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For lovers of movies from the silent era to modern day with an emphasis on horror, sci-fi, exploitation, WIP, westerns and anything of the fantastic and bizarre. THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO BOB WILKINS, GEORGE ROMERO, ALAN FREED ,ROGER CORMAN, CARMEN ELECTRA, VELVET SKY, CAROLINE MUNRO, JOHN FREDRIKSEN, JOHN ZACHERLE, DONNA SUMMER, JUDY PACE, CLEO MOORE and, of course, CASEY KASEM.
RIP HARRY NOVAK 1928-2014
One of the most prolific producers of our time has passed away.
Harry was sheer genius when it came to promoting and marketing his films. The titles that he produced is almost unrivaled in the motion picture industry. Films such as "The Child", "Agony Of Love", "Tobacco Roody" and many more are just some of his production credits.
He worked closely with the late Mike Vraney of Something Weird video and between the two of them, they released these little seem gems on an unsuspecting world once again. Novak is a member of a vanishing breed of filmmakers, and his death just about closes out an era that will never be repeated. He was 86.
Posted by quatermass at Monday, March 31, 2014 No comments:
FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN 1967 (MILLENNIUM)
A quick re-visit.
I reviewed this a few months ago when I bought the triple feature of Hammer titles from Millennium and since then they have released this and "Dracula Prince Of Darkness" on Blu-ray. I picked up this title on Blu-ray simply to see the difference and it is really something to see.
Peter Cushing is Dr. Frankenstein and he is again conducting experiments, this time with the human soul. His assistants are Dr. Hertz, played by Thorley Walters and Hans, played by Robert Morris. Hans is soon accused of murder and quickly tried and convicted simply because he will not admit to his love for a crippled woman named Christina, played by the gorgeous Susan Denberg.
Hans is executed in the guillotine and Christina kills herself after seeing this. Dr. Frankenstein uses this as a perfect excuse to experiment on the soul. He captures Hans' soul and then places it in Christina's body after he performs surgery and makes Christina into a very sexy woman. Hans' soul takes over as he wants revenge on the three hoodlums who are responsible for the murder he was executed for.
This is by far the most bizarre in the Frankenstein series from Hammer, but it is top notch all the way. The Blu-ray is excellent in every way with excellent picture and sound quality. There are 5 collector cards with the disc as well as a great documentary entitled "Hammer Glamour" which has interviews with Martine Beswick, Caroline Munro and many others. That is worth the disc alone. Also included are two episodes of "World Of Hammer" entitled "Curse Of Frankenstein" and "Hammer Stars: Peter Cushing". I wish that entire series itself would be released on DVD.
A Highly Recommended Blu-ray that one simply must own. Buy it and see the lovely Denberg as never before.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......
Christopher Walken is 71, and Richard Chamberlain is 80.
RIP KATE O' MARA 1939-2014
A fine British actress has passed away.
Kate O' Mara passed away at the age of 74. People who follow and read this blog will remember her best from the original Dr. Who as well as "The Vampire Lovers" and "Horror Of Frankenstein". The latter being the film that introduced me to her charms.
During the 80's she was one of the cast on Dynasty. She died in a nursing home after a short illness and her talents will be missed but her films will keep her memory alive.
Posted by quatermass at Sunday, March 30, 2014 No comments:
HORROR AT 37,000 FEET (PARAMOUNT)
Finally this fun film comes to DVD.
This is a classic TV horror film from 1973. I remember seeing it when I was 10 and have loved it ever since. The memory was fading on this film until I saw it again just a few days ago. I know it has aired on TNT a few times, but I don't watch TV at all.
Roy Thinnes is a man who has brought with him an alter from an ancient abby. It is stored in the cargo hold and soon the evil from within starts to come alive and wants out.
The evil is very cold and freezes a dog in the cargo hold and also one of the flight crew, played by Russell Johnson. Things get worse as the true supernatural powers of the abby are fully realized.
The cast includes Buddy Ebson, Chuck Conners as the pilot, Tammy Grimes, Paul Winfield as a doctor, William Shatner as an ex priest and many more familiar faces. This is low buget yes, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. Directed by David Lowell Rich, the pace slowly builds and then erupts into total evil by the end of the film.
I liked it a lot. I am very grateful to Paramount for finally bringing this out to DVD. If you like Made for TV horror you shouldn't miss this.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....
John Astin is 84, Warren Beatty is 77, Dana Gillespie is 65, Greta Thyssen is 81, and Mike Rotunda is 58.
COMING ATTRACTIONS....
BIG NEWS FROM SHOUT FACTORY!!!!!
Shout Factory has announced that in August it will release the classic WITHOUT WARNING!! This is the first time this film has been released on ANY FORMAT here in the US. It has been available on many bootleg tapes and such, but finally it comes to DVD in a beautiful Blu-ray and DVD.
They will also be releasing LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, MOTEL HELL and DEADLY EYES as part of their "Summer Of Fear" promotion. Scorpion Releasing will be bringing out "SCREAMERS" and "NIGHT OF THE COBRA WOMAN" on May 5th and June 10th respectively.
WITHOUT WARNING could be the DVD release of the year for genre fans!!! A BIG THANKS TO SHOUT FACTORY.
Posted by quatermass at Saturday, March 29, 2014 No comments:
WCW GREATEST PAY PER VIEW MATCHES VOL. 1 2014 (WWE)
More wrestling classics from WWE.
Another great 3 disc set from WWE that highlights WCW and some of their greatest PPV matches. Hosted by Booker T, disc one starts in Nov. 1987 with Starrcade 87 and goes thru July 1990. You have the Starrcade 87 match Ron Garvin Vs. Ric Flair, Starrcade 88 classic between Sting & Dusty Rhodes vs. The Road Warriors and much more.
Disc two starts in July 1991 and ends in Oct. 1994. On this disc are matches that include Vader vs. Cactus Jack in a violent Texas Death Match from Halloween Havoc 1993 and Wargames 1992 where the Sting Squadron took on the Dangerous Alliance. There is much more included on the disc that any wrestling fan will enjoy.
Disc three starts at the groundbreaking Bash At The Beach in 1996 when the Outsiders, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash took on Randy Savage, Lex Lugar and Sting. This was the match that Hulk Hogan went black and white and formed the NWO. No other match in the history of the sport ever garnered so much controversy as well as acclaim. Also on this disc is Slamboree 1998 when Brett Hart took on Randy Savage an a heck of a lot more.
All in all this is a great set, and anything the WWE turns out with the WCW label is ok in my book. If you're a wrestling fan you have to get this set. Over 7 hours of memories of the greatest wrestling company that there ever was.Since this is Vol. 1, I can only hope Vol. 2 follows quickly. Recommended!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....
Lucy Lawless is 46, and Bud Cort is 66.
SPIRITISM 1962 (BEVERLY WILSHIRE)
Very obscure Mexican horror film.
This is a very well made Mexican horror film based on the tale of the "Monkey's Paw". A woman who is used to a comfortable living seeks the help of supernatural when her and her husbands finances hit rock bottom because of a business investment for their son.
The story takes a while to develop, but once it does it becomes a very well crafted little film about ghosts and the powers of Satan. The woman uses the gift giver her by a dark angel and when her son dies in a tragic accident she wishes him back to life with terrifying results.
This title is long OOP, and the print from Beverly Wilshire leaves a lot to be desired, but if you can find it check it out. you won't be disappointed.
Posted by quatermass at Friday, March 28, 2014 No comments:
CURSE OF THE DOLL PEOPLE 1961 (BCI ECLIPSE)
Aka Devil Doll Men.
One of the creepiest Mexican horror films ever made, this bizarre tale focuses on a group of people who has stolen an ancient voodoo idol and are now cursed to die for it.
A voodoo priest uses doll sized killer with very sharp needles to kill the four men and their family members. When they are killed the people are also turned into dolls and used for other killings.
These little killers are really something to see, and every scene they are in is well done with shadows and lightening flashes. It is something every horror fan who has seen this film will remember. The lovely Elvira Quintana and Ramon Gay are the heroine and hero respectively an both in real life met very untimely deaths.
The set from BCI is a two sided disc and features both the US and Mexican versions of the film. the Mexican version is slightly longer, and fills out a few scenes that the US distributor cut out. Directed by veteran Benito Alazraki, this is one Mexican film that really delivers the creepy goods.
I first saw this on the USA Network with Commander USA many years ago and seeing it again has made me like it even more.
Posted by quatermass at Thursday, March 27, 2014 No comments:
DAUGHTER OF DRACULA 1972 (SINISTER CINEMA)
A nice looking Jess Franco vampire film.
A young woman, played by Britt Nichols goes to her family estate to see her dying grandmother and is informed that the family has a vampire curse and that she may become one of them.
She moves into the castle anyway with her uncle and cousin. Soon she is seeing vampires everywhere. Howard Vernon is Count Karlstein, aka Dracula and he never seems to leave his coffin for some reason.
Sometimes the story is hard to follow and the subtitles are wrong, but it is still a very good film for what it is and the picture quality is superb. There is ample nudity of the lovely ladies, but that is a staple in almost all Franco films. It may not be the best vampire film out there, but I would recommend this to any horror or Franco fan.
Julian Glover is 79, Mariah Carey is 44, Talisa Soto is 47, Michael York is 72, June Wilkinson is 74, and Jody Fair is 80.
NIGHT OF THE COMET 1984 (SHOUT FACTORY)
Re-reviewing this now on Blu-ray.
I reviewed this a while back and now Shout Factory has finally made this available on Blu-ray and it looks better than ever.
Two young valley girls manage to survive after the rest of mankind has been wiped out after a meteor shower either turns them to dust or changes them into decaying zombies. Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney are Regina and Samantha, respectively and after finding everyone dead start adjusting to their situation.
They meet Hector, a young man played by Robert Beltran and the three of them try to survive the best they can. The girls love using guns and go on a shopping spree, of course. Little do they know they are being watched by a group of scientists who want their blood in order to slow down their own decomposition.
This is a fun film and one that every fan of sci-fi should watch. There is plenty of horror, comedy and pathos for everyone. Director Thom Eberhardt does an excellent job of showing us an abandoned Los Angeles, and back in the good old days it was done just by shooting the opening scenes on Christmas morning instead of using CGI.
Trivia: In one of the scenes you see window washers on a skyscraper. That is one of the hazards of low budget filmmaking. The film on Blu-ray is beautiful and I commend Shout for turning out such a gem with the loving care it deserves.
Posted by quatermass at Wednesday, March 26, 2014 2 comments:
Leonard Nimoy is 83, Diana Ross is 70, Sara Jean Underwood is 30, and Scotty Morrow is 68.
Posted by quatermass at Wednesday, March 26, 2014 No comments:
ATTACK OF THE WITCHES 1968 (RISE ABOVE)
Santo is back in this well made Mexican horror.
Santo fights an evil witch and her demons from hell in this very entertaining film. Sexy Lorena Velazquez is the leader of the coven and she makes a formidable opponent for Santo.
Edaena Ruiz is a sexy demon named Medusa that has a great scene where she tries to seduce Santo, but to no avail. He will not fall for that. This is basically the same plot as Santo vs. The Vampire Women, but it works nonetheless.
The opening of the film will jar first time viewers as nothing is explained for about the first 10 minutes and it seems that we have joined in a movie that has already been going for a while. The print looks good and Rise Above should be commended for bringing this film out to the public.
Posted by quatermass at Tuesday, March 25, 2014 No comments:
THE FLESH EATERS 1964 (RETROMEDIA)
This is the unreleased version from Retromedia.
This is a classic that has never received the attention it rightly deserves. A small plane carrying the pilot, an actress and her assistant is forced to land on a small island after some engine trouble and an impending storm. They discover that the island is inhabited by a lone scientist who is conducting some unexplained experiments on the island.
They also discover that very small flesh eating creatures inhabit the waters surrounding the island. Soon a beatnik named Omar joins them, and then the terror really begins. Martin Kosleck is Prof. Peter Bartell, a former Nazi scientist who has created the little monsters and will do anything to further the experiments. Byron Sanders is the pilot, Grant Murdoch, Rita Morley is Laura Winters, the alcoholic actress, lovely Barbara Wilkins is Jan Letterman, the assistant and Ray Tudor is Omar, the beatnik who dies a horrible death at the hands of Bartell.
The film was shot over a troubled three year period from 1960-63 and was partly financed from money won on a rigged game show and was produced by Arnold Drake who was a comic book legend. The photography is excellent for a low budget production, and the Nazi flashbacks are quite memorable as well.
It's a classic film no matter how you look at it, and this version has all of the censored gore scenes in it, but the beginning is slightly different. I think they had to shoot extra scenes to make the film longer after all the gore was cut out on it's first release and on TV, but I could be wrong. Anyway the scene missing in the beginning are just a bit of bickering between Sanders and Wilkins.
This unreleased DVD also contains original storyboards, 35mm trailer, commentary with Arnold Drake, Tom Weaver and Fred Olen Ray as well as an interview with Liane Curtis, daughter of Jack Curtis, the director of this horror classic. Finally it also contains the original color sequences!
It's sad this was unreleased, but another company claimed rights to the film and Retromedia had to stop the release. If you can find this version of the film, the Uncut 1964 theatrical version, then by all means see it. One of my favorite films of all time.
SANTO VS. THE ZOMBIES 1962 (SOMETHING WEIRD)
This is the first Santo film I ever saw.
Santo, who is called "The Saint" in this dubbed version fights a mad doctor and his army of zombies. Armando Silvestre is the police Lt. Savage who is also on the case.
Sexy Lorena Valesquez is a woman whose father has been turned into a zombie by the mad scientist. There are some interesting scenes in this fun South of The Border thriller such as when Santo stops the villains from taking children from an orphanage and using them as experimental subjects, and also later when an opponent of Santo's is changed into a zombie and enters the ring. Santo rips the zombies control belt off and the zombie promptly dies.
This is fun stuff, and I will never forget first seeing this when I was in my teens when it popped up on TV. I ha never seen such a film before, but I had read about them in Famous Monsters. After seeing this I was hooked, and still am. Recommended.
William Smith is 81, Mark Calaway is 52, and Lynn Borden is 75.
TANK COMMANDOS 1959 (DVD-R)
I got a chance to re-watch this after a few years.
A young Italian boy helps a group of US demolition soldiers in war torn Italy find a way to destroy an underwater bridge which the Germans use to get their tanks over.
Burt Topper directed this sometimes slow, but still good film. Donato Farretta is the young boy named Diano and what happens to him at the end of the film is something that took be by surprise when i first saw it.
The rest of the cast includes Wally Campo, Robert Barron, Anthony Rich and Larry Hudson. If you like war dramas then I could recommend this to you. It doesn't have tons of action, but it will hold your attention. If you can find this film somewhere, check it out.
Corinne Clery is 64, and Lori Williams is 68.
SANTO AND THE VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY 1971 (RISE ABOVE)
More fun South Of the Border horror..
A professor enlists the aid of Santo when he goes on an expedition to find the tomb of a long dead Indian warrior named Nanoc. Once they arrive at the tomb and take the jewelry and maps for study, members of the party start to die one by one.
It seems Nanoc has come back from the dead and is now killing people with his bow and arrow. The corpse is quite agile and can run at a good pace when needed. Santo gets into a fist fight with the Mummy which has to be seen to be believed, and it is all brought to a conclusion some time later in an ending that is somewhat of a letdown.
Mary Montiel and Alma Rojo are the two very attractive women in the party an they do make the film watchable when nothing else is going on. Not the best of Santo films, but not the worst either. if you get a chance, see it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
William Shatner is 83, and May Britt is 81.
DESTINATION EARTH: ALIEN INVADERS 2009 (PASSPORT)
A very good trailer compilation.
I like this DVD a lot. There are a lot of great movie trailers on here including "Invisible Invaders", "Invasion Of The Saucer Men", "Target Earth", "The Flame Barrier", and "Cosmic Monsters", plus many, many more.
If you like sci-fi trailers this is a 90 minute treat and a lot of fun. This is a rather short review,but with trailers there isn't much to say except...ENJOY.
BEGINNING OF THE END 1957 (HEN'S TOOTH)
A classic from Bert I. Gordon.
Lovely Peggy Castle is a reporter who accidentally stumbles upon a mystery in Illinois when she discovers that the National Guard is hiding the fact that an entire town was wiped out overnight.
Audrey Aimes (Castle) works on the story with the help of Dr. Ed Wainwright, played by Peter Graves. They uncover the mystery and soon discover that a horde of giant locusts are responsible and now they are heading for Chicago.
The local National Guard headed by Col. Tom Sturgeon (Thomas B. Henry) believes they can handle the situation until they are wiped out and the Army is called in headed by Gen. John Hansen, played with the usual aplomb by Morris Ankrum. Before too long Chicago is swarming with the giant monsters that seemingly cannot be stopped.
This is the stuff of pure fun. Sure the effects are cheap, but who cares, the story and the actors make up for it anyway. With Morris Ankrum in charge, we will always win. This is one of my favorites from the ear of the big bug movie and one that I can recommend to you.
The rest of the cast includes Than Wyenn, James Seay, Frank Wilcox and Hank Patterson.
Kathy Ireland is 51.
THE COSMIC MAN 1959 (IMAGE)
Not too bad of a sci-fi film.
John Carradine is an alien who comes to Earth bringing peace and only a scientist believes that he is benevolent, while the military sees him as an enemy or a military advantage.
The alien is invisible at will, but decides to become visible and tries to communicate with the scientist and a young crippled boy. His message is never fully understood, but the scientist, Karl Sorenson, played by Bruce Bennett, tries to help the alien, but must also fight the military.
The military is represented by Col. Matthews, played by Paul Langton and Gen. Knowland played by Herbert Lytton. The cast is rounded out by Angela Greene and Scotty Morrow.
Interesting and sometimes bizarre, this film is recommended to fans of 50's sci-fi, an the print quality is very good from Image.
THE VAMPIRE LOVERS 1970 (SHOUT FACTORY)
One of the best of the Hammer vampire films.
Ingrid Pitt stars as Carmilla, a young woman who is actually a vampire who comes to a peaceful little town and victimizes a young woman.
First she kills the daughter of a General (Peter Cushing) and then moves onto a young woman whose father has left for a while. Her reign of terror sweeps over the entire household. Pitt is excellent as Carmilla and Madeline Smith is the young woman who is Carmilla's next victim. Roy Ward Baker does a good job directing the cast which also includes George Cole, Kate O' Mara, Ferdy Mayne, Dawn Addams, Douglas Wilmer and Pippa Steel.
I have reviewed this before but this is the first time the film has been on Blu-ray and it looks very good. The color and sound is top notch and Shout has given some pretty good extras. However I found the short featurette entitled "Resurrecting The Vampire Lovers" to be much to concerned about sexuality than the actual film itself. It is trite and of no value, but then again it won't effect your viewing of the film.
I can't recommend this enough to horror fans or Hammer Fans.
Ursula Andress is 78, Patricia Laffan is 95, and Jan Shepard is 86.
WILD ONES ON WHEELS
FOUR SKULLS
SANTO AND THE VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY 1971 (RISE AB...
FLIGHT TO MARS 1951 (IMAGE)
STRANGER FROM VENUS 1954 (IMAGE)
THE BIG SLEEP 1946 (WARNER)
VAMPIRE'S COFFIN 1958 (CASA NEGRA)
EL VAMPIRO (THE VAMPIRE) 1957 (CASA NEGRA)
AREGNTO'S DRACULA 2012 (IFC MIDNIGHT)
FANGS OF THE LIVING DEAD 1969 (RETROMEDIA)
BLACK RAVEN 1943 (ROAN)
WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS 1966 (CLASSIC MEDIA)
SANTO AND THE BLUE DEMON VS. DRACULA AND THE WOLFM...
GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA 1964 (CLASSIC MEDIA)
SHEBA BABY 1975 (MGM)
KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL 1952 (DIAMOND)
ALIEN CONTAMINATION 1980 (SINISTER CINEMA)
SKI TROOP ATTACK 1960 (ALPHA)
THEY LIVE 1988 (UNIVERSAL)
GAMERA VS. GYAOS 1967 (SHOUT FACTORY)
FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 2007 (NEW LINE)
THE NORLISS TAPES 1973 (ANCHOR BAY)
WITCHBOARD 1986 (SHOUT FACTORY)
DEMON OF PARADISE 1987 (SHOUT FACTORY)
20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH 1957 (SONY)
STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE 1968 (MPI)
ATTACK OF THE BEAST CREATURES 1985 (DVD-R)
AUTOPSY OF A GHOST 1968 (SINISTER CINEMA)
TEN WANTED MEN 1955 (SONY)
GHIDORAH THE THREE HEADED MONSTER 1965 (CLASSIC ME...
SNOW CREATURE 1954 (TREE LINE)
VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF PREHISTORIC WOMEN 1968 (TR...
Twin Falls, Idaho, United States
I have been in 23 movies and have directed and produced 3 direct to video horror movies.


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Trend Following with Michael Covel
Bestselling author Michael Covel is the host of Trend Following Radio with 8+ million listens. Investments, economics, decision-making, human behavior & entrepreneurship--all passionately explored. Guests include Nobel Prize winners Robert Aumann, Angus Deaton, Daniel Kahneman, Harry Markowitz & Vernon Smith. Also: James Altucher, Dan Ariely, Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, Kathleen Eisenhardt, Marc Faber, Tim Ferriss, Jason Fried, Gerd Gigerenzer, Larry Hite, Sally Hogshead, Ryan Holiday, Jack Horner, Ewan Kirk, Steven Kotler, Michael Mauboussin, Tucker Max, Barry Ritholtz, Jim Rogers, Jack Schwager, Ed Seykota, Philip Tetlock & Walter Williams. All 800+ eps at www.trendfollowing.com/podcast.
Twitter Email RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Bestselling author Michael Covel is the host of Trend Following Radio with 8+ million listens. Investments, economics, decision-making, human behavior & entrepreneurship--all passionately explored. Guests include Nobel Prize winners Robert Aumann, Angus Deaton, Daniel Kahneman, Harry Markowitz & Vernon Smith. Also: James Altucher, Dan Ariely, Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, Kathleen Eisenhardt, Marc Faber, Tim Ferriss, Jason Fried, Gerd Gigerenzer, Larry Hite, Sally Hogshead, Ryan Holiday, Jack Horner, Ewan Kirk, Steven Kotler, Michael Mauboussin, Tucker Max, Barry Ritholtz, Jim Rogers, Jack Schwager, Ed Seykota, Philip Tetlock & Walter Williams. All 800+ eps at trendfollowingradio.com/rss.
Ep. 758: The Foundation of Good Trading with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
The Foundation of Good Trading with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 757: Jules Pieri Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Jules Pieri is Co-Founder and CEO of The Grommet – a marketplace for unique and innovative ideas to launch. She helps entrepreneurs bypass the corporate chain by reshaping how consumer products get discovered, shared, and bought. Her new book is "How We Make Stuff Now: Turn Ideas into Products That Build Successful Businesses."
Jules loved fine arts in school. She went to the University of Michigan and subsequently put herself on an "art diet" so she could focus her studies in other areas. She eventually took a sculpture class and saw some unique tools that were created by students. She had a light bulb moment-wanting to know how to get into the space of creating new products. Jules started her career as an industrial designer for technology companies and later moved into senior executive roles for large brands, such as Keds, Stride Rite, and Playskool.
When Jules worked at Playskool she saw a large concentration of power among the big brands and noticed innovation slipping away as big retailers like Walmart, Kmart, Target and Toys-R-Us were unwilling to buy new/fresh products. They would take on new products but only ones with slight variations or products with a little new twist. The Grommet was later formed as a response – Jules saw a new route for getting products made and she jumped on the idea. Since October 20th, 2018 The Grommet has launched one new product a day and given small brands the chance to grow among the big competitors.
In this episode of Trend Following Radio:
Inventing
Amazon and counterfeit products
Ep. 756: Taking the Damn Loss with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Taking the Damn Loss with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 755: Rich Karlgaard Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Rich Karlgaard is a journalist, entrepreneur, and speaker. He has been with Forbes for 27 years and became publisher of Forbes magazine in 1998. Rich has written three books, "Life 2.0: How People Across America Are Transforming Their Lives by Finding the Where of Their Happiness," and "The Soft Edge: Where Great Companies Find Lasting Success." His latest book is "Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement."
What was the trigger that pushed Rich to write "Late Bloomers?" Rich grew up as a late bloomer himself. He was at non-fulfilling "dead end jobs" up until his late 20's, even with gaining a college degree. He doesn't see his 20's as a time of being lazy or having a lack of motivation, he simply didn't feel like he was ready to enter the adult world. He also has two children whom he raises in Silicon Valley. He knows the added pressures being put on children and what those repercussions look like– from low self esteem to even suicide in teenagers. He felt a need to point out some of the major misconceptions adults may have about schools, tests, and the learning curve in each child.
Rich makes arguments for gap years, mandatory military service, and reforming how we look at academic tests. Americans are slipping every year compared to other counties and their youth. This has trickled into human resources and legal sides of companies that have turned to ranking employees with more tests and categorizing personalities based off data. Rich's books, articles, and speeches also primarily focus on fundamentals of business, necessity of constant innovation, and the importance of building the right corporate culture.
SAT scores
Importance of high IQ
Passion vs. Mission
West coast offense and Bill Walsh
Mike Milken
Ep. 754: The Schwager Launch with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
The trading author Jack Schwager helped launch this podcast. Enjoy!
Ep. 753: Lori Gottlieb Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist, New York Times bestselling author, and a weekly advice column writer for The Atlantic titled, "Dear Therapist". Her most recent book, "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" (set for release in April, 2019), is not about getting people to go to therapy but rather to reflect on their lives – to be more open with the people around them. Lori also shows patients, through her book, that she herself is human and has issues in her own life relatable to most everyone.
What got Lori interested in psychotherapy? She had other careers leading up to becoming a therapist. She was a T.V. executive, went to medical school in her late 20's, became a journalist, and then went back to school for clinical psychology. With help from her Dean at Stanford, she realized that she was searching for a more personal connection in her work – clinical psychology was a perfect match for her.
When most think about the idea of seeking a psychologist for help, they look at it as a sign as weakness. When it comes to emotional help people become closed off or don't think they have a valid enough reason to be depressed. How does Lori help clients get past these social biases? She helps clients work through their problems by seeing personal blind spots and how they might be sabotaging themselves with crutches in their lives. But, most of all, she shows them how to grow through connection with others.
Idiot compassion vs. wise compassion
"Them and Us" mentality
Speed of want
24-hour news cycle
Ep. 752: The Alternative Thinking Universities Shun with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
The Alternative Thinking Universities Shun with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 751: Brent Huigens Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Brent Huigens is an entrepreneur in the world of trading cards. He is founder and president of PWCC Marketplace, the largest seller of investment trading cards globally with more than $50 million in annual revenue. In 1998 Brent founded PWCC to provide buyers and sellers an efficient, honest and predictable marketplace. In 2012, he set his current engineering career aside to pursue the growth of PWCC full time.
When did Brent collect his first playing card? From the early age of about five he never wanted anything other than trading cards for his birthday or Christmas. He was hooked from the beginning. He had a modest card collection growing up, but it wasn't until his early teenage years that his collection had grown to something he was proud of. Brent had a family friend that aided him in taking his collection to the next level–that same family friend also introduced him, in 1998, to the internet and eBay. By age 20, he was selling hundreds of thousands of dollars in trading cards all while gaining two engineering degrees.
Trading cards date back to the 1800's–originally made as a means to getting another product sold. They were produced to be put inside tobacco products, then ventured into cracker jacks and later in gum. In the 1980's trading cards started to gain speed and were printed off on a broader scale. With the internet, eBay, and professional grading, Brent was able to see the unbridled future in the investment aspect of trading cards. Professional grading and the internet have made the trading card game more liquid and opened up the game to investors by giving them a way to trust in their investment without ever seeing it.
Card trading
Professional grading
Impact of the internet on trading cards
Auctions trading
Ep. 750: Eclectic Mega Episode with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Eclectic Mega Episode with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio featuring:
William Poundstone
Ep. 749: Bill Wooditch Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Bill Wooditch is author of "Fail More: Embrace, Learn, and Adapt to Failure As a Way to Success" and a motivational speaker with a risk and financial background. He is founder and CEO of The Wooditch Group, a risk-management and corporate insurance firm. He mentors and teaches clients skills to harness the lessons of failure to create success driven opportunities. His approach is a physical, intellectual, spiritual and emotional journey based on 25 years of real life experience.
Bill's first job out of college was at Liberty Mutual making insurance cold calls. It wasn't a job he necessarily wanted, but it was an opportunity that he was determined to make work. On Bill's desk, he had a ruler that read, "Activity Rules Success". He made that phrase his motto for his work at Liberty – making the most calls he could everyday and noting what worked and didn't. He figured that if he had the most activity and just kept pushing, he would eventually have a break though – and he did.
"What do you really want?" Bill uses this question often in presentations. Most are too afraid to do whatever it takes to make it. Perseverance has gone by the wayside and most want the easy job or quick success without the work. Bill has lots of "get tough" talks and works to put people in a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. With everyone having their own internal version of success, Bill teaches that first knowing: 1) What you are, and 2) Who you are, is how progress is made in figuring out how to reach that success.
Venture capital mindset
The power of reading
Pre-internet
Short-term thinking
Steven King
Ep. 748: Not One Market with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Not One Market with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 747: Safi Bahcall Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Safi Bahcall is an American technologist, business executive, and author. He has presented at over 130 banking conferences, investor events, and medical meetings around the world, as well as at leading academic institutions. His book "Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries" is out.
Safi grew up with parents who were highly acclaimed physicists. He was indoctrinated with the mindset of looking at the world and asking, "Why?" Even to this day, he has those discussions of asking, "Why" with his parents. It has given him an inquisitive perspective – always looking at things from multiple angles.
What is a loonshot? Loonshots are how big achievements, money, fame and recognition are produced. They are leaps of faith grounded in asking good questions. In keeping a questioning mindset you may find the twist that gives you the answer to what everyone else is missing. This asking mindset can be applied across all fields – military, government, technology, medicine, politics, social media, etc. Safi exposes some of these loonshots with examples going back to Alexander Graham Bell, WWII, Apple and many others.
Social media companies
Loonshots
National research system of the U.S.
Leader mindsets
Good companies vs. Failing companies
Early stage ideas
Ep. 746: Trend Commandments with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Trend Commandments with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 745: Dana Cavalea Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Dana Cavalea is the former strength, conditioning and performance coach for the New York Yankees and author of, "Habits of a Champion, Nobody Becomes a Champion By Accident." He started in baseball as an underperforming player, knowing he would never make it to the major leagues. In 2002, at 19 years old, he was given the opportunity to be a towel/weight room cleanup guy for the Yankee's – he quickly jumped at the chance.
How did Dana make the move from towel guy to strength and conditioning coach? Core and functional training was just taking off in the world of sports. He committed himself to learning everything he could in that sports niche. Players would give him the chance to teach them different stretching techniques (on the side of their other training). His tips were working and players confidence in him and his confidence in himself snowballed.
Dana gave players two things other trainers weren't providing: 1. He could find immediate ways to locate and alleviate pain. He took players like Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter and found where their pain was and gave them tips and tricks to help relieve some pain to get them on the field for their next game. 2. He built relationships with players outside of the stadium. Dana would go to breakfast, lunch and dinner with players and gain comradeship. When players know, like and trust you, you win them over.
As a New York native Dana grew up loving the game of baseball. And as a player himself, he always wanted to know what the pros "edge" was. His new book (and this podcast) is packed full of how players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada think. He shares what gives baseball's elite players the edge needed to be a winner–lessons we can all use baseball players or not.
Importance of routine
Talent vs. work ethic in pro sports
Science behind training
Downshifting the nervous system
Ep. 744: TurtleTrader with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
TurtleTrader with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 743: Eric Dugan Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Eric Dugan is founder of 3D Capital Management, where he runs two primary intraday systems: short-biased S&P 500 and long-short trend following S&P 500 using multiple global markets as inputs and indicators. His systems analyze the flow of markets around the world and attempt to identify how the action in a certain market will impact the S&P during U.S. trading hours. Eric has not missed a trading day since the inception of 3D Capital Management 11 years ago.
Eric had been working construction in 1992 when his best friend moved to Chicago to trade. Shortly after his friend left, he reached back out to Eric to give him a job. December of 1992 was Eric's first visit to Chicago for an interview with famed trader Monroe Trout, and in January of 1993 he began his first day ever trading for Trout Trading.
Because Trout was a systematic trader, there was no real need to know "what" a trader was going to do, other than trade the system. Eric's lack of knowledge of markets when he first started did not matter because the system was king. Eric worked for Trout Trading from 1993 – 1999. When Eric started he had zero experience and within a year he was manager of Pacific Rim desk at Trout Trading. He quickly learned how to identify weakness in the stock market, which has become his greatest asset throughout his career.
Identifying trends
Profiting from weakness in the stock market
Trading world markets
Buying high and selling higher
Ep. 742: Trend Following Fifth Edition with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Trend Following Fifth Edition with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 741: Daphne Chua Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Daphne Chua has completed over 2,000 hours of teacher trainings and taught over 3,000 hours in classes, private sessions, special needs yoga, workshops, retreats, and teacher trainings. She is a certified yoga therapist, movement educator, body worker, Anusara Inspired™ teacher, E-RYT500 Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP), and has been running her own embodiment and inquiry-based therapeutic training modules for the last 3 years.
Yoga is a practice of the body and mind connection. It helps people understand their bodies and relationships better. Most come into yoga for physical practice first, and later are drawn in deeper for the positive psychological effects. The body goes through different shapes, poses and forms that trigger the mind.
What happens chemically when leaving a massage or yoga class? What leaves a student in a state of euphoria? When working with the body there is constant chemical changes taking place. It all comes back to breath. When anxious or stressed there is shallow breathing that occurs and is concentrated in the upper chest area. Once the breath and circulation starts flowing, the mind gets more clear and focused. We begin to see the world as it is rather than over analyzing and focusing on trivial things. Breath gives fresh perspective. Throughout Daphne's practice her therapy sessions, classes, workshops, and trainings focus on breath and awareness of the mind-body connection.
Psychology behind yoga
Yoga tool kits
Ep. 740: A New Mega Collection with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
A New Mega Collection with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 739: Peter Borish Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Peter Borish is chief strategist of Quad Capital. He is a trading coach, helps recruit new traders and develop the company's trading strategy. He also is a founding member of the Robin Hood Foundation. The Robin Hood Foundation has made great strides in their charity work and continue to do bigger and better things. Peter believes that the quality of life for those around you is much more important than the material possessions that can be accumulated.
What has been a big change over the course of Peter's career when looking at his younger trading days up until now? When he was younger he took greater risks because he had more time to recover potential losses. He was applying innovative techniques at high costs and was ok with doing that. He tells his clients two things: 1) Never minimize the pain when looking backwards from a positive outcome and 2) If you survive, you win.
What advice does Peter give to the younger generation of traders trying to make it on Wall Street? Relationships matter. When you are younger and have success you think that success is going to continue. The markets are a humbling place and you will not always win. Peter has learned that building those personal relationships gets traders through the down times. Those connections need to be cultivated because you never know when that time will pay off.
Individual responsibility for retirement
High frequency trading
AI in trading
Ep. 738: Creativity Wins with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Creativity Wins with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 737: Ethan Kross Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Ethan Kross is a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. His research seeks to "Understand factors enabling people to adaptively regulate triggered impulses and emotions that undermine their goals and compromise their health." He wants to resolve a key paradox in coping literature by finding insights and translating those insights to the rest of the world.
What got Ethan into studying behavior and how the mind works? Around the age of 4 or 5, whenever Ethan would get upset, his dad would ask him to "go inside" and look within himself to figure out why he was feeling how he was feeling. For years Ethan would do this as a positive coping mechanism. When he got to college he learned that when most look inside themselves to dig deeper, this takes them to a negative place. Introspection seemed to only prolong their negative feelings. This resonated with him and started him down his current path of asking "Why?"
Much of his work is focused on social media. In early 2010 Ethan became increasingly interested in Facebook. He found himself looking around his classroom and in the hallway–relentlessly seeing students with open Facebook windows on their phone. He wondered: "Are these students happier now that they have social media in their lives?" Ethan started digging and found research that was all over the place. Some studies would say, "People who are on Facebook are more happy" and then he would come across another study saying the complete opposite. He concluded that the methods in which those studies were using to gather data were grossly inefficient.
Passive and interactive activities on social media
Experian sampling
Regulation on social media
LeBron James move from the Cavaliers
Dealing with problems under stressed.
Ep. 736: Follow Your Effort Not Your Passion with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Follow Your Effort Not Your Passion with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
Ep. 735: Aaron Dignan Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
Aaron Dignan is founder of The Ready, former CEO of Undercurrent and author of "Brave New Work: Are You Ready to Reinvent Your Organization?" Aaron advises management teams at GE, American Express, PepsiCo, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum – just to name a few.
What got Aaron heading down the path of innovation? From an early age he was interested in human potential. He always wanted to know: What am I capable of? Aaron started a few companies and quickly learned what an unsustainable operating system looked like. After 8 years running his company he realized there was too much work fully dependent on him and knew something needed to change if his company was ever going to grow. Aaron took a step back and searched out what would happen if he let go of the reigns a little. He looked at various systems in nature that didn't have traditional leaders, as well as companies that had done great things operating in non-traditional ways. His company now has the mission statement of "Change how the world works."
Aaron approaches bureaucracy in business by way of his idea of the "OS Canvas." OS Canvas is a framework and tool that reflects and evolves an organization's operating system through 12 critical fields: Purpose, authority, structure, strategy, resources, innovation, workflow, meetings, information, membership, mastery, and compensation. Each field can be used to clarify and provoke principles and practices upon which everything runs. With his operating system he helps companies and individuals answer the question: What is stopping you from doing the best work of your life?
Bottlenecks in decision making
Quarterly statements
Operating system canvas
Ep. 734: If It Keeps Giving Your More Love Go with It More with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio 0
If It Keeps Giving Your More Love Go with It More with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio.
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Speech to Port Nicholson Rotary Club
Bill English
This election campaign is shaping up around two issues. The first is how governments will be formed. The second is the economy. Today I want to tell you what lies ahead for us in the economy and how National is going to build on it.
The foundation has already been laid. Fifteen years ago New Zealand set out on what was then regarded as a radical economic course. It has now become business as usual in many countries overseas and for most New Zealanders in New Zealand. We've had a decade where the economy has grown from $70 billion to $100 billion, where that growth has meant more jobs, more wealth and a bigger cake to share.
We have been able to increase our expenditure on services such as health and education. We've been able to lower taxes for middle income families so a family with four children on $35,000 is nearly $120 per week better off. We've been able to repay debt now so our children won't have to repay it in the future. Economic growth is good for people and that's why it matters so much in this campaign.
So what can we expect over the next three years? The pre-election update opens the books and lays out how the economy will look to an incoming government.
So how does it look ? In the next three years we can expect the economy to grow by about 10 percent. We can expect 115,000 new jobs, a balanced budget this year and then rising surpluses, lower debt, increased spending on health, education and we can expect lower taxes.
I am particularly pleased at the progress that is being made in job creation. In the last 12 months the New Zealand economy has created 25,000 new full-time jobs. We are entering a job rich economic recovery.
The question then is not whether or not there is economic growth - there is. The issue in this election is what set of policies are going to build on that foundation. New Zealanders expectations have risen particularly in light of stronger economic growth across the Tasman.
I want to talk about three areas of difference that are becoming more and more apparent in this election between the National and the Labour Party.
An issue of sharp distinction is jobs - National's policies will promote job growth, Labour's policies will choke it. The New Zealand economy has produced 600 new jobs every week for the last nine years. Each week 600 New Zealanders who are coming off benefits, recovering from their redundancy, returning to the workforce after caring for children, leaving polytech or leaving school to get a foothold on the economic mainstream.
Government should do anything they can to assist in job growth. Job growth happens when people who run our small businesses decide to take on another person.
National has and will concentrate unashamedly on making it easier for employers to make the decision to employ - that's what drives more jobs. We have reduced costs such as ACC; organisations from big corporates to social service agencies will save $200m next year.
But more important than the ACC costs has been the Employment Contracts Act and the differences betweeen the parties on this issue are clear.
The Labour party has two stories on the ECA. When Helen Clark visited a local business this week, she said her new law would make no difference. Business audiences around the country are being told not to worry, not too much will change. Meanwhile Mr Hodgson says the same day "The ECA is an extreme piece of legislation which has no place in the modern economy". Does Labour mean to say their law will be just slightly less extreme ?
Labour's policy is that if you want a collective agreement then you have to become a union or join a union. It will be illegal to be in a contract with a workmate, and not be a union member.
People will be allowed to strike for multi-employer contracts.
The workplace relations bill also refers to collective contracts covering people and work. Under this law the union owns the job as well as the person - that's demarcation, unions fighting over what job they cover as well as people.
Many organisations have good industrial relations. Employers have had to learn to understand the needs of their employees. Employees have learned to understand the needs of the organisation but that will change. Labour want to rebuild the Berlin wall between staff and employers with a law that says you can't stick with your mates unless you form or join a union.
Right now only 18% of our workforce are union members. Tough luck for the other 82% if they want collective or enterprise agreements.
This is wrong for two reasons. First no-one really wants it, because no-one can see who will benefit. People have the right to collective bargaining and union membership right now. If, as Labour says, it won't make much difference then why change it ? Its just payback politics.
The second reason is that its unfair.
A flexible labour law helps people without jobs to get jobs. Rigid labour law protects current jobs in the short term at expense of the young, the less skilled, the part-timer.
National wants to maintain the ECA and extend it. The biggest fear any organisation has about taking on a new employee is that they might get it wrong. We want to allow for probationary periods where the employee and the employer can test their suitability without the risks of the employment court.
National wants to promote more jobs and our policies support that. Labour want to promote more jobs but their policies will choke job growth.
The third key area of difference this election is tax.
National supports lower taxes for two reasons. The first is that it is a step the Government can take to help New Zealand families increase their net income. If we take less, they have more. That means they have more choices, a bit less pressure and the opportunity to fulfil some of their aspirations.
The second reason is because we need to push our growth ambitions beyond 3-4% and that means backing our people and our businesses. The nation is built on commitment and risk taking. Lower taxes will help build confidence, investment, jobs and growth.
Labour stands for higher taxes. Helen Clark said in the debate on Monday night that lower taxes were just putting good money after bad. She has also said the country was crying out for investment so the government needed to raise taxes and make the investment.
Labour think a left wing government knows better what to do with your money than you do.
We have taken the view that the dividends of a growing economy can be shared between New Zealand families through tax reductions, paying off debt and increasing social spending. Labour have undertaken that they will simply increase spending and lower family's after-tax incomes.
And its not just about people earning over $60,000. Labour's budget confirmed they will collect $2.4 billion more tax than National in the next term and that the $2.4b will be paid by everyone who earns over $9500.
When we announced our policy of reducing the tax rate to 20c up to $40,000 Labour said $10 a week isn't much. When Labour say they want change, they mean your change, your small change.
They have made 200 promises amounting to $4.3 billion. You can afford anything if you collect enough tax.
And the numbers on a closer look don't add up. Dr Cullen has provided just $5m more for health next year. Most people thought Helen Clark meant it when she said she would cut waiting lists. $5m goes nowhere. And in the second budget a Labour Alliance government would have just $9m to spend. Last year we spent over $500m. Those numbers just aren't credible, and that's how they make it all fit.
But the most important thing about the tax debate is the signal we send to the community. Do we value hard work and reward for effort ?
Many people have worried about keeping business and people in New Zealand to grow our wealth. Higher taxes will export both, not keep them here. During one of my many high school visits a student said to me - "you tell me to get a qualification, to pay for some of it myself, to work hard to get into the workforce, to be innovative and optimistic, and then when I succeed, Labour will punish me for it with higher taxes". Wisdom from a 17 year old.
Whatever Labour say about economic growth, no-one believes higher taxes will help. The policy is totally inconsistent with the rhetoric.
We are heading into an economic recovery rich in jobs and stronger on exports. We can build on that recovery if we preserve what works and get to grips with the underlying issues that remain in our economy.
We won't get wealthy buying houses off each other - it will be through taking better margins from other people's markets. And that's about an integrated approach, pushing policy change where New Zealand can get the most benefit.
We have taken the political risk of shaking up the producer board structures - there has been a monopoly on good ideas for too long in the primary industries. The Dairy Board alone accounts for 18% of the economy.
We have begun our government push to build the knowledge economy with the Bright Future package. It helps with the venture capital market, sets up test panels to reduce business compliance costs, and commits to new scholarships - 500 next year - jointly funded by government and business focused on getting our talented younger people into science and technology.
We are having a close look at the government's ideas machine - our Crown Research Institutes and universities - because we need to turn more of their good ideas into commercial reality. And we have set out a vision for electronic government. The government is still 35% of the economy, and we need to use every technology we can to reduce costs and provide better services and better productivity.
I believe in our capacity to overcome our disadvantages and build on our strengths. Government has a job, and we can do it better. I want to see a country where our children will want to stay and build their future.


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I don't know about you, but I love to worship while cleaning. Sometimes I forget the text, make up my own, or sing na-na-na with the music… it doesn't matter. It makes me happy and I feel immense contentment. God is good, no matter what. And then it can happen that a simple worship song on a random list really enters so deep in your heart and soul that you just need to drop everything you're doing and sit down, eyes closed in worship. That happened to me yesterday. I do hope you know this song… it's an oldie: 'Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You, I want to see You. To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your glory, pour out Your power and love as we sing holy, holy holy… I want to see You.' And I started to pray… yes Lord, I want to see You… whatever happens in our world today, whatever circumstances we are in, I want to see You Lord.
Actually, we do not only see the world around us with our physical eyes. Our heart has something to do with it as well. What do we allow to enter our heart? Doubt, fear, sin, or do we hold on to the promises of God? The way we determine what we see with our physical eyes is somehow linked with what we believe to be true in our heart. Let's call that 'our belief system.' Proverbs 4 says to 'guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.' When fear and anxiety reign in our heart, it effects our belief system and that will also have an effect in the way we look at what is happening in the world.
When the eyes of our heart are enlightened, we know the hope to which He has called us.
We can read the newspaper, or follow the news on the Internet and be overwhelmed by all that is going on: wars, rumors of wars, death, disasters, climate change, you name it. When we only look at that with our physical eyes we can be worried to death, but when the eyes of our heart are enlightened, like Paul said, we know the hope to which He has called us. We have a bright future ahead of us, a glorious inheritance. But also now, in this life… Jesus told us not to worry about what to eat or what to wear. Moreover, He promised to never leave or forsake us. He wants to fill us with a peace that surpasses all understanding. That's why we need to consciously guard our heart and focus with the eyes of our heart on the reality of that eternal truth that our Lord is Immanuel, God with us… no matter what!
To guard our heart is not that we close ourselves off of all that is going on in the world. On the contrary, we are people with a glorious inheritance, a hopeful future. We can share that with people around us and proclaim the good news so they too can have eternal life. To guard our heart means that we see another truth, we see another reality with the eyes of our heart… it's not there yet, but it will definitely come and already now this reality can fill our hearts with hope and peace and stability.
inside out. He is waiting for you with arms open wide. Maybe you don't see it with your physical eyes, but there is more to His reality than meets the eye.
My prayer is that He will open the eyes of your heart. And in case you would like to talk about this some more… don't hesitate to share with the people of She Rises. We want to be there for you.
Read also: What clothes should I wear?!


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March 15: The Week in Cancer News
NCI director steps in as FDA commissioner, new guidelines on clinical trial eligibility, and health risks for childhood cancer survivors.
by Bradley Jones
Photo by © AACR/Todd Buchanan
NCI Director Named Acting FDA Commissioner
Following last week's news that Scott Gottlieb had resigned as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Norman "Ned" Sharpless was named to be his replacement while the agency looks for a permanent successor. For the past 18 months, Sharpless has served as the director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and before that he was director of the University of North Carolina's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill. According to a report published in the Washington Post on March 12, the top role at the NCI will be filled temporarily by deputy director Douglas Lowy.
Survey Shines Light on Cancer Risk Perceptions
A survey commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund has highlighted some of the generational differences in awareness of various cancer risk factors. The online survey was completed by 2,094 adults living in Great Britain, with results weighted to be representative of the country's population. In an article published March 14, The Guardian reports that 66 percent of respondents between 18 and 24 thought that a poor diet could increase a person's risk of cancer, compared to 58 percent of people over 55. However, young people appeared to be less well-informed on some specifics. Only 48 percent of people 18 to 24 knew that processed meats posed a cancer risk, compared to 62 percent of those over 55. Similarly, 82 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds recognized smoking as a risk factor, whereas 91 percent of respondents over 55 acknowledged the connection.
Researchers Look at Lifelong Health for Childhood Cancer Survivors
For survivors of childhood cancer, the very treatments that saved their lives can often cause major health issues later in life. Abnormalities of the heart and lungs, hearing loss and infertility are just a few of the problems that can arise as people treated for childhood cancer grow older. In a March 15 special issue of Science focusing on pediatric cancer, one report looks at some of the ways researchers are attempting to address this problem, including investigations into whether certain drugs and the implementation of specialized exercise programs might be able to minimize cardiovascular damage caused by treatment.
FDA Acts to Promote Broader Clinical Trial Enrollment
On March 12, the FDA issued four draft guidances and one finalized guidance intended to help oncology trial organizers safely and effectively broaden their eligibility criteria to include a wider swathe of patients. The four draft guidances cover pediatric patients; patients with HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C; patients with organ dysfunction or prior or concurrent malignancies; and patients with brain metastases. The finalized guidance offers things to consider when adolescent patients are included in adult oncology trials. "For far too long, certain patients have been unnecessarily excluded from the chance to be a part of a clinical trial," said outgoing FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb. "Today's policies will help to shift the design of oncology clinical trials to be more representative of the patients that may ultimately benefit from novel treatments."


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Campus and Community
Computing and Data Science
Interdisciplinary Collaborations
Michigan Tech News
Unscripted Research Blog
Michigan Tech Magazine
Research Magazine
Humans of Michigan Tech
Now You See It, Now You Don't — an Invisibility Cloak Made of Glass
By Jennifer Donovan
Published 1:48 p.m., July 21, 2010
Category: Science And Engineering, Computing And Data Science
Elena Semouchkina tests a model of her invisibility cloak in an anechoic chamber.
From Tolkien's ring of power in The Lord of the Rings to Star Trek's Romulans, who could make their warships disappear from view, from Harry Potter's magical cloak to the garment that makes players vanish in the video game classic "Dungeons and Dragons, the power to turn someone or something invisible has fascinated mankind. But who ever thought that a scientist at Michigan Technological University would be serious about building a working invisibility cloak?
That's exactly what Elena Semouchkina, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Tech, is doing. She has found ways to use magnetic resonance to capture rays of light and route them around objects, rendering those objects invisible.
Semouchkina and colleagues at the Pennsylvania State University, where she is also an adjunct professor, recently reported on their research in the journal Applied Physics Letters, published by the American Institute of Physics. Her co-authors were Douglas Werner and Carlo Pantano of Penn State and George Semouchkin, who works at Michigan Tech and Penn State.
They describe developing a nonmetallic cloak that uses identical glass resonators made of chalcogenide glass, a type of dielectric material (one that does not conduct electricity). In computer simulations, the cloak made objects hit by infrared waves—approximately one micron or one-millionth of a meter long—disappear from view.
Earlier attempts by other researchers used metal rings and wires. "Ours is the first to do the cloaking of cylindrical objects with glass," Semouchkina said.
Her invisibility cloak uses metamaterials, which are artificial materials having properties that do not exist in nature, made of tiny glass resonators arranged in a concentric pattern in the shape of a cylinder. The "spokes" of the concentric configuration produce the magnetic resonance required to bend light waves around an object, making it invisible.
Metamaterials, which use small resonators instead of atoms or molecules of natural materials, straddle the boundary between materials science and electrical engineering. They were named one of the top three physics discoveries of the decade by the American Physical Society. A new researcher specializing in metamaterials is joining Michigan Tech's faculty this fall.
Semouchkina and her team now are testing an invisibility cloak re-scaled to work at microwave frequencies and made of ceramic resonators. They're using Michigan Tech's anechoic chamber, a cave-like room deep within an Electrical Energy Resources Center lab, lined with highly absorbent charcoal-gray foam cones. There, antennas transmit and receive microwaves, which are much longer than infrared light, up to several centimeters long. The researchers have cloaked metal cylinders two to three inches in diameter and three to four inches high.
"Starting from these experiments, we want to move to higher frequencies and smaller wavelengths," the researcher said. "The most exciting applications will be at the frequencies of visible light."
So one day, could the police cloak a swat team or the Army, a tank? "It is possible in principle, but not at this time," Semouchkina said.
Her work is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Michigan Technological University is a public research university, home to more than 7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the University offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. Our campus in Michigan's Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.
Last Modified 3:36 p.m. March 29, 2019
Beyond Good Vibrations: New Insights into Metamaterial Magic
Invisibility Cloak With Photonic Crystals
Ceramic Resonators Open Metamaterial Doors
Students Honored by National Science Foundation
News and Media Relations
Wadsworth Hall G45W
1703 Townsend Drive, Houghton, Michigan 49931-1196
ssidorts@mtu.edu


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Q: How to Properly Close Realm Outside of An Activity/Fragment I am using the code block below to add a Customer object to Realm, the objects are added successfully. However, I am trying to provide feedback via Toast message when the item insertion completes or fails.
@Override
public void addCustomer(final Customer customer) {
    Realm insertRealm = Realm.getDefaultInstance();
    insertRealm.executeTransactionAsync(new Realm.Transaction() {
        @Override
        public void execute(Realm backgroundRealm) {
            long id = customerPrimaryKey.incrementAndGet();
            customer.setId(id);
            backgroundRealm.copyToRealm(customer);
        }
    }, new Realm.Transaction.OnSuccess() {
        @Override
        public void onSuccess() {
            Log.d(TAG, "Customer Added");
        }
    }, new Realm.Transaction.OnError() {
        @Override
        public void onError(Throwable error) {
            Log.d(TAG, error.getMessage());
        }
    });
    insertRealm.close();

}

The above code block inserts the object successfully, however, the success and error callbacks are not reached because I closed the Realm that was used to start it. If I do not close the Realm, then the onError and onSuccess callbacks are reached, however, the app will crash because the Realm is leaked.
I tried to update the code to close the Realm inside the callbacks like this but it still crashed.
public void addCustomer(final Customer customer) {
    Realm insertRealm = Realm.getDefaultInstance();
    insertRealm.executeTransactionAsync(new Realm.Transaction() {
        @Override
        public void execute(Realm backgroundRealm) {
            long id = customerPrimaryKey.incrementAndGet();
            customer.setId(id);
            backgroundRealm.copyToRealm(customer);
        }
    }, new Realm.Transaction.OnSuccess() {
        @Override
        public void onSuccess() {
            Log.d(TAG, "Customer Added");
            insertRealm.close();
        }
    }, new Realm.Transaction.OnError() {
        @Override
        public void onError(Throwable error) {
            Log.d(TAG, error.getMessage());
            insertRealm.close();
        }
    });

}

SO my question is, is there are way to close Realm outside of the Activity/Fragment LifeCycle? Can I keep a global singleton of Realm and inject into the classes that use it?
Updated - Added StackTrack
11-13 06:59:07.545 2249-2257/com.google.android.gms W/SQLiteConnectionPool: A SQLiteConnection object for database '/data/user/0/com.google.android.gms/databases/metrics.db' was leaked!  Please fix your application to end transactions in progress properly and to close the database when it is no longer needed.
11-13 06:59:07.549 2249-2257/com.google.android.gms W/SQLiteConnectionPool: A SQLiteConnection object for database '/data/user/0/com.google.android.gms/databases/help_responses.db' was leaked!  Please fix your application to end transactions in progress properly and to close the database when it is no longer needed.
11-13 06:59:07.557 2249-2257/com.google.android.gms W/SQLiteConnectionPool: A SQLiteConnection object for database '/data/user/0/com.google.android.gms/databases/auto_complete_suggestions.db' was leaked!  Please fix your application to end transactions in progress properly and to close the database when it is no longer needed.

A: Closing Realm in the onSuccess and onError callbacks works, the issue I was wrestling with is an existing SQLiteOpenHelper class that is leaking. Cleaned the project from any reference to SQLite and everything is working fine. Once again this code block works.
}, new Realm.Transaction.OnSuccess() {
        @Override
        public void onSuccess() {
            Log.d(TAG, "Customer Added");
            insertRealm.close();
        }
    }, new Realm.Transaction.OnError() {
        @Override
        public void onError(Throwable error) {
            Log.d(TAG, error.getMessage());
            insertRealm.close();
        }
    });

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


and here's my Raytracer project that I did for graphics. It is by no means complete, and I really want to make it into a really nice application.
Today was spent playing soccer, passing out on a friends couch after a good meal of pizza and wings, waking up shortly and playing networked computer games in a dingy basement!


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New Brain Implant Lets You Control Machines Using Your Thoughts
bionic-spinal-cord.jpg
Forget Siri and Cortana. Soon, you may be able to give commands to machines just by "thinking" them.
A team of researchers and engineers at Melbourne University are developing a stentrode, a tiny implant to be placed into a blood vessel next to the brain, which can record electric activity from a specific part of the brain. The information will then be decoded and interpreted into thoughts.
Dr. Tom Oxley, research lead, said the study is purely focused on harnessing the possibilities of bionics to improve the medical industry, particularly in the treatment of paralysis and epilepsy.
Using the stentrode implant, people who are suffering from paralysis or severe spinal cord injuries can use their thoughts to control the movement systems attached to their bodies, allowing them to interact with their surroundings again.
'Our vision, through this device, is to return function and mobility to patients with complete paralysis by recording brain activity and converting the acquired signals into electrical commands, which in turn would lead to movement of the limbs through a mobility assist device like an exoskeleton.
'In essence this a bionic spinal cord.'
Another goal of the study is to find out what's happening in the brains of people who are having uncontrollable seizures and be able to predict and address the issue. The team has to develop a custom-fitted decoding algorithm to translate the electric brain activity into useful information.
To date, the research team says they have already recorded successful results during animal trials, which were published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, and are keen to get started in human clinical trials by 2017.
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In Connecticut, the state has signed a mattress stewardship bill into law, and the California state senate has passed mattress recycling legislation.
A mattress recycling program bill has passed California's senate, after the nation's first mattress stewardship bill was signed into law in Connecticut.
The California Senate approved Senate Bill 254, which would create a used mattress recycling program that will reduce the impact of illegally dumped mattresses and take advantage of existing infrastructure for transporting used mattresses to recyclers, according to a news release. The program would be similar to existing recycling systems in California and other states for other consumer products.
Read the entire story from Waste Age, our sister publication.


What are the hot topics regarding Facebook marketing? How about the latest challenges and trends in local marketing? What does an SMB need to take into consideration when planning their marketing? How about an agency or a marketing partner?
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Construction is underway on 10 Milwaukee Avenue express bus stations, setting the stage for the first line of a planned rapid-transit network that's supposed to begin service between Jefferson Park and Niles by the end of the year.
Buses on the PULSE Milwaukee Line are to run every 10 to 15 minutes between the Jefferson Park Transit Center and the Golf Mill Shopping Center in Niles, making the 7.6-mile trip 25 percent faster than the existing No. 270 bus, according to Pace, the suburban transit agency.
Pace is rolling out new buses for the route, equipped with Wi-Fi and charging outlets in every row of seats, spokeswoman Maggie Daly Skogsbakken said.
The stations are to include LED displays of bus schedules, overhead heat lamps and heated floors to melt snow and ice.
The new buses and stations will cost about $14 million, officials said, most of that from a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant.
Planners designed the stops like miniature L stations, complete with their own art designs, in an effort to attract riders, said Charlotte O'Donnell Obodzinski, the agency's supervisor for rapid transit.
The curbs are being built to be flush against the bus entrances so wheelchair users can roll aboard without having to wait for electric ramps, Obodzinski said.
With a "transit signal priority" system that turns traffic lights green for buses when they're behind schedule, the station upgrades should mean riders can expect the buses to run on time all day, she said.
The promise of new transit has brought a rush of development along Milwaukee, Przybylo said. Metra has asked for proposals for a new station near Touhy Avenue, and he said developers envision an entertainment district "comparable to Rosemont" around the Leaning Tower YMCA.
PULSE also is drawing attention to Jefferson Park, where three multi-story apartment buildings are set to be built near the transit center over the next two years, according to Ald. John Arena (45th).
Pace has published a long-range plan to build 36 rapid-transit bus lines through the city and suburbs, including a 15-mile Dempster Street line set to run between the Davis Street CTA station in Evanston and O'Hare Airport beginning in 2019.


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Home | Global News | Egypt's Dictatorship For The Digital Age
Egypt's Dictatorship For The Digital Age
794 people read this post.
By Justin Podur
Podur.org
Egypt was ruled by the Mubarak dictatorship for 30 years before the people managed to overthrow him in 2011.
Mubarak was not overthrown by the internet. Some business and technological literature claimed that, because the internet made it more difficult to keep secrets (a valid claim), the "dictator business" was obsolete. An NBC news story from February 2011, hardly unique, described the Egyptian government's attempt to shut down the internet to slow the spread of public outrage at government atrocities, but did not really offer an argument to substantiate its title: "How the internet brought down a dictator" (Wilson Rothman, NBC News, Feb 14, 2011.)
The business professor Henry Lucas reasoned as follows: "The governments of two dictators in Tunisia and Egypt did not survive citizen uprisings that were non-ideological in nature. The people were tired of the results of the dictatorships, and they found that technology helped them organize for change." (Lucas, The Search for Survival, Praeger, 2012, pg. 151). If ideology is a set of beliefs that govern political behaviour, then there are no citizen uprisings that are "non-ideological in nature", and Egypt's 2011 was as ideological as any other. Both Lucas and NBC were writing before 2013, when Edward Snowden revealed the universality of internet surveillance by the US National Security Agency, revelations that also put a damper on hopes for emancipation through technology.
But let us allow for a minute the two claims, that 1) those who mobilized to overthrow Mubarak in 2011 used twitter, facebook, and youtube over the course of their mobilization and 2) these technologies made it more difficult for the Egyptian regime to keep their human rights violations secret. Does it follow that dictatorships are doomed?
It does not. The dictatorship of Egypt's military was restored in a coup in July 2013. So, rather than asking if dictatorships are doomed, since they evidently are not, perhaps a better question might be, how do dictatorships adapt to a situation where their citizens have platforms to communicate more freely than they did before? Mubarak ruled through the standard dictatorial methods: terror, propaganda, and selective support (especially from elites and from foreign powers). Egypt's post-2013 dictators use the same methods, though they have adapted the balance somewhat, having learned some important lessons in propaganda, and in information-management-through-terror, from 2011.
After the overthrow of Mubarak in 2011, politics in the country split into three tendencies. The army, with business interests, elite and international connections, and tremendous resources, retained much of its power. The Muslim Brotherhood, which had maintained an organization throughout the decades of dictatorship, was a significant force. The newest grouping, and also the least-organized, was inspired by the Arab Spring to oppose the dictatorship and struggle for political freedom and economic reform.
Mubarak was ousted, but the army's power was preserved. It began taking steps to return to power immediately. The army was able to manipulate the legal process, to rush through a constitutional process, and to rush to an election that denied the 'civil society' group the chance to build an organization that could compete electorally with the establishment's party or the Brotherhood. In the May-June 2012 elections, the relatively unorganized 'civil society' split the vote, and the Brotherhood defeated the establishment candidate.
In the months that followed, the army retained not only control of key aspects of the economy, but also many key government portfolios and executive functions. The army was able to manipulate the rationing system to exacerbate economic problems while the Brotherhood government took the blame. The Brotherhood alienated the majority secular vote with its policies of social control and its alliance with the army against secular political protests. The Brotherhood eventually generated massive resistance against it, which the army took advantage of to re-take control in the July 2013 coup.
The internet may not have made dictatorships obsolete, but Egypt's rulers are working on developing a model of dictatorship for the internet age. In the seven months since the July coup, Egypt's new dictatorship, which is made up of the same establishment as Mubarak's dictatorship, has used extraordinary violence to try to thoroughly crush those forces that overthrew Mubarak in 2011.
The first order of business was to keep people off of the streets. When those who opposed the July coup used some of the same methods that had overthrown Mubarak, namely street demonstrations and sit-ins in public squares, they were surrounded and massacred, with huge massacres taking place in August.
Supplementing the massacres on the streets were mass, as well as targeted, arrests, and the return of long-term administrative detention. Legal processes, always under the oversight of the army, are a very important part of Egypt's dictatorship. A constitutional referendum was held on January 14-15. Those who campaigned for a "No" vote were arrested. The referendum passed with the kind of massive majority that marked Mubarak's electoral exercises.
The government is in the middle of a counterinsurgency war in the Sinai, on Egypt's border with Gaza and Israel. The government's opponents, the Bedouin in the Sinai, are labeled terrorists, and anyone questioning the government's counterinsurgency policy is similarly labeled.
Information management has been key. Journalists were arrested in advance of the constitutional referendum and are still being held. The dictators treat internationals – journalists or other members of civil society – to the same arbitrary legal processes as locals: long detentions, administrative renewals, frivolous charges. Meanwhile, local media, especially television, under concentrated establishment control, engage in virulent propaganda. The main theme in the media is that everyone who opposes Egypt's dictators are terrorists, starting with the Brotherhood and going from there to everyone – including secular civil society – who opposed the coup. Or, indeed, who writes or says anything about the coup.
Sharif Abdel Kuddous writes of the Al Jazeera staff currently detained on terrorism charges (http://madamasr.com/content/war-journalists) that 'prosecutors assigned a team of "media experts" from the Egyptian Union for Television and Radio to inspect equipment seized from the hotel where Al Jazeera English was operating. The technical reports show that "the footage was altered and video scenes were modified using software and high-caliber editing equipment." So they used Final Cut Pro. They edited. They probably even selected the fiercest footage of clashes for their reports.'
Sharif also quotes from the new anti-terrorism bill: 'Article 21 of the bill is astonishing in its vagueness and scope: "Anyone who directly or indirectly promotes acts of terror, either verbally or in writing, or through any other means of broadcasting or publishing, or through letters or online websites that others can access, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years."'
So, seven months later, we have the new Egyptian dictatorship's answer to the internet: monitor its users, jail its journalists in Egypt, and use it to broadcast messages of hate and misinformation about political opponents. So far, it is working, but it won't work forever. Not because of the internet, but because of the people. Dictatorships are overthrown when people lose their fear, and the Egyptians have lost their fear more than a few times in recent years.
#FreeAJStaff
Justin Podur is the author of Haiti's New Dictatorship (Pluto Press 2012). He has contributed chapters to Empire's Ally: Canada and the War in Afghanistan (University of Toronto Press 2013) and Real Utopia (AK Press 2008). He is an Associate Professor at York University's Faculty of Environmental Studies. Justin Podur blogs at podur.org
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On the "Recommended Reads" page of my site I have added another review (the thirteenth) of a work by another author. WHEN THE PERFECT COMES, a historical romance thriller by author Susan Ward is a read meeting my criteria as and excellent or exceptional work. Only about twenty to thirty percent of books I read achieve the quality to be included on my Recommended Reads list. I also post my reviews on Amazon.Com in addition to my Site.
← Can one trust Reader Reviews?


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Q: Set window size to fit content, but stop the window width from going beyond screen width I want to create a sort of a popup window like the Overloads window in Visual Studio. And just like the Overloads window, it can pop up pretty much anywhere on the screen.
I have a Window that has a child TextBlock control.
The Window changes its size according to the TextBlock size by setting its SizeToContent property to WidthAndHeight. If the TextBlock Text is too long, the Window resizes its width beyond the screen's width resulting in a partially visible Window. I would like the Text to wrap when it reaches the end of the screen, so to say.
I tried setting the TextBlock TextWrapping property to Wrap to hopefully stop this behavior, but it doesn't help because of the SizeToContent property being set. Any suggestions/workarounds?
Thanks for your help!

A: You could set the MaxWidth property of the window to the width of the screen, e.g.:
TextBlock text = new TextBlock()
{
    Text = "some very long string...",
    TextWrapping = TextWrapping.Wrap
};
Window window = new Window()
{
    SizeToContent = SizeToContent.WidthAndHeight,
    Content = text,
    MaxWidth = System.Windows.SystemParameters.PrimaryScreenWidth
};
window.Show();

How to get the size of the current screen in WPF?


After too many embarrassing conversations with their in-laws, Americans want a breather from them when it's time for lights out.
Americans welcoming their relatives for holiday visits this week will do so with open arms, but they don't want the in-laws and cousins spending the night in their homes.
More than half (54%) of Americans said they prefer visiting relatives to book an accommodation rather than have them stay in their homes, Hotels.com 2014 Winter Holiday Travel Survey found. The survey also showed those traveling within the U.S. for the holidays are more likely to stay in a hotel (43%) than lodging with family or relatives (16%).
About 58% of Americans indicated they'll be traveling within the U.S. this holiday season.
The survey also found that nine out of 10 Americans say they'd give up all of their holiday presents to go on a dream vacation during the holidays.
The survey's 8,722 respondents hail from 28 countries in Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East. The survey was conducted via email to Hotels.com newsletter subscribers from Nov. 1 to Nov. 25, 2014.