#2019 Indian Wells Masters

[uispeccoll]

Voices from the Stacks

Ul'nigid'

Ul'nigid'is a moveable book by artist Rhiannon Skye Tafoya, created in 2019 at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York. This is edition six of 44, signed by the artist.

The book can take on multiple forms and shapes, with an accordion pamphlet and movable walls made of woven paper. When fully unfolded and standing up, the book resembles a basket. It features five poems in English with accents in Cherokee syllabary. The poems are those of remembrance, healing, love, home, and heritage. The cover shows an illustration of the artist’s grandmother, and the title is printed in both English and Cherokee.

The piece draws on traditional Cherokee weaving techniques used for river-cane basket making, but with the artists own contemporary weaving design. Instead of white oak and rivercane, she uses handmade paper. In her artist’s statement, Tafoya explains that the weaving design “represents the energy of my indigenous lineage as well as the urge to break out of boxes that a colonized society puts my identity, culture, and art into.”

The book was made in honor of the artists maternal grandmother, Martha Reed-Bark, who was a Cherokee medicine-woman and basket weaver. The title Ul'nigid’, which translates to “strong,” embodies her resilience and spirit.

From the publisher: “Ul’nigid’ is a demonstration of love and remembrance, wherein each technical process portrays strength and delicacy, allowing the artist to communicate a contemporary indigenous voice with deep influences from her traditional grandmother.”

Rhiannon Skye Tafoya is a printmaker, weaver, digital designer, and book artist affiliated with the Eastern Band Cherokee and Santa Clara Pueblo tribes. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in print media from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking and sculpture from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In her work, Tafoya seeks to share and preserve personal and familial stories, cultural knowledge, and the Cherokee language, while still paving her own journey through contemporary art.

Explore more artists’ books on InfoHawk+, the Book Arts Research Database, or visit us in person.  

-Anne M, Olson Graduate Research Assistant

[ssruis]

love seeing you hate on the showtime ruler set . keep up the good work

I appreciate it! but I don’t think it’s something praise worthy. I think speaking up about the issues with RMD should be the norm and it’s disappointing that it isn’t. You would think that “I don’t think the cultures of historically marginalized and oppressed groups should be used as costumes” wouldn’t be a hot take. but apparently it is.

On the subject of that: I’ve heard a lot of people say “it’s not really based on native Americans” and “they didn’t know any better.”

To the first point: that is probably correct. It most likely draws inspiration from the colonist idea of indigenous people in general, but more specifically the Ainu (indigenous people to Japan).

Which brings me to the second point - they absolutely should have known better (and saying otherwise warrants a discussion on the infantilization of East Asians as well as Japan apologism in general. but that’s off topic).

The Ainu have historically been subjected to absolutely horrific violence and oppression by the Japanese government, on par with how the US has treated Native Americans. They were viewed as primitive and barbaric. Their land was taken, Ainu women were sexually assaulted, they were forbidden from practicing their religion, they were put into Japanese speaking schools and forbidden to speak their own language. They were forced to assimilate by law. In 2008 there were ~100 native Ainu speakers. The Ainu weren’t recognized as an ethnically distinct group by the Japanese government until 2019, but they are still continually erased by the push for a homogenous national identity.

Portraying the colonization of indigenous people as a simple “well both sides were prejudiced against each other they just needed to hold hands and get along :)” erases the very real history of oppression against indigenous groups. It allows people to ignore the atrocities committed and their lasting impact. Native Americans and the Ainu (as well as other indigenous people) are still feeling the effects of colonization. It’s not an issue that can or should be viewed as a thing of the past.

Portraying indigenous people as a vague fantasy race/group or as a costume contributes to their continued erasure. It leads to people believing indigenous people and their culture no longer exist. The reality is replaced by the fictional representation.

Phrased more eloquently by Gerald Vizenor (and the person he is quoting) in Mannifest Manners:

“… other masters of manifest manners in the nineteenth century, and earlier, represented tribal cultures as the other; to them ‘language did the capturing, binding Indian society to a future of certain extinction,’ wrote Larzer Ziff in Writing in the New Nation. ‘Treating living Indians as sources for a literary construction of a vanished way of life rather than as members of a vital continuing culture, such writers used words to replace rather than to represent Indian reality.’

[…]

“Those who ‘memorialized rather than perpetuated’ a tribal presence and wrote ‘Indian history as obituary’ were unconsciously collaborating ‘with those bent on physical extermination’ argued Ziff.”

(P.8, emphasis mine)

Vizenor is speaking about Native Americans here, but I think it’s applicable to this situation as well.

This post goes into it a bit more, in terms of harmful tropes present in the RMD story itself.

There’s definitely character related reasons to dislike the RMD story, but I think it cheapens the discussion to center it around “why rui wouldn’t write that” because that is not the important issue and defending a fictional character from the colonization apologist allegations is like. A non issue. Considering everything else.

[book--brackets]

Star Wars: Jedi Quest by Jude Watson (2001-2004)

Fourteen-year-old Anakin Skywalker is strong in the ways of the Force. His lightsaber skills are exceptional, and his piloting is legendary. He should be an ideal Jedi apprentice, and yet there is so much he still has to learn. It is up to Obi-Wan Kenobi to teach him these things. But on a mission to a planet threatened by a toxic disaster, Obi-Wan and Anakin are separated. Anakin and three other apprentices must work together in order to survive.

Wiz by Rick Cook (1989-1996)

What Wiz Zumalt could do with computers was magic on Earth. Then, one day the master computer hacker is called to a different world to help fight an evil known as the Black League. Suddenly, the Wiz finds himself in a place governed by magic--and in league with a red-headed witch who despises him.

Brotherhood of the Conch by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2004-2009)

In a dingy shack in the less-than-desirable Indian neighborhood he calls home, twelve-year-old Anand is entrusted with a conch shell that possesses mystical powers. His task is to return the shell to its rightful home many hundreds of miles away. Accompanying him are Nisha, a headstrong but resourceful child of the streets, and a mysterious man of indeterminate age and surprising resources named Abadhyatta. His quest will take him farther from home than he's ever been and will teach him more than he ever imagined -- and it will force him to make a poignant decision that will change him forever.

The Rules by F. T. Lukens (2017-2019)

Desperate to pay for college, Bridger Whitt is willing to overlook the peculiarities of his new job--entering via the roof, the weird stacks of old books and even older scrolls, the seemingly incorporeal voices he hears from time to time--but it's pretty hard to ignore being pulled under Lake Michigan by... mermaids? Worse yet, this happens in front of his new crush, Leo, the dreamy football star who just moved to town.

Fantastic.

When he discovers his eccentric employer Pavel Chudinov is an intermediary between the human world and its myths, Bridger is plunged into a world of pixies, werewolves, and Sasquatch. The realm of myths and magic is growing increasingly unstable, and it is up to Bridger to ascertain the cause of the chaos, eliminate the problem, and help his boss keep the real world from finding the world of myths.

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes (2022)

She didn't ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. It's a big secret to keep. When a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life--and before the king's militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan's powerful--and rare--Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. When he locates Myrthe, he agrees to take her to the Well in exchange for a wish. Once she's fulfilled her end of the deal, he'll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don't compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish--the king, Myrthe's cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they're ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they'll just kill her anyway.

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power (2022)

Rhea and Lexos were born into a family unlike any other. Together with their siblings, they control the seasons, the tides, and the stars, and help their father rule their kingdom. Thanks to their magic, the family has ruled for an eternity, and plan to rule for an eternity more.

But Rhea and Lexos are special: They are twins, bonded down to the bone, and for the past hundred years, that bond has protected them as their father becomes an unpredictable tyrant—and his worsening temper threatens the family’s grip on power. 

Now, with rival nations ready to attack, and a rebel movement within their own borders, Rhea and Lexos must fight to keep the kingdom—and the family—together, even as treachery, deceit, and drama threaten to strand the twins on opposite sides of the battlefield.

The Berinfell Prophecies by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper (2009-2012)

The Seven succeeding Elven Lords of Allyra were dead, lost in the Siege of Berinfell as babes. At least that's what everyone thought until tremors from a distant world known as Earth, revealed strange signs that Elven blood lived among its peoples. With a glimmer of hope in their hearts, sentinels are sent to see if the signs are true. But theirs is not a lone errand. The ruling warlord of Allyra, the Spider King, has sent his own scouts to hunt down the Seven and finish the job they failed to complete many ages ago.

Now 13-year-olds on the brink of the Age of Reckoning when their Elven gifts will be manifest, discover the unthinkable truth that their adoptive families are not their only kin. With mysterious Sentinels revealing breathtaking secrets of the past, and dark strangers haunting their every move, will the young Elf Lords find the way back to the home of their birth? Worlds and races collide as the forces of good and evil battle. Will anyone escape the Curse of the Spider King?

I'm in Love with the Villainess by Inori (2019-2021)

Ordinary office worker Oohashi Rei wakes up in the body of the protagonist of her favorite otome game, Revolution. To her delight, the first person to greet her is also her favorite character, Claire Francois—the main antagonist of the story! Now, Rei is determined to romance Claire instead of the game’s male leads. But how will her villainous ladylove react to this new courtship?!

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan (2023-present)

As the only hedgewitch in Blackthorn, Massachusetts—an uncommonly magical place—Aziza El-Amin has bargained with wood nymphs, rescued palm-sized fairies from house cats, banished flesh-eating shadows from the local park. But when a dark entity awakens in the forest outside of town, eroding the invisible boundary between the human world and fairyland, run-of-the-mill fae mischief turns into outright aggression, and the danger—to herself and others—becomes too great for her to handle alone.

Leo Merritt is no stranger to magical catastrophes. On his sixteenth birthday, a dormant curse kicked in and ripped away all his memories of his true love. A miserable year has passed since then. He's road-tripped up and down the East Coast looking for a way to get his memories back and hit one dead end after another. He doesn't even know his true love's name, but he feels the absence in his life, and it's haunting.

Desperate for answers, he makes a pact with Aziza: he’ll provide much-needed backup on her nightly patrols, and in exchange, she’ll help him break the curse.

When the creature in the woods sets its sights on them, their survival depends on the aid of a mysterious young necromancer they’re not certain they can trust. But they’ll have to work together to eradicate the new threat and take back their hometown... even if it forces them to uncover deeply buried secrets and make devastating sacrifices.

Wildworld by L. J. Smith (1987-1990)

When Claudia Hodges-Bradley meets a fox, she knows it will be an extraordinary day. Not just any fox, this vixen is the magical familiar of the sorceress Morgana Shee. For years Morgana has guarded the solitary gate between Earth and the Wildworld, a shimmering parallel universe where legends still live. She alone holds the secret of the mirrors that serve as the last passage to enchantment. But Morgana has been betrayed and imprisoned in Wildworld, and the fox is determined to recruit the Hodges-Bradley kids for the rescue mission.

Armed only with courage and determination, Alys, Charles, Janie, and Claudia must save Morgana before the Winter Solstice when the evil sorcerer Cadal Forge plans to escape Wildworld and conquer Earth. And with December 21 only two weeks away, there is no time to lose....

[madsmilfelsen]

Hello! I'm really curious, what books/authors would you recommend to someone who's new to writing horror?

Hi! Here is what I have on hand (minus my loaned out copies of my favorite book ever Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones and Never Whistle At Night: an indigenous anthology of dark fiction which made me cry on an airplane and made the person next to me very uncomfortable, like she was just trying to build a cart at banana republic, apologies to seat 17B)

God’s Cruel Joke Lit Mag because I’m in them and will be in issue 4, too :) published either mid-January or February 2024– @labyrinthphanlivingafacade is in issue 3 with a great short story that I won’t spoil ***right now the magazines are available to purchase in physical copies but I was told all issues will be free to download as pdfs pretty soon!

Severance by Ling Ma (body horror but not in the way you think, the real horror is repetition and loneliness)

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (body horror)

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis (adjacent the horror genre but a hell of a read)

ANYTHING BY STEPHAN GRAHAM JONES ANYTHING

We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirely Jackson (I read this for the first time last spring boy howdy, I also included The Lottery for its suspense)

Dean Koontz because my husband suggested it for the list— this was just the first title I grabbed, I think he said Patrician Crowell too but I was busy looking for Mongrels

A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans (I didn’t finish this because depression set in shortly after I started but the first chapter plays with second pov which I really liked, I’m determined to read it this year)

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (I really enjoyed HBO’s adaptation)

The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey (likely the only zombie stories that made me weep uncontrollably)

Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein (non-fiction: explores modern young women navigating sexuality and because I have a thing for loss of autonomy— it’s been a few years since I read it but there is discussion of sexual assault, but I appreciate the expanse of her research and even included a conversation with someone who is asexual)

Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James (got a chill just typing this out— the audio book is exquisite)

You’ll notice some nonfiction because, as a historian undergrad, nothing scares me more than man. The battles of Leningrad and Stalingrad are particularly stomach churning. America’s Reconstruction Era is full of acted out malice and under taught in my opinion.

An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

The 900 Days, The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury

Enemy at the Gates by William Craig

(On the other side of WW2 I have a book of the experiences of German solider’s left over from a paper I wrote on the inadequacy of Nazi uniforms and how it expedited their failure in Russia, Frontsoldaten by Stephen G. Fritz)

Stony the Road by Henry Louis Gates, Jr (one of my favorite authors, try finding “How Reconstruction Still Shapes American Racism” Time Magazine, April 2, 2019, I used it as a source for a paper on the history of voting rights)

Bloodstoppers and Bearwalkers— folk tales of Canadians, Lumberjacks & Indians by Richard M. Dorson (published around 1952 but content collected from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the 40’s)

Raven Tells Stories: An Anthology of Alaskan Native Writing (I’m Alutiiq and the museum on Kodiak has a lot of stories recorded under Alutiiq Museum Podcast— my kids and I listen on Spotify)

I think the genre of horror is really mastering tension and playing on peoples fears which is why I included old school folk stories (An Underground Education had a great write up on the Grimm Brothers and the original fairy tales from around the world such as the Chinese and Egyptian Cinderella, as well as several different sections of funny tales, torture techniques, absolute weirdos etc etc) in this vein of thought The Uses of Enchanment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim could prove to be useful

If you’re writing a character with Bad Parents— Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents and Toxic Parents (it has a longer subtitle but I don’t see my copy anywhere) might be able to help you shape character traits

I reached out to @littleredwritingcat who has a mind plentiful in sources who recommended

The Gathering Dark: an anthology of folk horror (I will be picking this one up asap)

Toll by Cherie Priest (southern gothic)

Anything by Jennifer MacMahon

The Elementals by Michael McDowell

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this week (#169):

3 by forgotten [re-discovered?] Turkish director, Metin Erksan:

🍿  Dry Summer, a mesmerizing 1964 Turkish masterpiece I never heard of before. It tells of a greedy peasant who refuses to share the water on his field with his neighbors, as well as his scheme to steal his younger brother's new bride. (Photo Above). A rustic tragedy featuring one of the most insidious screen villains ever. Highly recommended. 9/10.

It was championed and restored by Martin Scorsese's 'World Cinema Project'. (I'm going to start chewing through their list of preserved classics from around the world.)

🍿 Time to love (1965) is a fetishistic, probably-symbolic, melodrama about a poor house painter who falls in love with a wall portrait of a woman, but who can't or won't love the real person. Lots of brooding while heavy rains keep pouring down, and traditional oud music drones on. Strikingly beautiful black and white cinematography elevates this strange soap opera into something that Antonioni could have shot.

🍿 "May Allah's mercy be upon her! May Allah's mercy be upon her! May Allah's mercy be upon her!"

In 1974 Erksan directed the cheesy Seytan ("Satan"), a plagiarized, unauthorized Turkish rip-off of 'The Exorcist'. It was a schlocky, nearly a shot-by-shot copy, and included the blood spurting, head spinning, cursing, stairs, a young actress that looked strikingly like Linda Blair, and even extensive use of Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells'. But it eliminated the Catholic element and had none of the superb decisions of the William Friedkin's version. 1/10.

🍿  

Agnès Varda's deceivingly blissful drama, Le Bonheur. Exquisite, subversive and beautifully simple, about an uncomplicated man who's completely happy with his idyllic life, his loving wife and two little children. But one summer day he takes on an attractive mistress, while still feeling uncommonly fulfilled and undisturbed. Varda lets the Mozart woodwind score do all the heavy interpretive lifting of this disturbing feminist take of the bourgeoisie. Just WOW! 8/10.

At this point, I should just complete my explorations of Varda's oeuvre, and see the rest of her movies. Also, I'm going to take a deep dive one day into the many terrific movies from 1965 (besides the many I've already seen, 'Red Beard', 'Simon of the desert', 'Repulsion', 'The spy who came in from the cold', 'Juliet of the spirit', 'Pierrot the fool'...).

/ Female Director

🍿

2 by amazing Bulgarian director Milko Lazarov:

🍿 Ága, my first Bulgarian film, but it plays somewhere in Yakutsk, south of the Russian arctic circle. An isolated old Inuit couple lives alone in a yurt on the tundra. Slow and spiritual, their lives unfold in the most unobtrusive way, it feels like a documentary. But the simplicity is deceiving, this is film-making of the highest grade, and once Mahler 5th was introduced on a small transistor radio, it's transcendental. The emptiness touched me deeply.

Together with 93 other movies, this was submitted by Bulgaria to the 2019 Oscars (the one won by 'Parasite'). How little we know; If selected, we might have all be talking about it. Absolutely phenomenal! The trailer represents the movie well. 10/10

(It also reminded me very much of the Bolivian drama 'Utama' from 2022, another moving story of an elderly Indian couple living alone in the desert, tending to their small flock of llamas.)

🍿 Milko Lazarov made only one earlier film, the minimalist Alienation in 2013. It tells of Yorgos, a middle age Greek man, (impassively played by the father from 'Dogtooth'), who crosses the border to Bulgaria to buy a newborn baby. But it's not as bad as it sounds, because he's actually helping the impoverished surrogate mother (who looks like young Tilda Swinton) who can't effort to keep him. Another stark and snail-like drama about quiet people who barely speak, told with the masterful language of a true poet. Like 'Ága', it too opens with a stunning close up of a lengthy incantation in an unfamiliar language. I wish he made more movies. 8/10.

🍿  

2 more arctic dramas:

🍿 The original movie about indigenous Inuks, Nanook of the North, from 1922, was the first feature-length documentary to achieve commercial success. An engaging slice of life of an Inuit family, even if some of the scenes were staged. 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes.

🍿 "Many of the scientists involved with climate change agree: The end of human life on this planet is assured."

Another fascinating Werner Herzog documentary, Encounters at the end of the world. About the "professional dreamers" who live and work at McMurdo Station in Antarctica; divers who venture to explore life under the the ice, volcanologists who burrow into ice caves, etc. Herzog's 'secret sauce' is finding the most outrageous, interesting spots on earth, and then just going there and letting his camera do his bidding.

🍿

2 fantastic shorts by Hungarian animator Réka Bucsi:

🍿 Her 2014 Symphony No. 42 consists of 47 short & whimsical vignettes, without any rhyme or rhythm; A farmer fills a cow with milk until it overflows, a zoo elephant draws a "Help me" sign, a UFO sucks all the fish from the ocean, wolves party hard to 'La Bamba', an angry man throws a pie at a penguin, two cowboys holding blue balloons watch a tumbleweed rolls by, a big naked woman cuddle with a seal, etc. Earlier than Don Hertzfeldt's 'World of tomorrow' and my favorite Rúnar Rúnarsson's 'Echo', it's a perfect piece of surrealist chaos. 10/10

My happiest, unexpected surprise of the week!

/ Female Director

🍿 Love (2016), a lovely meditation on nature, poetry and cats in the cosmos. 8/10.

/ Female Director

🍿

Françoise Dorléac X 2:

🍿 Her name was Françoise ("Elle s’appelait Françoise") is a fluff bio-piece about the utterly gorgeous model-actress, who died at a fiery car-crush at 25, and who left a legacy of only a few important films. It includes previously-unseen, enchanting clips and photos from her short life. But then is cuts into her and sister Catherine Deneuve practicing their "Pair of Twins" song-and-dance from 'The Young Girls of Rochefort', the most charming musical in the world, and life is sunny again.

/ Female Director

🍿 That man from Rio, her breakthrough film, was a stupid James Bond spoof, inspired by 'The adventures of Tintin'. Unfortunately, it focused on protagonist Jean-Paul Belmondo, and used Dorléac only as eye-candy. It's the first film I've seen from Brasília, just a few years after it was constructed. 2/10.

🍿

Paintings and Film X 3:

🍿 'Painting Nerds' is a YouTube channel by 2 Scottish artists, putting up intelligent video essays about the art of painting. Paintings In Movies: From '2001: A Space Odyssey' to 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' is an insightful meditation which explores the relationship between the two art forms. Among the many examples it touches on are the canvases in Hitchcock's 'Rebecca' and 'Vertigo', 'The French Dispatch', 'Laura' and 'I'm thinking of ending things'. They even made a Wellesian trailer for that essay, When Citizen Kane met Bambi : The Lost Paintings of Tyrus Wong!

🍿 So I decided to see some of the movies mentioned above, f. ex. Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry from 1955. Famous for being Shirley MacLaine's film debut, his first collaboration with Bernard Herrmann, and this being his only "real" comedy. However, the only engaging element among the idiotic machinations on screen were the stunning VistaVision landscapes, painted in true Vermont autumn colors.

🍿 All the Vermeers in New York is my [5th film about Vermeer, and] my first film by prolific indie director Jon Jost. The Scottish essay above interpretated it as a "Charming mirroring of art and life, but also a deeply sad film... The gallery scene shows the transmission of feeling from painting to person, and ultimately, the vast amount of space between them. It plays out the entire drama of the film in microcosm.." But that Met Gallery scene was the only outstanding one in an otherwise disjointed experiment about the NYC art world. The abrasive stockbroker who falls for a French actress at the museum and mistakes her for a woman from the painting was mediocre and irritating. 3/10.

🍿

First watch: Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, an homage to Melville's Le Samouraï. An RZA mood piece about a ritualistically-chill black assassin / Zen Sensei, who communicates only with carrier pigeons, and who drives alone at night in desolate streets on mafia missions. 'Live by the Code, die by the Code'.

🍿

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Scorsese's only melodrama with a female protagonist (? - haven't seen 'Boxcar Bertha' yet). It opens in a tinted Wizard of Oz scenery, and tells of an ordinary single mom who dreams of becoming a singer. Hardly a feminist story, as she navigates between one unloving husband, an abusive lover and eventually bearded Kris Kristofferson, who ends up beating her son and promises not to do it again. 3/10.

[I finally watched it because of this clip of 15-year-old Jody Foster singing Je t'attends depuis la nuit de temps on French television].

🍿

The new well-made HBO documentary The Truth vs Alex Jones. About the collective mental sickness that is Amerika. It's hard to imagine how insane are the crazies over there. 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes.

🍿

3 more shorts:

🍿 The Most Beautiful Shots In Movie History, a little mash-up clippy from The "Solomon Society" with an evocative Perfect day cover.

🍿 Joana, a beautiful tribute of a Spanish father to his little daughter. Reminds me of better times and another daughter.

🍿 From hand to mouse, a mediocre 1944 'Looney Tune' short from Chuck Jones, with the same dynamics that the Coyote & Road Runner did much better.

🍿

Ramy Youssef X 3:

🍿 I discovered first-generation Egyptian-American stand-up comedian Ramy Youssef. In his funny 2019 special, Feelings, he comes across as a sweet dude, a sensitive, observant Muslim, on a complicated spiritual quest in New Jersey. Recommended!

🍿 Ramy was his A24 TV-series that expanded on the themes. It had more of a sitcom vibes, reminiscent of 'Master of None', another one that dealt with an unexplored ethnicity, previously marginalized. I only watched the first season, and liked how unapologetic he was in having large part of the dialogue in other languages, Arabic, French, Etc. Episode 7, "Ne Me Quitte Pas", starring his screen-mom Hiam Abbass was a terrific stand-out.

🍿 “Where were you when the floods happened in Pakistan?”

More feelings, his brand new stand up which just dropped is dark and gentle. It opens with some dark truths from his friend Steve who wants to die, and moves right into the situation in Palestine.

(Later: He hosted Saturday Night Live this weekend.)

🍿  

(My complete movie list is here)

[top-dental-clinic-in-hyderabad]

Can Smiling More Actually Make You Happier? Avighna’s Says Yes!

Top Dental Clinic in Hyderabad ,Happiness isn’t just a state of mind; it’s a lifestyle choice that impacts every aspect of our lives. From our relationships to our professional growth, happiness has the power to transform our journey. In India, where traditions meet modernity, the pursuit of happiness often intertwines with celebrations, smiles, and cherished moments. Avighna’s, a leading name in wellness and lifestyle solutions, firmly believes in the transformative power of a smile. But can smiling more actually make you happier? Science and experience say yes! Let’s delve deeper into the reasons and how this simple act can influence not just individuals but also businesses and communities.

The Science Behind Smiling and Happiness

Smiling Releases Feel-Good Chemicals

When you smile, your brain releases dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin—natural mood boosters. This biochemical reaction reduces stress and promotes a sense of well-being. A 2019 study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin found that smiling can indeed make people feel happier.

The Feedback Loop of Happiness

Smiling doesn’t just reflect happiness; it can create it. This is known as the facial feedback hypothesis, which suggests that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences. So, even a forced smile can eventually lead to genuine feelings of happiness.

Improved Mental Health

Regular smiling reduces cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress. This can lead to better mental clarity, improved productivity, and stronger interpersonal relationships.

Smiling and Wedding Photography Trends in India

In India, weddings are grand celebrations filled with emotions, rituals, and countless smiles. Capturing these moments has evolved into an art form. Let’s explore how smiling plays a central role in the latest wedding photography trends.

1. Candid Moments Rule the Frame

Gone are the days of stiff, posed wedding portraits. Today’s couples prefer candid shots that capture authentic emotions. A genuine smile during a heartfelt moment often becomes the highlight of wedding albums.

2. Pre-Wedding Shoots with a Smile

Pre-wedding photography has become a must-have for modern couples. Smiling couples against picturesque backdrops—whether in Jaipur’s palaces or Goa’s beaches—are a common sight.

3. Family and Friends’ Happiness

Photographers now focus on capturing not just the couple but also the joy and smiles of family and friends. These moments reflect the true essence of Indian weddings.

4. Slow-Motion Smiles in Wedding Films

Cinematic wedding films often include slow-motion shots of the bride’s shy smile or the groom’s elated grin. These elements add a touch of romance and magic.

Smiling in Business: Why It Matters for Entrepreneurs and Professionals

Smiling isn’t just personal; it’s a professional tool that can impact business growth. For entrepreneurs, developers, and students, a smile can be the key to building connections and fostering trust.

1. Smiling Builds Trust

In a business meeting, a smile can make you appear approachable and trustworthy. This is crucial for startups looking to establish credibility.

2. Enhances Team Morale

For business owners, a smile can be a simple yet effective way to boost team morale. Happy teams are more productive and innovative.

3. Client Relations

Smiling while interacting with clients, whether in person or virtually, can leave a lasting impression. It’s an essential soft skill that every professional should master.

Avighna’s Wellness Solutions: Helping You Smile Brighter

Avighna’s offers a range of solutions designed to bring more smiles into your life. From wellness programs to dental care, our holistic approach ensures that you’re always putting your best smile forward.

Top Dental Clinic in Hyderabad

Maintaining oral health is key to a confident smile. Avighna’s collaborates with the Top Dental Clinic in Hyderabad to provide cutting-edge treatments that prioritize your dental wellness.

Special Offer: Smile Makeover Packages

For a limited time, enjoy up to 20% off on smile makeover packages. Rediscover your confidence with expert care tailored to your needs.

Smiling and SEO in Warangal

Digital marketing professionals understand the importance of engaging content and happy visuals. Incorporating smiling faces into your website or social media can:

Increase Engagement: Posts featuring smiling faces often receive higher engagement rates.

Boost Brand Image: A smiling team photo can make your brand appear more relatable and trustworthy.

Improve Conversion Rates: Happiness is contagious, and happy visuals can encourage users to take action.

Avighna’s also provides specialized digital marketing services, including SEO in Warangal, ensuring your business gets the visibility it deserves.

Experts Weigh In: Quotes on Smiling and Happiness

Dr. Asha Reddy, Psychologist: “Smiling is a simple yet powerful way to improve mental health. It can create a ripple effect of positivity, influencing those around you.”

Karthik Rao, Wedding Photographer: “The best wedding shots are always the ones where people forget about the camera and smile genuinely. It’s pure magic.”

Statistical Insights

According to a study by Harvard Business Review, smiling can make you appear more competent and likable.

Indian weddings contribute over $50 billion annually to the economy, with wedding photography making up a significant portion of this market.

FAQs

1. Can smiling really reduce stress? Yes, smiling releases endorphins and serotonin, which help reduce stress levels.

2. How can I improve my smile? Regular dental check-ups, maintaining oral hygiene, and consulting the Top Dental Clinic in Hyderabad can help.

3. How does smiling impact professional relationships? A smile makes you appear approachable and trustworthy, fostering stronger professional connections.

Conclusion: Smile Your Way to Happiness with Avighna’s

Smiling is more than just a facial expression; it’s a lifestyle choice that can transform your personal and professional life. Whether you’re a bride looking to capture the perfect wedding moment, a business owner aiming to build trust, or someone looking to enhance their smile, Avighna’s has the solutions for you. Remember, happiness starts with a smile, and at Avighna’s, we’re here to make that smile brighter.

[atplblog]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] Hailed as the first pan-Indian female superstar in an era which literally offered actresses crumbs, Sridevi tamed Hindi cinema like no other. Beginning her affair with the camera when she was four, this doe-eyed beauty conquered Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada industries with performances etched in gold. Taking Hindi cinema by storm with Himmatwala in 1983, Sridevi emerged as one of the most iconic screen goddesses of India, playing characters that went on to become cultural touchstones. A supreme artiste who had mastered all the nine rasas, her comedy was peerless, her dances legendary, her histrionics awe-inspiring and her life a study in contrast, electric on screen, strangely reticent off it. Besides reigning as queen bee for the longest spell among Hindi heroines, she also remains the only actress who was No.1 in Tamil and Telugu cinema as well. Such was Sridevi's megastardom that she emerged as the 'hero' at the box office, towering above her male co-actors. Challenging patriarchy in Bollywood like no other, she not only exalted the status of the Hindi film heroine but also empowered a whole generation of audiences. After a hiatus of fifteen years, she shattered the rules again by becoming the only Bollywood diva to make a triumphant comeback in 2012 with the globally acclaimed English Vinglish. If her life played out forever in the limelight, so did her sudden demise in 2018. Charting five decades of her larger-than-life magic, this book celebrates both the phenomenon and the person Sridevi was. This is her journey from child star to one of our greatest movie luminaries who forever changed the narrative of Indian cinema. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Ebury Press; Illustrated edition (20 December 2019) Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0670092673 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0670092673 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 512 g Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.62 x 2.79 x 24.13 cm Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ India Generic Name ‏ : ‎ Book [ad_2]

[safargenie]

Ashirwad Holidays Pvt Ltd

GORAKHPUR TOURS & TRAVELS

Ashirwad Holidays is a presumed Travel Office in Gorakhpur which is established in the year 2009 by a Experienced from Indian Armed force. Our devoted & customized administrations to each single voyager whether it is a Gather Bundle Visit To Nepal or an person FIT Visit has made us Best Travel Organization In Gorakhpur. We offer customized & settled takeoff Nepal Visit Bundle along with different other Residential & Worldwide Visit bundle from Gorakhpur to our voyagers. If you are arranging Lucknow to Nepal Visit by means of street, Travel Office in Gorakhpur is the right choice. Our Nepal Trip Bundle from Bangalore is prevalent among voyagers from Karnataka since of a coordinate flight between Bangalore to Gorakhpur.

Nepal Visit Bundle from Gorakhpur was the specialization of Ashirwad Visits & Voyages. But presently we are Ashirwad Occasions Pvt Ltd, with the brand title SafarGenie, in this way separated from Nepal Visit Bundle from Gorakhpur, we are moreover advertising customized Household Visit Bundle & Worldwide Visit Bundle. Be that as it may, Nepal Visit Bundle from Gorakhpur is most prevalent among those who arrange Nepal Trip by Street. As our travel begun from a transport company we are presently among Best Travel Specialists in Gorakhpur for Nepal Visit & our company has been granted as Best Visit Administrator in Purvanchal by Purvanchal Symbol Grants 2019. Our visit bundle is evaluated as Best Nepal Visit Bundle & our company as Best Travel Operator for Nepal in Gorakhpur by our important visitors, we are moreover perceived as premium Nepal Travel Operator in Gorakhpur by most of our B2B clients.

NEPAL TOUR PACKAGE FROM GORAKHPUR

Gorakhpur (UP) is the most reasonable intersection point for sightseers arranging to take Nepal Visit Bundle from Gorakhpur. Both household & outside voyagers regularly incline toward to take Gorakhpur To Nepal Taxi Administrations who wish to enter Nepal through Street through Sonauli Border. In spite of the fact that Gorakhpur is remotely found close Bihar Border not as it were does Gorakhpur Railroad Station is having well-connecting trains from nearly each portion of India, but Gorakhpur Airplane terminal is moreover well associated with major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai & Bangalore through coordinate flights. Gorakhpur Visits & Voyages showcase is majorly devoted to Nepal Tourism & exceptionally few counting us moreover offer another Household & Worldwide visit package.

Muktinath Tour Packages

Nepal Tour Package From Gorakhpur With Muktinath & Ayodhya

Muktinath Sanctuary (Nepal) & Ayodhya Sanctuary (Uttar Pardesh) are two most unmistakable hindu sanctuaries which are portion of the Nepal Trip of those voyager who arrange their Nepal Visit Bundle from Gorakhpur.

These two sanctuaries are unmistakable Hindu sanctuaries of Master Vishnu & Master Rama separately, and voyager who is arranging his Nepal Visit from Gorakhpur must incorporate this in their agenda, as these places can be secured without aggravating the existing arrange OR the budget of the voyager.

Nepal Tour Packages

[shivyogapeeth]

"Transform Your Practice: Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India"

Introduction Rishikesh, an acclaimed 'Yoga Capital of the world', has emerged as a global hub for yoga lovers. The ideal settings for transformation in the company of a teacher training await all those interested in deepening their yoga journey or to turn into a licensed yoga instructor. It is such breathtaking landscapes, peaceful surroundings, and sacred atmospheres that make it unparalleled for learning and growth. In this article, we will discuss how yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, particularly about Hatha and Ashtanga yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, can take your practice to a whole new level.

Why Rishikesh for Yoga Teacher Training? Rishikesh is the abode of ancient yoga traditions and modern yoga as well. A UNESCO-recognized destination for yoga and meditation, the city attracts thousands of yoga students from all over the world. The International Yoga Festival states that Rishikesh has emerged as the yoga teaching and learning hub. Surprisingly, Rishikesh houses over 500 schools and is India's largest concentration of yoga teacher training centers.

Yogic teacher training in Rishikesh is deeply traditional yet followed with updated techniques. For instance, Shivayogapeeth also teaches Hatha and Ashtanga yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, curriculums that nurture both beginners and advanced people.

Key Advantages of Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh Authenticity: An authentic experience of yoga to its roots and in the nerve of Indian culture and philosophy can be found in Rishikesh. Comprehensive learning: Whether Hatha yoga or Ashtanga yoga, training here would include classroom and practical sessions in detail, which itself is a very comprehensive experience for the students. Spiritual atmosphere: Rishikesh's serene environment combined with sacred temples and the majestic Ganges River makes it an ideal setting to experience the spiritual essence of yoga. What makes Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training special in Rishikesh? Hatha Yoga: This is one of the favorite practices used by beginners. The traditional Hatha yoga teacher training focuses on learning and mastering the various asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing exercises). Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga yoga is one of those yoga forms that involve strong postures in dynamic sequences coupled with the pace of synchronized breaths. The practice will need intense dedication and discipline. Rishikesh has structured Ashtanga yoga teacher training, which aims to ensure that students achieve mastery in both physical and mental aspects of the practice. Statistics on Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh According to the World Yoga Alliance 2019 report, over 30,000 students from more than 100 countries come every year to Rishikesh to take part in yoga teacher training programs. With more than 50 yoga schools offering teacher training certification, Rishikesh has experienced day-by-day, week-by-week, and month-to-month admissions of trainee teachers who wish to obtain their Yoga Alliance certification either in Hatha or Ashtanga yoga. What to Expect in Your Training Program at Shivayogapeeth Shivayogapeeth students can expect:

Under the guidance of experienced Yoga Masters- The curriculum entails teaching postures and sequences, yet goes a step ahead to deepen through the understanding of Yoga Philosophy, Meditation, and Ayurveda Holistic Approach: Daily yoga practice, chanting, meditation, and yoga philosophy classes help engage the students in an all-rounded yoga practice. Small Student-Teacher Ratio- Shivayogapeeth offers a better ratio with individualized attention throughout every phase of training. How Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh changes your Practice Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh is not for just certification; it is something that will transform you, making your body bend and twist and your mind mindful. Students gradually receive such profound changes in physical strength and, simultaneously, refinement in their thought process. They also attain knowledge about the traditions of yoga so that they can provide that knowledge to others.

Conclusion This particular program of Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, especially in Hatha and Ashtanga yoga, provides an incredible opportunity to go deeper with the practice or to become a certified instructor, managed by advanced teachers at one of the places spiritually most significant around the world. With such a rich tradition, serene environment, and comprehensive training programs, Rishikesh can be considered as the ideal destination for any yoga practitioner to elevate his or her practice and transform their life into an energy-filled journey.

For more information on Hatha and Ashtanga yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, please visit Shivayogapeeth.

[educationvibes01]

The Benefits of Studying MSC in the USA for Indian Students

Study in USA is a one of the favourite place of Indian students. The home of many great universities and colleges USA boast to be one of the best destinations to study abroad. God quality of education, innovative ideas and excellent teaching methodology are some of the striking features. This article is for you if you are like other passionate students aspiring to Study in USA for Indian Students  is like a dream come true and there are many things which make USA a great destination.  

Being one of the most developed countries in the world, the US has a number of benefits that make it the most popular choice for students wishing to pursue a master's degree.

One by one, let's examine the reasons why American Masters is regarded as one of the greatest in the world:

The main factor driving the high demand for MSc in USA for Indian student is the country's home to some of the greatest colleges in the world. These universities provide excellent programs and a wide choice of degrees. Five of the top ten institutions worldwide are located in the United States, according to the QS World University Rankings 2022. 

The United States' dynamic study system, which draws about 30% of students who study abroad annually, is the driving force behind its academic leadership. Developing subject matter competence is crucial for master's degree candidates.

The study in USA for Indian students is a potential alternative because of its excellent teachers who guarantee well-rounded development, which includes exposure to both theory and practice. The US colleges are well-known for hiring eminent faculty members and emphasizing experiential learning—that is, applying theoretical knowledge to actual situations.

Now let's examine why, from the perspective of the student experience, the MSc in USA for Indian student is a great option. Studying in American institutions offers the perfect environment for students to study using adaptable teaching strategies across all subject areas. Students are effectively urged to step outside of their comfort zone while strengthening their foundations.

Excellent infrastructure is provided by the universities' labs, libraries, and practice spaces. Students have access to the newest technology and the most up-to-date learning environment thanks to them. Leading universities in the field of high-tech research and breakthroughs include MIT, Cornell University, California Institute of Technology, and others. Studying MSc in USA for Indian student has many advantages, chief among them being acquainting you with a new mode of learning right away.

Inclusion is a fundamental component of all US academic programmes. People from all walks of life and backgrounds will be present.  The mere fact that there were more than 1.1 million international students studying in the US in 2019–20 gives you an idea of the kind of diversity that exists.

Universities have excellent admissions screening procedures, and you will have the opportunity to meet bright students from all around you. Study in USA for Indian students fosters a positive environment where they are motivated to work harder.

One major factor making the USA a popular destination for MS students is that you will have access to the best post-degree employment opportunities. You will have the opportunity to attend workshops and events that assist you in finding the best opportunities in your chosen field while pursuing your master's degree in US universities.

Skilled graduates from US universities are readily hired by reputable businesses on the campus. There's also a buffer period of visa validity for students to look for jobs in many STEM courses to study in USA for Indian students. In three to four years, the majority of students can recoup the cost of their education through easy employment recovery.

Students at universities can easily find support and guidance for anything from food and lodging to scholarships, internships, and visa extensions. Colleges make every effort to ensure that international students have a smooth transition to life in the United States.

The international student offices at the majority of American universities assist international students in adjusting to life on campus. You can contact them with any questions you may have about school, social issues, or any other difficulties you are having acclimating to the new way of life. 

The opportunity for students to participate in the active student life at MSc in USA for Indian student is another factor making it popular among international students. There will be a tonne of exciting extracurricular activities on campus in addition to academic pursuits. Joining clubs, sports teams, volunteering, and numerous other student organisations are just a few ways you can choose to be involved in a variety of university experiences.

All things considered, the USA is a fascinating option for anyone considering a master's degree abroad. You have to do more research if you are thinking about this as a possibility and you already know what universities you want to attend.

[sudheervanguri]

Alembic Pharmaceuticals is hiring an Assistant Manager for Regulatory Affairs at its Vadodara location. This role is ideal for individuals with extensive experience in regulatory processes, compliance with FDA standards, and managing export product registrations. Key Responsibilities: As a Regulatory Affairs Assistant Manager, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the company's products meet all regulatory standards. Your responsibilities include: Person who has been working in Regulatory Affairs for the last 10-15 years and are eager to continue growing Person who has career in this field. Person who has knowledge of labelling requirements as per the D&C ACT. Person who is well-versed with applicable Regulatory guidance, D&C Rules, including NDCT-2019. Person who has possess technical knowledge and understanding of licensing requirements for the Indian and  ROW markets. Person who has experience in handling Artwork related activities in coordination with CQA & PDC. Person who is skilled in Liaisoning with State Food and Drug Administration for necessary Licensing/Regulatory work. Person who has excel in preparing and reviewing applications for Manufacturing Site/Product Licenses and FDA Correspondences. Person who is capable of handling Regulatory Queries, including #NSQ and Market Complaints. Person who has experience with Export Product Registration. Person who is proactive in staying updated on recent circulars/communications from Regulatory Authorities for execution and compliance. Person who can assess products for updated pharmacopoeia compliance. Person who is proficient in dealing with FDA/Outside Testing Labs and coordinating with relevant departments to meet the requirements received from FDA labs. • Person who can manage control samples with FDA sample portions as per D&C rules. • Person who has completed Bachelor’s in Pharmacy or Master’s in Chemistry and possess strong communication skills. • Person who enjoy working in a friendly environment. • Person who is eager to guide and mentor younger team members and are willing to take initiative. • Person who is self-motivated and do not require constant supervision to get the job done. • Person who is proactive, able to apply critical thinking to solve problems, eager to learn new skills, and can take ownership of outcomes.This role is not suitable for freshers or individuals without these specific skills. If you do not meet these criteria, please explore other suitable opportunities at Alembic Pharmaceuticals. Required Qualifications and Skills: To be considered for this role, candidates must possess: A B.Pharm or M.Sc. in Chemistry or a related field. 10-15 years of experience in Regulatory Affairs, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. Strong knowledge of D&C Act, NDCT 2019, and regulatory guidelines for the Indian and ROW markets. Hands-on experience liaising with FDA and managing product licenses. Expertise in HPLC/GC instruments is an added advantage. Excellent communication and project management skills. Location: Vadodara, Gujarat, India How to Apply: If you meet the qualifications and are excited to join a leading pharmaceutical company, submit your CV to vivek.amishra@alembic.co.in. Include your Notice Period, Current CTC, and Expected CTC.

[eduquip]

07/13:

How important is grammar instruction in helping students write better?

Ever since I've learned about "prescriptive" and "descriptive" grammar, it's been my favorite grammar rules to think about. Prescriptive grammar are rules of grammar based on how language "should" be whereas descriptive grammar is how grammar is actually used: "ain't" isn't a word according to prescriptive grammar, but has it's own context and place in language according to descriptive grammar. When I think about teaching grammar, I know that prescriptive rules are important to helping students grow, but it's equally important to stress that descriptive grammar is justly valid and has it's place in language and writing.

Both of these rules have their own place and time. When students in America are learning dominantly English in schools, this is seen as the language of expectations in which grammar rules are set and followed. I have a friend who is born to two Spanish- speaking parents, grew up speaking Spanish at home and in their community, but started losing the ability to speak Spanish as well because they were primarily working with English in school. As of 2019, the United States Census Bureau reported that 78% of Americans spoke English (Dietrich & Hernandez, 2022). It is the majority, but there's still a 22% population who does not speak English. If children are in school to learn language, they will most likely learn English and a second language as an elective— therefore, the English rules of grammar take precedent in schools.

Prescriptive grammar, or "proper grammar", has a set of rules that show that an English speaker or writer has mastered conventions of the language. One rule, that differs between Romantic languages, is adjective placement. The prescriptive rule states that the adjective comes before the noun, such as "green shirt", whereas in a language like French, the adjective comes after the noun, such as "chemise vert". Someone who does not follow a rule like this may show signs that people don't understand the conventions of English grammar. When I teach English, it's convenient when students follow the prescriptive rules of grammar so I understand what ideas they are trying to convey. There is value in teaching it— but part of the value lies in bias. Acknowledging this bias is critical to acknowledging the political power that lies in mastering English.

English, plainly put, is a language not native to America, but it is primarily spoken and written in America. America was colonized by different European countries, such as Spain and England, and thus the language was spread along with colonial rule. An example of this is Indian Boarding Schools, where Native American children were taken from their families and taught English to "kill the Indian and save the man"— anyone using their native language or practicing their native culture were punished (The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition). Because of imperialism, English is a language used throughout the world for business, communication, politics, tourism, and more. In 2019, the British Council estimated that 1.75 billion people spoke English, which is a quarter of the world's population, and was projected to grow to 2 billion in the next year (Ibrahim et. al, 2019). This can lead to the belief that, because of it's spread and political power, it is "superior" compared to indigenous languages (Zeng et. al, 2023).

I have a friend who lives in Portugal who speaks Portuguese as their first language and English as their second, and I have a friend who lives in Argentina who speaks Spanish as his first and English as his second. Both of these countries are not ones that I consider "English" speaking countries, but this is the language that we communicate in. My Portuguese friend describes their time learning English in school as a constant repetition of English's prescriptive grammar rules on tests alongside vocabulary. Their acquisition of the language relied heavily on learning the grammar rules of the language, and they are someone who writes English "well"— it's understandable and follows conventional rules to convey ideas. English mastery for bilingual students and citizens is "important" to have given the state of the world, because it will help them navigate many locations that use English for international business and communication, but it's equally important to acknowledge that English is a result of colonization and it's prescriptive rules are apart of it.

So as an English teacher, what can I do?

Be honest. Testing and business outside of school rely on a mastery of prescriptive grammar in English and other parts of the world, so understanding what's expected in writing can lead to more "acceptable" forms of writing. Standardized tests also expect writing to look and flow a certain way, so learning these rules can show that students can respond to the expectations asked of them by their audience (Lindbloom, 2004).

Be unbiased. Just because a student might speak without typical conventions of prescriptive grammar, understanding forms and systems of language within English can help students communicate with themselves and others without need for "proper" grammar. For example, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is born and developed from enslaved Africans being forced to learn English while combining aspects from both their languages and English, which still exists as a dialect today (Smith, 2024). Understanding, as someone who teaches prescriptive grammar, that AAVE is not incorrect because it does not abide by English's prescriptive rules, acknowledges appreciation for all kinds of language use.

Give opportunities to write freely. To encourage students to want to write, they have to be given a space to write in a way that is true to the student. Opportunities like "freewriting" gives students a space to jot down a stream of consciousness and become comfortable with their identities as a writer (Brown, 2018). Freewriting should be ungraded and without rules of how to write, so descriptive grammar isn't a factor of of "correct" grammar. There should be opportunities for students to write and respond without pressure to use "proper" grammar to make it clear that perscriptive grammar rules do not define them.

All of this in mind, prescriptive grammar can help students shape their writing to become more coherent writers of English, but structure doesn't inherently define "better" writers. Teaching prescriptive grammar rules can help students communicate their thoughts on a basis of rules people understand. Teachers should make audience expectations clear to help students guide their writing, but also give students ample opportunity to write in "their voice" to practice and enhance when they are expected to follow grammatical rules.

References

Brown, J. (2018). Freewriting: Where did it come from? Why should we use it? How does it work? The Leaflet, 114(2), 34-40.

Dietrich, S., & Hernandez, E. (2022, August 29). Language use in the United States: 2019. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2022/acs/acs-50.html

Ibrahim, N., Hammed, H., Zaidan, A., Zaidan, B., Albahri, O. S., Alsalem, M., et al. (2019). Multi-criteria evaluation and benchmarking for young learners’ English language mobile applications in terms of LSRW skills. IEEE Access 7, 146620–146651. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2941640

Lindblom, K. (2004). Writing for real. English Journal, 94(1), 104-108.

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. (n.d.). US Indian boarding school history. https://boardingschoolhealing.org/education/us-indian-boarding-school-history/

Smith, J. B. (2024, April 30). African American vernacular: Why it matters in language learning. International Center for Language Studies. https://www.icls.edu/blog/african-american-vernacular-why-it-matters-in-language-learning.

Zeng, J., Ponce, A. R., Li, Y. (2023, March 7). English linguistic neo-imperialism in the era of globalization: A conceptual viewpoint. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1149471.

[diarioelpepazo]

JOAN SOLSONA Novak Djokovic lo quiere todo. El mejor tenista que jamás empuñó una raqueta debutó este sábado con victoria en el Masters 1000 de Indian Wells, el primer torneo de la categoría en el calendario y que no había disputado desde 2019, entre la pandemia y la vacuna contra el coronavirus. Djokovic está en disposición de obtener un nuevo récord en el desierto californiano. Los seis títulos rompería el tope histórico de cinco que ahora mismo comparte con Roger Federer. El serbio, verdugo de Alexandar Vukic, por 6-2, 5-7 y 6-3, llega a las 400 victorias en Masters 1000. Sólo Rafael Nadal tiene más: 406. Un récord que el balear podría perder dentro de dos semanas en Miami. Hace cinco años que no jugaba aquí y parece que fue ayer Novak Djokovic De igual forma, 'Nole' doblará a finales de marzo en semanas como número uno a Nadal, 418 a 209, una prueba más de que nadie aguanta la comparativa con él cifras en mano. Primero del ranking hasta Roland Garros La gira americana de pista dura, en función de los resultados, podría podría garantizar a Djokovic el cetro mundial hasta Roland Garros (26 de mayo al 9 de junio). Cabe recordar que dos triunfos le permitirían llegar a los 2000 puntos netos y que sólo defiende 270 puntos antes del Abierto galo: 90 de Montecarlo y 180 de Roma. El campeón de 24 grandes se enfrentará en la tercera ronda de Indian Wells con el 'lucky loser' italiano Luca Nardi, verdugo del chino Zhang, por 6-3, 3-6 y 6-3. El tenista de Belgrado, que el 22 de mayo cumple 37 años, vive una eterna juventud: "Hace cinco años que no jugaba aquí y parece que fue ayer", confesaba a la conclusión. No hay mejor tenista que él y no hay mayor profesional que él. Viajó al Valle de Coachella una semana antes (coincidió el jueves 22 de febrero en el avión con Nadal) para habituarse a la superficie de juego y las pelotas. Ha tenido a tiempo de jugar a fútbol con los otros tenistas en el jardín de césped natural reservado para los profesionales en el Tennis Garden y compartir un evento de caridad con la mismísima Charlize Theron. Después de la herida que supuso la derrota con Jannik Sinner en las semifinales del Open de Australia, Djokovic vuelve a la carga. Para recibir en tu celular esta y otras informaciones, únete a nuestras redes sociales, síguenos en Instagram, Twitter y Facebook como @DiarioElPepazo El Pepazo/Marca

[wikiuntamed]

Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from a year ago: Saturday, 24th December 2022

Welcome, welcome, laipni lūdzam, fáilte 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (24th December 2022) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (titled onscreen as simply Glass Onion) is a 2022 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. It is a standalone sequel to the 2019 film Knives Out, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as master detective..."

2️⃣: Avatar: The Way of Water "Avatar: The Way of Water is a 2022 American epic science fiction film. It was co-produced and directed by James Cameron. Cameron co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver from a story the trio wrote with Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno. Distributed by 20th Century Studios, it is the..."

3️⃣: Tunisha Sharma "Tunisha Sharma (4 January 2002 – 24 December 2022) was an Indian television and film actress. She made her acting debut with Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap as Chand Kawar in 2015. Sharma is best known for having played Rajkumari Ahankara in Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Zara/Babli in Ishq..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Anonymous124578

4️⃣: XXX: Return of Xander Cage "xXx: Return of Xander Cage (released as xXx: Reactivated in some countries) is a 2017 American action thriller film directed by D.J. Caruso and written by F. Scott Frazier. The film stars Vin Diesel in the lead role, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Tony Jaa, Nina Dobrev, Toni..."

5️⃣: Charles Sobhraj "Charles Sobhraj (born Hotchand Bhawnani Gurmukh Sobhraj, 6 April 1944) is a serial killer, fraudster, and thief who preyed on Western tourists travelling on the hippie trail of South Asia during the 1970s. He was known as the Bikini Killer because of the attire of several of his victims, as well as..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0? by Frederick Noronha fredericknoronha1@gmail.com

[badmintonstorefan]

In Focus: Malaysian Badminton Star Lee Zii Jia Rises Again

Badminton is a game of grit, dedication, and finesse, even in the face of adversity. And one player who truly embodies the essence of badminton is Malaysian shuttler, Lee Zii Jia. Even though he has had a challenging year, he believes in the champions-never-quit approach. Let’s understand how this child prodigy is rediscovering his game and becoming a formidable player.

Career Profile:

1. Men’s Singles World Rank: 11 2. Men’s Singles World Tour Rank: 13 3. Career Best Ranking: 2 (on 25th October 2022) 4. 2022 Men’s Singles Asian Champion 5. 2019 Men’s Singles SEA Games Champion 6. Part of the Team that won the Bronze Medal at the 2023 Sudirman Cup

Personal Information:

1. Birth Date: 29th March 1998 (Age 25 as of 19th October 2023) 2. Country: Malaysia 3. Height: 1.86m (6 ft. 1 inches) 4. Handedness: Right 5. Independent Coach: Wong Tat Meng Liew 6. Assistant Coach: Darren Liew

A Quick Glance at the Wins of the Malaysian Star Shuttler

Lee Zii Jia held the World No. 2 rankings in 2022. However, after his career-best performance, his form suffered in 2023. It led to his rank slipping away. However, he is dedicated to his craft and working on his skills.

1. Victor Denmark Open 2023 (Odense Denmark): In the recently concluded Denmark Open on 22nd October 2023, Lee secured the silver and won the second position.

2. Clash of Clans Artic Open 2023 - Powered by Yonex (Vantaa, Finland): On 15th October 2023, Lee won the first position against NG Tze Yong in two straight sets.

3. 19th Edition Asian Games (Hangzhou, China): Lee Zii Jia lost in the quarter-final against Indian shuttler HS Prannoy in a well-fought match. The match lasted for 78 minutes.

4. Sathio Group Australian Open 2023 (Sydney, Australia): Lee Zii Jia was on a roll in the Australian Open but lost the semi-final to Chinese badminton player Weng Hong Yan. He secured the third position in the tournament.

5. Yonex Swiss Open 2023 (Basel, Switzerland): Lee won three matches in the tournament and reached the semi-final. He was third on the podium after losing the semi-final to Japanese player Koki Watanabe.

6. Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships 2023 (Birmingham, England): He secured the third position in the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 1000 event after losing the semi-final to Chinese ​​Y.Q. Shi.

A Worthy Successor to Malaysian Legend Lee Chong Wei

Badminton fans consider Lee Zii Jia as the next Lee Chong Wei. He has all the potential, talent, and skill to become the next badminton champion. He has a mantra, “Dare to Dream”. He says, “What I am trying to show them (the youth) is, I hope that they can dare to dream (of) whatever they want to become, and then decide to become (it) one day.”

Born in Alor Setar, Lee Zii Jia’s parents were former international basketball players. His parents introduced him to badminton at the young age of six. Considering his potential and performance in under-12 competitions, the Bukit Jalil Sports School quickly selected him.

Lee Zii Jia began his career with the Junior Championship in the 2015 Perak and Selangor Badminton Open tournament. His achievement secured him a seat at the big table. In the following year, he won a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships. In 2017, Lee won his first senior title at the Polish International Tournament.

2018 was a memorable year for the Malaysian player because he won his first BWF World Tour title against Riichi Takeshita. His victory brought happiness across Malaysia because Lee became the only player other than Lee Chong Wei to win a BWF title since 2013. Lee Zii Jia also reached the finals of the Korean Masters in the same year.

In August 2019, Lee reached the semi-finals of the Thailand Open. He secured the world No. 11 in the BWF World rankings and ended the year on a high with a gold medal in the men’s singles tournament at the SEA Games. He also helped the national men's team win the silver medal at the SEA Games.

Lee Zii Jia was a semi-finalist in the 2020 Malaysian Masters. Under his captaincy, the team won a silver medal at the Asian Team Championships. Owing to his incredible performance at the All England Open in 2020, he entered the coveted list of the top 10 badminton players.

Lee won his first-ever Super 1000 tournament at the 2021 All England Open Championship by defeating world no. 1 player and defending champion Viktor Axelsen.

When Lee decided to quit the national badminton team in January 2022, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) banned him for two years. However, the ban was lifted quickly in the same month. In May 2022, Lee won the Badminton Asia Championships and BWF World Tour Super 500 title at the Thailand Open. He also reached the final of the Denmark Open against Chinese shuttler Shi Yuqi.

In 2023, Lee was part of the Malaysian team that won the bronze medal at the Sudirman Cup. He had decided to take a break from badminton in 2023 and only returned to competing in July with the 2023 Korea Open. He ended his drought by winning the 2023 Arctic Open against another Malaysian player Ng Tze Yong.

A Change in Playing Style: Lee Zii Jia’s Latest Strategy

Currently, Lee Zii Jia is in a transformation phase where he is changing his strategy from being an aggressive to a control player. Smashing used to be his biggest strength, but he needed a transition because other players were figuring out his game effortlessly.

His athleticism is top-notch, and his aggression is second to none. Each of his badminton fans hopes his transition is successful and he soon becomes the international player he deserves to be.

Lee’s Favorite Badminton Racket and Other Equipment

Lee has always favored an attacking racket and still prefers the Victor Thruster Ryuga (flame red) badminton racket. He was also associated with Thruster Ryuga II in the past.

Recently, fans noticed that he used a different racket at the BWF Arctic Open 2023 in Vantaa, Finland. Many think it is a new racket in accordance with his changing playing style. However, it might be a yet-to-be-released version of Ryuga itself.

Did you know around two years ago (around the time of the Tokyo Olympics), he wielded the Astrox 100 ZZ Kurenai and then the Astrox 99 Pro Cherry Sunburst?

Currently, Victor has exclusively signed him. He uses the Victor A970 Ace badminton shoes, the BR5610LJZ racket bag, and the BR5010LZJ backpack.

The Phoenix Will Rise

Lee Zii Jia had a devastating year, but ever since his return from the hiatus, he seems to be enjoying the game and winning titles. His recent achievements are a testament to his never-say-die spirit and his motto of “Dare to Dream.”

Lee’s journey to reaching the world no. 2 rankings, the subsequent losses, and the comeback make him a true phoenix. Truly, his story is of grit, dedication, and commitment against all odds.

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Lokesh Kanagaraj: The Visionary Director Redefining Indian Cinema

Indian cinema has been a vibrant tapestry of creativity, encompassing various languages, genres, and styles. In recent years, a new wave of filmmakers has emerged, pushing the boundaries of storytelling and filmmaking. One such visionary director is Lokesh Kanagaraj, whose works have garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fan following. In this article, we will delve into the life and career of Lokesh Kanagaraj, exploring his unique storytelling prowess and impact on Indian cinema.

Early Life and Journey:

Lokesh Kanagaraj was born on March 5, 1986, in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, India. He graduated in Visual Communication from the SAE Institute, Chennai, and later pursued a diploma in screenwriting. His passion for storytelling and cinema led him to embark on a challenging yet rewarding journey in the film industry.

Breakthrough with "Maanagaram" (2017):

Lokesh Kanagaraj's directorial debut, "Maanagaram," instantly catapulted him into the limelight. This Tamil-language neo-noir thriller was a gritty, intense exploration of urban life in Chennai. The film masterfully weaved together multiple narratives, converging in a thrilling climax that left audiences spellbound. "Maanagaram" was a testament to Lokesh's storytelling prowess and his ability to create compelling characters and intricate plots.

Setting a New Standard with "Kaithi" (2019):

Following the success of "Maanagaram," Lokesh Kanagaraj continued to make waves with his next directorial venture, "Kaithi." Starring Karthi in the lead role, the film was a departure from the conventional Indian cinema formula. "Kaithi" was a raw, action-packed thriller that unfolded in real-time, with minimal dialogue and a relentless pace. The film's unique narrative structure and taut screenplay earned Lokesh widespread acclaim and established him as a director unafraid to experiment.

Collaboration with Thalapathy Vijay in "Master" (2021):

Perhaps the pinnacle of Lokesh Kanagaraj's career came with his collaboration with Rajinikanth, one of Indian cinema's biggest icons, in "Master." This action-packed blockbuster featured Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi in pivotal roles, with Lokesh Kanagaraj directing the film. "Master" shattered box office records and garnered immense praise for its storytelling, character development, and powerful performances. Lokesh's ability to balance mass appeal with nuanced storytelling was on full display in this film.

Influence and Impact:

Lokesh Kanagaraj's impact on Indian cinema goes beyond just box office success. He has ushered in a new era of storytelling that prioritizes engaging narratives, well-defined characters, and innovative filmmaking techniques. His films have resonated with both critics and audiences, bridging the gap between commercial and art-house cinema.

Furthermore, Lokesh's commitment to pushing boundaries has inspired a new generation of filmmakers to explore unconventional themes and experiment with storytelling formats. His ability to extract outstanding performances from his actors and create tension-filled atmospheres is a testament to his directorial prowess.

Future Endeavors:

Lokesh Kanagaraj's journey in the world of cinema is far from over. With each film, he continues to evolve as a director, and his future projects hold the promise of further redefining Indian cinema. Fans eagerly await his upcoming collaborations and original works, knowing that they will be treated to stories that challenge the norm and entertain in equal measure.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Lokesh Kanagaraj is a visionary director who has left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. His films, from "Maanagaram" to "Master," showcase his unique storytelling abilities and his dedication to pushing the envelope. As he continues to grow as a filmmaker, we can only anticipate more groundbreaking works that will shape the future of Indian cinema for years to come.