President Barack Obama issued a policy directive Tuesday putting the FBI in charge of cyberattack responses. For businesses, this means the FBI should be in the speed dial if help is needed.
The intent of the directive is to improve management of the U.S. response to "significant" cyberattacks.
Analysts say this action was needed because it was never clear just what agency was taking the lead in response to a cybe attack -- the U.S. Secret Service, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or some other federal agency.
The decision to put the FBI in charge "was essential," said Alan Paller, president of the Sans Technology Institute and director of research. "The FBI is the only non-DoD agency with a very high concentration of ninjas on staff -- people with the advanced forensics skills needed to find out what happened."
The FBI will now "take the lead in coordinating the response to the immediate threat," said Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, in a speech today at a security conference in New York.
As part of the move, the U.S. set six levels for classifying a cyberattack to ensure that that all federal agencies "have a common view of the severity of the incident," the directive said.
An incident that ranks level 3 or above "is consider significant" and will trigger a coordinated government response.
The White House directive doesn't exclude other agencies. The DHS will "take the lead" in "coordinating help for organizations dealing with the impact of a cyberattack or intrusion and preventing the attack from spreading elsewhere," said Monaco.
But Paller said DHS's role is "aspirational at best."
"DHS has systematically shown itself to devalue -- and as a result not be able to hire -- people with the advanced skills needed to perform those tasks," said Paller.
Paller said that he can only hope that the FBI's skills in analyzing any attacks, combined with non-DHS resources -- including the National Security Agency and CIA, as well as non-government expertise -- "may be sufficient to perform the critical tasks that DHS is not able to do in response to a major attack. But I am not confident.
"The U.S. could be disabled for a very long time by an attack like the one the hit the Ukraine," said Paller.
In 2015, the Ukrainian power grid was affected by a third party's entry into the power company's computer and SCADA systems, knocking out power for more than 200,000.
Avivah Litan, a Gartner cybersecurity analyst, said the decision to put the FBI in charge is a good one. "At least there is someone that takes the initiative," she said.
The FBI has also worked more than other agencies to coordinate with the private sector. "They have had a lot of outreach over the years. I've seen them at conferences a lot," said Litan.
Businesses will likely be skeptical of the benefits of this move, and there's been criticism about difficulty in getting actionable intelligence about cyberthreats from federal agencies, said Litan. That's compounded by agency overlap.
"I'd be cautiously optimistic that the FBI will cut through the coordination noise," said Litan. "At least you know there is one agency you can call."


It used to be. Somewhere, squeezed between the end of development and release.
But then things changed, because they had to.
We're testing product ideas, way before there's one line of code.
We're testing the code as it's being written, because we want to make sure it does what we think. We even use tests to design it.
We're testing prototypes to see if what we envisioned makes sense.
We're testing new technologies, because we hope at least one will eventually work. And once new ones arrive we continue testing them for our future releases.
We're testing the way we work, to see if we can improve our learning, analysis and decision making.
We're testing before release to see if we want to ship.
We're testing after release to see if the product is used, how it's being used, and what data it can provide for the next version.
We're testing different environments, where the product resides, to lower costs, and get some benefits.
We're testing different business models around the product.
We're testing all the time.
Testing is not a phase in the software development life cycle.


text:
Kevin Ware reflects as recovery process begins
Published On April 4, 2013 | By Tyler Scionti
Kevin Ware's compound fracture of his lower right leg in Louisville's 85-63 win over Duke on Sunday has to be right up there with the most gruesome in all of sports. You would need a stomach made of iron to bear watching the replays of the bizarre incident, and even then you'll still be queasy.
But apparently the person least bothered by the injury at first was the man on the ground with the bone sticking out of his leg. Ware said he did not know the extent of his own injury initially, and when he went down his first thought was that he had tweaked his ankle. Then, when the shock wore off slightly, he said he realized it was something much more serious.
What might be most troubling about Ware's injury, though, is that it occurred in a play Ware had executed countless times. Why should it now end in a gruesome injury? The thought is that Ware suffered from a repeated weakening of his legs through a series of minor stress fractures and then it all came apart in one instant.
"He came down hard, landing in an awkward way," Dr. Robert Glatter of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York told Neporent. "That, combined with an underlying bone issue or an existing stress fracture, predisposes someone to this type of injury."
An emotional Ware gave an interview with ESPN just days after his injury and surgery Sunday. In the interview, Ware revealed how he felt during the game and after his injury. Ware seemed accepting of what had happened; when it comes to injuries, there is not much an athlete can do other than just try to recover as quickly as possible.
"It's just one of those things where if it was going to happen it was going to happen" Ware said in an interview with ESPN.
Towards the middle of the interview, the emotions came out as Ware started to tear up when he recalled his thoughts immediately after the injury.
"I just wanted to know that we were going to win this game… that was the only thing going through my head. I honestly wasn't concerned about the injury. I felt that if that was the last time I played basketball, I had left my mark." Ware said.
The Cardinals went on to win the game, surprising Ware with the news in the hospital. In return for his dedication and selfless devotion to the team, Ware's teammates plan on honoring him during their warm-ups at the Final Four by wearing a special shirt with the phrase "Ri5e to the occasion." Ware is cleared to travel with the team and will be supporting them in any way he can despite his limitations.
While this type of injury is extremely rare in sports (it is seen way more often when there is blunt-force trauma, such as in a car accident), there is no doubt that with time, plenty of rehab and maybe a little luck, Ware will make another appearance on the basketball court.
For now, his presence on the Louisville bench will continue to inspire the team as they try to win a national championship.
DukeKevin WareLouisvilleMarch Madness
Tyler Scionti Hi I'm Tyler Scionti, I'm a member of the class of 2015 at the College of the Holy Cross where I study English and Economics. At school I cover a variety of sports while also writing a beat column on the Boston Red Sox.
When you love March Madness but don't follow NCAA basketball
Why not: Luke Hancock's improbable rise to glory
Louisville set to face Michigan in the finals
The Cookie Jar: Sports Tidbits

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I'm sorry, I'm new here and I'm still learning how to use this.
The code tags you mention are these ?
Yes, when you "POSTREPLY", click on BBCode near the right edge of the screen to learn how to use the various formatting options.
This is NOT a CICS program -- because CICS COBOL programs NEVER have a FILE-CONTROL, nor a FILE SECTION, nor a SELECT. The fact that you have invalid coding in your program alone explains the U4038 ABEND. CICS handles all allocations / deallocations / opens / closes for the application program. https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgece ... rview.html is a link to one version of the CICS Application Programming Guide which tells you how to code CICS programs. I recommend you read it very carefully.
Do you mean that application programmers are not usually allowed to look at CEEMSG, or do you mean they do not usually know how to look at it? Anyway, the OP's code mentions Hercules as the source and object computer, so I would assume he should be able to look at CEEMSG.
Many sites restrict access to the CICS region jobs, but also many do not understand how to find and look at LE output. And since it is a violation of IBM's licensing for z/OS and CICS as well as copyright laws to run CICS on Hercules, I would hope the topic starter is not actually doing so. But if Hercules is running CICS, then certainly it should be possible to look at the LE output in the CICS job.
When I studied COBOL, all the programs I created to use files always had FILE-CONTROL(with SELECT) and FILE SECTION.
In those programs, I even had to include instructions in the COBOL program to open and close the file.
Those programs weren't created for CICS.
I knew that the CICS controls the opening and closing of the file by itself, but I believed that FILE-CONTROL and FILE SECTION were always needed.
Today, I've seen in a page that a COBOL CICS program should not have ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, so I'm going to remove that entire division.
I'm also going to remove the FILE SECTION.
Mr. Robert Sample nailed it.
After removing the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and the FILE SECTION, the program executes and shows the map.
So the ABEND 4038 is solved.
Unfortunately now I have another problem, but because it is a problem with VSAM, I'm going to ask it in the VSAM section.
However I would like to ask for your advice on the matter of the storage violation.
In your opinion what is the best practice to avoid storage violation ?
I would like to give thanks to everybody.
I'm not convinced that all storage violations can be avoided. It is more important to recognize them when they occur and where to look to fix them. And one of the nasty things about storage violations is that when one occurs, innocent programs might be affected and showing the violation when the actual culprit is a different program entirely.


text:
Q: How to solve this list index out of range error i want to obtain proper list of marks and models of boats from two dataset (one lambda an another of reference) with fuzzywuzzy (levensthein model in python) but i have an issue in my code that i don't understand
the two datasets:
https://www.transfernow.net/dl/202203070QxpVjYJ
there is my code :
   #%%
    from fuzzywuzzy import process
    import pandas as pd

    #%%
    BASE_LAMBDA_PATH = '../ressources/marques_modeles_lambda_entier.csv'
    BASE_REF_PATH = '../ressources/marques_modeles_ref_entier.csv'
    #%%
    lambda_df = pd.read_csv(BASE_LAMBDA_PATH, sep=";")
    #%%
    ref_df = pd.read_csv(BASE_REF_PATH, sep=";")

    #%% j'ai créé ma liste de résultat (initée à vide)
    df_result = pd.DataFrame(columns=['marque', 'lambda','ref','score'])

    #%% je parcours ma table de modèles lambda
    for ind in lambda_df.index:
        marque = lambda_df['MARQUE_REF'][ind]
        modele_lambda = lambda_df['MODELE'][ind]
        ref_list = (ref_df[(ref_df['lib_marque'] == marque)]['lib_model']).to_list()
        choices = process.extract(modele_lambda, ref_list, limit=1)
        approx = choices[0][0]
        score = choices[0][1]
        df2 = pd.DataFrame(data = [(marque, modele_lambda, approx, score)],\
             columns=['marque', 'lambda','ref','score'])
        df_result = pd.concat([df_result, df2], axis=0, ignore_index=True)

    df_result.to_csv('output_matching_groupe.csv', sep=';', index=False)

    '''
    tdep = time.time()
    tfin = time.time()
    print(f"duree de {tfin-tdep} secondes")
    '''
    # %%

the error:
    IndexError                                Traceback (most recent call last)
    c:\Users\boats\src\list_matching_groupe.py in <cell line: 1>()
          20 ref_list = (ref_df[(ref_df['lib_marque'] == marque)]['lib_model']).to_list()
          21 choices = process.extract(modele_lambda, ref_list, limit=1)
    ----> 22 approx = choices[0][0]
          23 score = choices[0][1]
          24 df2 = pd.DataFrame(data = [(marque, modele_lambda, approx, score)],\
          25      columns=['marque', 'lambda','ref','score'])

    IndexError: list index out of range

I don't understand it because choices[0][0] actually works i obtain: 'Guy Couach 1401'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
'Citizen Kane' Has A Rotten Day
By Audie Cornish,
Mary Louise Kelly, Audie Cornish, Courtney Dorning, Sam Yellowhorse Kesler
For some eight decades, Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" has been widely viewed as the greatest film ever made.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "CITIZEN KANE")
ORSON WELLES: (As Charles Foster Kane) Rosebud.
CORNISH: That all changed this week, when a less-than-flattering 80-year-old Chicago Tribune Review surfaced.
The review was written under the pseudonym Mae Tinee. It reads, you've heard a lot about this picture, and I see by the ads that some experts think it's the greatest movie ever made. I don't.
DOROTHY COMINGORE: (As Susan Alexander Kane) Charlie, he said my name would be dragged through the mud.
CORNISH: Who cares about a decades-old movie review? Well, the movie rating site Rotten Tomatoes - that's who. Welles' masterpiece slipped from a 100% rating to a measly 99%. "Citizen Kane" now ranks below several other films, including "12 Angry Men," "Battleship Potemkin," "The Maltese Falcon" and...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "PADDINGTON 2")
HUGH GRANT: (As Phoenix Buchanan) Your name is...
BEN WHISHAW: (As Paddington) Paddington Brown.
CORNISH: "Paddington 2" - yes, the animated bear.
RUTH WARRICK: (As Emily Monroe Norton Kane) Sometimes I think I'd prefer a rival of flesh and blood.
WELLES: (As Charles Foster Kane) Oh, Emily.
KELLY: Director of the "Paddington" films Paul King told The Hollywood Reporter that it is lovely to be on any list which includes "Citizen Kane." And he added, I won't let it go too much to my head and immediately build my Xanadu, but I have been cooking up a model just in case.
CORNISH: Charles Foster Kane was haunted by the loss of Rosebud. We'll never know if Orson Welles might feel the same way about that elusive Rotten Tomatoes 100% fresh. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
Audie Cornish
See stories by Audie Cornish
Over two decades of journalism, Audie Cornish has become a recognized and trusted voice on the airwaves as co-host of NPR's flagship news program, All Things Considered.
Courtney Dorning
Courtney Dorning has been a Senior Editor for NPR's All Things Considered since November 2018. In that role, she's the lead editor for the daily show. Dorning is responsible for newsmaker interviews, lead news segments and the small, quirky features that are a hallmark of the network's flagship afternoon magazine program.
See stories by Courtney Dorning
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler
See stories by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler


Elections | The Bloxwich Telegraph – incorporating The Bloxidge Tallygraph and Walsall North News. Founded 2006.
Cllr Patti Lane (Picture: George Makin).
Bloxwich West's newest Labour councillor, Patti Lane, will make education her priority after a closely fought by-election which she won with over 50 percent of the vote.
The retired primary school teacher out-polled Conservative, UKIP and Liberal Democrat candidates with a majority of 266, increasing the party's share of the vote and overall majority.
She won the seat at the election on 15th November after popular Councillor Sue Fletcher-Hall stepped down for personal reasons.
Cllr Lane, a mother of three, told The Bloxwich Telegraph that her victory was a rejection of the Tory/Lib Dems coalition which runs Walsall council.
"The people of Bloxwich West have clearly rejected the disproportionate cuts the government, and its supporters in Walsall council, are forcing on local authorities.
"As a former teacher I will make education and care of our local children a priority.
"But campaigning on the doorstep it was clear that people are concerned that cuts in police numbers and council services like park wardens, will see an increase in anti-social behaviour and crime.
"Another issue of concern is the terrible state of the roads and pavements in areas like Mossely, which have been neglected and under funded for some time.
Call me a hairy old cynic if you like (and all of those terms may well be true), but the imminent prospect of giving yet another distant and probably rather deaf politician a leg-up onto the Gravy Train does not exactly fill me with glee – however this is the opportunity which has been gifted to all of us of voting age by the rampant racketeers running the show from Number 10 down in Londinium, oh chums.
Yes, for those of you who haven't noticed (and who could blame you, bearing in mind the late and rather skimpy information about candidates made available?) you may be interested to know that the Bat-Signal has finally gone up over Brummagem, heralding the election for the new Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands (aka Greater Brummagem) which takes place today (Thursday 15th November) at a polling station near you.
Once the election has concluded and the results announced, the PCCs, for short, will replace police authorities currently in charge of 41 police forces in England and Wales. They will have wide powers of oversight, being responsible for setting priorities for their police force, overseeing its budget and hiring the chief constable – but not, it is said, over the day-to-day operation of local policing. In other words, they'll be busy wasting police time, an activity for which us ordinary Gothamites would be banged in the slammer or relieved of a whole heap of moolah.
Those PCC's in the most extensive police force areas – and Greater Brummagem is presumably one of these – will be paid salaries of more than £100,000 – and no prior police force experience is needed, which seems rather a novelty for such an apparently complex and influential job. But then, it also seems that neither MP's nor government Ministers need to know anything about running a country either, so why not?
Will this whole shebang be worth more than a hill o' beans in the end? Or will the Government continue to Kapow our local bobbies till all we have left of our excellent Walsall Police force is a Tardis, a part-time PCSO and a com-BAT-trained Chihuahua?
Well, as far as voting goes at least, the choice is yours in the end – this is a democracy, after all (allegedly). And just in case you don't believe, as do some less charitable folk, that the whole business is just another cynical ploy to enable politicians to gain more power over both plod and plebs alike, it seems only right that we point you in the direction of some useful background info about the candidates for this exercise in 'regional' democracy (what do you mean, you wish we were back in Staffordshire?).
Whether you're excited or not at the prospect of replacing a gaggle of overpaid, faceless bureaucrats with a single, slightly less faceless, overpaid bureaucrat (remember none of these PCC candidates are from Walsall, the nearest is a denizen of Wolverhampton) who may or may not have a political axe to grind, you may at least like the idea of more alleged accountability over police policy and funding, if not more accountability over the police themselves. On that basis, perhaps it may be worth voting after all.
Of course, it doesn't always work out that way – and if only 10% turn out for the vote, that can hardly be a victory for democracy, or accountability,can it?
Dear Citizens of Greater Brummagem, your comments are most welcome (but keep 'em clean!).
Julie Fitzpatrick has the support of David Winnick, MP.
Thursday's by-election in the Bloxwich East Ward of Walsall Council has seen an historic swing to Labour of 19% in a ward which has for a good number of years been split between their party and the Conservatives, with the latter in the majority.
In a significant victory, the seat left vacant following the death of long-serving Tory Bill Tweddle fell to an apparently rejuvenated local Labour party, seeing the defeat of Conservative candidate Les Beeley by almost ninety votes, leaving the other parties to scrabble in the dust for those few votes left.
Labour's successful candidate, the energetic and community-minded Julie Fitzpatrick, is married to Shaun Fitzpatrick, whose own battle on behalf of the Labour party saw a previous defeat of long-serving Beeley in the council elections earlier this year.
Labour 922, Conservative 834, UKIP 98, English Democrats 49, Green Party 16.
The Bloxwich Telegraph would like to congratulate Julie Fitzpatrick on her success. We hope to be able to report more on her work as our newest Labour Councillor in the near future.
Figures courtesy Pheasey Park Farm Labour.
Julie Fitzpatrick digs for victory in Bloxwich High Street during Bloxwich in Bloom.
Julie Fitzpatrick, the Labour Party's newest candidate on the block in Bloxwich, is digging for victory in this week's Bloxwich East by-election, which takes place on Thursday 27 October.
And Julie, who says she wants to stand up for the local community against Tory-LibDem cuts, is hoping to help overturn the established balance of power in Bloxwich East by pipping former Conservative councillor Les Beeley in particular at the post, in a battle for the seat vacated by the late Bill Tweddle, another long-serving Tory, who passed away earlier this year.
Julie, who has lived in Victoria Avenue, Bloxwich, for eleven years, has a good track record of working enthusiastically in the community, helping raise funds for St. Giles Walsall Hospice through the WS3 Friends of Walsall Hospice Group, and is also an active member of Bloxwich Carnival Committee as well as a member of St. Peter's Church.
Polling takes place between 7am-10pm at Bloxwich C E J M I School, High St; Lower Farm Primary School, Bakewell Close; Little Bloxwich CE Primary, Grenfell Road; St. Peters R.C. Church Hall, Harrison St; Green Rock Primary School, Mersey Road, Blakenall Heath and Valley Nursery School, Blakenall Heath.
Full details of the Bloxwich East by-election, including all of the candidates, can be found and downloaded on Walsall Council's Elections and Voting web page.


text:
Wayne Perry may refer to:

Wayne M. Perry, National President of the Boy Scouts of America
Wayne Perry (country music) (died 2005), singer-songwriter
Wayne Perry (lawn bowls), South African lawn bowler

See also
 Perry (surname)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Help your pet feel better and live longer using natural holistic care. Learn about pet nutrition, acupuncture, chiropractic and nutritional supplements. If your pet has been suffering from chronic allergies, urinary tract infections, arthritis, skin problems and other health issues, learn how optimal pet nutrition and holistic veterinary care can help!
Please visit http://www.askariel.com/ for more information or call 949-499-9380.
I currently buy a holistic pet food through my local no-kill shelter and they benefit from the proceeds.
The holistic pet food created by veterinarian Dr. Jane Bicks. She has her own stand-alone manufacturing facility, so there is no worry about cross-contamination of equipment by other pet-food manufacturers using lower-quality ingredients. She makes the food in small batches and quality control tests every one.
She also uses only human-grade ingredients, and no corn, wheat or soy products. No preservatives or dyes. The foods are fast-cooked to retain the maximum amount of nutrients, and she refuses to sell the product via stores because she doesn't want it sitting on store shelves (because of the absence of preservatives). So you order it online through a registered agent, and it ships to your door! The best part is that she encourages customers to call into a monthly conference call she does and ask questions about the food. Can't do that with Iams or Science Diet!
Also, please note that each 40-lb bag of kibble contains approximately 160 cups. Each cup of dog food has 483 kcal/cup. Check whatever food you're using now, because this is very nutritionally-dense food and most people find they need to feed much less of it to maintain their pets' weights. I cut my 70-lb pointer back from 2 cups twice a day to 1.3 cups twice a day. My heeler gets half a cup twice a day.


Prepare Idahoan Baby Reds following package instructions.
Stir in pickles, radishes, hard-boiled egg, celery and red onion.
Combine mayo and mustards in a separate bowl and mix into mashed potato mixture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and celery seed if using.


If your employees aren't being productive at work, maybe the problem isn't starting with them. Maybe it's your management style. No offense, but we often find that our customers start looking for an employee monitoring solution before they've dealt with longstanding internal management issues that have soured the workplace for far too long.
Rewards Come in Plenty of Forms. Money talks – and it's hard to beat a raise in salary or a quarterly bonus. But then, good employees can often achieve these kinds of compensation for other reasons, like just meeting their regular performance review metrics. To go beyond the formalities of your office bureaucracy, Hewat suggests celebrating their birthday or offering more open working conditions like flexible hours – or how about taking the top producer out for lunch, or getting them tickets to a movie or sports event?
Gamify the Rewards Program. We've seen this work wonders with plenty of our customers – introducing a competitive element that normally is the preserve of sales reps looking to beat their colleague for that free trip to Bermuda. Employees earn points for achieving something extra in their job description – and at the end, the winner feels a sense of entitlement.
Essentially, these ideas are about getting employees feeling engaged in what they do and reminding them that they're part of a team. They're not just some anonymous piece of hardware in the corporate machine. Recognizing good performance is as important, if not more important, than nailing the poor performers.
When new customers come looking for employee computer monitoring software, the troublemakers they've already identified are typically the least happy employees on the team. These people don't seem to take much pleasure in their goofing off – and it's often the case that the most productive employees are also the happiest, in and out of the workplace. If you're managing a department or larger company, do your part to keep employees productive – and with our software, we'll do our part to help you identify the ones who might need a little extra attention.


This huge bay colt that we only recently announced was born on December 2, 2004, has just been SOLD to North Wind Morgan Farm in Wasilla, Alaska. Congratulations Mike & Paula Vrana on your newest member to your breeding program! Mike and Paula plan to acquire, in the next few years, more well-bred and well-mannered Morgan mares to compliment their herd. They are focusing on big-boned, old style Morgans.
We invite you to visit North Wind Morgan Farm.


The sign looks great - thank you!!
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We love our new wraps on the trucks. It has already generated new business.
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Lobby and Hallway look great!! Thanks.
The signs are great. Your staff did a great job.
I could not be happier! Thank you for getting this installed.
Looks great, thanks for getting this completed!
Just wanted to let you know I saw the exterior sign finished and lit up on my way home last night. It looks great, thanks for getting this completed!
WOW the signs look awesome.
WOW the signs look awesome. And it was finished so FAST! My sign was really a Priority!
Everyone is pleased with the signage!!
The sign is fantastic, and is exactly what we asked for. Paul did a great job installing it. And in my opinion, is a keeper for your company. It has been wonderful working with you, and I have no problem using your company again when the need arises or recommending you guys.
I had color issues with a previous vendor... Priority Signs assured me there would be zero issues and they were right. Very easy to deal with.
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text:
The Smurfs (film)
Updated on Oct 04, 2021
Alchetron3.6
22% Rotten Tomatoes
Director Raja Gosnell
Narrated by Tom Kane
Duration 103 minutes
5.5/10 IMDb
30% Metacritic
Film series The Smurfs
Music director Heitor Pereira
Release date June 16, 2011 (2011-06-16) (Juzcar, Spain (premiere))July 29, 2011 (2011-07-29) (United States)
Based on The Smurfs by Peyo
Initial release July 24, 2011 (New York City)
Cast Neil Patrick Harris (Patrick Winslow), Jayma Mays (Grace Winslow), Anton Yelchin (Clumsy Smurf (voice)), Hank Azaria (Gargamel (voice)), Alan Cumming (Gutsy Smurf (voice)), Katy Perry (Smurfette (voice))
Similar movies Batman Begins, Chelsea FC - Season Review 2013/14, Chelsea FC - Double Champions! Season Review 2011/12, Chelsea FC - Season Review 2009/10, Chelsea FC - Season Review 2008/09, Chelsea FC - Season Review 2004/05
Tagline Smurf Happens.
The Smurfs is a 2011 American 3D live-action/computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the comic book series of the same name created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo. It was directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays and Sofía Vergara, with Jonathan Winters and Katy Perry as the voices of Papa Smurf and Smurfette. It is the first CGI/live-action hybrid film produced by Sony Pictures Animation, and the first in The Smurfs duology. The film tells the story of the Smurfs as they get lost in New York, and try to find a way to get back home before Gargamel catches them.
Live action actors
Filming and animation
Critical reviews
The Smurfs 2
Cancelled third film and a reboot
After five years of negotiations, Jordan Kerner bought the rights in 2002, and the film entered development with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, until Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation obtained the film rights in 2008. Filming began in March 2010 in New York City.
After having the release date changed three times, Columbia Pictures released The Smurfs on July 29, 2011. Box office analysts initially predicted the film would tie with Cowboys & Aliens, but The Smurfs ultimately came in second, grossing $35.6 million against Cowboys & Aliens' $36.4 million gross. The Smurfs reached the $500 million milestone in the weekend of September 23–25, 2011.
A sequel, titled The Smurfs 2, was released on July 31, 2013.
As the Smurfs get ready for the Blue Moon Festival, Papa Smurf sees in his cauldron a vision of Clumsy Smurf reaching for a dragon wand and the Smurfs in cages while Gargamel laughs. Not wanting this vision to come true, Papa Smurf disallows Clumsy to pick Smurf Roots. Clumsy disobeys Papa and ends up unintentionally leading Gargamel and Azrael to the village. The Smurfs all flee for their lives while Clumsy unknowingly runs towards the Forbidden Falls, with Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Grouchy, Brainy and Gutsy running after him. They find him at the edge of a cliff, and while trying to help him up, they are sucked into a gigantic vortex that spirits them to present day New York City. To make matters worse, Gargamel and Azrael follow and the Smurfs end up in the apartment of Patrick and Grace Winslow, a married and expectant couple and their Basset Hound Elway. After clarifying things, the Winslows befriend them and allow them to stay in their apartment. The next day, needing to find a "star gazer" (a telescope), the Smurfs follow Patrick to his workplace at Anjelou Cosmetics, misunderstanding the previous explanation of his job as fortune-telling. He calls Grace to pick them up.
However, having extracted "Smurf essence" from a lock of Smurfette's hair, Gargamel also arrives and ends up being treated by Patrick's boss Odile upon using most of his acquired magic on her elderly mother by restoring her youth and attractiveness. But Gargamel resumes his search upon recognizing Patrick and following him to FAO Schwarz, but gets arrested after stealing a leaf blower and for causing chaos in the store with some customers while trying to catch the Smurfs. Gargamel manages to bust out of jail with the aid of flies. By that Time, Papa Smurf manages to calculate the night he and the others can get home. But first, he must figure out the spell to do so. Patrick tells them that there is an old bookstore in the city near Anjelou Cosmetics as he bonds with the Smurfs after sending what he believed to be his finished advertisement to be published. However, the next day, Patrick learns that Clumsy accidentally attached a blue-moon themed side project and he loses his temper before walking out on both the Smurfs and Grace to save his job.
Forced to search on their own, the Smurfs find the store and find the book L'Histoire des Schtroumpfs by researcher Peyo, containing the spell to turn the moon blue. But learning of their location, Gargamel sneaks into the bookstore and finds a dragon wand, transferring his magic into it as he uses it to capture Papa Smurf as he sends the others to safety. Though the Smurfs promised Papa Smurf that they won't try to save him and return home, Clumsy and Patrick, having seen the error of his actions after Grace gave him a sonogram picture of their baby, convince them to plan a rescue. At Belvedere Castle, after increasing the dragon wand's power with bits of Papa Smurf's beard, Gargamel finds himself facing all the Smurfs, summoned to New York by Brainy conjuring the blue moon. As the Smurf army battles Gargamel, Smurfette defeats Azrael and saves Papa Smurf before they join the fray. Though Gargamel attempts to break the Smurfs by killing Papa, Patrick saves him while Gutsy knocks the dragon wand out of the wizard's hand but he drops it. Clumsy tries to catch it, and to Papa Smurf's surprise, manages to catch it and sends Gargamel flying into a trash can and being hit by a bus with the advertisement "Blue Moon" on it before Papa Smurf breaks it. Soon after, the Smurfs take their leave as Patrick receives a call from Odile that he still has his job because he finally gave her what she wants after she noticed the blue moon that Brainy created. Later, Patrick and Grace have a baby boy, whom they name Blue to honor the Smurfs, who rebuild their village in the style of New York.
In the aftermath, Gargamel wakes up and learns that he is still in the present and he looks at the audience before breaking the fourth wall and asking them "What are you looking at?" and blasts them with his wand.
Hank Azaria as Gargamel, the nemesis of the Smurfs who plots to use the Smurfs as part of a spell which would turn lead into gold. As opposed to the television show where Gargamel's goal is to use the Smurfs as the key ingredient in an alchemical formula to create gold or eat them or destroy them, in the film he wants to capture them to serve as charms, "whose mystical essence will make his inept magic more powerful — and dangerous". To look the part of Gargamel, Azaria wore a prosthetic nose, ears, buck teeth, eyebrows, and a wig (to make the process easier, he shaved his head). The initial make-up test took three hours, but by mid-production, the process took 90 minutes to complete. Azaria was transformed over 50 times and spent approximately 130 hours in the make-up chair.
Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick "Pat" Winslow, the new VP of marketing at Anjelou Cosmetics
Jayma Mays as Grace Winslow, Patrick's pregnant wife
Sofía Vergara as Odile Anjelou, an executive at Anjelou Cosmetics who is Patrick's boss.
Tim Gunn as Henri, Odile's executive assistant at Anjelou Cosmetics.
Paula Pizzi as Odile's Mother
Joan Rivers, Liz Smith, Tom Colicchio, Olivia Palermo and Michael Musto make cameos in the film at a fictional Anjelou cosmetics product launch.
Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf, the leader of the Smurfs. Winters previously provided the voice of Grandpa Smurf in the 1980s cartoon series. He and Frank Welker are the only original cast members from the TV series who returned for the film.
Katy Perry as Smurfette, the female of the Smurfs. About gaining the voice role, Perry said: "They had done a blind test where they took certain voices from previous interviews and matched them with the character. They liked my voice without even knowing who it was, and when they found out it was me, they thought that would work out. My personality was just a plus!"
Anton Yelchin as Clumsy Smurf. Yelchin commented on his character's personality change from the cartoons series saying, "I was familiar with Clumsy from the TV series, where he had that Southern twang. I went back and watched that, and then Raja, Jordan and I talked about it. We decided to make Clumsy a little simpler, a little sweeter. His voice is pitched higher than my normal speaking voice – it's full of joy, optimism, and enthusiasm for life. Clumsy isn't trying to mess anything up for anybody — he's just clumsy, and actually, he's tired of being clumsy".
Fred Armisen as Brainy Smurf, the smartest Smurf, below Papa Smurf. Quentin Tarantino was up to voice him, but he turned it down.
Alan Cumming as Gutsy Smurf, one of three Smurfs created specifically for the film and who is Scottish, wears a kilt and has sideburns. The character is also described as the "action hero" of the film.
George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf. To prepare for his role of being "grouchy", Lopez did not drink coffee, made sure he had bad breath and picked the busiest time to get to the studio.
Jeff Foxworthy as Handy Smurf
Paul Reubens as Jokey Smurf
Gary Basaraba as Hefty Smurf
John Oliver as Vanity Smurf
Kenan Thompson as Greedy Smurf
B. J. Novak as Baker Smurf
Joel McCrary as Farmer Smurf
Wolfgang Puck as Chef Smurf
John Kassir as Crazy Smurf, the second Smurf created specifically for the film
Tom Kane as Narrator Smurf, the third Smurf created specifically for the film.
Frank Welker as Azrael, Gargamel's cat. Welker provided the voice of Hefty Smurf and other characters in the 1980s cartoon series. Four Orange tabby cats played the role of Azrael with some scenes being created with CGI by Tippett Studio. Animal trainer Larry Madrid had a "rare Burma cat" that was used to educe snarls from the other cats since they did not like him.
In 1997, producer Jordan Kerner sent the first "of a series of letters" to The Smurfs' licensing agent Lafig Belgium expressing interest in making a feature film. It was not until 2002 after a draft of Kerner's film adaptation of Charlotte's Web was read by Peyo's heirs, that they accepted Kerner's offer. Peyo's daughter Véronique Culliford and family had wanted to make a Smurfs film for years and said that Kerner was the first person to pitch a film that shared their "vision and enthusiasm". Kerner soon began developing the 3-D CGI feature film with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. In 2006, Kerner said the film was planned to be a trilogy and would explain more of Gargamel's backstory. He stated, "We'll learn [more] about Gargamel and Smurf Soup and how all that began and what really goes on in that castle. What his backstory really was. There's an all-powerful wizard… there's all sorts of things that get revealed as we go along". Early animation footage was leaked on the internet in early 2008. The filmmakers were allowed to create three new Smurfs for the film – Narrator, Crazy, and Gutsy.
In June 2008, it was announced that Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation obtained the film rights from Lafig Belgium. Kerner said the current project started with Sony during a conversation with the chairman-CEO Michael Lynton, who grew up watching The Smurfs in the Netherlands. Kerner explained, "He relished them as I do and suggested that it should be a live-action/CG film. Amy Pascal felt equally that there was potentially a series of films in the making". Shrek 2 writers, J. David Stem and David N. Weiss wrote the screenplay along with Zookeeper writers Jay Scherick and David Ronn; Stem and Weiss also wrote the story. Raja Gosnell directed. Quentin Tarantino was in talks to play Brainy Smurf, however, these did not pan out.
On a budget of $110 million, principal photography began in New York City on March 26, 2010. In May, scenes were filmed in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. That month, scenes were shot all night for five nights in a row at F.A.O. Schwartz toy store. Production was temporarily halted after a worker fell 30 feet from a set at the toy store on Fifth Avenue and 58th Street; he later recovered in a hospital. Other locations used for filming were Belvedere Castle, the Russian Tea Room, Rockefeller Center, and Brooklyn's Prospect Park. A two-thirds-scale replica of the Belvedere Castle was built with wooden grates as floors (to create additional contrast). Gargamel's dungeon under the Belvedere Castle, which included the "Smurfalator", was built on a soundstage. It took three months to build because some parts were hard to come by. Production eventually found the rare parts at garage sales, flea markets, on eBay and Craigslist.
In order to help the Smurfs' animators during post-production, cinematographer Phil Meheux and his team would light up a scene where the Smurfs would be digitally added using 7 and one half-inch tall models to stand in during set-up and rehearsals. He explained, "We can then position the light so that it falls right. The actors know where the Smurf will be when it is animated later, so their eyelines will match. Then we can take out the model and shoot the scene, and they look quite real, fitting the real backing that we're giving them. It looks like they're part of the surroundings". Also during the process the Imageworks visual effects team used a new camera system to precisely record the on-set lighting, so it could be applied later in the computer. When time came to film a scene that would include actors and Smurfs, each Smurf was represented by a different colored dot and the actors had to remember which dot was which Smurf. The Smurfs characters were created during post-production by 268 Sony Pictures Imageworks employees who spent around 358,000 hours animating. Character designer Allen Battino, a long time Kerner collaborator, was brought in to redesign the characters for CGI.
The film had its worldwide premiere on June 16, 2011, in Júzcar, a small village in Spain. To celebrate the release, the residents painted entire village, including church and other historical buildings in blue. Twelve local painters used 4,000 litres of blue to transform traditionally white Júzcar into the world's first Smurf Village. Although Sony vowed to restore the village to its former look, six months after the premiere, the residents voted to keep the colour, which had brought more than 80,000 tourists to Júzcar.
In the USA, the film was meant to be released on December 17, 2010, but it was pushed to July 29, 2011 to avoid competition with Yogi Bear and Tron: Legacy. It was temporarily pushed further back to August 3, 2011, before being reverted to July 29, 2011. Sony teamed up with marketing partners in the United States and Canada to promote the film through McDonald's Happy Meals and Post Foods brand cereal.
The Smurfs was released on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and Blu-ray 3D on December 2, 2011, accompanied with an all new 22-minute animated short film The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol. The Smurfs and Friends with Benefits are the first Sony films compatible with the UltraViolet system, which enables users to access films on any web-connected device.
The Smurfs opened on approximately 5,300 screens at 3,395 locations, with 2,042 locations being 3D-enabled theaters. On July 28, 2011, Exhibitor Relations predicted The Smurfs would rank third its opening weekend with $24 million, but analyst Jeff Bock added that the film "could be a dark horse and do better than expected". That same day, John Young of Entertainment Weekly predicted a $32 million opening and a second-place ranking behind Cowboys & Aliens. He also stated that the ticket service Fandango reported that the film was leading in ticket sales. The Smurfs came in number one on Friday making an $13.2 million, ahead of Cowboys & Aliens' $13 million. According to Sony's research, 65% of The Smurfs' audience was parents (40%) and their children under 12 years old (25%). Overall the audience breakdown was reported as 64% female and 55% age 25 years and older.
Estimates later showed that Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs were tied at the number one spot for the weekend with $36.2 million each. However, actual figures showed Cowboys & Aliens won the weekend with $36.4 million just beating The Smurfs' $35.6 million. The Smurfs' opening was still stronger than anticipated since some box office analysts predicted that it would open below $30 million. For its second weekend the film remained at number two with Rise of the Planet of the Apes taking Cowboys & Aliens' spot. It made $20.7 million (41% being from 3D showings), a 42% decrease from it opening weekend.
The Smurfs opened to $4.4 million from seven territories with Spain taking in $4 million of that total. On its second weekend it expanded to 42 territories, taking first place in most of its markets and grossing $45.2 million. Among the markets the film opened in first place were Brazil ($6.65 million), France ($5.93 million), Mexico ($5.53 million) Germany ($5.43 million). The film grossed $142.6 million in the United States and Canada, along with $421.1 million in foreign markets, for a worldwide total of $563.7 million.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 22% of 116 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 4 out of 10. The site's critical consensus states, "The Smurfs assembles an undeniably talented cast of voice actors and live-action stars -- then crushes them beneath a blue mound of lowest-common-denominator kiddie fare." Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gave the film an average score of 30 based on 22 reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.
Keith Staskiewicz of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a D+ saying, "The Smurfs may be blue, but their movie is decidedly green, recycling discarded bits from other celluloid Happy Meals like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Garfield, and Hop into something half animated, half live action, and all careful studio calculation". Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a negative review saying, "This numbingly generic Smurf-out-of-water-tale is strictly for those who stand closer to three apples tall." Ending the review he said, "Having previously helmed two Scooby-Doos and a Beverly Hills Chihuahua, director Raja Gosnell could probably have done this one in his sleep, which is likely where all but the most attentive of caregivers will helplessly find themselves drifting."
Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel gave it two out of four stars saying, "The good news about the big-screen 3D version of The Smurfs that's opening at your neighborhood multiplex is that it's not the insipid and some say "socialist" Smurfs you remember from 1980s TV". He called the slapstick "very small-kid friendly" and considered the adult-friendly jokes "pretty mild stuff". He closed his review saying, "Yeah, the Smurfs are still sickeningly sweet and upbeat. But if you've got kids, it's not nearly as torturous to sit through as you might have feared". Justin Chang of Variety described the film as "adorable and annoying, patently unnecessary yet kinda sweet" and calling it "a calculated commercial enterprise with little soul but an appreciable amount of heart". He said, "The script does wink knowingly in the direction of attentive adults".
San Francisco Chronicle's Peter Hartlaub gave the film a mixed review. He said The Smurfs is a "rare movie where the worst parts are in the promos". He called Harris' performance an "honest effort in a thankless role" but said that Azaria as Gargamel "Hidden under prosthetics, [Hank Azaria] compensates for his lack of good lines and repulsive makeup by overacting". He closed his review saying, "Harris, mostly acting against Marshmallow Peep-sized animated creations, is convincing and likable throughout. No doubt he will poke fun at his participation in this film the next time he's hosting an awards show, but don't be fooled. It takes a good actor to save a bad movie". Ty Burr of The Boston Globe criticized the CGI used on the cat, the use of 3D by calling it "needless" and Lopez's voice as Grouchy. He called the Smurf rap the worst part of the film. However, Burr echoed Harlaub's praise for Harris' performance by saying, "Harris manages to class up whatever he touches, even if the sight of him repeatedly hitting himself with an umbrella probably won't go on the career highlight reel". About Azaria, he said, "[Azaria] gets to put on a baldy wig and fake buck-teeth and overact as broadly as he can. A little of this goes a long way unless you're 6 years old, which is the point". He also added that Sofia Vergara "shares the screenplay's confusion as to what, exactly, she's doing here".
USA Today's Scott Bowles enjoyed Azaria's performance calling him "the human standout" and saying "He and his distrusting cat, Azrael, steal scenes". He also called Jonathan Winters "wonderful" as Papa Smurf. Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times said Azaria was "quite funny". About the film's content, he said "Those grown-up winks, along with an array of New York locations, make The Smurfs a surprisingly tolerable film for adults. As for their children, well, who knows with kids? But at least the writers have cleverly built in enough Smurfology that today's youngsters will be able to get the basics of the blue universe". Betsy Sharkey from the Los Angeles Times gave the film a negative review saying, "Director Raja Gosnell starts with the innocence but then loses his way in trying to pull off the hipster spin the script by J. David Stern, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick and David Ronn is shooting for." and "There are many good actors wasted as voices — Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen and Winters among them — and in the flesh, though the greatest disservice is to Azaria".
NewNowNext Awards
Next Must See Movie (Nominated)
38th People's Choice Awards
Favorite Animated Movie Voice: Katy Perry (Nominated)
2012 Kids' Choice Awards
Favorite Movie (Nominated)
Favorite Movie Actress: Sofia Vergara (Nominated)
Favorite Voice in an Animated Film: Katy Perry (Won)
The Smurfs, a Nintendo DS video game was released on July 19, 2011.
The Smurfs Dance Party, a Nintendo Wii video game was released on July 19, 2011.
A sequel, titled The Smurfs 2, was released on July 31, 2013. Director Raja Gosnell and producer Jordan Kerner returned, along with all the main cast. New cast includes Christina Ricci, J. B. Smoove and Brendan Gleeson. In the sequel, Gargamel creates a couple of evil Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties to harness the magical Smurf-essence. When he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants and that only Smurfette can turn the Naughties into the real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and takes her to Paris. Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity return to the human world and seek the help of their friends Patrick and Grace Winslow to rescue Smurfette. Like its predecessor, The Smurfs 2 was met with critically negative reviews, and it earned $347 million.
On May 10, 2012, two weeks after Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation announced production of The Smurfs 2, Variety reported that writers Karey Kirkpatrick and Chris Poche were developing a script for The Smurfs 3, which was set for release on July 24, 2015, and later rescheduled for August 14, 2015. In March 2014, Sony announced that it will reboot the series with a completely computer-animated film. Directed by Kelly Asbury, the reboot, titled Smurfs: The Lost Village, was released on April 7, 2017.
The Smurfs (film) Wikipedia
The Smurfs (film) IMDbThe Smurfs (film) Rotten TomatoesThe Smurfs (film) MetacriticThe Smurfs (film) themoviedb.org
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Do You Have A Venue We Could Use For Our January Lunchtime Volunteering Fair?
Our January lunchtime volunteering fair was due to take place at St Pancras Community Association's lovely new building. However, the building completion date has been pushed back, so our lunchtime fair will now take place at another venue.
Let us know if you have availability at your place on 26th or 28th January by contacting Rupal here.


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Do Crocodiles Live in the Rainforest?
By Fauna Facts / May 30, 2022 May 31, 2022
Crocodile on land
Yes, crocodiles live in the rainforest. Unfortunately, most animal shows only capture and show crocodiles in Africa, but there are many crocodiles in the tropical rainforests in Asia, South America and Africa.
Crocodiles are spread around the world far and wide. The rainforest is just one of its many habitats. There are also two types of crocodiles—saltwater and freshwater croc. It is mostly the freshwater crocs that live in the rainforests of the world.
What is a rainforest?
Is a rainforest a good habitat for crocodiles?
What do crocodiles eat in the rainforest?
Where do crocodiles generally live?
Are rainforest crocodiles endangered?
What type of crocodile lives in the rainforest?
Do crocodiles live in the Amazon rainforest?
Orinoco Crocodile
American Crocodile
West-African Crocodile (Crocodylus suchus)
A rainforest is a vast ecosystem with diverse life forms. Some rainforests have been around for 70 million years. Rainforests are so big that they are home to more than half of all animal species.
There are rainforests in all parts of the world except Antarctica. The most popular ones are the rainforests in the Amazon River and another one in the Congo River.
The biodiversity of rainforests is important for achieving balance in the n world. They regulate the climate and provide the world with resources.
Related Article: Do Crocodiles Swim?
Borneo Crocodile Crocodylus siamensis
Yes, a rainforest is a good habitat for crocodiles. Since many rainforests are close to rivers, crocodiles have a high survival rate in them.
Crocodiles are cold-blooded animals, and the rainforest is perfectly suited for them. Crocodiles cannot survive in cold places like Antarctica. They cannot regulate their body temperature.
A rainforest, on the other hand, is tropical. It has a summer and a rainy season. Depending on the location of the rainforest, snow may occur. However, it does not snow in tropical areas like the Amazon.
Because of these ideal conditions, there are many animals in the rainforest—animals that the crocodile can eat. The temperature is also conducive. The animals, temperature, and river make the rainforest an ideal habitat for crocodiles.
Related Article: How strong is a crocodile bite force?
Crocodile in leafy water
The Amazon rainforest is vast. It is home to jaguars, eagles, and even dolphins. There are primates, big cats, frogs, and many other animals.
Here are some more stats about the Amazon rainforest:
More than 40,000 plant species
More than 3,000 freshwater species of fish
Move than 370 types of reptiles
The list can go on and on. Essentially, it is a thriving ecosystem, and there is food for everyone. The plants grow in ideal environments, so herbivores have something to eat. As herbivores grow, carnivores like the crocodile have enough food supply.
Related Article: Saltwater Crocodile vs Alligator: How Are They Different?
Crocodiles are well-adapted animals. The true crocodile has freshwater and saltwater species, so they could cross oceans and live in many types of habitats.
Crocodiles live in swamps, marshes, rivers, mangroves, and lakes. Although some crocodiles cross the sea, crocodiles do not live in the ocean. They cannot survive the sea for so long because they are not aquatic animals.
Crocodiles generally prefer tropical areas and the lowland. As cold-blooded animals, they need heat to regulate their body temperature, which they can do if they bask under the sun.
Wherever they are, crocodiles must live close to a body of water. Some crocodiles, however, live in areas in Africa where the land gets so dry. If this happens, the extreme drought kills the crocodiles.
Related Article: Are Crocodiles and Alligators Related
Crocodile in the sun
Some crocodiles are endangered. They are in this status because, over the years, land use by humans reduced the range and habitat of the crocs.
Hunting crocodiles was also prevalent in the past, as there was a demand for crocodile hide. Crocodile skin is a good source of leather for belts, shoes, and other clothing.
Related Article: Are crocodiles bulletproof?
Crocodile Swimming
There are many types of crocodiles that live in rainforests. The biggest is the saltwater crocodile, and it is commonly found in the Indo-pacific.
If one would include other crocodilian species and not just the true crocodile, then the Cuvier's dwarf caiman is the smallest type of croc in the rainforest.
In Madagascar, the Nile crocodile is the king of all reptiles. However, the Nile crocodile population is isolated. Researchers say that these crocodiles probably colonized the island after an extinction event called Voay.
Crocodiles occupy the western and southern parts of Madagascar. Many people have also spotted the Nile croc in Zanzibar and Comoros. However, sightings are rare.
Morelet's Crocodile
In the Amazon rainforest, the only crocodiles that live there are the Orinoco and the American crocodiles. The rest of the crocodilians are black caimans, which are technically a type of alligator. Black caimans are huge, and they can rival the size of the saltwater crocodile.
The Orinoco crocodile is an endangered species. The population has dwindled over the years. Right now, the estimate is that there are only 250 to 1,500 of them in the wild.
This crocodile lives in the Orinoco River basin, which crosses Colombia and Venezuela. People hunted these crocodiles extensively over the last 200 years.A large croc, the Orinoco can grow up to 17 feet and weigh up to 380 kilograms or 840 pounds.
The American Crocodile is one large species that live in the Americas. It lives in the Neotropics, and people can see these crocodiles from South Florida to the coast of Mexico. These crocodiles also live in Peru and Venezuela.
The American Crocodile is vulnerable. However, the last assessment of its status was in 1996. Back in 2007, the US Fish and Wildlife Service declassified this crocodile, and it is now considered threatened.
There are only about 2,000 of them left in the wild. In the US, it is illegal to poach and kill an American crocodile.
Crocodiles live in the rainforest. In the Amazon, the only true crocodiles that live there are the American crocodile and the Orinoco crocodile. If one would include other species of crocodilians, the black caiman is the most populous. Rainforests are ideal habitats for crocodiles. These lands have a diverse ecosystem, and they sustain life not only for the animal habitats but for people around the world.
Fauna Facts


The region's most premier event, Dubai world cup 2017 returns back on March 25th, Saturday at the iconic Meydan Racecourse. Dubai's most elite society along with world's top jockeys, trainers and horse racing fans from around the world will gather paying tribute to the Arabian love affair with horses and horse racing. It is known to be the most prestigious horse racing events in the world as well as one of UAE's biggest social and sporting events.
Enjoy the atmosphere, arab hospitality and the after-race concerts with some of the biggest names in the world of music followed by amazing display of fireworks!


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Will the sun never rise?
The yen hit a ten-month high against the dollar in foreign-exchange trading on Monday. This will make reform more difficult, as exports are the engine for Japanese recovery. Critics had already been saying that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has failed to deliver the changes he promised when he swept into office in April 2001.
Jul 15th 2002 |
"STRUCTURAL reform without sanctuary." This rather leaden phrase, radical by Japanese standards, was the rallying cry of Junichiro Koizumi when he swept into office in April 2001 as the man who would, finally, force the country to make painful but necessary changes. The public, it appeared, was fed up with the political paralysis that had crippled Japan's efforts at economic recovery. Signs of inertia were everywhere. Since its peak at the end of 1989, the Nikkei stockmarket index has plummeted by three quarters and Tokyo land values have collapsed. Now it looks as if Mr Koizumi's reform efforts have collapsed as well.
At the centre of Mr Koizumi's programme, in which much-needed financial reform was to loom large, was privatisation of the post office, which not only delivers the mail but acts as the world's largest bank and largest insurer, stifling competition in both areas and limiting the development of Japanese finance. However, over the past few weeks the old guard at Mr Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled Japan for decades, has watered down both post-office reform and other financial changes so much as to make them virtually meaningless.
Mr Koizumi's supporters argue that the post-office reform at least moves the behemoth in the direction of competition. Moreover, there may be some further debate when an advisory panel to the prime minister reports at the end of this month. But critics claim that the battle for significant changes has already been lost.
Mr Koizumi's failure to initiate real change has undermined his popularity with voters, his most important weapon against entrenched interests in the LDP. Moreover, world financial markets are unlikely to make things any easier for Mr Koizumi, or any other Japanese reformer. Stockmarket jitters around the world offer little hope for that much-wished-for recovery in the Nikkei. And the weakening dollar threatens Japan's export-led economy. The dollar has weakened by around 10% against the yen in recent months, and the Japanese government has intervened several times to prop it up. If, as is likely, it fails in this attempt, a stronger yen will make reform even more difficult.
No country finds it easy to privatise its post office. In Japan, it is especially difficult because postmen have enormous political clout. They direclty organise some one million votes for the LDP, and function as social workers, personal bankers and, even, on occasion, fire-fighters in remote rural areas.
And yet the post office stands as a huge obstacle in the way of liberalising Japan's economy, not becuase of its letter-delivery monopoly, which exists in most other countries as well, but because of its unique role in financial markets. With a staggering ¥240 trillion ($2 trillion) on deposit, and ¥123 trillion in funds under management in its insurance operation, the post office effectively extends an implicit, and hugely risky, government guarantee to the country's private savers and destroys the chance of much real competition from the private sector.
The LDP also benefits, however—another big obstacle to reform. Because the post office is so full of cash, it has made it easier for the government to borrow lavishly. Funds invested in the post office contribute to the government's burgeoning debt, now at an oppressive 130% of national income, a level that Japan must begin to reduce if it is not to damage further its credit rating. Moreover, the funds raised by the post office tend to be invested in politically-inspired schemes, such as unprofitable roads and bridges, that maintain local support for the LDP.
That is why the LDP old guard schemed so long and so successfully to thwart the postal-reform bills. In theory these bills allow competitors into the mail-delivery market. But that is only on fulfilment of some onerous conditions. Competitors must establish a minimum of 100,000 mailboxes, but at the same time, the state-owned post office is precluded from cutting its 25,000-odd branches, making it inevitable that there will be a glut in capacity. Moreover, the bills do not even address the key issue of the distortions caused by the post office's presence in the banking and savings markets, which is the key issue.
Recent personnel changes to the Financial Services Agency (FSA) do not augur well for future reform either. Banking reform in Japan has been painfully slow. The banks are stuffed with bad loans, but do everything they can to avoid admitting it. And they have also been reluctant to sell bad loans at less than their original value for fear of crystallising their losses. Shoji Mori, the bureaucratic head of the FSA, is stepping down, and it had been hoped that Mr Koizumi would seize the chance to appoint a radical. But, despite his initial requests for candidates from the private sector, Mr Koizumi appointed Shokichi Takagi, a close ally of Mr Mori, to take over from him on July 12th. Observers now expect that Mr Takagi will continue business as usual: propping up banks rather than cleaning them out.
Mr Koizumi's recent backsliding, and obvious failures, have been all the more depressing because they are occurring at a time when there is a real opportunity for change. The Japanese economy, after years of recession and anaemic growth, grew at an annualised rate of 5.7% in the first quarter of this year. Although most analysts do not expect this to continue, even a short-term spurt in growth represents a brief opportunity for Japan to clean out bad debts in its banking system, privatise the post office and begin to pay down its national debt. But Mr Koizumi has not seized this opportunity. Instead, he has almost nothing to show for his time in office, despite the hopes he raised when he became prime minister. If the dollar slides further, as most economists expect it to, Japan's exporters—the engine of economic growth—will struggle, and reform will, once again, be up against not only entrenched interests, but a deepening financial crisis. Japan badly needs change. Who can deliver it?


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Last week I set a challenge, for both of us.
Those key things I've had to figure out over the decades in order to be happier in my own skin and behind my own eyes; those things that I've needed to grasp in order to understand other people; those things I've learned the hard way by all the failed connections, anger, sadness, loss, discomfort and unmet needs. These 12 skills are (so far) my answer to those unspoken "What if I'd known this?"" questions I've asked myself as I've bumped along on my own. To refer back to my math analogy of last week – what if I'd learned more than basic arithmetic at school before being asked to move into a world filled with calculus problems?
Participate! Co-create this list. Here's how. I'm exploring one skill per month, in one post per week – usually on Wednesdays. Check-in with me each week to see what you think of the ideas. I'm going to tell stories, post video clips, explore my reasons, & maybe share my own goof-ups. I'd love your feedback. Try these ideas on. Take them for a spin. Watch what happens. And remember – these are not exclusively "couples" skills. These are the building blocks for all loving relationships – loving ourselves, our parents, children, friends and yes, of course partners.
After three decades of paying attention to how we connect with one another, I've come to believe that the essence of our human interactions can be pretty simply stated: We're each trying to manage our feelings and meet our needs in the context of one another. And that's why it gets so interesting.
At one extreme, to paraphrase Albert Camus, is the victim (someone who, for many reasons, is unable to advocate for him or her self) and at the other, the executioner (someone who ignores or crushes the feelings and needs of others). Neither path is satisfactory because the fact is, we need one another.
We need one another to show up with our true agenda more than we need either a resentful capitulation or a one-sided victory. Both these positions are destabilizing. There's a score to settle. Pay-back and revenge are in the air. Someone has won or lost a battle but Peace has not broken out.
We need to be able to resolve issues with difficult neighbors; judgmental in-laws; stressed partners; angry children; our community – however we define this for ourselves. And, we need to be able to connect with happiness, celebrating the special moments, appreciating the day-to-day.
In brief there's a whole lot of complexity to nurturing quality relationships and not a whole lot of teaching or guidance along the way.
It might not make total sense to you at first but I hope you'll hang in here with me. And, because life is a work-in-progress, I may edit this list as the year progresses.
Learn how to be pro-active: choose how "y'all" show up.
Accept (and get curious about) other peoples' complexity.
Discover how to listen with your whole self.
Negotiate with a win-win mentality.
Apologize & "Do-Over" – when you blow it.
Forgive and move on – when they blow it.
Let go! Relationships end. You'll learn, grow & carry on.
The 3 next January posts will be exploring the many facets of ourselves. How come we can be assertive, brave and magnificent with these folks, and yet feel like a blithering idiot with those? What is this constant inner chatter? Why do we get caught in dilemmas with totally competing arguments racing back and forth in our heads? What's going on "inside" ?
Did you guess why I chose today's featured image? This is a community of Bonobos. Considered amongst the most peaceful and egalitarian of apes I figured we've got something to learn from them. Thanks to World Animal Protection for this image.
This entry was posted in Personal Growth, Relationship Skills and tagged 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work, Between Parent and Child, Bonobos, Collaborative Couples Therapy, Dale Carnegie, Dan Wile, Dr. Haim Guinot, Dr. John Gottman, Dr. Julie Gottman, Dr. Richard Schwartz, Egalitarian relationships, great relationships, How To Win Friends and Influence People, IFS, Internal Family Systems, Marshall Rosenberg, Mending Relations, Non-Violent Communication, NVC, relationships, Top 12 LIst on January 7, 2015 by gemmautting.


text:
Joshua Tree and the debut Eagles album photo shoot – Mar. 1972
The Joshua Tree and the debut Eagles album photo shoot with Henry Diltz and Gary Burden took place in March 1972. The self-titled Eagles album is their first studio album. It was recorded at London's Olympic Studios with producer Glyn Johns and released June 1, 1972. John Beaudin of Rock History Music interviewed Bernie Leadon back in July 2019 and asked him if the Eagles knew their first album was going to be a hit when they recorded it.
"Photographer Henry Diltz and our art director, Gary Burden, were participating as well. Gary, an award-winning album-cover designer, is a former Marine who grew up on his father's citrus farm in Laguna, and Henry, a former member of the Modern Folk Quartet, is a noted, award-winning photographer. Also along on these trips was our former road manager/spiritual/philosophical adviser, John Barrick, who had once tended bar at the Troubadour. It was a colorful, adventurous circus troupe we had assembled."
Don Henley, Rolling Stone Magazine – June 10, 2016
Gary Burden gave his thoughts on Joshua Tree National Park and what it meant to him.
In the short video segment below from the "Library After Dark – A Conversation with John Van Hamersveld & Henry Diltz" presentation at the El Segundo Public Library in California, Henry talks about their adventure in Joshua Tree for the Eagles album photo shoot.
"Library After Dark – A Conversation with John Van Hamersveld & Henry Diltz"
Uncut Magazine – Feb. 2022
A lot of this interview from Uncut Magazine has not been repeated or re-told in other articles.
It tells the story of the Eagles recording their first album in London in 1972 and also going out to Joshua Tree for their photo shoot. Bernie has most of the input, and it's a very interesting account of what happened in the beginning of the Eagles.
Eagles album billboard on Sunset Strip
Album front cover & album fold-out poster
Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Glenn Frey, and Randy Meisner
CD back cover
Cameron Crowe interviewed Don Henley and Glenn Frey about the history of some of the songs on the album – Aug. 2003
Take It Easy – Demo with no instruments
You can hear Randy Meisner's high harmony, especially when singing the standing-on-a-corner verse. In this version of the song Randy and Glenn sing 'have a look at me' instead of 'take a look at me'.
John Beaudin of Rock History Music asks Bernie Leadon if the Eagles knew their first album was a hit at the time in 1972. This interview with Bernie is from July 5, 2019.
A photo and excerpt from the book "Sound Man" by Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns was the producer for the Eagles' first two albums at Olympic Studios in London. Glyn started producing their third album On the Border, but Bill Szymczyk ended up finishing it in Los Angeles.
"Sound Man" by Glyn Johns – pg. 193
"It knocked me clean off my feet."
The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, FL) – Sept. 19, 1971
From the book "San Francisco, the Musical History Tour: A Guide to Over 200 of the Bay Area's Most Memorable Music Sites" by Joel Selvin
Joshua Tree and the debut Eagles album photo shoot
Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey
Eagles on the cover of Soft Rock (from the makers of Uncut Magazine)
There is a 14-page article with lots of photos inside the magazine.
Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Glenn Frey
Joshua Tree pictures with Randy Meisner, Gary Burden, Bernie Leadon, & Glenn Frey
Bernie Leadon and Henry Diltz
Randy, Gary Burden, and Bernie Leadon
Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Don Henley, and Gary Burden with the Indian bag of peyote
Former road manager John Barrick and Randy
Rolling Stone Magazine advertisement
Full-page ad in Ann Arbor Sun Magazine (Ann Arbor, MI) – Aug. 4, 1972
The Cleveland Scene (Cleveland, OH) – June 8-14, 1972
"Some mighty fine sounds result and boys have a very distinctive sound when harmonizing."
Hoffman Estates Herald (Hoffman Estates, IL) – June 30, 1972
"Surrounded by a sea of would-be peers, the Eagles seem to me to provide the most pleasurable, energetic music to emerge from the whole Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young four-part harmony experiment. Their approach resembles CSN&Y, but the Eagles invest their songs with a feel and sense of movement that frankly outshines even their mentors."
The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA) – July 1, 1972
"Several songs include vocal harmonies that make Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young sound absolutely stiff and mannered. In fact, I think Eagles have recorded on the first try what it took CSNY several albums to find, and then only in spots."
The Salina Journal (Salina, KS) – July 2, 1972
"Meisner's 'Take the Devil' really shows what the band can do as far as pace and ability is concerned."
Sounds Magazine – July 8, 1972
Wausau Daily Herald (Wausau, WI) – July 12, 1972
"They're not imaginative, but they're fun and should strike it rich in the teenage market."
Santa Cruz Sentinel (Santa Cruz, CA) – July 16, 1972
"The first album by four veterans of the L.A. country scene has at least three songs which are the equal of 'Take It Easy' and several more that don't run far behind."
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY) – July 23, 1972
The Door (San Diego, CA) – July 28, 1972
"A record deal was the target, but they knew they had to get it together first, so they spent three weeks practicing in Bud's rehearsal hall in San Fernando Valley at a dollar an hour."
Red Deer Advocate (Red Deer, Alberta) – Aug. 16, 1972
"People say we sound like Poco because we have that same guy (Meisner) with that same voice, Leadon said. We're not trying to copy. Eagles are Poco fans, no doubt about that. But it's more of a mutual admiration society."
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) – Aug. 27, 1972
"We made a fire and a camp and began making peyote tea and trying to eat peyote without throwing up. Those pictured are well stoned."
The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA) – Nov. 11, 2005
An excerpt from an article about Henry Diltz in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, PA) – Aug. 12, 2013
"In the early going, we went out to Joshua Tree and did that peyote ritual a couple of times. I think that JD Souther and Ned Doheny were along on one of the camp-outs."
Rolling Stone magazine – June 10, 2016
Eagles Debut Album, Eagles
1972, Billboard Sign, Gary Burden, Glyn Johns, Henry Diltz, Interviews, John Beaudin, Joshua Tree, London, Most of Us are Sad, Ned Doheny, Olympic Studios, Photo Sessions, Photo Shoot, Rock History Music, Sound Man, Take It Easy, Uncut Magazine, Video
Eagles at Westlake School for Girls – 1972
Randy Meisner and Rick Nelson at Mister Kelly's in Chicago, IL – Feb. 22-Mar. 8, 1971


text:
El monstruo de los mangones es el nombre dado a un asesino en serie colombiano sin identificar, al que se le atribuyen entre 30 y 38 asesinatos durante la década de 1960 y 1970 en la ciudad de Cali. Se cree que era oriundo de esta ciudad, donde secuestraba y posteriormente asesinaba a la mayoría de sus víctimas que solían ser menores de edad, en diversos terrenos baldíos localizados en zonas alejadas.

Fue uno de los casos más relevantes y de mayor popularidad en aquellos años. Para algunos, el monstruo de los mangones fue solo una leyenda o un mito, sin embargo, otros creen que el personaje en sí fue real siendo incluso comparado con Luis Alfredo Garavito.

El modus operandi estuvo caracterizado por la inserción de agujas en el corazón o el tórax, agresiones, violaciones sexuales y torturas. Se dice que comúnmente utilizaba jeringas para extraer la sangre de los menores y adolescentes a los que encontraban pálidos. Se le describía como un auténtico sádico violador, un personaje oscuro y demente, una especie de vampiro humano.

Historia
Durante la década de 1960, en la ciudad de Cali se vivía un ambiente de incertidumbre y temor por la desaparición de varios adolescentes y menores de edad. El 5 de noviembre de 1963 se supo de un asesinato hacia un menor de edad que ejercía el oficio de voceador de periódicos, en el oeste de la ciudad caleña. Desde entonces, se siguieron presentando más casos de menores asesinados. El 4 diciembre de ese mismo año, otro menor fue encontrado muerto en unos pastizales, al norte de la ciudad, en lo que sería el segundo homicidio. En el mismo mes de diciembre, exactamente el 12, un tercer cuerpo sin ojos fue descubierto muy cerca del río Aguacatal. Dos cuerpos más fueron encontrados antes de finalizar el año, uno en las cercanías de la estación del Ferrocarril y otro en Prados del Norte.

Al finalizar el año, se contabilizaron 5 homicidios hacía menores de edad entre los meses de noviembre y diciembre. En enero de 1964, las autoridades caleñas encontraron el cuerpo de un menor momificado; solo 2 días después de esto se volvió a descubrir los restos de un adolescente de 12 años llamado Alberto Garzón. Otros 3 cadáveres fueron registrados en ese mismo mes, en distintos sectores de la localidad. Entre los meses de febrero, marzo y abril del mismo año se presentaron otros 3 asesinatos, uno muy cerca de Tequendama, otro en Puerto Mallarino y un último caso en un potrero.

Ante la ola de asesinatos, la fuerza pública emitió una serie de comunicados a la ciudadanía donde explicaban que estos cuerpos fueron literalmente sacados de los cementerios y posteriormente lanzados en distintas zonas de la ciudad, en la mayoría de ellos en lugares desolados. Muy a pesar de esto, gran parte de la prensa y la opinión pública exigía la verdad sobre estos casos, teniendo en cuenta que la población de Cali se encontraba con temor y angustia.

Los crímenes se detuvieron durante varios meses, aunque se volvieron a presentar más casos a finales de 1964. Se cree que todos estos sucesos cobraron la vida de entre 30 y 38 adolescentes y menores de edad. Nunca se pudo esclarecer con certeza quien fue el autor material de todos estos crímenes, sin embargo, se cree que fue un individuo al que se le conocía en ese entonces como el Monstruo de los mangones.

Adaptación cinematográfica
Esta historia dio lugar a una película llamada Pura sangre, obra de Luis Ospina. La historia narra los sucesos de un personaje que necesita sangre fresca de niños y adolescentes ya que padece de una extraña enfermedad. El filme salió en 1982 y gran parte de las escenas se rodaron en la ciudad de Cali y otra en Nueva York; tuvo un coste de 16 millones de pesos colombianos, fue estrenada en el Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias y se le considera el «primer filme colombiano de terror con calidad internacional».

La cinta colombiana también toca temas relacionados al vampirismo, al tratarse de un individuo que necesita ingerir sangre para poder sobrevivir.

Véase también
 Anexo:Asesinos en serie de Colombia
Anexo:Asesinos en serie no identificados

Referencias

Bibliografía

Asesinos en serie de Colombia
Asesinos en serie no identificados


Let's get this straight right off the bat - "Dead to Rights: Retribution" is a touching tale about a boy and his dog, interspersed with gory violence, gunplay and fisticuffs. That sounds like a recipe for fun, right?
Well, Namco's reboot of this series again features a wronged super-cop on the lam after a dark conspiracy drives him to the other side of the law with only his faithful companion Shadow to protect him. Now he's attempting to shed light on a corrupt government.
Jack Slate, the protagonist, is a walking cop cliche. He chews his lines with lead-capped teeth and spits out some of the most hackneyed dialogue you're likely to hear this side of a bad Capcom translation. But even with this against him, there are moments where this anti-hero's so bad it's good.
Unfortunately, while Jack often slips into self-parody, the game itself is an average third-person title that's a little too similar to recent mid-grade games like "The Bourne Conspiracy" and "Splinter Cell."
Much of the game centers around Jack running into buildings and alleys, fists flying and guns blazing, as he's swarmed by street gangs and mercenaries.
Of course, with that kind of action, it would help if the camera system and controls didn't work against you. But the camera is a really big obstacle in "Dead to Rights."
For instance, Jack often finds himself surrounded by thugs, and players should be able to kick or thump to push attackers away; however, seven times out of 10 Jack will inexplicably miss his enemies.
Aside from running around as Jack, you also get to experience life as Shadow, his seemingly feral attack dog. Shadow's levels float between neck-ripping bloodbaths and stealthy assassin-like missions. The canine has the ability to hear foes through walls and around corners, and even Jack can use Shadow's superior senses to detect enemies.
"Dead to Rights" is not a bad game. There is a lot of gory violence that action fans will enjoy for a few hours, but the question will soon arise for most people: Is it worth their time?
The game is almost the definition of average, thanks to the simplistic scenario and poor camera and combat controls. At best, "Dead to Rights" is a rental title, unless you really enjoy endless John Woo-style slow-motion scenes of rib-kicking your foes.


Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended a special screening in New York of the movie "Selma", about the historic struggle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s marches from Selma to Montgomery Alabama that led to United States President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Secretary-General (centre right), flanked by his wife, Yoo Soon-taek (left), and the film's director, Ava DuVernay, poses for a group photo at the screening. From left: Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson; Stephanie Wilson, Executive Director of the Amistad Commission, a division of the New Jersey Department of Education; and at right, Maher Nasser, Acting Head of the UN Department of Public Information.


DESOTO, Texas — The mother of NBA player Chris Bosh was arrested on a charge of exploitation of a disabled person, a third degree felony, according to an arrest warrant obtained by WFAA.
He could not work due to various mental illnesses including PTSD and depression, the warrant stated.
Police say Bosh forced the victim to pay a large portion of his disability check to pay rent for himself and Brown. The victim was also forced to take part in "drug distribution activities" and forced to clean the house and do laundry.
The warrant states that the victim delivered drugs for Brown and was scared of what he would do for retaliation when he got angry.
Police believe Bosh allowed it all to happen so she could receive free narcotics and marijuana from Brown.
She was arrested on Dec. 19 and has since posted bond. Brown was arrested and is currently in the Tarrant County jail.
DeSoto PD says Chris Bosh is not a suspect in this investigation.


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text:
hidden london
Obscure Paris
Sophie's Desk
These Versailles Photos Prove the Palace is Worth (Another) Visit
By: Author Sophie Nadeau
Posted on Last updated: 18th April 2018
Categories France
This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.
There is perhaps no palace in the world quite as famous as that of Versailles, a French château just a short train ride from Paris. Best known for its status as a seat of royalty, over-the-top opulence, and of course, where the Sun King Louis XIV himself lived in the lap of luxury, Versailles started out life as a hunting lodge in the 17th-century. Here are plenty of Versailles photos which prove that the palace is worth a visit (or another visit if you've already been)!
Versailles Palace
Gardens of Versailles
Bassin d'Apollon (Apollo Fountain)
Grand Trianon
Versailles Photos: Petit Trianon
Hameau de la Reine
Of course, when it comes to visiting Versailles (be it as a day trip from Paris or a weekend escape from the city to explore the rest of the town), the main attraction of the city is the ornately decorated Versailles Palace. Despite the fact that the town itself was first attested in the 11th-century and is incredibly close to Paris, no royals arrived on the scene until some time later- in 1624 to be precise.
Following its construction, Versailles remained a relatively small hunting lodge for several decades. This is just as the equally sumptuous Palace at Fontainebleau had done so prior to its transformation into the ornate château you can visit today. However, everything changed in the 1660s when architect Louis XIV arrived on the scene and started expanding the palace.
His ideas were grand, and over the course of his reign, Versailles would be transformed into one of the largest palaces in the word. The three main designers brought in for the expansion project had worked together previously. André Le Notre, Charles Le Brun, and Louis Le Vau first formed a partnership during construction of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a palace so sumptuous that the King had thrown away its original owner and confiscated the castle for himself.
Together, the trio gave rise to the beautiful French Baroque architecture of the 17th-century that's so synonymous with France today. André Le Notre worked on the gardens, Charles Le Brun on interior design, and Louis Le Vau on the architecture. And as you can clearly see for yourself, the results were breathtaking…
Not to be missed attractions and highlights of Versailles' main château include the magnificent Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) and the ridiculously lavish apartments where the King once resided (Grands Apartements du Roi). Elsewhere in the palace, nearly every corner is filled with intricate detailing, so make sure to bring your camera along!
The Le Notre designed gardens are worthy of a visit in themselves and if you venture to the Palace of Versailles on a Monday, they remain open to the public (despite the rest of the buildings being closed). If you're not too fussed about seeing the French interiors, then Monday is definitely the quietest time to enjoy the green spaces without the usual tourist crowds! Known in French as the 'Jardins du château de Versailles,' the gardens were expanded at the same time as the palace in the 17th-century.
Of all the waterworks, meticulously manicured hedgerows, and sumptuous sculptures in the gardens, the Bassin d'Apollon is likely the most famous of them all. Situated in the very heart of the expansive and terraced gardens, the feature is named for the Greek god, Apollo, the deity of art, song, music, poetry, and light. The fountain was first installed in the gardens in the 17th-century and several of the fountain features were created by the Gobelins factory.
First constructed at the behest of Louis XIV, the Sun King himself, the Grand Trianon palace was designed to be the French Ruler's escape from the busy hustle and bustle of the grand Château. Although it may not seem like it would have been the case, during the 17th and 18th-centuries, the main Palace of Versailles was always filled with people running around.
Visitors from all over Europe and beyond would always be present in the palace, and a strict 'court etiquette' was to be maintained by the Royals at all times. As a way to 'escape' his royal life, Louis ordered that the Grand Trianon be built for him and his mistress of the time, Marquise de Montespan. If you're interested in learning more about life in the French Court during the 17th-century, then I highly recommend watching the BBC's programme 'The Supersizers Eat… The French Revolution'.
While the King had the 'Grand Trianon' where he and his mistress of the time would retreat to, the Queen of the time would escape to the rather deceptively named 'Petit Trianon'. Yes, admittedly it might be smaller than the nearby 'Grand Trianon,' but it's still a mansion-sized palatial French château by any standards!
The Petit's Trianon's most famous resident is most likely Marie Antoinette. And no, she probably never said 'let them eat cake!' Antoinette was gifted the Petit Trianon aged just 19 by her then 20-year-old husband, Louis XVI. Highlights of the house include an impressive Billiards room, extensive kitchens and plenty of French Renaissance furniture.
Somehow, many visitors manage to miss out on a trip into the 'Hameau de la Reine' (Queen's Hamlet) and the farm where Marie Antoinette would go with her ladies to play 'dress up' with her ladies in waiting. The elaborate buildings were extensively restored in the 1930s, and then again in the 1990s. They've been open to the public since 2006 and a wander around quite literally feels like stepping into another universe. That, and a wander around the Queen's Hamlet may well be the best thing to do in Versailles…
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Friday 20th of April 2018
My husband and I visited the Palace of Versailles a few years ago. We took a photo of the magnificent Hall of Mirrors, placed it on a small canvas, and hung it in our little hallway at home in Midwest USA. It makes me happy every time I see it because it reminds me of our wonderful 20th wedding anniversary adventure we had together in Europe. I love your blog and your photos and your stories. You offer so much beauty and history, it's a delight to read. Thank-you.
ABOUT SOPHIE NADEAU
Bonjour, ciao, and welcome to my little corner of the internet! For the past seven years, I've been writing about the weird and wonderful on this travel and culture blog, with a particular focus on history, hidden gems, and offbeat adventures in Europe and beyond.
© 2015- 2022 Sophie Nadeau. All Rights Reserved. solosophie participates in various affiliate marketing programs. solosophie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Come taste a selection of Mr. Tom's Spirits (Certified Gluten-Free) at Harney's in Ring Bros. Marketplace in South Dennis, MA!
Come taste a selection of Mr. Tom's Spirits at Fifth Avenue Liquors in Millis, MA!
Come taste a selection of Mr. Tom's Spirits at Forest Hills Fine Wine in Brookline, MA!
Try out Mr. Tom's Spirits at Community Package Store!
Come taste a selection of Mr. Tom's Spirits at The Cork Stop in North Andover!
Michael Keenan will be pouring his Award Winning Wines from Spring Mountain in Napa Valley and will be professionally paired with the cuisine from one of the most acclaimed restaurants in Eastern Massachusetts.
Come meet Adam Fox of Canard Vineyards, Napa Valley! Please call Yankee Spirits for reservations.
Please join with winery principals, estate representatives and our knowledgeable team as we present our 18th Annual Grand Portfolio Tasting at the Boston Harbor Hotel on Monday, September 17th 2018 from 2-7pm. Please note that the show is trade only.
Join with Winery Principals, Estate Representatives and our team as we present our Global Portfolio.