Celebrating the birthday of Guillermo del Toro: more than just a director – Epigram

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By Sara Espinosa Rastoll, Second Year, English Literature & Philosophy

Guillermo del Toro doesn't only make films that comprise an engaging and satisfying plot and excellent special effects, but also reflections on the camouflaged monsters that haunt us all.

Towards the beginning of his career as a film director, at the age of only twenty-nine, del Toro shocked audiences with his dark creation Cronos (1993), featuring a vampiric device that offers immortality in exchange for human blood. Watching the film, one is immediately faced with the issue of profit (in this case, in the form of time) at the expense of others. The everyday realities of social order are masked with mythologies that emphasise the horrors intrinsic to them. Instead of being critical of his characters, however, we are made to feel sympathy towards even those that are corrupt. Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi) incarnates an immortal old man that is tempted by a supernatural device but, notably, this character is also one with a family that he very much cares about, as the viewer witnesses through his relationship with his wife and granddaughter. Rather than a conventional film about vampires, del Toro ultimately creates a film about humankind.

Thirteen years later, the director enchanted the public with Pans Labyrinth (2006), a sinister fairytale in which the protagonist, Ofelia, is stripped of her innocence following the Spanish Civil War. Ofelia embarks on a magical journey, guided by a mystical faun, who leads her through three trials. This journey is seen by some critics as a way of shielding herself from the harsh actuality of her situation, whereas others see symbols of the fascist regime in the monsters that Ofelia is made to confront during her adventure. What manages to unite all film fanatics is the underlying battle of good and evil that recurs both in her fantasy world and her real life.

A favourite trope of del Toro is the uncertainty of what is good and what is evil, making it practically impossible to identify them in his fabulous creatures. The faun that guides Ofelia, for example, looks somewhat disturbing but cannot be rationally classed as evil. Del Toro leaves the viewer troubled and perturbed, once again challenging popular fairy tale endings and adjusting genre for his intentions and perspectives about civilisation.

The culmination of his career so far was the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water (2017), a dramatic film starring Sally Hawkins as a young cleaning lady and Doug Jones as an eerie, humanoid amphibian creature. The film tracks an intimate relationship between the two characters, lonely individuals who find harmony in each others presence. The creature is, like del Toros other creations, a peculiar and grotesque figure, but, through its tender depiction, the director manipulates the audience into sympathising with the monster. This is his signature move in a way; pointing out that evil can often emanate from the most unexpected people.

It is with astonishing talent that Guillermo del Toro delivers these controversial messages, and with Tim Burton-esque imagery, his tenebrous style is beautifully reflected in the sinister cinematography. Inevitably, del Toro becomes something more than just a film director: a risk-taking visionary that experiments in all facets of his art. The result of all these creative projects is an acclaimed trajectory that inspires other pioneering artists to do the same kind of exploration but with a fresh new voice and brand.

Featured: IMDb

Which is your favourite Guillermo del Toro film?

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Celebrating the birthday of Guillermo del Toro: more than just a director - Epigram

The Haunting of Bly Manor Season-Finale Recap: Every Love Story Is a Ghost Story – Vulture

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Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

It was never really about the ghosts, was it? Bly Manor has been full of ghosts some real, some symbolic but in the end, the show has been much more interested in what being haunted means for the living.

And so in its final hour having carefully and meticulously assembled all the pieces on the chessboard Bly Manor essentially zooms through the ending, sewing up the main narrative with shocking speed. Lets not forget: Bly Manor has spent more than half of the entire season building up to this moment. Episode after episode turned back the clock to ensure we understood how Dani, Hannah, Quint, Jessel, Flora, Miles, and Viola reached this particular point of no return.

And now that the climax is finally here, it turns out to be well, a little anticlimactic. Heres the short version: Henry arrives, and Viola kills him just long enough for him to experience the afterlife before Owen revives him. Viola then mistakes Flora for her own daughter Isabel, grabs her, and prepares to drag yet another living person to the bottom of the lake with her.

Its here that Dani makes her final stand and given Bly Manors consistent thematic obsessions with grief and guilt and love, it makes sense that the solution to Violas reign of terror at Bly Manor turns out to be empathy. Repeating a phrase she barely understands, Dani calls out to Viola and says, You, me, us, inviting the ghost to share her body and her life. Viola accepts her offer.

All of this happens in the first 15 minutes of this 51-minute finale, and as a result, some of Bly Manors most compelling characters barely appear in the climax of the story. (Personally, Im bummed that Quint and Jessel are basically an afterthought here.) With Viola satisfied, the remaining ghosts at Bly Manor are exorcized. Meanwhile, Henry takes parental custody of Flora and Miles, so Dani, Jamie, and Owen prepare to leave Bly Manor for good.

If this all feels a bit rushed, its because Bly Manor has an elaborate epilogue it is very eager to unspool. Yes, Dani has saved Flora and Miles (despite Jessels apparently inaccurate belief that Miles was already too far gone). But the cost of Danis heroism has been heavy: At some indeterminate point in the future, Viola will take over her body for good.

Having shed one ghost during her time at Bly Manor, Dani picks up another one on her way out the door. This time, she decides to spend whatever time she has left with the woman she loves. The episode offers a highlight reel of Danis life with Jamie: opening a flower shop, visiting Owens new restaurant (which has a punny name, of course), and exchanging rings to affirm their commitment to each other. All the while, Viola lurks in the occasional reflection, waiting for the moment when she can take over Danis body. And after a number of years, when Dani realizes Viola is getting close enough to controlling her that Jamies life is in danger, she gives in, returning to Bly and drowning herself in the lake.

Jamie realizes what has happened, and tries to drown herself in the lake as well. This tragic love story lives in notable contrast to the tragic love story of Quint and Jessel, which ended with Quint tricking Jessel into drowning herself. But despite Jamies wish, remember the foundational conversation of Jamie and Danis relationship: Love is the opposite of possession. Theres still enough of Dani in Viola that she refuses to take Jamies life as well.

So Jamie is forced to keep living on without Dani. And roughly ten years later, if Im doing the math right Jamie travels to California to attend a wedding.

And also, she looks like Carla Gugino now, because brace yourself Jamie is the one who has been narrating this story all along. And she just told this whole story to a group of people that happens to include Henry, Owen, Miles, and Flora, because the wedding is Floras wedding.

I suspect this reveal will be both confusing and polarizing to a sizable chunk of Bly Manor viewers, so let me unpack the logic as best as I can understand it. We already know that, through whatever supernatural coping mechanism exists to spare the trauma of children, Miles and Flora have forgotten everything that happened at Bly Manor (though their adult caretakers, for better or worse, remember everything).

Further: Older Jamies admission that the real manor wasnt called Bly, or even located where she said it was in the story, gives Bly Manor a lot of rope for the various inconsistencies that would otherwise exist here. If Older Jamie is an unreliable narrator which, in itself, feels like a nod to The Turn of the Screw then I suppose we have to accept that the characters we saw at Bly Manor wouldnt necessarily resemble their real-life counterparts at the wedding, or that Older Flora wouldnt have an English accent anymore, or whatever other nitpick you want to get hung up on.

But whether it works for you or not, Bly Manor isnt interested in closing off every loop here. More than any individual, this is ultimately a story about something bigger: how people live on after they die. Viola clung to existence and became a monster. Dani accepts her death and lives on, instead, in the memories of Jamie and now, thanks to this story and the hard-won wisdom in it, shell live on in the memories of Flora. Thats a better, truer kind of immortality.

The series ends as Jamie returns to her hotel room following the wedding, completing the rituals that keep Danis memory alive in her: leaving the door open in case she arrives, and filling the bathtub with water in the hope that Danis face might appear. These rituals havent literally worked yet but like Hannah Grose lighting the candles, they still keep the dead close to the hearts and minds of the living, and that might be enough. The shows final image is a hopeful signal that the people we loved who have died really are with us, even if we cant see or feel them: As the series ends, and Jamie falls asleep in the chair, Danis hand is resting on her shoulder.

And that might seem like a fitting enough grace note for Bly Manor. But I have a piece of advice: When the credits roll on the final episode, dont stop watching, because the show isnt quite finished yet. Instead, you should immediately go back to the premiere. Like a Bly Manor ghost whos tucked away in a favorite memory, cycle back and watch the opening five minutes of the first episode again. If youre like me, itll feel like youve learned a new language; almost every shot, and every line of dialogue, is laden with weight and meaning that you couldnt understand the first time around.

As the older Flora openly notes needlessly, for anyone who has been paying attention Jamie originally offered a ghost story, but ended up telling a love story. Jamie ultimately agrees. And in that context, the finales weaknesses seem a little more tolerable in service of the greater story its telling. The Haunting of Bly Manor opened with a woman who was afraid to look at her reflection in case there was a ghost waiting for her. It closes with a woman desperately searching her reflection in hope that the dead woman she loves will be waiting for her there. And in all the trauma and horror, its clear that she doesnt regret any of it. As Owen said in his wedding toast at the beginning of the season: To truly love another person is to accept that the work of loving them is worth the pain of losing them.

If youre willing to ignore the fact that the credits include names like Older Owen, Older Miles, and Older Henry, you could probably read the reception scene as Jamie seeing people who just remind her of her friends from Bly Manor, instead of literally being older versions of the same people. Honestly, I think that answer makes more sense, and might even be more thematically satisfying a reminder that the ghosts of the people Flora knew and loved are never far from her mind no matter where she goes. But the credits are the credits, so

A (possibly not-hypothetical) question: If there ends up being a third season of The Haunting of [Insert Spooky House] series, what should the source material be? I mentioned in a previous recap that I think Mike Flanagan might have adapted Daphne du Mauriers Rebecca as The Haunting of Manderlay if Netflix didnt already have a new film adaptation of that on deck. But Ill toss out two other possibilities. There are plenty of Edgar Allan Poe stories that could be knitted together into an interesting season The Haunting of the House of Usher, maybe? But my personal vote would be the cherry-picking from the ghost stories of M.R. James (no relation to Henry James). Theyre great and weird and ripe for a smart, modern adaptation probably something like The Haunting of Burnstow, as a nod to his story Oh, Whistle, and Ill Come to You, My Lad. If you have other ideas for source material, leave them in the comments below.

And while were talking classic literature: The whole wedding guest tells a long story for someone else to repeat plot device is very reminiscent of Samuel Taylor Coleridges long, spooky ballad The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Glad we got one quick shot to say goodbye to everybodys favorite hidden ghost, the plague doctor.

I know its just a plot device, but I refuse to believe this bride and groom decided to spend the eve of their wedding listening to a super-long ghost story from a woman they barely know.

I covered the groom, played by The Room star Greg Sestero, in my recap of the premiere but I didnt realize until now that Christie Burke, the actress who plays Older Flora, started her acting career playing Edward and Bellas daughter Renesmee in the final two Twilight movies.

The song that plays over the closing scene is I Still Believe, by Sheryl Crow.

In a clever bit of marketing, Netflix put Bly Manor up on Zillow this weekend. (Unfortunately, its currently off the market.)

Still wondering what happened to Arthur and Isabel Lloyd!

As we close the book on Bly Manor, Ill repeat a suggestion I made at the beginning of the season: if you want to read a cool old ghost story, pick up The Turn of the Screw. Its the same basic premise a governess raising two orphaned kids in an old English country house that might be haunted but The Haunting of Bly Manor deviates so dramatically from the original story that youll basically be flying blind. Happy Shocktober, everybody, and thanks for reading!

Keep up with all the drama of your favorite shows!

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The Haunting of Bly Manor Season-Finale Recap: Every Love Story Is a Ghost Story - Vulture

What to know about the Elders from Altered Carbon – Looper

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In a Reddit thread titled "Who Are the Elder Civilization?," u/Jhin-Roh starts the conversation by writing, "From the Fossil it looks like some bird shaped life form. And did they find them on Earth or some other Planet?"

The first season of Altered Carbon vaguely discusses the Elders and treats them as mysterious beings. Season 2 shows the last remaining Elder, which looks like a makeshift pterodactyl, but this creature is still shrouded in mystery as the audience never really finds out how the species created its otherworldly technology. In the show, the Elders made this unexplainable technology that led to Quellcrist Falconer (Rene Elise Goldsberry) inventing stacks.

The books, as another user responded, reveal more information about these beings: "In the books, they are a long dead avian species originating from, or at least having inhabited, Mars," the user writes. "They are very different from humanity a lot less social, for example. The back story is that Humanity ends up finding fossils and left over structures on Mars during the 21th century (not noticed before landing there because very ancient / underground); among those structures are stellar maps showing other planets Martians have settled."

As the user points out, Elders are dead in the books (a ploy the author admittedly used to get out of having to fully explain them), and the show drops the Martian description entirely. The user also mentioned that the books had humanity invent stack technology by itself.For better or worse, this powerful species, whether audience members refer to them as "Martians" or "Elders," have a vague description and history attached to them, and it would have been ideal for the TV series to explain them in greater detail in a subsequent third season that's unlikely at this point.

Nevertheless, the "bird-shaped life form" inhabited Mars and other planets in the books.

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Over the Moon Review: Lunar Lessons in Grief – Den of Geek

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Sony Pictures Imageworks (the company behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) deftly balances the magical with the scientific, the complex with the simple, in animating this movie that can best be described as a space fantasy. On Earth its refined by the incredible details, down to the design on the mooncakes, and the photorealistic fireworks acting as rocket boosters. A single spectacular sequence combines crimson-and-golden lion guardians, like something out of an old painting, with the desolate, craggy surface of the moon. Then theres Changes entire neon aesthetic, bright and pulsing with life, as if it were something out of The Lego Movie.

Meanwhile the soundtrack is best appreciated not for individual numbersno single song attains Disney classic statusbut rather as the sum of its parts. There is a clear emotional arc to these varied numbers that when experienced as a whole is remarkable. The movies first few tracks draw their inspiration from traditional Chinese music, with later numbers layering on the K-pop influence, and then ultimately stripping the songs back down to their purest essence, matching Changes various phases.

That said, the songs do peak via the goddess popstar persona, with the most memorable numbers including her epic introductory performance of Ultraluminary and Hey Boy, a fun ping-pong/rap battle between Change and Chin. While the team of Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, and Helen Park worked together on all of the songs, no doubt it was Parks influence that made these particular numbers soar. (She was behind the 2017 Off-Broadway musical KPOP, in which Ang starred.) Composer Steven Prices alternately playful and stirring score ties it all together wonderfully.

These sequences are so spectacular that it leaves something to be desired by a late in the movie scavenger hunt where Fei Fei begins pursuing a gift to save her family. Unfortunately, it is no more than a lunar MacGuffin: a distraction from the grief that weighs down both Fei Fei and Change herself.

Nevertheless, Over the Moon never loses sight of the fact that this is not a story about gaining something or someone, but rather about learning how to cope with an unimaginable absence. Tragically, Audrey Wells died in 2018 following a long battle with cancer. A prolific screenwriter with a talent for writing across genres (rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Disneys The Kid and the live-action George of the Jungle), Wells left behind a tremendous gift in this script. This is a heartfelt, empathetic lesson in moving on, written by someone who must have been considering exactly that ordeal from the other side. (It should be noted that Jennifer Yee McDevitt and Alice Wu contributed additional material to the screenplay.)

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50 Cent Confirms He Has Scrapped The Original ‘Street King Immortal’ Album | HipHop-N-More – HipHop-N-More

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50 Cents much awaited new show Raising Kanan, a part of the POWER spinoff series, debuts on Sunday, July 18.

The G-Unit mogul is confident that the show will be even bigger than the original Power which ended up being one of the highest rated shows on the Starz network. Up next is the Black Mafia Family series on Starz, and along with it will come new music from the rapper in form of a soundtrack.

However, in a new interview with The Independent, 50 was asked about his long delayed Street King Immortal album which he originally started promoting back in 2012. Even until a couple of years ago, there was hope that the album might see the light of day as back in 2018, he had mentioned that it was coming at the end of that year.

But it looks like 50 has finally decided to scrap the album. When the topic came up, Curtis says the original version of that album will not be released but to make up for it, he will drop new music in September. That is most likely in reference to the soundtrack hes putting together for BMF.

That original version is not [being released], but Im releasing new music in September, he said. He also added that Eminem will not feature on the project as he didnt get to finish the songs he recorded with him for the SKI album (remember Champions ?) I didnt finish the tracks with him Im not gonna tell whos on it because Im the most exciting person [on the album].

Lets hope we get at least a few 50 Cent songs on the upcoming soundtrack. Last week, it was also announced that 50 will also be producing a Hip-Hop competition show Unrapped at ABC.

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Cancer prevention – The Times of India Blog

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Cancer is the second biggest killer disease globally. In 2020, one crore persons died from cancer globally, that is about one in six deaths. In India, one in ten persons will get cancer and one in fifteen will die of cancer.

Can cancer be prevented? To answer that, we must know what cancer is and why it happens. Only then can we think of how it may be prevented. And if it cannot be prevented, then how the risk of getting it may be reduced.

What is Cancer?

Our body is composed of many different types of cells. These cells grow and divide in acontrolledmanner to produce more cells as required by the body. Also, the older cells and the damaged cells die.

However, sometimes, the genetic material of one cell gets damaged or changed [mutation] and the cell becomes immortal: that is, it will not die. When thisancestor celldivides,itsdescendant cells are also immortal. This gives rise to a limitless number of immortal descendant cells. The number of cells is far more than what the body needs. The extra cells then form a mass that is called a tumour.

These immortal cells are called cancer cells. The cancer cells are immortal; are capable of limitless division, and thus of limitless growth in the number of cells; and can spread [Metises] to other parts of the body through blood and lymph system.

There are more than 100 types of cancers. Not all cancers form tumours: cancers of the blood and the bone-marrow [leukaemia], for example, do not form tumours.

Most cancers are named for the body part in which they begin: colon cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer and so on.

Only about 10% of cancer deaths are because of primary tumour. Most of the deaths are because of metastasis spreading of the cancer to other parts of the body. Once metastasis happens, it is exceedingly difficult to treat. Early detection of cancer is therefore of utmost importance.

Why Cancer Happens

We do not know why cancer happens, that is why the cells turn cancerous. The main reasons are genetics and certain environmental or behavioural triggers. Some types ofcancerare believed to be inherited, that is the genes you were born with might carry a predisposition for cancer.

Can Cancer be Prevented?

Cancer is a 3200-year-old disease. It is endogenous, a part of life-process. So, it can neither be eradicated, nor prevented, nor cured. Yet.

Genes and behaviour are the two factors for the occurrence of cancer. We do not have control over genes. But we can modify our behaviour to reduce the risk of cancer. Reducing the risk is all the more important because cancer treatment success rate is not particularly good.

Cancer Treatment Success Rate

If the cancer is detected early, that is at Stage 1, prognosis is excellent and usually chemotherapy is not required.

If detected in Stage 2 & 3 prognosis is progressively poorer with a greater risk of recurrence. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are required.

If detected in Stage 4, that is metastatic cancer (spread to distant sites), prognosis is poor. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies are used. But the 10-year survival rate is 5% without treatment and 10 % with optimal treatment.

Since cancer cannot be prevented, late detection of cancer is fatal, and the success rate of cancer treatment is poor, reducing the risk of getting cancer is important.

Reducing the Risk of Getting Cancer

One-third (33%) of cancer deaths are due to five factors: obesity (high Body Mas Index), low fruit and vegetable intake, low physical activity and alcohol and tobacco use. Tobacco use causes 22% of the deaths. Cancer causing infections like hepatitis and human papilloma virus (HPV) cause 25% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries.

We can reduce the risk of cancer by a few lifestyle modifications. These are:

Tobacco. Cut out use of tobacco and tobacco products.

Diet. Eat plant-based foods: plenty of fruits and vegetables of different colors, leafy green vegetables, whole grain, and beans. Women who eat Mediterranean diet, extra virgin oil, legumes, and nuts have a lower risk of breast cancer. Avoid high calorie foods, animal fats like butter, refined sugar, and processed food, especially processed red meat. Chose fish over red meat.

Alcohol. Risk of several types of cancer including cancer of breast, colon, lung, kidney, and liver increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you have been drinking. Avoid alcohol, or drink only in moderation.

Weight. Healthy weight, within your Body Mass Index (BMI), reduces the risk of several types of cancer including the cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon, and kidney.

Physical activity. Run, jog, brisk walk, swim, cycle it will help control your weight and reduce the risk of cancers of breast and colon. Do at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity every day; and least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity or a combination of the two. The longer the better.

Avoid exposure sunlight

Skin cancer is one of the most common, and one of the most preventable, cancers. Sunlight is the major cause of skin cancer. So, avoid the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the suns rays are strongest. Stay in the shade.Use sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat. Cover exposed areas.Wear tightly woven, loose fitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Opt for bright or dark colors, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than do pastels or bleached cotton. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days. Apply sunscreen generously and reapply every two hours or more often if youre swimming or perspiring. Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps.These are just as damaging as natural sunlight.

Vaccination

Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections.

Early Detection

Since prevention is not possible, prevention is the cure is modified to early detection is the cure. Early detection of cancer can greatly improve the five- or ten-year survival rate.

Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers such as cancer of the skin, colon, cervix, and breast can increase the chances of discovering cancer early, thus improving the chances of successful treatment.

Conclusion

Over the past 2000 years, the survival rate for many cancers has improved dramatically: life expectancy increased by 20-30 years. But for a few other cancers metastatic pancreas cancer, metastatic breast cancer, inoperable gallbladder cancer improvement has been marginal: life extended by just a few months.

Late detection of cancer is fatal. The causes for late detection are many but lack of awareness is the principal cause. Other main causes are: patient being shy,social stigma and doctors ignorance because of which the treatment is delayed. An awareness program will address all these issues.

Present state of our knowledge makes us believe that cancer prevention or cure is not possible because cancer is a product of the processes essential to the life process.

Will some radical discovery in the future make cancer prevention and cure possible? We dont know. But we can always hope.

Because as Richard Clauser, Director, NCI, USA, says about the future of cancer cure, There are far more good historians than there are prophets.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Marvel To Reprint And Replace Offending Copies Of Immortal Hulk #43 – Bleeding Cool News

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Marvel Comics has informed comic book retailers that they are correcting and reprinting the main and variant editions of Immortal Hulk #43, which went on sale this week. And that requests to return copies in exchange for a corrected version may be made starting today.

Last night, Bleeding Cool reported that Joe Bennett had apologised for a panel in Immortal Hulk #43, that had been interpreted as an anti-Semitic slur.

A jewellery store featured in the comic is named after David Cronenberg, the horror movie director, known for the kind of body horror that The Immortal Hulk has embraced in its run. But, instead of the window sign reading 'Jewelry,' it reads 'Jewery' instead and is placed above a Star of David. While, in the foreground, Joe Fixit/Bruce Banner and the store employee were talking about money.

When approached by Bleeding Cool, artist Joe Bennett told us, "I've been including references to famous horror directors to pay respects to the genre throughout the series, and in Immortal Hulk #43, I included a nod to David Cronenberg. The misspellings on the window were an honest but terrible mistake since I was writing backwards, I accidentally spelled both of those words wrong."

"I have no excuse for how I depicted the Star of David. I failed to understand this troubling and offensive stereotype, and after listening to you all, I now understand my mistake. This was wrong, offensive, and hurtful in many ways. This is a mistake I must own, and I am sorry to everyone who I hurt by this. I am working with Marvel to correct this, and I am using this lesson to reflect on how I approach my stories and my work."

The errors and wording were also overseen by Marvel, of course, and I understand that internally Marvel is acknowledging their editorial failure regarding this. The artwork will, as you might expect, be corrected for the digital version, as well as for future printings and collections and now a voluntary recall, reprint and replacement. If you would like your copy replaced, now would be a good time to talk to your comic book shop.

The comparison is being made to a recalled issue of Wolverine that featured the word "kike" rather than "killer" in error, rather than the issue of X-Men Gold in which the artist Ardian Syaf inserted specific references to an anti-Christian/Jewish march with violent demands.

IMMORTAL HULK #43MARVEL COMICSNOV200541(W) Al Ewing (A) Joe Bennett (CA) Alex RossNew York City holds eight million peopleand harbors one monster. A creature of chaos and anarchy, driven by rage and contempt for the structures of man.His criminal activities continue even while the beast is hidden in the skin of an ordinary human. But don't be afraid, citizens. This radioactive disease has a cure.The U-FOES are here and they're going to kill the HULK.Say "thank you." Rated T+In Shops: Feb 03, 2021 SRP: $3.99

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.

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Ram V and Filipe Andrade team for The Many Deaths of Laila Starr – Multiversity Comics

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Cover by Felipe Andrade

Writer Ram V is quickly becoming one of the busiest names in comics, with upcoming projects from DC Comics and Vault Comics. Speaking of this new series, Ram V said The Many Deaths of Laila Starr is a strange, funny, odd, and occasionally morbid comic about death, love, innocence, and the human condition. He spoke about how his Indian background inspired the series, explaining where I come from, gods are flawed, perhaps more so than people. Life is an endless cycle of trying to get things right, and death? Death is only the beginning.

Artist Filipe Andrade, coming fresh off of 2020s Star mini-series, said that The Many Deaths of Laila Starr is a story about love and connection, but also the beauty and cruelty of it. Ram Vs script takes readers through a journey into a near-future version of Mumbai, which Andrade says is touched by a mystic and exotic perfume. I want to transport and involve the reader in this trippy and vibrant world. Andrade will also be drawing the main series covers, with variants from David Mack and Anand RK.

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Ram V and Filipe Andrade team for The Many Deaths of Laila Starr - Multiversity Comics

The Future Flash’s Defeat Might Be Key To Saving The DC Universe – Screen Rant

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After trying to save Wally West from the demonic Famine in The Flash: Future State, Barry Allen just changed in a shocking way.

Spoilers forFuture State: The Flash #2 below.

In DC's dark future, The Flash continues to be built around hope. Following the deaths of members of his Flash-Family, Allen still believes he can save Wally West. Yet, the villainous Famine gains his powers from feeding on those aspirations and once Barry Allen tries to stop him once and for all, he's changed in a way that alters his future forever.

In Future State: The Flash, part of DC's two-month, line-wide event set in the dark future of their comic book universe, Barry is reeling after a possessed Wally West killed multiple members of his speedster family. Famine's control of Wally has led to the deaths of Wallace West, Jay Garrick, Impulse, and possibly Iris West, who went missing. Without his speed, Allen relies on science and the old, reworked gadgets of his enemies in a last-ditch effort to save Wally. But, his fight against Famine doesn't go as planned.

Related:The Flash: Why Savitar's Timeline Was The Worst Barry Allen Created

Future State: The Flash #2 by Brandon Vietti, Brandon Peterson, Will Conrad, Mike Atiyeh, and Steve Wands, has Allen build his new suit out of upgraded versions of the weapons of his rogue's gallery villains. He actually has some early success against Wally/Famine, using Captain Boomerang's boomerangs and Rainbow Raider's Prisma-goggles to seemingly knock his opponent down. However, after it's revealed the Wally he's taken down is actually a Speed Force duplicate, Barry uses a modified cold gun to inject Wally's genetically altered DNA into his body, which destroys his skeletal muscles. Famine leaves his body and reveals he actually feeds on hope. Taking over Wally's body again, Famine pushes Barry a moment outside of time, turning him into an immortal ghost.

Ultimately, Famine isn't defeated and tells Barry that he will feed on him "forever" since he never runs out of hope. Barry's Flash ring falls off his hand onto the ground but is picked up by Cybeast of the Teen Titans. The ring contains the data and final experiments Barry did and the intel he gathered - including information on the Four Horsemen Rider's. He communicates to his team that Barry's ring will give them a fighting chance for a better tomorrow.

In the end, Barry might have lost his battle with Famine and turned into an immortal ghost, but he inspired the surviving heroes to keep fighting on with the new information that's sure to be vital in building a better future. As DC's new Infinite Frontier approaches, it appears Barry and Wally will get their powers back and return to their heroic duties - however, in DC's dark future, The Flash was just changed forever... but at least he's still giving hope to his fellow heroes.

Next:Who The Flash Season 7's Mystery Villain Could Be

Deadpool Just Saved Marvel From a Lawsuit

Liam McGuire is a comics editor for Screen Rant. He has worked for numerous publications including Cineplex Canada, MLB.com, Vice, CBR.com, and more. You can reach out to him directly at liam.m@screenrant.com

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The Future Flash's Defeat Might Be Key To Saving The DC Universe - Screen Rant

Albritton: Pray they will experience the joy of Gods presence – Opelika Auburn News

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Ill praise my Maker while Ive breath;

and when my voice is lost in death,

praise shall employ my nobler powers.

My days of praise shall neer be past,

while life, and thought, and being last,

Fully aware of Gods presence with him on his deathbed, Wesley desired to praise God in his last hours. Friends said that with his final breath, he said twice, The best of all is, God is with us! The first Methodist was praising God for the joy of his presence!

Some of my dear friends have shared with me that they are indeed praying earnestly for Dean and me to feel the joy of Gods presence in these days. And to help me realize Gods presence, they have been emailing me songs that affirm his presence.

Several that do that for me are precious songs such as Jesus is All the World to Me, Trust and Obey, There is Power in the Blood, I Stand Amazed in the Presence, What a Day that will Be and Because He Lives.

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Albritton: Pray they will experience the joy of Gods presence - Opelika Auburn News

Saving the pot of nectar – The Hindu

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Story so far: In his quest to free his mother, Garuda agrees to bring the nectar of immortality to the snakes. He defeats the devas and snatches away the pot of amrit.

Once he left Lord Vishnu, Garuda flew on, eager to give the snakes the pot and take his mother away. Indra, who had been watching him, was both impressed and anxious. As a last-ditch effort, Indra threw his Vajrayudh, the thunderbolt, at Garuda. But it had no impact. Overawed, Indra approached Garuda and said, Oh king of birds, I have never known anyone as strong as you. I would like to stop fighting with you. Please let us be friends.

Seeing that Indra was in earnest, Garuda agreed. As they both chatted, Indra asked, Even my powerful Vajrayudh didnt harm you. Can you tell me how strong you are? Garuda laughed, Thanks to the powers bestowed upon me, I can support the entire world on a single feather.

Hatching a plan

An amazed Indra realised that no army could ever defeat this mighty being. He decided to throw himself at Garudas mercy. Since you are now my friend, I will be frank with you. I do not want the snakes to drink the nectar and become immortal. If that happens, they might begin to harass people. Garuda agreed. But to free my mother and myself, I have to give them the amrit. What shall we do? The two came up with a plan.

Garuda flew off with the nectar. When he reached their dwelling, he showed the snakes the pot. Overjoyed, they immediately freed Vinata and Garuda. Now it was time to put the plan into action. Garuda placed the pot on a bed of kusha grass and suggested cunningly, Shouldnt you all bathe and purify yourselves before you drink the nectar?

The snakes accepted the suggestion and went off to bathe in the river. Once they had all left, Indra who had been an invisible spectator quickly picked up the pot of nectar. Holding it safe, he said, Thank you for your help. Ask me anything and Ill grant your wish.

A boon granted

Garuda thought over what he wanted. All this occurred only because his mother had been ill-treated by Kadru and her sons. They had to be taught a lesson. Let snakes be my natural food, henceforth, he said. Indra granted the wish and left, happy to have saved the nectar from the snakes. Garuda too lifted his mother on to his back and flew away.

When the snakes came back, they found the nectar missing. Hoping that some drops may have fallen down, they licked the kusha grass but its sharp blades cut their tongues. And so, legend has it, that snakes have had forked tongues since then.

(The End)

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Who are Wishful Thinkers and How Can you Capture Them? – Travel Market Report

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Sixty-one percent of consumers in a recent travel study consider themselves Wishful Thinkers, namely people who (prior to COVID-19) want to travel but dont do it nearly enough. While some of these respondents pull the trigger now and again, the majority of them just arent taking the trips they dream about.

The results, which come from a study recently commissioned by a veteran tour operator who wanted to gain some insight on todays travelers, prompted the staff at Travel Market Report to find out how travel advisors can convert these dreamers to doers?

In our interviews with advisors, the advice was never ending. And yet there was a common theme that echoed in each response: personal.

Whether referring to the personal attention an advisor provides, the personal experience someone has in-destination or the personal connection someone makes to a social media post that gets them excited about traveling, the word personal was paramount when asked how travel advisors can best win over this group.

Hands-on Service Wins Every TimeIts no industry secret that personal attention from a travel advisor can make all the difference. A tried-and-true method, Susan Mirabito, executive vice president of operations for the Travel Network/Vacation Central in Anglewood Cliff, New Jersey, said its the one refrain she consistently uses in motivating her team of advisors. I always remind them its about human contact, going back to sending a physical snail mail card and saying thank you for your business. Its about asking the client what their interests are and what their level of comfort is and being able to provide all of what they need.

Mirabito teased that travel is the only industry where you can ask how and where your clients sleep and not get slapped. Do a husband and wife want one bed or twins? Do they want separate rooms? If youre not asking these questions, youre not serving your client properly.

She went on to point out that the millennial demographic is using travel advisors more than any other demographic (with Gen Xers close behind). Why? Because they are looking for authentic experiences and they want a flawless vacation. They want their interests and needs met.

Personal interaction is the tipping point, agreed Jeff Leach, owner of owner of Dream Vacations in Omaha, Nebraska, who noted that his agency is not investing money in marketing right now, but rather spending its dollars on personal interaction opportunities where he and his wife (and agency partner) can tell their travel stories. Leachs agency relies heavily on face-to-face marketing at expos, through sponsoring golf events and presenting at weekly referral groups, which all provide the opportunity to talk freely with people without making a hard sell. I was anxious about my first trip to Europe, worried about the food and the flying, so when I share my own story with people, it makes them feel more comfortable. When someone is on the fence about traveling, its nice when they can talk with someone who can relate to what theyre feeling.

Social Media Bridges the GapAlthough some might argue that social media is anything but personal, many advisors we spoke with said the opposite ? claiming that platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram serve as a private window to their personal travels, thus giving viewers an intimate look at the experience. Unlike traditional resort brand photography that seems to go unnoticed or fall flat with users, personal photos and experiences captured on video are providing the push many wishful thinkers need to seal the deal on a vacation.

Today, social media is the access point to our customers. We have to leverage that as best we can, said James Berglie, president of Be All Inclusive in Fallston, Maryland. The best way to show the client experience is for advisors to travel and do fam trips.

Leach concurred with Berglie, adding that prior to COVID-19, social media was one of the best avenues theyve ever employed because it showed how much fun we were having in our personal travels. We would post one photo and when we got back we were flooded with calls.

Groups Help Extend the Personal ExperienceA few of the advisors we interviewed rely heavily on groups, whether it be for a destination wedding or otherwise. By their accounts, group business is the best path towards repeat business, as it provides new travelers with an experience they might have otherwise not taken, as well as a go-to person they can contact for future vacations.

Most of Sarah Klines business consists of brides and grooms and their groups. Thanks to her niche, she has the opportunity to deal with a wide range of people, who in many cases find group travel and the assistance of an on-site group leader more comforting than going it alone. I love dealing with the first experience people but the truth is, they wouldnt ever go if it wasnt for their friends and families going.

Kline, president of Time For Travel, Ltd., based in Davidsonville, Maryland, points out that these wishful thinkers typically take the plunge after they have been invited to either a destination wedding or some type of milestone group trip and its all they needed to catch the travel bug. When that happens, she inherits a whole new set of clients.

A Promise of Security Goes A Long WayAlthough potential travelers cannot always be escorted personally to a destination, there is a certain level of security that feels personal when you know an advisor is just a phone call or text message away.

Everybody wants to travel but there is a fear of security, said Mirabito. Some people have this misnomer that nothing is going to go wrong. But things go wrong and you have to have the security of knowing there is someone you can call. By using an advisor or tour operator, especially one who has a great in-destination company, there is someone there to look out for you. The security of having an advisor can make people travel.

Kline added that whatever their fears, serving as a second set of eyes for her clients is the confirmation they need to go, not to mention providing them with insurance coverage and not sending a client someplace she has never been. I wont send anybody anywhere I wouldnt go or wouldnt take my family to.

While personal undoubtedly topped the list of advice handed out by advisors, there were some additional takeaways worth noting. For example, the ability to stagger payments for a trip and have it automatically deducted from your account can sometimes ease a clients concerns over budgeting for a vacation. Also, rather than having your client develop a bucket list, why not consider a Save for Later list that speaks less to their immortality and more to the future vacations that are within their reach both economically and geographically?

The best news from this study? Knowing there is a large group of untapped travelers just waiting for the right advisor with the tools to change their minds.

FROM THE SPONSOR: ALG VacationsWalking on Sunshine/The Rise to Recovery

To help travel advisors keep their eyes skyward,ALG Vacationshas garnered an all-new collection of tools and resources to light the way to your recovery:WalkingonSunshine. With our sharable content, you'll be able to build customer confidence, showing that, with the right precautions, travel is safe.

Since its launch, more than 2800 potential travelers have taken the Travel Readiness Quiz. That number is growing significantly every day, and the results are encouraging. Arm your customers with what they need to take that next step. VisitiReportTravel.com, an all-new user generated review hub with on-the-ground accounts from real customers in open destinations! Weve gathered the content that will make all the difference in getting your clients to book now. Help us share it, and were one step closer to recovery. Your advice, along with that of their fellow vacationers, is a winning combination for the rise to recovery.

Actively engage with your customers and remind them of our Cancel for Any Reason waiver with Travel Protection Plus. Be proactive in getting your business back. Because clearly, theres never been a time when a professional travel advisors advice and experience has been more valuable.

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Who are Wishful Thinkers and How Can you Capture Them? - Travel Market Report

New Lord Of The Rings Book Announced, Will Reveal Who Can Grow Beards – GameSpot

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A new book feature the unpublished writings of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien is coming in 2021. Harper Collins has announced "The Nature of Middle-earth," and it will shed light on a number of particulars about Middle-earth and its inhabitants.

Specifically, the book will provide more details on the creatures who live in Numenor, Elvish immortality and reincarnation, and the powers of the Valar. But all of this pales in comparison to the most important fact that the book will confirm: who can grow beards.

Harper Collins said the book represents a "veritable treasure-trove offering readers a chance to peer over Professor Tolkien's shoulder at the very moment of discovery: and on every page, Middle-earth is once again brought to extraordinary life."

The Nature of Middle-earth is edited by Tolkien scholar Carl Hostetter and it's due for release on June 24, 2021.

This will be just the latest book that dives deep into the extended lore of Middle-earth. Some of Tolkien's previous writings were published in books such as Unfinished Tales, The History of Middle-earth, and Beren and Luthien, among others. These were all edited by Tolkien's son, Christopher, who passed away in January this year.

The Lord of the Rings remains very popular today. Amazon is currently filming a very expensive TV show based on the fantasy series in New Zealand, while there are multiple Lord of the Rings video games in the works, including an MMO and a title featuring Gollum.

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David Fincher’s ‘Mank’ is a good Netflix movie about making the best movie ever – The Arizona Republic

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The task at hand is to talk about Mank, David Finchers complicated new film about screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz.

But we cant really do that without also talking about another film: Citizen Kane, which Mankiewicz co-wrote or wrote, depending on whom you listen to. Mank leaves no doubt.

It is the story of how Mankiewicz, played brilliantly by Gary Oldman, wrote Citizen Kane, despite being drunk, dissolute and broken literally; hes in a cast throughout, the result of a fractured leg suffered in a car accident.

It worked out. Citizen Kane is generally regarded as the greatest movie ever made, and wewill not argue against that assessment.

But its lofty status scares some people off. Oh, it must be stodgy critic-bait, easier to admire than love.

Nothing could be further from the truth. While its hugely influential and undeniably important, Citizen Kane is also a hoot, an entertaining dismantling of the rich and powerful, a thinly veiled takedown of William Randolph Hearst that is genuinely thrilling as it goes about its business.

Its not the film you might think it is, in other words.

Mank kind of is.

A history of Hollywood as much as a story of Mankiewiczs screenwriting, Mank has an air of importance about it, Oldmans freewheeling performance notwithstanding. Give Oldman a role where his character drinks and smokes too much and hes a marvel. (He did win an Oscar for playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, after all.)

Mankiewicz is confined to a bed in remote Victorville, California, a setup arranged by 24-year-old Orson Welles (Tom Burke). The idea is to let Mankiewiczs leg heal, get the script written and dry him out.

Two out of three aint bad.

Mankiewicz dictates pages of the script to Rita (Lily Collins), his assistant, who is patient but not infinitely so. Theres a German housekeeper, and John Houseman (Sam Troughton) prods Mankiewicz along asWelles enforcer.

But Fincher (working from a script by his late father, Jack, who died in 2003) isnt especially interested in the creative process. Hes more concerned with what got Mankiewicz to this point, and with whats gone on in the world along the way.

Much of the film, then, takes place in flashbacks. A noted script doctor (he worked on films like The Wizard of Oz and Dinner at Eight), Mankiewicz, a former reporter and theater critic, had a brilliant, savage wit that he didnt bother to tame, no matter whom he was around. Being constantly soused probably didnt help. An inveterate gambler, we see him betting on coin flips in the writers room.

But studio executives valued Mankiewiczs talent and put up with him, at least for a time.

He also had an unlikely friendship with Hearst (Charles Dance, who plays Hearst as more bemused than anything else), serving as sort of the court jester, it seems, as well as with Hearsts partner, Marion Davies, played by an outstanding Amanda Seyfried, with by far the most heartfelt performance in the film.

Her friendship with Mankiewicz is the most genuine and honest he has. Seyfried energizes the film whenever she appears, a voice of hard-won wisdom.

For her trouble, she would be depicted in Citizen Kane as the flighty, untalented shrew for whom Kane tried to buy a career. (In real life, she enjoyed much more success.) And we know how Mankiewicz depicted Hearst, as Kane.

Why? Maybe he just couldnt help himself (a recurringtheme in his life), but more likely it appears he was just fed up. We see the studios thriving as the Depression cripples families.

Through misleading newsreels genuine fake news movie moguls influence the California gubernatorial election (interesting enough, but something Fincher spends far too much time dissecting).

By the time Welles hired him, Mankiewicz really had nothing to lose, not that he was bound by constraints anyway. His self-destructive lifestyle would lead to his death at 55.

But here he had his one last chance, a shot at immortality, though of course you cant know that when youre in the middle of it. But Mankiewicz did know he was onto something,enough so that he wanted credit, something in the film that Welles plans to take for himself (as part of their business agreement).

Oldman really nails the arrogance and self-loathing that drove Mankiewicz. He cant decide if life is agony or one big joke. Or maybe both.

Mank is all over the place. It'san obvious labor of love for Fincher, which may explain that. But its a good movie that is at least in part about the making of a great one. Watch it, and learn about Mankiewicz.

Then when youre done, watch (or rewatch) his masterpiece.

Great Good

Fair Bad Bomb

Director: David Fincher.

Cast: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins.

Rating: R for some language.

Note: Streams on Netflix on Dec. 4.

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk.

Subscribe to azcentral.com today. What are you waiting for?

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David Fincher's 'Mank' is a good Netflix movie about making the best movie ever - The Arizona Republic

How Conor Maguire surfed Irelands biggest ever wave – Red Bull

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"I'd been waiting for that swell my whole life..."

When the after-effects of tropical Hurricane Epsilon summoned 60ft [18.29m] waves off the coast of Ireland, Conor decided to take to the waters at Mullaghmore in search of 'the one'. And on October 28, he found it.

A combination of freakish Atlantic currents and travel restrictions ensured Conor was able to enjoy a private audience with Mother Nature that he won't forget in a hurry.

And thanks to the video above, neither will we. Resembling something closer to a wave from Christopher Nolan's Interstellar than Point Break, it's every inch the Hollywood blockbuster.

Conor Maguire

Surfing Big Wave

Abetted by a crack team of friends and fellow surfers all abiding by social distancing protocols the Irish surfer took the opportunity with both hands and is still taking stock of everything that transpired.

From the terrifying anxiety of preparing for the wave to the technical demands needed to ride it, Conor talks us through his biggest moment to date in his own words below

I knew something special was brewing

"It was just this huge, scary black blob that we saw in the Atlantic a few weeks before it hit. The storm looked as though it was about to swallow the whole continent. It was hard to believe it would do what the data was predicting, but the night before the swell started to build, a weather buoy off the coast of Ireland revealed record-breaking figures and we knew we had a shot."

The swell was so big it shook my house

"I'm living just down the road from Mullaghmore, close to a beach where you can see those famous waves in the distance, peaking out in the bay like a looming monster. On the biggest days I can barely hear the waves break, but on the morning of this wave I woke up at 5am and the house was rumbling, it sounded like thunder, so I knew it would be huge."

Mullaghmore has long been a white-knuckle surfing hotspot

Gary McCall/RedBull Content Pool

My nerves were jangling beforehand

"It was super-exciting, but my nerves were rattled beyond belief in the days leading up to it. On the morning of the attempt, the whole crew assembled at the harbour in the dark, around 7.30am, and it was scary. Huge waves were breaking, not only outside the harbour but also inside the harbour, which never happens, not even on the biggest days. Although once I got out on the water I was surprisingly calm, probably because I'd spent countless hours visualising surfing a wave like this since I was a kid."

Nobody had ever seen waves like these in Ireland

"Id never seen Mullaghmore looking like that, Ive only ever dreamed of it. Even Dylan Stott and Barry Mottershead, who've surfed here for 15 years, had never seen anything close to it. Those guys were actually the first to take me out here and show me the ropes, so there was nobody better placed to tow me and help pick the wave of my life. Ordinarily, a 30ft [9.14m] wave would be big and scary but we werent even looking at those, they werent even relevant. We were out the back, behind where the waves break on the reef, a safe spot. We still felt the swell go underneath of course, because these were 60ft [18.28m] monsters, lifting us up and dropping us down."

I knew it was the wave of my life even before it hit

"Even though it was moving unbelievably fast, you could see the wave for a couple of minutes before it even reached us. Deep down I knew it was the one. I'd been waiting for that swell my whole life, my whole career. Barry later told me we were in full eye contact, no words. Thats how connected we were I didnt even need to nod. I saw the wave cresting way out at the back, which Id never seen before, then turned towards land and began focusing on what came next."

Hurricane Epsilon caused a surge of activity in the Atlantic Ocean

Gary McCall/RedBull Content Pool

I've never travelled so fast to catch a wave

"When big wave surfing, the 'ski driver will match the speed of the wave while towing you in. The surfer will then use the rope as a pendulum to get even more speed, which is why they call it being whipped' into a wave. And I can safely say that I have never been that fast on a surfboard in my life. Barry travelled at Mach 10 to match this wave! He picked me up, built up speed, I let go of the rope and found myself dropping down this face, which initially felt like a 30ft [9.14m] wave. But the thing just kept growing, and soon I felt like I was dropping forever, skateboarding down a hill going 100mph [161kph]."

Its the most power Ive ever felt on the water

"A few years ago I surfed in Nazar, Portugal, with Carlos Burle, a legend of surfing, who took me under his wing. We had this huge swell, 60ft [18.28m] plus waves, which I thought was as big as it can get. But that wave has no comparison to the one I experienced in Mullaghmore the power and veracity of this wave was mind-blowing, you can really feel it as you ride the waves and experience the energy it has."

It just seemed to last forever

"I remember angling my board and finding the wave was so incredibly smooth its the most perfect wave Ive ever seen. Suddenly I was standing in this big emerald-green bowl. I was just calm because I was so happy to be there, which you can see when the wave breaks over me. Im just standing there, really, thinking that this is the most incredible view Ive ever seen. You rarely have time to take it all in on a 30ft [9.14m] wave, but it seemed to go on for forever."

Conor Maguire rules the waves on his own doorstep

RedBull Content Pool

Visulisation and yoga helped prepare me for the moment

"It was as if the swell was just feeling out the reef. It was just sucking and sucking and I was dropping without ever going anywhere. Having been so nervous the night before, it felt surprisingly natural to me. I picked a line and went for it, as if Id surfed that wave 1,000 times. But then I had, sort of, because Id been doing it all week, standing on my board at home on a yoga mat just thinking about it. I do obsess over waves and often I'll stand on a yoga mat imagining how to surf them, matching the movements of my body to what my minds thinking."

One wrong move could have ended my career

"I know this surf spot inside out, but anything could have happened out there. Nazar is huge, but Mullaghmore gets big, too; its heavy, hollow, it barrels, it breaks over shallow reef; theres a huge volume of water in that actual wave its a really crazy wave. The biggest risk factor is breaking something when the lip's hitting you because its so powerful. A friend broke his femur there a few years ago and he only surfed for the first time again recently."

I couldn't have done it without my friends

"It was a true team effort. In the lead-up to it we had a few Zoom meetings about safety protocols led by my mate, Finn Mullen, who runs a windsurfing magazine and is also safety coordinator for a lot of big events and helped us to introduce social distancing guidelines. In all, we had four safety jet skis, organised by the Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club and Peter Conroy, a paramedic, an ambulance and two spotters on the cliff who are long-time friends."

The emptiness made it more surreal

"The current situation meant that other guys weren't able to travel from all over the world, so the biggest ever swell to hit Ireland was relatively untouched by the surf community. It felt surreal. Never in my wildest dreams could I believe that Mullaghmore would have waves that size. My phone's not stopped ringing since I got out of the water and it's been great to see people interested in the story, but my friends buzzing for me means more than anything else."

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How Conor Maguire surfed Irelands biggest ever wave - Red Bull

The Sony C-800G: the recording enigma that achieved immortality – Happy Mag

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The Sony C-800G shattered the mould with a blend of vintage tech and cutting edge design. Read on as we explore how this black sheep achieved immortality.

Like few other pieces of studio gear, microphones tend to fall into a strict hierarchy. But the Sony C-800G comes close to being in a league of its own.

There are the indestructible staples the Shure SM57, Sennheiser MD 421, AKG D112, BeyerDynamic M88 mics that you can take anything you throw at it.Further up the scale, it gets a little more specialised. Small diaphragm condensers like the Neumann KM84 or the Oktava MK 012, higher-end dynamics like the ElectroVoice RE20, Sennheiser MD 441, Shure SM7B, plus high-quality large-diaphragm condensers that still slot into the workhorse category think AKG C414 or the Neumann U87.

But then there is a truly rarified category, the real headline large-diaphragm condensers like the Neumann U 47, Telefunken ELA 251, AKG C12 and a few more of this ilk have usually been reserved for the superstar voices.

The Sony C-800G is a microphone that has rightfully earned its place in this echelon. It hasnt, however, received the recognition of some of its silver-coloured siblings. We figure its high time we celebrate this left-of-centre classic.

Perhaps one of the keys as to why this mic hasnt reached the same level of notoriety as the likes of Neumann, AKG and Telefunken, for example, is that it doesnt have the same long history. A key to the allure of these grand examples is the imagery and subsequent mythology that surrounds them.

Would generations of engineers feel the same way about the Neumann condensers if we didnt know that were associated with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and other artists of the golden era of recording.

Reach further back into the 50s and you have iconic images of Elvis Presley crooning into an RCA 44 BX ribbon. The C-800G didnt grace the studio until 1992 way after those heady days and into an incredibly divergent studio scene.

The other microphone manufacturers in that special league of also have many models that are well recognised. Neumann has enjoyed ongoing fame for multiple flavours of large diaphragm condenser, as have AKG. This has served to increase its brand recognition as a whole need to track a lead vocal? Grab a Neumann. Of course, each model will be slightly different in character, but the brand name assures a certain standard of quality.

For Sony, however, the C-800G is an outlier. They do have a few new models, including the new C-100, which takes at least its aesthetic cues from the classic. There are a few rare vintage models, like the C-37A and the C-38B, but overall Sony microphones havent enjoyed a long-standing reputation as a studio staple over the decades.

So with lack of brand recognition and established pedigree in the studio, how did this enigma make such a seismic impact when it arrived in the early 90s?

Sheer, uncompromising quality.

LIke many of its illustrious forebears, its a tube-based design. The 6AU6 vacuum that resides in C-800G is known for warmth that it imparts to the lower mids of the frequency spectrum. Yet this kind of valve driven character is not what the microphone is best known for.

Instead, the C-800G has earned its stripes by delivering unprecedented accuracy, which makes it equally at home on vocals and acoustic instruments.

Its also famed for something it doesnt have: noise. This is partly on account of its construction featuring a two part aluminium body, thats specially designed to prevent acoustic vibrations and resonances from reaching the capsule (which was based on the Neumann K67 capsule).

The look of the microphone is also something to behold. The black, cylindrical body may not raise eyebrows, but about that thing hanging off the back. What is it? It turns out that this curious appendage is crucial for the performance of the microphone. Its a heat sink that maintains the optimal temperature for the internal tube, which accounts for the microphones incredibly natural presentation, minimal distortion and almost complete absence of a noise floor.

When the mic finally landed in the market, boy did it make a splash. Its versatility and extremely open character make it a very popular choice for vocalists. Its been favoured by rap producers and artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kanye West for the way it effortless captures crucial high-end detail in rap verses, without needing to artificially boost high-end frequencies with EQ. And Mariah Carey, a singer who traverses the octaves like few others, has been known to enjoy the Sony.

The way that C-800G exhibits a natural boost ranging from approximately 8 14kHz adds what many engineers refer to as air, or sheen, without needing a liberal amount of boosting from an EQ. In short, a headline vocal recording exhibits a finished quality that is incredibly hard to replicate with any other microphone.

Its also a top choice for capturing voice-overs in post-production, again owing to the fact that it represents the silkiest of high frequencies without ever sound unnaturally hyped. And being a device with two polar patterns (cardioid and omnidirectional) it has become a top choice for capturing acoustic instruments like guitar and strings.

Many of the studio archetypes have received the emulation treatment over the years. And though the new C-100 is redolent of its forefather in some respects, it really is a completely different beast. The groundbreaking design of the Sony C-800G, its premium components and hunger for studio products that compete on price (this thing is eye-wateringly pricey) mean that this rare specimen is unlikely to be replicated any time soon.

But then again, when a piece of gear like this ascends to the status of studio standard it deserves to stand alone.

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Fort Worth City Council to open its meeting on Dec. 1 with Hindu mantras – WFAA.com

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The City Council typically meets once a week and usually opens with a prayer delivered by someone in the community.

The Fort Worth City Council will open its meeting on Dec. 1 with a Hindu prayer delivered by statesman Rajan Zed.

The City Council typically meets once a week and usually opens with a prayer delivered by someone in the community.

In June and November of last year, Venkat Namburu of the Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth provided the invocation with Hindu Mantras, according to the City's secretary.

In a news release, Zed said during the meeting next month, he will deliver the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures remotely and then will read the English interpretation of the prayers.

Zed, who is the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, said he also plans to urge councilmembers and others to keep the welfare of others always in mind.

He plans to recite from sacred texts including Brihadaranyakopanishad, one of the readings will be interpreted to say, "Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality," in English.

The celebration of Diwali is almost complete. It's is a five-day festival that is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world.

The festival symbolizes new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness.

The Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth has been sharing live streams on its Facebook page in honor of Diwali as many people have celebrated virtually this year due to the pandemic.

The Fort Worth City Council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1 and can be watched live online.

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Fort Worth City Council to open its meeting on Dec. 1 with Hindu mantras - WFAA.com

Halloween 6: Why The Producer’s Cut Is The Superior Version – Screen Rant

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One of the most maligned entries in the Halloween franchise, Halloween 6's producer's cut offers a superior viewing experience for fans here's why.

The Producer's Cut of Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers is the best version of the movie. The sixth installment of the Halloween franchisewas released in 1995, directed by Joe Chappelle, and written by Daniel Farrands.The Curse Of Michael Myersstars Donald Pleasence in hislast movie appearance, along with Marianne Hagan andPaul Ruddin his film debut.

Halloween 6takes place six years after the events ofHalloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.This time around, the story centers on cousins ofLaurie Strode; they're the last surviving relatives of Michael Myers; he stalks and attempts to kill every last one of them. In the meantime, Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) pursues Michael yet again, and a grown-up Tommy Doyle (Paul Rudd) tries to protect the Strodes. The big draw of thisHalloweeninstallment is that it finally addresses Michael's "curse". This explains why he never dies and provides context to his Halloween rampages. Behind his immortality and homicidal rage, it turns out, is the Cult of Thorn.

Related:Are The Halloween Movies On Netflix, Prime, Or Hulu? Where To Watch Online

Halloween 6can certainly be seen as the weakest installment of the Halloween franchise. However, some might change their minds upon viewing the Producer's Cut an alternative version of the movie that was released after the original home media version came out. This cut contains a significant 45 minutes of different footage, with an alternate ending that has gained a cult following over the years; many have dubbed the Producer's Cut as the definitive versionHalloween 6.There are some major changes between the final version and the Producer's Cut. The changes to Jamie's fate, the overall cult storyline, and the climactic ending are ultimately better and more coherent, working together to make the Producer's Cut the movie's best version.

The Producer's Cut of Halloween 6notably gives the character Jamie Lloyd(K.C. Brandy) more screen time. In the theatrical version, Jamie attempts to escape the cult early onafter giving birth to a babybut Michael tracks her down and kills her quickly. In the Producer's Cut, she's stabbed by Michael but survives for a little while. She's taken to a hospital, where Loomis comes to see her; this makes the moment where Loomis shows up at the hospital and meets Tommy make more sense. Eventually, Jamie is shot by the "man in black" while she's recuperating, but it's at least a better death than the one she had in the theatrical cut where Michael kills her with a corn thresher.

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Halloween 6: Why The Producer's Cut Is The Superior Version - Screen Rant

The Flash Uncovers the Secret History of a POWERFUL DC Universe Relic – CBR – Comic Book Resources

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In The Flash's battle with Dr. Alchemy, Barry Allen has discovered the secrets of one of the DC Universe's most powerful artifacts.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Flash #764 by Kevin Shinick, Will Conrad, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands, on sale now.

In The Flash #764, Dr. Alchemy has broken out of Iron Heights Penitentiary and is after Barry Allen once again. This time, though, Barry notices that Dr. Alchemy is stronger and seems focused on a specific mission. It also becomes clear after their initial encounter that the good Doctor has made his vendetta against The Flash personal.

After turning the prison walls to molten lava and escaping, Dr. Alchemy turns raindrops into bullets. To save the innocent bystanders and the police officers at the scene,The Flash arrives at the prison and takes the Philosopher's Stone away from Dr. Alchemy. The Philosopher's Stone isn't just the source of Alchemy's powers but an ancient relic with a history. After Desmond escapes, Barry decides to research the Stone to better understand his opponent.

Related: The Flash: Reverse-Flash Helped Shatter The Teen Titans

Dr. Alchemy debuted in 1958sShowcase #13, byJohn Broome,Carmine Infantino, andFrank Giacoia,as Mr. Element. He changed his name to "Dr. Alchemy" in Showcase #14, which was also the issue that introduced the Philosopher's Stone as Alchemy's source of power. In addition to immortality, an increased healing factor, and giving its wielder vast knowledge, the Philosopher's Stone has the powerto transform the molecular structure of anything in the world, including the molecules of the human body, into any substance. When Barry confronts Dr. Alchemyat the prison, he notices that Desmond fashioned the Stone into a ring, thereby making it more difficult to take it away from him.

Barrydescied to research the Philosopher's Stone and discovers that it's been owned by a long history of alchemists and "crazed chemists" dating back to ancient times. One of the earliest owners was Zosimos, "One of ancient Greece's most noted Alchemists and mystics." Zosimos believed thatfallen angels taught the arts of metallurgy to the women they married and that alchemy involves the studying of how bodies and spirits can embody one another and be drawn away from each other. As a result, "The Philosopher's Stone was the key to immortality since it could abstract the souls of various elements." Another notable possessor of the Stone was Paracelsus, analchemist during the German Renaissance who believed absolute knowledge wasn't acquired through books, but through the elements. The Stone was "the tool that could translate between them", but it wasn't until Simon Magus had the Stone that it became weaponized. According to Barry's research, Magus saw the power the Stone had and used it to "cut a path of destruction through most of Medieval Europe and even into other dimensions."

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The Flash Uncovers the Secret History of a POWERFUL DC Universe Relic - CBR - Comic Book Resources

White Sox poised to deal As another early exit – KETK | FOX51 | EastTexasMatters.com

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Posted: Sep 29, 2020 / 11:14 PM CDT / Updated: Sep 29, 2020 / 11:15 PM CDT

The Chicago White Sox get an opportunity to continue the Oakland Athletics postseason woes and send the American League West champs into another early offseason Wednesday afternoon when the clubs continue their first-round playoff series with Game 2.

Two low-ERA starters Chicago left-hander Dallas Keuchel (6-2, 1.99) and Oakland righty Chris Bassitt (5-2, 2.29) are scheduled to get the ball in a series that got off to a low-scoring start Tuesday, thanks mostly to White Sox ace Lucas Giolito.

Supported by three home runs, Giolito flirted with baseball immortality hurling six perfect innings before eventually combining with three relievers on a three-hitter and a 4-1 victory that gave the seventh-seeded White Sox a 1-0 lead over the second-seeded As in the best-of-three set.

Adam Engel, Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal homered for the White Sox, who are seeking their first postseason-series victory since winning the 2005 World Series.

The As have not won a postseason series since 2006, but unlike the White Sox, who are making their first appearance since 2008, Oakland is a fairly regular participant in October. Since sweeping the Minnesota Twins in the 2006 AL Division Series, the As have come up short in their six opportunities since (three series and three AL wild-card games).

To even force a Game 3 in this series, theyll need to solve the veteran Keuchel, who is 4-2 in his postseason career with a 3.47 ERA. Coming off a season in which he recorded a career-best ERA, he will be making his 12th postseason start. Keuchel, 32, hasnt received a decision in his past four, including two for the Atlanta Braves last October, since he took a loss in the Houston Astros run to the World Series crown in 2017.

In his career against the As, Keuchel is 6-6 despite a fine 3.06 ERA in 22 career games, 20 starts. He is just 2-4 at Oakland, including a 7-1 loss for the Astros in his most recent visit in August 2018.

One regular member of the Oakland lineup hell be happy not to see is third baseman Matt Chapman, who has bombed Keuchel for a .400 average with two doubles and two home runs in 16 career plate appearances. Chapmans season ended on Sept. 6 when he sustained a torn labrum in his hip. The As have been held to three or fewer runs in 13 of 24 games since then.

Keuchel has not lasted longer than six innings since experiencing back spasms earlier this month. He is confident those issues are behind him.

Well go inning-by-inning here in the playoffs, he said Tuesday. But its nice, mentally, to have that comfort zone, knowing that the body is going to let me go as long as it really needs to. I take great pride in all my work that I do.

Bassitt hasnt needed much support in a personal three-game winning streak, having allowed just one run and 23 hits in 26 2/3 innings over his past four starts.

Originally drafted by the White Sox in 2011, Bassitt moved to the As along with Marcus Semien in a six-player deal in December 2014 that saw Jeff Samardzija go to Chicago.

The Toledo, Ohio, native still has family and friends in the Midwest, including some of the latter in the White Sox organization.

Its special for me, just because its like a playing-with-your-friends kind of thing, Bassitt said of facing the White Sox. So its fun; its a different dynamic.

Against the White Sox, the 31-year-old is 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in four career starts.

Engel (0-for-4), Abreu (3-for-12) and Grandal (0-for-3), Chicagos three home run hitters in the series opener, have batted a combined .158 against Bassitt in their careers.

The pitching matchup is strength vs. strength, with Bassitt 2-1 with a 0.72 ERA in six home starts this season while Keuchel has pitched his best on the road, going 3-1 with a 1.60 ERA in seven starts.

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White Sox poised to deal As another early exit - KETK | FOX51 | EastTexasMatters.com