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Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
Actress and producer Ashley James is known for her role as Lauren in the TV series Hustle. She also starred in White Elephants and appeared in Life Inside Out.
In Rebound, Ashley is Claire, a psychologically broken woman who has just been cheated by the love of her life. While travelling across the country, she encounters hostile strangers and develops debilitating anxiety along the way. In this one-on-one interview, Ashley goes into the challenges she faced in portraying a woman on the verge of collapse.
What attracted you to the role of Claire?
Ashley: I recently did a lot of short films, so I thought I could do a lot with the lead in a full-length feature. It’s interesting how Claire keeps making so many choices that seem weak or wrong to the audience, but she fights so hard. All these bad things and crazy people keep happening to her. And she never really gives up, which I think is very cool.
What did you find most challenging about the role?
Ashley: I felt that much of what Claire did, starting with her choice to leave Los Angeles, was very different from how I would react to these situations. I had to find a way to relate and to feel those same feelings. The fall shooting schedule was fast, and we were shooting a lot every night with not a lot of time off.
Are there any aspects of your persona that you imparted to Claire?
Ashley: Yes, definitely. Every role I play, I have to find something in me that may not be what I would do, but maybe in this situation, would work. I like to think of myself as a fighter, as someone who doesn’t give up. I think that really helped me, especially when she decided to leave Los Angeles and give up her acting career. I’ve been in that place, I understand that feeling, but I haven’t given up; but I could understand how she would react, and how that would be an important choice for her to make.
The cascade of negative events in Claire’s life seemed to underscore a world closing in on her. Do you ultimately see her as a survivor or victim?
Ashley: That’s a really interesting question. As an actress playing the part, I had to see her as a survivor. Because to see her as a victim meant that the story was over before it started. As an outsider looking in, it feels different to watch the movie now. I also think that one of the interesting things I noticed after I saw the completed film is that I wonder how reliable the story is, because it’s told entirely from Claire’s point of view. There’s nothing that happens that isn’t what she’s observing. The story is told from a very single and specific perspective. So is what we’re seeing as a victim really what happened to her?
That town you were in seemed like the world’s unfriendliest town? It was almost a character unto itself.
Ashley: Yeah. Like, was the bartender in on it?
Rebound is a very emotionally draining film? Was it for you?
Ashley: It was. But it was exciting to be in it. I’ve had a fairly happy life. Nothing crazy or tragic. I love playing damaged characters. I like to let myself wallow in emotions that aren’t part of my real life. As an actress, I find it really interesting to be in that place for a little while.
Do you prefer these psychological dramas that explore the inner workings of a character, their struggle to survive emotionally?
Ashley: Yes, I really do. I love comedy. I’d love to be in a sit-com, but it’s not what I get cast in. I’m working on those skills, but what comes naturally to me is anything that gives me a chance to do a character study, to explore all those emotions and actions that are different from me.
Without revealing the ending, which was a bit of a surprise, do you feel that some women could be driven so far over the edge as to do what Claire did?
Ashley: It’s hard to answer in terms of other women, but I definitely felt like when I was finding that action for myself in the role, it wasn’t completely unbelievable to me considering what she goes through and how she feels about herself. Who knows what happened in her life before this that set her up to lose confidence in herself and feel worthless. All this would allow Claire to be manipulated. So I think, it’s possible, definitely.
What’s next for you? Any TV or film projects in the works?
Ashley: Well, I have a 15-month old baby, so that has put a lot of things on hold for me. And I was travelling a lot. I’m sort of trying to figure out how to do this acting thing and mom thing together.
Michael Emerson has appeared on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh with Kevin Spacey and Hedda Gabler opposite Kate Burton. Off-Broadway and regional work includes plays by Shakespeare, Moliere, Friel and LaGarce at The Roundabout, Arena Stage, McCarter, Huntington and many other theaters. His film credits include The Imposters, Playing by Heart, Straight Jacket, Saw and The Legend of Zorro.
Emerson also played a number of damaged or sinister characters on programs like The X-Files, Law and Order, Without a Trace, and The Inside. In 2006, Emerson became a regular on the ABC series LOST, playing Benjamin Linus, a role for which he won an Emmy.
Currently, Emerson plays Harold Finch on Person of Interest. Last season ended with a cliffhanger that saw Harold, John, Fusco, and Root in a desperate firefight with Samaritan’s thugs. In this one-on-one interview Emerson reveals his thoughts on Person of Interest and what viewers can expect from this riveting series now in its fifth season.
What attracted you to the role of Harold Finch?
Michael Emerson: I liked the atmosphere of the pilot episode. It was dark and desperate and urban. I liked its noir quality. I also liked that it was a Jonathan Nolan script, and that J.J. (Abrams) and a strong company was behind it—guys that were going to get something done. And the fact that it was being shot in New York, because I was hoping to be home.
Are there aspects of the character that you imposed on Finch that go beyond what’s in the script?
Emerson: It’s possible that I made him more disabled than he absolutely had to be. It’s also possible that I made him funnier than he had to be. But I take all my cues from the script. So I don’t think I’ve imposed much. I think the writers watch their performers, day in and day out, and they see what their strong suits are, and then they write at it a little bit more.
Finch and his team have thus far been protected by the all-seeing eye of the Machine. How vulnerable will they be now?
Emerson: They’re very vulnerable with the Machine offline and with Samaritan in effect taking things over. There’s nothing to stop Samaritan now. Life goes on seemingly normally, but that’s because Samaritan hasn’t fully figured out what its own agenda is. If it ever does go on a mission, it will be dangerous beyond our wildest dreams.
Finch seems to be struggling with rehabilitating the Machine – its “genie out of bottle” potential for destruction. What powers will Finch give it in its rebirth?
Emerson: That’s what the first part of Season Five is all about: How to revive the Machine. To make it again what it used to be, and whether that’s even possible. And if it is possible, what should be changed? Maybe the limitations and boundaries he put on the Machine were ill advised in a world where it has to do battle with a totally unencumbered super intelligence. So that will be a source of philosophical conversation and conflict between Root (Amy Acker) and Finch.
Do you think the show’s construct of Samaritan portends a dystopian future where privacy and even one’s personal safety are in jeopardy?
Emerson: Yeah, that is the suggestion. I wish it weren’t so plausible and real. But it appears to be.
Season 4 had 22 episodes, Season 5 has been cut down to just 13. Will Season 5 be the last season?
Emerson: It might be the last season with CBS. I don’t think it will ever shoot that long a season again. I think whatever the future holds, it will be 12 or 13 episodes.
So things will be tightly compressed?
Emerson: Yeah, I think, in a way, it’s a plus for the writers who won’t have to spin such long narratives. Or indulge in so many digressions. There will be a greater sense of compression and momentum and I look forward to it. And on a personal note, I’m grateful I won’t be shooting out in the snow in January, February and March.
I had the opportunity to interview your wife two years ago and she said she was the computer expert in the Emerson house.
Emerson: (laughs) That is so true. I must ask her a question or two every day about the simplest kinds of things. Like, “Honey, if I press this button, is that bad?”
So do you have computer consultants that work on the show to keep you up to speed on all the latest technology?
Emerson: I think the writers are voracious readers of cutting edge technology. And each of the writers has someone in their world that they call. We also have an in-house IT staff that handles all the computers you see on the show—the different ways they work and the different things that appear on the screens. There are a lot of smart computer people working together on this.
You were a magazine illustrator in New York for many years. Do you still practice that art?
Emerson: No, I don’t really draw any more. Whatever it was that was satisfying by doing that is now being fulfilled by acting. Or maybe better to say that acting is just another variety of illustration.
Where do you hope the Finch character will go in this new season?
Emerson: That’s a good question. I don’t want to see him destroyed. But at the same time, I can’t really envision the happy ending where he walks away from all of this. I don’t know where he’ll land.
Switching gears a bit, how did you develop the character of Benjamin Linus in Lost? And was the character preordained by the script or did you alter it in some way?
Emerson: I kind of showed up and played what was written. It started with a guest spot on a couple of episodes. I hadn’t any kind of long-range strategy at all when I started it. In hindsight, I think it was a kind of working audition, where they were seeing what might happen if they put a face and voice to the threat of the island. But I guess they decided my face and voice were about right, so they kept me around. I’m more of a reactive actor. I’m not a guy that goes to the writers and says here’s a cool idea I think we should explore. I like my cool ideas to be kind of micro ideas—more like lifting an eyebrow or placing the emphasis on a particular word.
So what’s next for you? Any film or TV projects down the line?
Emerson: In a world where I don’t have Person of Interest on my plate, I would be happy to do some more stage work and remind myself what a joy that was. I haven’t been on stage for 10 years.
WGN America will be the exclusive cable home for Person of Interest
By the time she was ten, Rachel Miner had not only worked for Woody Allen, but was cast as Michelle Bauer on Guiding Light, a portrayal that earned her three Young Artist Awards and an Emmy nomination. Miner has since appeared in such TV series as Shining Time Station: ‘Tis a Gift, Sex and the City, Californication, and several seasons in Supernatural as the Meg Masters demon.
In Frank The Bastard, Miner plays Clair Defina, a recently divorced 33 year-old New Yorker who feels lost and vulnerable. Hoping that a visit to her New England childhood home will help her depression, Clair is instead thrust into an incredibly challenging situation—meeting relatives she never knew she had and encountering a tangled web of secrets and lies. Ultimately, she confronts, unravels, and resolves a painful family history. In this one-on-one interview, Miner reveals the challenges she faced in life, her acting career and in bringing Clair to life.
What attracted you to the role of Clair?
Rachel Miner: I loved her intelligence. And her interest in poetry—we share that. I loved exploring a character’s life without being too fantastic or supernatural. It was fun to play a kind of down to earth, real person.
You went from badass demon on Supernatural to vulnerable Clair in Frank the Bastard. What did you find most challenging about the transition?
Miner: I didn’t find the transition to be too challenging. One of the wonderful things about acting is not having an expectation, being present, and not bringing any preconceived notion to the role. It’s fun to take one skin off, metaphorically, and don another to delve into different things. That’s the pleasure of taking that creative wave. As much as I loved Meg, and being able to explore a role outside of reality, I also enjoyed getting into something very human.
What life experiences did you draw from to prepare for portraying Clair?
Miner: I don’t know specifically, because these things happen on a subconscious level. I know that I was drawing from my life’s feelings and experiences. I spent a little time on college campuses, trying to relate to that environment because I love it, I’m attracted to it, and because it’s not something I personally experienced.
You seem to favor characters that are internally troubled or emotionally adrift. Do you find you have a natural affinity for these roles?
Miner: I must. I’m attracted to characters with more profound, deep-seated emotions that all of us have. So I tend to gravitate to that within a character no matter what. It’s not something I cultivate, but I know that even if I’m given a vary vapid, upbeat character, I try to find what’s deep and underneath.
What I like about you is that you always mix a little humor and sarcasm in everything you do. So I find myself eagerly awaiting your next line.
Miner: Thank you. That means a lot to me. I don’t try to be too funny, but I always like to bring a bit of levity into my roles. Even in the darker circumstances, it really helps. So I’m delighted to hear that comes across.
What role would you love to play that you haven’t yet explored?
Miner: I have no idea. There are so many people and circumstances that really interest me. So I don’t really think about that. I’m ready to accept whatever comes my way.
What do you like about working in film as opposed to TV?
Miner: There are real advantages to both. I like the change of scenery and the travel that goes with working in film. I find that brings something to whatever you’re doing. With TV, people show up doing the same job day in and day out, so it’s rare to have that camaraderie, although it’s something I experienced on Supernatural.
What do you like and hate about auditions?
Miner: I like meeting new people. And I get so fascinated by what they’re working on and their passions that I don’t always track the fact that I should be impressing. I don’t like the aspect of auditioning that causes self-consciousness. I think the killer in auditions is that you become self aware of the people looking at you and nothing else, so there’s nothing else to add to the magic of the illusion.
What were you like in high school?
Miner: You’d have to ask some people I went to high school with. I definitely felt like I was very shy. I was a “hiding behind the hair” kind of good girl. I loved learning, but socially, I felt pretty awkward. I didn’t like showing my face and being looked at. I didn’t feel that anyone should notice me and I didn’t want to be noticed.
What do you do to unwind?
Miner: I read a lot and do a lot of online studying. I listen to music and lectures from the Great Courses, which lets you download college lectures from professors. I also love walking through the park.
What’s next for you—any upcoming film, TV projects you can talk about?
Miner: I’m kind of in transition. I’m open to new projects, but I’ve also been writing. I kind of enjoy this free time to catch up on the times I missed because I started working at such a young age.
I recently had the opportunity to attend the red carpet press preview of Stage 48: Script to Screen, which celebrated the launch of Warner Brothers new 25,000 sq. ft. expansion, ahead of its official opening on July 16th. Based on the studio lot, which is home to more than 90 years of much-loved entertainment, drama and action, Stage 48 offered press, guests and celebrities a new behind-the-scenes look at the world of film and TV production.
Celebs, press and guests mingled as they explored the Central Perk Café, the orange couch in the original Central Perk set from “Friends,” and green screen experiences on the Batpod from The Dark Knight, an ExoSuit from Edge of Tomorrow, an authentic space capsule from the Oscar®-winning epic Gravity and flying broomsticks from Harry Potter.
Talent attending the event included Zack Snyder (Director, Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), James Michael Tyler (Friends), Mehcad Brooks (Supergirl), Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly), Cast of CBS new series Rush Hour, Cast of The Young and the Restless, Henry Byalikov (Dancing with the Stars), Sharna Burgess (Dancing with the Stars), and many more.
Brooklyn native Vanessa Ferlito has appeared in crime-themed series programs including “CSI: New York” and “The Sopranos.” In 2002, Ferlito appeared in Spike Lee’s “The 25th Hour.” The following year, Ferlito starred as ‘Lizette Sanchez’ in John Leguizamo’s acclaimed boxing drama “Undefeated”, which earned her an NAACP nomination for Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie. In 2007, Ferlito starred in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof. In 2012, she appeared in the feature film, Stand Up Guys opposite Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. Currently, she can be seen on “Graceland,” the hit series on the USA network.
In The Aftermath, a powerful tale of lost love, obsession, and self-destruction, Ferlito stars opposite Sam Trammell (Sonny) as Franki, a tough small-town madam. When Sonny tries to return a necklace to his estranged wife for their anniversary, it’s stolen by a gang of criminals led by Franki. Directed by Tim McCann and written by McCann and Shaun Sanghani, The Aftermath is a gritty and honest portrayal of a broken man, risking his life, desperately seeking redemption. In this one-on-one interview, Ferlito reveals the challenges she faced in life, her acting career and in bringing Franki to life.
What attracted you to the role of Franki?
Vanessa Ferlito: I’m really drawn to dark scripts. And this was a dark movie. I also really like Sam. He’s an amazing actor. Franki’s a great character to play. As a pimp and drug dealer, she’s got a lot going on.
What did you find most challenging about the role?
Ferlito: To try to put myself in that mindframe, which is something I always try to do. To get into that life — in Alexandria, Louisiana, which is a very small town — I hung out around the area to see what it was like to live there and be this person. Most of the people in the film were not actors. So when I go into that place in my mind, it was really challenging for me because I tend to go into a dark place. And I don’t like it much. I usually have my son with me, but since this was only for a week, I left him. I stayed in this small hotel in the middle of nowhere. And that allowed me to go to a really dark place.
What did you draw from to prepare yourself for the gritty, street tough Franki?
Ferlito: I grew up in the streets of Brooklyn, in an Italian family. My dad died when I was two years old from a drug overdose. My mom was straight, never on drugs, but she just got caught up with the wrong people. I hung out with a rough crowd. And the neighborhood I grew up in was rough. We were scrappers. I fought my way through school. And at the end of the day, these kids had to battle what was going in their home. Now, I go to yoga, and try not to use what I was taught in the street. So yeah, I do pull a lot from my background for these roles. Maybe that’s why I always get them.
How is Franki like FBI agent Charlie’ DeMarco and how is she different?
Ferlito: The only difference is that Charlie puts people like Franki away, but at the end of the day, they’re both playing a role. Charlie is always under cover playing a drug dealer or something hard. So Charlie’s the good guy and Franki’s the bad guy. But they’re similar in the sense that they’re playing a role every day. Franki knows who she really is and why she did this with her life. When I see someone like Franki, I wonder how and why she got to that place. What makes them different is extreme; what makes them the same is a fine line.
What do you like about working in TV as opposed to film?
Ferlito: Stability in TV. I was doing a TV show in the middle of my career. I had just played the lead in a Tommy Lee Jones movie (Man of the House) and then Shadowboxer with Helen Mirren. Four days later, I was doing CSI. I was young and didn’t feel I needed that stability at the time. But now, I love it. I go to a job, four and half months straight, every day and I love knowing that I’m okay. Besides, the movie business has changed so much. When I started doing independent films, there were just so many, and they weren’t hiring people just for their name but who was best for the job. Now, it’s based on social media. As a single mother, I like the stability of being on a show like Graceland or CSI.
You once mentioned that you thought about being an undercover cop. What do you find interesting about that life?
Ferlito: Oh my God, I still want to be one. I swear, I was on the set the other day and I thought about getting my degree and becoming a cop. Everyone thinks I’m crazy. There are lots of bad things going on and I want to help. Maybe I’m a control freak, I don’t know. It’s dangerous but fun. It’s funny, I never wanted to be a cop before, but after playing this FBI agent, I thought, I’d be great at this. I was always great at catching my boyfriend. He could never get away with anything. That said, I’m a bit too sensitive, so I don’t think I could handle child abuse cases.
What was your very first audition like? And what have you learned about auditions?
Ferlito: They sent me out on commercials but I never booked once. It was six months of that, then they sent me out for Sopranos and I got the role (of Tina Francesco). Two weeks later, I got the lead in an indie film called OnLine. Then my career took off and I worked with Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino.
What was it like working with those directors?
Ferlito: With Spike Lee, it was a small role in the beginning of my career. I was in one scene. He threw words at me and gave me the freedom to play it. Quentin is a dear friend. He loves TV, loves movies, and he wrote the role (Butterfly) for me (in Grindhouse). People still go crazy over that lapdance—it has a cult following now.
What’s next for you—any upcoming film, TV projects you can talk about?
Ferlito: Not at the moment. I’m working on Graceland now, and I’m not reading any other scripts. We film an hour show in seven days. CSI was an hour and we did that in nine days. So I don’t really have the time to read other scripts.
Tina Ivlev brings a broad acting background to Bound to Vengeance. She starred in the gripping teenage drama, Dry Land, a Colt Coeur production written by Ruby Rae Spiegel and directed by Adrienne Campbell Holt. The play immediately became a New York Times Critics’ Pick, playing to sold out houses in New York. She mesmerized film and television audiences alike with characters who are real, compelling and strong. Her screen credits include The Devil’s In The Details (with Ray Liotta) and Death Clique. Her TV work includes appearances in The Bridge, Graceland, Anger Management, Major Crimes, and CSI.
In Bound to Vengeance, Ivlev is Eve, a young woman who fights back and manages to escape a malicious abductor. But after discovering she may not be the only victim, Eve unravels a darker truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. In this one-on-one interview, Ivlev reveals the challenges she faced in bringing Eve to life.
What attracted you to the role of Eve?
Tina Ivlev: I thought she was a hero to these other girls. When I read the script, it was this really crazy story. Had it been a sexual exploitation film, I never would have done it. But this was the opposite, because Eve is just so smart and resourceful and heroic. She was someone who had these girls’ best interest at heart.
Did you audition for the role? And what was that like?
Ivlev: It was a standard audition. I hadn’t met any of the writers or directors before. I went in, got a callback immediately after I left, and got the part.
How did you deal with all the bloody violence in the film?
Ivlev: I just got into character and imagined what Eve was going through. It was weird, but I kind of got desensitized to it after awhile.
What did you find most challenging about portraying Eve?
Ivlev: I think her state of mind. She was really in a fragile state early on in the film. She was under tremendous pressure from the extreme situation she was in. Around Phil (Richard Tyson) and these other guys. She had lost her sister, and I think that losing someone so close to her eventually just made her unravel. And that was the hardest thing to find those moments. Like where is she in the script right now, where is she emotionally and mentally. That was the hardest part in playing Eve. There were crazy moments on set where you’re screaming and you have this nose around Phil’s neck. I felt so horrible because Richard had this mark around his neck. It was kind of intense after awhile.
How did you psyche yourself up to play victim, savior and executioner?
Ivlev: That’s why I liked Eve so much, because she wasn’t this victim throughout the whole film. In the very beginning, she turns the table on Phil, which is really cool and refreshing to see in these kinds of films. It was cool and weird. That was also kind of hard to play, because sometimes she gets captured and then she has to be aggressive to turn the tables again. So you’re wondering, who is she now? Has she completely lost it? Will she kill everyone? In the Salt Lake screening, everyone was screaming, no no!
Why do you think Eve was so driven to try to save the other girls?
Ivlev: For me, it was just survivor’s guilt over just losing her sister. The fact that she couldn’t save her, that it was almost her fault. I don’t think it was conscious but in real life, when girls go missing, it’s virtually impossible to find them. They could be in a different country. I don’t know if she just wanted to be a vigilante and take matters into her own hands, but I thought that Eve had snapped and she was unraveling. She couldn’t live with herself leaving these other girls who were in the same situation she was in and who might never see their families again. All she could see was her sister dying in front of her.
What message do you believe the film imparts to today’s audiences?
Ivlev: Hope, I suppose. When I read the script, it was heartbreaking. This person is tying to save these people on her own. Love would be another message. Eve loved her sister and cares about people and wants to save them. She didn’t just run away.
What’s next for you?
Ivlev: I’m auditioning for some projects now. And I’m writing. I don’t know how writers do it. I think actors have it rough but writers have it worse.
So do you like to do these horror films? Or maybe some comedy?
Ivlev: I don’t like to even watch horror films, because I just get so scared. But I love films like Rosemary’s Baby. I also love comedy and drama. So I don’t really have a preference.
Kristin Bauer Van Straten (Once Upon A Time’s Maleficent and True Blood’s Pam De Beaufort) will introduce viewers to a special installment of American television’s environmental investigative series, EARTH FOCUS: Illicit Ivory. An animal rights advocate, Van Straten hopes this documentary will help viewers understand the dire situation that elephants face—that poachers kill an elephant every 20 minutes to feed an insatiable demand for ivory. As a result, African elephants may be gone in as little as ten years. In this one-on-one interview, Van Straten reveals her commitment to saving these regal animals and her passionate pursuit of animal rights.
You’re a long time animal rights advocate. What prompted you to become involved with this particular documentary?
Kristin Bauer Van Straten: I had no idea this was going on. I met with James Isiche from IFAW (international Fund for Animal Welfare). They do great work in Kenya and he told me this was happening. I was so stunned. I’d heard about the ivory crisis in the 80s, but I didn’t realize that ivory was such a widely traded commodity. The cruelty of it is astounding. Elephants are massive and majestic creatures. The slaughtering of these 15,000 pound animals for four percent of their body for a trinket is appalling. I spent a month with elephants in Kenya where we met Cynthia Moss, who had conducted the longest running study of elephants in the wild. She’s observed their family structure, bathing rituals, their birthing and mourning process. I read her book, and there’s just no disputing that they are as sentient as we are.
What were the major challenges in filming this documentary?
Van Straten: Kenya is the only country that has chosen to destroy their seized ivory—as opposed to selling it to China. The biggest problem we’ve seen since the total ban on ivory in the 80s is that other African countries are choosing to enter the black market, become traders and profit from the sale of illegal ivory. Most people in China don’t realize that an elephant had to be killed for their ivory trinket. The word ivory in China translates into “teeth.” Ivory has become a status symbol there; it’s how the Chinese middle class show “they have arrived.And that has fueled this drive to move ivory overseas again. We’re trying to get an all-out ban on ivory, but we’re getting all kinds of blowback from the people who would profit form its sale.
How long have you been involved in animal rights? And in the protection of elephants?
Van Straten: Throughout my life on some level. My dad was such a nature lover. While my siblings aren’t into animals like I am, they are into the environment. I became actively involved, and as my career rose, so did my opportunities to give back. There are so many amazing causes. And since I can’t clone myself, I try to get involved with the most voiceless—and that’s animals. I wasn’t involved in the protection of elephants until about three years ago. I didn’t go to the circus. I don’t believe in slavery. I’m not fond of using animals for entertainment. I’m an entertainer and it’s rough. I think it should be your choice. So I wasn’t aware of the elephant genocide until a few years ago. Lions, zebra, giraffe—all being slaughtered. Many animals in Africa are under siege, mainly from Asia.
What are the short and long-term goals you hope this documentary will achieve?
Van Straten: From what I saw in Kenya, the people there are astoundingly optimistic. I think it’s just their nature, but I also think that when you’re on the ground, literally saving lives, even if you save less than you’d like, there’s a certain can-do attitude that comes from having your hands in the dirt. And that optimism became infectious. The more who get involved, the greater chance we have of keeping elephants on Earth. I watched two animal species go extinct in the last two years, which is very sad. I asked a ranger in northern Kenya what will happen if more people don’t get involved in saving animals and he said it’s uncertain. The only thing we can do is try to support what these heroes in Kenya are doing.
How can people help this noble cause?
Van Straten: Depending on the person’s resources, if all they have is a voice, that’s huge. We need the world to declare an all-out ban on ivory. We need to spread the word as fast as we can. Many people hear about this and make the choice—to write a letter, foster a baby elephant in Kenya, send $50 to one of the organizations that I know will make a difference (they’re on my website).
Switching gears, what are some of your favorite moments in Once Upon a Time?
Van Straten: I usually watch the show, but I don’t like to watch myself. I really had a ball with Lana Parrilla and the rest of the cast. Lana is the first person I got to work and she has this amazing big laugh. The hours are really long, but we just dove in and had so much fun playing with these roles. I just came off seven years playing evil characters, and she has been killing it, playing evil. But now both of our characters have found a softer side.
A cross between Firefly and The Office, the new a space adventure TV series Nobility combines a sleek spaceship in a deep-space adventure with a hearty dose of comedy. The polite, albeit dysfunctional crew aboard the C.A.S. Nobility—the most powerful ship in the Confederate Alliance—are the subjects of a documentary about how this mightiest of all ships is run. Each episode explores the actions of the ship’s wacky crew as they overcome their personal trials and challenges in a broken world that surrounds them.
In these one-on-one interviews, Torri Higginson (Stargate SG1, Stargate: Atlantis) talks about her role as Cdr. Eugenia Pikeman. Also weighing in on his role as the heavily disciplined Eujin Liaison, Lt. Sirius Halud is Darren Jacobs (Elevator Gods, Death Machine, and the two-part sci-fi Starship).
What attracted you to the role of Cdr. Eugenia Pikeman?
Torri Higginson: I find that I always get cast in these big-hearted, nurturing characters, but I love Commander Pikeman because she’s not that. She’s very smart. She has an eye and a wing over everyone, but she would rather not talk to you or you to her. She would rather smack you if you misbehave. I find her energy quite wonderful. She reminds me a little bit of a German dominatrix.
How is this different and how is it similar to the sci-fi work you’ve done in the past?
Higginson: I’d never been part of a project on this grass roots level. Adrienne Wilkinson (who plays Lt. Ara Eris) got in touch with me, so I first heard about it through the actors who told me there’s this world that E.J. De La Pena created that’s really exciting and filled with lots of possibilities. So let’s all dive in and play and see what happens with it. It was a little bit scary but it seemed like a nice environment to play. The cast had already been compiled at that point and it sounded fabulous. E.J.’s energy is very lovely and innocent and he has this big heart for sci-fi. You never know how it’s going to pan out. There’s a bit of irreverence, which you find in the original Stargate and the original Star Trek.
Did you audition for the role?
Higginson: No. Adrienne got in touch with me and I met with E.J. who said we’d love you to come on board. Usually when you audition, even though, as an actor, you don’t feel it’s a mutual audition, you walk into the room and you hope you get the gig. But there is this other thing that happens when you get a job and you have an audition, it’s nerve wracking because you realize you haven’t had a chance to see what the person on the other side of the table is all about. There is a kind of mutual audition that goes on. So that was interesting to walk in, even though I had a meeting with E.J., I didn’t know how it would work or how his energy was going to be. Actors are all little kids that refuse to grow up.
How did you prepare for this particular role, a commander in humanity’s most powerful starship?
Higginson: Well (laughs), I just drew on my life’s experience. I find that in a lot of science fiction, the world is so out there, you really just take what you get from the script. And it seems sort of non-pressured for the whole environment. To be honest, I didn’t do a lot of prep. I read the script and looked at the other characters to see what they were doing. I met with the other actors and with the series creator, and then I just shut up and decided to play.
What was the most challenging part of this role? What scenes or parts do you enjoy the most?
Higginson: It was inspiring to see what they did on such a budget challenged series. But you get used to certain things like their wardrobe—like really? I can fit three people in this thing. Just having to feel powerful and strong in an outfit that doesn’t make you feel that way was a challenge. But I’m still blown away by what they did—creating an entire set in basically one room—wardrobe, hair and makeup, shooting, the green room.
As a ship’s commander, do you get involved in any shooting and fighting? And do you do your own stunts?
Higginson: I had a hard time working on my right hook. We had this amazing stunt guy, Mario, who came in and organized these fabulous fights between Adrienne and Darren Jacobs. And they just rocked it out of the park. I just get to punch people occasionally. I don’t break a sweat, I punch and walk away.
How much can you tell us about your character arc? Will Cdr. Pikeman change? Or will she be immune to the zany antics aboard the Nobility?
Higginson: She has a dry outlook that I really like. She has one eyebrow cocked most of the time and a little bit of an eye roll. What I love about E.J. and what brought me on to the role was that E.J. had such a strong sense of where it’s going. Everyone has a very specific arc. He came at me with “this is the history of this character.” As an actor, E.J. created this world with an actor’s mind. So he has a very strong sense of who these people are. As for my character, she is strong and emotionally reserved, but I think she’s going to open up a bit.
Will there be any romantic entanglements for Cdr. Pikeman? Can you say with whom?
Higginson: I hope so. I not looking forward to another four years of celibacy in space. I think Eugenia and Captain Eric Cern (Cas Anvar) have an interesting history. I think they were best friends during their training days, but I don’t think they had a romantic history. And I don’t think they ever will because he’s got his eyes on the mission—like a modern day Captain Kirk. I think she will have a romantic relationship with someone—perhaps with a Eujin because they are a very reserved and deeply honest race of humans.
The series is ostensibly an incongruous coupling. How is Nobility like Firefly and how is it likeThe Office?
Darren Jacobs: It’s like the Office because we have these cutaways or confessionals where we talk directly to the camera. Nobility has these little robots that fly around and film things that are happening on the ship. They think it’s good for the general population to see what’s happening on board, but it’s not really a great idea because the people running the ship are not the best people. In terms of Firefly, it’s got the sci-fi humor, the science stuff and on-the-nose throw away comedy—like Red Dwarf. All the characters are flawed in some way. My character is differed because I come onto the ship as an innocent optimist who wants to do good. But being immersed with these people changes me. I become tarnished.
You have such a broad acting background. What drew you to the role of Lt. Sirius Halud?
Jacobs: I was in a film with E.J. at the time and he was telling me about this thing that he’d been thinking about—combining sci-fi and comedy. I read the script and I thought it was fantastic. Then he got Claudia Christian from Babylon 5 involved. He asked if I knew anyone could do the serious stuff and the comedy and I got the role straight away. The real test for me was when we did some confessionals with costume and make up. We had a couple of script pages and I did a little improv with the comedy and E.J. and the crew were laughing their heads off.
How did you prepare for the role?
Jacobs: I did lots of research because it’s set 700 years into the future. So I had to learn about the Eujin race of people. We went back and forth about how we (Eujins) would speak. In 400 years, humanity becomes isolated, and in 700 years, they come back. I liked the idea they’re kind of outdated, so we agreed on a 50’s UK accent. In the fight scenes, I’m like a snake.
What was the most challenging part of this role? What scenes or parts do you enjoy the most?
Jacobs: I really enjoyed the fighting, but I also hated it because it was in the middle of summer, we were in this hot warehouse and I had this plastic costume that had half an inch of foam in the front, which when it bunched up, looked like I had these rolls on me. The sweat poured out me. I loved the pilot because the camera follows me through the ship as I meet all the characters. So every day, I’d come to the set and I’d meet a new person.
How is this different and how is it similar to the work you’ve done in the past?
Jacobs: It’s similar in that you come on set and you work with great people. It’s different because I’d come on set and realize that every day, I was working on something that I’d dreamed of working on as a kid.
Will Lt. Halud have romantic liaisons with any of the crew? Can you say with
Jacobs: I don’t know. I do know that he is definitely attracted to Eugenia Pikeman. He likes the idea that she has some respect for him. Eugenia is a strong woman who is really the muscle behind the ship.
How much can you tell us about your character arc? Will Lt. Halud change? Or will he continue to evangelize the Eujin culture with its focus on genetic purity and directed evolution?
Jacobs: My character is from a Eujin family who has had some problems in the past but now my sister and I are doing very well. She is in politics and I’m growing fast in the army. Joining the crew of Nobility is a huge slap in the face for my family because it’s a human ship. I’ve literally thrown away my high rank. Lt. Halud has this hope that the humans and the Eujins can work together, to expand humanity and reach the next stage. But the things that happen in the pilot change everything. Initially both the humans and the Eujins don’t accept me.
Messengers’ stars Shantel VanSanten and Craig Frank talk about the compelling new series, which begins when a mysterious object crashes on earth and a group of unconnected strangers die from an energy pulse it emits. The selected Messengers re-awaken to find out that they must work together and unite their various new powers to prevent the impending Apocalypse. Messengers premieres on Friday, April 17 at 9pm on the CW channel. Click Messengers for brief video.
Born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, actress/writer Alex Essoe’s diverse body of work includes such films and TV series as Free to Go, Passion Play, House of Lies and Reaper. In Starry Eyes, Esso plays Sarah Walker, a young woman determined to make it as an actress in Hollywood. Stuck in a dead-end day job as a waitress, enduring petty friendships, and going on endless casting calls, Sarah submits to a series of strange auditions. When she finally lands the role in a new film from a mysterious production company, she undergoes a bizarre transformation that changes her into something beautiful…and altogether terrifying. In this one-on-one interview, Esso talks about her role and the challenges she faced in bringing Sarah’s character to life.
What attracted you to the role of Sarah?
Alex Essoe: I totally fell in love with Sarah’s vulnerability and fragility. And how pure her intentions are. She’s so unbelievably hard on herself, which comes from a place of truly loving what she does. The tragic flaw of Sarah is that looks for a sense of identity outside of herself, which ultimately leads to her downfall. It broke my heart when I read the script.
Did you audition for the role? What was that like?
AE: It was me and about 30 other girls. After an audition, I try to forget about it or you can drive yourself crazy. I didn’t hear anything for nearly four months, then I got a callback. They sent me the script, and after I read it, I told myself, I need to do everything I can do get this part. I totally fell in love with the story. So I did the callback, and after another four months, I got a call to have coffee with director Dennis (Widmyer) and we talked for about an hour about film trivia and Zulawski’s Possession, which is one of my favorite all-time horror movies. And lucky for me, my reference to Possession prompted Dennis to exclaim, “that’s actually what this film is influenced by.”
You’ve been on a few casting calls. Were there things you drew from them for this role?
AE: One thing I loved about Sarah’s experience early on in the film is how universal it is. Every actor has to deal with rejection and self-doubts. I don’t know a single actor, who after an audition, hasn’t said, “I didn’t do that right. I should have done this and made that choice.” You drive yourself crazy doing that. So, yeah, the years of casting calls, rejections and picking yourself back up—they reflect Sarah’s inner monologue, as she lives and dies by whether she’s accepted by the industry.
What was the most challenging part of bringing Sarah’s complex character to life?
AE: I would say finding what her boundaries were. Like most people, I have very definite boundaries. There are certain lines that I’m simply not interested in crossing. Sarah had to find a way to justify certain choices she made. Were I this person and had I lived this kind of life, I’d have to find all the things that surmount my personal boundaries. You have to find a way to justify everything and not judge. You can’t ever judge any character you play, otherwise, you really can’t honor them.
Do you have a favorite scene?
AE: The ending was a delight to shoot. The climax at the house was really fun. And the actors I worked with were great. Fabianne (Therese) especially, because I kill her like three times. And the kitchen was just a massacre.
How did you prepare for the physical brutality of the role? Your killing scenes were pretty intense.
AE: When you’re the antagonist and doling out punishment, you can’t really think of it as punishment or something that would horrify you. You have to regard it as work. A great example is Marathon Man where Laurence Olivier is torturing Dustin Hoffman. Olivier said that during that scene, he imagined himself pruning his roses at home. So that’s what I used during some of those violent scenes. Obviously the choices for Sarah were different, since she’s in a different headspace and completely broken down at that point.
What went through your mind when you read the script—with Sarah covered in mud and blood, and her face all bruised.
AE: Oh, bring it on. I couldn’t wait to get started. And the more crazy stuff they added, I said, “yes, more.” The priority is honoring the story.
Did you really shave your head for the final scene?
AE: No, no, no. I don’t know if I’m at that point in my career where I can pull a Natalie Portman and get away with it. We had the best effects team headed by this talented man named Hugo. He was a genius. There was nothing he couldn’t do. Once he put that bald cap on, it was the creepiest thing ever. Maybe in the future, I’ll shave my head. It’s not such a bad look for me.
What message do you think the film sends to aspiring young actresses?
AE: I hope that it sends the message that there are no real rules when it comes to making your way in this industry. Don’t ever let anyone else try and tell you who you really are. You have to know who you are or other people are going to tell you who you are.
Based on the story of “Sleeping Beauty,” Maleficent begins with the backstory of a young fairy (Isobelle Molloy), who is charged with guarding some very beautiful and pristine enchanted woods. When young Maleficent falls for farmhand Stefan (Michael Higgins), their innocent love is yanked apart by her duty to protect her woods and by Stefan’s political ambitions.
When Stefan betrays Maleficent and strips her of a key power to ensure his rise to King, hell hath no fury like a broken hearted, vengeful sorceress now deliciously played by Angelina Jolie. An older Stefan (Sharlto Copley) and Maleficent wage a battle that ends in a stalemate. When the dust settles, Maleficent crashes the christening of Stefan’s daughter, Aurora and casts an evil spell on her: she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and drift into a near-death slumber until awakened by true love’s kiss. Determined to save his daughter, Stefan destroys all spinning wheels in the kingdom and sequesters her in a wooded cabin to be raised by three little fairies.
Maleficent’s heart softens as she begins to bond with Aurora (Elle Fanning). And we’re led to believe that this relationship might stop the war that seems inevitable between humans and the creatures in Maleficent’s mystical moors. When Maleficent fails to undo Aurora’s deep-sleep spell, the three fairies drag in a young prince to kiss her. But this fails as well. Maleficent tries again, this time entering the King’s heavily guarded castle, only to be surrounded by the King’s men who trap her and nearly destroy her. But all is not lost and Aurora comes to her rescue, giving Maleficent what she needs to prevail.
Helmed by first timer and multi-Oscar-winning visual effects and production designer Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Oz the Great and Powerful, Life of Pi), Maleficent hits all the right notes in a film of this genre. Adding life to flying fairies, magical plants, and imposing tree warriors calls for lots of CGI to convey a world dominated by the mystical and Medieval.
Created for a mixed adult/teen/child audience, Maleficent walks a fine line to appease a large segment of moviegoers. The messaging is simple: forests and nature’s creature are good, betrayal and worldly ambition are bad, and true love’s kiss need no longer be defined as prince and princess.
The Blu-Ray DVD set comes with an “extras” DVD, which features deleted scenes, some behind the scenes clips, and interviews with some of the actors and crew. These extras are short but interesting, especially if you haven’t seen them in the movie promos.


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Supreme performance at extreme SPLs.
The Artist Elite AE3000 is a cardioid condenser instrument mic that excels in applications such as guitar cabinets, toms, snare, timpani and overheads. Its large-diaphragm capsule combines with the open architecture of the head case to provide an extremely accurate and open sound. Its low-profile side-address design with tapered grille allows optimal microphone positioning.
Requires phantom power.

domain: design


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Before you start competing, you better have some minis built and painted. Our How to Paint Everything and Fabricator General series are super useful, but can be intimidating if you’re completely new to the hobby.
In this article we’re going back to basics and looking at how to build and paint your very first kit. Everyone has to start somewhere, and we can help you avoid some of the common mistakes.
Building your first unit
Here’s what you’ll need to get started building your very first kit:
- A kit to assemble. It doesn’t have to be Warhammer, but a lot of our photos are going to focus on that (I’d recommend you start with a plastic kit of whatever the basic infantry is for your faction. If there is an easy to build option that’s even better, but don’t worry if not)
- Plastic glue (if you’ve ignored my advice about starting with a plastic kit, you’ll need super glue instead)
- Hobby knife
- A clean place to work
Once you’ve assembled this collection, you can get started. There are a few more things that could be helpful – a Citadel mold line cleaner is a great tool that’ll improve your experience right away, but it’s not essential (Corrode: If you’re reading this and you perhaps remember being a kid and GW selling stupid tools you didn’t really need, then trust us. It sounds like another one of those, but the mold line scraper is, genuinely, great). A file and some emery cloth is also a great addition, but again, not essential.
Here’s what we’re going to do:
Open the box of your shiny new miniatures, and get out the sprues, bases and instructions
Read the instructions! Most Games Workshop kits have great instructions included that’ll walk you through each of the steps to follow. Many newer kits have specific builds you’ll need to make or the kit won’t fit together – e.g. parts 1, 2, and 3 might all be front torsos, and 4, 5, and 6 might be backs, but you can’t just mix and match them freely. Some of the older kits don’t have quite the same requirements or quality of instruction, but even if it’s just a diagram showing you the parts needed to assemble each model it’ll help to look at it.
Work out which parts on the sprue you need to build the first step of the first model. Parts on the vast majority of Citadel sprues are numbered. If they’re not, just use your eyes to find the parts shown in the instructions.
Carefully clip the parts from the sprues. Each part is held by a number of gates which are pieces of plastic not part of the finished kit holding the part to the frame. You want to clip through the gates, putting the flat of the clippers towards the part. Clip as close to the part as possible without cutting into it. Sprues have two sides – a flat and a recessed side for the gates. Some parts will be easier to remove from one side or the other, but where possible clip from the recessed side as this will give you the best view of the part when you’re clipping so you don’t accidentally remove anything you’ll want on the mini
Once you have the parts for the first step of build instructions, it’s time to clean them up a bit. You’ll notice there are probably little bits of gate sticking out from the parts you’ve removed from the sprue. As carefully as possible use your clippers to remove as much as possible, and then use your craft knife to remove the rest. With a craft knife, safety instructions tell you to always cut away, but this can sometimes be more dangerous because it’s harder to control the pressure you’re exerting. The safest way is to wear a thumb pad or thimble, and then carefully cut towards the pad of the protected thumb. This gives you maximum control of the blade while ensuring you won’t be hurt if you slip. However, you can just be careful. If you’re trying to cut and you’re having to use a lot of force, stop. Either use the clippers to remove more of the gate first, or start by cutting way part of it rather than the whole thing. Your goal here is to have a nice smooth surface finish on the miniature
Now you want to remove any mold lines from the part. Mold lines are a natural part of the molding process, where the different sections of the mold meet and a small amount of plastic forces it’s way into the crack. Carefully turn the part over so you can see every angle, and look for fine lines running across the miniature that aren’t part of the sculpt (look at the box if you’re not sure). Using the back of your craft knife, or your mold line remover if you have one, slowly and carefully scrape along each line, so it is scraped away from the surface of the miniature. If it’s stubborn you may need to scrape across but avoid this where you can as it can leave some uneven surfaces
Now dry fit the parts together. That means getting them without glue and putting them together to make sure they fit and you know what you’re doing. Never just slap glue on and try and out it without having tried it dry first. You’re looking for there not to be large gaps that will make the finished model look bad. If the parts don’t fit together neatly, you may need to slightly trim the parts. If it’s an easy to build kit, those pins that snap into each other can be very tight, so it may be you just need to exert more (careful) force. Sometimes they just don’t line up well though, so don’t be too scared to clip off the pins and fit them together more like a traditional kit fit. Of it’s not easy to build, and the parts don’t line up check the instructions to make sure you’ve not missed anything. You can’t easily put plastic back on the parts so before trimming surfaces check. If you’re doing it right and it doesn’t line up, carefully slice or file away plastic until the fit is nice and tight. Once you’re happy…
Apply some glue. Plastic Glue is actually a cement, so it’ll melt the surfaces and bond them together permanently. Use a small amount on one surface where the parts will connect – you want an even covering of plastic glue that is just enough to make the whole surface look shiny and wet. You don’t want it dripping over the edges, or big drops of it. If you’re using Citadel glue get a single drop on the end of the applicator and then carefully wipe it over the area, only adding more when you can’t see that wetness on the surface. If you’re using a glue with a brush, use that instead. If you’re using Taimya Extra Thin… you have to make this complicated don’t you.*
If you are using super glue, follow the same principles – a thin layer across the whole surface
Now carefully line up the part without glue to the part with glue and press the surfaces to be glued together. Hold them firmly in place for 10-20 seconds (30-60 seconds for super glue). Gently release some pressure to check the bond, and if the parts come apart or a gap appears, holding them together for longer
Follow the same steps for each step of the instructions. You should end up with a miniature!
*Taimya Extra Thin is really great plastic glue but doesn’t work like most brands. It’s so thin and dries so fast if you try brushing it over a surface it’ll have dried before you put the other piece on it. Instead hold the pieces together and carefully brush the glue along the join – capillary action will draw the glue into the gap and fuse the pieces.
Priming your first models
Once you’ve built the models from your first kit, you need to get them ready for painting by priming them. This is a base layer of paint that helps other paints adhere to the model. The easiest way to prime is usually a spray primer (“rattlecan”).
Spray primer comes in many different colours, but the most common are black, white and grey. If you’re painting a unit that’s mostly one particular colour (like say an Ultramrines unit) then you might find it useful to use a Citadel spray colour, but otherwise stick with a monochrome choice. White is my recommendation for your first unit because it’s easiest to paint over. The only exception is if you’re painting a miniature whose scheme is mostly or entirely black or metallic, and doesn’t have more than a tiny amount of white, yellow or orange on it. If this is the case, use black.
There are lots of brands of rattlecan. Citadel (Games Workshop) do great sprays, if a little pricey, and I’d always say for ease on your first experience, there’s no good reason to not. Other brands vary considerably and there are so many it’s a whole article to review them all.
To prime you’ll need a day when:
- It’s not raining, snowing, hailing, sleeting or otherwise having things fall from the sky
- It’s warmer than 3°C (37°F) and cooler than about 35°C (95°F)
- It’s not noticeably humid**
You’ll also need:
- Some space outside that’s not antisocial to spray paint in
- A cardboard box to catch overspray (or somewhere you don’t care about overspray)
- A stick or strip of stiff card
- Double sided tape or blutac (as an alternative to these last two, GW make a plastic spray stick which again sounds insane but is actually a good and cheap tool. I’m sure other companies make similar things)
Attach the miniatures to your spray stick using the tape or blutac. Set up the box so that when you spray anything that doesn’t hit the model goes into the box.
Shake the primer can thoroughly – for a minute or two (seriously). It should rattle when you do this (if it doesn’t you’re not shaking vigorously enough).
Take the cap off and test a few sprays into the box just to get paint moving through the nozzle.
Set up the spray stick in the box so one side of the models is facing out (or hold one end of the stick for mavericks who don’t mind getting painty). Spray the miniatures – you want to depress the nozzle firmly (if you’re too gentle it’ll spurt droplets rather than a fine mist) for a second or two while moving the can across the miniatures in a smooth motion. You want to spray from about a foot (30cm) away. Too close and you’ll find you apply too much paint by mistake, too far, and the paint will slightly dry in the air before it hits the mini, and you’ll get a rough surface.
When you’ve sprayed from one angle move the stick so you can hit the other parts of the minis.
It takes a little practice but you’ll get there. You’re looking for smooth consistent application across the whole model. It shouldn’t fill in the recess detail, but should be a solid consistent colour. If you think you might have oversprayed, don’t panic, wait for it to dry and see then – primer shrinks slightly as it dries, so it might be fine.
If you do end up making a mistake here, that can honestly suck. It’s hard to rectify a problem at this stage. If you’re concerned use the left over sprue you have from the kit to practice on until you’re happy.
** But Goonhammer, I hear you say, I live in a swamp. Well, if so rattlecan might not be for you – a brush on primer could work, or you could get an airbrush if you’re really going in hard (Google it).
Now we’re ready to paint! You’ll want the following for your first unit:
- An old plate or tile as a palette (or an actual palette or even Citadel palette paper if you’re feeling fancy)
- A brush for basecoating (Citadel medium base brush is a good start) and a brush for details (Citadel small layer for example)
- A cup with some fresh clean water in it
- Some paper towel
- Some paints! You specifically need acrylic paints for miniatures. You only need a small number of paints to start – 3-5 colours and a shade/wash is a good start. So for Ultramarines you should grab Macragge Blue, Abaddon Black, Retributor Armour, Mephiston Red, Leadbelcher and Nuln Oil
- A place with decent light (a table by a window if the daylight is strong, or a desk lamp)
Set up your painting area in good light. With your base brush get a small amount of your first base colour and put it on the palette. Wash the brush out in the water and dry it on the paper towel. If colour comes out onto the towel, wash it more. Now get a small amount of water on your brush and add it to the paint until it’s smooth (ie thin your paints).
Now apply the paint to the sections of the model you want that colour. You don’t need much paint on the brush – enough the brush looks the colour of the paint but not enough it might drip. You don’t want paint more than two thirds of the way up the bristles – any further and you risk getting paint in the ferrule (the metal bit) which will ruin your brush pretty effectively. When you hold your brush, don’t hold it right by the bristles, it’s not a pen. Hold it about halfway along its length – it’ll feel weird to start with, but will improve your painting in the long term.
Apply it thinly and smoothly as best you can. Wait for it to dry and apply a second coat. If the colour isn’t strong and consistent, do a third.
Now clean your brush thoroughly and do the next colour. Generally you want to paint inside out. That means doing the colours that are most recessed, so hardest to get to, first. If when you’re painting a colour you accidentally get paint on an area you already painted a different colour, don’t worry, go back and tidy up with the previous colour.
You may find your paint dries on the palette – make sure it’s still smooth as you’re painting, adding more water if you need to. If it dries up to much, you may just need more paint***.
Once all of your model (other than the base) has paint on it, and it’s completely dry, use your shade on the mini. You probably want Nuln Oil for your first paintjobs because you can put it on almost anything. Using your base brush, get a decent amount of the shade on the brush (way more than would be acceptable for normal paint) and slop it all over. You’re looking for it to flow into the recesses to create shadows, but not pool on the raised surfaces. If you get too much on there, dry your brush and use it to soak up the excess.
Wait for the shade to completely dry (20-30 minutes).
Now using the detail brush, carefully reapply base coat colours to each area, only putting paint on the raised areas, and not in the recesses. You’ll quickly find you soon have a miniature with lots of depth for very little work!
Basing your models
Wait, there’s another step! Your lovely miniatures are now stood on a boring flat little disc. We need to change that. If you want quick and easy you’ll need:
- An old brush or a Citadel modelling tool or other similar tool
- A Citadel Texture Paint that isn’t Valhallan Blizzard
- A normal paint that roughly matches the colour of the texture paint (like Steel Legion Drab for Aggrellan Earth)
Paint the whole base including the rim with your normal paint, two thin coats, Yadda Yadda.
Once dry, using the old brush/tool apply the texture paint to the top of the base, being careful not to get it on the feet of the mini. If it’s a paint that gives a crackle effect, the thicker the layer the larger the cracks.
Leave it to dry overnight and boom, finished mini.
If you’re looking to do something particularly fancy, we’ve already done a bunch of articles on bases, which you can find here:
You’re All Set
At this point you should have everything you need to get started, from basic equipment to assembly to priming to painting to basing. If it seems daunting, just remember that deep in everyone’s closet is a shameful first model that looks terrible. Just take things one step at a time and eventually you’ll be painting carefully-crafted jewels of wonder. And as always, if you have any questions or feedback, drop us a note in the comments below or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: hobby


Quick Guide to Precision Measuring Instruments
PG11Quick Guide to Measurement4. Wipe off the measuring faces of both the anvil and spindle with lint-freepaper set the start (zero) point before measuring.Testing Flatness of Micrometer Measuring FacesTesting Parallelism of Micrometer Measuring FacesParallelism can be estimated using an optical parallel held between the faces. Firstly, wring the parallel to the anvil measuring face. Then close the spindle on the parallel using normal measuring force and count the number of red interference fringes seen on the measuring face of the spindle in white light. Each fringe represents a half wavelength difference in height (0.32μm for red fringes).In the above gure a parallelism of approximately 1µm is obtained from 0.32µm x 3=0.96µm.Optical parallel reading direction on the spindle sideOptical parallelアンビル側Fringes on the spindle sideGeneral notes on using the micrometer1. Carefully check the type, measuring range, accuracy, and other specications to select the appropriate model for your application.2. Leave the micrometer and workpiece at room temperature long enough for their temperatures to equalize before making a measurement.3. Look directly at the ducial line when taking a reading against the thimble graduations.If the graduation lines are viewed from an angle, the correct alignment position of the lines cannot be read due to parallax error.SleeveThimble(c)(b)(a)(b) Looking directly at the index line(c) From below the index line(a) From above the index lineMeasuring face is curved by approximately 1.3μm. (0.32μm x 4 paired red fringes.)Measuring face is concave (or convex) approximately 0.6μm deep. (0.32μm x 2 continuous fringes)Optical atOptical atAnvilAnvilInterference fringe reading directionFlatness can be estimated using an optical at (or parallel) held against a face. Count the number of red interference fringes seen on the measuring face in white light. Each fringe represents a half wavelength difference in height (0.32μm for red).5. Wipe away any dust, chips and other debris from the circumference and measuring face of the spindle as part of daily maintenance. In addition, sufciently wipe off any stains and ngerprints on each part with dry cloth.6. Use the constant-force device correctly so that measurements are performed with the correct measuring force.7. When attaching the micrometer onto a micrometer stand, the stand should clamp the center of the micrometer frame. Do not clamp it too tightly.8. Be careful not to drop or bump the micrometer on anything. Do not rotate the micrometer thimble using excessive force. If you believe a micrometer may have been damaged due to accidental mishandling, ensure that it is inspected for accuracy before further use.9. After a long storage period or when there is no protective oil lm visible, lightly apply anti-corrosion oil to the micrometer by wiping with a cloth soaked in it.10. Notes on storage:Avoid storing the micrometer in direct sunlight.Store the micrometer in a ventilated place with low humidity.Store the micrometer in a place with little dust.Store the micrometer in a case or other container, which should not be kept on the oor.When storing the micrometer, always leave a gap of 0.1 to 1 mm between the measuring faces.Do not store the micrometer in a clamped state.


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BCA’s latest Pulse report shows that average values rose in December in a short month for trading that was also very short of stock.
With only three full weeks of trading and business trailing off in the week before Christmas, entered and sold volumes fell sharply as the markets wound up for Christmas and the snow took its toll.
As a result, average values climbed as professional buyers competed strongly to secure stock for the new year and beat the anticipated January price rises.
The average used car value at BCA in December rose by £113 to £5,905 from the £5,792 recorded in Novem-ber (and October).
Performance against CAP Clean improved by over a point to 97.4% from 96.3% the previous month.
Year-on-year, values are £283 behind December 2009, a fall of 4.7%. Values remain well ahead compared to December two years ago, however, with £1,042 separating the two figures.
BCA communications director Tony Gannon said: “December often sees a surge in prices as professional dealers acquire stock in readiness for the New Year and 2010 was no exception.
“However, the weather’s influence was a significant factor as it left remarketing centres very short of stock – on top of the seasonal slowdown and reduced trading period.”
Fleet values increased by £120 (1.7%) to £7,235, ending two consecutive monthly falls. Year-on-year values are ahead by £210 (3%), with fleet cars averaging 96.72% of CAP Clean in December.
Short supply and decent demand buoyed values in the part-exchange sector, which climbed from £2,648 to £2,705 in December – the joint highest value recorded last year and the second highest value on record.
Nearly-new average values climbed from £18,204 to £21,691, with CAP performance up 5% to nearly 107%.
Gannon added “January generally brings a further uplift in activity, and this is typically sustained until the Easter period – which usually represents a watershed in demand.
"The months immediately ahead are unlikely to see any significant increase in available volumes, which means average values should remain relatively stable in the short term.”
Gannon warned however “The economy is best described as fragile and we will be seeing the early effects of the VAT increase alongside continuing rising fuel costs, which means most families will have a little less flexibility in their budgets than last year.
"It’s not the kind of environment that is likely to generate much growth in big ticket sales, so we shouldn’t expect to see any major peaks in used car demand during the first quarter at least.”

domain: news


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There’s something about poke cake recipes that make me really excited to eat dessert. I love all the yumminess inside the cake, not to mention the goodness on top!
Poke cakes are perfect desserts for summer parties and BBQ’s. This round up features some of the easiest and yummiest poke cakes out there! I won’t judge you if you bake your way through this list. 😉
Raspberry Almond Poke Cake from Beyond Frosting
Coconut Cream Poke Cake from Dessert Now, Dinner Later
Easy Banana Pudding Cake from Your Cup of Cake
Mint Chocolate Poke Cake from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Almond Joy Poke Cake from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
Tres Leches Cake from Urban Bakes
Root Beer Float Poke Cake from Wine and Glue
Caramel Spice Poke Cake from Oh, Sweet Basil
Cannoli Poke Cake from Life, Love & Sugar
Key Lime Poke Cake from Your Cup of Cake
Black Forest Poke Cake from Beyond Frosting
Caramel Apple Poke Cake from Wine and Glue
Chocolate Nutella Poke Cake from Color Me Meg
Looking for more great dessert round ups? Here are some of my favorites!

domain: food


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Kaposi's Sarcoma: Introduction
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancerous tumor of the connective tissue, and is often associated with AIDS.
More detailed information about the symptoms,
causes, and treatments of Kaposi's Sarcoma is available below.
Symptoms of Kaposi's Sarcoma
See full list of 13
symptoms of Kaposi's Sarcoma
Treatments for Kaposi's Sarcoma
- Immune stimulation
- Treatment decisions depend on the extent and location of the lesions, as well as the person's symptoms and degree of immunosuppression. Antiviral therapy against the AIDS virus can shrink the lesions
- Radiation therapy or cryotherapy can be used for lesions in certain areas. Combination chemotherapy may also be used. However, lesions may return after treatment
- more treatments...»
Read more about treatments for Kaposi's Sarcoma
Home Diagnostic Testing
Home medical testing related to Kaposi's Sarcoma:
Wrongly Diagnosed with Kaposi's Sarcoma?
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Related Patient Stories
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Deaths
Read more about Deaths and Kaposi's Sarcoma.
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Complications
Review possible medical complications related to Kaposi's Sarcoma:
- Internal bleeding
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Kaposi's sarcoma can involve the lungs and cause significant symptoms, including cough and shortness of breath. This diagnosis is made by a CT scan of the chest and a bronchoscopy. The tumors can return even after apparently successful treatment. Kaposi's sarcoma can be fatal for a person with AIDS
- more complications...»
Causes of Kaposi's Sarcoma
- In people with AIDS, Kaposi's sarcoma is caused by an interaction between HIV, a weakened immune system, and the human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). Occurrence of Kaposi's sarcoma has been linked to the spread of HIV and HHV-8 through sexual activity
- People who have kidney transplants are also at risk for Kaposi's sarcoma
- more causes...»
Read more about causes of Kaposi's Sarcoma
More information about causes of Kaposi's Sarcoma:
Disease Topics Related To Kaposi's Sarcoma
Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Kaposi's Sarcoma:
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Undiagnosed Conditions
Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:
Misdiagnosis and Kaposi's Sarcoma
Chronic digestive conditions often misdiagnosed: When diagnosing chronic symptoms
of the digestive tract, there are a variety of conditions that may be misdiagnosed.
The best known, irritable bowel syndrome, is over-diagnosed,...read more »
Intestinal bacteria disorder may be hidden cause: One of the lesser known causes of diarrhea
is an imbalance of bacterial in the gut, sometimes called intestinal imbalance.
The digestive system contains a variety of...read more »
Antibiotics often causes diarrhea: The use of antibiotics are very likely
to cause some level of diarrhea in patients.
The reason is that antibiotics kill off not only "bad"...read more »
Food poisoning may actually be an infectious disease: Many people who come down
with "stomach symptoms" like diarrhea assume that it's "something I ate" (i.e. food...read more »
Mesenteric adenitis misdiagnosed as appendicitis in children: Because appendicitis is one of the
more feared conditions for a child with abdominal...read more »
Spitz nevi misdiagnosed as dangerous melanoma skin cancer: One possible misdiagnosis to
consider in lieu of melanoma is spitz nevi.
See melanoma and spitz nevi....read more »
Psoriasis often undiagnosed cause of skin symptoms in children: Children who suffer
from the skin disorder called psoriasis can often go undiagnosed.
The main problem is that psoriasis is rare in children, and not often
seen by...read more »
Celiac disease often fails to be diagnosed cause of chronic digestive symptoms: One of the most common chronic digestive
conditions is celiac disease, a malabsorption disorder with a variety of symptoms (see symptoms of
celiac...read more »
Chronic digestive diseases hard to diagnose: There is an inherent
difficulty in diagnosing the various types of chronic digestive diseases.
Some of the better known possibilities are peptic ulcer, colon cancer...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Kaposi's Sarcoma
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Research Doctors & Specialists
Research related physicians and medical specialists:
- Cancer Specialists:
- Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists:
- Immune-Related Disease Specialists (Immunology):
- Digestive Health Specialists (Gastroenterology):
- more specialists...»
Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:
Hospitals & Clinics: Kaposi's Sarcoma
Research quality ratings and patient safety measures
for medical facilities in specialties related to Kaposi's Sarcoma:
Hospital & Clinic quality ratings »
Choosing the Best Hospital:
More general information, not necessarily in relation to Kaposi's Sarcoma,
on hospital performance and surgical care quality:
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Rare Types
Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:
Latest Treatments for Kaposi's Sarcoma
See full list of 19
latest treatments for Kaposi's Sarcoma
Evidence Based Medicine Research for Kaposi's Sarcoma
Medical research articles related to Kaposi's Sarcoma include:
Click here to find more evidence-based articles on the TRIP Database
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Animations
More Kaposi's Sarcoma animations & videos
Prognosis for Kaposi's Sarcoma
Prognosis for Kaposi's Sarcoma:
Treatment and remission of Kaposi's sarcoma does not improve the chances of survival from AIDS itself. The outlook depends on the immune status and HIV viral load of the patient.
More about prognosis of Kaposi's Sarcoma
Research about Kaposi's Sarcoma
Visit our research pages for current research about Kaposi's Sarcoma treatments.
Statistics for Kaposi's Sarcoma
Kaposi's Sarcoma: Broader Related Topics
Types of Kaposi's Sarcoma
Kaposi's Sarcoma Message Boards
Related forums and medical stories:
User Interactive Forums
Read about other experiences, ask a question about Kaposi's Sarcoma, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:
Definitions of Kaposi's Sarcoma:
A malignant vascular tumor characterized by the abnormal growth of blood vessels, that develop into skin lesions and appears as purple spots or small knots on the skin or mouth. It may also occur internally. It generally develops in those with a weak immune system, including those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
- (Source - Diseases Database)
A sarcoma that starts with purplish spots on the feet and legs and spreads from the skin to lymph nodes and internal organs; a common manifestation of AIDS; "until 1980 Kaposi's sarcoma occurred almost exclusively with Jewish or Italian or black men"
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)
Kaposi's Sarcoma is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of
Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). This means that Kaposi's Sarcoma, or a subtype of Kaposi's Sarcoma,
affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Ophanet, a consortium of European partners,
currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000.
They list Kaposi's Sarcoma as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet
Contents for Kaposi's Sarcoma:
User Surveys and Discussion Forums
» Next page: What is Kaposi's Sarcoma?
Medical Tools & Articles:
Tools & Services:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:

domain: medical


(Image source from: Instagram.com/shrutzhaasan)
Shruti Haasan Joining Vakeel Saab Shoot:- The actor-politician Pawan Kalyan comeback movie 'Vakeel Saab' which is a remake of the bollywood film Pink produced by Dil Raju and Boney Kapoor. Due to Coronavirus pandemic, the shooting of this film has been halted. And few days back this movie shooting was resumed and the actor Pawan Kalyan also joined the sets. With some crew members, now the shooting is going on in the Annapurna Studios. And also shooted some key scenes with the lead actor Pawan Kalyan.
As per we know that Shruti Haasan is playing the female lead in this movie. Actress Shruti Haasan already played lead roles with Pawan Kalyan in movies Gabbar Singh and Katamarayudu. According to the latest news, Shruti Haasan will be joining the Vakeel Saab movie shooting from December.
For the first time, Powerstar Pawan Kalyan is playing the role of a lawyer in his career. This movie is directed by Venu Sriram and the music is given by S Thaman. The film is expected to release for Sankranthi 2021. In this film, Anjali and Nivetha Thomas were also playing in the crucial roles.


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Visiting Research Fellows
The following is a list of scholars and their projects currently affiliated with the Institute:
- Dr Rupert Arrowsmith (University College London) is editing Wiliam Empson’s The Face of the Buddha for Oxford University Press.
- Dr Emily Coit (Princeton University) is a specialist on the work of Henry James. The title of her project is "Rare Discrimination: Literary Cosmopolites and the Problem of Liberal Culture".
- Dr Caroline Hamilton (University of Melbourne) is researching "Off the Shelf: the book as a Multi-Function Device"which aims to study and compare new practices of use involving e-book readers, such as the Kindle, Sony Reader and the iPad, with older forms and technologies of the book.
- Professor Temur Kobakhidze (Caucasus International University) is carrying out research related to time and myth in modernist poetry for his monograph provisionally titled T.S. Eliot and the Literary Aesthetics of High Modernism.
- Dr Tadashi Kotake is a Postdoctoral Fellow for Research Abroad, sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. He is editing the Rushworth Gospels (Oxford, Bodleian MS Auct. D.2.19) on the basis of philological and historical research
- Dr Caroline Maclean (Queen's College Oxford) researches the way(s) in which the early twentieth-century vogue for Russia entered the story of modernism in Britain. Her book The Vogue for Russia: Modernism and the Unseen in Britain, 1900-1930 is forthcoming from Edinburgh University Press.
- Professor Susan Powell (University of Salford, Manchester) is working on a project ‘Mirk’s Festial: 150 years of book and language history’to assess its impact within a rapidly changing religious/political situation and to analyse the forms in which it was disseminated.
- Dr Antonija Primorac (University of Split, Croatia). Dr Primorac's research focuses on the literature of the long nineteenth century, contemporary adaptations and appropriations of ninetheent-century classics in film and fiction, and material culturee studies. She is writing a monograph on this subject under the working title "Neo-Victorianism on Screen: Imag(in)ing the Long Nineteenth Century Today".
- Dr Susan Rudy (University of Calgary) is completing a monograph on "Poetries of Enactment: Contemporary Innovative Poetry by Women in Britain and North America", which covers figures such as Nicole Brossard, Erín Moure, Lisa Robertson, Andrea Brady and Caroline Bergvall.
- Dr Nicholas Sparks (University of Cambridge) is working on the MSS of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
- Jane Wellesley (Independent Scholar) is working on a biographical project about her grandmother, the poet Dorothy Wellesley
- Dr Aakanksha Virkar-Yates (University of Sussex) is completing a monograph on The Mysticism of Gerard Manley Hopkins which will be published by Ashgate. Her study moves against the current tide of literary criticism in placing the nineteenth-century Jesuit poet within the tradition of Christian mysticism. She argues for the central influence on Hopkins of the "philosophical spirituality" which originates in the early Alexandrian school with Clement of Alexandria and Origen.

domain: library


In case there was any doubt how tough of a competitor UFC champ Jon Jones is, get a load of this.
According to Jones' coach Mike Winkeljohn, Jones sustained an injury so bad in training that he couldn't lift his arm above his head just two days before knocking out Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 214.
Talking with Submission Radio, Winkeljohn had this to say about how serious the injury was leading up to the fight:
Jones of course knocked out Cormier in the third round of the fight to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight belt but in hindsight this might explain some of the posturing throughout the fight's first two rounds in which Cormier seemed to have the upperhand through a strategy of keeping Jones off balance via stunting take down attempts.
With Cormier's extensive wrestling background, it makes sense that if Jones was in fact carrying an injury like that into the fight that he would avoid going to the ground with Cormier at all costs.
Either way, the fight seemed to workout just fine for Jones in the end as his sheer ability shown through with a vicious head kick.
Checkout Winkeljohn's full interview with Submission Radio below:


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This essay will examine how addiction is defined, and why or if it is recognized as a disease addiction can be defined as a behaviour that creates physical and. The abuse of drugs is a social problem that cuts across all races and economic backgrounds affecting millions of individuals both young and old. 'addiction a disease or behavior' - peer review needed for research paper addiction a disease or behavior home / research papers / 'addiction a disease or. The science is indisputable: addiction is a chronic disease that changes the brain get the facts about addiction, its cost to society, and its harmful stigma the. Graybeal november 7, 2012 addiction: a decision or disease drug and alcohol addiction is a very serious and widespread problem in america, and across the. The disease model of addiction is the conventional one of the first scientific papers on the effects recovery first treatment center is a joint.
Essay on is addiction a disease stanley peele addresses the issue, that addiction is now becoming accepted by others as more than just drug addiction but other forms. Is addiction a disease essay, buy custom is addiction a disease essay paper cheap, is addiction a disease essay paper sample, is addiction a disease essay. Webmd explains how drug use can lead to addiction, and why drug addiction is considered a disease.
Many people believe the misconception that an addiction is a moral problem and not a disease to better understand the reasons why an additicition is in fact a. Addiction: a desease or a choice essays drugs addiction the states' failure to support higher education is addiction a disease. Have you ever battled with the idea that maybe being a drug addict is a disease and not a choice.
Addiction is a choice saved essays although some professionals hold to the idea that addiction is a disease treatable with medication. Free essay: if addiction is put in the disease category, it alleviates shame and gets people to seek treatment sooner addiction can be referred to as a. Addiction is not a disease addiction how to write a disease essay censorship write a disease essay stating whether certain television programs that are.
People argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice today, i will be discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic. Read this essay on addiction a disease come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. Is addiction a disease this essay is addiction a disease is available for you on essays24com search term papers, college essay examples and free essays on essays24.
Is drug addiction a disease or a choice introduction have you in any way contemplated whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. For example, in his capacity as the director of the national institute on drug abuse, alan leshner wrote that the reason we ought to think of addiction as a disease.

domain: sociology


On Wednesday, Cisco announced two critical security warnings in regard to issues with its SD-WAN software and DNA Center software.
The most critical warning was for Cisco's Digital Network Architecture (DNA) software that "could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to bypass authentication and access critical internal services," according to the Cisco Security Advisory.
"The vulnerability is due to insufficient access restriction to ports necessary for system operation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting an unauthorized network device to the subnet designated for cluster services," according to the advisory. "A successful exploit could allow an attacker to reach internal services that are not hardened for external access."
The DNA Center security issue rated a 9.3 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS.) The vulnerability affects Cisco DNA Center software releases prior to 1.3. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability, but it said there are no workarounds. Cisco said that system updates are available for installation from the Cisco cloud, but not from the Software Center on Cisco.com.
The Cisco DNA Center is the network management and command center for Cisco DNA. It uses software-defined access to help IT professionals establish polices that are provisioned through Cisco's DNA Automation.
In 2017, Cisco introduced intent-based networking with the launch of DNA Center at Cisco Live. At last week's Cisco Live conference, the company announced its AI Network Analytics will be a standard piece of Cisco DNA Center Assurance, and will be available in the next version of Cisco DNA Center, which is slated for release this summer. Cisco said AI Network Analytics would be included in the Cisco DNA Advantage licensing tier.
Threat to CLI of SD-WAN
The second critical warning was for vulnerability in the CLI (command line interface) of Cisco's SD-WAN solution, which could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate lower-level privileges to the root user on an affected device.
"The vulnerability is due to insufficient authorization enforcement," Cisco wrote in its security advisory. "An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the targeted device and executing commands that could lead to elevated privileges. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to make configuration changes to the system as the root user."
The SD-WAN critical security vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.8. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability, but said there are no workarounds that address it.
This SD-WAN vulnerability affects the following Cisco products that are running a release of the Cisco SD-WAN solution prior to releases 18.3.6, 18.4.1, and 19.1.0:
- vBond Orchestrator Software
- vEdge 100 Series Routers
- vEdge 1000 Series Routers
- vEdge 2000 Series Routers
- vEdge 5000 Series Routers
- vEdge Cloud Router Platform
- vManage Network Management Software
- vSmart Controller Software


India on Wednesday reported 115,736 new cases of coronavirus, the highest single-day total since the pandemic began, according to a CNN tally of figures from the Indian Ministry of Health.
India has seen a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases since March. On Monday, the country reported 103,558 new cases, surpassing the previous daily high of nearly 98,000 cases recorded during the peak of the first wave in September last year.
“The impact of the pandemic has worsened in the country. Warnings were given that the situation should not be taken for granted...the rate of rising cases is higher than it was last time,” V K Paul, a member of Indian government-led think-tank Niti Aayog, said Tuesday. He added the next four weeks would be critical.
On Wednesday, India also reported 630 virus-related fatalities. Its total coronavirus death toll now stands at 166,177, according to the Ministry of Health.
New restrictions: Several Indian cities and states have reinstated coronavirus restrictions in the second wave. Maharashtra has imposed weekend lockdowns and curfews, the union territory of Delhi has ordered a night curfew, and in the western state of Gujarat, a night curfew has been implemented in 20 cities.
Some states, including Maharashtra and Delhi, have asked the central government to lower the age restriction of those eligible to take the Covid-19 vaccine, which is currently set at 45.
However, the government said Tuesday it is necessary to vaccinate healthcare workers and vulnerable groups first.
“The goal is to save those who are vulnerable and protect the healthcare systems, the goal is never to give the vaccine to those who want it, the goal is to give it to those who need it,” Rajesh Bhushan, secretary of the Indian Ministry of Health said.


The Piers Gaveston Society has been described by high-society magazine Tatler as probably the “coolest” of the Oxford University drinking clubs.
The club, supposedly named after the favourite and supposed lover of King Edward II, is said to host wild parties which in the past have involved mass drug-taking and live sex shows, certainly mark it down as among the most debauched, in a crowded field.
Now, like the Bullingdon Club before it, it is in the news because of an alleged association with David Cameron – and lurid claims of an initiation ceremony allegedly involving a dead pig.
In their new book on Cameron, serialised in the Daily Mail, Lord Ashcroft and Isabel Oakeshott quote a former MP and “distinguished” contemporary from the prime minister’s time at Brasenose College, Oxford, between 1985-88. The source, now said to be an MP, reportedly claims that “the future PM inserted a private part of his anatomy into the animal’s mouth”.
The source even alleges there is photographic evidence of the ceremony, it is claimed. But when the authors contacted the person said to own the picture, they did not get a response, the Mail reports.
Despite being named after Piers Gaveston, First Earl of Cornwall, who died at the hands of angry noblemen in 1312, the club was founded only in 1977.
It is highly secretive and is said to have only 12 members, all of them good-looking public schoolboys. Their motto is "Fane non memini ne audisse unum alterum ita dilixisse" - which roughly translated is: "Truly, none remember hearing of a man enjoying another so much."
Aside from quaffing champagne and eating caviar, the centrepiece of the ‘Piers Gav’ social calendar is its summer ball. Each member invites 20 guests, who are bussed out to a secret location for a party that on occasion has been described as “a well organised orgy”.
Guests – men wearing drag, women ‘hooker’ costumers – are bussed out to a secret location, often a country mansion, for an evening of bizarre rituals, drugs, pumping dancing music and sexual excess.
One year, party-goers were reportedly blindfolded and arrived at the venue to witness a live sex show, with drugs of all kinds alleged to have been freely available.
The degrees of excess have apparently waxed and waned over the years, however: one event in the early 2000s is said to have resembled a candlelit drum and bass rave in a damp field.
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THREE of Australia’s best stayers will do battle in the Group 1 Association Cup final next Saturday night after three heats of the $75,000-to-the-winner race were run and won at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
The first heat was an open affair with Ted Medhurst’s Lillycette starting the punter’s elect from box four. The Tasmanian bitch began brilliantly from the middle alley, but was headed early by Unix Bale (box two) which punched up along the rail to take the lead. Past the post on the first occasion and Unix Bale was well out in front, with Zipping Felix (box seven) making good ground into second spot. Marty Hallinan’s greyhound started taking ground off the leader down the back before railing through and assuming the lead on the home turn, kicking clear to score by four-and-three-quarter lengths in 41.99 ahead of Lillycette and a tiring Unix Bale back in third.
The second heat was set to be a clash between terrific staying bitches Lady Toy (box five) and Sweet It Is (box two), the latter resuming from more than three months on the sidelines, but it turned out to be a one act affair. Sweet It Is, a multiple Group 1 winner, began uncharacteristically well but was severely checked in the early stages, being relegated back to fourth behind lamplighter Nicki Fields (box four). Lady Toy on the other hand was able to zip around the outside of the leader in the home straight on the first occasion and from there she put on a terrific front-running display, with the super-strong Sweet It Is unable to get within seven-and-a-half lengths of the winner on the line which clocked a sensational 41.90. Both bitches will line up in the decider next week, with Sweet It Is sure to strip fitter for her run in the heat.
Space Star (box six) was a dominant favourite in the third and final qualifier, where he was first up after finishing third in the Group 1 Superstayers at The Meadows earlier this month. Stepping well, the black chaser showed why he is currently rated the best stayer in the country, scoring a terrific 41.71 victory after leading throughout ahead of Zipping Maggie and Opec Bale.
Trained by Rob Britton, Space Star has now won 21 of his 33 career starts with nine minor placings.
Group 1 Association Cup box draw
Box One – Lady Toy – Brooke Ennis
Box Two – Space Star – Rob Britton
Box Three – Lillycette – Ted Medhurst
Box Four – Sweet It Is – Braden Finn
Box Five – Zipping Felix – Marty Hallinan
Box Six – Zipping Maggie – Marty Hallinan
Box Seven – Unix Bale – Steve Collins
Box Eight – Opec Bale – Mark Delbridge
1st Reserve – Nicki Fields – Gerard O’Keefe
2nd Reserve – Blinker’s On – Brooke Ennis