Ultra Fractal

Doodads Formula

New and Improved . . website and blog

The last remaining Ravenswood abandoned hospital is finally being rehabbed. Work started recently to make this old hospital into new retirement senior living, apartments will be made into supportive living. Before it closed, this building of the hospital was being used for Neurologic and Orthopedic spinal and brain care. I was born in Ravenswood hospital in the section that was demolished and turned into a french school. Lycee Francais

Recent shots of the Irvine illuminations 2017. What a fantastic night that was. Well done to all who made this great event possible.

These are my last uploads for 2017. I would just like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year.

Thanks to all who gave comments and faved and special thanks to all who shared their fantastic photo's.

All the best in 2018!

Cheers!

Donald

In a tradition dating to 2012, I take a few photographs from our balcony on December 31 and write a summary of the past year. It traditionally has not been snowing on this day. Last year, because of back issues that led to successful spinal surgery on September 29, the summary was lengthier. I’m back to tradition for this year.

My year has been successful for the most part. We were back on the road again: Hawaii (Maui, the Big Island and Oahu) in January – February; New York City (to see the White Sox lose in Yankee Stadium) in May; a rail-river cruise (Switzerland, France, Germany and The Netherlands) in June; Orange County, California (spending time with my brother); New York City again (two shows, no sports), the last two in October; and Mexico (Cabo San Lucas for the three of us) in December. Thanks again to the four A's (April, Ana, Aruna and Anna) for making these journeys possible.

It was also back to the stadiums and arenas. After eight straight losses starting with Opening Day and including May’s loss in New York, I finally saw the White Sox win my last three games at Sox Park, including two that would have set the record for most MLB losses during the modern era. The Cubs won my first three games at Wrigley, then lost the next three; and Rob and I returned to Milwaukee after a one-year lapse for a Brewers game on a very hot July afternoon. The Bears won my annual game in September, winning one more before losing 10 in a row. Lastly, I was happy to see Connor Bedard for the first time for the Blackhawks at the United Center in March.

Two difficult events marred the year-end: the election (the less said the better) and our daughter’s major surgery in mid-December. She’s recovering well, thankfully. Janet has once again not only provided excellent caregiving but also helped navigate the myriads of issues involved in the pre- and post-procedure issues.

We have another Spain trip in early June; otherwise, the year is uncertain. I’ve lost my two sources for White Sox tickets (a new one may be available) but will basically pick and choose games. I’d like to get back to taking photographs in disparate parts of the city again; we shall hope . . . and see.

A bit of barrel scraping going on, as the weather has been too foul lately to do any sensible photography. This is that spine shaped sculpture thingy in Millennium Square. The white twinkly bit at the top is of course a full moon.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some Background:

The Ki-38 fighter was designed by the Tachikawa Aircraft Company Limited (立川飛行機株式会社, Tachikawa Hikōki Kabushiki Kaisha) near Tokyo, an aircraft manufacturer in the Empire of Japan, specializing primarily in aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. The Ki-38 prototype was produced in response to a December 1937 specification for a successor to the popular fixed-gear Nakajima Ki-27 Nate. The specification called for a top speed of 500 km/h (310 mph), a climb rate of 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in five minutes and a range of 800 km (500 mi). Maneuverability was to be at least as good as that of Ki-27.

As the war progressed, however, the fighter suffered from the same weaknesses as its slower, fixed-gear Ki-27 "Nate" predecessor and the more advanced naval A6M Zero: light armor and less-than-effective self-sealing fuel tanks, which caused high casualties in combat. Its armament of four light machine guns also proved inadequate against the more heavily armored Allied aircraft. Both issues were more or less mended with improved versions, but the Ki-38 could never keep up with the enemy fighters’ development and potential. And as newer Allied aircraft were introduced, the Japanese were forced into a defensive war and most aircraft were flown by inexperienced pilots.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 8.96 m (29 ft 4 in)

Wingspan: 10.54 m (34 ft 7 in)

Height: 3.03 m (9 ft 11 in)

Wing area: 17.32 m² (186.4 sq ft)

Empty weight: 2,158 kg (4,758 lb)

Gross weight: 2,693 kg (5,937 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 2,800 kg (6,173 lb)

Powerplant:

1× Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine with 1,050hp (755 kW),

driving a 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 509 km/h (316 mph, 275 kn)

Cruise speed: 450 km/h (280 mph, 240 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)

Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 3 minutes 24 seconds

Wing loading: 155.4 kg/m2 (31.8 lb/sq ft)

Power/mass: 0.182 hp/lb (0.299 kW/kg)

Armament:

2× 20 mm (0.787 in) Ho-5 cannon with 150 rpg

2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns with 500 rpg

2× underwing hardpoints for single 30 kg (66 lb) or 2 × 250 kg (550 lb) bombs

1× ventral hardpoint for a 200 l (53 US gal; 44 imp gal) drop tank

The kit and its assembly:

I always thought that the French Bloch MB 150 had some early WWII Japanese look to it, and with this idea I recently procured a relatively cheap Heller kit for this conversion project that would yield the purely fictional Tachikawa Ki-38 for the IJA – even though the Ki-38 existed as a Kawasaki project and eventually became the Ki-45, so that the 38 as kitai number was never actively used.

The Heller MB 150 is a vintage kit, and it is not a good one. You get raised panel lines, poor details (the engine is a joke) and mediocre fit. If you want a good MB 150 in 1:72, look IMHO elsewhere.

For the Ki-38 I wanted to retain most of the hull, the first basic change was the integration of a cowling from a Japanese Mitsubishi Ha-102 two-row radial (left over from an Airfix Ki-46 “Dinah”), which also received a new three-blade propeller with a different spinner on a metal axis inside. The engine also received some more interior details, even though the spinner blocks most sight.

The next, more radical move was to replace the MB 150’s spinal cockpit fairing with a bubble canopy and a lowered back – I found a very old and glue-tinted canopy from a Matchbox A6M in the spares box, and it turned out to be very suitable for the Ki-38. However, cleaning the clear piece was quite challenging, because all raised struts had to be sanded away to get rid of the old glue and paint residues, and re-polishing it back to a more or less translucent state took several turns with ever finer sandpaper, polishing paste and soft polishing mops on a mini drill. The spine was re-created with 2C-putty and the canopy was blended into it and into the fuselage with several PSR turns.

Inside, I used a different pilot figure (which would later be hard to see, though), added a fuel tank behind the seat with some supporting struts and inserted a piece of styrene sheet to separate the landing gear well from the cockpit – OOB it’s simply open.

The landing gear was basically taken OOB, I just replaced the original tail skid with a wheel and modified the wheels with hub covers, because the old kit wants you to push them onto long axis’ with knobs at their tips so that they remain turnable. Meh!

The fairings under the guns in the wings (barrels scratched from the MB 150’s OOB parts) are conformal underwing fuel tanks from a late Seafire (Special Hobby kit).

Painting and markings:

The initial plan was a simple green/grey IJA livery, but the model looked SO much like an A6M that I rather decided to give it a more elaborate paint scheme. I eventually found an interesting camouflage on a Mitsubishi Ki-51 “Sonia” attack plane, even though without indications concerning its unit, time frame or theater of operations (even though I assume that it was used in the China-Burma-India theater): an overall light grey base, onto which opaque green contrast fields/stripes had been added, and the remaining light grey upper areas were overpainted with thin sinuous lines of the same green. This was adapted onto the Ki-38 with a basis in Humbrol 167 (RAF Barley Grey) and FS 34102 (Humbrol 117) for the green cammo. I also wanted to weather the model considerably, as a measure to hide some hardware flaws, so that a partial “primer coat” with Aluminum (Revell 99) was added to several areas, to shine through later. The yellow ID markings on the wings’ leading edges were painted with Humbrol 69. The propeller blades were painted with Humbrol 180, the spinner in a slightly lighter mix of 180 and 160.

Interior surfaces were painted with a dull yellowish green, a mix of Revell 16 and 42, just the inside of the landing gear covers became grey as the outside, in a fashion very similar to early Ki-43s.

The decals came form various sources, including a Hasegawa Ki-61 sheet for the unit markings and some stencils and hinomaru in suitable sizes from a generic roundel sheet.

Some dry-brushing with light grey was done to emphasize edges and details, and some soot stains were added with graphite to the exhausts and the guns. Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish, some more dry-brushing with aluminum was done, esp. around the cockpit, and position lights were added with translucent paint.

An unexpected result – I was not prepared that the modified MB 150 looks THAT much like a Mitsubishi A6M or the Ki-43! There’s even an Fw 190-ish feel to it, from certain angles. O.K., the canopy actually comes from a Zero and the cowling looks very similar, too. But the overall similarity is baffling, just the tail is the most distinguishing feature! However, due to the poor basis and the almost blind canopy donor, the model is far from stellar or presentable – but some in-flight shots look pretty convincing, and even the camouflage appears to be quite effective over wooded terrain.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Loggerhead Shrike is a songbird with a raptor’s habits. It does not have the strong feet and talons of a raptor but, It does have a strongly hooked bill for gripping flesh, and a strong notch or "tooth" near the bill tip that helps sever the spinal cord of its prey. It uses thorns and barbed wire to hold large prey while it rips it up, and may wedge prey into a fork in a branch for the same purpose.

#300

Light from my mother's window blinds.

(Self Portrait 1/52)

One self portrait every week for an entire year starting January 7, 2012.

www.rachaelkoscica.com / Facebook Fanpage

Superstar Wrestling - Court-St-Etienne 2021 - Ben Damage Vs Jack Spinal

Ben Damage Def. (Pin) Jack Spinal

Info on the match : Match qualificatif pour le main event.

La personne qui gagnera ce match sera dans le match final qui aura pour enjeu l'aspirant au titre majeur de la superstar.

( La Superstar a la braderie de Court-St-Etienne en 2021 )

The answer's none, none more black.

This one's for you, Spinal Tap fans!

A young boy looks on as Baltimore police officers try to stop looting and rioting which took place after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Md. April 27, 2015. Gray, died April 19 from a severe spinal injury that allegedly occurred while in police custody. Looting and riots broke out in Baltimore after the funeral. The Maryland governor declared a state of emergency. (Photo by Kenny Holston)

Head pressure, medically referred to as intracranial pressure, is pressure between the skull and the brain. Too much pressure in the head can restrict blood flow to the brain and press on structures in the brain. It is a serious medical condition that has the potential to cause severe damage to the brain or spinal cord. Contact your doctor if you experience pressure in the head. Symptoms of abnormal head pressure include lethargy, behavior changes, headache, seizures and vomiting.Even though it is tempting to think of our energy body as a sort of plumbing system with tubes and vents, the reality is completely different. Our energy system is more like clouds of gases that merge and mingle and sometimes cramp up. Or even better, you can imagine it as different coloured streams of water that weave and intermingle and sometimes freeze into ice. These different coloured water streams are our thoughts and emotions and when we try to suppress these thoughts and emotions they “freeze“ and we experience them as “blocks“ in our mind and body.he head chakras (forehead and crown) have to do with the mental part of our being which consists of our thoughts, concepts and beliefs on the intellectual and spiritual levels. When we experience head pressure we are literally suppressing certain thoughts that we do not want to think. It is this suppression that we experience as the head pressure and it happens completely unconsciously. People without kundalini also often unconsciously suppress certain thoughts but due to their greater unawareness they do not feel the pain of this suppression – they are more numb.In the kundalini process, a thirst awakens in us for expanded consciousness and more spirituality. However, there may be still parts of our old ego alive that do not want to have certain spiritual insights and defend themselves by rigorously suppressing ideas that challenge the old ego. So, this is the inner conflict that plays itself out in our head chakras – the fight for spiritual insights and authenticity on the one hand and the resistance of our old ego that is not yet ready to accept some humbling insights on the other.

Before I tell you what kind of thoughts people typically suppress, I need to give you a little warning. If you are a person with head pressure you will probably not like what I am about to tell you for the very reason that you have repressed these kinds of insights in the first place. But everything in this article is based on my work with hundreds of clients who had kundalini syndrome. All the clients who could take the following advice on board now have much less head pressure or none at all.

In my experience, most people with head pressure suppress self-critical thoughts. These people describe themselves as laid-back, easy going and even loving towards themselves. They do not criticise themselves and when others criticise them, they either completely ignore it or they get angry. However, in order to be a spiritually mature person, it is important that we clearly see our many flaws (without beating ourselves up about them) and then get to work to eliminate these flaws.

For people with low self-esteem, this is not difficult to do as they are usually too self-critical to start with. But it is those people who like themselves and have a high opinion of themselves who are most prone to pressure in the head chakras during the kundalini process. (If you do not like this insight, remember that I warned you!

Before I tell you what kind of thoughts people typically suppress, I need to give you a little warning. If you are a person with head pressure you will probably not like what I am about to tell you for the very reason that you have repressed these kinds of insights in the first place. But everything in this article is based on my work with hundreds of clients who had kundalini syndrome. All the clients who could take the following advice on board now have much less head pressure or none at all.

In my experience, most people with head pressure suppress self-critical thoughts. These people describe themselves as laid-back, easy going and even loving towards themselves. They do not criticise themselves and when others criticise them, they either completely ignore it or they get angry. However, in order to be a spiritually mature person, it is important that we clearly see our many flaws (without beating ourselves up about them) and then get to work to eliminate these flaws.

For people with low self-esteem, this is not difficult to do as they are usually too self-critical to start with. But it is those people who like themselves and have a high opinion of themselves who are most prone to pressure in the head chakras during the kundalini process. (If you do not like this insight, remember that I warned you!

Kundalini awakening symptoms include strange body sensations like shaking, tingling or the feeling of moving energy. On the psychologically level we often experience greatly intensified emotions and a general over-sensitivity to ‘everything’. And on the spiritual level we may experience a great increase of spiritual interest but also a lot of confusion.

The first thing that I explain to all my kundalini clients is that a kundalini awakening and its symptoms can be compared with the awakening of our sexual drive during puberty. Both processes have a lot in common.

First of all, both processes are irreversible. No matter, how much we yearn to go back to the carefree innocence of our childhood, puberty endows us with strong sexual urges that cannot be ignored. In the same way there is no going back once kundalini has made its presence known in our body and mind.

In both processes, puberty as well as kundalini awakening, we are endowed with a lot more power than we previously had. In puberty we develop the awesome power to create a new human being and during a kundalini awakening we receive powers like clairvoyance, supernatural abilities and ultimately the ability to manifest ourselves as a divine being.

But until we are able to harvest the full rewards of these newly awakened powers we have to change radically. As we all know, the transition from being a child to a happy parent usually entails many years of difficulties until we learn to channel our sex drive into loving relationships. Everything has to change during these years – our self-image, our relationships, our ability to take responsibility for our actions and generally our entire outlook on life.

In order to manage this process it is paramount to live as peacefully, lovingly and healthily as possible. Anything that could upset ourselves further like taking drugs, having promiscuous sex or experimenting on our mind with meditation without the help of an experienced kundalini teacher should be avoided.

It is good to have a spiritual outlook on life and develop trust in a divine power. But it is important not to overdo spiritual practices as they make the kundalini stronger. If you feel inclined to meditate daily it is paramount only to do this under the guidance of an experienced meditation teacher who has gone through a kundalini experience themselves.

Do ask your local meditation teacher if they have gone through this but do not be surprised if they haven’t because real kundalini awakenings are still very rare. Luckily, in the age of the internet you can also try to find a teacher online and build a trusting relationship in order to get guidance about how to meditate.

It is particularly important to avoid any form of energy healing like reiki or acupuncture. These forms of healing are devised for people who are not in a kundalini process and often do a very good job. But once we have become over-sensitive during a kundalini process these healing modalities can aggravate us severely.

A comparison with puberty can explain why this is. Imagine being upset about your emerging sexual needs and you go to an energy healer to get rid of them. It is obvious that this is doomed to fail. Our libido, as well as the kundalini, is far stronger than these approaches and we will only end up in even more suffering if we try to remove of either of them.

Another thing to avoid is breathing exercises like re-birthing or yogic breathing. Both are powerful ways to alter our body and brain chemistry and can have disastrous consequences if used even slightly in the wrong way. Breathing exercises can be compared with prescription drugs. They should only be used when administered by a skilful physician and certainly not to someone who is seriously challenged by a kundalini process.

I have had many kundalini clients who read all sorts of horror stories on the internet and were very afraid. It is this fear that makes kundalini symptoms far worse than they need be. Just think of how a teenage girl would feel who is repeatedly told that there is the risk of being murdered by her own husband. While this may be true in extremely rare cases, it is not helpful to frighten young people in this way.

The same can be said about kundalini. In rare cases people may deal with it so badly that they end up in a very painful place. But in order for this to happen a lot of negative factors have come together and it is not useful to frighten yourself with these ideas on top of the challenges that kundalini entails anyway. So I strongly advise people to stay away from reading any frightening material about kundalini.

A kundalini awakening is a very individual and personal process, just like the development of a satisfying sexuality after puberty is a very personal process. People usually benefit a great deal from personal guidance in both processes.

For a kundalini awakening, you need an experienced spiritual teacher who has gone through this process themselves – just like all youths need guidance about sexuality and relationships from someone who has mastered these areas themselves.

People also benefit from guidance about how to deal with their budding clairvoyance, which can be very confusing and frightening for the unprepared mind. However, the biggest challenge is always the very personal material that emerges from one’s unconscious mind during this process, requiring personal advice.

Finally, it is paramount to adjust your spiritual practices to accommodate the kundalini so that it flows calmly and steadily and does not erupt in fits and starts. In order to do this, you need a personal relationship to a kundalini teacher who can guide you in this way.

kundalinisymptoms.com/info/help-kundalini-awakening/

The hoppers of 6D72 11:32 Hull Dairycoates - Rylstone empties have a distinctive skeletal appearance as they round the curve under the Humber Bridge behind 66162 on 15th September 2009.

www.samgoldphotography.com

Self

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© 2013 ACPerona

Superstar Wrestling - Court-St-Etienne 2021 - Ben Damage Vs Jack Spinal

Ben Damage Def. (Pin) Jack Spinal

Info on the match : Match qualificatif pour le main event.

La personne qui gagnera ce match sera dans le match final qui aura pour enjeu l'aspirant au titre majeur de la superstar.

( La Superstar a la braderie de Court-St-Etienne en 2021 )

Superstar Wrestling - Court-St-Etienne 2021 - Ben Damage Vs Jack Spinal

Ben Damage Def. (Pin) Jack Spinal

Info on the match : Match qualificatif pour le main event.

La personne qui gagnera ce match sera dans le match final qui aura pour enjeu l'aspirant au titre majeur de la superstar.

( La Superstar a la braderie de Court-St-Etienne en 2021 )

The tomb of the 16th-century cardinal Cinzio Aldobrandini designed by architect Carlo Francesco Bizzaccheri was erected in 1705–07 by prince Giovanni Battista Pamphili Aldobrandini and it is located just a few metres from the macabre tomb of Vechiarelli in the nave of San Pietro in Vincoli.

The sculptures of putti and a winged skeleton created by Pierre Le Gros the Younger. Here Death really takes centre stage - a winged, grimacing skeleton holding an enormous scythe and hourglass, he looms menacingly over Aldobrandini’s rather modest polychrome sepulchre. Look out for shrouded Death’s brilliantly depicted spinal column, peeking out from behind his ribcage. Unusually, the cardinal himself is nowhere to be seen: instead, the family crest of the Aldobrandini lets us know who is buried within.

St. Peter's Basilica, founded in 442, is also known as the Eudossian Basilica after the name of its founder, Licinia Eudossia (422-493). The church has undergone numerous restorations, the most important of which were carried out by Hadrian I in 780, by Sixtus IV in 1471 and by Julius II in 1503.

Superstar Wrestling - Tous Ensemble Pour Lyzea - Mike D. Vs Pierre Booster Fontaine (c)

Mike D. def. (Pin) Pierre Booster Fontaine (c) (in Lumberjack Match)

Info on the match : lumberjack (Mike D.) : SMB, Rob Raw, Sean Lucas et Jack Spinal

lumberjack Pierre Booster Fontaine : MBM, DarkMondo, Alex Le Grand et TNK

For : Superstar Wrestling Championship (new champ)

( La Superstar Wrestling sera presente le DIMANCHE 15 octobre 2017 a MANAGE, pour un show de catch EXCEPTIONNEL au profit de l'asbl Tous ensemble pour Lyzea, petite ondine. )

Exposure: f8/11 @ 600 seconds

Location: I-195 relocation/construction site, Providence, RI

Date: February 3, 2007

Temperature: mid 20's, wind chill at 0 deg F, 5 hours (7:20pm - 12:35am)

Notes: Holga 120N modified for LE, 60mm on Fuji T64

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We ventured out this evening to our favorite haunts in Providence RI. We returned to the ongoing relocation of RT95/RT95 in the heart of the Providence curves, quite a spectacular undertaking.

Although not the coldest outing, the wind chill robbed our warmth and whittled our group of shooters as the night progressed. The wind eventually died down but I'll have to admit I was cold.

The group this time out was threshold, Skazama, Rizzolo, Rltm401 and Upsilon_48.

You can see a group pool here of all our shots on Flickr from the night or a slick slideshow here. It may take a week or so for all the shots to be posted.

Wrestling Alliance Company - Anniversaire 10 ans - Day 2 - Ruby Rebel Vs Lorna La Tigresse

Ruby Rebel Def. (Pin) Lorna La Tigresse

Type of match : Tournament Quarter Finals

Info on the match : Tournoi pour le nouveau titre europeen feminin de la WAC.

( Les 10 ans de la Wrestling Alliance Company )

www.maxtutanoronha.com

After having spinal fusion surgery in June of last year, I decided to use some of my VA benefits are go back to college while I recovered and finish a degree in music that I started more than thirty years ago. While I'm a pretty bright guy and did quite well in school back in my youth, I took it a bit more seriously this time around...especially since Uncle Sam was paying me to go. Well, little did I know that I would pull off a 4.0 GPA my first semester back after three decades since I last attended college full time. This accomplishment brought invitations to join two different honor societies, Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma. I took both up on the offer and while PTK has no real time commitment, AGS is a service based organization that requires members to participate in functions. Most are geared as volunteer opportunities or, as in this case, social events. Last Wednesday was Activities Day for AGS at College of Marin. We BBQ'ed up free hot dogs and turkey burgers for the staff and student body and had plenty of games like Frisbee football and a water balloon fight. Never thought that at my age, I'd be one of the smart kids on campus and having my second childhood....sorta...does this qualify as my mid-life crisis???

Camera: Canon EOS 6D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM @90mm

Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/4.0 ISO100

This image is © Douglas Bawden Photography, please do not use without prior permission.

Enjoy my photos and please feel free to comment. The only thing that I ask is no large or flashy graphics in the comments.

Visit My Website - Visit My Blog

Spinal injection of bupivacaine (local anesthetic) using the needle-through-needle technique

Superstar Wrestling - Tous Ensemble Pour Lyzea - MBM (c) Vs Ultima Sombra, TNK, Spike Bones, Jack Spinal

MBM (c) NC Ultima Sombra, TNK, Spike Bones, Jack Spinal (in Gauntlet match)

Info on the match : Entrance : Ultima Sombra, TNK, Jack Spinal, Spike Bones, MBM

Elimination Order : Ultima Sombra, TNK, Spike Bones

End in a No Contest after the arrival of Pierre Booster Fontain

For : Champion du Hainaut (No Change)

( La Superstar Wrestling sera presente le DIMANCHE 15 octobre 2017 a MANAGE, pour un show de catch EXCEPTIONNEL au profit de l'asbl Tous ensemble pour Lyzea, petite ondine. )

Chinese postcard by Oriental City Publishing Group Limited. Image of Avatar (James Cameron, 2009).

Avatar (2009) is an American stereoscopic (3D) Science-Fiction film directed by James Cameron. The film grossed over US$2.7 billion, making it the most successful film ever made. The film also won three Oscars.

Avatar (2009) is situated in 2154 on the fictional moon Pandora of the planet Polyphemus orbiting the star Alpha Centauri A. An Earth mining company, led by Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi), has a branch on Pandora to mine a precious mineral, unobtanium. For the interstellar space journey to and from Earth, fast spaceships are used that cover the four light-years in six years. Moreover, people are transported in a frozen state, so the journey seems to be very short. On Pandora, there is an indigenous population of humanoid beings, the Na'vi. They are intelligent like humans but technologically less advanced. They walk on two legs like humans, are 10 feet tall, slender, agile, with a tail and skin with a zebra pattern of light and dark blue. People have developed a technique to create a being that is a genetic hybrid between a particular human and the Na'vi, its so-called avatar. The human being can be mentally wirelessly connected to his/her avatar through equipment so that he/she can control it, and can see and feel through the avatar while his/her own body sleeps. When the avatar is sleeping the connection can be broken so that the driver can eat and report. Through the avatars people can more easily make contact with the Na'vi, moreover, the avatar does not have to wear an oxygen mask as people do on Pandora. Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine who is dispatched to Pandora on a secret mission. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Selfridge's intentions of driving off the native humanoid Na'vi in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers knowledge, of the Indigenous Race and their Culture, for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an avatar identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics. Jake becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels now is his home.

Avatar (2009) was the first major film production that James Cameron directed after his big success, Titanic (1997). Avatar is a large-scale, ambitious Science-Fiction film that uses many new techniques. The film consists partly of computer-generated objects, such as the Na'vi and avatars, for which motion capture was used. This revolutionary motion-capture system allows the facial expressions of actors to be captured as a virtual camera system enables them to see what their computer-generated counterparts will be seeing in the film. The New Zealand company Weta Digital, known for Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, produced extensive computer animation and effects. Cameron was given a budget of US$195 million by 20th Century Fox for the project, but this amount has been further increased. The film was shot in 3D using two high-definition cameras in one housing, creating depth. Circularly polarised glasses are used in the screening, but the film has also been released in 2D. Just as for Titanic, Cameron selected young, relatively unknown but, according to him, talented actors, such as Sam Worthington. The music for the film was composed by James Horner, just as for Cameron's earlier films Aliens (1986) and Titanic (1997). Cameron had wanted to make the film earlier. As early as 1995, he wrote an 80-page script for Avatar. In August 1996, Cameron announced that he would start working on Avatar immediately after Titanic. The plans were already at an advanced stage; six actors would play the leading roles, the budget would be 100 million dollars and Digital Domain would produce the special effects. This original plan did not go ahead, because it appeared that the technology was not yet so advanced. The premiere date of Avatar was postponed again and again in 2006, originally it was 2007, later 2008, and finally 2009. Avatar (2009) became a massive hit worldwide and received three Oscars, for Best Cinematography - Mauro Fiore, for Best Art Direction - Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair, and for Best Visual Effects - Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andy Jones. Jeremy Wheeler at AllMovie: "Sometimes a film comes along that pushes the boundaries of what moviemaking can yield -- the kind of movie that reaches beyond the limits of the medium and blazes a new trail, subsequently allowing others with abundant resources to follow in its path. Despite any nitpicky flaws one might -- or might not -- find within the picture, James Cameron's Avatar is absolutely this kind of touchstone." Roger Ebert: "At 163 minutes, the film doesn't feel too long. It contains so much. The human stories. The Na'vi stories, for the Na'vi are also developed as individuals. The complexity of the planet, which harbors a global secret. The ultimate warfare, with Jake joining the resistance against his former comrades. Small graceful details like a floating creature that looks like a cross between a blowing dandelion seed and a drifting jellyfish, and embodies goodness. Or astonishing floating cloud-islands." Cameron is working on several sequels to Avatar. It is unclear when the first sequel will be released in cinemas, as it has been postponed many times.

Sources: Jeremy Wheeler (AllMovie), Roger Ebert (RogerEbert.com), Wikipedia (Dutch), and IMDb.

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