#thanks toby haynes

[psychoblush]

Andor - S1E1 "Kassa" - Structural Analysis

This is a written analysis of the plotting and structure of Andor from a screen/TV writing perspective. I'm an aspiring screenwriter studying TV, film, and theater writing in college and this is my pet-project: to examine the way Andor constructs story in order to achieve certain dramaturgical effects. I hope to do similar analyses for the rest of the season as well. Thank you for reading!

This will contain spoilers for all of episode 1, spoilers for the first arc (E1-E3) and mild spoilers for the rest of the season.

Show premise

Petty-thief Cassian Andor is hunted by the Empire while a revolutionary movement coalesces across the galaxy.

Ferrix Arc (S1E1-S1E3)

Stories (Arc-wide)

A-story: When a pursuit for information regarding the whereabouts of his long-lost sister leads to him being a wanted man, petty-thief Cassian Andor is forced to do anything he can to remove himself from the attentions of corporate security, but the ensuing confrontation leads to death and destruction within his community.

B-story: (in flashback) When a mysterious starship de-orbits over Kenari, young Kassa embarks on a quest to prove himself as a capable member of his community, but the confrontation results in the destruction of his community and his abduction by off-world scavengers, never to see his family or his sister again.

C-story: Deputy inspector Syril Karn seeks to prove himself as a capable officer and a force for justice by apprehending the killer, but does so by disregarding his orders and endangering the lives of his comrades.

D-story: When Timm gets jealous of Cassian’s reentry into Bix’s life, the relationship is strained by mutual secrecy and miscommunication, leading to Timm’s death at the hands of a corporate cop.

S1E1 - “Kassa”

dir. Toby Haynes, wri. Tony Gilroy

streamed September 21st, 2022

Stories

A-story: Petty-thief Cassian Andor seeks to lay low and cover his tracks after a fatal shake-down with two corrupt cops leaves him a wanted man, but finds that his community distrusts him after overdrawing one too many favors.

This A-story is very central to the entire episode and with the exception of the B-story, all other stories causally spring from this story and end up relating to it in some way by the end of the arc.

B-story: In flashbacks, young Kassa wants to prove his worth by embarking on a scouting mission with the other “adults”, but abandons his sister in doing so.

The B-story serves both in the arc and the episode as a way to provide an elegate symmetrical structure. There’s a scene in the beginning of the primary action of Cassian’s pursuit after the opening sequence, one in the middle, and one in the very end. At the same time, the flashback serves to articulate some of the internal dysfunctions of the character, even though it takes a few episodes for it to fully manifest.

C-story: Security deputy Syril Karn wants to solve the murder of the two cops to fulfill his vision of justice, but finds that nobody in his organization, especially his boss, wants to help with his pursuit of the killer.

Here, Tony starts to flex his muscles in devising institutional drama and plotting. The main antagonistic force in the story does not operate unimpeded; he instead is faced with his own antagonism that articulates two key themes: 1) the empire stifles the freedom of those that serve it, and 2) fascist societies generate fanaticism regardless of whether or not it advances their cause or helps to maintain the preferred status quo.

D-story: Cassian’s reentry into Bix’s life prompts friction and secrecy between Bix and her romantic/business partner, Timm.

This almost functions as an addendum to the A-story, but gets its own special attention in how it chooses to articulate the Bix/Timm relationship. But it comes to have a direct causal effect on the A-story in subsequent episodes. Infact, the way causality transcends the stories becomes extremely intricate in its own right. Dramatic action becomes an emergent property of these interactions.

Scene sequences

OPENING/CLOSING IMAGES

OPENING IMAGE: Streetlights moving rapidly in the rain; Cassian in pursuit of his sister.

CLOSING IMAGE: After Kassa leaves his sister for the last time, she watches him as he runs away.

1: I./E. BROTHEL, MORLANA ONE - NIGHT (A-STORY)

Cassian enters an upscale brothel in search of his sister. When he receives special attention from the hostess, two on-duty corporate cops start antagonizing him. Cassian gets too pushy in getting information from the hostess, prompting him to get kicked out of the club and his pursuit thwarted.

2: EXT. MORLANA ONE - NIGHT (A-STORY)

Cassian tries to exit discreetly, but is held at gunpoint and shaken down by the two offended corporate cops. They attempt to rob him, but Cassian is able to outwit them, inadvertently killing one of them in the scuffle, and recovering the gun. With the tables now turned, the remaining cop tries to persuade Cassian to spare him, but Cassian kills him to make his escape.

Let’s talk about these two scenes as a sequence, because they function as one discrete unit of storytelling. Andor doesn’t do cold opens - though this sequence could very easily serve as a riveting cold open if they moved the title card to right after this scene. Being a streaming exclusive without commercial breaks, Andor also doesn’t use hard act structure with distinct act outs, even though we’ll come to see Andor as employing techniques similar to traditional TV act structure at times.

In TV writing, we sometimes encounter this idea of cold opens or opening sequences serving as story microcosms. In the sense that the structure and action of the sequence is representative, in a small way, of the way the world we see in the episode, season, and series functions. Andor’s opening sequence has him engage in a seemingly innocuous pursuit, enter a highly dangerous yet extremely familiar situation of power-tripping LEO, and leads him to make a difficult choice to escape the dangerous situation. It’s telling us that this is a world where good people have to make hard choices to survive because of the danger of the society they live in, which we will come to see in subsequent story units, is a racist, fascist, imperialistic, and capitalist society.

3: I./E. FERRIX / MAARVA’S SHIP - MORNING (A-STORY)

An extremely quick scene introducing us to Ferrix before work-hours, B2’s winning personality, and establishes the pretenses for Cassian’s flashbacks in the B-story. 

This isn’t really a real scene because it doesn’t have conflict, it doesn’t have antagonism, and it doesn’t have pursuit. But it serves as a good framing device and orients us to where we are on Ferrix.

4: EXT. KENARI VILLAGE - DAY (B-STORY)

This scene introduces us to Kenari, Cassian’s sister, and Kassa (the young uncontacted version of Cassian). We don’t get much action or context in this scene, but discerning viewers are able to pick up on the fact that this is a society populated solely by children and teenagers wearing and using old industrial equipment. Something very bad clearly happened here. We also see the mysterious ship de-orbiting, and the reaction the community has tells us this isn’t something they’re used to.

The decision to completely eschew subtitles is a pretty fascinating directorial choice and one that has gotten a lot of attention online. But It does a lot to ground the movement solely on the acting and visual language, as opposed to dialogue construction - though arguably it makes the plotting of this story a bit more sparse.

5: INT. MAARVA’S SHIP - DAY (A-STORY)

We get a short scene with Cassian where he starts to formulate a plan. We also get some indication that Cassian has a community on this planet with Bee mentioning Maarva and Brasso. In some ways, Maarva’s the antagonist in this scene because she’s besmirching Cassian to the others, even though she’s not there and it’s coming from Bee.

“Spectral” antagonist: A representation of the antagonistic force in the story by a character who isn’t that main antagonistic force. Bee’s just passing on information from someone else, but in doing so, he’s softly acting as the antagonist for the moment. We see this technique employed a lot in this episode and this show, especially since shows operating in the prestige mode often go entire episodes without main oppositional characters meeting (i.e. Cass and Dedra still haven’t met).

6: EXT. RIX ROAD - DAY (A-STORY)

Cassian convinces Brasso to spin a lie for him, but in doing so, it becomes apparent that Cassian’s sleaziness has overstayed its welcome in the community.

This is when the main sense of antagonism in the episode starts to crystalize for Cassian. Maybe once, his petty crime and hustler antics were overlooked in the community, but those days are coming to an end as Cassian’s options dwindle. That’s the source of danger, more than the possibility that he’ll be caught for the time being.

7: INT. PRE-MOR SECURITY CHIEF’S OFFICE - DAY (C-STORY)

Syril delivers the report of the double-homicide to Chief Hyne - keen on making a good impression and presenting himself as a dutiful officer, but Hyne sees through the bullshit and orders him not to investigate the murder in an effort to sanitize Pre-Mor’s crime reports under Imperial jurisdiction, leading Syril to be incredulous.

This is a great scene. It works wonderfully schematically, the scripting is stellar, and the acting is spot-on. This is the scene where I was truly convinced of what Andor’s storytelling was capable of. Syril comes in with a pursuit (deliver a report) with a deeper motivation (pursuit of justice) which is fueled by dysfunction (he is deeply insecure about his position as an officer and is desperate to please). The pursuit is met with opposition (Hyne has a completely different perspective on justice, being a pragmatist and someone who doesn’t want to rock the ship) and reversal (Hyne orders him to drop the matter and implies he wants to fire him), which leads us with a clear emotional context from Syril (anger and disbelief) which propels him into action (go behind Hyne’s back) for the rest of the story arc. It’s Emmy-worthy writing in a single scene. And it all happens in 3 minutes.

8: I./E. TIMM AND BIX’S SALVAGE SHOP - DAY (A-STORY) / (D-STORY)

Cassian comes in to convince Bix to contact his black-market dealer so he can sell his Starpath unit for a premium, but it generates friction between him and Bix because Bix assumes he’s been undercutting him. When Bix offers to buy it off him, Cassian refuses and convinces her to make the call. Timm expresses resentment for Cassian’s past with Bix - when Cass tries to dissuade his concerns, Timm gets more jealous of the two of them.

This scene’s also a banger. It has a complex shape - the danger is threefold: Cass doesn’t want Bix to know what trouble he’s in, he’s externally threatened by the sense of fear he has over being caught, and neither Bix nor Cass want Timm to discover the extent of their black market side-hustle. Bix is an antagonist to Cass, Timm is an unknowing antagonist to both Cass and Bix, and Timm thinks Cass is his antagonist. It’s great, and from here the causality gets pretty wild.

9. EXT. KENARI VILLAGE - DAY (B-STORY)

Kassa tries to go on the war march by joining in on the face-painting, even though he knows it means abandoning his sister. An older boy tries to stop him from participating, but the older female leader lets him join, prompting him to paint his face the same way she did.

This is a good scene with sparse plotting befitting the style of this story. The antagonistic force is the sense that Kassa should stay with the community and be with his sister, while the pursuit is that Kassa thinks he’s of more service if he leaves with the war party. The two antagonists are his sister and the older boy. Kassa gets what he wants in this scene, like he does in all the scenes this episode. This is because this story functions on an inverted sense of danger: the closer Kassa gets to what he wants, the more dangerous things will be for him. So the stakes are actually higher if his actions aren’t opposed very firmly. His dysfunction drives the story forward, with opposition deferred until it gets extremely bad in the third episode.

10. INT. PRE-MOR CORRIDOR / AIR TRAFFIC OFFICE - DAY (C-STORY)

Two security workers laugh and greet Syril in the hallway - Syril’s awkward response causes him to feel isolated. Syril corners the air traffic controller into reviewing the logs for him, but when the controller expresses apathy over the matter, Syril threatens him into compliance by invoking his authority.

GREAT LITTLE SCENE. It illustrates dysfunction: Syril is lonely, all he has is his job and a black-and-white view of morality and justice. It shows him acting transgressive to get what he wants, specifically by abusing his power over others. And it articulates the antagonism the same as the previous scene with him: what he perceives as laziness and apathy is what keeps him from getting what he wants.

11: EXT. FERRIX BACKALLEY - DAY (A-STORY)

Cassian is cornered and hustled by Nurchi, a local to whom he’s greatly indebted. Nurchi attempts to intimidate him with the help of Vetch, but Cassian is able call Nurchi’s bluff and escape from the situation.

It’s a good scene, really short and sparse. Thing to track here is that the town is becoming increasingly hostile to him and he’s generally unliked by folks.

12: I./E. TIMM AND BIX’S SALVAGE SHOP / FERRIX STREETS - DAY (D-STORY)

Bix is cagey about where she’s headed when Timm asks. Bix leaves, Timm attempts following her but quickly loses her trail when it’s clear Bix knows the streets better than he does.

13: I./E. PAAK WORKSHOP / RADIO TOWER - DAY (A-STORY)

Bix goes to Salman and Wilmon Paak’s workshop, asking to use the radio. Bix radios the buyer to come to Ferrix.

I put this as A-story because this scene has more to do than the previous one with Cass’ situation than the friction emerging between Timm and Bix.

What’s important about this scene is that it clues us into a larger underground network on Ferrix - Salman, Bix, Cass. It's a community where folks otherwise look the other way at this kind of stuff. Otherwise it’s sparse, no conflict, no antagonism.

14. INT. PRE-MOR SECURITY HQ - DAY (C-STORY)

Syril recruits the main security IT staff to help him apprehend the killer, but the staff express a general unwillingness to help him - both because they don’t care and because Syril doesn’t actually possess the authority to sanction an operation like this. Syril bullies the staff into compliance, telling them to put out a notice for the killer on Ferrix, despite the lack of authority Pre-Mor has there.

I like this scene, it plays slightly double-beaty because Syril is employing the same tactics as before on different staffers, but it also establishes it as a pattern. Syril advances unopposed in this story - especially in the context of later events, we know this is because we need to see him get into danger faster. It's another example of inverted danger.

15: EXT. PEGLA’S JUNKYARD - DAY (A-STORY)

Cassian tries rewire the ship he borrowed’s transponder codes, but in trying to justify his actions, pisses off Pegla and tells him he’s no longer welcome to take out favors from him.

This is a pretty lowkey scene, but it’s the closest we get to a crisis/climax moment for Cass in this episode. I’ll talk more about why that is later; it refers specifically to the way Andor modulates story in ways that work distinctly from other TV shows. Still, it has everything a scene should. A pursuit/tactic, opposition, reversal. And those elements push the story forward in more dangerous ways, as we’ll come to see in the next two episodes.

16: EXT. KENARI VILLAGE - DAY (B-STORY)

His sister tries to plead with him to stay, but Kassa leaves with the other war party members - promising to return for his sister.

Yeah, this bookends the episode. The episode begins with Cass in pursuit of his sister, the episode ends with Cass leaving his sister, never to return for her.

What do we hear Bix say of Cass in the last episode? “Cass always comes back.” It’s a gut-punch.

GENERAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

Andor is a show that functions in a strange and specific way compared to a lot of serialized long-form narrative TV. Andor uses episode as building units to articulate larger discrete units of story within the season. In this sense, Andor’s “pilot episode” (I put this in quotes because most streaming dramas don’t have pilots) isn’t really the first episode, but all three of the episodes in its first season story-arc.

The way I was taught TV, is that all three-act narrative hinges on the elements of set up, play out, and pay off. Andor’s three tri-episode story arcs - which I will call the Ferrix Arc (S1E1-S1E3), the Aldhani Arc (S1E4-S1E6), and the Narkina Arc (S1E8-S1E10) - all hinge on this principle of modular three-act structure. Kassa doesn’t have a typical hard crisis/climax because it isn’t really a complete self-contained episode of TV. I suspect that’s also why the Ferrix Arc was ultimately aired all at one, as opposed to one episode at a time.

Still, Kassa is a strong and capable episode of TV because it demonstrates the strengths of Andor’s storytelling: the principles of causality, dysfunction, and institutional characterization.

causality: the chain of events in story that facilitate and heighten dramatic action in a linear manner. Andor shows us the investigation of the murders that happened in the first sequence - having the action of earlier scenes spiral into increasingly dramatic and complex action in subsequent scenes. The way the D-story with Bix and Timm loops into stuff that happens in the next two episodes is absolutely exquisitely done. Later in the show, the fallout of the Aldhani Arc is central to all of the action that happens in the second half of the season.

dysfunction: a character’s internal dilemma, ideology, or experiential understanding of themselves and the world that makes them operate transgressively within the world of the narrative. This is sometimes a character flaw, but can also be a sense of righteousness that puts them against unjust actors within the narrative. Cassian’s dysfunctions have to do with his desire for self-preservation and an easy payday, Syril’s dysfunctions relate to his inability to live up to his idealized notions of justice, and Timm’s dysfunctions come from the feeling that he can’t be as close to Bix as someone like Cassian can appear to be.

institution: the man-made structures that characters navigate within the story world and define the shape of the narrative. These institutions function as characters in their own right; Pre-Mor has as much of an effect on the narrative as a character like Cassian, as does Ferrix’s tightly knit working class community. And in subsequent episodes, we’ll look closely at how the empire’s administrations and power structures have material effects on the world. This principle is why Syril and Dedra spend much more time fighting their own institutions than fighting Cassian or the rebels. It’s a story about how highly-motivated actors navigate the challenges of their environments; dramaturgical complexity is almost an inevitable emergent property of this paradigm.

This episode and the one following it are among the least-tightly plotted of the season, but there’s still some intricate stuff. There are little moments in scenes where a single line provides an oppositional reversal that redirects the character’s trajectory for the rest of the episode. This isn’t a testament to Kassa’s weakness, it’s an appraisal of how Andor as a whole is a narrative that benefits from emergent complexity. When things go on for longer, more moving parts are in play, the story can move in unpredictable and highly dynamic ways. It’s a staple of prestige TV as a mode and Andor’s first season executes it exquisitely. With that being said, a lot of fans tend to underwrite the first arc of this season. And while I agree that it is personally my least favorite, it’s still really well-done. In the same way Andor has three tri-episode arcs, this is the “set up” one, and it does a lot of heavy lifting that allows the show to play uninhibited in future episodes. Don’t underwrite this one.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if there are any questions about terminology, theory, or just about the show in general, or my interests as a fan and writer.

[anindoorkitty]

Room with a view

[myhomeontatooine]

STAR WARS WAS REALLY NEVER KNOWN FOR TYING UP ITS LOOSE STRINGS.....

But ANDOR..

After watching the last 3 episodes, in addition to the power play of the first 7, I'm thanking the universe for Tony Gilroy, Stephen Schiff, Toby Haynes, Diego Luna, Genevieve O Reilly, ANDY SERKIS!, Stellan Sarsgaard...too many fine actors and creators of this story to count.

So many heartbreaking moments in this show. BUT after seeing "One Way Out", my thoughts are confirmed that Andy Serkis is one of the finest actors of this century. His role as Kino Loy in this story of the prison just grabbed my attention like no show or SW story has before. Total heartbreak that I've honestly never experienced from the star wars universe before. His degree of expression and understanding of what the character is dealing with is limitless, is so fine tuned. I can go on and on about the darkness of this story, how the real story of the in fighting and struggles of a rebellion are put into play, how evil can be masked behind a bureaucratic intelligent agency....how I'm so excited that Mon Mothma's and Saw's lives get more dimension and we find out who the brokers are behind the rebellion and the sacrifices they make. Over the top now, but It is Shakespearian, folks.

Andor has set the bar for star wars storytelling and is really taking the story of sacrifice and the fight between Rebels and Empire away from the candy coated 2D level that was the prequels, Clone Wars, and Rebels and giving more flesh to the OT. Of course, Rogue One was responsible getting that ball rolling. Obi-Wan gave us a more realistic view on the injury and almost deathblow to a group of religious warriors who were given and gave themselves a huge overwhelming responsibility to keep the galaxy together. BUT ANDOR is the stuff that gives the rebellion meaning and life.

[decadenceprone]

y'all i need an fc suggestion. i’ll be changing the ainsworth brother’s fcs. they’re my very first muses here, but i’m not feeling anything for their fcs anymore. i also wanna give them a major revamp. sage ainsworth (ian somerhalder) - 35years old toby ainsworth (hunter parrish) - 28 years old hunter ainswowrth (colton haynes) - 24 years old i’d like to hear from you guys. what’d be the best faces to change them into? what fcs would you like to see? please suggest me some. i also don’t mind if the fcs are over-used (cross out matt daddario in this, tho. i have like 2 of them already), but i’d also want a fresh face with sufficient resources. thanks.

[thenotoriousscuttlecliff]

Moffat Era Rewatch: The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon

The Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River battle the Silence with the help of Richard Nixon and Neil Armstrong’s foot... 

Warning: Spoilers Sweetie 

The king here is Charles II

I bet after this scene wrapped there was a fight over who got to keep that picture of the Doctor.

You’d think by this point the Stormcage guards would just give up stopping River from escaping. 

More hat murder from the wife. 

As far as I am concerned, this dinner is Clara’s TARDIS and she’s that brunette behind Amy and the Doctor, listening in, but keeping herself out of sight.  

Ugh, Netflix UK has this stupid recaps at the start of all the season six episodes. 

This is one gorgeous shot.

Lake Silencio is actually Lake Powell in Utah.

Knowing River’s full story, this must’ve been really traumatic for her, having to relive this all over again.

“That is most certainly the Doctor.” Technically, he’s not wrong. 

Nice that the older Canton is played by Mark Sheppard’s own dad, William Morgan Sheppard.   

And here’s another amazing shot.

Shame that Toby Haynes didn’t direct for the series again after this story.

“Just popped out to get my special straw. It adds more fizz.“

“Don't play games with me. Don't ever, ever think you're capable of that.” Matt plays the casual menace of the Doctor so well. 

Mark Sheppard is one of those actors who I cheer for cheer for whenever they show up in something I like. 

“You were my second choice for this, Mister Delaware." “That's okay. You were my second choice for President, Mister Nixon.” Oooh, need some water for that burn, Dicky? 

Nixon looks more like LBJ.

“Let’s take it slow” Said right before blundering right into the Oval Office. 

“Oh look, this is the Oval Office. I was looking for the er, oblong room.”

“I'm your new undercover agent, on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name, The Doctor. These are my top operatives, The Legs, The Nose, and Mrs. Robinson.” “I hate you.” “No, you don't." *Shipper giggling* 

The day before Google Maps. 

Love the design of the Silence. They are like Fox Mulder’s worst nightmares (grey aliens, sinister men in black, people taller than him) all rolled into one. 

Where is the Doctor’s fez? 

This episode is only six years old but Amy’s phone looks prehistoric. 

Poor Joy. I wonder if anyone noticed she went to toilet and never came back? Did they think the plumbers got rid of her? 

“Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. River.” "Surnames of three of America's founding fathers.” "Lovely fellows. Two of them fancied me.“ Okay, one of the was defo Hamilton because he was bi AF. Who was the other? Can’t see it being Jefferson, so Adams? 

At this point the Doctor and River are just incapable of being in the same room and not flirting with each other. 

“Brave heart, Canton.” 

“Let's see if anyone tries to kill us and work backwards.” Which is pretty much how every episodes of Doctor Who starts.  

These five together make such an amazing team I wish they’d had more adventures together. Oh well, maybe Big Finish will see to that. 

“The trouble is, it's all back to front. My past is his future. We're travelling in opposite directions. Every time we meet, I know him more, he knows me less. I live for the days when I see him, but I know that every time I do, he'll be one step further away. And the day is coming when I'll look into that man's eyes, my Doctor, and he won't have the faintest idea who I am. And I think it's going to kill me.” *Shipper tears*

Now this place looks familiar. 

“I just wanted to get married.” "Is that a crime?" “Yes.” Sad, but true. In 1969 Illinois was the only state to have decriminalized consensual sexual relations between same-sex couples. It wouldn’t be decriminalized in all 50 states until 2003. 

This cliffhanger is slightly ruined by the use of slow motion. 

This opening sequence, with Canton pretending to chase the others while they investigate the Silence, doesn’t really work that well for me. It just doesn’t it sync up with where the last episode left off in a satisfying way.   

Someone needs a shave. Isn’t this the first time we’ve ever seen the Doctor with facial hair? 

I love that River has absolute faith in the Doctor. No matter where she is, she knows that he will always be there to catch her when she decides to jump off a building or out off a space ship. 

So did no one find it a little suspicious that there was no body (or the splattered remains of one) after River jumped? So much for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

And here is one of the creepiest children’s home of all time, which Amy and Canton arrive at on a suitably dark and stormy night. No sign of that trademark Florida sunshine anywhere.    

Did little Melody write this or was it Renfrew?

 You have to feel for River, having to spend most of her childhood in a place like with only a basket case for company.

 And the Silence hang like bats because...?

This would not be the last time Nixon would have to bail out someone working for him after they got caught breaking in to somewhere they shouldn’t.   

“America salutes you.” 

Here’s our first glimpse of Madame Kovarian.  

Who took all these pictures of Melody? 

Looks like we have the Doctor to thank for the White House tapes. 

“She can always hear me, Doctor. Always. Wherever she is, and she always knows that I am coming for her. Do you understand me? Always.” *Shipper swoon*

Does the Doctor do this with other world leaders? Drag them out when he needs to avoid a little jail time. Did he ever get arrested in Moscow in 1988 and have to call on Gorbachev? 

“You should kill us all on sight” You should’ve chosen your words more carefully, Mr Silence.

Which makes you wonder what the Doctor’s plan was if he hadn’t said that.  

Not a fan of this making us think Amy loves the Doctor instead of Rory nonsense.  

Yes, Amy, this is indeed very important flirting. 

You can’t say he didn’t offer them a chance to go in peace. 

And Murray Gold’s score goes into overdrive. 

“And one whacking great kick up the backside for the Silence.” Turning an enemy’s strength against them is such a classic Doctor move. 

“We are not leaving without you.” “Look, will you just get your stupid face out of here.” *Shipper shirking* 

I imagine killing all these Silences (is the plural?) was very cathartic for River. 

“So, what kind of doctor are you?” “Archaeology.” Gotta love that River is the India Jones of the Doctor Who universe. 

“Oh, Dicky. Tricky Dicky. They're never going to forget you. Say hi to David Frost for me.” 

I do hope that Canton and his boyfriend did eventually get married. 

Their first kiss!!!! (from his perspective) *Shipper screaming*

“There's a first time for everything.” "And a last time.” *Shipper ugly crying*

“So, this little girl. It's all about her. Who was she? Or we could just go off and have some adventures. Anyone in the mood for adventures? Because I am.” The Doctor is the patron saint of procrastination. 

First time I saw this cliffhanger the sound I made was in no way human human. 

Next Time: The Curse of the Black Spot

[njawaidofficial]

'Black Mirror' Bosses, Cast Unveil Season 4 Episode “USS Callister”

http://styleveryday.com/2017/10/07/black-mirror-bosses-cast-unveil-season-4-episode-uss-callister/

'Black Mirror' Bosses, Cast Unveil Season 4 Episode “USS Callister”

For the upcoming season of Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker decided to beam himself up to space.

“The episode came about when we were on set the previous season,” the creator and executive producer tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The idea came up in conversation and it struck us. We hadn’t done a space epic before and we thought, how would that work in the Black Mirror universe? What sort of tone would it have? We ended up in this strange place.”

The result is a 74-minute long cinematic journey with “USS Callister.” The episode, one of six in the upcoming fourth season of the Netflix techno-paranoia anthology, was screened for a small audience at The Paley Center for Media’s annual PaleyFest New York on Friday night. The cast joined Brooker and executive producer Annabel Jones for a spoiler-filled chat after the screening, but since going into the episode knowing nothing is all of the fun, THR won’t be spoiling anything here. 

Brooker is known for crafting his episodes with shock-twists, including last season’s Emmy-winning “San Junipero” episode, which had the series’ first happy ending. “USS Callister” stars Jesse Plemons, Cristin Milioti, Jimmi Simpson and Michaela Coel, and is directed by Toby Haynes. Ahead of the screening, the season four episode titles, main cast and director names were all that had been officially released by the tight-lipped creator.

#BlackMirror #PaleyFest NY panel– lots of spoilers lots of fun pic.twitter.com/ziFVh9bJ1T

— Paley Center (@paleycenter) October 7, 2017

Similar to “San Junipero,” Jones says “USS Callister” is also a departure from past Black Mirror episodes because it’s cinematic. “This one is a big feat, visually,” she tells THR of shooting in both the U.K. and Spain’s Canary Islands. “It’s still a very personal story about Jesse’s character, but to do it properly, you have to have this big epic. So that’s a bit of a shift. I don’t think we’ve done anything like it.”

When speaking to THR this summer, the pair said their biggest goal with the upcoming season was to not repeat themselves and maintain the show’s unpredictability factor. Now that they’ve finished, Brooker says they achieved their goal. “I’m pleased that we have episodes that are unlike any ones we’ve done before,” he says of the season, which includes a Jodie Foster-directed episode that Jones has likened to being an indie film. “There’s ones that people will love, ones that people will hate. No two people will agree and in that respect, it’s traditional Black Mirror.“

When Netflix released a video teaser of the new episodes (the season is set to release later this year, but doesn’t yet have a date), fans were quick to point out the Star Trek feel of the spaceship and fleet uniforms in “USS Callister.” Of paying homage to the TV classic, Brooker says, “I used to be terrified in Star Trek, of the face of Balok, the scary alien face that used to show up in the end credits. It used to chill me to the core as a child.” 

Without giving away any plot details, Jones describes the episode as being about “tyranny and abuse of power.” Brooker clarified, however, that even though he wrote the episode right around Trump’s election as president, the story isn’t “explicitly about anything politically in the real world.” Still, he says, “all of that real world stuff tends to seep in.”

Brooker, who brought his anthology to Netflix from the BBC, has a history of telling prescient stories. Many of his ideas — from apps to VR to personal tracking technologies — have seemed far-fetched when he wrote them, but have ended up making headlines for being in development. Most recently, Apple’s new iPhone X even conjured up the series’ infamous season two episode “The Waldo Moment,” which also foreshadowed the rise of Trump. “I’m in the wrong game,” says Brooker of Apple’s similar Face ID feature. “I should be on that stage having bank notes fired at me.” His one wish? That people who created technology “would worry more.”

Since the show is an anthology with a rotating cast, all of the stars are new to the series except for one. Coel played a small but intricate part in Bryce Dallas Howard’s episode “Nosedive” last season and is one of only a few stars who has appeared in more than one episode. Thanks to Brooker opening them up to his world, they all said they walked away from set with newfound technology fears.

“I don’t have Facebook or any social media, so I’ve always been somewhat wary and then this show just preys on those concerns,” Plemons tells THR. The Friday Night Lights and Fargo star says he grew up watching Westerns, not Star Trek, and wasn’t entirely sure what he was getting into when he first got the script. “The first scene really confused me. It just seemed like a weird, knock-off Star Trek. I put it down and then watched the entire first season in a couple of days and when I picked the script back up and got to the second scene, I immediately got it and was completely in after that.”

Though Brooker wrote the episode before the election, they began filming in January, marking the return to work for many of the cast after the election. “The episode made me think about Trump, in a ‘we rise’ kind of way,” Milioti tells THR of the darkly comedic story. “It’s similar to ‘Nosedive’ in having that horrible anxious feeling. I remember having those feelings while reading and filming it.”

Simpson echoes that the episode is “about control, power, what you do when you have it and how wanting that so badly often turns things around.” Comparing it to the Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough At Last,” the Westworld star explains to THR, “It was about a man who wants everyone to go away so he can read, and finds out a bomb happened while he’s underground reading. He comes out and everyone’s gone, and he gets to read. But it’s like, is this what you really wanted? Then multiply that by seven, so it’s Brooker-worthy.”

During the panel, Brooker did confirm one burning question when talking about “San Junipero.” He has said that he and Jones are open to revisiting aspects of the episode in the future, though he’d like to leave the main characters Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) and Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) in tact. “I think we almost might do it in a completely different form if we were doing a sequel,” he previously told THR.

That story, however, won’t be arriving this season. “We are not doing a San Junipero sequel because we want to keep Kelly and Yorkie there,” he said on the panel of the six new episodes. Then adding to a big audience laugh: “And fuck anyone who says it’s not a happy ending!”

The episode proved to be divisive among the Black Mirror audience, who were skeptical that the joyous ending could be true until Brooker himself confirmed it. Recalling another hard-to-believe moment from the first season — when a prime minister is tasked with having sex with a pig on live television in “National Anthem” — Brooker threw out a fun fact to the crowd about the moment that has come to be known as pig-gate among those clued into the Black Mirror universe.

When pitching the show, Brooker was asked by executives if the animal had to be a pig. “I suggested a frozen supermarket chicken, but it wasn’t the same,” he said. 

The fourth season of Black Mirror releases late 2017 on Netflix.

Black Mirror

#4 #Black #Bosses #Callister #Cast #Episode #Mirror #Season #Unveil #USS

[insideazusapacific]

Those Human Moments

I have become indebted to a good number of people around my university because of all their investment in me. This summer, I’m staying at my university, in part because of a job, but also because I’m taking a summer class with someone I am grateful to know.

I ran into him the other day as I was trying to take a picture for my university’s Instagram. He was sitting on a marble block and reading under the shade of a tree, preparing for our next discussion on the life and works of Kierkegaard.

To be honest, I don’t know if he would be on campus this summer if not for me. To the best of my knowledge, he has no summer classes apart from the one he’s teaching for me. But this past spring, after I received an email from our financial and academic service on campus informing me of the sheer impossibility of my graduating within four years, my professor found me sitting, shell-shocked, in the hallway on his way to class.

I felt the blood drain from my face as I finished reading the email. I thought I was on track. How did this happen?

My professor had just turned the corner when he saw me out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he paused and asked what happened. After informing him of my dilemma, he closed his eyes, thinking.  A few moments later, he looked up, spun on his heels and walked back down the hall to locate a form. Finding it, he returned and handed it to me.

“This is a form for an independent study and course replacement,” He said, “And, while I can’t teach every single one of those classes you need, I can teach your upper division philosophy course.”

“What?” I asked, still recovering from the email.

“I don’t have my summer plans firmly established yet, but it seems as though you need some help.” He prompted, still holding the form. “Let’s see if we can meet over coffee or something over the summer and talk about something you’re interested in. Let’s get you back on track for graduation.”

I blinked.

He smiled, “Well, do you want to talk philosophy or not? Come on, it’ll be fun.”

I took the sheet, folded it, and placed it in my bag.

“Sure,” I started. “I’d like that. Thanks!”

“Don’t mention it,” he said. “Besides, I’m late to class!”

And with that, he disappeared down the hall as if nothing happened.

I found out later that I received the email due to a mishap in the system that could easily be fixed. But by the time that happened, the deadline for dropping classes had already passed. Not that I would drop it if I could, because when a professor, err – when anyone – goes out of their way to help others I usually try to spend time with and become that type of person.

This story brings to mind a quote from one of my favorite shows. As the plot reaches its resolution the main protagonist, realizes that his companions won’t remember their previous adventures with him as history. As they begin to fall asleep, he remarks, “I’ll be a story in your head. But that’s OK: we’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?”[1]

The thing is, even after I graduate and move on to other things outside of college, I will still remember the people who have influenced the time I have spent here. These will become some of the stories that I will remember fondly when others’ stories have connected with mine.

Frederick Buechner writes “I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are yours. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it means to be human.”[2]

Those moments of overlap, those moments of sharing our secrets in moments of vulnerability—  when a professor stops to help a student, when friends show up at three in the morning to support another, when strangers become family through the sharing of their lives over a fire—are the moments when we are most human.

For me, this professor helping me in a moment of need was just one example of numerous times someone has poured into me. I don’t know if it would be possible for me to recall them in their totality. At least, not in a reasonable amount of time.

I am grateful for them all.

-Tim E.

—

[1] Doctor Who (2005). “The Big Bang.” Episode 13. Directed by Toby Haynes. Written by Stephen Moffat. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 26 June 2010.

[2] Frederick Buechner, Telling Secrets (HarperCollins e-books, March 17, 2009), 40, Kindle.

[drakewalkerfantasy]

@queen-among-writers thank you for tagging 🥰😘🥰

Favourite colours: red, black, dark blue

Top three ships:

I love this guys 🥰 Spencer and Toby from Pretty Little Liars

I wasn't much of a shiper for them, but they looked good together. I just can't find anyone else... so leave this for @walkerismychoice

Beckett x Maeve (Ori, Devina)

Ethan Ramsey x MC

Last song: Colton Haynes You Raise me up

Last Movie: Pride and Prejudice 2005

Tagging: @elles-choices @annekebbphotography @ao719 @walkerismychoice @fluffy-marshmallow-heart

Tagged by: @theonceoverthinker Thank you, love!

Rules: Tag nine people you want to know better and answer the questions

favourite colour: I rotate between four; blue, green, grey, and purple

top three ships: 

last song: Everything Zen by Bush

last movie: Captain Marvel 

Tagging: @artistic-writer @darkcolinodonorgasm @doodlelolly0910 @courtorderedcake @cocohook38 @killian-whump @sherlockianwhovian @winterbaby89 @kmomof4

[billyagogo]

Guilty verdict: Dallas ex-cop Amber Guyger convicted of murder in neighbor's shooting

New Post has been published on https://newsprofixpro.com/moxie/2019/10/01/guilty-verdict-dallas-ex-cop-amber-guyger-convicted-of-murder-in-neighbors-shooting/

Guilty verdict: Dallas ex-cop Amber Guyger convicted of murder in neighbor's shooting

CLOSE A former Dallas police officer has been found guilty of murder after fatally shooting a neighbor she thought was an intruder. WochitA former Dallas police officer who fatally shot a black neighbor she mistook for an intruder was convicted of murder Tuesday and could face life in prison.Amber Guyger, who is white, had testified that she was exhausted from an extended shift when she walked into the apartment of Botham Jean thinking it was her own. Guyger said she believed Jean, 26, was a burglar and shot him in self-defense.But prosecutor Jason Hermus said Guyger should have known she was in the wrong apartment and was distracted by a phone call with a lover. Jean, an accountant from St. Lucia, never posed a threat to Guyger and was eating a bowl of ice cream in his living room when she walked in on Sept. 6, 2018, Hermus said. Guyger, 31, is facing five to 99 years in prison. The jury, which took only hours to render the verdict after six days of testimony, went into the punishment phase of the trial Tuesday afternoon. It’s not clear how long it will take the jurors to decide on the sentence. The trial has recessed for the day.Allison Jean, Botham Jean’s mother, was among those who testified at the punishment phase, telling the jury about the impact of losing her son shortly before he was to turn 27.“My life has not been the same,” she said. “It’s just been like a roller coaster. I can’t sleep, I cannot eat. It’s just been the most terrible time for me.”Guyger’s defense lawyers may argue that she deserves a light sentence because she acted out of sudden fear and confusion. However, their case might become harder to make after prosecutors in the afternoon session showed the jury text messages from Guyger’s cellphone that hint at insensitivity toward black people.The messages, accepted as evidence over defense objections, include an exchange from Jan. 15, 2018, when she was working security during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Dallas.Guyger complained about the parade possibly taking three hours, suggested participants could be pushed or pepper sprayed, and when asked when the parade would be over, texted back, “When MLK is dead … Oh, wait …”Cheers erupted in the courthouse as the verdict was announced, while Jean’s relatives and others embraced and someone yelled “Thank you, Jesus!”In the hallway outside the courtroom, a crowd celebrated and exclaimed, “Black lives matter.”Guyger sat alone, weeping, at the defense table.The case, one in a string of episodes of white police officers killing unarmed black men, drew national attention and was closely followed in the Dallas area, where some feared mass protests if Guyger had been acquitted.The Rev. Frederick Haynes, senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church and a longtime African American leader in Dallas, told the Dallas Morning News he was relieved and surprised when he heard the verdict.“Given the history in this country it is surprising,” Haynes said. “I would have been shocked if she’d been found not guilty. The message here is ‘justice for all’ and not just for some.”The Morning News reported that city officials expected demonstrations regardless of the verdict. “I have watched our city become divided in this conversation over the past year, and I’m really hopeful that this verdict and justice will help us … move forward as a united city,” Dallas City Council member Adam Bazaldua told the newspaper.The jury that convicted Guyger was largely made up of women and people of color.Lee Merritt, one of the lawyers representing Jean’s family, said the guilty verdict will have implications well beyond Dallas, helping change policing culture globally.Wake Forest University law professor Kami Chavis, a former assistant U.S. attorney who specializes in police accountability, is not so sure. She said the unique circumstances of the case and other factors make it difficult to conclude this will be a turning point in the relationship between police and communities of color.”While there is certainly a victory in this case and justice for the Jean family, the confluence of racial stereotypes, racial profiling and police use of aggressive tactics is a challenge in confronting police brutality,” Chavis said.The jury began deliberations Monday afternoon and reached the verdict shortly after returning to court on Tuesday morning.Guyger said she had parked on the wrong level of her apartment building’s parking garage by mistake and walked down a corridor to the apartment directly above hers, thinking it was her own. She became worried when she noticed the door was unlocked, she said.Hermus said that was when Guyger should have called for backup. Instead, Guyger testified that she feared for her safety when she spotted Jean in the dark apartment, thinking he was a burglar. She said she shot him with her service gun when he failed to obey her command to put his hands up.Defense lawyer Toby Shook told the jury that Guyger had to make a split-second decision and that Jean’s death was the result of “a series of horrible mistakes.’’Guyger called 911 after the shooting. She can be heard apologizing to Jean – and saying  “I’m gonna lose my job” and “I am going to need a supervisor” in the six-minute recording. Guyger was arrested days after the shooting and subsequently fired by the Dallas Police Department. The jury was asked to decide whether Guyger was guilty of murder, a lesser crime such as manslaughter or whether she should be acquitted.During her testimony last week, the first time she spoke publicly about that night, Guyger wept as she expressed remorse for the killing.“I hate that I have to live with this every single day of my life and I ask God for forgiveness, and I hate myself every single day,” Guyger said as she looked across the courtroom at Jean’s family. “I wish he was the one with the gun and he killed me.”Contributing: The Associated PressRead or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/01/dallas-jury-deliberating-fate-cop-who-mistakenly-killed-neighbor/3828562002/ Read More

[gaga-gay-teen-blog]

Ur blog is AWESOME Toby! I wanted to share that with you. BTW r U Still 17 and single and like to mingle? J/K. Don't worry im not a perv. Just a nice silly person. Cheers... Oh is that your icon up in the circle?

Thanks man :) don't really go on here that much anymore but it's appreciated 👍 I'm 18 now so I should probably update that haha and I am single but don't know if I want to mingle 😉 drop me a message, I'm always happy to chat to anyone! And I wish I could say that's me.. it's Colton Haynes 😍

[footyplusau]

Mid-season review: Greater Western Sydney

GWS mid-season report card Adam Curley reports from Sydney on the Giants season so far

Josh Kelly’s form has been one of the stories of the year

The season so far

Injuries have been a constant issue for the Giants this year, with coach Leon Cameron down to just 26 players to choose from at times, but they’ve fought hard to be second on the ladder after round 13. With Stephen Coniglio, Nick Haynes, Ryan Griffen and Jacob Hopper all missing large chunks of games, and Brett Deledio still not on the park, it’s been a remarkable effort. Josh Kelly has been one of the league’s standout midfielders, along with Dylan Shiel and the consistent Callan Ward, while Jeremy Cameron and Phil Davis have been exceptional at different ends of the ground.

Quarters Won 30/48

Players used 33

Yet to play Isaac Cumming, Brett Deledio, Tom Downie (retired), Jeremy Finlayson, Matthew Flynn, Will Setterfield, Dawson Simpson, Zach Sproule (rookie), Jake Stein (rookie), Lachie Tiziani

Stats leaders

Disposals: Josh Kelly (352) Marks: Jeremy Cameron (89) Goals: Jeremy Cameron (35) Tackles: Josh Kelly (83) Metres gained: Heath Shaw (5985) Total clearances: Dylan Shiel (87)

Best win

Round 10 versus West Coast. The Giants lost Tom Scully before the match, and added him to an extraordinary injury list, but led by Toby Greene who kicked two crucial last-quarter goals, they powered over the top of the Eagles in Perth.

One that got away

Round 13 versus Carlton. The Giants trailed for most of the day against the Blues but had plenty of chances to snatch it in the final term like they had done earlier in the year against Collingwood and Richmond, and blew them all.

Best and Fairest leader: Josh Kelly

Surprise packet: Tim Taranto

Who’s struggling: Brett Deledio, Ryan Griffen, Stephen Coniglio

Missing in action

Brett Deledio. The former Tiger hasn’t been seen on the field because of calf issues in both legs and is now at long odds to make his GWS debut this season after a setback with his ‘good’ calf last week.

The concern

The Giants made the jump up to be contenders last year on the back of their improved contested ball numbers when they were ranked third for the season, but they’ve dropped to ninth in 2017 with stars like Coniglio and Griffen absent. They’re also ranked first for clearances this year but can’t seem to capitalise on that dominance.

Pass mark

Top two. The Giants have done plenty of hard work to make it to 9-3 at the bye, playing under duress thanks to their injury worries, and must make it count on the run home to secure home ground advantage during the finals.

The coach

Cameron has had plenty of headaches at selection and hasn’t been able to pick his best team all season, so he’s done a fantastic job so far to keep his team inside the top two. His use of Jeremy Cameron as a roaming forward has been brilliant and kept the star more involved in games, and he’s equal leader in the Coleman medal race with 35 goals.

How the best 22 has changed

Coniglio and Deledio still weren’t considered because of injury, while Griffen is unlikely to get back, and Buntine and Adam Kennedy are done for the season. Whitfield has been a star since his return from a suspension. Haynes, Hopper, Lobb and Smith should be back after the bye or not long after so they make the cut, with Matthew Kennedy edging out Matt de Boer and Sam Reid for the last spot on the bench after some impressive form before the bye. Aidan Corr has been extremely important in defence with his versatility and hardness after a delayed start to the year with a hand injury.

B: Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Aidan Corr HB: Nathan Wilson, Adam Tomlinson, Zac Williams C: Tom Scully, Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield HF: Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron, Tim Taranto F: Steve Johnson, Jon Patton, Devon Smith R: Shane Mumford, Dylan Shiel, Josh Kelly I/C: Rory Lobb, Nick Haynes, Jacob Hopper, Matthew Kennedy 

In from pre-season best 22: Lachie Whitfield, Aidan Corr, Jacob Hopper Out from pre-season best 22: Matt Buntine, Adam Kennedy, Ryan Griffen

• Who did we tip for your club’s best 22 in round one? 

Giants fans: what’s your mid-season verdict?

Share your views via the form below and we’ll publish the best responses on the morning of GWS’s next match.

Having trouble on the app? Click here to open the form in a web view

Want more?

• More mid-season reviews

• State of Origin: Who’d play, who’d miss out?

The post Mid-season review: Greater Western Sydney appeared first on Footy Plus.

from Footy Plus http://ift.tt/2serUMD via http://footyplus.net

[samiraahmeduk]

Intellectual and art school, champion of medieval art, but it was John Ruskin’s alleged horror of female pubic hair that was the ground breaking revelation I first heard as an undergraduate.Emma Thompson’s film Effie Gray appeared to add that he was an oppressed mummy’s boy, too. However this programme grew out of an invitation to address Speech Day at Queenswood School in Hertfordshire 2 years ago which suddenly opened up a new way of seeing him.

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The school had been named in reference to Of Queens’ Gardens, Ruskin’s famous speech and subsequently published essay about raising girls like flowers, to be educated and freed from the narrowest constraints of traditional feminine upbringing. Archivist Wendy Bird showed me photos, letters and a mini mock up of the infamous “purple horror” floaty Liberty-designed dresses that early pupils would wear for special occasions. There was a white wafting gown, too, really very Isadora Duncan, to dance like flowers. I was fascinated by the unashamedly aesthetic glamour. There were photos of the Queen Mother who came to a display back in the 1950s.

Sutton High School chemistry lab designed by teacher Annette Hunt (far right) photo taken between 1895 and 1928 (photo SHS archives)

I thought of my own memories of attending a private girls’ school, founded in 1880 and of the many like it. Their photographs of Edwardian ladies in chemistry laboratories or lined up as hockey players in long skirts and piecrust collared blouses. How did girls’ education come so rapidly to include the same ambitions of sporting and scientific prowess as boys? Did Ruskin, even before the female suffrage movement, help set that off?

I enlisted Simon and Thomas Guerrier, my regular Sunday Feature producers from HG and the H Bomb and The Fundamentalist Queen, to help me explore John Ruskin’s Victorian vision of female liberation.

Ruskin wanted to educate women only as far as they would make superior wives and companions for their empire building husbands, and raise healthy children. Toby Haydoke does a wonderful job bringing him to life for us, while Dr Matthew Sweet, author of Inventing the Victorians, gives an insight into his huge intellectual celebrity. But it wasn’t a simple revisionist thesis, to reclaim Ruskin the medievalist as a feminist. There was a prejudicial disgust at inferior races. The V&A’s excellent Lockwood Kipling exhibition catalogue on the sculptor and art and design teacher points out that Ruskin dismissed the richness of Indian art because of his insistence they were savages.

Drill at Darley St School (copyright Leeds Library and Museum)

Yet there were clearly so many revolutionary ideas brewing in his theories. At a time when reading novels was considered dangerous for female minds he promoted the idea that girls should have a wide education in science and art (though not theology) and that a “noble girl” should be given free rein in books as she would choose wisely and not be harmed. Asa Briggs’ Victorian Things quotes his advice, in a letter to a girl correspondent, about using a magnifying glass to look at crystals: “I send you one for yourself, such as every girl should keep in her waistcoat pocket always hand.”

Talking fit bodies with Dr Fern Riddell

At the British Museum Dr Fern Riddell, author of A Victorian Guide To Sex discussed Ruskin and Charles Kingsley’s fascination with the muscular bodies of the Greeks in their loose robes. The idea that healthy bodies made healthy minds would have had a political power in Victorian England, where childbirth was so dangerous and malnutrition, poverty and child labour stunted growth. But Riddell warned against giving too much credit to Ruskin and his friends, when women doctors and health campaigners were at the forefront of female education programmes around sexual health. Still isn’t there a fascinating modern legacy in women, whether homemakers or career women, obsessed with both success and strength, having abs as honed as those of Jessica Ennis Hill?

With Dr Debbie Challis and Dr Amara Thornton. 3 career women discussing Ruskin & mummies around the kitchen table

Dr Debbie Challis from the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL and Dr Amara Thornton from the Institute of Archaeology, UCL offered insight into the world of adult education opening up for women who whether as archaeological explorers themselves, or night school enthusiasts, signed up to study the growing knowledge about the Egyptian and classical worlds.

At Angels Costumes with Louise Scholz-Conway

Ruskin’s focus was on middle class women as the angels of the hearth. To get an insight into what physical liberation meant to them, Simon insisted I needed to try on corsets at Angels Costumiers. The experience challenged another of my lazy assumptions – that women hated corsets. To liberate oneself from the feeling of protection and support it gave at a time when women were considered physically weaker, required a significant leap of faith.

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The dancing that schools like Queenswood promoted represented both a very Ruskinian idea of the intrinsic beauty of the feminine and a delightfully female-focussed physicality. The school staged elaborate classical and mythological based plays and masques. The development of Delacroze Eurythmics formalized aesthetic ideals amid the more traditional wholesomeness of outdoor games.

Queenswood register (Queenswood archives)

One of the most moving moments of making the programme was when Dr Wendy Bird showed me through the registers of Queenswood School. Reading the entries of when girls joined and when and why they left was an insight into changing times: In the early years many were returning home to nurse invalid relatives or to early marriage. But surprisingly fast, they are going to be teachers and increasingly to university as female colleges began to flourish.

Old Queenswood girls Diane Maclean (L) Annette Haynes (centre) Dr Jean Horton (seated)

For our programme Queenswood brought together old girls Annette Haynes, Dr Jean Horton, Diane Maclean, from the 1940s and 50s who remembered the eurythmic dancing lessons and the unexpected paths their lives took after. Some had become wives of empire, joining husbands working for Western corporations in Africa and the Far East. But many, like Dr Horton, a renowned anaesthetist in Hong Kong, never married, defying the goal Ruskin had in mind for his flower girls.

Queenswood girls today: Check out those badges

It was fun to read Ruskin’s words to Isobel Beynon, Aoife Morgan Jones and Natasha Rajan current sixth formers, and hear their opinion. Their blazers were festooned with shields and badges celebrating team success. Exactly the kind of ambition Ruskin thought so unladylike. The Victorian ladies’ schools that still thrive today, and there are many of them, have long defied the idea of producing humble helpmeets. Girls from all over the old Empire come to get a British girls’ school education. Would Ruskin flinch in horror, Effie Gray-style at the monster he’d created? Does it matter? Now more than ever a young woman finds herself entering a garden of delights thanks to the possibilities of a good well rounded education.

With gratitude to all our interviewees, but especially the staff and pupils of Queenswood School.

John Ruskin’s Eurythmic Girls is on Radio 3 on Sunday February 26th 2017 at 630pm and iplayer after

  The making of John Ruskin’s Eurythmic Girls Intellectual and art school, champion of medieval art, but it was John Ruskin’s alleged horror of female pubic hair that was the ground breaking revelation I first heard as an undergraduate.Emma Thompson’s film Effie Gray appeared to add that he was an oppressed mummy’s boy, too.

[scty-westcoast-blog]

January Newsletter

ANNOUNCEMENTS

With the standard being raised across the company there is a lot of great growth taking place. This newsletter will take place of THE HUDDLE call every so often to bring you something new and keep you updated on the happenings within SCTY. I was able to meet with Toby last week and he is more excited about the future than ever.  Life is all about timing and Toby mentioned in our conversation that he has been fortunate enough to pick great careers in his lifetime and he fills like all of us here have done the same just by being here at this time. Lots of positions will be filled and there is a lot of hungry talent taking advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime that lies ahead. Congratulations to all those who have been promoted to RSM/ASM positions. This is just in the last 6 months!! The next 6 months will be even more exciting. Promise!!!!!

QUOTE

CA LEADERBOARD

REGIONAL SHOUTOUTS

DeltaForce:  Ron Jimenez 3 installs  Mike Mueller 2 FCs   Joseph Miller 2 GBs

Petaluma:  Pete Kuhl 2 GBs  Jesse Bowers 2 FCs  Dan Sullivan 2 FCs, 2 installs

Elite:  Horace Lawrence 1st of many GBs  Henry Caro 3 installs

Dave Frampton for getting out and training with new reps

Seal team 6:

Bill Valverde 6 GBs Joseph Miller 5 GBs Alice Yan 5 GBs Rena Flora 5 GBs Ron Jimenez 5 GBs John Rogers in Oregon with 4 GB leading the way.

Delta Force:

Mike Mueller 7 FCs setting up for a big install month in Feb.

Ron Jimenez with 7 installs Alice Yan with 5 installs

Granite Bay:   Stephen De Los Santos:  getting 2 GB’s this week and making the top 100 list.  Monica Harris-Reamer: she also got 2 GB’s and has been a very big positive    influence on our team and helping focus and hit their goals.  Marco Ramos: He is shown a good work ethic and getting out and generating opps and was able to convert one this week. Bright things coming from him.

Jarrod Walters & Landon Everson’s OC Team - Mike Roberts w/4 GB’s, Landon w/3 FC’s & 2 installs

Neil Brown and Lilli Ritter’s OC Team - Travis Haynes and Neil Brown both with 3 GB’s on the week

Dan Dunn & Robert Blessing’s OC Team - Al Saavedra with his first GB ever, Dan w/3 Installs (weird to shout myself out)

Chris Wilson & John Casale’s Vista Team - Jen DePasquale grabs 2 GB’s along with Jake Shortino

Branden Sargent & Sandra Burgos Team - 4 GB’s & 3 FC’s for Branden, 2 GB’s for Sandra

Scott Hugelmeyer & Tyson Lund’s Team - Scott lands 3 GB’s and Derek Quinn w/2

Josh Del Principe & Kyle Tanner’s Team - Josh w/3 GB’s, Bryce Luquet w/2 Installs, Shaun Ham w/2 GB’s

Mckay Lasko’s Team - Chibuzo Okoro gets his first Install

Huge shoutout to Bradley Montgomery for getting 2GBs on Saturday.

Super proud of Robert Rueda for putting in the hours to finish the month strong.

Dustin Milles with 3 FCs last week.

Jeff Roeser with 3 GBs on the week.

Chewy Ysquierdo had 2 installs last week.

Jason Weaver has been hungry since day 1 and it has shown through in recruiting and training. He is going to dominate the SLO market!!! Watch for his name on the leaderboard.

GOTCHA!!

Robert Blessing-ASM OC

Some weeks are hard. Thats just the reality of life. Its all about how you react. For this reason Robert Blessing deserves all the praise and respect we all have for him. He experienced more than just issues, not just this past week, but the entire month. Long story short, for the past 2 weeks he has had no computer, when he gets his computer he faces IT problems resulting in lost accounts, he experienced serious car issues;), and to top it all off he just found out that he has 5 cancels with the new roof policy. For those of you that think only this stuff happens to you, think again. Robert is one of the most talented, humble, and hard working people I know. Trust me, this will not phase Robert come February. I promise. Do not let it phase you or slow you down. This is part of the job. This is why Robert will always be successful in whatever he does, whether it be his past career of real estate or helping people get clean energy. Robert your a phenomenal example for us all in literally every aspect of this job. Thank you!!!

2017 is off to a great start. Teams nationwide have felt invigorated by the integration with Tesla, leaving little lag time between the holidays and ramping back up in January. California has been a bit slower to start, but now that the sun is shining again I know you all will do Direct proud. As you are preparing for the year ahead, setting specific goals and sticking to resolutions, please keep in mind that the quality of your business matters now more than ever. We need to shift from the aggressor mindset we have developed on the doors, to a consultative approach that focuses on a low-pressure sales model. Increasing pull-through while reducing your JIJ pipeline will be absolutely key to your success at this company as we rebrand. Above all, a team’s PRA will speak to the dedication of its leader and value of the overall group. I am confident California will deliver in all three of these categories shortly. Let’s stay laser-focused on these goals and soon, we will all be wearing that “T” on our chests

                                                            -John Frampton

[footyplusau]

Match report: Giants get revenge on Bulldogs

Highlights: GWS v Western Bulldogs The Giants and Bulldogs clash in round six

Jonathon Patton enjoys the win on Friday night

GREATER Western Sydney has served the Western Bulldogs some cold preliminary final revenge in Canberra, writing the latest thrilling chapter of the two clubs’ burgeoning rivalry with a two-point win.

With the temperature plummeting to five degrees, the heat was on at UNSW Canberra Oval.

The Giants came from behind to win 11.9 (75) to 9.19 (73) in front of a crowd of 14,048 who were treated to another classic encounter.

Click here for full match details and stats 

The GWS forward line fired, with Jeremy Cameron kicking four goals while Jonathon Patton and Toby Greene booted three apiece – including crucial last-quarter majors.

Patton’s monster set shot from the boundary put the Giants back in front 14 minutes into the last quarter, while Greene threaded a goal four minutes later to extend the lead to 10.

Jake Stringer’s third goal gave the Bulldogs hope, cutting the deficit to three, but Toby McLean narrowly missed a shot at goal in the dying moments and the Giants held on for a memorable victory.

“We put up on the board to beat the Bulldogs you need to play for 120 minutes,” Giants coach Leon Cameron said.

“In the end it came down to the last 10 seconds.”

Five talking points: Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs were left to rue their missed opportunities after taking a nine-point lead to half-time despite dominating the second quarter.

While two goals each to Stringer and Marcus Bontempelli shifted the momentum of the game after quarter-time, a slew of missed shots gave the Giants a chance to regroup at the main break.

From there an arm-wrestle ensued in a game that was hard, fast and skilful as dew increasingly became a factor as the night wore on.

Luke Dahlhaus racked up 27 touches for the Dogs, while Jason Johannisen had 21 possessions and seven rebounds off defensive 50.

Easton Wood was superb in defence but gave away a crucial 50-metre penalty early in the last quarter to give Patton an easy shot that he converted for his second goal.

WATCH The thrilling last two minutes

Dylan Shiel and Callan Ward were influential around the contest for the Giants, while Zac Williams was impressive and Heath Shaw accumulated kicks off half-back.

The Giants are likely to be without Greene next week after he was reported for striking Caleb Daniel in a marking contest during the third quarter, while Dogs midfielder Tom Liberatore’s night ended in the last quarter when he was concussed in a heavy tackle by Shane Mumford.

GWS ruckman Mumford (52 hit-outs) provided another dominant display after Bulldogs counterpart Tom Campbell was a late withdrawal, forcing Tom Boyd and Josh Dunkley to battle it out with the Giants big man.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said his side was beginning to get closer to the form which won them last year’s premiership.

“There was a few things to like but overall it’s just frustrating,” Beveridge said.

“Even though our intensity was good, we just gave it back to them in close and they went forward.

“But I don’t think our intensity really dropped off at all so that’s a step in the right direction.”

MEDICAL ROOM Greater Western Sydney: The Giants had plenty of sore boys after their win, with Nick Haynes (adductor), Sam Reid (hamstring) and Shane Mumford (ankle) all likely to need scans, while Aidan Corr (hamstring) was also tight but played out the match.

Western Bulldogs: Tom Campbell’s late withdrawal with a sore ankle hurt the Dogs but the ruckman is expected to be a big chance to play Richmond next week. Tom Liberatore is in serious doubt for the Dogs’ next outing after suffering concussion thanks to a Shane Mumford tackle. 

NEXT UP The Giants back up for a second straight Friday night game when they take on St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, while the premiers take on Richmond at the same venue 24 hours later.

Former Bulldog Leon Cameron shakes hands with Bob Murphy after the Giants’ win. Picture: AFL Photos

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY  3.3   6.3     8.6    11.9  (75) WESTERN BULLDOGS              2.4   6.12   7.17   9.19 (73)

GOALS Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 4, Greene 3, Patton 3, Lobb Western Bulldogs: Stringer 3, Bontempelli 3, Daniel 2, Suckling

BEST  Greater Western Sydney: Williams, Greene, Cameron, Kelly, Shiel, Scully Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Bontempelli, Daniel, Johannisen, Hunter, Dahlhaus 

INJURIES  Greater Western Sydney: Sam Reid (hamstring), Nick Haynes (hamstring), Shane Mumford (ankle) Western Bulldogs: Tom Campbell (ankle) replaced in the selected side by Bailey Dale, Tom Liberatore (concussion) 

Reports: Toby Greene (GWS) reported for striking Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs) in the third quarter.

Umpires: Deboy, Meredith, Ryan

Official crowd: 14,048 at UNSW Canberra Oval

The post Match report: Giants get revenge on Bulldogs appeared first on Footy Plus.

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[footyplusau]

AFL: Toby Greene faces a nervous wait as GWS Giants beat Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval

As it stands, the rivalry between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Western Bulldogs is a short story – but it’s slowly turning into a novel.

One of the season’s most highly anticipated matches delivered a classic worthy of the billing to fuel the rivalry built after last year’s stunning preliminary final.

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Western Derby from both sides

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Giants pip Bulldogs in another thriller

Giants pip Bulldogs in another thriller

An intense back and forth game between GWS and the Western Bulldogs saw the Giants sneak home by just two points.

Western Derby from both sides

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Western Derby from both sides

Western Derby from both sides

WA authors Sean Gorman and David Whish-Wilson’s book analyse West Coast and Fremantle supporters over the 20 year derby history.

Lee Spurr pranks Jeremy McGovern

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Lee Spurr pranks Jeremy McGovern

Lee Spurr pranks Jeremy McGovern

Fremantle’s Lee Spurr’s prank phone call on West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern on Heidi, Will & Woody. Audio: Hit 929

FootyFix: Tiges facing massive test against Crows

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FootyFix: Tiges facing massive test …

FootyFix: Tiges facing massive test against Crows

Rohan Connolly previews all the footy action ahead of round 6 in the AFL.

Buckley: Pendlebury dirty on performance

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Buckley: Pendlebury dirty on performance

Buckley: Pendlebury dirty on performance

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says his leadership group will be hard on their own form after their loss to Essendon.

Collingwood and Essendon prepare for ‘must win’ ANZAC clash

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Collingwood and Essendon prepare for …

Collingwood and Essendon prepare for ‘must win’ ANZAC clash

Scott Pendlebury and Dyson Heppell preview their sides’ upcoming Anzac Day clash at the MCG.

AFL plays of round 5

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AFL plays of round 5

AFL plays of round 5

Young Lions impress to keep the Dogs honest, flying Kanga takes a screamer, Cat chases down Jack Steven’s mullet, Cyril rolls out the genius playbook and Riewoldt has a night out in the wet to sink the Dees.

Giants pip Bulldogs in another thriller

An intense back and forth game between GWS and the Western Bulldogs saw the Giants sneak home by just two points.

But that’s not what the Giants care about – the premiership favourites aren’t where they want to be and are desperate to keep the pressure on Adelaide, Geelong and Richmond.

Both sides entered the contest with 4-1 records and six wins from their last seven matches in Canberra – but it was the Giants that prevailed 11.9 (75) to 9.19 (73) in front of 14,048 at Manuka Oval on Friday night.

Giants coach Leon Cameron said during the week the Bulldogs are still the benchmark – and his players responded accordingly to nearly everything he said. Nearly.

All eyes were on Giant Toby Greene in the last term after he was reported for striking Caleb Daniel, a penalty that handed the Bulldogs the lead late in the third, days after Cameron asked him to rein in his aggression.

True to form, he lifted with a crucial goal and took control of the Giants forward 50 to guide his side to victory to kick off a nervous week that could end in suspension.

But regardless of what the match review panel has to say, his performance was something to remember, as was that of Jeremy Cameron, who nailed four crucial goals to nudge the Giants ahead.

Giants’ Toby Greene celebrates with team mate Jonathon Patton. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong

Leon Cameron isn’t worried opposition teams might try to wind up Greene – he thinks it would just spur him on.

“He loves big moments and he had some huge moments tonight,” Cameron said. 

“He plays on edge, he’s tough and hard. I don’t see that as an issue that opposition are going to wind up Toby Greene – in fact, I think it works the opposite.”

Even unassuming Giant Aidan Corr seems at home in the leafy surrounds of Manuka, keeping Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli under wraps for large chunks of the game having towelled up Port Adelaide’s Chad Wingard in Canberra a fortnight ago.

The Bulldogs suffered a huge blow before the opening bounce with ruckman Tom Campbell ruled out with an ankle complaint, leaving under-pressure ex-Giant Tom Boyd to fill the void against the firing Shane Mumford.

Mumford picked apart cross-town rivals the Swans in the Sydney derby and delivered a similar onslaught, recovering from an ankle injury to rack up another impressive set of numbers.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge had some early headaches to contend with as the Giants nabbed early majors to take a lead, and hunted in numbers to finish on top.

But it was the contentious deliberate out of bounds rule that left many scratching their heads, with nearly everything called deliberate regardless of the circumstances.

“Not confused tonight because it seemed like it just didn’t matter,” Beveridge said.

“It was just like last touch off the boot, I’m not sure that’s how they wanted it to go. Not sure who got the raw end of the stick there, we got a few against us and so did they.”

Cameron’s three goal haul in the second-term was nothing but a face-saver in the context of the term, the Giants otherwise outclassed thanks to a spurt of Bontempelli and Jake Stringer gold.

The Bulldogs though, were their own worst enemy, throwing away far too many scoring opportunities that ultimately cost them the game.

The Bulldogs were let off the hook against the Brisbane Lions last week after a shocking start – but the Giants aren’t an outfit that lets opposition get away with poor finishing for too long.

“Our players who are missing or are not capitalising on their opportunities will hopefully get better over time,” Beveridge said.

“There’s a shean of quality that you need. You don’t necessarily need brilliance but you do need a shean of quality in your forward line.

“It’s going to be difficult to win these clutch games when you’re a bit inefficient, we just missed too many gettable ones and then they got their tails up in the third quarter.”

The Bulldogs fielded a vastly different team to last year’s grand final winning side and were forced to finish without Tom LIberatore, who was concussed after landing awkwardly in a big Mumford tackle.

The preliminary final hasn’t been forgotten and after this Friday night epic, the rivalry is alive.

AT A GLANCE

GWS GIANTS 3.3 6.3 8.6 11.9 (75)

WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.4 6.12 7.17 9.19 (73)

GOALS: GWS: Cameron 4, Patton 3, Greene 3, Lobb. Western Bulldogs: Stringer 3, Bontempelli 3, Daniel 2, Suckling. BEST: GWS: Mumford, Greene, Cameron, Haynes, Patton, Williams, Ward. Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Daniel, McRae, McLean, Stringer, Dahlhaus. INJURIES: GWS: Reid (hamstring), Haynes (hamstring). Western Bulldogs: Campbell (ankle) replaced in selected team by Dale. Liberatore (concussion) REPORTS: GWS: Greene for allegedly striking Daniel (Western Bulldogs) in third quarter. UMPIRES: Ryan, Meredith, Deboy. CROWD: 14,048 at Manuka Oval.

The post AFL: Toby Greene faces a nervous wait as GWS Giants beat Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval appeared first on Footy Plus.

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Season preview: Greater Western Sydney

Nathan Wilson may overtake Heath Shaw as the team’s best offensive weapon from the defensive half

Best 22 – round one

B: Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Nick Haynes HB: Matt Buntine, Adam Tomlinson, Zac Williams C: Josh Kelly, Callan Ward, Tom Scully HF: Steve Johnson, Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene F: Devon Smith, Jon Patton, Rory Lobb Foll: Shane Mumford, Dylan Shiel, Ryan Griffen I/C: Nathan Wilson, Tim Taranto, Matthew Kennedy, Adam Kennedy

Injury list

The loss of Stephen Coniglio (ankle) for at least the first month of the season will hurt the Giants, with his hardness and run-with ability a big loss around stoppages in particular. The absence of Aidan Corr (hand) early will also be felt especially against Adelaide’s tall forward line in round one, but Brett Deledio (calf) is the big worry, with no date set for his return. Matt de Boer (hamstring) should be ready by round two or three.

The big questions

Will Jeremy Cameron hold onto his leading goalkicker streak?

The star forward is five from five but faces serious competition from Jonathon Patton this year, who should be a menace for opposition defenders.

Will everyone stay?

Dylan Shiel and Josh Kelly look like certainties to re-sign, but there arew other Giants off contract at the end of the year, with Devon Smith, Jacob Hopper and Matt Buntine at the head of the list.

Can Brett Deledio get on the park and be a September hero?

Things look grim right now but it’s only March. If he takes his time and gets himself right, imagine a fit, fresh and healthy Deledio being introduced to the team in the second half of the year.

Look for …

Nathan Wilson to rival Heath Shaw as the team’s best offensive weapon from the back half. The small defender is lightning quick, loves to take the game on with run and carry, and is one of the competition’s best kicks, so if he can stay fit, Wilson can emerge from the shadows of his veteran teammate. Only needs 15-20 possessions to have a serious impact on a game.

Who they play

The Giants take on Adelaide, Sydney and the Bulldogs in the first six rounds, along with Gold Coast, North and Port Adelaide, so a bright start will set up the year. Two games against the Dogs, Swans, Cats and Eagles will be a test, but there’s only one trip to the west to soften that blow. Bye in round 13.

Fantasy cash cow

Matthew Kennedy ($194,000) is set for a big year after playing just three games in his debut season. Averaged 65.7 points in three JLT Community Series games and with Coniglio out for the early part of the season, Kennedy should get more of a run onball, where he gets plenty of it.

Sudden impact

Tim Taranto will be the club’s only debutant in round one and he’s already shown throughout the JLT Community Series that he’s more than ready to have an immediate impact. Taranto will start forward and spend some time through the midfield, where his clean hands and toughness will shine.

It’s crunch time for …

Ryan Griffen. The former Western Bulldogs captain hasn’t been the player the Giants thought they were getting thanks to some injury problems and the effect of his shock departure from the Dogs. With Coniglio out, the veteran needs to step up and get back to the playing like the hard-running, explosive midfielder the competition saw in his final three years at the Kennel. If he doesn’t, with so much young talent hungry for a spot in Leon Cameron’s side, he could be NEAFL-bound by season’s end.

Pressure rating on the coach

No pressure, only expectations. They’re already the premiership favourites – a status the coach has dismissed repeatedly over the pre-season and rightly so – and his cool head and laid back nature will ensure Leon Cameron remains unaffected by outside talk.

The Giants will have a good year if …

Patton continues to build on his 2016 season. The power forward has his confidence back and finished last year in brilliant form, so a 50-goal season beckons, which makes the team even more dangerous by taking the pressure off Jeremy Cameron.

They’re in trouble if …

Shane Mumford goes down. The big man is the standard-setter at stoppages and his physicality has an enormous effect on his teammates, something that can’t be measured on the stats sheet. Rory Lobb is growing in stature but needs more time to develop, and while Tom Downie and Dawson Simpson are serviceable back up options, neither can replace Mumford’s presence.

Pass mark

Grand Final. It might sound tough but they got within a kick last year, have added Deledio and some quality draftees, so if the list has definitely improved, so should the Giants’ finishing spot.

AFL.com.au predicted ladder finish

First. The Giants have always had talent by the bucket load, but now the kids have grown up and they have the playing experience to match. Last year’s finals series ended in disappointment but it only intensified the internal drive of the group.

Player Ratings star

Dylan Shiel, 19th. The explosive midfielder jumped from 75th in the rankings to be the only Giant inside the top 20, and his star is sure to keep on rising this year.

Want more?

Click here to read 2017 season previews for every club

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