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Tag Archive: cars
Filed under: Film Features — 1 Comment
How many films can you really have about criminals racing cars? Obviously Dreamworks felt like seven (and the inevitable eighth, ninth and probably tenth) Fast & Furious films just weren't enough to satisfy the public – the majority of whom complain about the great success that recent installments of Fast & Furious have had. Therefore, they have decided to take on the established franchise with their own, born from video game (always a recipe for success *rolls eyes*) effort. There is one major difference though: the tone.
From that short trailer you can already see a difference between Need for Speed and the films of Fast & Furious. While Fast & Furious has always tried to beat home serious themes of family it has always been hid behind a slightly tongue in cheek atmosphere, never more so than in Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6. However, with Aaron Paul giving a voice over and laying out the films premise it seems that there isn't going to be much room for jokes in Need for Speed and seems to be more about a rivalry while giving the police and the crime section more serious undertones.
Aaron Paul's casting also suggests a difference. Fast Five is probably the best film of the series so far but look at the cast; how many of those actors would look out of place in anything that wasn't Fast & Furious? Can you really imagine Ludacris, Sung Kang or Gal Gadot in anything serious or better than the Fast & Furious franchise? No, of course not. But here Aaron Paul is one of the hottest names in television thanks to Breaking Bad and is one of the best up and coming actors around Hollywood at the minute. He has more drama in his little finger than the entire cast of the first Fast & Furious film. He's paired up with Dominic Cooper (and anyone who has read my blog before knows how much I like him) and Imogen Poots, as well as Hollywood heavyweight and former Dark Knight, Michael Keaton.
But then there's the almighty downfall of Need for Speed and why it probably won't do well. Here's the premise from IMDB for Need for Speed: Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins. This sounds a lot like an early Fast & Furious film, in particular it reminds me of 2 Fast 2 Furious. Since Fast & Furious gave itself a kick start with number four it became a lot more successful with audiences and critics alike and what was different in Fast & Furious (unfortunately the name of the fourth film as well as the franchise) to its predecessors? It was no longer really about the racing. Street racing or racing on the whole just wasn't drawing in the audience so it was time to freshen things up in what is probably one of the best decisions in blockbuster history (maybe an overstatement, maybe not. You decide). Bringing standard racing back as the main story just doesn't sit well with me.
I do hope that Need for Speed is a good film and I hope it brings in an audience (purely for Aaron Paul and Dominic Cooper, not for the prospect of sequels) but I just can't see it happening.
Tags: 2 fasr 2 furious, 2013, aaron paul, action, aviation, batman, blog, breaking bad, cars, crime, dark knight, dominic cooper, dreamworks, entertainment, fast and furious, fast and furious 6, fast and furious 7, fast five, film, gal gadot, hollywood, imdb, imogen poots, ludacris, michael keaton, movies, need for speed, news, prison, sequel, street race, sung kang, television, trailer, transportation, video games
Monsters University Review
Filed under: Reviews — 2 Comments
With Monsters University, Pixar attempts to take back the crown as the best animation studio out there, a title that seems to be swaying towards Illumination Entertainment after the success of Despicable Me and its recent sequel. To prove they have not lost their magic touch, Pixar have brought back a winning pair, second only in animation to Pixar's own Woody and Buzz, Mike and Sulley. University looks at the events that forced the two loveable monsters together and what made them the record breaking team that we first met in Monsters Inc more than ten years ago.
"I'm gonna be a scarer!"
Returning characters Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), Sulley (John Goodman) and Randy (Steve Buscemi) are all back, joined by a host of new talent. The primary new characters are mature student Don (Joel Murray), Squishy (Peter Sohn), two headed monster Terri and Terry (Sean Hayes, Dave Foley) and the unpredictable Art (Charlie Day). These new monsters make up the fraternity Oozma Kappa, the fraternity that Mike and Sulley are forced to join in order to compete in Dean Hardscrabble's (Helen Mirren) Scare Games to prove they have what it takes to be the best scarers on campus and win their place back in the University as a scaring major. But with personal rivalries and an overall lack of scariness about their new friends, will Mike and Sulley have what it takes? The answer seems almost predictable what with this being a prequel, but what's important is the journey.
While Monsters Inc was arguably Sulley's moment in the spotlight, University is all about Mike Wazowski. We're introduced to the adorable one eyed monster as a child on a field trip to Monsters Incorporated where he gets his first glimpse at the scare floor and realises his ambition in life is to be working there in the future. This short opening sequence opens up a whole load of strings to Mike's bow; he has an ambition, he has a background, he has room to grow and learn right from the off, and by the end of the film Mike Wazowski comes out on top as one of Pixar's considerably best characters to date.
"I can't go back to jail"
Sulley, however, does not come off that well: arrogant, cocksure and generally that guy in class who seems really big headed who nobody really likes. Saying that, though, watching Sulley and Mike's friendship blossom over the course of the (near two hour) movie is something very enjoyable, even though at times it feels like Sulley doesn't really deserve Mike's friendship. It is not until the final sequence that he really earns any respect or likeability, but more on that sequence later.
Monsters University isn't really any different to any other college movies, using tropes and plot points to move the story along in the expected fashion. But then occassionaly it veers off the path into the realm of the unknown. It would have been very easy to head straight towards the beginning of Monsters Inc but that's not what Pixar went with; it would have been even easier to end with Oozma Kappa winning the Scare Games and everything having a happy ending but that's not where they went either and credit has to go to Pixar for their wonderful storytelling.
"I'm going to wipe the floor with that little know-it-all"
The animation is wonderful. Everything is turned up by ten on the colour scales and the creativity to come up with so many different monsters is really unparallelled. If nothing else, this is beautiful to watch. Things take a darker (both in tone and aesthetics) turn when Mike and Sulley risk their lives journeying to the human world. This wonderful sequence brings the two characters together in a really heartfelt exchange of words and shows great comradery between the two as they work so well with one another to get the better of the humans, playing to each other strengths: highlighting the ups and downs of friendship being worth all that hassle if at the end the two parties come out stronger as one than they were on their own.
There seems to be an unwritten rule that if you laugh out loud five or more times at a comedy then it's definitely worth recommending to someone else. I can't remember a moment when I stopped laughing while watching Monsters University; there was joke after joke, all aimed at a midway between child and adult so that everyone could share in the joy. There were fantastic set pieces, big laughs and really tru touching moments of a bond forming between lifelong friends.
"You're just not scary"
It seems unlikely that we'll get another Monsters prequel and it's probably best if we don't get a sequel. Monsters Univeristy never quite matches the original but it compliments it wonderfully.
Tags: 2013, animation, aviation, billy crystal, blog, buzz, cars, charlie day, comedy, dave foley, despicable me, film, friendship, gaming, helen mirren, illumination entertainment, joel murray, john goodman, love, mike, monsters inc, monsters university, movies, news, oozma kappa, oscars, peter sohn, pixar, scare games, sean hayes, steve buscemi, sulley, transportation, videogames, woody
Ride or Die – Fast & Furious 6 Review
With the introduction of Dwayne Johnson in Fast Five, this franchise cemented its place as a must see film among the summer blockbusters; something for die hard action fans. After the commercial and critical success of the fifth installment it left fans wondering just how Fast & Furious 6 would top it? The solution: add a tank, add an aeroplane, bring back Michelle Rodriguez and just generally up the stakes. So what of the result?
"Give them a reason to stay."
Fast & Furious 6 struggles to find its feet for a while, it's as if the franchise isn't quite sure how to better itself or what direction to take. Is it supposed to up the ante with the action sequences or focus on the family side of things and Brian O'Conner's (Paul Walker) newborn baby. As a result the two strands of action and emotion are ruthlessly combined and don't quite pack the punch expected, leaving Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and, most surprising of all, Tyrese Gibson to help the film pull through and come out well on the other side.
Enter Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). As Hobbs (the retuning Johnson) reliably informs us, he has been chasing Shaw and his crew across 12 countries stretching over four continents. Right from the off these are set up as some big time criminals, meaning that Hobbs has to put a team together capable of catching criminals like these. And the only team good enough is led by Dom Turetto (Diesel). When Roman (Gibson), Tej (Ludacris), Han (Sung Kang) and Gisele (Gal Gadot) return there is no time for reacquaintance as they are introduced to their target and the real reason Dom has agreed to play for the law this time round: Letty (Rodriguez) is still alive.
"I can reach out and break you whenever I want"
Soon enough the slow emotional parts of the film are eased out and instead of being told "we're a family", "you're a family" over and over again, the real action begins. The team find themselves in London, racing through the streets of the English capital (although how anyone manages to elicit an illegal street race through the center of London is anyone's guess) and the fights fly. The pick of the bunch early on is seeing Rodriguez go toe to toe with new addition Gina Carano.
The cars get faster, the action gets better and the stunts get bigger throughout and appears to peak in the incredible tank sequence; taking out cars is one thing but when there's a criminal mastermind manning a tank, firing a cannon down the motorway and not afraid to crush however many innocent people it takes, then it's going to be difficult going. And just when you think the story is coming to an end it takes another turn…
"This is something we don't do"
And you end up on what must be the longest runway in the world with Shaw attempting to flee via a plane and Toretto's crew not having any other option than to bring it down! That's right… taking out a flying plane with just a handful of cars and Dwayne Johnson's muscles. The adrenaline pumping finale takes all the worries you had and politely tosses them out as you're sucked into the exciting ending where the stakes are higher than ever!
The one thing the Fast & Furious franchise has lacked so far in its existence has been that a real defining villain has never really been seen. Shaw has all the makings of it: he's emotionally cold, he's as intelligent (if not more so) than our heroes and he's physically able to hold par with anyone, as seen brilliantly in his brief fight with O'Conner. However, when you leave the screening not really knowing what the villain's plan was all along, then something has clearly gone wrong. The potential was never reached with Shaw.
"Maybe the Letty we once knew is gone"
But if the post/mid/beginning credits teaser was anything to go by, Fast & Furious 7 will have the real villain it deserves.
Tags: 2013, action, aeroplane, aviation, blog, brian o conner, cars, dom turetto, dwayne johnson, family, fast & furious 6, fast & furious 7, fast five, fight, film, four continents, gal gadot, gina carano, letty rodriguez, london, ludacris, luke evans, michelle rodriguez, movies, news, paul walker, review, spain, sung kang, tank, the rock, time criminals, transportation, tyrese gibson, vin diesel
What to Watch – May 2013
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At the tail end of last month Iron Man 3 was released here in the UK… it signalled the start of summer. In May, the huge blockbusters continue.
I'm So Excited – 3rd May
I'm sure it will be interesting to see what makes the Spaniards laugh. This is the latest feature from Oscar winning director Pedro Almodovar.
Star Trek Into Darkness – 9th May
This could be JJ Abrams last Star Trek film and it looks as though he's left us with a treat. I predict that this will be the best film to come out this summer.
Mud – 10th May
I've been looking forward to Mud since I first read about it. Two boys help a fugitive evade the law on a quest to reunite him with his true love.
The Great Gatsby – 16th May
And I've been waiting for this even longer. Gatsby was supposed to have been released back in January but got pushed back here. But with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role it's bound to do well.
Fast & Furious 6 – 17th May
Fast Five took this franchise in a much needed change of direction. Now it feels like Ocean's Eleven with cars and guns and what's not to like about that? And if you needed another reason to go see this: The. Rock.
Epic – 22nd May
Every trailer I have seen for Epic just looks beautiful. I'm expecting one of the best animated films of all time right here.
The Hangover Part III – 24th May
Another trilogy draws to a close at the end of May and it looks as though this might be the best Hangover film yet. Although, no hangover is actually featured by the looks of things.
Tags: 2013, aviation, blog, cars, entertainment, epic, fast and furious six, fast five, film, gaming, guns, im so excited, into darkness, jj abrams, leonardo dicaprio, movies, mud, news, oceans eleven, oscars, pedro almodovar, spanish, star trek, the great gatsby, the hangover, the rock, trailer, transportation, video
Fast & Furious 6 Super Bowl Spot – Absolute Delight!
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UK Release Date: 24th May 2013.
Stars: Justin Lin (director), Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Sung Kang, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Gina Carano, Luke Evans, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson.
Plot: Since letting Dom and Brian escape at the end of Fast Five, Luke Hobbs has been has been tracking an organisation of lethally skilled mercenary drivers across 12 countries. Unable to bring them to justice on his own, Hobbs must call on Dom to get his gang back together from all corners of the globe in order to match this rival gang at street level. The reward? Full pardons for their previous crimes.
Of all the trailers/tv spots to be revealed during the Super Bowl Fast & Furious 6 was the one I was most looking forward to. To ignorant outsiders this will simply be palmed off as a mindless action film; but to fans of the series this is just an indication of how far Dom and friends have come since their first outing back in 2001. What started as a simple street racing franchise has now developed into being at the forefront of action cinema and has left its simple roots a long way behind.
The introduction of Luke Evans in this film is a great one, in my opinion. From the official synopsis and what little we see in the trailer it looks as though his character is going to be more than a match for Dom Turetto. With any luck he may provide something more than the stereotypical villains we are used to seeing and may be able to provide the Fast & Furious franchise with a memorable villain it really does deserve.
Even though every clip lasts less than a second there is a lot to be excited about here. There's the return of Michelle Rodriguez and that will play out very interestingly being as though Dom thought she was dead; there's planes being blown up, tanks crushing cars. It's great to see all of the team back together which, for me, was something I really loved about Fast Five. Bring on May 24th!
Tags: 2013, aviation, blog, cars, dwayne johnson, fast & furious 6, fast and furious, fast five, film, gal gadot, gaming, gina carano, jordana brewster, justin lin, ludacris, luke evans, michelle rodriguez, movies, news, oscars, paul walker, street racing, sung kang, super-bowl, trailer, transportation, tv spot, tyrese gibson, videogames, vin diesel
Snitch Trailer
Filed under: Trailers — 2 Comments
UK Release Date: 5th April 2013
Stars: Ric Roman Waugh (director), Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal, Harold Perineau
Plot: A father goes undercover for the DEA in order to free his son who was imprisoned after being set up in drug deal.
Snitch is just one of six films released in 2013 that is set to star the new WWE champion, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. And in all honesty, I don't believe that this is going to be the best.
The trailer portrays Snitch as your typical action film. It'll bring nothing new to the genre, just another chance to see Dwayne Johnson on the big screen and it is undoubtedly set to be a fun ride. The plot, from what I took from the trailer, doesn't really seem to make much sense but I guess we'll find out when we see more than just two minutes of footage.
It looks as though there will be a slow build up with no real big action footage until towards the end of the film, which will be slightly disappointing for action fans. Even the trailer seems to take the slow build up and doesn't really inject any adrenaline into viewers, which is something that it's target audience will have been wanting.
Tags: 2013, action, aviation, blog, cars, dea, Drama, dwayne johnson, entertainment, film, gaming, harold perineau, jon bernthal, movies, news, ric roman waugh, snitch, susan sarandon, the rock, trailer, transportation, wwe
People Should Stop Moaning About the Fast & Furious Films
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2013 will see the release of the sixth film in the highly commercially successful and highly critically criticised Fast & Furious franchise. Last week Vin Diesel uploaded some pictures to his Facebook account of him on set and these photos were met with largely negative response to people on the internet with people saying things like "oh look, Vin Diesel in a car, they're really pushing the boat out for this one" or just simply "shit" etc etc etc. But really, what did people expect from the Fast & Furious franchise? And with every film pulling in great box offices so far and the latest instalment Fast Five being the highest praised and highest box office is there any need for all the negativity and is there any need for the series to be clamped?
It all began back in 2001 when producers decided to make a film about street racing clubs that use Japanese cars to race in New York City. And the first instalment, The Fast and the Furious, set the tone for what every other film that follows was set to be about; illegal street racing. And while these are just typical popcorn, mindless action films (up until Fast Five) is there really anything wrong with that? Actors, especially back in the 80s, have made names for themselves in making mindless action movies and what we have here is just an hour and a half – two hours of real escapist fun. The films aren't made for the critics, they're made for the fans and as long as the fans are out there the films will get made.
The fourth instalment reunited the original cast… if only for a brief time.
Whilst the series continues with 2 Fast 2 Furious and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, when the rightful sequel arrived in 2009 with the original cast members all back together the franchise seemed to be reborn. Fast & Furious reunited Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez as well as adding new characters that would seem to become main players in the franchise from her on out: Gal Gadot and Sung Kang (the latter also appearing in Tokyo Drift). With Fast Five some more talent was added and Dwayne Johnson received high critical praise for his performance (and is it any wonder? He was brilliant!) and the series continues to add fresh acting talent with The Fast and the Furious 6 adding Luke Evans, Gina Carano and Joe Taslim. It was rumoured that Rihanna (excuse me while I throw up) was reported to be in the next instalment but thanks to scheduling conflicts (Hallelujah!) we are not being subjected to that torture and she is rumoured to be replaced by British pop sensation Rita Ora… interesting.
Various shots of The Fast and the Furious 6 in production
Anyway, it was Fast Five that was the real game changer. It seems that now Fast & Furious has finally reached it's full potential. With Fast Five, the writers, cast, crew, directors, producers, whoever! had got a grasp on what was going on in the series and Fast Five showed that it was more than just mindless action. They allowed for real character development; it was great to see how much Dom Turetto had changed since his first outing in 2001 as well as Paul Walker's former cop turned criminal's relationship with Jordana Brewster's character. The really disheartening thing is that, because people think the first few films are rubbish, the majority of people will not watch Fast Five and they are missing out on a real treat and one of the greatest action films of all time!
Yes, the acting isn't always brilliant and the stories aren't always gripping but Fast & Furious has never set out to be a contender for big awards in film making. For this series it's all about having fun; fast cars, hot women, tough men, big action scenes and explosions. And when you watch Fast & Furious you can't help but have fun. So people should stop moaning about the quality of previous films, sit down and watch Fast & Furious (2009) followed by Fast Five and prepare to be swamped in fun, explosions and at times surprisingly touching friendships. Embrace it.
How can you not want to at least watch Fast Five after that?
Tags: 2 fast 2 furious, 2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, action, aviation, blog, cars, crime, debate, dom turetto, dwayne johnson, entertainment, facebook, family, fast & furious, fast and furious, fast cars, fast five, fast six, film, film feature, franchise, friendship, gal gadot, gaming, gina carano, heist, hot women, instalment, japan, joe taslim, jordana brewster, luke evans, michelle rodriguez, movies, new york, news, oscars, paul walker, popcorn movies, rihanna, rita ora, sequel, sung kang, the fast and the furious, tokyo drift, transportation, twitter, videogames, vin diesel
Pixar – Just Another Studio?
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Pixar are responsible for bringing to life some of the greatest film characters of all time!
For years and years now Pixar have been one of the best studios in the movie business. Pixar have been turning out perfect films over and over again since their first feature length film back in 1995; that film of course was Toy Story. Since then Pixar have continued to make perfect films, some of my favourites including Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Wall-E and that's not even mentioning Cars, Up, A Bug's Life, Ratatouille or The Incredibles. It is plain to see that Pixar have a knack for creating real works of art with some of the best characters to ever grace the cinema screen. They have often been thought of, especially by me, as one of the best studios making films today because of their originality, their creativity and their lust to tell a story that hasn't been told before on the big screen in a time where plenty of the biggest studios in Hollywood are relying on sequels, reboots, fairy tale adaptations and even origin stories for famous films. In other words, studios are getting desperate but Pixar always seemed like the bright spark within the industry but are they now turning in to just another studio?
Edwin E. Catmull – Co-founder and current President of Pixar Animations.
This week Pixar have announced plans to make a sequel to 2003 hit (and one of the best and most touching stories Pixar have ever told) Finding Nemo, to be directed by Andrew Stanton, the man behind the original film and Wall-E. This follows the news that there is development for a Toy Story 4 in the pipeline and of course next year a prequel to Monsters Inc called Monsters University will be released. There are also rumours that a sequel is in development for Pixar's very own superpowered family The Incredibles. This follows the hugely successful Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 and the film seen by many as the worst Pixar have ever made, Cars 2. Obviously, film fans everywhere will be rejoicing at the fact that plans to bring Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mike, Sulley, Nemo, Marlin and Dory all back to the big screen because they are characters that were a huge part of so many people's childhood and there will always be a sentimental connection towards those characters in the hearts of anyone who has ever watched these films. But are these proposed sequels bad news for Pixar and film fans in general?
The Toy Story franchise is a rare example of a trilogy where every film is of the highest quality, you can debate for days and days about which one is the best and why it is better than the other two but never will everyone agree. However, with Cars 2 it is the opinion of many that Pixar got it wrong; it didn't really need a sequel and it wasn't as good as the first one, it's sort of a blotch on an otherwise stainless list of films in Pixar's history. This means that if Pixar get it wrong with another sequel/prequel it could dampen feelings towards their much beloved characters.
Pixar's feature length films have won a combined total of 11 Oscars and earned another 30 nominations!
Since 2003 Pixar have released a single film each year and it has done well commercially no matter what because Pixar is a name that will put bums on seats in cinemas, there remains no doubt about that. But with the news of the sequels it could signal one of two things: either Pixar is trying to follow suit of several other major film companies and milk the popularity of their characters for every last penny they can get out of them (something Disney are already managing to do with most of their character history) or rather more sadly, Pixar may just be running out of ideas. However, Pixar have said, although this was many years ago, that they would not consider making a sequel to one of their films if they couldn't tell a story that was as good as the original, this suggests that a lot of hard work and thought will go into making these films but it will be a shame if this signals a slowing down in the creativity of Pixar because their characters have staying power like no others and everyone will be missing out if Pixar does indeed become 'just another studio'.
Tags: 1995, 2003, 2012, a bugs life, andrew stanton, animation, anime, arts, blog, buzz lightyear, cars, cars 2, cinema, creativity, debate, dory, entertainment, feature length film, film, finding nemo, franchise, gaming, hollywood, marlin, mike, monsters inc, monsters university, movies, nemo, news, original, oscars, pixar, ratatouille, studio, sulley, the incredibles, toy story, toy story 2, toy story 3, transportation, trilogy, up, wall-e, woody
Drive is the Movie Taxi Driver Should Have Been.
Filed under: Debates, Reviews — 12 Comments
Here we go; I hold the controversial opinion that Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver is ridiculously over rated and really quite a boring film. Taxi Driver is commonly thought of as one of the greatest films of all time but its not something I agree with. I recently got round to watching Drive starring Ryan Gosling and I couldn't help but notice a few similarities between the two.
Both films centre on a man who's job revolves around driving: Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle is a former marine who served in Vietnam but comes back to New York and takes up a job as a taxi driver, hence the name of the film; Drive's Driver, portrayed by Gosling, is a movie stunt double who moonlights as a driver in the criminal underworld. While both characters come from different backgrounds and are of different mental stabilities they are both loners at heart and form a relationship with a woman in the film.
For a large majority of both films not a lot actually happens. The first half of Taxi Driver and Drive both try to build character with not much action. When I was watching Taxi Driver I thought that it was at its best when it was doing this, we were following Travis around on his various journeys getting to know the man behind the wheel before the much anticipated shoot out at the end. Drive introduces us to the Driver's world straight away and for the first half an hour there is very little dialogue but the audience still get a sense of character. Because of the lack of action at the beginning of both films they rely on the character and the actors' portrayal of their characters and fortunately this works well for both films; Ryan Gosling had a great year in 2011 and Drive is a fantastic performance of his, while Robert De Niro is flawless as Travis Bickle.
So up to the halfway point both films are very similar and then something happens which, for me, makes Drive a much better film than Taxi Driver. About halfway through Taxi Driver (maybe later but I haven't seen it for a while so I forget) loses all sense of direction and seems to have no idea where it is going. Suddenly, Travis Bickle outrightly becomes the psychopath he is remembered for but I feel as though this comes from nowhere. Taxi Driver forgets its narrative arc and throws its plot out of the window in my opinion.
Drive steps it up a gear as it enters its final act; the action feels real, the Driver's motivation feels real. The whole film makes sense in terms of its narrative. In the beginning Drive sets off on its travels and, at the end, reaches its destination, the same can't be said for Taxi Driver. Gosling's Driver's motivations are obvious and relatable, his journey is a complete arc and his actions are emotionally fuelled. Drive is a blood pumping film; the action is well spaced throughout the film and at times catches the audience off guard, tricking the audience into thinking they will see one thing but they see another.
In my opinion, Drive and Taxi Driver are similar films and anyone that has seen both of them can notice why similarities may be drawn. I do believe that Drive is a much better film to watch and be entertained by. Where Taxi Driver offers a depiction of breakdown of society or mental state, Drive sticks to filmic conventions and offers up an enjoyable treat which does not become boring by any stretch of the imagination.
Given the choice, I'd be watching Drive every time.
Tags: 2011, 2012, action, blog, carey mulligan, cars, character, christina hendricks, comparison, controversial, Drama, drive, driver, entertainment, film, film taxi driver, greatest films of all time, halfway, jodie foster, martin scorsese, movies, narrative, new york, news, plot, robert de niro, romance, ryan gosling, slow start, taxi driver, thriller, transportation, travis bickle
The Magnificent Seven to be Remade? With Tom Cruise?!
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The Magnificent Seven is one of the greatest Western films ever made. The 1960 film, a remake itself of Seven Samurai, featured many big names of its day such as Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn and Charles Bronson. And now MGM have announced plans to recreate it for today's audience.
The Magnificent Seven centres on an oppressed Mexican agricultural village under attack by marauding Mexican bandits. The village bring together seven accomplished gunmen to protect them.
MGM have announced that Tom Cruise of all people is set to head this project, even though the studio haven't even hired a director or a writer to work on the remake, so I don't know what's going on here. Cruise has a busy schedule ahead of him with several films in the pipeline such as Rock of Ages, One Shot, Oblivion, Van Helsing and sequels to both Top Gun and Mission Impossible.
Cruise did seem back to his best in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol but is he really the right man to head up this remake of The Magnificent Seven? The film has been greenlit but it will not actually have its wheels in motion for at least a year with no writer or director attached and by the time Cruise gets through all the films he is making at the minute he will be well into his 50s.
Cruise is a big name in Hollywood and has box office appeal but there's something about him that makes me think he would just not sit right in the Western.
This news actually does my head in because it is yet another remake of a classic film. The remakes are getting boring now; audiences are being forced to see the same stories told over and over again. Why can't anyone just come up with a new idea for a Western instead of recreating one from years gone by.
Tags: 2012, blog, cars, charles bronson, director, entertainment, film, gaming, ghost protocol, hollywood, mexico, mission impossible, movies, news, oblivion, one shot, remake, robert vaughn, rock of ages, seven samurai, steve mcqueen, the magnificent seven, tom cruise, top gun, transportation, travel, vacation, van helsing, western, writer, yul brynner


Alpha Protocol calls itself an espionage game and the general setting lives 100% up to its title. Although, to be honest I never actually got to use much of stealth since going into a room and shooting everybody works just as well. So, you can also play it as an FPS except for a very few situations where you need to use a hand gun with a silencer as part of the mission requirements.
This game also has some RPG elements (that's a soft spot for me) so you can improve many aspects of your character and also buy and trade weapons and armor. And then you get strong. And you can just shoot everybody. Yeahhhh! That's what I did.
The game has a quite interesting story, nice cutscenes and really beautiful graphics in a multitude of different environments. Lush manor houses, run-down russian alleys, industrial areas and military facilities. It's all here.
If you like spy or even FPS kind of games you will not be at all disappointed with this game.


text:
José María Caro Martínez (; 1830 – 11 November 1916) was a Chilean politician and civil servant. In May 1894, he was unanimously elected as the first mayor of the commune of Pichilemu,  with Pedro Nolasco de Mira and Francisco Reyes  made second and third magistrate respectively. Caro Martínez had previously served for several years as administrator or llavero of the San Antonio de Petrel hacienda and, between 1891 and 1892, was the Subdelegate of the 13th Subdelegation of San Fernando Department which comprised the district of Cáhuil.

The eleven-year mayorship of Caro Martínez, which lasted from 1894 and 1905, was described by journalist and local historian José Arraño Acevedo as "the most fruitful" in the history of the commune. In his four terms, Caro Martínez built roads connecting Pichilemu and San Fernando, capital of the department of the same name, and founded several schools in Pichilemu and parts of current Marchigüe.

He resigned in May 1905 and completed his fourth mayoral term as a segundo alcalde. As a mayor, he was succeeded by Francisco Javier Asalgado who held the office for two non-consecutive terms. Caro Martínez was the father of the following progeny: José María Caro Rodríguez, who became the first Chilean Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church; Francisco Adriano Caro Rodríguez,  who became first the regidor for multiple terms intermittently since 1906 and then the eighth mayor of Pichilemu on the resignation of Luis Barahona Fornés in December 1925; as well as Pedro Pablo Caro Rodríguez, a lawyer from the University of Chile who became an active judge in several Chilean cities.

Early life

José María Caro Martínez was born in San Antonio de Petrel, in current Pichilemu, Region of O'Higgins, to Pedro Pascual Caro Gaete and Cayetana Martínez Ríos, in 1830. The exact birth date is unknown, since all the books of the parish of Ciruelos with baptism records between 1830 and 1834 were burnt in a fire. The Caro Martínez family, of "devout Catholics", is described as having a "profound Christian faith," with their members "complying with unblemished devotion their Christian duties." Since he was a child, Caro shaped his personality on the "fulfillment of his duties"; according to a 1944 article from the Pichilemu newspaper, "his personality became even more robust in his youth as he faced an accident whose consequences stood by him until his death."

Like his father, he dedicated his life to agricultural activities, and "managed to raise a small fortune." Caro served for several years as administrator (llavero) of the hacienda of San Antonio de Petrel, property of José Vicente Ortúzar Formas. During his administration of San Antonio de Petrel, the hacienda was "rich", as it "possessed 1,500 cows, [...] and produced yearly 15 thousand sacks of wheat, each of 100 kilograms."

Caro Martínez and his family lived in the Petrel area until the 1880s, when they moved to nearby village Quebrada del Nuevo Reino; he lived there until his death. Caro Martínez became an active member of the parish of Ciruelos. According to journalist José Arraño Acevedo, the archives of the Archiepiscopate of Santiago —which are published yearly— show he was elected as a steward of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament for the years of 1888, 1890, 1892, and 1900.

Political career

Caro Martínez was a member of the Conservative Party of Chile, and was appointed by the party's leaders as the perpetual president of the party's seat in the commune of Pichilemu. In 1891, he was appointed by President Jorge Montt Álvarez as subdelegate of the 13th Subdelegation of San Fernando Department, which comprised the district of Cáhuil, territory of the current commune of Pichilemu. He held the position until 1892, and was succeeded by José Domingo Fuenzalida.

Also in 1891, on 21 December, the commune of Pichilemu was created by the Autonomous Commune Law (), written by Ministry of the Interior Manuel José Irarrázabal Larraín. The new commune comprised the districts of Cáhuil, Peñablanca, and Cocauquén. It was one of the most extensive communes of the department of San Fernando. However, the local government was yet to be established.

On 21 March 1894, a preparatory meeting was held to create a  —an organisation that would be in charge of the elections. Caro Martínez was elected president of the  in the meeting. Later that year, on 6 May, the first municipal meeting (sesión municipal) was held. During the meeting, Caro Martínez, aged 64, was unanimously elected as the first Mayor of Pichilemu since its creation as a commune. Pedro Nolasco de Mira, and Francisco Reyes were elected as segundo, and tercer alcalde, respectively, and Francisco Cerón, José Leonardo Lizana, Ceferino Rosales, Benjamín Calderón, and Francisco León as regidores.

Immediately after his election, Caro Martínez created the local police force (Cuerpo de Policía Local). He also constructed roads all over the commune of Pichilemu, with special attention to those that would connect Pichilemu with the central area of the department of San Fernando, specifically the commune of San Fernando, and Santiago, the capital of Chile. As part of this project, he constructed a bridge over the Petrel Lake, known as the  (Black Bridge), and another in Cáhuil, connecting that town with its saltworks. He also founded several schools in the Pichilemu area, which only had one, located in Ciruelos. Those include the schools of Yerbas Buenas, Las Garzas, Trinidad, Molineros, Peñablanca, all in the current territory of the commune of Marchigüe, and one in central Pichilemu.

Other works during Caro Martínez's mayorship include the grant of 1,300 Chilean pesos for the design of plans for the construction of the railway from Alcones to Pichilemu, and the installation of a water tank, located in the house of municipal secretary Albino Pulgar. Additionally, the government of Caro Martínez determined the urban limits of the commune of Pichilemu, gave help to victims of heavy rainstorms that hit the area in the time, brought Carabineros forces to "scare away" bandits from the local farms, and made repairs to the roads of Marchigüe, Trinidad, Molineros, and Peñablanca.

Caro Martínez was re-elected mayor (primer alcalde) of Pichilemu in 1897, 1900, and 1903. On 7 May 1905, just one year before his fourth term expired, he decided to resign to the primer alcalde office, and took a position as segundo alcalde of Pichilemu until 1906. Following his resignation, Francisco Javier Asalgado became the mayor, and held the office between that year and 1909, and again in 1912, but only for less than a month.

His mayorship was described by historian José Arraño Acevedo as "the most fruitful [...] in the municipal life of Pichilemu." Caro Martínez was described by Virgilio Figueroa, biographer of his son José María Caro Rodríguez, as "an individual with public spirit and leadership skills." According to Washington Saldías in an article published in Pichilemu News, Caro Martínez's mayorship has been the longest in the history of Pichilemu.

Later life, death, and legacy

According to José Arraño Acevedo's 1980 article "José María Caro Martínez, Primer Alcalde de Pichilemu", following his retirement from politics in 1906, Caro Martínez "stayed watchful to everything that was being done in favour of the commune he led so aptly." He appears as a subscriber of El Puerto, the first newspaper published in Pichilemu, which only printed three editions. In the first edition of the newspaper, dated 16 January 1908, an article states that José María Caro Martínez and Exequiel Fernández were awarded 200 pesos in a raffle held on the previous day in the headquarters of the La Unión newspaper, in Santiago.

In late September–early October 1916, he became ill with an unspecified disease, which forty days later, in the night of that 11 November, "won against his strong physique" and provoked his death at age 86. Caro was subsequently cremated and is buried with his wife Rita, who died at age 97 on 7 August 1931, in a mausoleum constructed by their son José María, located at the churchyard of Ciruelos.

Almost eighty years after his death, in December 1991, the government of Mayor René Maturana Maldonado decreed, as part of the celebrations of the centennial of the commune's creation, the renaming of several streets of the commune whose original names "caused confusion because they were repeated in other streets", to new names of "relevant people of the [local] history." As a result, J. M. Caro street () in the Pavez Polanco neighborhood was renamed to Alcalde Caro Martínez street () in honour of the commune's first mayor.

Family

Caro Martínez married Rita Rodríguez Cornejo (1833–1931) on 20 February 1860 at the chapel of San Antonio de Petrel. The couple had nine children, all born in San Antonio de Petrel: Rita, Cristina, Petronila, José María, Pedro Pascual, Francisco Adriano, Pedro Pablo, Cayetana, and Rosa.

José María (1866–1958) became a Catholic priest; he served as Archbishop of Santiago from 1939 until his death, and in 1946 he became the first Chilean Cardinal of the Church. Francisco Adriano became, like his father, involved in politics, serving for several terms as regidor of the commune of Pichilemu between 1906 and 24 December 1925, when he became the 8th Mayor of Pichilemu, following the resignation of Luis Antonio Barahona Fornés to run for a deputy seat. Francisco held the office until 22 May 1927, when President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo appointed Evaristo Merino as mayor of Pichilemu. Pedro Pablo (1875–1959) was a University of Chile lawyer, who served as acting judge in Castro, Cachapoal (Peumo), amid others; Pedro Pablo also served as secretary and treasurer of the commune of Buin.

Notes

References

External links

1830 births
1916 deaths
Jose Maria, Sr.
Chilean people of Basque descent
Conservative Party (Chile) politicians
Mayors of Pichilemu
Date of birth unknown

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (Polytechnic University of Valencia, UPV) have devised and configured a new 5G radio access system for intervehicular communication. The system is intended to improve road safety in a future scenario where 5G technologies are the norm.
A continuation of the METIS project, METIS-II is an international project funded by the European Commission under Horizon2020 to research the efficient integration and use of various 5G technologies and components. Among its end goals is to optimise the performance and interconnection of in-vehicle mobile communications systems and, by doing so, contribute to improved road safety and lower traffic accident rates (though this is just one of many possible 5G applications).
Some results of the project were presented at the Commission's stand at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona last month.
José F. Montserrat, project researcher at the UPV's Institute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM), tells us: "The main novelty [of the new system] is that is allows the continual adjustment of waveforms in such a way that vehicles can communicate with each other, thereby overcoming the hurdle of not having a set station for communication".
In terms of hardware, the system presented in Barcelona includes three programmable cards, each of which has a high-performance FPGA (field-programmable gate array) to integrate different waveforms, which are what carry data through the air, and four antennas. These cards will allow direct communication between vehicles, as well as the integration of intervehicular communications into conventional mobile communication systems.
To show how it will work, the iTEAM researchers have developed a virtual environment that recreates the streets of Madrid. Their demo video can be seen via the link to the original article.


Ontario Genomics support the early stages of moving genomics technologies from the lab to solve real world problems in the clinic and industry.
Our challenge: to support Ontario Genomics presentation on "Why Genomics Matter" to the provincial government.
We know the importance of science; after all, we're DNA. OGI is a publicly funded not-for-profit organization, focused on sparking, supporting and sustaining Ontario's genomics technology pipeline as a key driver of the province's economy. We brought to life a special pitch on "Why Genomics Matter" using key infographics to visually represent the OGI "continuum" – highlighting knowledge, accomplishments and its 'trajectory' of what would be delivered.


Many are saying Bitcoin is the new black. But how many people really understand what the digital currency means for the future?
How about the volatile nature of the current markets after the Crimea incident, which made the FTSE 100 slip by 1.4%, or when NASDAQ halted trading for three hours disrupting the $16 billion Facebook IPO?
It seems very few people writing and covering Bitcoin really understand what cryptocurrencies are all about, the genius of its design and the potential for it to change the digital landscape.
To really understand Bitcoin, we have to go back to basics – how does currency work in the physical world?
Imagine you go to a cafe and buy a coffee. The purchasing of a coffee implies a transaction where two goods have been exchanged. In particular, the vendor hands you a beverage and you, the customer, give a token in exchange, which represents an accorded value (be it coins or bills).
One property of physical currency that prevents – to some degree – fraudulent usage is its physical nature. When you pay with a coin or bill, the physical token gets transferred to a new pocket, the vendor's, and there is a kind of validation that you were the true owner of the token since it came out of your pocket. The token can also be verified for its authenticity with certain instruments.
Digital currency attempts to replicate the previous transaction but the main difference is that the token exists only in digital form. For instance, imagine we scanned a five euro bill and named the digital image 'five-euros.jpg'. Being digital has many benefits, but also comes with drawbacks, namely, that files are easily cloned and the copies are indistinguishable from the original.
Firstly, there can be infinite digital copies of 'five-euros.jpg', which means potentially having two (or more) customers owning the same exact five euro bill image file and not being able to distinguish who the owner is.
Secondly, since the digital file can be copied many times over, theoretically, it's possible to clone the bill and spend it as many times as desired – this is referred to as double spending (step 2 and 3).
Luckily for us, modern computer science has figured out a way to deal with some of the previously-mentioned issues through the use of cryptography. The ownership problem can be solved with the use of what's known as public-key cryptography.
It's a way to protect a digital asset from prying eyes via a complex mathematical process called 'ciphering', which scrambles the original digital content in plain text so only the person with the right password, called a key, can unlock (or decipher) it.
One of the most common uses of public-key algorithms are digital signatures, which are the equivalent of a real-life signature allowing anyone with the right key to sign digital assets and prove they are the rightful owners of it.
The catch about public-key cryptography is that there isn't a single key but two – the private key and the public key.
The private key, as its name implies, is kept private and used by the owner to sign any digital file under their name. The public key, which is mathematically related to the private key, verifies that the digital file was, indeed, signed with the private key. Additionally, this public key can and should be shared among anyone who wants to verify ownership claims.
Bitcoin is a digital currency that effectively employs cryptography (as seen above), which is why it's called a cryptocurrency. In truth though, with Bitcoins, there are neither physical or digital tokens being exchanged.
Instead, the only representation of the currency is an entry on a ledger, which records a monetary transaction. In it, Person A sends X amount of Bitcoins to Person B – this is similar to what a typical bank ledger contains.
In the case of a bank, both Person A and Person B would own a bank account and be identified through a numeric ID. The ownership is clearly stated via ID cards, signed contracts, etc. when you open the bank account.
But in the case of Bitcoin, any person can generate a pair of public-private cryptographic keys that can be used to create the equivalent of a bank account, dubbed a 'Bitcoin address'. It's essentially an acronym of the public-key and it uniquely identifies the owner of an account.
At its core, a Bitcoin address is a numbered bank account, but without a bank and or any ties to the identity of the owner.
As you're probably figuring out, the fact that anyone with a simple computer (OpenPGP, GnuPG, ssh-keygen, OpenSSL, etc.) can generate a number of sets of keys to use as Bitcoin addresses with total anonymity is one of the reasons why many banking organizations (in Russia, China and Europe) are banning the crytocurrency.
As previously mentioned, Bitcoin is not a tangible digital asset, rather, it's a transaction that gets recorded on a ledger called Blockchain. This transaction basically holds the origin of funds (inputs) as a Bitcoin address and the destination (outputs) as another address.
To ensure the ownership of funds, the whole transaction file is digitally signed with a private key by the user sending the funds (the customer in our case). Then, the signature along with public key are enclosed in the transaction. This allows anyone to validate the transferred Bitcoins are really owned by the sender.
Though the origin of funds address is derived from the enclosed public key, in theory, no one knows the true identity of the owner of that public key. The same goes for the destination, which is represented by another Bitcoin address, and doesn't even have a public key to match with the owner.
To keep it simple, we've shown the point of view of the two parties involved in the transaction. If we saw this transaction from the outside, we would only see random Bitcoin addresses and have no idea who owned them.
Transactions, though, don't exists on their own. Each transaction input is a pointer to a previous transaction. In other words, the input used in a transaction was the output of a previous transaction. Blockchain stores this linked list of transactions so any Bitcoin can actually be traced to its origin.
The Bitcoin transactions stored in the Blockchain can be very simple (above), or become very complex with multiple input and output sources (below).
Why would we want multiple inputs or outputs for a transaction? Because Bitcoin transactions don't specify how much you transfer from the inputs, which means it will transfer all the Bitcoins associated with an address. It's similar to trying to pay a three-euro coffee with a 20 euro bill.
To prevent this from happening, it's possible to add extra output pointing to an address owned by a customer where the 'change' will be received (Fig. 8). Likewise, because there might not be enough Bitcoins in a single address, it's possible to add multiple inputs owned by a customer to match the desired output (Fig. 9).
The original Bitcoin paper highlighted two major goals behind the design of the cryptocurrency: 1) To create a digital currency preventing the double spending problem 2) To achieve the first goal without a centralized third-party financial institution.
In previous attempts to build digital currencies, the ledger was always stored by a centralized third-party. Bitcoin circumvents this by deploying a peer-to-peer network of shared ledgers.
Every client in the Bitcoin network owns a copy of Blockchain, which is public and accessible to anyone in the network allowing unprecedented transparency to the currency.
The Bitcoin network is made out of interconnected clients, called full clients or nodes, that are in charge of validating any transactions received. Once validated, the clients broadcast the transaction to neighbouring until each one in the network has a copy of it.
Instead of storing the transactions as they are, Blockchain bundles them into what is dubbed a 'Bitcoin block'. Once a block is created, it will be broadcasted to all the other nodes so everyone can update their Blockchain. Each block is then linked to the previous block, creating a chain that can be traced to the first block ever created – the 'genesis block'.
Users in charge of creating these blocks are called 'miners' and the process, unsurprisingly, is called 'mining a block'.
In the early days, every client in the network was a miner. Currently, miners have dedicated clients that connect to the Bitcoin network with specific protocols. Once a transaction gets bundled into a block and is accepted by a large majority of the network, it is considered official.
Once a node receives a block from a miner, it will add it to its local Blockchain and broadcast it to the rest of the network. As we can see below, each block can contain any number of transactions.
So how does a miner select which transactions to bundle into a block? Mostly, it depends on how much money the parties are willing to pay the miner to process their transaction.
In theory, every transaction is processed for free. However, Bitcoin allows its users to 'tip' the miners for validating their transaction.
These tips are called transaction fees and taken when the sum of all the inputs of the transaction is bigger than the outputs. The difference between inputs and outputs will be cashed by the miner that processes the transaction into a block.
By default, many of the Bitcoin software clients will automatically add transaction fees if certain criteria are met.
Of course, there's still a trust issue with the Bitcoin network. If miners are the real validators of the transactions, then any single entity owning enough miners could potentially subvert the Blockchain. With ownership of the network, old transactions could be manipulated and even open up the possibility of double spending.
To avoid this, Bitcoin introduced a safeguard mechanism called Proof of Work (PoW), a small mathematical problem every miner has to solve before sending a block back to the node. PoW is designed so it takes miners, on average, 10 minutes to complete.
The computing power and randomness required to obtain the solution of the problem prevents having rogue agents fully controlling the Blockchain. Essentially, the more computer power you own, the faster you can compute the PoW.
But there's a catch: Every 2016 blocks (around two weeks), the network checks how fast the miners have worked. If they've mined blocks faster than expected, it means the miners have increased their computational power.
To prevent this from happening and tipping the balance, the network modifies the difficulty of the PoW and increases it so the average time to solve it remains at 10 minutes.
Fig. 16: Bitcoin PoW difficulty factor evolution.
If mining a block costs computational power, then why would anyone want to do it? Well, miners are rewarded with Bitcoins.
Originally, for every block, miners would be awarded 50 Bitcoins plus any transaction fees. This reward is called a coinbase transaction.
Coinbase transactions introduce new Bitcoins into the system, control the inflation of the currency and, at the same time, deter any attempt to subvert the network. The system is designed under a controlled supply – this means that every four years, the mining reward gets halved.
For the sake of clarity, we've omitted many details about the Bitcoin protocol. That said, we encourage you to ask any additional questions you may have so we can update this post and make it as complete as possible.
Don't forget, more advanced concepts (and their ramifications) are covered in the next post of the series.


text:
Redescriptions of two species of Sepia (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae) from South African waters: Sepia robsoni (Massy, 1927) and S. faurei Roeleveld, 1972
Marek R. Lipiński 1,2
Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science (DIFS), Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Grahamstown, South Africa
Marek R. Lipiński
Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science (DIFS), Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, 6140 Grahamstown, South Africa
South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), 11 Somerset Rd., 6140 Grahamstown, South Africa
Online publication date: 2020-11-23
small cuttlefish
redescriptions
South African waters
Digitosepia
Two species of cuttlefish: Sepia robsoni (Massy) and Sepia faurei Roeleveld, are redescribed based on sexually mature males and females of both species. They were previously known only from their holotypes: male and female, respectively. They belong to a distinct group of small-sized sepiids, all near-endemics of southern African waters. The knowledge of the systematics and biology of this group is still limited despite the long time since the first description (1875). This is because, inter alia, of their small size: not larger than 4 cm mantle length at maturity. Twenty-one individuals of S. robsoni described here were scattered from Port Nolloth area to the Tsitsikamma coast (bottom depth <37–449 m). Eight known individuals of S. faurei came from the eastern Agulhas Bank (bottom depth 116–184 m). S. robsoni can be identified by extremely thinly calcified cuttlebone (transparent); smooth skin of dorsal mantle and head; tips of first pair of arms thick, finger-like, devoid of suckers. S. faurei can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: thick, heavily calcified cuttlebone but with flat and fused inner cone; skin of dorsal mantle and head very densely covered by characteristic warts; thin, whip-like tips of first pair of arms devoid of suckers. All described specimens of both species are deposited in the South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and in Iziko, South African Museum (SAMC).
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Bonnaud L., Lu C. C., Boucher-Rodoni R. 2006. Morphological character evolution and molecular trees in sepiids (Mollusca: Cephalopoda): is the cuttlebone a robust phylogenetic marker? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 89: 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095....
Denton E. J., Gilpin-Brown J. B. 1961. The buoyancy of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (L.). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. 41: 319–342. https://doi.org/10.1017/S00253....
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Lipiński M. R. 2020. Two new species of Sepia Linnaeus, 1758 (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae) from South African waters. Folia Malacologica 28: 175–200. https://doi.org/10.12657/folma....
Lipiński M. R., Leslie R. W. 2018. A new species of Sepia (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae) from South African waters with a re-description of Sepia dubia Adam et Rees, 1966. Folia Malacologica 26: 125–147. https://doi.org/10.12657/folma....
Lipiński M. R., Naggs F. A., Roeleveld M. A. C. 2000. Catalogue of types of recent cephalopods in the collection of the Natural History Museum, London. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa) 50: 101–120.
Lipiński M. R., Underhill L. G. 1995. Sexual maturation in squid: quantum or continuum? South African Journal of Marine Science 15: 207–223. https://doi.org/10.2989/025776....
Massy A. L. 1927. The Cephalopoda of the South African Museum. Annals of the South African Museum 25: 151–167.
Lu C. C. 1998. Use of the sepion in the taxonomy of Sepiidae (Cephalopoda: Sepioidea) with an emphasis on the Australian fauna. In: Voss N. A., Vecchione M., Toll R. B., Sweeney M. J. (eds). Systematics and biogeography of Cephalopods. Vol. I. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 586: 207–214.
Lu C. C., Reid A. 1997. Two new cuttlefishes (Cephalopods: Sepiidae) from the North West Shelf, and a redescription of Sepia sulcata Hoyle, 1885. Records of the Western Australian Museum 18: 277–310.
Roeleveld M. A. 1972. A review of the Sepiidae (Cephalopoda) of southern Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 59: 193–313, plates 35–45.
Roeleveld M. A., Liltved W. R. 1985. A new species of Sepia (Cephalopoda, Sepiidae) from South Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 96: 1–18.
Sherrard K. M. 2000. Cuttlebone morphology limits habitat depth in eleven species of Sepia (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae). Biological Bulletin 198: 404–414. https://doi.org/10.2307/154269....
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A new genus and species of Hydrobiidae Stimpson, 1865 (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from Peloponnese, Greece
Andrzej Falniowski, Jozef Grego, Aleksandra Rysiewska, Artur Osikowski, Sebastian Hofman
New data on the valvatiform-shelled Hydrobiidae (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from southern Greece
Sebastian Hofman, Jozef Grego, Zoltán Fehér, Zoltán Erőss, Aleksandra Rysiewska, Artur Osikowski, Andrzej Falniowski
Morphological disparity in extant and extinct sepiid phragmocones: morphological adaptions for phragmocone strength compared to those related to cameral liquid emptying hypotheses
Peter Ward, Job Veloso, Christian Klug
Swiss Journal of Palaeontology
Detailed Description and Morphological Assessment of Sepia typica (Steenstrup, 1875) (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae)
Robin Leslie, Anthony Richardson, Marek Lipiński
Two new species of Sepia Linnaeus, 1758 (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae) from South African waters
A new species of Sepia (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae) from South African waters with a re-description of Sepia dubia Adam et Rees, 1966

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Keith Goddard started his musical education at the College of Music in Harare and from 1979 to 1982 studied composition and electro-acoustic music at Durham University in Englandunder David Lumsdaine and John Casken. His early composition works like "Afterthought" (1982), "Kutamba" (1983) and "Kunzwa" (1985) were dealing with the end of the liberation war and the emerging situation in newly independent Zimbabwe. Later on he also taught music and composition himself at the Zimbabwe College of Music.


The English Setter is an elegant, sturdy long-bodied dog with well-sprung ribs, deep chest and widely spaced legs. The long head is held high with a pronounced frontal stop, fairly square muzzle, long pendant ears and oval shaped brown eyes. The tail is in line with the body and is held slightly upwards. The coat is long, dense and silky with a slight wave and comes in a variety of colour combinations, including black, white, brown and orange.
English Setters are friendly, gentle and good-natured dogs. They are devoted, affectionate, energetic and make good companions and family pets for those that can afford them plenty of time and exercise - these dogs do not like to be neglected and left for long periods of time. English Setters have good memories and are quick to learn, but they can also be stubborn, irresponsibly playful, display resistance and develop bad habits that can often be difficult to break. As a result they can be slow to housebreak. Despite all of this, their sweet nature means they are suitable for both novice and experienced dog owners. They get along well with older, more considerate children as they may be a little big for smaller kids, and they also get along well with other pets and even strangers due to their sociable dispositions.
English Setters actually originate from France, where they were first developed as hunting dogs in the 1500s by breeding Spanish and French Pointers. Three centuries later a breeder called Laverack developed these into the English Pointer, and so they are sometimes called Laverack Setters. Another breeder called Llewellin developed a second lineage, often called Llewellin Setters. These days they make good family pets but still retain their skills in retrieving, hunting, agility, watch dogging, and pointing.
English Setters tend to live between 12-14 years and are a relatively healthy breed, but some of the health concerns noted in this breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism and deafness.
English Setters are medium shedders and so may not be suitable for allergy sufferers. The soft, medium-length coat needs brushing a few times a week to remove dead hair, prevent matting and keep it in pristine condition, and more during periods of heavier shedding. Bathing should be undertaken only when necessary, and the hair around the bottom of the feet, the tail and the bottom area should be kept trimmed for hygene reasons. The ears should be checked for hygiene reasons and to reduce the risk of infections.
English Setters are suitable for both rural and urban environments, and although inactive while indoors, they need plenty of exercise. They need a daily long and brisk walk, and if possible, they should be given the chance of running freely. Without this they may become difficult to manage.


During an illustrious Formula 1 career that lasted nearly two decades in total, Michael Schumacher set some of the sport's most prestigious records - some of which stand till date.
Marc Marquez recovered from a grid penalty to win the Malaysian Grand Prix, beating Valentino Rossi in a straight duel. Here are some statistics from the penultimate round of the 2018 MotoGP season.
Maverick Vinales took a surprise victory for Yamaha in the Australian Grand Prix. Here are some statistics from last weekend's MotoGP race.
Marc Marquez has been a class apart from rest of the field in the 2018 MotoGP season, allowing him to clinch the title with three races to spare in Japan.
Marc Marquez upset pre-race favourites Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo (both Ducati) to win the Aragon GP and inch closer to the 2018 MotoGP title. Here are some statistics for the race.
All the important Formula 1 statistics and figures from the Singapore Grand Prix, won by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
All important Formula 1 statistics and figures from the Italian Grand Prix, won by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
All important Formula 1 statistics and figures from the Belgian Grand Prix, won by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.
Ducati reigned at the Red Bull Ring, while Yamaha endured one of its worst MotoGP races in recent times. All the important statistics from the Austrian GP.
Marc Marquez took part in his 100th MotoGP race at Brno last weekend. We've compiled some important statistics from his grand prix racing career so far.
All important statistics and figures from the Austrian Grand Prix, won by Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen.
All important Formula 1 statistics and figures from last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.
All statistics and figures from the Italian Grand Prix, the sixth round of the 2018 MotoGP World Championship.
All the statistics and figures from the Monaco Grand Prix, won by Red Bull Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.
All key statistics and figures from the Spanish Grand Prix, the first round of the 2018 Formula 1 season.


Steph is an experienced and enthusiastic teacher who has enjoyed working in several local secondary schools, most recently for many years as an Assistant Headteacher. In this role, she had responsibility for the learning, development and care of 900 teenage boys (and often their families) and still says it was 'the best job in the world'!
Newly retired, Steph continues to be committed to ensuring support and care for individuals are at hand in The Minster family. This might include prayer and prayer ministry, helping people find their feet or looking out for any learning opportunities, both in the formal educational world and the more informal lessons of life.
Steph and her husband Don also help run the Chalfont St Peter area missional community.


WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Some special patients were treated like royalty Thursday when Azalea Festival Queen Briana Venskus and her court stopped by the Betty H. Cameron Women and Children's Hospital for a visit.
The queen visited pediatric patients ranging in age from infancy to 6 years old.
The actress said during a weekend filled with events, this visit will be a highlight.
The Azalea Belles and members of the queens court also visited.
Venskus brought smiles to patients and their families, but 6-year-old Mason, who spent the morning building Legos for the queen, stole her heart.


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Nine UK-based Scientists Receive the Esteemed Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK
Today, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences have announced the recipients of the 2023 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom. Now in its sixth year, the Awards are the largest unrestricted prize available to UK scientists aged 42 or younger. Internationally recognized among the scientific community, the Blavatnik Awards are instrumental in expanding the engagement and recognition of young scientists, and are providing the support and encouragement needed to drive scientific innovation for the next generation.
Tata Sons and New York Academy of Sciences Announce Prize to Honour Scientists in India
The Tata Transformation Prize will recognize Indian scientists for research to solve societal needs and promote economic competitiveness
2022 Blavatnik Regional Awards for Young Scientists Honorees Announced
The Blavatnik Regional Awards jury selected one Winner and two Finalists in each category.
Matchmaking in the Digital Age
Presented by Science & the City
In the not-too-distant past people found love through real-world social networks: family, friends, jobs, and social groups. But online dating has completely changed the way we find love and shifted matchmaking to a mathematical science. Now millions of singles turn over large amounts of personal data to computers, hoping an algorithm will find them the perfect mate. One leading online dating site is using that data to uncover the anthropology of human mating.
OkCupid, one of the biggest dating sites in the world, was founded by four mathematicians. Christian Rudder—one of those founders—analyzes the company's trove of personal data and draws funny, revealing, and downright strange conclusions on the company's blog, OkTrends. He'll will give a behind-the-scenes look into human mating in the 21st century, just in time for Valentine's Day. You'll never look at your love life the same way again.
Join us for a reception afterward, where you may just meet someone the old-fashioned way.
Registration Pricing
Member: $15
Student / Postdoc / Fellow Member: $15
Nonmember: $25
Student / Postdoc / Fellow Nonmember: $20
This event is part of the Being Human in the 21st Century Series
One of the signature traits of being human is our quest to define what it means to "be human." But that definition is always changing—now perhaps more than ever. From virtual reality to mundane reality, science and technology continue to push the boundaries of human existence. In this series, Science & the City will examine what it means to be human in the 21st century.
Other upcoming events in this series:
• System Overload: The Limits of Human Memory, September 6, 2011
• Celluloid Science: Humanizing Life in the Lab, October 20, 2011
• Virtual Humanity: The Anthropology of Online Worlds, November 9, 2011
• Familiar but Strange: Exploring our Relationship with Robots, December 5, 2011
Learn more about the series here.
7 World Trade Center
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Use Club Quarters Reservation Password NYAS to reserve your discounted accommodations online.
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text:
El Mosaic de la caça al cérvol és un mosaic existent a l'interior de la "Casa de la violació d'Elena" a Pella, antiga capital del Regne de Macedònia. L'obra, avui conservada en el "Museu Arqueològic de Pella" (Pella) és signada per l'artista grec Gnosis però es considera pugui haver estat inspirada per una obra pictòrica de Melant de Sició. Els personatges que hi apareixen són identificats amb Alexandre Magne, Hefestió i Peritas, el ca de Alexandre.

Descripció
La disposició de les figures, amb els caçadors sobre els dos extrems de la presa, les armes alçades, l'esguard de l'animal, la posició de l'home de la dreta de l'observador (és a dir Alexandre), recorda un altre mosaic existent a Pella: el "Mosaic de la caça del lleó" on els subjectes representats són Alexandre i un altre dels seus generals, Cràter. Els principals elements diferencials entre ambdós mosaics està en els animals participants en l'escena.

Interpretació
El caçador situat a la dreta del cérvol, armat d'espasa, és considerat Alexandre Magne. El caçador de l'esquerra, armat de destral doble, arma tradicionalment atribuida al déu grec Hefest, és identificat amb el general macedoni Hefestió, amic i amant de Alexandre. El ca de caça és en conseqüència identificat amb Peritas, el nom del ca de Alexandre Magne ens ha pervingut per fonts històriques antigues (Flavi Arrià, Diodor de Sicília, Plini el Vell).

Referències

Mosaics de l'antiga Grècia
Pel·la


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Bigfoot: Man-Monster or Myth?
By Benjamin Radford - Live Science Contributor 2012-11-06T23:47:44Z
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a giant ape-like creature that is said to roam the Pacific Northwest. There is scant physical evidence that such creatures exist, but Bigfoot buffs are convinced that they do, and that science will soon prove it.
While most sightings of Bigfoot occur in the Northwest, the creatures have been reported all over the country. There are many native myths and legends of wild men in the woods, but Bigfoot per se has been around for only about 50 years. Interest in Bigfoot grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, spurred by magazine articles of the time, most seminally a December 1959 "True" article describing the discovery of large, mysterious footprints the year before in Bluff Creek, California.
A frame from the film by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin.
If you don't believe in Bigfoot (singular or plural), you're not alone. According to a 2007 Baylor Religion Survey, only 16 percent of Americans said that Bigfoot "absolutely" or "probably" exist, with 44 percent responding "probably not" and about 40 percent saying that they "absolutely [do] not" exist. (In contrast, over twice as many people believe in ghosts or astrology.) [Infographic: Tracking Belief in Bigfoot]
Eyewitness evidence
By far the most common evidence for Bigfoot is eyewitness reports. Unfortunately, this is also by far the weakest type of evidence. Psychologists and police know that eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable, and that people are simply not very good at accurately describing something they saw — especially at a distance in low light and when the subject is partially hidden by trees and foliage (as most Bigfoot reports are).
Anyone can be mistaken, and pilots, policemen, priests, and public officials are no exception. Most Bigfoot researchers admit that the vast majority of sightings are mistakes or hoaxes (up to 95 percent, by some estimates). Still, they insist that a Bigfoot must be hiding in that tiny portion of sightings and reports that can't be easily explained.
The most famous image of a Bigfoot is the short film taken in 1967 by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin. Shot in Bluff Creek, Calif., it shows a dark, man-sized and man-shaped figure striding through a clearing. Widely considered a hoax, it remains to this day the best evidence for Bigfoot. However this poses a serious blow to the film's credibility: if it's real, and these Bigfoot creatures are really out there wandering in front of people with cameras, it's very suspicious that better films and videos haven't emerged since Lyndon Johnson's administration.
These days almost everyone has a 5 megapixel, HD camera in their pocket with their iPhones or other devices. At no time in history have so many people had high-quality cameras on them virtually all the time. If Bigfoot exist, logically the photographic evidence for them should improve over the years. Yet it hasn't. Photographs of people, cars, mountains, flowers, sunsets, deer, and everything else have gotten sharper and clearer over the years; Bigfoot is a notable exception.
One possibility is that there is some supernatural explanation, such as that Bigfoot somehow emits special, unknown light waves that inexplicably cause the beasts to always appear out of focus in photographs, no matter how good the camera is. The more logical explanation suggests that these things don't exist, and that photographs of them are merely hoaxes and misidentifications. [News: Did Hiker Film Bigfoot, Black Bear or 'Blobsquatch'?]
Elusive hard evidence
In his book "Big Footprints," veteran researcher Grover Krantz (Johnson Books, 1992) discussed alleged Bigfoot hair, feces, skin scrapings and blood: "The usual fate of these items is that they either receive no scientific study, or else the documentation of that study is either lost or unobtainable. In most cases where competent analyses have been made, the material turned out to be bogus or else no determination could be made."
When a definite conclusion has been reached through scientific analysis, the samples have invariably turned out to have ordinary sources — "Bigfoot hair" turns out to be elk, bear, or cow hair, for example, or "Bigfoot blood" is revealed to be transmission fluid. Sometimes alleged Bigfoot samples are subjected to DNA analysis and are deemed "unknown" or "unidentified." However "unknown" or "unidentified" results do not mean "Bigfoot." There are many reasons why a DNA sample might come back unknown, including that it was contaminated or too degraded by environmental conditions. Or it could simply mean that the animal it came from was not among the reference samples that the laboratory used for comparison. We have no reference sample of Bigfoot DNA to compare it to, so by definition there cannot be a conclusive match.
In fact, genetics provides another reason to doubt the existence of Bigfoot: there cannot just be one elusive creature, there would need to be tens of thousands of them in order to assure enough genetic diversity to maintain the species. With so many of them out there, surely at least one of the creatures would be killed by a hunter or hit by motorist on a highway, or even found dead (by accident, disease, or old age) by a hiker or farmer at some point. Yet no bodies, bones, or anything else have been found.
Hoaxers have further contaminated the problem of sorting fact from fiction. Dozens of people have admitted faking Bigfoot prints, photographs, and nearly every other type of Bigfoot evidence. One man, Rant Mullens, revealed in 1982 that he and friends had carved giant Bigfoot tracks and used them to fake footprints for decades. Which are real? Which are fake? Often the Bigfoot experts themselves can't agree.
The lack of good evidence hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of Bigfoot buffs; they have all they need in sighting reports, fuzzy photos, inconclusive hair samples, and footprints to keep the search going. Until better evidence comes along, old evidence will be rehashed and re-examined — and unless Bigfoot is proven to be alive, the search will continue.
Benjamin Radford is deputy editor of "Skeptical Inquirer" science magazine and author of six books, including "Tracking the Chupacabra" and "Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries." His website is www.BenjaminRadford.com.
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Herskowitz: Francis departs, but not as failure
Sports // Rockets
MICKEY HERSKOWITZ, Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
June 30, 2004 Updated: July 31, 2011 2:55 p.m.
So many famous players have passed through Houston, some on their way to retirement or to another NBA team, that it isn't easy to keep track.
Rick Barry, World B. Free, Scottie Pippen and Glen Rice were short-timers, two years or less. Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley stayed for four seasons, each a championship gamble, and it worked for Clyde.
Injuries drained the potential of Ralph Sampson, who went to Golden State, and the clock ran out on Hakeem Olajuwon, who ended his long career in Toronto, a fact we prefer not to remember.
Elvin Hayes and Moses Malone left in the prime of their years, unhappy and in their mind underpaid. In the NBA, money can buy happiness.
And now, Steve Francis.
'Franchise' tag a misnomer
It isn't too soon to feel sentimental over a player who had symbolized the future of the Rockets. Even Hakeem had said so, on his way out the door: "It is Steve's team now."
Regrettably, this never happened. The Rockets were never really anyone's team, although Houston loved them when they won. They belonged to Rudy T and Jeff Van Gundy, and shortly, they will be Tracy McGrady's team, if only because Yao Ming is too polite or too smart to claim ownership.
Still, the point begs to be made that Francis isn't changing teams because he failed. Nor did he shortchange the fans. He became the player the Rockets thought he would be — an explosive 6-3 guard who shoots and runs the floor, who dunks the ball and grabs rebounds.
But the label he inherited — Stevie Franchise — raised expectations to an unrealistic level. His game, his role, did not allow him to dominate the action, as Hakeem did routinely. Nor was it his style to inspire or scold or prod his teammates. Barkley could do that with his wit and imagination.
The criticism Francis attracted was not always deserved. The NBA puts a premium on flash and sizzle, the highlight-reel moves that SportsCenter loves to rerun. This was the way Steve's generation learned to play in their dreams.
He never concealed his emotions or his frustration, but what the critics saw as whining was his need to win every argument.
When Francis and Cuttino Mobley, also traded Tuesday, emerged as a tandem, after Olajuwon had been granted his liberty, Cuttino put it well: "Nothing stays the same forever. Sometimes you've got to change. Nothing against Dream. One day, it could be tomorrow, it could happen to us. You go in another direction. You make the best of it."
The words were wise at the time. We just didn't know how prophetic they would be.
It wasn't as if general manager Carroll Dawson had been standing on a downtown corner, banging a tambourine and trying to deal off the Rockets' daring duo.
"We were not trying to trade them," he said.
One way or another, the Orlando deal landed on their doorstep, partly because McGrady made it known Houston was at the top of his list of new destinations. He liked the town, the new arena, the 7-6 center.
But the Rockets would not have been reluctant to go into next season with nearly the same lineup that made the playoffs for the first time in five years. They would have hoped for help in the draft or in the marketplace.
With another year in Van Gundy's system, with the core of the team still maturing, they might have taken the next big leap. Even more than Francis, Mobley had begun to discipline his play. Together, they may do great things in Orlando.
Mobley, the Cat, may find the freedom there to express himself. With his quickness, the nickname was perfectly aimed, even though it had nothing to do with basketball. As a kid, he loved Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss.
Yet most of the talk about the trade has revolved around the reaction of Francis. He had refused to play for Vancouver, the team that drafted him, forcing the swap that made him a Rocket. Then it appeared his resistance might scuttle this deal.
He was hurt, as would be anyone who had been told for five seasons that he was the headliner. But it may have been unfair from the start to position him as Stevie Franchise.
"When you're the second pick in the draft," said Dawson, "the expectations are always going to be high. If that tag had bothered him, it might have been a problem. But he embraced it, and the pressure. So did Cuttino."
There were a lot of offers for McGrady, the league's leading scorer. The Rockets did not expect to steal him. He made the All-Star team four times, Francis three.
Stevie may yet be the Franchise. But not in Houston, and no one should hold that against him.
mickey.herskowitz@chron.com
MICKEY HERSKOWITZ


The aim of this article is to review the main characteristics of indicators of the results-based public admini-stration monitoring and evaluation system. The concept of the public administration monitoring and evaluation system is defined, the key elements of models of the public administration monitoring and evaluation system are identified, stages of the model are described and main characteristics of indicators of the system are devel-oped. The following characteristics of the indicators of the system are analysed: concept of performance indica-tors, position of process of indicators definition in the system of monitoring and evaluation, issues of indicators selection, principles of indicators assessment techniques, and collection of data about activity based on selected indicators.


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Oceana Canada calls for permanent closure of all Canadian seamounts to bottom contact fishing based on new findings
With the discovery of new ancient and fragile coral forests and potentially new species from an expedition to seamounts off the coast of British Columbia, Oceana Canada is calling for permanent protection of these important biodiversity hotspots.
This 16-day, 2,500 km expedition also discovered six new seamounts while observing an incredible abundance and diversity of marine life. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Haida Nation, Oceana Canada, and Ocean Networks Canada partnered on this expedition aboard the Ocean Exploration Trust's EV Nautilus.
"Enough was known about the seamount range before this expedition to justify protecting them, and with these discoveries the conservation value is even greater," said Dr. Robert Rangeley, Science Director, Oceana Canada. "We need to protect special places that provide refuge for marine life and strengthen ecosystem resilience in our increasingly threatened oceans."
The mapping and increased understanding of 13 seamounts, coupled with the discovery of the six new seamounts, is highly significant. The newly mapped areas revealed that there is more living space for species like coral and sponges which create important habitat structure. These ecosystems are important for maintaining biodiversity in the ocean and contribute greatly to its health.
"What we saw underwater was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The remotely operated vehicle allowed us to explore thousands of metres into the dark ocean depths," said Rangeley. "When we reached a seamount, it was often like we were entering a forest, only of red tree corals and vase-shaped glass sponges. These areas were filled with a diversity of other animals including anemones, feather stars, octopuses, lobsters and rockfishes."
He adds what he saw through the live camera made him truly appreciate the special nature of seamounts. "I wonder how many more of these fragile forests exist in the ocean, in unexplored regions?" said Rangeley. "It is clear the best way to manage these biodiversity hotspots is to close all Canadian seamounts to bottom contact activities."
The expedition team also found lost fishing lines on the seafloor, which entangles marine life and destroys fragile and slow growing corals and sponges. Seamounts are often targeted by fishing vessels because they attract an abundance of fish, and lost fishing gear can continue to damage habitats for decades. Scientists and ocean conservationists have long raised the seriousness of this problem. Just outside of Canadian waters, seamounts adjacent to the ones explored in this expedition have been heavily impacted and are still being fished.
Rangeley explains that the partners' commitment to the common goal of learning more about seamounts to inform protection measures was the key to the team's success. "Each partner had incredible deep-sea experts on board and each person shared their knowledge of marine life along with other experts on shore who we connected with through online platforms. This collaborative effort helped us identify new species and expand our understanding," said Rangeley. "The data hasn't been formally analyzed yet, but it is already clear that the expedition produced important and fascinating results."
In addition to the collaborative science contributions, the onboard scientists and educators provided live commentary about the beautiful imagery and marine life on seamounts to online viewers. They connected from ship-to-shore almost every day, talking with students, summer camps and the general public on Facebook Live to share the wonders of the ocean with the world. Photographs and videos from the seamounts can be seen at Oceana.ca/Seamounts.
The data collected on Oceana Canada's collaborative expeditions helps inform how to best protect the oceans in Canada. Oceana Canada campaigns for the protection of ecologically important habitat for the health of the oceans, the recovery of depleted fish populations, and to support coastal communities that depend on abundant marine ecosystems.
For more information, please contact: Kara-Ann Miel, Communications Director, Oceana Canada, 647-535-6326, kmiel@oceana.ca
Oceana Canada
Oceana Canada was established as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest international advocacy group dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Canada has the longest coastline in the world, with an ocean surface area of 7.1 million square kilometres, or 70% of its landmass. Oceana Canada believes that Canada has a national and global obligation to manage our natural resources responsibly and help ensure a sustainable source of protein for the world's growing population. Oceana Canada works with civil society, academics, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and the federal government to return Canada's formerly vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada's oceans, we can strengthen our communities, reap greater economic and nutritional benefits, and protect our future.


Looking for silencers to take off some of edge from my 4.5" O.D. straight pipes.
Oops, forgot to add that they are wet exhaust and need to be good for 650 Hp.
I have 4 brand new 4.5" to 6" clamp on CMI's still in the box they are here in the class. adds. Make me an offer, I want them gone.
Got 4 Gibson 4 1/2" Gibson clamp on Turndowns if interested.
My CMI's are still for sale here in the classifieds.
I have 2 pair, unused, with pump. what would they be worth?