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Massive towing operation gets Olympus platform to deepwater site
Crowley Maritime Corp. reports that four of its ocean-class tugboats - Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave, Ocean Sky , and Ocean Sun - recently completed the successful delivery of the offshore oil production and drilling platform Olympus to the US Gulf of Mexico.
Bruce Beaubouef • Houston
Crowley Maritime Corp. reports that four of its ocean-class tugboats -Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave, Ocean Sky , and Ocean Sun - recently completed the successful delivery of the offshore oil production and drilling platform Olympus to the US Gulf of Mexico. The project was significant because it provided the first opportunity for all four of the company's new high-bollard-pull, ocean-class tugboats to work together on a single job. The rig, owned by Shell, is considered the largest tension-leg platform ever to be developed for the US Gulf of Mexico.
Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave and Ocean Sun vessels helped position the Olympus platform in its final location and remained on site in a star pattern to provide support. The Ocean Sky remained on site as a stand-by vessel and to provide additional security. (Photo courtesy Crowley Maritime Corp.) ">
In the final/positioning phase, theOcean Wind, Ocean Wave and Ocean Sun vessels helped position the Olympus platform in its final location and remained on site in a star pattern to provide support. The Ocean Sky remained on site as a stand-by vessel and to provide additional security. (Photo courtesy Crowley Maritime Corp.)
The Crowley ocean-class tugs worked together in both nearshore and offshore waters to relocate the 120,000-ton, 406-ft tall TLP from Ingleside, Texas, 425 mi to its deepwater location in the GoM. During the nearshore phase, theOcean Wind and Ocean Wave provided assistance in pushing the Olympus away from the Kiewit facility dock in Ingleside, through the Port of Aransas, Texas, and out to deeper waters. During this initial phase, the Ocean Sky was also available and equipped to provide push assistance, if needed.
Once safely outside of the port,Ocean Wave, Ocean Wind, and Ocean Sun towed the vessel to its final location in more than 3,000 ft of water. During this offshore phase, Ocean Sky took on the role of escort tug, which helped to ensure the towing vessels' and platform's safety. Providing additional support was the Crowley-contracted, offshore tugboat Harvey War Horse II.
In the final stage, called the positioning phase, theOcean Wind, Ocean Wave, and Ocean Sun vessels helped position the platform in its final location and remained on site in a star pattern to provide support as the platform was attached to tendons and made storm safe. The Ocean Sky remained on site as a stand-by vessel and to provide additional security.
"This successful project is a testament to the capability, station-keeping and power of these vessels," said Crowley's John Ara, vice president, solutions. "The design of the ocean class has allowed us to participate in the full scope of marine transportation, including nearshore, offshore, and positioning work. From the initial push-off to securing it as storm-safe, these tugs were critical assets in the relocation of theOlympus platform."
Now that theOlympus has been delivered safely, the Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave, and Ocean Sun are already at work on another project, this time transporting the Lucius spar platform for Anadarko. The 80,000 b/d of oil capacity spar is now under tow with Crowley for more than 300 mi to its final location in the deepwaters of the US GoM. Once delivered, it will be installed in about 7,100 ft of water to produce oil and natural gas from beneath the seafloor.
Western GoM lease sale high bids total $102 million-plus
Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 233, which took place in late August, drew more than $102 million in high bids for 53 tracts on the OCS. Bids covered 301,006 acres of the nearly 21 million on offer.
The highest bid on a single tract was $30,583,560 by ConocoPhillips for Alaminos Canyon block 475. ConocoPhilips also submitted the highest total amount in bonus bids, $50,323,180 on 29 tracts.
Chevron submitted the next two highest bids: $19,102,687 and $13,111,191 for East Breaks blocks 499 and 500, respectively. Chevron submitted the second-highest total amount at $32,323,180 with just three bids, while Maersk Oil placed third at a total of $6,823,281 in seven bids.
This sale offered all unleased and non-protected areas in the Western Gulf of Mexico planning area, including 3,864 tracts from nine to more than 250 mi off the coast, in depths ranging from 16 to more than 10,975 ft. BOEM estimates the lease sale could result in the production of 116 to 200 MMbbl of oil and 538 to 938 bcf of natural gas.
BP begins appraisal drilling at Tiber prospect
BP has begun appraisal drilling on its Tiber oil prospect in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to a Reuters report, BP confirmed that drilling began on Aug. 3. ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance disclosed the status to analysts during a webcast presentation at the Barclays Energy-Power Conference in New York. ConocoPhillips is a minority partner in Tiber.
In 2009, BP touted what it called a "giant" oil discovery in the Tiber field next to its Kaskida field that could hold up to 3 Bbbl of oil. Both fields are in the Lower Tertiary trend, the Gulf's deepest, most challenging, and most promising deposit that is estimated to hold up to 15 Bbbl of oil.
BP had planned in 2010 to drill appraisal wells in the Tiber field to help gauge how much oil was there. The company's Macondo rupture and spill prompted the shutdown that delayed those plans.
That drilling plan resumed last month with the start of the new well in Tiber. BP had already begun exploratory drilling at another prospect near Tiber, called Gila, and that work is continuing.
Prospects in Mexico for IOCs show positive signs
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico exploration and production may prove to be the lever that opens Mexico to international oil company (IOC) participation.
Mexico currently is seeing a drop in production that could be alleviated by success in the GoM, but the state-owned Petróleos Mexicanos does not have the technical experience to operate in such deepwater, said George Baker, managing principal, Baker & Associates, speaking at BNamericas' LatAm Oil & Gas Summit.
That, coupled with the current push by Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto to change the national rules to permit companies outside of Mexico to enter profit-sharing agreements, could succeed in changing the operating agreements sufficiently to permit IOCs to enter.
That does not necessarily change the prevailing "national narrative" about ownership of the reserves, however, Baker pointed out. Whether the reforms are adopted and, if so, in what form, remains to be seen.
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Offshore Jamaica partners given more time for drilling decision
Tullow Oil's production-sharing agreement for the Walton Morant basin offshore Jamaica has been amended, according to partner United Oil & Gas.
Norway offers licenses to 28 oil companies
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has offered 69 offshore production licenses to a total of 28 oil companies under the Award in Pre-Defined Areas 2019.
North Sea short-term outlook strong, consultant claims
North Sea oil and gas production should increase this year and prospects look good for exploration and investment across the sector, according to consultant Wood Mackenzie.
Environmental issues to shape future offshore Asia/Pacific projects
Wood Mackenzie expects an upsurge in major oil and gas project sanctions in the Asia/Pacific region this year.
Jadestone wins offshore Philippines license breach claim
Jadestone Energy has successfully applied for damages as a result of an arbitration action between its subsidiary Mitra Energy and Total E&P Philippines.
Eni-led group withdrawing from offshore Australia permit
Eni and its partners have agreed to relinquish their interests in the WA-34-R Retention Lease offshore northwest Australia.
ExxonMobil secures blocks offshore Egypt
Egypt's government has awarded ExxonMobil two offshore exploration blocks.
Offshore FIDs increase for the second straight year
New report estimates that around $100 billion in offshore projects were sanctioned in 2019.
Petrobras, Total open to offers for deepwater Brazil blocks
Petrobras and Total plan to jointly farm-out part of their interests in the deepwater BM-P-2 concession in the Pelotas basin, offshore Rio Grande do Sul State.
Total taking command of prospective offshore Suriname block
OGA unveils UK offshore digital priorities
The Oil and Gas Authority has set forth its Digital Strategy for the UK's oil and gas industry over the next five years.
Contango, Juneau team up for GoM shelf exploration
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Tag: soul
Listening Booth — The New Mastersounds, "You Mess Me Up"
Listening Booth, Music
With all the crap I've been dealing with thanks to Hurricane Sandy, I've had precious little time for music listening. And that means I haven't been able to really dig into the new record from the New Mastersounds, Out on the Faultline. I mean to correct that today, and the first step is sharing the official video for the first song off the LP, "You Mess Me Up." It's a fun video for an even funner song. That's right, funner. The group's last album, Breaks from the Border, made my 2011 year-end best of list, and I have a feeling this one will too. Out on the Faultline is available now! And if you're on Spotify, you can check out this track and most of the ones featured in my Listening Booth series by subscribing to this playlist.
Oct222012 by Chris Holmes1 Comment
Album Cover of the Week: Stevie Wonder, Where I'm Coming From
Album Cover of the Week, Music
I last showcased an album cover from the great Stevie Wonder when I wrote about Innervisions in 2009. Today I want to go back to the beginning. Not of Wonder's career, but of his string of all-time classic albums in the 1970s. For today we look at Where I'm Coming From, released on Motown's Tamla label on April 12, 1971. A few things strike me right away about this cover. First is the very bold use of "WONDER" with its many pictures of Stevie. This was the first album where Wonder really was able to assert full creative control over his music, and I think this cover speaks to that. The second thing is the title -- Where I'm Coming From. It's an unmistakable declaration that this album was intended not to generate profit for Berry Gordy but to let America and the world know what w...
Apr302012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Music from the Worst Album Covers — Millie Jackson, Back to the S__t!
Album Cover of the Week, Featured Posts, Music
My first exposure of any kind to the music of Millie Jackson was her song "All the Way Lover" from the compilation album Blaxploitation, Volume 3: The Big Payback. It's a surreal cut that's alternately soulful and hilarious. Jackson sings and speaks as she exhorts her man to, well, go all the way. Oh and then she admonishes other women to stop watching soap operas or gossiping, and get down to pleasing their men lest they stray. But hey, why not hear it for yourself? It's an experience you should enjoy at least once. So now that you've heard that, the following album cover should come as no surprise. Wait, does that say Back to the Seat!? Back to the Suit!? No, that doesn't make sense. Must be Back to the Shit! Released in 1989 on Jive Records, well after Jackson's peri
Mar262012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Album cover of the week: Ike and Tina Turner — Outta Season
As provocative album covers go, Ike and Tina Turner's Outta Season LP has to be one of the greats. The image of the couple eating watermelon while wearing whiteface -- a brilliant mockery of blackface minstrelsy -- would be controversial now, so the fact that this was released in 1968 is even more amazing. Not surprisingly, the foreign versions of Outta Season featured much more unimaginative album art. I don't know if they featured the super sexy gatefold picture the original U.S. edition (on Blue Thumb Records) had.
Feb22012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Pop Culture Capsule — 1974 Billboard Magazine Soul Train Spotlight
Capsules, Featured Posts, History
Tributes to the late Don Cornelius have been filling the internet since the news broke of his death earlier this week. There's nothing of substance I can add to the legacy of Cornelius and his beloved creation, Soul Train, so instead I'll offer up this 1974 tribute from Billboard magazine. This spotlight combines a history of the show, then celebrating its third year on the air, with tribute ads from well-known soul and R&B artists, as well as plenty of cool pictures. (more…)
Dec12011 by Chris Holmes1 Comment
The Music Year That Was: The Best Albums of 2011
The usual disclaimers about my year-end music lists still apply. I'm only one man and only have so much time to listen to new albums. So even if I hear an album and it's really good, if nothing about it grabs me right away I may end up forgetting it. Also, naturally I'm going to gravitate toward music either from acts I already know and like or that's recommended by friends and writers/critics I respect. These, then, are the ten albums that I have returned to more than any other in 2011 and probably will in 2012. Because at the end of the day, isn't that the only mark of a good record? #1. Mastodon, The Hunter As much as I was disappointed with Crack the Skye, I absolutely love The Hunter. I've read a lot of comparisons between it and Metallica's "Black Album," and I can see why. It's...
Oct192011 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Listening booth — The Roots, "Make My" (feat. Big K.R.I.T.)
If nothing else, the Roots are insanely prolific. Despite their day (night) job as the house band for Jimmy Fallon's late night talk show, they find time to record and release project after project. It's barely been 18 months since How I Got Over came out (and even less since their collaboration with John Legend), the followup album -- Undun -- is scheduled for a December 6 release. The first single from Undun (which the Roots say will be a concept album), "Make My," was just dropped. Check it: The Roots "Make My" featuring Big K.R.I.T. by okayplayer I wasn't expecting anything this mellow, but I really like it. I love that keyboard riff, and the bridge is a hunk of vintage soul right off one of Stevie Wonder's classic '70s albums.
Album review mini-roundup: Anthrax, Ladytron, and The New Mastersounds
Anthrax, Worship Music (Megaforce Records) -- No disrespect to John Bush, but Anthrax only sounds like Anthrax to me with Joey Belladonna behind the mic. Interestingly enough, his first album with Anthrax in more than 20 years is a much more modern-sounding album than I expected. While parts of Worship Music -- tracks like "Earth on Hell" -- are right out of the Persistence of Time era, others ("Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't" and "I'm Alive") sound more the like modern, radio-friendly hard rock found on more recent discs. Belladonna was in a tough spot here, as he and Scott Ian publicly admitted that Worship Music was largely complete when he was brought in. So he was basically singing over songs that were written with former singer Dan Nelson in mind. To his credit, Belladonna sounds at hom...
Listening booth — Amy Winehouse (Tränenpalast, Berlin, Germany 2004)
I'll cop to not being the biggest Amy Winehouse fan in the world, but there's no denying the incredible talent she possessed. That talent is on display during the concert I'm sharing with you today. This is from a July 29, 2011 broadcast on Deutschlandfunk, a German radio station. It captures Amy performing in support of her debut album, Frank, on September 28, 2004 at the Tränenpalast in Berlin, Germany. This is the Amy that fans will likely want to remember. Before the scandal, before the very public -- and ultimately losing -- battles with addiction, and before the days of mysteriously canceled shows and poor performances. Here, she's in great voice and hits a groove with her sterling backing band. (These are all in .mp3 format by the way. If you want to download the show in .F

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Pope Francis in Iraq
Pope Francis in Iraq: All our Coverage in One Place
Pope Francis's recent visit to Iraq has been called "courageous" as well as "reckless" — but little in between. He described himself on the journey as "a pilgrim of peace" bearing a message of fraternity. Whatever else it was, the visit was certainly historic. Here, in one place, from start to finish, is all the
Full text: Pope Francis' in-flight press conference from Iraq
CNA's full transcript of Pope Francis' in-flight press conference from Baghdad, Iraq, to Rome, Italy on March 8, 2021.
Pope Francis in Iraq: The Long Play
He went not just to proclaim Christ, but to proclaim our dependence upon Christ, in the face of suffering that can't be swept away.
Pope Francis in Iraq: A Man on a Mission
Pope Francis was a man on a mission, says correspondent John Cookson in Baghdad on Monday morning. The question is: Did he succeed?
Pope Francis in Iraq: Pope Meets Father of Refugee Family who Died at Sea
A statement from the Press office of the Holy See said the Pope spent "a long time" with Mr. Kurdi, listening to him as he spoke -- through an interpreter -- of his pain at the loss of his family.
Archbishop Warda on Pope Francis in Iraq: Powerful message a gift to all Iraqis
"We know that through your prayers you continue to urge this broken world and this broken land to a time of peace, humility and prosperity," Archbishop Warda said, "with dignity of life and purpose for all."
Pope Francis in Iraq: Mass at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil
"Today," said Pope Francis in his homily, "I can see at first hand that the Church in Iraq is alive, that Christ is alive and at work in this, his holy and faithful people."


The Stolitsa1 club began in 2004. The teams consist of mens' and under 17's, although it is always possible to create a womens' team.
Men's team, Division 2, Russian Cup, 3rd place.
A collection of photos (updated June 2009) of Stolitsa is available.
Every year for the past 40 years or so, Russian men and women have gathered together to play volleyball around Australia. Originally founded in Sydney by the Vostok Volley ball Club, the tradition of volleyball as a sport and as a social event has continued. There are clubs in Sydney, Geelong, Dandenong, Brisbane and now, with the emergence of Stolitsa, in Canberra, as well.
The long weekend of October is the traditional time when all Russian Volleyballers play for the Russian Cup. Any sport minded Russians interested in playing volleyball socially and maybe competitively can contact either Natasha Turner, 6232 7591, or Tina Kargin on 6238 2612 for more information. You don't need to be experienced, just keen!
The adult team includes Alex Turner, Paul P., Jacob Turner, Pasha Proselkov, Victor Kargin, Johan Swinnen, Boris P., Dennis Kargin and Daniel Kargin. The members of the Under 17 team are Daniel Kargin, Alexei Dukhnovski, Peter Ovchinnikov, Pasha Proselkov (Coach), Alex Turner, Misha Ovchinnikov, Jacob Turner, Callista Kargin and Dennis Kargin.
Pictured above are some of the Under 17 team in action in Sydney. Members in this photo are, from left to right, Callista Kargin, Jacob Turner, Daniel Kargin, Alex Turner and Alexei Dukhnovski.
1. Stolitsa (столица), the Russian word for "capital".


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Russia Says Syrian Air Defense nearly Hit Passenger Plane near Damascus (Reuters-RT-Russia)
An Airbus A320 with 172 passengers on board flying from Tehran to Damascus made an emergency landing in Russia-controlled Khmeimim air base after Syrian air defense nearly hit it, Russian state news agency RIA said Friday.
The Syrian air defense was trying to repulse an Israeli attack near Damascus, RIA said, adding that four Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired eight air-to-ground missiles at targets near Damascus without entering Syrian airspace.
See also Number of Syrian Soldiers and Iranian-Backed Militiamen Killed in Airstrikes Rises to 23 (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
15 Iranian-backed militiamen, including five Syrians and at least three Iranians, were killed in airstrikes on their positions in Damascus and Daraa early Thursday. Eight other Syrian soldiers, including an officer, were killed after air defense batteries were targeted near Damascus.
The airstrikes targeted weapons and ammunition depots, destroying many of them.
White House Confirms Killing of Al-Qaeda Leader in Yemen - Julian E. Barnes (New York Times)
The U.S. killed Qassim al-Rimi, 41, the leader of al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen, in a drone airstrike in January, the White House confirmed on Thursday.
Poll: Egyptian Hostility to Hamas Is Growing - David Pollock (Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
71% of Egyptians voice a negative opinion of Hamas, up from 63% a year ago, according to a new Egyptian poll.
84% agree that: "Right now internal political and economic reform is more important for our country than any foreign policy issue, so we should stay out of any wars outside our borders."
54% say good ties with Washington are important to Egypt, while 87% say it is not important for Egypt to have good relations with Iran.
90% have a negative opinion of Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei and the same percentage express an unfavorable view of Hizbullah.
Belgium Invites NGO with Terrorist Ties to UN - Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom)
Belgium, which is presiding over the UN Security Council in February, invited Brad Parker, a representative of the NGO Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P), to brief the council.
DCI-P has numerous ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a designated terrorist group in the U.S., EU, Canada and Israel, to the extent that Citibank and Arab Bank stopped providing it with banking services.
DCI-P alleges Israel is committing war crimes by "torturing children," and Parker has called for senior Israelis to face trial at the International Criminal Court.
Amb. Alon Bar, Deputy Director-General for the UN and International Organizations at the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Belgian Deputy Ambassador to Israel Pascal Buffin that if Belgium is inviting someone such as Parker to address the UNSC, then it apparently shares his views.
In private discussions with Belgian officials, Israel's Ambassador to Belgium, Emmanuel Nahshon, asked that Parker's appearance at the UNSC be canceled, but was rebuffed.
"It appears Belgium is making an effort to position itself as the most hostile country to Israel at the UNSC," said Yinam Cohen, director of the UN Political Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry.
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Hebrew Becomes Hip in American Schools - Faygie Holt (JNS)
More than 6,600 students were learning Hebrew in a public-school or charter-school setting in 2018, according to a report issued by CASJE, the Consortium for Applied Studies in Jewish Education, and George Washington University's Graduate School of Education and Human Development.
35 schools were offering Hebrew-language classes - 17 elementary or middle schools, and 18 serving grades 9 through 12.
Sharon Avni, who co-wrote the report, said, "The biggest surprise is that there are 2,000 students in traditional public schools studying Hebrew language."
Israeli Surveillance Drones in Trial to Monitor UK Waters - George Allison (UK Defence Journal)
Israel's Elbit Systems has been selected by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to conduct maritime demonstration flights in the UK using a number of its unmanned aerial surveillance systems.
Elbit says, "The Hermes 900 Maritime Patrol enables persistent monitoring of vast swathes of sea and long coastlines with effective advanced search capabilities to support with valuable search and rescue work as well as the identification of potential hazards."
"It features maritime radar, an Electro Optic payload, Satellite Communication, an Automatic Identification System receiver and an Emergency Position-indicating Radio Beacon receiver."
Israel-Founded Cybersecurity Firm ForeScout to Be Acquired for $1.9 Billion - Luke Tress (Times of Israel)
Israel-founded, San Jose-based ForeScout Technologies, Inc., a cybersecurity company, said Thursday that it had been acquired for $1.9 billion by U.S. private equity firm Advent International.
With R&D in Tel Aviv and other countries, ForeScout has become a world leader in network access control.
It also offers enterprises and government organizations the ability to view devices when they connect to the network.
The company was founded in June 2000 in Israel and counts 3,400 customers in 85 countries.
Australia Selects Israel's Spike LR2 Missile System (Shephard News-UK)
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has selected the Rafael Spike LR2 missile system as its new Long Range Direct Fire Support Weapon capability to target contemporary armored threats.
Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen. Rick Burr, said the missile "will enable our dismounted teams to engage armored targets faster, at increased range, and with improved accuracy."
Arava Region of Israel to Be 100 Percent Solar-Powered - Yosef Israel Abramowitz (Jerusalem Post)
The Arava region - from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea - is about to be powered 100% during the day by the sun.
That includes Eilat, all the hotels, factories, homes, businesses, kibbutzim and air conditioning.
By 2025, the sun will power all nighttime electricity needs as well.
The writer is co-founder of solar industries in Israel and Africa.
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Architect of U.S. Peace Plan Blames Palestinians for Violence
Presidential adviser Jared Kushner, who spent nearly three years working on the U.S. peace plan, said Thursday that leaders who are ready for a state "don't call for days of rage and encourage their people to pursue violence if they're not getting what they want." He said he thinks Abbas "was surprised with how good the plan was for the Palestinian people, but he locked himself into a position" by rejecting it before it came out. "If they would like to meet, we're happy to do it, but we're not going to chase them," Kushner said. (AP-New York Times)
See also Kushner Presents Peace Plan to UN Security Council in Closed-Door Briefing (Deutsche Welle-Germany)
Turkey Demands Syrian Army Exit Rebel Areas, Threatens Force
Turkish President Erdogan threatened Wednesday to use force against Syrian government forces if they don't pull back to an earlier cease-fire line in northern Syria by the end of the month. Speaking after direct clashes Monday between Turkish and Syrian troops inside Syria, he said two of the Turkish observation posts set up as part of an agreement reached in 2018 with Russia are now behind Syrian lines. "If the (Assad) regime does not retreat to areas behind the observations posts, Turkey will be forced to take matters into its own hands." Erdogan said he told Russian President Putin on Tuesday that the Syrian forces must retreat. (AP-Military Times)
Israeli Forces Nab Car Rammer - Judah Ari Gross
Israeli security forces on Thursday arrested Sanad al-Tourman, 25, from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of A-Tur, who carried out a car-ramming attack that injured a dozen soldiers in Jerusalem earlier in the day. In recent days Tourman made several Facebook posts possibly signaling his intentions, writing: "Whoever seeks peace with the enemy is living under an illusion."
Also on Thursday, an Israeli soldier was lightly wounded in a shooting attack along a highway near the West Bank community of Dolev. (Times of Israel)
Arab Israeli Shoots Israeli Border Policeman outside Temple Mount in Jerusalem - Efrat Forsher
An Israeli Border Police officer was shot in the shoulder on Thursday when "an assailant approached officers who were stationed near the Lions' Gate [on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem] and opened fire at them," the Israel Police said. "Other officers engaged immediately, firing at the assailant and neutralizing him."
Hebrew-language media named the shooter as Shadi Bana, 45, from Haifa, who reportedly converted from Christianity to Islam recently. Security camera footage shows the gunman armed with a pistol walking up to a group of officers and shooting at them. (Israel Hayom-Times of Israel)
IDF Troops Battle Palestinian Militants in Jenin - Yoav Zitun
Israeli security services overnight Wednesday conducted a partial demolition of a house in the West Bank city of Jenin belonging to the family of a terrorist who killed Rabbi Raziel Shevach in January 2018. Although the house had been demolished in the past, the structure was rebuilt. Soldiers at the scene reported that at least four masked militants, wearing all black, began firing at them with AK-47 and M-16 assault rifles as soon as the troops arrived in the area. The gunfire was accompanied by a 200-strong mob hurling rocks, firebombs and explosives at the soldiers.
IDF snipers on rooftops began firing back at the militants in a violent exchange that lasted almost two hours. In addition, explosives planted under military vehicles began detonating during the battle. (Ynet News)
IDF Confronts Palestinian Rioters in Hebron - Tovah Lazaroff
On Thursday, there was a protest in Hebron in which hundreds of Palestinians chanted, "We will march on Jerusalem with millions of martyrs." The violence lasted for hours as hooded and masked Palestinians pelted soldiers with stones from vantage points atop abandoned buildings, while on Shuhada Street below, teens and young adults also threw stones and lobbed firebombs. Israeli security forces responded with tear gas and stun grenades. (Jerusalem Post)
Hamas Guiding Terror Attacks in Jerusalem, West Bank - Leon Sverdlov
Hamas' forces and officials in Gaza are guiding the lone wolf attacks that began early Thursday, Maariv's military correspondent Tal Lev Ram told Radio 103FM on Thursday. "There is a guiding hand that is constantly working [on making] the area 'heat up.'" (Jerusalem Post)
Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis:
U.S. Peace Plan
The U.S. Mideast Peace Plan Takes a Fresh Approach - Danny Danon
Many of the objections to the U.S. Mideast peace plan have focused on its nontraditional approach. Yet any new plan must recognize that the situation today has dramatically changed since the beginning of the peace process in the 1990s. The Middle East has devolved into instability, while the Iranian regime has significantly expanded its regional operations.
Buoyed by the windfall from the nuclear deal, Iran has spent $7 billion on its terror network, including $1 billion to Hizbullah on Israel's northern border. Tehran's support for the Assad regime has prolonged the Syrian civil war and allowed the Iranians to position their troops near the Israeli and Jordanian borders.
At the same time, Gaza is now home to numerous terrorist organizations, supported and funded by Iran to the tune of up to $100 million per year. Yet despite the dramatic changes in the region, the plan's critics still cling to a political solution codified in the 1993 Oslo Accords.
The U.S. plan provides the opportunity for the Palestinians to build the necessary institutions they currently lack. Multiple initiatives focus on ensuring effective governance, expanding the Palestinian educational and health-care systems and guaranteeing foreign investment of $50 billion over 10 years. Imagine what Palestinian society could achieve with this opportunity. The writer is Israel's ambassador to the UN. (Washington Post)
Understanding the U.S. Peace Plan from an Islamic Perspective - Dr. Harold Rhode
The ultimate source of Palestinian rejectionism comes from the deeply rooted belief that, according to Islamic law, any territory that ever comes under Muslim rule must remain Muslim forever. All of Israel and the West Bank were captured by the Muslims in 637-638 CE. That means that, from a Muslim perspective, it is Muslim territory forever.
According to this view, Spain, too, which Muslims ruled from 712-1492 CE, still belongs to the Muslims. Tel Aviv, therefore, is, from the Muslim perspective, as much a "settlement" as any of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Jews cannot be legitimate sovereigns over either.
The Oslo process gave the Palestinians veto power. Any time they disagreed with something, the U.S. and some Israeli leaders then started to look for ways to improve the offer, not understanding that there would be no way they could ever placate Palestinian negotiators. The new U.S. plan removes that veto power. Palestinians no longer have the luxury of being able to reject an Israeli offer and expect that the previous offer would be the starting point in any future round of negotiations. The writer served for 28 years as an advisor on the Islamic world in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. (JNS)
U.S. Peace Plan Forces Reality on Palestinians - Sander Gerber
The U.S. peace plan rejects several poison-pill demands from the Palestinians that had made any deal impossible. It takes the Palestinian "right of return" off the table, which would have demographically overwhelmed Israel with millions of Palestinians moving in from neighboring countries. It also rejects the division of Jerusalem, a politically and logistically impossible demand that Israel surrender half its capital city.
The plan recognizes Israel's existential security needs. It ensures Israeli sovereignty over the strategically essential Jordan Valley and overall security control over the West Bank. It also ensures that no one will be removed from their homes.
Most importantly, the plan at long last puts a price on Palestinian rejectionism. For the first time, the Palestinians will not get more as a reward for saying "no." The process no longer will be held hostage to a Palestinian political culture that insists on holding out forever until every demand is met. The writer is a fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America and at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. (The Hill)
Finally, a Peace Plan that Takes Resolution 242 Seriously - Evelyn Gordon
While critics claim that the U.S. peace plan "violates UN resolutions," nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this is the first plan that relates seriously to UN Security Council Resolution 242 that every previous peace plan cites. Resolution 242, adopted in November 1967, was carefully crafted to let Israel keep some of the territory it captured in the Six-Day War. The resolution said a "lasting peace" would require "secure and recognized boundaries," recognizing that the 1967 lines (aka the 1949 armistice lines) did not and could not provide secure boundaries for Israel. (JNS)
Palestinians Reject Pragmatic U.S. Peace Plan - Dr. Jennifer Oriel
The U.S. government presented a plan for Israel and the Palestinian territories that acknowledged the equal right of Israelis and Palestinians to a nation that reflects their different cultures, aspirations and hopes for the future. It took aim at leaders who advance the cause of ideology at the expense of people's welfare.
The plan draws a distinction between Middle Eastern leaders. The first group includes ideologues and theocrats who use religion to create discord and excuse ineptitude. In the other category are leaders who work to create the conditions conducive to the flourishing of their people, especially economic opportunities.
On the face of it, the new deal provided ample opportunity for Palestinians to thrive. It proposed a new state substantially larger than the territories under Palestinian administration today. It offered a generously funded plan for nation building. However, Palestinians are reared to believe they are an oppressed people of a colonized state. Jihadi groups capitalize on any perceived slight to emphasize the sense of perpetual victimhood. PA President Mahmoud Abbas rejected the plan outright but has not presented an alternative vision. (The Australian)
Why Arab Israelis Don't Wish to Join a Future Palestinian State - Boaz Bismuth
The U.S. plan has changed the paradigm: All previous plans urged Israel to take the proverbial plunge regardless of whether or not there was any water in the pool. Moreover, it has created a new paradigm by which Palestinian nationalism must first and foremost be good for future Palestinian citizens. The plan presents specific goals and metrics that Palestinians must meet including values of human rights, the rule of law, and refraining from killing Jews - basic criteria that every country should uphold.
If these conditions are rejected by the Palestinians, meaning they will not commit to establishing good governance and fighting terrorist organizations, then negotiations are not feasible to begin with.
Statements about potential land swaps sparked outrage and protest among Israel's Arab citizens, especially in the Triangle, a concentration of towns and villages adjacent to the Green Line. Arab Israelis now embrace Israeli rule and say they wish to remain part of Israel even if the Palestinians fulfill their national aspirations and see a state established.
Arab Israelis were presented with a choice: Which side do you wish to belong to - the "Israeli occupation" or the "future state of Palestine"? They clearly prefer to be part of Israel. This proves to what extent Arab Israelis do not trust the Palestinian leadership to provide them with the security and quality of life they enjoy as Israeli citizens. (Israel Hayom)
Sudan's Action Is Understandable; Many Arab Countries Have Ties with Israel - Abdulrahman Al-Rashed
The Muslim Brotherhood, which lost power in Sudan last year, is the main driver behind the intense attack against Sudan and the chairman of its Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, under the pretext of his meeting with the Israeli prime minister in Uganda. More than half of all Arab countries - including Tunisia, Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Oman and others - have dealt with Israel.
Political bullying against Arab governments in the name of Palestine or Israel is unacceptable. Everyone is tired of this declining political rhetoric. States have their supreme interests, and sovereign decisions are not to be decided on Twitter.
The Iranians involved the previous Sudanese regime in their battles over the years, and the Sudanese people paid a high price for this. Naval and air chases sank Iranian ships off Sudanese ports, and Iranian military training camps were bombed on Sudanese territory.
In addition, the crimes of the previous Sudanese regime against its people placed the country on international and U.S. sanctions lists. Sudan does not have many options if it wants to lift these sanctions, move away from the Iranian strategy of conflict, and shift to internal development. The writer is former general manager of Al-Arabiya and former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. (Asharq Al-Awsat-UK)
Tehran's "Deciders" Are an Increasingly Isolated Minority - Amir Taheri
The Khomeinist regime's support base, mired in corruption, finds it increasingly hard to communicate with society at large. The mass gatherings that the regime organizes should deceive no one. Today, the Tehran "deciders" constitute a small, increasingly isolated minority caught in an imagined past and fearful of the future.
Worse still, many "deciders" have already put part of their money abroad, having sent their children to Europe and America. All they are interested in is to get the money and run. They are unable to build the state institutions needed for a modern economy capable of seeking a credible place in the global market. The writer was executive editor-in-chief of the daily Kayhan in Iran from 1972 to 1979. (Asharq Al-Awsat-UK)
Belgian Governor Calls to Halt PA Payments to Terrorists - Alex Traiman
Cathy Berx, the governor of Antwerp Province in Belgium, was in Israel for the World Holocaust Forum in January. Berx told JNS that the Palestinian Authority must give up all forms of terror including the "pay-to-slay" policy that provides stipends to terrorists and the families of so-called "martyrs" killed in the act of attempted murder.
She added that it's improper to continue funding the PA unless the terror-financing practice has been discontinued, and that "an independent audit" of the program is required to ensure that European funding is not going into the hands of terrorists or their sponsors. "You do not give money to an organization that has as an aim to fund terrorists, to fund those who have as an aim to destroy a nation." (JNS)
Arab Youth Must Be Taught the Truth about the Holocaust - Ahmed Charai
We must renew our determination to educate all young people about the Nazi genocide of six million Jews, and of the murder of so many others. The Holocaust represented the pairing of the methodology of the industrial revolution to the dark tradition of mass murder. It showed how technologized propaganda methods dehumanized other people so as to make actual acts of industrialized mass murder possible.
Many Arab historians have colluded in the falsification of Holocaust history. The result is that entire chapters of history are missing from what Arab governments teach their students. Into the vacuum have poured the diatribes of religious extremists, where the Palestinians are the only victims of history, as Jews and Israelis are turned into Nazis.
Distortion of Holocaust history is nurturing a grievance culture that yields only self-loathing and paralysis. And it is separating the image of Arabs from that of all other civilized peoples, making them into an international embarrassment. Arab youth must be taught the truth about the Holocaust. The writer, a Moroccan publisher, is on the board of the Atlantic Council and is an international counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. (National Interest)
Israeli Master Spy Avraham Dar - Sigal Ben David
Avraham Dar, who passed away recently at the age of 94, spoke five languages fluently and befriended everyone he came across. His son, Gidi Dar, said, "My father never resorted to violence during his operations. That wasn't his style. He'd always come up with a story and finagle his way through sticky situations. In that way, he succeeded in overthrowing Mustafa Hafez, the head of the Egyptian Fedayeen....Hafez would lead killing squads across the border into Israel [from Gaza] to kill Jews."
"My father...befriended a Bedouin double agent and he fabricated a story, claiming that the head of the Egyptian-controlled Gaza police was cooperating with the Israelis. He confided this to the agent, and gave him a copy of the message in code inside a book, making him promise to keep it secret. Of course, the agent ran straight to Hafez and excitedly told him about the amazing intel he'd uncovered."
"Hafez had to open the book himself, since it included information about some of his men. When Hafez opened the book, it exploded in his face and he and all his men in the Fedayeen headquarters were killed. A similar bomb eliminated his deputy in Jordan just a few hours later." (Jerusalem Post)
Where Does the Figure of 6 Million Holocaust Victims Come From?
In November 1945, Dr. Wilhelm Hoettl, a trained historian who served in a number of senior positions in the SS, testified for the prosecution in the Nuremberg trials of accused Nazi war criminals. He described a conversation he had with Adolf Eichmann, the SS official who had principal responsibility for the logistics of the Jewish genocide, in Budapest in August 1944.
Hoettl recalled how "Eichmann...told me that, according to his information, some 6,000,000 Jews had perished until then - 4,000,000 in extermination camps and the remaining 2,000,000 through shooting by the Operations Units and other causes, such as disease, etc." (Ha'aretz)
How Morocco Saved Its Jews - Menachem Genack
During World War II, the Vichy government of France, which made common cause with the Nazis, asked Morocco to turn over its Jews. King Mohammed V responded, "There are no Jews in Morocco; there are only Moroccan citizens....I do not approve of the new anti-Semitic laws....The Jews are under my protection, and I reject any distinction that should be made amongst my people."
Before the founding of Israel, a quarter of a million Jews lived in Morocco. During Vichy rule (1940-44), no Moroccan Jews were deported or killed. The writer is CEO of the OU Kosher certification agency. His parents escaped from Belgium to Casablanca en route to the U.S. during the war. (The Hill)
Give Peace (Plan) a Chance - Rabbi Yitz Greenberg (Jerusalem Post)
For Israelis and Palestinians, the U.S. peace plan is the best offered in more than half a century, mainly because it directs the essential dismantling of underlying conceptions that block any peace possibility. The plan pushes the Palestinians to move off their present path of pursuing independence by undermining the State of Israel.
The Palestinians have been ill-served by their allies and previous American administrations who allowed them to live inside a bubble of victimhood. The world failed to openly repudiate Palestinians hopes to gain sovereignty while isolating and wearing down the Jewish state.
PA incitement to hate, support of terrorism, and refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state convinced the majority of Israelis (who supported the Oslo Accords and welcomed a path toward Palestinian sovereignty) that a settlement with the Palestinians will lead to a mortal threat to Israel's very existence.
For over a century the world community failed to tell the Arabs to stop their unyielding opposition to a Jewish state, which led to never-ending war and less positive outcomes for the Arabs in the Holy Land. That silence sustained the Arab and the Palestinian self-defeating policy.
The writer, president of the J.J. Greenberg Institute for the Advancement of Jewish Life, is president emeritus of CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership.
Daily Alert is the work of a team of expert analysts who find the most important and timely articles from around the world on Israel, the Middle East and U.S. policy. No wonder it is read by heads of government, leading journalists, and thousands of people who want to stay on top of the news. To continue to provide this service, Daily Alert requires your support. Please take a moment to click here and make your contribution through the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.


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est un manga de type magical girl (mahō shōjo) de Wataru Yoshizumi. Il a été originellement publié dans le magazine Ribon de février 2002 jusqu'au numéro de janvier 2004, et est regroupé en cinq volumes. Une courte OAV de vingt minutes a été réalisée en 2002 pour promouvoir le manga. Il a également donné lieu à une adaptation en dessin animé réalisée en 2003, comportant 26 épisodes.

Les cinq volumes sont parus en France aux éditions Glénat, mais l'anime n'est pas encore licencié en francophonie.

Synopsis
Ayu Tateishi, collégienne, aide une camarade, Nina Sakura, à retrouver un objet perdu et très important pour elle. En échange, celle-ci lui explique qu'elle est une sorcière qui, ayant raté des examens, est venue sur Terre pour se perfectionner. Elle lui propose d'utiliser sa magie pour résoudre certains de ses problèmes.

Malheureusement, Nina est plutôt maladroite, et sa magie conduit souvent à des catastrophes ou quiproquos.
Ayu est amoureuse de Tetsushi Kaji qui est dans la même classe. Il est membre du club de baseball. Toujours relaxé, il joue la comédie pour plaire à Ayu qu'il aime secrètement. Son meilleur ami s'appelle Hiroki Tsujiai, ils sont toujours ensemble. Il est président du club de tennis. Il est fan des mêmes mangas que Nina.

Le meilleur ami d'enfance de Nina, Yuta Kirishima, est également un sorcier. Il est bien plus doué qu'elle, et n'hésite pas à utiliser la magie au risque de se faire remarquer par les êtres humains ordinaires. Bien qu'il semble attiré par Ayu, il est secrètement amoureux de Nina mais sortira plus tard avec Sayaka.

Nina a un chat, Rio, il peut se transformer en petit garçon quand Nina lui donne un bonbon magique.
Sayaka Nakamura est une très belle fille, populaire à l'école. Elle est connue en tant que "poupée de glace", parce qu'elle rejette tous les garçons qui tentent de l'approcher. Elle voudrait sortir avec Yuta (et elle sortira avec). Elle est demi-magicienne car son père était un humain et sa mère une magicienne mais lorsque sa mère est morte elle était si jeune qu'elle ne savait pas qu'elle avait des pouvoirs. Ensuite, Nina apprendra qu'elle a réussi ses tests pour rentrer à l'école élitiste du Royaume magique, Etollia. Elle décide d'y entrer pour un cursus de trois ans, puis rentrera sur Terre.

Personnages
 Ayu Tateishi (立石亜由 Tateishi Ayu) est une collégienne très populaire, même auprès des aînés. Elle fait partie du club de tennis. Amoureuse de Tetsushi, c'est pour lui qu'elle est devenue sérieuse et entretient une image cool.
 Nina Sakura (佐倉 仁菜 Sakura Nina) est dans la même classe qu'Ayu, elle est plutôt maladroite. Magicienne, elle est venue sur Terre pour étudier et se perfectionner en magie. Elle vit chez un couple dont le mari est également magicien. Ses accessoires pour faire de la magie sont généralement un ordinateur portable et une petite boîte magique dans laquelle elle met les ingrédients, mais chez elle, elle utilise un ordinateur de bureau et une boîte beaucoup plus grande.
 Tetsushi Kaji (架地哲士 Kaji Tetsushi) est également dans la même classe qu'Ayu, il est membre du club de baseball. Toujours relaxé, il joue la comédie pour plaire à celle qu'il aime, Ayu.
 Hiroki Tsujiai (辻合宏基 Tsujiai Hiroki) est le meilleur ami de Tetsushi, ils sont toujours ensemble. Il est président du club de tennis. Il est fan des mêmes mangas que Nina et il sortira avec celle-ci par la suite.
 Yuta Kirishima (桐島由多 Kirishima Yuta) est un magicien tout comme Nina dont il est ami d'enfance. Il est bien plus doué qu'elle, et n'hésite pas à utiliser la magie au risque de se faire remarquer par les êtres humains ordinaires. Bien qu'il semble attiré par Ayu, il est secrètement amoureux de Nina. Pourtant, c'est de Sayaka dont il tombera réellement amoureux.
 Rio (リオ) est le chat de Nina, il peut se transformer en petit garçon.
 Sayaka Nakamura (仲村沙也香 Nakamura Sayaka) (presente seulement dans le manga)est une très belle fille, populaire à l'école. Elle est connue en tant que "poupée de glace", parce qu'elle rejette tous les garçons qui tentent de l'approcher.  Elle est en fait née d'une mere sorcière et d'un homme normal et le vit très mal. Elle voudrait sortir avec Yuta.
 Maya Orihara (折原マヤ Orihara Maya), présente seulement dans l'anime, est également une des candidates pour devenir la princesse du Royaume Magique. Elle est l'amie d'enfance de Nina, et rivalise intensément avec elle.

Série manga
Manga des années 2000
Manga fantastique
Manga paru dans le Ribon
Manga publié par Glénat
Original video animation
Série d'animation japonaise
Série télévisée fantastique
Animation réalisée par Production Reed
Magical girl

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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VACANCY: BRISTOL ROVERS MEDIA ASSISTANT
Bristol Rovers Football Club is looking to expand its media department and has a vacancy for a new position within the media team.
Employer: Bristol Rovers Football Club
Job title: Media Assistant
Department: Media
Location: Memorial Stadium
Accountable to: Head of Media
We have a vacancy for a media assistant to work closely with the existing media team to enhance the work undertaken by the department and raise the profile of Bristol Rovers Football Club.
This role would suit someone with creative flair to make his or her mark on the club's media output.
Working as part of a small team, the media assistant will work within guidelines to enable the club to reach out, and communicate with, it's ever expanding fan base.
Main duties and responsibilities
Assist with the management of the club's content output, which includes the club's website and social media platforms, the matchday programme and GasPlayer HD.
Be involved with, and contribute to, the development of digital strategies for the club's official website, bristolrovers.co.uk.
Assist with all forms of written communication required for the club's website, social media outlets, publications and press releases and to be responsible for certain areas of written content, under the direction of the Head of Media.
As a member of the media team, to discuss and be part of the decision making process for content and style to ensure that there is a consistency in the output of the department.
Assist with the preparation of the club's matchday programme, which will include proof reading, taking responsibility for a regular feature and suggesting ways of improving the publication.
Utilise all methods of social media to improve the club's output and explore new and innovative ways of engaging with the club's fan base.
As a member of the media team, to work closely with all other departments of the football club to ensure that all aspects of their work, from commercial to ticketing and marketing club merchandise are given maximum publicity via the website, social media platforms and the matchday programme.
Desired attributes
Journalism/media and communications degree or equivalent
Be able to produce visual and written work to a high standard
Experience of working as part of a small team.
Professional and personable attitude with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively and a willingness to take on board the views of colleagues and supporters.
Flexibility and willingness to work unsociable hours if required.
Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to plan in advance.
Close attention to detail with an ability to work under pressure.
If you are looking for an exciting new challenge and feel you have the skills to become a valued member of the Bristol Rovers media team as we take it to the next level, please send your CV, salary expectations and a covering letter outlining why you think you would be suited for the role to stevehood@bristolrovers.co.uk
Bristol Rovers values the diversity of its workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community (Equality Act 2010).
Closing date: Wednesday 3rd August


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GCSE Results Survey: Tell us what you think about this year's exams
What do you think of how they have been graded this year?
Shannon HardsSenior Editor
Updated 12:08, 20 AUG 2020
The day has finally arrived for GCSE pupils to find out their results and start making plans for the future.
Last week sixth-form students found out their grades - which led to controversy after nearly 40% of A-Level students in England had their results downgraded.
The 2020 results will determine each student's next step - whether that be university, an apprenticeship or employment.
But it's not been an easy journey due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on education.
Schools and colleges were forced to close when lockdown began in the UK back in March with only schools allowed to open to key worker and vulnerable children.
You can stay up-to-date on the top news near you with DevonLive's FREE newsletters – find out more about our range of daily and weekly bulletins and sign up here or enter your email address at the top of the page.
A third of England's GCSE students are expected to receive top grades today after a Government U-turn on calculating results.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson was forced to drop his algorithm for results after A-Level students were outraged over receiving lower marks than anticipated.
Instead the system has reverted to teachers' predicted grades for pupils who were not able to take their exams due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Exams watchdog Ofqual previously revealed that 31.6 per cent of 16-year-olds' predicted grades in England were a 7 or higher - the equivalent of an old A or A*.
But we would like to know what you think about this year's A-Level and GCSE results. Have students had a fair deal with grades this summer? Have you been affected by schools being locked down and exams cancelled this year?
If you cannot view this survey please click here.
Also let us know if you have confidence in the process for grading students this year?
And tell us about your own experience - as a parent or student.
ExeterViolence outside Exeter Betfred bookies sparked major police incidentBetfred has confirmed it is working with police, but the incident did not involve customers
Dancing on Ice'Nervous' Ekin-Su's Dancing on Ice nun outfit leaves her unrecognisableAfter her costume was deemed "too sexy" on Dancing on Ice, Ekin-Su will be skating on tonight's show as a nun
ExeterExeter murder investigation launched after man in his 40s diesTwo men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after Devon and Cornwall Police cordoned off Sidwell Street in Exeter yesterday


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Authors — Matt Mulcahey
"Found Footage with Style": Cinematographer Maryse Alberti on M. Night Shyamalan's The Visit
As a teenager in the south of France, Maryse Alberti's first two trips to the cinema led her impressionable eyes to Duel and Harold and Maude. If she'd instead began her cinematic journey with The Barefoot Executive and Escape From the Planet of the Apes, maybe she wouldn't have become the cinematographer of The Wrestler, Happiness, When We Were Kings and Crumb. But the combined spell cast by Steven Spielberg and Hal Ashby – the great populist entertainer and the iconoclastic humanist – set Albert on a path that has led to a four-decade career pivoting between documentary and fiction. Alberti's latest straddles […]
by Matt Mulcahey on Sep 21, 2015
"We're Making Fat Cells, Arteries, and a Heart:" Bill George on Innerspace
Today teenagers interested in the world of special effects are a few tutorials and some affordable software away from getting their feet wet. In 1977, the requirements were a bit more elaborate. It involved woodshop, sheets of styrene, and maybe a few surreptitious pictures taken at a screening of Star Wars. That's how a teenaged Bill George got his start – making models from scratch dedicated to George Lucas's space opera. Four years later, George was working on the crew of Return of the Jedi. Now in his 33rd year at Industrial Light & Magic, George has been a part […]
"I've Gotten Carried Away with Graininess in the Past and I Probably Will Again": DP Sean Price Williams on Queen of Earth
The major studios' current preference for selecting the shepherds of their franchise properties is to pluck directors from the relatively obscurity of indiedom. Colin Trevorrow went from Safety Not Guaranteed to Jurassic World. Josh Trank moved from Chronicle to Fantastic Four. Jon Watts leaped from Cop Car to the reboot of the reboot of Spider-Man. Alex Ross Perry opted for the opposite approach. After his breakthrough film Listen Up Philip, Perry stripped down his budget, cast, and crew for a character piece about a pair of female friends (Elisabeth Moss, Inherent Vice's Katherine Waterston) whose relationship unravels during a week-long […]
Thinking of Tarkovsky While Making New Zealand Look Russian: DP Tim Orr on Z For Zachariah
The settings for Craig Zobel's 2012 behavioral experiment Compliance and the director's new post-apocalyptic tale Z for Zachariah couldn't be more different. The former takes place almost entirely in the claustrophobic confines of a fast food restaurant's employees-only areas. The latter unfolds amidst lush, bucolic tranquility. Yet at the heart of both films is a study of group dynamics. Set in an idyllic valley mysteriously immune to an extinction-level catastrophe, Z for Zachariah begins as a two-hander featuring Margot Robbie as a Christian farm girl who believes she's the last person on earth until the arrival of an atheist scientist […]
by Matt Mulcahey on Sep 4, 2015
Hitchcock + Haneke: DP Edu Grau on The Gift
Amongst a summer movie season awash in sequels, remakes and presold tentpole properties, it's rare to find a sleeper at the multiplex, an unknown quantity with the ability to surprise an audience. Such is The Gift, an unnerving psychological thriller that begins as a post-Fatal Attraction variant before veering into the domain of Roman Polanski and Michael Haneke. Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall star as a married couple leaving behind personal tragedy in Chicago to start a new life in Los Angeles. Shortly after their arrival, Bateman bumps into former high school classmate Joel Edgerton, who begins to insinuate himself into […]
by Matt Mulcahey on Aug 27, 2015
How to Fake a Movie That Takes Place Entirely on a Laptop: DP/Producer Adam Sidman on Unfriended
My gripe with most found footage horror films is that the subgenre strips away so many of a filmmaker's paintbrushes in the name of verisimilitude. Score, editing, composition and lighting are sacrificed at the altar of faux reality. Unfriended strains under some of those same constraints, but the film diverges in the way it uses perspective. Instead of limiting point of view to a single shaky handheld camera wielded by one of the characters, Unfriended unfolds entirely on the Mac laptop of Blaire, a high schooler who, along with five or her friends, is terrorized by the spirit of a […]
"It's Almost Impossible to Watch Something That was Shot on Film Projected on Film": DP Jody Lee Lipes on Trainwreck
The Judd Apatow-directed Trainwreck is being hailed as a breakthrough for much of its cast. It's turned Amy Schumer – who stars as a monogamy-challenged New York magazine writer — into a movie star, Bill Hader into a leading man and LeBron James into his generation's Bruno Kirby. But the film is an equally big break for the man behind the camera – Trainwreck cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes. In the past, Apatow has opted for veteran d.p.'s with intimidating credits. Unforgiven's Jack Green shot The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Schindler's List's Janusz Kaminski lensed Funny People. On Trainwreck, Apatow turned the camera over to […]
by Matt Mulcahey on Jul 27, 2015
"Maybe The Mechanic Would Be Good for This": DP Tim Orr on Manglehorn
When I ask cinematographer Tim Orr if – after ten feature films together with director David Gordon Green – their references are most frequently their own movies, Orr replies, "Well, you don't want to make the same movie over and over again." No one is going to accuse the duo of that. In a collaboration that dates back to their days at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Orr and Green have made everything from lyrical Malick-esque meditations and medieval stoner comedies to surreal odes to lovelorn locksmiths. The latter describes Manglehorn, an odd mixture of magical […]
by Matt Mulcahey on Jun 25, 2015
"How Cool Is That, to Have Schwarzenegger in an Arthouse Movie?" DP Lukas Ettlin on Maggie
In the late '90s, a pre-Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger nearly headlined a version of Richard Matheson's post-apocalyptic classic I Am Legend before budget concerns derailed the project. Almost two decades later, the 67-year-old Schwarzenegger is starring in a decidedly different futuristic plague film. In the indie Maggie, Schwarzenegger plays a farmer who brings his infected daughter (Abigail Breslin) home for the last days of her life. No gunfights, no car chases, no "get to the choppers": it's essentially an ephemeral mood piece, photographed in widescreen with an emphasis on tight close-ups and naturalistic lighting. The film's cinematographer, Lukas Ettlin, spoke to […]
by Matt Mulcahey on May 26, 2015
Dancing in Tungsten Light: DP Rob Hardy on Ex Machina
In writer/director Alex Garland's Ex Machina, a coder (Domhnall Gleeson) for a Google-esque tech giant is summoned to the remote compound of the company's CEO (Oscar Isaac) in order to test his latest creation – an alluring humanoid robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander). Gleeson's mission is to conduct a Turing test – a series of questions designed to determine if a form of artificial intelligence has achieved human consciousness. Ex Machina cinematographer Rob Hardy was faced with a similar mission – convincing audiences of Ava's humanity despite her obvious mechanical parts. Hardy talked to Filmmaker about using everything from lens choices […]


Habitat III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, took the city of Quito, Equador by storm from November 17 to 20 2016, with attendees filling the Casa de la Cultura between Quito's old city and the Mariscal. Paul Currie, a researcher with Urban Modelling and Metabolism Assessment, the Centre for Complex Systems in Transition and the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, participated in the conference and offers some reflections.
Quito made a perfect setting for the conference, given its location in the global South, equipped with precarious cliffside housing, urban sprawl, limited highways, buses and cars spewing exhaust, an abundance of street vendors and a spectacular mountainous location in the midst of four active volcanoes. The concept of disaster resilience is quite apt, given the 1999 eruption of Pichincha volcano covered the city in ash.
The city was also in the middle of it's fiesta de la luz, drawing thousands of Ecuadorians to see the light shows projected on ornate churches – though such a description does no justice to the spectacle. As with any of these large events, the city takes on a new electric life and we're left unsure if this is how it normally feels to wander Quito's streets.
The conference drew together over 25000 single-day attendees of a rumored 45000 registrants. These attendees were united by a fascination with the form, processes and relationships of cities, and the starting point for most discussions was a unified acknowledgement that cities face challenges and that cities are the key to addressing global socio-economic and socio-ecological issues. From there, the points of divergence are the different language we use to describe these challenges, and the varied perspectives, approaches and agendas proposed to address them.
The 20-year latency between Habitat Conferences (the previous ones took place in Istanbul in 1996 and Vancouver in 1976), means that the global context has shifted drastically, and the world is in need of a renewed focus of its development priorities. This is seen by the recent concentration of mega-events that have resulted in the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union's Agenda 2063 to name a few.
Habitat III created a forum in which we could question together how cities have been developed, both as shining beacons of human ingenuity and creativity, and as structural enforcers of inequality and exclusivity. With this in mind, many note that the New Urban Agenda, the centerpiece of the conference, will not work if we overlook global and local inequity. The New Urban Agenda acknowledges a wide range of systemically discriminated groups including 'women and girls, children and youth, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, older persons, indigenous peoples and local communities, slum and informal settlement dwellers, homeless people, workers, smallholder farmers and fishers, refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons, and migrants, regardless of migration status'.
While the NUA has a very clear desire to promote sustainable urban development, as visualised by the word cloud above, it is critiqued for not establishing its own targets or a means to measure the success of it's many suggested interventions. What's more, while it effectively stands as the embodiment of SDG Goal 11 to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, it is very poorly connected to the goals and targets in the SDGs. This is highlighted as a missed opportunity by David Simon, of Mistra Urban Futures, in a conversation about the Habitat process. The power of cities as concentrators of people, welfare, innovation, as well as social diseconomies (crime, disease, poverty, inequality) and ecological impact, makes them the almost perfect levers for propelling global sustainability as embodied by many of the 17 SDGs. However, successful implementation of the NUA will be left to the interpretation of its broad rhetoric by local and national actors, many of whom are under-capacitated. Despite this, Simon explains that the NUA is the first UN document to 'recognize the critical role of sub-national authorities and non-state actors' – a major achievement for the UN system.
The Sunday before the conference began, a Mayors assembly shared voices from the heads of cities, which I felt set the tone for the conference and highlighted the varied nature of urban challenges and priorities worldwide. These desires were voiced in the buzz-words plastered around the conference, calling for cities that were sustainable, resilient, smart, participatory, inclusive, and in the multitudes of presentation and exhibitions throughout the conference.
With the adoption of the NUA, the global urban reality is unquestionable, and along with it, the manifestation of all urban challenges, intrigues and speed bumps. This is specifically important for African nations as before the Habitat III process, there was a prevailing denial among many governments on the continent that urbanization is happening, that it is caused by natural growth, or that it could deliver social and economic benefits. This denial may have been the most limiting obstacle facing urban practitioners, as urban policies would be missing vital tools, or focus primarily on anti- or de-urbanisation mechanisms. With acceptance of an urban reality, what now remains is for governments, through engagement with other stakeholders, to embed the ideas of the NUA in national agendas and develop local targets for developing just, sustainable cities.


text:
All that really needs to be said about the measles outbreak: the vaccine is safe and it works
by Rob Cullen on February 6, 2015
As a website devoted to explaining complicated topics in healthcare, we haven't really tackled the vaccination debate before, because, well… it's not all that complicated. The science is clear: there's no evidence that vaccines cause autism. End of story.
Or at least it should be. With so many people choosing to opt out of vaccinations, an outbreak of measles– a disease that the Centers for Disease control considers eliminated in the U.S.– recently infected at least 40 people at Disneyland who spread it to at least six states. In the midst of this, some prominent political leaders (most notably Rand Paul) have implied that vaccines actually do cause "profound mental disorders" despite zero credible evidence, while others, like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, have said that the decision whether or not to get a vaccine is simply a matter of personal choice.
But while vaccines have gotten much more attention in recent weeks, there's still not that much to say about the issue. According to Aaron Carroll, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Indiana who blogs at The Incidental Economist, all that really needs to be said on the subject are these points:
Measles is a terribly infectious illness that is a public health issue.
There's a vaccine that is amazingly effective.
The vaccine is very, very safe, and it doesn't cause autism.
Policies in the United States should try and encourage all children to get immunized, as we need almost everyone to be immune to achieve herd immunity.
We should allow some people to forego vaccination if they absolutely must, but we should try to make sure it's not for reasons that are scientifically wrong – ie violate (1), (2), or (3).
Unvaccinated people can be restricted from certain public activities (ie school) during emergency situations like outbreaks.
We agree; however, we thought it might be helpful to explain the reasoning and scientific evidence behind each of them.
1. Measles is a terribly infectious illness that is a public health issue.
Robert Cattaneo, a professor of biochemistry at the Mayo Clinic, says that unlike other respiratory viruses which live deep in the lungs, the measles virus hangs out in an infected person's windpipe, where it's in the perfect position to be sprayed when they cough. He tells Time magazine:
"The measles virus uses the trachea as a trampoline," Cattaneo says. A single cough or sneeze will hurtle the measles virus through the air in enormous viral quantities, while other respiratory viruses have to travel further to get out. Once out of the host, the measles virus can linger on a surface for two hours, the CDC says. And if one person has it, 90% of the people nearby who aren't immune will also become infected.
The symptoms for most people who come down with measles are just a rash and a fever, but in some cases it can be much more serious. In roughly, 1 in 1,000 cases the infection becomes systemic and moves to the brain, quickly causing behavioral changes, swelling, and convulsions, often leading to death or permanent disability, like blindness, deafness, or mental retardation. This is what killed children's author Roald Dahl's seven year-old daughter in 1962, the year before a vaccine was developed.
In about 1 in 5,000 measles cases brain damage develops years later. Alice Ackerman, chair of the pediatrics department at the University of Virginia, tells NPR:
"It doesn't matter how bad your initial measles infection was. Up to about eight years later, children can start showing behavioral changes. They may have problems sleeping or start acting funny. It's a degenerative process: The brain gets more and more physically damaged [from inflammation] over time."
Those are rare cases though. Much more commonly, up to 1 in 20 people children with measles catch pneumonia– that's what kills 145,000 children worldwide each year. So yes, measles is serious and very, very contagious.
2. There's a vaccine that is amazingly effective.
A single dose of the measles vaccine is enough to provide immunity to 92% to 95% of people who receive it. In some people, the first shot doesn't produce enough of an antibody response to protect them, which is why the CDC recommends two shots— that's enough to provide protection for 97% of those who get vaccinated. (It also explains why so many adults are coming down with measles in the latest outbreak– they either weren't vaccinated when they were children or they're among the small percentage of people for whom it didn't work.)
3. The vaccine is very, very safe, and it doesn't cause autism.
Carroll, besides blogging at the Incidental Economist, also does a fantastic video series on YouTube called Healthcare Triage. In one episode, he laid out all of the research done on whether vaccines cause autism, and just one study– which was later retracted and repudiated by most of its co-authors– showed a link:
Later investigations showed that the lead author of that study, Andrew Wakefield, changed and misreported results in his research, to create the appearance of a link between vaccines and autism. For example, here's what an investigation by England's Sunday Times found:
In most of the 12 cases, the children's ailments as described in The Lancet were different from their hospital and GP records. Although the research paper claimed that problems came on within days of the jab, in only one case did medical records suggest this was true, and in many of the cases medical concerns had been raised before the children were vaccinated.
4. Policies in the United States should try and encourage all children to get immunized, as we need almost everyone to be immune to achieve herd immunity.
Herd immunity is a situation where so many people are immune to a disease that the chances of a person who is not immune catching it is very slim. The measles vaccine may be incredibly effective, but measles is also incredibly contagious (if one person with measles entered a room full of unvaccinated people, 90% of them would get it). That means that a pretty high percentage of people need to be vaccinated to keep the disease from spreading– the CDC says that 92% to 95% of children should get two doses to control the disease. This will keep people who can't get vaccinated for measles– either because they're too young or because their immune systems are compromised– from getting sick.
One thing that's gotten lost in all the recent measles vaccine hysteria is that for the most part we're hitting those targets. A CDC report looking at found that nationally, a median rate of 94.7% of kindergarteners had been vaccinated in the 2013-2014 school year. The problem is that there's a lot of variation by area. For example, that same CDC report found that vaccination levels ranged from 99.7% in Mississippi to 81.7% in Colorado; seven states and DC had vaccination rates lower than 90%.
At the community level, vaccination rates can be lower. In some schools in Los Angeles, 60% to 70% of parents filed "personal belief exemptions" stating that they're not vaccinating their kids for various reasons– meaning these schools, in some of the wealthiest parts of L.A., have vaccination rates as low as Chad or South Sudan's. (Actual vaccination rates– both on the community and national levels– might be a bit higher, because some parents get exemptions so their kids can enroll in school on time, but do get them vaccinated eventually.)
5. We should allow some people to forego vaccination if they absolutely must, but we should try to make sure it's not for reasons that are scientifically wrong.
Carroll draws a distinction between those who avoid vaccines for religious reasons and those who are avoiding them out of fear. He writes:
I think there are likely parents who absolutely believe that vaccines are wrong in the same way there are parents who think blood transfusions are wrong. We allow exemptions for religious reasons in this country for lots of things I don't understand, but that's the point. I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
For example, the Amish don't vaccinate for religious reasons; last year Amish communities in Ohio were the site of America's largest measles outbreak in recent years, one that received barely any attention compared to the much smaller Disneyland outbreak.
6. Unvaccinated people can be restricted from certain public activities (i.e. school) during emergency situations like outbreaks.
Until recently, only a very small number of parents filed for vaccine exemptions based on their beliefs (in California, it was less than 1% from 1978 to 2000). But as the number of parents opting out has increased– along with the potential for outbreaks like we saw at Disneyland– thanks to the anti-vaccination movement, it brings up the question: what should we do when so many parents refuse to vaccinate out of fear (again, with no scientific basis) that it puts the rest of us at risk?
Some have suggested that the government make vaccinations mandatory, but, at least at the federal level, a mandate could backfire by polarizing the issue along partisan lines and lead to fewer vaccinations. We've seen the start of that with Chris Christie's and other Republicans' comments– hardly any politician will say that parents shouldn't get their kids vaccinated (although Rand Paul's comments came pretty close; he later walked them back), but they will say that the government shouldn't force them to. (At the state level things are different; the state with the highest vaccination rate is ultra-conservative Mississippi, which offers no personal belief exemptions.)
Carroll's point is that if people have a right to opt out of vaccinations based on personal beliefs, we should be able to limit the risk that decision poses to others. In any event, the hope is that the current measles outbreak will be enough of a wakeup call to stop the anti-vaccination movement; after all, no parent wants their child to get sick from serious diseases that can be avoided.
Next post: Pennsylvania's new governor takes first steps in transition to full Medicaid expansion
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