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March, 2008
Over the last three years we have developed and used advanced functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tools that can address the question of whether arts training impacts the brain. We: 1) developed multivariate statistical analyses for fMRI data; 2) developed fMRI biomarkers of cognitive processes; 3) employed new fMRI imaging tools to investigate neural processes underlying music practice; and 4) undertook fMRI imaging in pianists and non-pianists to investigate the neural processes underlying long-term expertise gained through "slow learning" compared to "fast learning." Slow learning is characterized by gradual performance improvements that produce structural and functional changes in the brain. Fast learning involves rapid improvements in performance that lead to habituation-like brain changes, perhaps due to changes in synaptic strength.
Since we contend that current fMRI data analytic methods have been inadequate for fully assessing the types of changes that may occur in the brain with learning, we developed numerous new methods. These methods combine univariate and multivariate approaches for analyzing fMRI data, to assess the impact of formal arts training on the brain. We have used these tools and made them available to consortium members for their use in analyzing their own fMRI datasets.
We gathered data to test the Consortium's hypothesis that cognitive processes that are facilitated by training in the arts are transferred successfully to other cognitive domains. We explored whether fMRI measurements can effectively serve as a biomarker—an indicator—signaling an event or condition that gives a measure of exposure, effect, or susceptibility. With a reliable biomarker, we can quantify the effect of arts training on the developing brain of a young person. Our research focused on the system of "cognitive control," thought to be a critical function of the prefrontal cortex. This system allows us to flexibly guide our behavior, and is critical for all types of learning.
We derived several fMRI biomarkers by using a task that directly assesses the neural mechanisms underlying top-down (cognitive control) changes. We investigated the cognitive control processes involved when 60 study participants were imaged as they performed two memory tasks. The tasks required that they enhance relevant, and suppress irrelevant, information. The fMRI measurements are derived from both univariate as well as multivariate data analyses. We also asked the participants to fill out musical training questionnaires. Based on data from 40 of the 60 participants analyzed to date, we categorized participants by whether or not they could read music, and by whether or not they had received formal music training. We assessed differences between these groups on our fMRI biomarkers.
We found that participants with formal musical training showed significantly stronger neural enhancement and suppression effects, indicating better cognitive control. Moreover, since the memory tasks had no specific linkage to reading music, these results suggest that formal musical training may generalize, by having an impact on other brain systems that are different than those affected by music training.
Our empirical studies of task practice and motor learning in pianists have laid a foundation for understanding the neural mechanisms by which formal arts training may impact the brain. The next step will be to develop interventions that can provide evidence that formal arts training caused the observed changes in cognition and brain function that have been demonstrated in correlative studies. Reliable, quantifiable fMRI biomarkers will be necessary to assess such causal effects on the brain.
Theories of brain organization focus on two distinct, but complementary principles: modularity, the existence of neuronal assemblies with intrinsic functional specialization; and network connectivity, the integration of information from distributed brain regions resulting in organized behavior. While the modular model may be reasonable to describe fundamental features of the function of primary cortices (e.g., primary motor or visual cortex), it is insufficient to explain complex cognitive processes that cannot be localized to isolated brain regions. Rather, cognitive abilities emerge from contextual relations that are subserved by widespread cortical connections.
Functional MRI (fMRI) in humans is ideally and uniquely suited to explore neural networks, since it simultaneously records correlates of neural activity throughout the entire functioning brain with high spatial resolution. However, most fMRI studies utilize univariate analyses, permitting only the independent assessment of activity within each brain region in isolation of all others. With Dana Foundation funding, we have developed several multivariate approaches to analyze neuroimaging data in a manner that more directly addresses the network model of cognition. Also, if any fMRI measurement is expected to assess the effects of an intervention, such as training in the arts, that measure must be quantifiable and reliable. A second approach we have taken is to test whether fMRI data can provide a biomarker for changes in brain function.
In addition to developing novel functional neuroimaging tools, we are using these tools to investigate fundamental neural mechanisms that may mediate how formal arts training can impact brain development and function. We have focused on the neural mechanisms underlying our ability to adapt flexibly to new experiences with practice, as well as on mechanisms underlying fast learning (i.e., rapid improvements in performance that lead to automatization and habituation-like brain changes, perhaps due to changes in synaptic strength) versus slow learning (i.e., gradual performance improvements that cause functional reorganization and morphological changes to the brain).
Specific Research Approaches:
Multivariate analyses of imaging data allow the generation of functional and effective connectivity maps of brain regions that interact within the framework of a distributed system to underlie emergent cognitive processes. These methods do not trivialize the functional specialization of brain regions, but rather emphasize the role of brain regions within the context of other covarying, anatomically connected, active brain regions, as well as the specific cognitive process that is being engaged. Over the past three years of funding, we have tested and validated four methods for use with fMRI data:
Coherence is a spectral measure that has been used in electroencephalography (EEG) and other imaging modalities to study functional relationships between different brain areas. Just prior to Dana funding, my lab demonstrated that coherence could also be used to investigate functional connectivity in fMRI data (Sun et al., 2004). Because coherence is invariant to inter-regional hemodynamic response differences, coherence may provide a more appropriate method for measuring functional connectivity than correlation or covariance measures.
... different cortical areas maintain relatively different types of information ... With Dana Foundation funding, we extended this method to include temporal measurements. That is, using coherence analyses, we can measure relative latencies between functionally connected brain regions using the phase-delay of fMRI data. Subsequently, using this method, we published two empirical studies (Curtis et al., 2005; Miller et al., 2005), demonstrating that this method can be applied to address the types of questions proposed and implemented by researchers in the consortium. For example, we previously demonstrated that different cortical areas maintain relatively different types of information when individuals are remembering that information across short periods of time (Curtis et al., 2004). Despite these differences in regional brain activity, we could only assume but not address the functional interactions between the identified nodes of the putative brain network. Thus, we used coherence to formally characterize functional interactions between these brain areas.
We found that the type of representational codes that are being maintained in working memory bias frontal-parietal interactions. For example, coherence between frontal eye fields (FEF) and other oculomotor areas were greater when a motor representation was an efficient strategy for remembering information across a delay period. However, coherence between the FEF and higher-order multimodal brain regions, e.g., prefrontal cortex, was greater when a sensory representation (e.g., the location of an object in space) must be maintained in working memory. We were also able to demonstrate that the timing of the events mediated by these brain regions differed during different stages of processing, such as the encoding and retrieval of memories. This type of temporal information, derived from these coherence analyses, cannot be obtained in traditional univariate analyses. Thus, it can provide valuable information about the sequence of cognitive processes within a brain network.
Granger Causality
We have also tested and validated a second multivariate method, called Granger causality, to analyze fMRI data (Kayser & D'Esposito, in revision). Granger causality is an exploratory multivariate method that allows one to make quantitative statements about the ability of one time series to predict another. In practice, this ability to make predictions (hence the term Granger "causality") lies in the way in which time series are modeled. Imagine two time series, taken from two different voxels in the brain. Initially, the first of those time series is fit by a simple model that attempts to predict subsequent time points in the time series, based on previous time points. Because the fit of the model will not be perfect, there remains a residual, with a variance "Var1," representing the portion of the time series for which the model does not account. If previous time points from the second time series are then also incorporated into the simple model of time series 1, the new fit results in a new residual, with variance "Var2." If Var2 is less than Var1, then time series 2 is said to be "Granger causal" for time series 1, because it explains additional variance.
This technique has recently been adapted to fMRI data by Goebel and colleagues, and we extended its use by relying on its use in the econometrics literature (e.g., the so-called "conditional" Granger causality). Importantly, we compared it directly to coherence, in order to provide more information about multivariate methods in general, but also to determine how much it complemented, versus replicated, this method. Like coherence, Granger causality analyses further informed our understanding of this interregional connectivity. Importantly, in specific instances, Granger causality provided new information that coherence did not. Thus, Granger causality can also serve as a principled and integrated method of data analysis within the increasing array of multivariate techniques.
Information Theory
A third approach for analysis of event related fMRI data that can also assess functional connectivity is based on measures from information theory and is used both for spatial localization of task-related activity, as well as for extracting temporal information regarding the task dependent propagation of activation across different brain regions (Fuhrman et al., 2007). This approach enables whole brain visualization of areas most involved in coding of a specific task condition, the time at which they are most informative about the condition, as well as their average amplitude at that preferred time. An advantage of this approach is that it does not require prior assumptions about the shape of the hemodynamic response function, nor about linear relations between the fMRI BOLD signal and presented stimuli (or task conditions). We have demonstrated that relative delays between different brain regions could also be computed without prior knowledge of the experimental design, suggesting a general method that could be applied for analysis of differential time delays that occur during natural, uncontrolled conditions.
To validate this method, we analyzed fMRI data during performance of a motor learning task. We showed that during motor learning, the unimodal motor cortical activity preceded the response in higher-order multimodal association areas, including posterior parietal cortex. Brain areas found to be associated with reduced activity during motor learning, predominantly in prefrontal brain regions, were informative about the task typically at significantly later times. Importantly, these findings replicated our results using coherence and Granger causality (Kayser & D'Esposito, in revision).
Finally, just prior to Dana funding, we had developed a fourth approach for characterizing inter-regional interactions using event-related fMRI data (Rissman et al., 2004). This method's principle advantage over existing analytical techniques is its ability to model the functional connectivity between brain regions during distinct stages of a cognitive task. The method is implemented by using separate covariates to model the activity evoked during each stage of each individual trial in the context of the general linear model (GLM). The resulting parameter estimates (beta values) are sorted according to the stage from which they were derived, to form a set of stage-specific beta series. Regions with beta series that are correlated during a given stage are inferred to be functionally interacting during that stage.
We published an empirical paper demonstrating the utility of this method during the performance of cognitive tasks (Gazzaley et al., 2005). In a working memory task, a beta-correlation analysis revealed a network of brain regions exhibiting significant correlations with the prefrontal cortex during the working memory delay period, even though there was minimal activity in this network of brain regions when each region was analyzed independently using univariate analyses. Again, these findings support the notion that the coordinated functional interaction between nodes of a widely distributed brain network underlies cognitive processing that cannot be revealed in traditional analyses.
Application of our fMRI Methodology to the Questions Funded by the Dana Grant
Over the past three years, we have collected our own empirical fMRI data during the performance of several cognitive paradigms that not only will be useful for continuing to validate our multivariate analytic methods, but also will provide data that can directly address the hypotheses set forth by the Dana Foundation consortium (see below under Specific Approach #3 and #4). Also, we have made our fMRI data analytic tools available to all of the researchers in the Dana Foundation consortium. Sharing such analytical tools is quite labor intensive, since each functional imaging laboratory collects data from different MRI scanners, and uses different computer workstations, platforms and software to analyze the fMRI data it collects.
Also each of our fMRI data methods is computationally intensive and requires sophisticated algorithms to implement. We have written software for these tools in Matlab, which is widely available to most imaging laboratories, although we must write extensive documentation for these programs in order for them to be implemented by students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty in other labs. This software, and set-up on-site training, is available to all consortium investigators who have collected fMRI data, so that they can extract additional information from their data by adding multivariate approaches to the univariate approach they have already undertaken.
Such new directions in fMRI data analysis should provide further insight and a more complete understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the influence of formal arts training on the developing brain. These tools also have been provided to non-consortium laboratories from around the world, already resulting in several published papers.
Any study of the "impact of the arts on the brain," in my opinion, must have a reliable marker of "brain" function that can be measured and quantified. "Patterns of brain activity" which is the most commonly reported fMRI measurement cannot be easily quantified and tested for its reliability. Thus, how can we use fMRI to measure whether formal arts' training has had an impact on the brain without the current existence of such markers? Functional MRI definitely has the potential to provide the types of measurements we need to test our hypotheses.
... cognitive control is a system that is critical for all types of learning. However, the most commonly used methods for analyzing fMRI data thus far have not tapped into the full potential of this data. For example, most fMRI studies of individuals who have had formal arts training (e.g., musician, dancers), typically report only patterns of brain activity (or brain maps) that differentiate them from groups of individuals that have not had such training. These analyses do not produce reliable, quantifiable measurements that reflect the underlying neural systems that are being studied. And, in most instances, such fMRI findings only identify "where" changes due to training are occurring in the brain, without providing any insight into the neural mechanisms mediating those changes.
A biomarker is an indicator, signaling an event or condition in a biological system or sample, and giving a measure of exposure, effect, or susceptibility. Can fMRI measurements serve as biomarkers? For several years, with support from the Dana Foundation, my lab has been trying to answer this question. The premise that we are working on is that if we have a reliable biomarker of the neural system we wish to study, we can reliably quantify how such a neural system is affected by almost any input. The input may be the effects of a drug, the effects of cognitive therapy, it may be the effects of a disease process, or it may be the effects of formal arts training on the developing brain of a young individual.
The neural system that my lab investigates is the one that underlies cognitive control. Cognitive control allows us to flexibly guide our behavior. Goal–directed behavior is clearly guided by an interaction of top-down and bottom-up processes. By bottom-up, I mean those processes that guide automatic behavior and are determined by the nature of sensory input. By top-down, I mean those processes that guide behavior that is determined by internal states such as knowledge from previous experience, expectations, and goals. Without cognitive control we would be unable to overcome reflexively triggered instinctive behaviors that are impervious to the context of the situation. Thus, cognitive control is a system that is critical for all types of learning. It is likely that the neural system mediating cognitive control is influenced by formal arts training. In addition, the integrity of this system may be a critical determining factor regarding how formal arts training impacts brain function.
We have derived several fMRI biomarkers by using a task that directly assesses the neural mechanisms underlying top-down modulation by investigating the processes involved when study participants are required to enhance relevant, and suppress irrelevant, information. During each trial of the task, participants observe sequences of two faces and two natural scenes presented in a randomized order.
The tasks differed in the instructions informing the participants on how to process the stimuli: 1) Remember Faces and Ignore Scenes, 2) Remember Scenes and Ignore Faces, or 3) Passively View faces and scenes without attempting to remember them. In each task, the period in which the cue stimuli were presented was balanced for bottom-up visual information, thus allowing us to probe the influence of goal-directed behavior on neural activity (top-down modulation). In the two memory tasks, the encoding of the task-relevant stimuli requires selective attention and thus permits the dissociation of physiological measures that index the enhancement of relevant information, versus the suppression of irrelevant information. These measurements are derived from both univariate as well as multivariate analyses.
A causative study is the next logical direction ... We gave musical training questionnaires to all participants who have performed this cognitive control task during fMRI scanning. We currently have data from about 60 participants, although we have analyzed data from about 40 of these. In our first analysis of this data, we simply categorized subjects as those who could read music or not, and those who had formal music training or not. We have assessed differences between these groups of participants on our fMRI biomarkers. We found that participants who had formal musical training showed show significantly stronger neural enhancement and suppression effects (as measured by fMRI), indicating better cognitive control. And, these participants performed better on this cognitive control task. Importantly, unlike other studies that typically test participants with fMRI on tasks that are similar to types of expertise they have, this task has no specific linkage to reading music. These results suggest that formal musical training may generalize by having an impact on other brain systems that are different than those affected by training.
Alternatively, our participants with formal musical training may have had a "better" cognitive control system prior to formal musical training. These two possible explanations for our fMRI highlight the difference between a "correlative study," which this was, and a "causative" study, which can distinguish between these alternative explanations. A causative study is the next logical direction for this line of investigation. However, this fMRI study does highlight an approach in which one can study the impact of formal arts training on neural systems that differ from those neural systems that were trained. In this particular study, there are numerous additional analyses that can be performed on this rich dataset, which will be performed in our laboratory in the future.
Previous functional neuroimaging studies have shown that neural activity changes with task practice. The types of changes reported have been inconsistent, however, and the neural mechanisms involved remain unclear. In an fMRI study (Landau et al., 2004), we investigated the influence of practice on different component processes of working memory (WM), on a similar paradigm as described above. Event-related fMRI allowed us to examine signal changes from early to late in the scanning session (lasting approximately 1 hour) within different task stages (i.e., encoding, delay, retrieval). Event-related fMRI also enabled us to determine the influence of different levels of WM load on neural activity. We found practice-related decreases in fMRI signal and effects of memory load occurring primarily during memory encoding. This suggests that practice improves the efficiency of memory encoding, especially at higher memory loads, through a mechanism of neural efficiency.
The fMRI signal decreases we observed were not accompanied by improved behavioral performance, indicating that practice-related changes in activation may occur during a scanning session without behavioral evidence of learning. Our results challenge the idea that dynamic changes in activation are linked to faster or more accurate performance, as has been commonly reported in experiments on cognitive and motor skill learning. Instead, the neural activity we observed changes over time, but it is independent of task improvement, suggesting that there are important neural changes associated with learning that are not captured in the behavioral data.
In a follow-up fMRI study (Landau et al., in press), we extended this work to investigate how practice on cognitive tasks affects different types of cortical regions (e.g., highly specialized primary sensory cortex compared to unimodal, compared to multimodal associative cortex). Little is known about whether task practice influences these types of regions differently. We used event-related fMRI to examine practice-related activation changes in different region types over the course of a scanning session while participants performed a WM task. We observed significant decreases, and not increases, in fMRI signal that occurred primarily during WM encoding in multimodal and unimodal regions, but not in primary sensory regions.
Furthermore, multimodal lateral frontal regions decreased by 39.4% during the cue, which was disproportionately greater than the 8.1% decrease for primary regions. These findings indicate that task practice does not have a uniform effect on stages of cognitive processing or on different brain regions. Instead, regions engaged during specific stages of processing (such as encoding or retrieval), may have greater capacity for functional plasticity than other processing stages. Additionally, the degree of specialization within brain regions may determine their processing efficiency. Multimodal and unimodal regions may be specialized for flexible experience-related change, while those supporting primary sensory processing may operate at optimal efficiency and are less susceptible to practice.
Fast learning refers to rapid improvements in performance, leading to automatization and habituation-like brain changes ... Together, these two fMRI studies have provided valuable insight into the neural mechanisms underlying task practice. Such mechanisms are likely fundamental to all types of learning, and suggest that different cognitive processes and cortical regions are affected by practice in different ways. The next logical step is to examine these practice-related changes during more extended practice, such as that experienced during formal arts training, as well as to compare these changes in individuals who have already undergone formal training compared to those who have not.
Previous studies of motor learning have proposed a distinction between "fast" and "slow" learning. Fast learning refers to rapid improvements in performance, leading to automatization and habituation-like brain changes, perhaps due to changes in synaptic strength. Slow learning refers to gradual performance improvements causing functional reorganization and morphological changes to the brain. These mechanisms have rarely been examined simultaneously, which was the focus of another fMRI study we performed (Landau et al., 2006).
We examined the influence of long-term motor expertise ("slow" learning) while pianists and non-pianists performed alternating epochs of sequenced and random stimuli ("fast" learning) during functional MRI scanning. All study participants demonstrated learning of the sequence, as demonstrated by decreasing reaction times (RTs) on sequence trials relative to random trials, throughout the session. Pianists also demonstrated faster RTs and superior sequence acquisition compared with non-pianists. Within-session decreases in primary sensorimotor cortex and multimodal parietal cortex was observed in both groups.
Overall, the results of this experiment support the hypothesis ... "training in the Arts changes the brain." Additionally, there was more extensive activation throughout the session for pianists compared with non-pianists across a distributed prefrontal-parietal network. These findings provide evidence that different neural systems subserve "slow" versus "fast" phases of learning. Importantly, pianists, who have undergone long-term motor training, recruited an enlarged brain network that included both motor and nonmotor regions. This suggests that slow learning mechanisms selectively modify the efficiency of regions specific to the domain of expertise, as well as that of higher-level associative regions.
Our next set of analyses with this data is to apply our different multivariate methods to investigate changes in functional connectivity between pianists and non-pianists to gain further insight into the neural mechanisms underlying fast vs. slow learning. Overall, the results of this experiment support the first general hypothesis of the Dana Foundation grant, that is, "training in the arts changes the brain."
Our three years of research have led to the development of numerous novel, advanced methods for analyzing fMRI data to assess brain function. It is our opinion that both univariate, and multivariate approaches towards fMRI data must be utilized to fully understand the neural mechanisms underlying the impact of formal arts training on the brain. In our research related to the hypotheses of the Dana Foundation grant, we have utilized these tools. Moreover, we have made these tools available to Dana Foundation consortium members in order to analyze their own fMRI datasets. Finally, our empirical studies of task practice, as well as motor learning in pianists, have laid a foundation for understanding the neural mechanisms by which formal arts training may impact the brain.
In my opinion, the next step will be to develop interventions that can provide evidence that formal arts training caused the observed changes in cognition and brain function that have been demonstrated in correlative studies. Reliable, quantifiable fMRI biomarkers will be necessary to assess such causal effects on the brain. Unfortunately, little effort has been put forth by the users of neuroimaging to develop such biomarkers. Thus, it should be a continued priority of funding agencies to provide a balance of support between both empirical and methodological research.
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Sun, F.T., Miller, L.M., D'Esposito, M. Measuring temporal dynamics of functional networks using phase spectrum of fMRI data. NeuroImage, 28:227-37, 2005.
Curtis, C.E., Sun, F.T., Miller, L.M., D'Esposito, M. Coherence between fMRI time-series distinguishes two spatial working memory networks, NeuroImage, 26:177-83, 2005.
Miller, L.M., Sun, F.T., Curtis, C.E., D'Esposito, M. Functional interactions supporting inhibitory control during an oculomotor task, Human Brain Mapping, 26:119-27, 2005.
Landau, S.M., D'Esposito, M., Sequence learning in pianists and non-pianists: an fMRI study of motor expertise, Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 6:246-59, 2006.
Sun, F.T., Miller, L.M., Rao, A.A., D'Esposito, M. Functional connectivity during bimanual learning, Cerebral Cortex, 17:1227-34, 2007.
Fuhrmann-Alpert, G., Handwerker, D., Sun, F.T., D'Esposito, M., Knight, R.T. Information Analysis of Event-Related BOLD Responses: Exploring Spatio-temporal Patterns of Brain Activations, NeuroImage, 34:1545-1561, 2007.
Gazzaley, A., Rissman, J., Cooney, J., Rutman, A., Seibert, T., Clapp, W., D'Esposito, M. Functional interactions between prefrontal and visual association cortex contribute to top-down modulation of visual processing, Cerebral Cortex, in press.
Kayser, A.S., Sun, F.T., D'Esposito, M. A comparison of Granger causality with other multivariate techniques in the analysis of functional MRI data, Human Brain Mapping, in revision
Landau, S.M., Garavan, H., Schumacher, E.H., D'Esposito, M. Regional-specificity and practice: dynamic changes in object and spatial working memory, in press.
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Strange Wildlife Sightings this summer
All summer long locals and tourists alike have been hiking to their favorite fishing hole, or up at the pass ready to ski, and have seen an unusual site; a mother carrying a suitcase, and a girl dressed in tights and a tutu. Ballerinas have been appearing in meadows, at brooks and waterfalls, and in the snow on the mountains for the past few months. Red Lodge produces strong and adventurous ballerinas. So who is responsible for Red Lodge ballerinas standing on rock ledges, hanging from 100 year old trees, and balancing on hay bales? The idea for this project was developed by Gene Rodman and Tracy Shaw of Montana Photographic Arts after attending the Red Lodge School of Dance recital "Kaleidoscope". Impressed by the local advanced dancers and their amazing abilities on pointe, Rodman knew he had to photograph them. Rodman and Shaw had been moved by "The Ballerina Project" which started in Hawaii and has expanded primarily to New York, Boston and Chicago. Professional ballerinas are photographed in cityscapes and outdoors in unusual locations and positions. Rodman felt that local landscapes and the local ballerinas would be perfect for their project. This summer Rodman has photographed all of the advanced dancers of the Red Lodge School of Dance in and around our beautiful town. The pictures will be made into a 13 month calendar. Rodman has graciously donated his time and is splitting the profits with the dance studio. The funds raised will be used for various studio improvements and the educational outreach fund that helps our dancers to receive additional dance education. We hope that the beauty of this calendar will benefit the community, our dancers, and their families. As a mom involved with this project the experience has been fun and exciting. I have seen my daughter stand on pointe at the gate up on the pass, while skiers walk past her. I have hiked to two different waterfalls and held my breath hoping my beautiful girls would not fall on slippery rocks as they pose in front of some of nature's most beautiful landscapes. The pictures that Rodman has taken are truly breathtaking, and I am so thankful that we have been blessed to be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

subset: commoncrawl


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Medical Journal, Truth About Cancer
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The Truth About Cancer, That Your Doctor Will Never Tell You.
- By B1nLaid3n1229
- Typesetting and editing by The_Ponderer3656
According to a pioneer and a Noble Laureate, Dr. Otto Heinrich Warburg, Cancer is caused by the high oxygen deficiency in the body .
During a discussion with a fellow researcher, I was posted with a disrespectful question such as, "Who is this clown?". The lack of common knowledge of such a great contributor to the Medical Sciences is a testament to how corporate greed of pharmaceuticals, scientists, doctors and everyone in the field of medicine suppress such a person.
So who is Dr. Otto H. Warburg?
He was the son of a simple physicist. Dr. Otto was of German descent and his field of expertise was in Physiology. He was a Medical Doctor and a Nobel Laureate.
Further research also indicates that he was an officer in Uhlan (Cavalry Regiment) in WWI and was awarded the Iron Cross (1st Class) for Bravery.
But the most interesting fact is that he was the sole recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1931. And now you may be wondering about his research for receiving such an esteemed award.
Dr. Otto investigated the metabolism of tumors and the respiration of cells, particularly cancer cells, and in 1931 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for his "discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme. The award came after receiving 46 nominations over a period of nine years beginning in 1923, 13 of which were submitted in 1931, the year he won the prize.
Dr. Otto has has been nominated by an impressive total of 47 times for this pristine award in his entire career.
Note :Please do not be offended of my breaking down each and every point. It is not because I feel readers have a lesser cognitive ability. There are many young kids on KAT as well and a good way to drawn them in is providing maximum engagement and explanations.
So why are we talking about Dr. Otto again? A perceptive question. His relevance to this article is to give credibility for the research findings as Dr. Otto was a biochemist who contributed greatly in understanding Cancer and published many findings in Academic Medical Journals. In simpler terms, he has spent his entire career studying cancer.
In addition to many publications of a minor nature, Warburg is the author of
-Stoffwechsel der Tumoren (1926)
-Katalytische Wirkungen der lebendigen Substanz (1928)
-Schwermetalle als Wirkungsgruppen von Fermenten (1946)
-Wasserstoffübertragende Fermente (1948)
-Mechanism of Photosynthesis (1951)
-Entstehung der Krebszellen (1955)
-and Weiterentwicklung der zellphysiologischen Methoden (1962).
In the last years he added to the problems of his institute: chemo-therapeutics of cancer, and the mechanism of X-ray's action.
In photosynthesis he discovered with Dean Burk the I-quantum reaction that splits the CO2, activated by the respiration.
So what are the research hypotheses?
We come back to the statement made by Dr. Otto that "Cancer is caused by the high oxygen deficiency in the body". Many biochemist of all walks of life have agreed and disagreed with Dr. Otto throughout the century.
Nevertheless, in a simple explanation of oxygen depravity and cancer, if the human body has deficiency of oxygen, then our organs becomes acidic and starts developing cancerous cells. Dr. Otto also discovered that cancer cells are anaerobic and cannot thrive in high levels of oxygen or alkaline body.
What does anaerobic mean in medical terms? It simply means "cannot live without". So to dissect, Dr. Otto's statement, cancerous cells cannot live without an acidic environment and low levels of oxygen. Hence, in the same sentence he immediately proceeds to suggest increasing the level of oxygen and alkaline in the body.
So how can we increase oxygen levels and alkaline in our body?
An all-natural and organic remedy is:
- Get 1/3 tablespoons of baking soda
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar
The two ingredients should be put in a bowl. Wait until they start fizzing and add more and more baking soda until the fizzing stops. Pour the mixture next in a glass of water, milk or any favourite beverage (Water is recommended though).
Consume it as soon as it is prepared, the results are coming faster than you think especially if you have stomach acid or acidosis. This creates alkaline environment for your body and neutralizes favourable pH levels.
Woah, woah, woah...I should shove baking soda down my throat?
Dr. Otto has made a revolutionary statement backed by his mountainous research saying,
"Cancer, above all other diseases, has countless secondary causes. But, even for cancer, there is only one prime cause. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar".
Still not convinced?
Dr. Otto also implies that the normal cancer cannot survive without oxygen but cancer cells can. In a controlled experiment, he once isolated a cell with 35% oxygen for 48 hours and the cell potentially became cancerous.
Our body requires balance and the alkaline level should be 7.365. The main cause of devastated acidic pH levels is the unhealthy diet we maintain . Many unhealthy toxins and acid- formed foods are present in today's dietary consumption that people often consume. Ultimately, the food we consume often determines the pH levels in the body and balances them.
The cells and all their normal activities can be interrupted with the imbalanced pH level and many diseases can be developed such as osteoporosis, heartburn, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. It accelerates the aging too.
Many bacteria, viruses, parasites and candida can live in our body and we fight against this kind of illnesses, when our environment is alkalized they die immediately.
"The acidity in our body can cause us many problems" – says Robert O. Young in his book, "The pH miracle".
The most important thing for remaining healthy is the balance of our pH in our body.
I hope this has brought an eye-opening revelation to some. For those interested to research further I have included reputable sources such as academic books, entries from medical journals, Harvard Research in Medical sciences etc. If you are looking for Youtube Videos or news articles from CNN then I apologize.
-Über die Rolle des Eisens in der Atmung des Seeigeleis nebst Bemerkungen über einige durch Eisen beschleunigte Oxydationen m. Abb. (Sitzungsber. Heidelberger Akad. Wiss. math.-nat. Kl B Heidelberg, 1911) (Trans: On the rôle of Iron in the Breathing of the Sea Urchin Egg and Comments about some Oxidations accelerated by Iron. Proceedings of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences Heidelberg 1911.)
-Schwermetalle als Wirkungsgruppe von Fermenten (Berlin, 1946.) (Trans: Heavy metal prosthetic groups and enzyme action)
Ideen zur Fermentchemie der Tumoren (Abh. der Deutschen Akad. der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. Math-naturwissenschaft. Kl 1947, Berlin 1947) (Trans: Theses on the enzymatic chemistry of Tumors, Proceedings of the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin, mathematical-scientific ?, Berlin 1947)
-Wasserstoffübertragende Fermente (Berlin, Saenger 1948) (Trans: Hydrogen-transferring Enzymes)
-Weiterentwicklung der zellphysiologischen Methoden: angewandt auf Krebs, Photosynthese und Wirkungsweise der Röntgenstrahlung: Arbeiten aus den Jahren 1945-1961, (Thieme, Stuttgart 1962) (Trans: Further Developments of Methods in Cellular Physiology applied to Cancer, Photosynthesis and the Effects of X-ray Radiation) Texts in German and English
-Nobel Lectures, Physiology or Medicine 1922-1941, Amsterdam: Elsevier Publishing Company, 1965
-Chernow, Ron (1993), The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family, New York, NY: Random House, ISBN 0-679-41823-7
-Govindjee, Kärin Nickelsen (2011). The maximum quantum yield controversy. Otto Warburg and the 'Midwest-Gang' (Paperback). Institut Für Philosophie. ISBN 978-3-95234-219-0.
-Issels MD, Josef (1981), Mein Kampf gegen den Krebs: Erinnerungen eines Arztes, C. Bertelsmann, ISBN 3-570-04736-9
-Krebs, Hans Adolf (1981), Otto Warburg: Cell Physiologist, Biochemist, and Eccentric, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-858171-8
-Liljestrand, Göran; Bernhard, Carl Gustaf (1972), "The Prize in Physiology or Medicine", in Nobel Foundation; Odelberg, W. (Coordinating Ed.), Nobel: The Man and His Prizes (3rd ed.), New York, NY: American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc, pp. 139–278, ISBN 0-444-00117-4
-Medawar, Jean: Pyke, David (2012). Hitler's Gift: The True Story of the Scientists Expelled by the Nazi Regime (Paperback). New York: Arcade Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61145-709-4.
-Werner, Petra (1991), Ein Genie Irrt Seltener, Berlin: Akademie Verlag, ISBN 3-05-501282-8
-Werner, Petra (1988), Otto Warburg : Von der Zellphysiologie zur Krebsforschung : Biografie, Verlag Neues Leben, ISBN 3-355-00789-7
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To share this blog post use the code below and insert it into comments, status messages, forum posts or your signature.Blog: Medical Journal, Truth About Cancer


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BSG is divided into the Senate and House. Students are elected to the Senate by class year and serve on their respective class congresses. The House is comprised of six internal committees of elected delegates. Each of these committees and class congresses serve a unique function in improving different facets of University life.
Class Congresses
The purpose of the Class Congress is to identify and address issues that pertain to each class year, promote class unity, and uphold traditions.
Academic Affairs
The purpose of this committee is to handle issues related to faculty, classes, scheduling, curricula, student-professor relationships, and other academically related topics.
Community Affairs
The purpose of this committee is to strengthen relationships between the stu-dents and the Lewisburg community, thereby improving overall town-gown relations.
Diversity Affairs
The purpose of this committee is to unite members of Bucknell's diverse communities and BSG to create a forum charged with identifying key diversity related needs on campus. The committee will further the Plan for Bucknell's pledge to enhance diversity in all its forms through the co-sponsorship of programs and initiatives that will raise awareness for the various elements that exist on campus which make us diverse.
Public Affairs
The purpose of this committee is to act as the informational link between BSG and the student body as well as handling public relations, advertising, and forming partnerships with other organizations and departments on campus to promote student engagement.
Student Advocacy Committee
The purpose of this committee is to cover the evaluation, assessment, and improvement of every aspect of student life that is not academically related.
Student Organization Review Board (ORB)
The purpose of this committee is to act as the liaison between student organizations and BSG. This committee oversees the recognition and budget appointment of all student organizations and works for the betterment and efficiency of all student organizations.s
The purpose of this committee is to oversee all budgeting needs of recognized student organizations. This committee is lead by the VP Finance and consists of the BSG Executive Board, two hired accounts managers, three appointed senators, and six appointed (by application) at-large members.
The purpose of this committee is to focus on the internal functions of BSG, providing ongoing interpretation, maintenance, and improvement of all BSG documents.
*house delegates cannot be elected into these committees


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Fishing licenses in New Zealand
All freshwater fishing in NZ requires a Fish & Game licence. Your licence can be used in any area administered by Fish and Game New Zealand.
If you're fishing from Oct 1 onwards, a whole season licence gives you the freedom of fishing anywhere in the country (except the Lake Taupo region) as often as you like. Not only is it your passport to the best trout fishing on the planet, but it funds our efforts to keep our fishing environment sustainable for future generation.
How Much Does a Licence Cost?
A whole season licence costs only $121 for an adult and $24 for a junior (Under 18).
Or, if you'd prefer to just fish away for a day, a 24 hour licence costs only $23 for an adult or $7 for a junior.
A child's licence is free for those under 12 years old at 1st October 2013.
Plus, there is a family licence available for only $157 (2 Adults & 4 Juniors).
What are the fishing seasons?
The official fishing season starts on 1st October and ends on 31st March following year. There are some areas within the country that remain open during winter season. If you like to fish during the winter season, which runs from 1st April to 30th September, you will need to purchase Winter season license seperately.
Where Do I Purchase a Licence?
You can purchase your licence online via Fish & Game's online license system, or by calling the free phone number 0800 542 362; or by dropping in to a local hunting or fishing retail store. Funds go towards protecting the fishery and NZ's iconic waterways.
How Long Does the Licence Take to Arrive?
Your licence begins from the moment it is purchased. You'll receive an email, a text or be given the paperwork. This means you can find a good spot then go online, pick up the phone or drop into a local store and within minutes you are licenced and free to Fish Away.
Please note that your licence is a permit to fish for sports fish in accordance with the regulations governing the Fish and Game New Zealand region in which you are fishing. It does not grant or imply any right of access over land. If you want to walk over private land, please first get the permission of the land occupier.
For more information on fishing license, please visit our website.


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In this lengthy article in Partisan Review, Bruce Bawer contrasts the relative success of the United States in assimilating Muslim immigrants with the disaster that is unfolding in Western Europe. His description of the European situation is, I think, accurate and depressing, notwithstanding recent events that Bawer sees as grounds for optimism. He notes the fundamental difference between the American and Western European attitudes toward immigration–anyone born in America is an American citizen, whereas in Europe, children and grandchildren of immigrants are not automatically granted citizenship, but are generally referred to as "second-generation immigrants" or "third-generation immigrants." Bawer makes the obvious point that the US is a nation of immigrants, but while he hints at the more important underlying truth, he doesn't really articulate it. The most basic difference between America and any of the Western European nations is that America is a country "dedicated to a proposition"–not dedicated to an ethnic group or a hereditary empire, but to a proposition. And the proposition is that all men are created equal. This basic reality is so familiar to us that it is easy to overlook its importance and to forget that it is unique, not universal. France is where the Frenchmen live, Denmark is where the Danes live. No wonder it is hard for Muslims to feel at home in those countries and hard for Europeans to accept immigrants as full citizens. No wonder that America's counter-ideology has been more successful at weaning Muslim immigrants away from militancy and intolerance. Still, Muslim immigrants pose a challenge very different from the immigration challenges that we have successfully faced in the past. Calling radical Muslims "fundamentalists" and implying that they are similar to the fundamentalist Christians that constitute a considerable portion of the American population is willfully misleading. It remains to be seen whether it will ultimately be possible for America to assimilate a large Muslim population.
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OJS 2.3.5 Recommended Patches
The following patches are recommended for OJS 2.3.5.
Please subscribe to the RSS feed for this page to stay informed about important bug fixes for this release.
Applying Patches
Patches can be applied to the codebase using the GNU Patch Tool (available on most *NIX platforms, and as a free download for Windows-based systems).
Each entry below links to the Bugzilla record for the bug in question. Patches are linked from there. Patches against OJS should be applied with the -p1 option from within the OJS installation directory; patches against the PKP library should be applied with the -p1 option from within the lib/pkp subdirectory.
Note that security-related and other critical patches will be clearly identified as such; otherwise, patches should not be considered critical.
- Bug #6671: Save user as Journal Manager generates error
- Bug #6667: About this publishing system generates versions error
- Bug #6689: Article cover image does not check file type
- Bug #6695: Books For Review cover page upload file type not validated
- Bug #6696: File uploads should not trust supplied extension
- Bug #6701: Attempt to remove article cover image leads to 404
- Bug #6716: Untranslated locale keys on copyeditor edit metadata page
- Bug #6724: Fixed unlocalized button in METS plugin


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Make your choice from the current offerings of dates for Dynamics Edge Microsoft MOC 40510 exceptional Azure training course in order to get the highest quality training. There are options for a custom class.
Design a hybrid cloud disaster recovery solution for a media publishing company, handling large spikes in load, strenghening security to include encryption of PCI data, and implementing an archival strategy to keep databases sizes in check.
This 1/2 day workshop is intended for Cloud Architects and IT professionals who have architectural expertise of infrastructure and solutions design in cloud technologies and want to learn more about Azure and Azure services as described in the 'About this Course' and 'At Course Completion' areas. Those attending this workshop should also be experienced in other non-Microsoft cloud technologies, meet the course prerequisites, and want to cross-train on Azure. (Standard Public Class hours are 10:00am ET to 1:00pm ET)
Need a class or date that is not listed here? Take a look at our Azure complete Course Catalog
Or, call DynamicsEdge (800) 453-5961 for us to prepare you a Customized Training Class
Last updated: 2019-07-21
Dynamics Edge needs more details about your Azure custom training needs in Massachusetts . Please call Dynamics Edge at (800) 453-5961 or e-mail Dynamics Edge at email@example.com and ask for a custom class at this location.
Some of our locations in Massachusetts include:
*NOTE: if an average rating and rating count are shown on this page, they are based on all reviews associated with Dynamics Edge that are shown on the review page, and are not restricted to reviews only for the particular courses offered on this page.


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CANNELTON – The freshmen English and world history classes of Cannelton High School invite the Perry County community to "A Holocaust Day of Remembrance, as part of the National Days of Remembrance."
"Justice and Accountability in the Face of Genocide: What Have We Learned?" will be presented in the Cannelton Community Center at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 3 as part of the event. The community is invited to attend and remember the victims, survivors and liberators of The Holocaust, and work to stop the ongoing threat of genocide in the world.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Perry County News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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Habitat for Humanity to commemorate World Habitat Day on Oct. 1
Supporters asked to sign pledge to help eliminate poverty housing.
ATLANTA (Sept. 27, 2012) – In observance of World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity is hosting hundreds of global events to take action and help raise awareness about the issue of poverty housing in communities and the need for decent housing around the world. World Habitat Day, marked this year on Oct. 1, is designated by the United Nations as a time to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right to adequate shelter of all people.
This year, Habitat for Humanity is urging supporters to go online and sign the "." This virtual petition calls on key decision-makers to commit to recognizing the role of housing in communities, making affordable, adequate housing a priority and changing the systems and policies that lead to poverty housing.
"With so many families struggling to find a decent place to call home, World Habitat Day helps to raise awareness on how inadequate shelter impacts entire communities," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "Ending substandard housing will require the public, private and social sectors to work together so that everyone benefits. Uniting around improved housing for all can help us to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live."
Habitat for Humanity's theme for World Habitat Day 2012, "Many Homes, One Community," highlights the vital role that decent and affordable housing plays in community stabilization and development.
Throughout October and November, Habitat for Humanity and affiliated organizations from around the world will host hundreds of events in honor of World Habitat Day— from builds and flash mobs to parades, contests, housing forums and everything in between — to draw attention to the need for safe, decent, affordable shelter for all. Habitat for Humanity's two-month observance of the need for safe, decent and affordable shelter and the pivotal role of housing in community development will culminate with Habitat's flagship annual event, the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. The 29th annual Carter Work Project returns to Haiti as part of its two-year effort to strengthen and support Habitat's work there.
The United Nations established World Habitat Day in 1985 to spotlight the need for adequate shelter worldwide. On the first Monday in October each year, Habitat for Humanity affiliates and national organizations raise their collective voice, take action to change the systems, policies and attitudes that lead to poverty housing and engage partners in solutions.
The International Day of Prayer and Action for Human Habitat will be observed on the last Sunday in September as a prelude to World Habitat Day. The Day of Prayer seeks to engage the entire faith community in a dedicated time of prayer and reflection for those in need of shelter.
Some of the events hosted by Habitat for Humanity include:
- Bogota, Colombia— Habitat for Humanity International was among the organizers of the Forum on Adequate Housing in Latin America and the Caribbean, a multi-sectorial event focused on defining practical and innovative solutions for ensuring access to adequate housing in sustainable and inclusive cities, on Sept. 25-28.
- Reading, Pa.—Students in local school districts will be allowed to donate 1 to wear a hat to school on Oct. 1 for "Hats On for Habitat" Day, benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Berks County.
- Charlottesville, Va. — Habitat's Youth United program is hosting a Lego Build at the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. Students from local schools will receive a handful of Legos to build models of Habitat houses from around the world.
- La Verne, Calif.—Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity will be partnering with student groups to raise awareness about families who live in informal settlements. Participants will build cardboard shelters that they will sleep in.
- Warsaw, Poland – Habitat for Humanity Poland will present a photo exhibition in a Warsaw metro station depicting the realities of poverty housing.
- Dickinson, Texas—Members of the U.S. Coast Guard will partner with Bay Area-Houston Habitat for Humanity to frame a new home Oct. 3-4 in honor of World Habitat Day.
- Philadelphia—A "flash mob" of Habitat volunteers will descend on Center City Philadelphia to frame a house. Passersby will be invited to sign the newly framed walls in a show of support for Habitat.
For a full list of World Habitat Day events or to sign the "Pledge to End Poverty Housing," please visit altenheime-hamburg.info/whd/2012.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God's love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit altenheime-hamburg.info, or follow us at or at or join Habitat's blog community at altenheime-hamburg.info/blog.


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traveling chair massage in greenwood village
arrange for spavia's massage therapists to come on-site with our traveling chair massages in greenwood village, CO
* pricing and services vary by location
traveling chair massage
Schedule a traveling chair massage treatment onsite at your greenwood village-area office, school, workplace, or event. This is a great way to achieve upper body relaxation, which promotes a happier, healthier mindset.
Spavia's upper body massages include long, fluid movements across the back, shoulder, and neck. They are the perfect solution to help release tight muscles from the everyday challenges of a fast-paced environment, office work, or physical labor. This is a great reward for a job well done, reaching a new goal, or even to promote camaraderie as part of a teambuilding event.
Our traveling chair massage treatments are available at a two-hour minimum with an automatic 15 percent gratuity. The guest advisors at spavia day spa in greenwood village, CO are now accepting reservations! Call today!


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Topic: Holiday Special Topps Trading Cards
Something new being offered by Star Wars Shop. Some Topps cards based on the only good thing that came from the Star Wars Holiday Special. Well, the only good thing except for that nice little serenade by Carrie Fisher at the end. Man, that girl can sing.
"I'm just a simple Fan, trying to make my way in the universe."


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Jason J. Archibald, 29, was charged on Monday, Jan. 13 with first and second degree sexual assault. He was held on a $75,000 with a Jan. 14 court date.
According to police, the arrest warrant resulted from an investigation of an incident that occurred on November 18, 2013, in which it was reported that Archibald sexually assaulted an adult female victim in Southington.
Details of the warrant are sealed by the court.


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A little thought before you start creating your presentation can go a long way in keeping your frustration level low and will end up saving you a ton of time. You need to ask yourself a few key questions before you put 'pen to paper'.
This is one of the most frequent questions I've been asked over the years. Whether you are using one of the templates that come packaged with PowerPoint, or you're creating your own layout design, this is one of the first decisions you will need to make. And as is true with most things that involve your computer, the answer is: It depends. The best place to start is by asking yourself where and how your presentation is going to be used.
OK, the real beauty of any spreadsheet is in its ability to perform calculations. In Excel you tell it you want it to calculate something by inserting an equal sign (=) at the beginning of what you want calculated. So, you start by selecting a cell:
There are many spreadsheet applications available, but by far the most prevalent is Microsoft Excel. A spreadsheet can be incredibly useful when you want to organize information in horizontal rows or vertical columns, and/or when you need to do any kind of mathematical calculation on the data. We'll spend a minute here going over the basic navigation in a typical spreadsheet
There are many cases where you will need to select multiple cells in Excel. All you need to do is to place your mouse over the center of the cell where you want to start, where you should get a white cross like this:
Let's say you want to enter a series or range of values in cells in Excel, but you don't want to manually type in each one. For example, a series of numbers from 1 to 25. Or perhaps the months of the year from January to December. Maybe something more complex, like 'field 1', field 2', 'field 3', etc. Think you have to do all that typing? Think again!
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We have now published our comprehensive energy education calendar for 2019 on the AEMO website.electricity, consumers, innovation, media release, people stories, Wholesale Electricity Market, national electricity market
As the system and market operator, AEMO's role is to deliver energy security to all Australians.Victoria, consumers, national electricity market, renewables, transmission
The Australian Energy Market Operator, together with fellow market bodies the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC), the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and industry members, have today released a consultation paper to seek feedback on the establishment of a framework for Virtual Power Plant (VPP) demonstrations.consumers, distribution, renewables, solar, media release, energy security, emergency
Last week we introduced the concept of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and the power of consumer energy to transform the industry. Today, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced a major new collaborative industry program to drive this forward.ARENA, Audrey Zibelman, battery, consumers, innovation, media release, renewables, video
Christmas has come early courtesy of AEMO – you can now experience our award-winning content platform Energy Live with our new app for your phone or tablet.consumers, innovation, technology, video, podcast
The Australian Energy Market Operator's (AEMO) latest analysis finds that supply from existing and committed gas developments is expected to provide sufficient resources to meet demand in southern and south-eastern Australia until 2023.media release, gas, consumers, Victoria, energy security, podcast
When we say the global energy industry is changing, we mean it!electricity, technology, innovation, energy security, consumers
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) network operator Evoenergy has taken a step closer to rolling out a viable renewable gas source with the launch of their first-of-its-kind hydrogen test facility earlier this week.podcast, hydrogen, gas, consumers, renewables, solar, wind, Australian Capital Territory
AEMO has published the latest Energy Adequacy Assessment Projection (EAAP) report this afternoon. The report is a crucial document for identifying and understanding potential power system vulnerabilities to extreme weather events.report, weather, national electricity market, consumers, wind, summer, solar, energy security
AEMO is excited to announce a joint initiative with Energy Networks Australia to look at how best to optimise Distributed Energy Resources (DER). But what exactly are DER and why should energy consumers take an interest in this exciting new initiative?consumers, distribution, electricity, national electricity market


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Chicken Little (G, 81 minutes) * 1/2 This embarrassingly bad animated feature indicates the sky is falling on Walt Disney Pictures! A story about the quest for a father's love, it's structured in segments to allow commercial breaks. After a Where-to-begin? beginning there's a frenetic sequence of Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff) claiming to have been hit by falling sky and becoming a laughingstock. A year later Chicken proves himself on the baseball field to keep his father (Garry Marshall) from being ashamed of him. The real story begins around the halfway point. Something else falls on Chicken Little, and he has a close encounter with the spaceship it fell from. In a borrowing from E.T. a young alien is left behind, and Chicken and his father have to hook him back up with his parents to keep them from destroying Earth. Frequent movie references and often-annoying '70s and '80s songs on the soundtrack are aimed at parents who have to sit through this crap with their kids. The computer-animated characters look like toys and the backgrounds like children's book drawings of theme park settings, so the movie's not even good visually. Supporting characters include Turkey Lurkey, Foxy Loxy and Goosey Loosey. Chicken Little is sucky-wucky.
Doom (R) (NYS) "If it breathes, kill it." Monsters on Mars emerge from human genome research, but can they get past another monster, namely The Rock? Karl Urban and Rosamund Pike co-star as director Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die, Cradle 2 the Grave) tries to take vidgame-based movies to the next level. The setting is the Olduvai Research Station, where the Rapid Response Tactical Squad is fighting to contain the monsters that have been unleashed. Can they do it without your help this time? Will you want to see the movie if you can't shoot anything?
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (PG, 105 minutes) ** 1/2 Some genius, looking for a hit movie to copy, decided the only thing Seabiscuit lacked was a kid. So he consulted Google, the lazy screenwriter's best friend, for stories involving children and lame horses that went on to win races. For the first 90 minutes, Dreamer is a soap opera for kids, a heavy and heavy-handed family drama. Then comes the Big Race in hopes that all's well that ends well. Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) owns a Kentucky horse farm without horses. He lives there with wife, Lilly (Elisabeth Shue), and their daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning). Ben's father (Kris Kristofferson; he and Russell are extremely well cast as father and son) lives next door, but they don't talk much. Ben is bitter about his dreams falling through. He hates having to train horses for a soulless millionaire (David Morse) who races them for an Arab billionaire. When Soñador (Spanish for Dreamer) breaks a leg, Ben quits his job and takes her home. The leg heals, and she winds up running, an 80-1 shot, in the Breeders' Cup Classic. In the "racehorse Rocky" genre Dreamer may be a little more family-friendly than Seabiscuit, but it's not half as good a movie.
Elizabethtown (PG-13, 123 minutes) ** Cameron Crowe did autobiography well in Almost Famous, but here he's showing vacation pictures to a captive audience. His poorly structured screenplay gives us chunks and minimovies instead of a cohesive, flowing narrative. There's a desperate search for a new catchphrase, with possible successors to "Show me the money" and "You had me from hello" thrown at the wall in hopes one will stick. Drew (Orlando Bloom) plays scapegoat after Alec Baldwin's shoe company launches the footwear equivalent of the Edsel and New Coke. Then Drew's father dies and he goes to Kentucky for the body. En route he's chatted up by Claire (Kirsten Dunst), a flight attendant who volunteers her phone number. He calls, and they talk all night in the film's best sequence. After Susan Sarandon does a solo act at the memorial service, a big finale would make a great ending, but there's still the funeral and what plays like a virtual trailer for a better film about a road trip. Bloom is blandly likable, while Dunst's "Southern charm" is rarely Southern or charming. Claire describes Drew and herself as "substitute people," whatever that means. I spent much of Elizabethtown wishing I were watching a substitute movie instead.
Flightplan (PG-13, 88 minutes) ** A month ago a woman was trapped on a plane with a nutcase, in Red Eye. A year ago a woman was told her missing child never existed, in The Forgotten. Three years ago Jodie Foster protected her daughter from an intruder, in Panic Room. Combine the plots to make Flightplan, in which newly widowed Kyle (Foster) searches for her six-year-old daughter on a plane while everyone insists the girl was never there. You can usually trust Foster– and the characters she plays– but not in Flightplan. Kyle's proactive response to her daughter's disappearance makes her unsympathetic. When Air Marshal Peter Sarsgaard finally takes her into custody for endangering the flight, the other 425 passengers applaud. You can't blame them. Maybe Kyle's delusional, and maybe someone is plotting something, but the way she takes charge, she's never helpless for a moment. Flightplan is set on what looks like an airborne cruise ship: a huge, double-decker plane which Kyle's company made (she's a propulsion engineer), that's on a night flight from Berlin to New York. The event that makes the climax cathartic is neither justified nor wise, except by the most specious movie logic, the only kind Flightplan deals in.
The Fog (PG-13, 100 minutes) (NYS) The remake of John Carpenter's 1980 horror flick, memories of which are hazy, stars Tom Welling, Maggie Grace (will they be Lost in Smallville?), Rade Sherbedgia and Selma Blair as residents of Antonio Bay, a Northern California seaside town menaced by weather that's downright evil. It seems the ghosts of dead sailors are involved. That there are no advance screenings makes things even more murky and reduces chances that it will be any good from slim to slimmer. Consider this your warning foghorn.
Good Night, and Good Luck (PG, 93 minutes) *** "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.... We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home." That's not a modern-day criticism of the Patriot Act but the words of Edward R. Murrow, one of the last journalists America trusted, in 1954, condemning the tactics of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, whose anti-communist witch hunt ruined hundreds of lives and careers. Murrow (David Strathairn) believed, as some do today, that our civil liberties shouldn't be sacrificed in the interest of "security." The rest of the media were intimidated, but CBS backed Murrow in standing up to McCarthy until the rest of the country followed suit. Murrow's supportive support staff includes producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney) and Shirley (Patricia Clarkson) and Joe (Robert Downey Jr.), whose relationship is gradually revealed in the screenplay's silliest aspect. It's better when it sticks to journalism and politics. Clooney's second film as director is a brilliant docudrama shot in black-and-white (if only to facilitate the seamless insertion of archival footage), which perfectly captures the period. Good Night, and Good Luck provides a great blend of entertainment and information for those too young to remember the era and those old enough to have forgotten it. Hey, that's just about everybody!
A History of Violence (R, 96 minutes) *** Canadian David Cronenberg, who has put more violence on the screen than almost any American since Sam Peckinpah, examines America's fondness for violence in A History of Violence. Or is he just entertaining us? There's a classic movie quality to this re-imagined old Western about a gunslinger who's hung up his guns but has to get them out again when bad men threaten his peaceful life. Once he was Shane, now he's Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen), who owns an Indiana diner but defends his home turf when he must. Mortensen and Ed Harris could be Kirk Douglas and Richard Widmark 40 years ago, directed by Alfred Hitchcock with his mix of suspense and humor. Maria Bello plays Tom's wife, who's proud when he becomes a hero but later wonders who she's married to. Their son, Jack (Ashton Holmes), is motivated to take on the school bully. The story, based on a graphic novel, takes many turns, but each leads to violence, often of the stomach-churning variety. Tom comforts his young daughter: "There's no such thing as monsters." He knows he's lying because he's got one inside of him, and we know he's lying because we've seen monsters in the movies.
In Her Shoes (PG-13, 130 minutes) *** Philadelphia becomes the City of Sisterly Love (not the Sapphic kind) in In Her Shoes, a refreshingly testosterone-free dramedy directed by Curtis Hanson and adapted by Susannah Grant from Jennifer Weiner's novel. The polar-opposite sisters are responsible (but plain) Rose (Toni Collette) and Maggie (Cameron Diaz), a semi-literate (but pretty), freeloading slut. They complete each other, as people say in movies like this. Rose takes Maggie in when no one else will, until Maggie commits an unpardonable sin and Rose evicts her. Maggie goes to Florida to visit their grandmother, Ella (Shirley MacLaine), in a "retirement community for active seniors." While Maggie grows up and develops self-esteem in Florida, Rose finds romance with Simon (Mark Feuerstein). Diaz shows again that, given a meaty role, she can do more than wiggle, giggle, and jiggle. Collette and MacLaine are their usual superb selves, but the three of them together can't convey enough Jewishness to order a sandwich in a deli, and they're surrounded by the most obviously Jewish supporting cast since Fiddler on the Roof. That point will bother some more than others. Otherwise, In Her Shoes is an overlong but well-crafted feel-good movie for most women and a few good men.
Jarhead (R, 123 minutes) *** Like Three Kings and Tigerland, Jarhead is a postmodern war movie. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as LCpl. Anthony Swofford, whose memoir was the basis for the screenplay. In 1989 the 20-year-old goes through U.S. Marines boot camp at Camp Pendleton. At his permanent station, Swoff's commanding officer, SSgt. Sykes (Jamie Foxx) assigns him to be a scout/sniper, partnered with his best buddy, Cpl. Alan Troy (Peter Sarsgaard). The men spend most of their time masturbating and waiting for Dear John letters from their wives and sweethearts back home, until Iraq invades Kuwait and they're shipped over to protect Saudi oil fields. They spend six months in the desert before the U.S. declares war, then there's a chance they'll go home without firing a shot. Jarhead has a slender storyline and few, if any, characters to care about. As good as the actors are, Swofford feels incomplete and Troy seems vaguely out of place. Few other enlisted men make enough of an impression to be recognizable in the closing credits. Director Sam Mendes creates some great moments, but the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Certainly Jarhead isn't in a league with his American Beauty and Road to Perdition.
The Legend of Zorro (PG, 131 minutes) ** 1/2 The Mask of Zorro was a wonderful surprise. Like the Indiana Jones movies, it made clichés from old Hollywood action movies and serials seem fresh again. The Legend of Zorro recycles clichés from The Mask of Zorro, and they don't seem nearly as fresh. It also strains for contemporary relevance, with Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) nagging frequently absent Alejandro (Antonio Banderas), "You're missing your son's entire life." She divorces him and takes up with Armand (Rufus Sewell), a French count who's bought a local winery. We know something's up, but it takes us an hour to find out what. Their son Joaquin (Adrian Alonso), nine, takes after his father, although neither of them realizes it. The Legend of Zorro is set in 1850, when California is voting on whether to become a state, and vicious thugs, tools of the rich, are trying to prevent it. When the people need him, Alejandro becomes Zorro, a 19th-century Batman, and fights evil. If director Martin Campbell and his stars are just going through the motions, they're still pretty impressive motions. The plentiful violence is kept– just barely– to a PG level. There's nothing wrong with The Legend of Zorro. There's nothing new either.
The Longest Yard (PG-13, 109 minutes) ** 1/2 This unnecessary remake of the all-time greatest prison football movie may not be better than the 1974 version, but it's bigger, blacker, louder, gayer, and slightly less violent. Adam Sandler isn't the most believable pro quarterback, even one who left the NFL in disgrace after throwing a game; but he doesn't have to play much football so he's OK. He's Paul Crewe, sent to a Texas penitentiary whose politically ambitious warden (James Cromwell) wants him to help the guards' football team win a championship. Paul assembles a team of prisoners for the guards to practice against, with the help of Caretaker (Chris Rock, who has more and better jokes than Sandler). The biggest and meanest come out to play when they realize they can hit back against the men who have brutalized them for years. Burt Reynolds plays it so straight that he brings the movie down on at least two occasions. Both teams play dirty, though not as dirty as in the R-rated original. The story worked before, and– without major changes– works again, almost as well. Director Peter Segal makes no serious fumbles, but the reasons for the remake were strictly financial (and egotistical, in Sandler's case), not artistic.
March of the Penguins (G, 80 minutes) *** You may never get a better opportunity to observe penguins for 80 minutes. As the great Morgan Freeman narrates, emperor penguins in Antarctica go through their annual cycle. After spending three summer months in the water, they emerge and walk inland to their breeding ground, where the scene resembles a formal singles bar. The "monogamous, sort of" penguins choose mates to whom they will be faithful for the rest of the year. The camera gets so close (we see how during the closing credits) it's almost a third partner in the birds' foreplay. There's no graphic mating footage, but perhaps it will be included in an un-rated DVD for fans of penguin porn. The eggs, laid in June, are transferred to the males for safekeeping while the females walk back to the sea to eat and bring back food for the chicks that hatch in their absence. Family reunions are brief because it's the fathers' turn to go for food. In December the families split up and head for the sea, where the youngsters will remain for four years while the adults repeat their migration next March. It seems inefficient, but it's worked for the penguins for thousands of years.
North Country (R, 126 minutes) *** Add New Zealand's Niki Caro (Whale Rider) to the list of foreign directors who have showed, in their American debuts, they "get" our country better than a lot of natives. As with Norma Rae, Silkwood, Erin Brockovich and other films about (usually real) women who changed the world as reluctant crusaders, North Country gives its star a showcase that should lead at least to an Oscar nomination. Battered Josey Aimes (Charlize Theron) takes her kids and leaves. She goes to work in a Northern Minnesota iron mine where the men, worried about more competition for fewer jobs, aren't happy about women in their workplace. They express their hostility through pranks and jokes that should be good-natured but aren't. When Josey reports them, the reprisals become even more vicious. She contacts attorney Bill White (Woody Harrelson), who has the brainstorm that if they make it a class action, it could be a precedent-setter and win him invaluable publicity. But they must persuade the other women, who'd rather have unpleasant jobs than none at all, to break ranks with the men... The eventual turning point may make the film seem formulaic, but it's cathartic and emotionally stirring, making Caro two for two.
Prime (PG-13, 105 minutes) ** 1/2 A bad Meryl Streep performance comes along less frequently than Halley's Comet. Get out your telescope. Trying to be broad and subtle at the same time, Streep strains her acting muscles as visibly as if she were doing heavy drama. Prime combines a romance and a comedy that don't fit together. The romance is sweet, natural, and often believable between Rafi (Uma Thurman), 37, and Dave (Bryan Greenberg), 23. It's hard to swallow the coincidence that Lisa (Streep), Rafi's therapist, is also Dave's mother, but harder to believe that when Lisa finds out she doesn't end the doctor-patient relationship on the spot. It drags a good romance down to the level of a bad comedy. Aside from Lisa's interference (the traditional Jewish mother doesn't want her son marrying outside the faith), Dave takes the blame for most of the couple's problems, as if director Ben Younger (Boiler Room) had a lot of guilt to get rid of in writing the screenplay. Nice bits of dialogue, good comic moments and Thurman and Greenberg are reason enough to see Prime if you're in the mood for a romantic movie. Just be prepared to be jolted out of the mood with alarming frequency.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (PG-13, 99 minutes) ** 1/2 Julianne Moore returns to the 1950s (Far from Heaven, The Hours) in Jane Anderson's film, adapted from the memoir by Terry "Tuff" Ryan, one of the 10 children of Moore's character, Evelyn Ryan. In the 1950s, entering a contest often required skills, such as writing advertising slogans or jingles or short essays. Evelyn excels at "contesting," winning whatever the Ryans need. This is great for the family but hard on the ego of the nominal breadwinner, Kelly (Woody Harrelson). Having his wife provide what he can't is emasculating, and he spends most of his money on alcohol. (He's a mean drunk.) While Kelly's loathsome behavior is understandable, it's not excusable, but the '50s were stand-by-your-man time, and divorce is never an option for Evelyn, who does her best to preserve Kelly's illusion that he's supporting the family. She maintains a maddeningly positive outlook. It's a tough call whether to recommend The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. It must be good to have evoked such a strong emotional response from me, but that doesn't mean I'd want to subject anyone else to it. If you're sensitive to women's issues be warned that The Prize Winner... is too true to be fun.
Proof (PG-13, 100 minutes) *** Gwyneth Paltrow, reteamed with her Shakespeare in Love director, John Madden, is gunning for another Oscar, this time without an accent. Adapted from David Auburn's play, Proof is about mathematics and mental illness and a woman who thinks she inherited both from her late father, Robert (Anthony Hopkins), whose mind started going around her age, 27. Catherine (Paltrow), who may also be a brilliant mathematician, looked after him for his last five years, including a relatively lucid year in the middle. Her older sister, Claire (Hope Davis), wants to move Catherine to New York to keep an eye on her. Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal), Robert's former student and Catherine's new lover, is going through the notebooks Robert filled in his last years. One contains a revolutionary mathematical proof, but it's not immediately clear whether it's Robert's work or Catherine's. The script hasn't completely escaped its stage origins; some jumping around between past, present and fantasy becomes confusing; and an intended climactic revelation won't surprise anyone. But this multifaceted drama is often moving and funny, and Paltrow and Davis are well matched as mismatched sisters. Catherine recalls first meeting Hal: "I thought you seemed not boring." That's how I felt about Proof.
Saw II (R, 93 minutes) *** At the beginning of Saw II, "Jigsaw" promises, "There will be blood." Well, duh, why else would all those people be watching the screen? Jigsaw, (John) (Tobin Bell) is more than just an executioner ex machina this time, but still sets up situations in which people will kill themselves or each other. The pre-title sequence illustrates his MO, with his prisoner forced to perform surgery on himself if he's to keep a "death mask" from snapping shut and killing him. ohn pulls Det. Eric Mathews (Donnie Wahlberg) into the game by trapping his teen son, Daniel (Erik Knudsen), in a house with seven other people, all breathing a deadly nerve agent that will kill them in two hours if they can't find the hidden antidotes. Eric locates John, who, dying of cancer, isn't bothered by threats of punishment. They watch on video monitors what's happening to Daniel and the other involuntary gamesters, including Amanda (Shawnee Smith), who claims to have survived a previous bout with Jigsaw; and Xavier (Franky G), a macho jerk who's definitely not a team player. One day the Saw series will wear out its welcome, but the second verse is as good as the first.
Separate Lies (R, 85 minutes) ** 1/2 Possibly the best scene of Separate Lies features dialogue paraphrased from the movie Cabaret as Anne Manning (Emily Watson) tells husband James (Tom Wilkinson) she's having an affair with wealthy ne'er-do-well Bill Bule (Rupert Everett). A link between Noel Coward and Jerry Springer, Separate Lies is closer to Coward, where people discuss their differences politely over a glass of sherry or cup of tea, than Springer, where they resolve things by screaming profanities and throwing punches at each other. Julian Fellowes, whose Gosford Park screenplay was overrated, adapted Separate Lies from a novel and makes his directorial debut with the film. It's not bad, but it's not great either. It starts promisingly with a man being thrown from his bicycle. We don't see how, but the shot has visceral impact. As we get to know the central characters, we learn how they were involved in the accident and its coverup. Once that mystery has been solved the film's suspense relies on two lesser questions: Will the police learn the truth and be able to prove it? and will the Mannings' marriage survive? Fellowes' characters become somewhat tedious, even though the solid performances of Wilkinson and Watson keep the film watchable.
Shopgirl (R, 107 minutes) ** 1/2 Mirabelle (Claire Danes) sells gloves at Saks. One pair she sells is delivered to her apartment with a dinner invitation. Well, a man who can drop $145 for gloves should be good for an awesome meal; and Ray Porter (Steve Martin) looks harmless, even though he's old enough to be her father's older brother. Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) is weird, grungy and poor, but sweet. Mirabelle drops him for Ray, even though Ray tells her, "We should keep our options open." The options seem clear to Mirabelle. Jeremy can't give her anything but love; Ray can give her everything but love. If she were smart she would hold onto both, but Mirabelle does what most women would: she picks one man, hoping to change him. Ray has more money than God's accountant and knows how to please a woman but not how to commit to one. Mirabelle thinks he'll come to love her; he thinks he just loves to come and will use her for sex until one of them tires of the arrangement. Schwartzman handles most of the film's comedy. Adapting his own novella, Martin has tried to be more clever than funny but is ultimately not enough of either.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (PG, 120 minutes) *** Four fine young actresses inhabit the leading roles in the screen version of Ann Brashares' novel about 16-year-old lifelong friends spending their first summer apart. It's a four-gone conclusion that going their separate ways will help them grow as individuals. The story begins as they discover a pair of magical jeans that fits all four of them perfectly, even though they're very different shapes and sizes. They decide to share the jeans in weekly shifts. Bridget (Blake Lively) goes to soccer camp in Mexico. Carmen (America Ferrera) visits her neglectful father (Bradley Whitford) in South Carolina. Lena (Alexis Bledel) spends the summer with her grandparents on the Greek island of Santorini. Tibby (Amber Tamblyn), staying home in Bethesda, Maryland, picks up a disciple of sorts, one with a more positive outlook, in 12-year-old Bailey (Jenna Boyd, yet another fine young actress). Something good happens to each of them as they take giant steps toward becoming the women they're going to be, but not without some tears; if you have a problem with sentiment in movies, you're advised to see something else. Sisterhood should be enjoyed by anyone who is or ever was a teenage girl, even in a past life.
Stay (R, 99 minutes) ** Think there should be a sequel to The Sixth Sense called Non-Sense? Have I got a movie for you! Stay lets you know too quickly it won't make sense until it's over, if then. What happens in the meantime isn't worth the wait. Psychiatrist Sam Foster (Ewan McGregor) tries to help troubled college student Henry Letham (Ryan Gosling, emulating the Brando and Dean performances of the 1950s ineffectively), who correctly predicts a hailstorm on a sunny day, then announces his intent to kill himself at midnight Saturday, his 21st birthday. Sam lives with Lila (Naomi Watts), a former patient who attempted suicide, so he's especially responsive to such threats. The youth disappears, and Sam searches New York City for him, meeting his "dead" mother and his "dead" dog. Is Sam having a breakdown? Are he and Henry the same person? Is this all a dream? These are some of the possibilities that may occur to you as you try to figure it all out. Director Marc Forster is more concerned with style than substance, so Stay looks good, with plenty of glass and chrome and tricky, computer-assisted transitions between scenes. The movie is pretentious without much to be pretentious about.
Two for the Money (R, 123 minutes) ** 1/2 Al Pacino has spent his middle age playing mentors and father figures. The latest recipient of his quasi-paternal guidance is Matthew McConaughey. The setting is the $200 billion-a-year world of sports gambling. It's illegal in 49 states, but Walter Abrams (Pacino) just advises gamblers for a piece of their winnings. That's legal. Former footballer Brandon Lang (McConaughey) can pick winners, and Walter recruits him. Brandon quickly develops an ambiguous mutual attraction with Toni (Rene Russo), Walter's wife. Walter decides immediately to build his empire around Brandon; having a bad heart, he's planning to leave it to him. He gives Brandon a makeover, from hick to slick, and his predictions go up to 80, then 100 percent, before starting the inevitable downturn. A reformed gambler, Walter hands out business cards at Gamblers Anonymous meetings for a cheap, out-of-character laugh. His self-destructive streak is such that any luck at all on his part is next to miraculous. So is Toni's loyalty when he uses her as a stake in his game. Gambling can be a great topic for a movie, but this one, as the title promises, is about the money, not the game. Its primary audience should be accountants.
Waiting (R, 93 minutes) (NYS) Ryan Reynolds, who's been buff in his last couple pictures but would look like an actor only if he stood next to Freddie Prinze Jr., stars as one of the horny guys and gals serving in a chain restaurant, in a loud, crude comedy. Reynolds works with Justin Long, sleeps with Anna Faris (they'll do it again next month in Just Friends) and others. He begins to question his dead-end life when he learns a former high school classmate is making good money as an electrical engineer, so this may classify as a coming-of-age tale. Rob McKittrick wrote and directed.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (G, 85 minutes) *** The eccentric, cheese-loving inventor and his faithful dog from Nick Park's clay-animated shorts A Close Shave and The Wrong Trousers have made a feature that should expand their fan base exponentially. It's British but not too British and funny but not– okay, maybe it is too funny. Lovers of 1930s horror classics will appreciate the homage in this tongue-in-cheeky tale of the consequences of tampering with nature. Gromit is the silent partner who gets Wallace (voice: Peter Sallis) out of one jam after another. As Anti-Pesto, a humane pest control company, they catch rabbits who threaten their neighbors' gardens and pen them in their own cellar, feeding them well. Wallace designs a mind control device to make rabbits stop craving veggies, but creates a monster, specifically a were-rabbit that grows huge, hairy, and hungry under the moon. Wallace is smitten with Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter), whose suitor Victor (Ralph Fiennes) is a hunter who deals with rabbits the old-fashioned way. It's the week of the annual giant vegetable competition, when everyone's obsessed with their prize plants. Curse of the Were-Rabbit isn't quite in a league with Chicken Run, but it's leagues ahead of most of 2005's animated features.
The Weather Man (R, 101 minutes) *** David Spritz (Nicolas Cage) forecasts the weather on Chicago television, but his personal life is stormy. The way his mind works explains why his life doesn't. When he's recognized in public, it's not clear who Dave likes less, the people who ask for autographs or those who throw fast food at him. Dave may have a shot at going national, which will mean moving to New York and quadrupling his income. But his estranged wife (Hope Davis), with whom he still hopes to reconcile, has a boyfriend. Their 15-year-old son (Nicholas Hoult) has been in rehab, and a counselor (Gil Bellows) is maintaining an unhealthy interest in his progress. Their plus-sized 12-year-old daughter (Gemmenne de la Peña) has picked up the nickname "Cameltoe" because of the way her too-tight clothing fits. Dave's Pulitzer Prize-winning father (Michael Caine) loves his son even if he doesn't understand or appreciate him, but then Dave learns he has a terminal illness. Dave waits to hear from New York, his father waits to die, and everything else keeps getting worse. Cage isn't afraid to make Dave unlikable, but you won't hate him either, because there's at least a spritz of Dave in all of us.