98% Le Havre

All Critics (59) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (1)

"Le Havre" is a passing fancy of a film, but it passes quite nicely indeed.

'Tis the season, so the saying goes. And when it comes to Aki Kaurism?ki, it holds true. The Finnish writer-director arrives bearing a gift wrapped in a contemporary immigration fable.

If the bummers and ambiguity of some of this season's movies are getting you down - or, hey, just the bummers and ambiguities of life - make your way to Le Havre. You won't be sorry.

The Finnish director's sense of humor is dry and dark as pitch, as he consistently finds moments of absurdity in the midst of strife and tragedy.

Kaurism?ki wrote the script, I think, with secret credit from Mother Goose and some fabric softener.

"Le Havre" is a small bit of movie magic, a story that plays more as a fable even as it deals with something as topical as immigration.

A charming film that celebrates humanity.

o Kaurism?ki potizei thn istoria toy me ton naif soyrealismo kai to idiotypo xioymor poy exeis mathei na perimeneis ap' tis tainies toy, enw thn idia wra se pairnei ap' to xeraki kai se taksideyei sthn istoria toy kinhmatografoy

The latest work by Finnish cult director Aki Kaurismaki is is his strongst in a decade--and one of 2011 best foreign pictures.

The movie never wears out its welcome with an efficient 93-minute running time. Besides the four principal characters, the supporting cast makes an impression playing a grocer, a baker, a tavern owner and Marcel's best buddy from Vietnam. It also...

While the film never reaches any hugely profound revelations with its parable-styled stories of compassion and community, and occasionally feels a little slight, it's also enormously enjoyable and gorgeous to watch.

It's a puzzle, and an intriguing one.

In two stories of evolving trust and secrets, Le Havre reflects the essential simplicity of the moral choices made in its simple-seeming camera set-ups.

Kaurismaki's movie about a shoeshine man and an illegal immigrant is nothing less than a joy

A wonderfully concise, unfussy movie; it is "easy" by the director's standards, which is to say that it doesn't leave any significant ellipses in the narrative up until the aggressively darling ending.

...an upbeat little tome that leaves a good feeling to the spirit.

Kaurism?ki can almost restore your hope in humanity.

Kaurismaki dives into French film culture in 'Le Havre'

You almost become a citizen of Le Havre, watching this film and rejoicing at the end as two newfound, unexpected friends share a drink.

It's a straightforward yet completely artificial scenario, with welcome overtones of Italian Neo-Realism.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/le_havre_2011/

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Anthrax capsule vaccine protects monkeys from lethal infection

Friday, January 13, 2012

Vaccination with the anthrax capsule?a naturally occurring component of the bacterium that causes the disease?protected monkeys from lethal anthrax infection, according to U.S. Army scientists. The study, which appears in the Jan. 20th print edition of the journal VACCINE, represents the first successful use of a non-toxin vaccine to protect monkeys from the disease.

Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax, is recognized as one of the most serious bioterrorism threats. It produces three main components that allow it to do harm?lethal toxin, edema toxin, and the capsule. During anthrax infection, the bacterium invades and grows to high concentrations in the host. The capsule surrounds the bacterium and prevents it from being ingested and destroyed by the white blood cells, thus allowing anthrax infection to progress. The toxins are thought to act mainly by damaging the body's natural defense mechanisms.

Current human vaccines for anthrax are based on the protective antigen, or PA, component of the anthrax toxins. Scientists at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) have extensively studied protective antigen, demonstrating that PA alone confers protection in animal challenge studies with both rabbits and monkeys.

However, according to senior author Arthur M. Friedlander of USAMRIID, concerns about reliance on a single antigen?as well as the issue of protecting against anthrax strains that may be vaccine resistant?have prompted the search for additional vaccine components. Bacterial capsules are commonly used in licensed vaccines for other diseases, including certain types of pneumonia and meningitis.

Friedlander's group had already demonstrated, in published mouse studies, that the anthrax capsule plays a role in conferring protection. In their current work, the team describes testing the capsule vaccine in both rabbits and monkeys against an aerosol challenge with anthrax spores. The vaccine induced anti-capsule antibody responses in both species. While rabbits were not protected against a high aerosol challenge dose, a significant number of the monkeys who received the capsule vaccine survived.

"This is the first non-toxin anthrax vaccine shown to be protective in monkeys," Friedlander said. "In addition, this new capsule vaccine is expected to work against possible vaccine-resistant strains of anthrax, as well as in recipients whose immune systems may not respond to protective antigen alone."

The results suggest that addition of capsule to protective antigen to create a multi-component vaccine may broaden and enhance the protection afforded by protective antigen-based vaccines. Friedlander said the next step would be to do a larger study in monkeys looking at varying doses of the capsule vaccine.

###

US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases: http://www.usamriid.army.mil

Thanks to US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116718/Anthrax_capsule_vaccine_protects_monkeys_from_lethal_infection

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FOR KIDS: Glowing, gutsy hitchhikers

Bacteria glow to get across the ocean inside animals? guts

Web edition : 3:41 pm

To hungry humans, glow-in-the-dark food may seem suspicious and unappetizing. To creatures that swim, slither and crawl in the darkest depths of the ocean, however, a glowing bug may be a welcome and easy snack. ?

Scientists have come up with many ideas about why organisms light up. New experiments on tiny, glow-in-the-dark bacteria that live in the sea support the idea that a microbe?s glow isn?t just for show.? It helps their species?hitchhike rides?around the globe.?

Visit the new?Science News for Kids?website?and read the full story:?Glowing, gutsy hitchhikers


Found in: Science News For Kids

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/337496/title/FOR_KIDS_Glowing,_gutsy_hitchhikers

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Bomb kills at least 53 pilgrims in south Iraq

Shiite faithful pilgrims gather at the Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, for Arbaeen, which marks the end of the forty-day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, in Karbala, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Shiite faithful pilgrims gather at the Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, for Arbaeen, which marks the end of the forty-day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, in Karbala, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Shiite faithful pilgrims gather at the Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, for Arbaeen, which marks the end of the forty-day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, in Karbala, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Shiite pilgrims march on their way to Karbala for Arbaeen, in western Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. The holiday marks the end of the forty day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Shiite pilgrims march on their way to Karbala for Arbaeen, in western Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. The holiday marks the end of the forty day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

(AP) ? A bomb killed at least 53 Shiite pilgrims near the southern port city of Basra on Saturday, an Iraqi official said. It was the latest in a series of attacks during Shiite religious commemorations that have killed scores of people and threaten to further increase sectarian tensions just weeks after the U.S. withdrawal.

The attack happened on the last of the 40 days of Arbaeen, when hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims from Iraq and abroad visit the Iraqi city of Karbala, as well as other holy sites.

Saturday's blast occurred near the town of Zubair as pilgrims marched toward the Shiite Imam Ali shrine on the outskirts of the town, said Ayad al-Emarah, a spokesman for the governor of Basra province. The shrine is an enclave within an enclave -- a Shiite site on the edge of a mostly Sunni town in an otherwise mostly Shiite province.

There were conflicting reports on the source of the blast.

Al-Emarah said the explosion was caused either by a suicide attacker or a roadside bomb. But an Iraqi military intelligence officer who is investigating the attack said it was a roadside bomb, noting that the road from Basra to Zubair being used by pilgrims had been closed to traffic. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to brief the media.

Basra hospital received 53 killed and 137 wounded after the blast, said Dr. Riyadh Abdul-Amir, the head of Basra Health Directorate. He said some of the wounded were in serious condition, and warned the death toll may rise further.

The explosion came as Shiites commemorate the climax of Arbaeen, which marks the end of 40 days of mourning following the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein, a revered Shiite figure. Pilgrims who cannot make it to the holy city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, often journey to other sacred sites such as the shrine near Zubair.

Majid Hussein, a government employee, was one of the pilgrims heading to the shrine. He said people began running away in panic when they heard a loud explosion.

"I saw several dead bodies and wounded people, including children on the ground asking for help. There were also some baby strollers left at the blast site," he said.

The attack, which bore the hallmarks of Sunni insurgents, is the latest in a series of deadly strikes in this year's Arbaeen. More than 145 people have been killed.

The largest of the Arbaeen attacks ? a wave of apparently coordinated bombings in Baghdad and outside the southern city of Nasiriyah ? killed at least 78 people on Jan. 5. It was the deadliest strike in Iraq in more than a year.

So far there has been little sign of the revenge attacks by Shiite militias and others that brought the country to the edge of civil war in 2006.

But this wave of attacks comes at a particularly tense time.

The last U.S. combat troops left the country on Dec. 18. Many Iraqis resented the foreign presence, but the Americans also guaranteed the status quo. Many Sunnis fear being marginalized in the now Shiite-dominated country following the U.S. departure.

Just as the American troops were leaving, a political crisis erupted that has paralyzed Iraq's government. It pits the country's mostly ethnic- and religious-based political blocs against one another.

The political dispute appears far from being resolved.

On Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq called for Iraq's leader, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, to step down or face a parliamentary vote of no-confidence. Al-Mutlaq's Sunni-backed Iraqiya party has been boycotting parliament and cabinet meetings since last month to protest what it sees as efforts by al-Maliki to consolidate power, particularly over state security forces.

Al-Maliki's government, meanwhile, has demanded the arrest of the country's top Sunni politician, Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi of Iraqiya, accusing him of running a hit squad targeting government officials. Al-Hashemi denies the allegations.

___

Associated Press writers Bushra Juhi, Sameer N. Yacoub, Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Adam Schreck contributed reporting.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-14-ML-Iraq/id-0b33a503fec041688b484d9412d07098

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Liam Hemsworth heads to "Empire State" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Liam Hemsworth's star has yet to rise, but the 21-year-old actor is continuing to beef up his ever-expanding roster of upcoming lead roles.

His latest is as the main character in the action-heist movie "Empire State," TheWrap has confirmed. The brother of "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth is also starring in "The Hunger Games," "The Expendables 2" and "AWOL," all due this year, and "Timeless," a Phillip Noyce drama due in 2013.

Also in talks for "Empire State" is Dwayne Johnson. If Hemsworth and Johnson pair up for that movie, it could be their second co-billing. Hemsworth is also confirmed to star in Chuck Russell's "Arabian Knights," as Ali Baba. Johnson has been rumored to play Sinbad.

As it's name suggests, "Empire State," produced by Mandeville Films' David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, is set in New York. But New Orleans is being targeted as a possible shooting location for the "gritty," 1980s-set movie, according to an individual close to the project.

Dates for preproduction and shooting are still being squared away for "Empire State," which is directed by Dito Montiel ("A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," "Fighting") and written by Adam Mazer ("You Don't Know Jack," "Breach").

The film is due in theaters June 10, 2013.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120109/film_nm/us_liamhemsworth

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Natural gas falls to lowest price in a decade (AP)

NEW YORK ? Natural gas is the cheapest it's been in a decade.

Prices have dropped by more than 10 percent in the past week, including a plunge of almost 6 percent on Wednesday, as a mild winter cuts into heating demand and a production boom pumps up supplies.

Homeowners should eventually benefit from lower heating and electric bills. "There's just too much gas out there, and there's no evidence that people are shutting in gas production yet to compensate," said Ron Denhardt, an analyst with Strategic Energy & Economic Research.

Natural gas demand usually soars in the winter as homeowners and businesses crank up the heat. But in many parts of the U.S., thermostats haven't been turned up as much this year.

The winter of 2012 has yet to pack much punch, with average temperatures well above normal. December was particularly warm in the Northeast and upper Midwest, where homeowners typically face frigid weather and high winter heating bills. In the Northeast, there have been only four warmer Decembers in the last 117 years, according to the National Weather Service. Long-range forecasts show above-average temperatures continuing over the next few weeks.

Natural gas supplies were already above the five-year average at the start of the year, and that's expected to continue. Analysts expect the Energy Department to report on Thursday that supplies dropped only slightly last week, according to Platts, the energy-information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

The natural gas futures contract fell 17 cents to end the day at $2.77 per 1,000 cubic feet. So far in January, natural gas is about 34 percent lower than a year ago. It hasn't been this cheap at this time of year since 2002.

Shares of natural gas producers fell as well on Wednesday as gas prices declined. Range Resources Corp. stock dropped by 5.3 percent, while EQT Corp. shares fell by 4.8 percent and Chesapeake Energy Corp. shares were down 2.8 percent.

Cheaper gas prices should lower average heating bills this winter to about $700 per household, according to Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of the National Energy Assistance Director's Association. That's a 3 percent decline from last year and the fourth consecutive year of declines. By comparison, heating oil bills have risen 8 percent this year.

"If you are using natural gas your situation is getting steadily better," Wolfe said. "If you are using heating oil, your situation is getting steadily worse."

Just over half of U.S. households heat with natural gas. Their bills will likely shrink further in the coming months. Because of the way utilities are regulated and buy natural gas, it can take a year before the full effect of a change in natural gas prices can reach a customer's bill.

Some utilities use natural gas to run generators that produce electricity, so electric bills could also come down for some consumers.

In other energy trading, oil prices dropped Wednesday, as weak U.S. energy demand pushed petroleum supplies sharply higher.

Benchmark crude fell by $1.37 to finish at $100.87 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price foreign oil varieties that are imported by U.S. refineries, fell by $1.04 to end at $112.24 per barrel in London.

The Energy Information Administration's weekly report on petroleum supplies showed gasoline demand fell by 4.8 percent last week from a year ago, while demand for all petroleum products dropped by 6.5 percent.

As consumers and businesses cut back, producers put more into storage than analysts expected. Oil supplies rose by 5 million barrels last week while gasoline supplies grew by 3.6 million barrels. Distillate supplies ? including diesel and heating oil ? increased by 4 million barrels. Analysts had expected oil supplies to shrink by a million barrels last week, with gasoline and distillate supplies rising by 1.75 million and 1.35 million barrels, respectively.

Oil prices began falling after Germany said its economy contracted in the final three months of 2011.That raised concerns about the rest of Europe's economy. Germany, the eurozone's strongest member, is expected to prop up its neighbors as they work to overcome massive government debts. If the region slides into recession, oil demand will likely decline.

At the pump, U.S. gasoline prices were unchanged at a national average of $3.37 per gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. A gallon of regular is about 10 cents higher than a month ago and 28 cents more than a year ago.

Heating oil lost 4 cents to finish at $3.06 per gallon and gasoline futures fell 1 cent to end at $2.76 per gallon.

___

Follow Chris Kahn on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ChrisKahnAP

AP Energy Writer Jonathan Fahey contributed to this story from New York.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120111/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices

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Stocks rise solidly on hopes for earnings, Europe (AP)

U.S. stocks traded solidly higher Tuesday after European markets rallied and corporate bellwether Alcoa predicted stronger demand in 2012. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1 percent at midday.

European markets soared after Fitch Ratings said it will not downgrade France's credit rating this year. A downgrade for France could scuttle the region's efforts to stem the debt crisis. Europe's bailout fund relies on the sterling credit ratings of France and Germany to borrow at affordable rates. France's CAC-40 index closed 2.7 percent higher; Germany's DAX rose 2.4 percent.

Kicking off U.S. corporate earnings season, aluminum maker Alcoa said late Monday that its fourth-quarter revenue far outpaced analysts' projections. CEO Klaus Kleinfeld predicted that global aluminum demand will increase 7 percent in 2012. Aluminum demand is seen as a proxy for broader economic trends because so many industries rely on the metal.

Many analysts had feared that Europe's economic troubles and slow growth in developing countries would weaken U.S. corporate profits this quarter. The solid report from Alcoa seemed to quell those concerns and lifted traders' hopes for strong corporate earnings reports in the coming weeks.

The S&P 500 index rose 12 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,292 as of 12:15 p.m. Eastern time. All 10 of the index's industry groups rose.

Tiffany & Co. plunged 11 percent, the most in the S&P 500 index. The jewelry retailer cut its forecast for full-year profit and said sales growth weakened in the U.S. and Europe during the holiday season.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 85 points, or 0.7 percent, to 12,478. The Nasdaq composite index gained 24, or 0.9 percent, to 2,700.

The U.S. economy appeared to strengthen in recent weeks. A series of positive reports on hiring, manufacturing and consumer sentiment eased fears that Europe will drag the U.S. into another recession.

Traders hope the brighter outlook will boost corporate earnings results, which are due to be announced over the next few weeks. As the job market improves and consumers grow more willing to spend, companies might enjoy stronger consumer demand. Household spending is a crucial motor of economic growth.

Corporate news in Europe was less encouraging. Dutch electronics giant Royal Philips Electronics NV kicked off Europe's earnings season by warning that its fourth-quarter profit was worse than expected because of Europe's unraveling economy.

Among companies making big moves:

? Cirrus Logic Inc., which makes audio chips, jumped 12 percent. The company said it expects to report a 28 percent gain in revenue for the final three months of the year, well above its previous forecast and analysts' expectations.

? Emulex Corp. jumped 14 percent after raising its quarterly earnings forecast. The data-storage and networking company said it had recovered more quickly than expected from supply problems related to massive flooding in Thailand.

? WebMD Health Corp. plunged 26 percent. The healthcare information website said it has given up looking for a buyer, its CEO Wayne T. Gattinella has resigned, and it expects earnings to drop this year. WebMD provides health and benefits information to employees at 121 companies and health plans.

___

Follow Daniel Wagner at http://www.twitter.com/wagnerreports.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120110/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/us_wall_street

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Bloggers :: Sign Up For Twitter Blast 2

Sign ups are open for Twitter Blast 2. Get all of the details HERE from Kobiso. What is a Twitter Blast? You the blogger can join for $1 with one account ? Twitter. Then Jennifer at Kobiso will provide the prize-$100 Amazon code. Sign ups close January 14.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PutALittleUmbrellaInYourDrink/~3/FS1IYXti4Vg/bloggers-sign-up-for-twitter-blast-2.html

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