text:
import os
import sys
#import difflib
import subprocess
import shutil
import re
import ConfigParser
import time

PASSED = 0
FAILED = 1
FIXED = 2

def tab(lst, num_tabs=1):
   return [join(['    ' * num_tabs,line]) for line in lst]

def join(lst):
   return ''.join(lst)

def compare_configs(input, output):
    in_config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
    out_config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()

    in_config.read(input)
    out_config.read(output)

    if len(in_config.sections()) != len(out_config.sections()):
        return False

    for sec in in_config.sections():
        if sec not in out_config.sections():
            return False

        if len(in_config.items(sec)) != len(out_config.items(sec)):
            return False

        for key,val in in_config.items(sec):
            if not out_config.has_option(sec, key):
                return False

            if not val == out_config.get(sec, key):
                return False

    return True

def display_columns(headers, data, width=140, diff=True):
    """
    Input:
    headers = ("header1", "header2")
    data = ( ["data A", "data B", "data C"],
             ["data a", "data B", "data 3", "data 4"] )
    width = 54
    diff = True

    Output:

     |header1                    |header2                    |
     |===========================|========================== |
     |data A                     |data a                     |
     |data B                     |data B                     |
    X|data C                     |data 3                     |
    -|                           |data 4                     |
    """
    if len(headers) != len(data):
        raise ValueError("Must have same number of headers as data columns.")
    num_cols = len(headers)
    col_w = width / num_cols
    output_rows = ['']
    for h in headers:
        output_rows[0] += " |" + h.ljust(col_w)
    output_rows[0] += "|"
    output_rows.append((" |"+ "="*col_w)*num_cols + "|")
    num_rows = max(len(col) for col in data)
    for r in range(num_rows):
        output_rows.append('')
        for c, column in enumerate(data):
            if len(column) <= r:
                output_rows[r+2] += " |" + " "*col_w
            else:
                trunced = column[r].rstrip().ljust(col_w)
                # Determine whether to print "." (match), "X" (no match),
                # or " " (nothing to compare) as column separator
                # if there is a column to the right,
                # and that column exists for this row
                if c+1 < len(data) and r < len(data[c+1]):
                    if data[c+1][r].lower().rstrip() == data[c][r].lower().rstrip():
                        # current cell matches cell to its right
                        diff = " "
                    else:
                        # current cell DOES NOT match cell to its right
                        diff = "X"
                elif c+1 < len(data):
                    # no cell in next column at this row
                    diff = "-"
                else:
                    # no column to the right
                    diff = " "
                trunced = trunced.replace('\t','   ')
                if len(trunced) > col_w:
                    trunced = trunced[:col_w]
                output_rows[r+2] += ("%s|" % diff) + trunced
        # end of row marker
        output_rows[r+2] += "|"

    # print the whole table
    for o in output_rows:
        print o

def update_file(filename, new_data):
    """
    Input:
        filename = file to update
        new_data = list of lines to put in file, can end with newline or not, doesn't matter
    """
    try:
        original_stat = None
        if os.path.exists(filename):
            original_stat = os.stat(filename)
        tmp_filename = "%s~tmp%f" % (filename, time.time())
        tmpfile = open(tmp_filename, "w")
        tmpfile.write('\n'.join(line.rstrip('\n') for line in new_data))
        if new_data[-1].endswith("\n"):
            tmpfile.write('\n')
        tmpfile.close()
        os.rename(tmp_filename, filename)

        # chmod and chown back to what the file had originally
        if original_stat is not None:
            os.chmod(filename, original_stat.st_mode)
            os.chown(filename, original_stat.st_uid, original_stat.st_gid)
    except Exception, e:
        print("Failed to update file %s: %s" % (filename, str(e)))

def offer_fix(filename, new_data):
    """
    Offers to create or update a file with new_data in it.
    This is called in various places where the actual results differ from the expected,
    and the fixtests flag is set to True. That way, we can update tests automatically.
    """
    if type(new_data) == str:
        new_data = [i + '\n' for i in new_data.split('\n')]
    elif type(new_data) == int:
        new_data = [str(new_data)]
    try:
        f = open(filename, "r")
        old_data = f.readlines()
        f.close()
    except:
        print("="*10 + filename + "="*10)
        for line in new_data:
            sys.stdout.write(line)
        print("="*10 + filename + "="*10)
        do_fix = raw_input("'%s' not found, would you like to create it with the above contents? [y/N]: " % filename)
        if do_fix.lower().startswith("y"):
            update_file(filename, new_data)
            return True
        else:
            return False

    left_header = "Expected contents:"
    right_header = "Actual contents:"
    display_columns((left_header, right_header), (old_data, new_data))
    do_fix = raw_input("'%s' differs from actual result, would you like to replace it? [y/N]: " % filename)
    if do_fix.lower().startswith("y"):
        update_file(filename, new_data)
        return True
    return False

class Command:
   results_template = 'Command %(command_name)s Results:\n%(rc_results)s%(stdout_results)s%(stderr_results)s\n\tCommand Completed Successfully: %(success)s'
   rc_results = 'Expected RC : %(expected)s, Actual RC : %(actual)s'
   stdout_results = 'Expected STDOUT :\n%(expected)s\nActual STDOUT :\n%(actual)s\n'
   stderr_results = 'Expected STDERR :\n%(expected)s\nActual STDERR :\n%(actual)s\n'

   def __init__(self, commands_dir, command_name, fixtests=False):
      self.cmd_args = None
      self.cmd_proc = None
      self.expected_rc = None
      self.expected_stdout = None
      self.expected_stderr = None
      self.executed = False
      self.fixtests = fixtests
      self.was_fixed = False

      self.rc = None
      self.stdout = None
      self.stderr = None

      self.commands_dir = commands_dir
      self.command_name = command_name

      self.command_path = os.path.join(commands_dir, '%s.cmd' % self.command_name)
      if not os.path.exists(self.command_path):
         print 'Error: Command Not Valid: %s.cmd does not exist in %s' % (self.command_name, self.command_path)
         sys.exit(0)

      self.rc_path = os.path.join(commands_dir, '%s.rc' % self.command_name)
      self.stdout_path = os.path.join(commands_dir, '%s.stdout' % self.command_name)
      self.stderr_path = os.path.join(commands_dir, '%s.stderr' % self.command_name)

      self.rc_exists = os.path.exists(self.rc_path)
      self.stdout_exists = os.path.exists(self.stdout_path)
      self.stderr_exists = os.path.exists(self.stderr_path)

      self.get_cmd_args()

   def get_cmd_args(self):
      cmd_file = open(self.command_path, 'r')
      self.cmd_args = cmd_file.readline().strip('\n').split()
      cmd_file.close()

   def cache_rc(self):
      if self.rc_exists:
         rc_file = open(self.rc_path, 'r')
         try:
             self.expected_rc = int(rc_file.read().strip())
         except:
             self.expected_rc = 0
         rc_file.close()

   def cache_stdout(self):
      if self.stdout_exists:
         stdout = open(self.stdout_path)
         self.expected_stdout = stdout.read().split('\n')
         stdout.close()
         if not self.expected_stdout:
            self.expected_stdout = ['']

   def cache_stderr(self):
      if self.stderr_exists:
         stderr = open(self.stderr_path)
         self.expected_stderr = stderr.read().split('\n')
         stderr.close()
         if not self.expected_stderr:
            self.expected_stderr = []

   def execute(self, chroot):
      if not self.cmd_args:
         self.get_cmd_args()

      cmd = ['/usr/sbin/chroot', chroot]
      cmd.extend(self.cmd_args)

      try:
         # uncomment to print the command that is executed in the chroot
         #print "command run: %s" % cmd
         self.cmd_proc = subprocess.Popen(cmd, close_fds=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
         self.cmd_proc.wait()

         self.rc = self.cmd_proc.returncode
         stdout, stderr = self.cmd_proc.communicate()

         self.stdout = stdout.split('\n')
         self.stderr = stderr.split('\n')

         """
         if self.stdout:
            for err in self.stdout:
               print err

         """

         if self.stderr:
            for err in self.stderr:
               print err

      except:
         #FIXME
         #might want to do something here
         pass

      self.executed = True
      self.cmd_proc = None

   def does_stdout_differ(self):
      if hasattr(self, "_does_stdout_differ_cache"):
         return self._does_stdout_differ_cache
      if not self.executed:
         raise Exception('Command has not been executed.')
      elif not self.stdout_exists:
         return False
      elif not self.expected_stdout:
         self.cache_stdout()

      # save a copy of stdout (before lowercaseifying)
      # so we can potentially update the testcase with it
      if self.fixtests:
          orig_stdout = list(self.stdout)

      for i, e in enumerate(self.stdout):
         self.stdout[i] = e.lower()

      for i, e in enumerate(self.expected_stdout):
         self.expected_stdout[i] = e.lower()

      diff = self.stdout != self.expected_stdout

      if diff:

         print "------Stdout differs:-------\n"
         import difflib
         for l in difflib.ndiff(self.expected_stdout, self.stdout):
             print l
         print "------Expected stdout:------\n"
         for s in self.expected_stdout:
            print s

         print "------Actual stdout:--------\n"

         for s in self.stdout:
            print s

         print "----------------------------\n"

      if diff and self.fixtests:
         self.was_fixed |= offer_fix(self.stdout_path, orig_stdout)

      self._does_stdout_differ_cache = diff
      return diff

   def stdout_differ_string(self):
      if self.does_stdout_differ():
         return self.stdout_results % {'expected' : '\n'.join(tab(self.expected_stdout)), 'actual' : '\n'.join(tab(self.stdout))}
      else:
         return ''

   def does_stderr_differ(self):
      if hasattr(self, "_does_stderr_differ_cache"):
          return self._does_stderr_differ_cache
      if not self.executed:
         raise Exception('Command has not been executed.')
      elif not self.stderr_exists:
         return False
      elif not self.expected_stderr:
         self.cache_stderr()

      if self.fixtests:
          orig_stderr = list(self.stderr)

      for i, e in enumerate(self.stderr):
         self.stderr[i] = e.lower()

      for i, e in enumerate(self.expected_stderr):
         self.expected_stderr[i] = e.lower()

      diff = self.stderr != self.expected_stderr

      if diff:
         print "------Stderr differs:-------\n"
         import difflib
         for l in difflib.ndiff(self.expected_stderr, self.stderr):
             print l
         print "------Expected stderr:------\n"
         for s in self.expected_stderr:
            print s

         print "------Actual stderr:--------\n"

         for s in self.stderr:
            print s

         print "----------------------------\n"

      if diff and self.fixtests:
          self.was_fixed |= offer_fix(self.stderr_path, orig_stderr)

      self._does_stderr_differ_cache = diff
      return diff

   def stderr_differ_string(self):
      if self.does_stderr_differ():
         return self.stderr_results % { 'expected' : '\n'.join(tab(self.expected_stderr)), 'actual' : '\n'.join(tab(self.stderr))}
      else:
         return ''

   def does_rc_differ(self):
      if hasattr(self, "_does_rc_differ_cache"):
         return self._does_rc_differ_cache
      if not self.executed:
         raise Exception('Command has not been executed.')
      elif not self.rc_exists:
         return False
      elif not self.expected_rc:
         self.cache_rc()

      diff = self.rc != self.expected_rc

      if diff:
         sys.stdout.write("RC differs\nexpected rc: %s\nactual rc: %s\n\n" % (self.expected_rc, self.rc))

      if diff and self.fixtests:
         self.was_fixed |= offer_fix(self.rc_path, self.rc)

      self._does_rc_differ_cache = diff
      return diff

   def rc_differ_string(self):
      if self.does_rc_differ():
         return self.rc_results % { 'expected' : self.expected_rc, 'actual' : self.rc}
      else:
         return ''

   def get_results_string(self):
		rep = { 'command_name' : self.command_name,
              'rc_results' : '',
              'stdout_results' : '',
              'stderr_results' : '',
              'success' : not (self.does_rc_differ() or self.does_stdout_differ() or self.does_stderr_differ())}

		if self.rc_differ_string():
			rep['rc_results'] = self.rc_differ_string()

		if self.does_stdout_differ():
			rep['stdout_results'] = self.rc_differ_string()

		if self.does_stderr_differ():
			rep['stderr_results'] = self.rc_differ_string()

		return self.results_template % rep

class TestCase:
   # Class Constants
   REQUIRES_SECTION = 0
   TEST_SECTION = 1
   VERIFY_SECTION = 2

   def __init__(self, test_path, chroot_path=None, fixtests=False):
      self.parse_errors = False

      self.path = test_path
      self.test_name = os.path.basename(self.path)
      self.chroot = chroot_path
      self.fixtests = fixtests
      self.was_fixed = False

      self.commands_dir = os.path.join(self.path, 'commands')
      self.files_dir = os.path.join(self.path, 'files')
      self.manifest_path = os.path.join(self.path, 'test.manifest')
      self.parse_manifest()
      self.install_files()

   def parse_manifest(self):
      self.manifest = {self.REQUIRES_SECTION : [], self.TEST_SECTION : [], self.VERIFY_SECTION : []}

      cmd_type = None
      manifest_file = open(self.manifest_path, 'r')

      for line in manifest_file:
         line = line.strip()
         if line == '[requires]':
            cmd_type = self.REQUIRES_SECTION
         elif line == '[test]':
            cmd_type = self.TEST_SECTION
         elif line == '[verify]':
            cmd_type = self.VERIFY_SECTION
         elif line.startswith('#'):
            #comment line in the manifest
            continue
         else:
            if cmd_type == None:
               sys.stderr.write('WARNING: Manifest file improperly formatted.  Omitting line: %s\n' % line)
               self.parse_errors = True
            else:
               try:
                  if line.strip() != '':
                     if cmd_type == 0:
                        required_test_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(self.path), line)
                        # We won't bother you to fix testcases in the 'required' section.
                        rtc = TestCase(required_test_dir, self.chroot)
                        #rtc = TestCase(required_test_dir)
                        self.manifest[cmd_type].append(rtc)
                     elif cmd_type == 1:
                        self.manifest[cmd_type].append(Command(self.commands_dir, line, self.fixtests))
                     else:
                        self.manifest[cmd_type].append(Command(self.commands_dir, line, self.fixtests))
               except Exception, e:
                  self.parse_errors = True
                  sys.stderr.write('%s\n' % str(e))

   def install_files(self):
      paths = []
      input_path = os.path.join(self.files_dir, 'input')
      for root, dirs, files in os.walk(input_path):
         for file in files:
            paths.append(os.path.join(root, file))

      for fpath in paths:
         dirname = re.sub(r'^%s(.*)' % re.escape(input_path), r'\1', os.path.dirname(fpath)).lstrip(os.path.sep)
         basename = os.path.basename(fpath)
         chroot_dir = os.path.join(self.chroot, dirname)
         try:
            os.makedirs(chroot_dir)
         except Exception, e:
            if e.errno == 17:
               pass
            else:
               raise
         shutil.copy2(fpath, os.path.join(chroot_dir, basename))

   def check_output_files(self):
      rc = True
      expected = 'Expected File Contents:\n%s'
      actual = 'Actual File Contents:\n%s'
      fdiffer = 'Output File %(oname)s differs:\n%(expected)s\n%(actual)s\n'
      output_path = os.path.join(self.files_dir, 'output')

      compare_success = True

      # Walk through all files in the expected output
      for root,dirs,files in os.walk(output_path):
         for file in files:
            opath = os.path.join(root, file)
            dirname = re.sub(r'^%s(.*)' % re.escape(output_path), r'\1', root).lstrip(os.path.sep)
            cpath = os.path.join(self.chroot, dirname, file)
            subprocess.call('diff %s %s' % (opath, cpath), shell=True)

            ofile = open(opath)
            otext = ofile.readlines()
            ofile.close()

            compare_success = True
            if os.path.exists(cpath):

               cfile = open(cpath)
               ctext = cfile.readlines()
               cfile.close()

               # Compare config files in memory
               if os.path.splitext(opath)[1] == '.cfg':
                  if not compare_configs(opath, cpath):
                     rc = False
                     compare_success = False
               # For other files, do sting comparison of contents
               elif otext != ctext:
                  rc = False
                  compare_success = False

               # Report on failed file comparisons
               if not compare_success:
                  etext = '\n'.join(tab((expected % join(tab(otext))).split('\n')))
                  atext = '\n'.join(tab((actual % join(tab(ctext))).split('\n')))
                  dtext = fdiffer % {'oname' : os.path.join(dirname,file), 'expected' : etext, 'actual' : atext}
                  sys.stdout.write('\n'.join(tab(dtext.rstrip('\n').split('\n'))) + '\n')
                  if self.fixtests:
                     self.was_fixed |= offer_fix(opath, ctext)
            else:
               compare_success = False
               rc = False
               sys.stdout.write('\n'.join(tab(["Expected output file '%s' does not exist" % cpath])) + '\n')

      return rc

   def run_test(self):
      print('Test %s:' % self.path)
      rc = self.__run_requires()
      if rc:
         rc = self.__run_tests()
         if rc or self.fixtests:
            rc = self.__run_verification()
            if rc or self.fixtests:
               rc = self.check_output_files()
               if rc and not self.was_fixed:
                  print('Test %s Completed Successfully: True' % self.test_name)
                  return PASSED
      print('Test %s Completed Successfully: False' % self.test_name)
      if self.was_fixed:
          print("Test %s had some fix(es) made. Will rerun later." % self.test_name)
          return FIXED
      return FAILED

   def __run_requires(self):
      if not self.manifest[self.REQUIRES_SECTION]:
         return True

      testName = self.path.rstrip('/')
      print(join(tab(['Requires Section - for test %s:' % (testName)])))
      for required_test_dir in self.manifest[self.REQUIRES_SECTION]:
         print(join(tab(['Required test = %s' % (required_test_dir.path)])))
         required_test_successful = required_test_dir.run_test() == PASSED
         if not required_test_successful:
            print(join(tab(['Requires Section Completed Successfully: False\n'])))
            break

      return required_test_successful

   def __run_tests(self):
      testName = self.path
      print(join(tab(['Tests Section - %s' % (testName)])))
      cmds_ok = True
      for cmd in self.manifest[self.TEST_SECTION]:
         cmd.execute(self.chroot)
         if cmd.does_rc_differ() or cmd.does_stdout_differ() or cmd.does_stderr_differ():
            cmds_ok = False

         self.was_fixed |= cmd.was_fixed

         print('%s\n' % '\n'.join(tab(cmd.get_results_string().split('\n'), num_tabs=2)))

         if not cmds_ok and not self.fixtests:
            break

      print(join(tab(['Tests Section Completed Successfully: %s\n' % str(cmds_ok)])))
      return cmds_ok

   def __run_verification(self):
      if not self.manifest[self.VERIFY_SECTION]:
         return True
      print(join(tab(['Verification Section:'])))
      cmds_ok = True
      for cmd in self.manifest[self.VERIFY_SECTION]:
         cmd.execute(self.chroot)
         if cmd.does_rc_differ() or cmd.does_stdout_differ() or cmd.does_stderr_differ():
            cmds_ok = False

         self.was_fixed |= cmd.was_fixed

         sys.stdout.write('%s\n\n' % '\n'.join(tab(cmd.get_results_string().split('\n'), num_tabs=2)))

         if not cmds_ok and not self.fixtests:
            break

      sys.stdout.write(join(tab(['Verification Section Completed Successfully: %s\n' % str(cmds_ok)])))
      return cmds_ok

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
An Explanation and An Interview With the Makers of "The Shadows"
I know, I know... it's been a week since I've posted anything. And without explanation. Well, I foolishly thought that while I have new responsibilities at work, my family was coming to town and Christmas was around the corner, I would still be able to keep up on all my Dead Harvey chores. I was wrong. To quote Arnie, "Dead wrong". So, I'm going to be taking a break, which will make life a whole lot easier, and this will be my last Dead Harvey post until January 3rd. If I have any readers left by then, I hope you'll come back to a reinvigorated Dead Harvey, as I'm hoping to get some time to catch up on some indie horror and readjust my life to fit in everything that I want to fit in.
So... before I take off on my holiday, I want to leave you with a great interview. We had the opportunity to check out "The Shadows", a small budget indie horror and speak with the guys behind it. Now, "The Shadows" isn't your typical no-budget horror. Usually, no-budget horror films hang their hat on gore, nudity or a particular sub-genre, like zombies, vampires or whatever. "The Shadows" was different. "The Shadows" was far more cerebral than almost anything you'd expect from the low-no budget realm. It didn't bank on gore, it didn't bank on nudity and, as far as I could tell, there weren't any zombie outbreaks. There were, however, quite a few decent effects, including some very creepy characters, but that's not what grabbed me about the film. What grabbed me was how well it was put together, how the story was crafted and how they managed to keep my attention to the end... without nudity, gore or zombies. The film is along the lines of "The Sixth Sense" or "The Others" and it should stand out in the low-no indie horror world as something that's unique, different and very well crafted.
Enjoy the interview and have a great holidays!
So, tell us about "The Shadows", what's it all about?
Really it's about facing your demons. And a person's will to live. The plot revolves around five friends who are marooned on an abandoned island with a lighthouse. And although they seem to be close friends with no secrets from each other, their suppressed conflicts and longings, boil to the surface. Ghostly shadow figures threaten to steal away their souls so they must put aside their conflicts and band together to defend themselves against the relentless demonic specters.
It's also completely dubbed in Spanish and I am really glad that I was able to include a commentary on the film. The script has so many layers and subtleties, so the more you watch it, the more depth you discover. And the commentary helps you see those things. It's very much a ghost story.
The film is definitely a horror, but it's far different than most indie horror's that we see, as it's not really gory and/or excessively violent. Talk about where the idea came from and why you wanted to make it.
Gratuitous violence and gore really aren't the foundation for a good film. For us a solid, creative story and engaging characters is. Without a good story everything else is pointless. And you have to have characters worth caring about. So we created characters who had real depth with hopes and fears and flaws. It keeps the audience more connected, invested in their individual struggles and on the edge of their seat as each twist reveals that things are more complicated than you thought.
The lighthouse was a key element from the beginning. They have this stigma of eeriness, mystery and something supernatural about them. So we gave it meaning in the story physically and figuratively. We liked the idea of it becoming a character in the story, hiding it's own secrets, being wounded and under attack. It's a great metaphor. We are all like a lighthouse with both a light and dark side.
If you don't mind us asking, what was the budget for the film and how did you secure financing?
We sought funding for a long time. Eventually my sister (Dianna Collett) and I (we make up Victory of the People Productions) decided that we were going to have to fund our first major film ourselves. So we spent our life savings to create a film we loved and to propel a production company we believed in.
The only way to make a high-quality film on a low budget is through lots of planning and preparation. The set started construction seven months before shooting. Script re-writes and revisions took place for a year to refine it and intensify the story. Rehearsals began months ahead and most of the cast was completely off-book before shooting began. It was necessary to keep the intensity of each scene. It was like a thrilling play that became a film. I think often film-makers are in such a rush to shoot the film they skip important rehearsal time and it shows in the acting quality. So the emotion in our film is very real. There were nights after shooting that we genuinely had the creeps. It's awesome.
The film keeps the audience hanging and has a cool twist at the end. Talk about making sure that the twist was effective and did that come in the writing or did it come while shooting?
The foundation of the story really sets up those twists at the end. We knew keeping the audience in suspense was key. And it's not an easy thing to pull off. But that really started in the writing. It was well captured by Sabrina's direction and the music for the film absolutely sealed the deal. But even with all that, the editor has to know how to show it. We worked hundreds of hours in post-production to get it exactly right. The audience reactions we've experienced have been very gratifying.
You used quite a few CG effects, which was very impressive for an indie film. How did you do the effects and what was your favorite?
Yeah, in an earlier version there wasn't much. But the question arose, "Now how can we make it more scary?" We wanted to make the shadows more mysterious and supernatural. It turned into a major project. Since we ran out of funding, I had to learn some of the art of CGI myself. I'm a on-hands producer. I'd rather pay someone to do it if I can, but knowing how it's done makes me a better producer. I also built the set. It helps me to understand all aspects of film-making.
The ending sequence, building up to Nadia's light burst moment, is so powerful. You become panicked for them. It took many adjustments before we got there in post-production but doing it right is more important that just getting it done. I think as a hard-to-please film-maker, if you can watch the final cut of the film and even you feel the drama, the suspense and the fear, then it's something you are proud to show off.
The sinking ship in the beginning sequence is probably my favorite effect. Though people have to pay attention during the opening credits to notice it. Detail is important.
What are your goals for "The Shadows"? Is it to get a festival run? Are you looking to just get distribution? Are you looking to turn a big profit? What would be your benchmark for success?
We are submitting to festivals but our primary focus is distribution. We're delighted to be working with Midnight Releasing with a release date of January 4th, 2011. They've already secured a deal with a mainstream video store retailer.
We have realistic expectations. Our goal is to get our production company rolling, gather a following and become a profitable business. We've shown that we are committed enough to put our money where our mouth is. We produced a high-quality film on a low budget which is the best way to make a profit. So I think success would be achieving a satisfied audience following and investors willing to help us move to the next level.
Where can people find out more about "The Shadows" and/or get their hands on a copy?
Our IMDB page has clips and review links and where to purchase the film.
Our facebook page has lots of updates and pictures.
Our website has it's own original front-end graphics with details, clips and more about the film.
And our production company website has more information about our slate of film. People can also friend our production company on facebook.
Now, tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get into indie horror and film?
I think acting and film-making chose me more than I chose it. I was unexpectedly cast in a play when I was a teenager and I loved it. I got more involved in all aspects of stage and by 19, I was directing. By 21 I was building sets and producing. I think fundamentally I love story-telling in all aspects of it. In theater, I have held every crew position imaginable. I chose a more profitable profession for life, but after 25 roles and 40 productions, I decided that rejecting it was rejecting who I really am. There is a motto I really try to live by, "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it." As a film actor, I wasn't getting the opportunities I should. So I had to start creating those opportunities. And we saw that other talented people were being passed by as well.
Our production company name came from our last name, Collett. It's derived in French meaning, "Victory of the People." That kind of became the spirit of what we are doing. There are a lot of people who are tired of the big studios putting out the same rhetoric every year; producing yet another sequels or re-do of stories that have been exhausted. They practically fear originality and creativity. We seek to provide what movie-goers long for with a focus on high-quality production value. So we work with investors who are sick of being ripped off. We work with exceptionally talented crew members and actors who are tired of being passed-over and treated like dirt by a studio system that values "who you know" over dedication and skill. So for the audience and for those making the film, it is kind of a revolution, a victory of the people.
Film school: yes or no?
I learn better by doing. I've working in most every aspect of film-making and I think that makes a better producer and informed actor. As an actor I go by Alan Collett. As a producer I go by Paul. It helps my alter-egos know what they are doing.
Talk about the indie horror scene, where do you think it is now and where do you see it going?
Indie Horror films always have an advantage over the studios. They can tell the stories the studios can't. But I think the Indie horror scene today is swamped. Audiences are so leery of being scammed with a crappy film because there are so many. And just because there is a name actor in it, doesn't mean it's going to be any good. It reminds me of a Louie B Mayer quote, "Anyone can make a movie son, but it doesn't mean they should." The quality of the production, the acting and especially the story being told is what audiences care about. Screenwriters are so unappreciated today but you can really tell the difference between what a director slapped together and what an experienced writer created.
Since there is so much being produced these days, audiences need a way of knowing what's actually worth watching. Every time an audience feels cheated, they blame the entire Indie Horror market for it. They need someone they know to tell them what's good. They need distributors and film companies they can trust to provide quality films. We hope to build that kind of audience that can trust our content.
Are there any other projects in the works?
We are fortunate to be acquainted with a lot of talented people. We have the filming rights to nine more scripts in three genres. We treat our crew and cast like family so when we are gearing up for our next project, they are asking to be on-board even though they usually have to turn down higher paying projects to do so. (Eventually we will be the higher paying project.)
"Truth" is our next feature film which is in post-production about a terrorist cell that kidnaps three Americans and threatens to expose a secret that will shatter America's soul. Our third film is a black comedy, "Technicolor Llama", which is currently seeking additional funding. We also have other horrors like "Spectacles" and "Ghost Town" and "Hotel Obscuridad" in development. All of which have a supernatural flavor to it. With the right investors, we'll have a regular slate of films coming out each year.
Posted by Dead Harvey at 9:44 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: christmas break, Dead Harvey, indie horror, low budget filmmaking, the shadows
The Box Office and the New Horror Out on DVD
Well, it was a very uninspiring weekend at the box office... so, sorry if I didn't jump on reporting on it right away. The top spot went to "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and the number two spot went to "The Tourist", both were new this last weekend and both drastically underperformed. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" fell to fourth, but has brought in over $250Million to date. Not too shabby. There were a couple of notable limited releases, including "Black Swan" and "127 Hours". Both are getting a lot of buzz, especially "Black Swan", which graced the cover of Fangoria this month, if you can believe it. I think it's opening wide this Friday, so you should go check it out, if you get the chance. As for new releases on DVD this week, there are a few good films coming out. As usual, you can go to our Youtube Page to see the trailers and you can click on the title to be taken to the films Amazon Page, where you can read more about it and/or buy it.
I was pretty sure that the whole torture porn film craze was done after "Captivity" bombed, but they still seem to be pumping them out. "Slave " looks slick, has great production value, a bunch of good looking girls and appears to be well put together... I'm just not sure if the concept is going to fly, but I haven't seen it. A couple is on vacation in Spain and the girl is taken and becomes the trophy of a psycho named the White Arab... the guy does everything he can to find her. I don't know, it doesn't sound terribly original to me, but whatever. It probably has lots of T&A, maybe some decent violence, who knows?
As much as I'm not really a big fan of the Killjoy the demonic killer clown character itself, I'm a huge fan of Charles Band and his brand of horror-humor. So, with that, I'm proud to announce the release of "Killjoy 3 ". If you didn't know, Killjoy is actually played by Trent Haaga, who is a Troma Vet and writer of "Deadgirl", "Citizen Toxie" and "Raving Maniacs", among others... I like Trent Haaga... I just don't like the Killjoy character. Sorry to anyone who like it. Anyhow, word is that this is the best of the "Killjoy" trilogy. So, if you haven't check in on these films yet, you might as well start here.
Last up is a micro-cinema film out of the UK called "Tuck Bushman and the Legend of Piddledown Dale ". What I like about this micro film is that it obviously doesn't try to take itself too seriously. The wigs, make-up and acting are all over-the-top and the plot is insane. Out of work TV presenter/creature hunter, Tuck Bushman, signs up to collect the reward offered by the mayor of Piddledown Dale, as there's some sort of demon creature on the loose. He gets more than he bargains for when he discovers that there's more brewing in the village than tea and some old wounds. As it's micro-cinema and this is Dead Harvey, we have to endorse it... Can't wait to check it out.
Posted by Dead Harvey at 9:09 PM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: box office, indie horror, killjoy, micro cinema, slave, torture porn, trent haaga
Interview with Brett Pierce, writter/director of "Dead Heads"
I have some thoughts as to where the indie horror scene is heading... I mean, I always have thoughts, but recently something is becoming evidently clear.
Over the last five to ten years, the cost of producing an indie film has plummeted. You can now make a good looking film for $5K - $10K. Seriously. I'm not suggesting it as a budget, but I'm saying it can be done. I know a few people who've shot on cameras like the Canon Mark V, in 24 fp and the footage looks astounding. You don't know what the Canon Mark V is? It's an affordable consumer DSLR. Editing programs are a dime a dozen and CG effects are easily learned. There are, however, some hurdles. Good actors are hard to come by, you'll need a good DP, a good sound guy, etc. Having said that, none of that stuff needs to cost you serious money. The monetary boundaries are all but gone. The boundaries that exist now involve skill.
Are you a skilled filmmaker, a skilled writer, a skilled director? Did you get skilled actors and a skilled crew? Truth of the matter is, in the indie world, the men are being seperated from the boys. There are top-notch films coming out of the indie world and they are going to tank the amateur hour stuff. Good thing? You bet. It's time that the indie world starts pumping out quality films because, soon enough, the rest of the industry is going to take notice. Brett Pierce's "Dead Heads" is a great example of a quality film that's coming out of the indie world. Watch the trailer and check out the production quality, the acting, the effects and the originality of the story. I don't know what the budget actually is, but they did it on their own. Everything about the film looks awesome and I can't wait to check it out. We had the chance to discuss "Dead Heads" with Brett and he offers up a great interview...
So, tell us about "DeadHeads", what's it all about?
DEADHEADS is about two zombie pals, Mike and Brent, who embark on a cross country road trip in search of Mike's long lost girlfriend. As they adventure their way across the midwest they are pursued by a group of zombie killin' bounty hunters. It's a zombie/buddy/adventure/horror/comedy with a little romance for good measure.
Okay, first off… self aware, rationalizing zombies? Is that a first?
It's not. Some other films have done some great stuff with self aware zombies. What I think is original about DEADHEADS is that it's an adventure movie as much as it's a zombie movie. My brother and I really wanted to make Mike and Brent hilarious but endearing characters. We wanted to John Hughes-up our zombies. I've seen some great self aware zombie films but I feel these are the first zombies I'd want to hang out with.
The film looks to be remarkably unique – I can honestly say that I've never heard of, let alone seen, a zombie-buddy road trip film. Where did the idea come from and talk about developing the idea into a film
Drew and I were living in LA working as interns and PA's and barely scraping by. We had a few scripts we we're blindly shopping around but we were nobody's, nobody cared. We realized that even if we were lucky enough to sell one of these we'd never get to direct it. So we started writing DEADHEADS which was something we could produce independently. Drew and I had grown up on the set of EVIL DEAD. Our father was the photographic FX artist for the original one. What we took from watching Dad, Sam and the guys is that horror and comedy works and that we don't need a big name attached to get people to watch. Everybody likes to laugh and everybody likes something a little creepy or scary. We had made a "no money" feature just out of high school that we co-directed with 3 other friends. It had a few talking zombies in it and that was our favorite part of that film. So we scribbled down "talking zombies" and that's how it really got started. All the other elements of the story we're inspired by our love of 80's adventure flicks like THE GOONIES, BACK TO THE FUTURE and STAND BY ME. We knew we had one shot at this and we just kept writing and rewriting out of fear of failure. Everyday we'd write, argue, and just grill each other about every scene. "Is this funny? Is this exciting? Are the characters working?"
Umm....Less than Avatar? We just asked anybody and everybody. It was a 2 year process. We put together investor info packs and a pitch and took hundreds of meetings and pieced it together.
Where are you at with the film now and what's next for the film?
We actually just finished post production. It's done, wrapped. We actually still can't believe it. It's been about 5 years of our lives.
What are your goals for "Dead Heads"? Is it to get a festival run? Are you looking to just get distribution? Are you looking for a theatrical release? What would be your benchmark for success?
We're currently submitting for fests and meeting with distributors with the intent of getting a theatrical release. The benchmark for success for us is when somebody approaches us after seeing the flick and they just wants to meet our buddies Mike McKiddy and Ross Kidder (Mike and Brent in DEADHEADS). They're so excited to meet them and they just see them as the characters in the movie. It reaffirms us why we want to make movies. I just hope we get to do it again.
Where can people find out more about "Dead Heads" and is there a trailer that people can check out?
Best place to keep up on the movie is Facebook and Twitter. We're updating constantly. We also have a trailer posted. Here ya go!
Now, tell us a bit about yourselves. How did you get in to indie horror and film?
We'll we grew up amid EVIL DEAD and that put the bug in us to make movies. In high school and into college Drew and I made shorts, mock trailers for movies we wanted to make, and "no money" features we'd shoot on weekends with friends for fun. We made dramas, comedies, horror shorts, sci-fi and etc. Making the horror and comedy stuff was the most fun. You get to make fake blood, throw cow innards at your actor buddies, and you just get to play. It's a blast! After that we headed to LA with big dreams and quickly realized that Hollywood was not going to make our movie for us. We we're going to have to go do it on our own and prove we could do it.
I'm in the middle on film school. I think it really works for some people. I think the best thing you can get out of it is the people you meet who share the same dream as you. The flipside for me is that it's really expensive. You wrack up a lot of debt that you could instead wrack up on an indie flick you make. I didn't go to film school. I feel my film school was back home in Michigan when I got to work with all my buddies making those "no money" features and shorts. I learned so much doing that. But that's just me.
It's exploding. I can't believe how amazing some things are starting to look. The jump in quality of cinematography and special effects is astounding. They've been saying for years that the tech was coming for anyone to make a movie. It's here. But cameras and computers don't equal good storytelling. We just have no excuses anymore about not having the ability to achieve quality post production.
We have a adventure/comedy script called DORKS & DICE written we would love to do. It's a reality meets fantasy epic with heroic nerds at the center. We love nerds. We've actually plotted it as a trilogy. Dreaming big here. We also have a good and nasty werewolf script called NEVER CRY WOLF. Straight horror. We want to make werewolves scary again. The other one we're currently working on is a horror/comedy based around Halloween tentatively titled "ALL HALLOW'S EVE" but that will name will probably change. Our priority is getting DEADHEADS out there though. Our cast and crew killed themselves making this movie and we love it to death. We can't wait to get it up there on the screen.
Labels: brett pierce, deadheads, Horror, indie filmmaking, zombies
The Weekend at the Box Office AND the new horror out on DVD
I can't even come up with anything to say about the box office, we're right in the apres-Thanksgiving, en route to Christmas period where everything is family oriented. "Tangled" pulled in over $20Million, jettisoning it past "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1". The next "Chronicles of Narnia" film comes out this Friday, along with the romantic thriller "The Tourist", starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. The near future doesn't look that bright, either. I've heard it's going to suck, but some of you may be interested in "Tron Legacy", which comes out on the 17th. After that... no joke, you're going to have to wait until February for a genre film. Films that are getting buzz, and may be worth checking out, include "The Fighter" and "Black Swan". "The Green Hornet" comes out January 14th - I'm luke warm on it, I don't know. It's enough to make you just sit at home and watch DVD's, but it's been a while since there's been a really exciting week. There are a couple good, new indie horror's to check out, though.
As usual, you can go to our Youtube Page and check out all the trailers and you can click on the titles to be taken to the films page on Amazon where you can read more and/or buy it.
Okay, everyone went absolutely batshit over "Inception " and, I don't know what to tell you... it didn't blow up my skirt. Christopher Nolan is awesome, the effects were unreal and the concept was pretty f'ing cool. HOWEVER, after that, I thought it was fairly basic and run-of-the-mill. For me, it was one of those films that, had no one told me anything, I would've loved it. But, because everyone said it was so awesome, I was let down. That and it had gaping plot holes and outright didn't make sense at times.
Okay, so the title sounds like an Asylum film and the cover art looks ridiculously low-budget, but... the trailer for "Hunter Prey " actually looks alright. It's from Sandy Collora, who made "Batman: Dead End" and the quality is fantastic, the cinematography looks unreal and it looks to be a cool throwback to 70's and 80's sci-fi. I'm not sure how the film came about, but I'm definitely interested in checking it out. Looking around, he put together some wicked posters... like the one above. I have no clue why the went with the cover art that they did. I'm going to have to look deeper into this film.
I'm not sure why "Fistful of Brains " is being released now... they either decided to rerelease it themselves with new cover art OR they sold it to a distributor and they changed up the cover art and rereleased it. I'm hoping, for Christine Parker's sake, that they got it picked up. Not only have I seen "Fistful of Brains", we interviewed writer/director Christine Parker about it around a year ago. You can find a link to our interview here.
"300 Killers " looks to be a very ambitious micro-cinema film. I don't want to call it a horror, but it definitely has horror elements. It's more like a gory, sci-fi action film or something. Anyhow, it's about a near future where drugs and crime have risen 500% and people are forced to take back the streets from the bloodthirsty drug cult. The killers look awesome, the action looks great. I'd love to check this out and talk with the filmmakers... I may have to look into this further, too. Stay tuned.
Posted by Dead Harvey at 8:00 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: 300 killers, box office, fistful of brains, hunter prey, indie horror
Interview with Mark Bessenger, writer/director of "Bite Marks"
If you're wondering why I didn't post anything about new horror DVD's on Tuesday, it's because... amazingly... only 1 new horror DVD came out - "Voodoo Cowboys" - and it's currently out of stock. "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse " also came out, but I don't really need and/or want to talk about it. "Voodoo Cowboys " is a micro-cinema horror and it looks great - has Debbie Rochon in it, lots of zombie killing by backwoods hicks, what else do you need? However, instead of me talking about it, you should just go to The Dark Roast Releasing site, where you can read all about it AND check out the trailer. Why do the work when they can do it for me?
Now that I've got that out of the way, let's get to the main event - our interview with Mark Bessenger. We had the chance to talk with him about his upcoming film, "Bite Marks". Now, I haven't seen it, as they're currently in post-production, but I have seen the trailer and I'm really looking foward to checking it out. Production value is high, the acting looks superb and Bessenger seems to mesh together a lot of different ideas while keeping genre fans happy. It's a great interview, so make sure you give it a read!
So, tell us about "Bite Marks", what's it all about?
BITE MARKS is a horror-comedy about a truck driver named Brewster whose brother has disappeared and must take over his cross-country delivery of a load of coffins to a funeral home. Along the way, to help stay awake, he picks up a pair of gay hitchhikers who are having relationship problems. He immediately dislikes Cary, but is uneasy that he finds himself attracted to David. When their GPS misleads them into a junkyard and the truck breaks down, nightfall reveals that the coffins contain vampires. Hungry ones! Now, the mismatched trio must barricade themselves in the cab of the truck and try to survive the bloodsuckers--and each other--until dawn.
Now, you've mixed two genres together that usually don't get mixed together 'gay indie' and 'horror-comedy'. When you came up with the idea, what came first? The gay angle or the horror angle? Where did the whole idea come from?
My cousin Jennifer (who was hired as unit production manager) married a man whose family owned a scrapyard. The idea of setting a horror movie there tantalized me, and the thought of defending yourself from monsters in that location grew into the story that I wrote. Originally, the hitchhikers would be a straight couple, boyfriend and girlfriend. When we started our company, Blakk Flamingo Pictures, the executive producer asked me to pitch him two ideas. He liked them both, but wanted our first film to have some gay characters in it. I could do it for BITE MARKS, but not the other movie, so we went with BITE. Boyfriend/girlfriend Jack and Angie became Cary and Vogel, and that was that.
You managed to secure horror veteran Stephen Geoffreys, from "Fright Night", "976-EVIL" and "Sick Girl", for a role in the film. How did that come about?
I was discussing with a friend whether or not having a "name" in low budget films like you saw in the 80's straight-to-video releases was still relevant. My friend thought it couldn't hurt, and we began speculating on who would do something like this. Several names were tossed out, but then I remembered that I had seen Stephen Geoffreys in SICK GIRL mere days before and realized that he would be the perfect actor for our "name". I found him on MySpace, he asked to read the script, and then he was in! I was elated! His films, especially FRIGHT NIGHT, are truly favorites of mine.
I can only say that it was under $250,000 (waaaay under), and we had to apply for the Screen Actors Guild's Low-Budget Independent Film Agreement to get a couple of SAG actors on board, and that is the budget limit to be able to do that. As to the financing, a friend of mine who owns a very successful bar put up the funds after reading the script.
What state are you at with the project right now and talk a bit about getting to this stage.
I did a several months of pre-production and we shot in southern Indiana for 17 days with mostly Los Angeles talent and an Indiana crew. The film stars Windham Beacham of LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP and BACK SOON fame. Porn starlet Krystal Main plays our vampire girl. Most of the supporting actors were also local. It wasn't an easy shoot, but it wasn't as hard as most films I've been on. Filming was done on the Canon 5D Mark II, which looks like a still camera but shoots true HD and at 24p. The footage is amazing. The movie is funny, scary, sexy and gory, and it is currently nearing the end of post-production. The picture is almost locked. At the last minute, I decided upon an animated opening credits sequence a la NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, so that put us behind schedule. The film is also being scored, so we're waiting for that, as well.
What are your goals for "Bite Marks"? Is it to get a festival run? Are you looking to just get distribution? Are you looking to turn a big profit? What would be your benchmark for success?
I would love to see the film get a festival run. I think audiences will enjoy it. We want it to be distributed, of course, and though I suspect it will be strictly dvd and On Demand, the ultimate goal for me would be a theatrical release of some sort, no matter how small. That would make my day, night and another day.
Where can people find out more about "Bite Marks" and is there a trailer that people can check out?
People who are interested can find out more about the film at our website, blakkflamingopictures.com, where they can see photos and read blog entries by myself and the cast. The trailer is posted there, but they can also see it on YouTube by doing a search on "bite marks teaser trailer". They can also join our Facebook Fan Page by searching on "Bite Marks" the Movie".
I've always been a horror fan ever since a young age. One day, when I was six, I came home from school and found my mother watching THE REVENGE OF THE CREATURE on the Channel 3 Afternoon Movie. I was hooked from then on. I collected books, records, posters, magazines, everything I could find on horror. I bought all the Aurora monster model kits (both regular AND glow-in-the-dark versions!) and when I got a Super 8mm projector for Christmas, I started buying the old Castle Films compilations of classic Universal monster movies. Once, when I was snooping in the hall closet, I found a case with my mother's old 8mm home movie camera in it and got her to buy me some film. I began shooting my own little movies, which were all horror or fantasy-related. In 1980, I dropped out of college and opened one of the first home video stores in the area, which I ran for a year, then decided to try my hand at being a filmmaker, so I sold the store, went back to school and got my bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and my master's in Film. I shot two indie features, but couldn't find distribution for either, so I came to Los Angeles and opened a video production company that makes industrials and training films. The opportunity to make features came along, and here I am!
I'm not sure if you're asking me if I went or if I recommend one to go, but in either case, the answer is "yes." I went to Columbia College Chicago for my master's specializing in screenwriting. Would I recommend it? I think so. You do get hands on experience with equipment and professionals helping you learn what to do, but the best thing is the contacts you will make. People who think like you and are willing to help you make your films. This can be invaluable. I met Mark Pavia, the director of THE NIGHT FLIER, there, and we've been best buds ever since.
Well, as exploitation films were incorporated into Hollywood moviemaking, so is the indie film scene. You have big studios making small pictures, so they are kind of drawing the same ideas that normally only indie filmmakers would/could do. Plus, now with HD camcorders and Final Cut Pro so affordable, you are seeing a glut of indie product. The problem is, most filmmakers are only interested in doing gross makeup effects or getting girls to show their boobs onscreen, not caring about the story. That's why whenever I see another indie zombie film on Netflix, I cringe, because I know it's going to be all about "How can we show zombies eating people in a new way?" and they can't figure it out and shoot anyway, and you get the same old thing, resulting in the indie horror film scene spinning its wheels in the same muddy hole. There are some filmmakers doing new and interesting stuff, but they're few and far between.
Yeah, I have two projects buzzing around the greenlighted starting line. One, the most likely to go next, is the other picture I pitched, a spin on the slasher genre, but more like PSYCHO than FRIDAY THE 13TH (which I both love). It's more terror and suspense than gross-out. The other is a gay romance set during WWII. Whichever one I do next, I know it will be a blast to do and hopefully, the audience will think so, too.
Labels: bite marks, indie horror, mark bessenger, twilight, vampires, voodoo cowboys, zombies
An Explanation and An Interview With the Makers of...
Interview with Brett Pierce, writter/director of "...
The Weekend at the Box Office AND the new horror o...
Interview with Mark Bessenger, writer/director of ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
HomeVideoFlint's Deadly Water (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
Flint's Deadly Water (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
An exclusive investigation into the side of the Flint story that few know about — an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease during the water crisis that continued to claim lives in the city five years later.
This journalism is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station here: http://www.pbs.org/donate
A documentary that uncovers the extent of a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak during the Flint water crisis — and how officials failed to stop it. FRONTLINE examines how the outbreak happened, why it continued for more than a year before the public was alerted — and the consequences of that delay for the people of Flint.
Love FRONTLINE? Find us on the PBS Video App where there are more than 300 FRONTLINE documentaries available for you to watch any time: https://to.pbs.org/FLVideoApp
#Documentary #Flint'sDeadlyWater
Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/1BycsJW
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontlinepbs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frontlinepbs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontline
Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the Park Foundation, and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation.
Previous articleFacebook under fire as states seek to rein in the social media giant
Next articleHow women are disproportionately carrying the cost of COVID
PBS NewsHour full episode, Jan. 19, 2022
Remembering André Leon Talley and his unique contributions to fashion


text:
Home / Affiliates, Community News, Featured, Press, Success Stories / Scale Up Programme ...
Rebuildingsociety.com is proud to have been selected to be part of the 2019 Barclays Scale Up programme, run by Barclays in collaboration with Cambridge Judge Business School. The innovative programme aims to enhance the performance and competitiveness of high-potential businesses with growth appetite as well as growth potential that are deemed to be engines of growth in the UK.
The Cambridge Business School has been an active ambassador for peer-to-peer finance and alternative finance as a whole, being home to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCFA), an international interdisciplinary academic research institute dedicated to the study of alternative finance. The CCFA are recognised as a thought leader in alternative finance and have and continue to play, an integral part in the shaping of both domestic and global policy and regulation for crowdfunding and P2P lending.
The significant growth potential for FinTechs in the North of England in highlighted in the Leeds City Region FinTech Ecosystem Report 2018, produced by Whitecap Consultancy and supported by a number of key players such as Leeds Beckett University, Leeds City Council and FinTech North. Based on research conducted over a period of several months, the report finds the Leeds City Region FinTech ecosystem to be in a strong position in terms of its Financial Services, data and technology sectors, with a clear demand for FinTech innovation and partnerships from established Financial Services and technology organisations with a presence in the region. Following on from the report, rebuildingsociety.com is pleased that Barclays, along with Cambridge Business School have chosen to deliver this prestigious programme in a region outside of London.
rebuildingsociety.com has been operating as a peer to business lending platform since 2012, and was one of the first platforms to receive Full Authorisation from the FCA. rebuildingsociety.com is also a network principal aiding the development and operation of other lending platforms in the UK.
The rebuildingsociety.com team is excited to be part of the programme and looks forward to using the programme as a platform for the firms next stage of growth and to further develop and invest in the skills of its team.
Watch our interview with England rugby legend Ollie Phillips
Jennifer Rodgers
Ollie Phillips began investing with rebuildingsociety.com in Spring 2020, using his annual ISA allowance to lend to his property company, Spod Properties Limited. Phillips is the most successful England Rugby Sevens captain of all time,...
Secondary Market Trading at 3 Year High
The secondary marketplace has enjoyed a sustained level of buoyancy since the introduction of the BuyBack Guarantee. The months of September, October and November 2019 have seen the highest levels of trading between investors since...
10 Reasons Why a BuyBack Guarantee is Better than a...
rebuilding society
This summer, the rebuildingsociety team launched, created a major innovation in P2P lending, the Peer-to-Peer Lending Buyback Guarantee (BBG). It allows a primary lender to act as guarantor to microloans they sell onto secondary lenders,...
More Than Finance - Support UK Business
Here at rebuildingsociety.com our ethos has always been to foster greater connection between lenders and borrowers and add value to the businesses raising finance through the platform. We encourage lenders to engage with the businesses...


Gen Salim Saleh addresses UPDF officers during the passing out of soldiers who are going to monitor Naads projects at Makerere University in Kampala. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA .
Strategic. The move is aimed at interesting more young people into agriculture.
The army will take over the Miss Uganda beauty contests in order to attract young people into the agricultural sector so as to solve problems of hunger and poverty among the youth in the country.
This was revealed by Gen Caleb Akandwanaho aka Salim Saleh, the presidential adviser on military matters.
"We are almost signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Miss Uganda Foundation because we want to choose the next Miss Uganda basing on agriculture and this is intended to interest the young people into the sector," Gen Saleh said.
He made the statement on Tuesday while passing out 300 army officers who have completed agricultural production induction training at Makerere University as the Force prepares to takeover the Naads programme.
Naads, an agricultural programme that seeks to spur the sector growth had allegedly been mismanaged by civil servants which forced President Museveni to say he was going to deploy soldiers in every constituency across the country to take agriculture to a new level.
The State minister for Luweero Triangle, Ms Sarah Kataike, warned the officers against indulging themselves into corruption tendencies and appealed to them to remain non-partisan as they carry out their work countrywide.
"Such corruption tendencies would not only tarnish the name of the UPDF but also that of government in general," Ms Kataike said.
Mr Okasai Opolot, the Director Crop Resources in the Ministry of Agriculture, said they plan to integrate police and prisons officers in agriculture to increase food production but also boost their incomes.


text:
Hollywood & Venal: Stories with Secrets (hardback)
Gomer Says Hey! Inside the Manic and Much-Loved Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (hardback)
Car 54 Where Are You? (hardback)
Adamant: The Life and Pursuits of Dorothy McGuire (hardback)
The Hollywood Canteen: Where the Greatest Generation Danced With the Most Beautiful Girls in the World (hardback)
Beyond Dead End: The Solo Careers of The Dead End Kids (hardback)
Golem, Caligari, Nosferatu - A Chronicle of German Film Fantasy (hardback)
Trolling the Woe - Illustrated Commentary, Comedy & Couplets from Radiofreeoz.com (hardback)
NOBODY'S STOOGE: TED HEALY by Bill Cassara (hardback)
Looking For Muriel: A Journey Through and Around the Alain Resnais Film (hardback)
Can You Dig It: The Phenomenon of The Warriors (hardback)
GEORGE BRENT: IRELAND'S GIFT TO HOLLYWOOD AND ITS LEADING LADIES (hardback)
The Writing Irish: Irish Authors in Their Own Words (hardback)
A Natural Act - A Memoir (hardback)
In the Shadow of the Sign - My Life in Pictures (Color hardback)
The Batesville Ghoul (hardback)
Finding Angel - A Rescue Dog's True Tale (hardback)
Midnight Matinees: Cult Cinema Classics (1896 to the present day) (hardback)
Does the Crew Sleep Onboard? From Cruise Ships to International Game Shows (hardback)
Unholy Communion: Alice, Sweet Alice, from script to screen (hardback)


text:
TENNISPOWER ACADEMY
with Oliver Messerli
Oliver Messerli
Welcome - Come Join Us
Our Pro Staff
Tennis Coach. Mental Coach. Life Coach.
OLIVER MESSERLI,  a native of South Africa, has been training athletes for 24 years and is the founder/CEO of the world renowned TENNISPOWER Academy located in Southern California and the tennis clothing line worn by many Tour players, TENNISPOWER Apparel. He has been in the International Professional Tennis Arena for 18 years, competed on the ATP Tour, coached, trained and has traveled with many players on the ATP and WTA Tour who all achieved greatness at the highest professional level through his guidance and world class training systems. His most recent accomplishments are taking Jason Jung from 391 to a career high of 114 (on the ATP tour) and watching one of his younger students, Ena Shibahara, win her first WTA 1000 doubles titles bringing her young career doubles ranking to #13 in the world. She started with Oliver when she was 9 years of age.
During his time on the WTA Tour, Oliver helped his clients win a total of 4 Grand Slam Titles, 15 Tier 1 or 2 singles/doubles titles.  While under his watchful eye, Lisa Raymond and Rene Stubbs ended 2000 as the #1 doubles team in the world and Kimberly Po ended that year as #6 on the WTA Tour Doubles Ranking and reached a singles ranking of #14 in the world. Lisa Raymond also ended that year ranked #13 on the WTA singles ranking and was the best doubles player in the world while traveling with Oliver. During his time on the road, some of his other clients have been Mary Pierce reaching her career high of #2 on the WTA Tour, Erika Delone and Nicole Pratt whose singles ranking went from #96 to #41 in 4 months.
On the US National junior front, Oliver has helped many young players reach the #1 spot in the US in their age group.
Oliver is not only known for his tennis passion but also for the care he shows towards his clients. He enjoys becoming completely engrossed and involved with the process each person experiences; the ups and downs and the tough challenges that make each player stronger and more resilient than before.  Through his experience as the #1 ranked Junior in South Africa, as a NCAA Division 1 player and playing on the ATP Tour events, Oliver brings his personal experience to guide all his players to benefit and achieve ultimate success. He is a graduate of the University of Louisville, Kentucky and a recipient of the Arthur Ashe Collegiate Sportsmanship Award. Oliver and his TENNISPOWER Academy team impact and guide many of the top US juniors to help them achieve their goals and prepare them for the WTA and ATP Tour or NCAA Division 1 Tennis.
The philosphy behind TENNISPOWER.
What makes a great coach? What separates one coach from another? How do you know that you can put your trust and place your child's athletic future in the hands of a specific individual? These are great questions that TennisPower has answers for. Coach Oliver Messerli, the brainchild behind TENNISPOWER LLC, has impacted players at every level of the world tennis arena. His keen understanding of each unique player's needs and his approach to nurturing versus challenging limits are qualities in his coaching methodology that sets him apart from the rest. Combined with his unwavering belief to instill the building blocks of discipline, effort, consistency and attitude within each and every player, Oliver works to structure the player to work hard on and off the court. Oliver has accomplished multiple goals of training and coaching over 75 athletes to receive NCAA Division 1 Scholarships since 2003. Over the last couple of years he has experienced tennis from the other side, as the father of young junior players himself. His Elite TENNISPOWER Program is currently impacting high performance juniors from ages 9-18 on a daily basis.
Tennis is life.
TENNISPOWER believes that Tennis is so much more than a racquet and a handful of strokes. Tennis teaches respect, commitment, hard work, fitness, nutrition, strategy, mental-toughness, planning, organizing, goal-setting, scheduling, marketing, passion, joy and continual self-assessment and evolution. Through his wealth of experience, Coach Oliver offers sports training and strategic consulting, through every stage of tennis development to the highest level of tennis players worldwide.
MENTALPOWER 360.
MENTALPOWER360 is a sports consulting platform developed by TennisGuru Oliver Messerli that focuses on the mental development of the serious athlete looking to compete at the highest level. Oliver's approach focusses not only on understanding the player but more importantly the overall individual. His system helps individuals to reach their full potential by guiding them to overcome the most challenging mental hurdles. Every athletes dream is different, every path varies and every goal is unique. Through his challenging training system, athletes put themselves on the line and are willing to work hard on a daily basis to get the most out of themselves. Greatness is achieved through the constant mental and physical discipline developed within the program.
MENTALPOWER 360 also offers tennis specific guidance and consulting on Division 1 College Recruiting, utilizing a top-down approach to identifying and narrowing down specific college interests; timing and networking with college coaches; and mapping out a path for specific tournaments, events and showcases with the ultimate goal of being offered a scholarship to a desired school of choice. With COVID conditions changing the college recruiting environment, now more than ever before, understanding new information and the ability to adjust to significant changes is key. Oliver's relationships with college coaches as well as former and current college players helps in this process.
MENTALPOWER 360 also offers specific sports training and strategic consulting to athletes worldwide. With its global reach, Oliver Messerli consults with players of all ages and levels to understand their needs and goals. Oliver and staff have had substantial experience and personal success using their specialized and sports specific training techniques, combined with travel experience to Junior USTA National and ITF tournaments, Challengers and the ATP/WTA Tour. Oliver's travel experience while on Tour has allowed him opportunites for successful networking with other reputable coaches and players worldwide.
Join My Programs
"WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE THEN IS NOT AN ACT BUT A HABIT."
© 2022 TennisPower Academy


Ars technica in conjunction with NPR conducted an excellent experiment showing how much and what kind of information can be obtained through capture off the wire. This is the type of information that a national intelligence service would see by tapping into ISPs.
They simulated this by using a penetration testing device installed at NPR reporter Steve Henn's house (with his cooperation).
The amount of information is amazing. Even seemingly inactive devices are constantly making requests and connecting to services.
While many connections to key services like email and banking are encrypted, most others are not, revealing a great deal about Steve's research activities.
It is absolutely worth a read.


text:
Samsung Display to mass produce 10 million medium-sized OLEDs next year
60% more than this year
Preemption of demand for tablets and laptops
Samsung Display plans to expand its mid-size organic light emitting diode (OLED) display shipments to more than 10 million units next year. This is an increase of about 60% compared to this year. Samsung Display's shipments of 10-inch and larger mid-size OLEDs surged this year as OLED installations increased to notebook PCs following tablets this year. Samsung Display, which has dominated the small OLED market, mainly installed in smartphones, is expected to dominate the medium-sized OLED market as well.
<Laptop with OLED. Photo=Samsung Display>
It is understood that Samsung Display plans to produce 10 million medium-sized OLEDs to be used in tablets and notebook PCs next year. 10 million units are 3.5 to 4 million units, or 58 to 67% more than this year. Samsung's mid-size OLED shipments this year are expected to reach 6 million to 6.5 million units, up 700% from last year. As OLED mounting is rapidly increasing on laptops, it is likely that the goal will be exceeded. Several industry insiders said, "Samsung Display expected to ship 5 million mid-size OLED units this year, but it is expected to reach 6 to 6.5 million units due to its rapid growth.
<Samsung Display mid-sized OLED panel shipment trends.>
This is due to Samsung Display's entry into the notebook PC market with medium-sized OLED from the beginning of this year. Samsung Display focused its efforts on targeting the laptop market by introducing new brands to expand its OLED business. As non-face-to-face demand exploded due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, it was judged that OLED would dominate in the notebook market.
The strategy paid off. Global notebook manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics, Asus, Dell, and HP have begun to increase OLED adoption. Samsung Display also diversified its products such as resolution, size, and refresh rate to keep pace with market demands. As a result, OLED shipments for notebooks increased overwhelmingly. According to Stone Partners, a market research firm, the proportion of Samsung Display's mid-size OLED panels this year is reported to be 80% laptops and 20% tablets.
<Samsung Display has also developed a foldable display for laptops. The picture is a 17.3-inch foldable OLED that was introduced at IMID 2021 in August. Photo=Samsung Display>
By Staff Reporter Gun-il Yoon benyun@etnews.com


Make the shortcrust pastry by mixing all the ingredients together to form the dough, and then leave to rest in the refrigerator for half an hour. In the meantime prepare the custard: beat the egg yolks with the sugar until they form a soft creamy mixture. Slowly add the sieved flour, stirring constantly to make sure there aren't any lumps. As soon as the mixture is soft and smooth, gradually pour in the cold milk, stirring constantly. Lastly, add the grated lemon rind and vanillin. Bring the mixture to the boil in a saucepan, stirring constantly. When the custard has come to the boil, turn down the heat and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes.
Take the pastry out of the refrigerator and divide it in half. Roll out half the pastry to cover the base of a cake tin, which you have previously greased or lined with greaseproof paper. Pour the custard onto the pastry base and distribute the Fabbri Amarenas randomly on top. Then roll out the other half of the pastry and place it on top of the custard. Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes at 180°C. When the pie is ready to serve, dust with icing sugar.


Redwood Hotel Casino is a Native American Casino in Klamath, California and is open Sun-Thu 9am-11pm, Fri-Sat 9am-1am. The casino's gaming space features ninety-nine gaming machines. The property has one restaurant and a hotel with sixty rooms.
Weekly Lunch and Dinner Specials!


General Cable's XHHW-2 CT is a single copper conductor that is recognized as a general purpose building wire. It is used in industrial environments where superior insulation toughness and chemical resistance are required.
A wide variety of general purpose flexible cable options are available to you, such as industrial, heating, and mining. You can also choose from medium voltage, insulated, and low voltage. As well as from rubber, pvc, and xlpe. And whether general purpose flexible cable is stranded, or solid.
Alibaba offers 144 general rubber sheathed flexible cable products. About 62% of these are power cables, 36% are electrical wires. A wide variety of general rubber sheathed flexible cable options are available to you, such as industrial, heating, and mining.
China General Cable General Rubber Cable General Purpose Cable General Purpose Rubber Cable General Cable 3 Cores General Rubber Sheathed Flexible Cable. H07RN-F Cable General Purpose Rubber Jacketed H07RN-F Cable General Purpose Rubber Jacketed Flexible Rubber Cable,US $ 0.3 – 50 / Meter, Henan, China (Mainland), RMjT, Rubber .
· General Purpose Rubber Jacketed Flexible Cables. Release time: 15:31 hit: General purpose rubber jacketed flexible cables is made for the application in power transmission of power,domestic appliance and all movable type field electric equimentat A.C. rated voltage upto and including U0/U/450/750V.
Multi-Conductor Control & Power Cable; Type TC and Type TC-ER Cable (600 V) Type TC-LS-ER LSZH Cable (600 V) . Our Full Line of Energy Products & Solutions Click here to view General Cables PLS-CADD "WIRE" Files for Bare Overhead Electrical Conductors.
Related Searches: Electrical Wire And Cable Manufacturers General Equipment Manufacturers Speed Cable Manufacturers Auto Cable Manufacturers Optical Cable Manufacturers Audio Video Cable Factory Flat Cable Factory Tv Coaxial Cable Factory Fiber Patch Cable Factory Category Cable Factory General Purpose Cable General Rubber Cable General Purpose .
PVC Insulated Power Cable · General Purpose Rubber Cable · Welding Cable · Mining Electric Cable and wire from Wenzhou Golden Source Electric Cable and wire wholesale, manufacturer and supplier.


text:
Fireworks, African dance troupe slated for UMPI's Homecoming 2018
Posted on September 17, 2018 in Press Releases
The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present Homecoming 2018: Friends and Family Weekend from Thursday to Sunday, Sept. 27-30, featuring entertainment and family-friendly activities. From a show by Kotchegna African dance company to an explosive fireworks display to multiple alumni games for students and the public, all are invited to join the University for its annual Homecoming weekend.
Festivities kick off on Thursday, Sept. 27 with an Alumni Coffee Hour for students in the Owl's Nest from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. This coffee hour is presented by the UMPI Alumni Association. From 5-7 p.m., the Women's Basketball team will host a Spaghetti Supper Fundraiser in the Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room. Tickets are available for purchase through the Athletics Department or at the door for $8. That evening, a Luau Dance Party will be held for students from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., DJ'd by Jake Ball in the MPR.
Activities continue on Friday, Sept. 28 with a Walk on the Bike Path, starting at Gentile Hall and going to Riverside Park from 12 to 1 p.m. For art lovers and those who want to try their hand at painting, a Paint & Punch event will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Campus Center. Cost is $30 per seat; seats are limited to 40 individuals.
Friends and family should check in for the weekend in the Campus Center from 4 to 7 p.m. All are invited to join in for Oktoberfest & Pints with Professors on the Campus Center Lawn and Owl's Nest from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; cost is $9 for those without a meal plan and a cash bar will be available (proper ID required). Don't miss the Main Event during this year's Homecoming Weekend—Kotchegna African Dance Company at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall. Under the direction of Vado Diomande, this New York-based dance troupe will bring to life ancient stories and legends of Africa's Ivory Coast through dance and drumming. The event is free and open to the public.
Weekend fun begins on Saturday, Sept. 29 with the Third Annual UMPI Alumni Hour in the MPR, presented by the UMPI Alumni Association and Office of University Advancement. This event will begin at 9 a.m. with a social and refreshments for alums and friends. At 10 a.m., the official program will get underway, with a "State of the University" address by President Ray Rice and recognition of three alumni award recipients. Immediately following, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., participants can enjoy a Block Party at the Tennis Court Parking Lot, or Gentile Hall if it rains. The party includes music by Heath Bartley, a beer tent, food and community vendors, as well as a car show in the Center for Innovative Learning Parking Lot. At 12 p.m., support the Owls Women's Soccer team as they take on SUNY Canton at the Park Family Field and continue the Owl spirit with the Men's Soccer team as they battle SUNY Canton at 2:30 p.m.
Relax and enjoy a Wine Tasting & Pairing at the President's House from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (proper ID required). Non-alcoholic beverages will be available for students and participants under the age of 21. Honor past coaches and athletes at the Athletics' Hall of Fame Dinner in the MPR from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $20; for more information, email sandra.mcdougal@maine.edu.
The evening ends with a bang, complete with fireworks and a bonfire. Enjoy one of the region's biggest fireworks displays at 8 p.m. on the Park Family Field. Then head over to the Bonfire with S'mores behind Gentile Hall at 8:15 p.m.
The festivities continue on Sunday, Sept. 30. Parents and students are encouraged to meet at the Park Family Field at 9 a.m. for the Parent-Student Disc Golf Tournament, presented by the Alumni Association. Competitors will be entered for a chance to win a $50 Campus Store gift card. Participants can also hop aboard Molly the Trolley for a 1-hour ride/tour—two time slots are available: at 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Each ride is $5 per person and leaves from the Tennis Court Parking Lot. All runners should make plans to take part in the UMPI Alumni and All-Comers XC 5K at the Park Family Field at 11 a.m. Events close out with Women's soccer at 12 p.m., and Men's Soccer at 2:30 p.m.; both teams will battle Fisher College on the Park Family Field.
Throughout Homecoming, visitors can explore the latest show on display at the Reed Art Gallery, Odes and Alliterations, photo-works 2003-2018 by Jeanne Wells. Wells uses medium and large format cameras, and employs a range of antiquarian and alternative printing techniques such as wet plate collodion, photogravure, platinum, liquid silver emulsion and lith printing.
For more information about Homecoming 2018, contact Craig Cormier at craig.cormier@maine.edu or 207-768-9425. To view the full Homecoming schedule online, visit www.umpi.edu/alumni. For those making plans to attend Homecoming 2018, register at www.umpi.edu/homecoming-reg.


Most are on a first-name basis with Mel and to boot, seem to know the names of other patrons. And if they don't, it doesn't take long before everyone is talking, laughing and comparing notes on the wines.
"We were the fun place. I think what we're doing here is the same thing. It just kind of rolled over." They were so used to welcoming people into their Pasadena home it was a natural progression. "The Wilson house is now in Temecula and people who know us say 'you're doing the same thing here you were doing there.'"
Patrons can sit at outdoor tables, wine-barreled indoor tables or at the wine bar itself. Wines consumed at the bar can be purchased by the bottle or glass. And those by the glass come directly from wine barrels.
We walked out to the Solera area, perhaps the only one of its kind in California. Wine ages in barrels kissed by the sun, becoming sweet and silky smooth over a period of many years.
A brilliant blue, my first thought was that it was going to be too sweet. The sweet and sour however gave it the just needed balance. It was a great partner to their house made hummus and pita chips with Kalamata olives with an olive oil drizzle.
The Dixie Chicken restaurant had caught my eye on previous visits. On this day we made it our lunch stop. The food's good and the beer's cold and if you're in the area I recommend it. It's easy to see why it's an Aggie tradition.


text:
Time to reach 39K GOLDI_ROCK Brawl Stars
island invosion jilu64 Brawl Stars
brawl weekend !discord DadBodGames Brawl Stars
game night if you have any recomended games let me know luckskywalker3662 Brawl Stars
Brawl Stars is a multiplayer mobile game developed and published by Supercell. The game is a top-down shooter that features a variety of characters, each with their own unique abilities and strengths. Players can battle against each other in various game modes, including solo and team deathmatch, capture the flag, and others. The game features fast-paced and competitive gameplay, as well as regular updates and new content, including new characters and game modes. With its simple but addictive gameplay and a wide range of options for customization and strategy, Brawl Stars has become a popular game among players.


text:
Filed Under: Animal Rights Extremism Meat The Green Fringe
Eroding The Meatless Moral High Ground
Though animal rights groups self-righteously chow down on bean sprouts, tofu dogs, and nayonnaise in the name of animal welfare, the ideologically animal-free diet, like the movement itself, has thousands of skeletons in its pantry. Surprisingly, the number of animals affected by the production of a veggie burger is significantly more than those needed for a thick steak, chicken wing, or Thanksgiving turkey.
According to researcher Steven Davis, a professor of animal science at Oregon State University: "Vegan diets are not bloodless diets. Millions of animals die every year to provide products used in vegan diets." Clearing fields for growing produce displaces entire eco-systems, and agriculture machines like the combine harvester shreds millions of rabbits, mice, pheasants, snakes, birds, and moles annually.
Davis' research suggests that switching to a food system dominated by beef and dairy would save the lives of 300 million more animals annually than switching to a vegan system.
A 2002 article from TIME magazine best sums up the absurdity and hypocrisy of anti-meat crusade: "The moral: there is no free lunch, not even if it's vegetarian." Someone should send a memo to the (apparent) hypocrites at PCRM.
More on "Animal Rights Extremism"
Biden Admin Bashes California's Bacon Ban
PostedJune 24, 2022 at2:54 pm
Washed-Up Actor James Cromwell Explains Deranged Vegan Milk Stunt
PostedMay 24, 2022 at8:00 am
McDonald's New Salesman: PETA


Our Creative Directors are Ready to Solve your Challenges.
ZenGenius employs creative genius' who envision and execute the creative direction you need for your next store opening, photo shoot, window display and floor merchandising.
Our clients not only use our creative hands to bring their creative vision to life, but also seek creative support to develop the concepts and ideas to elevate a brand.


It will combine headquarters for South Jersey Gas and a Stockton University campus.
A group of New Jersey's most powerful advocates for criminal justice reform took the stage at a panel.
The Legislative Black Caucus held three simultaneous hearings to help formulate policy.


Hydraulic oil compressibility: what is it and what are the risks?
Hydraulic oils are somewhat compressible which can cause problems in hydraulic systems. Aspects like temperature changes and the presence of air bubbles in the hydraulic oil influence compressibility which can lead to uncontrolled decompression and other problems related to compressibility.
Hydraulic oils are relatively incompressible, but volume reductions can be significant depending on pressure, temperature, type of fluid and system design.
Compressibility (k) is a measure of the volume reduction due to pressure alone. It is usually expressed by the Bulk Modulus (?), which is the reciprocal of compressibility (k=1/?).
The Bulk Modulus expresses the resistance of a fluid to a decrease in volume due to compression. The Bulk modulus varies with pressure, temperature, molecular structure, gas content and elasticity of the hydraulic system.
The volume of a specific hydraulic oil not only changes due to pressure changes, but also due to changes in temperature. When the temperature increases, the density of the oil decreases, leading to an increase in volume. This degree of expansion is expressed as the coefficient of thermal expansion (?). This coefficient is the ratio of the relative change of volume to a change in temperature.
The presence of air bubbles in the hydraulic fluid increases the compressibility. In other words, the dissolved air decreases the bulk modulus of mineral oils and therefore decreases the resistance to compression. This effect is especially present at low operating pressures, as a fluid is pressurized, the entrained air is compressed and has less influence on the compressibility.
How much effect entrained air has on the Bulk Modulus can be seen in figure 1.
For example, at a low pressure (50 Bar) (1 Bar = 1·10-1 MPa) and 0.5 %-Vol. of undissolved air the Bulk Modulus is halved. The volume reductions for a mineral oil (ISO VG 46) at 20 ºC with undissolved air in the system is shown in figure 2.
The elasticity of the system adds up to the total compressibility for each separate component in a hydraulic system (Bulk Modulus is reduced). Even if the hydraulic fluid gives the dominant contribution to the effective bulk modulus, the contributions from other system elements (pipes, sealings, valves, flexible hoses, etc..) may be significant as well. This is especially the case if, for example, (flexible) hoses are used instead of pipes.
In general hydraulic fluids are considered incompressible. However mineral oils are somewhat compressible which can cause problems in hydraulic systems like, loss in efficiency (power loss), cavitation (which may cause metal fracture), stress corrosion and fatigue. The compression of hydraulic fluids results in storage of energy, a compressed fluid has the ability to work. If decompression is not controlled, the stored energy is released instantaneously. This sudden release of energy creates stresses, noise and can cause damage to hydraulic components. This effect can be controlled by good system design.
In practice the main requirement for an acceptable low compressibility is fulfilled by ensuring the hydraulic fluid is kept free from entrained air. Good air release properties significantly reduce the compressibility of the fluid and thus reduce the volume reduction and accompanying problems.
For more information. Contact us below.
Need support with your metalworking fluids Help is at hand!
Are you prepared for the ACEA 2016 deadline?


text:
Teach Abroad » Teach English in Mongolia
Teach English in Mongolia
Often overshadowed by neighbouring Russia and China, Mongolia offers unique charms that you'll come to love during your time there. However, there are challenges, too. Mongolia has a serious problem with pollution from coal burning. Although efforts are being made to improve this, with nearly half the population living in Ulaanbaatar alone, it's difficult to get on top of. With air pollution rates that are some of the worst in the world, it's certainly worth careful consideration if you suffer from asthma or other respiratory issues.
However, The Land of the Eternal Blue Sky has its perks too. As the nickname indicates, Mongolia is a land of vast open spaces. Once you get out of bustling Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Cold winters are offset by plenty of sunshine (around 250 days per year), and if you're a fan of the great outdoors, your choice of weekend activities including hiking on the incredible steppes, archery, wrestling and horseback riding should give you much to enjoy on your time off.
Popular locations for TEFL jobs: Ulaanbaatar
Average salary for EFL teachers: The basic monthly salary for full-time positions (in International Schools) is likely to be in the region of 2,500,000 – 4,000,000 MNT (£630 – £1,000 / $875 – $1,400) per month.
Prerequisite university degree: Required for all paid positions
Currency: Tugrik/Tögrög (MNT)
Language: Mongolian
Teaching programmes: Private language schools, Business English, University, International Schools, Volunteering
Age restrictions: 17+ for volunteering, postgraduate with experience for paid positions
Previous teaching experience: Required for most positions
In the last 100 years, literacy rates in Mongolia have gone from less than 1% to nearly 100% of the population, although funding cuts to seasonal boarding schools in the 1990's contributed to a slight dip in literacy rates. A recent change to the education system means that school children now spend 12 years in school, as opposed to the 10-year system that was previously favoured in Mongolia. 60% of Mongolians now go to university and, since 2006, English has been taught in all secondary schools across Mongolia, beginning in fourth grade.
As such, there is a continued increase in demand for qualified TEFL teachers in Mongolia, particularly amongst students aspiring to study abroad, or for adults learning business English. Russian is the most frequently spoken foreign language in Mongolia, although English has been gradually replacing Russian as the second language in a trend that seems set to continue. In the 2020 edition of the EF English Proficiency Index, Mongolia rated at number 78 (out of 100), which is on the very low side of the scale. However, what this means is that there's certainly a great need for top TEFL teachers in the country, and of course the level of your students' fluency will vary greatly depending on if you're working in an elite international school as opposed to volunteering with a local homestay family.
Requirements for teaching English in Mongolia
Teach in Mongolia £630 – £1,000
($875 – $1,400) Yes September Yes Sometimes Yes None
TEFL salaries aren't high in Mongolia, but neither is the cost of living. Some jobs will provide you with flight reimbursement and accommodation, but these are likely to be limited to the elite International School roles. Volunteers can expect a homestay experience with a private room in the home of their host family, and three meals a day in exchange for their English services.
One of the perks of staying with a host family is that you'll get to sample genuine Mongolian food. Vegetarians might struggle as the cold climate of Mongolia in the winter has fostered a hearty meat-eating culture, including local favourites such as mutton, beef, lamb, horse, yak, and even camel. Khorkhog – Mongolian barbeque – has a distinctive smoky taste, and dumplings will likely become a firm favourite. Heavy carbs like Tsuivan (a noodle stew) help to see locals through the winter, and sweet treats like Boortsog cookies and Ul Boov cake (shaped like the sole of a shoe) will be familiar sights on the dinner table. While you'll find similarities with Chinese cuisine (such as plentiful helpings of fried rice and noodles) the flavours are distinctly different, and you'll see more dairy products than you would in mainland China. Top dishes to try are yak hot pot and butter tea.
Utilities: £50 / $70
Monthly transport pass: £8 / $11
Discover everything you need to know about Teaching English jobs in Mongolia


A Temple Talk is a short presentation made during a worship service to inform, inspire, challenge, and share a part of onself. Today, I spoke to the people that are Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. Here's a copy of the powerpoint presentation sans my commentary. The pix speak for themselves.