What Sunil Patel learned about writing from John Wick and Mad Max: Fury Road
on Jun 21, 2015 June 21, 2015
Unlikely Influences is a series of weekly blog posts about how writers can learn the tricks of their trade in odd places. Most are from guest authors, but I'll pop in from time to time too. This week's installment is by Sunil Patel.
What I learned about writing from John Wick and Mad Max: Fury Road
by Sunil Patel
I love action movies. I love car chases and shootouts and explosions and ridiculous stunts and larger-than-life villains and explosions and witty comebacks and explosions. While it's true that much of the appeal of action movies is in the spectacle, some of the very best can serve as excellent writing lessons, like broccoli covered in melted cheddar.
Don't think you can learn about writing from an action movie? Do you know how many writers cite Die Hard when teaching writing? The number is higher than the number of people John McClane kills in that movie, I tell you what.
The last year has blessed us with two incredible action movies that excel in both spectacle and narrative because they understand that the two are not mutually exclusive and, in fact, are more effective when combined. I've seen them both twice, and it's a fascinating joy to see such strong writing.
Build Your World and Let the Reader Figure It Out
John Wick may not look like a movie that even has worldbuilding, and, in fact, it's not until more than a half hour in that you realize this is more than your standard crime flick. Right after the assault on his house that leaves him with a bunch of dead bodies to dispose of, John calls in the cleaners: "I'd like to make a dinner reservation for twelve." This is only the first of many delightful euphemisms throughout the movie, none of which are specifically defined and all of which are clear through their usage: I did not count the number of people John killed, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's twelve.
And right by the phone we see a stack of gold coins. Are they actual gold coins? Who knows, and who cares. We see John hand Charlie the cleaner a bunch of gold coins as payment, and we understand how they are used. But how are they obtained? Later John asks an old friend for a favor: "Keen on earning a gold coin?" Boom. Gold coins are the currency in this world, and although we don't know the exchange rate, that's not important.
Then there's the Continental itself, with its specialized doctors, secret nightclub—accessible, of course, via a gold coin—and mysterious rules. No one ever comes out and says, "This is a hotel that is the central focus of the criminal underworld"—the word "assassin" is never used in the movie—but every little detail of the dialogue and every person John interacts with build that picture up. You come away from John Wick wanting a whole spin-off series set in the Continental because you've created a vision of it in your mind.
Mad Max: Fury Road holds the audience's hand even less than John Wick; aside from Max's opening monologue, there is almost no exposition at all. It's a perfect example of show-don't-tell worldbuilding, as you learn everything about the world and culture by experiencing it. The fact that the War Boys worship steering wheels speaks volumes, as does their V8 hand-gesture, formed by interlocking eight fingers in a V. The depth of the design rewards the observant viewer, and the worldbuilding is integrated into the narrative as well. One of my favorite storytelling beats I've seen in a movie recently is the War Boys' death ritual. Similar to the way John Wick explains the gold coins by putting them to use, Fury Road does not waste time explaining why a War Boy is spraying his mouth with chrome paint and yelling at his compatriots to WITNESS HIM right before he makes a suicidal leap. Everything we need to know about it is right there in front of us. It's coded, and it's brilliant, because later when Nux sprays his mouth chrome, we understand what's about to happen. We may not understand the why of the world, but we understand the what, and we can often extrapolate the why from that.
Characters Are Defined by How Other People React to Them
There are no flashbacks to John Wick's past life, but, like the Continental Hotel, it is formed through bits and pieces. The first twenty-five minutes build to the reveal that John Wick is no ordinary man. When Orelio realizes that Josef has stolen John's car and killed his dog, he punches him in the face—which, given that at this point we know that Josef is violent and reckless, does not seem like the best idea. Viggo asks Orelio why he punched his son, and Orelio explains, and the only thing Viggo can say is: "Oh." The depth of "We're fucked" contained in that single word is astounding (it may be the biggest laugh I had in a movie theater last year). This is purportedly the biggest, baddest gangster in the city, and he's terrified. He delivers a beautiful monologue with an all-time great character description: "He's not exactly the boogeyman. He was the one you sent to kill the fuckin' boogeyman." Then he becomes more explicit: "Focus. Committed. Sheer will. I once saw him kill three men in a bar with a pencil. With a fuckin' pencil." This works because it is the reveal of who John Wick really is—it's intercut with John unearthing his buried arsenal—and the rest of the movie is him living up to that description.
Throughout the rest of the movie, people recognize John, remarking that it's good to see him again. Since John's arc is about his being pulled back into his former life (people keep asking him if he's back), every single character interaction populates that former life, spawning a history that we must imagine for ourselves. Jimmy the cop, who asks him if he's, uh, working again. The manager at the Continental, who welcomes him back. Winston, who is the only person who calls him "Jonathan." The bartender, who knows his usual drink. Harry, whom John offers a gold coin to for a favor. We don't know a thing about Harry except that he and John must have some sort of past relationship. They don't have to have an actual conversation; the fact that Harry sees John dragging a body out of his hotel room and his reaction is simply, "Hey, John," tells us enough.
Mad Max: Fury Road can do no such thing with Max because no one in the movie knows who Max is (but once Furiosa does get to know him, she calls him "reliable," which is pretty good for a man). The key figure defined by other people's reactions is Immortan Joe, the fearsome patriarch and god. Joe doesn't tell us about himself, but it's clear from the way the War Boys treat him what his role is. For instance, Nux's reaction when he thinks Joe has looked at him (though Slit disagrees). He freaks out! The devotion Joe inspires tells us a great deal about him, as well as those devoted to him.
Characters Are Defined by What They Do
John Wick is defined by the fact that when some fiends kill his dog, he goes on an intense rampage. He does eventually give an impassioned monologue wherein he explains his motivations, but they're pretty clear already. The character-defining storytelling in John Wick comes through in his fighting style, which is clever, economical, and utterly ruthless. This is a man who will shoot you in the foot to make you come out of hiding so he can kill you. This is a man who will shoot you in the head when you're down just to make you're dead. This is a man who will hit you with a car and then shoot you through the roof as you tumble over it. No one else in the film fights like this, and we can see why you'd send John to kill the fuckin' boogeyman.
Mad Max: Fury Road has no time for impassioned monologues because too many cars are exploding. This is a movie where absolutely everyone is defined by what they do, and no one epitomizes this more than Nux, whose entire character arc—the strongest and clearest in the film—tracks by his actions. He wears his goals and his motivations on his sleeve (he doesn't have sleeves though). The Wives can be distinguished by the differing ways they react in battle. Max and Furiosa's relationship morphs from antagonism to collaboration without their ever discussing how they feel about each other; it's how they act with each other that tells us.
Tell a Small Story in a Big World
Both John Wick and Mad Max: Fury Road teach a lesson that science fiction and fantasy writers really need to hear: the fate of the world doesn't have to be at stake. It can be one man's quest for revenge. It can be one woman's heroic rescue. You can build a complex, fully realized world, but the world is not the story. The world is the setting. Let the audience observe and understand the world: that's their job. Your job is to tell the story. And a smaller story takes less explanation. I can imagine a version of John Wick that is John tracking down Management and taking down the entire Continental Hotel, obliterating all of his former colleagues, but…why would you do that when it's so much more meaningful for him to take on specific characters with whom he has a history, whose interactions carry emotional weight? I can imagine a version of Mad Max: Fury Road where most of the running time is taken up by a massive assault on the Citadel to dethrone Immortan Joe, but…why would you do that when, again, you can focus on specific characters doing specific things to each other? These small stories matter, and we can relate to them on a more personal, visceral level.
John Wick and Mad Max: Fury Road have raised the bar for action movies. They understand that in an action movie the action drives the narrative, and they manage to tell compelling stories with fic-inspiring worldbuilding in under two hours. The tools in their toolbox, though, can be applied to any story, no matter how many explosions are in it.
But you should probably add a few explosions anyway. Just in case.
Sunil Patel is a Bay Area fiction writer and playwright who has written about everything from ghostly cows to talking beer. His plays have been performed at San Francisco Theater Pub and San Francisco Olympians Festival, and his fiction has appeared in Fireside Magazine, Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, and Flash Fiction Online, and is forthcoming in The Book Smugglers, Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, and Genius Loci: Tales of the Spirit of Place. Plus, he reviews books for Lightspeed. His favorite things to consume include nachos, milkshakes, and narrative. Find out more at ghostwritingcow.com, where you can watch his plays, or follow him @ghostwritingcow. His Twitter has been described as "engaging", "exclamatory", and "crispy, crunchy, peanut buttery."
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N500 MILLION LAND GRABBING ALLEGATION: INSIDERS EXORNERATE LAGOS CHIEF OF STAFF ~ 1STELEVEN9JATV
1stEleven9jaTv August 3, 2022 2 min read
Highly placed individuals have pooh-pooed the allegation that the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Tayo Ayinde, was involved in a N500 million land grabbing scandal.
It will be recalled that some people went to the media recently, alleging that Chief Ayinde was involved in gross impersonation and assault over a landed property belonging to Chief Adetunji Omisore and one Tajudeen Mohammed, at No. 4, Ladoke Akintola Street, GRA Ikeja.
The rumour peddlers had claimed "that Ayinde, in a bid to forcibly obtain the land, worth N500million, destroyed properties worth millions of naira, by using the police and other security forces to assault the landowners."
The rumour mongers had also alleged that the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA) served the owner and developer of the said property a seven-day demolition notice on Friday, July 15, 2022, but that without waiting for the 7 day notice to lapse, on Tuesday, July 19, the agency moved caterpillar and Black Maria to the site to begin demolition of the over N500million investment as early as 6am in the morning, barricading the property while the workers were assaulted."
However, according to investigation, the complainant only has a letter of accommodation given to him by Federal Government to be a tenant in the said property.
Again, the said owner has been accused by the government of "illegally going into joint venture with a developer to build on the land for which he was paid the sum of N25million.
Interestingly, when government officials approached the site, he offered money to the officials. The money offered, was rejected because there was already a demolition order on the illegal structure that has no plan nor building approval.
Not deterred by that, the complainant however found favour with another Agency of government which illegally assured him that he can continue building despite being served demolition notice.
This medium was informed that the purpose of the demolition is for road expansion contrary to the allegation that the Chief of Staff was in the know of the matter.
According to our source, "it was just coincidental that the Chief of Staff lives on the same road as the land in question. That is the man's only involvement on an issue he knows nothing about. What I am telling you can be verified through records. You can find out if the Chief of Staff has anything to do with this issue," our source said.
Tags: 1steleven9jatv 1steleven9jatv.com AREMS ENTERTAINMENT CHIEF OF STAFF Lagos state LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT LAND GRABBING TAYO AYINDE
Alerzo Group CEO Joins Other Founders To Chart Way Forward For Retail Business In Nigeria ~ 1STELEVEN9JATV
PROPHET ISRAEL OLADELE OGUNDIPE MOURNS WITH CHIEF OBENEZER OBEY ~ 1STELEVEN9JATV


Corner Checkmate
The Corner Mate, also known as the "Fool's Mate" or "Scholar's Mate" is a chess checkmate pattern that is characterized by the trapping of the enemy king in a corner of the board, typically the h8 or a8 square for black and the h1 or a1 square for white. The pattern is considered one of the simplest checkmates to execute and is often used as a beginner's tactic.
The history of the Corner Mate can be traced back to the earliest days of chess, where the trapping of the enemy king in a corner was a common tactic. The Corner Mate is one of the oldest checkmate patterns known and has been a fundamental part of chess strategy for centuries.
The key to successfully executing the Corner Mate is to trap the enemy king in a corner and then to attack it with a queen or a rook. The queen is responsible for attacking the enemy king and creating a mating threat, while the rook is responsible for supporting the queen and attacking the enemy's defensive pieces. The queen and rook work together to create a powerful attacking force that can quickly overwhelm the enemy's defenses.
In order to set up the Corner Mate, the queen and rook should be placed on the same diagonal or file, with the queen attacking the enemy king and the rook supporting the attack. The queen and rook's position should be such that the king has no other move than to move to a corner, where it can be checkmated by the queen.
The Corner Mate is a checkmate pattern that can be executed quickly and effectively, but it's considered a basic tactic in chess. It's particularly effective against an enemy king that is trapped in the corner of the board, as the king has limited escape routes and is vulnerable to attack. It's a simple and easy way to checkmate the king and it's often used as a beginner's tactic.
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Include details on scraping when organising your search optimisation strategy
Date Wed 16 October 2019 Tags legislation / process
Our take on citations is that regardless of whether or not they help with Google rankings, we still unfortunately see Google ingest and trust the data from these services all too often. If the interactive elements on your site are placed too close to each other, it becomes way too easy to press something you didn't actually want to touch. This could cause all sorts of problems. Assigning a keyword-based name to a file increases your chances of getting indexed properly without being penalized for re-using keywords. Appearing in the top 3 results is excellent because almost half of the clicks on any search results page go to those positions.
Small but important things to observe about meta tags
When I originally designed my website, I came to learn that the layout was completely wrong. Optimizing meta description correctly can help improve click through rates. In a nutshell, the combination of seamless user experience with quality content can have a very positive impact on your SEO rankings. Google, Yahoo, and Bing are just the ticket.
Everything you need to know about web 2.0
We recommend page titles are between 10 and 60 characters. At one time, it was a factor in rankings; but marketers abused it and over-optimized it to game the system, so today it's not really a ranking factor at all. Start by making the most of your industry connections and relationships. Google absolutely loves internal linking (the act of linking your audience to other areas of your website). The longer a user stays on your website, the more valuable Google will deem your content to be and, therefore, will rank your pages higher on search results.
Make sure you know exactly what you're doing with SEO
On the other hand, open source software frequently has active user mailing lists. Analyze what type of content it was, the topic, who produced it, and when it published. Don't be afraid to try newcontent types as long as you're willing to measure its effectiveness through regular you're willing to measure its effectiveness through regular auditing. Gaz Hall, a Freelance SEO Consultant, commented: "As a freelancer, it is your responsibility to find work, advertise your skill sets, meet deadlines and set your payment schedule, which many new writers find it challenging to accomplish without on-the-job experience."
For instance, if you're posting in a forum thread about solar panel installations and that's only one of your service offerings, it's better to link to your "Solar Panel" page than it is your homepage. In short, bad content=bad backlinks. There's no objective rule for how many links you can post within a given timeframe, especially when each company has a different budget and a different set of goals. When it comes to getting your website ranked highly then keywords are still an essential part of Google's ranking algorithm, they are the very backbone of search engine (even Yahoo) after all. But keywords aren't what they might always appear to be.
Consistent doesn't mean identical. when you're discussing user generated content
Write Meta Data for Real People
Write a description to both inform and interest users taking into account existing keyword research
Things you most likely didn't know about static pages


Schalke 04 mark the CAFE Week of Action 2021
As longstanding supporters of CAFE and the Week of Action and home to CAFE's very own Ambassador Omar Mascarell, Schalke 04 ensured that they marked this year's celebration appropriately.
The German Bundesliga club captured a #TotalAccess themed rendition of the Schalke 04 anthem featuring fans of the Deaf Fanclubs, who performed the song using sign language from the pitch of the Veltins-Arena. See video below:
This comes as the most recent example of the Club's efforts to raise awareness around access and inclusion and particularly with regards to their deaf and hard of hearing fanbase. The Club has provided audio-descriptive commentary (ADC) for a number of years and recently made this available via the Schalke 04 app whilst Covid-19 regulations prohibit fans from attending live games.
For Schalke's home fixture to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday 20 March, the Club dedicated a section of their matchday programme to the CAFE Week of Action. This featured an interview with a member of the deaf fanclub and a comment from Schalke midfielder and CAFE Ambassador, Omar Mascarell.
The programme also included a longer interview with CAFE Project Manager and lifelong Schalke 04 fan, Jochen Kemmer.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to Schalke 04 for their support during the CAFE Week of Action 2021, and their continued efforts to improve the experiences of all disabled fans.
The CAFE Week of Action 2021 summary report will be published in due course, with information for the 2022 campaign to be published later in the year.
For more information regarding the CAFE Week of Action or any of the accessibility services mentioned above, please contact the CAFE team at [email protected].
Author: Josh Emerson


Home / Arts / Spirit Messengers
Arts July 10, 2008
Spirit Messengers
"The wind is the corporeal element most akin to the divine."-Socrates, Phaedrus Text: Laurie Sammis Photography: Todd Meier
Our fascination with raptors travels as far back as Egyptian mythology with Horus, the god of the sky and of light, who was regularly depicted as a falcon. Ancient myths have held eagles, hawks and falcons as creator gods associated with sun and fire and as messengers between heaven and earth, between gods and humans. They captivate and repel, inspire and rouse us with a mystique that reaches well beyond the mythical.
Clocked at speeds of 242 mph, Peregrine falcons are the fastest animal alive, capable of folding their wings in a precise dive posture that literally slices the air in two. Many raptors feature special cone-shaped projections in the center of round nostrils to slow down the air flow and allow for incredibly fast flight without damaging the bird's lungs.
There are 330 diurnal raptor species worldwide and 40 species found in North America. Many are territorial and solitary; some, hunt in family units. Some drop through the sky like daggers, others hover above unsuspecting prey. Still others stretch a foot out with lightning speed to catch insects from the air. All are unique and highly evolved for their specific habitat and prey. It is possible that the world they see is so vastly different and unique from ours that we simply cannot comprehend it in any logical manner. With the generous assistance of The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, the following is a portrait for future contemplation.
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus): Gus, Male
Wingspan: 38-42 inches
Weight: 1-3 pounds
Life Span: 12 to 15 years in the wild
Habitat/Range: Found on every continent, except Antarctica. Adaptable, with habitat ranging from tropics and deserts to the tundra.
Story: Peregrines were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1970. They were completely wiped out in the Eastern United States and there were only 39 known pairs in the Western U.S. Thanks to the efforts of The Peregrine Fund, they were removed from the Endangered Species List on August 20, 1999. Known for their spectacular high-speed dives, Peregrine falcons typically capture prey in midair after fast pursuit or a rapid dive. The name (peregrinus) translates literally to wanderer, referring to the species-wide distribution.
Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus): Sigrid, Female
Weight: 2-4.5 pounds
Habitat/Range: Inhabits circumpolar arctic and subarctic regions, with some individuals moving south into northern temperate zones during fall and winter in response to a lack of prey. The largest member of the falcon family, gyrfalcons are highly adapted to surviving in extremely cold climates—they can acutally cover their feet completely with feathers to help protect them from the elements.
Story: Known as the "King's falcon" during the Middle Ages, since only the king could fly a gyrfalcon. Gyrfalcons nest in the arctic and may even start laying eggs before the temperature rises above zero degrees Fahrenheit. Legend holds that Genghis Khan's future mother-in-law dreamt that a white falcon holding the sun and moon in its talons flew down from the sky to her hand. She took the vision as a sign that her daughter would marry the future conqueror (Falcon by Helen Macdonald, 2006). Gyrfalcons exist in a variety of color morphs from nearly black to white.
American Kestral (Falco sparverius): Soldier, Male
Length: 9-12 inches
Weight: 3.5-5.5 ounces
Life Span: 8 to 10 years in the wild
Habitat/Range: Found throughout most of North, Central and South America. They inhabit tropical lowlands, deserts and urban areas.
Story: The smallest and most numerous falcon in North America. They are best known for their unique hovering while pursuing prey. Most prey is caught on the ground, but some are taken in flight. Kestrels catch prey with their feet, primarily insects—grasshoppers, dragonflies and crickets; along with mice, voles, lizards and snakes.
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamiacensiss): Chance, Male
Weight: 1.5-3.3 pounds
Habitat/Range: Found throughout North America and scattered through Central America and the West Indies. They inhabit open fields and deserts that are interspersed with woods or bluffs, mountain forests or tropical rainforests.
Story: As with many raptors, red-tailed hawks typically mate for life and form a pair bond that is usually maintained until death. They soar on migration and avoid long water crossings that require sustained powered flight. They are, therefore, concentrated along shorelines, peninsulas and other large bodies of water. Like all raptors, red-tailed hawks have three eyelids: top, bottom, plus a third eyelid which closes laterally across the eye—to protect eyes during flight or feeding.
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Swinton Estate appoints spa manager
Fam ily-owned UK hotel Swinton Estate has appointed Richard Macklin spa manager for its new country club and spa.
Macklin joins the North Yorkshire property from Hoar Cross Hall hotel in Staffordshire, where he was spa director, and will oversee Swinton's new build country club and spa – scheduled to open next month.
Macklin, who brings more than 25 years' industry experience to the role, previously worked for the German arm of fitness club group Holmes Place as one of its general managers.
Other past positions include senior director of spa and leisure for day spa Nirvana Spa in Berkshire, and director of Chessgrove Day Spa in Worcestershire, both in the UK.
Co-owner Felicity Cunliffe-Lister said: "We are thrilled Richard is joining us.
"His wealth of experience will ensure the spa has a flying start, and his impressive track record will help the spa and the team to grow, so we can deliver a very special experience to all our guests."
The new spa at the 32-room boutique hotel will feature nine treatment rooms, an 18-metre swimming pool, a hydrotherapy pool, steam rooms, and a spa garden with a herbal sauna, hot tub, swimming pool and shower.
The spa will also include a "beauty cottage" where treatments including manicures, pedicures and hair treatments will be offered. Other facilities will include a gym offering a range of classes, from yoga and pilates to spinning and circuit training.
The spa will be working with British skincare brands Elemis and Bamford. The privately owned hotel is surrounded by a 20,000-acre estate.


The Times History and Encyclopaedia of the War - Part 70, Vol. 6, December (Dec.) 21, 1915 - Railways and The War
By: Correspondents of The Times
Numerous black and white photographs. "...Framed with the object of producing an account of the great contest now in progress, which shall be at once popular and authoritative... An account written by men of great experience in political, military, and naval matters... Will contain a great deal of first-hand material which will be really valuable to historians of the future." - From Preface. Contents: Chapter C - Railways and the War. Unmarked. Average wear. Binding intact.
Title: The Times History and Encyclopaedia of the War - Part 70, Vol. 6, December (Dec.) 21, 1915 - Railways and The War
Author: Correspondents of The Times
Categories: Magazine Back Issues, Military, History,
Publisher: London, The Times: 1915
Keywords: The Times History of the War - Part 70, Vol. 6, Dec. 21, 1915 - Railways and The War Brigadier-General Twiss, Director-General of Railway Transport,
The Times History of the War - Part 16
The Times History of the War - Part 57, Vol. 5, September (Sept.) 21, 1915 - Germany at War
The Times History of the War - Part 17, Vol. 2 December (Dec.) 15, 1914
Email : [email protected]zines.com


'Improving' Mandela marks 95th birthday
A child sings Happy Birthday to former President Nelson Mandela at a township school in Atteridgevile near Pretoria, July 18, 2013. Anti-apartheid hero Mandela is "steadily improving", South Africa's government said on Thursday as the former president celebrated his 95th birthday in hospital amid tributes from around the country and the world. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, globally admired as a symbol of struggle against injustice and of racial reconciliation, has been under treatment since June 8 for a recurring lung infection that has led to four hospital stays in the past six months. [Photo/Agencies]
Mandela making dramatic progress: daughter
Wall of Honor unveiled for Mandela
South African schools to honor Mandela Day
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England and New Zealand battle for Cricket World Cup trophy on Sunday
Loop Sports Created : 13 July 2019 Sport
Eoin Morgan and Kane Williamson.
New Zealand and England will both be aiming to lift the Cricket World Cup for the first time when they meet in the final on Sunday.
Hosts England were the pre-tournament favourites but the Black Caps should not be underestimated by Eoin Morgan's side, having also reached the final four years ago.
Australia easily came out on top in a trans-Tasman clash on that occasion but a well-matched clash is expected at Lord's, the home of cricket.
England and New Zealand finished third and fourth respectively in the group stage but each side won their semi-final comfortably, Morgan's men disposing of the holders by eight wickets while Kane Williamson's team beat India by 18 runs.
Williamson shoulders the burden of expectation for New Zealand in terms of their batting, the skipper having hit 548 runs at the tournament, over 200 more than any of his team-mates. Opener Martin Guptill has struggled, however, recording two ducks and passing 50 just once.
Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson have taken 35 wickets between them, posing a twin pace threat of which England should be wary, though the hosts' batting line-up is packed with explosive power and class.
Joe Root has outscored Williamson by a single run while Jonny Bairstow has hit two hundreds in his past three games, including 106 in a win over New Zealand in Durham during the group stage.
Bairstow's prolific opening partnership with Jason Roy has been crucial for England, while captain Morgan's remarkable 148 against Afghanistan was one of the most thrilling innings of the tournament.
England's batting has been their strength in the years since a disastrous 2015 World Cup, though in Jofra Archer they have unearthed one of the stars of this year's event.
The Barbados-born paceman only made his international debut in May but has taken 19 World Cup wickets, the most for England.
If New Zealand are to produce an upset, the battle between Archer and Williamson may well prove to be decisive.
TOURNAMENT SO FAR
Both teams lost three matches during the group stage, with New Zealand squeezing into the semi-finals as the last of the four qualifiers. However, they then produced a brilliant display to down India in a rain-affected semi-final at Old Trafford that spanned two days.
England had a major wobble during the group stage when Roy was injured, but they head into the final on the back of wins against India, New Zealand and Australia - all three of their fellow semi-finalists.
England captain Morgan: "I think in general throughout the tournament the scores have been a lot lower than they have previously here in the last three or four years. Us adjusting to that has been harder work than it normally is. New Zealand have done it brilliantly and Lord's isn't ever a high-scoring ground so I'd say it will be a bit of a battle.
Black Caps skipper Williamson: "We were in a different part of the world on a different surface against a different opposition [for the 2015 final], and both sides are very different from four years ago, so it's kind of hard to compare those times. Whether having had experience in a final or not is a good thing? Any final you get the opportunity to play in is a really positive thing."
OPTA FACTS
- Ben Stokes (England) is yet to be hit for a six in the tournament, making him the only one of 59 bowlers to send down more than 30 overs yet to concede a maximum.
- Kane Williamson has scored more runs (548) 2019 than any other player has managed in an edition of the World Cup for New Zealand, Joe Root has set the same record for England (549 runs).
- England are trying to emulate the England women's ODI side who lifted the Women's Cricket World Cup in 2017 with a dramatic nine-run victory over India, also at Lord's.
- Ross Taylor (987 runs) and Martin Guptill (976) are vying to become the second player after Stephen Fleming (1,075) to score 1,000 World Cup runs for New Zealand. Williamson requires 119 to reach the same milestone.
Trent Boult
Kane Williamson
England fit, relaxed and excited ahead of Cricket World Cup final
England thrash Australia to reach Cricket World Cup final
New Zealand stun India to reach World Cup final


The Toy Museum of NY launches Toy Museum TV featuring personal interviews with Inventors of Today's Toys and Games, 2020
Who invented the classic toy Lincoln Logs? It was the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright's son, John. Who's inventing today's toys? Find out at Toy Museum TV.
The Toy Museum of NY announces that viewers of all ages can now watch their new Toy Museum TV channel, with 24-hour streaming of original toy related programming available to viewers everywhere. The new video site's first web series episodes offer 50+ personal interviews of toy and game board inventors and industry experts.
Ever wonder how toys and games were created or how to make it in the business of child's play? For years, the inventors have stayed out of the public eye! But now it's time to meet the new toy inventors on the block. Through this free web series, The Toy Museum of NY and Toy Museum TV is letting the world in on who is behind the newest toys and games of our generation through a set of exclusive interviews conducted at The American International Toy Fair, in February, 2020.
Additionally, the purpose of this Toy Museum TV project is to educate and inspire viewers who are interested in learning more about the toy industry or becoming toy inventors themselves. By watching in-depth interviews with industry experts, viewers can discover toy inventors who have made a place for themselves in the billion-dollar toy industry.
The talk show host is Marlene Hochman, Founder and President of The Toy Museum of NY and Executive Producer of Toy Museum TV.
These 50+ interviews share the personal stories of entrepreneurs, inventors, industry leaders, experts, new brands and start-ups and offer insight into how to make in the billion dollar global toy industry. Viewers will enjoy hearing these stories, learning about their new toys and games, and gaining valuable tips and advice for personal and business success. This series might even inspire people sitting at home social distancing to use their imagination to create the next popular and best-selling toy or game of the future.
Through interviews with some of the most creative and inventive people and businesses in the toy industry, Toy Museum TV helps viewers learn trade secrets to success. The Toy Museum of NY warmly invites all interested viewers to visit the new video site for Toy Museum TV.
Hochman extends the following invitation to all:
"Join us for some insightful conversations with innovative toy inventors, new brands, start-ups, industry leaders, and pioneers. Learn how their ideas were brought to life, plus what inspires them to create, and tips and advice for those interested in working in this global industry."
About Marlene Hochman
Marlene Hochman is Founder and President of The Toy Museum of NY and the Executive Producer of Toy Museum TV. The Toy Museum of NY was established in 1999 as a non-profit educational museum whose mission is to educate the public about the importance of dolls and toys in culture, history and play. Her work, creating collective activities and exploring historic, classic, and new toys, continues to benefit people of all ages, from the youngest kids to the most experienced seniors. For more information about The Toy Museum of NY visit their website.
Marlene Hochman
Website: https://toymuseumtv.org/, https://toymuseumny.org


What should the Idols sing for 'Latin' music week?
By Michael Slezak
April 09, 2007 at 07:14 PM EDT
I love American Idol as ferociously as a mother loves her child. But just like it's a mother's job to be brutally honest — "Yes, honey you could stand to lose 10 pounds. It's all about portion control!" "Um, thanks, Mom." — I can't help fear this week's Latin music theme is going to be ¡muy horrendous! Why so gloomy, you ask? Well, in her recent interview with EW's Jessica Shaw, Gina Glocksen shared that, before she got booted last week, she'd been planning to sing — drumroll please — "Everlasting Love." Yes, the thoroughly un-Latin Carl Carlton/Love Affair number that got covered in thoroughly un-Latin fashion by Gloria Estefan back in the mid-'90s — and has also been flogged by Scott Savol (uff da!), Jasmine Trias (yikes!), and Clay Aiken in past Idol seasons. In other words, Idol's definition of "Latin music" appears to be any song ever recorded by a person of Hispanic descent. So let's put some quotation marks around "Latin night," and perhaps around "vocal coach" Jennifer Lopez (pictured), too, and then suggest some song choices that could make the evening a little less painful. And please, for the love of all that's holy, no calls for Christina Aguilera's "Reflection"; once per season is enough.
Melinda Doolittle, Gloria Estefan's "Oye Mi Canto"
Blake Lewis, Santana's "Evil Ways"
Jordin Sparks, Lumidee's "Never Leave You"
Chris Richardson, Santana and Rob Thomas' "Smooth"
Haley Scarnato, Jennifer Lopez's "Play"
Phil Stacey, Marc Anthony's "I Need to Know"
LaKisha Jones, Nuyorican Soul's "Runaway" (If you're not familiar with this one, ch-ch-check it out on YouTube!)
Sanjaya Malakar, Ricky Martin's "She Bangs"
addCredit("Jennifer Lopez: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com")
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How the poll of polls has changed: update
This election campaign looks like it's going to tease us right to the end. The poll of polls has reverted almost exactly to the position it was in one month ago. The small Labour lead of a few weeks ago has disappeared. The party is now locked in a numerical dead heat with the Conservatives:
Ukip has edged back up again after seeming to embark on a downward trend in early April. Meanwhile the Lib Dems and the Greens are still hovering around their respective averages of 8% and 5%.
The fact that nothing is changing is still significant, of course. All the main parties appear to have flung everything in their armoury at the electorate and at each other, yet as far as the polls are concerned, it's all been to little effect. What "surges" there have been in individual polls have only ever been sporadic and are being cancelled out within 24 hours or so by other polls showing movement in the other direction.
Taking the numbers at face value, it seems there has been no swing back to the governing parties in the lead-up to the election, as predicted by some newspaper commentators and pundits. But the numbers do not reflect what may or may not be happening at a constituency level. And herein lies the biggest tease. Just what is really going on beneath the surface of the poll figures? And how much of a difference will there be compared with the shares of the vote on election night? I suspect the answer to both questions is: more than we think.
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Scottish Greens brand early election 'opportunist' amid signs of UK parties split
Josiah Mortimer 18 April 2017 Scottish Greens brand early election 'opportunist' amid signs of UK parties split2017-06-06T15:39:43+01:00 England & Wales, News, Scotland, UK 1 Comment
Scottish Green Party co-convener Maggie Chapman
The Scottish Green Party have condemned Theresa May's calls for an early General Election as 'weak and opportunist' – while Greens south of the border have welcomed the move.
The Scottish Greens have said the motion for a June 8th election shows that Scotland continues to 'suffer at the hands of a hard right Tory party', yet a spokesperson for Caroline Lucas – the only UK Green MP – told Bright Green that 'she will' support the plans.
The Prime Minister announced plans for a Westminster vote for an early General Election tomorrow, which needs the backing of two thirds of MPs to succeed. With Labour backing the move, it is almost certain to succeed.
The Scottish Greens' Co-convener Maggie Chapman said:
"This is the sign of a weak and opportunist Prime Minister who, rather than trying to explain the damage she is doing, has resorted to this desperate tactic. There is only reason for Theresa May to hold an election now and it is that she knows that things are going to get worse as Brexit bites.
"She should be focusing on trying to undo some of the damage her approach to Brexit has done and enabling us in Scotland to have our voices heard. She has, instead, opted to compound her previous mistakes with this move. When the spotlight falls on her unyielding, racist and hate-filled politics, I am confident that this move will backfire."
However, Caroline Lucas MP said:
"Britain is at a crossroads – and today's announcement means that people are rightly given a say over the direction this country is going to take. Only the Green Party offers a bold, positive vision for a different kind of Britain.
"At this election we will stand for a economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few; a Britain that's open to the world and the protection of our precious environment. We will stand up to the politics of hatred and division that is scarring our communities and give people across the country a chance to vote for a better Britain."
The Green Party of Northern Ireland have yet to release a statement at time of writing.
Bright Green will be publishing an interview with Scottish Green Party Co-convener Patrick Harvie MSP in the coming days.
Caroline Lucas, early election, election2017, GE2017, General Election, GPEW, Green Party, Maggie Chapman, Scottish Green Party
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About Josiah Mortimer
Josiah Mortimer is a journalist and communications professional.
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1 Comment Already
Barnaby Suttle - April 19th, 2017 at 5:19 pm none Comment author #101052 on Scottish Greens brand early election 'opportunist' amid signs of UK parties split by Bright Green
I think this piece unfairly sets up a supposed conflict between the Scottish and English & Welsh Greens. Caroline Lucas has also said that May is being an opportunist but that we should use this moment to put forward a Green vision. I haven't see the Scottish Greens explicitly calling for Lucas to vote AGAINST the election.
« Confirmed: Caroline Lucas WILL vote for early General Election
Winning second MP in Bristol West is 'number one' Green priority, says source »


Andre Ellington (foot) undergoes MRI, status unclear
Published: Sept. 5, 2014 at 11:32 a.m.
Updated: July 8, 2019 at 02:32 p.m.
The Arizona Cardinals have another injury to a key player to worry about.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that running back Andre Ellington underwent an MRI on Thursday night according to two sources informed of the situation. Ellington will not require surgery, but he won't know his status for Monday night's contest against the Chargers until closer to game time. The running back is hopeful he will play.
Foot injuries can be tricky and long lasting. If Ellington misses an extended period of time, it would be a devastating loss for the Cardinals on the heels of all their defensive issues. Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is out for the season with a torn ACL and inside linebacker Daryl Washington is suspended for the season. Last year's No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Cooper is benched to start the season.
Ellington has the ability to be a breakout star if he can stay healthy. He changes the way the Cardinals run their offense because of his impressive receiving skills, and there is a steep drop-off at the running back position. Jonathan Dwyer and Stepfan Taylor are next in line for carries.
UPDATE: Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic tweeted Saturday that Ellington practiced on a limited basis Saturday and coach Bruce Arians was optimistic afterward that he might be able to play Monday.
The latest "Around The NFL Podcast" recaps the season opener and previews every Week 1 game.


Javi Marroquin New Girlfriend 2017: Who is Javi Marroquin Dating?
By: Caroline John - Published: March 29, 2017 at 2:06 am
Photo: Jonathan Leibson / Stringer / Getty Images
Being on a show like Teen Moms can take its toll on any romantic relationship. Kailyn Lowry's ex, Javi Marroquin, has moved on with another reality star. Who is Javi Marroquin dating? We've got the scoop right here.
Teen Moms 2 star, Kailyn Lowry is pregnant with her third child and is keeping the identity of the baby daddy under wraps. She clarified one thing though, her ex-husband, Javi Marroquin is not the father. Marroquin has moved on with a new girlfriend in 2017, and she's another MTV reality offshoot. Here's what is going on in the Teen Mom alum's dating life.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR86kIjD0yO/?taken-by=madiichanning&hl=en
Teen Mom and Real World Collide
An MTV love story no one imagined came true. Marroquin moved on from Teen Moms and Kailyn Lowry with Madison Channing Walls. Walls is one of the stars from MTV's Real World: Skeletons. She confirmed she's dating the U.S. Air Force sergeant to E! saying, "Javi and I are definitely together. We are definitely boyfriend and girlfriend."
The 26-year-old Walls is a former child actress credited with movies like A Numbers Game. She struggled with heroin addiction two years before she made her reality debut. She participated in Real World hoping to get a fresh start in life. Real World: Skeletons made the participants face the skeletons in their closet. Hers were former acquaintances who suffered because of her drug addiction.
Contrary to the turbulent relationships both reality stars have had on reality TV, Marroquin and Walls have the sweetest story of how they met. Fans often messaged both of them on Instagram about how they shared similar stories of exes and babies. Walls then messaged Marroquin directly on social media and what started as friendly conversation, turned into something more.
They met face-to-face for the first time at Marroquin's favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. "We enjoyed a nice bottle of wine and then later I had my friends come out to meet her and we all went out and danced and drank and just had a really good time," he told E!.
Also Read: Annie Verret: 5 Facts to Know about Jordan Spieth's Girlfriend
A post shared by Madison Channing Walls (@madiichanning) on Mar 19, 2017 at 8:33am PDT
Babies and Exes in the Mix
Marroquin and Walls connected over their similar history of exes and babies. While the 24-year-old is father to Kailyn Lowry's three-year-old son, Lincoln, Walls has a child of her own. She was in a relationship with her Real World costar, Tony Raines and they had one child together. Though they broke up, they continue to raise one-year-old Harper together.
He's a power ranger at all times
A post shared by Javi Marroquin (@javim9) on Mar 26, 2017 at 11:02am PDT
Also Read: Lauren Jauregui Girlfriend 2017: Who is Lauren Jauregui Dating?
Lowry has been busy with her delicate pregnancy, but that didn't stop rumors about her thoughts on Walls. Though she hasn't made a public statement, sources close to her have revealed what Lowry thinks to news outlets. Some say she disapproves of Walls' past as a drug addict, and the influence it could have on her son; some claim she's jealous; a few say she's afraid he'll pay more attention to Walls' daughter instead of their own son; while some say she's happy for Javi. Talk about mixed signals!
Tony Raines also gave his take on Marroquin and Walls' relationship. "I think she deserves a good guy and happiness and all that good stuff. I think with this the sky is the limit for them," he said. He added that things were initially rocky when they co-parented Harper, but they have since ironed out the wrinkles in parenting.
Raines is no stranger to fellow MTV reality stars, having watched Teen Mom 2. "I've seen Javi a few times on the show and as far as I can tell, you know, he's a military guy and that's awesome," he said about the Teen Moms dad. "I see how he is with his children and that's very commendable." What a supportive ex! But Raines draws the line at his daughter's childhood becoming a reality plotline, as is possible when two reality stars from different shows come together.
Javi Marroquin and Madison Walls have yet to address the issues of their children. While he has plans to visit Austin, Texas to see Walls' hometown, he hasn't met Harper and Walls hasn't been introduced to Lincoln. But that may soon change. "I haven't introduced [Madison] to Lincoln yet. I learned from my past mistakes where I introduced him way too early on in a relationship, so now I know better," Javi explained.
Madison added, "I'm really excited for him to come to Austin next month. I'm going to introduce him to my friends and family and [my daughter] Harper and yeah it should just be a really good time and then we are already making plans for this summer together."
We made it to the beach ☀?
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MCPS Football Coaches Push For In-Person Training
GAITHERSBURG, MD — As the pandemic drags into its seventh month, a group of high…
GAITHERSBURG, MD — As the pandemic drags into its seventh month, a group of high school football coaches is rallying to bring back in-person workouts at Montgomery County Public Schools.
Twenty-four members of Montgomery County Public School Football Coaches Association sent a letter to County Executive Marc Elrich and the school board, asking them to reinstate conditioning and skills-and-drills workouts for student-athletes.
"Football differs from many other sports such as soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and baseball where these sports have opportunities for athletes to participate at the club or (Amateur Athletic Union) level," the letter read. "Athletes who participate in football have essentially been left to fend for themselves as it relates to training and skill development."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MCPS' in-person athletics have been put on hold since Friday, March 13, 2020. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) recently announced that high schools could resume sports practices and competitions in the fall. But MCPS has decided to wait until at least Monday, Feb. 1, 2021.
The coaches say that's too long a time-out.
For one: not all students can afford to train outside of school.
"Some families within the county can afford to pay for personal trainers, gym memberships, and workout equipment, while many other families cannot," the letter read. "Training is becoming 'pay to play.'"
The coaches also wrote that student-athletes are more likely to get injured next year if they go too long without training and conditioning.
And without training and conditioning, according to coaches, student-athletes' mental and emotional health will suffer.
pic.twitter.com/ZdlMXs9Mrq
— MOCO Public School Football Coaches Association (@MocoPublic) October 12, 2020
Gboyinde Onijala, a spokesperson for MCPS, told multiple media outlets that the school district will continue to follow its framework for virtual athletics.
"At this time, MCPS Athletics will continue operating virtually, as outlined in the R.A.I.S.E. Reimagined Framework for virtual athletics," Onijala said. "The COVID-19 Task Force for MCPS Athletics will continue planning efforts for the safe return of in-person activities, when health metrics allow and in alignment with MCPS operations."
Tags: coaches, Football, inperson, MCPS, Push, Training
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CPS Must Succeed for Region to Thrive
By Jordan Vogel, opinion contributor to the Enquirer
I am filled with hope.
This August, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) launched its three-year strategic plan: A Roadmap to Destination Cincinnati Public Schools. The plan will establish CPS as a district of destination — for students, families, staff and partners.
"A district of destination…" Can CPS actually achieve that bold vision? Let me provide a window into how the proverbial strategic plan sausage was made.
In early 2019, CPS invited me to participate on a Strategic Plan Design Team comprised of a cross-section of community stakeholders. CPS' strategic planning work had already been in progress since the summer of 2018. The work entailed thousands of hours of contribution from hundreds of people across our community over the course of a year. The process was comprehensive, rigorous and eminently inclusive.
To get to the final output of a three-year plan, there were two intangibles that were omnipresent and held by all the stakeholders, especially CPS staff: the desire to win and unwavering love for children. Let me explain.
During our full-day work sessions, it was immediately apparent to me there was a competitive spirit in the room. CPS had been intentional about engaging the community in this work, leveraging our influence and passion. All were invested in CPS becoming a school district of destination.
For a goal this audacious, winning almost always needs to be fueled by something bigger then ourselves. This intangible element is what I experienced as I went through this process with the team. In a word, it was love.
When someone would recommend a system or curriculum change, it was quickly evident the only litmus test that mattered was whether the student was at the center of our decision-making process.
So when things got heated — which wasn't often, but it happened — a refrain broke out from CPS staff, "That's not going to work for my babies." This became the central tenet of our work and in fact, the clarion call of our team.
Some key outcomes of this work are:
Strategic investments will ensure that Cincinnati Public Schools is the first choice for students, families and staff;
Opportunities and options for students and families are expanding;
Plans are being implemented for continuous improvement, strategic growth, and long-range financial planning;
This fall, Cincinnati Public Schools will take key steps toward long-term financial and strategic planning for the district — making smart investments through the budget and asking voters to support a 10-year, $65-million renewal levy on the November ballot.
So why does this all matter to me? In my role as vice president of Talent Initiatives at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, I think about talent all day, every day. Expanding and diversifying the region's talent base is our charge, and we intend to win our region's war for talent. This includes attracting talent to the region, retaining the talent we have and creating pipelines of new talent.
The ultimate goal of CPS' plan is to see our children become community leaders and influencers — and CPS is currently developing 36,000 of them. Soon they will join our organizations and have important and far-reaching impact. As they thrive, so will our community. We need CPS to succeed so that our region can grow and thrive.
My son is a rising senior at Walnut Hills High School. He is MY baby (even though he is now taller than me). And I know that CPS' staff sees my baby as their baby too. His CPS education has been filled with academic excellence. But it has also been filled with love. He knows that his CPS family cares about him, his academic achievement, his health and safety and his future.
The road ahead will inevitably present bumps, detours and obstacles. But I posit that the outlook for our babies and our community has never been higher.
Jordan Vogel is vice president of talent initiatives at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and served as a member of the design team for Cincinnati Public Schools' strategic Plan
Read Full Article at Cincinnati.com
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Civil aviation minister seeks detailed report on cover-up
Published: Nov 07, 2012, 07:41 IST | Bipin Kumar Singh |
After reading MiD DAY article, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh tasks personal secretary with ensuring that concerned officials prepare report to be submitted to him
After MiD DAY's exposé on November 5, 2012 titled "Fake reports tried to hush up near misses at airport", the ministry of civil aviation for the first time, swung into action to take stock of the issue. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has now asked for a detailed report on the matter.
Tough talking: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh
Singh said, "I have read the MID DAY article and have asked for a detailed report on the matter. My personal secretary is following up the issue. However, I will wait for the report before commenting." Singh also maintained that if anyone was found guilty, they would be severely punished.
Meanwhile, former Jet Airways pilot Captain Girish Kaushik said, "It is understood, from the news report, that a fake inquiry was held just to take punitive action against the pilots. This is not only unethical and shameful, but also detrimental to the safety standards in aviation where safety should be given utmost importance.
If the inquiry and the report were fake as mentioned, the DGCA must look into the matter very seriously and take the guilty to task. The reason for holding any inquiry should always be to ascertain the facts behind an incident or accident, so that a similar situation does not arise again, and not to play a blame game or to take punitive action."
Kaushik further suggested that Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), upon ordering an investigation, must properly schedule it and follow up. He also maintained that persons involved in such incidents must also be made available to the inquiry, to authenticate incidents emerging in the final report.
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Review: Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic trade paperback (DC Comics)
1 comments | Tags: Justice League Dark
There are aspects of James Tynion's Detective Comics that I thought were very, very good, and it's a significant thing that his Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic is already starting to look like it might be even better.
The six-chapter book feels exceptionally full — there is three-part super-team origin, two-part fleshing out of past continuity, and a one-off anthology of four horror vignettes; combine that with the five issues of the Wonder Woman/Justice League Dark "Witching Hour" crossover that take place in the middle of this volume, and Tynion's already got almost a year of Dark material done in half a year's time. And like its predecessors, Shadowpact and the first Justice League Dark, Tynion's got this book full of DC's magic denizens well beyond just the core team.
Again, Dark is a lot of fun, a great place for Tynion to have landed, and I'm excited for more.
I might otherwise balk at a first trade that's three issues main story, three issues side plot, were it not again for the fact that there's also Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour. And there's a lot happening — I faulted Scott Snyder's Justice League for going straight from hyped up No Justice to hyped up The Totality, but Tynion's, I think, is better rooted in character such that it doesn't feel quite so frenetic. And Last Age and Witching Hour work well together — the villains are not quite the same, but related, and the threat defeated in Last Age factors heavily into the conclusion of Witching Hour.
To the question of whether Witching Hour can be set aside and Magic read all the way through (the book collects #1-3, skips Witching Hour tie-in #4, and finishes with #5-7), I'd advise against it. The main story of issues #5-6 turns away from Witching Hour, but the first pages of #5 spoil the end of the crossover almost immediately, and issue #7 is very much tied up in how Witching Hour ended. Get both books and read them interspersed, would be my suggestion.
Again, Justice League Dark is just good from the start. It is Zatanna and Wonder Woman, John Constantine, Detective Chimp, a delightfully weird Man-Bat, and Swamp Thing right off the bat, plus Klarion, Zauriel, Phantom Stranger, Deadman, and Andrew "I, Vampire" Bennett all in the background. Tynion brings forth some strong horror, too, an often-tough thing to do in superhero comics, with heavy lifting by artist Alvaro Martinez Bueno. And Tynion keeps things at this level throughout, with good use of Doctor Fate's many incarnations and a startling scene of one of the heroes melting to goo.
Given continuities, it would have been easy for Tynion to specifically build this Justice League Dark on the legacy of the past New 52 one (which gets a nod in Witching Hour) but leave aside the Infinite Crisis-era Shadowpact, only marginally in continuity. The inclusion of Detective Chimp was a good indication that wouldn't be the case, however, and in issues #5-6, Tynion takes up a Shadowpact-centered conflict — that Detective Chimp failed to protect former teammate Nightmaster's realm of Myrra after Nightmaster's death, and has instead cursed another teammate, Blue Devil, to do so for him.
Some of this swords and sorcery-type material wouldn't usually be my cup of tea, but it's hardly traditional fantasy with Wonder Woman, Zatanna, and Man-Bat in tow, and intercut with Constantine, Swamp Thing, and Phantom Stranger battling the rogue Fate. Further, again, Tynion keeps things well grounded in character; that both Chimp and Wonder Woman refer to Blue Devil as "Dan" is a nice touch, evoking these characters actual long relationships and subtly reminding us, for instance, that once upon a time Wonder Woman and Blue Devil served on a Justice League together.
The book ends with a "Tales of the Otherkind" issue, with Man-Bat playing the role of Crypt-Keeper to introduce short tales of the League Dark's new enemies. These stories are a double threat; first, they're genuinely scary from the outset — I'm not sure I knew that Tynion had these horror chops, but apparently he does. Second, one story prominently uses Andrew Bennett, and another, Frankenstein and his SHADE Creature Commandos. That checks all the boxes — wide use of the DCU's magic characters and actual horror, and I'm put in mind of the equally successful Sinestro Corps War that put similar spotlight on its bad guys.
Support Collected Editions -- Purchase Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic
Of the post-Dark Nights: Metal Justice League titles, then, Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic is clearly the winner. James Tynion proves his Detective Comics work wasn't a fluke, and DC would do well to keep him on team books essentially forever. I'm excited for the next Justice League Dark volume in October, which is fitting timing. The end of this book has Constantine sending Zatanna to "find Mordru," which is brilliant; I can't decide if I'd be more excited for Tynion to find some way to tie this into Legion of Super-Heroes or to Demon Knights.
[Includes original and variant covers, character designs and sketches]
Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic
4.5 (scale of 1 to 5)
Posted at 7:02 PM (Permalink) | 1 comments | Tags: Justice League Dark
Ben 8/17/2019 12:35:00 AM
After that review I'm really tempted to pick up this collection. Tynion's Detective run was amazing & this makes me really excited that he is still writing team books for DC.
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Resort!
Posted on December 16, 2016 by Paul
We don't stay often at resorts.
In part this is because we are (sort of) budget travelers, and decent resorts are expensive (and a lower-end resort would probably be more depressing than anything). Not only are room rates at good resorts high, but the seclusion of resort layouts makes it difficult or unappealing to travel outside for drinks or meals, leaving one stuck with international hotel pricing for any food or beverage (unless, as Chinese tourists apparently do in the Maldives, you bring instant noodles to cook in your room electric kettle (but that doesn't seem like a great way to spend your vacation)). Menus and overall atmosphere will also likely be similar to any other resort around the world, if you substitute a few local spices and fruits—possibly great but also sort of bland as any hotel that caters to a wide range of nationalities, ages, and styles must be. Even at a resort with a few different restaurants, dining options can feel boring or limited after a day or two, and the boredom may extend to more than just dining. After you've done the two or three activities that you were most interested in doing, there may not be much left to do other than hanging out in your room or by the beach.
But that, of course, is precisely the point.
International travel is hard work. As much as people enjoy it as a vacation option, for the variety and adventure it provides, having to figure out every logistic in an unfamiliar place isn't trivial. The way we travel, every day or two or three brings us to a new city where we have to figure out the lay of the land. We have to know where we are and where we want to go, how to get there, what to see and do, where and what to eat, how to order, where to sleep, etc., etc. Every interaction might have a language challenge and room for miscommunication, or there might be tiresome frustrations, like a thirty-minute walk carrying all your luggage, only to find out that Google maps misplaced your hotel. Negotiating with taxi drivers is exhausting; safety can be a concern. When the weather is hot, as it has been on this trip, each day can feel like a sweaty slog, counting the hours until the next opportunity to shower and let your clothes dry out.
A resort is a vacation choice without any of these challenges. Temptation to sightsee or to search for outside restaurants is kept at a minimum, by isolating you in a self-contained world. Activities are prearranged (you just sign up), and often child care is even provided, to give adults some real relaxation time. Costs and payments are frictionless, with things simply billed to your room. Air conditioning is always within a few minutes' walk.
A resort is a vacation choice to minimize choices. Our resort in Mauritius had us park at a parking lot and take a golf cart to our room—it wasn't even clear that walking back to our car was an option, making the choice not to go sightseeing during the day an easy and lazy one. Buffet dinners were included in the room rate, obviating the need to make ordering choices. The biggest choices during our stay were how much appetite to save for which desserts, what to do for lunch, and whether to go for a glass bottom boat ride even though it looked like it might rain. We spent a great deal of time enjoying our (rather impressive) room and sitting by the beach, reading or doing photo work. To us, it wasn't really travel, but a break from our travels.
For us, travel isn't really about relaxation—it's about exploring the world. Our curiosity and energy levels, not to mention relative lack of cares (e.g., stress of child rearing), are such that we'd rather spend our free, non-work time out in the wild discovering and learning new things. But knowing that such travel is tiring, something from which we ourselves appreciate a little break every now and then, we can easily understand why others choose resorts—true, simple relaxation—for the duration of a vacation. Yes, the opportunity cost is great, but sometimes one just needs a break.
PS: Please excuse the privilege/"first world problems" reflected in this article. What can I say—guilty as charged.
Posted in Mauritius, Uncategorized	| Leave a reply
Language in Mauritius
We first encountered French-speaking people of South Asian descent in Madagascar, in the coastal town of Tulear in 2005. It felt like quite an oddity—similar to when one hears an East Asian person with an southern American accent. I subsequently learned that there's a country basically full of French-speaking Indians: Mauritius.
Since then, I've been curious to visit Mauritius, largely because of its mixed colonial and ethnic history. Mauritius was controlled by the Dutch, French, and English, before it became an independent country. Uninhabited until colonial times, its population is entirely composed of people who came to settle or work: largely Indians (68%), but also Africans, Chinese, and Europeans. It was hard for me to imagine what a country with such a composition would look or feel like. (I was also intrigued by its beaches and its status as a sort of tax haven for corporations.) Mauritius has proved as interesting as I had hoped.
The most obvious remnant of its mixed French and English history (the Dutch period was early and brief) is language. When the British took over Mauritius from France during Napoleonic times, they assured the local population that it could maintain its language, customs and laws. To this day, almost all Mauritians speak a Creole French as their primary language. With outsiders, however, Mauritians seem quite comfortable in both standard French and English—more than, I would say, the typical Quebecois, who probably feels significantly more comfortable in one language than the other. Signs are often bilingual, but many are written in just English or just French, assuming bilingual literacy of consumers and drivers.
The occasional advertisement is in Creole.
A quadrilingual memorial to the nation's founder, located in the botanical garden in Pamplemousses. The Chinese population is small, but concentrated in the capital and economically powerful. Perhaps also due to the economic power of China, there is more signage in Chinese than I would have guessed.
Parts of France
the tricolore over a government building in St. Pierre, Reunion
Most people are from the "main" parts of a country. If you're born in mainland United States, it is easy to forget that the "United States of America" actually encompasses not only the forty-nine states in North America, Hawaii and the District of Columbia, but also a large number of small territories and possessions scattered around the world, each of which has a somewhat different legal status with respect to the U.S. government. For example, people born in Guam are American citizens, but people living in Guam do not have the right to vote in the U.S. Presidential election (although they do participate in the party primaries). People born in American Samoa are not automatically U.S. citizens, though they have the right to live anywhere in the United States. The story of colonization is far from over, with many places in the world maintaining stronger or weaker legal relationships with the larger nations that once colonized them or won them as spoils of war.
Today we flew to Reunion, an island in the southern Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mauritius, that is today still a part of its colonial "owner," France. One interesting thing about Reunion, though, is that despite its small size and tremendous distance from France, and the fact that the vast majority of the population is not of white French ancestry but are mostly black or Indian, Reunion is fully a part of France—using the U.S. analogy, it is legally more similar to Hawaii than to Puerto Rico or Guam. People born and living in Reunion are full French citizens, elect representatives to go to Paris, and are also citizens of the European Union. Cars on Reunion have French license plates, the money is the Euro, and both traffic infrastructure (roundabouts included) and bakeries are similar to those you'd expect in European France. Technically, Reunion, Mayotte, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana are referred to as the "overseas departments," but they have the same legal status as the regions and departments within European France.
Mayotte, pictured in Air Austral's route map above, is even more of a demographic outlier, with almost its entire population black and Muslim. It is also the overseas department to attain its status most recently, through a 2011 referendum which yielded a 95% "yes" vote. From Mayotte's perspective, it isn't hard to see the advantages of becoming a full part of the motherland. Mayotte is very substantially poorer than "metropolitan France," and becoming a full part of France will over time result in substantial inflows in infrastructure expenditure and social safety programs. The Reunionnaise apparently enjoy nearly a European standard of living, likely largely subsidized by taxpayers in Europe. Whatever loss in autonomy Mayotte will suffer, voters decided, is well worth the financial benefit.
I do not know the politics of all this, but am tempted to admire France for its inclusion of these territories as full and equal parts of the nation. Puerto Rico, which has a population greater than twenty of the U.S. states, favored statehood in a non-binding election in 2012, but the U.S. Congress did not even acknowledge the request with an up-or-down vote. Even the District of Columbia, the nation's capital, doesn't have equal representation in government—something recognized by the local license plates which include the revolutionary refrain, "Taxation Without Representation." What keeps the U.S. from providing equal rights to all under U.S. jurisdiction? Largely partisan politics. Statehood for the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico would have immediate consequences on federal elections—namely, a benefit for the Democratic Party. As long as voters in D.C. or Puerto Rico remain likely Democrats, the Republicans have a strong incentive keep them from gaining equal representation in government. It is a markedly unjust outcome.
Might there be other, less overtly political, factors? It is tempting to say that racism and xenophobia play a part. Even Hawaii, America's most recent and least white state, is majority non-hispanic white and asian (the latter being, arguably, the non-white "race" least threatening to white American identity, if only because of numbers). D.C. is largely black, and Puerto Rico of course almost entirely hispanic. But I think it also has to do with our country's relationship to colonialism. Americans tend to think of colonialism as "European colonialism," the period of time when Europeans such as British, Spanish, and French gathered territories around the world. But America, despite having started as a colony itself, was also an active participant. The thirteen original states may have been colonies of Britain, but basically every other state is a result of further colonization of the North American continent by the United States. By purchase or invasion, the United States acquired these additional territories, colonized them, and made them states. The land acquisition extended overseas—with some properties that were eventually spun off, such as Cuba, the Philippines, and the Panama Canal Zone, but others retained, such as Puerto Rico and Guam. I think that countries that are more self-aware about their colonial/imperial history, such as France, may be more likely to recognize the genuine historical connection and responsibility they maintain with their overseas possessions. In American's minds, even Puerto Rico, with its large population and proximity to the mainland, is an afterthought, a strange historical quirk we'd almost like to forget.
For a somewhat similar though more detailed post on India, see my post of 20080316 Parts of India. Also, this post has also been inspired by C.G.P. Grey's excellent videos on the American Empire and the European Union.
Posted in France, Uncategorized	| 1 Reply
Since it's been so long since I've had truly substantive posts on this blog, I thought I would highlight for new readers some of my favorites–the entries that I'm most proud of. Below are a series of posts I did on religion:
The Reuse of Religious Sites series, in which I explore religious sites that have passed between conquering religions, is one of my favorites: 1, 2, 3
In this post, I ponder the difference between the word Islamic and the word Muslim.
In this series, I consider how the history and practice of Islam is distinct in certain countries/regions: Indonesia, Balkans, China, India
This is a thought piece on Tibetan Buddhism.
I did two multipart history series, on Iran and India, which give quite a broad overview of the history of those two nations/empires:
Iran: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
India: 1, 2, 3
Delhi QuickTrip: Pushkar
Posted on March 4, 2013 by Paul
Pushkar's camel fair, which takes place in the fall, is deservedly one of India's most famous festivals. Derek and I went together in 2003, and Derek again, alone, in 2009. Last weekend, we thought we'd try Pushkar sans fair, and found it a very enjoyable getaway.
To get to Pushkar, we traveled by the Haridwar Ahmedabad Mail, which is scheduled to leave Old Delhi Railway Station at 10:20 PM and arrive in Ajmer at 6:40 AM, though our train ran a bit late. We traveled via 2AC tickets we bought last minute using the tatkal system. We returned to Delhi on the Ajmer Jat Express, which leaves Ajmer at 2:15 PM and arrives at Delhi Cantonment at 9:13 (and New Delhi Railway Station a bit later). If tickets had been available, we would probably have preferred the Shatabdi, which leaves Ajmer at 3:45 PM and arrives at New Delhi Railway Station at 10:40 PM. Those comfortable taking an overnight train back to Delhi could take the Chetak Express, which leaves Ajmer at 10:45 PM and arrives at Delhi's S Rohilla Station at 5:10 AM.
In Ajmer, we took a quick look at Ajmer's most famous site before we headed out to Pushkar. A short autorickshaw ride away from the railway station is the famous shrine of Sufi saint Muinuddin Chisti, which is probably the most significant Muslim religious site in India, if not all of South Asia. A place of pilgrimage for centuries, the Ajmer shrine is in some ways a giant version of the Nizamuddin shrine in Delhi, a huge religious site full of living medieval architecture and hundreds of pilgrims. Bags and photography are not allowed–which is a bit annoying–but the energy is incredibly positive and you are likely to hear a bit of Sufi qawwali music. (Before going to the shrine we also went to the Adhai Din ka Jhonpra, a Jain temple-to-mosque conversion dating from the 12th century–but this is optional. In case you decide to go, it is walking distance from the shrine.) From the shrine, we took an autorickshaw direct to Pushkar, which cost 300 rupees. Cheaper, and probably just as fast, would be to go to the bus station and take a proper bus, although that would also require two short autorickshaw rides to/from the bus stations. Returning to Ajmer we took a bus, which was fast, and fun. Early for our train, we had lunch at the local/divey, terrific Medina Hotel across the street from Ajmer's railway station.
In Pushkar we stayed at the Paramount Palace, in a lovely room with a small balcony overlooking Pushkar, perhaps slightly overpriced at 1000 rupees. Had we booked in advance, we probably would have stayed at Seventh Heaven, which is the most proper/professional of the budget hotels in Pushkar. The Bharapur Palace was also tempting, with its lakeside location.
What is there to see or do in Pushkar? Almost nothing, which makes for a very relaxing weekend indeed. We walked over to see the fairgrounds just outside of town, which were almost entirely empty (since the fair was not on), and did one circuit of Pushkar's holy lake, where people were bathing (and some guards/priests enforcing the "no shoe" rule in an annoying manner). Pushkar is a huge destination for both tourists and pilgrims, even when the fair is not on, making for good people watching (everything from very colorful Rajputs in marvelous turbans to Israelis with dreads) and shopping. We had kurtas tailored, with special iPhone-sized pockets. We had cokes and pots of chai on our balcony, overlooking the town. We sat eating terrific falafel wraps and watched folks walk down the main bazaar (the town is entirely veg–not even eggs available for breakfast!). Admittedly, some of the relaxingness of the weekend wore away with the long slog back home (which would have been better, I think, had we been on the Shatabdi), but we will certainly return to Pushkar again, for both the camel fair and for simple relaxation.
Camel Fair
Posted in India, QuickTrip, Uncategorized	| 2 Replies


E-waste responsibility laws taking country state by state
Mike Verespej
Almost overnight, producer responsibility has become a mandate in more than one-third of the United States for manufacturers that sell electronics products. Many experts believe such responsibility will soon be nationwide.
Last month Illinois became the eighth state to pass such a law this year and the 13th in the past 18 months.
``It is clear that we are going to producer responsibility,'' said Matt Gobble, environmental manager at Toshiba America Consumer Products in Wayne N.J. ``We are all going to the same place legislatively. State-by-state, we are going to have national producer responsibility for electronics,'' he said at the National Recycling Coalition conference in Pittsburgh.
The Illinois law, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2012, prohibits landfill disposal of televisions, printers, computer monitors, laptops, printers, fax machines, MP3 players and other electronics items, most of which have housings made from plastics. The bill also mandates producer responsibility and recycling goals, and incentives, for manufacturers.
The amount of e-waste is huge. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 2.6 million tons of electronics waste are created each year, with just over 12 percent of it recycled.
According to environmental group Electronics Takeback Coalition, 400 million televisions, computers, cell phones and other electronics are scrapped each year in the U.S., with 133,000 personal computers discarded daily.
That is compounded by ever increasing electronics sales. The U.S. purchased 67 million, or one-fourth, of the 268 million computers sold worldwide in 2007. Digital TV sales in the country are projected to reach 32 million in 2008, and worldwide cell phone sales are projected to exceed 1 billion units in 2009, according to the coalition.
``It is the fastest-growing waste stream in the industrialized world,'' said Joe Aho, senior manager of eCycling for Waste Management Recycle America LLC, a subsidiary of Waste Management Inc. of Houston. ``If it is not addressed, it can become a problem of crisis proportions because of the rapid rate of obsolescence'' of electronics products, Aho said.
``We need to keep electronics waste out of landfills.''
With electronic take-back laws or bans now approved in 17 states and New York City, the industry has begun to gear up to meet its mandated responsibility.
In partnership with WM Recycle America, both Sony Electronics Inc. and LG Electronics USA Inc. have their own corporate programs that take back their brands for free, and others for a slight fee. Samsung Electronics America Inc. has a similar program. Both the Samsung and LG programs were started in the last two months. Sony's program is a year old.
In addition, Toshiba, Panasonic Corp. of North America and Sharp Electronics Corp. earlier this year formed Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Co. LLC to manage the collection and recycling of elec- tronic products in the U.S.
The firms set up the joint venture in response to the Minnesota law that took effect July 1, 2007, and recycled 10 million pounds of electronics in that state in its first year through 75 collection sites.
``We want to provide cost-effective recycling services for manufacturers and consumers,'' Gobble said of the joint venture, known as MRM. ``It is our job as manufacturers to take these producer responsibilities and meet sustainability objectives through recycling management.''
MRM has an executive director in Minnesota and will add more as state-passed laws go into effect.
``We expect to have state level directors as we expand,'' Gobble said. ``We just added one in Oregon.'' A bill passed by the Oregon Legislature goes into effect Jan. 1.
Gobble said MRM is working to establish programs in other jurisdictions where laws will soon go into effect — New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Illinois, to name a few.
There are also other take-back efforts emerging at retail, said Jason Linnell, executive director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling in Davisville, W.Va. ``Sometimes retailers such as Best Buy will take back TVs,'' he said.
With the proliferation of state laws, each with different nuances, manufacturers would prefer a uniform federal law.
``The biggest issue is whether there will be pre-emption at the federal level,'' Gobble said. ``But the federal government doesn't like to do that. Toshiba is neutral on that, but there is a growing consensus on an industry level to try and come up with some federal language.''
However, Aho thinks that is unlikely: ``For the federal government to do something at this point would be challenging.''


General Pype – Clear Road
[Music] General Pype – Clear Road
by Hem-El Sep 16th, 2022 at 10:24 pm
by Hem-El Sep 16th, 2022 at 10:24 pm 4 views
Afro-Reggae crooner, General Pype releases a catchy new hit titled 'Clear Road.'
Well-known Afro Reggae artist, General Pype, who is incredibly talented in delivering deep lyrics and groovy tunes is back with a new street Amapiano anthem for his lovers and he titled this one "Clear Road" upon his return back to the music scene.
This singer's newest single was produced by multi-talented producer, Selasi RockSteady under the banner of his own record company, Obalende Records.
However, the singer claims that the new piece of work is a song for the hood and according to him
"I wrote this song for my people, I want them to feel and be able to sing along". This energetic new single is guaranteed to resonate with all music lovers who love to vibe.
Download "Clear Road" mp3 below and check out our Music page for other similar tracks, also share your thoughts because we really love to hear your take on this.
Artist Name(s): General Pype
Title: Clear Road
Genre: Amapiano
Released Date: September 16, 2022. © Obalende Records
File Size: Not Available
Producer: Selasi Rocksteady
Listen, Download, enjoy and Share "General Pype – Clear Road" Mp3 song below:-
https://www.naijavibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/General-Pype-Clear-Road.mp3
Don't forget to rate this post and share your thoughts on this by dropping a comment below, it is essential to us. THANK YOU.
[Movie] Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)
[Music] Zlatan – Jaboti


Friends of Antiquity Sunday Series: The Grand Tour: an institution and its legacy (in-person or zoom)
9 October 2022 2:00pm–4:00pm
9 October 2022 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Venue: Room E302 - Forgan Smith Building, UQ St Lucia
From the 18th-19th century, the education of aristocratic young men included a 'Grand Tour' of key historical, archaeological, and religious sites of Europe. They were exposed to ancient remains that influenced their thoughts about Ancient Greece and Rome and provided opportunities for obtaining antiquities. Many such items in modern museums were initially collected by such travellers.
Professor Alastair Blanshard will assess the impact and legacy of these tours on modern scholarship and understandings of the ancient world.
The Grand Tour: an institution and its legacy will be preceded by a celebration of the life of Mrs Betty Fletcher and the scholarships in her name. Ms Brianna Sands will give an overview of her experience as a Betty Fletcher scholar.
Meet the Presenters:
Professor Alastair Blanchard
Professor Blanshard, the Paul Eliadis Professor of Classics & Ancient History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, and Director, Western Civilisation, Faculty of HASS. He is a Greek historian with a strong interest in the impact that the ancient world has on the modern.
Brianna Sands
Ms Brianna Sands is an MPhil candidate, Assistant Curator and Museum Engagement Officer, RD Milns Antiquities Museum, and Casual Academic Tutor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry.
The event will be held at The University of Queensland Forgan Smith Building, followed by an afternoon tea.


Businessmans
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How rich is Jeff Beacher?
June 25, 2019 Actors
Jeff Beacher Net Worth:
Samuel Eto'o Fils (French pronunciation: ?[sam??l eto fis]; born 10 March 1981) is a Cameroonian footballer who plays as a striker. Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy. He also holds a Spanish passport, enabling him not to count among the "foreign players" working in the European Union.Eto'o scored over 100 goals in five seasons with Barcelona, and is also the record holder in number of appearances by an African player in La Liga. In 2010, he became the first player to win two European continental trebles following his back-to-back achievements with Barcelona and Inter Milan. He is the second player to have ever scored in two separate UEFA Champions League finals and the fourth player, after Marcel Desailly, Paulo Sousa, and Gerard Piqué, to have won the UEFA Champions League two years in a row with different teams. He is the most decorated African player of all time having won the African Player of the Year award a record four times: in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010. He was third in the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2005.As a member of the Cameroon national team, Eto'o was a part of the squad that won the 2000 Olympic tournament. He has also participated in three World Cups and six Africa Cup of Nations (being champion twice) and is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, with 18 goals. He is also Cameroon's all-time leading scorer and third most capped player, with 56 goals from 118 caps.
Birth place: Douala, Cameroon
Profession: Actor, Producer, Miscellaneous Crew
Movies: Bachelor Party Vegas
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$50 Million 1.8 1981-03-10 Actor Cameroon Douala How rich is Jeff Beacher? Jeff Beacher Miscellaneous Crew Producer


Statement by Minister Duncan on Canada's First Gold Medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games
The Government of Canada congratulates Taylor Ruck on Canada's first gold medal at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
GOLD COAST, Australia, April 5, 2018 /CNW/ - On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I would like to extend my most heartfelt congratulations to Taylor Ruck on winning Canada's first gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games today.
Taylor Ruck, from Kelowna, British Columbia, earned her gold medal in the swimming event on day one of competition. This is Canada's third medal overall. Not only did Taylor Ruck win the first gold medal for Canada, but she also broke a new world record, making her mark in sport history in Canada and around the world. Today, Canadian athletes made their mark in the pool and showed us what they were capable of doing.
Taylor Ruck's outstanding performance reminds us that Canada is a leading sport nation. Our Government is proud to provide our athletes with the support they need to compete and win on the international stage.
Today, Canadians from coast to coast to coast are filled with pride and admiration at Taylor Ruck's incredible talent, drive and strength. I wish our Canadian Team much more success as competition continues in the Gold Coast.
Commonwealth Games Canada
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
For further information: (media only), please contact: Annabelle Archambault, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, 819-934-1122, [email protected]
http://www.pch.gc.ca
/R E P E A T -- Media Advisory - Government of Canada to make an important announcement on Canada's efforts in the fight against Islamophobia/
Media Advisory - Government of Canada to make an important announcement on Canada's efforts in the fight against Islamophobia
Government of Canada announces financial support for Freestyle Canada
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NOTICE TO THE MEDIA - Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia to provide update on implementation of B.C.'s exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Government of Canada invests in growth of À La Dérive Brasserie artisanale by supporting its expansion
/C O R R E C T I O N from Source -- Employment and Social Development Canada/