Two pregnant women (played by Milena Smit (left) and Penelope Cruz) bond in unusual ways in “Parallel Mothers,” the latest film from director Pedro Almodovar.

Two of today's most acclaimed international filmmakers – Pedro Almodovar and Asghar Farhadi – prove that they still have a masterful sensibility in this week's new releases. Here is our summary.

“Parallel mothers”: Spain's influential filmmaker Pedro Almodovar shows us that he is as playful, adventurous and relevant as ever in this incredibly good and surprisingly emotional melodrama that covers important themes such as history, birthright and the bonds between women. Almodovar also gives Penelope Cruz the chance to shine brighter than ever before. She plays Janis, a smart, successful single woman who is overjoyed about the impending birth of her firstborn. At the hospital she meets Ana (Milena Smit), a teenager who is not so thrilled about her pregnancy. The two different women connect and their lives intertwine in incredible, unexpected, and 100 percent Almodovan ways. It is also a haunting and devastating look at Spain's troubled history and attitudes towards women. Details: 3½; hits theaters in San Francisco on January 7th and expands on January 14th.

“A hero”: A seemingly good deed – returning a missing bag of gems – becomes a viral sensation, with neighbors, strangers and strategists praising and sometimes praising the compassionate “action” of Rahim (Amir Jadidi), who has just been released from prison also co-opt a penalty for non-payment of a debt. Iranian-born filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (“The Salesman” and “A Separation”) takes a clear, black-and-white premise and shades it with a number of moral gray areas as circumstances change for Rahim, who has a girlfriend. dissolve and a disabled son. True to form, Farhadi addresses these moral questions without being strident or even choosing a side. This non-judgmental approach makes this a wiser, richer story that expresses the volatile mood of our world, where finger-pointing and spewing outrage drown out decency, compassion and the understanding that we all make mistakes. The final scene is devastating. Details: 3½ out of 4 stars; opens in select theaters on January 7th; Streaming January 21st on Amazon Prime.

“The Book of Boba Fett”: As with the extremely successful “Mandalorian,” Disney+ reaches into the “Star Wars” treasure chest and comes up with another gold nugget. Looking like a cross between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, New Zealander Temuera Morrison is the ideal Fett, a silent bounty hunter who cleans up the mess caused by intergalactic slob/mob boss Jabba the Hutt. Robert Rodriguez directs this series with panache and style, particularly in the parkour-style daring scenes and flashbacks that pay homage to science fiction greats Robert Heinlein and Ray Harryhausen. Add in a badass Ming-Na Wen as Fett's brawn, and this first episode promises to be another winner. Details: 3 stars; Now available on Disney+.

“See for me”: Canadian newcomer Randall Okita injects a new engine into the home invasion thriller genre, bringing visual flair and style to this work. Former Olympic skier Sophie (Skyler Davenport; so good and so strong) remains bitter after an accident puts her fast-moving career on hold. Sophie, who was blinded in the accident, meets shady characters while house-sitting in a remote mansion in the woods. Cue the spooky soundtrack. Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue's clever script illustrates the predicament faced by Audrey Hepburn's character in the 1967 classic Wait Until Dark. Details: 3 stars; opens in select theaters and on demand on January 7th.

“Chimney Town Poupelle”: In this animated fable, a hardworking young chimney sweep named Lubicchi meets his best and only friend, an L. Frank Baum-like creation made out of trash. Akihiro Nishino's spirited adventure does an excellent job of world-building, creating a city devoid of any greenery. Richly animated and surprisingly touching, “Poupelle” is a gem from Tokyo-based Studio4ºC. Details: 3 stars; in select theaters on January 7th.

“Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer”: Netflix satisfies the insatiable appetite for true crime stories with a lurid three-parter about a serial killer who preys on sex workers in 1979 New York. Joe Berlinger compiles reenactments, archival footage, and interviews to revisit the horrific murders most often committed in seedy motels. For true crime fans, it's irresistible, but what makes “Times Square Killer” better than the standard is the fact that it reflects the rampant noxiousness that blanketed the area. Details: 2½ stars; Now available on Netflix.

“The Silent Sea”: This new Netflix sci-fi series from South Korea is as original as it is captivating. The eight-parter features numerous cliffhangers in each episode and features an excellent cast as it revolves around a disused lunar space station where the team is tasked with recovering an unknown object. Doctor Song Ji-an (Bae Doona from “Sense8”) searches for answers, especially what happened to her sister at the research station. She and others have fled a parched earth where scarce water is controlled by a box-like system. “Sea” doesn’t always work, but when it gets into full swing (near the 5th episode), you can expect it to really take off. Details: 3 stars; available on Netflix.

“The relatives”: In this dark and claustrophobic low-budget horror show, new mother Helen (April Pearson) awakens from a coma to the devastating news that she is in the hospital after her father committed suicide in front of her. Their marriage is hitting a rocky patch and Helen suffers strange visions as she tries to figure out what caused her father to end his life. Director Jamie Pearson creates a “Rosemary's Baby” atmosphere, while Christian J. Hearn's script takes us to some very gnarly and desperate psychological places. Details: 2½ stars; Available upon request on January 7th.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

The post 2 of world’s finest administrators are at their finest appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Dec 2, 2022

An aerial view of Oracle Park and the surrounding area ahead of the 2022 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament on March 26, 2022, in San Francisco.

Lance King/Getty Images

San Francisco is one of the 10 most expensive cities in the world, according to a new report from the Economist Intelligence Unit.

The report was conducted between mid-August and mid-September 2022. It’s based on a cost-of-living survey that incorporates hundreds of factors, including price of goods and services, utilities, car payments and housing. A major contributor to the skyrocketing cost of living is worldwide inflation, which the EIU measured at 8.1% year over year, the highest mark the organization has ever recorded in its two decades of digital surveys.

Topping the list of most expensive cities are New York and Singapore, which are tied. It’s the first time New York — which also now has the highest median rent prices in the United States, ahead of both San Francisco and Boston — has been given the unceremonious title. Singapore, meanwhile, has been ranked as the world’s most expensive city eight times in 10 years, according to the EIU.

In third place is Tel Aviv, followed by a fourth-place tie between Los Angeles and Hong Kong. Switzerland’s Zurich and Geneva are No. 6 and no. 7, respectively. San Francisco finally comes in at No. 8, four whole spots below LA and just above Paris (No. 9) and a tie for No. 10 between Sydney and Denmark’s Copenhagen.

Other US cities — including Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis; Portland, Oregon; and San Diego — saw significant cost-of-living jumps as well but not nearly enough to reach the same level as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Alex Shultz is the local editor for SFGATE. You can reach him at alex.shultz@sfgate.com.

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Sometimes, in my daily wanderings through downtown San Francisco, I look to the sky and ponder all the empty office buildings and wonder: What’s going to happen to this city?

For decades, San Francisco and neighboring Silicon Valley have assumed they would remain the world’s top spot for technology and innovation, riding a revenue train that would never ever stop.

Well, our choo choo has slowed down quite a bit. And there’s no guarantee of return ridership. A recent study by the research firm Real Estate Witch ranks San Francisco as the 16th best city in the country to launch a startup, far behind places like Las Vegas (No. 1), Salt Lake City (No. 2) and Miami (No 4). The metrics considered in the study included favorable tax laws, access to an educated workforce and employment growth. San Francisco didn’t stack up. The cost of doing business in the Bay Area has been prohibitive, to put it gently.

That has worried local tech leaders. I recently spoke to Jennifer Stojkovic, executive director of sf.citi, a San Francisco tech trade organization founded by venture capital legend Ron Conway 10 years ago, in partnership with then Mayor Ed Lee. Conway, a centrist Democrat who has been active on the local and national political stage, built the group into a powerhouse, influencing policy while representing giants such as Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Twitter, Uber and Facebook. The group’s mission is “to empower the San Francisco tech community to have a voice in tech policy decisions and collaborate with government leaders on solving local issues.”

And that’s exactly what Stojkovic plans to do. With Conway retiring from the board chair position, she and two other prominent women in tech — Board Chair Rebecca Prozan (director of government affairs and public policy for Google’s West Coast region) and Vice Chair Kate O’Sullivan (general manager of digital diplomacy within Microsoft’s corporate, external and legal affairs department) — will lead sf.citi forward into an uncertain future. And frankly, they sound worried.

From left: Rebecca Prozan, Kate O’Sullivan and Jennifer Stojkovic are poised to lead sf.citi, a tech trade organization founded by venture capitalist Ron Conway, following Conway’s retirement from the board chair position. (Examiner photo stitch)

“San Francisco has not had the same level of recovery as cities like New York and Austin and Seattle and places like that,” Stojkovic told The Examiner. “One of the things that is very concerning, in our opinion, is that while we have a myriad of quality of life issues that we need to address to make sure that we are reopening our offices safely and reopening our downtown, that’s really a short – term solution. The long-term (question) for economic recovery is, ‘How do we remain the best place for folks to locate their business and to make sure that their talent is located in San Francisco?’”

Unfortunately, Stojkovic doesn’t hear anyone talking about this at City Hall.

“That, in my opinion, is the $14 billion question that we are not talking about at a city leadership level. We have been very, very fortunate to be a city that has been leading as the main capital of innovation in this country and in this world for several decades now. And we are now at a precipice where there’s potential for us to not have that same pull. … We need to make sure that we are, from a regulatory and tax perspective, continuing to be competitive. We’re the most expensive place to do business in the country.”

ugh Just when you thought you were full up on bad news, add this to the list. On my doomscrolling top 10, San Francisco’s tech center status ranks far behind Ukraine, inflation, fentanyl and homelessness. But it’s definitely on the list. We are a city based on technology and tourism, with a crucial convention economy that ties it all together. None of those engines are working at full capacity right now, so we need to pay attention when our tech leaders sound the alarm.

So what does Big Tech want San Francisco to do? You can read through sf.citi’s policy priorities, which map out some key areas one would expect from a business group. Favorable tax structure. Reasonable regulation. Eliminating bureaucracy. There’s also heavy emphasis on the pressing issues facing us all, including our lack of housing, aging transportation infrastructure, rampant homelessness and rising public safety concerns.

I would add one more to sf.citi’s list. Work with our largest tech employers to bring workers back to the office. And at the same time, embrace ideas forwarded in this column, and elsewhere, to repurpose space that will not be reclaimed by business. Empty offices? Make them into housing.

“I think the talk about repurposing the space downtown is one that a lot of folks are having right now. And I think that’s a realistic step and something we should be talking about,” said Stojkovic. “I also think that we have to do a good job of incentivizing people to want to be in San Francisco. At the end of the day, we keep coming back to the same thing. It’s very expensive to live in The City. So if we want folks to be coming downtown, and using the space more, we need folks to locate in San Francisco, which has not been on the forefront of housing development. California is not at the forefront of housing development.”

“(As for) transportation, a lot of our members are having concerns (about) their employees literally getting in and out of the city and getting to their offices. So we are advocating for better solutions from Muni and BART. That is important. Other perspectives? The state of the streets. Everybody says that. SF Travel is saying it, hospitals are saying it, every single association says the state of our streets has to change.”

For the record, sf.citi stands aligned with Mayor London Breed’s current plan to clean things up.

“We support the mayor’s initiatives, everything that she needs for public safety,” said Stojkovic. “But they’re not all tenable at the board level. We think that we need to be realistic about this. “

Conway and his organization have had some wins over the years, helping to make San Francisco startup-friendly while also advocating for improvements in local governance. For instance, this past year’s annual report shows they were heavily focused on mapping The City’s tech exodus and helping City Hall grapple with remote work, remote school and a remote population downtown.

Going forward, the organization’s new leadership wants to focus on keeping San Francisco relevant in the startup scene and helping to reenvision the city’s traditional downtown work spaces. From where I sit, this is core to our future success.

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. The region was the Silicon Valley of the Industrial Age, booming beyond belief in the 1910s and 1920s. The post-war era was a time of prosperity as well. Just like San Francisco, the civic leaders believed the boom times would last indefinitely. But as the companies and factories started moving out, seeking cheaper labor elsewhere, a slow decline began that bottomed out during my childhood.

To Cleveland’s credit, the city has reinvented itself behind strong ties to biomedicine and life sciences, due in large part to institutions like the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University. But that took decades, and it’s still very much a work in progress. The key is to make sure you don’t hit bottom and have to build back from scratch.

trust me I’ve seen a downtown die. It’s not a pretty sight.

Editor’s note: The Arena, a column from The Examiner’s Al Saracevic, explores San Francisco’s playing field, from politics and technology to sports and culture. Send your tips, quips and quotes to asaracevic@sfexaminer.com.

The post Opinion: Has San Francisco misplaced its spot because the world’s tech capital? appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco believes it has the world’s oldest living fish in an Aquarium.

The fish is an Australian lungfish, and it lives in a glass container in a museum. The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper first wrote about the fish in 1947. The story said the fish looked “strange” and might have been an example of the link between animals that lived in the ocean and those that lived on land.

The fish is named Methuselah after a person said to have lived 969 years in the Bible. While she is not that old, biologists at the aquarium think the fish is about 90 years old. They believe it is the oldest living example of a lungfish in an aquarium.

Until a few years ago, the oldest Australian lungfish was at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. But that fish, named Granddad, died in 2017 at the age of 95.

“By default,” said biologist Allan Jan, “Methuselah is the oldest.”

Jan looks after the fish in San Francisco. He believes the fish is female but does not know for sure. The aquarium plans to take a very small part of the fish’s fine and send it to scientists in Australia. The scientists will try to confirm the fish’s age and sex.

Jan said Methuselah likes getting rubbed on her back. He compared her to an “underwater puppy” or young dog. She is a little longer than one meter and weighs about 20 kilograms.

Methuselah, a 4-foot-long, 40-pound Australian lungfish that was brought to the California Academy of Sciences in 1938 from Australia, swims in its tank in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu )

Jeanette Peach is a spokeswoman for the aquarium. She said the fish enjoys eating fresh figs, a type of fruit. “She won’t eat them when they’re frozen,” Peach said.

The aquarium has two other Australian lungfish. Jan said they are thinking to be in their 40s or 50s.

the species is now threatened and can no longer be exported from Australian waters. So, getting another lungfish after Methuselah is not likely.

“We just give her the best possible care we can provide, and hopefully she thrills,” Jan said.

I’m Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.

Does your country have some old animals or fish? What kind are they? Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

Aquarium– n. a glass or plastic container in which fish and other water animals and plants can live

default – n. used to describe something that happens or is done when nothing else has been done or can be done — usually used in the phrase by default

fine– n. a thin flat part that sticks out from the body of a fish and is used in moving or guiding the fish through water

species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

drive – v. to grow or develop successfully

The post San Francisco Is House to World’s Oldest Fish in Aquarium appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The name of the lungfish is Methuselah, which comes from the Bible.

Methusalah was Noah’s grandfather and lived 969 years.

This Methusalah is considered “she” and is at least 90 years old.

RELATED: Rare, monstrous-looking fish wash up on San Diego Beach

The academy will send a tiny sample of their fin to researchers in Australia who will try to find out its exact age.

“She’s basically just a big pooch,” said aquarium curator Charles Delbeek.

“She’s very gentle, she moves very slowly, but if you want to be fast, you can. You can jump out of this tank and that’s why we have a guard around it, ”he explained.

Methusalah weighs about 24 pounds.

Perhaps a more mature palate comes with their age? She enjoys figs, but only when they are fresh, not frozen and thawed.

VIDEO: Monterey Bay Aquarium Researcher Shares Experience With Rare Barreleye Fish In The Deep Sea

Copyright © 2022 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

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Two of today’s most renowned international filmmakers – Pedro Almodovar and Asghar Farhadi – prove they still have a masterful touch in this week’s new releases. Here is our summary.

“Parallel mothers”: Spain’s influential filmmaker Pedro Almodovar shows us in this sinfully good and surprisingly emotional melodrama, which takes up weighty questions of history, birthright and bonds between women, as playful, adventurous and relevant as ever. Almodovar also gives Penelope Cruz a chance to shine brighter than she has recently. She plays Janis, a bright, successful single woman who is overjoyed with the imminent arrival of her firstborn. In the hospital, she meets Ana (Milena Smit), a teenage girl who is not that enthusiastic about her pregnancy. The two different women bond and their lives intertwine in incredible, unexpected and 100 percent Almodovan ways. It’s also a powerful and devastating look at Spain’s turbulent history and attitudes towards women. Details: 3½; Opens in theaters in San Francisco on January 7th, expands on January 14th.

“A hero”: A seemingly good deed – giving back a missing bag of gems – becomes a viral sensation, with neighbors, strangers and strategists praising and sometimes co-opting the good Samaritan “act” of Rahim (Amir Jadidi), who has just got out of prison was released a penalty for failing to pay a debt. Iran-born filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (“The Salesman” and “A Separation”) takes a clear black and white premise and shadows it with many moral gray areas as the circumstances untangle for Rahim, who has a girlfriend and a disabled person Son. True to his form, Farhadi swims into these moral questions without being shrill or even choosing a side. This unbiased approach makes this a smarter, richer story that speaks to the volatile mood of our world where blame and outrage drown out decency, compassion, and an understanding that we all make mistakes. The last scene is overwhelming. Details: 3½ out of 4 stars; opens January 7th in select cinemas; Streaming on January 21st on Amazon Prime.

“The Book of Boba Fett”: Disney + dips into the “Star Wars” treasure chest – as with the extremely successful “Mandalorian” – and comes up with another gold nugget. Looking like a cross between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, Temuera Morrison from New Zealand is an ideal fat, taciturn bounty hunter to clean up the havoc wrought by intergalactic slob / mob boss Jabba the Hutt. Robert Rodriguez stages this series with verve and style, especially in the scenes with parkour-like Derring-Do and the flashbacks that pay homage to the science fiction greats Robert Heinlein and Ray Harryhausen. Add in a badass Ming-Na Wen as fat muscle and this first episode promises this will be another winner. Details: 3 stars; now available on Disney +.

“Look for me”: Canadian newcomer Randall Okita brings a new engine to the chugging home invasion thriller genre, adding visual flair and style to that endeavor. Former Olympic skier Sophie (Skyler Davenport; so good and so strong) remains bitter after an accident put an overtaking career on hold. Sophie, who was blinded during the accident, encounters unsavory characters while doing house manners in a remote mansion in the woods. Cue the scary soundtrack. The clever script by Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue juices out a predicament that Audrey Hepburn’s character faced in the 1967 classic “Wait Until Dark”. Details: 3 stars; opens on January 7th in selected cinemas and on demand.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town”: In this animated fable, a hard-working young chimney sweep named Lubicchi meets his best and only friend, a L. Frank Baum-like creation made from trash. Akihiro Nishino’s spirited adventure does an excellent job of building the world and creating a city devoid of greenery. Richly animated and surprisingly touching, “Poupelle” is a jewel from Studio4ºC in Tokyo. Details: 3 stars; in selected cinemas on January 7th.

“Crime Scene: The Killer in Times Square”: Netflix nourishes the insatiable appetite for true crime stories with a lurid three-part series about a serial killer who chases after sex workers in New York in 1979. Joe Berlinger compiles re-enactments, archive footage, and interviews to review the horrific murders most commonly committed in rundown motels. It’s irresistible for true crime lovers, but what makes Times Square Killer better than the standard is how it reflects the rampant shadiness that covered the area. Details: 2½ stars; now available on Netflix.

“The calm sea”: This new Netflix science fiction series from South Korea is as derivative as it is compelling. The eight-piece piles up on the cliffhangers in each episode and makes for an excellent cast as it focuses on a decommissioned lunar space station where the team is tasked with salvaging an unknown item. Doctor Song Ji-an (Bae Doona from “Sense8”) is looking for answers, especially about what happened to her sister in the research station. They and others have fled a parched earth where scarce water is controlled with a box-like system. “Sea” doesn’t always work, but when it’s running at full speed (near the 5th Details: 3 stars; available on Netflix.

“The relatives”: On this claustrophobic horror show, new mom Helen (April Pearson) wakes up from a coma to learn the devastating news that she was in hospital after her father committed suicide in front of her. Their marriage has gone through a difficult period and Helen suffers from strange visions as she tries to figure out what caused her father to end his life. Director Jamie Pearson creates a “Rosemary’s Baby” atmosphere, while Christian J. Hearn’s script takes us to some very gnarled and desperate psychological places. Details: 2½ stars; available on request on January 7th.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

The post 2 of world’s finest administrators are at their finest appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Two of today’s most renowned international filmmakers – Pedro Almodovar and Asghar Farhadi – prove they still have a masterful touch in this week’s new releases. Here is our summary.

“Parallel mothers”: Spain’s influential filmmaker Pedro Almodovar shows us in this sinfully good and surprisingly emotional melodrama, which takes up weighty questions of history, birthright and bonds between women, as playful, adventurous and relevant as ever. Almodovar also gives Penelope Cruz a chance to shine brighter than she has recently. She plays Janis, a bright, successful single woman who is overjoyed with the imminent arrival of her firstborn. In the hospital, she meets Ana (Milena Smit), a teenage girl who is not that enthusiastic about her pregnancy. The two different women bond and their lives intertwine in incredible, unexpected and 100 percent Almodovan ways. It’s also a powerful and devastating look at Spain’s turbulent history and attitudes towards women. Details: 3½; Opens in theaters in San Francisco on January 7th, expands on January 14th.

“A hero”: A seemingly good deed – giving back a missing bag of gems – becomes a viral sensation, with neighbors, strangers and strategists praising and sometimes co-opting the good Samaritan “act” of Rahim (Amir Jadidi), who has just got out of prison was released a penalty for failing to pay a debt. Iran-born filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (“The Salesman” and “A Separation”) takes a clear black and white premise and shadows it with many moral gray areas as the circumstances untangle for Rahim, who has a girlfriend and a disabled person Son. True to his form, Farhadi swims into these moral questions without being shrill or even choosing a side. This unbiased approach makes this a smarter, richer story that speaks to the volatile mood of our world where blame and outrage drown out decency, compassion, and an understanding that we all make mistakes. The last scene is overwhelming. Details: 3½ out of 4 stars; opens January 7th in select cinemas; Streaming on January 21st on Amazon Prime.

“The Book of Boba Fett”: Disney + dips into the “Star Wars” treasure chest – as with the extremely successful “Mandalorian” – and comes up with another gold nugget. Looking like a cross between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, Temuera Morrison from New Zealand is an ideal fat, taciturn bounty hunter to clean up the havoc wrought by intergalactic slob / mob boss Jabba the Hutt. Robert Rodriguez stages this series with verve and style, especially in the scenes with parkour-like Derring-Do and the flashbacks that pay homage to the science fiction greats Robert Heinlein and Ray Harryhausen. Add in a badass Ming-Na Wen as fat muscle and this first episode promises this will be another winner. Details: 3 stars; now available on Disney +.

“Look for me”: Canadian newcomer Randall Okita brings a new engine to the chugging home invasion thriller genre, adding visual flair and style to that endeavor. Former Olympic skier Sophie (Skyler Davenport; so good and so strong) remains bitter after an accident put an overtaking career on hold. Sophie, who was blinded during the accident, encounters unsavory characters while doing house manners in a remote mansion in the woods. Cue the scary soundtrack. The clever script by Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue juices out a predicament that Audrey Hepburn’s character faced in the 1967 classic “Wait Until Dark”. Details: 3 stars; opens on January 7th in selected cinemas and on demand.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town”: In this animated fable, a hard-working young chimney sweep named Lubicchi meets his best and only friend, a L. Frank Baum-like creation made from trash. Akihiro Nishino’s spirited adventure does an excellent job of building the world and creating a city devoid of greenery. Richly animated and surprisingly touching, “Poupelle” is a jewel from Studio4ºC in Tokyo. Details: 3 stars; in selected cinemas on January 7th.

“Crime Scene: The Killer in Times Square”: Netflix nourishes the insatiable appetite for true crime stories with a lurid three-part series about a serial killer who chases after sex workers in New York in 1979. Joe Berlinger compiles re-enactments, archive footage, and interviews to review the horrific murders most commonly committed in rundown motels. It’s irresistible for true crime lovers, but what makes Times Square Killer better than the standard is how it reflects the rampant shadiness that covered the area. Details: 2½ stars; now available on Netflix.

“The calm sea”: This new Netflix science fiction series from South Korea is as derivative as it is compelling. The eight-piece piles up on the cliffhangers in each episode and makes for an excellent cast as it focuses on a decommissioned lunar space station where the team is tasked with salvaging an unknown item. Doctor Song Ji-an (Bae Doona from “Sense8”) is looking for answers, especially about what happened to her sister in the research station. They and others have fled a parched earth where scarce water is controlled with a box-like system. “Sea” doesn’t always work, but when it’s running at full speed (near the 5th Details: 3 stars; available on Netflix.

“The relatives”: On this claustrophobic horror show, new mom Helen (April Pearson) wakes up from a coma to learn the devastating news that she was in hospital after her father committed suicide in front of her. Their marriage has gone through a difficult period and Helen suffers from strange visions as she tries to figure out what caused her father to end his life. Director Jamie Pearson creates a “Rosemary’s Baby” atmosphere, while Christian J. Hearn’s script takes us to some very gnarled and desperate psychological places. Details: 2½ stars; available on request on January 7th.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

The post 2 of world’s finest administrators are at their finest appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Two of today’s most renowned international filmmakers – Pedro Almodovar and Asghar Farhadi – prove they still have a masterful touch in this week’s new releases. Here is our summary.

“A hero”: A seemingly good deed – giving back a missing bag of gems – becomes a viral sensation, with neighbors, strangers and strategists praising and sometimes co-opting the good Samaritan “act” of Rahim (Amir Jadidi), who has just got out of prison was released a penalty for failing to pay a debt. Iran-born filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (“The Salesman” and “A Separation”) takes a clear black and white premise and shadows it with many moral gray areas as the circumstances untangle for Rahim, who has a girlfriend and a disabled person Son. True to his form, Farhadi swims into these moral questions without being shrill or even choosing a side. This unbiased approach makes this a smarter, richer story that speaks to the volatile mood of our world where blame and outrage drown out decency, compassion, and an understanding that we all make mistakes. The last scene is overwhelming. Details: 3½ out of 4 stars; opens January 7th in select cinemas; Streaming on January 21st on Amazon Prime.

“Parallel mothers”: Spain’s influential filmmaker Pedro Almodovar shows us in this sinfully good and surprisingly emotional melodrama, which takes up weighty questions of history, birthright and bonds between women, as playful, adventurous and relevant as ever. Almodovar also gives Penelope Cruz a chance to shine brighter than she has recently. She plays Janis, a bright, successful single woman who is overjoyed with the imminent arrival of her firstborn. In the hospital, she meets Ana (Milena Smit), a teenage girl who is not that enthusiastic about her pregnancy. The two different women bond and their lives intertwine in incredible, unexpected and 100 percent Almodovan ways. It’s also a powerful and devastating look at Spain’s turbulent history and attitudes towards women. Details: 3½; Opens in theaters in San Francisco on January 7th, expands on January 14th.

“The Book of Boba Fett”: Disney + dips into the “Star Wars” treasure chest – as with the extremely successful “Mandalorian” – and comes up with another gold nugget. Looking like a cross between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, Temuera Morrison from New Zealand is an ideal fat, taciturn bounty hunter to clean up the havoc wrought by intergalactic slob / mob boss Jabba the Hutt. Robert Rodriguez stages this series with verve and style, especially in the scenes with parkour-like Derring-Do and the flashbacks that pay homage to the science fiction greats Robert Heinlein and Ray Harryhausen. Add in a badass Ming-Na Wen as fat muscle and this first episode promises this will be another winner. Details: 3 stars; now available on Disney +.

“Look for me”: Canadian newcomer Randall Okita brings a new engine to the chugging home invasion thriller genre, adding visual flair and style to that endeavor. Former Olympic skier Sophie (Skyler Davenport; so good and so strong) remains bitter after an accident put an overtaking career on hold. Sophie, who was blinded during the accident, encounters unsavory characters while doing house manners in a remote mansion in the woods. Cue the scary soundtrack. The clever script by Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue juices out a predicament that Audrey Hepburn’s character faced in the 1967 classic “Wait Until Dark”. Details: 3 stars; opens on January 7th in selected cinemas and on demand.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town”: In this animated fable, a hard-working young chimney sweep named Lubicchi meets his best and only friend, a L. Frank Baum-like creation made from trash. Akihiro Nishino’s spirited adventure does an excellent job of building the world and creating a city devoid of greenery. Richly animated and surprisingly touching, “Poupelle” is a jewel from Studio4ºC in Tokyo. Details: 3 stars; in selected cinemas on January 7th.

“Crime Scene: The Killer in Times Square”: Netflix nourishes the insatiable appetite for true crime stories with a lurid three-part series about a serial killer who chases after sex workers in New York in 1979. Joe Berlinger compiles re-enactments, archive footage, and interviews to review the horrific murders most commonly committed in rundown motels. It’s irresistible for true crime lovers, but what makes Times Square Killer better than the standard is how it reflects the rampant shadiness that covered the area. Details: 2½ stars; now available on Netflix.

“The calm sea”: This new Netflix science fiction series from South Korea is as derivative as it is compelling. The eight-piece piles up on the cliffhangers in each episode and makes for an excellent cast as it focuses on a decommissioned lunar space station where the team is tasked with salvaging an unknown item. Doctor Song Ji-an (Bae Doona from “Sense8”) is looking for answers, especially about what happened to her sister in the research station. They and others have fled a parched earth where scarce water is controlled with a box-like system. “Sea” doesn’t always work, but when it’s running at full speed (near the 5th Details: 3 stars; available on Netflix.

“The relatives”: On this claustrophobic horror show, new mom Helen (April Pearson) wakes up from a coma to learn the devastating news that she was in hospital after her father committed suicide in front of her. Their marriage has gone through a difficult period and Helen suffers from strange visions as she tries to figure out what caused her father to end his life. Director Jamie Pearson creates a “Rosemary’s Baby” atmosphere, while Christian J. Hearn’s script takes us to some very gnarled and desperate psychological places. Details: 2½ stars; available on request on January 7th.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

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The European Commission has approved a Romanian plan to spend EUR 254 million of its Structural Funds on repairing Bucharest’s city-wide district heating system

Bucharest has a total of 950 km of main lines and almost 3,000 km of secondary lines, which supply 1.2 million people in 562,000 apartments in 8,200 apartment blocks. It is the second largest district heating system in the world after Moscow.

In 2019, it was found that Radet, the state-owned company that operates the facility, was losing up to 2,000 tons of hot water per hour (see further reading).

Ciprian Ciucu, a member of the Bucharest City Council, commented at the time: “The Radet network is in a very poor condition and therefore the pressure has to be increased so that the heat can reach the houses. And when the pressure increases, other damage occurs. It is a doom-loop.”

The problems have persisted ever since. According to the Romania Insider website, thousands of households in Bucharest were without heating or hot water for several days in a row due to burst pipes and power failures.

The repair job aims to restore the integrity of the pipes that distribute the hot water. In particular, the main heat transfer pipes will be renewed, with around 10% of the total length of the network being renewed.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, commented: “This 254 million.”

Image: Radet workers on duty in Bucharest (Radets)

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Dubai, the richest city in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and the 29th richest city in the world, is seeing an influx of millionaires.

According to New World Wealth, a research firm that tracks the fortunes and movements of millionaires, multimillionaires and billionaires around the world, the number of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) in Dubai rose to 54,000 in June 2021, up 3.8 percent from 52,000 im last december.

The number of multimillionaires, or those with assets of $ 10 million or more, rose from 2,430 to 2,480 over the same period, while the number of centi-millionaires with assets of $ 100 million rose to 165, an increase of 8, 5 percent from 152 at the end of last year.

“Possible reasons for Dubai’s continued attraction to millionaires” [are] Safety, health services, luxury shops and restaurants, beaches, tax breaks and a world class financial center, ”Andrew Amoils, wealth analyst at New World Wealth, told Zawya.

Total personal wealth held in Dubai rose $ 13 billion in less than a year as more than 2,000 HNWIs are believed to have moved to the city despite the coronavirus pandemic.

As of June 2021, the net worth of all Dubai residents with at least $ 1 million in real estate, cash, stocks and business interests was $ 530 billion, up 2.5 percent from December 2020, New World Wealth said.

At least two people with assets of at least $ 1 billion have also joined the ranks of billionaires in the emirate.

Other rich travel destinations

The research firm also found that Tel Aviv in Israel this year is the second richest city in the MEA region, which has combined private assets of $ 312 billion.

Johannesburg in Africa ranked second with an estimated total wealth of $ 235 billion, followed by Istanbul ($ 180 billion) and Cape Town ($ 130 billion).

Globally, New York City topped the list with total assets of $ 2.9 trillion in June 2021, followed by the San Francisco Bay Area ($ 2.6 trillion), Tokyo ($ 2.5 trillion) , London $ 2.3 trillion), Beijing ($ 2 trillion), Shanghai ($ 1.8 trillion), Los Angeles ($ 1.3 trillion), Sydney ($ 1.1 trillion) Dollars), Chicago ($ 1 trillion), and Mumbai ($ 970 million) – all in the top ten.

(Reporting by Cleofe Maceda; Editing by Seban Scaria)

Cleofe.maceda@refinitiv.com

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. The Content does not provide any tax, legal, or investment advice or opinion as to the suitability, value, or profitability of any particular security, portfolio, or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.

© ZAWYA 2021

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