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laurenfutcher02 · 4 months
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Bibliography
(co, 2024)co,  co (2024) Recipe Postcard Design for CPG Food Brand. Available at: https://dribbble.com/shots/16949440-Recipe-Postcard-Design-for-CPG-Food-Brand (Accessed: 15 May 2024).
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Miller, I. (2024) Cocktail O’clock. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/188330979/Cocktail-Oclock-Prints-and-Posters-v-20?tracking_source=search_projects|cocktail+postets+&l=131 (Accessed: 11 April 2024).
NON STOP, 阿祖不收手 (2024) Singapore fruit tea Chavo brand design. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/193506111/Singapore-fruit-tea-Chavo-brand-designMade-Fresh (Accessed: 11 April 2024).
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reportwire · 2 years
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Cannabis beverage business hit with $45K in fines for violations at Mile High 420 Festival - The Cannabist
Cannabis beverage business hit with $45K in fines for violations at Mile High 420 Festival – The Cannabist
A cannabis beverage business will pay $45,000 in fines after breaking rules at Denver’s Mile High 420 Festival held in April. The violations resulted in a $15,000 fine. An additional $30,000 will be held in suspension for a year, in case of future violations. Denver Packaging Co., which also operates as Keef Brands, admitted to seven violations on April 20, including unlawful acts, packaging and…
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Cannabis Trade Federation Announces Full Board, Readies Inclusive Membership Options
Cannabis Trade Federation Announces Full Board, Readies Inclusive Membership Options
What started with the formation of the New Federalism Fund back in March of 2017, has taken on increasing momentum as the Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF) has clearly emerged as the professional “Voice of the Cannabis Industry”. After many months of building a formidable team to represent the Cannabis Industry’s interests at the federal level on Capitol Hill, CTF, which was founded on 4/20/2018…
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okay not to be a bitch but am I the only person who doesn't want yet ANOTHER person to join sophie and co??? like don't get me wrong I adore marella and even stina being around more is cool, but there is SO MANY people and Sophie legit never speaks to anyone but keefe and fitz ://////
like there's so many cool and interesting characters already!!! can we please utilise them instead of creating brand new characters to engineer one very specific scenario then abandon them :/
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tattooed-alchemist · 6 years
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The nonalcoholic beer, going for $7.95 per 10-ounce bottle, will deliver 5 milligrams of THC to the drinker’s system, about half the amount of many standard edible servings. The aim is to provide a high that is pleasant, relaxing and mellow enough to be enjoyed socially as well as recreationally.
“You should feel good but you won’t get too stoned,” Ceria co-founder and brewmaster Keith Villa said. “What better way to enjoy a Broncos game, especially when they’re losing, than to have a couple of these and feel good?”
Villa is known for making a different Belgian white ale. He created Blue Moon, which put him on the brewing map in 1995. The brewmaster retired from Molson Coors earlier this year, and a short time later he and his wife, Jodi Villa, founded Ceria in their hometown of Arvada.
“We want to remove the stigma around cannabis,” Villa said. “There are still a lot of people who won’t go into a dispensary. This breaks down stigma. We truly believe it will change the industry.”
Grainwave is brewed as a normal beer, and then the alcohol is removed. That’s why its label calls it “de-alcoholized cannabis beer.” Villa formulated his beer with help from Evergreen-based hemp research firm ebbu. The folks at ebbu helped Ceria connect with Keef Brands, makers of Keef Cola, Bubba Kush Root Beer and other infused sodas.
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livehealthynewsusa · 3 years
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Those Ridiculous National Food Days Are Good for Small Business
As every American knows by now, the country celebrates National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 18.
Tamara Keefe, founder of St. Louis mini chain Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Ice Cream, is ready. “This is our busiest day of the year in terms of customers and sales,” she says. Keefe estimates that “on a very busy hot summer Saturday, we take out 1,000 or 1,100 people.” On National Ice Cream Day, that number rises to 1,500 to 2,000. “The turnover has almost doubled.”
It’s going to be tough for Keefe to beat last year’s performance. During the pandemic, she saw a notable surge in her only open store on National Ice Cream Day. “We had 2,500 people at this location. We made about $ 15,000 in sales that day. ”
We’re celebrating Ice Cream for Breakfast Day earlier this year at Clementine’s.
Source: Clementine’s Creamery
Inaugurated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and celebrated on the third Sunday of July, National Ice Cream Day is one of the biggest food and beverage holidays that bombards people’s social media feeds and inboxes. The events are reminiscent of everything from baked ham with pineapple (April 16) to moldy cheese (October 9) to “Pizza with the works except anchovies” (November 12).
They are a powerful marketing tool – never as good as during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘A big thing’
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Ben Van Leeuwen, founder of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, says Ice Cream Day is “a big deal for us. We always see sales increases of 15 to 20%. ”He expects his company to see an increase of up to 20% this year, even if the viral Mac & Cheese ice cream cooperation with the Kraft Foods Group Inc. is not included. This Mac & Cheese Day (July 14th) creation sold out online in an hour.
At Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, based in Columbus, Ohio and with 59 stores across the country, founder Jeni Britton Bauer traditionally turned down National Ice Cream Day. “I’ve always thought it was low-hanging fruit – that it doesn’t pay that much, but it gives you something to talk about.” Still, their stores saw sales increase by around 15% in 2020 compared to an average summer Sunday .
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Van Leeuwen sees a spike of at least 15% on National Ice Cream Day on a regular basis.
Source: Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
A notable alliance of Food Days is NationalToday, com, which lists all types of holidays but pays special attention to food and drink. It categorizes more than 300 major culinary holidays and over 700 smaller ones. The platform was founded in 2017 by Ben Kaplan and is owned by TOP Worldwide, an Austin, Texas-based marketing company with offices in more than 20 countries.
One way to start a food vacation is the way ice cream did – through the government statement. You can also gain traction when you’re supported by a brand looking to promote a single product or passionate people who want their favorite snack to be in the spotlight for the time being. “Some have an unknown origin, but are now anchored in the mindset of consumers and are therefore celebrated,” says Kaplan.
A fee must cover the creation of a holiday if it has been approved. “It’s often thousands of dollars,” he adds. “Companies and brands can also choose whether they want our help with influencers, social media, digital content or PR campaigns for everything related to holidays.”
International Dark ‘n Stormy Day is one of the newer holidays on the National Today calendar. It all started in 2020 when June 9 was declared the official Rum-Ginger-Beer Highball Day. During the six-month preliminary negotiations with National Today, Gosling’s trademarked rum had to submit background material to prove its legitimacy. “We provided a copy of the Dark ‘n Stormy trademark certificate. It helped that June 9, 2020 was the brand’s 40th anniversary, ”said Malcolm Gosling Jr., whose family started the company.
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In 2020, Goslings Rum was inaugurated on June 9th as Dark ‘n Stormy Day.
Source: goslings
In June 2020, Goslings ‘sales on the Drizly e-commerce platform increased 600% during the June week of Dark’ n Stormy Day promotions compared to the same week in 2019. (This shift is also due to the movement of the Online orders during the pandemic.)
Lifestyle vacation fatigue
However, such large sales spikes on National Food and Beverage Days can be temporary. When many restaurants were closed and people locked in their homes last year, a local ice cream cone gained even more prominence, especially for social media and hashtag purposes. Now that the venues are reopening, French Fry Day (July 13th) seems to be less of a priority.
This year, Goslings has seen a decline in interest around the national holiday. Although rum saw double-digit growth in the US this June, “we saw a more enthusiastic response from companies getting on the Dark ‘n Stormy Day promotional train in Europe,” says Brand Director Laura Baughman. “This could indicate an affinity for these lifestyle vacations among Europeans more than among Americans, who may experience a certain amount of fatigue on lifestyle vacations.” National Today’s Kaplan agrees, saying there is “a lot of interest in food tours in the UK, Italy, Australia and India.” He adds, “Consumer engagement on most holidays has doubled during the pandemic.”
In 2020, Casa Dragones benefited from the celebration of National Tequila Day on July 24th. According to founder Bertha Gonzalez, the tequila company’s sales increased by about 30% compared to the previous week. “National Tequila Day was particularly impressive for us last year,” she says. Casa Dragones hosted live Instagram classes with celebrities like Lily Aldridge, and the events garnered 447,000 impressions.
“We saw our online sales with Reservebar.com grow over 200% year over year,” said Gonzalez. She believes this year’s National Tequila Day will bring another spike in sales, but isn’t sure if it will keep up with last year’s. “I’m open to surprises,” says Gonzalez.
In the two weeks leading up to this year’s Gin & Tonic Day on April 9th, Fever-Tree, a supplier of mixers, saw sales jump 11% at Tonic Water. That’s a dramatic decrease from 2020, when the company saw a 300% increase in the seven days leading up to G&T day, according to Charles Gibb, chief executive officer of Fever-Tree North America.
Even products that may seem impenetrable to National Food Days often see a surge in sales. On last year’s National Junk Food Day (July 21), the soda category saw demand increase 12% compared to average daily sales for the remainder of the year, according to Pattern, a global e-commerce company. Its data suggests the jump could take place again this year; So far, the demand for soda is up 13% year over year.
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Jeni’s has presented its Everything Bagel Ice Cream for this year’s Ice Cream for Breakfast Day.
Source: Jeni’s Ice Cream
Ice cream for breakfast day
Sometimes the less obvious days are the most powerful. Bauer from Jeni’s Ice Cream favors Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, which is celebrated on the first Saturday in February over the national holiday of July 18th. The rule-breaking vacation was started by a woman in Rochester, NY, in the 1960s to keep her children entertained during a snow storm. “We own Ice Cream for Breakfast Day,” says Bauer. On this day, Jeni’s shops open at 8 a.m. By noon, 100% of the profits will be donated to charities such as the social change site DoSomething.org. Jeni’s also usually uses the day to introduce a new flavor like Everything Bagel.
Keefe from Clementine’s is big on this vacation too. “It’s huge for us. Last year we partnered with Tiffany & Co. to mark the 60th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. ”Their St. Louis stores were offering“ Breakfast at Clementine’s ”and giving Tiffany gift cards to customers dressed like Audrey Hepburn were. “It’s February, people are bored, they are queuing around the block,” says Bauer. “It’s more than silly, but it’s also powerful.”
Before it’s here, it’s at the Bloomberg Terminal.
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source https://livehealthynews.com/those-ridiculous-national-food-days-are-good-for-small-business/
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ericvick · 3 years
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New Mexico, Switzerland, Federal Legalization, Aphria, Organigram And More
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In spite of some good news on the legalization front, cannabis stocks traded down this week, largely driven by lackluster earnings reports out of big Canadian companies.
On Monday, New Mexico became the latest state to legalize adult-use cannabis, after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Cannabis Regulation Act. Sales are expected to begin before April 2022.
Following a legalization wave led by New York and Virginia, this approval puts more than 43% of Americans living in legal cannabis jurisdictions, according to The Marijuana Policy Project.
Switzerland will officially launch a trial version of a legal recreational cannabis market on May 15. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health noted that the trial aims to offer “a scientific basis for the future regulation of cannabis.”
This will make Switzerland the first country in Europe to allow a legal adult-use cannabis supply chain. The trial will include 5,000 registered participants, who have proven to the Federal Government they already have been consuming cannabis.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to present a federal cannabis legalization bill soon.
“I am going to put this bill on the floor soon. It hasn’t been introduced yet,” Schumer said, explaining he has been working with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) on the measure’s draft. “Once it is introduced, it will go on the floor.”
Benzinga Cannabis’ content is now available in Spanish on El Planteo.
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) revealed the company is open to including cannabis deliveries once the plant is legal on the federal level.
“When the road is clear for cannabis, when federal laws come into play, we’re absolutely going to take a look at it,” Khosrowshahi said during a CNBC interview.
ETFs were all down. Over the five trading days of this week:
The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSE: MJ): lost 5.6%.
The AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF (NYSE: YOLO): tumbled 6.6%.
The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (NYSE: MSOS): dropped 5.55%.
The Cannabis ETF (NYSE: THCX): slipped 9.5%.
The Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (NYSE: CNBS): dropped 7.7%.
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY) was up 1.31%.
Policy, Science And Data
Story continues
Illinois cannabis taxes exceeded liquor taxes in the first three months of 2021, according to the state Department of Revenue. It’s the first time the Prairie State generated more tax revenue from cannabis than alcohol.
Marijuana tax revenue amounted to $86,537,000 in the last quarter, versus $72,281,000 from alcohol sales.
Michigan recreational and medical marijuana sales amounted to $115.4 million in March, according to Headset. That’s twofold growth compared to the same period last year.
A bipartisan bill to legalize medical cannabis for military veterans was reintroduced in Congress on Thursday.
A new study conducted by Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Boston suggested cannabis treatment can significantly help with chronic pain.
The study revealed that those who used medical cannabis daily for six months experienced notable advancements in their overall health status: less pain and anxiety, better sleep and mood.
Akerna Corp (NASDAQ: KERN) expects national cannabis retail sales to reach $95 million on 4/20, the unofficial marijuana holiday. That’s according to a new Flash Report out of the Denver-based company.
The report suggests that the five days ending April 20 are expected to yield $370 million in cannabis sales.
“The numbers just keep growing in all aspects of the cannabis industry. This week, New Mexico became the 18th state to legalize adult-use cannabis. In addition to that, we got data from Akerna that suggested this 420 holiday could see $370 in total gross sales. Consumers are expected to begin making purchases on Friday and dispensaries are gearing up for their biggest weekend of the year,” Debra Boarchardt, CEO of Green Market Report, told Benzinga.
Earnings Reports
Aphria Inc. (TSX: APHA) (NASDAQ: APHA) posted financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended Feb. 28. The company generated CA$153.6 million ($122.5 million) in net third-quarter revenue. That’s a year-over-year increase of 6.4% and a sequential decline of 4.3%.
Net cannabis revenue amounted to CA$51.7 million, dropping by 7.8% year-over-year and 23.8% sequentially.
View more earnings on MJ
Organigram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX: OGI) reported that gross revenue decreased by 29% year-over-year to roughly CA$19.3 million ($15.4 million) in the second quarter of fiscal 2021.
Net revenue also declined over the same period, from CA$23.2 million to CA$14.6 million, the Moncton, New Brunswick-based company said in a statement.
The second-quarter results were “challenged by industry dynamics, COVID-19 and staffing limitations at our facility,” CEO Greg Engel said in a statement.
urban-gro Inc (NASDAQ: UGRO) posted preliminary first quarter 2021 results. Revenue rose by 174% year-over-year to a record $11.8 million to $12.1 million, up from $4.3 million reported in the same quarter last year.
Find all the details on these and other earnings reports on Benzinga Cannabis’ Earnings Center.
Financings And M&A
Aphria confirmed Thursday it has satisfied one of the requirements for its merger with Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) after its shareholders approved the arrangement at a special meeting. The special resolution approving the arrangement had to be endorsed by a minimum of two-thirds (66.6%) of the votes cast at the meeting. The merger got a 99.38% approval rate.
The closing of the deal still awaits customary conditions, such as court authorization and the approval of Tilray stockholders.
Cresco Labs (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF) has taken over Bluma Wellness Inc. (CSE: BWEL) (OTCQX: BMWLF) in an all-stock transaction valued at $213 million.
Connected International Inc., also known as Connected Cannabis, completed a $30 million capital raise led by current investors Navy Capital and One Tower Group, who welcomed new investors, such as Emerald Park Capital, an affiliate of Bryant Park Capital, and Presidio View Capital.
Jushi Holdings Inc. (CSE: JUSH) (OTC: JUSHF) acquired a 93,000 sq. ft. facility, operated by its subsidiary, Dalitso LLC, for around $22 million.
Leune announced a $5-million capital raise Thursday supported by celebrity investors like professional basketball player Carmelo Anthony, his wife and TV personality La La Anthony and sports agent Rich Paul, who’s known for representing LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Good Hemp, Inc. (OTC: GHMP) bought Diamond Creek Group, a manufacturer of ionized high alkaline spring water, for an undisclosed price. The Cornelius, North Carolina-headquartered producer of hemp seed oil-infused beverages said the move is part of a strategic plan to broaden its consumer reach.
Zip Run confirmed Friday it has raised $2.3 million via a seed funding round led by Mollitiam Capital, a private equity fund launched by Ross Bevevino and Tyson Macdonald.
Other News
Truss Beverage Co., a joint venture between brewer Molson Coors Beverage Co. (NYSE: TAP) and HEXO Corp. (NYSE: HEXO)(TSX: HEXO), is launching a lineup of six new CBD and THC products.
The Mint Dispensary will mark 4/20 with a name change to Mint Cannabis.
“As we continue to increase access to high-quality cannabis, it’s fitting that our name changes to better reflect our vision for the future,” Eivan Shahara, CEO of Brightroot Inc., parent company of Mint Cannabis, told Benzinga.
Keef Brands is expanding eastward into three new states: Missouri, Ohio and Maine.
Topical BioMedics announced an exclusive partnership and pharmacy distribution deal with Aspen, CO born Toast, a national cannabis and hemp company, making its line of topical, homeopathic pain relief creams available in more than 40,000 locations nationwide.
High Herstory, a new historical comedy series at the intersection of cannabis and feminism, is premiering on 4/20 to over 150 million homes through Social Club TV. Each episode showcases a female-identifying, cannabis-consuming storyteller, taking the audience along an action-packed journey through time.
Annette Mia Flores, co-founder of High Herstory, told Benzinga, “We are so proud to bring High Herstory to homes throughout the world. We’re putting a comedic edge on the painful underrepresentation women have faced throughout history, while smashing cannabis stigma at the same time. High Herstory Season 2 will spotlight women within the cannabis industry, from activists, to brands, scientists, and beyond. This is herstory in the making.”
Columbia Care Inc. (NEO:CCHW) (CSE: CCHW) (OTCQX: CCHWF) (FSE:3LP) is launching a solid-fill cannabis powder capsule for medicinal use under the Ceed trademark in the United Kingdom.
The New York-based company opted to expand its product offering with the first solid-fill capsule of its kind in the U.K. In addition, it’s the first dose-metered medicinal cannabis product to be produced in the country.
Executive Moves
Find out all about the latest executive moves at:
TILT, BRNT, ECGI, Alcanna, WeedMD, Mind Cure, The FLowr Corporation, VIVO, Cannabiz, Team Hytiva
CanaQuest, Terra Tech, BioSteel, Halo Collective, Rolling Stone Culture Council, Australis
FastForward Innovations
Top Stories Of The Week
Check out the top stories on Benzinga Cannabis this week:
CBD-Infused Yerba Mate Maker Milonga To Launch K-Cups, Nespresso Pods
New Cannabis Products: Jay-Z’s Handrolled Joints, Papa & Barkley x El Blunto Cannagars, Live Resin Infused Pre-Rolls
Chelsea Handler On Cannabis, Her New HBO Max Special, Therapy And Psychedelics: ‘I’m Very Pro Drugs’
If You Invested ,000 In Canopy Growth Stock One Year Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Now
If You Invested ,000 In Aurora Cannabis Stock One Year Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Now
If You Invested ,000 In Tilray Stock One Year Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Now
If You Invested ,000 In Aphria Stock One Year Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Now
Video: KushCo CEO Explains How Greenlane Merger Catapults Them To ‘The Next Level’
Benzinga Cannabis Hour: MassRoots CEO, Dosist CMO Discuss Social Media In Cannabis
Top Spanish stories:
Lead image by Ilona Szentivanyi. Copyright: Benzinga.
See more from Benzinga
© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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ageloire · 7 years
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Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With Bots?
It's so interesting to watch classic films, isn't it?
I'm a big fan of the genre, and always have been. But as my time working in tech progresses, I'm particularly drawn to the ones that were, in their own way, predictive. Futuristic. What was then science fiction.
What's behind my fascination is how much we are growing into and making a reality what was once thought to be fiction -- something dramatically forecasted through art, literature, and film to be a world unlikely to be witnessed for many generations.
And yet, here we are.
Within this science fiction was a prevalence of robot characters, whether villains, protagonists, or those who supported the stories' heroes -- enough so that we once dedicated an entire post to them.
To this day, we're still obsessed with bots -- only now, most of us use them on a day-to-day basis, whether we realize it or not. That really came to the surface at SXSW, where I attended panel after panel on the topic, and was lucky to speak with the creators of some of the newest, most notable bots to hit the market.
I had to know: Why are we so infatuated with bots?
Here's what I think -- and what the experts had to say about it.
Why Are We So Obsessed With Bots?
The Difference Between Bots and Artificial Intelligence
First things first: It's very easy to lump bots and artificial intelligence (AI) together as the same type of technology. But they're not.
I sat down with Emily Withrow, Quartz Bot Studio editor, to clear things up. This bot was unveiled at SXSW, introducing a personal messaging experience for Quartz readers on Messenger to interact with news, projects, and content the brand calls "Obsessions": magnified looks into the most interesting stories and events taking place in the world.
When I asked Withrow how she would delineate AI from bots, she explained the latter is a type of technology that can -- but doesn't always -- inform and enhance the former.
"AI is a tool that bots can use, but it’s not part of the package," she said. "I think of a bot as the postal worker -- the delivery of content, and the back-and-forth in the delivery and fetching of content."
"How smart" you want to make that delivery and fetching of content, Withrow said, is where AI comes in, especially when it comes to how the bot will respond to user input. That's where intelligence tools like natural language processing (NLP) can help the bot interpret what a user is saying.
But it also works with non-text user input. Let's say, for instance, a user sends a photo to a non-human bot (which actually happens quite a bit -- more on that later). "Having some [artificial] intelligence," Withrow explained, can help the bot determine "what the photograph is when users send it in," and respond accordingly.
So, now that we've cleared that up -- let's touch on why people are sending photos to non-human bots in the first place, and what that says about our growing obsession with them.
Non-Human Content Sharing
Hold up, I thought. Do people really send the Quartz Bot pictures?
Yes, explained John Keefe, a Quartz Bot Studio developer and product manager -- but luckily, "Google vision API does a 'safe scan' of the pictures that people send to the bots ... for free."
Phew.
But it did raise an interesting point -- why are people sending photos to the bots? Is it out of pure curiosity, or is it to actually engage with the bot?
As it turns out, it might be the latter. At a panel discussion around what's next in how we interact with bots, Dashbot Co-Founder and CEO Arte Merritt noted that out of all the photos sent to bots, throughout his research, he's found selfies are the most common.
What that tells us, he said, is that people treat something as seemingly superficial as a weather bot "like a person, and sent it pictures like it would to a friend."
Which only led to more questions, including one from panel moderator Shara Tibken, a senior reporter with CNET. "What about emotional attachments?" she asked. "Do you see a day when these become our therapists or our friends?"
Well, maybe -- and that's where the AI comes in. Take self-driving cars, for instance, which could serve as one of the most extreme examples of AI-powered robots. Only, instead of chatting with you on a platform like Messenger, they get you from point A to point B on major roads.
And while it's pre-programmed to be able to respond to certain inputs or detections, like a chatbot would be, it's also predicted that autonomous vehicles will learn more about its user(s) to create a personalized, humanized experience -- similarly to how a friend would, said Niveus co-founder Tim Cutting.
"If you truly have a friend in the car, it knows your body language, how warm it is outside, and your favorite music to recommend," he said. "I think the AI should get to that."
So maybe that's why we're so obsessed with bots -- because it helps to humanize objects and brands and allows us to engage with them in a way we never could before.
The result of sending a dog photo to the TechCrunch Bot
It's a fascinating, but understandable, phenomenon for someone of my generation, who grew up watching movies like Brave Little Toaster -- essentially a two-hour anthropomorphization of home appliances. That was part of the science fiction I alluded to earlier: the fantasy that non-human objects like toasters and electric blankets could be happy and sad, just like the rest of us.
As strange as it sounds, that type of story caused me to empathize with what were essentially machines. And while it could be dismissed as little more than an animated children's film about the misadventures of a vacuum cleaner and its friends in the journey back home, it does appear that we've come full circle.
That's because of the ways we humanize these machines today -- in the form of conversational bots.
The Humanization of Brands -- by Way of Bot
By humanizing inanimate objects and brands by way of bots, said Intuit CMO Lucas Watson at another panel discussion, you're creating another method of building brand trust.
"As a brand, you have to think about where you sit on the friend spectrum," he explained. "How deep a relationship do I want to have with my customer? What permission do I have to go there? What have I done to build that trust?"
And building a human engagement method, like being able to naturally converse with a bot, can help brands get to that point, added co-panelist Kristen Berman of Duke Common Cents Lab.
"You could get a bot to answer a question for you, and get humans to trust it," she said. "I think we’re getting to that."
Berman used the example of a human user prompting a bot with the query, "How to break up with someone." For something like a search engine, those keywords are likely not new, nor is the human propensity to seek expertise and advice for doing so online.
But the idea of asking a chatbot how to do that -- one that isn't necessarily powered by AI, NLP, or machine learning -- is fairly recent. And, said Keefe, by paying attention to this behavior, brands actually stand to benefit, especially when it comes to building a better, more humanized bot experience and interaction.
"We have an open white box where people can write anything -- and people and other bots do," he explained. "But, done well, you can learn a lot from that about what people are actually looking for."
It turns out that "Sephora" isn't short for "philosophy"
Okay, so maybe it's not the responsibility of a weather bot to give advice to users on ending relationships. But it does signify the next phase of our increasingly digital habits of communicating and building relationships. What began as social networking and online dating has evolved into asking home speakers for nearby restaurant recommendations and, it seems, robotic meteorologists for personal advice.
And when I think about the idea of users sending selfies to bots, I have to wonder how different it is from, say, posting selfies on Instagram. Sure, we do that to get a response and engagement from a human audience, but what do we put more emphasis on: the audience itself, or the response and engagement?
At another panel discussion about what social media users want, Instagram Product Designer Josh Dickens emphasized the importance of the response to users.
"If you respond," he said, "I know that you care about me and you’re with me."
In full transparency, Dickens was speaking to that notion as a response from the people who users care about the most. But what that looks like for each person is different, whether it's friends and family, or a crowd of adoring strangers. And when examining our evolving behavior with and around bots, it seems like that's what's most important to us: the response.
So, I'll Ask Again: Why Are We So Obsessed With Bots?
Well, maybe that's just it: the response. Bots almost always get back to us, and when they do, it's typically in a way that was designed to be helpful, even if pre-programmed or it's artificially intelligent.
But that's key to remember when building a bot, Withrow says, especially when composing the copy it will automate to engage with users.
"The way you construct a sentence affects the way people respond," she said. "I try not to leave room for interpretation in terms of tone. The bot is never sarcastic. And it’s never really negative, either."
And for Keefe, that's one of the biggest points of pride for the Quartz Bot: "A lot of the content is written by very talented humans. That’s super key."
In fact, that's where the team spends a good chunk, if not most, of its time.
"What we spend a lot of our time on is not training a model to answer the right way, completely, or to have a completely unmoderated conversation with a human," he said. "Writing the scripts and the dialogue … that’s where the bulk of our work is.”
Which brings up another crucial point for marketers, especially those who are hoping to integrate a bot into its brand trust and humanization strategy. "If you’re having a really good experience with a bot," Keefe said, "it’s because someone has written really good things."
Around here, we'd call that a pretty "inboundy" concept. If you've read our work before, you know how much importance we place on quality content, including that which largely involves the written word. It's content designed to be helpful and engaging -- just like a good bot experience.
"Bots help us build better relationships," Connor Cirillo, HubSpot's conversational marketing manager, told me, "so humans can have valuable and delightful interactions."
And if it seems weird, that's okay -- you're certainly not alone. But Withrow encourages marketers, especially content writers, to embrace that.
"I personally love to lean into the weirdness of talking to a machine,” she said.
It's truly stranger, as they say, than [science] fiction.
from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/why-is-everyone-so-obsessed-with-bots
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reportwire · 2 years
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Cannabis beverage business hit with $45K in fines for violations at Mile High 420 Festival
Cannabis beverage business hit with $45K in fines for violations at Mile High 420 Festival
2022-09-05 11:54:08 A cannabis beverage business will pay $45,000 in fines after breaking rules at Denver’s Mile High 420 Festival held in April. The violations resulted in a $15,000 fine. An additional $30,000 will be held in suspension for a year, in case of future violations. Denver Packaging Co., which also operates as Keef Brands, admitted to seven violations on April 20, including unlawful…
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Cannabis Trade Federation Announces Industry Leaders as Founding Board Members
Cannabis Trade Federation Announces Industry Leaders as Founding Board Members
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New Organization to Focus on Passing the STATES Act, Hires Industry Veteran Neal Levine as CEO
WASHINGTON, D.C.  (07/25/18) – The Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF) proudly announced 14 founding board members today, building on the organization’s initial formation just a few months ago. CTF is a newly formed national coalition of cannabis-related businesses that represent all aspects…
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thewebofslime · 5 years
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NEWSCOURT DOCS: Prosecutors Ask To Present Evidence That NXIVM Sex Cult Leaders Illegally Bundled Money For Hillary Clinton CampaignPublished 2 hours ago on Apr 17, 2019 By Patrick Howley  aSharedTweetWFlipk Prosecutors have asked to present evidence in the NXIVM sex cult racketeering trial showing that NXIVM leaders including Nancy Salzman and Clare Bronfman illegally bundled money for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign by compelling members to donate to Clinton and then reimbursing the members. (READ: Ex-NXIVM Employees: Kirsten Gillibrand’s Father and Stepmother, Second Cousins, Were Very Active In The Cult, Acted As Broker To Democrat Politicians). “I was there, and I knew that the contributions were made by more than a dozen NXIVM members to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign,” former NXIVM employee Frank Parlato tells Big League Politics, confirming that the court documents refer to Clinton’s campaign. Bronfman’s donations to Clinton are recorded here. Document 414 – Memorandum Of Law In Support Of Government’s Motion To Admit Certain Rackleteering Evidence (03.12.2019) advertisement - story continues below Trending: Two Fox Hosts End Interviews When Guests Bring Up Pattern of Church Fires in France The prosecutors state: “Campaign Contribution Evidence i. Facts At trial, the government intends to introduce witness testimony and documents demonstrating that in 2007, the defendants and their co-conspirators were involved in an illegal scheme to exceed contribution limits to a presidential primary campaign. Witness testimony, corroborated by documentary evidence, will demonstrate that at least 14 members of the Nxivm community, including at least five defendants and co-conspirators, made the maximum campaign donation to a primary campaign with the understanding that they would be reimbursed by Bronfman or Nancy Salzman. At the suggestion of a political operative, who has since pleaded guilty to an unrelated New York state bribery charge also involving campaign contributions, the contributions were “bundled” and presented to the candidate at a fundraising event attended by conspirators, including Nancy Salzman. advertisement - story continues below A cooperating witness who attended the event will testify that the defendants and their co-conspirators made the contributions in hopes of obtaining political influence to advance their own agenda, including targeting perceived enemies of Raniere. The government will also seek to introduce evidence of similar conduit contributions to other elected officials, as well as use of other political lobbyists in attempts to gain influence. ii. Admissibility The defendants’ and co-conspirators’ involvement in the conduit contribution scheme and related acts described above, is direct evidence of the charged racketeering conspiracy. Their work together to commit crimes as part of a coordinated effort to curry political favor, evidenced in part by the records of maximum contributions by members of Nxivm on the same day, demonstrates the relationship of trust among the defendants and coconspirators, which is proof of the Enterprise’s existence. … The same evidence also demonstrates the nature of the criminal relationships between the defendants, which defendants are attempting to portray as a purely legitimate association. The evidence of the conduit contributions is also direct evidence of the existence of the Enterprise and the pattern of racketeering activity because it is probative of the defendant and co-conspirators’ “us[e of] harassment, coercion and abusive litigation to intimidate and attack perceived enemies and critics of RANIERE,” (Indictment ¶ 6(f)). Specifically, the bundled campaign contributions were part of an attempt to curry favor with a presidential nominee to advance the goals of the defendants and co-conspirators, including by obtaining indictments against enemies and gaining advantages in litigation. The evidence of the conduit contributions also demonstrates the relatedness of the predicate acts, because it demonstrates the attitude of defendants and co-conspirators that they must “cheat to win” to fight the conspiracy they believed was operating against them. advertisement - story continues below … Moreover, the conduit contributions is also probative of motive and intent as to the DOS-related acts and charges, because the evidence at trial will demonstrate that one of the defendants and co-conspirators purposes in forming DOS was to have a pyramid of collateralized powerful women who he could order to do things for him or order to vote in a group to “turn elections.” Finally, because several cooperating witnesses are implicated in the campaign contribution scheme, such evidence is also admissible to corroborate their testimony and to front issues that are expected to be raised on cross-examination.” Court document passage ends I reported: Democrat senator and presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand’s family ties to the NXIVM sex cult are coming to light, raising serious questions about her relationship with the cult that she once denied knowing about. Gillibrand’s father and stepmother, who are second cousins, were both heavily involved in the cult in the period shortly before they got married, according to eyewitness accounts from ex-NXIVM employees who spoke on the record to Big League Politics, and according to court documents proving that Gillibrand’s father Doug Rutnik was employed by NXIVM. Gillibrand’s father served as a broker between NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere — whose initials were branded on his female sex slaves — and then-New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer to resolve Raniere’s financial problems with the state, according to ex-employee whistleblower Joseph O’Hara, whose revelations are printed below. Gillibrand’s stepmother Gwenn Belcourt got “hooked” on the cult as did Bill Clinton’s close friend Richard Mays, according to the whistleblower. Nancy Salzman, the NXIVM president, acted as a personal “guru” for Gillibrand’s stepmother. Ex-cult employee Frank Parlato — who exposed the fact that Raniere was branding women — is working with Big League Politics to uncover the deep longstanding links between Gillibrand, the Clintons, and NXIVM. “The very first time I ever met Gillibrand she was at an event for Hillary Clinton in the Hall of Springs in the State Park. This was in 2006. I was at a table with a Russian friend and Mike Roohan and his wife. I was on the Democratic committee at the time and was given two comp tickets. Gillibrand came up to me introduced herself and said she was running against John Sweeney. This was before all the stories of his drunken behavior came out. He was still congressman kickass at that time. I promised my support and wished her well. i than commented to Mike that with her baby voice and demeanor that she was a lightweight. Boy was I wrong. But the kicker was when the mixing was over and Clinton went to speak. Gillibrand sat with one of the front tables. Yeah the three front VIP tables were all brought by NXIVM and she was sitting with Nancy Salzman. You can quote me on that,” said witness John Tighe in a statement provided to Big League Politics. Nancy Salzman has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy while her daughter Lauren Salzman admitted to enslaving a woman, stating in court, “I knowingly and intentionally harbored Jane Doe 4, a woman whose identity is known to me, in a room in the home in the Northern District of New York” and “threatened to deport Jane Doe 4 back to Mexico if she did not complete labor requested by myself and others.” JOSEPH O’HARA TELLS BIG LEAGUE POLITICS HIS NXIVM STORY Joseph O’Hara was living in Saratoga Springs at the time, and a woman he met socially called him up out of the blue and asked for him to meet with the leaders of NXIVM. “I agreed to meet with them. We met the very next day. We had coffee and that’s when I was introduced to Nancy Salzman, the president of NXIVM, and she described to me the various problems they were having,” O’Hara said, referring to lawsuits, public relations issues, and governmental issues stemming from trying to get a building permit for a NXIVM center. “I said give me a day or two,” O’Hara said. “After I thought about it, I wrote back to them and said I don’t think there’s anything I can do personally but I can play centerfielder and pull in people you need. I think you need a bigger law firm on this. Yes I can get you a PR firm that can come in and help you. That’s what I proposed to them, that I would be a middle man.” “They hired me in October of 2003 and I worked for them for 15 months. At the end of 2004 a variety of issues had come up and I resigned.” O’Hara, whose official title was “consultant,” said he “met primarily with Keith” Raniere and with bookeeper Cathy Russell and legal liaison Kristin Keefe. O’Hara remembers Raniere vividly. “I thought he was a little strange. He was an odd fellow. Before I met him I had been told a lot about him. I guess when I met him I was a little underwhelmed,” O’Hara said, referring to a tall tale about how Raniere supposedly tied a record in the hundred-yard dash. Raniere held volleyball games with the women in his cult, but O’Hara did not attend. Kirsten Gillibrand’s Father Doug Rutnik Acted As A Broker Between NXIVM and then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer “I had known Doug Rutnik for a number of years. He was one of the people I thought of immediately for a couple of the problems that he (Raniere) had,” O’Hara said, including the fact that Raniere agreed to pay a certain amount of money to New York State stemming from the bankruptcy of his previous venture Consumer’s Buyline. “Keith never made the payments. I think it was around 45 or 50 thousand dollars.” “I contacted Doug, and explained to him the situation. Doug could be the broker between Keith and the attorney general” O’Hara said. The attorney general was then Eliot Spitzer. “Doug and I, Nancy and Keith had lunch at a little club. Keith came in and looked like a young middle-aged business exec. Doug said let’s check this out a little further,” O’Hara remembers. NXIVM was trying to get a license for a school. The meeting occurred at the Fort Orange Club in Albany in 2004, according to O’Hara. O’Hara hired a third party attorney in Albany to take a 5-day executive course at NXIVM, and the attorney expressed concerns about the group potentially not paying taxes and “living off the grid.” Doug Rutnik’s Second Cousin, Gillibrand’s Future Stepmother, Got Very Involved “Doug said I know somebody else I could send in. It’s his cousin Gwenn Belcourt. She comes back with rave reviews and Doug gets hired. Keith comes up with the money and pays off the attorney general.” Thus, Gillibrand’s father acted as the broker between NXIVM and attorney general Eliot Spitzer after Gillibrand’s future stepmother Gwenn Belcourt gave NXIVM her full seal of approval. “Doug was the one, I don’t know who he talked to, but he was the one who got the okay for…NXIVM sent Doug the check, and it was expressly to resolve the issue over Consumers Buyline. And then the issue went away.” “Gwenn and I met. Doug said let’s have Gwenn go in and take a week-long course. She went in and she wrote up a report and was extremely positive. No issues with the schooling. No issues with the curriculum” at the NXIVM Center, O’Hara recalled. “He told me this is my second cousin Gwenn. She was engaged at the time. She was a lawyer, someone Doug trusted.” “Things were happening, one right after the other. Gwenn comes in, she writes the report, and Doug is doing work for them.” “Meanwhile Gwenn does her thing and she starts taking more classes on her own. We paid for the one class she took…at some point Doug says, this is getting a little weird with Gwenn. He said she broke off her engagement because Nancy told her she needed to re-think her life. Nancy Salzman became Gwenn’s personal guru. She wanted to bring Gwenn in as full-time in-house counsel.” “I know that she was taking a lot of classes at NXIVM,” O’Hara said of Gwenn Belcourt. “NXIVM initiates a lawsuit against me and Doug, and Gwenn is still involved in NXIVM at that point. Doug goes in like a rescue mission. He finally convinces her what’s going on there and she leaves NXIVM. The next thing I know all of a sudden he said Gwenn and I are dating now. Shortly after that they’re engaged.” “For several years, I saw them after they were married,” O’Hara said, noting that the couple was no longer in the cult. Clinton Friend Richard Mays and Gillibrand’s Stepmother Gwenn Belcourt Both Got “Hooked” on the Cult “I had done work down in Arkansas, I had met Richard (Mays) down there. He had great connections with Governor Clinton. His lieutenant governor Tucker became governor. I was trying to get in to make a presentation to the governor. Richard got me the meeting. He got me the meeting with Jim Guy Tucker,” O’Hara said. “One of the other problems Keith had, he had an unpaid bill in Arkansas and he wanted to get an exoneration in Arkansas so he brought Richard Mays in and he got involved. Richard Mays started taking classes and got his daughter taking classes” at NXIVM. “There were people who got hooked on it. Richard Mays was one. Gwenn Belcourt was another,” O’Hara said. “I Had Created This Monster” O’Hara said that he uncovered Raniere evading taxes and illegally obtaining private investigator information on his enemies, which led him to quit. NXIVM then waged lawfare against him. “They destroyed me. I had created this monster. They didn’t know how to get political consultants. They didn’t know how to hire former senator D’Amato, they didn’t know how to hire Richard Mays out of Arkansas, best friends with the Clintons. They had all these people now in their arsenal and they destroyed me in short order,” O’Hara said. Raniere once admitted in a videotape pulled from the Internet, “I am just a demon.” PROOF RUTNIK WORKED FOR NXIVM Former NXIVM employee Frank Parlato provided Big League Politics with copies of the court documents in NXIM’s suit against Rutnik, which prove Rutnik’s employment by the group. (READ THE FULL DOCUMENTS HERE). “I worked as the publicist,” Frank Parlato told Big League Politics. “We ran into a major disagreement and we split. At the time I worked for them I thought they were a little peculiar but it wasn’t until the end that I realized they were a downright evil group.” “There are women on the record who are now adults who have accused Raniere of statutory rape and there are some very suspicious incidents where Mexican girls came under the perimeters of Raniere’s control and left under suspicious circumstances. They came from Chihuahua Mexico. I reported this to the authorities,” Parlato said. “Her father Doug Rutnik came to work as a consultant for NXIVM…he was fired, they sued him, and he had to pay them $100,000,” Parlato said, referring Gillibrand’s father. Parlato is the NXIVM whistleblower who blew the lid off the case, including the revelation that NXIVM leader Keith Raniere’s cult was branding women with his initials. “Her father’s wife, her stepmother, was also a member of NXIVM…Doug got her into the cult, Gillibrand’s father got Gillibrand’s future stepmother into the cult. Doug left the cult because he was sued. Clare Bronfman after her father was sued donated money to Gillibrand. Gillibrand accepted it.” “One is inclined to call her a liar,” Parlato says of Gillibrand.
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mrmichaelchadler · 6 years
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MOMA's To Save and Project Festival: Never Fear, Histoires d’Amérique, A Day Off
The following is part two of Vikram Murthi's coverage of MOMA's To Save and Project festival, which programs newly preserved and restored films from around the world. To read part one, click here. 
In 1934, Ida Lupino contracted polio as a teenaged actress under contract at Paramount Pictures. Though she eventually made a fully recovery, her experience as a young woman in a public-facing industry led her to become a polio advocate and pushed her into the director’s chair. Fifteen years later, her first official directorial effort, “Never Fear,” about a young dancer’s experiences in a rehab clinic following a polio diagnosis, was released at the height of the outbreak in America. Though not an autobiographical portrait, Lupino’s intimate knowledge of the disease’s physical and psychological effects helped craft a clear-eyed, tender portrait that actively sought respect over pity. This year, MOMA presented a brand-new restoration of the film complete with a full theatrical run.
“Never Fear” might be steeped in melodrama, but most of its sights are set on documentary realism. Lupino shot much of the film at the actual Kabat-Kaiser Institute for rehabilitation in Santa Monica and many of the actors in “Never Fear” were real rehab patients. While “Never Fear” primarily follows Carol Williams (Sally Forrest) as she adjusts to life in the clinic, Lupino has little interest in positioning her struggles as unique or remarkable relative to other patients at Kabat-Kaiser. Instead, she goes to great lengths to communicate that Carol’s environment is one of hope and vitality rather than sorrow. Cinematographer Archie Stout shoots Kabat-Kaiser as if it’s a bright corner of the world rather than a cold, antiseptic hospice one might expect.
Still, Lupino affords her subjects enough dignity to realistically portray their undignified feelings surrounding polio. After she contracts the disease, Carol’s self-loathing causes her to lash out at nurses, other patients, and especially her fiancé Guy (Keefe Brasselle), her former dance partner who unfailingly stands by her side. She forces the breakdown of her relationship because she selfishly believes that no able-bodied man would live with a disabled woman. Meanwhile, Guy struggles to shift into the real estate business despite having no qualifications in order to support Carol, even though she doesn’t want to see him. After he flames out at the new job, he goes out on an ill-considered date with a secretary (Eve Miller), but she quickly and perceptively recognizes his naked attempts to use her to purge his true feelings for Carol.
It’s mildly stunning to watch such mature emotions on display, especially considering some of the after-school-special qualities of “Never Fear.” The film shines when Lupino showcases the casual strength of polio patients and how they shut down Carol’s self-absorbed attitude just by being alive. She communicates disability matter-of-factly, offering the rehab patients independence and grace and never artificially solicits sympathy from the audience. A late scene featuring a wheelchair square dance radiates with joy precisely because it features marginalized bodies in a comfortable, intimate setting. “Never Fear” might be out to teach a lesson, but it does so in the least strident or didactic way possible.
“Histoires d’Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy”
A portrait of immigrant Jewish life on the Lower East Side, Chantal Akerman’s “Histoires d’Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy” splits its time evenly between lengthy monologues about emigration or assimilation and Borscht Belt-style comedy. Some of the film’s actors include Eszter Balint (“Stranger Than Paradise”) and her father Stephan, co-founder of the Hungarian experimental theatre company Squat Theatre; Kirk Baltz, who went on to portray the doomed Officer Marvin Nash in Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs”; and Judith Malina, co-founder of The Living Theatre, the oldest experimental theatre group in the United States. Them, along with many others that walk in and out of Akerman’s film, depict a slice of the Jewish diaspora in the Western world, one steeped in faith and family, pain and pleasure.
Akerman’s warmth and generosity pays off dividends here as she allows her actors to breathe life into their stories. All of the tales fall squarely into the classic immigrant experience, and yet the use of one-take direct address provides the stories with urgency and vigor. (It helps considerably that the film’s actors are clearly trained stage professionals well versed in delivering lengthy monologues.) The interstitial bits are hit-or-miss, and sometimes the jokes can overstay their welcome, but that itself becomes something of a recurring gag. (The film’s best “old joke”: What’s the difference between a psychotic and a neurotic? A psychotic thinks 2 + 2 = 5. A neurotic knows 2 + 2 = 4, but he can’t stand it.) “Histoires d’Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy” sings when Akerman allows all her actors to share the frame in the final act. Here, the stories and the comedy meld into a cohesive whole that sustains an entire community. Food, family, and philosophy are just the tip of the iceberg.
“A Day Off”
Lee Man-hee’s “A Day Off” never made it to Korean theaters in 1968 because the film fell foul of the censors for depicting such gloomy topics like abortion and suicide. Forgotten until 2005 when the Korean Film Archives preserved a unique print, “A Day Off” has since been celebrated for its bleak, modernist aesthetic and its uncompromising depiction of poverty. Lee follows two lovers (Shin Seong-Il and Jeon Ji-Yeon) as they spend their Sunday trying to gather enough money for an abortion. As the man struggles to borrow or steal from his various rich or degenerate friends, Lee tours the seedy underbelly of late-’60s Seoul: bars, alleys, half-finished construction projects. A relaxant and a perilous distraction, alcohol becomes a binding force between strangers wishing to escape their present; a foolish late-night drunken excursion turns nightmarish without much effort. Meanwhile, the hands of fate seal tragic ends for the responsible innocents. A decidedly Antonioni-esque take on Korean melodrama featuring gorgeous night photography, “A Day Off” becomes a dark night of the soul as quickly as one might expect, but the despair will remain long after the lights go up.
from All Content http://bit.ly/2RPdy0j
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theymightbetaping · 6 years
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#Repost @ox_the_architect ・・・ IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!!! @tmbtdotnet presents "Chemical Breakdowns" with Oxygen: Episode 3 for your bumpin' enjoyment! Listen online at theymightbetaping.net/chemicalbreakdowns. Also available on Soundcloud, iTunes, Mixcloud & Spreaker. Tracklisting is below. Peace!!!!!!! · CBD INTRO - Double Standard Crew · Boog Brown (feat.yU) - Win · Yarbrough - Somethin' To Say · Kurious (feat.Dave Dar & Co Campbell) - Brand New Day · * talkover beat * - Produced by The Asmatik · Large Professor - Key To The City (Mad Scientist Remix) · Innersoul - It's The Right Time · Concrete Click - Gone With The Wind · Supastition - Black Bodies · Mikey D & The L.A. Posse: LIVE @ JHS 231 Playground - Queens, NY (July 1986) · MC Loon-E-Toon & DJ Battery Brain - Give It Up For The G · Keefy Keef - Cause I'm Keefy Keef · Sean-1 - Musical Muscle · Saukrates - Still Caught Up (Original Version) · Stahhr The F.E.M.C.E.E. - Grandmaztaz (Originoo) · OUTRO: * talkover beat * - Buscrates - Porto Alegre #chemicalbreakdowns #chemicalbreakdownswithoxygen #chemicalbreakdownsradioshow #theymightbetaping (at Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmUjeSlfHz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=qc13gnheid8t
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barbosaasouza · 7 years
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SXSW Gaming Tournament Stage Will Feature Arena of Valor, Clash Royale and More
SXSW 2018 is nearly upon us and the Gaming Expo during SXSW is finally showing off its attractions. Tournaments are a mainstay for any gaming expo and SXSW Gaming will be introducing a couple mobile powerhouses with Arena of Valor and Clash Royale joining titles that will be announced soon. SXSW's Gaming Expo takes place March 15 - 17 in Austin, TX.
In addition to the tournaments and the show floor, SXSW Gaming will be home to a collection of keynote speakers. The Discovery Stage is the official branding for panel programming and there are two featured speakers for 2018. Frag Dolls founder and The Know co-host Ashley Jenkins and professional gamer Jordan 'n0thing' Gilbert will be the featured speakers and the full list of speakers for the Discovery Stage can be found below. Jenkins will be joined by Brendan “PLAYERUNKNOWN” Green of PUBG fame as he discusses his journey from mod to Creative Director. Gilbert will participate in the first-ever DBLTAP Fan Squad experience where he’ll take on fans and attendees in the PC Arena space at SXSW.
SXSW Gaming is open to all SXSW registrants and SXSW Gaming wristband holders. Wristbands for SXSW Gaming are on sale at sxswgaming.com. Three-Day Gaming wristbands are available at $39 for the early-bird rate and for $49 at walk-up. Single-Day Gaming wristbands (available for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) are available at $20 for the early-bird rate and $25 at walk-up.
Discovery Stage Programming
It’s Here! Shroud of the Avatar and What’s Coming Next With: Richard Garriott (Portalarium), Sarah Dworken (Portalarium)
Exploring Underworld Ascendant with PC Gamer With: Warren Spector (Otherside Entertainment), Paul Neurath, and Evan Lahti (PC Gamer) (Otherside Entertainment)
Legendary Koji Igarashi Chats Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night With: Koji “Iga” Igarashi (ArtPlay), Evan Narcisse (io9.com)
Dungeons & Dragons in The Writer’s Room With: Leah Hoyer (Telltale Games), Jen Muro (Lucasfilm), Chris Prynoski (Titmouse), and Ryan Verniere (Riot Games)
Above The Sky: A New Era of Compassionate Gameplay Jennie Kong (thatgamecompany), Morgan Wilson (thatgamecompany), Sunni Pavlovic (thatgamecompany), Vincent Diamante (thatgamecompany)
Emerging Visions: Game Studios of Latin America With: Lilia Davis (La Revista Mujer), Jorge Morales (Larva Game Studios), Ana Ribeiro (ARVORE Immersive), Eivar Rojas Castro (Efecto Studios), and Martina Santoro (OKAM Studio)
Nerdcore: Let’s Make Some Music With: Russell McKamey (Rockit Gaming), Vincent Newsom (Rockit Gaming), and Mega Ran (Mega Ran)
Gotta Go Fast: The Official Sonic the Hedgehog Panel With: Jasmin Hernandez (SEGA), Tyson Hesse (SEGA), Austin Keys (SEGA), Takashi Iizuka (SEGA), and Aaron Webber (SEGA)
AR Gaming: What’s Now, What’s Next With: Christine Barron (Mira), John Keefe (SwapBots), Jeremy Kinsky (MERGE), and Matt Stern (Mira)
Bringing Internet Culture to Linear Television With: Corrado Carretto (Attack Media), Alex Corea (Attack Media), Coral Frederick (Attack Media), Yaniv Fituci (Attack Media), and Kevin Pereira (Attack Media)
SXSW Gaming Tournament Stage Will Feature Arena of Valor, Clash Royale and More published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/
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Pioneering Cannabis Beverage Company Keef Brands Announces Rebrand with New Logo, Product Names and Packaging
Pioneering Cannabis Beverage Company Keef Brands Announces Rebrand with New Logo, Product Names and Packaging
PRESS RELEASE
Refreshed aesthetic comes on the heels of the multi-state operating company’s 10-year-anniversary and continued expansion
 DENVER, CO (December 4, 2019) – Keef Brands, the groundbreaking developer, producer and distributor of cannabis-infused beverages, edibles, concentrates and more, has debuted a rebranded image, including a new logo, product names, lettering and labeling. The…
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