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Major Law Firms Sued For Overbilling Client
On behalf of Ball & Bonholtzer on Sunday, December 27, 2015.
Two prestigious firms sued for overbilling client in record-breaking medical malpractice case.
Connecticut law firms Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder and Day Pitney, along with several of their attorneys, are being
sued for overbilling the D'Attilo family in a medical malpractice lawsuit that resulted in the largest settlement in state history.
The D'Attilos' lawyers include former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, Joseph Pastore and Christopher Farrell of Pastore & Dailey in Glastonbury, and Howard Altschuler of Bethany, who specializes in legal malpractice cases.
The suit, pending in Superior Court in New Haven, accuses the Koskoff firm of overbilling the D'Attilo family by more than $5 million, in violation of state law.
The suit identifies five Koskoff lawyers as defendants and two lawyers employed by Day Pitney.
"The case is totally without merit," said Stanley A. Twardy Jr., the state's former chief federal prosecutor and now a managing partner with Day Pitney.
Previously, Cathy and Domenic D'Attilo filed a complaint with the Statewide Grievance Committee. That probe found no probable cause in the complaint against the Day Pitney lawyers and recommended no discipline of Koskoff or its lawyers.
Nevertheless, Altschuler said Thursday that he'll be seeking intervention from the state Supreme Court and if that fails, "the state Legislature" in the grievance actions.
"The fee cap is clear," said Bysiewicz. "If an attorney wants a larger fee, there needs to be a waiver in writing that the clients agree to and sign. Without a properly executed waiver, all attorneys must follow the formula in the law."
That formula limits the Koskoff firm to $2.6 million for the case, according to Bysiewicz.
The state court suit seeks triple the amount of damages, as well as legal fees and court costs.
"The fees charged and paid all were strictly in accordance with the agreement with the client and the law at the time it was entered," countered James Horwitz, a managing partner with Koskoff. "It was carefully explained to the family and, additionally, the family had the assistance and advice of independent counsel at the time."
Anthony Nuzzo Jr., a lawyer representing the Koskoff firm, claims in court papers that Koskoff's 28 percent fees were negotiated "on the plaintiffs' behalf by an independent attorney.
A clause in the D'Attilos' contract with Koskoff calls for binding arbitration to settle any dispute over fees and expenses. Superior Court Judge Matthew Frechette cited that clause and stayed any action on the lawsuit pending the arbitration proceedings.
"When all of the evidence is in, there will be no doubt that the clients understood and agreed to the fees that were charged," Horwitz said. He added that his firm is "proud of the work we performed for this family, through two full trials, a record breaking jury verdict of $58 million dollars, and a settlement that will take care of their disabled child for the rest of his life."
The D'Attilos hired the Koskoff firm in March, 2003 to represent them in a medical malpractice suit arising out of the birth of their son, Danny. The problematic birth, which involved a loss of oxygen, is believed to have led to devastating cerebral palsy in the boy, depriving him of the ability to walk, talk or eat on his own.
Following two trials, the D'Attilos and their Koskoff lawyers reached a $25 million settlement with the insurance company representing a doctor and Maternal Fetal Care, P.C., of Stamford. The settlement came while a judgment was on appeal, and was substantially less than the $58.6 million awarded by the family a Waterbury state court jury in May 2011.
Day Pitney was brought in to structure and administer a financial trust fund, and to assist in Probate Court proceedings. The firm was to receive about $65,000 annually in legal fees to oversee the $12.8 million trust fund established for the boy, according to the suit.
The suit charges the defendant lawyers and their firms with a civil conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duties, statutory theft, misrepresentation and fraud as well as other allegations.
Originally posted by Michael P. Mayko on CTPost.com.
Sued For Overbilling - Legal Malpractice Representation - Ball & Bonholtzer Trial Attorney - Los Angeles


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The Shiny Vampire Club: New Eclipse Scene! Edward and Jacob Fighting!
Oh my goodness that little clip was good! Love the intensity between the boys! Of Course I LHOVE Charlie too! I think in the past movies he's always been a little scene stealer and I LOVE that!
Did anyone else catch the clip from Eclipse on Oprah where Edward says to Jacob something about put a shirt on? hahaaaa I laughed!
I'm worried. I liked New Moon, but these clips make me think I am not going to like Eclipse. I just don't know that I like Rob as Edward, and I don't really like the chemistry between Rob and Jacob either. And, of course, Kristen is no good.
I like the intensity, but Edward wouldn't have acted like that. He's collected and deadly. Calm.


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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
PG-13PG-13
Play trailer1:54
ActionAdventureDrama
A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.
J.R.R. Tolkien(novel "The Fellowship of the Ring")
Fran Walsh(screenplay)
Philippa Boyens(screenplay)
5.7KUser reviews
219Critic reviews
92Metascore
Top rated movie #9
Won 4 Oscars
123 wins & 126 nominations total
Trailer 1:54
Watch Official Trailer
Watch The Lord of the Rings Trilogy on Blu-ray
Watch The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Clip 3:11
Watch 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy Greatest Moments
Watch Everything We Know About "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power"
Watch Does Andy Serkis Know How Many Times He's Played Gollum?
Watch A Guide to the Films of Peter Jackson
Video 2:55
Watch Roles That Jake Gyllenhaal Turned Down
Watch Who Else Almost Starred In The Lord of the Rings?
Watch Dates in Movie & TV History: Sept. 22 - Hobbit Day
Alan Howard
Voice of the Ring
(voice)
Everard Proudfoot
Sala Baker
Billy Boyd
Gollum
Marton Csokas
Celeborn
Mrs. Proudfoot
Gondorian Archivist…
Mark Ferguson
Gil-galad
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Sir Christopher Lee (Saruman) read "The Lord of the Rings" once a year until his death in 2015, and had done so since the year it was published. He was also the only member of the cast and crew ever to have met J.R.R. Tolkien.
Many viewers spotted a car in the background of the theatrical version when Sam says that he is now the furthest he has ever been from home. In a 1 December 2003 Newsweek article, director Peter Jackson confirmed this, and revealed the car had been removed digitally for the DVD release. Jackson says: "We actually didn't know about the car until we were cutting the movie. The smoke and dust wasn't so bad because there was already lots of it around, but the bloody windshield was reflecting the sun back into the camera lens. So we erased it for the DVD. I think some people were upset because they tried to show it to their friends and it was gone." (The infamous car can be seen on the "Academy DVD" which was created for the Oscar jurors and leaked on the Internet. Also, the unaltered shot with the car appearing in it is contained in the bonus material of the SEE DVD - the feature about the film score.)
Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.
After the end credits, the DVD and Blu Ray editions of the extended cut feature a list of "Lord of the Rings fan-club members" who contributed financially to the project in exchange for a credit. This additional credit sequence lasts 20 minutes.
In March 2002 a 3-minute preview of the sequel, The Two Towers, was added to the theatrical release right before the end credits, making the film's running time 181m. This was later an easter egg on the extended DVD.
Edited into Lord of the Piercing (2002)
Flaming Red Hair
Music Composed and Performed by David Donaldson, David Long, Steve Roche (as Stephen Roche), Janet Roddick with Peter Daly, Chris O'Connor, Ruairidh Morrison, and Grant Shearer
Courtesy of Mana Music
User reviews5.7K
The Fellowship of the Ring: Not just a Movie, but the Door to another Dimension
The first part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Fellowship of the Rings opened the door to a whole new world for me. I'd never read any of Tolkien's books when I saw the film for the first time at the theatre and, now that I've read them, in retrospect I think being a neophyte to the mythology made my LOTR movie experience all the more miraculous.
I loved The Two Towers and Return of the King almost as much as FOTR, but not quite, because seeing Fellowship for the first time was like taking a journey to a fabulous new place and meeting incredible new friends that you don't want to leave. I've never felt anything quite like what this epic evoked in me. It was akin to being a child again, with that tireless sense of wonder and enjoyment of each and every moment, maybe because as a child you are discovering your surroundings, and whatever age you are, when you watch the Fellowship of the Ring you are rendered in awe upon being introduced to the purity and beauty of Middle Earth and darkly enthralled by the majesty of Eisengard, Saruman, Sauron and all of their mighty malice. One of the things that makes this movie so special (and there are so many!) is that you fall in love not only with the "good" characters, but also with the "evil" ones. For example, Christopher Lee was amazing as Saruman, and I can't imagine the movie without him.
Some films that might be comparable to the Lord of the Rings trilogy are: The Fifth Element, the Star Wars Trilogy parts IV, V and VI (forget the newer prequels), the Matrix trilogy (especially the first part), Interview with a Vampire, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow (with Johnny Depp), Logan's Run and The Island. They are all excellent movies and works of art that weave that movie magic that keeps you spellbound and entranced for the duration of their runtime.
But after seeing The Fellowship of the Ring, I knew I had found the movie by which I would judge all other movies. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved books, Peter Jackson has set a new standard in the industry of cinema, one that I honestly think has not and won't be surpassed, at least not in my lifetime, not even by PJ himself.
It is truly an instant classic that will stand the test of time and be loved by generations to come. God Bless Tolkien and Jackson and everyone involved in the conception and making of this film, for creating a world that is at my fingertips, only takes the touch of a button to go to whenever I want, and makes me forget everything else.
The LOTR Trilogy is undoubtedly MY precious, the non plus ultra of all movies!
helpful•173
bonnie91
When Elrond says to Gandalf, "the time of the elves is over, my people are leaving these shores", what does he mean? If they're leaving Rivendell just because Sauron's eye is "fixed on Rivendell", why does that have to mean the elves are all going to die(their time is over)? Whey can't they just go somewhere else and still be?
Whey didn't Elrond stop the evil thousands of years ago and simply shoot Isildor in the back with an arrow as he walked away with the ring, then kick Isildor and the ring over the edge and into the fire so the ring would be destroyed?
If the ring makes its wearer invisible, then how could Isildur have seen Sauron in battle and cut off Sauron's hand while he was wearing the ring?
December 19, 2001 (United States)
WingNut Films
$93,000,000 (estimated)
Gross US & Canada
Opening weekend US & Canada
Gross worldwide

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
White House: Consuming Hydroxychloroquine Makes Donald Trump Feel"Absolutely Great" According to a top house official, with a two-week dose of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, US President, Donald Trump is feeling "absolutely great". He will continue taking a two-week dose if he is doubtful about being exposed to the virus.
https://www.wishesh.com/ 29 May, 2020 29 May, 2020
White House: Consuming Hydroxychloroquine Makes Donald Trump Feel"Absolutely Great"
NRI Top Stories
White House: Consuming Hydroxychloroquine Makes Donald Trump Feel"Absolutely Great"NRI Top Stories
(Image source from: ndtv.com)
According to a top house official, with a two-week dose ofantimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, US President, Donald Trump is feeling "absolutely great". He will continue taking a two-week dose if he is doubtful about being exposed to the virus.
What is Hydroxychloroquine?
It is a vaccine. Since 1946, Hydroxychloroquinesulfate has been used to treat and prevent malaria. In times now, this vaccine is being approved by US Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, childhood arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.
Although the FDA hasn't proved that it can be used for treating Coronavirus, yet it is being identified as a possible treatment for the infection. It is requested to be immediately available by the US Government.
In this fight of coronavirus, Trump has called hydroxychloroquine a "game-changer" drug.
On Thursday, Kayleigh McEnaney, Press Secretary of the White House asked the US President about how he felt after taking the antimalarial drug and he said, "I went to him just before coming out here and I asked him that. And he said, ''he's feeling perfect'', he is ''feeling absolutely great'' after taking this regimen. And, he would take it again if he thought that he was exposed"
Across the world, many experts didn't find this vaccine suitable. However, one paper written by Tina HesmanSaey, an author at Sciencenews.org mentions about nearly 200 clinical trials around the world and 28 were healthcare workers, she said.
This vaccine is being taken by 3000 healthcare workers at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan. The Press Secretary says, there's some really excellent information there about the use of prophylaxis for this.
On a question being asked to McEnany, he said that a number of doctors and researchers are supporting hydroxychloroquine. He said that it is not specific to the President, they just talk about what they've seen in general.
At the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, an infectious disease doctor, Sarah Lofgren said, they are testing hydroxychloroquine there to prevent COVID-19.
She adds saying ''When used alone, we're not seeing major issues. Out of the thousands of patients, we're not seeing things that some people are concerned about''. She says that doctors need to be prescribing this.
On hearing this, McEnanymentioned that it was always important to get a prescription from doctor if one wished to take hydroxychloroquine.
Further, he said, "I think that some of the hyperbole around this drug that has been on the market for 65 years - been approved for use in three other maladies and has been approved for off-label use - when there's a lot of hyperbole about this being unsafe - some of the things I've seen reported out there - are consequences, deterring people from being recruited into actual clinical trials,"
To this, she said "I have some quotes from a New York epidemiologist and others conducting trials, saying they're having trouble recruiting people because some of the myths that are out there. So, it's important to note that this drug has been safely used by millions of people for a long time,"
Early this month, after Trump announced that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against coronavirus, a number of Indian-American doctors have written to the Trump Campaign about the usefulness of this antimalaria drug in the fight against COVID-19. Some of them said that they were using this drug and it is safe for decades now.
American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) president Dr Suresh Reddy said in a recent letter to Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee that this drug had been used by him and his friends.
Mason said Trump started to take remarkable steps to respond to the coronavirus crisis.
Although Trump repeatedly touted that hydroxychloroquine is a "game changer" cure for the virus, yet the FDA issued an advisory warning that the drug has not been "shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19."
As of now, million doses of hydroxychloroquine have been purchased by the Trump Administration and kept in a bulk. On the grounds of humanity, India being the major manufacturers of this drug has sent several millions of doses to the US.
By Neha Makhija
Hydroxychloroquine Vaccine Trump White House
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text:
Q: Avoid asking password if `su -m user command` is used under `user`? If I run the script containing su -m user service userservice start under root user, I do not need to enter the password. But when I run it under user user, it asks passwords all the time. That really bugs me. Is it supposed to ask passwords for security reasons? Is there any way I could avoid asking password if su -m user command is run under user?
Edit1: The reason I need to avoid password entering on su for current user is /etc/init.d/scripts which have su -m user statement for many services I have installed. And it is seems stupid to enter password every time if I'm restarting service which is supposed to run under current user. Actually, I need to enter password twice while I'm restarting some service. I might agree that it is a feature of some init.d scripts and all I need to do is tweak the source a little bit, but I thought that it might be fixed somehow on the su level in order to avoid changing init.d scripts source code.

A: Yes, security is the reason and no, su has no way of circumventing that. But there is sudo, which can be used for what you want and it has a configuration file where you can disable the need to enter a password.
It also allows for complex configurations so that you can disable the need for a password for a very specific command only, to not fully void security.
su mostly uses pam for authentication and you could modify your /etc/pam.d/su and add a line
auth sufficient pam_succeed_if user = <put username here> quiet

With that line added you shouldn't have to enter a password, when running su as the specified user.

A: First off, that you want to do a su to yourself is really weird. It makes me worry that you've misunderstood something fundamental, as I'm having a hard time coming up with a reason why you'd ever need to do this.
Second, su's password prompting is actually controlled by PAM (as is most password prompting) if your system uses PAM. Certainly, all major Linux distros do. For example, here is the top of /etc/pam.d/su from my Debian machine:
#
# The PAM configuration file for the Shadow `su' service
#

# This allows root to su without passwords (normal operation)
auth       sufficient pam_rootok.so

That first uncommented line is why root is not asked for a password. If you commented it out, root would be prompted for a password (and you'd probably break a lot of scripts!).
I don't know of a default pam module intended to compare the current and destination user, but you could use pam_exec.so to do it. Something like this (which, I confess, I'm unsure of the security implications of):
auth       sufficient pam_exec.so seteuid quiet /usr/local/sbin/pam-same-user

where /usr/local/sbin/pam-same-user is a script like:
#!/bin/sh

[ "$PAM_USER" = "$PAM_RUSER" ]

Once again, I'd like to stress I'm unsure of the security implications of this.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Will Pernilla Lindberg's first win be a major?
Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg is poised to win not only her first major championship but her very first title as a professional when she takes a three shot lead into tomorrow's final round of the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Golf Club in Rancho Mirage in California.
The Orlando based 31 year old outshone her playing partner, Sung Hyun Park, in her round of 70 today after Park had threatened to establish a significant lead herself when she had moved two clear through 11 holes.
Park however would almost inexplicably drop five shots in her next five holes and eventually finish in a share of 3rd position at 10 under and four behind Lindberg's lead.
Lindberg was trying to keep things in perspective when asked in her post round press conference how she was handling the nerves given what is at stake.
"I felt calm out there. I had fun. I went out there today and said, "How often do you get this chance?" So I'm just going to enjoy it, and that's what I did.
"I've been on Tour long enough to still be in a lot of heated moments. I just keep collecting experience each and every year around here. I've played a lot of golf in my life, and I just feel like the pieces are kind of falling together. I'm just letting it happen."
Tied in 3rd place with Park and certainly not out of it are her fellow countrywoman Inbee Park who herself impressed today with a round of 67, England's Jodie Ewart Shadoff and Charley Hull, Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn and American Jennifer Song.
Another former US Junior Girls Champion is Australia's Minjee Lee who stormed to the edge of contention with her round of 64 moving from the cutline of 1 over par to 7 under with a round that was two shots better than anyone else could muster on day three.
Lee finished her round even before the leaders had hit off on day three and faced the media afterwards.
Lee is aware of the expectations of others and herself on performing more consistently in major championships and said so.
Hannah Green, playing her first major championship, is the next best of the Australians in 41st place after a round of 70 and Sarah Jane Smith is 58th.
Despite four attempts to break a play-off deadlock at the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage in California, Inbee Park and Pernilla Lindberg are now required to return to the Mission Hills Country Club's Dinah Shore Tournament Course at 8.00am on Monday local time to decide the winner of the first major championship of 2018.


You know how strings of musical instruments that share harmonic likeness, sometimes when struck or plucked, respond to each other with sympathetic vibration? Well, sometimes when I'm sitting in fast and testimony meeting I begin to feel something like that. Only, it's inside me. Maybe you've felt it too. Maybe it's the spirit whispering, or our own spirit recognizing the truth in someone else's words. Sometimes it's not in a church setting when it happens. But whatever it is, or whenever it happens, I've learned to pay attention. I try to listen to my heart and to the words being spoken. Most importantly, I seek to understand why I am responding to those particular words or ideas. I allow myself to wonder: Why does this resonate with me? What am I really hearing? Then I wait for answers.
Earlier this month, as the men and women in my ward began bearing their testimonies, I felt that familiar vibration. My emotions began to soften, and somewhere in my adrenal glands preparation for fight or flight had begun.
As I listened to one of the local full time missionaries share his thoughts about how God looks upon the heart, I noticed my inner truth harp vibrating wildly. I began to see or feel an image of what we typically term the "veil of mortality." I've always imagined the veil as a sort of curtain, behind which the world of spirit and our memories of heaven are concealed.
But on this particular day I saw or felt awareness of another kind of veil. I saw each human being veiled by the effects of the fall, each soul walking the earth, clothed not only in mortal flesh, but also in accoutrements of hardship, disability, and various distortions of truth inherent in earth life. When viewed this way, mortality separates us not only from the presence of God, but the veil also separates us from each other.
For some this veil takes the form of homelessness or addiction. For others it looks like crippling shyness, boisterousness or mental illness. Maybe rigid religiosity or inactivity in the church–or being a person of a different religion, race or sexual orientation is how the veil appears to us. Whatever keeps us (personally or individually) from connecting freely and lovingly with each other may be part of the veil. I have come to believe that heaven is not just a place we "go" when we are done with mortality. It is something we work to create as we live our lives. We are helping God prepare our eternal mansions with our every thought, word and action. Likewise, the veil isn't just a curtain; it's also a state of being.
In my understanding of celestial glory, we will return to that place we left by learning to shed our own personal veils; learning to live our truest lives and to love one another the way our Savior loves us. We must do this in order to be comfortable in His presence. We attempt this monumental task in what are perhaps the most challenging circumstances of our eternal existence–in mortality–where each of us is veiled in so many ways. Indeed, we see through a glass darkly.
Yet, on occasion we are rewarded for our efforts. The scales fall from our eyes, the beam is cast out and whatever normally keeps us separate or at a safe distance from one another seems to disappear. In these rare and wonderful moments the veil is rent and we see each other as God sees us, clothed in light and love. We feel profound humility and respect as we experience communion and reunion with our eternal sisters or brothers; God is in our midst and, for a moment, we are home.
Have you shared a moment of loving clarity with a friend or stranger?
Have you had such a homecoming?
Next story October Young Women Lesson: How Can I Develop Christlike Love?
I love this, thanks so much for sharing it! I love the idea that when we die the veil will be lifted and many of those artificial things that make it so hard to connect with other people will disappear. I had an experience running a long race recently that felt like that. I ran the last five miles with a woman I had never met before. We were way too tired to talk, I never learned her name or really anything about her. We just needed each other in order to keep going and finish, and at the last we agreed that we wouldn't sprint or race to the finish, we'd cross together. I just felt a connection to her, even though I didn't really know anything about her.
"We just needed each other in order to keep going and finish." I love reading about this moment and connection, too, Em. Thank you for posting it here.
It (and the original post) remind me of something my Mission President taught, about the light of Christ. He thought that the light within us could sometimes recognize and connect with other's light, on a level we may not be consciously aware of. He thought it was why we sometimes feel such ties to others, even sometimes right away.
I love reading your words. Always. They never cease to be inspiring or thoughtful.
Here, I particularly love the imagery (and phrase) of your "truth harp." My own is reverberating strongly now. This last year I have come to feel very deeply that true love, God's love, is true vision, God's vision, just as you suggested. It is to see one another with Christ's eyes.
"The scales fall from our eyes, the beam is cast out…..the veil is rent." I love these images, and I agree that at times we catch a glimpse of each other's true selves.
When I read your words, I feel that harmonic ringing. I've realized I am more at peace when I acknowledge these reverberations. My soul makes unexpected connections that can absolutely change my outlook or how I perceive a situation. I feel this ringing quite literally in orchestras. I'm pretty sure the raw honesty of low notes is what brings me there–time and time again. It's as if the very ligaments in my thighs echo the low tones and I find perspective and certainty.
Thank you, my dear, bassist friend.
Melody, I felt a stirring in your soul…you described my own feelings well. You have a gift to learn, analyze, apply and give voice to what you reason. I love it!
I had one of those moments with a woman who was the mother of my daughter's friend. She was very kind, but our lives were very different. She had obviously had a rough life, it showed in her home, her face, her family. We were sort of friends, but not close at all.
The day that they moved because they'd lost their home, I went over to say good-bye. That night, I laid in bed and thought about her. I wondered how different her life would be if she knew who she was. As I pondered this I had a 'vision' of her dressed in white, her hair lovely, her smile complete and bright. I just cried and cried, wishing she could see herself the way He does–without the veil.
I love reading what you write. I love the way you share your amazing wisdom and make me say, "Oh, yes, that is true." Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this, Julie.
I have a friend who says his goal as a bishop is to see people with eternal eyes. I like that questin the same way I like this blog entry. It just feels right.
Your friend sounds like a wonderful bishop.
Lovely, Melody. As others mentioned, the comparison of feeling truth to harmonic music is perfect!
While reading your words I thought of one of my favorite sections of C.S. Lewis' Narnia series. In Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Eustace- a naughty and unpleasant boy- accidently becomes a dragon- for that is what happens when one falls asleep in a dragon's cave having dragon thoughts in one's heart.
He hates being a dragon. He begins to realize the problems he has caused and feels remorse.
One night he dreams of Aslan beckoning him to follow him to a beautiful pond. Aslan tells him he must undress (or unveil) before he can enter the water. He sheds his skin multiple times (scales falling) but doesn't fully unveil until Aslan uses his claw to rip through all the remaining layers of his dragon-skin. Aslan then shoves him into the water and though it smarts at first Eustace describes feeling the most exquisite joy.
I appreciate your insight in understanding the veil as the mortal shroud covering each of us- not allowing us to see ourselves or others as we are. The parting of the veil then seems tantamount to having a change of heart. Receiving a change of heart is only possible through faith in Christ. Only he or our faith in him can really remove the veil from us.
Oh my goodness, Abby, thank you for this wonderful story. . . what a perfect parallel. It never ceases to amaze me how truth is out there. We all feel it and see it, then express it in ways that make sense to us. Different languages, if you will, but the same message. I love this.
Reading your blog made me think of how we dance with veils—sometimes hiding behind them, sometimes peeking around them, sometimes whirling them above our heads with bared faces. Yes, may we receive each other through this dance of veils.
Another beautiful image. Gentle and celebratory. Thank you for this, Phyllis. And for reading.
The first thing that pops in my mind after reading this lovely post, is the time when I did NOT see someone correctly. I didn't have the time or the patience to see this woman as anything more that different from me.
I lived in the apartment directly above her, and I had been assigned to visit her. I had tried to set up a time to see her but she always cancelled or wasn't home. I left her plates of goodies, and sometimes, a note. I would smile and say hello if I saw her but she never really responded, most times without even bothering to look up at me as she hurried by. I was a young mother of 3 little ones who spent lots of time running around our small apartment. I wondered if maybe she was unhappy with the constant noise above her, coming from my kids.
After a few months I gave up trying. I told myself we were very different and most likely had nothing in common anyway. I was married, she was living with her boyfriend. I went to church all the time, I had never seen her there. She was super thin, I was carrying around extra pounds from my last pregnancy. She didn't talk to people in our building, I talked to everyone. She and I were very different and I wondered why I had to be this assigned to visit a girl. Surely someone else could have better luck than me!
It had been about 6 months since my first attempt to visit my down stairs neighbor and as stood in my tiny bathroom getting ready for church, I heard a familiar, frightening sound. Maybe I had heard wrong. I turned off the blow dryer and listened. This time the sounds coming up through the air vent on the floor were loud and clear. Glass was breaking & a man was yelling. I heard bangs and thuds and then I heard a woman. That young woman (the one I had given up on), was screaming for her life.
I ran out of the bathroom and out the front door as fast as I could, yelling for Brian to call the police. I pounded on her door, rang the doorbell over and over until the police arrived. The boyfriend was taken away by one police officer while the other two officers talked to the victim. I stood in the doorway. She looked up from the sofa she was sitting on and our eyes met. She had blood on her face, marks on her neck, and yet she smiled at me and mouthed "Thank you". Oh, the power of two simple words. I smiled back as tears ran down my face.
I realized I had failed her. I'll never forget the feelings of regret and shame. I could have helped her if only by listening, and letting her know I understood what it was like to be hurt. I wish I would have, but I didn't.
As it turned out, she and I became good friends and I realized she and I had a great many things in common. She had felt alone, embarrassed, judged and scared. She needed someone who knew what she was feeling. She needed support. She needed a friend, someone she could trust and confide in. She needed me and I failed her. It is an awful feeling.
When I look back at my life, I can think of many times I wish I would have said or done something differently. But I can honestly say that if given the chance, it is the things I didn't do, I wish I could change. This woman had worn many veils and I ignored every prompting to see through them. It was something I vowed to never do again.
Love your post Melody – as always.
Melody, you have a gift. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you Melody! I needed to read this today. I've been trying to figure out how to live my "truest life". That means reassessing a lot of beliefs I've grown up with. Sometimes this has led to pain, and sometimes bitterness. I am also afraid that people will not understand and love me as much as I express my newly simplified version of what I believe. Recently, I opened up to my husband about my feelings and concerns. I was terrified. It ended up being one of the most beautiful moments of connection and acceptance I have ever felt.
I think fear veils me from reaching out and sharing and loving. It's so good to remember we each have something that veils us- it gives me courage to reach out and initiate a connection- rather than hoping someone will initiate a connection with me.


text:
Criterion Confessions
A survey of the Criterion Collection on DVD by Jamie S. Rich.
PINA (Blu-Ray) - #644
Pina, the long-gestating personal project from German director Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire [review], Paris, Texas [review]), is a documentary/performance film that reverberates with emotion and wows with its technical wizardry. It is a time capsule, a museum piece, a preservation project, recording many of the famous modern dance pieces choreographed by Pina Bausch; yet, unlike most museum pieces, Pina is not stodgy or covered in dust. The only glass this vibrant recording belongs under is that of your television screen, and maybe the lenses of a pair of 3D glasses.
Pina was a film that had been on Wenders' docket for years, but footage of dance performances shot by other directors had convinced both him and Bausch that a standard set-up would not truly convey the power of Pina's artistry. She was against having too many cameras onstage, breaking the point of view, and changing the audience's perception. He was against setting up at the back of the auditorium and shooting the performance over the seats. Both approaches had been tried before, but with few successes. Carlos Saura took his tangos out of the performance space and entered the rehearsal area [review]; and, of course, there are the various films of Martha Graham at work [review]. But Wenders couldn't just repeat what they had done.
As the story goes, it was seeing U2's 3D concert film that changed everything. Released in 2007, U2 3D was the first example of the new technology in practice. I remember seeing it in IMAX and imagining I could jump from my seat and land on the drumkit and being tricked into thinking different elements in my peripheral vision were real, not projections. And I can barely stand U2. Wenders was so impressed by the stereoptic effects, he saw what Pina could be. The tech was still new and unwieldy, but in a couple of years, it would be there...
Unfortunately, he didn't have enough time. Pina Bausch died in 2009 without Wenders ever shooting a single frame with her. Rather than let this project die, however, he carried on, turning Pina into a tribute to his friend. The final film gathers her dance troupe, past and present, and has them perform some of her signature material. Some of the dances are set on the stage, some are taken out into real environments, both urban and rural. Amidst this, Wenders shoots portraits of the dancers, having them talk in voiceover about how Pina inspired them and what her work means in their lives.
The end product is far from your standard biography. It's less about the woman and more about the essence of her. It sticks to what is important, the dancing itself, rather than trying to string together significant events that may or may not have inspired it. The chosen pieces range from solo routines to larger casts. Some of the sets built for the filming are sparse, others are elaborate. All of them, after a fashion, are abstract dramas, illustrating the push and pull between men and women, personal growing pains, and the greater struggles of the human community.
I have now seen Pina twice: once in a theater, in 3D as Wim Wenders really intended, and this second time on Blu-Ray, in two dimensions. There are virtues to both (and this combo pack offers both options, though you'll need a 3D television to view that version). The 3D is immersive, creating a sense of space and movement that would not otherwise be possible. The closest you would come to that kind of experience would be to see the recital live and in person. At the same time, cinema allows you to get closer to the action, almost like you are in it but without disrupting the artists.
On the other hand, watching it at home, there were no pesky glasses, no adjusting to the multi-plane effects and the distractions that come with them. It's also easier to focus on the full performance. Even Wenders acknowledges this. You can actually see more in two-dimensions, because 3D evens out all the focal points, ironically making the image more flat even as it separates.
Either way, Pina is an effective movie. Wenders is working straight from the core on this one, driven by his gut as much as his intellect--which is also how the dancing translates. Pina Bausch's choreography takes our inner feelings and gives them external expression, turning the intangible into the physical. For most people reading this, we would likely have never been witness to any of the late dancer's work had this documentary never been made. And more would have been the pity. Pina is eye opening, mind expanding, and altogether beautiful.
For a complete rundown on the special features, read the full review at DVD Talk. Images here were taken from promotional materials and were not taken from the Blu-Ray under review.
Posted by Jamie S. Rich at 2:46 PM
Labels: blu-ray, documentary, performance, saura, wim wenders
Jamie S. Rich
Author of prose novels and comic books like Cut My Hair, It Girl & the Atomics, You Have Killed Me, and 12 Reasons Why I Love Her. Jamie's most recent novel is the serialized book Bobby Pins and Mary Janes, and his most recent graphic novels are the sci-fi romance A Boy and a Girl with Natalie Nourigat; Madame Frankenstein with Megan Levens; and the weird crime comic Archer Coe & the Thousand Natural Shocks with Dan Christensen. He also co-created Lady Killer with Joëlle Jones.
In addition to writing here, Jamie has reviewed movies for DVDTalk.com and The Oregonian.
Visit his main webpage, Confessions123.com.
Jamie currently is Group Editor at DC Comics. His opinions are his own and not that of any of his employers.
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text:
Q: Best way of input in C console application: Differences between different types of inputting string in a console application C Hi have been doing research and I have found three most common different types of input inside a C console application:

*

*scanf("%[^\n]s", *char): Pick up a string until it finds a break line. It is advised not to use it due to overflow buffer problems.

*gets(*char): Pick up a string until it finds a break line. It is equivalent to the first. It is advised not to use it due to overflow buffer problems too.

*fgets(*char, LENGTH, *FILE): Pick up a string of LENGTH characters, from the file FILE. It is the safest of the three and the most recommended.

Having said this, I will show an example (MCVE) of the use of the three functions and what is picking up them:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

int main(void)
{
    char hello[7]; //Will store word 'hello'; Length is 6 = 5+(1)+1 = strlen("hello")+(BreakLineChar)+NullTermination - BreakLineChar will appear (or not) depending input type
    int i;

    // SCANF()
    printf("Input HELLO: ");
    scanf("%[^\n]s",hello);
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Length: %d\n", strlen(hello));
    for (i = 0; i < strlen(hello); i++)
    {
        printf("%i: %c\n", i, hello[i]);
    }
    printf("\n\n");

    // GETS()
    printf("Input HELLO: ");
    gets(hello);
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Length: %d\n", strlen(hello));
    for (i = 0; i < strlen(hello); i++)
    {
        printf("%i: %c\n", i, hello[i]);
    }
    printf("\n\n");

    // FGETS()
    printf("Input HELLO: ");
    fgets(hello,sizeof(hello),stdin);
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Length: %d\n", strlen(hello));
    for (i = 0; i < strlen(hello); i++)
    {
        printf("%i: %c\n", i, hello[i]);
    }
    printf("\n\n");

    return 0;
}

This code, have next output:
Input HELLO: hello
Length: 5
0: h
1: e
2: l
3: l
4: o

Input HELLO: hello
Length: 5
0: h
1: e
2: l
3: l
4: o

Input HELLO: hello
Length: 6
0: h
1: e
2: l
3: l
4: o
5:

Process returned 0 (0x0)   execution time : 5.757 s
Press any key to continue.

So, as we can see, three conclusions can be drawn from this:

*

*scanf: Pick up user's input until '\n' char (does not pick up the character '\n'). So string hello would be:

       hello[0] = 'h'
       hello[1] = 'e'
       hello[2] = 'l'
       hello[3] = 'l'
       hello[4] = 'o'
       hello[5] = '\0'

*

*gets: Equivalent to the point above. So string hello would be:

       hello[0] = 'h'
       hello[1] = 'e'
       hello[2] = 'l'
       hello[3] = 'l'
       hello[4] = 'o'
       hello[5] = '\0'

*

*fgets: Pick up user's input until '\n' char (pick up the character '\ n' too). So string hello would be:

       hello[0] = 'h'
       hello[1] = 'e'
       hello[2] = 'l'
       hello[3] = 'l'
       hello[4] = 'o'
       hello[5] = '\n'
       hello[6] = '\0'

Are my conclusions correct? Any information to add?
Thank you.

A: Your conclusions are correct. However, of the three input methods that you reference only fgets is safe:

*

*scanf into a string without a limit can overflow an input buffer; see a fix below.

*gets is deprecated, because it could not possibly be made safe of buffer overflow (why?).

To fix scanf specify the size of your buffer, and leave space for null terminator:
scanf("%6[^\n]", hello);

Note that s at the end is not necessary when you are using [^\n] format specifier.

A: In this answer I will make a compilation of all the answers obtained, and of the research work that I continue doing (I will update the answer as I get new information):

*

*gets is insecure, one against it is buffer overflow

*Most safe method for inputting by console is fgets, but it have a contra: This command reads '\n' character too. To solve this we can do the following:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAX_SIZE_STRING 5

int main(void)
{
    char string[MAX_SIZE_STRING+1]; // MAX_SIZE_STRING + 1 due to a string needs '\0' char at the end
    int i;

    printf("Input a string: ");
    fgets(string, MAX_SIZE_STRING, stdin);

    // Remove '\n' character inside the string:
    string[strcspn(string, "\n")] = '\0';
}

*scanf is a very powerful function, which is necessary to know it thoroughly to use it well. Speaking of scanf, I'm going to show an example of how to use scanf which controls everything you need (size, when stop reading, avoid bufferOverflow,...):
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAX_SIZE_STRING 5
#define STR_(X) #X
#define STR(X) STR_(X)

int main(void)
{
    char string[MAX_SIZE_STRING+1]; // MAX_SIZE_STRING + 1 due to a string needs '\0' char at the end
    int i;

    printf("Input a string: ");
    scanf(" %" STR(MAX_SIZE_STRING) "[^\t\n]%*[^\n]", string);
    // EXPLANATION OF THE COMMNAD:
    // First blanck-space: It is used for empty string. If user entries only blank-spaces, it will no stored in the var until user input any char
    // STR(TAM_MAX): Use of preprocessor for adding a max length to the input
    // [^\t\n]: Pick up until find a '\t' or a '\n'
    // So, at the end, this command is equal to: scanf(" %5[^\t\n]s", string);
    // %*[^\n] remove end/break line (\n) so, by this way, buffer overflow is avoied
}


text:
Page last updated at 10:30 GMT, Monday, 29 September 2008 11:30 UK
Lost data official to be charged
The individual who lost the documents cannot be named
The Cabinet Office official who left top-secret documents on a train in June is to be charged under the Official Secrets Act, the BBC has learned.
The man was on secondment from the Ministry of Defence when he left two highly classified documents on a train from Waterloo, London.
The documents were passed to the BBC before being handed over to the police.
The employee is being charged under clause 8.1 of the act, which deals with safeguarding information.
It is the least sensitive charge under the act and there is no suggestion of criminal intent.
BBC defence correspondent Frank Gardner said the move would have come as a surprise to many in Whitehall.
"They will have thought this was being dealt with internally at the MoD and Cabinet Office," he said.
The Crown Prosecution Service recommended the official should be charged by the Metropolitan Police due to the highly sensitive nature of his work on the Joint Intelligence Committee.
The documents the individual, who cannot be named, misplaced contained classified assessments about al-Qaeda and the capabilities of Iraq's security forces.
He was informed of the decision on Monday morning and was moved from his home to an undisclosed location.
Secret terror files left on train
11 Jun 08 | UK
MoD laptop stolen from McDonalds
12 Apr 08 | UK
More MoD laptop thefts revealed
21 Jan 08 | UK Politics
Millions of L-driver details lost
17 Dec 07 | UK Politics


Very nice, updated, move-in ready spacious end unit townhouse featuring two master suites each with private bathrooms. Open floor plan on main level with eat-in kitchen, breakfast area, separate breakfast bar, formal dining area, living room & half bath. Entertain on the large side patio area via exit off the kitchen/dining areas. Walk-out lower level has huge family room with fireplace, laundry and storage areas. So many possibilities with three levels. Easy access via private back parking lot off Dekalb Street, with 4 parking spaces for this unit. No association fees, with quick access to major routes, plus Upper Merion Schools, make this an ideal location.


This essay is an excerpted from a speech of William Grayson, June 11, 1788, in Jonathan Elliot (ed. ), The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, (Philadelphia, 1876) 5 vols. , III, 274-79.
The adoption of this government will not meliorate our own particular system. I beg leave to consider the circumstances of the Union antecedent to the meeting of the Convention at Philadelphia. We have been told of phantoms and ideal dangers to lead us into measures which will, in my opinion, be the ruin of our country. If the existence of those dangers cannot be proved, if there be no apprehension of wars, if there be no rumors of wars, it will place the subject in a different light, and plainly evince to the world that there cannot be any reason for adopting measures which we apprehend to be ruinous and destructive. When this state [Virginia] proposed that the general government should be improved, Massachusetts was just recovered from a rebellion which had brought the republic to the brink of destruction from a rebellion which was crushed by that federal government which is now so much contemned and abhorred. A vote of that august body for fifteen hundred men, aided by the exertions of the state, silenced all opposition, and shortly restored the public tranquility.
Massachusetts was satisfied that these internal commotions were so happily settled, and was unwilling to risk any similar distresses by theoretic experiments. Were the Eastern States willing to enter into this measure? Were they willing to accede to the proposal of Virginia? In what manner was it received? Connecticut revolted at the idea. The Eastern States, sir, were unwilling to recommend a meeting of a convention. They were well aware of the dangers of revolutions and changes. Why was every effort used, and such uncommon pains taken, to bring it about? This would have been unnecessary, had it been approved of by the people. Was Pennsylvania disposed for the reception of this project of reformation? No, sir. She was even unwilling to amend her revenue laws, so as to make the five per centum operative. She was satisfied with things as they were. There was no complaint, that ever I heard of, from any other part of the Union, except Virginia. This being the case among ourselves, what dangers were there to be apprehended from foreign nations? It will be easily shown that dangers from that quarter were absolutely imaginary. Was not France friendly? Unequivocally so. She was devising new regulations of commerce for our advantage. Did she harass us with applications for her money? Is it likely that France will quarrel with us? Is it not reasonable to suppose that she will be more desirous than ever to cling, after losing the Dutch republic, to her best ally? How are the Dutch? We owe them money, it is true; and are they not willing that we should owe them more? Mr. [John] Adams applied to them for a new loan to the poor, despised Confederation. They readily granted it. The Dutch have a fellow-feeling for us. They were in the same situation with ourselves.
I believe that the money which the Dutch borrowed of Henry IV is not yet paid. How did they pass Queen Elizabeth's loan? At a very considerable discount. They took advantage of the weakness and necessities of James I, and made their own terms with that contemptible monarch. Loans from nations are not like loans from private men. Nations lend money, and grant assistance, to one another, from views of national interest - France was willing to pluck the fairest feather out of the British crown. This was her object in aiding us. She will not quarrel with us on pecuniary considerations. Congress considered it in this point of view; for when a proposition was made to make it a debt of private persons, it was rejected without hesitation. That respectable body wisely considered, that, while we remained their debtors in so considerable a degree, they would not be inattentive to our interest.
I must confess that public credit has suffered, and that our public creditors have been ill used. This was owing to a fault at the headquarters - to Congress themselves - in not selling the western lands at an earlier period. If requisitions have not been complied with, it must be owing to Congress, who might have put the unpopular debts on the back lands. Commutation is abhorrent to New England ideas. Speculation is abhorrent to the Eastern States. Those inconveniences have resulted from the bad policy of Congress.
We are now told by the honorable gentleman (Governor Randolph) that we shall have wars and rumors of wars, that every calamity is to attend us, and that we shall be ruined and disunited forever, unless we adopt this Constitution. Pennsylvania and Maryland are to fall upon us from the north, like the Goths and Vandals of old; the Algerines, whose flat-sided vessels never came farther than Madeira, are to fill the Chesapeake with mighty fleets, and to attack us on our front; the Indians are to invade us with numerous armies on our rear, in order to convert our cleared lands into hunting - grounds; and the Carolinians, from the south, (mounted on alligators, I presume,) are to come and destroy our cornfields, and eat up our little children! These, sir, are the mighty dangers which await us if we reject dangers which are merely imaginary, and ludicrous in the extreme! Are we to be destroyed by Maryland and Pennsylvania? What will democratic states make war for, and how long since have they imbibed a hostile spirit?
The large states have divided the back lands among themselves, and have given as much as they thought proper to the generality. For the fear of disunion, we are told that we ought to take measures which we otherwise should not. Disunion is impossible. The Eastern States hold the fisheries, which are their cornfields, by a hair. They have a dispute with the British government about their limits at this moment. Is not a general and strong government necessary for their interest? If ever nations had inducements to peace, the Eastern States now have. New York and Pennsylvania anxiously look forward for the fur trade. How can they obtain it but by union? Can the western posts be got or retained without union? How are the little states inclined? They are not likely to disunite. Their weakness will prevent them from quarrelling. Little men are seldom fond of quarrelling among giants. Is there not a strong inducement to union, while the British are on one side and the Spaniards on the other? Thank Heaven, we have a Carthage of our own . . .
But what would I do on the present occasion to remedy the existing defects of the present Confederation? There are two opinions prevailing in the world - the one, that mankind can only be governed by force; the other, that they are capable of freedom and a good government. Under a supposition that mankind can govern themselves, I would recommend that the present Confederation should be amended. Give Congress the regulation of commerce. Infuse new strength and spirit into the state governments; for, when the component parts are strong, it will give energy to the government, although it be otherwise weak. . . .


Access roads and traffic in major cities around the world are collapsing (or about to collapse) because of the huge number of cars added to the fleet every year. To service and host these vehicles, millions of acres are required for parking (there are over 19 million parking spaces in Los Angeles County ) which are insufficient during working hours and then remain empty at night and during the weekend.
Vehicular traffic is responsible for a significant part of the pollution in cities. Internal combustion engines produce various types of polluting gases: nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and macroparticles . Vehicular air pollution has harmful effects on human health.
Epidemiological studies comparing urban areas with high level of pollution and rural areas with low pollution levels show that the differential in cases of respiratory diseases is related to the air pollution .
Diesel, gasoline and natural gas used to fuel cars, which may carry only one or two people at a time during commute hours, could be used for other purposes, i.e. for electricity generation or to feed the natural gas system .
It is estimated that world energy consumption by cars is about 500 billion gallons per year .
The "on demand" service operated by independent owners (regulated by a governmental authority) would enhance the public transportation system and improve access to faraway places and during night hours, when traditional train, bus and subway networks do not operate or do so on a reduced schedule.
Services like Uber would have the dual benefit of creating new jobs for people and a new source of revenue for the treasury, if the drivers are added as taxpayers to the system.
The two main reasons people choose Uber are: they consider the service safe and they want to avoid driving after consuming alcohol . If we add up the increasing number of accidents caused by the use of cell phones while driving, the potential for reducing traffic fatalities could be huge. Even though cell phone use while driving is banned in most states, more than half of all traffic accidents in the United States involve cell phone use .
Although in the United States cars are only used 4% of any given day, the average cars per household in this country is 2.2 cars. Moreover, 20% of households have 3 or more cars .
For a single person, the cost of owning a car is much higher than the cost of using a car service. Fixed costs include taxes, maintenance (periodic reviews, spare parts), financing (credit), fuel, insurance and depreciation (cars lose 50% of their value in the first 3 years ). These inherent costs of car ownership don't include other expenses such as tolls, parking fees, and traffic tickets.
The risks of theft, kidnappings and other factors related to owning a car (especially a high-end brand) are reduced substantially.
Millennials don't value freedom or pride themselves on driving their own car as much as previous generations did. Previous generations couldn't wait a day past their 16th birthday to get their driver's license .
In the U.S. the percentage of people (16-44 years) with licenses has dropped to 77% from 92% in 1982. In addition, young people are more likely to share a ride and are not willing go through the headaches of car ownership .
In the U.S. people spend 4.3 hours a week commuting to their job. This is equivalent to 13% of the working time .
This time could be spent more enjoyably or productively. According to statistics, people spend 21 hours a month on Facebook and Spotify respectively, and 13 hours on Instagram and Snapchat .


Dalmatian Jasper Wire Wrapped Necklace on your choice of black cord or silver chain. Please note at checkout. Reiki infused.
Dalmatian Jasper is a stone that aids you to break down barriers that you have created as protection around yourself. It may also relieve the need to take revenge on anyone who you feel has done you wrong, as its vibration helps you to release any lack of trust in other people.


Why buy an expensive Fallkniven product?
It's correct to put that question. What do you get, actually? Well, first of all you get a lot of knife from the very start, a knife which is strong, comfortable and stays sharp very well or extremely well. And, after some ten or twenty years, it's time for grinding the knife back to original shape. Ten dollars later, you can continue to use the knife for another ten years, or so. You also get a safe knife, well tested long before it was put into production. As a result, our warranty commitments are as low as 0,1 %.
Expensive? No. Cost effective? Yes.
And during all these years you have had the access to a much reliable knife, well tested by both elite soldiers and people who use to stay long in the wilderness. Check your knife account, we are sure that you haven't bought many more knives after you made your first purchase of a Falky knife. Expensive? No. Enjoyable? Yes.
Instead, you've been climate smart! You haven't gone for those fancy, hip, fashion, super cheap knives though they look good and were offering a smart surface and design. There is a straight connection between price and quality and for sure, you understand that a cheap knife cannot provide much of a quality. So, buying many cheap knives, you are wasting our limited earth resources and still you need to replace them every year because they don't stand up to your expectations.
So, now you know. Buying cheap is expensive, buying quality will make you smile. Save your wallet and the climate and buy a Fallkniven product – you won't regret that!


text:
Objection Network
Video games, anime, podcasts and more!
Rack Focus
Anime, Michaela
Gurren Lagann Movies vs Anime
Gurren Lagann is among my favorite anime shows ever with its engaging story, great cast of characters and epic soundtrack. A couple of years after the show came out, Gurren Lagann was retold in two movies: Childhood's End and The Lights in the Sky are Stars. I had always been interested in watching the movies to see what changes were made, but sadly the movies weren't dubbed or released in the states. I finally took the plunge and watched them online to see how they hold up in comparison to the show. Are the films good adaptations of the show, and are they worth watching? Let's find out!
I'm excited, I promise.
Warning: if you haven't seen Gurren Lagann, there will be spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk!
The beginning of Childhood's End depicts Lordgenome's childhood and his battle with the AntiSpirals, using footage from Parallel Works 8. I talked about the significance of Parallel Works 8 before, and this scene functions as intended, providing a strong back story to the plot while introducing relevant characters and ideas. This was a great way introduction that is substantially different from how the show started, and arguably better for it too. If only the rest Childhood's End went as smoothly.
In Gurren Lagann, the time skip is instantaneous and doesn't waste any time developing the story even further. In the beginning The Lights in the Sky are Stars (after the poorly placed Lordgenome fight at the start, which I'll talk about later), the time skip is supplemented with a montage of major events that take place over the course of the seven years. By showing the progression of civilization through the time skip, it helps develop the world and provide a real sense of change. It also does a good job of showing the characters mature and change during this time so that it's not as stark of a transformation.
Not only are many of the characters fleshed out, but so are their relationships with each other. Simon and Nia's relationship in Gurren Lagann is already fantastic as it is, and the fact that The Lights in the Sky are Stars manages to expand on this in a meaningful way is great. Not only that, but their relationship is even cuter! The few scenes added between them helps add investment into their story and make the audience root for Nia's rescue even more.
Studio Gainax has a knack for destroying my heart at every possible opportunity.
Simon's time in prison in Gurren Lagann was pretty short, and The Lights in the Sky expands on this a bit. Simon gets some great character development that hasn't been seen before in the show through these added scenes, and he goes to a pretty dark place. It also gives viewers a clue of just how powerful he has become and trying to control this power by refusing to fight the other inmates. It shows a more natural progression for Simon giving up and thereby accepting the reality of the situation – in the show this was a rather quick turn that came out of nowhere, and the movie allows us to see this change more slowly and understand his actions.
The final battle in The Lights in the Sky are Stars is even more bombastic and insane than in the show. A lot of the craziness was overwhelming even as a fan of the over the top action, but the main thing I thought this sequence did very well was the individual fights against the AntiSpiral. Characters like Yoko, Viral, and Nia get their own mecha to fight with, and Nia's contribution to the battle is the best (despite the overemphasis on her nudity). Not only does she get to fight back (the first time she's been given a chance to do so), but she also draws first blood against the AntiSpiral while protecting Simon. The fact that Nia is able to protect him for a change is a notable moment for her considering her brainwashed and kidnapped status from before. Her mecha also has the best design and is a perfect fit for her character.
In Gurren Lagann, the long, hard fought battle against the AntiSpirals concludes with Simon killing the AntiSpiral leader with Lagann. In The Lights in the Sky are Stars, Lagann is incapacitated and forces Simon to fight the AntiSpiral one on one. The animation is rough and gritty, reflecting the intensity of this fist fight. I think this scene of the two fist fighting is great because it's forcing them to rely on their own strength and will to win rather than mecha. It adds a new layer to the strength of humanity that was already so emphasized in the show, and makes it even more prominent in the movie's conclusion.
As many changes as The Lights in the Sky are Stars makes, the ending is still bittersweet. It does add some nice scenes of Nia writing in her diary for the last time while Simon prepares to pass Lagann down to the next generation before the wedding. Their marriage itself largely plays out the same, but makes a very subtle change that greatly affects the scene that follows, which I'll talk about next.
Originally, after Nia disappears, Gimmy desperately asks why Simon can't just resurrect her. In the anime, Simon's response is a grin as he says that he's accepted her fate. In the movie, Simon's grin remains but now his eyebrows are furrowed. This is a very small change, but it shows that despite his acceptance of Nia's fate, he's still upset by it and he has every right to be. It makes the scene so much powerful because it conveys his resolve not to abuse his powers to resurrect dead people. It also shows just how much Simon has grown and matured over the course of the series by acknowledging his grief but still moving forward.
Left screenshot: anime. Right: movie. The difference may not be obvious at first glance, but it evokes so much more in the scene.
After the credits of The Lights in the Sky are Stars roll, it focuses more on Simon wandering around the world. He helps whoever he can and plants flowers in Nia's memory, which she mentioned as a dream of hers in a new, earlier scene in the movie. He also wears Nia's wedding ring as a necklace, which is such a small touch that I love. It shows that he always keeps her close to him, and I prefer him keeping the ring with him rather than having it as a place marker at her grave.
There are many other small changes that The Lights in the Sky are Stars makes that are good as well, but these are the most noteworthy because of what they add to the lore of the series and characters, specifically Simon and Nia. Wondering why Childhood's End hasn't been praised more? Well…
The starkly different animation style from Episode 4 of Gurren Lagann was not redone in Childhood's End. I'm not sure if this radically different and unfitting style was maintained because of the guest director that worked on the original episode, and I suppose that if that's the case I can't argue with it too much even if it doesn't make any sense in movie format and looks rather cheap. The bigger issue is that the budget was largely spent on adding pointless scenes of fan service. These scenes do nothing for the story and characters, and it's frustrating to see new animation devoted to such irrelevant scenes in a series that already has an excess of just that.
IT DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE THIS ANYMORE
The fact that Nia blurts out her identity as Lordgenome's daughter as soon as she meets Team Dai Gurren in Childhood's End eliminates all suspense about her identity. I understand that this was done for pacing purposes, and it's not something entirely out of character for Nia to say, but it eliminates the build up about her identity that was done well in Gurren Lagann. This scene's placement also results in several other scenes being out of order as well, and this leads to Childhood's End feeling extremely rushed.
Many of the moments between Simon and Nia in the first half of Gurren Lagann are not only sweet to watch, but show a natural progression of how they fall in love with each other and eventually become engaged years later. Unfortunately, Childhood's End cuts many of these moments from the film, leaving the audience wondering how they could develop such a close bond in only a couple of scenes. I can't complain about this a ton since The Lights in the Sky are Stars makes up for this substantially, but it does make the relationship feel more empty in the first movie with so few scenes for them to interact to develop a genuine relationship with one another.
At least this important scene is more or less the same.
In Childhood's End, Simon and Team Dai Gurren fight against the three remaining Generals of Lordgenome and Viral all at once. In the anime, these fights were broken up individually, so it makes sense for the movie to streamline these battles into one for pacing. But the individual fights gave a sense of scope and danger to the story and Team Dai Gurren's mission, and defeating them all in this one battle takes away a lot of the tension that the show was so good at building up.
Childhood's End concludes after the defeat of Lordgenome's Generals, leaving the impending fight against Lordgenome as a cliffhanger. This cliffhanger isn't very well done here because it's needlessly splitting the story arc of the fight against the Beastmen into two movies. Furthermore, it leads to The Lights in the Sky are Stars having a jarring start continuing a battle that should have been resolved at the end of the first movie. Because The Lights in the Sky are Stars is forced to begin with this battle, much of the fight from the anime is cut down and feels hastily rushed and devoid of intensity, ultimately hampering what was a fantastic showdown in the anime.
This isn't nearly as epic when you don't see the fight that leads up to it.
In Gurren Lagann, the scene where the AntiSpiral is extracting Nia's memories for analysis is already uncomfortable to watch. His apathetic attitude and monologue combined with her screams in the background makes the scene almost cringe worthy to watch, but at least it's short lived and feels like it adds something to the story. In The Lights in the Sky are Stars, this scene is sexualized because of Nia's nudity, and goes on for much longer to the point that it's unacceptable. This may have been how the scene was intended to play out in the show, but it's so uncomfortable to watch that it was reminding me of the offensive moments of Kill La Kill, and that's not okay.
In Gurren Lagann, the final battle feels like it has real stakes largely due to how many characters sacrifice their lives for Team Dai Gurren's victory. These deaths, while sad (especially in Kittan's case), help the story have real stakes that it lacked to this point. By having these characters die, it gives a sense of urgency and shows that battles can't be won without sacrifices. In Gurren Lagann, these sacrifices are handled well and add to the story and characters. In The Lights in the Sky are Stars however, all of these minor characters – except Kittan – survive. This is rather irksome because it takes away the meaning of their sacrifices in the show – by having them live through the final battle, it makes it feel too easily won.
So, are the movies worth watching? Well, yes and no. The pacing of Childhood's End is very sporadic and there aren't many good changes that enhance the story – with the exception of the fantastic introduction. This isn't to say the first half of the show isn't good, but there's something about the pacing of those episodes in a show format that made them exciting to watch. But having the way these episodes are condensed in Childhood's End, the movie feels rushed and lacks fluidity.
On the other hand, The Lights in the Sky are Stars is much better. The pacing is slower and more fluid, and the additional scenes (for the most part) add a lot to the lore and characters and story. Neither of the movies are without flaws however, and because of this I think that ultimately, the show tells the story best. The movies are overall a great addition for the series and retell the story in a new interesting way, but they shouldn't replace the experience watching the show. Gurren Lagann's story is told most strongly in an episodic progression because its tonal shifts are more exciting and dynamic. In some ways, the movies compliment the show well, but Gurren Lagann is an adored anime because of the risks it takes to develop its story and characters, and it's a show that should be experienced by every anime fan.
February 4, 2017 March 7, 2017 Anime, gurren lagann, Movies
2 thoughts on "Gurren Lagann Movies vs Anime"
simpleek says:
Where online have you found the movies? I may want to try to watch them some time and I usually like watching the movies accompanying any anime series that has since ended.
Michaela says:
Hey simpleek! I found the movies on Kissanime, but they may be on 9anime as well. Since they never got an international release, they're a little obscure and hard to find. But I hope that helps!
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Michaela writes biweekly for Objection Network. She loves all things anime and video games - but perhaps too much so, as she will obsess over these things for weeks on end.	View all posts by Michaela
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text:
How you can ring in the millennium with Andrew Morton, and just watch what Rudy Giuliani does to Michael Moore's little Times Square porn emporium.
By Amy Reiter
Looking for a special way to ring in the new millennium? How about sharing a Titanic toast with tell-all biographer Andrew Morton? If you act fast and care to shell out -- gulp! -- $30,195 (hey, it includes airfare!), the opportunity can be yours. The man who brought you "Monica's Story" and Princess Di's daft drivel will join a batch of "famed entertainers and noted historians" aboard Silversea Cruises' millennium cruise. The Silver Cloud will embark on December 22 and welcome 2000 in the South Pacific. We have to admit, it does sound a bit more exciting than, say, the Nation's recent oceanic outing.
And you thought gray was the new black
"I have a strong feeling about color. I think mint green is going to be the new pink, which was this season's black."
-- Lingerie-inspired sportswear designer (and Jerry Seinfeld's shapely ex-squeeze) Shoshanna Lonstein on fashion, in the New York Daily News.
All she wanted was a smoke
Let the rest of the media fret over the wily beaver caught chewing on something naughty and woody in our nation's capital. (No, not that wily beaver. We haven't heard much from La Lewinsky since French audiences turned their famously blasi noses up at her during the Paris leg of her book-signing tour a few weeks ago. We're talking about the bark-chewing semiaquatic rodents who are decimating D.C.'s precious cherry-tree population.) Our sympathies are with another wild animal caught at the scene of a crime, this one with no animal rights activists to come to its aid.
We're talking, of course, about the rabid fox that attacked Lucy Dover when she stepped out of her mobile home last week to smoke a cigarette. The fox knocked down Dover and bit and clawed her, but ultimately proved no match for the nicotine-craving 79-year-old Brooksville, Fla., resident. Dover grabbed up the animal and held onto it for 12 hours until her landlord dropped by and beat it to death with a stick. Geez, what some people will do for a cigarette ...
Pierce Brosnan: Licensed to trill?
It may be something for Q to resolve. On Thursday, Dame Judi Dench will open on Broadway in David Hare's intriguingly named West End import "Amy's View." But if her Bond co-star Pierce Brosnan comes to see her strut her stuff in New York, as he did in London during her run in Peter Hall's recent production of Eduardo de Filippo's "Filumena," here's a little reminder: Pierce, darling, turn off the cell phone. Seems that when Pierce saw "Filumena," he neglected to do so, and when his pocket started to ring, fellow audience members were less than impressed. They should be happy he didn't have his bullet-shooting pen with him.
Can't we all just get along?
"I always have my own personal opinions like Nostradamus had his. But I always keep them to myself, because I don't want anyone misquoting me. But I definitely believe in peace and in harmony ... And I think we all need to stop the fighting and start loving."
-- Fugees front man Wyclef Jean on the war in Kosovo, at a tribute to slain rapper Biggie Smalls (aka the Notorious B.I.G.), quoted on the music Web site SonicNet.
Moore torture for Giuliani
He might have called it "Rudy & Me." Michael Moore, the shamelessly self-promoting big-business gadfly who tormented General Motors chairman Roger Smith in the 1989 documentary "Roger & Me," agitated white supremacists and countless others in the now-cancelled TV show "TV Nation" and brought himself literary buzz with his 1996 book "Downsize This!", has a new cable show and favorite target.
"The Awful Truth," which premiered Sunday on Bravo, takes almost as many shots at NYC nasty-man-in-chief Rudy Giuliani as the mayor's police force took at Amadou Diallo. For one episode, Moore, who clearly hasn't heeded Rudy's plea for politeness, opened the Mayor Giuliani Gift Shop and Sex Emporium in Times Square (among the offerings: a peep show featuring Giuliani's State of the City address combined with porn footage). The shop was quickly shuttered by Giuliani's bruisers in blue.
"I am afraid that without Mayor Giuliani there would be no 'Awful Truth,' because Giuliani is the epitome of the awful truth," Moore recently told the New York Daily News. "And if he ever grows a sense of humor, we are done." No worries there.
Maybe Moore can find a job for fellow Rudy-hater and recent "People's Court" reject Ed Koch.
MORE FROM Amy Reiter


Let's make a simple basic crochet hat together. It's super easy my friends. I know you've seen many awesome crochet hats in your internets searchings, but you have to start somewhere. I'll give you the basics to get you started on your hat making journey. We will be using a double crochet. Let's do it!
Round 8-14: CH 2, DC evenly around. Remove stitch marker. (HDC, SC, SLST) to end.


Billy on the Street loves some creative competition and yesterday was no exception. Host Billy Eichner played the ultimate of trivia games with four very pregnant ladies at a pre-natal yoga session in Central Park. In celebration of March Madness Billy kicked off his own version of the "Final Four" called The Vaginal Four. I am still amazed one of the ladies was due for delivery in 1 day! Enjoy!


Set in landscaped gardens at the head of Alum Chine, Ocean Breeze has been ASN Capital's latest exciting and prestigious development of 20 luxury two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses at 8-10 Studland Road, Bournemouth.
Each apartment is finished to ASN Capital's usual high specifications – now the final apartment has been sold.
· 42" Plasma TV screen and 5.1 surround-sound in the lounge, along with a multi-zone AV system in all the principal rooms operated via wall mounted control panels.
· Stainless steel American-style side-by-side fridge freezer with water/ice dispenser as a standard in the fully fitted kitchen.
· From the spacious balconies, there are spectacular sea views towards the Isle of Wight.
Throughout the Ocean Breeze apartment complex, special attention has been given to the finest contemporary finishes for kitchen worktops and fittings – the same care has been given to selecting the very best bathroom furniture.
· Video entry system and spacious balconies.
· The majority of apartments have separate utility rooms.
· Fully fitted kitchens include electric oven, 5/6 burner gas hob, stainless steel extractor hood, integrated fridge/freezer, dishwasher and plumbing for washing machine.
· High specification shower units/glass cubicles and ceramic floor tiles. Most feature fully tiled walls and some are finished with vanity units.
Two lifts provide easy access to the apartments, there is a video entry security system and as well as secure underground parking, garaging and storage areas for residents, space is provided for visitor parking.
Landscaped gardens surround the Ocean Breeze development; there is balcony, patio and exterior communal lighting and all residents benefit from private access via a stepped walkway to the Chine which leads through pine trees and scented rhododendrons to the beach.
Alum Chine is a spectacular tree-lined walk down to the golden sands of Bournemouth beach. It's the perfect spot to enjoy the vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere of both Bournemouth and Poole. It's just a five minutes' stroll from the Promenade and beach – just part of seven miles of this award-winning coastline.
Nearby is the thriving shopping area of Westbourne with a striking Victorian Arcade and its mix of speciality shops ranging from interior design to high quality fashion boutiques – as well as an exciting selection of restaurants, wine bars and pubs catering for anything from Thai, French, Greek and Indian cuisine to award winning fish and chips.
There are excellent road and rail connections for commuters travelling to London, links to the motorway network for the North or West of England, and the area is served by both Bournemouth and Southampton regional airports as well as the ferry terminal at Poole with links to France and the Channel Islands.