Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau logo.

Nominate an outstanding youth volunteer, between the ages of 13-18, living in our community for the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards. For nomination forms and criteria, visit http://www.volunteergp.com. Nomination deadline is March 13. The Awards will be presented during National Volunteer Week April 19-25.

Congratulations to the winner of Januarys Volunteer of the Month Draw Bandaged Paws Animal Rescue Volunteer Natasha Arsenault! Read Natashas nomination at http://www.volunteergp.com. Volunteer of the Month winners are awarded a $100 Gift Card from Tim Hortons! The GPVSB would like to thank Tim Hortons for helping us fuel the volunteers of Grande Prairie and surrounding area.

Elizabeth Girvan Hearth Social Profit Company nominates Elizabeth Girvan. They wrote, Liz is the person who will always ask if you need help. In the last three years Liz has been volunteering for every activity we have had. She is a phenomenal woman.

Ashley Parlee Pamela Foley nominates Ashley Parlee. They wrote, Ashley volunteers at St. Mary Catholic School in Sexsmith. She organizes volunteers for the bi-weekly hot dog days. Most often she is there working them too and does the bank deposit on her way home. Our school is lucky to have her dedication.

Crystal H. St. John Ambulance nominates Crystal H. They wrote, Crystal has been instructing with St. John Ambulance since 2014. In 2016 Crystal joined the MFR (Medical First Responder) group and has been providing First Aid at local events. Crystal continues to be a valuable addition to our volunteer group. Recently she stepped up as our Training Liaison and has been assisting our volunteers with continued training in our monthly meetings. Thank you again for everything you do for us!

Darren Daw GP Technical Search and Rescue nominates Darren Daw! They wrote, Darren is always willing to step up and take on new tasks. He keeps our organization full of dedicated volunteers and all our equipment in tip top shape. His modesty and drive do not go unrecognized. Thank you, Darren, for all you do!

Kirsten and her dog Bruin St. John Ambulance nominates Kirsten and her dog Bruin. They wrote, Kirsten and Bruin joined our Therapy Dog Program in 2019. They have been doing visitations every second Tuesday evening at the Northern Additions Centre and recently started visiting at the QEII. Kirsten is very kind and personable, and Bruin is a sweet and lovable Shih Tzu X. Thanks again Kirsten and Bruin.

Find volunteer opportunities in Grande Prairie and area at gpvsb.volunteergrandeprairie.com.

FREE courses for individuals 18+ to develop skills and look for employment.

2/10 Interpersonal Skills 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

2/11 Personal Development 9 a.m.-Noon Introduction to Microsoft 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Writing Effective Resumes and Cover Letters 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

2/13 Personal Empowerment 9 a.m.-Noon Get a Job Using Social Media 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Job Search Techniques 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit https://wired2hire.ca/events or call 780-538-2727.

Excerpt from:
Tim Hortons Volunteer of the Month - Alberta Daily Herald Tribune

(image: Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.)

There have been times in movies when a girl power moment comes along that I feel my entire body shakemainly because I find moments when a woman just befriends other women for the sake of checking off a box to be tiresome, which is why I dont like the girl power moment of Avengers: Endgame (and Im not alone).

So why do I love the fight sequences ofBirds of Preyand the shes not alone moment of Avengers: Infinity Warso much? Because they manage to bring together the idea of strong women without making their characters stand up and say, We can do this because were WOMEN.

What I love aboutBirds of Preyis that it takes theInfinity Wargirl power route and, instead of basically saying those words out loud, it displays the power of its characters in a way that shows that all of these women are there extremely capable heroes/anti-heroes in their own rights.

Their fights arent about wow look at me, Im a girl taking charge of this situation, please give our corporate sponsors credit for this, but rather, just women fighting to survive. In Birds of Prey, the scene that really drives this home for me is when Huntress, Renee Montoya, Harley Quinn, and Black Canary are all fighting to protect Cassandra Cain from Black Masks hitmen.

There are little moments that show the strength of these women (and it is the iconic hair-tie moment that broke the internet recently) but what really gets me is that these women are not just powerful, but they also care. Huntress, when Cassandra is worried and freaking out in the middle of everything, pulls her off to the side and hands her a toy car that she used as a comfort when her family was being killed. Helena hands it to her and tells her to close her eyes and just focus on it, and instantly goes back into protection mode.

That moment alone with shes not alone shows that female empowerment doesnt have to come from a were women yaya! moment, but rather, just understanding how a woman would fight. If Im protecting someone, Id make sure theyre okay, and sure, its badass watching a woman use the heel of her shoe to take a man out, but I think both of these moments give us a real sense of understanding just how powerful and amazing female characters are (and should be depicted).

Female empowerment doesnt have to be an in-your-face moment but rather is in the subtlety of female strength. While we may not be these physically opposing beings from time to time, there is a different kind of strength to women and seeing moments like that of Infinity WarandBirds of Preyreminds us that women use their strengths in different ways, and it is beautiful.

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Excerpt from:
How Birds of Prey Nails Female Empowerment Without the Cringe Aspect - The Mary Sue

February 2020. The Super Bowl, once again held without the Cleveland Browns, the BuffaloBills or the Ohio State Marching Band. The Iowa caucuses, plagued by app glitches andconspiracy theories. The State of the Union address, with women in white, a grieving father inhandcuffs and grand dramatic moments (Russ Limbaugh and Nancy Pelosi come to mind). All inthe midst of an impeachment trial.

While the Nixon impeachment proceedings heated up in the summer of 1974, I was a counselorat summer camp, with a cabin full of fifth- and sixth-grade girls. Swamp cake on the dessertmenu seemingly had as much impact in that cloistered setting as did Nixons resignation onAug. 9.

When Bill Clinton was impeached by the House on Dec. 19, 1998, it was five days fromthe end of the Salvation Armys Christmas effort, and I doubt I even turned on the television. Ihave no recollection of watching the January trial in the Senate, nor do I remember much in theway of personal outrage in those pre-"me too" days. Impeachment took a back seat to achallenging ministry, three energetic boys and grad school.

In 2020, Ive been more engaged with the impeachment drama or lack thereof. A couple ofsnarky questions first. Is it OK to notice an obvious toupee, or wonder if a constitutional expertwho previously defended Epstein wears boxers or briefs? Does Adam Schiff really have a pencilneck? Do fidget spinners help fidgety senators?

Two observations. First, Chief Justice Roberts refused to ask a question submitted by Sen.Rand Paul, purportedly an attempt to reveal the identity of the original whistleblower. WhileRoberts was circumspect about it, I could hear the echo of my friend Shirleys famous saying:"Well have none of that!"

Rumors of this persons identity have been quietly circulating in the great abyss of the internetfor a while, but now, just days after Pauls attempt to "out" him or her, posts started showingup in my social media feed with a full name and conspicuously photo-shopped images of thewhistleblower next to prominent Democrats. What does it say about us when we take delight inpotentially putting another human being in danger, when the law promises protection? Who intheir right mind would report alleged wrong-doing if they fear their name will be vindictivelyspread across the internet?

My second observation is "inappropriate," defined as "not suitable or proper in thecircumstances." Picking your nose in public is inappropriate. After the Super Bowl halftimeshow, the battle of appropriateness had a field day on social media. In the late 1990s, Bill Clintonsuggested his relationship with an intern was "inappropriate."

Now, in 2020, "inappropriate" wins the word of the week. Sen. Lamar Alexander: "TheConstitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and banhim from this years ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate." Or, as Ohios own Sen.Rob Portman concluded, "I believe that some of the presidents actions in this case includingasking a foreign country to investigate a potential political opponent and the delay of aid toUkraine were wrong and inappropriate." Theres that word again.

Im not sure when he said it, but Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh gave us an alternativeto inappropriate. "If the president does something dastardly, the impeachment process isavailable." Dastardly, as in wicked and cruel, is a great-sounding word. If inappropriate isntenough for impeachment today, could dastardly be tomorrow?

Heres the challenge: what are appropriate consequences for inappropriate or even dastardlyactions? On the playground, some stop the behavior when confronted. Others admit no guilt,and even defiantly say, "What are you going to do to me?" Does the system, as its currently setup, have an answer to that question?

A final observation. Remember when the internet world was abuzz about "the dress"? Was itblue and black, or were its stripes gold and white? The opening challenges of 2020 go muchdeeper. Amazing dancing, female empowerment or soft porn? Innocent, guilty, perfect,inappropriate, criminal or dastardly? If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is truth as well?

JoAnn Shade, author of "Only in Ashland: Reflections of a Smitten Immigrant," can be reached at gracednotesministries@gmail.com.

Read more:
Some observations from the impeachment trial - Opinion - ThisWeek Community News

Our hard working, diligent Congress recently reinstated some tax law provisions that had been deleted. Originally the provisions were changed or cancelled, but now are retroactively approved as the tax law you know and love.

Five major items approved retroactively to Jan. 1, 2018 and dont expire until Dec. 31, 2020:

Cancellation of acquisition debt on your personal resident is not taxable up to $2 million.

Mortgage Insurance Premiums are allowed as a deduction as additional mortgage interest.

Medical expenses greater than 7.5% of Adjusted Gross Income allowed, instead of 10%.

Tuition and fees deduction is allowed as an above the line deduction

Non-business energy property tax credit for improvements to your home (water heater, furnace, central air conditioning, some fans, etc.) but still subject to lifetime $500 maximum credit

Those items are OK now for your 2018 return. If you benefit enough, you can file an Amended return, form 1040X and get a refund.

Those above items are allowed now for your 2019 and 2020 returns.

Oh, by the way a few other less known items were also retroactively approved to Jan. 1, 2018 and these dont expire until Dec. 31, 2020 (unless noted otherwise).

Black lung disability trust fund tax; Indian employment credit; Railroad track maintenance credit; Mine rescue team training credit; certain racehorses are three-year depreciable property; Seven year recovery period for depreciation for motorsports entertainment complexes; faster depreciation expense for business property on Indian reservations; better expensing rules for certain film, television and theater productions; tax incentives for empowerment zones; American Somoa economic development credit; Biodiesel and renewable diesel credit (through 12-31-22); Second-generation biofuel producer credit; Qualified fuel-cell motor vehicles tax credit; Alternative fuel-refueling property tax credit; two-wheeled plug-in electric vehicle credit (through 12-31-21); Credit for electricity produced from specific renewable resources; Production credit for Indian coal facilities; Energy-efficient homes construction credit; special depreciation allowance for second-generation biofuel plant property and energy-efficient commercial buildings special deduction.

I dont know how Congress had time to study all those items. Maybe some lobbyists helped.

Did you hear When your cat has kittens, you really find out who your friends are.

More here:
John Bullis: Congress approved old tax provisions - Nevada Appeal

By Steve Givens February 8, 2020February 8, 2020

Gregg Walker, AB 94, did not run away to join the circus. He took the less traditional route of Ervin Scholar studying economics at WashU, then Yale Law and a long and fruitful investment and deal-making career that led him to Goldman Sachs, Viacom and Sony.

Walker now finds himself CEO of Big Apple Circus in New York City and president and chief operating officer of Remarkable Entertainment, an immersive live entertainment company whose productions include dinner theatre and two shows created for Virgins new cruise line.

WHO Gregg Walker, AB 94

STUDIED Economics

LOCATION New York City

CURRENTLY CEO of Big Apple Circus President and COO of Remarkable Entertainment

ACCOLADES

Big Apple Circus is a one-ring circus that performs October through February in a tent in Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center. Known for its intimacy, none of its 1,600 seats is farther than 50 feet from the action. Today, its a popular destination for both tourists and New Yorkers. But it was not always so.

In 2016, the then-nonprofit emerged from bankruptcy with a new lease on life as a for profit venture for its 201718 run. At the end of that season, Remarkable Entertainment began consulting and ultimately became owner-operator for 201819. In Walkers first six months as CEO, revenues increased by nearly 75 percent.

I attended circuses growing up, but I attended three-ring circuses, which have a very different feel large, enormous and loud, Walker says. I much prefer the show that we create. I think what we provide is more equivalent to a Broadway show.

Its the fun and excitement and the thrill and the danger, but its all very intimate, up close and personal.

Walkers biggest surprise during his time with the circus has been how much hard work and effective teamwork it takes to pull the whole thing off, and especially the work of the circus performers.

Ive been amazed by the sheer level of unselfish commitment you see from people who work around the circus community, he says. On a typical weekend, well do five shows. During the holiday season, well do two shows every day for a week.

Walker says he first learned about that kind of teamwork during his two terms as president of WashUs Student Union, juggling a $1 million budget and walking the tightrope of student politics.

I learned quickly in my student government days that to accomplish anything, you need a good group of people, Walker says. There is no such thing as the best person. Theres only putting the right people together and giving them the empowerment and the resources to succeed.

Excerpt from:
A new venture under the big top | The Source - Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

Interview: Director Maggie Levin Talks INTO THE DARK: MY VALENTINE, Empowering Victims of Abuse, and Social Media

Love sucks in Blumhouses Into the Dark Valentines Day themed installment, My Valentine, which addresses important issues like empowerment of victims of abuse and the effects of social media. This incredibly relevant film features a remarkable performance from Glows Britt Baron as Valentine Fawkes, a singer/songwriter who is confronted by her former abusive boyfriend and manager, Royal, played sinisterly by Benedict Samuel. Royal has stolen Valentines music and created a new artist named Trezzure (Anna Lore), who looks exactly like Valentine. Valentine is forced to deal with her abuser and fight for her life, while rediscovering herself in the process.

My Valentine is the debut feature film from amazing writer/director Maggie Levin and was executive produced by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, who wrote and directed Sinister. Levin also wrote and directed the short film Diva, which is also about a pop star struggling with stardom, as well as the Sci-Fi/Comedy TV series Miss 2059. Levin has a background in directing music videos, which is showcased in neon lit, pop music video segments in My Valentine. The film has a darkly fun vibe and catchy songs, reveals Royals true bloody intentions, and presents difficult issues like rediscovering yourself after being a victim of abuse and the toxic effects of social media. Theres even a cameo by Pooka. My Valentine is captivating, emotionally charged, and painfully personal, and I think its one of the best installments of Into the Dark yet. Levin is an astonishingly talented, rockstar writer and director to watch and you can check out more about her at her website maggielevin.com.

Dread Central had the absolute pleasure of speaking with director Maggie Levin about the creative process of writing My Valentine, the insanely talented cast, the dangerous effects of social media, and a lot more. Read on to find out what we talked about!

Into the Dark: My Valentine premieres on Hulu Friday, February 7th.

Dread Central: Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me today, Maggie! I absolutely love My Valentine and I think its one of the best installments of Into the Dark yet.

Maggie Levin: Thank you so much! Its so exciting. You are one of the very first people who isnt one of my dear friends or isnt working on the movie, who has seen it, and that Ive heard a reaction from. So, thats thrilling to me to hear that you enjoyed it.

DC: Valentine Fawkes is such a clever name for Britt Barons character and the title My Valentine is so fitting, once you realize what the story is about. Why did you choose Valentines Day and how did your story get selected by Blumhouse for Into the Dark?

ML: Through my producers, Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, I was introduced to the Blumhouse television team, to actually talk about an entirely different script, which was a time travel, time-looping, science fiction, romance, post-apocalyptic movie. So, we were talking about that project and it was looking like it could be a good fit for their February Into the Dark slot, and it would have been for Groundhog Day [laughs].

Whats actually cool about the Into the Dark project for Blumhouse is theyre pulling filmmakers and projects from all over and its very filmmaker driven, and it all comes together under this umbrella, which I think is just really cool. So, we were talking about this other project and they sent me a number of the episodes to watch. I watched Culture Shock and Down, and Im Just Fucking With You, which was for April Fools in 2019. When I saw Im Just Fucking With You, my whole self lit up, because this is exactly the kind of thing that kind of calls on the filmmaking skills Ive been acquiring over the course of my career so far. It had this kind of aggressive, run and gun, almost music video feel and theres touches of that in Im Just Fucking With You when I first saw the potential in that. I had a couple of topics that I already wanted to explore, so kind of the confluence of knowing that there was this February opening, having these romantic themes that I already wanted to talk about, and then seeing what was possible in the format all kind of came together into this one idea that I went back to them with.

I said, Hey, maybe instead of doing this Sci-Fi movie that I already have a script for [laughs], which will have to be rebroken and converted into the format, what about this other idea that would be suitable for the same month, but a different holiday, and I think it could be something that would really sing in this format? Pun absolutely intended [laughs]. Im really fortunate that, not only were they open to it, but sort of from the get-go, very excited about it and we all dug in together to figure out how it would work.

DC: You mentioned your executive producers, Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. Im a huge fan of their work. How did they end up coming onboard?

ML: Scott and Cargill are obviously longtime collaborators, who are working on a number of projects, both as individual creatives and then as producers. I was introduced to Scott through an actress friend and then he had read some of my work and took a particular interest in this one script, which he then brought to Cargill, and we started developing that together. And thats sort of the path that led us all the way to here, through that development relationship. Theyre still attached to that project if it ever lands somewhere else, which I think it may.

The two of them are just incredible, not just collaborators, but champions of other filmmakers. The projects that I know they are developing as producers are all in the horror genre space, but they are from such a diverse swath of creators and different perspectives. In a time when we need powerful people to champion filmmakers, people of color and female filmmakers, I have found the two of them to be just incredible, put their money where their mouth is kind of people.

DC: I know Britt Baron from Glow, and she is absolutely incredible in My Valentine. I also thought Benedict Samuel was fantastic and terrifyingly unhinged. His performance kind of gave me Skeet Ulrich vibes from Scream.

ML: Yes! Oh My God. Ive never thought about that, but youre so correct [laughs]! That was one shot where Ive always called it his Christian Slater moment, but I actually am now rethinking it and Im like, I dont think its Christian Slater. I think its Skeet Ulrich. Its that looking up from underneath his eyebrows at you. That sinister kind of chaotic feel that he has.

DC: Did you have any specific actors in mind when you wrote the script, or did you go through the regular casting process?

ML: I think with any film project, if it turns out well, it is because the whole team had the same movie in mind and also a series of miracles occurred [laughs]. You just need a little bit of that flash of magic or outside spirit to make everything come together the way its supposed to, I believe. I really felt that in terms of this cast. The whole process was very quick, so when I talk early stages, its the months that we were talking about the idea. Because the months it was getting written were right after that and then we were shooting.

So, when I started writing, I had seen Glow and I also was familiar with Britts work, and then I was personally familiar with the work of this other actress, Anna Lore. When I was looking at a script that was centered around two characters who looked uncannily similar, I didnt write it to their voices specifically, but I definitely wrote it with the hope that both girls would be interested in the project and available, particularly Britt. In the first season, what she does with her character on Glow, I felt was just so sublime. Then when I sat down with her and talked to her about this project, shes just such a wonderful person. She brought so much strength and power to this character, who for a good portion of the movie is barely speaking. Shes just responding to this re-traumatizing, re-triggering experience of having to encounter her abuser again.

Really, its remarkable what she did. Those were the first couple of days that we were shooting and she was mostly just reacting, and I knew from the get-go when we were starting to get into it, I was just like, This is going to be a really incredible thing to witness. Truly every performance in the movie, all of the people brought their A game, and then some. I think youre supposed to get tired of watching your own movie [laughs], but I never grow tired of watching their performances, because I think all of them, Anna Akana, Sachin Bhatt, everybody brought something beautiful and really grounded to the movie, which exists in this very fantastical, music video space. If it didnt have those really human performances in it, I think it would get a little like, Oh, were just doing crazy for crazy sake. But those performers really keep it personal and they keep it beautifully emotional the whole time.

DC: You address some really important issues in My Valentine in a way that feels personal and authentic and I think its extremely well-written. Why did you want to explore survivors of abuse and the journey of finding yourself with this story?

ML: Thank you. It is personal. Its something that Ive been really close to myself. This particular cycle of abuse and being locked in a toxic dynamic with somebody is something that Ive witnessed in the lives of the women who are closest to me. I think that we are in this cultural moment where we are unearthing these sort of dark patterns that we have let go on for years and years, because we havent been able to recognize them. When you are in that dynamic personally or when you are very close to it, it becomes so difficult to see reality.

To step outside of it and to have the strength to remove yourself from the situation; and I really wanted to talk about and demonstrate what it is like to fall into the maelstrom of a person who is so charming, so dynamic, and so kind of all over the place, that they manage to keep you in their vortex. And even if you are really smart and really powerful, it becomes almost impossible to break away, and that process of breaking away is really painful. The reason why I wanted to do the therapy podcast and discuss all that stuff is because the process of recovery, in it and out of it, is so intense and I think just a vital thing to be talking about right now.

DC: I think its important that you show that it is possible to remove yourself from a toxic relationship, and thats the part that really got to me when Britts character finally found herself. Im sure there are women out there who think it isnt possible, but it is, and you emphasize that with this movie.

ML: Thank you. That is really meaningful to me. Thats where Im hoping it will hit people. Yes, it is a fun and occasionally over the top movie, but it really is still fundamentally a story about a persons journey towards empowerment and reclaiming themselves. Its about learning to reconnect with your strength after youve had it deliberately shattered by somebody else.

DC: Youve directed music videos, which explains why the music video segments work so well. The vocals are amazing and Im kind of in love with the song The Knife. How did you decide you wanted to use music and vocals by Dresage?

ML: Thank you. Her artist name is Dresage, but her name is Keeley Bumford. Who is the MVP of this movie? I think I have to give it to Keeley aka Dresage. When I stepped into this process, I had no idea I was going to wind up working with her on it. It all happened really quickly. I knew her socially and she was the vocal director of a stage production of Rocky Horror that I had done. She has this incredible voice and I knew her to be a really great songwriter, and she had done some things in film and television. When I really got into the process of working on this, I felt that it was really important that the songs be composed and produced by a woman artist. Im really blessed, not only that Keeley said yes, but that much like the actors in this movie, she gave it completely her all.

We would talk about the emotional structure of what the songs needed to cover. For instance, The Knife is about starting a relationship when youre scared to dive all the way in, but you can feel yourself falling headfirst. She took that basic concept, and a couple of basic artist references I gave her of what I kind of thought it should sound like, and crafted that into something that is not only completely, cleverly referential to the film, it includes the thematic element of the murder weapon [laughs], and all these other fun little things, but she also made this song that feels like a radio hit. It feels like the song that they would be fighting over, which is a feat, to have been able to pull that off so well [laughs]. The premise of the movie really hangs on your ability to buy into this idea of Valentine being this remarkable artist, who has been robbed of her talents. I think Keeleys work, especially with the opening song, which is called Parts of Me, really helps you buy into that. Britts performance combined with that sound is like, Oh yeah, this woman is an unbelievable performer and what a songwriter.

DC: My Valentine is very modern and relevant, and I love the snapchat-y shots with emojis, hearts, and stars. It also adds some dark humor to the story which breaks the tension of the seriousness of the subject matter. I think you do such a great job showing the good and the bad that comes from social media. What do you hope the audience takes away from the film?

ML: Thats a really great question. If there is a lesson to be learned from this movie, or from any online community encounter, it is the importance of remembering that theres a human on the other end of the keyboard. Theres a person with a lived experience, but you might not completely understand. So, developing a purely reactive opinion based on the little piece of the story that youre seeing on Twitter or on Youtube, is probably not necessary, not the best idea [laughs]. I also think that we live in an age where that disconnect allows us to go with our first reaction, which is not always our best reaction. Ive done it, too. Ive seen a headline and gone, This person is cancelled.

Its a dangerous habit that I think we all have gotten into of basing our opinions of people off one tiny, little blip that goes through our feed. I think that the tendency of people to get together and dogpile before going into a deeper understanding of the person or the story theyre dogpiling on is dangerous. Its got a dark side and a light side, right? The light side is that a lot of people who have been taking advantage of other people or doing horrible things unchecked; the internet police have gotten a lot of those people and taken them down in a way that I think is really positive. But the flip side is that we have a little bit of a mob mentality towards everything nowadays. It can really feel like the internet is the whole world [laughs]. You stare into the Eye of Sauron that is your phone, and you think, This is very meaningful. But if you put it down for four or five hours, you go, Oh, its really not [laughs]. The actual human connection with the people around me and in front of me is way more important and valuable than that.

DC: I know My Valentine is your debut feature, but would you like to make more horror movies, and can you tell me what youre working on next?

ML: Yes. I love genre film in general, so Im really looking forward to doing more work in the horror and Sci-Fi genre space. I think I also want to continue to tell stories that are about women. Thats important to me and I want to do everything. I also want to continue my relationship with music and musicals and Rock and Roll, so Im hoping to continue in all directions. Whether that means Ill be busting out horror musical after horror musical, I dont know [laughs]. I think on the horizon is a little bit of everything, because all of those areas are meaningful to me.

A lot of things I cant talk about yet, because theyre not done deals [laughs]. But coming up in the future, I am doing a few more music videos that are also horror-based music videos. And I have that feature that I originally talked about, which is in development, that Sci-Fi, apocalyptic thing that led me to My Valentine in the first place. Then I have another horror feature about three generations of women who are haunted by the same imaginary friend when theyre little girls. So those are the three things that Im working on right now.

DC: I really appreciate you taking time to talk with me today!

ML: Likewise, and Im beyond touched that you said the things you said about the film. It fills my heart up that it is hitting all of those places for you, because that is what I tried to do. You never know until you let it out into the world if its going to do what you intended.

See the original post:
Interview: Director Maggie Levin Talks INTO THE DARK: MY VALENTINE, Empowering Victims of Abuse, and Social Media - Dread Central

Birds of Prey has been marketed very much as Deadpool-level violence, but make it girl power. In reality, it's actually a surprisingly relatable depiction of one of the most powerful experiences of being a woman: the sisterhood that forms between near-strangers when in need. Instead of paying lip service to female empowerment or trying to spin complicated emotional bonds in a short time, the movie leans heavily on this common experience to create a movie that's as much about the lived experience of ordinary women as it is about a group of messed-up antiheroes.

In many ways, Birds of Prey is largely a metaphor for the instinctive way that so many women, even total strangers, will often close ranks and lend a hand to a sister in need. Unlike many other superhero "team-up" movies, Birds of Prey keeps its characters separate for much of the movie: their paths intersect here and there so that it makes sense why they'd all end up in the same place by the end, but they're all after their own goals and even are in direct opposition to each other at times. And yet, in the end, when they're all faced with the option of teaming up or trying to run and save their own individual skins, there's no question that they'll work together to get out alive and protect the tweenage pickpocket Cassandra Cain. The movie doesn't need to spend ages on narrative twists to justify this; it's simply understood.

The acts of sisterhood aren't just big superhero antics, though, but moments that will look familiar to ordinary women in the audience. In one scene, a drunk Harley is cornered and nearly kidnapped by a creep at a bar, and Dinah Lance who just listened to Harley vent about her breakup first tries to walk away from the scene, then steps in to deliver a cathartic beatdown of the would-be kidnappers. Later, during the final battle, Harley sees Dinah struggling when her long hair keeps falling in her face, and she offers Dinah a hair tie in one of the most ordinary and most recognizable acts of solidarity and woman-to-woman understanding.

It's the kind of moment that would be unlikely to appear in a story told by and for men, not for any nefarious reason, but because that's such an inherently female experience: spotting another woman in need of a small assist, correctly evaluating the problem, and lending a hand. If you've ever pretended to know a stranger at a bar to help her escape a creep, given the woman at the sink next to you a compliment, or offered a nail file or hair tie to an officemate, you'll relate, and that's the point: these women may be superheroes, but the way they relate to each other is completely familiar.

In contrast, the men in the movie are, without fail, depicted as mercenary at best and downright evil at worst. On the "not great but not evil" side, we've got the men at Renee's precinct, including her former partner who has risen through the ranks by taking credit for Renee's work but who doesn't appear to be a bad or unreasonable man. There's also "Doc," the kindly old man who lets Harley hide out in his building until he gets offered enough money to betray her and justifies it as "just business." Of course, we've also got the downright evil men, too: petty, insecure crime boss Roman Sionis who is obsessed with owning everything (or destroying what he can't own), and his gleefully sadistic right-hand man Victor Zsasz. In the world of Birds of Prey, relying on other women is the safest bet in a world that has no truly safe bets.

It's not just a "women are good/men are bad" depiction, though. Ali Wong's character assistant district attorney Ellen Yee chooses to betray Renee's trust and decides to work "inside" the patriarchal, institutional structures rather than accept that they might be corrupt or unfair. When she reports Renee's off-the-books investigation of Sionis to Renee's boss, she not only betrays a personal trust (a bit of narration reveals she's Renee's ex-girlfriend), but sides with a male-led structure that she knows is unfair because she still believes it is more trustworthy than Renee's theories. Ellen is not villainized for doing so, even though it costs Renee her job, but it adds a layer that reminds us that forged sisterhood is not universal and that how we decide to interact with power structures still matters.

The male-dominated world of superhero movies is getting more and more women in charge, both in Marvel and DC's universe. Still, Birds of Prey stands alone for its unique take on sisterhood. It doesn't pretend that its characters are flawless paragons of virtue: they're messy, messed up, morally questionable, and have as many bad qualities as good ones. But they've got each other's backs in a practical, relatable way, and that's what makes all the difference.

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Birds of Prey Is a Surprising Celebration of Sisterhood Here's What It Gets Right - POPSUGAR

The 26-year-old songstress is boldly vulnerable on this latest track.

The 26-year-old songstress is boldly vulnerable on this latest track.

Georgia Ku may have written hits for Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, and Fifth Harmony behind the scenes, but in her latest single, Ever Really Know, shes ready to be seen for who she is. The heartfelt song is accompanied by a stylishly ambiguous video.

At the core of the track is the disenchantment one feels as their romance deteriorates. This concept stems from Kus own personal experience in a recent relationship. I felt like the person who I fell in love with was changing and becoming someone different and not who I fell in love with. The sentiment of the song is reminiscing about old times and essentially being pulled back in by this person, but wondering if this is really the person [that I loved] said Ku. The lyrics are touching and raw, oscillating between crafting the imagery of a charming relationship and questioning how said relationship has devolved. The change of beat for the chorus complements the narrative of push-pull love.

But its definitely not about weakness. In a way it shows a strong woman who isnt afraid to admit that shes vulnerable, but its also saying this isnt going to happen again. I think theres a little bit of empowerment there.

The music video, directed by Mariah Winter, is less straightforward. Featuring Ku inside of a car that is covered with a plastic tarp with hands pressed against it, its metaphorical value is largely determined by the viewer. I like that [the video] left [its message] up to the audience. The way I interpreted it, with the hands on the car, is like the car is my brain and the hands were all of these emotions I felt trying to sway me, and me giving into it but questioning it at the same time, said Ku.

This will be the first time fans are offered a glimpse into Kus personal life since her single What Do I Do? was released last summer. This video is a lot more intimate than what I normally do. The song comes from a real place. This idea of vulnerability extends to the clothing she wears in the video. She especially loves the Marine Serre moon top. I wanted to make sure you could see my figure, because I normally hide myself in baggy clothes. So I wanted to make sure that the simplicity of the clothing and how tight it was on me showed the pureness of the song, she said.

Ultimately, Ku couldnt be happier to explore her voice as a solo artist further and share a new side of herself with her followers. I want people to be able to connect with it and get to know me, she said

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Georgia Ku Drops A Heart-Toiling New Single, "Ever Really Know" - vmagazine.com

Grace Hauck, Nicquel Terry Ellis, Max Filby Published 1:41 p.m. ET Feb. 9, 2020

After Congress approved $25 million for gun safety research, non-profit I Grow Chicago believes the violence can be helped through community programs. USA TODAY

Crystal Turner fell apart when two of herfour children were shot and killed in Columbus, Ohio, nearly five years ago.

Her son, Donell McDonald, 23, and her daughter, Jenea Harvison, 29, were both gunned downby Harvisons estranged husbandat adaycare facility Harvison owned.

"Nothing prepares you," Turner said. "That one event has changed our lives forever."

Turner and her family are not alone. Firearm-related injuries killnearly40,000 Americanseach year more than die in fatal car crashes and the nation's firearm homicide rate ismore than 25 times that of comparable affluent countries.

While researchers have long said the gun violence problem should be evaluated like any other public health epidemic, there's been meager funding for research for the past two decades.

That's finally changing.

Crystal Turner poses for a portrait on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at Southside Settlement Heritage Park in Columbus, Ohio.(Photo: Joshua A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch)

In December, Congress approved $25 million infederal funding to study gun safety. The money, to be split evenly between the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will be used to examine gun violence from a public health perspective.

Experts in the field concede the amount is small in comparison to the scope of the issue but are celebrating it as awatershed moment forgun safety. They say researchers may finally be able to answer basic questions about gun ownership and evaluate the effectiveness of firearm policies and violence prevention efforts.

"There are, without a doubt, thousands of people who are dead today who would be alive if we had been able to continue to do what we have been able to do for other health problems to research the problem," said Garen Wintemute, an emergency physician and director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California Davis.

Some working to combat violence on the nation's most dangerous streets, however, say themoney would be better spent on proven intervention programs.

"The research has already been done,"said Robbin Carroll, founder of I Grow Chicago, an organization on the citys South Side working to address the root causes of violence. "We know communities that dont have gun violence, and we know which ones do. How do we invest money and get into those communities?"

Since 1996, there's been an effective government freeze on gun safety research. That year, Congress under pressure from the NRA approved the Dickey Amendment, which forbids CDC to "advocate or promote gun control."Federal lawmakers also slashed the agencys funding by $2.6 million, the same amount it spent on firearm violence research the previous year.

While the Dickey Amendment did not specifically ban research on gun violence, it had a "chilling effect,"experts say,steering thefederal agency away from research that might lead to firearms regulation.Young scholars were discouraged from pursuing the field.

Jay Dickey(Photo: Amphoramedia)

"For 25 years, Ive never told doctoral students that they should become a gun researcher because they couldnt make a living. So weve lost a generation of researchers," saidDavid Hemenway, a health policy professor and director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, who estimates thatthere are 10-20full-time gun violence researchers in the U.S.

From 1998 to 2012, the number of publications about gun violence declined 64%, according to a 2017 study by JAMA Internal Medicine.What research was conducted came from cobbled-together grant funding from a smattering of hospitals, universities, states and foundations, the study found.

Gun violence research received far less funding than research on car crashes and cancer.Between 2008 and 2017, firearm injuries were the second-leading cause of death for U.S. children and adolescents, according to a 2019 studybyUniversity of Michigan School of Medicineexperts.

During that period, an average of $88 million a year was granted to study the number onecause motor vehicle crashes and $335 million went to research cancer,the third-leading cause of deaths for young people. Just $12million went to firearm injury prevention research.

The situation began to thaw in2018, when lawmakers clarified the Dickey Amendment language, lifting restrictions on gun violence research.

'Change is happening': Gun violence research funded by Congress

That same year, physicians nationwide rallied on social media in support of a public health approach to gun violence. The online movement began when the National Rifle Associationpublished a tweet accusing medical professionals of"pushing for gun control."

"Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane," the NRA tweeted.

Physicians were furious. "This is our lane," many responded on Twitter. Hundreds postedimages of bloodied scrubs and trauma bays.

"A lot of us in the healthcare community were really incensed by those comments, because were the ones on the front lines of taking care of those patients day in and day out, said Joseph Sakran, director of Emergency General Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine. "So we made a point to thepublic that we do have a role to play in coming up with solutions that is based in data."

The NRA did not respond to several requests from USA TODAY for comment.

Sakran, who dedicated himself to medicine after survivinga bullet wound in Afghanistan, said injury prevention is the best form of medical treatment. Approximately80% ofpeopledie where they are shot, according to estimates by researchers at Northeastern University.

"I was taking care of a 17-year-old kid, and he was shot in the back of the head, execution style. He had a devastating and traumatic brain injury," Sakran said."And I had to tellthis mother that there was nothing I could do, which is one of the worst things I have to do as a trauma surgeon."

A protest in August in Washington, D.C.(Photo: Shawn Thew/epa-EFE)

Dr. Wintemute grew up in Southern California withguns in hishome. Helearned to shoot from his father, who had been a soldier in World War II, andtaught riflery as a camp counselor at the local YMCA. He later joined UC Davis' firearm and pistol club and became a member of the NRA.

"My problem is not with the firearm, its with misuse. Im an ER doc, and my commitment is to try to intervene upstream in that flow of events that brings people into my ER with holes in their bodies, or, more likely, takes them directly to the morgue," he said."My loyalty is to the science, not to an agenda.Research is not advocacy."

Many researchers compare the complexity of the gun violence issueto that ofmotor vehicle injuries. In 1966, more than 53,000 peoplewere killed,a fatality rate of 5.5% per 100 million vehicle miles, according toNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. That year,Congress held a series of hearings andpassed the Motor Vehicle Act, which created what would become the NHTSA, headed by a public health physician.

Scientists received funding to developseatbelts, airbags, steering columns, safety glass andmore. Studies revealed the dangers of putting young and alcohol-impaired drivers behind the wheel. By 1992, the fatality rate had dropped to 1.5%, NHTSA said.By 2017, it was 1.2%.

2020 candidates on gun control: A voter's guide to where they stand

"Data matters, research mattered in the motor vehicle arena," Hemenway said. "Drivers are no better than they are when I was a kid, but there are fewer fatalities than there were. There are good ways to reduce the problem without banning the use of these products."

The CDC and NIH have provided few clues about how they intend to doleout their $12.5million shares.

The NIH released a statement saying it was still reviewing the language of the bill and identifying new research opportunities.

The agency said gun violence prevention studies usually include research on parental roles in preventing injury at home and other places and understanding the relationship between alcohol abuse and gun violence.

The CDC did not respond to a request for an interview, but spokeswoman Courtney Lenard said in an email gun violence is "a pressing public health problem."

"CDC welcomes the opportunity to study gun violence and identify effective strategies to prevent it,"Lenard wrote.

Rep. Nita Lowey, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee and advocated for the funding, said she wants to see the countrys "best researchers" find out the underlying causes of gun violence, including accidental shootings and suicide.

"There are few causes more important than the safety and security of our communities," Lowey said.

Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) delivers remarks before the House Appropriation subcommittee on April 9, 2019.(Photo: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY)

Researchers have a longwish list for the new funding, and areeagerly awaiting the agenciesto issue calls for proposals. Many sharea top priority: gathering reliable data on how many people suffer non-fatal firearm injuries each year.

Emergency rooms nationwide are required to report firearm-related deaths to the CDCbut not non-fatal firearm injuries, so the agency estimatesthe number based on information from about 60 hospital ERs.

"CDC was doing what they could do when they didnt have adequate resources ... but the data was non-representative and inaccurate," said Wintemute, who helped author a 2017 studythat showed the data didn't meet the agency's own standard of credibility. In July, CDC'sWeb-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System stopped showing non-fatal injury data, calling the data "unstable."

Rather than require all hospitals report non-fatal injuries which would be expensive and unsustainable it would be more efficient to survey people about their injuries, according to Wintemute.

"The federal government already supports some large-scale surveys related to public health, and firearms violence questions should be incorporated into those surveys immediately," he said. "We need to make use of the existing federal research infrastructure to gather reliable national data on firearm ownership, use and violence."

New Year's Eve sees gun violence: Concluding record-high year of mass killings

Sarah Burd-Sharps, director of research at Everytown for Gun Safety, an anti-gun violence nonprofit, wants to know exactly how many children suffernon-fatal firearm-related injuries, and what role safe storage plays in those incidents.

"In about half of U.S. states, there are some form of child protection laws about guns. Do they work?"Burd-Sharps asked."Which form of law works best?"

She also wants to know more about background checks,red flag laws and what works to prevent school shootings. Does arming teachers work?

"One thing that tends to happen in this country after a school shooting or mass shooting, one of the causes that is often talked about is video games. But researchers across the country have found no relationship," she said."At the federal level, a rigorous scientific study would help us understand if theres a relationship there."

Other researchers have proposed studies on the effectiveness of violence prevention programs, scores of which have cropped up in communities across the country. But some of those leading such efforts say money should be spent supporting what has already been proven to work.

"The research is being under-implemented," said Gary Slutkin, former head of the World Health Organizations Intervention Development Unit and founder of Cure Violence, a Chicago-based nonprofit that treats violence with disease control and behavior change methods.

"Sometimes you have a lot of research on, say, polio vaccine, but certain countries arent being vaccinated. The big gap now in the field is the implementation of public health approaches, and the shifting in their thinking toward public health."

Abandoned homes painted by I Grow Chicago participants in Englewood, Chicago on Nov. 22, 2019.(Photo: Grace Hauck)

Cure Violence takes a three-step approach to treating violence: detecting and interrupting potentially violent conflicts, identifying and treating those at risk, and mobilizing communities to change norms.

The organization has trained more than 1,000 "violence interrupters," who work in their communities to mediate conflicts, prevent retaliations and keep conflicts "cool." The interrupters work closely with those at risk of committing violence to get the servicesthey need and collaborate with their neighbors.

"One case of flu causes another case. Same for TB, for AIDs, for violence. That requires epidemic control methods," Sluktin said."So we have to find a case that might be happening like someone who might be doing a shooting and then interrupt that."

The program is workingin about a hundred communities across 15 countries. But the greatest success has been seen in New York, Sluktin said,where the legislature has provided consistent funding for the programsince 2009.

An ongoing evaluationby John Jay College of Criminal Justicefound one neighborhood experienced a 63% drop in monthly shooting victimsfrom 2009 to 2016, based on New York Police Department data.

New York spends approximately $40 million a year on Cure Violence programs. Slutkin estimates that big cities requireabout $15-30 million to run an effective program,and small cities need $5-$10 million.

"Thats why $25M for research is so small. And whats needed is program dollars," he said. "And these are cities that have police budgets in the hundreds of millions."

Marian Stuckey, section chief of neighborhood social services for Columbus Public Health and head of the Columbus CARE Coalition, left, and Crystal Turner, a CARE volunteer and victim of gun violence, right, pose for a portrait on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at Southside Settlement Heritage Park in Columbus, Ohio.(Photo: Joshua A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch)

Years after she lost two of her children, Crystal Turner has found a new purpose. The 55-year-old is raising her two grandchildren and volunteering with Columbus Public Health's Community, Action, Resilience and Empowerment Coalition, which helps reeling residents and communities to heal from violence.

Much like "interrupters," workers and volunteers with the groupgo intoneighborhoods and knock on doors within a week of a murder, said Marian Stuckey, a Columbus Public Health social worker who oversees CARE, which formed in 2016in response to a triple homicide in the city'sHilltop neighborhood.

"It opens the door to communication," said Stuckey. "Ireally firmly believe in bringing services to the community,and I think that's a missing aspect of mental health."

Turner knows well the power of that personal approach. CARE workers usually start canvassing neighborhoods within 48 hours of an incident and were there for Turner after her children were murdered.

Now, Turner's the one knocking on the doors of grieving mothers.

"I understand their vulnerability," she said."I am a totally different person."

Crystal Turner poses for a portrait on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at Southside Settlement Heritage Park in Columbus, Ohio.(Photo: Joshua A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch)

While the direct impact of CARE on the city's gun violence is hard to quantify,last yearColumbus saw a nearly 30%decline in homicides, with 104 compared to a record high143 in 2017.

Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts supports a public health approach, but noted curing violence is trickier than preventing something like the flu.

"There's a lot of thought out there that there are vaccines to violence. It can be safe housing, it could be a strong education system,"Roberts said. "So there are multiple vaccines for violence. We just don't package it in a nice little syringe and needle and make it so easy to get."

I Grow Chicagofounder Robbin Carroll said a lack of education, fair housing, economic opportunity and racism all contribute to the systemic violence playingout on the streets. Shesaid federal fundingshould be invested in communities suffering from poverty and warned that gun violence research perpetuates an "us versus them" dynamic.

"When we talk about research, or gun violence in general, were talking about it in the sense of numbers. Were not talking about it in the sense of, thats my 5-year-old," Carroll said. "We can do a whole lot of research, but until we want to say We care about you .. who were choosing to be is to probably have another year of extremely high gun violence."

Researchers likeWintemute said treating the gun violence epidemic shouldn't be an either-or proposition.

"We should have sufficient funding to support programs that have been effective while we develop and research programs that look at different elements of the problem," he said. "We shouldnt have to choose."

The I Grow Chicago Peace Campus in Englewood, Chicago on Nov. 22, 2019.(Photo: Grace Hauck)

USA TODAY's Grace Hauck reported from Chicago andNicquel Terry Ellis from Atlanta. Max Filby reported from Columbus, Ohio for the Columbus Dispatch.

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Gun violence: How will researchers spend $25M in gun safety funding? - USA TODAY

40 years ago, Melbourne bookshop owner and mother of two boys Maria James was viciously stabbed 68 times with her ownkitchen knife. As a new inquest begins into these killings,contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence calls for Cardinal George Pell, former Premier Jeff Kennett and VictoriaPolice to be re-investigated.

Should incarceratedconvicted paedophile Cardinal George Pell be interviewed by Victoria Police about his relationship with fellow paedophile and close friend Father Anthony Salvatore Bongiorno, chief suspect in the bloody murder of Maria James on 17 June1980?

This nascent year marks the 40th anniversary of this heinous and still unsolved crime.

The Coroners Court of Victoria is now in the midst of an investigation into the ruthless killing of Maria James.

Should Cardinal George Pell be interviewed by coronial investigators and be called as a witness to the inquest?

New facts about the Maria James murder have come to light and Cardinal George Pell may be able to provide more information about Father Anthony Bongiorno and the brother whose requiem mass he officiated, Salvatore "Sam"Bongiorno.

We found this article by Keith Moor in the Sunday Herald Sun, 30August 2007, on the retrospective Wayback Machine, the internet archive. Whats it doing there?

Heres a quote:

'FORMER premier Jeff Kennett received written information in 1998 that nominated Father Bongiorno as a child molester. He gave the letter, which contained a photo of Father Bongiorno, to police.'

Hmmm...

What did Victoria Police do with that letter and photo? Should former Premier Jeff Kennett be interviewed by the Coroner? What did the letter say? Who wrote it? Was the letter DNA tested?

Has Kennett, the former chairman of Beyond Blue, kept a copy of the letter and photo he received implicating Father Tony Bongiorno in the Maria James murder? Where is that material now? From where was it posted? Or was it delivered to Parliament House? Is there any CCV footage? Will the police give this material to the coronial investigators? If not, will the Coroner compel the police to produce this evidence? So many questions. So few answers.

Who signed that letter to Kennett? Was it anonymous? Why cant we see the letter and photo now that Father Bongiorno is dead; redact the senders name if needs be. Was the letter typed, handwritten? Had the sender sent a copy of the same letter and photo to Victoria Police? Did they bin this info?Just asking.

Here we should refer to the volatile and sometimes acrimonious relationship between now Cardinal George Pell and Jeff Kennett, both uber-powerful figures in Melbournes establishment, both notoriously capable of exercising extreme autocratic power and influence and still needy for both. No mistake should be made about any diminution of power and influence since Pells conviction and incarceration. He still has powerful friends in both high and low places.

Kennett less so, but nonetheless he occupies a prison of another kind; not dissimilar to that of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, incarcerated in cells of their own making within those invisible walls that sometimes entrap the once-powerful now languishing in a faraway galaxy of lessening consequence; Misters Who?

Few analysts will forget then Archbishop Pells edict to the non-Catholic Jeff Kennett that he was forbidden to receive communion at the Pontifical requiem mass for the state funeral of B A Santamaria in March 1998, where Pell delivered an eloquent and moving panegyric about his friend, who to this day surely remains Australias most powerful Catholic layman. Waddya reckon Jesus Jezza, to you and me wouldve said?

Pells spiteful rebuff to Kennett should be viewed in the shroud of hypocrisy worn by Pell. But hey, it was payback time for Pell against his nemesis, Kennett.

According to his conviction and the datelines of his crimes Archbishop George Pell was already a sexual abuser when he denied Kennetts request and yet the Host consecrated in Holy Communion would be served by the hands of a paedophile rapistas the defiled Host has been served a billion times to believers and parishioners by paedophile priests.

Rememberthat in this sacrament, the wafer of the Host is miraculously transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. To be specific, paedophile priests who administer Holy Communion are surely raping Jesus.

It should be noted that a couple of years beforehand, in 1996, Kennett told Archbishop George Pell to sort out the sex abuse issue within Victoria or possibly face a Royal Commission.

Whats wrong with this behind-closed-doors dictum? Everything. Kennett should have called a Royal Commission regardless, given the gravity and extent of the sex abuse. These criminal activities by priests and brothers within the Catholic Church were widely known.

By designating to the Catholic Church what should have been the role, duties of care and prosecution by thestate, Kennett undermined the role of the police and judiciary and failed to act in the public interest.

Moreover, he breached the protocols of the Separation of Powers. Kennett had no right to make this private pact with the Catholic Church or to make such a repugnant decision on our behalf.

Did Kennett discuss his decision with his colleagues;his cabinet?

In every sense, it was a pact made with the Devil; a pact that the Kennett-proxied State made with the perpetrators of industrial-strength sexual abuse of children. In its execution, it meant the State facilitated the subsequent cover-up. The Catholic Church, of course, typically did next to nothing.

Yes, a redress scheme panel of very important impressive names and police was set up. It made a great figleaf over the genitalia of paedophilic clergy.

As the Royal Commission revealed. Kennett had given Pell and The Church a free pass.

The Catholic Church did not clean up its act and Kennett did not call a Royal Commission.

Kennetts Napoleonic actions reflect the persistent diminution and disregard for the safety and welfare of victims in this case, little and vulnerable children. Instead of the Premiers guardianship of children, his actions reflected the states tacit collusion in protecting the reputation of the all-powerful Catholic Church.

Kennett did the victims and wider community a great injustice and much ongoing harm.

Thus, against the above backdrop, it was a blessed relief in more ways than one when Acting Coroner Iain West called a halt to the obfuscating nonsense surrounding the mysterious cold case of the Maria James murder.

Here is the full text:

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday 30 November 2018

Coroners Court of Victoria

INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH OF MARIA JAMES RE-OPENED

Acting State Coroner Iain West has today re-opened the coronial investigation into the death of Maria James.

Ms James, 38, was found murdered in her bookshop at 736 High Street, Thornbury on 17 June 1980.

On 25 November 1982, Coroner K.G. Mason held an inquest into the death of Ms James and found that her homicide was committed by a person unknown.

In July 2017, the Coroners Court of Victoria received an application from Mark James, Ms Jamess son, requesting that Coroner Masons finding be set aside and the coronial investigation into his mothers death be re-opened.

Following the introduction of legislative amendments to the Coroners Act 2008 on 28 October 2018, His Honour is empowered to set aside findings made under previous Coroners Acts of 1958 and 1985 and re-open investigations if new facts or circumstances make it appropriate to do so.

Having considered the application, His Honour has determined to set aside the 1982 finding and re- open the investigation.

As the investigation is ongoing, no further comment can be made at this time.

Strangely, I could not find Wests statement on the Coroners website and notified the department of this. At the time of writing, I understand this is being rectified. It is not the first time that IAhas discovered anomalies in court record keeping.

Independent Australia has learned that some senior police and personnel within the Department of Justice were bloody annoyed by Wests decision. Why? Because there are a number of egregious faultlines in the decades-long investigation(s) into the James murder, including what I assert is a deliberate failure to properly consider the relationship and overriding influence of the Catholic Church upon the establishment, the polity, the police, some media, judiciary, elite business and influencers, the top end of town indeed the wider community. That influence remains sans frontieres. Even today.

Such is the climate of fear carefully cultivated by the Catholic Church and its agents and representatives, that many whistleblowers are still too scared and too scarred to be named.

Moreover, the threat of legal action has made writing/publishing about the church, problematic; especially when it comes to George Pell. Without doubt, a chat with Cardinal Pell about his fellow perpetrator, Father Tony Bongiorno, could clarify some aspects of the latters connection and relationship with Maria James.

Did Pell ever hear Bongiornos confession? Has Pell ever heard confessions about the sexual abuse of children? Any priest or brother made such a confession to him? He could certainly answer that much. No question. Pell should also answer questions about how he responded to those who confess such criminal acts. Answering such questions doesnot break the Seal of Confession.

The 38-year-old mother of two young boys had been bound and viciously stabbed 68 times in her Thornbury secondhand bookshop, with her own Wiltshire kitchen knife, on that fateful Tuesday, evoking similarities with the frenzied stabbings in yet another decades-old unsolved crime against women the notorious Easey Street murdersof Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett, three years earlier.

Neither I nor Independent Australia make any inference whatever that George Pell was involved in the murder of Maria James in any way but it should be noted that Pell was a friend to Father Bongiorno long before the murder - and long after; including long after it was common knowledge amongst priests, the Vatican, the Catholic Church, in particular, the Archdiocese of Melbourne, within certain police circles and George Pell himself, that Bongiorno was a serial paedophile.

In fact, like so many other paedophile priests and brothers, aided and abetted in their crimes by the Catholic Church, whenever Bongiornos sexual abusing became obviously promiscuous, he was rewarded by his masters with being trafficked to new culling fields to enjoy "fresh new meat young veal".

In the Churchs despicable modusoperandi, Bongiorno was simply whored around to various parishes, who welcomed him with open palms and the usual blaspheming psalms. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. These unholy priests, brothers in alms. Their insatiable sexual appetites kept well-fed.

In the lexicon of the Church, these lambs were led to their sexual slaughter by predominantly White adult males who were in some cases, members of privileged, elite paedophile rings who raped their child victims in the name of their God.

Often, these "new"parishes already had a paedophile priest in situ, so assimilation was easy. Victims were shared, notes compared.

At the time of the James murder, Bongiorno was an assistant parish priest at the nearby St Marys Catholic Church, on the corner of Rossmoyne and High St the same street as the bookshop. Before it became known as "Bongiornos church"it once boasted a robust Italian migrant congregation and was known for its Italian mass.

On the Catholic Church websites, there is now a strange emptiness on the St Marys page(s).

Not even an acknowledgement or proud boast that the current Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, Christopher Prowse, was once the parish priest in residence. No list of priests who have officiated at the parish. Nothing to see here. No list of victims of paedophile priests. No list of paedophile priests.

Certainly, nothing about Father Anthony Bongiorno who remains a key suspect in the James murder and who is now known to have sexually abused Maria James youngest son, Adam, then aged 11, who lives with cerebral palsy, Tourettes and his champion of a big brother, Mark, then 13-years-old and an altar boy.

Please watch this moving and compelling interview with Adam and Mark, posted on YouTube by the Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID) and witness the personal empowerment that comes with not only the telling of your story but also the validation that comes with being heard and believed by the community.

In a cruel twist of fate, Bongiorno was actually the person whom police asked to notify Mark of his mothers death. What is more, it was Bongiorno who officiated at Maria James funeral service. Galling. By any measure. But it is what we have sadly come to expect of insinuating Catholic paedophile priests and their facilitating church executives.

By all accounts, Maria James was fiercely protective of her children. She was a lioness of a mother when it came to her boys.

It is believed that on the very day she was murdered, Maria James was about to confront Father Bongiorno about sexually abusing Adam. Did he get in first? Did he kill her?

Or, was Bongiorno trying to protect someone else. His brother?

Anthony and Sam were close siblings. Did Sam know Maria James? Was he a suitor? Did he murder Maria James? Did Victoria Police check out Sam Bongiorno?

Is Sam Bongiorno a legitimate suspect?

Did George Pell also know Tony Bongiornos brother Sam well? And their sister?The same sister who refused to give her DNA to eliminate Father Bongiorno as a murder suspect? Why wasnt she prepared to eliminate her brother Father Anthony Bongiorno as a suspect?

Could it be by giving her DNA she might also implicate her other brother, Sam Bongiorno? Was the sister interviewed by the police about Sam? Was Sam Bongiorno every interviewed by police?

If Father Bongiornos body cant be exhumed can Sam Bongiornos body be exhumed are there other of his family members who can give permission to exhume Sam Bongiornos body?

An exhumation could move us closer to a DNA profile. Could Cardinal George Pell be asked to speak with the Bongiorno sister and gain permission from her to exhume Father Bongiornos body to take a DNA sample as an act of compassion for Mark and Adam James?

At the time of writing, I have not been able to establish if the Bongiorno sister is still alive. If she isnt, perhaps other family members could provide DNA samples present in any of her possessions even a hairbrush?

It should be further noted that in the 1960s, "Tony"Bongiorno was in the same seminary group and intake at Corpus Christi College (then at Werribee) as his mate George Pell. By all accounts, they became firm friends and spent much time together, according to our trusted sources.

Also in that group was another student priest who, like Pell, would go on to become Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart.

Someone else in that illustrious intake was none other than Father Sean OConnell who later became a parish priest at St Pauls in Coburg, a mere Magdalene stones throw from St Marys Thornbury. So FatherOConnell was just up the road from his old mate, Father Bongiorno.

OConnell was to conveniently provide his mate Father Tony Bongiorno with an all-day alibi at the time of the Maria James murder that contradicts other alleged sightings of a possible murderer (including of a bloodied priest) and various timelines.

In the 1850s, two famous and infamous Catholic rebels worshipped at St Pauls.

One was the now canonised, Sister Mary MacKillop, who ironically was once arguably excommunicated for reporting a priest for child sexual abuse and the other was the notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly, hanged and decapitated in1880.

OConnells former student priest classmate, Archbishop Denis Hart did the honourswhen he celebrated mass for the consecration of St Pauls on 3 July 2011after three years of restoration work. Why the restoration work?

In March 2008, a suspicious fire caused about $2 million worth of damage to St Pauls. The year before, the parish community hall opposite the church was razed.

But Ned Kelly was not the only criminal associated with St Pauls. Indeed, Father Sean OConnell found himself charged with harbouring one of Mark "Chopper"Reads mates.

Three years before the Maria James murder, on 9 May1977, notorious career criminal and Chopper-acolyte Jimmy Loughnan escaped from the bluestone fortress of Pentridge Prison and found himself in the grounds of St Pauls.

As documented in James Mortons book Maximum Security, Father OConnell was originally convicted of harbouring the injured Loughnan, but the conviction was quashed on appeal.

It should be noted that Anthony Bongiorno was one of the student priests who attended a holiday camp on Phillip Island during the time when George Pell, also a student priest, was accused of sexually abusing altar boys, in 1961/1962.

In fact, the allegations against George Pell were the subject of what is known as the Southwell Report, which Pell falsely claimed exonerated him.

As we have cited, itdid nothing of the sort.

It was a falsehood that Pell, the Catholic Church and its behemoth propaganda artillery had promulgated for years, yet again causing great damage to the veracity and reputations of complainants, victims/survivors of church, institutional and "civilian"child and adult sexual abuse alike, contributing to the great physical and mental harm done still to generations of victims.

The fake news of Pells assertions were compounded at the time by a dodgy headline in mainstream medias Sydney Morning Herald falsely proclaiming Pell exonerated over abuse claims, despite the articles anonymous writer actually pointing out among other things that:-

Mr Southwell's Report concluded that he accepted:

'... as correct the submission of [barrister Michael] Tovey that the complainant, when giving evidence of molesting, gave the impression that he was speaking honestly from an actual recollection. However, the respondent, also, gave me the impression that he was speaking the truth.'

Why was the writer anonymous? Grown-up journalists usually have a byline on such stories. Did the writer object to the headline and ask that his/her byline be removed?

The misrepresentation of the Southwell Report also proved a forceful deterrent to some victims coming forward and outright fisting to the courage of those who had already stepped forward naming their tormentors and abusers.

The 91-year-old Alec James "Ginger"Southwell QC died on January 26, 2018. He had impeccable legalcredentials.

Read the original here:
EXCLUSIVE: George Pell, Father Anthony Bongiorno and the killing of Maria James - Independent Australia