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"MAD MEN" Observations: (3.09) "Wee Small Hours"
Posted on September 23, 2019 by ladylavinia1932
After a recent re-watch of the Season Three "MAD MEN" episode called (3.09) "Wee Small Hours", I came up with the following observations:
*I think that from the moment tobacco heir Lee Garner Jr. tried and failed to seduce Sterling Cooper's art director, Sal Romano; the latter was simply screwed. Even if media buyer Harry Crane had immediately informed co-owner Roger Sterling or creative director Don Draper about Garner's demand; or if Sal had acted professionally and told not only Don, but Roger on what happened, he was screwed. The client came first. Especially clients like Lee Garner and Conrad Hilton, who were too powerful to ignore. As I recall that back in Season One, even Don had to apologize to one of the agency's clients, Rachel Menken, for his outburst. Despite the fact that she had yet to become an official client.
*Following the original airing of the episode, I had read a few posts on Betty Draper's aborted affair with political advisor Henry Francis. I find it interesting that so many viewers and critics were disappointed that she did not go ahead with the affair. In fact, they had harshly criticized Betty for not going through with the affair . . . which I found rather odd. Even more interesting was that some of the fans had demanded to know what she really wanted. Henry had also seemed to wonder. Judging from her disappointment with her marriage to Don at the time and the realization that Henry may have simply wanted an affair, I eventually suspected that Betty had wanted a meaningful relationship with someone. That had explained the letters she exchanged with Henry, her anger at Don for keeping her in the dark about his contract problems, and her tears following the dinner with Jimmy and Bobbie Barrett in (2.03) "The Benefactor". And when she had visited Henry's office, Betty had wrongly suspected that she would never receive one from Henry, anymore than she had received one from Don.
*Despite Betty's remark about civil rights, Carla was one lucky woman . . . at the time. After eavesdropping on Betty's telephone call with Henry, she could have easily found herself in the same situation as Sal ended up by the episode's end. All Betty had to do was fire her and lie to Don about her reasons behind the discharge. Unless she had feared Carla would retaliate by telling Don about Betty's meeting with Henry. That is the only reason I could find why Carla remained employed by the episode's end.
*I still find it interesting that many had lobbied criticisms at Betty for her remark about the Civil Rights Movement. I found it interesting and a little hypocritical. One, of course Betty would make such a remark. She was a white female from a privileged background. And she was also a conservative, although a moderate one. She had called Carla "girl" when referring to the latter during a phone call with Henry. What had many fans expect? Yet, many of these same fans had made excuse after excuse for Joan's unnecessary and racist remarks to Sheila White back in Season Two. And had conveniently forgotten that Don had been in the habit of calling Carla or other black female servants, "girl", as well.
*How many times had Don assumed an aggressive stand when a client failed to be impressed by his work? Why did he do this? Was this Don's way of intimidating a client into accepting his work? I can still recall him pulling this stunt with Rachel Menken, which angered her in the process. He had also pulled this stunt with the client from Belle Jolie account and succeeded. Then he tried it with Conrad Hilton and failed. Ironically, many of the series' fans had reacted angrily over this incident at Hilton. I found myself feeling slightly sympathetic toward him. After all, he is the client. If he did not like Don's presentation, he did not like it. Don's slight temper tantrum seemed a bit uncalled for.
*Is it just me or did Peggy look slightly smug after Connie Hilton made it clear that he disapproved of Don's presentation? Mind you, I had not been impressed by it, either. The presentation had struck me as a bit too simple and infantile. And it failed to invoke the glamour of travel, while maintaining the message of American values. At least to me.
*Pete hacking up a storm after taking a puff on a Lucky Strikes cigarette still strikes me as hysterical after ten years. So does the scene in which a frustrated Betty threw the money box at Henry.
*Don's affair with Suzanne Farrell. Even after ten years, I still fail to see the chemistry between actors Jon Hamm and Abigail Spencer. In fact, Sally Draper's teacher, Miss Farrell, seemed like a second-rate version of Rachel Mencken, but with a less stable personality. I realize that Don had wanted a meaningful relationship in his life . . . but with Suzanne Farrell? I think he could have done better than her. Especially better than someone who had recently been his daughter's teacher. Now that I think about it, she could have done better than Don. What made their affair even more troubling was that Don was using Suzanne as some kind of drug. He had suffered rejection from Conrad Hilton, a man he was beginning to view as a parent figure, and he turned to Suzanne for comfort. Unfortunately, I suspect that Suzanne may have viewed him as something more and in the end, their relationship had ended on a surprisingly quick and unsatisfactory note . . . at least for her.
*Was Roger still a force at Sterling Cooper during the time of this episode? Judging from the scenes in this episode, I rather doubt it.
Filed under: Essay, History, Television | Tagged: abigail spencer, art, bryan batt, christopher stanley, elisabeth moss, history, january jones, jared harris, john slattery, jon hamm, mad men, maggie siff, mid 20th century, politics, robert morse, television, vincent kartheiser | Leave a comment »
"TIMELESS": Secrets and Mistrust
Ever since Season Two of NBC's "TIMELESS" completed its run, I have found myself re-watching the series from the beginning. It has been something of a slow burn, but I did not wish rush through it. Recently, I watched Season One episode called (1.06) "The Watergate Tape" and discovered something unpleasant about the series' trio of protagonists. Well . . . at least two of them.
Ever since the series' premiere, (1.01) "Pilot", the initial protagonist, the former NSA agent and rogue time traveler Garcia Flynn, has been trying to convince main protagonist Dr. Lucy Preston that they would become future colleagues and that he had possession of her future diary. Flynn also tried to warn Lucy about Rittenhouse, a mysterious political organization that has been at the forefront of the United States' development since the American Revolution. Horrified by the idea of being a colleague with a man she regarded as nothing more than a murderer, she kept silent about the encounters.
In the same episode, the creator of the two time machines and head of Mason Industries, Connor Mason, had instructed his programming engineer/time machine pilot Rufus Carlin to provide an audio recording of his missions with Lucy and U.S. Army Delta Force operative Master Sergeant Wyatt Logan. Although Rufus agreed, he changed his mind in the next episode, (2.02) "The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln". To convince Rufus to cooperate, Mason reminded the engineer that he had bankrolled the latter's education. When Rufus had refused to continue recording their missions in (1.04) "Party at Castle Varlar", a Rittenhouse operative threatened to harm Rufus's family if he did not cooperate. Rittenhouse's threat was issued again in "The Watergate Tape"when an older operative (or official) appeared outside of Rufus' home with Mason inside a limousine. The Rittenhouse official made it clear that the organization was monitoring Rufus' family. He also made it clear that if Rufus continues to refuse recording the time travel missions, the Carlin family might cease to exist.
Both Lucy's previous encounters with Flynn and Rufus' secret recordings finally came to light in this episode. After Flynn managed to capture the trio not long after their arrival in 1972 Washington D.C., he revealed his previous encounters with Lucy to both Rufus and Wyatt. Needless to say, both men were surprised and upset. While Flynn kept Wyatt as a hostage, he tasked both Lucy and Rufus to find the missing "doc" that was mentioned in the infamous 18 1/2 missing minutes from one of President Richard Nixon's Watergate tapes. Both Lucy and Rufus discovered that the "doc" is actually a young African-American woman, whose family has been associated with Rittenhouse for generations. The "Doc" wanted to make her escape from the organization. Lucy overheard Rufus contact Rittenhouse and discovers that he had been providing the organization with audio recordings of their missions and reacts with anger. Meanwhile, Flynn informed Wyatt of his discovery that Rittenhouse had bankrolled Mason Industries and the organization's murders of his wife and child. Because of this, Flynn became determined to bring down Rittenhouse, using the stolen time machine created by Mason. By the end of the episode, a very angry Wyatt learned about Rufus' recordings on Rittenhouse's behalf and instructed the latter to continue recording their missions.
I must not have understood the emotions that emitted from the protagonists in this episode, when I first saw it. As far as I knew, Lucy was angry at Rufus for recording their missions for Rittenhouse. Rufus was angry (at first) over Lucy's previous discussions with Flynn. And Wyatt was angry at both of them for keeping secrets from him. I did not pay much attention to all of this, because in the following episode, (1.07) "Stranded", the trio made their peace with each other. But after this latest re-watch of the episode, I found myself speculating on the two secrets kept by Rufus and Lucy and the reactions to them.
I understood why Rufus and Wyatt were upset over Flynn's revelations that he had been in contact with Lucy. As far as both men were aware, Garcia Flynn was an enemy determined to bring down the United States government and the man who had murdered his family. The U.S. government have been trying to capture or kill him since the first episode. And considering that Lucy had failed to inform them of her interactions with Flynn since the first mission, I would not have been surprised if Wyatt and Rufus had began to wonder about her role on their team or whether she had been associated with Flynn all along.
However, my feelings regarding Rufus' situation proved to be different. I understood Lucy and Wyatt's initial anger over their discovery that the former had been recording their missions. But Rufus had made it clear that after their first mission he had refused to continue his recording until Rittenhouse had threatened to kill his family. He had even made an effort to point out that the organization had been observing him, his mother and his brother. Although Wyatt had instructed Rufus to continue recording the missions until they can learn more about Rittenhouse . . . he remained angry at and distrustful of the engineer. So did Lucy. And for some reason, I found myself feeling angry at both of them.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Wyatt and Lucy had allowed their anger to get the best of them . . . to the point that they seemed unwilling to comprehend the threat that Rittenhouse had personally posed to Rufus. It was bad enough that Connor had used his past sponsorship of Rufus's career to blackmail the latter into cooperating.
Following Wyatt's discovery of Flynn's past history of Rittenhouse and the threats that Rufus had received, I found myself wondering why he still remained angry at the engineer. Surely he understood why Rufus had agreed to cooperate with Rittenhouse? The latter's family had been threatened. And considering Flynn's revelation that Rittenhouse had murdered his family, surely Wyatt understood that Rufus had a good reason to cooperate and keep those recordings a secret in the first place. On one level, he seemed to understand. After all, he did instruct Rufus to continue the recordings. But why remain angry at the other man? Why declare in an angry voice that he could never trust Rufus again? Was Wyatt really that self absorbed and hypocritical? Did he really believe that Rufus should have thought of the team over the Carlin family? Was he privately pissed that he might have to consider that Garcia Flynn's conflict with Rittenhouse had some merit?
One might accuse Rufus of hypocrisy, considering his reaction to the revelation that Lucy had been in contact with Flynn since the first mission. However, I realized that Rufus had a better excuse for keeping his secret than Lucy had for keeping hers. His family had been threatened. Their safety, along with his, was at stake. Had Flynn threatened Lucy to keep their past conversations a secret? Had he threatened to kill her mother, Carol Preston, if she reveal their encounters to Rufus, Wyatt and Agent Christopher? The answer to both questions were "no". Not only did Flynn not threatened Lucy to keep their private encounters a secret, he was the one who revealed those encounters to Rufus and Wyatt. And he had seemed a bit surprised that Lucy's teammates never knew.
And yet . . . like Wyatt, Lucy had remained angry at Rufus by the end of the episode. I found myself wondering why she had remained angry. She seemed well aware that Rittenhouse was a threat. Not only had Rufus informed her that the organization had threatened him and his family, but that it also wanted "the Doc" killed. More importantly, the latter had explained to Lucy on just how dangerous Rittenhouse could be. Yet, she was still pissed at Rufus by the time they had returned to 2016. What the fuck? Was she pissed . . . jealous that Rufus had a better excuse to keep his activities a secret than she had for keeping her conversations with Flynn a secret? Frankly, I found Lucy's hypocrisy even worse than Wyatt's. After all, what was her excuse? She was appalled at the idea of her future self becoming a friend and/or ally of Garcia Flynn?
I am certain that many fans of the show would find my above ramblings inconsequential. As I had pointed out earlier, the tensions between Rufus, Lucy and Wyatt were eventually settled by the next episode. Why make a fuss over what happened between them in "The Watergate Episode". Well . . . I had read several articles about the episode. Although some reviewers had discussed how tensions had arose between the three colleagues, no one had really bothered to discuss the hypocrisy that seemed seemed rampant in this episode. Or how this episode had pretty much exposed the uglier side of their natures – especially that of Lucy and Wyatt. At this point in the series, no one seemed willing to discuss this. And perhaps . . . the episode had annoyed me so much that I had to express myself in some form.
Filed under: Essay, History, Television | Tagged: abigail spencer, chad rook, claudia doumit, early 20th century, goran visnjic, goran višnjić, history, john getz, malcolm barrett, matt lanter, mid 20th century, mustafa shakir, paterson joseph, politics, sakina jaffrey, shelley robinson, susanna thompson, television, tiffany mack, time travel, tom amandes, world war 2 | Leave a comment »
Observations About "TIMELESS" (1.01) "Pilot"
In an impulsive move, I decided to do a re-watch of the first episode of the NBC series, "TIMELESS" – (1.01) "Pilot". And I noticed a few interesting things:
1. The mother of historian Lucy Preston, was a seriously ill and bedridden patient when the series began. Rogue NSA Agent Garcia Flynn's changes to the timeline not only improved Carolyn Preston's life, but also produced a currently active soldier for the terrorist organization called Rittenhouse. Talk about irony.
2. There was an interesting scene between Mason Industries founder Connor Mason and Homeland Security Agent Denise Christopher, in which the latter chastised the former for creating a time machine behind the U.S. government's back. Mason had called in the government after the newer time machine was stolen by Garcia Flynn. I had no idea that Agent Christopher and Mason had clashed before the Season Two episode, (2.02) "The Darlington 500″. I wonder if there will be future clashes between the two.
3. Delta Force operative Wyatt Logan had been heavily drinking when he was first summoned to Mason Industries for the first time. His wife Jessica had been dead for at least four to five years at the time, which means he was still in a state of grief.
4. Another example of Wyatt's continuing grief over Jessica was his instant attraction to fictional journalist, Kate Drummond, who strongly reminded him of his late wife. In fact, this led Wyatt to attempt to save her from the Hindenburg's original crash and save her from the revised crash, even though she was destined to die.
5. This was a rather interesting scene to me. One, I noticed that Mason Industries programming engineer Rufus Carlin was kept in a separate cell from Lucy and Wyatt in order to maintain the racial status quo in 1937 New Jersey. I also found the scene both funny, thanks to Rufus' insults to the cop; and scary at the same time. Instead of rushing toward the cell to hurt Rufus, the cop deliberately left the cell room and returned with a fellow cop with the intent to beat Rufus with batons (probably to death), especially since Wyatt was having difficulty unlocking the cells with the underwire of Lucy's bra.
6. This episode also introduced Flynn's possession of Lucy's diary. To this day, I have always wondered how he managed to acquire it, if the time machines cannot travel to the future. Or can they? The page featured in the image above hint the team and Flynn's activities in the episode, (1.08) "Space Race".
7. I was surprised that Lucy and Flynn had their first meeting so soon in the series. What is interesting is that Flynn had displayed no hostility toward her. Instead, he told her about the diary and his personal knowledge of her. He also revealed his knowledge of Lucy's aspirations to follow in Carolyn's footsteps, warning her that would be a bad idea. This last remark struck me as a foreshadow of the Season One finale's revelation of Carolyn as a Rittenhouse agent.
8. This episode also revealed that Mason had instructed Rufus to record the team's mission and to continue doing so in the future. This made me realize that Rittenhouse had been interested in Mason's time machine from the beginning and foreshadowed Rittenhouse's use of the newer time machine in Season Two.
9. For a long time, I have wondered why Flynn had wanted to prevent the Hindenburg from crashing the first time on May 6, 1937. But when I noticed that he had planted a bomb on the airship before it was due to return to Germany, I eventually speculated that he had discovered someone connected to Rittenhouse was scheduled to travel on that return journey.
Filed under: Essay, History, Television | Tagged: abigail spencer, claudia doumit, early 20th century, goran visnjic, great depression, history, malcolm barrett, matt frewer, matt lanter, mid 20th century, paterson joseph, politics, sakina jaffrey, shantel vansanten, susanna thompson, television, time travel, travel | Leave a comment »
Top Favorite Episodes of "TIMELESS" Season One (2016-2017)
Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season One of the NBC series, "TIMELESS". Created by Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan, the series stars Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett and Goran Višnjić:
1. (1.07) "Stranded" – The time traveling team of Lucy Preston, Wyatt Logan and Rufus Carlin follow fugitive Garcia Flynn (who is determined to destroy the organization known as Rittenhouse) to 1754, during the French and Indian War, and find themselves stranded when his team sabotages their time machine, the Lifeboat. Katrina Lombard and Salvator Xuereb guest-starred.
2. (1.13) "Karma Chameleon" – Wyatt and Rufus take an unauthorized trip back to Toledo, Ohio in 1983 in an effort to prevent the one-night stand between the parents of the man who ends up murdering Wyatt's wife, Jessica.
3. (1.13) "The Murder of Jesse James" – The team travels back to April 1882, after Flynn saves outlaw Jesse James from being murdered by the Ford brothers. Flynn uses the outlaw to help track down a former time traveling colleague. They recruit U.S. Marshals Bass Reeves and Grant Johnson to help them track down the pair. Coleman Domingo, Daniel Lissing, Zahn McClarnon and Annie Wersching guest-starred.
4. (1.04) "Party at Castle Varlar" – The team continues its search for Garcia Flynn in 1944 Nazi Germany,where they receive help from Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. Sean Maguire guest-starred.
5. (1.02) "The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln" – The team struggles over whether to prevent the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865; when they learn that Flynn has formed ties with John Wilkes Booth.
Honorable Mention: (1.15) "Public Enemy No. 1" – Lucy and Rufus and a suspended Wyatt divert from a mission in order to track down Flynn to 1931 Chicago. They recruit Elliot Ness' help, when they discover that Flynn has joined forces with Al Capone to find Rittenhouse member, Chicago Mayor William Thompson. Misha Collins guest-starred.
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"MAD MEN" Observations: (3.07) "Seven Twenty-Three"
After a recent re-watch of the "MAD MEN" Season Three episode, (3.07) "Seven Twenty-Three", I found myself compelled to post several observations about it:
*Don Draper
In "Seven Twenty-Three", famous hotelier Conrad Hilton, whom advertisement executive Don Draper had first met in (3.03) "My Old Kentucky Home", paid a visit to the latter's office and revealed his intent to hire Sterling Cooper to handle the promotion of his New York hotels. This piece of good news turned sour when Lane Pryce, Roger Sterling and Bert Cooper revealed that Hilton's attorneys refused to go ahead with the deal unless Don sign an official contract with his employers. Naturally, Don was reluctant to sign one. He had been living under an assumed name for the past thirteen years, when he switched identities with his Army commanding officer (the real Don Draper). Nor did he want to be bound or obliged to anyone without having the power and opportunity to walk away whenever the opportunity might arise. After Don had a confrontation with wife Betty over his refusal to sign a contract, he left the house to go joyriding in the countryside. There, he picked up a young couple, who claimed they were on their way to get married at Niagara Falls. As it turned out, they were a pair of scam artists who fed Don some pills, took him to a cheap motel, knocked him out and stole his money.
I never understood this need of the series' fans to divide the main character into two personas. There was only one Dick Whitman, after all. He was both the rural-born offspring of a dead prostitute and a crude farmer . . . and the brilliant creative advertising executive. The reason why Dick (or should I say Don) could emotionally connect with some people and barely at all with others may have been due to the fact that he had assumed another man's name by fraudulent means. It is not surprising that he has only been willing to reveal some of his true nature to those he believe he may never see again – or in the case of Rachel Mencken and schoolteacher Suzanne Farrell – someone with whom he thought he could connect. It also seemed natural to me that Don had never bothered to sign an official contract with Sterling Cooper. No contract had allowed him to be a free agent even though he has decided to remain at Sterling Cooper. It also meant that Don would be able to bolt without any legal redress, if needed. Well, Don's years as a free agent at Sterling Cooper ended in "Seven Twenty-Three". Especially since by the end of the season, he became one of the owners of a new firm – Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (SCDP).
Oddly enough, Don's encounter with another self-made man – Conrad Hilton – had led him to being finally bound to a contract. This led to a temporary breach with his boss and future partner, Roger Sterling. It also temporarily damaged his close relationship with copywriter and protégée Peggy Olson. The new contract made Don realize – and not for the last time – that wife Betty might be a lot more formidable than he had probably imagined. Don's argument with Betty led him to commit one of his more destructive maneuvers when things got rough . . . he took off. Unlike his trip to California in Season Two, Don did not go very far. Instead, he picked up a hitchhiking couple claiming to be on their way to Niagara Falls in order to elope. But instead of eloping, they fed Don some pills and later clocked and robbed him inside a cheap motel. As his dad, Archie Whitman, had indicated in his hallucination, Don had become slightly soft. This seemed even more apparent when senior partner Bert Cooper blackmailed him into finally signing a contract.
When Cooper had dismissed Pete Campbell's exposure of Don as a fraud and identity thief back in Season One's (1.12) "Nixon vs. Kennedy", I bet Don never thought the old man would eventually use those allegations against him. And yet . . . while signing that contract, Don demanded that Roger Sterling stay away from him. How interesting. Roger tried to use Betty to coerce him into signing the contract. Cooper sunk even lower and used Don's secrets to blackmail him and succeed. Perhaps Don realized that Roger (given his questionable standing in the firm with the British owners) made an easier target for his wrath than two powerful men like Conrad Hilton and Bert Cooper. If so, it did not say very much about Don.
Some fans had believed that Don's new contract was a sign of his eventual downfall. I cannot say that I agree with this. In fact, this downfall never really materialized. Every time Don faced a personal crisis in the past – Pete Campbell and Bert Cooper's discovery of his secret in Season One, his late Season Two estrangement from Betty, and Duck's takeover plans – he managed to survive or come on top, as the formation of SCDP proved.
*Betty Draper
The episode also featured a subplot for Betty Draper. After joining the Tarrytown, New York chapter of Junior League, she received a request to find someone with political ties to prevent the construction of a giant water tank that they feared would ruin the scenic view. Betty contacted Henry Francis, one of Governor Nelson Rockefeller's aides that she had first met in "My Old Kentucky Home". The two met at a local bakery in Ossing for drinks and pastries. And although Francis hinted that he might not be able to help the Junior League prevent the water tank's construction, he made it obvious that he was just as attracted to Betty, as she was to him. Francis had also pointed out a chaise lounge that Betty later purchased for her living room. A chaise lounge that her decorator obviously disliked.
Betty's story arc did not provide any jaw dropping moments for me. But I did notice a few things. One, she must have been seriously attracted to Henry Francis. I never realized it when Season Three first aired. I found it interesting that not only did she remember Henry from Roger's Kentucky Derby garden party, she also seemed to be in a slight state of heat whenever she around him. This especially seemed obvious when Henry shielded her eyes from the sun during an eclipse. But more importantly, she went ahead and purchased the Victorian chaise lounge that Henry had earlier pointed out to her when they passed an antique store. Many saw the chaise lounge as an example of Betty's desire to be some "helpless damsel in distress" that occasionally fainted. I found that image hard to accept. Despite the ladylike persona that Betty tended to project, she never struck me as that kind of woman. However, I had noticed how she caressed her body in a suggestive manner – especially in the very spot where Henry had touched her, when she was still pregnant with Eugene. So . . . yeah, she was very attracted to him. In fact, Henry ended up becoming her second husband. I should have known.
I also noticed that by Season Three, Betty had become more assertive in her attitude toward Don. After all, audiences first received a whiff of this trait back in Season Two's (2.04) "Three Sundays", when she ordered Don to take Sally to work with him during their son Bobby's small medical emergency. Yet, Betty's assertiveness became increasingly obvious in Season Three. This was certainly apparent in her refusal to cave in to Don's disapproval over their new son's name in (3.06) "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency"; and in their confrontation over Don's refusal to sign a contract with Sterling Cooper. I had always suspected that underneath the girlish and shallow exterior lurked a formidable woman. This was verified when Betty finally learned about Don's true identity later in the season.
*Peggy Olson
Peggy Olson's storyline in this episode began in (3.05) "The Fog", in which she was contacted by former Sterling Cooper employee, Duck Phillips. In that episode, he had tried to recruit both Peggy and accounts executive Pete Campbell to the agency he now works for – Gray. Peggy had contemplated his offer, but refused. When Peggy asked Don for a raise in the same episode, the latter refused her request. In "Seven Twenty-Three", Duck continued his wooing of Peggy and Pete with gifts. When Pete pointed out that Duck's wooing might be an attempt for the older man to get back at Don for snowballing him in the Season Two finale, (2.13) "Mediations in an Emergency", Peggy became determined to return the gift. Which she did after leaving work. However, her visit to Duck's hotel suite also led to an evening of some very enjoyable sex for them both.
I found it interesting that Peggy thought she knew a lot about Don. She knew that he was an adulterer, thanks to her rescue of both him and Bobbie Barrett in Season Two's (2.05) "The New Girl". In "Seven Twenty-Three", she first discovered that he could be incredibly cruel. And it would not be the last time. Season Three had not been particularly kind to Peggy. Following her revelation to Peter Campbell about their illegitimate child, he became hostile toward her. And despite being the first copywriter to acquire a private office following Freddie Rumsen's departure, the respect that she deserved continued to evade her. Don had ignored her misgivings about the Patio commercial in (3.02) "Love Among the Ruins". In (3.05) "The Fog", Peggy asked for a raise after discovering that she was the firm's lowest paid copywriter and Don rejected her request. And when she asked to work on the Hilton account, Don (who was already in a foul mood after learning that Sterling Cooper wants him to sign a contract) rejected her request in the cruelest manner possible. He accused Peggy of using his coattails to rise in Sterling Cooper's Creative ranks. His accusation and manner left Peggy shocked and speechless.
When Peggy appeared at Duck's hotel room to return his gift, I doubt that she had any intention of having sex with him. Did Duck plan to sexually seduce Peggy? I do not know. And since I have no idea of Duck's intention, I am not going to pretend that I do or speculate. I do have to wonder if the prevalent negative attitude toward Duck has led many fans to believe that he had intended to seduce her. I do recall Peggy complimenting Duck's turtleneck sweater when they first met in "The Fog". I also noticed something else. Once Peggy and Duck were in bed together, they seemed turned on by each other.
A good number of viewers had expressed disgust at Peggy's sexual tryst with Duck, using their 20-something age difference as an excuse. But Joan Harris and Roger Sterling were (and still are) roughly fifteen years apart in age during their affair. Even back then, Joan was slightly older and more experienced during her affair with Roger. But Peggy is not some blushing virgin. She was already sexually experienced and had given birth to Pete's son in (1.13) "The Wheel". She even managed to seduce some college kid in "Love Among the Ruins" as a test of her sexuality. Yet, many fans expressed disgust at her tryst with Duck. Even worse, they labeled her as some sexually naïve woman who found herself seduced and manipulated by an older man. I must be honest. I found that perception of Peggy rather offensive. At age 24, Peggy was young and probably upset over Don's outburst. But as I had stated earlier, she was not naïve by this time in the series. I suspect that Peggy had simply used Duck's offer of great sex to derive some kind of pleasure following her disastrous meeting with Don. Many fans had also predicted disastrous consequences from Peggy and Duck's tryst. Not really. Peggy had quietly distanced herself from Duck by Season Four, despite his drunken reaction at the time. But I do believe that she paid an emotional consequence for rejecting Duck's offer at Gray's. At least for a few years.
Filed under: Essay, Television | Tagged: abigail spencer, christopher stanley, elisabeth moss, january jones, john slattery, jon hamm, mad men, mark moses, mid 20th century, politics, robert morse, television, travel, vincent kartheiser | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 5, 2016 by ladylavinia1932
1. "The Age of Innocence" (1993) – Martin Scorcese directed this exquisite adaptation of Edith Wharton's award winning 1920 novel about a love triangle within New York's high society during the Gilded Age. Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfieffer and Oscar nominee Winona Ryder starred.
2. "The Big Country" (1958) – William Wyler directed this colorful adaptation of Donald Hamilton's 1958 novel, "Ambush at Blanco Canyon". The movie starred Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker and Charlton Heston.
3. "True Grit" (2010) – Ethan and Joel Coen wrote and directed this excellent adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel about a fourteen year-old girl's desire for retribution against her father's killer. Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hattie Steinfeld starred.
4. "Far From the Madding Crowd" (2015) – Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge and Michael Sheen starred in this well done adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1874 novel about a young Victorian woman who attracts three different suitors. Thomas Vinterberg directed.
5. "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956) – Mike Todd produced this Oscar winning adaptation of Jules Verne's 1873 novel about a Victorian gentleman who makes a bet that he can travel around the world in 80 days. Directed by Michael Anderson and John Farrow, the movie starred David Niven, Cantiflas, Shirley MacLaine and Robert Newton.
6. "Stardust" (2007) – Matthew Vaughn co-wrote and directed this adaptation of Neil Gaman's 1996 fantasy novel. The movie starred Charlie Cox, Claire Danes and Michelle Pfieffer.
7. "Fort Apache" (1948) – John Ford directed this loose adaptation of James Warner Bellah's 1947 Western short story called"Massacre". The movie starred John Wayne, Henry Fonda, John Agar and Shirley Temple.
8. "Zulu Dawn" (1979) – Burt Lancaster, Simon Ward and Peter O'Toole starred in this depiction of the historical Battle of Isandlwana between British and Zulu forces in 1879 South Africa. Douglas Hickox directed.
9. "Young Guns" (1988) – Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips starred in this cinematic account of Billy the Kid's experiences during the Lincoln County War. The movie was directed by Christopher Cain.
10. "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011) – Jon Favreau directed this adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's 2006 graphic novel about an alien invasion in 1870s New Mexico Territory. The movie starred Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde.
Filed under: Essay, Movies | Tagged: abigail spencer, adam beach, alec mccowen, alfonso bedoya, anna calder marshall, anna lee, around the world in 80 days, barry pepper, belle epoque, ben barnes, bob hoskins, british empire, burl ives, burt lancaster, cantiflas, carey mulligan, carroll baker, casey siemaszko, cedric hardwicke, charles bickford, charles boyer, charlie cox, charlie sheen, charlton heston, chuck connors, claire danes, coen brothers, comics, dakin matthews, daniel craig, daniel day-lewis, david niven, denholm elliot, dexter fletcher, dick foran, edith wharton, elizabeth marvel, emilio estevez, evelyn keyes, george o'brien, geraldine chaplin, gilded age, grant withers, gregory peck, hailee steinfeld, harrison ford, henry cavill, henry fonda, history, jack palance, jack pennick, james faulkner, jason flemyng, jean simmons, jeff bridges, joe e. brown, john agar, john carradine, john ford, john wayne, jon favreau, josh brolin, julian rhind-tutt, juno temple, keith carradine, kiefer sutherland, literary, lou diamond philips, mark strong, mark williams, marlene dietrich, matt damon, matthew vaughn, matthias schoenaerts, michael hough, michael jayston, michael sheen, michelle pfieffer, movies, nathaniel parker, noah ringer, old hollywood, old west, olivia wilde, pedro armendáriz, peter o'toole, peter vaughn, politics, richard e. grant, robert morley, robert newton, ronald colman, rupert everett, shirley maclaine, shirley temple, sian phillips, sienna miller, simon ward, terence stamp, thomas hardy, thomas vinterberg, tom sturridge, travel, trevor howard, victor mclaglen, victorian age, ward bond, william wyler, winona ryder | Leave a comment »
Five Favorite "MAD MEN" Season Three (2009) Episodes
Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season Three (2009) of "MAD MEN". Created by Matthew Weiner, the series stars Jon Hamm:
1. (3.11) "The Gypsy and the Hobo" – Don's past finally catches up with him when Betty confronts him about his identity theft. Roger Sterling meets a former client/lover who wishes to rekindle their affair. And Joan discovers that her husband, Greg Harris, has joined the Army after failing to start a medical career in New York.
2. (3.12) "The Grown Ups" – The assassination of President John Kennedy serves as the backdrop of the wedding for Roger's daughter and the final breakup of the Draper marriage.
3. (3.07) "Seven Twenty-Three" – Don's attempts to land the Conrad Hilton account leads to him being blackmailed by Bert Cooper to sign a three-year contract with Sterling Cooper. Peggy begins an affair with former Sterling-Cooper Accounts Head, Duck Phillips. And Betty expresses interest in the Governor's aide, Henry Francis, when she becomes involved in civic politics.
4. (3.06) "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" – A visit by the British owners of the Sterling Cooper agency and an account involving a motorized lawn motor results in mishap and bloodshed.
5. (3.09) "Wee Small Hours" – An executive from Sterling Cooper's client, Lucky Strikes, demands that the agency fire art director Sal Romano after the latter rejects the executive's sexual advances. Betty grows closer to Henry Francis and Don begins an affair with Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell.
Filed under: Essay, History, Television | Tagged: abigail spencer, bryan batt, christina hendricks, christopher stanley, elisabeth moss, history, holidays, january jones, jared gilmore, jared harris, john slattery, jon hamm, mad men, mark moses, music, neil dickson, robert morse, television, travel, vincent kartheiser | Leave a comment »
Top Ten (10) Favorite "MAD MEN" Episodes – Seasons One to Three (2007-2009)
Posted on March 1, 2014 by ladylavinia1932
Below is a list of my ten favorite episodes that have aired during Seasons One to Three on "MAD MEN":
1. (2.08) "A Night to Remember" – The Draper marriage show signs of serious trouble when Betty confronts Don about his recent affair with Bobbie Barrett. Father McGill confronts Peggy Olson about her past, while working on a church project with her. And Harry Crane turns to the unlikely help of office manager Joan Holloway, when his department is overloaded with work.
3. (1.12) "Nixon vs. Kennedy" – On Election Night 1960, the Sterling-Cooper staff hold an all night party to view the election results. Pete Campbell uses his knowledge of Don's past to blackmail him for a higher position. And Don recalls his moment of identity theft during the Korean War.
4. (2.05) "The New Girl" – Joan finds a new secretary for Don, while he is stuck in the middle of personal issues between TV comedian Jimmy Barrett and the latter's wife, Bobbie.
5. (3.12) "The Grown Ups" – The assassination of President John Kennedy serves as the backdrop of the wedding for Roger's daughter and the breakup of the Draper marriage.
6. (1.06) "Babylon" – Peggy proves to be more than a secretary when opportunities as a copywriter are opened to her. Roger and Joan's affair is revealed. And client Rachel Mencken deals with her conflicting feelings for Don.
7. (3.07) "Seven Twenty-Three" – Don's attempts to land the Conrad Hilton account leads to him being blackmailed by Bert Cooper to sign a three-year contract with Sterling Cooper. Peggy begins an affair with former Sterling-Cooper Accounts Head, Duck Phillips. And Betty expresses interest in the Governor's aide, Henry Francis when she becomes involved in civic politics.
8. (2.04) "Three Sundays" – The Sterling-Cooper staff rally to save an attempt to win the American Airlines account. Don and Betty clash over the disciplining of their children. Peggy becomes acquainted with a young and attractive priest named Father McGill.
9. (1.03) "The Marriage of Figaro" – After his business relationship with Rachel Mencken takes an unforeseen turn; Don attends his daughter Sally's birthday party, which further illuminates his increasing dissatisfaction with his present life.
10. (2.07) "The Gold Violin" – Art director Sal Romano develops an attraction toward Accounts man Ken Cosgrove and invites the latter over to Sunday dinner. Joan clashes with Don's new secretary, Jane Siegel. And the Drapers are invited to attend a party for TV comedian Jimmy Barrett, who has some news for Betty.
Filed under: Essay, History, Television | Tagged: abigail spencer, bryan batt, christina hendricks, christopher stanley, colin hanks, elisabeth moss, january jones, jared gilmore, jared harris, john slattery, jon hamm, korean war, kristin schaal, mad men, maggie siff, mark moses, melinda mcgraw, mid 20th century, patrick fischler, politics, religion, rosemarie dewitt, television, vietnam war, vincent kartheiser | Leave a comment »
"OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" (2013) Review
I have a confession to make. I have always liked "THE WIZARD OF OZ", the 1939 adaptation of Frank L. Baum's 1901 novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". I used to watch it on a yearly basis as a child. But if I must be brutally frank, I have never developed a deep love for the movie. So when I learned that the Disney Studios had developed a prequel movie to the 1939 film, I did not exactly jump up and down with joy.
I was surprised to learn that the Disney Studios' history with Frank Baum's fantasy world of Oz proved to be a long one. Walt Disney had wanted to create an animated film based on the 1901 story, but he and his brother Roy Disney discovered that Samuel Goldwyn had first purchased the film rights before selling it to Louis B. Mayer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Disney managed to purchase the rights of Baum's remaining Oz novels in 1954. And in 1985, the studio produced and released the sequel movie, "RETURN TO OZ". However, the film proved to be a box office bomb. And the movie rights to all of Baum's novels ended up in public domain. Twenty-seven or 28 years later, Disney tried their hand at another Oz movie. The result is the prequel to Baum's 1901 novel and MGM's 1939 film – "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL". Set twenty years before the novel and the film, "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" begins in 1906 Kansas with barnstorm and small time magician Oscar Diggs working in a traveling circus. Oscar is also something of a scam artist and ladies' man who has no qualms with seducing the young wife of the circus' strongman. Oscar is also in love with a young local woman, who has been encouraged by him to marry a respectable farmer. When the strongman learns of Oscar's flirtations, the latter escapes the circus in a hot air balloon. But he is sucked into a tornado and finds himself in the "Land of Oz".
Once in this new land, Oscar meets the first of three witches who will turn his life upside down – Theodora. She believes he is the prophesied savior who will overthrow the Wicked Witch that killed the King of Oz. While she escorts him to Emerald City to meet her sister Evanora, Theodora is seduced by Oscar, leading her to fall in love with him. The pair also meets a flying monkey named Finley, who pledges a life debt to Oscar when the latter saves him from a lion . . . at Theodora's instigation. Upon their arrival in Emerald City, Oscar is charged by Evanora to prove that he is Oz's prophesied savior by traveling to the Dark Forest where the Wicked Witch resides and kill the latter by destroying her wand. During Oscar and Findley's journey to the Dark Forest, they meet China Girl, a young, living china doll whose home and family had been destroyed by the Wicked Witch. When the trio reaches the Dark Forest, they discover that the "Wicked Witch" is actually Glinda the Good Witch of the North. She tells them that Evanora is the true Wicked Witch. And when Evanora sees this with her crystal ball, she manipulates Theodora against Oscar by showing him together with Glinda, claiming he is trying to court all three witches. Evanora offers the heartbroken Theodora a magic apple, which she promises will remove the younger witch's heartache. Theodora eats the apple and transforms into the heartless, green-skinned future Wicked Witch of the West. Oscar, Glinda, Findley, China Girl and many others soon find themselves in a war against Evanora and Theodora for control of Oz.
"OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" earned mixed reviews upon its release, despite becoming a box office hit. Many complained that it failed to live up to the "magic" of the 1939 movie. I do not know how to respond to this complaint. After all, everyone has a right to his or her own opinion. Were there any aspects of "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" that I disliked? Well . . . I do have one major complaint and it has to do with the relationship between Oscar and Theodora. What I disliked was Oscar's failure to apologize to Theodora for exploiting her feelings toward him when they first met. Instead of admitting that he had been wrong to seduce her in the first place, he merely offered her the chance to live in the Emerald City in peace if she would allow goodness back into her heart. And nothing else. Instead of an apology, Oscar offered her a sanctimonious offer of redemption. What an asshole. In other words, Mitchell Kapner's screenplay refused to allow Oscar to consider that his careless seduction of Theodora gave Evanora the opportunity to transform her into an evil and heartless witch.
Despite this unpleasant exercise of relationships gone wrong, I actually enjoyed "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL". In fact, my feelings of the movie seemed to be the same as the 1939 film – I enjoyed it very much, but I did not love it. It was fun, entertaining in its own way. And I could see that the movie greatly benefited from Kapner's well-paced screenplay and director Sam Rami's twisted sense of humor. This especially seemed to be the case in Oscar's relationship with the long-suffering Findley and one of Emerald City's citizens, the tart-tongued herald and fanfare player, Knuck. Rami and Kapner also did a clever job of allowing the plot to mirror certain aspects of 1939's "THE WIZARD OF OZ". The Kansas sequences at the beginning of both movies were filmed in black-and-white, both protagonists (Dorothy Gale and Oscar Diggs) arrived in Oz via a tornado. Both acquire sidekicks during their journeys through Oz. In Oscar's case, both Findley and China Girl become his companions on the road. After meeting Glinda, he also acquire the friendship of Knuck (sort of) and the Emerald City's Master Tinker. And both movies end with Oscar providing gifts to most of the protagonists.
At the same time, both Rami and Kapner were wise enough to remember that "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" is the product of early 21st century Hollywood, and not the film industry of the late 1930s. As I had stated earlier, the humor featured in the film struck me as slightly perverse at times – which I loved. And Oscar Diggs' moral compass proved to be a lot more ambiguous than the innocent Dorothy Gale. Mind you, I disliked his handling of Theodora. But one has to remember that his character has always been something of schemer and opportunist – even in the 1939 film. Speaking of ambiguity, I was surprised to find a few hints of it in China Girl's character – especially in her enthusiasm to seek and kill the Wicked Witch. In regard to the film's villains, they seemed to be a different kettle of fish in compare to the Wicked Witch of the West in "THE WIZARD OF OZ". Although Evanora proved to be evil in a one-dimensional manner, she seemed to be more subtle and manipulative in carrying out her deeds. And Theodora proved to be a real surprise. Her evil seemed to be born from a broken heart thanks to Oscar and her sister's manipulations, making her the most sympathetic character . . . at least for me. Many reviewers – especially male reviewers – seemed confused over Theodora's transformation from the naive young witch to the green-skinned, heartless evildoer. It almost seemed as if they did not want to acknowledge the part that Oscar played in her transformation into evil. And I find that rather sad and a little disturbing.
Speaking of the characters, they would not have worked without the first-rate cast that portrayed them. James Franco did an excellent job in conveying Oscar Diggs' journey from the cheap and womanizing showman to the responsible civic leader that helped free the Emerald City from the evil Evanora's grasp. Michelle Williams gave a luminous performance as Glinda the Good Witch. Although her character did not strike me as particularly complex, she managed to inject some much needed mystery into the character, making her more interesting than the 1939 counterpart. And Rachel Weisz seemed to be having a ball as the sly and manipulative Evanora. The movie also featured some solid performances from the likes of Bill Cobbs as Master Tinker, Tony Cox as the sardonic Knuck, Abigail Spencer as Oscar's naive, yet very married Kansas assistant May; and a humorous appearance by Rami veteran Bruce Campbell as an Emerald City guard. But there were three performances that really impressed me. One came from Zach Braff, who added an expert touch of the long-suffering in his outstanding voice performance as winged monkey Findley. Another first-rate voice performance came Joey King in her portrayal of China Doll, who expertly conveyed both the character's vulnerability and exuberant aggressiveness. And finally there was Mila Kunis, who did a stupendous job in her portrayal of Theodora, the naive young witch who became the murderous Wicked Witch of the West. I was more than impressed by Kunis, for I believe she had the difficult job of making her character's transformation believable.
"OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" is a beautiful movie to look at. Production designer Robert Stromberg did a solid job in bringing the land of Oz to life. Thanks to him and cinematographer Peter Deming, audiences were able to enjoy the movie's rich and colorful look that brought back happy memories of the Technicolor featured in the 1939 movie. My only complaint are the few moments when it seemed I was looking at matte paintings instead of CGI during Oscar's first moments in Oz. I was especially impressed by the scene that featured Theodora's first appearance as the Wicked Witch of the West. Thanks to Rami's direction, Deming's photography, the make-up department's work and the special effects team, I was more than taken aback by this frightening moment.
In the end, I really enjoyed "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL". I did not love it. Then again, I do not love the 1939 movie. But I do believe that this new movie more than made up for the failure of 1985's "RETURN TO OZ". Thanks to screenwriter Mitchell Kapner, a talented cast led by James Franco and some first-rate and slightly twisted direction by Sam Rami, "OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL" proved to be a surprisingly entertaining film.
Filed under: Book Review, Movies | Tagged: abigail spencer, bill cobbs, bruce campbell, disney, james franco, joey king, literary, michelle williams, mila kunis, progressive era, rachel weisz, sam rami, travel, wizard of oz, zach braff | Leave a comment »
"COWBOYS AND ALIENS" (2011) Review
Below is my review of the Science-Fiction/Western movie, "COWBOYS AND ALIENS":
Ever since its release during the last month of July, many have been contemplating on the box office failure of the highly anticipated movie, "COWBOYS AND ALIENS". I could go over the many theories spouted about its failure, but I would find that boring. I am simply aware that the movie only earned $34 million dollars short of its budget. And all I can say is that I find this a damn pity.
"COWBOYS AND ALIENS" had some big names participating in its production. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford were the movie's stars. The cast also included well known names such as Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Keith Carradine, Paul Dano and Clancy Brown. Jon Farveau, the director of the two successful "IRON MAN" movies, helmed the director's chair. At least five of the screenwriters – Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby – have been associated with projects like "LOST" and the "STAR TREK". And big names in the film industry such as Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Steven Spielberg acted as some of the producers. But despite all of this "COWBOYS AND ALIENS" remained one of the flops of this summer. Again, pity. I realize that I keep using the word "pity" as a response to the movie's failure. But I cannot help it. I really enjoyed"COWBOYS AND ALIENS". In fact, I enjoyed it so much that it has become one of my favorite movies from the summer of 2011.
The movie was based upon the 2006 graphic novel by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. It told the story of an alien invasion that occurred in the New Mexico Territory in 1873. The story focused upon a mysterious loner that awakens in the desert, injured and wearing a strange bracelet shackled to his wrist. He wanders into the town of Absolution, where the local preacher, Meacham treats his wound. After the stranger subdues Percy Dolarhyde, who has been terrorizing the populace, Sheriff Taggart recognizes the loner as Jake Lonergan, a wanted outlaw, and tries to arrest him. Jake nearly escapes, but a mysterious woman named Ella Swenson knocks him out. Percy's father, Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde, a rich and influential cattleman, arrives with his men and demands that Percy be released to him. He also wants Jake, who had stolen Dolarhyde's gold. During the standoff, alien spaceships begin attacking the town. Percy, Sheriff Taggart and many townsfolk are abducted. Jake shoots down one ship with a device concealed in his wrist band, ending the attack. Realizing that the bracelet that Jake wears stands between them and the aliens, Colonel Dolarhyde, Meacham and Ella convinces Jake to help them find the aliens and the kidnapped townspeople, despite the fact that he has no memory of his own identity, let alone of any previous encounters with the aliens. Their expedition leads them Jake's former gang and a band of Chiricahua Apaches, who have also been victims of the aliens.
"COWBOYS AND ALIENS" is not perfect. It has its flaws. To be honest, I can think of one or two flaws. Perhaps one. Although I understood that the aliens were taking the gold found near Absolution to power their starship, the script never made it clear on why they were taking the populace, as well. The only thing that the script made clear was that the kidnapped populace were being experimented upon. When it comes to human experimentation of reasons behind an invasions, many plots for alien invasion movies and television series tend to be rather weak in this area, including some of the best in this genre. And my other problem was that the script failed to reveal how Ella, who turned out to be another alien whose people had been destroyed by the invaders, ended up on Earth.
But despite these flaws, "COWBOYS AND ALIENS" really impressed me. I thought that Jon Favreau did an excellent job in combining action with the film's dramatic moments. And his eye for location, greatly assisted by Matthew Libatique's photography of the New Mexican countryside, gave the movie's visuals a natural grandeur. In my review of "SUPER 8", I had commented that it reminded me of an old "STAR TREK VOYAGER" episode. I cannot say the same for "COWBOYS AND ALIENS". But it did remind me of a "STAR TREK VOYAGER" fanfiction story called "Ashes to Ashes". At least Jake's experiences with the aliens occurred before the movie began. And"COWBOYS AND ALIENS" must be the only alien invasion movie I can think of that was set before the 20th century. It occurred to me that if the two most famous adaptations of H.G. Wells' novel, "War of the Worlds" had been given its original setting, this would not have been the case. Unless someone knows of another alien invasion movie with a pre-20th century setting. Ever since I first saw the trailers for "COWBOYS AND ALIENS", I wondered how the screenwriters would combine the two genres of Science-Fiction and Westerns. Hell, I wondered if they could. Mixing Jake's history as an outlaw with his experiences with the aliens did the trick. At least I believe so. More importantly, "COWBOYS AND ALIENS" provided plenty of opportunities for character development – and that includes the supporting cast.
The cast certainly proved to be first-rate. There have been British actors who have appeared in Westerns before. Come to think of it, Daniel Craig is not even the first James Bond actor who has appeared in a Western. But he is the only one I can recall who appeared in a Western as an American-born character. And if I must be blunt, the man takes to Westerns like a duck to water. More importantly, both Craig's super performance and the screenwriters made certain that his Jake Lonergran did not come off as some cliché of the "Man With No Name" character from Sergio Leone's DOLLAR TRILOGY". Craig made him a man determined to learn of his past, while dealing with the sketchy memories of a past love and his attraction toward Ella.
The character of Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde seems like a far cry from Harrison Ford's usual roles. His Colonel Dolarhyde was not the solid Jack Ryan type or the rough, yet dashing Indiana Jones persona. In one of his rare, offbeat roles, Ford's Colonel Dolarhyde was a ruthless, no-nonsense man who ruled his ranch and the town of Absolution with an iron fist. And Ford did a first-rate job of diluting Dolarhyde's distasteful ruthlessness into something more . . . human and warm. I wondered how I would take Olivia Wilde's performance as the mysterious Ella Swenson, who seemed determined to get Jake to help the rest of Absolution's citizens find the aliens. After seeing the movie, I enjoyed her performance very much. She had a strong chemistry with Craig. More importantly, she gave a solid performance and possessed a strong screen presence. But I really enjoyed about Wilde's performance was that she conveyed an other world quality about Ella that strongly hinted her role as an alien who landed on Earth to find the invaders who had destroyed most of her race.
The supporting cast was led by the likes of Sam Rockwell, who competently portrayed Absolution's insecure saloon keeper, Doc; and Adam Beach, who gave a deliciously complex performance as Dolarhyde's right-hand man, Nat Colorado. And actors such as Paul Dano as Dolarhyde's s raucous son, a serene Clancy Brown, Noah Ringer (from "THE LAST AIRBENDER"), who portrayed the sheriff's grandson, and a solid Keith Carradine gave firm support.
I do not know what else I could say about "COWBOYS AND ALIENS". I find it a pity that it failed to become a box office hit. Because I really enjoyed it. The screenwriters, along with cinematographer Matthew Libatique, a first-rate cast led by Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and fine direction by Jon Favreau made it one of my favorite films of the summer of 2011.
Filed under: Movies | Tagged: abigail spencer, adam beach, clancy brown, comics, daniel craig, gilded age, harrison ford, jon favreau, keith carradine, movies, noah ringer, old west, olivia wilde, paul dano, ron howard, sam rockwell, star trek voyager, steven spielberg | 3 Comments »


This lovely ol' church was built in 1859 and designed by Archibald Scott. I believe it saw use until 1980 when the City of Edinburgh council purchased it and sold it to the Arab Social League of Edinburgh in 1982. They had plans to turn it into a social center, but a lack of money means that it never materialized. It has lain derelict since then.
I would recommend bringing along a mask if anyone is planning a visit. The church is now home to bazillions of pigeons and there is an ASTONISHING amount of pigeon crap allllllllllll over the place. Along with bits of dead pigeon and various other unsavory things.


text:
Q: Selecting rows from 3 tables I appreciate there are many tutorials and examples out there explaining JOIN concepts- however I am struggling to apply the examples to my specific scenario. I would appreciate some help, and if it isn't too much to ask- a break down of what is going on in the solution to achieve the desired results.
3 Tables: users, assessments, assessment_log.
users
+--------+------+------+-----------+----------+-----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------------+------+----------+
| UserID | User | Pass | FirstName | LastName | LastLogin | Email | Mobile | Kenitalla | AccountStatus | Role | Operator |
+--------+------+------+-----------+----------+-----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------------+------+----------+

assessments
+--------------+------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+--------------+----------+---------+----------+
| AssessmentID | Name | Criteria1 | Criteria2 | Criteria3 | Criteria4 | Criteria5 | RoleRequired | Required | Renewal | Operator |
+--------------+------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+--------------+----------+---------+----------+

assessment_logs
+-----------------+------+----------------+------------+--------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+---------------+---------+
| AssessmentLogID | Date | AssessmentName | AssessedBy | UserID | StaffName | Comments | Verdict1 | Verdict2 | Verdict3 | Verdict4 | Verdict5 | Verdict | RenewalPeriod | NextDue |
+-----------------+------+----------------+------------+--------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+---------------+---------+

When a user takes an assessment, an entry goes in to the assessment_log. Some assessments are required (true or false in Required column) where as some are optional. The RoleRequired column stipulates which user Role the assessment is required for.
I would like to generate a list of users and assessments they are yet to pass. The assessments must be required, and the required role must match the users role. An absense of an entry into the assessment_log with a "Pass" in the Verdict column indicates the assessment has not yet been passed.
In plain speak, I am looking for a query that will achieve the following result:
+------------------+-----------------+----------------+
| assessments.Name | users.FirstName | users.LastName |
+------------------+-----------------+----------------+

Where the assessment is required (Required equals true), the RequiredRole matches the users.Role column, and there is no entry in the assessments_log for the assessment where the Verdict column holds a "Pass" value.
Please let me know if further clarification is required.
Thanks in advance!

A: I'd suggest using a LEFT JOIN.
First, we generate a cross product of assessments and users, which contains for each user, all assessments that are required for their role.
Then, a LEFT JOIN checks if these assessments were passed.
SELECT ...
FROM
    users u
    JOIN assessments a ON (a.RoleRequired = u.Role)
    LEFT JOIN assessment_logs al ON (
            al.AssessmentID = a.AssessmentID
        AND al.UserID = u.UserID
        AND al.Verdict='Pass'
    )

WHERE
        a.required
    AND al.UserID IS NULL

A: Your attribute names are inconsistent between tables and, although I don't see any duplicate names, it's probably only a matter of time before you do, so I suggest you fix this.
In the meantime, here's how to rename the columns on the fly in order to simplify the join syntax:
SELECT AssessmentName, UserLastName, UserFirstName
  FROM ( SELECT FirstName AS UserFirstName, Lastname AS UserLastName, Role
           FROM users ) u
       NATURAL JOIN
       { SELECT Name AS AssessmentName, RoleRequired AS Role
           FROM assessments
          WHERE Required ) a
       NATURAL JOIN
       ( SELECT AssessmentName
           FROM assessment_logs
          WHERE Verdict = 'Pass' ) l;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
HomeFind a MentorDavid M Baier
David M Baier
Chapter: Jacksonville
Request David
I can help you with global buying and sourcing, training, operations, warehousing, distribution, and logistics.
As a senior executive in the automotive aftermarket industry, I have experience in purchasing and logistics for 1000+ chain of owner/operated repair shops. I worked for Monro Muffler Brake, Inc. and Montgomery Ward & Co. I also was a member of AMRA/MAP, an automotive aftermarket trade association, and served as chairman of the board of directors for multiple terms.
Being a volunteer for SCORE allows me to give back to others and the community and help those with passion and goals to succeed in business.
Business Strategy & Planning
Sales, Marketing & Public Relations
Transportation & Warehousing
B.S., Finance, Mt. St. Mary's College
DePalma attended SCORE's small business orientation on her days off and worked with two mentors, including Dave Baier, who she says, "always gives us the guidance, experience and insight we need, whether we're making major decisions like choosing a legal structure or managing day-to-day administrative obstacles."
She adds, "SCORE taught us the importance of thoroughly developing a business plan and maintaining complete and accurate records. SCORE also gave us invaluable guidance navigating through all federal, state, and local taxes and regulations."
DePalma is aware that their work is far from over. "Neither one of us are business experts; we're far from it. Laura has a B.A. in English and Katie has a B.A. in Music with a concentration in Violin Performance," she says. "But discovering a need in our community and filling it by doing the work that we absolutely love to do has made all of our mistakes and frustrations beyond worth it."
Kathryn DePalma
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John is Compute Canada's Digital Humanities Specialist. He has a diverse background in Philosophy and Computing and is an active contributor to the Digital Humanities as a Member-atLarge of the Canadian Society for Digital Humanities (CSDHSCHN) Executive, a Programming Instructor with the Digital Humanities Summer Institute (DHSI), and as CoChair, Minimal Computing, with Global Outlook::Digital Humanities (GO::DH). Prior to joining Compute Canada, John was involved in a research intensive postdoctoral fellowship focusing on developing semantic web expertise and prototyping tools capable of assisting academics in consuming and curating the new data made available by digital environments. He has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Alberta, and an MA in Philosophy and Hons. BA in Philosophy & Economics, with a specialization in International Trade, from the University of Waterloo. John's focus as Compute Canada's Digital Humanities Specialist is building programs for outreach, training, and support that will serve the Canadian digital humanities community in its diverse forms. In step with the construction of these programs is the ongoing development of Compute Canada's ability to understand and respond to the needs of the Canadian digital humanities community. The principal body for carrying out this work is Compute Canada's Digital Humanities Working Group, which John chairs.


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text:
Shrimp cultivation threatens India's mangrove forests
Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled "Shrimp cultivation threatens India's mangrove forests" – below is their description.
India is among five countries that have signed a pact at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt to protect mangroves.
The county has one of the largest mangrove reserves in the world.
Al Jazeera's Pavni Mittal reports from the southern state of Kerala, where shrimp cultivation is endangering mangrove forests in India.
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#News #India #Mangrove #Forests #ClimateChange #Shrimps #Environment #UN #Forest
Al Jazeera English YouTube Channel
About This Source - Al Jazeera English
The video item below is a piece of English language content from Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera is a Qatari state-funded broadcaster based in Doha, Qatar, owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network.
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It has an exceptionally diverse population, with Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and other religions speaking over 21 recognised languages.
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13. Can you imagine this??
20. Shooting now, do not disturb.
21. Didn't they learn from the Titanic failure? So much people onboard… but so less rescue boats!
24. Back from Lisboa, Max made me go skateboarding for the first time ever! A really cool experience, all by night!
26. Blurry @leziwok — Cool beard bro!
Story of the roll: One thing is sure with Kodak Gold's film: colours are golden! But to my opinion, the film has a very tiny latitude, and things get dark too soon. We're not facing the same Gold film like it was in the 90's or the early 2000's. I still prefer that tonal look for a low price, vs. an expensive CineStill Tungsten 800 film, for sure. If you're looking for a nostalgic feel, you should definitively try this film.


text:
Breaking crime and public safety news
Tag Archives: collision
Covina man fatally struck by car on 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights
Posted on July 15, 2017 by Brian Day
HACIENDA HEIGHTS >> A 21-year-old Covina man died early Saturday when he was struck by a car on the 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights after exiting his car following a previous minor collision, officials said.
Aaron Joseph Sandoval died at the scene of the crash, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator Joyce Kato said.
The crash was first reported about 3:05 a.m. on the 60 Freeway at 7th Avenue, California Highway Patrol Officer C. Black said in a written statement.
Black said Sandoval was driving eastbound on the freeway in a 2004 Honda Civic and been involved in a collision with a Toyota Prius. He got out of his car, which was stopped between the carpool and fast lanes.
An eastbound 1990 Honda Accord being driven by an 18-year-old Joshua Tree man struck the pedestrian, Black said. The Accord then careened into a 2015 Dodge Challenger that was stopped in the carpool lane.
The impact threw Sandoval over the center divider and into the carpool lane of the westbound side of the 60 Freeway, according to the CHP. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
A woman riding as a passenger in the Dodge suffered major injuries, Black said. The man at the wheel of the Dodge and a teenage boy riding as a passenger were treated for injuries described as moderate.
No injuries were reported on the part of the Accord driver.
No arrests were made Saturday morning.
A Sig Alert affected lanes on both sides of the freeway through 8:50 a.m., according to CHP logs.
The crash remains under investigation by the CHP's Santa Fe Springs-area office. Any witnesses, or anyone with information, can reach the office at 562-868-0503.
Posted in CHP, Covina, Hacienda Heights	| Tagged 60 Freeway, collision
Sheriff's patrol car involved in crash in La Mirada
Posted on June 15, 2017 by Brian Day
LA MIRADA >> A sheriff's patrol car responding to a report of a collision became involved in an collision of its own on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The crash occurred about 5:20 p.m. at Imperial Highway and La Mirada Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Manuel Flores said.
The deputy was heading north on La Mirada Boulevard with emergency lights and sirens activated when the patrol car collided with another motorist driving through the intersection on Imperial Highway, the sergeant said. The deputy was responding to another reported car crash when the collision took place.
Officials said the deputy suffered injuries to his chest and ankle, possibly amounting to fractures, but suffered no apparent major injuries, Flores said.
A passenger in the second car involved in the collision complained of pain but declined to be taken to a hospital, he said. The driver of the second car was apparently unhurt.
PHOTO courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Posted in La Mirada, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department	| Tagged collision
Woman killed after alleged street racers slam into her car in Whittier; 2 men arrested
Posted on December 17, 2016 by Brian Day
WHITTIER >> A mother driving with her son died after two suspected street racers lost control and crashed along Colima Road in Whittier, sending one of the speeding vehicles slamming into the woman's car on Friday night, authorities said.
Police arrested Corey James Kiefer, 22, of Whittier, and Jacob Zamora, 22, of Anaheim on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter following the 8:40 p.m. crash in the 7700 block of Colima Road, just north of Mar Vista Street, according to Whittier police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
"It appears as though the individuals arrested were street racing," Lt. Bryan Ellis said.
The identity of the woman who died in the collision was not released Saturday pending positive identification and notification of her family, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Lt. David Smith said. She was initially described as a woman estimated to be in her 40s.
Investigators believe the fatal crash resulted from an illegal street race between a white Hyundai and a black BMW, which were both traveling at "a high rate of speed," police said in a written statement.
"As the vehicles accelerated adjacent each other, one lost control and struck the other, causing a spin that sent the white Hyundai into opposing lanes, striking an oncoming Honda Accord," according to the statement. " The female driver was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital, while her juvenile son was transported to UCI Medical Center as a precautionary measure for minor injuries."
Kiefer, who was driving the BMW, suffered no injuries in the crash and was arrested at the scene, officials said.
Zamora, who was driving the Hyundai, as well as a passenger, were taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries, officials said. Zamora was later arrested in connection with the deadly crash.
Authorities were yet to determine whether DUI played a role in the collision.
According to county booking records, Kiefer was released from jail Saturday morning pending his initial court appearance after posting $50,000 bail. Zamora remained in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail pending his arraignment hearing.
Anyone with information on the crash can reach Whittier police at 562-567-9200. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
Posted in Whittier	| Tagged collision, street racing
Man killed in Angeles Crest Highway head-on collision
Posted on November 18, 2016 by Brian Day
ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> A man died in a head-on collision between a Honda Civic and a pickup truck on a winding stretch of Angeles Crest Highway deep in the Angeles National Forest north of La Canada Flintridge late Thursday, officials said.
The crash took place about 8:45 p.m. at mile marker 27.28, California Highway Patrol officials said.
Investigators had not yet identified the man killed in the crash, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. He was estimated to be in his 20s.
"(The Honda) was traveling southbound on Angeles Crest Highway through a turn, then lost control and traveled head-on into (the pickup truck)," CHP Officer J. Saunders said in a written statement.
Paramedics pronounced the driver of the Honda dead at the scene.
A 59-year-old Lancaster man who was driving the pickup truck, a Ford F-550, was treated for minor injuries, Saunders said.
The cause of thee crash remained under investigation.
Anyone with information can reach the CHP's Altadena-area office at 626-296-8100.
PHOTO by Rick McClure
Posted in Angeles National Forest, CHP, La Canada	| Tagged collision
Woman killed, two men critically injured when SUV plows into sidewalk in Monterey Park
MONTEREY PARK >> A woman died and two men clung to life in critical condition after an SUV veered off the roadway and struck them as they were walking on a Monterey Park sidewalk on Friday morning, authorities said.
The collision took place about 8 a.m. on Garfield Avenue at Avondale Avenue, Monterey Park police Lt. Gus Jimenez said.
The woman and two men were walking on the sidewalk along the east side of the street when the small SUV heading north on Garfield Avenue suddenly veered to the right, according to the lieutenant.
"The vehicle went up onto the curb and struck the three pedestrians," he said.
Paramedics pronounced the woman who was struck dead at the scene, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. She was yet to be identified.
The two men who were also struck by the SUV were taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where they remained listed in critical condition Friday afternoon.
The driver of the SUV, a woman described as a senior citizen, was also taken to a hospital for treatment of an apparent medical issue, Monterey Park police and fire officials said.
After striking the pedestrians, the SUV struck two other cars before coming to a rest in the intersection, Jimenez said. No significant injuries were reported from those vehicles.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, Jimenez said. The SUV driver was cooperating with police.
Officials shut down Garfield Avenue well into the afternoon.
Any witnesses, or anyone with information, can reach Monterey Park police at 626-573-1311.
PHOTO via Michael Ares
Posted in Monterey Park	| Tagged collision, pedestrians
El Monte man killed in Old Pasadena crash
PASADENA >> An El Monte man early Thursday after a crash between his compact car and a big rig along Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena, authorities said.
The crash took place about 4:50 a.m. at Colorado Boulevard and Pasadena Avenue, Pasadena police Lt. Pete Hettema said.
Coroner's officials withheld the man's identity Thursday pending notification of his family. Police described him as a 53-year-old El Monte resident.
He was driving a 2008 Toyota Prius north along Pasadena Avenue when the car collided with the trailer of a big rig that was heading east on Colorado Boulevard , the lieutenant said.
Pasadena Fire Department firefighters freed the Prius driver from the wreckage and took him to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, Hettema said.
The driver of the big rig was unhurt, he said.
It initially appeared one of the vehicles ran a red light at the intersection, however it was unclear which one. The cause of the crash remained under investigation by the Pasadena Police Department's Traffic Section.
Any witnesses, or anyone with information can reach Pasadena police at 626-744-4241.
Posted in Pasadena	| Tagged collision
UPDATED: 10-year-old boy fatally struck by car while riding scooter in South Whittier
Posted on October 29, 2016 by Brian Day
SOUTH WHITTIER >> A 10-year-old boy died after being struck by a car while riding a scooter in the unincorporated county area of South Whittier on Friday afternoon, authorities said.
Eduardo Jara of Whittier succumbed to his injuries at a hospital, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator Mario Saenz said.
The collision was first reported about 4:45 p.m. on Sunshine Avenue, just east of Painter Avenue, California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement.
An 18-year-old Whittier man was heading east on Sunshine Avenue at about 15 mph in a 1996 Ford Mustang, officials said.
"The pedestrian, a 10-year-old male on a scooter, traveled north from the south sidewalk from behind a parked vehicle and crossed directly in front of the path of the Ford," according to the statement. "The driver of the Ford was unable to bring his vehicle to a complete stop in time before colliding with the 10-year-old pedestrian."
Jara, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered major injuries, CHP officials said. He was flown to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center by helicopter for treatment.
CHP officials were notified about 8 p.m. that the boy had succumbed to his injuries, Officer Stefan Brandt said.
Authorities said the driver of the Ford remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
The incident is under investigation by the CHP's Santa Fe Springs-area office. Any witnesses, or anyone with information, can reach the office during normal business hours at 562-868-0503.
Posted in Whittier	| Tagged collision, pedestrian, South Whittier
UPDATED: Motorcyclist and driver killed in Irwindale collision
Posted on September 25, 2016 by Brian Day
IRWINDALE >> A crash between a motorcycle and a car in Irwindale early Sunday claimed the lives of both the motorcyclist and the driver of the car, authorities said.
The crash took place about 12:30 a.m. in the 14900 block of Los Angeles Street, east of Maine Avenue, Irwindale police Sgt. Rudy Gatto said in a written statement.
"Irwindale Police Department officers responded to the scene and found that a motorcyclist had been traveling eastbound in the No. 1 lane of Los Angeles Street when it collided with a white Toyota Scion that had been making a left turn out of the parking lot of a nearby business," Gatto said.
The motorcycle collided with the driver-side door of the Scion as the car was exiting the parking lot of AMVETS post 113 and turning onto westbound Los Angeles Street, Sgt. John Fraijo said.
Paramedics pronounced the both the motorcyclist and the driver of the Scion dead at the scene, Fraijo said.
The motorcyclist was identified as Erick Medin Del Rio, 22, of Baldwin Park, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator A. Lopez said.
Officials identified the driver of the Scion as 38-year-old Oscar Pena of Ontario.
A woman riding as a passenger in the Scion was taken to a trauma center for treatment, according to the sergeant. An update on her condition was not available.
Gatto said the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
Any witnesses, or anyone with information, is urged to contact the Irwindale Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-430-2245.
Posted in Irwindale, motorcycle	| Tagged collision
Woman killed, another woman and two children hurt in La Habra car crash
Posted on May 21, 2016 by Brian Day
LA HABRA >> A woman died in a two-car crash that left another woman and two children injured late Friday, police said.
The fatal collision took place about 9:50 p.m. at Harbor Boulevard and Arbolita Street, La Habra police officials said in a written statement.
"Officers arrived and located a traffic collision involving two vehicles," according to the statement. "Two adult females from one vehicle and two children from the second vehicle were injured.
All four injured people were taken to hospitals, where one of the women ultimately succumbed to her injuries, authorities said. Her identity was not released Saturday.
Further details regarding the circumstances of the crash were not available.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the La Habra Police Department Traffic Unit at 562-383-4300.
Posted in La Habra	| Tagged collision, crash
UPDATED: Motorcyclist killed in collision with city truck in Covina
Posted on February 25, 2016 by Brian Day
COVINA >> A 21-year-old Covina man died Thursday after his motorcycle collided with a Covina Department of Public Works pickup truck, authorities said.
The crash took place at 2:04 p.m. on San Bernardino Road at Prospero Drive, Covina police Sgt. Gregg Peterson said.
Paramedics pronounced the motorcyclist dead at the scene, he said. His name was not available.
California Highway Patrol officers were summoned to handle the investigation to avoid any perceived conflict of interest, since the fatal collision involved a city-owned truck and city employee, Peterson explained.
The motorcyclist was heading east on San Bernardino Road at an "undetermined speed" in the left-hand lane on a 2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster just prior to the crash, CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said. A 2014 Ford F-250 truck being driven by a 54-year-old Covina man and city employee was heading north on Prospero Drive, approaching San Bernardino Road, at 5 to 10 miles per hour, Jimenez said in a written statement.
"The public works truck entered the intersection, directly in the path of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle," the officer said. "The Harley-Davidson motorcycle collided with the left side of the truck, causing the rider to be thrown off the motorcycle."
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, though intoxicated driving did not initially appear to be a factor, Jimenez said.
The driver of the truck was unhurt and cooperated with investigators, Peterson said.
Officials shut down both directions of San Bernardino Road between Grand and Barranca Avenues for several hours as they carried out their investigation Thursday afternoon.
PHOTO courtesy of the Covina Police Department
Posted in Covina	| Tagged collision, motorcycle
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text:
Season 32 of 'The Amazing Race' Was Filmed Way Before the Lockdowns
Followers can lastly look ahead to watching The Wonderful Race rivals hop around the globe in pursuit of the grand prize of $1 million. This season, the groups begin off on the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and head to the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago for the primary leg of the exhilarating journey.
With nearly two years for the reason that final season of The Wonderful Race, many followers assumed that the delay for Season 32 was as a result of worldwide lockdowns that went into impact as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. But it surely seems that The Wonderful Race had already filmed all of Season 32 again in November and December of 2018.
The 32nd season was initially set to start out with a two-hour premiere in Might of this 12 months. However due to the pandemic, many different reveals that hadn't but filmed needed to be postponed. Since CBS knew that there was a excessive likelihood of getting to fill empty time slots throughout the fall due to these delays, the community determined to halt the springtime launch of The Wonderful Race's 32nd season.
And it seems that was a extremely good thought. The worldwide lockdowns have delayed manufacturing for various reveals and films, certainly one of them being CBS's Survivor, which nonetheless hasn't been in a position to movie its 41st season.
Manufacturing was initially slated to start in March in Fiji, however executives pulled the plug on filming simply weeks earlier than contestants had been attributable to arrive on the island. Since Survivor's filming was delayed, The Wonderful Race's Season 32 shall be taking on Survivor's Wednesday evening time slot for the autumn.
See also Netflix's 'Ratched' Is a Different Kind of American Horror Story
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text:
void * operator new (size_t size);
// placement new
void * operator new (size_t size, void * ptr);
// delete
void operator delete (void * ptr);

typedef jsonic::containers::String jString;

struct RequestVar {
	jString name;
	jString value;
};

struct Request {
	jString method;
	jsonic::containers::Vector<jString> fragments;
	jsonic::containers::Vector<RequestVar> get_vars;

	bool is_null() {
		return method.length() == 0;
	}
};

class Barf {
public:
	Barf(Stream &serial, jString ssid, jString password, int baud_rate, bool allow_gpio);

	void init();
	void connect();
	void disconnect();
	bool is_connected();
	void set_led_mode(int mode);
	jString debug_info();
	void send_command(jString command, jString value);
	void send_command(jString command);
	void send_data(jString data);
	void get_command_value(jString &command, jString &value);
	jString get_ip();
	jString read_line(jString expected_command, unsigned long timeout);
	jString read_line(jString expected_command);
	jString read_line(unsigned long timeout);
	jString read_line();

	jString get_or_post(jString command, jString url);
	jString get(jString url);
	jString post(jString url);

	Request run();

private:
	jString ssid;
	jString password;
	int baud_rate;
	int led_mode;
	bool allow_gpio;
	Stream &ser;
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider reelected to seventh term
Updated: Mar. 29, 2019, 6:08 p.m. | Published: May. 14, 2014, 11:42 a.m.
Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider, left, was elected for a seventh term against challenger Avery Grant, right, in Tuesday's non-partisan municipal election.
By Rob Spahr | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
LONG BRANCH – The city's voter reelected Mayor Adam Schneider to a seventh term on Tuesday night.
According to the county's unofficial election results, Schneider defeated school board member Avery Grant by less than 250 votes – 1,461 to 1,213 – in the city's nonpartisan election.
"Avery got his people out and I congratulate him for that," Schneider told the Asbury Park Press. "I'm just happy we won. ... After seven elections, it is hard."
Grant told the newspaper that he knew he had an "uphill battle," entering the race late and spending minimal funds.
"We thought we could tap into some unusual pockets of dissatisfaction," he said. "In Elberon, they complained about the cleanliness of the streets, about flooding and taxes. But in the end, they either did not come out or they came out for Adam."
Voters also reelected the incumbent City Council members John Pallone (1,793 votes), Mary Jane Celli (1,688), Joy Bastelli (1,628), Kate Billings (1,615) and Michael Sirianni (1,586).
Challengers David Pizzo and Cynthia Branch each also received more than 1,000 votes, with 1,030 and 1,020 respectively.
More Monmouth County news: NJ.com/monmouth | Twitter | Facebook