text:
Big-Time Movie Cameos You'll Have To Squint To Notice
We bet you didn't know that Matt Damon was in...everything.
iStock.com/Willowpix
When a major actor appears in a major motion picture, it's usually not a secret. Film production companies know that star power can sell tickets, so big-name actors typically appear in the film's trailers, on the posters, and on all the commemorative merchandise (we've still got a Waterworld mug with Kevin Costner's weird-looking face on it).
However, that's not always the case. Sometimes, world-famous celebrities take small parts or background roles, simply because they believe in the project—or as a favor to their friends on the other side of the camera. We rounded up a few of the best examples of blink-or-you'll-miss-it cameos from our favorite actors, and some of them are pretty mind-blowing.
The Last Jedi is packed with celebrity cameos.
Everyone wants to be in a Star Wars movie. What could be cooler than walking through the background of one of the world's most beloved film franchises?
Maybe that's why the filmmakers behind The Last Jedi decided to load their movie with celebrities. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, for instance, provided the voice of alien Slowen Lo. He apparently got the gig after dressing up as Yoda at the premiere of The Force Awakens (it didn't hurt that he'd starred in Looper, directed by Last Jedi director Rian Johnson).
Incidentally, The Last Jedi did well at the box office, and critics loved it, but the film was polarizing for die-hard Star Wars fanboys. That reaction prompted Joseph Gordon-Levitt to write a 2,000-word defense of the film, which you can find here.
But Gordon-Levitt certainly wasn't the only celebrity with a bit role. Singer Ellie Goulding made an appearance, which was eventually cut, but she did get to perform at The Last Jedi's wrap party. That's…something?
Prince William and Prince Harry also appeared as stormtroopers, but their scene was cut—take that, monarchists. Justin Theroux, Noah Segan, Lily Cole, and Warwick Davis (who played an ewok in Return of the Jedi) also filmed cameos.
Our favorite cameo, however, is a brief appearance by Gary Fisher. You can see him in the background of this screenshot. Look to the left.
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017)/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Gary Fisher, by the way, is a bulldog. He belonged to the late Carrie Fisher, who made her final appearance in The Last Jedi. She frequently brought her canine companion on set, and some clever costume designer decided to use Gary as the basis of a weird alien dog-thing.
The late @carrieffisher's dog Gary just watched #TheLastJedi! He sat on Fisher's former assistant's lap during the film. She said his ears perked up every time she was on screen ❤@starwars @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/2rCCGIi6Al
— Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) December 15, 2017
Per Rian Johnson, it's called "Space Gary."
Buy (or rent) The Last Jedi on Amazon here.
Two of the zombies in Shaun of the Dead are from a well-known pop band.
What's worse than a zombie apocalypse? If you're like us, you immediately said, "Listening to a Coldplay album."
We're kidding, of course—it's hard to deny that "Yellow" is a good song—but if you blinked, you might have missed the band's appearance in the 2004 horror-comedy Shaun of the Dead. Coldplay singer Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland appear briefly towards the end of the flick in an interview segment (they're organizing a benefit concert for a survivor charity, ZombAID).
But Martin also makes another appearance: He shambles through the background of one of the earlier scenes, totally zombified.
"Shaun of the Dead" (2004)/Focus Features
That makes us wonder—if Martin is a zombie, but he somehow cures his zombism later in the film, is he hiding the cure from the public? Does the cure involve making gentle-yet-anthemic pop ballads? Was he simply pretending to be a zombie to avoid then-wife Gwyneth Paltrow? What are you hiding, Chris?
We may never know, but we can at least figure out how the cameo happened. The boys from Coldplay were big fans of Shaun of the Dead creator Simon Pegg, who'd previously appeared on the British sitcom Spaced. After Pegg appeared at a few of Coldplay's benefit shows, they agreed to make the Shaun of the Dead cameo, and they're still good friends. Pegg occasionally plays harmonica with Coldplay on stage.
Okay, we're pretty sure that "Coldplay, but with harmonicas" is actually worse than a zombie apocalypse.
Buy (or rent) Shaun of the Dead on Amazon here.
Matt Damon loves making cameos.
He also seems to love Marvel movies. In Thor: Ragnarok, Damon appears—in heavy makeup—as an Asgardian actor.
In the film, the actors are reenacting the plot of the previous movie (Thor: The Dark World). Damon plays Thor's brother, Loki. He's playing his part opposite Luke Hemsworth, the brother of Chris Hemsworth. Their father, Odin, is Sam Neill (you probably know him as "that guy from Jurassic Park.").
Damon seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience, but his involvement didn't stop there. When the cast of the film appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote their work, Damon crashed the interview repeatedly.
Later, Damon returned to the Marvel universe in Deadpool 2. At one point, the character Cable runs into two rednecks talking about toilet paper. Those rednecks were Matt Damon (duh) and Alan Tudyk (best known for his role in Firefly). At the end of the film, Damon is credited as Dickie Greenleaf—an allusion to a character from The Talented Mr. Ripley.
His best cameo, however, might be his brief appearance at the beginning of EuroTrip. A tattooed Damon—with a shaved head and earrings—manages to steal the protagonist's girlfriend.
You can buy Thor: Ragnarok here, you can buy or rent Deadpool 2 here, and you can buy or rent Eurotrip here.
A Beatle was in Monty Python's The Life of Brian.
Blessed are the cheesemakers…and the most important rock band of all time. When the goofs of Monty Python's Flying Circus set about making their second feature film, a satire of all those "life of Christ" movies, they ran into a problem. They were short on cash.
We might never have heard the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," delivered by a chipper Eric Idle as his character hangs crucified, were it not for a last minute angel investor. Oddly enough, you've probably heard of this guy. You might know him as "the quiet Beatle," and you've definitely heard his most famous compositions, including "Here Comes the Sun" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
Yep, George Harrison was the crucial investor behind Monty Python's Life of Brian. He even founded his production company, HandMade Films, to get the project off the ground. As a little thank you to the man who saved the film, director Terry Jones gave Harrison a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the film.
Harrison played a character named Mr. Papadopolous, though he appeared uncredited. Look for him in a crowd scene; he's the guy with a red turban and a very late-era Beatles beard.
You can get Monty Python's The Life of Brien on DVD here.
The kid from A Christmas Story was in another Christmas classic.
Peter Billingsley played Ralphie in A Christmas Story, better known as "that film TBS plays every Christmas about the kid who shoots his eye out."
Billingsly has actually shifted much of his work to behind the camera these days, directing solid efforts such as Couple's Retreat and a few episodes of Sullivan and Son, an obscure show that somehow ran for three seasons on TBS. His role in Elf was brief but memorable; he played Ming Ming the Elf, who helps Will Ferrell bring the phrase "cotton headed ninny-muggins" into the American lexicon.
We should also mention that Billingsley was once roommates with Vince Vaughn, and the two actors started a production house together called Wild West Picture Show Productions. Billingsley was a producer on Elf, and he's also made brief appearances in other films he's produced, including The Break-Up and Iron Man.
You can buy (or rent) Elf on Amazon here.
You'll never spot this Daily Show star in Black Panther, but he's there, alright.
Of course there was a hidden cameo in Black Panther. The film has everything—excitement, drama, social commentary—so it's a no-brainer that the filmmakers would sneak someone into the film. And because this is a film about an African nation, however fictional, it makes sense to draft a star from the continent to play the Easter egg.
The star in question is Daily Show host Trevor Noah. The role in questions, though, is a bit more complicated. See, Noah didn't actually appear visually in the film. And he didn't exactly play a person. Instead, he voiced Griot, the Wakandan AI that controls Shuri's advanced-even-for-Wakandan-tech battleship. You know: the one that Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) pilots during the film's climactic battle.
As Noah explained on a later episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, "I was involved in a high level. I don't like to brag about this…I was in Black Panther, the smash hit."
Noah went on to joke that director Ryan Coogler first asked him to star in the film, then tried to get him to play the part that eventually went to Michael B. Jordan. Instead, the comedian kidded, "I'm like, 'I will be the voice of the computer in the background, the computer that runs everything.' Every spaceship you see is me."
Of course, we couldn't expect a straight answer out of Noah. Instead, he went for the comedy.
"A lot of people think I just did the lines there, but I'm everything," he told Colbert. "I'm the ship as well. They got me in to play the ship."
Here's just one more reason to keep on shouting "Wakanda forever."
You can buy (or rent) Black Panther on Amazon here.
A high-profile businessman makes an appearance in Casino Royale.
Richard Branson, of course, is the chairman of Virgin Atlantic. He's also a big James Bond fan, and when Casino Royale director Martin Campbell needed an airplane to make a scene work, Branson jumped at the opportunity to provide a Virgin Atlantic plane—saving the film's production company millions of dollars in the process.
That was enough to warrant a cameo.
"[Branson] was very supportive of us, and he helped us out when we needed a plane in Prague," producer Barbara Broccoli told CinemaBlend. "He said, 'Can I just do a little cameo?' and Martin [Campbell] said, 'Come to the airport, and we'll stick you in the little security thing, and you can set the bells off.'"
"He had a lot of fun, and he was a trooper—it was a long night. He and his son were in the scene, and they were great."
Eagle-eyed viewers appreciated the ironic appearance, but Virgin Atlantic competitor British Airways didn't get the joke. When Casino Royale played as the in-flight movie on British Airways flights, Branson's cameo was conspicuously absent. Apparently, BA's in-flight entertainment team cut the scene.
Maybe they were jealous; per The Telegraph, the producers of Casino Royale initially wanted a BA plane but turned to Branson's company after negotiations stalled.
You can buy Casino Royale on Amazon here.
Jimmy Buffett left Margaritaville to appear on another famous island.
Jimmy Buffet, hero to suburban dads everywhere, became nationally famous with his song "Margaritaville," which he successfully spun into a global franchise worth hundreds of millions of dollars. If you've been on an island vacation at any point over the last three decades, there's a pretty decent chance that somebody played some Jimmy Buffett at some point.
That extends to fictional islands, by the way. In 2015's Jurassic World, pterodactyls break free from their enclosure and attack the park's tourists, causing considerable panic. At one point, we see an older gentleman running from the dinosaurs while cradling a couple of salt-rimmed beverages.
Yes, that was Buffett himself. He's a friend of producer Frank Marshall, which also explains why the Margaritaville brand gets a bit of screentime.
Look for @jimmybuffett and Margaritaville in @JurassicPark in theaters tomorrow! Details here: http://t.co/trHrRbGnhd pic.twitter.com/HmDXPP4JTc
— Margaritaville (@Margaritaville) June 11, 2015
"[Buffett and I] are really close friends, and there was an opportunity here to have a lot of, you know—we had to come up with the boardwalk and the Main Street of an international up-and-running theme park," Marshall told SlashFilm. "Jimmy has a Margaritaville in the Orlando Universal theme park, and so it kind of made sense, since this is a Universal movie and there's already a restaurant. And we were looking at that corner building being some sort of restaurant or nightclub kind of situation, so it made perfect sense. And it was completely organic. Just like we have a Starbucks and a Ben and Jerry's there."
That wasn't Buffett's first appearance in a film. He also played a pirate in 1991's Hook, delivering the classic line, "I fancy them shiny shoes for my booty." We think you're supposed to wear them on your feet, but hey, whatever floats your tropical boat.
You can buy (or rent) Jurassic World on Amazon here.
Cate Blanchett wears a nurse's mask in Hot Fuzz.
That's why you don't remember her—her face is never visible.
"I'd met [Blanchett] in LA and knew that she was a fan of Shaun of the Dead, so that was kind of a start," director Ed Right said of the actor's surprise appearance. "The first thing we wrote in Hot Fuzz is the kind of the girlfriend scene with the CSI sort of [setup]. The first joke was basically that you have an emotive scene with him saying farewell to his girlfriend and being very sentimental, and you can't see her face."
"Hot Fuzz" (2007)/Rogue Pictures
"In a weird way, this whole Cate Blanchett thing was sort of a slight kind of joke on that. 'Let's get an Oscar winner in there but not see her face.' And she was totally up for that joke. She loved it. And for the record—and this is why Cate Blanchett goes to heaven—she gave her fee to charity. She is one nice lady."
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson also appears in Hot Fuzz, playing a psychopathic Santa Claus. Wright notes the irony of the costume; Jackson was a dead ringer for St. Nick at one point in his career, but he had shaved and lost weight prior to filming. To look the part, he had to wear a padded suit and a fake beard.
"It was brilliant, actually," Wright said. "It was really cool because it was so sweet. He was in London for a week and we actually shooting outside and he came all the way down. His cameo is like five seconds long. He was really cool."
You can buy (or rent) Hot Fuzz on Amazon here.
Sometimes, it's hard to notice cameos—even when a film explicitly calls itself out.
In Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Jason Segel flies to Hawaii to get over a breakup…only to realize that his ex-girlfriend is staying at the same resort. That prompts him to visit the hotel bar, where he indulges in several diet soft drinks before going to bed at a reasonable hour.
Okay, that's not exactly what happens in the scene. Segel indulges his depression and starts talking to his drink, pretending that it's Miranda from Sex and the City. In the background, the real Miranda (actor Cynthia Nixon) walks through nonchalantly.
The role was uncredited, and the cameo is so quick that many viewers didn't catch the reference for months after Forgetting Sarah Marshall hit theaters. One Twitter user claims to have seen the film 150 times without recognizing the reference.
You can buy (or rent) Forgetting Sarah Marshall on Amazon here.
Nope, that's not Bryan Cranston in Dumb and Dumber To.
Let's think back to the Dumb and Dumber franchise, a set of films that reveled in humiliating luminary co-stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Specifically, remember the second installment, the aptly miss-named Dumb and Dumber To.
As you'll recall, Lloyd (Carrey) visits Harry (Daniels) at the apartment the two used to share. He meets Harry's new cat, Butthole, and gets a glimpse of same when he makes the mistake of asking how the pet earned the name.
Then he meets the new roommate. He's a character right out of Breaking Bad, in the sense that he's busy cooking up an illicit substance right there in the apartment's kitchen. The entrepreneur, Ice Pick, appears decked out in a full chemical-safety outfit, complete with a face-obscuring respirator and face mask.
He "cooks up a rock candy that'll make you dizzy," Harry explains. What no one takes the time to mention is the face behind Ice Pick's mask. You'd be forgiven if you don't recognize the legendary actor and comedian Bill Murray, but that's him under there.
For a movie that celebrates stupidity in all its forms, that's a pretty smart choice of celebrity cameos.
You can buy (or rent) Dumb and Dumber To on Amazon here.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 ended up leaving a mysterious cameo on the cutting room floor.
Director James Gunn is famously friends with actor Nathan Fillion, who you will recognize from beloved projects that differ by generation. If you were around for Firefly and the cinematic release set in that universe, Serenity, Fillion will always be Captain Mal. If you first got to know him on the ABC crime drama Castle, it's hard to see him as anyone other than mystery novelist Rick Castle.
To Gunn, Fillion is just a buddy he wants to crowbar into every film he ever makes. That includes both of Marvel's existing Guardians of the Galaxy films. In the first, Fillion voiced a monstrous inmate at Nova Corps' Kyln Prison.
"Guardians of the Galaxy," (2014)/Marvel Studios (via Bustle)
For Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Gunn wanted to reach deeper into the Marvelverse. He envisioned a scene on Earth, in which a movie theater was running a Simon Williams film festival. He went so far as to produce a set of movie posters the fictional Williams appeared in, including a biopic of Iron Man himself, simply titled Tony Stark.
Williams played Stark in that fictional film. Fillion appeared as Williams in the poster. To reiterate: Gunn wanted to Fillion to play Williams playing Stark, who's actually played by Robert Downey Jr. in the franchise.
Don't feel bad if you don't recognize the name Simon Williams from the original Marvel comics. He was the alter ego of B-list superhero Wonder Man, who probably won't be getting his own franchise any time soon.
Unfortunately, and no matter how it seems in this era of three-hour epics, films can't go on for forever. Directors have to make cuts for time. In this case, Fillion's cameo ended up on the cutting room floor. At least Gunn put the fake movie posters up on social media.
You can buy Guardians of the Galaxy on Amazon here. You can also buy (or rent) the Fillion-less Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on Amazon here.
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Jean Miller, died peacefully at the age of 90 years in her Aldergrove home. She was predeceased in 1973 by her husband Nelson Angus Miller and is survived by their three children Ronald, Marlene and Donald, their spouses, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She also leaves three sisters and numerous nieces and nephews throughout Canada.
Jean was born in a small prairie town in Manitoba but moved to the Fraser Valley in January 1949 with her husband and family. She worked for many years in the Langley Memorial Hospital kitchen staff, finally retiring as the head cook. She retired with Nelson to Aldergrove and after Nelson's death settled in her small home where she resided for the remainder of her life.
At Jean's request a small private family gathering was held to honor her life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jean's memory may be made to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation.


Trying something new is always exciting. Standing there on the dock, anticipation brimming to the edges, we couldn't wait. Kayaks seem to be everywhere lately. The streams of Western New York are awash in a rainbow of brightly colored boats with paddles twisting in the air, sending smiles against the sun. We never wondered if we should give it a try, the question was always: When?
Our chance came on a Tuesday Night Paddle with Paths, Peaks & Paddles in Tonawanda. The threat of a thunderstorm loomed in our minds, but the skies were clear. After a brief instruction in the parking lot to get us fitted for our boat and comfortable with the paddle, we were ready to go. Getting in was easier than we thought.
Easy, because our guide for the evening, Christine Baer, held the kayak steady and guided us through the process of getting in. As co-owner of the business, Christine wants her customers to feel safe and sent home with happy memories. Her manner is sharp and focused, showing you the proper way to paddle, offering encouragement along the way and instruction when needed.
We found out later that everyone on the trip that evening was either a guide or an instructor, but it never felt that way. There were never any curt corrections on our paddling form, or a sense of newbie hazing from the pros. Everyone there made us feel like we were a part of the camaraderie and respect that seems to follow this collection of kayaks drifting along Ellicott Creek.
As we glided under the surface of the suburbs, we got a chance to speak with Oren Barris, who started the business in 1991 with his partner Norm. Oren's compliment to Christine is unmistakable. Quick-witted and laid back, he jokes and pokes at you while offering words of wisdom. Oren told us that the great part about paddling is that you decide the amount of effort that goes into the paddle. You can work hard and push yourself, or you can ease along and enjoy the ride.
Either way, kayaking requires a lot of finesse and a little bit of patience.
It's in this sense of extremes that we have to make our suggestion to anyone considering getting into the sport. The way we see it, there are two ways to go. You're either going to be a die-hard participant, or someone who makes it out a couple of times a year.
So how do you know which type of paddler you'll be?
Christine and Oren suggest trying it out first, then consider taking a lesson or two if you plan on kayaking often. What you want to avoid is developing bad habits that will be harder to break down the road.
The die-hards should invest their money. According to Christine, there is no such thing as a beginner kayak. Skip the $250 special, and get a kayak that will give you the best advantage on the water. If you don't see yourself getting out enough to make it worth the big buy, then stick to renting.
At Paths, Peaks & Paddles, kayaks rent for $45 a day, 7 days a week. Tuesday and Thursday evening paddles are $25-$30 for two hours out with a group. If you go with a friend, renting a two-person kayak will cut your cost in half. They also have special event paddles and kayak instruction classes throughout the year, staying on the water as long as the weather allows.
Beginners and first-timers are welcome at any time for any event. Paths, Peaks & Paddles pride themselves on being open, personalized, and able to cater to the needs of every skill level.
Christine was adamant that, "Everybody can do it." Children around six years old should be able to kayak alone, while younger children and people with disabilities are able to opt for a tandem kayak that seats two for a little extra help. Their location right next to the calm waters of Ellicott Creek makes it the perfect spot for a first outing.
Be prepared to leave your phone and wallet behind, grab some water, and always remember to look up every now and then. A common habit of first-time paddlers is to get locked into the tunnel-vision of concentration trying to control the boat. Had Christine not reminded me, I may have missed the view. Most of all relax, have fun, and enjoy the ride.
Somewhere around the UB North Campus we turned a corner and started to head back. A storm started to casually blow in and disrupt our otherwise quiet evening. A mad dash back to our departure point ensued, and there was a mild struggle on our part to keep up. Christine remained unflappable in spite of our inexperience, while Oren with a grin and hearty laugh suggested we hurry.
We can happily report that everyone made it safely to shore with only a mild soaking from the downpour that followed. No one left until everyone was off of the water. As a team we grabbed the kayaks, two to a boat, and raced for shelter. All in all, a fun night complete with equal parts of adventure and leisure, and something new that we're sure to remember.


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Funeral Services For Fisherman's Wharf Bushman Planned For Next Week
bushman fisherman's wharf by Bay City News | February 26, 2014 7:34 pm	| in Culture | 0
The death of San Francisco's notorious Bushman—one of two men who have made a living for decades by scaring tourists at Fisherman's Wharf — is a loss to the area's rich culture of street performances, a wharf official said today.
Troy Campbell, executive director of the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, said Gregory Jacobs was a fixture at the wharf for 30 years who usually sat in front of the Anchorage Building on Jefferson Street.
He would typically sit behind a couple of branches, wait for an unsuspecting tourist to walk by, and then lunge at them, sometimes growling.
Those he startled might scream or yell, but many stayed to watch and laugh at others as they got the same scare, Campbell said. Often a crowd would form, and many people left money in the tip jar for the free show.
Jacobs was one of two people doing the Bushman act. The other, David Johnson, styles himself the World Famous San Francisco Bushman and has a Facebook page with more than 800 likes.
"You hate them when you get scared by them, you love them when you see other people get scared by them," Campbell said.
"They really add to the character of the area," Campbell added.
"Long before I moved to San Francisco I had heard about the Bushman."
Duggan's Funeral Home on 17th Street in San Francisco confirmed that a viewing is scheduled for Jacobs on Tuesday.
Sara Gaiser, Bay City News

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Book of Funnels
Verse Press
Amherst, MA, 2004
Hourhour
Delirium Press
Montréal, 2005
[Ill: Ryan Mrozowski]
Seattle, 2007
Reisen in Ziegengeschwindigkeit
Kookbooks
Idstein, 2008
[Ü: Steffen Popp, Uljana Wolf]
Übersetzung: Steffen Popp, Uljana Wolf
Christian Hawkey [ USA ]
The poet Christian Hawkey was born in 1969 and grew up on Pine Island, Florida. He completed a M.F.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. It was there, in the year 2000, that he co-founded the bi-annual poetry journal »jubilat«, for which he is now an editor-at-large. Four years later his first award-winning volume appeared, »The Book of Funnels«, followed by a chapbook and a further collection, which was received with equal enthusiasm by critics. Hawkey has been Associate Professor for English and Creative Writing at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn since 2004.
Hawkey's poetry stems in part from the tradition of American Surrealism, which his instructor at Amherst, James Tate, established nationwide and made native to the American vernacular. Another source of inspiration has been John Ashbery, the outstanding representative of the New York School. On Hawkey's début Ashbery reasoned that these poems are »landscape poetry in the true sense of landscape – not a segment of the earth's surface posing for its picture, but an open, undetermined space in which all kinds of crazy mental and physical things are going about their business simultaneously. ... The ›Book of Funnels‹ is one of the most beautiful first books of poetry I have read in a long time.«
The poems in Hawkey's most recent volume, »Citizen Of« (2007) navigate between internal and external landscapes, between imagined worlds and so-called real worlds. These multiple sites are effortlessly woven together with associatively linked themes, situations, images, political subtexts, and words, the syntax often balancing on the margin of its dissolution through excessive enjambement, sparse punctuation and ellipses. Linguistic and even typographical patterns emerge but are only partially taken up and perpetuated. Thus a rhizomatic texture arises that not only enables surprising effects of meaning and emotion but also allows, in incidental, humorous and stimulating ways, for the active performance of language as a medium of cognition, thought and feeling.
In his translation project, »Ventrakl«, Hawkey applies himself to even larger extent to associations within language, assiduously ignoring its content and usefulness as a means of communication. The project received a Creative Capital grant. It presents translations of Trakl poems that are constructed on the sole basis of »sound associations«, the graphic appearance of the text, as well as on background biographical information. Interspersed »interviews« with the »ghost« of Trakl explore links to current political themes.
Hawkey has been awarded the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and prizes from the Academy of American Poets and the Poetry Fund. His poems have appeared in French, Portuguese, Slovenian and German translation. In the spring of 2008 a selection of his poems, entitled »Reisen in Ziegengeschwindigkeit«, was published in Germany. The poet lives in New York.
© international literature festival berlin


You are here: Elegant Simplicity > News > Google Gets it Wrong!
Why would Google Music even think of recommending Boney M and Uriah Heep to me? Heep, sure, I have all their releases in my collection. But Boney M!!!!!


The term irradiation illusion was coined by German scientist Hermann von Helmholtz in the 1860s to describe the visual perception in which a light area appears larger than an identically-sized dark area. The effect was observed as early as the time of Galileo, who refers to it in his observations of the sizes of planets when viewed through a telescope at different times of day. The illusion is illustrated below. The white square in the black field on the right seems larger than the black square in the white field on the left. It's as if the white area on the right spills outward beyond its edges into the surrounding black. At the same time, the white field on the left appears to encroach upon the black square making it shrink.
The drawing below shows how the irradiation illusion can affect lettering. The top halves of the letters shown are clearly bolder looking than the bottom halves. This means that, on a dark background, a white letter with a heavy stroke will look even heavier, sometimes to the point that legibility is compromised. Counter spaces that are already small become even smaller. Interletter spacing shrinks. Heavy white lettering on a dark background can take on an unpleasant bloated look, and the effect is more pronounced as the viewing distance increases. The solution, simply, is to use lighter stroked letters and increase the letter spacing when the background is dark.
This phenomenon of white letters appearing heavier is not always a bad thing. The effect can be put to use at times. It can even save an otherwise weak layout. How so?
Computer font collections tend to have a disproportionately high number of light faced letter styles. These typestyles are designed mostly for print, not for signs. Times Roman, as an example, is an inherently weak letter style on sign work. It looks fine in print, up close. After all, it was designed for newspapers held at arm's length, paper whose porous qualities actually help thin-faced letters. Paper, especially newsprint, allows inked letters to bleed a little through capillary action (the printer's term for this is dot gain). This effect allows the hairline strokes characteristic of many romans to achieve a little more thickness when printed. But in large sizes on signs, the thin strokes of painted or vinyl lettering remain thin lines. Add to this thinness the effect of the irradiation illusion, and the strokes become even thinner. The result is that a large sign lettered in all Times Roman has a distinctly anemic look. In printspeak, the lettering is not 'black' enough. It appears insubstantial, weak. The thinnest strokes eventually disappear as viewing distance increases, leaving visible only a series of meaningless vertical strokes. But if you create a reversed color scheme—putting white roman letters on a black background—the letters instantly become a little stronger.
Similarly, the legibility of some scripts can be improved by a dark background. Computer scripts are often so light faced as to be useless for sign work without some kind of 'stroking' to beef them up. Using a dark background can sometimes solve the problem with minimal effort.
In the days of painted signs, the expanding/shrinking illusion of irradiation was a problem easily addressed. For one thing, sign painters did not use fonts [related post: Sign painters didn't use fonts], so they were not burdened with picking through hundreds of unusable typestyles to find the few that worked well. Their letter styles, "alphabets," as they called them, were all hand drawn specifically for sign work. Generally, these styles were not duplicates of typestyles that were created for print. And letterers tended to rely on medium and medium-heavy stroke weights for the bulk of their work. When a light typestyle was required, say, by an insistent client, or when an architect specified a certain typeface, it was easy to thicken the strokes slightly if needed for legibility. This could even be done on the fly during the brush lettering process. When a sign painter used script, it was most often a medium weight, sometimes heavy, infrequently light. Experienced sign painters knew that light faced lettering often produced weak-looking signs that lacked impact.
In sign design, legibility is dependent on the interplay of light and dark images. Letter recognition relies not only on the positive image of the letterform but also on the negative space surrounding and within it. When one or the other is overpowering, there is always a compromise of legibility. This is why medium weight letters tend to be the most legible on sign work. It doesn't mean heavy or light faced letters should not be used at all. Rather, it means using them prudently.
Being aware of, and carefully manipulating, effects like the irradiation illusion can help a sign artist produce good layout. Effective design is not an accident.
Hermann von Helmholtz bio from Encyclopedia Britannica. His pursuits as a scientist were broad. Perhaps best known for his invention of the ophthalmoscope in 1861, still an essential diagnostic tool used in medicine today.
Hermann von Helmholtz from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Details of his interests, philosophies, teachings and accomplishments.
← Can you trademark a color?
The crowded look of a light letter on a dark background can look even more crowded when the lettering is backlit. Then, another phenomenon kicks in, making the letters grow even more. It's called halation. I'll have a future post on it.


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Gibson Twist, February 13th, 2013, 1:30 am
We got some cameos! It's tiny little Sean and Finbar C, Phillip S turning his back on the whole thing, and Ryan grabbing some grub. I recommend highly the whatever it is he's eating.
Hey, what do you know? There's a new page of Our Time in Eden today! Go read it, then maybe call a friend. http://ourtimeineden.smackjeeves.com/comics/1679874/time-23/
PLUS!!! The Tiny Pink Robots Kickstarter is getting closer and closer to its goal! Are you in the Pink? http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1341550594/tiny-pink-robots-365-days-in-print
HastyPudding (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 12:06 am
I really don't like this guy, now. Feels like he's being very manipulative.
shalahoyden, February 14th, 2013, 12:19 am
I have more than a small urge to rip his douchey little goatee off his smug bastard face. But that's just me.
KyledKat, February 14th, 2013, 12:22 am
Fuck this guy.
No, seriously. Just fuck him.
seanc (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 12:28 am
woohoo, yay for us! makes me giddy. thanks, gibson.
H0lyhandgrenade, February 14th, 2013, 12:34 am
Hrrm hrrm.
TCGC (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 12:36 am
@KyledKat: What you said.
Manda B (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 12:47 am
Moving in for the kill... just like everybody but her thought he would, and even now, she still doesn't see it.
jodie (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 1:01 am
yes lauren and just don't think about the times you guys had together even before this exhibit
like, sam's ALWAYS been jealous anyway
it's not like he doesn't slap you or isolate you ALL the time right
and rick knows ALL about it
@shalahoyden: he's actually just devon but devon grew a goatee and now no one recognizes him
betrayed (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 2:16 am
arrrggghhhh!!
This is soooo frustrating to read. In a well done sort of way. This is what I imagine was going on right under my nose a month ago before my naive wife got swept up and was unfaithful. Kudos to you for showing what shitbags some guys can be, and how naive some gals can be, simultaneously.
Xinea, February 14th, 2013, 3:20 am
Oh Lauren, why are you trying to get confirmation from the guy everyone's telling you isn't a good idea?
meander (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 4:40 am
he's doing the exact same thing everybody's talked to her about! and she doesn't see it (yet)! argh! aaaarrghh! frustrating. and I know others have already mentioned this but aaaaahh, frustrating!
Quadrant, February 14th, 2013, 4:40 am
And so the dick makes his move to try and get his dick inside Lauren.
toothandclaw (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 4:58 am
Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but I get the feeling that Lauren is smarter than we're giving her credit for.
She's just testing douche-boy.
I hope.
Onyxlight, February 14th, 2013, 5:07 am
@Quadrant: Well said... and wow he took the first opening he got #smdh. Didn't even try to play friend and give her some decent advice he moved straight into Douchebag mode...
Wow this guy deserves to have his picture on http://dbagging.com he isn't even hiding it at this point.
This guy has officially become "that guy" and a douchebag.
ETA: Love the Michelle icon
Jeffko, February 14th, 2013, 8:10 am
Goddammit, Rick! You just HAD to go and prove me wrong, didn't you! I said there was very little evidence of your intent, and now you pull this shit... I had high hopes for you, Guy Fawkes, I really did.
Welp, guess I better go get some beer to wash these words down.
Never asks about her day? Shit, when has Lauren asked about HIS day?
NicoleW (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 8:14 am
Words cannot express my lack of surprise at Rick's behavior here, but I'm not going to write Lauren off as an idiot until I see what she does next.
Tarabba, February 14th, 2013, 8:20 am
@Jeffko: Awh, no worries, man, you tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, not the worst quality to have!
I'm curious to see where this goes, I'm really curious to see what Lauren says, I hope she does the right thing, but I have a bad feeling it won't go over that way :\
Fyb, February 14th, 2013, 8:50 am
@Jeffko: Well, your positivism and your faith in humanity is commendable at least!
But yeah, Murphy's law ususally pretty damn on target.
Anywhow, I'm proud to officialy introduce POY's latest villain! A big round of applause for Rick!
Phil C., February 14th, 2013, 9:21 am
@Jeffko: Like Tarabba said, you tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Most of the rest of us (me included) made snap judgments about what a dick he was being, but you tried to give him a chance. You're a better person than I. :)
Meanwhile, Gibson, I bow to your skills in writing a really, REALLY hate-able character. :)
Jaeger (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 9:22 am
For everyone commenting on Lauren being smarter than this... She probably is, but I still don't expect to see this arc find its happy ending for a while. Remember in the prologue, how Peter says "There was a time, doesn't seem that long ago, I didn't think I would ever see Sam and Lauren together again." I think that time is fast approaching :C
Hornet (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 9:34 am
You know it really is a tribute to Gibsons abilities that he can get us so infuriated by the apparent idiocy that his characters sometimes exhibit.
Teenlink, February 14th, 2013, 10:29 am
It's kind of fun to go through my dailies and see what comic lands on Valentine's Day. This one especially. Other comics have special holiday pics, PoY has a manipulating douche pulling out all his stops.
Xasswuwe (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 10:58 am
On one hand, Rick has a point. All he's seen is some intense jealousy from Sam, and a pretty unhealthy dynamic between the two of them.
On the other hand, as a person who has had acquaintaces talk about me to my partner this way and talk to me about my partner this way, I can only say one thing: Rick's officially a douchebag. Whether he wants to get into her pants or just cares because he's being a good friend is irrelevant. He's being really pushy with his "Sam's a bad boyfriend" hypothesis, and that's just not cool. Especially from a guy who doesn't know him.
Good job, Gibson, for making Rick such a dirtbag that everyone now hates him. I don't know how such a nice guy can write the dialogue for such an asshole without going insane.
The_Hankerchief, February 14th, 2013, 11:07 am
@Xasswuwe: Well, we did need a replacement for Devon.....
Terrador (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 11:59 am
Smart Girls
For those of you saying they thought Lauren was smarter than this, remember that there are different kinds of smart. She may be book smart, but she appears to have led a sheltered life before college. Unfortunately, the only way to get relationship smart is getting hurt or seeing others get hurt. We all want to believe the best in people until we are proven wrong enough times to learn caution. No one starts out suspicious of the motives of others.
Gibson Twist, February 14th, 2013, 12:13 pm
@Terrador: I think the comments lately have proved that people don't so much want to think the best of people as they only believe that which reinforces their first impressions.
Rhem (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 2:39 pm
If this is him trying to be a friend, he needs to work on his communication skills. If he is honestly worried about Lauren's relationship, that's great- but he never asked how long the work on the exhibition has been going, or what it means to Sam- or any of the relevant questions about why Sam is acting how he is. He just sees Sam at his worst, and never stops to give him the benefit of the doubt but jumps into his own assumptions. I don't see how he doesn't realize that his behavior is exactly replicating the behavior shown to him- unless he does realize it, and is trying to match Christo jerk for jerk, in which case this is going to go down very poorly.
Also, @Jeffko, tbh the more I've been following this comic recently the more I want this guy to turn out to be honestly not trying to jump Lauren's pants, just to have people be like "wait...all he said was 'maybe this isn't right, are you sure this is working out?' we just jumped to major conclusions here"
Anyways, just my two cents. Good page as always.
Shamalama (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 9:17 pm
This guy really makes me want to punch babies.
Jenny O (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 11:21 pm
Here's the thing- it's also 100% possible that Rick isn't deliberately being a douche bag. It may very well be that, from his point of view, he's "being a good friend" by telling Lauren the truth as he sees it- and by being "better for her" than he perceives Sam to be. Similarly, his utter lack of interest in being friendly with Sam and the guys could be due to his belief that they're not worth being friends with, and are bad for Lauren. Obviously that's pretty friggin' immature attitude to take, but these are college kids- a lot (not all, but a lot) of them have not yet figured out the difference between being a narcissistic a-hole and a decent human being (I know I struggled with it well into my twenties). My point being, as much as I instantly recoil from Rick's "type", it may not be a conscious thing on his part- and it may be something he just might outgrow, given enough life experience.
(I'm totally rooting for Lauren to set him straight, tho')
Madock345, February 14th, 2013, 11:36 pm
@jodie:
I like this theory. This is now my official head-cannon until directly denied by Word of Twist.
Reign (Guest), February 14th, 2013, 11:54 pm
VINDICATION!
Guest, February 15th, 2013, 12:43 am
Most of the time, a guy who makes your boyfriend and all your friends uncomfortable is someone you shouldn't want around. It's always best to use the people who know and love you as the outside perspective you lack regarding your life.
Unfortunately, it can take losing everyone's trust in you for an abusive relationship to teach you that lesson. I tend to be the type to hope for the best in people, but I had to learn to recognize and quickly remove those that aren't worth the trouble, just in case. If they're good people, that's great. I don't necessarily need every good person I meet actively in my life and relationships.
amiko_16, February 15th, 2013, 1:27 am
urge to throttle...rising....
Amber Mint, February 15th, 2013, 10:37 pm
Shut up, Rick.
Guest, February 17th, 2013, 7:01 am
congrats to writing such complex characters!
Evelyn (Guest), June 11th, 2013, 9:26 pm
That moment when a Pictures of You character resembles someone you know. Who just so happens to be your boyfriend.


He/Him, cishet, married, monogamous, father, ally, advocate, overall boring individual. Trying to raise my kid to be better than myself and to make the world a better place.
Ah, there's nothing quite like going out for drinks and ending up talking about Vim, Emacs and hands not leaving the keyboard, is there?
The only thing harder than exiting from `vim` is exiting from `screen`.


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Hexcel Officially Opens New Plant in France to Meet Growing Demand for Advanced Composites
SALAISE-SUR-SANNE, France, October 2, 2018 – Hexcel has officially opened its new plant at the Les Roches-Roussillon Chemicals Industry Platform in Isère, France. Attending the event were Muriel Pénicaud, French Labor Minister, Yannick Neuder, Vice-President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region for higher education, research, innovation and European funding, and Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President, as well as local dignitaries, Hexcel customers, and media representatives.
The new 37-acre plant is the company's first combined precursor and carbon fiber plant outside the United States. Four years after the project launch, the site is operational and increasing Hexcel's global carbon fiber production capacity. Hexcel invested 200 million Euros in the plant that will generate 120 direct and 250 indirect jobs. Hexcel's workforce in France has now risen to 1,200 people with more than 1,000 employees located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The new facility is part of Hexcel's ongoing worldwide investment to create a diversified and robust global supply chain to support aerospace customers' growing demand for carbon fiber composites. Since 2015, Hexcel has invested in all its locations worldwide, largely to support the growing demand for composites and the development of aerospace industry programs such as Airbus (A350 XWB) and Safran (CFM International LEAP engine).
Thierry Merlot, Hexcel President, Aerospace -- Europe/Asia-Pacific/Middle East/Africa, said: "With this plant, we are responding to the needs of aerospace customers and their growing demand for carbon composite materials.The site has already received its first aerospace certifications."
Based at the Osiris Chemicals Industry Platform, the location was chosen by Hexcel due to its proximity to Hexcel customers, other Hexcel sites, its quality infrastructure and operational excellence, and the availability of competitively priced electricity in France.
Operating in synergy with Hexcel's existing sites in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Les Avenières, the biggest carbon fiber weaving plant in Europe, and Dagneux, manufacturer of prepreg fabrics and carbon fibers, the new plant will create a global ecosystem for the high-performance composite materials sector covering the entire production chain from carbon fiber to resin-impregnated fabrics called prepreg.
EFFICIENT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SYSTEMS
In 2014, Hexcel signed a regional master agreement with Pôle emploi, the French national employment agency, to support its development and hire over 200 employees for its sites in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region through the implementation of job simulation recruitment (MRS).
Mr. Merlot said: "Hexcel has become more attractive in recent years. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has provided support with training. New employees have received customized training courses, including onsite training at Hexcel facilities in the United States and Spain."
INCREASED INVESTMENT IN R&D
Mr. Merlot added: "Today we are able to invest in production capacity thanks to both organic growth and the acquisition of complementary technologies. Recent acquisitions and partnerships have enabled us to diversify and acquire new technology solutions such as additive manufacturing, adhesives, pultrusion processes and thermoplastics. For this purpose, this year we signed a strategic partnership with Arkema to develop carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and set up a new joint research and development unit in France."
The launch of a 3,500m2 R&D center at the Hexcel Les Avenières site is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019. The center will focus on new processes and out-of-autoclave technologies. This will support innovations in high-performance composites and continue to grow its market share in composite materials for aerostructure applications.
Mr. Merlot said: "We are entering a highly active phase of research and development in order to design new generation materials and processes for the engines and aircraft of tomorrow."
About Hexcel
Hexcel Corporation is a leading advanced composites company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials including carbon fibers, specialty reinforcements, prepregs and other fiber-reinforced matrix materials, honeycomb, adhesives, engineered core and composite structures for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications.
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The AFL-CIO will rally Saturday in Portland to air its complaints about Wellness Connection.
Saying that Maine's largest medical-marijuana dispensary group has ignored many of its workers, a union group plans a press conference and literature drop in Portland on Saturday to support union workers.
The actions, announced in a news release from the Maine AFL-CIO, are the second planned protest against Wellness Connection of Maine.
Chris Kenoyer of the Maine Patients Coalition said his group will gather advocates Friday outside the company's dispensary in Hallowell.
An employee of Wellness Connection prompted a state investigation of the company's cultivation site in Auburn last month. The Department of Health and Human Services cited the group for 20 violations of state law and policy, including use of nine types of pesticides on marijuana.
Afterward, a number of employees joined the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, a union official told the Portland Press Herald.
Dan Rush, of the union's medical-marijuana organizing division, said he thought a majority of the company's workers were on board with his group. But, he said, the company would not recognize the union.
In its release, the Maine AFL-CIO said it will hold a press conference in Portland's Longfellow Square at noon Saturday and distribute literature to passers-by at the Wellness Connection dispensary on Congress Street beforehand.


tyrion with sansa, joffrey and tommen. . HD Wallpaper and background images in the House Lannister club tagged: photo tyrion lannister sansa stark tommen baratheon joffrey baratheon.
This House Lannister photo contains throne.


In what appears to be turning into a nice little rivalry, Fuji followed Nikon and announced some lens deals of its own over the weekend. Not only did it announce some sweet deals, but arguably they announced deals that blow the Nikon rebates out of the water.
If you have a Fuji, or are thinking about getting into a Fuji system (perhaps switching from Nikon, haha), then now may be a good time to do so. You can check out the full listing of Fujifilm deals over at B&H.


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Could a $70 million investment help Microsoft loosen Google's grip on Android?
In Cybershack
The Wall Street Journal today reported that Microsoft is looking at investing USD$70 million in rogue Android start-up Cyanogen. Cyanogen is the developer of CyanogenMod, an alternate version of the Android operating system designed to be truly open source.
"We're attempting to take Android away from Google," said Cyanogen's CEO Kirt McMaster in an interview last week. "We're making a version of Android that is more open so we can integrate with more partners."
While Android is technically already an open-source operating system, hardware manufacturers have to follow strict restrictions (such as presenting Google as the default search engine) to get access Play Store and Google's other popular apps such as YouTube and Maps on their devices. Companies that don't follow these regulations are shut out from Android's most popular app environment.
As such, CyanogenMod still relies on Google for access to services like the Play Store, Gmail and Maps, but McMaster believes this will change and says that operating system will have its own app store within 18 months.
"Today, Cyanogen has some dependence on Google. Tomorrow, it will not," said McMaster. "We will not be based on some derivative of Google in three to five years. There will be services that are doing the same old bullshit with Android, and then there will be something different. "
While Cyanogen is seen as a start-up, it claims its operating system is used by over 50 million people. The company has 80 staff working for it, and says that over 9,000 volunteers have contributed to the project. CyanogenMod is already pre-installed on devices such as the OnePlus One and on handsets built by Indian manufacturer Micromax.
Cyanogen isn't the only company who has attempted to decouple Google and Android. Amazon also makes use of a custom version of Android on its line of Kindle devices, all missing Google's apps and services. The online retailer instead preloads devices with an Amazon App Store, which as of June 2014 had 240,000 apps. Of course, Amazon's business model is best served by restricting device owners to purchasing video, music and books through its own stores.
Nokia attempted a similar project with a low-end range of Android handsets before its mobile division was purchased by Microsoft. The operating system, dubbed Nokia X, used a mix of Nokia's and Microsoft's services including Skype, OneDrive and HERE Maps. Initially, Google Play was not included with the operating system, but was reinstated in an update late last year.
Cyanogen is thinking big, and funding from Microsoft could just be what the start-up needs to makes these dreams of a proper open source Android a reality. A truly open and active version of Android would give hardware manufacturers the option to preload whatever software they wanted to without being bound to Google's ecosystem or could force Google to loosen up its own restrictions. This would allow Microsoft to better promote its own, as it did in the Nokia X project.
If Microsoft is indeed investing in Cyanogen, the Redmond company could very well be gearing up to fight Google on its own turf.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Android Authority
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Layer it over a turtleneck or wear it solo, the Elizabeth is made with an alpaca-wool blend from Italy that's lightweight but warm and textural. With interior buttons for added security, you can dress it up or down no matter the season.
This sweater fits true to size. I'm typically a small at Aritzia, and the small was a good fit for me. I was afraid the sweater would be itchy, but it's very soft.
The tan color is beautiful and the style of the sweater is so cute! I did size down and I am glad that I did. I usually wear a medium in sweaters and I got a size XS.
Comfortable , pretty and easy to wear. Fits a bit large so go down a size. Have it in two colours.
I love this sweater! It's not too low, and perfect to wear just on it's own. I did size down one size because I wanted it to be slightly more fitted. Even then, there's still a bit of room, but just enough so it's not body hugging tight.


We've been following the emerging world of bitcoin related trading startups. A coming entrant that recently went public with its site and will be soon launching a public beta program is Crypto St. For FX readers, Crypto St represents probably the purest form of 'forex' trading among the new players and plans to offer 'commission-less' trading. Additionally, they plan on integrating familiar order types for traders such as Short and Long positions, market and limit orders, and stop losses. In contrast though to the majority of retail forex brokers, Crypto St is taking what they call a "purely-platform approach" and therefore will send orders to exchanges, rather than acting as a counter party to trades. To gain an exclusive 'sneak peak' of the trading platform and the emerging bitcoin trading sector, Forex Magnates spoke to Crypto St's Founder and CEO Shamoon Siddiqui, and its CMO George Burke.
Coming from a background that included FX trading, Siddiqui explained that Crypto St is aiming to create both a diverse and easy to use platform that will appeal to existing traders. He said "Crypto St is a meta-exchange, that we have been working on for over a year. The trading platform will offer cross-crypto currency exchange. If you have dollars, you can exchange them to bitcoins, bitcoins you can change into litecoins." Along this line, Crypto St is also aiming to provide more than just crypto currencies on the platform, and include majors such as the euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Canadian, and US Dollar for exchange.
Similar to other coming products, Crypto St's platform aggregates liquidity from numerous exchanges. Because of the cross-exchange sourcing of liquidity, Burke explained that traders have the opportunity to take advantage of arbitrage scenarios where exchanges bid/ask spreads are crossed. Burke added that "arbitrage opportunities are expected to diminish as more traders get involved. " As such, in the future, Crypto St is aiming to internalize enough of its order flow within its own system without the need of sending orders to external exchanges.
One of unique features of Crypto St is its No-Fee system. Using a playbook from forex brokers, Siddiqui explained that "we are not a broker-dealer, but will widen spreads from the market, similar to forex dealers. For traders, 'what you see is what you get', with commissions added into the spread". In addition, to commissionless trading, Crypto St is planning on offering free withdrawals to verified customers.
In terms of comparing to forex brokers, one of the difficulties firms experience is handling of latent feeds and mispricing from the external sources. Faulty pricing can cause quotes on a broker's trading platform to diverge from those of the market and lead to orders being rejected or executed at bad prices.
With bitcoins, slow feeds are even a greater problem, with traders often experiencing delayed quotes from overloaded exchanges such as Mt Gox. In terms of this problem, we asked how Crypto St will handle "what you see is what you get" pricing that may no longer exist in the market due to faulty feeds? Answering, Burke explained that the platform is being built with a "scoring system to rate pricing from exchanges. Underperforming exchanges with slow executions can be removed from the platform".
In addition to spot exchange trading, Siddiqui stated that he believes there will be a lot of interest for options products which "can be used to hedge against bitcoin's volatility". Siddiqui concluded by telling Forex Magnates that Crypto St isn't singling itself to one digital currency and said "with crypto currencies, it's not where we are now but what the technology will be at the end that is important". Currently, Crypto St has begun to offer live testing of the platform to a number of users. A full rollout is expected later this summer.


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Should Extra Time Be Abolished?
Last August, many of the top coaches in Europe came together to discuss a number of key issues surrounding the game with UEFA, with one of the key talking points being the future of extra time and penalty shoot-outs. The fact that the world's top coaches are potentially challenging the need for extra time suggests that something's wrong, so what has brought them to this conclusion? Here we will look at matches going to extra time and when needed; penalties – per decade since 1970 in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), UEFA Europa League (UEL), UEFA European Championship (Euro) and the FIFA World Cup (Word Cup). Is extra time discouraging attacking play? When we get down to it, does it add any value to the game?
Extra time since the 70's
From 1970, there have been 472 matches that have gone on to extra time in these four major competitions; qualifying and knockout stages included (note: the data does not include 2016/17 knockout stages for the UCL and UEL, as tournaments are ongoing). Of these 472 matches, 233 have gone on to penalties, or 49.4% - so nothing highly unusual there if around half the matches are not decided in the preceding 30 minutes. Let's look into this in more detail - the following pie charts show the proportion of where the 472 matches have been spread between the four competitions:
The Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup) has dominated the proportion of matches going to penalties over the last 36 years, which is not at all surprising given the higher frequency of matches compared to the other competitions. Comparing the two charts, the proportions look fairly similar, but further examination does reveal some key differences:
The bar graph shows a clear difference in percentage between domestic (shaded blue) and international competitions (shaded red), with a higher proportion of matches going to penalties after they've reached extra time in the Euros and World Cup as compared to the Champions League and Europa League. With the Euros and World Cup only coming around every four years, there's an extra pressure for players to perform as many of them will only get the once chance at this level. The evidence suggests that once they get into extra time, international teams tend play it safer and are less likely to take risks. Perhaps this is due to fear of making a mistake which could result in elimination.
The fact UEFA have met to discuss this topic would suggest that perhaps something more is going on than just teams playing it safer in international competitions. Perhaps looking at the statistics by decade will reveal some patterns.
The following graph shows the average percentage of matches going to penalties after extra time for each competition per decade since 1970:
The lines fluctuate during the middle decades, but there is a visible increase in the percentage of matches going to penalties from 1970-79 to 2010-2016. One anomaly is in the World Cup between 1970-79, where only one match went to extra time (which subsequently did not go to penalties) – hence the drastic increase thereafter.
So, if we group all four tournaments together, how does the trend look?
A clear trend has emerged here, the percentage of matches going to penalties after matches have reached extra time has increased each decade - teams are clearly becoming more cautious in extra time, leading to more matches going to penalties. Between 1970-79 the % of matches going to penalties after reaching extra time was only 42.3%, but since 2010 it has risen significantly to 53.5%. How do we account for this?
Concede first at your peril
The next pie chart shows a possible reason. We have now removed qualifying games from the data, so we are now focusing on the knockout stages of all four tournaments since 2010:
In the 37 matches that have taken place in the four competition's knockout stages, only two teams have progressed after conceding first in extra time – and both of these teams progressed due to the away goal rule in the domestic competitions, where two legs were played. The graph essentially says "Concede first in extra time and get knocked out" - this could explain why lots of teams are playing with caution when it comes to extra time. Another key finding to note is that 56.8% of matches have gone to penalties, which is higher than the average overall percentage (including qualifying matches) of 53.5% from 2010 onwards - in these knockout stages, where the pressure is greater, teams are even more cautious.
Extra Time – Worth Keeping?
There is conclusive evidence to show extra time is becoming less and less useful in delivering a result – which is its objective, but with 46.5% of matches this decade still being decided in extra time, can you really discard such an important part of the game? Some of the most memorable games have been decided this way e.g. England beating West Germany the World Cup in 1966 or Real Madrid defeating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Final in 2014 – each have their own magical story and extra time played a role in that drama. However, it is clear that coaches remain concerned about the value of extra time, and it will no doubt continue to receive close scrutiny.