(Check the other full list of the CBG Awards Winners here)

“Why Francis is the Man!”By Jean Carlo L. Oshima

Why should Francis Manapul be the artist of the year? Is it because of his graceful and exquisite strokes? Is it because he manages to make even a boy from Krypton so human? Is it because he has a way with the ladies? or is it because of his ability to infuse the Speed Force into every sinew of the Flash?

No of course not, it’s because he’s Filipino!

Ok that was a joke, but poor jokes, aside it’s really for all the other things I mentioned. I like Francis because he has taste when creating a sheet of comic book art. It’s brilliant. It’s what a comic book is supposed to be.

His strokes are brilliant, they are at once graceful and exquisite, he never seems to feel the need to be bombastic and act out. his characters are confident and well thought out. his scenes capture the spirit of the moment and take you along for the ride and make you feel what they feel.

I remember first encountering him as a young new hotshot for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider by top Cow. now Tomb Raider the comic book was an admittedly sub par comic book , but his art made it a treat. Even at such an early stage in his career he was able to make the lovely Lady Croft even more lovely, a small miracle that.

The next time I got wowed by him was in Iron and the Maiden by Aspen Comics (now known asThe Iront Saint). He managed to set the stage for an interesting 1930 gangster movie meets steampunk meets Escape from new York with a little Blade Runner dashed in. He managed to lay out a brilliant comic, short lived though it might be, and I could see he really improved his craft significantly. The lines were more refined and his characters were bigger than life.

But he managed to balance the characters and their particular quirks and qualities. Even the redeeming angel of the Maiden, had such a beautiful, graceful and fierce quality about her.  I recommend it as a comic to see Francis take things to a different level where he has to come up with so much design and style to a whole world. Those are some of the best comics to read, the ones without an established look and canon, where the artist has to create a whole world from scratch.

I remember very fondly that he has a way with the ladies, particularly brunettes. I remember ladies night out quite well when he did Witchblade 62-65. Det. Sara Pezzini and Patience at last meet and tag team to crack a string of supernatural murders. I love it.

I found that he had found the right stride with women. a lot of artists go a bit overboard and don’t know how to nail sensual and stylish and instead go overboard and I feel dirty reading a comic. It’s still one of my favorites, I love supernatural detective stuff, and he nails the ladies and their ass kicking abilities. The scenes are drawn with a feeling of motion and battle.

But at no time does he render Sara and Patience into your typical action heroines with big boobs, they have spirit and character and at no time do I feel like I’m watching a bad porno(something likely to happen in a Wtichblade comic), I feel like I’m there gumshoing with the best of them. so thanks Francis for the great date, even Patience’s cocktail dress was tasteful and divine(you’ll notice a very small but ingenious detail if you read the comic).

But time for less reminiscing and more on why this swag bastard of an artist should be artist of the year. I reiterate that it’s that ability to make his characters so human. It’s always in such small gestures or details, that’s a rare quality, to be able to say so much with so little, which is the mark of a great artist. Comic books are not a subtle genre, it usually involves some gigantic world ending events with absurdly good looking masked heroes saving everybody in the nick of time and still finding time to get the girl. so in a genre that involves some very fantastical people and situations and stretching the bounds of reality, it’s a rare treat to find someone who can infuse it with the everyday magic that we often overlook.

Especially when it comes to love. love in comics is often an absurd affair, of course you’re going to fall in love, you’re both good looking and someone saved the other’s life. but he brings it back down to earth and somehow through that makes it more real and more magical. Excuse me if I don’t make sense, I’ve been having my thinking juice(a double Laphroaig single malt Scotch).

Bear with me and take a look at the following:

I mean come on, other comic book artist make human beings into superheroes, he makes the superhero human. Having a date in a diner with shakes, or boy meets girl at the front door? who can’t relate to that? or how is that not magical? it might happen a lot with the everyday person, but that in no way detracts from it’s value. It’s very sweet in an authentic and sincere way, not cloyingly. I mean Bella and Edward? Pathetic. You want a real teenage love scene? just looking at Conner and Cassie makes me all gooey inside. again it’s all the subtle details that make it stake Twilight romance through the heart. The way Cassie’s arms are forward and Conner’s are back, the fact that they’re meeting on the front door, gazing into each other’s eyes.

Shit, now I got something in my eye, excuse me…

Now on to the finale, the crowning glory, drum roll please!

The Flash, you can’t deny his prolific work. it was a huge wow for me. And I’m not into the Flash! but I couldn’t help but say, DAMN! He literally infused every sinew of the Flash with the Speed Force.

That’s what I love about Francis and why he’s the man. He makes the Flash, the Flash! At no time is his artwork slow, clunky or cumbersome for the Flash scenes. He nails the essence of the Flash and treats us to one hell of a ride. It’s not easy to capture that, but he does it. You feel the drama and the speed, from the way he moves, to the angle, to the speed lines to the poses and most importantly the Flash’s expression. He connects me to the Flash and what’s going through Barry’s mind, the same as with all his characters.

I’ve occasionally drawn comparisons with Francis and Chris Bachalo, however Bachalo tends to lean towards the more abstract with lines that are far bolder and less refined. I love his stuff but it doesn’t capture the humanity that Francis does. Francis has an eye for scale and balance, at no time do they feel like caricatures or cumbersome.

Can you not feel the speed in that one sheet of comic? It’s glorious and I totally get the Flash in that moment.  The brilliant way he interconnects and weaves the images to create a tableau of heroism is something that really caught my eye. He isn’t merely talented as an artist, he’s brilliant and brimming with imagination.

I’d like to end with that in mind, Francis is the Man because he gets his characters and gives them heart and humanity. The scenes are brilliant and superbly laid out. they are well woven and aid the storytelling. his characters are filled with subtle and brilliant detail that captures who they are and make them who we become invested in. He says so much with so little, a gesture, a detail on a dress, the placement of hands and a single look says it all. so Francis, well done. now all you lazy bastards make like the Flash and get his comics!

The Original Post is Located Here: The Comic Book Group 2011 Awards – Artist of the Year

PanARMENIAN.Net – Daniel Crouch Rare Books, leading specialist in rare maps and atlases, will be exhibiting two fine and rare cartographic works at the Miami International Map fair; by Ptolemy, and Jesuit monk Ferdinand Verbiest, Art Daily reports.

Ferdinand Verbiest, (known as Nan Huairen in Chinese) was a Flemish Jesuit missionary in China, who became a close friend and aid to the Kangxi Emperor. Verbiest was highly skilled in astronomy, mathematics, and geometry, and successfully introduced European astronomy to China. Daniel Crouch will be exhibiting his ‘Wall Map of the Western Hemisphere’ (1674) ($130,000) – one of the largest maps of the western hemisphere ever printed. it combines Chinese and European cartographic knowledge of the globe at that time. Panels of Chinese characters offer geographical information and even non-Chinese place-names are written in Chinese characters, either as phonetic conversions or by translating the meaning of the name.

The 1511 Venetian edition of Ptolemy’s ‘Geographia’ ($280,000) is the first atlas wholly printed in colors, and incorporates the first printed map to indicate Japan. The large cordiform world map is the earliest of its kind, and this is only the second Ptolemaic world map to show America.

Daniel Crouch Rare Books is a specialist dealer in antique atlases, maps, plans, sea charts and voyages dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

Miami International Map fair is an annual event showcasing antique maps, rare books, panoramas and atlases from around the world. The fair attracts the finest map dealers in the world, and hosts a series of lectures by experts in the field.

The fair runs from February 5 to 5 at History Miami, FL.

The Original Post is Located Here: Antique atlases to be exhibited in Miami

storyidforme: 23740712 tmspicid: 8817101 fileheaderid: 3980845

Updated: January 12, 2012 3:56AM

Susan Boucher bought the Lake Forest Book Store in 1995 with business partner Louise Wood. Boucher has owned it solely since 2000. the store — now at 680 N. Western Ave. after residing further south — has been serving Lake Forest readers for 60 years.

Prior to becoming a book seller, Boucher was a veterinarian technician and a Montessori School teacher. Her children attended Forest Bluff Montessori School in Lake Bluff, and a daughter went to Woodlands Academy in Lake Forest. Boucher lives in Vernon Hills.Boucher talked with the Lake Forester about local reading preferences, the popularity of book clubs and memorable author visits.

When did you know you wanted to open a book store?

I had never really thought about owning a book store but was always passionate about books. I started to work at the book store and it captured my heart. the owner was ready to liquidate the store. It was such a wonderful resource for the community.

While the business was under duress, I felt it was a living thing that needed to make it to 50 (and now over 60) years. so, it wasn’t too much that I thought about owning a book store. I really just didn’t think it should die.

What was your favorite reading as a child?

as a child, I read everything I could get my hands on, mostly fiction. Today I read both fiction and non-fiction. I enjoy reading about relationships.

how do you create a helpful staff and what kind of help do customers want?

I am lucky to have a staff of fellow book lovers. They all liked to read like I did as children. They, like I, enjoy sharing our love of books with other people.

how would you describe the general reading preferences of a Lake Forest or Lake Bluff reader?

Readers in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff are very sophisticated. They are great readers of all types of books and like to be on the cutting edge of what is new. the kids are the same way. They keep track of when new books are released.

do you specialize in a type of book?

we are a general book store and carry all types of books for adults and children. we reflect the interests of the community. I often say that for every book I order, I have someone in mind for it.

What is your most-remembered author event and why?

we have had so many author events that it is hard to pick one. we had Lisa See the day that “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” released (her break-out book). She was so overwhelmed by the fact that we had 120 people there — and no one had read the book — that she wrote an essay for Publisher’s Weekly about it. She asked why they had come, and they all said because the staff had told them it was a great book and that they had to read it.

We had Kathryn Stockett (“The Help”) and one of the actresses from the film (before it came out) and that was a delight.

I also enjoyed an interview I had with Carlos Ruiz Zafon (“The Shadow of the Wind”), a marvelous storyteller.

do you think the popularity of book clubs and face-to-face discussion of books is increasing or declining these days?

Book clubs have been around in Lake Forest for as long as the book store has been there. we have book clubs that have been meeting for over 50 years. I think they are here to stay. People who love books enjoy talking about them and the book club is the perfect place to do that (and the book store!).

The Original Post is Located Here: Boucher’s passion for books keeps Lake Forest institution vibrant

With every new Kindle that comes out of Amazon’s market place, spawns a new generation of Kindle Covers and Cases. Each new generation of Kindle is called the Latest Generation Kindle, and therefore people will be looking for the latest generation Kindle Covers and Cases.

This years latest generation covers and cases are either updates from previous generation covers and cases, or are brand new designs for 2011. with that being said, there are some trends already pointing to the top 10 Kindle covers and cases for 2011.

The first cover we are seeing as a top seller is the CrazyOnDigital leather Kindle cover. this cover is a black leather exterior with matching black soft micro fiber padding in the inside. The leather case provides complete all around protection for your latest generation Kindle eReader device. The case secures your device in place with flexible straps on top corners and molded to fit leather straps on the bottom to secure the device in the case. The cover also comes with an anti-scratch screen protector for your Kindle to protect the screen from scratches.

The next cover is the M-Edge leather Kindle cover that comes with complete surface protection in a soft padded case. The interior is a soft grey material which ensures the Kindle will be cushioned for protection.

Coming in at number 3 in the top ten list of latest generation Kindle covers and cases is Acase Vintage Leather cover with a light. this cool looking cover has a vintage look while being brand new. The case is genuine leather on the outside for durability and protection, while the inside is soft velvet for scratch free interior protection. this case also comes with a light for reading in the dark.

Number four in the list of top latest generation Kindle Covers and cases is DuraGadget Leather Kindle Cover and Case, which also have a built in stand. this case has soft leather construction to protect your Kindle, with cut-outs for all the ports. The case also has an adjustable stand to you can set it up on a desk for hands free reading.

The next Kindle cover or case on the list is a Neoprene sleeve from USA Gear. this sleek looking neoprene sleeve is made of soft but dense neoprene to protect the Kindle from bumps, drops and scratches. The soft inside makes it easy to slip your kindle in and out for quick access and storage.

The 6th cover is another neoprene cover from Gizmo Dorks. same as the above type neoprene sleeve, but this one has a hard plastic zipper to securely close the pouch. Soft but dense and pliable neoprene cushions the Kindle from bumps, scratches and scrapes.

RooCase comes in at number 7 in the top 10 Kindle covers and cases for 2011. The RooCase Super Bubble Neoprene Case is a neoprene case with a super bubble, soft interior for maximum cushion and protection from drops, bumps, scratches and hits. this case comes with an external pocket for securely carrying the smaller Kindle Accessories.

Octovo Vintage Leather Kindle Cover is the next item on the list of top covers and cases for 2011. this leather Kindle case is also genuine leather and has that nice vintage look and feel, while still being brand new. this cover has a combination of Italian leather on the outside with a soft microfiber interior to ensure your Kindle will be cushioned for safety.

Number nine in the top ten covers for 2011 is another neoprene cover by Belkin, a top leader in cases for all sorts of personal computing devices. The Belkin neoprene Kindle cover is a slim, sleek looking design; this soft and durable neoprene case protects your Kindle during travels but minimizes bulk and additional weight for easy portability.

Last but not least in our list of top Ten Kindle Covers and Cases for 2011, is the ever popular Kindle Cover, with light by Amazon.Com. this popular cover for your Kindle is made by Amazon.com for its own Kindle reading device. It comes with a built in light that actually gets its power from the kindle itself, so there is no need to buy additional batteries. Fitted perfectly for the latest generation Kindles, this is a great accessory for your latest generation Kindle. this cover comes in a wide variety of colors is made of genuine leather. It too has a soft micro-fiber interior to protect the kindle from scratches.

All of these latest generation Kindle covers and cases are sold for under $70 with the lowest prices one selling for only $7. these prices fit into anyone’s budget and will ensure that your latest generation Kindle is kept safe and sound while on the go.

The Original Post is Located Here: Top 10 Kindle Covers and Cases for 2011 – Latest Generation Kindle Covers

by Greg Rucka (writer), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The story: It’s a somber Thanksgiving for Frank and friends, as if there’d be any other sort.

1.  A good supporting cast goes a long way

In making the Punisher a silent force of nature, Rucka has had to create a strong supporting cast to do the heavy lifting and this is the first issue where we get a big picture view of that cast as a whole.  Put simply, it’s fantastic and gives this book the realism and the kind of pure heart that pulls you into a narrative.  each of these characters is distinct and brings their own unique dynamic to Frank but more than that, each of them also feels truly human.  all are fully realized, with their own personalities, lives, and relationships and all are unique and engaging while also coming across as real people.  It’s fantastic character-work that makes for a comic that feels all the more likable and intimate, things not usually associated with a Punisher comic.

2.  The Punisher is kid-friendly?

Rucka seems to add another member to this supporting cast this month, a young boy who unwittingly runs into Frank and starts visiting him regularly.   The dichotomy is amazing and the result is a character dynamic that is so emotionally genuine and sincere.  as polar opposites, the dynamic between the human horror that is Frank and the innocence of the kid is such a treat to read.  This is highlighted by the kid’s chattiness and Frank’s very few words.  While Frank’s words speak volumes, it’s as though he is buoyed by the waves of the kid’s happy chatter and the juxtaposition between Frank’s guarded silence and the kid’s completely trusting disclosure is striking.  better still is the end of the issue, which shows again the difference between Frank the man and the legend of the Punisher: one the kid likes, the other alienates him.  again, this highlights the burden that the Punisher mantle places on Frank as a human being and how it stops him from developing much of anything as a person.

3.  Marco Checchetto is amazing.

We’ve seen Marco do cityscapes…..now we see him execute a snowy, windswept rural landscape.  The result a continual atmosphere of sadness and melancholy, a feeling of isolation.  In other words, it’s absolutely perfect and truly an emotionally evocative experience.

Checchetto also does fantastic work illustrating the wounded Frank.  He looks more vulnerable and more…human.  Furthermore, Checchetto’s work on Frank is so subtle as well; while he says little, he looks more tender, if not nicer, when around the kid.  unlike previous issues, he’s just a man here, and a very lonely one at that.4.  Who doesn’t like a holiday issue?

Rucka does well in making Thanksgiving a related event/theme for all of these characters, but rather than be the heart of the story, it’s merely a surrounding circumstance that links them all.  However, the real magic here is how Rucka uses the holiday as a way to shine a light on the different personalities and situations of these characters.  each character’s way of “celebrating” Thanksgiving is a reflection of their character.  that my friends, is writing.

5.  Corporate Crime

Rucka really nails down the Exchange this month and finally develops them into something special.  On the one hand, they’re a very grounded foe for the Punisher with a “real-world” vibe, which works well in keeping the comic grounded as well.  In another sense, it’s a witty take on America’s current focus on white-collar, corporate criminals.  The Exchange behave like, and appear to be, a corporate entity.  they have board-meetings, positions, etc.  Basically, they’re a corporation whose business really IS brutal, violent crime, as opposed to ponzi schemes and insider trading.

Conclusion: This is among the best single issues of the year.

Grade: A

Advertisement

Filed under: Marvel Comics, Reviews Tagged: | Alex Evans, Comic Book Reviews, comic reviews, Frank Castle, Greg Rucka, Marco Checchetto, Marvel Big Shots, Marvel Comics, Marvel Universe, Matt Hollingsworth, New York, New York City, Norah Winters, NYC, Oscar Clemons, Punisher, Rachel Alves, the Exchange, The Punisher, The Punisher #5 review, The Punisher 5, Warren Bolt, Weekly Comic Book Review

The Original Post is Located Here: The Punisher #5 – Review « Weekly Comic Book Review

It is a debate that has taken place throughout the ages.  It remains, still, one of the most common discussions in philosophical circles.  A person can rarely debate religion or theology without the subject quickly arising.

Morality.  Where does it come from?  Does it actually exist?  is it objective, subjective, or relative?  Can we have morality without the existence of a god or gods?

This will be the focus of this article.  As this is a subject that could fill volumes upon volumes of books, I will be splitting my own thoughts on the matter into 2 parts.  In this, part 1 of the article, I will be examining whether or not a god is necessary for morality to exist.  It is my position (as you may be able to guess) that a god is not the answer, and I will be highlighting the problems with the arguments that claim otherwise.  In part 2, I will move into a discussion on the nature of secular morality, and my defense of “objective moral values”, independent of any appeal to the divine.

Good without God?

While the position of morality depending on god has been around for thousands of years, the most prominent contemporary proponent of this argument is likely the christian apologist, Dr. William Lane Craig.  In his article on the subject, The Indispensability of Theological Meta-Ethical Foundations for Morality, Dr. Craig lays out his case.  he argues that “if God exists, then the objectivity of moral values, moral duties, and moral accountability is secured, but that in the absence of God, that is, if God does not exist, then morality is just a human convention, that is to say, morality is wholly subjective and non-binding”.

Dr. Craig essentially offers a version of divine command theory.  In his model, God is the ultimate source of moral values, and his commandments serve as instructions for moral behavior.  As Craig puts it, “God’s own holy and perfectly good nature supplies the absolute standard against which all actions and decisions are measured…God’s moral nature is expressed in relation to us in the form of divine commands which constitute our moral duties or obligations.”

At first glance, this appears to be a sound case.  This reasoning seems rather intuitive, especially to anyone who already accepts the existence of a God.  One of the most common defenses of religious belief, perhaps for this reason, remains the idea that these beliefs provide the world with morality.  So what’s the problem with this?  Why the age-old debate?  Haven’t we solved the great mystery?

Not So Fast

The above reasoning, however intuitive it may feel, is horrendously problematic.  It contains crucial assumptions that are unfounded, premises that are unsupported, and reasoning that is outright fallacious.  Objections have been raised, throughout the centuries, that remain unanswered.  overall, the problems and inconsistencies render the very argument, itself, to be invalid.  Let’s examine a few key problems, beginning with an objection that was raised over 2000 years ago by Plato.

The Euthyphro Dilemma

In Plato’s famous dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro, Socrates poses a question that sets up a dilemma for god-based morality.  To paraphrase, he essentially asks “is what God commands good because it is commanded by God, or does God command what he does because it is good?”  which is the case?  Does anything God commands become good, simply because God commanded it?  or does God only command that which is good, because he is God?  The implications of accepting either proposition are problematic to god-based morality.

Accepting the first scenario, that “good” means “anything commanded by God”, leads to strict divine command.  by this philosophy, ANYTHING commanded by God would become moral.  It is an authoritarian viewpoint, that reduces morality to mere obedience.  if God commands theft, murder, or rape, then these actions become morally good, because they have been commanded by God.  while this takes all of the complicated decision making out of the picture, it clearly reduces morality to being a meaningless word.  Under this framework, there would be no “right” and no “wrong”.  Instead, there would simply be “obedient” and “disobedient”.  Most people, theists and atheists alike, reject such a simplistic view of morality, and for good reason.  In this scenario, objective morality does not actually exist.  we are simply serfs, living under the reign of a cosmic overlord, and expected to carry out the master’s bidding.

This leaves option 2, that God commands what he does BECAUSE it is good.  In this scenario, both good and evil exist, and God is able to convey to us which actions are which, presumably because of his ability to recognize and appreciate good.  Problem here is, God is now no longer the grounding for good OR evil.  Instead, he is an interpreter, a middleman, and entirely superfluous to the core of the matter.  if God is merely evaluating actions, and deciding to command those that are good, then it follows that morality is a reasoning process.  God is simply doing the work for us, but in theory, we could apply the very same method to reach conclusions on moral actions.  In this scenario, God is not the basis for morality, but rather an instructor who is attempting to steer us towards independently existent moral truths.  This scenario necessarily comes with the confession that morality is independent of God.  if God did not exist, these moral truths would still be out there to be discovered.

It is also a peculiar viewpoint when combined with the idea of a perfect, and an omnipotent God.  In the above option, God is not only separate from moral truths, but actually bound by them.  God would not be free to act in any manner that was contrary to moral truth, as such actions would render him immoral.  This calls into question either his omnipotence, or his perfection.

False Dilemma

In fairness, many theistic philosophers, including Augustine, Aquinas, and the afore mentioned Dr. Craig, have responded to Euthyphro by calling it a false dilemma.  Specifically, Dr. Craig argues that “God’s moral nature is what Plato called the “good.” he is the locus and source of moral value. he is by nature loving, generous, just, faithful, kind, and so forth”.  In essence, Craig asserts that neither of the above options are accurate, as God’s very nature is what “good” is.  Basically, what God commands is good, and he will only command good things because that is the way he is.  God is “the greatest imaginable being, and any being that doesn’t meet this description is not God”.

This response, too, is very problematic.  For starters, it is essentially a complete dodge of the dilemma.  more importantly, however, it commits the logical fallacies of “begging the question” and “special pleading”.  God is asserted to be loving, faithful, kind, generous, etc, as well as the “greatest imaginable being”.  This raises many concerns.

1.  Loving, faithful, kind, and generous are all value judgements.  what sense does it make to state that god is these things, if we are unable to make these judgements without the existence of god?  This argument begs the question.  It asserts that the above listed words have value and meaning because they are consistent with god’s nature.  This requires god to exist, AND be all of these things, for it to be true.  How would we evaluate the claim that god is moral, if the word moral is rooted in god?  The conclusion that values are rooted in god’s moral nature presupposes a moral nature inate in god.  And again, as pointed out by scenario 1 of the Euthyphro dilemma, to state that god’s nature = morality, is to render morality meaningless.  Clearly, in order to even make a judgement as to God’s nature, we need a value system that is independent of God himself.

2.  The ontological argument that “god is the greatest imaginable being” is a gross example of special pleading.  Only a being that meets Dr. Craig’s criteria for “greatest imaginable” is a being that can be called God.  The problem is, not every imagination is the same.  indeed, there are NUMEROUS different god concepts on offer, all across the world.  many contain different properties, values, and priorities.  MOST are considered the “greatest imaginable being”.  I am quite certain that Dr. Craig does not consider Allah to be the greatest imaginable being, despite the fact that muslims are certain that he is.  To call your OWN concept of God the “greatest”, and dismiss all others as “less great”, is either an example of special pleading, or it is a claim that is made based on evidence and argument.  if it is the former, it is fallacious.  if it is the latter, than we must have criteria for evaluating the “greatness” of an idea.  When the idea is, itself, a god concept, the criteria cannot be rooted in the nature of a god, and we are once again left in a position where we need a value system that is independent of a god.

3.  Where is the evidence?  Anytime a claim is made, it is important to support the claim with evidence, reason, and justification.  Dr. Craig appears to be baldly asserting God’s nature to be good.  How does he know this?  what support can he offer?  Craig’s philosophical support is, at best, unsatisfactory.  his statements require support that does not collapse under critical scrutiny and, thus far, I don’t see it.

Say what now?

Ok, for argument’s sake, suppose we put aside all of the above problems.  Suppose that we granted that morality must be tied to following God’s commandments.  what now?  Should we sit back and wait for God to speak up and command us?  Where are these commandments found?  How do we learn what is commanded of us?  Generally speaking, when a person claims to hear the voice of God in their head, they are immediately advised to seek psychological help.  Clearly, we now are in a position of needing a source for God’s commands, otherwise acting on them will be rather impossible.  Once again, a couple of serious problems arise.

1.  For starters, which source?  It may come as a shock to some, but there is more than ONE book that is claimed to be the “word of god”.  ask a Muslim where to find God’s instructions, and you may be directed to the Qu’ran.  ask a Jew, and you will likely be directed to the Torah.  ask a Christian, and you will likely be handed a Bible (though which version will depend on the denomination of christianity).  And these are just the three books of the most prominent monotheistic traditions.  what about the book of Mormon?  what about the many texts of lesser-known religions?  what of the religious doctrines of the many religions, throughout history, that have now gone either endangered, or extinct?  You need not read very far into each of the above listed texts before realizing that they are not the same book.  many make mutually exclusive claims.  if objective moral values are grounded in God, and if behaving morally is dependent on following this God’s commands, then clearly we better pick the RIGHT source.  otherwise, we will be acting immorally, and never know it!  So why is this a problem?

The largest religion in the world, at present, is Christianity.  Putting aside the various differences in the denominations, and counting all of them as one group, christians account for ~2 billion people.  Pretty impressive right?  Unless, of course, you consider that this makes over 5 billion people NOT christians.  if, for example, the Bible was the source of God’s commands, then less than 29% of the world has access to the proper code of morality.  This renders over 70% of the world as vulnerable to immorality and depravity of all kinds.  if objective moral values depend on God, and moral behavior depends on listening to God, then MOST of the planet is going to be objectively immoral.  The figures are even worse for every other religion on offer, as they represent even smaller portions of the world’s population.  This paints a picture where moral truths are accessible to only a minority of the world’s people, while the majority are doomed to walk in darkness.  sure, they may stumble upon the moral truths contained in the correct source, but any occasion where they do so will be accidental and unfounded, as only the word of the correct God can properly ground moral decisions.  This, I hope is clear, is simply not the reality of morality in the world.

2.  Interpretation becomes a major issue.  Let’s say that, despite the odds, we manage to hitch our wagons to the correct source of God’s commands.  For argument’s sake, let’s select the source to which Dr. Craig subscribes:  The Bible.  we are in great luck now!  The Bible, as the word of God, will be a very clear instruction manual on moral behavior.  It will present a clear, unified, and consistent message.  It will be profoundly insightful, and it’s teachings will be undeniable by anyone with a sense for morality.  So reading through the Bible, this is what we find…right?  Unfortunately, no.  This is hardly what we find.  Instead, we have a book that is wrought with inconsistency, direct contradictions, and commandments that are either entirely irrelevant in today’s society, or commands that appear overtly immoral in civilized circles.  sure, there is undoubtedly some very good advice inside, and to deny this would be silly.  But, as the source of objective morality, shouldn’t there ONLY be very good advice inside?

Now, a discussion on the teachings of the Bible is a topic that, itself, could fill many blog articles.  It is a discussion that could quickly derail the original topic of this post.  For this reason, I will, against my normal nature, avoid getting deep into specifics.  The details of this debate are for another day, and I will certainly be addressing the subject more thoroughly in future posts.  For the purposes of this discussion, however, consider the following questions.  is it considered immoral to work on the sabbath?  is it considered moral to stone unruly children to death?  is it immoral to not honor your mother or father, if they are abusive or dysfunctional parents?  is the institution of slavery moral?  do you view homosexuality as immoral?  is it immoral for a woman to have equal status in a relationship?

If you answered no to any of the above questions, by what criteria did you do so?  You can find passages in the Bible that appear to explicitly endorse, if not outright command, many actions that are dismissed as immoral today.  This is a very real problem.  if God’s commands are expressions of a perfectly moral code, then under what reasoning are they not ALL followed to the letter?  Could it be that the commands of the Bible are being filtered through a separate screen?  A screen of moral sensibility that exists independent of what is written down in the text?

Now, it is argued that, for every seemingly evil teaching found in the Bible, a passage can be found that contradicts, or overturns it.  I fail to see how this helps the Bible’s case.  Arguing that your book is not actually immoral, but instead merely inconsistent, hardly speaks volumes of it’s ability to serve as the source of objective moral values.  Being wrong, and being contradictory, are BOTH problematic.  Again, in the face of an inconsistent message, we now must decide which passages to emphasize.  This decision process will be independent of biblical instruction, calling into serious question the idea that the Bible is, itself, the source of values, much less objective morality.

To claim that morality stems from a person’s ability to follow God’s objectively moral commands is, it should seem, a claim that is problematic on many levels.  But all of the above complaints, all of the above problems with the reasoning of Dr. Craig and company, all of the issues with grounding objective morality in God, all of them pale in comparision to the very basic problem with god-based morality.  The problem that is so obvious, it almost needn’t be stated.

Stating the Obvious Anyway

The main problem with basing morality on God?  It presumes that God exists in the first place.  This entire discussion is almost irrelevant if the basic existence of God cannot be demonstrated.  In fairness, there aren’t many theists that don’t willingly acknowledge this very point.  But the problem remains nonetheless.  if morality becomes “grounded” when we simply base it on a perfectly moral God, we must establish that such a God exists FIRST.  without step 1, you might as well ground objective morality on ANY imaginary concept.

Now, while nearly every theist accepts and acknowledges this obvious fact, I raise the point to illustrate a key problem in Dr. Craig’s position.  Dr. Craig uses the existence of “objective moral values” as evidence of the existence of God.  The issue here is that this clashes violently with his argument that “objective moral values” exist.  Dr. Craig argues that moral values are objective, because they are grounded in God’s perfectly moral nature.  he then argues that objective moral values serve as evidence for the existence of God?  How can this be?  This reasoning is entirely circular!  In essence, it is the position that morality exists because god exists, and god exists because morality exists.  Objective moral values cannot be offered as evidence for the existence of God in any system where God, himself, is being proposed as the source of, and explanation for, objective moral values.  Demonstrating the existence of God, then, would have to be done without appealing to moral values, as long as God is proposed to be the ontology of moral values in the first place.

So what now?

It is, for all of the reasons above, simply inadequate to claim God as the source of objective moral values.  So where does this leave us?  is Dr. Craig correct that morality is now a human convention?  is the entire realm of morality illusory?  Are we reduced to living in a word of moral relativism?  do the words “right’ and “wrong” now become effectively meaningless?

In short, the answer to EACH of the above questions is NO.  In part 2 of this article, I will be arguing that objective moral values do in fact exist, independent of any appeals to the divine.  It is a position that is actually rather controversial amongst non-believers, so I wanted to dedicate at least an entire post to properly explaining my stance.

God is not the answer, but the answers ARE out there.   Stay tuned……

Sources:

• God and Goodness (freethoughtblogs.com)
• More on the Source of Morality: is God preferable to the Devil? (fensel.net)

The Original Post is Located Here: The Great Debate: Morality (Part 1)

One of my favourite actors has passed away at the age of 81. Ben Gazzara made waves in four of John Cassavetes films, and was still working into his early 80s.

The last time I saw him in a new film was 2006′s Paris Je T’aime, an anthology film. Gazzara’s story teamed him with fellow Cassavetes player, Gena Rowlands. It was bittersweet seeing them together again, and their advanced years underscored the drama very poignantly.

Before that, he had a role in Dogville, not too long before that he was in Happiness and The Big Lebowski, and winding backwards we’d eventually get to tales of Ordinary Madness, in which he played Charles Bukowksi, and then the 1970s and a whole raft of exciting pictures: Saint Jack, Opening Night, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.

It’s likely that last role which I will always associate most closely with him.

Here’s the trailer.

Ben Gazzara, 1930 – 2012. he will not be forgotten.

The Original Post is Located Here: Ben Gazzara 1930 – 2012

MEL GIBSON’S FILM ‘GET THE GRINGO’ BYPASSES THEATERS WITH DIRECTV VOD DEAL

“get the Gringo” is actually the new title. the film has been advertised as “how I Spent my Summer Vacation.”

This is a radical move on Gibson’s part. “get the Gringo’ will never see the inside of a movie theatre (other than some special screenings). Instead, 20 million DirecTV subscribers will have the opportunity to VOD the film for a very reasonable $10.99. then, later in the year, the film will move to other VOD outlets and Fox will release it on home video.  

The smartest move here is the price point. $10.99 is a very attractive figure for a brand-spanking new Mel Gibson action picture. You’re able to enjoy this in the comfort of your own home with the entire family. also, the advertising is much cheaper. Everything is done through DirecTV, who has a stake in the success of the film, as opposed to mass media markets.  

While “Margin Call” was also released in theatres, it still managed to gross a very impressive $4 million on VOD while in theatres, and that’s without the attraction of an A-list star in an action flick.

Crunch the numbers. 2 million buys, or 10% of DirecTV subscribers, equals $22 million. Toss in the subsequent VOD release and DVD and what you have here is a potential game changer.

Another brilliant move on Gibson’s part (his Icon produced) was to not allow himself to be put in a position where theatre owners could blackmail him. “Tower Heist” was a theatrical release that wanted to experiment with same-day VOD. Theatre chains freaked and threatened to not screen the film. Universal blinked and that was that.

NEW ‘DEATH WISH’ TO BE SET IN LOS ANGELES

Details from the remake’s writer/director Joe Carnahan:

“I’m doing ‘Death Wish.’ but this version is a re-imagining of the book and set in present day Los Angeles. the L.a. of ‘Collateral.’ It’s on buses, cabs, metro trains. I want to show an unseen version of L.a. L.a. on foot. Prowling. Hunting. the vast emptiness of downtown.”

“Death Wish 2″ (my favorite of the series) was set in Los Angeles, as well. Carnahan’s also cast Frank Grillo, but not for the lead.

‘G.I. JOE’ SEQUEL IS ‘BETTER THAN THE FIRST,’ SAYS CHANNING TATUM

There’s a low bar.

ESPN FIGHTS THE DIGITAL FUTURE

ESPN President John Skipper refuses to use any platform other than cable television:

Skipper says that ESPN is prepared for the growth of digital platforms. since 2005 it decided that when it bought broadcast rights for games ”we would acquire all rights for content on any devices.” but the sports channel doesn’t want to use digital platforms to take viewers away from cable and satellite. Distributors “pay us money for that. We’re not going to undermine (that) by giving it away to anyone else.” Still, the digital rights could give ESPN an edge over potentially muscular new competitors such as NBCUniversal’s NBC Sports Network. Over the next year ESPN will face “more competition than ever and new competition,” Skipper says.

Or NBC could go digital. because that’s where the people will be.

Skipper also believes…

“… it makes sense to charge people for a bundle of channels that includes ESPN instead of paying for just the ones that they watch. ”If people pay a la carte they will end up paying as much or more” than they do now.

As far as my cable viewing goes, thanks to Redbox, Netflix Streaming, and my personal DVD collection, I am down to Fox News and Packer games. my Dish contract, where I’m currently paying $50 a month for, expires in December, and I’m going to cancel it.  

Am I alone with this sentiment?

NETFLIX: MOST PROFITS STILL COME FROM DVD-BY-MAIL

The by-mail DVD service is five times more profitable for Netflix than streaming, and yet Netflix is putting all its focus on streaming.

I wonder why.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE IN TALKS TO PLAY CLINT EASTWOOD RIVAL IN ‘TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE’

Timberlake is a very good actor.

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY CELEBRATES FOUR-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH ITS BEST-RATED MONTH

Because I refuse to pay the additional $30 required to up my Dish package to include Investigative Discovery (or AMC or TCM), I’m no longer able to enjoy this 24/7 true crime-a-palooza, but I eventually catch up to their programming on Netflix Streaming.

What I love about true crime docs is how fascinating the stories are. It’s a perfect mix of mystery, procedure, and insight into human nature — both good and bad. even better, these non-fiction programs don’t come with the all soapy personal and agenda-driven stuff that clogs up too many narrative crime procedurals.

It’s also a very conservative genre. Law enforcement represents the competent good guys, evil is portrayed as frighteningly real through the perpetrators, and the heart of the story comes from the plight of the victims and the loved ones they leave behind.

You can’t watch these shows and oppose the death penalty. there be monsters and those monsters deserve to die. not only is that almost always the point-of-view of the victims’ families, but the show itself stays out of the debate and lets the facts speak for themselves.

—–

—–

LAST NIGHT’S SCREENING

In Time (2011) — Blur-ray screener. Review coming soon.

—–

—–

SCOTTDS’ EPIC LINKTACULAR

QUESTIONABLE TREK VOL. 2 – ANDREW PRICE AND SCOTTDS DISCUSS ‘STAR TREK II‘

MGM REVS UP YET ANOTHER WRITER FOR ‘ROBOCOP’

READ AUTHOR DOUGLAS ADAMS’ FRUSTRATED LETTER TO DISNEY FROM 1999

007: NEW ‘SKYFALL’ PHOTO

WATCH TEST FOOTAGE FROM a PROPOSED ANIMATED ‘JOHN CARTER’ ADAPTATION FROM 1936

NEW PROMO BANNER FOR ‘THE AVENGERS’

WATCHMEN PREQUELS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED

HOW MUCH DOES a MEGA-PRODUCER MAKE AND SPEND?

NIKKI FINKE’S COURTROOM BATTLE WITH THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER SET FOR JULY, 2013

12 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT LIAM NEESON

THE 50 BEST USES OF SONGS IN MOVIES

‘GREEN ARROW’ TV SHOW CASTS ’90210′ ACTOR IN LEAD

HUMOR: THE 2012 BEST PICTURE NOMINEES RECAST WITH DOGS

ADAM SANDLER TO HEADLINE AND CO-WRITE ‘CANDY LAND’ MOVIE

14 JAW-DROPPING OPENING TITLE SEQUENCES FROM MOVIES

THE 100 GREATEST NICOLAS CAGE QUOTES (NSFW)

16 FACTS ABOUT ‘FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF‘

INSIDE THE FIRST SCREENING OF ‘a CLOCKWORK ORANGE‘

20 FACTS ABOUT ‘FARGO‘

COMING SOON TO HOME VIDEO

On March 6th, Shout! Factory will release TRANSFORMERS PRIME: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON on Blu-ray & DVD!! Fans and collectors can pre-order the DVD release of TRANSFORMERS PRIME: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON today!  the Limited-Edition 4-Disc Blu-ray Collection (featuring the 96-page IDW graphic novel) is available for preorder exclusively on Amazon.com and ShoutFactoryStore.com.

On April 10th, Shout! Factory, in association with Marvel Knights Animation, will release ASTONISHING X-MEN: DANGEROUS on DVD!! Fans and collectors can pre-order the DVD release of ASTONISHING X-MEN: DANGEROUS today! the DVD is available for preorder on Amazon.com.

—–

—–

CLASSIC PICK FOR THURSDAY,  FEBRUARY 2

9:30 AM  EST: Johnny Belinda (1948) —  A small-town doctor helps a deaf-mute farm girl learn to communicate. Dir: Jean Negulesco Cast:  Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, Charles Bickford.  BW-102 mins, TV-G, CC.

Wyman won a Best Actress Oscar for  her brilliant performance as an innocent deaf-mute put through emotional hell in this mature and very moving forgotten classic.

The most difficult role for an actor or actress to play is that of a wide-eyed innocent. When you look at Wyman’s performance here, Jennifer Jones in “the Song of Bernadette” (for which she won the Oscar), or Joan Fontaine in “Rebecca,”  you can tell that one wrong move would’ve undermined the entire performance. There’s so much room for error in these portrayals because it’s so easy to slip into melodrama or sticky pathos — it’s so easy to want to communicate something “more” with a flash of “knowing” in the eyes.

But to pull a character like this off convincingly, to be able to hide the strings in a performance that relies almost completely on the eyes and buries so much of who the actor  really is … that’s a real feat.  

—–

—–

Please send comments, suggestions and tips to or Twitter @NolteNC.

The Original Post is Located Here: Big Hollywood » Blog Archive » Daily Call Sheet: Mel Gibson Wants to Change Everything, ESPN Fights Back, True Crime-a-Palooza

Since 1992, “Look East” has been a policy objective which successive Indian governments crafted on stone, only to celebrate it as an archaeological masterpiece. From conception to birth and now baby steps, it has taken close to two decades. But, as they say, it’s never too late.

India’s invitation to Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the third successive dignitary from the “East” to grace the Republic Day celebrations, is being interpreted as lending the “take-off” to look East. The young Yingluck was the second Thai premier to call on New Delhi in less than a year. Her predecessor, Abhisit Vejjaveva, made a three-day bilateral only in April 2011. Those who feared that his defeat in the election would lead to another period of prolonged hang were reassured when the new leader, who incidentally has a background in business management, took the process forward.

However, the biggest impetus to India’s look East Policy could be the Thai premier’s interest in developing the Dawei project in Burma. if India goes ahead with Yingluck’s plan, this strategically important deepwater port — being touted as the biggest infrastructure project ever in Southeast Asia — would outmatch China’s showpiece Gwadar port project in Pakistan, Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Kyauk Phyu in Burma. Moreover, Dawei offers a viable chance to unite the fast-growing South India region with the ASEAN.

The process of foreign policy making is fundamentally an exercise in the choice of ends and means in an international setting. therefore, with the formulation of a broad goal that gives a sense of purpose and direction to foreign policy, short-term policies are planned to make it look more contemporary. in this respect, the importance of India’s look East Policy lies in various external and internal compulsions, and expectations of India in the changed international environment.

China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific, and the success stories of the East Asian Tiger economies forced India to rethink the basic parameters of its foreign policy. and thus the look East Policy took birth in 1992. But it got momentum with the realisation of ill-effects of lopsided liberalisation, which led to the rapid formation of regional economic organisations.

The first outcome of India’s concerted efforts was the India-Myanmar Trade Agreement signed in January, 1994. Free trade agreements with Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and ASEAN provide substantive economic linkages at a time when traditional markets in Europe and the US appear mired in economic stagnation.

The importance of the look East Policy for India in contemporary times is two-fold. It is an extended security trajectory to project India’s concerns over the perceived Chinese build-up in the region. The second is a strategy of economic cooperation based on globalisation in the pursuit of becoming an economic power in the region.

India has strengthened relations with Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. From East Asia, Singapore was India’s first and closest partner, while Indonesia has emerged as a strong advocate of greater cooperation between India and Southeast Asia.

Much to the chagrin of China, Vietnam recently granted access to its gas reserves in the South China Sea and invited the Indian Navy to send its ships on courtesy visits. With more than half of India’s trade passing through the Straits of Malacca, New Delhi has been increasingly firm about the need to safeguard its own national interests, carrying out naval manoeuvers and marine exploration even in the face of Chinese objections. and therefore, India’s spat with China over oil exploration in South China Sea is a fruitful aggressive behaviour to install itself as a regional power.

Similarly, India was successful in influencing Japan, which brought India into ASEAN+6 to dilute the ASEAN+3, where China is dominant. Japan has also lobbied for India’s membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

There are welcome indications from Rangoon that the Burmese junta, which notoriously kowtowed to Beijing throughout its vice-like grip over the country, is undergoing an India tilt. after the United States and the EU imposed economic sanctions against Burma following the junta’s brutal crackdown on protests in 1988, China emerged as Burma’s most dependable ally. Without Chinese economic assistance, the dysfunctional Burmese economy would have probably completely collapsed.

As for Singapore, which was one of the first countries to respond to India’s look East Policy, it has been conducting joint naval exercises with India since 1993. The improvement of post-liberlisation economic relations led to Singapore supporting India’s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council and expand its role and influence in the ASEAN.

India and Singapore signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to increase trade, investments and economic cooperation, and expanded bilateral cooperation on maritime security, training forces, conducting joint exercises, developing military technology and fighting terrorism. Following its independence in 1965, Singapore was concerned with China-backed Communist threats as well as domination from Malaysia and Indonesia and sought a close strategic relationship with India. The bilateral trade between India and Singapore under the CECA was close to Singapore $30.5 billion (Rs 1.24 lakh crore) in 2010. however, the

India-Singapore CECA require some amendments, particularly in the area of mutual recognition of professional qualification in order to make it relevant to the present business relations between the two countries.

Relationship with Indonesia is also getting better. in 1950, the then Indonesian President Soekarno was the chief guest at the first Republic Day function. Trade between the two countries touched $11.7 billion in 2010. With an archipelagic coastline of 54,716 km, stretching 5,271 km east to west and 2,210 km north to south dominating key international waterways — the Malacca, Sunda, Lombok and Makassar straits — Indonesia controls all or part of the very major waterway between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Given their locations and capabilities India and Indonesia have a critical role to play as sentinels guarding these vital lifelines in the interest of their own security.

However, the road to a ‘successful’ look East Policy is not so smooth. There has been much talk about the potential of look East Policy in transforming the India’s Northeast. India’s trade with countries bordering the Northeast has witnessed remarkable growth, with the share going up more the five times from 1.7 per cent in 1992-93 to 8 per cent in 2003-04. But this impressive expansion of trade with India’s eastern neighbours has had a little impact on the economy of the Northeast as this trade expansion has taken place mainly through the seaports.

Despite two decades of look East, India has still not shown Asia its mettle for regional leadership. It is high time for India to concretely articulate its vision for its broader role in Asia, particularly with respect to the region’s key security concerns.

 (The writer is Joint News Editor, The Pioneer)

The Original Post is Located Here: India’s nascent eastern pivots

WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?

Every week Hannibal Tabu (two-time Eisner-winning journalist/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated.com) goes to a comic book store called Comics Ink in Culver City, CA (Overland and Braddock — hey Steve, Jason, Vince and Quislet) and grabs a whole lotta comics. these periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles — the “buy” pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the “read” pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you’ll be able to get his thoughts (and they’re just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here’s some common definitions used in the column) about all of that … which goes something like this …

THE BUY PILE FOR JANUARY 25, 2012

Secret Avengers #21.1(Marvel Comics)Jump from the Read Pile.Let’s be honest — in a more crowded week, this book wouldn’t have gotten the nod. however, the bromantic comedy between Steve Rogers and Clint Barton did have its merits as they invade the heretofore unknown nation Bagalia (maybe Madripoor was booked up) to try and stop an assassination of a vacationing US senator. The artwork from Patrick Zircher and Andy Troy was superlatively kinetic, however, delivering a high flying action movie on the page. Rick Remender has a great understanding of the challenging relationship between Hawkeye and Captain America — the balance between mutual respect and grudging antagonism. The plot could have a little more zing to it, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this comic book, and it’s certainly entertaining.

WHAT’S THE PROGNOSIS?

The original plan was to buy Brandon Easton’s “Shadowlaw” TPB, but there was no order at Comics Ink. Still, this isn’t a bad start. There’s a jump, and that’s a good thing, right?

THIS WEEK’S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions:Stuff worth noting, even if it’s not good enough to buy

If you’re a Joss Whedon fan, you’ll likely enjoy the dialogue and general energy of “Angel and Faith” #6, which reads from Giles’ diary as a young Watcher. on the other hand, the actual plot of the issue was considerably less interesting. So it’s a mixed bag there.

“Incorruptible” #26 wasn’t bad, showing elements of Max Damage’s origins and explaining a lot about the motives of both the former villain and the Plutonian he’s been obsessed with. The story sagged in the middle a little, though, and that was a concern.

Yeah, “Aquaman” #5 switched Hoth for the desert and Luke for Arthur, but despite that very weird selection, the titular character continued his success strategy of “managing not to be as lame as everything around him” as a squadron of Atlantean commandos look like they’re playing “Halo” and Aquaman in the desert is about as interesting as anybody walking around in the desert would be, without Jawas or cursing out your mechanized counterpart.

“Witchblade” #152 felt like a TV show, complete with a contrived romantic subplot and a ready made dramatic foil that’s not quite serious enough to be an antagonist. Quick moving and breezy even when bacon-themed armor enters the picture, the idea of a woman in a tight mini dress and high heels running around in Chicago’s winter borders on the ludicrous.

“Fantastic Four” #602 was considerably more linear than its counterpart (more about that in a little while), working through the world-endangering crisis faced by Marvel’s first family with fairly predictable blockbuster beats but very solid artwork, and some interesting moments from Galactus. if you took the character development from “FF” #14 and married it to the plotting here, you’d have one solid comic book instead of two with challenges.

“Transformers: Robots In Disguise” #1 was something of a surprise, a locked door potboiler like the New Caprica episodes of the most recent “Battlestar Galactica.” it wasn’t bad, but there aren’t exactly what you’d call “good guys” or even, apparently, somewhere for this story to go. The new robots aren’t exactly easy to distinguish, and Bumblebee going back to a Cybertronian alt mode didn’t help either.

“The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men” #5 illustrates the phrase, “be careful what you wish for.” Jason Rusch is front and center in an issue that dives deep into a shadowy government organization working in secret with virtually unlimited resources … no, not Colbert’s Super PAC. Anyhoo, the story was okay if a bit unbalanced, as the Firestorms of many nations come forth like they were characters in The Ultimates. Yeah, okay.

“Elephantmen” #37 had some nice crime procedural moments overlaid with sorta “Hill Street Blues” styled character moments. it kind of suffered from “Invincible”-itis, with a series of moments hitting you instead of making an actual story. Nice to enjoy the moments, but maybe not nice enough to pay for.

Ready for a surprise? The title character stays clothed through most of “Vampirella” #13, a surprisingly Buffy-esque take on dealing with monsters and bad guys. now, if any of those characters were interesting it might be something.

“Mice Templar Volume 3″ #7 features a meaner, more Kurusawa-styled medieval tale of corrupt royal advisors and discontented underclasses. The art doesn’t really carry the gravitas of the events — even with rodents — but the story has some interesting elements.

The “Meh” PileNot good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, not important enough to say much more than the title

“Fathom: Blue Descent” #4, “King Conan: The Phoenix on The Sword” #1, “All-Star Western” #5, “Infestation 2″ #1, “Astonishing X-Men” #6, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” #6, “Batman: The Dark Knight” #5, “Avengers Solo” #4, “Flash” #5, “Captain America and Bucky” #626, “Green Wake” #9, “Green Lantern: New Guardians” #5, “Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates” #6, “Justice League Dark” #5, “X-Men: Legacy” #261, “Legion: Secret Origin” #4, “Dead Rising: Road to Fortune” #3, “Superman” #5, “Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters” #11

No, just … no … These comics? Not so much …

Okay. Somehow, in “Mighty Thor” #10, Tanarus can’t be seen by Heimdall, whose sole job is to see stuff. It’d be like Darwin getting killed by the first thing that really challenged … look, never mind that, every part of this where Tanarus is involved — including beating down the guard of the Aesir — was stupid. The scant panels where Thor appears are pretty impressive, but he’s barely on the show at all. That’s not good.

Speaking of “not good,” “Deadpool” #49.1 was really, really bad. An awful, musical-themed clip show playing on songs by Naughty By Nature, Britney Spears and that weird “Chocolate Rain” thing. what do you get for enduring this? Recaps of everything that’s happened in the last several months. like, say, you could get on Wikipedia (when it’s not blacked out to protest SOPA and PIPA). A serious fumble for this series.

“Justice League” #5 had, bar none, some of the stupidest writing on Batman ever. ok, Bats is notoriously paranoid, no matter how you “relaunch,” and what he did here is simply ridiculous — unprepared, so many chances for it to go wrong … it threw off the whole comic book, really. You can write off Hal’s reaction as allegedly he’s not on earth very much (it’s still a little odd) but most of the team took the issue off. Not good.

If “Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred” #1 was a “hero’s” origin story, it was done in a way that would have made Rorshach shudder uncomfortably. like a fever dream fueled by ecstasy, there’s not much that’s not either awkward or ill conceived.

The only part worth mentioning in “Alpha Flight” #8 is the effective family drama, where Mac and Heather really struggle with each other, brain control and combat in armored suits notwithstanding. Lots of Canada gets leveled, but since some believe it is a fictional country and/or a tax dodge created by the Koch Brothers, it’s hard to rate that part.

“Kirby Genesis” #5 felt like it was throwing literally everything it had out on the page at the same time. Some pages looked like they had fifty active characters on them, and not in that cool Gene Ha/George Perez kind of way either. “Here’s a sentence about some random idea the King had years ago and we picked up on … and it’s gone.” no development of plot or character.

Valeria had some nice moments with “Unca Doom” and her grandfather in “FF” #14, but you’d need the aforementioned “Fantastic Four” issue to get a better sense of the plot. Not as bad as some of these books, but not so great.

Now, “Savage Hawkman” #5, that’s a bad comic book. Carter Hall spending way too much time pontificating and gazing thoughtfully at his Nth metal? no thanks. also, apparently, he’s hallucinating. Ugly hallucinations too, not like hanging out with Sofia Vergara or Paula Patton.

“Daken Dark Wolverine” #20 … what happened to you? You used to be badass, now we’ve got this emo whining in the rain, snipping at Nefaria’s heels and kind of drifting around aimlessly. Awful.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

Nine stinkers to ten okay ones … even the meh doesn’t help with that.

Also, there was no order for “Dream Reavers” #3 and “Kung Fu Panda” #4. sorry.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Given the tepid jump and the pretty rugged reads, the week kind of washed itself out to “meh.”

THE BUSINESS

This week on Komplicated.com: the hot new sci-fi/horror graphic novel from “Thundercats” writer Brandon Easton, a look at BMW’s self driving car hitting the Autobahn, February’s new Black Comic Book Day, a way to make older iOS devices run today’s iOS 5, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being named global cultural ambassador, President Obama singing an Al Green song, a big breakdown of the legal issues around SOPA and PIPA, music recommendations from Rox Fontaine, Brutha Gimel and the world famous DJ Jedi alongside

free MP3 downloads and of course the commentary track for these reviews. Updated at least three times a day, every day, Komplicated is doing it for the block and the blogosphere, capturing the Black geek aesthetic.

Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The buy Pile? if we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. “less than 64 pages”) by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. if you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn’t been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. sorry!

Tags:  the buy pile

The buy Pile Home | The buy Pile Archives

The Original Post is Located Here: The Buy Pile: The Last Girl At The Party – Comic Book Resources

Every piece of a puzzle has a specific spot where it fits correctly. Each piece contributes to the puzzle to make the picture whole. Sometimes the puzzle is missing a piece or two and requires someone with a keen eye to find the missing pieces and complete the picture. the same could be said for medical examiners. their job is to find the unknown and determine the cause and manner of death of the deceased.

Cmdr. Edward A. Reedy, staff pathologist and director of clinical support services at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, is one of two armed forces medical examiners outside of the United States, whose jurisdiction encompasses the Western Pacific including Hawaii, Republic of Korea, Japan, and the Republic of the Philippines.

The mission of the Armed Forces Medical Examiners System is to provide comprehensive services in forensic pathology, forensic toxicology, DNA technology and identification, and mortality surveillance for the Department of Defense.

A case begins when a medical examiner is notified by investigative services, said Reedy.

“if the body is still at the scene, I will travel to the scene,” Reedy said. “You learn a lot of information from being at the scene versus what you would acquire through a report. Once the scene is cleared, the deceased will be transported to the USNH,” said Reedy.

When the body arrives at the hospital, an autopsy will begin, which includes an external exam, internal exam, and lab test, according to Reedy.

“every case gets the full treatment,” he said. “there are no partial autopsies. You only get one shot to examine the body because once the body is gone, it’s gone.”

Cases sometimes go to trial, said Reedy.

The Original Post is Located Here: Navy Medical Examiner Pieces Together Hidden Truths

How to make the most out of any small size yard, garden or patio

You don’t have to be a professional landscape architect to create an inviting courtyard or patio space. just follow a few basic design principles and you too will get that designer look.

Gardens and landscape areas or any outdoor space for that matter can be approached as a challenge to create defined spaces. These spaces may be either the given size of what you have or a desire to create several spaces depending on your needs and the suitability of the area you are working with.

There are many design idea books and magazines that feature small space gardens, balcony garden, container gardens, courtyard gardens or even creating garden rooms. The key here is that they are all designing for a distinct area that has some sort of size limitation.

Small Space Gardens

While you typically cannot physically increase the size of a small garden, you can create the illusion of a larger space with some clever ideas and design principles. for example, keep the design simple and uncluttered by keeping the purpose of the space limited and do not have multiple things going on such as a sitting area, a fountain, a group of pots, a lawn area and a bbq area.

Make sure the plant material is in scale with the size of the space and does not mature to a size that would reduce the useable area. consider placing fountains against walls rather than free standing. keep the ground expansive and don’t subdivide the space by building raised planter or low walls.

Consider the use of a mirror perhaps strategically located at the end of a corridor to create the illusion that the space is deeper and continues. Be careful to not place it so it will confuse birds that may fly into the mirror. also think about if it does crack, that you would be able to easily replace it, so don’t fasten a frame around it that you cannot remove.

Courtyards

Gardens that are surrounded by a building or walls that essentially screen out the outer areas are enclosing, intimate and private. This type of garden is actually one of the most historical in ancient times where the walled garden was considered a style of garden where roses and other cultivated plants where grown to separate them from passersby.

A courtyard is typically in the front or side of a house and is integrally connected to the building via doors and windows. The entrance to the courtyard is often through a gate that may or may not have a arched structure above it. All courtyards must be designed with a seating area. The inclusion of a fountain can provide the sound of water as well as a focal point and make the space more inviting.

Outdoor Rooms

The concept of the outdoor room stems from extending the interior space outdoors. It is typically not much different than the typical back patio adjacent to the rear access doors. But what makes it a distinct room is the sense of enclosure. creating an outdoor room not connected to the home, you must design it in such a way that you create a floor, walls and a canopy or ceiling so that the architecture of the space is structured to convey the sense of an indoor room but without the climate controlled environment of the indoors.

Outdoor rooms can be done simply by building a gazebo, or an outdoor kitchen with seating area and overhead canopy. you can also create an outdoor room that is sometimes called by another name, such as a garden retreat or secret garden.

The Strolling Garden

Perhaps one of the most dramatic and interactive garden to design is a garden that is basically a series of loosely interconnected spaces linked together with some kind of path. such a style was utilized in many of the traditional gardens built in historic Japan.

If the property is large enough, consider creating distinct spaces so that you can enjoy the garden from several perspectives and vantage points. Having several small seating areas or even a bench, located at strategic spots can make full use of the limited area. Garden features can be hidden so that one only realizes them after meandering along the pathways. Revealing everything a garden has to offer from a single vantage point is perhaps not the most creative way to make use of the space you have to work with.

Are you getting the most spatial value from your yard?

Do you feel a sense of spaciousness regardless of how small or large it is?

Do you have a front yard but never use it? Could you create a courtyard?

Depending on what you have to work with, creating spaces in an otherwise uninspiring yard can be achieved if you put your mind to it and get creative.

The Original Post is Located Here: How to Design For Small Space Gardens, Patios or Courtyards

Published on Jan 25, 2012

They’ve gone too far! It’s just a Gears of War clone! it won’t feel like Resident Evil! wrong, wrong, wrong. If you think Resident Evil 6 has abandoned its series’ survival-horror roots then you’re just not paying attention.

From the moment the trailer begins, the tone is clear. the classic tenets of Resident Evil, whether established in the first game or in the genre-redefining 4, are front-and-centre in this sequel.

As Leon S. Kennedy shakily points a handgun at his zombified friend and employer, the US president, he gasps for air through short, shallow breaths as his worst nightmares unfold before his eyes yet again.

The darkened office casts just enough natural light across Leon’s age-worn face for us to see the dread in his eyes, and despite everything the iconic gaming hero has been through over the years, it’s clear that the former police officer turned special agent is still very much human. Weak, vulnerable, emotional… albeit capable of a pulling off an awesome roundhouse kick.

That last point isn’t quite the contradiction it may seem. for every new move Leon gained in Resident Evil 4, he remained ever on the back foot, his repertoire and arsenal just about good enough to manage the encroaching crowd, if used with a little skill.

And it looks as though the same will be true of Resident Evil 6. One new move at his disposal is a cool-looking slide that half recalls Platinum Games’ Vanquish, only less OTT.

Will Chris’ segments focus more on action and set-pieces?

Seemingly a way to adopt a position of relative safety among the zombie horde, it allows Leon to fire off a few shots as he shuffles backwards on his behind. It’s hardly the most dignified of action hero moves, and arguably creates as much risk as it does safety.

On the other side of the planet in China, returning protagonist Chris Redfield employs a similar move, sliding into cover behind some sandbags, assault rifle in hand.

It would be pure testosterone-fuelled dudebro action in any other series, but here it just lands him in more trouble as a toothy zombie tentacle bursts over the sandbags and lifts him up by the neck.

Moments later, we see Chris on his back again, this time rolling on the floor to avoid strikes from a monster, popping off a few rounds where he can just to keep the thing at bay. 

Neither of these men is a one-man army. Instead, they’re caught in a desperate struggle to stay alive, their split-second actions making the difference between gruesome death or surviving to fight against more impossible odds.

There is another playable character in Resident Evil 6, however, and if anyone comes close to fitting the superhero template it’s this currently unnamed protagonist.

Some fans have speculated that the scar-faced ex-mercenary may be an unmasked Hunk, or Albert Wesker’s fellow Spencer Mansion test subject Alex Wesker, described but not shown in the Resident Evil 5 DLC.

Who is this? Most elements seem to point to Alex Wesker, brother of comic book villain Albert Wesker.

Whatever the truth, his superhuman abilities look to take Resident Evil’s gameplay to previously uncharted territory, his hand-to-hand skills allowing him to string combos together with lightning speed. not once in the trailer does he use a weapon.

How will Capcom keep the player feeling vulnerable while wielding such power? That remains to be seen, but the character’s need to repeatedly inject some sort of antivirus serum may hint at a finite limit to the man’s stamina and power.

Even in its most action-packed moments, however, Resident Evil 6 seems to have the tone spot on. whether its in evoking the overwhelming crowds of Resident Evil 4, recreating the chaos of Raccoon City or channelling the mood of GameCube’s remade Spencer Mansion, there’s a feeling that the player is never truly safe.

The gameplay may now be completely different to how Resident Evil was 15 years ago, it may even have evolved beyond the action of instalments 4 and 5, but it’s still very much about both survival and horror in equal measure.

The Original Post is Located Here: Resident Evil 6 Preview

Man on a Ledge, starring Avatar’s Sam Worthington, follows in the vein of recent thrillers such as Salt, Source Code and Limitless as a so-so thriller that can make for a fun study break if you are willing to suspend your disbelief and overlook the weak points in the writing and acting.

The story opens with Worthington’s character checking into a hotel, ordering room service champagne and lobster, writing a brief suicide note, wiping his prints from everything in the room and then climbing out the window onto a small ledge.

On the street below, chaos quickly ensues and a team of police try to rescue him while the crowd below cheers for him to jump.

As officers take bets on his story (a messy divorce or a huge loss in the stock market) the cop trying to talk him down from the ledge (played by Elizabeth Banks, The Next Three Days) begins to realize that there is more to his story than meets the eye in reality, this is just a stunt to draw attention away from what is really happening.

The plot of Man on a Ledge lacks big surprises, but it unrolls slowly enough, revealing one piece of the puzzle at a time.

If it had not been for the promotional trailers, the film would have kept viewers in suspense.

From the start, the viewers are given nothing but a shot of a man preparing for his suicide, but because of the previews, we know in advance who the man is, why he is on the ledge and what it is he is hiding, and once that has been set up, the story is fairly predictable.

There was not a lot of mystery or surprise left in the film, having seen the commercials a couple times, though I still found that I was entertained by the terrifying moments of falls, jumps and near misses on the ledge and  the humorous interactions between the main character’s brother and his girlfriend as they attempt to steal a diamond.

Beyond the plot, the setting played an important role in the suspense of the movie.

It was shot on location in new York City on an actual ledge 21 stories up where the actors were protected by thin wires attached to their outfits.

This location and the vertigo-inducing shots of the street below gave the film a nerve-wracking tension and added to the drama. The on-location shooting also seemed to improve the acting, which was so-so during other scenes, because the actors did not have to pretend to cling to the face of the building or fake the vertigo-induced queasiness.

Man on a Ledge also did a fairly good job of incorporating some humor as well. Jamie Bell, who played Worthington’s younger brother, and Genesis Rodriguez, who played Bell’s girlfriend, were easily the best part of the film as they bumbled their way through the heist.

Where in movies like Mission Impossible characters repel smoothly down elevator shafts and dangle gracefully in place over the heads of security guards, Bell and Rodriguez struggle to remain upright in their harnesses, often flipping over, swinging out of control or dropping tools.

The couple’s constant bickering also adds to the humor and keeps the break-in scenes, which are similar to every other heist movie, from feeling too trite.

As a stand-alone film, Man on a Ledge is mediocre.

The actors have good chemistry with each other, but the sub-par acting and the dissonance between the two brothers’ accents~ Bell being British and Worthington being Australian, is off-putting.

The plot lacks unexpected twists-and-turns, and while Bell and Rodriguez contribute some humor, the writing could use vast improvement.

But taken in the context of other recent suspense films and of the thriller genre as a whole, which has come to be dominated by ridiculous stories, Man on a Ledge is actually relatively enjoyable.

If you don’t take it too seriously, it’s a fun ride.

The Original Post is Located Here: Previews give away best parts of thriller « Old Gold & Black

Many people read magazines these days and deciding which ones to choose can be a challenge, one popular magazine for women is women’s Health. This magazine is popular amongst all age groups and offers something for every reader. Women’s Health is affordable, informative and is a household name.

Women’s Health was founded in 1981 and has changed hand a couple of times over the years; it has however kept the same image. Women’s Health has an estimated circulation of over six million readers, and this is growing daily. the magazine has great reviews and can save you money by not having to buy all the latest products, you can read about them and find out exactly what you want to know. it focuses on several topics including diet, fashion tips and recipes; the magazine also focuses on health issues that are relevant to women. Since 1999 the magazine has hosted its own annual beauty awards and has become the place to read what beauty products deserve your hard earned money.

The magazine is now available online so you can read up on all your favorite bits without worrying you will miss something. the magazine is so informative and women are learning more and more regarding their health and fitness, this enables them to make choices them self. They also are thinking about their readers when they are being written, they are not paid to endorse one particular product. This enables them to be totally independent and advise the readers about all products fairly and independently. the recipe ideas are simple and cost effective meals that all mums and wives would be able to try.

Although the magazine should not substitute going to see a doctor, the health section is very informative. you can often read about many different ailments in women’s health and they will be able to answer general enquiries and questions you may have. it also deals with problems that you may have never even heard about, and they are very interesting to read. the magazine is an ideal place for new mothers to look for advice on bringing up children. This task can be daunting and women’s health can guide you and advise you regarding every element of their upbringing. They will write articles on all of those questions that you may have been too scared to ask, and will enable you to deal with your children’s problems in your own way.

Whatever reason you decide to purchase Women’s Health you will continue to do so and the best way to ensure you never miss a copy is to subscribe to it. This will guarantee your copy is waiting for you every time, and then you can sit down and take time to read your favorite magazine. you will pass the information on to your friends and family and they too will soon be enjoying reading this great magazine in no time at all. With all of the vast choice of magazines today you know that you want to

The Original Post is Located Here: Women’s Health Magazine

Date: Friday Jan. 27, 2012 7:49 AM ET

PARK CITY, Utah — Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki focuses on America’s war on drugs in his documentary in competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

Jarecki examines the social, human and financial costs of drug policies in “The House I Live In.”

Jarecki says he was moved to explore the issue because, while his parents escaped persecution in Nazi Germany, he sees another kind of Holocaust taking place in poor communities targeted by drug laws and mandatory minimum sentences.

In an interview in Park City, Utah, Jarecki criticized the criminal justice system for its targeting and sentencing of non-violent drug addicts.

the Sundance Film Festival continues through Sunday.

The Original Post is Located Here: Sundance doc examines costs of U.S. war on drugs

The Bronze Age of comic books is a period of time between the early 1970s and 1986.

The 70s were a time of transition for the comic book publishing industry. Marvel Comics, with its more realistic take on super-heroics, was quickly surpassing DC Comics’ Silver Age sensibilities to become the more profitable comic book publisher.

The Comics Code Authority had loosened some of its restrictions after the US government asked Stan Lee to write a Spider-Man story about drug abuse. as a result, Marvel reintroduced horror comics to the scene with titles like Tomb of Dracula and Werewolf by Night.

Underground comix were becoming more popular with older readers as a more mature alternative to the super-hero titles from DC and Marvel. While the subversive elements of many underground comix eventually died away for the most part, the independent spirit of them took hold, and independently published, non-CCA-approved comics like Dave Sim’s Cerberus and Wendy and Richard Pini’s Elfquest became high points on the independent scene that still highly regarded.

In response, both of the larger publishers (especially Marvel) start experimenting with different kinds of heroes inspired from other media, like the blaxploitation film that was the genesis of Luke Cage in Hero for Hire, and the kung-fu movies that inspired the character who would become Cage’s partner, Iron Fist.

It’s also in the Bronze Age that we begin to see the newsstand distribution model that comic books had used since the very beginning start to crumble. one on hand, traditional magazine outlets (newsstands, drug stores convenience stores, etc.) weren’t ordering as many copies of each title. on the other hand, comic book specialty stores could cater specifically to comic book readers and stock older issues. by the late 80s, comic books all but disappeared from traditional outlets.

And the 70s saw the premiere of the last true stand-out, cross-over super-hero character. You may have heard of him. his name is Wolverine, and he’s the best at what he does.

The Bronze Age comes to a distinct halt in 1986, where two things happened, both involving writer Alan Moore:

• Even with the more adult tone super-hero comic books were taking, Moore’s Watchmen miniseries took a dramatically darker tone, exploring themes and subjects that had never been explored in super-hero comics before.
• Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow also written by Moore, was a capstone to the character of Superman as portrayed up to that point. John Byrne’s Man of Steel miniseries later that year re-booted the character of Superman to make him more relevant for the 80s.

The Original Post is Located Here: Comics 101 – What is the Bronze Age of Comics?

This is the fourth in an NYRblog series about the fate of democracy in different parts of the world.

Chang Ping is one of China’s best-known commentators on contemporary affairs. Chang, whose real name is Zhang Ping, first established himself in the late 1990s in Guangzhou, where his hard-hitting stories exposed scandals and championed freedom of expression. as censorship has tightened in recent years, Chang’s pleas for openness and accountability have put him under pressure. The 43-year-old is currently living with his wife and daughter in Germany at the former country home of the Nobel Prize winner Heinrich Böll, which has been converted into a refuge for persecuted writers.

Chang’s travails began in 2001, when he was removed as news director of Southern Weekend, then a daring weekly that had won readers across the country. He became deputy editor of Southern Metropolis Weekly, but was removed in 2008, and subsequently banned from print, after publishing an editorial questioning government censorship of that year’s Tibetan uprising. one year ago, he was finally fired by the newspaper, with an editor saying his work was “inappropriate.” last March, Chang joined a newly launched Hong Kong-based magazine, iSun Affairs, as chief editor but was denied a visa and has not been allowed into the former British colony.

Ian Johnson: You grew up in the 1970s; did you experience anything of the Cultural Revolution?

Chang Ping: My father was a low-level official in our hometown in Xichong County (in rural Sichuan) and got caught up in the factionalism of the Cultural Revolution. when I was young I attended an elementary school that was located on the side of the road. if you entered or left the village you passed it. I remember one day he was standing outside the window looking in at me. that afternoon I went home and said to my mother: “Dad was very strange. Dad was outside the school window staring at me.” My mother started crying and said, “Dad has gone and we don’t know if he’ll ever return again.” He had fled to a neighboring county to escape violence. we couldn’t visit him but we would get letters from him and my mother would read them to us. I was about eight years old.

Soon after this, reform and opening up started. we studied the four Modernizations (a project to develop the fields of agriculture, industry, defense, and research and development) and were told that they would be realized by 2000. we wrote so many essays about how to achieve the four Modernizations. I remember very clearly in 1984, at the 35th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic, how the students at Peking University said “Hello Xiaoping!” to Deng Xiaoping when he drove by at a rally. it was on the radio and I was really moved. I thought: China has got such hope, such a bright future.

So you thought everything was great. You heard about the developments in Beijing and were excited.

Yes and I was doing well in school too. when you’re personally successful, you tend to think that things are going well. You’re optimistic. I thought things were going well but in some ways I was an angry youth. There’s no contradiction there. You believe, but you want to improve things. During the 1986 student movement, people like Liu Binyan, Fang Lizhi, and Wang Ruowang criticized the party and Deng Xiaoping. I remember hearing about it on the radio and felt in my heart that they were heroes.

At the time I loved literature. In the 1980s, literature was at a peak. I subscribed to a lot of magazines like Harvest and People’s Literature. I remember reading Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum and thinking, Wow, someone can write like that. I remember vividly that I was sitting outside and was so moved by that story. I didn’t quite understand everything but was influenced by it. Also Yu Hua’s short stories, for example. but you know that at that time I was still a complete believer. The books I wanted to read the most were the original works of Marx and Engels. I wanted to learn German to read them.

I went to college in 1987. until then I’d been reading the classics of world literature, and contemporary Chinese fiction. but then at Sichuan University (in Chengdu) I read a series of books called Moving Toward the Future (走向未来丛书). it was an edited series introducing the great thinkers in other fields. this was a start for me and afterwards I read a lot of western literature, philosophy, and history. The series was really influential in the 1980s and if you look at the editorial staff, they all suffered after June 4 (the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre). I guess from today’s point of view you’d say they had intellectual property rights problems—they just translated or cribbed from foreign publications. but for us it opened a world of psychology, sociology, and literature. one book I have to mention is a Theory of Justice by John Rawls. We’d just read these books so fast and share them. Everyone was fascinated by Western philosophy especially. it didn’t matter what your major was, you were interested in Western philosophy, like Heidegger or Sartre.

How did you experience June 4? In Chengdu, you were quite far away from Beijing, the center of it.

A lot was going on in Chengdu. we had protests all the time. People came from Beijing with news and we’d put them up in our dorm rooms and share their information. there were dialogues and demands to negotiate with the government. I helped organize protests.

But I didn’t really join the main student protest committee. ever since high school I made one of Confucius’s sayings my motto: “The superior man is dignified, but does not wrangle. He is sociable but not a partisan.” so I did not want to join any movement. In high school I was in the Communist Youth League and wanted to leave. they said, you can’t leave; there is no mechanism to leave. but I didn’t join the party. I didn’t want to be a member of anything, so in 1989 I wasn’t in the student committees. still, I organized protests and was seen as a leader. I got arrested after June 4. However, during the protests many students had been on a hunger strike and I had opposed that. for that I think they let me out of jail earlier. I think some students opposed me for opposing the hunger strike but that was my view: a hunger strike was pointless. I thought it was good to propagate democracy in factories and in the countryside.

So you’re a pragmatist?

Actually, many people think I’m more of an idealist. I still think China needs democracy, that it needs to change. I really oppose several arguments [that are commonly made] about why China can’t have democracy, such as the argument that China is unique—that Chinese people need to wait because their “quality” [a Chinese term, suzhi, that implies everything from educational level to manners] isn’t high enough and other ridiculous things like that. some people said that democracy wasn’t part of Chinese culture, and then Taiwan became democratic. then they said that Taiwan was a special case. now look at Wukan. they had their own elections. People say it’s special, but in fact Wukan is really typically Chinese. It’s a Chinese town but they organized everything. so what argument are you left with? if Wukan can have democracy so can other parts of China.

I’m not saying that China should have western-style democracy. In fact, there’s not a single western model. What do they mean? Germany didn’t copy America and America didn’t copy Britain. The issue isn’t copying. It’s do you or don’t you want democracy? Of course democracy has a lot of problems but it’s a way forward.

Since the 1980s, Chinese have been pragmatic. The question since the Cultural Revolution has been: can it work? this was Deng Xiaoping’s biggest influence on Chinese people. they ask if it’ll work or not. now China has the world’s second-largest economy and could overtake the US. so in terms of market economics it’s been successful and I support this. What we lack is justice. there is no justice in the current system. It’s a practical issue. we need justice. Democracy is a way to bring justice. this is why democracy is necessary.

The government doesn’t discuss rule of law much anymore. It’s become more and more a hooligan way of ruling. they just arrest people and throw them in jail or mental asylums. so the past decade has seen a hooliganization of the political system. Many of the old virtues are destroyed by this. The virtues of humanism, responsibilities of the government—the bottom line is things are disappearing. That’s why we’ve had these terrible events of recent years, like Yue Yue.

Yue Yue is the little girl who was run over by a van and no one stopped to help her. one recourse to this perceived spiritual vacuum has been that people are getting more and more interested in religion.

Many are interested in it. Scholars hope that this will help develop more virtues in society or provide some moral guidelines. there is a spiritual vacuum. I really respect religion, but I believe in the special importance of democracy, civic spirit, and freedom in politics, society, and culture for solving the spiritual crisis.

What about your new magazine?

It’s run by iSun Cable Television from Hong Kong. Right now we’re a new media organization. we offer on iPad, Android and are planning a Kindle version too. You can also get copies as a pdf. but we are going to print too. we have a staff of twenty. we have 6,000 subscribers on iPad, mostly on the mainland. we also have more than 10,000 who get it as an email. We’ve been able to report on taboo topics in China, such as [jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner] Liu Xiaobo, press controls, and the trend of independent candidates running for office.

Obviously the authorities knew about the project before it started. You haven’t been able to get a visa since you applied last March and Reporters Without Borders sent an open letter to Donald Tsang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

According to the Hong Kong authorities’ own rules they should have answered my application within a month, but they haven’t approved or rejected the application. It’s already been nine months, so this is why people are talking about influence from the mainland.

The magazine was one of the first to cover several recent key political events, like the Wukan uprising. You have had by far the most comprehensive coverage of it. but you also have much on culture. over the past year cultural figures in China have become embroiled in politics. how do you see the role of people like the artist Ai Weiwei?

The original work of the popular and famous artists was all political—many of them were influenced by people like Andy Warhol. they dealt with issues in society. but after a while when they sold so much that they became super rich and didn’t care much for social issues. To be honest, they just repeated themselves a lot. I have respect for Ai Weiwei because he is concerned with society. He is involved and engaged. It’s not his fault that he’s become more and more popular in the West. It’s the same with Liu Xiaobo or Vaclav Havel. this criticism isn’t fair.

What about the writer Han Han’s recent blogposts arguing that democracy may not be well suited to Chinese people? this seems to echo some of the other critics who say that China isn’t read for democracy.

He mentions that people have a “low quality” and that democracy could become a problem because it could lead to violence. this is a view the government has propagated for a long time. It’s like saying you can’t practice swimming until you can swim and you can’t swim because you can’t practice. Also, the arguments aren’t new. Many were made publicly last year, around the time of the centenary of the 1911 revolution.

But he influences a lot of people so his bringing it up is interesting. it shows how restricted China’s political system is. I think that what we’re seeing is the loss of hope by a lot of people in change taking place, so they’re making excuses about why it can’t happen. The decline in morals has lead to an increase in violence—violence against opponents, protesters, and others—not because we’re having a revolution but because we are not.

January 27, 2012, 1:45 p.m.

Please note: All comments are moderated. if you would like your comment to be approved, use your real name and provide a valid email address.

The Original Post is Located Here: Is Democracy Chinese? An Interview with Journalist Chang Ping by Ian Johnson

As you probably know you have to complete a written exam as well as a practical driving test in order to pass your driving test. It helps to have an idea of the type of driving test questions you are likely to be asked when you sit the written paper. just as you would never have attempted to sit an exam at school without some preparation, you need to prepare for this part of the driving examination.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people fail this element of the test. They seem to think that the practical part of the test is more important. sure you may be more nervous about actually driving but as you cannot get your license until you have passed both parts, it makes sense to give yourself the best chance of passing.

The exam is based on the driving handbook applicable to the State you are sitting your test in. You will be tested on the rules of the road including what certain road signs mean. The exam takes the format of multiple choice questions. Practice good exam technique by reading the question carefully and making sure you are answering what you were asked.

Sometimes, the questions will be written in such a way as to confuse you but just re-read it until you are sure. If you do not know the answer make an educated guess. You should be able to discount one or two of the choices. Never leave a question unanswered. You won’t be penalized for giving wrong answers and you may just get it right.

There really is no excuse for not being prepared as there are plenty of ways to practice answering driving test questions. You can use an online driving course, access an online driving school or buy a book that contains a list of the questions. while you cannot know the exact questions you will face when you take the exam, there are only a certain number of items you can be tested on. If you have practiced taking various papers, it is very likely that you will have practiced answering questions similar to those you will face on exam day.

So why wait until the day of the actual exam to see what driving test questions look like? taking a couple of practice tests before the actual event will significantly increase your chances of passing. For about the same cost of a pizza dinner for two, you could secure a pass mark on your exam and be that step nearer to being able to drive anywhere you like without having to depend on an escort. Isn’t that freedom worth a little bit of work and preparation?

The Original Post is Located Here: Driving Test Questions – Don’t Fail the Easy Bit of the Test

AT PLAY: Cats check out the new RSPCA cat game app for the ipad. Picture: Annette Dew Source: the Courier-Mail

IF YOU thought you'd seen everything as far as iPad applications go, you haven't seen the RSPCA's cat app.

Designed for techno-cats who already have everything, it features games for felines who would have enjoyed playing with a ball of yarn in the days before computers.

There is even a virtual ball of yarn, not to mention a game where puss has to protect cheese from invading mice.

Moggies can also pit themselves against other cats to work out which one is smartest.

Bond University student Saxon Cameron designed and developed the app for the RSPCA.

Society spokesman Michael Beatty, who is running a cat adoption campaign this month, said there were not too many animals who could use an iPad.

"Basically, you place your iPad on the ground, start the game and your cat or kitten can interact with it on his or her own terms . . . It’s easy for cats to navigate this game on their own," said Mr Beatty, a keen dog owner.

"I’ve now realised that with my limited technological prowess I can be out-gunned by a kitten, which I find a bit depressing."

On a serious note, the RSPCA hopes it will encourage owners to keep their cats indoors for their safety and that of wildlife.

The Original Post is Located Here: App gives techno-cats paws for thought