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Democrats Warn Trump: Leave Mueller Alone
After Monday's indictments, lawmakers urged Republicans to join them in supporting the special counsel's investigation.
Updated on October 30 at 5:52 p.m. ET
Leading congressional Democrats responded to the indictment of Donald Trump's former top campaign officials not with jubilation, or relief, or even outrage, but with a blunt warning to the president: Leave Robert Mueller alone.
"The president must not, under any circumstances, interfere with the special counsel's work in any way," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said. "If he does so, Congress must respond swiftly, unequivocally, and in a bipartisan way to ensure that the investigation continues."
Schumer issued his statement less than an hour after Mueller, the former FBI director leading a Justice Department probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, unveiled charges against Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, and Rick Gates, another top adviser. But it set a tone for Democrats who are increasingly worried that the president will order the dismissal of Mueller as he closes in on Trump's inner circle. Such a move could provoke the kind of constitutional crisis unseen since President Richard Nixon demanded the firing of the special Watergate prosecutor and removed two senior Justice Department officials who refused to execute it.
The White House and Trump himself have said he has no intention of firing Mueller, a statement that spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders reiterated on Monday. "There's no intention or plan to make any changes with regard to the special counsel," she said. But the president has not ruled out going after Mueller, and Democrats remain concerned that he could change his mind at any time. Sanders said multiple times the White House expected the special counsel to wrap up his inquiry "soon," but she wouldn't elaborate on why the administration believed that. The indictments on Monday gave the opposite indication—that Mueller was just getting started in a new, more aggressive phase of his investigation.
After Schumer's statement, Mueller's office revealed that a third former Trump campaign official, George Papadopoulos, had agreed to plead guilty to making false statements to the FBI about conversations he had with Russian nationals after he officially joined the campaign.
In recent days, calls by conservative commentators to shut down Mueller's probe or for Trump to begin issuing preemptive pardons have grown, most notably in the pages and on the airwaves owned by Rupert Murdoch. The president himself spent the weekend and Monday morning urging an investigation into his defeated opponent, Hillary Clinton, and the payments by Democratic organizations directed to research that led to a dossier of damaging but unverified allegations against Trump.
"Members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, must also make clear to the president that issuing pardons to any of his associates or to himself would be unacceptable, and result in immediate, bipartisan action by Congress," said Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the Democratic vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, which is continuing its own investigation into Russian interference in the campaign and potential collusion by the Trump campaign. The top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, issued a similar statement and said Mueller's "independence must remain sacrosanct." Asked specifically about the possibility of pardons, Sanders said only that the White House would let the "process play through."
Republicans largely kept quiet on Monday morning after the charges were announced, although several lawmakers reacted to the indictments later in the day after they returned to Washington. House Speaker Paul Ryan issued no statement of his own, but during an appearance on a Wisconsin radio show, he rejected the idea that the indictments would interfere with the GOP's top legislative priority: tax reform.
"I really don't have anything to add, other than nothing's going to derail what we're doing in Congress," Ryan said. Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee plan to unveil the party's long-awaited tax legislation on Wednesday. Asked again about the news later in the day, Ryan said he hadn't read the indictments in detail. "That's what Bob Mueller was tasked to do," he said. "That's how the judicial process works."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined comment through a spokesman, and Republican leaders dodged questions about the indictment at a press conference on judicial nominations later in the afternoon. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said the charges don't "change anything" about the panel's ongoing investigation into Russian election interference. Two senior Republicans, Chairman Charles Grassley of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senator Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and the committee's former chairman, did offer Mueller some back-up. "As always, it's important to let our legal system run its course," Grassley said in a statement. "The Judiciary Committee is continuing its work to ensure that the Justice Department and FBI are functioning free from inappropriate influence, consistent with our constitutional oversight responsibility." Grassley was more direct in an exchange with CNN: "The president should let the special counsel do his job," the Iowan said.
Late in the day, Hatch issued a statement calling the charges "serious" and saying it was "in the best interest for all parties involved to allow Bob Mueller to conduct a full and vigorous investigation."
In addition to Grassley and Hatch, one backbench Republican congressman, Representative Jim Banks of Indiana, also weighed in with a statement of support for Mueller. "Months ago I & many other Republicans vowed to support Mueller investigation & allow it to work its way through process to get the facts," he wrote on Twitter. "In light of today's indictments we must continue to support and allow the integrity of the process to work."
Some Democrats wanted to go even further, pushing for Congress to pass legislation prohibiting Trump from firing Mueller. But Republicans don't believe that's necessary. "I think he knows what to do and he's doing it," Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the chamber's second-ranking Republican, told reporters.
Republicans applauded Mueller's appointment by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May, viewing the former FBI chief as a respected and unbiased prosecutor who could get to the bottom of allegations against Russia and the Trump campaign. But among some conservative loyalists of the president, that praise has given way to criticism as Mueller and his team of veteran investigators have drawn ever closer to the Trump White House. Skeptical of GOP-led congressional investigations, Democrats have placed their trust in Mueller and want Republicans to join them in threatening a united front if Trump moves against him. But if the party's overall reticence on Monday morning is any indication, the Republican response is: No, thanks.


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Scott Derrickson is teaming up with Misha Green and Showtime to adapt Scott Thomas' 2017 meta horror novel 'Kill Creek' into an hour-long drama series. The book's story follows famed suburban-gothic novelist Sam McGarver and three other popular horror writers who, as a publicity stunt, agree to spend Halloween night inside Finch House, one of the most haunted structures in America. What starts out as a lark quickly takes a turn for the worst as their presence awakens an ancient evil. Joining McGarver for this sleepless slumber party are Sebastian Cole, a legendary gothic fiction writer, T.C. Moore who has made her name penning "extreme horror," and YA writer Daniel Slaughter.
Derrickson made a name for himself, directing horror films like 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose', 'Sinister' and 'Deliver Us from Evil'. It was work on such films that drew Marvel Studios to hire him to direct the supernatural-themed comic book movie 'Doctor Strange'. Unfortunately, Derrickson's recent forays into television haven't gone well. He was lined up to direct Hulu's pilot for 'Locke & Key' but had to depart due to scheduling conflicts. (Hulu wound up passing on the pilot, which was directed by Andy Muschietti. Netflix has picked it up, but want a new pilot filmed with yet another director.) He then directed the majority of TNT's pilot for 'Snowpiercer', but when original showrunner and writer Josh Friedman departed (or was fired), Derrickson refused to return to direct extensive reshoots, forcing TNT to turn to James Hawes.
Hopefully, the third time will be the charm, as opposed to "three strikes and you're out" for Derrickson's television career. Perhaps, the inclusion of Green will help make this project a reality.
Green co-created HBO's upcoming horror series 'Lovecraft Country' with Jordan Peele, based on the novel by Matt Ruff. Before that, she co-created the Civil War-era drama 'Underground' with Joe Pokaski. Derrickson and Green will executive produce along with novelist Thomas, Adam Gomolin, Elisa Todd Ellis and Andrew Lazar.
If it gets picked up, 'Kill Creek' will be the first Showtime horror original series since 'Penny Dreadful' wrapped two years ago. And with this story's modern setting, it really distinguishes itself from that show's Victorian mashup. But both series are literary in theme. 'Kill Creek' features characters who are novelists, while 'Penny Dreadful' was populated with characters from classic literature.
Are you a fan of Thomas' novel? Are you excited that it may be turned into a TV series?
This project is currently in early development, so check back for updates as they arrive.
Source: Deadline

subset: commoncrawl


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Last Tuesday, May 1st, was Rob's 27th birthday! For as long as I have known him he has never cared to celebrate his birthday. We could NOT be more different! So over the years I have constantly tried to figure out a way to make him feel special without buying him a frivolous gift or [...]
Tag: party
Pretty In Pink
Babes & Brides
It's officially wedding season and this year I am beyond excited about every wedding I am attending. We have all gone to weddings before that are strictly obligatory and never too much fun, however this season some of my favorite people are tying the knot and I know their weddings will be a blast! While [...]
Gaucamole Goals
The Little Skirt that Could
Rompers – A Must Have for the Holiday Party Season
Black, Not Basic
For some reason, most people consider the little black dress as "basic". Perhaps that's because it is timeless and classic and always appropriate. However, it is most certainly not basic. I am always the girl wearing a black dress to a wedding - no matter how many times I'm told it isn't appropriate. I'm sorry [...]


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NEW BRITAIN - The Innovation girls volleyball team wanted to come out with a win in its fourth annual pink game.
And as the Ravens have done for the majority of this season, that's exactly what they did.
Innovation swept rival MLC in straight sets Tuesday night 25-8, 25-13 and 25-16 for the 3-0 victory and its seventh straight win.
The program's longest winning streak was eight set back in 2015.
The Ravens were never challenged throughout the match.
Bailee Nardi and Imani Rosado led the way for Innovation. Nardi finished the night with six kills, while Roasado tallied 10 aces and seven assists.
The Ravens are now 9-1 on the season and currently sit in a tie for second place in the Class S rankings. Their one defeat was a 3-2 loss to Cheney Tech back on Sept. 14.
"The girls are playing really well," Innovation head coach Matt Lance said. "A lot of these girls are now in their fourth year of playing and with the younger players, everything's come together."
The Ravens will next play Putnam (5-5) at home on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. for their 10th win of the season.
Innovation 5, Capital Prep 0: The Ravens are once again heading back to the state tournament.
Victoria Piechota and Kelsey Walicki each scored twice to help Innovation improve its record to 7-1 on the season. Mia Solivan scored the other goal for the Ravens just 18 seconds into the second half.
It was a match Innovation controlled from the beginning. It was already up 2-0 heading into halftime and scored another three after with Solivan kicking things off. Goalkeeper Lianna Giles saved the only shot that came her way.
Plainville 3, Windsor 0: Krystyna Miller couldn't miss the back of the net.
The Blue Devils' freshman dominated the first half and scored a hat trick before halftime to help Plainville pick up its fourth win of the season.
Cortney Ouellette assisted on two of those goals, while goalkeeper Maddie Rund saved four shots to preserve the shutout.
"It was a good game," Blue Devils head coach Leszek Wrona said. "I'm very pleased with Krystyna scoring three goals in the first half."
Plainville's next match will be against Hall for its pink game to support breast cancer awareness. The game will be at 6 p.m.
Bristol Eastern 93, Plainville 90: It was a close meet from start to finish. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, they came up just short.
"It was our first divisional meet and it was closer than I anticipated," Chris Zagorski said. "Girls worked hard and we came out strong. If we continue to compete at this level we should be successful in the rest of our divisional meets going forward."
Lydia Weinberg was a double winner in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly, while Bella Bantz captured the 100 breaststroke to highlight some of Plainville's top individual performances.
The 200 free relay team of Weinberg, Alyssa Macomber, Isabella Samperi and Phoebe Gediman also came out with a win. Other Blue Devils swimming well were Ashleigh Bantz and Gediman.
Farmington 100, Berlin 86: The Redcoats dropped their first meet of the season against a tough Indians squad.
"It was a tough meet," Berlin head coach Michael Cwirka said. "Farmington is in our division and their good competition. We swam hard and the girls swam well. We knew it was going to be a meet."
Kelly Chmielewski finished as a double winner for the Redcoats, taking both the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke. She was also part of a 200 free relay team that included Nadia Humen, Maddie Palmese and Gabby Pattavina that came out with a win.
But diver Alina Whiteside put up perhaps the best individual performance for Berlin.
The junior won the diving portion of the meet with a score of 233.15 and set a new school record in the process.
The Redcoats are now 3-1.
David Glovach can be reached at (860) 801-5085 or email@example.com
On Twitter: @DavidGlovach


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Basic flaws in everyone from Iron Man to the Hulk to Slimer to Zack Morris.
The best part about science is that it ruins everything you dream about. (The second-best part is the baking soda volcano.)
Here are 11 superheroes who should be dead — or superpowers that shouldn't work — because of some pretty basic science. I say basic science because I forgot everything I ever knew about complicated science about two days after taking the AP Physics test.
1 | Iron Man – the suit
There are a bunch of flaws with the Iron Man suit — like the tremendous amount of energy it would take to propel — but the big one is that it's just a guy in that relatively thin suit. When he makes a sharp turn in the air, the g-force would be strong enough to make him explode inside of the suit. When he accelerates toward the ground, his blood vessels would tear and cause massive internal bleeding. And when he slammed into the ground or a wall, the suit couldn't absorb enough of the impact to keep him from splattering inside of it. None of those three outcomes is particularly conducive to Robert Downey Jr. making a pithy comment, however.
2 | Spider-Man – shooting webs
This only refers to the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man character, who has the web shooters appear in his forearms (rather than other Spider-Men who didn't attain web-making ability and built their own web slinging devices). Most spiders don't shoot webs out of their limbs; they shoot webs out of their butts. That would've been a whole different movie.
3 | The Flash – super speed
His suit is made of some kind of
magic mysterious material so he doesn't burn up or explode when he's outrunning Superman or a monorail. Unfortunately, it doesn't account for his organs sloshing around inside of him — and the friction and inertia smashing and burning them up.
4 | Wolverine – bones replaced by an indestructible metal called Adamantium
If Wolverine ever ended up in the ocean… or even a deep swimming pool… he would sink to the bottom. Eventually he'd drown and die, only he can't die, so he'd stay alive. Then he'd drown again. Then not die again. And that cycle would repeat until either someone rescued him or the world came to an end.
5 | Zack Morris – freeze time
Unfortunately, when Zack Morris stopped time, he also stopped science. Which certainly would bother Mr. Tuttle (who taught science, I think, along with driver's ed, music, and everything else available). When Zack stopped time, in theory, he stopped the movement of all the molecules in the world — including the molecules of oxygen in the air. So as he walked around, the molecules of oxygen couldn't move — which would've caused him to spontaneously combust long before calling "time in."
6 | Invisible Man – invisibility
The problem with invisibility is you'd also be blind. (And since spying on people is really the entire point of invisibility, that's not a particularly good trade-off.) You see things by having light hit your retinas. Light passes right through transparent objects (or, in another explanation for the power of invisibility, it wraps around the invisible person). In both cases, blind. And then you'd need an invisible seeing-eye dog, although he too would be blind.
7 | Twilight vampires – sexiness
I guess I can buy that vampires have super jumping and fighting abilities — but their sexiness is questionable. Without blood, that means… no vampire erections. And sure, Twilight is PG/Utahan sexy, which means a lot of arm touching and hugging — but eventually, the situation is going to call for an erection and there's no way a Cullen can sparkle his way out of that one.
8 | The Thing – super strength
The first time you flex your super strong muscles? You snap your bones. Then you're stuck in the hospital recovering with nothing to watch but The Incredibles.
9 | Slimer – pass through walls
My issue with walking through walls might not affect a ghost, but there wasn't really any other character I liked who had the ability to move through walls. (Other than, apparently, The Flash again. That guy might be a more versatile superhero than Superman.) The big problem with being able to walk through walls is… what's also stopping you from falling through the floor?
10 | Magneto – ability to move magnetic objects
Magneto's problem are Newton's laws of motion. Whenever he (meaning Magneto, not Isaac Newton) magnetically lifted an object, by law it would apply force to him in return. So if he lifted a car, the pressure back on him would probably break him in half.
11 | The Hulk – gamma ray-induced transformation
The Hulk really shouldn't exist, because the gamma rays that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk definitely would've killed him. As soon as he was hit with the gamma radiation he would've either burned up immediately or turned him into a shell of a human being rapidly of radiation poisoning.
Of course, that science stops the Hulk before he could even start. So if you want to look past that and find a different scientific flaw, how about his unbreakable pants?
You may also like…
Why Gonorrhea Is Stronger Than Thor
11 Points Review of Iron Man 2
11 Random Thoughts on The Avengers
Saved by the Bell Turns 30 — 11 Random Thoughts on Ep. 1, Dancing to the Max


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In our first Gamification Goes to Space article, we told you about NASA's gamified portal Be A Martian, dedicated to popularizing scientific space exploration and the potential of the human-robotic partnership. We now take a look at two other projects that use Mars as an immersive context for gamified learning in two very different skill areas – argumentation and programming.
Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy
Developed by GlassLab, in partnership with NASA and the National Writing Project, Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy is an educational, tablet-based "game of argumentation" targeted at middle-school students.
The year is 2054 and the first colony on Mars is faced with a host of important decisions that will determine its future survival and development. Zodiac Flynn is an Earthling who must learn to use "argubots". These are special robots that engage in "argument duels" armed with different types of arguments (appealing to authority, referring to consequences, or based on observations).
The issues range from the kind of protein to cultivate and the most suitable pet species, to the best form of entertainment and ice-cream flavor, and debaters are also invited to consider the ethical implications of their decisions (e.g. "Is breeding animals for human needs ethical?").
In the role of Argubot Academy students, players have to collect data and evidence, make informed decisions, and select the most relevant points for use in the robot duels. The strongest argument wins.
Image source: http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/mars-generation-one-argubot-academy/
The innovative interdisciplinary approach to teaching argumentation skills is proving effective and has received excellent reviews from gamification experts and educators alike (see for ex. Jordan Shapiro's Forbes article, GlassLab And NASA Teach Reason And Argumentation Using Video Games).
A field study on the game's learning impact conducted in the Fall of 2014 found that:
"Students who play Mars Generation One for three hours with two hours of instruction can make as much as one year of learning gains."
Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy on the Apple App Store
The Mars Game
This web-based math and programming serious game was released in April 2014. It was developed by researchers from the Pentagon's Office of Training and Readiness Strategy's Advanced Distributed Learning laboratory (ADL lab) and Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training.
The player takes the role of an autonomous Mars rover, sent to prepare a habitat for a team of human explorers. The rover crash lands in a damaged state, and it is necessary to successfully pass a number of mathematical and programming challenges in order to recover the parts scattered in the surrounding environment, repair the rover, and reestablish contact with the astronauts.
Image source: http://themarsgame.com/
Engaged in immersive, story-driven game play, students solve mathematical problems and actually learn to write small computer programs.
Says Lockheed Martin software engineer and Mars Game Principal Investigator Mark Torpey, "Our research hypothesis is that learning games that are designed at a fundamental level to be fun – to be games, and not dressed up homework – will be more effective as learning tools than more conventional approaches."
Indeed, initial 2015 field studies with 9th and 10th grade students bear out the above-cited 'research hypothesis'. The study groups demonstrated tangible improvements in both learning outcomes and engagement levels (find out more about the testing of the prototype in this edtechdigest.com article: Students Crash-land on Mars ).
Gamifiers can hardly hope for a better review than this student's reaction, which captures the essence of the game-based learning process and the ultimate goal of all gamification efforts:
"At first you struggle, it is confusing, so you play around and get closer and closer to your goal and it makes you want to try again and again, and then you get it and you are happy."


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Advanced Notepad CloverAppz.c
Overview :
Advanced Notepad: With Password and Photo 2.2.6 By CloverAppz.com
size: 176 kb
9300(Kepler), 9320, 9330, 9350, 9360, 9370, 9380/Blackberry 89XX Curve Series (480*360): 8900(Javelin), 8910(Atlas), 8930, 8950, 8980/Blackberry 90XX Bold (Onyx) Series (480*320) Devices Models: 9000, 9020(Onyx)/Blackberry 96XX Tour (Niagara) Series (480*360):9600, 9630, 9650(Tour2), 9700(Bold2), 9780, 9790, Dakota, Apollo / Blackberry 99XX (OS 7.0) Series (640*480) Devices Models: 9900, 9930, 9981
What's Advanced notepad ? It's a powerful notes app which supports password-protect, photos-with-notes , export/backup, category manage, etc; and more important, with rich keyboard shortcuts!
1) Privacy protection
* If you like, you can set password to protect your privacy.
* Password Input NOT use '**', so you will never type wrong password.
2) Note with photos
* You can add one or more pictures to each note, either from Camera or from Local files.
* Support .jpg .png .bmp .gif - you see, all ususal formats.
* Photo resolution adjustable.
* Support Zoom In/Out when viewing photos.
* (NEW) Take photos with camera FLASH LIGHT, and it will remember your last Flash Light setting.
3) Quick
* When write notes, press Escape to save & return back. No annoy save prompt:)
* Load and Save pictures very fast
* Example data: save a full-hd (that is, 1920*1080Pixel, 624KB, jpeg format) image, and it only took less than 1 second on a BlackBerry Bold 9000.
* In most cases, you have no chance of waiting :)
4) Export/Backup notes without 3-rd tool
* Get rid of the slow-big-Desktop Manager, we backup notes by ourselves!
* Export notes to file system (including photos); you can copy & paste it to anywhere.
5) Effective
* Full support of shortcutkeys. (see feature 8)
* For example, focus on notes with photos and press key "P" will show the photos right away.
*(NEW) Move each notes up & down, you can bring your favorite notes to front!
6) Category
* Group notes under different categories.
* Can Add/Delete/Modify categories.
7) Search
* support quick search in notes title, get what you want in a second.
8) Keyboard shortcuts
* A - Add Notes
* D/Del - Delete Notes
* Enter - View/Edit Notes
* E - View/Edit Notes, and Auto Set Caret To End Of Text
* P - Quick View Photos
* O - Open Options Screen
* B - Go Bottom
* T - Go Top
* N - Go Next
* N(ext)/P(revious)/F(rist)/L(ast) - Switch Between Photos
* If you already have this app, upgrade it may cause REBOOT, please save your SMS, Email draft first.


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Dekofee Silicone Working Mat Large 60 x 50cm
Dekofee Silicone Working Mat Large 60 x 50cm
This working mat from Dekofee has a fibreglass core, that is used by many professionals. Its practical size makes it ideal for various purposes in sugarcraft, for example modelling figures or creating decorations. The Dekofee non-stick silicone mat is 100% food-grade and can be cleaned easily with a damp cloth.
This mat can also be used as a baking sheet. It is suitable for temperatures up to 250°C.
Wash before first use.
Size: 60 x 50 cm.


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Today I talk about the new USB mic I purchased to help with sound issues, show off some WiPs, a little spinning, a little stitching, and talk a little about the Little York Fiber Festival in Preble, NY.
♥ Please come join us in the Ravelry group!
♥ You can also find the podcast on YouTube if you'd prefer to watch there.
Show Notes: "Testing…."
♥ Lucy's Owl
♥ KP Felici "Spooky" socks. Still debating cable and lace patterns for these. I may be over-complicating things.
Spinning a Yarn:
♥ Hanks in the Hood center-pull batt
Stitcher's Corner:
♥ Finished Dessert Sampler
♥ Started Halloween Spooky Sampler!
Stash Enhancement:
♥ Went to Little York Fiber Festival where I bought some lovely rambouillet, some merino/suri alpaca, and a few things from Spun Right Round who is local-to-me.


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'We're feeling good,' economist says, but 'out of people'
Fort Myers, Naples and other parts of Florida do not have enough workers.
The shrinking labor force is a big issue that a nationally acclaimed economist said he could not stress enough when addressing the 18th annual Southwest Florida CCIM District Outlook Conference on Monday at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs.
"You're out of people," said Elliot Eisenberg. "This is a real problem. You will have problems in '19 or '20 because there will be no one to hire."
Eisenberg, who "talks about economics without boring you to death," according to his Twitter profile, delivered an energetic keynote speech to a crowd of commercial real estate professionals that touched on a variety of national and state issues.
"This is as good as our economy has been since the end of the recession," he said, then mentioned tax cuts. "We're going to have serious stimulus this year and the first half of next year."
Quickly: there's no housing bubble, student loans have gotten "really big," but millennials will be fine, and consumer confidence is good. Big-time purchases of planes and thoroughbreds are up.
"We're feeling good," he said. "If you're good for a long time, you're going to start to buy stuff."
Cape Coral, Fort Myers hiring to be 'best in nation'
Attendance at corporate events in Las Vegas is doing great, vehicles sales are down (but OK), and residential remodeling is rising nicely. Nationally, there's a need for millions more single-family homes.
"That's why prices keep going up," he said, as Millennials age into home buying.
What's not up that much is GDP, or gross domestic product, a top measure of the country's economy.
Taking everything into consideration, "it's virtually impossible for us to have a recession this year," Eisenberg said, adding the only way he sees that happen is if the stock market crashes.
More topics: Oil prices are at a place where they aren't hurting consumers, but are good enough for oil companies to make money. Corporate profits are rising. Europe is seeing good growth, and Japan is looking better than it has in decades. Manufacturing numbers are strong. Industrial production is high.
Eisenberg called the tax cut an insurance policy against a recession.
"It's unusual to have a tax cut when unemployment is so low," he said, adding that the economy is at full employment, meaning everyone who wants a job has one.
A weaker dollar is a concern. Gross domestic product was 2.5 percent this past year, but it's unlikely to increase much due to productivity issues and labor force growth.
"It's just not that good," he said. "We can't do much better. It's not possible. Economically we're running out of workers. It's going to slow us down."
Changing that reality will not be easy, with workers on the sidelines unlikely to jump in.
"We're just out of workers, and the workers that are available, they can't pass a drug test," he said.
Unemployment nationally is the lowest it has been in almost 20 years, with jobless claims the lowest since the 1970s.
"People aren't going to come off the couch to change this," he said.
Low unemployment typically forces employers to raise wages, but wage growth is weak because highly paid baby boomers are retiring, replaced by younger workers earning much less.
The Federal Reserve will raise rates three or four times this year under incoming chairman Jerome Powell, Eisenberg predicted, and a couple of times next year.
"The Fed's going to raise rates as fast as it can," he said. "We can't get to a roaring economy. Rates are going up, but at a pretty gingerly pace."
Mall vacancy rates are high and flat, Eisenberg said, even at nicer venues, as ecommerce continues its rise. Operators must offer top restaurants, amenities such as gyms and massages, as well as a grocery option.
"If it's just another pair of pants to buy, you're hosed," he said. "If you own a mall, just cry. This is unstoppable. You have to make shopping fun. Downtown Naples is fun. You're still going to go downtown, you have to make it worthwhile."
As home prices in the Northeast and elsewhere have recovered in recent years, this part of Florida is among the top areas in the nation in population growth as people move.
"This tax reform will push a few people here and to other states with no income tax," he said.
Mega resort in Punta Gorda
John Redmond, president of Allegiant Travel Co., updated the crowd on a plan, unveiled in August, for a massive condo-hotel resort in Punta Gorda.
Sunseeker Resorts will be about seven miles from Punta Gorda Airport, where Allegiant is the sole carrier.
Redmond bought 20 parcels owned by 15 people to assemble the acreage, closing last week on the final piece of land.
So why would an airline get into this kind of business? It's an extension of its relationship with the customer.
Allegiant to build waterfront massive condo-hotel resort near Punta Gorda Airport in Florida
Six million people in Florida fly with Allegiant, Redmond said, including 1.2 million people in Punta Gorda. Customers book airfare, on average, 50 days in advance, with Allegiant aiming to use technology to steer a portion of those travelers to the resort.
Redmond drove all over the state before settling on this spot along Charlotte Harbor for such a project.
"There's an opportunity here," he said. "Anytime you can get on the waterfront it's spectacular."
The resort will feature a mile-long boardwalk with over 10 restaurants and bars.
"Everybody's going to know about this," he said.
The total investment on the project, expected to open at the end of 2019 or early 2020, is approaching $800 million, Redmond said.
The resort at build-out is expected to have 10 condo-hotel towers, with one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 950 to 1,550 square feet. It is expected to open with four of the 10 towers completed and all the restaurants and bars done, along with the hotel and a 1,000-foot pool, the largest ever built in North America. A marina is expected to come later.
A total of 7,000 people have registered to express interest in the project, Redmond said, adding he expects the airline to one day fly to as many as 60 destinations from Punta Gorda, up from the 40 it serves today.
Connect with this reporter: email firstname.lastname@example.com and follow on Twitter @caseylo


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One Or The Other
This morning I bought Walgreens calls and CVS common stock. I bought Walgreens CALLs because I believe there will be a resolution to the dispute with Express Scripts. I bought CVS stocks because I believe it is cheap and if I am wrong about the Walgreens dispute, CVS stands to win a lot of business both on the pharmacy and PBM side.
Posted by Tsachy Mishal at 9/27/2011 08:09:00 AM
1 comment:
- A said...
WAG would do everything it can to stop the ESRX + MHS merger, unless it gets a favorable deal out of ESRX. For the alternative for it is to go with Caremark, which is a no no given the latter is owned by direct competitor CVS. This implies that the merger will likely be held up on antitrust grounds until their is a WAG/ESRX long term deal. I therefore agree that WAG has an edge here. I, however, don't think CVS stands to win because WAG going to Caremark is somewhat of a non-starter, and unless Caremark undercuts ESRX - in which case it won't be very profitable for CVS.
- September 27, 2011 at 11:53 AM
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text:
by Owen Jones
originally published at the Guardian
If Syriza wins a possible snap poll in the new year, positive repercussions could be felt across Europe
Supporters of Syriza at a rally in Athens in May 2014
Supporters of Syriza at a rally in Athens.
'A Syriza government could spur on other anti-austerity forces across the continent.' Photograph: Petros Giannakouris/AP
Monday 22 December 2014
Another war looms in Europe: waged not with guns and tanks, but with financial markets and EU diktats. Austerity-ravaged Greece may well be on the verge of a general election that could bring to power a government unequivocally opposed to austerity. Momentous stuff: that has not happened in the six years of cuts and falling living standards that followed the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
But if the radical leftist party Syriza does indeed triumph in a possible snap poll in the new year, there will undoubtedly be a concerted attempt to choke the experiment at birth. That matters not just for Greece, but for all of us who want a different sort of society and a break from years of austerity.
What misery has been inflicted on Greece. One in four of its people are out of work; poverty has surged from 23% before the crash to 40.5%; and research has demonstrated how key services such as health have been hammered by cuts, even as demand has risen. No wonder the country has experienced a political polarisation that has prompted comparisons with Weimar Germany. The neo-Nazi Golden Dawn – which makes other European rightist movements look like fluffy liberals – at one point attracted up to 15% in the polls; though still a menace, its support has thankfully subsided to half that.
But unlike many other European societies – with the notable exceptions of Spain and Ireland – fury and despair with austerity has been channelled into the ranks of the populist left. After years on the fringes of Greek politics, Syriza only became a fully fledged party in 2012, and yet it won Greece's elections to the European parliament earlier this year. The latest opinion polls give Syriza a substantial lead over the governing centre-right New Democracy party. A radical leftwing government could well assume power for the first time in the EU's history.
After years of social ruin, Syriza is offering Greeks that precious thing: hope. Although it has shifted from demanding an immediate cancellation of debt, it is demanding a negotiated solution. It has conjured up the example of a European debt conference to wipe away a portion of the debt, as happened with Germany in 1953. Syriza's manifesto proposes that repayment of debt could come through economic growth, rather than from budget cuts. It wants a European new deal backed up by an investment bank; an all-out war against the tax avoidance endemic in Greek society; an emergency employment programme; a raised minimum wage; and the restoration of collective bargaining. In alliance with anti-austerity forces such as Spain's surging Podemos party, Syriza wants the EU to abandon crippling austerity policies in favour of quantitative easing and a growth-led recovery.
There's one small catch: the determined opposition of the establishment in both Greece and the EU. Greece was ruled by a hard-right junta, the colonels' regime of 1967-74, and there is still clearly anti-leftist sentiment deeply embedded in the state. The police have been infiltrated by Golden Dawn elements, with accusations that they have tortured anti-fascist protesters. The head of the bank of Greece has warned of "irreparable damage" to the economy if there is a change of course. Some form of coup – even if more subtle than that executed by the colonels in 1967 – cannot be ruled out.
And then there's the president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, a man who hardly has an inspiring democratic mandate and is best known for questions over his former country's tax avoidance policies, who has already made it clear that the Greek people should not vote the wrong way. "I think that the Greeks – who have a very different life – know very well what a wrong election result would mean for Greece and the eurozone," he has said. "I wouldn't like extreme forces to come to power." There are rumours that, if Syriza does win, Greece could be deprived of all EU funding. Apocalyptic talk of capital flight and bank runs abound. Markets and elite politicians alike have their guns pointed at the Greek electorate.
Syriza's leadership does have its leftwing critics, though. Those on the party's left look to the likes of Costas Lapavitsas, an economics professor at London's School of Oriental and African Studies, who believes its programme is impossible within the confines of monetary union. He believes that Syriza's attempt to transform the EU is naive, but allows the party "to tell people you can have your cake and eat it", not least given that most Greeks do not wish to be ejected from the eurozone – even after everything that has happened to them.
A confrontation looms between a Syriza government and the EU, he believes, and Greece will be hammered with blackmail and possible "deadly pressure" from the European Central Bank which could strangle the financial system in days. "Grexit" may happen, whether Syriza's leaders want it or not.
That's why Greece desperately needs solidarity. Firstly, there's a point of principle: to defend sovereignty and democracy from attack, whether from within or without. But a Syriza government could spur on other anti-austerity forces across the continent. It is conceivable that Podemos could assume power in Spain later in 2015. The likes of Die Linke in Germany – the country at the very heart of the EU's austerity drive – could be given a boost, too.
Here in Britain, Syriza already represents a warning to Labour. The explosion in Syriza's popularity has everything to do with Labour's sister party in Greece, Pasok, coming to power and unleashing austerity on its own supporters. The consequence? Pasok is now on about 5% in the opinion polls. In Britain, some polls already have the Greens on up to 9%, and that's before a Labour government that implements cuts has assumed power. Despite the British elite's deficit-mania, polling by Ipsos Mori finds that while 27% believe Labour "gets the balance about right" when it comes to spending, 26% believe the party will cut too much. A Syriza victory could strengthen those who wish Labour to offer a genuine alternative – or, alternatively, if the first-past-the-post electoral system finally shatters, Britain's own Syriza-style party.
So 2015 could finally be the year when austerity meets its reckoning across the continent. Or it could be the year that a democratic challenge to economic madness was strangled to death. It is a game of high stakes in which the futures of millions of people could be decided.


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[Interview] Jonathan Maberry Talks Rot & Ruin, Favorite Novels, Universal Monsters and More!
I've got to confess, it's been a great stretch recently. Not just for HorrorNovelReviews.com, but for me personally. In the last few days I've had the pleasure of prying at the recesses of Joe R. Lansdale's mind, and now I've been fortunate enough to learn quite a bit about another favorite author of mine: Jonathan Maberry.
Mr. Maberry is one of today's more prolific visionaries, churning out engaging novel after engaging novel. A New York Times bestselling author as well as multiple Bram Stoker award winner Maberry's works are known and respected worldwide. And, for good reason: the man's material is highly engrossing, extremely versatile and generally, just very, very enjoyable work.
To learn that Jonathan and I actually have quite a bit in common (I was amazed at the man's list of favorite novels, for example, as six of the eight tales Maberry credits as favorites actually happen to mirror my own personal picks) was quite the cool discovery. Jon sounds like the kind of guy you (or at least I) could sit around a campfire with and comfortably juggle conversation. Horror, fiction in general, martial arts… this is a man I can relate to, which made way for what I consider a kick ass interview.
But, don't take my word, take Jon's!
Matt Molgaard: I really want to talk about the Rot and Ruin series you're working on. I haven't had the chance to catch the first book, and I know you've got more in the storyline arriving soon. What kind of a story are we dealing with, and how has fan reception been thus far?
Jonathan Maberry: ROT & RUIN is the quadrology (four novels) set fourteen years after a zombie apocalypse wiped out virtually all of humanity. Seven billion people are dead; there are about thirty thousand people living in fenced-off communities in Central California. Everything beyond the fence-line is the 'great rot and ruin', a wasteland of zombies. Benny Imura is a fifteen year old kid living in the town of Mountainside. He needs to get a job or have his rations cut in half; so he reluctantly signs on as an apprentice zombie-hunter with his hated brother, Tom.
The story deals with Benny learning the realities of the world in which he lives –and it's very different from the one he thinks he knows. It's bigger, harsher, and stranger. And Tom is not the person Benny thinks he is. With Tom as teacher and guide, Benny journeys outside of the fence-line and confronts terrible dangers in the form of endless hordes of zombies and genuine evil in people who are living and breathing.
ROT & RUIN isn't a story about racking up a zombie headcount. It's about the value of human life, the difference between assumption and reality, and the nature of what it means to be alive.
MM: Correct me if I'm wrong, but this series is aimed at a younger audience correct? Do you feel like this is the kind of material that's going to please readers of all ages?
JM: ROT & RUIN started off as a novella, "Family Business", that I wrote for the adult anthology, THE NEW DEAD, edited by Christopher Golden. When my agent suggested that I expanded it and let her shop it as a teen novel, I was surprised. But at the time I hadn't read much modern teen fiction. I had no idea how challenging, complex, and gritty teen fiction had become. Even so, after she sold it and I settled down to write the four books, I didn't write it for teens. I wrote the best books I could, and I pulled very few punches in terms of themes, action, intensity, and edgy content. I generally don't write anything simply to catch a trend.
MM: Switching gears a bit, I know that while you've delivered some diverse material, you seem really, really comfortable tackling some of the vintage monster prototypes. Does this stem from early influences, or do you just simply have a knack for bringing to life some great creatures like werewolves and vampires?
JM: I've loved monsters since I was kid. Growing up in the sixties and early seventies, I was inundated with old Universal Pictures monster flicks on TV and Hammer Horror films in the movies. Also, my grandmother engendered within me a love of folklore, particularly that of the supernatural. Before I turned to fiction, I wrote several nonfiction books on the myths and legends of monsters like vampires, werewolves, ghosts and demons. So, the pump was pretty well primed by the time I settled down to write my first novel, GHOST ROAD BLUES. That book was primarily a vampire novel, but it included elements of werewolf and ghost legends.
MM: You've been in the industry for years pumping out quality fiction: do you ever find yourself challenged at this point, or does are you so comfortable in your craft that, once a story has ingrained itself in your head, it's simply a matter of transferring it to paper?
JM: I've never had writer's block and don't entirely believe it exists. I'm a very disciplined writer, possibly because I was trained as a journalist rather than as a creative writer. Even though I write fiction, I am very focused when it comes to taking an idea and developing it into the best possible form –short story, novel, etc. And ideas aren't exactly rare. As I roll from project to project I've become more comfortable with the process of developing the story, finding the right voice for it, fleshing it out and getting it polished.
MM: I haven't seen all too many film transfers of your work, yet I know at one point Patient Zero was optioned. Apparently some issues seemed to have left that one on the shelf. Are there any other adaptation proposals you've been dealt, and is seeing your work hit the big screen a serious desire of yours?
JM: PATIENT ZERO was optioned by Sony who brought it to ABC. They developed a pilot script and it got down to a split decision with the president of ABC. He opted for the other show…which was the remake of CHARLIE'S ANGELS. Which flopped. That option has since expired and we're looking elsewhere.
However ROT & RUIN has been optioned and is now in development for film. And there are some discussions ongoing about other projects. It's an exciting time.
MM: You've built quite the extensive résumé. If (it's possible) you could choose a single one of your own works to label your finest, what would that be?
JM: If I had to pick only one book (and I never would except in an interview of this kind), it would probably be ROT & RUIN. I'm proud of the writing and the story development; and the book has racked up a lot of awards. It's also been included on many school lists for reluctant readers. It's also the book that has changed the minds of many students, teachers, parents and librarians about the zombie genre.
MM: If you would, name some of today's… "contemporary" talents that you enjoy?
JM: There are so many fine writers emerging these days, in adult and teen fiction. Dennis Tafoya, Jonathan McGoran, Dan Wells, Jeff Hirsch, Jeyn Roberts…really, it's an incredibly long list. We're in a new golden age of fiction.
MM: General favorites?
JM: My all-time favorite books include SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES by Ray Bradbury, I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson, 'SALEM'S LOT by Stephen King, GHOST STORY by Peter Straub, BLACK CHERRY BLUES by James Lee Burke, BLACK SUNDAY by Thomas Harris, and CATSKILL EAGLE by Robert B. Parker.
MM: Do you feel that, with the ever-expanding field of authors, it's more difficult to make a name for yourself as a young author?
JM: The age of the author is irrelevant. Visibility matters much more, especially for authors new to mainstream publishing. Social media is crucial for writers these days, and a savvy, positive, and consistent presence on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn and a few other platforms can give even a newbie a real shot.
MM: And before I let you go, I've got to touch down very briefly on mixed martial arts. I know you're a decorated martial arts practitioner yourself. I studied Judo and TKD for quite a few years and am absolutely in love with combat sports. What is your take on Mixed Martial Arts and the growing popularity of the sport?
JM: I'm of two minds when it comes to MMA. On one hand I'm a staunch traditionalist and a believer that a truly serious study of most individual martial arts will provide the kind of technical, scientific and philosophic knowledge that will allow a practitioner to become truly proficient. For example, in the jujutsu style I learned and teach, a black belt was earned after many years of intense training, and given after scoring significantly in tests that include physical performance, anatomy, physics, physiology, medicine, history, psychology and the law. That level of commitment is all too rare these days, however; and worse, few schools even offer that kind of deep training. MMA is a useful shortcut.
I think practitioners have to understand it's nature, however. I've met MMA practitioners who insist that it's the best fighting art on the planet. It isn't, because no one can accurately make that kind of statement. Even if it were the best form of competitive martial arts, that's a far cry from real combat. I fought in full-contact tournaments for a long time, and I retired in the late 1980s with a record of 102 wins, two losses and two ties. I racked up sixty-eight knock-outs. Sounds wonderful, but the stuff I used in the ring was not combat martial arts. It was ring science, ring techniques. Even the most brutal ring fight or cage match is not the same as a life-or-death streetfight. Anyone who says it is, is misinformed or naïve. I know a lot of guys in the SEALS, Delta, Force Recon, and SWAT. Many of them are or were students of mine. The techniques they use in real combat cannot be used in a ring.
I once had an MMA practitioner try to tell me that everything was allowed in the ring –all techniques. I said, 'What about a strike to the hyoid bone?' He insisted that it was allowed and that a strong fighter could shake it off. Any doctor will tell you that 100% of the people whose hyoid bones are broken die. There's no wiggle room. MMA doesn't allow eyes to be gouged out, necks to be broken, etc.
I have a great deal of respect for any MMA practitioner who dedicates himself to a genuine, reasonable, intelligent, and scientific study of that art. Those practitioners are very good. They're real martial artists. Sadly, they are seldom the loudest voice. As is often the case (in ALL martial arts), it's the bullies and braggarts who yell the loudest.
So, at the end of the day, I respect the real MMA. I wish I saw more of it. I know it's there.
I've just got to extend a huge Thank You! to Jonathan Maberry. It was an honor and a pleasure digging around those mental corridors, and I sincerely hope we can make it happen again before too long!
Be sure to visit Jon's website for all things Maberry!


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(Originally posted 3 Aug 2014 on tumblr)
Rachel took her time re-applying her makeup in the VVIP dressing room. Her mother had left almost twenty minutes ago—she had other plans that Rachel didn't ask about—but they had parted on good terms. Esther's criticism had been cold and exact, her questions sharp and merciless while Rachel explained her plans for a new clothing line for RS International.
When she was younger, Rachel would have taken the criticisms personally, as if they were a reflection on her own worth instead of a reaction to her work. Esther was not like her ex-husband. She knew precisely which tools were at her disposal, and she used them to their greatest effect. Her standards were high, not just because Rachel was her only heir, but because she knew what her daughter was capable of, and she wasn't going to tolerate substandard results. Rachel had heard Esther make snide remarks her whole life about how too many members of Korea's elite were raising their children to be soft and weak, relying too much on lower levels of management or talented subordinates to take up the slack instead of forcing their children to rise to the occasion. Especially New Money, who had no comprehension of just how difficult it was to retain, let alone continually increase, wealth from one generation to the next.
Esther had eliminated one of Professor Kosugi's students after seeing only a few of his projects—one of the current designers had just gotten approval for a line with a very similar style—but she had agreed with Rachel about the potential of the other two.
You have a good eye, her mother had said. Esther didn't always offer that particular bit of praise, but whenever she did, Rachel cradled it close. Revise your proposal, and I'll let you present it to the executives. It will be up to them whether or not to greenlight your project as an addition to a current brand or as an entirely new line.
Rachel had only cleared the first hurdle. After getting the approval of the highest levels of management, she would still need to see if either student really was worth recruiting and handpick a team—
She finished putting on her lipstick and smiled, satisfied at her appearance. Four hours of getting pampered, plus the break they had for a light lunch, did magnificent things to her overall mood and complexion. It had even distracted her for a while from the fact that she still hadn't gotten a single text from Lee Hyo-shin. To be fair, she hadn't texted him since yesterday, and even if he did have time to respond to her, she'd rather spend the rest of the day revising her proposal.
The spa attendants bowed to her on her way out; her driver already had the car ready and warmed-up for her thanks to the attendants' forewarning. October was coming to a close, and the temperature had dropped more than she had been ready for. Maybe she should go shopping after work on Monday to get a thicker coat. It was getting too cold during the day for her current one.
Rachel told her driver to take her home, and then she pulled her phone out of her purse so she could write down her mother's critiques while she still remembered them. The display lit up, and with it came several notifications: one missed call from Young-do and several texts from Myung-soo.
Do you know what's going on with Young-do's dad? Young-do tells you way more than he tells me. That jerk ran off before he could explain.
Do you think it's okay if I leave his mom? She's all weird and quiet and I kind of don't want to bother her right now.
Why does no one ever respond to my texts? I'm not writing them just to entertain myself!
Never mind, I just caught the attorney general's press conference. Shit.
Hallelujah, the maid showed up. I'm going to go home and see if my parents know anything that wasn't on the tv. Tell Young-do if you talk to him first, okay?
Rachel didn't bother responding. Instead, she pulled up her browser and went in search of the attorney general's press conference. It wasn't hard to find—and neither were pictures of Young-do as he pushed through the crowd of reporters waiting for him at Zeus Hotel.
The video itself was short. There was very little of Hyo-shin in his father, though their taste in suits and fondness for expensive wristwatches were the same. Lee Chan-hyuk walked up to a podium with the Ministry of Justice's seal on the wall behind it, and when he began to speak, it was clear that he was angry.
Rachel scoffed at the righteous, indignant tone the attorney general adopted as he railed against unknown, disaffected members of the ministry who had not only leaked information to the press but had done so deceptively. His condemnation of the "irresponsible" reporting from the press was even harsher. The attorney general spun a version of events that cast him and the ministry as victims who had been forced to make distasteful, compromising decisions.
Lee Chan-hyuk didn't let anyone ask questions at the end of the speech. He simply walked away as if he couldn't hear the reporters shouting after him. The video ended.
Rachel pulled up her contacts list and almost called Young-do, but a different idea gave her pause. Myung-soo had gone to pester his parents, which wasn't a bad idea, but Rachel had Lee Hyo-shin's phone number. Even though he was probably still on set, he might be able to give her some kind of insight into what would be going on right now in the attorney general's office. She could call him first and then call Young-do with whatever she had learned. Even though Hyo-shin hadn't responded to her texts yet, it was worth trying.
She found his number on her phone and called. The phone only rang twice before the other end picked up. "Sunbae—"
But it wasn't Hyo-shin that answered.
"We're sorry," said a robotic voice. "The number you have reached is no longer in service. Please check the number and try—"
Rachel hung up immediately, as if she could keep this from being true by refusing to listen to the entire automated message. Maybe she had saved his number in her phone incorrectly, somehow, even though Hyo-shin had put it in her phone himself. Even though he had called her from that same number on Friday when they had both been on set.
She pulled up her call log and scrolled back to Friday morning. It was easy to find: one incoming call from the number she had just tried to reach.
Hyo-shin had changed his number and hadn't told her. Again.
Only this time, she hadn't been trying to call him out of some misplaced hope that he would offer her some advice over what to do with the heart Jang Shi-hyun had broken. It had been ridiculous back then to think he might be interested in talking to her after years of no communication. There hadn't been anything real between them then.
But now—this was different. Rachel remembered the way he had grinned when she claimed he still owed her lunch, the way he couldn't take his eyes off of her as he walked over, his laugh when she left the rest of the energy drinks in his care. She had thought…
Clearly, she had thought wrong.
Rachel closed her eyes briefly and consciously relaxed her shoulders and hands. When she opened her eyes, she had wrapped her hurt in a thick layer of anger and disgust. It was her fault for forgetting that Lee Hyo-shin flirted with almost everyone he met and never took anything further than that.
She should never have thought she would be different.
Eun-sang replayed the most important clips from the attorney general's press conference one more time. His forceful words drowned out the chaos of her office, at least for a moment.
"—deceptively. It is clear that whoever leaked this information to the press has done so in order to deliberately shake the citizens' faith in the Ministry of Justice. It is true that all fifteen people listed are currently under consideration for early release, but they are only fifteen out of over three hundred people whose cases we are reviewing. These names were given to the press in order to stir up a media frenzy, and the press's irresponsible reporting—"
She fast-forwarded to the next part. "—wanted to do. The National Assembly's inability to secure more funding last year for our overcrowded, underfunded prison system has brought the Ministry of Justice to this point. If we had the resources to do so, we would keep every criminal locked up until their sentences were fulfilled. But justice was forced to make distasteful, compromising decisions due to political incompetence—"
Eun-sang took off her headphones so she could massage her temples. She hadn't expected to be woken up by Nam Yoo-mi calling her and shouting about SBS stealing their story out from under them and how Eun-sang had to get to the station right now. It had been a miracle she had remembered to put on a bra and brush her teeth, and luckily she kept spare hair ties in her desk so she could pull her hair back into a messy bun once she was more coherent.
No one knew how SBS had stumbled upon this story, but at least it seemed that stumbling was all that they had done. Yoo-mi had worked some of her contacts from her SBS days, and while it had taken a fascinating combination of sweet-talking, calling in old favors, and outright intimidation, she had found out that SBS's source was none other than Prosecutor Im Joon-hyuk. He had sold that list of names to a hungry up-and-coming reporter late Saturday night.
("You were right about the names," Yoo-mi had said as soon as Eun-sang arrived. The pleasant surprise at receiving that praise was enough to wipe away the last of her drowsiness. "All fifteen of them.")
But the list of names seemed to be the entirety of what they knew, or else they would have gone for the bigger story. Any real reporter or writer would have started with the conspiracy instead of the names, if they had any evidence of it, which meant that Prosecutor Im had definitely been a dead end. It was a good thing she had given up on him after Young-do refused to say if anyone else had met with the prosecutor.
President Park Se-joo had called PD Yoon not long after Eun-sang arrived at the station and told him that as soon as their team had enough evidence to broadcast a segment on the alleged conspiracy, he would bump programming to make it happen instead of making them wait for their normal Sunday evening slot. Whatever resources they wanted would be available to them.
Now their office and the nearby conference rooms were filled with close to two dozen writers, all of them frantically researching based off of Eun-sang's timeline, notes, and analysis of the situation. Everyone had copies of her presentation now, and PD Yoon was orchestrating all of it. VJ Han even had his own team that was busy going through archived footage of National Assembly sessions and anything else that one of the writers brought to their attention. Eun-sang half-researched, half-consulted, keeping tabs on what other media outlets were saying and trying her best to keep anyone from chasing ghosts.
(Every major network had pictures or video of Young-do, either outside of his home or outside of Zeus Hotel. He was wearing the same clothing in all of it—athletic clothing, like he has just come from the gym. Why would he go home and then go to the hotel without changing?)
So far, no one seemed to have strung together the true sequence of events: the lobbying for increased mandatory prison sentences under the Illicit Drug Trafficking and Use Enforcement Act, the subsequent ballooning of the prison population, the Ministry of Justice's failed bid for funding for additional prisons, and the decision to release non-violent, white-collar criminals in order to make room for the more "dangerous" prisoners. All they had to do was figure out who had set all of this in motion.
With the attorney general's press conference, it was only a matter of time before other networks and news agencies started following the trail back. YBS had to get there first, even if it meant Eun-sang's team had to get outside help. What would have taken them days, if not weeks, to piece together on their own was coming together in hours with all of their extra resources.
"Writer Cha."
Eun-sang spun around in her chair to see PD Yoon beckoning to her from his desk. She hastily got to her feet and headed over. He looked as harried as she felt, and his desk was scattered with what seemed like reams of papers. A writer from another department hovered at his shoulder, looking impatient.
PD Yoon handed over his company credit card, and she accepted it carefully with both hands. "Order dinner for everyone. It doesn't matter what it is, so long as it can be delivered."
She glanced toward the window and only then realized that night had fallen. It must have been a while ago because the sky was dark and the nearby buildings were dotted with neon and fluorescent lights. Where had the time gone? She didn't know, but the mention of food had her stomach growling.
After thanking the PD, Eun-sang did a quick headcount and retreated to the stairwell where it was quiet enough for her to make a phone call. She picked a nearby restaurant, placed her order (an equal number of bowls of seollongtang, gomtang, and tteokguk), and gave them the credit card number. They promised to be there with everything in 45 minutes.
Eun-sang hung up the phone and took a seat on the stairs. She leaned against the wall, allowing herself a few moments to enjoy the quiet and calm her mind. It was a relief to just be still for a while.
She ended up browsing the internet on her phone and wound up at a speculative article about Young-do and his father. The pictures weren't very clear—this wasn't a high quality site—and the words underneath it made her angry on his behalf. It wasn't fair that people were accusing him of somehow tampering with the Ministry of Justice. The brunt of the speculation was falling on him, and he was getting dragged through the mud because of it.
I didn't want my boss to drag your name into the headlines if there was no reason for her to do so, she had told him on Tuesday. I remember how much you hated that in high school.
How much did he hate it now?
Eun-sang pulled up their text conversation and sent him a new message: How are you holding up? It was a simple, almost impersonal, question, but she didn't know what else to say. All of the pictures of him made it obvious that he was angry, at least to her. The way he held his shoulders, the set of his jaw as he refused to interact with the vultures outside his home and the hotel, and even the way he walked through the crowd told her just how agitated he really was.
She didn't expect him to respond right away, or at all, considering how busy he had to be right now, so it was no small surprise when her phone rang and Choi Young-do was on the caller ID.
Eun-sang didn't try to think about what this meant. She just accepted the call. "Young-do?"
"I'm not doing well at all," he said with a cheerfulness that would have been confusing if she hadn't spent that second year of high school with him. It was more than a little unnerving to hear again. "So I want to call in that favor you owe me."
"What do you want?"
"Come rescue me, Cha Eun-sang."


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BB-8 to Meet Guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios Starting this Spring
BB-8, everyone's favorite droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The droid will begin meeting guests at Star Wars Launch Bay alongside Kylo Ren and Chewbacca later this spring.
Star Wars Launch Bay is home to character meet-and-greets, galleries of memorabilia from the Star Wars galaxy, replicas of Star Wars artifacts, and more. Guests will find some items from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story too.
In addition to the new BB-8 meet-and-greet, guests can also enjoy other Star Wars-themed offerings at the Studios including Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away daytime show, Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular nighttime show, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, and even a seven-hour Star Wars-themed tour at the theme park.
There is no official arrival date yet for BB-8 but we'll keep you posted.


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12 Apr The Evolution of Advertising Agencies
What's to become of S.A advertising in the next 10 years?
What was once a trendsetting and innovative industry has turned into the questionable, old looking dude at the club who is trying way too hard to be relevant. He uses words like 'amazeballs' and 'lit' to describe anything and everything under the sun. It could be said that South African advertising is in a similar state, it is neither stagnant nor progressive. It is, however, not as attractive as it once used to be.
Agencies used to be considered the holy grail of what's trendy, cool and hip, but it seems the tables have turned, and they now turn to 'Black Twitter', youth ethos, as well as the 'influencer' world for content.
A good, and most recent example of this is a video featuring three young men gassing Woolworths's still/sparkling water – the video went viral on social media and birthed the hashtag #WoolworthsWaterChallange, which trended on Twitter for well over 48 hours, consumers started questioning why agencies are not producing more relatable content like that?
Reality is: creating an ad campaign that resonates with viewers is no easy business, but it would take someone who has either worked in an agency or is currently working for one to know the politics of the client-agency relationship, as well as the tedious approval process that creatives endure. It is apparent that consumers still think of advertising as Ezweni Communications from Generations or better yet, Mad Men.
Time demands change, and we have seen this through the evolution of advertising. Not so long-ago, agencies were hellbent on depicting black South Africans as a bunch of dancers. From Pantsula dancing for fast-food, Scamathamiya dance for building materials, to kwaito moves for cable television. Doom, Vodacom, Sunlight Washing Powder, Joko and Stumbo are some of the brands guilty of making black people dance for products. Stumbo went as far as creating a dance show to drive sales, and perhaps, create 'brand awareness and brand love'. It was downright insulting.
Before the rise of Facebook and Twitter, social media platforms were hardly used to gauge the relevance of a brand. But since the introduction of that and the push towards integration; a Twitter trend now forms part of the success of a campaign. A hashtag and an army of influencers can either make or break how culturally dialled in brands are. More recent than ever, we see an increase of content being informed by what people are talking about on social media. How many times have we called out media outlets for repurposing Twitter conversations as content for their publications?
COO at M&C Saatchi Group SA, Neo Mashigo does not share the same sentiment. In his view, advertising agencies have never been the holy grail of what's cool and current, instead, they were the driving vehicle of representing what was happening on the ground – to the mass audience.
"I don't think anything new is happening in the advertising – agency world. What social media has done, is to empower agencies to do work that they have always wanted to do. We no longer have to spend hours on research or convincing clients into buying into ideas that interest the masses," he says
"Advertising has never really come up with its own thing. We have always borrowed and amplified whatever it is we are borrowing. We have the resources and capacity to bring a trend that would take forever to get to the masses, to the forefront."
Notwithstanding that CEO of Ogilvy South Africa, Alistair Mokoena strongly feels like advertising will always have a place in the midst of everything happening, he suggests advertising agencies change their business module to adapt to the new wave of modern marketing.
"The adverting industry is based on a module: The sender, message and receiver module. This module was developed in a particular context and the advertising industry's business module was created in response to the sender, message and receiver module. What has happened, is that the communication module has changed. Unluckily, the advertising business module hasn't adapted to a new communication module, and we are now faced with an existential question around what our role is," he says.
"Our business module must change fundamentally to respond to this new wave of digital distraction. We have evolved from advertising traditionally being about creating awareness and brand love, to creating content and customer experiences. Ad agencies were geared to create awareness and brand love, and not experiences. So, we have two choices; we can either be despondent about the future or be excited about the idea that, for the first time ever, everybody and anybody cares about advertising. Thus, we can be open to collaborating with artists, influencers and content creators to grow and sustain the industry."
What do you think advertising will look like in 10 years' time?
Written by Thabang Buthelezi and Qamani Nyewe.


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Literally translated "called out," it refers to a community of people called out and gathered together around a single purpose.
For the first followers of Jesus, ecclesia was the perfect word to describe their new community. Although members of the Roman Empire, they saw themselves as part of a greater kingdom than Rome: they were citizens of the kingdom of God, and Jesus was the true King of the world. They had been called to faith in Jesus, gathered into a community of love, and sent into the world with the message of hope: that through faith in Jesus Christ, "the new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here!" (2 Cor 5:17).
They were thus a community…
It was these qualities and convictions that allowed this fledgling movement, devoid of money, power and prestige, to dramatically change the world within a few generations. Likewise, these are the qualities and convictions which shape our own community as we seek to influence the wider Cave Creek area for Christ.
As a community called to faith in the gospel of Jesus…
ecclesia places a premium on corporate worship and teaching. Contemporary, acoustic worship led by sincere and skillful musicians involve the entire community in heartfelt praise. The most important thing is not the quality of the music on the stage, but rather the sincerity of the congregation's singing. When we gather for worship, the visitor should observe, "God is really among you!" (1 Cor 14:25).
The Lord's Table, that great Gospel reminder of God's grace expressed to us in Jesus Christ, is observed every time we gather, thus marking our hearts and shaping our lives as people who belong to Jesus.
Finally, the public reading and teaching of the Scripture is a highlight of each worship gathering. The messages are primarily studies through various books of the Bible. They are true to the meaning of the text and practical to the lives of followers of Jesus, as well as those who are simply exploring Christianity.
As a community gathered in love as the community of Jesus…
ecclesia takes seriously the biblical admonitions to love one another. Realizing that love is impossible without proximity, small groups are at the center of our life together. Groups study the scriptures, share life together, and serve their neighbors. Or, to put it like Jesus did, they "love God, love one another, and love their neighbors."
We seek to offer an alternative to the loneliness and self-absorption of American culture. Our love for one another is a powerful witness to the world of the redemptive love of Jesus Christ. After all, "By this shall all men know you are my disciples, that you love one another" (John 13:34).
As a community sent with hope on the mission of Jesus…
ecclesia recognizes that the church does not exist for itself; it exists for the world. Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has sent me, so send I you" (John 20:21). We are called to continue the ministry of Jesus to the world. We are, after all, his Body. We seek to serve the poor as Jesus did. We teach the Gospel like Jesus did. We bring healing and hope, just as Jesus did. We seek to be living witnesses to the reality of Jesus' resurrection.
ecclesia, then, seeks to embrace the mission of God for the whole human race. We are called to be witnesses of the resurrected power of Jesus Christ. That includes bringing individual persons to faith in Christ, but it also involves serving people in Jesus' name, no strings attached, simply as an act of Christ's love. As God gives us opportunity, ecclesia longs to be a sincere blessing to the community.
These are the biblically mandated rhythms and priorities for ecclesia. By God's grace, through the power of his Spirit, for Jesus' sake, let us be faithful. The world needs us! After all, like the first century believers, we are convinced that, that through faith in Jesus Christ, "the new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here!" (2 Cor 5:17).


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May 29, 2014 20:59:39
Posted By Peter Bentley
There's a strange irony in the world of publishing. Science sells. (I know, because I write a fair amount of nonfiction - please check out my books!) Whether it's nonfiction science books like mine or magazines such as New Scientist or Wired, science and technology is massively popular. That means it attracts big audiences, and generally those of us who write science and tech articles and books do reasonably well. Certainly well enough to make a living.
Science fiction is also massively popular. Some of the most successful movies of all time have been science fiction; many hugely popular TV shows are science fiction. There are more science fiction authors and books on amazon then ever before. (I've also published a few science fiction short stories, in case you're interested!)
But here's the weird fact: today a successful writer of science nonfiction will get 20 to 50 times the money per word compared to a successful writer of science fiction. That means that very very few science fiction writers can make a living from their craft.
The ironies continue. Despite its name, science fiction publishing is not embracing the latest technologies well. Most methods of publishing (markets) seem stuck in the past. Most publishers are resistant to change, while being terrified of the threat from giants such as amazon who now enable authors to self-publish en mass. Many authors are now either self-publishing or feeling frustrated that their work is becoming lost amongst the tidal wave of - sometime mediocre - writing that is now available to readers. Many amazing science fiction stories remain undiscovered by readers - and by the movie producers as is evident by the sometimes embarrassingly poor or recycled storylines of recent movies.
I happen to be an avid science fiction reader. I may write nonfiction, but my bookshelves are largely filled with science fiction books. So it greatly frustrates me that the genre of science fiction is seemingly losing its way in the modern world. But I don't have the answers. I wish I did! In fact I mainly have a lot of questions. So from today we are launching a survey for science fiction writers to find out more. It's not clear if we can do anything to help, but what we can do is find out what everyone thinks. If you are a science fiction writer or you know someone who is, then please check out our survey below!


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A lot of people who live where it snows are tempted to eat the furry powder straight off the ground or from the sky. But is it actually a good idea?
What actually is snow made of, and does pollution affect how healthy the snow really is?
Source : Mashable


text: Piku (2015) — Drama, Comedy – 8 May 2015 Your rating: Not rated yet! Director: Shoojit Sircar Writers: Juhi Chaturvedi Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan, Jisshu Sengupta Photos No images were imported for this movie. Storyline Collections: Shoojit Sircar Genres: Drama, Comedy Details Official Website: — Country: India Language: Hindi Release Date: 8 May 2015 … Read more Piku


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Helpful Tips When Selecting Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
Consumers consider the age of 40 to get like age 30 was a few years ago. Everyone wants to search younger. Furthermore forty-year-olds seem like thirty-year-olds inside, though with the advancements in surgical treatment, this even holds true for the outward appearance. Are you thinking of having cosmetic plastic surgery? This short article contains some great tips that you can take into consideration.
Speak to your doctor about changes you need to make before surgery. Check if any hair removal is needed out of your face in case you are male, or whether the hair on the head will need trimming.
Ask your physician regarding what they already have done in the past. Ask to see photos of former patients and discuss how many times these procedures happen to be performed before from your surgeon. With surgery, nothing is guaranteed, however the success rate is higher if you choose the best doctor.
While you don't want to be stingy when getting surgery done, there are ways to lower the overall cost in the procedure. There are many of foreign countries in which reputable doctors will perform surgeries for a lot less than doctors in america would. Although for a few people, it's not a viable choice, it's something you should take into account.
You should be aware from the risks whenever you will likely be receiving anesthesia. One of these risks is arrhythmic heart beats. This heart irregularity can be dangerous and really should be administered always. When a patient is under anesthesia the blood flow can diminish. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia is most likely the result Fort Worth Plastic Surgeon So, carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages before deciding on any surgery.
Question your surgeon about possible risks and risk prevention techniques. Do your own research in connection with this at the same time to ensure your surgeon is telling you what you ought to know. When you are more knowledgeable about the risks involved, carefully look at the procedure.
It is important to personally verify the medical licenses and records of doctors and hospitals or clinics you happen to be using for your personal procedure. Very much like you wouldn't search for a doctor that isn't reputable, you should avoid attending a hospital until you have specifics of it. This would include research to the reputation of the facility, their equipment and then any past problems they could have observed.
Surprisingly enough, Botox is not actually considered a medical procedure. Still, you need this treatment done by a physician. Sometimes spas and sweetness salons offer these procedures, but the individuals performing options are not doctors. This can save you some money, but can be dangerous for your health and even your way of life.
Travel to the place where your operation will occur. If it is the clinic which you visit regularly, but you've never seen the surgical area, ask to find out it. You must fully familiarize yourself with the clinic or hospital where the process is likely to occur to help make yourself more at ease while you are undergoing the surgery.
No matter what age, you will likely love the final results from cosmetic surgery and that article can assist you to decide. Think about the minds shared in this article and learn everything you can in regards to the procedure you are interested in..


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Seeds of Trouble in Paradise
Posted: January 14, 2014
Most people are unaware that much of our nation's seed corn supply hails from the Aloha State. In fact, seed corn is now the biggest segment of Hawaii's agriculture sector, valued at $243 million, according to the most recent statistics.
The seed crop industry started about 50 years ago in Hawaii, but since 2000 the industry has grown by an astronomical 548%, with all of the major seed players having a stake in about ten farms totaling some 25,000 acres on four of the Hawaiian islands. These farms use both conventional as well as biotech plant breeding methods to grow seed crops, mostly corn, and all of it is exported to both North and South America for further development and distribution.
Needless to say, the industry is very valuable to Hawaii in terms of employment and economic benefit - as well as to farmers working to feed a growing world population - but in the past year movements have cropped up to place restrictions on seed companies in terms of pesticide use and genetically modified crops. After a heated and prolonged battle last year that included a veto by the mayor who then received death threats, Kauai County passed such an ordinance in November. Now three major seed companies impacted by the law have filed suit against the county.
Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in August, open-air testing of experimental pesticides would be prohibited and a moratorium would be placed on the development of new genetically modified crops. In the lawsuit, the companies note that their activities are already regulated by state and federal governmental agencies and that the local law would place "burdensome and baseless restrictions on farming operations."
While cloaked with the purpose of protecting the "health and natural environment" of Kauai and its people, this is clearly the work of anti-GMO activists, such as The Center for Food Safety which has been heavily involved in the local action. Just another weapon being used in the war against progress to feed a growing world population.


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MEET THE READER: What I Will Do For You (and What I Will Not Do for You)
Ray Morton is a writer, senior contributor to Script magazine and script consultant. His new book A Quick Guide to Screenwriting is now available online and in bookstores. Follow Ray on Twitter: @RayMorton1
Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers!
As the name of this column states, I am a professional script reader. The explanation of that job is pretty self explanatory – a professional script reader reads and evaluates screenplays for producers, studios, development executives, and screenwriting competitions (all of which I do). And, as the author's blurb at the end of the column indicated, I am also a professional script consultant. So what does that mean?
There is a lot of confusion out there as to what exactly it is script consultants do. That confusion is understandable because script consulting is pretty much a self-defined occupation -- there are no degrees in script consulting, no professional licensing procedure, and no formal accreditation process. Essentially a script consultant helps screenwriters with their work – beyond that the job is pretty much whatever the individual practitioner says it is. For that reason I can't provide you with an accurate overview of the entire profession – I can only tell you how I approach the job.
If you hire me to consult on your project, here's what I will do for you:
- Give your script a thorough read by a knowledgeable and experienced eye. I know a lot about screenwriting – I've studied it on both a graduate and undergraduate level; I've read just about every book on article on screenwriting ever written; I've interviewed (both for professional assignments and for my own edification) successful screenwriters about their best methods and practices. I also have a great deal of professional experience (something some script consultants are justly criticized for not having): I'm a working writer – I've authored or co-authored a number of produced and commissioned but still-in-the-works scripts including originals and rewrites. I've been a story consultant on several television series – a job in which I read and evaluated scripts by other writers, offered suggestions for rewrites, and often did the rewriting myself. I've been an industry reader for years, I've worked as a dramaturge for established screenwriters, and I've written books on screenwriting and television writing. In short I'm familiar with the craft, the process, and the business of screenwriting and I will bring all of that knowledge and experience to bear when I read your work. I will read your script very carefully and with laser-sharp focus, but I will read it only once – if something is unclear or confusing I will not go back and reread pages. I do this not because I am lazy, but because there is no producer or development person on Earth who will go back and re-read something if something isn't clear – they don't have the time and so will simply toss your script aside and move on to the next one. Therefore, your script has to deliver on the first read. If it doesn't, I'm going to let you know that so you can improve it in the rewrite.
- Write an intelligent and thoughtful analysis of your screenplay. As I hope I made clear above, I know how to read a script and I know how to tell if it is working or not. So after I read your screenplay I will sit down and pen an in-depth critique of your piece identifying its strong points and its not-so-strong points in five main areas: premise, story, characters, dialogue, and the writing (both creative and technical) itself. Some analysts stop there, but I will always endeavor to explain in great detail why I think something is working or not working. My explanations are all based on the core principles of dramatic and cinematic writing, the parameters of your script's particular genre, accepted industry practices, and current marketplace trends. My goal is for you to have as complete and thorough understanding of your screenplay's assets and deficits as possible so that you can preserve the best elements and craft effective solutions for the problems when you rewrite. When writing my critique, I will never be mean, but I will always be honest – I will certainly tell you if I think something in your script is terrific, but I will also tell you very directly if I think something in your script isn't good. I will do you no favors if I soften my critique because you only get one chance to submit your work – once a company passes on a script it will never consider it again. Therefore the script has to be as good as possible the first time out and it is my job to help you make it so.
- If requested, provide you with notes and suggestions for improving your work and making it the best it can be. If I think something in your script isn't working, I'll give you some ideas for how to fix it. These will not be random, off-the-top-of-my-head notions, but rather thoughtful suggestions based very specifically on your script's premise, the presented narrative material, and my best understanding of your intentions and goals for your piece. Of course, you don't have to use these ideas if you don't like them, but even if you don't hopefully they will provide you with a jumping-off point to craft workable solutions of your own. Of course, if I think something in your script is working, I'll tell you not to touch it, which may be the best advice I can ever give you.
- Be there for you. Writing is always hard, but it is especially hard when you are first starting out – there's so much to learn and so much that is confusing. Therefore I always make myself available to my clients after I send them my written report. I always offer to do a 30-minute follow-up phone consult (free of charge) to clarify or elaborate or to discuss items in greater depth. I'm also always available for additional brief phone chats or email exchanges if the situation warrants so my clients always know they have someone to help them as they make their way through the writing and rewriting process.
So that's what I will do for you if you hire me. Now here's what I will not do for you:
- Guarantee anything. Some script consultants out there promote their services by implicitly promising that if you follow their advice you are guaranteed to write a script that will both be great and that will sell for lots and lots of money. In my opinion, any consultant that makes this promise is either delusional or dishonest. I can't guarantee that if you take my suggestions your script will be great. There two main reasons for this. The first is that your core concept or material may not be great to begin with and if that's the case, while I certainly can help you make it better, nothing I can suggest will transform something that is inherently not good into something that is (I will certainly do all I can to help make your "Paul Bart: Mall Cop Meets Schindler's List" spec the best "Paul Bart: Mall Cop Meets Schindler's List" spec it can possibly be, but no matter how many improvements we make it's still going to be "Paul Bart: Mall Cop Meets Schindler's List"). The second is that while I am confident that the suggestions I give you will improve your piece (I wouldn't give them to you if I didn't), you may not take those suggestions or you may not interpret them in the same way I do or you may implement them differently than I intended them to be implemented. There are just too many variables in the creative process for me to promise you that if you do "A" you will definitely achieve "B." And I certainly can't guarantee you that if you take my suggestions your script will sell for the simple reason that no one can ever guarantee that anything will sell – there are broad trends of course, and I stay on top of them, but the marketplace and the tastes and needs of producers and studios are changing constantly – what's hot and sellable on Tuesday may be cold and unsellable on Thursday. That's just the way it is. The only thing I can guarantee you is that I will give you my best efforts, which I will certainly do.
- Sell your script. I get approached by a lot of folks who want me to submit their scripts to studios and producers and/or broker a deal for them. There are some who insist that I must promise to do these things for them before they will hire me – they want to make it a condition of the consulting deal. And I tell them what I will say here – I am not an agent or a manager. I cannot submit or sell your script for you and I have no interest in submitting or selling your script for you. My job is to help you make your work better and I will work diligently to do so. But that's as far as it goes.
- Write your script for you. I can not tell you how many people get in touch wanting me to help them write their screenplays or, better yet, write their screenplays for them. I try to explain to these folks that consulting means consulting, it does not mean writing -- writing means writing. My job is to help them make their work better, not to do their work. I try to explain to these folks that my modest consulting fee is not sufficient compensation for the months and even years of work needed to transform an idea or some notes into a viable screenplay. To those who do understand this, I try to explain that their offer to split a percentage of the proceeds from a potential future sale of the script is not an enticing proposition because the odds that sale will never happen. And to those who try to further entice me by offering to share their authorial credit with me, I explain that offering to give me second position (which they think is fair because they already did the hard part of coming up with the idea and scribbling down some notes. All I would be doing is the actual writing) is not a generous perk for which I will be both eager and grateful, but actually a major insult to a working professional. I try to explain these tings, but I never seem to get through.
- Work for free. If you hire me to consult on your screenplay, I promise that I will work hard, bring all of my skill and experience to the table to give you the best analysis and advice I possibly can, and I will do so with energy and enthusiasm – I enjoy reading and analyzing scripts and I enjoy helping up-and-coming screenwriters. But I also have to eat. And as much as I enjoy the work, it is work. Hard work. And you have to pay me to do it. I know money is tight everywhere these days, but my rates are reasonable (very reasonable, actually, considering going market rates and the quality of my assessments). It is not fair for you to value my input enough to ask for it but not enough to refuse to compensate me for it. And it is especially not fair – if you ask me to read and assess your script for free and I say no – to accuse me of being greedy and mean and of conspiring to keep young writers down and all the other nasty stuff naïve and inexperienced people tend to say when they are disappointed. You are asking me to help you because you think you will benefit from my input. I agree with you – you will benefit. And that's something you should be gladly willing to pay for.
Do I think you must hire me or any other script consultant? Some suggest you do – they hold themselves out as enchanted gurus who know it all or possess tricks or techniques for creative or commercial triumph that no one else has or who know the secret information that "they" don't want you to know. These folks want you to believe that if you don't employ their services that you will never succeed as a screenwriter. That's nonsense – there are plenty of screenwriters out there who have written wonderful scripts and who have done very well without working with a script consultant. I don't hold myself out as any sort of guru. I'm just a very experienced guy who knows a lot about screenwriting. I'm a resource that you are free to use or not use as you see fit. But if you are looking for someone to help you improve your work, then I am a very good guy to ask.
Copyright © 2016 by Ray Morton
All Rights Reserved
No portion of this article may be copied, reprinted,
or reposted without the permission of the author
However, feel free to link to this piece to your heart's content
- More articles by Ray Morton
- Balls of Steel: Script Consultants - Are They Worth It?
- Meet the Reader: How I Do What I Do
Get more tips on mistakes to avoid in Timothy Cooper's webinar
Don't Write a Script That Sucks: Avoid the Top 25 Mistakes Readers Hate


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Stacked Triangle Knuckle Ring/ Midi Ring, pinky ring, thumb ring, perfect for layering and stacking
- Size : 3.25 US (knuckle size) / 7.5 US (regular size)
- Listing is for one single ring
- Material : gold/ rhodium/ pink gold plated brass, nickel free
- Care tips: Clean your jewelry after each wearing with a soft cloth and avoid getting water and perfumes/lotions.
- Comes in a charming gift box
Please check our policy HERE for shipping and delivery info.
Any questions? Feel free to Contact US!