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You are at:Home»News»Autonomous Vehicles»Audi demonstrates mono camera and neural network to generate 3D models for AVs
Audi demonstrates mono camera and neural network to generate 3D models for AVs
By Tom Stone on	 December 6, 2017 Autonomous Vehicles, Data & Modeling, Machine Vision / ALPR, Mapping
Audi has been exhibiting an innovative pre-development project that uses a mono camera and neural networks to generate an extremely precise 3D model of a vehicle's environment, at the world's most important symposium for artificial intelligence (AI) in Long Beach, California.
A project team from the Audi subsidiary Audi Electronics Venture (AEV) has been presenting a mono camera at the Conference and Workshop on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) that uses AI to generate an extremely precise 3D model of the environment, making it possible to capture the exact surroundings of an autonomous car. A conventional mono front camera acts as the sensor, which captures the area in front of the car within an angle of about 120° and delivers 15 images per second at a resolution of 1.3MP. These images are then processed in a neural network, where 'semantic segmenting' occurs, in which each pixel is classified into one of 13 object classes. This enables the system to identify and differentiate other cars, trucks, houses, road markings, people, and traffic signs.
The system also uses neural networks for distance information. The visualization is performed here via ISO lines; virtual boundaries that define a constant distance. This combination of semantic segmenting and estimates of depth produces a precise 3D model of the actual environment. Audi engineers had previously trained the neural network with the help of 'unsupervised learning', which, in contrast to supervised learning, is a method of learning from observations of circumstances and scenarios that does not require pre-sorted and classified data. The neural network received numerous videos of road situations that had been recorded with a stereo camera. As a result, the network learned to independently understand rules, which it uses to produce 3D information from the images of the mono camera.
The system was demonstrated using the new Audi A8, which was the first car in the world developed for conditional automated driving at SAE Level 3, using the company's AI traffic jam pilot to handle the task of driving in slow-moving traffic up to 37mph (60km/h). At NIPS, another Audi team from the company's Electronics Research Laboratory in Belmont, California, demonstrated a solution for purely AI-based parking and driving in parking lots and on highways. In this process, lateral guidance of the car is completely carried out through neural networks, where the AI learns to independently generate a model of the environment from camera data and to steer the car. This approach requires no highly-precise localization or map data.
Multiple location-powered products and services launched at CES 2020
Real-time hazard service for ADAS and navigation systems being developed

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Peter Abrahams, Down the Rabbit Hole. The first Echo Falls mystery featuring thirteen-year-old Ingrid Levin Hill, an eigth grader whose fictional idol is Sherlock Holmes. "Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. And getting them back will mean getting tangled up in a murder inestigation as complicated as the mysteries solved by her idol." This paperback edition includes a "deleted scene." Abrahams has written a number of well-received adult and children's mysteries both as by himself and as by "Spencer Quinn."
Michael Cadnum, Seize the Storm. YA thriller. On a family sail from California to Hawaii are cousins Martin and Susannah, Susannah's parents, and a crewman. Their yacht comes across a drifting powerboat with two dead bodies and a large stash of money. Suddenly their vacation goes very, very wrong. Cadnum is a National Book Award winner and prize-winning poet.
Colin Cotterill, The Woman Who Wouldn't Die. The ninth Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos. "Three days after a woman's funeral, she's back in her house as if she'd never been dead aat all -- despite the fact that everyone in the village saw her body burn. Now she is a clairvoyant, and soon the brother of a dead Lao general enlists her help to uncover the general's remains, which have been lost at the bottom of a rier for many years." Enter Lao national coroner Dr. Siri. According to the author's bio, Cotterill has a wife and "six deranged dogs."
Deborah LeBlanc, Water Witch. Horror novel set in the author's native Louisiana. Dunny has kept her special talents hidden for years but now her powers might be the only thing that can save two missing children. And the ghosts and spirits of the swamp pale against the powerful evil that has targeted the children, along with anyone who tries to help them.
Wayne C. Lee, Sudden Guns. Western. On the way to the family ranch, Clint Dane is robbed of $23,000 in gold -- his father's lifetime earnings. Reaching the ranch he finds his parents dead and his sister missing. He's sure that his sister's estranged husband, the outlaw Larry Briles, has kidnapped her. If Dane has had a bad day, that's nothing compared to what's in store for Briles.
Tempa Pagel, Here's the Church, There's the Steeple. An Andy Gammon mystery. A 200-year-old skeleton is discovered in the ruins of a church steeple in Newburyport, Massahusetts. Andy, an "outsider" who has married into her husband's community, discovers a silver tankard that has been missing since 1811. A much fresher corpse shows up. An arsonist strikes Andy's home and it becomes clear that someone wants long-buried secrets to stay buried. I picked this one up because of the setting; Kitty and I spent one of the coldest winters on record in poorly heated apartment in Newburyport. Lovely town, but danged cold.
Thomas Perry, Blood Money. The fifth Jane Whitfield mystery. Jane is a Native American (Senaca) woman who helps the helpless disappear. This time Jane is helping a woman whom the mob suspects has the only record of a shady investment worth billions. A mafioso army is descending on the city, leaving Jane no means of exit for herself and her client.
FROM THE PAST: RATS IN MY KITCHEN
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: BLUE SMOKE
MADHOUSE #1 (JUNE 1957)
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: ONE FINE DAY
FORGOTTEN BOOK: EVENING TALES FOR THE WINTER
UNDERAPPRECIATED MUSIC: ERIC VON SCHMIDT
OUR MISS BROOKS: BOYNTON THE GIGOLO
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: RATTLESNAKIN DADDY
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY
OVERLOOKED MOVIE: PRIVATE SNUFFY SMITH (1942)
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: STILL
THE GREATEST TED TALK EVER SOLD
MUSIC FROM THE PAST (WHAT WERE THEY THINKING DEPT....
JAK OF THE JAGUARS ON THE PLANET OF PERIL
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: I'M JUST A BILL
FORGOTTEN BOOK: CATASTROPHES!
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: TOWN WITHOUT PITY
THE BURNING COURT
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY TH...
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: ABIYOYO
OVERLOOKED OATER: HAUNTED RANCH (1943)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IAN BALLANTINE!
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SONGS
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: I LIKE BANANAS( BECAUSE THEY...
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: JUST A DREAM
SUBMARINE ATTACK #20 (FEBRUARY 1960)
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: DO YOUR DUTY
FORGOTTEN BOOK: TARZAN AND THE FOREIGN LEGION
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: HONEY DON'T
BARRY CRAIG, CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATOR: THE IMPOSTER
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: ANDREA
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: THE RIVER IS WIDE
OVERLOOKED MOVIE: THE SCREAMING MIMI
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: BORIS THE SPIDER
**COUGH, COUGH** **HACK! HACK!** INCOMING...PROB...
TED TALK: BATTLING BAD SCIENCE
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: MOVE THAT THING
TEEN-AGE TEMPTATIONS #7 (APRIL 1954)
FORGOTTEN BOOK: CAPTIVE
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: THE GIRL FROM IPANIMA
CANDY MATSON YUkon 2-8209: SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
BEST WISHES TO ED GORMAN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: PEA PICKIN' PAPA
JUG BAND MUSIC
OVERLOOKED MOVIE: AT MIDNIGHT I'LL TAKE YOUR SOUL...
MUSIC FROM THE PAST: MAN SMART, WOMAN SMARTER


text:
<?php

namespace Hubzero\View\Helper;

use Hubzero\Document\Asset\Image;
use Hubzero\Plugin\View;
use Request;

/**
 * Helper for generating paths to image assets.
 */
class Img extends AbstractHelper
{
	/**
	 * Generate asset path
	 *
	 * @param   string  $asset      Image to get path for
	 * @param   string  $extension  Extension name, e.g.: com_example, mod_example, plg_example_test
	 * @param   string  $element    Plugin element. Only used for plugins and if first argument is folder name.
	 * @return  object
	 */
	public function __invoke($asset = '', $extension = null, $element = null)
	{
		$extension = $extension ?: $this->_extension();

		if ($element)
		{
			$extension = 'plg_' . $extension . '_' . $element;
		}

		$asset = new Image($extension, $asset);

		return $asset->link();
	}

	/**
	 * Determine the extension the view is being called from
	 *
	 * @return  string
	 */
	private function _extension()
	{
		if ($this->getView() instanceof View)
		{
			return 'plg_' . $this->getView()->getFolder() . '_' . $this->getView()->getElement();
		}

		return $this->getView()->get('option', Request::getCmd('option'));
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For those who want to participate in a cross-country adventure behind the wheel of their MINI, start planning now for "MINI Takes the States" 2016. The event will take place between July 9th and July 23rd of 2016, with the exact route will be revealed at a later date.
MINI USA will provide MINI Takes the States participants with a variety of unique, once in a lifetime motoring experiences along the way.
A portion of the 2014 proceeds were donated to the charity, Best Friends Animal Society. Next year's charity partner has yet to be announced.


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Tag Archives: oblivion
TRON: Legacy (2010)
Note: This film was the main topic of discussion on Episode 1 of my podcast, The Cinescope Podcast. Give it a listen for a more in-depth discussion!
Back in 1982, Disney released a film that proved to leave a lasting impact in the world of film, making strides in advanced computer graphics technology and laser trail bikes. One of the more notable effects this film had in the industry was showing John Lasseter the possibilities of computer graphics and leading to the eventual success of Pixar. Nearly 30 years after the release of TRON, first-time director Joseph Kosinski was hired to direct the almost $200 million sequel to the dated film, challenged with continuing the story and dazzling with another technological marvel…and he succeeded.
TRON: Legacy opens with young ENCOM CEO Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) explaining to his son Sam the origin of The Grid – a "digital frontier" that resembles a city, a place where programs are anthropomorphized and live their own lives, and where Tron, a protector, and a clone of Flynn called C.L.U. – Codified Likeness Utility – work together to create and to explore this digital landscape. However, later that night, Flynn disappears from the world without a trace. 20 years pass, and now Sam (Garrett Hedlund), who has distanced himself from his father's company save for an annual prank, has received a tip from his father's friend Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) that something may be going on in his father's office at the now-abandoned arcade that he owned. Upon investigating, something extraordinary happens, thrusting him into the very world that his father described to him as a boy. It becomes a race against time to escape back to the real world, with new faces Quorra (Olivia Wilde) and Castor (Michael Sheen) showing up along the way during Sam's journey home.
*mild spoilers ahead*
To get it out of the way, I'll start with the obvious: this film is quite the spectacle to behold, from the glowing blue skyscrapers, to the intimidating flying Recognizers (appearing as a significant upgrade from their original appearance 30 years ago), to the fantastic score composed by Daft Punk and Joseph Trapanese (my review). These are the things that people agree on regarding this film: that it is a visual and auditory treat, showing that every cent of the $200 million budget was put to good use. Concepts introduced in the first film – disc wars, light cycle races, a world that pulses with a vivid energy – are magnified to the nth degree here and, paired with Daft Punk's infectious music, provide some of the more extravagant action sequences made with digital effects in the last decade. In this movie and in his second feature, Oblivion (my review), director Joseph Kosinski proves he has an talent for creating visuals that are wonders to behold
What people agree on less when it comes to this movie is everything outside of what appeals to the senses: that is, to put it simply, the story and acting. But I would disagree with the majority in saying that there are some great, moving performances that feature here.
At its core, TRON: Legacy is a father/son movie. Garrett Hedlund's Sam exudes a confidence that masks his vulnerability; after all, this is a character who lost his father when he was 7 years old, and as the film goes on, it is revealed how much he misses him. In a scene where Alan tells Sam of a mysterious message he received from Flynn's former office, Hedlund's face expresses so well the pain he feels in wishing that his father was around but knowing that he's gone forever. Likewise, Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn portrays a father who is willing to sacrifice anything for the protection and well-being of his son. In their heartfelt reunion, it's difficult to not feel a pang when Flynn turns around to instantly recognize his son who was only a child the last time he saw him, collapsing into his arms in a deep embrace. It's a powerful moment. As the film progresses, so does their relationship, and though they face some tough moments, they prove that they're there for each other and, more importantly, that they love each other.
Most of the emotional core of this movie comes from those two characters, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Jeff Bridges' other character, C.L.U., who is our villain. As mentioned before, he is essentially a clone of Flynn, and as such he represents Flynn's flaws at the time of his inception, namely an inability to recognize that perfection is not an attainable goal. It's this flaw that helps us to empathize with the character – he's only doing what he feels is right because it's what he was created to do, even if it's contrary to what Flynn himself came to realize as he aged and matured. Despite the motion capture work that doesn't age quite as well as the rest of the effects in the film, Bridges communicates this conflict very well, culminating in the final bridge scene that shows C.L.U.'s desperation to fulfill his purpose.
It would be a shame if I didn't give a shoutout to Olivia Wilde's wonderfully naïve Quorra, who represents the childlike wonder in all of us. One scene has her asking for the description of the sun because she's never had the chance to experience it, and this pays off in the end of the film when we see her basking in the glow of a warm sunrise. Worth mentioning is Michael Sheen's quirky Castor, who does little more than strut around talking strangely, but he's a fun character who appears during one of the film's dry spells to further along the plot.
TRON: Legacy isn't a masterpiece of a film that delves into the human condition or anything "deep" like that, but it does have characters whose interactions with each other give us something to connect with. The concept of The Grid and the activities that lie therein are fascinating to me – the very concept of the world is *concept* itself – and the execution of these are what pushes this film into the realm of "enjoyable" for me. While the main attractions certainly are these spectacles and the outstanding soundtrack, if you look for it, there are some great human moments that might make you feel something along the way.
MPAA: PG – for sequences of sci-fi action violence and brief mild language
Leave a comment	| tags: bruce boxleitner, chadadada, chadlikesmovies, cinescope, daft punk, derezzed, Disney, end of line, garrett hedlund, jeff bridges, joseph kosinski, joseph trapanese, m83, michael sheen, oblivion, olivia wilde, podcast, tron, tron legacy	| posted in Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Movies, Music, Recommended, Recommended, Scores, The Cinescope Podcast
The delay in me typing this up comes from the fact that there are still a few major films from 2013 that I have yet to see – American Hustle, Her, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Wolf of Wall Street (though I'm thinking I won't see the latter due to excessive sexual content). That being said, I wanted to go ahead and tackle what I have seen before too much of 2014 passes, so just know that, if I see these films and find them worthy of this list, I will update it and let you all know.
2013 was a pretty great year for me. I saw more films than ever before, largely due to my involvement in The MovieByte Podcast with my friend TJ. If I totaled everything correctly, I saw 40 new films this year in theaters, so this list is drawing from a pretty wide selection.
An important note: this is a list of favorite films, which may conflict with my ratings. My ratings are usually based on a combination of both quality and enjoyment, whereas this list will mostly be based on enjoyment with quality mixed in just a bit. Click on the titles to see my reviews for each film. With that said, let's get started with number 10:
Honorable Mention – Thor: The Dark World
After the mediocre first Thor film, I was hoping for a much better second film, which we thankfully got in Thor: The Dark World. Chris Hemsworth is an excellent Thor, made better by the fact that we're not establishing an origin anymore. Tom Hiddleston's Loki continues to impress as well, this time as an ally, bringing an interesting twist to the character and allowing for a fun and occasionally potent brother-to-brother relationship. Brian Tyler's score is just as fun as the movie itself, and Christopher Eccleston's villain Malekith is appropriately menacing, if a bit vague in intention.
10. Frozen
I love Disney films, especially musical ones, because they remind me of my childhood, when The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast (my review), and Aladdin were supreme. Frozen reminds me of those 1990s Disney movies, but this time with a nice twist at the end – which I won't spoil for you. The voice cast is incredible here, namely Kristen Bell as Anna and Josh Gad as Olaf the Snowman, with Idina Menzel's "Let It Go" set to be a surefire nominee for Best Original Song at this year's Academy Awards – and, I'll call it now, it'll win too. The animation is beautiful, the story is touching, and you'll walk out whistling the songs, wanting to watch it again and again.
9. 12 Years a Slave
This film is difficult to rank because, while it's certainly a 5-star film, it's also difficult to watch. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Solomon Northup, a free black man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery for twelve long years. The film covers his incredibly painful time spent on a plantation in Louisiana, where he meets good people, bad people, and fellow slaves who are also struggling for their lives. Director Steve McQueen doesn't shy away from the harsh truths of slavery and how brutal the slave owners often were, making this film exceptionally powerful and a must-watch – if you can stomach it.
8. Ender's Game
I read Orson Scott Card's classic book in anticipation of this film, so it was fresh on my mind when I walked into the theater. As expected, the book is much better and much of the content in the film is watered down, but that doesn't stop the film from being pretty excellent on its own. For the most part, it keeps the themes of morality and unnecessary violence intact, and Asa Butterfield as the eponymous Ender does a fantastic job of capturing the character, from his calm control in stressful situations to his intense emotional outbursts upon the realizations of what has happened to him. The visuals in this movie are gorgeous, with scenes from the book, such as the armies in the Battle Room, flying right off the page in a great way.
7. The Book Thief
I also read Markus Zusak's The Book Thief before seeing the film based on it, and many of my criticisms are the same as for Ender's Game in regards to the watering down of content and such, but that doesn't stop this film from being an emotional punch to the gut. Sophie Nélisse is outstanding as Liesel Meminger, as are her parents, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. The period setting of the film is well-done, and John Williams delivers as intimate and beautiful a score as ever. Bring a box of tissues for this one…maybe two.
6. Captain Phillips
In this film, Tom Hanks has the best performance of his life…for, what, the fifth time now? Man, he continues to prove that he's one of the best actors out there. Captain Phillips tells the true story of how Somalian pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama but were thwarted by Captain Richard Phillips, who not only protected everyone on board with his actions but also offered himself as hostage to continue that protection. Barkhad Abdi plays the lead pirate, who isn't portrayed as a bad guy but rather as a guy forced to do bad things due to unfortunate social circumstances. There isn't a bad guy here, not really – at least, that's not how the film portrays the pirates – but there is simply reality and suspense that rises from it. The long run-time never feels too long as you are caught up in the action from start to finish, and if Tom Hanks doesn't win the Academy Award for Best Actor, it'll only be because he lost it to Chiwetel Ejiofor.
5. Saving Mr. Banks
Emma Thompson shines in this historical film about the making of the 1964 Disney film, Mary Poppins, based on the book series by P. L. Travers. Thompson's portrayal of the stubborn author is both quirky and humorous, but it's also heartbreaking in her remembrance of moments in her childhood that inspired her books. Colin Farrell plays her father in these flashbacks, juxtaposing a happy-go-lucky father with a down-on-his-luck drunkard, giving us insight into Mary Poppins and the Banks family that I was not previously familiar with. Tom Hanks plays an admirable Walt Disney, even if his performance doesn't convince me enough that I am watching Walt himself rather than Hanks playing him. Still, the charm of the movie as a whole as well as Thompson's performance knock this film out of the park. (You should probably bring tissues to this one as well.)
4. Oblivion
I had a self-imposed boycott on Tom Cruise's films for quite a long time, but since lifting it for 2011's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (my review) he has quickly become one of my favorite actors. His performance here is great, as is Andrea Riseborough's performance as his partner, but it's the themes and questions raised by the film that bring Oblivion so far to the top of my list. Themes of asking questions, seeking answers, and the thirst for knowledge vs. the fear of knowledge are brought to the forefront, and, for some reason, it really resonated with me. The script is smart, Tom Cruise is as great as ever, and the score by M83 is energetic and fun, in the same vein as Daft Punk's score for TRON: Legacy (my review), which was directed by the same man, Joseph Kosinski. This film not only shows off Tom Cruise's continuing capabilities as an action star, but his talents as a dramatic actor as well.
3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
As far as book-to-film adaptations go, 2012's The Hunger Games (my review) was one of the best I'd seen, but it still had problems. Director Gary Ross' replacement by Francis Lawrence for the second film seemed worrying at first, but it seemed to pay off. Not only is Catching Fire a better film than the first one, but it's also a better adaptation of its book counterpart, which is hard to believe. In fact, if I may be so bold, I think that I enjoyed the film more than the book, at least as far as the opening scenes involving the Victory Tour go, which I know is probably blasphemy. Jennifer Lawrence is surely one of the best actresses out there today as evidenced by her continued terrific performance as Katniss Everdeen. The stakes of this film are higher than in the first, and the character development is even better than the already-good character development of the first film. The shaky-cam is gone in favor of better choreographed action scenes, and, in fact, nearly every aspect of the first film is improved upon this time around. This is an excellent film whether you've read the books or not.
2. Gravity
If you didn't catch this film in theaters, I'm sorry. You missed out. Maybe they'll bring it back for a few extra showings before the Academy Awards, in which case you should buy a ticket as soon as they're available. Though this film is great all-around, from the performance of Sandra Bullock to the music by Steven Price to the brilliant visuals of space, the real thrill comes from the thrill of total immersion. You seem to experience everything that Bullock's character experiences, from spinning around in the vacuum of space to the rush of being trapped in a shower of incoming deadly space debris. The theater experience makes an already-great film even better by involving the audience fully in the action and atmosphere – or lack thereof – of space.
1. The Way, Way Back
I love, love, love this film. Love it. I caught an early screening about a month before it reached theaters and subsequently paid to see it twice more. I purchased it on Blu-Ray the day it became available and have watched it three times more since then, and I have yet to tire of it. The Way, Way Back is a coming-of-age film about Duncan, played by Liam James, who is the most perfectly, believably awkward person I've ever seen onscreen, which is exactly how his character should be. The growth of his character throughout the film is equally fun and touching, contrasted by Steve Carell's portrayal of Duncan's awful stepfather, a role refreshingly atypical of Carell's usual fare. However, the standout performance in this film is that of Sam Rockwell as Owen, a local waterpark owner who befriends Duncan and helps him to make his summer one of the best of his life. Rockwell brings many laugh-out-loud moments, but he also brings the most poignant moments of the film. The moral is great, and the ride is a great one. I don't think I could possibly over-recommend this movie.
Well, there you have it. Do you agree or disagree with my list? What were your favorite films of 2013? Sound off in the comments – I'd love to hear your opinions.
Here's to 2014 – another great year for movies!
Leave a comment	| tags: 12 years a slave, academy award for best actor, academy award for best actress, academy award for best original song, Academy Awards, Aladdin, alfonso cuaron, american hustle, andrea riseborough, andrew wiggin, animation, anna, asa butterfield, barkhad abdi, battle room, Beauty and the Beast, best original song, brian tyler, captain phillips, captain richard phillips, catching fire, chiwetel ejiofor, chris hemsworth, christopher eccleston, colin farrell, daft punk, Disney, disney animation, elsa, emily watson, emma thompson, ender wiggin, ender's game, francis lawrence, frozen, gary ross, geoffrey rush, george clooney, gravity, her, idina menzel, inside llewyn davis, jennifer lawrence, John Williams, joseph kosinski, josh gad, josh hutcherson, katniss everdeen, kristen bell, let it go, liam james, liesel meminger, loki, m83, maersk alabama, malekith, markus zusak, Mary Poppins, maya rudolph, mission impossible, mission impossible: ghost protocol, moviebyte, musical, oblivion, olaf the snowman, orson scott card, Oscars, p. l. travers, peeta mellark, pl travers, richard phillips, sam rockwell, sandra bullock, saving mr. banks, slavery, solomon northup, Somalia, somalian pirates, sophie nélisse, steve carell, steve mcqueen, steven price, the book thief, The Hunger Games, the hunger games: catching fire, the lion king, the moviebyte podcast, the secret life of walter mitty, the way way back, the wolf of wall street, Thor, thor the dark world, tom cruise, tom hanks, tom hiddleston, top ten, top ten 2013, top ten films, top ten movies, travers goff, tron legacy, twelve years a slave, victory tour, walt disney	| posted in Books, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Movies, Music, Scores
A Few Good Men (1992)
I had never seen A Few Good Men until recently, and, even though I knew the film's famous quote ("You can't handle the truth!"), I did not know that it belonged to this film. When my good friend TJ, Editor-in-Chief of MovieByte.com and head host of the site's podcast, The MovieByte Podcast, on which I am his co-host, suggested that we review this film together, I said, "why not?," and set out to watch it – and I had a great time talking about it with TJ on Episode 69 of The MovieByte Podcast!
A Few Good Men, directed by Rob Reiner (The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap) and with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network, Moneyball), is based on Sorkin's 1989 play of the same name. When two US Marines are court-martialed for killing a fellow Marine, the young, inexperienced Navy lawyer Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) is assigned to the case. After striking a deal with the prosecution, Captain Jack Ross (Kevin Bacon), Kaffee learns from the defendants that their actions were the result of an order given by Lt. Jonathan James Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland), Kaffee drops the deal and takes the case to court. With help from Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak) and Lt. Commander JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore), Kaffee sets out to prove that the two Marines were merely acting on orders, bringing him against Kendrick and his superior, hardball Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson).
Courtroom dramas are just fun, with the prime example being the classic To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee's book of the same name and starring Gregory Peck. Tom Cruise is no Atticus Finch, but his inherent on-screen likability works well for him here as he works to convince the jury of his clients' innocence. For me, it was interesting seeing Cruise outside of an action role, and I certainly wish he did more of them because he's excellent here. Demi Moore does a decent job of showing uncertainty from a character who is usually so sure of herself, and most of the other characters do a fine job as well, though they're nothing to speak of. Jack Nicholson, however, is obviously the shining star of the film, despite his limited screen time, which can be compared to Anthony Hopkins' performance as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, in which he was onscreen for only 12 minutes but still won the Academy Award. Though Jack Nicholson didn't win the Academy Award for his performance here, he still does a fantastic job of portraying such a stubborn character, and his delivery of the classic line doesn't at all feel forced or cliched. In fact, I think that that is Nicholson's greatest strength as an actor: he is able to play crazy/angry/etc. so believably without it seeming forced.
The star behind the scenes here is Aaron Sorkin, who wrote both the screenplay and the original play that it is based on. His dialogue is sharp, and his storytelling is strong, and the relationships between characters develop nicely and provide several nice moments throughout the film. Most of the humor he writes into the script is good as well, though I must admit that there were a few jokes that seemed forced, being there simply for the purpose of being jokes rather than being a byproduct of something that actually advances the story.
On the whole, my complaints are minimal, and I was entertained throughout. A Few Good Men is a well-deserved classic that has withstood the test of time; I think that I was destined to like this film. With the combination of so many amazing talents – Rob Reiner, who directed one of my favorite films (The Princess Bride; (my review)), Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for another of my favorite films (The Social Network), Tom Cruise, who I have only recently discovered and enjoyed in films such as Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (my review) and Oblivion (my review), and Jack Nicholson, one of my favorite actors (The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) – what's not to love?
MPAA: R – for language
Leave a comment	| tags: a few good men, aaron sorkin, anthony hopkins, atticus finch, daniel kaffee, demi moore, ghost protocol, gregory peck, hannibal lecter, jack nicholson, kevin bacon, kevin pollak, kiefer sutherland, mission impossible, mission impossible: ghost protocol, moneyball, moviebyte, nathan jessup, oblivion, one flew over the cuckoo's nest, podcast, rob reiner, the princess bride, the shining, the silence of the lambs, The Social Network, the west wing, this is spinal tap, to kill a mockingbird, tom cruise, you can't handle the truth	| posted in 4, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Movies
Joseph Kosinski's first directorial effort was 2010's TRON: Legacy, a film that, despite how much I enjoyed it, was only decent. His second directorial effort, as well as his first to write and produce, is Oblivion, which, due to my enjoyment of TRON: Legacy, I was actually looking forward to quite a bit, especially since I have been enlightened to the acting talent of Tom Cruise in the last year. I listened to the soundtrack for the film by M83 and Joseph Trapanese for a full week and a half in anticipation. I must admit that I still only expected this to be a decent film, but, thankfully, this was a rare instance in which my expectations were exceeded.
Oblivion tells the story of Jack Harper (Cruise) and his partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) as they live on a post-apocalyptic Earth. We are told that aliens invaded sixty years prior to the events of the film, but the humans won in nuclear war, leaving the Earth ravaged and forcing the humans to evacuate to Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Jack is a repair technician who repairs drones that protect hydrorigs, which are sucking up Earth's water to transport to Saturn, acting on orders rather than memory; he was forced to have his mind wiped fifteen years previously, though he still has vague recollections of a past that he doesn't remember. He collects books that he finds and imagines what the world was like before all of this, but his partner is content to follow orders – two more weeks until the two of them get to join the rest of the human population on Titan. But when a space module crash lands and Jack pulls a survivor (Olga Kurylenko) from the wreckage before the "scavs" (remaining aliens from the war who sabotage the drones and hydrorigs) can get to her, he asks more questions than ever, throwing his and Victoria's world into even further disarray.
Sound complicated? It is, a bit, but I never found the film's complexities to be a burden. In fact, I sat on the edge of my seat the whole time, eagerly asking myself, "What's going to happen next? How are they going to resolve this? Why did that just happen? What does this mean?" Cruise is the obvious highlight of this film, bringing his usual talent for action along with appropriate drama and a refreshing humanity that we don't always see from him. Andrea Riseborough as Victoria, Harper's partner and lover, gives a powerfully emotional performance as the sort of voice of reason, the one who is only interested in doing what she's told rather than asking questions. Morgan Freeman's brief but incredibly important role as Malcolm Beech, leader of an underground resistance, plays into Freeman's typical "father figure" sort of role, but it doesn't feel canned, and Olga Kurylenko as Julia, the survivor from the space module, gives a decent performance as well.
The story is somewhat reminiscent of Pixar's Wall•E, though I won't explain all the similarities here lest I spoil the film for you. The themes of asking questions/searching for answers and thirsting for knowledge vs. the fear of knowledge are powerful and well-represented here, with symbolism running rampant. For example, Jack Harper has a secret cabin on a plot of green earth near a pond that he found; this is where he stores the books that he finds, from medical dictionaries to Horatius to A Tale of Two Cities. This area is the obvious representation of the previously mentioned thirst for knowledge. There is also one moment where Harper presents Victoria with a can containing a flower that he has cared for, but she promptly tosses it out the window, citing regulation and contamination (there's an obvious Wall•E parallel), which is representative of her fear of knowledge.
Ever since I walked out of the theater, I've been debating what rating to give this film. I knew it was at least a 4/5, though I thought it could easily be a 4.5 as well. I wanted to give it 5/5, though I know it's certainly not a perfect movie. However, given my enjoyment of it, I think that a 5 is a perfectly reasonable rating; it's got a smart script, a capable and talented cast, an appropriate score by M83 (assisted by Joseph Trapanese), and it asks questions that we can all learn from. Despite its flaws, Oblivion is a fantastic film, proving that 1) Cruise is not only a wonderful action star but also a capable dramatic actor and that 2) Kosinksi has a lot of future potential as a great film director.
MPAA: PG-13 – for sci-fi action violence, brief strong language, and some sensuality/nudity
P.S. – Read my review of this film's score, composed by M83, here!
5 Comments	| tags: a tale of two cities, andrea riseborough, horatius, hydrorig, jack harper, joseph kosinski, joseph trapanese, m83, moon, morgan freeman, nuclear war, oblivion, olga kurylenko, Pixar, post-apocalypic, saturn, titan, tom cruise, tron, tron legacy, wall-e	| posted in 5, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Movies, Music, Scores


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Drinks, Hotels
The Best Hotels For Beer Lovers
By Forbes Travel Guide Editor Alex Skjong
The worlds of hops and hospitality have a long history together. Just this week, in fact, plans were confirmed for New York's Bud Light Hotel — the docked Norwegian Gateway cruise ship and Intrepid Sea, Air & Spa Museum next door will sleep 4,000 people and provide 22 restaurants and bars — to operate during the week of Super Bowl XLVIII. These following places won't catch a drinker's eyes quite like that, but they more than make up for it with plush digs, thoughtful service and lots of suds. Our editors sifted through pints from Philly to Prague and found five places you'll want to turn in after turning up your last glass.
Last year, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia teamed up with local brewery Dock Street Brewing Co. for a sudsy (and limited) celebration of all four seasons. The moody and fireplace-lit Swann Lounge set the stage for releases such as spring's Caliente Golden Ale and fall's Spanish Fly. The "Beer Four All Seasons" promotion a hit among craft beer enthusiasts and sold out quickly, leaving the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel with only one option—pair up with the brewery again in 2013. The seasonal line that began with a spring brew (O.P. Yum) and continued with a summer treat (Crackle and Squeeze) has its taste buds currently set on autumn's 1983: Beer of Excellence, a Belgian ale fermented and lagered with Champagne yeast.
Kerry Hotel, Pudong, Shanghai
Four-Star Kerry Hotel in Shanghai is all about beer. As the hotel bar's name implies, The BREW has taken a diehard approach to its beer service. The award-winning bar pours six craft beers and one cider brewed on the premises by hotel brew master Leon Mickelson. After you've finished an Indian Pale Ale or Pils, take the behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel's microbrewery—lead by Mickelson—that concludes with a six-course beer degustation dinner, and we promise you'll have a new appreciation for the stuff.
The Fairmont San Francisco
The specialty brew here all started with a buzz—literally. To battle the declining honeybee population (down 90 percent since the 1980s), The Fairmont San Francisco — and nine other Fairmont Hotels around the world — installed four beehives in its lobby-level outdoor garden. Visible through floor-to-ceiling windows in the foyer, the culinary garden grows a number of different herbs, but the real sweetness is the gobs of honey the 200,000 buzzing insects produce (around 800 pounds in 2011). It's that sweet stuff that triggered the hotel to join hoppy forces with Almanac Beer Co., creating The Fairmont San Francisco Honey Saison, a snappy ale featuring, of course, honey from the hotel hives. The brew is available exclusively at the hotel's Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar.
Swans Suite Hotel, Victoria, B.C.
With a location that served as a launch pad for Klondike gold rushers and a building dating back to 1913, the Swans Suite Hotel in British Columbia has some serious history. It also has some serious brew clout: Carrying on the tradition of housing grain in the building during its previous days as a feed market, Swans Suite began offering beer brewed on-site in 1989 and has never looked back. Swans Brewery adheres to a strict no-sugars, syrups or adjuncts (un-malted ingredients) policy that has served it well—it has garnered 26 honors from the Canadian Brewing Awards in just 10 years. Taste the mild Appleton Brown Ale, the light Artic Ale, and the full-bodied and powerful Swans Oatmeal Stout at the brewpub, or stop by the hotel's wine and beer shop and take some back to your room.
The Augustine, Prague
This Rocco Forte hotel captures the essence of Old World Prague in its seven different buildings (including its namesake, Augustine St. Thomas Monastery from the 13th century); but the true gem here is the St. Thomas Brewery Bar. Once the cellar of the original St. Thomas brewery, the bar sports stalactites and stalagmites from the 17th century, a floating terra-cotta floor and a natural water source. The cave-like atmosphere transports you back in time and is perfect for enjoying a modern version of the monks' St. Thomas brew, as well as several specialty and seasonal selections. Opt for the beer tasting menu to test out the unique dark lager brewed specifically for The Augustine.
Photos Courtesy of Rocco Forte Hotels, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
Augustine Hotel British Columbia Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia Kerry Hotel Pudong Shanghai Philadelphia Prague San Francsico Shanghai Swans Suite Hotel The Fairmont San Francisco
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DVD Review: LIZ & DICK
Studio: E1 Entertainment
Cast: Lindsey Lohan, Grant Bowler, Theresa Russell, David Hunt
Director: Lloyd Kramer
Rating: Not Rated for (adult themes)
Run Time: 01h:30m:00s
Genre(s): biography
"I'm bored. I'm so bored!" - Elizabeth Taylor (Lindsey Lohan)
Exploitive much? Lindsey Lohan brings her tabloid gravitas to a movie picking over the bones of the woman, whose life was the material of tabloid legend. Not very good as a biography, not very good as a movie, this film careens from cringeworthy to boring. For Lohan completists only (or maybe Grant Bowler fans).
Movie Grade: C-
DVD Grade: C+
Unfortunately, Liz & Dick is typical TV-movie biography fare that might as well been made on a tight budget with nobodies like in the 1970s. Nothing really distinguishing abou the writing, directing, casting or production. The plot is straightforward historical and skips from scandal to the next without any attempt to really get to know the characters of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and somehow it makes them less interesting and more petty. The longing to quit the movie business and move to Wales away from the cameras rings a bit hollow from the mouths of such media creatures. The odd interview interludes are distracting rather than illuminating. Like many of the bad TV bios, this film has the unfortunate aura of an extended Saturday Night Live skit that is not funny and goes on too, too long.
Lindsey Lohan is nearly as bad as the critics claim. For anyone who remembers the persona of Elizabeth Taylor, this is a poor impersonation. It is one thing to get made up as and dressed up as for a photo shoot. But it is entirely another to evoke a persona in motion. The worst part is the voice. The squeaky schoolgirlish manner of Lohan is nowhere even in the ballpark in capturing the sound of Elizabeth Taylor. It was reported that Lohan wore opalescent lavender contact lenses for the role to try and give herself Taylor's famous violet eyes.
Lohan is one of those remarkable celebrities that seems to be incredibly famous and terribly interesting to a large number of people, who has actually done very much of any significance. Her resume contains two or three decent films like Mean Girls and Prairie Home Companion, some Disney films, like Freaky Friday and Herbie Gets Fully Loaded, some B-movies and a long list of arrest headlines. One of the jokes of her casting in Liz & Dick was that she was one of the most insured actresses ever to walk on a soundstage. The production began ominously when she suffered a car accident, but the filming completed in a short four-weeks.
Grant Bowler is serviceable in the role of Richard Burton, keeping his steady if uninspiring portrayal more in the realm of typical TV-movie mimicry. Most known to American audiences perhaps is his guest role of Captain Gault, the captain of a freighter on the television series Lost. Ironically, due to his Lost character's name, he might be less recognized for his portrayal of magnate Hank Rearden on the epically unseen epic two-part adaptation of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
It was interesting that history often mentions the incredibly expensive jewelry that Burton bought Taylor, but does not alway remember the expensive gifts she bought him such as a 1635 Edition of John Donne poetry or a Vincent Van Gogh painting. At one point, Taylor compliments him on his acting and he reminds her that it was in observing her screen acting that he learned to not be "all over the place" and be still in front of the camera. While watching the scene where Burton gets passed over for the Best Actor Oscar in favor of Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou, it occurs what an injustice was paid him by Hollywood. It is a sad fact that Richard Burton never won the Oscar casts a long shadow on the credibility of the Academy Awards. Sometimes he lost out to great performances, but somewhere sometime he should have gotten one. Another fact that pops up is that the pair were together for twelve years
Theresa Russell appears in a forgettable turn as Taylor's disapproving mother. Academy Award-winning hair and makeup artist Beatrice de Alba was hired as head of the film's hair department, but some of the set-piece hair, makeup and costume scenes just look awful. Whether this is a function of the current production or a faithful reproduction of the awfulness of the past, is hard to determine. The movie debuted on Lifetime at Thanksgiving of 2012 and was its fourth most watched movie on that channel of that year, finishing right behind Abducted: The Carlina White Story.
The DVD package is straightforward and fits in well with the current era of cheaper DVD product. One surprise is the the sound, which is remarkable bright and interesting. The mix of the effects and music actually made me sit up and take notice. Good job there. The Extras on the disc is interviews with Lohan, Bowler, Director Lloyd Kramer, Writer Christopher Monger, Executive Producer Larry A. Thompson and Costume Designer Salvador P�rez Jr. In the menu for the interviews, the publicity shot is of Burton shielding Taylor from photographers as they sit in the back seat of a Rolls Royce. Oddly, that tire of the Rolls is the grip of a device to hold it in place and allow it to be rolled about. Bad cropping that.
Posted by: Joseph Burke - May 5, 2013, 11:13 am - DVD Review
Keywords: biography


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Malone-Robert Morris preview
Malone (1-2) at Robert Morris (0-3)
WHEN Saturday, 7 p.m., at Joe Walton Stadium, Moon, Pa.
LAST WEEK Notre Dame College 49, Malone 21; Youngstown State 38, Robert Morris 6
THE MATCHUP Malone will play its first Division I opponent in school history when it takes on the FCS-member Colonials, who compete in the Northeast Conference. The Pioneers will play another NEC team, Saint Francis (Pa.), next week. ... The NEC only allows its members to use 40 athletic scholarships, 23 fewer than the FCS limit. (FBS schools can offer 85 scholarships.) ... This is the first meeting between the two programs. … The Pioneers had two players receive Greater Midwest Athletic Conference honors following the loss to Notre Dame. Junior RB Matt Blasiole (Lake) was named the offensive player of the week after rushing for 161 yards, including a 75-yard TD on the game's first play. He has 397 yards rushing this season, which is 12th in Division II. Senior safety JC Pawlyk (Northwest) was named defensive player of the week after totaling 13 tackles, including two for loss, a half sack and a forced fumble. … Malone QB John Iacucci threw for 310 yards in the loss, becoming the first Pioneer QB to surpass 300 yards since 2009. ... The Pioneers have lost 24 of their last 26 games. … The Colonials have scored just 13 points in three games and are averaging 105 yards per game, while giving up 22 points and 369 yards per contest. ... Robert Morris junior Sam Woods (Hoover) moved to running back after two seasons at defensive back. Although Woods has carried just three times for minus-2 yards this season, he did complete a 52-yard touchdown pass to Eldin Anu last week. It was the first TD pass by a non-quarterback in school history and the team's longest play from scrimmage this season. Woods also has two catches for 2 yards this season.
JOE SCALZO


CANADIAN BUYERS PAY HST OR GST. Very Fine Antique Chinese Carved Jade Belt Hook Letter Opener Dragon NO RESERVE See photos, shows some light wear commensurate with age.
International buyers please request a quote or wait for invoice. We are a registered business in Ontario. The item "Very Fine Antique Chinese Carved Jade Belt Hook Letter Opener Dragon NO RESERVE" is in sale since Monday, November 5, 2018. This item is in the category "Antiques\Asian Antiques\China\Other Chinese Antiques".
The seller is "davidsdeadlydeals" and is located in Schenectady, New York. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada.


Stock #: B2502 G Exterior Color: Tan Interior Color: Beige Body Type: Pickup Truck Transmission: 3 Speed Manual Drivetrain: RWD Engine: 206cid I6 Title Condition: Clear Vehicle Description The Eagle was a midsize family automobile produced by Chevrolet for just 1933. It was offered in both Eagle and Master Eagle trim and over 450k examples were sold, giving Chevrolet the edge in domestic car sales. They featured a 110 in long wheelbase and were powered by the 206cid Stovebolt Six straight six engine that produced 65hp.
GR Auto Gallery is pleased to present this nice 1933 Master Eagle for your consideration. Finished in a lovely cream color, this... Master Eagle was restored back in 1990 by the current owner, who has had the vehicle since 1985. The body is very clean, with nice paint, decent chrome, and free of rot. The exterior features orange wire wheels with whitewall tires, rear luggage rack, and a single taillight. The interior is very clean, with great brown upholstery and a well detailed dashboard. It features a clean steering wheel and unique branded floor mats. Under the hood is the reliable 206 cid I6 mated to a 3-speed manual transmission. Everything is believed to be original and numbers matching. The car goes down the road very well and gets smiles and waves wherever it goes!


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package com.hazelcast.internal.management.request;

/**
 * Represents async requests sent from Management Center.
 * <p/>
 * Normally, ManagementCenterService handles {@code ConsoleRequest}s synchronously
 * on its {@code TaskPollThread}, a single thread polls tasks from Management Center,
 * executes them and writes back the response directly. This is fine for short running tasks
 * but for long running tasks or blocking invocations, it's required to offload request
 * handling to an async thread pool. Otherwise, {@code TaskPollThread} will be blocked
 * for a long time without handling any request from Management Center.
 *
 * @see ConsoleRequest
 * @since 3.6
 */
public interface AsyncConsoleRequest extends ConsoleRequest {
}


The difference between imagination and visualisation is what they are and the purpose behind them.
When we imagine we are creating a film in our mind – running a series of pictures, stories that have no purpose except to occupy our mind.
When we visualise, we are using our imaginative faculty to some purpose – creating a plan, a goal, seeing a goal achieved, overcoming a fear.
At the same time we may be using our imagination to visualise fears, events that haven't happened yet or creating theories that cause us anxiety and distress.
Firtsly, "man" and "his" is a generalisation for all human beings. Secondly, "his thinker" is the mind. Thirdly, the comparison between us and a pig and a horse.
The last comparison is meant to explain that physically, what you can find IN a pig and a horse you can find in us. What is implied is that the difference lies in our ability to think consciously and our innate ability to imagine. That the difference between us and other animals is our ability to think and imagine.
Our innate ability to imagine is something which we do not share with other species on earth. Memory, recognition, adaptability and learning you will find in other species. Imagination is the only one that you will not. We are the only ones that are capable of cognitively and knowingly directing our imaginative faculty to a chosen purpose, whatever that may be.
It is that ability with which we decide the direction of our lives, if we decide at all.
When we see something, our imagination can go off on it's own. When we get angry, upset, jealous – our imagination goes on a walk of its own, reacting to the deepest held beliefs we hold in our subconscious mind. Some of these beliefs are from childhood and not necessarily our own, others are ones we have chosen, willingly or not, to take on from our own experiences and observations.
The point is to be able to control your imagination and put it towards some useful purpose, changing your life for the better.
This one quality of human beings alone has been responsible for creating the world we live in today.
There are individuals that are continuously making changes still, that will shape the world and our environment in the years to come. Some for the better and some for the worse, just as in the past (we, humanity, still have a lot to learn).
In the same way, we define the way our life will be shaped through our imagination. The thoughts that we continuously have, the ones that we run and re-run through our mind, consciously or unconsciously, are what shape our future, our lives.
To make a change we have to know where we are going, what we want from our lives. We can't see something for ourselves unless we know what that thing is.
What do you want? If you fast-forward your life ten years from now, can you see yourself living that life? Are you willing to go through the process to get there? Are you willing to go through the daily process of living that life? Can you see yourself doing that?
If you have just been running those images through your mind you have hit on the difference between imagination and visualisation. One is like building sandcastles on the beach – the sea will wash them away forever. But, when you visualise you are purposefully using your imagination to determine a direction, to make a decision.
Deciding that something is not what you want is still a decision. It allows you and opens you up to other choices.
You are using your imaginative faculty to determine your future and how you wish your life to change.
Is Visualising all I need?
If it was, then we could visualise anything and it would be there – the genie effect. NO it's not. Action is the other part. You have to act to get to where you want. You have to take action.
You want to be a bus driver? Learn to drive first. Learn the law of the road. Study. Pass your examinations. Did you know that it takes a black-cab driver in London over two years to be able to pass the black-cab exam? Effort and consistency.
Without a goal you cannot visualise where you want to get to. Don't aim low. Aim high. You're not always meant to reach that goal – it's meant to make you grow as a person. Along the way serendipity may have a part to play and you end up doing something all together different that you really love doing. So keep an open mind.
The purpose of visualisation is to embed an idea into your subconscious. Remember, the subconscious cannot and does not differentiate between what is in front of your eyes and the images you run in your mind. A film on television, in the cinema or in your mind are all treated the same by your subconscious. The difference is the attention, focus and emotional content you put into an idea.
It does not matter whether it's positive or negative, the subconscious is objective. It responds to the seed that you plant – watermelon or ladys glove. Your mind is the most fertile land that exists in the universe. It's up to you how you take care of it.
Imagination is when we look at our life or the life we want, in the third person – a birds eye view of you in your life. You see yourself doing the things you want to do.
Visualisation, on the other hand, is looking at things through the eyes of that person in your imagination – you put yourself in that persons shoes. You feel what you would feel if you were in that position, doing that thing, living that life.
To change the image in your mind you have to change the way you think. Start thinking about what you want in your life.
Don't know what that is? Make a list of what you DON'T WANT in your life. It's a clearing process. If you know what you want, then you can start planning. Use your imagination to see that life and ask the questions from above.
Write down your goals. Write down all that you want (they will change with time – it's normal, if there is such a thing). Write down how you want your ideal life to be, your environment, social and family life, health, career, finances, spirituality. This way you are giving your imagination a clear picture, which will grow clearer and sharper with time. And the more you do it consciously, your subconscious will take it on, until one day it will feel natural.
Imagine the life you want and start visualising it. How does that feel?
Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.
For further reading, here's an article in the New Scientist on imagination, chimpanzees and crows!


Former A&E controller and Propagate Content co-founder David McKillop has resurfaced with a production pact with UK distributor Sky Vision and its New York subsidiary, Jupiter Entertainment.
McKillop's new prodco, Europa, will be housed in Jupiter's Manhattan offices. It will, however, function as an independent producer that aims to produce scripted and factual series.
McKillop had launched LA-based Propagate with former National Geographic Channel president Howard T. Owens after exiting his post as executive VP and general manager of US cable channel A&E two years ago.
However, he returned to New York as former NBCUniversal Entertainment chairman Ben Silverman exited his prodco, Electus, to joined Owens at Propagate as co-CEO.
Propagate this week hired Electus' Cyrus Farrokh to become its first international distribution president.
Europa debuts with development projects with History Channel, which is part of A&E parent A+E Networks, Discovery Communications and National Geographic.
A key focused will be development of "high-quality documentary and hybrid scripted-style programs for select cable networks and online distributors".
Jupiter, meanwhile, sold a majority stake to the content distribution arm of European pay TV business Sky in March 2015.
McKillop is best known for developing Duck Dynasty, which became A&E's highest-rating series since launch. He also worked at History as senior VP, development and programming, helping to create and launch Pawn Stars and greenlighting scripted series Hatfields & McCoys.


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Learning by making
A hands-on guide to chiaroscuro woodcuts
By Stephen Chambers RA
Inspired by our 'Renaissance Impressions' exhibition, Stephen Chambers RA decided to create his own chiaroscuro woodcut. Here he shares his discoveries and includes his step-by-step guide.
From the Spring 2014 issue of RA Magazine, issued quarterly to Friends of the RA.
At times, for a prosaic man like myself, the practice of examining a picture includes making a version of it – this is a way of looking at its core. I find that what the eye has assumed it is seeing doesn't always prove to be the case. I discover things through this process that I might otherwise miss and, without sounding too fey, I become involved in a visual conversation with the other painting.
I have made versions of William Blake's Gates of Paradise and Bruegel's Twelve Flemish Proverbs, both images I have long loved. It is a way of getting beneath the skin of an artist. In the same way that re-reading a novel reveals new facets of it, when I make a transcription of another artist's work, I experience the image differently.
The curiosity that led me to make a chiaroscuro woodcut, however, was slightly different. It was still a way of discovering, but I was looking at a process rather than at a particular print. I had been aware of chiaroscuro woodcuts, with their implied three-dimensionality, but had never tried to make one. The first task, therefore, was to work out how they were done.
There were two basic ways in which chiaroscuro prints were made: the German printmakers tended to create a black line block, which was then superimposed over tonal blocks; the Italian printmakers, however, tended to omit the black line block. This block (also known as the key block) makes for a tidier image.
Stephen Chambers RA, Point West, 2013.
Arguably, the German method is easier; the line block defines the edges of images. A print by Cranach, for example, initially appears more sophisticated than a print by Parmigianino. But if you were to remove the line block from the Cranach, you would then appreciate the true complexity of what has been required to convey the visual information in the Italian print.
For example, if, say, you were describing a goat standing in front of a bush, on a rocky hillside with a sunset in the distance, all in a few tones made from only two or three blocks, then the work would demand hugely complex orchestration to show where objects begin and end. Dropping on the line block saves much of this hassle. The Italian prints in the Academy's show may appear more innocent but in reality they were the more demanding to produce.
Consequently, being a novice, I took the German route. I made a three-block print where one of the blocks was the line block. Of the other two blocks, one was the dark tone, the second the lighter tone. The lightest tone of all, the highlights, are provided by the white of the paper peeping through.
The image in the print I made, Point West, is set at some undefined moment in the past and has a suggested narrative. I usually limit an implied third dimension in my work, and my backgrounds are often simpler than the one in this image, but this print is an attempt to embrace the chiaroscuro process and tradition. It intentionally utilises an aspect from a classic chiaroscuro woodcut: a protagonist in an environment.
Renaissance Impressions is in the Sackler Wing at the RA, 15 March – 8 June 2014.
Making a chiaroscuro woodcut
The design for the print is drawn on paper. Then the surface of a block of pale plywood is covered with black ink. Using carbon paper, the outlines of the drawing are then transferred onto this black block.
Cutting away all the spaces between the outlines exposes the pale plywood beneath and leaves the line block – the perimeters of the figures, trees and clouds – as proud black lines.
When the ink is applied on the block, it is these lines that are inked, with the rest cut away so as to be out of reach of the roller.
The first tone block is made by transferring the drawing to the surface of another piece of plywood, as in step 1. Areas to be highlights, or the palest areas, are then cut away.
Creating the highlights involves removing much less wood than the linear block. The first tone block looks like an aerial photograph of a golf course – the bunkers are the removed areas of ply where no ink will be applied.
A second tone block is made to create the midtones. This block has more wood removed from it than the highlight block, although less than the line block.
Each of the two tone blocks is covered with a different tone of ink – one paler, one darker.
The two tone blocks are pressed one at a time on the paper. The pale tone block is printed first.
The two tones are produced, plus the actual white tone of the paper, which are the highlights, where no ink has been applied. Finally, the line block is applied so that its outlines lie over the two tones.
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Renaissance Impressions
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National Capital of India, Delhi has been ranked 44th among the world's 50 'future-ready economies cities' that are embracing technology for growth.
It was revealed by the recently released report 'Future-Ready Economies Model' by the Information Technology major Dell.
The list is topped by San Jose, followed by San Francisco, Singapore, London, Washington DC, etc.
These high-growth cities were evaluated on the parameters of human capital, infrastructure and commerce.
The model scores large, high-growth global metropolitan areas based on attributes that enable people and organisations to access new tools and ideas that deliver better connectivity, better economic performance and a greater ability to attract talent.
The cities were positioned in the list were evaluated along three dimensions human capital, infrastructure and commerce.


text:
Sheikh Mohamed, King Abdullah discuss cooperation and joint action
Last updated Aug 6, 2022
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed with King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan. They also discussed the means of enhancing cooperation and joint action in various fields. At a reception at Qasr Al Shati Palace, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed wished Jordan and its people continued progress, development, and prosperity under King Abdullah's leadership.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the prospects of cooperation between their countries. They also reviewed the potential for developing collaboration in the political, economic, investment, and development spheres of their respective countries. Additionally, the two leaders discussed methods to push forward the relationship during the next phase, so that the interests of the two countries can be served.
Present at the meeting were H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to UAE President; and Humaid Obaid Abushibs, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority.
discuss cooperationjoint actionking AbdullahSheikh Mohamed
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Recently, Hilary Farr — who also is a style ambassador for Art Van Furniture; she appeared in Detroit's Thanksgiving Day parade alongside Art Van founder, Art Van Elslander — found the design shoe on the other foot as she had to decorate her own new apartment in North Carolina, where she's now filming the first American shows of "Love it or List it."
Hilary Farr has a declaration to make: Beige is not a color.
"It's not," says Farr. "There's a difference between being drawn to earth tones — which are neutrals — and beige. There are beiges, if you want to call them that, and there are taupes."
Farr should know. The sassy designer on HGTV's hugely popular "Love It or List It" has made a career out of transforming dysfunctional homes into sophisticated, polished, livable spaces that homeowners will love, not list.
Recently, Farr — who also is a style ambassador for Art Van Furniture; she appeared in Detroit's Thanksgiving Day parade alongside Art Van founder, Art Van Elslander — found the shoe on the other foot as she had to decorate her own new apartment in North Carolina, where she's now filming the first American shows of "Love It or List It." The show, produced by Big Coat Productions, has primarily been filmed in Toronto.
During her recent visit, Farr, who lives in Toronto, stopped by Art Van's Royal Oak and Novi stores along with Scott Shuptrine Interiors to pick up some pieces for her new apartment. She fell in love with Scott Shuptrine's shagreen vases, an untanned rawhide often from sharks or stingrays. "It's sculpture," she says.
I sat down with Farr — looking incredibly chic in slim black pants, a black cashmere sweater and layered necklace — to chat about why the show chose the Raleigh/Durham area for its 10th season, inspiration pieces, her relationship with Realtor David Visentin (no, they're not married, but they do bicker in real life as much as they do on the show), and whether she'd ever bring her design expertise to the Motor City. Answer: Yes!
Q. So "Love It or List It" is finally filming in the United States. Why North Carolina?
A. There were a few reasons. One is Toronto is a very specific city in how it looks and the issues that it has, and I feel like we've kind of beaten that to death. I honestly don't think I could do another basement without faking my suicide and running away.
I think the other thing that was important was to be able to come up with properties that resonate with the American fans, and we weren't really able to do that with Toronto. Our price points are insanely high by most standards.
But I think it was equally to try and find different houses to do and different design challenges. I think that was what really what drove it the most.
Q. Was that exciting for you, the idea of new design challenges?
A. So exciting — not to mention that the temperature is about 20 degrees warmer there in the winter than it is in Toronto.
I'm into homes that are larger, different issues. Ultimately, the main issue is to create a home that is going to work well on both levels — which is to function for that family and to look beautiful, which is pretty much everyone's challenge.
Q. You talk a lot about form and function when it comes to your decor. Why is that important and what factors need to be considered?
A. The saying is "form and function" and they must absolutely work together. And nothing has changed since whoever coined that phrase many years ago. One without the other doesn't work.
The sofa that I'm sitting in now for example (a tufted white sofa), it's very attractive. It's incredibly comfortable. It's made of a fabric that has texture to it, but it's durable.
A lot of families feel that everything in their home needs to be a color that will "hide the dirt." My answer to that is there are so many different technologies out there these days with fabric, whether it's leather or faux leather or faux suede or a treated natural fabric or a blend, you don't have to do that. That's a perfect example of blending two things, form and function. So you have a beautiful sofa you love, but no, I'm not going to allow a child up here with chocolate milk. But that's a choice as to how you live in your home.
For most families, you can blend the two, and that's essential to enjoying your home. Otherwise you're going to have entire rooms that are off limits. And that doesn't work either — not the way we live today.
Then there is the true essense of you — to express who you are as an individual and to bring in your family's needs as well. That's essential. To take note of trends, to take note of what is happening, to stay current — but to choose your key pieces so that they actually are you.
So if you love a purple chair, for example, you should have that purple chair. It will bring you pleasure every time you walk into your home and look at it. Do it. I don't care if purple is the color of the year or it seems like an odd choice, do it. It's not for everyone but that's the whole point of trying to express your individuality within the framework of a functional, updated, if not necessarily trendy, home.
I'll give you an example: This ottoman (in a houndstooth fabric). I happen to love this ottoman. I can put my feet up, I can be casual. To me, that is perfect. It looks gorgeous, it's functional.
Q. Have you already decorated your new apartment?
I bought an awful lot of pieces there (at Scott Shuptrine and Art Van) — in a post-turkey state.
I think one of things is people can have a picture in their head (when they go furniture shopping) or they may actually walk in with a page they've torn out of a design magazine and they want their room to look like this. But they need to stop and think they're looking at a very heavily edited photograph that's been pulled together by designers, that's been edited by the magazine. It's been curated down to the nth degree. It's not the way most of us actually live. But it is a good idea to have something like that as your inspiration for the room you want.
Then you walk in here and there are 900 choices.
Q. That can be very overwhelming and intimidating.
A. Very intimidating, very overwhelming — not to mention the fact you have a budget. So you'll go, "Oh I love that. No, it's too expensive." What I think shoppers need to do to take the fear out of pulling together a room, whatever it might be, is to understand is if you want this ... there are no true rules. You can break the rules and make it work.
If you can choose in your principle rooms to put maybe just one or two extra pieces that just have that little bit of extra edge, little bit of design quality that ups the ante, do it. Mix it up. It can be as simple as one table and a lamp to elevate the entire space. It's going to complement whatever you bought as your basic pieces.
The other thing I'd say is bedrooms. People think, "Oh, let's not spend money in the master bedroom because no one else actually goes to see it. It's just for me or us." Well, you're the most important people in the house actually. You go into that room every single night of your life. And you get to enjoy the rewards of a beautiful bedroom, which is to sleep well and to love it.
Q. So pay attention to the bedroom?
A. Pay attention! Absolutely. Think about comfort. I happen to like to sit up and read in bed, so I like an upholstered headboard. There's loads of choices in upholstered headboards and instantly your bed starts to look pulled together. Treat yourself to a beautiful coverlet and some gorgeous decorative pillows. Get some reading lamps that actually give you the light you need, where you need it, and have a beautiful design — texture, something interesting. Artwork. If you have carpeting everywhere, you can still put a beautiful rug on top of that and give it an extra texture and color.
There are so many ways that you can enhance a room without breaking the bank. A piece here and a piece there.
Q. And focus on a few pieces?
A. So if you have pieces that you love of your own, find a spot for them. Sometimes you can repurpose them, sometimes you can rethink them. Very often, a piece you've had — because it was your granny's or your favorite aunt's, you've inherited it, it has sentimental value, but doesn't really fit — don't think it's an object to revere to the point that you have to live with it exactly the way it is. You can recover a simple chair, but in a new fabric. You can re-stain or repaint wood.
Q. Will you be bringing some of those pieces into your new apartment in North Carolina?
A. North Carolina is a clean slate. I have two challenges that so many people face. One, I live in a home (in Toronto) and I haven't lived in an apartment since probably I was a student. It's a beautiful apartment, nevertheless it is one living room — which is open. There is a kitchen, dining area and sitting area — all in that one room. I have one bedroom; I have a second bedroom that will be my den/office. That's it. So I'm the equivlaent of down-sizing and I'm moving to a different lifestyle — which is an apartment. So no, I'm not taking anything of mine, obviously some photographs and my dog.
Downsizing is a challenge. And it very often means really letting go of just about everything you have. I say there are no rules and you can break them — and you can — but one of the hardest things for people to understand is the importance of scale.
Q. Scale in a small space — how important is scale?
A. It doesn't mean everything has to be tiny. You can actually use large pieces in a small space as long as you are using it for effect.
Don't put a giant oversized sofa in a small space. But if you feel you need to have to a sectional, then you just have to bring down the scale. Then you could put a huge arc lamp in there, for example. You could put one very oversized chair with it that will, maybe in the right corner, will gives a sense of the height of the ceilings. My ceilings happen to very high. If you have low ceilings, you have to be aware of that so you don't want to draw attention to it.
Q. Where should you start decorating a room?
A. Ottomans are a great way of starting a room off and building it from there. If you don't want an ottoman and are going to go with a coffee table, start looking at a sofa or seating, whatever your seating is going to be. It's usually goign to be a sofa or sectional and a couple of club chairs.
Again, the key is to think about, "Are you very tall? Or you partner very tall?" If you have a sofa with low-back sofa, he's going to be miserable and hate you.
Q. Why is it important to layer textures and fabrics at home? Visually, it breaks things up?
A. Absolutely. The line between what we wear and what we bring in our homes is blurred now. I read an article that social media is part of it. We're seeing things and you can buy them off the runway so that's gone through the consciousness and it's already being pulled into interior design. So what we wear and what we see in our homes is starting to be almost the same thing.
Q. Let's talk a little bit about color. I heard you say once that beige is not a color. Can you expand on that?
A. It's not a color. There's a difference between being drawn to earth tones — which are neutrals — and beige. There are beiges, if you want to call them that, and there are taupes. Every single color has a base to it. You can have a taupe that has a green undertone, a taupe that has a gray undertone. You'll see that coming through on your walls.
There is no reason to put a strong color on your walls unless that's what you like to live with, because it is very, very defining and it makes a strong statement. Having said that, if you love it and want to try it, do it. It's just paint.
Q. With a sofa, do you suggest picking a neutral color?
A. Not always. Again, I think for most people they're concerned with practicality. But I do think if you're going to buy almost an investment piece, then go with a neutral. That will allow you to change it up over the years — very inexpensively, with accessories.
Q. You've spent a lot of time in Detroit over the last few years. What do you think of it?
A. I love it. I think Detroit deserves to succeed in its comeback. And I think it is coming back. I met your new mayor (Mike Duggan). What a likable man. And I do think the feeling is optimistic here — and I think that's fantastic. The feeling of everybody along the parade (in November) was upbeat and pride in their city. And I think if that can be used properly and that excitement built on, Detroit is going to come back to all of its glory. I certainly hope so.
Q. Will "Love It or List It" ever come to Detroit?
A. I hope so. I'd love to come here. You've got these absolutely beautiful buildings. You've already got the infrastructure of a beautiful city. As I drive through the area, I see these gems. I'd love to get my hands on them.
Form and function: "You can blend the two, and that's essential to enjoying your home. Otherwise you're going to have entire rooms that are off limits. And that doesn't work either — not the way we live today."
Pay attention to your bedroom: "You go into that room every single night of your life. And you get to enjoy the rewards of a beautiful bedroom, which is to sleep well and to love it."
Never forfeit comfort: "Be formal and comfortable. Don't ever, ever give up comfort. Ever. It's not worth it. It's a room to be used."
Starting points: "Ottomans are a great way of starting a room off and building it from there. If you don't want an ottoman and are going to go with a coffee table, start looking at a sofa or seating, whatever your seating is going to be."
Paint choices: "There is no reason to put a strong color on your walls unless that's what you like to live with, because it is very, very defining and it makes a strong statement. Having said that, if love it and want to try it, do it. It's just paint."


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"I am delighted to be lending my support to the Cruise Ship Interiors Expo. I'm particularly excited to see how bringing designers and suppliers together could help challenge the norm and collaborate on innovative design solutions for the future".
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"The cruise industry is the fastest growing segment of the leisure travel market and there is so much opportunity to collaborate and get inspired at this event. I am so excited to be speaking at the world's first truly dedicated event focusing on cruise interiors."
"It is a privilege to join the Cruise Ship Interiors Expo as a panelist. This influential group of thought leaders represents the best and most insightful thinking in the industry"


From the 'Calcium Light Night' series. Edition of 200. This series of nine prints is dedicated to the composer Charles Ives. Paolozzi's work had been compared to Ives' in that his work was considered to be the 'first extensive musical application of the collage technique'. The titles of the prints in the series are taken from the titles of Ives' compositions. The series was begun while Paolozzi was in Berlin in 1974 and printed at Advanced Graphics between 1974 and 1976. It was to be published by Propyläen Verlag, Berlin, but Paolozzi took over the whole edition and published it himself.


text:
Health care recruiter makes habit of going above, beyond standards
By Mr. Derrick Crawford (USAREC)October 2, 2018
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON -- Army Staff Sgt. William Booth, 29, of the Army Medical Recruiting Station Kansas City, Kansas, did more than check the box while attending Senior Leader Course (SLC) here with fellow combat medics. He went above and beyond, landing atop a class of 80-plus NCOs as the distinguished honor graduate. "Obviously, only one person per class can say they are the distinguished honor grad," says Booth, a native of Portland, Oregon, who's been a health care recruiter for nearly a year. "So it feels good to, I guess, to be seen as, I wouldn't say above my peers, but I shined a little bit above that." With a muscled build, chiseled chin and an easy smile framed by the slightest crescent dimples, Booth, could be leading-man material, yet he's noticeably uncomfortable directing the spotlight on himself. But as he rattles off a string of SLC achievements that include maxing the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) and being nominated by his platoon to participate in a distinguished leadership competition, it's clear he's made a habit of being more than a background actor. "I didn't end up winning the (distinguished leadership) award, but it was awesome just to be nominated by my platoon," says Booth, who speaks in a calm, assured way. He was one of only six Soldiers in the class chosen to compete. And while he's hesitant to pat himself on the back, those who know the 10-year veteran can't say it's a surprise that he excelled during the four-week leadership course held July 25 - Aug. 23 at the Army Medical Department Center and School's NCO Academy here. According to 1st. Sgt. Stephen Gardner, of Army Medical Recruiting Company Kansas City, Kansas, "Staff Sgt. Booth has done a remarkable job as a (health care) recruiter. He has transitioned easily into recruiting." Gardner describes Booth as a "total package," who consistently scores above the maximum 300 on his APFT, is a hiking enthusiast, and volunteers in his community, assisting area hospice care partners and coaching basketball games at a local recreation center. As well as being proficient in both air assault and airborne operations, Booth's rucksack is bursting at the seams with a bevy of military training to include master fitness trainer, unit drug and alcohol prevention leader, and unit equal opportunity representative. True to form, Booth says being named honor grad was never his goal. As he casually describes it, he simply gained momentum during the distance-learning phase after initially lagging behind. He says, once he sorted out how best to juggle school with his recruiting duties, he saw his GPA rise "and it just carried over into the (residence) course work here." What also carried over were improved communication skills that he attributes to his recent recruiting experiences, which he believes encouraged his leadership growth. "I think (recruiting) prepared me as far as being a little bit more outgoing," explained Booth, whose daily activities require him to connect with a wide spectrum of medical professionals, from seasoned surgeons to would-be medical students, while marketing Army medical career and education opportunities. "I'm a pretty shy guy, so I think having been in the recruiting world for almost a year now has kind of helped me get out of my box a little bit." Even so, Booth goes out of his way to let it be known he's far from a "sergeant know-it-all." He says he learned just as much from other NCOs, particularly those with different military occupational specialties and others who had more familiarity working in garrison hospital settings. Booth, who was most recently assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the vaunted 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., says he's gained most of his know-how in similar combat units. He said those skills were tested during a challenging course-ending field exercise, where he believes he separated himself from the formation. "I think the culminating event, we did a staff (field) exercise, was kind of an eye-opener for a lot of people who haven't really had any time working in the operational type of unit," explains Booth. "I had much more experience than a lot of them there, so I was able to contribute a lot, whereas some of them kind of sat back like, 'I don't know what's going on?'" Booth now points to his SLC experiences as a time where he also realized some things about himself. He says, "I learned that I definitely have what it takes to be a senior noncommissioned officer in the Army." Still, he believes other classmates may have been as equally deserving of the honor grad distinction. Booth, nonetheless, credits his leaders, both past and present with putting him on course to be a well-rounded Soldier, who is growing a bit more comfortable with the fact that he may be more than average.
April 6, 2020U.S. Army places temporary hold on new recruits to basic training
September 17, 2019U.S. Army achieves recruiting goals
September 12, 2019Pentagon Hall of Heroes Induction Ceremony for Lt. Col. Charles S. Kettles


text:
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export class ErrorService {
    MS: MainService;
    details: string = '';
    logLocation: string = '';
    message: string = '';
    showContactUs: boolean = false;

    constructor(MainService: MainService) {
        this.MS = MainService;
    }

    clear(): void {
        this.details = '';
        this.logLocation = '';
        this.message = '';
        this.showContactUs = false;
    }

    set(message: string, details: string = '', showContactUs: boolean = true, logLocation: string = ''): void {
        this.details = details;
        this.logLocation = logLocation;
        this.message = message;
        this.showContactUs = showContactUs;
    }
}


This entry was posted in image research, inspiration and tagged illuminated manuscript, persian. Bookmark the permalink.
That black semicircle and tile become all the more compelling because of the compression of perspective, with the figures placed against a floor that works visually like a wall, forcing our eyes even more upward.
Well said, yes exactly. Glad you liked it.
Thanks a lot for putting the picture here. I looked everywhere to find it in large size.
That probably wasn't black at first. That circle is a pool. They painted water with silver color in Persian paintings. The silver parts were oxidized then as time passed by.
Glad you found it. It's scanned out of text book. I couldn't help myself.
Of course that's silver leaf — why did I not realize that? Thanks for the info.