UK gene therapy pioneer tilts at $125m NASDAQ IPO – Business Weekly

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Freeline Therapeutics in Stevenage, which is developing gene therapies for rare diseases, is bidding to raise $125 million through an IPO on the US technology market NASDAQ.

The company plans to offer 7.4 million American Depositary Shares at $16-$18 apiece.

Even hitting halfway up the range Freeline could clinch a market value of around $574m.The company's lead candidate, FLT180a, is an investigational gene therapy medicinal product candidate for the treatment of haemophilia B and is currently in a Phase 1/2 trial.

Freeline closed a $120 million extended Series C financing in June 2020.The companys stated aim is to transform the lives of patients suffering from inherited systemic debilitating diseases. Data gleaned from trials involving the first cohort of 10 patients was promising, the company says.

CEO Theresa Heggie said: The feedback builds on previously reported data which suggest that FLT180a has the potential, using relatively low doses, to create durable FIX activity levels in the normal range in patients with severe Haemophilia B and provide a functional cure.

Freeline is headquartered at Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst and has operations in Germany and the US. It has plans to grow rapidly across all territories.

Targeting the liver with its novel gene therapy platform enables Freeline to treat a wide range of chronic diseases. Its proprietary split packaging technology and high performing capsid allows the company to target monogenic diseases and, in the future, potentially treat complex disease areas not currently targeted by gene therapy.

Heggie said: We plan to commercialise our next-generation AAV gene therapy platform for haemophilia B while we continue to deploy the capsid and manufacturing platform across our pipeline of novel indications.

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UK gene therapy pioneer tilts at $125m NASDAQ IPO - Business Weekly

Of mice and memories: Gene therapy study returns function in Alzheimer’s mice – ABC News

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Norman Swan: Alzheimer's disease is the commonest form of dementia, and the results of billions of dollars of research investment have been bitterly disappointing in terms of finding an effective treatment. However, experiments on mice by a group from the Dementia Research Centre at Macquarie University have come up with some promising findings. Professor Lars Ittner is the director of the centre. Welcome to the Health Report Lars.

Lars Ittner: Hello, how are you?

Norman Swan: Now, essentially you are targeting an enzyme which protects nerve cells in the brain from the toxic effects of amyloid beta and that's one of the two main substances which accumulate in Alzheimer's disease. What did you actually do in this study?

Lars Ittner: So in this we found prior to this study that this enzyme activity that protects the brain from Alzheimer's disease is actually lost in Alzheimer's disease. And we devised a gene therapy to replace the enzyme activity and bring the enzyme back into the brain cells.

Norman Swan: And these are mice which replicate Alzheimer's disease in some shape or form.

Lars Ittner: Yes, they are, so we genetically engineered them to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Norman Swan: And they were showing signs of memory and thinking problems?

Lars Ittner: Yes, so their ability to form memory and then store the memory over longer terms is compromised.

Norman Swan: And this was the gene for this enzyme?

Lars Ittner: So we brought backit's called the P38 gamma gene, which we brought back into the brains of these mice and that restored their ability to form memory.

Norman Swan: So you actually got healing?

Lars Ittner: So we were quite surprised because when you set out with these type of studies you expect at most that you stop the progression. But yes, we got far more than we set out for.

Norman Swan: People have tried gene therapy before from Parkinson's disease and other things, and it's quite hard to get the gene therapy into the brain. And of course Alzheimer's disease is quite widespread as opposed to Parkinson's disease. How do you get the gene therapy in reliably?

Lars Ittner: So from the early days of gene therapy done in Parkinson's disease, the vehicles that are used to bring the genes into organisms or in the brain in particular have improved, so these days we use modified viruses that we take advantage of their ability to infect brain cells, and they then deliver the genes for us.

Norman Swan: In the right place. Were there any side effects?

Lars Ittner: So we did toxicity studies as part of our study, and then you use incredibly high amounts of the virus, and we did not see long-term side-effects.

Norman Swan: How do you getthere's something called the bloodbrain barrier, the brain is a protected organ and it's quite hard for things to get into the brain because of this barrier, how did you get beyond that with these gene therapies?

Lars Ittner: So with the mice we can take advantage of a modified virus which has been selected to actually passage this naturally, but in humans you would do a single injection, it's like a lumbar puncture, it's at the base of your neck, and it's directly into the liquid around the brain, so you basically mechanically bypass the bloodbrain barrier.

Norman Swan: There have been very disappointing results. I mean, what happens in mice particularly in Alzheimer's disease does not necessarily happen in humans, and there's not a single amyloid beta therapy that has had much effect on the brains of the people with Alzheimer's disease. Why do you think this one might work in humans when others haven't?

Lars Ittner: So the problem with the amyloid beta is that it is now understood that this is a disease inducing pathology but is not required for the progression of the disease, and we are targeting here actually the tau protein specifically which is

Norman Swan: It's the other thing that

Lars Ittner: Exactly, and that is responsible for the progression of the disease, so it's actually moving away from the amyloid beta as a drug target which has failed in the past.

Norman Swan: Now, with COVID-19 around we are getting used to the language of clinical trials and accelerating trials. When are you ready to go to phase 1 which would be a safety trial in humans?

Lars Ittner: So preclinical experiments have actually been completed for this particular study, and the next step are in fact phase 1 clinical trials, and we are currently working with Macquarie University and their commercialisation arm to find the right partner to move forward into clinical trials.

Norman Swan: Fascinating. Well, we'll follow that up when you do. Thanks for joining us.

Lars Ittner: It was my pleasure.

Norman Swan: Professor Lars Ittner is director of the Dementia Research Centre at Macquarie University.

You've been listening to the Health Report, I'm Norman Swan, and I'd really enjoy your company next week.

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Of mice and memories: Gene therapy study returns function in Alzheimer's mice - ABC News

The Maine Idea: If Lives Matter, Then Names Matter, Too – Press Herald

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In what seems like an instant, Black Lives has become the central issue of our time.

Consider: On May 25, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. On June 1, demonstrators were cleared from Lafayette Square ahead of Donald Trumps photo-op in front of St. Johns Church, prompting nationwide protests. And on June 10, the statue of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, was toppled from its base in Richmond, Va.

The following day, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a remarkable statement. He apologized for his role in Trumps Lafayette Square visit, and also supported removing the names of Confederate generals from military bases.

Milley called the Civil War an act of treason, and said soldiers of color 43% of todays military must wonder about training on bases named for men who fought for an institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors.

Most of Richmonds Confederate monuments have now been removed, in response to the same question: Although it was the Confederate capital, why 155 years after the end of the rebellion are its symbols those of a cause that, as Gen. Ulysses S. Grant wrote, was one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse.

Not until a century after this lost cause was invented were the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 enacted, putting an end to legalized segregation. But equality of the mind broad acceptance that all citizens should have equal authority and autonomy has seemed as distant as ever, and even receding.

Now, amid a pandemic thats upended societies worldwide in a manner not seen since the Great Depression, we may have reached a point of clarity, where the founding vision of true equality is no longer a mirage.

Young people are leading the way. They are more tolerant, more accepting, and less offended by distinctions of race or gender than any previous generation.

Theres no reason to expect Confederates ever to be put back on their perches, or to be displayed except in museums, where they belong: We shouldnt seek to destroy the past, but learn from it.

Yet the liberation of rethinking often extends well beyond the original object. One thats now roiling institutions across the country has come to Maine which has no Confederate statutes, though before statehood it did have slaves.

The problem is eugenics, the early 20th century movement that advocated selective breeding to, in essence, create better human beings. At the time, it didnt seem remarkable to many people.

Humans have been breeding plants, horses, dogs, and cats for centuries, without many qualms. And anyone who believes that humans do not self select when choosing partners hasnt been consuming romance novels or royal family sitcoms, let alone historical tomes.

Eugenics has, of course, a dark underside. Although advocates were among leading progressives of their day British socialists and American urban reformers the movement became identified with notorious anti-immigrant legislation passed by Congress in the 1920s. It seemed to target the disabled and poor, and its nadir was undoubtedly the Supreme Court decision from Oliver Wendell Holmes counted among our greatest judges in which he pronounced, upholding forced sterilization, that three generations of imbeciles are enough.

The eugenics movement was destroyed by Adolf Hitler, whose ravings about a master race led to World War II as surely as the slave power produced the American Civil War. Yet blaming eugenics for Hitler makes as much sense as blaming Richard Wagners operas; well never listen to Wagner the same way, but no one is currently banning his music.

Eugenicists are being banned. The name of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, is being removed from its Manhattan Health Center.

And last week, the Jackson Laboratory said it was deleting the name of its founder, C.C. Little, from its Bar Harbor conference room, saying eugenics cast a long shadow over his achievements.

Little earlier president of the University of Maine might have appreciated the irony. Jacksons considerable success as Maines leading high-tech employer stems from Littles insights into selective breeding of mice, still at the core of its world-class research capabilities.

Without Margaret Sanger, there would have been no Planned Parenthood. Without C.C. Little, there might not have been a Jackson Lab. Should we remove their names from the institutions they founded?

Historical questions are often vexed. In this case, though, we might venture a distinction.

The Confederacys legacy is, or should be, its absolute rejection. The Sanger and Little legacies are a little more complicated.

Douglas Rooks, a Maine editor, reporter, opinion writer and author for 35 years, has published books about George Mitchell, and the Maine Democratic Party. He welcomes comment at [emailprotected]

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The Maine Idea: If Lives Matter, Then Names Matter, Too - Press Herald

Buy American? Trump makes over $1 million from store that sells products with foreign, unknown origins – CNBC

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President Donald Trump has made close to $1.5 million in income over the past three years from an online retail store that is owned by the company he founded, according to financial disclosure records reviewed by CNBC.

While dozens of the Trump-branded products sold by the store are listed as having been made in the United States, a sizable chunk are made in foreign countries or are from an unknown origin which would appear to run contrary to the president's "Buy American" agenda.

As of Friday, there are currently over 100 products under the "Made in America" collection on the online Trump Store, where they are marked as either "Made in America" or "Made in the USA," according to a CNBC review. Yet, at least another 180 items that CNBC reviewed are labeled as having been made in Scotland, France or Italy, are labeled as "Decorated in the USA" or have no country of origin listed at all.

That means a little more than a third of the items in the online Trump Store are described as officially made in the United States. There is also an in-person Trump Store located in New York's Trump Tower.

The Trump Organization online subsidiary is titled on the disclosure reports as T Retail LLC. USA Today first spotted the discrepancy and noted that the president made more than $107,000offthat businesswhen itlaunched in 2017.

Trump's latest disclosure report shows that he took in just over $930,000 from the online retail business last year. Reports say that the president's latest financial disclosure shows he made at least$440 million overall in 2019.

Trump has come under scrutiny for his company's business dealings since he became president. More than $17 million in payments have been made to use Trump properties for campaign events by his own reelection team, the Republican National Committee and other GOP-led groups.

The president still owns the Trump Organization, but it is currently being run by the president's older sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization did not respond to repeated requests for comment, including detailed questions on where the Trump Store's products were made. Representatives for the White House also did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Ethics experts say that while it's not illegal for the president to be making money from this piece of the company he still owns, it certainly is not on par with how past presidents behaved.

"The president profiting personally off of the sale of merchandise bearing his name may not violate the law, but it does defy the norms of behavior we'd expect from our country's most prominent public servant," Brendan Fischer, a director at ethics watchdog group the Campaign Legal Center, said in an email.

Fischer also noted that while the Trump Organization has sold name-branded items in the past, the fact that the company launched this online store the year he became president suggests the business could be profiting off of his presidency.

"It does seem like yet another example of Trump blurring the lines between public service and his personal financial interest, andof Trump successfully profiting off of the presidency," he said. "The Trump Organization may have been selling Trump-branded merchandise before Trump became president, but it only set up this online retail store after Trump took office, and after the name 'Trump' became synonymous with the prestige of the White House."

The president has repeatedly pushed an "America First" and "Buy American" agenda.

Trump recently signed an executive order that called on the U.S. governmentto develop a list of essential medicines and buy them as well as medical supplies from U.S. companies instead of from foreign countries suchas China.

In 2017, Trump signed an executive order that would crack down on the awarding of visas to foreign workersas part his of "Buy American, Hire American" initiative.

Last year, Trump signed another executive order to extend his "Buy American, Hire American" policy initiatives. At the time, White House advisor Peter Navarro said it was meant to "extend the coverage for 'Buy American,' not just to things like iron and steel and aluminum, but also to cement and other manufactured products."

This type of agenda has also turned into a political wedge issue between Trump and his opponent, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

The former vice president released his own "Buy American" proposal, which calls for a $400 billion, four-year increase in government purchasing of U.S.-based goods and services plus $300 billion in new research and development in U.S. technology concerns.

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Buy American? Trump makes over $1 million from store that sells products with foreign, unknown origins - CNBC

The Simpsons and Spinal Tap Star Harry Shearer Brings You Donald Trump As You’ve Never Seen Him Before – WFMZ Allentown

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --A new video depicting Donald Trump performing a song in praise of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is today revealed as being the work of The Simpsons and Spinal Tap star Harry Shearer. Son in Law, which premiered on YouTube, is the first track to be released in a cycle of satirical songs inspired by the last four years of US politics and in particular the often mercurial behaviour of the current occupant of The White House. A new song will be released each week throughout the summer and autumn.

The "Son In Law" video uses groundbreaking motion-capture animation to portray the US President lionizing his senior advisor and husband of his daughter Ivanka. At one point it shows the spookily real Trump with his hand casually hovering over the nuclear button on his desk in The Oval Office, whilst extolling the virtues of his daughter's curves.

Harry Shearer says, "You can't fire family, but you can sing about them."

Watch "Son In Law": https://youtu.be/ZtptN8bfl3M

COVID-180, out today, is the second song in the series and hasShearer as the Leader of The Free World as he dances to his own tune in a dizzying reality-distanced spin away from the virus that has swept the world.

Written by Shearer, the old-style New Orleans R&B song has The Simpsons star on vocals in an eerily accurate impersonation of the President of The United States. He is joined by a band of top New Orleans musicians who include David Torkanowsky of The Astral Project and Stanton Moore Trio on piano and organ, The Metres star George Porter, Jr. on bass, Raymond Weber of Dumpstaphunk on drums, leading saxophonist Brad Walker, Scott Frock of Delfeayo Marsalis' Uptown Jazz Orchestra, on trumpet, and one of New Orleans' top trombonists Jon Ramm. The track is mixed by long-time Harry Shearer musical collaborator C J Vanston at The Treehouse North Hollywood and produced by David Torkanowsky. It was recorded in New Orleans and Los Angeles.

Harry Shearer has vocally portrayed every US president of his lifetime. Donald Trump is the third he has portrayed physically, having previously played Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan on screen.

The video was conceived and produced by Harry Shearer with Matt Hermans of The Electric Lens Company in Sydney,Australia. The On Set Producer was Harry's long-time collaborator, cinematographer Matthew Mindlin.

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The Simpsons and Spinal Tap Star Harry Shearer Brings You Donald Trump As You've Never Seen Him Before - WFMZ Allentown

Green Growth Has Made Dominica The Fastest Growing Economy In The Caribbean – Forbes

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Dominicas commitment to climate resilience through renewable energy, organic agriculture, ecotourism, sustainable infrastructure and a culture of eco-consciousness has provided a strong strategic and ideological underpinning for the Nature Isles social and economic development.

In March, during the pinnacle of the tourist high season, COVID-19 forced the Eastern Caribbean island into lockdown and while only 18 people have been infected to date, all of who recovered, the tourism sector was forced to pick up the pieces.

Luckily, Dominicans know a thing or two about resilience.

No stranger to navigating crisis or to the devastating impacts of climate change, after being mercilessly decimated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica rebounded within two years, becoming the fastest growing economy in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations (2020).

Dominicas rapid growth is a testament to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrits vision of becoming an example to the world, an example of how an entire nation rebounds from disaster and how an entire nation can be climate resilient for the future.

Determined to become "the world's first climate-resilient nation," governments priorities during the pandemic have been to safeguard its people while making plans to reboot the eco-tourism sector and develop climate resilient homes and infrastructure to support environmentally responsible growth, much of which is being funded by one of the most prestigious Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Programmes in the world.

Dominicas Citizenship By Investment Programme is the backbone of its green growth strategy. The CBIs Economic Diversification Fund is fuelling development projects such as hurricane-proof public housing and a geothermal plant that promises to provide clean energy to 23,000 homes. Would-be citizens also have the opportunity to support the development of the ecotourism sector by investing in select properties, such as The Residences at Secret Bay, a limited luxury collection of fully appointed, sustainable residences.

Dominicas tourism product is a natural fit to the vision of its leadership. Famed for its biodiversity, the second largest boiling lake on earth, active volcanoes, black sand beaches, heavily protected rainforests and the Eastern Caribbeans first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, the Nature Isle is a haven for eco-enthusiasts and environmentally conscious travellers.

Emerald Pool Waterfall, Morne Trois Pitons National Park (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1997), ... [+] Dominica. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

Last year, The Financial Times fDi Intelligence service FDI Strategy Ranking selected Dominica as one of the top 20 tourism destinations of the future, placing the island in two awards categories: 'Ecotourism' and 'Health and Wellness Tourism.'

And in July, as many regional hotels began to reopen their doors amid uncertain circumstances, Dominicas Secret Bay Hotel was named the No. 1 Resort Hotel in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas in Travel + Leisure Worlds Best Awards. This is a success that proprietor, Gregor Nassief credits to the Green Globe Certified hotels unwavering commitment to responsible luxury and sustainability.

Basking in the light of well-deserved global recognition, Dominicas government has been making plans to open borders to all travellers on August 7th. Strict protocols have been enforced around entry, hygiene and social distancing and the tourism sector has been briefed on safety standards and operational best practices. Properties such as Secret Bay have been waiting for months to open their doors to visitors.

As an all-villa resort, Secret Bay was designed around social distancing before it was a buzzword, muses Nassief of the propertys freestanding cliff top accommodations, spread across acres of rainforest at a density of structures to land of less than 10 per cent.

In time for reopening, Secret Bay is launching a StayWell Program that supports holistic health and wellness, safety and responsible luxury. In addition to surpassing all of the sanitising and disinfecting protocols, Secret Bay is introducing immune-boosting remedies like morning wellness "shots" consisting of turmeric, ginger, moringa, kale, cucumber, wild honey, beetroot, local oranges and pineapples, and a superfood turndown.

Overhead view of Secret Bay Hotel

Secret Bay has also launched a backyard garden program, inspired by the Ministry of Agricultures backyard garden initiative that was introduced as a way for families to sustainably support themselves during COVID-19. Each villa has its own garden where guests can forage for provisions like assorted herbs, Asian leafy greens, chives/spring onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

In November 2019, at a pre-independence speech, Prime Minister Skerrit reminded Dominicans of how far they had come.

We are back. Our country is on the cusp of a very exciting and dynamic period, he declared.

In Dominica we have much for which to be thankful and to give praise. First and foremost, we are no longer the Cinderella sibling of the Caribbean family; were up there with the brightest and the best.

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Green Growth Has Made Dominica The Fastest Growing Economy In The Caribbean - Forbes

Davy Jones: A love letter to Pirates of the Caribbeans Kraken-summoner – Polygon

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With the Pirates of the Caribbean movies more accessible than ever, and a summer season void of blockbusters, this month were diving deep into Disneys swashbuckling series. Grab your cutlass and hoist the colors: here be Polygons take on all things PotC.

When I was but a wee 13-going-on-14-year-old, my biggest crush was Davy Jones. Not the nautical superstition, but the tentacle-faced captain of the Flying Dutchman played by Bill Nighy (with the aid of a lot of CGI work) in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. From the moment I saw his piercing blue eyes in the first trailer for Dead Mans Chest and heard his nasally Scottish accent, I had found the pirate for me.

As related in my conversation with my Polygon peers about our respective opinions about the most smoochable Pirates characters, my obsession with Jones in itself the subject of a chicken-or-egg debate over whether or not my Nighy crush came first or if Jones was the reason for it grew to such a fever pitch that my friends birthday gift to me was a poster of pictures of Bill Nighy and a Davy Jones head-topped pen. (At my obsessions peak, I forced all my friends to watch The Girl in the Caf at a sleepover, which they resigned themselves to.)

But why was a man with an octopus for a face so appealing? The reasons, as it happens, are many. Here is my Davy Jones manifesto, courtesy of my 13-year-old self:

1. Hes an emo rocker. For the same reasons I love bands like Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Boy, and Jimmy Eat World, I love Davy Jones. The fact that he plays an instrument the organ, no less is already a huge plus, but hes also using music as a way of expressing all of his heartbreak and angst. His songs are just a big riff on the tune played by the matching pair of lockets he shares with his lost love, which is, if you ask me, very romantic! He also isnt afraid to play loudly enough for all of his crew members to hear it. Theres no shame in being emotionally vulnerable!

2. Hes funny. Despite being possibly the most feared pirate out there, hes not afraid to crack a few jokes every now and then. Granted, theyre at the expense of others (see: when he tells Will to feel free to go ashore whenever they make port which is only once every 10 years. Its funnier if you dont care about Will too much, i.e. if youre me and only have eyes for sweet Davy).

3. Hes hot. To be clear, I am into marine life, but not in a romantic way. I have no real desire to kiss an octopus. But Davy Jones has undeniable presence the way he stomps into any given scene is enough to send chills down anyones spine. He knows the value of a dramatic entrance! He also carries that nose for the dramatic (unfortunately no literal nose) into all of his interactions, occasionally adding extra syllables to words just for the sake of flourish. It all adds up to making that tentacle-y visage more appealing. He has a normal human mouth, at least, its just that his whole face is a little moist. And his eyes! My God. Theyre CGI, which is the only way to account for their superhuman ability to stare straight into the human soul. But if the fact that hes all octopus-y is an insurmountable dealbreaker, we do handily get a brief look at his human face, which is perfectly normal and extremely handsome.

4. Hes not really evil. Hes bitter, sure, but the whole reason he ends up pursuing Jack and company to begin with is because Jack breaks the terms of their agreement that Davy would bring the Black Pearl back in exchange for Jack serving 100 years on the Dutchman. This all could have been prevented if Jack Sparrow wasnt selfish! And his becoming a pawn of the East India Trading Company isnt his fault, either, as hes basically helping them under pain of death. They even force him to kill the Kraken, which is particularly cruel.

5. He has an awesome pet. So he only has it for one movie, but the Kraken rules, and even has its own theme music. Im sure its nice under some circumstances. Let me go on a ride on the Kraken.

6. A new relationship would be good for him. The fact that hes been hung up on Calypso for such a long time is romantic, especially since theyre both heartbroken over each other and it isnt just one-way pining, but the sheer amount of angst hes carrying around is exactly why he looks so much like an aquarium display. The state of the Dutchmans captain directly affects the state of the ship and the crew (hence the ship losing its barnacles once Will takes over) and, frankly, a makeover would be good for everyone. I know that the whole reason he became cursed to begin with was because he betrayed his main squeeze, but the third movie sees them coming to terms with and moving on from what happened (yes, here, moving on means Davy Jones dies), so you already know that hes capable of growth.

Though I dont think about Davy Jones as much, now, hes still always in my heart, and Im still as ready to go to bat for him as I was in 2006. Hes a perfect pirate, and I will always love him.

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Davy Jones: A love letter to Pirates of the Caribbeans Kraken-summoner - Polygon

Intentional Communities Touchstone Mental Health

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Serina was abused as she put it in all shapes and forms growing up. She married twice, both times to abusive men who were alcoholics. She spent the first 43 years of her life believing abuse and dysfunction were normal. After a short stay in jail because of something her husband had gotten involved in, she struggled with homelessness for years and was deeply depressed and suicidal. Thankfully, a referral to Touchstone gave Serina the opportunity to learn a different way to live.

Through work in the community group, she learned to trust others, make friends and even enjoy life. She works on problem-solving, compromise and being part of a community. She also has fun cooking, laughing and sharing with others in the group, people who also have a mental illness and know how strong she is. The Touchstone staff are there for her and she knows she can call them for help.

Intentional Communities is a unique program made up of peer-guided and managed communities of individuals who come together as a supportive group. Touchstone staff work as advocates with clients to help them with housing, independent living skills, personal health goals and finding resources based on what they need for mental health stability.

Intentional Communities serves adults 18 years or older with a serious mental illness who have been referred by a mental health provider.

Learn more about how to make a referral for Intentional Communities.

To learn more about our Intentional Communities program contact us at housingservices@touchstonemh.org or (612) 843-3340.

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Intentional Communities Touchstone Mental Health

Hakhel Wins Prestigious Jerusalem Unity Prize | Teaneck …

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Hakhel, the Jewish Intentional Communities Incubator, was awarded the Jerusalem Unity Prize today in the international category. Hakhel, a project of Hazon, the Jewish Lab for Sustainability, received the prize for its relentless work to cultivate emerging Jewish communities all over the world and forge the connection between them and the State of Israel. The prize will be awarded in a special ceremony at Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's residence on June 2. Rivlin is well known for his long-standing efforts to bring the different "tribes" of Israeli society together, as well as world Jewry.

"We are so thrilled to have won this award. The role of Hakhel as an incubator to intentional communities is strategic in advancing Jewish engagement and Jewish peoplehood. The work of Hakhel's advisors is key to building sustainable communities," said Tenafly native and Hakhel advisor Michal Guttman. "Furthermore, Hakhel presents multiple opportunities to share, connect, and become inspired by other communities in the Hakhel network. For me, Hakhel represents a creative, open-minded, dynamic, relevant, and significant response to the field of Jewish engagement."

"This year, we chose the winners in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, during which we felt the need to care for each other more, and make sure we all get through this time safely. Stemming from these sentiments, we selected this year's winners which inspire us all with their daily work for the unity of our people, in Israel and around the world," said Knesset Member Nir Barkat, the former mayor of Jerusalem and co-founder of the Jerusalem Unity Prize.

Founded in 2014, Hakhel, which operates in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, is the first and largest global incubator for Jewish intentional communities, comprising over 130 communities in 30 different countries. Its mission is to spark and support new expressions of Jewish life around the world by nurturing the growth of intentional communities with the help of advisors, seed funding and network building.

The Jerusalem Unity Prize is given to individuals, organizations, and initiatives in Israel and throughout the Jewish world whose actions are instrumental in advancing mutual respect for others amongst the Jewish people, during crises and in daily life. The ceremony this year will not open to the public, but it will be broadcast online.

A special public committee selected the winners of the 2020 award. The committee included former Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, chairman of the award committee, Isaac "Bougie" Herzog, Natan Sharansky, Kobi Oz, Brig. Gen. (res.) Amal Assad, Noam Lautman, Rabbi Shai Piron, Israel Goldshmid, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, David Menachem, Karin Mayer Rubinstein, Shlomi Yehiav, and the Yifrach, Shaar, and Fraenkel families. The prize was created to memorialize Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in 2014.

Hakhel will dedicate a substantial part of its monetary prize to conduct a global campaign to honor and support communities that fought on the social frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now figuring out how to prepare for the aftermath of the crisis.

Hakhel General Director Aharon Ariel Lavi stated, "We are deeply honored to receive the Jerusalem Unity Award. Fostering Jewish connections among Jews around the world and Israel is a cornerstone of Hakhel's work, as shown by our more than 130 intentional communities worldwide. We look forward to continuing to spark and support new expressions of Jewish life around the world in the years to come."

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Hakhel Wins Prestigious Jerusalem Unity Prize | Teaneck ...

Eye of the Temple Reminds You How Amazing Room-Scale VR Is, Demo Available Now – UploadVR

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It sometimes feels like weve forgotten something about the magic of room-scale VR. The need to traverse bigger worlds has given way to the fine, if unconvincing means of smooth movement, but theres real power in putting your own two feet in front of you.

Eye Of The Temple doesnt forget that. In fact, it embraces it with open arms.

This long-in-development PC VR title from Danish solo developer Rune Skovbo Johansen finally has a free demo to try. And, in a strange way, its Indiana Jones antics are both a nostalgic trip back to the early days of PC VR and a potent reminder of the physicality that can really root you in the experience. Check out some of our demo gameplay below.

First things first: you need at least a 2mx2m meter space to play Eye Of The Temple. Even then, a little extra wouldnt hurt to give you peace of mind when stepping across chasms. Inevitably, this will place a strict limitation on the number of people that can actually play the game, but the trade-off is necessary. You sheepishly side-step between moving platforms, flaming torch in one hand, whip in the other. Across the campaign, youll need to negotiate various obstacles as you progress through each environment, with evolving challenges and ideas (hopefully) keeping things fresh.

Its an idea weve seen elsewhere, like in the excellent Tower series, but four years of development has left Eye Of The Temple polished and tactile. Some platforms, for example, are actually rolling blocks that youll need to walk backwards on to avoid falling off. Its a brilliantly clever idea to keep you moving, making great use of the space around you.

I havent played the whole demo but even from about 30 minutes of playtime I was introduced to a steady flow of new ideas, like stone pillars obstructing moving platforms that Id need to dodge. Theres also some light combat with the whip, which is a tough thing to master. I suppose with some authenticity in mind, it never quite does what you want it to do, though I spent longer that Id like to admit trying to get it to wrap around levers.

At times I inevitably found myself getting tangled in wires and, naturally, longing for the freedom of Oculus Quest. Unofficial streaming from Virtual Desktop is obviously one way to go, if you can, but Im holding out hope for a native port too. Johansen says he will investigate a port after full release, but doesnt have any concrete plans at this time.

A throwback to those more limited days of VR accessibility, then, but in all the right ways. Eye Of The Temple can be dizzying and unnerving, but if youve got the space you should absolutely check the demo out. You can head over to Eye Of The Temples official Discord to request access to the demo via Steam.

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Eye of the Temple Reminds You How Amazing Room-Scale VR Is, Demo Available Now - UploadVR

Teaching: Your Questions About Hybrid Teaching Answered – The Chronicle of Higher Education

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This week, Jenae Cohn, an academic-technology specialist for the program in writing and rhetoric at Stanford University, examines the challenges of technology and active learning.

Making effective use of technology for your in-person students: Pretty much all of the Hybrid (or HyFlex, or whatever you call it!) discussion seems to imply that in-person students will need to bring technology to log in to Zoom to interact with other students, writes Janet Samuels, a clinical professor in the School of Accountancy at Arizona State University. However, our undergrads are not required to have laptops or tablets, and many of my students come from a socioeconomic background where acquiring a laptop would be a burden on them.

Do you have suggestions for engaging students in a hybrid classroom if the in-person students dont log in to Zoom or have access to technology? How can I effectively engage the students to work on accounting problems, reviewing financial statements with each other, etc., in this situation? Additionally, if in-person students do bring in laptops and work on Zoom with other students, wont the computer feedback from multiple laptops near each other, and noise from 15 students in the classroom working with 25 remote students, be overwhelming?

My second question is about suggestions Ive seen to have in-person students monitor chat or Zoom for questions from remote students. Isnt this distracting for that in-person student? I want them focusing on what we are doing in class and not monitoring chat or responding to chat messages from remote students.

Jenae Cohns response: I would definitely encourage this instructor to leverage mobile learning more with her students. Even if students are not bringing in a laptop or tablet, they most likely have a smartphone on them. (According to Educause data, the vast majority of students own mobile phones.) So, given widespread mobile adoption, students can use the Zoom app on their phones to connect with classmates who may be remote. If your students dont have smartphones, they can also use the dial in feature on Zoom (this is something a lot of folks forget about!) to just connect over the phone rather than through the internet. There would need to be some clear messaging around who gets to mute when, though I would encourage remote students to largely just use the text chat rather than trying to engage with microphones.

To this readers point, feedback is going to be an issue, so when I suggested that students partner up with someone on Zoom, I really meant that they would do that partnering work via text chat rather than through live dialogue. I think the logistics of trying to manage multiple microphones in one space for small-group conversations would probably get noisy and complicated otherwise. This would also take more work on the instructors part, but if you paired up remote and in-person students, you could also create a shared, collaborative space like a Google Doc or an Etherpad shared document (i.e., an open-source alternative to Google Docs) for students to write in together in real time.

In terms of working on statements and reviewing work with one another, you might want to post course content in a place thats mobile-friendly. So, again, if students dont have laptops, consider posting these materials to a learning-management system, perhaps not as a PDF file, but as a text-based file in the LMSs Pages section, so that everyone can see the text clearly. If you must have paper handouts, you could also take pictures of the handouts on your phone and upload those files to your remote students, though bear in mind that pictures from mobile phones are not accessible for students who need to use text-to-speech applications or screen readers.

In terms of having in-person students monitoring the chat for remote students, I would encourage instructors to think about imagining the chat less as a place of monitoring and more as a place of interaction. I agree that no one student should be solely responsible for being the information relay to the instructor. Rather, an instructor could design activities that invite everyone to engage in the chat at key moments. As an instructor then, you can also have the chat stream open so that you can see the questions or responses coming in. You can also leverage the chat in Zoom to send participants to note-taking spaces, like a Google Doc, where everyone can see notes or materials from the class. Google Docs is also a really mobile-friendly app, so that could also be helpful in this situation. In other words, I would design activities where there isnt really a ton of room for students to need to divide their attention. Rather, keep lecture based materials short in a hybrid format, and try to make interactive moments collective rather than divided.

How to incorporate active learning in big classes: One thing I keep on seeing in this area is the unspoken assumption that the class size is perhaps 25-35 or so," writes Henry Schaffer, a professor emeritus in the department of biological sciences at North Carolina State University. "So many of the activities, e.g., "ask a student in class to pair up with a remote student through a Zoom chat room" how would that work with 70 students present and another 140 online? Seventy chat rooms followed by 70 summarizations to the class? I know that many colleges cap class size at about 35, but large ones, especially public ones, often have classes at 200+.

Cohns response: This is a good point, and I agree that doing pair share activities, with reporting to the full group, is not really feasible with a class of 200. In that case, I would lean less on Zoom for large classes and more on participation tools that can scale better to having large groups share ideas. For example, in a large class, you might ask students to respond to a real-time poll. After students see responses to the poll, individual students can write down a follow-up reflection or response based on what they learned or gleaned from their peers. That might not be as much of a dialogue, but itll still be interactive. Another option would be to divide students up in advance (perhaps alphabetically?) and to give each of those alphabetic working groups access to a shared workspace in the learning-management system, a shared Google Drive or Box folder, or another shared note-taking space. That might be a space where small clusters of groups from a large class are invited to share notes and documents together, including, perhaps a real-time notes document that can be kept during the live class session itself. That would require a bit of organization up front, but could have some payoff in terms of building presence within a large lecture class.

Last week a reader asked how to help students who attend class remotely hear what students in the classroom are saying. This is a common challenge when the classroom has only one microphone, which is usually positioned near the instructor.

Several people wrote in to suggest a low-tech solution: the professor should simply repeat the question. I asked Cohn about that. Heres what she said:

Im all for simple answers, and there may be moments where simply repeating a point out loud very well could do the trick! In the context of a simple question-and-answer session, this might especially be the case. Bear in mind, however, that some students might not be willing to ask for you to repeat what a peer said, because they may feel embarrassed by needing to ask for repeated information. So, as an instructor, if youre relying upon repeating what in-person students say to online students, you might be guessing at what needs to be repeated, which would not only slow things down, but also focus your judgment, as the instructor, on what needs to be centered from peers in the conversation.

My advice from the first newsletter here will also help in this situation: if you design as much of your class online as possible, so that peers are largely communicating with one another via text chat, or within an online space that everyone can access, the experience is as close to equal as possible, and no student has to be in the position of feeling like theyre asking for anything additional. When online students have to go out of their way to ask for things that in-person students are experiencing, it might also amplify the feeling that will very likely already exist, that the online experience is less valuable than the in-person one. The more that instructors can design classes to make the two experiences as similar as possible, the better.

One other note here is that if we rely upon the instructors repeating what other students say, that does not necessarily solve the problem of students needing to talk to one another and engage in sustained dialogue as peer groups. So, some of the recommendations offered from last week are also meant to help facilitate better peer-to-peer exchange, rather than simply instructor-to-peer exchange.

Last week I shared a request from a reader who is about to embark on hybrid teaching this fall and is seeking academic articles on its delivery and effectiveness. Here are some of your responses:

Cub Kahn, hybrid coordinator for the Center for Teaching and Learning at Oregon State University Ecampus, encouraged people to use the university's searchable Online Learning Efficacy Research Database, which includes academic studies on learning outcomes of hybrid and online education compared with face-to-face education. The database houses more than 100 peer-reviewed studies about blended and hybrid learning.

Kahn also points readers to The Blended Course Design Workbook by Kathryn E. Linder, the former research director of eCampus and now executive director for program development at Kansas State University Global Campus. This is a great resource for faculty new to designing and teaching hybrid courses, writes Kahn. Its a comprehensive guide to evidence-based hybrid pedagogy, technology, and design.

Beth Thornburg, a law professor at Southern Methodist Universitys Dedman School of Law, recommends Adaptable Design: Building Multi-Modal Content for Flexible Law School Teaching, by Agnieszka McPeak (2020). It has a helpful framing device even for courses currently scheduled to be taught in person, planning active-learning tools that can be done asynchronously will make a transition to an online course easier should that happen, Thornburg writes.

Here are two articles recommended by Jenae Cohn:

Challenges of Student Equity and Engagement in a HyFlex Course, by Sebastian Binnewies and Zhe Wang (2019)

Learning style, sense of community and learning effectiveness in hybrid learning environment, by Bryan Chen and Hua-Huei Chiou (2014)

Thanks for reading Teaching. If you have suggestions or ideas, please feel free to email us at, beckie.supiano@chronicle.com or beth.mcmurtrie@chronicle.com.

Beth

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Teaching: Your Questions About Hybrid Teaching Answered - The Chronicle of Higher Education

New Font Styles on Instagram Stories: How to Find and Use the New Font Styles – Parade

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No, quarantine isnt making you lose your mind. (Well, maybe; but not about this.) The fonts on Instagram Stories have officially changed and now feature new text styles like italics, outlines, and more.

According to Instagrams official Twitter, the app began rolling out the new font feature on April 29, 2020. As it does with most new features, IG rolled it out as a test run by only granting access to a small amount of users. On August 3, 2020, Instagram came back with a follow-up tweet, announcing that new IG Stories fonts would now be available to all.

Related: 300 Instagram Captions For When You Dont Know What to Write

These four new text styles are in addition to the original styles were all accustomed to and each feature their own personalized backgrounds. So, if you use the Garamond-esque typeface option and decide to add a background, it automatically adds a rectangular box with sharp edges. If you choose the Comic Sans-esque optionwhichBustle is calling Comic Sans Lite, for nowyour font background will be a sort of splashy, brushstroke-esque background.

While many IG users are excited to have more personable font options than the few standard serifs and sans serifs we had before, there are still a lot of users confused about how to access these new fonts.For everything you need to know about how to use the new Instagram Stories fonts, keep reading!

Yes! Youve seen and heard correctly: There are new text styles now available to all users on Instagram as of August 3, 2020. These new styles include Comic Sans, what looks to be a Garamond type font, an italicized serif, and outlines.

Instagram still has not yet released the names of each of the fonts, leaving many people to wonder and simply choose font styles for their Stories based on aesthetic preferences.

Related:11 Instagram Accounts To Figure Out Your Enneagram

The new fonts on Instagram Stories are where they always have been! To use them, simply take a picture or upload a picture to your Story, then tap the Aa icon all the way in the top right of the screen. Youll then be able to type and swipe between nine different text style options.

As always, you can still choose alignments, colors, and backgrounds at the top of the screen, as well as the font size by toggling the bar on the left side of the screen. When youre satisfied with your typing, tap Done in the top right corner and youll see your text appear on your Story.

Of course, you may not be able to access the new fonts if your Instagram app is not up to date.

Not seeing the new fonts automatically pop on your Instagram Stories? No worries! To access the new rollout of fonts, you have to make sure that your Instagram app is up to date with the latest version.

So, you want to access the new fonts on Instagram Stories but arent sure if your app is the latest version. How can you tell if your app is up to date?

If you have Apple iOs, go into the App Store and tap your picture icon in the top right of the screen. UnderAvailable Updates, you should see a list of apps that are ready to be updated. If Instagram is listed there, then once its fully updated, youll be able to access the new fonts. Tap update to start the update process, then when the icon goes away, the update is over and you can launch the app like you normally would.

Celebrity interviews, recipes and health tips delivered to yourinbox.

If you have Android, head over to the Play Store Home screen and tap the Menu icon in the upper left. Tap My apps & games. Then, you should see Instagram. Tap the Instagram app to update. Once the update is over, you should be able to enjoy the new font styles on Instagram Stories like the rest of us!

Next up, how to use Instagram like an influencer.

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New Font Styles on Instagram Stories: How to Find and Use the New Font Styles - Parade

How to Get Cast on ‘The X Factor’ – Backstage

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Photo Source: Courtesy ITV

When it comes to searching for new music talent, X marks the spot. ITVs long-running British reality music competition show The X Factor takes contestants through high-stakes auditions, performance boot camps, eliminations, judge mentorships, and live performances until the public decides the winner(s)the recipients of a recording contract. While the show will be resting this year, plans are in motion for a reinvigorated version in 2021.

Over the course of the series, which began in 2004, undiscovered singers show off their vocal skills in front of a panel of judges (originally Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, and Sharon Osbourne; most recently in 2018, Louis Tomlinson, Ayda Field, and Robbie Williams) and an audience to test talent and performance. In contrast to similar shows like American Idol, The X Factor has no age limit: kids as young as 12 have tried out (though the lower age limit has been bumped to 16), and groups of singers can apply. Those who move on to the next rounds learn choreography, sing for their life, and step up their game. Each judge is tasked with mentoring a category and through various performance and elimination rounds. Some of the biggest stars to emerge from the show include One Direction, Fifth Harmony, Little Mix, and Leona Lewis.

The X Factor was created by Simon Cowell, who has remained its executive producer. After the 15th Series in the U.K. and a three-season run of its American adaptation, two spinoffs of the showThe X Factor: Celebrity and The X-Factor: The Bandaired last year. On the next official season of the show, Cowell has said, Next year the main X Factor show will change again and weve got something very, very exciting, that I cant get into yet, but its a four-year plan.

While the show is currently on hiatus for the year, it was announced in April that The X-Factor has opened up its applications for next season. The auditions are taking place online via video submissions and in-person across cities in the U.K.

Singers can choose whether they want to audition in-person or via video submission, and if theyre trying out as a solo act or group. Those who wish to submit a video audition must upload a recent video of you performing and should have this prepared before filling out the application. If a group submits, all group members are present when completing the application.

All auditioners must be 16 years old or over by June 25, 2021, which is the current deadline for online applications. Anybody under 18 at the time of applying must have their parents/guardians permission before continuing.

Waiting for The X Factor to Return? Apply to These Reality Competition + Singing Gigs

While no information regarding the status of returning names has been announced, the last official seasons principal players were:

The names that made up Decembers The X Factor: The Band were:

Similar to its predecessor Pop Idol, The X Factor mines several cities in search of the worlds next legendary singers via open auditions. Even prior to COVID-19 restrictions, auditioners could submit their performances online and/or over texts. This means that there isnt ever one primary casting director or team of mainstay casting agents. For each season, casting is conducted by teams, with producers reaching out to local talent agencies to find prospective contestants.

For the American iteration of the show, both FreMantle Productions and Bizzly Blondes Entertainment ran casting calls for Teen Male Singers, 15-18 and Teen Female Singers, 15-18, and soloists and vocal groups, respectively.

Much like other talent competition shows, the preliminary auditions take place well before the judges ever see anything and potential contestants go through many rounds of callbacks. I had five auditions before I saw [the judges]...its a quite a grueling process, said finalist Mason Noise. I went to London, went into a room with some X Factor crew, then into another room and another with more, higher-up producers.

After passing a round or two of auditions with producers and members of the production team, wherein theyre judged based on sheer talent and/or the potential for making for entertaining TV, theyre then granted a golden ticket to sing before a more senior production member. Those who make the cut there on out are able to perform for the judges.

The auditions are open to anyone who can singyou can be 12, you can be 112, Cowell said. If youre a performer, this is gonna be a great opportunity for you. On this show, the contestants are gonna have to do the auditions in front of 3,000 or 4,000 people. If you can come out and nail it in front of 3,000 or 4,000 people, then youve got the makings of a star.

Stand out by being yourself: Be original, Cowell advised. Try not to copy what everybody else is doing. What I look for is what we havent seen or heard before. You know, you always want something different[and] dont be afraid to be what I would say out there. Stand out from the crowd. He also added: Dress differently, behave differently, dance differently.

Liam Payne of One Direction echoed the sentiment while reflecting on his first audition: Separate yourself from someone else, do something that makes you a little bit different, and put yourself out there.

Presenter Dermot OLeary, who has served as host for more than 10 seasons, said, The way people audition has changed a lot over the years. We used to get people saying Tell me who you want me to be, but these days people know who they are as an artist, theyre not copying other people and theyve probably got their own YouTube channel. I think X Factor is still relevant and still an incredible way for people to get their music out there.

Louisa Johnson, who was the shows winner in 2015, agrees: Theres always ways to make things different. Be yourself. Its really hard, you can get quite wrapped up in things, especially when theres so many people with so many opinions...But as long as youre staying true to yourself and doing what makes you happy, then I think you cant really go wrong. The only person that you really need to make happy is yourself at the end of the day.

Get creative about your song choices: The worst thing you can do is sing a song that everyone else is doing too, said OLeary. Think outside the box. Pick a song thats original and other people are unlikely to choose. The judges wont put you through if you bore them.The judges dont want to see a young guy doing an Ed Sheeran song, or a girl doing Adele. [They] wont be able to help comparing you with the original artist and you will come up short.

Raid your parents record collections for an old song that you can update. Some of the best auditions do that. Like Emily Middlemas...who chose Master Blaster by Stevie Wonder, which no one else did, so she stood out.

Dont let your nerves take control: Nerves are only natural and everyone will get them, says industry insider Max Millias, who has worked on the show behind-the-scenes. The first thing you can always do is make sure you look good. The better you look, the more confident you feel. Then you also need to make sure you keep a positive frame of mind. If you get any negative thoughts about what might go wrong, then just make sure they are quickly displaced from your mind. Probably the best way to deal with the nerves is to motivate yourself. Tell yourself that this audition is finally your chance to show people just how good you are and prove to the judges you have what it takes.

Dont give up: Jesse Campbell, who auditioned twice for the American version of The X Factor before ultimately getting far on NBCs The Voice, spoke of not being upset if you get rejected: I spent hundreds of dollars, I did my inner work, I did my vocal work, physical work in preparation for it. I stood out in the rain at two in the morning, in the cold, ate right, did everything that I knew to do, and my bestI believewas and always is good enough, as is yours. But just dont be attached to the outcome of anything. You aim high, you do your part, and then do your best and then let it go because if you are so attached to the outcome, then you never know...the universe may have something different for you. But how you relate to yourself while youre going through that process becomes the process. See the brighter side of things. Look for the positive in the negative. Reframe it, turn it into something good. Keep moving. Keep going to the next audition, to the next audition.

The audition process for The X Factor begins online, and those who wish to submit an application can do so here. Be sure to also stay plugged into the show via Instagram and Twitter for any and all audition updates!

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How to Get Cast on 'The X Factor' - Backstage

Whittier Birthplace enters 21st century | Haverhill – Eagle-Tribune

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HAVERHILL Like so many places, the birthplace of John Greenleaf Whittier is dormant during the COVID-19 crisis.

There are no walking tours of the centuries-old building, where such events were long hosted by Whittier impersonator and museum curator Gus Reusch.

There are no virtual online tours available caretakers of the property never embraced that technology.

But all that is about to change as the birthplace of the famous poet steps into the 21st century, embracing modern ways people can see and learn about the site without ever stepping foot there.

Caretakers of the birthplace have hiredKaleigh Par as executive director of the property. Her mission is to make Whittier's Birthplace accessible electronically during the coronovirus crisis through a website that includes virtual tours.

She is also in discussions with trustees of the property to offer new outdoor activities starting this fall such as artist events, nature walks and, in the winter, possibly hiking and snowshoeing programs.

"I'd like to link up as many of Whittier's poems to this landscape as I can for the programming,"Parsaid, referring to one of Whittier's most enduring works, "Snow-Bound."

Those virtual and other changes will be designed to keep the community in touch with the birthplace during and after the health crisis.

Par,a Haverhill native and former trustee of the birthplace, took over as executive director this week and is responsible for guiding the homestead and museum through the challenges and opportunities of the coming years, said Arthur Veasey, president of the Whittier Birthplace Board of Trustees.

The historic land and buildings at 305 Whittier Road are a fixture among the citys cultural treasures. They were deeded to the trustees by James H. Carleton in 1892 to preserve the landscape and buildings as they were when occupied by a young Whittier. Later in life, he was renowned as a fireside poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States.

Whittier lived from 1807 to 1892.

Par is an experienced museum professional specializing in historic sites, and was previously an educator at Haverhill's Buttonwoods Museum and the Ipswich Museum. She most recently was director of the Patton Homestead in Hamilton, where she continues to work part time.

"Making strategic hires like this is essential in supporting our core strategy to become a premier museum in Essex County," Veasey said. "During these challenging times, we remain focused on our mission to perpetuate the reputation, visibility, and popularity of our museum and grounds as a destination for visitors and as a welcoming venue for special events."

Par graduated from Haverhill High School in 2006 and went on to study anthropology and graduate from Bates College. She received a master of liberal arts degree specializing in museum studies from Harvard University.

"I love history and I always have," she said.

Veasey noted that following the retirement of Reusch, long-time curator of the museum who for years led tours of the birthplace, often impersonating Whittier, the trustees decided totry something new.

"With the retirement of Gus, it left a big void as he was very special in his knowledge of the birthplace," Veasey said."We've never had an executive director before, and bringing Kaleigh on board is a huge step in the next chapter of the birthplace. The most successful museums tend to have an executive director."

Reusch's son Mark Reusch, a freelance illustrator and art instructor, is caretaker of the birthplace and lives there, Veasey said.

In a typical year, the birthplace is visited by people from around the world, but with the building closed to the public due to the COVID-19 crisis, the homestead saw more visitorswalkingthe Freeman Trail that loops the homestead this year than in past years,Parsaid.

The trail has 13 numbered locations, each a landmark cited in Whittiers poetry or his many biographies. The trail is named for Donald C. Freeman, who lived from 1901 to 2001 and was a trustee of the birthplace. He was a Haverhill public school teacher, principal and superintendent.

Par is nearly finished designing a new website that will include videos of the birthplace and a variety of information about the site.

"We're working on creating other activities for thisfall, including some virtual learning that may be usedwithin schools and for families, and part of that will be some virtual tours,"Par said. "We've already created a short video tour of the Freeman Trail that includes paintings of the different seasons by Mark Reusch."

She alsohopes toincorporate the Freeman Trail intoEssex National Heritage Area Trails and Sails events in September.

A brochure explaining sites along the Freeman Trail is available at the entrance to the homesteadand at johngreenleafwhittier.com/visit.htm.

For a virtual tour of the Freeman Memorial Trail, visit youtu.be/DmRdCL1RpG4.

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Whittier Birthplace enters 21st century | Haverhill - Eagle-Tribune

75 years after Hiroshima, I wonder if the goal of abolishing nuclear weapons is just a dream – The Globe and Mail

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Former senator Douglas Roche was Canadas ambassador for disarmament from 1984 to 1989. In 2010, he was made an honorary citizen of Hiroshima for his work on nuclear disarmament.

At 8:15 on the fateful morning of Aug. 6, 1945, as the Second World War was drawing to a close in the Pacific, an American atomic bomb exploded 580 metres above the heart of Hiroshima, Japan. Thermal rays emanating from a gigantic fireball charred every human being in a two-kilometre circle. Old and young, male and female, soldier and civilian the killing was utterly indiscriminate and, in the end, 140,000 people were dead. Three days later, similar atomic carnage obliterated Nagasaki.

That was the beginning of the nuclear age, 75 years ago.

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I was 16 at the time and I remember sitting at the kitchen table, listening to the radio news about a new kind of bomb. The destruction was so massive that government officials were predicting the war in the Pacific would be over in a matter of days. My parents sighed with relief: I would be spared having to go to war.

Theres a dwindling number now of hibakusha the name for Japanese people who survived the attacks which means there are few left with direct memory of the horror of mass destruction. Soon Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be but history.

But they are not history for me. With 13,400 nuclear weapons possessed today by nine countries, they are a living reality. The United Nations top official on disarmament affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, visited Ottawa recently and said that the risk of use of nuclear weapons deliberately, by accident or through miscalculation, is higher than it has been in decades.

The contrast between nuclear realities and aspirations is stunning. Arms control and disarmament treaties, painstakingly constructed over many years, are crumbling. All the nuclear weapons states are modernizing their arsenals. The three major states on the UN Security Council the United States, Russia and China are the very ones ratcheting up tensions.

On the other hand, the International Court of Justice has ruled that states have an obligation to conclude negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament. Pope Francis and many other spiritual leaders have condemned the possession of nuclear weapons. A new prohibition treaty, signed by 122 states, outlaws them.

Yet the nuclear states spent US$72.9-billion last year on nuclear weapons (the U.S. spent more than the next eight states combined). Not even the ravages of COVID-19, painfully illustrating the need for huge sums of money to be redirected to health needs, has deterred the nuclear planners. And the political leaders appear impotent against the demands of the military-industrial complex for more weapons of mass destruction.

Seventy-five years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we have to ask ourselves: Is the long-sought goal of the abolition of nuclear weapons but a dream? This is a question that haunts me.

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In the early years of my life, I never thought about nuclear weapons, except perhaps around the time of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. But as a young parliamentarian in the 1970s, I visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki and talked to the hibakusha and saw the horrors depicted so vividly in the museums. It hit me forcibly that continued spending on these instruments of death was directly stealing from the poor of the world whose security depends not on weaponry but food, health, housing and education.

I started campaigning for nuclear disarmament in order to expedite the development processes. The UN became a second home for me as I struggled with the political machinations that have contorted security to mean that I am safer if I am able to bomb you out of existence.

I have approached the problem of abolition as a parliamentarian, diplomat and civil society activist. Why can there not be a time-bound program of mutual and verifiable nuclear disarmament? The models exist. Secretaries-general of the UN have repeatedly called for progress. Is not the logic of abolition overpowering?

The answer to the elusive question of abolition lies in the power nuclear weapons give their possessors. Abolition can only be achieved by slowly convincing the powerful that their security will be enhanced as they gradually reduce their stocks to zero.

Obviously, international confidence must be built at every successive step along the way. This is an area where Canada could shine in fostering a new international dialogue. But to do this, we would have to care enough about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The hibakusha have never given up their call for abolition. And neither will I.

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75 years after Hiroshima, I wonder if the goal of abolishing nuclear weapons is just a dream - The Globe and Mail

33-year-old Ascension Parish deputy dies from COVID-19 – WBRZ

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ASCENSION PARISH - The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office announced on Saturday that deputy Kyle Melancon,33, passed away from COVID -19.

Below Sheriff Bobby Webre gave a message:

It is with complete sadness and a hurting heart I write to inform you that Kyle Melancon, a deputy in our transportation division, passed away this morning from COVID-19 and related complications. Kyle had been fighting this virus for several weeks, we all hoped and prayed for his return to good health.

We send our condolences to his wife Rebecca, his children, his coworkers and all of those that loved him. Please remember his family in your prayers.

Kyle served his community for over seven-years as a correctional officer and transportation officer at the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office. He comes from a legacy of law enforcement professionals, his grand-father (Roland) was the long time Chief of Police of Sorrento, LA. His father (Blaine) was a retired dispatcher with the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and his brother (BJ) is currently serving in our accreditation unit.

We are in some very challenging times in our profession, there is still a lot of uncertainty with the virus Covid-19. The health and safety of our work-family and our community is paramount. I continue to ask all of our deputies to please take all necessary precautions and use all available resources to protect themselves at work and when out in the community.

I am very proud to lead the men and women of the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, your hard work and commitment during these challenging times speaks volumes to your dedication and determination to see this through.

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33-year-old Ascension Parish deputy dies from COVID-19 - WBRZ

After F-bombs to parish employee, Ascension councilman apologizes but is expected to face censure – The Advocate

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GONZALESAfter an Ascension Parish Council member left an expletive-laden voice mail with a parish employee Thursday night, the council chairwoman says she will seek a public censure of him.

In the voicemail, Councilman Joel Robert voices his displeasure with the council secretary because his letter about a controversial neighborhood development that had been before the council Monday night was not read in his absence.

"No. 1, you need to f****** return my f****** phone calls. No. 2, I gave you a f****** letter to read and it did not get read," the message says. "I'm not happy about that."

Robert, a first-term councilman who represents the Pelican Point area and part of Donaldsonville, opposed the Antebellum project proposed off La. 73 in Prairieville. The council failed to overturn the Planning Commission's denial of the project, without Robert's vote.

Robert said he has already apologized to Cinnamon McKey and her husband by text and letter on Friday and said the comments were out of character for him.

"It was anger that was misplaced. Cinnamon is a phenomenal employee of this parish," Robert said.

Robert's short, tart voice message Thursday night also prompted a subsequent exchange between the councilman and the secretary's husband, in which Robert claims he was verbally threatened, the councilman and others said.

The parish sheriff said Friday he doesn't view the comments from the secretary's husband as a threat after hearing a recording that Robert has.

Councilwoman Teri Casso, the council chair, was incensed Thursday night after she got wind of the voicemail and soon afterward drafted the motion of censure. The motion doesn't affect Robert's legal status as a council member, but, if adopted, wouldconstitute a public rebuke for his behavior.

"I am just so disappointed that member of our team would be spoken to like Cinnamon was spoken to. It was just wholly inappropriate," Casso said.

The proposed motion accuses Robert of violating "the very rules which the Ascension Parish Council has mandated its employees to follow" and publicly censures him for "said action in treating parish employees in a unprofessional and discourteous manner."

Cinnamon McKey has been council secretary for more than eight years. She declined to comment Friday, but verified the message was Robert's and that it had come from his cell number.

WBRZ-TV first published the audio recording and Casso's censure plans on Friday afternoon. The Advocate has independently obtained a copy but made an editorial decision not to publish it online.

Casso added that the parish administration has also ended Robert's access to the council secretary's office inside the government complex in Gonzales. Access is controlled through electronic passes.

It's not clear when the council will consider Casso's motion. Casso's husband went to the hospital Friday with breathing difficulties due to COVID-19. He is improving, but the councilwoman said she believes she may have the virus also and have to quarantine for 14 days. She is awaiting results of her own test.

In any case, Casso doesn't believe she would be able to attend a meeting Thursday in Donaldsonville where the motion could be first considered. The full council meets later this month in Gonzales.

Robert's immediate and extended family are prominent figures in local Republican politics and the parish business community, and some family companies have had contracts with parish government for years.

Robert said he believes his letter should have been read out loud in the meeting in addition to being placed into the record so his constituents would know where he stood on the neighborhood project. Robert, who was on vacation at the time of the meeting, said similar letters have been read out loud in the past.

But he said he was wrong to take his frustration out on McKey and said he believes Casso improperly prevented the letter from being read.

"It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it," he added.

Casso said she had the letter entered into the record but not read out loud because the council also wasn't reading emails from members the public unable to attend the meeting due the viral outbreak.

Robert added that he believed he was threatened in the conversation with McKey's husband but that he understood why and doesn't plan to pursue the issue any further.

Sheriff Bobby Webre said he has talked with Robert about the conversation and heard a recording of it but didn't believe the words constituted a threat.

Webre said McKey's husband could be heard saying that "'if you talk to my wife like that again, there could be trouble,' or something of that nature."

Webre said those comments were "absolutely not" a threat but rather some advice.

"OK, dont talk like that again," the sheriff said.

Robert said he won't let something like this happen again.

Im confident I can do so," he said.

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After F-bombs to parish employee, Ascension councilman apologizes but is expected to face censure - The Advocate

Coronavirus in Jacksonville: What you need to know for Friday, August 7 – The Florida Times-Union

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The Times-Union| Florida Times-Union

12:20 p.m. | 12 more COVID-19 deaths in Duval County, 180 across Florida

Duval County reported 12 additional deaths and Florida added 180 in a Friday report, raising the statewide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic above 8,000.

Those deaths, the Florida Department of Health reported, raise the statewide toll to 8,051 from COVID-19. The numbers include 7,927 residents and 124 from outside the state.| Read more

Statewide

Cases: 518,075

Current hospitalizations: 7,174

Total hospitalizations: 29,730

Resident deaths: 7,927

Cases in Northeast Florida

Duval:22,889

Clay: 3,186

St. Johns: 3,552

Nassau: 1,184

Baker:630

Putnam: 1,465| Read more

10:35 a.m. |Jacksonville police, community to honor officer who died of COVID-19-related illness

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office isasking the community and fellow first responders to join them in saluting a fallen officer Friday afternoon.

The body of Lt. Chris Cunningham, will be moved from the Medical Examiner's Office to a Hardage-Giddens Funeral Homeat 1 p.m. Friday with a Sheriffs Office escort. Cunningham's fellow officers will line the route with their police cars, with lights on, in tribute.| Read more

10 a.m. |Health directors told to keep quiet as Florida leaders pressed to reopen classrooms

As Gov. Ron DeSantispushed this summerfor schools to reopen, state leaders told school boards they would need Health Department approval if they wanted to keep classrooms closed.

Then they instructed health directors not to give it.

Following a directive from DeSantis administration, county health directors across Florida refused to give school boards advice about one of the most wrenching public health decisions in modern history: whether to reopen schools in a worsening pandemic, a Gannett USA TODAY NETWORK review found.| Read more

8:35 a.m. |1.8M jobs added in July, unemployment falls to 10.2% as some states halt reopening, others press ahead

The U.S. added 1.8 millionjobs in July as payroll growth slowed amid a split-screen economy that had employers stepping up hiring in parts of the country that continued to let businesses reopen, even as COVID-19 spikes forced Sunbelt firmsto pull back and lay off workers.

The unemployment rate fellto 10.2%from 11.1% in June, the Labor Department said Friday.| Read more

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Coronavirus: Florida reports 7,650 new cases; 5 new deaths in Northeast Florida

Florida gained almost 7,700 newcoronavirus cases, but the number of newdeaths dropped statewide, according to Thursday'sstate COVID-19 report.

Northeast Florida reported a total of 32,348 cases, with 353 new cases since Wednesday. Baker County reported a staggering 99 new cases, compared to six the day before. | Read more

The deadly cost of COVID-19: Michael Hartsfield had 'sweet, compassionate personality'

Michael A. Hartsfield lived in the Lake Forest area, near the Ribault and Trout rivers. He graduated from Ribault High School in 1993, and worked as a janitor for Innovation Cleaning Services.

Mr. Hartsfield died April 24 at Ascension St. Vincents Southside Hospital. He was 44 years old. | Read more

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Mayor Curry host school athletics roundtable at UNF

For the second time this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Jacksonville for a roundtable regarding the coronavirus. But this time, the discussion focused largely on football.

Joined by the Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Mayor Lenny Curry and a who's who of well known Florida former athletes and coaches, the roundtable hosted at the University of North Florida centered around Gov. DeSantis' desire to launch K-12school sports especially high school sports despite the COVID-19 pandemic, quickly and safely. | Read more

Jacksonville police Lieutenant Chris Cunningham dies of COVID-19-related illness

A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office lieutenant has died from a COVID-19-related illness, police said Wednesday night.

JSO announced Lt. Chris Cunningham the commanding officer of the Crime Scene Unit, Latent Prints and the Photo Lab died Wednesday after more than 20 years of serving the community. | Read more

How do Duval students feel about going back to school? We asked them.

Worry. Masks. Dont feel safe. Sick.

Those are some of the words Duval County Public Schools students used most frequently when asked about returning to school.

With less than a month until the 2020-21 school year is supposed to start, the district has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers, bus drivers and other education stakeholders when it comes to its recently approved back-to-school plan. But what about the students? | Read more

Jacksonville distributing $3 million in additional COVID-19 aid

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday that city officials are working to distribute additional financial relief forsmall businesses, senior citizens and residents with disabilities.

The City Council recently added$2 million into its small business relief fund and $1 million into its relief program for senior residents and people with disabilities. The money comes from the federal CARES Act grant the city received earlier this summer. | Read more

Jaguars' Josh Allen gave serious consideration to sit out season but his wife encouraged him to play

Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen will be coming off the edge again this season, determined to surpass his team-high 10.5 sacks in 2019.

Yet, opting to play in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic did not come without reservations, which included serious consideration to opt-out from playing to protect his family, especially with the birth of his second son only four months ago. | Read more

Fact check: Dr Pepper shortage? No. But aluminum can shortage may be behind lack of supply

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on supply chains around the nation and manufacturersare struggling to keep up with the latest shifts in demand.

Earlier in the year cametoilet paperandhand sanitizer shortages, and more recently, anational coin shortage. Users on social media are claiming DrPepper is next.

Here's what we know. | Read more

NBA releases testing results, no players confirmed positive

The NBA's bubble is still working. The league released its latest results Wednesday for coronavirus tests performed on players participating in the restarted season at Walt Disney World, and the numbers are still perfect. | Read more

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Duval Schools employees won't have to pay COVID-19 medical expenses under new proposal

Duval County Public Schools employees won't have to pay for medical expenses if they contract the coronavirus, under a new proposal announced Tuesday.

Duval Teachers United President Terrie Brady, Duval County School Board Chairman Warren Jones and Superintendent Diana Greenehosted a press conference in the Cline Auditorium ahead of a regular school board meeting to make the announcement.

"This is one of the most aggressive initiatives in the state for school district employees," Brady said at the conference. | Read more

Gov. DeSantis visits Jacksonville senior center to discuss lockdown's limitations

Family members who test positive for coronavirus antibodies may be allowed into senior care facilities soon if Gov. Ron DeSantis gets his way.

Tuesday afternoon, DeSantis visited Jacksonville's ElderSource senior center along with his wife Casey DeSantis to discuss protecting the elderly community at a roundtable meeting.

"We want to make sure what we're doing is really meaningful," Gov. DeSantissaid during the initial part of the roundtable that was open to the press. | Read more

COVID-19 pandemic closes downtown Jacksonville Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant

10/Six Grille, the Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant in downtown Jacksonville, has closed permanently less than a year after its opening a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Owner Russ Disparti confirmed Tuesday he couldn't afford to reopen the restaurant in the historic Seminole Club building at 400 N. Hogan St. near Jacksonville City Hall.

"It was all the pandemic," Disparti said of the closure. "It takes so much money to open a restaurant. We'd put everything we had into it financially." | Read more

Amid COVID-19, FHSAA ponders multiple options to resume Florida high school sports

High school football in January? Shooting hoops in April?

One preliminary plan under consideration from the Florida High School Athletic Association brings severaloptions onto the table, as the governing bodycontemplates yet another route to return to sports amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Other options might wipe out state playoffs in high school team sports, while another could throw open the playoff gates for football to an even larger playoff field while adding a play-in round in the process. | Read more

Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew activated from reserve/COVID-19 list

The Jaguars starting quarterback Gardner Minshewreturned to the team's facility and resumed throwing passes to his receivers in training camp Tuesday after spending two days in quarantine.

Minshew was activated off the team's reserve/COVID-19 listafter going on the list Sunday withfive other players.

And it couldn't have come soon enough for Minshew, who said he didn't test positive for the virus but was in close contact with an infected teammate. | Read more

4 phases of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials explained

Approving a vaccine in the U.S. usually takes years, but COVID-19 vaccines are moving through in record time. What does that mean?

Novavax becomes fifth COVID-19 vaccine developer to release promising early results

More good news in the pursuit of a COVID-19 vaccine: A fifth vaccine developer has released promising results from a small, early trial.

Novavax Inc., of Gaithersburg, Maryland,released the results via a press releaseand call with media late Tuesday, showing the vaccine appeared safe and elicited a similar immune response to an active infection with COVID-19. | Read more

Disney lost nearly $5 billion while theme parks were closed due to coronavirus

The Walt Disney Company lost nearly $5 billion April, May and June, while its theme parks were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a presentation Disney executives made Tuesday.

It cost the company $3.5 billion just to close the parks during the third quarter, on top of the$1 billion it cost to shut them down the second half of March.

In all, the company posted a loss of nearly $5 billion for the third quarter, including a $2 billion loss in its parks, experiences and products segment. | Read more

President Trump gets heated about COVID-19 numbers during interview

President Trump told Axios' Jonathan Swan, 'It's under control as much as you can control it,' in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

'It is what it is,' Trump says of rising coronavirus death toll as he insists outbreak is 'under control'

President Donald Trump said his administration has done an "incredible" job handling the coronavirus pandemic, and despite rising deaths, the outbreak is "under control" in a wide-ranging and contentious interviewthataired on HBOMonday night.

Axios national political correspondent Jonathan Swan began the interview by asking Trump if his sometimes "wishful thinking" and "salesmanship" were suitable during a crisis that haskilled more than 155,000 people in the USA.

"I think you have to have a positive outlook; otherwise, you would have nothing," Trump said. | Read more

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Coronavirus in Jacksonville: What you need to know for Friday, August 7 - The Florida Times-Union

The Eternal Champion: Charlize Theron Comes Out Swinging in The Old Guard – Memphis Flyer

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In the early 1960s, writer Michael Moorcock created Elric of Melniborn. The albino emperor of a dying kingdom, he is weak and sickly until he acquires Stormbringer, a black sword that transforms him into a near-immortal hero. But the cost is great. The life energy Stormbringer grants Elric is drained from the people he kills, and the sword is always hungry for more blood. Constant death is the price for eternal life.

As Moorcock's writerly fame grew, he expanded Elric's world into a multiverse, eventually revealing that the antihero was an incarnation of the Eternal Champion, a supernatural warrior fated to incarnate and kick ass when the cosmic balance tipped too far off plumb. It was not a new idea. General George S. Patton believed he was the reincarnation of a Roman legionary and a Napoleonic soldier. The idea that immortality would be more curse than blessing goes back to the Wandering Jew, a man present at the Crucifixion cursed to live long enough to see the Second Coming.

Despite being hugely influential on modern fantasy, Moorcock's works haven't gotten the film adaptation treatment. The closest we've come is Highlander, a franchise responsible for both some tasty '80s cheese and the worst film ever made. (Highlander II: The Quickening is the answer to the unasked question, "What would it be like if an insurance company made a movie?")

Enter The Old Guard. Based on a comic series by Greg Rucka and directed by Love and Basketball helmer Gina Prince-Bythewood, the Netflix film introduces Andromach of Scythia (Charlize Theron), a nigh-immortal warrior who has been taking names for several thousand years. She impersonated the goddess Athena, rode with the Mongol hordes, and advised General Grant at Vicksburg. Andromach Andy to her friends has assembled a tight-knit group of fellow long-lived freelance sword-swingers to take on good causes.

But after centuries of intervention, Andy has come to believe it's all in vain. She's coaxed out of retirement by CIA agent James Copely (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to help rescue a group of trafficked Sudanese kids in the sprawling Juba refugee camp. But when Andy arrives, she finds a setup: Someone has gotten wind of their immortality, a secret they try very hard to keep. They can't be killed, but immortality has its own drawbacks, like being locked in a prison cell for decades. Or even worse, trapped at the bottom of the ocean, drowning afresh every few minutes like Andy's first partner Quynh (Veronica Ngo), the victim of a Puritan witch hunt.

Copely is in league with pharma CEO Steven Merrick (Harry Melling), who wants to study the immortals and sell their secrets of instant healing. As Andy and her friends Nicky (Luca Marinelli), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) regroup, they are bombarded with psychic visions from Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), a Marine who wakes in Afghanistan after being pronounced dead from a mortal wound. The companions must save Nile from the clutches of the military industrial complex while keeping a step ahead of Merrick's private army.

The good news is, The Old Guard is better than Highlander II but that's true of literally every movie ever. Mostly, that's due to the presence of Furiosa. Theron is among our finest actors, and while not every film can be Monster or Mad Max: Fury Road, she needs material worthy of her gifts. This ain't it. I would have settled for another Atomic Blonde, a Theron-led beat-em-up which at least showed some stylistic panache. Instead, The Old Guard is mostly a slog. It wants desperately to appeal to the John Wick cult, serving up long sequences of Andy and company shooting and slicing their way through legions of faceless security contractors.

Staging and editing action sequences is an exacting art. I'm on record as Wick-skeptical, but I admit the Keanu Reeves vehicle delivers the goods. If pop-soundtracked ultraviolence is your thing, you'll recognize that The Old Guard is not top flight. Prince-Bythewood gives over to the temptation of using every angle she can shoot. The John Wick movies at their best shoot their stunt performers like dancers in a Gene Kelly movie long takes of full-bodied frames, so you can appreciate the athleticism. (Sadly, this is what we get instead of An American in Paris.) The Old Guard takes four cuts to show our heroes simply walking down a hill.

In the occasional emotional moment, Prince-Bythewood's talents become more apparent. Theron's Andy is soul-sick from the constant killing. Nicky and Joe are lovers, and they get a nice moment professing their love while chained in the back of a police van. But then, there's the inevitable non-ending designed to set up a lucrative franchise, and it all kind of feels pointless. In a world plagued by too much mortality, the problems of immortals seem very remote. The Old Guard is streaming on Netflix.

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The Eternal Champion: Charlize Theron Comes Out Swinging in The Old Guard - Memphis Flyer

Film Festival Founder Leaves Legacy of Passion for the Arts – outlooknewspapers.com

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Velvet Rhoades

As one close friend coined it, a light went out on Sunday, July 26, when longtime Glendale resident Velvet Rhodes, the idiosyncratic founder of the Glendale International Film Festival, died in hospice care after a four-year battle with stage-4 cancer.Rhodes, who was 70, is survived by a brother in Tennessee and a cousin in Arizona. She leaves with her friends and colleagues the memory of a strong-willed woman whose fashion ensemble for the day would often announce her arrival to an event, whose passion for performing arts and her festival were positively radioactive, and who, by numerous accounts, would not take no for an answer.I think really thats the thing that stood out most about Velvet, said Elissa Glickman, CEO of Glendale Arts, which operates the Alex Theatre. At our first meeting, she pitched me an idea and concept that I wasnt so keen on, but what her project could have brought to the community was so important that she made us believe that our vision could be her vision and it could translate into something really special to our community.

Rhodes lasting contribution to the city, the Glendale International Film Festival, was formed in 2014 and was frequently hosted in the Alex Theatre. It is slated to continue this year, in virtual format, on account of the pandemic.She was so passionate about the film festival, said Peggy Smith, a friend and fellow member of Glendale Sunrise Rotary. She didnt do it for herself. She was doing it because it was important to her to bring to the forefront young authors and screenwriters and filmmakers, so they could get a bit of a start through the film festival. She also did it to bring more immortality to the greats in film.Rhodes was born as Patricia Laura Adams on Aug. 16, 1949, in Los Angeles, and was raised in Pacific Palisades. A precocious girl, she left her familys home as soon as she could and set out for the world, where she adopted Velvet Rhodes as her name.I am imagining she was a very strong-willed child, because she was certainly a strong-willed adult, Smith explained. Her mom and dad were crazy about each other, and they didnt really have time for children. As a result, she did not grow up in a loving, cozy home, and she left home at a very early age.An early fan of writers, composers and playwrights, Rhodes studied at the Royal Academy for Dramatic Art in London, where she also ventured into singing in rock bands, theater performances and oil painting. Rhodes ultimately returned to L.A., where her career included uncredited roles in Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Rocky II and Batman Forever. She settled in Glendale in 1989 and would eventually join local clubs such as Sunrise Rotary, the Glendale Chamber of Commerce and the Glendale Kiwanis Club. She formed Velvet Rhodes Productions in 2004.This is something Ive said to a number of people that I never found out: why Glendale? said Randy Slaughter, president of Glendale Kiwanis, whose career was in film distribution and theater ownership. As soon as Velvet found out that I was in the film business, that was it. She can nicely suck you in. She had such a passion for art and entertainment.Believe me, you cant forget her, Slaughter added. The first word I used was colorful, but it wasnt because of her hair. Shell be missed. She wanted to be something in the community. Ive been in the industry a long time. Ive seen egos. She didnt have an ego. She wanted to be at the table and she wanted to be noticed, but she didnt have an ego.With her film festival, Rhodes hoped to recreate the glamor of other storied festivals in the more humble Glendale and in a way that sought out smaller and independent filmmakers from throughout the world.Her goal was to try to make this one of the biggest events that Glendale had, said Alex Parajon, a fellow Rotarian and treasurer for the film festivals board. Were located obviously near Burbank and Hollywood, the capital for movie-making, and the passion she brought for movie-making, she wanted to inspire locals to make films and show them at the festival.Rhodes was known for her tireless advocacy of the festival and would take any chance she could to bend someones ear about getting their organization or nonprofit somehow involved in the event.It is certainly a legacy to be honored and it is certainly impressive what she was able to accomplish in a short time, Glickman said. She is probably going to be remembered most just for being a large presence and enthusiastic promotor of both our community and the artistic brilliance that really comes out of our community.Her later career credits include writing, directing and producing the 2008 short film The Cell Phone and also her 2015 documentary, Vintage Glorious Glendale, which paid tribute to the vintage heritage of her city. This enthusiasm translated to her film festivals homage to its creators and sponsors. The film festival board is exploring titling its top award in honor of Rhodes.What she tried to do is incorporate the diversity, which means during the festival there would be certain programing there would be some Armenian films, of course and certain programs related to a topic of one of the nonprofits, like a film related to homelessness or hunger, Parajon said.Smith, who said her friend was full of life in spite of her cancer struggles She might have been dying inside, but you didnt know it, Smith said last spoke with Rhodes days before her death.We had a good conversation, Smith said. She talked with me like there was nothing wrong and had that booming voice. Usually when people are nearing death, they have a rally at some point and they come back like theyre stronger for a little while. Hers was only for one day, but she was Velvet for that day. I told her that her board at the film festival was going forward and that were going to have a virtual festival in October. I said, Were going to keep it going, Velvet. She pulled herself forward, clasped her hands in front of her as if in prayer, and said, That is the best news.

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Film Festival Founder Leaves Legacy of Passion for the Arts - outlooknewspapers.com