#Dr. Jonathan Lightfoot | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

femmefairytales · 5 years ago

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Mobile Muse List

Auradon - Children

Ally & Maddie (Daughters of Alice & the Mad Hatter)

Annette, Collette, and Danielle (Daughters of Lady & the Tramp)

Bronagh (Daughter of the Bean Sidhe)

Careen (Daughter of Nora & Paul)

Daenerys (Daughter of Princess Marianne & the Bog King)

Dahlia (Daughter of Calla & Calvin)

Emma (Daughter of Snow White and Prince David)

Fay (Daughter of Fairy Godmother)

Fern (Daughter of Basil of Baker Street)

Fuli (Member of The Lion Guard)

Kiara (Daughter of Simba & Nala)

Lenore (Daughter of Helgamine)

Lorelei (Daughter of the Neverland Mermaids)

Lurline (Daughter of Ozma)

Magnolia (Daughter of Charlotte La Bouff)

Mahealani (Daughter of Maui)

Maya (Daughter of the Wolfman from NBC)

Melinoe (Daughter of Persephone & Hades)

Melody (Daughter of Ariel & Eric)

Olwenna (Daughter of Taran & Eilonwy)

Qadira (Daughter of Hakim)

Reagan (Daughter of Ella & Char)

Rhoswen (Daughter of the Lady of the Lake)

Rosalind (Daughter of King Richard and Roberta)

Samira (Daughter of Galavant and Isabella)

Storm (Daughter of Merryweather)

Tansy (Daughter of Fauna)

Therimachia (Daughter of Hercules & Megara)

Xiomara (Daughter of Queen Amaya & King Magnifico)

Helen-a-Dale (Daughter of Lady Kluck and Alan-a-Dale)

Marisol Alvarez (Daughter of Kuzco & Malina)

Simone of Andalasia (Daughter of Edward & Nancy)

Annelise of Arendelle (Daughter of Elsa)

Camille Charming (Daughter of Cinderella & Prince Kit)

McKenna Dalloway (Daughter of Marnie Piper and Ethan Dalloway)

Georgina “George” Darling (Daughter of John Darling)

Poppy Dennison (Daughter of Max & Allison)

Ciorstaid DunBroch (Daughter of Hamish)

Alice Clayton (Daughter of Tarzan & Jane)

Vivienne de la Fère (Daughter of Athos & Milady de Winter)

Daire Fitzherbert (Daughter of Rapunzel & Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert)

Charlotte Zylphia Gracey (Daughter of Master Gracey)

Vanessza Harker (Daughter of Mina & Jonathan)

Mary Jekyll (Daughter of Dr. Jekyll)

Briony Lightfoot (Daughter of Barley)

Gwendolyn “Gwyn” Locksley (Daughter of Robin Hood & Maid Marian)

Dulce Madrigal (Daughter of Bruno Madrigal)

Janna de Martin (Daughter of Pheobus & Esmeralda)

Scarlett Müller (Daughter of Little Red & The Big Bad Wolf)

Alainne Pendragon (Daughter of King Arthur & Queen Guinevere)

Lucy Piper (Daughter of Mary Contrary & Tom Piper)

Josephine “Poppy” Poppins (Daughter of Mary Poppins & Bert)

Yekaterina “Katya” Sudayev (Daughter of Anastasia & Dimitri)

Jada Sweet (Daughter of Joshua Sweet)

Nadije Thatch (Daughter of Milo & Kida)

Ana de Tito (Daughter of Tito & Georgette)

Lydia Von Tassel (Daughter of Mary Von Tassel and the Headless Horseman)

Amelia “Mia” Turner (Daughter of Will Turner & Elizabeth Swann)

Auradon - Parents

Della Duck (Ducktales)

Alice Liddell

Elizabeth Sanderson (Hocus Pocus: The All New Sequel)

Queen Aurora (the Sleeping Beauty)

Queen Guinevere

Lillian (”Lady”)

(Little) Red Riding Hood

Maid Marian

Isle of the Lost - Children

Eleanor (Daughter of Prince John)

Medea (Daughter of Panic)

Taryn (Daughter of Morgana)

Katrina Frankenstein (Daughter of Victor Frankenstein)

Seraphina Heart (Daughter of the King & Queen of Hearts)

Diana Hyde (Daughter of Mr. Hyde)

Calista Jane “CJ” Hook (Daughter of Captain Hook)

Citrine McLeach (Daughter of Madame Medusa and Percival McLeach)

Catherine Moreau (Daughter of Dr. Moreau)

Tatiana Rasputin (Daughter of Grigori Rasputin)

Arabella “Ara” Sanderson (Daughter of Sarah Sanderson & Gaston)

Angelica Tremaine (Daughter of Anastasia Tremaine)

Isle of the Lost - Parents

Madelena

Morgan Le Fey

Winnifred Sanderson

Zira

#(pinned post)#(muse list: a veritable who's who of auradon)

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hofculctr · 3 years ago

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Hofstra University

Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice, Center for Civic Engagement and the Hofstra Cultural Center present

Civil Rights Day: “Privileging “Race” at Centers and Institutes in Higher Education: A Study of the Landscape”

This research takes a closer look at centers and institutes in the United States of America that focus on issues of “race,” culture and social justice to determine the value they bring to their host institutions.

Presenter: Dr. Jonathan Lightfoot Hofstra University

Center for “Race,” Cultural and Social Justice The Colloquia Series Hofstra faculty members present their recent and ongoing publications and engage critically and theoretically with new scholarship focused on “race,” culture, and social justice.

Wednesday, February 16, 1-2:25 p.m.

Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus Admission is Free. Advance registration is required. More info and to RSVP visit http://tiny.cc/injouz

Advance registration is required. ALL GUESTS (Hofstra students, faculty, and staff, as well as visitors) that attend a Hofstra University-sponsored indoor event must be fully vaccinated. Evidence of vaccination will be required at the time of entry with Hofstra PridePass or proof of vaccination and government ID. Masks covering the mouth and nose must be worn at ALL indoor events on campus.

#Hofstra #CivilRightsDay

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shirlleycoyle · 4 years ago

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Police Are Telling ShotSpotter to Alter Evidence From Gunshot-Detecting AI

On May 31, 2020, 25-year-old Safarain Herring was shot in the head and dropped off at St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago by a man named Michael Williams. He died two days later.

Chicago police eventually arrested the 64-year-old Williams and charged him with murder (Williams maintains that Herring was hit in a drive-by shooting). A key piece of evidence in the case is video surveillance footage showing Williams’ car stopped on the 6300 block of South Stony Island Avenue at 11:46 p.m.—the time and location where police say they know Herring was shot.

How did they know that’s where the shooting happened? Police said ShotSpotter, a surveillance system that uses hidden microphone sensors to detect the sound and location of gunshots, generated an alert for that time and place.

Except that’s not entirely true, according to recent court filings.

That night, 19 ShotSpotter sensors detected a percussive sound at 11:46 p.m. and determined the location to be 5700 South Lake Shore Dr.—a mile away from the site where prosecutors say Williams committed the murder, according to a motion filed by Williams’ public defender. The company’s algorithms initially classified the sound as a firework. That weekend had seen widespread protests in Chicago in response to George Floyd’s murder, and some of those protesting lit fireworks.

But after the 11:46 p.m. alert came in, a ShotSpotter analyst manually overrode the algorithms and “reclassified” the sound as a gunshot. Then, months later and after “post-processing,” another ShotSpotter analyst changed the alert’s coordinates to a location on South Stony Island Drive near where Williams’ car was seen on camera.

A screenshot of the ShotSpotter alert from 11:46 PM, May 31, 2020 showing that the sound was manually reclassified from a firecracker to a gunshot.

“Through this human-involved method, the ShotSpotter output in this case was dramatically transformed from data that did not support criminal charges of any kind to data that now forms the centerpiece of the prosecution’s murder case against Mr. Williams,” the public defender wrote in the motion.

The document is what is known as a Frye motion—a request for a judge to examine and rule on whether a particular forensic method is scientifically valid enough to be entered as evidence. Rather than defend ShotSpotter’s technology and its employees' actions in a Frye hearing, the prosecutors withdrew all ShotSpotter evidence against Williams.

The case isn’t an anomaly, and the pattern it represents could have huge ramifications for Shotspotter in Chicago, where the technology generates an average of 21,000 alerts each year. The technology is also currently in use in more than 100 cities.

Motherboard’s review of court documents from the Williams case and other trials in Chicago and New York State, including testimony from ShotSpotter’s favored expert witness, suggests that the company’s analysts frequently modify alerts at the request of police departments—some of which appear to be grasping for evidence that supports their narrative of events.

Untested evidence

Had the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office not withdrawn the evidence in the Williams case, it would likely have become the first time an Illinois court formally examined the science and source code behind ShotSpotter, Jonathan Manes, an attorney at the MacArthur Justice Center, told Motherboard.

“Rather than defend the evidence, [prosecutors] just ran away from it,” he said. “Right now, nobody outside of ShotSpotter has ever been able to look under the hood and audit this technology. We wouldn’t let forensic crime labs use a DNA test that hadn’t been vetted and audited.”

Sam Klepper, senior vice president for marketing and product strategy at ShotSpotter, told Motherboard in an email that the company has no reason to believe the prosecutor’s decision reflects a lack of faith in its technology.

ShotSpotter evidence and employee testimony has been admitted in 190 court cases, he wrote. “Whether ShotSpotter evidence is relevant to a case is a matter left to the discretion of a prosecutor and counsel for a defendant … ShotSpotter has no reason to believe that these decisions are based on a judgment about the ShotSpotter technology,” he said.

The Chicago Police Department, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office, and Alderman Chris Taliaferro, who chairs the city council’s public safety committee, did not respond to interview requests or questions.

A pattern of alterations

In 2016, Rochester, New York police looking for a suspicious vehicle stopped the wrong car and shot the passenger, Silvon Simmons, in the back three times. They charged him with firing first at officers.

The only evidence against Simmons came from ShotSpotter. Initially, the company’s sensors didn’t detect any gunshots, and the algorithms ruled that the sounds came from helicopter rotors. After Rochester police contacted Shotspotter, an analyst ruled that there had been four gunshots—the number of times police fired at Simmons, missing once.

Paul Greene, ShotSpotter’s expert witness and an employee of the company, testified at Simmons’ trial that “subsequently he was asked by the Rochester Police Department to essentially search and see if there were more shots fired than ShotSpotter picked up,” according to a civil lawsuit Simmons has filed against the city and the company. Greene found a fifth shot, despite there being no physical evidence at the scene that Simmons had fired. Rochester police had also refused his multiple requests for them to test his hands and clothing for gunshot residue.

Curiously, the ShotSpotter audio files that were the only evidence of the phantom fifth shot have disappeared.

Both the company and the Rochester Police Department “lost, deleted and/or destroyed the spool and/or other information containing sounds pertaining to the officer involved shooting,” according to Simmons’ civil suit. “Greene acknowledged at plaintiff’s criminal trial that employees of Shotspotter and law enforcement customers with an audio editor can alter any audio file that’s not been locked or encrypted.”

A jury ultimately acquitted Simmons of attempted murder and a judge overturned his conviction for possession of a gun, citing ShotSpotter’s unreliability.

Excerpt from Silvon Simmons civil lawsuit against ShotSpotter and the Rochester Police Department.

Greene—who has testified as a government witness in dozens of criminal trials—was involved in another altered report in Chicago In 2018, when Ernesto Godinez, then 27, was charged with shooting a federal agent in the city.

The evidence against him included a report from ShotSpotter stating that seven shots had been fired at the scene, including five from the vicinity of a doorway where video surveillance showed Godinez to be standing and near where shell casings were later found. The video surveillance did not show any muzzle flashes from the doorway and the shell casings could not be matched to the bullets that hit the agent, according to court records.

During the trial, Greene testified under cross-examination that the initial ShotSpotter alert only indicated two gunshots (those fired by an officer in response to the original shooting). But after Chicago police contacted ShotSpotter, Greene re-analyzed the audio files.

“An hour or so after the incident occurred, we were contacted by Chicago PD and asked to search for—essentially, search for additional audio clips. And this does happen on a semi-regular basis with all of our customers,” Greene told the court, according to a transcript of the trial. He later ruled that there had been five additional gunshots that the company’s algorithms did not pick up.

Greene also acknowledged at trial that “we freely admit that anything and everything in the environment can affect location and detection accuracy.”

Excerpt from the transcript of Paul Greene's expert witness testimony during the trial of Ernesto Godinez.

Shotspotter analysts “agree with the machine classification over 90% of the time,” Klepper, from ShotSpotter, wrote to Motherboard. “In a tiny number of cases, our customers request us to perform a location analysis to validate the accuracy of the location. If we find an error, we provide a more accurate location to the customer to assist the investigation.”

Prior to the trial, the judge ruled that Godinez could not contest ShotSpotter’s accuracy or Greene’s qualifications as an expert witness. Godinez has appealed the conviction, in large part due to that ruling.

“The reliability of their technology has never been challenged in court and nobody is doing anything about it,” Gal Pissetzky, Godinez’s attorney, told Motherboard. “Chicago is paying millions of dollars for their technology and then, in a way, preventing anybody from challenging it.”

The evidence

At the core of the opposition to ShotSpotter is the lack of empirical evidence that it works—both in terms of its sensor accuracy and the system’s overall effect on gun crime.

The company has not allowed any independent testing of its algorithms, and there is evidence that the claims it makes in marketing materials about accuracy may not be entirely scientific.

Over the years, ShotSpotter’s claims about its accuracy have increased, from 80 percent accurate, to 90 percent accurate, to 97 percent accurate. According to Greene, those numbers aren’t actually calculated by engineers, though.

“Our guarantee was put together by our sales and marketing department, not our engineers,” Greene told a San Francisco court in 2017. “We need to give them [customers] a number … We have to tell them something. … It’s not perfect. The dot on the map is simply a starting point.”

In May, the MacArthur Justice Center analyzed ShotSpotter data and found that over a 21-month period 89 percent of the alerts the technology generated in Chicago led to no evidence of a gun crime and 86 percent of the alerts led to no evidence a crime had been committed at all.

Klepper disputed those findings to Motherboard, saying that “the data source used to draw their conclusions, on its own, results in an incomplete picture of an incident” because a gun may have been fired even if there is no documented police evidence that it was.

He also said that Greene’s testimony in the San Francisco trial “had nothing to do with the determination of our actual historical accuracy rate. While marketing and sales have appropriate input on our service level guarantees for our contracts, actual accuracy rates are based on detections that we record.”

Meanwhile, A growing body of research suggests that ShotSpotter has not led to any decrease in gun crime in cities where it is deployed and several customers have dropped the company, citing too many false alarms and the lack of return on investment.

One recent study of ShotSpotter in St. Louis, Missouri found that ShotSpotter “has little deterrent impact on gun-related violent crime in St. Louis. [Automated gun detection systems] also do not provide consistent reductions in police response time, nor aids substantially in producing actionable results.”

Klepper contested those and other research findings, saying that “the studies’ conclusions do not reflect what we see.”

He pointed to a 2021 study by New York University School of Law’s Policing Project which determined that assaults (which include some gun crime) decreased by 30 percent in some districts in St. Louis County after ShotSpotter was installed. The study authors disclosed that ShotSpotter has been providing the Policing Project unrestricted funding since 2018, that ShotSpotter’s CEO sits on the Policing Project’s advisory board, and that ShotSpotter has previously compensated Policing Project researchers.

Chicago pushes back

Chicago is one of the most important cities in ShotSpotter’s portfolio and is increasingly becoming a battleground over its use.

If a court ever agrees to examine the forensic viability of ShotSpotter, or if prosecutors continue to drop the evidence when challenged, it could have massive ramifications. From January 2017 through June 2021, ShotSpotter reported 94,313 gunfire incidents in the city, an average of 20,958 per year, according to data obtained by Motherboard through a public records request.

Chicago is ShotSpotter’s second biggest client, after New York City, accounting for 13 percent of the company’s revenue during the first quarter of 2021. But Chicago’s $33 million contract with the company is coming to an end and city officials must decide this August whether or not to renew it.

Meanwhile, the city is grappling with new research, a rise in shootings, cases like the Williams and Godinez trials, and tragedies that have prompted renewed criticism of the technology.

It was a ShotSpotter alert in the early morning hours of March 29 that dispatched police to a street in Little Village where they eventually shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was unarmed at the time.

That and other recent events have sparked a new campaign by community and civil rights groups in Chicago calling on city officials to drop ShotSpotter.

“These tools are sending more police into Black and Latinx neighborhoods,” Alyx Goodwin, a Chicago organizer with the Action Center on Race and the Economy, one of the groups leading the campaign, told Motherboard. “Every ShotSpotter alert is putting Black and Latinx people at risk of interactions with police. That’s what happened to Adam Toledo.”’

Motherboard recently obtained data demonstrating the stark racial disparity in how Chicago has deployed ShotSpotter. The sensors have been placed almost exclusively in predominantly Black and brown communities while the white enclaves in the north and northwest of the city have no sensors at all, despite Chicago police data that shows gun crime is spread throughout the city.

Community members say they’ve seen little benefit from the technology in the form of less gun violence—the number of shootings in 2021 is on pace to be the highest in four years—or better interactions with police officers.

“If you had relationships with any of the people on the block you wouldn’t need the technology, cause we could tell you,” Asiaha Butler, president of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood, told Motherboard. Instead, the technology seems to have given police another excuse not to build relationships with residents. When shots ring out in the neighborhood, police may respond faster, but it’s an “over-militarized police presence. You see a lot of them. It’s not a friendly interaction,” she said.

Police Are Telling ShotSpotter to Alter Evidence From Gunshot-Detecting AI syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

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starfriday · 6 years ago

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DISNEY PRESENTS UPCOMING LIVE-ACTION AND ANIMATED MOVIE SLATE TO JAM-PACKED HOUSE AT D23 EXPO 2019

Studio Leaders and Filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney Live Action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios Reveal New Details, Introduce Major Stars and Host a Stunning Performance at Ultimate Disney Fan Event

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Walt Disney Studios—including studio leaders and filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney live action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios—wowed an audience of nearly 7,000 this morning at D23 Expo 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, The Walt Disney Studios—joined by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Disney live action’s Sean Bailey, Pixar’s Pete Docter and Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee—offered guests a captivating look at Disney’s upcoming film slate, including never-before-seen footage and a host of stars, plus a spectacular performance from “Frozen 2” voice cast members Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad.

“You’re not just fans, you’re family,” said Horn to the packed room. “It’s because of you that we keep working so hard to make great movies, and we love D23 Expo because it’s where we can share them with you first.”

The presentation included the following highlights.

LUCASFILM

President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams showcased the riveting conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Kennedy and Abrams revved up the audience, introducing nine stars from the film—many of whom marked this as their first D23 Expo appearance: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran and Billy Dee Williams, plus special appearances from R2-D2, BB-8 and the new droid D-O. A brand-new poster was revealed—and gifted to the entire audience. And all were given a look back at the incredible legacy of Star Wars storytelling and treated to a sneak peek of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 20, 2019.

MARVEL STUDIOS

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, kicked off his presentation with a surprise visit from “Black Panther” director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. Together, they revealed that “Black Panther 2” (working title) will hit U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022.

Feige segued to next year’s “The Eternals,” inviting cast members from the much-anticipated film to the stage: Richard Madden, who portrays the all-powerful Ikaris; Kumail Nanjiani, who plays cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff, who portrays the super-fast Makkari, the first deaf hero in the MCU; Brian Tyree Henry, who plays the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek, who plays the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh, who portrays the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee, who plays the powerful Gilgamesh; and Angelina Jolie, who stars as the fierce warrior Thena. Feige revealed concept art images of each character, and announced three new cast members and their characters: Gemma Chan, who plays humankind-loving Sersi; Kit Harington, who was cast as non-Eternal Dane Whitman, and Barry Keoghan, who portrays aloof loner Druig, and was on hand for the event. Directed by Chloé Zhao, who helmed the critically acclaimed Sundance film “The Rider,” “The Eternals” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 6, 2020.

Feige concluded with “Black Widow,” the Cate Shortland-directed first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which hits U.S. theaters on May 1, 2020. Feige shared a pre-recorded greeting featuring stars Scarlett Johansson, who reprises her role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; David Harbour, who was cast as Alexei the Red Guardian; and Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena. The audience was also treated to an exclusive look at the upcoming film.

DISNEY LIVE ACTION

Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, took the audience through upcoming releases for the studio, including next summer’s “Jungle Cruise,” a rousing adventure inspired by the classic theme-park attraction. Star Dwayne Johnson, who plays riverboat captain Frank Wolff, entered Hall D23 aboard an original Jungle Cruise boat, introducing a “trailer” that showed off his character—so much so, that co-star Emily Blunt, who portrays Dr. Lily Houghton, arrived via classic car to share with fans her own “trailer,” offering a different perspective—Bailey laughingly informed Johnson and Blunt that neither trailer was official. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” hits U.S. theaters on July 24, 2020.

Bailey next introduced acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro, director of “Mulan,” the upcoming live-action reimagining of the 1998 classic animated film. Caro expressed to fans her passion for the project, sharing several minutes of footage from the epic adventure inspired by one of China’s fiercest warriors. In Disney’s “Mulan,” which opens in U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020, the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. So, the eldest daughter of an honored but ailing warrior masquerades as a man, transforming into a heroic warrior to ultimately earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.

Next up, Bailey shared details about “Cruella,” an all-new feature film starring Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. Stone, who plays the iconic “Cruella,” sent D23 Expo fans a greeting from the London-based set with help from a spotted, four-legged co-star. Fans also got a glimpse of an image of Stone in full costume with Cruella’s signature black-and-white hair. Director Craig Gillespie, who helmed “I, Tonya” and “The Finest Hours,” brings “Cruella” to the big screen on May 28, 2021, with a fresh, 1970s, punk-rock approach.

PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

Docter next introduced director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae, who shared details and more than ten minutes of exclusive footage from Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Onward.” The movie, which opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020, stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. Set in a modern fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” is inspired by Scanlon’s personal experiences with his brother. Holland, Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus—who voices Mom in the movie—joined the filmmakers on stage—much to the delight of the audience, who all received an exclusive “Onward” poster.

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee presented an overview of the studio’s next two features, beginning with the Thanksgiving 2020 fantasy-action-adventure, “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Directors Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins (“Big Hero 6,” “Frozen”), producer Osnat Shurer (“Moana”) and writer Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians”) joined Lee on stage to set up the film, which introduces Raya, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra who teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. The D23 Expo crowd was the first to get a look at the new film, viewing an exclusive three-minute piece. They also met two newly announced members of the voice cast: Awkwafina lends her voice to Sisu, the Last Dragon, who was left on Earth in case dark forces return to the world, and Cassie Steele voices the lead character, Raya. Exploring themes of community and hope, and inspired by the beautiful and diverse cultures of Southeast Asia, the fantasy-action-adventure “Raya and the Last Dragon” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 25, 2020.

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creepykingdom · 6 years ago

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Disney Unveils Upcoming Film Line Up at the D23 Expo

The Walt Disney Studios—including studio leaders and filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney live action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios—wowed an audience of nearly 7,000 this morning at D23 Expo 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, The Walt Disney Studios—joined by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Disney live action’s Sean Bailey, Pixar’s Pete Docter and Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee—offered guests a captivating look at Disney’s upcoming film slate, including never-before-seen footage and a host of stars, plus a spectacular performance from “Frozen 2” voice cast members Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad. “You’re not just fans, you’re family,” said Horn to the packed room. “It’s because of you that we keep working so hard to make great movies, and we love D23 Expo because it’s where we can share them with you first.” The presentation included the following highlights.

LUCASFILM President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams showcased the riveting conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Kennedy and Abrams revved up the audience, introducing nine stars from the film—many of whom marked this as their first D23 Expo appearance: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran and Billy Dee Williams, plus special appearances from R2-D2, BB-8 and the new droid D-O. A brand-new poster was revealed—and gifted to the entire audience. And all were given a look back at the incredible legacy of Star Warsstorytelling and treated to a sneak peek of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 20, 2019.

MARVEL STUDIOS Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, kicked off his presentation with a surprise visit from “Black Panther” director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. Together, they revealed that “Black Panther 2” (working title) will hit U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022. Feige segued to next year’s “The Eternals,” inviting cast members from the much-anticipated film to the stage: Richard Madden, who portrays the all-powerful Ikaris; Kumail Nanjiani, who plays cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff, who portrays the super-fast Makkari, the first deaf hero in the MCU; Brian Tyree Henry, who plays the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek, who plays the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh, who portrays the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee, who plays the powerful Gilgamesh; and Angelina Jolie, who stars as the fierce warrior Thena. Feige revealed concept art images of each character, and announced three new cast members and their characters: Gemma Chan, who plays humankind-loving Sersi; Kit Harington, who was cast as non-Eternal Dane Whitman, and Barry Keoghan, who portrays aloof loner Druig, and was on hand for the event. Directed by Chloé Zhao, who helmed the critically acclaimed Sundance film “The Rider,” “The Eternals” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 6, 2020. Feige concluded with “Black Widow,” the Cate Shortland-directed first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which hits U.S. theaters on May 1, 2020. Feige shared a pre-recorded greeting featuring stars Scarlett Johansson, who reprises her role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; David Harbour, who was cast as Alexei the Red Guardian; and Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena. The audience was also treated to an exclusive look at the upcoming film. DISNEY LIVE ACTION

Bailey welcomed Angelina Jolie back to the stage to present exclusive footage and details about Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” the exciting follow-up to the hit 2014 film. Maleficent, portrayed by Jolie, and her goddaughter Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and new dark forces at play. Aurora’s imminent marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration—however, Prince Phillip’s mother, Queen Ingrith, portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer, challenges Maleficent’s role as Aurora’s mother figure. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Connal, one of the leaders of the dark fey who becomes Maleficent’s ally. Ejiofor, Pfeiffer and Fanning were all welcomed to the stage by an enthusiastic audience. Directed by Joachim Rønning, who co-helmed 2017’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” arrives in U.S. theaters on Oct. 18, 2019. Bailey next introduced acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro, director of “Mulan,” the upcoming live-action reimagining of the 1998 classic animated film. Caro expressed to fans her passion for the project, sharing several minutes of footage from the epic adventure inspired by one of China’s fiercest warriors. In Disney’s “Mulan,” which opens in U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020, the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. So, the eldest daughter of an honored but ailing warrior masquerades as a man, transforming into a heroic warrior to ultimately earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.

PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

Pixar Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter guided the audience through Pixar’s upcoming film slate of originals. Docter began with next summer’s release, “Soul,” which he directs. The film journeys from the streets of New York City to the never-before-seen cosmic realms and “The You Seminar,” the fantastical place where we all discover our unique personalities. Producer Dana Murray, co-director/writer Kemp Powers and writer Mike Jones joined Docter on stage, and together they set up the film for the audience and shared a sneak peek. The team revealed members of the voice cast who joined them on stage, including Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, Tina Fey and Jamie Foxx. Foxx lends his voice to Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz. Fey plays 22, a soul-in-training who has an unexpected encounter with Joe when he accidentally finds his way to the “You Seminar.” Together, the two are going to find a way to get Joe back to Earth, making him think again about what it truly means to have soul. Filmmakers also revealed that globally renowned musician Jon Batiste will be writing original jazz music for the film, and Oscar®-winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), from Nine Inch Nails, will compose an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds. Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” opens in U.S. theaters on June 19, 2020. Docter next introduced director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae, who shared details and more than ten minutes of exclusive footage from Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Onward.” The movie, which opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020, stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. Set in a modern fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” is inspired by Scanlon’s personal experiences with his brother. Holland, Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus—who voices Mom in the movie—joined the filmmakers on stage—much to the delight of the audience, who all received an exclusive “Onward” poster. WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

Lee, who directs “Frozen 2” with Chris Buck, and wrote the screenplay, invited Buck to join her on stage as the Oscar®-winning duo revealed new details about the upcoming film, which opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22. Lee and Buck introduced two new “Frozen 2” cast members: Sterling K. Brown, who voices Lieutenant Destin Mattias, and Evan Rachel Wood, who voices Queen Iduna, Anna and Elsa’s mother. The crowd—who received an exclusive D23 Expo “Frozen 2” poster—saw never-before-seen footage of the new characters, including a scene that featured Wood as Iduna singing to young Elsa and Anna. The song, “All Is Found,” is one of seven all-new original songs by Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The audience also saw a sequence from the movie that showcased Elsa’s yearning for answers about the past, culminating in another song, “Into the Unknown.” And a climactic performance of the song “Some Things Never Change” by Menzel, Bell, Groff and Gad brought the audience to its feet, capping off the studio presentation in extraordinary style. About The Walt Disney Studios For more than 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music, and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. About D23 Expo 2019 D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2019 news, visit D23expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23Expo. About D23 The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year. Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99), Gold Family Membership ($129.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

(Film Images Courtesy of Disney / Panel Images Courtesy of Getty Images)

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fullspectrum-cbd-oil · 5 years ago

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One in Four Americans Told to Stay Home as Congress Nears $1 Trillion Stimulus

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans were under orders to close up shop and stay at home on Saturday, as lawmakers in Washington neared a deal that could pump a record $1 trillion into the economy to limit the economic damage from the coronavirus.

New Jersey’s governor followed four other states – California, New York, Illinois and Connecticut – that have imposed unprecedented restrictions to slow the spread of infections, which have risen exponentially.

Governors in other states urged citizens to avoid large gatherings, even if restrictions were not in place.

“It’s like we are all lost in a movie that we can’t relate to in any way,” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said, as he urged residents of his state to take the threat more seriously.

At least 23,941 cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported in the United States and 306 people have died from the COVID-19 disease as of Saturday evening, according to a Reuters tally of state and local government websites.

In Washington, Republican and Democratic leaders appeared to be nearing a deal to pump more than $1 trillion into the economy, adding to the hundreds of billions of dollars in fiscal and monetary stimulus that has already been deployed to prop up the world’s largest economy.

“I think we’re clearly going to get there,” said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who scheduled a vote for Monday.

Hard-hit airlines are pressing for $29 billion in cash, promising in return not to furlough employees before September. But lawmakers said they were inclined to offer loans instead.

Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives have tested positive, and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife tested negative after an unidentified aide was diagnosed with the virus. Pence staffers said the aide had mild symptoms and had not had close contact with Pence or President Donald Trump.

Trump tested negative for the virus last week, according to his doctor.

Graphic: Tracking the spread of the global coronavirus – https://ift.tt/2S2hWv4

READINESS

As hospitals braced for an influx of patients, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, urged Americans to postpone non-essential surgeries to keep beds available.

The Trump administration has struggled to line up tests to diagnose the disease, masks to slow its transmission, and medical equipment to treat those who have contracted it.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a test that can deliver a result in 45 minutes, rather than days, according to Cepheid, its maker.

At the White House, officials said they were delivering more tests and equipment where they were needed, but declined to say whether they had met benchmarks they had laid out earlier in the week.

Graphic: The novel coronavirus in the United States – https://ift.tt/33j250j

State and local officials say they are scrambling for supplies.

“We’ve gotten no help from the federal government, or limited help,” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said at a news briefing.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state had identified 6,000 ventilators to help sick patients keep breathing, but needed 30,000 more. He said the state is sending 1 million N95 respirator masks to New York City – short of the 3 million city officials are seeking.

“We are literally scouring the globe for medical supplies,” Cuomo said.

In New York City, where more than 6,000 cases have been diagnosed, about a dozen people waited for a test in the parking lot of the Brooklyn Hospital Center.

“That’s insane,” city council member Mark Levine said in a phone interview. “If they’re well enough to stand in a line, they should be home resting, they don’t need a test, and they need to get out of the way.”

Federal authorities briefly stopped flights arriving at New York City-area airports after a trainee at an air traffic control center tested positive.

Neighboring New Jersey became the latest state on Saturday to adopt a statewide directive requiring residents to remain indoors except for trips to grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other “essential businesses.”

Stay-at-home orders now apply to 84 million people in states that account for a third of the nation’s economy. Other states encouraged residents to reduce activity but did not put restrictions in place. Missouri went in a different direction, allowing child-care providers to take on more children.

The state directives were for the most part issued without strict enforcement mechanisms to back them up.

Cuomo said New York would fine and close businesses that defy the order. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said police would “admonish” people to go home.

In Ridgefield, Connecticut, where six new cases were reported on Saturday, town official Rudy Marconi said he would dispatch the police to break up a teenagers’ basketball game.

“We have no other tools in our toolbox. We have to rely on the social distancing,” he said.

(Additional reporting by Gabriella Borter, Caroline Spiezio, Barbara Goldberg and Jonathan Allen in New York and Jan Wolfe, Chris Prentice and Steve Holland in Washington, and Kanisha Singh in Bengaluru; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Sonya Hepinstall)

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petermancinipenrealty · 5 years ago

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Tweeted

SoE FT Prof & Direct of Hofstra Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice, Dr. Jonathan Lightfoot, is one of the community trailblazers being honored at the Islip Town Branch NAACP 6th Annual Legacy Gala & Presentation with Jane Elliott. https://t.co/Jwi9GedjT4 Congrats!!! pic.twitter.com/xxuMR8opMR

— Hofstra's School of Education (@HUSchoolofEd) January 15, 2020

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londontheatre · 8 years ago

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Les Enfants Terribles and ebp in association with Creature of London are delighted to announce the cast of “ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND” which returns to The Vaults at Waterloo from 15 April 2017.

The cast of “ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND” will be comprised of Richard Booth (BFG, Goosebumps Live), Farrell Cox (The Lost Carnival, Penguin! Elephant,), Dominic Creasey (Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2), Matthew Crouzieres (The Game’s Afoot, Back To The Future with Secret Cinema, Alice’s Adventures Underground), Jack Dorning (Hansel and Gretel, Mermaid) Emily Essery (OSLO, GO SOLO), David Frias-Robles (Cornwall vs China, The Beast), Alex Gilbert (The Fitzrovia Radio Hour’s Christmas Special, Daisy Pulls It Off), Mathew Hamper (Once, The Scarecrow’s Wedding), Nicholas Hart (Hand To God, War Horse, Alice’s Adventures Underground), Philippa Hogg (The Vaudevillians, The Forever Machine), Richard Holt (Partners in Crime, The Pillowman), Lydia Hourihan (The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie), Sam Hoye (Monstersaurus!, The Night Before Christmas), Michael Humphreys (The Good Earth, Little Shop of Horrors), Kojo Kamara (King Lear), Max Krupski (The Emperor Jones, Blast Off!), Robert Lightfoot (Don’t Touch Me, Before The Fall, Alice’s Adventures Underground), Emma Maclennan (Room on the Broom, The BFG), Elizabeth Mary-Williams (The Thinning Veil, The Selfish Giant), Jonathan Mathews (The D List, Bridget Jones’ Baby, The Frontier Trilogy), Miranda Menzies (Wallace, Romeo and Juliet), Michele Moran (Beyond The Fence, A Little Night Music), Alice Morgan Richards (China Doll: A Neuropera in Four Seasons), Olivia Nakintu (Antigone, Romeo and Juliet), Rhys Owen (Dick!, Our House), Will Palmer (Hell Yes I’m Tough Enough, Wesley), Alan Pearson (One Man, Two Guvnors, My Girl), Zara Plessard (How Not To Sink, Half A Sixpence national tour), Marah Stafford (Back To The Future with Secret Cinema, Joyce: The Golden Needle, Alice’s Adventures Underground), Tom Syms (Back To The Future and Dr Strangelove with Secret Cinema and The Game’s Afoot, Alice’s Adventures Underground), Kyle Taylor (The Smurfs Live Tour, In The Night Garden live), Deborah Tracey (Fee Fi Fo Fum [BBC], A Mad World My Masters), Meghan Treadway (War Horse, The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices), Maxwell Tyler (The Bear, From Dusk Till Dawn), Marta Vella (The Bacchae, Calendar Girls), and Hemi Yeroham (Romeo and Juliet, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes).

Also returning as The Mock Turtle, composer of the original song ‘The Mock Turtle’s Lament’, Alexander Wolfe.

This unmissable immersive production was the hit of summer 2015, welcoming over 100,000 visitors and culminating in a 2016 Olivier Award nomination for Best Entertainment and Family Show. “ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND” was originally conceived as a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel of the same name – it will play a limited season from 15 April 2017 – 23 September 2017, with press night on 25 April 2017. Ticket prices range from £39.00 to £71.50 (£31.50 – £54.00 during previews); and there are a limited number of tickets for £25 for under 26’s at the first performance on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the run.

Also returning is the bespoke children’s show, “ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND” for those aged 5 to 10 from 13 May 2017 – 3 September 2017. Casting for this will be announced at a later date.

Audiences experience immersive theatre in spectacular detail in this interactive, puppetry-packed, fusion of storytelling, music and circus deep below Waterloo station. Audience members are invited down the rabbit hole in intimate groups, where they will be presented with a choice of EAT ME or DRINK ME, which will affect the way their show will unfold… Make your choice and find yourself at the centre of the story as you wander through Wonderland, piecing together the puzzle to search for Alice who is lost in the looking glass.

“ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND” is written by Oliver Lansley and Anthony Spargo and directed by Oliver Lansley and James Seager.

LISTINGS ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND Previews: Saturday 15 April – Monday 24 April 2017 Performances: Tuesday 25 April – Sunday 23 September 2017 (PRESS NIGHT: Tuesday 25 April)

http://ift.tt/2iHZ54D LondonTheatre1.com

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