#Konrad-Wolf-Preis

[sharenadraculea]

The Primarchs at the Zoo

Emps is doing family bonding events again, so now they go to the Zoo

Lion: He gets into a staring contest with every big cat at the zoo. Needs to be stopped from getting into a fight with them. Otherwise very well behaved, just staring at animals and making notes. Fulgrim: There is one of those butterfly-houses where they just kind of fly around. Fulgrim is absolutly enchanted. Just sitting between the flowers and waiting for them to come say hi. He also definetly is wearing highly impractical clothes. Perty: Not quite sure what he should do, so he just ends up following Magnus and Fulgrim around. Get‘s to save them, because he thought about taking a powerbank and charging cable with him! Jagh: the pony riding thing is only for kids. This makes Jagh very sad. But he can tell Magnus about all the animals he knows from Chogoris. Tries to steal a horse, a yak and a camel for Magnus (not necessarely in that order) Leman: Wants to befriend every dog and wolf and similar animals. Will bark at them. Then ends up clinbing into one of the enclosures to pet the doggos and get‘s chased away by security. He stole a puppy tough! (Malcador forces Leman to bring it back, because it would be really sad without it‘s parents) Rogal: Not all that interested in the animals, but he really enjoys looking at the architecture. Brought a little sketchbook along for making notes, and some noise cancelling headphones. His siblings still get him to look at some animals and that‘s how everyone learns that Inwit is apparently full of ice-age megafauna. Rogal is just confused why the animals at the zoo aren‘t fluffy Konrad: He was very unhappy at first because there are so many people and it‘s loud and bright and smells. Then Fulgrim bought him some cute sunglasses from the Zoo Shop and Rogal gave him the printed out guidelines for how to care for the diffrent animals, so now Konrad can controll if the zoo is following the rules. As with every family-outing, he has visions of inevtable doom Sang: He is so excited! But some of the animals are very confused by his wings, either thinking he is one of them (very cute, Sang is very happy) or he is prey. Lion needs to buy him ice cream. Well he doesn‘t need to, but it comforts Sang. Then they go to the petting zoo and the goats start chewing on his wings. Sang somehow finds this very cute

Ferrus: He is making artistic photos of Fulgrim. After a while he still get‘s bored with this and goes to listen to Robs animal trivia Angron: Absolutly no one expected him to just plop down in the pettong zoo and feed goats for the rest of the day. The goats are climbing onto him and Angron is just happy. It is very hard to get him home again, Rob: The logistics of running a zoo! He is so excited about that, he nearly forgets they are there for the animals. He made sure to read up on trivia about every single animal in the zoo and now shares this knowledge with his siblings. Morty: He also wants to watch butterflies, but Fulgrim is allready there… after a while they start talking and Morty starts infodumping. Fulgrim finds this too cute. They are later seen walking out of the toilet all disheveled. Things definetly happend Magnus: He is here to do research. Yes, this involves stealing some of the animals. The most dangerous ones around actually. E told him not too, but who would Magnus be if he actually listend? Horus: He is spamming the family chat with photos of well, mostly himself. Sometimes there are animals in the background. Somehow ends up in the penguin enclosure and get‘s soaked. He isn‘t bothered, because the wet shirt accentuates his muscles, but he still get‘s kicked out of the zoo. Emps is very disappointed Lorgar: Not quite sure what he should do at first and kind of ends up wandering around alone. Then runs into Sang at the petting zoo and the goats try to eat his books. They then spend the rest of the day together Vulkan: All those baby animals! He might die from cuteness! He‘s making a ton of photos to share later, including a lot of embaressing things his siblings did. Corvus: They are nowhere to be found at first. Later Vulkan finds them sitting in the birdhouse, petting all the birds. Somehow the zookeepers haven‘t noticed. Konrad does not like this, as it is against the rooms. Alpharius Omegon: They have blended into the masses. No one knows what they did all day, but they return to the spaceship covered in plushies, cheap souvenirs and baby animals. Malcador also forces them to bring the animals back

Bonus: Emps: This was a fantastic idea, he is very proud of himself. Loudly yells about every cool animal he sees Malcador: He is highly stressed out. Why did they decide to make so many kids? Next family trip he‘ll just stay at home Valdor: He pays for everything.

[aktionfsa-blog-blog]

Offener Brief für Julian Assange

Journalismus ist kein Verbrechen

Genau heute vor einem Jahr erschien ein Offener Brief an die US Regierung und die Weltöffentlichkeit. Herausgeber sind die Chefredakteure und Herausgeber von

»New York Times«

»Guardian«

»Le Monde«

SPIEGEL

»El País«

Diese Zeitungen haben über viele Jahre die Erkenntnisse von Wikileaks veröfffentlicht. Doch keine dieser Medien wurde von den USA wegen der Veröffentlichungen von Militärgeheimnissen angeklagt, noch nicht einmal angemahnt. Julian Assange wird dagegen seit mehr als 14 Jahren seiner Freiheit beraubt und durch den Espionage Act von 1917 mit 175 Jahren Haft bedroht.

In dem Offenen Brief heißt es

Heute vor zwölf Jahren, am 28. November 2010, haben unsere fünf Redaktionen in Zusammenarbeit mit WikiLeaks eine Serie von Enthüllungsgeschichten veröffentlicht, die weltweit Schlagzeilen machten. Die diplomatischen Depeschen, eine Sammlung von 251.000 vertraulichen Nachrichten des US-Außenministeriums, entlarvten Korruption, diplomatische Skandale und Spionageaffären von internationalem Ausmaß. ...

Aber heute äußern wir uns gemeinsam, weil wir zutiefst besorgt darüber sind, dass Julian Assange noch immer verfolgt wird, weil er geheimes Material beschafft und veröffentlicht hat. ... Das US-Justizministerium nutzte das alte Anti-Spionage-Gesetz von 1917, einst gedacht für die Verurteilung von Spionen während des Ersten Weltkriegs. Es wurde nie zuvor angewendet, um einen Herausgeber oder Journalisten vor Gericht zu stellen.

Die Anklage gegen Assange ist ein gefährlicher Präzedenzfall und ein Angriff auf die Pressefreiheit. Es zählt zu den Kernaufgaben von Journalistinnen und Journalisten in demokratischen Staaten, Fehler von Regierungen zu kritisieren. Sensible Informationen zu beschaffen und zu publizieren, wenn das im öffentlichen Interesse liegt, ist Teil unserer täglichen Arbeit. Wer diese Arbeit kriminalisiert, schwächt den öffentlichen Diskurs und damit die Demokratie.

Zwölf Jahre nach den Botschaftsdepeschen ist es an der Zeit für die US-Regierung, die Verfolgung von Julian Assange wegen der Veröffentlichung geheimer Dokumente einzustellen. Denn Journalismus ist kein Verbrechen.

Die Regierung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland stellt auf Nachfrage der Linken Abgeordneten Sevim Dağdelen dazu fest: Die Zuständigkeit für das Verfahren liegt bei der britischen Justiz. Die Bundesregierung achtet die Unabhängigkeit der Justiz. Sie hat keinen Zweifel daran, dass die britische Justiz rechtsstaatliche Prinzipien anwendet und die Menschenrechte achtet. Zu laufenden Verfahren sowie den Inhalten vertraulicher Gespräche mit Vertreterinnen und Vertretern anderer Regierungen äußert sich die Bundesregierung grundsätzlich nicht. https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/20/089/2008966.pdf

Wir demonstrieren weiter jeden 1. und 3. Donnrstag von 18-20h vor der US Botschaft am Brandenburger Tor. Macht mit!

Außerdem: Verleihung KONRAD-WOLF-PREIS 2023, AdK Berlin

Julian Assange hat wieder einen Preis zuerkannt bekommen, diesmal von der Akademie der Künste, - was außergewöhnlich ist, da der Konrad-Wolf-Preis sonst nur für Künstler vergeben wird. Am 22. Oktober nahm Stella Assange den Preis in Berlin entgegen. Viele Berliner "Free Assange“ Aktivisten waren natürlich vor Ort , auch um die Anwesenden zu informieren.

Hier ist der vollständige Wortlaut der Jury-Begründung für den Preis nachzulesen https://www.adk.de/de/news/?we_objectID=65558 Auf der Website der ADK ist das Video der gesamten Veranstaltung bis auf den Vorfilm verlinkt https://www.adk.de/de/programm/index.htm?we_objectID=65629

Mehr dazu bei https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/offener-brief-zu-julian-assange-journalismus-ist-kein-verbrechen-a-b846f4af-6ceb-46bd-aa6f-11ad4874d985

Kategorie[18]: Pressemitteilungen Short-Link dieser Seite: a-fsa.de/d/3xy Link zu dieser Seite: https://www.aktion-freiheitstattangst.org/de/articles/8601-20231128-offener-brief-fuer-julian-assange.html

[goldenpixelcoop]

ANDERE PERSPEKTIVEN, ANDERE FORMEN

Präsentation des GPC Lab-Programms

Vortrag von Christine Lang zu feministischer Filmästhetik und Präsentation von Die Videokonferenz der Tiere von Nathalie Koger 11.12.2022, 15:00 Uhr Medienwerkstatt Wien Neubaugasse 40A 1070 Wien freier Eintritt

15:00 Uhr Andere Perspektiven, andere Formen – Feministische Filmästhetik Vortrag von Christine Lang

16:15 Uhr Die Videokonferenz der Tiere Präsentation der Videoarbeit (in progress) von Nathalie Koger Gespräch zwischen Nathalie Koger und Christine Lang

Das GPC Lab ist ein erstmals 2020 initiiertes neues Format, das die Produktionsbedingungen von Bewegtbildarbeiten verbessern möchte. Die Teilnehmer*innen des Lab erhalten individuelle und maßgeschneiderte Unterstützung für die Entwicklung und Realisierung ihrer Projekte. Über einen Zeitraum von zwei Jahren werden Künstler*innen von Expert*innen mit spezifischem Wissen (z.B. im Bereich Dramaturgie) begleitet. Nathalie Koger nahm mit „Die Videokonferenz der Tiere“ an der ersten Auflage des GPC Lab Teil und wurde von der Dramaturgin Christine Lang beraten. Diese Veranstaltung gibt einen Einblick in ihren Arbeitsprozess und stellt feministische Filmdramaturgien vor.

Andere Perspektiven, andere Formen – Feministische Filmästhetik Vortrag von Christine Lang

Im Zuge der zweiten Welle der Frauenbewegung entstehen in der BRD in den 1960er und -70er Jahren zahlreiche narrative Filme von Regisseurinnen, die sich mit der gesellschaftlichen Situation und der Position von Frauen in der Gesellschaft befassen. Als Themen verhandelt werden das Recht auf Selbstbestimmung, Fragen der Sexualität, der Geschlechterverhältnisse und Rollenzuschreibungen. Viele lehnten die Dramaturgie des konventionellen Kinos ab, da sie nur eine bestimmte Art von Geschichten zulässt. Neue Inhalte und Wahrnehmungsweisen brauchen andere Formen. So entstanden Experimente, in denen konventionalisierte Sehweisen auf unterschiedliche Weisen gebrochen und reflektiert werden – und die noch heute wegweisend für eine feministische Filmästhetik sind.

Nathalie Koger: Die Videokonferenz der Tiere  Präsentation der Videoarbeit (in progress)

Tierarten verschwinden für immer. Symbiotisch mit diesen verbunden, verfolgt eine Gruppe Jugendlicher ihre Spur über Aufbewahrungssysteme einer zoologischen Sammlung bis tief in digitale Gendatenbanken. Erbost über dürftige Ergebnisse einer Klimakonferenz initiieren sie eine Versammlung im virtuellen Raum, um die Verantwortlichen für das Verschwinden der Tiere zu stellen. 

Die Videokonferenz der Tiere ist ein noch nicht abgeschlossenes Filmprojekt von Nathalie Koger, dem Kameramann Mathias Windelberg und weiteren Kollaborateur*innen. An diesem Nachmittag gibt Nathalie Koger Einblicke in die Prozesse und Formen einer offenen Dramaturgie anhand dieses Projektes.

Christine Lang (Dr. phil.) ist Kulturwissenschafterin, Dramaturgin und Filmemacherin. Sie arbeitet in Praxis und Theorie, im Kontext von Film und Theater. Ihre Veröffentlichungen zu Dramaturgie und Filmästhetik versteht sie als Beitrag zu einer praxisbasierten Film- und Fernsehforschung. 2023 erscheint im transcript Verlag: Mulholland Drive verstehen. Visuelles Erzählen und die Dramaturgie der offenen Form. In der Spielzeit 2021/22, realisierte sie als Co-Autorin und -Regisseurin (mit Ulf Schmidt und Volker Lösch) „AufRuhr!“ am Schauspiel Essen. Christine Lang unterrichtet zudem an der Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” in Leipzig und an der Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. 

Nathalie Koger ist Künstlerin, Hochschullehrende und Mitglied von The Golden Pixel Cooperative. Zu ihren künstlerischen Methoden zählen u.a. Bricolage, Aneignungspraktiken, Kunstvermittlung als künstlerisches Format, Intuition und Kollaboration. Sie studierte Bildende Kunst sowie Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften in Münster, Brighton und Wien. Ihre Arbeit wurde mit folgenden Preisen ausgezeichnet: Birgit Jürgenssen Preis (2010), START- Stipendium für Video- und Medienkunst / bmukk (2013), Jahresstipendium Kunststiftung Baden- Württemberg (2014), artasafoundation, Georgien (2018); Preis für innovatives Kino, Diagonale (AT), mit The Golden Pixel Cooperative (2021).

Organisation der Veranstaltung: Marlies Pöschl Die erste Saison des GPC Lab wurde von Bárbara Palomino Ruiz koordiniert.

Bildcredit: Nathalie Koger: Die Videokonferenz der Tiere (film still), 2022 (in progress) Marlies Pöschl

[ask-thsc-blog]

Konrad could FEEL the smile forming on Jay's lips, but didn't mind it, everything just felt so good, the kiss was awesome and those hands were working magic, he almost stopped thinking

He whined pitifully as Jay broke the kiss for some oxigen Konrad didn't knew he actually needed, now he was angry at the need to breath

Jay: are you enjoying this, pretty bird~? Because I am REALLY enjoying myself here. Oh just look at you, completely putty in my hands, a creature as beautiful as you deserves only the best, and I want to give you all the best you can experience in your life~❤️

There was the promise of something even more that just a kiss, and that face...

Even in the dark closet, Jay's honey eyes seemed to glow like the eyes of a ravenous wolf, his tongue moved to lick his own lips, showing some really menacing fangs, the promise of something "dangerous" that could happen if given more time, an all that dominating aura coming from him that made Konrad feel like a small prey ready to be eaten up

And yet, he wasn't afraid.. He wanted to be eaten alive... he wanted his body to be destroyed...

[muhammetakar20]

How might instruction be designed so that some of the behavior trap characteristics of autism spectrum disorder become strengths for the child as a learner? Include an explanation and an example of a behavior trap.

The concept behavioral trap was first described by Baer and Wolf (1970). Behavior traps are especially powerful contingencies of reinforcement that produce substantial, long-lasting behavior changes (Baer & Wolf, 1970). Alber and Heward (1996) defined these five steps for the design and use of “behavior “traps”.

1)   Identify your prey: What social/academic areas does the student need the most help? Be sure to target behaviors appropriate, functional, and behavioral patterns that allow regular opportunities for practice.

2)   Find powerful bait: What is student interest? These interests might include cooking, computer games, playing football etc.

3)   Set the trap: Place coveted materials in the direction of the student. You can do this by giving the student a job that matches his/her interests with an academic goal, creating classroom clubs.

4)   Maintain your trap: Start with small prey first. Use variety and occasionally give your trap a break.

5)   Appraise your catch: Test the improvements consistently and specifically in the targeted skills. If ineffective, make alterations or set a different trap.

    My behavior trap example is about one of my student, Landon.  Landon is a 7th grader who experiences school as tedious and unenjoyable. He is having trouble connecting with other kids, making friends. He experiences difficulties in stay on task. It wasn’t hard for me to find his interest; his pokemon cards often play with them during my lessons. We were learning about the ecosystem and the environment. I asked him to categorize pokemon cards in which ecosystem they live in the anime movie. I gave six different ecosystems for him to organize his pokemon cards. He completed the task until the end of the class. Landon starts to enjoy my class when some of his classmates began to interest in his knowledge of pokemon cards and all the beautiful things he could do with them.

References

Alber, S. R., & Heward, W. L. (1996). “Gotcha!” Twenty-five behavior traps guaranteed to extend your students’ academic and social skills. Intervention in school and clinic, 31 (5), 285-289.

Heward, W. L., Alber Sheila René, & Konrad, M. (2017). Exceptional children: an introduction to special education. Boston: Pearson.

[aion-rsa]

New British TV Series from 2020: BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky Dramas and More

https://ift.tt/2X8Wp6Q

On top of the British series that returned in 2020 (His Dark Materials, Ghosts and Inside No. 9 to name just three), below are the many new UK TV series we welcomed in 2020.

You’ll find true crime series, contemporary thrillers and the usual hefty number of literary adaptations and period dramas. Here’s the same for all the new British comedy we enjoyed in 2020.

Obviously, with Covid-19 delays having taken at least a three-month chunk out of production on all continuing and new dramas since mid-March 2020, there were serious delays to many planned shows, but a good number of new arrivals still managed to make their way onto screens.

All Creatures Great and Small (September)

Filmed in the Yorkshire Dales in autumn 2019 is a new adaptation of the memoirs of rural vet James Herriot (real name: James Alf Wight). Airing on Channel 5 in the UK and on Masterpiece on PBS in the US, this series stars Samuel West, Anna Madeley and Dame Diana Rigg, with newcomer Nicholas Ralph playing young vet James. A six-part series plus a Christmas special has been filmed, timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the first book’s publication. Expect warm-hearted stories of animal frolics and local characters.

A Suitable Boy (July)

Literary adapter extraordinaire Andrew Davies (Les Miserables, War & Peace, Pride And Prejudice) is back on the BBC with the first screen adaptation of Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel A Suitable Boy. Making her television debut is acclaimed feature director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Queen Of Katwe). A Suitable Boy is a coming-of-age story about university student Lata (played by Tanya Maniktala), told against the backdrop of newly independent India in 1951. The official BBC press release describes it as “a vast, panoramic tale charting the fortunes of four large families and exploring India and its rich and varied culture at a crucial point in its history.” Here’s our spoiler-free review.

Adult Material (October)

This Channel 4 drama takes on the UK porn industry and the complex relationship between sex, money and power. Written by Skins and The Smoke’s Lucy Kirkwood, the four-part miniseries stars I, Daniel Blake‘s Hayley Squires (in a role previously given to Sheridan Smith, who left the project due to conflicting commitments) as Jolene, an experienced porn actor and mother of three whose on-set friendship with a young woman leads to a complex examination of her own work and home life. With warnings of adult and sexual scenes, here’s the official trailer.

Baghdad Central (February)

Based on the thriller of the same name by Elliott Colla, Baghdad Central is a six-part Channel 4 commission written by House of Saddam and The Last Kingdom‘s Stephen Butchard. Set in Iraq shortly after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein, it’s described as “part noir detective drama, part Le Carre and part Green Zone“. With a cast led by Waleed Zuaiter (Omar, Altered Carbon), it’s the story of a quest for justice in an almost lawless society. Bertie Carvel co-stars, with Doctor Who and Tin Star‘s Alice Troughton as the lead director. All six episodes are currently available to stream on All4.

Belgravia (March)

Written by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and based on his 2016 novel of the same name, Belgravia is a six-part period drama set in 19th century London. Expect toffs and treachery in a story about society secrets on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo. Among the fine looking cast are Tamsin Greig, Harriet Walter, Tara Fitzgerald, Philip Glenister and Alice Eve. It aired in March on Sunday nights on ITV1.

Black Narcissus (December)

This BBC commission was announced back in 2017 and we finally have some info on it. Adapted by Apple Tree Yard screenwriter Amanda Coe from Rumer Godden’s 1939 novel (which was previously adapted for cinema in 1947), three-part series Black Narcissus stars Gemma Arterton as Sister Clodagh in a Gothic tale of “sexual repression and forbidden love”. Set in the 1930s, it’s the story of a group of nuns who travel to Nepal to set up a branch of their order, and Sister Clodagh’s struggle with her attraction to a land agent, against the backdrop of the tragic history of a Nepalese princess. Diana Rigg, Jim Broadbent, Gina McKee and more join Arterton. Filming began in Nepal and the UK in October 2019, and back in January the BBC included it in the year’s ‘New for 2020‘ trailer.

Cobra (January)

New political thriller Cobra arrived on Sky One and NOW TV in January. From The Tunnel and Strike writer Ben Richards, it stars Robert Carlyle, Victoria Hamilton and David Haig as, respectively, the PM, his chief of staff and the home secretary. It’s a six-parter promising “high stakes politics and high-octane action” about a team of experts and crisis responders attempting to bring society back from the brink of collapse. A second series was ordered by Sky in February 2020.

Deadwater Fell (January)

From Humans screenwriter Daisy Coulam, this new four-part Channel 4 drama aired in January this year. Set in a remote Scottish community, it explores the aftermath of a heinous crime – a family is murdered by someone they know and trust, sending ripples through the supposedly idyllic town. David Tennant leads a cast including The Good Fight‘s Cush Jumbo and The Bay‘s Matthew McNulty. It’s an excellent, if difficult watch (read our spoiler-filled reviews here), and is currently available to stream on All4.

Des (August)

ITV has included this three-part true crime drama in its autumn 2020 schedule, so it looks like there are no delays here. Des stars David Tennant and is inspired by the real story of serial killer Dennis Nilsen, who murdered several boys and men between the years of 1978 and 1983. It’s adapted from Brian Masters’ book Killing For Company, and will be told from the perspective of three men – Nilsen, DCI Peter Jay (played by Daniel Mays), and biographer Brian Masters (played by Jason Watkins) – and explore how Nilsen was able to prey on the young and the vulnerable. See the first trailer here.

Dracula (January)

The Sherlock showrunners Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss reunited to bring another 19th century fictional icon to life in Dracula, which aired on BBC One over New Year and Netflix. Danish actor Claes Bang played the title role alongside Dolly Wells and John Heffernan in the miniseries which comprises three ninety-minute episodes. Moffat and Gatiss promised to “reintroduce the world to Dracula, the vampire who made evil sexy.” Job done. Read our spoiler-filled reviews here.

Flesh and Blood (February)

Filming on new ITV four-part drama Flesh And Blood got underway in June 2019, with an enviable cast led by Imelda Staunton, Stephen Rea and Russell Tovey. It’s a contemporary story of three adult siblings shocked when their recently widowed mother falls for a new man, bringing into question everything they thought they knew about their parents’ 45-year marriage. Staunton plays the family’s neighbour, who harbours an unhealthy obsession with the unfolding drama… Think dark wit and the unearthing of long-buried secrets. It’s available to stream on ITV Hub here and here’s our spoiler-filled episode one review.

Gangs of London (April)

Filmmaker Gareth Evans came to everybody’s attention with 2011 Indonesian-set action flick The Raid. In April, he made his TV debut with this Sky Atlantic/HBO co-production. Gangs of London takes place in a version of modern London torn apart by international criminal organisations. You can expect assassinations, intrigue, expertly choreographed fight scenes and full-muscled action from this excellent new drama. All nine episodes are available to stream on Sky and NOW TV. Read our reviews and interviews here.

Honour (September)

Keeley Hawes’ production company is behind new two-part ITV drama Honour, which filmed in autumn 2019 and is due to air this autumn. Based on the real-life so-called “honour” killing of 20-year-old Londoner Banaz Mahmod, “murdered for falling in love with the wrong man”. It comes written by Vanity Fair‘s Gwyneth Hughes and stars Hawes as DCI Caroline Goode, who investigated Mahmod’s disappearance.

I Hate Suzie (August)

Billie Piper has co-created this original Sky Atlantic comedy-drama with playwright Lucy Prebble, who adapted the Piper-starring series Secret Diary Of A Call Girl in 2007. It’s a story about a celebrity (Piper) whose career is threatened when she’s hacked and a personal photo leaked to the public. The Crown and Lovesick’s Daniel Ings co-stars. Piper is terrific in it and it has plenty to say on fame and the nature of modern celebrity. With adult content, see the first trailer here. It starts on Sky on Sunday the 27th of August, with all episodes available on NOW TV.

I May Destroy You (June)

The latest from acclaimed writer-actor Michaela Coel, creator of Chewing Gum, is a 12-part half-hour series exploring sexual consent, trauma, recovery, friendship and much more. Formerly under the working title of January 22nd, I May Destroy You is a BBC One/HBO co-production set and filmed in London, and stars Coel in the lead role of Arabella, a celebrated young novelist who suffers a sexual assault that causes her to reassess her life. Joining Coel in the cast are Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu, Aml Ameen and a host of new and stage talent. It aired in June on BBC One and stunned just about everybody with its frank, poised brilliance. Watch it here on BBC iPlayer.

Industry (November)

Another Bad Wolf production, this one is on its way to BBC Two and HBO in the US. Eight-part drama Industry comes from new writers Konrad Kay and Mickey Down, and is directed by Girls’ Lena Dunham. Taking on work, money, power, greed and loyalty. It’s about a group of graduates competing for places at a top firm in the cut-throat world of international finance. How far will some people go for profit?

Isolation Stories (May)

UK channels responded quickly to the unusual demands of making television during lockdown, with BBC stalwarts Have I Got News for You and The Graham Norton Show continuing but using remote video link-ups. In May, ITV aired the first lockdown drama with anthology series Isolation Stories. The episodes are 15 minutes long and depict the experience of lockdown on a variety of characters played by Sheridan Smith, Angela Griffin, Robert Glenister, David Threlfall and Eddie Marsan. Watch them on ITV Hub here.

Life (September)

From the writer of Doctor Foster comes a new six-part hour-long drama for BBC One. Life tells four separate story strands about the residents of a large Manchester house divided into flats. The cast includes Alison Steadman and Peter Davison as a married couple rocked by a chance encounter, Adrian Lester and Rachael Stirling are a couple whose marriage is threatened by temptation, while Victoria Hamilton plays a woman whose life is disrupted by the arrival of her teenage niece. Currently filming in Manchester, “LIFE explores love, loss, birth, death, the ordinary, the extraordinary and everything in between”.

Little Birds (August)

An original six-part UK drama coming to Sky Atlantic, Little Birds is creatively adapted from Anais Nin’s collection of erotic short stories of the same name. Set in Tangier in 1955, filming took place in Andalusia and Manchester, with Juno Temple playing the lead role of Lucy Savage, a young women trapped by society who yearns for an unconventional life. It’s an erotic, political exploration of sexuality against the backdrop of colonial rebellion, and all episodes are currently available to stream on NOW TV. Read our spoiler-free review of all six episodes.

Read more

TV

The Best TV Shows of 2020

By Alec Bojalad and 9 others

TV

The Best TV Episodes of 2020

By Alec Bojalad and 8 others

Miss Scarlet And The Duke (March)

This six-part co-production written by Trollied’s Rachel New and starring Peaky Blinders’ Kate Phillips aired on Alibi here in the UK. It’s a one-hour series set in the 19th century about London’s first female gumshoe, Eliza Scarlet (Phillips), a woman who takes over her dead father’s detective agency, aided by Stuart Martin’s ‘Duke’. One for fans of Aussie period detective series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, perhaps?

Noughts + Crosses (March)

Malorie Blackman’s hugely successful series of Young Adult novels have been adapted by Being Human’s Toby Whithouse for BBC One. The six-part series is set in a world where racial divisions are turned on their head, and two young people from different backgrounds battle through separation caused by power, politics and prejudice. All episodes are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Read our episode one review here.

Normal People (April)

Filming took place last summer in Dublin, Sligo and Italy for Normal People, adapted by Sally Rooney from her 2018 publishing hit of the same name. It’s a 12-part drama for BBC Three and US streaming service Hulu, starring new(ish)comers Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal. Directing is Room‘s Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie McDonald, telling an intimate story about a relationship between two young people – Marianne and Connell – stretching through their university years at Trinity College, Dublin. Available now on BBC Three and Hulu, read our spoiler-free review and more.

Penance (March)

Three-part hour-long drama Penance aired on Channel 5 this March. It’s an original scripted drama for the channel, and stars Neil Morrissey, Julie Graham and Nico Mirallegro in a psychological thriller about grief, manipulation and morally murky relationships. The story revolves around the Douglas family, reeling from the death of their son, and a young man they encounter at bereavement counselling with whom they become entangled.

Quiz (March)

Adapted from James Graham’s acclaimed stageplay of the same name, Quiz is the story of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 2001 cheating scandal in which Major Ingram and accomplices were accused of cheating their way to the show’s top prize. Human chameleon Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon, The Damned United) pictured above, plays quiz host Chris Tarrant, with Ripper Street‘s Matthew Macfadyen playing the accused Major in the three-part ITV/AMC drama. On directing duties is Stephen Frears, who recently directed excellent comedy drama State Of The Union and Russell T. Davies’ A Very English Scandal. Read our reviews here.

Roadkill (October)

Veep‘s Hugh Laurie is going back to politics. Acclaimed screenwriter David Hare (The Hours, The Reader) is behind a new four-part political thriller for BBC One. Roadkill is the story of Peter Laurence (Laurie), a conservative minister with his eyes on the top job who attempts to out-manoeuvre the personal secrets threatening to wreck his public standing. Peaky Blinders‘ Helen McCrory is set to play prime minister Dawn Ellison, with Westworld‘s Sidse Babbett Knudsen also appearing. Filming began in London in November 2019 and we’re expecting it to arrive later this year.

The Salisbury Poisonings (June)

An episode in recent UK history – the 2018 Novichok poisonings – is translated to the screen in three-part factual drama The Salisbury Poisonings, which filmed in 2019 in the Wiltshire cathedral city. The BBC Two drama focused on the impact of the chemical attack on ordinary people and public services in the city, and boasted a terrific cast including Anne-Marie Duff, Rafe Spall, Mark Addy, Johnny Harris and MyAnna Buring. It was co-written by BBC Panorama‘s Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn. Read our review here.

Sitting In Limbo (June)

A new feature-length film tackling the shameful political Windrush immigration scandal aired on BBC One in June. Sitting In Limbo is inspired by the true story of Anthony Bryan’s struggle to be accepted as a British citizen, despite having lived in the UK since emigrating to Britain as a child in 1965 with his mother. Written by Bryan’s novelist brother Stephen S. Thompson (Toy Soldiers, No More Heroes), it’s a deeply personal and powerful ninety minute drama about the devastating human toll of the foreign office’s ‘hostile environment’ tactic. Casualty‘s Patrick Robinson and Save Me‘s Nadine Marshall star. 

Small Axe (November)

An anthology of six hour-long stories set in 1960s – 1980s London is on its way to the BBC and Amazon Prime Video from Steve McQueen, the director of Twelve Years A Slave, Hunger and Shame. Small Axe started filming in June 2019 and boasts a terrific cast including Black Panther and Black Mirror‘s Letitia Wright, and The Force Awakens and Attack The Block‘s John Boyega, with Malachi Kirby and Rochenda Sandall. The first of the anthology’s five stories, all of which are set in London’s West Indian community, will be told across two episodes. See a teaser for the first, ‘Mangrove’, here. The title is inspired by the Jamaican proverb about marginal protest challenging dominant voices, “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe”. The first three episodes are due to open the New York Film Festival on the 25th of September 2020, though it’s currently unknown how the ongoing pandemic will affect the event.

Talking Heads (June)

Nothing to do with the NYC post-punk band of the same name, this remake of Alan Bennett’s acclaimed Talking Heads monologue series featured an all-new cast and two new monologues by Bennett. Originally broadcast in 1988 and 1998 and featuring a host of acting talent including Julie Walters, Maggie Smith and Patricia Routledge, the new Talking Heads starred Jodie Comer, Maxine Peake, Martin Freeman, Lesley Manville, Kristen Scott Thomas, Sarah Lancashire and more. The episodes are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK, and were filmed using the standing EastEnders sets.

The Windermere Children (February)

This one-off feature length BBC Two drama delved into a little-explored part of English history – the child survivors and presumed orphans of the Holocaust who were granted the right to come and live in the UK following World War II. The Windermere Children tells the story of one coachful of young refugees brought to Lake Windermere to be rehabilitated through nature. Romola Garai, Tim McInnerny and Iain Glenn star in a screenplay from The Eichmann Show‘s Simon Block and directed by Any Human Heart‘s Michael Samuels.

The End (February)

This ten-episode series aired on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV. The End is created and written by Samantha Strauss and stars Harriet Walter and Frances O’Connor in the story of three generations of the same family dealing with the thorny issue of dying with dignity. O’Connor plays a palliative care specialist opposed to euthanasia, while Walter plays her mother Edie, who feels strongly that she has a right to die. Complicated family dynamics meet complex moral issues. See the trailer here.

The English Game (March)

Netflix bagged itself a Julian Fellowes-written drama earlier this year, this one about the birth of football. Set in Northern England in the 1850s, The English Game tracks the development of the beautiful game with the help of a cast including Line Of Duty’s Craig Parkinson, The Virtues’ Niamh Walsh, Kingsman’s Edward Holcroft and Game of Thrones’ Charlotte Hope. It arrived on Netflix UK in March and reviews were… not kind.

The Luminaries (June)

Eleanor Catton’s novel The Luminaries won the Man Booker prize in 2013, and this June, arrived on BBC One. The six-part drama, available to stream on BBC iPlayer, boasts a strong cast, with Penny Dreadful‘s Eva Green and Eve Hewson taking lead roles in the 19th century New Zealand-set tale of adventure and mystery during the 1860s Gold Rush. Read our spoiler-free review here.

The Pale Horse (February)

The brilliant Sarah Phelps (And Then There Were None, The ABC Murders, Witness For The Prosecution, Ordeal By Innocence) is back with another Agatha Christie adaptation for BBC One. This time it’s 1961 novel The Pale Horse being adapted for the screen, a story where superstition and witchcraft meet rationalism and murder. In the cast for the two-part mystery thriller are Rufus Sewell (The Man In The High Castle), Kaya Scodelario (Skins, Pirates Of The Caribbean), Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell), Sean Pertwee (Gotham) and more.  Read our spoiler-filled episode reviews and more.

The Nest (March)

Line Of Duty‘s Martin Compston joins Sophie Rundle in new five-part BBC One thriller The Nest. Filmed in Glasgow and written by Three Girls‘ Nicole Taylor, it’s the story of a wealthy couple struggling to have a baby who enter into a surrogacy agreement with an 18-year-old girl (Mirren Mack) that spirals into unexpected territory. The series arrived in March, and here’s our episode one review.

The Singapore Grip (August)

A bit of class here coming to ITV with an adaptation of JG Farrell’s World War II novel The Singapore Grip. Playwright Christopher Hampton, whose previous screenplays include Atonement and Dangerous Liaisons, has adapted the story for a six-part series set against the backdrop of 1940s Japan. It stars Luke Treadaway and Elizabeth Tan, with David Morrissey, Charles Dance and Colm Meaney. The series is due to air in Australia this July, and will arrive in the UK in autumn.

The Sister (October)

Neil Cross, the creator of Luther and Hard Sun, has a new drama on the way to ITV. The Sister, formerly titled Because The Night, is a four-part murder story “which exposes the quiet terror of a man trying to escape his past,” and comes inspired by Cross’ 2009 novel Burial. The psychological thriller is about Nathan, whose world is rocked when a face from the past suddenly appears on his doorstep. Russell Tovey and Bertie Carvel star. It’s due to arrive on ITV this autumn.

The Stranger (January)

Announced in January 2019 and arriving on Netflix a year later, The Stranger is a Harlan Coben thriller made for UK television. Nicola Shindler’s British production company RED (The Five, Safe) have once again turned a Coben novel into a twisting, turning UK series. This one’s about Adam Price (played by Richard Armitage), a man with a seemingly perfect life until a stranger appears to tell him a devastating secret. Things quickly become dark and tangled for Price and everybody around him. Read our spoiler-free series review here.

The Tail Of The Curious Mouse (December)

When children’s author Roald Dahl was just six years old, so the story goes, he persuaded his mother to drive him to the Lake District so he could meet his hero, writer-illustrator Beatrix Potter, the creator of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck and many more beloved children’s characters. The welcome he received, however, was less than warm. This one-off drama (Roald and Beatrix: The Tail Of The Curious Mouse) stars Dawn French as Potter and is made by the production team behind Sherlock and Dracula. Expect it to arrive this Christmas.

Trigonometry (March)

All eight episodes of this new contemporary drama are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Trigonometry comes written by playwright Duncan Macmillan and actor-screenwriter Effie Woods, and provokes some fascinating questions about modern love. It’s the story of Gemma and Kieran, a couple who decide to ease the financial burden of their London flat by taking in a lodger who soon becomes entwined in their relationship. Is life as a ‘throuple’ sustainable? Could it be the way forward?

Us (September)

A four-part adaptation of David Nicholls’ novel Us is on its way to BBC One. Tom Hollander and Saskia Reeves star as Douglas and Connie, a couple whose marriage is on the verge of falling apart when the family take a long-planned holiday touring European cities. London, Amsterdam, Venice, Paris and Barcelona will provide the backdrops to this humorous, poignant relationship drama from the novelist behind One Day, Starter For Ten and Sky Atlantic’s recent adaptation of the Patrick Melrose novels. The Killing‘s Sofie Grabol and Agents Of SHIELD‘s Iain de Caestecker also star. 

White House Farm (January)

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This six-part ITV true crime drama tells the tragic story of 1985’s White House Farm murders, the Essex killings of multiple members of the Caffell and Bamber families. Based on research, interviews and published accounts, it’s written by The Slap and Requiem’s Kris Mrksa, and directed by Little Boy Blue and Hatton Garden’s Paul Whittington. Freddie Fox plays the role of Jeremy Bamber, who is currently serving a sentence for the murders, with Stephen Graham, Alexa Davies, Mark Addy, Alfie Allen and more among the cast. Read our spoiler-filled episode reviews here.

The post New British TV Series from 2020: BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky Dramas and More appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2TWXy0B

[biostudyblog]

Ethology

Behaviour

Behaviour is the way an organism responds to internal or external changes. It can be innate, which means that it is inborn, such as running for shelter when you hear a loud noise, or it can be learnt, such as when a child learns to share their toys. Most behaviours are carried out in response to a stimulus. For example, when we are hungry, we eat. Eating is the response to a stimulus. 

The study of behaviour and its evolutionary component is called ethology. There are 3 scientists accredited with forwarding this field of science. Karl von Frisch, who extensively studied honey bee communication, specifically their “waggle dance” (informally known as bee twerking), Konrad Lorenz, who studied imprinting, and Niko Tinbergen, who is known for studying fixed action patterns.

Fixed Action Pattern

A fixed action pattern is an innate, stereotypical behaviour that must finish once it has begun. Some scientists abbreviate it, however, I will not, for very good reason. Fixed Action Patterns are initiated by an external stimulus called a sign stimulus. When this stimulus is exchanged between members of the same species, they are known as releasers.

Tinbergen studied the stickleback fish. This fish attacks other males who try to invade his territory. The releaser for the attack is the red belly characteristic of males of his species. The stickleback will not attack another male without a red belly, however, will attack inanimate models, as long as the red belly is visible.

Learning

Learning is a complex process, where the responses of an organism are modified due to experience. Lifespan, and brain complexity both impact the ability of an organism to learn.

Habituation

Habituation is one of the most simple forms of learning, where an organism learns to ignore a persistent stimulus. If you tap a dish with a hydra, at first it will shrink and become immobile, however after a while, it will ignore your tapping.

Associative Learning

Associative learning is a type of learning, where one stimulus becomes linked to another. Examples of this are classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Classical conditioning was discovered by Ivan Pavlov. He trained a dog to associate an unconditioned response with a neutral stimulus. By ringing a bell every time he would feed a dog when he rang the bell, the dog would begin to drool.

Operant conditioning is also known as trial and error learning. It is a process where behaviour is encouraged or discouraged, by providing reinforcement, or punishment on a specific schedule. 

Imprinting

Imprinting occurs during a critical period of a young organisms life. It is irreversible for the length of that period. A good example is how ducklings learn to follow their mothers and copy what their mothers do. This response disappears when the animal is capable on its own.

Konrad Lorenz studied imprinting with geese. Lorenz imprinted baby geese to himself and watched how they followed him everywhere he went.

Social Behaviour

Social behaviour is defined as an interaction between two or more animals, normally of the same species. This field of study was developed in the 1960s, so is very new.

Cooperation

Cooperation allows a group of animals to be more successful at a given activity, like hunting. Wolf packs are extremely successful at hunting prey much larger than themselves for this reason

Agnostic Behaviour

Agnostic behaviour is aggressive behaviour. It involves threats, and actual violence to settle disputes. These disputes are often about access to resources, like food, mates, or shelter.

Symbolic behaviour, like snarling, raising fur, standing on hind legs, and growling may be used in place of violence. An animal gives in by displaying submissive behaviours, such as losing eye contact, leaving the tail between the legs, or walking away.

Dominance Hierarchies

Dominance hierarchies are the pecking order that decides the social position of an animal. The top of the pecking order often has access to the best resources and is often the fittest animal in the group.

Territoriality

An animals territory is what it defends from other members of the community. Animals use agnostic behaviour to defend their territory. 

Altruism

Altruism is a behaviour that reduces an individual’s reproductive fitness to increase the fitness of its group or family, for example when a honeybee stings an intruder. Kin selection is how these traits pass on, despite the organism not being able to reproduce. The relatives are carriers for the trait or behaviour and pass it on to their kin.

[kalle-and-lita]

Homecoming

Lita could still hear Atina's voice ringing in her ear, her cries of objection as Horus told them the news. The Warmaster spared no emotion, his face and stance impassive. Atina was beside herself, sending Lita back to Konrad Curze was no better than a death sentence.

But Lita knew. Things were getting worse. Konrad Curze was not one to take any slight, and he would hunt her relentlessly no matter who stood in his way to enact vengeance. The Warmaster was doing what he could to keep the two legions from devolving into in-fighting.

So she bowed her head in response, her nerves steeling as she stood before his grand desk, "I understand, Warmaster." She caught them both by surprise, Atina sputtering at her side, "I thank you for the hospitality you've shown me thus far, I'm ready to depart now if you so please."

The Warmaster gave her a curious look she couldn't quite decipher only to dismiss the both of them with a wave of his massive hand.

~~

"Lita, he's going to kill you!"

Atina paced a wide swath across the floor of her stateroom, hair frazzled with panic. Lita watched from the bed, sitting with her hands clasped in her lap. She felt an eerie calm, though she was proverbially gazing into the maw of the beast. She wasn't scared or unsure, just...

Calm.

"Perhaps I can smuggle you off the ship, get you transport... There's a nearby planet, I have a friend there. Get you somewhere far away--"

"Atina," Lita interrupted, her voice soft as her friend turned to look, "He's not going to stop. That's just who he is; he hunts and hunts, and chases his prey until they topple over exhausted."

She paused for a long moment, gazing down at her hands, "I'm tired, Atina. Very tired. This past year has been more amazing than anything I could have ever imagined, but if it's time for me to go and own up to what I've done, then I'm ready."

"Lita...”

"I'm not scared Atina, not anymore. It's because of you, I didn't know what I was missing out on until you showed me how to live. Thank you, Atina."

She stood and pulled the other woman into a tight embrace. After a long while she pulled back and smiled, "Now what do you see we enjoy one last quiet evening together, hmm?"

~~

The transport was cold, but Lita tried not to think about it. She tried not to think about Atina and her tears, tried not to think about what awaited her aboard the Nightfall as she and her Luna Wolf escort made the journey from the vengeful spirit.

Instead, she worked to calm her nerves. To steel herself for an inevitable end. Lita wondered what he would do to her; torture her? Draw out her death as slowly as possible to punish her for her insubordination? Or would it be quick, painless?

She felt the transport shudder to a halt, her escort stood, taking her by the arm as gently as an astartes could. Lita sighed, twisting her wrists as best she could through the restraints she'd been put in. When the docking ramp lowered she was led out into the hangar bay where a pair of Night Lords waited for them.

Where he stood at the head of the room, awaiting their approach. She tried not to look at him as they did, her gaze focused on the floor until his massive feet came into view. A silence stretched out into eternity until his cold voice dismissed the Luna Wolf.

The pair of Night Lords swept in as the Luna Wolf departed. One reached out and clasped Lita's shoulder non too kindly. Her reaction was swift, restrained as her wrists were, she still had access to her fingers and she deftly reached up and slipped her lithe fingers between the cracks of the gauntlets. She found what she was looking for instantly, having practiced the maneuver with a Luna Wolf Captain.

A small wire, he'd explained. Not too many were aware it. Just reach up and snap it and it would tighten the gauntlet around the wearer for a brief moment before the Power Armor system corrected the fault. It wouldn't hurt the wearer by much, but it would be enough to startle the opponent and let the victim escape.

The Night Lord grunted, pulling his hand back quickly as Lita shot in a baleful side-eyed glare. She said not a word, but she didn't need to say much to begin with. She would not stand to be touched. She returned her gaze to the floor as the Primarch of the Night Lords approached, his heavy steps thundering against the plated floor.

He towered over her, Lita's gaze defiantly on the floor to deprive him of the satisfaction of getting a rise out of her. Then, like the hunter he was, he circled her. Eyeing her, trying to make her feel something. She knew this ploy well and she did her best to remain impassive.

She was better than her fear of him, better than her need for his approval. Better than him. 

"Take her to the isolation chamber," he said after he came to a stop behind her, kneeling down so he could whisper in her ear, "and leave her there."

She was swept away without another word, the Night Lords not laying another hand upon her save to guide her into the bowls of the vessel. The isolation camber was nothing but a single cell. No light, no sound, just a room with a something that resembled a cot. They shoved her in after removing the restraints, slamming the door shut with a loud bang that echoed.

Lita heaved a shaky sigh, rubbing her wrists as she took in the room.

So.

A slow death it was then.

Very well.

It was a good thing she was a patient person to begin with.

[alsbrainblog]

Learning

I’m going to start with a fundamental aspect of our brains: learning. If our brains didn’t quietly restructure themselves based on our actions, we would react the same way to stimuli no matter how times we experienced them. This way lies extinction.

From birth, most organisms have a number of learning methods, based within the intricacies of our neurons and synapses, that allow us to become more energy-efficient, knowledgeable of our environments, and more capable of catching prey/avoiding predators, for example.

I promise not to get too technical, but I’m going to briefly run over the main types of learning. I find it enjoyable to pinpoint which types of learning apply to the different behaviours and skills I’ve picked up since I was born; give it a try...

(I’m not ashamed to admit that Wikipedia was my friend here)

Habituation

Imagine an adorable little lamb. It’s new to the world and pretty much everything startles it: a gust of wind, for example, and our lamb runs straight back to its mother, trembling. Imagine if it kept this up all its life. The energy wasted running in fear at the slightest thing; it really isn’t efficient.

(fanpop.com)

Enter habituation. This is a form of non-associative learning (simply put: a change in one’s response to a single repeated event, rather than associating separate events) and helps organisms shed some ‘useless’ reflexes they may possess. No longer will the lamb fear the wind. However, habituation will not occur when the threat is real: the lamb will still fear the wolf.

Sensitisation

Here’s another form of non-associative learning. Sensitisation is simply the reverse of habituation: the more we are exposed to a stimulus, the larger the neural response. Imagine you rub your arm, feels normal right? If you keep rubbing your arm extensively, you will start to sense pain in the area. Your peripheral nerves have warned your brain that this prolonged stimulation is painful via heightened response. Then you’d feel pretty stupid. Sensitisation can bring back a response that may have been habituated, if the circumstances change.

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is fairly well-known due to Pavlov’s experiments with his dogs, and is a case of associative learning. In case you’re unfamiliar, the famous experiment involved Ivan Pavlov preparing his dogs’ dinner and observing their salivation (a natural response of a hungry dog who smells its dinner). Pavlov would eventually pair the smell of dinner with the ringing of a bell.

Food smell --> salivate                       (naturally)

Food smell + bell ring --> salivate      (simple enough)

Pavlov did this enough so that the dogs had been conditioned to associate the bell ring with their dinner. Just like my golden retrievers grew to associate the word “walkies!” with their walks; if I had been a cruel child, I could have shouted that magic word and got them excited without walking them whatsoever. Here lies the crux of classical conditioning: once this association had been made, Pavlov rang the bell (unconditional stimulus) and watched the dogs salivate (unconditional reflex) without any sight or smell of food (conditional stimulus).

Bell ring --> salivate                           (what mind trickery is this?!)

This may sound cruel, but it isn’t a surprise coming from Pavlov’s lab. This interesting New Yorker article (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/24/drool)                             looks at Pavlov’s extreme experiments and how he used his dogs as machines to be tested and operated on, with little concern for their well-being. Anyway, that’s a topic for another time.

(comic by Mark Stivers)

Operant Conditioning

I find operant conditioning, another form of associative learning, easy to confuse with classical conditioning. However, this one is more straightforward. When a behaviour leads to a positive outcome, we are more likely to exhibit that behaviour again; if it leads to a negative outcome, we are less likely to. Easy.

Giving your dog a treat when he sits down for you? He’s more likely to obey you next time: that’s operant conditioning. Giving a mouse a small electric shock when she presses a button? She’s less likely to press that button again: that’s operant conditioning. Praising your kid when she uses a potty rather than a nappy? You get the idea.

Imprinting

The final form of learning that I’m going to talk about is imprinting: this is a fun one. The big example that comes to mind is the Austrian scientist, Konrad Lorenz, and his work with geese. Lorenz gave the term ‘imprinting’ to the behaviour shown by newly-hatched goslings (amongst other birds), where they mentally ‘latch on’ to and follow the first moving object they see once hatched. What should ideally be their mother, can easily be a human who was nearby during the hatching - and thus a person can be followed by a string of tiny goslings they assume is their primary caregiver.

Imprinting explains why we see ducklings follow their mothers so diligently, and occurs rapidly, allowing offspring to stay safe with their parent upon hatching. Biologists will often wear bird outfits when dealing with goslings, and feed them using puppets, so as to avoid them imprinting on humans. Isn’t that amazing? Also, the Italian hang-glider pilot, Angelo d’Arrigo used his hang-glider to cause threatened birds to imprint on him and subsquently be reintroduced to the wild. I’d say that was an uplifting story but the level of pun is too much, even for me.

(http://www.pbs.org)

There we have it. I hope I haven’t scared people off with such a long post, and I don’t think I’ve been too technical. I just find it fascinating to be able to trim the daunting topic of ‘learning’ down into these distinctive and definable methods that help humans and animals alike grow to be functioning, well-adapted adults (or mature sea anemones, I’m not picky).

[universallycrownpirate]

Die Deutsche Akademie Rom Villa Massimo, kurz Villa Massimo (italienisch Accademia Tedesca Roma Villa Massimo) ist eine Kultureinrichtung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland mit Sitz in Rom.

Die Akademie der Künste in Berlin ist seit 1. Januar 2004 eine von der Bundesrepublik Deutschland getragene Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts, die sich der Förderung der Bildenden Kunst, der Baukunst, der Musik, der Literatur, der Darstellenden Kunst sowie der Film- und Medienkunst widmet. Die Akademie ist eine internationale Gemeinschaft von Personen, die sich um die Künste verdient gemacht oder die zur Kunst ihrer Zeit beigetragen haben. Die Traditionslinie der Akademie geht bis auf das Jahr 1696 und den ersten Preußenkönig Friedrich I.zurück.

Die Akademie vergibt eine Vielzahl von Auszeichnungen und Stipendien:

Kunstpreis Berlin – Jubiläumsstiftung 1848/1948 für „Künstlerische Leistungen“ (jährlich, Großer Kunstpreis 15.000 Euro und sechs Kunstpreise à 5.000 Euro), alle sechs Jahre von der Sektion Literatur der Akademie als Fontane-Preis verliehen

Käthe-Kollwitz-Preis für Werk oder Gesamtleistung eines bildenden Künstlers (jährlich, anfangs 10.000 Euro, spätestens seit 2009 12.000 Euro)

Heinrich-Mann-Preis für Essayistik (jährlich, 8.000 Euro)

Konrad-Wolf-Preis für herausragende künstlerische Leistungen auf dem Gebiet der darstellenden Kunst (jährlich, 5.000 Euro)

Die Villa Massimo wurde von 1910 bis 1914 von dem Berliner Unternehmer und Mäzen Eduard Arnhold (1849–1925) erbaut, der sie zusammen mit dem Stiftungskapital von 680.000 Mark im Jahr 1913 dem preußischen Staat schenkte. In diesem Jahr konnten die ersten Träger des Rompreises aufgenommen werden.

Mit dem „Rompreis“ sollte vor allem jungen Künstlern (bis etwa 32 Jahre alt) ein kostenfreier neunmonatiger Aufenthalt ermöglicht werden. Ältere Künstler konnten sich auch bewerben, mussten aber die Kosten von damals 250 Reichsmark als „Studiengäste“ selbst tragen. Die Mitglieder des Senats der Preußischen Akademie der Künste entschieden über die Empfehlung an das Preußische Kulturministerium, das die eigentliche Entscheidung für den Erhalt des Stipendiums traf.

Kurz nach der Gründung musste die Akademie durch den Ausbruch des Ersten Weltkriegs und der nachfolgenden Konfiszierung im Jahre 1915 schließen. Die Wiederöffnung erfolgte nach der Rückgabe des Anwesens im Jahre 1928. Herbert Gericke, damals Professor an der Vereinigten Staatsschulen für freie und angewandte Kunst in Berlin, der mit einer Enkelin Arnholds verheiratet war, wurde als Direktor bis 1938 und von 1956 bis 1965 eingesetzt. 

Von 1938 bis 1939 leitete Fred. C. Willisdie Akademie und ab 1939 führte diese der Bildhauer Hans Stangl (1888–1963). Von 1942 bis Mitte 1943 wurde die Anlage Sitz und Offizierskasino der Luftwaffe der Wehrmacht. Im Kriegsjahr 1944 wurde die Villa Massimo von den Alliierten und später von den Italienern beschlagnahmt. Von 1947 bis 1957 waren italienische Künstler in der Villa Massimo einquartiert.

Das Stipendium gilt als eine der wichtigsten Auszeichnungen Deutschlands für herausragende Künstler in den Sparten Bildende Kunst, Literatur, Musik (Komposition) und Architektur. Die Studienaufenthalte umfassen einen Verbleib von zehn Monaten in der Villa Massimo oder drei Monaten in die südöstlich von Rom in Olevano Romano gelegenen Casa Baldi. Dort können sie als Stipendiaten in zehn Ateliers (Casa Baldi: zwei) kostenfrei wohnen und arbeiten. Außerdem erhalten die Künstler für den Zeitraum des Stipendiums monatlich 2.500 Euro. 

Ein wichtiger Gedanke während des Aufenthalts ist die gegenseitige Anregung. Die Akademie richtet jedes Jahr zahlreiche Konzerte, Exkursionen, Lesungen sowie Symposien aus und präsentiert die Werke der Künstler in verschiedenen Ausstellungsformaten. Die Stipendiaten der Akademie der Künste Berlin, die in der Villa Serpentara ebenfalls in Olevano Romano untergebracht sind, werden ebenfalls von der Villa Massimo betreut und sind in alle Aktivitäten der Deutschen Akademie Rom einbezogen. Der Direktor der Akademie ist seit 2002 Joachim Blüher.

Zum Stipendium der Deutschen Akademie Rom zählen auch die dreimonatigen Aufenthalte in der Casa Baldi in Olevano Romano, einem Bergstädtchen, das etwa eine Stunde südöstlich von Rom liegt. Das Stipendium hat den gleichen Stellenwert, ist aber durch die besondere Lage des Ortes und die kürzere Dauer des Aufenthalts von grundsätzlich anderem Charakter. 

Dieses Stipendium besticht durch die Abgeschiedenheit, aber auch durch den Kontakt zu den Bewohnern Olevanos. Besonders durch die Veranstaltungen der Künstler, die von der Stadt Olevano unterstützt werden, kommt es immer wieder zu internationalen Begegnungen. Zudem nehmen die Stipendiaten der Casa Baldi an den Veranstaltungen und Aktivitäten der Villa Massimo teil.

Die Villa Serpentara befindet sich ebenfalls in Olevano Romano, in Nachbarschaft zur Casa Baldi, und bietet Künstlerinnen und Künstlern, die von der Akademie der Künste Berlin entsandt werden, einen dreimonatigen Aufenthalt. Die Deutsche Akademie Rom Villa Massimo verwaltet das Anwesen und unterstützt die Stipendiaten bei ihren Projekten. Darüber hinaus werden die Stipendiaten aufgrund der Ähnlichkeit des Stipendiums und des intensiven künstlerischen und menschlichen Austausches unter den Stipendiaten in die Aktivitäten der Villa Massimo mit einbezogen.

[aktionfsa-blog-blog]

Journalismus ist kein Verbrechen!

Weiter für die Freilassung von Julian Assange

Ohne Sommerpause haben die Mahnwachen für Julian Assange auch in den letzten Wochen stattgefunden. Zusätzlich zu jedem 1.+3. Donnerstag im Monat gibt es jetzt auch an Freitagen Mahnwachen von etwa 14 bis 20 Uhr, je nach Beteiligung. Der Pariser Platz am Brandenburger Tor vor der US Botschaft soll möglichst oft Zeugnis dafür ablegen, dass sich die Menschen nicht damit abfinden, dass Journalisten, die Kriegsverbrechen aufdecken ins Gefängnis gesteckt werden, während die Kriegsverbrecher unbehelligt ihre Pensionen einstreichen.

Gestern wurde auch wieder "Belmarsh Live", der zur 2x3m² Gefängsniszelle umgebaute Container gezeigt in der Julian Assange seit 4 Jahren leben muss. Gegen 19h fand wieder die übliche Demo zur 300m entfernten britischen Botschaft statt, um auch dort zu fordern: "Free Assange".

Wie hat sich seine Lage verändert?

Die gerichtlichen Möglichkeiten für Julian Assange gegen seine Auslieferung in die USA sind in Großbritannien fast ausgeschöpft, es bleibt nun nur noch eine 30minütige Verhandlung vor dem High Court in London, die jederzeit angeordnet werden kann. Es gibt allerdings gute Gründe dafür, dass die Verhandlung erst im Oktober stattfinden wird, da sich die entsprechenden staatlichen Stellen bis dahin in der Sommerpause befinden. Mögliche, anschließende Verhandlungen mit dem Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte mit einem Urteil gegen die Auslieferung könnten zwar folgen, fraglich ist nur, ob sich das UK daran orientieren würde bzw. müsste.

Es ist also alles nach wie vor in der Schwebe, - umso wichtiger erscheint uns, dass wir mit diesem Tag X rechnen und uns darauf vorbereiten, das geht z.B. indem man sich bei der Londoner Aktivismus-Website „Dont Extradite Assange“ für den Newsletter einträgt, der angibt, sofort über den Tag X zu informieren: https://dontextraditeassange.com/day-x/

Weitere Meldungen in der Presse

Neueste Entwicklungen im Fall Assange werden hier von Moritz Müller beleuchtet: https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/?p=102529

Erfreulich ist aber, dass sich Anfang August australische Senatoren deutlich für Assange einsetzen, hier ein Clip mit Senator Shoebridge: https://twitter.com/people4assange/status/1686682248001859584

Zu den Versuchen australischer Abgeordneter die USA umzustimmen, ausführlich im Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/29/julian-assange-us-rejects-australias-calls-to-free-wikileaks-founder-during-ausmin-talks und im Sydney Morning Herald: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/if-albanese-s-such-a-buddy-of-biden-s-why-is-assange-still-in-jail-20230721-p5dqci.html

Reporter ohne Grenzen haben eine Initiativ-Woche für Julian organisiert: https://rsf.org/en/usa-rsf-launches-dc-advocacy-week-and-mobile-rally-freeassange

Die Akademie der Künste in Berlin zeigt ihre Solidarität nicht nur seit Monaten durch den Schriftzug „FREE ASSANGE“ an ihrem Gebäude am Pariser Platz, sondern gab am 11.07.23 bekannt, dass Julian Assange am 20. Oktober mit dem „Konrad-Wolf-Preis“ 2023 ausgezeichnet wird. https://www.adk.de/de/news/?we_objectID=65558

Mehr dazu bei https://freeassange.eu und alle unsere Artikel zu Julian Assange https://www.aktion-freiheitstattangst.org/cgi-bin/searchart.pl?suche=Assange&sel=meta

Kategorie[24]: Zensur & Informationsfreiheit Short-Link dieser Seite: a-fsa.de/d/3vJ Link zu dieser Seite: https://www.aktion-freiheitstattangst.org/de/articles/8495-20230818-journalismus-ist-kein-verbrechen.htm

[fototreffberlin]

Fototreff #23  - Am 7. April waren der Ostkreuz Fotograf JÖRG BRÜGGEMANN und die freie Foto-Projektmanagerin BETTY FINK bei uns zu Gast. Sie richteten in ihrem Gespräch ein besonderes Augenmerk auf das Miteinander von freien Arbeiten und Auftragsfotografie.

JÖRG BRÜGGEMANN schloss 2008 sein Fotografiestudium an der Hochschule für Künste in Bremen mit der Diplomarbeit “Same Same But Different” über Rucksacktourismus in Südasien ab. Seit September 2008 arbeitet er als freischaffender Fotograf in Berlin und hat 2009 als Bildredakteur beim DUMMY und Fluter Magazin gearbeitet. Seit Oktober 2009 ist er Mitglied der Agentur OSTKREUZ. Im März 2012 erschien seine Monografie “Metalheads - The Global Brotherhood” über die Globalisierung der Heavy-Metal-Kultur im gestalten Verlag, die von einer Einzelausstellung im gestalten Space begleitet wurde. Jörg Brüggemann wurde mit zahlreichen nationalen und internationalen Preisen ausgezeichnet, u.a. mit dem BFF-Förderpreis 2009, einem VG BildKunst Stipendium, einer ehrenvolle Erwähnungen bei CENTER’s Project Competion 2009, als Finalist beim MAGNUM Expression Award 2009 und als Gewinner beim PDN Photo Annual 2013. Als Mitglied der Agentur OSTKREUZ erhielt er den Konrad-Wolf-Preis 2013 der Akademie der Künste. Er veröffentlicht seine Arbeiten in Magazinen und Blogs wie dem ZEIT Magazin, SZ Magazin, The Sunday Times Magazine, Le Monde 2, dem Rolling Stone und TIME LightBox. 12 Jahre lang hat BETTY FINK als Agenturleiterin bei der Agentur „Ostkreuz“ in Berlin gearbeitet und verfügt über ein umfangreiches Wissen im Feld der Fotografie. Gemeinsam mit Christian Pankratz, der die Bildredaktion der Agentur leitet, hat sie den Workshop “Into the Wild” ins Leben gerufen und gibt auf diese Art und Weise ihr Wissen und ihre Erfahrungen weiter. Neben dem Workshop führt Betty Fink Einzel-Coachings mit FotografenInnen durch und betreut sie auf ihrem Weg zum Ziel.

► Eine Aufzeichnung des Gesprächs kann hier angehört werden:

Bilder des Treffens: ©Anna Charlotte Schmid

supported by:

[haraldbulling]

Julian Assange

[haraldbulling]

Wire

Die Akademie der Künste verleiht den Konrad-Wolf-Preis 2023 an Wikileaks-Gründer Julian Assange. Die Jury begründete die Auszeichnung für den Journalisten am Dienstag wie folgt: „Durch Julian Assanges Arbeit und Haltung haben wir von illegalem staatlichem Handeln, von Unrecht, Morden und Kriegsverbrechen erfahren, Dinge, die für die Öffentlichkeit, für Bürgerinnen und Bürger – für uns alle – im Dunkeln, verschwunden, unsichtbar bleiben sollten.