#anti kristy thomas

[kahran042]

A Beacon Street Girls oddity

My favorite BSG member, Avery, is pretty much an amalgam of my two least favorite Baby-Sitters Club members, Kristy and Dawn.

[goldenavenger02]

Susz's Halloween Recommendations Part 2: Books and Fics.

Books

Pet Sematary by Stephan King

Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, moved to Ludlow, Maine with their two young kids, Ellie and Gage, and their cat, Church. In the woods, near their home is a pet cemetery with a sign that was spelled sematary.

Notes: this book made me scared of my own cats for about two weeks. I really enjoyed it but that scene with the cat was very excessive.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

The book chronicles teenager Sadie Hunter’s quest to find the man who killed her sister. In alternating chapters, Sadie’s subsequent disappearance becomes the topic of West McCray’s podcast The Girls.

Notes: this audio book is so fantastic, especially the podcast elements! Trigger warnings for Sexual Assault and Child Abuse.

The Project by Courtney Summers

But dealing with her ex is the least of Hannah's concerns when a terrifying blood ritual interrupts the end-of-school-year bonfire.

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo's sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there's more to the group than meets the eye.

Notes: a book about a journalist trying to learn more about the cult who took her sister from her. If you have siblings, this one hurts even more than if you don't. This has a frick ton of triggers, so please look into that before picking this up.

These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly By Night Cauldron selling candles and crystals to tourists, goths, and local Wiccans. 

Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly By Night Cauldron selling candles and crystals to tourists, goths, and local Wiccans. 

But dealing with her ex is the least of Hannah's concerns when a terrifying blood ritual interrupts the end-of-school-year bonfire.

Notes: a queer witch book with plenty of action and magic throughout! This book is so important to me and I'm currently reading the second and final book!

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

Long retired, Sherlock Holmes quietly pursues his study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. He never imagines he would encounter anyone whose intellect matched his own, much less an audacious teenage girl with a penchant for detection.

Notes: one of my mom's favorites and this is one of the best mysteries I've ever read!

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…

Notes: this author has been involved in some not great things involving being anti semetic (I hope I spelled that right), so if you still want to read this, please don't do it in a way that financially supports her. That being said, I read it before that stuff came out, and I liken it to a queer Teen Wolf season 3 type story.

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost. ...

Notes: an amazing murder mystery and one that I highly recommend! A bit slow at times, but the fast scenes make up for it.

The Assassin Game by Kristy McKay

At Cate's isolated boarding school Killer is more than a game-it's an elite secret society. Members must avoid being "killed" during a series of thrilling pranks-and only the Game Master knows who the "killer" is. When Cate's finally invited to join The Guild of Assassins, she knows it's her ticket to finally feeling like she belongs.

Notes: this takes place on an small island near Wales and it's one of the most atmospheric books I've ever read! The first chapter is really nasty, but after that, it's so good!

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen. M McMannis

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

Notes: this was like reading a CW show. That's all I can say about it.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

Jared, Simon and Mallory, who finds a mysterious Field Guide hidden in the attic, written by their great-great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick, who studied Faeries — magical beings who hide themselves from Humans using a type of magic called glamour.

Notes: I can't say much about this because I barely remember it. But I remember it freaking the crap out of me.

Fics (all of these are MCU)

Pumpkins and Stitches and Monster Mash by @marvelous-writer

Notes: I told myself to pick one fic from one writer, but with Marvelous-Writer, I just couldn't do it. I'm not gonna give synopsis' for the fics, because you really just need to take my word for it and read them.

too sick for clowns by @hailing-stars

Notes: short and sweet. Hailing-Stars is an icon and everyone needs to follow her.

Vein Drain by @ciaconna on Ao3

Notes: absolutely fantastic and humorous.

Trick Or Treat (Or Traumatize) by @awesomesockes and @whumphoarder

Notes: I just freaking love this writing duo.

No doubts about it by @angels-creative

Notes: my queen, my bestie, and the fic she had to send me the link to cause I couldn't find it XD

And I think that's all for this year! Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!

[lemonsharks]

Yes, I'm a pro-shipper.

Or more accurately, I'm a shipping moderate. Much of what anti-shippers hate also grosses me the fuck out.

However, since we have to pick sides apparently, I'm with the side that doesn't go around telling real people to kill themselves over fictional depictions of anything.

I'm also firmly against child sexual exploitation material, i.e. documentation of the real abuse of real children, as any reasonable human being ought to be. You know why I don't think it's reasonable to abolish prison systems? It's people who make and consume CESM. (Among others who can't be in the world without causing harm.)

Two fictioious fifteen year olds h*lading h*nds or even making out with intent to grope ain't CESM. A depiction of Kristy Thomas and Mary Anne Spier (The Babysitters Club) having their mutual gay awakening together the first summer break after college starts ain't CESM. Even if it's explicit. Even if one of them is 17 and the other is 18.

Even if or when it's written or drawn by someone over 18.

Anyway here's what I actually said in the comment where I mentioned being a pro-shipper:

There has to be a middle to meet in between "toddlercon for everyone because slippery slope! Warriors for Innocence are in my CLOSET!" and "Only ever write/post sweet pure gentle stories about characters 25+ being soft with each other or kill yourself."

I think that meeting place is persistent search filtering and more/better user controls.

And I don't think posting suicide bait to fuel one's own feeling of self-righteous crusadering is okay, ever.

[revisitingstoneybrook]

Kristy’s Big Day: Chapter 11

Wow, sorry for the huge lag in updates, everyone! I got busy with work and moving but now that the dust has settled, I can get back to posting these.

When we last left off, the BSC is babysitting a whole mess of kids (most of whom we never hear from again) leading up to Elizabeth and Watson the Millionaire’s wedding. And brace yourselves for some hideously bad spelling because we have a Claudia chapter now.

Another notebook entry. And this is a Claudia one, though her handwriting kind of looks like Kristy's. I don't know what kind of calendar Claudia's following but she wrote this entry on a Firday. Claudia starts out with Unfiar! So there's no fires in the Thomas house, whew. Those two errors aside, Claudia actually makes it through the rest of the entry without embarrassing herself. She whines to Kristy about how they shouldn't have to write in the notebook because they're all at the same sitting job, therefore, they know what's going on. How dare you question the rules of the BSC, Claudia! Ten lashes for you!

Claudia says it's unfiar because it rained the whole day. And since the kids got bored, she came up with a great idea. Don't tell Kristy, she'll claim it as her own!

As Claudia said, it's raining so they spend the whole morning doing indoor activities - board games, reading, arts and crafts, baking cookies (Mary Anne dumps the babies in the playpen to help. Guess she's getting bored with the baby group she specifically requested). And some of the kids *gasp* even watch Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street ON TV! This is a far cry from later books when the BSC became super anti-TV during sitting jobs.

After lunch, the kids grow restless and whine that they're sick of reading books and playing games. Emma wants to give the babies a bath, which is met with a resounding “NO!” from Mary Anne. Did I mention I'm happy Emma never turned up again?

The BSC wonders what kind of activity they can wrangle the kids into and since this is an early book, carnival, marching band and poetry slam aren't the first things that pop into their minds. By this point, the little kids and babies are taking naps, Emma's chasing Katherine around like the little pain in the ass she is, Ashley's complaining her leg hurts and Peter's jumping up and down on the couch. Oh, and Karen's got David Michael and Berk in the corner and they keep shooting glances over at Dawn and Kristy hears the word “Martian” coming up in their conversation. Dawn's a Martian, everyone!

When Luke lines up coffee cans on the carpet and brings in a skateboard, the girls realize they have to think of something fast because kids obviously can't be left to their own devices. Dawn says they should split everyone up and Stacey shoots that down, saying, “They've done everything, already. They've been through every Kid-Kit, played every game, read every book, sung every song...” How dare you even suggest that the BSC are running out of stuff to do, Stacey! The BSC always triumphs! Ten lashes for you!

And the BSC does always triumph, because Mary Anne says they should do something together but work in the smaller groups (and since your group really can't work on anything, are you trying to get yourself off the hook?). I spoke too soon about the BSC not following their usual m.o., because Dawn suggests a talent show. I love how confident these girls are in always planning talent shows, thinking all the kids they sit for are able to showcase talent. Not everyone are prodigies like the Perkinses!

Kristy says they only need to occupy the kids for a couple of hours, since that evening is the rehearsal dinner. Kristy gives us a quick definition of what a rehearsal dinner is and adds that it's paid for by the groom's family. So if Watson's paying for it, it's going to be good, since he's a MILLIONAIRE and all. And, of course, everyone's invited, including the BSC. Hey, Watson's a MILLIONAIRE, he can afford it.

Since the parents can't be arsed to dress their kids up themselves, they ask the BSC to get the kids all dressed up and ready (each of the kids were dropped off with a change of clothes) so when they come back for the day, they can just bring them over to Watson the Millionaire’s. I'm going to agree with Kristy and say expecting five 12-year-olds to dress 14 children for a fancy dinner party is a recipe for disaster. And...we have foreshadowing!

Claudia then speaks up with a Great Idea. She thinks since the kids have been surrounded by wedding crap the whole week, why don't they have the kids stage their own wedding? The BSCers laugh over this and decide it would be a great idea. And I can't tell if this is a burn or not, but Claudia asks Kristy, “Do you still have those old clothes you used to play make-believe with?” If they're looking for wacky dress-up stuff, why don't they just go across the street and raid Claudia's room?

But they don't have to, because Kristy says in addition to her old things, last year, her grandma (her other one, so I'm assuming it's Patrick's mom) sent them a big trunk of dress-up stuff. I guess for David Michael?

Kristy comes back into the play room (so the Thomases old house is small enough that David Michael's room is the size of a closet but they have a play room?) with the clothes, to find the BSCers and the kids have already chosen roles for the wedding party. Karen, of course, is the bride and David Michael is the very unlucky groom. They apparently don't care that they're soon to be step-siblings, as Karen explains they're the bethrothed because they're the same height. Remember the days when height was the measuring stick for everything?

As for the rest of the wedding party, Luke's the minister, Ashley's the mother of the bride (to play the part, she needs to be passing out invitations to the next Stoneybrook Swingers gathering), Emma and Grace are the maids-of-honor (though Kristy later calls them bridesmaids), Katherine's the flower girl and I guess Berk is a REAL, LIVE MILLIONAIRE because he's giving Karen away (because no one else wants her). Finally, Peter and Andrew are ushers and Patrick's the ring bearer.

So they dress the kids up while Mary Anne minds the babies and helps with costumes. They gather together for a quick rehearsal and David Michael's in his best suit and he's got a top hat on from the box of old clothes. Karen, of course, has the most amazing costume of all as the bride. I'm assuming that isn't sarcasm, and Kristy truly does think it's amazing. She's wearing a lovely, lovely pink veil, a hat with a bird's nest (and eggs) on it, a pair of Elizabeth's shoes, and a ton of jewelry. Her wedding dress is bright blue and covered in sequins. Claudia makes a mental note to fashion together a similar ensemble when she gets married.

Ashley complains that a wedding gown shouldn't be blue; rather, it should be white, or maybe yellow. Kristy sticks up for Karen and says a wedding gown can be any color and shuts the girls up when Karen sticks her tongue at Ashley and they start arguing. Ashley says she's playing the part as the mother of the bride and I always thought that was a funny line. 

The original BSC show did do a flashback to this and since it’s on YouTube, I can illustrate it!

Kristy snaps away on her Polaroid (which totally dates the book) while Andrew and Peter escort Ashley and the babysitters and the younger kids to their seats. Next up are the bridesmaids!

I guess that’s Emma and Grace. And way to go, original TV show, they held the wedding indoors because it was raining! And Mary Anne’s hair isn’t in braids anymore, GEEZ!

And here’s Katherine, who in the book is wearing a tutu and tossing confetti out of an old Easter basket. Pity to whoever has to clean that up.

And here’s Karen and David Michael at the altar. Yay, the show got their outfits right, right down to Karen’s pink veil! The hat isn’t there but I guess some things just can’t be replicated.

This whole scene is full of "Kids Say/Do the Darndest Things!" stuff. Luke, as the minister, says “We're gathered here today to join these two guys in...in...holy moly.” The babysitters try not to laugh, but they do anyway:

More like Kristy and Mary Anne are giggling at Stacey and Claudia here.

“Karen, do you promise to love your husband and help him out and not hog the television and not be an obnoxious brat?” “And you David Michael, do you promise to love your wife and help her out and show her how to ride a two-wheeler and not whine like a 4-year-old?” I think they know what they're in for, because they both respond “I guess.”

Luke, for some reason, asks if they want kids; Karen says yes, David Michael says no because he dreads what a combination of Karen's brattiness and his whininess would result in. Luke reminds them that if they do have kids, they should be nice to them and the others kids chime in with other suggestions - no bedtime, don't yell at them if they forget to feed the dog, let them go into the toy store once in awhile and let them by whatever they want, even it's more than $40! Essentially, follow the model the parents of Stoneybrook gave them. I think Emma had Watson in mind for that last suggestion.

Karen and David Michael agree and after they exchange rings, Luke proclaims it's time for them to kiss. Both kids are all NOPE and run for the hills, which is what the last picture Kristy takes is. 

To quote Jessi from the tv show, "So much for that marriage!" 

[abfindunginfo]

"Das Lockdown Paradigma bricht zusammen"

Darin "Das Lockdown Paradigma bricht zusammen" stellte der amerikanische Wirtschaftsredakteur Jeffrey A. Tucker in einem Beitrag am 19.04.2021 fest. Lockdown Paradigma - Umfrageergebnisse zeigen Wandel Unter dem Titel "Das Lockdown Paradigma bricht zusammen" veröffentlichte der Redaktionsleiter des American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) und Chief Liberty Officer (CLO) von Liberty.me am 19.04. 2021 einen Beitrag über die Akzeptanz des Lockdowns in verschiedenen US-Bundesstaaten. Darin stellt er einleitend fest: "Es hat viel länger gedauert, als es hätte sein sollen, aber endlich scheint es zu passieren: das Lockdown-Paradigma bricht zusammen. Die Zeichen sind überall um uns herum zu sehen." Diese Entwicklung verdeutlicht er an Umfrageergebnissen zur Lockdown-Politik in New York, Florida und South Dakota. Wie Tucker schreibt, hat der einstige Held des Lockdowns, New Yorks Gouverneur Andrew Cuomo, hat seine Unterstützung von 71 % auf 38 % sinken sehen. Immer mehr wird sein Rücktritt gefordert. Inzwischen ergeben Umfragen, wonach Floridas Gouverneur und Lockdown Gegner Ron DeSantis an Einfluss gewinnt. "Diese bemerkenswerte Wendung des Schicksals ist auf die dämmernde Erkenntnis zurückzuführen, dass die Lockdowns eine katastrophale Politik waren. DeSantis und die andere Anti-Lockdown-Gouverneurin Kristi Noem sind die ersten, die die Wahrheit unverblümt aussprechen. Ihre Ehrlichkeit hat sie beide Glaubwürdigkeit gewonnen." Die Amerikaner können mehr oder weniger direkt zwischen den Bundesstaaten vergleichen, welche Folgen der Lockdown für Krankheit oder Todesfälle hat. Diese Möglichkeit fehlt in Deutschland. Denn hier haben Bundestag und Bundesrat durch ihre Gesetzgebung sowie die Kanzlerin mit ihrem Kabinett und den Ministerpräsidenten durch Verordnungen dafür gesorgt, dass kein Bundesland aus der Reihe tanzt. Nicht genug damit: Leider geraten in der Bundesrepublik selbst Juristen ins Kreuzfeuer, wenn sie die Lockdown-Politik hinterfragen. "Wissenschaft" in der Kritik Worin sieht Tucker die Quelle für diesen Stimmungswechsel unter der amerikanischen Bevölkerung? "Das Problem ist, dass das Vorhandensein oder Nichtvorhandensein von Lockdowns angesichts des Virus völlig unkorreliert mit dem Verlauf der Krankheit zu sein scheint. Die AIER hat 33 Fallstudien aus der ganzen Welt zusammengetragen, die dies belegen." Doch die fehlende Korrelation scheint nicht nur Folgen für den Stimmungswandel der einfachen Bürger zu haben, sondern auch für die Reputation der Wissenschaftler. "Warum sollte dies von Bedeutung sein? Weil die 'Wissenschaftler', die Lockdowns empfohlen haben, sehr präzise und pointiert behauptet haben, dass sie den Weg gefunden haben, das Virus zu kontrollieren und die negativen Folgen zu minimieren. Wir wissen mit Sicherheit, dass die Abriegelungen erstaunliche Kollateralschäden verursacht haben. Was wir nicht sehen, ist irgendein Zusammenhang zwischen den Abriegelungen und den Krankheitsauswirkungen. Das ist verheerend, denn die Wissenschaftler, die die Abriegelungen vorangetrieben haben, hatten spezifische und falsifizierbare Vorhersagen gemacht. Dies war wahrscheinlich ihr größter Fehler. Indem sie dies taten, stellten sie einen Test ihrer Theorie auf. Ihre Theorie ist gescheitert. Dies ist die Art von Moment, die einen Zusammenbruch eines wissenschaftlichen Paradigmas verursacht, wie von Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) erklärt."   Wie aufschlussreich fanden Sie diesen Artikel? Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel

[dreddymd]

Epigenetic Drugs That Fight Cancer Also Show Promise as Antivirals

Epigenetic drugs designed to fight cancer might actually be used against many viruses as well. A recent study published in the American Society for Microbiology shows that some pharmaceuticals that act epigenetically have the power to be used as broad spectrum antivirals. Specifically, the researchers looked at histone methyltransferases EZH2/1 inhibitors which can help fight against cancer.

Numerous DNA viruses, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV), are involved in epigenetic regulation which determines productive infection, persistence, and latency. Modulation to the chromatin structure associated with viral genomes is crucial to the virus’ efficacy. Previous research has also shown that the virus can reactivate with the help of histone modifications.

The epigenetic regulation of viruses, including HSV, has been a particular focus of research laboratories, including that of Thomas Kristie, PhD. Dr. Kristie works in the Laboratory of Viral Diseases as a principal investigator at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. His team continues to investigate the virus.

The herpes simplex virus is very common, infecting around 90 percent of people in the U.S., and it can lead to eye infections, cold sores, lesions, and even inflammation of the brain known as encephalitis.

“We have long been interested in the regulation of herpes simplex virus immediate early (IE) genes which are the first set of viral genes to be expressed upon infection,” said Dr. Kristie. “The proteins encoded by these genes are very important regulators, and once expressed, they promote lytic infection as well as reactivation from latency.”

Histone H3K27 methyltransferases EZH2 and EZH1 (EZH2/1), according to the research team, are epigenetic repressors that suppress gene transcription via propagation of repressive H3K27me3-enriched chromatin domain. Several EZH2/1 inhibitors are presently in the development and evaluation process in clinical trials for cancer.

“Some specific cancers are based on “gain of function” mutations in EZH2. Additionally, it has been proposed that in some cancers, these enzymes repress anti-oncogenes and treatment with EZH2/1 inhibitors might result in re-expression of these anti-oncogenes,” said Dr. Kristie.

In their current study, they assessed the influence of a series of EZH2/1 inhibitors on herpes. Because these histone methyltransferase inhibitors have been linked to repressing the gene expression of the herpes virus, the team anticipated to see induction of the virus’s gene expression. However, they uncovered that in vivo and in vitro, the inhibitors reduced HSV gene expression and lytic infection.

“These inhibitors suppressed viral IE gene expression and lytic replication in culture. They also suppressed infection in vivo in a mouse model system and promoted the recruitment of host immune cells to the sites of infection,” said Dr. Kristie.

SEE ALSO: Bolstering Your Defenses Against COVID-19: An “Epigenetic” Diet

After analyzing the transcriptome, the researchers found that the epigenetic drugs caused numerous antiviral and stress pathways that were able to account for the compounds’ antiviral activity. The data were consistent with other research studies that showed treatment of cancer cell lines with these epigenetic inhibitors boosted the expression of various genes responsive to cytokines, such as interferons.

Dr. Kristie explained: “Previous studies indicated that this complex would repress HSV infection. However, what was unexpected was treatment with EZH2/1 inhibitors enhanced cellular anti-viral activity and this was dominant over the loss of direct repression of the viral genome by this enzyme complex.”

Mouse sensory ganglia that were latently infected with HSV had enhanced immune responses when they were treated with the epigenetic drugs. Also, this correlated with a decrease in viral reactivation from latency.

Further experiments demonstrated that the anti-viral effects of the EZH2/1 inhibitors reached other DNA viruses, such as adenovirus-5, human Cytomegalovirus, and unrelated Zika RNA virus.

Dr. Kristie believes that EZH2/1 inhibitors might be utilized to increase a person’s immunity to emerging viruses or viruses that are resistant to drugs. According to Kristie, there aren’t any immediate treatments for emerging viruses, so this could be something doctors can use to boost someone’s innate immunity. It could also be a new method for treating infections by enhancing the infected cell’s own ability to fight the virus.

“Many viruses, such as herpesviruses, have mechanisms to circumvent cellular immune responses. What was striking was that these viruses were not able to escape the suppression mediated by these inhibitors.”

Bailey Kirkpatrick

Source: Arbuckle, J.H. and Kristie, T.M. et al. (2017). Inhibitors of the Histone Methyltransferases EZH2/1 Induce a Potent Antiviral State and Suppress Infection by Diverse Viral Pathogens. mBio, 8(4).

Reference: ASM Communications. Epigenetic Drugs Show Promise as Antivirals. American Society for Microbiology. 15 Aug 2017. Web.

Related Posts

Bolstering Your Defenses Against COVID-19: An “Epigenetic” Diet

Death from Viruses

Viruses are pH Sensitive

Viruses Could Epigenetically Modify a Person’s DNA

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[dipulb3]

White House hosts a party in the midst of a pandemic

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/white-house-hosts-a-party-in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic/

White House hosts a party in the midst of a pandemic

Since late March, the White House has been on virtual lockdown. This week, however, party preparation began anew. Tables popped up on the South Lawn, installed by staff who had been cut back from in-person work several weeks earlier out of an abundance of caution, but who have returned this week to set up the White House July Fourth party.

For White House social secretary Rickie Niceta and the White House team of chefs and butlers, housekeeping staff and ushers, the slow build back to normal begins with a party in the midst of a pandemic.

The chairs for the tables, however, are not the typical eight or 10, but instead just four — only enough to accommodate a socially distant seating plan. There will be tablecloths and flowers, some food — including grill stations for hot dogs and hamburgers (adorned with tiny American flags attached to toothpicks) and nonalcoholic drinks — details overseen by Niceta, herself one of the staffers who had since late March been doing her job from home.

Waitstaff, who were typically bare-handed for previous outdoor White House events and white-gloved for more formal ones, will this July Fourth be wearing disposable rubber gloves and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-advised face masks, which will be constantly swapped out for fresh ones, a White House official told Appradab.

The guest list for the picnic will reflect the health trauma the country is still grappling with. “Guests will be made up of front-line workers and their families,” deputy press secretary Judd Deere told Appradab, “including law enforcement, doctors, nurses and others, as well as members of the military and their families.”

Members of the Trump administration will also be in attendance, Deere said. Though Deere did not specify how many guests were expected, the White House says the invitation-only event, which culminates in watching flyovers of military aircraft and a large-scale fireworks show on the National Mall, will include social distancing.

“As President Trump has said, this year’s Independence Day celebration will have a different look than 2019 to ensure the health and safety of those attending,” Deere said.

Yet Friday evening, Trump, with first lady Melania Trump, attended a program and fireworks display at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, where several thousand were blatantly non-socially distanced, packed closely together in amphitheater-style bleacher seating. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, said earlier in the week during an interview that those who didn’t want to maintain the CDC guidelines of staying at least 6 feet apart were welcome to attend.

“We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home. But those who want to come and join us, we’ll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one. But we won’t be social distancing,” Noem said on Fox News.

Back at the White House on Thursday, boxes of face masks were being unpacked, thousands of them ready to be placed with hand wipes and sanitizer into personal pouches of protection for each guest. Passing out masks and enforcing personal space feels incongruous at the home of a President who, while publicly saying he is “fine” with the idea of face masks, has shunned wearing one of his own in front of press. In fact, Trump’s anti-mask status has helped turn the decision to wear a mask or not into a political issue.

The Fourth of July wasn’t always as politically charged as it is this year, with a country in the middle of a cultural and social reckoning, as well as a pandemic, and an election looming just four months away. Thomas Jefferson in 1801 was the first American President to hold a July Fourth celebration at the White House, complete with horse races on the North Lawn and the Marine Band (who will also play at Saturday evening’s party) performing patriotic tunes in the entrance hall, according to the White House Historical Association’s research.

In 1850, though at the still-under-construction Washington Monument and not the White House, President Zachary Taylor attended Fourth of July festivities and consumed ice water and cherries and other raw fruit. Taylor died at the White House five days later from a gastrointestinal illness that historians believe to be cholera.

Shortly thereafter, in the early 1900s, when the grounds of the White House were virtually open to anyone who wanted to stroll them, the Fourth of July made it a favorite picnic spot, kicking off the tradition of an evening on the sprawling lawn, admiring fireworks that were set off over the National Mall.

A favored photo op for many a president and first lady in more recent decades has been standing on the second-floor Truman Balcony of the White House, a spacious outdoor area commissioned by former President Harry Truman in 1947 that extends from the Executive Residence’s Yellow Oval Room, looking into the distance at the fireworks.

Last year, Trump went all out for the Fourth of July, with an expansive and expensive display of patriotic firepower on the Mall. The first couple opted not to sit at the White House for the festivities, but instead watched from the Lincoln Memorial, overlooking a massive crowd who cheered in the rain as displays of military might flew overhead.

This year, with all that coronavirus continues to rob from Americans, the celebration will likely be under the weather in a different way.

[ladystylestores]

Mount Rushmore: Trump to host 4 July event despite virus concerns

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption President Trump has drawn criticism for holding the event at Mount Rushmore, which stands on land sacred to the Sioux tribe

US President Donald Trump will visit Mount Rushmore on Friday night to mark 4 July celebrations in the US, despite concerns over a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.

A fireworks display will be held at the South Dakota landmark, which features the carved faces of four US presidents.

Some 7,500 people are expected to attend the pre-Independence Day event.

Mr Trump, who has promised “a tremendous 3 July” is set to give a speech.

Masks will be available but not required, and social distancing will not be strictly enforced.

Mr Trump’s visit has raised fears over the potential spread of Covid-19, wildfire worries linked to the fireworks, and protests from Native American groups.

Speaking to Fox News this week, South Dakota’s Republican Governor Kristi Noem said free face masks would be available at the outdoor event for people who chose to wear them, but “we won’t be social distancing”.

“We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home,” she said.

Why is the location controversial?

Activists have long taken issue with the Mount Rushmore monument, which was built on land sacred to the Sioux tribe. Two of the former presidents depicted – George Washington and Thomas Jefferson ��� were slave-owners.

The decision to hold an event there is controversial at a time when statues of Confederate generals and slave-owners are being re-evaluated, and in many cases pulled down, amid anti-racism protests.

Why this Independence Day will be unlike any other

Fourth of July: What is Independence Day?

Ahead of the event, a group of mostly Native American protesters blocked a main road to the monument with white vans, leading to a tense stand-off with police.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Protesters blocked a main road to the monument ahead of the event

They were eventually cleared from the road by police officers and National Guard soldiers, who used smoke bombs and pepper spray, local reports say.

The vans were towed away and several protesters were arrested after the police declared the road block an “unlawful assembly”, local newspaper the Argus Leader reported.

What is Trump expected to say?

Mr Trump will deliver a speech in the shadow of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, whose heads are carved into the granite of Mount Rushmore.

A Trump campaign official said the president, who has condemned the removal of statues by protesters, will rail against people trying to “tear down” the United States.

“The left wing mob and those practicing cancel culture are engaging in totalitarian behaviour that is completely alien to American life – and we must not accept it,” the official said, summarising Mr Trump’s expected comments.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Mr Trump is expected to make a speech in the shadow of Mount Rushmore

These will be the first fireworks at Mount Rushmore in over a decade, after a ban was imposed over environmental concerns.

Mr Trump has predicted a “fireworks display like few people have seen” in South Dakota, a state he won in the 2016 US election.

The monument is surrounded by a national forest and some fear the display could set off wildfires in the dry brush, though local officials have said the risk is low.

Friday’s event is the latest to be held by President Trump during the coronavirus pandemic, as he attempts to fire up his supporters ahead of November’s presidential election.

The president recently organised large events in Oklahoma and Arizona, drawing criticism for risking further outbreaks as Covid-19 cases continue to rise nationwide.

On Friday, the US recorded its largest single-day total of new coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

What have Native Americans said about the event?

Native American groups have criticised Mr Trump’s visit for posing a possible health risk, and for celebrating US independence in an area that is sacred to them.

Many Native Americans do not celebrate Independence Day because they associate it with the colonisation of their tribal homelands and the loss of their cultural freedoms.

The Mount Rushmore landmark was carved between 1927 and 1941, but the land it lies on – in the Black Hills of South Dakota – was taken from the indigenous Lakota Sioux by the US government in the 1800s.

Native Americans to protest against Trump visit to Mount Rushmore

How did Mount Rushmore come to be?

“The president is putting our tribal members at risk to stage a photo op at one of our most sacred sites,” said Harold Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Native American groups are protesting against the event, which they have branded disrespectful

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[blockheadbrands]

South Dakota House Advances Proposal to Legalize Industrial Hemp

Thomas Edward of High Times Reports:

What a difference a year makes. In 2019, South Dakota lawmakers passed a bill to legalize industrial hemp, only to see the measure vetoed by the state’s Republican governor. Now, with the governor reversing course, a new hemp bill looks poised to become law. 

On Tuesday, members of the South Dakota House of Representatives passed a proposal to legalize and regulate the growth, processing, and transportation of hemp. The bipartisan bill passed with overwhelming support, advancing on a 54-12 vote. It now moves to the state Senate, where it is also expected to pass, ultimately arriving at the desk of Gov. Kristi Noem, who is expected to complete her turnabout on the issue by signing the bill.

Governor Noem’s Anti-Hemp Stance

In last year’s session, Noem, who was elected governor in 2018, vetoed a bill to industrialize hemp, arguing that it would be a gateway to legal marijuana. She reiterated her opposition last summer, writing in the Wall Street Journal that she would veto any future hemp measures that arrive on her desk.

“When I was sworn in as South Dakota’s governor in January, opposing industrial hemp and marijuana legalization weren’t on my list of key issues,” she wrote. “But during the first legislative session of my tenure, I vetoed a measure to legalize industrial hemp. If the issue comes up this year, I will veto it again.”

Her objections puzzled many in the state, including Republicans in the legislature who backed the measure. Noem’s opposition was also peculiar given that, as a congresswoman, she voted for the 2018 federal Farm Bill that allowed states to legalize industrial hemp. The editorial board of Agweek criticized Noem’s intransigence on the issue, saying that she had “taken a public position that clearly works against South Dakota agriculture.”

“It’s widely understood in ag circles that industrial hemp, which is very different from marijuana, is well suited for marginal land,” the editorial said. “It’s widely understood in ag circles that industrial hemp potentially could generate profits for the hard-pressed South Dakota ag operators farming that land.”

But by the start of this year, Noem said she was ready to drop her opposition to hemp, though she indicated she still has misgivings.

“I wanted to just be really palms-up with the Legislature,” Noem told local television station KELO in January. “I still don’t think this is a great idea for South Dakota, but I know they are looking for a solution.” 

The new bill that passed the House this week will require all hemp crops to be tested for THC.

TO READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE ON HIGH TIMES, CLICK HERE. 

https://hightimes.com/news/south-dakota-house-advances-proposal-to-legalize-industrial-hemp/

[weekendwarriorblog]

Weekend Warrior Extra: What to Watch Over the Holidays!

Since this is the last column of the year, and honestly, I have no idea if I’ll be able to continue this into another year, I’m going to change things up a little. I’m not even sure if anyone is reading anything I write about repertory or limited releases anyway, so we’ll see how I feel about continuing to write all that stuff for free.

1917 (Universal)

One of my favorite movies of the year is Sam Mendes’ absolutely brilliant World War I epic, following the journey of two soldiers, played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, as they’re sent on a mission to the frontlines to deliver a message to hold off an attack on the Germans. I already reviewed the movie for ComingSoon.net, so I won’t say too much more about it, but it is a movie that works well on repeat viewings just because every aspect of the filmmaking is so masterful, particularly the decision to make the film a single shot. There’s a lot to talk about the technical aspects of the film from Roger Deakins’ cinematography to the breath-taking production design and gorgeous score by Thomas Newman, but I want to draw special attention to the screenplay by Mendes with Kristy

Wilson-Cairns, which I feel is being overlooked in favor of the technicality of the film, maybe since there are so many stretches without dialogue. Don’t let that fool you. It takes a great deal of research and description in a screenplay to lead to a movie this good, and the writing that forms the backbone of Mendes’ latest and greatest should not be ignored. 1917is easily one of the year’s best film, and though it only opens in New York and L.A. on Christmas Day, it will be nationwide on January 10.

KNIVES OUT (Lionsgate)

I also reviewed Rian Johnson’s comedic whodunnit right here, so I don’t have a ton more to say about it, but I’m so happy that it’s continued to do well since opening over Thanksgiving. If you haven’t seen it and want a fun couple hours at the movies, Johnson’s movie can provide that, but it’s also quite a brilliant twist on the ensemble whodunnit that I’ve generally been a fan of as a kid, and the movie definitely stands up to repeat viewings.

BOMBSHELL (Lionsgate)

I also highly recommend Jay Roach’s “workplace drama,” which is about the Fox News sex scandals, mainly surrounding the news corp’s founder Roger Ailes, as played by John Lithgow. The movie stars Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie as “Kayla Pospisil,” as a composite character, the story following the three FOX News employees as they navigate the difficult Venn Diagram of politics and sexuality (or sexualization). Most of the events take place around the 2016 Presidential Election and Donald Trump’s grilling by Kelly about his statements about women, something that backfires for the anchor. At the same time, Carlson is moved to an afternoon slot, and she decides to fight back against Aisles’ demotion (and her subsequent firing) by getting lawyers and accusing Aisles of sexual harassment. As we learn from Robbie’s character, Aisles gets up to much worse, and I loved what her character brought to the mix, particularly her relationship with Kate McKinnon’s character. I’m thinking the movie hasn’t gotten nearly as much traction with critics because it’s written and directed by men, in the former case, Charles Randolph, the Oscar-winning writer of The Big Short, but we have to give some credit to the amazing female cast assembled and what they were able to bring to the material to make the film far less dreary than it might have been despite the yucky nature of the Fox News world. I also think that attention should be paid to John Lithgow’s performance as Ailes, which is a lot more than a good make-up job. Lithgow is such a nice person so for him to play such an oily, slimy character so well makes me think he shouldn’t be overlooked in the awards conversation. This is now playing in about 1,500 theaters across the country, and hopefully, it will be in even more over the coming weeks.

LITTLE WOMEN (Sony)

Sort of related to Bombshell in that it explores women’s issues from a very different standpoint, that of Louisa May Alcott’s classic piece of coming-of-age literature set post-Civil War. Greta Gerwig ably tackles far more difficult material for her second feature as a filmmaker, proving that Lady Bird was no fluke. It reunites Gerwig with that film’s Oscar-nominated star, Saoirse Ronan, playing Jo March, the writer who is trying to make her way in life and through her career as a writer.  I’m not a huge fan of the source material but Gerwig and Ronan have created such a marvelous bundle of joy in this film that follows the journey of the four March girls, but does so in a non-linear way that forces to pay close attention. Ronan is wonderful, as always, but I was equally and maybe even more impressed by Florence Pugh, who plays the super-dramatic Amy in a way that makes her far more convincing as the younger and older versions of her character than some of the other young actresses.  I think Emma Watson as Meg might be somewhat the weak link of the movie but she isn’t terrible and I did enjoy some of her scenes. Gerwig’s movie is rounded out by wonderful performances from the likes of Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet (fantastic as Theodore Lawrence), Chris Cooper, Tracy Letts and others.  Actually, I really loved all of the interactions between Chalamet, Ronan and Pugh, three fantastic actors who I’m sure we’ll continue to see more great things from over the next few decades. I haven’t seen enough of the adaptations of Alcott’s book to really know how this stands up, but it’s the first time I really was interested in these characters and their story, and that’s quite an achievement.

CLEMENCY (NEON)

Although Warner Bros’ JUST MERCY (see below) is getting a ton more attention and marketing, personally I preferred Chinonye Chukwu’s CLEMENCY (NEON), which premiered at Sundance way back in March but just had a much more lasting impact. It stars Alfre Woodard as a prison warden where the pressures of death row executions have started to take a toll on her personal life, especially with the impending execution of Aldis Hodge’s Death Row inmate, who claims his innocence. This is a really tough drama to watch at times, but with such amazing performances by Woodard and Hodge that it pulls you in and keeps you riveted to what might happen next. I’m a little bummed that Chukwu isn’t getting more attention for her brilliant work writing and directing the film vs. other films like the recent Queen and Slim.  She’s a great filmmaker and I can’t wait to see her next film, A Taste of Power.

UNCUT GEMS (A24)

I’m not as big a fan of the works of Ben and Josh Safdie as many of my fellow critics are, but this crime-comedy (of sorts?) starring Adam Sandler, helped make me see their crazy mode of filmmaking in a new way. While I recommend this with reservations, I do think that Sandler’s role in the movie as Howard Ratner, a New York jeweler merchant to the stars, could help the Safdies break out to a new audience as they certainly seemed to have refined their mode of filmmaking with Uncut Gems, and the mix of characters and situations really make the movie something unlike anything else you’re likely to see this year.  The gist of the story is that Howard gets his hands on a valuable gem from Africa and that seems to change his luck as a chronic gambler where everything seems to be going right for him… until it doesn’t.  Much of the story involves him trying to get the rock back from basketball player evin Garnett (played by himself) who borrows the valuable gem and then won’t give it back.  All-in-all, it’s a pretty entertaining film with an absolutely amazing last act that will expand nationwide on Christmas Day.

THE TWO POPES (Netflix)

In case you don’t want to go out in the cold this week, you can also stay home and watch some of the great films now on Netflix. While I assume you’ve already seen The Irishmanand Marriage Story, I hope you’ll also check out this wonderful two-hander written by  Anthony McCarten (Darkest Hour), which explores the relationship between Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) and his successor Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce), as they try to get along even though they don’t see eye-to-eye on how the Catholic Church should be won. I was a little surprised how much I enjoyed this movie, but it reminded of a little-seen 2016 movie called The Journey, a two-hander starring Timothy Spall and Colm Meaney as two sides of the war in Northern Ireland trying to come to an accord while driving to the airport from talks that have fallen apart.  I’ve long been a fan of Pryce but playing the Argentine cardinal who would become Pope is a fantastic role that allows him to show so much more depth as an actor, but we also learn a lot about Pope Francis’ past and the regrets he has about his involvement with the government’s anti-religious actions. Hopkins is also great, and for a movie that’s mainly two men talking, it’s perfectly captivating.

Although it’s been out for a while now and has already been losing theaters, I also recommend checking out Marielle Heller’s It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers, if it’s still playing anywhere near you, because it’s a really wonderful story about a journalist whose spotlight of Mr. Rogers turned into a way that he can find redemption in his own family issues.

I’ve actually seen a lot of the other movies opening in limited release this weekend, including the doc WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL  (Juno Films), which opens at New York’s Film Forum on Wednesday. If you’re even remotely interested in film criticism and its origins through the story of one of the most respected and beloved critics, you definitely should check this one out. I haven’t seen it since Doc-NYC back in 2018

As mentioned in my write-up of Clemency above, I wasn’t nearly as crazy about Destin Daniel Cretton’s JUST MERCY (Warner Bros.), which is a different movie with similar elements, this one starring Michael B. Jordon as Bryan Stevenson, a young civil rights attorney who is trying to free a wrongly-convicted Death Row inmate, played by Jamie Foxx. Cretton’s good luck charm Brie Larson (they first teamed for Short Term 12) is also in the movie, but I don’t feel she’s nearly as good, and there was just something about the movie that really didn’t click with me. Even so, it will also be nationwide on January 10 and maybe I’ll try to give it another chance before then.

I was semi-excited about Donnie Yen’s return in the title role of Wilson Yip’s grand finale, IP MAN 4: THE FINALE (Go USA Films), which has the martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee (and whose first name, I only just realized, is “Man”) comes to San Francisco in the late ‘60s to back up his pupil’s desire to teach non-Chinese martial arts. Along the way, he gets into issues with the local martial arts masters as well as the Marines, who believe that Japanese judo is the only proper martial art. As with some of the other movies in the series, this one is mainly good for Yen’s performance and his martial arts scenes, although Kwok-Kwan Chan is also excellent as Bruce Lee in one particularly good fight scene, and there are a few others as well. My main issue with this, as with may martial arts film from China, is that the American actors are written terribly and the performances they’re giving (particularly by regular offender Scott Adkns) are just terrible. It’s a classic case of over-villifying the non-Asian characters to the point of them being a joke, and there are few surprises about who is going to win in most fights. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the other chapters, and martial arts fans will probably like parts of this, but it’s not a particularly good movie when all is said and done.

A movie I liked quite a bit more is François Girard’s historical drama THE SONG OF NAMES (Sony Pictures Classics), produced by Robert Lantos (Barney’s Version), another terrific Canadian film that deals with Jewish issues. It stars Tim Roth as Martin Simmonds, a young British man whose family took in a Polish Jew named Dovidl, who was also a violin virtuoso, to live with them just before the start of WWII. The night of Dovidl’s anticipated 1951 live concert debut in London, he vanishes, and years later, Martin, starts to track down his old friend to find what happened to him. It’s a pretty amazing movie, partially due to Roth’s performance, but also the two young actors playing Martin and Dovidl, since so much happens in the past. Like much of Sony Classics’ output, this will probably appeal more towards older audiences, but it’s another original story set during the period of the Holocaust that puts its own spin on the times with the musical element, which plays such a large part in the film. (Clive Owen plays the older Dovidl, but it’s a fairly small role compared to the others.)

I’m very excited that The 21st Annual Animation Show of Shows (ACME Filmworks)is returning to the Quad Cinema on Christmas Day, and while I was hoping to write something more extended about this, I just haven’t had the time. There’s an amazing line-up of films from a lot of different countries including Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Belgium and more, but there’s also a couple doc shorts about the filmmakers among the films. The Czech Republic film Daughterwas recently included on the Oscar shortlist for animated shorts, but otherwise, it’s a fairly strange mix of films, including the very disturbing Kids.

I haven’t seen Wayman Boone’s horror film Apparition (Vertical Entertainment), starring Mena Suvari and Kevin Pollak, but apparently, it’s another horror movie involving an APP that connects to the user to the dead. It’ll open this Friday.

A few other things on Netflix over the next couple weeks including John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch special, which looks like more quirky fun from one of my favorite stand-up comics. That opens on Christmas Eve i.e. today, while a couple new series begin on Netflix on New Year’s Day, The Messiah(starring the wonderful Michelle Monaghan) and Spinning Out.

I decided to take a much-needed break from the repertory stuff this week, but we’ll see what happens with that going into the New Year, and I’ll have my annual Top 25 to share with you all next week!

[abfindunginfo]

"Das Lockdown Paradigma bricht zusammen"

Darin "Das Lockdown Paradigma bricht zusammen" stellte der amerikanische Wirtschaftsredakteur Jeffrey A. Tucker in einem Beitrag am 19.04.2021 fest. Lockdown Paradigma - Umfrageergebnisse zeigen Wandel Unter dem Titel "Das Lockdown Paradigma bricht zusammen" veröffentlichte der Redaktionsleiter des American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) und Chief Liberty Officer (CLO) von Liberty.me am 19.04. 2021 einen Beitrag über die Akzeptanz des Lockdowns in verschiedenen US-Bundesstaaten. Darin stellt er einleitend fest: "Es hat viel länger gedauert, als es hätte sein sollen, aber endlich scheint es zu passieren: das Lockdown-Paradigma bricht zusammen. Die Zeichen sind überall um uns herum zu sehen." Diese Entwicklung verdeutlicht er an Umfrageergebnissen zur Lockdown-Politik in New York, Florida und South Dakota. Wie Tucker schreibt, hat der einstige Held des Lockdowns, New Yorks Gouverneur Andrew Cuomo, hat seine Unterstützung von 71 % auf 38 % sinken sehen. Immer mehr wird sein Rücktritt gefordert. Inzwischen ergeben Umfragen, wonach Floridas Gouverneur und Lockdown Gegner Ron DeSantis an Einfluss gewinnt. "Diese bemerkenswerte Wendung des Schicksals ist auf die dämmernde Erkenntnis zurückzuführen, dass die Lockdowns eine katastrophale Politik waren. DeSantis und die andere Anti-Lockdown-Gouverneurin Kristi Noem sind die ersten, die die Wahrheit unverbl��mt aussprechen. Ihre Ehrlichkeit hat sie beide Glaubwürdigkeit gewonnen." Die Amerikaner können mehr oder weniger direkt zwischen den Bundesstaaten vergleichen, welche Folgen der Lockdown für Krankheit oder Todesfälle hat. Diese Möglichkeit fehlt in Deutschland. Denn hier haben Bundestag und Bundesrat durch ihre Gesetzgebung sowie die Kanzlerin mit ihrem Kabinett und den Ministerpräsidenten durch Verordnungen dafür gesorgt, dass kein Bundesland aus der Reihe tanzt. Nicht genug damit: Leider geraten in der Bundesrepublik selbst Juristen ins Kreuzfeuer, wenn sie die Lockdown-Politik hinterfragen. "Wissenschaft" in der Kritik Worin sieht Tucker die Quelle für diesen Stimmungswechsel unter der amerikanischen Bevölkerung? "Das Problem ist, dass das Vorhandensein oder Nichtvorhandensein von Lockdowns angesichts des Virus völlig unkorreliert mit dem Verlauf der Krankheit zu sein scheint. Die AIER hat 33 Fallstudien aus der ganzen Welt zusammengetragen, die dies belegen." Doch die fehlende Korrelation scheint nicht nur Folgen für den Stimmungswandel der einfachen Bürger zu haben, sondern auch für die Reputation der Wissenschaftler. "Warum sollte dies von Bedeutung sein? Weil die 'Wissenschaftler', die Lockdowns empfohlen haben, sehr präzise und pointiert behauptet haben, dass sie den Weg gefunden haben, das Virus zu kontrollieren und die negativen Folgen zu minimieren. Wir wissen mit Sicherheit, dass die Abriegelungen erstaunliche Kollateralschäden verursacht haben. Was wir nicht sehen, ist irgendein Zusammenhang zwischen den Abriegelungen und den Krankheitsauswirkungen. Das ist verheerend, denn die Wissenschaftler, die die Abriegelungen vorangetrieben haben, hatten spezifische und falsifizierbare Vorhersagen gemacht. Dies war wahrscheinlich ihr größter Fehler. Indem sie dies taten, stellten sie einen Test ihrer Theorie auf. Ihre Theorie ist gescheitert. Dies ist die Art von Moment, die einen Zusammenbruch eines wissenschaftlichen Paradigmas verursacht, wie von Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) erklärt."   Wie aufschlussreich fanden Sie diesen Artikel? Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel

[weekendwarriorblog]

Weekend Warrior Extra: What to Watch Over the Holidays

Since this is the last column of the year, and honestly, I have no idea if I’ll be able to continue this into another year, I’m going to change things up a little. I’m not even sure if anyone is reading anything I write about repertory or limited releases anyway, so we’ll see how I feel about continuing to write all that stuff for free.

1917

One of my favorite movies of the year is Sam Mendes’ absolutely brilliant World War I epic, following the journey of two soldiers, played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, as they’re sent on a mission to the frontlines to deliver a message to hold off an attack on the Germans. I already reviewed the movie for ComingSoon.net, so I won’t say too much more about it, but it is a movie that works well on repeat viewings just because every aspect of the filmmaking is so masterful, particularly the decision to make the film a single shot. There’s a lot to talk about the technical aspects of the film from Roger Deakins’ cinematography to the breath-taking production design and gorgeous score by Thomas Newman, but I want to draw special attention to the screenplay by Mendes with Kristy

Wilson-Cairns, which I feel is being overlooked in favor of the technicality of the film, maybe since there are so many stretches without dialogue. Don’t let that fool you. It takes a great deal of research and description in a screenplay to lead to a movie this good, and the writing that forms the backbone of Mendes’ latest and greatest should not be ignored. 1917is easily one of the year’s best film, and though it only opens in New York and L.A. on Christmas Day, it will be nationwide on January 10.

KNIVES OUT (Lionsgate)

I also reviewed Rian Johnson’s comedic whodunnit right here, so I don’t have a ton more to say about it, but I’m so happy that it’s continued to do well since opening over Thanksgiving. If you haven’t seen it and want a fun couple hours at the movies, Johnson’s movie can provide that, but it’s also quite a brilliant twist on the ensemble whodunnit that I’ve generally been a fan of as a kid, and the movie definitely stands up to repeat viewings.

BOMBSHELL (Lionsgate)

I also highly recommend Jay Roach’s “workplace drama,” which is about the Fox News sex scandals, mainly surrounding the news corp’s founder Roger Ailes, as played by John Lithgow. The movie stars Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie as “Kayla Pospisil,” as a composite character, the story following the three FOX News employees as they navigate the difficult Venn Diagram of politics and sexuality (or sexualization). Most of the events take place around the 2016 Presidential Election and Donald Trump’s grilling by Kelly about his statements about women, something that backfires for the anchor. At the same time, Carlson is moved to an afternoon slot, and she decides to fight back against Aisles’ demotion (and her subsequent firing) by getting lawyers and accusing Aisles of sexual harassment. As we learn from Robbie’s character, Aisles gets up to much worse, and I loved what her character brought to the mix, particularly her relationship with Kate McKinnon’s character. I’m thinking the movie hasn’t gotten nearly as much traction with critics because it’s written and directed by men, in the former case, Charles Randolph, the Oscar-winning writer of The Big Short, but we have to give some credit to the amazing female cast assembled and what they were able to bring to the material to make the film far less dreary than it might have been despite the yucky nature of the Fox News world. I also think that attention should be paid to John Lithgow’s performance as Ailes, which is a lot more than a good make-up job. Lithgow is such a nice person so for him to play such an oily, slimy character so well makes me think he shouldn’t be overlooked in the awards conversation. This is now playing in about 1,500 theaters across the country, and hopefully, it will be in even more over the coming weeks.

LITTLE WOMEN (Sony)

Sort of related to Bombshell in that it explores women’s issues from a very different standpoint, that of Louisa May Alcott’s classic piece of coming-of-age literature set post-Civil War. Greta Gerwig ably tackles far more difficult material for her second feature as a filmmaker, proving that Lady Bird was no fluke. It reunites Gerwig with that film’s Oscar-nominated star, Saoirse Ronan, playing Jo March, the writer who is trying to make her way in life and through her career as a writer.  I’m not a huge fan of the source material but Gerwig and Ronan have created such a marvelous bundle of joy in this film that follows the journey of the four March girls, but does so in a non-linear way that forces to pay close attention. Ronan is wonderful, as always, but I was equally and maybe even more impressed by Florence Pugh, who plays the super-dramatic Amy in a way that makes her far more convincing as the younger and older versions of her character than some of the other young actresses.  I think Emma Watson as Meg might be somewhat the weak link of the movie but she isn’t terrible and I did enjoy some of her scenes. Gerwig’s movie is rounded out by wonderful performances from the likes of Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet (fantastic as Theodore Lawrence), Chris Cooper, Tracy Letts and others.  Actually, I really loved all of the interactions between Chalamet, Ronan and Pugh, three fantastic actors who I’m sure we’ll continue to see more great things from over the next few decades. I haven’t seen enough of the adaptations of Alcott’s book to really know how this stands up, but it’s the first time I really was interested in these characters and their story, and that’s quite an achievement.

CLEMENCY (NEON)

Although Warner Bros’ JUST MERCY (see below) is getting a ton more attention and marketing, personally I preferred Chinonye Chukwu’s CLEMENCY (NEON), which premiered at Sundance way back in March but just had a much more lasting impact. It stars Alfre Woodard as a prison warden where the pressures of death row executions have started to take a toll on her personal life, especially with the impending execution of Aldis Hodge’s Death Row inmate, who claims his innocence. This is a really tough drama to watch at times, but with such amazing performances by Woodard and Hodge that it pulls you in and keeps you riveted to what might happen next. I’m a little bummed that Chukwu isn’t getting more attention for her brilliant work writing and directing the film vs. other films like the recent Queen and Slim.  She’s a great filmmaker and I can’t wait to see her next film, A Taste of Power.

UNCUT GEMS (A24)

I’m not as big a fan of the works of Ben and Josh Safdie as many of my fellow critics are, but this crime-comedy (of sorts?) starring Adam Sandler, helped make me see their crazy mode of filmmaking in a new way. While I recommend this with reservations, I do think that Sandler’s role in the movie as Howard Ratner, a New York jeweler merchant to the stars, could help the Safdies break out to a new audience as they certainly seemed to have refined their mode of filmmaking with Uncut Gems, and the mix of characters and situations really make the movie something unlike anything else you’re likely to see this year.  The gist of the story is that Howard gets his hands on a valuable gem from Africa and that seems to change his luck as a chronic gambler where everything seems to be going right for him… until it doesn’t.  Much of the story involves him trying to get the rock back from basketball player evin Garnett (played by himself) who borrows the valuable gem and then won’t give it back.  All-in-all, it’s a pretty entertaining film with an absolutely amazing last act that will expand nationwide on Christmas Day.

THE TWO POPES (Netflix)

In case you don’t want to go out in the cold this week, you can also stay home and watch some of the great films now on Netflix. While I assume you’ve already seen The Irishman and Marriage Story, I hope you’ll also check out this wonderful two-hander written by  Anthony McCarten (Darkest Hour), which explores the relationship between Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) and his successor Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce), as they try to get along even though they don’t see eye-to-eye on how the Catholic Church should be won. I was a little surprised how much I enjoyed this movie, but it reminded of a little-seen 2016 movie called The Journey, a two-hander starring Timothy Spall and Colm Meaney as two sides of the war in Northern Ireland trying to come to an accord while driving to the airport from talks that have fallen apart.  I’ve long been a fan of Pryce but playing the Argentine cardinal who would become Pope is a fantastic role that allows him to show so much more depth as an actor, but we also learn a lot about Pope Francis’ past and the regrets he has about his involvement with the government’s anti-religious actions. Hopkins is also great, and for a movie that’s mainly two men talking, it’s perfectly captivating.

Although it’s been out for a while now and has already been losing theaters, I also recommend checking out Marielle Heller’s It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers, if it’s still playing anywhere near you, because it’s a really wonderful story about a journalist whose spotlight of Mr. Rogers turned into a way that he can find redemption in his own family issues.

I’ve actually seen a lot of the other movies opening in limited release this weekend, including the doc WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL  (Juno Films), which opens at New York’s Film Forum on Wednesday. If you’re even remotely interested in film criticism and its origins through the story of one of the most respected and beloved critics, you definitely should check this one out. I haven’t seen it since Doc-NYC back in 2018

As mentioned in my write-up of Clemency above, I wasn’t nearly as crazy about Destin Daniel Cretton’s JUST MERCY (Warner Bros.), which is a different movie with similar elements, this one starring Michael B. Jordon as Bryan Stevenson, a young civil rights attorney who is trying to free a wrongly-convicted Death Row inmate, played by Jamie Foxx. Cretton’s good luck charm Brie Larson (they first teamed for Short Term 12) is also in the movie, but I don’t feel she’s nearly as good, and there was just something about the movie that really didn’t click with me. Even so, it will also be nationwide on January 10 and maybe I’ll try to give it another chance before then.

I was semi-excited about Donnie Yen’s return in the title role of Wilson Yip’s grand finale, IP MAN 4: THE FINALE (Go USA Films), which has the martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee (and whose first name, I only just realized, is “Man”) comes to San Francisco in the late ‘60s to back up his pupil’s desire to teach non-Chinese martial arts. Along the way, he gets into issues with the local martial arts masters as well as the Marines, who believe that Japanese judo is the only proper martial art. As with some of the other movies in the series, this one is mainly good for Yen’s performance and his martial arts scenes, although Kwok-Kwan Chan is also excellent as Bruce Lee in one particularly good fight scene, and there are a few others as well. My main issue with this, as with may martial arts film from China, is that the American actors are written terribly and the performances they’re giving (particularly by regular offender Scott Adkns) are just terrible. It’s a classic case of over-villifying the non-Asian characters to the point of them being a joke, and there are few surprises about who is going to win in most fights. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the other chapters, and martial arts fans will probably like parts of this, but it’s not a particularly good movie when all is said and done.

A movie I liked quite a bit more is François Girard’s historical drama THE SONG OF NAMES (Sony Pictures Classics), produced by Robert Lantos (Barney’s Version), another terrific Canadian film that deals with Jewish issues. It stars Tim Roth as Martin Simmonds, a young British man whose family took in a Polish Jew named Dovidl, who was also a violin virtuoso, to live with them just before the start of WWII. The night of Dovidl’s anticipated 1951 live concert debut in London, he vanishes, and years later, Martin, starts to track down his old friend to find what happened to him. It’s a pretty amazing movie, partially due to Roth’s performance, but also the two young actors playing Martin and Dovidl, since so much happens in the past. Like much of Sony Classics’ output, this will probably appeal more towards older audiences, but it’s another original story set during the period of the Holocaust that puts its own spin on the times with the musical element, which plays such a large part in the film. (Clive Owen plays the older Dovidl, but it’s a fairly small role compared to the others.)

I’m very excited that The 21st Annual Animation Show of Shows (ACME Filmworks)is returning to the Quad Cinema on Christmas Day, and while I was hoping to write something more extended about this, I just haven’t had the time. There’s an amazing line-up of films from a lot of different countries including Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Belgium and more, but there’s also a couple doc shorts about the filmmakers among the films. The Czech Republic film Daughter was recently included on the Oscar shortlist for animated shorts, but otherwise, it’s a fairly strange mix of films, including the very disturbing Kids.

I haven’t seen Wayman Boone’s horror film Apparition (Vertical Entertainment), starring Mena Suvari and Kevin Pollak, but apparently, it’s another horror movie involving an APP that connects to the user to the dead. It’ll open this Friday.

A few other things on Netflix over the next couple weeks including John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch special, which looks like more quirky fun from one of my favorite stand-up comics. That opens on Christmas Eve i.e. today, while a couple new series begin on Netflix on New Year’s Day, The Messiah(starring the wonderful Michelle Monaghan) and Spinning Out.

I decided to take a much-needed break from the repertory stuff this week, but we’ll see what happens with that going into the New Year, and I’ll have my annual Top 25 to share with you all next week!