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Anna Karenina – Review
Director: Joe Wright - Screenwriter: Leo Tolstoy (novel), Tom Stoppard (Screenplay) - Starring: Aaron Johnson-Taylor, Alicia Vikander, Domhall Gleeson, Emily Watson, Holliday Grainger, Jude Law, Keira Knightley, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Olivia Williams, Ruth Wilson...
Contraband – Review
Andy (Caleb Landry Jones) is in over his head. He's a young lad who's got into the smuggling game his brother-in-law Chris (Mark Wahlberg) has recently quit. When the authorities board his ship...
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Review
In 1970s London, with the Cold War raging, Control (John Hurt) is running the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. He suspects that someone at the top of the service – among the most senior officers...
Paul – Review
Two British sci-fi geeks, Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are making a road-trip across the US, taking in sites familiar to UFO-fans, including Area 51 and Roswell. No amount of stud...
Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) leads a team of American soldiers in Baghdad in the run-up to the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. His job is to target the locations pinpointed by ...
A Serious Man – Review
One bitterly cold winter, somewhere in the nineteenth century, an elderly man returns home to his wife in some eastern European forest hut and tells her in Yiddish about an encounter he had in the...
The Soloist – Review
Steve Lopez (Downey Jr) is one of those down-on-his-luck newspaper columnists, in search of the story that will restore his reputation. He's recently broken up from his wife (Keener) who's his ed...
Frost/Nixon – Review
We've just said goodbye to an American president who really divided the nation. Arguably one of the few presidents to have left power under more of a cloud was Richard Nixon (Langella), who you'll...
Burn After Reading – Review
CIA agent Osbourne Cox (Malkovich) is having a bad week. When he gets home and tells his cold-hearted, unfaithful, miserable snob of a wife Katie (Swinton) that he's been fired, it's all she needs t...
Atonement – Review
1935 England, and the country estate of the wealthy Tallis family; precocious thirteen year old Briony (Ronan) has just finished writing her first play. She's rehearsing it with her cousins to put...
Date Title Site Rating
The Interpreter – Review


Articles tagged j4
Report Back from Denver's Restore the 4th & Boycott the Palm: Police Targeting Protesters, Police Assault, Threats of Rape
Posted 6 years ago on July 7, 2013, 10:03 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Tags: denver, j4, restore the fourth
via OccupyDenver:
It's been said by some that Occupy Denver does not give the Denver Police Department the respect they deserve. To that end we would ask what respect should we give to a violent and patriarchal institution that serves only those in power and uses threats of rape to try to intimidate into silence those who dissent? DPD has no respect for the people whom they purport to "protect and serve" nor any allegiance to the constitution for which they "swore" an oath to uphold. DPD has a long and ongoing history of violence, corruption, operating with impunity and zero accountability. At Denver's Restore The Fourth Amendment March on July 4th Dist. 6 Officer Mark Moore assaulted a woman by running into her, and over her foot with a motorcycle. DPD then wrongfully arrested her, and one other person. This is not the first time Officer Moore has done this. On October 14th 2011 he ran over another protestor's foot with a motorcycle. For more info on this thug please visit West Denver Copwatch. For videos of the protest click here and here.
On July 5th 2013 at approximately 5:45 p.m. Catherine Keffer arrived at Boycott the Palm. Here is Catherine's account:
"There were already several other protesters actively expressing their disapproval of The Palm's support of the Urban Camping Ban. There were also approximately 7 DPD officers and Sgt. Ortega present. Myself and Alex Pickruhn were on the corner of 17th and Arapahoe holding a banner and passing out fliers.
We walked back around to the main protest area. As we walked by there were 4 officers on motorcycles. They were met with verbal frustrations over their continued misconduct and abuse of power. One officer said to Mr. Pickruhn, 'I hope that your mother is raped so that I can respond to the call to help her.'
We continued to protest at The Palm until approximately 9:20 p.m. at which point we left to walk down the 16th Street Mall towards the ArtWalk. We noticed two officers in a cruiser that had been parked at Boycott the Palm. They noticed us, made eye contact and continued driving. We saw them turn around on the mall and begin following us, but they were still a block away so we were unsure what they were doing. As we were crossing the crosswalk, the same cruiser sped up past us and turned into the next alleyway. We continued walking. As we approached the alley one of the officers lunged at us, grabbing Mr. Pickruhn saying "come here". Mr. Pickruhn was forced to the ground, put in handcuffs and taken into the alley, out of visible sight. They immediately searched him and all of his possessions, forming a wall of officers to block what was happening in the alley from me and any other people walking by.
While all of this was happening Sgt. Ortega pulled up in a cruiser, parked in the middle of the mall and approached me, attempting to grab my wrist. I immediately put my hands up and asked repeatedly if I was being detained. Sgt. Ortega only said that I was with someone who threatened his officer and that I could be detained but they never actually detained me. I was told that if we would have conducted ourselves more "professionally" this wouldn't be happening. I was also told that Sgt. Ortega and other officers would harass me as long as I continued to conduct myself in this manner. My wallet was in the backpack that was being carried by Mr. Pickruhn at the time. Sgt. Ortega asked if I wanted it back but demanded an apology for my behavior in order to get it.
Upon searching Mr. Pickruhn, the officers found marijuana which he is legal to have. The Denver officers claimed that it was for distribution and arrested him. They also seized all of our money, which wasn't very much, and put it in evidence rather than in his personal property. Mr. Pickruhn was arrested and transported to the Denver City Jail.
At approximately 12:55 a.m. I was on the 16th street mall charging my phone in hopes of accepting Alex Pickruhn's call from jail. As I sat there alone, the 2 officers on motorcycles that were there earlier at Boycott the Palm, one of them is Officer McGrail and the other unknown, drove up, parking approximately 5 feet from where I was sitting. They stayed there, stared at me, wouldn't say anything to me and didn't leave until after I left with a concerned friend who had walked up.
At approximately 1:15, July 6th, I spoke with Alex Pickruhn via video phone at the city jail. Mr. Pickruhn told me he was threatened by DPD that they were going to find me and "get me alone", while he was in jail the night before. Knowing that i am his girlfriend, it was clear what they were implying. I have safe places to stay and friends. I am actively seeking assistance in raising $350 to post bond tonight so that he will be released tomorrow morning after going through pretrial services. Any other donations for legal costs would be greatly appreciated"
Alex Pickruhn has no official charges against him, he is being held on $2000 bail for felony investigation for possession with intent to distribute when he was originally stopped for allegedly verbally threatening an officer even though the only threats came from the police officers themselves. He has told the Occupy Denver Legal Support Team that he is being mistreated in jail and is concerned for his safety. We are collecting funds to post bond and get him released as quickly as possible. Please click here for our legal fund donation page if you are able to help.
The 2 arrested during the Restore the 4th March were released on bond thank you to everyone who donated!
Whether you are protesting the erosion of our rights both constitutional and innate, or boycotting a classist restaurant that supported making homelessness illegal there is no excuse for us to allow DPD or any "law enforcement" to threaten, harass, and assault members of the community. If DPD can't get their cops under control then police abolition is inevitable. When the corporately run government can decide they can overrule your rights, we can decide to overrule the government.
Chicago, July 4: Block Party to Fight Austerity at Rahm's House
Posted 6 years ago on July 3, 2013, 7:48 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Tags: chicago, austerity, j4
Edit: 7/4, 5pm CT: Video clips added
Chicagoans Gather to Protest Budget Cuts, Corporate Welfare, Call for One Term Mayor
This 4th of July, Chicagoans opposed to Mayor Emanuel's extreme budget cuts to public services, and policies of corporate welfare, will peacefully converge at the Mayor's house, at 4228 N Hermitage, to speak out against these austerity measures and celebrate citywide resistance to his mayorship.
"At a time when working people are already struggling to make ends meet, Mayor Emanuel is eliminating thousands of jobs across the city every year," says Greg Goodman, event organizer. "The loss of these jobs throws families and communities even further into crisis, and creates a chain effect that ripples out to negatively impact an ever growing number of Chicagoans. In the midst of all this, Rahm is systematically dismantling the social programs that ordinary people rely on to help them through times of crisis, and selling our public institutions and resources off to corporate profiteers."
After gathering at Chase Park (Ashland and Leland) at 12pm on July 4th, Chicagoans fed up with Mayor Emanuel's austerity plans will hold a peaceful block party on his street (4200 block of Hermitage). The event will include music, dancing, and speakers.
"People who are barely getting by are being punished for the mistakes of the super-rich," says local organizer Kelly Hayes. "That's what austerity is. We're going to let Mayor Emanuel know we didn't create this crisis, and we're not going to pay for it."
Thurs, July 4: Block Party to Fight Austerity at Rahm's House
12pm: Gather at Chase Park, Ashland & Leland
12:30pm: March to Rahm's House, 4228 N Hermitage
1pm: Press Conference
For live updates, follow: @constantnatalie @baburrealer @bullhorngirl @gregrgoodman #OneTermMayor #RahmParty on Twitter.
Concurrently, Restore the Fourth Chicago will be gathering at noon in Daley Plaza. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/418849661562573/. In addition, Occupy Chicago is marching to STOP NSA SURVEILLANCE! Saturday, July 6, 1PM in Federal Plaza. For more info on that: http://occupychi.org/2013/06/25/stop-nsa-surveillance-march-76-1pm-federal-plaza
What's Up with Restore the Fourth? An Interview with a National Organizer
Tags: j4, restore the fourth, interview
Restore the Fourth is a growing grassroots movement organizing nationwide pro-privacy rallies for July 4th, 2013. With July 4th just around the corner, we took the opportunity to interview Jett —a national organizer— to find out more about what's up with #restorethe4th.
First, an open-ended question: what does Restore the Fourth mean to you personally?
To me, Restore the Fourth is symbolic. The protests are taking place on July 4th, a date that commemorates the founding of a new country with new ideals free from oppression. Privacy rights aren't only respected when the government feels like it, and they can't simply be thrown away in the name of stopping crime. They're universal, inherent to every person, American or not.
Do you see Restore the Fourth as only about Edward Snowden and PRISM, or is it about broader issues of privacy and state surveillance?
While Restore the Fourth as a movement was first created in light of Snowden and the NSA's PRISM scandal, we were never intended to be specifically about that. We're dedicated to focusing on overarching issues of privacy, both digitally and in the real world.
People of color are unjustly targeted through programs such as "stop and frisk" and the extensive monitoring of Arab and Muslim communities. Are these issues for Restore the Fourth?
Policies and tactics such as 'stop and frisk', that are employed by various police forces, are very much a concern for our organization. They're arguably in violation of the 4th amendment of the United States, which protects from unreasonable searches and seizures. I believe that, moving forward, these may very well be issues at the forefront of our minds.
What would you say to occupiers and other activists who have been victims of intense federal, police, and even corporate surveillance?
Protect yourself. You may not be able to shake the surveillance, but you will be able to take steps in protecting yourself, your family and your private life from unnecessary surveillance. Secure your communications, strengthen your passwords, and check out http://prism-break.org/ for some privacy-secure alternatives to popular software.
Restore the Fourth is an American-based movement, but the U.S. and other nations are engaged in widespread surveillance of non-Americans all over the world. How do you feel we should go about building global solidarity around privacy rights?
As I've mentioned previously, I believe that there are a certain set of rights inherent to all humans on this planet - privacy and safety from surveillance being one of them. On a global level, it's a bit more difficult to secure privacy rights, specifically because different jurisdictions have different laws and customs. Ideally, a network of support would be the best - people in China fighting for privacy rights with those in America supporting them, and vice versa.
Anonymous, anarchists, occupiers, and others are also planning diverse actions for July 4th. How do you distinguish Restore the Fourth as a tactical approach? Do you expect Restore the Fourth rallies will be safe events for people looking to avoid police violence and arrest?
Being non-partisan, Restore the Fourth doesn't officially endorse any other groups, but we very much welcome their support. So far, we've worked very closely with occupiers, and their support has been tremendous. I fully expect the protests to be safe for people of any affiliation from arrest, so long as no acts of violence occur.
In addition to turning out for Thursday's rallies, what else can people do to show support and get involved? Are there any resources you'd like to share?
There are many things that people can do to help out our movement - spread the news on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), share our hashtag (#RestoreThe4th), or simply tell your friends and family. We also have a page of resources on our website with flyers/posters/etc. if you'd like to get involved that way: http://www.restorethefourth.net/resources/
It looks like we'll see a good turnout Thursday, but what happens after July 4th? Are there further actions being planned?
This movement started only a few weeks ago, and since then we've experienced exponential growth and progress. Since the movement is still very young, plans diverge in the long term on what we hope to achieve. Personally, I'd like to see a combination of legislative and litigative action (something like what the ACLU does), and others want to see further plans of action. With organizations such as the BORDC, stopwatching.us and the EFF behind us, I feel that we can achieve all of this and much more.
NYC: Restore the Fourth!
Tags: nyc, j4, restore the fourth
via RestoreTheFourthNYC:
Under the banner of a grassroots nonpartisan organization called Restore the Fourth, thousands will be gathering on the 4th of July in dozens of cities across the United States to demand an end to unconstitutional governmental surveillance programs that violate the 4th Amendment rights of Americans.
In New York City, 4th Amendment rights issues go well beyond those recently revealed unconstitutional NSA spying programs. In addition to the national goal of seeking an end to these programs, we demand New York City stop all search and surveillance policies that target groups based on their race, religion, or political views. We demand an end to "Stop and Frisk," which targets people of color across the city, and an end to the discriminatory surveillance of Muslim Americans by the NYPD.
The rally on the 4th of July will begin at noon around Union Square South. We will march to Federal Hall. Despite the fact a permit will not be filed for this march, it is the intention of Restore the Fourth that the march be nonviolent and lawful. Since we expect to have attendees from all backgrounds and age groups, we want this event be safe for everyone involved without the risk of police violence and arrest.
We request that you share with your friends our Restore the Fourth NYC Facebook page and Event page for the march:
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/restorethe4thnyc/
Rally/March Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/378073495627134/
In addition, we're holding organizational meeting on Wednesday, July 3rd, at 8:00pm in Washington Square Park by the Garibaldi statue on the East side of the park. We will discuss the direction of the movement in the weeks beyond the 4th of July as well as any last-minute details for the march.
We hope to see you at our meeting, and if not, at our rally to Restore the Fourth!
More Restore the Fourth NYC Information:
http://restorethefourthnyc.org/
@Restorethe4thNY
restorethefourthnyc@gmail.com
More Restore the Fourth Information:
http://www.restorethefourth.net/
http://www.facebook.com/RestoreTheFourth
@Restore_the4th
"#restorethe4th"
July 4th: Liberate Space from the Surveillance State!
Posted 6 years ago on June 18, 2013, 8:38 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Tags: j4, nsa
Liberate Space - July 4th - Cities Everywhere - Be Daring
In a few weeks, on July 4th we call on all individuals to blockade, disrupt and disobey the architecture of repression in their own cities. We act against the surveillance state not because it has overstepped an imaginary line, we rebel against it for the simple fact that it is designed to intimidate, imprison and demoralize us. We act against it because we know that politicians, corporations and the ruling class will never listen or change. We know that it is up to us to be disobedient, that direct action is the only road to freedom.
There is no better time than now to push forth an initiative which calls out the surveillance state for what it is; a web of police, prisons and politicians designed to protect the wealthy. At a time of upheaval and massive repression worldwide we don't ask for permission, we recognize that those who grant us permission are those that spy on us at the same time. The world we fight for is a world free from politicians, states and security agencies.
On July 4th we call on individuals and groups to gather in the busy thoroughfares, parks and squares in your town. We suggest an overnight occupation designed to call out and confront the means in which surveillance is carried out. This could simply be holding a sign in front of a camera, your tactics are only limited by creativity. It is important to not fall into the marching around in circles trap. We hold our space in a busy area on the 4th because this is where people, commerce and surveillance are.
Circulate Widely Create Your Own Event Write A Call To Action
-Valley Anarchist Circle


Her Rides
THE RACE TO SAVE LIVES – #SAVEIT4THETRACK By John Hammer
THE RACE TO SAVE LIVES – #SAVEIT4THETRACK
By John Hammer
We start today's story with a game of word association. I say "Mom of three" and you say…
I won't fault you for thinking "minivan" or "soccermobile," I would have done the same. But then, you've not met Rose Chadwick yet. Rose is the force behind "Save It 4 The Track," an organization that's getting folks with the need for speed off the street and on the track.
"It started because a person from my club was street racing," she says. That ended tragically when the racer caused a crash, killing three innocent people. From that sobering moment on, Rose knew she had to do something. She'd been taking her Challenger Scat Pack (a 392 Shaker!) to the track for quite some time and with her outgoing personality, it wasn't tough to get folks to come with her. Rose says, "The people at Irwindale Speedway pulled me aside and said 'We see you bring a crowd every week, let's work together.'" So she started hosting themed events: Challenger Night, Girls Night, Imports vs. America and so on…they were really fun and very successful.
"It's about education," Rose says. Changing perceptions is difficult when you see Hollywood putting out movies that glorify dangerous behavior. TV shows like Street Outlaws anger her. "It's not reality, don't buy into it. It is illegal, simple as that," she points out. I can hear the frustration in her voice as we talk. She's so passionate about getting folks off the streets and on the track. "I hate hearing these young guys complain that they don't have a few extra bucks to go to the track…but they've got a PlayStation." So how does she plan on changing that mindset? "I'd love to have a national presence," she tells me. "I want to get in the schools and teach them (about the dangers of street racing). I want to do for street racing what the anti-smoking campaign did for cigarettes and make it 'uncool'. I have my work cut out."
As I pointed out, she's not your ordinary mom of three. "I'm a girl with a fetish for designer purses and fast cars!" she says laughing loudly. And to that end, she recently took delivery of her new Dodge Challenger SRT® Demon, #1169. "I'm not going to lie, it still scares me," she says. She admits that when someone pulls up next to her and tries to egg her on, it's a challenge to NOT throw the hammer down. Then she looks up at the SaveIt4TheTrack decal in her mirror…a reminder of what she preaches. She's big on personal responsibility if you're going to own a performance car: "Laws have not caught up to the horsepower. Street cars are MUCH faster than they were back 20, 30, 40 years ago."
Even someone as deeply rooted in the safe exploration of speed can find it biting back: "I was filming a segment for a documentary, launching my car at the drag strip…and it fishtailed on me." But on a closed course, the danger was minimal and a great demonstration of how quickly things can turn. "I use that video on our website to show how things can go wrong fast and why it's so important to SaveIt4TheTrack."
We applaud what Rose is doing and encourage you to respect the vehicles and the people around you. Street racing is dangerous and illegal, but thanks to folks like Rose, it's easier than ever to get on track and safely explore the capabilities of your car.
To learn more, visit www.dodgegarage.com.
DBA Rose Chadwick
2016 All Rights Reserved. Developed by Nerds - 789 inc. | Accessibility Statement


FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017
FIFA U-20 World Cup 2017
Cha: My boyhood dream was to become a Taeguk Warrior
Youngsters playing in the schoolyards from Seoul to Busan ritually re-enact moments from Korea Republic's fairytale run to the semi-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™. Park Jisung's volley against Portugal in the group stages and subsequent hug with Guus Hiddink, Ahn Junghwan's golden goal against Italy and captain Hong Myungbo's winning penalty against Iker Casillas and Spain are among the moments that will live forever in the country's collective memory. However, before the days of Park, Hong or Ahn, there was a player who paved the way for Korean football to make the next step on the global stage and one whose name will be synonymous with Asian football forever: Cha Bumkun
Affectionately nicknamed, Cha Boom, he was a pioneer as the first ever Korea Republic footballer to be signed by a European club - Darmstadt in 1978 - playing for Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen for the majority of his career. Cha is also an example of success experienced by playing for the national team's youth ranks. This is precisely why his role as vice-chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 could not be better suited for anyone else. Not only is Cha a great example for aspiring professionals to look up to for his on-field excellence, his humility and discipline (he famously only received one yellow card in his whole career) are attributes for every young professional to try and emulate.
To mark 100 days to go to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017, *FIFA.com *sat down for an exclusive chat with one of the all-time great Taeguk Warriors to look ahead to the tournament and reflect on his career.
FIFA.com: Not only are you seen as one of the greatest players in Korea Republic's history, but you have a personal connection to the U-20 level. What do you remember from your first days breaking through the South Korean national team system?
Cha Bumkun: I joined the youth national team when I was in high school. I was just a country boy who never even had a chance to get on an airplane, and then I became a youth international and flew to Japan [to take part in the 1971 AFC U-19 Championship]. I cannot express what I felt in words because it was my boyhood dream to become a Taeguk Warrior. Everything was fresh and new, as it was my first international tournament and it was my first flight as well. I can still remember that particular scent I could smell inside the apartment for the athletes – one that I'd never smelt before in the world.
You become nervous when you go to some new places. Everything was new when I became an international, so I was very excited and scared as well. In the opening match, I couldn't even stand straight as my legs were shaking and I couldn't see anything literally. I can't remember how I ran for 90 minutes, either. It got better as we went on, but I broke my nose in the semi-finals against Japan and missed the final. After the tournament, I could feel the experience and senses had broadened my vision, while I could also have the confidence and will for a new challenge. I realised that I could grow up as a player through such experiences in major competitions.
*What were some key lessons you learned as a youth international that stuck with you for the rest of your successful career? *
The first thing was that it is very important to rack up experience by playing against players from other countries. And then I learned that I could raise my game and build up my confidence by fighting against stronger sides. After the youth championship, I was up against stronger opponents at senior level, who were tougher and faster. Everything I did without any problem at youth level was different when I took on stronger teams and I could feel myself upgraded through the experience. I think it's really important for young players to learn football sense and skills by taking on good opponents at the international level, because I felt I grew up through such tournaments.
What motivated you to get to the senior team while you were a youth player? What did it take?
It was my boyhood dream to become a Taeguk Warrior, because I [my family] was so poor. After I've become an international, then I began to dream of becoming a world-class player. Such goals have helped me stimulate myself and overcome the difficulties. If you don't have goals, dreams or hopes, you cannot deal with such demanding trainings or procedures.
I had a dream, so I was a bit different from other players: while they were having a rest, I got up early in the morning to go out running and to practice what I didn't do well. That was possible because I had a dream, and that's why I tell young players to have a dream. What I dreamt of, eventually came true – I was dreaming of playing in the German Bundesliga while watching the games on television. One day a coach from Germany came to tell me 'You can make it. Why don't you come over?' That's what happened. Dreams come true.
If you don't have goals, dreams or hopes, you cannot deal with such demanding trainings or procedures.
You were known for your heading ability and pace with the ball at your feet. Are there any players you see in football that remind you of yourself?
When I see Son Heungmin play, he tries to break down the opposition defence with audacious dribbling – which reminds me of my playing days. [Korea Republic forward] Hwang Heechan also reminds me of myself when he penetrates through the defensive line, although his finishing style is a bit different from mine. Such explosive, solo runs, as you can see from [Cristiano] Ronaldo nowadays, I see them from those two Korean players who can create and finish by themselves.
What's most important for U-20 players: developing as a player or learning to work on a team and in different systems of play?
Football is not an individual sport. Basically you have to play well together. But the important thing is that you should have your own colour within the team. That's what the team want from you: express your colour clearly, know what you do best. Korean football, for example, is about speed, breaking into the opposition defence – that's what the fans want to see as well, because that's your colour. It's very important to show them what kind of player you are in the first place, and then the organisation of the team can be adjusted according to such colours.
Would you say it's nearly as important to learn from losses as it is wins at the U-20 level?
I cannot express too much the importance of trying to win. But at the same time, young players should learn from losing even though they'd given their best. When I first went to Germany, I'd never played for a professional side and the league system was one that I'd never experienced before. I don't quite remember losing a game in Korea, or on the Asian stage. But in Germany, when I first lost a game, I felt like the sky was falling down and I could barely eat because of the thought that I lost, while the other guys seemed to be cool about it and move on for the next match.
I soon realised that they were building up their experience and know-how through the defeats, and growing up internally. For young players, and for seniors as well, winning is not everything, but losing itself could be a good lesson to become a better player. Of course, you have to do your best to win but even if you lost you've got to learn something from it.
FIFA U-20 World Cup on Facebook
Ahn & Park: Make the most of the experience
Legends Ahn and Park appointed Korea 2017 ambassadors
Shin Taeyong: I aim to instil confidence in players
General ticket sales for Korea Republic 2017 kick off


Home Google and Android Chromebook What's the definition of insanity again?
Google and Android
What's the definition of insanity again?
By Jim Szymanski -
Oh, that's right.
Last week a reporter from The Verge shared a personal dilemma with her readers. Her parents had gone through three (sub-$400) Windows laptops over the past two years that broke down for one reason or another. She was looking for a replacement that would meet Mom's needs. Like with most Moms, the device would need to; browse the Web, login to Facebook, send/receive email and maybe work with documents. Not much more than that. One absolute requirement though was that the replacement could not cost more than $400. The reporter happened to have a Toshiba Satellite NB15T Netbook and Toshiba Chromebook for review and decided to do a bit of a showdown. It should be noted the the reporter admitted; she uses a MacBook, and she was very familiar with all the Google services. Being a Verge story, I don't need to go any further. By now Mom is working through the Chromebook learning curve. Good luck with that.
Now, what the loving daughter should have done was stop the insanity after the second laptop failure, and replaced it with something expected to last more than a year. Aside from the ASUS notebook I picked up on a whim, all of my laptops and notebooks, including my first; a Toshiba in 1995, cost in excess of $2000. And aside from routine hard drive replacements, they all lasted from 4 to 10 years, and still had value when I parted with them. Even that beasty 1.5" thick Toshiba. None ever need service. You get what you pay for.
Noting the temporary insanity after the second failure, Mom would have been better served this time around with maybe a Yoga 11S, despite her insisting that she did not want a tablet. Touch screen, maybe 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an i5 or i7 4th Gen Processor. And a subscription to Webroot for sure. Mom would have been in PC heaven (figuratively only) for the next three years. And when she did warm up to the idea of a tablet, she would already have one. I know, $800 vs. $400. But this is a pay me now or pay me later thing, isn't it. Already spent $1000-$1200 in the past two years and the Chromebook was going to add another $299. Right? Said daughter could have convinced Mom that it was a review model she got discounted through the office. That would have been a nice thing, and the right thing, to do.
With that said, and without going too far off topic, why is Microsoft always the bad guy when talking about these sub-$300/$400 laptops? It's the OEMs who make this crap, that gives Windows a bad reputation. Microsoft could raise the minimum standards for PCs but OEMs would never tolerate that. They like selling you a new machine a few weeks after the warranty expires on the last one. To them, that's good business. And they wonder why PC sales are down. And why iPad sales went through the roof. And why Chromebooks are beginning to garner some interest. What I want to know is how Home Depot can get away with selling you a Ryobi Reciprocating Saw for $89, when down the block you can buy a Porter Cable TigerSaw for about $179. They both work. By that I mean with the Ryobi, you can struggle, teeth chattering, cutting through your work, like Smyth with his Web Apps, or Simmons with his Chromebooks. Or you can let the TigerSaw do the work for you, like cutting butter with a hot knife. And 10 or 20 years from now, that TigerSaw will still be out in your garage, ready to do its job. Time to stop the insanity.
I think this sums it up.
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The Windows Phone Failed Experiment
Ram March 31, 2014 at 12:16 pm
The Verge = Morons Summit. Their reporters and most of the commenters are alike. And bashing and hating Microsoft is new cultural trend.
Chris Leiter April 1, 2014 at 9:04 am
Should have told them to get MacBooks. Everyone in my family has switched to Macs except my younger brother (still PC gaming his days away), and no one asks for tech support, complains of slowdown, or has any issues worth mentioning – ever. My kids love theirs, my wife loves hers, my sister, who hates computers, loves her MacMini and her iMac at work, and my parents have had macs for ever. Windows creates more problems than it solves IMO.
Jim Szymanski April 1, 2014 at 9:48 am
Which helps to prove my point. If you spend $1000+ for a computer, you shouldn't expect to have any problems. Maybe that's why I have had such good results these past 20 years. If you spend less than $300, all bets are off.
I am learning to adjust my recommendation from simply, "buy an X" to, "buy a good X". Case in point. I really like Canon Inkjets. Designs are good, software is smart, ink is reasonable, easy to setup. Very reliable. When I buy, I usually get the top of the line-latest model for $129-$169. Recommended to a friend and she got a $59 base model. Not quite the same thing. She's somewhat happy, but I was disappointed in its setup and performance. You do get what you pay for, most of the time.
Chris Leiter April 5, 2014 at 9:13 pm
My next printer (a little off topic, but recently relevant) will be one of those new HPs that have the endless ink service where they automatically ship you ink.
Mom's 70th, Getting Her a Chromebook
Doug Simmons -


Waymo Self-Driving Cars Have Driven 16 Million Kilometres
The Ride-Hailing Company Is Steadily Achieving Near-Perfect Autonomy.
October 24, 2018 October 24, 2018 | in Latest News| by Martin Alva
Home » News » Waymo Self-Driving Cars Have Driven 16 Million Kilometres
Alphabet Corporation's self-driving car company Waymo recently announced its vehicles have driven more than 16 million kilometres (10 million miles) on public roads. The news comes ahead of the company preparing to launch a commercial ride-hailing service with fleets of autonomous vehicles.
Waymo's testing rounds began with a handful of kilometres driven each day, exploding over the past few years. The company announced last Wednesday that its autonomous vehicles have driven more than 16 million kilometres on public roads in the United States. The company had logged almost 13 million kilometres in July and a little more than six million in November 2017. Simply put, Waymo's testing rate is proliferating.
The self-driving cars contributing to the grand total were logged in 25 cities, prominently in Google's hometown of Mountain View, California and in the greater Phoenix area where Waymo launched an early rider program to chauffeur passengers around the city. More than 400 early riders currently use the Waymo app and ride around in the company's autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans.
The progress Waymo has achieved on public roads can be put down to its investment in simulation, according to John Krafcik, Chief Executive Officer of the company. Extensive simulation testing will see the company hit more than 11 billion kilometres of virtual testing by the end of October.
The Waymo testing locations across the United States are rapidly increasing in number, currently standing at 25.
In a post on Medium elaborating on Waymo simulation testing, Krafcik wrote, "In simulation, we can recreate any encounter we have on the road and make situations even more challenging through 'fuzzing'." He further continued, "We can test new skills, refine existing ones, and practice extremely rare encounters, constantly challenging, verifying, and validating our software. We can learn exponentially through this combination of driving on public roads and simulation."
Of course, merely spinning the odometer is not enough for autonomous cars. Companies like Cruise and Waymo with sizable fleets of self-driving cars have been challenged to develop self-driving cars that are capable of safely navigating complex urban environments, all the while fitting in with millions of human drivers on the public roads. It's not always smooth sailing, for the cars are cautious by design (or software), sometimes causing traffic to rack up behind them. In such instances, a human driver is required to take manual control of the car to rectify the situation.
"Today, our cars are programmed to be cautious and courteous above all, because that's the safest thing to do," Krafcik wrote. "We're working on striking the balance between this and being assertive as we master manoeuvres that are tough for everyone on the road. For example, merging lanes in fast-moving traffic requires a driver to be both assertive enough to complete the manoeuvre without causing others to brake and smooth enough to feel pleasant to our passengers."
As is clear from the graph, Waymo is rapidly picking up the pace when it comes to testing its autonomous cars on public roads.
For now, Waymo cars are more circumspect and prefer taking the safer route even if that means adding a few more minutes to the trip, says Krafcik. The next 16 million kilometres will be devoted to making the service more convenient and efficient. Waymo is currently working to improve its routes, pick-ups, and drop-offs. Company engineers are also applying advanced artificial intelligence and new sensing systems developed in-house to tackle complex weather conditions like heavy rain and snow.
Nvidia Becomes First Autonomous Tech Supplier To Release Self-Driving Safety Report
All-New Cadillac 2.0-Litre Engine Will Debut On The XT4


Phil Mickelson wants 50,000 signatures, pledge for acts of kindness to return to Detroit
[July 2, 2021: Tod Leonard]
With the constant cheers that echoed around Phil Mickelson on Friday at Detroit Golf Club, you wouldn't have known that a day earlier he had all but said he was going to abandon the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Mickelson, appearing in his first Rocket Mortgage, was miffed on Thursday when a story in The Detroit News used a 2018 court filing to publish a story involving a mob-connected bookie who owed Mickelson and friends $500,000 for a bet. Mickelson called the story "very opportunistic and selfish, and irresponsible." Asked if he would return to play in the tournament, he said, "I don't see me coming back."
That sentiment took a decided turn on Friday after Mickelson narrowly made the cut for the weekend. He was asked if anything with tournament officials or fans had changed his mind, and, apparently, there was a very unique circumstance that might do just that.
"The people were awesome; they were so nice," Mickelson said. "So I would say this: I don't want to be divisive. I didn't like the way that felt with the reporter. The people here were so nice that I'll make a deal with them. There's a guy named Mike Sullivan that's trying to raise 50,000 signatures. If he gets 50,000 and all of those 50,000 agree to do one random act of kindness for another member of the community, I'm in.
"I just think that this tournament has sponsors, from Rocket Mortgage to a lot of the local sponsors, to a lot of the people in the community, that are trying to come together and do something good for the community. If the members of the community will come together, I would love to be back, but what I won't tolerate is that kind of divisive attitude from that particular reporter."
Sullivan, a co-founder of the Metro Detroit Golfers organization, started a GoFundMe page after Mickelson's comments on Thursday. He dubbed it, "Bring Phil Mickelson back to Detroit in 2022!"
Sullivan wrote, "Unfortunately Phil Mickelson announced he won't be coming back to Detroit for the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic, due to some nasty and negative coverage about him in The Detroit News from something 23 years ago. It was an irrelevant story and clearly just clickbait.
"And now our GREAT Detroit sports fans are suffering for it."
Then Sullivan said Mickelson told him personally that he would reconsider if 50,000 signatures were gathered. "He said 'Maybe' with a crying face laughing emoji," Sullivan wrote. "But close enough!"
There apparently is something more in it for Mickelson than good karma. Sullivan reported that for every person who donates $3.13 or more (313 is Detroit area code), he would give half to the Phil Mickelson Foundation and the other half to the Rocket Mortgage "Change the Course" initiative.
Tags: #Good_News, #Kindness, #Charity, #Sports, #Golf, #The_Brighter_Side_of_News


No Place Like Holmes
The Diogenes Club Library
The Howard Ostrom Holmes and Watson Collection
The Musgrave Media Museum Opens
Today I open a new wing to the site that I hope you enjoy - The Musgrave Media Museum. This part of the site is dedicated to the showcasing and archiving of unique, obscure, or rare Sherlock Holmes clips (and sometimes full features) from television, film, and commercials of yesteryears.
The reason I have also decided upon making this is that so much Holmes stuff is everywhere. Unless you know what you are looking for, you might never discover some of these gems. It would be nice to have it in one easy place.
At the moment it is divided into 4 different main categories, and then by decade (where appropriate) but the intention will be for it grow to include further sections.
Some sections are much less populated than others, but this will be
be a constant work on progress with new clips, shows, and films being added on a regular basis.
These videos are only going to remain visible on Youtube for a limited time. I will soon be moving them to an unlisted state, but you will still be able to view them through this site. This will help prevent them being taken down like many sadly end up.
Of course, much thanks must be given to Howard Ostrom for his research in uncovering these in the first place! We hope to create a a near as we can definitive online classic video archive for Holmes fans to enjoy for years to come.
Please check it out here and check back regularly for updates too!
If you would like to help support the project and the greater No Place Like Holmes works, please consider supporting me on Patreon.
"No Place Like Holmes" was founded by Ross K Foad in 2009. It hosts a multitude of video goodness for Sherlock Holmes fans in the form of its episodic Web Drama Comedy Series NPLH.
It also features documentaries, essays of a Holmesian nature, and series/film adaptations of Doyle's other works.
On top of this it is also the virtual host to the SH A-Z index, the most comprehensive collation guide to every Sherlock Holmes actor ever.


We Are Better Together
Series: Rookie Read-About Civics
by Ann Bonwill
Children's Press
Ages 6 – 7 . Grades 1 – 2
The Rookie Read about Civics series helps children become productive citizens by presenting core civic knowledge in a fun and engaging way. Each book features include critical-thinking questions; a civics in action feature that encourages kids to put what they've learned into practice; a civics checklist; glossary; and more.
How are we alike? How are we different? Why is it important to celebrate what we share and what makes us unique? In We Are Better Together readers will think critically about diversity, friendship, and coming together. Features include critical-thinking questions; a civics in action feature that encourages kids to put what they've learned into practice; a civics checklist; glossary; and more.
Ann Bonwill
Ann Bonwill started writing stories as soon as she could hold a crayon. She earned her psychology degree at the College of William and Mary, and went on to earn her master's degree in social work. Ann published her first book while staying in England. She enjoys writing children's books. Ann lives in Virginia, U.S.A.
Cooperation and Teamwork
Tolerance and Acceptance
32pp. | 6 x 7
32pp. | 5-⅞ x 7
The Pros of Cons
by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar, Michelle Schusterman
Tales from the Forest
by Jeremy Strong, Illustrated By Rebecca Bagley


$1,000,000Montréal woman now a millionaire thanks to Gagnant à vie
Print this press release
Montréal, April 12, 2019 — Montréal resident Danielle Lavoie scratched her way to a big win, taking home Gagnant à vie's top prize of $1,000 a day for life. Instead of the annuity, the winner decided to opt for the one-time lump-sum prize of $1,000,000.
Lottery: Gagnant à vie
Prize: $1,000,000 (one-time lump sum)
Category: Grand prize
Claim date: April 9, 2019
Winner's place of residence: Montréal
Retailer: Super C (1400 Boulevard Alphonse-Desjardins, Lévis)
The retailer will receive a $10,000 commission, equal to 1% of the lump-sum prize.
Claim centre: Loto-Québec head office in Montréal
The Gagnant à vie scratch ticket was a gift from Danielle's aunt, whom she's been helping out for some time.
Right before scratching the ticket, Danielle jokingly told her: "You may not know this yet, but you're looking at a millionaire!"
Danielle consulted with her financial advisor before she chose to opt for the $1,000,000 lump-sum prize.
The win came at just the right time—on the eve of Danielle's retirement!
About Loto-Québec
Loto-Québec's mission is to responsibly and efficiently manage games of chance in a controlled and measured fashion, in the interest of all Quebecers. Entertainment is at the heart of its activities. From January 1 to April 9, 2019, Loto-Québec has paid out 27 prizes of $1,000,000 or more and made 16 millionaires. Gagnant à vie and Grande Vie lotteries have provided 4 lucky winners with a lifetime annuity. All the winners of large prizes are listed on the Winners page of the Lotteries site.
Patrice Lavoie
Corporate Director, Public Affairs, Press Relations and Social Media
patrice.lavoie@loto-quebec.com
twitter.com/patricelavoie
Danny Racine
Communications Advisor
danny.racine@loto-quebec.com
Facebook facebook.com/LotoQuebecLoteries
Twitter twitter.com/LotoQuebec Hashtag: #lotoquebec
Instagram instagram.com/lotoquebec_officiel/
Youtube youtube.com/LotoQuebecLoteries


Builders revive NSB townhouse community
KATIE DEZES katie.dezes@news-jrnl.com
NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Another housing project stalled by the Great Recession has come back to life.
Hawks Cove, a planned townhouse community in New Smyrna Beach that began in 2006, was put on hold by its original developer in 2008 with only 15 of the 69 planned units built.
The project site sat in limbo for years until its purchase by a new developer, Port Orange-based JMLC Development, in late 2012.
The company began building townhouses at Hawks Cove early last year and to date has completed 19 units in multiple buildings, each with 5 to 7 units.
Thanks to the improving economy, Lonn Stuckwish, JMLC's co-owner, said his company expects to sell and build the remaining 35 townhouses within two years.
"The buildings have been selling as fast as we have been completing them," said Stuckwish, who runs JMLC with business partner Joe Richart.
Scott Yurchison, a real estate agent with Collado Real Estate, said all of the townhomes built so far at Hawks Cove have been sold.
With prices ranging from $164,900 to $170,400, pre-sales are set to begin in July for units in a new building currently under construction at Hawks Cove.
Stuckwish and Richart are veteran builders who began working together in Indiana in the mid-1990s.
Richart relocated to Florida a couple of years ago and runs JMLC's day-to-day operations while Stuckwish maintains his primary residence in Indiana.
Richart said he began looking for development opportunities locally when he saw the housing market turning for the better.
"It was an area we already had some experience in and we thought we could produce a good quality product in a market that was beginning to show a comeback," Stuckwish said.
Stuckwish and Richart found what they were seeking in the idle Hawks Cove project.
JMLC is not the only company to restart a project shelved during the recession.
Sandy Burke Bishop, executive director of the Volusia Building Industry Association, said several partially built subdivisions have been sold to new builders in recent years.
"There are 50 percent fewer available (today) than there was three years ago," she said, referring to vacant house lots.
Dorice Soroka, owner of Builder's Exchange and Reprographics in Daytona Beach, said she, too, has seen a trend of dormant building projects start back up again.
"Unfortunately, a lot of the projects in the planning stage in the last seven to eight years have been discontinued," said Soroka, whose company tracks building permit activity in several counties including Volusia and Flagler.
Soroka said she has seen a significant increase in site-plan applications locally in the past year.
Stuckwish said he and Richart bought Hawks Cove because New Smyrna Beach has many advantages they believe will attract home buyers.
Located off of State Road 44, Hawks Cove is five minutes from the beach, and close to stores and restaurants, yet far enough inland to offer price advantages compared with comparable new homes along the coast, Stuckwish said.
Stuckwish said he and Richart would like to pursue more projects in New Smyrna Beach. "It's an area with great potential growth," he said.


Tim October 27, 1967 January 1, 2022
'They hand you this program brochure that proclaims "A Great Novel Becomes A Great Motion Picture …" Bullshit.'
Kiss my ass, Hardy. Gene has little time for Frederic Raphael's and John Schlesinger's 'Far From the Madding Crowd', which did well commercially at home in the UK but was a famous misfire in the US…
Gene Youngblood, legendary reviewer and cultural theorist who died in April 2021, began a series of film reviews in the LA Free Press in 1967. Many of these reviews formed the basis of parts of his book 'Expanded Cinema' which is now seen widely as a foundational document of post-psychedelic cinema. Blackmass Movies is proud to begin the process of collecting Youngblood's reviews in one place for the first time. Youngblood's TV interview with a young George Lucas is here.
GENE YOUNGBLOOD
I paid $4 to see "Far From the Madding Crowd" at the Fox Wilshire Theater. I walked out half-way through. I haven't walked out on a film in years; it was a depressing experience.
Leaving that pompous, gold-leafed auditorium and walking alone into the night, I felt like an unrequited lover: I love the movies very much, but they do not love me back; they want only to take my money; they want my body, not my mind. I was sad.
I walked along listening to the metronome clop-clop of my boot-heels on the pavement, thinking how that $4 would have paid for the new Buffalo Springfield album I'm going to buy. And then, inevitably, a blinding montage of movie-critic thoughts flashed through my mind.
I realized, suddenly and with a tinge of regret, that the more I learn about movies the fewer movies I can enjoy. Knowledge is like a pyramid; broader and solid at the base, narrower and precarious at the pinnacle. The higher one climbs up the pyramid of knowledge, the more restricted is one's range of interest — until everything is focused on that far-away peak of perfection that is the goal and the nemesis of every artist. Like Hemingway's tiger, frozen on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, you never reach the top. And you start wondering why you're even trying. And then you die.
To the extent that I function as a movie critic, I function in contradiction to my own idealistic concept of the profession. Here is the reason: I believe a critic should serve only to illuminate and expand public knowledge of a given artistic medium (all criticism, after all, is supposed to be constructive). However, such a critic is only as effective as the works of art being produced. Not having the intuitive foresight of the artist, the critic knows only what he dislikes: he is not aware of what he likes until the artist shows it to him; otherwise the critic himself would be the artist (as sometimes happens.)
The conclusion, therefore, is that the non-artist critic, in order to constructively expand and inform public appreciation of his chosen art, should only give "good" reviews; that is, he should completely ignore films he doesn't like, because they do not offer sufficient material for illumination of the art. This is the chief difference between the "reviewer" and the critic.
There is, however, a major drawback to this concept: about 90 per cent of the films being produced are not important enough for serious criticism; the critic would end up discussing only about two or three films a year, but the public would continue filling plastic-Gothic edifices like the Fox Wilshire, reacting like Pavlov's dog to every cheap, sentimental-commericial ploy an arc can project. So, against my better judgment, I write "bad" reviews about movies I don't like and don't respect. I think it's a waste of time, but I care too much about the public image of films to let it pass.
Another thought that struck me just before I walked out on "Far From the Madding Crowd" is how alienated I am from the general consensus of movie goers, the popcorn-munching, cartoon-loving, idol-worshiping status-quo.
As the audience reacted with oohs and aahs and giggles and gasps to each triggering manipulation in the film, I became increasingly aware of an enormous communication gap — which also is a generation gap — that is fundamentally the cause of my cinematic angst. For instance, this movie is loaded with irrelevant, obligatory shots of animals: animals being cute, animals being loyal, animals being cruel. It reminded me of writing for The Herald-Examiner: if the murder victim had a pet dog, mention it in the lead. So there I was blanching at all this base sentimentality while the audience reacted on cue: gasping when a crazed sheepdog urges his flock over a cliff in an utterly meaningless scene; giggling when the camera pauses on a hog's wet snoot in an equally meaningless barnyard.
Who am I to say people aren't supposed to enjoy this kind of shallow indulgence? Who am I to say that Frederic Raphael and John Schlesinger and Joseph Janni aren't supposed to cater to universal yet non-constructive tendencies in a mass audience? I am no one. So I excused myself and sidestepped out of the theater, folding my notebook and capping my penlight with an air of bewildered resignation.
But once outside, in air unsullied by the breath of stale, predictable laughter, I realized my mistake: I was succumbing to the same human temptation to which filmmakers like Schlesinger and critics like Charles Champlin and Bosley Crowther already have surrendered; I was allowing myself to be swayed by public opinion; I was addressing my would-be review to the movie-goers and not to the movies; my concern was not with the art of cinema, as it should be, but rather with the art of audience manipulation. Surely Godard or Brakhage or Antonioni or Welles do not do this when they create. I was ashamed of myself.
Therefore, the following half-review of "Far From the Madding Crowd" represents nothing more or less than one man's view of cinema, hopefully a responsible and sincere view, offered as a votive effort toward the perpetuation and refinement of the most powerful art form the world ever has known: I can't bear to see it defiled, yet it is with every screening of this despicable movie, and with every word uttered by the soulless, evil advertising specialists who tell us we ought to spend $4 to see it.
Notes of a cinephile: Electronic media has outmoded the written word, as well as movies based on the written word. "Far From the Madding Crowd" is based not only on literature, but the most dated, stilted literature one could imagine. They hand you this program brochure that proclaims "A Great Novel Becomes A Great Motion Picture…" Bullshit. This film is a throwback to the 30s and beyond — in cinematic technique, in emotional content, in social significance: the unifying factor being that all three are totally absent.
There is a peculiar notion among chic screenwriters that archaic, non-colloquial dialogue (i.e. neo-Shakespearean) automatically connotes profundity, meaning. "Beckett" and "A Man For All Seasons" belong in that bag, along with "Madding Crowd." But the entire premise is false; it's a hoax, and you're conscious of it once you realize that you're reacting to dialogue specifically designed to elicit a response: that's not cinema. Word games belong in Pinter plays, or on scrabble boards. Jack Nicholson's screenplay for "The Trip" contains some of the smoothest, most unpretentious dialogue to be heard in a Hollywood film in years. Yet the ad-men would have a tough time supporting copy like "A Great Trip Becomes A Great Motion Picture…"
According to Mr. Champlin of the Times: "In the anthology of films of surpassing visual majesty and excitement, MGM's 'Far From the Madding Crowd' now takes its place. It joins such varied works as 'A Man For All Seasons,' 'Dr. Zhivago,' 'Lawrence of Arabia'…"
With this kind of criticism going on in major newspapers, it's a miracle that true visual creativity, such as the works of Antonioni, Fellini, Truffaut, Bergman, receive due appreciation. Let's remember that Schlesinger and his cinematographer, Nicholas Roeg, did not create the locations ("valid and photogenic," according to the brochure) in the English countryside where the "wonderful pastoral scenes" (helpful brochure again) were photographed. God made these places. Schlesinger and Roeg merely took millions of dollars and the finest 70mm equipment available and shot them. What kind of accomplishment is that? With today's equipment and unlimited resources, who couldn't compile a picturesque movie? In fact, it's a disgrace when a modern-day film is not of "surpassing visual majesty," because there's a lot of that in our world.
The only kind of visual artwork to be respected is that in which the artist (or artist-cinematographer) CREATES beauty where none is to be found. Gianni di Venanzo or Raoul Coutard or Stan Brakhage or Subrata Mitra or Carlo di Palma are men whose visual perceptivity adds something to reality; they can elicit from a setting that ambivalent metaphysicalness, that magical "sense of place" that is absent from the shallow calendar art of "Madding Crowd," "Lawrence," "Zhivago" and all the rest, including pseudo "art films" like "A Man and A Woman."
The same applies to the use of "unique" faces in this movie: given time and an army of auditioners, who couldn't come up with several hundred wizened, weathered or otherwise irregular faces? But who cares? What does it mean? Fellini is the master of this, and with him it means something, because he has an uncanny genius for selecting the face that virtually embodies a given mood or atmosphere. In "Madding Crowd" it's more like a parade of sideshow freaks for no pertinent effect.
Then there is Schlesinger's pseudo-arty directorial style. It consists of bleeding every sequence for every forced camera angle possible. For example, there is a scene in which a horse-cart pulls away from an old woman standing in the middle of the road, tearfully waving goodbye. First there is a master shot of the cart and the woman, then a subjective shot, with the camera backing away from the woman, then a reverse-angle longshot of the woman watching the cart vanish in the gathering dusk: that's really milking a scene for all it's worth—both cinematically and emotionally, except that the scene isn't worth it, nor the entire film, for that matter.
I was reminded instantly of a similar sequence in Antonioni's "Il Grido" — Steve Cochran and his little girl leaving town on the back of a horsecart. A brief but stunning shot with the camera on the car, looking over their shoulders as they gaze at the diminishing horizon. The scene is both visually and thematically effective, since the road has been used in earlier sequences as a symbolic metaphor of emotional alienation.
There also is that matter of "characterization" and "acting." Here I will say only that midway through the film I could predict everything that was going to happen. I felt I'd seen these characters a thousand times before, heard the same formula dialogue on an endless loop, felt the same dull reaction to the same dull events, ad infinitum. So I left, just when a storm was about to wipe out Julie Christie's — I mean Bathsheba Everdene's — sheep ranch. And I really don't care if it did or not.
This ad appeared on page 22 alongside Gene's review.
Previous 'Reflections' A Golden Eye Sore – Gene Youngblood – LA Free Press
Next UCLA Student Films Communicate Actual Student Experience, Concerns – Gene Youngblood – LA Free Press


Hereford Chiropractic Clinic
(01432) 352 928 call our friendly staff for an appointment
Our Chiropractors
Helen Nunn BSc(Hons)Chiro DC PgCert
Helen graduated from the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in July 1991, and started her career in Worcester, before setting up the Hereford Chiropractic Clinic in 1992.
Since the clinic started in St Martins Street in 1992 nearly 10,000 people have been treated. Due to the growth of the practice they have had to move to larger premises twice; first to Southbank Road in 1996, then again to its current location on East Street in 2004. Hereford Chiropractic Clinic has a catchment area of over 60 miles.
Helen is proud of the fact that most patients are recommended by their families, friends and colleagues who have benefited from Chiropractic care.
Once treatment has been completed, Helen believes that people should take responsibility for their own health with exercise. She looks after her own spine with a combination of yoga, pilates, and gym work to strengthen her spine and maintain flexibility.
Helen teaches and supports newly qualified chiropractors in their first year of practice, is registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC), and a is member of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA).
Stephanie Wilson BSc(Hons)Chiro DC PgCert
Steph was born and bred in Hereford and joined Hereford Chiropractic Clinic in 2002, after graduating from the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic.
Steph enjoys all aspects of Chiropractic, from the delicate babies, to the intricate sports injuries. She also enjoys all aspects of farming life from sheep farming to horse riding.
Steph is registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC), and a member of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA).
Glen Hillier BSc(Hons)Chiro DC PgCert
Glen has been a valued member of our team since January 2008, he graduated from the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic in 2006 and enjoyed a good working reputation in Bournemouth and Fordingbridge, before moving to Wales.
Since moving back to Wales to start a family Glen has established himself both in private practice and teaching. Glen currently works in private practice in both Hereford and Merthyr as well as teaching anatomy to first year Chiropractic students and supervising final year students;which allows him to give a little back to the next generation of Chiropractors.
"I first experienced Chiropractic as a 13 year old boy, who after 2 weeks of not being able to lift my head up past 45 degrees (following play fighting with a friend) had my neck adjusted and stood upright straight away. I knew I had to learn how to do that!!!"
"I did not fully appreciate the significance of the treatment at the time, but after studying Chiropractic, I now know that if I had not had that adjustment done it is highly likely that I would have significant degeneration at the base of my neck and chronic headaches."
"I am very happy to be able to pass on the benefits of Chiropractic to you, so you can enjoy a better quality of life"
Glen is registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and a member of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), the oldest chiropractic association in the world.
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