MNIK is rock solid overseas

My Name Is Khan continues to dominate the international charts. The combined total from key international markets, at the end of 10 days, is approx. Rs. 46.25 crores.
U.K. BOX-OFFICE
Note:- Collections of several films are unavailable. Hence, this list is incomplete.

* My Name Is Khan [last weekend: No. 6, this weekend: No. 9]: In its second weekend, the film has collected £ 4,48,747 on 91 screens, with the per screen average working out to £ 4,931.
Total: £ 19,60,349 [approx. Rs. 14.05 crores].

U.S.A. BOX-OFFICE
* My Name Is Khan [last weekend: No. 13, this weekend: No. 17]: In its second weekend, the film has collected $ 7,00,885 on 125 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 5,607.
Total: $ 32,53,168 [approx. Rs. 15.01 crores].

AUSTRALIA BOX-OFFICE
* My Name Is Khan [last weekend: No. 10, this weekend: No. 15]: In its second weekend, the film has collected Aus. $ 1,73,846 on 37 screens, with the per screen average working out to Aus. $ 4,699.
Total: Aus. $ 7,62,584 [approx. Rs. 3.17 crores].

OTHER KEY MARKETS

* Singapore: USD $ 3,01,094 [approx. Rs. 1.39 crores]

* Pakistan: USD $ 3,65,298 [approx. Rs. 1.68 crores]

* East and West Africa: USD $ 1,65,260 [approx. Rs. 76.22 lacs]

* Middle East Markets: USD $ 2.21 million [approx. Rs. 10.19 crores

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My Name Is Khan looses to 3 Idiots

This is a a piece of news which will hurt the fans of Shahrukh Khan. King Khan has lost it out to the perfectionist Aamir Khan once again. Shahrukh's My Name Is Khan which had got a bombastic opening opening in it's first week has lost grip over the Box Office in it's second week and seems to be no match for Aamir's 3 Idiots. My Name Is Khan has seen a steep fall in the second week with occupancy falling as much as 60% to 80%.

The movie had started off well thanks to the controversy created by the Shiv Sena over Shahrukh's support to the Pakistani players in the IPL. Fox Star India which is distributing the movie was excited after the movie had a better start than 3 Idiots. But My Name Is Khan seems to have lost the momentum having grossed Rs. 150 Crores in the second week compared to Rs. 240 Crores , 3 Idiots grossed in the first 10 days.

This is not the first time that Shahrukh has emerged No. 2 in the race. In 2008 too Shahrukh's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was going well but when Aamir's Ghajini released the movie found tough to breathe. Ghajini had gone on to establish records at the Box Office which was incidentally broken by Aamir starer 3 Idiots. Now having lost two consecutive rounds to Aamir, Shahrukh will find it tough to keep his 'Baadshah of Bollywood' tag.
Related posts:

Shah Rukh Khan's "My Name Is Khan" : Questions of religious and national identity

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Students who fail courses

A NZ Herald story headed Students who fail could lose their loans doesn't tell the full story. If students fail half their courses they could lose their loans.Student allowances are chopped if students failed more than half of their courses in the previous year, but there is no requirement to pass courses to keep getting student loans. Perhaps the government wants to introduce some requirements even though some students are enrolled for tertiary education because they can't get a job. They`ll pull out of their course if they get one, though.

Some workers may well take on some papers internally while working. If they get a transfer, they have to pull out.

As for extramural students, many of whom are are not studying full time, the government appears to want to discourage them from studying unless they are an effective full time student.Some may have to enroll (and pay) in January for summer school just to be sure of a place, as if you enroll late or pay your fees late, you may be excluded.

These days, some students who gets offered a good job will pull out of uni. That's what you get when you have many students who are studying because they can't find work, and a government who can't provide the climate to create jobs for these students. These students aren't failures, they simply drop out. The rest graduate, go on the dole, and those that don't subsequently get work wonder when they can apply for jobs at the new "job creation" cycleway.

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Kites- Realising on may 21

Banner
Filmkraft Productions (I) Pvt Ltd

Release Date
May 21, 2010

Language
Hindi  /  English

Genre
Thriller  /  Romance

Shooting Studios
Filmistan

Producer
Rakesh Roshan
Sunaina Roshan

Director
Anurag Basu

Star Cast

• Hrithik Roshan
• Kangna Ranaut
• Barbara Mori
• Kabir Bedi
• Nick Brown

Cassettes and CD’s on
T-Series

Music Director
Rajesh Roshan

Story / Writer
Akash Khurana
Anurag Basu
Robin Bhatt

Hrithik Roshan starrer romantic saga ‘Kites’, which also marks the Bollywood debut of Mexican model Barbara Mori, will hit theatres worldwide on May 21.

The Hindi and English versions of ‘Kites’ will release worldwide simultaneously in 60 countries.The first trailer of the movie, which has been produced by Rakesh Roshan, distributed and marketed by Reliance Big Picture, was unveiled in 1700 screens on 12th February.

More about → Kites- Realising on may 21

Concept ships by Feng Zhu

Tons of concept art from Feng Zhu... Check out FZD School of Design.































Keywords: concept spaceship vehicle design technical hard surface illustration art architectural environment concept design by from feng zhu fzd school of design in singapore

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Health messages 'has had little effect'

5 A Day Day in Croydon Campaign: Decade of spending on health messages 'has had little effect' - Health News, Health & Families

Leading UK Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life says "It's a little early to be saying that the Change4Life campaign has failed but there's no doubt government needs to dramatically rethink the issue of holistic preventative health measures to save the NHS from collapsing into a black hole"

* Only 35 per cent of adults eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day

* the figure for teenagers is 15 per cent

* children’s milk consumption has fallen

* fibre remains below the Government target

* people are eating half the recommended amount of oily fish

* average biodymass has increased, making 60 per cent of adults are overweight or obese 

Richard Watts of Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming said: “After 10 years of largely small, weak or voluntary initiatives, like Change4Life, we have seen little improvement in the nation's diet.

“Where the government has introduced tough rules, such as improving school food, genuine progress has been made but unless we really challenge our 'obeseogenic' culture by doing things like introducing proper protections from junk food marketing, these worrying trends will continue.”

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Gary Mike David concept ships

Gary's CG HUB portfolio.





Keywords: concept spaceship art by gary mike david illustration design concepts flying pods engines exhaust laser light with pilots runway city

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Will ‘Hurt Locker’ have an ending like ‘Brokeback’?

With wins at the Producers Guild, Directors Guild, Writers Guild, and British Academy Awards, “The “Hurt Locker” ” has clearly been racking up the major pre-Oscar prizes in the last month.

In fact, with the exception of a couple big-ticket losses at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, Kathryn Bigelow’s film has nearly accomplished the same sweep that “Slumdog Millionaire” pulled off last year. By that yardstick, the film seems like a sure thing to win the Best Picture Oscar on March 7, particularly because those two high-profile losses came at the hands of two different films (“Avatar” at the Globes, “Inglourious Basterds” at SAG) rather than one.

But then I started looking at all ““Brokeback”  Mountain’s” pre-Oscar record from four years ago and I found some striking similarities. 

“Brokeback” managed the rare feat of winning Best Picture and Best Director at both the New York and Los Angeles film critics awards; so did ““Hurt Locker.” “Brokeback” also picked up those two big prizes at the Broadcast Film Critics Awards; so did “Hurt Locker.” “Brokeback” won the trifecta of PGA, DGA, and WGA trophies; so did “Hurt Locker.” “Brokeback” won 4 BAFTAs, including Best Film, Director, and Screenplay; “Hurt Locker” picked up 6 awards, including Best Film, Director, and Screenplay. And of course, “Brokeback” lost the SAG cast award, and so did “Hurt Locker.” (The main difference between the two films’ tallies is that “Brokeback” did win four Globes, including Best Drama and Best Director, while “Hurt Locker”  went 0 for 3.)

All of this is on my mind right now because we’re about to put our Oscar Odds issue to bed (it’ll be on stands this Friday), and it’s really making me think twice about my prediction that The “Hurt Locker”  will emerge victorious on March 7.

There’s still a distinct possibility that “Hurt Locker”  will mirror “Brokeback”  yet again and win three Oscars (let’s say Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing) but lose the big one to a more easily-digestible rival, in this case “Avatar.” 

But I’m swayed by the argument (best articulated by Steve Pond over at The Wrap) that even if “Avatar” scores the most No. 1 votes, The “Hurt Locker”  is likely to perform better in subsequent rounds of voting, since Bigelow’s film may have more No. 2 and No. 3 rankings than “Avatar” will. So, fully knowing that I may end up being wrong, I’m sticking with The “Hurt Locker”.

Related Posts:

"Avatar" Vs "Heart Locker" hard contest

Nominees for the 82nd academy award

More about → Will ‘Hurt Locker’ have an ending like ‘Brokeback’?

AMINOSÄUREN - AB 40 FEHLEN SIE MEISTENS!

AMINOSÄUREN - AB 40 FEHLEN SIE MEISTENS!.1

Praktisch alle Vitalsubstanzen, die unser Organismus zum Leben benötigt, werden aus verschiedenen Aminosäuren zusammen gesetzt. Aminosäuren sind die eigentlichen Bausteine für Enzyme, Hormone, Mittler- und Transmitterstoffe, usw.. Täglich "baut" der Organismus zwischen 80.000 und 120.000 unterschiedliche Enzyme, indem er verschiedene Aminosäure- Moleküle aneinander reiht und zu Molekülketten "umbaut". Die Aminosäuren, die für diese Vorgänge notwendig sind, entnimmt der Organismus der täglichen Nahrung.

Unsere moderne Ernährungsweise stellt nicht mehr immer sicher, dass wir auch wirklich alle notwendigen, = essentiellen Aminosäuren, in genügender Menge aufnehmen. Zudem sinkt die Aufnahmefähigkeit des Körpers mit zunehmendem Alter.

WAS BEWIRKEN DIE AMINOSÄUREN?
Verlust von Fettgewebe, ohne körperliche Aktivität. Ein natürlicher Face-Lift innerhalb von drei bis sechs Monaten als Ergebnis des verlorenen gespeicherten Fettgewebes und des Wiederufbaus der Gesichtsmuskulatur. Das Gleiche wiederholt sich im gesamten Körper während sich die Muskeln erneut formen und definieren. Dies findet mit oder ohne körperliche Aktivität statt.

GESTÄRKTES IMMUNSYSTEM
Eine entspanntere Einstellung und eine erhöhte Fähigkeit mit Stresssituationen im Alltag fertig zu werden Vertiefte Konzentration und Lernfähigkeit Tieferer Schlaf (oder weniger aber dabei ausreichender Schlaf) Abbau von Panikanfällen Umkehrung des Alterungsvorgangs. (z.B. L-Arginin unterstützt die Entspannung der Blutgefäße und hilft bei der Bildung von Wachstumshormonen zur Zellregeneration)

DIE FUNKTIONEN VON AMINOSÄUREN
Sie sind so ziemlich die einzigen Substanzen, die die Magen-Darmbarriere überwinden und in die Blutbahn übergehen können. Das Blut transportiert sie dann an jene Stellen, wo Sie in Eiweiße umgewandelt werden. Die wichtigsten dieser Eiweiße seien hier genannt: Enzyme, Hormone (Peptid- und Proteohormone), Stütz- und Gerüsteiweiße (Kollagen, Elastin, Keratin), Strukturproteine (Aktin, Myosin), Plasmaproteine (Albumine), Transportproteine (Hämoglobin, Myoglobin), Antikörper, Blutgerinnungsfaktoren, Alloantigene, aber auch Reservesubstanzen für die Energieversorgung bei Hunger; diese Reserveeiweiße stammen vor allem aus der Muskulatur, der Milz und der Leber und werden zur Glukoneogenese (= Glukosebildung aus Nicht-Kohlenwasserstoff-Vorstufen) verwendet. Die "Wertigkeit" der Nahrungseiweiße hängt von ihrem Gehalt an essentiellen Aminosäuren ab.

Insgesamt gibt es genau 23 Aminosäuren, von denen 8 essentiell (= lebensnotwendig) sind. "Essentiell" in diesem Zusammenhang heißt auch, dass sie vom Organismus nicht selbst hergestellt werden können und mit der Nahrung aufgenommen werden müssen. Die übrigen
Aminosäuren können vom gesunden Körper bei gesunder Ernährung selbst produziert werden.

AMINOSÄUREN SIND KLEINSTE BAUSTEINE DER EIWEIßE
Sie entstehen aus Carbonsäure durch Ersatz eines Wasserstoffatoms durch eine Aminogruppe
(-NH2). Durch Peptidbindung mehrerer Aminosäuren entstehen Dipeptide (zwei), Tripeptide
(drei), Oligopeptide (bis zu zehn), Polypeptide (> 10) und Proteine (> 100 Aminosäuren). Im menschlichen Organismus sind 20 Aminosäuren bekannt, von denen acht lebenswichtig = essentiell (Isoleucin, Leucin, Lysin, Methionin, Phenylalanin, Threonin, Tryptophan und Valin) und zwei (Arginin und Histidin) bedingt lebenswichtig = semiessentiell sind, weil sie in der Schwangerschaft, im Kleinkindalter und bei schweren Krankheiten nur unzureichend gebildet werden. Eiweiß (Protein), einer der Hauptnährstoffe, die wir für die Erhaltung unserer Körperstruktur und die Erzeugung von Körperenergie (Kalorien) benötigen, setzt sich aus Aminosäuren und Stickstoff zusammen. Es gibt Tausende verschiedener iweißverbindungen, die unter-schiedliche Funktionen haben und in verschiedenen Bereichen des Körpers wirken. Unser Körper kann tierische oder pflanzliche Proteine, die er mit der Nahrung aufnimmt, in körper-eigenes Eiweiß umwandeln. Er spaltet die Nahrungsproteine in die einzelnen Aminosäuren auf und synthetisiert die Eiweißverbindungen neu.

ACHT AMINOSÄUREN SIND ESSENTIELL
Von den bekannten Aminosäuren kann der menschliche Organismus 8 nicht selber bilden; diese 8 (essentiellen) Aminosäuren müssen ihm durch die Ernährung zugeführt werden. Damit der Körper Protein richtig verwertet und synthetisiert, müssen alle essentiellen Aminosäuren vorhanden sein, und zwar im richtigen Verhältnis zueinander. Ist eine essentielle Aminosäure nur wenig oder gar nicht vorhanden, dann wird die Wirkung der anderen entsprechend beeinträchtigt.

In der orthomolekularen Ernährung spielen einzelne Aminosäuren eine zunehmend wichtige
Rolle als Vorbeugungsmittel und als Verlangsamung der Altersprozesse.

Die Nährstoffwissenschaft, vor allem in den USA, hat in den letzten Jahren bedeutende Fortschritte bei der Erforschung der therapeutischen Wirksamkeit einzelner Aminosäuren
gemacht. So sind Aminosäuren in den USA seit langem als Nährstoffsupplemente in allen "health shops" (Gesundheitsläden) und Reformhäusern erhältlich, während man bei uns den therapeutischen Nutzen, den diese Substanzen für die Erhaltung oder Wiederherstellung der Gsundheit haben, erst allmählich erkannt hat.

AUF DIE RICHTIGE FORM ACHTEN
Man unterscheidet Aminosäuren auch nach ihrer L- oder D-Form. In beiden Formen finden wir die gleiche Anordnung der Atome vor, allerdings jeweils spiegelverkehrt. Für unsere Ernährung sind Aminosäuren nur in der L-Form verwertbar (mit Ausnahme von Methionin und Phenylalanin, wo auch die D-Form resorbiert werden kann). Zum Glück weisen die meisten Aminosäuren in den proteinhaltigen Lebensmitteln die verwertbare L-Form auf. Sie können allerdings bei der Zubereitung von Speisen ihre Form verändern und gehen dann, z. B. bei Hitzezufuhr durch Kochen oder Braten oder wenn Speisen mit Zucker oder Fetten (z. B. durch Frittieren) zubereitet werden, von der L-Form in die D-Form über und sind dann für unseren Stoffwechsel nicht mehr brauchbar. Dadurch wird dem Stoffwechsel nicht nur Eiweiß entzogen, es kann darüber hinaus zu Beschwerden durch faulende Einweißrückstände im Darm kommen.

1 Der Text dieses Informationsblattes wurde von G. Schaller verfasst

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More about → AMINOSÄUREN - AB 40 FEHLEN SIE MEISTENS!

If you had seven minutes left to live

You'd watch this.

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There’s probably going to be no atheist bus ads. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life

What a shame. The wheels have fallen off the atheist bus campaign, after it collected $20,000 to fund advertising to go on the side of buses. Apparently NZ Bus received complaints and have rejected the ads.

Naturally you'll get calls saying that the Human Rights Act has been breached as the lack of a religious belief, along with a religious belief is a prohibited ground of discrimination. NZ Bus would have to argue that they pulled the ads because of something other than a religious element. If they can do this, it is not unlawful discrimination.

The Atheist Bus Campaign is considering making a complaint to the Human Rights Commission against NZ Bus. To be fair, it should also make complaints against all the other bus companies who have turned down the ads. But it won't, because the NZ Bus potential case is based on rejection after prior approval, not just religious grounds. That can be seen as discrimination in itself.

Perhaps the Atheist Bus Campaign can put the ads on the Labour bus when it does its nationwide campaign against a GST increase.

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"Avatar" Vs "Heart Locker" hard contest

Britain's love of the underdog triumphed Sunday as intimate war drama "The Hurt Locker" beat 3D spectacular "Avatar" to take six prizes, including best picture, at the British Academy Film Awards.

Kathryn Bigelow won the best-director battle with "Avatar"'s James Cameron, her ex-husband, for her intense depiction of a bomb-disposal squad in Iraq.

"It means so much that this film seems to be touching people's hearts and minds," Bigelow said. 

Both films had eight nominations for the British awards, considered an indicator of possible success at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles next month. "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" each has nine Oscar nominations.

"The Hurt Locker" also took British prizes for original screenplay cinematography, editing and sound.

"Avatar" won awards for production design and visual effects for its vivid vision of a distant moon populated by a blue-skinned species called the Na'vi.

"Hurt Locker" screenwriter Mark Boal dedicated the best-film prize to the hope of peace "and bringing the boys and girls back home."

Bigelow also paid tribute to soldiers serving in Iraq, and said the goal of the film was "putting a bit of a spotlight on a very, very difficult situation."

"I hope that in some small way this film can begin a debate ... and bring closure to this conflict," she said.

David vs. Goliath?

The "Avatar"/"Hurt Locker" battle initially seemed like a David-and-Goliath story. Cameron's last feature, "Titanic," won 11 Oscars, including picture and director. "Avatar" is a global phenomenon that has taken more than $2 billion at the box office.

"Hurt Locker" has made about a hundredth that much.

"It did not seem like a slam-dunk commercial proposition," said Boal, who thanked Bigelow and the cast for making "an unpopular story about an unpopular war."

Homegrown British talent did not go home empty-handed. Rising star Carey Mulligan was named best actress for playing a precocious teenager in 1960s London in "An Education."

Colin Firth was named best actor for his performance as a bereaved Englishman in California in Tom Ford's "A Single Man."

Firth said he almost declined the award-winning role, which has also earned him an Oscar nomination. He said he had been about to turn it down by e-mail "when someone came to repair my fridge." He never sent the e-mail.

"I would like to thank the fridge guy," Firth said. 

Firth said he had emerged from working with fashion designer-turned-director Ford "better groomed, more fragrant and more nominated than one has ever been before."

Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, already a hot Oscar favorite, won the supporting actor prize for his turn as a chilling, charming Nazi colonel in "Inglourious Basterds." The supporting actress award went to Mo'nique for "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."

Director Duncan Jones took the award for best British debut for his lost-in-space drama "Moon."

A tearful Jones, whose father is musician David Bowie, said it had taken him a long time to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.

"Finally, I think I've found what I love doing," he said. 

More about → "Avatar" Vs "Heart Locker" hard contest

Situation: ‘Jersey Shore 2’ is best series ever

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is confident that “Jersey Shore’s” second season won’t disappoint fans of the hit MTV reality show.

“Season 1 was the best reality show in history,” he told the Chicago Tribune. “Season 2 may be the best series ever. It’s going to be legendary.”

And The Situation, whose catchphrases helped make the MTV show a household name, said he’s not preparing any material in advance for the upcoming season. 

“I don’t save material,” he said. “That’s called being on the spot.”

As for what the future holds for the cast, he wasn’t sure if Ronnie Magro and Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola were still dating.

“I think they broke up — I have no clue,” he said.

According to a previous report from TMZ, the volatile couple split after the taping of the series’ reunion show on January 21, but just days later, co-star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi told Us Weekly that the pair had gotten back together.

“You never know with them,” Snooki said at the time.

But The Situation told the Tribune that he would be front and center when the show returned no matter what’s going on with his castmates.

“I run that house,” he said. “[Ronnie and Sammi] are the cartoon section. I’m the front page.”

More about → Situation: ‘Jersey Shore 2’ is best series ever

Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish break up-Actress moves out of shared home; couple met during 2006 film shoot

It's over between actress Abbie Cornish and boyfriend Ryan Phillippe, her spokesperson confirms to e-celebrity exclusively.

"Abbie ended the relationship with Ryan and she moved out of their home," the rep tells e-celebrity. On Sunday, the actress was spotted removing her belongings from the house she shared with Phillippe while he visited a friend with children Ava and Deacon.

The split follows months of tabloid speculation that Phillippe has been unfaithful to Cornish — regularly hitting the nightclubs and being linked to other women. When asked about the cause of the break-up and whether Phillippe cheated on Cornish, her rep replied, "No comment."

ornish, 27, and Phillippe, 35, met in 2006 on the set of the film, "Stop-Loss," and survived intense media scrutiny following Phillippe’s divorce from Reese Witherspoon. Cornish has been in Vancouver for the last seven months shooting the film "Sucker Punch."

Reps for Phillippe could not be reached for comment.

More about → Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish break up-Actress moves out of shared home; couple met during 2006 film shoot

Movie Review- The Wolfman

Director: Joe Johnston
Screenplay: Andrew Kevin Walker, David Self, Curt Siodmak (1941 screenplay)
Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Geraldine Chaplin
Cinematography: Shelly Johnson
Music: Danny Elfman
Release Date: February 12, 2010
Rating: 6 out of 10


Review:

The Wolfman is a remake of the popular horror classic that was produced by Universal over 60 years ago. Instead of capitalizing on a more contemporary adaptation of the character the studio decided to stick with the old plot and feel of the original. This includes the overseas location and time period, accompanied by plenty of blood and gore. This film could have been an amazing revamp of its predecessor but the excessive violence and unnecessary bloodshed ruins it all.

Lawrence Talbot, a haunted nobleman, returns to his family estate after his brother’s fiancee informs him of his death. It turns out that his sibling was murdered in the woods by a mysterious creature, who inflicted fatal wounds that weren’t of human origin. Against the advice of others he delves deep into his search, which sets a life changing event in motion. Throughout the film we try to figure out if it was destiny, a curse, or bad luck that leads him to his fate of becoming the Wolfman.

The Good:

Anthony Hopkins: The Oscar winning actor was the epitome of evil as Lawrence’s father. He was so emotionally detached that every time his character appeared on screen you always wondered what was going on behind his eyes.

The Horror: This film was genuinely scary. There are a lot of jump scares, but they actually work and make you want to check your surroundings ever so often.

Editing: The editing here helped with building up tension and fear within the film. There were certain scenes that could only work with the right cuts at the right time, and they were able to pull that off.

The Bad:

The Direction: The cast of this film was great, but it didn’t seem like their talent shined through. It takes a good director to bring out the best in their actors, and that didn’t happen here. Joe Johnston had two Oscar winners, and a Golden Globe nominee, yet they all gave mediocre performances. It makes you wonder what type of direction he was giving them.

The Accents: The location of the film is supposed to be near London, yet everyone’s accents are completely different. Del Toro’s is American, which they explain in the film, but Blunt and Hopkins are another story. Both actors are British in real life, yet Blunt sounded like an American doing her best British impersonation.

The Gore: There are some extremely graphic scenes that didn’t need to be shown. Every time the Wolfman appears expect to see exposed intestines, stomachs, and plenty of heads being clawed off during your viewing.

Overall:

There are certain elements from the original Wolfman that do appear in the remake, the only problem is those similarities are overshadowed by unnecessary blood. This is not a movie for the weak at heart or those with sensitive eyes. The Wolfman is a mixture of old school Gothic horror mixed with the Saw franchise. Does that sound like a pleasant combination to you? If so, you should definitely give it a shot this weekend.

More about → Movie Review- The Wolfman

Will we be better off with an increase in GST or not, Mr Key?

Earlier this year John Key said he would cancel plans to raise GST if evidence shows people will be worse off.

Then he said that he wanted to make sure that low and middle income New Zealanders aren't worse off. Peter Dunne has echoed this in saying he'd want to make sure that low and middle income families are not hurt buy the GST rise - and that is a "key part of the policy." So does Dunne think it is ok if people are detrimentally affected, as long as they are not hurt?

Now Key is saying that it is his expectation that " the vast majority of (people) will be better off". This means that his expectation is that some either will be worse off - or will be neither better or worse off. If raising GST is fiscally neutral, why do it? The latest poll said that 63 per cent did not believe they would be better off from the resulting tax cuts. And given that half of all taxpayers are taxed about half of their income at the 12.5% rate, that's no surprise..For most people, it is other people who will be better off.

Labour thinks it can exercise some leverage on this . They are doing another tour. The wheels on the bus go round and round and we`ll see if people think Phil Goff is sincere -after all he did vote to increase GST from 10-12.5% - without adjustment to benefits.

If Key wants to make sure that low and middle income New Zealanders won't be worse off with a GST rise, he's not telling us how that will happen. Yet. And isn't it about time for Goff to state that Labour would repeal any GST increase, if indeed he is sincere in saying that an increase is A Bad Thing.

Or will the wheels on his bus stop going round and round - and fall off.

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Appleseed concept ships revisited

I've still got some compatibility computer issues but my main system is built (and rocking!). Opened up a can of worms on my older system with all of the conceptships stuff on it though.... Hang in there... Be back shortly.

From the animated feature APPLESEED Ex Machina, here are a few extras from an old weekly header that were too "large" (bandwidth wise) for the time. Enjoy!





Keywords: masamune shirow manga anime appleseed ex machina concept ships helicopter bee inspired design drop ship deunan briareos mecha mechanical mech land mate landmate eswat especial weapons and tactics japanese concept spaceship art .jp xsi

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Movie Review- Shutter Island

Directed by	Martin Scorsese
Produced by	Bradley J. Fischer Mike Medavoy Arnold W. Messer
Written by	Laeta Kalogridis Steven Knight Dennis Lehane (Novel)
Starring	Leonardo DiCaprio Ben Kingsley Mark Ruffalo Michelle Williams Patricia Clarkson Emily Mortimer Ted Levine John Carroll Lynch Elias Koteas Jackie Earle Haley and Max von Sydow
Music by	Robbie Robertson
Cinematography	Robert Richardson
Editing by	Thelma Schoonmaker
Studio	Phoenix Pictures Appian Way Productions Sikelia Productions
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	February 19, 2010 (2010-02-19)
Running time	138 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$80 million

Review:
Director Martin Scorsese's latest collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio is a brain-scrambling good time.

The latest chapter in Martin Scorsese’s fruitful DiCaprio phase is the haunting psychological thriller Shutter Island. Based on the bestselling novel by Mystic River author Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island casts Leo as U.S. Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels, a World War II veteran and recent widower assigned with investigating the escape of a female inmate from Ashecliffe Hospital, a facility for the criminally insane housed on an ominous island outside Boston Harbor.

Ashecliffe Hospital is the Casa Bonita of mental institutions, a decaying, storm-battered Gothic fortress packed with raving, homicidal crazies from all sides of the lunatic spectrum. Orderlies, dressed in asylum white and almost uniformly African-American, attempt to subdue their screams, while impassive physicians subject their brains to all manner of rudimentary — and often barbaric — experimental “treatments” considered cutting-edge in the early ‘50s. (Shutter Island's story is set in 1954, back when lobotomies were regularly dispensed and homosexuality was still officially classified as a mental disorder.)

The proprietor of this madhouse is Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), an effete, probing psychiatrist whose bowtie alone suggests a near-infinite capacity for evil. (Seriously — never trust any bowtie-wearer not named Pee Wee Herman. Just look at this guy.) He’s flanked by the German-born Dr. Naehring (Max Von Sydow), a vision of clinical Teutonic malevolence wrapped in a labcoat and wire-rimmed glasses. Needless to say, Marshal Daniels is immediately suspicious of both.

The case of the missing inmate proves to be something of a red herring, and Shutter Island an abrupt conspiratorial turn when Daniels reveals to his partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), his true motive for coming to Ashecliffe: Housed somewhere within its walls, he believes, is the arsonist responsible for the apartment fire that killed his wife, Dolores (Michelle Williams), just a few years prior. What’s more, Ashecliffe appears to be no mere hospital, but rather a secret government facility wherein gruesome, Nazi-inspired mind-control experiments are conducted by the House Un-American Activities Committee in the hopes of gaining an edge on the Commies.

Suddenly, faint sounds of the cuckoo alarm can be heard, and as Daniels sets out to unravel the conspiracy, the conspiracy has already begun to unravel him. Wandering through Ashecliffe’s creaking labyrinth, he's beset by haunting visions and engulfed by Scorsese’s menacing, atmospheric blend of flickering lights, leaky ceilings, violent thunderclaps, deranged inmates, and other classic crazymaking cinematic conventions. Throw in some abrupt smash cuts, a jarringly arrhythmic score, and an undercurrent of Cold War paranoia, and you've got yourself one terrifyingly potent, batsh*t crazy stew.

Sometimes too potent. Shutter Island's narrative is bedeviled by inconsistent pacing, its slow burn all too often interrupted by overlong, exposition-heavy dialogue exchanges that effectively halt the film's momentum, forcing Scorsese to build the tension again from scratch as we struggle to process the revelations that have just been dumped upon us. And its extended "I see dead people" denouement strays into the hackneyed abyss of Shyamalan-land. Thankfully for us, it doesn't linger long enough to spoil all the brain-scrambling fun.

For more movie review, visit:  http://hot-ecelebrities.blogspot.com/

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Government to change the student loans scheme

Currently any student who gets a student loan doesn't have to pay interest, nor do they have to pay it back unless they are earning more than $19,084 a year*. But the government wants to change the student loans scheme. The NZ union of students' associations called on the government to commit to providing interest -free student loans.

So it did.Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said:

We're going to keep the student loan interest-free, but then we're going to look at other requirements around those student loans. The simple point is, if you don't pay interest on any loan – forget student loans for a second – then there is less incentive to pay it back than if you do pay interest.

So, what changes will be made? Here are some options:

One: Fewer people will be entitled to interest free student loans.Non achievers at school, for example. For those who fail first year papers, not only will you be unable to get a student allowance, you may not be allowed to resit the papers, even if you pay for the fees upfront.

Two: the earnings threshold where you have to pay student loans may be reduced.

Three: you may have to make repayments at a lower earnings threshold- which means more full time students will be making payments.

Currently you can make bulk repayments of at least $500 and get a 10% discount. This in effect means that if you pay off $1000 in one hit, you`ll shave off most of the amount for a year's student association membership for most universities.If you invest your student loan, you`ll make at least 10% on your investment. But if the earnings threshold is lowered, some students who earn the equivalent of a student allowance will have to make loan repayments. Perhaps the government will introduce repayments while studying. If so, some who get the student allowance will have to repay money back while studying - and if they don't get a job immediately after studying, there will be no reason while beneficiaries will not be forced to pay off their student loans through benefit income.

It is clear that the government wants more people to pay more of their student loan at a faster rate. To lower the existing rate of student loan debt, it must be paid off faster than the dollar value of future applications. I would not be surprised if the government restricts future applications and mandates quicker loan repayments at the same time - putting the squeeze on students and graduates.

Whats the bet also that National, should it win the next election, then lifts the fee maxima?

*note: if you are overseas for six months or longer, you get to pay interest on your loans.

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Forks Over Knives – The Official Movie Website

Forks Over Knives – The Official Movie Website

This could be the one. There's been lots of films in the last few years trying to tackle the issues surrounding the epidemic of Chronic Disease in the West that is now starting to take hold in the far East. Most of them have been a little too earnest for general consumption, too many excuses for Doctors to be dismissive.

This film could be different.

Here we have a clinician and a scientist jointly presenting their evidence to argue that heart disease, cancer and diabetes is more a choice than an inheritance.

The problem is how to get those most in need to realise they have a choice for optimum health.

Better diet and health is not profitable enough for global corporations - there will be no Pharmaceutical company investing millions of Dollars of PR, advertising and Lobbyists' time on this National Health Care, Welfare and Health Insurance Solution.

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Movie Review- Valentine's Day

Release Date: February 12, 2010
Studio: New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Garry Marshall
Screenwriter: Katherine Fugate
Starring: Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts, Taylor Swift
Genre: Comedy, Romance
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some sexual material and brief partial nudity)
Official Website: ValentinesDaymovie.com
Review: 3/10 rating | 5/10 rating


Story: While Valentine's Day is allegedly the busiest time of the year for the delivery of mushy messages and corny love trinkets all around town, the same should never be the case in a movie. Hyperactively busy in the extreme while negotiating endless crisscross plot lines between way too cute celeb cameos that include geriatric infidelity and worse, Garry Marshall's Valentine's Day is skits-ophrenic moviemaking when less would have indeed been much more.

In other words, where does one begin. It's Valentine's Day morning in LA, and shy guy florist deliveryman Reed (Ashton Kutcher) wakes up extra early to propose marriage to ambivalent girlfriend Morley (Jessica Alba), who seems to more attached to her cellphone. Literally. Which means that Reed has to figure out just how to pry her fingers loose from the notoriously addictive gadget, in order to find that spare finger for his engagement ring.

While on another side of town, anxious television news anchor Kelvin (Jamie Foxx) has just been demoted to puff piece patrol to sniff out human interest holiday stories, while the weathergirl taps dances away to stimulate the sagging ratings. And which Kelvin needs to wrap up, before jogging over to a press conference at which a famous athlete will announce he's gay.

Elsewhere, giddy grade school teacher Julia (Jennifer Garner) who is otherwise fairly luckless in romance, daydreams between classroom lessons about her current surprise requited crush on a possibly too good to be true affectionate physician. This while a more sensible and stern army captain (Julia Roberts) shares a philosophical plane ride with a mysterious stranger. Who will actually get to have the last word eventually in wrapping up this overly crowded scenario, that seems less like a smoothly paced script than a rush hour traffic jam on the LA freeway.

But there's more. Also getting in on the act for some dubious comic relief, is Jessica Biel as a thoroughly unconvincing sad sack who can't get a date. As a frantic Anne Hathaway appears to be revisiting her persecuted workplace drudge in The Devil Wears Prada, with Queen Latifah seemingly preempting Meryl Streep this time around, doing The Devil Wears Plus Size Prada.

And while Hathaway moonlights on the sly during work hours as a phone sex operator to make ends meet and pay for her health insurance and outstanding student loan, her dirty talk conversations are so lame PG, that the actual phone sex industry may end up losing business. Though Queen Latifah's boss from hell secretive impulse to move in and take over Hathaway's seductive operation with virtual bullwhip in hand, couldn't be funnier and saves this collaborative mayhem from looming movie overkill.

More about → Movie Review- Valentine's Day

Free Rebootless Kernel Updates for current Ubuntu

Unless you have Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, you can get your kernel updated with security fixes without the need for rebooting at all. Remember how Windows needs or used to need a reboot for almost every software installation? Now you'll never have to reboot your Linux! Get Ksplice for Ubuntu here.

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Nominees for the 82nd academy award

                         Nominees for the 82nd academy award

Actor in a Leading Role
•    Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
•    George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
•    Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
•    Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
•    Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”
Actor in a Supporting Role
•    Matt Damon in “Invictus”
•    Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
•    Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
•    Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
•    Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”
Actress in a Leading Role
•    Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
•    Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
•    Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
•    Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
•    Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”
Actress in a Supporting Role
•    Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
•    Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
•    Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
•    Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
•    Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Animated Feature Film
•    “Coraline” Henry Selick
•    “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
•    “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
•    “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
•    “Up” Pete Docter
Art Direction
•    “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
•    “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
•    “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
•    “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
•    “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray
Cinematography
•    “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
•    “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
•    “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
•    “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger
Costume Design
•    “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
•    “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
•    “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
•    “Nine” Colleen Atwood
•    “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell
Directing
•    “Avatar” James Cameron
•    “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
•    “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
•    “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman
Documentary (Feature)
•    “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
•    “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
•    “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
•    “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
•    “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa
Documentary (Short Subject)
•    “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
•    “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
•    “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
•    “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
•    “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra
Film Editing
•    “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
•    “District 9” Julian Clarke
•    “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
•    “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz
Foreign Language Film
•    “Ajami” Israel
•    “The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada)” Peru
•    “A Prophet (Un Prophète)” France
•    “The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)” Argentina
•    “The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)” Germany
Makeup
•    “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
•    “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
•    “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore
Music (Original Score)
•    “Avatar” James Horner
•    “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
•    “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
•    “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
•    “Up” Michael Giacchino
Music (Original Song)
•    “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
•    “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
•    “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
•    “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
•    “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
Best Picture
•    “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
•    “The Blind Side” Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, Producers
•    “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
•    “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
•    “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
•    “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
•    “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
•    “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
•    “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers
Short Film (Animated)
•    “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
•    “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
•    “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
•    “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
•    “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park
Short Film (Live Action)
•    “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
•    “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
•    “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
•    “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
•    “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
Sound Editing
•    “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
•    “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
•    “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
•    “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers
Sound Mixing
•    “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
•    “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
•    “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
•    “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson
Visual Effects
•    “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
•    “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
•    “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
•    “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
•    “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
•    “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
•    “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
•    “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Writing (Original Screenplay)
•    “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
•    “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
•    “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
•    “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
•    “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

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The DomPost 's easiest political quiz yet.

While I'm not one to gloat, I found this Dom Post politics quiz pretty easy. It was their easiest one yet. I didn't even have to read all the options to select the correct answer in many cases.

10/10 in 18 seconds - faster than both David Farrar( who achieved his quickest time) and Graeme Edgeler (who was even quicker).

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$15 per hour minimum wage

Trevor Mallard is drafting a bill to lift the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. Another thing Labour refused to do while in Government. Now if that bill comes out of the ballot at the same time as Roger Douglas' bill to reinstate youth rates, that`ll be interesting.

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Whanau Ora will be for whanau or a non-Maori family

The Māori Party has been granted $1 billion for Whanau Ora, a key policy as mentioned in National’s confidence and supply agreement with the Māori Party.

The Maori Party seeks significant outcomes in whanau ora, through eliminating poverty, advocating for social justice, and advancing Maori social, cultural, economic and community development in the best interests of the nation.

John Key has decided that the best interests of the nation in implementing this policy is to include non-Māori families as well, but implemented based on the Māori way of doing things . The former has infuriated the Māori Party, who wanted a Maori only policy. This was to be the big one.

Whanau Ora is really Maori-flavoured devolution. National has screwed the scrum. If a certain non-Māori family needs Whanau Ora more than a certain Māori family does, under this policy, which will be implemented from July, National thinks they should apply and get the benefits first. The Māori Party doesn’t, and it appears they'll have to lump it in one of their flagship policies.Tariana Turia doesn't want to force the "Maori viewpoint" on other families - and in any case these other families probably don't know what Turia will be referring to when she says "Maori viewpoint".

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Was this a dodgy name suppression order?

I’m no lawyer, but I think that the stated reasons from Judge Grant Fraser to grant permanent name suppression to the famous nameless sicko from Palmerston North, who downloaded about 30,000 pornographic images, are questionable.

Judge Fraser said he granted permanent name suppression to protect the man's family, his mental state, his wife's job and his ability to rehabilitate. I’m wondering if that was actually the case. Because the main stated reason appears to be because none of the offending images were of New Zealanders – or the judge was at least apparently told they weren’t.

Therefore publicity in my view is not required to flush out any potential offenders or to enable members of the community to keep themselves safe from you

But if these images were of New Zealanders, would that mean Fraser would have allowed his name to be published? If so, so much for his argument about the man's family, his mental state, his wife's job and his ability to rehabilitate. If not, so much for his argument to keep the community safe.

Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk disagreed with Judge Fraser that name suppression was needed to protect the man’s family, saying the man’s children were well informed about the offending. He said this name suppression could be seen as protecting a person in a privileged position. Yet he refused to appeal the suppression order, citing among a few things, the fact that he had children, and that the court knew what the consequences of a conviction were.

[redacted after reading the judgement]

The man is undergoing therapy to treat his paraphilia. He didn’t just download 30,000 images – he transferred some to an external hard drive and distributed them through the Internet.

I’m wondering how well Vanderkolk knew the famous nameless man. And I’m wondering if this famous nameless man has seen his GP recently. I hear there has been a recent shortage in Palmerston North.

Like I said, I’m no lawyer, and have not read any court documents on this case, but would be keen to get any comment from lawyers or law students on the stated reasons for suppression as outlined above.

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Shah Rukh Khan's "My Name Is Khan" : Questions of religious and national identity

Movie Review: ‘My Name Is Khan’
Director: Karan Johan
 Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Jimmy Shergill, Zarina Wahab

Questions of religious and national identity, of the sense of right and wrong, of combating a certain isolation that comes with a behavioural disorder. But what triumphs over all the complexities unfolding in a tumultuous post 9/11 America is Rizwan Khan and his essential goodness that tells you unwaveringly – his name is Khan and he is not a terrorist.
Director Karan Johar is in unfamiliar territory here. The super intelligent Rizwan, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, his halting voice with his inability to communicate, and his many relationships – with his mother, his brother, and yes, Mandira, and her son Sam.
Rizwan who finds love and loses it some years later when his Khan identity becomes all important in a tense, suspicious America. You sit through three hours waiting to get a glimpse of Shah Rukh through Rizwan Khan, but it doesn’t happen.  All credit to Karan Johar for that.
If Shah Rukh lives and breathes Rizwan in what is one of his finest roles, Kajol as Mandira, the vivacious single mother, is also good – as always. The chemistry between them if not always crackling, then heartwarming..
Like a piece of music that gradually rises to grand crescendo, ‘My Name Is Khan’ begins with Rizwan as a child with his mother – so good to see Zarina Wahab after such a long time – in a tenement in Mumbai and ends with cheers from the US’ first African American president in a crowded rally.
It’s from his mother that Rizwan learns his first lessons of humanity; as the 1983 Mumbai riots rage outside, she tells the young boy that the world is divided into good people and bad people.
It is this essential humanism that carries Rizwan through from Mumbai to San Francisco where his brother stays, then to the suburb of Banville where he moves in with Mandira and Sam, and even when he is taken to be a terror suspect.
Sam, his ‘only best friend’, is subjected to a vicious race attack because he takes on Rizwan’s surname. Mandira hits back, saying that the worst thing she could have done was marry a Khan and Rizwan is out on the roads – unable to articulate his feelings but backpacking his way across the US to meet ‘president sahib’ so he can tell him: ‘My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist.’
It is a road journey through a troubled post 9/11 America towards humanism and the essential goodness of the human spirit.
This is a US where chanting the name of Allah gets you into trouble, where the word terrorist and Khan in conjunction can put you behind bars. Rizwan moves from being a terror suspect to a nationwide hero who exposes a terror mastermind. And then, the man with the mission who travels to Wilhelmina that is literally drowning in a hurricane to supervise a heroic rescue mission.
There’s Afghanistan and Iraq, Bush and Obama too. The US’ first African American president is voted in and, in that final feel good moment Rizwan meets him in front of thousands of people and his goodness is validated.
Plenty of great one liners. When he is refused entry into a presidential fundraiser for the poor in Africa that is only for Christians, he leaves behind $500 saying: ‘This if for those who are not Christians in Africa.’
The music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is superb. This is not a film without flaws, it is at least 20 minutes too long for one and flags in the pre-interval period, but here is one straight from the heart. It has a message, in these days of tensions over language and religion, one which needs to be heard.

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The PM and GST

post has been updated

Radio NZ reports that Prime Min­is­ter John Key says he will can­cel plans to raise GST if evi­dence shows peo­ple will be worse off.He says that should reas­sure the Maori Party, who oppose an increase in GST.

Isn't that a bit like saying that he will overturn the smacking legislation if someone gets prosecuted, which will reassure parents that they will not be prosecuted for breaking the law?

Answer: a little bit, but its going to be very difficult to provide evidence that people will be worse off when GST is raised before GST is actually raised, isn't it?

This, particularly for those on low incomes families, as Key has not declared how much (or even if) Working for Families will rise to compensate for the rise in GST, or how he will compensate low income earners who are not eligible for WFF. [update: he has sort of]. For beneficiaries to be no worse off after a GST increase, benefits will have to go up at least 5 percent, with an increase in WFF on top of that.

Personally, I think some people will be worse off as a direct result of an increase in GST, but because they won't be able to directly attribute that to a GST increase, John Key will stick to his line.

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Roger Douglas (72) wants a minimum youth wage

Roger Douglas has drafted a bill [PDF] to restore youth rates to address the growing rate of youth unemployment. Because the removal of youth rates has led to a disproportionate increase in youth unemployment, as seen here. Douglas claims that 38.7% of Maori youth are unemployed.

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Concept spaceship environments by highdarktemplar

highdarktemplar on deviantart. New wekkly header tomorrow!











Keywords: digital concept spaceship environment design art from by highdarktemplar deviantart account portfolio dinasour artists

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Why give him name suppression?

Yesterday, police were on the lookout for Vanessa Pickering, who disappeared with a man whom we cannot name, but yesterday his name was all over the papers. The man appeared in court today and got interim name suppression. Pickering’s body was found today.

Many media reports have been written about this case since Pickering went missing on Monday. Most of the ones on Stuff are catalogued on a page which you can access by searching "Vanessa Pickering", but every single story has had their links changed to this story. All had one line summaries to the story and one even had the suppressed man's name - which begs the question, why change the links when the name is identifiable from the one or two line description?

But on this 3News story Christchurch man gets name suppression there’s a helpful list of related articles in the sidebar, which gives the man’s name.

I have nothing against interim name suppression in some cases, but this case isn’t one of them, particularly given his previous convictions.

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David Kang concept ship art

davidkart.blogspot.





















Keywords: digital concept spaceship art illustrations design by david kang art student in lacrescenta california

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Wie riskant ist Kochsalz ?

Wie riskant ist Kochsalz ?



von S. Schneider

Gebetsmühlenartig wurde in den vergangenen Jahren immer wieder behauptet, dass Kochsalz dem Blutdruck schadet und ihn in die Höhe treibt. Das wurde jedoch von Kritikern in Frage gestellt und bereits vor einer Weile durch amerikanische Studien untermauert. Experten stellten fest: „Kochsalz ist ein Ernährungsfaktor, der nur bei einem Teil der gesunden Bevölkerung und der Patienten mit Bluthochdruck den Blutdruck erhöhen kann. ... Ursache für die Entstehung von Bluthochdruck ist nicht allein die Kochsalzaufnahme, sondern vielmehr die gesamte Veränderung des Ernährungsverhaltens und unseres Lebensstils."



So ist um den Konsum von Kochsalz ein Streit entbrannt, in dem auch die deutsche Salzindustrie kräftig mitmischt. Denn ihr kann es natürlich nicht recht sein, wenn Salz als schädliches Lebensmittel verteufelt wird. Doch wie meist so liegt die Wahrheit wahrscheinlich in der Mitte und die Zauberformel in der richtigen Dosierung: Bekannt ist inzwischen, dass manche Menschen aufgrund ihrer genetischen Disposition empfindlich auf Salz reagieren. Dazu gehören jedoch auch Menschen mit normalem Blutdruck.



Wenn Sie wissen wollen, ob Sie dazu gehören, können Sie das testen lassen: Zunächst wird Ihr Blutdruck gemessen und notiert, dann steigen Sie unter der Kontrolle Ihres Arztes für eine Weile auf salzarme Kost um. In dieser Zeit wird immer wieder zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten Ihr Blutdruckwert notiert. Nach einer bestimmten Phase wird ein Durchschnittswert errechnet. Liegt dieser eindeutig unter dem Ausgangswert, gehören Sie zu den salzempfindlichen Menschen. Hier wird dann eine Kost empfohlen, die salzarm ist, dafür aber viel Obst und Gemüse enthält - vorausgesetzt Sie haben gleichzeitig einen zu hohen Blutdruck. Darin ist dann auch viel Kalium enthalten, dieser mineralische Gegenspieler hält die unerwünschten Wirkungen des Kochsalzes in Schach.



KAUFT EUCH HIMALAYASALZ ODER STEINSALZ! Werft den Müll der Salz genannt wird weg, es besitzt keine Mineralien mehr und entzieht euch außerdem das Kalzium aus den Zähnen und Knochen! Himalaya Salz und Steinsalze enthalten noch sämtliche 82 Mineralien und Spurenelemente!



Anmerkung:

Wir bestellen uns Himmelayasalz, ausnahmsweise in der UNgesundApotheke.



Salzverzicht hilfreich bei Bluthochdruck?



von Dr. M. Hahn-Hübner

Über die Rolle von Salz bei Bluthochdruck wird viel diskutiert. Mal heißt es, dass Salz keinen Einfluss auf den Blutdruck habe, mal wiederum, dass eine salzarme Ernährung dazu beitragen kann, den Blutdruck zu senken. Was stimmt nun? Das möchte mein Leser Hans F. wissen.



Ob eine salzarme Ernährung sich auf Ihren Blutdruck auswirkt, ist nicht so einfach zu sagen - Grund dafür ist, dass es Menschen gibt, die salzsensitiv sind. Andere wiederum reagieren überhaupt nicht auf Salz.



Allerdings sollten Sie bedenken, dass wir heute bis zu 30 Gramm Kochsalz pro Tag zu uns nehmen - das ist viel mehr, als gesund wäre. Sechs Gramm pro Tag sind mehr als ausreichend.



Daher sollten Sie gerade als Hochdruckpatient Ihren Salzkonsum einschränken; unabhängig davon, ob Sie salzsensitiv sind oder nicht. Verzichten Sie daher zum Beispiel auf Pökelware, aber auch auf Fertiggerichte und verwenden Sie zum Würzen Kräuter statt Salz. Bedenken Sie auch, dass manche Getränke, wie zum Beispiel bestimmte Mineralwasser-Sorten, viel Salz enthalten.



Bleiben Sie natürlich gesund!



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More about → Wie riskant ist Kochsalz ?

The Maori Party bill to entrench the Maori seats

So, Hone Harawira, on his second day back in parliament, tried to submit a bill in the ballot to entrench the Maori seats. The bill is in breach of the confidence and supply agreement between the Maori Party and National, as neither party is to pursue entrenchment or removal of the Maori seats.

Harawira claims the bill he submitted was "drafted up to three years ago".

I know for a fact that the final draft -at least for a similar bill - was some time after October 2008 - and possibly well into 2009, assuming Harawira's bill was drafted properly. That's because I had a copy of the bill, but the bill while entrenching the seats, did not entrench the Maori electoral option. You can read what I wrote about that at the time here and here.

After those two posts, which I was told that all Maori Party MPs read, they decided to amend the bill to entrench the Maori Electoral Option, which was the correct thing to do. But of course National won the election and the bill was shelved. Instead Labour put one in, but, under standing orders, the bill requires a 75% parliamentary majority to pass, which means both major parties have to support it to enact it.

Now, Harawira has said the bill had been entered by "mistake". Did anyone else in the Maori Party know he put it in the ballot? If not, why not?

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Getting people off benefits

Every week on average, some people have their benefit cut - not because they have found work or returned to study, not because they are leaving the country - but because they are going to prison. Guess how many..
a.20
b.46
c.59
d.85

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