text:
Uncyclopedia:Pee Review/Gravity's Rainbow (rewrite)

From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

edit Gravity's Rainbow

Guildensternenstein 04:18, 5 February 2009 (UTC)

Looks like it should go in the unbook section. Were you forced to study this work for an exam ? --Romartus 13:57, 5 February 2009 (UTC)

Actually it shouldn't go in the UnBooks section because it's an article about the book, not like a condensed version of the book or a "book" spoofing the actual book or anything like that. And no, quite the opposite. Gravity's Rainbow is actually my all-time favorite book. I wrote this article because there wasn't an existing one on the subject. I don't have a problem poking fun at things that I actually *like* haha. The Pynchon fan who reviewed the first version of this article thought the same way.

--Guildensternenstein 17:42, 5 February 2009 (UTC)

Please note that I have never read this book, but I am familiar with Thomas Pynchon.

Humour: 6 One-trick pony. Constant references to coitus do not a humourous article make. By the time I reached the character section I was well and truly tired of reading about which characters were fucking each other. Unfortunately the emphasis on sex means that the other characteristics of Pynchon's writing are mostly ignored: dense, meandering, dead-end storylines; ludicrous characters; random poetic licence with historical events... Let's face it: Pynchon is ridiculous, and the problem is that this article only exploits one facet of his madness.
Concept: 5 The problem with making fun of one of Thomas Pynchon's existing works is that it is impossible to make the article more ridiculous than the novel itself. Also, this article does not endear itself to the casual reader at all. Lots of people have picked up a Pynchon, but most haven't been able to get all the way through. I have read Against The Day, so I have some conception of what you are talking about.

In my opinion, you and TPLN should collaborate on an UnBook about Thomas Pynchon's lost works, full of silly one-shot paragraphs that reflect the collected insanity of a Pynchon novel. This would allow you to replicate the style, lambast the books, and not be cramped by an existing work.

Prose and formatting: 9 It's not a 10 because you misspelt the word "Dutch". 10s are pretty rare from me, though, and I've already given you two today.
Images: 7 Adequate, the V-2 is the best image. It needs, dare I say it, more cowbell.
Miscellaneous: 6 Dense, confusing, fucking. At least it's authentic.
Final Score: 33 You've got a Pynchon inside you, but it's not this one.
Reviewer: IronLung 03:45, 8 February 2009 (UTC)
Personal tools


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Type: response

text:
User talk:ZeMacroKiller98

From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

edit Welcome

Fight your corner or climb a modern day icon to make a point.

Hello, ZeMacroKiller98, and welcome to Uncyclopedia. This is a wiki (a collection of pages anyone can edit). Words in blue are "links" and can be clicked to take you to another page. This wiki is for comedy. It pretends it's Wikipedia, but we make people laugh, not bore them. If you aren't interested in a fake encyclopedia but in fake news stories, we have UnNews, and there are other projects forscripts, lyrics, how-to guides, books, etc.

What you can do

You can create your own article. It is better to do it under your won name, if, for example, you are not sure whether you will finish it; for example, User:ZeMacroKiller98/An article. (The red instead of blue is a link to a page that doesn't yet exist.) If you don't have any ideas, we have alist of articles that need to be created.

If you've written an article, we have a Proofreading service where someone will correct your mistakes, and areview process where another Uncyclopedian will read your article and suggest improvements.

You can help without writing articles; just read articles and, if you see an improvement in writing or in comedy, jump in and edit it. In fact, you can help without writing at all, such as organizing,watching for vandals, or even greeting other new users.

What you need

To write articles, you need a sense of humor and an ability to write good English. We all have strengths and weaknesses and you can get help in any area. But everyone needs an ability to work with other people. Be polite, positive, and helpful toward others, and assume others are doing the same toward you.

What to read
  • And finally, this guide will tell you what can be funny and what cannot and whether some jokes have already been overused.
For personal help
  • Active administrators of Uncyclopedia are able to help you. In addition to that they are paid twice as much as we are, however, they still cannot afford a cup of coffee;
  • Several experienced Uncyclopedians have indicated their willingness to adopt new users;
  • Finally, you can ask questions on your (here) or on my talk page. And I will be willing to help you!
How to post to talk pages

Please follow these general rules:

  • Add comments at the end of a talk page so people notice your addition.
  • Start your paragraphs with one or more ":" characters to indent them and set them off from other people's posts.
  • At the end, type ~~~~ (four tildes), which gets replaced by your signature(you can set it up using Preferences) and the date and time of your post.
  • Don't delete anyone's messages. In case of any controversy, we depend on an accurate record of what was written. You may disavow your remarks by striking them through like this.

I hope you enjoy it here!--LaurelsRomArtus*Imperator ITRA (Orate) ® 09:32, August 25, 2013 (UTC)

Hello and welcome! I have a reply to your query at User talk:Romartus. Also: Initial quotations are falling out of favor on this website; please ensure that any you add are truly funny and directly relate to the article. The function of the start of an article is to resemble an encyclopedia and to induce the reader to read on; if a quotation doesn't do this, the article is better off without them. See my comment today at User talk:Frakshad. Spıke Ѧ 13:26 25-Aug-13
PS--You reply at User talk:Romartus about your tendency to jumble facts and fantasy, and indeed that is a thoroughly fine humor style. One perfect destination for this humor style is our UnNews project. Also, do read HTBFANJS; it talks about humor in the abstract, and there are many things that seem funny to the typist but have just been done too many times to be funny to the reader. Separately, I hate to split a conversation over two pages like this, but am not sure you know how to use the My watchlist button up at the top to check for changes to pages you have edited recently. Spıke Ѧ 14:09 25-Aug-13

edit Hello there!

I'm afraid to say that another noob has edited your user page (I presume without permission). Just to let you know he has added the article HowTo:Infect your computer with Malware. to your article list. I have left the option of undoing his changes to you as although he was not allowed to change your user page, it seemed helpful. Sir ScottPat (talk) White Ensign Scotland Flag 1 Compassrose VFH UnS NotM WotM WotY 11:37, August 30, 2013 (UTC)

PS - You should not have a full stop in an article's title. Shall I move the article for you to get rid of the full-stop? Sir ScottPat (talk) White Ensign Scotland Flag 1 Compassrose VFH UnS NotM WotM WotY 11:37, August 30, 2013 (UTC)

Hello ScottPat, thank you for informing me about the situation at hand.
Yes, I am quite fine with the edit made by Tyrone McGee, as long as it wasn't vandalism/offense or non-constructive revisions, I'm fine with it all. As for the recent HowTo article, removal of the full stop is fine by me, sorry about that, really stupid mistake I made.
Anyways, nice knowing to receive a message (Heh, I've been inactive for about four days). I'm hoping to continue participating as a Member of the Order of Uncyclopedia. Cheers! --ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 12:24, August 30, 2013 (UTC)
Good on you mate. Just remember, don't forget to indent your lines when replying on a talk page. I'll move your article now without leaving a redirect so you can only access it here now: HowTo:Infect your computer with Malware. Thanks for your time. Sir ScottPat (talk) White Ensign Scotland Flag 1 Compassrose VFH UnS NotM WotM WotY 12:38, August 30, 2013 (UTC)
Because of my action, moving your article, there was a red link on your user page. I will remove the full stop to correct the link for you but please revert if you wish. Thanks. Sir ScottPat (talk) White Ensign Scotland Flag 1 Compassrose VFH UnS NotM WotM WotY 12:40, August 30, 2013 (UTC)

edit Categories

Please don't attach junk categories to articles just to be cute. We use categories to find relevant pages. (Templates either.) Please improve articles by writing funny stuff, not by slapping stickers on them. Spıke Ѧ 13:17 30-Aug-13

edit UnNews:Nintendo World Championship Gold Cartridge found inside puppy

Hello again! Instead of the Pee Review you requested, I'll review it here; that way I don't have to give number grades.

If you are in doubt whether an article is funny enough, you might create it in userspace and request a review before installing it. This is an issue in UnNews as submitted articles instantly go onto the list of headlines. As your article has no time-urgency, this was a good alternative.

I've done a few small edits to make this follow the basic UnNews rules: A real dateline (SAVANNAH, Tennessee), no secondary headlines repeating the page title, and at the end I added {{Original}} as there is no real Source the reader can turn to in order to find out what really happened.

This was a very amusing concept that made me want to read the article. My biggest problem with it is that it didn't go all the way. The article asks the relevant question--how could a puppy have swallowed a game cartridge--but its only answer is "nobody knows." The Nobody Knows gambit seems funny, as it is a shock when you are reading a newspaper and expecting to get the answers, but the Null Joke is one of those things that How To Be Funny And Not Just Stupid says has been tried once too often.

So I turn it back to you: How indeed did the game cartridge get inside the puppy? You have the framework of a good UnNews; now give it a really clever payload! (Bonus points if you also make it relate to something in current events.) Spıke Ѧ 13:40 30-Aug-13

PS--I've renamed it as UnNews headlines don't end with a period. Spıke Ѧ 13:42 30-Aug-13

Hello SPIKE, thanks for your response on my recent entry, much appreciated. I have gone to the efforts to give the article a conclusion and answer the rightful question "How did the game cartridge get into the dog?" Also, its creative things like that that tend to make our micro-second misinformation really worth the humour. As for the "bonus points" I did relate my edit to a real-life incident involving a dog who swallowed his owners crotch [1]. A little strange, I know, but it was something so out-of-the-norm that I just HAD to get some sort of idea from that. I'll see what I can do. Thanks once again! --ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 03:22, August 31, 2013 (UTC)

Oh my, that story did get all the way over here (in the Strange News category) and was read during a comic interlude in a normally political show on talk radio. Then what we must do is give that UnNews the source (so you don't have to repeat that explanation to every reader). I'll see to it. Spıke Ѧ 04:36 31-Aug-13

edit Undictionary

In line with my chronic complaint to users who pick titles for their articles such that "the reader has to guess the punch line to read the joke," I wish that, rather than make up new words like bibliotaphy and write whimsical definitions for them (there is a series of books that already does this), you would attach your flights of fancy to words (and in the encyclopedia, subjects) that already exist in the real world and a reader might come here wanting to read about. In particular, I am interested in reading about the phenomenon of burying in the ground copies of Encyclopedia Britannica at encyclopedia-article length. There is nothing about the page title "bibliotaphy" to induce a reader to look inside except the strangeness of the word. Cheers! Spıke Ѧ 15:19 2-Sep-13

I see. When I was creating bibliotaphy I was just thinking of something nonsensical I could stir-up. Well, according to (a DSM-type database), Bibliotaphy is a legitimate mental illness, often a symptom of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Sorry if this Undictionary article did seem a little, lame. I'll see if I can write up something (maybe another UnNews article), involving this eccentric condition. Also, if you would like to remove this entry then you can by all means. I'm not too fussed about it. Later! --ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 08:30, September 3, 2013 (UTC)

Sorry, I was meaning to add a link directing to the RightDiagnosis webpage on Bibliotaphy. Only, when I tried this, I got an auto-filter complaining that usage of such links are not permitted. Not sure exactly what that is all about, but ah well. I can do it now though, oddly enough, On another note, just to simplify my explanation, I thought that taking a rare condition and "twisting it around" might create some humour. That's my view on the topic anyway. Bye. --ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 08:39, September 3, 2013 (UTC)

Yes; I wrote that Abuse Filter to help Uncyclopedia not turn into merely a catalog to YouTube. As you see, if you insist, it will let you insert the link. I concede your point that you didn't invent the word, but insist that few readers are going to look for it. When you write your article, give a thought to this before picking the title. Thinking up nonsensical things (notably, taking a rare condition and twisting it around) is what this website is for; only, when the nonsense makes its way into the page name (when one "cracks wise with the navigation tools") it puts up an obstacle for the reader. Your proposed new text might be easier to find as a section of an article on OCD (or a section of Book, as in: What to do with books). Carry on! Spıke Ѧ 13:14 3-Sep-13

edit User:ZeMacroKiller98/Pumkin World

I have been working on planning out and creating the images for this article over the last two days. Sorry if it seems a little "out-of-whack", but I was just thinking up something. I don't know weather this article should actually be published or not. I also created an UnNews report following up the article as well (User:ZeMacroKiller98/UnNews:Sequel to Pumkin World under way, Obama disapproves).

First picture

Second picture

Third picture

--ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 09:34, September 4, 2013 (UTC)

I do not see much of a point to your new encyclopedia article except to promote an external web site. Uncyclopedia is here for your original comedy creations, not to chronicle stuff that happens elsewhere, even if it's funny, and not to advertise to our readers.

And I do not see any point to your UnNews article except to promote the other article, so I have moved it to User:ZeMacroKiller98/UnNews:Sequel to Pumkin World under way, Obama disapproves. It has nothing to do with the news, even if it uses Obama and Michelle as memes. Sorry about that! Spıke Ѧ 09:29 4-Sep-13

Aw, never mind about that then. I'll just have to think up something else. Things do seem a little untidy at the moment, and I posted the Pumkin World (below) before I even knew you had posted this message. Ugh, sorry to disappoint you, SPIKE. --ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 09:39, September 4, 2013 (UTC)

Thank you for your understanding. I am not "disappointed" at all, as another active user is always welcome; simply always put the amusement of the reader first. When in doubt as to what to do next, Uncyclopedia:Requested articles is always a resource to see what pages other Uncyclopedians would like to exist (but can't be bothered creating them!). Spıke Ѧ 09:54 4-Sep-13

edit Fixing up spelling errors

I just decided to go to the efforts of correcting some typos on various Uncyclopedia pages. I'm actually very surprised at how many times the word "weird" is spelt incorrectly, as in "wierd". As a result, I skimmed through a bunch of articles and fixed them up. On some exceptions, much like with Wierd Al Yankovic, I believe that misspelling is deliberate, otherwise I am sure somebody would have corrected it by now. Please notify me if I happen to correct a typo that has been submitted deliberately for humorous purposes, and I sincerely apologise if I do ever end up performing those actions. Until then, farewell! --ZeMacroKiller98 (talk) 13:20, September 8, 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for this. This is the notorious exception to the "I before E, except after C" that schoolmarms drill into young minds. I believe "wierd" is a word, in German. Separately, "Quesions" was almost certainly a typo as well. When in doubt, go back to the first principle: not what was intended, but whether the result is funny. Also: If you have occasion to put a deliberate misspelling in an article, insert a <!-- comment --> into the source code to tell future authors what you intend. Spıke Ѧ 13:37 8-Sep-13
Personal tools

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-153-172-175.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2016-36
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for August 2016
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
Saturday, March 28, 2009

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Girl scout cookies. Really... that's all I need to say to get your mouth salivating and your heart fluttering isn't it? Since finals have been over, I've been dying to make Baking Bites' thin mint and samoa copycats, but honestly after a week of no sleep and being on the verge of death, those were a little too much for me too handle. I thought I'd meet in the middle and make thin mint style cupcakes instead, but I've honestly seen 3 - 5 different versions and I couldn't decide which one to use, so I set up a little experiment:
Specimen #1: Chopped Andes Mints
These came out super, super moist, almost like a chocolate lava cake. It had sufficient mint flavor and was my favorite of the three.

Specimen #2: Chopped Thin Mints
Surprisingly moist, since I thought the crushed cookies might make the cake a little dry, but it didn't have enough mint flavor for me. The crushed cookies did add nice texture though.

Specimen #3: Mint Extract
Definitely minty but still not enough for me. It was kind of just 'blah' if you know what I mean, it was whatevers, I could live without it.

Final Decision: The one with the chopped Andes mints was definitely the best, it was an out of this world moist but not minty enough for me. None of the cakes were minty enough for me actually. In the end, I decided that if I wanted the gold, I would definitely have to be gutsy, so I added mostly chopped Andes, some chopped thin mints AND mint extract to the final cupcake batter. A little overboard you say?!?! I say NOT! Delicious! The most moist cake you will ever meet and so full of fresh minty flavor. I used Simply Recipes' cream cheese mint frosting which perfectly balanced out these cupcakes with its bit of tang. It was just sweet enough but not overly so.
Chocolate Mint Cupcakes
Yields: 24 Cupcakes

1 box of Chocolate Devil's food cake or 1 recipe of Devil's food cake
1 box of Andes mints
1/4 sleeve of Thin Mints or Keebler Fudge Shop Grasshopper Cookies (5 cookies)
 1/4 tsp mint extract

Make cake batter according to the directions. Chops the Andes mints and thin mints finely, add to the batter. Add the extract and mix well. Divide the batter among a cupcake pan lined with cupcakes liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely, then frost.

Mint Cream Cheese frosting
Original recipe can be found here

4 oz. or half a package of cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tbsn. butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. of mint extract
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1 - 2 drops of green food coloring

Using an electric mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the mint extract, then the powdered sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time until well combined. Add the food coloring to your color preference. Frost your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

  1. A genius experiment! I just recently made some mint brownies using a drop of peppermint extract and chopped Andes mint chips - perfect! But you can't go wrong with Thin Mints, either! These look divine!!

  2. genius indeed. you can't go overboard with mint and chocolate!

  3. Thanks for doing this experiment! I made some cupcakes around St Pattys Day with mint extract and they were pretty good, but now I can't wait to try them with Andes!

  4. i came to the same conclusion a while back that you need to add andes mints AND mint extract to have enough mint flavor!

    If you like mint and chocolate, try Andes Mint Brownies, just chop up some Andes and add a bit of extract - so yummy!


text:
Log In
E-mail or User ID
  Keep me signed in
Recover Password
Create an Account
Shell Script

Solve problems - It's Free

Create your account in seconds
Email address

Between 5 and 30 characters. No spaces please
Notify me of new activity in this group:
Keep me informed of the latest:
By clicking "Join Now", you agree to Toolbox for Technology terms of use, and have read and understand our privacy policy.

Monitoring Script

Dear Users,

I have made a very very simple shell script (a one liner, you can't *actually* call it a "shell script"), and I need some help with it=2E The script is for monitoring our dedicated DSL connection to our upstream provider (they are very slippery with their downtime issues)=2E

ping -i 60 ip=2Eaddress=2Ehere > linklog=2Edate=2Etime &

The resulting text file contains:

64 bytes from ip=2Eaddress=2Ehere: icmp_seq=3D42 ttl=3D255 time=3D0=2E134 ms

I just use the "wc -l" command to count the number of times the file has:

"From "my=2Egateway=2Eip" icmp_seq=3D1034 Destination Host Unreachable"

to find the approximate duration of the outage=2E

What I would like to add to this script is a command to email me whenever it gets the "Destination Host Unreachable" text as the return value=2E

Any help would be appreciated=2E

Thanks in advance=2E

- mhkhan=2E
2 Replies
Mark this reply as the best answer?
(Choose carefully, this can't be changed)
Yes  |  No
Brian King replied Feb 13, 2005
I usually use something like:

while true ; do
ping host 64 1
if [ $RC -eq 0 ] ; then
Do something here when the host is up
Do something here when the host is down
sleep 60

If you want to measure the length of an outage, you could also store
the previous loops return code, and whenever the ping changes from
success to fail, or fail to success, save the date (and return code)
in the log file.

Mark this reply as the best answer?
(Choose carefully, this can't be changed)
Yes  |  No
Andrew Aunan replied Feb 14, 2005
you can cron and will email or page you every time it runs and there is not a response the first time then waits 60 seconds and trys again if no repsonse then it will send a response too your emnail
This thread has been closed due to inactivity.
Start a new thread here
Get Answers - It's Free
If you're looking for Shell Script help, sign up and take advantage of 12,599 UNIX professionals who are here to help you.

PCMag Digital Group AdChoices

TRUSTe Privacy Certification


text:
Available Classifications
Alternate structures
Alphabetical Indexes
Correspondence Tables
Free downloads
International Family of Classifications
  Best practices
National classifications
  Statistical Commission
  Expert Group
  Technical Subgroup
  Workshops and Training
  Mailing list
Contact us
ISIC Rev.4
ISIC Rev.3.1
ISIC Rev.3
CPC Ver.2.1
CPC Ver.2
CPC Ver.1.1
CPC Ver.1.0
SITC Rev.4
SITC Rev.3
more ...
ISIC 3 index
CPC 1.1 index

   Back to regional overview

National Classifications

Country / Area: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Classification category: Product classifications

General information
1 (a)Name of the current national classification (full name in official national languages and in English with acronyms in brackets, should be given)
1 (b)In which language(s) is the classification available?
1 (c)Can the classification (or information about it) be accessed on the Internet? If yes, please provide the URL.This national custom nomenclature has 10 digits. First six are the same with HS, then the following two are on the level of the Combined Nomenclature (95%) and the last two are on a national level
Classification structure
2 (a)Please describe the structure of the classification: How many levels does the classification have? (Please provide labels, such as “Division”, “Class”) How many categories exist at each level?Approximately 8,500 items at the most detailed level
2 (b)Please provide examples of the coding system used at each level.Yes
Relationship to international standards
3 (a)Is this classification based on (or linked to) an international standard classification? If yes, please describe.Custom Office
3 (b)Is the classification structure identical to the international standard or, if not, how does it differ? (e.g. have additional levels been added to the international standard or have changes been made within the level of the international structure, such as aggregations or additional breakdowns)
3 (d)At what level of the international standard can data be reported for international comparison? (Please provide examples of programmes / indicators if reporting takes place at different levels of the classification.)15.08.1996
3 (e)If no links to international classifications exist or no international standard is used, please state if there are plans to use international norms in the future.1. Total adjustment to the Combined Nomenclature;
2. Revision of the international basis classification
Classification uses
4 (a)Please state for which statistical purposes (surveys etc.) this classification is used and if there are users outside of the Statistical Office. Please indicate at which level the classification is used for data collection and for data publishing.Custom Office, ministries, National Bank
4 (b)Please give the names of institutions that use the classification for non-statistical purposes (as opposed to statistical purposes in question 4(a)). Also indicate the kind of use (e.g. tax offices, social security, customs, enterprise register, employment services, work permits etc.)This classification is used for foreign trade statistics
4 (c)Please indicate if alternative classifications are used by other institutions of the economy. Are these classifications available and useful for the Statistical Office?Data will be published at the HS level by product, country product, and product country. For foreign trade statistics.
Implementation / revision status
5 (a)Please state the date of the official adoption of the classification. If not yet adopted, please indicate the current state (e.g. in development, sent for approval, in printing, ready to be distributed etc.)In Macedonian
5 (b)Please state the date of use of the classification for individual statistical programmes.It exists in electronic form (for the latest revision only as numbers, not yet with text)
5 (c)Are there existing plans for revision or update of the current classification?
5 (d)Name of former (previous) national classification (full name in both national tongue and in English with acronyms in brackets, should be given)-
5 (e)Please describe the link of the former classification to international classificationsWe are working on the links between the current and the previous classifications
5 (f)Please describe the structure of the former classification and indicate the number of items at each level of the classification. (similar to question 2(a))To get the text for HS 96 in English, electronic form, and the links between HS92 and HS96
5 (g)Do conversion tables exist between the former and current classification?Transport organisation
5 (h)When was the former classification implemented?-
5 (i)Are statistical data still collected or published according to the former classification? Please indicate if this statistical data is collected or published by the Statistical Office or elsewhere.-
Supporting documents
6 (a)Have national explanatory notes and/or guidelines been elaborated?Custom Nomenclature based on HS 92
6 (b)Do correspondence tables exist between the national and the international classifications (if applicable)?HS 92
6 (c)Are correspondence tables between alternative and current classification available (if applicable)?Chapter, section, headings, sub-headings, and tariff numbers.
6 (d)Does a national coding index exist?Approximately 8,000 tariff numbers
6 (e)Is the classification available in electronic form? If yes, in which formats is it available?(e.g. PDF, TXT, Excel, XML)No, we plan to create them
Contact information
7 (a)Name of institution / office responsible for the development and maintenance of the classificationThe same as now
7 (b)Contact address, phone number, e-mail or website for public information and inquiryCustom Nomenclature Based on HS 96

Source: EU/Phare project, 10/30/1998


text:
Jena Malone Joins Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice” Adaptation

May 15, 2013 | Posted By In Casting | 510 Views

Share This!
                      Share on Tumblr

jenamalone “The Hunger Games” star Jena Malone has joined the already large and still very much growing cast of Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation of Thomas Pynchon novel “Inherent Vice”, according to The Wrap. Joaquin Phoenix stars, with Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Benicio Del Toro and Martin Short in supporting roles.

Phoenix plays Larry “Doc” Sportello, a pothead/private investigator in 1970s Los Angeles, who’s paid a visit by his ex-girlfriend (Witherspoon) with concerns that there may be a plot to harm her new boyfriend, a rich businessman. Soon enough both of them go missing and Doc encounters a large, colorful cast of characters in his quest to track them down. Malone is up for the role described as an ex-druggie who asks for Doc for help, who fans of the book will pinpoint as Hope. She’s the partner of Wilson’s character Coy Harlingen, who appears to have died in a drug overdose but is very much a part of the entire twisty turvy story. Del Toro has a small role as Doc’s lawyer while Short’s character has not been unveiled. Filming begins this month, and there’s still plenty more weird characters to cast. UPDATE: PTA fansite Cigarettes and Red Vines reports Malone will actually be playing Japonica Fenway, a runaway and Doc’s first case as a detective.

Last seen on the big screen opposite Emily Browning in Zack Snyder’s “Sucker Punch”, Malone recently appeared on hit TNT mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys” and is attached to play acclaimed novelist Carson McCullers in “Lonely Hunter.” She will also, of course, appear this November in the pivotal role of Johanna Mason in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”

Tags : , , , , , , , , ,

Linda is currently a Film Reporter at TheWrap. She studied Film & Digital Media at the University of California. She likes David Fincher, New York City, and cats. She founded Up&Comers in 2010. You can find more of her random ramblings, 140 characters at a time, on Twitter @lindazge.


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
Now showing items 1-1 of 1

  • Cognitive pilot channel enabling spectrum awareness

    Sallent Roig, José Oriol; Pérez Romero, Jordi; Agustí Comes, Ramon; Cordier, Pascal (2009)
    Conference report
    Open Access
    This paper presents the Cognitive Pilot Channel (CPC) solution as a mechanism allowing the terminal to be aware of the communication means available at a given time and place in a flexible spectrum management scenario. The ...


text:
Poppin Or Floppin: Kanye West x A.P.C. Capsule Collection

By: 07.14.13  •  11 Comments

Kanye West’s has linked up with french brand, A.P.C., to release a capsule collection that is on sale now. As you can see the pieces are very plain and very expensive, the plain t-shirt goes for $120. You can purchase some of the gear at A.P.C.

Around The Web


text:
Ten Skits That Prove ‘The Muppet Show’ Was For Adults More Than Kids

“Gee, how long do you think it took for him to come up with this list?” “I don’t know, but I’ve got five reasons why it’s terrible.” “DO-HO-HO-HO-HOH!”

I’ve been waiting for this day since the moment Muppets in Space first disappointed me back in 1999, which was approximately three minutes into the movie: today’s the day a new Muppet movie is released! *Screams “yay” and flails arms like Kermit*

To prepare for the muppical extravaganza, written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller, I’ve been re-watching old episodes of “The Muppet Show,” which aired from 1976-1981. And I’ve noticed something that I didn’t pick up on when I was child watching reruns on the Disney Channel: “The Muppet Show” is often wonderfully inappropriate for children. There are sex jokes galore, and the writers never missed an opportunity to slyly use a curse word.

In celebration of The Muppets, here are 10 skits that prove the most sensational, inspirational, and celebrational show of all-time was secretly for adults, with nary a mention of Gonzo’s weird chicken fetish.

“You’re Always Welcome at Our House”

Subscribe to UPROXX

In 1962, the great Shel Silverstein released Inside Folk Songs, a 17-track collection arguably better than any of his more well known children’s book work. One of the songs on the album, “You’re Always Welcome to My House,” begins with a verse about a man going door-to-door selling books who gets hit in the head with a hammer and thrown into a closet, at “our house.” A lady arrives, and she’s served poisoned lemonade and hidden in a freezer. And so on. On “The Muppet Show,” the song is sung with dainty, oddly sexual glee by actress Marisa Berenson, who skips around the room in a short skit, singing merrily about sealing small children inside basement walls and throwing strangers into the oven until they’re “done.”

“Baby, It’s Me”

Raquel Welch is a decent enough actress and I’m sure a splendid person, but she’s famous for one reason and one reason only: she looked amazing in a bikini. Welch was the scantily-clad star of the otherwise terrible One Million Years B.C.. In the film, she wore a brown bikini made of fur, a bikini so famous that it has its own Wikipedia section. To the “Muppet Show” writers’ credit, they didn’t over-think Welch’s appearance – they just put her in revealing outfits, including in her opening number, where she sang and danced to “Baby, It’s Me” with a giant spider, and had Fozzie say “sexy” a lot. She returned the favor to the bear, calling him “sexsational” to boost his confidence. (According to Jim Henson, when Welch hosted, the set was crammed with “a good 150 guys from neighboring studios.”)

“For What It’s Worth”

A group of forest animals, seemingly hiding from a trio of gun-wielding hunters, sing the Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth” on “The Muppet Show” in 1977, and 34 years later, a YouTube argument breaks out over what the segment really means. The song is repeatedly broken up by the hunters aimlessly shooting their guns, and it’s not until the end that we realize they’re not hunting animals, but automobiles.

YouTube commenter andrea123lc writes, “The hunters in this video shoot down a motorcycle and a cement truck. Watch it to the end, that’s the point. Henson got that sprawl was the real enemy of the natural world…but it appears that some that are watching today still haven’t figured that out.” To which supergamerskingdom deftly responds: “shut up gay ass.” They both make good points.

Around The Web


text:
February 14, 2014, 12:48pm EST

Two Valentines Day apps so crazy they just might work

Enlarge Image » Relationships are at the heart of these technologies.

Relationships are at the heart of these technologies. Lonely /Shutterstock.com

Rate this story
Alex Dalenberg
Upstart Business Journal contributor
Email  | Twitter  | LinkedIn

The UpTake: The lovelorn have been turning to the Web since the dawn of the Internet, but here are two apps that actually help users automate their relationships. And they're at least half serious.

It's perhaps the least romantic romance app ever created, but the designer of Romantimatic is sticking by his creation.

Greg Knauss's iOS app pings users with reminders to occasionally text their significant other. It even provides pre-set messages such as "I love you." (h/t The Atlantic)

Knauss writes on his blog:

It started out as a joke — the six billionth “There’s an app for that!” joke, in fact — but I eventually sat down to actually implement it. The result is software to remind you to pull your head out of your ass every once in a while. Judging by myself, such a thing should have an enormous market. Yes, it’s silly, but it also serves a purpose. Are you a chowderhead? Are you aware you’re a chowderhead? Have we got the thing for you!

Not everybody found the idea of automated affection funny, or even all that endearing. In the same post, Knauss describes the blowback he got on social media.

His defense: reminders mean that you want to remember something! Especially helpful for self-described "over-focused" nerds such as Knauss.

The app has also been called a crutch, which I totally agree with. If you can’t walk very well, crutches are really, really handy. Maybe you’ll use the crutch forever, or maybe it will help you get to where you need to be, to walk on your own. But that doesn’t make the walking or the destination insincere.
I am — and please forgive me for putting this image in your head — a boiling cauldron of passionate love. But I’m also a small business owner who’s the parent of three teenage boys and has at least a foothold somewhere on the autism spectrum. Forgive me if I get distracted. At least I want to get better at it, right? Right? Hello?
Alex Dalenberg
Alex Dalenberg
Upstart Business Journal contributor

Alex is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist. He writes about media entrepreneurs and creatives for Upstart Business Journal.


text:
Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Friday, July 19, 2013

More on design review

Kennedy Warren Apartments, Washington DCKennedy Warren Apartments on Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC.  The building was only partially completed.  It was started just before the Depression and so they didn't finish it.  The building was expanded, completing the original design, last decade.

1.  I had this letter to the editor in last week's (July 10th) Northwest Current about Councilmember Cheh's legislation to extend large tract review requirements to housing developments.  My point is that the LTR regulation has no teeth, and without the provision of additional "remedies" that can bring about necessary changes, a change to the law is meaningless.

The Current’s June 19 issue reports on legislation to tweak the large-tract review process in response to concern that it fails to give the public the opportunity to weigh in and receive a response concerning large matter-of-right housing developments, such as the Cafritz apartment building project on Connecticut Avenue.

New real estate developments shape our neighborhoods and the city for decades and generations, so it is incumbent on us to get them right at the outset. For the legislation to have any impact, it would need to provide "remedies" and procedures that create an opportunity to change a project when it would be worthwhile and in our best interest to do so.

But the large-tract review process does not do this now. It is not an approval or disapproval process. It merely creates an additional level of interagency review, to ensure that substantive matters are not overlooked in matter-of-right projects. Only in one instance -- if the zoning is judged to be out of sorts with the Comprehensive Plan -- does the regulation provide an ability to stop a project. Otherwise, the project sails through, subject to the possibility of tweaks -- if the developer is amenable, as the process doesn't require the developer to respond to citizen input.

In 2011, when Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B submitted a detailed response concerning the large-tract review application for the Walmart project on Georgia Avenue (ANC4B Large Tract Review Report on Walmart, 5/2011), the Office of Planning and Department of Transportation for the most part ignored every recommendation. The agencies did not even raise the ideas offered with their bosses (the elected officials, who for the most part wanted the path for Walmart to be smooth and easy), the developer (Foulger-Pratt) or the tenant (Walmart).

Right: rendering of the apartment building to be constructed by Calvin Cafritz Enterprises on upper Connecticut Avenue NW in the Chevy Chase neighborhood.

Furthermore, while the regulation calls for minimizing "adverse environmental, traffic and neighborhood impacts," the Office of Planning ruled that "economic impact" was not a "neighborhood impact" that needed to be addressed or mitigated. (This ruling should be challenged and/or litigated, as it appears to be counter to the intent of the regulation.)

All too many gaps in the building regulation process impede input from citizens, advisory neighborhood commissions and other stakeholders that is particularly desirable in the center-city context, especially as the city is in a growth phase. Long after the developers have sold off these projects, residents will be living with the results -- for good and bad.

Sadly, this bill does not provide the remedies and procedures needed to ensure the kinds of positive outcomes from new real estate development projects that we should be seeking as stewards of the city's present and future.

2.  In the thread on this topic from the other day, I mentioned that a couple weeks ago, there was a session on design review on the local NPR radio station's Kojo Nnamdi Show.  It featured Tom Luebke, director of the US Commission on Fine Arts, which does design review for DC's monumental core and certain other public buildings, and Roger Lewis.  Lewis is an architect and columnist for the Washington Post, but is also on the design review board in Alexandria, and Mr. Luebke had been the director for that board.

Lewis makes the point that to do design review you start with a plan, which should include design guidelines.

It's worth listening to the show.

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Post a Comment

<< Home


text:
Diablo® III

Portal missing when resuming game?

I just tried running crypt of the ancient on mp10, after I killed the elite packs I always use town portal and leave game then resume. On first 8 runs I can always see the portal, now I'm wondering when Im resuming game I cant find the portal to crypt of the ancient. Thanks fellow monks!
Reply Quote
Reply Quote
Reply Quote
Posts: 7,266
View profile
You probably changed quests.

You want the one where you're supposed to talk to Aleric right after finishing the Scoundrel event.
Reply Quote
it has happened to me before--its's a bug. you gotta go re-get checkpoint then it should work fine
Reply Quote

Please report any Code of Conduct violations, including:

Threats of violence. We take these seriously and will alert the proper authorities.

Posts containing personal information about other players. This includes physical addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and inappropriate photos and/or videos.

Harassing or discriminatory language. This will not be tolerated.

Forums Code of Conduct

Report Post # written by

Explain (256 characters max)


text:
Channing Tatum expecting first baby with wife

Tuesday December 18, 2012

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan are expecting their first child, it has been announced.

The Magic Mike star and his wife, who married in July 2009, confirmed the news through their reps, who told People: "They are pleased to announce that they are expecting the birth of their first child next year."

The 32-year-old actor, who was crowned People's Sexiest Man Alive of 2012, recently teased that the couple – who met on 2006 dance film Step Up – were getting broody.

"I'm ready; I think she's ready," he said.

Channing - who has four films out next year, including the GI Joe sequel and Steven Soderbergh's psychological thriller Side Effects – also hinted that they may not stop at one child.

"The first number that pops into my head is three, but I just want one to be healthy and then we'll see where we go after that," he said.

"It's really easy for us guys to say, 'I want like 15 kids'. Jenna will be like, 'Well you better get another wife!'" he joked.

Photo © Getty

  • <
  • Channing Tatum expecting first baby with wife

  • >
  • 5 of 5


text:
Cheryl's brave smile in face of divorce and Lewis and Nicole's baby plans – in HELLO!

by Before Cheryl Cole was seen stricken with malaria during the X Factor auditions, she appeared both healthy and happy as she joined fellow judges Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh.

But behind the smiles seen on TV at the weekend, the 27-year-old was suffering a personal heartache – as HELLO! magazine reports.

In this week's issue, on sale now, HELLO! takes a look at Cheryl's ongoing divorce agony, revealing that the singer and her estranged husband Ashley have yet to set a date to formally end their marriage.

The exclusive report also takes a look at her 'relationship' with Derek Hough and Cheryl's decision to hold on to her married name.

Meanwhile, we reveal Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger's plans for marriage and babies with a special feature on their relationship.

Containing pictures of the couple looking loved-up on holiday, HELLO! shares Nicole's revelation that both she and the racing ace are "mega broody", and their upcoming plans to announce their engagement.

Pick up your copy now to read the full stories, plus special reports on William and Kate's wedding plans, Chelsy Davy and Queen Rania of Jordan.

Latest comments

Please note, all comments are those of readers and do not represent the opinion of reserves the right to remove comments it considers offensive or not relevant
Please focus on the topic

To comment you must be registered at

Log in to comment


text:
Cut calories: healthy Christmas dinner swaps

Christmas is known as a time of excess, and 60 per cent of British women find the festive season a definite danger zone for dieting.

If you want to keep an eye on your weight this Christmas, here's how to cut calories from your Christmas dinner without sacrificing the taste.

Turkey is a great source of protein and low in fat; if you eat it without the skin, that is. Removing the skin after cooking can save around 40kcal per portion. Also prick the skin before cooking to allow any fat to drain out.

100g of butter-basted turkey, with skin on: 146kcal, 4.9g fat
100g of skinless turkey: 104kcal, 2g fat

Potatoes vs. parnsips

Parnsips contain half the fat of potatoes, according to Diet Chef, so try and substitute them as much as possible.

Portion of roast potatoes: 189 kcal, 9g fat.
Portion of roast parsnips: 143 kcal, 4g fat.

Chestnuts are low in fat and a good source of potassium, which is needed for healthy kidneys. Instead of a sausage meat stuffing, choose a chestnut or fruit-based version.

100g of sausage meat stuffing: 252 kcal, 16g fat.
100g of cranberry, orange and roast chestnut stuffing: 162 kcal, 0.8g fat.

Custard vs. cream

While cream is the traditional accompaniment to Christmas pudding, go for custard, which has a significantly reduced fat and calorie content.

Portion of cream: 314 kcal, 28g fat.
Portion of custard: 148 kcal, 7g fat.

The Christmas period involves more nibbles than any other time of the year. Choose your snacks wisely by swapping crisps for popcorn, which has a significantly reduced fat content.

Portion of crisps: 536 kcal, 33g fat.
Portion of popcorn: 375 kcal, 4.3g fat.


text:
Olympic belles Zara and Victoria put the vroom into car launch

by hellomagazine.com

Zara Phillips swapped her saddle for wheels on Thursday at the global launch of the all-new Range Rover.

The event, which was held at the Royal Ballet School in Richmond, London welcomed Zara and her husband Mike Tindall, as well as fellow Olympic medal winner Victoria Pendleton.

The Queen's granddaughter looked stylish in a black shift dress with a jewelled collar and matching clutch bag, whilst Mike wore a dark navy suit and silver tie.

Zara posed next to the new car with cyclist Victoria, who was dressed in a sleek black dress and wore her long hair down.

In a bold leopard print jumpsuit and jewelled slingbacks, former Neighbours actress Holly Valance looked radiant, presumably excited about her marriage to property tycoon Nick Candy, which is due to take place this month.

Comedian Jimmy Carr, accompanied by his miniature pinscher dog, was also in attendence.

Zara, who is sponsored by Land Rover and was the first person to take delivery of the new car, told the Daily Telegraph: "I seem to spend my life driving between Cheltenham and the yard at Gatcombe. My Range Rover is always caked in mud and filled with everything I need and our two dogs, Sway and Storm, who come pretty much everywhere with me.

"People assume I always look like I do in my riding kit or in a dress at a social event but the day-to-day me is driving around in my filthy car with my dogs in the boot, wearing a pair of jeans and a hoody," she added.


text:
All Classes • 1 hour 52 minutes

America's Windy City, Chicago was host to the 2002 NPC Junior National Men's Bodybuilding Championships, which brought together dozens of the nation's most promising bodybuilders along with scores of fresh faces and incredible physiques. The prejudging video features the top 15 competitors from each weightclass as they perform their mandatory poses for the judges and engage in side-by-side comparisons within their respective weightclasses. Shot entirely with wide, head-to-toe full body shots. Featuring Eugene Prowse, Nate Wolfe, Rodney White, Shawn Sage, Shawn Bean, Gary Davies and many more!
  • $34.95

Preview Gallery

  • Bryan Hunter
  • Justin Brooks
  • Brian Goode
  • Nate Wolfe
  • Sean Allan
  • Shawn Boutwell
  • Royce Palau
  • Kurt Windisch
  • Jason Bard


text:
'Two Lovers' shares an achingly sad tale
Updated  | Review  | Recommend E-mail | Print |
Joaquin Phoenix's emotionally disturbed Leonard is drawn to Gwyneth Paltrow's Michelle, a beautiful neighbor who has troubles of her own.
Magnolia Pictures
Joaquin Phoenix's emotionally disturbed Leonard is drawn to Gwyneth Paltrow's Michelle, a beautiful neighbor who has troubles of her own.

Two Lovers
* * * (out of four)

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Isabella Rossellini
Director: James Gray
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Rating: R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use
Running time: One hour, 48 minutes
Opens today in New York and Los Angeles

Two Lovers is an involving, gently paced and well-cast drama about a tortured soul and his efforts at redemption.

Joaquin Phoenix gives a superbly raw and excruciatingly vulnerable performance as Leonard, an emotionally disturbed but charismatic guy of indeterminate age. Recovering from a romantic heartbreak, he has moved back to his parents' home in Brooklyn.

The film alludes to events in Leonard's past that have derailed him and led to suicide attempts. It opens with a powerful scene focusing on his free-floating despair. Over time, Leonard, who has bipolar disorder, has gone on and off his medications. He helps out with his family's dry-cleaning business, but his heart and mind are elsewhere. Despite his problems, though, he has enough charm and wit to attract two women, in very different ways.

Leonard is a deeply sensitive man, with watchful parents who walk on eggshells around him, ever mindful of his past and fearing the worst about his present. His mother (a fine Isabella Rossellini) takes to peering under his closed bedroom door, nervously spying on her son. His father (an excellent Moni Monoshov) is a loving man who tries to reach out to his son but isn't exactly sure how. Leonard is conscious of their love, but his problems are much deeper.

Sandra (Vinessa Shaw) is a calm and caring woman who is instantly drawn to Leonard when her family comes over for dinner. Leonard's father agrees to sell his business to Sandra's father, and the two families, both of them Jewish, would love to see the two make a love match. Leonard seems to be going along but is lured away by Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a beautiful and impetuous new neighbor.

She is the exotic one of the two women, but she's also a handful. Embroiled in an affair with a married man (Elias Koteas) and troubled by substance abuse — which is brought up early then inexplicably dropped — Michelle is trouble, especially for a guy whose psychological stability already is shaky.

Leonard struggles between the comfortable choice and the exciting one.

James Gray (We Own the Night) directed and co-wrote this affecting and intelligent drama, filling it with nuance and meaningful details. His casting choices are particularly sharp. Paltrow perfectly captures her entitled and needy character's essence. Michelle is the storm, while Sarah embodies calm. An embrace near the end speaks volumes: Though you can't see his face, Phoenix's body language says it all. He poignantly conveys Leonard's fragility in a wordless hug. But you sense that his struggle is far from over.

There is a somber quality to much of this deliberately paced film, and not all that much happens. Rather, it feels almost like a visual and haunting rendering of a compelling short story. The mesmerizing characters are complex, but Two Lovers is notable for its simple humanity.

E-mail | Print |
To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.


text:
Table III Tool

The Table III Tool enables you to browse the United States Code Table III. For printing purposes, the PDF file is recommended. A detailed explanation of the Table is located here.

71st Cong.  ↑  46 Stat.  ↑  June 18, 1930  ↑  1930:526 1930:527(pdf) 1930:542
Act Section Stat. Pg. United States Code
Title Section Status
782 39 631 Rev. T.


text:
Slash Boxes
NOTE: use Perl; is on undef hiatus. You can read content, but you can't post it. More info will be forthcoming forthcomingly.

All the Perl that's Practical to Extract and Report

use Perl Log In

Log In

[ Create a new account ]

TorgoX (1933)

"Il est beau comme la retractilité des serres des oiseaux rapaces [...] et surtout, comme la rencontre fortuite sur une table de dissection d'une machine à coudre et d'un parapluie !" -- Lautréamont

Journal of TorgoX (1933)

Thursday April 14, 2005
09:47 PM

Rupert Murdoch Overdrive

[ #24197 ]
Dear Log,

«Young people's attitudes towards newspapers were "especially alarming", he said. "Only 9% describe us [newspapers] as trustworthy, a scant 8% find us useful, and only 4% of respondents think we're entertaining."»

Alternate headline: Yowling fascist billionaire is annoyed that people don't believe him anymore.


text:
laser treatment for hair growth

by / on August 20, 2016 at 11:07 pm / in Crime, State/Region

Missing Child Turned Homicide Investigation

WATKINS, Minnesota – Authorities have found the body of 5-year-old Alayna Ertl, who was reported missing on Saturday. Officials located her body in Cass County. The suspect, Zachary Anderson, has been arrested and is in police custody. According to the police, Ertl was reported missing from her Watkins home around 8 o’clock this morning, possibly being taken by Anderson, a family friend. […]

Read more ›
by / on July 2, 2016 at 11:17 pm / in Accident, State/Region

Crash Kills 8-Year-Old Girl on Bicycle

ALBERT LEA, Minn – An 8-year-old girl was killed by a car while riding her bike at the intersection of Frank Hall Drive and East 8th Street in Albert Lea around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 2. Sophie Stultz was hit by A 70-year-old Albert Lea man. Emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures and transported the girl to MCHS-AL, but she later […]

Read more ›
by / on June 25, 2016 at 8:42 pm / in Accident, State/Region

Cold Spring Woman Hurt in Rollover Crash

GAYLORD, Minn- A Cold Spring woman is recovering after a rollover crash Saturday on Highway 22 near Gaylord. State Patrol says Allison Sharp, 18, was traveling northbound in a Chevy Malibu on 22 when her car missed a curve, swerved off the pavement, over corrected, crossing lanes and entered the northbound ditch and rolled. Sharp suffered non-life threatening injuries. Sibley […]

Read more ›
by / on June 18, 2016 at 7:59 pm / in St. Cloud State, St. Cloud State, State/Region

St. Cloud State President Remembered

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) — The late St. Cloud State University President Earl Potter III is being remembered for helping extend the school’s reach across the world. Hundreds turned out Friday at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center for an interfaith memorial service for Potter. He died Monday in a car crash in the Twin Cities. Acting university president Ashish Vaidya […]

Read more ›
by / on June 17, 2016 at 12:50 pm / in Local, Sartell, State/Region

Sauk Rapids Boy Hospitalized after a Shock and Fall from Old Bridge

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) – A 16-year-old Sauk Rapids boy is in critical condition after getting an electrical shock while climbing on a closed bridge. Police say Daniel Fleigle climbed to the top of the old bridge over the Mississippi River in Sartell on Wednesday night. He grabbed a live wire and then fell to the deck 30 feet below. […]

Read more ›
by / on June 14, 2016 at 10:46 am / in Local, News, St. Cloud State, State/Region

St. Cloud State President Earl H. Potter III has died

  ST. CLOUD, Minn. (UTVS) — It is with a very heavy heart that we report that St. Cloud State University President Earl H. Potter III has passed away in a car accident. In a letter sent to students that was also posted to the schools Facebook page, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities chancellor Steven Rosenstone delivered the news to […]

Read more ›
by / on April 28, 2016 at 1:29 pm / in Local, News, State/Region

St. Cloud man committed to mental health facility

ST. CLOUD – A St. Cloud man has been committed to a mental health facility, according to court documents. Dean Allan Friese, 54 was committed on Tuesday to the mental health facility in St. Peter, Minnesota after he was previously deemed incompetent to stand trial for the murder of his mother, 72-year old Lois Arlene Omeara. Court documents say back on September 14, 2013 officers were dispatched to […]

Read more ›
by / on April 28, 2016 at 12:57 pm / in News, State/Region

Abbott to buy out St. Jude Medical Inc.

  MINNESOTA – Abbott Laboratories will be spending $19.3 billion to buy St. Jude Medical Inc.  The goal in the buyout is to strengthen the market for the cardiovascular care of the medical device maker.  The original offer from Abbott was $25 billion but St. Jude’s debt of $5.7 million was subtracted. St. Jude shareholders will receive $46.75 in cash along with a portion of […]

Read more ›
by / on April 27, 2016 at 1:30 pm / in Health, News, State/Region

Minnesota Department of Health Report

ST. CLOUD, Minnesota – The Minnesota Department of Health(MDH) released its HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report for 2015. Although the number of newly reported cases are similar to 2014, there are higher rates of HIV and AIDS in certain population groups. Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Ed Ehlinger says “we are seeing higher HIV infection rates in communities with limited access to HIV […]

Read more ›
by / on April 27, 2016 at 10:33 am / in Health, News, St. Cloud

Choosing to Receive Chiropractic Care

ST. CLOUD, Minnesota – Chiropractic care is a non-orthopedic and non-invasive type of care that honors the body’s potential to heal itself. Being seen by a chiropractor assists the nervous, skeletal and muscle systems in performing properly to ensure optimum performance. “What we really focus on, in a nutshell, is focusing on how the spine as well as the nervous […]

Read more ›


text:
94 / 73
      92 / 73
      93 / 73

      4 Exclusive: Fallout From Undercover Sting

      A Mercedes police officer, who spoke to Action 4 News under condition of anonymity, said public safety was put at risk during a "botched," undercover drug bust on March 22nd at the Chili's restaurant parking lot.

      Action 4 News obtained internal police reports from that incident.

      They indicated how an investigator used his personal vehicle to transport a prisoner-turned-drug-informant to meet in the parking lot.

      Two suspects, who still are on the run, were allegedly going to deliver four pounds of marijuana to that prisoner.

      Instead, the investigator and another police officer were nearly run over at the scene.

      Two shots were fired at the fleeing suspects. The investigator's vehicle was left smashed-up in the process.

      Our source detailed how a number of standard protocols were not followed.

      They included how dispatch was never alerted to the bust for communication purposes and how a marked unit was never placed near the scene in case of a potential problem.

      Mercedes Police Chief Olga Maldonado said the reports we obtained were unfinished. She not did dispute the fact that her officers may have acted improperly.

      Ryan: "Do you usually have a marked patrol unit nearby and did you have it in this case?Chief: We usually use a marked unit close by... You know it should have been used."

      People who dine and shop in the high traffic area near the Mercedes Outlet Mall had conflicting opinions about officers using the restaurant parking lot to bust drug dealers.

      "I don't feel safe a lot of the time... I work here at the outlets, Brittany Jones said.

      "Families come here... It's a big place... A lot of people come here... I think somewhere else would be better," Diego Garcia said.

      Solidad Ortiz feels officers should be allowed to do what TMs necessary to get the bad guys off the streets.

      It's got to be taken care of, she said. No matter where it happens... I'm sure the authorities are taking proper precautions."

      That may not be the case with the Mercedes incident in question.

      Ryan: "Did your officers act appropriately in this situation or are there going to be changes made after this?Chief: Of course, Ryan| We're going to make changes... We're not finished with our investigation."But some Mercedes police officers, both current and former, fear nothing will be done.


text:
Warnings in 2004 about a two-tiered education system in B.C.

Share Adjust Comment Print

Many of us are still pondering the landmark decision Friday from the Supreme Court of Canada on the rights of learning-disabled students. Here is a story I wrote in 2004 that touches on some of the same issues being discussed today:

Families of special-needs children are increasingly turning to private tutors and independent schools for the help they aren’t getting in B.C. public schools, parents say.

“It’s becoming a two-tiered education system,” said Cathie Camley of the Learning Disabilities Association of B.C., adding that families who can afford it buy private services while others do without.

“The growth industry around special-education support services is tremendous,” she added.

Public school help for learning-disabled children and others in what are called the “high-incidence” categories has declined since the Liberals stopped targeting funds for those services and told school boards to set their own priorities, Camley contends.

High-incidence children include those with language-based learning difficulties (such as dyslexia), mild intellectual disabilities and behaviour disorders as well as those who are intellectually gifted.

School board and ministry officials deny there’s been a cut in service, but a provincial tally of these special-needs students indicates fewer have been identified as needing help since targeted funding ended.

Parents say if children aren’t being tested and identified, they aren’t likely to get the necessary support, especially when budgets are tight.

A recent survey of parents of learning disabled students suggest more than half are buying extra service — from the Sylvan Learning Centre, Kumon Canada and Orton-Gillingham tutors, Camley said.

The survey, by the Learning Disabilities Association, also heard that 59 per cent of parents believe special-needs services have declined since the Liberals came to power.

While it’s difficult to know how many special-needs students are leaving the public system, independent schools that cater to their needs report increased interest from parents.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Ingrid Jeffrey of the Mediated Learning Academy, a new school in Coquitlam serving a range of special-needs children. “The phone is ringing constantly.

Kenneth Gordon school in Burnaby, for students with language-based learning difficulties, has also noticed rising demand, with 80 children enrolled for September and 20 on a waiting list. Collingwood school in West Vancouver, which offers a special-needs program for 54 to 60 students, has a waiting list of 10.

“It’s definitely up,” Judy Wilson-Neil, Collingwood’s admissions director, said of parental interest in the program.

Some gifted students, whose numbers have plummeted in the public system, are also moving to independent schools but many more are learning at home using computerized programs, said Jean Porteous-Simpson, president of the Gifted Children’s Association of B.C.

Since fewer are being identified as gifted, their needs are “going off the radar” in public schools, she added.

Provincewide, there are 1,881 fewer gifted students in public schools this year than last, and that follows a drop of 1,215 between 2001-02 and 2002-03.

That includes a drop of 630 gifted students in Vancouver this year, 578 in Surrey and 118 in New Westminster. Despite those numbers, Vancouver and Surrey said there has been no decrease in service.

New Westminster said its numbers have declined because it no longer categorizes as gifted all students enrolled in advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs.

Education Minister Tom Christensen said many districts are applying stricter criteria in order to identify those whose giftedness amounts to a special need, rather than students who are bright and capable.

That change happened after the government stopped giving districts $341 for every gifted student to a maximum of two per cent of total student populations.

The number of B.C. students with mild intellectual disabilities has also fallen — by 286 students this year and 300 last year. The count of kids with moderate behaviour problems has dropped by 434 this year and 2,848 last year.

Learning-disabled numbers have risen slightly during the past two years but nowhere near as much as expected given that the tally now includes mild, moderate and severe cases rather than just severe.

While high-incidence numbers are falling, the count is climbing for low-incidence special-needs children — a category that continues to receive targeted funds from the ministry (ranging from $6,000 to $30,000 per student).

Low-incidence children include those with autism, Down’s syndrome, multiple disabilities and chronic health impairments.

Their numbers grew by 954 students this year to a total of 18,085, compared to the 2,169 drop in high-incidence students to 41,920.

Christensen admitted targeted funding may serve as an incentive for districts to identify low-incidence children, but that doesn’t mean districts can ignore the needs of high-incidence kids.

“We still certainly expect … districts to to be looking at the learning needs of all the children they serve,” he said.

But the ministry wants districts to move away from categorizing students, wherever possible, he added.

“The reality is we get into dangerous territory when we’re trying to categorize children,” he said. “The challenge for all of us that have a strong interest in public education is to continue to work to get to the point where each child is being considered individually and we’re doing our best to ensure their needs are met.”

The same does not apply to low-incidence children because their needs are more obvious, he added. In some cases, those children require one-on-one assistants.

Penny Tees, president of the B.C. School Trustees Association, said she can’t explain why the high-incidence numbers have fallen and doesn’t know whether services have declined as a result.

But she said school boards don’t favour a return to targeted funding, although they do want more money to provide better service.

“It’s an area where we know there are more needs to support than there are dollars to support them,” she said.

Heather Stilwell, a Surrey trustee, said she prefers targeted funding. “Otherwise you’re left with this uncomfortable feeling — ‘Are we spending enough? Are they getting their share? Are they getting too much?’

“I don’t want [government] telling us what to do with the money, but saying it is in the block [amount] … is not the best.”

Without provincial targets for special-needs spending, Stilwell worries that local decisions may pit parents of typical students against parents of special-needs students — with both wanting more for their children.

She also raised concerns about the lack of teacher training and questioned whether the identification of special-needs children necessarily leads to improved service given that few teachers have the expertise to provide service to such children.

While not calling specifically for a return to targeted funding, the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils has asked the ministry to provide incentives for districts to count high-incidence students.

Confederation president Terri Watson said it’s hard to tell whether services have slipped over the past couple of years, but there is wide concern that they will if those in need aren’t formally identified.

Camley is also concerned about inadequate teacher training, and said one of the big problems is that too many school officials still regard special education as a charitable service.

While special-needs children go without, she said money is being spent on what could be considered “extras,” such as French immersion, Montessori and out-of-province band trips.

“I support all of that … but when push comes to shove, you have to provide basic educational needs first and then those extra things come second. But we still have those being seen as the priority.”

Camley said many parents would like to see a school within the public system that caters to learning-disabled children, or those who have “invisible” disabilities.

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.


text:
NOT SO MANY YEARS AGO, film directors were downright orgasmic if they were paid a million bucks to direct a movie. Now, that’s considered “scale” by many filmmakers.

Lately, the million-dollar summit has been scaled by another unlikely group: screenwriters and novelists. Not only are these ink-stained wretches earning seven-figure packages for their work, but they’re also making the sort of gross deals previously reserved for superstars. Even more unthinkable, they’re gaining a degree of creative control.

The examples are bountiful: William Goldman, who was paid a paltry $ 400,000 for his original “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” will earn well over a million bucks from Universal to adapt John Grisham’s “The Chamber.” The studio laid out $ 3.75 million for the thriller — the most ever paid for an (at the time) unpublished book. Goldman also serves as an occasional “mentor-at-large” for that lively minimajor, Castle Rock, which has been making a lot of news lately.

Then there’s Ted Tally, who’s pulling down another million to adapt “The Juror” for Columbia. And that’s chicken feed compared with the latest coup for that prolific scriptmeister, Joe Eszterhas. Gonzo Joe sold “Foreplay” to Savoy for $ 3.5 million, but, more importantly, the complex deal entitles him to 2.5% of first dollar gross along with a very favorable cut of video income and even a percentage of earnings from music.

WHILE THESE MEGABUCK WRITERS DEALS may seem excessive to some, there’s a logic behind them that’s worth pondering. The reason movie stars make the big bucks, after all, isthat they supposedly “open” a picture. Given the fact that writers like Tom Clancy, John Grisham and Michael Crichton sell as many as 2 million books inhardcover, it can be argued that their names can open a picture as well. Hence a Crichton will pull down $ 3.5 million for the rights to “Disclosure” as well as for his producing services on the film.

Similarly, to companies like Carolco or Cinergi, Eszterhas’ name arguably is a significant help in foreign presales. If a writer can help raise upfront money, that clearly counts for something.

These developments are shaking up the dealmaking machinery around Hollywood. Agents are reevaluating their strategies, fearful of underpricing their projects. Grisham’s representatives, for example, are likely going for gross participation for his book “A Time to Kill,” which has attracted a lot of attention. The agents for the idiosyncratic Pat Conroy, who wrote “Prince of Tides,” are demanding millions for his next novel, “Beach Music,” even tying it into an original script he cranked out six years ago.

The studios find all this rather unnerving. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the Eszterhas deal is going to generate similar demands from star writers,” says the production chief of a major studio. “I don’t want to break the barrier on gross deals — but I know the goddamn barrier has already been broken.”

EVEN BEFORE GONZO JOE’S BREAKTHROUGH, writers’ deals at studios had been escalating rapidly. The top body-and-fender men are making $ 100,000 a week and up to patch up scripts being readied for production. When a star demands a rewrite by a John Patrick Shanley, the pricetag can run to $ 800,000. Jeffrey Boam reportedly was making almost a million bucks a year at Warners for his scripts and rewrites; now he has switched to Paramount, where he has a rich writer-producer deal, and the studio is delighted with his draft of “The Phantom.”

Paramount also has a rich deal with John Bishop, who lent his talents to “Beverly Hills Cop III” and “Drop Zone.” There’s a dark side to this boom, how-ever. “While some writers-du-jour may be scoring spectacular deals, the middle-range writer is having trouble getting work at all,” says one of the town’s top literary agents. “There are guys out there with major credits who are taking substantial pay cuts.”

When a writer hits a hot streak, the big question is, how high should he set his sights? A gross deal a la Eszterhas presents one glossy goal, to be sure. Greater creative control is even more attractive to others. Michael Crichton, for example, agreed to sell “Disclosure” with the proviso that he also serve as producer. This gave him a major say in the choice of director and cast.

Now that Barry Levinson has started shooting the film, however, Crichton, ever the realist, is not exactly lingering around the set arguing about setups. Instead he’s doing exactly what a writer should do — he’s in Hawaii hammering away on his next project. Such a writer understands full well that ultimate creative control, now and forever, resides with the bozo who shouts “Action.”

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
'Friday the 13th'

By-the-numbers remake of the crudely elemental slasher.

The body count continues, as will other grosses, in “Friday the 13th,” a by-the-numbers remake of the crudely elemental slasher whose ’80s and ’90s sequels made a half-billion-dollar killing for Paramount worldwide. Resurrected by “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” revampers Michael Bay and director Marcus Nispel, hockey-mask-sporting, mother-grieving psycho Jason Voorhees here butchers not one but two batches of nubile young things who unwittingly share his stomping grounds at Camp Crystal Lake, aka Camp Blood. While it won’t scare up “Chainsaw” figures, “13th” will be a lucky number for Warners domestically and somewhat less so for Paramount, relegated to international rollout.

Sick as it sounds, the pic’s word-of-mouth success will pivot on the creativity of the murders — which are aptly repugnant if nowhere near ingenious, particularly not by “Saw” standards. To say the new film is better shot and cut than those barebones gorefests of the Reagan era is to say nothing much, as even series fans would agree, and Nispel’s movie is only marginally clever in its relation to producer-director Sean S. Cunningham’s 1980 “original” (itself a rip-off of “Halloween”).

Pic opens in that year, on June 13 (a Tuesday, but whatever), with sweet young Whitney (Amanda Righetti) decapitating Mrs. Voorhees, who had slain camp counselors she believed responsible for the drowning death of her son Jason (Derek Mears) — still alive, as it turns out. Thus, the bulk of the pic (whose title appears more than 20 minutes in) covers the basic territory of 1981’s “Friday the 13th, Part 2,” wherein the deformed Jason takes his own revenge on Mommy’s killer and other sexy college-age kids like her.

These include a half-dozen sex- and pot-loving campers at Crystal Lake and Whitney’s chopper-riding brother Clay (“Supernatural” hunk Jared Padalecki), who goes looking for his sis and eventually finds her, held captive, in Jason’s absurdly elaborate underground tunnel lair.

After several murders on the property, expertly handled with bow and arrow, bear trap, hatchet and machete, Jason gets inside the cabin and goes to work on eliminating the remaining survivors. The killings are not all instantaneous as before, befitting the torture-porn genre in which victims are made to suffer.

As in his “Chainsaw” remake, Nispel’s scare tactics amount to little more than carefully timed cattle-prod shocks, aided by high-volume speaker blasts that were beyond the budgetary reach of the early ’80s films.

Shot in and around Austin, Texas, the pic peaks early with a waterskiing interlude gone bad, as Nispel, along with d.p. Daniel C. Pearl and editor Ken Blackwell, appear psyched to invoke the horror of other franchise pics, namely “Jaws” and its first sequel. Pastiche-laden screenplay by “Freddy vs. Jason” scribes Damian Shannon and Mark Swift includes, of all things, a marijuana-laced homage to Lauren Bacall’s “Put your lips together” line from Howard Hawks’ “To Have and Have Not.” Sadly, “Friday” series in-jokes are few and far between, though roads to future sequels are surely paved.

Aesthetically, Nispel’s “Friday” is slightly stronger than his mediocre “Chainsaw,” if essentially identical. Pearl’s widescreen lensing appears professional but woefully lacking in nuance and detail — which, given the flatness of the first “Friday’s,” may in fact be one of the more faithful elements of the adaptation.

Standouts in the young cast include Danielle Panabaker, who has the fresh-faced appeal of the young Winona Ryder, and Aaron Yoo, who lends much-needed comic flair to the part of a playfully goofy, Cheech-esque stoner.

Harry Manfredini’s original “ch-ch/pa-pa” theme is used here, but sparingly, perhaps in acknowledgment that the murders are telegraphed plenty well enough as is. Steve Jablonsky’s score also is quicker than Manfredini’s, in keeping with the killer’s curiously aerobic agility.

Friday the 13th

A Warner Bros. (in U.S.)/Paramount (international) release of a New Line Cinema and Paramount presentation, in association with Michael Bay, of a Platinum Dunes production. Produced by Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller, Sean S. Cunningham. Executive producers, Brian Witten, Walter Hamada, Guy Stodel. Co-producer, Alma Kuttruff. Directed by Marcus Nispel. Screenplay, Damian Shannon, Mark Swift, from a story by Shannon, Swift, Mark Wheaton, and from characters by Victor Miller.

Camera (Technicholor, Panavision widescreen), Daniel C. Pearl; editor, Ken Blackwell; music, Steve Jablonsky; production designer, Jeremy Conway; art director, John Frick; set designer, Adele Plauche; set decorator, Randy Smith Huke; costume designer, Mari-An Ceo; sound (Dolby Digital/SDDS/DTS), Stacy Brownrigg; supervising sound editor, Kelly Oxford; re-recording mixers, Marc Fishman, Tony Lamberti; visual effects supervisors, Nathan McGuiness, Mitchell S. Drain; visual effects, Asylum Effects; special effects coordinator, John Milinac; special effects makeup supervisor, Scott Stoddard; stunt coordinator, Kurt Bryant; assistant directors, Michael Waxman, Craig Pinckes; casting, Lisa Fields. Reviewed at AMC Southdale 16, Edina, Minn., Feb. 10, 2008. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 97 MIN.

Clay Miller - Jared Padalecki Jenna - Danielle Panabaker Whitney Miller - Amanda Righetti Trent - Travis Van Winkle Chewie - Aaron Yoo Jason Voorhees - Derek Mears Wade - Jonathan Sadowski Bree - Julianna Guill Richie - Ben Feldman Lawrence - Arlen Escarpeta Nolan - Ryan Hansen Chelsea - Willa Ford Mike - Nick Mennell Amanda - America Olivo Donnie - Kyle Davis

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
It’s a little fuzzy why TV Guide Network would devote an hour specifically to “Precious,” other than that the movie is a Lionsgate release, and the channel is controlled by Lionsgate.

TVG But then again, I’m suspicious by nature, especially when it comes to corporate synergy. (And in case you’re wondering, the Oscar voting period remains open through March 2.)

Here’s the announcement:

TV Guide Network will air an
exclusive one-hour special on the six-time Academy Award® nominated film “Precious:
Based on the Novel
‘Push’ by Sapphire,”
a Lionsgate® release. The special, hosted by
veteran television personality Tanika Ray, documents the film’s
extraordinary journey from page to screen, and includes
never-before-seen film footage, exclusive interviews with the director
and cast members, and emotional reactions from filmgoers who have seen
the movie and been touched by its story. Precious: The Story
Behind the Movie”
premieres Saturday, February
20 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on TV Guide Network

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
Jeremy Renner starring in Universal thriller

Edward Norton is in negotiations to play the villain in Universal’s “The Bourne Legacy” opposite Jeremy Renner.

Tony Gilroy is on board to direct from a script he penned and Rachel Weisz has also signed on to star.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but Jason Bourne will not be featured in the film, while Renner will play another assassin trained in the same program that Bourne was trained in. Universal had no comment on Norton’s negotiations.

Frank Marshall, Ben Smith and Jeffrey Weiner are producing.

Besides “The Italian Job,” Norton has not been in full-bore villain mode for some time. The “Bourne” role is his most commercial since starring as the Hulk in Marvel and Universal’s “The Incredible Hulk.”

In previous “Bourne” pics, Universal had not surrounded then-star Matt Damon with high-profile names, but the Gilroy pic is shaping up as a major ensemble piece.

Norton is filming the Wes Anderson pic “Moonrise Kingdom.”

He is repped by WME.

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
Reality show was cancelled in 2010

TLC has ordered four “Little People Big World” specials for 2011, with production under way.

The unscripted show was canceled in 2010 after six seasons, but the net said the specials will resolve viewer questions about the welfare of the Roloff family. The first special is tentatively set to air this October.

“Big World” stars husband and wife Matt and Amy Roloff — both little people — and their children Molly, Jacob, and twins Jeremy and Zachary. All are of average height, except Zachary, who suffers from achondroplasia, as does his mother.

“These specials are a great opportunity to update the TLC audience on their latest developments,” said g.m. Amy Winter. “Matt and Amy will always be part of our network’s family and we know their fans will be excited to reconnect.”

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
DreamWorks Animation continues its love affair with French fest

Madagascar 3” is making its world premiere in Cannes, the first summer tentpole to stake a date on the sked — and only the second film announced after festival opener “Moonrise Kingdom” from Wes Anderson.

DreamWorks has some history on the Croisette, having premiered “Shrek” (2000), “Shrek 2” (a 2004 competition title), “Over the Hedge” (2006) and “Kung Fu Panda” (2008) there. DWA also held its international junket for “Kung Fu Panda 2” in Cannes, though it was not in the festival.

Paramount is releasing the 3D “Madagascar 3” in the U.S. on June 8.

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
Corp. partners with Monitor, People's Cinema

LONDON — Imax Corp. has signed deals to open three new theaters in Russia, and one in China.

In Russia, the large-format player has contracted to install one system each with new partners Monitor and People’s Cinema, as well as adding another Imax screen to the circuit of its existing partner Kinomax.

Kinomax will include an Imax screen in its Samara complex, due to open in September 2013. That will be the exhib’s fifth Imax system.

Monitor, one of Russia’s largest loops, will launch its first Imax screen as part of its Anapa multiplex, set to open in July. Local indie exhib People’s Cinema will install an Imax theater in its Ulan Ude site, due to open in September 2013.

In China, Nongken Bona Film Investment Co. has pacted to open an Imax theater in Tianjin from September 2012.

Imax now has 24 theaters open in Russia and the CIS, with 25 contracted to come. The company has 92 theaters already operating in China, with another 134 in the pipeline.

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
Musician played on 'Penguin,' 'Mystery to Me' albums

LONDON (AP) — Bob Weston, a British guitarist who played with Fleetwood Mac, has died aged 64.

Police say Weston’s body was found in his north London home on Tuesday after neighbors raised the alarm.

Police said Friday that his death was not being treated as suspicious. An autopsy revealed the causes of death as gastric intestinal hemorrhage, cirrhosis of the liver and throat problems.

Weston joined Fleetwood Mac in 1972 as replacement for Danny Kirwan, and played on the band’s albums ”Penguin” and ”Mystery to Me.”

But during an American tour the next year, Mick Fleetwood discovered Weston was having an affair with his wife, Jenny Boyd. Weston was fired.

He released several solo albums and played with musicians including Long John Baldry, Murray Head, Sandy Denny and Steve Marriott.

He is survived by a brother.

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
Brian Long to serve as deputy

SYDNEY — Lachlan Murdoch has been elevated to the role of chairman at the Ten Network, after a year serving as interim CEO.

Murdoch oversaw the appointment of incoming CEO James Warburton late last year, but Warburton’s arrival was held up by a legal challenge from the Seven Network, his previous employer.

Ten’s existing chairman Brian Long will serve as Murdoch’s deputy.

In a statement, Long said Murdoch had reset the company’s strategic vision and improved its cost base during his reign as temporary topper.

”The board believes that the combined media capability of James Warburton as TEN’s chief executive officer and Lachlan Murdoch as non-executive chairman provides the best opportunity for value creation for all shareholders,” Long added.

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 0


text:
Ben Foster Casting Lance Armstrong

Dominic Cooper also negotiations to star

Legendary Entertainment has tapped Ben Foster, Toby Kebbell and Rob Kazinsky for the lead roles in “Warcraft,” with Dominic Cooper in negotiations for a part as well.

Travis Fimmel and Paula Patton are also on board,  as previously announced, with Duncan Jones (“Source Code”) directing.

Details of the plot are still unknown. Studios have been trying for some time to get an adaptation of the Blizzard Entertainment game “World of Warcraft” off the ground, with Sam Raimi attached to direct at one point.

Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing the pic alongside Charles Roven through his Atlas Entertainment and Alex Gartner.

Production is slated for early 2014.

The WME-repped Foster can be seen next in Universal’s “Lone Survivor.” Kebbell, who is repped by CAA, was last seen in “The Counselor,” while the Gersh-repped Kazinsky was last seen in “Pacific Rim.”

Cooper is repped by CAA and can be seen next in DreamWorks’ “Need for Speed.”

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 1


text:
Hulu Plus remains ahead of Netflix in licensing current top-rated TV shows, according to Piper Jaffray analysis

Netflix continues to outpace’s subscription-video service on the content-licensing front, delivering substantially more of the top 50 movies and top 75 TV shows from the last few years, according to an analysis by Piper Jaffray & Co.

“Relative to Amazon… Netflix is still leading by a wide margin,” Piper Jaffray senior research analyst Michael Olson wrote in a note Wednesday.

Of the 75 top-rated television shows over the last four seasons, Netflix currently offers 32% and Amazon’s Prime Instant Video has 12%. On the other hand, Netflix’s library of top TV shows from that time period declined 2% from June 2013 to June 2014, whereas Amazon increased its count of those shows by 5% in the past 12 months, according to the Piper Jaffray report.

On movies, Netflix provides more recent titles — with 10 of the 50 box-office leaders from 2013, versus three for Amazon — while Amazon’s library includes more top movies that are two years old, according to the report. Of the top 50 movies for each of the last three years, Netflix has 12%, Redbox Instant by Verizon has 7%, Amazon Prime has 6%  and Hulu Plus has 1%, Piper Jaffray found.

Meanwhile, Hulu’s subscription service delivers nearly three times as many recent top-rated shows as Netflix. Hulu Plus has 57% of the top 75 series from the 2013-’14 season, compared with 20% for Netflix and 9% for Amazon.

Hulu is owned by Disney, 21st Century Fox and NBCUniversal, and was originally formed to let their respective networks deliver catch-up online viewing of their primetime shows. “While definitely a competitor, we view Hulu as increasingly less of a direct threat as Netflix focuses on original content,” Olson said.

SEE ALSO: Netflix to Focus on Adding Higher-Rated and Exclusive Titles, CFO Says

Piper Jaffray based its analysis on annual box-office revenue for movies and full-season ratings for TV shows (excluding sports such as NBC’s “Sunday Night Football”). Reps for Amazon and Netflix declined to comment on the report.

But Amazon makes decisions about which content to acquire decisions based on different metrics: digital purchases of movies and TV shows through its Instant Video transactional service. Indeed, Amazon head of music and video Bill Carr has said that trove of data gives it a competitive advantage in determining what Prime members will want to watch. And of course, Amazon purchasing data doesn’t exactly correspond with TV ratings or box office receipts.

There’s no question that Netflix, by stocking more hit shows and movies, would to some degree appeal to a wider base of consumers than Amazon’s service.

But Netflix hasn’t decisively won the SVOD war: Amazon remains aggressive in looking for exclusive TV licensing deals to expand its 40,000-plus title Prime Instant Video service.

The e-commerce company reached a deal this spring with HBO for older seasons of hit shows, which is worth at least $200 million, according to analyst estimates. Amazon also cut a Fox deal to snatch exclusive streaming rights to “24” away from Netflix, and has a novel pact with CBS to stream episodes of “Under the Dome” and “Extant” four days after they air. And, like Netflix, Amazon Studios is building a steady pipeline of original shows.

Olson speculated that Netflix’s library of top TV shows and movies will contract as the company boosts spending on original programming, which he said was “a prudent strategy assuming ongoing ability to create hits.”

But Netflix CFO David Wells, speaking at an investor conference in May, said the company will “continue to expand the content library meaningfully” with a greater emphasis on licensing exclusive and “four- and five-star content.”

Piper Jaffray maintains a “neutral” rating on Netflix based on valuation, with Olson adding that “we have confidence in ability for Netflix to achieve near-term estimates.” On Tuesday Netflix stock hit an all-time high after Goldman Sachs’ Heath Terry upgraded the stock (from “hold” to “buy”) based on international growth expectations and the streamer’s acquisition of kids’ programming.

Filed Under:

Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY.
Post A Comment 5


text:
Taboola raises $15 million Series D

Video recommendation service has raised $40 million in total funding

Financial trends and news by Steven Loeb
February 19, 2013 | Comments
Short URL: http://vator.tv/n/2da1

(Updated to reflect comment from Taboola)

Video, article and image recommendation service Taboola has raised a $15 Million Series D round of funding, it was announced Tuesday.

The round was led by Pitango VC, with participation from existing investors Evergreen Venture Partners, WGI Group and Marker. Taboola previously raised  a $10 million Series C round led by Marker LLC, a New York City-based fund founded by Rick Scanlon and Thomas Pompidou. The round also included existing investors Evergreen Venture Partners and WGI Group. This latest funding brings the company's  total to $40 million.

The funds will be used to continue the company's growth, which involves investing in account management, operations and the service capabilities, Adam Singolda, founder and CEO of Taboola, said in an interview with VatorNews.

The company, which expanded into Europe in 2012, will also be emerging in new markets, including Australia and France.

Most importantly, though, Taboola will be investing in its technology, Singolda said. What will make the company a success is the value it creates for the users, publishers and agencies who use it.

Founded in 2007, New York City-based Taboola provides a platform that publishers can use to recommend videos, articles and images to users on their sites. It has served the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek and Hearst, along with many others in publishing.

The company uses its EngageRank technology to quantify how users interact with content in real-time, so that it can accurately predict, and recommend, content that it believes will be interesting to those users. Taboola uses multiple signals including contextual, behavioral, person and social, to find which videos to send to the right person at the right time. The recommended content can either be from the site the user is currently on, or from other sites from Taboola’s network of content.

The company is developing new ways of collecting signals, he said, though he could not share what those ways are at this time.

When a user is viewing video content on one of these publishers' sites, Taboola analyzes and lists three to five videos next to the screen so that users can continue viewing relevant content once their video ends.

By showing related videos from other sources, Taboola allows publishers to provide a greater inventory of video and increase the viewing time that users are on their site.

For example, Singolda said, if a person cannot watch a video that is over two minutes during the day then Taboola will not send them content that is longer than that. If they sent a video that the person would not watch, it would be a waste of money and resources. It makes the publishers the company works with feel safe that they are not giving up real estate on their websites for nothing.

The company started out sending only videos, but recently launched a new product to send both articles and images as well.

That Taboola started out with video puts the company at an advantage, Singolda said, since figuring out which videos is harder than sending articles, and requires more innovation. He does not expect the new product to significantly improve growth, but it will make Taboola able to deliver content on all fronts.

Taboola's sees over 200 million unique visitors every month, and 1.5 billion recommendations daily. It has around 1,000 clients, mostly high-end publishers, including Bloomberg, BusinessWeek, Time.com, USAToday, NYTimes, BBC, TMZ, The-Hollywood-Reporter, Politico.com, CafeMom, Billboard.com, and Fox Television. The company is focused on building the world's leading engine to discover content people may like, and allowing content owners to gain a significant ROI on their content business.

(Image source: http://gigaom.com)

blog comments powered by Disqus