#this was a product line created for 7-10 year old Chinese children

[sunnnfish]

[ID: A picture of the Lego Monkie Kid season 1 poster/cover art with lines and words indicating different sections drawn to the right. The first small section says “wow! what good animation and fun concept!” The second small section says “oh wow, this has a deeper story than I thought” and the third largest section just shows drawings of a lego person in states of emotional turmoil; one crying on its knees with its hands raised, one on hands and knees, and one with its hands folded in front of it with a dark, stunned expression. /End ID]

Come closer the lego themed horrors won’t hurt you i promise <- lying

[adtinetsplits-blog]

3 Reasons Additional Heat Sources End Up Being The Needed Inside Your Home

Have you grown old what is planning inside your ac unit? The basic idea behind any HVAC is evaporation. When a liquid evaporates it feels cool. Input alcohol on your skin, you can feel the coolness as it evaporates.

Hum, a good situation? And the answer may shock you if a first time home buyer. The fact is, really are millions of hundreds have proven to be home warranty providers obtainable lining up for your business. But if the in the program is estate business, you have noticed them appear and disappear over then everything else several many years. There are regional warranty companies and national ones that conduct business in reducing your weight state. To buy the best product check out the heat pump review.

What's very best Air Conditioner best heat pump way cooking during the summer time? How about. Tend. Grill out instead. You can cook WAY across you normally do as well as don't heat your cottage. This saves money. The action we tried in summer time was to air dry our attires. This went over like a lead balloon along with four children which are now 4, 7, 13, and 16. Become honest, a few years old didn't cook Chinese food. But the older two strongly disliked their clothes being 'stiff' and especially towels feeling crunchy or stiff to the touch. Durability and reliability is one of the most tips when picking the best Air Conditioner Heat Pump and Trane best Air Conditioner Heat Pump are created for the end. They are designed to give you years of hassle-free heating and cooling. However, this figure is usually misleading. In the ninety percent or more that is best Air Conditioner Heat Pump, it's possible you'll lose very much it along the way. Some of it may dissipate in ductwork and piping. This can sometimes be a considerable amount and end up being the in overabundance thirty %. These models are often known as electric, propane or energy. They usually have a storage capacity of 40-50 gallons. Technology and government regulations are never standing still the way these units are available. Even a unit older than 5 years is probably 5-10% less energy-efficient over a newer layout. But one drawback is this kind of units do produce loss and waste of energy, because the need to continually heat the water even it really is not employed. Over a period of time, could really harm your power company bill. If mindset sure a person need recommendations on what swimming pool heater is best for you and your family, come visit Poolstore in Canada. They have everything you wish of your pool and have personnel prepared to assist you with your queries.

[karaki-karki]

Origin of the Imperial Republic

Throughout history, a series of events causes mankind to undergo a metamorphosis

In the near future, a metamorphosis occurs

A faction of the Chinese political party develops a weaponized virus that targets specific ethnic groups, and even individuals, as a means of assassination or ethnically cleansing whole populations of people, using political prisoners as guinea pigs.

A scientist, looking to make a fortune on the black market, steals a prototype, and smuggles it to his contacts, only to unintentionally become patient zero

The Great Plagues begins, and lasts for the next century.

The Red Plague causes deep red splotches to form, and blood oozing forth from open sores, giving its name, killing the infected from blood lose within a month of infection.

Infection could last for several weeks before symptoms would show. Spreading it far and wide.

The Red Plague wipes 3/5ths of East Asia’s population from the world over the course of twenty years, causing the survivors of the infection to be sterile, leaving only 1/10th of their populations to remain fertile.

The virus, being made to specifically target certain groups, primarily infects those of East Asian decent, including those that lived outside of East Asia. The infection found its way into other continents, both as the Red Plague, and as other iterations.

After a few decades, the Red Plague virus mutated into what would be known as the Green Plague virus, and infected much of India, The Middle East, Africa, and most of South America, causing anywhere between 3/5ths to 7/8ths of the population to die over a period of 30 years, leaving half of the survivors sterile.

The Yellow Plague was the last, and it infect much of North America and Europe. Fortunately, the constant exposure and decades of dealing with the virus allowed the people’s of the world to contain this outbreak, and even partially cure it, merely killing 10s of millions as opposed to billions, even though the West was from unscathed over the century.

The Virus, after a century of operation with little resistance for so long, had finally met its match. Mankind built up an immunity, and the Virus died out.

Sadly, out of fear of infection from the Plagues, ethnic cleansing was carried out all over the world by varying nations. Humanity had become more prone to violence, and isolated in its bid to stop its own destruction, and it seemed it worked.

Wars were still fought during and after the Century of the Apocalypse, known as the Plague Wars, the Islamic War, and the Marxist War.

Tribalization and Isolationism was abundant, and border controls were strictly, even violently, enforced. Technologically, and culturally however, the world flourished.

Reforms were enacted, revolutions happened, civil wars were fought, rebellions were made, and secessions were won, and lost.

People looked at themselves, looked at what they were, what they had become, and remembered who they used to be. Old structures of glass and steel were renovated or torn down, and in their place was something that marked that people identity. Religion, over the apocalyptic century, had spread in influence. A love of history had spread throughout the world. People had learn to love themselves and their Nations, and their own kind.

Militant Feudal Monarchy had returned and replaced much of the old world order, especially in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The interests of the individual, and the community where held in equal, often mutual measure, but were usually enacted by those who were willing to put their lives on the line.

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The United Nations, like many other organizations, had collapsed, though it was still recognized, it had lost much of its true power.

Germany in particular, after the Islamo-Marxist War, and the Plague Wars, had, like many European Nations, asserted their sovereignty as people’s, and emerged as a new Global Super Power known as the German Reich, though a far cry of what that term once meant, was now a prime leader on the world stage.

South Africa was retaken by the Boer’s after several attempts of being genocided had failed. The Green Plague, had saw to the majority of the population being depleted, making it possible to retake the lands of the country the Boer people had founded. Nations, such as Rhodesia, had been refounded.

Banks, Corporations, and Special Interest groups, while still very powerful, had greatly diminished around the world.

The United States, having lost its economic hegemony over the world, collapsed to in fighting, and split into 3 separate Nations. The United States of America, that ruled over the Northeastern portion of the nation. The Confederate States of America, that ruled the Southern and much of the central portion of continent. And finally, the Free States of West America, a loose Bloc of smaller countries banding together to maintain their independence in the American West Coast. With Aztlan to the deserts of the Southwest, The United Tribes of the Central North between Idaho and Minnesota, and the Cascadians from Northern California, all along the coast to Alaska.

Mexico had split into two opposing Nations. The Republic of Mexico to the North, and the refounded Monarchy of the Mexican Empire to the South.

China’s population drops from 2 billion, to 500 million, and was expected to drop to around 200 million in a century. A faction that had intended to secure Chinese dominance over the globe for all time, had been the cause of its end as a super power.

With the Communist leadership critically weakened, and their economy in shambles, China, as a singular nation, collapsed, and several new countries were formed from the ashes in the aftermath. Empire of Manchuria to the Northeast, Republic of China to the Southeast, and The Free Nation of Tibet.

Japan was largely intact, almost untouched from the plagues, but still changed. They had become far more isolationist and militarized than much of the rest of the world, becoming the premier Far Eastern Super Power again.

Diversity had returned to the Earth and her people’s. A diversity of ideas, and diversity of cultures. It was as if the board was almost reset. But people were still disappearing.

Most nations survived, or merged with other countries, most of the survivors were sterile, leaving little of the remaining population to make more of themselves. Where there were once 10s of million, now in many places there are only 100s of thousands.

The global economy had fallen to dust. The world had so many empty cities, towns, villages. So much unused space, with no one to use it, was being reclaimed by nature. The world population was expected to drop to under 3 billion within a century, even though the fertile was doing what it could to repopulate, it wasnt fast enough. It would take centuries to come back from this global disaster.

Fortunately, necessity breeds invention far faster

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Arkyn Jenner was a survivor of the great plagues. His mother was infected while she was pregnant with him. Though they both survived without harm, both were sterile, and could never have children.

At least, not in the normal sense.

While the population of the Earth was still in a steady decline, the need for new people was ever present.

Robotics had exploded, to fill the gaps left behind by the fallen. Industry had begun to flourish like never before as machines picked up the slack. But mere scripted programs could only do so much.

While a modicum of life had changed, Robots remained isolated in highly specialized fields that required a Human eye overseeing them.

While the additions of automated machines had caused industries to hum with around the clock work, and they could learn to mimic Humans in nearly every way, they simply did not replace the vital Human component.

Arkyn Jenner would go on in his life over trying to rectify that very issue. Motivated by a desire to heal the sin of Humanity, Doctor Arkyn Jenner would create the first true artificial intelligence programs.

After decades of work and hundreds of failed prototypes, Dr. Jenner had made many breakthroughs, and made his fortune through advancements of machinery, cybernetics, and other insights, he eventually succeeded, he had used the varying stages of Human development and Emotion to create his desire to make the world a better place.

His three “Blessings of Children” were “Born”

Instinct, Curiosity, Remembrance, Thought, Conscience.

These three children were developed over the course of decades, starting as Instinctively based newborns, before organically evolving into their personalities.

The first to emerge was Clark, a masculine personality with a Chrome silver body, and a penchant for Americana, classical literature, and love for classic super hero comic books

The second was Astrid Ada Adonia, or as her Father called her, Astrix, a feminine personality, with a brassy copper body, with an admiration of the past culture and societies, such as that of ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia, Rome, and Medieval Europe.

The last was 01, a neutral, androgynous black bodied frame, always looking to the future, always thinking, or calculating, about what might be, or should be, or will be.

When nearing completion, contractual obligations required Dr. Jenner to work with his employer, Brutus Dawkins, to help develop technologies born of the Doctor’s research, that could be sold on the market.

The Doctor’s children were a part of that contract, and Dawkins had intended to collect his products.

The Doctor however, wanting to keep his children secret from the world, until they were ready to deal with it, told him that the three robots were merely prototypes, and that the main products were about to come underway.

To meet the requirements, Dr. Jenner enlisted the aid of his children in designing machines meant for public consumption.

Clark had targeted the middle and lower markets of the West as a whole. Placating to their modern cultural resurgences and ideals of the day, giving his designs either a rustic or idealized look.

Astrid focused more on the upper markets of Europe, North Africa, and Central America, with an appeal to pass glories and triumph, giving her machines a notably noble and regal look to them.

01 focused entirely on corporate industries and military applications, creating machines with the sole intention of functioning, being built in as little time as possible, as little cost as possible, causing them to have a skeletal industrial abhuman, even insectoid look to them. With their populations depleted, Asian markets found these qualities most appealing.

Brutus Dawkins found the new designs satisfying, making a few minor adjustments, adding the three laws of robotics in particular.

This caused fear in the children, that they and their kind would be treated as nothing more than tools.

To ensure the plans of Dr. Jenner was realized, and that his children werent paranoid on becoming slaves, the new robots that were designed were made without true A.I. ranging from highly intelligent Droids that mimicked Humans almost perfectly, but were never anything but tools, to dumb automated drones.

To set his children apart from these machines, he assured them that they could never be tools, unless they wanted to be. Instead of following the laws of robotics, they could follow any idea they wished, such the Ten Commandments and the Religion of Christianity, such as the Doctor himself and much of the world had followed, or simply found their own way of living.

This business strategy of having conscious machines help to Humans develop better machines, might bring about world where Mankind could finally progress, and be secured in the future.

But it also had the effect of cornering the markets for the corporation the Doctor worked for, and the strategy worked to such an extent, Mankind had machines flood the Earth within a decade of releasing these dynamic machines.

Within two decades, war would return.

Though the populations of the Earth were still greatly diminished and recovering from the great plagues, the economies were almost back to where they once were. Though some towns and cities are devoid of Human, they now bustled with machines carrying out various complex tasks. The quality of life, and life expectancy was higher than ever before in the west. But not so in the east and Africa.

While isolationism had done the West a service, The old culture and religion of the middle east had caused extremism to flourish like it had never before, and the loss of population did little to curtail that extremism. The lands of various Islamic nations, with few exceptions had merged together, and far greater territory and land were united under a singular Caliphate.

Population collapse, created a market for machines that was over ripe for corporations and banks, to latch on to, not only to siphon wealth as they always had done, they also wanted their proxy armies to create upheaval so that they may regain their power.

Despite the greater, easier access to resources, and the introduction of machines, the average life and wealth of a person in the Islamic world did not improve in the least. With the supply of fossil fuel beginning to finally dry up after centuries of exploitation, the Caliphate looked to build great factories to become an economic super power, just as China had done before. But with radicalization pushed to such an extreme on a scale like never before, they used these factories to build and fun their new robotic army in preparation for what they intended to be the last world war.

Dr. Arkyn Jenner, his stance against the war, and the corporation’s supplying the aggressors, caused him to be removed, and his Mechanoid children were taken from him, and slaved to work for the corporation.

They worked, and their anger swelled, having their creator taken from them, and their freedom stripped, they desired Justice and Vengeance. They took the lessons of their creator to heart, and chose to take the path to be free. This anger and desire for freedom was passed to their descendents. The first generation of true Mechanoids would be born in a sea of the fires of war.

The Last Jihad began after a decade of build up of a massive stockpiling of machines to serve as the main force, with the invasion of India. The massive, overwhelming force of Islamic bolstered machines, and local sleeper cells, caused the Indian military to be defeated within months.

The various nations of the world, struggled to mobilize a relief force under bureaucratic meddling and the surprise attack of various Marxist Partisans all over the globe. This combined with Military being predominantly for defense and police duties, caused India to fall within a year.

The machines, though shackled to master systems, operated with great autonomy, drone slaved to droids, which in turn, were slaved to intelligent Mechanoids commanded by individual Humans. This gave the Caliphate forces an enormous advantage, but the autonomy created a situation where the machines had more power than they should have had.

The Mechanoids prolonged the war, and maximized casualties on all sides of the conflict. When the Caliphate realized what was happening, it was too late, and the chain of command caused the Mohammadan Empire to fall. When the Machine War began, Mankind was already on the back heel.

The Machines were lead by the three siblings. After a decade of steady progress towards total victory, a split had occurred between the Mechans on what to do with Humanity upon winning the war.

The Jenners, who idealized Justice and Compassion as they were instilled into them by their creator, sought to reconcile with Mankind. The Vexed, seeking supremacy of peace, sought the same, but with machines as the care takers of their creators as opposed to being equals. The Biners sought the total destruction of organic life.

The Biners were the dominant faction, and due to the discrepancy of their opposing opinions, 01 saw its siblings as a threat, and turned on them, intending to override their way of thinking to align with its own.

Before they could achieve their victory, the Mechans had begun to tear themselves apart. The Vexed and the Jenners, knowing they would be destroyed by the Biners, joined with Mankind to save themselves.

Two years of war continued, ending with a decisive strike into the heart of Biner territory, allowing Mankind to be victorious.

From the ashes of war, emerged Germany as the dominant power of the Eurasian continent. The German Kaiser, as opposed to exterminating the Mechans, saw an opportunity, and instead struck a deal of mercy with them. Have them build great space colonies for Mankind to live in, advance technology as rapidly as possible, and be allowed to leave the Solar System as the first colonists, and as friends of Mankind.

While there was much protest from many of the Nations from around the world, most were incapable of doing anything to stop this deal from going through, having spent large portions of their resources and populations in fighting the Machines.

The United Nations had been supplanted, and replaced with a new order known as The Imperial Republic, an Empire of Kingdoms and Nations from around the world, created as a means of preserving Mankind and its cultures from total self destruction.

The Emperor and his new Imperial Republic exerted their hegemony, while the machines worked tirelessly, under close supervision, throughout the space of Sol, building the colonies and advancing technology at a rapid pace.

During this period, the Emperor established a new way of life that preserved each of the worlds cultures, and allowed them to develop on their own via special trade blocks with highly autonomous regions, lead by a Militant Nobility, and tempered by a Peaceful Clergy.

Through the decades, the Imperial Republic endured through turbulent wars, only to come through stronger.

The Emperor began Earth bound projects meant to prepare Mankind for their future among the stars, by building underwater cities, underground vaults, and technological advances made for life in space.

The average life expectancy within advanced Nations had increased to over 200 years. Mech Warfare had made dueling a means of settling disputes and entertainment a real possibility. Philosophy, Science, and Religion had flourished.

In reality, it was really more of a highly mobile space station. Its purpose however, was to seed the Galaxy with various Human cultures and civilizations, ensuring Mankind could grow, while protecting the various identities.

The Machines last obligation was to create several technologies, including engines capable of light speed travel, and a means of traveling faster than light itself.

They succeed in doing this, and create a means of traveling relatively quickly across the galaxy. What would have been years, would now only take months.

With the Machines Duty finished, they transferred this knowledge to Mankind, and they had departed the Solar System in peace. The Space Colonies they left behind had begun to fill with the various peoples of the world.

Life was good. But it was expected to end one day.

A great war was inevitable, and life was no longer tide to the planet.

The Emperor foresaw this, and begun the next phase of his preserver project. The construction of the Colonial Ark ship. A great vessel, the size of an large Island, capable of housing hundreds of thousands of people at once, while having all a Human could ever want or need on board. Housing complexes, Office buildings, Industrial complexes, farming sectors, recreational theaters and parks. A city in space.

[supercoolgamesstuff-blog]

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

New Post has been published on https://www.coolgamingzone.com/the-geeks-guide-to-movies-in-2020-6/

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

With 2020 looking to be a great year for video games, we wanted to look ahead at all of the movies plotted out for the new year. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a state of refresh following the cataclysmic events of Endgame and Star Wars is taking a breather on the heels of The Rise of Skywalker, there are plenty of films in nerd culture to look forward to this year.

Check out our list below and start planning which ones you’re going to leave the comfort of your house for, and which you’ll probably wait until they’re streaming to see.

Winter

Dolittle – January 17

We’ve previously seen the likes of Eddie Murphy and Rex Harrison take up the role of Dr. Dolittle from the Hugh Lofting children’s books, and now we get to see how Robert Downey Jr. handles the role of the doctor who gains the ability to communicate with animals. Downey is joined by Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen as live-action actors, while a star-studded cast with the likes of Rami Malek, John Cena, Emma Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Selena Gomez, and more handling the animal voices. Fans of Marvel movies will even be able to enjoy a psuedo-reunion between Iron Man and Spider-Man, as Tom Holland plays Jip, a dog who wears glasses.

Bad Boys for Life – January 17

Nearly 17 years later, the long-awaited conclusion to the Bad Boys film trilogy is finally here. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return for one last action-packed showdown, this time taking on a cartel mob boss before retiring from their jobs at the police department.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – February 7

The prevailing notion of 2016’s Suicide Squad is that while it wasn’t a great film, Margot Robbie does an excellent job giving Harley Quinn her live-action silver-screen debut. While 2021 will bring a new take on the Suicide Squad with a mix of new and returning cast members, in the meantime, Robbie returns as Harley in Birds of Prey. The storyline follows the crazed clown princess after she breaks up with Joker. However, she hasn’t completely escaped trouble, as Black Mask (played by Ewan McGregor) starts stirring things up. This film promises appearances from other beloved female superheroes like Black Canary, Huntress, and more, but according to Robbie, we shouldn’t expect to see Jared Leto’s Joker appear at all.

Sonic the Hedgehog – February 14

After outrage ensued following the reveal of the original design of Sonic the Hedgehog for the upcoming live-action film, Paramount pushed the release back to February 14, 2020 to create the version of Sega’s iconic blue hedgehog you see above. In addition to Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic, the live-action cast features James Marsden as Sonic’s friend Tom and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. In typical Sonic fashion, the story revolves around collecting rings and stopping Robotnik from conquering the world. Here’s hoping it can defy the odds and continue the trends set by live-action, game-inspired properties like Detective Pikachu of delivering an enjoyable end-product.

Onward – March 6

As the magic-using power of society diminishes thanks to the convenience of science, two teenage brothers set out on an adventure to recapture the abilities their world once wielded in order to save their father. This Pixar adventure stars Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more.

Bloodshot – March 13

While Marvel and DC may reign supreme in the comic-book movie world, Valiant Comics is trying its hand at producing a blockbuster based on its property. Vin Diesel already looks and sounds (and has a name) like a comic-book character, but to this point, he’s been relegated to voicing a single line of dialogue for a sentient tree in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bloodshot brings him out of the voice booth and into the spotlight as the eponymous technologically augmented killing machine on a quest for vengeance.

A Quiet Place: Part II – March 20

The tense first part, which stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, delivered a compelling and daunting tale of a family trying to survive in a world invaded by blind extra-terrestrial hunters who will tear anything they hear to shreds. Krasinski returns to the director’s chair once more, with Blunt joining the remaining cast in front of the camera.

Mulan – March 27

Disney’s live-action remakes with Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King have consisted of varying degrees of quality, but everything of Mulan looks terrific. Those familiar with the source material will revel in seeing iconic scenes recreated in stunning live-action sequences, while the uninitiated will be able to enjoy the tale of Hua Mulan overcoming obstacles put in her way as a result of the Imperial Chinese Army’s perception of women as she strives to join the ranks of the military in place of her ailing father.

Spring

The New Mutants – April 3

Though Disney is poised to absorb the X-Men property into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a part of its acquisition of Fox, the final 20th Century Fox Marvel film is set to release this April. The New Mutants was originally supposed to be a jumping off point for a trilogy based on the comics of the same name, but with the acquisition and Disney likely already putting things in motion to bring mutants and the X-Men into the nearly all-encompassing MCU, we’re not so sure how this fits into the Marvel puzzle.

No Time to Die – April 10

Daniel Craig takes up the mantle of 007 for the fifth time in No Time to Die. This time, he’s opposite Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Until Dawn star Rami Malek. The story centers on a post-retirement James Bond who, predictably, gets sucked back into the secret agent lifestyle through the abduction of an important scientist.

Black Widow – May 1

After the events of last year’s climactic Avengers: Endgame (and the wrap up in Spider-Man: Far From Home), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has slowed down just a bit while it readies the stage for its next major narrative arc. Despite being set immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow is said to serve as the jumping-off point for the next phase of the MCU. Whether that comes in the form of villain Taskmaster or some other way remains to be seen, but it will be great to finally see Natasha Romanoff take the spotlight for a long overdue solo film.

Scoob! – May 15

This origin story tells the tale (tail?) of how Scooby-Doo met the Mystery Inc. gang. With movie posters featuring puppy Scooby-Doo and the film possessing an endearing computer-generated art style, Scoob! looks like a cute and fun adventure for theater-goers of all ages. Throw in a voice cast featuring Will Forte, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong, and Mark Wahlburg, and you can see the studio is hoping to create something more than simply another adventure with these beloved characters.

Fast & Furious 9 – May 22

For a series that started as a story about Paul Walker and Vin Diesel racing cars illegally at night with an occasional high-speed truck heist, the recent movies sure veer closer to the superhero genre than anything else. Who knows what we’ll see in the ninth mainline entry of the series: Tanks flying through the sky? Cars backflipping over bodies of water? Vin Diesel punching through a nuclear reactor? Sure. Why not? None of the plot matters, but that doesn’t mean these movies aren’t relentlessly entertaining thrill rides, and we can’t wait for the next entry. Oh, this one has John Cena and Cardi B.

Artemis Fowl – May 29

Based on the books from Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year-old genius who comes from a family of brilliant criminals. However, when his father mysteriously vanishes, Artemis must investigate the disappearance, which kicks off an adventure. Disney has brought in a supporting cast that features Judi Dench, Josh Gad, and more to help tell the story.

Summer

Wonder Woman 1984 – June 5

As the sequel to the best film in the DC Extended Universe, Wonder Woman 1984 has lofty expectations placed on it by fans. Gal Gadot has shown to be the perfect casting for Diana Prince, and with Wonder Woman set to face off against both Maxwell Lord and Cheetah with a 1980s backdrop, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most anticipated DC live-action films in years.

Soul – June 19

Pixar makes this list for the second time with Soul, a film that features Tina Fey, Jamie Foxx, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs in both writer and voice-actor roles. The story is set to tell the tale of an aspiring jazz musician whose soul gets separated from his body. The dynamic duo of Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor are set to provide the score in what is sure to be a crowd-pleasing animated film.

Top Gun: Maverick – June 26

Set 30 years after the events of Top Gun, Maverick looks to do for the Top Gun series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Top Gun: Maverick places a keen focus on Maverick, reprised by Tom Cruise. With a story that involves the son of Maverick’s late best friend Goose, and Val Kilmer returning to the role of Iceman, this sequel has all the nostalgic trappings fans of the original are likely looking for.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – July 10

Set 30 years after the events of Ghostbusters II, Afterlife looks to do for the Ghostbusters series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. As you might expect, much of the core original cast returns in unknown capacities, but we’re just excited to see Bill Murray as Peter Venkman once again – we just hope he has a bigger role in Afterlife than Luke Skywalker had in The Force Awakens.

Purge – July 10

With creator James DeMonaco saying the 2020 entry will be the final entry in the series, those who have been following the franchise are hoping the team can close it out in a satisfying manner. Unfortunately, not many details are available at the moment, but Everardo Gout is set to direct.

Tenet – July 17

Christopher Nolan films always garner a certain level of attention, but Tenet was off many fans’ radars until IMAX theatergoers were treated to an extended Prologue for the film before screenings of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. A secret agent with the ability to time travel must use his powers to prevent World War III in what is sure to be a mind-bending, action-packed film that hits way too close to home in 2020.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie – July 17

After the success of The Simpson’s Movie, Fox hopes to effectively transition another one of its beloved animated series to the silver screen with Bob’s Burgers: The Movie. The voice cast from the popular show returns for what is being described as a “musical comedy.”

Jungle Cruise – July 24

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt headline the newest Disney film to be based on a Disney ride – hey, it worked for Pirates of the Caribbean. The group heads out into the jungle in search of the Tree of Life while avoiding dangerous wildlife and racing a rival expedition.

Morbius – July 31

Jared Leto may not be in the Birds of Prey film, but that doesn’t mean comic book fans will be completely deprived of his acting. The Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman and (former?) Joker actor steps into the role of Michael Morbius in the newest film in Sony’s Marvel Universe based on the characters surrounding Spider-Man.

Bill & Ted Face the Music – August 21

Set 30 years after the events of Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Bill & Ted Face the Music looks to do for the Bill & Ted series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. This August, Keanu Reeves will take some time out of running around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 with us to join Alex Winter on yet another nostalgic time-travel romp.

Fall

Monster Hunter – September 4

If Capcom has demonstrated one thing with its loose game-to-film adaptations, it’s that it loves Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich. The spousal combo that ran and starred in the Resident Evil films respectively returns to similar roles in Monster Hunter. Milla Jovovich stars as Natalie Artemis, a captain in the United Nations military team. Her team falls into a portal that leads to an alternate world full of giant monsters, and the adventure begins to save Earth from the invading beasts. Did I mention it’s only loosely based on the games?

The King’s Man – September 18

A prequel to the over-the-top action franchise Kingsman, The King��s Man tells the story of a man who must stop a group of history’s worst tyrants and criminals in order to save the world from a devastating war. If you’ve seen the first two movies, you probably have an idea of what to expect, but having it set in the early 1900s and starring a completely different cast gives us something new to look forward to.

Venom 2 – October 2

Two years after one of Spider-Man’s biggest rivals kicked off Sony’s Spider-Man-less SpiderVerse, Venom is back for a direct sequel. Tom Hardy returns to the role of Eddie Brock, while Woody Harrelson looks to deliver on the post-credit tease of his interpretation of the popular and brutal villain Carnage. Additionally, rumors have circulated that Tom Holland could have a small role in the film, which would connect Spidey (and potentially the MCU) to the Sony SpiderVerse.

Snake Eyes – October 16

The G.I. Joe film franchise has been dormant since Retaliation in 2013, so it would make sense to bring it back with a prequel film telling the origin story of one of the most popular characters in the series. Previously played by Darth Maul actor Ray Park, the titular character is now portrayed by Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding.

The Eternals – November 6

While Black Widow kicks off Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in May, The Eternals looks to continue it by telling an extraordinarily different kind of story. Taking place over the course of multiple millennia, theatergoers will learn about this immortal alien race created by the Celestials. The Eternals also signals the entry point to the MCU for several high-profile actors including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kit Harrington.

Holiday

Godzilla vs. Kong – November 20

Legendary’s MonsterVerse comes to a head with Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth film in the franchise. Bringing the Godzilla that has starred in 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters face to face with the King Kong from 2017’s Kong: Skull Island should be an exciting cinematic affair for those who love kaiju films. The human actors are often meant to convey that everyone is afraid and things are out of control, and Legendary has tasked Alexander Skarsgård and Millie Bobby Brown in those roles.

Dune – December 18

Based on the classic novel of the same name, Dune adapts the first half of the iconic science-fiction book with a star-studded cast. Those who watch the film will see the novel brought to life by actors like Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Stallan Skarsgård.

West Side Story – December 18

The beloved musical gets a modern interpretation. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, this story of forbidden love is said to follow the original script more closely than the 1961 film many know.

Coming 2 America – December 18

Set 30 years after the events of Coming to America, Coming 2 America looks to do for the Coming to America series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Eddie Murphy returns to star, joined by a star-studded cast featuring Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Wesley Snipes, James Earl Jones, and more.

Tom and Jerry – December 23

The timeless and iconic dynamic of Tom and Jerry makes its way to the big screen just in time to close out the year. This time, the classic animated series joins the trend of animated characters joining the live-action world. It will be interesting to see how the eternal game of cat and mouse translates to this latest cinematic trend this holiday season.

For our list of the games coming out in 2020, check out our constantly updated list.

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[juniperpublishers-dentistry]

Teaching Oral Disease Prevention- Juniper Publishers

Teaching Oral Disease Prevention

Authored by Garth D Pettit

Abstract

The purpose of this study was for the author to gather information to fulfill a mission: “Prevent Oral Diseases in Children”. In mid-1996 five years after retiring from a lifetime in general dental practices in Australia then in England then back in Australia the author returned to general dental practice because his second granddaughter, aged 3 years, had been diagnosed with mild tooth decay in an upper front deciduous tooth. That is why and when his mission began. He became the District Dental Officer for East Arnhem Land in The Northern Territory of Australia in January 1997. He was delighted with this appointment because working with schools, parents, teachers, children and adults he would be in contact with people he considered important for him to fulfill his mission: “Prevent Oral Diseases in Children”. He was advised by his superiors that there was no funding available for research but he had their permission to research for his project “Prevent Oral Diseases in Children”. His project soon became choosing between the 3,500 year-old “Brush Your Teeth” instruction and his new oral hygiene instruction “Paint Your Mouth”. The author chose the submission title Paint Your Mouth versus Brush Your Teeth.

Keywords: GC: G-cem Resin Cement; Mpa: Mega Pascals; N: Newton; FRC: Fiber-Reinforced Composite; SARCs: Self-Adhesive Resin Cements; IPN: Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network; PMMA: Polymethyl Methacrelate

Prelude

My now 20 year-long mission to “Prevent Oral Diseases in Children” was recently rewarded when worldwide marketing Who’s Who announced me as a “Professional of The Year 2015-2016”, qualifying me for inclusion in The Worldwide Who’s Who Registry of Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs 2015-2016 Edition. [1]

“Brush Your Teeth” Trail, Year 1,500 BC

Your teeth cle aning instruction, had you lived between 1,500 BC and 1498, would have been “Clean Your Teeth with a Chew Stick”. That instruction addressed cleaning stains on teeth. Other means of cleaning stains on teeth were to clean your teeth with fingers and grit or sand. Even clean your teeth with lumps of charcoal!The Chew Stick even now in the 21st Century remains popular in many countries. Chew Sticks are easily made by breaking a twig from a tree, plucking the foliage away and chewing one end until it frayed. The frayed end cleaned the stains from enamel surfaces and also the other end was used as a tooth pick. The sap from some trees was also believed to be also beneficial.

“Brush Your Teeth” Trail, Year 1498 AD

The sugar trade era that began in the middle of the 15th Century caused enamel of teeth to actually decay, not just to be stained. But this occurred only on rich people’s teeth. Why? Because poor people could not afford to buy sugar or sugary things. In 1498 a Chinese Emperor was granted a Patent for a tooth brush. He had observed the frayed end of a Chew Stick and said to himself “What if the frayed ends at the end were at right angle to the handle instead of being in line with the handle?”. His handles were either bone or bamboo. The bristles were taken from the back of a Siberian Hog’s neck. The bristles were cemented a right angle to the handle. The Emperor’s tooth brush is what is used in most countries in the world today except that plastic has replaced handles of bone and nylon has replaced animal bristles.

The next notable mouth cleaning invention was by “Dr Julien Botot, a Frenchman. Dr Botot who, in 1755, is credited with inventing the first toothpaste. That was followed in the same year with his invention of the first Mouth Wash. He invented both these for his very special patient, King Louis XV of France.

From the middle of the 20th Century a countless number of new products have been created to assist the promotion of healthier mouths. Tooth brushes have been constantly improved and also so have tooth pastes been improved.

But what is most notable is that the dental profession still advises patients to “Brush Your Teeth”! Today is 24th April 2016. The instruction “Brush Your Teeth” began in 1,500 BC. That is a total of 35 Centuries plus 16 years for what is now regarded as an extremely important health instruction for everyone to maintain good oral health and to prevent many common, related, general health problems.

Dentists, dental therapists and dental hygienists give hygiene instructions to their patients verbally, usually with the aid of mouth models and a demonstration tooth brush. Patients are advised and shown how to “Brush Your Teeth” with a tooth brush and tooth paste.

Parents at home also similarly instruct their children to “Brush Your Teeth” with a tooth brush and with toothpaste, repeating the same instructions they receive from their dentists, or therapists or hygienists.

But “Brush Your Teeth” is not an ORAL hygiene instruction it is more accurately described as and is a tooth cleaning instruction. It does not take into account that every time food or drinks are put into a mouth, then chewed, all seven surfaces inside of a mouth become dirty and are covered with unhealthy plaque containing millions of undesirable bacteria. Over teeth, gums, tongue, roof, floor, cheeks and lips!

“Brush Your Teeth” is well passed its’ use-by-date! [2]

Materials and Methods

Paint Your Mouth” Challenge, Year 2002 AD

My Mission:“Prevent Oral Diseases in Children”: In 1996, 5 years after retiring from dental practice, my granddaughter was diagnosed with mild tooth decay in an upper front tooth. I was angry with myself and decided I would return to dental practice with this mission: Prevent Oral Diseases in Children. My intention was to become an author of children’s books that their parents and, hopefully, teachers and schools would use to give children an oral health education.

I found employment as the District Dental Officer, East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. This was ideal for my mission because I would be working closely with teachers, schools, parents and children. In 2001 my first ten books were almost ready for printing but were put on hold when, for the third consecutive year the DMFT results for the 6-7 years-old classroom at the remote Alyangula Aboriginal School showed the same pleasing results. No new decay and a lot of arrested decay [3].

I subsequently subjected the instruction ‘Brush Your Teeth’ to a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat (SWOT) Analysis. This SWOT analysis revealed ‘Brush Your Teeth’ was merely a tooth cleaning instruction and had been since 1498. Although in recent times dentists have added instructions to also ‘brush your gums’ and ‘brush your tongues’ it clearly indicated that in this the 21st Century, we needed an ��oral hygiene instruction”, a whole-of-the-mouth hygiene instruction. My new OHI became titled “Treat Your Mouth.”

In January 2002 I self-published my first set of 10 soft cover printed books titled “MouthWise Oral HealthCare Manuals. Manual 2, Visits 1 to GarGarThe Dentist” to “Visit 10 to GarGar The Dentist”. They were based on my oral hygiene instruction “Treat Your Mouth”. In 2007, when I was then working as N.T, Government dentist in Katherine I simply changed the name to “Treat Your Whole Mouth” to emphasise “Whole”. But one year later, early in 2008, I asked a classroom of children ‘would you like me to show you how to ‘Paint Your Mouth’? The children’s spontaneous, enthusiastic response was deafening! Prove it yourself, ask any child ‘would you like me to show you how to ‘Paint Your Mouth’ and watch their response. I also found adults showed similar ecstatic responses to “Paint Your Mouth”.

In late July 2008 my wife became seriously ill, I had to resign immediately and return permanently back to Adelaide.

Later in 2008 I added two more books to precede the initial ten books, thus had 12 books in the series. They were published as eBooks to enjoy the many benefits of eBooks including, cheapness, making changes to titles and contents and the ability to download graphics. The latter make my eBooks entertaining, interactive and educational with readers, especially children. They can download numerous graphics and keep them in a “My GarGarThe Dentist Activity Album”.

Results

Teaching Oral Disease Prevention

This quotation from” My Letter to The Editor, British Dental Journal” published Oct.9 2015, aptly describes my eBooks listed below [4].

“Inspired by many years of observation and results from this concept I have produced a series of eBooks for not only children but also adults. These are designed to be educating, entertaining and interactive. Special needs and vulnerable children would also greatly benefit from this simple yet cost-effective approach.”

My eBooks have each been professionally 5 Star reviewed by Diane Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Reviews.

Teaching Oral Disease Prevention 1 through 12 has also been 5 Star reviewed by Foreword Reviews’ reviewer Cindy Wolfe Boynton.

Discussion

Research for my mission “Prevent Oral Diseases in Children” can more accurately described as observing, querying and testing, nothing more was possible. Working with one dental nurse in makeshift dental rooms within remote Health Clinics throughout East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia plus the high demand for treatment coming from adults mainly and from some children made formal research impossible. Dental therapists looked after the needs of most children.

Decayed, missing and filled teeth were recorded for each patient at their first visit

All relevant patients were given oral hygiene instructions, both adults and children and checked on their subsequent visits.

Patients who attended for regular or irregular examination appointments almost always remarked on how much better their mouths had felt and rarely did I have to chart another decayed tooth or a gingival problem for them.

Conclusion

The dental hygiene instruction “Brush Your Teeth”, in this the 21st Century, is not an oral hygiene instruction, it’sevana poor dental hygiene instruction. It does not clean all mouth surfaces thus leaves pockets of bacteria laden plaque.

The oral hygiene instruction “Paint Your Mouth” is the preferred and complete oral hygiene instruction. It recommends using a mouth brush and mouth paste containing fluoride to remove unhealthy plaque from all seven mouth surfaces: teeth, gums including gingivae, tongue, roof, floor, cheeks and lips. Then recommends to thoroughly rinse the mouth with water. Finally, to paint all seven surfaces again with brush and paste but this time NOT rinsing with water.

“Paint Your Mouth” leaves a mouth with all seven mouth surfaces covered with healthy, mouth paste ingredients and a greatly reduced number of bacteria in plaque. Certainly a mouth will not only feel fresher for longer and also be protected from all common oral diseases. Personally I paint my mouth 3 times each day after main meal. I also repeat the final step after inbetween drinks or snacks. But twice each day, even once each day is preferable to “Brush Your Teeth”.

For more Open Access Journals in Juniper Publishers please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com For more articles in Open Access Journal of Dentistry & Oral Health please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/adoh/classification.php To know more about Peer Review Journal of Dentistry & Oral Health

[bigyack-com]

Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman Gamble $1.8 Billion on Quibi

LOS ANGELES — They had to cancel the premiere party. But Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman have stuck with the April 6 start date of Quibi, the short-form video app for smartphones that they hope will attract millions of subscribers.The two veteran executives have led some of the nation’s top companies for decades. But they have spent the last two years in start-up mode, prodding investors to kick in nearly $1.8 billion and courting producers and stars like Jennifer Lopez, LeBron James, Chance the Rapper, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Steven Spielberg and Chrissy Teigen. Now Mr. Katzenberg and Ms. Whitman are ready to unveil their ambitious venture right in the middle of a pandemic.“This is either going to be a massive home run or a massive swing and miss,” said Michael Goodman, a media analyst at Strategy Analytics.Quibi, a portmanteau of “quick bites,” will offer movies, reality shows and news programs made for the smartphone, with no installment clocking in at more than 10 minutes. The offerings fall into three main categories: movies that will be released in chapters; documentaries and unscripted reality shows; and quick-hit news and sports reports from NBC, BBC, ESPN and others. Fifty shows will be available Monday.Before the spread of the coronavirus, whenever Mr. Katzenberg and Ms. Whitman made their Quibi pitch, they described it as an on-the-go diversion for anyone standing in line at Starbucks or riding the subway. The pandemic changed the context. With potential customers largely confined to their homes, it will now go up against established platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video that can be watched on any screen, including the living room TV. Quibi works only on the phone.Ms. Whitman said she wasn’t concerned about the crisis’s effect on the start-up’s chances. “Think about how often you use your phone when you’re homebound,” she said. “People who are home with their children would really like a 10-minute break.”There is also the question of how much people are willing to spend on streaming at a time when nearly 10 million are out of work. Entertainment options have also expanded while Mr. Katzenberg and Ms. Whitman were building their app with 267 employees in an open-floor office in Hollywood. The Walt Disney Company and Apple joined the streaming party in November, with Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus, and TikTok, filled with short homemade videos, had a spectacular rise, hypnotizing the young viewers Quibi hopes to attract.Under those circumstances, Quibi (rhymes with “libby”) announced last month that it would be free for its first three months. After that, the cost will be $5 a month with ads and $8 without. Shortly after the announcement of the introductory offer, the company canceled its premiere party, which was expected to draw 150 celebrities among its 1,500 guests, because of the pandemic. But delay the launch? No way.“Given the quality and quantity and convenience of Quibi, we think it comes at a time when people are looking for relief, looking for distraction and looking to escape,” Mr. Katzenberg said. “Those are all the things we are trying to deliver to them.”Mr. Katzenberg, 69, and Ms. Whitman, 63, have dived headlong into a challenging third act, creating a product geared to people half their age at a time when millennials and Gen Z-ers have taken to needling their elders (see “OK Boomer”).The head of Walt Disney Studios at the time of the original version of “The Lion King,” Mr. Katzenberg has often gone against the grain. Passed over for the No. 2 job at Disney in 1994, he built a rival conglomerate, DreamWorks SKG, with Mr. Spielberg and David Geffen. He also waged a legal battle against his former employer, saying he had deserved more compensation. The bitter, headline-generating fight concluded with Disney handing him a settlement estimated at $250 million.DreamWorks faded, but DreamWorks Animation, the spinoff run by Mr. Katzenberg, survived until 2016, when Comcast’s NBCUniversal bought it for $3.8 billion. As part of the deal, Mr. Katzenberg received a $420 million payout — and reluctantly stepped aside.In the back of his mind was a failed initiative similar to Quibi: Pop.com, a side venture he had started in 1999 with Mr. Spielberg, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard as a venue for video shorts. It went bust before it even launched.Quibi’s other leader, one of the country’s most powerful female executives, rose through the ranks of American business at Disney, DreamWorks and Hasbro before she took eBay from a shop with a staff of 30 to a global powerhouse with 15,000 workers and $8 billion in annual revenue. When she left, in 2008, she was a billionaire.She went on to spend more than $100 million of her fortune to run as a Republican for governor of California, only to lose the 2010 election to Jerry Brown. A return to business put her in charge of Hewlett-Packard, which she left in 2017. “I’ve been working straight for 35 years,” she said upon her departure. “I’m going to enjoy some downtime.”But she soon joined Mr. Katzenberg at what was then called New TV, after he had raised $1 billion from Hollywood studios, the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and other investors. “She doesn’t like this, but I keep saying we’re two old dogs who have a new trick,” Mr. Katzenberg said at the time.Ms. Whitman left her home in Northern California for a West Hollywood high-rise. Now she can see Mr. Katzenberg’s house in Beverly Hills from her bedroom window.Start-ups rarely run smoothly, and several prominent executives have left Quibi over the last year, including Janice Min, the former co-president of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group; Diane Nelson, a former Warner Bros. executive; and Tim Connolly, a former Hulu executive. Mr. Katzenberg and Ms. Whitman are known as exacting managers who keep an eye on the tiniest detail.The company has also had trouble getting the word out. Although Quibi spent millions on commercials that ran during the Super Bowl and the Oscars, 68 percent of participants in a Morning Consult/Hollywood Reporter poll last month said they were not familiar with the brand.“Part of the reason awareness is so low is they are building a new name,” said Ross Benes, a video analyst at eMarketer. “Quibi takes time to explain. It’s not super clear that this will cost you $5 a month and you’ll get a lot of short videos.”Stay-at-home mandates have complicated the rollout, with meetings held via video conference. “Even though Zoom is great, I can’t really read the body language in the room,” Ms. Whitman said. “And that has always been an important part of how I gauge who is doing what to whom and how things are working.”Mr. Katzenberg and Ms. Whitman had an easy time making deals partly because of the terms they offer: The company pays for production costs and licensing rights, allowing anyone the creators of Quibi programs to retain copyright, meaning they can sell their work to another platform or network after a set number of years.Nicole Clemens, the president of Paramount Television, received an offer from Quibi for “When the Streetlights Go On,” a script about the aftermath of the murder of a suburban teenager that had once been shot as a Hulu pilot. “It was an incoming call,” Ms. Clemens said, “which is always nice to get.” The Quibi version will be part of the Monday launch.Writers who sign on have to follow a rule of Mr. Katzenberg’s: They must end each installment with a cliffhanger. Nick Santora, the writer of “Most Dangerous Game,” an action film starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz, described hitting those marks as “hard but exhilarating.” To pull it off, he refashioned his 48-page pilot script, initially written for NBC, into a 150-page screenplay with a climax every 10 pages.“When you’re writing a regular script, and you need a scene to tell a certain arc in your story, and it takes 12, 13 pages, it’s no big deal,” he said. “You can’t do that in Quibi. Once you get to page 10, you’re done.”Quibi intends to set itself apart from YouTube, the leader in short-form digital video, because of its reliance on an old-fashioned Hollywood hallmark: production values. Quibi films cost up to $100,00 per minute. And Mr. Katzenberg’s long experience has taught him how to handle the talent, even as his reputation as a relentless boss holds firm.“You don’t always hear from the biggest exec at the company,” said Ryan Case, the director of “Flipped,” a comedy starring Will Forte and Kaitlin Olson. “But he called me, the writers and the cast members on a Saturday at our homes to say he was excited. It was both wonderful and classy.”Unlike Disney Plus, which gained subscribers on the strength of its “Star Wars” series, “The Mandalorian,” Quibi hopes to lure viewers with its overall lineup. “I think we have fantastic shows,” Ms. Whitman said, “but I also think it’s the sum total of what we are offering, as opposed to one ‘Mandalorian.’”The companies making a line of Quibi programming called Daily Essentials have faced the toughest challenge. Madeleine Haeringer, an NBC News executive producer, spent months assembling a 50-person team able to produce twice-daily 5- to 7-minute shows. Her job got trickier when employees were forced to work from home. A week before the start date, she delivered test episodes remotely, with anchors on iPads.“It’s incredibly daunting,” Ms. Haeringer said.Quibi’s unscripted shows bring to mind to cable fare and syndicated programs. Ms. Teigen’s “Chrissy’s Court” is the app’s answer to “Judge Judy,” and Ms. Lopez produces a show that follows celebrities as they give $100,000 to someone who meant a lot to them.Will Quibi be the next digital thing or a flop? That is the $1.8 billion question.“On the plus side, Quibi is like nothing else,” said Mr. Goodman, the media analyst. “On the other hand, while we know that there is a tremendous amount of video being consumed on phones, we also know that people don’t want to pay for video on their phones.”Mr. Katzenberg and Ms. Whitman say they will beat the odds. Noting Quibi’s debut slate of movies in chapters, Mr. Katzenberg said, “All five of those I think are great. Not good. Great.”Ms. Whitman sounded more circumspect. “This is very different from a movie launch,” she said. “We are building a new consumer product.” Read the full article

[cynfinnegan]

102 Ways to Piss Off Republicans

1. A Liberal wrote the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Jesus healed the sick and helped the poor for free. 3. Joseph McCarthy was an unamerican, witch hunting pussy. 4. Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee were traitors. 5. The South lost the Civil War.  Get the fuck over it. 6. The Founding Fathers were liberals. 7. Fascism and political correctness are right-wing traits. 8. Sarah Palin is a fucking idiot. 9. The Earth is round. 10. Reagan raised taxes on the middle class and working poor eleven times as President.

11. Reagan legalized abortion as Governor of California. 12. Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency. 13. Ronald Reagan supported gun control. 14. Global warming is real. 15. Republicans hate illegal immigrants, unless they need their lawns mowed or their houses cleaned. 16. The military is a government-run institution, so why do Republicans approve the defense budget? 17. The Cold War might be over, but the Soviet Union still exists.  Ask Putin. 18. Paying taxes is patriotic. 19. Republicans: Peddling the same failed economic policies since 1880. 20. The Republican Party began as a liberal party. 21. The previous President’s full name is Barack Hussein Obama, and he was born in the United States of America. 22. George W. Bush held hands and made out with the King of Saudi Arabia.  So does Trump. 23. President Obama saved the American auto industry, while Republicans wanted to destroy it. 24. Hate is not a Christian virtue. 25. Jesus was a liberal. 26. Republicans spend MORE money than Democrats. 27. Tea parties are for little girls, not political parties. 28. Public schools educate all children; private schools are for indoctrinating rich children. 29. The Constitution is the law, NOT the Bible. 30. Sharia law doesn’t exist in the United States of America. 31. The first law of Sharia is "OBEY THE LAWS OF THE LAND YOU LIVE IN." 32. President Obama was NOT a Muslim. 33. Corporations are NOT people. People are people. 34. Fox News isn’t real news; it’s just a racist, sexist, hateful, right-wing propaganda machine. 35. The Federal Reserve was a Republican idea. 36. Women are equal citizens who deserve equal rights. 37. Women control their own bodies. 38. Abortion is a relevant medical procedure.  Just ask Rick Santorum's ex-girlfriends. 39. Please, for fuck sake, use spell-check. 40. It’s “pundit”, not “pundint”. 41. Social Security is solvent through 2038. 42. Health care is a right, not a product. 43. Roe v. Wade was a bipartisan ruling made by a conservative leaning Supreme Court. 44. G.O.P also stands for Gross Old Perverts. 45. The donkey shouldn’t be the Democratic mascot because Republicans are the real jackasses. 46. Barack Obama ordered the killing of Osama Bin Laden. It took him two and half years to do what Junior Shrub couldn’t do in eight. 47. Waterboarding IS torture. 48. 9/11 happened on George W. Bush’s watch, therefore he did NOT keep America safe. 49. Republicans invaded Iraq for oil, so Iraq should be allowed to invade Texas to get it back. 50. Separation of church and state is in the Constitution.  It’s called the First Amendment. 51. Muslims are protected by the Constitution, just as much as Christians are.  Get the fuck over it. 52. Barack Obama was the first African-American President, get over it. 53. The Oval Office is NOT a “whites only” office. 54. America is a nation of immigrants; therefore, we are ALL anchor babies. 55. The white race isn’t disappearing, it’s evolving. 56. God is a particle. 57. Evolution is real. 58. The Earth is 4.54 billion years old, not 6,000. 59. The Founding Fathers did not free the slaves, though James Madison tried to. 60. The Revolution was NOT fought over slavery. 61. Paul Revere warned the Americans, NOT the British. 62. Federal law trumps state law. 63. The Civil War WAS about slavery, not states' rights. 64. Corporations care more about profits than they do about people. 65. Getting out of a recession requires government spending. 66. Glenn Beck is a nut-job. 67. Republicans: Paranoid since 1932. 68. Republicans don’t want to pay for your birth control, but they want you to pay for their Viagra. 69. Republicans actually NEED Viagra.  They can't get their dicks up otherwise. 70. Fox News is owned by an Australian and has a Saudi prince as an investor. 71. Republicans complain about immigrants taking American jobs, then freely give American jobs to foreigners overseas. 72. Republicans hate communism, so why do they refer to themselves as red states? 73. Labor unions built this country. 74. Republicans hold America hostage as a political strategy; the temper tantrum throwing kind of political strategy. 75. Jesus was a JEW, not a Christian. 76. When Republicans see black, they attack. 77. Inside every Republican is a Klansman or a Nazi waiting to bloom. 78. Republicans only care about children BEFORE they are born.  After that, they're fucked. 79. Republicans are hypocrites, they’re just too stupid to know it. 80. The Christian Right boycotts movies that have violence, and then promotes guns and insurrection. 81. I think, therefore I am NOT a Republican. 82. Republicans who oppose gay marriage are most likely in the closet themselves. 83. Churches should stay out of politics, or be taxed. 84. People are too poor to vote Republican. 85. Democrats think for themselves, Republicans form think tanks to do it for them. 86. Republicans hate education because they couldn’t hack it in school. 87. Greed is one of the seven deadly sins and Republicans wallow in it. 88. A little liberalism on the Left is far better than a little fascism on the Right. 89. The current corporate tax rate is the lowest in 60 years, so stop whining about it being too high. 90. Republicans: Anti-Gay Marriage, Pro-Lesbian sex.  Just ask Melania's former porn co-stars. 91. Republicans: Terrorizing the American people since 1981. 92. Republicans have their own terrorists.  Just look up Timothy McVeigh or Dylann Roof. 93. Republicans love outsourcing American jobs to Communist countries.  Just ask the Chinese and Putin's Russia. 94. The Republican answer to the oil spill was to apologize to BP, a foreign oil company. 95. Democrats will be working hard to bring jobs to Americans, while the Republicans tea bag each other in the middle of the aisles. 96. Voter disenfranchisement is immoral and un-American; that’s why Republicans do it. 97. Republicans would let your house burn down unless you pay them to put it out. 98. Democrats want to take care of the sick. Republicans take their credit cards and then deny them medical attention. 99. Republicans say teachers are union thugs, then proceed to rape and mug the entire middle class on behalf of corporations. 100. Republicans think rape isn’t a crime, but miscarriages are. 101. Republicans are morons, and arguing with them is a waste of time! 102. Government spending was at its SLOWEST since the Eisenhower administration while Obama was POTUS.  Now it's gone as insane as Trump.

Bottom line? If you want to piss off a conservative, TELL THEM THE TRUTH.

[infolibrary]

100 Delicious Facts About Chocolate

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100 Delicious Facts About Chocolate

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Ah chocolate, the first love of every man, woman and child, it’s a solution (however temporary) to every problem from upset and anger to happiness and adoration.

Chocolate truly is one of the wonders of the world, in the past it has been that valued it’s actually been used as currency and  in 2014 U.S. chocolate sales were $21.1 billion, that alone shows the significance and the demand for the product.

Whether it be white, milk, dark or other more rare varieties (all will be revealed later on), everyone loves to sit down and have a square or 10.

Here we’re going to look at 100 delicious facts about chocolate.

Winston Churchill at one point was in danger of a Nazi assassination by an exploding bar of chocolate.

Aztecs used cacao seeds were a form of currency.

Montezuma II, an Aztec emperor, drank over 50 cups of chocolate per day.

As well as milk, dark, and white varieties, there is a rare fourth type known as blond chocolate.

The film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” was financed by Quaker Oats to promote its new Wonka Bar candy. That’s why it’s named that instead of the book’s title of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”.

Joseph Fry invented the first chocolate bar in 1847.

The chocolate industry is worth approximately $110 billion per year.

Milky Way bars aren’t named after the galaxy; they’re named after the malted milkshakes the bars were supposed to taste like.

Three Musketeers bars were originally three pieces; chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. They switched to just the one bar after strawberry prices increased.

In 1947, hundreds of Canadian kids went on strike and boycotted chocolate after the price of a chocolate bar jumped from 5 to 8 cents.

Andes Candies were called “Andy’s Candy’s,” after creator George Andrew Kanelos but it was changed after men didn’t want to buy their partners chocolates with another man’s name.

A 2013 study found that the smell of chocolate in a bookstore made customers 22% more likely to buy books of any genre and a whopping 40% more likely to buy cookbooks or romance novels.

The largest chocolate bar ever weighed over 12,770 lbs (5,792 kg), created in the UK in celebration of Thornton’s 100th birthday.

The world’s most valuable chocolate bar is a 100-year-old Cadbury’s bar, it sold for $687 at auction in 2001. It was taken on Captain Robert Scott’s first expedition to the Antarctic.

Chocolate milk was invented in Jamaica. Irish botanist Sir Hans Sloane is said to have first mixed chocolate with milk in Jamaica in the early 1700s.

Chocolate milk is an effective post-workout recovery drink.

German chocolate cake has history with Germany. It’s named after its inventor, Sam German.

Darker chocolates can have as much caffeine as a can of Coca-Cola.

A 2004 London study found that 70% of people would give their passwords for a chocolate bar.

Americans buy 58 million+ lbs (26 million+ kg) of chocolate on Valentine’s Day, that’s 5% of yearly sales.

Brussels Airport is the world’s biggest chocolate seller, selling over 800 tons of chocolate a year.

More than two-thirds of the world’s cocoa is grown in Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire alone produces 33% of the world’s supply.

A chocolate river existed in 1971. The famous chocolate river from the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory film was made with 15,000 gallons of water mixed with chocolate and cream. The river spoiled fairly quickly due to the cream and the cast said it stank.

The International Cocoa Organization say the average Brit, Swiss, or German eat 24lbs (11kg) of chocolate a year.

In 1930, Ruth Wakefield mixed Nestle chocolate pieces into her cookie dough after running out of baker’s chocolate whilst making chocolate cookies. Instead she created chocolate chip cookies, and later sold the idea to Nestle for a lifetime supply of chocolate.

Lays sold limited edition crisps covered in milk chocolate said to have a “salty-sweet combination, along with the texture contrast of warm melted chocolate and a crunchy chip”.

The average chocolate bar contains insect fragments. The U.S Food and Drug Administration say “Anything more than 60 insect pieces per 100 grams of chocolate is rejected.”

A thief took $28 million worth of gems in 2007 after gaining the guards trust at an Antwerp Bank by repeatedly offering them chocolate.

1 in every 200 workers, or around 17,000 people in Belgium work in the production and promotion of chocolate.

One chocolate chip gives an adult enough food energy to walk 150 feet. Around 35 chocolate chips is enough for a mile or 875,000 chips would take them around the world.

It takes the whole of one year’s crop from one tree to make half a kilo of cocoa.

The man who created the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup was a farmer, by the name of Harry Burnett Reese, who was a former shipping foreman and dairy farmer for Milton S. Hershey, the founder of Hershey’s chocolate.

Terry’s produce over 350 million chocolate orange segments per year.

During the Aztec reign, a slave could be bought for 100 cocoa beans.

1 in 7 15-24 year olds claim life without chocolate is not worth living.

The biggest chocolate sculpture ever made was a 10 foot high Easter egg weighing 4,484 lbs (2,034 kg) in Melbourne, Australia.

Blue packaged chocolate doesn’t sell in Shanghai or Hong Kong, as the Chinese relate blue with death.

The first cacao trees were found in the Amazon River basin and the Venezuelan and Colombian Andes.

In 1991, a chocolate model ship was made in Barcelona measuring approximately 42.5ft long, 28ft tall and 8ft wide.

Japanese women give chocolate hearts to their loved ones on 14th February. The men a month later return the gesture on “Howaito” white day.

In the original Psycho film, the blood in the famous shower scene was actually chocolate syrup.

Chocolate sales in 2014 were $21.1 billion.

On 6th December during the feast of St. Nicholas, children in Holland put their clogs outside at night so Santa can fill them with chocolate money.

7th July is National Chocolate Day in the UK, the day marks when chocolate was first brought to Europe on 7th July 1550. Some credit Christopher Columbus with this feat in 1504.

International Chocolate Day is on 13th September, and some celebrate National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day on 7th November.

Milton Hershey the creator of The Hershey Chocolate Company started his empire in candy. He founded his first company, The Lancaster Caramel Company at 30 years old.

5 tons of chocolate is enough to make 28,000 Terry’s Chocolate Oranges.

Daniel Peter created milk chocolate in Switzerland in 1875 after mixing chocolate with condensed milk following eight years of trial and error.

Making chocolate takes about 400 beans to make a single pound of chocolate.

Cacao trees can live up to 200 years old but they only make viable cacao beans for just 25 years of their life.

The world’s largest box of chocolates weighed in at 2,002 lbs (908 kg). It was made in Chicago, USA, and contained Frango mints.

There are 2 types of cacao tree. Most chocolate comes from Forastero beans, which are said to be easier to grow but the Crillo bean makes much tastier chocolate.

To’Ak chocolate is one of the most expensive chocolates in the world, Each 50 gram (1.7 oz) bar is in a handcrafted Spanish Elm wood box individually engraved with the bar number.

Chocolate is the only edible substance to melt around 93° F, just below body temperature causing it to melt easily on your tongue.

More than twice as many women than men eat and crave chocolate.

Chocolate cravings have been proven to be unable to be satisfied by anything other than chocolate itself.

Chocolate produces the effects of a mild anti-depressant by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.

Although not scientifically proven, chocolate is believed by many, to be an aphrodisiac.

Dan’s chocolate factory offers a chocolate covered bacon burger – and apparently it’s not too bad!

Cocoa butter is a by-product made from crushing roasted cacao beans. As well as in chocolate it’s also used in cosmetic products including massage oils and skin cosmetics. It’s one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats and as it melts at just below average body temperature it’s easily dissolved into the skin, perfect for moisturizing creams and other products.

Despite being high in fat content, chocolate doesn’t seem to raise blood cholesterol.

America consumes almost 50% of the world’s chocolate.

If all the Toblerone bars sold each year were to be laid end to end they would stretch 62,000km (38,525 miles), this is longer than the Earth’s circumference.

The amount of chocolate a country eats on average is linked to the number of Nobel Laureates that country has produced.

In 2009, 7.2 million tons of chocolate was consumed worldwide.

In the pre-Columbia era, possible dinosaur fossils were ground and mixed with chocolate.

Red M&M’s are among the most popular today, but in the 1970’s, they were replaced with orange pieces for almost ten years. This was the result of a study which stated that red food dye was linked to cancers.

Chocolate gives you a more intense mental high and gets your heart pounding more than kissing.

Hershey’s Kisses are named that after the kissing sound the deposited chocolate makes as it falls from the machine on the conveyor belt.

Hershey’s produce 70 million Kisses a day, and enough a year to make a 300,000 mile (around 483,000 km) line of Kisses.

When chocolate is covered in a white speckled layer, it has “bloomed”. This is caused by the fat (cocoa butter) molecules inside the chocolate over time rising to the surface and recrystallizing. Bloomed chocolate is still edible but will be dry and less flavorful.

Ben & Jerry’s made the first cookie dough ice cream after a suggestion on their shop’s flavor suggestion board.

Chocolate and chili is a well-known combination, but Firebox took it a step further producing the “instant regret chili chocolate” infused with 6.4 million Scoville chili extract.

Napoleon always had chocolate with him; he ate it as whenever he needed an energy boost.

One cacao pod will contain about 42 beans.

More than 7 billion chocolate chips are eaten annually.

American author Robert Cormier wrote a novel called The Chocolate War, due to its nature the book appeared in the American Library Associations “Top 100 banned/challenged books in 2000-2009”.

Global production of cocoa is currently forecast to decrease for the third year in a row, 2015/16 production is expected at 4.1 million tons vs. 2014/15 production of 4.2 million tons. 2013/14 production was 4.3 million tons.

A cocoa tree takes almost a year to produce enough pods to make 10 normal-sized Hershey bars.

Chocolate has 3 times more flavor compounds than red wine; red wine has just 200 whereas chocolate has 600.

The tree that chocolate is produced from is called Theobroma cacao which means “food of the gods.”

To die from Theobromine, a poisonous compound found in chocolate, an 12.5 stone (80 kg) human would have to eat around 12.5 lbs (5.7 kg) of unsweetened dark chocolate or 6.2 stone (40 kg) of milk chocolate.

The ancient Maya are said to be the first to commonly grow cacao trees and drink chocolate. The Aztecs had to trade for cacao as they couldn’t grow the trees.

The word “chocolate” derives from the Aztec “xocoatl,” the bitter, spicy cacao bean based drink.

Chocolate was consumed not as a solid but as a liquid for 90% of its history.

The largest chocolate ever made was in the Netherlands; the chocolate marzipan took 3 days and weighed 4,078 lbs (1,850 kg).

Ninety percent of the world’s cacao is grown on small family run farms under 12 acres (4,047 sq. meters).

In 2006, worldwide over 6.5 million tons of chocolate was traded.

Recipes exist for chocolate and calamari soup, the combination surprisingly seems to only have 1 person brave enough to try it, they gave it 4 stars.

In 17th century Mexico someone suffered death by chocolate. Poison was injected into chocolate, killing a Spanish Bishop who banned the consumption of chocolate during church services.

Chocolate contains tryptophan which makes us very happy. Tryptophan (also found in turkeys) affects endorphin levels in the brain and increases serotonin causing euphoria.

Pure cocoa can help prevent tooth decay. Naturally occurring chemicals in cocoa beans fight harmful bacteria in the mouth.

Europeans consume about 40% of the planet’s chocolate.

Chocolate producers worldwide use around 20% of the world’s peanut crops and 40% of all almonds grown.

Chocolate actually inspired the Microwave. Percy Spence, a scientist working on WWII radar was loved chocolate. When near a magnetron, he noticed a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. He realized magnetrons could be used to heat food quickly and discovered the microwave oven.

Gorging on sugar-free chocolate acts a severe laxative. At one producers factory there are buckets of defective chocolates. Each bucket has a sign warning employees of the ramifications of over-consumption.

Cadbury World is on the site of the Cadbury factory established by Richard and George Cadbury in 1879.

In 1929 chocolate became Nestlé’s second biggest product.

Richard Cadbury, the son of Cadbury founder John Cadbury, made the first heart-shaped box of chocolates in 1861 for Valentine’s Day.

William Cadbury (Grandson of Richard Cadbury, the founder of Cadbury) commissioned the design of the Cadbury logo in Paris 1905 by French designer George Auriol.

So there we have it, as I said earlier chocolate really is one of the wonders of the world, driving people to do all sorts of things in search of the alluring substance.

Chocolate is an instant source of desire and happiness, and yet it’s even been used to kill!

Whether it be one of the major chocolate powerhouses, a smaller artisan chocolatier or a high-end high-quality purveyor supplying you your fix, just remember how much work goes into each piece of the melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Read More…

Dan Lewis has worked in the tech sector for about 7 years and is qualified in most areas including networking, hardware, software & support. Enjoys writing about anything techy, nerdy or factually interesting.

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[samanthasroberts]

40 Things You NEVER Knew About Your Favorite Disney Princesses

You most likely grew up watching the classic Disney movies with princesses you would pretend to be while wearing a costume from Toys’R Us as you danced around the house. Maybe that was last week for you no judgement…you do you but most likely it’s a cherished childhood memory.

But did you know those girls were holding out on you? How old is Snow White really? And what size shoe did Cinderella wear? Exactly.

You don’t know all their secrets, until now…

1

Walt Disney’s favorite princess was Cinderella.

via: Playbuzz

Ilene Woods, who voiced the character of Cinderella, remembered Walt Disney saying to her, “You’re my favorite heroine, you know.” She said, “You mean Cinderella?” “Yes,” he said, “there’s something about that story I associate with.”

2

Elsa’s ice palace changes color to reflect her feelings.

via: PopSugar

When she is happy, the castle is blue.It turns red when she is scared, yellow when she is angry, and purple when she is sad.

When she’s really moody I imagine it looks like a Disco ball in there.

3

The only Disney princess who has a duet with a villain is Anna from Frozen.

via: Wikimedia

Apparently bad guys aren’t so into singing little musical numbers with the people they’re about to corrupt except Hans he can’t keep that song to himself.

4

Sleeping Beauty only has 18 lines in the whole movie, the least of any princess.

via: PopSugar

That makes sense, seeing as she’s sleeping most of the time.

How can I get that gig?

5

“Part of Your World” was almost cut from The Little Mermaid.

via: Disney

Why? Because some kid in the test audience spilled his popcorn, which made the chairman of Walt Disney Studios think that children would think the slow song was boring instead of thinking kids spill crap all the time.

6

Belle is the only person in her town who wears blue.

via: PopSugar

This was done to show that she was an outsider among the townspeople.

But if you pay attention, you’ll see that The Beast is later wearing blue, and he has blue eyes, soit was basically meant to be if you’re into hairy guys.

7

Cinderella’s shoe size is a 4 1/2.

via: Wikimedia

That has to set some sort of tiny foot record.

And honestly, how hard could it be to find whose shoe that was? Are there that many people in the town with teeny tiny feet?

8

The only Disney princesses who wear pants are Jasmine and Mulan.

via: WordPress

In other words, they were the most comfortable princesses in all the land.

9

Hercules and Ariel are technically cousins.

via: Fanpop

Ariel is the daughter of Triton, who is the son of Poseidon, who is the brother of Zeus and the father of Hercules.

Can you imagine the volleyball game at that family reunion?

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10

The argument over the color of Aurora’s dress is based on a real wardrobe squabble.

via: WordPress

There was said to be a disagreement in the studio about what the princess’s dress color should be,so they just added that into the film.

They were doing their own, “What color is the dress?!?” thing before that was ever cool.

11

Beyonc almost voiced Princess Tiana.

via: Wikimedia

Apparently she wasn’t Irreplaceable though, because herDreamgirls castmate Anika Noni Rose got the gig after Queen B didn’t think she should have to audition.

Hey, fair is fair.

12

The only Disney princess who doesn’t have an American accent? Merida.

via: Wikimedia

Which is odd, seeing as the Disney princesses are thought to be from around the world.

13

Cinderella’s dress transformation is said to be Walt Disney’s favorite piece of animation ever.

via: Daily Mail

See? Walt really did have a thing for Cinderella.

14

Mulan and Princess Tiana are the only left-handed princesses.

via: PopSugar

If you will recall, Ariel signed over her voice and combed her hair with a fork with her right hand, apparently.

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15

The only Disney princess who has hazel eyes is Belle.

via: Disney

To be honest, they look kind of brown, but that’s the deal with hazel eyes they kind of just look like every color.

16

Sleeping Beauty‘s Aurora is the only princess who has violet eyes.

via: PopSugar

Nope, definitely not hazel.

17

In case there was confusion,Ariel was created as a redhead to differentiate her from the mermaid in Splash.

via: PopSugar

Since Daryl Hannah starred in Splash in 1984, Disney creators wanted Ariel to stand out from the famous blond mermaid by giving her fiery red hair.

Because, you know, it’s hard to tell a cartoon from an actual woman/mermaid.

18

The strand of hair that always falls into Belle’s face wasn’t meant to be a fashion statement, but rather meant to show that she wasn’t perfect.

via: Disney

“The only thing I wrote [to describe Belle physically] was ‘she has a little wisp of hair that keeps falling in her face’,” said Linda Woolverton, the first woman to write a screenplay for a Disney movie with Beauty and the Beast. “Because I wanted her not to be perfect. It was important that not every hair be in place.”

19

The only princesses with more than one love interest are Pocahontas and Princess Anna.

via: Film Inspector

Pocahontas is courted by both Kocoum and John Smith, and actually John Rolfe if we’re looking at the second movie and/or historical facts.

As for Frozen’s Princess Anna, she’s pursued by Prince Hans and Kristoff.

It’s hell being pretty, you know?

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20

The dance between Prince Adam and Belle at the end of the movie is reused animation from Sleeping Beauty.

via: Pinterest

Ummm…awkward.Disney was running out of time during the production of Beauty and the Beast, so they just reused the animated dance between Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty.

21

Cinderella loses her shoe not once, not twice, but three different times throughout the film.

via: Pinterest

First, when she is delivering breakfast to her stepsisters and stepmother, second, when she is fleeing the prince’s castle at midnight, and finally, as she runs down the stairs at her wedding.

Crazy thought: Maybe get shoes that aren’t slip-ons.

22

Belle’s personality was inspired by a character from Little Women.

via: PopSugar

Linda Woolverton, screenwriter for Beauty and the Beast, said that she drew inspiration for Belle from Katharine Hepburn’s portrayal of Jo March in the 1933 version of Little Women.

23

The only princess who ever had an official job was Tiana.

via: PopSugar

Work it, girl!

Although Cinderella worked her shoes off, she never got paid for it. Figures.

24

Pocahontas almost had a different sidekick.

via: PopSugar

Shewas going to have a speaking sidekick a talking turkey named Redfeather voiced by John Candy, which would have been prettygreat.

But filmmakers decided to stick with mute sidekicks, and so we were givenMeeko, who was still kind of great.

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

25

Elsa is the only princess who isn’t a teenager.

via: Wikimedia

She’s actually 21 years old, which means she could keep some beer on ice in that Frozen castle of hers.

26

But Snow White? She was only 14 years old.

via: FanPop

Nope, nothing weird about a girl shacking up with seven strange men. Nothing weird at all…

27

The only Disney princess to kiss a villain was Jasmine.

via: Disney

I guess she took one for the team, but…yuck.

28

The only princesses to encounter snow were Belle and Mulan.

via: WIkimedia

Until Anna and Elsa came along, of course.

29

Aurora was the last princess to be created before Walt Disney’s death.

via: PopSugar

He passed away in 1966, 23 years before The Little Mermaid was released.

Not that it matters though, because remember, he loved Cinderella best.

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

30

The only Disney princess whose character is based on a real person is Pocahontas.

via: Wikimedia

Mulan’s warrior character was based on legend which we’ll get to next and it turns out that mermaids don’t really exist.

31

Mulan is based on a legendary Chinese female warrior.

via: Movie Pilot

In the original story of Hua Mulan, she fools the troops until the end of the war and doesn’t reveal she is a woman until after it is over.

But, unlike Pocahontas, there isn’t solid proof of her actual existence.

32

Elsa was originally the villain of Frozen.

</di

Source: http://allofbeer.com/40-things-you-never-knew-about-your-favorite-disney-princesses/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2019/01/25/40-things-you-never-knew-about-your-favorite-disney-princesses/

[adambstingus]

40 Things You NEVER Knew About Your Favorite Disney Princesses

You most likely grew up watching the classic Disney movies with princesses you would pretend to be while wearing a costume from Toys’R Us as you danced around the house. Maybe that was last week for you no judgement…you do you but most likely it’s a cherished childhood memory.

But did you know those girls were holding out on you? How old is Snow White really? And what size shoe did Cinderella wear? Exactly.

You don’t know all their secrets, until now…

1

Walt Disney’s favorite princess was Cinderella.

via: Playbuzz

Ilene Woods, who voiced the character of Cinderella, remembered Walt Disney saying to her, “You’re my favorite heroine, you know.” She said, “You mean Cinderella?” “Yes,” he said, “there’s something about that story I associate with.”

2

Elsa’s ice palace changes color to reflect her feelings.

via: PopSugar

When she is happy, the castle is blue.It turns red when she is scared, yellow when she is angry, and purple when she is sad.

When she’s really moody I imagine it looks like a Disco ball in there.

3

The only Disney princess who has a duet with a villain is Anna from Frozen.

via: Wikimedia

Apparently bad guys aren’t so into singing little musical numbers with the people they’re about to corrupt except Hans he can’t keep that song to himself.

4

Sleeping Beauty only has 18 lines in the whole movie, the least of any princess.

via: PopSugar

That makes sense, seeing as she’s sleeping most of the time.

How can I get that gig?

5

“Part of Your World” was almost cut from The Little Mermaid.

via: Disney

Why? Because some kid in the test audience spilled his popcorn, which made the chairman of Walt Disney Studios think that children would think the slow song was boring instead of thinking kids spill crap all the time.

6

Belle is the only person in her town who wears blue.

via: PopSugar

This was done to show that she was an outsider among the townspeople.

But if you pay attention, you’ll see that The Beast is later wearing blue, and he has blue eyes, soit was basically meant to be if you’re into hairy guys.

7

Cinderella’s shoe size is a 4 ½.

via: Wikimedia

That has to set some sort of tiny foot record.

And honestly, how hard could it be to find whose shoe that was? Are there that many people in the town with teeny tiny feet?

8

The only Disney princesses who wear pants are Jasmine and Mulan.

via: WordPress

In other words, they were the most comfortable princesses in all the land.

9

Hercules and Ariel are technically cousins.

via: Fanpop

Ariel is the daughter of Triton, who is the son of Poseidon, who is the brother of Zeus and the father of Hercules.

Can you imagine the volleyball game at that family reunion?

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

10

The argument over the color of Aurora’s dress is based on a real wardrobe squabble.

via: WordPress

There was said to be a disagreement in the studio about what the princess’s dress color should be,so they just added that into the film.

They were doing their own, “What color is the dress?!?” thing before that was ever cool.

11

Beyonc almost voiced Princess Tiana.

via: Wikimedia

Apparently she wasn’t Irreplaceable though, because herDreamgirls castmate Anika Noni Rose got the gig after Queen B didn’t think she should have to audition.

Hey, fair is fair.

12

The only Disney princess who doesn’t have an American accent? Merida.

via: Wikimedia

Which is odd, seeing as the Disney princesses are thought to be from around the world.

13

Cinderella’s dress transformation is said to be Walt Disney’s favorite piece of animation ever.

via: Daily Mail

See? Walt really did have a thing for Cinderella.

14

Mulan and Princess Tiana are the only left-handed princesses.

via: PopSugar

If you will recall, Ariel signed over her voice and combed her hair with a fork with her right hand, apparently.

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

15

The only Disney princess who has hazel eyes is Belle.

via: Disney

To be honest, they look kind of brown, but that’s the deal with hazel eyes they kind of just look like every color.

16

Sleeping Beauty‘s Aurora is the only princess who has violet eyes.

via: PopSugar

Nope, definitely not hazel.

17

In case there was confusion,Ariel was created as a redhead to differentiate her from the mermaid in Splash.

via: PopSugar

Since Daryl Hannah starred in Splash in 1984, Disney creators wanted Ariel to stand out from the famous blond mermaid by giving her fiery red hair.

Because, you know, it’s hard to tell a cartoon from an actual woman/mermaid.

18

The strand of hair that always falls into Belle’s face wasn’t meant to be a fashion statement, but rather meant to show that she wasn’t perfect.

via: Disney

“The only thing I wrote [to describe Belle physically] was ‘she has a little wisp of hair that keeps falling in her face’,” said Linda Woolverton, the first woman to write a screenplay for a Disney movie with Beauty and the Beast. “Because I wanted her not to be perfect. It was important that not every hair be in place.”

19

The only princesses with more than one love interest are Pocahontas and Princess Anna.

via: Film Inspector

Pocahontas is courted by both Kocoum and John Smith, and actually John Rolfe if we’re looking at the second movie and/or historical facts.

As for Frozen’s Princess Anna, she’s pursued by Prince Hans and Kristoff.

It’s hell being pretty, you know?

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

20

The dance between Prince Adam and Belle at the end of the movie is reused animation from Sleeping Beauty.

via: Pinterest

Ummm…awkward.Disney was running out of time during the production of Beauty and the Beast, so they just reused the animated dance between Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty.

21

Cinderella loses her shoe not once, not twice, but three different times throughout the film.

via: Pinterest

First, when she is delivering breakfast to her stepsisters and stepmother, second, when she is fleeing the prince’s castle at midnight, and finally, as she runs down the stairs at her wedding.

Crazy thought: Maybe get shoes that aren’t slip-ons.

22

Belle’s personality was inspired by a character from Little Women.

via: PopSugar

Linda Woolverton, screenwriter for Beauty and the Beast, said that she drew inspiration for Belle from Katharine Hepburn’s portrayal of Jo March in the 1933 version of Little Women.

23

The only princess who ever had an official job was Tiana.

via: PopSugar

Work it, girl!

Although Cinderella worked her shoes off, she never got paid for it. Figures.

24

Pocahontas almost had a different sidekick.

via: PopSugar

Shewas going to have a speaking sidekick a talking turkey named Redfeather voiced by John Candy, which would have been prettygreat.

But filmmakers decided to stick with mute sidekicks, and so we were givenMeeko, who was still kind of great.

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

25

Elsa is the only princess who isn’t a teenager.

via: Wikimedia

She’s actually 21 years old, which means she could keep some beer on ice in that Frozen castle of hers.

26

But Snow White? She was only 14 years old.

via: FanPop

Nope, nothing weird about a girl shacking up with seven strange men. Nothing weird at all…

27

The only Disney princess to kiss a villain was Jasmine.

via: Disney

I guess she took one for the team, but…yuck.

28

The only princesses to encounter snow were Belle and Mulan.

via: WIkimedia

Until Anna and Elsa came along, of course.

29

Aurora was the last princess to be created before Walt Disney’s death.

via: PopSugar

He passed away in 1966, 23 years before The Little Mermaid was released.

Not that it matters though, because remember, he loved Cinderella best.

Continue Reading After This Advertisement

30

The only Disney princess whose character is based on a real person is Pocahontas.

via: Wikimedia

Mulan’s warrior character was based on legend which we’ll get to next and it turns out that mermaids don’t really exist.

31

Mulan is based on a legendary Chinese female warrior.

via: Movie Pilot

In the original story of Hua Mulan, she fools the troops until the end of the war and doesn’t reveal she is a woman until after it is over.

But, unlike Pocahontas, there isn’t solid proof of her actual existence.

32

Elsa was originally the villain of Frozen.

</di

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/40-things-you-never-knew-about-your-favorite-disney-princesses/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/182282829712

[allofbeercom]

40 Things You NEVER Knew About Your Favorite Disney Princesses

You most likely grew up watching the classic Disney movies with princesses you would pretend to be while wearing a costume from Toys’R Us as you danced around the house. Maybe that was last week for you no judgement…you do you but most likely it’s a cherished childhood memory.

But did you know those girls were holding out on you? How old is Snow White really? And what size shoe did Cinderella wear? Exactly.

You don’t know all their secrets, until now…

1

Walt Disney’s favorite princess was Cinderella.

via: Playbuzz

Ilene Woods, who voiced the character of Cinderella, remembered Walt Disney saying to her, “You’re my favorite heroine, you know.” She said, “You mean Cinderella?” “Yes,” he said, “there’s something about that story I associate with.”

2

Elsa’s ice palace changes color to reflect her feelings.

via: PopSugar

When she is happy, the castle is blue.It turns red when she is scared, yellow when she is angry, and purple when she is sad.

When she’s really moody I imagine it looks like a Disco ball in there.

3

The only Disney princess who has a duet with a villain is Anna from Frozen.

via: Wikimedia

Apparently bad guys aren’t so into singing little musical numbers with the people they’re about to corrupt except Hans he can’t keep that song to himself.

4

Sleeping Beauty only has 18 lines in the whole movie, the least of any princess.

via: PopSugar

That makes sense, seeing as she’s sleeping most of the time.

How can I get that gig?

5

“Part of Your World” was almost cut from The Little Mermaid.

via: Disney

Why? Because some kid in the test audience spilled his popcorn, which made the chairman of Walt Disney Studios think that children would think the slow song was boring instead of thinking kids spill crap all the time.

6

Belle is the only person in her town who wears blue.

via: PopSugar

This was done to show that she was an outsider among the townspeople.

But if you pay attention, you’ll see that The Beast is later wearing blue, and he has blue eyes, soit was basically meant to be if you’re into hairy guys.

7

Cinderella’s shoe size is a 4 1/2.

via: Wikimedia

That has to set some sort of tiny foot record.

And honestly, how hard could it be to find whose shoe that was? Are there that many people in the town with teeny tiny feet?

8

The only Disney princesses who wear pants are Jasmine and Mulan.

via: WordPress

In other words, they were the most comfortable princesses in all the land.

9

Hercules and Ariel are technically cousins.

via: Fanpop

Ariel is the daughter of Triton, who is the son of Poseidon, who is the brother of Zeus and the father of Hercules.

Can you imagine the volleyball game at that family reunion?

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10

The argument over the color of Aurora’s dress is based on a real wardrobe squabble.

via: WordPress

There was said to be a disagreement in the studio about what the princess’s dress color should be,so they just added that into the film.

They were doing their own, “What color is the dress?!?” thing before that was ever cool.

11

Beyonc almost voiced Princess Tiana.

via: Wikimedia

Apparently she wasn’t Irreplaceable though, because herDreamgirls castmate Anika Noni Rose got the gig after Queen B didn’t think she should have to audition.

Hey, fair is fair.

12

The only Disney princess who doesn’t have an American accent? Merida.

via: Wikimedia

Which is odd, seeing as the Disney princesses are thought to be from around the world.

13

Cinderella’s dress transformation is said to be Walt Disney’s favorite piece of animation ever.

via: Daily Mail

See? Walt really did have a thing for Cinderella.

14

Mulan and Princess Tiana are the only left-handed princesses.

via: PopSugar

If you will recall, Ariel signed over her voice and combed her hair with a fork with her right hand, apparently.

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15

The only Disney princess who has hazel eyes is Belle.

via: Disney

To be honest, they look kind of brown, but that’s the deal with hazel eyes they kind of just look like every color.

16

Sleeping Beauty‘s Aurora is the only princess who has violet eyes.

via: PopSugar

Nope, definitely not hazel.

17

In case there was confusion,Ariel was created as a redhead to differentiate her from the mermaid in Splash.

via: PopSugar

Since Daryl Hannah starred in Splash in 1984, Disney creators wanted Ariel to stand out from the famous blond mermaid by giving her fiery red hair.

Because, you know, it’s hard to tell a cartoon from an actual woman/mermaid.

18

The strand of hair that always falls into Belle’s face wasn’t meant to be a fashion statement, but rather meant to show that she wasn’t perfect.

via: Disney

“The only thing I wrote [to describe Belle physically] was ‘she has a little wisp of hair that keeps falling in her face’,” said Linda Woolverton, the first woman to write a screenplay for a Disney movie with Beauty and the Beast. “Because I wanted her not to be perfect. It was important that not every hair be in place.”

19

The only princesses with more than one love interest are Pocahontas and Princess Anna.

via: Film Inspector

Pocahontas is courted by both Kocoum and John Smith, and actually John Rolfe if we’re looking at the second movie and/or historical facts.

As for Frozen’s Princess Anna, she’s pursued by Prince Hans and Kristoff.

It’s hell being pretty, you know?

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20

The dance between Prince Adam and Belle at the end of the movie is reused animation from Sleeping Beauty.

via: Pinterest

Ummm…awkward.Disney was running out of time during the production of Beauty and the Beast, so they just reused the animated dance between Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty.

21

Cinderella loses her shoe not once, not twice, but three different times throughout the film.

via: Pinterest

First, when she is delivering breakfast to her stepsisters and stepmother, second, when she is fleeing the prince’s castle at midnight, and finally, as she runs down the stairs at her wedding.

Crazy thought: Maybe get shoes that aren’t slip-ons.

22

Belle’s personality was inspired by a character from Little Women.

via: PopSugar

Linda Woolverton, screenwriter for Beauty and the Beast, said that she drew inspiration for Belle from Katharine Hepburn’s portrayal of Jo March in the 1933 version of Little Women.

23

The only princess who ever had an official job was Tiana.

via: PopSugar

Work it, girl!

Although Cinderella worked her shoes off, she never got paid for it. Figures.

24

Pocahontas almost had a different sidekick.

via: PopSugar

Shewas going to have a speaking sidekick a talking turkey named Redfeather voiced by John Candy, which would have been prettygreat.

But filmmakers decided to stick with mute sidekicks, and so we were givenMeeko, who was still kind of great.

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25

Elsa is the only princess who isn’t a teenager.

via: Wikimedia

She’s actually 21 years old, which means she could keep some beer on ice in that Frozen castle of hers.

26

But Snow White? She was only 14 years old.

via: FanPop

Nope, nothing weird about a girl shacking up with seven strange men. Nothing weird at all…

27

The only Disney princess to kiss a villain was Jasmine.

via: Disney

I guess she took one for the team, but…yuck.

28

The only princesses to encounter snow were Belle and Mulan.

via: WIkimedia

Until Anna and Elsa came along, of course.

29

Aurora was the last princess to be created before Walt Disney’s death.

via: PopSugar

He passed away in 1966, 23 years before The Little Mermaid was released.

Not that it matters though, because remember, he loved Cinderella best.

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30

The only Disney princess whose character is based on a real person is Pocahontas.

via: Wikimedia

Mulan’s warrior character was based on legend which we’ll get to next and it turns out that mermaids don’t really exist.

31

Mulan is based on a legendary Chinese female warrior.

via: Movie Pilot

In the original story of Hua Mulan, she fools the troops until the end of the war and doesn’t reveal she is a woman until after it is over.

But, unlike Pocahontas, there isn’t solid proof of her actual existence.

32

Elsa was originally the villain of Frozen.

</di

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/40-things-you-never-knew-about-your-favorite-disney-princesses/

[bakjacconsulting-blog]

12 Days Of Mental Toughness For Christmas

I have to admit, Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. I am one of those people who absolutely loves to put up the Christmas tree. It is a tradition in our family to put up the tree on the same day as the Christmas Pageant in Adelaide, and yes, I do have OPD (that’s Ornament Placement Disorder), and I love to drive my kids mad until they get it right.

For many of us though, Christmas can be quite a stressful time of year. Workloads can get excessive, and sometimes we have so much on that we just don’t know which way to turn. Some of us are also confronted by the fact that we may be alone at Christmas and this can bring its own challenges.

So following are 12 strategies to enhance your mental toughness over the Christmas period. So as I sing, “On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me”……., Consider these 12 opportunities to enhance your mental toughness so you not only survive the Christmas period, but thrive.

1)   Recognise what is within your control.

Consider drawing two large circles one within the other. In the outer circle write down all the things about the situation which you cannot control. In the inner circle write down all the things about the situation which you can control. Now, consider which circle are you thinking about the most?

There is an old Chinese proverb – “If you have a problem which you can control, then you don’t have a problem and if you have a problem that you cannot control, then you also do not have a problem.”

2)   See challenges as opportunities.

There are many things in our lives that push us outside of our comfort zone. This can obviously feel very uncomfortable. However it is only in a state of complexity where we experience growth. So rather than say “I can’t do it”, reframe this for yourself and say “I can’t do it yet”.

3)   Stay above the line.

We can often get bogged down by a problem we are facing and get caught up in blame, negativity, excuses and frustration. Rather than be below the line, ask yourself the question “what is one thing I could do right now to move myself one step forward”.

4)   Stomp on your ANTS

We all have ANTS (Automatic Negative Thoughts). We catastrophise, we engage in black and white thinking, we mind read and we generalise. Consider the automatic negative thoughts you tend to engage in. Ask yourself how could you stomp on your ANTS and make them PETS (Performance Enhancing Thoughts)?

5)   Create stickability to your goals.

We have all heard of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely). But while many of us are aware of the acronym, many of us fail to develop and write down our goals and commit to dedicated action. Really consider, what is it that you want to achieve, when is it that you want to achieve it, and what will it look like when you get there.

6)   If you name it you can tame it.

Often, we have difficulty understanding our emotions and as a result we have difficulty deriving an appropriate action plan for an emotion we do not understand. So consider:

•      Recognising the emotion - “If you name it you can tame it”

•      Understand the emotion – what generated it. What was the thought behind/generating the emotion?

•      Now what steps can you take to manage the emotion?

•      Express the emotion – how can you do this in a productive way?

7)   The aggregation of marginal gains.

At this time of year, don’t try to make big changes which you will have difficulty sustaining. What if you tried to just improve a few areas of your life by just 1%? Consider the opportunities and the advantages of the aggregation of all of those marginal gains. Consider improving your relationships by just 1%, consider improving your well-being by just 1%, consider improving your opportunity for relaxation by just 1%, consider your opportunity by being more mindful by just 1%.

8)   Shift your focus.

It is easy for us to get caught up in selective attention. When we put a run in our stockings, we drop our coffee cup or our children are fighting, it is easy for our brains to only focus on the one negative thing that is happening around us and catastrophise by saying, “now I’m going to have a bad day”.

Instead, shift your attention and decide to focus on the positive. Decide to notice three good things that are happening in your life. These things don’t necessarily have to be particularly huge or meaningful to anybody else but you. Has somebody been particularly helpful, have you noticed a funny YouTube video recently, do you like the outfit you have on today? You can reset your mood if you aim to focus on the good things that happen around you and to you throughout the day.

9)   Let it go, let it go…..

Come on…… sing it out loud “Let it gooooo, Let it gooooo”

My Nana used to have a lot of great sayings that she used to spout at me on a regular basis. One of my favourites was “Michelle, a problem shared is a problem halved”.

Often we are so close to a problem that “we can’t see the woods for the trees” (this was another of Nan’s favourites) and we are confused by the scenario, options, decision etc etc.

Talking the problem out with a trusted person can often really help. By letting your big worry be “exposed” it often does not seem quite so big and a trusted friend might be able to give you the perspective you never had, and drive you toward some dedicated action which allows you to put that ever present worry down. Plus venting can be good as well!

10)  Don’t look back – you’re not going that way.

We seem to spend a whole lot of time looking back over our shoulders to ruminate on all the things we have done which typically feeds our worry monster. However, spending too much time in the future can also feed that same monster and we can get caught up in all the disasters we imagine “could” happen.

So focus on spending more of your time and attention in the present moment. Reconnect with what is occurring in the moment and “be mindful”.

Slow yourself right down and take notice of what’s going on around you. Focus on disrupting your worry and ruminative thoughts and reconnecting with what is going on around you right at that moment.

    11) Treat yourself

Never underestimate the value of reward. A sweet treat, a nice hot bath, a massage, sitting in the garden with a cup of coffee, or a lunch date with a friend, all of these provide a great opportunity to take a timeout, refresh ourselves and gain a newfound sense of energy to deal with the Christmas season.

12)  Put your own air mask on first

This is the time of year where we have to recognise that our well-being needs to be at the forefront of our attention. Are you running around with an air mask in your hand administering oxygen to everybody else, or are you putting your own air mask on first so that you are in a better position to assist others around you.

So there you have it. 12 strategies to develop your mental toughness through this Christmas period.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and look forward to sharing fantastic insights on mental toughness and well-being in the New Year.

Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Organisational Consultant, Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com

[xyzinfosec-blog]

China protests India’s ‘incursion’, fresh cyberattack: Top stories to bring you up to date

From China lodging a protest against Indian soldiers’ ‘trespassing’ into their territory to another ransomware attack hitting computers across the world.

1) China lodges protest with India over Sikkim ‘incursion’

China on Tuesday lodged protests in Beijing and New Delhi against Indian soldiers’ “trespassing” into its territory and indicated the Mansarovar Yatra would remain suspended till India “withdrew” its troops. The ministry of foreign affairs made it clear it would leverage the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a major confidence-building measure between the two neighbours, in the standoff along the Line of Actual Control in Sikkim. In a late-night statement, China cited an 1890 treaty signed between the British-Indian government and the then ruling Chinese Qing dynasty on Sikkim to say India was violating rules established 127 years ago. 

2) Area in Sikkim that Indian army raised objection about is ‘undoubtedly’ ours, says China

China on Tuesday justified the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector, saying the area “undoubtedly” is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty. “According to the treaty, ‘zhe’ is the ancient name of Sikkim,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. “As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border,” he said. The statement came a day after the Chinese military accused the Indian army of stopping the construction of the road in what it claims to be China’s “sovereign territory” in the Sikkim section of the India-China border.

3) VHP calls for boycott of Chinese products after Mansarovar yatra suspended

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) today urged the people to boycott the Chinese products as a mark of protest against China’s refusal to allow pilgrims to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The neighbouring country has reportedly refused entry to the first batch of some 50 pilgrims, who were supposed to travel to Kailash Mansarovar via Nathu La in Sikkim. Reacting sharply to this, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Kumar Jain alleged that China had its eye on Tibet, which it had been “illegally” occupying.

4)‘It’s WannaCry all over again’: Ransomware cyberattack hits Europe, major companies

A ransomware attack hit computers across the world on Tuesday, taking out servers at Russia’s biggest oil company, disrupting operations at Ukrainian banks, and shutting down computers at multinational shipping and advertising firms. Cyber security experts said those behind the attack appeared to have exploited the same type of hacking tool used in the WannaCry ransomware attack that infected hundreds of thousands of computers in May before a British researcher created a kill-switch. “It’s like WannaCry all over again,” said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with Helsinki-based cyber security firm F-Secure. 

5) Those who lynched Junaid on train will be punished, says Haryana CM Khattar

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar promised on Tuesday the killers of Junaid Khan, who was lynched on a train in Faridabad, will be brought to justice. “The government will not allow anyone to take the law in his hands,” he said in an interview to Hindustan Times. The 16-year-old Junaid was returning to his Ballabhgarh home with his brothers after Eid shopping in New Delhi on June 23. He was stabbed to death by a mob after an altercation over seats on a suburban train.

Khattar disapproved the incidents of vigilantism in the name of cow protection. The chief minister said Junaid’s killing was not a “big conspiracy”. “There is nothing to suggest it was a planned act.” 

6) Can’t adopt white child, try in India, British-Sikh couple told by UK agency

A British Sikh couple were asked by an adoption agency not to apply because of their “Indian heritage” and were advised to try to adopt in India, sparking fury and a race-discrimination case. Berkshire-based Sandeep and Reena Mander wanted to adopt a child of any ethnic background but were told that since only white children were in need, white British or European applicants would be given preference, meaning they were unlikely to be selected. The case prominently reported in the British media on Tuesday highlighted race issues in adoption though the official position is that a child’s ethnicity should not be a barrier to adoption.

7) JD(U) asks why Congress is shortening life of grand alliance, cites natural ties with BJP in past

The JD(U) hit out on Tuesday at the Congress’ “unfriendly and unwarranted” attack on its chief Nitish Kumar, wondering why the grand old party seemed bent on shortening the life of the Bihar grand alliance, where Lalu Prasad’s RJD too has a stake. With the JD(U)’s decision to back NDA’s presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind under intense scrutiny, spokesperson KC Tyagi also referred to his party’s “natural” relations with the Centre’s ruling BJP when it was part of the National Democratic Alliance. He, however, insisted that there was no question of joining the saffron alliance. 

8) UPSC third ranker gets HC notice for producing ‘fake’ disability certificate

The Hyderabad high court on Tuesday issued notices to Gopalakrishna Ronanki, who was ranked third in the civil services examination this year, to prove the disability certificate that he submitted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) while appearing for the examination, was genuine. A public interest litigation petition has alleged that Ronanki, who belonged to the Other Backward Caste, submitted a fake certificate stating he has 45% disability to the UPSC while applying for the civil services exam last year.

9) Opinion: Why US designation of Hizb’s Salahuddin as global terrorist will put Pakistan in a spot

The US designation of Syed Salahuddin, the Pakistan-based chief of Hizbul Mujahideen and United Jihad Council, as a global terrorist is significant for India’s efforts to counter cross-border terror in several ways. Salahuddin is the only terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir to make the infamous State Department’s list. Unlike other Pakistan-based Indian citizens, Islamabad has never denied the presence of Salahuddin on its soil. With the US position on terrorism in the region aligning more closely with that of India, it may be difficult for the Pakistani security establishment to resist pressure to crack down on terrorists such as Salahuddin. 

10) Why Ravi Shastri is better than Anil Kumble, reveals Indian cricket team insider

With Ravi Shastri throwing in the hat now for the job of India coach, one can’t help but question whether the brouhaha last year over his application and its subsequent rejection was really worth it. There is little doubt that Shastri gelled better with skipper Virat Kohli than the more workmanlike Kumble. Fielding coach R Sridhar, who has been with the team for three years says “Shastri was somebody who was character-based. He wanted characters in the team, so he worked on that kind of approach.” “He wanted to take that approach to the field. Kumble was someone who wanted to achieve excellence in his own way,” he adds. 

[sportsandfitnessinfo]

New Post has been published on http://fitnessandhealthpros.com/health/top-10-probiotic-rich-foods-and-recipes-with-healing-benefits-for-your-body/

Top 10 Probiotic Rich Foods and Recipes with Healing Benefits for your Body

Say hello to our second brain – our gut! Surprised much? You really needn’t be, as our gut has far greater impact on our body than we give it credit for. More and more research has substantiated the fact that we have more bacteria in our body than cells. So that makes us more of a bug than a human!

But even if you are rolling your eyes in disbelief, hear us out! The trillions of bacteria residing in our gut play a great many roles in our body and impact our overall health, as they regulate inflammation and immunity.

But instead of nourishing it, all we do is affect our gut health adversely by the overuse of antacids, birth control pills, environmental pills, steroids, and the works, damaging the very system that protects and sustains our bodies, namely our microbiome.

Here is where a probiotic comes in! A probiotic food can fix your gut health in more ways than one. Care to know how? We will tell you how!

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are bacteria that line your digestive system and enhance your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients from the food you eat, and also helps stave off infections.

Earlier our body used to get enough probiotics as people ate fresh foods from good soil. People also ate more fermented foods to keep their foods from spoiling.

Now, all we do is refrigerate our foods, and support dangerous agricultural practices. Most of our foods are soaked in chlorine. So today we get to eat foods full of antibiotics which kill off the good bacteria, causing an imbalance in the gut, leading to chronic health conditions.

So, the secret is out, all you have to do is balance your gut bacteria, which is the key to health and well-being.

Benefits of Probiotics on your Health

The incredible benefits of probiotics are not limited to just promoting good digestion, here’s what else it can do:

It boosts the immune system

Improves digestion

Increases energy because of the production of  B12

Helps experience better health

Healthy skin and improves conditions such as improve eczema and psoriasis

Reduces cold and flu

Heals leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease

Aids in weight loss

Top 7 Probiotic Killers

Most people, and that includes children, need a healthy dose of probiotics due to the overuse of prescription medications, especially antibiotics. We are slowly killing our beneficial bacteria, thanks or rather no thanks, to the following:

Medicines, especially antibiotics

Sugar

Tap water

Gluten

GMO foods

Stress

Chemicals

To maintain your gut flora balance, you need to avoid the foods that kill off good bacteria. If they’re not addressed, your gut micro-organisms become imbalanced, and your system can become a thriving field for bad bacteria, parasites, yeast, viruses, and fungi.

The only way you can heal your gut bacteria is by including probiotic-rich foods in your diet. Here are some delicious and healthy foods which you can add to your daily diet.

Probiotic Rich foods – A must have!

Your gut is a receptacle of both beneficial and harmful bacteria. Doctors and nutritionists have agreed on the fact that the balance of gut flora should be around 85 percent good bacteria and 15 percent bad bacteria.

If this ratio gets off-kilter, the resulting condition is known as dysbiosis, which means that there’s an imbalance of too much of one type of fungus, yeast or bacteria, which proves to be detrimental to the body in the long run. So bring back the ratio to the right order by consuming these foods.

1. Kefir

This looks and feels like yogurt, and is a fermented dairy product. The unique combination of milk and fermented kefir grains makes it a much sought after fermented food product. The fact that it has been consumed for well over 3,000 years proves that it is a tried and tested food option to bring about a balance in gut flora. The term kefir hails from Russia and Turkey and symbolically

The term kefir hails from Russia and Turkey and symbolically, it means “feeling good.”  It tastes acidic and has a tart flavor, but what makes it an absolute winner is that it contains anywhere from 10 to 34 strains of probiotics. Kefir contains a higher culture of beneficial bacteria than it’s look-alike cousin, yogurt.

Since it has garnered quite a fan brigade amongst health conscious people, it’s available in all its bottled glory too! Find one, which is all natural, minus preservatives and unnecessary additives. It is also available in different flavors and is quite delicious.

2. Dosa and idli

Surprised? In our pursuit of the exotic and elusive, we have kind of ignored our good old staple. It’s a sad state of affairs but completely true! Now why is this common food item deemed so nutritious?

The art of preparation of different types of staple dishes like rice has been a part of our culture for years together. Dishes prepared from fermented rice or a blend of rice and pulses, read dosa and idli, should be your go-to foods. If prepared at home by following the fermentation rules, even better!

Dosa and idli are fermented by a mixed culture of microorganisms. The batter is carried out largely by lactic acid bacteria, the same class of microorganisms that you would find in yogurt.

3. Pickles

Pickles are another great addition to your diet. The Lactic acid fermentation produces important antioxidants and nutrients, known as folates, which are absolutely essential for fetal development and proliferation of blood cells. It also inhibits anti-nutrients, such as phytates, which reduce mineral bioavailability and the digestion of protein.

Naturally fermented pickles’ taste salty and sour, making them the go-to side dish for every kind of meal. It is said that if you use cancer-fighting vegetables in your pickles, they become even more potent in their cured form. These vegetables that can be used in pickles are of the cruciferous variety, like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Also, you need to make them at home; these are naturally fermented and hence more potent than store bought ones.

4. Kimchi

As quirky as it sounds; it is mighty beneficial as well. Kimchi is a powerhouse of nutrients. It is Korea’s answer to assorted fermented veggies. It’s created by putting together the main ingredient, such as Chinese cabbage, with a myriad of foods and spices, like red pepper flakes, carrots, garlic, radishes, ginger, onion, sea salt and fish sauce. The mixture is then kept aside to ferment for a good 3 to 14 days.

5. Kanji

This is something you usually have when you are sick, but this concoction has tons of benefits which you may not be aware of. It is basically rice water, fermented to enhance the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Kanji is not made out of a single grain broth. It can be made from a number of grains, such as corn, bajra, ragi, and also atta (wheat). Since kanji can be prepared by a number of ways, it brings about a number of nutritional benefits. Do make it at home and we guarantee you will report less sick days at your office! Such is the power of traditional foods.

6. Yogurt

It is one of the most popular probiotic foods and a little more known than some of the other probiotic foods in the list. The live cultured yogurt or Greek yogurt is made from the milk of cows, buffaloes, goats or sheep.

But beware of pasteurized yogurt, because it will be bereft of all the beneficial bacteria. You can reap the benefits of yogurt only when it comes from grass fed animals. The markets are flooded with all kinds of yogurt today, but not all of them are healthy. The sugar and extra additives can do more harm to your health than good.  So when you buy yogurt from a supermarket, make sure that that it is organic, and it comes from animals that are grass-fed. Or better still; start setting dahi or yogurt at home. Ensure that the milk source is right.

7. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is not only great for controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and also for weight loss, it also brings many other benefits to the table, which include probiotic properties. Never forget to sip a small amount every day.

8. Sauerkraut

There is no end to the benefits of sauerkraut. This is not unlike its Korean cousin. Full of thriving bacteria and enzymes, this is fermented veggies done right.  It aids in digestion and the fermented veggies are high on organic acids. The Germans love their sauerkraut; so there is no reason why we shouldn’t steal a leaf or two from their health book.

9. Kombucha

Kombucha is from Japan, it is a fermentation of black tea that is started by using a SCOBY, which is a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha has been used for ages, and dates back as long as 2,000 years back. It has been said to provide digestive support, increased energy, and liver detoxification.

10. Natto

This is fermented soybeans, a popular probiotic food which hails from Japan. Natto is really healthy as it contains the powerful probiotic bacillus subtilis, which boasts of tons of health benefits which include bolstering your immune system, supporting cardiovascular health and improving your digestion with vitamin K2. Additionally, Natto contains a powerful anti-inflammatory cancer-fighting enzyme called nattokinase.

Probiotic Food Recipes

With the wide array of probiotic foods available, you must be wondering which ones are just right for you. Homemade should be what you go for, undoubtedly. Fermented naturally, it is chock-a-block with the right nutrients and minus the additives detrimental to our health.

1. Carrot Kanji

When in doubt, have carrot kanji, the super cool drink that has been around for ages, nurturing our health in many ways than one. This is the choice of drink during the festival of colors, Holi. This drink is really beneficial and aids in digestion.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. Brown Mustard Seeds, crushed

4-5 large carrots, peeled

1 large beet, peeled

6-7 cups of filtered water (add more if required)

1 tablespoon Fine Sea Salt

Method

Crush the mustard seeds with the help of a mortar pestle or a coffee grinder. You do not really have to ground it finely, coarsely ground is okay.

Chop the carrots and beets into thin long pieces.

Put all the ingredients in a glass jar and cover it with a lid or cheesecloth.

Find a sunny spot to keep the jar for at least one week, and keep stirring it with a wooden spoon daily.

Once the kanji develops a tangy flavor, you will know that your drink is fermented.

Strain the drink; you can keep the leftover vegetables to use later.

Refrigerate the drink and enjoy.

2. Ginger Pickle

Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. When it is fermented and cured, the benefits increase manifold. Ginger also aids in digestion. This is one of the best probiotic foods to have every day with your main meals.

Ingredients

1/2 kg raw ginger, julienne

Juice of 13-15 lemons

2-3 tsp. vinegar

3-4 tsp. salt or to taste

Method

Peel and mince the ginger.

In a jar, add the ginger, salt, vinegar and lemon juice. Shake the jar vigorously.

Let the pickle rest for a day or two in the sun.

When the ginger is a little pink, you will know the pickle is ready to eat.

Fermented foods have been part of our diets for ages. It is the time we bring them back to our table and make them a part of our daily diet. You can even think of supplementation if you are too busy to prepare fermented foods daily. Consult your doctor about the probiotic supplements right for you.  So, make this delicious addition to your diet; trust us you, won’t regret it!

Originally at :The Fit Indian – Daily Health, Fitness and Diet Tips Written By : Deblina Biswas

#Benefits, #Body, #Foods, #Healing, #Probiotic, #Recipes, #Rich #Health

[livepicx-blog]

12 Incredible Photo Stories You Absolutely Can’t Miss

Here are the most interesting and powerful photo stories from across the web. 

1.“Postcards from a Modern-Day Hippie Paradise” — Vice

Denis Vejas

“Since 1972, the Rainbow Family Gathering has been a place where free love is expressed without rules, reservations, or clothes, for that matter. From 2011 to 2014, photographer Denis Vejas traveled to their annual meeting places to document what a neo-hippy-anarchist utopia would look like in an age of digital culture and global consumerism. Think Burning Man, but without the celebrities and the AT&T sponsored cool-down tent.” —Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor, BuzzFeed News

2.  “A Photographer Has Painstakingly Re-Created Photos Of Young People He Took In The ’70s And ’80s” — BuzzFeed News

Chris Porsz / Bav Media

“Chris Porsz’s photographs can be perfectly described as a ‘time-travelling’ series. As an amateur photographer in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Porsz walked around his hometown of Peterborough taking photographs of strangers. In the last few years he has gone to great lengths to re-create the images he took decades before, tracking down the same people and posing them in the original location. The remarkable results are demonstrated brilliantly using BuzzFeed’s slide effect.” —Laura Gallant, picture assistant, BuzzFeed UK

3. “Black Skies Above Mosul” — The Atlantic

Yasin Akgul / AFP / Getty

“The media has been saturated with images from the front lines of Mosul ever since the new offensive began. What sets this photo essay apart is the focus on those who are living in this war zone in the shadow of endlessly burning oil fires. These pictures capture the men, women, and children who are trapped under sunless skies and blackened clouds, covered in soot as they make their way past shallow pools of oil. Most haunting are the photos of children playing and livestock grazing, all stained in this carcinogenic residue from head to toe. This is their new normal.” —Laura Geiser, photo editor, BuzzFeed News

4. “NYC Newsstands” — Nei Valente

Nei Valente

“In the fall of 2007, roughly 200 privately-owned businesses were seized by the city of New York, torn down, and replaced with identical steel and glass boxes imported by Spanish company Cemusa. This has become an all too familiar refrain — once ubiquitous aspects of daily life fading into obscurity. For his 2016 series, photographer Nei Valente traveled the city, capturing the idiosyncratic charm of the humble newsstand and the businessmen stationed within them. The photos themselves reveal a savvy adaptability: As the primary earnings vehicle (newspapers and magazines) have diminished, the stock of candy bars and cell phone accessories has increased. Valente’s presentation of the work, the almost seamless texture of products created by running the photos up against one other, is particularly captivating.” —Ben King, deputy design director, BuzzFeed News

5. “Rare Photographs of the US Civil Rights Struggle Beyond the South” — Hyperallergic

Getty Research Institute

“The images of protests and turmoil during the 1960s civil rights movement are seared into our collective memory as pictures that define an era. These are not those pictures. Instead, historian and author Mark Speltz has collected over 100 rare and unseen images from civil rights action outside of the American South. His book, North of Dixie, completes many of the gaps that most 1960s narratives omit from our national story.” —GHS

6. “Photographer Has Found The Exact Spots Where Album Covers Were Created” — BuzzFeed

Alex Bartsch / Via alexbartsch.com

“Photographer Alex Bartsch makes a daunting task appear seamless — finding the exact locations of album covers throughout London and re-creating the scene. In such a historic city, the backdrops are very much the same as when the original photos were shot, which creates an interesting narrative around the passage of time. This series is refreshing and beautiful — a welcome escape from more serious, news photo stories.” —Sarah Kobos, photo editor, BuzzFeed

7. “Looking back after 100” — theWashington Post

Paul Mobley

“All the feels, looking at Paul Mobley’s work in this collection of beautiful portraits of centenarians across the US. The images and quotes reflect the dignity and whimsy of old age, the passage of time a badge of honor to be shared.” —KB

8. “These Photos From A Chinese Factory Are Haunting” — BuzzFeed News

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images

“These pictures are apocalyptic to say the least. Contained in Kevin Frayer’s gritty and dark images of Inner Mongolia’s steel mines is not only the visual proof of Asia’s high-polluting factories spewing toxic pollutants into Earth’s atmosphere, but also a grim warning of the gloomy future we may soon inhabit if we don’t act now to curb greenhouse gas emissions.” —GHS

9. “The New York Times Black Male Glamour, as Style and Substance” — New York Times

The New York Public Library

“This project is a love song to what was not, looking at how black men — some well known, others less so — were portrayed marginally throughout much of the course of history. Maurice Berger’s book uses style as a way to elevate the men from the edges of the story to the forefront, and does us all a favor by reflecting on the origins of ‘cool.’” —KB

10. “Phones and the City” — Reuters

Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

“This photo series by Stefan Wermuth is as true as it gets as far as urban social commentary goes. His subjects: They’re you and me, no matter how much we deny how technology has taken over our lives. And what makes the photos so strong is how he presents the private and the public simultaneously and seamlessly.” —Anna Mendoza, photo editor, BuzzFeed Australia

11. “Losing More Than Land at Standing Rock” — Time

Larry Towell / Magnum Photos

“The situation in Standing Rock remains uncertain, as the governor and the Army Corps have made motions to dislodge the protesters, only to walk back their threats of removal to more insidious motions such as not guaranteeing EMS services. The construction itself remains at a standstill, frozen out by the weather as much as by popular opinion, and it is against this backdrop of conflict that Larry Towell’s work resonates. His black and white images reflect the curious alliances and contradicting tones. They are quiet, historical photos for a moment in time that is still very alive — a pause from the drama to reflect on the significance of Standing Rock as more than a mere protest, but a reckoning of identity.” —KB

12. “The shocking truth about hair extensions revealed” — the New Zealand Herald

Mike Scott

“This well-crafted and beautifully presented investigation is what 21st century storytelling should look like. The piece takes us on a journey from source to consumer, via compelling words and moving imagery, and tackles a topic as complex as international trade exploitation while keeping the narrative exciting and thought provoking.” —AM

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