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Category Archives: All 4
All 4, Cinema, documentaries, Reviews
ALL 4 FILM REVIEW: DIEGO MARADONA (2019)
November 30, 2020 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	Leave a comment
ALL 4 FILM REVIEW – DIEGO MARADONA (2019)
Directed by: Asif Kapadia
Produced by: James Gay-Rees, Paul Martin
Written by: Asif Kapadia
Music by: Antônio Pinto
Edited by: Chris King
Available platform: Channel 4 / All 4
Even if you're not a fan of football, you cannot fail to have to heard of the Argentinian player that is Diego Maradona. If you don't know him then he rose from the shantytowns of Buenos Aires to become one of the greatest footballers of all time. A wunderkind prodigy as a teenager, he became the most expensive footballer ever when he moved to Napoli from Barcelona. In Naples he would transform a club, normally in the shadows of giants from Milan and Rome, into a title winning team. Moreover, he famously led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, with one of the most scintillating individual footballing performances ever witnessed. I missed Asif Kapadia's absorbing documentary when released at the cinema, however, with Maradona sadly passing away last week, I took the opportunity to watch it on Channel 4's streaming platform.
Kapadia has shown himself as a master filmmaker in constructing narratives from archival footage. This engrossing style and expertly edited form is brilliantly demonstrated in Senna (2010) and Amy (2015), both winning several major awards. Once again Kapadia uses the same process. He combines interviews via voiceover with Maradona, his ex-wife Claudia, his trainer and many other people, with hundreds of hours of found film footage shot by Argentine cameramen in the 1980s. Moreover, further archival footage was discovered in the home of Maradona's ex-wife in a trunk untouched for 30 years.
Kapadia and his editors weave such sources to create an absorbing portrait of an extremely complex personality. Indeed, many interviews comment on the football star having two distinct sides. One called Diego, a sweet-natured lad who became a phenomenon on the pitch and the other Maradona, a notorious, larger than life mega-star pursued by the media, football fans, women, gangsters and money people. Whether this schism contributed to Maradona's battles with drug addiction and other controversies, it is difficult to say. What is clear though is, despite his flaws, love for partying, fiery temperament and questionable associations, the press in Italy and the rest of the world, were permanently in Maradona's face, creating a pressure cooker atmosphere for him and his family.
Overall, I was totally transfixed by the documentary, Diego Maradona (2019). Having grown up as a teenager watching Maradona on the television, notably the infamous 'Hand of God' game against England at the 1986 World Cup, I was struck by huge waves of nostalgia. Even though Maradona's Argentina defeated England, one could never fail to be in awe at his magical skills as a player. I love football and enjoyed many scenes showing the brutal and beautiful nature of the game. Lastly, Kapadia's main narrative thrust involves Maradona's rise and fall from grace during Napoli's spectacular rise to the top of the Italian league. Yet, having scored the penalty that knocked Italy out of the 1990 World Cup, his once beloved Naples would turn on Maradona, leaving him friendless and without protection from the Italian law. Ultimately, the film stands as not only a complex tribute to a footballing genius, but also a cautionary tale of the trials and tribulations of worldwide fame and notoriety.
addictionsAll 4Asif KapadiaChannel FourCrimeDiego MaradonadocumentarydramadrugsFootballHBOITALYNapoliSerie ASoccerWorld Cup
All 4, Articles, Reviews, Television
ALL 4 DRAMA RESIDENCY – INCLUDING REVIEWS OF: THE ACCIDENT (2019), CHIMERICA (2019), KIRI (2018), NATIONAL TREASURE (2016) and more…
November 20, 2020 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	1 Comment
ALL 4 – DRAMA REVIEWS
So, I don't get paid for doing this. I do it because I enjoy watching films and television and writing about them. It helps me to review stuff critically from both a creative perspective and absorb knowledge for when I make my own low budget films. Also, it's something to do isn't it; a hobby and means to immerse oneself in something that interests me. Lastly, one also learns much from the hours of viewing, especially if the narratives are grounded in reality, representations of history and social issues.
CHANNEL 4 has always been at the forefront of producing intelligent drama television built to inform, entertain and provoke thought. Their streaming platform called ALL 4 is a great place to catch up with Channel 4's product and I have already reviewed many of their shows here on this site. Having said that, I thought I should put an even bigger effort to catch up with some of their dramas. After all, ALL 4 is — aside from watching a few adverts — is absolutely FREE! I'm glad I did because they have quality production values and are very powerful, skilfully tackling social themes and historical events. So, here are some quick reviews of Channel 4 television dramas both recent and not so recent with the usual marks out of eleven.
THE ACCIDENT (2019) – Mark: 9 out of 11
What I found from my All 4 residency was that many of the shows were written by Jack Thorne. He is a clever writer with a keen eye and ear for drama relating to everyday people's lives. The Accident (2019) is set in Wales and concerns a small community whose lives are ripped apart by an explosion at a construction site. Many children are killed, but given they were trespassing the blame initially falls on both them and building company. The ensemble cast lead by Sarah Lancashire and Joanna Scanlan are uniformly excellent, as the impactful drama echoes actual events such as Aberfan and Grenfell Tower disasters.
CHIMERICA (2019) – Mark: 8 out of 11
Based on Lucy Kirkwood's play of the same name and set during the 2016 American Presidency election, this political drama sees Alessandro Nivola's once-lauded photographer attempt to locate the "Tank Man" from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Part-redemption and part-historical expose, the writing is excellent as Cherry Jones and F. Murray Abraham easily steal the acting plaudits. I was more interested in the plight of Zhang Lin's (Terry Chen) China-set parallel storyline than the photographer's, but, overall, I was drawn into detective plot and human conflict throughout.
THE DEVIL'S WHORE (2008) – Mark: 9 out of 11
The wonderfully titled The Devil's Whore (2008), features a fine cast of actors including: John Simm, Peter Capaldi, Andrea Riseborough, Michael Fassbender and Dominic West. The drama focusses on the historical era of Oliver Cromwell and Charles I, filtered through the eyes of Riseborough's strong, yet scandalised heroine, Angelica Fanshawe. Peter Flannery's excellent script is full of violence, political and religious intrigue and works well as both a work of entertainment and chronicle of key characters from the bloody English Civil War!
I AM. . . (2019) – Mark: 9.5 out of 11
Dominic Savage is a skilful and experienced filmmaker, who recently made the semi-improvised feature, The Escape (2017). It focussed on unhappy mother portrayed by Gemma Arterton, and while an interesting character study, it ultimately felt a little flat dramatically. Using the same improvisatory and documentary style with the anthology triptych, I Am. . . (2019), Savage casts Vicky McClure, Samantha Morton and Gemma Chan in three separate stories of women in various states of domestic plight. All of the narratives are brilliantly acted and directed, focussing on coercive relationships, gaslighting debt escalation and painful maternal inertia respectively, all delivered with tremendous emotional power.
FALLING APART (2002) – Mark: 8.5 out of 11
Mark Strong and Hermione Norris excel is this shocking drama about domestic violence. Seemingly the perfect couple, Pete and Clare fall in love and marry, only for Pete's aggressive tendencies to come to the fore soon after the honeymoon period. Clare forgives Pete and blames work and herself and then finally thinks he may have a problem. An honest and bleak look at love gone wrong, there are many scenes that make one flinch and feel bad for those women trapped in similar situations.
KIRI (2018) – Mark: 9.5 out of 11
Sarah Lancashire is exceptional as the social worker hung out to dry when a fostered child, Kiri, is killed after a family visit to her paternal grandparents. Jack Thorne writes a subtle and compelling script which explores issues relating to: adoption, social care, race, class, and child murder. As well as Lancashire, Lucian Msamati, Paapa Essiedu, Wunmu Mosaku, Lia Williams and Sue Johnston give exceptional performances. Finally, what begins as a murder mystery drama unfolds into something far more complex, with an ending that leaves you stunned with its brave, narrative risk-taking.
NATIONAL TREASURE (2016) – Mark: 9 out of 11
Not to be confused with the Nicolas Cage film series, this searing drama, written by Jack Thorne again, springboards off the recent #MeToo and Operation Yewtree news events. Robbie Coltrane takes the lead as Paul Finchley, a once successful comedian of the 1980s and 1990s, now hosting a television quiz show, while his wife is portrayed by the exceptional Julie Walters. Finchley's life and career is turned upside down when he is accused of rape and sexual assault, something he vehemently denies. The drama unfolds in an engrossing fashion as we flash back and forth between Finchley's present day and past history. Again, a potentially sensationalist subject matter is dealt with mesmeric power, as it all culminates in a tense and emotional court case.
ON THE EDGE (2018) – Mark: 8 out of 11
Excellent set of short anthology dramas which focus on various issues affecting mostly younger people in Britain today. Issues explored include: knife crime, body shaming, race, neurodiversity, date rape, depression and social work. All are extremely well acted and directed, giving excellent examples of diverse drama Channel 4 excels at.
AberfanAll 4Angela Riseboroughanthology dramaChannel 4Channel 4 reviewChimericaChinaCivil Wardaramadomestic violenceDominic SavageDonald TrumpENGLANDgangsGemma ArtertonGemma ChangenderGrenfell TowerHistoryI Am. . .Jack ThorneJohn SimmJulie WaltersKirilifeloveLucian MsamatiLucy KirkwoodMARK STRONGMichael FassbenderNational TreasureOliver CromwellOn the EdgePaapa EssiedupoliticsraceresidencySamantha MortonSarah LancashireSexsocial issuessocietyTelevision reviewThe AccidentThe Cinema FixThe Devil.s WhoreThe EscapeTiananmen SquareTrumptv reviewUnited KingdomUnited StatesUSAVicky McClureWunmu Mosaku
All 4, Reviews, Television
ALL 4 TV REVIEW – FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (2011 – 2020)
July 21, 2020 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	Leave a comment
Created and written by: Robert Popper
Directors: Steve Bendelack, Martin Dennis
Cast: Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal, Mark Heap, Tracy Ann Oberman, etc.
Number of Seasons: 6 (37 episodes)
Original Network: Channel 4
*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
I decided to take a break from watching the usual murder, drama, time-travel, fantasy and crime-based TV shows I gravitate toward, by bingeing all six seasons of the Channel 4 (also available on Netflix) family situation comedy, Friday Night Dinner. Created and written by Robert Popper, this hilarious, energetic and feelgood show is set within the Goodman family household in North London. While recent British comedies such as The Mighty Boosh, Spaced and Psychoville tended toward the meta-fictional and surreal genre of humour, Friday Night Dinner is very much a traditional family-based programme. The laughs come thick and fast from the characters and events that unfold during a traditional Jewish Friday night meal.
Friday Night Dinner establishes a very structured formula and sticks to it pretty much through all the six seasons. Each episode usually opens with the "bambinos" or "the boys", Adam (Simon Bird) and his younger brother, Jonny (Tom Rosenthal), arriving at their parent's home. There they are greeted by half-dressed father, Martin (Paul Ritter) — who often has his shirt off because he is "boiling" — and their doting mother, Jackie (Tamsin Greig). Several story strands then quickly unravel as dinner, more often than not, descends into chaos and farce. Dinner table conversation usually revolves around Mum and Dad asking if their sons have any "females" or romantic entanglements. Moreover, the parents often embarrass their kids by over-sharing details of their own sex life, or "nippy-nippy", as they call it.
The humorous dialogue, family squabbles and constant banter is augmented by Jonny and Adam's consistently hilarious prank pulling, plus the appearance of the Goodman's very strange neighbour, Jim (Mark Heap) and his dog, Wilson. Where comedy series like Taxi had Latka and Seinfeld had Kramer, Jim is a similar oddball whose weird behaviour makes the rest of the family almost seem normal. I mean, the father Martin, while very eccentric in his ways, is positively sane when compared to Jim. Actually, I very much enjoyed Jim's ridiculous attempts to "understand" the Jewish culture. His hapless ignorance often sees Jonny and Adam Goodman giving him false information about their traditions, leading to all manner of ridicule and misunderstanding. This is one of the many running gags the writer, Robert Popper, entwines throughout the six series. Such repeated jokes and funny catchphrases are the comedic fabric of a very well written and constructed show.
If you're looking for a comedy that reinvents the wheel, then award-winning Friday Night Dinner is probably not for you. However, if you like traditional farcical comedy with fast-paced gags, physical slapstick and relatable everyday situations, then you should definitely check it out. The cast are absolutely brilliant, and all imbue their characters with likeability, empathy and just a touch of insanity. Tamsin Greig shines as the put-upon mother having to deal with her bickering sons, and hard-of-hearing husband, Martin, who is never far from causing a home disaster. I loved Paul Ritter as the in-his-own-world-hoarder, Martin, while Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal add to the fun with their sharp comedy timing and physical hilarity. Above all else, the series works fantastically well as a comedy of errors about a warm-hearted, loving, if hopelessly dysfunctional family unit.
SIX OF THE BEST FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER EPISODES (ONE PER SERIES)
The Date – Series 1 – Episode 6 – Jackie invites a girl around for date with Adam. The only problem is Adam knows nothing about it, and he is mortified with embarrassment. At the same time, Jonny revels in Adam's horror.
Mr Morris – Series 2 – Episode 2 – Jackie's mother has a new gentleman friend and he has come to dinner. Mr Morris though, turns out to be very aggressive and ruins the night for everyone.
The Fox – Series 3 – Episode 3 – Martin has a dead fox in the freezer, which he intends to stuff. He asks the boys to help him extricate it to the shed without Jackie noticing. Safe to say things don't go according to plan.
The Funeral – Series 4 – Episode 5 – Martin's Uncle Saul has unfortunately passed away meaning they must spend the day at a funeral, and even worse, spend time with Martin's mother AKA "Horrible Grandma."
The Tin of Meat – Series 5 – Episode 2 – Aunty Val has been staying with the family as she is getting a divorce. Martin despairs as Val keeps throwing away all of his stuff. Finally, Martin and Val clash big time over a twenty-year old tin of meat.
The Caravan – Series 6 – Episode 1 – Martin purchases a crappy old caravan and, to Jackie's dismay, parks it outside the house. Meanwhile, Jim has a new addition to his household, but becomes obsessed with the caravan toilet.
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ALL 4 TV REVIEW – TRAITORS (2019)
January 24, 2020 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	Leave a comment
Created and written by: Bathsheba "Bash" Doran
Writers: Bash Doran, Emily Ballou, Tracey Scott Wilson
Directors: Alex Winckler, Dearbhla Walsh
Cast: Emma Appleton, Luke Treadaway, Michael Stuhlbarg, Keeley Hawes, Brandon P. Bell, Greg McHugh etc.
Original Network: Channel 4 – available on All 4
War brings out the worst of humanity; difficult choices must be made as lies, fiction and manipulations become the order of the day. This is especially true where the shadowy world of the spy is concerned. The Channel 4 drama, Traitors (2019), was released last year and presents six intelligently written episodes exploring matters of politics and espionage in post-war 1945-set London. Pitting American, British and Russian spies against each other, it also delves into the history behind the creation of the Israeli state by the British. Indeed, the reverberations of future political conflicts, between Israel and Palestine, coalesce alongside echoes of the recently demised World War II.
This is an ensemble driven piece, but the lead protagonist is Emma Appleton's portrayal of Feef Symonds. She is a young upper-class civil servant looking to serve her country in more exciting ways than mere typing. Thus, she finds herself becoming a secret agent for Michael Stuhlbarg's obsessive Office of Strategic Services operative, Rowe. Stuhlbarg gives his usual excellent performance as the shady American spy. His paranoid fixation with all things Soviet, becomes a reflective precursor to the infamous "Red Scare" that plagued American socio-politics in the 1950's.
Rowe determines that the British Government must have a Soviet spy in its' midst and charges Feef with tracking them and reporting back. As Feef delves deeper within the corridors of Whitehall she begins a cat-and-mouse game with many potential suspects, notably Keeley Hawes' suspicious civil servant. Feef's romance with an earnest Labour MP, portrayed by Luke Treadaway, also complicates matters. Hawes, as expected, is impressive in her role and is the most memorably complex of the characters. Hawes is especially adept at burying twisted anguish within this subtle performance. Her character battles both personal and political conflicts and is the most empathetic within a gallery of untrustworthy archetypes.
Overall, I enjoyed Traitors (2019) for it's well-researched historical aspects and some very fine acting. My main reservations though were that the drama never quite caught fire, despite some decent suspense amidst the espionage. Moreover, there was, no doubt deliberate, an arrogant air about most of the characters. Conversely, I did not really warm to any of the personalities due to their wintry natures. That's the problem with the representation of spies here; they're nothing like the fantasy action heroes of Ethan Hunt and James Bond. Here they are all shown all to be liars and traitors of a kind and therefore difficult to like or trust. My feeling is that is precisely is the point. The programme reflects a world today where we are consistently fed government lies, fictions and manipulations.
Alex WincklerAll 4All 4 TV reeviewBash DoranBrandon P. BellC4Channel 4Channel FourDearbhla WalshEmily BallouEmma AppletonGreg McHughKeeley HawesLuke TreadawayMichael StuhlbargThe Cinema FixTracey Scott WilsonTraitorstv review
ALL 4 TV REVIEWS – A VERY BRITISH COUP (1988) & SECRET STATE (2012)
December 3, 2019 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	Leave a comment
With a General Election coming up I thought I'd look at a couple of political TV dramas, both of which can be seen on Channel Four's streaming service All 4. Interestingly enough, they are also both based on Chris Mullin's book, A Very British Coup (1982).
I don't propose to be an expert on these things, but I hate politics. It's a necessary evil as someone has to run society, I guess. What with another General Election on December 12th, 2019, it's not difficult to feel saturated with all things political and with the cluster-fuck of BREXIT!
In the U.K. we have several political parties, but the two main ones are Labour and the Conservatives. They fight and bitch with each other and switch places every four years or so and end up undoing the work the previous party had done. I realise it is a bloody tough thing to run a country, but just wonder whether this the best system we have?
I mean why can't we join together and work as a collective rather than in constant conflict. Can we not put aside our differences to work toward a common goal? The current system pits us AGAINST each other – left versus right and up versus down and black versus white and green versus blue! Divide and rule seems to be the favoured system to maintain the status quo! Could this change or am I just dreaming!?
A VERY BRITISH COUP (1988) – CHANNEL FOUR
Adapted by Alan Plater – based on the novel by Chris Mullin
Cast: Ray McAnally, Keith Allen, Alan MacNaughton etc.
Mullins novel imagines a staunch working class and socialist MP, Harry Perkins, rising to the position of Prime Minister and immediately trying to change the political landscape of the ruling upper classes. His biggest desire is to nationalise industry and proceed with nuclear disarmament. This creates, a perceived a security threat, and Perkins finds himself targeted by the Secret Service, including MI5, MI6 and the C.I.A. Moreover, the scandal-lusting media also attempts to bring him down.
Shot on nostalgia-brimmed 16mm film, this is a high quality political drama. Ray McAnally is absolutely brilliant as the strong-willed man of principal attempting to make the system more honest and open. There are echoes of the current Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn in his socialist policies, so one can see how Perkins would be a threat. With the financial, media, and government factions all fighting each other, it's a fascinating exploration of political machinations. Sadly, I don't think much has changed in Westminster or the world either.
SECRET STATE (2012) – CHANNEL 4
Directed by: Ed Fraiman
Adapted by: Robert Jones – based on the novel by Chris Mullin
Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Charles Dance, Ruth Negga, Douglas Hodge etc.
If I hadn't looked it up online, I would never have known this was another adaptation of Chris Mullin's book. This modern update leaves behind the classic left-wing and right-wing politics of the original adaptation and moves into the more murky world of corporate, industrial and military political intrigue. Gabriel Byrne is uniformly excellent as Deputy Prime Minister Tom Dawkins, suddenly thrust into the PM's place following a tragic series of events. With a devastating chemical disaster ongoing, potential war with Iran, the Secret Service and political rivals plotting against him, Dawkins is threatened from all sides.
What unfolds is a meaty conspiracy drama which, while lacking the political depth of the original TV programme, more than makes up with quality cast and suspense. While lacking a truly compelling ending, the drama benefits from some excellent performances, notably Douglas Hodge as the washed up, alcoholic ex-spy. It was interesting too that the writers deemed it unnecessary to define what political party Dawkins was from, such was the more ambiguous nature of the political landscape in the pre-Corbyn and post-Blair era.
A Very British CoupadaptationAlan MacNaughtonAlan PlaterAll 4All 4 reviewsC4Channel 4Charles DanceChris MullinCinema FixCinema Fix reviewsConservativeConspiracyDouglas HodgedramaeD fRAIMANGabriel ByrneJeremy CorbynLabourpoliticalpoliticsRay McAnallyRobert JonesRuth NeggaSecret StatespyThe Cinema FixTony BlairTVwar
ALL 4 TV REVIEW – DERRY GIRLS (2018 – 2019) – SEASONS 1 & 2
November 25, 2019 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	2 Comments
Created and written by: Lisa McGee
Directed by: Michael Lennox
Cast: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Dylan Llewellyn, Nicola Coughlan, Tara Lynne O'Neill, Siobhan McSweeney, Tommy Tiernan, Ian McElhinney, Kathy Keira Clarke etc.
Original Network: CHANNEL 4 – (Available on ALL 4 and Netflix)
There have been many dramas over the years on the stage and screen about the "Troubles" in Ireland. For decades, civil war had divided the Catholic and Protestant people of Ireland, precipitated by the English occupation of Northern Ireland. Many lives were lost in the fighting and the tragedies. It unsurprisingly drew attention from writers, artists and dramatists. Recently though Lisa McGee created and wrote a comedy called Derry Girls, which was also set during this era; and very funny it is too.
Set in Derry (also known as Londonderry) in the 1990's, Derry Girls introduces us to four teenage girls, their families and friends during these difficult times. The main characters are: the vocal and passionate Erin (Saoirse-Monica-Jackson); the voice of reason Clare (Nicola Coughlan), often crude, anti-authoritarian, Michelle (Jamie-Lee O'Donnell); and detached eccentric Orla (Louise Harland). Joining them is James (Dylan Llewellyn), an English kid who has to join the girls' school for fear of what the Irish boys may do.
As well as the British army's occupation of Derry and the divide between Protestants and Catholics providing a backdrop to the girls' everyday lives, they also manage to find themselves in loads of other trouble too. Episodes centred around: family squabbles, romance, sex, music, drugs, school projects, religious artefacts and holidays create a relatable familiarity to many episodes. The events and energy evoking the girls' school days reminded me especially of another Channel Four hit comedy, The Inbetweeners.
While the performances by our lead protagonists are very good, scenes are often stolen by the older supporting cast. Siobhan McSweeney as the deadpan and jaded Sister Michael is really funny. As is one of my favourite stand-up comedians, Tommy Tiernan. His downtrodden Dad tries to keep the peace, but often finds himself at the butt of abuse from Ian McElhinney's contemptuous remarks. Nonetheless, the humour is always good-natured and not nasty, especially toward faith or authority figures.
Overall, Derry Girls is a fast-paced and very funny situation comedy. It's well written, acted and directed comedy, with loads of fun and eccentric characters to enjoy. While not overtly political in its representation of the "Troubles", it uses that situation intelligently as part of the narrative and wider social context. Above all else, however, it shows through many fine comedic episodes, that despite the ongoing divide within the country, humans will strive to overcome adversity through friendship, family, community and humour.
All 4BritishCatholicChannel 4Civil WarComedyCONFLICTDerry GirlsDylan LlewellyneducationEIREfaithhumourIan McElhinneyIrelandJamie-Lee O'DonnellKathy Keira ClarkeLondonderryLouisa HarlandNetflixNicola CoughlanNorthern IrelandnunspROTESTANTreligionSaoirse-Monica JacksonschoolSiobhan McSweeneySitcomThe DivideThe TroublesTommy Tiernan
All 4, Netflix, Reviews, Television
AUTUMN 2019 TV DRAMA UPDATE – REVIEWS INCLUDE: DARK (2019) – S2, EUPHORIA (2019), THE LOUDEST VOICE (2019) & THE HANDMAID'S TALE (2019) – S3 ETC.
October 30, 2019 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	2 Comments
AUTUMN 2019 TV DRAMA REVIEWS
Having finished watching all six seasons of the absolutely amazing series The Americans (2013 – 2018) at the end of the summer, I thought it prudent to try and catch up with some of the other television shows I'd missed or had on my planner.
It is becoming clearer and clearer that television, especially many of the shows from Showtime, HBO and Netflix, are reaching and surpassing cinematic quality. The budgets, writing, production values and casts are incredible. It's been like this for a while, and long may it continue I say.
So, here are a collection of the excellent TV shows I have completed watching in the last month or so, with the usual marks out of 11.
**SPOILER FREE**
CITY ON A HILL (2019) – SEASON 1 – SHOWTIME / SKY ATLANTIC
This crime drama set in 1990's Boston is essentially a combination of The Wire meets Ben Affleck's cracking film, The Town (2010). Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge lead the cast in this always watchable story of cops and robbers. Bacon is especially excellent as the anti-heroic FBI agent, Jackie Rohr. Good performances, violent action and earthy Bostonian dialogue inflect this genre piece, which blurs the lines between the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
A CONFESSION (2019) – ITV
Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton and Siobhan Finneran are all uniformly excellent in this true crime drama. Set in Wiltshire, it follows Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher (Freeman), as his investigative team search for a missing young woman. What follows is a series of compelling events which grip you throughout. Seasoned scriptwriter Jeff Pope delivers a meticulously researched screenplay that explores the emotional impact of criminal behaviour, and how police procedure effects justice for victims and their families.
DARK (2019) – SEASON 2 – NETFLIX
What can I say about Dark (2019) – Season 2? Well, for starters it is easily one of the best television dramas I have seen in a long time. It's edgy, nightmarish, confusing, twisted and to be honest, virtually unreviewable. I say that because I don't want to give away any spoilers but, trust me, if you like emotionally, structurally and artistically complex plots involving multiple characters, locations and timelines then this German thriller is for you. It had me confused in a good way and totally immersed in the tenebrae. You will be lost, searching for the light, yet you will be astounded too by the audacity of the writing and looping madness on show.
EUPHORIA (2019) – HBO / SKY ATLANTIC
Having recently watched Sam Levinson uneven but stylish low-budget crime drama, Assassination Nation (2018), I thought I'd give this big budget HBO U.S. drama a watch. The ensemble cast of mainly young actors are led brilliantly by the ultra-talented Zendaya. She portrays just-out-of-rehab, Rue, who battles drug addiction on a daily basis. Her new best friend Jules (Hunter Schafer) also has issues to deal relating to identity, sex and love. In fact, pretty much all the characters are fucked up somehow in this giddy, glossy, sexy, dirty and often shockingly dark profile of high school existence.
THE HANDMAID'S TALE (2019) – SEASON 3 – HULU / CHANNEL 4
Season 3 of the iconic Margaret Atwood literary adaptation, continues to play strongly with the emotions, the nerves and the heartstrings. Centred around the dictatorial and fascistic Republic of Gilead, the plight of oppressed woman such as June Osborne (Elizabeth Moss) and other 'Handmaid's' is a grim mix of tense drama and suffocating horror. Having said that, misery has never looked so beautifully shot as Moss' performance and the cinematography are both exquisitely framed. The narrative is slightly slow in delivery, yet as June finds strength in rebellion and civil disobedience, you're never too far from startling turns of violence and empowerment within the narrative.
THE LOUDEST VOICE (2019) – SEASON 1 – SHOWTIME / SKY ATLANTIC
I don't tend to watch the news as it's all quite depressing. However, I was drawn to this drama about Fox News and its' leader, Roger Ailes, because it features a great cast. They include, an unrecognizable Russell Crowe, Naomi Watts, Sienna Miller and Seth MacFarlane. The narrative covers Ailes starting Fox News for Rupert Murdoch in 1996, and subsequent global news events from then to the present. Crowe revels in his role as the monstrous Ailes, who advocates making Fox the number one news outlet on TV, by pushing his own agendas amidst sensational news storytelling. I have seen a few negative reviews for this show, but I really enjoyed it. As a profile of a big, corporate predator who preyed on those around him, it was both sickening and enthralling at the same time.
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All 4, Comedy
ALL 4 CLASSIC TV REVIEW – "THE COMIC STRIP PRESENTS"
September 20, 2019 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	Leave a comment
ALL 4 CLASSIC TV REVIEW – "THE COMIC STRIP PRESENTS. . . "
I have been continuing my cultural trawl through the online streaming platform ALL 4, which, if you didn't know, screens television films and programmes from Channel 4's roster, past and present. My next port of call was re-watching the twenty-three comedy films – ranging from thirty to six minutes – written and directed by the anarchic comedy collective called The Comic Strip.
The Comic Strip were pioneers of the late 1970s and early 1980's alternative comedy scene. Much like punk rock did for music, alternative comedy sought to satirise and lampoon the status quo, railing against the capitalist, sexist and homophobic right wing politics of the day. This energetic and crazy comedy troupe consisted of now established comedic and acting luminaries such as: Peter Richardson, Rik Mayall (R.I.P), Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Nigel Planer, Robbie Coltrane, Keith Allen, and Alexei Sayle etc.
Peter Richardson booked and opened the first The Comic Strip show at the Revuebar's Boulevard Theatre on October 7th 1980. Soon the company had television executives clamouring for these anti-establishment comedic talents. The BBC would soon get Mayall, Planer, Edmondson and Richardson signed up for the anarchic student comedy The Young Ones, and the rest, they say, is comedy history. Richardson would drop out of the classic BBC comedy show, but signed a deal with Channel 4 to write, produce and direct a series of films called The Comic Strip Presents. . .
Channel 4 was a perfect platform for the The Comic Strip as they were a brand new channel whose remit was to provide an alternative creative output to the more traditional British TV channels. Thus, on the launch night of Channel 4 in November 1982, their very first comedy film was released called Five Go Mad in Dorset (1982). Immediately, it caused controversy as the show mercilessly satirised Enid Blyton's wholesome "Famous Five" with a scurrilous deconstruction of middle-class values. The first series consisted of six short half-hour films and were so successful they would run for another five seasons, plus many comedy specials and feature films too.
The Comic Strip Presents. . . above all else is extremely funny and took many risks in its productions, even to the extent that some episodes verge on avant garde incomprehensibility. The following episodes, however, perfectly marry that punk and anarchic spirit with reasonable narrative and genre cohesion. Well, I say that because I grew up with watching these legendary and always quotable comedy programmes.
To an outsider watching the first time round they may find them, like comedy masterpieces such as Monty Python, Spike Milligan, The Young Ones, The League of Gentleman and The Mighty Boosh, too surreal for their taste. But compared to some of today's television they can seem quite tame and even dated. Having said that, at the time many of these shows were considered cutting-edge and even "dangerous", shaking up the conservative complacency with satirical swipes, slapstick parodies, nihilistic irony and genre pastiche.
ALL 4/Channel 4, currently hold twenty-three episodes and I re-watched them all before writing this article. Please be aware that I am aware that there are a number of episodes produced for the BBC before The Comic Strip Presents. . . went back to Channel 4. But it's at its' original channel that I am focusing on today. Overall, for me, The Comic Strip Presents. . . is part of my cultural DNA and something I shall always treasure. The opening intro-ident with the bomb falling into the countryside and "Quando, Quando, Quando" playing is as iconic as it comes. Anyway, enough of the talking bollocks, here are some of their programmes I recommend you watch immediately!
BAD NEWS TOUR (1983) / MORE BAD NEWS (1988)
Two riotously funny fly-on-the-wall mockumentaries about the infamous British rock band, Bad News!
Rik Mayall features as a slimy cinema-owner who wants to watch a porno in his cinema, in this silly, post-modern slapstick classic.
EDDIE MONSOON – A LIFE? (1984)
Adrian Edmondson stars as suicidal TV producer Eddie Monsoon, facing both financial and mental ruin.
THE BULLSHITTERS (1984)
British TV action show The Professionals is mercilessly lampooned with Keith Allen and Peter Richardson as tough-guy cops, Bonehead and Foyle.
THE STRIKE (1988)
Brilliant comedy which satirises the Hollywood adaptation of the British Miner's Strike; starring Al Pacino (Peter Richardson) as Arthur Scargill!
MR JOLLY LIVES NEXT DOOR (1988)
Genuinely one of the funniest comedy films ever made, with Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as Dreamytime Escorts! Together they have to "take out" Nicholas Parsons and cause mayhem in the process.
FOUR MEN IN A CAR (1998) / FOUR MEN IN A PLANE (2000)
Hilarious comedies about four salesmen out on the road who argue and conflict all the time. In each episode they manage to get themselves stranded on the motorway and in a barren desert.
1980SAdrian EdmondsonAlexei SayleAll 4All 4 reviewAll 4 reviewsAlternative comedyBad NewsChannel 4ComedyDawn FrenchDirty MovieDreamytime EscortsEddie MonsoonFive Go Mad in DorsetFour Men in a CarFour Men in a PlanehumourJennifer SaundersKeith AllenMonty PythonMore Bad NewsMr Jolly Lives Next DoorNigel PlanerPeter Richardsonpoliticspunkpunk comedyRik MayallRobbie ColtranesatireslapstickSpike MilliganThe BullshittersThe Comic StripThe Comic Strip PresentsThe League of GentlemanThe Mighty BooshThe StrikeThe Young Ones
ALL 4 REVIEW – THE VIRTUES (2019)
August 10, 2019 Paul. Writer and Filmmaker	Leave a comment
Directed by: Shane Meadows
Produced by: Mark Herbert and Nickie Sault
Written by: Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne
Cast: Stephen Graham, Niamh Algar, Helen Behan, Frank Laverty, Mark O'Halloran etc.
Composer: PJ Harvey
The Virtues (2019) is the latest drama from British filmmaker Shane Meadows and was released on Channel 4/All 4 recently. Over the four episodes we experience the traumas of Joseph (Stephen Graham), as he attempts to overcome events in the present and those which haunt him from the past.
The story begins in Sheffield and introduces forty-something, Joseph as he's about to say goodbye to his nine-year old son and former partner who are emigrating to Australia. While he's putting a brave face on this emotional upheaval, internally the separation slowly tears him apart. It also precipitates memories of events which occurred to Joseph when he was young and living in Ireland.
It was at the age of nine when his parents died. While his sister is adopted, Joseph is placed into a care home. It is here that he suffers an unspeakably horrendous trauma. On returning to Ireland as an adult, painful memories he had blocked out until now suddenly resurface. As an adult Joseph tries to come to terms with what occurred, make peace with his sister and at the same time battle his ongoing alcoholism. It is altogether gruelling and compelling drama.
Shane Meadows and Stephen Graham had worked together on the This Is England film and TV series. While that was very much an ensemble piece, this is a more individual focused, personal and painful character study. Stephen Graham is absolutely amazing as the character of Joseph. He has been broken by life, let down by the system and traumatized as a child. Graham lives this pain in virtually every scene he inhabits. His eyes darting nervously, he mumbles, looking down and around, trying to hide; only coming alive when he has alcohol in him. His problem with alcohol is he cannot stop, and this invariably leads to Joseph hurting himself physically and emotionally.
Alcohol as self-medication is just one of the issues addressed in this startling and raw drama. Meadows and co-writer, Jack Thorne also address families, adoption, child abuse, religion and the care system. While the series doesn't venture into outright socio-political criticism, it explores the damage that can occur to individuals in care. Through Joseph's sister, Anna (Helen Behan) though, we also get a more positive view of adoption. Her character is strong and determined and a fine mother. But she did not suffer the events Joseph did, so their journeys travelled different paths.
Shane Meadows directs with his usual naturalistic brilliance. Scenes with all the actors feel honest and believable. Meadows is not afraid to shoot simply and allow the performances provide the emotion. Having said that there are some highly stylistic choices. The flashback editing and montage is a case in point. Moreover, when Joseph goes on a bender, we get the camera-harness point-of-view shot I remember first seeing in Scorsese's Mean Streets (1973). This allows us to step into Joseph's drunken psyche as the soundtrack pounds and a voice-over sermon pipes out on screen. Lastly, the flashbacks to Joseph's younger years are shot on, what seems like, DV-Cam or an old-style video-camera. This creates an additionally sinister feeling to the events.
Overall, this is another powerful drama from Shane Meadows. He gets amazing performances from all the actors, notably Stephen Graham, star-in-the-making Dinah Algar; and an Irish actor I hadn't seen in a while, Mark O'Halloran. My feeling is Meadows could arguably of told the story in a two hour film. This is because the four episodes slightly stretched out the story in places. Be warned though, The Virtues is not for the faint-hearted. It is very painful to watch. Such is the emotional power of the story, by the end, your heart will feel like you've gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer. But as a drama about fighting back against the punches life throws at you it will certainly remain with you for some considerable time.
abuseAll 4All 4 reviewsChannel 4Cinema Fix reviewsdramaFrank LavertyHelen BehanlifeNiamh AlgarpainPJ HarveyreligionscarsShane MeadowsStephen GrahamTelevision reviewTelevisonThe VirtuesThe Virtues reviewtraumaTVWarp films
ALL 4 TV REVIEW – THIS IS ENGLAND '90 (2015)
Created by: Shane Meadows
Director: Shane Meadows
Writers: Shane Meadows, Jack Thorne
Series Producers: Mark Herbert, Derrin Schlesinger, Rebekah Wray-Rogers
Cast: Thomas Turgoose, Vicky McClure, Joseph Gilgun, Stephen Graham, Andrew Shim, Stephen Graham, Andrew Ellis, Rosamund Hanson, Danielle James, Kriss Dosanjh, Chanel Cresswell, Johnny Harris, Michael Socha, George Newton, Jo Hartley, Katherine Dow Blyton, Stacey Sampson, Perry Fitzpatrick, Joe Dempsie etc.
Cinematography: Danny Cohen
Music by: Ludovico Einaudi
**CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM – THIS IS ENGLAND '83, '86 & '88**
So, just to reiterate if you have NOT seen the previous film or TV series of This is England, I would advise you start with the film and watch them in order of release. Safe to say that this review also contains MASSIVE SPOILERS from the previous productions too.
As the title says we are now in the year 1990, some two years after the trauma of Lol's (Vicky McClure) suicide attempt. Her and Woody are now thankfully back together and he, the gang and Milky have reconciled. Structured into a seasonal order of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter the show shifts focus to a more ensemble narrative presentation. Here more secondary characters such as Lol's sister Kelly (Chanel Creswell) and Milky (Andrew Shim) are given meatier storylines over the four episodes.
As it's the 1990's we get some of my favourite music of all time presented. Indie, pop and rave tracks by the likes of The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, The Pixies, The La's, James, Beats International and many more dominate the soundtrack. Thus, the Spring and Summer months begin in an upbeat mood for the characters on the main. Gadget, Harvey, Trev, Shaun and Kelly are into the rave and Madchester scene, popping pills with heady abandon. This is where Kelly's story veers into dark drama as her grief for the loss of her father spills into drug addiction and self-destructive behaviour.
This reaches a head in the Summer episode. Beginning as a humorous drive to a field in the England becomes, for Harvey, Gadget, Trev and Shaun a narcotic escape out of Midlands mundanity. However, for Kelly it leads to a dark, drug-induced and sexualised nightmare. For the first time in the series though I felt the drama was slightly gratuitous and felt uncomfortable with Kelly's ordeal. However, Chanel Cresswell gave a haunting performance of a character lost in a fog of addiction and despair.
With Kelly's character adrift in the Autumn and Winter months, the narrative also brings back Combo (Stephen Graham) into the mix. As the racist thug in the original film, his character had ventured into some twisted redemption when taking the blame for Lol and Kelly's Dad's death. With Combo about to be released from prison the series examines whether people can change and most importantly be forgiven for prior crimes. It is hard hitting stuff and Stephen Graham is a superb actor who lives and breathes the mistakes of his characters' past. His Winter scenes with Milky are particularly painful and ultimately shocking.
Indeed, during the Autumn and Winter episodes we get some of the most painful and dramatic scenes in the whole series. The scene around the dinner table when Lol decides to confess to her mum, Kelly and Milky the actual events regarding her Dad's death are so compelling. Meadows directs this scene with simple and devastating effect. He allows the amazing performances from the cast to create emotion via long and tense takes. News of Combo being released impacts them all and the aftermath leads to a vengeful decision by Milky which haunts both him and the audience.
Meadows, co-writer Jack Thorne, the cast and the production team of This Is England '90 deliver another nostalgic, humorous and hard-hitting drama series. It ends with the characters moving toward the light but with darkness not too far behind. Lol and Woody finally get married in as close to a feel-good ending you get with Shane Meadows. Overall, as slices of life go, these films and TV programmes are genuine British classics and a must watch if you are drawn to gritty, realistic dramas which chuck everything at you — including the kitchen sink.
1990sAll 4Andrew EllisAndrew ShimChanel CresswellChannel 4Channel FourDanielle JamesDanny CohendramadrugsFilm FourGeorge NewtonhumourJo HartleyJoe DempsieJohnny HarrisJoseph Gilgunkatherine Dow BlytonKriss DosanjhMadchesterMichael SochaMIdlandsmusicnarcosisPerry FitzpatrickRAWrealismRosamund HansonShane MeadowsStacey SampsonStephen GrahamThis is Englandthis is England 86This is England 88This is England 90Thomas TurgooseTragedyVicky McClure


Hull Barrett, PC is pleased to announce that Davis A. Dunaway has been elected to join the firm as a member effective January 1, 2010. Davis joined the firm in 2003 and practices in general civil litigation practice, with an emphasis on real estate and construction litigation and insurance defense. He also chairs the firm's recruiting program.


Chances are you've never moved to a retirement village before. So it's only natural that there will be things you'd like to know more about. You'll find answers to most of your questions on our website, but you can also discuss them face-to-face or over the phone with one of our Sales Managers to be sure that everything meets your expectations.
Please remember that we're here to help - we want the whole experience to be a positive one.
With this in mind, here are some questions you may want to ask your Sales Manager. You may have others too, just add them to the list.
What are the upfront costs, the ongoing costs and exit costs?
What if I can't sell my current home before settlement is due?
What if I decide I don't want to stay?


text:
Piłka nożna () jest najpopularniejszym sportem w Estonii. Jej głównym organizatorem na terenie Estonii pozostaje Eesti Jalgpalli Liit (EJL).

Według stanu na 17 listopada 2021 roku Martin Reim i Marko Kristal mają odpowiednio 157 i 143 występów reprezentacyjnych, a Andres Oper strzelił 38 bramek w barwach reprezentacji Estonii.

W estońskiej Meistriliiga grają takie utytułowane kluby, jak Flora, Levadia i Nõmme Kalju.

Historia

Piłka nożna zaczęła zyskiwać popularność w Estonii na początku XX wieku. W 1908 powstały pierwsze estońskie kluby piłkarskie Meteor Tallinn i Merkuur Tallinn, potem następne. 24 lutego 1918 Estonia proklamowała niepodległość. Po założeniu estońskiej federacji piłkarskiej – EJL w 1921 roku, rozpoczął się proces zorganizowania pierwszych rozgrywek o mistrzostwo Estonii. Pierwsza edycja mistrzostw Estonii startowała w sezonie 1921 i rozgrywana była systemem pucharowym. Dopiero w 1929 po raz pierwszy drużyny walczyły systemem ligowym. Mistrzostwa Estonii w sezonie 1939/40 zostały zawieszone, tak jak 17 czerwca 1940 wojska radzieckie wkraczają do Estonii, a następnie została utworzona Estońska SRR w składzie ZSRR. W sezonie 1941 mistrzostwa Estońskiej SRR nie dokończono przez okupację niemiecką. W 1942 i 1943 rozgrywki o mistrzostwo Estonii zostały wznowione, ale w 1944 znów zawieszone z powodu ataku Armii Radzieckiej, w wyniku którego ZSRR ponownie okupują Estonię. W 1945 ponownie startują mistrzostwa Estońskiej SRR. To nie były pełnowartościowe mistrzostwa tak jak najlepsze kluby kraju uczestniczyły w mistrzostwach ZSRR. W 1990 dodatkowo organizowano rozgrywki Baltic League, w których uczestniczyły m.in. najlepsze drużyny Estońskiej SRR - Sport Tallinn i ASK Fosforit Tallinn, który wycofał się z turnieju po 13 meczach.

20 sierpnia 1991 – po puczu Janajewa Estonia deklaruje niepodległość, 6 września uznaną przez ZSRR.

Rozgrywki najwyższej ligi zwanej Meistriliiga w obecnym formacie zainaugurowano w sezonie 1992.

Format rozgrywek ligowych

W obowiązującym systemie ligowym trzy najwyższe klasy rozgrywkowe są ogólnokrajowe (Meistriliiga, Esiliiga i Esiliiga B). Dopiero na czwartym poziomie pojawiają się grupy regionalne.

Puchary
Rozgrywki pucharowe rozgrywane w Estonii to:
 Puchar Estonii (Eesti Karikas),
 Superpuchar Estonii (Eesti jalgpalli superkarikas) - mecz między mistrzem kraju i zdobywcą Pucharu.

Reprezentacja narodowa

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 Piłka nożna na stronie Delfi Sport
 Piłka nożna na stronie Postimees
 Oficjalna strona EJL
 Oficjalna strona Meistriliigi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
ZOO Digital Named Top Ten Innovator
Hires, Wins & Business 91 Add to collection
Streaming service ranked as global innovator in international entertainment industry professionals survey
Published by the organisers of TV Connect, a leading event for the entertainment industry, ZOO ranks 8th in the survey for its technological innovations in localisation and digital distribution. ZOO appears alongside major global brands and household names including Amazon, Sky, Google, BBC and Apple.
The report, Disrupting The Connected Entertainment Value Chain, provides a snapshot of how the entertainment industry is managing rapid change. Opinion was canvassed from a cross section of companies in the entertainment digital supply chain across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India and Asia-Pacific. The findings have been merged with the views of leading analysts to identify the trends that are likely to dominate the entertainment debate during 2017.
The number one challenge highlighted for operators of streaming services is the complexity of coordinating global launches across multiple territories as they expand. Another key concern is piracy and security. ZOO's strategy, using the company's revolutionary, cloud-based approach, positions it well to address the challenges of the rapidly growing entertainment industry.
In the last year alone ZOO has launched three technological innovations. These include an ultra-secure digital screener for streaming video content; an enriched metadata service to enable content discovery and a compliance editing service to adapt TV and movie content for different territories during international release.
Dr Stuart Green, CEO, ZOO Digital said: "Innovation is in our DNA. It's about empowering our clients and responding to the pace of change in the fast-moving digital entertainment industry. We're delighted to be named alongside some of the biggest global innovators in our industry."
ZOO Digital, Wed, 08 Feb 2017 10:50:00 GMT
ZOO Digital
News from ZOO Digital
ZOO Digital Launches New Post-to-Platform Service
ZOO Launches Remote ADR Service
ZOO Digital Expands in Europe with Two Hires
ZOO Works With ODD London for M&S #GoJumpers Christmas Ad
Work from ZOO Digital

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


CBA's Early Learning Insights Report shows the sector is adapting to significant changes.
Australia's early learning sector has grown steadily over the past five years. Annualised revenues are up 8 per cent over the period and approved places across the country have climbed in lock step.
However, new entrants and increasing competition, particularly in metropolitan areas, have contributed to softer occupancy rates for many centres while rising fixed costs continue to place pressure on operators' margins.
The launch of the inaugural CommBank Early Learning Insights Report, conducted in partnership with the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA), seeks to better understand the market forces influencing change and to examine how the sector is responding.
According to the research, early learning centres across Australia are now running at an average occupancy rate of 75 per cent - down marginally from 2017 – and most operators are alive to the rising expense associated with wages which represents the largest cost base.
Crucially, the sector is also managing the introduction of one of the largest changes to the government funding model in the history of subsidising families – the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) that came into effect on 2 July 2018.
Amid these challenges, service providers are mobilising and prioritising operational strategies that can help attract parents and families to their centres and increase occupancy rates, as well as ensuring they have the right workforce to deliver this objective.
For example, more centres are prioritising the government's quality benchmarking program, the National Quality Standard (NQS), in an effort to secure a NQS 'exceeding' rating which will increase their appeal to new families.
The research also shows the growing importance of quality improvement. It was nominated as an area of operational focus by 51 per cent of service providers, up from 42 per cent in 2017. This was complemented by providers moving to upgrade their facilities (44 per cent in 2018, up from 40 per cent in 2017) and a sharper focus on the NQS assessment (37 per cent, an increase from 22 per cent).
Despite the sector having to adapt to significant change, resulting in a mixed outlook for future business conditions, there is an underlying resilience among many service providers.
The research shows an uplift in operators' intentions to pursue growth – organically and through acquisition - particularly among multi-centre operators. This suggests the potential for further industry consolidation.
This emerging growth mindset, and a flight to quality when it comes to facilities, staff and care, illustrates the proactive approach that many service providers are taking to maintain or grow market share in an ever-changing operating environment. Ultimately, it's the children and families that will benefit as this trend translates to better educational outcomes.
 The report was based on the views of 176 ACA members collectively operating 266 centres across Australia.


Whether you drag, oval or road race, Moroso has the oil pan your engine needs specially designed for front or rear wheel drive sport compacts. Each pan is fully fabricated from aluminum or steel, with race proven features that control oil for maximum power. The key is to keep the crankshaft free of excess oil which allows the engine to spin freely and achieve its full power potential. Check out all the special features listed with their pans.
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Will this sump fit a series 4 rx7??


The Triaminic website features extensive use of transparent PNG images and absolute placement to give the site a more dynamic, less structured appearance. Despite this, modern site construction techniques mean that the site maintains its accessibility and is still navigable by search engines. In addition, the site is available in four distinct varieties: Candian English, Canadian French, U.S. English, and U.S. Spanish.
This work was done while Adrian was employed at Barking Dog Studios.


... As I was saying, ladies and gentlemen, before that little unpleasantness: I have just been assured, by those in position to know, that this evening's eminent "mystery guest" has arrived, and should be with us any time now.
Did I say "arrived"? In the literary sense and on the literary scene, our distinguished visitor "arrived," of course, with her first collection of poems, or at latest with her prizewinning second. On the international political scene, as the whole world knows, she arrived with a vengeance — excuse the poor joke, not intended — upon the publication of that more recent, truly epical poetic satire of hers whose very title it is dangerous to mention favorably in some quarters, though thank heaven not here. At least I hope not here; that unbecoming ruckus just now makes me wonder. And as of just a short time ago, I'm delighted to announce, she has arrived in our city. Even as I stretch out these introductory remarks — introducing my introduction, I suppose we might say, while we await together the main event—the most controversial poet of our dying century (politically controversial, it's important to remember, not artistically controversial, for better or worse) is in mid-whisk from the airport to our campus, to honor us by inaugurating this new lecture series. In that final sense, she should arrive here in the flesh —the all too mortal, all too vulnerable flesh —within the quarter hour.
In that meantime, I thank again the overwhelming majority of you for your patience with this unavoidable delay. It is owing, let me repeat, neither to any dilatoriness whatever on our visitor's part nor to transoceanic air-traffic problems, but solely to the extraordinary security measures that, alas, necessarily attend and not infrequently impede the woman's every movement. Who could have imagined that, at this hour of the world, a mere book, a mere poem, could provoke so dreadful a stir?
Well. As some of you may know, I myself am a writer, not of verse but of fiction: one whose "controversiality," such as it is, is fortunately of the aesthetic rather than the political variety. And I must acknowledge that although it is my professional line of work to imagine myself into other people's situations, I cannot for the life of me imagine what it must be like for such a free, proud, articulate, sensitive, gregarious, impassioned, and altogether high-spirited spirit as our impending visitor's to endure and even to go on making art under her constricted circumstances—not to mention courageously putting herself in harm's way by accepting from time to time such invitations as ours (whose absence of advance publicity I'm sure you appreciate, although your numbers suggest that word somehow got out despite our precautions). I shake my head; I am awed, truly humbled. It was my good fortune to first meet and enjoy the company of our eminent/imminent guest some years ago, before the present storm of political controversy broke upon her, back when she and I were happily just representative scribblers from two different countries sharing a lecture platform in a third — and I heartily do not envy her present celebrity! At the same time, for her sake if not for my own, I much wish that some Arabian-Nights genie could put me and every one of us who treasure artistic freedom and deplore murderous zealotry into our guest's skin, each of us for just a single day, and she in ours, to give us the chastening, attention-focusing taste of terrorism and to give her, who must surely crave it, a bit of respite therefrom: a souvenir of the artist's more usual condition of being blissfully ignored by the world at large.
But I was speaking of meantimes, was I not —indeed, both of meantimes and of mean times, and of introductions to introductions. For some decades, as it happens, I have belonged to that peculiarly American species, the writer in the university. Indeed, it has been my pleasure and privilege for many years now to be a full-time teacher at this institution as well as a full-time writer of fiction. As, again, some few of you may have heard, at the end of the current semester I'll be retiring from that agreeable association (my replacement has yet to be named, but I don't mind confiding to you that we're taking advantage of this new lecture series to look over a roster of likely candidates—not including tonight's visitor, alas—to any one of whom I would confidently entrust the baton of my professorship). There is an appropriate irony, therefore, in its having devolved upon me, as perhaps my final public action as a member of our faculty, to introduce not only tonight's extraordinary guest speaker but also this newly endowed "Last Lecture" series that her visit will so auspiciously inaugurate.
Valediction, benediction: I see therein no contradiction — and while I'm in the nervously-improvised-doggerel-verse mode, let me pray that to my valedictory introduction there may be no further interruption. . . .
So. Well. Until our guest materializes, kindly indulge me now an impromptu brief digression on the subject of . . .
The purpose of introductions, I have somewhere read, is normally threefold: first, to give late-arriving members of the audience time to be seated, as I notice a few in process of doing even now; second, to test and if necessary adjust the public-address system for the principal speaker; and at the same time (third) to give her or him a few moments to size up the house and perhaps make appropriate program modifications. Introductions, therefore, should go on for longer than one sentence — but not much longer. And may Apollo spare us the introducer who either in the length of his/her introduction presumes upon the speaker's allotted time, or in its manner attempts to upstage the introduced But tonight, it goes without saying, is another story. We need not ask of it the traditional Passover question—"How is this night different from all other nights?" —although that is the question that I urge apprentice storytellers in my "workshop" to put to the main action of their stories. Why is it that Irma decides to terminate Fred today, rather than two weeks ago or next semester? What was it about this satirical verse-epic of our visitor's that provoked so astonishing and lamentable a reaction, which her scarcely less provocative earlier works did not? You get the idea. I trust you'll appreciate, however, that in all my years of introducing our visiting writers to their audiences, this is my maiden experience of being not so much an introducer as a warm-up act for "him who shall come after me," as John the Baptist put it (in this instance, her who shall etc.). The bona fide introduction that I had prepared —short, short, I assure you, and not badly turned, if I do say so myself— I am thus obliged to expand ad libitum like one of those talking heads on public television fund-raisers, either until there's mutiny in the ranks (but let it be more orderly, in that event, than that uncivilized earlier disruption) or else until our eagerly awaited guest . . .


How can I safeguard myself from Google Panda?
Google Panda is an alteration to Google's search algorithm introduced in early 2011 and has since changed the dynamics of how search results appear to web surfers. It is considered to be one of the most radical changes that Google has ever implemented and is still significant today.
This is a black hat SEO technique that was commonly used to ensure high ranking for a certain keyword. Over optimized websites were affected minimally when Google Panda was first introduced. However, the update that was released in March 2013 rendered this technique useless.
Linking to a website or page that had a high PageRank would often transfer that PageRank to the sites linked to it. Many site owners formed link exchange sites where site owners who had high PageRank websites would place follow links on their sites for a fee. These link farms were among the first targets of the Panda update as the importance of PageRank was downgraded, rendering these link farms largely irrelevant.
Ad based sites are created solely to earn by having Ads displayed on them. Such sites would often hide the ads so that the web surfer would click on them unintentionally while others ensure that a surfer will have to click on an ad in order to complete a desired action.
The last Google Panda update on July 18, 2013 softened some of the severe penalties imposed previously. In order to minimize circumvention of its algorithms by site owners, minor updates are made every month and implemented over a period of 10 days.
The Google Panda Update affected almost every major content website on the Internet, with the majority seeing a huge decline in the traffic they were receiving previously; it is worthy to note that some websites never recovered from the penalty.
The Panda update targeted sites that had duplicate content found on other sites. In order to maintain a high search rank, websites are now required to have unique content. Google rewards websites according to the originality of the content.
Blogs and websites that are not constantly updated with fresh content would have lower traffic as opposed to those that are consistently updated. A stale website would not be recognized as one that adds value to the readers, which means that it will slide down the search rank.
Imagine viewing a website swamped with display and pop-up advertisements? Google Panda's algorithm was incepted to eliminate this painful experience for readers who are genuinely searching for information. There is a recommended ad format layout that Google Adsense users are familiar with and that layout is in accordance to Google guidelines.
The integration of social media into your website enhances its visibility. The more the site is liked, the more Google affirms its value. Google considers traffic and endorsements from social media sites as proof of the quality of the website's content.
Any person familiar with SEO should have already heard about Google Panda. The Panda is an algorithm used by the Google search engine to check for websites that have a poor content.
Google Panda can affect the rank of websites by determining the quality of the content the websites contain. Websites that have a poor content will get penalized by lowered rankings. On the other hand, if your content is of a high quality, your website will be given a boost in the rank.
Is Your Site Vulnerable Against Google Panda?
Google Panda can lower the rankings of your website if it detects certain characteristics. You need to check if your website has any of the following features.
Lack of original content or very little of it.
Too much content that has been duplicated from other websites.
Pages that have been visited by traffic very few times.
Low quality or useless inbound links to the pages or website.
High bounce rates for the pages or the website.
Too many webpages with little or zero original content.
Too many adverts which are irrelevant to the website or content.
Too much of boilerplate content.
The title tag and the page content have no relation to the searches.
Using the same words or phrases in the same content unnaturally.
If you notice that your website has been affected by Google Panda, there exist techniques to rectify the problem. You just need to follow a procedure.
Locate the pages that have been affected the worst by Google Panda.
Determine the differences between the pages that have been affected and the pages that have not.
Use the differences to make changes to the affected pages and test them for viability. You should remember that the pages directly may not be the root cause of the problem.
Create a list of all the pages in your website and divide them by category in a tabular format such as a spreadsheet.
Fill in the table with the factors relevant to each page. These factors can be anything like too many advertisements and little original content amongst others.
Determine the number of pages in your website which contain poor quality content. Improve the content for these pages.
Create original and unique content for the pages that have duplicated content. If some of those pages are unnecessary, remove them.
Ensure that the pages are free from content that has been duplicated from within your website.
Some of your pages may be over-optimized in which case you will need to edit them.
Ensure that the user experience of your website is good by streamlining the appearance and navigation.
Increase user experience by adding multimedia content for visitors to enjoy.
The content of your website should be easy for people to read.
The content should be thoroughly promoted in the various social networks.
In spite of your best efforts, if there is no change in rankings, you should contact Google. However, this step is usually unnecessary and may not have too much of an effect.
Ensure that the changes have been implemented quickly so as to eliminate the Google Panda penalty. If you have been hit by Google Panda and need help in turning it around then contact us today.


On behalf of Shulman Kessler LLP posted in race discrimination on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.
A former employee of Southwest Airlines has filed a lawsuit against the company for race discrimination, alleging in part that his coworkers were allowed to establish a whites-only break room. New York employees might be interested in the details of the case, which was filed in a federal court in Houston. The complaint alleges that black employees were subjected to extreme race discrimination by the airline.
On one occasion, according to the complaint, Southwest employees made a noose out of bungee courts and hung it up at the airport in reference to lynchings of black people. The former employee says he first heard of the whites-only break room in 2013. He alleges that his supervisor was aware of the existence of the break room and failed to put an end to it. The complaint also claims that the former employee was terminated for not reporting damage to a company vehicle, while two employees who are white were not fired under similar circumstances. They were only given notices.
Workplace racial discrimination can take many forms. In a case where an employer has made employment decisions based on the race of the employee instead of his or her skills, the employee may have claims for damages under state or federal law. By gathering evidence, identifying liable parties or deposing witnesses, an attorney might help the client prepare for trial or develop the case to the point that settlement can be negotiated.
An attorney with experience in employment law might be able to help by filing a complaint for workplace discrimination in court. State and federal laws make it unlawful for employers to refuse to hire, fire, pass over for promotion, pay unfairly or otherwise treat employees differently based on race.


I guess I am not the only one who tried everything to lose weight. The programs and solutions I've tried before left me feeling disappointed and unhealthy. Before telling my story about how the program helped me not only in shrinking excess fat but putting my health back on track, I'd love to share a fast backstory about where and how the program began.
Red Tea Detox was made by Liz Swann Miller who also came to a point in her life where she gained weight and felt frustrated by it. Being a weight loss expert, she tried all time consuming techniques she knew to eliminate all the excess weight but to no avail, she could not. The fact that she couldn't return to her normal weight made it also difficult for her to return to her normal life. Everything changed when she went to Africa and got to know a tasty drink that helped her burn body fat easier and quicker without the usual cravings.
She began by dropping 14 pounds to a different 27 pounds and all of these are the results of the drink she discovered. Liz did not discover the drink by herself. Depending on the legend, it was a red tea from a remote wilderness in Africa where a Kenyan tribe prevents their hunger by drinking it.
The fact that it works without the need to go through strict diets and difficult sets of exercise which makes it easier than other weight loss solutions. Most people who tried a lot of programs might think that this is just like some of these apps that won't work and leave their pockets empty.
I've been there and the very same experiences left me frustrated to know what else I could do. However, the Red Tea Detox is far different from these weight loss solutions or programs with its claims to deliver results while boosting the body's overall function.
Rooibos or red bush is the main ingredient of the red tea and is a plant that is available. It boasts much potential for improving one's health and assists their health endeavors.
If popular tea varieties like green tea contain a certain amount of caffeine, the red tea is free from this substance. This produces the beverage safe to drink even at night when you only want to enjoy a restful sleep. Furthermore, it is a safer weight loss drink that won't result in other health complications.
Unlike other weight loss solutions, Red Tea Detox aims to provide a product that's acceptable for both young and adults. Bear in mind that most products for losing weight are only meant for adults. Since most dietary supplement companies only target adults coping with obesity, their products aren't safe for younger adults or even children.
What I like the most about the red tea is that the recipe caters to kids and adults. It has a unique taste that everyone will love. The recipe also has a sweetened version that is acceptable for those who love a hint of extra sweetness in their drink without compromising the effects. All of these only prove that Liz gives equal importance in improving the health of young children and adults.
Unlike other weight loss solutions which take a whole lot of time before you feel or see solutions, this solution is tried and tested in stopping hunger cravings. Just imagine losing around 1 pound of excess fat in every 72 hours. Yes, it sounds impossible, but I got the results I need and much more by simply following the program to a T.
The program helped me to finally achieve my aim to get back to shape without constantly feeling hungry. For someone who experienced its effects firsthand, there's nothing that could stop me from spreading the word about it and recommending it to others who also want the very same changes like what I and even the writer had.
You've heard about green teas and black teas, but this drink is far different than these types of tea. Green tea, for example, is packed with powerful antioxidants that help in reducing the risks of developing cardiovascular disease as well as dreadful cancer. However, with red tea, it enabled my body to fully function at its best and helped me gain back my confidence and feel healthy inside out.
It has the very same antioxidants as green tea but is derived from other sources. It contains nothofagin and aspalathin which are rare but are helpful in blood sugar regulation, stress and fat reduction, and metabolic disorder inhibitor.
In addition to its main benefits, it is combined with other essential elements that make the recipe more effective in promoting better health. Nothing makes losing weight more fulfilling but by understanding that you're also giving your body all the help it must return to its healthy condition.
Just like most people, the frequent problem area is that the unattractive sight of the belly fat. It doesn't only make one uneasy but it also makes one constantly conscious of what to wear or how they look. As more people are uncontrollably gaining weight, there are also many who are looking for ways on how they can effectively eliminate their belly fat.
It's given that many have already tried starving themselves and exercising for many hours a day just to remove excess fat. However, there are many who end up feeling disappointed knowing that they don't feel and see any changes. Some are too frustrated to try another app or simply return to their usual eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle.
As Red Tea Detox gains more attention, more people are interested in trying it as claims amazing effects on improving one's general health. With the reviews regarding the effects of the program, there's absolutely no wonder why many are interested to know how effective the program is in promoting belly fat loss. Starting the program is a bit complicated and hard, but the entire program includes a guide and a booklet to encourage you to concentrate on achieving your goal.
This is the frequent question by many who are aiming to lose weight. Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of programs which don't work for many people. Believe me, I experienced how to feel frustrated using a program I followed and spent time, effort, and money with. This is the main reason why some are giving up on using or after certain weight loss programs. However, you can put all your worries aside when you opt for this program.
According to what I experienced, the program really works in curbing hunger and shifting on the inherent mechanism of the body in burning fat and decreasing fat cells will work for everyone. Why is this program worth trying is the fact that it is suitable for people of different ages, male or female. It will deliver results regardless of the present fitness level of a person. Hence, making the program a great go-to option not just for those who are new to trying such programs but also for people who are beginning to quit trying.
At a glance, most people would take the Red Tea Detox as a program that would just shed the body's water stack. It's thought to be the best and quickest way to lose excess pounds. As most people know, this process doesn't permanently keep the result. However, this is not the case with this program.
Observing the Red Tea Detox program, your body will take on a distinct, healthy and clinically proven procedure for removing all of the toxins in the body. As all toxins are flushed from the body, all bodily systems are gradually pushed to fully operate and minimize all health risks.
There are a whole lot of benefits that a detox procedure can do for the body. With a whole detox process, a person gaining weight due to underlying health issues like insulin resistance, hypothyroidism, and leaky gut can get the help they need to control their weight and potentially lower the excess. This, in turn, resulted to achieve amazing and noticeable weight loss.
As much as you want to skip exercise, there is not any better way to achieve results in the span of 14 days or less but by including exercise in your daily actions.
Stay motivated in following the whole program by maintaining this booklet always in hand. During the times when you only want to go back to your regular meals, open this booklet and remain focused on achieving your weight loss objectives.


Are you considering slate roofs for your new home? Thinking of remodelling don't which roof works best for you? Slate roofs are most often overlooked because not too many people are familiar with what this type of roofing is. Not all customers are aware of its capabilities and value, but if you're on the lookout for the right roofing project for you, here are some advantages of slate roofs to help you decide whether this is for you.
Typically, slate roofs can last anywhere between 75 to 100 years. What makes slate roofs last long is the fact that a slate essentially is, a rock. However, you should take note that you shouldn't add anything to your slate roof such as paint or sealant. Simply because these may cause your slate to prematurely age.
As compared with other types of roofs, particularly shingle roofing, you may find the need to replace shingles at least 2 – 3 times throughout your home's lifespan, as slates do not need to be replaced.
As mentioned earlier, it is safe to say that your roof may last anytime between 75 to 100 years, or even longer if cared for properly, which means that it's more durable than any other type of roof. However, you should also bear in mind that slate roofs are heavier. Have a structural engineer check your roof if your current home structure can take an additional 500 pounds from your roof.
If you're a minimalist, you can opt for a single-color roof installation. On the other hand, if you're a little bit playful and wanted to play around with some colors, one of the advantages of slate roofs is that you can choose from a wide range of color options and styles. You may choose from graduated, multicoloured or textured installations, depending on your home's theme and preference in design. Wanted a rustic theme? Rough-looking roofs? You can achieve these designs with slates.
Hopefully these 4 essential points have helped you answer some of your questions about slate roofing, and that these helped you decide whether this type of roofing suits your preferences.
Contact Slate roofing Sydney today for all your slate roof needs.


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Alchemilla nydeggeriana är en rosväxtart som beskrevs av S. E. Fröhner. Alchemilla nydeggeriana ingår i släktet daggkåpor, och familjen rosväxter. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Daggkåpor
nydeggeriana


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Top 10 Social Media News Stories this Week 5/22/2015
The week in social media news hand-curated by your friends at Fandom Marketing. President Obama officially joined Twitter. Google and Twitter teamed up to allow tweets to surface directly within search results. Learn how using social media can affect your financial future and discover what kinds of apps the kids of the future will be into.
Introducing Instant Articles
Facebook Media is excited to introduce Instant Articles, a new product for publishers to create fast, interactive articles on Facebook. As more people get their news on mobile devices, the company wants to make the experience faster and richer on Facebook.
Full story on Facebook Media
Why Snapchat is Outliving and Outpacing the Competition
There's no shortage of startups telling us that they're the future of communication or solving a problem we never knew we had. Not so long ago, Snapchat was one of them. Since its launch on iOS in 2011, the service has amassed more than 100 million users.
Full story on The Next Web
Facebook Could Let Businesses Contact You on WhatsApp
Facebook said on Monday it could let businesses interact with users of WhatsApp, the popular messaging service it purchased for $21.8 billion last year. "We think that enabling that B2C [business-to-consumer] messaging has good business potential for us," Facebook Chief Financial Officer David Wehner explained on Monday at a tech conference in Boston.
Full story on Mashable
Google Lets You Look for Tweets in Mobile Searches
Your tweets just got a lot more searchable. Google and Twitter are teaming up to allow the search engine to surface tweets directly in search results, the two companies announced Tuesday. To start, the update will appear in mobile searches — both on browsers and in Google's iOS and Android apps.
Could Your LinkedIn Profile Be Your New Credit Score?
If you're a working professional and you're using social media to connect with friends, colleagues and business opportunities, then you need to be aware that your posts, updates, tweets and pictures can impact your financial future.
Full story on Huffington Post
President Obama Joins Twitter, Hits 1 Million Followers in 5 Hours
President Barack Obama is now tweeting from his own Twitter account @POTUS. President Obama officially joined Twitter on Monday and amassed over one million followers in only five hours, which means he broke a Guinness World Record.
Full story on Forbes
Pinterest Offers First Motion-Based Promoted Pins, Better Targeting in New Ad Suite
Already nearly 90% of Pinterest users have made a purchase prompted by a pin they saw on the site, a study found this month. Now the company is launching a new suite of advertising products that will roll out this summer and could boost purchases even higher.
Americans' Views About Data Collection and Security
Contrary to assertions that people "don't care" about privacy in the digital age, this survey suggests that Americans hold a range of strong views about the importance of control over their personal information and freedom from surveillance in daily life.
Full story on Pew Research Center
What Kinds of Apps Will the Kids of Tomorrow Use After Snapchat Dies?
Today we learned that the only person in the office excited about Microsoft's Outlook updates was one of the youngest amongst us. Who can predict what the kids today will be into? More importantly for our purposes, what will the youth of tomorrow be using social tech for?
Full story on Gizmodo
Twitter Hand-Holds Advertisers Like No Other Social Media, but for What?
Twitter's ad team will do just about anything to win over Madison Avenue — going so far as to build new products or craft marketing campaigns for clients. Yet ad agencies still devote most of their ad budgets to Facebook Inc. and Google Inc.
Full story on AdAge
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Fandom Marketing is a social marketing company that connect brands with people using social media. Our team publishes the Brands With Fans Blog, an independent publication used to spread knowledge and happiness.
What's in your future? Visualizing the World of Supercomputers
Web 2.0 Conference NY Buzzwords
The Week in Social Media News 02/14/2014, Here's Your Top Stories
Three Ways To Educate Customers About Products With Social Media


When I was a kid I loved soft buns with anise seeds. I always had them with a special cheese called brown cheese (tastes sweet and caramel- like), and a glass of milk.
These healthy spiced anise rolls are definitively inspired by my childhood memories of the soft buns with anise seeds. But my version have gone through a transformation(which has cracked them up..!) so that they are very quick to make (no yeast!), healthy and packed with protein and fibre. They turned out so soft, and yummy.
These healthy spiced anise rolls are healthy, soft, small and yummy. AND ready to eat in 30 mins! Perfect as breakfast rolls, or an anyday healthy snack as they boost satiety (because of all the protein and fibre).
Blend the wet and dry ingredients in two different bowls.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix well. Let rest a couple of minutes in the fridge.
Form round buns, and press them down a little bit in the middle, with two fingers.
Bake for 18-20 minutes in 175 degrees celsius, a bit below the middle in the oven.
The healthy spiced anise rolls are served perfectly by themselves, to afternoon tea, with blue cheese (As below. Turned out to be my favorite), or with greek yoghurt, mixed berries and sprinkled with honey.


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"Someone in the U.K. is losing their cool"
The tiny British territory of Gibraltar has become the next Brexit battleground
By Tim Hume Apr 3, 2017
When British Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggered Brexit last week, observers knew it would send the relationship between Britain and the EU into rocky, uncharted terrain. But few would have expected any talk of war.
That's what has happened since a draft document of EU negotiating guidelines for Brexit talks Friday raised questions about the future of Gibraltar, a tiny British overseas territory on the southern tip of Spain that Madrid has long sought to have returned to its control.
The dispute was sparked by a clause in a paper — sent by European Council President Donald Tusk to EU member states Friday — that said Gibraltar could be included in future trade deals between London and Brussels only with Spain's express permission.
"After the United Kingdom leaves the Union, no agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom," read the clause in the 9-page document outlining the bloc's opening position for Brexit negotiations.
The prospect of Spanish interference with Britain's sovereignty in Gibraltar caused alarm in the U.K., which was ceded the 2.6-square-mile (6.7-square-kilometre) peninsula under a 1713 treaty and has repeatedly butted heads with Spain over the territory in the centuries since. About 30,000 people live in Gibraltar, British citizens who govern their own affairs except in matters of foreign policy and defense. Gibraltarians have voted overwhelmingly in two referenda against any form of Spanish sovereignty, including a proposal for shared sovereignty of the peninsula in 2002.
Tensions ratcheted up Sunday when Michael Howard, a former leader of the ruling Conservative party, cited the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina in describing the lengths he believed the government would go to defend Gibraltar's sovereignty.
"Thirty-five years ago this week, another woman prime minister sent a task force halfway across the world to defend the freedom of another small group of British people against another Spanish-speaking country, and I'm absolutely certain that our current prime minister will show the same resolve in standing by the people of Gibraltar," Howard told Sky News Sunday.
About 900 people were killed in fighting in 1982 after Argentina invaded the Falklands, a British possession in the South Atlantic, and Britain sent a naval force to reclaim them.
Howard's bellicose talk drew criticism at home and abroad, with Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron saying, "In only a few days, the Conservative right are turning long-term allies into potential enemies."
"The Spanish government is a little surprised by the tone of comments coming out of Britain, a country known for its composure."
A spokesman for May did not condemn the remarks and instead said that Howard's comments merely sought to convey the resolve that Britain would demonstrate in defending Gibraltar, although he ruled out any military approach. Speaking to reporters on a flight to Jordan Monday, May laughed off talk of war with Spain, saying the issue would be resolved through negotiations.
But the tone of Howard's comments has raised concerns in Spain. Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis responded to the furor Monday by urging the British government to calm down.
"Someone in the U.K. is losing their cool, and there's no need for it," he said, following a pre-arranged meeting with the U.K.'s Brexit minister David Davis. "Making comparisons with past situations like the Falklands is a little out of context. The Spanish government is a little surprised by the tone of comments coming out of Britain, a country known for its composure."
Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, has also weighed in on the heated debate. He told Reuters that the inclusion of the clause was "Spanish bullying," and described European Council President Donald Tusk as "behaving like a cuckolded husband who is taking it out on the children."
British soldiers fighting alongside the Dutch first captured the "Rock," as Gibraltar is known, in 1704, before sovereignty was formally ceded under the Treaty of Utrecht nine years later. Spain has repeatedly called for the return of Gibraltar, a strategically important outpost at the entrance to the Mediterranean, as it views British sovereignty there as an affront to its territorial integrity. Its current push to have influence over the territory is also motivated by the low corporate tax rate that has made Gibraltar a global hub for the financial services sector.
A standoff looms over Gibraltar amid the wider negotiations to remove Britain from the EU and sign new deals on issues such as trade and security with the bloc. Brussels has indicated the draft negotiations blueprint that sparked the dispute has the full backing of European member states, and there is no appetite to back down, although the draft guidelines will be revisited by EU leaders later in April.


Brian Murphy starts in goal for Pompey's penultimate league game of the season at Hartlepool this afternoon.
He replaces Paul Jones between the sticks in the only change from the side that beat AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Jack Whatmough could make his first appearance since March 2015 after being named among the substitutes.


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Full Name: Sarah Mansfield
Email: smansfield@vicbar.com.au
Chambers: Owen Dixon Chambers East
Date of Admission: 3 Nov 1999
Qualifications: LLB, BA
Previous Occupation: Duty Lawyer, Victoria Legal Aid & Family Law Legal Service
Sarah was admitted to practice in 1999 working as a Duty Lawyer for Victoria Legal Aid, working in all aspects of Family Law at the Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court in Melbourne. Her role also included providing Duty Lawyer services for Intervention Order proceedings at the Melbourne Magistrates Court. In 2003, Sarah was admitted to practice in England and Wales and spent two years working in private firms in London. In this period she continued to work in her chosen field of Family Law, dealing with private clients, publicly funded matters and care proceedings. Upon her return to Australia in 2005, Sarah was instrumental in establishing the alternate Duty Lawyer service (the Family Law Legal Service) at the Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court in Melbourne. Sarah's experience centres around Court and advocacy work.


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Q: Embed Youtube video in Flash CS4? Is there any way to play Youtube content in a Flash movie without using a third party plugin?
I'm using Flash CS4 and Actionscript 3.0.

A: Yes, the YouTube ActionScript Player API:
http://code.google.com/apis/youtube/flash_api_reference.html

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I am sitting in our Christmas Lunch Area and thinking. The morning runs like expected. We had our requirements workshop. I presented the wishes and they were estimated. The task break down was ready before lunch. All run fast and smoothly.
I cannot apply myself completely the new wishes. More wishes are coming in every day. Most of them are more or less standard and we can manage well. Even the other teams are quite good in their plans as First Witch told us this morning during the stand up.
Storm or no storm – this was one of the crucial questions when the Aviation Forum 2014 started – as in 2013, storm "Xaver" was the reason why many participants of the Aviation Forum had to leave earlier.
Do you purchase services and find that entering the services performed is not organized consistently and cost-effectively? SupplyOn has developed a solution. The procurement of services is now common practice and offers many advantages, but often the administrative effort required prohibits the cost-effective organization of service provision processes.
For example, suppose you have engaged a software house to work for six months on customizing your financial software. You will naturally want to know how many of the contracted man-days the provider uses each month. At present, the service provider sends you a performance sheet in an e-mail, as a PDF document, or gives you the information by phone. You, the buyer, then have to log in to your system (e.g., SAP SRM) and enter the services performed by hand. On this basis the supplier submits a monthly invoice, or possibly only one invoice at the end of the contract period, since partial invoices are too labor-intensive. There are obviously a number of disadvantages to this process, ranging from manual data input to rising costs because of the buyer's increased workload.
While catalogs for ordering office supplies via SAP SRM have been an established standard for years, this has not been the case for purchasing complex services.
Why is that? In our view, the main reason is that, for office supplies, buyers know exactly how much of anything they need to order.
When ordering a service however, it is necessary to reach agreement with the supplier. SAP SRM does not support the process of negotiating with suppliers, and that explains why operating departments cannot simply buy services from a catalog.
With only four weeks to go before Christmas, we have an insider reveal some secrets about Santa Clause´s Christmas organization. Every Friday until Christmas, you can follow this special Christmas tale and find out along with the story what it means to be agile.
Thus I fly to the North Pole (the scheduling of the public flying carpets becomes worse each year). I go to the office and start my computer. As each year, I am awaiting a flood of wishes, which need to be handled: Archive, categorize, structure … of the wishes of last year, preparing the wish categories of this year, sorting of the remaining wishes – called left overs.
Has the aerospace industry outdistanced the automotive industry?
This seems to be a valid question: The figures reported by aerospace market analysts and managers can only seem a dream scenario for the automotive sector. Annual growth rates of approximately 7 per cent for commercial aircrafts with 150 seats – subsequently doubling the projected number for the next 10 years.