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What to expect from the General Motors strike’s tentative resolution, what Elon Musk is up to now, and how to encourage people to buy your eco-friendly cars: All this and more in The Morning Shift for Thursday, October 17, 2019.
GM and the United Auto Workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, but that doesn’t mean the strike is over. Nothing’s set in stone yet.
First, we don’t know all the details about the contract yet. But it has what’s considered some solid wins for workers. Here’s The Detroit Free Press with a roundup:
Some details of the agreement were leaking out, and the creation and retention of 9,000 jobs is a boost from GM’s initial proposal to the union that offered a $7 billion investment in U.S. facilities over four years, resulting in 5,400 new or retained jobs.
Here are some other details of the proposed four-year contract:
Increases of 3-4% in wages and lump sum payments. Precise details of the raises were not known. In the 2015 contract, workers got a 3% wage increase on years one and three and 4% lump sum payments on the alternate years.
A ratification bonus of at least $9,000.
Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant will remain open. The plant will build an electric pickup, but it is unclear how many jobs the pickup would create or retain. Some reports said the deal does not include production at Lordstown, Ohio, an assembly plant that, like Detroit-Hamtramck, was targeted to be idled.
Newer union workers who currently get only two weeks’ vacation a year will be able to take one of those weeks at a time of their choosing. In the previous contract, these employees were required to take both paid vacation weeks during scheduled plant shutdowns. Under the proposal, the second week of a plant shutdown would be considered a layoff and the workers could qualify for unemployment.
As the Free Press previously reported, a deal was struck on a path to permanent employment for temporary workers, a key UAW demand.
But it could still be a two long weeks before anything is completed, and the 48,000 striking workers could remain on the picket line until a satisfactory deal is ratified. Local union presidents and chairs will vote today to decide whether or not workers will return to their jobs prior to ratification, Bloomberg reports.
The UAW will gather local leaders to explain the tentative agreement that has been reached—a meeting that will be taking place today at 10:30 a.m. Those leaders will then vote to determine if the full membership of the UAW should vote to ratify the new contract. At that time, leaders will also determine if workers will remain on strike and, if not, when they will return to work.
If leaders decide to move forward with the ratification vote, they will take the potential new contract back to their individual chapters. From Bloomberg:
The process can be cumbersome; Local leaders — along with representatives from the union’s international headquarters — will conduct meetings in GM plants to brief members and answer questions.
Since some plants have two or three shifts of workers, they will schedule multiple meetings at different hours.
Voting will take place in the plants and during working hours to ensure the highest turnout, a key to ratification.
This is a process that could take several more weeks to accomplish, given the sheer amount of wild cards workers have had to contend with. Scandal involving UAW leaders, contentious issues regarding perma-temp workers, and general issues of confidence between the UAW and GM will likely keep this vote from being anything but simple.
As an auto manufacturer joining the all-electric party a little late, how do you get people interested in driving your car as opposed to, say, a brand that they’re already familiar with? You give ‘em money, of course!
With Volvo’s official announcement regarding its all-electric XC40 came a whole host of other promises too get people interested in the new SUV. Namely, that Volvo would compensate buyers for their charge. From Bloomberg:
Volvo is tying the launch of its first all-electric vehicle — the XC40 Recharge crossover — to a broader plan for shrinking the carbon footprint of its models by 40% through 2025. And it’s backing that pledge with a promise to pay the first year’s worth of charging costs for owners of its plug-in hybrids, starting with the 2021 model year.
That’s not a bad deal considering the fact that the costs of EV charging vary pretty drastically, depending on where and when you charge your car. Edmunds has a really great breakdown of how to calculate the cost of your charge. Some charging stations allow you to charge for free, but it’s not a guarantee—and charging during peak hours (like the afternoon) will cost more than if you were to charge at night. And the charging rules can get pretty complicated. Having a year of free charging would be a great way to decode the nuance of the charge.
Tesla has been added to the list of manufacturers allowed to operate in China, the country’s industry ministry reported on Thursday. The company has also received the certificate that will enable it to begin production at any time.
The $2 billion factory [Tesla] is building in the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai is its first car manufacturing site overseas.
Reuters reported earlier this month that Tesla plans to start production at its China factory this month. It is unclear when it will meet year-end production targets because of uncertainties around orders, labor and suppliers.
Tesla intends to produce at least 1,000 Model 3s a week from the Shanghai factory by the end of this year, as it tries to boost sales in the world’s biggest auto market and avoid higher import tariffs imposed on U.S. cars.
This was a pretty obvious progression, considering the fact that China excluded Tesla from the 10 percent car purchase tax earlier this year. Beijing is looking to start defining its own place within the greater automotive industry while also maintaining a focus on environmental standards.
The current defamation case against Elon Musk is about to get a little more complicated now that insurance company American International Group Inc. could get involved.
It’s a sticky situation, so we’ll let Bloomberg give you the details:
Elon Musk [...] has told lawyers representing the British cave diver suing him that he’s financially illiquid, according to a legal filing.
An attorney for Vernon Unsworth, who sued for defamation last year after Musk attacked him on Twitter, pressed the Tesla Inc. CEO’s lawyer last month for information on all insurance policies applicable to claims made in the suit. An exhibit filed Monday shows the two attorneys sparring over information regarding Musk’s ties with AIG.
“Given Musk’s sworn testimony that he is financially illiquid, Mr. Unsworth is entitled to know whether AIG has accepted coverage of the claims, denied coverage of the claims, or has reserved its rights to contest coverage of the claims,” Unsworth’s attorney wrote on Sept. 20. Musk’s lawyer wrote back the same day that AIG had reserved rights, without elaborating.
In short, financially illiquid basically means that Musk has plenty of assets that are worth a lot of money but very little actual cash in the bank.
AIG has opted not to comment on these claims, Bloomberg reports. Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, said that the whole claim is a “non-event,” but there’s still a chance we’ll see AIG playing a role in the defamation case scheduled to begin on December 3.
A fine of $79 million, in fact. The company failed to meet 2017 fuel emissions regulations standards set by the government and now faces a civil penalty, Automotive News reports.
Of 18 major carmakers in the United States, 13 including Fiat Chrysler, failed to comply with fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for the 2017 model year without using credits, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The 2017 model fleet fell 1-1/2 mpg short of the 33.8 mpg standard based on yearly performance without including credits, NHTSA reported. The shortfall was 1/2 mile per gallon for the 2016 model year.
In the grand scheme of things, a $79 million fine for an automotive manufacturer that makes hundreds of millions in revenue each quarter is more like a slap on the wrist than a “you’re grounded for a week.”
This isn’t the first time FCA has had to pay a fine for its failure to meet standards, either:
After paying $77.3 million last year for a 2016 model year fuel-economy shortfall, a Fiat Chrysler spokesman confirmed Wednesday the company had received a letter on the 2017 penalty and has 60 days to pay the fine.
This gap in emissions regulations standards and the actual output by US automakers is being used by the Trump administration as reasoning to roll back or freezing vehicle emissions and mileage standards through until 2026.
Based on what we know so far, is this a good deal for UAW workers?


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I’ve been lucky enough to receive some kind words from some literary heavyweights. Here are a few:
Absolutely stunning. Beautifully written, evocative, compelling…an exciting new writer…I’m a fan.
Ray Robinson, award-winning author of ‘Forgetting Zoe’ and ‘Electricity’ (now a major film starring Agyness Deyn)
Haunting and evocative…terrific.
William Fiennes, Somerset Maugham Award-winning author of ‘The Snow Geese’ and ‘The Music Room’
Highly effective and compelling…It’s not just psychological depth and weighty thematic preoccupations…tells a cracking good story; even a page-turner of a story…impresses on multiple levels
Anna South, former editor for Penguin and Picador
Nick Cohen, Orwell Prize-shortlisted author of ‘What’s Left?’ and ‘You Can’t Read This Book’
Sara Davies, BBC Radio 4 producer
Maajid Nawaz, counter-extremism expert and best-selling author of ‘Radical’

domain: library


Welcome to the website of the South Downs Light Railway
Our volunteer run railway is in the Pulborough Garden Centre, Stopham Road, Pulborough, RH20 1DS. Our trains will take you on an exciting trip through the gardens from Stopham Road Station.
We are re-opening for 2024 on Saturday 2nd March 2024 following a successful Christmas Experience and some much needed maintenance work.
Trains run from March to September and are usually hauled by a real coal burning steam locomotice. It’s great fun for adults and children alike.
The railway started in 2000 and we have carried many thousands of passengers on a journey of just under one mile.
We are always working to improve the railway and over the last few years, have built a new station and ticket office, an engine shed and extended the carriage shed. We have built a tunnel and added portals in 2017. The water tower with coal bunker, and the re-installation of our turntable are all now complete. The second extension to our carriage shed is now complete giving us some more space to house our rolling stock. You can find out more about what we’re doing and have done in the News section.
Come and see what we are up to and say hello. We pride ourselves on a friendly welcome.
Below you’ll see a short video giving a quick look around our railway. Hit the play button and take a look. If you want to see a full run around our railway, take a look at the Journey page in the Railway section of the menu, where you’ll see Tom taking Flying Scotsman for a trip around (he doesn’t normally drive that quick, the video is double speed!)
Forthcoming loco roster
Saturday 2nd March 2024
Sunday 3rd March 2024
South Downs Belle
Saturday 9th March 2024
Sunday 10th March 2024
Saturday 16th March 2024
Narrow Gauge Gala
Sunday 17th March 2024
Narrow Gauge Gala
Saturday 23rd March 2024
Sunday 24th March 2024
Friday 29th March 2024
Saturday 30th March 2024
Monday 1st April 2024
++ Subject to mechanical availability.


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Radios stations playing MOUNTAIN MEN
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More rock, every hour, than any other radio station
On Rock Factory, you'll hear classics from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, and more of Britain's and American's finest, plus the best from the rest of the world.
Play this radio station

domain: entertainment


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Creativity exists in us all. For many it lays dormant, yet it’s part of being alive, of thinking, being conscious, of being human. Creativity is unstable, unpredictable, unreliable and often spectacular all at the same time. Creativity sometimes requires a context, an equation or supposition, but usually answers its own questions when it’s ready. It can happen after years of study, training and hard work or in an instant in the shower. Creativity can be beautiful and a consternation. Alive one day and at rest another. Yet it can be developed in all of us. Especially in the young, who, if you can get them early enough, can be taught to keep themselves open to the possibilities and potential of tapping into this very human exercise.
As an artist I have lived closely with this subject for a lifetime. As a educator I have taught this subject to others. When I first entered into this arena, I had to ask, how do you define the indefinable? Creativity inherently defies a specific definition. It can be physical, spiritual and physiological, in any combination, at any given moment. It can flow one minute, run you over the next and be as allusive as a hummingbird. And yet there it is, a whole book with thousands of words, written by incredibly smart people from all over the planet on something that I took for granted and never cared to dissect or analyze.
The beginning of creativity lies in large part with genetics. The notion of the family, the gene pool, who not only may be creative themselves, but who understand that inherently creative people sometimes need little more than some independent space to connect to what already resides in them. It’s through our genes that we carry forward the knowledge of the past, which forms the basis for the future.
Once you have some feel for the nature of the individual, the next most important element to creativity is the immediate surrounding environment. The importance of forming a creative environment that fosters an individual's creative experience cannot be overstated. Creativity cannot flourish where repression lives. It requires some level of an absence of constraints. Where people are free to exercise their creativity and form their own creative experience with no regard for immediate results or judgments. It is only through “imaginative play” where people are free to explore their own minds, to form thoughts, ideas, combinations, to incubate, illuminate and articulate with no regard for explicit results that real creativity can truly thrive.
Creating a rich environment is essential to both fostering and sustaining a lifetime of creativity. It’s from this combination of parents and home that you create and sustain creative, self-motivated people.
Once you have one, what do you do with them? Training and skill sets for highly motivated, creative people are usually attained at some great depth, but not always with great ease. It is not enough to pass over practice and technique just because you are talented. The notion of repetition to subconsciousness is essential to freeing the individual to reach truly creative space. Moving from conscious to precocious to subconscious. The connection of the hand, to the eye, to the mind, to the work is a vast subject in of itself. The ability to minimize debilitating external constraints, including, the ability to let pass by those with too many opinions and little experience or ability of their own is essential.
Most youths who achieved eminence are characterized by high intellectual traits, but also persistence of motive and effort, confidence of their abilities and great strength or force of character which comes from a deep internal belief in self and the willingness to exert or exercise the gift.
The notion of convergent and divergent thinking as two distinct entities breaks creativity down into too small, inoperable pieces. Divergent and convergent thinking happens together as in the flow of a river where the water sometimes speeds up as it passes between two rocks and then splits apart as it approaches another, coming to a co-mingling rest in a pool before its begins on its way yet again. It may twist and turn, even reverse course before coming to a new path. There is interconnection to creative thought, where seemingly disparate subjects inform each other, where formation and reformation happen continuously, where ideas are chained and unchained in cognitive, conceptual combinations. This is where old ideas are re-associated with new information to form new paths.
The more you work, the more you develop your creative ideas, the more you produce, and mature, and the more likely you are to create something of lasting substance. Ask any creative person who has lived to see any of what they make be seen in the public eye and they will tell you that for every second of light on their work in public, there are thousands of hours spent toiling in obscurity and silence, with no guarantee that anyone will ever see what they’ve produced.
Creativity is a large and diverse subject. While it may reside in us all, it is rarely given life. Most people have never had someone to help bring out their creativity, to teach them the arts and most importantly, to make being creative okay to express. Creativity takes nurturing and time. It takes patience and persistence. It’s only through time and practice does creativity begin to express itself.

domain: artistic


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Eating healthier is easy once you know what to look for.
Scroll down for tips on spotting healthier food and drink
Follow these tips to find delicious food that’s better
Click each item to swap up to a healthier choice.
Sugary sodas are loaded with empty calories.
Ask for water. It’s healthier and can be cheaper.
Greasy fried foods can slow you down.
Look for grilled, lean proteins instead.
Salt and fat in fries can make you feel bloated.
Power up with a side salad plus a little light dressing.
Chips or pork rinds come with a salt overload.
Crunch on pretzels and hummus from the cold section.
Sugary desserts slow you down instead of filling you up.
Try apples dipped in peanut butter from the cold food section for more energy.
High-sugar pastries can cause mood swings.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruit from the refrigerated section.
Healthier food can mean better concentration, making it
easier to study.
Skip desserts that are full of sugar.
Choose a vitamin-packed fruit and yogurt cup.
All that caffeine and sugar can make you feel sick.
Water naturally energizes you without the jitters.
Vending machine snacks can pack sugar and fat.
Look for mixed nuts, which are full of protein.
Brought to you by the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative.

domain: food


text:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Metepec may refer to:
- Metepec, State of Mexico
- Metepec, Hidalgo
- Metepec, Morelos in Ocuituco
|This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

domain: geography


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Charlotte and the Starlet - PB
NoteThis is a USED book
A hilarious misadventure starring a determined teenage girl and a Hollywood diva who happens to be a talking horse. Charlotte is a natural horseperson, and now she has the chance to try out for the Junior Olympic Equestrian Squad!But the academy head already disapproves of her, and Charlotte's roommates aren't above playing dirty tricks to get ahead. Then Charlotte meets the horse she'll be riding in the try-outs . . .
Leila is a movie star horse with a diva attitude. But Leila gets the shock of her life when she's kidnapped and ends up at a girls' riding academy in Australia. Her only way back to Hollywood is to reveal her big secret to her rider - yes, Leila can talk.
Can the two work together to achieve their dreams? Will Charlotte gain a place in the squad, or is running away her only option? And will Leila find her way back to her beloved film set?


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A. Justification not by law
a.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith,
b. it saith to them who are under the law:
c. that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God.
b’. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:
a’. for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
B. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God
C. which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and up on all them that believe: for there is no difference:
D. 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
D’. 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
C’. 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,
B’. i. to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
ii. 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
A’. Justification through faith for Jew and Gentile
a. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
b. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
c. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
b’. 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
a’. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

domain: literature


Sixties Music Quiz – Classic 1960s Hits
Classic 1960s Hits
Can you name the artist or artists behind some classic 1960s hits?
This oldies trivia quiz has the title of 10 well-known hit songs from the sixties. You only need to pick the right artist or artists who made the song famous.
It’s an easy quiz for anyone familiar with 1960s music and artists from that era.
- Which artist had a 1964 hit with Walk on By?
- Which group had a 1968 hit with Build Me Up Buttercup?
- Can you name the group behind the 1964 song She’s Not There?


text: 5 DAYS 4 NIGHTS: Giving you, more time to enjoy Machu Picchu. All along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, spellbinding mountain scenery, unforgettable Inca sites, and a cornucopia of flowers and humming birds await you. Stroll down the Royal Road into Machu Picchu, the famous Lost City of the Incas! Many of our returning passengers tell us they found the trek more strenuous and challenging than they had anticipated. During four hiking days you cover about 28 miles, starting at 8,400’ and finishing at 7,860’ above sea level. You must cross two high passes, with a maximum elevation of 13,776’. While trail conditions are generally good, and indeed the condition of centuries-old Inca paving stones is astonishing, some steep trail sections require careful footing and good hiking boots with lug soles. Nevertheless, thanks to our careful pacing, dedicated guides and professional support staff, our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is suitable for novices as well as experienced hikers. Porters carry the heavy gear; you walk carrying only a day-pack. Cooks prepare wholesome meals from fresh ingredients and handle all the kitchen chores. You sleep warm and protected in high quality tents. Join the most reliable outfitter in the Andes.


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Kantara: Rishab Shetty’s Kannada motion drama Kantara has been accused of plagiarism by widespread Kerala-based band Thaikkudam Bridge. The Indian music firm on Tuesday, warned of authorized motion in opposition to the makers of Rishab Shetty’s movies for copying their music. The band identified that the music Varaha Roopam from Kantara is a duplicate of its music Navarasam. Taking to Instagram, Thaikkudam Bridge shared a protracted be aware which they captioned, “From our and our companions standpoint, we wish our listeners to know that Thaikkudam Bridge is by no means or type affiliated with “Kantara”. The unavoidable similarities between our IP “Navarasam” and “Varaha Roopam” by way of audio is subsequently a blatant infringement of copyright legal guidelines.”
“From our standpoint the road between “Impressed” and “Plagiarized” is distinct and indeniable and subsequently we shall be looking for authorized motion in opposition to the artistic workforce liable for this. There was no acknowledgement of our rights over the content material and the music is propagated as an Authentic piece of labor by the film’s artistic workforce,” they added. “We request the help of our listeners and encourage you to unfold the phrase about the identical. Additionally request our fellow artistes to share and lift your views defending music copy proper,” Thaikkudam Bridge’s publish concluded.
Within the feedback part, a number of individuals identified the similarity between each the songs. A person stated, “I had shared this identical factor in my Instagram Tales as quickly as I heard this music. In truth, for some individuals I do know who’ve heard Navarasam a few occasions, and never a gazillion occasions like I’ve, thought that the film has used the Navarasam music for its visuals, because it’s that could be very related. I actually hope justice prevails and that you just’re credited for the unique piece of artwork you’ve created.” One other added, “As a lot as I liked that music, it felt like listening to a unique model of Navarasam itself.”
The music ‘Varaha Roopam’ which the music firm claims to be a duplicate is sung by Sai Vignesh and composed by B Ajaneesh Loknath.
Helmed by Rishab Shetty ‘Kantara’ was launched on September 30 and gathered huge responses from the viewers for its storyline and superb visuals. The motion drama Kantara has grossed over Rs. 150 crore worldwide on the field workplace. ALSO READ: Kantara Hindi Field Workplace Assortment: Diwali turns optimistic for Rishab Shetty’s movie
In response to commerce analyst Taran Adarsh, the movie has minted over Rs 22 crores within the Hindi language after 2 weeks of its launch. Regardless of no star appearances, the Hindi model of the Kannada movie is popping out to be a success now. Moreover, the Diwali vacation proved optimistic for Shetty’s starrer. Going forward, it appears to be like just like the film could very effectively do collections of Rs 30 crore within the Hindi model, which shall be nice information for the makers.


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Oct 27, When you can no longer remove the roots, simply hack them to pieces in the ground. If you can trace any horizontal roots rip them out of the ground. The roots that you don’t remove will die and eventually rot away. Forsythia roots are not known for regeneration. Destroy the Stems. Forsythia is probably one of the easiest shrubs to grow from cuttings. Make sure that when you clean the site up that you do not leave any twigs Estimated Reading Time: 3 mins.
It still comes back. There are probably a few gardeners out there wishing they could get their forsythia to flourish like yours. I would recommend cutting the plants to ground level. Do this continually for a season or two to kill the plant. Or cut it back and treat the new growth with a total vegetation or brush killer. 1. Cut the forsythia branches back to ground level with hand loppers to gain access to the plant's root system.
Leave two to three of the strongest center branches about 12 to 15 inches long so.
If you only pull part of the tap root from the ground, release the jaws of the weed-removal tool from the trunk while your helper holds the forsythia up and prevents it from falling back in the. Loosen the soil in an area about three times the diameter of the forsythia root ball. Dig at least a few inches deeper than the root ball or deeper, if possible. Loose soil in a large area makes.

domain: agronomy


Should Legion have been included in the X-Men Cinematic Universe?
When I heard Legion was getting his own TV series, I was hoping that he would become part of the X-Men movie universe. However, that’s not the case. The reports have confirmed that Legion will take place in a parallel universe.
Now, I’m not sure how this is going to work. But for a powerful mutant, who is the son of the most powerful telepath on the planet, you would think that any of the X-Men characters or their alternate selves will appear on the show.
Well, here’s the question. Will any of the X-Men appear on Legion? How can you have a world without the X-Men when you have mutants secretly running around, and being aware by the government, and not by human society? That’s kind of hard to imagine (Unless the X-Men weren’t formed in this universe, then it makes sense). And is too hard to include Legion in the altered timeline, given the fact that the events of Days of Future Past have drastically changed the future, and thus created the alternate timeline, which humans are aware of mutants?
In the case of Legion, it’s entirely different. Why? Because every human thinks he’s a crazy, normal human being. Even humans on the outside world for those who knew him, thinks he’s crazy. But no, Legion is a mutant with so many personalities running around his head, each of them displaying a different power. In fact, there are very real, which makes Legion the most powerful mutant on the planet.
Speaking about powers, there’s a chance that one of Legion’s core personalities has the ability to cross multiple dimensions. And here’s what I’m thinking. Yes, you have guessed it...a potential crossover into the X-Men movie universe.
We don’t know if this is going to happen. But hey, we’re talking about Legion here. Right? Anything is possible. Legion can step into the movie universe at any given point in time, if that core personality allows him to.
Here’s another question. Who is Legion’s father in this universe if not Charles Xavier? Well, it could be someone original, and the mother will be the same from the comics. Again, we still don’t know the details.
It would have been better if Legion was introduced into the altered timeline of the X-Men movie universe, since the events of Days of Future Past and Apocalypse occurred. Maybe, somewhere along the line, Charles Xavier has met Gabrielle Haller in life. Then he left her because he couldn’t control Legion’s dangerous powers.
This is not to say that Legion will be a bad show, just because he's not included in the X-Men Cinematic Universe. It all depends on the story, and how good it will be. Judging by the trailer, it looks interesting to see how Legion comes to find out what he really is and what is happening to him, and if there is any chance that we’ll be seeing other mutants like him besides his multiple personalities.
Anyways, what do you think? Should Legion have been included in the X-Men Cinematic Universe?
Note there was an article I wrote regarding, “Is DC trying to catch up with the MCU?” Even after watching the director’s cut, it still felt rushed. Why? It’s because Warner Bros wasn’t using the similar strategy as the Marvel Studios in making their own superhero universe.
It also changed my perspective of story-telling in the movie itself. Everything else was crammed into it. Marvel Studios took the time and effort to build their characters that we know and love. However, Warner Bros performed a different strategy here. Man of Steel sets off the events in BvS: Dawn of Justice.
But that strategy kind of went downhill. It was enjoyable to see all these characters coming from the DC lore, including the DC Trinity interacting with each other for...some time. But was it too much?
In fact, yes, it was too much, and I felt that the Warner Bros didn’t take much time to build these characters, like making solo films first, and then the crossovers. For some reason, the storyline was necessary, and at the same time, it was too much. Why is that?
Let’s start off with Man of Steel. Zack Snyder made a different Superman movie, a dark one. Clark Kent faces off against his own kind and as a result, caused human panic and destruction on Earth. In BvS: Dawn of Justice, this is where Batman comes in. He views Superman as a dangerous being, and potentially hazardous to humankind. So, he decides to square off against Superman and stops him before he causes any further havoc. However, Lex Luthor or Junior has other plans. In case if Batman wasn’t able to stop Superman. Lex decided to use the ultimate weapon against him...Doomsday. When Doomsday comes in to fight Superman, guess what happens next?
Yep, Superman dies at the hands of the Kryptonian creature, along with the creature being doomed, which happened similar to the Death of Superman story arc. Time moves faster than a speeding bullet. Doesn’t it?
Anyways, you see where all these events leads to? I’m pretty sure everyone knows this by now, or already have. Either Zack or Warner Bros had come up with the idea; it wasn’t a good story-telling strategy.
But on the other hand, it was necessary because all these events are leading up to the arrival of Darkseid, whom the villain has yet to appear in the upcoming Justice League movies. Bruce Wayne having “Knightmares” of a dark future in which Superman was controlled by Darkseid, the motherbox being experimented by Cyborg’s father, the unknown creature via a hologram viewed by Lex, the painting depicting angels (Parademons) coming down from the sky...all these Darkseid connections have hinted that he is coming to Earth, which would also mean another destruction. Oh boy.
Don’t get me wrong. I have seen the movie for what it’s worth. It’s just that there were too many things happening in a three-hour movie. Batman versus Superman: Dawn of Justice was still fun and enjoyable, but a bit too much. Don’t you think?
Oh yeah, Jimmy Olsen is dead in the movie too. I didn’t mind that he was an undercover spy. But seriously...Superman’s Pal is...dead.
What did you think of the movie? Was it too much for you? Was there any other strategy that the Warner Bros could have come up with?
At first, when we found out that there is going to be a companion series, we were wondering if the show will be like its original predecessor. However, that’s not the case here. Is it because that the show is not based on a comic book series? No. It doesn’t have to be. It depends what the series is offering so far.
So, what do I think of Fear the Walking Dead? I think it’s interesting, and it offers a glimpse of how the zombie apocalypse started. There’s also that mystery of how the Z-virus got unleashed in the first place. Was it intentional or by accident? We won’t find out any sooner or later. That’s the interesting part of the series.
But that’s not the only interesting part of the series. We are also seeing these unknown characters facing the zombie threat for the first time. What do these FTWD characters have in common in with the TWD? Well for one thing, survival. They are trying to survive in a world that has gone mad. The TWD characters have been there, but for the FTWD, it just got started. That’s where the line of humanity and monstrosity starts to stretch further. Travis’ son Chris has been caught in that line.
Here’s the thing though. I feel like the Fear the Walking Dead isn’t like its predecessor because...well...it isn’t the original series.
It’s hard for me to elaborate why the walking dead is better than fear the walking dead. Probably, it’s because it had been six seasons, and I’ve enjoyed every episode of it. And that there was character buildup and you get to love these characters as they grow and change and become...dead over the past six seasons. And for FTWD, it’s only season two. Or maybe, it’s too early for me to say it.
To be honest, Fear the Walking Dead is a good show. It’s just that it doesn’t feel like the original series. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be watching the prequel/spin-off series. There is still potential in that series and I know for the fact that the ratings are not that high compared to its original predecessor. It’s probably because the other viewers felt that the companion series wasn’t that interesting, and not similar to the original series. Right?
Here’s another reason. The mid-season finale of Season 2 felt a bit rushed. I was also disappointed that the Asian character from Flight 462 didn’t get to join with the main cast, which I thought she would become a regular in Season 2. Maybe, she’ll join later? Who knows? I liked to see her for a comeback because she’s tough and...Hot.
Those are just minor reasons. Other than that, it’s still a good show. But again, it still doesn’t feel like TWD to me. Maybe, it hasn’t reached that point where TWD is the most popular and highest-rated show on the planet. Only time will tell.
There’s also the possibility of a crossover here, which I liked to see sometime in the future. Imagine the original characters from FTWD survived in TWD, or one of them. Why not? Who wouldn’t want to see that?
So, what do you think of the prequel/spin-off series? Do you think that TWD is better than FTWD?
Note- I haven’t read the TWD comics. Please don’t provide any spoilers, including whom Negan had killed in Season 7 premiere. It may be the character who is dead in the comics or it could be a different character in the show. It doesn’t matter. Again, there will be no spoilers. Thank you.
Some people were complaining that the show, Gotham didn’t take directly from the comics. For instance, Bruce is younger than the villains, who were appearing early before he becomes Batman. Of course, nowadays, the small screen adaptations take a slightly different route from the source material. But is it that bad?
Not really. Now that the current show, Flash has confirmed that the main hero is going to take a vacation to Supergirl’s Earth and the 1990s Flash has been shown, this could mean good news for other DC shows from the different networks.
If you think about it, Gotham might take place in a different Earth, where the villains are older than Bruce. Yes, we know that isn’t right for the main character because Bruce only becomes Batman after the villains have risen. But what we’re seeing here is a different version of Gotham, unlike the comics.
In Constantine’s case, the NBC show might also have been taken place in a parallel universe, where Constantine is still the same character. He had a crossover with Arrow. Does this mean he’s still the same character from his show? Yes and No. He’s the same character, but not from the NBC universe. Parallel universes don’t have to be exactly different. They can still be the same; only the difference is that maybe in Constantine’s world, the costumed heroes didn’t exist.
What about Smallville? Smallville did air in the CW network except it didn’t tie into the Flash/Arrow universe. In the comics, there was no such thing as Kryptonite freaks. The writers did it, just to bring more challenges to Clark’s early life, when he was young and learning to use his powers. Another example would be the different variations of characters from the comics such as Deathstroke. Here, Deathstroke was depicted as a military figure hunting down freaks like Clark Kent and other costumed heroes.
Earth-2 was also introduced in Smallville, but there was no indication that this was Earth-2 or being mentioned by anyone in the show. It could be any other Earth, maybe Earth-3 where Clark Luthor was raised by the Luthors, and hence became Ultraman. Why? Because Earth-2 was already confirmed in the Flash and that Smallville’s parallel Earth might not have been Earth-2.
What about the cancelled Teen Titans show? There was news regarding the fact that it got cancelled because of a weak script and the oversaturation of comic book TV shows. We know that’s true, but was the oversaturation part any excuse to drop the show? No. There are a lot of comic book shows that are airing on TV. Teen Titans would have also taken place in a parallel universe, not directly linked to Flash or Arrow in the CW network, if there was a better script.
The DC movies can also play a part in the DC Multiverse. Christopher Nolan’s Batman introduced realism without including superpowers. In Batman Vs Superman, we’re going to see Batman taking down Superman. Every world is different, and that includes the shows being shown on different networks.
The DC TV/Movie multiverse is doing a good job in keeping these universes separate. At first, I didn’t like the idea that Bruce is younger than the villains in Gotham, but the idea of a multiverse can make a certain viewer approve of the change.
I thought of creating this post, just to get a better view of the Marvel Genesis fan-fics, which I’ve written so far. This way, I know which series I’m writing or have been finished. I’ll also provide the links.
Marvel Genesis: The Wolverine Saga
I’ve done a huge amount of work on my favorite character. It wasn’t easy to begin with. If it hadn’t been for CapFanboy’s idea of Marvel Genesis, I wouldn’t have written Wolverine in the first place. As time passed, I’ve written more stories regarding the character. I didn’t realize how long it took me to accomplish a major task. I had to pile every piece of the story into one, giant post. Again, it was a lot of work.
Here is the list of series based on Wolverine. Not just the main character, but there are other series that focuses on side characters related to Wolverine.
I got to admit, I haven’t done much of this character lately because I focused too much on Wolverine. I liked the idea to play around with the temporal mechanics, since Cable is a mutant, time traveller. I’m a huge fan of time travel stories, even though they sometimes hurt my brain. Anyways, I thought of writing his backstory then. There are so many stories to include things like different time periods, where Cable was sent on a dangerous mission or attempting to save his future from a major threat. However, there was too much Wolverine, which went on my part and look how it turned out.
So far, I have only written the prologue. Hopefully, I’ll be writing his stories in the future, if I have the time.
I’ve been a huge fan of vampire fiction, ever since I’ve read some of Anne Rice novels. When I first saw Blade movies, and the TV series, I was amazed by the character. For that reason, I had to create Blade’s different world of the supernatural, including new vampire species. I also thought of making Blade as a supernatural fighter besides a vampire hunter. For example, the Buffy TV series shows that the main character don’t just fight or kill vampires, she also battles demons and other various, supernatural beings.
So far, I’ve only written five chapters and a prologue. There will be more blood to come, if I have the time to sink my teeth into it.
For some reason, I find Gambit very intriguing. It’s not just his charming looks (No, I’m not gay :P). There was something more to the character. At first, I thought that I shouldn’t be writing Gambit because I found it hard to tell his story. There’s so much potential to the character. As a result, I’ve only written three chapters.
Of course, I’ll be throwing more cards at him. But it won’t be easy. Like I said, Gambit is a complex character to write. So, I have to take the time and effort to make him useful. There are certain places that he could go, like having romantic interests with several women in his life, or he could do some heist missions, since he’s a master thief.
I’m also excited to see his upcoming solo movie. Hopefully, Channing Tatum does a great job in playing him.
Don’t get me wrong here. Guillermo Del Toro is a fantastic director with his well-known movies such as Pacific Rim, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and others. But his latest projects were getting delayed for some reason. We begin to wonder, whether he’s going to get them made anytime soon.
At first, he proposed a movie called “At The Mountains of Madness,” a horrifying tale written by H.P. Lovecraft. Then, he said he’s going to make Justice League Dark, a group of superheroes who use their supernatural abilities to save the world. We also have others on his wishlist, Fantastic Voyage, Scary Stories to tell in the Dark and who knows, countless others at the back of his head.
What’s the reason behind his delayed projects?
It could be that the studios weren’t probably interested in his projects. They wanted to make another movie, instead of Del Toro’s proposed one. These days, you would expect some business decisions to be made as soon as possible. A guy who has a lot of ideas, wanted to invest his time on a single movie, hopefully hearing some good news from the studios. But it didn’t happen the way he expected.
Sure, a lot of time you hear a director say, “I’m going to make this movie.” You can only say it, when the studios have agreed that you’re making the movie. That’s when we know the facts. Right?
Saying and doing things are different. Promises are very hard to keep these days. Sometimes, you can’t expect the things to work out as they are. Take a look at Josh Trank for example, and how his Fantastic Four version have turned out.
I wouldn’t say it was Del Toro’s fault for not able to make these movies. It’s either because of possible disagreements or a lack of funding.
Of course, we know that a movie needs lot of funding. In this case, the studios couldn’t back Del Toro with his projects. For that reason, the director moved on to another one of his “visionary” movies.
But does that mean, Del Toro has to come up with another idea, even his proposed movie is dead? Why not try to make the Lovecraft movie with a different studio for instance? I’m pretty sure nowadays, the directors are trying to get their movies made. You can’t have all these proposed movies to be made at an instant, thinking that they will get made at some point. You can only work on one project at a time. If he’s done with “At The Mountains of Madness,” then he could work on Justice League Dark if any studio agreed on the matter.
Whenever I read a news article regarding the movies that Del Toro was going to make, I begin to have doubts. I admire his talents as a director, but having a lot of ideas or projects seems a bit drag.
What do you think? Should Del Toro direct one movie at a time? Sound off in the comments.
I don’t know if anyone had talked about this topic before. Considering the fact that Emperor Palpatine from the original Star Wars trilogy was a major villain. We never knew his backstory until the not-so popular prequels.
That being said, Palpatine should have been kept in the dark. Instead of using the name, Emperor Palpatine, either Darth Sidious or “The Emperor” would work better.
At that time, George Lucas probably didn’t think of using the name, Darth Sidious while he made the original trilogy, which is quite understandable. Given that Chancellor Palpatine and Darth Sidious was the same person, one would wish that Lucas shouldn’t have given the twist away.
At first, I thought this was a terrible idea revealing the villain’s true nature early. When Chancellor Palpatine appeared in “The Phantom Menace,” we all knew he was secretly a Dark Jedi. Is this why people hated the prequel trilogy besides bad acting and cheap, special effects? In my opinion, the movies were good, but could have done much better. But my question lies on the biggest twist that shouldn’t have been revealed early in the prequel trilogy.
Why it should have been a big twist?
First off, I’m a person who likes surprises and not wanting to know information too soon. I’m pretty sure everyone does. But Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious should have been kept under our noses the whole time until the prequels. He was the main guy pulling the strings, not even the Jedi and the Coruscant citizens had any clue that he was operating among their ranks.
Let’s say that Lucas had taken this mystery route. In the prequel trilogy, we had no idea that Chancellor Palpatine and The Emperor/Darth Sidious would be the same person. This reveal should have happened in “Revenge of the Sith.”
But would that twist have made the prequel trilogy better? Not likely. A twist would have been awesome because we never knew who The Emperor/Darth Sidious was if Lucas kept the villain’s real identity a secret.
What Lucas could have done to make this a twist?
Well, he was the big guy who created the Star Wars universe, and first directed A New Hope before The Phantom Menace. If he and his writing crew had plans for the Darth Sidious character in the prequel run, they should have gone with the mystery route. Like creating a layout map for instance.
Now that The Force Awakens had come to theaters, we don’t know who Supreme Leader Snoke is, or his real backstory. We might find out later in the upcoming sequels. Lucas could have gone with this route, not revealing the true enemy behind the shadows.
What do you think? Should Emperor Palpatine have been kept under the dark? Let me know in the comments.
Over the years, the MCU has provided tons of TV and movie content for comic book fans because of the wider map created by Marvel Studios. They took the time and effort to flesh out the characters and their back stories. What about the DCEU? So far, there has only been one DC film, Man of Steel, which is set in the DC Extended Universe. And now, Batman Versus Superman is coming to theaters on March and later, Suicide Squad in August.
What do I think about this?
Well, DCEU isn’t trying to catch up with the Marvel powerhouse. It just tries to take a different approach in storytelling and how the last movie, “Man of Steel” has affected the current events in “Batman Versus Superman: Dawn of Justice.” You could say that these characters are well-established and known to the world. There’s no need to know their back stories yet. Future, individual movies could provide those answers via flashbacks or being told in references.
Why this is a good idea?
First off, Superman and Zod have caused a major impact on the world, not just Metropolis. You think that other heroes wouldn’t respond to that kind of event? Yes, they have noticed it. They couldn’t ignore that information, even when they are busy fighting crime on their turf.
Speaking of the world event, Bruce Wayne learns that this “Superman” could be viewed as a dangerous being. Batman thought he should suit up and beat Superman to a pulp, and we would love to see it. Who doesn’t want to see that kind of fight on the big screen?
Now, we don’t know what will end their conflict. But now, we do know after learning the leaked image of Doomsday (Thanks a lot, Screenrant). Doomsday is a huge threat and was created possibly by Lex Luthor to combat Superman, because Lex also thinks that Superman is dangerous.
So yes, we have two smart, rich men who thinks Superman is dangerous. Lex Luthor wanted to rebuild the city of Metropolis. So, he decided to create a creature from Zod’s cells.
Why the Doomsday appearance too soon?
Fans might say that Doomsday’s appearance is too early and the fact that Superman will be killed easily. This is not the case. It doesn’t mean Superman will die, just like the comics. This is a movie, after all. In the TV series, “Smallville,” Clark Kent battled Doomsday early before becoming Superman. So, you have different interpretations of the villainous creature.
Doomsday’s movie appearance makes sense mainly because of Zod. Remember, Doomsday is also a Kryptonian. Maybe, this movie version might consider the fact that Zod’s imperfect clone is Doomsday. Think of it as Superman’s Bizarro version.
In order to avoid the conflict, Batman and Superman have to set their differences aside, and work together to fight Doomsday.
Why this movie is called Dawn of Justice?
Again, it’s not just Batman who responds to the event caused by the Man of Steel. It’s other heroes as well. For example, Wonder Woman learns of this event because she’s an ambassador of peace relations. It makes sense why she has to appear in the movie, even though it’s mainly about Batman and Superman.
It’s also the formation of the Justice League. We could say how it all began and the heroes working together to fight a common threat. So, Wonder Woman enters the picture and fight alongside Batman and Superman against Doomsday.
We are also having cameos of superheroes along the way. We may never know if we are going to see Flash besides Cyborg and Aquaman. Who knows, right?
Will the movie be a hit?
Judging by the trailer, it sure looks to be a hit. We’ll have to wait and see, how the full product turns out.
What do you think? Is DCEU trying to catch up with the MCU? Let me know in the comments.
Have you ever wonder why horror films are not scary anymore? Either it’s because of a weak script or the fact the plot didn’t drive the viewers’ attention. These days, horror movies are all about making money without having that scare factor. Yes, there are some fans that enjoy less-scary films. But, you would have to ask yourself, “What is a horror movie?”
A horror movie is meant to scare people’s pants off. The tension, and the atmosphere causes this, and the fact that there are either monsters, or killers are out to get the main protagonists and make you wonder whether they will get out alive.
Ever since Alien, The Exorcist, and countless other scary classics, the horror genre grew over the years. There was that horror even in the early years before these films I’ve mentioned. So, what happened now? Why the current movies aren’t that scary at all? Even those movies aren’t scary, would they still be considered as horror?
Not less likely. Any horror movie has that tension, but it didn’t live hype to the scary part, the important part. Most horror movies have some gross moments, yet they weren’t that scary.
If you take a look at Stephen King’s The Shining, it has that creepy, haunting atmosphere regarding the hotel and that the main character, a writer has gone bonkers. Alien also has that scary atmosphere, where in space no one can hear you scream. In The Exorcist, you get to see a demon possessing a child’s body, which send chills to your spine and pray to God to save your soul from this dreadful experience.
These are examples of what made the movies, true horror. Not just some dumb, high-school kids being chased around by a serial killer. Or including dumb jokes, and then things starts to get serious when some, dreadful encounter happens.
My question is this, “Are horror movies dying?” How scary makers can bring the scare factor back to its roots? Without the scare factor, there wouldn’t be a horror movie at all. In case of horror comedies, that’s an exception, but horror movies that lacks lame writing and dialogue, and even the scare factor doesn’t make a horror movie, true horror.
After watching the Fantastic Four reboot, I begin to have some doubts about Josh’s directing “superhero” abilities. That being said, his first super-hero realistic film, “Chronicle” was pretty good.
So, what happened here? People argued the fact that Josh hadn’t stick with the original comics, like every comic book fan expecting out there. Of course, this is a live-action film and not all comic book films had to be 100% translated directly from the comic, page by page.
Was that the reason? No. The true answer lies behind the production of the movie. There were certain rumours regarding the fact that Josh was ill-tempered, not being able to work with his co-workers, the actors, or the team behind the production of the fantastic movie. Ahem, not fantastic.
Let’s try to gather some facts here. We don’t know what really happened. Before we go to being “Gossip Girls” for the moment, let me tell you what I thought about the movie.
SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE!
First of all, this movie had potential, and I wanted to believe that Josh was making a fantastic movie. But it wasn’t. Not because of the comic book material. It’s because of lame writing, which consisted of less character development and thin dialogue. For example, they didn’t specify what really happened between Sue Storm and Johnny Storm, not even including their brief flashback. Yes, in this version, Sue is Johnny’s adopted sister, despite Johnny being black. We have no problem with that, as we saw the results in the TV show, The Flash. But there wasn’t much of an interaction between these two siblings.
However, there were hints to say that Johnny was jealous of Sue due to her abilities, which his father adored the most. Again, there was nothing to indicate that, it was merely speculation, as the saying goes. For that reason, Johnny acted hot-headed, getting into trouble in his “Hot Wheels” rampage.
On that note, we have also almost, zero character development for Victor Von Doom, who turned out to be a programmer. Now, to tell you the truth, I haven’t read the Ultimate Comics or the Marvel 616 comics of the family hero team. Was he ever a computer programmer? This is a movie version, after all. It may not matter, because Doom is still a genius. Who knows the King of Latveria had "java" programming abilities on his disposal, right? Anyways, here we have a loner who had a crush on Sue Storm. Was Sue aware of it? No (She kept hearing music to focus on her work). He had trouble in the past and the execs never wanted him to work in the Baxter Building, even though he was responsible for the “Negative Zone” experiment, sorry, the “Planet Zero” experiment.
However, Doom is scary here, after...Planet Zero gave him abilities. He was far scarier than the other versions of Doom, even the campy version of the first, two movies. But Doom’s screen time was limited. When you’re introducing an awesome villain like this, would you actually toss this character within seconds? The Fantastic Four had managed to beat him in the end, after they...worked together near the end. And yes, Doom was doomed. Or was he?
There was some character development of Ben Grimm and Reed Richards. However, I didn’t notice any single friendship between those two. Not like, hanging out or something. There were probably some hints there as their childhood past, time-jumped 7 years into the future, where they are now grown-ups. Speaking of grown-ups, Reed sure didn’t act like one, when he got drunk and then forced Ben to come over and take part in a dangerous experiment. Later, after the buddies and Johnny and Doom entered Planer Zero, Ben told Reed that they had to get out and Reed didn’t listen to him. Ben was just there as if he were a bodyguard, following his friend's orders.
It would have been awesome, if they included scenes like Reed getting bullied in high school and Ben comes in to protect him. Or he and Reed getting drunk, and then talking about their dreams. You know something like that. Here, I didn’t see any of that kind of friendship.
Also, when Reed Richards escaped from the army base, he didn't come back to save his friends, including Ben. It's probably because he was scared after he received his new-found powers. For one year, he hid himself from the military, trying to figure who knows what, controlling his powers just like the rest learning theirs as well. Then, it seems that he was searching for Ben all this time. When Reed was found by Ben and the military, he said to his best friend that he can fix this. This was the same line, Reed told him before he escaped from the army base.
Criticisms aside, the movie itself was a fantastic failure, pardon the pun. The movie wasn’t that long to begin with. It felt rushed. We’re talking about a famous, superhero team from the comics. You would want to introduce them to the new audience and explain who they are, even though we, the fans knew about them.
Now, let’s go behind the scenes of what went wrong. Shall we?
It’s to my knowledge that Josh had made some statements saying that he wasn’t responsible for the damage. And that the Fox Studios was to blame here. Sure, we can blame this person or that person. But, we don’t know for sure.
Josh also said that he had a vision of how he can make Fantastic Four, a fantastic movie. Would it make a difference? Again, we don’t know. If what he had said was true, then he would have gone with his vision, instead of listening to his superiors.
But then again, Josh had to work with these Fox execs at some kind of meeting. Right? Take James Gunn, for example. He took a big risk of making “Guardians of the Galaxy” a different movie after presenting it to his superiors at Marvel Studios. Without the discussions /agreements, James either could have made a different movie or stepped out. But they worked well together. Marvel Studios agreed with James’ plan and gave him a shot.
In Trank’s case, it was entirely different. Somehow, the execs must have walked right into the production and said, “Josh, I don’t think we agree of what you’re doing here.” Or “Josh, we need to discuss this issue further.”
Okay, I may not know much about the film business here. But let’s take it from our perspective. When you agree on making this movie, and yes, if there are any changes to be made, the collaboration would have to occur at some point before or during the making of a movie. Without collaboration and communication, the production falls apart, and that made Josh Trank cranky, and then lashed out against the rest of the production team.
So to say the least, Josh Trank was under pressure because the execs wanted him to make a good movie. He wanted to do his own version. It’s like they took his creative freedom away. Is that the reason why Josh got cranky in the first place? But if it were the reason, then Josh didn’t seem to have a choice. He didn’t care about the movie at all, because of the execs interfering with his product.
It seems to me that teamwork didn’t play out too well here. Or the presentation that Josh had given to the execs didn’t make them happy about his movie version. Or after agreeing with Trank’s version, they’ve changed their mind.
My question is this, "Was Josh Trank right about what he said in his statements?" If the execs didn’t interfere with his work, would Fantastic Four have been a fantastic movie? Let me know what you think.
As for the future of the FF movies, I hope that Marvel Studios will make it as part of the MCU one day. Only time will tell.


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domain: medical


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SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Korea Bizwire) – A new survey has revealed that South Korean seniors heavily rely on smartphones for internet access instead of desktops.
According to the survey by global pollster Nielsen Korea, South Koreans in their 50s and 60s make up more than half of the so-called the ‘mobile-only’ tribe, composed of individuals who typically use a smartphone to access the internet, unlike their younger counterparts, who still alternate between PCs and smartphones.
Among the respondents, only 19 percent said they only use the mobile web, and 5.9 percent said they exclusively rely on their desktop PC, while nearly 3 in 4 people said they use both.
Among those who only use mobile phones for internet use, those in their 50s and 60s accounted for 30.1 and 23.3 percent, respectively, making up more than half of the group.
The survey comes amid reports indicating that South Korea has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world, with over 7 in every 10 owning one, according to data from Newzoo’s Global Mobile Market Report in April of this year.
Nielsen Korea says the findings are reflective of a phenomenon called ‘technology leapfrogging’ among older people, whereby people become accustomed to advanced technology without having experienced its predecessor.
South Korean seniors have jumped straight to big-screen phones, also known as phablets, for the use of the internet, without having experienced the desktop web.
However, the findings showed that those who solely use mobile phones for the internet were found to spend 7,497 minutes online on average per month, less than those who use both their PC and smartphone, who are online for a monthly average of 8,524 minutes.
“While the mobile only group consists of those in their 50s and 60s, those who use both PCs and smartphones are typically younger,” Nielsen Korea said while explaining the gap in internet usage.
Among the respondents aged between 10 and 49, multimedia and entertainment apps were most popular, while communication apps were preferred among seniors.
According to Nielsen Korea, however, the mobile-only group is expected to expand into teens and young adults.
“Considering that lower internet usage often means a larger reliance on mobile internet, a similar trend could be seen among those in their teens and 20s in the future,” the pollster said.
Ashley Song (email@example.com)

domain: sociology


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Several local and state leaders were at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham Monday for the dedication of the Alabama Holocaust Education Center.
Those in attendance for the ceremony were Gov. Kay Ivey, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and others.
The center trains educators on how to teach the Holocaust, where over 6 million Jews were killed across Europe during World War II. Currently, over 1,500 teachers have received this instruction, and 100,000 students have been educated on the Holocaust through this center.

domain: history


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Removal of sediment near an obstruction by swiftly moving water / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hydrodynamic scour is the removal of sediment such as silt, sand and gravel from around the base of obstructions to the flow in the sea, rivers and canals. Scour, caused by fast flowing water, can carve out scour holes, compromising the integrity of a structure. It is an interaction between the hydrodynamics and the geotechnical properties of the substrate. It is a notable cause of bridge failure and a problem with most marine structures supported by the seabed in areas of significant tidal and ocean current. It can also affect biological ecosystems and heritage assets.
Removal of sediment near an obstruction by swiftly moving water


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People were lining up to defend their reputations Wednesday amid the torrent of allegations swirling around in Quebec, where a corruption inquiry has rattled the political system.
The devastating testimony heard so far has dented reputations in Montreal, in different parts of Quebec, and it has also left its mark on the federal scene.
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People have begun fighting back on multiple fronts: At the federal level, the provincial level, the municipal level, a provincial agency and at the inquiry itself.
In Ottawa, Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos distanced himself from one of the people accused of wrongdoing in the testimony.
Housakos told reporters he never urged anyone in the Harper government to have Robert Abdallah appointed as the head of the Port of Montreal. He confirmed that he knew Abdallah but said he wasn’t involved in getting the Prime Minister’s Office to promote his ultimately unsuccessful candidacy.
“He never asked me to intervene. I never had a conversation with Mr. Abdallah nor with anyone else on that subject,” Housakos said.
“The first time I heard anything about this was in the newspapers.”
The senator issued that denial as Abdallah himself was preparing to go public with his own counter-attack.
A former Montreal city manager, Abdallah has called a news conference for Thursday to address allegations about a $300,000 kickback allegedly destined for him. He is expected to refute, “point by point,” the allegations that have been made about him, a statement released Wednesday said.
A senior executive at Quebec’s provincial gaming corporation was also scrambling to protect his reputation.
Pierre Bibeau, a prominent organizer in the provincial Liberal party, has been temporarily reassigned from his job as a vice-president at Loto-Quebec while he fights to clear his name, according to a statement Wednesday.
Bibeau is alleged to have solicited and received a $30,000 cash donation from a former construction company boss for a fundraiser featuring his former spouse, who was then Quebec’s environment minister. A witness has testified that the transfer took place inside the gaming corporation’s offices.
In a statement, the Crown corporation announced Bibeau had agreed to the reassignment. Bibeau was in charge of public affairs and communications.
“[Bibeau], like any other citizen, enjoys the presumption of innocence, and he has in a statement strongly condemned the allegations of the witness against him,” Loto-Quebec said in a statement.
His reassignment came one day after construction magnate Tony Accurso announced his retirement while denouncing the testimony heard at the inquiry.
He had denied testimony that he called in a Mafia don, Vito Rizzuto, to have a chat with his business rival Lino Zambito when he wanted to compete for a lucrative public contract.
This week’s events were just some of the fallout from spectacular allegations of Mafia ties, bid-rigging and illegal political financing during eight days of testimony from Zambito, an ex-construction boss.
His allegations about Abdallah brought the inquiry uncomfortably close to the seat of federal power.
The Prime Minister’s Office originally tried to have Abdallah appointed in 2007 to run the Montreal port — a spot which holds strategic economic importance. His candidacy was resisted by the port authority’s board, and he was ultimately rejected.
A mysterious audio recording surfaced last year, in the midst of a federal election campaign, that hinted at a nexus between Accurso, Abdallah and the federal government. Abdallah once worked for Accurso and also knew Housakos from the senator’s days working for the municipal government.
The recording purported to feature a chat between Accurso and another construction executive; two voices could be overheard discussing plans to use Housakos to get an influential friend in the PMO — Harper’s then-spokesman Dimitri Soudas — to push Abdallah’s candidacy.
Housakos was asked why his name came up on that tape.
“That’s a very good question. A very good question,” he told reporters during an exchange after the weekly Conservative caucus meeting.
“The only thing I can tell you is that I never tried to influence a political decision of the federal government. Period.”
It’s easy to throw names out there but, at some point, you have to come back with solid details
Meanwhile, the inquiry testimony was being challenged on other fronts; lawyers spent a second day cross-examining Zambito on Wednesday.
A lawyer for the City of Montreal was challenging the star witness to explain memory gaps and seeking inconsistencies in his story.
City lawyer Martin St-Jean questioned Zambito on specifics about a city contract Zambito said Abdallah tampered with through an intermediary — an engineer overseeing the work.
Zambito said that he never met directly with Abdallah or discussed the matter with him and he doesn’t know if the cash he paid was ever actually turned over to Abdallah.
“There was an engineer who was representing the city who told me that the contract would be authorized if I bought … extra piping,” Zambito insisted.
“I told you what was reported to me by the engineer who is representing the city who is contact with Mr. Abdallah.”
A number of city employees and the mayor’s party were accused by Zambito of taking kickbacks on contracts. But the ex-construction boss has occasionally come up short when pressed for specifics.
For example, Zambito could not put a dollar figure on the three per cent cut of rigged contracts that he allegedly paid to Mayor Gerald Tremblay’s Union Montreal party through a middleman, Nicolo Milioto.
On the subject of local engineers and planners who were allegedly on the take, the city lawyer questioned Zambito about the numbers and amounts paid. This was after Zambito had stated an engineer claimed a cut on inflated costs, while another took one per cent of the value of rigged contracts.
Zambito said the practice was discussed among contractors and, although he never saw anyone else pay, he insisted he paid in cash. He said the exchanges took place in various locations around town, without witnesses.
“It was the rule,” Zambito said.
Zambito couldn’t say how many times he’d worked with different city employees that he’d named.
St-Jean expressed frustration that the reputation of city employees had been tarnished while Zambito couldn’t provide more specific information.
“It’s easy to throw names out there but, at some point, you have to come back with solid details,” St-Jean told Zambito.
The commission chair appeared to defend the witness.
“In an inquiry, you have to start somewhere and the evidence will come gradually over time,” France Charbonneau said.
Earlier in his testimony, Zambito explained that certain companies, including his own, operated as a cartel.
He testified that these companies colluded to drive up the cost of contracts with a 2.5 per cent commission going to the Italian Mafia on rigged contracts.
He has also said that, in 2005, he began paying the equivalent of three per cent in kickbacks to the ruling political party in Montreal. Over a longer period, he said he was paying additional bribes to city engineers and bureaucrats.
He has also said that he’s heard that a 2.5 per cent cut of contracts in Laval, north of Montreal, went directly to that city’s mayor, but he never paid that amount himself.
Zambito has also admitted to illegally funding political parties at the provincial level. The inquiry says it will not explore whether such wrongdoing occurred at the federal level.
None of Zambito’s allegations have been proven in court. As many as half-dozen lawyers could choose to cross-examine Zambito.

domain: news


The YouTube Channel Streaming Alex Jones’s Trial Disabled The Chat Because Of Threats To Sandy Hook Victims' Families
Viewers of the livestream were no longer subjected to conspiracy theorists’ threats and lies.
A series of updates to the way search results are returned and prioritized aims to fight misinformation with content advisories.
How Russia’s Top Propagandist Foretold Putin's Justification For The Ukraine Invasion Through This Dramatic Film
“Putin’s chef” Yevgeny Prigozhin’s network of state media sites used commissioned Cameo videos from Donald Trump Jr. and Rudy Giuliani to publicize another film that reimagines Russia’s role in the 2016 election.
Google Maps Blocked Edits After People Falsely Claimed It Was Used to Coordinate Russian Air Strikes
Ukrainian-language accounts claimed edits targeted gas stations, schools, and hospitals in cities like Kyiv.
Facebook’s parent company declined to answer our questions about how it moderates content in VR, so we created a test Horizon World filled with content banned from Facebook and Instagram. Content moderators said the world was fine — until we told Meta’s PR team about it.
The media allowed misinformation to frame “debates” about trans identity and race in education. That has to change.
“Corrosive Communities”: How A Facebook Fight Over Wind Power Predicts the Future of Local Politics in America
In small towns around the country, wind turbines are doing something to the locals.
“I don’t care about made up satanism or pedo rings… The very first post I read here was about Gary Busey trying to use gold doubloons as legitimate currency and tbh I would just like more of that please.”
A $7 horse deworming treatment is commanding prices as high as $45 on Amazon thanks to unfounded claims that it is a cure for COVID.
“You can always take an existing article and rewrite it just enough to avoid copyright infringement."
Fake vaccine card merchants are rampant on Telegram. Meanwhile, fake vaccine card listings continue to fall between the cracks on Amazon, despite a ban on them.
Why Do A Bunch Of Nigerian Twitter Influencers Want This Alleged Money Launderer To Go Free? They’re Being Paid.
Alex Saab may be extradited to the United States — but he has some unlikely allies.
Amazon is promoting COVID conspiracy books around the world.
Violent Protests Erupted In India. Then Calls For Police To Shoot The Protesters Went Viral On Twitter.
Twitter did not take “Shoot” off its trending topics for at least a couple of hours — after there was public outcry and after BuzzFeed News emailed asking for comment.
A group of channels connected to the Epoch Times is pumping out hoaxes and lies without identifying their connections to the right-wing newspaper.
The collective delusion finally reached the level of violence it always threatened.
While violent supporters stormed the Capitol, Donald Trump cheered them on using the last tool he has: the internet.


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Maybe I’m searching wrong, but I can’t find anything about fancy old buildings built in Africa, like giant churches and state buildings plastered everywhere from Europe. I tried looking for specific countries but still nothing. Surely they’re not all destroyed?
Well, if you’re searching for “Africa”…then yeah, you’re probably searching wrong? I mean, I’ll act like stating the obvious isn’t necessary…? Because…?
This is so general, I don’t know quite how to answer you but I’ll do my best, I suppose.
You probably need to be much more specific. Basically you want the equivalent of European Medieval-y type castle buildings? They’re pretty much all over the place…
^ That one is The Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia.
Here’s a gallery of some of the Old Town buildings of Djenné (Mali):
Fasilides Palace in Ethiopia:
For fancy Christian churches with painted interiors, try searching “Copt” or “Coptic” (these are Zagwe dynasty, I believe):
Here’s Saint George’s Church in Addis Abeba:
And Bete Giorgis in Lalibela, Ethiopia:
I mean, there’s no order to this, I’m just throwing stuff out there at random. If you want, there’s a Wikipedia page for World Heritage Sites in Africa here. There’s another Wikipedia page for Architecture of Africa here.


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Comprehensive Real-Time News Feed for Fremont, CA.
Results 1 - 1 of 1 for "u:milpitas.patch.com" in Fremont, CA
A Milpitas man was convicted of aggravated mayhem Tuesday for hiring three other men to brutally attack his ex-wife in front of her home in Fremont last year, prosecutors said. Comment?
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As coeliacs, gluten free converts, foodies and fanatics, we know it can be hard to find delicious food without the gluten. That’s why we created Delicious Alchemy, a place for the most delicious food crafted without gluten, dairy or anything unsavory
Light, springy and shockingly gluten free. Perfect for dairy free cupcakes, gluten free birthdays and sunny summer afternoon teas.
To those who say brownies without gluten can’t be rich and sticky, we say come and taste our indulgent fudge brownies packed with dairy free dark chocolate chips that melt into your mouth with every bite.


[Photo by Vinny and O]
From an essay by East Village resident Sarah Larson in The New Yorker...
As I write this, at my apartment, the sound of helicopters overhead is constant, and two people who were in the sushi restaurant, Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locon, are known to be missing. Some two dozen were injured, four critically. And whole buildings are gone. On Twitter, people were lamenting the loss of their beloved Pommes Frites, the late-night standby that made its corner of the world smell like French fries. Other people on Twitter berated the frites lamenters, and still others pleaded for understanding between the two camps. We could mourn all of these losses, they said.
I agree. It’s important not to be glib. It’s important to focus on the missing, the injured, the brave people who escaped and helped others escape, and the people who lost their homes and businesses. The softer losses, the cultural losses, the neighborhood losses, are not as important. But they’re losses, too. They’re things we love — parts of our lives that we take for granted and now understand to be, or have been, vulnerable. They feel like trivial things, but they represent fundamental things: what we love and care about, their permanence and impermanence.
Read the whole article here.


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Without fanfare, the Cleveland Museum of Art is slowly and quietly outgrowing its frosty ambivalence toward 20th century art. And it's doing so at the moment with an unusual Asian twist.
The latest sign of a thaw is the museum's major spring exhibition, "Remaking Tradition: Modern Art of Japan From the Tokyo National Museum."
With 55 examples of painting, sculpture, ceramics, tapestries and calligraphy, "Remaking Tradition" charts Japan's artistic development from the 1870s to the 1930s.
The show illuminates the rise of modernism from a perspective that will be completely and utterly new to most viewers, which is terrific. It also draws fresh connections to the formidable permanent collections in Asian art, formed largely by the Cleveland museum's great director from 1958 to 1983, Sherman E. Lee.
At the same time, it's hard to look at the show without also considering how it also reflects historical weaknesses at the museum. By traveling halfway around the world to tell the story of modernism, the exhibition subtly calls attention to the museum's longstanding coolness to European and American developments of the same period.
Thanks in large part to conservative artistic prejudices among members of the museum's board of trustees from the 1940s into the early 1990s, the museum generally gave short shrift to the 20th century's major movements while they were actually happening.
Exhibitions on modern and contemporary art of the time were rare – apart from the annual May Show on art from Northeast Ohio. The museum began collecting in the area late, and did so with a medicinal, unenthusiastic approach, apart from a strong focus on Pablo Picasso championed by Lee and by Ed Henning, then the museum's curator of modern and contemporary art.
Over the past 20 years, the museum has addressed the problem by filling gaps in its permanent collection, and by organizing important shows on Picasso, modernism in Barcelona and the Mexican muralista, Diego Rivera.
It has also created two curatorial posts in contemporary art and has given modern and contemporary art significant square footage in its new East Wing galleries. But its collection still has major gaps, and the museum has yet to explore much of the core Western art of the 20th century on a consistent and committed basis in special exhibitions, whether organized internally or borrowed from other institutions.
"Remaking Tradition" demonstrates the museum's willingness to open the door a bit, especially in areas where it has strong work to trade for loans from other museums. And that means Asia.
The Japanese exhibition is part of an exchange between Cleveland and the Tokyo National Museum, the show's only lender. While Tokyo's modern art treasures are visiting us, the Cleveland museum has sent Tokyo selections from the great Japanese collections assembled by Lee.
The show is part of an emerging trend at the museum. It follows a groundbreaking 2011 exhibition on the art of Fu Baoshi, a 20th-century Chinese painter who balanced traditional ink-and-brush painting with pro-Maoist messages during and after China's Communist Revolution.
The museum says that "Remaking Tradition" marks the first time such a large and high-quality collection of modern Japanese art "has ever been displayed outside of Japan," which makes it, like the Fu exhibition, a bit of a coup.
The exhibition charts the seismic shifts in Japanese culture that followed Commodore Matthew Perry's naval expeditions in 1853 and 1854 in which the United States forcibly opened Japan to broad trade with the West. Following this shock, the feudal Tokugawa shoguns restored power to the Meiji emperor, who led a wave of industrial and cultural modernization.
Japan then defeated China and Russia in wars in 1894-95 and 1904-05, over which country would dominate the Korean peninsula.
Japan's victories made it Asia's first imperial power. Ultimately, its ambitions led it to invade China in 1937 and to trigger America's entry into World War II with the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Japanese artists wrestled over how to respond to their country's turbulent rise to power and its imperial aspirations. Should they emulate Western artists? Or should they dive deeper into Japanese tradition, making it bolder and even more vibrant?
The answer, as "Remaking Tradition" establishes, was both. The exhibition oscillates between confident expressions of nationalist identity and efforts at imitating the West.
One example of the latter approach is Kuroda Seiki's pleasant but unexceptional 1893 "Dancing Lady Maiko Girl," a French Impressionist-style painting in oil on canvas of an apprentice geisha – an aspiring courtesan or female entertainer.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Kikuchi Yosai's 1847 "Mongolian Invasion of Japan," which depicts in a traditional ink-and-brush style a catastrophic storm that shattered a 1274 Mongolian invasion. In a 19th-century context, such images expressed a powerful sense of national pride and a desire to shut the door to the outside world.
While some Japanese artists emulated Westerners and some burrowed into tradition, others found a third way. They distilled the essences of Japanese style in a manner that paralleled the search for simplification and visual power among Western artists of the time – but without making a revolutionary break with their own past.
For example, the exhibition introduces Cleveland viewers to Yokoyama Taikan (1868-1958), an exceptional artist represented by two pairs of six-fold screens depicting landscape themes.
One pair of screens focuses on a stunning image of the blue volcanic cone of Mount Fuji rising above a sea of white clouds into a gold-leaf sky. The other depicts a servant sleeping in the shade of a tranquil grove of willows that flanks a winding blue stream.
These magical paintings are masterpieces of minimalist abbreviation that coincide with contemporary developments in the West. Yet they also intensify the pictorially flat and frontal boldness of traditional Japanese painting style.
Interestingly, Taikan's paintings date from the exact year as the pivotal Armory Show in New York, which introduced European Cubism and abstract art to America.
Japanese artists were intensely aware of the artistic revolutions of the day in the West. And, in a deep way, they actually contributed to them. When trade with Japan began to flourish in the 1860s, Paris was flooded with cheap and beautiful Japanese woodblock prints, whose bold, visually flat designs had a huge impact on the French Impressionists and post-Impressionists.
The Cleveland museum calls attention to Japan's far-reaching artistic influence in the pre-modern era with its other important exhibition this spring, which focuses on Vincent van Gogh's "repetitions," his multiple versions of favorite motifs.
Van Gogh was one of many artists working in France in the late 19th century who were drenched in the fervent Japonisme that literally shaped the course of Western modern art.
If there's a conclusion to be drawn from "Remaking Tradition" about the Japanese side of the story, it is that there was no revolutionary counterpart in Japan to van Gogh.
Instead, there was Soyama Sachihiko, whose 1890 oil painting of an archer in traditional samurai garb shows a dry, workmanlike understanding of Western-style academic painting of the day.
And there was Takamura Shinpu, whose realistic, 1909 painting of travelers in traditional Japanese garb dozing in a dimly lighted train station at night offers a faint echo of the Western-style urban realism.
You could think of Shinpu as an incipient Japanese Edward Hopper. Yet both his painting and the Sachihiko feel as if they were made in the artist's second languages, not their mother tongue. They mastered the basics of Western style, but not in the revolutionary way in which van Gogh absorbed Japanese style.
Artists who, like Taikan, managed to intensify Japanese traditions in a fresh way fared better. The Cleveland installation of "Remaking Tradition" telegraphs this message by placing a 1935 masterpiece by Matsubayashi Keigetsu on a wall where it functions as a climactic statement.
Entitled "Spring Colors Along the Mountain Stream," the work is a stunning landscape painting, brushed in vivid colors on a pair of six-fold screens with a telescopic sense of compressed visual energy and hallucinatory power. The Sachihiko and Shinpu paintings come nowhere near Keigetsu's intensity.
If there's a caveat about such observations, it is that most if not all the works in "Remaking Japan" were government-sponsored or chosen by the government to promote Japan in a series of global expositions around the world from the 1870s to the 1930s.
As such, they represent official, if not royal, patronage of the fine arts – not a complete overview of Japanese art during the period. The show omits graphic design, architecture, photography and the popular woodblock prints that had such a huge impact on Western artists of the time.
But the show has some very high moments, and will add to anyone's understanding of the 20th century. If that also means the Cleveland Museum of Art is finally getting serious about framing its own perspective on modernism, so much the better.