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Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs
Harry E. Wedeck
- Description
- Author
- Info
- Reviews
This delightfully mischievous A-to-Z guide features love potions, powerful herbs, and much more, drawn from global spiritual and esoteric traditions.
From absinthe, almond soup, and Albertus Magnus to yarrow, yohimbine, and Emile Zola,
this authoritative reference volume covers knowledge of aphrodisiacs spanning centuries, drawn from literature, spirituality, and ancient science. Entries include edible substances believed to enhance sexual performance, gemstones thought to possess amorous charms, gods and goddesses of love from various myths, and historic figures who contributed to studies and thought on aphrodisiacs.
This dictionary reveals many intriguing ways for partners to enrich their relationships, including recipes to stimulate the gourmet lover using the many ingredients described in the book.


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OverviewBack to top
Apptrian Image Optimizer will optimize your images (GIF, JPG, PNG), reducing their file size without losing image quality and speed up your site. The extension is very easy to install and use. You can optimize images by clicking a button in Magento Admin or automatically by a configurable cron job. If you are an advanced user you will be pleased to know that extension is fully configurable. You can change optimization options even swap utilities used for optimization with the ones you like. (By default our extension is using optimization utilities recommended by Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix.)
Image Optimizer is fully compatible with Google Perceptual JPEG encoder "guetzli". However, you need to install guetzli on your server and configure our extension to use guetzli. (See user guide for more information.) Be aware of the following: Guetzli is a "lossy" compressor. This means you will lose some image quality. (By default our extension is using jpegtran and there is no change in image quality after optimization.) Guetzli is much slower than jpegran.
Important Notice
In order to pass the Google PageSpeed Insights test regarding image optimization Google Perceptual JPEG encoder "guetzli" is required. Use GTmetrix to check your image optimization status.
Warning! Before using our extension on real images, you must test optimization utilities. (Please follow configuration and testing instructions.)
Warning! Extension relays on third-party utilities (gifsicle, jpegoptim (32-bit only), jpegtran, and optipng). It is also highly dependent on a server type and configuration. There is a possibility it will not work for you. Please understand that there is no PHP code we can write that will make previously mentioned utilities work if they are not compatible with your server nor circumvent your server configuration.
Our extension will NOT change the visual quality of the images if you use jpegtran which is used by default. However, it will degrade image quality if you use a "lossy" compressor like guetzli. Our extension will NOT change the resolution of the images.
Our extension is only the last step in the image optimization that will help you to pass Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix test, it is not the substitution for best practices regarding the preparation of images for the web. Before uploading images to the web (in this case Magento) you need to prepare them. This is a wide subject but the most important things are:
- Choose the right format for the image (gif, jpg, png) (Read the FAQs for more information)
- Choose the right resolution for the image (Read the FAQs for more information)
- An easy way to enable or disable the extension.
- The "Batch Size" is the number of images to be optimized per click or cron execution.
- The "Paths" option is a text area field where you can type paths you want to be scanned for images.
- Convenient "Start Scan and Reindex Process" button for scanning and reindexing images.
- Convenient "Start Optimization Process" button for optimizing images.
- Convenient Progress Bar will give you info about the percentage and number of optimized images.
- Convenient "Clear Index" button for resetting progress bar and ability to start index and optimization processes again.
- An easy way to enable or disable the Scan and Reindex Process Cron Job.
- Option to type Cron Expression for the Scan and Reindex Process.
- An easy way to enable or disable the Optimization Process Cron Job.
- Option to type Cron Expression for the Optimization Process.
- The "Use a 64-bit utility" option will allow you to run the 64-bit version of utilities.
- Log Utility Output option allows you to log information about the optimization process.
- Force file permissions after optimization.
- The "Utility Path" option allows you to swap optimization utilities.
- GIF Utility allows you to set GIF optimization utility.
- GIF Utility Exact Path allows you to specify the path to your GIF utility if it is already installed on your system.
- GIF Utility Options allow you to set GIF utility options.
- JPG Utility allows you to set JPG optimization utility.
- JPG Utility Exact Path allows you to specify the path to your JPG utility if it is already installed on your system.
- JPG Utility Options allows you to set JPG utility options.
- PNG Utility allows you to set PNG optimization utility.
- PNG Utility Exact Path allows you to specify the path to your PNG utility if it is already installed on your system.
- PNG Utility Options allow you to set PNG utility options.
This extension is FREE, however, support is NOT. Please understand that we get more than a few emails almost every day asking for support. In most cases, problems are a lack of basic Magento knowledge and not reading Installation Instructions. Due to our other projects, we do not have time to answer all of them. Because of this, we cannot provide free support for our free extensions. However, we offer very affordable support options.
Q: After upgrading from an older version of Image Optimizer to v2.1.0 (or newer) my old index data is gone and Progress Bar is reset?
A: Image Optimizer v2.1.0 and newer save index data to a file instead of a database. If you are upgrading from any previous version of Image Optimizer prior to v2.1.0 you will lose old index data. Previously optimized images will still be optimized but you will need to re-index and re-optimize all images again. Optimizing images twice or multiple times will not change the quality of images. Image optimization utilities sense if images are optimized and just re-save images without changing them.
To upgrade to new version delete all files from app/code/Apptrian/ImageOptimizer, then copy new extension files and issue following commands:
- php bin/magento setup:upgrade
- php bin/magento cache:flush
Then delete all files from: var/generation/Apptrian/ImageOptimizer directory.
Q: Image Optimizer does not work for me, is there anything I can do?
A: Maybe. First, follow Testing Instructions. The second step is to check permissions on files inside the Image Optimizer "bin" directory. (Can be "app/code/Apptrian/ImageOptimizer/bin" or "vendor/apptrian/image-optimizer/bin".) The third is to try a 64-bit utility option. The fourth use "Utility Exact Path" options but before you do gifsicle, jpegtran, and optipng must be installed on your server (Contact your server support and ask them to install these for you and to send you the full path where these are installed. Some hosting companies will do this other will not). If gifsicle, jpegtran, and optipng are added to the system path you can just type the name of the binary, not a full path. (Some servers usually have jpegtran installed. The minimal version required for Image Optimizer to work is v8d but the latest version is preferable.)
Q: Why after clicking the "Start Optimization Process" button, none of the images are optimized?
A: Utility binaries located in "app/code/Apptrian/ImageOptimizer/bin" or "vendor/apptrian/image-optimizer/bin" must be executable which means you have to set right permissions on files inside this directory.
Q: After clicking the "Start Optimization Process" button, the error message appears "Optimization failed because PHP exec() function is disabled."?
A: This means your server PHP is configured in such a way that the PHP exec() function is disabled. Contact your hosting company and ask them to allow exec() function. This usually happens on shared hosting accounts and hosting companies keep this function disabled until you ask them to enable it. This function is needed in order for image optimization utilities to be executed. If you cannot execute optimization utilities you cannot optimize images.
Q: Why do Google PageSpeed Insights report my images are not optimized despite I optimized them properly and can see the difference in file size (in bytes)?
A: Our extension only optimizes images on your site, it will not change the format nor resolution of your images. This brings us to the best practices regarding images and the web. You must prepare your images from the start if you want to pass the Google PageSpeed Insights test. This means choosing the right format and resolution for every image.
Image Formats:
- GIF is used for images that have very few colors (small web design elements). It is also used for simple animations if it is an animated GIF (banners).
- JPG is used for images with many colors (photos, product images, and some other design elements).
- PNG is used for images where accurate transparency is needed (usually used for design elements, small element backgrounds/CSS sprites).
Resolution is best explained via an example. Let's say you have an image on your site that is 2000x2000px. However, on your page, it is resized via CSS to 1000x1000px. This means your image is much bigger than it needs to be. If you check your page containing this image via Google PageSpeed Insights it will tell you something like this:
Compressing and resizing http://www.example.com/pub/media/wysiwyg/image.jpg could save 110.1KiB (79% reduction).
You need to download image.jpg then resize it to 1000x1000px with the image editing program of your choice and upload it back to the original location on the server. Then use our extension to optimize it. Only if you did everything correctly you will pass the Google PageSpeed Insights test.
Q: Progress bar is stuck?
A: This happens when in one batch of images there are many very large ones and due to memory and time limits for script execution optimization is aborted. To overcome this, lower the "Batch Size" option to 10. In some cases of very large images and certain server configurations, you will need to set "Batch Size" to 1. After you optimize these large images you can set "Batch Size" back to the default value of 50.
Q: Why are not all images optimized?
A: Only images that are on your server can be optimized. Also sometimes Google PageSpeed Insights will report .gif images with transparency not optimized despite the fact they are. For images that have transparency use .png files. There is also an edge case when you use one format while you would get a much smaller file using another. (Read one of the above FAQs for more information on how to choose the appropriate image format.)
A Word From the Author
Thank you very much for your interest in the Image Optimizer extension. You can rest assured that by choosing this extension you are getting high-quality products despite the fact it is free. The same professional approach, dedication, and care are invested in this product as if it is paid one. If you find this product useful and want to say "thanks" you can do that by rating it and writing a short review about it on Magento Marketplace. Also, you can like, share, and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. If you have any questions about extension or Magento in general feel free to contact us.
Technical SpecificationsBack to top
Seller profile
Seller contact
Current Version
Adobe Commerce platform compatibility
Open Source (CE): 2.3 (current), 2.4 (current), 2.0 (obsolete), 2.1 (obsolete), 2.2 (obsolete)
Commerce on prem (EE): 2.3 (current), 2.4 (current), 2.2 (obsolete)
Commerce on Cloud (ECE): 2.3 (current), 2.4 (current), 2.2 (obsolete)
Stable Build
18 April, 2022
Extensions, Site Optimization, Performance
License Type
Open Software License 3.0 (OSL-3.0)
Quality ReportBack to top
All tests were conducted on the latest versions of Adobe Commerce that existed for the compatible release lines at the moment of the extension submission. Latest versions of all other software were used, as applicable.
Release NotesBack to top
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Compatible with Commerce on prem (EE) : 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Compatible with Commerce on Cloud (ECE) : 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Stability: Stable Build
* Small Magento EQP improvements regarding comments
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Compatible with Commerce on prem (EE) : 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Compatible with Commerce on Cloud (ECE) : 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Stability: Stable Build
* Small Magento EQP improvements
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Compatible with Commerce on prem (EE) : 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Compatible with Commerce on Cloud (ECE) : 2.2 2.3 2.4
- Stability: Stable Build
* Updated optimization utilities
* Compatibility with CSP (Content Security Policies)
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3
- Stability: Stable Build
* Fixed behavior when image index is corrupt to show line number where is corruption
* Improvement of code according to the latest Magento standards
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3
- Stability: Stable Build
* Fixed RegEx for Exact Path validator
* Fixed CSS bug with Magento 2.3.x
* Fixed small grammar error in config
* Updated code comments
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1 2.2
- Stability: Stable Build
* Compatibility with Magento 2.2
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1
- Stability: Stable Build
+ Compliance with Magento's Extension Quality Program (EQP)
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0 2.1
- Stability: Stable Build
* Fixed small compiler issue
* Fixed composer.json file
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0
- Stability: Stable Build
* Index is now saved to a file instead of database
WARNING! If you are upgrading from any previous version of Image Optimizer you will loose old index data. Previously optimized images will still be optimized but you will need to re-index and re-optimize all images again. Optimizing images twice or multiple times will not change quality of images. Image optimization utilities sense if images are optimized and just re-save images without changing them.
- Compatible with Open Source (CE) : 2.0
- Stability: Stable Build
* Complete rewrite from the ground up
+ Ability to set two separate cronjobs one for Scan and Reindex and the other for Optimization process
+ Option to force certain file permissions after optimization
SupportBack to top
The best place to start if you need help with a specific extension is to contact the developer. All Adobe Commerce developers have both a contact email and a support email listed.Contact Vendor

subset: commoncrawl


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Most likely, the story of Jesus and his followers that Oak Park resident Garrett Glass tells in his newly published novel Jehoshua, Signs and Wonders, is not the one you heard in Sunday school.
Start with the name. Jehoshua, writes Glass, was the name we now know as Jesus, pronounced Yo-SHEW-ah in Hebrew in his First-Century hometown of Nazareth (JOSH-yew-ah in English). In fact, Glass' book can be seen as a deconstruction, i.e. an attempt to get at who Jesus really was as a historical figure by scraping away what he considers the legendary, mythological accretions and layers in the biblical text, comparing the New Testament writings with other non-Christian documents from the First Century, and then reconstructing a more plausible Jesus than the one passed down to us over the last 20 centuries by Christianity.
Jehoshua begins with graphic descriptions of Jesus' crucifixion, reminiscent of Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ. It portrays Jesus as a very human being, complete with sexual drives, much like Nikos Kazantzakis described him in The Last Temptation of Christ. Glass includes intrigue and deception in his novel in the tradition of Hugh Schonfield's Passover Plot, and he reconstructs the life of Jesus in the same creative way that Dan Brown treats the possibility of Jesus being married in the Da Vinci Code.
The motivation to deconstruct came while Glass was living in New York after graduating from Northwestern University. There he read in the New York Times reports coming out of the Jesus Seminar during the 1960s and '70s, in which biblical scholars used the analytic tools of what is known as the "historical critical method" to analyze the Bible like any other piece of literature. This kind of analysis, for example, concludes that both Matthew and Luke quoted Mark in their gospels as well as a non-extant source scholars refer to as "Q."
"All these books on the historical Jesus caused a real conflict in me," he recalled, "because I grew up thinking there was the Virgin Mary, believing she had a virgin birth and then as a young adult reading all these books saying it never happened. I got very disillusioned and felt almost deceived by what the Catholic Church had taught, or not taught, me."
Glass recalls that when he was growing up, the Church portrayed the Gospel writers as kind of like secretaries who transcribed God's dictation to them.
"Christianity had lost track of the human reality behind the New Testament scriptures," Glass argues in the foreword to Jehoshua, "that not all passages in the New Testament were original to the writer; not all words were translated correctly … and Jehoshua did not perform or say all the things ascribed to him in the scriptures.
"When a secular and rational approach is taken to the New Testament," he adds, "contradictions cannot be ignored. They need to be explored and explained, and when you attempt to do that, a very rich world of possibilities opens up."
"While writing the novel," Glass explained, "I felt like I was an opera director. I could put the words I wanted into the characters I was creating. I could give them emotions. By the time I got to the second chapter, I found that the characters were taking on a life of their own."
He created a character, for example, named Lemech, a trader who bought Jehoshua's cloak from a Roman soldier, cut it up in pieces and sold it as having magical qualities to people who believed in the crucified messiah's healing powers. He then discovers that he actually looks a lot like Jehoshua and carries out a plan to pretend that he is the risen savior.
Besides trying to provide a good read for those who buy his book, Glass acknowledged that the act of writing has itself become part of his own spiritual pilgrimage. In an as yet unpublished book titled, Who Cut God's Hair, he writes, "This little book came about because a number of my readers wanted to know my opinions about God. In my book Jehoshua: Signs and Wonders, I wrote about the first 25 years of Christianity from the assumption that no miracles took place. This naturally led quite a few readers to wonder if I was an atheist."
Here's his answer: "The philosophy of this book is very simple to state: I believe in God; I simply believe that he is an illusion we have created in our minds. It may seem that I am temporizing in this statement, and not really taking a stand on whether God exists. But the truth is, to a certain degree God does exist, and does not exist, at the same time. He seems to exist in our mind, which is capable of creating powerful illusions of reality, and we can go our whole lives believing in his existence."
For more conversation on the Jehoshua book series – and to read an excerpt – visit the Patheos Book Club here.
Tom Holmes is a Contributing Reporter / Religion Blogger at OakPark.com. This interview is reprinted with permission from The Wednesday Journal.


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What are set dungeons? How do I find them? What are the rewards?
I don't want to lose any words on this part, because you can read it all up here.
Video: Immortal King's Call Set-Dungeon
In this video you can see the Barbarian Immortal King's Call Set-Dungeon.
The difficulties
The following challenges the barbarian has to overcome in the Set Dungeon of the Immortal King of Diablo 3:
- Kill 168 monsters without taking fatal damage
- Kill every Elite using the 400 % damage bonus (with both Wrath of the Berserker and Call of the Ancients active)
- Maintain Wrath of the Berserker for 120 seconds
- Mastery time limit: 4:27
Kill elite monsters with
The "400 % damage bonus" means the Set-Bonus in Diablo 3, that is unlocked with the 6-piece-set-bonus of the Call of the Immortal King:
Set (6): While both Wrath of the Berserker and Call of the Ancients is active, you deal 400% increased damage.
Call of the Ancients is active all the time anyway, thanks to the 2-piece-set-bonus:
Set (2): Call of the Ancients last until they die.
But they don't die actually. Not in this set dungeon at least. That is the reason why you just have to take care of keeping up Wrath of the Berserker. But you have to take care of that anyway because of the other set dungeon target. If you want to know how, just get to the next chapter.
Keeping up Wrath of the Berserker
This challenge is rather "difficult", though not extremely difficult. You just have to develop a feeling for when Wrath of the Berserker runs out. Just have a glimpse to the bar at the bottom from time to time.
As a matter of fact without Seismic Slam, which costs 30 fury and reduces the cooldown of Wrath of the Berserker with every slam by 3 seconds because of the 4-piece-set-bonus, this challenge would be really hard. That is why you better use Seismic Slam here.
To use this ability often enough, you should also take a ton of fury-generators with you:
- Ground stomp
- Fury of the Ancients as a rune of Call of the Ancients
- Unforgiving
- Earthen Might
That should allow you to have enough fury all the time. When Wrath of the Berserker runs out and you can't enable it, just seismic slam until you can. That way you should be able to hold up Wrath of the Berserker for the whole Set Dungeon of the Immortal King.
Killing all monsters
To kill all monsters in this Diablo 3 Set Portal within the set time, is not a big deal thanks to the Earth-set that we partly use here. Just jump on all monsters and they'll die within the earthquake.
Killing an elite monster actives the weapon "In-Geom". Then, you'll be able to continue jumping as often as you want and continue to cause earthquakes. As a matter of fact you won't need the "Lut socks" here, that are commonly used by earthquake barbarians.
If In-Geom is not active, you'll deal enough damage with Seismic Slam and your Ancients. Besides, don't forget to keep an eye on the other challenges, so don't just jump around.
Here is the map for the Diablo 3 Set Dungeon, though you should have enough time in the end to not take care of the route. Good luck!
Further questions?
If you have further questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below!


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What is the issue?Seasickness beleaguers recreational sailing and occupational seafarers alike. Although there are varying degrees to its level of affliction and each individual's susceptibility, in the worst of situations, everyone will get seasick and it is a totally unpleasant malady.
The old seafaring comment 'at first you fear that you might die, and then later, as it continues, you fear that you might not' captures the sensation all too well. It can debilitate a crew so badly that the boat is left to fend for itself in dangerous seas. Likewise, the dumbest of sailing mistakes that have needlessly and recklessly endangered craft have often been made by brightest people, simply because they are so struck down that they have lost the will to apply thought to anything anymore.
Why address this?Knowing what causes seasickness, how to prevent and deal with it will help a vessel to be well run, and it can make the difference between the ship's party having a thoroughly miserable time or a great day's sailing.
How to address this?Seasickness is a sailing nuisance. But it can be vastly reduced by having a good understanding of its causes, taking care of oneself to reduce personal susceptibility and the many situations to avoid that only serve to trigger it once aboard. Likewise, a well-informed skipper can execute many preventative strategies, handle the vessel and its crew in such a fashion as to ward off seasickness and greatly reduce its effects should it begin to manifest itself.
This experience serves to provide a comprehensive and practical guide to avoiding seasickness from all perspectives. The first step is to develop a deeper understanding of what it is, how it comes about and why it should occur at all.
Seasickness on board a steamboat to Margate England
Photo: CC0
Photo: CC0
Seasickness is a form of motion sickness. It is caused when the senses that process spatial orientation send streams of conflicting information to the brain. This is sometimes referred to as the 'sensory conflict theory'.
Our innate ability to self-propel our bodies in a three-dimensional world is achieved by the brain interpreting information from four sets of reporting receptors:
- (i) Our eyes monitor our body relative to its surroundings and its relative bearing.
- (ii) Our inner ear's vestibular system sensing three-dimensional motion and motion direction.
- (iii) Neural receptors distributed throughout our physic informing the brain of the bodies activity. For instance when we are standing still, turning, in motion and that motions relative direction.
- (iv) Skin sensors in our feet and buttocks monitoring our physical orientation such as if we seated, standing, lying face down and are orientated to gravitational pull.
All four of these sensory inputs send a constant stream of positional and inclination information to the brain. Some, however, like the eyes, do so much faster than others but this is perfectly fine in the natural land-based environment where this system has evolved over billions of years. But this highly tuned land-based system has not had time to adapt to the relatively recent development of seagoing craft.
The word 'nausea' itself owes its origins to the Greek words nausia or nautia which have the same meaning, 'ship sickness'. A swaying, pitching, yawing boat in a seaway sends a prodigious wave of alternating balance data to the finally tuned land-based system and one that thoroughly exploits the feedback lag between the eyes and the ear's vestibular system. The result is an overload of conflicting information that the brain simply cannot process.
Unable to marry these streams the brain begins to malfunction and sets off spatial orientation alarms. These messages are then transferred by the release of 'neurotransmitters', such as histamine or acetylcholine, to the control centre for vomiting located in the brainstem. Alas, the vast majority of us know exactly how that feels!
You might wonder why on earth a physiological process would see vomiting as the solution to anything? But the human body is a remarkable thing. Vomiting serves as a means to protect us from poisons or foods that have gone off by removing unwanted contents from the stomach. The land-based brain concludes that the sensory conflict is a function of hallucination taking out the vestibular system which means we have eaten the bad mushrooms. So expelling the stomach contents in this situation is the bodies way of taking the safe route. The vomiting response can also be triggered by other stimuli such as pain, fear and smells which may if they present themselves during a sailing outing will serve to exacerbate an underlying motion sickness problem.
Admiral Lord Nelson was highly susceptible to seasicknessLooking on the bright side, we are also a highly adaptive species and have a remarkable capability for habituation and adaptation. After some time the brain learns to process this conflicting sensory data. Typically this is within two to three days when most, but not everyone, will grow a pair of what is affectionately known be sailors as 'Sealegs'.
Photo: CC0
Photo: CC0
One has to be somewhat careful here as these fabled 'sea legs' do not in any way make you immune to sea sickness, just less susceptible to it. If the sensory data dramatically changes, such as a sudden storm or a passage moves off a downwind passage and onto that of a more challenging upwind beat, the brain has to relearn that altered sensory pattern and it will send its alarms again to the vomit centre, if perhaps not as severe.
'Sealegs' are all but completely lost in just about the same amount of time it takes to acquire them once you are back on land. But the more you sail, the more your brain learns to adapt its response to the sensory conflict and the more quickly you will acclimatise to the conditions.
Oddly we can also adjust all too well to the motion of one's vessel, resulting in a corresponding condition called 'land sickness' or 'mal de débarquement', or the most common name 'disembarkment syndrome (MdDS), in which a persistent sensation of motion is felt for some time after coming ashore. If you go into a tightly confined room after being out sailing and pause you get a sensation that the room is moving. What is happening here is the mind is continuing to process the errors coming in. However, this is scarcely perceptible in most cases and once ashore or in tranquil waters, the sensory data returns to normal and recovery from any motion sickness is thankfully rapid.
Susceptibility to seasickness varies from person to person. No one can totally escape it as research has shown that everyone who enters a liferaft in a seaway will get seasick – something that should be noted alongside the Fastnet 79 lesson that a liferaft should only be entered when it floats off the deck. Even seasoned sailors such as Admiral Lord Nelson, who spent weeks on end at sea executing naval blockades noted 'I am ill every time it blows hard, and nothing but my enthusiastic love for the profession keeps me one hour at sea'. Animals also share the same broad balance and poisoning protection mechanism and are also vulnerable to seasickness.
Asians and females have higher degrees of susceptibilityBroadly speaking, around one-third of people will suffer to a sufficient degree that they need to take precautions prior to sailing, but most should acquire their 'sea-legs' after a few days. It is truly a personal rating and on a scale of 1 'Highly Susceptible' to 10 'Scarcely Touched' I would personally place myself at just above the median, something like a '6'. Research has shown that young toddlers are virtually unaffected up to about two years of age and preteen children and females have a slightly higher rate of susceptibility which peaks at the age of eleven. At the height of their susceptibility, they will be 1.5 times as high as male ratings, which peak at an age of twenty-one. As people age the susceptibility decreases to only 20% of their maximum, reducing gender differences to zero.
Photo: Devon B. Allen
Photo: Devon B. Allen
Certain groups of people are also more prone to motion sickness. People who are subject to migraines, Asian people, poor sleepers, women who are menstruating or pregnant have all got increased susceptibility. There is a wide variety of elements that increase susceptibility which makes it difficult to predict what will happen. There is also a high degree of variability in how it affects people. For some, a quick vomit will provide a good period of relief. But a significant minority may be reduced to a miserable state for a prolonged period.
Mention the word seasickness to most people and they immediately conjure up an image, or a memory, of a sad victim hanging over the rail physically vomiting. But this is too narrow a definition that can cause a skipper to inappropriately judge the capability of the crew and their own capability to make good decisions.
Seasickness, in reality, is far less binary. Its hold over someone should best be measured across degrees of affectation that can be characteries as follows:
- • Feeling slightly tired
- • Deep yawning
- • Concentration challenged
- • Lethargy
- • Fatigue
- • Warm flushes
- • Apathy
- • Confusion
- • Drowsiness
- • Slight sweating
- • Excessive saliva
- • Pallid colour
- • Belching
- • Queasiness
- • Headaches
- • Dizziness
- • Nausea
- • Shivering
- • Hyperventilation
- • Dry-heaving
- • Vomiting
- • Complete debilitation
The key observation to make here is an individual does not have to be vomiting to be seasick, mal de mer's effects come on early and escalate by degree. How fast or how slow that happens depends upon the conditions and susceptibility.
Likewise, the fact that a crewmember is not throwing up does not mean they remain untouched by its effects, that the vessel's procedures are being attended to and the passage plan is on track. People are more likely to be affected by the early listed stages of motion sickness than the latter and you have to only go one-third of the way down the above list before key tasks, that one could assume are being taken care of, are been put off because they are too much to endure.
We all know of very strange decisions being made on boats by very bright people. The old mantra of sailor's mantra to 'reef, and reef early' is one of the first to go. How many times have we all lethargically delayed that timely reef in the hope that the wind would back off? The reason, as often as not, is that our bodies are off and we know that the physical exertion involved would throw us over a tipping point - puns not intended. How often have we found that we could not get our mind around a certain plot location or course to take? How often have we said the course was good enough because of the thought of going below and doing a manual plot to check it was accompanied by some fruity burps?
It is important to be vigilant of one's own decision making capability and that of the crew based upon this broader perspective of seasickness. Only then can you truly apprehend the capability of the vessel to deal with developing situations.
As always, prevention is infinitely better than a cure. Anything that lowers your body's general sense of well-being, lowers its resistance to the stressful factors the motion of the boat will cause and increase the likelihood of seasickness. The first aim has to be to reduce the factors that lower your personal threshold for seasickness:
- 1. To step aboard in good physical condition. Try to be well rested before you go out on the water. Weariness and exhaustion can make you more susceptible to motion sickness. Have all your gear prepared and other business matters sorted well in advance of the sailing trip and have a good night's sleep.
- 2. Don't consume an excessive amount of alcohol the night before departing or in the day before sailing. These may present somewhat of an insurmountable hurdle in intensely sociable sailing circles. Once a crew gets together and goes out on the town it is almost inevitable a party is going to break out. Alcohol contributes to seasickness in many ways:
- • Alcohol inhibits the deepest dream stage of sleep called REM (Rapid Eye Movement) where the brain derives most rest. Even just after having a few drinks the night before one can feel tired the next day which increases susceptibility.
- • Alcohol dehydrates the body which again lowers its resistance to the stresses and strains of the motion.
- • The debilitation of a full-fledged alcohol hangover is practically putting out the welcome mat to seasickness if a boisterous boat ride is in the offing.
This is the case if the drinks were consumed the night before or in the hours preceding embarkation. Of course, we rarely plan to drink too much and social events tend to sweep us away in their own momentum. If caught up in a social session involving alcohol, make a fast rule that every third glass you drink will be a glass of water. This will give you a chance to avoid the hangover and dramatically reduces dehydration.
- 3. Carefully avoid rich and spicy foods the day before sailing and greasy or acidic foods in the hours before setting sail. A digestive system that is already stressed digesting slow to break-down heavy acidic foods will be highly vulnerable rolling about in a seaway. It is best to substitute the hearty traditional 'full-fry-up' for the 'continental breakfast's' selection of breads, pastries, croissants, rolls, milk, cereals and grains. Likewise, avoid the traditional breakfast's orange or grapefruit juice as they are very acidic. Exchange them for gentler low acidic alternatives derived from apple, cranberry, pear or melon.
It is also best to reduce the intake of coffee, and caffeinated drinks before leaving the dock. They are hard to cope with and are diuretic. This increases urination which accelerates dehydration which is another contributing factor. This also lessens visits to the 'heads', boat toilet, below decks which is positively the last place you should be when trying to acclimatise to conditions at the start of the journey.
- 4. But do have that 'continental' breakfast. Skipping eating before sailing is just as bad. Remember motion sickness tends to exploit any weakness or lowered resistance. If you are feeling hungry it will take hold of that. A good and gentle meal to digest and sense of well-being is the best defence.
- 5. Bring your own bottle and keep it close by. Even feeling partially dehydrated lowers resistance which increases vulnerability.
- 6. Have good gear and wear it. Getting cold and wet is miserable at the best of times and it will predispose you to double down on the misery by getting seasick.
- 7. Avoid heavy weather or choppy conditions. There is just no valour in going out and taking it head-on. If you are prone to seasickness, why go out when you know conditions are too rough for your current capabilities and only cause you or your crew to feel rotten. Life is finite, make your apologies, and stay at home those days.
- 8. I cannot vouch for this but, reportedly, having your ears cleaned before setting out on an extended cruise helps. Helping the inner ear's mechanisms that sense three-dimensional motions operate and acclimatise better has made the difference for many people.
- 9. Finally, be calm, relax and enjoy the trip. Being anxious or fearful of succumbing to seasickness or any events about the vessel, sends unwanted messages to the vomit centre of their own accord.
I know that final point might sound a bit rich, especially as you are only halfway through this extensive piece that is probably only serving to build upon your concerns. However this is all common sense and the art of strategy is often knowing what not to do, as much as what to do. Pick up a few tips implement them and go out and have a great time, keep reading.
The close confines of the cabin should be avoided if one feels in any way 'off'
Photo: Michael Harpur
Photo: Michael Harpur
Thorough preparation goes a long way to preventing seasickness and reducing its grip. But sometimes it just gets you and you know you are on the lower scale of its effects and you need to prevent it climbing:
- 1. Avoid going down into the cabin. Keep in the open air where there is a nice breeze and a clear view out over the horizon. If you are prone to motion sickness being in the cabin is the worst possible place to go. In the cabin, the four sensors are at their most conflicted. The eyes see nothing but the fixed lines of the cabin that are in dramatic contrast to the environment sensed by all the other senses. Down below decks is the danger zone and if you are feeling off you should only plan to be lying on your back preferably with your eyes closed if you are there.
- 2. Pick a nice spot between the centre and two-thirds of the way back in the boat. Preferably as near to the centre line as possible. This is the calmest part of the boat, receiving the least of the changing horizontal and vertical motion caused by the bow rising and pitching into the waves. This, in turn, reduces the amount of movement that the confused brain is struggling to interpret and you will be the better of because of it. If night sailing and you have a choice of berths, again aim for aft of the centre and two-thirds of the boat and ideally if the vessel has one, the much sought after quarter-berth.
- 3. Avoid tasks that require a close focus on near objects such as reading, chart plotting, or staring at close and moving objects such as the compass or, more realistically, smartphones or tablets. Making intricate repairs below decks is positively the worst thing you can do particularly so on the engine. If you are not feeling up to it, just say so. It is far better that you are available to attend to other tasks that are less inclined to aggravate seasickness than to wind up totally debilitated.
- 4. Do keep busy above decks and get involved in the activity on the boat. Immersing yourself in what is going on, as opposed to thoughts of your wellbeing, will place you in a better psychological place to resist seasickness. Being involved in the running of the vessel keeps your mind alert and prevents the early stages of motion sickness taking hold.
- 5. Steer the boat if possible. Being at the helm keeps your mind active, your eyes focused on the horizon and an autonomy and anticipation on what's going to happen next on the motion of the boat. Ever noticed how you can never feel car sick when you are doing the driving? This can really help if you feel like you are starting to succumb.
- 6. Avoid boat positions where the engine exhaust is apparent and stay well clear of diesel or petrol fumes. The vomiting centre can also be triggered by intense smells. The occasional and prolonged whiff of the exhaust or just a couple of drafts of diesel or petrol fumes will be enough to cause anyone to be overcome by seasickness. Likewise, avoid bilges or areas where any pungent odours exist.
- 7. If possible try finding some shade from direct sunlight. Feeling overheated and dehydrated will just make you uncomfortable and reduce motion sickness tolerance.
- 8. Avoid coffee and all caffeinated drinks, tea should be weak. It is better to have water instead and it avoids the cabin and heads.
- 9. If you are on the edge and one of the crew is starting to become sick but clipped-on safely, move as far away as possible. In just a few minutes the smell, the sound, the sight of it, will most likely overcome your resistance. This sounds less than friendly but you may be needed to take on their roles if they are entirely debilitated. If you were to capitulate too it only presents a larger problem aboard.
There is a mal de mer tipping point that there is little immediate return from. If at all possible, you must not let it, well literally, tip as preventing sea sickness is easier than curing it. Once you have gone beyond the point of no return you will feel bad for quite some time, albeit marginally better than the moment before you cut loose. The key is to fight it and if you can do so you could overcome it and be less debilitated later.
- 1. If the early effects of seasickness are starting to become manifest, stay on deck in the fresh air initially and take slow deep breaths. Absolutely do not risk going below and do not overexert yourself. Once you have begun to feel sick, any form of physical or mental effort tends to make it worse.
- 2. If the sensation is persistent, stand up, and if is safe to do so, take a secure handhold. Look out over the horizon. Lethargy and feeling ill make it tempting to lie down but this is more likely to make the ill feelings advance. You can still fight it at this point and avoid passing the point of no return.
- 3. Nibble some ginger biscuits or Saltine crackers. They help calm stomachs reducing nausea and absorb acidity. Strangely whilst eating nausea backs off. Make certain to drink water.
- 3. Have a 'Cola'. Yes, this is caffeinated and a dehydrator but at this point, the phosphoric acid the cola contains helps reduce the likelihood of getting sick. All colas contain an element called 'Emetrol' that is a vomiting controlling substance.
- 4. If you have done fair battle and you have passed the point of no return, let it go over the side. Just be careful you are on the leeward side of the boat and you are not in an unsafe position. Clip-on, once you start to vomit you will have limited self-control.
- 5. Most people recover somewhat once they get rid of it. If not, keep going until you feel there is nothing more to go.
- 6. If you are completely debilitated afterwards and feel no signs of recovery don't be afraid to ask for help. It is best to go to a berth down below to rest.
- 7. The transition to the berth should be in one swift motion as any loitering down below in that condition is only going to aggravate the sensation. If you have heavy weather gear on request help to remove it outside the companionway then go straight to the berth.
- 8. Lie down on your back with your eyes closed. This will make things much better and the motion at this stage may even lull you off to sleep. Remember to replace the nutrients lost from your system when you recover.
A skipper that is mindful seasickness can do a lot to ward it off
Photo: Marco Verch via CC ASA 2.0
Photo: Marco Verch via CC ASA 2.0
First and foremost if choosing a vessel to rent or buy keep motion sickness in mind. A traditional deep keeled cruiser that is 'in the water and not on it' with a centre cockpit is the best. This arrangement will offer the most sea kindly motion to the crew. A stiff racing boat will be rough on the system. Then when at sea:
- 1. Be confident in command. Fear and anxiety can make people vomit of their own accord. Keeping the crew confident about the running of the vessel and active and engaged in the process with specific tasks of their own, can do a lot to stave off seasickness.
- 2.Try to provide readily-available light snacks and water. Eating and drinking small amounts frequently is a helpful strategy. Wholesome light snacks of mixed carbohydrates and protein are ideal and ginger based snacks, in particular, can be more than helpful. This is a natural remedy as we will discuss shortly.
- 3. Monitoring all aboard for the early signs of seasickness. This is best done as a quiet vigilance as questioning only brings people's minds to it or, on the opposite end of the scale, elicit a degree of dismissive bravado. All you have to do is look out for the uncharacteristic quietness, rapidly followed by skin pallor or the dreaded 'green tinge'.
- 4. If anyone is looking off-key do not give them tasks that are critical or could aggravate their condition. If they are not wearing a harness, or a jacket with an integrated harness, get one and help them to put it on without making anything of it. If they look capable of helming, offer it to them.
- 5. Avoid sending crew members that are prone to seasickness to any task below decks.
- 6. Keep the boat under power at all times, by sail or motor. A stalled boat bopping about on the waves will dramatically accelerate seasickness aboard.
- 7. If on a long passage let the crew members that are more susceptible rest for the first days to help them acclimatise.
- 8. If enduring boisterous conditions be prepared to go hove-to for during meal times. This allows crew respite from the conditions to get some good food and collect themselves before moving on. Anything that affects the general wellbeing of the crew reduces the likelihood that they will become seasick.
- 9. If someone is about to be sick, make certain they are not a danger to themselves. Immediately clip them on with a safety line and take off their glasses, dentures or anything they may lose overboard should they start to reach.
- 10. If they continue to be in a bad way, and have completely expelled themselves over the side for some time, vent the cabin by opening the hatch. Set up lee cloths in the calmest berth and leave a plastic bowl or bucket to hand for their peace of mind. If the bucket is used it should be regularly emptied to avoid others having to deal with a cabin smelling of vomit. As already mentioned, the move to the berth should be in one swift motion. Remove all their heavy weather gear above decks so there is no final task to be administered to below decks before entering the berth. Leave a bottle of water to hand to ensure that they have adequate water to replace that lost through vomiting and a light fan will help if it is hot. If they are in a particularly bad way it may be best to lay them out on their back on the cabin floor and above the keel, with their eyes closed. This is the point if the boat where the motion is the least violent.
- 11. If it is a short journey the total cure of 'standing under a tree' is close at hand. But if it is a long journey you can use fast acting 'Kwells' medical remedy. Swallowing will probably no longer work at this stage but Kwells can be chewed or left to sit under your tongue or against the inside of the cheek when it can get absorbed through the lining of your mouth. Likewise Stugeron but this is not a fast-acting drug. You can entirely avoid the ingesting problem by patching them with Transderm Scop that will get absorbed directly into the bloodstream albeit it after several hours - see medications below.
- 12. Monitor people who are in a particularly bad way carefully. They need firm direction in order to prevent them falling into a state of hypothermia and dehydration. It is good to have a stock of oral rehydration solutions, such as Dioralyte, that come in tablets or sachets to mix with a specified volume of water. Readily available in all pharmacists they provide balanced solutions of isotonic fluids that replace essential chemicals lost during vomiting. These are easily absorbed by the stomach whilst also supplying critical fluids. Taking small amounts of these drinks regularly tends to work best.
Unfortunately, there is no panacea. The mere fact that a range of strategies is required probably gives the clue that no single cure has been found. What works for one will not work for others or at least with varying degrees of effectiveness. It is best to personally trial and experiment to find what will be your best personal defence. The benefit of non-medication based defences is they do not prohibit you from advancing to medicated alternatives should they fail to be effective.
- 1. Ginger is the most widely used and successful natural preventative. It seems to soothe stomachs and has no side effects whatsoever. It is available in tablets, capsules, powder, or as pickled ginger slices. Recent studies present Ginger capsules as being almost as effective as some of the below medications without side effects but, everyone is different. It is recommended that you take ginger 12-24 hours beforehand. Between 1 to 4 grams per day of powdered ginger is all that is required and it should also be taken about half an hour before setting sail. Ginger biscuits and ginger ale help but their limited content and purity mean they are dramatically less effective. However, no boat should depart without a good stock of ginger remedies.
- 2. Acupressure wristband. Commonly sold as 'travel bands' they apply pressure to a particular point on your wrist which can prevent the feeling of nausea. The pressure point is at the Nei Guan (P6) median nerve acupressure point that is located on the underside of the arm about three finger-breadths above the wrist and between the two prominent tendons. I have never personally found this to work for me and which may be down to my inability to keep the bands in position under oilskins. Many however do and would not go sailing without them.
- 3. Peppermint accompanying ginger is also said to help. Although far less powerful, mint has similar stomach calming qualities to that of ginger and can be used alongside ginger.
- 4. Place your feet in a basin of ice water. Reportedly it helps. As there are a lot of sensory receptors in the feet it makes sense that this would have an impact on the condition.
- 5. 'ReliefBand'. This is a new electronic solution that many people find to be highly effective. The watch-like device is strapped to the above described Nei Guan acupoint administers small pulses of electrical stimulation to the median nerve. This stimulus sends messages to the brain to settle the stomach and most people say it stops nausea cold. The electric pulses are variable so you may find a level you are comfortable with.
This is a personal decision as many people have deep concerns about the side effects of seasickness drugs. For others feel the side effects are nowhere near as bad as the illness they prevent. You have to read the instructions carefully as they nearly all have side effects. This also makes it advisable to 'test drive' a medication on dry land, or at least in moderate circumstances, prior to using it in earnest in rough seas and find what works for you.
- 1. Transderm Scop (based on Hyoscine, also known as scopolamine,) is my choice and broadly accepted these days as the best defence for seasickness. Hyoscine is the most effective medicine for travel sickness. It works by anticholinergic (anti-acetylcholine) drug that prevents the confusing messages going to your brain. This particular version of it is a prescriptive drug and only available for adults. The drug is administered in the form of a circular flat patch placed on the skin behind the ear and slowly releases Hyoscine into the bloodstream through the skin, thereby minimising the side effects. The patch is stuck on at least 5-6 hours beforehand and removed at the end of the journey with each patch lasting for 72 hours. Care needs to be taken to wash your hands carefully after handling the patch, as inadvertently getting hyoscine in your eyes as it has been known to cause pupil dilation and inability to focus the eye.
If I know I am going to go out on a long passage after being ashore for a season, or if I am caught out when there is a storm approaching and I am going to have to fight it out, I will patch up. Its side effects for me were the widely experienced slightly dry throat or mouth, but apart from that nothing else except the odd feeling of being largely invulnerable to seasickness. However, when my father-in-law patched up he had what almost seemed like a stroke in the following hours! So everybody is different.
- 2. Stugeron® (Cinnarizine). This is the old British reliable and is an antihistamine drug that blocks histamine receptors in the body, including an area in the vomit centre. It works by preventing the brain from sending nerve messages to the stomach that would make it vomit. It appears to be effective but I found when I tried it made me so drowsy that I would rather run the gauntlet with seasickness to skipper the vessel effectively than take it. The stronger the version you get increases this tendency.
- 3. Dramamine®, Gravol® (Dimenhydrinate). Similar to the above this is an over-the-counter antihistamine. It is most effective when taken to prevent motion sickness rather than waiting to treat symptoms that have already started. It is not known exactly how it stops seasickness but thought to work on the inner ear. Again it has the drowsiness effect amongst others.
- 4. Kwells and Joy-rides (Oral Hyoscine). These are amongst a number of different brands of tablet available which contain hyoscine as a salt, called hyoscine hydrobromide. It is probably the most effective drug available and works quickly, but its use tends to be limited by side effects of a dry mouth. You can buy these without a prescription at pharmacies. There are two strengths of tablets available: 300 microgram tablets for adults, and 150 microgram tablets for children which may be achieved with ½ a tablet or ¼ of a tablet for eight years or younger.
Most remedies should be taken in advance and not on an empty stomach. The commonest error when taking drugs for seasickness is to take them too late. It should be remembered that some of the above remedies are potentially powerful drugs. If you have other medical problems such as glaucoma, high blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy or prostate trouble you need to take advice from your doctor before taking any of these.
Skippers should also note that antihistamines can be used as sleep aids and the stronger they get at dealing with seasickness the more drowsiness they can induce. This is not a good thing to take if you are preparing to do a night watch or expecting a crew member to take over. It can, on the other hand, be very useful if you have a crew member that is in a miserable condition and the safe haven is about six hours away.
At the start of my sailing endeavours, I became somewhat of an unwilling practical authority on this subject. Oddly, over time, it has eased its grip on me. I am not that susceptible anymore, so there is hope for us all.
There is one final recurring final viewpoint that occurs in sailing circles whenever I raise the subject of seasickness. It is an observation that Charles Darwin noted in a letter to his father many years ago… "The misery I endured from sea-sickness is far far beyond what I ever guessed at… If it was not for sea-sickness, the whole world would be sailors'. In short, we have it all largely to ourselves thanks to seasickness' 'hurling hurdle', and many people are thankful for that.
If anyone has any additional information or corrections that they can add please do place a comment below and I will be delighted to add it to the collective piece. Otherwise, take as much from this as you can, as it should improve sailing for someone who suffers and you can reduce your anxiety on the subject as know you have done your best by acting on this information. Then you can just go out and enjoy sailing with your friends and not worry about it, and you will be the better for it.
With thanks to:Michael Harpur, Yacht Obsession.
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Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)
Dir. Rob Letterman; Ryan Reynolds, Tim Goodman, Kathryn Newton
[2 out of 4 stars]
Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) is the long-awaited and much anticipated first foray into a live-action Pokémon movie. To date, there have been more than 20 animated entries in the Pokémon film franchise. Yet there seemed to be a hesitation to launch into the live-action and augmented CGI fare: it's hard to know how fans and newcomers alike will react to the translation of a fully animated narrative into a mixed CGI/live-action affair. However, the success of Disney's The Jungle Book (2016) and the most recent Planet of the Apes movies has proven there is an audience for movies that utilize advances in hyper-realistic effects. It's also worth noting that the recent trailers for Sonic the Hedgehog (2019) and Aladdin (2019) show the opposite, the reveals of their CGI characters sparking such fan backlash that Sonic's director agreed to change the titular hero's design. I am happy to report that Detective Pikachu features truly inspired visual effects in service of a movie that is flawed in any number of other ways while also succeeding in being quite a lot of fun.
Detective Pikachu follows the journey of Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), a rather jaded young man who once wanted to be a Pokémon trainer but now works an insurance job. When he gets word that his father, a police officer in nearby Rime City, has died in a car accident, Tim travels there to collect his father's belongings. While Detective Pikachu doesn't spend much time situating viewers in the world of Pokémon, the basic facts are these: the movie world exists in the same one as the movies and games that have preceded it, a place where Pokémon subbed in for the animals of the real world and are captured, trained, and set to battle each other by people. Rime City stands as a different sort of place within that world. Designed by Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy), it is a place where Pokémon and humans exist on equal footing. And so, when Tim goes to his father's apartment, he 1) runs into aspiring reporter Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) who thinks there's something fishy about his father's death and 2) discovers his father's partner, the eponymous Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds). While Pikachu was in the car crash with his partner, he is suffering from amnesia and can remember no details of the event. However, Pikachu feels sure that Tim's father didn't die in the crash. What follows is the story of Tim, Pikachu, and Lucy searching for Tim's father, and of Tim coming to terms with their estrangement as he hopes to find him still alive.
It is important to say now that of the things that Detective Pikachu has going for it, a well-written and thoughtful script does not number among them. This may be partially due to the fact that there are 7 writers credited on the screenplay. With that many people vying for a narrative vision it only follows that the end result will not be a cohesive piece of storytelling, instead existing as the sum of different voices clambering to have their ideas featured in the final product. What does come through is a rather trite story of familial redemption and "finding yourself" that has no imagination in it, and moves from plot point to plot point without any traceable motivation. By way of example, Lucy's introduction is the result of her just happening to be outside Tim's father's apartment when Tim happens to walk in. But instead of staying to grill him about her supposed lead, she delivers a few pulpy lines and leaves. It is horribly contrived, and is an apt example of how little effort seems to have been put into making a story cohere. The result is cast of characters and collection of plot devices that rarely rise above cliché or archetype, and a story that is more a series of often entertaining and engaging moments that never string together into a compelling narrative. I felt this most when it came to Lucy and Tim, who could be summed up by the descriptors of 'spunky reporter too curious for her own good,' and 'guilty son who really doesn't want to admit that he loves Pokémon because they remind him of his dad.' There is little to either of them, the main human characters in the movie, beyond that. It is not that Smith or Newton is particularly objectionable in their roles, but neither actor seems talented enough to rise above poor writing to do anything interesting with their parts. Even the great actors Billy Nighy and Ken Watanabe, who do as much as they can with nothing parts, cannot imbue the human characters in this movie with any dynamism; Nighy is strictly the 'would-be saviour who turns out to be a villain' (a turn that is obvious from his first appearance), and Watanabe is the 'caring and morally resolute police captain.'
All this may be simply because the point of Detective Pikachu is not the people; rather, it is to show off the Pokémon, and this is something the movie succeeds at in no small part because of the electric draw of Ryan Reynolds. Even hidden behind the CGI guise of Pikachu, the rat-a-tat quips and jokes that Reynolds has mastered in projects like The Proposal (2009) and Deadpool (2016) imbue the character with a relatability none of the humans achieve. Director Rob Letterman shoots the early stages of the movie like a neo-noir in the tradition of Blade Runner (1982), complete with dark alleyways and neon lights, and so he and Reynolds model Pikachu into a riff on the hard-boiled detective, and my God is it fun. In one scene, Pikachu takes over a living room to map out his investigation, complete with string and manic writing. When Tim discovers it and asks him what he's doing, Pikachu walks around explaining his ideas all while picking up an endless array of coffee cups searching for one with any coffee left inside. It is a lovely take on the association between detective characters and coffees, and is the sort of satire that this movie would have benefitted from having more of. Reynolds sustains the banter and humor throughout the movie, and though I am surprised to say it, I would happily watch a movie that was made up of only Reynold's take on Pikachu because it's that entertaining.
Pikachu also encapsulates the greatest strength of the movie: the visual effects that bring the Pokémon themselves to life. As someone who grew up collecting Pokémon cards and playing the video games (once I was allowed to, that is), there is an inherent nostalgia in seeing many beloved Pokémon brought to life. They appear just on the right side of the uncanny, not being pushed to a hyper-realism that would have made them unsettling, instead being allowed to seem otherworldly. When we reach the obligatory battle-style match up between Pikachu and a Charizard, and then later the introduction of Mewtwo, the effects artists strike an impressive balance between honoring the look of the attacks and other battle aspects from the games and show while also tweaking them to seem just realistic enough not to jar you out of a suspension of disbelief. Elsewhere, great humor is mined from the usage of the Pokémon Mr. Mime when Tim and Pikachu try to interrogate him, forced to rely on an absurd game of charades to further their investigation. The Pokémon were always going to be the lynchpin of the movie, and the visual effects department does not disappoint.
Digressing for a moment, I found myself thinking quite a bit about the music in Detective Pikachu, which is not something I expected to happen. Henry Jackman's score stands out as a well-handled blend of electronic and symphonic, incorporating musical cues from noir, action, and the classic Pokémon properties. Jackman seems to lean particularly on some of the work that Michael Giacchino and Joe Kraemer have done with recent Mission: Impossible movies to score Pikachu's action sequences, and a murky blend of horns, synthesizer, and strings help sell the sections that lean into the soundscape we've come to expect from decades of film noirs. Overall it is a fascinating chameleonic approach to scoring the movie. There are moments where Jackman wears his influences a little too obviously, such as the track "Greninja & Torterra" that seems to be a thinly disguised riff on the theme John Williams developed for Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in the newest Star Wars movies. In other spots, Jackman seems more confident to forge his own musical pathway. During the aforementioned showdown between Pikachu and Charizard, Jackman and Letterman incorporate the Pokémon Loudred and its sound-based attacks into the score, adding a propulsive bass line to a nice bit of action scoring. There may be no catchy theme that will join the ranks of the scores he's emulating, but Jackman nonetheless turns in a respectable, and sometimes stirring, score for a movie that could easily have had just another cookie cutter soundscape.
Nonetheless, for all the success that Reynolds and the visual effects bring to the movie, Detective Pikachu never breaks free from the fact that it has no compelling plot to stand on, and no convincing live-action performances to sustain it. Deadpool, I mean Pikachu, can only carry the movie so far. I went into the movie with incredibly low expectations, and was pleasantly surprised by how much of it I enjoyed. Yet, in the era of slick, tongue-in-cheek blockbusters like Thor: Ragnarok (2017), the standard has been raised, and Detective Pikachu can't quite hit the mark.


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If you're like many new mothers, you've put a lot of effort into regaining your physique and getting back to the weight you were before childbirth. Like many new mothers you've also probably discovered weight isn't the only hurdle to overcome on the path to your pre-pregnancy body. The extra weight and strain put on your belly have likely caused loose skin and flab that just won't seem to go away.
How do you get your tummy back in shape and get rid of the loose skin? There are plenty of sites that list specific workouts and oils that can make slight improvements. What we are aiming to give you with this list is a general overview of the significant changes you need to make while caring for your body going forward. You can always dig deeper by finding more particular products and workouts, but first, you should follow these basic tips. Afterward, you will already be well on your way to tightening up your tummy.
Lose the weight slowly
You probably want to get back to your old weight as soon as possible, but losing weight too quickly will only add to the problem of loose skin. You need your skin to maintain its elasticity, so you need to give it adequate time to adjust to abrupt weight changes. Losing weight too quickly may also reduce the amount of muscle in your stomach, which is also extremely important to maintain firmness. Instead of focusing on losing weight, try a light regimen of strength training. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, the more weight you will gradually lose, and the firmer your stomach and body will become. Here are some other weight loss tips:
- Try walking which is a total body workout
- Postpartum yoga can help firm muscles & clear the mind
- When you're up for it try a cardio class to burn more calories & bust your middle
Improve your diet
Make sure you're eating the right foods. Going hand in hand with the strength training is an increase in the amount of protein you're eating. Protein contains important nutrients that help your skin, such as collagen. The increase in lean muscle caused by the training and a high protein diet will have considerable effects on your body over time. Foods high in protein include:
- Eggs
- Lean Chicken Breast
- Almonds
- Peanut Butter
- Oats
- Tuna
Be sure you are getting enough liquid in your diet, especially water. Water will improve the elasticity in your skin by keeping it hydrated. When your body is hydrated, it reduces overall water weight retention and tightens up many problem areas. It is also a great boost for mothers who are nursing because it can boost milk supply. Health experts always advise drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. In order to get all of the needed water daily, measure it out and pour it into a water bottle you can carry around with you throughout the day. Be sure not to try to hydrate with coffee. This actually dehydrates your body and defeats the purpose. Juices and soda are also not the best idea because of the sugar content. Make it water all the way!
Get a loofah or exfoliating scrub. You can browse your local pharmacy and find one that suits your needs. Once you get a product you're happy with start scrubbing. Put the scrub on a washcloth or shower puff and start gently scrubbing the skin around your belly. You don't want to be too rough, just enough to get the job done! This will increase the flow of blood to the area and will help regenerate new, more elastic skin. If you have sensitive skin be sure to choose a product that caters to it.
Use lotions
There are tons of products claim to tighten skin, but the best kinds are ones that contain collagen, as well as vitamins E, A, C, and K. massage them into your skin to boost blood flow (for reason mentioned earlier.) Do this once or twice a day in areas with loose skin.
As you look for products and ways to regain firmness, be on the lookout for gimmicks. If it seems too good to be true or unsafe for your body, then it probably is. Always trust your instincts!
One of the most important things to remember is not to be too hard on yourself. Your body not only grew and carried another human being for nine months but also birthed that little person. Whether you had a C-section or gave birth naturally, that is a lot of strain on your body. Give it time to recover. Also, while many women long to be at their pre-pregnancy weight, sometimes that just isn't possible. It is possible to get back into shape and to treat your skin well so that it can try to regain its firmness.


text: "Every time you make a choice you are turning the control part of you, that part that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, you are slowly turning this control thing either into a heavenly creature or a hellish one." – C.S. Lewis


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"RoboCop 2014 sets the new standard for remakes! " "Amazing story with Edge-Of-The-Seat Action!"
" A must-see film!"
-Unhinged Reviews-
Alex Murphy is back and he's "Bad-Ass"! This by far is one of the best remakes that we've seen in a long time. Joel Kinnaman delivers as Alex Murphy in this futuristic story of an injured cop that is rebuilt into one serious piece of machinery. "Cyborg or not, this cop is the truth!"
"RoboCop 2014" pays respect to the original story, but also makes waves of it's own. Now, it's time to get down to business, as we Unhinge this awesome film!
First thing that we would like to do is applaud Joshua Zetumer and José Padilha, along with the rest of the crew, for coming together to create this masterpiece. A lot of screenplay writers, directors will often fall short when they try to remake a film, but these guys got it right! What they did differently than a lot of others is allow the cornerstone of the story to guide them as they incorporated the mindset and possible technology of today's tomorrow. Simply put, the future in this film doesn't seem so distant which makes it that much easier for us to connect with.
Before we begin, we know some of you have seen the movie and some of you haven't yet bought your ticket, so we will proceed with caution. We're going to discuss this movie with the assumption that no one has even seen the original, so first-timers aren't confused. Vets can fill in the pieces, but just know that a "Mega Comparison" between the two films is coming soon!
So now that that's out of the way(lol), the movie begins by showing the manner in which future law-enforcement will no longer be sufficient in keeping the majority safe. Criminals will have refined their processes to the point in which "we" must lean on robots to maintain safety in our day to day living. The entire world has adopted this fact, all except for one country. Can you guess which country is dragging their heels on protecting the people?
Unfortunately it's us, but for the movie's sake, this isn't such a bad thing. The American people are not comfortable with the idea of having thousands of metallic emotionless beings hind-stepping their every move, so hence the purpose of RoboCop. But what is Robocop?
Robocop is a cyborg which means that he is half organic material(man) and half-robot(metal-technology). Just the idea in itself is an interesting concept, but did you know that we are already there? We're not as advanced as our Joel Kinnaman(Murphy), but we've already blended man with modern technology and that's in the real world.
Now that you know what Robocop is, we can tell you that the movie is about his creation and what it means to be. This is a movie about a cop attempting to find himself after experiencing a would-be tragic set of circumstances. This is also a film about a man overcoming insurmountable odds with the aid of brilliant minds manipulating futuristic technology. This movie is so many ideas rolled into one, but initially, you will only focus on the ideas most obvious.
We could spend all day here talking about this film and we would love to, but you've got a movie to watch..lol If you haven't seen "Robocop 2014", make it a top priority. The movie is solid, don't listen to the naysayers, this movie rocks!
Now as far as the "Mega-Comparison" it's coming, in the very near future, like next week future..lol We won't hold back on any of the tidbits, you'll want to make sure that you've seen both of them as well, so that nothing is spoiled for you.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this Unhinged Review of "RoboCop 2014", please share it with others and if you want to be notified of the Comparison review make sure you sign up to the newsletter to know when it will be posted.
-Unhinged Reviews-
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For this reason, I have interviewed Hamoud Sharaf, the Sana'a-based radio's director to know more about the campaign, its objective and the future of resistance.
Sharaf expresses that the campaign "from believing Yemen to the Lebanese resistance will have a great impact in enhancing the resistance," adding, ''it is a sort of fidelity to those who stands behind the Yemeni people. It is equally important a painful hit to the Zionist enemy.''
''The target of the campaign has not only been a painful strike to the enemies, but at the same time, a great incentive for all the free Yemenis to effectively participate, derived from their moral responsibility before God to their nation's righteous causes and before those who stands in solidarity with them against the four years unjust aggression,'' the radio's director says.
This duty, he adds, has been stressed through Sayyed al-Houthi's vow to Hezbollah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrullah, that in any coming military confrontation, he would send the honourable Yemeni fighters to fight along with their Hezbollah brethren in Lebanon or Palestine, against the Zionist enemy.
Previous stages of the campaign had been orchestrated to support Yemeni resistance against the Zionist-American-Saudi-Emirati aggression, particularly for the various units of military industrialisation. After a few days of the campaign's inauguration and in response to Sayyed al-Houthi's calls, Yemeni people rushed voluntarily to participate, following the financial sanctions, imposed by the US, against the backdrop of Hezbollah's praiseworthy and consistent positions.
Last April, the US imposed a new package of sanctions on Lebanese individuals accused of being affiliated to or helping provide funds for Hezbollah. The campaign has witnessed a large turnout from various academic, social religious and political components and elites of the Yemeni people, in different Yemeni governorates.
Sharaf further states, "Given the financial hardship that our Yemeni people are experiencing because of the imposed war, blockade and salary cuts for more than two years, the campaign's toll may not be great. But, due the Yemenis' faith, awareness and sincerity, God will make every riyal two folds, as expressed in the holy Quran, 'If you loan Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you' [64:17].''
Sharaf continues, ''They all, through Sam FM, contributed, with pride, which shows the highest mean of altruism, sacrifice and steadfastness. Remarkably, Yemeni children partook and even granted the money allocated by their families for Eid clothes, in addition to martyrs' families, where widows and mothers had taken off their gold jewelry to donate it. This reflects the top examples of generosity, especially after they have sacrificed their loved ones for the sake of God and the nation.''
Those needy who did afford to spend on the campaign have done much more valuable than the money as they have performed prayers with the intention of victory for Hezbollah,'' the radio's director notes.
He comments, ''this popular campaign constitutes a great lesson for the upcoming generations on the one hand, and on the other hand a strong message to the hypocrites and coward enemies. The message is that under any circumstances, the free Yemenis would never abandon the path of resistance, whatever the sacrifices.''
Regarding the motives of the campaign, the radio's director points out that they had organised the campaign, ''in the aftermath of the aggressive economic sanctions against Hezbollah, for we believe that we are part and parcel of the axis of resistance, its cause, position and destiny.''
''The aim is to announce a firm Yemeni stance in response to the US administration's designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, because of its adherence to the resistance option and its courageous and honourable positions, mainly regarding the oppressed people of Yemen and Palestine,'' Sharaf stresses.
He adds, ''In addition to the aforementioned objectives, the campaign also aimed to demonstrate the fact that the Yemeni people support their brothers in Lebanon and identify with them in spite of all geography borders''.
''Sam FM's campaign to support Hezbollah has been a powerful and resounding slap in the face of the Zionist, American and Saudi-led coalition and its mercenaries, as this stage, thanks to God, has had a wide resonance and a great impact,'' Hamoud Sharaf postulates.
He argues, ''Hence, as soon as Sam FM announced it, the enemies expressed their great annoyance, as they hasted to adopt a huge media campaign to spread false rumours to distort and diminish the campaign's significance, through various platforms.''
Responding to the question of how he expect the future of the nation, he says, ''God willing, it will be a bright one for we expect the awakening of the whole nation and thus the painful defeat of the arrogant powers and the dissipate their dreams. I may her resonate His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrullah's words that 'the time of defeats is long over and the time of victories has come.'''
''Today, our nation witnesses a phase of awareness. It has discovered how the puppet regimes have long been shackling them and how they were nothing but mere tools for the global tyrant system, represented by the American administration and the Zionist entity, '' Sam FM's director says.
Sharaf mentions that the reality have unfolded before the peoples of the Arab and Islamic nation, who become conscious about who run wars in the region and who ignite tension. He stresses ''our peoples have realized who were striking their culture, their economy, their riches, their unity and their power. They have perceived that their so-called leaders are nothing but subjugated puppets.''
Sharaf goes further to say that the radical dictators have failed to force the peoples into surrender and to submit that their resistance is weaker than the American and Zionist projects. ''Meanwhile, the masks are uncovered. The peoples have realized, through the resistance's attitudes, who truly represents them. They have realised the resistance's sacrifices and how it has set noble examples of steadfastness and how it has also raised the nation's status.''
''We are victorious in the battle of consciousness. That consciousness will restore power to this nation after it has lost its glories as a result of the prolonged hegemony, occupation and subjugation, which weakened and humiliated them, occupied their land and looted their wealth,'' Sam FM's director adds.
Sharaf concludes ''through the growing awareness among the peoples of our Arab and Islamic nation, the future of this nation will be a promising victorious one, and this has hit the global arrogance and dissipate its dreams. Those arrogant powers have failed to resolve their aggressive battle against Yemen, failed to uproot the Syrian regime and Hezbollah from the region, failed to force Iran into submission and failed to undermine the nation's central cause of Palestine.


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- Explore the chateaux and vineyards dotted throughout the Loire Valley
- Take in the breathtaking views of Mont Blanc from the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix
- Visit the Eiffel Tower at night for mesmerising light shows and amazing city views
- Head to Brittany for miles of unspoilt beaches, medieval towns and delicious crepes!
- Take in the rugged natural beauty of Corsica on a drive along the island's west coast
Flight time
Approx 1 - 2 hours
Time difference
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
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- May
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Le Village 1950
Take your mountain break in this luxurious apartment complex complete with state-of-the-art spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and an array of restaurants, shops and bars which will see to your every need. Nestled in the idyllic main square in the heart of the charming Les Arcs 1950 ski resort, guests can take advantage of…
Premium Residence L'Amara
This luxury apartment complex is located at the gateway to the mountain resort of Avoriaz. As well as breath taking views down the valley to Morzine, you will be able to indulge yourself with the indoor pool and sauna facilities as well as a luxury spa. Once you're done relaxing, take advantage of unrivalled access…
Hotel La Sivoliere
Hidden amongst the alpine forest of the Courchevel 1850 resort, Hotel La Sivoliere's wood and stone chalet exterior covers a treasure trove of luxury commodities. Sumptuous dining, indulgent spa facilities and crackling fireplaces form just a small fraction of La Sivoliere's appeal. With a peerless positioning at the heart of the Three Valleys, it's one…
Hotel Annapurna
Bringing a whole new meaning to the term 'on piste', the Annapurna is set directly by the side of Courchevel's Pralong ski run - take your first step out of the ski room door across the crunchy snow and you're ready to ski! The ultimate in ski convenience isn't Annapurna's only draw; light and spacious rooms, a sophisticated…
Hotel Allodis
Casting a watchful eye over the idyllic, snow-capped Meribel resort, the picturesque Hotel Allodis's pristine French chalet design resembles something from a storybook. Located on the piste and just a short distance from the Rhodos gondola mid-station, the Allodis has an unbeatable vantage point for getting to the slopes. While exquisite dining, a tasteful bar lounge area and a…
Les Barmes de l'Ours
Val D'Isère is famed for its slopes, and none are more coveted than the Face de Bellevarde. So perhaps it's not surprising that Les Barmes de l'Ours, which sits at the bottom of the piste, is also a highly desirable destination in its own right. With its varied décor and Michelin-star restaurant, it's easy to…
Le Chabichou
Sitting just a stones throw away from the bustling centre of the famous Courchevel 1850 resort, the white-paneled Le Chabichou is unmissable against the alpine skyline, while being perfectly located amongst the Three Valleys slopes for ski-in ski-out convenience. Boasting a two Michelin starred restaurant with chefs Michel Rochedy and Stephane Buron at the helm;…
Hotel La Chaudanne
La Chaudanne provides its guests with luxury accommodation that really captures the spirit of this quaint alpine village. The hotel's décor combines the tradition and rustic ambience of the mountains with a contemporary freshness, with the rooms in particular exuding a homely quality. Meanwhile, the resort's location means fantastic ski links to the Three Valleys area.
Hotel Portetta
Sophisticated and charming, the Portetta puts dedication into every detail of its guests' stay, making it a lead example of the wonderful hotels that make Courchevel 1650 such a popular and world-renowned ski resort. With large, elegantly crafted rooms, creative dining and innovative facilities that get the most from the wintry surroundings, you won't ever…
Hotel Avenue Lodge
Nestled amongst the French Alps is the five star Hotel Avenue Lodge. With its minimalist design and luxurious spa facilities, this wintry retreat is the ultimate in boutique accommodation. Guests come to test the slopes of the legendary Val d'Isère ski resort, browse the shops in town or simply relax against a backdrop of some…
Au Coeur du Village, Hotel
With a gentle nod towards traditional ski lodge aesthetics, Au Coeur du Village has a rich interior décor created using aged wood and warm, lavish furnishings. The hotel's services, however, create the modern expectations of a five star resort. Sumptuous dining, extravagant spa pampering and a 24-hour concierge service are all part of what makes…
Hotel Christiania
Full of rustic 1950s French charm and unparalleled views of the majestic Alpine mountains behind, the five star Christiania is once again in the running for Europe's Leading Ski Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2012. The hotel offers door-step access to the slopes and understated old-school glamour. Think Hollywood stars, revolving gold and dark…
L'Helios Hotel
A contemporary boutique hotel situated just above the centre of the thriving Meribel resort and boasting an enviable slope-side location. L'Helios Hotel & Spa caters to the needs of the modern day skier; inside the hotel's chic and stylish walls guests will find spacious rooms, a lavish wellbeing area and even a private cinema.
Hotel des Dromonts
Surrounded by snow capped peaks sits this iconic hotel with a rich history. The first hotel to be established in the revolutionary ski resort of Avoriaz, Hotel des Dromonts has been beautifully renovated to revive its original spirit, cleverly blending modern comforts and luxury with a lively and colourful sixties inspired decor.
Our team negotiate savings and upgrades for our clients every day. Whilst a selection of our best special offers are highlighted here, we would recommend contacting one of our experts should you have a particular holiday or hotel in mind:


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Hi everyone, new member here. Anyway, for my astronomy class my professor wants us to calculate the zone time the center of the sun sets on the winter solstice, at 40 degrees north latitude, and I'm a bit stuck. I know on the winter solstice, the declination of the sun is -23.5 degrees and the right ascension is 18h, and since it would be setting the altitude would be zero. I figured out that I need to find the hour angle of the sun at that exact moment, and use this as the local apparent solar time, and correct to make it mean solar time. I think the objective is to use spherical trigonometry and set up a triangle in the sky, but I'm at a loss of how to set it up, so if anyone could give me a few pointers, that would be great. Thanks.
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Our guest for this episode was Erin O'Brien! Listen to her talk about film theory (spoiler alert), 90's queer performance art, the children's guide to Paris, and meat at opposablepodcast.com/11. Shout out to Root Simple for coming up with the "Uncertainty Generators" challenge!
Pneumatic coin-flipping/exploding device
Parisian vitamin freebasing apparatus for uncertainty generation: found objects plus doubt, insecurities, questionable pharmaceuticals, big pharma, multiplied by affordable care act plus republican congressional attempts to replace and repeal.
Mysterious found photo essays


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The best kept secret in music
This band has no press
2012 - Darryl Reeves - "Mercury" - [Album]
2012 - T-Pain - "Stoic" - [Mixtape] - guest soloist
2004 - Darryl Reeves - "Diary of a Bandstand" - [Album]
Feeling a bit camera shy
Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Darryl Reeves is a saxophonist that effortlessly merges the lines between funk, soul & hip-hop, expressed from a platform rooted in jazz. Growing up in a musical family, Reeves attended the Northwestern Performing & Visual Arts Center in Miami. Moved by hip-hop samples originating from jazz, Reeves was led to being influenced by greats such as Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. Reeves studied music at Jackson State University. He subsequently completed his Masters of Music at the University of New Orleans, where he studied with Terence Blanchard and performed on the scene with Delfeayo Marsalis. In 2004, Reeves released the funky and playful Diary of a Bandstand, to ample acclaim. It featured Robert Glasper, Russell Gunn & Quamon Fowler and cemented Reeves' reputation for presenting a new outlook on the sound, style and production of jazz music. Reeves has kept a steady hand in not being limited to any specific genre. Some know him just as well for his production in hip-hop. Reeves caught Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson's attention with his ingenious jazz-funk remixes of Jay-Z's Black Album, which was spun upon many of the drummer's dj sets. Recently in Atlanta, he has been the music director of many highly acclaimed live sets with Aishah Rashied Hyman's Spreadlove and DJ Kemit. He has performed and recorded with notable artists including Roy Ayers, The O'Jays, Frank McComb, Angie Stone, Kirk Whalum, Jill Scott, Phonte, Toku, Janelle Monae, Young Jeezy, B.O.B. and T-Pain.


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Rick Spielman, Vikings GM, Comments on Teddy Bridgewater, MoreFebruary 19, 2016
Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman spoke with reporters Thursday about everything from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the draft.
When speaking about his team's signal-caller, who will be in his third season next year, Spielman said he's ready for the 23-year-old to take the next step, per Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
I think just the biggest thing that you want to see is maybe him letting it loose a little more. I don't want to call him cautious, but he took very good care of the ball because we don't want to turn the ball over. I don't want to speak out of turn for the coaches, just letting it loose a little more, giving some guys a chance to make plays even though it may not look like it's open. I think that comes with time, the more and more the quarterbacks are in the league.
Bridgewater had only nine interceptions last year, but the Vikings also threw the ball a league-low 454 times. The general manager seems to believe the coaching staff needs to have more confidence in the quarterback now that he has two years under his belt.
It's probably not a bad thing, considering starting running back Adrian Peterson will be 31 years old next season, and a heavy workload may not be the best thing for him.
Spielman did not get specific when talking about the draft but did call it "deep," and Craig paraphrased the general manager's words:
As for the draft, they've made it through the evaluation process on all the offensive players and need to complete the defensive players. After the combine, Spielman said the team will shift its attention to piecing all of the information together and weighing it against salary cap concerns for this year and upcoming seasons.
Spielman was more specific when it came to kicker Blair Walsh's job following his missed 27-yard field goal in the final seconds of the team's 10-9 Wild Card Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks, per Craig.
"Blair Walsh is our kicker," Spielman said. "I mean, I understand him missing that last kick, but I also know we wouldn't have been in that situation if he didn't kick the three before in the conditions. So I think our organization, our coaches and everybody, has confidence in Blair."
It should be refreshing for the players to know their GM has their backs.
He also complimented left tackle Matt Kalil: "There's nothing from the physical standpoint that I think he can't do." He said he would leave it up to the coaches when it came to wide receiver and kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson's role:
I don't think there's any question about Cordarrelle as an athlete and what he does with the ball in his hands, but those are decisions that the coaching staff has to make. They get paid to put the best guys out there on the field that gives us the best opportunity to win, and I trust them 100 percent when they make those decisions on what we need to win on game days.
Despite the early playoff exit, the Vikings are the reigning NFC North champions and have parts in place to fight for a second straight division title next season. If anything, they should know they have their general manager behind them—not micromanaging, but supporting and advising.


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I really love this website! It gives so much information about Dover town in London. When I heard about the place, I immediately searched for it because my friends told me it was a perfect place for a vacation. I came here as I searched for Dover and saw that it also helps the tourists with their accommodations and also suggests good places to visit. It was not my plan to visit immediately but because I landed on this site, I suddenly have the feeling that I need to visit because Dover is so beautiful. And besides, I learned that I don't have to worry about my vacation because Dover Came To Me will help me plan it out.
Trisha D.
I was planning my vacation for some alone time but I actually have no idea where to travel to or what place to visit. A relative of mine suggested London and I actually loved the idea. But then if I want my own time, I thought that I should go to a much calmer place and more relaxing so I searched a lot of places in London that have that feel. I saw the Dover town and saw this site too so I checked it out. It is great since I got to see beautiful places and read details about them. Now, I have tons of ideas where I can spend my vacation.
Justin S.
I visited the Dover town a few months ago and even though it was my first time, it was worth traveling alone because I found the Dover Came To Me website. At first, I thought the partnerships they were talking about wasn't true but then when I tried talking to their staff and went to an actual vacation, it was real and they really helped me throughout my vacation. I'm really thankful to them!
Jay H.


text: Jim Morrison May Finally Get Pardoned for Showing His Penis 4.46K Jim Newell 11/08/10 05:07PM Filed to: Pardons Pardons Charlie Crist Jim Morrison rock and roll the doors Florida Fb Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who will be unemployed in two months, may pardon the late Doors frontman Jim Morrison over a famous 1969 indecent exposure charge. (He drunkenly waved his penis around, allegedly.) Finally, hippies have something to cheer for.