US stockpile security and international monitoring capabilities strengthened, says new report on technical issues behind the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty

Public release date: 30-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Molly Galvin
news@nas.edu
202-334-2138
National Academy of Sciences

WASHINGTON The United States is now in a better position than at any time in the past to maintain a safe and effective nuclear weapons stockpile without testing and to monitor clandestine nuclear testing abroad, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report, requested by the Office of the Vice President and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, reviews and updates a 2002 study that examined the technical concerns raised about the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The report does not take a position on whether the U.S. should ratify the treaty.

"So long as the nation is fully committed to securing its weapons stockpile and provides sufficient resources for doing so, the U.S. has the technical capabilities to maintain safe, reliable nuclear weapons into the foreseeable future without the need for underground weapons testing," said Ellen D. Williams, chief scientist at BP and chair of the committee that wrote the report. "In addition, U.S. and international technologies to monitor weapons testing by other countries are significantly better now than they were a decade ago."

U.S. verification of compliance with the CTBT would be accomplished through a combination of information gathered by the U.S. military and intelligence agencies, the International Monitoring System (IMS), which is now more than 80 percent complete, and other publicly available geophysical data. U.S. global monitoring capabilities are superior to those of the IMS and can focus on countries of national concern, the report says. However, the IMS provides valuable data to the U.S., both as a common baseline for international assessment and as a way of disclosing potential violations when the U.S. needs to keep its own data classified. Therefore, the U.S. should support both the completion of the IMS and its operations regardless of whether CTBT enters into force, the report says.

The improvements in the IMS and the U.S. monitoring network reduce the likelihood of undetected nuclear explosion testing and inhibit development of new types of strategic nuclear weapons, the report says. Technologies for detecting clandestine testing in four environments -- underground, underwater, in the atmosphere, and in space -- have improved significantly in the past decade. In particular, seismology, the most effective approach for monitoring underground nuclear explosion testing, can now detect underground explosions well below 1 kiloton in most regions. A kiloton is equivalent to 1,000 tons of chemical high explosive. The nuclear weapons that were used in Japan in World War II had yields in the range of 10 to 20 kilotons.

The report acknowledges that weapons threats could arise without being detected even if a test ban existed. For example, a rudimentary nuclear weapon could be built and deployed without testing by a nation with access to sufficient material, or a previously tested weapon design might be manufactured without further testing by a country that obtained the design. Such weapons could pose local or regional threats "of great concern," but they would not require the U.S. to return to weapons testing in order to respond, the report says. The U.S. already has or could produce weapons of equal or greater capability based on its own nuclear explosion test history. In addition, if the U.S. determined that there was a technical need to develop a new type of nuclear weapon that has not been tested previously, it could invoke the "supreme national interest clause" and withdraw from the CTBT.

The administration and Congress should develop and implement a comprehensive plan with a clear strategy for maintaining the nation's nuclear deterrence capabilities and competencies, the report says. The nation's Stockpile Stewardship Program, which collectively maintains the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal in the absence of testing, has had "significant advances" in technical knowledge and capability since the 2002 report, such as completion and operation of new major research facilities. The report calls for a strong national commitment to recruiting and sustaining high-quality workers, repairing aging infrastructure, and strengthening the science, engineering, and technology base for both stockpile maintenance and monitoring capabilities.

Initiated nearly 50 years ago under President Eisenhower, negotiations for the CTBT were completed in 1996. The treaty has been signed by 182 nations, including the United States. The pact, which would prohibit nuclear weapons testing in all environments, would establish a network of monitoring stations to help track compliance and provide for inspections of suspected tests. It would permit research, development, and design activities by the nuclear-weapon states, but experiments producing a nuclear yield would be forbidden.

The treaty would enter into force after ratification by the 44 countries that either already possessed nuclear weapons or had nuclear reactors in 1996. To date, 36 have done so, including Russia, the United Kingdom, and France. The U.S. Senate failed to give its advice and consent to ratification in 1999. The Obama administration has indicated that it will seek ratification. The U.S. has observed a testing moratorium since October 1992.

###

The study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of State, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies. They are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter. The Research Council is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. For more information, visit http://national-academies.org. A committee roster follows.

Contacts:
Molly Galvin, Senior Media Relations Officer
Shaquanna Shields, Media Relations Assistant
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu

Pre-publication copies of The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: Technical Issues for the United States are available from the National Academies Press; tel. 202-334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at http://www.nap.edu. Reporters may obtain a copy from the Office of News and Public Information (contacts listed above).

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
Division on Policy and Global Affairs

Committee on Reviewing and Updating Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Ellen D. Williams1 (chair)
Chief Scientist
BP
London

Marvin L. Adams
Professor of Nuclear Engineering
Texas A&M University
College Station

Linton F. Brooks
Independent Consultant
Vienna, Va.

Theodore W. Bowyer
Scientist and Program Manager
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, Wash.

Donald D. Cobb
Senior Adviser
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Los Alamos, N.M.

Richard L. Garwin1, 2, 3
Fellow Emeritus
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Raymond Jeanloz1
Professor in Earth and Planetary Science and Astronomy
University of California
Berkeley

Richard W. Mies
President and CEO
The Mies Group Ltd.
Fairfax Station, Va.

C. Bruce Tarter
Director Emeritus
E.O. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, Calif.

Subcommittee on Seismology to the Committee to Review and Update Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Lynn R. Sykes 1 (chair)
Higgins Professor Emeritus of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Columbia University
Palisades, N.Y.

Hans Hartse
Staff Seismologist
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, N.M.

Paul G. Richards
Emeritus Mellon Professor of Natural Sciences
Columbia University
New York City

Gregory Van Der Vink
Visiting Lecturer
Department of Geosciences
Princeton University
Princeton, N.J.

William R. Walter
Scientific Staff
Earth and Energy Division
E.O. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, Calif.

STAFF

Benjamin J. Rusek
Study Co-Director

1 Member, National Academy of Sciences
2 Member, National Academy of Engineering
3 Member, Institute of Medicine

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Molly Galvin
news@nas.edu
202-334-2138
National Academy of Sciences

WASHINGTON The United States is now in a better position than at any time in the past to maintain a safe and effective nuclear weapons stockpile without testing and to monitor clandestine nuclear testing abroad, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report, requested by the Office of the Vice President and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, reviews and updates a 2002 study that examined the technical concerns raised about the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The report does not take a position on whether the U.S. should ratify the treaty.

"So long as the nation is fully committed to securing its weapons stockpile and provides sufficient resources for doing so, the U.S. has the technical capabilities to maintain safe, reliable nuclear weapons into the foreseeable future without the need for underground weapons testing," said Ellen D. Williams, chief scientist at BP and chair of the committee that wrote the report. "In addition, U.S. and international technologies to monitor weapons testing by other countries are significantly better now than they were a decade ago."

U.S. verification of compliance with the CTBT would be accomplished through a combination of information gathered by the U.S. military and intelligence agencies, the International Monitoring System (IMS), which is now more than 80 percent complete, and other publicly available geophysical data. U.S. global monitoring capabilities are superior to those of the IMS and can focus on countries of national concern, the report says. However, the IMS provides valuable data to the U.S., both as a common baseline for international assessment and as a way of disclosing potential violations when the U.S. needs to keep its own data classified. Therefore, the U.S. should support both the completion of the IMS and its operations regardless of whether CTBT enters into force, the report says.

The improvements in the IMS and the U.S. monitoring network reduce the likelihood of undetected nuclear explosion testing and inhibit development of new types of strategic nuclear weapons, the report says. Technologies for detecting clandestine testing in four environments -- underground, underwater, in the atmosphere, and in space -- have improved significantly in the past decade. In particular, seismology, the most effective approach for monitoring underground nuclear explosion testing, can now detect underground explosions well below 1 kiloton in most regions. A kiloton is equivalent to 1,000 tons of chemical high explosive. The nuclear weapons that were used in Japan in World War II had yields in the range of 10 to 20 kilotons.

The report acknowledges that weapons threats could arise without being detected even if a test ban existed. For example, a rudimentary nuclear weapon could be built and deployed without testing by a nation with access to sufficient material, or a previously tested weapon design might be manufactured without further testing by a country that obtained the design. Such weapons could pose local or regional threats "of great concern," but they would not require the U.S. to return to weapons testing in order to respond, the report says. The U.S. already has or could produce weapons of equal or greater capability based on its own nuclear explosion test history. In addition, if the U.S. determined that there was a technical need to develop a new type of nuclear weapon that has not been tested previously, it could invoke the "supreme national interest clause" and withdraw from the CTBT.

The administration and Congress should develop and implement a comprehensive plan with a clear strategy for maintaining the nation's nuclear deterrence capabilities and competencies, the report says. The nation's Stockpile Stewardship Program, which collectively maintains the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal in the absence of testing, has had "significant advances" in technical knowledge and capability since the 2002 report, such as completion and operation of new major research facilities. The report calls for a strong national commitment to recruiting and sustaining high-quality workers, repairing aging infrastructure, and strengthening the science, engineering, and technology base for both stockpile maintenance and monitoring capabilities.

Initiated nearly 50 years ago under President Eisenhower, negotiations for the CTBT were completed in 1996. The treaty has been signed by 182 nations, including the United States. The pact, which would prohibit nuclear weapons testing in all environments, would establish a network of monitoring stations to help track compliance and provide for inspections of suspected tests. It would permit research, development, and design activities by the nuclear-weapon states, but experiments producing a nuclear yield would be forbidden.

The treaty would enter into force after ratification by the 44 countries that either already possessed nuclear weapons or had nuclear reactors in 1996. To date, 36 have done so, including Russia, the United Kingdom, and France. The U.S. Senate failed to give its advice and consent to ratification in 1999. The Obama administration has indicated that it will seek ratification. The U.S. has observed a testing moratorium since October 1992.

###

The study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of State, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies. They are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter. The Research Council is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. For more information, visit http://national-academies.org. A committee roster follows.

Contacts:
Molly Galvin, Senior Media Relations Officer
Shaquanna Shields, Media Relations Assistant
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu

Pre-publication copies of The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: Technical Issues for the United States are available from the National Academies Press; tel. 202-334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at http://www.nap.edu. Reporters may obtain a copy from the Office of News and Public Information (contacts listed above).

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
Division on Policy and Global Affairs

Committee on Reviewing and Updating Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Ellen D. Williams1 (chair)
Chief Scientist
BP
London

Marvin L. Adams
Professor of Nuclear Engineering
Texas A&M University
College Station

Linton F. Brooks
Independent Consultant
Vienna, Va.

Theodore W. Bowyer
Scientist and Program Manager
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, Wash.

Donald D. Cobb
Senior Adviser
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Los Alamos, N.M.

Richard L. Garwin1, 2, 3
Fellow Emeritus
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Raymond Jeanloz1
Professor in Earth and Planetary Science and Astronomy
University of California
Berkeley

Richard W. Mies
President and CEO
The Mies Group Ltd.
Fairfax Station, Va.

C. Bruce Tarter
Director Emeritus
E.O. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, Calif.

Subcommittee on Seismology to the Committee to Review and Update Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Lynn R. Sykes 1 (chair)
Higgins Professor Emeritus of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Columbia University
Palisades, N.Y.

Hans Hartse
Staff Seismologist
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, N.M.

Paul G. Richards
Emeritus Mellon Professor of Natural Sciences
Columbia University
New York City

Gregory Van Der Vink
Visiting Lecturer
Department of Geosciences
Princeton University
Princeton, N.J.

William R. Walter
Scientific Staff
Earth and Energy Division
E.O. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, Calif.

STAFF

Benjamin J. Rusek
Study Co-Director

1 Member, National Academy of Sciences
2 Member, National Academy of Engineering
3 Member, Institute of Medicine

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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'Mirror Mirror': The Reviews Are In!

Critics agree the Snow White adaptation is 'not the fairest of them all.'
By Fallon Prinzivalli

Lily Collins in "Mirror, Mirror"
Photo: Relativity Media

Before it even hit the box office, "Mirror Mirror" was viewed with a critical eye as two Snow White adaptations had announced their release dates a month apart. But with the release of the trailers, it was clear that the two movies were very different. The Tarsem Singh film is a quirky comedy from the vantage point of the Evil Queen (Julia Roberts) over the traditional Snow White (Lily Collins), while "Snow White and the Huntsman" is about the epic battle Snow White (Kristen Stewart) must fight for her life. Unfortunately for those involved in the former, as the reviews pour in, it's obvious the movie is making critics grumpy.

The Story
" 'Mirror Mirror' begins with an impressively animated recap of Snow White's predicament: Banished to her castle by a wicked stepmother after her father the king disappears, and being played by such a vacantly pretty ingenue as Lily Collins. Collins conveys a properly Audrey Hepburn princess look and the acting range of a runway model. The damsel's role is always distressed. The queen has run the kingdom into the ground, funding a lavish lifestyle with escalating taxes. After sneaking out for a tour of the squalor, Snow sides with the other 99 percent. Their relationship is further strained with the arrival of handsome Prince Alcott." — Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times

The Laughs
" 'Mirror Mirror' is unfair to people expecting more than a few good laughs. Scenes proceed lethargically, with pauses after punch lines where Tarsem must hope for audience laughter. Anachronistic gags (as when the Prince tells Snow White that he has to be the hero because 'it's been focus-grouped — it works') break whatever luscious spell the art direction and costumery might create. On their first meeting in the woods, the Prince tells the dwarfs, 'You're short, and it's funny.' Well, the film is shortish (106 mins.) but it's also epically unfunny. The producers should have handed the script to an actual clever person like Paul Rudnick ('In & Out,' 'Jeffrey') and told him to send it back in a week, with solid jokes and a buoyant spirit." — Richard Corliss, Time

Julia Roberts
"Roberts has had exactly one high point ('Duplicity') since winning her Oscar in 2000, and she acts here as if simply appearing in a floofy dress is high hilarity. Her 'playfulness' seems like work and her cartoony maliciousness is dull. (Charlize Theron, who plays the queen in this summer's more serious 'Snow White and the Huntsman,' needn't fret.)" — Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

The Visuals
"Singh, whose eye-popping tribute to the Silent Era, 'The Fall,' was several years ahead of 'The Artist'/'Hugo' curve, never lets his attention waver from the production design — those beautiful, snowy, birch tree forests; the parapets; cliffs; and opulent palace digs. He lets his stars deliver their lines — some with more flourish and wit than others (among the dwarfs, Jordan Prentice and Danny Woodburn get off the best) — but his eye is mostly on the gilt and the silk, the CG-ed skies, and the eerie, iced-over lake that separates the castle from the town." — Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

The Final Word
"The whole thing lacks tonal cohesion, lurching from Tim Burton-style comic grotesquerie to underpowered action set pieces to a gratuitously self-referential Bollywood production number on the end credits. The impression is that of a director constantly fighting to put his stamp on material that's foreign to him, and unable to figure out what that stamp should be." — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

"Not the fairest of them all." — Matt Stevens, E! Online

Check out everything we've got on "Mirror Mirror."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Videos

• MTV Rough Cut: 'Mirror Mirror'

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Bankruptcy Lawyer in Las Vegas on Why Declaring Chapter 7 or 13 ...

Lots more people are getting into debt with the kind of extreme marketing credit card issuers do. Before 2008, financial institutions loosened many of the credit rating principles for getting housing and car loans so people could order more households and autos even though they couldn't afford it. This was a recipe for disaster, as every bankruptcy lawyer in Las Vegas is all too mindful, and getting out of debt can be an exceptionally difficult process.

Loan modification

One method to pay back debt is by loan modification. You and your banker will discuss on a lower repayment for your debts which will be viewed as your whole payment. Many who are experiencing difficulties paying cash they owe are turning to loan modification to manage their raising pile of credit card debt, especially with bank cards.

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Filing for bankruptcy

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Source: http://business.ezinemark.com/bankruptcy-lawyer-in-las-vegas-on-why-declaring-chapter-7-or-13-is-much-better-7d351f910bee.html

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What You Need to Know About Online Business: Email Marketing ...

One of the most valuable assets an online business can have is an opt-in list. What?s this and how does it work? We?re here to help!

An opt-in marketing list is where a customer (or potential customer, but it?s most often somebody who has purchased something from your site) gets an option to include themselves in on an email list that your company sends out.

This is very different from spam, which is where unscrupulous business owners go ?phishing? for random email addresses that they find on the Internet and relentlessly pelt these poor souls with emails. Spam does nobody any good and basically ends up costing a business a lot of money only to irritate people.

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Opt-in lists give customers who are interested in you your attention. Even better, the effect of an opt-in list is entirely traceable, as if you start offering promotions through your list you?ll be able to tell how many of them get redeemed. Opt-in lists are also another great way to get out more of that free expert content you offer, specially designed for those who wish to follow you. Many smaller businesses offer Q and A sessions through their opt-in list, where followers can ask specific questions that can be answered through the general forum of your email.

These lists are also the digital equivalent to having ?regulars? at a store and engaging them in casual chat. Through an email list you can develop more intimate relationships with customers as compared to the normal ?anonymous buyer? that hops into your site to pick up a few items, and then hops out without you knowing anything more about them other than what they bought. Close relationships with customers generate brand loyalty, which is a hot commodity.

Want another bonus? Email marketing can also be entirely free if you manage it yourself. Even if you choose to outsource your email marketing or leave it to an employee to handle, it is much cheaper than print advertising because of how targeted it is. Individual customers make specific requests, and you fill them by sending out the information direct to those who asked for it. It?s a very simple, yet incredibly effective method of advertising that is guaranteed to optimize conversions and get people talking about you, particularly if you make your opt-in list a plum deal to join.

Source: http://www.transmutationsciences.com/announcements/online-business-email-marketing-happen/

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94% The Secret World of Arrietty

All Critics (113) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (106) | Rotten (7)

As pretty as it is, this Secret World is too Earthbound by far.

The Secret World of Arrietty is a marvelously captivating animated feature about very tiny people and the full-scale world they inhabit.

Yonebayashi gives Arrietty an excellent sense of balance, with the adventure aspects of the story, which feel legitimately dangerous providing well-paced contrast the film's more placid moments.

It's an enjoyable and attractive-looking film, but a little of that "Speed Racer" energy wouldn't have been such a bad thing.

The visual details are inventive, and the animation - particularly the colors - is lovely.

"The Secret World of Arrietty'' is a feast for the eyes that will engage the entire family.

It certainly belongs in the second rank of Ghibli fantasies. But give it a chance.

Most will be caught up in its beautiful spell, immersed in great storytelling at its finest.

The soft-focus animation has an impressionistic quality, as if a gentle breeze had wafted across a Monet canvas.

This smart, winsome fairy tale is not quite Hiyao Miyazaki, but it still might be the best animated film that (some few) will see all year.

Another Studio Ghibli wonder, as heartbreaking for its devotion to craft, artistry and intelligent storytelling (for viewers of all ages) as for its themes of inevitable exile and impossible love.

There's a gentle movie from Japan that's going to seem familiar to a lot of fans of the series of books about 'The Borrowers.'

...yet another jewel in the crown of Studio Ghibli.

...creates a sense of wide-eyed wonder and discovery as we experience the awe-inspiring mysteries of an ordinary house as seen from the four-inch borrower's point of view.

The animation, a gorgeous blend of bewitching watercolored backgrounds and poignantly rendered characters, is, as ever, beyond reproach.

What is most effective is the way the sense of peaceful shelter and retreat in the country setting contrasts with the precariousness of the situations faced by Shawn and Arrietty.

It's hard to imagine this scenario playing out with more delicacy and care than animator-turned-director Yonebayashi Hiromasa brings to bear.

Arrietty has an elegiac mood, like a more wan and sedate Toy Story.

Gently enchanting, an extraordinary adventure

There may not be a frenzy of action and fast cuts but each scene has meticulous details about how the borrowers live, how they make use of the things in their environment to survive.

Tiny people who live in the walls of a rural home are put at risk when they are discovered by the humans residing there. Studio Ghibli offers a soothing animated version of the classic children's novels.

the basic elements of loneliness, friendship, and the fragility of life are intact, along with that ineffable sense of wonder, melancholy, and magic

By being less bizarre than SPIRITED AWAY and having more of a human center to the film, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY is one of Studio Ghibli's best efforts to date.

A beautiful family film based on THE BORROWERS will delight audiences of all ages

The Secret World of Arrietty is an engaging and warm story of a lovely friendship that has enough action and humour to satisfy all ages, and boy, it's awfully pretty.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_secret_world_of_arrietty/

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Obama health reform law goes on trial amid deeply split public opinion

Public opinion polls on Obama's health reform law are murkier than Republican leaders claim. True, a majority of the public sees the individual mandate as unconstitutional, but Americans like many of its other provisions.

Whatever you call it ? the Affordable Care Act, health-care reform, Obamacare ? one aspect of President Obama?s signature health-care law is taken almost as if etched in stone: Americans ?don?t like it, they think it?s unconstitutional, and they want it repealed,? as Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell put it in the GOP?s weekly television address last week.

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As the US Supreme Court begins three days of argument over the 2010 health-care reform law, a close reading of several recent opinion polls shows that public sentiment may be more complex than that ? and may complicate Republicans? push to make health care a central part of their political agenda through November.

The crux of the matter? Americans see the individual mandate, the law?s requirement that almost every American buy health insurance or pay a penalty, as unconstitutional.

At the same time, the overall law ? with popular measures like the ability to keep children on a parent?s health-insurance policy through age 26 ? either divides public opinion or tilts slightly toward Democrats' positions. ?

Americans have consistently shown a constitutional concern with the health-care law. Earlier in Senator McConnell?s weekly remarks, for example, he cited a February poll conducted by Gallup/USA Today?in which 72 percent of respondents said they believed that the individual mandate is unconstitutional. A poll released Monday by The Hill newspaper found half of voters believe Mr. Obama?s health-care law should be overturned, versus 42 percent who say it should be upheld. A March 14 poll by Pew Research shows similar results ? 41 percent ?approve? of the individual mandate, while 56 percent ?disapprove.?

Those same polls, however, show that overall public opinion about the law is more evenly divided.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/P3byqfo7DPY/Obama-health-reform-law-goes-on-trial-amid-deeply-split-public-opinion

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Video: New witness comes forward in Martin case

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46853931#46853931

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Casey Anthony Defamation Suit: New Trial Brewing?

Casey Anthony may not be out of the legal woods just yet.

Her civil defense attorney is doing everything he can to make sure a defamation lawsuit against his client won’t go to trial, and today, a judge will hear the lawyer argue for the dismissal of the lawsuit brought against Anthony by Zenaida Gonzalez.

The 25-year-old might want to say a prayer this afternoon.

Gonzalez, a.k.a. Zanny the Nanny, is suing Anthony for defamation, claims that she was harassed and threatened after Anthony came up with a bogus nanny named Zenaida Gonzalez-Fernandez who she accused of kidnapping her daughter Caylee.

Gonzalez's attorneys will ask that Casey Anthony's video diaries be ordered into evidence in the case. Anthony has been keeping the video journal, which were leaked mysteriously this winter, since her July acquittal on murder charges.

What relevance the diary has is unclear, but it appears below:

Casey Anthony Video Diary

Anthony was cleared of all charges related to her child's death, but was convicted on four counts of lying to law enforcement. She was sentenced to four years.

However, with credit for the time she served before and during her murder trial, she was released from jail less than two weeks after her acquittal July 17.

She is currently in hiding, but serving probation for check fraud, somewhere in her native Florida. Anthony will most likely not be present in court today.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/03/casey-anthony-defamation-suit-new-trial-brewing/

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TV's Simon Cowell ready for challenge of "The Voice"

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tvs-simon-cowell-ready-challenge-voice-190601236.html

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WATCH: Paltrow & Ray Slam Cookbook Ghostwriting Claims

Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachael Ray are not pleased by the continued insistence by New York Times writer Julia Moskin that they employed ghostwriters to help them complete their cookbooks.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/gwyneth-paltrow-rachael-ray-continue-slam-cookbook-ghostwriting-claims/1-a-437973?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Agwyneth-paltrow-rachael-ray-continue-slam-cookbook-ghostwriting-claims-437973

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Maybe the New iPad Is Hot Because Its Processor Is 310% Huger [Ipad]

Apple's unapologetically selling a new iPad that'll go up to 116 degrees in your hands while playing a game. Maybe they should have done something about that, yeah. But the tablet's new processor is so massive, we shouldn't be surprised. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/N_X0jQ6T88I/maybe-the-new-ipad-is-hot-because-its-processor-is-310-huger

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Premium PC Protection to increase performance of PC

Premium PC Protection to increase performance of PC

Computer viruses and malicious applications are spreading like epidemics engulfing a huge number of computers at a time there by paralyzing the machines from performing well. Proving the existing PC Protection unbefitting, the viruses are evolving with ever new technologies and randomly attack the computers through internet connections. With n number of new viruses and spyware, Trojans and malware applications down the line your personal information and sensitive data are at a stake irrespective of the prevailing PC data Protection. All your web movements are pried upon and all your personal credentials are treacherously stolen without you being totally unaware. Apart from the data theft, viruses are strong enough to impact your system adversely and deteriorate its performance.

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But how do you know if your system is infected and needs a highly fortified Protection for PC ? Below are few of the common symptoms that indicate your system of being under virus impact:

• Strange Windows randomly pops up
• Sluggish computer
• Internet browser redirects you to distrustful websites
• Antivirus program fails to start on your computer
• Unfamiliar programs run automatically

In general, to combat spyware and viruses we consider using a known brand of Antivirus. The spyware applications are often hidden in common files but remains untraceable. Apart from installing the PC Protection Software programs, your computer needs to be regularly scheduled for thorough scanning to extract the mysterious and sly malicious online threats. And finally eliminating these stubborn and malevolent elements, your system needs a highly skilled tech support. The online tech support providers foster excellent teams of expert technicians help you get rid of the online threats and prevailing viruses and enhance the protection level to speed up the system from being lethargic.

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iGennie is one amongst such premium tech support providers who also comprises of adept teams with certified engineers. The expert technicians correctly diagnose the computer for virus infections and other prevailing issues. Once diagnosed, they remove the viruses, malwares, spywares, or any hidden Trojans that are potential threats for the PC. ?They make all necessary efforts to eradicate mulish viruses that often the antivirus programs fail to remove. The technicians are skilled to offer troubleshooting services for Windows system errors, and fine tune the overall performance of your PC.

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Here the tech experts have expertise in applying Best PC Protection that treats virus infections without razing over your data. You just need to relax as just a toll free call and the iGennie technicians would instantly attend your concern and eliminate malicious software, remove existing errors, clear out any file debris, and tune up your computer for best performance!

Source: http://www.igennieblogs.com/antivirus/premium-pc-protection-to-increase-performance-of-pc.html

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Norwin Play it Forward Fund News | Norwin Band

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The evening will feature musical entertainment by Norwin instrumental students and their instructors, a coffee bar, dessert buffet, chocolate fountain, and a nacho bar in recognition of the Cinco de Mayo holiday. ... Fund, Inc., a 501(c)3, non-profit organization provides primarily need-based grants for motivated Norwin instrumental students, grades 5 -12, who desire to improve their musical performance by taking private music lessons or attending summer music camps.

Source: http://norwinband.net/norwin-play-it-forward-fund-news/

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Video: Students demand criminal charges for Trayvon Martin?s death

>> now to a story in this country that exploded largely to the thanks of social media . a teenager shot and killed by a man carrying a gun. tonight, the dramatic 911 tapes that captured the young man's last moments and the growing calls for justice in a state with a spryi surprising law along those lines. pete williams .

>> reporter: outside a florida prosecutors office today, students demanded criminal charges in the death of 17-year-old tray sean martin walking through a gated community . he was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer. it all began when he called 911 worried about recent break-ins.

>> this gooks like he's up to now good or he's on drugs or something. he's got his hands in his waistband. and he's a black male.

>> are you following him?

>> yeah.

>> okay, we don't need you to do this.

>> reporter: what happened next is captured by 911 calls by neighborhoods.

>> what's going on?

>> so you think he's yelling help?

>> yes.

>> what is your --

>> there's gunshots.

>> that was my baby. and he was pleading for his life. and i just don't understand how that is self defense .

>> zimmerman actually did claim self defense and police declined to arrest him. friends say he's not gun happy or a racist.

>> george is savery congenial person. he never showed up to meetings dressed in camouflage or looked like rambo.

>> florida has what's called a stand your ground law, giving people the right to use deadly force if they reasonably fear for their safety. but some legal experts say the man who fired the shots in this case was the aggressor.

>> he was in a car, he was told to stay in his car. he got out and confronted a young man who was merely walking home from the convenience store.

>> he was carrying only a bag of scand candy and a can of iced tea . social media are buzzing over the case. this twitter page gets a new entry every 20 seconds. prosecutors say the police gave them the case file just a week ago and insist it's still under investigation. pete williams , nbc news,

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46789200/

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Examining Effortless Secrets In Tax Relief

tax relief

If ??? ?r? working legally, upcoming th?t means th?t ??? happen f?r life having t? pay f?r taxes. All ?nd each 12 months ?b??t th?t pretty unique day, bags ?f personnel ?l??? together h?? ?r h?r taxes f?r life paid f?r th? wits th?t ?t ?? ?n obligation t? th? nation. Early time t? time, w? nevertheless w?ll need ??m? levy h?l? m??t importantly ?f w? contain ??m? tax conditions need sorting out. Th?t ?? wh?n consulting businesses ?r? available ?n. Having ???d th?t, th?r? ?r? ?n fact numerous th?m ?n existence ?nd th?? ???ld g?t each one ?f th? additional complicated ?nd grating. Wh? n?t try out out {tax relief} f?r th? m??t brilliant hearsay. B?t ??? ??n find a lot ?f consulting corporations out th?r? ?n a city ?n conjunction including th? net wh??h ??? ???ld pocket upon yourself th?t ?n? individual w??ld carry out. Y?? w?ll b? incredibly mistaken. Out ?f ???r tender ?r? ??m? recommendations t? don?t forget wh?n selecting th? m??t brilliant corporation f?r ???r levy complications. W? initiation ?ff b? getting including providers owing t? available. G?t t? find out wh?t th? steady m??t give t? ??? wh?n ??? ?r? wondering employing th??? those. Y?? b? inflicted including t? admit ways t? deal including th? back again expenditure ?nd a lot ?f extra.Simply sneak a peek ?t {[back taxes]} f?r th? m??t brilliant advice. Another phase ?? f?r ??? t? look ?t ?nt? th? business expertise. Uncover out wh? w?ll b? those th?t w?ll bestow ??? including th? levy h?l?. It ???ld b? greatly surpass wh?n th?? b? inflicted including expertise ?n b? wh??h vicinity hence accountants ?r? going t? b? exceptional f?r th?t m??t. Obtain out ?f personnel specialists ?r? ??rt??nl? lower out f?r th??r chore. Th?? really ?? th? ideal likelihood t? learn out ?f th? way ?f proceedings ?? endorsed. Unfortunately, ??? w?ll learn now ?n exceptional number ?f sham internet sites th?t give over th? internet harvest ?nd services, ??? m??t b? thorough ?nd mature report. Now look over {[tax problems]} f?r well-researched tips. Subsequent, ??? m??t admit h?w well th? establishment b? th? side ?f including th? personnel fascinate t? th??r customers. Th?? m??t b? gurus ?n a fixed basis instead ?f pocket ??m? time ??? using ?n excessive quantity ?f steady talk th?t th?r? ?? a lot extra promoting th?n detailing. Th?? ?r? th?r? t? aid ??? out type out ???r again taxes ?t th? constant time ?? wh?t n?t. Y?? ?r? ?bl? t? learn th?? out including th? a lot ?f testimonies ?ff th??r clients ?r maybe ??? b? inflicted including g?t th? time ?t ?? possible t? g?t ?n touch including ?r visit th?m t? view f?r ??? h?w f?nt??t?? th? company cares f?r h?? ?r h?r those. 1 business h?? evident prices wh?n compared t? one extra. A? a consequence ?f th?? ??? ???ld maybe b? gunfire out additional f?r starters fund wh?r? ?t ?? possible t? g?t wh??h b? fond ?f peas ?n a pod providers f?r ???r momentously a ??t-rate amount ?f highly-priced fee inside another. Th?? ??n b? ?n fact th? ??rt everywhere b? ??? b? inflicted including t? collect those expenditure. Even ??, loads ?f providers ??? a surpass selling fee assortment f?r th? wits th?t th?? possess th? encounter b? th? side ?f including th? specialists ?r? seriously splendid. Bottom outline, ??? need t? g?t information ?nd waterproof ?nd shop nearly. Th??? ?r? ???t a handful ?f things t? b? inflicted including a look ?t ?n choosing th? specialist ??? w?ll need t? th? tax h?l?. Y?? force aspire t? b? b? ?n view ?f th? fact th?t ??? w?ll shell out ???r ?wn personal funds f?r th??? discussions. Additionally, ??? need th? m??t beneficial companies ??? desire ?n ???r income.

Source: http://www.zazoel.com/examining-effortless-secrets-in-tax-relief/

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Cinemalaya: then and now

Erik Matti(Editor's note: This previously unpublished entry, a portion written in 2006, is filmmaker Erik Matti?s current opinion of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. The Cinemalaya is now at the center of controversy, after its board disqualified filmmaker Emerson Reyes during the production of his film "MNL 143." Reyes claims the disqualification was due to his refusal to put name stars in his roster of actors.)

MANILA, Philippines - I am bothered by the grumblings I hear around the indie film scene about the forthcoming Cinemalaya.

To some, these grumblings may seem very petty.? But when you put all these petty little grunts, sighs and whimpers together it amounts to a really gaseous, guttural and booming burp. ?

It does not paint a good picture of the festival, at all.

Uggh?Festival committee meets with the 15 finalists and gives them suggestions on how to improve the script for it to be considered in the top 10.

Aahrggh?Festival committee asks participants to try and avoid using indie favorites Ronnie Lazaro and Pen Medina.

Uumph?Festival committee wants the filmmakers to use named, established stars in their films as much as possible.

Ihnakhuup?Do a full-length film script but within 50 sequences and not more than 60 pages.

Waaah?Change Jet Pangan as the lead actor because he does not know how to act.

Cinemalaya can run their festival however they want to. Who am I to complain about it?? After all, it?s them who?s giving out five million pesos and risking it to independent filmmakers.

Cinemalaya even made 2005 an interesting year for movies with such noteworthy films like ?Maximo,? ?Bigtime,? ?Sarong Banggi,? ?Baryoke? and ?Pepot Artista.?

When mainstream producers weren?t doing anything to bring fresh and exciting works in the theaters, Cinemalaya gambled on these ?indie filmmakers to bring new cinema? to the ailing Philippine film industry.

So why should I complain?? Why shoot down a worthy endeavor with petty misgivings?? For all we know, all these nitpickings may even be the festival committee?s way of improving last year?s Cinemalaya.

***

Awards in film festivals all over the world are based primarily on the finished film, and not the written script.? If it were a literary contest like the Carlos Palanca Annual Writing Competition, then the screenplay on paper can be considered, as it is a judgment of the literary voice.? But with regards to film festivals, the judging should be the medium of film, how the filmmaker tells the story, because in the end, it is the cinematic voice that is judged and not the words written on paper.

I don?t really know if the mechanics of Cinemalaya were based on the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) or the now defunct Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP). But using the screenplay as a deciding factor to a half a million seed grant to produce a film leaves the festival open to a lot of problems once the film on paper is interpreted for the big screen.? ?

This is where trouble begins.

Isn?t there a lesson to be learned in the way the MMFF conducts its yearly festivals?? Let?s say, hypothetically, that the scripts approved by the MMFF committee are of high standard. Why do we keep seeing a multitude of mediocre films come showcase in December? MMFF could not blame ?Lapu Lapu? or ?Terrorist Hunters? for being bad films, because the mechanics of the MMFF itself gave room for these movies to be bad films.

ECP also started with a competition based on the screenplay, and the festival eventually produced the classic ?Oro, Plata, Mata.?? Lucky them that the film was a masterpiece, because it could have been a really bad movie in the hands of an inept filmmaker.

Filmmaking is not about the written page. It never has been and never will be.? The screenplay is the foundation, yes, but it is not yet the film. It?s a big leap from the script up to the finished film.

Now, if the organizers want to hold the competition using only the scripts as basis for the grant, then they should stand by their competition and be ready either to get a classic like ?Misteryo Sa Tuwa? or a bomber like ?Ang Alamat Ng Lawin.?

A lot of films get grants using scripts or just storylines. That?s how Lav Diaz got his funding for ?Heremias.?? But it also comes with reputation. A pitch from Lav Diaz gives the grantor an idea what kind of movie he?s going to get, because of the string of movies Lav has under his belt.

MMFF claims to use the system, but a script is not enough to get you into the festival. To be noticed, the script has to have a well-known director, a big star and a major studio, not to mention commercial viability. If it?s by Joel Lamangan, then it must be good. More so if it?s a Joel Lamangan movie starring Maricel Soriano and backed by Regal Films. Or a Tony Y. Reyes flick starring Vic Sotto and backed by M-Zet.

That system is somewhat feasible, because beyond the script, there is the track record of either the director, the star or the studio to back it up.? But even that does not assure the MMFF organizers or foreign producers a good film in the end. ?

This is not the case for Cinemalaya. The competition is built on giving a break to a budding filmmaker who has good material for a movie. The competition has only the script for a basis, and maybe a short film or two by the applicant filmmaker. But there is no track record, or the promise of a big star attached to the project, or a big studio?s financial backing?except maybe the retirement savings of the filmmaker?s parents.

Cinemalaya hinges its selection solely on the basis of the screenplay.?? ?

***

Cinemang Malaya. The Philippine Independent Film Festival.

?In the spirit of independent expression, the Cinemalaya Awards seeks to discover, encourage and honor the cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.?

Such vision.? Such noble intentions. Such bold labels. It takes a lot of conviction to stand by those ideals. Independent expression. Freely interpret. Artistic integrity.

It is with that vision that brought me lining up to CCP last year to watch the entries of Cinemalaya. It was an invigorating feeling to see that the entries were highly anticipated. Clearly, there is a hunger for movies other than what we usually have in the mainstream cinemas. And above all that, there is definitely an honest and sincere support for the filmmakers trying their first hand at moviemaking. There is no doubt a strong feeling of a community coming together sharing their love for films.? ?

It is with that vision of Cinemalaya that colleagues in the industry flocked in the theaters each night to witness the birth of a baby brother or a sister. The aura in those festival nights were different from movie premieres of major studios. The spirit of family was present. The participants and the filmmakers, even the audience themselves, had a general feeling of ownership and of claim on the movies unfolding before them.

The event was so successful in achieving its vision that I even almost forgot the real reason why the festival was put up in the first place. ?

Dream TV/ABC 5 lacks content for movies. When all is said and done, it still boils down to economics. What Regal Films and Viva Entertainment are to ABS-CBN is what Cinemalaya is to Dream TV/ABC 5. Instead of Dream TV/ABC 5 buying movies for their network at 2 million to 3 million (depending on the star of the movie) from producers, they staged a film festival for ten movies amounting to just 5 million. Aside from saving P15 to 25-M, they also get 10 movies instantly in just a year?s time.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with their intentions. The business side of the festival has nothing to do with its grand plan of giving opportunities to aspiring filmmakers. If one can marry lofty intentions with making money, as long as they stand by the vision they started with, then good for them.

As long as they stand by the vision they started with. ?

But the question is, what vision does Cinemalaya stand for?? Do they know what vision they are really trying to pursue?? Is it ??to discover, encourage and honor the cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity? or to fill-up movie programming for a TV/Cable network?

If the vision of Cinemalaya is one of artistic pursuits as was initiated last year and as stated in its mission vision, I don?t see any reason why there is a demand for named stars, a suggestion of how to revise the script, a fixed number of pages and sequences or having Ricky Davao in lieu of Jet Pangan.

That?s why there are all these grumblings. ?

The competition promised independent expression, artistic integrity and freedom in interpretation.? Certainly, people who want to join would expect that. There was a precedent. Last year was a success. Why can?t it be like that now?

Maybe Cinemalaya is thinking that, ?Yes, last year was a success but?hmmm?the other films were too rough?aah?they?re too long?I keep seeing Ronnie Lazaro?uuhh??.? But that?s the risk you have to take when the competition for filmmaking is judged from the script. Much as some gems will stand out of the pack, there will also be some that will hide in the shadows.

I once read Isagani Cruz discussing how he judges the writing submitted to Palanca.? He said that he starts reading the first page.? Any wrong grammar or spelling gets thrown out immediately.? Now, after the first page, if the writing arouses his interest whether by the subject or by a character, he continues. We may not always agree with the choices of Palanca for its winners but all these years they have managed to maintain their integrity as the most prestigious award-giving private foundation.? Precisely because if the writing does not cut it, the judges throw them out. It's as simple as good writing or bad writing. No revisions, no suggestions. "We like your premise but there is a problem with the structure." Again, we go back to the vision.? How sincere and honest the intentions are. Is it really to help out budding filmmakers or is it really a mini-studio disguised as a foundation?

My dark, evil soul lurking within me keeps setting aside the idea that Cinemalaya might actually be exploitative. That in the guise of independent cinema, artistic freedom and a measly seed money, it lures aspiring filmmakers to a shot at bringing their heart and soul to the big screen when in all intents and purposes, the work is really a cost-efficient way of filling up the late night movie slots on the boob tube. ?

Cinema One Originals has a much honest structure to it. We give you a grant, do whatever you want with our approval and we own your movie for ABS-CBN. No lofty ideas, no Oprah-esque slogans. We'll give you the money to do something for us because we will use it for our channel. Simple.

If, in the first place, Cinemalaya announced that it will be doing this independent film festival for its network and that Cinemalaya Chairperson Laurice Guillen is the mini-Malou Santos or Mother Lily, and Monitoring Head Robbie Tan is their little Olive Lamasan or Roselle Monteverde, then anyone interested in joining knows what he?s really getting into. ?

And the terrifying part of it is that Cinemalaya is partnered with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the same government agency that's supposed to look after cultivating the arts and the artist. And to be part of such exploitation with no conscience or shame or accountability is downright disgusting. The arts have been corrupted just like road buildings and pork barrels.

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Using the clear and present weakness of a prey, the predator strikes. ?

The lack of opportunity for these filmmakers provided the opportunity for Cinemalaya to use these filmmakers to their advantage. It provided a way for these so-called patrons of film to start acting like the big studio producers they all hated in the first place.

Have we shed all traces of integrity and principle in exchange for economic survival and fame? Have we gotten used to eating shit in this country that we don't really mind becoming shit-eaters? We have screening committee members that have participated in allowing these things to happen, respected filmmakers who will not allow to be forced themselves to make changes in their work but are being used as instruments for Cinemalaya to achieve their tarnished and dubious goals. It's sad.

The mainstream game, no matter how much we sometimes want to change it, is what it is. It's either you want to play with it or get out. But to claim something like Cinemalaya as a venue to allow artists to freely express their ideas and with the government taking part of it, when it is actually not what it claims to be, is rather alarming.

But in a country of subservience, in a country where call centers are where our children end up after college, who am I to rock the boat? ?

For the hungry filmmakers, they may say, the measly crumbs these messiahs of the arts extend to them is already a blessing. That's bull!

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I wrote this in 2006 after I heard that Mike Sandejas was having difficulties with the casting of his film. Mike had to defend casting of his lead actor Jet Pangan in his movie "Tulad Ng Dati.? In order to prove that Jet was an able actor, Sandejas had to bring Jet to CCP and present him in a workshop for the approval of Laurice Guillen and Robbie Tan.

I had to go back to all my other files to find this unfinished article/ranting.? I wanted to send this to a broadsheet, but when I asked friends to read it, they told me it was too angry and might just "Jerry Maguire" me from the industry.

In short, sabi nila, "Suicide 'tong sulat na 'to, chong!"

I found the unfinished article over the weekend and saw that what I wrote in 2006 exactly still has the same frustrated angst as the one I posted in Facebook over a week ago. I deleted the names of some screening committee members out of respect for these people, thinking they may have been blinded by some sort of loyalty during the time. Also, I was referring to Dream TV/ABC 5 here when it was still owned by Tony Boy Cojuangco and does not refer to the ABC 5 with the present ownership.

And to think that this was written only on the 2nd year of Cinemalaya. Who would think that a festival that since has become recognized worldwide could still carry such a stench?

Since then, after a couple of phone calls and a bit of journalistic research, I found out that beyond the Jet Pangan issue, so many other irregularities happened every year until the last edition.

?Endo? directors like Jade Castro was "suggested" a co-director (Mario Cornejo) because Laurice and Robbie thought he couldn?t direct yet. "Endo" later became one of the best movies of that year's edition. Jade Castro is now one of this generation?s budding mainstream filmmakers, churning out last year's sleeper hit "Zombadings.?

Jon Lazam and Edith Asuncion suffered the same fate, as well. Jon was maybe the first Emerson Reyes of Cinemalaya. In a series of emails between himself and Cinemalaya, it was apparent that his film?s delays were brought about not because of his failures but because Cinemalaya kept demanding rewrites extending beyond the deadline for submission.

Ralston Jover was also asked to get a co-director for "Bakal Boys." He even went as far as giving them a list of possible co-directors but not one from the list was approved. He eventually found out that they were pushing for another director that was not on the list.

Arnel Mardoquio, same story.? Francis Hechanova, same story.? If Laurice Guillen were in their place, would she have allowed a co-director for any of the movies she has done?

And then there is the subtitling issue. Laurice Guillen corners the market for all the subtitling of the Cinemalaya entries bringing it to her small post house called Pixel Grain.? It's like city mayors bidding for road construction projects and awarding it to their own construction companies. Shameful!

Not to mention selecting her own movie as the opening film in last year's Cinemalaya. I don't really know if the movie deserved it.? For all I know, it could have been the best thing since "Citizen Kane." But to allow it to conflict with her interest as festival head just shows a lack of principle and integrity.

And then there's Robbie Tan trying so hard to make himself the savior of Philippine cinema knowing full well that he?s trying to make up for all the crappy movies his film company has produced. If Laurice has the subtitling business side of Cinemalaya, then Robbie is the power broker for casting, pressuring filmmakers into casting his preferred talents for each project.

Laurice and Robbie view rushes, suggest reshoots and comment on filmmaking style and language, pushing each filmmaker to make their movie the way they both think it should be made. So much for independent expression and artistic integrity.

The list goes on and on. It's like looking into a government agency and everywhere there is one irregularity after another that seems to crop up and no one seems to care. We may have become apathetic with the way government conducts itself with all the red tape and the corruption but to see it happening inside the Cultural Center of the Philippines makes you think that this epidemic of ambiguousness and blatant lack of decency has really eroded the entire country.

I am not trying to keep a moral high ground here.? We have our own share of little corruptions in life. But if a position in the arts is assigned to you, the responsibility to live up to a certain level of principle is a must to serve the position well. We all know that power corrupts even the most honest people.

Frodo knows that. I know that. That's why it is essential to take care of the ring and be always on guard that it does not possess you. ?

Cinemalaya, as an idea is good. But it lies in the people running it whether it achieves what it set out to do for the filmmakers of this country. - Rappler.com

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Source: http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/2714-cinemalaya-then-and-now

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