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James Marsden Hopes MCU's Cyclops Can Overcome The Role's Biggest Challenge
Nick Evans
Published: Feb. 3. 2020 12:29 PM
We don't know when, we don't know how, but eventually the X-Men will make their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And when they do, there are certain staples of the mutant team we are expecting to see. Among them is Cyclops, the frequent leader of the X-Men, first played on the big screen by actor James Marsden. Whoever steps into the part as Scott Summers, James Marsden hopes that the MCU's Cyclops can overcome the role's biggest challenge. He explained that challenge saying:
The biggest challenge was that, the audience and other actors never being able to see your eyes. Definitely was a handicap in bringing a persona to the character, and an energy to the character. To a character who is also very, by nature, very by-the-books. Kind of a Boy Scout, 'do the right thing.' He's a foil to Wolverine's character, who is more fly by the seat of his pants, a little more unpredictable, and aggressive.
Speaking with Collider, James Marsden highlights the biggest impediment to both playing Cyclops and making the character really pop onscreen. Unfortunately, that biggest challenge is also an unavoidable one given the nature of the character and his powers. Cyclops' mutation is that he projects force blasts from his eyes and as such, he has to always wear a visor or sunglasses with ruby quartz lenses. Unless he obliterates everyone and everything he looks at.
The problem with that is that, from an acting and performance standpoint, it means that we the audience can never see Cyclops' eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul as they say and to James Marsden, that barrier of not being able to see them is the biggest challenge to the role of Cyclops. Whoever plays Cyclops will always have their eyes covered and that makes it difficult for the actor and his co-stars to perform together and play off one another without that connection.
Furthermore, James Marsden believes that not being able to see Scott Summers' eyes makes it more difficult for Cyclops to really endear himself to the audience. He can't convey things with his eyes so delivering the kind of persona and energy necessary for the character to stand out has to be done through other aspects of the performance and that is easier said than done.
James Marsden also notes that Cyclops is kind of handicapped to begin with to a degree, because of the perception that the character is a boy scout. Cyclops is the do-gooder who follows orders while his teammate Wolverine gets to break all the rules and say cool stuff and just be badass. So bringing energy to the character with the personality contrast of Wolverine ever-present is another challenge to playing Cyclops.
Just because playing Cyclops has its challenges though doesn't mean no one can excel in the role. James Marsden has some ideas about what the MCU's Cyclops actor should do, saying:
I would just say lean into it. Own it. And carve out your own thing. The fans of the books are going to tell you 'it needs to be this'. Find a new way to make it interesting. Because it is tough to like get something interesting and cool and different across when no one ever sees your eyes. Which is obviously, you know, the main part of the character.
James Marsden's advice for whoever plays Cyclops in the MCU is to make the character their own and experiment. To him, the MCU Cyclops shouldn't be bound to any sort of strict adherence to what the fans want from the character based on the comics. Instead the next actor to play Cyclops needs to try new things.
The idea is that maybe by making bold choices, the MCU's Cyclops can hit on a way to really make the character interesting and cool and overcome the challenge of the audience not being able to see his eyes. You can't suddenly make Cyclops able to shut off his powers so that we can see the actor's eyes without completely changing who Cyclops is. But what you can do is find other ways to stand out and connect with the audience.
It's solid advice from James Marsden who was a good Cyclops in his own right, if not exactly what fans of the character from the comics wanted. We have no idea how the mutants will be portrayed in the MCU. So perhaps there will be room to experiment like James Marsden said. Also, there are already two great example out there of how despite the challenges, Cyclops can work and be awesome.
First is The Mandalorian. We couldn't see Mando's eyes or even his face for the majority of the season, but he still conveyed a powerful and interesting persona. We'll at least be able to see Cyclops' mouth. And secondly, Chris Evans' Captain America has shown how a character that is viewed as a boy scout, can still be badass and a fan favorite. The MCU's Cyclops would do well to look to these two examples, as well as James Marsden's advice for guidance.
We don't know when the X-Men will arrive in the MCU, but you can see James Marsden when Sonic the Hedgehog races into theaters on February 14. Check out our 2020 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year's biggest movies.
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Nick Evans View Profile
Nick grew up in Maryland has degrees in Film Studies and Communications. His life goal is to walk the earth, meet people and get into adventures. He's also still looking for The Adventures of Pete and Pete season 3 on DVD if anyone has a lead.
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Out this coming week - if there are folk here that are wanting to get a team together to play either terrorist hunt or the main mode you can find me on XBOX as dmosbon.
Just about to earn the Platinum Trophy for this! Such an amazing multiplayer game, I'd say the best console multiplayer game since, well funnily enough, the last Rainbow Six.


Stand Out is a careers event for female undergraduates in their first and second year at university.
The event aims to provide students with the opportunity to connect with organisations who are looking to develop their talent pipeline and proactively recruit women for their graduate schemes. These companies will be across numerous sectors, therefore it's an ideal opportunity to learn about multiple career options and discover the path your future profession may take. If you want to work at an organisation where your ideas matter, your opinions are valued and your contribution is recognised, the insights you'll gain and the people you'll meet at this event will point you in the right direction.
The event will take place in London in November 2019. You'll have the opportunity to learn what employability skills you have and how you can continue to develop them. You'll improve your commercial awareness and receive useful hints and tips for applications, assessments and interviews.
This event is brought to you by Stafford Long Diversity Solutions. We have been running events for nine years, winning multiple awards and have always maintained the same aim, to connect bright sparks with brilliant employers.
Commerzbank is a leading international commercial bank with branches and offices in more than 50 countries. The core markets of Commerzbank are Germany and Poland.
With the business areas Private Customers, Mittelstandsbank, Corporates & Markets and Central & Eastern Europe, its private customers and corporate clients, as well as institutional investors, profit from a comprehensive portfolio of banking and capital market services.
Commerzbank finances more than 30 per cent of Germany's foreign trade and is the unchallenged leader in financing for SMEs. With its subsidiaries comdirect and Poland's mBank it owns two of the world's most innovative online banks.
With some 1,100 branches and approximately 90 advisory centres for business customers Commerzbank has one of the densest branch networks among German private banks. In total, Commerzbank boasts approximately 15 million private customers, as well as one million business and corporate clients. The bank, which was founded in 1870, is represented at all the world's major stock exchanges. In 2014, it generated gross revenues of almost EUR 9 billion with approximately 52,000 employees on average.
The graduate programme will begin with 4 weeks technical training in London, introducing Commerzbank and its products and providing a number of networking events. This is followed by on-the-job training. The training programme will give you the opportunity to experience what international business is like within an investment bank. Applications open in autumn 2015.
Women in the City Event: An exclusive one day insight event for female undergraduates and recent female graduates. Experience the world of banking from the inside, gain an overview of the different business areas and typical roles and meet and network with senior Investment Banking managers. Applications open in September 2015 and the event is held in November 2015.
Applications for off-cycle internships are accepted throughout the year. Internship opportunities last from 8 weeks up to 12 months depending on the business area's needs. They are generally available in all areas within Corporates & Markets, Market Risk and IT.
You are about to make one of the most important decisions in your life and we want to help empower you!
ING is a global financial institution based in the Netherlands with more than 53,000 employees offering banking services to a range of clients in 40 countries. Our Wholesale Banking division in London is involved with UK, European and Emerging Markets deals and is committed to providing the best solutions to its clients' needs. Our teams are market leading, globally recognised in the industry, and are committed to investing in sustainable projects with ethical clients that benefit the people in the locations impacted.
We are now looking for graduates to join our International Talent Programme (IITP) in London in September 2017. At ING we know that the decisions you make early in your career will build the foundations for your future. If you are a talented, ambitious undergraduate or graduate, we offer you the opportunity to be part of a central training programme which will give you the training you will require in the essentials of commercial banking.
During your first year with the firm you will undertake three rotations in the business within a variety of Structured Finance sector teams and one of these will be an international assignment that will allow you to see how ING operates in other locations such as Amsterdam, New York or Singapore. Our aim is to provide you with exposure to the bankers, all of whom have an undeniable drive and passion for what they do, and a variety of client projects, which will give you the opportunity to shape your career in the direction that you want to take it. ING has a culture of respect and fairness and will provide you with a personal sponsor to help manage your career rather than just your job.
Successful applicants will have a strong academic record, on track to get a minimum of a 2.1, a high degree of numeracy and a genuine interest in finance. You will want to work for an organisation that will actively empower you to build and manage your own career, but who will give you all the training and mentoring you need. This might surprise you about a career in commercial banking, but some of the key skills required are strong interpersonal skills, creativity and the ability and desire to work in a dynamic, stimulating environment. You will use your problem-solving abilities and thrive on working as part of a team as well as being collaborative, focused on results and able to demonstrate initiative.
M&G is a strong investment brand providing equities, fixed income, real estate and multi-asset products to the retail and institutional markets. Our brand has been built over decades and is based on reputation for integrity, innovation and a commitment to building long-term wealth for our investors. The desire to do the right-thing for our customers and to provide simple, transparent products that can be trusted and understood is ingrained in the way we do business.
Innovative culture, training and development support, great work/life balance and engaging assignments…these are just some reasons why our staff enjoy working at M&G. Recruiting and retaining talent is vital to our continuing success. Investing in your development is just the beginning.
We encourage candidates from all degree disciplines; the variety of degree subjects positively contributes to the diversity of thought at M&G. We have an eye on the future and are interested in your skill base rather than your current knowledge.
As one of the world's leading financial groups, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has more than 2,250 locations in 40 countries, with over 150 years of industry experience. We offer stability in an ever-changing market and provide services to high-profile clients on a global scale.
We're looking for ambitious, driven individuals to join our team, and help us to become the world's most trusted financial group. With graduate schemes and internships available around the world, you will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best experts in the industry.
MUFG's securities business offer a comprehensive product suite to clients around the world through five key business lines in the primary and secondary markets: capital markets, credit, rates, equities, and structured products. Our group's size gives us stability, yet we remain agile, entrepreneurial, and specialist. It's a rare blend – one that defines our positive culture and allows us to offer a better balance in investment banking.
MUFG's commercial banking arm is a leading corporate lending bank with over 140,000 staff in more than 44 countries. We offer an intensive range of services from Project Finance & Syndicated Loans through to Transaction Banking & Asset Finance. You will gain an excellent understanding of the banking world and have the opportunity to develop your career within an organisation with a truly global reach.
By joining MUFG, you'll have the opportunity to enhance your financial expertise and become part of a truly international organisation. Whatever programme you choose, you'll receive tailored training and be involved with a range of challenging projects. From the moment you arrive, we'll be dedicated to supporting your growth, and actively help you shape the foundations of a long and rewarding career with us.
Global possibilities with an approachable and inclusive culture: it truly is a better balance in banking.
We offer a range of graduate and internship programmes across three key areas; investment banking, global markets and corporate infrastructure.
Internship opportunities can include a 10 week spring or summer internship in London or a 3-6 month internship in one of our regional offices. Internships are the perfect preparation for a subsequent full time role. Nomura will extend full time offers to strong performers to return to the company the following year. To apply for an internship position with Nomura in 2017, candidates should be available for full time employment by July 2018.
To apply for a full time position within investment banking, global markets or corporate infrastructure, candidates should be available for full time employment by July 2017.
The recruitment process for the graduate programme consists of three first round interviews (two competency interviews and one case study interview) with junior representatives. If you are applying for an internship, you will attend two first round interviews (one competency interview and one case study interview). If successful, the final round interviews for both full-time and internship positions will consist of four competency based interviews with senior representatives.
At Nomura our goal is to attract and develop exceptionally talented people who share our passion for individual excellence and our commitment to teamwork. We recruit graduates with a high level of academic and extra-curricular achievement, who will be able to withstand the rigours of a rapidly changing, demanding but ultimately rewarding environment. Fluency in English is essential and fluency in other languages is advantageous.
We assess candidates using a range of key competencies which include; problem solving, analytical skills, teamwork, leadership, communication skills, professional presence and initiative. All of these competencies are equally weighted and we look for evidence of these in your CV, cover letter and throughout the interview process. We will also need to be convinced of your interest and commitment to the financial services industry and to Nomura in particular.
For further information about Nomura, please visit www.nomura.com/careers.
Smith & Williamson is a leading independently owned financial services firm combining an accountancy practice, an investment management arm and a private bank. We provide award-winning services to individuals, corporates, professional practices and non-profit organisations. The breadth of services we offer as a firm is unparalleled and makes us unique in the industry.
To provide the service our clients expect we know our trusted business advisers need an empowering and supportive work environment. With 13 offices in Ireland, the UK and Jersey and global reach through membership of Nexia International, we're big enough to be competitive. Yet our size means you'll be part of a friendly, enthusiastic team – and get to know colleagues across the firm.
Stand Out is a financial services insight event for female undergraduates in their first, second or third year at university.
Careers in financial services are always extremely challenging. And competition for internships is generally quite fierce. With that in mind, we do expect a certain level of academic achievement (320 UCAS points, and predicted a 2:1 or above to be precise).
STAND OUT is organised by our parent company Stafford Long & Partners. In the run up to the event, we'll be collecting certain data about the people attending. To register for the event all we need is your name and email so we can let you know when applications are open. We'd also love to keep you posted about other events that might be of interest. So make sure you tick the box that says you're happy for us to stay in touch.


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GERALD'S GAME Review
By Thomas Seraydarian October 5, 2017
This article previously appeared on Crossfader
Director: Mike Flanagan
Wow, talk about a "slow burn." That's a phrase that gets tossed around left and right among horror films that rarely merit it. More often than not, it merely refers to the late introduction of scary elements in an otherwise pleasant experience. (I'm looking at you, THE INNKEEPERS.) GERALD'S GAME is one of the few that actually starts off strong and keeps tightening the screws well past the breaking point. The latest in 2017's free-for-all of Stephen King adaptations, GERALD'S GAME is excruciating to watch, but also one of the best translations of King's work to the screen yet.
We open with married couple Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) and Jessie (Carla Gugino) heading up to their secluded rural cabin for a holiday of mindblowing sex. Gerald brings some handcuffs, and despite some early protests from Jessie, shackles her to the bed. It doesn't take long after for the wife to finally put the foot down on Gerald's rape fantasy, but before he can uncuff her, he suffers a heart attack. Jessie tries to wake him up, but in pushing him off the bed, ends up killing him instead. Alone and immobilized, Jessie must find a way to survive.
How else would you spend your weekend?
It's one heck of a premise, and it remains riveting throughout the 100-minute runtime. Unlike the recent IT and THE DARK TOWER, GERALD'S GAME feels like something King wrote, weird sex stuff and all. The back-and-forth between the immediate crisis Jessie's deteriorating physical shell and her internal struggle with the ever more corporeal manifestations of her consciousness is handled with unprecedented deftness. It's cerebral as hell, but also physically immediate. No aspect of Jessie's predicament is left unexplored, and the unceasing discomfort she experiences is almost as horrifying to imagine as the grisly demise she's struggling to avoid. Usually minutiae like this is glossed over in film adaptations to compensate for their brevity relative to the novels they're built atop of, but GERALD'S GAME manages to squeeze every awful detail into its neatly contained narrative.
But that burn! GERALD'S GAME does a fantastic job leaving horrors to the audience's mind; after all, this is a story about a woman who can't really do anything but imagine what fate awaits her. Flanagan does a great job framing around what is "too much" to show, but "just enough" to get stomachs churning. That is for the first hour, anyway. By the time the third act swings by, however, all pretensions of implying are thrown out the window. GERALD'S GAME delivers, and it delivers hard. This is not a ride for the squeamish. I wouldn't have expected a Netflix feature to go to the lengths seen here, but kudos for not holding back.
I hope that mattress is at least a Sleep Number . . .
Speaking of mind games, the use of Jessie's mental projections of Gerald and others is not only a pretty ingenious cinematic reconstruction of the book, but a clear improvement over the source material. Jessie's overworked train of thought could have been brutishly communicated through voiceover narration or silly monologuing. Instead, her imagined tormentors have been repurposed and refocused in the adaptation to double as her own cognitive stream. While these phantoms in the novel were mostly content to taunt, here they offer advice as well as discouragement, which is a far more nuanced representation of how an overworked mind would actually behave.
Just about everything in GERALD'S GAME screams smart design and excellent filmmaking . . . until you get to the end. Clocking in at 10 minutes, an excessively long epilogue sequence tosses aside everything that makes the rest of the movie so exceptional. A series of voiceovers explain and demystify the strange phenomena that occured during Jessie's ordeal. All elements of ambiguity that persisted throughout the nail-biting finale are soiled in this synoptic rationalization. It's dumb as bricks, but in the film's defense, this segment also appears in the novel. However, I can still blame Flanagan and team for not cutting this ridiculous afterthought and wrapping their feature at a cool 90-minute mark.
Waiting for the credits like
GERALD'S GAME tries to be a lot of things and succeeds at most of them, which is probably one of the most admirable things a film can do. Ignoring the final 10 minutes (an easy task, given how incongruous they are), it's a great film and easily Flanagan's best work. GERALD'S GAME is insidious and inspired, a welcome hit in a weak year for horror. If your Netflix watchlist is looking pretty famished, there's few treats on the service more filling than this one.
Verdict: Recommend
Merry-Go-Round Magazine
merrygoroundmagazine.com
Thomas Seraydarian
Thomas had the idea for a little something called Crossfader Magazine in August 2015, and several times around the merry-go-round later, here we are. He only loves Gritty the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, Limon Pepino Gatorade, and the latter-day films of Adam Sandler.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Inno Setup: Download setup .bin slice files before installation starts I am trying to create a distributable .exe file with Inno Setup tools and Inno Download Plugin. The resulting file is ~3GB in size, split in 6 parts (1 for the executable, 5 bins containing all the files).
Would it be possible to keep the 5 bins uploaded on some server and download them during installation with the remaining executable file?
My code is here :
procedure InitializeWizard();
var
  ResultCode: integer;
  TempAddress: String;
  FinalSavePath: String;
  UserName, UserCompany: String;
begin
  idpSetOption('DetailedMode',  '1');
  idpSetOption('AllowContinue', '1');

  idpSetLogin('aaa', 'aaa');

  idpAddFile('https://...', target_path);
  idpAddFile('https://...', target_path);
  idpAddFile('https://...', target_path);
  idpAddFile('https://...', target_path);
  idpDownloadAfter(wpWelcome);
end;

With idpDownloadAfter(wpWelcome) the installer starts downloading right after accepting to run the executable, if .bin files are already present. If not, the installer just keeps asking for the .bin to be present.

A: Inno Setup 6.1 has a built-in support for file downloads, which does not need any support files. So the solution below is obsolete now. See Inno Setup: Install file from Internet.

Inno Download Plugin uses idp.dll, which itself is stored in the mysetup-*.bin files. That's why you get prompted for the .bin files, even before anything starts. You need the idp.dll so that the download itself can start.
With some hacking you can have the idp.dll be stored in the [Code], hence directly in the mysetup.exe.
See Inno Setup: Reading a file from installer during uninstallation.
You will need to modify the idp.iss as follows:

*

*Remove the [Files] section with its reference to idp.dll.

*In all the external functions declarations:
change @files:idp.dll cdecl to @{tmp}\idp.dll cdecl delayload.

To the front of your .iss script, copy the long code block from my answer to the previously mentioned question.
And now you can do:
procedure InitializeWizard();
begin
  SaveBinaryStringToFile(
    ExpandConstant('{tmp}\idp.dll'), {#FileToBinaryString("unicode\idp.dll")});

  idpAddFile(
    'https://www.example.com/mysetup-1.bin', ExpandConstant('{src}\mysetup-1.bin'));

  idpDownloadAfter( {whatever} );
end;

Make sure you update the path to the idp.dll to the correct location on your development machine in the call to FileToBinaryString.
The code is for Unicode version of Inno Setup (the only version as of Inno Setup 6).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In 2017 the Ramsar Convention Secretariat asked me to write a report on indigenous peoples and local communities in wetlands management, in preparation for the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention (COP13, held in Dubai in October 2018). This report was one of the final activities of the MAVA-supported project "Conservation of the Natural and Cultural Heritage in Wetlands".
Working on the report (co-authored with former Ramsar Secretariat staff member Mariam Ali-Kenza) was a refreshing experience as I reviewed first-hand information from communities and partners about their relentless efforts to conserve wetlands. Sometimes wetland conservation practitioners are not fully aware of what those ecosystems mean for communities and how much local people care about them. Wetlands are the source of life for communities in many dimensions, and also the source of cultural traditions, values, assets and practices. Indigenous peoples and local communities in all continents have extraordinary stories to tell about their struggles to conserve their precious wetlands, and the many challenges they face – essentially the same challenges and threats that conservation practitioners confront in their work in defence of wetlands.
The MAVA Foundation has a history of supporting the recognition and integration of cultural values in wetlands management, and more broadly in ecosystem conservation. In the case of wetlands under the Ramsar Convention, the Foundation has consistently supported the work of recognized champions of the integration of cultural values in wetlands, such as Thymio Papayanis – a dear friend who has ably and persistently advanced this agenda for many years. The support from the MAVA Foundation to the Ramsar Secretariat through the project "Conservation of the Natural and Cultural Heritage in Wetlands" is not accidental – it is part of the Foundation's belief about cultural values as a fundamental part of sustainability and stewardship of the lands, waters and resources.
The Director of the Mediterranean Programme of the MAVA Foundation, Paule Gros, attended COP13 and participated in discussions on the cultural values of wetlands; she is herself a convinced promoter and leader of this topic, and thus the Foundation couldn't have been better represented in those discussions.
COP13 was the opportunity for the MAVA Foundation to highlight aspects of its work that are not necessarily well known on the links between culture and biodiversity. For example, today the MAVA Foundation supports projects for the conservation of coastal wetlands of the Mediterranean that integrate cultural values and practices, such as traditional saltpans in places like Ulcinj in Montenegro, Ghar el Melh in Tunisia, the Gediz Delta in Turkey and the Cadiz Bay in Spain. The Foundation works with partners to implement 13 projects in 5 Mediterranean countries for the conservation of cultural practices in the region's landscapes. The Foundation's West Africa programme has been consistently promoting and supporting the consideration of traditional cultures' roles and values in wetland and coastal ecosystems.
In our programmes, local communities and local actors are accompanied, motivated and supported to enhance their stewardship of the land, the water and the ecosystems under their traditional use. Civil society, including communities and associations, are supported to expand their capacities for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The MAVA Foundation actively invests in organizations and people, respecting their own cultures, values and approaches. This is a fundamental part of the foundation's philosophy – and will be part of its recognized legacy.
At COP13, the "Ramsar Culture Network" – a group of energetic volunteers that was dynamized through the MAVA Foundation-supported project, played an important role and helped make the culture-wetlands nexus more visible on the agenda.
At the negotiating table, the experience was also a success. The Ramsar Contracting Parties adopted a Resolution on Cultural Values that encourages countries to further integrate cultural values into wetland protection and management; it also requests the establishment of an effective mechanism within the Ramsar Secretariat to enable Parties and partners to advance the integration of cultural values. The MAVA Foundation welcomed this development.
I am pleased to have been part of this process through my report on indigenous peoples and local communities in wetlands management, through my involvement in the Ramsar Culture Network and more recently through my work with the MAVA Foundation as manager of the "Cultural Landscapes" strategy of its Mediterranean Programme. Here with my colleagues I will continue working with partners to encourage and strengthen the integration of cultural values in conservation – a key ingredient to enhance the outcomes of conservation and to advance sustainability.


Want to talk more about how Sweetcheeks Cookies and Cakes can make your special event even sweeter? For the best cakes in Melbourne, and the best cookies in Australia – get in touch with us today to talk about our custom cookies, cakes and cupcakes – and be sure to let us know how you found us too!
The Sweetcheeks Cookies and Cakes Studio is located in Langwarrin in Melbourne's South-East. We are a registered home kitchen in the Frankston Council. There are many cookie 'businesses' operating illegally these days, not abiding by food safety laws and so it's important when enquiring with any cookie company – to ask for proof of registration. This keeps your company covered, and the public, safe.
We deliver our Cakes, Cookies and Cupcakes across the Greater Melbourne area and ship Custom Cookies Australia-wide.
Please fill out the email form on this page for further information or to request a quote and Danielle or one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you'd prefer a phone call, Danielle can be reached on 0425 207 304, however, you may have to leave a voice message as she's often up to her elbows in frosting!
Email is always the best way to contact Danielle, so if you do happen to call and have to leave a voice message, be sure to also leave us an email with your details using the form on this page, so that we can get back to you ASAP!


With summer around the corner, corporators are a worried lot as people in several areas are taking to the streets demanding water.
The shortage of water caused a furore at a meeting held at the Mysore City Corporation here on Monday, with corporators wearing black bands and staging a protest inside the council hall.
The protest continued for more than half-an-hour with corporators Kempanna, Shankar, Parthasarathy and others cutting across party lines taking the mayor to task for failing to deal with the issue. The shortage of water gained maximum attention at the meeting, which was convened to nominate a corporator to MUDA.
An announcement by the mayor Pushpalatha Chikkanna stating that a meeting to specifically discuss shortage of water would be held on February 14 at 3 pm failed to convince the aggrieved corporators.
The mayor also said that commissioner K S Raykar and other officials of Vani Vilas Water Works and JUSCO would be present at the meeting.
MLC Thontadarya and MLA Tanveer Sait echoed the statements made by the corporators, urging the mayor to convene a meeting and resolve the issue.
Corporator Sunanda Palanethra vented her ire against the mayor and also against officials for failing to provide water in her ward.
Even as the agitated councillors were expressing their frustration, corporator Devaraj moved towards the mayor's table and started whispering to her. Taking exception to the issue, corporator Kempanna said, "Let him (Devaraj) say whatever he has to say in the open, why is whispering there... I also want to tell the problems in my ward, should I also follow Devaraj's actions," much to the amusement of other councillors present at the meeting.


The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I, therefore, intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt.


text:
Nobis partner with Fête Chinoise for Lunar New Year
By Danielle Wightman-Stone
Fashion |In Pictures
Image: Nobis by Justin Wu
Luxury Canadian outerwear brand Nobis has launched its first Lunar New Year capsule collection to celebrate the Year of the Tiger in partnership with Chinese-Canadian cultural platform, Fête Chinoise.
Nobis has worked with Fête Chinoise, a cultural platform created by design firm Palettera to develop a special edition print inspired by traditional Chinese brush painting, which celebrates the themes of bravery and courage.
Commenting on the collection, Kevin Au-Yeung, president and co-founder of Nobis, said in a statement: "This year, we are honoured to introduce our very first Lunar New Year capsule that has given Nobis the opportunity to get involved with respected cultural champions who have played integral roles in bringing this collection to life."
The exclusive three-piece Lunar New Year capsule collection features two quilted mid-layer jackets and a reversible bucket hat featuring a limited-edition print that deconstructs the visual elements of the revered Tiger and the auspicious plum blossoms.
"This year is the year of the Water Tiger, a year of determinism and spontaneity," explains Deborah Lau-Yu, principal and art director of Palettera. "Tigers express themselves boldly, which is captured in the unique print with grand hand-painted brush strokes that are simultaneously nature in two parts. The branches of plum blossoms dance across the page in an energetic nod to tradition and its relationship with nature."
Robin Yates, vice-president and co-founder of Nobis, added: "From design to creative, each person involved truly embodies the core values we represent at Nobis and we are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to share a new narrative around the cultural significance and importance of this monumental celebration through fashion."
Nobis' Lunar New Year capsule prices range from 95 to 695 Canadian dollars.
Fête Chinoise


Finland's Cavus in 2009 crashed out of nowhere with their self-released debut self-titled EP. A year later, the band has signed to Listenable Records and release their debut full length release, Fester and Putrefy. Finnish black metal has often been characterised by the raw and cold sound exemplified by bands like Sargeist and Satanic Warmaster, but already evident from 2009's Cavus, Cavus aims to bring in a more aggressive touch to their black metal.
Opening track Sea of Tongues almost sounds as if the band had recorded this in a rehearsal studio, with the seemingly random notes that are plucked out of the guitar, though the inhuman growls and shrieks by W at the background helps to bring about a sinister atmosphere in the music. Just as it was about to border on being draggy, the band breaks into Fist of a Titan, and true to the song title, the cacophony immediately hits the listener in the face relentlessly. The band's aggressive style is somewhat reminiscent of Swedish black metal horde Marduk, with the urgent pace that drummer T.T.T. sets up and the heavy riffs unleashed by guitarists B.P. and J.K.. Vocalist W, while not as gruff as those of Marduk's Mortuus, manages to bring about some resemblance with the usage of growls instead of the shrieking-style as preferred by his other Finnish black metal counterparts. The drums of T.T.T. are the personal highlight on Fester and Putrefy. The punishing hits on the snare on songs like Discovering Through Suffering are some good examples of what he is capable of, sounding like a machine-gunner go out of control.
The one thing that could probably affect Fester and Putrefy is the songwriting on the album. While the aggression of the band certainly shines through, the album fails at containing variety in the songs, with most of the tracks making use of similar formulae and song structures, resulting in songs sounding similar to each other, and the 45 minute runtime could prove to be slightly too boring and draggy and risk getting pointless towards the end of the album. The band tries to be innovative at times though, with the quirky intro on Death Rattle, but even moments like these are too sporadic to be noteworthy as the band soon goes back to their usual style. The song also does incorporate some shout-a-long moments with the chorus that reminds listeners of some of Watain's later works, though this is considerably more bestial and abrasive.
If one loves the more straightforward and brutal style of black metal, Fester and Putrefy would definitely have the potential to fulfil that thirst, though one shouldn't expect too much surprises on the album. That said though, Fester and Putrefy has been a pretty enjoyable release personally.


text:
SA Journal of Radiology
S. Afr. J. radiol. (Online) vol.23 n.1 Johannesburg 2019
http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajr.v23i1.1677
Prevalence and pattern of basal skull fracture in head injury patients in an academic hospital
Ntjeke S. MokolaneI, II; Cornelia MinneIII; Alireza DehnaviIII
IDepartment of Radiology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
IIDepartment of Radiology, Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
IIIClinical Unit, Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
BACKGROUND: Basal skull fractures (BSFs) have been reported to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the literature, particularly in young male patients. However, there are limited data available on the aetiology, prevalence and patterns of such observed in South Africa
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence and pattern of BSF in head injury patients referred to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, Gauteng, South Africa.
METHODS: Patients of all ages with head injuries were considered for the study, and those who met the inclusion criteria were scanned using a 128-slice multidetector helical computed tomography (CT) machine after obtaining consent. Data were prospectively obtained over a 6-month period, interpreted on an advanced workstation by two readers and statistically analysed.
RESULTS: The prevalence of BSF in this study was found to be 15.2%. The majority of patients (80.5%) were under 40 years old, with a male to female ratio of 3:1. The most common aetiology of BSF was assault, which accounted for 46% of cases. The middle cranial fossa was the most frequently fractured compartment, while the petrous bone was the most commonly fractured bone. There was a statistically significant association between head injury severity and BSF, and between the number of fracture lines and associated signs of BSF (p < 0.001). The sensitivity of clinical signs in predicting BSF was 31%, while specificity was 89.3% (p = 0.004).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence and pattern of BSF found were consistent with data from previously published studies, although, dissimilarly, assault was found to be the most common aetiology in this study.
According to Ryan et al.,1 the human skull consists of three components: calvarium, facial bones and mandible. The calvarium is further divided into the skull vault and the skull base, the latter of which consists of the paired orbital plates with the cribriform plate in the middle, the sphenoid bone with its lesser wings anteriorly and greater wings posteriorly, parts of the squamous temporal bone and petrous temporal bone and, lastly, the occipital bone posteriorly.1 The inner surface of the skull base is divided into anterior, middle and posterior cranial fossae by the sphenoidal ridge anteriorly and the petrous ridge posteriorly.2
A basal skull fracture (BSF) is defined as any fracture involving the floor of the anterior, middle or posterior cranial fossa that results either because of a direct local or remote force mechanism.3 Although most BSFs are thought to be minor in nature, if missed or diagnosed late, they could lead to debilitating complications such as neurovascular injuries, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, meningitis or even death, especially if severe and/or associated with intracranial haemorrhage.4-10 In fact, head injuries have not only been reported to be a major public health problem but are also a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in younger patients (i.e. those under the age of 45 years) in the developed world.3,5,8 In most studies, the underlying mechanism of injury has been consistently reported to be road accidents, a phenomenon that can be attributed to various factors depending on geographic location.3,6,11
The reported prevalence of BSF varies greatly in the literature. In the developed world and Asian studies, BSF has been reported to have a prevalence of 3.5% - 24%, whereas studies conducted in Nigeria suggest higher figures of 33% - 46%.4,7,12,13 The main limitation of these findings in the present study is that they are derived from Western, Asian and Nigerian populations and therefore may not necessarily be generalisable to the local South African population. For South Africa, there is limited data in the literature regarding the prevalence and pattern of BSF. It is for this reason that we decided to evaluate the prevalence and pattern of BSF in the South African context.
The clinical presentation of patients with BSF varies and is determined by the severity of head injury and/or associated injuries elsewhere in the body. Some of the known clinical signs of BSF include racoon eye, rhinorrhoea, rhinorrhagia, anosmia, visual impairment, otorrhoea, otorrhagia, hearing loss, neurovascular injuries, Battle sign, phonation problems, vocal cord paralysis and/or aspiration.4,6,14 It is important to note that if a CSF leak secondary to BSF is missed, it may lead to meningitis and, ultimately, death.14-17 Identification of these clinical signs in the setting of trauma should always prompt the treating clinician to arrange for an urgent computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain or make a referral to a centre with CT scan facilities for early diagnosis and management so that complications can be avoided. This is supported by the fact that the literature has largely shown the presence of clinical signs to be a statistically significant predictor of BSF.4,12
A cross-sectional prospective and observational study was performed at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH) located in the Northwest district of Tshwane, Gauteng province, South Africa. DGMAH is a teaching hospital affiliated with the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. The study included any patient with a head injury referred to the Radiology Department for a CT brain scan, including paediatric patients. Conversely, the exclusion criteria included previous head injury, recent brain surgery, pre-existing bone pathology, incomplete images and/or severe artefacts that could render the images unreadable.
A total of 210 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analysed over a period of 6 months, from June to November 2016. Patients were scanned with a Philips Ingenuity Core 128-slice multidetector helical CT scan machine (Phillips, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) using a built-in head trauma protocol with 1-mm slices and a bone kernel. Images were then analysed on an IntelliSpace Portal V6.0 Philips workstation (Phillips) that offers multiplanar reconstruction and three-dimensional (3D) capabilities. Images were interpreted by the lead researcher (a radiology registrar in the third year of training at the time of the study) and a qualified general radiologist with 6 years of experience, independently of one another.
BSF was diagnosed when there was a direct visualisation of a fracture line of the skull base on CT. In patients with signs such as brain contusion, intracranial haemorrhage, pneumocephalus, haemosinus or other features of intracranial or basal skull injury without direct visualisation of the fracture line, the term 'associated signs' was utilised for the purpose of our study. We did not however make a distinction between patients who had associated signs from skull base injury and those with skull vault injury as this was not the primary focus of the study.
Inter-reader variability was evaluated using Kappa statistics. The data were captured on an Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and analysed using the SAS (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) software programs.
The present study received ethical clearance from the research ethics committee of the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University prior to commencement (ethics approval no. SMUREC/M/10/2016: PG). Consent was obtained from all the participants after the details of the study were explained to them. The patients were anonymised to protect their identity and their details were kept safe and confidential, with no divulgement to a third party under any circumstances.
The study analysed a total of 210 participants. There were 159 male and 51 female patients, with a male to female ratio of 3:1. Patients' ages ranged from 1 to 81 years, with a mean of 29.61 years (standard deviation: 14.65 years) and a median (interquartile range) of 28 years (23-36 years). There were 10 patients whose ages could not be established; therefore, these individuals were not included in the age analysis. Figure 1 shows that the majority of the patients (n = 161; 80.5%) were under the age of 40 years.
Of the 210 patients analysed, 32 (15.2%) had BSF confirmed on CT scan, while 178 (84.2%) had no BSF. Of the 32 patients with BSF, 18 patients had middle cranial fossa (MCF) fractures, 15 patients had anterior cranial fossa (ACF) fractures and four patients had posterior cranial fossa (PCF) fractures. Five of these patients had fractures involving a combination of cranial fossa compartments. Three patients demonstrated combined ACF and MCF fractures, whereas two patients had combined MCF and PCF fractures. There was no ACF and PCF fracture combination nor was there an involvement of all three compartments in any of the patients.
Data in Table 1 reveal that the frontal sinus was the most fractured bone in the ACF, which was observed in seven patients. The same frequency of fractures was observed for a combination of different bones of the ACF. The MCF was the most frequently fractured compartment, with a total of 18 fractures recorded, as shown in Table 2. The most common isolated fractured bone without clinical signs in the MCF was squamous temporal, a finding which was observed on three occasions. Of the 18 fractures of the MCF, 12 were a combination of different bones of which nine did not show any clinical signs of BSF. The petrous bone fractures occurred in isolation in three patients and were longitudinal in all three individuals. Nine patients had a petrous bone fracture that occurred in combination with fractures of the other bones of the MCF, with an example illustrated in Figure 2. Table 3 shows the distribution of the types of petrous bone fractures. There was no violation of the otic capsule observed in any of the petrous bone fractures. The squamous occipital bone was the most frequently fractured bone in the PCF, occurring on three occasions, and none of the four patients with PCF fractures demonstrated clinical signs. Figure 3 shows occipital condylar fracture as an example of a posterior fossa fracture with intact skull base lines.
There was a total of 63 (30%) patients who demonstrated associated signs of BSF on CT brain scan, of whom 28 had a BSF on CT, while the remaining 35 did not have a BSF on CT. This implies that 87.5% (28/32) of patients who had a BSF also had associated signs as revealed by CT, whereas 80.3% (143/178) who did not have BSF also had no associated signs (p < 0.001, chi-squared test). The following associated signs were observed in an order of decreasing frequency: haemorrhagic brain contusion (33), subarachnoid haemorrhage (28), brain oedema (26), blood in the paranasal sinuses (24), blood in the mastoid air cells (21), pneumocranium (19), blood in the middle ears (14), epidural hematoma (12), subdural hematoma (10), air in the temporomandibular joint (5) and intracranial foreign body (3).
Table 4 demonstrates that the majority of patients with BSF had a single fracture line, accounting for 56.3% (18/32) of the cases, followed by complex fractures of more than three fracture lines, as seen in 34% (11/32) of cases. It further shows that there was a statistically significant association between an increasing number of fracture lines and the presence of associated signs on CT scan, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 3.89 (p < 0.001) and a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.93-7.88.
Table 5 shows that assault was the most common aetiology of head injury in this study, at 46.7% (98/210), followed by motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and pedestrian vehicle accidents (PVAs) at 22% (47/210) and 15% (32/210), respectively. The proportions of patients who had BSF because of assault, fall, MVA, and PVA were all similar at approximately 15%, despite their respective absolute values being different. Patients with gunshot injuries, motor bike accidents (MBAs), other penetrating injuries and unknown aetiology as a mechanism of their injury had limited data; therefore, their percentages were not evaluated. Simple binary logistic regression with an adjusted OR of 3.26 (p < 0.001) and a corresponding 95% CI of 1.99-5.35 demonstrated that there was a significant association between head injury severity as measured by means of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the presence of BSF on CT scan. Table 5 further shows that 75% (158/210) of the patients with head injury had mild head injury with no BSF.
Only 10 of 32 (31.3%) patients with BSF were positively predicted by means of clinical signs, while 159 of 178 (89.3%) patients with no BSF were identified in the absence of clinical signs (p = 0.004, Fisher's exact test). This implies that, in our study, clinical signs had a sensitivity of 31.3%, a specificity of 89.3%, a positive predictive value of 34.4% and a negative predictive value of 87.8% for BSF as compared with CT brain scan. This study notably showed that the most common single clinical sign that ACF patients presented with was a racoon eye, which was observed in 13 patients, followed by rhinorrhagia in nine patients (Table 1). Conversely, the most common clinical signs of MCF were otorrhoea and otorrhagia, each sign presenting in three patients (Table 2). There were no clinical signs observed for PCF fractures.
As this study employed two readers, the inter-rater reliability was evaluated and there was 85% agreement between the two readers, with a p-value of < 0.001 and a 95% CI of 82.0-88.2. This finding was associated with a Kappa coefficient of 0.4655, which has a moderate weighting according to Altman.18
This study revealed that the majority of patients who presented with a head injury were young (i.e. under the age of 40 years) and predominantly men, with a male to female ratio of 3:1. Notably, these cohort characteristics are consistent with those in previous studies.4,6,8 A striking contrast between these studies and ours is that while the former have consistently shown vehicle-related accidents to be the most common aetiology of traumatic head injuries, our study found assault to be the highest cause, accounting for 46% (98/210) of all cases of traumatic head injury evaluated. This finding implies that there were high levels of interpersonal violence in this study population, despite a survey by Statistics South Africa reporting a moderate decline in assault cases between 2013 and 2017.19
The prevalence of BSF in this study was found to be 15.2% (32/210), irrespective of aetiology. This figure falls well within the 3.5% - 24% range that has been reported in studies from the United Kingdom, India and Hong Kong,7,12,20 whereas it is at least half of what has been published before in the Nigerian literature.4,5,11 The MCF was the most common fractured skull base compartment in this study followed by the ACF, with the PCF recording the least number of fractures. This distribution is consistent with those seen in previous studies. The predominance of MCF fractures is thought to be because of the presence of neurovascular foramina (which are presumed to be points of structural weakness) and thin bones in the MCF, which render it susceptible to fractures in comparison with the anterior and posterior compartments.4,6 Furthermore, the site of impact in the case of head injury tends to be from the sides or front.2
Within the middle cranial fossa, the most common fractured bone was the petrous bone. A total of six patients demonstrated a longitudinal fracture, while four had a transverse fracture and two had a complex fracture according to the traditional radiographic classification system based on fracture orientation.21 It should be noted, however, that this classification system has been criticised in the literature for its inability to predict clinical sequelae. The preferred newer classification system is otic capsule violating versus sparing of the otic capsule because of its clinical relavance.9,17,21 It was also found that 75% (9/12) of patients with petrous bone fractures also had fractures of other bones of the skull base. This suggests that, in a patient with a petrous bone fracture after a head injury, the radiologist interpreting the CT brain scan should actively look for fractures of other bones of the skull base.
It is essential that bone window with thin slices of 1 mm-1.15 mm should be used in the evaluation of basal skull fractures in order to minimise the chances of false negative outcomes in pursuit of these fractures. On the other hand, false positive outcomes because of misinterpretation of suture lines as fractures can be avoided by prior knowledge of the sites of suture lines, the cortical lining of the suture lines and a width of less than 2 mm in the suture line.20 In the presence of BSF, it is always important to assess the integrity of the base of skull lines as their disruption indicates cranio-cervical junction dissociation that is life-threatening.22
Of the five patients who had BSF involving combinations of skull base compartments, three had a mild head injury and two had a severe head injury as determined based on GCS with variable aetiologies. This suggests that BSF involving a combination of skull base compartments might have no direct relationship with the severity of head injury.
There was a statistically significant association between BSF and associated signs, with 87.5% (28/32) of patients with BSF having associated signs on CT scan (p < 0.001, chi-squared test). Thus, in patients who have associated signs on CT scan following a head injury, a fracture line should be sought so that the patient can receive the appropriate intervention(s). Thirty-five of 63 patients with associated signs on CT did not have BSF. This rate can be attributed to the wider inclusion of associated signs, such as contusions and subarachnoid haemorrhages. It was also demonstrated that 56% (18/32) of the included patients with BSF had a single fracture line, while 34.4% (11/32) had more than three fracture lines. A statistically significant association between the number of fracture lines and associated signs on CT scan meant that patients with more fracture lines were more likely to show associated signs on CT scans (adjusted OR: 3.89, 95% CI: 1.93-7.88; p < 0.001). It is therefore very important to note that, if a patient has multiple fracture lines on a CT brain scan following a head injury, associated signs should be sought and managed accordingly in order to prevent potential complications.
Clinical signs showed a low sensitivity of 31.3% (10/32) in predicting BSF in this study population. This is in contrast to the results of previous studies that have shown good clinical signs with sensitivity of 71% - 77% in predicting BSF.4,12 The low yield present in the current study can be explained by the fact that this study was not designed to evaluate the sensitivity of clinical signs in predicting BSF and the experience of the attending emergency room medical officers was not established. Conner et al.7 similarly reported a lower figure of 47%; however, it should be noted that evaluating the sensitivity of clinical signs was not the primary objective of their study. Having said that, this study showed a statistically significant association between head injury severity by means of GCS and BSF on CT scan, with an adjusted OR of 3.26 (p < 0.001) and a corresponding 95% CI of 1.99-5.35. This is even more applicable in our South African setting with limited resources, where some of the district hospitals do not have CT scanners on their premises and have to refer patients to other centres for imaging and further management. For medical officers in these hospitals, it means that patients with a low GCS, following head injury, should be referred urgently for CT brain scan in order to prevent or manage complications appropriately. Given that the majority of the patients in our study had mild head injury with no BSF, it is advisable that clinicians in our setting should familiarise themselves with the Canadian CT head rules in order to avoid unnecessary requests or referrals for head CT. This will aid in reducing the load on an already overburdened healthcare system without compromising the quality of care provided for head injury patients.23
Some of the limitations of our study include the fact that it was a purely epidemiological study that was performed over a short period of time and as such, the study sample might not be a true reflection of the South African population given its relatively small size and restricted geographic location. In addition, our study did not take the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the Canadian CT head injury rules into consideration.
The findings of the study showed a prevalence of BSF of 15.2%, which is consistent with other percentages reported in the developed world and Asian studies. Our predominance of young male patients, mild head injuries, middle cranial fossa fractures and frequent involvement of the petrous bone are all findings consistent with those of previous studies. Contrary to previous studies, however, assault was the most common aetiology in the present study, reflecting the violent nature of our society. This finding appeals to law enforcement agencies to better ensure the safety and security of our citizens at all times.
The strong association between clinical assessment of head injury severity and BSF on CT scan implies that, in the absence of CT, patients' referral to well-resourced centres should be expedited. In addition, radiologists should be vigilant regarding associated signs, such as intracranial bleeding in the presence of multiple fracture lines, when interpreting CT brain scans of head injury patients. It is recommended that similar studies should be conducted with much larger sample sizes and at other geographic locations in South Africa in order to obtain a much better reflection of the prevalence, pattern and aetiology of BSF in the country.
The authors thank Prof. H.S. Schoeman for his assistance with statistical analysis and Prof. M.E. Kisansa (Head of Radiology Department at DGMAH) for her academic and logistical support.
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Authors' contribution
N.S.M. was the primary researcher and wrote the manuscript. C.M. made a huge contribution towards conception and design of the project, as well as critically revising the project for intellectual content. A.D. played a major role in the data analysis, as well as critical revision and approval of the final version of the manuscript.
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Ntjeke Mokolane
mokolane@gmail.com
Received: 01 Nov. 2018
Accepted: 20 Jan. 2019
Published: 13 Mar. 2019
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