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johannadc · 5 years ago

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Irene Adler and Gabrielle Valladon, Much in Common

I've figured out why, in the original Arthur Conan Doyle “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Irene Adler gets away and outwits Sherlock Holmes, but in the Sherlock remake, “A Scandal in Belgravia” (the first episode of season two, written by Steven Moffat), Sherlock outwits her. It's because “A Scandal in Belgravia” mixes an awful lot of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes into the Doyle case. (That film, released in 1970, was written and directed by Billy Wilder and is one of Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss' favorites.)

Spoilers for both follow, obviously.

I don't think the episode can be considered a remake, exactly, of the movie, but some of the key and most memorable scenes are remarkably similar. Consider these, once the case with Irene Adler fully begins in the TV episode. (Movie first / TV second.)

* A beautiful, mysterious woman appears nude to the detective (Gabrielle Valladon (Genevieve Page) / Irene Adler (Lara Pulver)).

* A cynical, slender Mycroft (Christopher Lee / Mark Gatiss) is working on an active operation for the British government. We spend much more time with Mycroft than ever in the ACD stories.

* This operation is interrupted by Sherlock (Robert Stephens / Benedict Cumberbatch) solving a case while manipulated by this woman, who is secretly a spy for someone else.

* He is able to do this by overhearing a message for Mycroft that contains a code name (a messenger / a phone call).

* That operation involves a substituted vessel whose passengers aren't what they seem (the first submersible (submarine) disguised as the Loch Ness monster crewed by midgets / an airplane flight full of dead people).

* Mycroft tells Sherlock to drop it; he doesn't. During this conversation, Mycroft tries to embarrass Sherlock about sex (a story about babies being brought not by the stork, but by the midwife / "how would you know").

* The woman is seen sleeping in Sherlock's bed, which discomfits Watson (Colin Blakely / Martin Freeman).

* Then she flirts with Holmes, making him uncomfortable and Watson appear to be jealous (kisses him on the cheek / says she'd have him on the desk).

* Sherlock is taken off to an odd location where Mycroft berates him for his interference.

* Later, when the operation is discovered, Mycroft gets told off by a woman (Queen Victoria / Irene Adler).

* Only after everything seems lost does Holmes turn the tables on the woman. Sherlock nearly commits treason because he's flustered by her manipulations, but he's still able to break the code she's using (using her parasol for sending Morse / the phone passcode).

* She is complimented by Mycroft as "much better than most operatives working for British intelligence" / "I wish our lot were half as good as you."

* Holmes is told, months later, that the woman has been executed in another country.

The significant difference here is that, in the movie, she’s apparently really dead, because Holmes takes himself off to mourn in his room with his cocaine.

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Outside of the main case, in the movie, Watson yells at a pipe, thinking it’s Holmes. He has set up a system to smoke multiple cigarettes and pipes at once to study the different ashes. Watson is angry at Holmes for spreading a rumor that the two are more than friends.

In the show, in this episode, John teases Sherlock about two hundred and forty different types of tobacco ash when comparing their blogs. John punches Sherlock (admittedly, at his request) to get into Irene's house. Later, he is told by Irene that he and Sherlock are a couple, which he tries to deny.

In the show, this episode is where we first see Sherlock in a deerstalker, to avoid the press (doesn't work). In the movie, Holmes berates Watson for his having to wear his distinctive hat and caped coat because of the stories in the Strand.

I have to say, the Watson in the movie is a bit of a ninny, often there for comic relief. I much prefer the modern.

Oddly, in the movie we find out that Holmes doesn't trust women because he was going to marry the daughter of his violin tutor but she died 24 hours before the wedding of influenza.

#the private life of sherlock holmes #irene adler's doppleganger #bbc sherlock

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experimcnts-archived · 5 years ago

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Get To Know The Blogger!

Tagged: @combatspace ryan noticed and i’m keeping my end of the bargain as well <3 Tagging: anyone who wanna !

FIRST NAME mondy is the easiest way to say my name,so i go by that lol

STRANGE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF i don’t like neither pop tarts nor twinkies. i thought since ppl from usa were obsessed with them, they’d be amazing, worth selling a soul over. but when i tasted them — too much baking soda, and the taste of it was too overwhelming for me to enjoy those treats. and y’all can come @ me over this.

TOP THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE ON A PERSON eyes, hands, smile.

A FOOD YOU COULD EAT FOREVER AND NOT GET BORED OF mango, pineapple. lithuanian dumplings.

A FOOD YOU HATE any animal’s kidneys.

GUILTY PLEASURE ylvis songs

WHAT DO YOU SLEEP IN

a loose ratty, gray t-shirt i’ve been sleeping in for years now. it’s the most comfortable thing ever

SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS OR FLINGS

uhm i’m too awkward for flings

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN THE PAST AND CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU AND WHAT WOULD IT BE? i’d probably teach myself how to let go of attachments quicker? they’ve caused and continue to cause me a lot of pain and turmoil.

ARE YOU AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON i feel awkward when i’m trying to be affectionate, i just can’t do it. so i guess no?

A MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN the mummy

FAVORITE BOOK i can tell you my favorite fanfiction. i don’t have fave a book tho.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP ANY ANIMAL AS A PET, WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE red panda. they are absolutely adorable.

TOP FIVE FICTIONAL SHIPS [IF YOU ARE AN RP BLOG, YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN SHIPS AS WELL] i’m not exposing myself that way lol

PIE OR CAKE

cake. we have like maybe two pies over here

FAVORITE SCENT

mint

CELEBRITY CRUSH rachel weisz, benedict cumberbatch and all the fcs for my muses also j2

IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU GO

i always wanted to visit rome and nyc

INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT an inbetweenovert

DO YOU SCARE EASILY i’m a paranoid lil beech, i literally cannot watch scary movies, i will go insane with fear

IPHONE OR ANDROID android, preferably xiaomi cause i’m cheap

DO YOU PLAY ANY VIDEO GAMES sims 4 only.

DREAM JOB behind the camera stuff. from camera operator to lights operator or anything of the like. that stuff fascinates me like heck

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A MILLION DOLLARS buy as much real estate as i could. that shit is always a gold mine.

FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU HATE i don’t really hate anyone. dislike sure, but hate is a very strong word and i don’t like to associate myself or my feelings with its literal meaning. anyways, not telling lol

FANDOM THAT YOU WERE ONCE A PART OF BUT AREN’T ANY LONGER glee, atla, jackass, star.kid. and all the fandoms of this multimuse.

#☣ ooc. —— maintenance !

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legionnaireslover · 7 months ago

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Milarvela, your name seemed familiar to me, but to refresh my memory I checked your posts on your Tumblr blog under the "Sophie Hunter" tag. I'll say they were... interesting.

I will also say right off the bat, that I don't post about the Haters to change the minds of the hardcore ones like Gator or Aeltri. It's obvious that they are so invested in their narrative by now, they'll never admit to being wrong about the Cumberbatches marriage, no matter how many facts are presented to counter their wacked out conspiracy theories.

I (and others like me) post because to remain silent, in the presence of such outrageous lies, is tantamount to giving tacit approval of their horrible behaviour. It's a moral issue to me (and I don't mean this in a religious sense at all - I'm an atheist).

Counter arguments are often needed to refute lies. Facts should be presented and reality can sway thinking individuals.

There are people out there that have changed their minds when presented with the truth. (see "former Skeptic" blog)

The origins of the premise that people who fall easily into conspiracy theories have a tendency to "lack of control" in their own personal lives (many confess to having multiple issues in the areas of mental health, family relations, lack of employment, etc.) isn't my "theory". It comes from research.

There have been recent studies done in the US, UK and Poland that suggest conspiracy theorists are not necessarily ‘mentally unwell’, but often resort to conspiracy theories to fulfill unmet needs and rationalize distress.

Other studies done in 2021 measured tendencies to have

• unusual beliefs,

• to feel a lack of control over one’s future,

• to desire control,

• to lack trust in others,

• and to feel a need to be unique.

Those found a direct correlation that "disagreeable people, who score high in these traits, are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories."

I don't know of anyone "on the other side of the 'battle' " who believes in conspiracy theories - in fact blogs such as mine are specifically aimed at debunking the conspiracy theories of the so-called "Skeptics".

I don't understand your question about there being (or not being) "money in this Benedict thing". I'm not really interested in the "Harry/MM" scenario. I don't get your point.

Any idiot with a phone can make a YouTube video, I suppose and mouth their uninformed opinion. There's no worth in that.

Yes, I do know some Haters have made insulting videos about BC's wife and family. And there are definitely "Freebatchers" who have morphed into Haters/Skeptics and insist BC is gay and will join with MF someday.

The fact that BC has consistently declared his love and admiration for his wife and 3 children over the past decade doesn't deter them. That's because they don't operate in the world of facts, logic and common sense. It's their narrative and they're sticking to it despite reality.

BC and Sophie could divorce tomorrow and it wouldn't change my stance - It's their lives, they can live it the way they want to.

All I'm interested in is presenting reality and denouncing lies and wacked out conspiracy theories that are used to console those who can't accept that a man got married and has a family.

I will say that the way the relationship came about had me skeptical. Not sure I bought into the escort story, but it seemed rushed and awkward at first. But the theories got so outlandish they were comical and a bit sad.

At the end of the day, this is an actor none of us really know. And to fake 3 children…..well no one could agree to that nor sustain it. And why does anyone really care?

The Haters apparently think it is perfectly acceptable to "care" so much about BC's personal business that they have spent over 10 years demanding that he dumps his wife and disowns their 3 children.

They've woven a HUGE conspiracy theory as their narrative and now that's the ONLY thing that matters - maintain the NARRATIVE!

What it really comes down to is (and studies have indicated a strong correlation) that people who fall into these "rabbit holes" are lacking control of their own lives.

So they create a world where THEY are the controlling factor (at least THEY think they are!).

Thus, they suddenly have access to SECRET "SOURCES" who reveal the truth (only to them, mind you), they become social justice warriors with a "NOBLE" CAUSE (they are doing this to end BC's suffering and others like him!) and they KEEP EXPANDING the conspiracy NARRATIVE as each new "ultimatum" or "deadline" passes without BC conceding to their demands.

The narrative just kept on growing until it morphed into a multi-generational world wide vendetta perpetrated by, among others, BC's own mother (!) and involving THOUSANDS of people.

It actually is much more than "a bit sad". Aeltri, Gator and Mstoxictea have tried their darnedest to harass and intimidate ANYONE briefly connected in even the remotest fashion with BC. If anyone even mentions on social media that they saw BC and Sophie together, those three jump all over them and call into question their character and then proceed to weave them into the conspiracy!

Their behaviour is outrageous.

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khazelton98-blog · 6 years ago

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The XX of Equal Pay

In this blog post, I will be writing about the Gender pay gap and I will touch on factors that cause the pay gap. I will talk about the dark truth of media companies who are I may add owned by old rich billionaires which I will include their opinion on the matter (eyeroll) and see if there are issues with the gender pay gap in their company mainly focusing on the BBC issues with the gender pay gap.

As we know the BBC gender pay gap caused a lot of questions in the media industry on unequal pay for women. This happened because of the UK government demanded that the BBC had to release figures of those who work at the BBC who earn more than 150,000 pounds as a part of it’s so-called “royal charter’ ( which basically guarantees that the corporation will receive its license fee for another 11 years). The BBC published those who earned more than 150,000 pounds of the 96 only a third of them were women. The BBC consistently objects to the disclosure describing it as “poachers” that will drive salaries up in the media industry and that it helps others in the media industry headhunt its staff. (Ruddick,2019) Even though the list is not very long it is important to note that it is the payment that the BBC was directly paid from the license fee. This means that payments made to other staff members from independently run production companies and BBC worldwide is not included in this so-called “headhunt”. This is why some absolute BBC legends are missed off the list such as Sir David Attenborough, David Dimbleby, Matt Leblanc to name a few are missed off the list due to the fact the cut off is 450,000 another example is Sherlock which stars Benedict Cumberbatch are not included due to been made by an independent production company. (Clarke and Clarke,2019)

The gender pay gap shows of the 96 that 62 were men and 34 were women. This reveals even more than just a simple lack of women that there is also a lack of ethnic diversity among those who are earning the big bucks at BBC. In 2016 it revealed that British journalism is 94% white. (Hitsch,2019) There is even evidence that the industry is lacking diversity and that people from a less snooty background are being overlooked. Mr. David Lammy (a Labour MP from Tottenham) on the 14th April 2016 made this statement in parliament “ I beg to move, that this house notes the crucial cultural role the BBC plays in modern Britan; welcomes the fact that one of the public purposes outlined in the BBC charter is to represent the UK, its nations, regions and communities; notes with concern that the last employment census in 2012 showed the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic people working in the UK creative media fell by 30.9% between 2006 and 2012; believes that a BBC target of 14.2% for 2017 is insufficient.” (Hansard.parliament.uk,2019)

This is after BBC editor Carrie Gracie resigned in January after she said that women employees were discriminated over equal pay. In response to her claims a BBC spokesman (no surprise there) said:

“While we still have more to do, much of this report is already out of date. Recent disclosures by other media organizations show that the BBC’s gender pay gap is amongst the smallest and well below the national average.” Here is the funny thing about this statement he says it’s amongst the smallest but yet there shouldn't even be a slight gender pay gap. So he carries on saying...

“But we do hold ourselves to a higher standard. This is why our action on pay has seen the BBC make real progress in addressing equal pay cases; carrying out an independent audit of equal pay; introduce independent oversight so that disputes can be resolved; take clear steps to rebalance top talent pay; reform out pay structure to ensure fairness and give an unprecedented level of transparency and information about pay ranges for all staff; and set up independent reviews to see what further steps should be taken on pay transparency.

That's why so many colleges have contributed to project were doing- on gender, ethnicity, disability, LGBT and socio-economic diversity. We all want to make this a great place to work, where people are properly rewarded for their expertise and experience” (Press Gazette,2019)

Going off from this statement what a load of pretentious old tosh to come out of BBC ( from a MALE spokesman had to type MALE aggressively their).

Surprise surprise.. the gender pay gap just doesn't happen in the BBC it happens all over the media industry it's funny because all these other big cats sure like to jump to the gun about BBC but yet their only doing the same thing. Many women are losing out to men in pay, with them earning more, more senior roles and getting big bonuses, the government gender pay reporting service revealed. The press Gazette showed that 91 percent of UK-based media companies paid men more than women on average based on the mean hourly rate, and 85% paid more in mean bonus pay. This is not because us women are less qualified or few enter the industry. Prime minister (bless her a lot of sarcasm there) choose the Telegraph to write about the issue about the new gender reporting rules she says “ By making this information public, organizations will no longer have anywhere to hide. Shareholders and customers will expect to see improvements and will be able to hold organizations to account if they fail to achieve them.” (Ruddick,2019)

Yet this lovely little statement in the Telegraph is so biased because they have the highest gender pay gaps in the media, with women getting paid 35% less than men on average. 3/4 of the Telegraph highest-paid staff are men, with women working 61.6% of the lower jobs. Men received bonuses of almost twice paid to women on average. Even though it is an issue in the Telegraph it is the only media company that targets to have a zero gender pay gap across the company. Nick Hugh (Telegraphs groups chief executive) has set 2025 as the year by which the company must achieve this saying it “demonstrates where we see the future of the telegraph.” They pledge to monitor frequently and improved maternity benefits. It has offered the option for more flexible working, while 50/50 gender shortlists were introduced for all of its roles. Some others in media want to reach a zero gender pay gap sooner but only within higher brackets, while others have said they are aiming for total gender parity without setting a deadline. For example, The Financial Times aims to achieve gender parity across its global leadership by 2022, Sky pledges to fill half of its senior roles with women by 2020 and The Guardian targets a 50/50 gender balance in the top half of the organization within 5 years. (Press Gazette,2019)

BBC’s TV competitors ITN, which produces news for ITV, Channel 4 and 5. Paid men an average of 19.6% more than women and bonus payments jumped to 77.2%. (National Union of Journalist,2019.) Their excuses for this are even funnier they mainly have more men in senior roles with 17 of its 20 top earners being men. The company has published “TARGETS” which are a 50% reduction in the pay gap within 5 years and a third of the 20 top earned will be occupied by women within 3 years, that it will publish salary bands, introduce a development program for high potential women and men, family-friendly working policies. Yes, this does sound all lovely but the fact is still why 5 years why not now. There shouldn't be a program they should see potential from now and why do they need to make targets it should just be automatically in place now we should be equal now not in a few years. Women at ITN and BBC set up a Whatsapp group to discuss concerns on the pay gap. Natasha Morris legal and equality officer for NUJ says “ It is clear from the latest figures more needs to be done to support women into senior positions within the workplace, ensuring the maternity leave does not mean the end of career progression. It is vital that companies are transparent about pay and where inequality is identified and immediate measures are taken.” (Press, Gazette 2019)

A book called Lifetime Disadvantage, Discrimination and The Gender Workforce by Susan Bisom-Tapp (a professor of Law in California) and Malcolm Sargeant (a professor of Labour Law at Middlesex uni). Which as your reading this I recommend you have a mental checking list in your head ticking if you feel like this is you because for me personally I totally agree with their points and I agree that being a woman in 2019 still has disadvantages and have handled a lot of discrimination on a daily basis.

They write about Gender-based factors which effect from a very early point in their lives as girls and later as women. One of the factors is education and training whilst education is an area where young women have made progress, young women are maximizing their potential. In terms of educations access, attainment, and ambition. In terms of education access, attainment, and ambition, girls on average in OECD counties ( The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development which included the UK.) Amongst OECD counties, girls on average are more likely than boys to anticipate in high-status careers. Side note I as a women hope to be in a high-status career. Young women clearly are more into undergradute study as on average in OECD counties 59% are female university graduates. So from this, no media company can’t technically say women are not qualified because there is the proof in the pudding we are more likely to have a degree so, therefore, why are we not seen to be more ambitious than males just from that fact.

Stereotyping is the second factor in the model. Which begins in the classroom and extending into the workplace, gender beliefs about the different characteristics of male and females may lead to differential treatment. In the classroom, boys tend to receive more praise than girls are more frequently accepted. Research reveals that girls are likely to be rewarded for quite and compliant behavior. Which I agree with I felt like this was a problem personally primary and secondary school it was like its accepted for girls not to have a voice and that we should be quiet and poised which is completely wrong we should be outspoken because without it change will not happen. Despite the long-standing prohibition of sex discrimination in the workplace as well. These biases may infect articulation of a given jobs description and skill requirements and the way employment decisions are made. Due to this stereotyping, this has an enormous effect on occupational advancement over time. Which kind of suck for us women because it feels like these companies are writing rubbish job descriptions to hold us back which is not fair.

Income inequality is another factor is the UK is high, with a rank of sixth amongst the (OECD). The top 10% average income in 2012 was 10.5 times that of the bottom 10% owning 47% of the country’s net wealth. Multiple discrimination women may occupy statuses that further complicate the way in which they are being viewed and treated. One complicating factors is the issue of ageing which I think is so ageist that older workers are viewed as less competent and more difficult to train and more expensive than a younger worker. Which in my opinion is wrong because older people have earned their stripes, their experience so therefore they should be an expense its only fair. Women can encounter other issues and their position in the workplace including minority race-ethnicity, migration status, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. This is terrible not only just because we are women it's all these so-called attachments that can affect us which shouldn't be the case. Who cares where you from, what you believe, what you like or what you believe in. Those with children may collide with a ‘maternal wall’, which diverts or even terminate career paths when women become pregnant, give birth or choose to work in part-time or flexible work arrangements in order to meet family responsibilities. Whilst some women may have to choose a ‘zero hours’ contracts (which are vile and should be full stop banned). Their pay may suffer from working in such positions and which could affect retirement savings and planning. Women can find the unpredictable hours of work be troublesome with caregiving responsibilities.

To finish this off the gender pay gap will always be a burning issue in the media industry due to being an “a mans world” and fat cats such a Mr. Murdoch, the brothers, and other idiotic pigs it will not change until there is a change in the upper parts of the media industry. It should be an industry for everybody but sadly it is not. I believe there should be a constant review on the gender pay gap and it should be changed instantly it shouldn't take years because if they can give bonuses to men so easily, they can do the same for women. The disadvantages of being a woman in the media industry out ways the positives it is very sad to see in the 21st century we are still dealing with issues of women not been seen the same as males. Women have fought for decades before for equality and yet we seem to be in the same boat decades later. I can see how women feel unfortunate to be a woman because of the way they are being treated but we need to stand up for what we want and not just look at the basic gender pay gap but look at all the others issues such as race and factors that are simply out of our control and more importantly stereotypes. This is what news should be about rather than the fat cats slating each other when they are all as bad as each other. The change will happen but it looks like it will be a long time till it is in reach.

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#unequalpay #bbc #genderpaygap

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primeiptvservices22 · 2 years ago

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Step five: A quick can crop up, asking you to place in ‘Perfect Player. Install this application just by choosing ‘Install‘on the extremely despicable left element of the screen.

Step half dozen: Open the Player Application. Once open, the app can be registered with our Beast TV subscription. Then choose Settings (Gear button on the top right of screen) then General

Step seven: Generally, some information needs to be entered. Enter the record link on or after the Beast TV Activation email in the ‘Playlist Link’ class of Player. Press okay to confirm the access.

Step eight: Next, go into the ‘EPG link’ from the Beast TV Activation Email hooked on the EPG class of Player. Once approaching the link, be assured to correct the EPG set to ‘Download at each Update’ to verify your TV Guide is more often than not accurate.

Step nine: Once you’ve entered the essential information, select the rear button on your fireplace Stick remote. The application can locate the show in a catalog of TV channels.

How to use the AAP + settings that have got to be enabled?

Before we will proceed with the oppression of the Beast TV service, there charge a handful of changes that have got to be shaped to the app to make certain Associates most optimistic streaming skill.

1 – Change Folder teams. Within the Player application, select the “Three lines” button on your fireplace stick remote. Then, select the “Main Menu” option. In “Main Menu” select the Settings/Gear button. Now, press “GUI“ And change “Show Channel teams as folder”. Select back just a quantity of times on your remote, till the home screen of Player displays.

This will mechanically type the channels by Country cluster via a folder. To means in these folders, choose the left button on your remote on any excellent Player screen, to induce the channel teams.

2 – Change EPG within the Player home screen, grip the “Three Lines” key on your fireplace stick remote as well as push the “Show EPG” button. This might make available you with a complete TV guide. Dail for +1-(530)-418-8110 Free Trial Visit https://primeiptvservice.com/

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uk-news-talking-politics · 4 years ago

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Rethinking Dominic Cummings

By Josh Self

In an infamous photo taken on Boris Johnson’s first day in 10 Downing Street, cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill greets our new prime minister. Sedwill beams (outwardly at least) as he shakes Johnson’s outstretched hand—our new PM looks away uninterested. Just in shot, perched against a wall in a jarring t-shirt-jeans combo, is the newly-appointed chief adviser to the prime minister: Dominic Cummings.

Like you, I remember double-taking on my first viewing of this still. In one moment, we find 2 years of hard work, of failure, distilled. Of the photo’s stars: Sedwill, Cummings and Johnson, only the last-mentioned survives—and then again, only just.

I am by no means the first to note the symbolism of this famous pic. The photo’s microcosmic commentary became somewhat of a cliché during the macrocosmic spectacle that one Tory MP labelled “Dom’s reign of terror”. In this snapshot we see Cummings alone, scheming (presumably) and staring down the suited Whitehall staffers opposite. Back in 2019, this imagery aligned perfectly with Cummings’ media portrayal and, crucially, is emblematic of the lack of nuance applied therein.

“Britain Hates Johnson’s Machiavelli”, carried Foreign Policy after the “Durham” scandal; “The Machiavel in Downing Street” read the New Statesman six months prior. It appears no article on Cummings was complete without a Machiavelli namedrop; and I’m sure the Oxford history graduate in question smirked at this amateurish renaissance. For us, however, the motivation behind this newfound interest in 16th-century philosophy is cause for great concern. By conscripting Machiavelli’s reputation for their own ends, the media launched a broader project: to style Cummings an erudite, if unscrupulous, diabolical genius.

The Channel 4 drama “Brexit: The Uncivil War” was pivotal in cementing Cummings’ “mastermind” status in the public imagination. The film depicted a self-consciously clever Cummings cutting through incompetent, bit-part politicians to secure Leave’s victory in the 2016 EU referendum. Cummings was played by Benedict Cumberbatch, famous for portraying such exceptional minds as Sherlock Holmes, Alan Turing and Marvel’s Doctor Strange. Cumberbatch needed to draw on this experience and more to depict the devilishly clever Dominic Cummings. The film made good television, but of course it did—for this “Cummings” is a mere literary trope.

Society has long-been obsessed with the shadowy courtier. In his coverage, Cummings drew from a tradition including all of Rasputin, Thomas Cromwell, Dick Cheney, Peter Mandelson and, of course, Niccolò Machiavelli. Like his forebears, Cummings’ power-behind-the-throne allure proved irresistible to writers. Combining themes of influence, cunning and intrigue, Cummings was fashioned an omnipotent consigliere: Machiavelli on steroids. Plainly, all this was far more interesting than reality. Rather than a reflection of great-skill, Cummings’ ascent up the greasy-pole exposed a political-class out of ideas. More pertinently for us, however, Cummings’ “master of the dark arts” portrayal revealed a comment-class out of its mind.

For sure, Cummings long-styled himself a visionary messiah figure—and he was first introduced in 2016 as such. By rights, Cummings does deserve some “praise” for Brexit, but his subsequent influence has been significantly overstated. Since 2016, commentators have adopted Cummings’ delusions-of-grandeur without critique. In the view of far too many, it was Cummings—and Cummings alone—who carved out Britain’s destiny; through Brexit, through Boris, through COVID…

It wasn’t just the media creating this image, Cummings wore each of his sobriquets—damning or not—as proudly as an ill-fitting beanie. The speculation assured Cummings that he really was as great as he thought. In time, the headlines served to motivate Cummings. If the media wanted a Machiavel, he would not let them down.

In May 2020, it was reported that Cummings had warned the world about coronaviruses in a wider 2019 blog on pandemics. If this was true, Cummings’ “mastermind” credentials would have been more than vindicated. However, such reporting long-left facts behind. So much for the eager technologist, Cummings was caught editing in the passage on coronaviruses sometime between April and May of 2020. Interestingly, these dates directly align with Cummings’ extended trip to Durham. Sure enough, Cummings went on to reference his COVID “prediction” in his infamous post-“Durham” Downing Street press conference.

The deviousness on show here was astounding. At this moment of national and personal crisis, Cummings focussed on improving—or at least proving—his media image. Refusing to have his mystique tarnished by scandal, Cummings opted to flaunt false powers of projection. At once, he exposed his recklessness, inflated ego and contempt for the British public.

It is high time we rethought Cummings. Yes, he headed the Brexit campaign and contributed to Johnson’s 2019 General Election effort—but what else of his influence? To offer a short summary: Cummings “masterminded” Johnson’s unlawful prorogation of parliament, mishandled the sacking of Sonia Khan, took a disastrous drive to Durham, oversaw the A-level results fiasco and suffered from a serious lack of foresight on free school meals. Had Niccolò Machiavelli made an opponent of one Marcus Rashford, he might have handled it all better.

Further, we need to stop lending support to Cummings’ “lone-messiah” routine. The Leave campaign was bolstered—maybe decisively—by Farage and his ilk. And Isaac Levido and Lee Cain joined Cummings in seeing to Johnson’s 2019 General Election victory.

Nonetheless, some reality did seep into Cummings’ media coverage. Cummings does possess a deep-seated disdain for the British political and administrative classes; he’s an outsider; and, undoubtedly, an inflamed, nationalist reactionary. But what this image fails to project is Cummings’ origin-story. The media failed to answer—or even ask—one very-basic question: where did Cummings come from?

Cummings did not operate in a vacuum—nor did he “break” British politics single-handedly; Cummings’ “victories” were not his, not in outcome or execution; and Cummings was never “master” of the populistic forces he helped unleash. By styling Cummings an invincible schemer supreme, we distract from the real forces driving British politics. It allows us to ignore the discontent across Britain that enabled Cummings’ short power trip.

Cummings was a bad influence on British politics and it is good that he has gone. He was important to the rise of our divisive political culture and laid crucial path-stones to the post-truth age. Nonetheless, the post-Cummings age will hardly be so different. Ad hominem side-swipes remain all-too relevant and no armistice has been reached in Britain’s “culture war”. Cummings’ departure from Downing Street was a rejection of the individual rather than his ideas.

After all the speculation, Niccolò Machiavelli and Dominic Cummings finally have something in common: they are history. Our attention must now turn from the former “disruptor-in-chief” to the problems he helped expose. Cummings’ coverage provides a crucial lesson in how we analyse our leaders; for if we continue to obsess over not-so-great “great men”, the societies that surround them fall from view.

#Dominic Cummings

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legionnaireslover · 2 years ago

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This is EXACTLY how Sophie Hunter/Benedict Cumberbatch Haters have operated for over the last 8 years. They either do it by a conveniently placed "anon" posting on one of their blogs, posting unverified "information" that they say came from one of their UNNAMED, SECRET "sources" or "mutuals", or they themselves go on gossip sites (anonymously) and post a lie and then use THAT as PROOF to support their narrative.

A lot of these stories stem from the same terrifying lady on instagram. What’s funny about these haters is they’ll invent a story, then spread it, then say they heard it from somewhere. They keep hearing it from each other. It’s become a 4 year echo chamber of make believe stories about a woman they desperately want to be an evil succubus. And honestly? If the stories of her being difficult to work with were true, that still wouldn’t justify some of the horrific things they say about her.

Exactly.

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chicagoindiecritics · 5 years ago

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New from Every Movie Has a Lesson by Don Shanahan: MOVIE REVIEW: 1917

(Image: polygon.com)

1917– 5 STARS

Kinetically engineered to simulate real-time, 1917 moves with a propulsive momentum like no other film of 2019 and no other combat flick of recent memory. Its velocity matches the unyielding pull of war itself. That compelling force defines a soldier’s moral sense of duty and keeps a man watching, trekking, running, fighting, and downright surviving. 1917 is all about that pull and concentrates its adrenaline into a relentless experience that will strafe your senses, from the hairs on the back of your neck to the fidgeting nerves that bounce your toes.

With zero backstory (and none needed really), 1917 takes immediate initiative. The day is April 6, 1917 during The Great War near the Hindenburg Line of Operation Alberich. A tracking zoom on serene flowers in a green field gives way to the sleeping silence of a pair of nondescript British soldiers rousing to begin their day. Lance Corporals Blake (the busy Dean-Charles Chapman of The King and Blinded by the Light) and Schofield (Captain Fantastic’s George McKay) grab their gear and walk from that pastoral fringe of nature deeper into a scarred foreground. The continuing track reveals trenches where the green is stripped away by the sandbags and makeshift wood frames before all bright colors become totally vacant. This steady submergence begins our voyeuristic navigation through this ominous setting.

The two friends check-in and receive recon orders to get urgent word from General Enimore (Oscar winner Colin Firth) to a disconnected Colonel Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch) several miles away. Based on new aerial intelligence, Mackenzie does not know his division of 1,600 men is heading straight into the certain slaughter of a newly fortified German trench position that will outnumber his forces three-fold in men and firepower. The men have until the next morning to get to Mackenzie.

LESSON #1: THE LENGTHS ONE WILL GO TO SAVE THEIR FAMILY— Among Mackenzie’s possibly doomed men is Blake’s older brother (Richard Madden of Cinderella). His survival becomes an instant motivator pushing these two troopers beyond the front. Scofield may not share Blake’s immediate stake, but his temperament also denotes a man with something or someone to live for. His own character reveals itself as the journey evolves.

Be that as it may, this mission is no idyllic stroll down a country road. Getting there requires crossing No Man’s Land, German-occupied territory, and villages fraught with hidden dangers. Everyone knows a suicide mission when they see one. Friendly chaps and fellow grunts encounter Blake and Scofield to caution them in an exasperating fashion “You’ll never make it.” Each time, the naysayers are answered simply with a resolute “Yes, I will.”

Where director Sam Mendes has outdone himself, and that is high praise considering his towering resume, is in the quality of immersion. The visual, aural, and emotional layers of this film are utterly astounding. The assembled collection of masterly craftsmen furnish the ingenious wonder that more than matches the indomitable will of this narrative written by Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns of Penny Dreadful.

That creative thrust is led by the key re-teaming of Mendes’ Skyfall partners and Blade Runner 2049 Oscar winners Dennis Gassner and Roger Deakins. The attention to details of Gassner’s environments evoke all levels of disparaging disaster and twisted terror. The daring camera placements, crane movements, and light absorption captured by Deakins are nothing short of perfection. He remains the best DP in the business. Empowered by steadicam operator Pete Cavaciuit and drone photography director John Marzano, Roger’s delicate touch with both magic hour vistas and hellfire-lit night scenes is beyond impressive and worthy of that second Academy Award for his legacy.

The sharp stratagem of 1917 moving in and around this menacing arena comes from the expert editing of Dunkirk Academy Award winner Lee Smith. Hiding screen-wipe cuts in passing bodies, shadows, architectural structures, and other seamless visual effects, Smith’s distillation of Deakins’ footage makes the film move and feel like one lean, continuous take. Needless to say, the syncs are flawless and that unbelievable flowing effect locks all eyes to the screen with optical handcuffs.

And the sound! Oh my, the sound! The ever-present acoustic aura creates a quickening pace to everything that transpires. The sound editing work of Oliver Tarney and mixing by Stuart Wilson bounce every crackle and bated breath with rattling intensity. That bombastic stimulus is made all the more grander by Thomas Newman’s Oscar-worthy musical score. Its dirge mixing anticipation and cardiac calamity drills into your veins. See this movie on the largest and loudest screen you can find. While all the technical aspects are truly superior, the thematic core of 1917 encircles the binds of duty on display.

LESSON #2: THE MANY SYNONYMS OF “HARROWING”— The bell-ringing word for all of this is harrowing, which can be defined as “acutely distressing.” All of its thesaurus-bound varieties, from agonizing and tormenting to harsh and heartrending, exemplify the human experience of this thriller. The stunt coordination of Ben Cooke and his team make the treacherous gauntlet and every close scrape rattle with these qualities.

As circumstances tighten, Scofield, with his differences of agreement and disagreement and a recurring series of question marks about earned and lost medals, becomes our guiding point of focus and hope. George McKay does not pause his character for long monologues. There are no flashy asides to wax poetically on the lamentations war or his unreleased feelings. Instead, both the actor and the character simply endure and we feel every stress point.

LESSON #3: WAR MUST BE ENDURED— All of those World War I combatants from over a century ago, including a family member of the Mendes lineage named in tribute during the end credits, may not be distinctly special or flush with a mythic history of certain destiny. Yet, what they endured was shattering and strengthening at the same time. The draw to see summoned bravery and weatherd tragedy in conflict will always be hugely magnetic. Rising with ambitious scale and a colossal level of enthrallment, 1917 will join cinema’s greatest exemplars of such captivation.

LOGO DESIGNED BY MEENTS ILLUSTRATED (#844)

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nerdywriterlady · 5 years ago

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Love In A Hopeless Place (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction)

Preface

I'll be perfectly honest, I'm a traditional novelist, and do have works completed, including a full novel as myself and a novella that's been published under a pen name. I've never written fan fiction, and never thought I would. So you might wonder, how I found myself here, penning this? I had an idea for a character, for a traditional story arc involving a British male, so I began consuming as many interviews with current British actors, ie David Tennent, Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston... to listen to speech, mannerisms, differences in terminology, etc. During what I'm affectionately referring to as a "Hiddle-binge" I came upon Tom's diary or blog of his trip with UNICEF to Guinea last January. Charities that involve children have always resonated deeply with me, from St. Jude's Children's Hospital who cared for my cousin who was diagnosed with cancer at 13 and again at 16, to Operation Smile who provide underpriviliged children with much needed cleft lip and palate surgeries as my nephew was born with both so their works are very near and dear to me. I've always known of UNICEF, I've never looked into what they do though. I had quickly developed an appreciation for Tom's works. I feel much of my own writing style and subjects have been greatly influenced by the classics that I began reading as far back as an eleven year old. So, it came as no great surprise that Tom's blog was extremely well written, and filled with enumerable passages that carried such weight to what they conveyed.

For example:

"One small ward - about the size of a single room in a two-star or three-star hotel in the UK - housed at least twenty children, some of whom I was told had slim chances of survival. Their arms and legs were indescribably thin, their cheeks tear-stained, their skin a harrowing, slate-grey. Most shocking to me was the speed and urgency of their breathing, asleep or awake, but it was uniformly unsettled and uneven. When you see a child struggling so hard simply to breathe, it makes your heart hurt..."

As I read along, and looked at the images taken along his trip, I started to see the scenes of a story playing out in my mind. It's just how I write. I've always been able to "see" the scenes and then manage to put them into words. I tried to continue focus on my original work in progress, but kept being haunted by my characters in Guinea floating in my mind as an accoustic version of Rhianna's "We Found Love (In A Hopeless Place)" echoed behind them. I've concluded that they're not going to leave me alone until I tell their story. I fought over whether to write it traditionally or not. Tom's words are so profound at points that I feel the story would suffer without them. So I decided to fanfiction them. Putting Tom as one of the main characters. Which I suppose should lead me to a disclaimer of sorts...

DISCLAIMER: While the majority of what you're about to read is completely fiction, parts of it will be the direct quotes from Tom Hiddleston's field diary. I will strive to ensure they are marked someway as quotes and maintain their diary format. I do not know Tom, I don't own his words, none of the conversations that take place between Tom the character and the other characters in this work have ever taken place. What I hope is to entertain you with a love story on a few levels, and hopefully also spread some of the awareness that UNICEF needs and deserves.

I know that was a really long intro, but I felt there needed to be some explanation other than a tiny synopsis which will try to entice you to read the story. I don't know how long it will take to write, I'm not 100% sure where these characters are about to take me, but I thank you for reading and following along with the journey until the final stroke of the pen, as it were.

Use the following link to the story...

Love In A Hopeless Place on Wattpad

Synopsis:

Single mom, Nessa Keefe, has never left the States. Never even crossed the borders into Canada or Mexico. She shocks her family and friends when she volunteers her skills as a photographer to International relief charity, UNICEF, after watching commercials at Halloween on "Trick or Treat for UNICEF". In December, she received her first assignment. In January, she was going to Guinea. And not just Guinea, but she was going along to photo-document a celebrity's first field visit.

Actor Tom Hiddleston is world known now and world travelled thanks in part to the huge success he's had from his portrayal as fan beloved Loki in the Marvel movie series. He's about to embark on his first visit into the field with UNICEF as a Junior Ambassador. It's a trip that's going to carry with him forever, and he'll return home from Guinea, with a deeper love and appreciation for many things and people.

#tom hiddleston #fanfiction #romance #original female character

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samczsdreamvault · 7 years ago

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Day 4 with Sherlock Holmes

Day 4 (Part 1)

Basically a day catered to an itinerary I’d personally set for the whole UK Trip.

Hey, I get the opportunity to step foot in UK. I ain’t leaving until I went to Baker Street.

Being a Sherlock fan myself, i was tremendously excited.

No coffee needed to wake me that day, my eyes scanned through the street. I was legitimately in awe.

Sunday Morning :

Breakfast ( v )

Take the Underground ( v )

Operator: ‘ Next Station : Baker Street. ‘

Here we areeeeee

I can explain my mushroom head. The wind in the underground was strong as well. My hair was a mess and I didn’t have a comb that day. Don’t look at my head, look at that head. that’s the main point.

Along the way to Baker Street.

221B Baker Street, we meet at last.

Sherlock’s beloved violin. Strings that keeps him company.

How do i look? Sherlock was not that fond of this hat but it looks good to me.

I had an appointment with Mr Holmes.

Wait, where is Watson anyways?

I’ve spent about half an hour inside other than snapping pictures, but to soak in what I’m seeing with my own eyes.

Being present in the study of the brilliant Sherlock Holmes.

It’s more than a TV Series but an honour to be enlightened by the history of someone so out of the ordinary.

His brilliance put his life at risk but he’d survived through.

He doesn’t follow by the rule book because in his world, he has his own rule book which is 10 times better than any manual people follow. Which makes many of us feel half baked, while always following the ‘blinded rules��

Take a chance! Use those brain waves of yours! Think Think Think!

The Amazement, Curiosity, Excitement feeling was swirling through.

vintage <3

In Sherlock’s bedroom.

How ‘’normal’ for Mr Holmes to keep these here. No wonder Mrs Hudson couldn’t take it. LOL

Cursive is just so pretty.

PS: I was picturing Benedict Cumberbatch read this while imagining Watson’s reaction.

I’m a fan, i can’t help what ma brain luvs. hehe

Fan Art. Fans actually send to 221B Baker Street. How sweet of them. <3

Sherlock fans, remember the Hound episode? yeap, that’s the doggy.

The view from Sherlock’s window.

See i told you, messy hair and I still couldn’t hide my excitement.

Book an appointment with Mr Holmes.

It’s 221B Baker Street.

Hehe.

Oh Mrs Hudson.

Sunday kind of line. That’s what Sherlock Holmes brings. The crowd.

In honour of your intelligence and out of the universe kind of personality.

Tata for now

Hope all of you enjoyed taking a looks into Sherlock Holmes’ home/ work place. Through my blog post/ rookie photos, I hope you’d enjoy the Sherlock journey as well.

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ecotone99 · 5 years ago

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[RF] The Consulting Economist : A short story of a brilliant woman who solves problems for different countries.... (Based on a real life problem)

Everyone has heard about Sherlock Holmes, the crime solving consulting detective. But until recently, very few knew about the Consulting Economist, Anushka. She just goes by her first name, like Madonna. But things were changing dramatically as every newspaper were writing about her work and called her the ‘Beacon of Hope’. She was being called for interviews and events and this had completely overwhelmed her. She was used to being recognised by a few people here and there but this was huge and she was flabbergasted.

Let me back up a tad bit. So, in 2020 about fifteen or so years ago, Anushka was reading about a small island called Nauru and it’s history of being super rich. And they didn’t even produce oil or colonisers! They had large reservoirs of phosphate mines which is a much sort after mineral. They earned hell lot of money selling it to foreign nations.

Nauru is a phosphate-rock island with rich deposits near the surface, which allowed easy strip mining operations. But over time, their natural resources started to run out. And, it’s remaining phosphate resources were not economically viable for extraction. When the phosphate reserves were exhausted, and the island’s environment had been seriously harmed by mining, the trust that had been established to manage the island’s wealth diminished in value. And the island fell deep into poverty. To earn income, Nauru briefly became a tax haven and illegal money laundering centre.

Sure there’s World Bank and stuff like that, but they give out loans. Which might be good for short-term but for an island like Nauru, it’s not that easy to earn it back. And some countries help them out financially only to take them under their control. So Anushka sat there thinking, how could she help a small community to build a sustainable economy to depend on. Until, it hit her while watching the Benedict Cumberbatch starring Sherlock, that like him she can take the case of Nauru. With her major in Mathematics and minors in Economics. She thought of taking along her friend Mrittunjoy if he wanted to come, who was an excellent Mechanical Engineer.

Just like old-school DC or Marvel films, she thought to make a team of individuals with varied and important skill sets. She convinced three of her friends, an Engineer, a Physics major and a friend with BA in Chemistry and minors in International studies. They were just out of college and were planning to start their jobs soon. Anushka convinced them to spend a summer in Nauru before their job starts and if they think there can be some way to help, they can stay or else go with their original plans.

So they packed their stuff and off they went to Brisbane from where flights to Nauru were pretty regular.

“I am pretty excited, I hope we can help atleast some way or another” said Mrittunjoy.

“Yes, this is not an easy feat, but we will give it our best. I have corresponded with the a member of parliament who has obtained permission from the President, who has agreed to let us give a tour and brief us up with their current situation” said Anushka.

“That’s a good start, but I just hope the food is good. What do you think they eat?” said the Physicist, Maya.

“Once host to lush forests, Nauru is now stripped almost bare with poor soil. The majority of the food in Nauru is shipped in every six weeks. If you ask the average person, their diet consists of grilled or fried fish, french fries, hamburgers, pizza, and Chinese food (including the ever popular twist of spam fried rice). Unfortunately, there’s hardly anything green to be found in a Nauruan meal. Nauruans are one of the world’s most obese people” said Neil.

“Perfection!” said Maya and smiled.

They reached Nauru two days later. After settling in their rooms, they couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the island. Even though it was a ghost of its much glorious past, it was still breathtaking.

Then they set off to meet with the state officials and locals to discuss in detail about the present status of their assets and their weakness; other than what they already knew beforehand. The natural forests and mining grounds were pretty ruined and their current source of income was primarily from a few mines left. There are no personal taxes in Nauru. The unemployment rate is estimated to be 23 percent, and of those who have jobs, the government employs 95 per cent. A large part of money comes from Asian Fund and a minor part from tourism. They made some bad investments from their profits of selling phosphate.

Anushka lead the team to take a survey of all the individuals of the island. They found that the literacy rate is pretty high. Anushka began to scout for good investments. She assigned Neil, Maya and Mrittunjoy to scan the island and see what could be made, a power plant or grow some actual plants and trees that could sell good.

They came up with some really good solutions but in order to implement them, I would take them much more than a summer. The government of Nauru decided to pay them a good salary and give them housing.

Anushka summed up their plan to the members of Parliament. She said “We have learnt that almost everyone here speaks English and have had good schooling, so why not make this a tech hub in between the lush green jungles, like Wakanda!”

“Also”, Mrittunjoy continued, “We have identified some really good investments for the island which can be profitable in the future, we propose to invest in. Also we plan to teach everyone how to code and build simple machines”

“Upon searching the Island and running many tests, the ruins of exploited phosphate mines can be brought back by building a biolab to grow certain useful crops” said Maya.

“And finally, the waters in the shores in certain part of island can be used to can be used in an interesting new tech that we were planning to execute that will not only generate electricity but also make the island much more appealing. So we can increase tourism, promote things like honeymoon destination, if you catch my drift Anushka.”

They officials were pretty pleased with what they have come up with within such a short span of half a year. The team lead by Anushka began to execute their plans with much finesse. It took that five years to achieve all that they set out for.

They were heroes among the locals who gave them a huge parade and the government of Nauru were also extremely grateful for their help and awarded them with many titles and honours. The word reached out to places and soon the Consulting Economist and her team were starting to be recognised for their hard work and efforts.

Many such small countries looking to improve their economic conditions, contacted the Consulting Economist and her team. They travelled from country to country for the next ten years; expanded their team significantly adding many more accomplished experts in Biology, Linguistics, Teachers, Engineers, Marketing experts, Farmers and many more and improved their conditions as much as they can, many were hits but some were misses due to the political situations. It’s about this time that Anushka gained worldwide popularity.

Sitting in her home sipping a cold coffee late at night, while watching Bojack Horseman with Mrittunjoy; Anushka got a call from a top agent of Iran. And that’s how their next chapter began, off to middle-east.

The Quirky Penguins Blog

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#Blogger #Story

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courtneytincher · 5 years ago

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The Most Important Brexiter Isn’t Boris Johnson

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- In the highly entertaining Channel 4 drama about the 2016 referendum campaign “Brexit: The Uncivil War,” Benedict Cumberbatch, playing the mastermind of the Vote Leave campaign, is sometimes found crouched in the narrow pantry where he retreats to think. It’s not hard to picture the real Dominic Cummings doing just that.Cummings is no mere political curiosity. Though unelected and without a seat at the cabinet table, he is U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s most important adviser. A master of the focus group and the targeted digital ad, he will play a critical role in any early election or second referendum on Brexit.The Johnson-Cummings pairing could be largely a matter of short-term expedience. Johnson wants a proven hand to carry out his “do or die” Oct. 31 Brexit pledge and win an election. But it could also be about something beyond Brexit. At the heart of the new government are two ambitious men possessed by a sense of history, some would say grandiosity, and an appetite for taking big gambles.For Cummings, Brexit is a means to a greater end: a complete overhaul of the machinery of government. This might have been started long ago, but Margaret Thatcher, that icon of the British right, didn’t go far enough in Cummings’s view. She shied away from reforming the civil service, whose inefficiencies Cummings finds maddening. He wants to finish the job he started with Vote Leave by using insights from the world of computing, physics, warfare and sport. If he stays beyond Brexit, Cummings will have to prove his ideas aren’t some utopian vision.But there’s a paradox: The political upheaval caused by Brexit may have opened the door to change, but the chaos of a no-deal Brexit could make the very reforms he seeks impossible to implement.No Ordinary BrexiterCummings cannot be confused with your garden variety no-deal Brexiter. He notes in one of his many, lengthy blog posts that he is “not a Tory libertarian, ‘populist,’ or anything else.” That explains his deep disdain for the “narcissist-delusional” group of hard-core Brexiters in the party. For them, leaving the EU is an ideological necessity and a mark of tribal loyalty. He isn’t one of that tribe, or any tribe. He even went so far, in a twitter exchange in 2017, as to say the referendum may have been a mistake.Most political advisers operate in the shadows, but Cummings is the subject of an endless stream of profiles; in a country that worships eccentricity, he is a journalistic gift that keeps on giving. He also invites inspection. His wide-ranging, occasionally breathless writings provide a dizzying tour of the innovators, historical figures, athletes and scientists who have informed his thinking. His political philosophy incorporates insights from Prussian Otto von Bismarck, interface design wizard Bret Victor, physicist and computer scientist Michael Nielsen, T.S. Eliot and many more.To imagine a Cummings-led takeover of the British state, visualize a room resembling a NASA launch control center in which Bismarck is huddled with, say, a crack team of designers and coders on loan from Apple. Bismarck, the “blood and iron” chancellor who distrusted democracy, is important. Cummings also singles out for praise the Chinese Communist Party for its “use of proven systems management techniques for integrating principles of effective action to predict and manage complex systems at large scale.”For the cadres of civil servants orbiting Downing Street, some might find Cummings’s own verdict of their world makes for uncomfortable reading:Critical institutions (including the senior civil service and the parties) are programmed to fight to stay dysfunctional, they fight to stay closed and avoid learning about high performance, they fight to exclude the most able people.His writings reveal strong views on education reform (he has written controversially that policy-makers too easily discount the role of genetics in achievement), immigration (doesn’t like the low-skilled type) and European agricultural subsidies (thinks them absurd although apparently a farm he co-owns benefits handsomely from them).We don’t know much about what he thinks is the right fiscal policy in an ultra-low interest rate borderline recessionary environment. He’s said little about whether U.S.-style regulations necessary for a trade agreement are an acceptable substitute for EU-style rules.OODA Loop Indeed, policy specifics seem less important to Cummings than design problems and engineering effective decision-making systems in government. He’s a big fan of the OODA loop, the decision-making cycle developed by the late military strategist and Air Force fighter pilot John Boyd. The sequence – observe, orient, design and act – enables the practitioner, originally fighter pilots, to stay one step ahead of their opponents, constantly taking in new information and using it.Doing the OODA loop well requires clear-eyed awareness of your own blind spots, something Cummings sometimes seems to lack. In his blogging days, he would occasionally respond to reader comments. But when readers questioned whether his views smacked of utopianism, or asked for a few examples of where changes he proposes had been road-tested in government, he didn’t reply.He cannot, however, be accused of thinking small. Think of him as a cross between Steve Bannon and Dick Cheney. Cummings would like to harness the extreme preparation and concentration of people like solo free climber Alex Honnold. This ideal of the super-athlete civil servant feeds into his view that selection for politics and government should be like winnowing the great from the also-rans in music or sport. That sounds appealing, but of course the French train up an uber-elite for government roles and still wound up with the gilets jaunes and stubbornly high levels of unemployment. Held in contempt of parliament earlier this year, he appears bent on undermining elected lawmakers by persuading his boss to ignore constitutional convention in pursuing a no-deal Brexit. He is not one to sacrifice his agenda on the altar of careerism either. Indeed, former Prime Minister David Cameron once called him a “career psychopath.” So as long as Cummings is around, it’s fair to say that the Johnson Plan is the Cummings Plan.Homer Simpson MomentHis opponents, particularly on the left, paint him as self-important, hypocritical and a caricature of the mad genius rather than the real thing. After former Attorney General and anti-Brexit lawmaker Dominic Grieve said he was arrogant and didn’t understand the British constitution, Cummings snidely replied, “Mr. Grieve, we’ll see what he’s right about.” “Not since Homer Simpson sat on a sofa trying to get to grips with the mystery of his own obesity while simultaneously eating donuts, can any TV viewing audience have had irony spoon-fed to them with such generous ease,” wrote the Independent’s Tom Peck.The bigger Homerian irony is Brexit itself. Cummings’s entire theory of remaking government is based on the criticism that, as he put it, “most of everybody’s day is spent just battling entropy – it is not pursuing priorities and building valuable things.” What exactly does he think people’s days will be spent doing when they confront tariffs and new regulatory barriers to trade? When they spend time and money duplicating EU bureaucracies or finding new sources of funding for scientific programs? Entropy indeed.If not an ideologue, he is at least an idealist and they can easily flame out once in power. His very critique of the hierarchical, fixed mind-set machinery of government suggests he would find the plodding experience of overhauling a bureaucracy, as opposed to the adrenaline rush of directing a referendum or election campaign, highly frustrating if he got the chance. The civil servants he wants to turn into decision-making Olympians may not play along. It’s not enough for revolutionaries to have vision, they also need charisma.Known for his brash style, Cummings doesn’t hold back on those he deems lesser beings, once referring to David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, as “thick as mince, lazy as a toad and vain as Narcissus.” (Davis didn’t make it into Johnson’s cabinet.) As reports filter out of special advisers being fired without warning, one wonders whether he’ll inspire enough loyalty to carry through his grander plans.For now, though, it’s Johnson’s confidence that gives Cummings’s ideas wings. If he helps deliver Brexit and win an election that will no doubt secure him a sainthood among Brexiters. He reportedly postponed a surgery to join the government until the end of October, so who knows how long he’ll stick around.Cummings himself might find a short stay wholly unsatisfactory though. That would make him more like a skilled coder who follows his boss’s brief, or even just a hired gun, than the design revolutionary lionized in his writings.To contact the author of this story: Therese Raphael at [email protected] contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Baker at [email protected] column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Therese Raphael writes editorials on European politics and economics for Bloomberg Opinion. She was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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smartphone-science · 5 years ago

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Alan Turing, the father of artificial intelligence and computer science was revealed as the face of Britain’s new 50-pound banknote. Turing was also famous as a World War II codebreaker whose work hastened the war’s end and as a result saved the lives of thousands of people. However, his achievements were overlooked as he was convicted of homosexual activity which was a criminal offense in Britain.

Mark Carney, governor of Bank of England said that Turing was a war hero as well as the father of artificial intelligence on whose shoulders many now stand. The announcement was made at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester that also featured the 12 finalists who were also considered as the face of the note including famed physicist Stephen Hawking.

During World War II, Turing worked at the Bletchley Park, where he helped in developing a machine to crack the Enigma code used by Germany. His famous “Turing Test” is used even now as a benchmark for examining if a machine is thinking or not. After the end of the war, Turing was charged with acts of indecency and was sentenced to a period of chemical castration. He was found dead at the age of 41 years after he apparently poisoned himself with cyanide.

Prime Minister of Britain Theresa May tweeted that Turing’s pioneering work played a major role in ending World War II. Hence it is very suitable to honor the legacy and contribution of LGBT people on the new 50-pound note.

Dermot Turing, Alan Turing’s nephew said that the entire family was very delighted with this announcement. He also praised the Bank of England for recognizing his uncle’s work in the field of computer science. He said that this decision reminded the nation what he was best at during his lifetime and how he would have wished to be remembered.

An oscar-winning biopic “The Imitation Game” which starred Benedict Cumberbatch brought attention to the role played by the math genius and his team in defeating Adolf Hitler. Cumberbatch told the BBC that he could not think of a more deserving candidate. He added that Turing was a great human being with a brilliant mind who suffered a lot in his intolerant times. Kim Sanders, spokeswoman for Stonewall, a gay rights charity said that it is very important to recognize the contribution made by LGBT figures throughout history thus it is quite meaningful to have Alan Turing as the new face of the 50-pound banknote.

The new note is expected to begin circulation at the end of 2021. It will include the image of Turing, ticker tape of his birth date in binary code and a table, formula from 1936 that introduced the concept of how computers operated.

The post Britain honors Alan Turing, father of AI as the face of their new bank note appeared first on ScienceHook.

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mediocrereview · 7 years ago

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Some of my favorite minifigures: showcase and review

by Simple Cash

Ok, two posts in a weekend? That’s what I call productivity.

So, I finally sat down to write this post that I had been wanting to write for a while now. This post contains my favorite minifigures that I own, along with a small review of each and what makes them special for me. They are not in any particular order, I’m basically writing this as I grab them off my shelves.

Wrestling suit Spider-Man

Ok, I’m aware that there’s a huge amount of people that didn’t like the suit in the movie. I guess I’m part of the smaller part of the population that actually like it, specially in LEGO form.

I don’t remember exactly how old I was when I got the “Spider-Man’s First Chase” set, but I remember that my parents gave it to me as a gift from the Tooth Fairy for having met two front teeth extracted, as it was pretty awkward for me at the time. It’s crazy to see how expensive the set has become over the years, and also this particular minifigure. I love it, it’s definitely on of my favorites (I guess we could call this #1 if we were making a countdown here) and it brings back a lot of memories from my childhood. I am lucky enough to have him in perfect conditions today, and it’s definitely on of my most precious minifigures.

Classic Boba Fett

Unlike the wrestling suit Spider-Man minifigure, I didn’t get this one as a kid, I actually got it back in 2015. Star Wars sets were particularly expensive where I live, so getting the set Boba Fett came in wasn't feasible back in the day. I’m not a huge fan of the newer versions of Boba Fett, for some reason. I mean, it looks great, but I don’t like it as much as this one. Being a huge Star Wars fan and Boba Fett aficionado, I had to get this guy for myself.

Deadpool

As of today, this is the newest addition to my collection, and probably my most sought after minifigure. I love Deadpool, and you can read more about that on yesterday’s review.

I absolutely love everything about this minifigure, I think it was executed perfectly, period. Deadpool is one of my favorite characters, mainly because I can relate to him because of my ADHD, which makes him a really likable character. I’m really glad that I managed to add him to my collection as we could call this minifigure my personal Holy Grail.

The Green Goblin (Movies)

While many complain that this version of the Green Goblin is aesthetically unpleasing (and I’m talking about the movie version as well, not just the minifigure), I really like it. Maybe because of the memories it brings back (you’ll see me write that a lot), I remember being frightened by him when I went to see the movie as a small kid.

While it may be true that the newer version found in the Ultimate Spider-Man sets is more comic and cartoon accurate, I don't like it. I don’t know why; I think it’s a great minifigure, with enough detail and I like the color combinations, but I would never pick that Green Goblin over this one.

Doctor Strange

Ok, I may be a little biased here since I’m actually a medical student.

What makes this minifigure so great, in my opinion, is the high level of detail. The torso printing, which of course features the Eye of Agamotto, continues down the legs to create an excellent gown. While the hair isn’t particularly accurate to the one in the movie (from which this minifigure is based off), the minifigure itself is Benedict Cumberbatch-y enough. Look, I just made up a word!

Vulture (MCU)

I may get a lot of hate for what I’m about to say, but honesty before anything else: I don’t like the Ultimate Spider-Man iteration of the vulture. Sure, it’s based off the classic comic version of the Vulture, but I don’t like it. If you have read the blog before, you probably know that I’m a diehard Spider-Man fan.

This version of the Vulture, on the other hand, wow. Ever since I saw the concept art for “Spider-Man: Homecoming” I was hyped to see the Vulture onscreen, mainly because of his awesome aviator-inspired look. It gave it a more realistic feel, kind of like if you had the right gear, that could be you! I can’t tell you how many days I spent googling “spider-man homecoming lego sets” until one marvelous day, pictures were uploaded from the NY Toy Fair. Wow. I must admit that this minifigure and its incredible back built wings are one of the key factors that made me buy the “Beware the Vulture” set. This is, definitely, one of my all time favorites and it will continue to be. Forever and ever.

Carnage

Carnage has always been one of my favorite Spider-Man villains, and I can’t tell you how happy I was when I found out this minifigure was being released along with Miles Morales.

As a kid, I always tried to make custom Carnage minifigures to play with my Spider-Man minifigure, but always failed miserably. I guess I really like it because it reminds me of those simpler times, where my biggest frustration was not being able to make a decent Carnage minifigure. Man, these reviews are getting deeper and deeper!

Red Hood

Ok, this minifigure is one of those “kill two birds with one stone” type of situations. Under the classic red dome, we have Jason Todd’s mask. Inception makes more and more sense now, doesn’t it?

This minifigure is perfect because at first glance, we get to see the Joker’s version of Red Hood when he turned to crime after a failed comedy career, and under it, and that’s the main reason I like it so much. It reminds us that “all it takes is one bad day”.

Spider-Man (MCU, Homecoming)

Ok, I won’t put the Civil War version as well because it seems pretty redundant to me, even though we have previously stablished that they are very, very different in a previous post.

Watching Spider-Man in both Civil War and Homecoming sent me way back to my childhood, and I loved the feeling. I’m crazy about the detailing in this minifigure, specially the eyes, although I think you don’t really get to see the silver details of the lenses in this picture, even though I tried. This may be, by far, the most detailed and spot on minifigure LEGO has produced to the date. I hope they keep making this kind of minifigures in the future.

Indian Chief

Man, has this minifigure stood the test of time. I’m 21, and got this as a gift from my mother when I was around 5. Yeah, that’s quite a while.

First, let’s get into context: back in the day, LEGO didn’t produce many detailed minifigures. The level and quality of printing on the torso, legs and the headpiece is amazing today as it was back then. This is a very dear minifigure to me, as it was a gift from my mother, picked by her.

Mechanic

This is the mechanic minifigure from the collectibile minifigure series #6, and I left it last because it is the most meaningful to me.

When I was 16, my father was diagnosed with cancer. Luckily enough, it was diagnosed at an early stage and was operable. The day before his surgery, he gave me a CMS blind bag, and this guy came inside.

Surgery was a success, and here we are 5 years later, cancer-free. This minifigure brings back never felt before feelings, mainly uncertainty, and I don’t think anything else needs to be said.

Well, that’s it for the weekend guys! I hope you enjoyed, and soon enough I’ll be doing another post like this one. Take care!

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thewizardoflaws-blog · 8 years ago

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Love him or Hate him, it Would be Dangerous to Prosecute Julian Assange

The guy that was played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the forgettable Fifth Estate is an actual guy who does stuff. Most people used to like the stuff he did but now most don’t and the Justice Department is considering prosecuting him under the Espionage Act, which actually would be bad. SAD!

A brief history of all things Wikileaks:

Wikileaks used to be a no-name site in the middle of the internet run by a decent programmer. The idea was anonymous people could submit documents anonymously to blow the whistle on various things like environmental problems, corporate greed, and government cover-ups.

For a long time nobody had ever heard of it until in 2010 this guy woman named Bradley Chelsea Manning uploaded a HUGE number of documents to the site, basically detailing all the goings-on of the military in the Middle East, which was embarrassing, mainly because it showed, at least in part, that the vast majority of deaths in the Iraq War up to that point were civilians and not bad guys. Manning was prosecuted under the Espionage Act because all of the information he leaked was classified in nature.

Mainly because of the 2010 leak Wikileaks came to be seen as a place where whistle blowers could go to be heard and be kept safe BUT after a while it essentially took anything it got, didn’t do much due diligence on it, then published it. As a prime example, during the failed Turkish coup in 2016 the site released thousands of documents stating it showed how corrupt the Turkish government was, but unfortunately for Assange and the people who are supposed to go through the documents at Wikileaks, none of them really speak Turkish, or if they did, did not go through the documents because what the documents actually revealed were the names and addresses of anti-government supporters who were summarily rounded up and imprisoned after the coup attempt. Most recently in Turkey a resolution narrowly passed that essentially gives the president of Turkey dictator-like powers for well over the next decade. Incidentally, the current US president congratulated him on his victory the same day, but probably not because he has a large amount of property in Istanbul (which is in Turkey).

Here in the US, Wikileaks was the source of the leaked Clinton campaign and DNC e-mails last year, which actually ended up not being very salacious at all, one of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta’s recipes being one of the highlights. Many cite the e-mail leaks as a large factor in Trump’s victory, considering it dominated the news cycle in the weeks leading up to the election even though they ended up amounting to nothing, and also point to the fact that it is widely known the e-mails were taken illegally by Russian operatives and handed over to Wikileaks who gingerly published them.

And MOST recently, Wikileaks published thousands of documents detailing the CIA’s entire electronic surveillance tool-chest, including how it can turn normal consumer electronics, such as certain internet-connected TV’s, into listening devices. This occurred just after the current president came into office, who during the campaign loved Wikileaks for publishing the e-mails of his opponent, even asking the Russian spy agencies and Wikileaks to find Clinton’s “missing e-mails”, but who has since changed his mind, announcing they are considering charging him under the Espionage Act for publishing classified documents.

But why should you care? The President has recently giving the Justice Department the go-ahead to try to prosecute Assange and Wikileaks.

On the one hand, Assange has turned out not to be the nice guy everyone first thought he was. Wikileaks, like any other organization, runs on money, in this case it accepts donations, and if it doesn’t have anything new or major to share to keep it in the news and the minds of the public it will eventually stop functioning. In fact, before the Snowden leaks in 2013, Wikileaks was essentially seen as “outside of the game” and no longer important. He has shown to be willing to publish essentially anything as long it gets him clicks, regardless of the fact that the information he puts out there has been shown to put people’s lives in danger.

On the other hand, it would set a dangerous precedent to go after this guy and Wikileaks because they are essentially a blog. He didn’t personally go in and break through the encryption walls, though there is some evidence to suggest he helped Edward Snowden do just that (Assange also reportedly paid for Snowden’s flight and lodging, while another member of Wikileas accompanied Snowden to Russia from Hong Kong after the news story first broke and helped him get settled there), he was just the guy reporting, and not even really, the real reporters were people from The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Der Spiel in Germany that he showed the documents to.

This is crucial because if Wikileaks is just doing the reporting and Assange ends up getting charged then it wouldn’t even matter if he is eventually acquitted because it would send a message that even reporting on someone trying to blow a whistle will cost you dearly. Being arrested for reporting something in a newspaper or blog would be a huge threat to Free Speech, and it wouldn’t even matter if every single time it happened the case was eventually thrown out because think of how many fewer people would take such a chance out of fear of being arrested and having to put up with the cost in time, money, anguish, and frustration of having to defend themselves.

If the current administration went after Wikileaks it would then be able to go after other publications, including ones it considers “fake news,” such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, or basically anyone. And, sure, supporters of the current administration would love to see that, but what happens after the current president leaves office and is possibly replaced by someone of the opposite party? It would be the likes of Fox News, Infowars, and Breitbart that would then be the targets.

That is the whole point of the First Amendment - it is supposed to protect anyone, regardless of political backing. You may hate Julian Assange, I certainly do not like him very much, but I don’t think you should prosecute the guy for just publishing the stuff someone else gave him, especially because it would mean basically any news outlet could come in the cross hairs later on. What you should prosecute him for is sexual assault, which is what he was in asylum for in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He’s still hanging out there, though, since he still has a warrant out for his arrest for missing a court date in the UK.

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