Indigenous-Produced Docu-Drama Series "1491" Reveals Untold History Of The Americas Before Columbus

1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus

The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) will present the world premiere of the docu-drama series 1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus starting November 8th on APTN East and HD at 7:00 p.m. ET, APTN West at 7:00 p.m. MT and APTN North at 7:00 p.m. CT. The series is also slated to air on ZDFE (Germany) and SBS (Australia).

Based on Charles C. Mann's best selling book, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, the eight hour miniseries, produced by Animiki See Digital Production of Winnipeg and Aarrow Productions of Victoria, takes its audience on a journey dating as far back as 20,000 years ago through to 1491. 

The series focuses on the origins and history of ancient civilizations and groundbreaking achievements in North and South America in the areas of agriculture, astronomy, architecture, environment, governance, medicine, technology, science, trade and art.

The series is produced, directed and written by Indigenous Canadians and most of the 35 historians, archaeologists and cultural experts interviewed have Indigenous ancestry. The series features 20 drama scenes and an Indigenous cast of actors that provide context on Indigenous history in the Americas.

Mann's critically acclaimed book dispels long-held theories that prior to European contact, Indigenous Peoples were largely nomadic, did not alter the natural landscape, and were not as advanced as other civilizations in the world at the time.

1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus

• Award-winning filmmakers, Barbara Hager (Cree/Métis) and Lisa Jackson (Anishinaabe), directed the series in locations throughout North and South America. 

• The series was written by Barbara Hager and Marie Clements (Métis). 

1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus docu-drama series logo
(CNW Group/1491 Productions Inc.)

• Other key creatives include composer Russell Wallace (Lil'wat), production designer Teresa Weston, costume designer Carmen Thompson (Nuu-chah-nulth), director of photography Bob Aschmann and narrator Dr. Evan Adams (Tla'amin).

SOURCE: 1491 Productions Inc.

The Trailers:

Rules For Booking Live Entertainment

Audience

You would think that booking live entertainment, a magician or clown for example, should be a simple and straight forward process but it is common for mishaps to occur. We will discuss a few general guidelines you need to follow in order to make the process smooth and frustration-free for you and the entertainer.

When to book

First, you should figure out exactly what kind of live show you are looking for. There will be numerous options to look into so having a general idea of what you want will help cut the search down, and save you time! Take into consideration your budget range as well. Many professional or well-known performers won’t be nice to your wallet. Of course, if it’s a big once-in-a-lifetime moment, any cost could be worth it in order to make the event memorable and beautiful.

Try to picture the image that you desire the guests to leave with and decide what you are willing to spend in order to attain that. So be upfront and honest about your budget, the worst that will happen is for the entertainer to politely decline your offer. Be aware that you should give at least 3-4 weeks of notice to any performer before your big event. Some entertainers will charge more for short notices because they will be under pressure to create custom routines, prepare for your unique event, and/or obtain permits.

Know your venue

It is very important to know certain details of your venue, which will make the booking process simple and fast. Have these written down when calling performers for cost estimations and schedule availability; exact date of the event; time you require the performer to arrive & begin performing, as well as expected duration; type of event; any special requests you want from the entertainer down to the very last detail; your budget; number of guests estimated; description of the location where the event will take place; appearance of other entertainment; and finally, have all your contact information available.

Selecting a performer

As you search for the perfect entertainment, you will find that prices will differ greatly. Even when the acts are similar (as in the same area, not the same performance) prices can go from the hundreds to the thousands. Do not use the mindset that expensive is best. Take your time to select perhaps two or three performers and review them carefully before making your last choice. Ask for samples of performances, read through testimonials, look at their websites, and contact them with any doubts. Good performers will have teasers of their show available to potential customers, will answer all questions, and will have referrals from trustworthy sources.

Expect a contract

No matter how “little” your event is, it is important to the performer for a legal contract to be a part of the booking process. Contracts help him or her keep track of all gigs, expenses, and income for tax purposes so don’t be offended if they want to establish a contract even when the event is small. Contracts will also help you feel reassured about the whole booking process. Make sure to abide by your agreements (payment agreements as well, whether it means paying before or immediately after performance) so that both you and the performer can have a tranquil and pleasant business transaction. 

About Today's Contributor:
Florin is known as a freelance publisher and foodie whose work has been highlighted in personal blogs, websites, publications, and TV advertisements.


Featured Picture: 

License: Image author owned

Stranger Things: Inventiveness In The Age Of The Netflix Original

Stranger Things. Netflix

By Arin Keeble, Edinburgh Napier University

The Netflix series Stranger Things, which shortly returns for a second season, was the surprise TV hit of summer 2016. Fans and critics revelled in its allusions to Hollywood hits from the American 1980s in which it is set. Every haircut, every rippling synth pattern, BMX chase and adolescent gesture of friendship seemed to come from an 80s movie. Its young protagonists communicated through references to Star Wars and Dungeons and Dragons and the first trailer for season 2 shows them trick-or-treating as the Ghostbusters.

So what made Stranger Things feel fresh and new? Was it somehow innovative in its referencing? It certainly wasn’t because of a new kind of aesthetic recycling, as JJ Abrams had already done an 80s Steven Spielberg pastiche with Super 8, and borrowing or referencing has long been prevalent in American cinema. From Film Noir’s adoption of German expressionist techniques in films like The Maltese Falcon or Touch of Evil to the postmodern genre-mashing of Pulp Fiction, Hollywood storytelling has a rich history of pastiche, allusion and homage.

But what happens when serial TV does this? Stranger Things featured eight hour-long episodes developing characters who inevitably cannot exist solely in the stylistic shoes of Spielberg or Stephen King. And though the referencing is there, the immediate pleasures of its clever nods to E.T. or The Goonies evolve into a more sophisticated meditation on the processes of allusion.

Nostalgia and trauma
The achievement of Stranger Things is twofold. It is not just highly referential – it is actually about referencing. The series explores the way people – especially young people – communicate through patterns of reference or allusion. The programme’s retro register is also paired with an ongoing discussion of what we can see as the opposite of nostalgia – traumatic memory.

The casting of Winona Ryder is integral to this convergence of nostalgia and trauma. Ryder’s star power was born in the 1980s, when she was a teenager, through films like Heathers and Beetlejuice. In the 1990s her screen successes were accompanied by extreme tabloid scrutiny of her personal life. This included high-profile coverage of her struggles with drugs and anxiety. Because of this public history, the casting of Ryder was itself referential, as is the casting of any “star”.

As Keith Reader argued in Intertextualty: Theories and Practice: “The concept of the film star is an intertextual one, relying as it does on correspondences of similarity and difference from one film to the next and on supposed resemblances between on and off-screen personae.” So while Stranger Things’ teen drama story, centring on Nancy Wheeler, evokes the high school world of Heathers, Ryder’s performance as Joyce Byers, draws on her real life experiences. Joyce is a loving, thoughtful, single mother and a sufferer of anxiety. This is exacerbated by the disappearance of her youngest son and for much of the first series she is upset and hysterical.

Stranger Things Season 2. Netflix

Ryder’s performance was widely acclaimed – including by Rolling Stone journalist, Noel Murray, who suggested Stranger Things “brought her back”. Murray notes that the performance is powerful because the show takes advantage of what we already know about Ryder: that she is a “likeable celebrity who’s fallen on hard times”. Joyce’s hysteria certainly carries the power and authenticity of experience and it sharply juxtaposes the nostalgic innocence of Eggo waffles and BMX chases.

Joyce’s experiences are also echoed by other strands of the story. We learn that Chief Hopper is still struggling with the traumatic loss of his daughter and it is inferred that mystery child Eleven, who is the subject of sinister experiments, was taken as an infant from her now-institutionalised mother. Ultimately, Stranger Things’ nostalgic frame magnifies the intensity of its traumatic realism and stories of loss and psychosis.

Navigating an ‘upside down’ world
But Stranger Things is also invested in how its characters communicate through allusion. The boys, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair and the missing Will Byers use these references to map out and understand their world – and that of The Upside Down (a dark alternate dimension existing in parallel to the human world). In the first episode we learn that they have renamed the streets of their small Indiana town using references to The Hobbit and in episode three, puzzling over the mysterious Eleven, Dustin asks his friends: “I wonder if she was born with her powers like the X-Men or if she acquired them like Green Lantern?”

Eleven by Aelini

Sometimes references serve as a code that adults and other kids won’t know – which is important as the boys are outsiders (geeks before geeks were cool). Sometimes references are charged with imaginative and emotional meaning. For example, Mike cites his missing friend’s boldness and bravery in a Dungeon’s and Dragons “campaign” as a reason for him and his friends to be brave in trying to find him in real life.

Literature academic and blogger Aaron Bady has pointed out that what makes Stranger Things’ allusions unique is that it has no “anxiety” over its gratuitous borrowing. This subverts the need “to play authenticity detective.” This is undoubtedly the case and it is striking in the world of “Netflix originals” where everything seems to be an adaptation or re-imagining, like House of Cards or Daredevil. But I believe what sets the show apart is its clever use of allusion to amplify the impact of its depictions of anxiety, trauma and loss and its exploration of allusion as a mode of communication.

About Today's Contributor:
Arin Keeble, Lecturer in Contemporary Literature and Culture, Edinburgh Napier University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

Bonus Pictures:
(via DeviantArt.com)

Stranger Things - Nancy and Jonathan (via JCLF88)

Upside Down, Downside Up (via NuclearLoop)

The Chinese Massacre Of 1871 Comes To The Big Screen

The Jade Pendant - Poster

Oct. 24th marks the anniversary of the Chinese Massacre of 1871 where a mob of around 500 white rioters entered Los Angeles, Chinatown to attack, rob, and murder Chinese residents of the city. An estimated 20 Chinese immigrants were tortured and then hanged by the racially motivated riot mob. The initial conviction was unlawfully overturned and no one has ever been held accountable for the murders.

"The Jade Pendant," a novel by L.P. Leung, is based on these true events and will open in limited theaters Nov. 3rd. The film stars Asian talents such as South Korean star Clara Lee (Some Like it Hot),Taiwanese heartthrob Godfrey Gao (The Mortal Instruments), Russel Wong (Romeo must Die), screen legends Tsai Chin (Now you See Me 2, The Joy Luck Club) and Tzi Ma (Arrival, Pali Road). 

"The story of the Jade Pendant is a part of American history that has been untold and we are very excited to bring diversity and quality story-telling to audiences in North America," said Jonathan Lim of Crimson Forest Films.

The Jade Pendant is directed by Hong Kong veteran Po-Chih Leong (The Detonator, Out of Reach) and follows the journey of a young girl, Peony, who flees an arranged marriage in China and finds herself on the shores of America.

The Jade Pendant was produced by Thomas Leong, Scott M. Rosenfelt, LP Leung and Bruce Feirsteinfor Lotus Entertainment and will open at the 4 Star Theatre in San Francisco, AMC Atlantic Times Square 14 in Los Angeles and AMC Empire 25 in New York City on Nov. 3rd. 

• For more information please visit bit.ly/2yL0HHk

SOURCE: Crimson Forest Films

The Trailers:

#MeToo Campaign Not Slowing Down Anytime Soon, But Now What?

S.H.E. Speak.Heal.Empower (via sharikarney.com)

After the recent Harvey Weinstein sexual allegations have come to light, the floodgates have opened with celebrities using the hashtag #MeToo creating a social-media viral sensation. Many of us have seen and are shocked to hear of female family members, friends and co-workers coming forward publicly on-line with personal sexual abuse and harassment stories. Karney believes, "If men stand with us too, we can stop the sexual assault of women."

"An NBC movie, 'Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story' starring Melissa Gilbert, was written based on the abuse that happened when I was a child. People in my inner circle who never confided in me are using social media now to find their voice but we can't do it alone," said Shari Karney, attorney and legal pundit.

Shari Karney led the charge of changing the laws in California in 1991 and didn't stop there. Karney worked with 40 other states so that survivors across the nation now have legal rights as well. Karney successfully lobbied and testified in Washington D.C. for a Children's Bill of Rights.

"Now what? Men stand with us too! If you are sickened and shocked at what you are reading and hearing about through the #MeToo campaign, be the voice of honor and reason. You can be the ones to hold bosses, co-workers, family members, coaches and churches' feet to the fire. Men listen to other men. Please, be the good man you are and stand with us #MenWithYouToo," said Shari Karney. 

"Basic civil rights laws must be enacted to hold perpetrators accountable and give victims justice. We need to remove statutes of limitations for criminal and civil actions so survivors of sexual violence can have their day in court," said Karney.

Shari Karney (via sharikarney.com)

About Shari Karney :
Shari Karney is an attorney, on-air legal pundit, author, speaker, entrepreneur and activist for victims' rights. A widely respected legal expert, analyst and commentator on breaking news cases, she has appeared on hundreds of television and radio news programs. 

• Visit sharikarney.com. 
• Follow Shari on Facebook facebook.com/Shari Karney or Twitter @sharikarney .

SOURCE: Shari Karney

Bonus Videos:

The Asian World Film Festival Announces the World Premiere of Finding Julia Starring Vietnamese Actor/Singer, Ha Phuong, October 28

Actress Ha Phuong

The Third Annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) announced the world premiere of Vietnamese superstar Ha Phuong's film Finding Julia. The film is scheduled to screen at the Arclight in Culver City on October 28 at 7:00 PM.

Finding Julia stars Ha Phuong, Andrew McCarthy (Dir: Orange is the New Black, The Blacklist, Pretty In Pink, Mannequin), Richard Chamberlain (Twin Peaks, Thorn Birds, Shogun) and Kieu Chinh (The Joy Luck Club). The film was conceived by Ha Phuong, based upon her experience of immigrating to the US and trying to live the American way of life during her younger years.

The red-carpet event will be attended by Ha Phuong, co-star Richard Chamberlain, actress and screenwriter Kieu Chinh, director Igor Sunara, actresses Minh Ngoc Nguyen and Lauren Pham (young Julia), Susan Batson (co-producer and acting coach), Leyna Nguyen (CBS anchor), producer Alan VoFord, costume design Bao Tran Chi, make-up artist Gordon Banh, editors Gil Choi and David Van and film attorney George Rush.

Asian Film Festival

Film Synopsis [Short Version]: 

In Manhattan, Eurasian acting student Julia Chamonix (Ha Phuong) is unable to enjoy the privileged life she shares with her doting father (Andrew McCarthy). Haunted by the tragic early death of her mother-a former star actress and singer in Vietnam-and likewise haunted by a secret desire she must hide from the world, her only confidante is her Vietnamese grandmother (Kieu Chinh). 

Caught between two very different cultures, East and West, Julia questions if she will ever fit in anywhere. As she attempts to understand who she is, Julia begins to forge a more confident identity from both parts of her birthright.

Film Synopsis [Longer Version]: 

(Via Ha Phuong World)

Beautiful, rich and sad. In Manhattan, Eurasian acting student Julia Chamonix (Ha Phuong) is unable to enjoy the privileged life she shares with her doting father (Andrew McCarthy). Haunted by the tragic early death of her mother–a former star actress and singer in Vietnam–and likewise haunted by a secret desire she has to hide from the world, Julia struggles in her acting studies under renowned coach Igor (Richard Chamberlain).

However, her ambitions to emulate her mother’s success are thwarted by her severe difficulties with the English language. Her only confidante is her wise Vietnamese grandmother (Kieu Chinh), but even with her she limits what she confides. Meanwhile she begins to experience recurrent nightmares in which she relives the car accident that killed her mother.

Caught between two very different cultures, East and West, Julia questions if she will ever fit in anywhere. As she attempts to understand who she is and how to forge a more confident identity from both parts of her birthright, her father falls in love with an American woman, Jennifer (Paula Devicq). Fearing abandonment, Julia’s secret obsession spirals out of control as she hears voices berating her and playing into her darkest fears.

When her grandmother suddenly dies, and an accident causes another unexpected death, Julia is brought to the edge of madness. Will her life also end tragically, or will she be able to overcome her terrible duality? Where will she go and how will she finally find peace?

The surprising conclusion to the heart-pounding drama makes it not only an unforgettable story, but also, on the deepest subconscious levels, speaks to the plight of millions of men, women, young adults and teens who are caught between cultures, who likewise feel “different,” and who are struggling to find a place in the world.

• All films at the Festival will be screened at the Arclight Cinemas in Downtown Culver City (9500 Culver Blvd.) Sponsors include Presenting Partner Ha Phuong Foundation, as well as the city of Culver City, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Variety, East West Bank, RK Media (Radio & TV Korea), the Arclight Theatres, Emporium Thai Restaurant (Los Angeles) and AWFF host venue, the historic Culver Hotel.

SOURCE: Asian World Film Festival   

The Trailers:

Bonus Video:

"Dog Park" Director Jade Jenise Dixon Says #MeToo

Director Jade Jenise Dixon

As Director Jade Jenise Dixon's feature film, Dog Park, enjoys a limited theatrical run and is released to high praise on both Amazon Video and Google Play, Jade has been closely watching the news about the sexual abuse of power in Hollywood with her eyes wide open.

Director, Jade Jenise Dixon

"I've been watching all of this unfold with tears in my eyes because I never thought Hollywood's 'dirty little secret' would come to light," says Jade. Like countless other women in Hollywood, Jade can finally speak freely about the subject. "You just couldn't speak about this stuff openly before. Now I can stand with countless other women and say, 'Me Too.'"

Now that the dirt is coming out from under the rug, Jade is hopeful that things will continue to get better, and is thankful for the people who work with her based on her talent. "There are also the 'good guys' who just want to make great movies or TV shows and truly value everyone equally for what they bring to the table. And for those people, I am truly grateful."

Jade Jenise Dixon on set with cinematographer

The Los Angeles Times says that in Jade's latest feature film, Dog Park, "Dixon displays a solid point of view with a refreshing perspective centered around women's success and choices."

A Romantic Comedy about a man who uses his ex-girlfriends dog to pick up women at the dog park, Dog Park, also won "Best Ensemble Cast" at the 2017 Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival. 

Dog Park movie poster

Dog Park, is now available on Amazon Video and Google Play. More video platforms will be added in the coming months via distributor, Indie Rights and sales agent, California Pictures.

• Dog Park on Amazon Video
• Dog Park on Google Play 
• IMDB

SOURCE: Parker Street Productions

The Trailer:

National Press Club Examines 2016 Russian Election Hacking at a Headliners Book Rap Featuring Donna Brazile on December 12th

Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House

As investigations in Congress and by Special Counsel Robert Mueller continue, one of the targets of the hacking into the Democratic National Committee's computer network, Donna Brazile, is telling her story. The former DNC chair and longtime Democratic Party strategist shares her personal account of the 2016 Presidential election.

Brazile will appear at a National Press Club Headliners Book Rap on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. in the Club's Conference Rooms to discuss

Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House, which will be published next month on the one-year anniversary of the 2016 election.

Publisher, Hachette Books, calls the book "equal parts campaign thriller, memoir and roadmap for the future." And Brazile adds, "At a moment when our democracy is in crisis, it's time to tell the truth about what went wrong in 2016. Our nation is under unprecedented assault, and if we don't get the facts out, it will happen again."

Donna Brazile

This event will feature a discussion with the author, an audience question-and-answer session, and a book signing. Tickets are $5 for National Press Club members and $10 for the general public. 

• To purchase tickets and copies of the book, please click here. Books will also be available for purchase at the event, no outside books or memorabilia are permitted.

Proceeds from this event benefit the non-profit affiliate of the Club, the National Press Club Journalism Institute, which offers innovative, practical training to journalists and communications professionals working in a rapidly-changing media environment.

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB LOGO.  (PRNewsfoto/National Press Club)

SOURCE: National Press Club

Book Cover Created by 99designs Designer Honored at Prestigious 31st Annual New York Book Show

"Havenwood"

99designs, the world's largest online graphic design marketplace, today announced that a book cover created by a designer from its global design community was named a winner in the prestigious 31st Annual New York Book Show Awards.

"Havenwood," a self-published novel by Eric Slade whose cover was created by 99designs designer Andrei Bat, received first place honors in the "Self-Published Cover" category in the "Young Adult" genre of the awards, which were presented at a ceremony in New York City last week.

According to Slade, who commissioned designer Andrei Bat to work on the cover design through the 99designs online graphic design platform, "Havenwood's cover included 19th century decorative elements to convey a sense of history to prospective readers. Andrei Bat's digital painting style is both luminous and moody."

Hosted by the Book Industry Guild of New York (BIGNY), the New York Book Show is an annual event that offers publishing and printing professionals an opportunity to mingle while honoring the best examples of quality book design and production from the previous year. The show's aim is to showcase the best books as judged by a panel of industry professionals who evaluate manufacturing, production, and design qualities of entries in six main and a myriad of subcategories. The winners (which are featured in an online gallery here) are selected from hundreds of entries sent in by publishers and suppliers from around the country.

"This award is further validation of the creativity and high quality of our designer community," said 99designs CEO Patrick Llewellyn. "99designs has from its earliest origins been a champion for great design from talented individuals around the world. In recent years, we've dedicated even greater resources in tools and processes to further help our community to produce their best work. We commend Andrei on this award and for his contributions to 99designs." 

• For more information on the winning design and winning designer, Andrei Bat, visit here.

SOURCE: 99designs

Eric Slade (Image via eric-slade.com)

More About Havenwood:

(via Eric Slade's Site)

Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1914 — Tanna Cravens boards an airship bound for a colony in Fairyland… But a magical frontier ruled like the Old South isn’t the best home for a woman ahead of her time.

Abandoned by her husband on a failing farm atop an ancient fairy hill, Tanna finds herself in the middle of a war between the human plantation owners and the indigenous elven tribes who want them gone.

With her farm in flames and a dark fairy hoard descending on the colony, Tanna must secure a safe place for those she loves before the paths between the worlds are closed forever.

In an alternate history where Shades of Milk & Honey and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell might have taken place in England, Havenwood is found just beyond the door between Fairyland and the American South.

Bonus Video:

The Thing: Dread Fears And The 'Other' In The Polar Environment

A scene from John Carpenter’s The Thing from 1982 (IMDB/Universal/JohnCarpenter)

By John Ash, University of Cambridge

John Carpenter’s celebrated 1982 film The Thing is a science fiction classic. Although not an initial commercial success, it has achieved cult status and traditionally is screened (with its 1951 and 2011 counterparts) on the first full night of winter by crews staying at the Scott-Amundsen Base in Antarctica. It may seem a strange choice at first, yet the links between the polar regions and science fiction are strong.

From the pursuit by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein of his creation into the frozen north, to Ripley’s fruitless call to Antarctica traffic control in Alien, writers have used the remoteness and novelty of the poles to enhance the menace and drama of their work. Carpenter capitalises on the dark polar nights and the claustrophobic confines of an Antarctic base to ratchet up the tension and paranoia as an alien infiltrates the outpost.

Inspired by John Campbell’s 1938 novella, Who Goes There?, The Thing follows the crew of an Antarctic base who discover an alien life form that can assimilate and perfectly mimic the appearance of other organisms. Operating at the cellular level, the alien tissue invades by gradually supplanting the original cells until what remains is an exact copy of the now consumed host.

The station personnel fight a desperate battle against the invader, devising a technique for testing blood samples for infection and struggling against the distrust that grows up in the group when they realise its ability to copy and replace their colleagues.

The Thing is a polar film. Not only is it set in a polar environment, but its characters exemplify the strains of living in extended close proximity in the isolation and climatic extremes of an Antarctic base. It is also a film that speaks to the subject of “The Other” – a theme in the humanities that examines how a society identifies itself, not by defining the laudable characteristics to which it aspires, but by reviling others as exemplars of that which it rejects.

The eponymous alien constitutes an iconic Other. It defies description and therefore order. Having no fixed form other than the organisms it assimilates, it morphs – like a deceitful trickster god – into different shapes. Sometimes that shape is an incomplete transition phase, a chaotic mismatch of biological structures that affronts the logical processes of evolution (in one famous shot we see a detached human head that becomes mobile by growing arthropod legs). The assimilation process both frightens and disgusts, and the subversion of the base personnel’s own bodies into instruments of human destruction adds an extra touch of terror to the whole invasion process.

Kurt Russell, Richard Masur, and Donald Moffat in The Thing.(IMDB/Universal/JohnCarpenter)

Why planet Earth?
But why would an alien come to our planet in the first place? The problem receives consideration in the work of Dr Lewis Dartnell, an astrobiologist who argues persuasively that Earth possesses no property or resource that an advanced civilisation would want to acquire. Reassuring though these arguments are, there remain nagging doubts.

The alien may be a survivor of a convict group condemned to exile on a distant planet. Recalling the First Fleet expedition to establish a colony in Australia in 1788, Commodore Arthur Phillip was under instruction as commander to maintain good relations with the indigenous people. Nonetheless, the effects of colonisation on the first nations living in Australia were devastating.

Kurt Russell in The Thing. (IMDB/Universal/JohnCarpenter)

Stephen Hawking has made similar observations on the meeting of alien and Earth cultures and the lessons of history. And HG Wells famously made the same point in The War of the Worlds. They may be understating the case. In terms of existential risk, subjugation by an alien race may expose humanity to cruelty and misery that exceeds even annihilation.

The second reason why a seemingly illogical alien visit might not be comforting is the unexpected. The alien might simply have developed engine failure and made a forced landing. (Perhaps it was shot down). But in any event, improbability does not provide the same degree of comfort as impossibility, and that mathematical certainty eludes us.
Carpenter’s alien is an imaginative analogue of the many creatures in the natural world with the ability to change appearance for competitive advantage – from cephalopods that adapt skin cells to the colours of the seabed to insects that undergo the widespread process of metamorphosis.

Its lack of fixed form and its physical pollution of human tissue exemplify Otherness, as its calculating ruthlessness epitomises its inhumanity. In the end, the humanity of the base personnel is defined not so much by their difference from the alien as their willingness to sacrifice themselves to defeat it – which is perhaps why the movie remains so popular among crew members who have to rely on each other every single day as they live through their own polar adventures.

About Today's Contributor:
John Ash, Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

Are Dogs Trying To Tell Us Something With Their Expressions?

Image via Shutterstock

By Jan Hoole, Keele University

Dogs have been part of human social groups for at least 30,000 years. So it’s not unreasonable to suppose that we might have had some influence on their behaviour, and perhaps their understanding, during that time. We certainly know that dogs have developed ways to communicate with us, for example by whining when they are distressed or barking to alert us to intruders.

Many dog owners would probably say their pets can even tell us things using facial expressions, just like humans do. But is that really true? Perhaps they are just showing emotion without meaning to communicate (just like humans also sometimes do). New research published in the journal Scientific Reports suggests it might be, but there are still reasons to be sceptical.

In a rather elegant experiment, the researchers set up four scenarios. They offered a dog food (a guaranteed way to get their interest) while the human handler was facing towards and also away from the dog. They also had the handler face towards and away from the dog without offering food. They found that the animals showed facial expressions more often when the handler was facing towards them than away, regardless of whether or not food was involved.

Until now, there has been little work on whether or not facial expressions in dogs are involuntary. You might be able to see when a dog’s happy, angry or sad from their face, but that doesn’t mean they are purposefully trying to tell you how they felt.

The new paper suggests that the expressions may be a means of communicating something to the person. It is certain that the expression is more frequently displayed when the human is facing towards the dog, even though the handler did not look directly at the dog during the trial, and that humans respond to that expression.

If I make this face, will you stop shouting? (Shutterstock)

That dogs are able to understand when a person is paying attention to their behaviour is well documented. We also know that dogs show different facial expressions when in the presence of humans, especially in the case of that “guilty” look that every dog owner knows. That particular expression doesn’t actually mean they are feeling guilty. It’s more an attempt to appease the owner who is angry for some, to the dog, unknown reason.

But there are some questions about the particular facial expressions the dogs made in the new study that mean the evidence isn’t conclusive. For example, one of the expressions the authors noticed was the raising of the inner end of the eyebrows. This increases the size of the eyes and makes the dog look more puppy-like.

Studies have shown that humans prefer animals that look like infants. This explains the popularity of breeds with short noses and large eyes, such as boxers and pugs. Dogs that raise their eyebrows more frequently seem to be more popular with people than those that don’t. This could have led to the breeding of dogs that are more likely to show these more attractive expressions alongside those that have childlike anatomical features.

Tongue wagging
Another important indicator that the authors noted was when the dogs showed their tongues. Unfortunately, the researchers didn’t separate tongue movements that indicate stress, such as licking the nose or lips, which can be an appeasing signal, from those that indicate pleasure, anticipation or excitement, such as panting or hanging the tongue out of the mouth. Without this distinction it is difficult to draw conclusions about the emotional state of the dogs.

Previous research also suggests that dogs are aware of when a human is paying attention to them and may change their behaviour accordingly. It is possible that these dogs, aware that the human is facing them felt a level of anticipation, excitement and possibly some anxiety which affected their facial expression. The fact that the food produced no extra interest when the person was turned towards the dog or away from them, could be influenced by the fact that the dog was not actually given the food.

The authors suggest that the dog’s facial expressions may be partly a result of their emotional state and partly an attempt to actively communicate with the handler. Without any evidence about the effect of the expression on the behaviour of the handler, it is difficult to say if that is true.

If further research could make distinctions between the type of tongue movements involved in these expressions, as well as the raising of the eyebrows, we might be able to say with more certainty. But whatever the outcome, many dog owners will probably continue to swear their pets are trying to tell them something.

About Today's Contributor:
Jan Hoole, Lecturer in Biology, Keele University

This article was originally published on The Conversation.