#breakdowns of 1946

[peterlorres21stcentury]

I FOUND IT I FOUND IT

Ok so remember the Warner Brothers annual blooper reels of Breakdowns and Blow-Ups? For some reason, this tiny outtake from "The Beast with Five Fingers" was always missing from online collections. I knew it existed as an extra on one DVD or another, but I did not know which. However, thanks to "The Lost One" bio, I found another place where this was shown: a 1991 documentary called Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. Thank you, Internet Archive. I'm not sure why this one had French subtitles burned in but it's somehow funnier this way.

[scotianostra]

Happy birthday, hard working Scottish actor Brian Cox.

I just spent a good hour putting a post together about Brian only for my computer to decide to play up and I lost it all, so I apologise for the copy and paste job from last years post, with a wee add on at the end.

It’s often said, oor wee country Scotland punches above it’s weight and it is certainly true with the number of quality actors we have, Brian Cox is certainly up their with them.

The youngest of five children, he was born on 1st June 1946 to an Irish and Scottish descent family in Dundee. His father, a mill worker, died when Brian was eight, after which his mother suffered a series of nervous breakdowns and was eventually hospitalised.

Brought up by his eldest sister and an aunt, Brian was drawn to acting after he got a job helping backstage at Dundee Rep. He worked there for two years, then trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After a spell in regional repertory, he made his London stage debut as Orlando in As You Like It in June 1967.

Cox first came to attention in the early 1970s with performances in numerous television shows and films including the role of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell in a TV movie Bothwell, the shows Sutherlands Law, The Master of Ballantrae, in the 80’s he was in Minder, Crown Court and Scotland’s Story, we also saw Brian head for the USA as the first Hanibal Lector in Manhunter and in Scotland he was in the excellent film Shoot for the Sun with Jimmy Nail.

His first big break was as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the aforementioned Manhunter . The film was not overly successful at the box office, although Cox’s career prospects and popularity continued to develop. Through the 1990s, he appeared in nearly 20 films and television series, as well as making numerous television guest appearances. Two Scottish roles in Rob Roy, as Killearn, then Braveheart as Argyle Wallace brought Brian to a much bigger audience.

Hollywood roles followed, the most notable were in The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy as well as Super Troopers and the sequal Super Troopers 2 as well as 25th Hour. Cox never turned his back on Scotland though, making appearances on our small screen in Bob Servant and Shetland, he was also in the film The Flying Scot about cyclist Graeme Obree.

In his personal life he has 4 children two to his first wife, and 2 his second wife, he is a patron of The Scottish Youth Theatre and an “ambassador” for the Screen Academy Scotland, he was twice elected Rector of the University of Dundee by students in his home town, as well as holding an honorary doctorate from Napier University in Edinburgh, awarded in July 2008. On 14 April 2012, Cox was the 10th grand marshal of the New York City Tartan Day Parade.

Brian has won an Emmy, for the role of Hermann Wilhelm Goering in Nuremberg, 2002, and a Golden Globe in 2020 for Best Actor in a TV Drama, for Succession.

He has over 235 acting credits and shows no signs of slowing down, this year he has appeared in the Horror movie The Parenting and voiced a character in the animated movie The Electric State. Brian is currently involved in an upcoming film dubbed a "love letter to Scotland", Glenrothan. After 35 years abroad, Donal returns to Scotland to make amends with his brother, Sandy. Fonal is played bt Alan Cumming, Shirley Henderson co-stars. As I put this post together I am settling down to watch Brian Cox: Amol Rajan Interviews, which is available on the BBC iPlayer .

[bleedingcoffee42]

Floyd Craver

For the General Court Martial of the May 27th incident he is charged with two counts of murder and an attempted murder. For escaping the stockade he is charged with desertion and escape from confinement. His clemency was granted November 13, 1959.

Previous court martials were:

Summary Court martials: Total of seven

-April 27, 1945 - AWOL for 2 days

-January 11, 1945- AWOL for 1 day

-January 6, 1944- Drunk in public (probably the car theft)

-June 30, 1943- AWOL

-January 2, 1943- drunk in public

-February 9, 1943- AWOL

-May 15, 1943- Disobedience.

Company cards here and here and car theft.

Per his shrink eval, one was for drunk and car theft, two AWOLs for being drunk, and an AWOL for when his son was born.

From the Psychologist interviews/review boards/evaluations: Dr. Soltz interviewed him first (June 13) and closest to the May 27, 1945 incidents. Other board interviews were before trial Sept 1945 and follow up on review in March 1946.

Craver's father, Floyd Craver Sr., was blown up by dynamite while on a prison chain gang in June 1922, his death certificate states it was his own negligence. (source: death cert) In speaking with the psychologists in the ETO he states numerous times his Dad (unknown) died when he was 3. Floyd was born August 1921.

He also states his mother remarried when she was 47, when it appears she got remarried in her late twenties. Tells Dr. Soltz he was reared by his step Dad and Mom had multiple nervous breakdowns. (GCM) He had three half brothers. One died in infancy. (find a grave) Mother did write the review board, contacted a senator, and get a lawyer to try and get her boy out of jail. (GCM)

He left school in fifth grade to work.(1946 shrink council) Started school late as he had burns on his body at age six. Made it to fourth grade at age 14 with a lot of truancy. (Soltz- 1945) He worked as a bell hop, in a textile mill, truck driver (all interviews.) and pimp (1946 interview). Been using alcohol and drugs since he was 16 (1946) or at 18 (1945). Gambles and considers it supplemental income. Married at 21, wife was 17 and he was courting her for a year and had sexual relations. Had a son after marriage. Has had extramarital relations mostly with prostitutes. Was in the National Guard. Volunteered for parachute infantry and completed an 8 week course and landed in England in Feb 1945. Landed in Germany April 3, 1945, Austria May 10, 1945. Had one month of combat.

Psychologist range from thinking he was insane to just plain stupid. Soltz is the only doctor who is fixated on Craver's enjoying fellatio by men and women and can't wait to bring that up in trial. He feels that this is a perversion and the homosexual desires stem from his marijuana use. Implies at one point without any evidence or objection from anyone, that Craver found some Meth at Berchtesgaden and that's why his eyes were crazy red during the murder of German Captain. NO evidence, just he read an article once. He also really thinks him nuts for spending 500 Francs for 15 joints. Craver does tell Soltz his squad found some pot at Berchtesgaden. Soltz records he get a high of exhilaration from it but no desire for sexual stimulation other than fellatio. (He really is obsessed with this.) Tells Soltz he had some opium in Baltimore in Dec 44, at Mourmelon in March '45 , and hit up morphine in April '45. Smokes regular tobacco 1/2 pack a day but does not smoke aspirin.

And he also hallucinates his Mom, wife, child saying "Be good. Come home". "Has been in communion with God, who has spoken to him." And "feels that he is imbued with the powers to read other people's minds". Dr. Soltz is not concerned about these, thinks that's just normal to have your family saying come home and a product of an over religious Mom to talk to God, and never asks about the mind reading because it's clearly not as much of a concern as blowjobs.

Dr. Soltz has the most experience of anyone in Neuropsychology, the other doctors admitting they do not specialize in it. Soltz exudes arrogance and prejudice in his testimony and I admit I don't like him. A little poking around into him reveals post war he is living on Park Ave in NYC and in private practice. He also gets his ass sued by the wife of a client, because he had her committed even though he never had her as a patient.

Source: GCM File Floyd Craver.

[bigwatershouse]

Syd Barrett didn’t go crazy—he just didn’t connect with Waters, Mason, and Gilmour (and who could blame him?)

Posted originally under this link.

Referenced material:

Rolling Stone interview with Syd

Audio interview from 1967

2001 Dave Gilmour interview

Pink Floyd: The Story Of Wish You Were Here (2012)

Rosemary Breen interview (2009) — thanks westbrookhazard!

Foreword

This is a personal interpretation, not expert analysis. As a fan, I’ve long felt that Syd Barrett may have been misunderstood—perhaps even mistreated—due to being neurodivergent. This post explores that perspective.

Baby Lemonade

Syd Barrett (1946–2006) founded Pink Floyd and shaped their early sound, but was pushed out by 1969. Stories often blame his LSD use and supposed breakdown, but rarely examine the band dynamics.

Waters, often described as intense and rigid, could have clashed with Syd’s freer spirit. Gilmour was sociable but a latecomer, Wright seemed easygoing but perhaps swept up by fame, and Mason rarely stood out in early interviews. Syd’s family, alarmed by his psychedelic lifestyle, may have tried to pull him back.

Today's definitions of autism shed new light on Syd’s behavior. He was possibly neurodivergent and, combined with heavy LSD use, became alienated from those around him. But was he "mad"? Or just misunderstood?

Wish You Were Here

In The Story Of Wish You Were Here, Waters and Gilmour seem uncomfortable recounting Syd's departure—suggesting guilt or regret.

The mainstream narrative—Syd “fried” his brain and the others heroically carried on—feels outdated and biased. Reframing the story through a modern lens of neurodivergence and group dynamics paints a very different picture.

Pulse

I first discovered Pink Floyd in the '90s via Pulse—a faceless, commercial version of the band, far removed from its counterculture roots.

Syd coined the name “Pink Floyd” from two bluesmen: Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Ironically, fans would later ask “Which one’s Pink?” as the band drifted from Syd’s original ideals of psychedelic freedom.

Post-Syd Floyd sold rebellion while becoming part of the system. Their critiques of conformity ring hollow when viewed as polished products of the very machine they denounced. Syd’s vision was raw, poetic, and inward-looking. That was lost.

2001 Gilmour Interview

In this interview, Gilmour admits the band can’t even agree on when Syd “lost it”—a telling sign that the breakdown story is shaky.

Gilmour confesses jealousy of Syd’s brilliance and charisma. He also downplays Waters and Mason’s early musicianship, hinting at rivalry and insecurity within the band. These are not signs of a healthy group dynamic.

Hey ho, huff the Talbot

(from “Octopus”)

The myth that Syd lost his mind from LSD stuck for decades—repeated in interviews, films, and press. But maybe he was just ousted in a moment of vulnerability. Maybe he was gaslit.

It’s plausible that the band’s decision to drop him caused his later decline, not the other way around.

Red and yellow mane of a stallion horse

(from “No Good Trying”)

Syd once said, “[Hendrix] was a perfect guitarist. And that’s all I wanted to do… but too many people got in the way.” Sharing a stage with Hendrix may have shaken his confidence, especially while experimenting with LSD and lacking formal training.

While Hendrix and Barrett were both self-taught innovators, their styles diverged—Jimi with fiery virtuosity, Syd with lyrical introspection. Faced with Jimi’s brilliance, Syd may have felt inadequate and tried to emulate something outside his nature.

At the same time, the band was growing more professional and commercial. Waters allegedly pressured managers to drop Syd, and the others followed. It was business over friendship, conformity over compassion.

What if they'd supported him instead? Given him space? The Beatles stood by Lennon through his LSD phase. Pink Floyd, still proving themselves, couldn’t afford the risk—or didn’t care to try.

Hendrix himself once praised Pink Floyd as “mad scientists… doing a space thing.”

The Caterpillar Hood Won't Cover the Head of You

("No Good Trying" - Syd Barrett)

Syd Barrett was emotionally drained by daily acid trips and the strain of performing live. He took LSD hoping it would help him cope, unlock his true self, and break free from societal constraints. But by night, he was often too exhausted to function, and his behavior was interpreted as instability.

Meanwhile, his bandmates weren’t equipped to understand, let alone support, someone in that state. They were irritated, confused, and ultimately, indifferent.

Pink Floyd's post-Syd era treats psychedelia like a taboo, possibly due to the trauma around his decline. Despite the public narrative, Syd didn’t appear to be "fried" by LSD. He seemed emotionally overwhelmed, not psychotic. Perhaps he just needed support. But no one waited.

Roger Waters, frustrated with Syd and eager for control, brought in David Gilmour. After five gigs with both Syd and Gilmour, the band simply stopped picking Syd up. They never formally told him he was out. For someone so vulnerable, that kind of silent rejection is brutal. Syd, broke and bewildered, retreated to his mother's home.

This was the man who named the band and wrote nearly all their first album. Yet he was ghosted by his friends, gaslit into forgetting his own contributions.

His sister Rosemary later clarified: Syd wasn't schizophrenic. He just had a different kind of mind. When he reappeared in 1975 during the "Wish You Were Here" sessions, overweight and unrecognizable, the band cried. Maybe they finally felt the guilt.

Waters once said they left raw takes on "The Madcap Laughs" to punish Syd. But those takes sound more like bullying. Songs were recorded quickly, often in one take, with no luxury of retakes. "If It's In You" captures that frustration.

Even the album title was misheard. Gilmour thought Syd sang "madcap" instead of "mad cat." The mistake stuck, perhaps because it reinforced the myth of Syd's madness.

Despite limited resources, Syd's solo work sparkled. Tracks like "Octopus," "Dominoes," and "No Good Trying" are inventive and moving. His second album, "Barrett," had better production, but still little support. "Opel," the third, was a collection of earlier recordings. Syd tried to include two Pink Floyd-era songs, but they were vetoed.

Today, Pink Floyd owns the rights to Syd's solo work and controls the official narrative: Syd became erratic and unusable. But this may be the story they told themselves to feel okay about taking over.

The band continued to reuse Syd's image and legacy. They featured him in lyrics, movies, and concepts. They sermonized him on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," while silencing what he stood for: creative freedom, emotional honesty, and rebellion.

"Dark Side of the Moon" hints that Syd was the bright side. "Eclipse" implies they overshadowed him. Why keep invoking him? Because Syd was the real rock & roll. The others, raised in comfort, couldn’t embody what he did.

Waters hurt the counterculture when he ousted Syd. Rather than care for him, they erased him. When John Lennon was taking LSD, the Beatles didn’t abandon him. That’s what integrity looks like.

Ironically, after removing Syd, Floyd themselves couldn't maintain the grueling pace. They took breaks, canceled shows, slowed down. The very things Syd might have needed.

In "Brain Damage," Waters says, "The lunatic is in my head." Maybe it was a confession. Maybe Syd's "madness" was always a myth.

Syd’s solo career, though brief, is filled with beauty and originality. His style echoes in later Floyd songs like "Welcome to the Machine" and "Have a Cigar."

Floyd without Syd focused more on form than content. Their concerts became spectacle, their rebellion sanitized. The creative fire, the lyric-driven progressiveness – that was Syd. He gave them vision. They gave him silence.

He deserved better. Not exclusion. Not myth-making. Not ownership of his legacy by those who couldn’t understand it.

Disclaimer

I’m not an expert or a psychologist. This is just my personal interpretation based on public information, and meant in good faith. It’s speculative, and not meant as a definitive account.

Afterword

As an early millennial raised before the internet, I was used to valuing original thought. Today, online discourse often punishes deviation from consensus. People nitpick minor errors to dismiss entire arguments. But this interpretation might help someone else, as it helped me. That’s why I shared it.

The internet favors easy, agreeable narratives. But sometimes it’s worth hearing a different voice. Even if it’s just another brick in the wall.

[darkmaga-returns]

14 April 2025, by Eric Zuesse. (All of my recent articles can be seen here.)

The world is awaiting an initial decision (to come after 28 July 2025), in the case “South Africa v. Israel” (that link to the case is to it at the U.S.-Government-controlled Wikipedia and is therefore slanted favoring Israel against South Africa, but provides at least the facts that Israel’s side acknowledges). (The Court’s official filing of the entire case itself — what South Africa accuses against Israel — is here.) However, already regarding many of the charges, all but one of the judges on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — who happens to be the Court’s leader and to always vote in favor of Israel because she accepts the Christian Bible as being The Word of God and its God having commanded Israel to exterminate all Gazans — have voted that the Court does have jurisdiction to consider the case. (She voted against even considering South Africa’s case against Israel.)

The NATO-affiliated Atlantic Council headlined on 16 February 2024 “Could the US and other states be implicated in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel?”, and concluded that “Even if the United States avoids an ICJ finding of complicity in or failure to prevent genocide, such a judgment against its peers for acts the United States has also undertaken would influence public perception of the conflict and the United States’ role.” That article’s only reference to America supplying virtually all of the weaponry, ammunition, and satellite intelligence for the bombings of Gaza mentioned just $250 million in weapons, but, actually, on 7 October 2024, America’s AP headlined “US spends a record $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel since last Oct. 7” and failed even to mention the $14.5 billion that Biden and Congress had authorized on 2 November 2023 to be donated by U.S. taxpayers to Israel for its ongoing wars — and provided no breakdown, at all, of when or how that alleged $17.9B had been allocated. On 12 October 2023, “USA FACTS” had headlined “Israel has received more foreign aid from the US than any other country since WWII.” and calculated that “Adjusted for inflation in 2022 dollars,” U.S. taxpayers have donated to Israel during 1946 (two years prior to Israel’s existence) to 2022 (well before the 7 October 2023 event), $317.9 billion; and this means that all-inclusive till the present, the amount is now around $340B and skyrocketing. So: anything that Israel does to Palestinians is being done to them both by Israel and by the U.S. It’s their partnership, against Palestine.

[opera-ghosts]

OTD in Music History: Historically important Austrian-Jewish violinist Arnold Rosé (1863 - 1946) dies, in exile, in London. After completing his musical education at the Vienna Conservatory, Rose made his first appearance with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1881 as the soloist in the Viennese premiere of Karl Goldmark's (1830 - 1915) Violin Concerto under the baton of Hans Richter (1843 - 1916). Shortly thereafter, Rose was engaged to serve as the concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic. He held that position for more than fifty years, during which time he worked closely with both Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897) and Gustav Mahler (1860 -1911), the latter of whom was also his brother-in-law. In addition, Rose founded the celebrated "Rose Quartet" in 1882, and continued to lead it in various iterations until 1938. As the leader of the Rose Quartet, Rose participated in the Vienna premieres of several important chamber works, including Brahms's Quintet in G Major (Op. 111, 1890) and Clarinet Quintet (Op. 115, 1891). The Rose Quartet was also entrusted with the world premieres of Arnold Schoenberg's (1874 - 1951) 1st and 2nd String Quartets, and they participated (along with two additional members of the Vienna Philharmonic) in the 1899 world premiere of Schoenberg's celebrated String Sextet, subtitled "Verklarte Nacht" ("Transfigured Night"). From 1893 to 1901, Rose taught at the Vienna Conservatory; he later rejoined the faculty in 1908 and continued serving on it until 1924. In 1938, Rose wisely fled to London to escape from Nazi persecution, and spent his final years living there as an exile. After learning that his beloved daughter Alma had perished in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp at the age of 37 in 1944, the elderly Rose suffered a severe emotional breakdown from which he never fully recovered. When the Vienna Philharmonic publicly announced that it wished to reinstate him as its concertmaster shortly after the end of WWII, Rose pointedly refused the appointment on the grounds that "there are still 56 Nazis within the ranks of that orchestra." PICTURED: A real photo postcard of Rose, which he signed and dated for a fan in April 1929.

[dweemeister]

The complete list of films featured on this blog’s 2024 “31 Days of Oscar” marathon

Hello everyone,

Thank you once more for allowing me to present this annual marathon of Oscar-nominated films to your dashboards. This year, the films were grouped by category (for the most part, one day featured only films nominated in a particular category). This is the most exclusive period on this blog, as the selection of films that I can post and queue about is at its most limited. But at the same time, the blog is at its most accessible as this yearly marathon’s selection skews to more popular fare than what I usually queue. I hope you enjoyed this year’s presentation of 31 Days of Oscar once more!

What follows is the exhaustive list of all 381 short- and feature-length films featured on this blog over the last thirty-one days for the 31 Days of Oscar marathon. This is down from 2022’s record of 420. But that count remains only a fraction of the 5,145 films that have been nominated for Academy Awards since 1927 (excluding Honorary Oscar winners that weren't nominated in a competitive category).

Of those 382, 28 were short films (53 short films is the record, which was set in 2022). 354 were feature films.

BREAKDOWN BY DECADE 1927-1929: 10 1930s: 51 1940s: 54 1950s: 44 1960s: 42 1970s: 26 1980s: 26 1990s: 23 2000s: 26 2010s: 26 2020s: 54

TOTAL: 382 (380 last year)

Year with most representation (2023 excluded): 1938 and 1942 (9 films each) Median year: 1966

Time for the list. 59 Best Picture winners and the one (and only) winner for Unique and Artistic Production that I featured this year are in bold. Asterisked (*) films are films I haven’t seen in their entirety as of the publishing of this post. Films primarily not in the English language are accompanied with their nation(s) of origin.

The ten Best Picture nominees for the 96th Academy Awards, including the winner, Oppenheimer (2023)

The fifteen nominees in the short film categories for the 96th Academy Awards

À nous la liberté (1931, France)

The Adventures of Don Juan (1938)*

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Albert Schweitzer (1957)*

Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938)

Alice Adams (1935)*

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)*

Aliens (1986)

All About Eve (1950)

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

All That Jazz (1979)*

Amadeus (1984)

Amarcord (1973, Italy)

An American in Paris (1951)

An American Werewolf in London (1981)*

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)*

The Apartment (1960)

Aquamania (1961 short)

Autumn Sonata (1978, Sweden)

Avatar (2009)

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

The Awful Truth (1937)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

The Band Wagon (1953)

The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

Batman (1989)

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Becket (1964)*

Before the Rain (1993, Macedonia)*

Ben-Hur (1959)

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Bicycle Thieves (1948, Italy)

The Big Country (1958)

The Big House (1930)

Black Narcissus (1947)

The Black Swan (1942)

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Blue Valentine (2010)*

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Born Yesterday (1950)*

The Boy and the Heron (2023, Japan)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)*

Braveheart (1995)

Brief Encounter (1945)

Brigadoon (1954)

Bullitt (1968)

Butterflies Are Free (1972)*

Cabaret (1972)

Caged (1950)

The Caine Mutiny (1954)

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

Captain Blood (1935)

Casablanca (1942)

Cavalcade (1933)

Chico and Rita (2010, Spain)

Children of a Lesser God (1986)

The Children of Theatre Street (1977)*

Cimarron (1931)

The Circus (1928)

Citizen Kane (1941)

Cleopatra (1963)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

CODA (2021)

The Color Purple (1985)

Come and Get It (1936)*

Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989)*

El Conde (2023, Chile)*

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

The Country Girl (1954)*

Cries and Whispers (1972, Sweden)*

Crossfire (1947)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, Taiwan)

The Crowd (1928)

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Dangerous (1935)*

Days of Waiting (1991 short)*

The Deer Hunter (1978)

The Departed (2006)

Desert Victory (1942)*

Disraeli (1929)*

The Divine Lady (1929)*

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Dodsworth (1936)

Double Indemnity (1944)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse (1947 short)

Drive My Car (2021, Japan)

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Dune (2021)

8½ (1963, Italy)

Elemental (2023)

The Elephant Whisperers (2022 short, India)

Elmer Gantry (1960)

Emma (1932)*

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Encanto (2021)

The English Patient (1996)

Ernest & Celestine (2012, Belgium/France/Luxembourg)

The Eternal Memory (2023, Chile)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)*

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Fantastic Voyage (1966)

Far From Heaven (2002)*

A Farewell to Arms (1932)

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

The Firemen’s Ball (1967, Czechoslovakia)*

Five Star Final (1931)*

Flee (2021, Denmark)

Flower Drum Song (1961)

For All Mankind (1989)

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Forrest Gump (1994)

42nd Street (1933)

Four Daughters (1938)*

Four Daughters (2023, France/Germany/Tunisia/Saudi Arabia)*

Freedom on My Mind (1994)

Frida (2002)*

The Front Page (1931)*

Funny Girl (1968)

Gandhi (1982)

Gaslight (1944)

Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

Giant (1956)

Gladiator (2000)

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Goldfinger (1964)

Gone with the Wind (1939)

The Goodbye Girl (1977)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Gosford Park (2001)

Grand Prix (1966)

The Grandmaster (2013, Hong Kong/China)*

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

The Great Dictator (1940)

Great Expectations (1946)*

The Great Race (1965)

Green Dolphin Street (1947)*

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Gypsy (1962)*

Hamlet (1948)

The Heiress (1949)

Henry V (1944)

Henry V (1989)

Hercules (1997)

Here Come the Waves (1945)*

High Noon (1952)

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

How the West Was Won (1962)

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the WIndow and Disappeared (2013, Sweden/France Germany)

The Hurt Locker (2008)

If Anything Happens I Love You (2020 short)

In America (2003)*

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

The Informer (1935)

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970, Italy)*

Io Capitano (2023, Italy)*

It Happened One Night (1934)

JFK (1991)*

Juno (2007)

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Lady for a Day (1933)

The Last Command (1927)

The Last Emperor (1987)

The Last Picture Show (1971)

Laura (1944)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Life Is Beautiful (1997, Italy)

Lilies of the Field (1963)

Lincoln (2012)

The Little Foxes (1941)*

Lolita (1962)

The Longest Day (1962)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Love Affair (1939)*

The Love Parade (1929)

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Loving Vincent (2017)

Lust for Life (1956)

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Malcolm X (1992)

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

The Man Who Skied Down Everest (1975)

March of the Penguins (2005, France)

Marie Antoinette (1938)*

Marty (1955)

Mary Poppins (1964)

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Merrily We Live (1938)*

The Merry Widow (1934)

Mickey’s Orphans (1931 short)

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Milk (2008)*

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Minari (2020)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

The Miracle Worker (1962)*

Mogambo (1953)*

Moneyball (2011)*

Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953, France)

Monsieur Lazhar (2011, Canada)

Moonstruck (1987)*

The More the Merrier (1943)

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Mrs. Miniver (1942)

Munich (2005)*

The Music Man (1962)

My Fair Lady (1964)

My Man Godfrey (1936)*

Napoleon (2023)*

National Velvet (1944)

Naughty Marietta (1935)*

Network (1976)

Never on Sunday (1960, Greece)*

Nimona (2023)

No Country for Old Men (2007)

None But the Lonely Heart (1944)*

North by Northwest (1959)

Now, Voyager (1942)

The Nun’s Story (1959)

Odd Man Out (1947)*

On Golden Pond (1981)

On the Waterfront (1954)

Out of Africa (1985)

Papillon (1973)

Parasite (2019, South Korea)

A Passage to India (1984)*

Patton (1970)

Penny Serenade (1941)

Perfect Days (2023, Japan)*

Persepolis (2007, France)

Phantom Thread (2017)

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Pillow Talk (1959)

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Platoon (1986)

Pollock (2000)*

Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936 short)

The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)*

The Public Enemy (1931)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pygmalion (1938)

Quo Vadis (1951)

The Quiet Man (1952)

Raging Bull (1980)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Rain Man (1988)

Raintree County (1957)*

Random Harvest (1942)

Rashômon (1950, Japan)

The Razor's Edge (1946)

Rebecca (1940)

Rejected (2000 short)

Return of the Jedi (1983)

Rhapsody in Rivets (1941 short)*

The Robe (1953)*

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)*

Robot Dreams (2023, Spain)

Rocky (1976)

Roma (2018, Mexico)

Roman Holiday (1953)

Room (2015)

Rustin (2023)*

Sadie Thompson (1928)*

Schindler's List (1993)

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

Seconds (1966)*

Sergeant York (1941)

7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)

7th Heaven (1927)*

Shall We Dance (1937)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

The Shop on Main Street (1965, Czechoslovakia)

Silence (2016)*

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The Silent Child (2017 short)

The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931)

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

The Sixth Sense (1999)*

Society of the Snow (2023, Spain)*

The Sound of Music (1965)

Spellbound (1945)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Spotlight (2015)

Stagecoach (1939)

A Star Is Born (1937)

A Star Is Born (1954)

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1994)

Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

The Sting (1973)

La Strada (1954, Italy)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Strike Up the Band (1940)

Sun Valley Serenade (1941)

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Superman (1978)

Superman Returns (2006)

Suspicion (1941)

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013, Japan)

A Tale of Two Cities (1935)*

The Teachers’ Lounge (2023, Germany)

Terms of Endearment (1983)

Test Pilot (1938)*

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

The Thin Man (1934)

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Tom Jones (1963)*

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

The Triplets of Belleville (2003, France)

12 Angry Men (1957)

20 Days in Mariupol (2023, Ukraine)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The Two Mouseketeers (1952 short)

Up (2009)

The Valley of Decision (1945)*

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)*

War Horse (2011)

West Side Story (1961)

Whiplash (2014)

The White Helmets (2016 short)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

The Window (1949)*

Wings (1927)

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974 short)

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Woman in Red (1984)*

Woman in the Dunes (1964, Japan)*

Written on the Wind (1956)*

Wuthering Heights (1939)

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

You Can’t Take It with You (1938)

[girlactionfigure]

Dutch Resistance Hero: Diet Eman

She felt it was her duty as a Christian.

Diet Eman was a Dutch Resistance hero who, at 22 years old, risked her life to save dozens of Jews during the Nazi occupation of Holland.

Born in The Hague in 1920, Diet grew up in a loving Christian family. Her father’s design business was hit hard by the Depression and the family had very little money, but it was a happy childhood. For Diet, the war began on May 10, 1940, when Hitler invaded the Netherlands. Diet’s brother-in-law was killed that first day. Inspired by their strong Christian faith, Diet and her fiancee Hein Sietsma immediately formed a resistance group and enlisted their friends and family to join the fight.

They began by listening to banned BBC war news broadcasts, and sharing the information with everybody they knew. When the Nazi invaders began enacting anti-Semitic legislation, Diet’s work became more important and more dangerous. She found a house for her terrified Jewish friend Herman, who was marked for deportation. Hein, who had read Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf, knew what was in store for Jews in Holland. Together Diet and Hein found farmers to shelter Herman, as well as his sister, his fiancee and her mother. They continued their efforts and found safe houses for 60 Dutch Jews, saving them from almost certain death at Auschwitz or Sobibor. Some of the Jews were placed in cities, others in small villages or rural farm areas.There were so many Jews in need of help that Diet spent most of every day and night on her bicycle, delivering false ID papers and ration cards to people in hiding. Diet later said, “In the beginning you have no idea what risk you are taking. Then, you’re so deep in it, you can’t go back.”

The Gestapo raided a safe house and found Diet’s diary. Knowing she was about to be arrested, Diet fled from her home and moved in with a family on a remote dairy farm. She took on a new identity, and continued her resistance work from the farm, tracking the movements of German troops and supplies.

On April 26, 1944, Hein was arrested. Knowing she was next, Diet once again changed her identity and base of operations. Continuing her work with the resistance, Diet traveled by train with illegal documents to distribute. On the train, Nazi officers asked to see her ID, but it was clearly fake. She was forcibly removed from the train for questioning. Diet knew that once the Nazis found the fake documents, she would most likely be executed on the spot. But there was no chance to get rid of the documents, until a stroke of luck she later attributed to Divine intervention. One of the officers had a new plastic raincoat, a brand-new invention, and the others were so fascinated by the coat that Diet was able to toss the documents into a nearby trash can without being noticed.

Diet was arrested for the fake ID and sent to a concentration camp. She was employed in the laundry, where her job was to wash bloodstains off clothing worn by executed prisoners. The work was so difficult that she suffered an emotional breakdown. At her trial, Diet did such a good impersonation of a dim-witted housemaid that she was released. She continued her brave work delivering false documents, endangering her life with every trip by bicycle or train.

After the war, she learned that her beloved Hein had died at Dachau. Diet moved to America, where she got married and raised two children. She didn’t speak about her wartime heroism until 1978, when she spoke at a “Suffering and Survival” conference. People were so interested in her story that she began writing her memoir, “Things We Couldn’t Say,” which was published in 1994. “It Is Well,” a ballet about Diet’s actions during the war, was performed for Dutch King Willem-Alexander on a royal visit to Michigan in 2015.

Diet received thanks from many world leaders including General Eisenhower in 1946 and President Reagan in 1982. She was honored as Righteous Among the Nations by Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in 1998. Diet died on September 3, 2019, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was 99 years old.

[argyrocratie]

"As we shall see in greater detail below, the Western Allies established capitalist provisional governments in liberated Axis territory — often overseen by former Axis collaborators — and forcibly dispossessed leftist anti-fascist resistance movements from their gains on the ground. But they did so with the willing cooperation of Stalin who, for the sake of maintaining a postwar partnership with Roosevelt and Churchill, was quite happy to throw Western European communists under the bus and order them to submit — even when they might plausibly have been able to hold on to power against U.S. and British opposition. Kolko raises the question as to

why there was far less change in southern and western Europe after 1944, when armed Resistance forces might have filled the immense vacuum that the discredited traditional conservative classes created because so many of them were collaborators and fascists. Why, in such a context, there was no serious political crisis in any European country where the masses were radicalized, save Greece, reveals a great deal about the nature and objectives of the Soviet Union and the Communist parties, as well as the origins of the long peace in Europe that has begun to erode dramatically since their demise.[40]

He elaborates on the last, very suggestive clause of this quote by further asking

whether the very existence of the Soviet Union itself, and its hegemony over Communist parties, indeed spared the remainder of Europe the basic political and social challenges they might have confronted, challenges comparable to the far greater dangers Europe’s rulers faced after the much less destructive war of 1914-1918.[41]

Specifically, owing to his hostility to anything not subject to his absolute control, Stalin exerted a powerful restraining force on Western communist parties whose new mass memberships were considerably more radical and unpredictable than their leaders.

Given the overall balance of forces… in Greece, Italy, and France after 1943, the Left was closer to attaining dominant power in at least two of these nations than at any time before or since. The vast numbers who entered Communist and other parties were not deeply indoctrinated or disciplined ideologically…. [But] the Communists’ real problem was not the possible weaknesses in the masses’ commitments made late in the war, which Communist writers later cited to exonerate their parties’ passivity at this crucial moment — notwithstanding the reality that the main, if not exclusive reason for their restraint was Stalin’s policy…. The principal challenge confronting Stalin and his anointed leaders was to prevent the enormous numbers who enrolled from acting autonomously of the Party line, which is precisely what they did in Greece when reprisals left them no alternative. For the Communist elites the greatest threat inherent in large memberships under tight elite control was the possibility of losing absolute mastery of their parties’ organizations. …Had the Communists not existed, or not played the role of an anodyne for social discontent, then there certainly would have been many more strikes and social conflicts, and quite possibly more truly revolutionary challenges in southern and western Europe than the one in Greece….[42]

Elsewhere, again, he stresses the central role of the communist parties in facilitating the restoration of capitalist rule in Western Europe: “during the critical period of 1944-1947 the Russians gave the Western European social system a reprieve during which to consolidate its power.”[43]

The United Front strategy was the key to Communist political policy everywhere from 1943 through 1946, and well beyond then in France and Italy as well…. The only time the Left posed a true threat to Anglo-American interests occurred when the Russians did not fully control it or when the breakdown of the local social order was so complete that even the Communists could not prevent a sharp response from the masses. After the war, many of the militants in the Communist movement who directed the leadership of the Resistance found official conservatism uncomfortable, and the pattern of internal purges within most postwar Communist parties followed the division between the bureaucratic conservatives and ex-Resistance militants, often depending on who spent the war in Moscow or in the home country. In Western Europe the Communists worked for elements of stability that reinforced the Old Order: no strikes, high production, and the like, and in fact took genuine pride in their very substantial administrative aid in restoring the Old Order in a refurbished form. Capitalism survived only where the Communists and Social Democrats were instrumental in reforming it. Elsewhere upheaval and collapse ensued and the Anglo-Americans and their allies had to apply sheer force against the revolutionary response of the people. In this sense the Left became the savior of Western European capitalism….[44]

-Kevin Carson, "The Undeclared Condominium: The USSR As Partner in a Conservative World Order" (2023)

[mariacallous]

Nearly a month into the war that began with the Hamas invasion of Israel, overall public opinion in favor of the United States’ support of Israel remains strong. But as recent demonstrations on college campuses around the country indicate, there is a generational divide. Even before the Hamas invasion, there were distinct generational differences in Americans’ attitudes towards Israel. These differences are mirrored by divergences between older and younger Jewish Americans. There are signs that these gaps have widened since the current conflict began.

As the following polling from 2022 shows, older Americans have more favorable attitudes towards Israel than younger ones. A 2022 Pew survey found that 55% of Americans had a favorable view of Israel, while 41% had an unfavorable view. But a breakdown of these results reveals key generational and partisan differences. For example, only 41% of those aged 18-29 had a favorable view of Israel, compared to 69% of those aged 65 or older. Among those aged 30-49, 49% held a favorable view of Israel, and among 50–64-year old’s, 60% held a favorable view. Moreover, 71% of Republicans hold a favorable view of Israel, compared to only 44% of Democrats.

In March of 2023, Gallup found that Democratic sympathies in the Middle East now lie more with the Palestinians than the Israelis, 49% versus 38%.

There was a clear generational gap. Israel saw a net positive sympathy level of +46% among baby boomers (born 1946-1964), and +32% among Generation X (born 1965-1979). However, there was a massive drop-off among millennials (born 1980-2000) where net sympathy for Israel versus Palestinians was -2%.

In 2022, Pew found that among U.S. adults, opinions of the Israeli and Palestinian people scored significantly higher than the opinions of their governments. For example, a majority of those polled (52%) held a positive opinion of the Palestinian people, while only 28% held a positive opinion of the Palestinian government. A similar gap in support was seen for Israel as well with 67% holding a positive opinion of the Israeli people and 48% feeling the same way about their government.

Here as with other questions, generational differences were significant. Sixty-one percent of those aged 18-29 held a positive view of the Palestinian people, compared to 56% who were favorable towards the Israeli people. Among 30–49-year old’s, 65% felt favorable towards the Israeli people, compared to 55% towards the Palestinians. Among 50–64-year-olds, 68% felt positively about the Israeli people, and 45% felt positively about the Palestinian people. Finally, among the oldest demographic, those 65 and older, 78%, felt positively about the Israeli people, compared to 47% in that demographic feeling favorably towards the Palestinians.

Among those aged 18-29, 11% said they viewed the Israeli people favorably and the Palestinians unfavorably, compared to 17% who viewed the Israeli people unfavorably and the Palestinian people favorably. By contrast, among those in the 65+ demographic, 37% feel favorably towards the Israelis and not the Palestinians, while only 6% express the opposite sentiment.

Pew’s findings from 2020 among U.S. Jews continue the pattern that we’ve seen from overall U.S. polling. Sixty-seven percent of U.S. Jews aged 65 or older said they felt “very/somewhat attached to Israel,” compared to only 48% of those aged 18-29 who felt such a connection.

A survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, found that 34% of Jewish respondents agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States,” 25% agreed that “Israel is an apartheid state,” and 22% agreed that “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” When broken down by age, 43% under 40 agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States,” among 40-to-64-year old’s 32% agreed with the statement, and among those over 64, 27% agreed. When prompted with the statement “Israel is an apartheid state,” 38% under 40 agreed, compared to 23% of those 40-64, and 13% of those over 64. Finally, the statement “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians” resulted in 33% of those under 40 agreeing, in contrast to 18% of those aged 40-64, and 15% of those over 64.

Additionally, the poll found that 9% of Jewish voters agreed with the statement, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” Among voters under 40, that proportion was higher with 20% agreeing.

The JTA survey found that 61% of Jewish voters want a Jewish State of Israel alongside an independent Palestinian State, and the remaining two-in five are evenly split between a one-state solution (20 percent) and annexation (19 percent).

Interestingly, 62% of Jewish voters support the U.S. sending aid to the Palestinian people while only 28% oppose it, apparently demonstrating widespread acknowledgement of the plight of many Palestinian civilians.

Given this background, how might these findings change as the war progresses? A NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted on Oct. 23 and 24, just over two weeks after the Hamas invasion. It found that nearly half of Americans have more sympathy for Israel compared to just under 10% who felt more sympathy for the Palestinians. However, the picture is less clear when we look once more at the age gap.

An Economist/YouGov poll conducted between Oct. 21 and 24 demonstrates this. Somewhat more people in the youngest group, aged 18-29 sympathize with the Palestinians than with the Israelis (28%-20%), far different than among those 65 and over who support the Israelis by a margin of 65% to 6%.

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National poll from October 11 had similar findings. Only 48% of Millennial and Gen Z’ers said the U.S. government should support Israel, compared to 83% of baby boomers and 86% from the Silent and Greatest Generations. Notably, these findings are from the first days of the conflict. Since then, footage and accounts of Palestinian suffering has been widely circulated across traditional media and social media, the latter of which has the potential to shift already pro-Palestinian young adults more in this direction.

These generational and partisan differences influence views about public policy. In a recent poll, Quinnipiac University found while Americans 65 and older support sending more military aid to Israel by a margin of 46 points (69 to 23%), younger Americans are almost as strongly opposed, with only 29% in favor and 65% opposed. Similarly, Republicans support aid by a margin of 35 points (65 to 30%) while Democrats do so by only 6 points (49 to 43%).

There is a concern that unites Americans across generational and partisan lines. When a close ally of the United States is at war, many people wonder if we will soon be at war too. The Quinnipiac poll found that 84% of the public — from young to old and from Democrats to Independents and Republicans — fears that the United States will be drawn into a war in the Middle East. It remains to be seen how this concern will find political expression if the conflict continues for more than a few more weeks.

While some younger Americans are increasingly aware of the hardships that many Palestinians have had to endure, others are echoing long-standing anti-colonial narratives popular on the far left and calling, as does Hamas, for the outright destruction of Israel. At the same time, some young Jewish Americans feel distant from the story of Israel’s founding and the Jewish struggle to gain the recognition of a homeland, while also having to cope with a historic explosion of antisemitism. For many younger Americans, the current bloodshed is their first experience with a conflict that has been going on for more than 75 years. The coming months are likely to have a profound impact on the attitudes they will carry with them through their lives.

[sportsloverguide]

Real Madrid's All-Time Top Goal Scorers: Legends on the Score Sheet

Real Madrid's All-Time Top Goal Scorers: Legends on the Score Sheet

Here's a breakdown of Real Madrid's top goal scorers, highlighting their remarkable contributions:

1 Cristiano Ronaldo

Goals: 450

Matches: 438

Years: 2009-2018

2 Karim Benzema

Goals: 354

Matches: 648

Years: 2009-2023

3 Raul Gonzalez

Goals: 323

Matches: 741

Years: 1994-2010

4 Alfredo Di Stefano

Goals: 308

Matches: 396

Years: 1953-1964

5 Carlos Santillana

Goals: 290

Matches: 645

Years: 1971-1988

6 Ferenc Puskas

Goals: 242

Matches: 262

Years: 1958-1967

7 Hugo Sanchez

Goals: 208

Matches: 282

Years: 1985-1992

8 Francisco 'Paco' Gento

Goals: 182

Matches: 600

Years: 1953-1971

9 Pirri

Goals: 172

Matches: 561

Years: 1964-1980

10 Emilio Butragueno

Goals: 171

Matches: 463

Years: 1983-1995

11 Amancio Amaro

Goals: 155

Matches: 471

Years: 1962-1976

12 Michel

Goals: 130

Matches: 559

Years: 1982-1996

13 Fernando Hierro

Goals: 127

Matches: 601

Years: 1989-2003

14 Pahino

Goals: 125

Matches: 143

Years: 1948-1953

15 Juanito

Goals: 121

Matches: 401

Years: 1977-1987

16 Gonzalo Higuain

Goals: 121

Matches: 264

Years: 2007-2013

17 Gareth Bale

Goals: 106

Matches: 258

Years: 2013-2020, 2021-2022

18 Ronaldo Nazario

Goals: 104

Matches: 177

Years: 2002-2007

19 Luis Molowny

Goals: 104

Matches: 198

Years: 1946-1957

20 Sergio Ramos

Goals: 101

Matches: 671

Years: 2005-2021

21 Ivan Zamorano

Goals: 101

Matches: 173

Years: 1992-1996

These players have left an indelible mark on Real Madrid's history with their goal-scoring prowess.

[readingrobincomics]

Batman Vol. 1 #32/2 (December 1945-January 1946): "Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder"

A re-telling of Robin's origin and what followed.

"We all know Robin the young ally of Batman! Everyone is familiar with his reckless grin, his devil-may-care courage, his gymnastic skill, yes, ... even his corny puns!"

In this version, Batman does not mention Dick being in danger of getting killed by Zucco but rather that they need to gather proof before going to the police.

Bruce tells Dick about his parents as a way to show empathy and comfort him? Then ends up regretting it when dick asks to help.

"What did I let myself in for?" - Batman

Dick sort of just assumes that Bruce allows him to continue being Robin but Bruce is unsure whether Dick can do a good job since he no longer has anger as his motivator.

"I like you too much!"

Bruce questions if Dick will be afraid and apparently that is synonymous with being a coward. Dick wants to be given a chance to prove that he is not a coward.

Batman trains Dick in chemical analysis, and forensic investigations/detective training.

Robin is introduced to Gordon for the first time and Gordon encourages him.

Robin is unsure of himself but fights well, however, he is captured and Batman is forced to surrender. Robin has a brief breakdown blaming himself but then asks himself What would Batman do?

He ends up doing some detective work and discovering where Batman is held and saves Batman by using the lessons he learned regarding strategy and utilizing the unexpected - aka he smokes them out.

«but if this turns out to be a dud I’d look like a dumb kid trying to play detective»

Interesting how he does not want to be a burden to Batman before the initial fight, and when he is captured. Also how much blame he puts on himself and that he cares so much about what others would think if he failed.

Robin also states that Batman has not taught him how to drive.

Don’t ruin the hair!

Throughout this issue, the thugs keep calling Robin a dumb kid and underestimating him, but in the end, they admit that that was a mistake.

Dick believes he has failed Batman and is ready to give up Robin but Batman reassures him that he did a good job and accepts him as a Robin.

Such a nice moment! Since Dick has had a lot of worries, it is nice for Bruce to be encouraging and soothe some of those worries. Kind of reminds me of Young Justice when Batman says good work to the team when they expect a scolding.

[praansconsultech0]

Appointment Letter vs Employment Contract in India: Key Differences Explained

In India, employment relationships are shaped by a combination of labour laws, organizational policies, and mutual understanding between employers and employees. Two fundamental documents involved at the beginning of any job are the Appointment Letter and the Employment Contract. Though these terms are often used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes and carry different legal significance.

What is an Appointment Letter?

An Appointment Letter is an official document issued by the employer to confirm that a candidate has been selected for a job. It acts as a basic job offer acceptance and contains essential employment details.

Typical Contents of an Appointment Letter:

Job title and a short job description

Reporting manager or supervisor

Joining date

Compensation details

Work location

Probation period and working hours

In Indian HR practices, this letter acts as proof that an employment relationship has been established.

Key Characteristics:

Simple and concise format

Usually prepared and issued solely by the employer

May reference broader company policies

Considered good HR practice under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946

What is an Employment Contract?

An Employment Contract is a formal, legally enforceable agreement signed by both employer and employee. It covers detailed employment terms and obligations.

Generally Includes:

In-depth job roles and duties

Salary breakdown, benefits, and bonuses

Leave policies and working hours

Termination clauses and notice periods

Confidentiality and non-compete clauses

Mechanism for dispute resolution

Conduct expectations, grievance process, and disciplinary procedures

Key Features:

Legally binding on both sides

Detailed and thorough documentation

Provides strong legal protection

Necessary for clearly outlining rights and obligations

Must follow relevant Indian labour laws like the Indian Contract Act, 1872, Shops and Establishments Act, and Payment of Wages Act

Note: No clause in the contract can override rights granted by Indian labour laws.

Comparison: Appointment Letter vs Employment Contract

Basis

Appointment Letter

Employment Contract

Nature

Job offer confirmation

Legally binding agreement

Binding Effect

Partially binding

Fully binding on both parties

Content

Basic terms

Extensive employment details

Who Issues It?

Only by employer

Signed by both employer and employee

Customization

Generalized

Customized to specific roles

Legal Strength

Limited legal recourse

Strong legal validity

Company Policies

May refer to policy documents

Often includes policy integration

Legal Requirement

Good HR practice

Strongly advisable for compliance

Why an Employment Contract Benefits Employees

An employment contract provides significant protection and transparency:

Clearly defines roles, salary structure, and expectations

Includes probation details, notice periods, and termination rules

Guards against unfair changes in role or compensation

Offers legal grounds for resolving disputes

Gives access to grievance redressal and internal complaint systems

At Praans Consultech, we advise employees to carefully read and understand every clause—especially those involving restrictive covenants like non-compete agreements—before signing.

Why Employers Prefer Employment Contracts

From the employer’s side, having a comprehensive contract offers many advantages:

Clearly outlines employee expectations and behavioral standards

Protects intellectual property and confidential business data

Minimizes potential legal liabilities during termination or disputes

Ensures consistent HR policy implementation

Provides dispute resolution routes like arbitration or mediation

Praans Consultech supports employers in designing role-specific contracts that reflect their company culture, reduce compliance risks, and promote long-term retention.

Practical Employment Trends in India

Startups & Small Businesses:

Often only issue an appointment letter

May include a simple NDA or IP agreement

Mid to Large Companies:

Typically provide both documents

Contracts are more detailed and role-specific

Consultants & Contract Workers:

Work under formalized and structured agreements

Legal Compliance:

Employment documentation must align with applicable labour laws such as state-specific Shops and Establishments Acts, Factories Act, etc.

Even if there is no formal contract, Indian courts can rely on appointment letters, internal emails, and HR records to determine employment terms.

As part of our advisory services, Praans Consultech emphasizes the importance of well-documented employment relationships to minimize disputes and ensure legal compliance.

Conclusion: Appointment Letter or Employment Contract—Which Is Better?

Both documents play important roles:

Appointment Letter: Confirms job offer and basic terms

Employment Contract: Defines the full scope of employment legally

For employees, a written contract offers more job clarity, legal protection, and transparency. For employers, it helps prevent disputes, secure sensitive information, and maintain discipline.

Praans Consultech recommends issuing an Appointment Letter initially, followed by a detailed Employment Contract to ensure a professional and legally secure working relationship.

FAQs – Appointment Letter vs Employment Contract

Q1: What is an Appointment Letter? A formal job offer letter outlining basic job details and terms.

Q2: What is an Employment Contract? A legally binding document detailing job expectations, rights, and obligations.

Q3: Is an Appointment Letter legally binding? Partially—it confirms employment but doesn’t provide full legal protection.

Q4: Is an Employment Contract mandatory? Not always required, but strongly recommended for clarity and legal safety.

Q5: Can someone start work with just an Appointment Letter? Yes, but a full contract is preferable for better protection.

Q6: Which document gives better employee protection? An Employment Contract, due to its legal enforceability.

Q7: Can a company issue both documents? Yes. Many organizations follow this dual-document approach.

Q8: What happens if there’s no contract? Courts may still enforce employment terms based on appointment letters and emails.

Q9: Can a contract override labour laws? No. Statutory rights under Indian law will always take precedence.

Q10: Should employees read contracts carefully? Absolutely! Review every clause and raise concerns before signing.

[impaaktmagazine]

Leading a Multigenerational Workforce: Strategies for Bridging the Value Gap

More than 86 percent of global companies recognize the value of a multigenerational workforce for their success and growth.

However, managing this diversity is a key challenge for C-suite executives and HR professionals. Different generations bring varied experiences and perspectives, which can lead to differences of opinion and workplace conflicts. To unlock unprecedented levels of productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction, it’s essential to bridge generational gaps and harness the power of diversity in a team.

This article offers actionable strategies for HR professionals and employees to promote a harmonious and productive multigenerational workforce. Read on to discover how to turn multi generation workforce diversity into a powerful asset for your organization.

Understanding Generational Characteristics and Motivations

The first step to bridging the gap between generations is understanding the characteristics and values each group brings to the workplace. This awareness helps build an inclusive environment that respects everyone's strengths and differences.

Here's a breakdown of the multigenerational workforce:

Baby Boomers (1946–1964): Value job security, teamwork, and loyalty.

Gen X (1965–1980): Prioritize flexibility, independence, and diversity.

Millennials (1981–1996): Seek work-life balance, flexibility, and technological integration.

Gen Z (1997–2012): Bring fresh perspectives, digital fluency, and a drive for innovation.

Understanding these traits allows leaders to adapt communication and management styles to fit the unique needs of each generation. This boosts employee engagement, enhances collaboration, and drives team performance.

Fostering a Collaborative Multigenerational Workforce

Open communication is the foundation of a strong multigenerational workforce. Encourage employees to share their perspectives and collaborate across generations. Team-building activities and intergenerational projects can build mutual respect and enhance trust.

Companies embracing a diverse team structure report an average of 74% greater productivity, demonstrating the value of open dialogue and cross-generational collaboration.

Leverage Mentorship Programs to Foster Collaboration

Mentorship is one of the most effective workforce diversity strategies. Cross-generational mentoring allows employees to exchange knowledge, sharpen skills, and grow both personally and professionally.

According to LinkedIn, employees who participate in learning and development programs are 47% less likely to leave their jobs. This highlights the importance of mutual learning in retaining talent and bridging the generational gap.

Incorporate Flexibility to Retain Top Talent

Flexible working arrangements benefit all generations. Offering remote work, hybrid options, or flexible hours accommodates different lifestyle needs and supports a resilient multigenerational workforce.

A study by the International Workplace Group found that 85% of Millennials desire flexibility, followed by 74% of Gen X and 66% of Baby Boomers. Tools like FlexWhere help implement and manage flexible work environments efficiently, keeping your multi generation workforce engaged and productive.

Understand, Don’t Stereotype

While it’s helpful to recognize generational traits, avoid generalizations. Stereotypes such as “Millennials are entitled” or “Boomers resist change” can harm collaboration and inclusivity. Each employee brings unique experiences and strengths to the table, which is the core of diversity in a team.

Fostering respect and empathy instead of assumptions leads to a more united and effective multigenerational workforce.

Build a Learning Culture

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Final Thoughts

In today’s evolving workplace, the ability to manage and bridge generational gaps is a strategic advantage. By understanding the motivations of each generation and implementing inclusive strategies, leaders can fully leverage the potential of a multigenerational workforce.

Adopt open communication, invest in mentorship programs, offer flexible work models, and create a culture of learning. These proven workforce diversity strategies foster inclusivity, enhance productivity, and strengthen your competitive edge.

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[random-bird]

The Gust of Wind, 1904

[May 19, 2025]

Léon Spilliaert (1881-1946), artist from Ostend, Belgium. Most internet sources describe him as a sickly, secluded autodidact. He had chronic stomach ulcers and insomnia that led him on frequent night walks through the city. Unsurprisingly, Edgar Allen Poe, Edvard Munch, and Odilon Redon are among his top inspirations. He attended art school in Bruges but dropped out when he realized he preferred his own approaches over academic art. During his life he wasn't famous but he gained posthumous appreciation—his work has been in Musée d'Orsay and the Royal Academy (for the latter, somewhat fittingly during a temporary closure in the COVID pandemic).

Spilliaert seems to have loved India ink, and mixing it with a variety of other media like gouache, colored pencil, or pastels. He almost never used real paint, in fact; most of his work is quick and on paper.

The Bather, 1910

Woman at the Shoreline, 1910

These solitary figures make me nauseous. Maybe it's the plainness of the clean lines and blocks of color, and the confusion, dread, loneliness, or horror of the figures occupying them. Clashing, they simulate liminality.

Woman on the Pier, 1908

Vertigo, 1908

The Shipwrecked Man, 1926

His output included illustration for publishers who printed contemporary Symbolist texts, which initially inspired him. For example, he illustrated the pages of Maurice Maeterlinck's tragedy La Princesse Maleine. Interestingly, he doesn't paint in dedicated frames, but often over the text itself with diluted ink. I found the play in the original French online. I only stopped halfway, but I could quickly tell that its simplicity and strong, dark flavors were suited to Spilliaert. In almost every scene I read there was an overt omen in the sky or trees: a reddening moon, a growing storm; gusts, circling crows, and spy-like owls. Each development seemed doomed from their conception, each character helpless.

Prince Hjalmar's description of Maleine upon glimpsing her as a peasant after long separation is close to how I felt as I repeatedly revisited the faces in Spilliaert's works in the last month: Et son regard !... on était tout à coup comme dans un grand canal d'eau fraîche... Je ne m'en souviens pas très bien ; mais je voudrais revoir cet étrange regard...

From La Princesse Maleine by Maurice Maeterlinck

From Les aveugles by Maurice Maeterlinck

At one point, however, Spilliaert shunned Symbolism and mysticism. He wrote on December 31, 1904, in a letter: Ne peignez jamais, mais alors au grand jamais, d'imagination. Symbolisme, mysticisme, etc, etc, tout cela c'est du détraquement, de la maladie. Tout ce que j'ai fait jusqu'à présent, je voudrais tout déchirer... Ah si j'étais débarrassé de mon caractère inquiet et fiévreux, si la vie ne m'avait pas dans ses serres, j'irais quelque part à la campagne copier tout bêtement, tout simplement ce que mes yeux voient sans rien retrancher ou ajouter. C'est cela la vérité de la peinture. ("Never, ever paint from imagination. Symbolism, mysticism, etc., etc., it is all a breakdown, a sickness. Everything I made thus far, I wish to tear apart... Ah, if I were free of my anxious and feverish character, if life didn't have me in its clutches, I would go to somewhere in the countryside to copy everything dumbly, solely what my eyes see, without taking away or adding. This is true painting.") So he was an autodidact, and also firmly outside of any explicit artistic movement, hoping to be led only by curiosity towards reality.

In this era of his art he made some notable self-portraits. The first one struck me most: something about it is like a photograph. Maybe it's the dull lighting; maybe it's the angle, which almost resembles an accidental modern-day selfie; or his abnormal eye peering down at the viewer, which makes me feel as though I will be transported to his room if I don't breathe softly enough. Is he terrified of me, or should I be terrified of him? He truly captured a real moment. Of exhaustion? Self-loathing? A bout of feverishness, as often happens in life, which stung so strongly that he reached immediately for ink?

Self-portrait before a mirror, 1908

Silhouette of the artist, 1907

Self-portrait, 1908

And finally, some classic nightscapes and seascapes that define his style:

Sea Wall, Light Reflections, 1908

The Hofstraat in Ostend, 1908

Seascape seen from Mariakerke, 1909

I practically feel a maritime wind in my face as I look at the last one.

If I'm honest, Spilliaert isn't the most visually remarkable artist I've ever seen. But I fell down this rabbit hole because there seems to be a person and a thought behind each work. Each work reads like an earnest attempt to capture a passing moment, with beauty following. I can imagine him, standing tiredly, the next moment grasped by a sight outside his window and getting quickly to work in a dim room, where a well of India ink and a glass of mixing-water are one of the few things to catch the waning light.

I feel comfortable spending time staring at his works, because I know that he saw something, by impulse, that isn't under layers of abstraction. It is unlike the kinds of modern art and poetry that feel contrived, wandering, or overly symbolically complex, in which I hesitate to invest staring-time. At the same time, because of the unique, moody personality that he perceived as an obstacle, what he reports from reality is also raw and interesting rather than banal. If I am bored of my interactions in real life, I almost feel that I met the man himself, and perhaps relate to his hiddenness, his anxiousness, and his label-scorning, individualistic bent.