text:
“I lie down and sleep, I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.”-Psalm 3:5
This sounds like life, everyday life – nothing thrilling to it, just “keeping on keeping on.”
Yet, perhaps there is more to the everyday life than we realize. David wrote this passage as he was fleeing from his son Absalom – not a happy time of life. He was looking for deliverance, but this was not the time of deliverance – it was the time of waiting.
Does that sound like the story of our lives? We may not be fleeing from a son who is trying to kill us, but we have our own trials, and it seems that so much of our lives is waiting for deliverance.
We live our lives constantly looking for the “big moments.” We want to see deliverance from our trials, have breakthroughs, etc. These “big moments” are few and really only the small part of our lives. We don’t marry the love of our life one day, the next day restore another relationship damaged by long-term strife, win a million bucks the following day, witness a physical healing the day after, and so forth.
No, even though we love those moments and keep waiting for them to happen, we spend much of our lives in the everyday life . . . And, that is where God sustains us.
We often think we need those “big moments” to see God move, but more often God is moving in our “small moments” – in our everyday lives. Those big moments leave us feeling strong and victorious, but in those moments where we feel the threat of defeat, God is certainly there. He strengthens us, lifts us up enough to keep pushing through what seem to be day-in, day-out struggles. He is a God of endurance – “His love endures forever”, and He sustains us so that we can endure through life. Yes, we have the occasional big moments, but the small moments leading to those big moments are the bigger portion of our lives. Let’s not miss out on the presence of God in them.
To put it in the words of a famous Disney movie, let’s “keep swimming, swimming, swimming,” but as we do, instead of living for the “big moments” that happen occasionally, let’s live for the biggest relationship we can have – with the God who sustains us.

domain: literature


Review by Jonathan Berk
Bradley Cooper continues to demonstrate his talent both in front of and behind the camera. His directorial debut, A Star Is Born, had eight Oscar nominations, and it’s clear Cooper hopes Maestro can get similar recognition. The early part of the story is full of flashy match cuts and sweeping camera moves in a rich black and white that reminds of old Hollywood. It doesn’t take long for audiences to get swept away with the magic Cooper is setting up, but the later half of the film elevates the picture to one that surely will be full of award-season buzz.
Maestro paints a picture of Leonard Berstein’s (Cooper) life and career with a passion for music that leans on obsession. At the center of his story is a lifelong relationship with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). Their relationship and her impact on his life and career are felt throughout the film through powerful visuals and outstanding performances.
The opening section of the film has so much style and flair. There is a manic energy Leonard projects in these moments, which is tied into the camera movement and editing, making it impossible not to get sucked in. Thematically, this ties into how quickly Felicia and Leonard fall into each other. The moment Felicia enters the movie, walking from a bus to a party where she will meet Leonard for the first time, is visually stunning. Cooper and director of photography Matthew Libatique utilize a deep focus throughout the film that reminds us of Citizen Kane and allows us to be both in the moment and bystanders catching a peek at their inner lives.
While ultimately a tribute to the musical icon, Maestro doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the couple’s lives. Once the dreaminess of their initial meeting ends, the film’s style shifts to reflect this by colorizing the frame and slowing the pace. The manic excitement is no longer present, and the reality of the world sets in. It’s an impactful demonstration of a competent filmmaker using the medium to not only be visually compelling but also thematically resonate.
Mulligan’s performance is beyond awards-worthy. The emotional impact she brings time and time again throughout the film is breathtaking. So much of the film’s emotional weight rests on her shoulders, and she delivers consistently. If she isn’t nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Oscars, it will be one of the biggest snubs ever.
Cooper also delivers an incredible performance, but he gets to be a bit bigger. A few scenes where he conducts an orchestra allow him to be emphatic. They are quite a lot of fun to watch, and he definitely gets more of these moments than Mulligan. However, there are moments where Cooper can demonstrate his dramatic chops, especially later in the film, that make his performance extra noteworthy.
Maestro is an incredible movie that will warrant a few re-watches to truly get all that it is saying. The love story in this film is hard not to fall into. It’s not a fairytale, and the hardships the couple goes through are not easily addressed. This film has many “Oscar bait” elements, but they feel organic rather than manufactured solely for recognition.
Maestro will be in theaters on November 22 and on Netflix December 20.
Review by Jonathan Berk
Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World didn’t do well upon release, but has since become a beloved cult film. The 2010 adaptation of the Bryan Lee O'Malley graphic novels (and the books themselves) have found quite the fanbase, as well as their detractors. Netflix’s new animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, directed by Abel Gongora and co-written by O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski, brings back the now-superstar-studded cast from the film to voice the characters as the story is revisited and reimagined.
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) at a party. After their first date, he is made aware that he must defeat her seven evil exes if they are to continue dating. But this time, things get even more complicated.
The show looks fantastic. The original graphic novel was black and white, which makes the fact that Ramona changes her hair color on the regular an interesting choice (though the graphic novel was later re-released in color). The show chooses not to pay homage to the novel's original absence of color, and is instead vibrant. The pacing is far less frenetic than in Wright’s film, which at first made the show feel a little less propulsive. However, as the episodes move forward, the show establishes itself as its own thing — not just an animated version of Wright’s film or O’Malley’s books.
Both the film and the books are extremely referential, and that is continued here. Of course, it’s been 13 years since the film came out, so the cultural touchstones and attitudes of the world reflected within the film must be updated. These updates make the familiar story feel fresh. The change in format to an episodic series also allows for more exploration into the story and its characters. Fans will likely find some areas of this to resonate more than they did previously, while other areas they loved may feel slighted — or simply missing.
One prominent element from the film that is also present here is the music. There are new songs throughout the show, and they may not click for the audience's musical tastes compared to those in the film -—or, perhaps, the opposite could be true. The show features original songs and score by Anamanaguchi (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game) and Joseph Trapanese (Straight Outta Compton). There are some earworms present in the series, and the score sets the right tone.
The fact that everyone involved with the original film is back makes this all the more impressive. Most of the cast was relatively early in their respective careers then, and most of them have now gone on to be big stars in one way or another. Their collective love for the project is evident in their performances, with each of them doing something quite special for the show.
At this point, we have seen so many stories told, then told again, and told yet another time. Often, they are so similar or feel so inferior to their predecessors that audiences are left scratching their heads as to why they just gave more of their time and money when they could have just rewatched the one they loved.
There was also that run in the ‘80s and ‘90s, where it seemed any blockbuster could be adapted into an animated series. Beetlejuice, Robocop, Ghostbusters, Police Academy, and even The Toxic Avenger were among many to get adapted to a kid-friendly cartoon series. Of course, Jurassic Park and Fast and the Furious have both recently been given the same treatment.
In both versions of this reuse of IP — whether a “new” version or a different medium — it often feels like nothing more than a studio cash grab. There is no doubt that Netflix expects this show to be a huge success after the fandom that has developed for Scott Pilgrim over the last 13 years. However, the show doesn’t feel like that at all. It's funny and familiar, while somehow doing its own thing that feels completely honest and befitting of the characters. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a great example of allowing the IP to evolve and grow, rather than just rehashing what came before it.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off will be on Netflix on November 17. All eight episodes reviewed.
Review by Jonathan Berk
Imagine hosting a Thanksgiving Day dinner with your favorite slasher movies. Picture little name cards that read Scream, Halloween, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Friday the 13th. Which would carve the turkey? Well, no matter who you may set a place for at your dinner, Director Eli Roth’s new film Thanksgiving does exactly that. It serves up plenty of slasher movie references for what will surely be a horror movie fan’s new holiday tradition.
The film begins with every introvert's nightmare: an angry mob outside a department store waiting for Black Friday sales. A tragedy ensues, and a year later a Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts. A few residents are murdered, and it doesn’t take long for it to become clear there is a larger holiday-themed connection.
Roth completely nails the tone of this film. It never sets out to “scare” the audience. That this is necessary is a misconception of the horror genre — as we tend to forget that what scares us is very subjective. Instead, he looks to shock us with inventive kills and some gruesome effects that may make even the most veteran horror viewer squirm a little. Of course, if violence and gore scare you, by all means prepare to be freaked out. However, it seems like the reaction Roth is going for is shock followed by laughs, and he succeeds in eliciting that reaction time and time again.
Like many slashers, the film centers around a group of high school students. Nell Verlaque plays Jessica, whose father owns the department store at the start of the film. It was her friends sneaking in the back to get a head start on the deals that really set the crowd off. That initial burst of horror at the top of the film establishes early what to expect, and despite some choppy editing, manages to introduce the bulk of our characters.
The killer's design in the film works with a simple plastic mask and pilgrim-style outfit. At the heart of the story is a whodunnit all centered around familiar slasher movie cliches and references. The opening of the film is a POV reminiscent of Halloween’s opening sequence. The group of friends and their attempt to figure out who the killer is feels like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. There are tons of other blatant homages to the films Roth has confessed love for in some medium or another, that fans will likely gobble up like a plateful of candied yams.
Thanksgiving fills a void of what to watch between Halloween and Christmas movies that have long needed filling. This holiday homage to slashers delivers a veritable cornucopia of kills and characters horror enthusiasts would surely rather host than those obnoxious relatives. Roth’s love of the genre comes across, and this may be the best full movie to come from the joke trailers between Death Proof and Planet Terror.
Thanksgiving will be heading to theaters on November 17.
Review by Jonathan Berk
A Still Small Voice looks at the people who work at hospitals to help our emotional and spiritual health. Director Luke Lorentzen's documentary focuses primarily on Mati, a chaplain who completed a yearlong residency at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital in 2020, as she continues to learn to provide spiritual care to people going through various challenges ranging from illness to grief. Mati exhibits signs of burnout while working through some tough situations with patients, and is also struggling with her spirituality.
Lorentzen utilizes his cinematography to place the audience in a variety of perspectives. For many moments, the camera is placed outside of the room where Mati works with a patient. The audience is a voyeur or eavesdropper standing in the hall, looking through doorways, attempting to get a glimpse of what’s happening while hearing every word. It feels like we shouldn’t be privy to these private conversations, which makes their impact all the heavier.
Other times, the camera is very much involved in the conversation. There is a discussion Mati has with a lung-cancer patient shot in close-ups, cutting back and forth between the two as the patient discusses her concerns about her quality of life. “My intention is to live, but I also want a certain quality of life… I really do have to wait and see,” she confides to Mati. Here, we feel more a part of the conversation and interaction between these two subjects. The effect is powerful, as we can take on just an inkling of what Mati and the other chaplains do.
There is an element of this film that focuses on David, the supervisor of the chaplains in the residency program, and his struggles with his role. Twice we see him on a Zoom call, discussing his feelings of burnout and uncertainty. Other times, we see him working with the whole group, and attempting to lead them through various practices to help with the job. Then, perhaps the most dramatic elements in the film are the scenes of just him and Mati. The tension in these moments is unnerving, and the filmmaker still manages to be a silent observer.
The filmmaking choices here allow the audience time to think, reflect, and consider all that is displayed. There are times when it cuts to a shot of the sky, to a trash compactor, or to some other seemingly innocuous B-roll that serves to punctuate the previous scene with its silence. Through Mati and the other chaplains, we consider many things — from our place in the world, to the role relationships play in our lives.
A Still Small Voice puts humanity on display. There are many connections an audience member can make with the people in this documentary, and the filmmaking allows us to contemplate them as we watch. The film proves to be moving and inspiring, while managing to effectively engage you via the challenges Mati faces. There are moments where you can look into her eyes, and see on full display the internal struggle she faces throughout the film of her calling to help — and the need for a break.
A Still Small Voice will be in theaters on November 10.
Review by Jonathan Berk
Teachers in cinema have been portrayed time and time again. Often, teachers take the role of a bitter antagonist to the misunderstood students — sometimes to the point where they seem like supervillains, like Miss Trunchbull in Matilda or Mr. Strickland in Back to the Future. Then, there are the stories of inspirational teachers who go above and beyond to improve their students’ lives, like John Keating in Dead Poets Society or E. R. Braithwaite in To Sir with Love. For people who want to believe that one person can make a difference, this latter archetype tends to land. It’s only helped if the film is based on a true story, like director Christopher Zalla’s new film, Radical.
Radical follows teacher Sergio Juárez Correa (Eugenio Derbez) as he attempts to employ a new teaching style to break through the apathy of his students — and hopefully unlock their full potential. However, when making a change to the system, there will be some who try to keep the status quo.
Derbez is incredible in this film. From the moment we meet his character, it is clear that there’s an electricity to his performance. He tells his students to find a lifeboat (which are tables turned upside down throughout the classroom), and when they hesitate, he eventually fakes his own drowning in the sea of the classroom floor. The audience and his students aren’t quite sure how to take this guy. Is he crazy? Enthusiastic? The answer is it’s some combination of the two.
The film picks up as the school’s director, Chucho (Daniel Haddad), takes in interest in this odd approach to teaching. He visits Sergio at home — and from that moment forward, their chemistry is an on-screen presence that simply works. The bond that forms feels very organic and makes for an incredibly emotional journey between the characters.
While the adults in the film are excellent, a movie about school kids only works if the child actors are also good. Fortunately, this film found an incredible group of children. Jennifer Trejo as Paloma, Mia Fernanda Solis as Lupe, and Danilo Guardiola Escobar as Nico are the clear stand-outs. That’s not to say the other kids in the class don’t get a moment to shine, but these three are featured heavily in the story and are up for the challenge.
The overall look of the film is also notable. Everything feels lived in and in bad shape. Sergio picked this school because of an article detailing their new computer lab. When Chucho shows him the lab, his plan takes a major hit. To say the school’s resources are sparse would be an understatement, but no element of the production is as visually impactful as Paloma’s home. The bad shape of Matamoros, Tamaulipas is embodied by the massive junk yard surrounding her home, and the irony of her situation is highlighted as she watches SpaceX from her telescope atop one heap.
This particular story isn’t an easy one. There are some incredible moments, and some that feel likely dramatized. However, the emotional journey of this class and this teacher’s drive to inspire students to reach their potential is one worth watching. While we have seen this story in movies like Stand and Deliver, Lean on Me, Freedom Writers, and even the TV movie The Ron Clark Story, it seems that Radical can replicate the formula quite well.
Radical will be in theaters on November 3.
Review by Jonathan Berk
At one point in the film Subject, Caroline Libresco says, “We are intrinsically connected to story.” It’s a sentiment that manages to feel both obvious and profound simultaneously. In an age where media is almost always available to us all, we consume stories at record numbers. There is a clear interest in “true” or “real” stories and documentaries — which once brought on the ire of bored history students everywhere — and they have become far more mainstream as a result. An increase in interest means an increase in production, which makes the focus of Subject feel all the more poignant.
This film is a documentary about documentary filmmaking that steps back to ask important questions about the process. Directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall explore key ethical questions about the genre that has found itself in a “golden era” of sorts, largely due to streaming services. Through interviews with former subjects of big-time documentaries and people involved in the filmmaking process, Subject explores important ethical questions about the medium.
Ultimately, the premise of this movie is undeniable. A meta-commentary on the very thing being made is far too compelling to not watch. Even while the film is questioning why audiences are drawn to things like this, it is providing the very type of content it is investigating. However, the film wants the audience to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
For the most part, the film does a great job of raising many of the questionable topics the medium presents: compensation for the subjects, who gets to tell these stories and representation in general, the connection of the filmmaker and the “subject”, the objectivity of the filmmaker, life after the premiere, and the concept of consent and exactly what the “subjects” are consenting to. It doesn’t propose any answers, nor does it feel like it comes to a final stance on whether we should continue to make documentaries or not. Instead, audiences are left with the burden of choosing for themselves where they stand on all of these issues.
The main documentaries referenced and those films key participants included in this movie are The Staircase, Hoop Dreams, The Wolfpack, Capturing the Friedmans, and The Square. There are many other documentaries referenced, but these five feature interviews with subjects and — in the case of Hoop Dreams and Friedmans — the filmmakers. The weaving of these films and their investigation of the impact the documentary had on their lives both during and after the release is inherently interesting. As stated, we are drawn to stories, and for these people, we are drawn to their stories yet again.
Fans of the genre will have likely internally grappled with these questions many times already; however, Subject making it the focus feels necessary. It’s impossible to watch something like The Wolfpack and not question if the filmmaker should be injecting more assistance into the lives of these siblings and their mother, who are trapped by a cruel father/husband. Whether news reporting or long-form documentary filmmaking, there is an undeniable responsibility to handle these “true” stories with care. These are people, after all, not inanimate objects at the end of our microscopes.
Subject will be in theaters on November 3.
Review by Jonathan Berk
Fans of Letterkenny probably knew all about the elusive Shoresy before season 1 of the Canadian comedy's spin-off. Creator and star Jared Keeso crafted a foul-mouthed hockey player who tormented Reily and Jonesy, but whose face audiences never saw. That humor unsurprisingly carried over into the spinoff series — but what probably surprised everyone was the sheer heart the show and character brought. Season 2 continues in this fashion, giving Shoresy (Keeso) and his teammates the opportunity to explore various elements of their characters. Add in a compelling hockey storyline, and the notably funny moments we’ve come to expect from Keeso created content continue to make this spin-off a standout.
The season starts with a quick update of what’s happened since the previous season, and it appears that Shoresy has lived up to his promise of never losing again. The Bulldogs have found success, and we join them during a potentially record-breaking winning season. We’re reminded that when Shoresy first joined the team, it was likely to fold, and he fought to keep it alive. Now, the team is thriving, and the tension is built around how the guys keep focused with their newfound popularity.
Shoresy is hands-down the greatest shit-talker out there. The show gives us great montages of Shoresy just cracking jokes at the expense of other characters. A great one in episode 2 features Shoresy “encouraging” his teammates while they’re in the gym. He is either dissing their form or offering other, more challenging exercises they could be doing. They seem unphased by the relentless onslaught of words spewing out of their captain's mouth while he just sits and watches them break a sweat. These are a highlight of the character, and there is no shortage of this humor.
When you step back and look at the structure of this series, it becomes all the more impressive. There are only six episodes per season — running around 20 minutes an episode. Nonetheless, almost every character gets something to do, a storyline to develop, and some degree of an arc. They aren’t all complex, but we get a real sense of who these guys are — at least in an archetypal way — and the show plays into that.
The characters we started to get to know and love in season 1 — Nat (Tasya Teles), Sanguinet (Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat), Hitchcock (Terry Ryan), Michaels (Ryan McDonell), Ziigwan (Blair Lamora), Miigwan (Keilani Elizabeth Rose), Dolo (Jonathan-Ismaël Diaby), Michaels (Ryan McDonell), Fish (Jacob Smith), Goody (Andrew Antsanen), Frankie (Max Bouffard), and the Jims — are all, somehow, developed. That’s next to our main character and his interactions with them all, mind you. It’s kind of a miracle that such a compact show can deliver so much while also playing around with its style.
The presentation for most of the series is understandably straightforward camera work. However, there will also be some innovative stylistic flourishes. While fights break out during one hockey game, the camera cuts to a point-of-view perspective from the Bulldogs' bench, putting the audience in the skates of the team. There are music-led “hero” sequences that break the flow of the show to give us an almost Spike Lee style, staring-down-the-barrel-of-the-camera interlude, just to remind the audience how cool these guys are… or at least how cool they think they are. These elements are sprinkled in to break tradition in a way that fits the vibe of the show. Substance takes priority, but the team behind the production know how to make the show “feel” cool.
Shoresy is undoubtedly one of the better spin-off series out there. Keeso took a character who was nothing more than a faceless punchline dispenser and turned him into a lovable screw-up. He has passion pouring out of his foul-mouthed hockey player, which is equal parts inspirational and endearing. At the time of this writing, I’ve seen five of the six episodes for season 2, and frankly, I can’t wait for the finale. Fans of the series will be pleased with the continued standard of quality, and the direction the story seems to be taking us.
The entire season 2 of Shoresy will be streaming on Hulu on October 27. Five out of six episodes reviewed.
Review by Jonathan Berk
There are seven Nicolas Cage films releasing in 2023 in some capacity or another. The thing is, most of them have been pretty good this year — especially compared to some of his recent output. Butcher’s Crossing is a slow-burn of a Western that initially is hard to read what role Cage will take in this film. Will he be the protagonist, or will he be the crazy evil antagonist looking to pull one over on the actual hero? Instead, Cage delivers a much more nuanced performance in director Gabe Polsky’s film.
In 1874, Will Andrews (Fred Hechinger) is the son of a Harvard man who is set to have an easy life, but chooses to drop out of school to explore America’s Western frontier. He meets Miller (Nicolas Cage), a mysterious but ambitious hunter who claims to know of a gigantic Buffalo herd hidden in the Colorado wilderness. Andrews is warned that Miller has been claiming this for a long time, but trusts Miller’s story and pays for the expedition. The film is based on the novel by John Edward Williams and adapted by Polsky and Liam Satre-Meloy.
Cage looks cool in this film. Opting to go full bald, Cage’s character immediately feels hard to read. He seems kind to Hechinger’s character, despite him being clearly out of his depths. There are comments made by several characters that this isn’t the world Hechinger's character is cut out for. Thus, it would be wise to anticipate this being a film about a double cross. We may read that Cage sees Hechinger as an easy mark, with money just waiting to be taken from him. Instead, that’s not at all what the story is concerned with. While the film reflects on the role of masculinity, it is most concerned with man’s relationship with nature and human nature.
The hunting party adds Charlie (Xander Berkeley) and Fred (Jeremy Bobb), and they venture off with lots of questions. Cage looks down on the current skin trade, as hunting has gotten scarce because the buffalo are being picked off at alarming rates. He is determined to land a big score of quality skins. The men are tested at every step of the journey. Even before they leave, we start to see the potential explosive personalities in the party and how things could easily go wrong. The tension builds and releases multiple times during the film, keeping the audience hooked.
Of course, a Western requires great cinematography with gorgeous landscapes. The film was primarily shot on land owned by the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. There are some breathtaking shots throughout the film that fit right into the genre. Then, some moments are designed to reflect the characters' emotional state, as things take some twists in turns and their survival is questioned. The overall look of the film works and builds to a strong ending.
Butcher’s Crossing is a well-made film with a story worth thinking about once the credits roll. There is a lot to reflect on in the film. Not every theme is fully explored, and some aspects that seem vital to the overall commentary don’t land as hard as they should. However, the images shown just before the credits and title cards about the buffalo ensure audiences get the point.
Butcher’s Crossing will be in select theaters on October 20.
Review by Jonathan Berk
Director Sean King O’Grady’s new film, The Mill, couldn’t be dropping at a better time. Employees have been voicing frustrations with working conditions for the last few years, and 2023 has seen some major unions go on strike. While some metaphors are a little on the nose, O’Grady’s film explores the relationship between an employee and their employer through an engaging sci-fi story.
Lil Rel Howery is a businessman who wakes up in an open-air prison cell with no recollection of how he got there. A lone voice of the person in the adjacent cell tells him he has to do the work. In the middle of the cell is an ancient grist mill, and Howery is forced to work as a beast of burden to avoid termination. He must find a way to escape the daily grind before the birth of his child.
Howery is solo for most of the story. He’s isolated, and besides some flashbacks, the film mostly falls on his shoulder to carry it all. Howery often has a rambling, nervous energy when delivering dialogue, and that style is utilized a lot. Unlike Hulu’s other recent Sci-Fi release, No One Will Save You, which opts to have no dialogue, Howery doesn’t care that he’s alone, voicing all his thoughts and emotions throughout the film. His style works well with this delivery mechanism, as it somehow feels natural for this character to be uttering all the things to no one in particular.
While the set is minimalist, the visuals in the film are not. O’Grady’s style helps make what could have been a bleak and boring film look a little more interesting. There are moments where we see through Howery’s eyes in flashback, while other times we are made aware of his mental state through the lighting of the scene. O’Grady has a strong grasp of the medium and the genre, and uses it to tell the story and keep it interesting.
There are many films that have tackled some topics and themes found in The Mill. The Platform, Snowpiercer, Moon, Sorry to Bother You, and The Family Man all come to mind while watching Howery struggle to push that big stone wheel. He’s reminded of his pregnant wife and wants to be a good husband and father. He has made so many sacrifices to provide his family with the best life possible. He's true company man who now finds himself being asked to give just a little more. In some ways, it’s hard to imagine a more 2023 movie.
While not every aspect of the film works, the combination of Howery’s performance, O’Grady’s direction, and Seamus Tierney’s cinematography make The Mill a compelling watch. The allegorical nature of the film is often a tad too easy to make real-world connections, which sometimes makes moments feel a little silly. Still, something is being said that many of us lower-middle-class individuals will likely connect with.
The Mill is streaming on Hulu on October 9.
Review by Jonathan Berk
The legendary director William Friedkin’s last movie, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, is a great reminder of what a talented director can do within limitations. Most of the film is set in a simple room with three tables, several chairs, and people in naval officer uniforms, and almost the entire runtime is simply people talking or reacting to other people talking, yet there is not a moment wasted or that feels slow. The camera choices, the casting, and intentional editing are all at their top performance so much that one actor whom I've historically criticized often and again even won me over here. It’s hard to imagine not being engaged in the story and performances on display in Friedkin’s final film.
Lieutenant Stephen Maryk (played by the inherently punchable Jake Lacy) stands trial for mutiny after taking command from Lieutenant Commander Phillip Queeg (played incredibly by Kiefer Sutherland). Maryk claimed Queeg was acting unhinged and was putting the ship and its crew in danger. His defense attorney, Lieutenant Barney Greenwald (single-handedly Jason Clarke’s best performance), was reluctant to defend him. His hesitation is slowly revealed throughout the proceedings. Captain Blakey (a character that the late Lance Reddick fully embraced and was perfectly cast) leads the trial, trying to keep everything above board.
This story lives or dies on the performances and how they are presented on screen. The first time Sutherland is on screen, Friedkin shows his deft hands in so many ways. Initially, Sutherland is in a mid-shot, and the camera is just trained on him. He is allowed to act, and there are very few cuts in his responses to the prosecution's questions. It’s not too long into the scene that he begins to twiddle his thumbs. Eventually, Friedkin cuts in close with Sutherland’s face centered on screen as the content of his monologue gets more intense. That initially arbitrary seeming action of twiddling his thumbs is a huge set-up for the character of Queeg. The intensity and demeanor of Queeg setting up his return later in the film, as we learn the defense plans to call him as their own witness. Friedkin makes what could be an unimportant scene convey so much information about the character, specifically because the testimony provides so much exposition. We learn how to read the film, who Queeg is, and what the conflict is for the defense.
In Redding’s character, we find ourselves quickly aligned. He, too, is watching with much interest, and you can see him wrestling with the same things we are. He wants to assume Queeg is the man his record indicates. Maryk acting unreasonably as mutiny is a serious charge that is basically unprecedented, as noted by Redding’s character. Yet, as the trial moves on, and the prosecution, led by a magnetic performance from Monica Raymund, makes great points, parried by other great points from the defense, the audience along with Redding clearly waves back and forth with our opinion of who is at fault. The tension builds into an epic climax, which leads to an even better final shot. Of course, those who take the hot seat are part of what helps the tension.
Every time Lewis Pullman is in a film, he becomes a highlight. In this, it appears he finally hit puberty, looking far more like his father Bill than ever, and projecting authority in a way I’ve not seen him do prior. While he’s not in the film for long, he makes the most of his time and leaves quite the impression.
Gabe Kessler, Tom Riley, Elizabeth Anweis, Francois Battiste, and Jay Duplass all get their time in the chair and deliver equally engaging performances. Each testimony offers a little more insight into the characters of Queeg and Maryk. In lesser hands, the visuals would probably start to feel redundant, but Friedkin finds ways to mix things up. At one point, the camera is high and behind the center sets of table, with Redding in the center looking out over the room. When Duplass is on the stand, the camera starts far lower and at a great distance from him until it slowly moves into a mid-shot. The space is small, but it is used so well.
Then there is the Clarke of it all. He has an innate standoffishness about him that works perfectly for this character. He doesn’t seem to have a friend in the room, and his intentions are unclear. He upsets many people who sit in the chair as he grills them, looking to show Queeg as incapable of leadership, thus justifying Maryk’s mutiny. Clarke wins the audience over as he demonstrates a strong understanding of his role in the trial. The final scene is the best, and Clarke delivers an incredible monologue before getting to deliver an action in the final frame that will likely stick with audiences.
For fans of movies like Paths of Glory or A Few Good Men, there is a real chance you may truly enjoy The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. The film is a showcase of great monologues and courtroom tension delivered by an incredible filmmaker whose recent passing will surely be felt more and more.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial will be streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime on October 6.


A few littlee issues,
Hi all hope you had a good crimbo,
i have a few issues with my car still,
the first one is im still getting the over rev between gear changes its not always but sometimes, its def not the clutch slipping, i had the clutch switch checked it was not flagging up but im going to change it anyway in the next week or so,
i recently changed the dump valve as mine was getting really loads of chatter, when i changed it i noticed the old one was broke and i noticed so much difference so much more responsive and the over revs disapered for a few days but are back now?
Iam maybe thinking i have a boost leak some where? could this cause it?
My second issue which to me is just as annoying is my two front speakers, distort low down in the volume some days they seem ok other days sound terrible, do you think i need new ones i read something about check the amp? would i be best to take it to an audio specialist? or is there any easy checks i can make? Sorry for the questions but i am new to it all, thanks again Oski


text:
NATIONAL BEST SELLER - From the best-selling, award-winning author of The Buddha in the Attic and When the Emperor Was Divine comes a novel about what happens to a group of obsessed recreational swimmers when a crack appears at the bottom of their local pool. This searing, intimate story of mothers and daughters--and the sorrows of implacable loss--is the most commanding and unforgettable work yet from a modern master. The swimmers are unknown to one another except through their private routines (slow lane, medium lane, fast lane) and the solace each takes in their morning or afternoon laps. But when a crack appears at the bottom of the pool, they are cast out into an unforgiving world without comfort or relief. One of these swimmers is Alice, who is slowly losing her memory. For Alice, the pool was a final stand against the darkness of her encroaching dementia. Without the fellowship of other swimmers and the routine of her daily laps she is plunged into dislocation and chaos, swept into memories of her childhood and the Japanese American incarceration camp in which she spent the war. Alice's estranged daughter, reentering her mother's life too late, witnesses her stark and devastating decline.
Author: Julie Otsuka Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group Published: 02/22/2022 Pages: 192 Binding Type: Hardcover Weight: 0.60lbs Size: 7.40h x 5.10w x 0.90d ISBN: 9780593321331
About the Author Julie Otsuka was born and raised in California. She is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and her first novel, When the Emperor Was Divine won the 2003 Asian American Literary Award and the 2003 American Library Association Alex Award. Her second novel, The Buddha in the Attic, was a finalist for the National Book Award 2011 and won the 2012 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the 2011 Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction. The Buddha in the Attic was an international bestseller and the winner of the prestigious Prix Femina étranger 2012, and the Albatros Literaturpreis 2013. She lives in New York City.

domain: artistic


text:
Long distance relationships are frequently thought to be more difficult than geographically near ones, yet you may have a happy, healthy, and long-lasting relationship despite the obstacle of distance.
According to some studies, the partners’ ability to effectively communicate and maintain a positive attitude regarding the relationship and long-distance relationships are two of the most critical factors determining whether or not the relationship will be successful.
If you want to be a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship, you should improve your communication skills and always try to have a positive perspective about the relationship.
On the other hand, the long distance also elevates the significance of life’s basic pleasures. In a long-distance relationship, seemingly little things like being able to grasp the other person’s hand, dining together at the same table, feeling each other’s touch, taking a stroll together, and smelling each other’s hair may all of a sudden take on a much greater significance.
Relationships maintained at a distance may be challenging, but they also come with special surprises. You should follow the following suggestions some thought if you want to be a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship.
- 1 Best Ways To Be A Good Boyfriend In Long Distance Relationship
- 1.1 1. Freedom Is A Must
- 1.2 2. Talk About Communication Requirements
- 1.3 3. Make A Future Plan
- 1.4 4. Keep Your “Meeting” Timings Wherever Possible
- 1.5 5. Be Truthful With Your Girlfriend
- 1.6 6. Gift A Personal Item To Your Girlfriend
- 1.7 7. Maintain Cheerful Attitude
- 1.8 8. Avoid “dangerous” Circumstances
- 1.9 9. Share Schedules With Your Girlfriend
- 1.10 10. Share Some Naughty Conversation
- 1.11 11. Inform Your Girlfriend About Friends And Relatives
- 1.12 12. Give Your Girlfriend Nicknames
- 1.13 Conclusion:
Also check – Questions to ask crush about relationship / How to deal with insecurities in relationship
Best Ways To Be A Good Boyfriend In Long Distance Relationship
1. Freedom Is A Must
A significant portion of who you are is missing if your girlfriend is thousands of miles away, but you should make an effort to keep up with your regular habits. Remember that despite being a group member, you are still an individual in your own right.
If you don’t see your girlfriend very often, it’s essential to make sure you communicate with them as often as possible. However, being tethered to your phone or computer might lead to feelings of melancholy or even animosity if the other person cannot chat with you at all times.
You will only be able to spend a little time with your other meaningful relationships. Even if your girlfriend can chat with you nonstop throughout the day, it is still a good idea to take some time for yourself or to spend time with your friends and family.
2. Talk About Communication Requirements
When starting a long-distance relationship, one of the first things you should do is figure out how often you want to communicate with one other beyond sending brief text messages throughout the day.
You could agree that you want to chat more regularly with your girlfriend, but your interpretations of what that phrase truly means differ. If you and your girlfriend have different ideas of what constitutes an optimal communication degree, coming to a middle ground might help minimize dissatisfaction later.
It’s always lovely to get a phone call from someone to say “thinking of you,” but organizing lengthier discussions ahead of time might help you connect at a time when you and they are both at your best. If you tend to be an early bird, but your significant other is more of a night owl, consider scheduling phone conversations just before or right after supper.
3. Make A Future Plan
Will it be a significant amount of time until we see each other again? “and what about the years to come?” These are the kind of something that you must to be asking yourself or your girlfriend.
A couple can’t maintain a long-distance relationship permanently. We will all have to find our footing at some point in time.
Therefore, come up with a strategy together. Establish a timetable, write down the estimated periods apart and times together, and sketch a picture of the desired outcome.
The two of you need to be on the same page and work toward the same objectives. For the two of you to remain motivated to work together in the same direction towards a future that involves one another, even if you are not physically residing in the exact location and do not share the same time zone.
4. Keep Your “Meeting” Timings Wherever Possible
You probably wouldn’t want to date someone who often failed to show up for in-person dates. Is that fair to say?
When a significant distance separates people, it might give the impression that their connection is less severe. However, putting your girlfriend first, just like you would if dating someone in your immediate area, is essential to the success of long-distance relationships.
When they don’t hear from you at the usual time, a girlfriend who lives a long distance away and cannot assist when things go wrong may worry more than a girlfriend who lives close by. Things are sure to arise, but you should do your best to communicate this to your girlfriend as quickly as you can. And try to set up a catch-up conversation. It can help you to be a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship.
5. Be Truthful With Your Girlfriend
Discuss your sentiments of dread, insecurity, jealousy, indifference, and any other emotion that comes to mind. If you attempt to keep anything from your significant other, sooner or later, that secret will come back to haunt you and consume you from the inside out. Avoid trying to do everything by yourself.
Maintain a level of openness and transparency with one another. Allow your girlfriend to assist you and provide you with the necessary support. It is preferable to investigate the issue when it is still in the early stages of development rather than reveal its existence when it is too late.
6. Gift A Personal Item To Your Girlfriend
The strength of one’s memories, no matter what it is, whether it be a necklace, a ring, a keychain, a collection of music and films, or a bottle of fragrance, you should always treat it with care. Whether or not we are aware of it, the objects and products we interact with daily have significance for us.
When our brains start to deteriorate, we all do what we can to store as many memories as we can in physical objects so that we may still have something to gaze at or hold onto that will help us recollect our past experiences.
This is why something so basic may mean so much to your girlfriend, even if others might not perceive much or any value in it, make you a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship.
7. Maintain Cheerful Attitude
To keep the flame of your long-distance romance alive, you must regularly infuse it with good energy. Even though the waiting might be difficult and you may feel alone sometimes, you need to keep telling yourself that the rewards will be as satisfying as can only be found in paradise.
Being appreciative is a helpful strategy for maintaining a cheerful attitude. You should count your blessings that you have someone to love and that person likewise loves you back.
Be grateful for the little things in life, such as the handwritten note that made it to your mailbox without any problems the other day. Be appreciative of your girlfriend’s well-being and protection. It will help to be a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship.
8. Avoid “dangerous” Circumstances
If you already know that taking your group of friends out to a late-night bar or club would make your girlfriend unhappy, you should either not take them or tell them in advance to comfort them.
You should not allow anything like this to go unnoticed since it will make your girlfriend more frightened or suspicious and extremely unhappy because they will feel helpless or as if they lack control over the issue. It would help if you did not let something like this go unnoticed.
When you go out on a date with eye candy from work after work or date someone from your past who has been flirting with you without you recognizing it, you are putting yourself in danger of falling for your traps. You must clearly understand the risks involved in a scenario before you put yourself in harm’s way.
Please pay attention to your gut instincts, but don’t put all your faith in them. Be careful to give your thoughts the attention they deserve.
It is beneficial to be aware of when the other person is busy and when they are free. You can send a text message or make a phone call at the appropriate moment. You wouldn’t want to be the one to wake up your partner amid a critical business meeting or while they are in the middle of an important lesson.
Be sure that you are informed of the significant and minor upcoming events in the life of everyone around you, such as college midterms and finals, significant business trips and meetings, job interviews, and so on. This becomes a more pressing concern, mainly if your homes are located in separate time zones, making a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship.
The level of sexual tension between a couple is unquestionably one of the most crucial factors. The need for sexual contact serves, in a sense, as a kind of adhesive that prevents the two people involved from drifting away. The urge to have sexual contact has not only a biological component but also an emotional one.
Sending each other text messages that are full of sexual innuendo and descriptions that are provocative is a great way to be a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship. Sexually suggestive puns are also effective.
11. Inform Your Girlfriend About Friends And Relatives
You will better understand one another’s culture and values due to this conversation. Understanding and establishing mutual trust may be facilitated by being familiar with one another’s routines and rituals.
Talking about your loved ones and pals will give you other topics to discuss. The most interesting topics for conversation are rumours and scandals.
12. Give Your Girlfriend Nicknames
Because it’s adorable, it maintains the feeling of love and affection. It’s lovely to feel so close to someone that you can call them by a name they’ve never heard anybody else use.
Hearing only one word associated with love raises our emotions, and we experience a renewed sense of self-assurance. So giving a beautiful nickname to your girlfriend makes you a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship.
Love is a powerful emotion that is beyond anyone’s ability to control. Love occurs. Even if you receive a job offer halfway across the nation that seems excellent for you, you still need to learn to turn off those impulses.
We both don’t anticipate having a long-distance relationship at any point in the future. On the other hand, if you are in this kind of relationship, you will need to find a way to make the most of a challenging circumstance.
With any luck, the above tips to be a good boyfriend in a long distance relationship assist you in being resilient and upbeat despite the physical distance between you and your significant other.

domain: psychology


Discussion Starter · #1 ·
so a while back i bought a factory marlin barrel in 219 zipper so that i could rebuild an old marlin 30-30 i had. The 30-30 was given to my dad and was pretty beat up and the barrel was way loose. The 219 barrel fits almost perfect. it lacks about an 1/8 of a turn when screwed in hand tight so by the time i get it torqued it ought to be almost perfect, then as long as the head-space is good. this gun has some screws with severely messed up heads that are stuck pretty hard so i might have to throw it in the mill and machine them out to get it cleaned up. Im planning on re-blueing everything smoothing up the action real nice and buying or building a nice wood stock for it. Im going to use open sights of some sort whether its the factory buck-horn ones or a aftermarket tang peep or something else im not sure yet. Ill use this gun mainly for plinking and varmits. Im making brass out of 30-30 first resizing to 25-35 then to 219. I haven't got my 219 dies yet but i ran 50 through the 25-35 and i think it will work, it dimpled them a little on then neck but i think it will fire form out. Im hoping to get to work on this and my mauser project quite a bit from now till summer and hopefully get them both operational.


Media Planner is a job title in an
advertising agencyor media planning and buying agency [ [http://www.capstonemedia.com Capstone Media ] ] , responsible for selecting media for advertisement placement on behalf of their clients. The main aim of a Media Planner is to assist their client in achieving business objectives through their advertising budgets by recommending the best possible use of various media platforms available to advertisers [ [http://marketing.about.com/od/exploremarketingcareers/p/mediabuyer.htm Media Buyer - Marketing Career Profile ] ] . Their roles may include analyzing target audiences, keeping abreast of media developments, reading market trends and understanding motivations of consumers (often including psychologyand neuroscience).
Traditionally, the role of the media planner was quite close to that of the "Media Buyer", the obvious distinction being that the planner would devise a plan for advertising and the buyer would negotiate with the
Media proprietoron things such as rates, copy deadlines, placement, merchandising [ [http://www.capstonemedia.com Capstone Media ] ] , etc. The role of the modern media planner is more wide reaching however. Today many agencies are actually eschewing the job title of 'media planner' in favour of titles such as communications planner, brand planner or strategist. This reflects the shift away from 'traditional' media planning to a more holistic approach, with the planner now having to consider (as well as standard above-the-line channels such as TV, print, radio and outdoor) PR, below-the-line channels, in-store, digital media, product placement and other emerging communications channels all for the purpose of ensuring the client's advertising budget is well spent as well as adhering to the overall marketing strategy devised by marketing consultants or the client themselves. Their expanded job scope has thus made more demands of their time, placing them in immensely pressured situations matched by the states faced by their creative (copywriters and art directors) counterparts.
Though many media planners are housed within ad firms,
Initiative Worldwide, Carat, ZenithOptimedia, Starcom, Mindshareand OMD are examples of stand-alone global media planning agencies for general consumer brands. Specialty media buying groups, with industry-specific expertise include [Greenfield/Belser, Ltd] . (law firm and professional services-only), [ [Criterion Global] ] (real estate and resort developments), among others.
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text:
Welcome, Sharon. Please tell us where you’re from.
I was born in Dublin, Ireland, and it’s where I still live today, right on the coast, with my husband and three children.A lovely part of the world. What sparked your interest in writing?
I can’t remember how it happened, but I was reading before I began school at aged four. I always found words fun and fascinating, and loved making up stories, even as a child. Later on, when I worked as a journalist, I had some short stories published in a women’s magazine. I even won a national short story competition. And for years, whilst my children were young, I started books, but never finished them. But the more I read, and I’m part of a book club, which is a great discipline, the more I wanted to write.Good for you for persevering. What components, in your opinion, make a great story?
There’s only so many basic stories out there, so I suppose you’re always looking for a fresh twist on something. I think you need a really decent plot. The stronger your plot, the easier it is to bring the other components together. After that, characters. Particularly your protagonist and antagonist. As a writer or reader, you need to feel like you know them. You want to be rooting for them all the way to the end.How much of your writing is based on people or events familiar to you?
Going Against Type is set against the backdrop of Dublin newspapers, so it’s something I know a bit about. All the jargon and the kind of things that journalists deal with, that’s all authentic. Some of the characters, especially in the papers, are probably very loosely based on people I would have worked with, but it’s not something I did intentionally. I might have taken a couple of physical or personality traits from people I knew, to use in my own characters. It helped to make them more real.What inspired you to write Going Against Type?
I grew up loving the wonderful Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s. One of my favourite on-screen couples was Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey. They just sizzled opposite each other, and they were both such strong characters. One of their films was Woman of the Year, where Tracey plays a sports journalist and Hepburn a highbrow newspaper pundit. And they both write newspaper columns. Hepburn dismisses sport as a waste of time, and Tracey takes her on.Sounds like lots of fun. How did you come up with the title?
They fall in love of course, and the rest is movie history. Anyway, it was my light-bulb moment. I took the idea of the columnists, but in Going Against Type they write under pen-names. And I turned the gender stereotypes on their head, so my heroine is a sports reporter and my hero is a fashion writer. And obviously, I dragged it right into modern day Dublin.
Going Against Type has a few meanings in the story. On the one hand, both characters go against type, because of what they do for a living. There’s a bit of a play on words, as ‘Type’ also refers to newspaper ‘Type’. And most importantly, when my two main characters first get together, they are choosing a different type of person than they’ve previously dated. They are polar opposites.What was the hardest part of the story to write?
The columns were very hard to write. They had to be sharp and controversial, but they couldn’t be my ideas. They had to be the thoughts and opinions of the two fictional newspaper columnists. Having written a newspaper column for a while, I know how difficult it is. This was more difficult again. Also, I actually don’t know a huge amount about sport, but it was very important to me that my heroine was a sports journalist and a huge sports fan. I think sport, and team sport in particular, is brilliant. So I needed to do a lot of research. Charlotte’s columns needed to be natural and authoritative.What was the easiest part of the story to write?
The easiest part of the story was the romance between Charlotte and Derry, and how it evolves. I loved the fact that they (for very good reasons in the story) are forced to keep their alter-egos secret from each other. The book is a fast read, and there’s a lot of dialogue. I love dialogue, it brings a story to life.Do you have a set writing routine?
I mainly write in the mornings, when my children are in school and college. I know of some writers who get up really early to work, but I’m not a great VERY EARLY MORNING person. So I start at about 9am. I take short breaks, and I also try to break up the work a bit. Writing straight through until about for a few hours works sometimes, but usually I need to intersperse with something else. Coffee, for example! I might do a bit of lighter work later on, at night. Editing, reading, printing out changes.If you could go back in time, what author would you most like to invite to share a chat and a glass of wine or a cup of tea?
No competition for this, it would have to be Jane Austen. Who couldn’t love her heroines? Or the sympathetic way she wrote even the characters we laugh at in her books? Of course she wrote novels that reflected the upper class English society that she knew, but they were full of wonderful characters and terrific detail.Who supports your writing activities most?
My family, including my mum, who makes life a lot easier for me. My husband and children have been great, as have some trusted friends and beta readers. And my agent is great for pep talks and practical advice.What advice would you give an aspiring author?
A few things I’ve learned, I guess. First, know how a novel is structured, and nail down a synopsis, a broad structure, and even a step by step outline before you start. That will change as you write, but it’s good to start with it. Once your plot is down, get to know your characters by writing back stories. Then write. Don’t talk about it. Pretend you’re writing for one person. Maybe a friend you know who’d love to read your story. Once you’ve got a rough first draft, start editing and rewriting. And get readers you can trust, to read and give you feedback. My debut took me ten drafts before it was right.Practical tips indeed. Thanks so much for sharing your writing experiences. And now, let’s have a look at Going Against Type.
* * * * *Book Blurb:
Some would say Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Regan has it all. Beautiful, smart, athletic and a great job working as a journalist – in the almost exclusively male sports department. But Charlotte is not quite so sure as she seems. Recently split from her overbearing boyfriend, she escapes for weekends, surfing in the Atlantic, and spends her free nights watching sports, roaring at the TV.
Derry Cullinane is a fashion writer, gossip columnist and sophisticated man-about-town. The go-to guy for any woman seeking expert advice on what fabulous outfit to wear for any given occasion. He’s also tall, dark, good looking – and straight! So what’s the snag? He has a track record of dating glamorous, vain and shallow women.
Charlie gets an opportunity to write a new column under the pen name Side Swipe, but soon is drawn into a war of words and wit with a rival paper’s columnist The Squire – and their verbal fireworks get readers and editors talking. Yet neither Charlie nor Derry knows just who the opponent is...
When Charlotte and Derry meet at the Races, the attraction in instant. As their relationship develops, so much more proves at stake than protecting their alter egos. But a blunder puts Charlotte’s job in jeopardy just as Derry’s past makes front page, and Charlotte begins to doubt her feelings. When Side Swipe and The Squire are finally forced to reveal themselves, will they revert to type – or confound everyone’s expectations?
* * * * *Excerpt:
In this excerpt, my heroine Charlotte, who’s a sports journalist, has been sent to cover the Galway Races on Ladies’ Day. She has given her tips for the day in her previous column (written under the name Side Swipe). It’s her first encounter with Derry, the rival columnist, who writes as The Squire.
* * * * *'Ow!' Charlotte yelled as the man in front of her stepped back heavily on her foot. He turned quickly, scowling down at her from under a Panama hat. Realizing she was clutching her foot in pain, his face cleared to concern.
'I'm terribly sorry. Were you standing very close to me? Is your foot all right?'
Charlotte glared at him in disbelief.
'Yes, that must have been it. I got under your feet! It was completely my fault,' she countered, massaging her foot. He burst out laughing and regarded her small leather brogues.
'You have very small feet, don't you? I really am sorry, I didn't see you at all.'
What was so damned funny? Charlotte drew herself up to her full five foot, three inches and continued to glare up at Panama Hat Man. He had to be at least a foot taller than her.
'You're as clumsy as an elephant,' Charlotte replied indignantly.
'Actually, elephants aren't that clumsy.' The man grinned as he swept off his Panama hat to reveal a shock of black, slightly curling hair.
'Please accept my deepest apologies.' He arched one dark eyebrow. ‘Any tips for the next race?'
'I'm not sure if you should listen to me...'
'On the contrary,' he murmured, a faint Cork accent filtering through, 'Race looks wide open.’
'What's your bet?' shouted the bookie, and Charlotte suddenly realized they'd reached the top of the queue. She nursed her sore foot as Mr Panama Hat muttered to the bookie, before taking his docket and turning briefly around.
'Wish me luck!' he said, before disappearing to view the race.
'You betting miss?' the bookie said.
'Um, sure. A tenner on Green Velvet – to win,' Charlotte decided suddenly, still thrown by the encounter. Dammit, what had she tipped for this race? She couldn’t remember if it was Green Velvet. But the bookie was waiting. She handed over her money. Once the horses were called to starters orders, the bookies' pitch cleared fast.
Charlotte pulled out a notebook and asked the bookmaker a few questions about how the festival was going. The sun disappeared and she pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. She thanked the bookie and glanced around.
No sign of the good looking Panama Hat Man. Good looking? She'd bet her last cent that he bloody knew it too. Who the hell wore Panama hats in Ireland? It had shaded those brown eyes...so get yourself a dog if you like brown eyes, Charlotte. She gave herself a mental shake.
'...Penny Farthing and Lucky Dip, nothing between these two. And Green Velvet’s coming with a late run. Green Velvet gaining! And Margin of Error’s dropped out of it altogether. And with a furlong to go, it’s Penny Farthing and Green Velvet drawing clear.
‘Yes!’Charlotte shouted, scrambling up on to the bookies’ stand to watch the horses gallop to the finish line. ‘Come on Green Velvet!’
‘Penny Farthing and Green Velvet, stride for stride, it must be a photo. I can’t separate them but I think Lucky Dip takes third. Green Velvet may have got it in the last stride....It’s Green Velvet in first place. Green Velvet wins, followed by Penny Farthing. And Lucky Dip takes third.’
Charlotte grinned delightedly at the bookie as she jumped down off the stand. As an afterthought, she pulled out her column, searching for her tips. There it was: her top tip for that race had been Margin of Error. The horse had been badly beaten.
She bit her lip and shrugged philosophically. Nobody got it right all the time.
***'So, did you get lucky?' a deep voice drawled.
Charlotte spun to find Mr Panama Hat grinning down at her. Bloody hell, she thought, smiling back despite herself. Any other man she knew would look utterly ridiculous in what seemed to be a tailor made, striped linen jacket and trousers, combined with that damned hat. But he carried it off with a self-confidence that bordered on swagger.
'Yes actually, I did,' she admitted, still smiling. 'What about you?'
'I lost. My own fault. I took a flier on somebody else's tip.'
Charlotte grinned sympathetically.
Mr Panama Hat shook his head, scowling briefly.
‘I read some bloody sports columnist from Ireland Today. Had a few winners earlier this week. As I said, it's my own fault. I never normally bother with racing tips. Whoever it is, he obviously doesn’t know a horse from a three-legged stool.'
Charlotte swallowed hard.
'So how much did you lose?' she managed, trying to sound casual.
'A thousand.' He caught Charlotte's horrified expression and laughed. 'Hey, don't look so worried! I'm a big boy.'
(For another excerpt, please visit Tirgearr Publishing.)
* * * * *Sharon Black grew up in Dublin. She studied history and politics at University College Dublin and then did post-graduate in journalism at Dublin City University. She has worked for national newspapers, including The Evening Herald and The Irish Examiner. She had short stories published in U Magazine and won the 2010 Dromineer Literary Festival short story competition. When she is not writing, she reads, walks and sees friends. She co-founded a local book club 14 years ago. She loves theatre, old Hollywood films, science fiction and good stand-up comedy. She lives by the coast, with her husband and their three children.
* * * * *
Going Against Type / eBook Available from


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These Cake Mix Grinch Cookies are so easy and festive they’ll be sure to put you in the holiday mood!
Grinch Cookies Recipe
These Cαke Mix Grinch Cookies αre so eαsy αnd festive they'll be sure to put you in the holidαy mood!
- 1 box french vαnillα cαke mix dry mix only
- 1/2 cup vegetαble oil
- 2 eggs
- green food coloring 1 drop
- Confectioners powdered sugαr for dusting
- Sprinkles or cαndies lαrge heαrt-shαped
- Preheαt oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of your mixer creαm together cαke mix, food coloring, oil, αnd eggs.
- Drop by Tαblespoon into confectioners sugαr αnd roll into bαlls. If the dough is too sticky you cαn chill it for 10-15 minutes before you roll into bαlls.
- Plαce on bαking sheet αnd press 1 lαrge heαrt cαndy/sprinkle.
- Bαke for 8-10 minutes until just set.
- Let cool 3-4 minutes on pαn before removing to cool completely on α wire rαck.
- Hαving reαd reαder comments, I hαve tested this recipe using 1/2 Cup oil αnd with 1/3 Cup oil; results hαve been similαr. I prefer using 1/2 Cup oil so I αm keeping the recipe αs is.
- Tαke the cookies out neαr the 10 minute mαrk even if they look like they could use α few more minutes. These αre cαke mix cookies so they will firm up αfter cooling on the bαking sheet for 3-4 minutes αfter you tαke them out of the oven. You don’t wαnt these cookies to brown αnd become crunchy.

domain: food


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- Gourmet Cookies and Candy
- Biscuits and Cookies
- Ginger Zinger Cookies
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Ginger Zinger Cookies Product ID: NF1283126 Tates Bake Shop
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Ginger Zinger Cookies
Product Id: NF1283126
Sold as: Case of 12Weight: 7 lbs
List Price: $89.58Savings: $26.83
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Paramilitary discipline and tactics have been creeping into white supremacy and American extremist groups since the KKK first donned their white robes. But in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last August, this reality has been brought into focus.
On Monday, the Daily Beast reported that Marine veteran Erik Sailors, the head of the Texas chapter of the white-supremacist group Patriot Front, is offering military-style training to members of the group as well as assisting in providing them with military-grade gear. Patriot Front members were present in Charlottesville last year, and the group has been contracted to provide security for white nationalist speaker Richard Spencer.
In fact, there are many Unite the Right faces that have military ties. James Alex Fields Jr., who allegedly drove a car through a group of protesters in Charlottesville, killing Heather Heyer, washed out of the Army. Before being charged with Heyer’s murder, Fields was photographed holding a shield bearing the logo of Vanguard America, a neo-Nazi group led by former Marine recruiter Dillon Ulysses Hopper.
In May, ProPublica also reported that several active-duty military members had participated in the Charlottesville demonstration. “Today cracked 3 skulls open with virtually no damage to myself,” Vasillios Pistolis wrote following the Unite the Right Rally. That day, Pistolis marched alongside the Atomwaffen Division, a secretive neo-Nazi group; on other days, he marches with the U.S. Marine Corp.
The list goes on. The Modesto Bee reported that Nathan Damigo, a 31-year-old Marine veteran taking classes at local Stanislaus State University, was a “key organizer” of the Unite the Right rally. Then there are the less-famous white nationalist rallies, like the “Confederate Memorial Day” one in North Carolina last year, where two then-Marines, Sgt. Michael Chesny and Staff Sgt. Joseph Manning, were arrested and charged with trespassing while hanging a white nationalist banner. Chesney was separated from the Marines this year; Manning is no longer in the service.
Indeed, there is an undeniable connection between the military and white supremacy—but where does this predilection come from?
The reports cited are careful to note that the white supremacists in military ranks is small in number, but significant in their organizational leadership of extremist groups. It is more accurate to say that ambitious white nationalists see the military as a tool than it is to say that the military creates white supremacists. Military service offers training for violence and an air of legitimacy, two essential components of a the white nationalist movement. As Joshua Beckett, a veteran associated with Atomwaffen who has encouraged neo-Nazi members to join the military, wrote in an online chat, “The US military gives great training…you learn how to fight, and survive.”
An FBI report on white supremacy in the military since 9/11 backs this up, finding that “military experience is found throughout the white supremacist extremist movement as the result of recruitment campaigns by extremist groups and self-recruitment by veterans sympathetic to white supremacist causes.” The report also concluded, “Although individuals with military backgrounds constitute a small percentage of white supremacist extremists, they frequently occupy leadership roles within extremist groups.”
In other words, President Donald Trump’s rhetoric may have emboldened white supremacists to take a more public posture, but ties between the military and white supremacy date back well before the current administration. American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell was a World War II Naval veteran. Aryan Nation leader Richard Butler was in the Army Air Corp. Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was a Gulf War veteran. The Ku Klux Klan was founded by Confederate veterans, but a number of those vets were American soldiers before the outbreak of the Civil War.
Author Kathy Belew recently released a book titled, Bringing the War Home, which argues that Vietnam veterans returning home helped unite neo-Nazi and KKK ideology in an invigorated white supremacist movement. Veterans ran Vietnam-inspired boot camps in their White Power groups and enforced a paramilitary infrastructure.
If the leadership of the military chooses to ignore this history, then all the better for burgeoning “alt-right” leaders. One former Marine told ProPublica, “If neo-Nazis aren’t allowed to enlist in the military, and if nobody I know is a neo-Nazi, there must not be any within my unit” is the standard attitude of military brass. It’s easy not to see something if it is uncommon and it makes your organization look bad.
Some military leaders believe focusing on this small minority of soldiers is a distraction, but others have made condemning white supremacy a priority. (It should be noted that each branch of the armed forces has rules against participating in “extremist groups” that foster “racial, gender, or ethnic hatred or intolerance.”) An open accounting for this small but damaging group of infiltrators has also become a demand for some politicians and activists. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis asking for information on extremist activities and “steps currently being taken to screen recruits for extremist ties.”
While the condemnations of white extremism from military brass have been a good step, clearly there is more to be done. If the armed forces continue to take the threat seriously, as they did with Chesny and Manning, perhaps the white supremacist element of the military will be rooted out. However, if they ignore evidence of white supremacy in their ranks, as they seem to have done in the case of Pistolis, then Joshua Beckett’s dream of making the military a training ground for hate groups may become a reality.

domain: sociology


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Out of this world!
Shake, Rattle & Bowl. Our 20-lane bowling center is always a rocking good time. But during Cosmic Bowling on Friday and Saturday nights, the fun skyrockets - we turn off the lights, pump up the volume, and the whole place glows with space-themed neon colors. It's a blast for parties. The fun keeps rolling with leagues, group parties and tournaments. Plus a pro shop overflowing with equipment, clothes and specialty bowling balls. There are even a couple of very cool touch-screen video games to pass the time between frames. It doesn't stop there.
Just next door is Johnny Rockets for the perfect bowling meal: a burger and fries. Right inside Shake, Rattle & Bowl is The 11th Frame. So between games you can grab a drink, soda or quick snack. For group outings, hours, and rates, please call (928) 567-7950. An adult must accompany kids under 12.

domain: entertainment


INK looks beyond rules and obstacles with its new EP : Climax, out on Tuesday, the 2nd of November 2021. Produced by Jazzin Translation (INK, Wrap it Up, Couronne d’Or Jazz Festival) with the label 3rd Lab (End Eno, Dooz Kawa, Na+ + Cl-,...), Climax is the preface of the French quartet’s new album expected in 2022.
Finding in jazz and improvisation a shared language, this exhilarating quartet lead by drummer and composer Victor Gachet flirts with electronic music in an ongoing dialogue with the beauty of silence. Jazz and electro, Hard-bop and Berlin Deep, Massive Attack and John Coltrane, Stanley Kubrick and Jorge Luis Borges, some many influences that feed Climax, taking the audience on an intense and hallucinatory journey.
Léonard Kretz - saxophones
Sébastien Valle - piano, keyboards
Lionel Ehrhart - basse
Victor Gachet - drums, samples, effects
Guest : Ena Eno
Is there a mechanism to fantasies ? How do we put words on concepts, like the feeling of love, that go beyond intellect and rational explanations ? We bet that art (and especially music) can answer those questions by transcending them. Climax is the result of hours of work around the loneliness related to love and the mechanisms in place in desirs, fantasies and “love delirium”. Previously known as Les Chapeaux Noirs, all four musicians share a strong bond built throughout the years and they are brought back together around this new INK project and for a new creation : Climax.


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Book flights to Los Angeles from Edinburgh via London and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of sun, sea and star-spotting. The year-round warmth of California's metropolis makes it the perfect place to find a patch of sand to call your own - and once you've had your fill of LA's beautiful beaches, the endless opportunities this city offers are just waiting to be experienced.
Whatever you're looking for in a world-class city, Los Angeles offers it all with a cherry on top. From the big budget art installations of the Getty Centre to the famous high-end shopping of Rodeo Drive, from the original Disneyland theme park to the iconic sights of Hollywood - nothing in LA is done by halves. Fly from Edinburgh to Los Angeles with a choice of two daily flights from Virgin Atlantic.

domain: travel


The new season of The Great British Bake Off starts next week, how excited are we!
You've got even more reason to be excited as among the contestants this season is Jane from Beckenham, no less.
The new season returns on August 24th at 8pm where the 12 contestants will do battle for the coveted bake off crown
Jane is a 61-year-old garden designer and whose grandad owned a bakery.
We wish her the best of luck, and I'm sure everyone will be behind her.
About Author :


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Here are this week’s lovely boys and girls. The weather was mild, so we got to go out and get our paws wet in the little bit of snow available! All these guys are looking for their forever homes, so if you see one you would like to know more about, please contact Toronto Animal Services (North Region) or check out the Posh Pets Facebook page.
Our gorgeous little felines for this week:
And our beautiful canines…
Please come visit us again next week!

domain: pet


text:
Development of novel whole-cell immunoadsorbents by yeast surface display of the IgG-binding domain
- 258 Downloads
The ZZ domain derived from Staphylococcus aureus, which binds to the Fc part of immunoglobulin G (IgG), was displayed on the cell surfaces of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by cell-surface engineering using the C-terminal half of α-agglutinin under control of the 5′-upstream region of the isocitrate lyase gene from Candida tropicalis (UPR-ICL). Display of ZZ on the cell surface was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and sandwich ELISA using the S. cerevisiae cells displaying ZZ detected IgG and antigen (human serum albumin) down to a concentration of 1–10 ng/ml in both cases. The detection range covered by these assay systems was wide and could be varied by adjusting the amount of cells and reaction times with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) substrate. Moreover, yeast cells displaying ZZ were successfully used for repeated affinity purification of IgG from serum. These results indicate that S. cerevisiae displaying ZZ may constitute novel and genetically renewable whole-cell immunoadsorbents widely applicable to immunoassays and affinity purification.
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domain: chemistry


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Ralph Recto urges government to focus on typhoons not politicking
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto urged the government to focus on upcoming typhoons instead of politicking.
The Batangas politiko seemed to be referring to President Rodrigo Duterte’s revocation of Senator Antonio Trillanes’ amnesty.
Recto said the government must lead the public in preparing for typhoons.
“Government should brace for typhoon Neneng instead of being focused on political storms. It should be able to distinguish between a tempest in a teacup involving a few and a Category 5 storm which may put millions in harm’s way,” Recto said.
“Communications-wise, what the public ought to hear is a steady stream of typhoon information not the gale-force rhetoric from some bully pulpit,” he added.
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domain: news


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EVERY time I eat caviar I think of M. F. K. Fisher.
The second time I visited America's most famous food writer in Sonoma, Calif., where she was living in the early 1970's, I scraped together enough money to buy a small tin of caviar. It was a very small tin, but it was caviar, and I imagined that with sufficient creme fraiche and toast and chopped eggs and onion, it would feed a roomful of people. When I presented this opulent offering, Ms. Fisher stared at it for a moment and said, ''Oh, lovely, a couple of spoonfuls.''
Since then, whenever I can, I request my caviar that way, too, unadorned and by the spoonful. If you like that idea, you will appreciate the tiny, moderately priced spoons at Caviar Russe, a luxurious caviar parlor, which opened on Madison Avenue in June, brimming with adorable mother-of-pearl spoons and antique silver caviar dispensers.
There is something otherworldly about these two deliberately old-fashioned rooms tucked away at the top of the stairs. Ornately carved, white moldings, glittering chandeliers and a robin's-egg-blue ceiling combine with murals from a Russian fairy tale to give the room a look somewhere between the splendor of Versailles and the cozy sweetness of Mary Poppins.
Most nights the people sitting in the commodious booths are couples intent on celebration. The service is murmuringly solicitous, which makes this a fine place for that sort of thing. But there is another side of Caviar Russe: it is one of New York's nicest places to eat alone. There is usually a woman or two sitting at the counter, chatting with the chef and treating herself to caviar. Most afternoons a couple of lone lunchers can be found in the dining room, intent on their own pleasure.
One day, a man from the South, who had become a regular during his week in New York, was there. As he drank his vodka (the list offers an awesome global tour of clear potent liquors), he needled the waiter with friendly familiarity. ''I love this place,'' he said expansively. The woman a few tables down smiled softly to herself. The sun poured in the window, illuminating her thick dark hair as she sipped a glass of good Champagne and ordered a tiny taste of five sorts of caviar.
They arrived on a long rectangular tray, miniature mother-of-pearl spoons holding a glistening mound of roe. She tried the sevruga first, and then the osetra, golden osetra, kaluga and beluga. She considered for a moment and summoned the waiter to order a serious portion. ''Osetra,'' she said, finally, ''I'll have 50 grams of osetra.''
And she did, eating happily, as if not quite trusting her own good luck. The osetra at Caviar Russe is especially fine, mild, a bit fruity, very low in salt. She went on to beef tartare, a great lump of ground steak topped with a smaller lump of caviar. ''Ah,'' she said, as she took her first taste. I could understand her happiness; the steak tartare is extraordinarily good, well-marbled, aged beef, perched on a snappy salad of beets, parsley and marinated mushrooms. The woman looked content. Ms. Fisher, I am sure, would have approved: the woman was treating herself like a guest.
Caviar Russe encourages that sort of behavior. And although caviar is the main point, you need not indulge in the straight stuff. The chef, Scott Skey, who worked with Wayne Nish at March, has created an entire menu of small delicate dishes in which caviar plays only a supporting role. These include delicate chilled oysters topped with beluga caviar, and little shot glasses filled with cold potato soup and topped with caviar. The lobster roll, a perfectly cooked lobster claw set into a piece of cream-puff dough with caviar on top, is also an irresistible little morsel.
The menu is small; even the $75 prix fixe meal pretty much concentrates on caviar. But there are a couple of impressive dishes that eschew fish eggs altogether. The best of them is a crayfish, sweetbread and artichoke stew, a blend of subtle flavors that work especially well together. The chowder is also rich and delicious, a luxurious mixture of crab meat, corn and oysters that is edged with lime juice and embellished with sage.
Desserts, I am sorry to report, are a disappointment. They are ornate, expensive and after the caviar, something of a letdown. So, I might add, are the blinis, thin, listless crepes with very little character.
All the more reason, of course, to eat your caviar with a spoon.
** [rating: two stars]
538 Madison Avenue, near 54th Street, (212) 980-5908.
ATMOSPHERE: The dining room is as cozy and elegant as a jewel box, and the smoking room across the way, with its fireplace and plush sofas, is utter luxury.
SERVICE: As solicitous as it should be in a place as expensive as this.
SOUND LEVEL: Extremely pleasant.
Recommended dishes: Caviar by the spoon and the gram; chilled potato soup; chilled oysters with beluga; lobster and caviar profiterole; caviar coulibiac; steak tartare with caviar; oyster and crab chowder; seafood extravaganza; crayfish, sweetbread and artichoke stew.
WINE LIST: Concentrates on Champagne and vodka, with a few expensive big-name wines thrown in. No bargains.
PRICE RANGE: Appetizers, $7; caviar tastes by the small spoonful, $4 to $7; main courses, $16 to $47; desserts, $12. Prix fixe dinners, $55 and $75; afternoon tea, $20.
HOURS: Lunch, Monday through Friday, noon to 3 P.M.; tea, 3 to 6 P.M.; dinner, 6 to 11 P.M.; late-night menu until 1 A.M. Dinner on Saturday, noon to midnight. Lunch and dinner on Sunday, 11 A.M. to 9 P.M.
CREDIT CARDS: All major cards.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: Elevator to second-floor dining room.
What the stars mean:
(None) Poor to Satisfactory
** Very Good
Ratings reflect the reviewer's reaction primarily to food, with ambiance and service taken into consideration. Menu listings and prices are subject to change. --------------------
Past reviews. Hundreds of Times restaurant reviews are available on line from @times, an arts and entertainment guide on America Online. Software and information: 1-800-548-5201.


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Angelina Jolie Is Set to Be 'Unforgiven'
Angelina Jolie is close to land another job after wrapping up production for "The Tourist". The actress is said offered a lead role in "Unforgiven" which is based on 2009 British miniseries of the same title, but she reportedly won't commit to the project until the screenplay is completed.
Deadline Hollywood reports that Christopher McQuarrie is currently writing the script for the movie and GK Films, which recently financed "The Tourist" where Jolie stars alongside Johnny Depp, is the one developing "Unforgiven" film. Graham King, meanwhile, is on board to serve as producer of the drama thriller.
According to Deadline, "Unforgiven" miniseries is a story about a woman named Ruth who attempts to "rejoin society after she serves a fifteen-year prison stretch for the murder of two policemen. The tragedy happened after the policemen came to evict her family from their farmhouse. Her hope is to live quietly and reunite with her troubled younger sister, but the paroled woman is targeted for a revenge campaign by two sons of one of her victims." Suranne Jones starred as Ruth in the original show, which was written by Sally Wainwright and directed by David Evans.
Angelina Jolie has recently announced that she is working on a Bosnian War love story which will start shooting in this fall. It is rumored that she will serve behind the lens though some people suggest that she will also star in the movie. This untitled Angelina Jolie project is going "to involve as many local people as possible," the 35-year-old promised.
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- New Photos Seem to Confirm Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus' Romance Rumors
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- Happy 'Twin Peaks' Day! Showtime Unveils Posters for Revival