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A Beautiful New World is a 1999 Chinese comedy film directed by Shi Runjiu. The film, Shi's first (he had previously served as an assistant director for Lu Yue's Mr. Zhao), was co-produced by Xi'an Film Studio and the independent Imar Film Company. It was Imar Film's second production, coming after 1997's Spicy Love Soup. Set in Shanghai, the film stars Jiang Wu and Tao Hong as a mismatched pair. Taiwanese pop stars Richie Jen and Wu Bai are cast in minor roles. ==Cast== *Jiang Wu as Zhang Baogen, a country boy, who upon winning the lottery, heads to Shanghai to claim his prize, a new apartment. *Tao Hong as Huang Jinfang, Baogen's debt ridden city cousin, who apprehensively offers up her home to her distant country relative. *Chen Ning as Chen Minghui, Jinfang's best friend. *Richie Jen as Bai, Minghui's boyfriend. *Wu Bai as Liang, a street musician, who befriends Baogen. *Tong Zhengwei as Auntie Cai, Jinfang's elderly neighbor. *Cheng Lei (cameo) *Niu Ben (cameo) ==Reception== Derek Elley of Variety praised the film as "a beautifully played, accessible pic that rewrites the rule book on mainland Chinese cinema." ==Awards and nominations== *1999 Beijing College Student Film Festival **Won — Best Actress (Tao Hong) *1999 Hawaii International Film Festival **Won — Special Jury Award (Jiang Wu) == References == == External links == * * * A Beautiful New World at the Chinese Movie Database Category:1999 films Category:1999 comedy films Category:1990s Mandarin-language films Category:Films set in Shanghai Category:Films shot in Shanghai Category:1999 directorial debut films Category:Chinese comedy films

"A Beautiful Noise" is a song recorded by American recording artists Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile. The song was written by Keys, Carlile, Brandy Clark, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Hailey Whitters, Linda Perry and Ruby Amanfu. It was released as a single on October 29, 2020 through RCA Records. The song was performed live on Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy, and they released the single immediately following the song's premiere on CBS. The song was also included on the digital reissue of Keys' seventh studio album Alicia (2020), released on December 18, 2020. The song received a nomination for Song of the Year at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. == Background == "A Beautiful Noise" was recorded to inspire American voters to vote in the 2020 presidential election. The song was created by an all-female songwriting team consisting of Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Hailey Whitters, Linda Perry and Ruby Amanfu. Brandy Clark was the first songwriter added to the team, followed by Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey and so on. The song was passed around between all eight writers with the goal of representing diversity through a variety of views, voices, and perspectives. In a Variety article, Ali Harnell of Live Nation discussed how the song came to be, stating that they had hoped to celebrate women's suffrage in advance of the 2020 Presidential Election. The year 2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the song aims to honor these causes according to Harnell. The #ABeautifulNoise Challenge was created on social media inspired by the song to encourage voter turnout via social channels. The #ABeautifulNoice Challenge tasks viewers with sharing how and why they plan to make a beautiful noise in the 2020 election and beyond. Keys commented that "Everyone has the power to make beautiful noise and to lift others up with their voice. And now more than ever, we need to let those voices be heard by voting". Carlile stated that the song "is an important reminder that we all have a voice and that our voices count". == Composition and lyrics == The song is a stripped-down, piano-driven R&B;/soul track that lasts for a duration of three minutes and nineteen seconds. It is written in the key of A minor with a time signature and a tempo of 76 beats per minute. Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone described the song as "straightforward but effective bit of piano balladry". Writer for the website PopSugar stated that the "powerful track" offers "a dose of inspiration" in lyrics like "It's believing you belong / It's calling out the wrong". In the song, Keys and Carlile assure that "I have a voice", and writing for the website Live For Live Music, Michael Broerman opined that the song "tell[s] the story of marginalized communities finally gaining their birthright to fully participate in society". Sidney Miller from Country Queer wrote that albeit having "a sense of anger and righteousness", the "calming, melodic" song "masterfully blends both of their piano-playing skills and voices". == Live performance == Alicia Keys hosted CBS' Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy special alongside Kerry Washington and America Ferrera which is where the song was first premiered. Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile sat at separate pianos across from each other as they performed a live rendition of the song. Keys and Carlile performed with no additional musical accompaniment besides their pianos. == Charts == Chart performance for "A Beautiful Noise" Chart (2020) Peak position US Digital Song Sales (Billboard) 8 == References == Category:2020 songs Category:2020 singles Category:Alicia Keys songs Category:Brandi Carlile songs Category:RCA Records singles Category:Songs written by Linda Perry Category:Song recordings produced by Alicia Keys

A Beautiful Noise is a jukebox musical based on the life and music of Neil Diamond. It opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on December 4, 2022. It grossed more than $1 million at the box office in the week leading up to its Broadway premiere. Titled for Diamond's 1976 album of the same name, A Beautiful Noise was written by Anthony McCarten and produced by Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio. The musical is structured around a series of therapy sessions during which Diamond reacts to his lyrics as they are read by his psychiatrist from a second-hand copy of The Complete Lyrics of Neil Diamond. In a June 19, 2022 interview with The Boston Globe McCarten said: “She opens the book, and all 60 years of his songwriting and all that exploration pours out into a majestic musical collage, and once unloosed from the book, the songs take on lives of their own." Prior to its Broadway debut, A Beautiful Noise ran for four weeks at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston. Diamond and his wife, Katie McNeil Diamond, attended the opening in Boston. They also attended the Broadway premiere, where Diamond led an unannounced sing-along of "Sweet Caroline." In Boston, Will Swenson portrayed Diamond (then); Diamond (now) was played by Mark Jacoby. Robyn Hurder played Diamond's second wife, Marcia, and Linda Powell portrays The Doctor. In September 2022 it was announced that Swenson, Jacoby, Hurder and Powell would reprise their roles in the Broadway production and the full Broadway cast was announced. It included Jessie Fisher as Jaye Posner, Tom Alan Robbins as Bert Berns and Kieve Diamond, Bri Sudia as Ellie Greenwich and Rose Diamond, and Michael McCormick as Fred Colby and Tommy O’Rourke. thumb|On December 4, 2022 (Opening Night on Broadway), Neil Diamond surprised the audience, cast, and crew with a performance of "Sweet Caroline". == Cast and characters == Characters Broadway (2022) Neil Diamond (Then) Will Swenson Neil Diamond (Now) Mark Jacoby Marcia Murphey Robyn Hurder Doctor Linda Powell Jaye Posner Jessie Fisher Fred Colby, Tommy O’Rourke Michael McCormick Bert Berns, Kieve Diamond Tom Alan Robbins Ellie Greenwich, Rose Diamond Bri Sudia ==Reception== In Boston, reviews of A Beautiful Noise were positive, with Swenson earning significant praise. In The Boston Globe he was described as a "shining Diamond"; WBUR reported that the musical included "dynamic performances top to bottom" with the "swagger-filled Will Swenson as Diamond" and a "terrific ensemble more than a dozen talented actors and singers." Reviews of A Beautiful Noise on Broadway were mixed-to-negative. Elizabeth Vincentelli wrote in the New York Times that the musical was both "timid" and an "ambitious, often rousing, occasionally heavy-handed biographical show". She praised Swenson's performance but criticized the narrative framework and the overall depiction of Diamond as "morose." A positive review in the New York Daily News predicted that the show would be a "box-office hit". In Variety, A.D. Amorosi wrote: "Ultimately, 'A Beautiful Noise' is victorious, but not without a few rough bumps along the way — much like the trajectory of Diamond’s life." The headline of an AP review by Mark Kennedy in the Washington Post read "Broadway's Diamond show isn't so good, so good" while noting that Swenson was "insanely great in every number." The review that appeared in Entertainment Weekly noted that "those going to A Beautiful Noise want to be entertained and entertained they will be." == Awards and nominations == 2022 Broadway production Year Award Category Nominee Result 2023 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical Robyn Hurder Mark Jacoby Outstanding Wig and Hair Luc Verschueren Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Award Will Swenson Outstanding Production of a Musical Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Broadway Musical Chita Rivera Awards Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show Steven Hoggett Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show Robyn Hurder Jess LeProtto Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show ==References== ==External links== * Category:2022 musicals Category:Broadway musicals Category:Biographical musicals Category:Neil Diamond Category:Jukebox musicals

A Beautiful Now is a 2015 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Daniela Amavia and starring Abigail Spencer. It is Amavia's directorial debut. ==Plot Summary== A beautiful dancer balances on the razor's edge between reality and fantasy as she asks her friends to help her figure out the passions and relationship that have shaped who they are and who they will become. ==Cast== * Abigail Spencer as Romy ** Hana Hayes as Young Romy * Cheyenne Jackson as David * Collette Wolfe as Ella * Elena Satine as Jaki * Sonja Kinski as Jessica * Patrick Heusinger as Aaron * Guy Burnet as Steve * John Patrick Amedori as Chris * Deborah Geffner as David's mother * Ali Cobrin as Tracey * Assaf Cohen as Ali * Bobby Slayton as Mr. Rich * Jordan Black as Cody * Victor Turpin as Ricardo ==Reception== Keith Watson of Slant Magazine awarded the film one and a half stars out of four. ==References== ==External links== * * Category:American comedy-drama films Category:2015 directorial debut films Category:2015 films Category:2015 comedy-drama films Category:2010s English-language films Category:2010s American films

A Beautiful Place to Die is the debut novel of award-winning filmmaker Malla Nunn.JAY STRAFFORD, "Globe-trotting with the Grim Reaper ," Richmond-Times Dispatch (25 January 2009). It was a recipient of the 2009 Davitt Award. ==Characters in A Beautiful Place to Die== Det. Emmanuel Cooper is the main character in the book. Chris Nashawaty describes the character as "an English WWII veteran who emigrated to Johannesburg in the early '50s, a toxic time when the country's racial divisions couldn't have been more black-and-white. He's a stranger in a strange land, not only because he doesn't use skin color to determine guilt or innocence but also because he barely understands just how deep these fault lines go."Chris Nashawaty, "Books: Malla Nunn's thriller digs up a murder in '50s South Africa," Entertainment Weekly 1029 (9 January 2009), 65. ==Major themes== Kirkus Reviews explains that race "is a major issue in the narrative; Afrikaners and people of color eye each other warily owing to the recent advent of laws that prescribe how whites and blacks can and can't interact....The author sets his story in Jacob's Rest, a small village with rigid racial distinctions.""Review of A Beautiful Place to Die," Kirkus Reviews 76.20 (10/15/2008): 1089–1090. ==Literary significance and reception== Publishers Weekly compares the book to Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series and calls it "a welcome addition to crime fiction set in South Africa.""Review of A Beautiful Place to Die," Publishers Weekly 255.43 (10/27/2008): 32. USA Today declares the book "a great beginning to a series that mixes crime-solving with South African history."Carol Memmott, "International mysteries," USA Today (01/29/2009): Life 05d. Graeme Blundell praises the book as "lovely" and commends Nunn for setting "her characters brilliantly within a complex psychological portrayal of a particular time and place."Graeme Blundell, "Sod goodwill, give me crime ," The Australian (6 December 2008). Jay strafford writes that the book "will long echo in your mind" and that "Nunn brings this entirely plausible work to a close and leaves the reader eager for the next case facing her winning, troubled protagonist." Nashawaty writes that "as a character, Cooper's no Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. He feels sketchy, half-drawn--not quite alive yet. Next time out, we'll need...more cluses about what makes this new sleuth tick." Nevertheless, Nasawaty still gives the book a B overall. Sarah Weinman writes, "Nunn teases out a complex tale of sexual depravity and family members prepared to protect even the worst of secrets in beautifully layered prose, but what makes A Beautiful Place to Die a debut to savor is the interplay between the cusp of social change and how then-socially accepted values seem monstrous to the modern reader."Sarah Weinman, "Books in Brief," The Baltimore Sun (4 January 2009). ==Publication history== * 2008, Australia, Pan Macmillan, , Pap date 1 September 2008 * 2009, United States of America, Atria , Pub date 6 January 2009 ==Footnotes== Category:2008 Australian novels Category:Apartheid novels Category:Australian mystery novels Category:Novels set in South Africa Category:Fiction set in the 1950s Category:2008 debut novels Category:Macmillan Publishers books

A Beautiful Place to Drown is the tenth studio album by Canadian post-hardcore band Silverstein, released on March 6, 2020 through UNFD worldwide. == Release == Silverstein released "Burn It Down" on June 27, 2019. With a vocal feature from Caleb Shomo of Beartooth, the song was the band's first new material since 2017's Dead Reflection. Vocalist Shane Told said that "Burn It Down" "picks up right where Dead Reflection left off". On January 8, 2020, they released the next single, "Infinite", with guest vocals from Aaron Gillespie of Underoath. That same day, they announced the details of their new album, including the title, release date, album art, and track list, as well as plans for an extensive tour with support from Hawthorne Heights, Four Year Strong, and I the Mighty. The third single, "Bad Habits", came out on February 5 and included a guitar feature from Aaron Mashall from Intervals. The last single to debut in advance of the album's release was Princess Nokia collaboration "Madness", released on March 2. == Track listing == == Charts == Chart performance for A Beautiful Place to Drown Chart (2020) Peak position ==See also== *List of 2020 albums == References == Category:2020 albums Category:UNFD albums Category:Silverstein (band) albums

A Beautiful Planet is a 2016 American documentary film directed, written, and produced by Toni Myers, and narrated by actress Jennifer Lawrence. It was originally released exclusively for IMAX theatres. Created in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the documentary utilizes footage recorded by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) over the course of fifteen months. The documentary examines how astronauts live and work on a daily basis. The astronauts are representing the respective space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, and Japan. The documentary premiered in Manhattan, in New York City, on April 16, 2016, and made it's theatrical debut on April 29, 2016. The film was first aired domestically in the United States, grossing $15.6 million. It was later aired in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia/CIS. ==Content overview== A Beautiful Planet utilizes large-scale cinema screens to display capital cities illuminated by skyglow, lightning storms seen above clouds, Super Typhoon Maysak as seen from its eye, polar auroras viewed from low Earth orbit, the Great Lakes of North America locked in ice and snow, and reefs below the surface of the Caribbean Sea. == The big picture == The film depicts views of space from the International Space Station (ISS) of geographical formations that may not be visible from the land such as annular lake, Lake Manicouagan in Quebec, Canada. Scenes from the documentary show a snow-capped segment of South America's Andes, the longest continental mountain range in the world. The Andes stretch from Venezuela north of the Equator, through the Tropics, and down to southern Argentina, and contain "some of the most extreme climate zones on earth. All between "ice fields and deserts". The Andean Mountains include Aconcagua, the highest peak in The Americas, as well as the highest in the Southern Hemisphere. The movie presents Earth's driest and wettest areas with an overhead sequence of the Namib Desert on the east cleft by the Atlantic Ocean's Skeleton Coast in the west. The film repeats the consensus that the Namib is the "oldest desert" on Earth, having a desert climate longer than any other region in the world, and being around tens of millions of years longer than the Sahara. The film begins with a light-years- long, computer-generated trip through swarms of stars in the Milky Way; the compressed trip ends with the Solar System. The film uses time-lapse photography to depict how Earth's warming climate is causing the Greenland ice sheet to melt, using footage of the Jakobshavn Glacier calving. A Beautiful Planet also presents images of large-scale deforestation in Madagascar. The film shows how this island suffers from widespread soil erosion and habitat destruction of the island's native wildlife, such as the lemur. A Beautiful Planet also shows images of the burning of the Brazilian rainforest. The film depicts multiple scenes of climate change and environmental degradation. Filmmaker Toni Myers told the Los Angeles Times, "I wanted to inspire people especially as to how beautiful the planet is, how fragile it is, how complex and diverse and varied it is ... Most of all I wanted to show why we want to find solutions to look after our planet. It's our only one." The movie often depicts the astronauts working together. They also are commonly found looking out the window. === Exoplanet Kepler-186f === The final scenes of A Beautiful Planet briefly examine an extrasolar planet (a planet outside of our planetary system), which was discovered in 2014. The planet, Kepler-186f, was the first approximately-Earth-sized planet found to be orbiting within its star's habitable zone. The orbital area where liquid water could conceivably exist without freezing or vaporizing. It was the first discovery of an Earth-sized planet on which life could reside. The name "Kepler" comes from its discovery by the Kepler Space Telescope, or "NASA Discovery Mission Number 10," a spacecraft observatory which is designed to find exoplanets in our region of the Milky Way Galaxy that are Earth-sized and smaller, and that are within the habitable zone. The planet orbits Kepler-186, a red dwarf star about half the size and mass of the Sun which lies in the direction of the constellation Cygnus, about 500 light-years away. The number "186" in the planet's name refers to the order in which its planetary system was discovered while scientists processed all of the data produced by the Kepler Space Telescope. Although the idea of interstellar travel to another planetary system like Kepler-186f is not feasible given current astronautics technology, some spaceflight futurists (like Samantha Cristoforetti) find value in speculating about the currently-impossible. ===The astronauts=== The film's cast reflects the fact that the crew of the International Space Station is rather diverse. The astronauts who appeared in the movie included the following: * Cristoforetti, Samantha: Spent more time in an uninterrupted spaceflight than any other European astronaut. * Kelly, Scott: Spent roughly a year in space during a long, uninterrupted stay aboard the International Space Station. * Lindgren, Kjell: A medical doctor who had previously worked as a flight surgeon supporting medical operations and space-station training at NASA's Johnson Space Center. * Shkaplerov, Anton: Commander of the Soyuz spacecraft that brought Cristoforetti and Virts to the Space Station. * Virts, Terry: Commander of the 43rd expedition to the ISS from March 11, 2015 to June 11, 2015. * Wilmore, Barry "Butch": Commander of the 42nd expedition to the ISS from November 10, 2014 to March 11, 2015. * Yui, Kimiya: Designated as Head of the JAXA Astronaut Group after he returned from his stay on the Space Station. === Research lab === The International Space Station is a scientific laboratory, and many of the experiments on the ISS have the astronauts themselves as research participants to determine how spaceflight affects the human body. On March 28, 2015 Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko arrived at the Space Station to commence a much-discussed one year mission to study the health effects of long-term space travel. Scientists hoped to analyze their mission and discover ways future space explorers might adjust to the effects of weightlessness, isolation, radiation exposure, and stress they would encounter in a 30-month-round-trip expedition to Mars, or in an even longer trip beyond Mars. Shortly after Kelly's arrival at the Space Station, A Beautiful Planet shows him participating in an initial examination of his eye, to study and correct any vision decline reported by many astronauts. Scott Kelly has an identical twin, Mark Kelly, who is also a retired NASA astronaut. The brothers agreed to be the subjects of an unprecedented twin study; Mark stayed on Earth during Scott's eleven months aboard the ISS so that researchers could examine how an extended spaceflight affected Scott's body compared to Mark's. While Scott was in space and then continuing after he returned, both twins gave periodic blood samples and DNA swabs, and they underwent body scans and many other medical tests. In the epilogue to his 2017 book about the year long mission, Scott wrote that the very preliminary assessments of the data from the mission and from the twin study were promising: In the taste test phase of an experiment with space farming, Kelly and his fellow Expedition 44 crew-members Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui are shown sampling red romaine lettuce that was grown in the Space Station's "Veggie" (or Vegetable Production) System. The Veggie series of experiments are designed to ensure that future explorers visiting the Moon, Mars or an asteroid have access to fresh produce, and also to provide them with an opportunity for relaxation and relief from stress or boredom. === Earth observatory === A Beautiful Planet provides close-up footage of the Cupola, a domed, 360 degree observation bay on the nadir (Earth-facing) side of the Station's Tranquility module / Node 3. It has seven windows in total, with six outwardly-angled windows arranged around a central, circular window which faces directly toward Earth. The circular window measures 80 centimeters in diameter; it is the largest window ever sent into space. Many scenes were filmed from the Cupola, and the astronauts themselves are shown taking photographs and gazing through its windows at views of Earth. The Cupola was constructed by the European Space Agency for the utilitarian purpose of giving astronauts a workstation where they could observe the Earth, the exterior of the Station, visiting vehicles, and the operation of the ISS robotic arms. It also serves as a rejuvenation area where astronauts can relax and seek inspiration, including communicating with other crew members. ====Training facility==== Much of the "training facility" aspect of the ISS mission is geared toward providing practical experience so that astronauts, space agencies, aerospace engineers and scientists are prepared for much longer space missions, including a possible human presence on Mars or the Moon. Astronauts on the Space Station are required to spend approximately two hours each day engaged in physical training to prevent loss of bone density, muscle atrophy, and weightlessness. In the documentary, Terry Virts is shown receiving a cardiovascular workout by running on an ISS treadmill and Samantha Cristoforetti does strength training using an ISS exercise machine that mimics weightlifting exercises. Both machines have adaptations that permit them to function in a micro-g environment. The treadmill has a harness and bungee cord straps that keep astronaut runners from floating away from it, and the "weightlifting" machine replaces the weights (which don't "weigh" anything in orbit) with two canisters that create small vacuums against which exercising astronauts can pull. The Space Station is positioned in low Earth orbit. This is just outside of the Earth's appreciable atmosphere, and provides a training area in which astronauts can put on space suits, leave the ISS life support systems behind, and conduct spacewalks - or "Extravehicular activity (EVA)." An EVA may be undertaken to make repairs, reconfigure the Station to accommodate new modules and deploy new equipment. The ISS orbits high enough to permit an astronaut and their sponsoring nation to gain an EVA experience outside of the atmosphere. However, it is low enough to avoid the increased radiation exposure and prevent difficulties associated with climbing further out of Earth's gravity well. (If the Earth is compared to a 16-inch beach ball, the orbit of the ISS would be about half an inch above the beach ball's surface.) Butch Wilmore and Terry Virts performed three spacewalks over a nine-day period from February 21 to March 1, 2015. The film depicts some of their EVA activities outside the Space Station. While they worked, both explorers were cognizant of the dangers associated with spacewalks. Virts explains that a puncture to their EMU spacesuits was a particular concern because "you 'walk around' by grabbing onto things with your gloves ... The outside of the Space Station [is] a jungle of wires and equipment and metal bars and trusses. If you accidentally sliced your glove or your spacesuit on one of the sharp edges, that could create a leak, and if that leak were big enough, you would die." Describing some of the other EVA hazards, Wilmore elaborates that the temperature is "almost 300 degrees [Fahrenheit] on the Sun side of the Space Station, [but when] you get in the shade, it's minus 275 degrees. You feel that inside the suit. My fingertips in the sunlight would feel like they were on fire almost ... [Also,] you have a safety tether attached to the Station, and it's on a reel ... You can be upside down, twisted, inverted; you can completely lose your spatial awareness about where you are and what your altitude is, and you can easily get tangled up in that safety tether if you're not cautious. Every single movement you make, you're making an effort to think [things] through." ==Production== A Beautiful Planet was written, produced, and directed by Toni Myers, who has created seven other space-themed IMAX films including Hubble 3D and Space Station 3D. The film premiered in Manhattan on April 16, 2016, and was released in cinemas on April 29, 2016. Despite being announced as distributor, Walt Disney Studios later removed association with the film prior to its release. ===Digital IMAX cameras=== The astronauts who filmed the movie used digital IMAX cameras, and much of the footage they produced was shot through the seven window panes on the Space Station's domed Cupola module. The use of digital cameras permitted cinematographer James Neihouse to review image sequences almost immediately and make suggestions for retakes, and was a lightweight alternative to using IMAX film which can be developed only when returned from space. Myers and Neihouse coordinated with their astronaut camera crew to make use of the digital cameras' augmented capacity for filming in dim light. According to Myers, "We would not have the nighttime scenes without the digital dynamic range ... What the digital capture did was totally open up that night world to us, with stars, cities at night, lightning and other phenomena that you see at night, like aurora." ==Reception== This movie received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 79% audience-enjoyment rating from the 13 reviews.Rotten Tomatoes rating for A Beautiful Planet. Retrieved December 18, 2020 The film's ratings and reviews were mostly centered around its cinematography. A review in the British newspaper, The Guardian called it a "large-format eye-opener [which] achieves a breathtaking new perspective on Earthly life," while another appraisal in The New York Times asked, "how can your eyes not bug out when given 3-D views of Earth, taken from space, on a stories-high [IMAX] screen?" ==See also== *List of films featuring space stations ==References== ==External links== * A Beautiful Planet official website * Category:2016 films Category:Documentary films about the space program of the United States Category:Documentary films about outer space Category:Films about astronauts Category:Films shot in space Category:IMAX short films Category:2016 3D films Category:2016 documentary films Category:American 3D films Category:3D short films Category:Earth in film Category:Documentary films about nature Category:Films directed by Toni Myers Category:IMAX documentary films Category:Films scored by Maribeth Solomon Category:Films scored by Micky Erbe Category:3D documentary films Category:2010s English-language films

"A Beautiful Prayer" is the best-known work of Nauruan poet Joanne Gobure. ==Structure and influences== The poem shows the influence of Christian, particularly Biblical, theology, and a certain maturity of outlook, given the youth of the writer. It testifies to the writer's evident meditation on the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John, on the 8th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and to her experience of life. It is composed mainly of similar, recurring stanzas, principally consisting of the writer's faith dialogue and the witness to her growth in spiritual understanding, in response to her various prayer petitions. ==Themes== ===Children with disabilities=== The second stanza raises an issue commanding practical human and family interest: the challenge posed to parents by, but also the prior importance of the spiritual wholeness of, children with disabilities: 'I asked God to make my handicapped child whole'. The poet subsequently attributes to God a growing appreciation of the primacy, and possibility, of her disabled child's spirit being whole: 'His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary'. ===Personhood/world paradigm=== The final lines of the poem differ somewhat from the preceding stanzas, and arguably even move beyond the strict theme of prayer: 'To the world you might be one person, But to one person you just might be the world.' In terms of broader thematic parallels, such a play on the words 'one person' and 'world' can be compared with the notion of microcosm in universality, which also expresses something of the cultural contribution of, and human interest in, the small nation of Nauru. The personhood / world dichotomy, pithily expressed here by Gobure, is also a theme taken up in writing commanding universal interest. The Evangelist John's words are apposite: 'He came into the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.' (John 1.10) ===Relevance to themes in world literature=== The simplicity of this young Nauruan writer's poem thus echoes themes in world literature in a striking manner in which comparativists in the school of Lionel Trilling and others will be able to identify. Some literary critics who see secular humanism in terms of the very nature of things would also discount the relevance of the religious imagery in this contemporary poem of Gobure. Others would recall the religious background of Nauruan society with which Gobure is identified. ==References== ==External links== * (Text of Joanne Gobure's 'A Beautiful Prayer') Category:Nauruan literature Category:Christianity in Nauru

A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 1 is the thirteenth studio album by American rapper Common. It was released on October 30, 2020 through Loma Vista Recordings, making it his second project released for the label. Production was handled by Karriem Riggins, Burniss Travis and Robert Glasper. It features guest appearances from PJ, Black Thought, Chuck D, Jessica Care Moore, Lenny Kravitz, Morgan Parker and Stevie Wonder. == Critical reception == === Accolades === Accolades for A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 1 Publication Accolade Rank Albumism The 100 Best Albums of 2020 == Track listing == == Charts == Chart (2021) Peak position US Current Album Sales (Billboard) 94 == References == == External links == * Category:2020 albums Category:Common (rapper) albums Category:Loma Vista Recordings albums Category:Albums produced by Karriem Riggins

A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2 is the fourteenth studio album by American rapper Common. It was released on September 10, 2021 through Loma Vista Recordings, making it his third project released for the label. It serves as a sequel to his 2020 album A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 1. Production was handled by Karriem Riggins. == Critical reception == A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2 was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 70, based on nine reviews, which indicates "generally positive reviews". Robin Murray of Clash wrote that the album "stares down the traumas that proliferate our lives, offering hope, creativity, and soul filtered through Common's profound hip-hop vision". Joe Goggins of DIY found the album "a sweet paean to music's mood-boosting properties, as well as it capacity to effect meaningful change". Ben Devlin of musicOMH wrote: "Common raps with the calm contentment of a man who's reached his destination, and it certainly sounds satisfying". Will Lavin of NME wrote: "it's rich with Afro-centric grooves and dusty drum breaks, the spirit of James Brown weaving in and out of the pro-Black messaging, which emphasises hope and progress but still acknowledges the pain and suffering endured along the way". In mixed reviews, Mojo writer resumed "an improvement on 2020's lightweight Pt. 1". Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone wrote: "there's enough evidence on A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 2 to suggest that he still cares about music, but it may take more than mellow bromides and Obama shout-outs to truly convince us". The Line of Best Fit reviewer wrote: "by catering to everyone in an effort to uplift, Common doesn't connect with the listener as much as he could–and as much as he has in the past. Common's big tent might be too spacious for its own good". == Track listing == == References == Category:2021 albums Category:Sequel albums Category:Common (rapper) albums Category:Loma Vista Recordings albums Category:Albums produced by Karriem Riggins

A Beautiful Soul may refer to: * A Beautiful Soul (film), a 2012 drama film * "A Beautiful Soul" (song), a 2014 song by Bret Michaels

A Beautiful Soul is a 2012 drama film directed by American director Jeffrey W. Byrd. The film was released May 4, 2012 and stars Deitrick Haddon, Lesley-Ann Brandt, and Harry Lennix. ==Plot== R&B; superstar Andre Stephens (Deitrick Haddon) is on top of the world. He has success, fame, and fortune but spiritually he has lost his way. However, his "perfect" life is shattered when his entourage is brutally attacked, leaving Andre and his best friend Chris Johnson (Robert Ri'chard) clinging to life. On a spiritual journey that exists in a place that is neither on Earth nor in Heaven, Andre is given the opportunity to reevaluate his life and his faith. Andre realises he has a long way to go at church before being great. ==Cast== * Deitrick Haddon as Andre Stephens * Skylan Brooks as Young Andre Stephens * Robert Ri'chard as Chris Scott * Lesley-Ann Brandt as Angela Berry * Harry Lennix as Jeff Freeze * Barry Floyd as Terrance Wilson * Trevor Jackson as Quincy Smith * Monica Ramon ==Reception== Variety gave a mostly negative review for A Beautiful Soul, remarking that the "slackness of the storytelling has the effect of subjecting the low-budget pic’s supernatural elements to charm-killing scrutiny." ===Awards=== * 2013: Black Reel Award for Outstanding Television Film or Mini- Series ==See also== *List of black films of the 2010s ==References== == External links == * Category:African-American drama films Category:2012 drama films Category:2012 films Category:Films directed by Jeffrey W. Byrd Category:2010s English-language films Category:2010s American films

"A Beautiful Soul" is a power ballad by Poison lead singer Bret Michaels, and was released as the lead single for the album True Grit. The song was released as a single on April 1, 2014 over one year before the release of the album, which was released May 5, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2021. The single features a music video which was released on April 2, 2014 and the song was performed live on the Bret Michaels edition of "Oprah's Lifeclass" which was taped live on Oprah's website Retrieved August 24, 2021.Bret Michaels#2010–2014 This is one of the few Bret Michaels songs not to feature a guitar solo. ==Background== The song is a rock/country rock ballad backed mostly by piano, the story of the song revolves around lost love (a theme similar to those found on Poison songs like Every Rose Has Its Thorn, and I Won't Forget You) it describes the narrator saying to the girl that he will miss her "beautiful soul." ==Music video== The music video for "A Beautiful Soul" features Bret Michaels walking thru various areas singing including one scene on a beach, another above a big city, and scenes in the desert at night, the video was released via his official YouTube page on April 2, 2014. His oldest daughter Raine makes a cameo appearance in the video. The video has generated over 1.2 million views in its first seven days. Retrieved July 9, 2022. ==References== Category:2014 singles Category:Bret Michaels songs Category:Rock ballads Category:Country rock songs Category:American rock songs Category:Songs written by Bret Michaels Category:2014 songs

is a Japanese science fiction film directed by Daihachi Yoshida and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Yukio Mishima. ==Plot== The Osugi family consists of the father Jūichirō Osugi (Lily Franky), mother Iyoko (Tomoko Nakajima), son Kazuo (Kazuya Kamenashi) and daughter Akiko (Ai Hashimoto). Over the course of the film, the father comes to believe that he is from Mars, the son that he is from Mercury and the daughter from Venus. Jūichirō works as a weather forecaster, Iyoko joins a pyramid scheme selling water, Kazuo is a bike messenger and Akiko is a college student with a complex about her beauty. The family struggle, often in conflict, to address the threat of global warming. ==Cast== * Lily Franky as Jūichirō Ōsugi * Kazuya Kamenashi as Kazuo Ōsugi * Ai Hashimoto as Akiko Ōsugi * Tomoko Nakajima as Iyoko Ōsugi * Kuranosuke Sasaki as Katsumi Kuroki * Yūichi Haba * Yurie Midori * Junichi Haruta * Ryuya Wakaba * Asuka Hinoi ==Awards== Award Category Nominee Result 72nd Mainichi Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Ai Hashimoto ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2017 films Category:2010s science fiction drama films Category:Japanese science fiction drama films Category:Films directed by Daihachi Yoshida Category:Films based on works by Yukio Mishima Category:2010s Japanese films Category:2010s Japanese-language films

A Beautiful Storm is a composition by Jennifer Thomas from her debut album Key of Sea (re-released as a special 10th edition in 2017) which was used during 2018 in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating gold medal winning programmes by Rika Kihira from Japan. Following this a partnership was established with the major Japanese Avex Entertainment group to promote the song and her album "Key of Sea 10th edition". ==Reviews== * Mormon Music * Mainly Piano ==Albums== * The Fire Within (2018) * Key of Sea (10 Year Special Edition) (2017) * Winter Symphony (2015) * Illumination (2012) * The Lullaby Album, Vols 1 & 2 (2009) * Key of Sea (2007) ==References== Category:Piano compositions by American composers Category:2018 in figure skating Category:2017 compositions

A Beautiful Stranger is the English title of the Polish film Piękna nieznajoma directed by Jerzy Hoffman, released in 1992. ==Synopsis== In 1916 a young Russian officer is asked to transport important documents by train. Several factions pursue the papers. ==External links== * Category:1992 films Category:Films directed by Jerzy Hoffman Category:Polish drama films

{{Infobox comics story arc |image = Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season Eight - A Beautiful Sunset.jpg |imagesize = |caption = Cover of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight: A Beautiful Sunset Art by Jon Foster |publisher = Dark Horse Comics |startmo = February |startyr = 2008 |endmo = |endyr = |genre = |multigenre = y |titles = Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #11 |notable = y |main_char_team = |writers = Joss Whedon |artists = |pencillers = Georges Jeanty |inkers = Andy Owens |letterers = |editors = |colorists = Michelle Madsen |TPB = |ISBN = |cat = Buffy comics |sortkey = Beautiful Sunset |nonUS = |single = y }} "A Beautiful Sunset" is the eleventh issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by series creator Joss Whedon. ==Plot== Buffy reflects on her long history of being a Slayer and awakening the thousands of other girls around the world. In flashbacks of her narrative it is clear that in each battle the Scoobies and the others have fought came with sacrifice, but in a way, came with connection as well. Buffy admits that while it can be a bother sacrificing her life as well as others, it has always been done for the better. She has grown, she has moved on to the better and potential she always knew that she could live up to. Next, Xander and Buffy discuss a major problem: Simone Doffler. Xander tells Buffy that they tried to remove Simone from her rough, urban environment, but see her on a security tape stealing ammunition and other things in a robbery, the unconscious bodies of two guards are also found in the tapes. Buffy feels worried that she is not making a big change in the Slayer community and feels that what the government and everyone else thinks is true, slayers are acting above the law and she is not making the difference she says she is making. Xander comforts her and reassures her that things are going to be all right. The two then reflect on the revelation that Buffy stole from a lucrative bank to support her and the Slayer army and how she and Willow are having complex issues. Xander suggests that she ease her worries by going on a vampire hunt; Buffy decides to bring a "date", namely Satsu. While the other Slayers and giant Dawn are celebrating at a huge party to ease their recent stresses, Buffy gears up to go on her vampire hunt. Satsu follows and Buffy forces her into the vampire lair. While the two are slaying, Buffy discusses how she knows that it was Satsu who gave her the kiss of true love when Buffy was bound in a magical sleep. While Buffy appreciates the gesture as kind and sweet, she is not interested in Satsu in a romantic way. Buffy tells Satsu of her romantic history and how all of her relationships, be it romantic, family, or friends, end with someone being hurt. Buffy states that there is something wrong with her, that everyone notices that something around her is wrong, that she can never really love, and like all Slayers, will be alone. She breaks down in tears but the moment is interrupted with a surprise attack from the malevolent Twilight. Satsu is knocked out, while Buffy and Twilight have a brawl in the air. Twilight bests Buffy in battle with moves she has never witnessed and takes her fear of flight to a whole new level by taking the fight into the air above the town. When he is about to throw the steeple of a church at her, Buffy tells him that killing her will only bring more Slayers to the call, that there will only be more to deal with. It is revealed that Twilight does not want to kill Buffy, yet. He wants to talk to her. He reveals that one Slayer in the world was enough to deal with, thousands is not tolerated. Specifically, he states that the world cannot contain them and eventually everyone will suffer for their existence. Twilight further feeds Buffy's insecurities by stating that they haven't changed the world or made a true difference. He flies off before the rising of the Sun, while Buffy rushes back to the graveyard that she and Satsu were in to help Satsu. While Satsu feels she has failed Buffy, Buffy comforts her. In an unknown base, Twilight tells his comrades that to truly defeat the Slayer, one must strip her of her greatest armor, her moral certainty. They must twist her view of right and wrong, or twist the views of the ones she helps. Back in Scotland, in an infirmary, a bedridden and bandaged Satsu expresses her disappointment to a bandaged Buffy. Satsu understands Buffy's view on love and ask if she is hurt, Buffy states that she will eventually heal, that together they will heal. Buffy talks to Xander of her confrontation with Twilight and how he was stronger than anything she has encountered so far. She expresses the fears that Twilight released in her, that she was not making a difference. Buffy feels that she is not making a difference, that the girls she awakened weren't and that she did not have any connection with them. Xander assures her that Buffy awakened confidence and purpose that the girls never had before. Buffy jokes that Xander should just ask Renee out already, while Xander jokes that she should not state the obvious and that she should not change the subject. He assures to Buffy that what she created is more than a monster-fighting army, it is a connected state. Buffy still feels she has no connection amongst the girls, Xander replies that it is not she that is supposed to, the person who brought all of it together gave up her connection so that the others would feel it, so that the other chosen girls could feel like they had a place to fit in, a place where they belonged. Buffy agrees, and in contrast to the opening sees that what she did truly was for the better. == Production == Writer Joss Whedon continues as writer from the last issue. Georges Jeanty returns as penciller since the No Future For You story arc. Drawing sequences from the episode "Chosen" are used as flashbacks in the beginning of the story. Including the Slayer who was playing baseball, Willow tapping into the essence of the Slayer Scythe, Rona and Vi being chosen, and Buffy fighting Caleb. ==Canonical issues== This series has been described as 'canon' by both Whedon and various commentators. As the creator of Buffy, Joss Whedon's association with Buffyverse story is often linked to how canonical the various stories are. Since Whedon is writing this story, it will be seen as a continuation of the official continuity established by Buffy and Angel. Season Eight contradicts and supersedes information given in the paperback novels set after Season Seven, such as Queen of the Slayers and Dark Congress, which are described as being set in an unofficial "parallel" continuity.Mata, Shiai, "CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN INTERVIEW 2 ", SlayerLit.us (2007). Twilight references Buffy killing Caleb in "Chosen" using the scythe by slicing him in two from the crotch up. The mud on Satsu's face mirrors the sequence in "Restless" in which Buffy spreads mud across her face. Intended to be set after BtVS's seventh season. The precise timing of this arc is currently uncertain. ==References== Category:Comics by Joss Whedon

A Beautiful Time is the 72nd solo studio album by Willie Nelson, released on April 29, 2022, on his 89th birthday. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the album includes original songs by Nelson, as well as covers of the Beatles and Leonard Cohen. On February 10, 2022, Nelson released the single "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die" a song written by Chris Stapleton and Rodney Crowell. A Beautiful Time won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards while Crowell and Stapleton's lead single "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die" was a nominee in the Best Country Song category at the same awards. ==Critical reception== A Beautiful Time received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 84 out of 100 based on four reviews, indicating "universal acclaim." Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic praised the record's "earned wisdom and wry humor," concluding that "it's still a marvel to hear him find sustenance and surprises within his music". Liz Thomson of The Arts Desk called the album "classic Nelson" while No Depression, though acknowledging that the remote recording meant that the musicians performed without "other players to bounce off", praised Nelson's vocals and guitar playing and gave their verdict that it "is a delightful album from beginning to end". Veteran critic Robert Christgau ranked it as the fourth best album of 2022. ==Track listing== ==Personnel== Performance *Barry Bales – upright bass *Jim "Moose" Brown – piano, B-3 organ, synthesizer, Wurlitzer *Buddy Cannon – background vocals *Melonie Cannon – background vocals *Chad Cromwell – drums *Fred Eltringham – drums, percussion *Kevin "Swine" Grant – upright bass *Mike Johnson – steel guitar *Catherine Marx – Wurlitzer, piano, B-3 organ *James Mitchell – electric guitar *Willie Nelson – lead vocals, Trigger *Mickey Raphael – harmonica *Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, bass, piano *Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion Production *Buddy Cannon – production *Tony Castle – recording, mixing *Steve Chadie – recording *Shannon Finnegan – production coordinator *Andrew Mendelson – mastering Other personnel *Frank Harkins – art direction and design *Pamela Springsteen – photography ==Charts== Chart performance for A Beautiful Time Chart (2022) Peak position Australian Country Albums (ARIA) 8 ==References== Category:Willie Nelson albums Category:2022 albums Category:Legacy Recordings albums Category:Albums produced by Buddy Cannon Category:Grammy Award for Best Country Album

A Beautiful Valley () is a 2011 Israeli drama by Hadar Friedlich. It was her feature directorial debut. The film premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival in July 2011 where it received the award for Best Full-Length Debut. In a controversial decision by the festival management, however, the prize was revoked at the last minute following a complaint of an alleged conflict of interest by one of the jury members.Nirit Anderman (19 July 2011), "No fury like a filmmaker scorned", Haaretz (retrieved 13 November 2012). It was also nominated for a 2011 Ophir Award in the Best Actress and Best Cinematography categories received a Special Jury Mention at the San Sebastián International Film Festival,Arielle Granat (11 November 2012), "Beautiful Valley de Hadar Friedlich" (retrieved 13 November 2012). and won the Critic's Prize at the Cinémed Montpellier Film Festival.Cinémed Montpellier Film Festival (retrieved 13 November 2012). ==Plot== Hanna Mendelssohn (Batia Bar), an elderly widow, is a proud founding member of her kibbutz and has devoted most of her life to its development. When it is threatened with bankruptcy and privatized, she is forced out of her job as the community's gardener, turning from a hard-working productive member of society into a dependent burden. Although she still believes in the values of social equality and cooperation that characterized the kibbutz in its early years, Hanna struggles to maintain her usefulness and sense of worth in a society undergoing a sudden and profound transformation. ==Cast== *Batia Bar as Hanna *Gili Ben-Ozilio as Yael *Hadar Avigad as Naama *Eli Ben-rey as Shimon *Hadas Porat as Odeda *Ruth Geller as Miriam ==Critical reception== Jay Weissberg of Variety said Friedlich's debut "tackles a forgotten subject with sensitivity".Jay Weissberg (2 October 2011), "A Beautiful Valley", Variety (retrieved 13 November 2012). ==References== ==External links== * Category:2011 films Category:2010s Hebrew-language films Category:Israeli drama films Category:2011 drama films Category:Films about the kibbutz

A Beautiful Wife () is a 2007 Italian comedy film directed by Leonardo Pieraccioni. ==Cast== *Leonardo Pieraccioni as Mariano *Laura Torrisi as Miranda *Gabriel Garko as Andrea *Massimo Ceccherini as Baccano *Rocco Papaleo as Pomodoro *Francesco Guccini as the musical's director *Tony Sperandeo as Don Pierino *Alessandro Paci as Acciarito *Chiara Francini as Giustina *Giorgio Ariani as the politician ==References== ==External links== * Category:2007 films Category:Films directed by Leonardo Pieraccioni Category:2000s Italian-language films Category:2007 romantic comedy films Category:Italian romantic comedy films Category:2000s Italian films

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is a science fiction novel by American author Hank Green that was published on July 7, 2020. Green's second novel, also starring main character April May, is the sequel to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and the final installment in the Carl Saga. ==Plot summary== Following April May's sudden death, her friends Andy, Robin, and Miranda, and her ex- girlfriend Maya, grapple with how the world has changed since her disappearance. Andy has been publicly speaking with Robin as his agent and Miranda has returned to her studies at Berkeley to continue the process of getting her PhD. However, Maya refuses to believe April is dead. The public has largely moved on from her absence, and from Carl's sudden disappearance, but dealing with withdrawals from the sudden absence of the Dream, many individuals sign up for games that attempt to mimic the simulations of the Dream in real life. After receiving the text "Knock knock" from April's phone number, Andy answers the door to find a book known as The Book of Good Times. As Andy reads, he realizes the book is predicting/telling him what he is doing/going to do. It warns him not to tell anyone about it or it will not work, and instructs him to invest certain ways, ask out Bex (the girl who works at his local Subway), and tell Miranda "yes" when she calls. He follows the instructions because he believes they will lead him to April. Eventually, Miranda calls him to get his opinion on whether or not she should apply to work at Altus, a company headed by Peter Petrawicki, April's nemesis. Miranda intends to spy on Petrawicki's company and commit espionage, believing they are up to something dangerous. Against his better judgement, Andy tells Miranda she should apply. Miranda applies to Altus and is flown out soon after. She learns each applicant is only allowed to send out a single 400 word email to their family letting them know they're alright, and no one can leave. She is taken to a Demo room along with other applicants, where they are given headsets that take them into the Altus Space; a simulation that mimics the Dream. However, someone in Miranda's group gets sick and is visibly unsettled. Peter Petrawicki explains this is called "body dislocation" and occurs when the consciousness does not enter the "body" in the program properly, but promises it is rare as anyone who experiences "body dislocation" will never be able to enter the Altus Spaceit will happen every time they try again. After nearly dying in the warehouse fire, April was slowly reconstructed by Carl. Half of her face and most of her body are made of a nearly unbreakable, white, iridescent substance. It has been melded into her anatomy, but looks inhuman. April is initially frightened and hysterical, so she leaves, which is when she finds Maya, who had driven to New Jersey based on conspiracies about April on the Som. They hide in a motel when a man breaks in with a gun, and Carl intervenes. After escaping, they stay in an empty school building for a few days. Carl explains they were sent to stop humanity from self destructing, but when April was nearly killed, their brother stepped in. Their brother, acting through Altus, has started reining humanity in, as planned if Carl failed. Human free will, Carl concludes, will be lost forever if Altus is not taken down in time. Unknown to Miranda and the other workers at Altus, the Altus program has already been released to the public. Andy is quickly addicted to it, noticing people outside less and less. Eventually, a new copy of The Book of Good Times arrives, and following its instructions, he is reunited with April and Maya. Robin arrives soon after, revealing he also had his own copy of The Book of Good Times. Knowing Altus must be taken down, the four begin to plan. Peter Petrawicki personally shows Miranda Altus Premium. Unlike the public Altus Space, Premium allows one to experience the thoughts of another person by inhabiting their memory. Peter then takes her to the "servers" where she sees people who are "mining", all of whom are glued to their headsets and live as if quarantined without ever leaving the Altus Space. Miranda is locked in a separate area. With no company, she begins to use Altus as her one outlet into the world. She believes she is waking up, but eventually she realizes she has been barred from leaving and has been in Altus for days, if not weeks. She manages to leave a message for Andy in one of her constructed simulations. Andy contacts April and Maya, who are already heading to Val Verde to take down Altus. Initially, it seems their plan is going well; April confronts Peter, Maya wakes up Miranda, and Carl hacks into the wifi so Andy can receive video of what is happening at the Altus headquarters. However, their plan to convince the public that Altus was immoral falls apart, as most people are too addicted to care. Miranda is possessed by Carl's brother, as the rest of the people trapped in Altus are, and she nearly kills Maya. Carl uses the last of their energy to free Miranda from their sibling, and Miranda is able to enact her last minute plan to lock people out of Altus. Whenever an update is installed to Altus, everyone logged on experiences it, and everyone not logged on experiences it as soon as they log on. Miranda finds a coworker who experienced body dislocation and uploads his memory as an update, so everyone logged on or logging in immediately experiences body dislocation. Since body dislocation only has to happen once for it to happen every time, no one is able to return to Altus Space, effectively shutting down Altus. Andy is the most upset with the removal of Altus, but over time he comes to accept it and finds happiness with Bex. Miranda returns to Berkeley, leading a team of a few friends she made while working at Altus. April and Maya move into a house together and take care of the monkey Carl once inhabited. Carl is gone, but they find one last copy of The Book of Good Times in Maya's potato plant. In it, Carl tells them their brother is still watching, still monitoring, still seeing if humanity needs to be reined in, but is otherwise dormant. ==Reception== The book has received mostly positive reviews. According to Book Marks, 60% of reviewers gave the novel rave reviews, while 20% reviewed it positively, and another 20% expressed mixed feelings. This is a notable step up from the reception of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, which (according to Book Marks) received only 25% rave reviews. Delfina V Barbiero of USA Today gave the book out of4 stars, noting that "Green gives nuance to the privileges of escapism with humor and grace through main characters taking a chance on hope, even if it is beautifully foolish." ==References== Category:2020 American novels Category:Books by Hank Green Category:Dutton Penguin books

A Bedfull of Foreigners (or A Bedful of Foreigners) is a British farce written by Dave Freeman and first performed in the West End in 1973. It is about two couples on holiday in France who are accidentally assigned to the same hotel room. The play has also been presented internationally, in November 2006, in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, by the British Theatre Playhouse. ==Text== * Dave Freeman, A Bedfull of Foreigners: A Comedy, New York https://books.google.com/books?id=h1IWNAAACAAJ ==References== * Eric Johns, British Theatre Review, Vance-Offord (Publications) Ltd., 1974, , p. 89 Category:1973 plays Category:British plays Category:Comedy plays

A Bedtime Story is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic comedy film starring Maurice Chevalier. ==Plot== Chevalier plays a Parisian playboy who finds himself obliged to care for an abandoned baby. The film was directed by Norman Taurog and also stars Edward Everett Horton, Helen Twelvetrees, and Baby LeRoy (in his film debut, as the baby). ==Production problem== The film was notable for the performance of Baby LeRoy, a one-year-old who had been selected from an orphanage by Chevalier and Taurog for his charming appeal. When certain scenes needed to be re-shot, they found that the baby had grown two front teeth, even though the later scenes would be showing the bare gums. There was no way round this.With Love, the Autobiography of Maurice Chevalier (Cassell, 1960), p. 325. ==Cast== *Maurice Chevalier as Monsieur Rene *Helen Twelvetrees as Sally *Edward Everett Horton as Victor Dubois *Adrienne Ames as Paulette *Baby LeRoy as Monsieur "Baby" *Earle Foxe as Max de l'Enclos *Leah Ray as Mademoiselle Gabrielle *Betty Lorraine as Suzanne Dubois *Gertrude Michael as Louise *Ernest Wood as Robert *Reginald Mason as General Louse's father *Henry Kolker as Agent de Police *George MacQuarrie as Henry Joudain *Paul Panzer as Concierge *Frank Reicher as Aristide *George Barbier as Toy Seller *Florence Roberts as Flower Shop Customer (uncredited) ==References== == External links == * * Category:1933 films Category:1933 musical comedy films Category:1933 romantic comedy films Category:American musical comedy films Category:American romantic comedy films Category:American romantic musical films Category:Films directed by Norman Taurog Category:Films set in Paris Category:Paramount Pictures films Category:American black-and-white films Category:1930s romantic musical films Category:1930s American films

thumb|A Beech Wood with Gypsies Seated in the Distance A Beech Wood with Gypsies Seated in the Distance is a painting by J. M. W. Turner (23 April 1775 - 19 December 1851), painted c. 1799–1801. ==See also== * List of paintings by J. M. W. Turner ==References== Category:Paintings by J. M. W. Turner

thumb A Beech Wood with Gypsies round a Campfire is a painting by J. M. W. Turner (23 April 1775 - 19 December 1851), painted c. 1799–1801. ==See also== * List of paintings by J. M. W. Turner ==References== Category:Paintings by J. M. W. Turner

A Beginner's Guide to Endings is a 2010 film directed by Jonathan Sobol and starring Harvey Keitel, Scott Caan, and J.K. Simmons. ==Plot== Upon learning they only have a few days left to live, three brothers set off to reverse a lifetime of mistakes. ==Cast== * Harvey Keitel as Duke White * Paulo Costanzo as Jacob "Cob" White * Scott Caan as Cal White * J. K. Simmons as Uncle Pal * Tricia Helfer as Miranda * Jason Jones as "Nuts" * Jared Keeso as Juicebox * Siam Yu as Todd * Gavin Fox as Rahm The Baptist * Wendy Crewson as Goldie White * Stephen McHattie as Fitz ==Production== Filming took place in New York City in October 2009. The film released at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on September 17. Filming also took place in Niagara Falls, Canada. There is a shot of the Avon Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. == References == ==External links== * Category:2010 films Category:2010 comedy-drama films Category:American comedy-drama films Category:Canadian comedy-drama films Category:English-language Canadian films Category:2010s English-language films Category:Films shot in Ontario Category:Films directed by Jonathan Sobol Category:2010 directorial debut films Category:2010s American films Category:2010s Canadian films

A Beginner's Guide to Snuff is a 2016 horror comedy directed by Mitchell Altieri. ==Plot== Two brothers, Dresden and Dominic, are aspiring actors that enter a horror film contest and make a found footage horror film, a fake snuff film. The film starts where Dominic and Dresden take auditions for an actress without giving them much clue as to the project. Here they decide on Jennifer to be the most suitable actress for the role. Instead of informing her and hiring her, they decide to kidnap her and record all moments to capture genuine footage. Dresden believes this to be the best for his entry to the contest and that he is doing this for Cinema. The brothers kidnap Jennifer and then record various torture on her while failing to scare her. She realises that her captors are not professionals and tries to escape. Things turn for the worse for the two brothers when they discover that Jennifer has freed herself and now has a gun on them. They shortly discover that she is a psychopath and a murderer who kills Kenneth Kennedy. Jennifer now ties and records the emotions of the brothers in her scary games. Towards the end she kills them both and then the complete film is shown to be released on Christmas Eve as she promised to make them famous. == Cast == *Joey Kern as Dresden Winters *Luke Edwards as Dominic Winters *Bree Williamson as Jennifer *Brad Greenquist as Kenneth Kennedy ==References== ==External links== * Category:2016 films Category:American comedy horror films Category:2016 comedy horror films Category:2010s thriller films Category:2016 comedy films Category:2010s English-language films Category:2010s American films

A Beginner's Guide to the Sea is the second album from Melbourne-based band The Holy Sea. The album was recorded at Atlantis Sound in Port Melbourne by David McCluney and was released in 2008. The album featured the singles Paddy, There's Got to Be One More Bar Open and Ghost Town. The album artwork was designed by Perth-based comic artist Edward J. Grug III. ==Track listing== ==Musicians== *Henry F. Skerritt – Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica *Daniel Hoey – Piano, Rhodes, Organ, Harmonium *Victor Utting – Guitar, Percussion *F. David Bower – Drums, Percussion *Andrew Fuller – Bass *Emma Frichot – Backing Vocals *Gareth Skinner – Cello *Garrett Costigan – Pedal Steel ==External links== *MessandNoise.com review *Rave Magazine review ==References== * Category:The Holy Sea albums Category:2008 albums

A Beginner's Mind is a collaborative album by American musicians Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine. The album was released by Asthmatic Kitty on September 24, 2021. After being teased by Asthmatic Kitty for several days, the album was formally announced on July 7, 2021, along with its track listing and two singles, "Reach Out" and "Olympus". Daniel Anum Jasper created the album's cover artwork. The album was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. == Background == A Beginner’s Mind was created in a cabin in upstate New York. There, Stevens and Augustine watched movies every day for inspiration. == Critical reception == The album received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave the album a 8.0 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. In the review for AllMusic, critic Mark Demming felt that the album was "intelligent and well-crafted, and will appeal to fans of either Stevens' or De Augustine's recent work" but also that it was "less distinct than the music they create on their own." ==Track listing== List of films taken from Asthmatic Kitty's Instagram page. ==Personnel== * Angelo De Augustine – production, mixing, recording, arrangement, vocals, bass, bells, cymbals, drums, guitar, piano, synthesizer, tambourine, ukulele, whistle, Wurlitzer * Sufjan Stevens – production, mixing, recording, arrangement, vocals, bass, bells, cymbals, drums, guitar, piano, synthesizer, tambourine, ukulele, whistle, Wurlitzer * Josh Bonati – mastering * Daniel Anum Jasper – artwork ==Charts== Chart performance for A Beginner's Mind Chart (2021) Peak position ==References== Category:2021 albums Category:Sufjan Stevens albums Category:Albums produced by Angelo De Augustine Category:Angelo De Augustine albums Category:Asthmatic Kitty albums Category:Collaborative albums Category:Concept albums

A Beginners' Guide to the King Crimson Collectors' Club is a 2000 album by the band King Crimson, compiled from King Crimson Collectors' ClubDiscogs The King Crimson Collectors' Club albums - limited release live recordings of concert performances, studio sessions and radio sessions. ==Track listing== #"21st Century Schizoid Man" (Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Peter Sinfield) - 8:02 #:from the album Live in Central Park, NYC #"I Talk to the Wind" (McDonald, Sinfield) - 4:45 #:from the album Live at the Marquee #"Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part I)" (Bill Bruford, David Cross, Fripp, Jamie Muir, John Wetton) - 5:59 #:from the album The Beat Club, Bremen #"Ladies of the Road" (Fripp, Sinfield) - 5:58 #:from the album Live at Jacksonville #"Sailor's Tale" (Fripp) - 5:18 #:from the album Live at Summit Studios #"Thela Hun Ginjeet" (Adrian Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Tony Levin) - 5:46 #:from the album Live at Moles Club, Bath #"Elephant Talk" (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Levin) - 5:00 #:from the album Live at Cap D'Agde #"People" (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Trey Gunn, Levin, Pat Mastelotto) - 6:01 #:from the album King Crimson On Broadway #"Funky Jam" (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Gunn, Levin. Mastelotto) - 4:29 #:from the album The VROOOM Sessions #"Seizure" - 7:49 #*Performed by ProjeKct Four #:from the ProjeKct Four album The Roar of ProjeKct Four: Live in San Francisco ==Notes== Record Store Day release. Issued in a regular jewel case with dark grey tray. There is no barcode on this release.Discogs A Beginners' Guide To The King Crimson Collectors' Club ==References== Category:2000 compilation albums Category:2000 live albums Category:King Crimson compilation albums Category:King Crimson live albums Category:Discipline Global Mobile albums

A Beginning, a Detour, an Open Ending is a 2008 album by Tina Dico. It is Dico's fifth studio album comprising a boxset of three EPs (shorter albums with 6–7 songs on each) recorded in March 2007, January 2008 and June 2008. ==Track listing== Source: Amazon ==References== Category:2008 albums Category:Tina Dico albums

A Behanding in Spokane is a 2010 black comedy by British-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. It premiered at the Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway in 2010. Set in the fictional town of Tarlington, Ohio, it is McDonagh's first play to be set in the United States. ==Plot synopsis== A mysterious man named Carmichael has been searching for his missing left hand for 27 years. Two bickering lovebirds, Toby and Marilyn, claim to be in possession of his long- ago severed appendage, and look to collect the reward that Carmichael is offering for its return. An eccentric hotel clerk, Mervyn, gets in the middle of the transaction, and his presence threatens to spoil the proceedings. ==Production== A Behanding in Spokane opened on Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre on 15 February 2010 in previews, officially on 4 March 2010, and closed on 6 June 2010 after 108 performances." A Behanding in Spokane ibdb.com, accessed 8 May 2016 Directed by John Crowley, the cast featured Christopher Walken as Carmichael, Sam Rockwell as Mervyn, Anthony Mackie as Toby and Zoe Kazan as Marilyn."'A Behanding in Spokane' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed 5 April 2016.Finkle, David. "Review" theatermania.com, 2 March 2010 This is the first play that McDonagh has set in the United States.Jones, Kenneth. "'A Behanding in Spokane', With Walken, Kazan, Mackie and Rockwell, Begins on Broadway" Playbill, 15 February 2010 ==Critical response== Hilton Als, reviewing for The New Yorker, wrote: "The play is engineered for success, and McDonagh’s stereotypical view of black maleness is a significant part of that engineering....McDonagh adds gag after gag to the show, as if he believed that comedy could cover up the real horror at its core: the fact that blackness is, for him, a Broadway prop, an easy way of establishing a hierarchy. Like any smart immigrant, McDonagh knows that by going after Toby’s otherness he becomes less of an outsider himself." Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times noted that the typical McDonagh characters "start to seem alarmingly like figures from a conventional Hollywood caper comedy about dopey, foul-mouthed crooks who keep tripping over themselves... If Mr. McDonagh hasn’t provided the kind of exhilarating, nasty fun house we have come to expect of him, we are at least allowed to spend shivery time in that shabby, scary labyrinth that exists behind Carmichael’s glassy forehead." == Awards and nominations == Walken was nominated for the 2010 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Actor in a Play, and the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Actor in a Play. The play was nominated for the 2010 Drama League Award, Distinguished Production of a Play. broadwayworld.com, 4 May 2010 ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2010 plays Category:Broadway plays Category:Comedy plays Category:Plays by Martin McDonagh Category:Plays set in the United States

The behavioral theory of the firm first appeared in the 1963 book A Behavioral Theory of the Firm by Richard M. Cyert and James G. March. The work on the behavioral theory started in 1952 when March, a political scientist, joined Carnegie Mellon University, where Cyert was an economist. Before this model was formed, the existing theory of the firm had two main assumptions: profit maximization and perfect knowledge. Cyert and March questioned these two critical assumptions. ==Background== A behavioral model of rational choice by Herbert A. Simon paved the way for the behavioral model. Neo-classical economists assumed that firms enjoyed perfect information. In addition the firm maximized profits and did not suffer from internal resource allocation problems. Advocates of the behavioral approach also challenged the omission of the element of uncertainty from the conventional theory. The behavioral model, like the managerial models of Oliver E. Williamson and Robin Marris, considers a large corporate business firm in which the ownership is separate from the management. ===Cyert and March=== These researchers offered four major research themes: *A small number of key economic decisions *Development of a general theory, generalizing the results from studies of specific firms *Linkage of empirical data to models *Orientation towards process rather than outcomes ==Model framework== ===Theory construction=== The behavioral approach takes the firm as the basic unit of analysis. It attempts to predict behaviour with respect to price, output and resource allocation decisions. It emphasizes the decision-making process. ===The firm as a coalition of groups=== The theory argues that while small firms may operate under the guidance of the entrepreneur, such a simple model does not describe larger corporations. These larger firms are coalitions of individuals or groups, which may include managers, stockholders, workers, suppliers and so on. According to Cyert and March, these groups participate in setting goals and making decisions. Priorities and information may vary by group, potentially creating conflicts. Cyert and March mentioned five goals which real world firms generally possess: production; inventory; market share; sales and profits. According to the behavioral theory, all the goals must be satisfied, following an implicit order of priority among them. ===Satisficing behaviour=== Cyert and March proposed that real firms aim at satisficing rather than maximizing their results. I.e., some groups may settle for "good enough" achievements rather than striving for the best possible outcome. This came from a concept known as bounded rationality, which was developed by Herbert Simon. Bounded rationality means prudent behaviour under a given set of circumstances. In this model goals are not set to maximize relevant magnitudes such as profits, sales and market share. Instead, goals are compromises negotiated by the groups. ===The process of decision making=== In the model, top management sets the goals of the organization. But these goals are implemented through decision making at two levels, one at the top and the second at lower management levels. During approval of proposals of various departments, two criteria are generally employed. A financial measure assesses the availability of the required funds given resources. An improvement measure assesses whether the proposal improves the health of the organization. According to Cyert and March, information is required to take the most appropriate decisions. However, information gathering itself is not Costless and requires resources. ===Organizational slack=== To keep the various groups in the organization, payments had to be in excess of what was required for the efficient working of the firm. The difference between the total resources and the necessary payments is called the organizational slack. In conventional economic theory organizational slack is zero, at least at equilibrium. Cyert and March claim that organizational slack plays a stabilizing and adaptive role. Cyert and March gave many examples of organizational slack such as high dividends paid to shareholders, prices set lower than necessary and wages paid in excess of those required. ==Critical evaluation== The behavioral model made a great impact on the theory of the firm. It gave insights in the process of goal formation and fixation of aspiration levels and resource allocation. Its critics claim that the theory is unnecessarily complicated. The virtual assembly of the firm, with the decision-making process as the unit, for the purpose of predicting their behaviour is highly questioned by critics. There has also been staunch support for profit maximization rather than satisficing behaviour, which is one of the core elements of the model. ==Later research== The behavioral theory of the firm has become important for much later research in organization theory and management, and has led to empirical studies and simulation modeling in organizational learning, as well as work on the cognitive foundations of firm strategy. ==See also== *Theory of the firm *Carnegie School ==Notes== ==References== * * * * * * Category:Works about management Category:Business economics Category:Economics books Category:Behavioral economics Category:Books about organizations

thumb|First edition A Bekkersdal Marathon is anthology of short stories written by Herman Charles Bosman. ==Publication History== The 22 short stories assembled in this volume, published in book format in 1971 by Human and Rousseau, were all written during the last 18 months of Herman Charles Bosman's life Bosman, HC (1971) A Bekkersdal Marathon. Cape Town: Human and Rousseau. . Originally, the stories appeared as a weekly serial in ‘The Forum’ magazine. ==Synopsis== After leaving university, Bosman was appointed as a school teacher in the Groot Marico District. In small, underdeveloped rural towns, such as the one where Bosman worked, the living room (‘voorkamer’) of a local farmer would serve as a post office. People would often gather here to chat and gossip. The conversations he participated in with the townspeople and farmers inspired the anthology. In ‘A Bekkersdal Marathon’, the ‘voorkkamer’ of Jurie Steyn, a prosperous maize farmer, doubles as the village post office. Regular visitors include Gysbert van Tonder (a notorious cattle rustler), At Naude (the owner of the district's only radio who prides himself on keeping abreast of national and world affairs) and Oupa Bekker (the oldest man in the District). Vermaak, the school master, represents Bosman himself. Bosman uses gentle irony to poke fun at the Afrikaans farmers. Outwardly, the farmers project an image of conservative respectability which contrasts with their inner natures. The plots, language and content of the stories help the reader to look beneath the veneer and to understand the farmers as scheming, greedy, superstitious, provincial country bumpkins. Hypocritically, they routinely criticize Black people and English South Africans for foibles and failings which the farmers themselves display in ample measure. Bosman did not spare himself in the stories; Vermaak is depicted as occasionally naïve and his idiosyncrasies are discussed at length in the stories. == References == Category:South African short story collections Category:1971 short story collections

A Belfast Story is a 2013 Irish crime film written and directed by Nathan Todd and starring Colm Meaney. It is Todd's directorial debut. ==Plot== A BELFAST STORY explores life after terrorism. Set in a city which has weathered hundreds of years of hatred, 30 years of bombs, and a war without winners, just victims. A new era brings new risks. There is peace, but that can also be deadly ==Cast== *Colm Meaney as Detective *Malcolm Sinclair as Chief Constable *Maggie Cronin as Sinead *Tommy O'Neill as First Minister Owen McKenna *Damien Hasson as Damien *Patrick Rocks as Eammon *Peter O'Toole as Alley victim ==Reception== The film received negative reviews and has a 14% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Stephen Dalton of The Hollywood Reporter wrote in his review, "Nathan Todd attempts something similar in his debut feature, a murder mystery with political overtones, but his inexperience lets him down badly." He also added, "not even [Meaney's] heavyweight gravitas can save A Belfast Story from its weak script, sluggish pacing and one-dimensional characters." Steve Rose of The Guardian gave the film 2 stars out of 5 and wrote, "the plot scatters too many pieces about, putting the film's star off screen for long stretches." ==Controversy== A month before its release, the film garnered controversy in Great Britain for the filmmakers' publicity stunt of sending a nail bomb kit to the media to promote the film. Nathan Todd later issued an apology. ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2013 films Category:2013 crime films Category:Films scored by Nick Glennie-Smith Category:Films set in Belfast Category:Films from Northern Ireland Category:2013 directorial debut films Category:2010s English-language films

A Believer Sings the Truth is a gospel double album and 63rd overall album by American country singer Johnny Cash. The tracks for the double-length album were all recorded in 1979. Cash was under contract to Columbia Records, but the label was doubtful that a double-album of gospel songs was commercially viable. With the label's blessing, Cash was allowed to release it on his own on the Cachet label and as a radio special with added narration. His efforts paid off, as the album made it into the Country Top 50, peaking at #43. In 1982, Columbia reissued the album itself, and in 1984 an edited-down version titled I Believe appeared on Arrival Records (see below). Prior to 2012 the only CD release of tracks from the album occurred with two tracks appearing in the God portion of the 2004 box set Love, God, Murder (a set compiled by Cash soon before his death in 2003), and two more tracks appeared on 2007's Ultimate Gospel. The complete contents of the album (plus a previously unreleased outtake) made their CD debut as Disk 1 of the 2012 release Bootleg Vol. IV: The Soul of Truth. It is one of only a handful of Columbia-related albums not to be included in the 2012 box set release Johnny Cash: The Complete Columbia Album Collection. ==Track listing== ==Charts== Album - Billboard (United States) Year Chart Position December 1979 Country Albums 43 ==I Believe== thumb|right|I Believe album cover In 1984, I Believe was released on the Arrival Records label, featuring ten songs from A Believer Sings the Truth and four outtakes from the same sessions. Like its parent album, I Believe has not been released on CD. ===Track listing=== == References == Category:Johnny Cash albums Category:1979 albums Category:Albums produced by Jack Clement Category:Columbia Records albums Category:Gospel albums by American artists

A Believing People: Literature of the Latter-day Saints, edited by Richard H. Cracroft and Neal E. Lambert, and published in 1974, was "the first significant anthology of the literature of the Latter-day Saints" and began the establishment of the field of Mormon literature as a legitimate discipline, and remains, according to A Motley Vision in 2012, " the only comprehensive Mormon Literature anthology ever published." Cracroft and Lambert released an anthology with a more modern focus, 22 Young Mormon Writers, the following year.Three writers appear in both A Believing People and 22 Young Mormon Writers: Ann Doty, Clifton Holt Jolley, and Linda Sillitoe. ==Included authors== The collection includes works of many sorts (letters, poetry, sermons, etc.), mostly from LDS authors, but also some by those friendly to the Mormons (e.g. Thomas L. Kane) or with early-life connections (e.g. Ina Coolbrith) or similarly tangential relationships. Authors are listed alphabetically. Works without a listed author are not reflected in this list. === History === *Lucy Mack Smith *Joseph Smith Jr. *B. H. Roberts *Thomas L. Kane *Leonard J. Arrington *James E. Talmage === Biography and Autobiography === *Parley P. Pratt *John Taylor *Daniel W. Jones *S. A. Kenner *Florence A. Merriam Bailey *Karl G. Maeser *Juanita Brooks === Letters === *Joseph Smith Jr. *Brigham Young *Ursulia B. Hascall *Irene Hascall Pomeroy *Ellen Spencer Clawson === Journals and Diaries === *Hosea Stout *William Clayton *Mary Goble Pay *Priddy Meeks *Joseph Smith Black === Discourses === *Joseph Smith Jr. *Brigham Young *Orson Pratt *J. Golden Kimball *B. H. Roberts *Gordon B. Hinckley === The Essay === *Orson F. Whitney *William Mulder *Parley A. Christensen *Robert K. Thomas *Hugh Nibley *Truman G. Madsen *Edward Geary === Nineteenth-Century Poetry === *William W. Phelps *Joseph Smith Jr. *John Lyon *Joel H. Johnson *Eliza R. Snow *Parley P. Pratt *Cyrus H. Wheelock *William Clayton *John Jaques *Charles W. Penrose *Richard Smyth *Ina Coolbrith *Augusta Joyce Crocheron *Joseph L. Townsend *Orson F. Whitney *Josephine Spencer === Twentieth-Century Poetry === *S. Dilworth Young *Vesta Pierce Crawford *Christie Lund Coles *Veneta Leatham Nielsen *Arthur Henry King *Edward L. Hart *Marden J. Clark *Lael W. Hill *May Swenson *Clinton F. Larson *Max Golightly *R. Paul Cracroft *Emma Lou Thayne *John Sterling Harris *David L. Wright *Thomas Asplund *Harrison Davis *Nolyn Hardy *Marilyn McMeen Miller *Robert A. Christmas *Carol Lynn Pearson *Charis Southwell *Clifton Holt Jolley *Dennis Drake *Dennis Marden Clark *Helen Walker Jones *Linda Sillitoe *Ann Doty *Naomi W. Randall === Fiction === *Parley P. Pratt *Josephine Spencer *Nephi Anderson *Virginia Sorensen *Eileen G. Kump *Douglas H. Thayer *Donald R. Marshall === The Novel === *Nephi Anderson *Vardis Fisher *Maurine Whipple === Drama === *Clinton F. Larson *Martin Kelly ==Notes== ==References== ==External links== *Archive.org's online text of A Believing People Category:1974 books Category:Mormon literature

A Bell Is a Cup... Until It Is Struck is the fifth studio album by the British post-punk group Wire. ==Critical response== In 1989, the Trouser Press Record Guide described the album as "a stylized set of dreamscapes and consciousness streams… It's arguably Wire's most ruminative album, and while immersion in it won't, as 'Silk Skin Paws' suggests, 'wring your senses' – that's more a job for Chairs Missing – it will twirl your lobes a time or two." However, in a later edition, Trouser Press held a more critical view, writing "Wire stayed the dance-pop course with diminishing results on A Bell Is a Cup." At the time of the album's release, Wire faced accusations that they had abandoned their earlier rough-edged sound for a softer, more refined style. Graham Lewis dismissed such criticism: AllMusic gave the album a laudatory review, describing the record as "arguably Wire's best album and certainly its most accessible… a work of modern rock genius." ==Cover art== The sculpture shown is the Selene horse from the Parthenon Marbles. ==Track listing== All tracks published by Stainless Music. The CD version appends the following tracks: ==Personnel== ;Wire *Bruce Gilbert *Robert Gotobed *Graham Lewis (credited as "Lewis") *Colin Newman ;Production * Gareth Jones – production * David Heilmann – engineer * Paul Davis – front of house engineer [13, 14] * Simon Hardiman – stage monitor engineer [13, 14] * Ifan Thomas – backline [13, 14] * Slim Smith – layout ==References== Category:1988 albums Category:Albums produced by Gareth Jones (music producer) Category:Mute Records albums Category:Wire (band) albums

A Bell for Adano is a 1945 American war film directed by Henry King and starring John Hodiak and Gene Tierney. It was adapted from the 1944 novel of the same title by John Hersey, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1945. In his review of the film for The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "... this easily vulnerable picture, which came to the Music Hall yesterday, is almost a perfect picturization of Mr. Hersey's book." In addition to the Broadway play (Cort Theatre, (12/06/1944 - 10/27/1945), which starred Fredric March, there have been several other versions of the story. In a 1955 Lux Video Theatre adaptation, Edmond O'Brien had the lead, with a young Charles Bronson playing the part William Bendix took in the movie. Barry Sullivan and Anna Maria Alberghetti were in a 1956 CBS telecast, and John Forsythe played the major in a 1967 Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcast. ==Plot== The story concerns Italian-American U.S. Army Major Joppolo (John Hodiak), who is placed in charge of the town of Adano during the invasion of Sicily. Major Joppolo asks the town elders what the town needs most: some say food but most say "a bell" and his curiosity is raised. The priest explains that the whole heart of the town's activities centred upon the bell ringing. He then starts a long struggle to replace the 700-year-old bell that was taken from the town by the Fascists at the start of the war to be melted down for weapons. Through his actions, Joppolo also wins the trust and love of the people. Some of the changes Joppolo brings into the town include: * Democracy * Free fishing privilege * The freedom of mule carts * A bell from the American Navy to replace the town bell The short-tempered American commander, General Marvin, fires Major Joppolo from his position when Joppolo disobeys an order to prohibit mule cart traffic in Adano, which has been disrupting Allied supply trucks, because the mule carts are vital to the survival of the town. The character of Joppolo was based on the real life experiences of Frank Toscani, who was military governor of the town of Licata, Sicily after the Allied invasion.Martin, Douglass. The New York Times: F.E. Toscani 89, Dies; Model for Hero of 'Bell for Adano' 28 Jan 2001 ==Cast== * Gene Tierney as Tina Tomasino * John Hodiak as Maj. Victor P. Joppolo * William Bendix as Sgt. Borth * Glenn Langan as Lt. Crofts Livingstone * Richard Conte as Nico * Stanley Prager as Sgt. Trampani * Henry Morgan as Capt. N. Purvis * Monty Banks as Giuseppe * Reed Hadley as Cmdr. Robertson * Roy Roberts as Col. W. W. Middleton * Hugo Haas as Father Pensovecchio * Marcel Dalio as Zito * Fortunio Bonanova as Chief of Police Gargano * Henry Armetta as Errante * Roman Bohnen as Carl Erba * Luis Alberni as Cacopardo * Eduardo Ciannelli as Maj. Nasta ==Production== It was in production from early November 1944 to mid-January 1945. Location filming was done at Brent's Crags, near Malibu, California. ==References== ==External links== * * * } * * 1952 Best Plays radio adaptation of novel at Internet Archive Category:1945 films Category:1945 drama films Category:20th Century Fox films Category:American drama films Category:American black-and-white films Category:Films scored by Alfred Newman Category:Films based on American novels Category:Films directed by Henry King Category:Films set in Sicily Category:Italian Campaign of World War II films Category:Films with screenplays by Lamar Trotti Category:World War II films made in wartime Category:1940s English-language films

A Bell for Adano is a 1944 novel by John Hersey, the winner of the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It tells the story of an Italian-American officer in Sicily during World War II who wins the respect and admiration of the people of the town of Adano by helping them find a replacement for the town bell that the Fascists had melted down for rifle barrels. ==Plot summary== The novel is set during the 1943 Allied occupation of the fictional Italian coastal town of Adano (based on the real city of Licata). The main character, Major Victor Joppolo, is the temporary administrator of the town during the occupation and is often referred to by the people of Adano as Mister Major. Joppolo is an idealistic Italian-American who wants to bring justice and compassion to Adano, which has been hardened by the authoritarian Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini. When Major Joppolo arrives at Adano, he immediately asks the people of the town what they need the most. The first spokesman of the town tells Joppolo that they are in great need of food for some people have not eaten in days. The second spokesman of the town argues that the town's immediate necessity is a new bell. Joppolo is touched by the story of a 700-year-old bell that was taken away from the town by the Fascists. Mussolini had ordered that the bell be removed from the town and be melted to make weapons for the war. The people were greatly attached to the bell. To them, the bell was a source of pride and unity. Joppolo immediately sees the importance of the bell and makes persistent attempts to locate the bell. In addition to finding the bell, Joppolo spends time trying to supply the town with food and other necessities. He soon discovers that the town has no fish because the fishermen have not gone out in months. When he speaks to Tomasino, the leader of the fishermen, Joppolo finds out that this is because the fisherman were forced to pay 'protection' money to the corrupt Fascist government simply to go out fishing. Joppolo tells Tomasino that he will not have to pay any bribes or extra taxes to the Americans for fishing. At first, Tomasino is convinced that Joppolo is lying to him and that it is some sort of cruel trick. Tomasino hates persons of authority because he believes that they are all power-hungry and corrupt. It takes extensive persuading to convince Tomasino that Joppolo's intentions are good and that his only want is for the people of Adano to have fish. Joppolo is faced with another problem in which he had to countermand the order of General Marvin in order to do what was best for the town. General Marvin is an army general who happens to pass through Adano. All day his armored car has been slowed by mule carts that are blocking the road. Finally, on the road to Adano, he loses his temper and orders that his men shoot a mule that refuses to move from the center of the road. When General Marvin arrived at Adano, he orders Major Joppolo to keep all mule carts out of the town. Joppolo is disheartened but complies with the order. Immediately, he calls for a meeting with all the officials of the town and tells them of the new order, but also that he is prepared to find a solution. The next day, Joppolo decides that countermanding General Marvin's order is more important than his own position as mayor of the town; therefore he tells the people of Adano that they may bring their carts into the town (among other things, the town has no source of water without the carts). Later in the novel, Joppolo gains the admiration of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Livingston, who invites Joppolo to come have a drink with some of his Navy buddies. While there, Joppolo tells them of the town's need for a bell. Commander Robertson realizes that they might have exactly the bell that Adano needs, aboard the USS Corelli. The arrival of the bell to the town coincides with a party that the town is hosting for Joppolo to express their gratitude for all of his great doings. Although the bell has arrived at the town, the engineers say that it will take them until the next morning to install it. At the same time Sergeant Borth, one of Major Joppolo's aides, finds a note from General Marvin that says that Joppolo has been relieved of duty as administrator of Adano because he countermanded General Marvin's order. Sergeant Borth tells Joppolo that he has been relieved from duty while they are at the party and hands Joppolo the order. The next morning, Joppolo leaves Adano, but does not say goodbye to anyone because he does not think he could. As the jeep is driving away, he tells the driver to stop for a moment. They hear the clear sound of a loud bell. ==Characters== Major Victor Joppolo: The protagonist of the story, is the interim mayor of the Italian coastal town of Adano. He is sincerely interested in restoring happiness and prosperity and goes to great lengths to satisfy the people's needs. Sergeant Borth: A sergeant in the Military Police platoon assigned to garrison Adano; admires the major's changes to the town. Captain Purvis: Under Major Joppolo and the officer in charge of the military police in Adano. General Marvin: General of the American 34th Infantry Division in Italy. He orders that all carts stay out of Adano and relieves Major Joppolo of his position when he discovers that the major countermanded his order. Tina: The daughter of Tomasino, Major Joppolo develops an affinity for her over the course of the novel, even though it may be because she wants the major to find out whether her sweetheart is still alive. Giuseppe: Major Joppolo's interpreter. Zito: Major Joppolo's usher. Tomasino: The leader of the fishermen. Tomasino, though skeptical at first, is thrilled when Major Joppolo allows him and his men to go out and fish. Cacopardo: A rich man, he owns the sulfur refinery of Adano. His chiasmus seen throughout the book: "Cacopardo is sulphur and sulphur is Cacopardo." Mercurio Salvatore: The crier of the town. Gargano: Chief of the police in Adano. Mayor Nasta: Former fascist mayor of Adano, he comes back to the town and is ridiculed by all. Lieutenant Livingston: A United States Navy lieutenant, he is in charge of the port of Adano. ==Reception== A Bell for Adano was published in 1944 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945. Time magazine in 1944 wrote, "The mood of A Bell for Adano is bitter. Its humor is raucous and wild. At its worst, it descends to college humorous magazine slapstick. At its best it is a superb piece of reporting. Read unimaginatively, it is a deadly account of U.S. official incompetence. Stripped of its humor, it is the story of a battle for democracy, no less real for being fought without arms, more important than the military engagement that preceded it."Knopf. A Bell for Adano. Time Magazine, February 21, 1944 Kenneth Dave Schadt of the Vancouver Public Library later noted, "The novel achieved huge popularity and was hailed as a classic war novel. The book is rich in characterization, and it is recognized as a classic study in leadership. Another possible reason it was so well received was that the novel portrays the American army in a positive light and shows how democracy is inherently superior to Fascism." ==Connections to World War II== thumb|Treno armato Licata thumb Adano is a fictional Sicilian port town modeled after the real town of Licata, Sicily, one of the disembarkation towns on the beaches of Mollarella and Poliscia during the Allied occupation of Italy. Just like Adano in the novel, Licata has a shipping and sulfur industry and a fishing port, and its largest church is the Church of Sant'Angelo. Additionally, Benito Mussolini did have Licata's 700-year-old bell melted to make ammunition.Rasmussen, R. Kent. Cyclopedia of Literary Places, 2003 Major Joppolo is based on the American military governor of Licata named Frank E. Toscani. John Hersey visited Toscani for four or five days during the war and created Victor Joppolo from him, noting that he held a job as a civilian clerk in the New York City Sanitation Department.Martin, Douglass (January 28, 2001). The New York Times: "F.E. Toscani 89, Dies; Model for Hero of 'Bell for Adano'". General Marvin is a depiction of the World War II General Patton, who was known for his bitterness and cruelty, but also his effectiveness. ==Adaptations== The novel was the basis of Paul Osborn's 1944 Broadway play A Bell for Adano, starring Fredric March. A film version of the novel, A Bell for Adano (1945), starred John Hodiak. A Bell for Adano was presented on Star Playhouse on October 11, 1953. March starred in the adaptation. On June 2, 1956, CBS Television broadcast a version of Hersey's story, starring Barry Sullivan and Anna Maria Alberghetti and directed by Paul Nickell. On November 15, 1967, Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcast a version starring John Forsythe and Murray Hamilton and directed by Mel Ferrer. ==References== ==Sources== * Huey, Peggy J. "A Bell for Adano." In Werlock, Abby H. P., ed. Facts On File Companion to the American Novel. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. (accessed June 9, 2008). ==External links== * photos of the first edition Category:1944 American novels Category:Novels set during World War II Category:Pulitzer Prize for the Novel- winning works Category:American novels adapted into films Category:American war novels Category:Novels set in Sicily Category:Alfred A. Knopf books Category:Fiction set in 1943 Category:English-language books

A Bend in the Ganges (1964) is a novel by the Indian author Manohar Malgonkar.Ashok Kumar Bachchan, "A Bend in the Ganges: A Historical Novel" in Basavaraj Naikar (ed.), Indian English Literature, Volume 6, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2007, p. 140. The novel opens with the civil disobedience movement of the early 1930s and ends with the partition riots in Punjab. It encompasses the Swadeshi movement, the activities of the freedom fighters, the outbreak of the Second World War, the British retreat from Rangoon, the Bombay dock explosion and the division of India in 1947. The epigraph of this novel is from the Ramayana: "At a bend in the Ganges, they paused to take a look at the land they were leaving". This story revolves around three male protagonists: Gian Talwar- who is very much influenced by the Gandhian ideology of non-violence; Debi Dayal and Shafi Usman are other two who often uses "Jai-Ram: Jai Rahim" slogan to equate their feeling toward secularism. The fundamental difference between Talwar and Debi-Shafi duo lies in their ideology. As Talwar picks 'Gandhian nonviolence' as his way to fight against the British atrocities, Debi-Shafi finds violence as the only option left. Freedom fighters also establish 'The Hanuman Club', an institution for their physical and spiritual upliftment in a country which is immensely divided due to its variations in political ideology and religious fragility. ==References== Category:1964 novels Category:1964 Indian novels

A Bend in the River is a 1979 novel by Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul. The novel, telling the story of Salim, a merchant in post-colonial mid-20th century Africa, is one of Naipaul's best known works and was widely praised. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1979. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked A Bend in the River #83 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. A Bend in the River has also been criticized for a perceived defence of European colonialism in Africa. ==Plot== Set in an unnamed African country after independence, the book is narrated by Salim, an ethnically Indian Muslim and a shopkeeper in a small but growing city in the country's remote interior. Salim observes the rapid changes in Africa with an outsider's distance. Salim grows up in the community of Indian traders on the east coast of Africa. Feeling insecure about his future in East Africa, he buys a business from Nazruddin in a town at "a bend in the river" in the heart of Africa. When he moves there he finds the town decrepit, a "ghost town", its former European suburb reclaimed by the bush, and many of its European vestiges ruined in a "rage" by the locals in response to their suppression and humiliation during colonial times. Old tribal distinctions have become important again. Salim trades in what people in the villages need: pencils and paper, pots and pans, other household utensils. Soon he is joined by an assistant, Metty, who comes from a family of house slaves his family had maintained in the east. One of his steady customers is Zabeth, a "marchande" from a village and a magician too. Zabeth has a son, Ferdinand, by a man of another tribe, and asks Salim to help him get educated. Ferdinand attends the local lycée run by Father Huismans, a Belgian priest who collects African masks and is considered a "lover of Africa". Life in the town is slowly improving. Salim's decision to move there seems to be vindicated when he learns that the Indian community on the east coast is being persecuted, but he still does not feel secure. Mahesh says of the local Africans that "they are malins", "because they lived with the knowledge of men as prey". A rebellion breaks out and the Indian merchants live in fear. Soon white mercenaries appear and restore order. After peace has returned Father Huismans goes on a trip. He is killed by unknown assailants and nobody cares. Afterwards his collection of African masks is denounced as affront to African religion. An American visitor pillages most of the masks and ships them home as "The richest products of the forest". The town now develops into a trading centre for the region. Government agencies spring up. European salesmen and visitors arrive. Salim's friends Mahesh and Shoba become successful with their new Bigburger franchise. The new army arrives, "poachers of ivory and thieves of gold". Portraits of the President, "the Big Man", are displayed everywhere. A new section of town is built, the "State Domain", to showcase the President's vision of a new Africa. Yet buildings are shoddy, the tractors at the agricultural centre never get put to work, and much of the Domain falls quickly into disrepair. Salim calls it a "hoax". The Domain is soon converted into a university and conference centre. Salim is visited by Indar, who grew up with him on the east coast, then went to England to study and now has become a lecturer at the new institution. He takes Salim to a party in the Domain to meet Yvette and Raymond. Raymond had been the advisor and mentor of the President. Although he is in charge of the Domain, he finds himself outside the centre of power. Loyal to the President, he continues to write for him, hoping to be recalled to the capital. Salim, whose experience with women has been limited to prostitutes, is intrigued by Yvette, Raymond's much younger wife. Later, after Indar departs with the steamer, Salim and Yvette start an adulterous affair right under Raymond's eyes. Eventually the liaison breaks down, Salim hitting her and spitting on her between the legs. Raymond's attempts to please the Big Man are not successful. Instead the President publishes "a very small, brief book of thoughts, Maximes, two or three thoughts to each page, each thought about four or five lines long". Like others, Salim is forced to buy copies of the book for distribution. The local youth group displeases the President and is denounced in one of his propaganda speeches. As a result, unrest grows, corruption and extortion become more prevalent, and a "Liberation Army" forms underground. They reject the President, his cult of the black Madonna, his vision of Africa, and want to return to the "truthful laws" of the ancestors. Salim looks for a way out. He travels to London, where he meets Nazruddin. Nazruddin sold his business to Salim, moved to Uganda, left it because of persecution, moved then to Canada, left it because of its capitalistic rapaciousness, and finally landed in London, where he became a landlord. He bemoans the lack of security for honest businessmen: there is no safe place. Salim becomes engaged to Nazruddin's daughter, but soon returns to his place in Africa. Upon arrival he learns that his business has been expropriated under the President's new programme of "radicalization" and transferred to a local. Théotime, a "state trustee", is ignorant and lazy, and retains Salim as manager and chauffeur. Salim recognises that all is lost. He has hidden some ivory on his property, but, betrayed by Metty, is found out and put in jail. He is presented to the commissioner, Ferdinand, who has moved up in the administration after receiving training in the capital. Ferdinand tells him that there is no safety, no hope, and that everybody is in fear of his life: "We’re all going to hell, and every man knows this in his bones. We’re being killed. Nothing has any meaning." He sets Salim free and tells him to leave the country. Salim takes the last steamer before the President arrives. During the night there is a battle on the ship, as rebels try to kidnap it. The attack is repelled, but the attached barge, full of Africans, is snapped loose and drifts down the river. ==Latin mottos== This Latin phrase is still visible to Salim on the granite base of a ruined European monument near the dock. Later Father Huismans explains him its meaning. "He approves of the mingling of the peoples and their bonds of union", derived from Virgil's Aeneid, Book IV, line 112. Aeneas lands on the shores of Africa, falls in love with Queen Dido and wants to settle, putting his mission, the migration to Italy, in danger. The gods intervene: they do not approve of a settlement in Africa nor of the mingling of the peoples. In the motto, however, three words were altered to reverse the original meaning. A second Latin phrase is encountered by Salim: , the motto of the lycée. The original phrase by Pliny the Elder meant that there is always something new out of Africa (ex Africa). Huismans applied it jokingly to the unique masks and carvings with religious quality he had collected. ==Comments== Naipaul is recognised as a "magnificent novelist", and A Bend in the River has been described as a "full-bodied masterpiece". Yet he has been accused of being a "neo-colonialist", and in this novel post-colonial Africa is depicted as spiralling into a kind of Hell. He has also been accused of being "infected by an ancestral communal resentment" against blacks. Whitaker indicates that Salim's plight as an outsider, a member of the Indian community in Africa, is credibly rendered, but takes Naipaul to task for ascribing to African people a "mysterious malevolence". Irving Howe admires Naipaul's "almost Conradian gift for tensing a story", the psychic and moral tension of the novel, and its "serious involvement with human issues". Howe rejects the notion that Naipaul is an apologist of colonialism. He contrasts the foreground space occupied by Salim with the background acts set in motion by the Big Man. The Big Man never appears but finds a voice in Raymond, the white intellectual who gets dumped later. Howe bemoans the fact that, as he sees it, Naipaul offers no hope, and that he allows "the wretchedness of his depicted scene" to become "the limit of his vision". Selwyn Cudjoe thinks that the novel depicts "the gradual darkening of African society as it returns to its age-old condition of bush and blood" and thinks this pessimistic view indicates Naipaul's "inability to examine postcolonial societies in any depth". The novel examines "the homeless condition of the East Indian in a world he cannot call home" and shows in Salim's case his passage to free himself from "the constricting ties to his society's past". Imraan Coovadia examines Naipaul's Latin quotations, accuses him of misquotation and manipulation, and suggests that he tries to evoke fear, disgust and condescension. Raja suggests that the novel is less about a conflict of modernity and Third World development, but more about a representation from a bourgeois perspective, Salim being interested, not in revolutionary goals, but in maintaining a profitable enterprise. He asserts that Naipaul is not a postcolonial author but a "cosmopolitan" one (as defined by Timothy Brennan), who offers an "inside view of formerly submerged peoples" for target audiences that have "metropolitan literary tastes". In 2001, without specifically referring to this novel, the Nobel Literature Prize Committee indicated that it viewed Naipaul as Conrad's heir as the annalist of the destinies of empires in the moral sense: what they do to human beings. In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad presented a dark picture of the same region at the beginning of European colonization; this type of depiction of Africa is also found recast in Naipaul's novel. Like Conrad, who in Heart of Darkness does not name the big river, Naipaul does not name the river in this novel, nor the town at its bend, nor the country or its president. Yet there are possible identifiers. Thus the reader learns that the town is located in the heart of Africa, at the end of the navigable river, just below the cataracts, and the European colonisers had been French-speaking, perhaps Belgians. Naipaul's description has been interpreted to point to the town of Kisangani on the Congo river. A link between the "Big Man" and President Mobutu of Zaire was drawn by some reviewers. Naipaul credits his extramarital affair with Margaret Gooding for giving A Bend in the River and his later books greater fluidity, saying that these "in a way to some extent depend on her. They stopped being dry.” A Bend in the River was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, but did not win; it is discussed by two characters in The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, which did win the prize, in 2006. ==References== ===Bibliography=== * ==External links== * Literary Encyclopedia entry Category:1979 British novels Category:Novels by V. S. Naipaul Category:Alfred A. Knopf books Category:Novels set in Africa Category:Novels set in fictional towns

A Bend in the River is an upcoming film directed by Colin Broderick, produced by Julie Ryan, and starring John Connors, John Duddy, and Kathy Kiera Clarke. Filming took place in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland and was completed in April 2018. The film was scheduled to premiere at the 2020 Belfast Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ==References== == External links == * Category:Upcoming English-language films Category:Upcoming films Category:Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

A Bend in the Road is the fifth novel by the American author Nicholas Sparks, who also wrote the romance love novels A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, and The Rescue. It was published in 2001. The story was inspired by Sparks's brother-in-law, Bob."...a story inspired by my brother-in-law, Bob." From Three Weeks with My Brother, p. 340 == Plot summary == Miles Ryan's life seemed to end the day his wife Missy was killed in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. As deputy sheriff of New Bern, North Carolina, he not only grieves for her and worries about their young son Jonah but longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews, Jonah's second grade teacher. A young woman recovering from a difficult divorce, Sarah moved to New Bern hoping to start over. Tentatively, Miles and Sarah reach out to each other... soon they are falling in love. But what neither realizes is that they are also bound together by a shocking secret, one that will force them to reexamine everything they believe in- including their love. == Characters == === Miles Ryan === Miles lived in New Bern his whole life and married his high school sweetheart, Missy. The death of Missy caused Miles grief for many years especially because it was a hit-and-run accident. He felt lonely and was not happy without a partner in his life. He is a loving father that would do anything for his son Jonah. He is the deputy sheriff at New Bern. Eventually, he starts a new relationship with Sarah Andrews and they both have strong feelings for each other. After a while he returned to his obsession with his wife’s case because he had some new information. === Jonah === He is a sweet seven-year-old boy who loves to spend time with his friends. Since he was really young when his mother died he does not really understand what happened. The only thing he knows is that his mom was never coming back. After his mother died he started having nightmares from which he woke up screaming and crying. The death of his mother also affected his grades at school. Other teachers let him fall behind because of what happened but Sarah decided to help him. After spending some time with Sarah he starts to like her and by the end of the novel he already viewed her as someone similar to his mom. === Brian === At the beginning of the story the killer is an unknown person. Miles was always obsessed with finding an answer so when someone told him that Otis Timson bragged about killing Missy he did not think twice and tried to arrest him. Eventually, Sarah's brother, Brian, tells her that he was the killer but explains that everything was an accident. Sarah thinks about how to tell Miles and when she finally does Miles is furious and wants to punish Brian. After hearing Brian's version of the story he went back to the crime scene and discovered that Brian's story might be true. He later followed Brian to the cemetery and made him promise that he would do something important with his life, and eventually lets him go free. Brian later became an emergency room physician and had saved six lives. == Point of view == The novel is written in third person and there are some chapters in which it turns to first person and Missy's killer narrates his version of what happened. == References == == External links == * A Bend In The Road by Nicholas Sparks, RTÉ review Category:2001 American novels Category:Novels by Nicholas Sparks Category:American romance novels Category:Novels set in North Carolina

Pete Townshend Live: A Benefit for Maryville Academy (Platinum 9555) is a 1998 live album by English rock musician Pete Townshend, member of The Who, recorded at the House of Blues in Chicago. It was produced by multi- instrumentalist Jon Carin. A bonus CD features two tracks with Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam's vocalist. It was released by Platinum Entertainment, licensed by the Who's charity, Double O Promotions Limited and all artist royalties benefit the Roman Catholic Chicago-based institution Maryville Academy, "a leader in the treatment of physically, sexually, and emotional abused children. It provides a safe, secure, and stable environment where these youngsters can regain the hope they lost so long ago and begin the healing process." == Track listing == Bonus CD Tracks on disc two come from the Maryville Academy benefit show performed at the House of Blues on 14 June 1997. == Performers == Disc 1 *Pete Townshend - vocals, electric and acoustic guitars *Jon Carin - keyboards, drum tracks, sequencer, vocals *Peter Hope- Evans - mouth organ, Jew's harp *Jody Linscott - percussion *Chucho Merchán - double bass, and additional percussion on "Now and Then" *Tracey Langran - hi- string guitar, vocals Disc 2 *Pete Townshend - vocals, guitar *Eddie Vedder - vocals *Jon Carin - keyboards, vocals ==References== == External links == *Maryville Academy New Website *Townshend's site *Platinum CD Category:1998 live albums Category:Pete Townshend live albums

A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime provided funds to The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime and features five new Anti-Flag studio tracks along with five live songs recorded at Pittsburgh's Mr. Smalls in April 2007. Bassist Chris #2's family experienced the horror of losing a family member when his sister and her boyfriend were both murdered, leaving behind a young daughter and son. Anti-Flag’s reaction when faced with tragedy was to put together this limited edition benefit EP in hopes that it would help others who have gone through similar situations. == Track listing == ;Live Songs ==Personnel== *Justin Sane- Guitar & Lead Vocals *Chris Head- Guitar & Vocals *Chris #2- Bass & Lead Vocals *Pat Thetic- Drums == See also == * Victims' rights == References == Category:2007 EPs Category:Anti-Flag albums Category:A-F Records albums Category:Victims' rights

"A Benihana Christmas" is the tenth and eleventh episodes of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth episodes overall. It was written by Jennifer Celotta and directed by Harold Ramis. The episode originally aired in the United States on December 14, 2006, on NBC. In the episode, Christmas time at the office leads to depression for Michael, when his girlfriend Carol (Nancy Walls) breaks up with him. Michael, Andy, Dwight, and Jim then go to a local Benihana restaurant, where Michael and Andy find dates with two of the restaurant's waitresses. Back at the office, after a conflict with a bossy Angela, Karen and Pam decide to create their own Christmas party. When the majority of the office decide to go to Karen and Pam's party, Angela becomes upset, and seeing this, Karen and Pam decide to combine the parties. Soon after, Michael and Andy's dates leave them, but Michael nevertheless finds someone to go to Jamaica with him. ==Plot== Carol Stills (Nancy Carell) confronts Michael Scott (Steve Carell) about the Christmas card he sent her, in which he superimposed his head on the body of Carol's former husband in a family photo. She breaks off the relationship, leaving Michael heartbroken and stuck with a pair of tickets to Jamaica. For the past several months, Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) has led Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) to believe that he is being recruited by the CIA, and her gift to Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) is that he can choose Dwight's first assignment. Jim declines the gift and claims that as the new office "Number Two" he should not be engaging in such activities, leaving Pam discouraged by a changed Jim. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) takes Michael to Benihana to help him forget his recent troubles; Michael drags Dwight and Jim along. The group stumbles upon an unexpecting couple (Anne Sertich and Stephen Saux) at the table and Dwight fails when attempting to impress the chef with his knowledge of Japanese knives. Andy successfully isolates Dwight from the rest of the party and convinces Michael to ask out their waitress, Cindy (Brittany Ishibashi). Meanwhile, Jim plays pranks on Dwight and realizes that his excuse for declining Pam's gift does not hold water. Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) kicks Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) off the Party Planning Committee. In response, Pam reaches out to Karen, and the two plan a rival party. Jim appears uncomfortable with Pam and Karen's new friendship. Roy comes into the break room and chats with Pam. After he leaves, Karen suggests that Pam should date Roy. Pam pauses to tell Karen her history with Roy before instead replying with "maybe". The rival Christmas parties begin, and the office staff members are forced to choose sides. Pam and Karen's party is a hit, while Angela's is a dreary affair. Michael and Andy each return with a waitress as their "new girlfriend" (though neither is the one who waited on them at the restaurant). Angela accepts Pam's offer to merge the parties. Oscar enters the office with his partner Gil just as Angela is singing "The Little Drummer Boy," pauses for a moment, says, "Too soon" and leaves. Meanwhile, Michael is unable to tell the two waitresses apart. To remedy this, he secretly marks his date's arm with a Sharpie. When he offers to take her to Jamaica, she declines and says that she has to attend school, and the two waitresses leave the party because it "blows". Jim consoles Michael by explaining that he just had a "rebound" relationship. Jim mentions that they are fun for a while, but then you keep on thinking about the girl that broke your heart, implying he still thinks about Pam (the girl who "broke his heart"). From his office, Michael makes a phone call and asks an unknown person to go to Jamaica with him. The offer is accepted. Pam is crushed when she sees Jim and Karen exchange gifts. Jim is crushed when he sees Roy give a gift to Pam. At the end of the day, Jim tells Pam that a helicopter will be arriving to take Dwight to a welcoming party at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. As Dwight waits on the roof, he receives the text message: "You have been compromised. Abort mission. Destroy phone." Dwight throws his phone off the roof and walks away. == Production == "A Benihana Christmas" was written by Jennifer Celotta and directed by Harold Ramis. Ramis would return to direct the third-season episodes "Safety Training" and "Beach Games", as well as the sixth-season episode "The Delivery" (Pt. II). The episode was shot in a real Benihana restaurant in Encino, California. The production crew hired all of the restaurant's chefs and waitstaff, along with 78 background actors, to play in the episode. During filming, John Krasinski threw a shrimp across the table at Rainn Wilson. It bounced off Dwight's glasses and landed in the glass of water from which he was about to drink; according to actor Ed Helms, "It was a one-in-a-million shot that pretty much shut down the set for five or 10 minutes of applause." Ultimately, however, Ramis decided not to use the footage because it looked so improbable as to be unbelievable. The actresses who played the women that Andy and Michael bring back to the office were different from the actresses who played the waitresses in the Benihana restaurant. According to the show's prop master, this was because Andy and Michael failed to pick up the original waitresses, and settled for "less attractive ones". However, at Paley Fest 2007, Greg Daniels admitted that the women they cast were "too good-looking", which led to the joke failing since the original script specifically called for Andy and Michael's dates to be unattractive. == Reception == "A Benihana Christmas" was first broadcast on December 14, 2006, in the United States. According to estimates by Nielsen Media Research the episode was watched by an estimated 8.44 million viewers. The episode earned a 3.9/11 ratings share among adults aged 18 to 49, meaning that it was seen by 3.9 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 11 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of broadcast. Among that demographic, The Office finished in twenty-first place for the week among all of the major networks. On the day that the episode first aired, it was the second most watched show of the night, behind only CBS's Survivor: Cook Islands. "A Benihana Christmas" was generally well received by critics. The episode was also given a 9.2 out of 10 rating by IGN. An IGN review stated: Years after the episode originally aired, the storyline involving the Benihana waitresses received renewed scrutiny in the wake of acknowledgement of racism against Asian Americans. Kat Ahn, the actress who played the waitress that Michael brought back to the office, said in an interview with The Washington Post that she was disenchanted upon realizing she had been cast on the show "just… to be the joke". Ahn also posted a video on TikTok, which she explained "The storyline with myself and the other Asian American actress is that we were the uglier versions of the actresses at the Benihana. Also that all Asian people look alike. We're one big monolith and just one big walking stereotype without any personality or any individuality, which is problematic. The whole joke was that all Asians look alike and that's why Michael Scott couldn't tell us apart." In a 2020 episode of the Office Ladies podcast, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey noted that they cringed when re-watching the episode in 2020, and reflected that "the storyline would [not] have been written today." ==References== ==External links== *"A Benihana Christmas" at NBC.com * Category:American Christmas television episodes Category:The Office (American season 3) episodes Category:2006 American television episodes Category:The Office (American TV series) episodes in multiple parts

A Bequest to the Nation is a 1970 play by Terence Rattigan, based on his 1966 television play Nelson (full title – Nelson – A Portrait in Miniature). It recounts the events surrounding Horatio Nelson, his mistress Emma Hamilton, and his wife Frances Nisbet in the events immediately before, during and after the Battle of Trafalgar. It also includes various other historical characters such as Thomas Hardy and William Nelson. The title refers to Nelson leaving Emma and their child Horatia to the nation on his death. ==Productions== ===Stage=== The play was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on 23 September 1970. The director was Peter Glenville, with Zoe Caldwell playing Emma and Ian Holm as Nelson.The Collected Plays of Terence Rattigan, Vol. 4, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1978 Reviews were not favourable. ===Television and film=== In 1973, a film version was produced, with Glenda Jackson as Lady Hamilton, Peter Finch as Nelson and Margaret Leighton as Frances. Anthony Quayle played Lord Minto. ===Radio=== For the Trafalgar 200 commemorations in 2005, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a radio version on 16 October that year, with Janet McTeer as Emma, Kenneth Branagh as Nelson and Amanda Root as Frances. John Shrapnel played Lord Minto. ==References== ==External links== *A Bequest to the Nation (1973 film) on IMDb *Radio 4 production (2005) Category:1970 plays Category:Cultural depictions of Horatio Nelson Category:Plays based on actual events Category:British plays adapted into films Category:Plays adapted into television shows Category:Plays adapted into radio programs Category:Plays set in England Category:Plays set in the 19th century Category:Plays by Terence Rattigan Category:Hamish Hamilton books Category:West End plays

A Berlin Republic () is a 1997 book composed of a collection of transcripts of interviews with the German philosopher and social critic Jürgen Habermas conducted by various European media in the mid-1990s. The common thread of the interviews is Habermas's disagreement with resurgent German nationalism after the reunification with the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). Habermas's theoretical works are in the background of the interviews. At the time of the interviews, in the early 1990s, Habermas was publishing Between Facts and Norms, his philosophy of law and politics, and writing the political- philosophical essays which would later be collected in the volumes published in English as Justification and Application and The Inclusion of the Other. In A Berlin Republic, Habermas wages an intellectual campaign in Germany's political public sphere against what he sees as the backward-looking influence of German political theorist and proponent of Nazism, Carl Schmitt, and the philosopher Martin Heidegger. Schmitt advocated a "normalizing" view of German history, whereby Communism and Nazism would be equated, and the continuity of a reunified Germany with her pre-1945 past would be affirmed. Habermas encourages Germans to think differently about 1945 and 1989. In Habermas's view, Germany must reject any thought of basing her reunified future on a continuation of notions such as German ethnic identity as a foundation for the German state, Germany as a potential political and military power in central Europe, an "eastern-oriented" foreign policy, and the notion of a "special path" (Sonderweg) for Germany separate from that of other Western democracies. The rationale Habermas gives is initially historical—if Germans face squarely their past, they cannot wish for any continuity with it that does not own it as tragic and catastrophic. This harks back to his earliest writings of the 1950s, collected in Philosophical-Political Profiles, in which he sees the only way forward for a German philosophy is to remember the German-Jewish philosophy that was obliterated in the Holocaust. Beyond this, however, are two considerations that for Habermas loom larger. The first concerns the process of globalization, in all its forms: worldwide communications, transnational corporations, systemic impacts of human activity on the natural environment, unprecedented immigration, dramatic improvements in transportation and communication technologies, and international organizations. Habermas agrees with British theoretical sociologist Anthony Giddens that globalization transforms the nature of politics and community. Although the nation-state was, in the 18th and 19th centuries an appropriate location and scale for the development of an emancipated political public sphere, by the aftermath of World War II this was no longer the case. As problems are global their solutions be as well. Therefore, only a global scale of decision-making is appropriate, and the foreign affairs of nations must all be seen as the domestic affairs of the global community. Based on his theoretical notion of societal legitimacy coming only from the active, ongoing consent of the people, Habermas shows how his notion of a political public sphere provides, by means of the deliberative agreements developed in radical liberal democracy, a way for people who formerly considered themselves strangers can come to see themselves as having a common self-interest at a larger social scale than they had previously imagined. The second larger consideration for Habermas is the supplanting of what he calls "constitutional patriotism" for ethnic nationalism as the substantial glue holding a diverse, pluralistic society together. In a "postmetaphysical" age, worldview pluralism means that people cannot base agreements at a political level on particular religious values. Similarly, in an age of immigration and retreating racism, it is no longer appropriate to build political consensus in the state primarily upon one culture's values over another's. Consequently, the only way forward is to expand the emancipatory potential already present even in culturally- or religiously-grounded democratic institutions—namely, that people come by practice to see that their own interests are best safeguarded in procedural systems of law and politics that systematically protect the interests of all equally. A dedication to such a political-legal system is what Habermas means by "constitutional patriotism," as elaborated particularly in the essays later published as The Postnational Constellation. ==References== * Eriksen, Erik Oddvar. Towards a World Domestic Policy. ARENA Working Papers. * Review by D.A. Jeremy Telman , New York University School of Law. Published by: H-German (September, 1998) Category:1997 non-fiction books Category:Books about politics of Germany Category:German non-fiction books Category:Political science books Category:Works by Jürgen Habermas

A Berlin Romance () is a 1956 East German neo-realist romantic drama film about youth urban life in the divided city of Berlin, directed by Gerhard Klein. It was produced by the DEFA film company. It stars Annekathrin Bürger, Ulrich Thein and Uwe-Jens Pape. The script was written by Wolfgang Kohlhaase with a score composed by Günter Klück. The film was the second collaboration between Klein and Kohlhaase; the first was Alarm in the Circus (Alarm im Zirkus), released in 1954 and third came in 1957 with Berlin - Ecke Schönhauser. These films were noted for their strong criticism of consumer culture in Berlin after World War II and the Americanization of the capital and are amongst DEFA's best known films. ==Plot== The film is a love story about a seventeen-year-old East German saleswoman named Uschi (Bürger) and an unemployed auto mechanic named Hans (Thein) from West Berlin. She leaves her familial home and moves into West Berlin, drawn by the brightness of the high streets and the economic progress in the West German side of the city. She initially dates Lord (Uwe-Jens Pape), a wealthy, leather-jacket-wearing ladies man, highly conscious of his own self-image and style. He is strongly influenced by American movie heartthrobs of the times. Meanwhile, she meets Hans, an auto mechanic who, also image-conscious and aspiring to be trendy, is living in relative poverty and is considered less physically attractive than Lord. Although initially mesmerized by the glamour of West Berlin and Lord, she falls in love with Hans, deciding that looks and image are not important. She eventually returns home to her parents along with Hans, who finds a job in the Eastern side of the city. ==Cast== *Annekathrin Bürger as Ushi *Ulrich Thein as Hans *Uwe-Jens Pape as Lord *Erika Dunkelmann as Ushi's mother *Marga Legal as Hans' mother *Erich Franz as Ushi's father *Horst Kube as Max *Hartmut Reck as Harald *Hermann Wagemann as shoe shiner *Eckard Friedrichson as Moses *Helga Wachaletz as Karin *Paul Pfingst as teacher *Karl Weber as construction entrepreneur *Günter Großsteinbeck as Heini *Karl Kendzia as worker of the Commerce Organization ==Production== Cinematographer Wolf Göthe was conscious of making the film as convincing as possible, and in shooting the film he used techniques such as wide-angle lenses, extensive location work and high-speed film to create a sense of realism. ===Themes=== The film, inspired by Italian neo-realism, is a poignant insight into the difference in socio-economic customs and general domestic life which divided the city of Berlin during this period. Through the protagonist, Uschi, the audience is able to understand the feelings and emotions felt by many at the time. thumb|right|300px|The film is a strong critique of the consumerist and image obsessions of the Berlin youth, influenced by American culture in the aftermath of World War II. Pictured are Uschi and Lord, with hairstyles and clothing evoking the Golden Age of Hollywood The film is one of the strongest critiques of consumer culture in Germany in the 1950s in the aftermath of World War II.Alexander Stephan, in his book, Americanization and Anti- Americanism. The German Encounter with American Culture After 1945, argues that connection between bourgeois and individualism and the ethos of socialism became increasingly politicized after the Second World War. He claims consumerist fantasies between the west and the eastern sectors of Berlin increased as the city being masculinized as a direct result of the American influence in the capital and the legacy of Hollywood film rebels, such as James Dean. He argues that the film, rather that being an advert for West Berlin, is in fact a critique of Americanization in the western side of the capital, and that American masculine influences weakened traditional senses of authority in both public and domestic life, and says, "In typical neo-realist fashion, Klein and Kohlhaase evoke the Americanization of East Berlin through their relationship to modern mass culture." The film, in this context, can therefore be seen as the struggle of young, working-class West German men in the city in a changing society with new pressures and influences brought about by the Americanization of the capital. Uschi's stern parents represent the traditional values which conflicted with the emerging youth culture in the city. One of the most important pieces of consumer iconography in the film is the Kofferradio, a transistor radio, which Lord wears around his neck and which Uschi professes to love. It is a metaphor for the economic discrepancy which existed at the time between East and West Berlin and how the East lagged behind the West. ==Reception== The film received a mixed reception upon release in May 1956. Due to the tendencies of the film to seemingly view West Germany from an ideological viewpoint, the film was criticized by the Ministry of Film in East Germany and was said to directly provide a negative instruction to young people in the east to move to the west where life is depicted as superior. Despite this, Klein and Kohlhaase collaborated again the following year with another realist film Schönhauser Corner (1957), which was a greater success at the box-office than A Berlin Romance. These two films are regarded as the most accurate insights into the East Berlin youth scene in the aftermath of World War II and were a considerable success amongst the public. The films have been described as "offering a more open engagement with American youth culture" and playing a "pivotal role in the rituals of protest shared by urban youth in East and West Berlin". The film was praised by newspapers such as BZ am Abend, Junge Welt and Berliner Zeitung for its accurate representation of urban culture in contemporary life in Berlin in the mid-fifties, that it showed people as they really were. However, some East German papers criticized the film for not providing an effective counter response to Uschi's notions that the East is bland and boring in comparison to the glamour of the west. Horst Knietzsch of Neus Deustchland believed that the "vital matters of the divided city" could have been dealt with much more effectively by Klein and Kohlhaase and by being more assertive in their depictions of the positive and negative aspects of the city at the time. He did offer some praise of Bürger's portrayal of Uschi, remarking that "She has a sweet, attractive face and a sexy figure (accentuated by tight dresses), but as an amateur she is only convincing as long as she plays herself." ==References== ==External links== * Category:1956 films Category:1956 romantic drama films Category:East German films Category:1950s German-language films Category:Films set in Berlin Category:German romantic drama films Category:1950s German films Category:German black-and-white films

A Best 2 (stylized as 15px BEST 2) is a series of greatest hits albums by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki, which were released simultaneously on by Avex Trax. The two-volume release is a direct successor to A Best (2001) and features material from a four-year period of her career. A Best 2 is split between contrasting "dark" and "light" themes, with the two volumes Black and White compiling songs of either nature, respectively. A Best 2 held the top two spots of the Oricon albums chart in its debuting week, with A Best 2: White at number one. This made Hamasaki the first female artist since Keiko Fuji to occupy both positions in 37 years. Both A Best 2 volumes were certified 3× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. ==A Best 2: Black== A Best 2: Black includes a previously unreleased track, "Part of Me" (featured in a new Panasonic CM) and its accompanying music video. The song was certified gold for 100,000 legal downloads. ===Track listing=== ===DVD track listing=== 1st DVD – Promotional Videos # "Dearest" # "Carols" # "No Way to Say" # "Walking Proud" # "Free & Easy" # "Endless Sorrow" # "Because of You" # "About You" # "Game" # "Is This Love?" # "Hanabi: Episode II" # "Never Ever" [promotional clip] # "Heaven" # "Part of Me" # "H" [TV-CM] 2nd DVD – Best of CountDown Live 2006–2007 #Best of CountDown Live 2006–2007 (Behind the Scenes) (90 minutes) ===Charts=== Oricon Sales Chart (Japan) Release Chart Peak Position First Week Sales Sales Total Chart Run Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1 Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 2 470,057 970,000 52 Oricon Monthly Albums Chart 3 Oricon Yearly Albums Chart 7 * Total Sales : 970,000 (Japan) ==A Best 2: White== On January 15, 2007, A Best 2 was confirmed on Hamasaki's official website. On January 16, the track listing for both CDs were officially released. The album covers and DVD track listings were released on February 6. ===Track listing=== ===DVD track listing=== 1st DVD – Promotional Videos #"Evolution" #"Grateful Days" #"Humming 7/4" #"Unite!" [promotional clip] #"Real me" #"My Name's Women" #"Ourselves" #"Inspire" #"Step you" #"Fairyland" #"Voyage" #"Moments" #"H" [TV-CM] 2nd DVD – Best of CountDown Live 2006–2007 #"Not Yet" #"Ourselves" #"Fly High" #"Beautiful Fighters" #"Never Ever" #"A Song for" ×× #"No Way to Say" #"Free & Easy" #"Evolution" #"Flower Garden" #"Until That Day..." #"Audience" #"Boys & Girls" -encore- #"Trauma" #"Independent" #"Humming 7/4" #"Blue Bird" ===Charts=== A Best 2: White – Oricon Sales Chart (Japan) Release Chart Peak Position First Week Sales Sales Total Chart Run Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1 Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 1 475,284 990,000 52 Oricon Monthly Albums Chart 2 Oricon Yearly Albums Chart 5 * Total Sales : 990,000 (Japan) ==Release history== Region Date Format Catalogue Number Japan CD+2DVD AVCD-23263 (Black) AVCD-23265 (White) CD AVCD-23264 (Black) AVCD-23266 (White) Taiwan Hong Kong China CD+2DVD * Initial pressing CD * Initial pressing Malaysia Singapore Indonesia South Korea ==Sales and accomplishments== ===Japan=== After the first week sales of A Best 2: Black and White were announced, Hamasaki had already garnered sales of over 1 million copies. With the release of A Best 2, Hamasaki also broke many records. As of August 2007, A Best 2 has charted in the top 5 of 2007 Oricon Half-Yearly Album 2007 Chart. A Best: White charted as #3 and Black charted as #4; the nearest competitor was Kobukuro with "All Singles Best" with sales around 640,000 copies. However, factoring in consistent sales of Kobukuro's "All Singles Best", it is predicted that A Best 2 will fall down to #4 and #5, respectively. According to Avex, A Best 2 had sold over 2 million copies as of March 2007. Oricon Sales Chart (Japan) Release Chart Peak Position Oricon Sales Total Avex Sales Total Chart Run Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1 (Black & White) 170,000 200,000 1 day Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 1 (White) 2 (Black) 945,341 1,000,000 1 week Oricon Monthly Albums Chart 2 (White) 3 (Black) 646,479 (White), 632,999 (Black) 1,200,000 4 weeks Oricon Yearly Albums Chart 4 (White) 5 (Black) 1,960,000 (as of 2008) 2,000,000 52 weeks * Total sales: 1,960,000 (Japan) * Total sales: 2,000,000 (Avex) ===Featured singles=== Album Date Title Peak position Chart run Sales Black 7 March 2001 "Never Ever" 1 12 weeks 850,000 16 May 2001 "Endless Sorrow" 1 11 weeks 860,000 27 September 2001 "Dearest" 1 16 weeks 825,000 24 April 2002 "Free & Easy" 1 9 weeks 555,000 11 June 2003 "No Way to Say" 1 12 weeks 425,000 29 November 2004 "Carols" 1 14 weeks 375,000 14 November 2005 "Heaven" 1 14 weeks 370,000 White 31 January 2001 "Evolution" 1 17 weeks 1,145,000 11 July 2001 "Unite!" 1 10 weeks 663,000 12 December 2001 "A Song Is Born" 1 10 weeks 510,000 26 November 2002 "Voyage" 1 28 weeks 760,000 31 March 2004 "Moments" 1 21 weeks 370,000 3 August 2005 "Fairyland c/w Alterna" 1 13 weeks 370,000 Black and White 24 July 2007 "H" 1 24 weeks 1,170,000 9 July 2003 "&" 1 16 weeks 680,000 28 July 2004 "Inspire"/"Game" 1 15 weeks 390,000 20 April 2005 "Step You / Is This Love?" 1 19 weeks 385,000 Total single sales: 10,703,000 ==Live performances== * – Music Station – "Evolution" * – Music Fair 21 – "Evolution", "Dearest", "Heaven" * – Hey! Hey! Hey! – "Dearest" * – SMAPxSMAP – "Voyage", "Unite!" * – Music Station – "Part of Me" * – Music Fighter – "Never Ever" * – PopJam – "Moments" * – Domoto Kyoudai – "Step You" * – Music Station – "Memorial Address" * – PopJam (final episode special) – "No Way to Say" ==References== ==External links== * Information about A BEST 2 on Ayumi Hamasaki's website * g-music charts * Korea monthly charts Category:2007 greatest hits albums Category:Ayumi Hamasaki compilation albums Category:Avex Group compilation albums Category:Japanese-language albums

A Bestiary Of is a compilation album by the Creatures (aka singer Siouxsie and musician Budgie), issued on CD in 1997. It compiled remastered recordings made by the band between 1981 and 1983, including the Wild Things EP, the Feast album, the B-side of "Miss the Girl" and the "Right Now" single (backed by "Weathercade"). The compilation album was also released on Spotify. ==Track listing== All tracks by Siouxsie and Budgie except "Right Now" written by Herbie Mann and Carl Sigman ==References== Category:The Creatures albums Category:1997 compilation albums Category:Polydor Records compilation albums

A Better Chance (ABC) is a non-profit organization with the goal of helping more talented young people of color to become well-educated by attending high- achieving boarding, day, and public schools in the United States. ABC was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in New York, New York, with regional offices around the United States. The organization works towards having a great number of young people of color assume roles of leadership in the United States. == History == A Better Chance was a development of the National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students (NSSFNS). NSSFNS was an organization that referred black students to college and private boarding schools. In 1962, NSSFNS phased out referring students to private boarding school. However, the director of NSSFNS set up a meeting with 23 headmasters from the New England area to reestablish the program. They discussed the link between poverty and lack of education. Richard Plaut, Director of the National Scholarship and Service Fund for Negro Students, and John Kemper, Headmaster of Phillips Academy, came to the conclusion that broadening educational opportunities for minorities would lead to them living better lives. In 1964, fifty-five boys were given the chance to attend a prep school contingent on the plan they complete an intensive eight-week summer school program at Dartmouth College. This program was to be called A Better Chance (ABC) and from this its two basic components were derived. The first component is to identify students and refer them to member schools. The second component is a summer program to serve as a transition to boarding school. The program was run by the Independent Schools Talent Search Program (ISTSP) which separated from NSSFNS to become its own non-profit charitable trust in 1964. The first sources of administrative funding were dues from member schools and a grant awarded by the Merrill Trust. In 1972, ISTSP merged with Public School Programs to form A Better Chance, Inc. == Goal == Originally, A Better Chance wanted to integrate students of color into higher education in order for them to achieve better lives. At the time of its founding colleges had minority enrollments of less than one percent. Currently, A Better Chance states its goal is working towards having a greater number of young people of color assume roles of leadership in the United States. 43 of the 503 most powerful people in US in culture, government, business and more are people of color. In order to change that the organization wants to create a self-sustaining pipeline of diverse leaders. Additionally, the organization would like to close the gap in academic achievement based on race and allow students of color to realize their full potential. The organization carries out its goal by annually recruiting, referring and supporting 500 scholars at more than 300 member schools in 29 states. It has reported more than 16,000 alumni who have gone into careers as physicians, artists, educators, lawyers, politicians, and corporate executives. The number of A Better Chance alumni attending college after high school is more than 96% compared to 24% of students of color nationwide. == Admission == In order to apply to ABC, the student must be a citizen or permanent resident of United States, identify as a person of color, and be in grades 4-9. Applicants must submit an income form, school history, an essay, transcripts, benchmark testing scores, recommendations and be interviewed. The schools affiliated with A Better Chance may require additional standardized testing or interviews. The applicant may get accepted to ABC but not to a member school. Financial aid is provided by the member schools and the size of the package depends on the financial situation of the applicant. The organization looks for students who participate in extracurricular activities and demonstrate leadership potential. Admission Statistics 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Applicants 1774 2883 2073 2080 2003 Students Referred 727 940 878 823 827 Scholars Accepted 598 645 613 621 600 Scholars Placed 466 483 453 476 471 == Notable alumni == * Tracy Chapman * Roxane Gay * Bonnie Jenkins * Deval Patrick * Luis Ubiñas == References == == External links == A Better Chance website Category:1963 establishments in New York City Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City Category:Educational organizations based in the United States

A Better Class of Person (1981) is an autobiography written by dramatist John Osborne and published in 1981. Based on Osborne's childhood and early life, it ends with the first performance of Look Back in Anger at the Royal Court Theatre in 1956. The book emphasises his warm relationship with his father Thomas, and his antagonistic relationship with his mother Nellie Beatrice, which deepened to hatred after his father died when John was young. A sequel, Almost a Gentleman, was published in 1991. ==Composition== After Watch It Come Down (1976), the latest of several plays of his to have a hostile reception, Osborne had no new work performed in the theatre for sixteen years.. In the late 1970s, he had also been through an acrimonious divorce from his fourth wife, actress Jill Bennett. During this period his fifth wife, Helen Dawson, encouraged him to write an autobiography. A restraining order required Osborne to submit any autobiography to Bennett for her approval; the only explicit mention of her is Osborne's brief description of seeing her photograph displayed outside a London theatre as an adolescent.. ==Synopsis== Osborne spends his early childhood in the then working-class Fulham area of London, among his barmaid mother’s family. Like his tubercular father, a copywriter, Osborne has to spend a lot of time in hospitals and sanatoria. He represents his mother as heartless, judgmental and passive-aggressive. In 1936, his parents move to Stoneleigh, a suburb in Surrey. Osborne falls in love with a Stoneleigh girl from a privileged background who "could be spitefully snobbish, correcting my pronunciation of words".. He is lonely at the private school his father's benevolent society has paid for him to attend, but ultimately makes friends with an eccentric boy called Mickey Wall, a civil servant's son whose contempt for authority and subversive sense of humour Osborne enjoys. Osborne and Wall take to calling themselves "the Viper Gang". As they get older, the pair enjoy arguing about politics, literature and religion. Meanwhile, Thomas’s health deteriorates. At the outbreak of WW2, the Osbornes move to the Isle of Wight, for safety and in the hope that he can convalesce. Thomas dies, and Osborne begins to hate his mother because of what he sees as her uncaring response. The death leaves Osborne and his mother destitute, but Thomas's society decides Osborne should go to a boarding school in Dorset. He gets in trouble at this school for falling in love with the headmaster's niece and is ultimately expelled. Now a young adult and living with his mother, Osborne finds employment in trade journalism and gets to know an ebullient Canadian editor called Arnold Running who has literary aspirations and encourages Osborne's. Through getting involved in amateur dramatics, he meets a girl called Renee whose parents are eager for them to be engaged, though Osborne begins to get cold feet about marriage. Keen to get away from both the women in his life, Osborne enlists Arnold to persuade Nellie Beatrice that he should move into acting professionally; he secures a job with a touring repertory company and breaks off his engagement with Renee by post. An older actress called Stella Linden joins the cast and Osborne is smitten by her. She offers him help with his writing, and eventually they become lovers. After the tour ends, he spends a period in Brighton as a kept man, working on a play with Stella, but Osborne finds her insistence on conventional subject-matter and playwriting technique constricting, and the pair drift apart. She gets a job in Kendal and Osborne has to leave the flat they have lived in rent-free. Unwilling to live with Nellie Beatrice, he joins an acting troupe in Ilfracombe and gets to know an actor called Anthony Creighton whose unrequited crush on him Osborne tolerates. The company does several provincial tours before disbanding. While acting in Somerset, Osborne falls in love with a local actress, and they marry despite her prosperous parents' disapproval of him. At first the young couple are happy, but work drives them apart as her career thrives while his does not. He moves in with Creighton and they collaborate on several unsuccessful plays. Creighton's mother dies, leaving a small inheritance, and Osborne persuades him to buy a river barge where they can live cheaply. He writes Look Back in Anger, based on his troubled marriage, and submits it to various agents. He is living on the Thames with Creighton when George Devine, artistic director of the English Stage Company, accepts the play and rows out to the houseboat to meet him. At both the book's opening and its close, Osborne mentions that the premiere of Look Back in Anger in 1956 took place on his beloved father’s birthday, the 8th of May.. Throughout the autobiography, he presents passages from his works in parallel with real-life events that inspired them: as playwright Alan Bennett says in an early review, through this technique Osborne is open about having used his life as literary material. ==Reception== Alan Bennett, assessing the work for the London Review of Books in 1981, suggested that the depiction of Osborne's mother was not entirely fair, but was positive in his appraisal overall and noted how many other critics had been as well: "It is immensely enjoyable, is written with great gusto and Osborne has had better notices for it than for any of his plays since Inadmissible Evidence." Bennett's words echo those of John Lahr in The New York Times: "the best piece of writing Osborne has done since Inadmissible Evidence... A Better Class of Person takes its energy from looking backward to the source of his pain before fame softened him. In this first installment of his autobiography, Osborne rediscovers the daring and cheek which distinguished his early, good work." Reviewing its sequel, Hilary Mantel wrote, "A Better Class of Person is written with the tautness and power of a well-organised novel. It is... remarkable for its account of the lower-middle-class childhood on the fringes of London, and for its vengeful portrait of a mother who had 'eyes that missed nothing and understood nothing'." Several commentators have stated that Osborne's reputation is likely to rest on his two autobiographies no less than his plays. Both Bennett and Osborne's biographer Michael Ratcliffe make a comparison with Charles Dickens: "Osborne... seems to have had a childhood of Dickensian richness and oddity"; "Attempting matricide [in his portrayal of Nellie Beatrice], Osborne instead made a creature of whom Dickens would have been proud." The theatre historian Phyllis Hartnoll was cool in her appraisal of Osborne's plays and their influence, but in the 1993 edition of her reference work The Oxford Companion to the Theatre she added A Better Class of Person to a list of recommended reading; its later chapters provide a vivid picture of 1940s and 1950s provincial repertory theatre.. As Osborne announces in the book, Nellie Beatrice was still alive when it was published ("My grandmother lived to be 103 and my own mother seems appropriately hell bent on a similar score"), but it is unknown whether she read it: by this time the two had long since stopped speaking... ==Accuracy== As well as raising the issue of how fair the book is to Nellie Beatrice (and later commentators such as Blake Morrison would conclude that it is unfair), Bennett notes how vague the author often is with dates (including his own birthdate) and comments, "Osborne... had a bleak childhood (or would like us to think so)." One of Osborne's statements, that he was expelled from school for hitting the headmaster, was later contradicted by a fellow pupil.. In places the book contradicts itself: for example, Osborne claims that the reason for his Great Uncle Frank's shameful and sudden emigration to Canada was never spoken of within the family, then in the next chapter says that this was known to be embezzlement.. Osborne refers somewhat dismissively to the gay Creighton's attraction to him: "he was one of those luckless homosexuals, like J.R. Ackerley, who only fall in love with heterosexuals. I was quite fond of him, but his frequent references to 'the rough kiss of male Hamlets' made me eager for him to find some young actor who would command his whole attention".. After Osborne's death, Creighton produced letters from him that suggested their relationship had been more intimate, though Osborne's family contested this. ==Dramatic version== The autobiography was preceded by a screenplay entitled Too Young to Fight, Too Old to Forget, which was broadcast by Thames TV on 13 July 1985 under the title A Better Class of Person. It was directed by Frank Cvitanovich, with Eileen Atkins and Alan Howard as Osborne's parents and Gary Capelin and Neil McPherson as Osborne.. ==Notes== ==References== * * Category:1985 films Category:1985 drama films Category:British drama films Category:Literary autobiographies Category:1980s English-language films Category:1980s British films

A Better Fort was a community organization with a mission to provide positive experiences that make a difference in the lives of individuals within Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their focus was on community empowerment and the retention of young talent. == Activities== === Mission === During the years of 2010 through 2014, A Better Fort had a mission statement to provide positive life experiences that make a difference in the lives of individuals within Fort Wayne, Indiana. The focus is on community empowerment and the retention of young talent. Members can achieve their highest potential through service opportunities, philanthropic endeavors, innovative projects, and cultural discovery. Members prepare to lead the community through service, identity, empowerment, persistence, and education. === #HipHop4theCity === HipHop4theCity was a community driven and collaborative music based project that resulted in the song and music video entitled MY CITY. The project brought together over a dozen local artists, producers and volunteers at the time of its creation and release in late 2011 and early 2012. The music video amassed over 250,000 views and press coverage from both local and national publications. The project showcased local talent, brought awareness to community involvement, the arts, and civic pride which garnered the attention of national economic development publications and blogs. It also sparked a chain of events pertaining to economic development in Northeast Indiana such as The My City Summit and the My City Pin. Nyzzy Nyce, one of the artists on the project, re-released a national rendition of the song on VEVO entitled MY CITY (National). === #House4aHouse === House4aHouse started as an annual block party with a focus on Electronic Dance Music. The event donates $5,000 per year to a local non-profit organization, and in the first three years donated over $15,000 to the Mad Anthony’s Children's Hope House. In 2014 the event was carried on under the name, the BAALS Music Festival. === #Ball4ACause === The annual charity basketball game features Fort Wayne’s Famous, from entertainment to politics. The two teams go head to head against each other to raise funds and awareness for two selected non-profit organizations in the community. === Zombie Prom === The annual Halloween Zombie Prom and fundraiser takes place during Downtown Fort Wayne’s Fright Night festivities. ==References== Category:Organizations based in Fort Wayne, Indiana Category:2010 establishments in Indiana

"A Better Human Being" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of the Fox science-fiction drama television series Fringe, and the series' 78th episode overall. The episode was co-written by Robert Chiappetta, Alison Schapker, Monica Owusu-Breen, and Glen Whitman. Joe Chappelle directed the episode. ==Plot== When Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) realizes that Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) is experiencing memories from the Olivia of his original timeline, he convinces her to allow his father Walter (John Noble) to examine her. They find nothing immediately wrong with her brain, but Walter takes some hair samples for testing. With Olivia out of earshot, Walter scolds Peter in the belief that Peter is—perhaps unintentionally—empathizing his memories onto Olivia, who as a child was highly emotionally attuned to others. The Fringe division learns of a case of a teenager, Sean Martin (Harrison Thomas), in a mental institution who, while in a nighttime trance, reportedly related in perfect detail the distant murder of a reporter by three teenagers. Sean explains that he hears voices from "outside" his head, leading Walter to believe that some type of telepathy is involved. Sean's transcription of the voices he heard during the murder leads the team to a subway bathroom, where they discover blood from an assailant injured in the attack. Astrid (Jasika Nicole) stays with the boy as he is purposely taken off his medications, hoping to identify the voices that he hears. Analysis of the assailant's blood does not produce an identity, but Walter realizes that the sample shares a similar genetic anomaly with Sean's DNA, a trait that can only be shared by common ancestry. Olivia and Lincoln (Seth Gabel) learn from Sean's mother that Sean was conceived by in vitro fertilisation, and that the deceased reporter had called her a few days before, looking into the process. Walter concludes that Sean is reading the thoughts of other in vitro children that share the same genetic trait and are protecting themselves like animals in a hive. The team locates the doctor that performed the process, Dr. Owen Frank (John Aylward). Dr. Frank admits that he modified and donated samples of his own DNA to re-introduce instinctive traits into humans, attempting to build "a better human being". Walter recognizes that the children who share this trait are likely killing to prevent their genetically modified nature from becoming public. Dr. Frank provides Olivia and Peter with the location of his files, unaware that several of his progeny have already arrived there and are lying in wait. As Olivia and Peter discover the destroyed files, Olivia mentions information from the original timeline that Peter was not privy to, which means he can't be projecting his own memories on to her. Meanwhile, Sean hears voices plotting to ambush the duo, and Astrid is able to alert Olivia in time for her and Peter to defend themselves and capture their attackers. However, a second pair of teenagers suffocates Dr. Frank. With the doctor dead, Sean is no longer able to hear any voices, a situation he both welcomes and fears. Walter discovers from Olivia's hair samples that she has recently been given doses of Cortexiphan. He and Lincoln confront Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) and demand an inspection of Walter and William Bell's Cortexiphan samples, which were stored in Massive Dynamic's headquarters under biometric security measures. Nina shows them the vials, but Walter recognizes that the Cortexiphan inside has been replaced with food coloring, implicating Nina. After completing the case, Olivia and Peter stop at a gas station on their way home. Olivia discusses the lifestyle they had in Peter's timeline and he confesses that he can tell from her eyes that Olivia is the same as from his original timeline. After a brief kiss, Olivia leaves the car to use the restroom, but Peter discovers that she has disappeared. Elsewhere, Olivia regains consciousness tied up in a tiled room, along with a fatigued Nina tied to a chair opposite her, telling her that everything is all right. ==Production== The teleplay for this episode was co-written by co-executive producers Monica Owusu-Breen and Alison Schapker, based on a story by executive story editors Glen Whitman and Robert Chiappetta. It was directed by executive producer Joe Chappelle. Actress Blair Brown was unaware of the surprise surrounding her character Nina Sharp, whom she had played for a number of fourth season episodes, until she received the episode's script. She noted that it was a "great thrill" to read the script, and added "The way we work is the writers always have something in mind, and it’s always more fun to just wait and see what shows up." ==Cultural references== In the lab, when Dr. Walter Bishop is testing Olivia Dunham's DNA, the song being played in the background is Karen Elson's "The Ghost Who Walks" from the album of the same name. The instance of a fertility doctor using his own sperm to impregnate several of his patients is highly reminiscent of the case of Dr. Cecil Jacobson, who was accused of such practices and later convicted of perjury and had his medical license revoked. ==Reception== ===Ratings=== "A Better Human Being" was first broadcast on February 17, 2012, in the United States on Fox. An estimated 3 million viewers watched the episode, marking a slight decrease in viewers from the previous episode. ===Reviews=== Entertainment Weekly columnist Jeff Jensen called the episode "a significant, clever, and on the whole compelling hour of season 4 Fringe." He did complain however that "as the episode progressed, I felt the case-of-the-week was no longer complementing the Olivia storyline but distracting from it. More, it just didn’t seem plausible that Olivia would continue/would be permitted to continue working after being diagnosed with what a psychologist would call 'a psychotic episode.'... Yet again: I was entertained and engaged. I thought Allegedly Crazy Sean was a clever twist on the magical nutjob archetype, and I was intellectually and emotionally activated by Olivia’s life changing internal event, which begged various meaningful questions about the nature of identity and whatnot. And I thought the performances by Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson were just great. After a slow, slightly frustrating install, Fringe 4.0's reboot-oriented operating system is beginning to yield stories that are stimulating for being unique products of that premise." ==References== ==External links== * "A Better Human Being" at Fox.com * Category:2012 American television episodes Category:Fringe (season 4) episodes

A Better Life is a 2011 American drama film directed by Chris Weitz and written by Eric Eason, based on a story by Roger L. Simon. It stars Demián Bichir as an undocumented immigrant gardener in Los Angeles who, along with his teenage son, attempts to find his stolen truck. The film received a limited release in the United States on June 24, 2011, by Summit Entertainment. For his performance, Bichir was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. ==Plot== Carlos Galindo is a gardener in Los Angeles working with his partner, Blasco. His son, Luis, studies at high school. Luis spends time with his girlfriend, who is affiliated with gang members. They pressure him to join them. On one occasion, Luis is suspended for assaulting a student. Carlos' sister, Anita, lends $12,000 from the family's emergency fund for Carlos to buy Blasco's truck. It is later stolen by Santiago, whom Carlos hired. The next day, Carlos and Luis head to a South Central apartment complex, which is used as lodgings for undocumented immigrant workers. One man tells the two that Santiago works at a nightclub. Carlos and Luis head to the restaurant, which would open during the night. At the rodeo, Carlos mentions to Luis about his mother abandoning them. Luis mentions that he dislikes Mexican music and culture. After finding Santiago at the nightclub, Carlos and Luis interrogate him in the parking lot. They learn that he has sold the truck to the garage and sent the money to his family in El Salvador. When Santiago pleads not guilty, Carlos defends him and Luis angrily leaves them. The next day, Carlos convinces Luis to go with him to the place where the truck is sold. After retrieving the truck, they are stopped by the police. Carlos is arrested and incarcerated as an undocumented American immigrant. Luis visits the detention center and reconciles with his father. After promising Luis that he will return, Carlos boards the deportation bus. Luis spends time with the family, while Carlos and other migrants travel through the desert. ==Cast== * Demián Bichir as Carlos Galindo * José Julián as Luis Galindo * Dolores Heredia as Anita * Carlos Linares as Santiago * Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo as himself * Joaquín Cosío as Blasco Martinez * Nancy Lenehan as Mrs. Donnely * Gabriel Chavarria as Ramon ==Production== The film was originally titled The Gardener. Uncommon among Hollywood productions, it is set in a Hispanic community and features an almost entirely Hispanic cast. Weitz used the film to explore the culture and geography of Los Angeles. Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries, run by former gang members, helped Weitz and his crew with finding locations and making their film as authentic as possible. The language of the script was modified to reflect the actual slang used in Los Angeles, even reflecting linguistic differences from the street. ==Release== The film opened in limited release on June 24, 2011. ===Critical reception=== Critical response to the film has been positive. It has garnered "fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews, and an average rating of . The critical consensus reads: "Powered by a terrific performance from Demián Bichir, A Better Life is an immigrant story told with simplicity and an ample amount of heart." The critical aggregator Metacritic awarded the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 30 critics, signifying "generally positive reviews". Manohla Dargis, film critic for The New York Times, called the film "Touching and startling." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called the film "a haunting movie that gets under your skin." Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Dave Karger called A Better Life an "unfussy, yet quite powerful drama with a terrific central performance by Demián Bichir." Karger called the film an "awards contender" and wrote, "With the right reviews and commercial reception, it could go even further." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote "the performances are pitch perfect" and he gave the film three and a half out of four stars. The New Yorker critic Richard Brody wrote: "The story unfolds without hagiography, pity, or trumped-up heroism, as the filmmaker approaches the lives of everyday people with modest compassion and imaginative sympathy. Amy Biancolli, writing in the Houston Chronicle, said "It's straight, true and heartbreaking, a masterstroke of raw emotional minimalism". ===Awards=== Award Category Recipient(s) Result Academy Awards Best Actor Demián Bichir Independent Spirit Awards Best Male Lead Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Young Artist Awards Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film José Julián ==Telenovela version== Telemundo produced a telenovela adaptation, Bajo el mismo cielo, starring Gabriel Porras and María Elisa Camargo. It aired from July 28, 2015 to January 25, 2016. ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2011 films Category:2011 drama films Category:2011 independent films Category:2011 multilingual films Category:2010s American films Category:2010s English- language films Category:2010s Spanish-language films Category:American independent films Category:American multilingual films Category:Films about father–son relationships Category:Films about illegal immigration to the United States Category:Films adapted into television shows Category:Films directed by Chris Weitz Category:Films scored by Alexandre Desplat Category:Films set in Los Angeles Category:Films shot in Los Angeles Category:Hispanic and Latino American drama films Category:Hood films Category:Spanish-language American films Category:Summit Entertainment films Category:Works about gardening

A Better Life is the second and final studio album by British garage rock band, Spring King. The album was released on 31 August 2018 through Island Records. == Track listing == == References == Category:2018 albums Category:Spring King albums Category:Island Records albums

"A Better Love" is a song by British-American dance-pop band Londonbeat, released on 12 November 1990 as the second single from the group's second studio album, In the Blood (1990). It was the follow-up to their international hit "I've Been Thinking About You". "A Better Love" was less successful but still reached the top 20 in several countries, including becoming a top-ten hit in Austria and Canada; it was the 41st-most-successful song of 1991 in the latter country. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the single reached number 18, while on the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number 24. ==Critical reception== Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic described the song as a "enjoyable" slice of early-'90s "soulful, tuneful dance-pop". Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that it "demonstrates [the] act's versatility and is draped with anthemic drum beats and spacious guitar slides." Steve Morse from Boston Globe felt the group shows some "intoxicating dance rhythms" in songs like "A Better Love".Morse, Steve (28 March 1991). "Record Review" Boston Globe. Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that here, the band "is once again a display of vocal craftsmanship", describing the song as "up-tempo, yet mildly moody and chartbound." Selina Webb from Music Week said that "this is bound to be two in a row for Anxious's most fruitful signing." She added that "the wholesome harmonies are in fine form and this is easily as strong as 'I've Been Thinking About You'." ==Track listings== * UK 7-inch single # "A Better Love" – 3:59 # "K.I.S.S." – 3:35 * German maxi-CD # "A Better Love" – 3:59 # "She Said She Loves Me" – 4:14 # "K.I.S.S." – 3:35 # "A Better Love" (extended) – 6:25 ==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== Chart (1990–1991) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 41 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 26 Italy (Musica e dischi) Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Londonbeat". 11 ===Year-end charts=== Chart (1991) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM) 41 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) 37 Germany (Official German Charts) 56 ==References== Category:1990 singles Category:1990 songs Category:American dance-pop songs Category:British dance-pop songs Category:Dance-rock songs Category:Londonbeat songs Category:RCA Records singles

"A Better Love Next Time" is a song written by Johnny Christopher and Bobby Wood, and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in July 1989 as the second single from the album 5:01 Blues. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was Haggard's last Top Ten hit. It was co-produced by Mark Yeary, keyboardist of The Strangers. ==Personnel== *Merle Haggard– vocals, guitar The Strangers: *Norm Hamlet – pedal steel guitar *Clint Strong – guitar *Bobby Wayne – guitar *Mark Yeary – hammond organ, piano, electric piano *Jimmy Belkin – fiddle, strings *Biff Adams – drums *Don Markham – saxophone, trumpet *Gary Church – cornet, trombone ==Chart performance== Chart (1989) Peak position ===Year-end charts=== Chart (1989) Position Canada Country Tracks (RPM) 100 US Country Songs (Billboard) 47 ==References== Category:1989 singles Category:Merle Haggard songs Category:Epic Records singles Category:1989 songs Category:Songs written by Johnny Christopher Category:Songs written by Bobby Wood (songwriter)

"A Better Man" is a song by American country music artist Clint Black. It was released in February 1989 as his debut single, and was served as the first single from his debut album, Killin' Time. It was written by Black and Hayden Nicholas. When "A Better Man" went to No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart on June 10, Black was the first artist since Freddy Fender to ascend to the top of the country chart with his first charted single.Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits." (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 ()), p. 553-554 In addition, "A Better Man" was the No. 1 song of 1989 on the Hot Country Singles chart. The success of "A Better Man," along with the follow-up "Killin' Time," were instrumental in Black winning the Country Music Association's Horizon Award in 1989.Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music" (HarperCollins, New York, 1993 ()), p. 161 ==Content== The song is a reflection on a relationship co-writer Black had recently ended with a girlfriend of seven years. He shared his dying romance story with friend Hayden Nicholas, who - after sharing an idea for the melody - came up with the hook line ("I'm leaving here a better man/For knowing you this way.").Roland. ==Music video== This was Clint Black's first music video; it was directed by Bill Young and premiered in early 1989. Much of the video is of Black driving down a little-used country road in a late-1950s Ford F-100 pickup truck, reflecting on his now-failed relationship. Interspersed are clips of Black performing the song before people dancing to the song. ==Chart positions== Chart (1989) Peak position ===Year-end charts=== Chart (1989) Position Canada Country Tracks (RPM) 4 US Country Songs (Billboard) 1 ==Certifications== ==Sources== Category:1989 debut singles Category:1989 songs Category:Clint Black songs Category:Songs written by Clint Black Category:Songs written by Hayden Nicholas Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year Category:Song recordings produced by James Stroud Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Wright (record producer) Category:RCA Records singles

"A Better Man" is a song by English hard rock band Thunder, released as a single in 1993, taken from their album Laughing on Judgement Day. It is the only Thunder song in which Gary James plays acoustic guitar instead of his usual drums. It is also the only song he sings a part of live, as he occasionally sings the song's final line. The song is the band's highest- charting UK single, reaching No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1993. ==Track listing== Maxi-CD # "A Better Man" – 3:43 # "Bigger Than Both of Us" – 4:26 # "Higher Ground" (live) – 5:35 # "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" (live) – 3:31 ==Charts== Chart (1993) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 55 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 18 ==References== Category:1992 songs Category:1993 singles Category:EMI Records singles Category:Thunder (band) songs

A Better Man is a 2017 Canadian documentary film co-directed by Attiya Khan and Lawrence Jackman in which Khan, a survivor of domestic abuse, meets with the man who abused her to see if he can take responsibility to heal and repair the harms he created. The first filmed encounter between her and her ex- boyfriend, identified only as "Steve," took place in April 2013. After the initial contact, several of the conversations were facilitated by Tod Augusta- Scott, a prominent counselor in the domestic violence field.A Better Man to be screened in Sudbury CBC, Oct.17, 2017Bridges InstituteTod Augusta-Scott (ed.). Innovations in Interventions to Address Intimate Partner Violence: Research and Practice. (Routledge Press, 2017) The film also follows them back to their old high school as well as an apartment in Ottawa, and shows how the violence still affects Khan. The film was financed through crowdfunding on Indiegogo; it raised over $110,000 CAD, making it one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in Canadian history. Upon release, it received mostly positive reviews from critics, and was chosen as one of the top 10 best films of 2017 by The Globe and Mail. == Background == After leaving Steve when she was 19, Khan would continue to encounter him in public. The first time she saw him, two years after she left him, Khan was weak and speechless. But as they continued to meet by chance over a six-year period, and her life continued to improve, they'd exchange a few minutes of small talk. It was during such chance encounter in 2011 that Steve asked if they could sit down. Once seated, Steve repeatedly apologized before bursting into tears. In the ensuing years, Khan wondered if talking to Steve more might help her deal with her trauma, and help Steve to better understand the roots and consequences of his violence and make him less likely to reoffend. She also decided to try to record such a dialogue as a resource for both domestic abuse survivors and offenders. She proposed such an idea to Steve in 2013. Six months later, he texted her that he was ready to meet. Two days later, they did so at a coffee shop for their first recorded exchange. Khan and her ex-abuser would go on film eight days together over the course of a year, sharing their memories and experiences and with Steve facing the consequences of what he did. == Production == A Better Man was co-produced by Intervention Productions (prod. Christine Kleckner) and the National Film Board of Canada (prod. Justine Pimlott), and executive produced by Sarah Polley, Anita Lee, Jane Jankovic, Janice Dawe, and Kathy Aurich-Johnson. The music was composed by Lesley Barber. Iris Ng was the film's cinematographer, having previously worked with Polley on Stories We Tell. A Better Man was co-written and co-directed by Attiya Khan. Attiya Khan is a Canadian filmmaker, anti-violence activist, and intimate partner violence survivor. She graduated with a degree in women's studies and psychology from the University of Toronto. Her interest in helping others who have experienced domestic violence led her to take the Assaulted Women's and Children's Counsellor/Advocate program at George Brown College. Her career highlights include overseeing the Children and Youth Services Program at Transition House in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and wide-ranging roles including frontline work, management and training with YWCA Toronto. She is based in Toronto. === Crowdfunding === The film was crowd-sourced through an Indiegogo campaign, with Feist among the donors, contributing $10,000. The campaign would go on to raise over $110,000—one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in Canadian history. == Release == The film screened at numerous film festivals and had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, where it was considered "one of Hot Docs most stirring films."Digital Journal Today A Better Man continues to play at international film festivals and violence against women events. The film also plays on occasion at Hot Docs in Toronto, Ontario. == Distribution == A Better Man is distributed in the United States by Women Make Movies. === Reception === Since its release, the film has received mostly positive reviews from critics; Kate Taylor of The Globe and Mail listed the film in her top 10 list of films for 2017. The New Yorker film reviewer Doreen St. Félix commended the film's "cleverness" and wrote that "it resists the roundness of resolution or catharsis". Arwa Mahdawi of The Guardian described the film as "a call to action for abusive men to stand up and take responsibility for their anger and their actions."The Guardian CBC host of The Current Anna Maria Tremonti stated that "there is a lot of raw emotion in this film and there is a lot hope."The Current Maclean's reported that "the film manages to be simultaneously agonizing and hopeful… it is revelatory to know these kinds of [restorative] conversations are possible."MacLean's Miriam Bale of Vulture.com called the film a "revolutionary documentary." The Hollywood Reporter published a less enthusiastic review, concluding that "the vagueness and ambiguity of the situations eventually proves frustrating and detract from the film's power." National Film Board of Canada made a review saying "A Better Man offers a fresh and nuanced look at the healing and revelation that can happen for everyone involved when men take responsibility for their abuse", commenting on the films use of healing process in domestic violence situations. == See also == *Restorative justice *Domestic violence *Domestic Violence Documentaries *Sexual Violence *Thordis Elva - book of rape and responsibility. ==References== ==External links== * *http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c959.shtml * * *A Better Man at The Hollywood Reporter Category:Canadian independent films Category:Canadian documentary films Category:Films about domestic violence Category:2017 films Category:Documentary films about violence against women Category:Films shot in Ottawa Category:National Film Board of Canada documentaries Category:Films scored by Lesley Barber Category:Documentary films about reconciliation Category:Indiegogo projects Category:Crowdfunded films Category:2017 documentary films Category:Violence against women in Canada Category:2010s English-language films Category:2010s Canadian films

A Better Mantrap () is a collection of science fiction short stories by British writer Bob Shaw, published in 1982. The book is Shaw's eighteenth overall and his third collection of short stories. Critic David Langford described the book as "good and entertaining", but lightweight in comparison to Shaw's novels. == Content == It includes: * "Conversion" * "Crossing the Line" * "Small World" * "The Kingdom of O'Ryan" * "Dream Fighter" * "The Cottage of Eternity" * "In the Hereafter Hilton" * "Amphitheatre" * "Frost Animals" == References == Category:1982 short story collections Category:Short story collections by Bob Shaw Category:Victor Gollancz Ltd books

A Better Master () is a 1928 German silent comedy film directed by Gustav Ucicky and starring Leo Peukert, Lydia Potechina and Willi Forst. It is based upon the play by Walter Hasenclever. It was made at the Emelka Studios in Munich. The film's sets were designed by the art director Ludwig Reiber. ==Cast== *Leo Peukert as Milliardär Kompaß *Lydia Potechina as Seine Frau *Rita Roberts as Seine Tochter *Fritz Kampers as Möbius, ein Heiratsschwindler *Elisabeth Pinajeff as Madame Prandon, eine Tänzerin *Karl Graumann as Schmettau, ein Detektiv *Gustl Helminger as Frau Schnütchen, eine Witwe *Willi Forst as Sohn von Kompaß ==References== ==External links== * Category:Films of the Weimar Republic Category:German silent feature films Category:Films directed by Gustav Ucicky Category:1928 comedy films Category:German comedy films Category:German films based on plays Category:Bavaria Film films Category:German black-and-white films Category:Films shot at Bavaria Studios Category:Silent comedy films Category:1920s German films Category:1920s German-language films

A Better Montenegro () is a broad opposition coalition in Montenegro made up virtually the entire opposition. It is led by the three only parliamentary opposition parties, Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, New Serb Democracy and the Movement for Changes and the political alliance is led by the three leaders of those parties Srđan Milić, Andrija Mandić and Nebojša Medojević. ==History== It was formed in 2009 before the forthcoming local elections after negotiations in the opposition which included continuing the boycott of al local elections as in 2009 or forming one common list of almost the entire Montenegrin opposition.Bolja Crna Gora, Glas javnosti (2009) It was the biggest gathering of the Montenegrin opposition since introduction of parliamentarism in 1990 in Montenegro. Milić had negotiated with Montenegrin President Filip Vujanović on the participation of the opposition, which boycotts elections considering them illegal and unjust because of the flaws in the electoral law which should have been reformed when new Constitution was brought up in 2007 and they made a deal to organize general local elections in the remaining 14 municipalities all round which still haven't had elections since independence. The coalition won more than 50% of votes only in Pljevlja municipality.DPS-u 12 opština, bez većine u Podgorici == Composing parties == Party Party Abbr. Ideology (2009) Position Leader (2009) MPs (2009) Socialist People's Party Socijalistička narodna partija Социјалистичка народна партија SNP Social conservatism Social democracy Pro-Europeanism Syncretic Srđan Milić New Serb Democracy Nova srpska demokratija Нова српска демократија NSD National conservatism Moderate-right politics Serb minority interests Centre-right Andrija Mandić Movement for Changes Pokret za promjene Покрет за промјене PzP Liberal conservatism Economic liberalism Pro-Europeanism Centre-right Nebojša Medojević == References == === External links === * Socialist People's Party of Montenegro * New Serb Democracy * Movement for Changes Category:Defunct political party alliances in Montenegro Category:Pro-European political parties in Montenegro

A Better Place is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Vincent Pereira. It stars Robert DiPatri and Eion Bailey. It was produced in association with View Askew, Kevin Smith's production company, and released to DVD by Synapse Films. It was nominated for the Golden Starfish Award for Best American Independent Film at the 1997 Hamptons International Film Festival. In 2016, the film screened out of jury competition, in the director-curated block, but was chosen as the Audience Favorite Feature Film of the first annual Oil Valley Film Festival. ==Plot== Barret Michaelson is an unwelcome newcomer in a public high school, often bullied by his new classmates. He has no friends until another misfit with a bad reputation, Ryan, saves him from a beating in the men's locker room. Ryan is a misanthropic existentialist with violent tendencies and a dark past. It is revealed that Ryan's father murdered his mother and then committed suicide in front of Ryan when he was only ten years old. The two become fast friends who spend much of their time together engaged in philosophical conversation, but their friendship comes to an abrupt halt when the two are involved in an incident with a local landowner who claims they are trespassing on his land. Ryan throws a rock at the man, causing him to fall and break his neck on a rock. The two manage to successfully make it look like an accident, but the incident forces Barret to pull away from his friendship with Ryan. This causes Ryan to become very emotional, and to purchase a black market gun. Barret soon agrees that they should put the incident behind them and continue to be friends, but Ryan becomes increasingly morose and attached to Barret. When Ryan suffers a brutal beating at the hands of the bully against whom Ryan had originally defended Barret, he is consumed by a will for revenge, and makes it clear to Barret that he intends to shoot the bully to death. Barret tries as hard as he can to dissuade Ryan, but Ryan says it's his "destiny" and insists that there is nothing Barret can do to stop him. As the moment of truth approaches, Ryan forces Barret at gun point to accompany him to the would-be crime scene. Ryan finds his enemy in a secluded area, smoking what is probably a joint (marijuana cigarette). Barret tries to warn him, but it is to no avail, and Ryan kills him. After the killing, Barret tries to incapacitate Ryan by hitting on the head with a rock, but it doesn't work. In a struggle, the gun goes off, claiming Ryan's life. Barret then shoots him once again, and tries to turn the gun on himself, but by that time the gun is out of bullets. ==Cast== * Eion Bailey as Ryan * Robert DiPatri as Barret Michaelson * Joseph Cassese as Todd * Carmen Llywelyn as Augustine * Brian Lynch as Eddie * Bryan Sproat as Justin * Molly Castelloe as Meg * Jason Lee as Dennis Pepper * Vincent Pereira as Jake * Richard Lynch as Mr. Raimi * Scott Mosier as Larry * Stan Dunbar as Large rude student ==Themes== Themes include misanthropy, introversion, teen violence, suicide, fatalism, and existentialism. ==References== ==External links== * * Category:1997 films Category:1990s coming-of-age drama films Category:American coming-of-age drama films Category:1997 independent films Category:Films set in New Jersey Category:Films shot in New Jersey Category:American independent films Category:View Askew Productions films Category:1997 drama films Category:1990s English-language films Category:1990s American films

"A Better Place to Be" is a song by Harry Chapin from his 1972 album, Sniper and Other Love Songs. The song is about a midnight watchman confiding in a waitress, while drinking gin, about a woman that he met a week before and had a one-night stand with. Released as a single, the song reached No. 18 on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart. A live version, from the 1976 album Greatest Stories Live, reached No. 86 on the Hot 100 chart. Record World called it a "distinctive Chapin narrative, this time a downbeat tale about two lonely people." According to Chapin, it was his favorite song that he wrote. ==Story== The song begins with "a little man" sitting at a bar, looking glum. The waitress, who is described as a "big ol' friendly girl", notices this in him and asks him what his problem is. The little man ignores the waitress at first, but after "a couple of sips" of gin, he begins to tell her his story. The song then takes the little man's point of view as he states that he is a midnight watchman at a place called Miller's Tool & Die. One week earlier, he goes to a diner and sees a beautiful girl. Though worried that she's too good for him, the little man still attempts to "give her one good try." Stammering, he makes a fool of himself, but the girl takes his offer, saying in the song's refrain: : If you want me to come with you : then that's all right with me : Because I've been goin' nowhere : And anywhere's a better place to be The little man takes her home and attempts to turn on the lights as he enters his room, but the girl tells him to leave the lights off because she "doesn't mind the dark". The little man cannot believe his good luck, and tries again to speak to the girl, who says only: : If you want to come here with me : then that's all right with me : because I've been oh so lonely : Loving someone is a better way to be. The next day, the little man watches her sleep and leaves early so he can return and surprise her with breakfast. When he returns, he finds she has gone, leaving behind a "six word letter, saying 'It's time that I moved on.'" After the little man's story, the tearful waitress tells him she wishes that she too were beautiful so she could go home with the little man. He responds to the waitress a "crooked grin", finishes his drink, and acknowledges their shared loneliness by repeating the song's first refrain. He says if she wants him to go home with her "that's alright with [him]" implying he will go home with her. Although Harry often wrote songs about his own life experiences, it is not known if the "early morning bar room" or factory in Watertown actually existed or does today. ==Chart performance== ===Weekly charts=== Chart (1972–73) Peak position U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 118 Canadian Adult Contemporary 51 ==Live Version== The song was released as a single on the live album, Greatest Stories Live. While introducing the song, Chapin states he came up with the song while visiting Watertown, New York, claiming he "spent a week there one afternoon". The live version was, until 2015 (when David Bowie's Blackstar took the title), the longest song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. ==Chart performance== ===Weekly charts=== Chart (1976) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 86 CanadaRPM Top Singles 80 ===Year-end Charts=== Chart (1976) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 456 == External links== * A Better Place to Be Lyrics ==References== Category:1972 songs Category:Harry Chapin songs Category:Songs written by Harry Chapin

A Better Safe Than Sorry Book, published in Israel in 2012, is a children's book aimed at Haredi Jewish children addressing the issue of child sexual abuse and warning children to stay away from sex abusers. The book is a collaboration between Ella Bargai, a secular Jew, and Nitai Melamed, an Orthodox rabbi. ==Reception== The book has generally been well-received, selling out of its first printing soon after being released. Rabbis from the Hasidic, Lithuanian, and Sephardic communities have endorsed it. However, the Gur Hasidim have rejected the book because it includes women and girls in addition to men and boys. == See also == * ==References== Category:Books about child abuse

A Better Time is the third studio album by Nigerian singer Davido. It was released on November 13, 2020, through Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), RCA Records and Sony Music. The album features guest appearances from Nicki Minaj, Nas, Young Thug, Mayorkun, Chris Brown, Tiwa Savage, Mugeez, CKay, Lil Baby, Hit-Boy, Sho Madjozi, Bella Shmurda and Sauti Sol. Its production was handled by Hit-Boy, Napji, Fresh VDM, Peruzzi and Speroach Beatz, among others. Davido had not planned to release an album in 2020, since he had announced a North American tour in support of his 2019 album, A Good Time and did not think he would have time to record, with the tour scheduled to begin in the winter and end in spring 2020. However, in March 2020 he had to cancel the sold-out 26-show tour due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result returned to the studio to record the tracks that became A Better Time. ==Background== Davido recorded A Better Time in Lagos, Nigeria, except for two songs ("Heaven" and Shopping Spree") which were recorded in Los Angeles. He told NME that "With the lockdown and me just being at home it gave me time to really work on the music rather than having to juggle it with being on the road. There was nothing to do. There were no shows. I was at home with my producers, just creating and creating all day." NME described the album as making "a convincing case that the problems of the world really might just melt away – even if only momentarily – though a sense of escapism and the enduring powers of art and pop music." He told Complex, "We (African people) always like to celebrate and A Better Time is that outlet to be free, be happy and hopeful for a better future." The album's cover art features Davido with his then-one- year-old son Ifeanyi Adeleke. ==Singles== The album's lead single "FEM" was released on September 11, 2020. It was produced by Napji. With lyrics in both English and Yoruba, the title translates from Yoruba roughly as "Shut up." It has been sung by #EndSARS protesters in Nigeria, protests which Davido himself traveled to Abuja to join. The video attracted a million views within nine hours of its release and three million in its first 24 hours, while the single reached No. 1 on Apple Music in at least eight countries, including Nigeria, where it held the top spot for four weeks. It also hit No. 8 on Billboard's World digital Song Sales chart. The album's second single "So Crazy" was released on November 9, 2020. It featured Lil Baby and was produced by Nick Papz and Xander. The music video was directed by David Wept and filmed in Los Angeles. The third single, "Jowo," was released on December 4, 2020, produced by Napji and Magicboi. The video, directed by Dammy Twitch and shot in Lagos, received more than 24 million views on YouTube in its first four months. The fourth single, "The Best," was produced by Mayorkun and Senzi and released on January 28, 2021. In the music video, filmed in Lagos and directed by Dammy Twitch, the two artists paid homage to Japanese culture. ==Critical reception== In one of the first reviews to appear, Kevin EG Perry of NME awarded A Better Time 4 stars out of 5, comparing the album to its predecessor A Good Time as follows: "While it remains to be seen whether it can capture the zeitgeist in the way that its predecessor did, this 17-track collection certainly matches up in terms of tunes." Perry added: "clearly his good vibes are contagious. That’s true of the whole record, which is heavy on steel drums, synths and horns and light on trouble." Tochi Imo of Clash Music wrote, "The feature-heavy project sees Davido match up with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Lil Baby on a tape filled with a mixture of both high and gentle energies throughout. Themes such as romance frequent the project and whilst Davido doesn’t stray too far from his lyrical comfort zone, we can enjoy an artist we know and love in his newest record." A mixed review by Wale Oloworekende at The Native stated: "Too many times on A Better Time, Davido’s hits-focused approach impedes the continuity of exciting concepts and sacrifices cohesion for dynamism, but the tradeoff is a body of work that doubles down on Davido’s worldview and presents a clear vision of how Nigerian pop can dovetail with American hip-hop at full blast." Tomiwa at Too Xclusive wrote that the album was "a show of growth and development, although there are quite some misses on this one, the fact that he didn’t change the status quo and still kept it fresh with a slew of incredible features that makes it spectacular." == Accolades == At the 6th ceremony of All Africa Music Awards, A Better Time received a nomination for Album of the Year. |- |2021 |A Better Time |Album of the Year | ==Track listing== Credits adapted from OkayAfrica and Spotify. ==Charts== Chart (2020) Peak position ==Release history== Region Date Format Label Various November 12, 2020 ==References== Category:2020 albums Category:Davido albums Category:Yoruba-language albums Category:Albums produced by Hit-Boy Category:Albums produced by Kiddominant Category:Albums produced by Blaisebeatz

A Better Tomorrow () is a 1986 Hong Kong action film directed and co-written by John Woo, and starring Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung and Chow Yun-fat. The film had a profound influence on Hong Kong action cinema, and has been recognised as a landmark film credited with setting the template for the heroic bloodshed genre, with considerable influence on both the Hong Kong film industry and Hollywood. Produced with a tight budget and released with virtually no advertising, A Better Tomorrow broke Hong Kong's box office record and went on to become a blockbuster in Asia. The film is highly regarded, ranking #2 in the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures. Its success led to a sequel, A Better Tomorrow II, also directed by Woo, and A Better Tomorrow 3: Love & Death in Saigon, a prequel directed by Tsui Hark. It has been remade several times. The film was Chow Yun-fat's breakout role and launched him as one of the top superstars in the Hong Kong film industry. Chow's character "Mark Lee" has been imitated by many fans even decades after the film's release. Following this film, Chow went on to make several more notable films with Woo. ==Plot== Sung Tse-Ho is a senior member of a powerful Hong Kong triad, managing a lucrative printing and distributing operation that produces counterfeit American bank notes. Ho is a respected member of the organization, entrusted with the most important transactions. Mark Lee is his best friend, bodyguard, and business partner. The prologue follows a day in the life of Ho and Mark as they watch a fresh batch of counterfeit notes being printed and meet with foreign clients to trade their product for counterfeit Hong Kong dollar notes. Meanwhile, Ho's younger brother, Kit, has just graduated high school and is currently training to join the police. Ho hides his criminal life from his brother and encourages Kit's career choice, while their ailing father pleads for Ho to leave his life of crime. Ho agrees, deciding that he will retire from the triad after his next deal in Taiwan. Shing, a low-ranking triad member, joins Ho after he agrees to mentor him. However, they are ambushed by the Taiwanese triads, leading to a shootout in which Ho and Shing flee into a sewage tunnel entrance, pursued by local law enforcement. Ho tells Shing to run and surrenders to the police in order to buy time for him to escape, leading to a three-year prison sentence. After learning of the deal, the triads attempt to kidnap Ho's father as leverage to ensure Ho's silence in prison; Ho's father is fatally stabbed before Kit and his girlfriend Jackie manage to subdue the attacker. With his dying breath, he pleads Kit to forgive his brother for his criminal actions, and an enraged Kit blames Ho for their father's death. Later, Mark travels to Taiwan to get answers from the Taiwanese triad. He visits a restaurant where the gangster who planned the ambush is dining and kills him following a shootout with his bodyguards. However, Mark's leg is injured in the process, leaving him crippled and requiring a leg brace. After Ho is released from prison, he is approached by a corrupt policeman, who offers to take him back to triad headquarters so he can rejoin his old organization. Ho, determined to start a new life, declines the offer and instead begins working for a taxi company run by another ex-con named Ken. During one of his shifts, Ho encounters Mark, and he discovers that his old friend is now a bitter, broken shell of his former self after Shing stripped him of his position in the triad and cast him aside in his rise to power. When they reunite, Mark urges Ho to confront Shing, but Ho refuses. Ho then seeks out Kit, now a police officer, in hopes of reconciling. However, Ho is harshly rebuffed by Kit, who still blames Ho for their father's death and because his relation to Ho is preventing him from advancing his career. In an effort to prove himself and further distance himself from his brother, Kit becomes obsessed with bringing down Shing, despite Ho's warnings. Shing, hearing of Ho's return to Hong Kong, tries to persuade him to return and help expand their triad into drug trafficking, but Ho refuses. Shing then has his men attack the taxi company, severely beat Mark, and lure Kit into a trap that leaves him critically wounded. Though Ho is still hesitant to take action, Mark is eventually able to persuade Ho to retaliate. Mark steals a computer tape containing printing plate data from the counterfeiting business and they then discover that it was Shing who set up the ambush three years prior. Meanwhile, Shing sets up triad leader Yie and shoots him dead; the witnesses are told to lie to the police that Ho was the killer. Ho and Mark then use the tape to blackmail Shing in exchange for money and an escape boat. Ho ensures that the tape is passed to Kit as proof of Shing's crimes. Using Shing as a hostage, Ho and Mark take the money to a pier, where Shing's men await. There, Ho implores Mark to escape by himself in the boat, and Mark hesitantly agrees. After Mark's departure, Kit arrives on the scene intending to arrest Shing, but ends up being taken hostage. A deal is made to exchange Shing for Kit, but the negotiation spirals into first a standoff and eventually a shootout. Ho and Kit work together against Shing's men, and are overwhelmed. Mark, hearing the sounds of gunfire, quickly returns to the scene. Ho, Kit and Mark kill several of Shing's henchmen, but also suffer injuries in the process. During a lull in the gunfight, Ho attempts to make peace with Kit but is rebuffed again. Mark then reprimands Kit, telling him that Ho's present actions have atoned for the past. As the three are distracted however, Mark is fatally shot in the back by Shing. As the police approach, Shing mocks Ho and Kit, proclaiming that once he enters police custody, his money and power will ensure his swift release. Kit then hands Ho his gun, allowing him to fatally shoot Shing. As Kit watches Shing's body fall to the ground, Ho suddenly handcuffs himself to Kit. The two brothers then begin walking together towards the gathered crowd of police. ==Cast== == Production == The film is an uncredited remake of the 1967 Lung Kong film 英雄本色 (pinyin Yīngxióng běnsè) which has the same Chinese name but a different English name: Story of a Discharged Prisoner, which is No. 39 on the Hong Kong Film Awards list of the Top 100 Chinese Films. It was also partially inspired by The Brothers, a 1979 Hong Kong crime film, plot elements of which were reimagined for A Better Tomorrow. The Brothers had a similar plot about two brothers on opposing sides of the law, the elder brother a mobster and the younger brother a cop. In turn, The Brothers was a remake of Deewaar (1975), a hit Indian crime drama written by Salim–Javed. The scene in which Mark Lee tells the story of being forced to drink urine is apparently based on a real incident involving Chow Yun-fat and director Ringo Lam. This scene was recreated in Woo's Bullet in the Head, which was originally scripted as a prequel to A Better Tomorrow, before being changed to a standalone film. The English title is from the Lo Ta-yu song Tomorrow will be Better (明天会更好/明天會更好), which is traditionally sung during New Year's Eve, and is featured in the film. === Filming locations === thumb|right|The Tin Hau Temple Complex. thumb|right|The former Central Police station building. ==== Hong Kong ==== * Jackson Road, Central * Central Police Station, Central * Kennedy Town, Central and Western * Wan Chai, Wan Chai District * Saint Paul Seminary, Causeway Bay * Sunning Plaza, Causeway Bay * Kowloon Peak * To Kwa Wan, Kowloon City * Stonecutters Island * Tin Hau Temple Complex, Kowloon Peninsula * Wo Hop Shek Public Cemetery ==== Taiwan ==== * Ximending, Taipei * Renai Road, Taipei * Taichung Correctional Center, Taichung == Music == * During the nightclub scene, the song being played in the background (幾許風雨, "How Much Wind and Rain") is the Cantonese version of a classic South Korean song called 'Hee Na Ree' (희나리) sung originally by Goo Chang-mo in 1985. The Cantonese version in the movie was sung by Roman Tam, considered the "godfather" of Cantopop. * Also heard in the soundtrack is "Sparrowfall 1", a track from Brian Eno's 1978 album, Music for Films. * The film also contains "Birdy's Theme" (from the film Birdy) by Peter Gabriel incorporated into the soundtrack. * In the scene where Ho meets Jackie back stage of the music recital to tell her he is leaving, the children's choir is singing Tomorrow will be Better (明天会更好/明天會更好), written by Lo Ta-yu. This is likely the origin of the film's English title. == Reception == A Better Tomorrow grossed $34,651,324 HKD at the Hong Kong box office. In 2009, Empire Magazine named it #20 in a poll of the 20 Greatest Gangster Movies You've Never Seen* (*Probably) === Awards and nominations === Award Year Category Work Result Hong Kong Film Award 1987 Best Film Tsui Hark, John Woo Best Director John Woo Best Screenplay Best Actor Chow Yun-fat Ti Lung Best Supporting Actor Waise Lee Best New Performer Best Original Film Score Joseph Koo Best Cinematography Wong Wing-hang Best Editing Kam Ma Best Art Direction Lui Chi-leung Golden Horse Awards 1986 Best Narrative Feature John Woo Best Director Best Leading Actor Ti Lung Chow Yun-fat Best Supporting Actor Waise Lee Best Original Film Score Joseph Koo Best Cinematography Wong Wing-hang Best Film Editing Kam Ma == Sequels and remakes == The success of A Better Tomorrow spawned two follow-ups. A direct sequel, A Better Tomorrow 2, was released the following year. John Woo returned to direct, as did most of the main cast, with Chow Yun-fat playing Mark's hitherto-unmentioned twin brother Ken. A prequel, A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon, was released in 1989, with Chow returning to play Mark. Woo was not involved in the prequel, due to a falling-out with Tsui Hark, so Hark directed the film himself. Woo's unproduced screenplay draft was later made as Bullet in the Head (1990). The film has two official remakes. A Better Tomorrow (2010) was produced in South Korea, directed by Song Hae-sung, with John Woo serving as executive producer. A Better Tomorrow 2018 (2018) was produced in Mainland China, directed by Ding Sheng. ==Cultural impact== * After the film, teenage boys in Hong Kong wore long dusters in emulation of Chow's character even though the climate was sub- tropical. In fact, in colloquial Cantonese, trench coats are called "Mark Gor Lau" (literally, Brother Mark's coat). * The storyline (including dialogs and costumes) was made into a Thai film Diamond Kingdom (Phet Payak Kharat; ) in 1988 with many Thai performers involved. Sombat Metanee as Tanong (Sung Tse Ho in original version), Sorapong Chatree as Chat (Mark Lee in original version), Chairat Chittham as Ruj (Sung Tse Kit in original version), with Pumpuang Duangjan as Pen (Tanong's lover not in original version). It was created without copyright. * The Wu-Tang Clan has a song named after the film on their 1997 album Wu-Tang Forever. * The Wu-Tang Clan 20th anniversary album also shares the name A Better Tomorrow. *The anime series Cowboy Bebop has many references to the film series, including the last fight between Spike and Vicious in the episode "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" which parallels the final shoot out in "A Better Tomorrow 2". *The character Mr. Chang from the Black Lagoon is closely patterned after Chow's character Mark in both visual design and characterisation. *Chow wore Alain Delon sunglasses in the movie. After the movie, Hong Kong was sold out of Alain Delon's sunglasses. Delon sent Chow a personal thank you note. * The 1994 Bollywood film Aatish: Feel the Fire (1994), directed by Sanjay Gupta, was an unofficial remake combining elements of both the Bollywood classic Deewaar (1975) and John Woo's A Better Tomorrow. The film starred Sanjay Dutt, Atul Agnihotri, Aditya Pancholi and Shakti Kapoor. *The theme song was covered in 2016 by Louis Koo and Leo Ku in memoriam of Leslie Cheung. ==References== ==External links== * * * Category:1986 films Category:1980s crime action films Category:1980s crime drama films Category:1980s buddy films Category:Hong Kong buddy films Category:Hong Kong crime action films Category:Hong Kong gangster films Category:Triad films Category:Gun fu films Category:Films about families Category:Films about brothers Category:Films about criminals Category:Films about friendship Category:Films set in Hong Kong Category:Films set in Taipei Category:Films directed by John Woo Category:A Better Tomorrow films Category:1980s Cantonese-language films Category:Best Film HKFA Category:Hong Kong neo-noir films Category:1986 drama films Category:Hong Kong New Wave films Category:Hong Kong action drama films

A Better Tomorrow (; lit. "Invincible") is a 2010 South Korean action drama film starring Joo Jin-mo, Song Seung-heon, Kim Kang-woo and Jo Han-sun. It is an official remake of the 1986 Hong Kong film A Better Tomorrow. It was directed by Song Hae-sung and produced by Fingerprint Pictures. John Woo, who directed the original 1986 version, acted as executive producer. The film premiered as part of Special Events at the 67th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2010, where it was introduced by John Woo, as having "its own character and own soul, and many new elements." It was released in theaters on September 16, 2010."A Better Tomorrow (2010) Mu-jeok-ja". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2012-04-20. ==Plot== Kim Hyuk (Joo Jin-mo) is a detective in the South Korean National Police Agency, having escaped from North Korea as a teenager. Unbeknownst to his superiors, he also moonlights as an illegal arms smuggler with his best friend and partner in crime, Lee Young- choon (Song Seung-heon), who also defected from the North. Hyuk has a younger brother, Chul (Kim Kang-woo), whom he was forced to leave behind (along with their mother) during his escape. Guilt-ridden over leaving his brother behind, Hyuk has spent the past few years searching for his brother. Eventually, he finds Chul in an internment camp for Northern defectors, but Chul resents Hyuk for leaving them behind. It is then revealed that their mother was killed by North Korean authorities as retribution for Hyuk's escape. Hyuk goes to Thailand to complete an arms deal, accompanied by an ambitious gangster named Jung Tae-min (Jo Han-sun). However, the deal turns out to be a set-up by Jung, who leaves Hyuk to be killed by the Thai gangsters. He survives but gets arrested and sentenced to three years in prison. After reading about Hyuk's capture in the newspaper, Lee finds the Thai gangster in a massage parlor and kills him and his henchmen. However, in the ensuing gunfight, he is shot in the knee and crippled. Hyuk is released from prison. Remorseful and determined to start a new life, he finds work as a taxi driver. Meanwhile, Chul has become an officer in the National Police and Jung has become the leader of the arms smuggling operation, while Lee, cut out of the arms operation by Jung, does odd jobs to survive. During an emotional reunion, Lee asks Hyuk to return to the underworld and take revenge on Jung, but Hyuk refuses. He seeks Chul out, hoping for a reconciliation, but Chul rebuffs him, seeing Hyuk as nothing but a criminal and still resentful that Hyuk left the family in North Korea. Jung finds Hyuk and presses him to rejoin the organization, even offering to give Lee his old job back, but Hyuk refuses. Meanwhile, Chul becomes obsessed with arresting Jung. After Jung has Lee beaten and threatens to harm Chul, Hyuk decides to join his old friend in taking revenge on Jung. Hyuk and Lee steal incriminating evidence from the smuggling business, and Hyuk secretly sends it to the police while tricking Lee into paying him a large ransom. Using Jung as a hostage, Hyuk and Young-choon take the money to a pier, intending to escape by boat. Meanwhile, having followed his brother, Chul arrives on the scene but is captured by Jung's men. Even though he is free to escape, Hyuk decides to return to save Chul and asks Lee to leave with the money. Hyuk returns and offers to exchange Jung for Chul, but the trade explodes into a wild shootout. Hyuk and Chul are wounded and pinned down, but Lee suddenly appears and saves them. After killing many of Jung's men, Lee berates Chul, telling him that he should be grateful to have a brother like Hyuk. He is then shot in the back and killed by Jung's men. The police arrive, but Jung flees into a nearby steelyard. Hyuk and Chul chase after him, but Hyuk is shot and killed when he shields Chul from Jung's gunfire. Jung mocks Chul and prepares to surrender to the surrounding police. Despite warnings from the police to drop his weapon, Chul shoots and kills Jung. As the police advance, Chul cradles his brother's body in his arms and tearfully laments that he missed him. He aims his gun to his head and the scene cuts to black as a single gunshot is heard. ==Cast== * Joo Jin-mo – Kim Hyuk * Song Seung-heon – Lee Young-choon * Kim Kang-woo – Kim Chul * Jo Han-sun – Jung Tae-min * Lee Geung-young – Park Kyung-wi * Kim Ji-young – aunt * Kim Hae-gon – Boss Jung * Im Hyung-joon – Detective Lee * Lee Ki-hyuk as Combat police * Seo Tae-hwa – Public Prosecutor Jo * Jeong Gi-seop – Detective Park * Moon Kyung-min * Lee Sin-seong ==Differences between remake and original== * The protagonists are arms traffickers as opposed to counterfeiters. * Kim Hyuk is a police officer who moonlights as an illegal arms trafficker, whereas his counterpart in the original, Sung Chi-ho was not involved in law enforcement. * Chul is hostile and resentful towards Hyuk for his perceived abandonment as a teenager whereas Ho and Kit have a close fraternal relationship until Ho's arrest. * Young- choon is shown to be suspicious of Jung's motives, and Hyuk witnesses Jung's betrayal during the deal. In the original, Shing's duplicity is not revealed until much later in the film. * Unlike Kit, Chul does not have a girlfriend, hence no female roles. * It is implied that Young-choon works for himself (doing odd jobs) after being crippled whereas Mark is shown to work for Shing in the original. * Young-choon is shot and killed by a multitude of Jung's men whereas Mark was killed by Shing (and his right-hand man) directly. * Hyuk and Chul die in the remake whereas Ho and Kit both survive the final showdown and successfully reconcile in the original. ==Reception== In Korea, the film ranked second and grossed over in its first week of release,"South Korea Box Office: September 17–19, 2010". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-04-19. and grossed a total of after six weeks of screening."South Korea Box Office: October 22–24, 2010". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-04-19. The film sold a total of 1,546,420 tickets nationwide. In Japan it ranked #11 and grossed over in its one week of release on 103 screens."Japan Box Office: February 19–20, 2011". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-04-19. Film Business Asia gave the film a five out of ten rating, opining that "there's plenty of South Korean machismo (with none of the lightness and humour of its Hong Kong equivalent) and a much darker emotional core, with some intense male bonding ... making this an oppressively all-male affair, heightened by the saturated photography and in-your-face action."Elley, Derek (8 September 2010). "A Better Tomorrow 무적자". Film Business Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-24. ==Remake Anthology== A Better Tomorrow (1986) (Cantonese) Aatish (1994) (Hindi) A Better Tomorrow (2010) (Korean) John Woo Sanjay Gupta Song Hae-sung ==References== == External links == * * A Better Tomorrow at Naver * * * Category:2010 films Category:2010 action drama films Category:South Korean action drama films Category:South Korean crime action films Category:South Korean crime drama films Category:South Korean gangster films Category:South Korean 3D films Category:South Korean remakes of foreign films Category:Remakes of Hong Kong films Category:Films about organized crime in South Korea Category:South Korean neo-noir films Category:Films directed by Song Hae-sung Category:CJ Entertainment films Category:2010s Korean-language films Category:Films about brothers Category:2010 crime drama films Category:2010 crime action films Category:2010s South Korean films

A Better Tomorrow is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. The album was released on December 2, 2014, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was supported by the singles "Keep Watch", "Ron O'Neal" and "Ruckus in B Minor". A Better Tomorrow received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 24,386 copies in its first week of release. ==Background== On June 29, 2011, Raekwon announced that the group were working on a new studio album, still in its early stages, saying: "As far as Wu-Tang goes, it's something that we really got to get together first for." In July 2011, Ghostface Killah said that the album should be released in May 2012. In April 2012, GZA hinted that a new album was unlikely, saying: "I'm grateful for everything we have done throughout our careers and if there's nothing else to put out, then there's nothing to put out." In October 2012, RZA said a new Wu-Tang Clan album might happen after all, on the occasion of the group's 20th anniversary. In November 2012, Raekwon doubted a new album would happen, saying: "I want to see it happen, but more importantly, I want to see it done the right way." On January 9, 2013, work on the sixth Wu-Tang Clan album was announced via the group's official Facebook page. In March 2013, Method Man announced that the Clan was working on a sixth studio album and it would be released during 2013 in celebration of their 20-year anniversary since 36 Chambers. ==Development== In March 2013, Cappadonna said the album was in the recording process, taking place in New York, Los Angeles and the Wu mansion in New Jersey. In April 2013, RZA said he had talked to Adrian Younge about working on a song for the album. On April 11, 2013, it was announced via a press release that their upcoming sixth studio album would be titled, A Better Tomorrow and was set to be released in July, 2013.Wu-Tang Clan Announce Reunion Album Title. In April 2013, the Clan reunited to perform at the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. On May 17, 2013, an unreleased Wu-Tang song titled "Execution in Autumn" was released for purchase through RZA's record label Soul Temple Records. In June 2013, they performed at the 2013 HOT 97 Summer Jam at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, twenty years after they performed at the first annual Summer Jam concert. In June 2013, RZA spoke about the song "Family Reunion", saying "It's looking real promising" and that multiple members have contributed to the lyrics. He also stated he was hoping to release the album in November 2013, in honor of the 29th anniversary of [Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)]. In July 2013, Inspectah Deck stated that unreleased verses from Ol' Dirty Bastard would be featured on the album. In July 2013 Cappadonna indicated the album was half way finished. In November 2013, RZA gave an update on the album, saying that significant progress was made on recording while in Europe, but was waiting on Raekwon, Ghostface, and GZA to contribute to the album. In November 2013, Method Man stated that Raekwon had not worked on the album at all, and Ghostface had only recorded two songs for the album so far. In late November 2013, RZA suggested that the album was approximately six weeks from completion. In January 2014, the group posted a message on their Facebook page, saying: "The new Wu album A Better Tomorrow coming soon." In March 2014, Raekwon said he didn't want RZA in charge of the album, saying: "His plan was to do a more humble album. We was like, Nah. You can’t do that with the hardest group in the game." In April 2014, RZA spoke about Raekwon's hesitation to record on the album, saying: "But I would say that maybe creatively we on different paths. I’m creatively different than I was in the ‘90s." In an April 2014, interview with Rolling Stone Raekwon responded saying: "I’m used to being a winner. Being that I feel the team is being compromised by his so-called "logic" of making music, I have a problem with that because I love my fans." He elaborated on the album, saying: "I’m not happy with the direction of the music and I’m not happy with how dudes is treating dudes’ business." RZA responded, saying: "When you form Voltron, you need every piece. We need him there. I want him there. I asked him over and over to be there." In May 2014, after several disputes between Raekwon and RZA about the direction of the group and album, they reconciled, with the former agreeing to record verses for A Better Tomorrow. On October 3, 2014, it was announced that the album would be released on December 2, 2014, courtesy of a new deal with Warner Bros. Records. In October 2014, Raekwon spoke about recording the album without Ol' Dirty Bastard, saying: "Its real deep bro, because we miss that energy." ==Singles== On June 5, 2013, the album's first promotional single "Family Reunion" featuring Masta Killa, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and RZA was released via the Soul Temple Records website. On March 19, 2014, the album's first single "Keep Watch" featuring Nathaniel The Great, GZA, Method Man, Cappadonna, and Inspectah Deck was released. On August 6, 2014, the whole group appeared on The Daily Show to premiere the album's second single "Ron O'Neal". On November 4, 2014, the album's third single "Ruckus In B Minor" was released. ==Critical reception== A Better Tomorrow received generally mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 60, based on 24 reviews. ==Commercial performance== The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first week sales of 24,386 copies in the United States. ==Track listing== Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. Notes * signifies a co-producer Sample credits * "Hold the Heater" contains a sample of "Come to Me", written by Robert Allen and Peter Lind Hayes, as performed by Johnny Mathis. * "Keep Watch" contains an interpolation of "You Roam When You Don't Get It At Home", written by David Porter, Bettye Jean Crutcher, and Ronnie Williams. * "Preacher's Daughter" contains an interpolation of "Son of a Preacher Man", written by John David Hurley and Ronnie Stephen Wilkins. * "A Better Tomorrow" contains a sample of "Wake Up Everybody", written by Victor Carstarphen, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead, as performed by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. * "Never Let Go" contains an excerpt of the speech "I Have a Dream", written and performed by Martin Luther King Jr. * "Wu-Tang Reunion" contains a sample of "Family Reunion", written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, as performed by The O'Jays. ==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== Chart (2014) Peak position ===Year-end charts=== Chart (2015) Position US Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 78 ==Release history== Region Date Format Label Edition(s) Germany November 28, 2014 CD, digital download Warner Bros. Records Standard, deluxe France December 1, 2014 United Kingdom United States December 2, 2014 ==References== Category:2014 albums Category:Wu-Tang Clan albums Category:Warner Records albums Category:Albums produced by RZA Category:Albums produced by Mathematics Category:Albums produced by 4th Disciple Category:Albums produced by Rick Rubin

A Better Tomorrow 2018 (), is a Chinese action film directed by Ding Sheng and starring Wang Kai, Ma Tianyu, Wang Talu, Yu Ailei, Lam Suet and Wu Yue. In this remake of John Woo’s 1986 classic, director Ding Sheng delivers a similar story but with a different setting. Filming took place in a seaside location in the Northern Chinese city of Qingdao, and Japan. The film was invited to be the closing film at the CinemAsia Film Festival in Netherlands on March 11, 2018. Also, the film had screenings at Osaka Asian Film Festival in Japan, Newcastle International Film Festival in United Kingdom, and Far East Film Festival in Italy. A Better Tomorrow 2018 premiered in China on January 18, 2018. ==Synopsis== Zhou Kai (Wang Kai) heads a smuggling ring that ships goods from a coastal Chinese city to Japan. He has a younger brother, idealistic rookie cop Zhou Chao (Ma Tianyu), who knows nothing about his shady dealings. When Kai’s refusal to turn to narcotics creates a rift in the team, the insidious Rubberband sets Kai up on a deal that ends with his arrest. Three years later, Kai is released from prison and tries to live a quiet, humble life with his former partner-in-crime, Mark (Wang Talu). However, the unforgiving eyes of his brother and society at large stop him at every step. When Kai’s former criminal associates force Kai to return to the game, Kai, Mark and Chao are put on a collision path that will end in violence. ==Cast== == Music == The film score was written and composed by Lao Zi and Dou Peng, and performed by China National Symphony Orchestra and International Master Philharmonic Orchestra. == Release == The film premiered in China on January 18, 2018. The following are the release dates for each region. Released Date Region Title Distributor(s) China 英雄本色 2018 Beijing Jingxi Tourism Development Co. Ltd. Huoerguosi Enlight Media Singapore A Better Tomorrow 2018 Clover Films Canada A Better Tomorrow 2018 Asia Releasing H Collective United States A Better Tomorrow 2018 Asia Releasing H Collective Australia A Better Tomorrow 2018 China Lion Film Distribution New Zealand A Better Tomorrow 2018 China Lion Film Distribution Vietnam Bản Sắc Anh Hùng 2018 Beta Media Philippines A Better Tomorrow 2018 ABS-CBN Film Productions Fiji A Better Tomorrow 2018 Asia Releasing H Collective Hong Kong 英雄本色 2018 China 3D Digital Distribution Taiwan 英雄本色 2018 Deepjoy Picture South Korea 영웅본색 4 Kidarient Corp. Thailand โหดเลวดี 2018 Hollywood (Thailand) Co., LTD. The following are the released date for each festival. Released Date Region Festival Title Note Ref(s) Japan Osaka Asian Film Festival 男たちの挽歌 2018 Special Screening Netherlands CinemAsia Film Festival A Better Tomorrow 2018 European Premiere Closing Film United Kingdom Newcastle International Film Festival A Better Tomorrow UK Premiere Italy Far East Film Festival A Better Tomorrow 2018 Italian Premiere ===Home media=== A Better Tomorrow 2018 with Chinese subtitle was released on Digital HD on March 2, 2018, and A Better Tomorrow 2018 with English subtitle was released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 29, 2018. ==Reception== ===Box office=== A Better Tomorrow 2018 grossed US$10,067,151 worldwide, including (US$9,969,143) in China. It made during its opening weekend in China. ===Critical response=== A Better Tomorrow 2018 received mixed reviews. Idarklight of Cfensi, in her positive review of the film, wrote "From some of the boldest music choices to drastic switches in tone of cinematography to one of the most interesting shootout scenes in a while, A Better Tomorrow 2018 felt like a firework so bursting with life that it left me too busy savoring every minute details of brilliance to think about its flaws. You can just feel how much love and thought director Ding Sheng and the cast put into every scene. Even all the jokes avoid lazy one-liners but instead are all carefully set-up earlier to land perfectly." Pablo A. Tariman of Star Cinema praised the film and wrote, "The film delivers as a crime- action flick. The actors give their characters an earthy feel and they remain unscathed all throughout the bloodshed saga." Conversely, LP Hugo of Asia Film Strike gave the film a negative review, wrote "A solid crime drama on its own terms, A Better Tomorrow 2018 can however not sustain comparison with the original. But despite a wavering tone, some heavy-handed references, it still manages to introduce interesting variations, and benefits from Wang Kai’s charisma." Sean Gilman of MUBI Notebook Column, wrote "There’s nothing especially unusual about a bland, over-edited and undercooked crime movie. And without the A Better Tomorrow connection Ding Sheng’s film would barely be noticed among the sea of mediocrity that is mainstream Mainland cinema." ===Accolades=== A Better Tomorrow 2018 received two nominations at the 4th Annual International Jackie Chan Action Movie Week, one for Best Movie Stunt and one for Best New Actor In Action for Wang Talu. ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2018 films Category:Chinese action films Category:Chinese crime drama films Category:2010s crime drama films Category:Sparkle Roll Media films Category:Films directed by Ding Sheng Category:Yakuza films Category:2018 drama films Category:2010s Mandarin-language films Category:2010s Japanese films

A Better Tomorrow 2 is a 1987 Hong Kong action film written and directed by John Woo. A follow-up to its popular predecessor, A Better Tomorrow, the film stars returning cast members Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung alongside new cast member Dean Shek. The film was released in Hong Kong on 17 December 1987. Due to the popularity of Chow's break-out performance in the previous instalment, he was cast in a new character as the twin brother of "Mark", who was killed in the previous film. A Better Tomorrow 2 is known for its over the top violence, exaggerated blood and gore, and body counts nearing the hundreds. Film director John Woo and producer Tsui Hark had disagreements over the focus of this film. Tsui felt that the film should focus more on Dean Shek's character. This led to the film being edited by both Tsui and Woo. Their disagreements would lead to a split after this film, with Hark directing A Better Tomorrow 3 and Woo moving on to create The Killer. ==Plot== Several years after his arrest, Sung Tse-ho is offered early parole by the police in exchange for spying on his former boss and mentor, Lung Sei, who is suspected of heading a counterfeiting operation. Inspector Wu, the leader of the task force, wants to mark his retirement with the capture of a high profile criminal like Lung. Though Ho initially declines because of his loyalty to Lung, he eventually changes his mind when he discovers that his younger brother, Kit, who is expecting a child along with his pregnant wife Jackie, is working undercover on the same case. While working the case, the two brothers meet and agree to work together. After being framed for murder, Lung seeks Ho's help, who is able to help him escape to New York. However, Lung suffers a psychotic break and is institutionalized after receiving news of his daughter's murder and witnessing the death of a friend. Meanwhile, Ho learns that his deceased friend Mark Lee has a long-lost twin brother, Ken, a former gang member who left Hong Kong as a teenager to travel across America, eventually opening a restaurant in New York City. Ho then locates Ken and enlists his assistance in freeing Lung. Targeted by both assassins attempting to kill Lung as well as American mobsters looking to extort Ken, Ken and a catatonic Lung take refuge in an apartment building where Ken arms himself. During a shoot-out with their attackers, Ken and Lung find themselves cornered; seeing Ken in trouble snaps Lung out of his stupor, and he kills the last of their pursuers. The two return to Hong Kong and regroup with Ho and Kit. The group discovers that one of Lung's employees, Ko Ying-pui, is responsible for attempt on Lung's life and has since taken over the organization in Lung's absence. Lung decides that he would rather destroy his organization with his own hands than let it fall into dishonor and ruin, and the group starts planning to act against Ko. After scouting out Ko's mansion alone, Kit is fatally wounded, but is rescued by Ken, who attempts to rush him to the hospital. Knowing that he will not make it however, Kit persuades Ken to stop at a phone booth to call Jackie, where he manages to name his newborn child Sung Ho-yin ("the Spirit of Righteousness") before succumbing to his wounds. After attending Kit's funeral, Ho, Ken, and Lung take revenge on Ko by attacking his mansion during a meeting with a counterfeiting client. The three manage to kill Ko and several of his men following an intense shootout, but are all critically wounded in the process. Following the shootout, the three men sit down in the mansion and are surrounded by the police forces led by Inspector Wu. Upon seeing the condition of the men, Wu orders his men to stand down, while Ho remarks against Inspector Wu's retirement, as there is "much work left for [him] to do." ==Cast== *Dean Shek as Lung Sei *Chow Yun-fat as Ken "Gor" Lee *Ti Lung as Sung Tse-ho *Leslie Cheung as Sung Tse-kit *Emily Chu as Jackie Sung (Tse-kit's wife) *Kwan Shan as Ko Ying-pui (The main antagonist) *Kenneth Tsang as Ken (The taxi manager from the first film) *Shing Fui-On as Ko's partner *Lam Chung as Ko's partner *Ng Man-tat as Mr Wong (during the early stage of his film career) *Peter Wang as Sam (Lung's priest friend in New York) *Lung Ming-yan as Chong (Ko's cold blooded hitman) *Louis Roth as Protection Money Collector *Regina Kent as Peggy Lung (Lung's daughter) *Ken Boyle as New York Counterfeit Buyer *Lau Siu-ming as Chief Inspector Wu *Mike Abbott as Assassin *Cindy Lau as Ken's restaurant staff *Steve Mak as Ko's thug A Better Tomorrow 2 at HKMDB A Better Tomorrow 2 at chinesemov.com ==Music== ===Theme song=== ;"Will Rush Toward Future Day" (奔向未來日子) :*Lyrics: Wong Jim :*Composition and Arrangement: Joseph Koo :*Performance: Leslie Cheung ===Music cues=== This film contains music cues from other films: *"Birdy's Flight (From 'Not One of Us')" **Composer: Peter Gabriel **From: Birdy (1984) *"Leo Gets It" **Composer: Gary Chang **From: 52 Pick-Up (1987) *"The Set-Up" **Composer: Jerry Goldsmith **From: Extreme Prejudice (1987) ==Release== The film was theatrically released in Hong Kong on 17 December 1987. In the Philippines, the film was released by First Films as Rapid Fire on 25 August 1988, with free sunglasses, jackets, and watches distributed on opening day. Anchor Bay Entertainment released the film on DVD in the US in January 2001. Extras include the trailer and biographies. In June 2004, HKflix.com released it again on DVD along with its two sequels in a boxed set. Hong Kong Legends released a special collector's edition in the UK in September 2006. ==Reception== Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 83% of six surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating was 7/10. Writing in Sex and Zen & A Bullet in the Head, Stefan Hammond and Mike Wilkins describe the film as "gorged with Woo's trademarks" and "a funhouse exaggeration of its central motifs". ==Accolades== Accolades Ceremony Category Recipient Outcome 7th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor Leslie Cheung 7th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Action Choreography Ching Siu-tung ==See also== *Chow Yun-fat filmography *List of Hong Kong films of 1987 *List of Hong Kong films ==References== ==External links== * * * Category:1987 films Category:1987 action films Category:1980s crime action films Category:1980s crime drama films Category:1980s Cantonese-language films Category:Films directed by John Woo Category:Films set in Hong Kong Category:Films set in New York City Category:Films shot in Hong Kong Category:Films shot in New York City Category:Gun fu films Category:A Better Tomorrow films Category:Hong Kong crime action films Category:Hong Kong sequel films Category:Hong Kong New Wave films Category:Triad films Category:1987 drama films Category:1980s Hong Kong films

A Better Understanding is an album by saxophonist Sonny Fortune which was recorded in 1995 and released on the Blue Note label.Jazzdisco: Sonny Fortune Catalog accessed February 12, 2019Sonny Fortune's discography , accessed February 12, 2019Jazzlists: Sonny Fortune discography accessed February 12, 2019Jazzdisco: Blue Note Records Discography: 1995-1996 accessed February 12, 2019 ==Reception== The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow stated "On the fine all- round A Better Understanding session, Sonny Fortune is mostly in the spotlight. Although generally playing alto, Fortune is also heard on soprano and flute ... While not one of Fortune's most essential releases (one wishes that he had played some tenor too), A Better Understanding has enough variety and surprises to make it recommended". On All About Jazz, Florence Wetzell noted "A Better Understanding, features nine Fortune originals and is an embarrassment of riches, with one excellent song after another and top-notch accompaniment".Wetzel, F. All About Jazz Review accessed July 20, 2018 ==Track listing== All compositions by Sonny Fortune # "Mind Games" – 6:38 # "Laying It Down" – 7:48 # "Awakening" – 6:58 # "A Swing Touch" – 7:04 # "Never Again Is Such a Long Time" – 4:07 # "It Ain't What It Was" – 5:30 # "It's a Bird" – 6:16 # "Tribute to a Holiday" – 6:10 # "Long Before Our Mothers Cried" – 6:45 ==Personnel== *Sonny Fortune – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto flute, flute *Jerry González – trumpet, flugelhorn, congas (tracks 3. 7 & 9) *Robin Eubanks – trombone (tracks 3, 7 & 9) *Kenny Barron – piano *Wayne Dockery – bass *Ronnie Burrage (tracks 1 & 9), Billy Hart (tracks 2-4 & 6-8) – drums *Steve Berrios – percussion (tracks 3 & 9) ==References== Category:Sonny Fortune albums Category:1995 albums Category:Blue Note Records albums Category:Albums recorded at Van Gelder Studio

A Better Version of Me is the third studio album by American indie rock band Rainer Maria. == Reception == "Matured vocal power and solid song structure have replaced the cacophonous ways of their youth." \- PopMatters "Caithlin De Marrais' graceful, yet abrasive vocals craft the dynamic of the band..." \- AllMusic ==Track listing== ==Personnel== *Caithlin De Marrais – group member *Kaia Fischer – group member *William Kuehn – group member *Elliot Dicks – assistant engineer, mixing, assistant producer, assistant *Mark Haines – producer, engineer, mixing *Lesley Vance – cover painting *Mark Owens – artwork, design *Matt Owens – design ==References== Category:Rainer Maria albums Category:2001 albums

A Better Way was a conservative agenda for U.S. governance, crafted by former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan as well as Kevin Brady, former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Ryan called the six-point plan "a complete alternative to the Left's agenda". Shortly after the 2016 United States elections, Speaker Ryan said that the plan, described by Reuters as an "aggressive Republican legislative agenda", provides a blueprint for laws he expected to spearhead in the Republican congress in cooperation with the Republican Trump administration. For someone other than the party's nominee to direct the party's agenda in a presidential election year was termed "a rare move". ==Six-point plan== The plan covers six points: Poverty, National Security, Economy, Constitution, Health Care, and Tax Reform. The points in the plan, which Speaker Ryan intended to press forward in the 2017-2018 115th Congress, had been described as "mostly ignor[ing] the areas where Trump's agenda clash with tenets of conservative doctrine" such as trade policy, immigration reform and entitlement cuts. It did not cover some points that were major issues in the presidential campaign, such as a border wall with Mexico and banning immigrants who are Muslims. #Poverty #:Proponents of the plan believe that welfare reform can address systemic problems of poverty in America. Critics say the plan will "cut the social safety net". #National Security #:The national security plan contains four sub-points: "defeat the terrorists," "protect the homeland," "tackle new threats" and "defend freedom". It further addresses border security with a plan to "accelerate the deployment of fencing, technology, air assets, and personnel at the border". The plan was said to "push back" on Trump's "America First" agenda enunciated during the presidential campaign. #U.S. economy #Constitutional rule #:The constitution plan contains four sub-points: stopping executive overreach, reining in regulators, imposing new limits on spending, and increasing transparency #Healthcare #:House Republicans plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") #Tax reform #:A number of proposed changes to the United States tax code have been announced by the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. The proposal would reduce the federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent as well as repealing the corporate alternative minimum tax (“AMT”). Depreciation rules would be replaced with expensing new investment in equipment, structures, and intellectual property. Depreciation or expensing deduction would not be allowed for land, and inventories would be subject to last-in-first-out (LIFO) accounting. In addition, the deductibility of net interest expense would be eliminated. Additionally, corporate tax would be "border adjusted", which would mean that exports would be exempt from the tax and imports subject to it. == Border adjustment == One of the largest revenue increasing proposals of the plan is reform of corporate tax which is "border adjusted." This would mean that exports would be exempt from tax and imports would be subject to it. The Economist and others note that this may fall foul of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Bloomberg View noted that the proposed tax would favour domestically produced goods as they would be taxed less than imports, to a degree varying across sectors. For example, the wage component of the cost of domestically produced goods would not be taxed. Because the United States imports more than it exports, border adjustability would raise $1.2trn over a decade, covering almost two-thirds of the cost of cutting the tax rate to 20%, according to the Tax Policy Centre. On January 16, Donald Trump commented that a border adjustment tax would be "too complicated" in a Wall Street Journal article. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated on January 26 said that the proposal was "one idea" of the administration in regards to tax policy. ==Proposed== * 1. American Health Care Act (), passed House May 4, 2017 * 2. Financial CHOICE Act (), passed House June 8, 2017 ==Results== * 1. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, , * 2. Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, , * 3. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, , * 4. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, , * 5. Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, , * 6. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (including the CLOUD Act), , * 7. Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, , * 8. Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, , * 9. Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017, , * 10. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, , * 11. FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, , * 12. Music Modernization Act, , * 13. America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, , * 14. SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, , * 15. Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, , * 16. FIRST STEP Act, , ==References== ==External links== * Category:2016 in American politics Category:Conservatism in the United States Category:Paul Ryan Category:United States proposed federal legislation Category:United States federal legislation Category:Proposed laws of the United States Category:United States political party platforms

A Better Way to Die is a 2000 action and thriller film. It was directed and produced by Scott Wiper. The film centers on a Chicago cop who quits the force and finds himself threatened by the Mafia. ==Cast== *Andre Braugher as Cleveland *Natasha Henstridge as Kelly *Scott Wiper as Boomer *Jack Conley as Fletcher *Carmen Argenziano as Carlos *Richard Haje as The Mute *Mo Gallini as Laslov (as Matt Gallini) *Rolando Molina as Chach *Kirk McKinney as Spaz *Jefferson Moore as Harrison James *Wayne Duvall as Rifkin *Lou Diamond Phillips as William Dexter ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2000 films Category:2000 action thriller films Category:Films produced by Bradley Fuller Category:American action thriller films Category:Newmarket films Category:2000s English-language films Category:2000s American films

A Better World is singer/songwriter Chris de Burgh's twenty-first original album, released on 23 September 2016. This album peaked at number 7 in the German album chart, and reached number 60 in the UK Albums Chart. It also charted in Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands. ==Track listing== All songs written by Chris de Burgh. #"Hope in the Human Heart" - 0:54 #"Bethlehem" - 4:12 #"Once in a Lifetime" - 3:44 #"The Open Door" - 3:50 #"Heart and Soul" - 2:44 #"Chain of Command" - 3:38 #"Confession" - 3:00 #"Homeland" - 4:32 #"Cry No More" - 3:07 #"Shipboard Romance" - 2:56 #"Falling Rain" - 3:08 #"All For Love" - 3:59 #"Hold On (I'm On My Way)" - 2:49 #"The Land of the Free" - 3:34 #"The Soldier" - 3:46 == Personnel == * Chris de Burgh – vocals, acoustic piano, guitars * Nigel Hopkins – keyboards, orchestrations * Graham Kearns – guitars * Phil Palmer – guitars * Jennifer Maidman – dobro, mandolin, ukulele, bass guitar * Danny Cummings – drums, percussion * Mark White – trumpet, flugelhorn * Geoffrey Richardson – violin * Jakko Jakszyk – backing vocals * Ffion Wilkins – backing vocals === Production === * Chris de Burgh – producer, sleeve design * Chris Porter – producer, recording, mixing * Oli Jacobs – engineer * Patrick Phillips – recording assistant * Alex Hutchinson – art direction, sleeve design * Kelly Pepper – sleeve design * Harley-Moon Kemp – photography ==References== Category:2016 albums Category:Chris de Burgh albums

A Better World (ABW) is an organization that is based in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. It is a charitable organization, formed in 1990. Eric Rajah is one of the co-founders of ABW. More than 1800 people had volunteered on ABW projects by 2010. ==Projects== ABW has several projects in Kenya, including the support of a hospital in Maasai Mara. ABW has also provided humanitarian aid to Burmese refugees in India. In 2009, Cross Roads Church in Red Deer considered partnering with ABW on a project to give two internally displaced persons camps in Kosti, Sudan, access to a water source. In 2011, Azalea Lehndorff started the 100 Classroom Project, an ABW initiative that educates girls in Afghanistan. The goal of the project is to build 100 classrooms in Jowzjan Province in the space of three years. ABW has also helped with building development of St Luke's Leprosarium, Peikulum in Tamil Nadu. ==Partnership with Raise Their Voice== ABW partnered with Raise Their Voice throughout the 2012 tour of Andrew Kooman's She Has a Name; while the play toured across Canada to raise awareness about human trafficking, ABW raised money to help women and children who had been trafficked in Thailand as part of the country's prostitution industry. Specifically, the money raised went to Home of New Beginnings, a safe house established in Bangkok in 2006, where former human trafficking victims can receive life skills-based education and spiritual healing, thereby allowing them to attain a healthy and financially stable lifestyle. At the time of the 2012 tour of the play, Home of New Beginnings had 17 residents, the oldest being 33 and the youngest being 11. From their fundraising initiative with Raise Their Voice, ABW hoped to raise $12000 to pay an outstanding property bill, $18000 to buy two auto rickshaws, $9000 to finance a training building, $9000 to buy vocational education equipment, and $5000 to finance a gift shop in which the residents sell products they have made, such as baked goods. All five members of Raise Their Voice had previous connections with ABW, and the plan to have the two organizations working in conjunction had been developing since 2011. The program passed out at each performance recommended ABW to audiences as a good organization to support, as well as listing the websites of several other nonprofit organizations. ==References== Category:Adventist organizations established in the 20th century Category:Children's charities based in Canada Category:Christian educational organizations Category:Development charities based in Canada Category:Independent ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Category:International volunteer organizations Category:Lacombe, Alberta Category:Organizations based in Alberta Category:Foreign charities operating in Kenya Category:Foreign charities operating in Thailand Category:Social welfare parachurch organizations Category:Human trafficking in Thailand

A Beuk o' Newcassell Sangs is a pictorial book giving details of local songs, including the lyrics and in many cases, the music, and all beautifully illustrated with the author's own woodcuts. It was published in 1888. It was reprinted in 1965 by Harold Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne. ==Details== A Beuk o' Newcassell Sangs – (full title – A Beuk o' Newcassell Sangs Collected by Joseph Crawhall , Mawson, Swan & Morgan, M.D. CCC.LXXXVIII) is a book containing approximately 35 songs complete with their lyrics, and in some cases, the music. The Geordie folk songs all relate in some way or other to North East England, and many are in Geordie dialect. It was edited by Joseph Crawhall II. == The publication == It is, as the title suggests, a collection of sangs (or in English "songs") from the Newcassel (or "Newcastle") area. == Contents == Are as below :- page title songwriter tune comments Notes Ref A You A, Hinny Burd actually entitled "A.U. Hinny Burd" in this book Amphitrite – (The) Robert Gilchrist Gee-ho! Dobbin, popularly known as "Cappy Aboot the Bush, Willy – is an alternate name given Andrew Carr actually entitled "Andrew Carr or Kerr" in this book Aw Wish yor Muther wad Cum – or Wor Geordy's notions aboot men nursin' bairns Joseph Wilson The Whusslin Thief actually entitled "Aw Wish thy Muther wad cum" in this book Blackett o' Wylam Bobby Shaftoe traditional Bonny Pit Laddie (The) actually entitled "Bonnie pit laddie (The)" in this book Broom Buzzems – (or Buy Broom Busoms) William Purvis (Blind Willie) actually entitled "Buy Broom Buzzems" in this book Canny Newcassel T Thompson Cappy – or The Pitman's Dog Wm Midford Gee-ho! Dobbin, popularly known as "Cappy actually entitled "Cappy’s the Dog" in this book Collier's Rant (The) Cuddle me, Cuddy – or The Peacock followed the Hen Geordy, haud the bairn Joe Wilson actually entitled "Cum, Geordie, haud the Bairn" in this book Fenwick o' Bywell Fiery Clock-fyece (The) Robert Nunn The Coal-hole Floatin' Gunstan – (The) William Armstrong Derry Down actually entitled "Floatin' Grunstane (The)" in this book Holiday Gown (The) John Cunningham Hydrophobie – or The Skipper and the Quaker Robert Emery The Cameronian's Rant – or X. Y. Z. Jenny Hoolet (The) – or Lizzie Mudie's Ghost Armstrong Gee-ho! Dobbin, popularly known as "Cappy usually called "The Jenny Howlet" (Weel May) The Keel Row Traditional Keelman's Reasons for Attending Church – (The) Robert Nunn Jimmy Johnson's Wherry A-N1 Little Pee-dee (The) The Irish Drops o' Brandy My Lord 'Size – or Newcastle in an Uproar John Shield Newcassel in an Uproar My Love is Newly Listed Newcastle Beer John Cunningham Hunting the Hare actually entitled "Newcassel Beer" in this book Peacock followed the hen (The) Wm Midford The Night before Larry was stretch’d – or The Irish drops o' Brandy Sailors are a' at the Bar (The) Sair Fail'd Hinny actually entitled "Sair fyel’d Hinny" in this book Sandgate Lass's Lamentation (The) The Manchester Angel actually entitled "Sandage Lass's Lament" in this book Spottee (a Sunderland song) possibly the late Thomas Clerke actually entitled "Spottie" in this book S-C1 Tyne Exile's Lament (The) Banks o the Dee Up the Raw Use and abuse (The) – or the Pitman and the preacher J P Robson Canny Newcassel Water of Tyne (The) actually entitled "Water o' Tyne" in this book Washing-Day – (The) Thomas Wilson There's nae luck aboot the hoose actually entitled "Weshin'-day (The)" in this book ==Notes== A-N1 – according to George Allan's Tyneside Songs and Readings of 1891, the writer is Robert Nunn S-C1 – according to (Sir) Cuthbert Sharp's Bishoprick Garland of 1834, the writer is Thomas Clerke == See also == *Geordie dialect words *Joseph Crawhall II *Northumbrian Minstrelsy *Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings *Rhymes of Northern Bards ==References== ==External links== * A Beuk o’ Newcassell Sangs * The Crawhall family * Joseph Crawhall II Society Category:English folk songs Category:Songs related to Newcastle upon Tyne Category:County Durham Category:Northumbrian folklore Category:1888 books Category:Chapbooks

A Bewildered Lovebird () is a 2010 Egyptian film. == Plot == Bolbol wakes up in a full-body cast after a mysterious accident shattered every last bone in his body. He's lying in a hospital bed, where he'll probably spend the next few weeks, and with him is Dr. Amal, a dedicated physician taking care of his needs. Bolbol warms up to the perky doctor and shares with her his story with her in painstaking detail. As the owner of a small ad agency, he first meets Yasmin, a harmonica playing member of a rock band. At first Bolbol is smitten by her carefree attitude and lack of jealousy until the novelty wears off. Just as his fondness turns into frustration towards Yasmin, in walks Hala, a helpless girl who is in many ways the polar opposite of Yasmin. Bolbol spends more and more time with Hala, ultimately falling for her, but at the same time he can't shake off his love for Yasmin. Both women seem to have something that Bolbol desires, and our poor hero is torn between the two. And therein lies his predicament: should Bolbol go for the independent, self-empowered though occasionally cold Yasmin? Or is the submissive and helpless Hala a better fit for his traditionalist values, even though she can be very overbearing? == Cast == * Ahmed Helmy as Bolbol * Zeina as Yasmin * Shery Adel as Hala * Emy Samir Ghanem as Dr. Amal == See also == *Cinema of Egypt == External links == * Category:2010 films Category:2010s Arabic-language films Category:Films set in Egypt Category:2010 romantic comedy-drama films Category:Egyptian romantic comedy-drama films Category:2010 comedy films Category:2010 drama films

"A Bewitched Place" is the last story in the second volume of Nikolai Gogol's first collection of short stories, Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka (1832). thumb|A Bewitched Place Like the concluding tale of the first volume, "The Lost Letter: A Tale Told by the Sexton of the N...Church", it is told by an exuberant Cossack narrator, the old sexton Foma, who says that the tale is about his grandfather. ==Plot== Foma's grandfather takes care of melons and spends most of his time at a shanty nearby, taking pleasure in groups of wagons that come by with various items. One day, while discussing matters with some passing wagoneers, his grandfather decides to outdo Foma and his friend at dancing. He does quite well until he reaches a spot in the garden where he cannot seem to move and his legs stiffen up. He curses the devil, and tries his luck again. Suddenly he is transported to a different area that seems to be the local priest's garden. He comes up to a gravestone that is shimmering, and marks it with a stick believing there to be treasure below somewhere. When he comes home he won't discuss what happened and ventures out the next day to find the spot. When he gets to the priest's garden, he cannot spot the gravestone above the buried treasure and he curses the devil again for tricking him. The next day, Foma's grandfather explores the place where he could not dance the day before and finds that this spot is capable of magically transporting him to the cemetery where the grave is marked. He digs and finds a cauldron, while being mocked by a bird, a sheep and a bear, that, in a horrifying manner, repeat what he says. After he finds the treasure, the devil tries to terrify him again by making it appear as though he was below a precipice ready to come down on him with a monstrous head peeping from behind it. He is not frightened though and takes the cauldron back home. His wife, thinking the boys are behind it as it comes towards her, throws dirty dishwater behind it, covering him with melon waste. He tells them what he found but when he opens the cauldron finds filth and from that day forward never trusts the devil again and crosses himself whenever he comes to a spot said to have something wrong with it. He fences off the area where he couldn't dance and has everyone throw all the garbage and weeds they collect on the spot. ==External links== * Category:Short stories by Nikolai Gogol Category:1832 short stories Category:Short stories about Cossacks Category:Short stories set in the Russian Empire

A Bibliographical Guide to the Law of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man is a bibliography of law. It was published by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies of the University of London. The first edition was edited by Frederick Henry Lawson and H K Drake. It was published in 1956.Books in Print. Taylor & Francis. R R Bowker Company. 1968. Library of Congress card no 4-12648. Page 123. It is "most comprehensive" and of "high merit and painstaking efficiency". The second edition was edited by A G Chloros and published in 1973.American Bar Association. ABA Journal. Volume 59. Oct 1973. Page 1120. It is "useful".Glanville Williams. Learning the Law. Tenth Edition. Stevens. 1978. Page 154. (The author refers to this book as "biographical" guide, but this appears to be a typo). ==References== *A Bibliographical Guide to the Law of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. University of London: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. 1956. *Wolfram Müller-Freienfels. Zeitschrift für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht 23. Jahrg., H. 2 (1958), pp. 352–353. JSTOR. *(1975) 6 New Zealand Universities Law Review 95 Google Books *National Library of Australia. Category:Legal bibliographies Category:1956 non-fiction books

"A Bicyclops Built for Two" is the ninth episode in the second season of the American animated television series Futurama, and the 22nd episode of the series overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 19, 2000. ==Plot== The Professor announces to the Planet Express crew that he has finally logged onto AOL after years of trying and sends them into the Internet for fun. While playing the video game Death Factory III, Leela meets another cyclops, but Fry blasts his virtual form before she can find out who he is and where he comes from. The crew is sent on a mission to deliver popcorn to Cineplex 14. However, the other cyclops recorded her screen name beforehand and sends her a video message. Leela abandons the delivery and heads off to the coordinates provided. The cyclops introduces himself as Alcazar, sole survivor of the destruction of the planet Cyclopia. He shows Leela some of the capital city's landmarks, including the sacred Forbidden Valley, before bringing her to the castle where he lives. He says Cyclopia was destroyed by a missile launched by the blind mole people of Subterra 3. Before the destruction, Cyclopia's smartest scientist sent away a baby who Leela concludes must have been her. Alcazar was employed as a pool cleaner and was spared from the chaos while fishing out a dead possum. Leela decides it is her duty to help rebuild the Cyclopian civilization, primarily by procreating with Alcazar. Now that Leela is committed to Alcazar for the good of their race, he becomes abusive towards her, demanding she carry out menial work and humiliating her in front of his friends. While Bender loots everything of value, Fry, feeling suspicious of Alcazar, tries to investigate the Forbidden Valley, only to stumble into a trap door leading to a dungeon. When Leela visits Fry in the dungeon, she reveals she hates Alcazar for the way he treats her, so Fry convinces her to dump him; she almost dumps him until he proposes marriage. Wanting to extend their race, Leela reluctantly accepts. When Leela refuses Fry's entreaties to let him out of the dungeon, he escapes and breaks into the Forbidden Valley with Bender. They discover four other castles, identical except that the decorations depict different species. They return and interrupt Leela's wedding, bringing with them four women, each of a different species, and each scheduled to be married to Alcazar on the same day as Leela. Alcazar, flustered, involuntarily reveals his true form as a shapeshifting, cricket-like alien. After the women beat him into submission, he explains that he played with their emotions in order to get free labor for his castles, and that he had to stage all the weddings on one day because tuxedos that change shape are expensive to rent. As Leela leaves with the rest of the Planet Express crew, the Professor tries to reassure her she will find her true home, but she disconsolately wonders "How many planets could there be?" as she looks out at a vast, starry space. ==Cultural references== The new look that Leela takes on to please "Al" parodies voice actor Katey Sagal's role as Peggy Bundy (with husband Al) on Married... with Children. The scene also lampoons the show's dysfunctional family sitcom style and marriage/sex related jokes. In the beginning of the episode, when Bender opens the portal to the Internet, Fry's exclamation of "My God...it's full of ads!" is a reference to Dave Bowman's line "My God...it's full of stars!" in the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey and the film 2010. As the portal opens, the characteristic theme "Also Sprach Zarathustra" from 2001: A Space Odyssey plays. Alcazar's story of Cyclopia's demise also parodies Superman's origin story, in which his father sends him in an experimental vessel to travel through hyperspace before their home planet Krypton is destroyed. One of the alien women that Alcazar is pledged to is a member of the Great Race of Yith from H. P. Lovecraft's The Shadow out of Time. The name Cineplex 14 is a spoof of the Canadian company Cineplex Entertainment. When the popcorn is thrown into the sun, it makes a shape of a galaxy, the logo of Galaxy Cinemas, one of the companies that merged to make Cineplex Entertainment. ==Reception== Color stylist Bari Kumar won an Emmy award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for this episode in 2000. Susie Dietter was nominated for an Annie Award in 2000 for "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television Production" for this episode; she lost to Brian Sheesley for the Futurama episode "Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?". In Doug Pratt's DVD, Pratt noted that this episode was his favorite of the second season. In particular, he notes that the virtual reality sequence at the beginning was very witty and the overall plot was entertaining. The episode was given an A rating by The A.V. Club. In its initial airing, the episode received a Nielsen rating of 4.0/7, placing it 86th among primetime shows for the week of March 13–19, 2000. ==References== ==External links== *"A Bicyclops Built for Two" at The Infosphere * Category:Futurama (season 2) episodes Category:2000 American television episodes Category:Fiction about shapeshifting

A Bid for Fortune is a 1917 British silent crime film directed by Sidney Morgan and starring A. Harding Steerman, Violet Graham and Sydney Vautier.Goble p.688 ==Cast== * A. Harding Steerman as Dr Nikola * Violet Graham as Phyllis Wetherall * Sydney Vautier as Dick Hattaras ==References== ==Bibliography== * Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter, 1999. * Low, Rachael. The History of the British Film 1914 - 1918. George Allen & Unwin, 1950. ==External links== * Category:1917 films Category:British crime films Category:British silent feature films Category:Films directed by Sidney Morgan Category:1917 crime films Category:British black-and-white films Category:1910s English-language films Category:1910s British films

A Bid for Fortune; Or, Doctor Nikola's Vendetta (1895) is a novel by Australian writer Guy Boothby. It was his first novel to feature his recurring character Dr. Nikola. It was originally serialised in The Windsor Magazine : An Illustrated Monthly for Men and Women over 22 issues in 1895, and was then published in the United Kingdom by Ward, Lock and Bowden in the same year. ==Abstract== "In this first novel, the protagonist is a young Australian, Richard Hatteras, who has made a small fortune in pearl-diving operations in the Thursday Islands. With money in his pocket, he decides to travel. Visiting Sydney before taking ship for England, he meets and falls in love with the daughter of the Colonial Secretary, Sylvester Wetherell. As the story moves on, it is revealed that Wetherell has fallen foul of the evil Dr. Nikola, who has developed a devious scheme to force Wetherell to submit in to his demands to give him a mysterious oriental object he has acquired. The life and liberty of Hatteras’ lady-love are imperilled as Nikola's plot moves on, and Hatteras has to make strenuous efforts to locate and free her." ==Publishing history== Following the book's initial magazine serialisation, and then publication by Ward, Lock and Bowden in 1895 it was subsequently published as follows: * Appleton, 1895, USA; reprinted 1897 * Ward, Lock & Co., 1902, UK; reprinted 1906, 1918, 1919, and 1929 And subsequent paperback and ebook editions. The novel was translated into Finnish (1904), Swedish (1907) and Danish (1916). ==Critical reception== Everett F. Bleiler in Science-Fiction: The Early Years notes that the book is included in his volume even though it "is not science- fiction, but is included since it gives background." He goes on to describe the novel: "Vulgar, carelessly plotted, unconvincing, it is at times almost a parody of the late Victorian adventure story." ==Film adaptation== In 1917 a silent film adaptation, titled A Bid for Fortune, was released. It was directed by Sidney Morgan from a script by Guy Boothby. ==See also== * 1895 in Australian literature ==References== Category:1895 Australian novels Category:1895 books

A Big 10-8 Place is the third album by Negativland, released in 1983. It was the first album with the involvement of band member Don Joyce. The album's title is a reference to the radio ten-code "10-8," which means "back in service" or "available for next call" in the context of common CB radio usage. The lyrics and collage sound clips on the album make frequent reference to the CB radio hobby, as well as mischief like jamming. The original release had unusual packaging, and included a small plastic bag of lawn clippings (or mulch), a "No Other Possibility" bumper sticker, and a map of Contra Costa county, where the band originated. Contra Costa county is frequently mentioned on the track "180-G, a Big 10-8 Place, Pt. Two." The album was re-released by Seeland Records, then with distribution from Mordam Records, in 1994. It was re-released again in 2007 by Seeland, packaged with a DVD release of No Other Possibility, Negativland's video release. ==Critical reception== AllMusic wrote that the album "fired the opening volley in Negativland's ongoing challenge against copyrights and what is considered public domain." Trouser Press called the album "as much a loving tribute as a scathing indictment of suburbia’s soulless facade, the record is a richly detailed, remarkably complex combination of the inorganic (electronics and industrial atmospherics) and the human (voices discuss whatever)." The Chicago Tribune called it a "trippy travelogue." == Track listing == ==References== Category:1983 albums Category:Negativland albums Category:Concept albums Category:Citizens band radio in popular culture Category:Sound collage albums

A Big Bad Beautiful Noise is the eighth studio album by English rock band the Godfathers. It was released on 10 February 2017 on their own Godfathers Recordings label and distributed by Cargo in Europe and Metropolis in the US. It marks the first Godfathers album without bassist Chris Coyne, and the only album to feature the lineup of singer Peter Coyne with new members Steve Crittall (guitar), Mauro Venegas (guitar), Darren Birch (bass), and Tim James (drums). ==Background== Steve Crittall, Mauro Venegas and Tim James had joined the Godfathers in 2014 when the previous lineup had disintegrated. Joining founding members Peter and Chris Coyne, they recorded the double A-side vinyl single "Rewind Time"/"Till My Heart Stops Beating", which was released in June 2015. Chris Coyne left the band in 2016 and was replaced by Darren Birch just in time for the recording of A Big Bad Beautiful Noise. The album was recorded in the summer of 2016 at Bridge Studio in Birmingham and mixed at Racknophobia Studio in London. The Birmingham studio was chosen after owner and engineer Paul Robert Gray – a friend of Birmingham residents Darren Birch and Tim James – offered his help and studio. Production duties were shared between Steve Crittall, Paul Robert Gray and the band. Gray also contributed percussion to a handful of tracks on the album. The only album track not recorded in Birmingham – "Till My Heart Stops Beating" – was produced by Teo Miller at London's Cowshed Studio and mixed at Retone Sound Studio. It was partially overdubbed and remixed for the album. The album title comes from a phrase used by Peter Coyne to describe the band's music to journalists, and after seeing the quote written down in black and white print, he decided to turn it into a song. With its observations about modern life, and what Coyne describes as "the feeling of anti-establishment rebellion in the air and social disorder," he turned the song into "a joyous anthem." Mauro Venegas left the band in 2017 and was replaced by Alex McBain. In 2019, the entire band was abruptly and controversially fired through Facebook by Peter Coyne, who later in the year assembled an all-new Godfathers lineup. ==Critical reception== The album was well received by critics, who felt that the band maintained their signature sound while still sounding energetic and vital. Both Classic Rock and Pennyblackmusic felt it was the Godfathers' best album in three decades, and Louder Than War wrote that the album "will remind you of everything you liked about the Godfathers in the first place but has been updated in a vibrant way for 2017 ... replete with shit-hot musicianship, catchy songs, tonnes of conviction and a big bad attitude." Classic Rock stated, "The band still hop madly from foot to foot – Stiff Records one minute, Creation the next – but they have solidified over the years into a definably hard rock'n'roll band." The Agit Reader felt that the album contained some "ham-fisted lyrics," and songs that "never seem to get off the ground, no matter how ferociously they're played." However, as a whole, they described the album as "an undeniable, flat out rocker that not only makes you turn it up, but also dig into the back catalog." ==Track listing== ==Personnel== Adapted from the album liner notes. ;The Godfathers *Peter Coyne – vocals, lyrics *Steve Crittall – guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals, theremin (6), Farfisa organ (4), programming (4) *Mauro Venegas – guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals *Darren Birch – bass, acoustic bass, backing vocals *Tim James – drums, backing vocals ;Additional musicians *John Dale – keyboards (4, 9, 11) *Paul Robert Gray – percussion (1, 3, 6, 8) ;Technical *Steve Crittall – producer (1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10), mixing (1, 3-11) *The Godfathers – producer (3, 6, 9, 11) *Paul Robert Gray – producer, mixing (3, 6, 9, 11), additional recording and remix (2) *Teo Miller – producer, mixing (2) *Andy Pearce – mastering *Jaime Martin – artwork ==References== Category:2017 albums Category:The Godfathers albums

A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away (2001) is Christopher Brookmyre's sixth novel, the first book in a suspense trilogy featuring policewoman Angelique de Xavia. She is the central character in The Sacred Art of Stealing (2002) and the main protagonist in A Snowball in Hell (2008). Her antagonist in this novel, Simon Darcourt, reappears in A Snowball in Hell, where their relationship is resolved. A Big Boy touches on a number of Brookmyre's interests, including gaming, rock and roll (especially Glaswegian), and childhood. ==Plot summary== Anti-terrorist forces are put on alert when it is learned that the notorious international terrorist the Black Spirit plans to attack on an unknown British target on Saturday, September 6. The Black Spirit is an ingenious terrorist- for-hire known for his clever, often indirect means of achieving destruction; the terrorist organizations that hire him then claim the hit. He himself, however, claims his kills by leaving a literal "calling card," an image of the comic figure Rank Badjin by the Glasgow cartoonist Bud Neill. Meanwhile, 30-something Raymond Ash is struggling to cope with the banality of his new life, having sold his video game shop and decided to settle down with his wife, a new baby, and a new career as an English teacher in Glasgow. While visiting Glasgow airport he sees his college friend Simon Darcourt, who supposedly died when terrorists blew up an airliner a few years before. He has no idea that Darcourt is in reality the Black Spirit. Darcourt for his part sees Raymond and decides to settle an old score with him by incorporating him into his terrorist plot. Raymond ends up being abducted by Darcourt's terrorists, along with a couple of 13-year-old boys from his school (whose presence is unknown to the gang). Raymond escapes, then finds himself aiding Glasgow policewoman Angelique de Xavia in a valiant attempt to foil their plot, the two being the only people with a chance of reaching the site of the attack in time – the (fictional) Highlands hydroelectric plant at Dubh Ardrain. ==Characters== Point-of-view characters: ; Angelique de Xavia: Glasgow Police Detective Inspector. She is a Glaswegian, born to Ugandan refugees of Asian ethnicity, who has always felt herself an outsider. She is an expert in several martial arts and is known for her temper. ; Simon Darcourt: Once an aspiring rock star in bands where his narcissism alienated his fellow musicians, he discovered that planning and executing murders in ingenious ways was very satisfying, and eventually became an important international terrorist-for-hire. His intelligent, articulate, and complete contempt for his fellow man provides the blackest humor in the novel. His name, like that of Jack Parlabane in other novels by Brookmyre, is derived from a character in Robertson Davies's novel The Rebel Angels. ; Raymond Ash: 30-something newbie English teacher and exhausted father of a new baby. He was a college friend (and admirer) of Simon Darcourt, and the drummer in the first band Simon tried to front. Brookmyre, whose novel Bedlam (2013) was actually turned into a video game, uses Ash to explore the value of first-person- shooter gaming, integrating Ash's experience as a child imagining enemies, his experience fighting terrorists in Dubh Ardrain, and his gaming skills. ; Lexy and Wee Murph: Two boys from Raymond’s school who stow away in the terrorists’ truck, figure out the nature of the plot, and sabotage it. Their dialogue is phonetically spelled. They recall the children in Brookmyre’s A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil, (2006), transported to a fantasy adventure. ==Reception== The novel originally appeared with the cheerful tagline, "Terrorism - It's The New Rock'n'Roll," but the events of September 11, 2001 completely changed the potential of a black comedy based on a terrorist attack on Saturday, September 6. Note: September 6, 2001 was a Thursday, not a Saturday as in the book; however, retrospectively in the sequel the year of the Dubh Ardrain attack is given as in 2001. == References == Category:2001 British novels Category:Novels by Christopher Brookmyre Category:Little, Brown and Company books Category:English-language novels

A Big Country (1968 - 1991) was an Australian television documentary series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ==History== The series' purpose was to document life in rural Australia for the information of Australian city dwellers. The stories were identified by ABC staff working in rural areas. Based in Sydney (part of the ABC Rural division), the production team consisted of a producer, a reporter, a sound recordist and camera operator, possibly accompanied by trainees. 370 episodes each of 30 minutes were produced in 32 series between 1968 and 1991 and were screened on the ABC network in prime time to high ratings. The series also spawned a series of books based on the stories in the episodes. ==Awards== The series won numerous awards including: * Logie Awards of 1976 * Logie Awards of 1979 * Logie Awards of 1981 ==References== Category:Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming Category:1960s Australian documentary television series Category:1968 Australian television series debuts Category:1991 Australian television series endings Category:1970s Australian documentary television series Category:1980s Australian documentary television series Category:1990s Australian documentary television series

A Big Family (, translit. Bolshaya semya) is a 1954 Soviet drama film directed by Iosif Kheifits. It was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. It was based on Vsevolod Kochetov's novel Zhurbiny. ==Cast== * Sergei Lukyanov as Matvei Zhurbin * Boris Andreyev as Ilya Matveyevich Zhurbin * Vera Kuznetsova as Agafya Karpovna Zhurbina * Aleksey Batalov as Aleksei Zhurbin * Sergei Kurilov as Victor Zhurbin * Vadim Medvedev as Anton Zhurbin * Boris Bityukov as Kostya Zhurbin * Iya Arepina as Tanya Zhurbina * Klara Luchko as Lida Zhurbina * Ekaterina Savinova as Dunyasha Zhurbina * Pavel Kadochnikov as Skobelev * Elena Dobronravova as Katya Travnikova * Nikolai Gritsenko as Club Manager * Nikolai Sergeyev as Basmanov * Larisa Kronberg as Zinaida Ivanova ==Accolades== * 1955 – 1955 Cannes Film Festival – Special prize for best acting ensemble. ==References== ==External links== * Category:1954 films Category:1950s Russian-language films Category:1954 drama films Category:Films directed by Iosif Kheifits Category:Lenfilm films Category:Soviet drama films

A Big Fix: Radical Solutions for Australia's Environmental Crisis is a 2005 book by Ian Lowe which argues that the warnings from environmental scientists are urgent and unequivocal. Professor Lowe suggests that resources are being used too quickly, environmental systems are being compromised, and society is being destabilised by the increasing gap between rich and poor. Lowe proposes several radical solutions. He advocates a fundamental change to our personal values and social institutions and provides a vision of a healthier society – one that is more humane, takes an eco-centric approach, adopts longer-term thinking, and respects natural systems.A big fix: Radical solutions for Australia’s environmental crisisIndividual action can help save the environmentClimate change man's most serious issue: FlanneryRemedial vision ==See also== *List of Australian environmental books ==References== Category:Australian non-fiction books Category:Environment of Australia Category:Environmental non-fiction books Category:2005 non-fiction books Category:2005 in the environment Category:Climate change books Category:Books by Ian Lowe

A Big Hand for the Little Lady (released in the UK under the misleading title Big Deal at Dodge City, as the film is set in Laredo, Texas) is a 1966 American Western film made by Eden Productions Inc. and released by Warner Bros. The film was produced and directed by Fielder Cook from a screenplay by Sidney Carroll, adapted from their TV play Big Deal in Laredo which aired on The DuPont Show of the Week in 1962. The film stars Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, and Jason Robards. The original TV play starred Walter Matthau as Meredith. ==Plot== The five richest men in the territory gather in Laredo for their annual high-stakes poker game. The high rollers let nothing get in the way of their yearly showdown. When undertaker Tropp (Charles Bickford) calls for them in his horse-drawn hearse, cattleman Henry Drummond (Robards) forces a postponement of his daughter's wedding, while lawyer Otto Habershaw (Kevin McCarthy) abandons his closing arguments in a trial, with his client's life hanging in the balance. They are joined by Wilcox (Robert Middleton) and Buford (John Qualen) in the back room of Sam's saloon, while the curious gather outside for occasional reports. Settler Meredith (Fonda), his wife Mary (Joanne Woodward), and their young son Jackie (Gerald Michenaud) are passing through, on their way to purchase a farm near San Antonio, when a wheel on their wagon breaks. They wait at Sam's while the local blacksmith repairs it. Meredith, a recovering gambler, learns of the big poker game and begins to feel the excitement once again. The newcomer buys into the game, eventually staking all of the family savings, meant to pay for a home. The game builds to a climactic hand; the gamblers raise and reraise until more than $20,000 are in the pot. Meredith, out of cash, is unable to call the latest raise. Under the strain, he collapses. The town physician, Joseph "Doc" Scully (Burgess Meredith), is called to care for the stricken man. Barely conscious, Meredith signals for his wife to play out the hand. Taking his seat, Mary asks, "How do you play this game?" At this, the other players object loudly, but eventually give in. The situation is explained to her; if she cannot match the last raise (and any others that may follow), she will be out of the hand. Despite the men's protests, she leaves the room to borrow additional funds. With Jackie and four of the players trailing behind, Mary crosses the street and talks to the owner of the Cattle and Merchants' Bank, C. P. Ballinger (Paul Ford). After she shows him her hand, Ballinger suggests she is playing a practical joke. When he is told otherwise, he lends her $5,500 (at 6% interest) and makes a $5,000 raise for her. The other players, aware of Ballinger's tightfisted, cautious nature, all reluctantly fold. Mary collects her sizable winnings and pays Ballinger back with interest. The game then breaks up, no one ever having seen the winning hand. The lady's determination earns her the admiration of the men. Drummond is so touched that when he returns home to the waiting wedding ceremony, he talks privately to his weak-willed, prospective son-in-law, gives him some money, and orders him to run away and find himself a better wife than his daughter. In the end, Meredith, Mary, and even their "son" are revealed to be confidence tricksters and expert card sharps. With the help of Scully—who dreams of romance far from the tedium and poverty of a country doctor's life—and at Ballinger's behest, they have perpetrated a scam on the other poker players, who had swindled the banker in a real-estate deal 16 years before. "Mary" is actually Ballinger's mistress, Ruby. She promised him she would give up gambling after the caper, but she sits down to another poker game, much to Ballinger's dismay, as the credits roll. ==Cast== * Henry Fonda as Meredith/Benny * Joanne Woodward as Mary/Ruby * Jason Robards as Henry P.G. Drummond * Paul Ford as C.P. Ballinger * Charles Bickford as Benson Tropp * Burgess Meredith as Doc Joseph Scully * Kevin McCarthy as Otto Habershaw * Robert Middleton as Dennis Wilcox * John Qualen as Jesse Buford * Percy Helton as Kevin McKenzie * Gerald Michenaud as Jackie * James Kinney as Sam Rhine * Allen Collins as Toby * Jim Boles as Pete * Virginia Gregg as Mrs. Drummond * Chester Conklin as Old Man In Saloon * Mae Clarke as Mrs. Craig * Ned Glass as Owney Price * James Griffith as Mr. Stribling * Noah Keen as Sparrow ==Nominations== Joanne Woodward was nominated for the Golden Laurel Award for Female Comedy Performance.A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) - Awards ==Reception== The New York Times' Robert Alden enjoyed the film, praising the “seasoned set of actors” in the cast: “They are a skillful bunch, and it is a pleasure seeing real film professionals having at each other. A foxier bunch of artful poker rascals would be hard to find” crediting Meredith with “perhaps the most memorable performance of the lot.” Observing that “Lee Garmes, (is) one of the master camera hands of the West, and the roving camera eye of Mr. Garmes and company provides some of the film's best moments,” Alden adds “the mixing of comedy and tragedy is sometimes uncomfortable for an audience” seeing it for the first time. However, the “delightful surprise ending” ...”makes the feast worthwhile. “ ==See also== * List of American films of 1966 ==References== ==External links== * * * * * Category:1966 films Category:1966 Western (genre) films Category:American Western (genre) films Category:1960s English-language films Category:Films about con artists Category:Films directed by Fielder Cook Category:Films scored by David Raksin Category:Films set in Texas Category:Films about poker Category:Warner Bros. films Category:Films based on television plays Category:1960s American films

A Big House by the Lake is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Cecimonster Vs. Donka from Lima, Peru. ==Track listing== == Personnel == ;Band Members * Sergio Saba – vocals, guitar * Sebastian Kouri – guitar * Danny Wilson – bass guitar * Mario Acuña – Drums ;Additional personnel * Rafael de la Lama – Recording, mixing * Bruno Bellatin – Arrangements, guitars == References == Category:2019 albums Category:Cecimonster Vs. Donka albums

"A Big Hunk o' Love" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single on June 23, 1959 by RCA Victor, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. The song was revived by Presley in 1972 during his engagements at the Las Vegas Hilton in February 1972 and was used in his live shows until mid-1973. It was performed live for the last time on January 26, 1974. The song is included in the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour and his 1973 show broadcast via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. During this time period, it was played by the Elvis' TCB Band, and featured Glen D. Hardin and James Burton. The song was written by Aaron Schroeder and Sidney Wyche, under the name Sid Jaxon and published by Elvis Presley's company Gladys Music, Inc. Aaron Schroeder (along with Wally Gold), also wrote "It's Now or Never" and "Good Luck Charm", both of which, like "A Big Hunk o' Love", were originally recorded by American rock and roll icon Elvis Presley. Syd Wyche is best known for writing the jazz standard "Alright, Okay, You Win", whereas Aaron Schroeder co-wrote many hits in the rock`n`roll area, from "Fools Hall of Fame" (Pat Boone) to "Because They're Young" (Duane Eddy). In an interview conducted by Jan-Erik Kjeseth, he also revealed that in fact he worked with his partner Wally Gold in order to improve a song submitted by another writer, and the result was "It's My Party", a big hit for Lesley Gore. Schroeder and Gold tossed a coin as to whose name should go on the record, and Gold "won". The song appeared on the 1959 compilation 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong and the 2002 career retrospective ELV1S: 30#1 Hits. == Recording == "A Big Hunk o' Love", a hard, driving rocker, was recorded at Elvis' first and only session during his two years of Army service. The session took place on June 10, 1958, in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the first session that did not include guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, who had both worked with Elvis since his first recordings for Sam Phillips at the Memphis Recording Service, which later became known as Sun Studios. The recording featured Elvis' drummer D.J. Fontana and backing vocalists the Jordanaires, who would continue to work with Elvis until Elvis' appearance at the Hilton in Las Vegas. The rest of the musicians were noted Nashville session men, such as guitarist Hank Garland on a Gibson Byrdland guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Bob Moore on double bass, and Buddy Harman and D.J. Fontana on drums. The song was recorded in four takes, the released version is actually spliced from takes three and four. ==Personnel== *Elvis Presley - lead vocals, rhythm guitar *Chet Atkins – rhythm guitar *Hank Garland - lead guitar *Bob Moore - double bass *D.J. Fontana, Buddy Harman - drums *Floyd Cramer - piano *Steve Sholes - producer *Bob Ferris - engineer == Release and chart performance == RCA Victor had paired "A Big Hunk o' Love" for release as a single with "My Wish Came True" as the B-side in both the United States and England. When the single was released on June 23, it was the third release to come from Elvis' army session after "I Got Stung" on October 21, 1958, and "I Need Your Love Tonight" b/w "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I" on March 10, 1959. The A-side spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the B-side peaked at No. 12. The single was less successful on the Cashbox Top 100 with the A-side peaking at No. 2 and the B-side at No. 23. On the UK Singles Chart the A-side peaked at No. 4, while the B-side did not appear on the chart. The A-side also peaked at No. 10 on Billboard magazine's R&B; Singles chart. Presley's next single was another Aaron Schroeder co-composition, "Stuck on You". "A Big Hunk o' Love" was the first of four of Schroeder's songs that became No. 1 hits for Presley. "A Big Hunk o' Love" b/w "My Wish Came True" was Presley's last commercially released Canadian 78 RPM. It was Elvis' first single to not receive a 78 RPM pressing in the United States. == Single track listings == == See also == *List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1959 == References == Category:1959 singles Category:Elvis Presley songs Category:RCA Records singles Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Songs written by Aaron Schroeder Category:1959 songs Category:RCA Victor singles Category:Songs written by Sid Wyche

A Big Mooncake for Little Star is a 2018 picture book written and illustrated by Grace Lin. The story is about Little Star gradually eating the mooncake that her mother has baked. The book was a departure for Lin both thematically and in her use of illustrative style. The book was well reviewed and was awarded a Caldecott Honor. The illustrations feature heavy use of black and rely on both the pictures and words to convey the story and its themes. == Plot == As the book opens Little Star's mother has just finished making a "Big mooncake" and asks the young girl to not touch it. After awaking in the middle of the night, Little Star forgets what her mother had asked of her and takes a small bite and then runs back to bed. This is repeated each night with the mooncake getting smaller and smaller, until Little Star's mother discovers what's happened. The book ends with the two baking a new mooncake. == Background and publication == The book was written to celebrate Lin's "favorite Asian holiday", the Mid-Autumn Festival (what Lin calls the Autumn Moon Festival). She wanted a story for the festival to tell her three-year-old daughter after they had exhausted traditional tales, such as those about the Moon rabbit, and her daughter demanded more. The story was then inspired after her daughter ate all the mooncakes for the year and learned that there would be no more until next year. With the book, Lin was responding to her despair after the 2016 United States presidential election and an art exhibit about the Americana of Robert McCloskey she had taken her daughter to. In the exhibit Lin noticed that there was no Asian representation for her daughter to see and then further thought about Coles Phillips' illustrations where the characters blend into the background, which also lacked Asian characters. Little Star was inspired by Lin's daughter and also created to be an example of the Asian representation Lin had felt was missing. The book was published on August 28, 2018 by Little, Brown and Company. == Writing and illustrations == For Lin, this book represented a change in theme from examining her Asian heritage to claiming her American identity. A Big Mooncake for Little Star is about the phases of the moon and represented a new illustrative style for Lin who had previously illustrated her chapter books like Where the Mountain Meets the Moon with block print. In this book, Lin used gouache on watercolor paper. Black plays an important role in the book's illustrations, contributing to the nighttime sky theme. Author Samantha Hunt writing in The New York Times wrote of how "the rich darkness of the book’s pages is cut by the glorious gold of the stars". The food combines with the background to further space imagery with the crumbs of the mooncake become the stars while spilled milk resembles the Milky Way. This reinforces the book's space theme with Little Star's eating of the mooncakes representing the phases of the moon, though this is not directly stated. The heavy use of black also allows for more emphasis on where and how the book's text is placed and helps reinforce the space theme. Lin's writing and illustrations combined to produce a mysterious and slightly irreverent tone in this original fable. The book's mother-daughter relationship gives a reassuring feeling to the reader. Lin was particularly proud of the endpapers and their homage to McClosky's Blueberries for Sal. She also wanted to capture "the same mother-daughter bond, that timeless love of family, that passing along of traditions and skills. Those things that go beyond race and nationality." The book was also compared to Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen. == Reviews and awards == The book was generally well reviewed. It was given a starred review and was named a best book of 2018 by Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, while The Washington Post named it as a best book of the year. It also received starred reviews from Booklist, with author and editor Ilene Cooper praising the illustrations and Lin's "intriguing characters who come alive through facial expressions", The Horn Book Magazine, and the School Library Journal. The book was a recipient of a 2019 Caldecott Honor for its illustrations. Lin had tried to tune out the chatter around A Big Mooncake for Little Star being a possible Caldecott book. She had thought the odds of a win were unlikely, so she scheduled a massage when the awards were announced as a way to, "feel special when the dream ended." When she hadn't heard anything by mid-morning she thought it wasn't going to happen and so she was surprised when a little while later her phone rang. The Caledcott had been a signal of quality for Lin who had studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design in part because of multiple Caldecott winner Chris Van Allsburg's association with the school. The Wall Street Journal noted that this book was part of a "cheerful" set of Caldecott Medal and Honor books. ==References== Category:2018 children's books Category:American picture books Category:Caldecott Honor-winning works Category:Holiday-themed children's books

"A Big Piece of Garbage" is the eighth episode in the first season of the American animated television series Futurama. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on 11 May 1999. The episode was written by Lewis Morton and directed by Susie Dietter. Ron Popeil guest stars in this episode as himself. Nancy Cartwright also has a brief cameo as a Bart Simpson doll. Much of the episode is a spoof of the 1998 film Armageddon; however, instead of Earth being threatened by an asteroid, it is threatened by a giant ball of garbage. ==Plot== Professor Farnsworth invites the crew of Planet Express to join him at the Academy of Inventors' annual symposium, where inventors display their latest creations. He will be presenting his invention, the Deathclock, which displays the date of a person's death after that person's finger is stuck into the machine. At the symposium, the crew encounter one of Farnsworth's former students, Professor Ogden Wernstrom. When he was still a student, Wernstrom received an A-minus on a pop quiz and vowed revenge, even if it took him 100 years. Just over 99 years have passed, so Farnsworth considers himself to be essentially in the clear. Wernstrom presents his invention, a reverse SCUBA suit that allows fish to breathe water while walking about on land, demonstrated by his fish, named Cinnamon. He then taunts Farnsworth over his invention from the previous year—the Deathclock. Mortified that he had previously presented the device and forgotten about it, Farnsworth hastily begins drawing on a napkin. He presents the drawing, which depicts both a Smelloscope, a device that allows people to smell distant cosmic objects, and a doodle of himself as a cowboy. As the audience laughs, he sweats and wipes the napkin on his head by accident, blurring the picture. Wernstrom announces that the invention deserves "the worst grade imaginable: an A-minus-minus." Back at Planet Express, Farnsworth invites everybody to see the Smelloscope that he had constructed last year and also forgotten about. Fry begins smelling Jupiter, Saturn, and other objects around the solar system and quickly discovers the smelliest object in the universe. After calculating its trajectory, Farnsworth announces that the object will collide with New New York City in 72 hours, reducing it to a "stinky crater" (Bender immediately starts looting at this news). After some research, they find a video that reveals the object to be a giant ball of garbage from Old New York, launched into space from a mob-obtained rocket in 2052. After warning Mayor Poopenmayer, a plan is hatched to destroy the garbage ball. The Planet Express crew (being the only ones who will take on such a suicidal mission) is sent on a mission to plant a bomb on a fault line next to coffee areas and deposits of AOL floppy disks on the ball. Farnsworth also reminds them that if it blew up any time later, the explosion would cause garbage to rain across the entire Earth, killing millions. Then, once activated, the bomb will be set to allow the crew twenty-five minutes to escape. When the crew lands on the ball, Fry is amazed by all of the 20th-century items on the ball, including a Beanie Baby, a Mister Spock collectors plate, and Bart Simpson dolls, but Leela reminds Fry that these things were garbage, which is why they are in the garbage ball in the first place. Unfortunately, after starting the bomb, they find out the Professor put the bomb's countdown display in upside down, and it actually only allows 52 seconds. The crew panics, and Bender throws the bomb into space to save them, where it explodes harmlessly. The crew returns to Earth in shame. The Mayor then sends for Wernstrom for help. Wernstrom demands tenure, a grant, and five research assistants, at least three of whom must be Chinese. When the mayor agrees to his conditions, Wernstrom reveals that he has no plan, declares that he is set for life, and leaves. In a last-ditch effort to redeem himself, Farnsworth comes up with a second plan to save the city: launching a second ball of garbage to bounce against the first one and sending it flying into the sun without smashing to bits. The Mayor exclaims that there has not been garbage in New New York for 500 years, so there is no way to make such a ball. Fry seizes the moment and demonstrates how to make garbage. An announcement is made to tell the city to throw away everything. The city quickly generates a second ball of garbage, which is fired at the first garbage ball. The rocket flies into the air and hits the other garbage ball, which first slingshots around planets, then sending it into the sun, while the new ball flies out of the solar system. For saving the city from the garbage ball, Professor Farnsworth is given the inventor's award, which was confiscated from Wernstrom as punishment for him being a jackass. Wernstrom comments "I will get you for this Farnsworth, even if it takes another 100 years!" The others quickly dismiss Leela's concerns that the new garbage ball will return and destroy a future generation. Professor Farnsworth replies that it will not be for hundreds of years, presumably by the year 4000, prompting Fry to say "That's the 20th Century spirit!" Over the closing credits, the song "We'll Meet Again" plays instead of the standard Futurama theme. ==Cultural references== The plot of the episode is a reference to the 1998 film Armageddon, in which a group of astronauts attempt to destroy an asteroid heading towards Earth with a warhead. It also references Mobro 4000, a garbage barge that originated in New York and was rejected from multiple ports in 1987. The garbage ball contains Bart Simpson dolls that utter Bart's catchphrase "eat my shorts" to which Bender does, and later he would respond "mmm...shorts" the same way Homer Simpson does when he gets hungry. ==Reception== Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club gave the episode an A−, stating, "More than anything else, 'A Big Piece Of Garbage' gives a taste of what’s to come. Other episodes will have more challenging, mind-boggling plots, and still others will find ways to move us more deeply than we thought possible from such a silly, weird little show. But this half hour is proof that the show can tell big, legitimately exciting (if utterly ridiculous) adventure stories without breaking a sweat." This episode was nominated for an Emmy award in 1999 for Best Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)". However, it lost to the King of the Hill episode "And They Call It Bobby Love". ==References== ==External links== * "A Big Piece of Garbage" at The New York Times Movies * * "A Big Piece of Garbage" at the Infosphere, the Futurama Wiki * Episode transcript at IMSDb Category:Futurama (season 1) episodes Category:1999 American television episodes

A Big She-Bear (The story of mountains with a prologue and an epilogue) is a 2013 Georgian novel by author Miho Mosulishvili. ==Logline== A little boy – Vache – is afraid that the village governor (administrative head) Ahab and his team might kill a big she-bear, as the latter is a symbol of the sin committed by the villagers: Ahab promised to marry Vache’s mother Lela and deceived her. The woman, abandoned and criticized by the villagers, committed suicide. ==Outline== The inhabitants of a village located in the mountains of South Caucasus struggle with a big She-Bear. The bear has caused damage to the villagers' corn fields, beehives and cattle, killed hunters and their dogs and avoided all kinds of traps. The village governor (administrative head), called a Biblical name Ahab, tries to kill the big she-bear with the help of the villagers. All the inhabitants of the village realize that this bear is a ghost from Ahab's past life. ==Release details== * 2013 — Saunje Publishing == Film adaptation == June 26, 2015 Miho Mosulishvili as a screenwriter is winner with CPU Lira Production (Producer and Film-director Lali Kiknavelidze) for project ‘A Big She-Bear’ in the competition "Adaptation of the 21st Century Georgian Literary Work" organized of the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, Georgian National Film CenterGeorgian National Film Center and Georgian National Book Center, The Jury Members: Nana Jorjadze, Levan Berdzenishvili, Levan Tutberidze, Davit Chubinishvili, Vazha Gigashvili, Manana Anasashvili, Lela Ochiauri, Davit Gabunia ==References== ==External links== * A BIG SHE BEAR * A BIG SHE-BEAR * Didi zu datvi Category:Literature of Georgia (country) Category:2013 novels Category:21st-century Georgian novels Category:Georgian magic realism novels Category:Works by Miho Mosulishvili