Tritium/3He dating has been applied to many problems in groundwater hydrology including, for example, determination of circulation patterns, mean residence times, recharge rates, or bank infiltration. Here, we discuss recent progress in the application of the tritium/3He dating method to sites with complex hydrogeological settings. Specifically, we report on tritium/3He dating at sites with (a) river infiltration into the basaltic fractured rock aquifer of the Eastern Snake River Plain, and (b) river infiltration through sinkholes into the karstic limestone Upper Floridian aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia.Tritium/3He dating has been applied to many problems in groundwater hydrology including, for example, determination of circulation patterns, mean residence times, recharge rates, or bank infiltration. Here, we discuss recent progress in the application of the tritium/3He dating method to sites with complex hydrogeological settings. Specifically, we report on tritium/3He dating at sites with (a) river infiltration into the basaltic fractured rock aquifer of the Eastern Snake River Plain, and (b) river infiltration through sinkholes into the karstic limestone Upper Floridian aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia.


Gary Price does a nice job of providing some excerpts from this interview with Eric Schmidt, including a reason why he almost didn't join Google.
This one is more autobiography than interview from Danny Sullivan, but a great read regardless. There's an awesome list of some of the top search stories over the past ten years.
Greg Linden shares some of his thoughts on a new relevance ranking at Google Scholar. I have a feeling that Greg spends as much time or more looking for search related papers as I do, so it's good to see his thoughts on this new ranking system.
A thoughtful look at the new service from the Microsoft folks, including some comments on the interface and comparisons to Google Scholar.
Kudos to Donna for a couple of excellent suggestions on making wordpress blogs a little friendlier to search engines.
And Kudos to Mike Davidson for his suggestions on working with MySpace pages.
Jeremy Keith introduces two new design sites, Bite Size Standards and Vitamin, which are both thoughtful, collaborative efforts about design, and already filled with some excellent articles and ideas.
Sarah in Tampa provides the scoop in this acquistion of the technology of Meedio, maker of digital entertainment software. I need to update my Yahoo! acquisitions pages.
Nathan Weinberg discusses the smart way that Google has used to enter the Russian search market. I need to update my page on Google Acquisitions.
I really like the thoughtful analysis that Joe Dolson provides about this search engine that focuses on personalized search, and appreciate the way he responds to, and interacts with the creator of the search engine in a followup post. A great example of how blogs can start conversations, and how paying attention to blog posts (as the creator of Mojeek has), can lead to some ideas on how to make an interesting site even better.
With our tagline "Humanity at work!" I am dead set on showing the world that a human edited spam free directory can still be built and maintained; with an emphasis on quality and authority.
Jennifer Slegg (Jenstar) writes about some of the possible implications of this development. Thanks for the heads up.
A look at Microsoft's emphasis on social search.
I like when people take the time and effort to provide a thoughtful analysis and comparison of services like this one. Covered are the offerings from Google, Ask, Yahoo, Mapquest, and Windows Live Local. Some interesting comments, too.
A worrisome report from Declan McCullagh. I'm going to a presentation in Washington, DC, next week where he will be one of the presenters. The focus is upon copyrights, but maybe something on this topic will come out.
Is having access to the web at work that harmful?
Is having access to RSS feeds at work all that harmful?
It's really good to see that John Scott has started a new blog, to go along with the V7 network forums, and even better to see my friend Peter Da Vanzo as one of the authors of the site. Peter has adopted a slightly different approach here than at Search Engine Blog, and it's really good to have more of his thoughts on the web.
Jennifer Laycock shares the word about some new free software from the web analytics firm ClickTracks, which bundles some of the features of their analytics software. I'm a really big fan of the statistics overlays that let you see which links get what traffic on a page, and was pleased to see those in this version. Of course, once you use it, you may just be tempted to buy one of the fuller featured offerings that they have. Jennifer does an excellent job of showing what you get with the software.
Does Textbook SEO Really Work Anymore?
The school project sounds exciting.
You'll be able to supply them with a perspective that they might not otherwise get, and might learn something while you're at it, too. Good going.
Bill, thanks for the coverage of the Umdum launch.
I'm quite excited to have the Directory up and running and am getting together some fun promos and directory building events.
In addition, I met a nice fellow at SES Tokyo who is a Professor of Informational Science (classes are in English) at a University in Central Japan and is the head of a search, findability and usability 2.0 'hack' project between multiple Asian Universities.
Looks like I will probably be speaking at the school on search and 'web 2.0' and working on the projects with the students – which should be a blast.


text:
6 Questions With Fitness Queen Jillian Michaels
We spoke to personal trainer, wellness entrepreneur and 'Biggest Loser' star Jillian Michaels about what it really means to discover your motivation.
Jillian Michaels may be most famous for her ability to whip people into shape, but there are certain truths about sticking to a fitness routine that are entirely relevant to achieving fluency in a new language.
For one, motivation is not something that comes from outside of you. Secondly, you may never stick to any of your goals if you're unclear about why they're important to you.
Michaels has had a long, illustrious career in health and fitness, beginning with her introduction to martial arts at the age of 12 or 13. More than 100 million followers later (in addition to a hit television series, various fitness DVDs, an exercise streaming platform, 8 New York Times bestselling books, a podcast, a fitness app and various partnerships and investments), Michaels is deeply familiar with the mechanism of motivation, how internal drive actually works, and what it takes to follow through on what you say you're going to do.
1. Can you tell me briefly about your journey with fitness and how you got to where you are today?
MICHAELS: Yeah, sure. Briefly is tough. Let's see. I was an overweight kid. I got into martial arts at about 12 or 13. It was a long process of getting more fit and more empowered, but over the course of my experience in martial arts, I not only lost the weight, but the accomplishments that I had physically in that environment built my self-worth and my self-esteem as well. So, at a young age, I began to appreciate the transformative power of fitness, not just physically but emotionally and psychologically, and I realized that when you're strong physically, it transcends into the other facets of your life.
So, I was training for my black belt at about 17, early 18. I graduated high school early, not because I was a genius or anything, just because my birthday fell on a strange cut-off date. People were coming up to me in the gym asking me how much I would charge to train them, and it was a hell of a lot better than the five dollars I was making an hour delivering pizzas. My mom helped me get my first little certification, and it kind of all started there.
2. Your personal training style is often described as "tough," "no holds barred," "no nonsense." Is that an approach that's always come naturally to you, or did you grow into that personality over time?
MICHAELS: It really is a combination of my experience with martial arts, and my mom is a psychoanalyst, so I've been heavily therapized since I was 5 years old. So, I have an empathy but not a sympathy. I think sympathy is a very dangerous thing. Sympathy to me is almost like validating somebody's deepest darkest concerns about their abilities. Because if you're sympathetic, it's like, "Aww. You poor, weak thing. Just take the stairs." Sympathy — it's validating a false message of lethargy, whereas empathy is like, "Look, I get it. It's hard, but you're capable of doing it and it's worth doing so let's suck it up and let's get moving." And so, for me, my experience in doing my own work and therapy has allowed me to get it.
I understand that it's not easy to do and it allows me to be empathetic, but my time in martial arts has also helped me understand that people are capable of far more than they realize. And when you treat them the way they should be treated, with an expectation of what you know they are capable of doing, they will rise to that occasion. But if you treat them like they're weak or they're fragile or they're broken, you're reinforcing a dangerous pattern.
3. Would you say it's true that different people require different motivational approaches? Do you tweak your approach depending on who you are dealing with — how much trial and error did you have to experience before you figured out a system that works?
MICHAELS: Absolutely. It does depend on the individual, for sure. I mean, the science of weight loss is the science of weight loss, or fitness for that matter. You can tailor that science to create an approach that's more manageable, or tolerable, for each individual. On a psychological level, though, people are definitely going to respond to different things without a doubt. And you can usually size somebody up pretty quickly.
If they're a type A, you need a very focused, more drill sergeant approach. If they're a little more sensitive, you need to build them up with far more praise. So, it just depends on the individual, but the thing with Biggest Loser that was very different, that I would not apply in everyday circumstances, is that you have this life or death intervention, but it's on a ticking clock. So, the rate at which you need people to hit certain benchmarks of accomplishments is dramatically accelerated.
For there to be any hope of somebody making healthy changes and maintaining them, you need several things to happen.
You need them to have this rock-bottom moment where they realize the way they've been living is more painful than the fear and the work associated with where they need to get to.
You need them to have an accomplishment in the gym that creates a crack in the structure that they sort of … How do I explain this? We all have a belief of what our capabilities are, right? And if you have an accomplishment that shatters that idea or the notion of what you think you can't do, it allows you to open up an infinity of possibility and get somebody to engage and take further action. You can't believe in a reality you haven't experienced. So you have to give them a success in the gym that they didn't think was possible and that allows them to gradually redefine their worth and their belief in their abilities. You need more of those, but you need at least one to get the person on the road.
And then the third thing is that you need them to take responsibility, because even though there are various times in our lives where we are, in fact, victims, or life is out of our control and it is unfair. How we respond to those things is what's going to make all the difference, and if they can't take responsibility, then they are fundamentally disempowered to change.
4. What are some of the ways you hold yourself accountable on a daily basis aside from diet and exercise?
MICHAELS: I hold myself accountable as a parent. I hold myself accountable as a businesswoman. I do my best. I'm not perfect, but I do my best to try harder to take responsibility for the things I've screwed up, you know, to have the ego strength to own my mistakes and to try to re-approach more intelligently. I do that in all facets of my life. It's not always easy, but I also know that I have a pretty healthy sense of self-esteem, and so I'm better equipped to own my screw-ups, and I know that if you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough. We're all human, we're all going to make mistakes and fuck up. The key is to be strong enough to take responsibility for it.
I heard a great quote the other day. It's everything we all already know, but, "The fear of failure is the enemy of success." Because the only way to be successful and to get better is to fail and use it as an entry-point for learning.
5. What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions that people have about motivation and healthy habits?
MICHAELS: I think they believe that it can come from outside of them. I can't tell you how many people have come to me saying, "I'm looking for motivation." And motivation is something that can only come from inside of you. Inspiration can come from outside of you. I kind of look at it as jump-starting your car battery. You're inspired, you have a dead battery, someone giving you a jump start, okay. But at the end of the day, to keep that car on the road, you're going to have to recharge that battery. So, you might have something that sort of gets you in motion, but to stay in motion, you have to find that internal drive, because anything that's worth having — and in fact, the greater that thing is, whether it's healthier relationships or more professional success or a healthier body — the more work and the more sacrifice it's going to require.
There's another great quote: "If you have a 'why' to live for, you can tolerate the 'how.'" And the "how" is the work and the sacrifice associated with the goal. Then, for me, I always say work with a purpose becomes passion, but work without purpose is punishing. It's got to be, like, okay, not just health, wealth and love, what does that relationship look like in your life? What kind of career do you want to have? Do you want to work part-time and be a stay-at-home mom? Do you want to be in a corporate environment with a corner office? Do you want to be an entrepreneur? Do you want to be an executive to get the paycheck and take the weight of being an entrepreneur off your shoulders?
You need to know what it is you want in detail, you need to form an emotional connection to it, and you need to make sure it's realistic. Like, I'm never going to play basketball like Kobe Bryant or LeBron James but, at that point, I'd have to look at what is it that I love about basketball, and where can I recreate those things in other aspects of my life. Is it coaching, or is it X, Y or Z? So, realism is also an important component, but that is the biggest thing. They think it comes from outside of themselves, when in truth, it requires soul searching. The exact opposite. Searching, looking in, not searching outward.
"Motivate me." It's like, I can't motivate you. I can tell you what to do to get results, but I can't motivate you. I can't make you want to do the work. You have to figure out why the work is worth it, and that can only come from inside of you.
6. Given your background in fitness and health, what is the main piece of advice you'd give to someone who's trying to learn a new language and stick with their studies?
MICHAELS: I would go back to the "why," right? Like, why do you want to do it? Because I imagine it's a lot of work. And what's in it for you to do the work? How will it improve the quality of your life? I think that's the most important thing, is really looking at, is it going to improve an area that you want to work in? Is it going to open up opportunities professionally? Are you dating somebody whose native tongue is a different language and it allows you to improve the intimacy in your relationship? Do you love traveling? I think you really have to drill down on the "why" again, because like everything, it's work.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Click here to read the full transcript.
Photo credit: Don Flood
Is the drive within you?
Habits,
Interviews,
Learning Advice,
6 Questions With Time Management Pro Laura Vanderkam
We spoke with productivity guru Laura Vanderkam about the 'busy' trap, the most common misconceptions people have about time, and how anyone can find time to learn a language.
6 Questions With Habits And Happiness Guru Gretchen Rubin
We spoke with best-selling author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin about forming good habits, how learning brings happiness and her latest book, The Four Tendencies.
6 Questions With Master Conversationalist Celeste Headlee
We spoke with national radio host Celeste Headlee about the art of conversing, why English speakers are some of the worst communicators, and how learning a new language can be one of the best ways to practice listening.
Steph Koyfman
Steph is a writer, lindy hopper, and astrologer. She's also a language enthusiast who grew up bilingual and had an early love affair with books. She has mostly proved herself as a New Yorker, and she can introduce herself in Swedish thanks to Babbel. She also speaks Russian and Spanish, but she's a little rusty on those fronts.
Articles by Steph Koyfman
How To Avoid The Summer Learning Slump
What Language Is Spoken In Jamaica?
Jargon Watch: The Language Of Astrology

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Demeco Ryans Is A Popular Name For Head Coach Openings
by Amber Harding January 16, 2023, 5:05 pm updated January 16, 2023, 8:54 pm
Videos by OutKick
NFL coaching searches are in full swing, and Demeco Ryans might just be the most popular guy around.
The San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator has interviews lined up for a head coach gig with four teams. He will meet with the Denver Broncos Thursday, followed by the Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans later in the week.
Demeco Ryans is emerging as a coveted candidate for several NFL head coach positions. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
Ryans has climbed the ranks with the 49ers since 2017. Starting in defensive quality control, he became the inside linebackers coach in 2018. He was named defensive coordinator in 2021. Prior to coaching, he played 10 NFL seasons as a linebacker for Houston and Philadelphia.
In 2022, Ryans led one of the most impressive defensive units in the league. This season, the 49ers defense allowed the fewest points and second-fewest yards in the NFL.
San Francisco coaches are a hot commodity. If Ryans accepts a head coaching job, it would be the third consecutive year that a 49ers assistant has become a head coach elsewhere. Former DC Robert Saleh went to the Jets in 2021 and OC Mike McDaniel took over the Dolphins' job in 2022.
Ryans will complete all four interviews before San Francisco's divisional round matchup.
They will take on the winner of Monday Night's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
DeMeco RyansSan Francisco 49ers
Written by Amber Harding
Amber is a Midwestern transplant living in Murfreesboro, TN. She spends most of her time taking pictures of her dog, explaining why real-life situations are exactly like "this one time on South Park," and being disappointed by the Tennessee Volunteers.
More From: NFL
Cincinnati Mayor Gets Cocky, Asks Joe Burrow To Prove He Is Patrick Mahomes' Father BEFORE AFC Championship
Grayson Weir
Heated Debate Over Jalen Hurts' College Days Leads Alabama To Claim Former QB While Oklahoma Sits Idly By
Justin Fields Is Being Traded, According To Warren Sapp. Sorry, Bears Fans.
Zach Dean
Robert Saleh Reveals Jets Plans At QB For 2023 With Free Agent Market Full Of Veterans, Nathaniel Hackett As OC
Get the Daily OutKick and get smarter every day.
You are agreeing to OutKick's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, but don't worry we don't spam.


text:
Murad Olegovich Musayev (; born 10 November 1983) is a Russian football coach. He is the manager of Azerbaijani club Sabah.

Club career
He led the Under-19 team of FC Krasnodar to the 2017–18 UEFA Youth League knockout phase, where they were eliminated by Real Madrid only in a shootout in front of the sold-out Krasnodar Stadium.

On 3 April 2018, following the firing of Igor Shalimov, he was appointed the caretaker manager of FC Krasnodar. After his caretaking spell was over in early May, he could not be registered as manager with the Russian Premier League due to lack of UEFA Pro Licence (Musayev only held UEFA B Licence at the time), so Oleg Fomenko was formally registered with the league as head coach and Musayev as his senior assistant coach, but Musayev de facto continued to manage the team. He received his UEFA A Licence later in 2018, but that still didn't make him eligible to be registered as the head coach. Before the 2019–20 season, Fomenko moved to FC Krasnodar-2 and Sergey Matveyev was hired by FC Krasnodar as head coach. Musayev passed his UEFA Pro Licence exam in the summer of 2020 and was officially registered with the league as Krasnodar's manager on 20 June 2020. He led Krasnodar to their first qualification to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2020–21 season. He resigned from Krasnodar on 3 April 2021 following a string of bad results after 2020–21 season was resumed after a winter break, including a biggest ever club defeat (1–6 to FC Spartak Moscow away) and a biggest ever home loss (0–5 to FC Akhmat Grozny).

On 30 October 2021, he signed a two-year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League club Sabah.

Personal life
On his father's side, he is of Uzbek and Russian descent, the grandson of Uzbek from Bukhara, and on his mother's side, he is Russian.

References

External links
 Profile by Russian Football Premier League

1983 births
Sportspeople from Krasnodar
Russian Muslims
Avar people
Living people
Russian football managers
FC Krasnodar managers
Russian Premier League managers
Azerbaijan Premier League managers
Russian expatriate football managers
Expatriate football managers in Azerbaijan
Russian expatriate sportspeople in Azerbaijan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Girl from the Savoy by Hazel Gaynor I loved this book because of the setting. I'm a sucker for 1920s anything so this was perfect for me.
Radio Girls by Sarah Jane Straford Another interwar novel I adored. I was particularly fascinated by this because it looked at the history of the BBC and had some links to the suffragette movement.
These are my five star YA reads of 2017. I can't do a top ten. I read far more than the average person so asking me to cut this is cruelty at best. Book blogger cruelty. There's no surprise that most of these are UKYA titles.
Margot and Me by Juno Dawson.
I loved Mia as a character and read this in pretty much one sitting. Full of heart and just lovely.
I loved this book mostly because it appealed to my inner book geek. Loved the cameos from some of my favourite UKYA authors. I adored Aiden far too much as well. Lovely gorgeous boy.
I loved this book for the insight it gave me into someone living with aspergers. I loved Grace and it was a thoroughly cracking YA novel.
I just thought this was super cute and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love this time of year because this is when I get lots of lovely picture books dropping through my door. I seem to only be offered them in the lead up to Christmas because of course books make fantastic presents and I'm always glad to take them for review because I love a great picture book. This year I've had a wonderful selection arrive and wanted to share a few with you in case you were looking for present ideas for small people.
The selection of books I have received this year have been aimed at a variety of ages, fiction and non fiction and I've loved every single one of them.
This month I've not read all that much from the library as I've been catching up with review titles but I have read a few crackers.
I caught up with the Elly Griffith's Ruth Galloway series finishing up with The Chalk Pit. I won't say much about the series because if you haven't started them it won't mean anything to you. This was my favourite to date. I do love Norwich and this was set there and I loved it for that as well as seeing the character development over time. I'm dying to read the next one but think I'm going to have to wait until February for it.
If you believed everything you see instagram you might come to the conclusion that being a book blogger is an expensive hobby. It certainly can be. Those purchases of books and bookish related items can really add up. However you do not have to spend anything to be a successful book blogger.
Over the course of the year I have been actively trying to save money and cutting down book and bookish expenditure has been one area I've really focused.Obviously I did this to save money but also to help me refocus my blog on what I want it to be. I want it to be about things I actually read and love and not become a soulless advertising space for books I'm not all that fussed about just because I was sent a free review copy.


text:
GDPR countdown is on!
In May, Europe's data protection rules will undergo their biggest changes in 20 years.
To ensure the laws overseeing our personal data are fit for purpose, European regulators have created a series of new rules.
A new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be coming into force on 25 May. The new law will change how businesses and public sector organisations can handle the information of their customers.
Sheffield Wednesday FC are working hard to ensure that as a club we meet the highest standard for data privacy. Supporters' data comes first and is very important to us, therefore we would like to take this opportunity to share our new Privacy Policy which you can view by CLICKING HERE.
This privacy policy explains what information we may collect about you, how we may use it, and the steps we take to ensure that it is kept secure. We also explain your rights in respect of your personal data.
In coming weeks, we will be contacting all fans which are opted in to our email newsletters with instructions on how to stay opted in and continue to receive latest news about Sheffield Wednesday.
If you have any questions about our privacy policy or about your personal data, please email privacy@swfc.co.uk or write to us at the following address:
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club
Hillsborough Stadium
S6 1SW


Microwave Oven Wall Shelf 18"x18" Stainless Steel. Overall Size: 18"W x 18"L x 12H. All 18 gauge stainless steel polished finish. Perfect for restaurants, fits most microwave ovens.
Safely mount onto wall to secure heavy equipment. If an item arrives damaged, Please refuse and. By purchasing from us you accept and acknowledge these policies, unless it is a factory defect. We strive to earn your business! The item "Microwave Oven Wall Shelf 18x18 Stainless Steel NEW" is in sale since Tuesday, April 20, 2010. This item is in the category "Business & Industrial\Restaurant & Food Service\Commercial Kitchen Equipment\Storage & Handling Equipment\Shelving & Racks".
The seller is "jrs-equip" and is located in Montebello, California. This item can be shipped to United States.


We are delighted to be able to bring our readers an early stream of the new record from Popes of Chillitown, entitled Work Hard, Play Hard, See You In The Graveyard exclusively one day ahead of it's release on Friday 4th May.
Keep your eyes peeled for our review coming soon!
The record is being celebrated with an album release show at London's New Cross Inn on 11th May.


I hereby give my positive, affirmative, and informed consent to The General Council of Finance and Administration ("GCFA") to store and process any personally identifying information I have submitted in relation to receiving the Collaborator eNewsletter. I understand that I can WITHDRAW my consent to have my personally identifying information stored or processed GCFA at any time, with no penalty for doing so, by emailing euspport@gcfa.org with the specific request to have my data deleted. I may also contact GCFA's Data Processing Officer at pdemastus@lbmc.com or by calling 615-309-2229. GCFA promises to only use my personal information internally, only for the purposes of distributing the Collaborator eNewsletter, and not to sell or transfer my information to any other parties without first obtaining my consent.
I CONSENT TO THE ABOVE POLICY AND PERMIT GCFA TO STORE AND PROCESS MY PERSONAL INFORMATION.


HINDU RITUALS AND ROUTINES...: !! Shri Shani Katha !!
is black clothing allowed in lord shani temple?
yes u can wear black clothes in shani temple there is no problm at all ..n please its a request to all the people's of india n the whole world that the lord shani dev is a friend not a enemy. people have there different opinions but i felt he has the power to give everything which u required. he punished cheater's.n he gives all his blessing to honest peoples n he always help him. if you realy want to know more about lord shani dev than i must say u shuld come once at shanidham in chatterpur mehroli.thankyou.
He has broken down me like anything. I do not think that he knows to make anything. I used to worship hi but now i feel that he is not worth worshiping. I am under shani dhaiya, he has ruined me & there are no chances for me to stand up with dignity.
Do you have any scriptural source to back your story about Shiva & Shani dev, or is it just rumour kind of story? Which chapter of which Puran has this story?
Is red cloth good for offering to Lord Shani?


text:
Q: How to publish html reports in azure pipelines? I want to take up other reports like extent report in selenium needs to be taken into azure pipelines to see the different results than azure default one.

A: Publishing html report in Azure pipelines which is not support at present. There has been a related user voice:

Support for generic HTML Publishing inside Build and Release Pipelines
https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/idea/491426/support-for-generic-html-publishing-inside-build-a.html

You could vote up it and our PM will kindly review it. In other words, html reports for selenium automation test could not view inline as a web page at the moment.  As a workaround, you have to download the html report files locally and check it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Exchange 2003: Spam-killer?
By Stephen Swoyer
Many Exchange administrators cite Exchange 2003's improved spam-filtering capabilities as another attractive feature of the new messaging platform.
Microsoft has defined several new levels of spam control in Exchange 2003, starting with a feature that allows administrators to selectively filter incoming messages according to global "Deny" or "Allow" lists. "There is the whole set of recipient and sender filtering, there's the recipient filter, that can filter based on if a piece of mail is being sent to a non-existent filter, there are filters based on if mail is sent to a particular e-mail address," says Missy Stern, Microsoft product manager for Exchange. "There's also new support for spam blacklisting, which lets you subscribe to services that maintain lists of blacklisted IP addresses," Stern says.
Blacklisting describes a method by which administrators can configure an SMTP server to reject incoming messages from domains, IP addresses or IP netblocks that have been "blacklisted" – i.e., known to have disseminated Spam in the past. The new version of Exchange 2003 supports Spam filtering by means of subscriptions to real-time blacklist services, which maintain up-to-date databases of known spammers.
Microsoft's arch-rival, IBM, which markets the Notes/Domino messaging and collaboration environment, announced similar functionality late last year. Both vendors have touted spam blacklisting as an important technology to combat the profusion of unsolicited bulk e-mail. Unfortunately, most analysts say, spam blacklisting simply isn't enough. "We think that it's a very important step, but it's just not enough. It's important, however, because to fight viruses and Spam effectively, you need to have a multi-tiered approach. So it's high-time that the messaging layer itself starts to come with some provisions for that," says Sara Radicati, president and CEO of messaging consultancy The Radicati Group.
David Ferris, president of messaging and collaboration consultancy Ferris Research, says that Spam blacklisting as currently implemented in both Exchange and Domino is "very crude." At the same time, he concedes, it is "better than nothing."
Sponsor: Quest Software - Bulletproof Your Windows Network
FREE WHITE PAPER. You've implemented AD and you want to take advantage of Group Policy, but its complexity is discouraging. Don't spend the next year testing GPOs and learning from your mistakes! Download "Bulletproof Your Windows Network with Group Policy" by renowned Windows/AD author Darren Mar-Elia. Put Quest Software's Group Policy best practices to work for you – click here to get this white paper TODAY!
As a potentially more powerful technology to combat Spam, Ferris points to Microsoft's announcement in April of a partnership with third-party vendors that market Spam filtering software. At the time, Microsoft announced that Exchange 2003 will give administrators the ability to filter incoming messages based on a "Spam Confidence Level" determined by third-party software. Such products typically "score" incoming messages against algorithms designed to recognize Spam. IT administrators can set scoring thresholds in Exchange 2003 that determine whether messages appear in users' Inboxes or in their Junk Mail folders. In a mid-April interview, Microsoft Exchange product manager Chris Baker told ENT that the new feature is similar to a "volume control" that "allows an Exchange administrator to have a throttle or a control over how much spam gets blocked."
Sponsor: MailWise, the Effortless Anti-Spam Solution
Remove 99.7% of Spam with nothing to install, maintain or upgrade
Call us over lunch, and see Spam disappearing by dinner
20% discount on competitive upgrades until June 30th, 2003
21-day free trial, takes only 10 minutes of your time
Hundreds of references available
click here for details!
Messaging analyst Ferris says that organizations are increasingly turning to third-party tools to combat Spam. "What's happening is that organizations really are now biting the bullet, really are evaluating much more powerful antispam software solutions and investing in them. Lotus and Microsoft recognize this and are trying to open up their products to third party vendors."
Vendors that will develop plug-in support for Exchange 2003 Spam Confidence Level scoring include the usual antivirus suspects, such as Network Associates, Sybari Software, Symantec and Trend Micro, along with messaging security specialists Brightmail and GFI Software.
Exchange 2003's final line of defense is on the client-side, with both the stand-alone Outlook client and the browser-based Outlook Web Access (OWA) view. Starting in Exchange 2003, OWA will support junk mail filtering. In addition, says Microsoft's Stern, the junk mail filtering capabilities of OWA and the upcoming Outlook 2003 client have also been enhanced, with the introduction of what Microsoft calls "trusted senders." Says Stern: "A user can put any number of names or addresses on their trusted sender list, so even if a mail got a sort of high spamminess scoring [from Exchange's Spam Confidence Level feature], they could still receive it if it was on their [trusted sender] list."
Stern says that the new Outlook clients can begin to recognize potential Spam signatures. "It's basically now a smart list that actually can learn over time."
Stephen Swoyer is a Nashville, TN-based freelance journalist who writes about technology.


More than just yet another hidden object puzzle game, Legacy Tales: Mercy of the Gallows is a fantastic story with the ghost of a young woman embarking on a pirate adventure. Be taken on a journey through 60 beautiful scenes which you can navigate and explore. Try to solve the 70 puzzles and over 25 hidden object games in this epic new title from Youda Games.
Use your mouse to find the hidden objects in the game.


text:
Last One to Leave the Theatre®
A weekly look at the movies, both past and present. The name of this blog comes from the fact that I stay until the credits have ended. Ratings from Best to Worst: 1). I Would Pay to See it Again 2). Full Price 3). Bargain Matinee 4). Cable 5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again
My View: Top Gun: Maverick (2022) PG-13 Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Tom Cruise) has for 30 years served his country but has done it his way, as one of the Navy's top aviators, pushing the envelope as a test pilot. Maverick has been able to dodge the advancement in rank that would ground him until now. Maverick is back where he started, and he is still flying by the air tower, rank be damned. First, see this film on as big a movie screen as you can find (I saw it in IMAX and am so glad I did) because, incredibly, most of the stunts in this film were done in real planes making the flying sequences an absolute blast to watch. I was physically tired after seeing this film because I felt I was in those fighter jets along with the characters in the movie. Secondly, this is one of the best sequels ever made, and yes, I know it's 36 years after the Top Gun. The first Top Gun was a fun, enjoyable movie that capitalized on the then-growing movie theme of mixing current top 40 hits with a film to create music videos within a movie. The plot was stitched together (some of it after principal shooting had been done) and leaned heavily on Tom Cruise's charisma and lots of good-looking young men (sometimes with their shirts off). Not only that, but we kicked the Russian's butts in a dogfight (something huge in the 80s), and you also had a great cast of primarily up-and-coming stars, including an adorable Meg Ryan. So come this movie, and it blows that Top Gun out of the park. First and foremost, Tom Cruise is brilliant as the man who has lived his life like his nickname, Maverick. After doing what Maverick does, breaking the rules to prove a point, he is forced to return to the school which made him a true fighter pilot, 'Top Gun.' He will lead a mission with the best pilots in the Navy that is dangerous and may be impossible, but of course, that is what Maverick does, the impossible. Add to this is a cast that rivals the original. First, we have Jennifer Connelly, playing a former flame of Maverick, who now runs the famous bar that everyone hangs out in, and Maverick has a history of trying to pick up women in. Connely is perfect as the one that got away, someone who can stand up to Maverick's antics and give him a run for his money. And she is someone who has lived a life both before and after Maverick. Next, we have perfect casting in Miles Teller, who plays a certain someone's son and is now a pilot who has a big chip on his shoulder because of it. When Miles walks into the bar, our first scene to see him, it is a fantastic moment, which at first, I thought was a flashback. Finally, we have a new ace named Hangman, played with gusto and bravado by Glen Powell, a cock sure pilot who outdoes Mavericks' old rival, Iceman. Speaking of Iceman, Val Kilmer makes a vital appearance in the film, and they explain his inability to talk normally (in real life, Kilmer had throat cancer, see his documentary Val for more). The plot is fast-paced, hitting all the right notes and emotions, the romance between Cruise and Connely feels real and genuine, the action sequences are truly superb, and there isn't a bad performance in the bunch. All in all, Top Gun: Maverick is sure to be in my top ten films of the year and is not to be missed. And once again, see it in a big-screen theatre! You won't be disappointed. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Top Gun: Maverick Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.
My View: The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022) PG-13 As The Bob's Burgers Movie opens, a bank payment is due, and if things can't get worse, a giant sinkhole opens up right in front of the restaurant. Now it's up to the kids to try to solve a mystery that could possibly save their parent's place. Truth be told, I'm not a big Bob's Burger fan (I've seen quite a few episodes). That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The songs are a lot of fun, the storyline is imaginative and funny, and the voice cast brings an energy to the screen that makes it an amusing ride. Fans of the show will love this film, bringing some of the best aspects of the series, mainly the songs and the quick, often hilarious, asides that the characters make, combined with a mystery that is entertaining to solve, make this a fun and light film to watch. If you haven't seen the series, you will quickly be able to follow and fall in love with this strange and hilarious family that, at its core, is all about love and believing in yourself and your family. With a bit of help from your friends and siblings, you can do anything, including solving a crime or two. My Rating: Full Price The Bob's Burgers Movie Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.
Indiefest: Montana Story (2021) R Two long-estranged siblings (Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague) come back home to their father's ranch as he is on his deathbed. While there, they will be forced to confront their shared painful past, facing a deep and bitter family legacy. One of the things I enjoy about going to film festivals is discovering a film that I didn't know anything about and falling in love with it. I did this at the 2022 Atlanta Film Festival with this film. This is a quiet, potent story powered by a moving performance by its two lead actors. Owen Teague plays Cal, the son who stayed behind when his sister suddenly left the family and disappeared. Teague brings a quiet presence to the part, a young man trying to do the best he can in a difficult situation and is troubled by a shared past with his long-lost sister. Haley Lu Richardson plays the somber and sometimes fiery Erin, a young woman who wants to do nothing with her father and doesn't really know why she has come back to a place that has caused her so much pain. Adding to the performances is the cinematography, perfectly capturing the magnificent Montana vistas, where the sky does seem to go on forever, and the mountains seem both welcoming and menacing at the same time. Montana Story is a drama about secrets that a family keeps and how they can tear apart a family, only to be repaired with time, understanding, and deeply filled regret. In addition to the main actor performances, I loved the supporting cast in this film, with some beautiful and meaningful performances brought to the screen by Kimberly Guerrero, the long-time housekeeper and family friend Valentina, and the father's nurse, played by Gilbert Owuor, a thoughtful and insightful Kenyan Immigrant, there to make the father's last days as peaceful as possible for both the parent and the kids. Adding to the mix is an entertaining and fantastic storyline of Erin's attempt to save a horse on the family farm that means the world to her. Montana Story is a family drama that takes its time to reveal the scars and chasms that have long been buried and must be confronted before the two siblings can move on. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Montanta Story Website Now playing in select theatres.
Indiefest: 18 1/2 (2021) PG-13 At the height of the 1974 Watergate scandal, it was discovered that there were 18 1/2 minutes of recordings that had been erased. A White House transcriber (Willa Fitzgerald) is thrust into the scandal when she discovers she is in possession of the only copy of the infamous 18 1/2 minute gap in the Nixon tapes. This an interesting little film that is part black comedy, part thriller with a few nice twists and turns. It is important to know that one of the things which brought down the Nixon presidency was it was found out that Nixon had recorded every meeting that took place in the White House Oval Office. Adding to that outlandish fact, it was discovered that in one session, there was 18 1/2 minutes of conversation that the White House clumsily claimed was mistakenly erased by Nixon's secretary. In this film, a transcriber has discovered a separate tape (recorded without their knowledge) of Nixon and his staff listening to the tape and deciding to destroy it. She decides to go to a reporter, someone she respects and trusts, to let the story out. The film balances comedy with a bit of drama and suspense as the two try to find a way to listen to the tape together before the transcriber has to get the tape back to the archives. They go to a remote off-season resort, and a comedy of errors happens, from a nosy resort manager (played by the always funny Richard Kind) to a group of hippies trying to recruit the two into their party, to a strange older couple who are celebrating their wedding anniversary. I enjoyed Willa Fitzgerald's performance of the woman who wants to do the right thing but doesn't want to get caught up in the hysteria of Watergate. The film does a fun job at capturing the look and feel of a time transitioning from the peace and love movement of the 60s to the more almost paranoid feel of how the government was lying to us about nearly everything and everyone. 18 1/2 flounders a bit in the last act but is still an enjoyable ride that lets the tension build as everything seems against the two from actually listening to the tape. My Rating: Bargain Matinee 18 1/2 Website Now playing in select theatres.
Indiefest: A Chiara (2021) R An 15-year-old girl named Chiara (Swamy Rotolo) is a member of a close-knit family, and she deeply loves her father. Chiara's world starts to fall apart when her father disappears in the middle of the night, and, consequently, she is determined to find out what happened to him and why. Part mystery, part coming of age film, A Chiara is a story about a young woman who has to grow up too quickly after she decides to go against the wishes of her older sister and mother and delve deep into her father's past and current life. Swamy Rotolo gives us a teen who is fiercely determined to find out the truth, no matter the cost or how it turns out. Rotolo is a young actress who is able to give us a sweet girl who is concerned about Instagram and her carefree life of the privileged where her family is tight and loving. From the start of the film, it is apparent that Chiara is her father's favorite, and she feels that he can do no wrong. But then, in the middle of the night, she witnesses her father running away into the dead of night, and right after he has fled, his car is blown up. From there, she decides that while no one in her family will tell her the truth, she will discover it on her own. A Chiara is a film that starts as a look at the life of a teen who is surrounded by family and friends, and by the end of the film, it's her against the world as she digs further and further to find out the truth, a truth that could change her life forever. My Rating: Full Price A Chiara Website Now playing in select theatres.
My View: Zero Contact (2022) R Five people from around the globe are connected only by their devotion to tech titan Finley Hart (Anthony Hopkins). The five discover that Finley has developed a new, secret invention that could end life on earth as we know it, and accordingly, they must band together to stop him. An interesting film that was shot in 17 different countries during the height of the pandemic, where all the actors were on their own, shooting their parts remotely. Part of the plot of the movie is that Finley Hart is responsible for creating a software that allows companies to spy on their clients, and so we are witness to their spying when the principal in the story uses their smartphones, their security systems, and their computers to show us what is happening to each character. The five main characters each have a past with Finley; some knew him, some only worked remotely with him, and one, Sam (Chris Brochu), is the long-separated son of Finley. The five are put together after Finley's death and must decide to either shut down or fire up a computer system using technology so powerful that it could destroy the earth's ecosystem in one fatal power up. The film wants to be a thriller with a bit of horror thrown in, but the plot is so twisted and full of holes, where we are to believe that teleportation is not only possible but used without a lot of explanation, that I got lost on what was the plan or what were the stakes if the plan worked or didn't. Anthony Hopkins is wasted as the mad inventor (or is he) who has created this elaborate plan to activate his last and possibly fatal gift to humanity, though it is fun to see him play the piano and chew a few scenes while speaking on the ills of humanity. Zero Contact is part one of a trilogy, and though the film shows us footage of how they put this film together during the credits, I have no interest in finding out what happens next. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Zero Contact Website Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.
Forgotten Film: The Lacemaker (1977) R Pomme (Isabelle Huppert) is a shy, reserved young woman who lives with her loving mother and works at a Parisian beauty salon. Pomme decides to go on vacation with her out-going and fun-loving friend, Marylene (Florence Giorgetti), to the Normandy coast. Almost as soon as they arrive, she is abandoned by her friend, who has found a new man to fall in love with, and Pomme is left alone in a resort town. Pomme soon meets and quickly falls in love with a literature student Francois (Yves Beneyton), and they decide to move into together when they return to Paris. However, Pomme soon learns that falling in love with someone you don't know well can be risky. Huppert is the reason to see this film as she is striking as the young, innocent woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. The Lacemaker is a tale of a romance where the two lovers are destined to fall apart. Is it that their love is not strong enough to survive, or are the two too young to learn that the road to love lasting is not easy. My Rating: Full Price The Lacemaker Info
Weird Credits: From the credits of Top Gun: Maverick: Cast Swim Coach
Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022) PG A widowed cleaning lady (Lesley Manville) in 1950s London inherits a big of money, falls madly in love with the dresses of Dior, and decides to fly to Paris and buy one for herself. It's a tale of adventure that will change her life and possibly the very future of the House of Dior itself. The trailer had me at the start with stars Lesley Manville and Isabelle Huppert. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Website
Posted by Mike at 12:30 AM No comments:
Labels: 18 1/2, A Chiara, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Montana Story, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, The Bob's Burger Movie, The Lacemaker, Tom Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick, Zero Contact
Downtown Abbey: A New Era
My View: Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) PG The Crawley family and its beloved staff are back. A villa in the south of France has been passed down to Violet (Maggie Smith), and so most of the family travels to France to take ownership, but there is a problem. The previous owners are not happy. Meanwhile, adding to the excitement, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) stays behind at Downton Abbey to help with the filming of a silent movie on the estate. It's busy times for the Crawley family of Downton Abbey. Fans of Downton Abbey will love this film, as it hits all the right spots to make the story feel fun and satisfying visit to a time when being the privileged class in England meant something. If you haven't seen the TV series or the first Downton Abbey film, you may be a little lost at the start, as it is a large and vast cast. Still, once the film gets moving, it's easy to figure out the various storylines allowing you to sit back and have fun with all the plots of the film. As usual, two characters dominate the screen time, with Maggie Smith giving us another reason to love her, as the fiery and opinionated Violet, who rules the family with an iron hand (with a bit of love thrown in), and Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery, who is being forced to become the woman who runs the household and steers the family into new and possibly choppy waters, as the modern age is beginning to creep into their lives. I had fun watching this film, and if the five women who wore period dresses to the screening I saw are any indication, audiences will enjoy it too. My Rating: Full Price Downton Abbey: A New Era Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.
Indiefest: Emergency (2022) R Sean (RJ Cyler), and Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) are two college friends who have mapped out a party night to remember. Then they discover a young student passed out in their dorm room. Sean and Kunie decide, rather than call 911 and, otherwise, be blamed for something they didn't do, they will take the woman to the emergency room, but everything will go wrong on a night that started so promising. This is a film that is part comedy, part drama about friendship, racism, and the fact of being guilty just because of their appearance. The two friends are very different, with Sean being the party guy whose recent life has been dominated by weed and the idea of hitting seven parties in one night. Kunle is the opposite of Sean, a young man who is focused and is determined to make his mark by being an outstanding student and making his family proud. The two young black men are then confronted with a huge problem; somehow, a young, unknown white girl has passed out in their apartment, and they are afraid that they will be blamed for her condition. Thus starts a night that goes from bad to possibly deadly, as their predicament worsens at every turn, even when they try to do the right things. This is a film that starts out as a light comedy which soon turns into a drama that keeps upping the tension as our guys get deeper and deeper into trouble, a trouble that Sean is convinced will result in their death by cop. I loved this film, a buddy comedy that becomes a riveting look at how society can racially profile someone and make them the bad guy just from appearances, with possibly deadly consequences. There is a wonderful scene near the end of the film that sums up what it means to be a young Black man in America. It's a scene that will stay with you for a long time. My Rating: Full Price Emergency Website Now playing in select theatres and on the Amazon Prime platform on Friday, May 27, 2022.
My View: Chip' N Dale Rescue Rangers (2022) PG The mystery-solving duo, Chip N' Dale (John Mulaney, Andy Samberg), are leading separate lives 30 years after their TV show was canceled. However, cartoon characters are mysteriously disappearing, and the guys will need to get back together and find their missing friends. I loved this film, and if you are a child of the eighties or a fan of Disney syndicated TV cartoons of that time, you will too. This is a film that is out loud funny with an inventive plot, and so many 'Easter Eggs' that it will take hours to find them all. Chip N' Dale live in a world where humans and cartoon characters live in the same world. The duo has been broken up for a long time due to a very messy breakup. When one of their co-stars is kidnapped, the guys decide to put the gang back together to solve one last crime. This film is a blast to watch, with cameos by a whole host of cartoon characters in the Disney vault, along with some surprises from other cartoons of the 80s. Full of funny jokes, mostly making fun of the 80s, it's a joyful ride that I wish I had seen it in a theatre with an audience to hear the reactions when their favorite childhood characters show up. Even if you weren't a fan of the TV series, there is something in this film that you will enjoy, and you just might have to explain to kids. So go on a wild and crazy ride with Chip N' Dale and solve a mystery while taking a trip back to those lunch box-filled days of afternoon TV watching. My Rating: Full Price Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers Website Now playing on the Disney+ platform.
Indiefest: Men (2022) R After her husband (Paapa Essiedu) committed suicide in their apartment, Harper (Jessie Buckley) goes on a solo vacation to the English countryside to recover and get away. Little does she know that something is lurking in the woods just outside her rented isolated cottage, and no one in the nearby village seems to care. I am a fan of filmmaker Alex Garland. I loved Ex Machina (2015), thinking it's one of the best films of the past ten years, and I even liked his trippy Sci-Fi film Annihilation (2018), but this attempt to make a moody horror film is a big miss. Even though Jessie Buckley is magnificent as the troubled Harper, a woman who at first puts off the weird things happening in the small English village as just strange until she feels threatened and in danger. Buckley can't overcome a bizarre and increasingly dull script that gets weirder and weirder with no end in sight. The plot starts out promising with images of a Harper witnessing her husband's suicide, a haunting image that the film keeps coming back to. Instead of what could have been a promising look of a woman dealing with grief and guilt, we get a meandering tale of gas-lighting, male toxicity, and just out and out weirdness that cumulates in an ending that I have no idea what it means or wants to say. Men is a mess of a film that never lives up to its beginning. My Rating: Cable Men Website Now playing in select theatres.
Indiefest: Pleasure (2022) Bella (Sofia Kappel) is a young woman who comes all the way from Sweden to pursue a career in the porn industry in Los Angeles. Emphatically, Bella doesn't care about anything else but becoming a star, no matter what she is asked to do or who she has to hurt to get there. This was one of the most uncomfortable films to watch that I have seen in the last five years. Sofia Kappel gives us a compelling and powerful performance of Bella, a young woman who has her sights set on becoming a big porn star. At the start, Bella thinks she knows what she is in for, but as she tries to climb the rings of stardom, the sex becomes more and more degrading and painful (both physically and mentally). This is a rough (no pun intended) film to watch as the sex scenes are very graphic, and we see what Bella is asked to do. Pleasure is almost a horror film, as Bella goes further and further into the seedy world of porn, attempting to quickly make a name for herself by performing sex acts that become more perverse. This isn't a film about showing how horrible the porn industry is but is a study of a woman who dreams of being a star and is willing to burn every bridge she crosses to get there, and maybe that's where I had a problem watching this film. It's an industry that exploits women, and in this film, it's really Bella that exploits everyone she befriends along the way to becoming the star she thinks she wants to become. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Pleasure Website Now playing in select theatres.
Indiefest: Hold Your Fire (2021) In 1973, four young African-American men were caught stealing guns from a sporting goods store in New York City. Quickly, the store was surrounded by the police, starting the longest hostage siege in NYPD history. In walks NYPD psychologist Harvey Schlossberg into the scene, and he is credited with starting a movement to get the police to end hostage negotiations not through violence but through using words. This is a fascinating documentary about how far things have changed in dealing with hostage crises and, then again, how things haven't changed in how police see the people that take those hostages. What Harvey did was try to change how we deal with the people who take hostages, working to find a way to settle the standoff peacefully instead of the standard of the time, waiting a few hours and then going in with guns blazing. The film interviews not only the men who took the hostages but the hostages themselves or relatives of those hostages, some of who never recovered from the experiences. The film uses a ton of on the scene photos and video from the siege and gives you an inside look at what happened from both sides of the story. The most fascinating story is about the store owner, a hostage who constantly plans how to overtake the four men who have taken the store. He is a man who seems to, almost from the start, figure out the dynamics of the four men and who he could find a weakness in, possibly someone to attack or exploit to escape. There are some shocking interviews with former police officers that were there on the scene, along with some heartbreaking stories about the aftermath of the siege. It's a fascinating tale that seems, in some aspects, a million years ago and in other aspects, seems like it was just yesterday. My Rating: Full Price Hold Your Fire Website Now playing in select theatres.
Forgotten Film: Return to Me (2000) PG A year after his wife dies tragically in an accident, Bob (David Duchovny) meets Grace (Minnie Driver) and instantly hits it off. It's one of those romances where the two seem perfect for each other. Then Grace finds out that the life-saving operation she had a year ago was where she was given Bob's dead wife's heart. I am a sucker for romance films, and this is a sweet, cute one that works because of the chemistry between Minnie Driver and David Duchovny. They just make the romance seem real, and you want their romance to work out. My Rating: Full Price Return to Me Info
Weird Credits: From the credits of Men: Chaperone
Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Lost Girls (2022) Four generations of Darling women have dealt with and struggled in the aftermath of their adventures with Peter Pan (Louis Partridge) in Neverland. As her daughter (Ella-Rae Smith) is about to be put under Peter's spell, Wendy (Emily Carey) must fight to save her relationship with her daughter while dealing with the past. The cast includes Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson as the Darling women of the past and Iain Glen as Hook. The story of Peter Pan has always fascinated me from the time I saw the play as a four-year-old, and I look forward to this new exploration of the legend. The Lost Girls Info
Labels: Andy Samberg, Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Emergency, Hold Your Fire, Jessie Buckley, Maggie Smith, Men, Minnie Driver, Pleasure, Return to Me, The Lost Girls
My View: Firestarter (2022) R As a result of a secret government experiment, a young girl, Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), has gained the power to start fires with her mind. Subsequently, Charlie is now being hunted by a group named The Shop, but Charlie isn't going without a fight. It's sad when the only positive thing you can say about a movie is that the film's score was enjoyable (by Halloween director John Carpenter, no less). The 1984 film starring Drew Barrymore and a host of early 80s icons (with a rare motion picture appearance by Heather Locklear) was a lousy film, and this remake doesn't improve on the storyline one bit. The plot is pretty much the same (there are a few changes to try to update it) that don't make any difference to us caring about any character in the film. Ryan Kiera Armstrong does, from time to time, looks a little like Barrymore, but that doesn't help her center a picture where we don't care if little Charlie gets found or not. The bad guys of the film, Gloria Reuben as the Captain (of what, I don't know) who chews up the scenery at a regular interval and Michael Greyeyes, as a mysterious bounty hunter who kills without any plan, are toothless and not at all scary. Firestarter is supposed to be a horror film, but it comes off as even more boring than the original film, which was, I thought, impossible. There is a reason why the studio did not give film critics a screening and only offered screener access after it had premiered on the Peacock platform. I would light a fire to burn this film to the ground, but I am all out of lighter fluid, much like the film. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Firestarter Website Now playing in theatres nationwide and on the Peacock platform.
My View: Senior Year (2022) R Stephanie (Rebel Wilson) is a high-school student who, after a cheerleading accident, is left in a coma for 20 years. Now she is awake and ready to return for her senior year of high school…as a 37-year-old. I like Rebel Wilson, and as a side-kick in films like Pitch Perfect and JoJo Rabbit, she has been hilarious and scene-stealing. As a lead actress in such duds as Isn't It Romantic and The Hustle, she hasn't shown that she can handle the main spotlight. After taking a few years off to remake herself, now comes Senior Year. Unfortunately, Wilson has picked a film that is dull and unfunny right from the start. The film continually mines the 'fish out of water' premise, constantly bringing up horrible references to what was essential to teens 20 years ago with lines about MTV videos or mistaking Lady Gaga for Madonna. The film feels every bit of its hour and fifty-minute runtime taking forever to get going with the plot and running some jokes into the ground(like the fact that the high school is constantly making sure no one is offended by anything, including positive message cheers). I had high hopes when I saw the trailer, but now, I wish that Stephanie had stayed in the coma a bit longer for the writers to work on the script. My Rating: Cable Senior Year Website Now playing on the Netflix platform.
Indiefest: Happening (2022) R Anne (Anamaria Vartolomel), a student in 1963 France, is about to finish her studies when she finds out that she is pregnant. Consequently, she decides to abort the baby against the law and goes on a journey to do so in a society that censures women's rights and desires. I won't lie to you; this is a tough film to watch as we follow Anne through the weeks of her pregnancy that she is desperate to end with some scenes that will be upsetting to watch. This is a painful and sometimes very graphic and chilling story about a woman who can't see her future with a baby in tow and finds that everyone, including her friends, abandon her in her time of need. Anamaria Vartolomel is mesmerizing as Anne, letting us see her every emotion on her face, even when trying to be stoic or lying (especially in her moments with her unsuspecting mother). Truly a painful and full of despair look at the plight of a woman whose society has put up so many obstacles to overcome that it seems to be doomed from the start. Happening is an amazing movie that will be talked about for a long time and maybe, just maybe, open some hearts and minds to this complex issue. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Happening Website Now playing in select theatres.
My View: Operation Mincemeat (2022) PG-13 In order to try and fool Germany during WWII about the planned Allied invasion of Sicily, a group of intelligence officers come up with a plan to take a deceased man, dress him up as an officer, and place fake plans about an alternate invasion and place him via submarine on the coast where German soldiers can find him. This is based on an incredible true story that saved countless Allied lives by tricking the Germans into thinking Greece was the next invasion target instead of Sicily. The plan is a fantastic bit of deception that worked only because of the brilliance of the people who planned it and then kept working on it, even when others doubted it would succeed. I loved the secondary story of Colin Firth's character, Ewen Montagu, a married man whose marriage is in trouble and starts working with a brilliant and funny woman, played perfectly by Kelly Macdonald, who is attracted to the dashing Ewen. I also loved that Ian Fleming, the creator of the iconic James Bond books, is a character in the film that always seems to be in the right place at the right time to collect material for his future books. Operation Mincemeat is a spy film where the main spy is a dead man, a remarkable tale about a group of people who created one of the greatest spy tricks of all time. My Rating: Full Price Operation Mincemeat Website Now playing on the Netflix platform.
Indiefest: Monstrous (2022) PG-13 Laura (Christina Ricci), traumatized and fleeing from an abusive relationship, who takes her 7-year-old son, Cody (Santino Barnard), to a remote house in the woods. The two should be safe; however, there is something in the pond, a bigger, more terrifying monster than an ex-husband. This is a fun little horror movie that is bolstered by the performance of Christina Ricci and the 1950s setting. Ricci plays a woman who has taken her son to an isolated home in a small town. Her son begins saying that a monster is in the pond and is coming for him. Laura thinks, at first, that Cody is just scared, settling into a new environment, but Laura starts experiencing troubling feelings and sights herself. Like many fifties horror films, there is the conflict of thinking that everything is good and safe in a small town, but as always, there is something evil lurking behind the petticoats and the commercials for dishwashers built with the housewife in mind. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Monstrous Website Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.
Forgotten Film: A Month in the Country (1987) PG In the summer of 1919, a battle-scarred veteran, Tom (Colin Firth), comes to a small village to work on restoring a mural that is believed to be hidden inside the thick walls of a medieval era church. While working on finding and repairing the mural, Tom befriends a fellow vet, John (Kenneth Branagh), an archeologist working on a dig nearby. The two develop a friendship, and the two friends begin a long road to recovery with the help of their work, the village, and a vicar's wife (Natasha Richardson). A Month in the Country is an enjoyable movie about healing and coming to terms with the past. Very early in their careers, the three stars show why they all went on to make their mark on cinema. My Rating: Full Price A Month in the Country Info
Weird Credits: From the credits of Firestarter: Fire Stunt Safety
Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is an outsider in her community. Kya is called the 'Marsh Girl' by the locals since she was abandoned in the marshlands of North Carolina and raised herself to adulthood. Kya begins to explore outside the world of her marsh when a young man she has befriended is found dead and is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. Now Kay's life will be under the microscope, and many secrets of the marsh are about to be revealed. Based on the best-selling book by Delia Owens and an up-and-coming star in Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), this has the makings of a really cool movie to see this summer. Where the Crawdads Sing Website
Labels: A Month in the Country, Alicia Silverstone, Christina Ricci, Colin Firth, Firestarter, Happening, Monstrous, Operation Mincemeat, Rebel Wilson, Senior Year, Where the Crawdads Sing
My View: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) PG-13 Due to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casting a forbidden spell, the doorway to the multiverse has been opened. Consequently, alternate realities are now running rampant, including multiple versions of Doctor Strange. It's a threat to humanity that Doctor Strange, Wong (Benedict Wong), and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) will need their power and skill to repair before it's too late. I was always a fan of Doctor Strange when I was a kid, mostly because he always had an attitude when doing superhero stuff, and this film continues that trend. Part fantasy, part horror, this film is a fun and enjoyable mix that takes you on an adventure into the multiverse. If you didn't see the Wandavision TV series, you might be a little lost on some of the plot as Wanda plays a massive part in this film. Small kids may have a tough time with this one as there are some rather horrific characters in this film, both on the good and bad sides. There are some really cool surprises in this film, and the action is almost non-stop, with a final faceoff that keeps you guessing until the end. There are two extra scenes in the credits, one setting up the next Doctor Strange film, and the other is just a blast from the past (at least the director, Sam Raimi's past) . So go on an adventure with the Doctor and help him save not only our time but the rest of the multiverse. My Rating: Full Price Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.
Indiefest: The Duke (2020) R The Duke takes place in England in 1961, where a priceless painting has been stolen from the National Gallery, Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington. Was it a master thief? A gang of thieves working for an underground collector? Surprisingly, it was Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), a 60-year-old taxi driver who has hidden the painting in his wife's closet. Jim Broadbent is marvelous as a kind of modern-day Robin Hood (or maybe Don Quixote) as he is intent on fighting for the little man, especially the war veterans from WWI, who are in their twilight years. The interplay between Broadbent's Kempton and his long-put upon wife, Lily, played by Helen Mirren, is a wonder to watch. Mirren gives a restrained performance as the wife who continously puts up with Kempton's attempts to protest against the government, all the while the two are both still grieving the loss of their daughter many years ago. The Duke is a heartwarming true tale (though they fudge a bit with some of the story) about a remarkable man who steadfastly fought for the Everyman and his genuinely unique family. My Rating: Full Price The Duke Website Now playing in select theatres.
My View: Along for the Ride (2022) Auden (Emma Pasarow) has spent her whole life studying with her nose in a book. When Auden goes to a coastal town to spend the summer before college with her divorced father, she decides to live a little. On a late-night stroll, she meets Eli (Belmont Cameli), and the two embark on a nightly quest to help Auden experience the carefree life she never knew she needed. This is an enjoyable summer romance film with a likable cast. Emma Pasarow reminded me of a teenage Jennifer Garner with a winning presence about her that is very appealing. Pasarow has excellent chemistry with Belmont Cameli, the mysterious young man who has decided to become Auden's guide to living. Andie MacDowell and Dermot Mulroney have very little to do in this film besides being distant parents, but this film isn't meant to be hard-hitting. It's an enjoyable fling that follows a script that we all know too well but still enjoy, where everyone is happy in the end. My Rating; Bargain Matinee Along for the Ride Website Now playing on the Netflix platform.
Indiefest: Petite Maman (2021) PG Eight-year-old Nelly (Josephine Sanz) has just lost her maternal grandmother. Her parents and Nelly travel to the grandmother's home to empty it out. Nelly's mother can't handle the sorrow of being back in the house and leaves in the middle of the night. The next day Nelly goes out into the surrounding woods to play and meets a girl her age named Marion building a fort. Unquestionably, there is magic in this forest of Nelly's. Petite Maman is a short, sweet, heartwarming tale of a young girl dealing with one of life's hardest lessons, the act of grieving. This is a film that oozes with warmth and heart, brought forth by a breathtaking performance by Josephine Sanz, giving us a look into a little girl's life and her ability to deal with life, and all the problems that it presents to us. I just wish we all had a magical forest to retreat to, but at least we have Nelly's. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Petite Maman Website Now playing in select theatres.
Forgotten Film: Undertow (2004) R Two brothers (Jamie Bell and Devon Alan) are being raised by their father (Dermot Mulroney), who still mourns the loss of their mother while living on an isolated pig farm in rural Georgia. Things change when the father's ex-con brother (Josh Lucas) comes to the farm. Things get ugly over a family mystery surrounding some gold coins, and the two brothers run away, going on an adventure throughout the deep south that will change their lives forever. This film is a mix of Mark Twain and Southern Gothic, with a cast of characters that sometimes don't feel real but always pack a punch of emotion. The cast is outstanding, with even an appearance by a young Kristen Stewart as one of the boy's girlfriend. This film is a little strange at times but is full of emotional moments that will not be forgotten. My Rating: Full Price Undertow Info
Weird Credits: From the credits of The Duke: Rushes Runner
Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Elvis (2022) The look at the life of the man, the myth, and the legend, Elvis Presley. The film stars Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker, Olivia DeJonge (The Visit) as Priscilla, and Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood) as Elvis. Written and directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby), this should be interesting to watch. I hope it captures the magic of Elvis. Elvis Website Scheduled for a late June 2022 release.
Labels: Along for the Ride, Austin Butler, Baz Luhrmann, Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Elvis, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Petite Maman, The Duke, Tom Hanks, Undertow
Last 30 Films I Have Reviewed
Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Eternal Daughter, The
Fabelmans, The
Old Way, The
Pale Blue Eye, The
Last Five Long Form Reviews of Films
The Biggest Little Farm
Hotel Mumbai
I have a degree in Film from The University of Texas at Austin. I see over 300 films a year. Member of Southeast Film Critics Association, Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Georgia Film Critics Association.
Follow @Lastonetoleave
Roll Credits
Written and Directed by
Michael McKinney
Salma Hayek's first English speaking feature film was Desperado in which she co-starred with Antonio Banderas.
Picture Window theme. Theme images by i-bob. Powered by Blogger.


King Mohammed VI has stressed the importance Morocco grants to the issue of environment protection, which is placed among the country's top priorities in a bid to tackle the environment degradation and combat climate change.
In a message read out by the King's youngest sister and Chairwoman of the Mohammev VI Foundation for Environment Protection Princess Lalla Hasnaa at the 7th conference of environment ministers convened Wednesday in Rabat, the Moroccan Sovereign said climate change, which is affecting the entire globe, is one of the most crucial environmental issues today since it impacts directly a number of vital sectors, such as agriculture, transport, water and natural resources.
"We must think hard about developing sustainable mechanisms and taking effective measures to address this growing climate issue, which is not only challenging climate experts but is, above all, a real problem for current and future generations", said the Monarch.
At the same time, "we should strive harder to come up with integrated strategies likely to ensure food security and preserve biological diversity by reconsidering existing policies in all the sectors concerned", added the royal message, noting that Morocco has embarked on an ambitious course of action, which has enabled the country to mainstream sustainable development principles in development policies in all sectors.
"This approach has had an impact on Morocco's institutional, legislative and financial systems. Consequently, the right to a safe environment in a context of sustainable development was enshrined in the 2011 Constitution with a view to striking a balance between the requirements of development and the preservation of the quality of the environment we live in", underlined the King.
He also cited the National Charter for the Environment & Sustainable Development and the 2016-2030 National Strategy for Sustainable Development, which both reflect Morocco's determination to continue its efforts to promote green sustainable development.
This strategy sets the foundations for a comprehensive green economy by 2020, added the Sovereign, noting that Morocco has adopted an ambitious solar energy plan with a view to meeting 52 pc of its energy needs using renewable energy sources by 2030.
He also highlighted the pioneering water policy launched in the 1960s by late King Hassan II, a policy based on the construction of dams – a lifeline on which Morocco has relied to provide all of the Kingdom's regions with the required water infrastructure, improve access to drinking water, meet the needs of the industrial and tourist sectors and develop large-scale irrigation.
Together with the rest of the international community, the Kingdom of Morocco has been proactively and responsibly engaged in the fight against climate change, said the Monarch, recalling that this steadfast determination was demonstrated in COP22, hosted by Morocco Nov.2016.
Written by: Jaber Ali on October 25, 2017.on October 26, 2017.


When Japan recently published its new defence white paper which identified the "growing assertiveness" of China as the country's most serious threat, it expected a negative response from Beijing.
But Tokyo officials were pleasantly surprised by words of encouragement from neighbouring Russia.
For Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who invested a great deal in improving relations with Russia, this is good news, proof that Japan retains plenty of options in its diplomatic showdown with China. And further friendly noises are expected when Mr Abe visits Russia next month.
Relations between Russia and Japan have always been rocky. More than seven decades after the end of World War II, both sides have yet to sign a peace treaty because of a simmering dispute over four islands which Russia seized in 1945 and Japan still claims as part of its territory. However, none of this has dampened Mr Abe's enthusiasm for forging a new partnership with Russia.
One reason for this is purely practical. Japan is interested in becoming a major player in Russia's market, and in gaining a major stake in its Siberian oil and natural gas fields. A decade ago, Moscow evicted Japanese companies from these energy projects. But today, as Russia lacks capital and the deep sea drilling technology often required to exploit fields in inhospitable environments, a partnership with Japan makes perfect sense for both sides.
For Mr Abe, however, the biggest potential advantage is strategic: A close link with Russia offers Japan a further lever against China and increases Japan's diplomatic room for manoeuvre in Asia.
A thaw in relations with Moscow is also supported by Japanese security planners aware that Tokyo's current military deployments, which concentrate large numbers of ground troops and tanks in the northern parts of Japan facing Russia, are a relic of the Cold War and a waste of resources in the confrontation which really matters to Japan today: that with China.
Over the past few years, events have conspired against a thaw. Oil prices collapsed, making collaborative energy projects uneconomical. Russia's military intervention in Ukraine forced Japan to join the Western- led sanctions against Russia. Growing international isolation pushed Russia to move closer to China, precisely what Mr Abe sought to avoid. And Russia's nationalist agenda precluded any compromises over disputed territories.
These obstacles remain. Mr Abe failed to persuade his counterparts in the Group of 7 industrialised nations to lift economic sanctions on Russia. And next month, China and Russia will stage a maritime drill in the South China Sea, proof that their military links remain strong.
Still, it is obvious Russia is now also keen to improve ties with Japan. After the white paper was released, Russia's Sputnik news agency ran a commentary praising Japan's "conciliatory" approach and quoted an expert from Moscow's influential National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations who pointedly refuted Chinese claims that Japan is engaged in confrontation.
"The white paper is not a unilateral reference to threats from China, but an attempt to encourage China to engage in dialogue," said Ms Kristina Voda, the expert.
Officials in Moscow have also revived plans for a joint "power bridge" project.
Russian Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev's recent visit to Tokyo brought more ideas for cooperation.
All these initiatives appear to confirm Mr Abe's long-held belief that Russia wishes to use Japan to counterbalance growing Chinese regional influence. There are also signs that President Vladimir Putin is increasingly irritated with China's economic pre-eminence in Central Asia, and may welcome investments from countries such as Japan.
Either way, the next few months will see febrile diplomatic action in Russian-Japanese ties. Mr Abe is scheduled to visit Vladivostok next month and Mr Putin plans to go to Japan by the end of the year.
In public, Mr Abe will have to play down his enthusiasm for Russia, if only in order not to annoy the United States and Europe.
But the mood of anticipation among Japanese officials dealing with Russia is now palpable.


Amara has a great reputation for customer service. Our training programme helped take this to the next level with the introduction of new customer-centric ways of thinking.
Here at Tobias & Tobias we have developed a Customer Experience Education Programme – a series of courses designed to guide individuals and organisations to better understand the impact and implementation of customer-centric thinking and practices.
Following our Assessment and User Experience Audit of their online retail offering, Amara asked us to visit their offices to run our education programme across their business, to help increase the CX maturity of the organisation and develop their own knowledge base and ways of working.
This introductory session, attended by most Amara employees, covered the basics of User Experience (UX) and customer-centred design techniques. The course created awareness of current capability and recommendations for the future, and most importantly, identified ways in which each individual could contribute towards enhanced customer experience with Amara.
The foundation course applied to all Amara employees. We then ran a series of other sessions which were aimed mainly at Amara practitioners and stakeholders who are directly involved in the design of their online store.
User experience research involves the systematic investigation of customers and their requirements, in order to add context and insight into the process of designing a product or service – in this case Amara's online store. This deep dive session focused on research tools and techniques, and provided the participants a practical understanding of interviewing, questionnaires and user testing.
This session with Amara focused on information architecture – the structuring of information and functionality and how customers navigate and engage with it. We explored the most important elements and importance of IA, understanding the different way in which people seek information and how to design specifically for this.
This course was run with Amara's digital team, with the aim to increase awareness of design guidelines and equip them with the tools and techniques to design effective, customer-oriented interfaces and interactions.
The aim of this education programme was to encourage Amara to adopt new customer-centric ways of thinking, not only in their online offering but across the business. With a set of new techniques and tools at their disposal, Amara are well set on their journey of taking their reputation for great customer service to the next level.


text:
itbusinessedge > Blogs > Unfiltered Opinion > Dell New York Monitor Event: Attracting Millennials with New PCs and Peripherals
Dell New York Monitor Event: Attracting Millennials with New PCs and Peripherals
By Rob Enderle, Posted October 12, 2018
PCs and peripherals are force multipliers and crimping on them reduces the job satisfaction, loyalty and efficiency of the workforce. Millennials are forcing firms to rethink their more budget-focused strategies.
This week, I was in New York for a Dell Monitor event and realized we really don't talk about peripherals that much anymore, which is kind of weird, given that they remain a primary way we interface with technology at work. Most of us have mice that likely have more dead skin cells on them than the plastic they were made from, keyboards where several keys just don't seem to work right thanks to spills and dirt, and monitors that are well behind the times in terms of ergonomics, performance, safety and wire management.
I'm not like that myself, as I use a custom-made AZIO mechanical keyboard, I swap out mice at least once a year, and my go-to monitor is a Dell 43" beast that was designed for trading floor use. The sad thing about this monitor is that I find I've become so wedded to it that I don't like to work from a laptop anymore and, instead of working outside by the river that flows behind my house, I stay in my office. This massive screen real-estate allows me to be far more productive and the drag of a smaller screen is so annoying I've traded off working outside to avoid it.
Like me, millennials appear to be far more focused on hardware quality as well. For instance:
Millennial Intern Study
https://o1.qnsr.com/log/p.gif?;n=203;c=204663295;s=11915;x=7936;f=201904081034270;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;a=20410779;e=i
This really wasn't an official study, but I needed to name it something. What happened was one of the most powerful firms in the U.S., one that dominates its industry (but doesn't want me to share its name) recruited nine highly qualified interns for a high-profile project. The Interns were so impressive during the execution of this project that all of them got job offers, really nice job offers. None of them accepted, which really surprised the firm's management. Here it was, a power firm, with a massively popular brand, dominant in its industry, and the project was important and fun, yet those on it didn't want to work for the firm.
The reason they collectively gave was that they were given seven-year-old laptops to work with and they didn't want to work for a firm that gave them crappy hardware. Right now, a lot of firms are struggling to meet hiring targets and are competing for the best and brightest that the educational institutions generate. But these young adults know they are valued, want the best tools to advance their own careers, want to enjoy their new jobs, and will choose firms based on not only salary and benefits, but how well the firm equips them.
Monitors and Trends
Dell is the dominant provider of monitors. Kirk Schell, who runs the unit at Dell, is not only one of its most experienced executives, but he tends to get the resources his peers at competing firms don't. This allows him to create more complete lines and get marketing support for them, the combination of which helps assure Dell's number-one position.
As a result, you can often look to Dell monitors and see trends that other firms will eventually emulate. One of the trends identified in Dell's current line is the use of USB-C as a primary monitor interface, with built-in charging. In Dell's line, this means that monitors under 30" generally will support 65-watt charging and, with one 100-watt exception, monitors over 30" with USB-C will support 95-watt charging. Given that we purchase laptops with the idea that they'll remain in service from three to seven years, this would suggest favoring laptops with USB-C charging for the longest service life going forward.
The big advantage to a USB-C connection is a single cable connection from the laptop to the monitor, which is then used as the primary hub for peripherals. This cleans up the desktop a lot, which is important given the trend to shrink or eliminate cubicles.
One of the industries most aggressive with regard to monitor advancement is the financial industry, particularly for traders. This industry appears to be driving much of the change and Dell showcased a variety of configurations with both multi-monitor and multi-PC (the 43" monitor I use will support multiple PCs, for instance).
Other efforts include higher monitor color accuracy, the beginning of a move from 4K to 8K at the high end, the elimination of built-in cameras in monitors (which aren't practical in multi-monitor rigs), and the move to larger monitors that replace two or more standalone products. While there was a move to put better speakers in monitors, right now I'm seeing a move for better noise-cancelling headphones instead, thanks to the move to more open plan office spaces and away from cubicles.
Wrapping Up: PCs and Monitors Are Force Multipliers
Tools, by their nature, are force multipliers. Back before the last industrial revolution, craftsmen often had their own custom tools, but, for some reason, outside of engineers and workstations, PCs often aren't treated in the same way. This is clearly changing, with millennials taking the lead in terms of demanding tools that best enhance their productivity, image, and appreciation for the company that employs them.
Back when I worked for Siemens, I watched as the firm suffered by providing out-of-date workstations to engineers. At the time, we were experiencing an unsustainable 200 percent annual engineer turnover, largely due to the fact that the engineers hated the workstations they were given. One of the reasons I left a prior job was because they took away my current generation hardware and replaced it with three-year-old crap after a merger. Life is too short to have to deal with an employer that doesn't value equipping its employees properly. And in a market where there aren't enough qualified people to get work done, this lack of worker respect could cripple a firm's ability to attract and keep top employees critical to that firm's execution.
PCs and peripherals are force multipliers and crimping on them reduces the job satisfaction, loyalty and efficiency of the workforce. Millennials are forcing firms to rethink their more budget-focused strategies, and Dell is clearly benefiting from this change and showcasing where the future is taking us. Bigger monitors with higher resolution, higher color accuracy, better cable management, and USB-C are the near-term future. Long term, well, some changes are coming with head-mounted displays, transparent panels, and curves that we'll talk about later. I expect Dell will be at the forefront of these changes as well and we will be revisiting this topic soon.
Rob Enderle is President and Principal Analyst of the Enderle Group, a forward-looking emerging technology advisory firm. With over 30 years' experience in emerging technologies, he has provided regional and global companies with guidance in how to better target customer needs; create new business opportunities; anticipate technology changes; select vendors and products; and present their products in the best possible light. Rob covers the technology industry broadly. Before founding the Enderle Group, Rob was the Senior Research Fellow for Forrester Research and the Giga Information Group, and held senior positions at IBM and ROLM. Follow Rob on Twitter @enderle, on Facebook and on Google+
SEE ALL UNFILTERED OPINION ARTICLES
Most Recent Unfiltered Opinion Articles
IBM Power9 Cloud: How the Cloud Is Enabling Competition and Legacy Support
Cisco Live Keynote: Employees, Customers and Technology


text:
Gene Luen Yang explains his graphic novel "The Shadow Hero," whose cover is herein revealed
Cory Doctorow 5:35 am Tue Oct 15, 2013
We're delighted to present Gene Luen Yang (oft mentioned here) introducing his forthcoming graphic novel The Shadow Hero in the video above, and, below the jump, the exclusive reveal of the cover of the aforesaid book, which will be in the stream of commerce as of July 15, 2014.
In the U.S. comics boom of the 1940s, a legend was born: the Green
Turtle. He solved crimes and fought injustice just like the other comic
book characters. But this mysterious masked crusader was hiding
something more than your run-of-the-mill secret identity… The Green
Turtle was the first Asian American super hero.
The Green Turtle comic had a short run before lapsing into obscurity,
but the acclaimed author of American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang, has
finally revived this character in a new graphic novel that creates an
origin story for this forgotten character. Hank just wants to enjoy his
quiet life running the family grocery store with his father, but his
mother has other ideas for him… she wants him to become a superhero,
and to clean up their Chinatown neighborhood!
With artwork by Sonny Liew, this dazzling, funny comics adventure for
teens is a new spin on the long, rich tradition of American comics lore.
And also! Gene and Sonny's first partnership involving the Shadow Hero
came in a short story they did together for Shattered: The Asian
American Comics Anthology, in case you want to mention that as well.
That time that David Lynch stuffed a pair of fan's panties in his mouth
Only David Lynch. This video resurfaced recently of an incident that happened in 2003(?). It shows David Lynch eating a pair of warm panties just removed by "Cinema Lover," a member of the DavidLynch.com chatroom. He stuffs the panties in his mouth and then attempts to pronounce the handle of another chatroom member, WMMVRRVRRMM. Paging… READ THE REST
Interview with Boing Boing contributor Annie Rauwerda, of "Depths of Wikipedia" fame
Wikimedia's Chris Koerner interviews Annie Rauwerda, whose encyclopedic knowledge of the encyclopedia means she finds (and shares) the most wild, offbeat and fascinating articles. (See also her work here at BB) From the interview: What's a common misconception you find people have about Wikipedia? I'm often surprised by how many people forget that they can… READ THE REST
Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's dropping a "financial record"
I really get a kick out of Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra, a conceptual band out of San Diego with a robot lead singer. So when the band's human, Professor B. Miller, asked me to write the liner notes for their latest laser-etched LP, Balance a Checkbook, I couldn't say no! It's a "financial record," so I've… READ THE REST