text:
city of fountains...
About Kansas City, MO
Kansas City, MO is the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri and expands across 14 different counties. While it's best known for fountains, boulevards, and second-to-none BBQ, Kansas City is also home to first-class cultural and entertainment destinations. Among them are the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Country Club Plaza, the Power and Light district, and of course, the Kansas City Chiefs and two-time World Series Champion Royals, just to name a few.
This culturally rich and economically diverse community is an ideal place to call home. Whether you're looking for traditional suburban living or the active, energetic lifestyle afforded by the urban condo scene, you'll find your fit in Kansas City. This beloved big city with an even bigger heart and deep community ties truly is the hometown of the Midwest.
Total Listings 848
Lowest Price $17,999
Kansas City, MO Homes for Sale
Below you will find all current listings in Kansas City, MO. Contact Kansas City Homes to schedule a showing or if you have any questions. Create an account to save your favorite Kansas City, MO home listings.
Residential in 64102 & more...
5217 NW Bluff Drive, Parkville, MO, 64152
9129 Askew Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64132
11515 Blue River Road, Kansas City, MO, 64131
615 W 101st Street, Kansas City, MO, 64114
8250 Wayne Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64131
$65,000 - 2 Beds, 1 Full Baths
5443 HIGHLAND Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64110
Quality 1st Realty of KC, LLC
2510 Grand Boulevard 805, Kansas City, MO, 64108
Terry W Flood Real Estate Co
5006 NE 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO, 64119
429 Benton Boulevard, Kansas City, MO, 64124
6316 NW 78th Place, Kansas City, MO, 64151
13314 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO, 64145
3839 Cleveland Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64128
CELT Realty Group
1509 E 97th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64131
12350 N Atkins Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64163
4137 Euclid Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64130
$80,000 - 3 Beds, 1 Full / 1 Half Baths
13365 NW 72nd Street, Parkville, MO, 64152
RE/MAX House of Dreams
8121 N Lawndale Avenue 1B, Kansas City, MO, 64119
Northpoint Asset Management
17 W 79th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64114
8127 Montgall Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64132
2019 E 81 Terrace, Kansas City, MO, 64132
8025 Brooklyn Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64132
1111 E 83rd Terrace, Kansas City, MO, 64131
5547 Jaudon Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64130
147 E Lowell Street, Kansas City, MO, 64119
135 E LONGFELLOW Street, Claycomo, MO, 64119
121 W 61st Terrace, Kansas City, MO, 64113
City Spaces Realty LLC
5136 N Sycamore Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64119
Dana Harding Realty
8105 NE Farley Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64158
210 E 67th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64113
8024 NE 51st Street, Kansas City, MO, 64119
Lotus Key Homes LLC
8030 N Drury Avenue 2D, Kansas City, MO, 64119
700 E 8th Street 15Q, Kansas City, MO, 64106
8639 Maiden Lane, Kansas City, MO, 64114
10536 N Shelby Street, Kansas City, MO, 64154
3008 Charlotte Street, Kansas City, MO, 64109
Link Realty
5209 Gladstone Boulevard, Kansas City, MO, 64123
Bella Realty Group LLC
4143 Roanoke Road 4, Kansas City, MO, 64111
339 NW North Shore Drive, Lake Waukomis, MO, 64151
3509 Windsor Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64123
7211 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO, 64114
3908 Campbell Street, Kansas City, MO, 64110
1008 NE 104 Terrace, Kansas City, MO, 64155
11 E 78 Street, Kansas City, MO, 64114
122 N Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, MO, 64123
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text:
De Università degli Studi Gabriele d'Annunzio is een universiteit die gevestigd is in Chieti en Pescara, de hoofdstad van de Italiaanse regio Abruzzen.

Zij werd gesticht in 1965 en omvat dertien faculteiten.

Externe link
 Officiële website

D'Annunzio
Chieti
Pescara

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Plotting training and test error rates of knn cross-validation in R I have performed the following cross-validation knn (using the caret package) on the iris dataset. I am now trying to plot the training and test error rates for the result. Here is my attempt but I cannot get the error rates. Can anyone help me please?
library(caret)
data(iris)
sample <- sample(2, nrow(iris), replace=TRUE, prob=c(0.80, 0.20))

iris.training <- iris[sample == 1, 1:4]
iris.test <- iris[sample == 2, 1:4]

iris.trainLabels <- iris[sample == 1, 5]
iris.testLabels <- iris[sample == 2, 5]

# Combine training data and combine test data.
iris_train <- cbind(iris.trainLabels, iris.training)
iris_test <- cbind(iris.testLabels, iris.test)

trControl <- trainControl(method = "cv", number = 5)

# K values 1 3 5 7 9
k_values <- seq(from=1, to=10, by=2)

fit <- train(iris.trainLabels ~ ., method = "knn", tuneGrid = expand.grid(k = k_values), trControl = trControl, data = iris_train)

# Plot
bestK <- function(iris_train, iris.trainLabels,
iris.testLabels) {
  ctr <- c(); cts <- c()
  for (k in length(k_values)) {
  fit <- train(iris.trainLabels ~ ., method = "knn", tuneGrid = expand.grid(k = k_values), trControl = trControl, data = iris_train)

  trTable <- prop.table(table(fit, iris.trainLabels))
  tsTable <- prop.table(table(fit, iris.testLabels))

  erTr <- trTable[1,2] + trTable[2,1]
  erTs <- tsTable[1,2] + tsTable[2,1]

  ctr <- c(ctr,erTr)
  cts <- c(cts,erTs)
}
 err <- data.frame(k=k_values, trER=ctr, tsER=cts)
 return(err)
}

err <- bestK(iris_train, iris.trainLabels, iris.testLabels)

plot(err$k,err$trER,type='o',ylim=c(0,.5),xlab="k",ylab="Error rate",col="blue")
lines(err$k,err$tsER,type='o',col="red")

Update:
Would like to obtain a visual plot something similar to this...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Cary Grant Loved to Host His Famous Friends at His $3.5 Million Palm Springs Home
There's a casita on the grounds named after one of the actor's frequent guests, Alfred Hitchcock
By Jennifer Tzeses
Photography by The Agency
As one of Hollywood's legendary leading men, it's no surprise that Cary Grant hosted many famous houseguests—Sophia Loren, Katharine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, and Clark Gable, to name a few—at Las Palomas, his Spanish Colonial Revival home in Palm Springs' star-studded Movie Colony neighborhood. Built in 1930 by architect John Byers, an early pioneer of Spanish Colonial Revival style in Southern California, the residence is an exact replica of a 19th-century Andalusian farmhouse. Beyond the gated drive and motor court, the white stucco home still bears its original shutters. Inside there are vaulted ceilings with exposed wood beams, original terra-cotta tile flooring, and wood-burning fireplaces. A massive great room boasts 40-foot ceilings, the open-plan living-dining room is lined with French doors, and the master suite includes a fireplace and balcony. The grounds showcase 1.5 acres of manicured lawns and gardens, a pool and spa, and a stone terrace perfect for outdoor entertaining. The Alfred Hitchcock casita designed by architect Wallace Neff, one of two casitas on the property, is named for the filmmaker, who was another regular visitor.
Contact: The Agency, 424-233-0920; theagencyre.com
The stucco home features its original shutters, now painted blue.
A gated entry leads the way to the house.
There's a soaring great room with terra-cotta tile flooring.
The open living-dining room is lined with French doors.
A view of the stone terrace.
The spacious pool area.
RELATED: See all of Architectural Digest's celebrity homes.
ExploreReal Estateestates
Daphne and Harper's Noto Villa From The White Lotus Is Now on Airbnb
Villa Tasca, a filming location of the Golden Globe award-winning series, lands among the platform's luxury offerings
By Sonia S. Braga
Inside Fragrance CEO David Duplantis's Historic Mexico Estate
The sprawling San Miguel de Allende property was refreshed by Fisher Weisman
By Katia Albertos
Inside One Family's Sun Valley Retreat, a Mashup of Rustic Mountain Style and 18th-Century Europe
Designer Courtnay Daniels worked alongside her collector-gardener mother to craft a sprawling hideaway that feels as elegant as it does cozy
By David Foxley
Inside a Family-Friendly Chicago Home That Was Transformed Through Classic Architecture
Interior designer Sasha Adler imbued the apartment with the sense of history her clients craved, and a two-story playhouse

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Editor's Note: In the time since this story was first published, John McBride has taken a new position as senior prospect research analyst at Loyola University Chicago.
According to his colleagues, McBride personifies this University of Chicago approach, and it is his leadership within the team and the larger organization that made his nomination stand out.
"John's deep experience in prospect research as an analyst and team supervisor — and his willingness to step outside the role of the 'traditional' prospect researcher to establish meetings with leadership to discuss the importance of mega-gifts and outlining how mega-donors can and should be approached — has been instrumental to alumni relations and development," wrote nominator Marcus Smith, who is on McBride's team at Chicago.
The Apra Professional of the Year Award recognizes a prospect professional who has had a significant positive impact on his or her organization's success in fulfilling its mission. It recognizes the skills, talents and accomplishments of an individual who has gone above and beyond the scope of their core duties and played a leadership role in their organization. The awardee receives a complimentary conference registration and accommodation.
During his seven-year tenure at the University of Chicago, McBride has learned to be a strong advocate for his work, his team and the profession. "We are talking to our gift officers all the time. We regularly make presentations to them exactly like the one we did here at the conference on venture capital and private equity," he said, referencing a session he jointly led with colleague Amelia Aldred.
McBride urged his colleagues in prospect development to become more proactive in everything they do.
Susan H. Faraone is a senior consultant for Aspen Leadership Group. She serves as the editor of Connections and the chair of Apra's editorial advisory committee.


Southport Lt. Aaron Allan was wearing a body camera that captured the moment he was shot to death on July 27, court documents say.
Southport Police Department Lt. Aaron Allan was wearing a body camera that captured the July 27 moment he was shot to death while helping a motorist in an overturned vehicle.
The video will not be viewed by the public before the man accused of Allan's murder, Jason Dane Brown, goes on trial, Marion Superior Judge Sheila Carlisle ruled. If convicted, Brown faces a possible death penalty.
Brown, 28, crashed a car in the 6600 block of South Madison Avenue in Homecroft on the afternoon of July 27. He was upside-down and belted into the seat of the overturned car when Allan crawled through a window to help.
That is when Brown, prosecutors say, fired more than a dozen shots. Allan was struck in both arms, the right leg, upper back, abdomen and heart as he tried to crawl away. He died less than an hour later at Eskenazi Hospital.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Brown also faces a possession of marijuana charge in connection to the incident.
Deputy Prosecutor Jayson McGrath revealed in court documents filed in September that Allan was wearing a body camera.
Presumably, that camera recorded Allan's final moments.
"The state believes the body camera footage referenced above will be admitted as evidence in this case," McGrath said in a Sept. 25 request that the footage be kept private.
"Any dissemination of the footage prior to trial, to the media or third parties," McGrath wrote, "would gravely diminish the defendant's opportunity for a fair trial anywhere."
No copies can be made.
Only Turner and Brown's defense team can view the video.
Turner and Brown's defense team cannot describe the video, either verbally or in writing, to anyone else.
The video can only leave Marion County when Turner visits Brown at the New Castle Correctional Facility.
Turner declined IndyStar's request for an interview.
In another behind-the-scenes court battle, Turner is fighting the prosecutor's request that the judge order Eskenazi Hospital to hand over Brown's medical records.
Turner, in court documents, noted the state seems especially interested in blood tests that might show whether Brown was under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the day Allan was shot.
In a motion filed on Nov. 29, Turner said that "while records of drug or alcohol use on the date of the incident may arguably be relevant," other records are not relevant.
"The state's request," Turner wrote, "amounts to nothing more than a fishing expedition into otherwise privileged information."
In the state's response filed Dec. 6, Deputy Prosecutor Christina Gull said the state is looking for symptoms of brain injury or other trauma that might not have been present until days after the crash and shooting.
"The state would argue that this information is extraordinarily relevant as the potential for injuries to effect any behavior or actions of the defendant," Gull wrote.
Judge Carlisle has not yet ruled on the motion.
Carlisle also has not ruled on a defense request that Brown's trial be moved out of Marion County. Turner argued that Brown cannot receive a fair trial in Indianapolis because of the intense media attention.
Brown's jury trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 26.
Allan, who joined Southport's police force in 2011, is the first Southport officer to be killed in the line of duty. He became its first full-time, paid officer earlier this year. In 2015 he was named the department's inaugural Officer of the Year.


text:
'Foodtastic' Disney Win for JWU Charlotte Team
Melinda Law
The expression "Hakuna matata," popularized by the Disney movie "The Lion King," roughly means in Swahili, "No need to worry about things outside of your control." This year, three JWU Charlotte artists applied that mantra to their journey of creating an eight-by-eight-foot Disney foodscape in a show called "Foodtastic" that requires competitors to transform everyday ingredients into works of art.
"We all knew our place and we all respected each other and trusted each other."
Building the Lion King foodscape involved using fondant and modeling chocolate to sculpt an adolescent Simba, cake pops to create the wisecracking meerkat Timon, and micro sponge to design an umbrella tree. It all came together under three flavors of JWU culinary expertise: Associate Instructor Schellie Andrews '16 MBA, Adjunct Instructor Austin Scoles '18 and Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship student London Johnson '23. Calling themselves Team Storytellers, the trio flew to Los Angeles, Calif., to compete against two other teams in the Disney+ series "Foodtastic"'s "Lion King: Queen of the Jungle" episode.
Every group started with just one item: a log.
"It was about 16 hours of competition time," Scoles explains. "These are three-dimensional characters balancing on a log, just the weight of it! My role was building up general sceneries, like making the umbrella tree out of chocolate ganache and micro sponge. London worked on the faces — sculpting is her expertise — and Schellie worked on the finer details, like carving fruits and vegetables to serve as vegetation and making things like the onion lotus flowers."
"Disney gave us a specific picture of adolescent Simba ahead of time, showing what they were looking for," Andrews adds. "We had a game plan, we were very organized and we stuck to our schedule. We had Zoom calls a couple of times a week, testing things out. On set, we used specific techniques and transformed the sculpture. When we were working everyone on the set seemed fascinated."
During the filming of "Foodtastic," Scoles described his work: "In order to cover the whole umbrella tree we need a ton of micro sponge that we are going to use for the leaves… We're using NO2 (nitrous oxide) cartridges which is helping to aerate the batter and microwave to create a fluffy cake texture."
Today, looking back at the experience, Scoles reflects, "We all knew our place and we all respected each other and trusted each other. Before the competition I didn't even know London. When Schellie asked if I would join the team I tracked down London in class and introduced myself!"
Foundations of a Team
In November of 2020, a casting representative from the show emailed several JWU College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT) instructors asking if they would be interested in participating in "Foodtastic."
Andrews was intrigued, especially since she used to live in Los Angeles, and decided to participate, which meant choosing two teammates. "I noticed London right away," she says. "She's super talented and an amazing cake decorator. She would test cakes for me, that's how good she is. She really stood out in class."
Scoles was another obvious choice. When he was a JWU student, he had been Andrews' teaching assistant, and he has a history of successful competitions — including the Food Network's "Christmas Cookie Challenge."
"Over the years I've helped and watched competitors such as 'Chef P,'" says Scoles. (Everyone calls Senior Instructor Harry Peemoeller "Chef P"; Peemoeller has assisted students during numerous competitions, in addition to presenting at the JWU Charlotte Bread Symposium.) "Watching others compete helps calm your nerves. You are here to do what you've practiced. Just execute your plan and trust your skills."
Creating a Magical Foodscape
Those skills include knowing what you need ahead of time to get the job done — in this instance, a massive shopping list fit for a (lion) king!
The foodscape involved loads of buttercream and cake; leeks, carrots, peppers and cranberry for the flora; piping gel that gave the buttercream river a watery shimmer; coffee grounds to give the log some texture; and Disney+ threw in a surprise barrel of grubs that all teams needed to incorporate into their sculpture. Team JWU had Simba and Timon eating them, with Timon appearing to throw them into the air and into Simba's grinning mouth.
On camera, Johnson told the judges of her teammates, "I hope I did them justice because they trusted me, and I just wanted to make sure I did the best I could do, that I could put everything out there for them."
"How old are you?" she was asked.
"I'm 20."
"Girl, you are full of talent. That face is so well executed; it's definitely adolescent Simba. Please explore that talent because you're great!"
"It was such an honor for me to work with both of them. I've taught for quite a long time, and it's always very heartwarming when I get to work with amazing students that I learn from as well."
Sweet Success Built on a Classroom Connection
Johnson and her JWU team were more than great. On a magical set that only Disney could create, filled with bubbles and colors and music in addition to the backdrop of the team's Simba creation, it was announced that Andrews, Scoles and Johnson had won. (You can watch the video on Facebook here.)
"It was such an honor for me to work with both of them," an emotional Andrews shared on the show. "I've taught for quite a long time, and it's always very heartwarming when I get to work with amazing students that I learn from as well. So this has been really an honor for me."
"We all went to JWU at different times," Scoles says. "It was rewarding to see it all come together. We share one thing in common, food art, and it brought us together. Ultimately, we wouldn't have known each other if it wasn't for JWU."
Walt Disney made magic by mixing imagination with drive. The same can be said for three JWU culinary artists who didn't let anything distract them from telling a great story through food.
How JWU Prepared Brynn Gibson '20 for a Spot on 'Hell's Kitchen: Young Guns'
Visit JWU
Explore JWU from Home
Transfer to JWU
TOP: LONDON JOHNSON '23, SCHELLIE ANDREWS '16 MBA, AND AUSTIN SCOLES '18 REACT TO LEARNING THEY HAVE WON THE "LION KING: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE" CONTEST ON DISNEY+'S SHOW, "FOODTASTIC." RIGHT TOP: POSTER FOR "FOODTASTIC." BELOW: ALL OF THE "FOODTASTIC" COMPETITORS GATHER TOGETHER FOR A PHOTO BEFORE THE SHOW AIRS. JWU'S DREAM TEAM, THE STORYTELLERS, FEATURES ANDREWS, JOHNSON AND SCOLES. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISNEY+


Board index ‹ Community Forum ‹ Films, Television and Books Even!
Talk about films, television programs or a good read you'd like to share.
need more TV stuffs to watch any suggestions guys/girls/lady's ?
You've had your last regrets, reached your final depths, deepest pits.
Stepped aside for the world to pass you by, chose to leave the fear.
I'm also in charge of the maps you see on CS:S, If you find a map you feel will suit our UKCS servers then please post a link to the map Here. Alternatively apply to be on the map test team Here.
+1 for Burn notice!! Also try The Unit, 4 seasons of AWESOME!!
Well I was going to suggest Supernatural but you have already watched it.
13th Nightmare wrote: Well I was going to suggest Supernatural but you have already watched it.
Wow there, if we're going to start suggesting anime there are better things than death note! For example Ghost in the Shell, Full Metal Alchemist etc. etc.
+1 for Arrow, Sherlock and Elementary.
Banshee, Sleepy Hollow, Hannibal and Game of Thrones are all great as well (nobody has seen Banshee, but it's awesome).
Nooo, not Under the Dome, it's awful.
Edit: Also, I can't believe I forgot Fringe.
I don't see Vikings mentioned here. I really enjoyed it.
Surprised that i haven't seen Game of Thrones mentioned yet?
Return to Films, Television and Books Even!


text:
Shirley MacLaine (* 24. April 1934 als Shirley MacLean Beaty in Richmond, Virginia) ist eine US-amerikanische Schauspielerin, Tänzerin und esoterische Bestseller-Autorin. Sie wurde im Laufe ihrer mehr als 60-jährigen Filmkarriere mit zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet; so erhielt sie unter anderem 1984 für Zeit der Zärtlichkeit den Oscar als beste Hauptdarstellerin.

Leben und Karriere

Sie ist die Tochter des Musikers Ira Beaty und der Schauspiellehrerin und ehemaligen Schauspielerin Kathlyn MacLean und die ältere Schwester des Schauspielers Warren Beatty. Sie nahm bereits im Alter von drei Jahren Ballettunterricht an der Washington School of Ballet und trat mit vier Jahren vor Publikum auf. Sie besuchte die Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, wo sie unter anderem Cheerleaderin eines Baseballteams war. Nach dem Schulabschluss zog sie 1952 nach New York, um als Schauspielerin und Tänzerin am Broadway zu arbeiten. Ihren Geburtsnamen MacLean Beaty änderte sie in MacLaine.

Am Beginn ihrer Karriere standen Gelegenheitsjobs zum Beispiel als Model und kleinere Rollen. Ihre erste bedeutendere Rolle am Broadway hatte sie 1954 in dem Musical The Pajama Game als Zweitbesetzung und späterer Ersatz der seinerzeit bekannteren Schauspielerin und Tänzerin Carol Haney. Entdeckt wurde sie von dem Regisseur und Produzenten Hal B. Wallis, der sie mit einem Fünfjahresvertrag für das Filmstudio Paramount ausstattete. Am 17. September 1954 heiratete sie den Produzenten Steve Parker. Am 1. September 1956 kam ihre Tochter Stephanie Sachiko (Sachi) zur Welt. Die Ehe wurde 1982 geschieden.

Ihr Filmdebüt gab Shirley MacLaine 1955 in der Komödie Immer Ärger mit Harry (The Trouble with Harry) von Alfred Hitchcock, für die sie im selben Jahr einen Golden Globe als beste Nachwuchsdarstellerin gewann. Es folgten weitere Filmrollen, zunächst überwiegend in Komödien, wie etwa Der Agentenschreck (Artists and Models). Ihre bekanntesten und wichtigsten Filmrollen hatte sie Ende der 1950er- und in der ersten Hälfte der 1960er-Jahre. Filme wie Verdammt sind sie alle (Some Came Running), Das Appartement, Das Mädchen Irma la Douce oder Infam (The Children's Hour) machten sie berühmt. MacLaine wiederum gab diesen Filmen nicht nur ein Gesicht, sondern verkörperte und prägte mit Aussehen und Ausstrahlung, Verhalten und Stil ein modernes, aber zugleich verletzliches und selbstbewusstes Frauenbild, das sich von dem sexualisierten Bild Hollywoods der 1950er-Jahre abhob. Für Verdammt sind sie alle, Das Appartement und Irma la Douce war sie für einen Oscar nominiert. Sie, Lauren Bacall und Judy Garland gelten als die einzigen weiblichen Mitglieder des Rat Pack um Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis junior und Dean Martin. Nach dem Tod von Joey Bishop und Lauren Bacall ist sie nun das letzte noch lebende Mitglied des Rat Pack. Von 1962 bis 1964 hatte sie eine intensive Liebesbeziehung mit Robert Mitchum, die endete, als er zu Frau und Kindern zurückkehrte.

In den 1970er- und 1980er-Jahren veröffentlichte sie erste Bücher und machte selbst einen Film: The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir, einen Dokumentarfilm über die Volksrepublik China, den sie zusammen mit der Filmemacherin Claudia Weill drehte. 1975 war sie für diesen für einen Oscar nominiert. Nachdem sie 1977 für ihre Leistung in Am Wendepunkt erneut eine Nominierung als Schauspielerin erhalten hatte, gewann sie 1983 für den Film Zeit der Zärtlichkeit (Terms of Endearment), in dem sie an der Seite von Debra Winger und Jack Nicholson spielte, im fünften Anlauf den Oscar als beste Hauptdarstellerin.

Nach fünfjähriger Abstinenz kehrte sie 1988 mit dem Film Madame Sousatzka auf die Kinoleinwand zurück. 1989 spielte sie in dem Filmdrama Magnolien aus Stahl – Die Stärke der Frauen neben Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah und Julia Roberts. Der Film lief 1990 außerhalb des Wettbewerbs auf der Berlinale. 2005 war die inzwischen 71-jährige MacLaine in einem Remake der Fernsehserie Verliebt in eine Hexe zu sehen. Im selben Jahr übernahm sie eine Rolle in dem Film Wo die Liebe hinfällt ... (Rumor Has It …), in dem eine junge Frau (Jennifer Aniston) feststellt, dass ihre Familie das Vorbild für den Film Die Reifeprüfung lieferte. MacLaine spielte die Frau, die mit dem Nachbarsjungen eine Affäre hat, also das Vorbild für die Figur der Mrs. Robinson gab.

Für ihre Rolle in dem Film In den Schuhen meiner Schwester (In Her Shoes) mit Cameron Diaz und Toni Collette war sie 2006 bei den Golden Globes als beste Nebendarstellerin nominiert. Eine weitere Golden-Globe- sowie eine Emmy- und eine Screen-Actors-Guild-Awards-Nominierung brachte ihr 2009 die Darstellung der gealterten Coco Chanel in Christian Duguays gleichnamigem Fernsehfilm ein.

MacLaine zeichnet sich in ihren Rollen durch große Vielseitigkeit aus. Sie spielte Prostituierte und Tänzerinnen ebenso wie einfache Arbeiterinnen, Lehrerinnen oder eine Nonne. Ihre Bandbreite reicht von sehr tragischen bis hin zu sehr komischen Rollen. Ihre deutsche Synchronstimme sprach in den meisten Filmen Renate Danz, 2003 übernahm diese Aufgabe Judy Winter.

MacLaine gilt politisch als linksliberal. Sie engagierte sich gegen den Vietnamkrieg und unterstützte mehrfach Politiker der Demokraten im Wahlkampf, unter anderem Robert F. Kennedy.

Esoterische Bestseller-Autorin
Erfolgreich ist Shirley MacLaine seit den 1980er-Jahren auch als Autorin von zum Teil autobiografischen Büchern, in denen sie ihre spirituelle und esoterische Weltanschauung, ihre angeblichen Erfahrungen aus früheren Leben sowie ihre angeblichen Kontakte mit Außerirdischen vermittelt. Auf Lesungen berichtet sie außerdem von UFOs und verbreitet Verschwörungstheorien. Darüber hinaus bekennt sie sich zum Ramtha-Kult von JZ Knight.

Filmografie (Auswahl)

Bücher
 Don't Fall Off the Mountain. The Bodley Head, London, Sydney und Toronto, 1970
 Tanz im Licht. Goldmann, München 1985
 Zwischenleben. Goldmann, München 1985
 Out on a Limb. Bantam books, London, 1986
 You Can Get There from Here. Bantam Books, New York, 1986
 Deutsch von Elke vom Scheidt: Schritt für Schritt. Goldmann TB 8807, München 1987, ISBN 3-442-08807-0
 Raupe mit Schmetterlingsflügeln. Eine Autobiographie. Goldmann, München 1988. ISBN 3-442-08949-2
 Zauberspiel. Goldmann Verlag München 1987
 It's All in the Playing. Bantam Books 1988
 Die Reise nach Innen. Mein Weg zu spirituellem Bewußtsein. Goldmann, München 1989 ISBN 3-442-30546-2
 Going Within. A Guide for Inner Transformation. 1990
 Dance While You Can. Bantam Books, New York u. a., 1991
 Deutsch: Tanze, so lange du kannst. Mein Leben. Goldmann, München 1992, ISBN 3-442-42609-X
 My Lucky Stars – A Hollywood Memoir. Bantam Books, New York 1995
 Deutsch von Uschi Gnade: Glückssterne. Mein Leben. Goldmann, München 1996, ISBN 3-442-30665-5
 The Camino – A Journey of the Spirit. Atria 2001, ISBN 0-7434-0073-9
 Deutsch: Der Jakobsweg – Eine spirituelle Reise. GROA Verlag, Plön 2015. ISBN 978-3-933119-82-7
 Out on a Leash: Exploring the Nature of Reality and Love. Atria 2004, ISBN 978-0-7434-8616-3
 Deutsch: Eine unsterbliche Liebe: Wie mein Hund mich lehrte, mit dem Herzen zu sehen. Goldmann, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-442-45762-5
 Sage-ing While Age-ing. Simon and Schuster, 2007
 Deutsch von Nina Arrowsmith: Weiser, nicht leiser! Der Weg zu neuem Menschsein (mit Nina Arrowsmith). Ullstein, Berlin 2008. ISBN 978-3-548-74477-3
 I'm Over All That and Other Confessions. Atria, 2011, ISBN 978-1-4516-0729-1
 Deutsch von Marion Reuter: Damit bin ich durch und weitere Geständnisse. Börsenmedien, Kulmbach 2011, ISBN 978-3-942888-80-6

Rezeption
Der deutsche Komiker Hape Kerkeling begab sich im Jahr 2001, beeinflusst durch die Lektüre von MacLaines Buch Der Jakobsweg: eine spirituelle Reise, auch auf eine Pilgerreise nach Santiago de Compostela. Das Buch sowie ein Wanderführer waren auf der Wallfahrt seine einzige Lektüre. Er berichtete darüber in seinem 2006 erschienenen Reisebericht und späteren Bestseller Ich bin dann mal weg – Meine Reise auf dem Jakobsweg.

Im Jahr 2015 erntete Shirley MacLaine heftige öffentliche Kritik u. a. für diese Vermutung in ihrem 2015 erschienenen Buch Was wäre...: "Was wäre, wenn die meisten Holocaust-Opfer ihr Karma aus früheren Zeiten ausgleichen würden, als sie römische Soldaten waren, die Christen töteten, die Kreuzfahrer, die Millionen im Namen des Christentums ermordeten, Soldaten von Hannibal oder diejenigen, die mit Alexander durch den Nahen Osten stürmten? ... Die Energie des Tötens ist endlos und wird sowohl vom Mörder als auch von der Mörderin erlebt."

Auszeichnungen

Academy Awards
 1959 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Verdammt sind sie alle
 1961 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Das Appartement
 1964 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Das Mädchen Irma la Douce
 1976 nominiert für den "Besten Dokumentarfilm" für The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir
 1978 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Am Wendepunkt
 1984 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Zeit der Zärtlichkeit

American Comedy Awards
 1993 ausgezeichnet für das komödiantische Lebenswerk

British Academy Film Awards
 1957 nominiert als "Beste ausländische Darstellerin" in Immer Ärger mit Harry
 1960 ausgezeichnet als "Beste ausländische Darstellerin" in Immer die verflixten Frauen
 1961 ausgezeichnet als "Beste ausländische Darstellerin" in Das Appartement
 1965 nominiert als "Beste ausländische Darstellerin" in Das Mädchen Irma la Douce und Immer mit einem anderen
 1981 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Willkommen, Mr. Chance
 1985 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Zeit der Zärtlichkeit
 1991 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Grüße aus Hollywood und "Beste Nebendarstellerin" in Magnolien aus Stahl

Emmy Awards
 1975 nominiert für das "Herausragende Special – Comedy-Varieté oder Musik" für Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now
 1976 ausgezeichnet für das "Herausragende Special – Comedy-Varieté oder Musik" für Gypsy in My Soul
 1977 nominiert für das "Herausragende Special – Comedy-Varieté oder Musik" für The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here?
 1979 nominiert für die "Herausragende Comedy-Varieté- oder Musiksendung" für Shirley MacLaine at the Lido
 1980 nominiert für die "Herausragende Varieté- oder Musiksendung" für Shirley MacLaine … "Every Little Moment"
 2009 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in einem Fernsehfilm oder Miniserie für Coco Chanel

Golden Globe Awards
 1955 ausgezeichnet als "Meistversprechende Nachwuchsdarstellerin"
 1959 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Drama" in Verdammt sind sie alle
 1959 ausgezeichnet mit einem Sonderpreis als "Vielseitigste Schauspielerin"
 1960 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Immer die verflixten Frauen
 1961 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Das Appartement
 1962 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Drama" in Infam
 1964 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Das Mädchen Irma la Douce
 1967 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Das Mädchen aus der Cherry-Bar
 1968 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Siebenmal lockt das Weib
 1970 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Sweet Charity
 1980 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Willkommen, Mr. Chance
 1984 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Drama" in Zeit der Zärtlichkeit
 1988 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Miniserie oder Fernsehfilm" in Out on a Limb
 1989 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Drama" in Madame Sousatzka
 1991 nominiert als "Beste Nebendarstellerin" in Grüße aus Hollywood
 1993 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Die Herbstzeitlosen
 1995 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Komödie oder Musical" in Tess und ihr Bodyguard
 1998 ausgezeichnet mit dem Cecil B. deMille Award für "Herausragende Beiträge im Bereich der Unterhaltung"
 2003 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Miniserie oder Fernsehfilm" in Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay
 2006 nominiert als "Beste Nebendarstellerin" in In den Schuhen meiner Schwester
 2009 nominiert als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin – Miniserie oder Fernsehfilm" in Coco Chanel

Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
 1959 ausgezeichnet mit dem Silbernen Bären als "Beste Darstellerin" in Immer die verflixten Frauen
 1971 ausgezeichnet mit dem Silbernen Bären als "Beste Darstellerin" in Verzweifelte Menschen
 1999 ausgezeichnet mit dem Ehrenpreis des Goldenen Bären
Sie ist die einzige Frau, die in der Kategorie "Beste Darstellerin" den Preis zweimal gewinnen konnte.

Internationale Filmfestspiele Chicago
 2005 ausgezeichnet mit dem Career Achievement Award

Internationale Filmfestspiele von Venedig
 1960 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Darstellerin" in Das Appartement
 1989 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Darstellerin" in Madame Sousatzka

New York Film Critics Circle Award
 1960 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Das Appartement
 1983 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Zeit der Zärtlichkeit
 1989 ausgezeichnet als "Beste Hauptdarstellerin" in Madame Sousatzka

Weitere Auszeichnungen
 AFI Life Achievement Award (2012)
 Cinema Writers Circle Awards für den Film Can-Can (1962)
 David di Donatello für den Film Zeit der Zärtlichkeit (1984)
 Film Society of Lincoln Center (1995)
 Golden Apple Awards (1959)
 Goldene Kamera (1997)
 Hasty Pudding Theatricals (1963)
 4 Laurel Awards für die Filme Irma la Douce, The Children's Hour, Das Appartement, Can-Can
 Lone Star Film & Television Awards (1997)
 National Board of Review für den Film Zeit der Zärtlichkeit (1983)
 Walk of Fame
 Women in Film Crystal Awards (1978)

Weblinks

 shirleymaclaine.com (engl.)
 FemBiografie: Shirley MacLaine
 Portrait in der Neuen Zürcher Zeitung: Johannes Binotto: Schwermut, Übermut, Lebensmut. NZZ, Zürich, 31. März 2009

Einzelnachweise

Oscarpreisträger
Golden-Globe-Preisträger
Filmschauspieler
Theaterschauspieler
US-Amerikaner
Geboren 1934
Frau


Let's face it – the first time most marketers dive into the world of webinars, they have NO idea what to expect. Webinars are a living, breathing thing, and you have to be organized, yet flexible. Process-oriented, yet agile.
Easier said than done, right? Here are a few tips that will keep you on top of your webinar game, and it all starts with the basics.
Webinars can be as difficult as you want to make them (and I've seen plenty of marketers do this a bazillion times!). Over-building and over-complicating an already challenging process and effort burns out a lot of marketers before they even get started on the path to webinar success. So keep efforts simple and manageable, especially if you are just starting out with webinars.
PRO TIP: Stay focused and keep in mind scaling your program. For the first few webinar efforts, host a topic that will hold a good level of familiarity with your audience (and one that your speaker is well-versed in).
Run a webinar with a smaller audience size, and increase in numbers as your webinar efforts grow. This will aid in scaling your webinar program comfortably and give plenty of opportunities to adjust along the way.
Keep campaign activities focused and plan lead routing efforts ahead of time. This applies to those individuals just getting their webinar program off of the ground, as well as webinar veterans out there.
Organization is paramount in getting the most out of webinar efforts and establishing a solid webinar program. With so many moving pieces and variables involved, a little organization can go a long way. Organization is your friend (so very true!) and will help save your sanity and living to see another webinar day.
PRO TIP: Brush off your project management skills, because you'll need them! Have a plan in place as a point of reference for efforts leading up to the webinar, as well as fulfillment activities (these can include sending out follow-up emails, posting the recorded webinar to your website, etc.) following the webinar go-live. Be sure to include key activities and deliverables dates, as this provides a natural timeline for webinar efforts.
Build out follow-up emails and any other marketing automation fulfillment components ahead of the big webinar day. Post-webinar fulfillment efforts should begin pretty quickly following the webinar go-live , so it definitely pays dividends to prep ahead!
Schedule and host a rehearsal before the big webinar day. This may seem pretty obvious, but it's surprising how many marketers will forego a rehearsal. Rehearsals provide a great time to have everyone login, review timeline and expectations for the go-live day, answer any final questions and review the presentation together. This is especially important when you have multiple speakers involved.
Webinars are GREAT lead gen and revenue-drivers, and can really benefit the bottom line! Providing your sales team with the most up-to-date opportunities to share this relevant content and messaging both pre- and post-webinar can pay off in spades. Basic efforts here: Coordinate, enable, communicate.
PRO TIP: Coordinate webinar sales enablement efforts with your sales team ahead of time. If webinars are going to be a consistent part of your lead generation efforts, then meeting and agreeing upon a SIMPLE (there's that word again!) sales enablement plan will get things rolling. From there, re-visit periodically to optimize.
Enable your sales team with the ability to promote an upcoming webinar. One of the ways is to provide email templates that they can use to invite prospects or work with your sales team to send out an invitation on their behalf.
Communicate results with your sales team. Ask for five minutes in their weekly sales team meeting. This is a great place and time to share the latest in registration, planning and post-webinar fulfillment updates and results. Collaborative efforts such as webinars keep the lines of communication open and support a great marketing and sales relationship!
Ultimately, finding out what works best for you and your team in balancing webinars will take time, patience and consistent effort. Start with the basics, and scale from there to discover the many benefits of a solid lead generation webinar program. You've got this – give it a try!
Need some more webinar inspiration? Check out our library of past Pardot webinars to see how we put these tips into action!


The chance of earthquake damage in Barry is about the same as Minnesota average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Barry is lower than Minnesota average and is lower than the national average.
No volcano is found in or near Barry, MN.
A total of 1 historical earthquake event that had a recorded magnitude of 3.5 or above found in or near Barry, MN.
A total of 21 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Barry, MN.


The birth rate has hit an all time low in the United States, with researchers blaming the poor economy for low fertility rates and women's choices not to have families.
A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2011, birth rates only increased among women in the 35-to-39 and 40-to-44 age brackets and declined among younger women. But overall, the birth rate decreased from the year before, reaching the lowest ever reported in US history.
Another surprising statistic: More than 40 percent of all babies were born to unmarried women. Such a large statistic indicates that a large number of US births may not have been planned.
The year 2010 saw 3,953,593 US births, which was down 45,793 from the year before. The fertility rate had also decreased to the lowest ever rate reported, which scientists and researchers believe could be due to the severity of the recession.
Elizabeth Gregory, author of "Ready: Why Women Are Embracing the New Later Motherhood", claims that the poor economy, together with an already-increasing trend of women giving birth later in life, is the cause of the new data.
"The big switch in the timing of when women have children was underway long before the recession of 2007, but the recession intensified it," she wrote in the Huffington Post.
Other researchers have cited the high cost of groceries and child expenses as another reason for less childbirth.
Mark Mather, a demographer for Population Reference Bureau, told ABC News that aside from women actively choosing not to have children, the recession also affects a woman's physical ability to give birth.
The low US birth rate has not yet reached European levels, but the nation may soon face some of the same problems. Demographers worry that if the young population plummets, it will become difficult to take care of the elderly that can no longer be a part of the workforce. This would consequentially affect the tax rates, which would likely skyrocket if the elderly population outweighs the young.


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Exclusive Interview with Toby Regbo about 'U Want Me 2 Kill Him?'
Posted on April 5, 2018 by The Ultimate Rabbit
In "U Want Me 2 Kill Him?," Toby Regbo gets one of his biggest and most memorable roles yet. The movie is based on a true story which was chronicled in Vanity Fair about a 16-year old schoolboy who gets arrested for attempted murder. His explanation was he was working under orders from an MI5 agent, but the truth of the matter ends up revealing something far more shocking.
Regbo plays John, a lonely boy who gets picked on at school and is later befriended by one of the most popular students there, Mark (Jamie Blackley). The friendship comes about because John's sister Rachel (Jaime Winstone), whom Mark has developed an online relationship with, asked him to look out for John. But when Rachel is found murdered, both John and Mark in their devastation vow revenge against the person who took her life. What happens from there is not worth giving away, but it resulted in one of England's most shocking crimes and showed us all how much of a threat the internet can be.
I got to speak with Regbo over the phone about his role back in 2013. During our conversation we talked about how his role reminded him of his years as a teenager, how much time he spends on the internet, the challenges of playing a character based on a real life person, and he even gave me an update on "Maleficent" which he was cast in.
Ben Kenber: Were you aware of the Vanity Fair article or the true-life story this film was based on before you got the script for it?
Toby Regbo: Not before I got the script. I read originally for Mark, the other character that Jamie Blackley ended up playing which is a good thing the roles ended up that way. But no, I didn't know anything about it until I auditioned for it, and then once I got close to getting the part then I started looking further into it. I read the article and I also had some information that wasn't in the article. I met the journalist who wrote the Vanity Fair Article (Judy Bachrach). In fact, she came to the set. But once you know the story, you want to know as much as possible about the case. It's so mental that this happened.
BK: What appealed to you most about the role you ended up playing in the film?
TR: It's hard to talk about the film without giving too much away.
BK: Yes, that's true.
TR: I guess the interesting thing for me was trying to play the scenes in the movie without giving any tells to the ending. That was the key for me, trying to create something that was believable enough that you don't see it coming I guess, at least for not a long way away.
BK: Yes, that must have been tricky because you read the script and wonder how you can keep from revealing everything. That must have been a challenge for everybody involved.
TR: We did a lot of rehearsals which is great. It's the most rehearsal I've ever done before starting a film. Andrew Douglas, the director, and his wife Lenore sort of coached us (me and Jamie) through the movie. We did three or four weeks of rehearsals beforehand and working everything out. It was about just trying to keep them real, trying to find out exactly what motivated them. We did a whole bunch of work with sort of character objectives. We used this book called Ivana Chubbuck's "The Power of the Actor" and we worked out what motivated our characters.
BK: Do you prefer to do a lot of rehearsal before you shoot a movie or does it depend on what movie you're working on?
TR: It just depends on the whole vibe. I do like rehearsals, but at the same time the best stuff that ever happens is stuff that you don't plan for. You can do things to death, but you just got to get out and do it for real. I'm doing this TV show and we've been shooting for like ten months now, and I've never shot that long before. It's like a different process. You shoot like 8 pages a day, you get scripts like a couple of days beforehand, there's not much preparation time and you just got to sort of go with it. It's great training as an actor.
BK: I agree. The chemistry you have with Jamie Blackley onscreen is terrific and you two come across as very down to earth and really good friends. This makes the eventual unraveling of their friendship all the more painful to witness. How did you two develop that chemistry?
TR: It came to us naturally. Jamie is one of the easiest people to get along with that I ever met in my life. And also at the same time, when we started filming we both had fallen in love with girls at the same time, so we had that camaraderie on set. We were always talking about how long we should wait until we say I love you to a girl, so we both had that commonality. It worked out for Jamie, it worked out for me.
BK: Before you made this movie, did you spend a lot of time on the internet and in chat rooms?
TR: I've never been in a chat room before. There was a time where we used to go on MSN Hotmail a lot when I was like 14 which was a fucking nightmare. More than anything else, the social media revolution has helped kids talk shit about each other at an exponential rate. It's been a lot of fun on there talking about who kissed who and what boy did what, and that was a great fucking waste of time for a couple of years. I've sort of grown away from it now. I thought I go and do a lot of other things than just waste all this time online.
BK: Were you able to do a lot of research on the person your character was based on? We find out at the end of the movie that a lot of information can't be revealed due to certain laws in England.
TR: Yes, and I think that's for the best. The character that I play, I based it on the script which was based on the Vanity Fair article. But I felt very distant from whoever this unknown boy, now a man, is. I don't know the name, I don't know who he is, I have no connection with him at all and I think that's the way that it should be. On Demand on my TV earlier today I saw the trailer for the "Diana" movie. The story is about Diana and how the press ruined her life and how they like ended it. However you want to look at it, it was this terrible event that happened and now she's dead, but they've made a fucking movie about it. I mean the hypocrisy of like saying oh look how terrible it is that the media ruined her life, and then they've made a movie about it. That doesn't seem to make any sense. But I did feel a responsibility playing someone who is real. Although they did a very terrible thing, they shouldn't have to have this film on their shoulders for the rest of their lives. It based on a true story, but there is this creative license in it.
BK: It's interesting because with certain movies that are based on true stories, many actors feel the need to learn as much as they can about the real person they are playing to the point where they fall into the trap of impersonating them. I guess knowing less about the person your character was based on was probably more freeing for you because you weren't shackled to that.
TR: Yeah, I mean I think for some actors they love that. They really want to get inside the heads of the real person, but I find it very, very strange to try sort of mesh this other person over the top of you especially when it comes to your voice and like doing an accent and that sort of thing. I think its dangerous territory where it can become an impersonation. I would always approach playing a real person with extreme trepidation, but in this case I felt like I was playing the character that was written on the page rather than this actual boy who is out there in the real world.
BK: I imagine you're not far from the age of the character you play in this film. Did playing this role bring back any memories of being a teenager for you?
TR: I was 19 when we filmed it and I'm 22 now. Bringing back memories of a teenager would've only been one year. To be honest, being a teenager is fucking shit most of the time. Kids are really, really horrible, and I totally understand escapism that both of these boys are sort of trying to pursue through the power of the mundane inanity being a teenager growing up in the suburbs trying to have the "mad life" as Mark would put it.
BK: I see that you were cast in Disney's "Maleficent" as the young Stefan. Can you tell us anything about that movie?
TR: Well I can tell you that I'm not in it (laughs). I worked two weeks on that and there was some studio nonsense. Basically they wanted the character that I was playing to be younger, much younger. We were doing this prologue to the film and they wanted 10 rather than 16, but they waited two weeks into filming before making that decision. I'm still glad that I got to be on that set. I've never done anything like that before, and I hope that it turns out well. It's amazing what they are doing there, and I never been in something with such a big budget. Just the level of detail… There were these chests on the set, these like fairy chests or whatever, and you open them and they are like filled with all these intricate gilded swords and beautiful linens and stuff. The level of detail was amazing. I'm sad I'm not a part of it.
I want to thank Toby Regbo for taking the time to talk with me. "U Want Me 2 Kill Him?" is now available to own and rent on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital.
Exclusive Interview with Andrew Douglas about 'U Want Me 2 Kill Him?'
Posted on March 30, 2018 by The Ultimate Rabbit
"U Want Me 2 Kill Him?" is yet another in a long line of movies "based on a true story." But after watching it, you have to believe it's true because no one could make a story like this up. Based on the Vanity Fair article by Judy Bachrach, it stars Jamie Blackley as Mark, a very popular high school student who ends up getting into a relationship with his online girlfriend Rachel. Mark ends up becoming so hopelessly in love with Rachel to where he's willing to do anything to win her favor, and she soon has him befriending her lonely younger brother John (Toby Regbo) who gets picked on at school every day. As a result, Mark and John develop a strong friendship which soon leads them down some very dark paths that will have them doing things they never believed they were capable of. It all leads to one of the most shocking and baffling crimes in England's history.
The movie's director is Andrew Douglas who is best known for making the acclaimed documentary "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus" and for helming the 2005 remake of "The Amityville Horror." I got to speak to him about "U Want Me 2 Kill Him?" which I felt served as a reminder of how threatening technology is in this day and age, and of how the emotions of a teenager are always simmering just beneath the surface. Douglas talked about the long road it took to get this movie financed and made, how familiar he was with the real-life story, and he also gave me an update of what's happened to Mark and John since the movie's release.
WARNING: THIS INTERVIEW DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS.
Ben Kenber: I was not at all aware of the true story this movie was based on. Were you aware of this story or the Vanity Fair article it was based on before you got the script?
Andrew Douglas: I'm not a big magazine reader anymore because of the internet, but for some reason I did look at that magazine and I did see the article. Ever since "The Amityville Horror" I've always got a weather eye out for projects. I didn't know at the time what it could be or what it might be, but it just seemed such an extraordinary story. Being in America and finding a story from back home was also very appealing, and then it took a couple of years (to get it off the ground). It had a funky journey because uncharacteristically I tried to buy the rights to the story. It wasn't something I'm used to, but I did have an agent and I reached out to try to buy the rights to that story thinking it was so extraordinary that I got to be able to do something with this. In the meantime, Bryan Singer of all people had also reached out and snagged the rights. So, a year went by or maybe six months, and a script came out based on that story which Bad Hat Harry, Bryan Singer's company, had produced and it was pretty good and I took a meeting on it. It went into the air as what's called an open directing assignment, so I managed to arrange a meeting on it. In the meeting I pitched a slightly different interpretation of the same material, and then another year went by during which the studio the project was with, Warner Independent Pictures, went down the tubes taking the script with it. So, all of a sudden that material was untouchable, so Bat Hat Harry got in touch with me and said, "Remember the take that you had on this story?" I said, "Yeah." They said, "Well could you come in and re-pitch it to Bryan?" So, I did and they really liked it and they felt it was sufficiently different from where they've been in order to start again with the same thing. Over the next year I developed up the script and I found a young English writer who had a great voice for authentic youth, and I presented it to Bad Hat Harry and got my commercial company, Anonymous Content, involved a little bit as well to pony up some money, and all of a sudden, we had a film. Interestingly, right around the time I was shooting, there was also in London an opera based on the same article. I went to see it and it was kind of very operatic and it couldn't be more different from the film, but it was very interesting to me that here's a story that grabbed at least three different people in three different ways. The first script was quite documentary in the sense that they presented the kids from a kind of adult perspective, and really to me it was a story of how weird the world is. The opera was told from the police woman's point of view, so to some extent the story was really about a police woman being puzzled by the internet and by the strange landscape of the internet. My take on it was here's this weird world, here's this odd landscape that we haven't really explored in literature or in film yet, but I'm going to approach it from the point of view of one of the inhabitants of it. The idea was to see if I could find a way through the perplexing nature of what Mark does. What was interesting to me as a kind of challenge was we have these two ordinary boys, more or less ordinary boys, who live in an ordinary town, horribly ordinary, who go to a regular school. They are not project kids, they are not kids who are used to knives or used to violence. How do they make the journey that they made? That was really a kind of interesting challenge to me, and I felt as though it would be best served by really taking on the point of view of one of the kids. It could've been either of them funny enough, and John certainly makes an interesting journey as well. But I thought Mark was slightly the more difficult journey to explain; a regular kid who's handsome and good at football and popular with the girls. What is missing in his life that he needs this thing so badly, that he needs to go as far as he goes? And I just thought that was both interesting in a conventional drama, but also interesting in the context of this new landscape of the internet.
BK: Yes, absolutely. These days people seem to be more open with one another on the internet than in real life when they are face-to-face.
AD: Yeah, I think that's true, and also not necessarily honest as well of course. One of the things that internet provides then and now, even though we have cameras now which we didn't have in the wild west of 2003, is the secret language of texting. So, I might be projecting on this, but there is still something very alluring, hopefully not with my kids, about what is called the dark room. Being able to go into a dark room where nobody knows you and nobody can really see you and you can be anything. Maybe it was two years ago that there was a floater piece about young gamers with their avatars. They had a real portrait of the gamers and then right next to them was their avatars, and it was so interesting and, in many ways, it was like a pageant. You get for example a disabled person or another person or the most extreme avatar who is everything that they weren't, and it was very interesting and moving to see that article. I think to some extent this is what we do and this is what my film's about. The film doesn't judge them. Mark says early on to John, "I want a mad life like you have," and John gives him one. He so does for six months there; he gets a very, very mad life. John on the other hand, he's just sort of like a brother or somebody to look out for him, and you get that. So, I try not to judge the kids and say they're weird or they're bad. I just try and say that in a funny way both kids got what they needed and what they weren't getting from home. And I thought the judge was very cool. I copied the dialogue straight from the court transcripts, so when the judge says that each boy is an extension of the other, that's actually what the judge said. I thought that was like one of the coolest judgments. You've got to expect courts to be that smart, and I just thought that was really interesting because it was something that nobody had really seen before. It was a new crime so John was accused of organizing his own death, and Mark equally was accused of stabbing him. So, for the judge and for all the generations of the legal institution, it was very perplexing which could have been another take on the movie of course. This is material that has many different points of view on it. Somebody else could've taken it from the point of view of the trial and try to figure that out. You know how cool "The Social Network" was? It was all based around those court hearings. That could have been another way to go, but you just make your choices and I am pretty happy with how it came out. There are moments where it has to kind of stretch credibility. I had Mike Walden (the movie's screenwriter) write the characters as realistically as I could bear, but still when you look back from the end of the film they're melodramatic. They're still not quite real and that was kind of intentional. The film is almost more fun watching it the second time. A film like "The Usual Suspects" or "Fight Club," when you watch these kinds of films a second time you see all the tricks, and it's very satisfying the see how the filmmakers flirted with showing you everything.
BK: This is definitely a movie that needs to be watched at least twice to see how the characters managed to accomplish all that they did. "U Want Me 2 Kill Him?" also reminded me of what it's like being young and how the emotions of a teenager are just simmering below the surface to where they don't know how to deal with certain things.
AD: Right, and the stakes for a kid dealing with those emotions are always so high. So, here's this person online who he never met. He has a girlfriend of sorts, although that other girlfriend in the real world is just kind of messing him around, but here's this girl he's never met and he knows the stakes are so high somehow, and that kind of felt true. You're absolutely right in what you just said. You have a feel as though one meeting and he loves somebody, and then they die and then you have to seek revenge. Teenage emotions, they run so big really.
BK: Yes, they do. It's almost easy to believe that a young teenage boy could do what he did, and that's scary too because when you're that young and you feel the need to do something, you can get easily manipulated. The other thing I found fascinating, even though we know what happens at the end, is how the movie shows the power women can have over men.
AD: Yeah, it's all about sex in a way. What John is so instinctively clever about is that every kind of invention is really about sex or power. So, to create Rachel or somebody you talk about, but also somebody who is also in danger and in jeopardy… I didn't really invent that, I kind of refined it. I was very careful to stay pretty close to the instant messaging transcripts, so all those characters come right from the source. So, John was kind of preternaturally clever in understanding that Mark is going to fall for both the damsel in distress and the sex, and this is going to be too alluring for him. Each time he loses Mark's attention, he has to up the stakes to invent something even bigger. So finally, he invents the spy woman, and again the relationship is very kind of sexual. It's funny in that there are so many ideas there and a film can only tackle a few without getting too dense. You're right, that's so interesting.
BK: At the movie's end it is said that only so much can be revealed about these two boys because of their age, and they were ordered to never contact each other ever again. Since the making of the movie, has there any other news about these two boys?
AD: No, and it's so disappointing. When I was doing screenings in London, I was so hoping that in the audience was one of them. I was so hoping that one of them would come out. I always imagined it was going to be John. My interpretation of his character was that he was kind of very proud of what he did. I tried to capture that when he's proud of that scar. And I felt as though Mark might be more humiliated by the whole thing and that he might well disappear and use the anonymity of the court much more than John. But I felt that John would continue being a con man which is why I do that thing at the end where he's still conning. That felt as though the con man as a character… We know now as grown-ups that they use people and that they always have to romance us and exaggerate, so the con man as kind of archetype, it's hard to break that. But sadly, I never found out about them, and I really wish I could. Remember that film "The Fighter" that Christian Bale was so good in as the messed-up boxer? At the end of the movie you get this real satisfaction that you see the real guy (that his character was based on). I'd love to have been able to do that because it just kind of completes the circle, and it also nails down that this extraordinary thing you just saw is real. I would've loved to have done that. I would've loved to have been able to show pictures of them now. It would've been very satisfying to do that but no, not a glimpse.
BK: This is not a story you could easily make up. It definitely feels like it came from real life.
AD: I know, it's too extraordinary isn't it? Sometimes during the filming, I was going, "Oh man I wish I could put 'based on a true story' several times through the movie because otherwise people are just going to think I'm crazy to expect people to believe this." But since I made this film, there was a big event here in America with that Heisman Trophy winner with that Hawaiian name. It just shows you what people will believe like Christianity or something like Mormonism. People believe what they need to believe, I think, at every kind of level. It's almost as if the internet is like a new country or a new landscape, and I'm a bit surprised that there aren't more movies about it. One of the things that occurred to me is that I think maybe studios are scared of films where the danger is all going to happen on the computer. I know that was certainly true for myself when I was trying to get financing for the movie. They said, "Oh is it all going to be on computer?" That's why I kind of invented that thing where often times they are talking, so it doesn't feel as though it's all written onscreen. I'm just a bit surprised there aren't more films coming out (on this subject).
BK: Yeah, it's been a while. If you look back over the years, it's kind of been an ongoing theme here and there like with movies such as "WarGames" from the 1980's.
AD: Oh yes Ben, you're absolutely right. I had forgotten about that.
BK: It's interesting to see how technology has evolved over time. Even back then it was a threat, but technology is even more of a threat today than ever before.
AD: Right, right. I think that there was one moment in the film when the police are interviewing Mark's parents in his bedroom and his dad says he just sits on that thing and points at the computer, not understanding that the computer is a door. It is a door to a place that the dad knows nothing about. That wasn't kind of forefront in my mind as a parent or anything. It wasn't meant to be a cautionary tale. It was meant to be a roller coaster to be honest. It's really true that parents don't quite understand that this technology is a back door, so who knows what?
BK: How did you go about casting the actors in this movie? They are all really good and very natural.
AD: Yeah, they're terrific. It was just a normal process really. It started by trying to get real people cast. I really like Shane Meadows' films like "This is England" and he always tends to use real people. But I quickly found that the script and the ideas and the characters were actually too complicated for real people to kind of be able to layer it, and so I went back to more conventional casting. It took a while. It took a lot of backwards and forwards with like 40 or 50 kids. Jamie was a stretch because that boy had to shave every hour (laughs). He's got a real heavy beard. While everybody else would be having lunch, we sent him off to shave again.
BK: Much of the movie looks like it was shot handheld.
AD: That was intentional. There was a limited budget, but also it felt that the film would be best served if it looked very realistic because the story is so unrealistic. I felt if I shot it as realistically as possible, not quite documentary but very handheld and very real, I thought as though that would create a tension within the story.
BK: I liked that because you watch this movie and it just washes over you. It does feel like you're being invited into these kids' private lives in a way you wouldn't necessarily be invited otherwise. In some cases, people might view this story as being rather convoluted, but it is based on a true story and the realism of it aids the movie very well.
AD: Oh good, I'm glad to hear you say that.
BK: Well thank you for your time Andrew, it has been very interesting to talk with you and I thank you for your time.
AD: Not at all. I appreciate your liking this film. Independent films need help; they need champions so it's really great that you're supporting independent films. It's also easy to just go for the big studio films, but then I think we lose something. I'm a big fan of all kinds of movies. Along with everybody else I'll be there watching the Superman or the Spiderman and I'll be there on the first day, but equally I just love independent cinema and I love the way it deals with often times more grown-up ideas. It's all great.
BK: I agree. My hope is that independent cinema goes through another renaissance really soon.
AD: Oh, I know, absolutely because you see films like "12 Years a Slave" or even "American Hustle" and they are very independent in spirit and they do so well. So, it just feels as though we don't just want to watch tent pole movies. It's just not enough because that's too simplistic and sometimes you feel as though all you are is a consumer. You're just consuming a kind of product. And with big movies they have less and less dialogue because they travel more easily like a "Transformers" movie. There's not any dialogue in them anymore because that way they can just export it all over the world, and you just feel like a sucker sometimes.
"U Want Me 2 Kill Him?" is now available to own and rent on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital.
Exclusive Interview with David Krumholtz about 'The Big Ask'
"The Big Ask" is a very well made black comedy which stands out among other indie movies being released at the moment. Its story revolves around three couples who go on a vacation in the desert to help their friend Andrew (David Krumholtz) who has just lost his mother to cancer. But once everyone is there, Andrew tells everyone there's only one thing which can heal him in his time of sorrow; he needs to sleep with his friends' girlfriends. It's an absurd offer which makes everyone eager to jump in their cars and go home, but they stay as they see Andrew is very depressed and needs attention. But the movie has you wondering if they will actually go through with his plan if it means saving him from himself.
I got to speak with David Krumholtz over the phone, and he proved to be a lot of fun to talk to. Krumholtz has appeared in "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," "Serenity," "The Santa Clause" and "10 Things I Hate About You," but these days he is best known for playing Charlie Eppes on the CBS show "Numbers." During my interview with him, he talked about why he didn't feel the need to do research on his character, what it was like making a movie with two directors instead of one, and he described the town of Twentynine Palms where the movie was shot. Also, he took the time to talk about a new website he is part of called Weather From which allows him to play one of his favorite characters.
Ben Kenber: The original title for "The Big Ask" was "Teddy Bears" which one character uses as a nickname for the cactus trees near the home everyone is staying in. Why did the title of the movie change?
David Krumholtz: I really don't know why. I think Tribeca Films felt the title "Teddy Bears" didn't really tell you what the film was. I like the title of "The Big Ask," don't get me wrong, but the problem is everywhere I go people ask me what I have coming out and I say "The Big Ask," and they think I'm saying "The Big Ass." So I keep getting, "You're in a movie called 'The Big Ass?'" And I have to explain that now it's "Ask." What's even more awkward is that I show my ass in the movie.
BK: Well "The Big Ask" makes more sense in terms of what the movie is about.
DK: Yeah, I guess so.
BK: When it came to playing this character, did you do any research for this role or did you just work off the script as it was written?
DK: The script was very self-explanatory, and I really didn't need to do much research because I've had an experience somewhat similar to this, obviously not asking my best friends' girlfriends to have sex with me, but I had had kind of a painful experience in my life that I needed saving from. I needed my best friends to gather around me and to lift me up on their shoulders. I think a lot of people go through that, and it's very hard to ask for help when you're feeling helpless because it's desperate. It's interesting how people react to other people's desperation. I had an experience like that, and this script in the way the characters react really rang true for me to what I experienced in my own situation. I didn't have to do much research because I think I felt like I had been there, done that, so it was an opportunity for me to exercise that demon on film. I think people go through that kind of stuff all the time. Some people keep it quiet, some people handle it in certain ways, other people just scream for help. That's ultimately what my character is doing in the film because he's saying help me. But the matter in which he asks for help is ludicrous, and of course the fact that he thinks that there's nothing wrong with it and that it's totally normal is also crazy. I love how the film handles the awkwardness of it. These characters are real people, and so the idea is how real people react in this situation. The script was just so grounded in reality and in sort of the silent awkwardness and I thought Thomas Beatty did such a great job at making it feel real, and it's because he had had an experience like that as well. I think it's a great crowd movie in the sense of your sitting there kind of sympathizing with this guy who on paper reads like an asshole but you get where he's coming from, and the big question is will they have sex with him or won't they. I think it's a fun movie in that regard.
BK: Yes, definitely. It's like on the surface they are saying no but there's a part of them that's unconsciously considering it, so you can't help but be riveted by the movie from start to finish for that reason.
DK: Yeah, the movie ends up becoming a reaffirmation of all the characters' values. The one character of Dave (played by Zachary Knighton) wants to get married and he will stop at nothing to make it happen, and then the circumstance puts a stamp on his conviction to make it happen, to get his girlfriend to say yes. And the opposite is true for Jason Ritter's character of Owen and Gillian (Jacobs) in that this brings to light the problems they have in their relationship, the communication issues. Their lives sort of unravel as a result of this question that this guy asks and it's definitely not handled in a collegiate humor way. It's definitely an adult movie for people who were not sure how to be adults. It's certainly true of every adult.
BK: This movie is credited to two directors, Thomas Beatty and Rebecca Fishman. What was it like being directed by two directors instead of just one, and did that make things easier or harder?
DK: Well Thomas and Rebecca are husband and wife, and in this circumstance Thomas wrote the script so I think Thomas appreciated what Rebecca brought to it which was a filmic sense: the cinematography element and being in communication with the cameraman. So Thomas didn't have to concentrate on anything but working with the actors and working on the script, so that in regard it was great. I found that I got more out of Thomas than I would have if he was worried about performance and camerawork the whole time. Rebecca had her own ideas as to what the film was tonally, and there were times when their ideas contradicted one another and there were times where we all agreed on the same thing. It's tricky especially because they are husband and wife. You definitely don't want to be the reason they start fighting, and it was a hard movie to make. But their spirit and their earnestness and their enthusiasm for the material really just carried us all through, so it was lovely to have the two of them there together.
BK: What was the most challenging aspect of playing this role for you?
DK: I mean for me, to be honest with you, I think beyond just doing some soul searching with the role, I think the most challenging thing is probably that there wasn't very much that can be played broad or on the nose about this character. As actors we have an instinct to perform and to push and to show, and the hardest thing for me was I felt like the movie and Andrew only worked if I pulled him back and held back a lot because I'm playing a character that the audience is wondering what's going on in his head. And more importantly, he's wondering what's going on in his head. He's not even sure what he's thinking, so it's really important to pull back my performance and do something really small, and that was the biggest challenge for me. I need to establish a good level of trust with Thomas Beatty about that because I told him, "Look if I'm ever going too big or broad or if I'm too on the nose with my interpretation, pull me back. Let's go smaller." This is a movie where the awkward silences are the funniest beats, and so in this case less was more.
BK: The group dynamic between you and the rest of the actors is truly fantastic. Did you all have a lot of time to work things out and rehearse before you started shooting?
DK: No, this is a super low-budget indie so there are no frills and there's not a lot of rehearsal time… Yeah, we did a couple of read-throughs and we kind of worked out some kinks. The great thing was from the first moment as a cast we all got along beautifully. We all enjoyed each other's company, we all sort of came from similar places in our lives which we applied to this experience and to this project. So, what helped a lot and what made up for the lack of rehearsal time was that we all just had amazing chemistry as people, and then that did a lot of the work for us onscreen.
BK: The movie was shot in Twentynine Palms. Can you tell us more about this city?
DK: It's about a half-hour outside of the heart of the Mojave Desert and about an hour past Joshua Tree National Park, so it's basically the middle of nowhere. There's a big, big giant army base out there and that's about it. They were dropping bombs constantly and our little house that we all stayed in would rattle when they would drop a bomb, and sometimes they'd drop a bomb closer to us and it would be like, "Do we need to get the heck out of here?" We were basically in the middle of the desert with bombs being dropped near us and it was really quite a different experience, but for us it was kind of like paradise because it was so immersive. We really didn't have a choice. We were all trapped in the desert and we really didn't have a choice but to focus on what we were doing and focus on each other.
BK: Wow, I didn't see anything resembling an Army base out there so you must have done a great job of hiding it from view in this movie.
DK: It's actually the biggest army base in America; it's that big. If you go out on this one road the road ends and if you go off-roading for about 20 minutes, you'll end up at a giant re-creation of the central market of Baghdad, and it's in the middle of nowhere dude. There's no easy access to it, and there's literally props and fake soap and fake market items. They do drills within that city and it's meant to mock Baghdad or any major Middle Eastern city, and it's about a square mile, that's how huge it is, and you can see it from above from the mountain range. You really can't get down to it. I'm not even sure how the military has access to it. I guess they have a certain road that leads there that people can't get to from the other side. But I know Ahna O'Reilly and Jason Ritter went out there one day with a couple of friends and actually got out of the car and walked into it and walked around it while there were no drills happening. Then all of a sudden an alarm went off and the drill was happening and they had to run out of there because the Army started shooting up the place. I actually went out there once but I didn't get too close because it was just super scary to me and super intimidating. It's a very trippy place man, Twentynine Palms. If you ended up in Twentynine Palms, there's a very specific reason.
BK: You also have a website that's starting up now called "Weather From." Could you tell us a little more about it?
DK: I'm really, really jazzed about it. Basically my friends came up with the idea to create a weather website that would make you laugh. People get their most up to the moment weather on the Internet and they thought that since it's become this essential part of everyone's lives, to check the weather for their town or where they are traveling to or where they are traveling from, why don't we make them laugh while we are doing it. The idea was to create a bunch of characters and film a bunch of vignettes where the characters told you the weather for your small town, and it kind of went off on tangents. They pushed me to do an old lady character because my friend Ricky, who was involved in it, knew that I had done this character that I based on my grandmother. I said, "Well yeah I'll do it, but I don't want to do it in drag. Can we get some prosthetic makeup going?" We actually ended up getting Stephen Prouty's company which just got nominated for an Academy Award for doing "Bad Grandpa," so all of a sudden they transformed me into an old Jewish lady that no one, even my family members, were fooled by. Basically, how the site works is you go and you type in your zip code or the name of any city around the world, it hooks up to the National Weather Service so it works like any other weather website except instead of specific forecasts coming up, a video comes up and it's accurate to your hometown. We did 35 videos for 35 different types of weather, and the videos range from 30 seconds to two minutes long. They are basically just vignettes and it's me as this old, nasty Jewish woman who has a filthy mouth and is very opinionated and is also a little sexually promiscuous telling you the weather for your hometown and then also going off on tangents of what the weather reminds her of or whatever; everything from her wanting to have sex with Jeff Goldblum to claiming that she was the only survivor of the space shuttle Challenger disaster. She's a really funny, funny character. We didn't hold back. She's very filthy and she's very real, and it's hard to imagine that's me which is really cool. People have been really surprised by it. I think it's a brilliant concept, and the idea going forward would be that there would be more characters to choose from to give you your weather and there will be more specific types of weather. We only did 35 types of weather as a start, but the weather can get very, very specific with high fronts and low fronts and hurricanes and tornadoes. So hopefully as we go forward we will get the chance to do hundreds of videos potentially.
BK: Yeah, it will be interesting to see how the website evolves as you have started off with a couple things, but I imagine at some point it will have to get a little more specific. That should give you a lot to work with as an actor which is cool.
DK: Yeah, I think so. I think it has endless potential and I'm just happy that they asked me to be a part of it. I've been working really hard on promoting it and getting the word out there about it because I love playing that character. It's so much fun (laughs). She's such a nasty old woman. I guess she's a side of me that I didn't know existed, or maybe I did know and I didn't want to tell anybody or didn't want to admit to. But it's so much fun getting to let her out and I just really want people to see it and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.
BK: What do you hope that people get the most out of watching "The Big Ask?"
DK: Well, I really hope they have a good time laughing at my character's misfortune, but I hope it makes them reflect a little bit on their own frailty and their own willingness or lack of willingness to ask for help. It's the kind of movie that I love when I can walk out of the theater and feel like I know what that's like. I can feel those feelings in my life, and maybe it's time I ask for what I need regardless of whether or not it hurts people's feelings because I need it. And if their friends, they'll understand it's something that I need. So hopefully someone will walk out of there having popped the question or whatever it is just because they felt inspired to do so.
I want to thank David Krumholtz for taking the time to talk with me. "The Big Ask" is now available to own and rent on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital.
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You are here: Home / News / Voters head to the polls for spring elections
Voters head to the polls for spring elections
April 1, 2014 By Andrew Beckett
Wisconsin voters will go to the polls today to elect or re-elect almost 4,000 city, village, county board, and school board members. Circuit and appellate judges are also on the ballot, along with over 100 local referenda questions.
There are no statewide races on the ballot and almost half the races for local elected offices are uncontested.
In many places, referendums highlight the ballots. Milwaukee County voters will act on a proposed 50 percent pay cut for county supervisors. There are 26 school districts asking voters to approve tax increases above state-mandated limits, just to keep the programs they have. Many of those districts are in rural areas. About 20 school systems have building referendums. The Kettle Moraine district hopes to borrow the most; almost $50 million for a host of maintenance, security, and technology improvements.
State election officials predict a statewide turnout of 12 percent. All polls open at seven this morning, and close at eight tonight.
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EXPLORE TRANSACTIONS
Shearwater Aero Capital
Asset-Based Finance
We are a specialty asset-based finance company committed to providing tailored financing solutions for clients across the globe. Our primary focus is making special opportunity investments in business jets, former military aircraft, special purpose aircraft, and various aviation equipment.
We are a direct lender with our funds coming primarily from private investors comprised of family offices and HNWI. As a result, we are not burdened with the regulations that Banks or larger financial institutions face and pride ourselves on being flexible and structuring deals to comply with our clients' needs as much as possible. We work with clients from across the globe from emerging market economies in Asia and Africa to more mature markets like North America and Europe.
Our typical structures are asset based or limited recourse loans tailored to meet the specific needs of our clients. Utilizing the financed asset as collateral we can close in as little as four weeks. We will also consider convertible debt or Hybrid – Debt /Equity investments.
Our Culture & Team
We have an entrepreneurial spirit in the manner we run our business and pride ourselves with being collaborative and transparent with our clients and investors.
We are a team of experienced professionals with a broad range of backgrounds ranging from running finance teams for large banks to aviation investment funds for a global investment advisory firm. We value and foster enduring relationships with our clients and investors while holding ourselves to high standards both personally and professionally.
Mike Kahmann
Kyle O'Donnell
Director of Originations
Katerina Barilov
Operations and Financial Reporting Manager
Shearwater offers a variety of finance solution and services across the private aviation and luxury asset industries
Sarasota Website Design by Karma Marketing + Media
clynch@shearwateraero.com
Connor Lynch, Operations and Financial Reporting Manager
Prior to Shearwater, Mr. Lynch was with Insight Global as an operations specialist where he was involved with their managed services division, invoicing and collecting for over 10,000 contractors nationwide. He is in charge of loan portfolio management including loan invoicing, collections, and monthly reporting to investors. Mr. Lynch is from Northwest Georgia, where he enjoys spending time with his family and any activity involving the outdoors. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he studied Finance at the Terry College of Business.
kodonnell@shearwateraero.com
Kyle O'Donnell, Director of Originations
Prior to Shearwater, Mr. O'Donnell was with Nomura Asset Management where he was a Business Analyst focused on operational projects. Prior to his role as Director of Originations Mr. O'Donnell has been responsible for loan portfolio management including loan invoicing, collections, maintenance monitoring and monthly reporting to investors. He also oversees research focused with current and residual values of potential and current portfolio aircraft. Mr. O'Donnell has been involved in financing more than $150M of aircraft assets. He is from the Atlanta metro area, coaches competitive youth Lacrosse. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he studied Finance at the Terry College of Business.
dcarter@shearwateraero.com
Devin Carter, Director of Operations
Prior to Shearwater, Mr. Carter was with PNC Bank where he was a Branch Manager at various locations in charge of small business development and home equity lending. He has a degree in Finance from Auburn University and is active in a number of philanthropic activities associated with the University.
Katerina Barilov, Advisory Board Member
Ms. Barilov is currently the Co-Founder and Head of Business Development for Jump Aero. Jump Aero is an early stage startup working to leverage emerging eVTOL technology to help first responders save lives. She is actively involved in next-gen emerging aviation technologies and sits on the advisory boards of two other startups, Hermeus Aviation and Spike Aviation. She also serves on the NBAA Emerging Tech Committee.
Aside from her interest in eVTOL, Ms. Barilov has extensive experience in aviation, structured asset-backed finance, and corporate strategy. Prior to her experience with Shearwater, Ms. Barilov was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs' Industrials Group in New York, focused on assisting top tier aviation, aerospace and defense clients. In this role, Ms. Barilov conduced analyses, created materials, and facilitated execution in all phases of the deal process, including pitching, industry research, valuation analysis, deal execution and due diligence for clients in aerospace and aviation. Ms. Barilov has been involved in numerous successful M&A, IPO and Spin-off processes.
Prior to Goldman Sachs, she ran the Structured Finance division for Europe Middle East and Africa at Hawker Beechcraft, a leading aerospace manufacturer based out of Wichita Kansas. She joined Hawker Beechcraft during an unprecedented downturn in general aviation as part of a small team of structured finance professionals formed to create a new solution for sales financing support of cross-border aircraft acquisitions. The team designed and launched a Structured Finance department which developed and maintained relationships with third party financiers, structured financing support and conducted credit analysis of potential clients. In her role, Ms. Barilov sourced transactions, developed and maintained a network of 200+ financiers, and structured and arranged complex transactions, liaising between lawyers, insurers, bankers and clients, overseeing due diligence, documentation, and credit processes.
She holds an MBA and Bachelors degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. She is an avid pilot with a passion for aerobatic competition with experience in a Pitts S2C. She spends her free time focused on adventure flying in her modified Piper Colt, cycling and running.
Mike Kahmann, Advisory Board Member
Mr. Kahmann has spent over 20 years leading teams that originate, underwrite, and service high yield structured debt transactions and equipment leases. Kahmann's functional expertise spans sales and marketing, risk/underwriting, pricing/structuring, and operations. He has financed a broad variety of equipment types including business and commercial aircraft, railcars, trucks, trailers, and manufacturing equipment.
Kahmann started his career in finance and accounting, and his formal roles have been in new business development for banks and finance companies including CIT Group, GE Capital, and Emigrant Bank. From 2011 to 2017, Kahmann was Group Head of CIT's Business Aircraft Finance Division. During that time, Kahmann's team was able to successfully re-focus what had previously been a fractional jet sharefinancier into a world-leading whole aircraft funding source. Offices were opened and investment origination capabilities were developed around the globe: in Europe, Asia, and Latin America as well as throughout the United States. High-yield, low-loss secured loan assets were generated as the portfolio grew at a 19% CAGR.
Before his time at CIT, Kahmann started de novo Emigrant Bank's business credit group, where he hired and trained a full team consisting of origination, risk/ underwriting, legal, and operations professionals. The group invests in high yield equipment leases as well as asset-based revolving loans. Kahmann has held origination as well as financial accounting and analysis positions at GE Capital, and has also been the COO/CFO of a start-up company in crisis/turnaround mode. Kahmann has a BA from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business.
cmiller@shearwateraero.com
Chris Miller, Managing Partner
Chris Miller has over 30 years of experience in aviation and human capital. Prior to Shearwater, he oversaw Guggenheim Partners' Business Aircraft Investment (BAI) Group. The BAI Group provided capital solutions to the business aviation industry, specifically asset-based lending on medium to large sized business aircraft. In recent years, Mr. Miller's aircraft transactions and financings have been focused in Europe, emerging Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Prior to a career in business aviation finance, Mr. Miller ran the US Division of a UK based performance management consultancy working with management teams of both small and large organizations on the execution of their strategies. Notable projects include working with a private equity group to form a venture to fly cargo into geopolitically unstable regions of the world as well as working with large defense contractors to help fulfill urgent need requests from US military forces based in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before entering the business world, Mr. Miller served in the United States Marine Corps, as an F/A-18 pilot, Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Aviation Safety Officer. He is a graduate of the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps School of Aviation Safety and currently holds a commercial pilot rating. He is an accredited "Senior Aircraft Appraiser" with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and serves on its Investment Committee. He is also the former President of the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA). Mr. Miller received a BA from Denison University and an MBA from Columbia University.


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Hepatitis A outbreak: Was it the (organic) berries?
Fresh isn t always best
Merck gives itself and pharma a black eye
Protect the most vulnerable: Get your pertussis vaccine!
GMO foolishness spreads to Northeast
Using the Internet to find vaccine fear-mongering
By ACSH Staff — June 7, 2013
Organic foods benefit from what s known as a halo effect. People believe that because they are not produced with synthetic pesticides they are more healthful. As a result, they also gain the misguided reputation of being safer. That this is not true is obvious from a recent lawsuit in California.
Lynda Brackenridge is suing Costco and Townsend Farms because she developed hepatitis A after eating a frozen organic berry-pomegranate mixture produced by Townsend and purchased at Costco. Ms. Brackenridge is one of 49 victims of an HA outbreak that thus far has sickened people in seven states. Ten other people have also been hospitalized for the disease.
According to the CDC, 22 of 30 ill people reported eating the frozen berry and pomegranate mixture, and said they had purchased the product at Costco. The ages of infected people ranged from 2 to 71 years.
While HA is not usually fatal (death rates are quoted as one in 200 cases), the disease causes jaundice, gastrointestinal problems, aches, fatigue and chills. It can be spread through person-to-person contact, as well as by contaminated food and water.
The strain of hepatitis A involved in this outbreak is unusual in the United States it is more typically found in North Africa and the Middle East. In fact, the pomegranate seeds used in the product were sourced in the Middle East.
ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava emphasizes As we ve said many times, there is no safety or nutritional benefit from consuming organic foods. The idea that minuscule amounts of pesticides are dangerous is simply not true, and this outbreak should make it clear that organic production methods have nothing to do with prevention of microbiological contamination.