EC Comics and Hivemind Bring "Weird Fantasy" to Life with New Film/TV Partnership

WEIRD FANTASY Cover Art by Al Williamson & Frank Frazetta (Courtesy: EC Comics)

Hivemind today announced a new partnership with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc., the proprietors of EC Comics, for a number of film and television projects based on the hugely influential – and often controversial – comic book publisher's groundbreaking legacy and library. One of the first endeavors of the partnership will be WEIRD FANTASY – a new television show inspired by the shocking and subversive sci-fi/fantasy series that collided visionary genre storytelling with socially conscious themes of racial and gender equality, anti-war advocacy, nuclear disarmament and ecological preservation to create some of the most impactful and hotly debated comic book stories ever produced.

"The EC library is a timeless literary achievement that deserves to stand alongside the works of Stephen King, Philip K. Dick, and H.P. Lovecraft," said producer and Hivemind Co-President Dinesh Shamdasani. "WEIRD FANTASY is a truly historic property that shattered many barriers, and our goal is to make the television series just as fearless and forward-thinking as the stories that inspired it."

Changing the industry seemingly overnight in the early 1950s under the stewardship of publisher and writer William M. Gaines, EC Comics quickly became the dominant force of the era's booming comic book industry, selling tens of millions of copies annually and generating intense, nationwide controversies with taboo-smashing, confrontational stories in series like TALES FROM THE CRYPT and MAD MAGAZINE. EC's unique formula eschewed superheroes in favor of science fiction, fantasy, war, horror, and humor – redefining comics storytelling with a newly sophisticated and artist-driven approach that would pave the way for the ascendancy of both Marvel Comics and the counterculture underground in the decades to come.

A lynchpin of the EC line during the publisher's creative watershed, WEIRD FANTASY produced dozens of seminal stories that intersected razor-sharp social commentary with epic science fiction, high adventure and dark fantasy by some of the most celebrated comics creators to ever work in the medium, including Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood, and Harvey Kurtzman. WEIRD FANTASY's defiantly rebellious sensibility is perhaps best exemplified by "Judgment Day" – a history-making story by William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein & Joe Orlando that championed the then-burgeoning Civil Rights movement and provoked a showdown with the Comics Code Authority, the pro-censorship organization that policed and sanitized the comic book industry for more than 50 years.

JUDGMENT DAY & OTHER STORIES Cover Art (Courtesy: EC Comics)

Following in the footsteps of TALES FROM THE CRYPT's smash-hit, seven-season run at HBO (and subsequent three feature films), the newly established partnership represents the first time that WMG Agent Inc. has made WEIRD FANTASY available for adaptation in more than two decades. WEIRD FANTASY's jump to television will mark the beginning of a new era for EC Comics – cited as "one of the great explosions of vox-pop literature" by TIME Magazine and frequently noted as a central influence on the work of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, John Carpenter, and many others.

The new partnership is also slated to include a feature film based on the life of William M. Gaines, the former EC Comics publisher and self-styled comics provocateur who challenged the rigid moral code of 1950s America with shockingly innovative and deeply subversive tales of fantasy, horror and humor that sold in the millions...only to find his company investigated by Congress and his books burned in the streets in the wake of EC's staggering success. Chronicling one of the greatest untold chapters in American history, the film will follow Gaines' transformation from a staid, New York publishing impresario into a counterculture hero, guardian of artistic freedom, and champion of the First Amendment as his darkly humorous journey through the troubled birth of the comic book industry reveals the Red Scare-era witch hunt that nearly doomed an American art form, through the subsequent founding of MAD MAGAZINE and eventual rise of Marvel Comics in EC's wake.

Both projects will be produced by Gaines' daughter and grandson, Cathy Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, for EC, alongside Dinesh Shamdasani, Sean Daniel, Jason F. Brown, and Hunter Gorinson for Hivemind. The projects will mark Gorinson's first for Hivemind, where he also has joined as VP Brand & Content Strategy. Prior to joining Hivemind in mid-2018, Gorinson previously led marketing and communications as an executive at Valiant Entertainment, the acclaimed comic book publisher whose much-publicized relaunch will culminate with the release of Sony Pictures' BLOODSHOT feature film, starring Vin Diesel and adapted from the Valiant comic series by director Dave Wilson and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Eric Heisserer, in early 2020.

"The story of William Gaines is the secret history of American pop culture," said Gorinson. "The ideas he presented in the pages of MAD, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, WEIRD FANTASY, and so many more would inspire and incite revolutionary countercultures – from comics to comedy to film and music – around the globe for decades to come. As a veteran of the comics industry myself and a lifelong fan of EC, it's a tremendous honor to be working alongside the Gaines family to help bring his story – which has an immense amount to tell us about our own modern moment – to a new generation on the big screen." 

"It's very important to us to be able to find a partner that truly understands the significance and influence of Dad and the world-class creators that made EC Comics legendary," said Cathy Mifsud, Gaines' daughter. "We're incredibly excited to have found just such a partner in Hivemind and to embark on the first of several projects that will embrace the company's legacy in ways never before attempted."

WEIRD FANTASY and the untitled Gaines biopic mark two major new additions to Hivemind's rapidly expanding roster of film and television projects, which currently includes THE EXPANSE for Amazon Studios (where it also holds a first-look deal for event television), the highly anticipated adaptation of THE WITCHER starring Henry Cavill for Netflix, and CBS Films' upcoming SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK feature film from producer/co-writer Guillermo del Toroand director André Øvredal. Most recently, the company announced that it had won an intense, multi-party bidding war to bring the hit Image Comics series GIDEON FALLS, by Eisner Award-winning writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino, to television as an hour-long horror-drama.

SOURCE: Hivemind

New Film Explores Recent Sightings of Chicago's "Mothman"

Terror in the Skies official poster

Illinois is known for its miles of prairie, and for being a state rich in history… but what if that rich history isn't quite what you've been told? 

In this new film, from award-winning production company, Small Town Monsters, and director, Seth Breedlove, explore hundreds of years of terrifying reports of encounters with massive, winged creatures around the "land of Lincoln". From Alton's man-eating Piasa Bird legends, to recent sightings in Chicago of a creature said to resemble Point Pleasant, West Virginia's infamous "Mothman", Terror in the Skies unlocks a centuries-old mystery.

Journey to the heartland of the midwest in this new documentary which offers a startling, in-depth look at an ongoing phenomenon. The feature-length film was shot around the state of Illinois in September and acts as much as a guide to the constantly changing terrain of the land as it does an introduction to a reality-altering subject. Breedlove contacted numerous witnesses and investigators who claim to have seen massive beings in the sky as recently as last year. One of the most recent, and popular stories to hit major media in recent years has been an ongoing wave of sightings of a red-eyed, shapeless creature dubbed, the "Chicago Mothman"; an event which is also covered in great detail in this film.

Production still from the film

The first trailer for Terror in the Skies gives a brief look at moody footage captured in September, along with glimpses of the winged beings themselves. The film promises to open viewers minds to the possibility that such a thing could exist by way of believable witnesses and fascinating photographic, video and audio evidence. Small Town Monsters made waves in 2017 with their documentary titled The Mothman of Point Pleasant; a film that Terror in the Skies acts as a "spiritual sequel" to and one that will be followed up in 2020 with by the final film in their "Mothman trilogy" titled The Mothman Legacy.

Small Town Monsters is funding Terror in the Skies, as well as a second film (MOMO: The Missouri Monster) through a Kickstarter campaign launching Thursday, February 7th and running through March 9th. The campaign offers backers the opportunity to have their names added to the credits of the films, or have the chance to appear on-camera, alongside posters, apparel, DVD copies of the films and more.

Terror in the Skies is narrated by author, musician and television personality, Lyle Blackburn. It is co-written by Seth Breedlove and Mark Matzke, with cinematography by Zac Palmisano, an original score by Brandon Dalo, and sound design by Jason Utes. SRV Films and Santino Vitale are handling VFX and the film contains original illustrations by Matt Harris and Brian Serway. The film is produced by Seth and Adrienne Breedlove. Authors, Loren Coleman and Troy Taylor are featured alongside numerous others.

The Trailer:

SOURCE: Small Town Monsters

What 'Into The Spider-Verse' Can Teach Us About Resilience

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), and Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage) in ‘Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse.’ (Sony Pictures Animation)

What can the movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse teach us about child development?

All stories and fairy tales contain symbols and archetypes. These are what make stories universal and relatable to everyone. Such symbols and archetypes can represent human conflicts, struggles or experiences we have or may encounter — such as trauma and loss.
Stories provide us with options for how to deal with the adversity we face. They provide a way of experiencing how things could be resolved and show us that we are not alone in how we feel or experience events.

The film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse helps us to learn the importance of relying on people and fighting through life’s adversity to save ourselves and the world.

Miles Morales played by Shameik Moore in ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.’ (Sony Pictures Animation)

Resilience is the process of adapting to adversity, the ability to bounce back after difficult experiences throughout life. It helps children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty — think of it as a balancing scale, with protective or positive experiences and coping skills on one side and adversity or negative experiences on the other.

Resilience is evident when the scale tips to the positive experiences even when there is a heavy load on adversity.

Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse shares this message of resilience, frequently encouraging the main character, Miles Morales, to get up and keep fighting. In one scene, Peter Parker tells Miles:

“No matter how many hits I take, I always find a way to come back.”

The theme of bouncing back and continuing the fight is consistent throughout the film.
As viewers watching the film, we find ourselves rooting for a teenage boy who has newly developed superhero abilities and is struggling to become a hero: Spiderman.

Strong together

The story is about the Spider-heroes throughout the multiverse who come together to help Miles Morales learn how to be a hero, to be himself, to fight through the pain, loss and tragedy.

It’s a reminder that we are not on our own and that we need each other; we are stronger together. It reminds us of the importance of connection, relationships and asking for help.
Relationships help children develop the ability to monitor, plan and regulate behaviour as well as adapt to changes which help children respond to adversity.

Miles Morales searches for the support of loved ones. His mom supports him, while reminding him:

“Our family doesn’t run from things.”

Research indicates the most common factor for children who do well after experiencing a trauma or stressful time is to have the support of at least one loving and committed relationship, such as with a parent.

Such relationships are the most important factor in building resilience. They protect children from negative outcomes by providing a loving, personalized response while helping the child understand and manage their feelings.

Important relationships help Miles cope and discover who he is and his capabilities. Peter’s friend Gwen Stacy tells Miles:

“I know how hard it is to have to figure this stuff out on your own. It’s kind of nice not being the only Spider person around.” 

“We are probably the only ones who… understand.”

And Uncle Aaron says:

“You are the best of all of us, Miles.”

Relationships help children develop the ability to monitor, plan and regulate behaviour as well as adapt to changes.

This process is a critical aspect of learning to cope with manageable threats. The movie tells us we cannot do that all on our own.

Peter Parker serves as Miles Morales’s reluctant mentor. (Sony Pictures Animation)

Miles’s dad speaks to him through a closed door and says:

“I see this…this spark in you. It’s amazing, it’s why I push you.”

But Miles’s father also tells Miles the spark is his and whatever he chooses to do with it, he’ll be great. Then he tells him:

“I love you… You don’t have to say it back though.”

These are important lessons for children and parents.

When adversity or stress feels overwhelming to the child and the parent is not available, the stress can feel toxic and create an opportunity for more negative outcomes.

This movie is a great reminder that not all stress or adversity is harmful.

Takeaway tips

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse provides important tips for helping children develop resilience:

1. Make connections: Create a strong family network and teach your child how to be a friend and make friends. This will help deal with stress.
2. Help your child remember they are not alone and others may feel as they do at times. This is important for trusting others and developing empathy.
3. Teach children how to move towards goals: focus on accomplishments rather than failures. Break down the desired outcome into smaller achievable goals and support your child in seeing them through.
4. Nurture a positive self-view and keep things in perspective: in this way, a child learns to trust their ideas, solve problems and make appropriate decisions, to understand past challenges, to build strength to handle future challenges.
5. Look for opportunities for self-discovery: tough times are often when children learn the most about themselves. Help your child look at what they can learn from whatever they are facing.

The movie ends with a quote from Stan Lee:

“That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed, without a doubt, a real superhero.”

It’s a beautiful message reminding us the importance of resilience and connection with others. These are two key factors in childhood development that will help our future generations become healthy and productive citizens — and save the world.

About Today's Contributor:

Nikki Martyn, Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-Humber

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

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• Lessons From 'Spider-Man': How Video Games Could Change College Science Education
• Who Are Spider-Man’s Greatest Opponents? 
• Spider-Man Over The Last 50 Years [Infographic]

Marvel Studios' First Female-Lead Super Hero Captain Marvel Takes To The Skies With Alaska Airlines

Ahead of the highly-anticipated release of Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel on March 8, International Women's Day, Alaska Airlines unveiled a special-edition plane today, featuring Marvel Studios' first female Super Hero lead. The Captain Marvel-themed plane was debuted today at Sea-Tac International Airport at a gate celebration for guests flying to Orange County, California.

"This new plane featuring Captain Marvel will delight guests of all ages," said Natalie Bowman, Alaska Airlines' managing director of marketing and advertising. "We're excited to showcase a pilot who's risen to Super Hero status––an image that embodies strength and confidence and inspires future aviators across our expansive network to go further."

Decked out in a stunning red and navy suit, Captain Marvel is taking flight and commands the attention she deserves as a female pilot who acquired special powers to fight for the greater good. Guests boarding the Captain Marvel-themed plane will see a film logo when they board. An image of a cat named Goose from the film, will surprise guests seated over the wings.

"Our collaboration with Alaska Airlines is taking our fans 'Higher, Further, Faster' with this amazing opportunity to fly with our fearless Super Hero and pilot, Captain Marvel," said Mindy Hamilton, SVP of Global Partnerships for Marvel. "We are so excited that our fans will be accompanied by Carol Danvers on their next adventure."

The Captain Marvel-themed 737-800, tail number N531AS, begins flying throughout Alaska's route network today. With a cruising speed of 530 mph and sporting a larger-than-life image of the movie's namesake Captain Marvel, the plane will visit fans throughout the country via cross-country routes and flights to Hawaii.

⏩ Marvel Studios fans can follow Alaska Airlines on Twitter and on Facebook to learn about the promotions related to the new film. From Feb. 6-9, Alaska Airlines social fans and followers can enter for a chance to win one pair of tickets to the premiere of Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel, including roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for two in Los Angeles. Terms and conditions are available online.

About Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel:

Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel" is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.

Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel" is produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Patricia Whitcher and Stan Lee are the executive producers. 

The story is by Nicole Perlman & Meg LeFauve and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and the screenplay is by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet. 

Captain Marvel - Poster

⏩ "Captain Marvel" opens on March 8, 2019 in U.S. theaters.

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines

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Disasters And Disagreements: Climate Change Collides With Trump's Border Wall

U.S. President Donald Trump is seen visiting the California town of Paradise that was devastated by forest fires. Trump has threatened to use funds allocated for disaster relief to pay for his border wall. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Recent news surrounding climate change and its consequences has been grim lately.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body tasked with providing governments with the most accurate and up-to-date scientific information upon which they can frame their policy-making, released a special report in October 2018. It called for a rapid net reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.

This means there are fewer than 12 years remaining for these changes to be accomplished globally.

Compounding these dire warnings are the potential consequences for severe catastrophic events as they unfold in a turbulent global environment, both physically and politically.

The Trump administration’s recent release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment demonstrates just how costly climate change and catastrophic events will be for the United States in the future.

Yet the administration and even President Donald Trump himself deny the existence and effects of climate change, including during increasingly severe events.

In the beautiful Midwest, windchill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded. In coming days, expected to get even colder. People can’t last outside even for minutes. What the hell is going on with Global Waming? Please come back fast, we need you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2019

But others are taking the consequences of climate change seriously, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), which has been actively increasing its resilience. The DoD views climate change as a “threat multiplier” and has been working to integrate adaptation measures into its plans, operations and training both internally and in conjunction with external partners.

Within this context, Trump’s recent government shutdown and the intractable disagreement over the border wall is misguided in the most charitable of terms.

Funding the wall with disaster relief money

While the crisis over the shutdown appears to be over, at least for now, Trump has threatened to fund his border wall by taking money allocated for disaster relief and reconstruction. This includes $2.4 billion for California in the aftermath of its devastating wildfires and $2.5 billion to assist Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane Maria.

Trump’s rhetoric around the allocation of disaster relief funds, along with other disaster-related subjects, including death tolls, reveals just how easily disasters are politicized. They’re used for political gain almost always at the expense of those most vulnerable.

⏩ Read more: Politics and paper towels: Disputing disaster death tolls

That’s because politicians make politically expedient choices — in this case over funding a border wall — ahead of those that actually protect the security and safety of citizens in ongoing and future disasters.

Most importantly, Trump’s threats illustrate why our discourse surrounding climate change and catastrophic events matters, and why it needs to change in order to reduce the impact of future disasters.

Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2019

Mainstream narratives of disasters present them as isolated events in both space and time, distinct from our everyday relationship with nature, and possessing a definite beginning, middle and end. These narratives generally focus on the physical hazard itself as opposed to the preconditions that actually result in disaster.

‘Just a temporary crisis’

When the flood or hurricane or forest fire is over, the thinking goes, our normal relationship with nature resumes until the next crisis occurs.

This framing of disasters, and the policy prescriptions that follow from it, was first identified by Kenneth Hewitt in his 1983 work Interpretations of Calamity from the Viewpoint of Human Ecology.

Hewitt’s observations about this mainstream framing — he called it the “dominant view” of disasters — was pivotal in the field of disaster studies.

Scholars in the field, including Hewitt himself, started to argue for an expansive understanding of disasters that recognized the underlying aspects that determine the vulnerability of a community to specific hazards and risks, whether they’re natural or technological.

Disasters are deeply connected to the economic, political and social factors that make people particularly vulnerable to them. While it’s convenient, for the purposes of media coverage or politicians, to understand them as having definitive beginnings, middles,, and ends, scholars have pointed out that viewing them this way is extremely problematic.

In this August 2017 photo, Demetres Fair holds a towel over his daughter, Damouri Fair, as they are rescued following Hurricane Harvey. The impact of disasters are economic, political and social. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Trump’s threat to raid funds allocated in the aftermath of 2018’s devastating disasters is part of these narratives. It must be understood as an explicitly political choice that negatively impedes the recovery of those communities for whom the funds were originally allocated. Making this choice would ultimately increase the vulnerability of those communities to future disasters.

Understanding the consequences of Trump’s threats to reallocate funding to his border wall makes the political aspects of disasters more visible, especially when framed by the effects of climate change and its consequences.

Disasters are not isolated and distinct events but rather ongoing processes. A better understanding of the relationship between disasters and their underlying causes encourages politicians to take steps to reduce vulnerability, both through the better allocation of funds for disaster mitigation, as well as by supporting social and economic development programs for vulnerable populations.

In my own work, I have called for an explicit understanding of disasters as a form of violence, and recent events have helped exemplify the necessity to reframe our understanding of disasters in an intentionally political way.

Trump’s threats to the citizens of California and Puerto Rico over his wall make the plight of the vulnerable visible and the political nature of disasters explicit. By challenging how we perceive and understand disasters, we can change the discussions surrounding them and pressure politicians to move away from making politically expedient choices at the expense of the vulnerable.

About Today's Contributor:

Korey Pasch, PhD Candidate in Political Science and International Relations, Queen's University, Ontario

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

TikTok and Sony Pictures Entertainment Team Up on a Promotional Campaign for the Feature Film "Escape Room"

TikTok, the world's leading short form video platform, and Sony Pictures Entertainment have teamed up on a promotional campaign based on the Columbia Pictures hit psychological thriller, Escape Room, as the film continues its international rollout.

For this campaign, Sony Pictures recreated elaborate escape rooms from the film, including the "shrinking room" and the "ice room." The promotional partnership officially kicked off last week in Madrid, Spain, where Sony Pictures and TikTok co-hosted a "Creator Event" for 30 leading influencers from over 17 countries, as well as TikTok's "creators" from eight countries: UK, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, Malaysia and Spain.

Sony Pictures recreated elaborate escape rooms from the film, including the "shrinking room" and the "ice room"

Both groups participated in escape room challenges and recorded their experiences generating over 75+ pieces of content. TikTok's "creators" included the exceptional magician @magicsingh, comedian Karol Konk @karolkonk and the talented makeup artist and body painter @vickybanham, who all shared their experiences with their fans and on the Official Escape Room Movie TikTok page.

The event ended with massive scavenger hunt, exploring Madrid's prominent landmarks, solving puzzles and photographing and sampling local Spanish tapas. The prize for the winning team was a special fan screening of the film in their local markets.

Sony Pictures recreated elaborate escape rooms from the film, including the "shrinking room" and the "ice room"

TikTok's collaboration with Sony Pictures is their largest, international promotional partnership with a Hollywood studio to date.

⏩ TikTok users can now follow the creators and the Escape Room official page @escaperoommovie to experience the excitement of the much-anticipated hit film. 

Escape Room

Escape Room is a psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to find the clues or die. Directed by Adam Robitel, the screenplay is by Bragi Schut and Maria Melnik and the story by Bragi Schut. The film is produced by Neal H. Moritz and Ori Marmur. Rebecca Rivo serves as executive producer. The film stars Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine, Nik Dodani and with Yorick van Wageningen.

"TikTok's community interests and demographic are perfectly in line with Escape Room's audience and we are thrilled to team up with Sony Pictures. This collaboration allows us to offer a unique experience to some of our fabulous "creators" but, most importantly, to create exciting and engaging content for our global community," said Stefan Heinrich, Head of Global Marketing at TikTok.

"An innovative and immersive thriller like Escape Room makes for a perfect collaboration with global innovators like TikTok. With Sony Pictures Spain creating the live experience in Madrid, based on the movie, the TikTok creators were able to generate their own fun and shareable UGC for their followers and spread their excitement about the film," said Sal Ladestro, Executive Vice President of International Marketing for Sony Pictures Releasing International.

⏩ Escape Room debuts in U.K. cinemas on the 1st of February and it's the latest of Sony Pictures' successful genre film releases, which also include the Insidious franchise and Searching.

SOURCE: TikTok

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UNICEF: Nearly 3,000 Children Crossed From Guatemala To Mexico Since Mid-January

Paloma Escudero, UNICEF Director of Communication, visits migrant families waiting at the Mexico-Guatemala border to apply for a humanitarian visas in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, on January 29, 2019. © UNICEF/UN0277464/Bindra (CNW Group/UNICEF Canada)

More than 12,000 people, including 3,000 children, have crossed from Tecun Uman, Guatemala, to Tapachula, Mexico, since January 17, UNICEF said today. It is critical to uphold special protection for these children, particularly those among them traveling alone, the children's agency said. 

"The Mexican government and people have been mostly welcoming towards the thousands of children and families crossing the border every day," said Paloma Escudero, UNICEF Director of Communication at the end of a two-day visit to Tapachula. "Whether these children stay in Mexico or head further up north, it is crucial that they remain with their families, that they are kept out of detention centres and that their best interests are protected throughout the journey."

According to government statistics, more than 30,000 children from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador were temporarily held in detention centres in 2018.

Although Mexico is increasingly implementing measures to safeguard children's rights while in transit or seeking asylum in the country, challenges persist. At the Tapachula migration station, which holds close to 1,000 men, women and children, Escudero spoke with mothers and young women kept at the station while their asylum claims or deportation orders are processed.

"Although people staying in the centre have access to food, health and recreational services, the conditions are inadequate," Escudero said. "I saw mothers and small children sleeping on the floor in the hallways. Many told me that they were unsure what would happen to them next or when they might be allowed to leave."

The new Mexican Government has officially committed to end detention of all child migrants and is presently working to fulfill this new policy. UNICEF and other organizations are closely supporting these efforts by helping develop alternatives to detention.

"Many of these children and young people are trading the trauma of violence and poverty back home for the trauma of displacement and uncertainty while on the move," Escudero said. "The hope of a better, safer future that keeps them going is getting further and further out of reach." 

In Mexico, UNICEF continues to work with the Government and its partners to ensure that migrant children receive the support and services they need and that their rights are upheld. Through its teams in Tapachula, UNICEF is giving direct support to children arriving at the migration office in Ciudad Hidalgo, providing them with information about their migratory options. The children's agency is also providing direct technical assistance to the Social Welfare Agency and Child Protection Authorities to ensure unaccompanied children are duly processed and receive appropriate care.

UNICEF is advocating with its Government partners to build on the country's existing successful programmes for children on the move, keeping the best interests of the child above all other considerations.

"UNICEF has been working with the government to identify and implement alternative solutions, including humanitarian visas, open shelters and day centres, that can keep families and children safe and protected while their claims are being processed," Escudero said. "We look forward to seeing more of these programmes along the Mexico migration route. After all, migration is not a crime and should not be treated as such."

SOURCE: UNICEF Canada

'The Wizard of Oz' 80th Anniversary Screenings Break $1M at the Box Office

'The Wizard of Oz'

"The Wizard of Oz," the inimitable 1939 musical-fantasy, grossed over $1 million at the domestic box office on Sunday – the first day of a limited 80th anniversary re-release – setting a new record for Fathom Events as the highest-grossing single-day classic film presentation in the company's history.

"The Wizard of Oz" was No. 8 at the domestic box office on Sunday with just two showtimes in nearly 700 cinemas nationwide. The 80th anniversary presentation of "The Wizard of Oz" also had the highest per-screen average of any film in wide release that day. The Warner Bros. feature is the first film in Fathom Events' yearlong 2019 TCM Big Screen Classics series, which is presented in partnership with Turner Classic Movies.

⏩ Two encore screenings – one on Tuesday, January 29, and one on Wednesday, January 30 – were previously scheduled, and Fathom Events and TCM today announced two additional encore dates due to audience demand: Sunday, February 3, at 1:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, February 5, at 7:00 p.m. (all local times).

"There is no movie quite like 'The Wizard of Oz,' and the response to its anniversary presentation has been genuinely overwhelming," said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events. "It's the perfect way for multiple generations of fans to experience movie magic together, and also an incredible start to our 2019 TCM Big Screen Classics series."

"Audience response to the screening of 'The Wizard of Oz' is a direct reflection of why we partner with Fathom Events on the TCM Big Classics Series," said Genevieve McGillicuddy, Vice President of Enterprises and Strategic Partnerships, TCM. "This series brings film lovers of all ages together to experience the magic of the movies on the big screen and allows TCM to be the ultimate gathering point for fans of classic cinema."

'The Wizard of Oz' - Dorothy

A partnership between Fathom Events and TCM that began with a handful of films in 2012 has grown into an increasingly popular annual series. Throughout 2019, TCM Big Screen Classics will present 14 unforgettable movie milestones, including "To Kill a Mockingbird" (March), "Field of Dreams" (April), "Lawrence of Arabia" (September) and "Alien" (October), among others. 

Each film plays for just two or three days and is accompanied by insightful new commentary from TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz, presented before and after the film.

SOURCE: Fathom Events

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Lessons From 'Spider-Man': How Video Games Could Change College Science Education

The new ‘Spider-Man’ video game isn’t just fun and games – it’s also science. (Marvel / Insomniac Games)

Like many people over the holidays, I spent some time – maybe too much – playing one of the most popular and best reviewed video games of 2018: “Spider-Man.”

While I thought I’d be taking a break from chemistry research, I found myself web-swinging through virtual research missions all over New York City. I collected samples of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Hell’s Kitchen, studied vehicle emissions in Chinatown and determined the chemical composition of atmospheric particulate matter in Midtown.

“Spider-Man” has many of these eco-friendly research missions. But what I found most encouraging is that the game also includes tools that can potentially teach advanced concepts in chemistry and physics. These tools include adjusting the wavelength and amplitude of radio waves, rewiring circuits to meet target voltages, and what will be examined here, using absorption spectroscopy to identify unknown chemicals.

Believe it or not, the millions of people playing “Spider-Man” have been unwittingly introduced to principles of quantum mechanics. There is a lot of veiled science to this aspect of the video game. Perhaps more importantly – as a chemistry researcher and university lecturer – I believe the game represents an interesting opportunity to teach science in a fun and engaging way in higher education.

Spectroscopy and ‘Spider-Man’

To better understand the scientific technique that players simulate in “Spider-Man,” it helps to have a short primer on what absorption spectroscopy is.

The interaction of light with matter is the most powerful means scientists have to understand what matter is made of. When matter does not interact with light, we are quite literally left in the dark. This problem is made obvious in the still unknown composition of dark matter that constitutes the vast majority of matter in the universe.

Using light to study ordinary matter like atoms and molecules is a broad field of science known as spectroscopy. It is an important part of university courses in chemistry and physics. There are currently many different types of spectroscopy. However, the underlying concepts are almost entirely the same as the original version that began in the 17th century when Isaac Newton first dispersed sunlight with a prism.

As famously illustrated on Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album cover, dispersing the white light of the sun with a prism reveals its continuous color spectrum extending from violet (higher energy, shorter wavelength) to red (lower energy, longer wavelength). However, if this is done carefully, you would find that this continuous spectrum is patterned with intermittent dark bands.

While the origin of these dark bands was not fully understood until the 20th century, scientists now know that they are due to absorption of specific wavelengths of light by atoms and molecules present in the sun. In fact, this kind of spectroscopy led to the discovery of helium in the solar spectrum before it was identified on Earth. This is why it derives its name from the Greek “helios” meaning sun.

So what causes this phenomenon? Atoms and molecules have a set of energy levels that depend on how their electrons are arranged. The absorption of light – which remember is energy – can cause the electrons to rearrange into these different levels. The catch is that the energy – or wavelength – of light must exactly match the energy difference between two electron arrangements in an atom or molecule for absorption to occur. This set of energies is unique for each chemical and leads to a distinct absorption spectrum much like a fingerprint from which it can be identified.

In “Spider-Man,” the player identifies unknown substances using simplified versions of these spectra.

Spectrum of Unknown Molecule from Research Mission.

The goal is to match the pattern in the spectrum using the fragment inventory provided to give the absorption spectrum of the unknown substance. Unfortunately for chemists everywhere, determining the chemical structure of an unknown molecule is much more complicated.

Still, there is a significant amount of science conveyed in the video game version of what a spectroscopist would call assigning this spectrum. Only slight modifications and additional explanation could make these parts of the game an excellent way to teach these concepts to undergraduate science students. But are video games ever used in higher education?

Video games in higher education

Video games for teaching more elementary skills like arithmetic or spelling are common. Similarly, colleges and universities are increasingly infusing video games into their coursework.

In a recent publication in the journal Nature Chemistry, researchers presented a modified version of the video game “Minecraft” called “PolyCraft World.” In this game, the player learns polymer chemistry by crafting materials in the game. Preliminary results showed that students learned real chemistry through the game even though they weren’t doing it for grades or getting regular classroom instruction.

In the popular game “Kerbal Space Program,” the player builds their own space program by successfully launching rockets into orbit. The game was not originally intended for educational purposes but implements rigorous orbital mechanics in its physics calculations. It is so accurate that NASA joined the game’s developers to create new missions, and it now has a teaching-ready standalone game that could be used directly in university physics courses.

A unique approach has been taken with the biochemistry-based game “FoldIt.” This game serves as both an educational as well as a citizen science platform. In the game, players manipulate the structures of real proteins to search for the “best” or lowest energy structures. Results published in the journal Nature showed that the player’s search methods can be successfully combined with computer-based algorithms to solve actual scientific problems.

The use of video games in higher education is a real possibility and could even have a promising future in higher education given the advantages of delivering educational content through a video game format. These advantages include things such as remote access, personalized student progress and immediate feedback. However, creating an engaging video game from scratch is challenging, costly and time-consuming. As indicated by the creators of “PolyCraft World,” finding existing games to modify for educational purposes – like the research missions in “Spider-Man” – could be the best way forward.

About Today's Contributor:

Aaron W. Harrison, Teaching and Research Fellow, Chapman University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

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