 Seconds
We'll Eat You Up, We Love You So: How 'Hannibal' Rebooted Rebooting


I am a huge fan of unplugged play. Kids and adults are way too attached to their electronics. We need something in our hand even if we are eating or hanging with friends or hanging out on the couch watching TV. When was the last time you watched TV without a phone in your hand playing some phone game? Even as adults we can't get enough so why do we think our kids can control themselves. We need to make conscious efforts to unplug our kids and ourselves.
This is why I love products like Magnaflex by WowWee. Magnaflex is a creative construction kit that's turning magnetic play upside down! Its exclusive flexibility allows kids to build up, out, and even down to form any 2D and 3D figure they can imagine - from balls and crowns to spiders and snakes! All strips are bendable, zippable, snappable, and stackable - and they're all interchangeable so kids will never run out of ideas!
It is on my dining room table and all of us have taken it and tried to create something together or alone over the past week and a half that we have had it even when we are creating nothing. My daughter and I like to create jewelry. While my son likes to create what looks like a gaming chair.
The best part of Magnaflex is that it requires no batteries and helps stimulate creativity and promotes visualization and fine motor skills.